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tt0480242 | Dan in Real Life | Advice columnist Dan Burns (Steve Carell) is a widower with three daughters, whom he brings to his parents' vacation house for a family get-together. When Dan goes to a local bookstore, he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche). To catch her attention, Dan poses as a shop clerk, and convinces her to buy a random selection of books. When Marie finds out the truth, Dan proposes to make it up to her. The two share an intimate conversation and Dan starts falling for her. Marie, who gets a phone call and starts to leave. Dan asks for her number, but Marie refuses, saying that she has just started a new relationship, but then relents and gives Dan her number.On his way back to the house, Dan, an otherwise careful driver, is so engrossed in the memory of Marie that he runs a stop sign and gets a ticket. When he gets home, he finds out to his surprise that Marie is his brother Mitch's (Dane Cook) girlfriend, but not before he mentions that he met a girl. Dan tells Marie that they should not mention the bookstore incident to the family. The family starts liking Marie, while Dan gets envious and starts to behave strangely. Over the next few days, the two go back and forth in forbidden love and a few laughs.Dan's mother Nana (Dianne Wiest) announces the she ran into Ruthie Draper (Emily Blunt), an old acquaintance of Dan's, and that she has set up a date between Dan and Ruthie. Dan recalls that when they were kids, Ruthie's nickname was "Pigface" and refuses to go. Mitch proposes that they double with him and Marie, and Dan agrees. While Ruthie turns out to be very hot, Dan isn't too interested. However, on Marie's indication that Ruthie is not right for him, Dan feigns interest and starts dancing with Ruthie. Marie gets jealous and joins the floor with Mitch, leading to an upstaging contest between Dan and Marie.During a game of family football, Dan continues to flirt with Marie, and as a result, gets hit on the nose by the ball. His eldest daughter, Jane (Allison Pill) confronts him and tells that she has noticed his flirting and warns him to stop. Just then, Dan gets a phone call and finds out that some representatives from a syndicated publication will be coming to interview him for a position.The night before the interview, the family has a talent show, where Dan accompanies Mitch singing a love song to Marie. Mitch forgets many of the words, and Dan ends up finishing the song for him. In the morning, Marie, torn by the pressure of falling for Dan, dumps Mitch and leaves. She calls Dan, and he leaves to meet her, running the same stop sign and getting a second ticket from the same cop in the process. They meet up and decide to go bowling. In the meantime, the representatives have arrived and the family comes to look for Dan, only to find the two sharing a kiss.Dan explains, saying that Marie was the woman he met at the bookstore. Mitch hits Dan. Marie runs out and drives away. Dan tries to go chasing after her, but rams the same cop's car while backing out and loses his license. After this, Dan realizes he's been neglecting his family and kids. He admits to his family and potential employers that he's been violating his own advice and ignoring his family, and apologizes to his kids. He tries to apologize to Mitch, only to find out that Mitch is now going out with Ruthie. Dan's daughters realize that he is in love with Marie, and they encourage him to go find her. They then go to New York to find Marie, take the job, and live happily ever after. | bleak, romantic, psychedelic, realism | train | imdb | The most satisfying element about "Dan in Real Life" is that the relationship between Dan (Steve Carell) and Marie (Juliette Binoche) makes sense and is beautifully realistic.
Had this movie been made with Jessica Alba or Scarlett Johansson, it would have been a disaster.Another wonderful aspect about "Dan in Real Life" is that it is a perfect film for adults who are interested in a mature comedy that leaves out the three pillars of the "frat pack" formula: dumb chicks, chauvinistic guys, and sleazy jokes.
At a large family homecoming Dan meets his perfect woman, only to find out that she is in a relationship with his brother.What's a man to do?I rather liked "Dan In Real Life", but I would imagine the success or otherwise of this flick is going to be down to whether you are willing to accept Steve Carell playing a part relatively straight and restrained, rather than going through the broad comedy moves that have made him so successful.
If you cannot accept it, fear not, "Get Smart" will be along later in the year, but for the record I thought he was very good."Dan In Real Life" starts off like your typical, incidentally amusing, family drama, but it gets funnier and funnier as it goes along and Carell's frustration with his situation grows.
It's not massively original (but if you only saw movies with original ideas, cinematic pickings would be very scarce indeed, wouldn't they?), but "Dan In Real Life" is entertaining, and a good cast (who wouldn't fall in love at first sight with the luminous Juliette Binoche?) make the most of an insightful enough script that contains many a ponder on the meaning and passion of love.I hope that Steve Carell pushes himself and does something as interesting again..
The laughs aren't gags here--they're observations, laughs of recognition, little shocks of "Oh, my God, I thought I was the only one who felt that way!" I won't give away the plot, which is more than just "Guy falls in love with his brother's girlfriend." The whole family plays a part in the relationship here.
Carell gives Dan so much heart that he becomes the heart of the film itself at the same time.I wondered after seeing the film if I enjoyed the it as much as I did, despite its slight shortcomings (Juliette Binoche I know you might like to lighten up every now and then but I don't recommend it unless there is chocolate involved), because of where I am in my life.
I'm not a Steve Carell fan however I like this movie about Dan, an advice columnist, who goes to his parents house for a stay with his kids and ends up falling in love with his brother's girlfriend.
The acting was great, Steve Carrol gives the character so much, the awkwardness that he brings to the person in some of the scenes are just great, you feel like it was happening to you, and it probably could, and we are all familiar with the situations which are seen in this movie.The movie also had some great Hilarious moments.
In my opinion was the movie excellent :D:) And I loved the last scene, where he finish it with the best quote, and a really helpful one, which I would try thinking of from time to time in my life, a very good advice.
I was drawn to DAN IN REAL LIFE from the excellent reviews and the thirst for a Dramedy that was well written-thank you Peter Hedges-and because when Steve Carell stars in the film, you know an audience is going to find like in LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, a performance that is very entertaining and rewarding.
I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.Dan in Real Life is the story of a widower with 3 daughters who goes to spend a weekend with his family.
While at a bookstore, he meets the woman of his dreams, only to find out that she happens to be his brother's girlfriend.This movie is pretty well made- the soundtrack, cinematography, and acting are all top-notch, especially Steve Carell.
We never really get a close look at the relationship between Dane and Steve's characters, and I felt that it could have helped a bit in showing what Dan's inner conflict about being in love with Dane's girlfriend was like.
Other than this though, Dan in Real Life is definitely a solid, sweet film- definitely a nice break from all the horror and action movies we've been getting this year..
in fact, early in the movie, the initial spark of love begins with whimsical discussion in a classic Hollywood-style conversation where the characters say what they're thinking out loud.So I've probably rambled and repeated myself, but I highly recommend "Dan in Real Life".
But a quick blip on the radar with Evan Almighty made us wonder if he will be able to sustain a series of successes given what I think is a dearth of funny comedians to hit the big screen of late - output seemed to have slowed a bit from the likes of Mike Myers, Ben Stiller (The Heartbreak Kid was not exactly really funny), Will Farell and even Jim Carrey, with whom Carell will be collaborating with in an animated feature in next year's Dr Horton Hears a Who.I thought Dan in Real Life followed the Adam Sandler route with having to star in this year's equivalent of the latter's Spanglish, and does show that Carell the funnyman has some dramatic acting chops in him to commandeer this movie on his shoulders.
Like Sandler, he has this everyday man appeal without the need for any hint of exaggeration, and this chummy buddy persona that makes him quite likable.Steve Carell plays Dan the columnist who dispenses parenting advice in his newspaper column Dan in Real Life, where a routine day of the widower involves providing email counselling to his readers, and being the overprotective father to his three young daughters Jane, Cara and Lilly.
You might think that you've met that special someone, but the timing somehow just isn't right, and naturally things do not work out, even though you think that it might (who plans for a breakup from the start anyway?) Watching how smooth Dan is, his mark Ann Marie (Juliette Binoche, whom we last saw on screen opposite Jude Law in Breaking and Entering) spends an afternoon with Dan chatting (with the camera lingering at all angles imagined possible), and find that they click.
One of my favourite scenes involve a 4-way interaction at a diner that hit all the right notes, and another an insane and totally politically incorrect song involving pigs.It's ultimately a feel good movie, so don't expect proceedings to go in too heavy and deep, as it skirts around the subplots it creates decently, with little surprises, playing out just like one will almost expect it to be.
The widower family man Dan Burns (Steve Carell) writes the column "Dan in Real Life" giving advices for families in The New Jersey Standard and raises his three daughters alone.
Along the weekend, the attraction between the clumsy Dan and Marie increases and they have to take a decision."Dan in Real Life" is a great surprise and a delightful movie, with comedy, romance and drama.
Let me start by saying that I don't work for a film company, I am just a regular man who happened to see an early screening at the University of South Carolina last night.With a cast of Dane Cook and Steve Carell (2 of the funniest people in Hollywood) I truly expected a laugh-out-loud comedy.
When i first got this film i wasn't expecting much im not one for PG comedies not really one for PG movies period (i like to see life as life and i don't see it in a PG movie just me i guess) but this was actually a hilarious movie that didn't need swear words or make fun of people jokes this was a hilarious comedy that makes you laugh at family, love, and the awykward'ness of life i guess you can say.
Peter Hedges, who penned the screenplays for the admired indie films What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Pieces of April (and he directed the latter) as well as the successful adaptations of Nick Hornby's About a Boy and Jane Hamilton's A Map of the World, has now guided comic Steve Carell of Judd Apatow's The 40-Year-Old Virgin in a romantic comedy about two brothers vying for the same woman at a large family gathering--which will remind you of the one in The Family Stone, or Home for the Holidays, or for that matter Pieces of April, and a wide variety of American ensemble film comedies--all of which are better focused and more successful than this lame, often cringe-worthy attempt to merge Meet Cute with soppily sentimental treatments of death and sibling rivalry.
There have been many comments describing this family as akin to LLBean models and such, and I think that that is a great description of how they behaved.More absurdly unbelievable writing/acting occurs as we meet a character referred to in High School as "pigface" who, of course, has grown into a drop-dead gorgeous 20-year Harvard-educated plastic surgeon (but only to do good in the world-not for the money,) and she beds Steve Carrel on the first date.
It's drama, comedy, romance, with adults and supposedly real characters.Steve Carell stars as Dan, a widower, father of three daughters, newspaper writer, and as implied by widower - he's single.
I really liked Carell's performance as Dan, he is genuinely funny, and all-around a good character.The problem is Dan falls in love with Marie (Juliette Binoche).
His family is there to get him to do this never realizing that this will lead Dan to fall for the girlfriend (Juliette Binoche, who won a supporting actress Oscar some years back for "The English Patient.") of his brother.This is interesting movie fanfare made more enjoyable by the solid chemistry between Carell and Binoche..
Nobody is this verbally clever as "real life Dan." The romance between he and "Marie" (Juliette Binoche) also feels not right, and like the dad with his kids, tries too hard to look realistic.Whatever, people will really love or hate this film.
The soundtrack by Sondre Lerche (Norwegian), his perfectly framed song lyrics and guitar music are so catchy and aptly casual and rhythmic to the life force revival of central character: Steve Carell's Dan, a widower-single Dad with three daughters, trying to get over grief of his wife's passing 3 years hence, and whether he'd be able to 'love again.' The whole cast of the Burns family members, from mature adults down to young ones ages four to teens, is reminiscent of "The Family Stone" with a different heart's delight storyline by w-d Peter Hedges (Pieces of April 2003).
What a fun ensemble cast that includes natural thespians Dianne Wiest paired with John Mahoney as Nana and Poppy; Dane Cook (who can be seen as Mr. Smith in "Mr. Brooks" opposite Kevin Costner) as Mitch the brother with new lady friend Annie/Marie (Binoche); Dan's three daughters: Alison Pill as Jane (driving to the rescue), Brittany Robertson as Cara (standing by falling in love can be instant), Marlene Lawston as Lilly (the quiet, understanding and caring 8-year old) complement Carell's widower Dad/eldest son/brother admired.The Sondre Lerche's song lyrics are very much a part of the film.
And Carell singing: "Let My Love Open the Door." Repeatedly enjoy the soundtrack CD and it certainly enhanced appreciation of the film "Dan in Real Life".*2007 films that may not be for everyone (NFE): No Country For Old Men; There Will Be Blood; La vie en rose; Away From Her; Diving Bell and the Butterfly; The Kite Runner; A Mighty Heart; Before the Devil Knows You're Dead; The Savages; Eastern Promises; Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; American Gangster; 3:10 to Yuma; I Am Legend; Grbavica: The land of my dreams; (documentaries:) Into Great Silence; Crazy Love; Zoo. Other worthwhile ones: Atonement; Into the Wild; Michael Clayton; The Brave One; The Kingdom; The Great Debaters; Breach; The Namesake; The Astronaut Farmer; The Lookout; Amazing Grace; Seraphim Falls; Juno; The Counterfeiters (Oscar's Best Foreign Film)..
A harmless romantic comedy that begins to fall apart the second you start actually thinking about what you've just seen.Steve Carell plays the single dad (the mom died of some unnamed illness) of three girls who intensely dislike him, who takes his daughters to a family reunion at his parents' idyllic cabin in Rhode Island.
I think we're meant to feel charmed and a bit heartbroken at seeing this man act like a petulant teenager, but I just wanted to tell him to get it together.The supporting cast is led by Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney as Dan's mom and dad, along with Dane Cook as his brother and Emily Blunt in a brief but memorable and sexy performance as a possible romantic alternative.
Dan in Real Life starts as very unbalanced and decidedly indie feel - but after the first 10 minutes this sorts itself out in a stunning way.I was prepared to see a fairly funny romantic comedy - which is our favourite genre - and ended up with a really good movie.We were bowled over by this: consistently very very funny, - just the right mix of blues and joy - and great performances from all involved.It takes a difficult subject - how being a widower impacts life - and a typical romcom one - guy loves girl who loves him but is in a relationship already - and mixes it all up in a great way.The fact that this is all centered on one family just increases the fun as we learn to get to know them all.Overall, funny, sweet, original, but also comforting - a really nice effort and one that deserves wide viewing.Loved it!.
I was so excited to rent Dan in Real Life, from the original movie trailer, this looked like it was going to be a great film, unfortunately, I never got to seeing it in the theater.
Steve Carrell does such a good job with his character with both humor and drama.This is a great family movie and you almost feel like a member of the family helping to solve this romantic problem.
Here's my overall ratings:Actors: 7 | Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche were both great performances, and were both real believable characters.
The movie is also very touching, the fact you actually believe Dan could be a real character makes you more attached to him in the film.
Also the movies ending is a bit too clichéd for my liking.Dan in Real Life is a surprisingly brilliant, if not perfect little comedy, that so far has impressed me most this year (although when you see the other movies I've seen so far that doesn't really compliment the film too much).
Playing a widowed "good father, but sometimes a bad dad" (compliments of his 11 year old daughter), Carrell helps you like him, feel his pain and love, and want things to turn out alright for him in the end.
But if you are the kind of person looking for a good laugh, this is the movie for you.So overall, I give "Dan in Real Life": 7/10..
Hollywood likes giving audiences contrived and unbelievable movie families; but they actually got it right with Dan in Real Life as these are the kinds of experiences I have with my family over long-weekends (and short ones).A surprisingly "mature" and dramatic Steve Carell ("The Office", Get Smart, The 40 Year Old Virgin) plays an advice columnist widower/father of three daughters who heads to Rhode Island for their yearly "long weekend" of meeting-up with family as they help shut-up/down the summer beach house for the season.
His parents, siblings and their spouses and all of his nieces and nephews partake of this "together-time" and it is the little family interactions that make the film endearing (pancake breakfasts, crossword challenges, football on the lawn).John Mahoney ("Frasier", Primal Fear, The Iron Giant) and Dianne Wiest (Edward Scissorhands, Bullets Over Broadway, Footloose) play the believable parents of the clan while Dane Cook (Mr. Brooks, Good Luck Chuck, Waiting ...) doesn't embarrass himself as Dan's youngest sibling who's current girlfriend (Juliette Binoche - Chocolat, The English Patient, Cache) catches his older brother's eye (to near-disastrous results).
Dan in Real Life, latest comedy from actor Steve Carell.
If I thought being an uncle was tough, I should be a single dad just like Dan to see what it's like raising a family all by myself."Dan In Real Life" is about a newspaper columnist (Dan played by Steve Carell) who writes advice on his columns but doesn't know how to follow them.
If you have ever been through gatherings with a loving extended family and can relate to the embarrassing situations and gaffs that may occur at such an event, you will be cracking up through the entire movie.The film will make you laugh at the actions of Dan(Steve Carrell), the awkward single father; dealing with the actions of his family, 3 daughters and Marie, the girlfriend of his brother (Dane Cook).
Steve's characters in previous films led me to believe that I would feel something for his character and enjoy the dialog but like other posters I felt uncomfortable and embarrassed for the cast.The dialog was so contrived, the family was this cookie cutter Walton's family and the film has been so many times before that I am shocked someone thought it was an original idea.Do yourself a favor and take a pass on this terrifyingly bad movie and don't believe everything you read on the IMDb since the first comments were clearly written by folks sitting in a different theater watching a GOOD film..
So if you want to watch a comedy like these, you will be failed.I don't blame Steve Carell for my expectation of a great comedy, because he has also played in movies that were not funny or that I have disliked before. |
tt1617620 | A Horrible Way to Die | A car drives along a stretch of road. On a pass through wooded hills, the driver, Garrick Turrell, gets out and opens the trunk, revealing a brunette. The young woman is bound and gagged, recoiling in terror as Garrick takes her out of the trunk. He takes her further into the woods, and she whimpers and struggles as he pushes her down on the ground. Garrick appears to want to comfort and calm down the woman, but in the end, he grabs her by the neck, first strangling her and finally snapping her neck. Garrick drives away in his car.The movie then cuts to a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, where we meet our main character, Sarah, who has been sober for three months. Another fellow alcoholic, Kevin, invites her to dinner to celebrate. She offers instead to meet him for lunch on Thursday.During their date, Sarah is shy and timid. The fact that there are wine bottles along a wall near the restaurant's entrance has them both a little awkward.Garrick is being moved to another prison. He offers no resistance and stares into space. A loose screw rolls around on the floor of the police car.Sarah is at work in a dental office where she works as a hygienist. Her co-worker asks her about her date, and encourages her not to write it off just yet, even though she doesn't feel ready to go any further.Garrick arrives at a rest stop with public showers. He showers, washes his hair, and shaves off his beard. Flashbacks show his escape from the police car, and an officer with his throat ripped wide open. That night, at a motel, his TV plays a news report about a nationwide manhunt for him. Despite being a serial murderer, Garrick has a very large fan base, and some women have actually written expressing an interest in marrying him. Appearing to wrestle with more inner demons, he finally goes into the restroom where a naked blonde woman lies dead in the tub, her throat cut.In the morning, Garrick is following another woman, having more memory flashbacks.Kevin drops Sarah off at her house after their date. Although she is timid about it, she finally leans in and kisses him before her awkwardness makes her pull back. Kevin is very forgiving and understanding, not pressuring her into anything. He offers to see her again, and she says she'll call him soon.Sarah has a memory flashback showing she was formerly Garrick's girlfriend. She loved him then, and he treated her well. The memories leave her unable to sleep, and she teeters dangerously close to drowning her sorrows in more alcohol before regaining control and flushing the bottle's contents down her toilet.Garrick drives down the road at twilight, listening to a radio news report on the manhunt for him. He's been at large for seven days now, and the FBI is coordinating with all local agencies, setting up checkpoints at both the Canadian and Mexican borders.At an AA meeting Sarah listens to another woman tell a story about herself. The meeting leader asks Sarah about confronting her own alcoholism, and she trips over her words a number of times, only able to say that she was in a bad relationship and came to understand that her alcoholism was tied to it.As Sarah enters her car, Kevin is there, impressed at how she's starting to open up about herself. He assures her that like her, everyone there has more to tell, but just aren't ready yet. He'd very much like to hear her stories, but only when she's comfortable with them. Sarah suddenly invites Kevin over to her house for tea. Tea leads to kissing, which leads to them starting to have sex, but ultimately Kevin can't go through with it. Sarah gently tells him it's okay.We see another flashback: Garrick is forcing the woman he'd been tailing to drive him through a police checkpoint. He quietly explains step by step how she can get through without any suspicion. After they're through, the woman begs tearfully for her life, saying her family expected her home a half hour ago. Of course, Garrick ends up killing her. We see him get out of the car, holding the knife, slumping near the left front wheel of the car, and the camera pans to show the woman sitting behind the wheel, the window dotted with blood.The memory flashback shows Sarah waking up at the sound of Garrick leaving in the middle of the night to go for a walk.In the waking world, Sarah wakes up and greets Kevin, who's spent the night. He's made coffee for her, and was going to have made her breakfast, but her refrigerator is empty. He offers to take her to breakfast.Garrick fills his gas tank when an old man strikes up small talk. Seeing the newspaper stand showing an article about the manhunt for him, Garrick stands in front of the stand as the man rambles about nearby power lines having transponders, and now that the country has a black president, he's using them to spy on people. The man advises Garrick swapping his car, which has a plastic roof, for one with a steel roof, which the transponders can't read through. Garrick politely listens and accommodates the man, before going to his car and driving off.At breakfast, two of Kevin's friends find him at the counter with Sarah. Rusty does all the talking, while Reed is quiet. Kevin used to drink with them before joining AA. Rusty and Reed only stay long enough for coffee before heading out to give Kevin time alone with Sarah.Another memory flashback shows Garrick again leaving Sarah's house in the middle of the night. This time Sarah gets up and follows him.Sarah comes in to work to find that her co-worker, Carla, hasn't shown up. Sarah steps outside and calls her, leaving a message on Carla's voice mail.Garrick enters a bar/grill and buys a meal. As he eats, radio news continues to talk about the search for him, asking for any information not only on leads to his whereabouts, but about anyone who might be suspected of aiding and sheltering him. Internet fan sites abound, and a Facebook page for his fans numbers in the hundreds of thousands.Two men are leaving the bar/grill when one says he left something inside. Garrick, suspecting the man may have recognized him, feigns illness and ambushes and murders both of them.Sarah goes to Carla's house and knocks on her door, but there is no answer. She sees Carla's landlord, Mr. Harper, working his yard and asks about her. The landlord says he last saw Carla two days before. She gives him her name and asks him to have Carla call her if he sees Carla again.Sarah meets Kevin for lunch. She tells Kevin that Carla didn't show up for work and didn't answer her doorbell. Kevin offers to bring her to the police after their AA meeting, but Sarah, feeling timid again, tries to assure herself that Carla is okay.At the meeting, a man named Warner talks about the two young men who were killed. He was acquainted with them and sometimes drank with them, and the murder has shaken him, making him think he could have been with them and also gotten killed. One of the young men was also a meth cooker, and Warner thinks the killing might have been drug related.Mr. Harper knocks on Carla's door, concerned for her. He goes around to the back and lets himself in with his spare key, calling out to her. He finds Carla's body lain on the sofa, covered in dried blood.Garrick is seen watching outside the orthodontics office where Sarah works. Sarah hurries out of the office in tears after having learned of Carla's murder.Kevin hurries to Sarah's house, running to hold and comfort her after having gotten her frantic call. Unable to control her fear, Sarah is only able to tell Kevin some of the story, that she knows that her ex-boyfriend killed Carla as a warning to Sarah that he's found her and is coming after her now. Sarah is also afraid that her ex will now kill Kevin, too, for being involved with her. Kevin tells her that his parents have a cabin in a secluded area where he can take her, and they'll be safe.A memory flashback shows Sarah driving up to a public storage facility. She clips the lock for one locker with heavy bolt cutters and goes inside. She finds a large meat hook hanging from the ceiling and an electric drill. Clipping a heavy chain holding a large container closed, she finds the butchered body of a woman. Police race to the scene and ask Sarah about the owner of the locker. Even as she gives them Garrick's work address, she tries to tell herself and the officers that he wasn't responsible for murdering the woman.As Kevin drives to the cabin, Sarah is telling him her story. Kevin says he'd read about everything in the papers, and had heard of Garrick. Sarah's name and likeness, however, were never published as part of a deal in return for her testimony. They arrive at the cabin and Kevin opens the gate, saying they have to walk the rest of the way.Playing cards at the table are Rusty and Reed. Kevin confronts them, wanting to know what the hell they're doing there. Rusty says he's tired of waiting and wants to get down to business. Kevin suddenly turns-- and lays into Sarah with a wicked left fist to her jaw, knocking her unconscious.A memory flashback shows Garrick and Sarah in bed. Garrick suddenly asks Sarah how she would choose to die if she knew her death was imminent, but she could choose how it happened. Sounding not quite sober, Sarah says she'd take a morphine overdose. Garrick, on the other hand, thinks he would do something more hardcore, like a kamikaze pilot.Sarah awakens in the cabin; she's tied up and suspended upside down from the ceiling. Kevin, Rusty and Reed watch over her. They reveal that Reed, not Garrick, was Carla's murderer. Sarah's fate appears very bleak as they further reveal that Kevin hero-worships Garrick, and the three of them had spent a great deal of time tracking down the woman who put him behind bars, Kevin posing as a recovering alcoholic to get close to her, and finally they have her as their prisoner, to have their way with her and bring her to a grisly end the way Garrick would have and should have. They say the best place to start is to break Sarah's feet, because if she can't walk, she can't run or escape, and this would break her spirit. Reed and Rusty tightly cover Sarah's mouth to quiet her terrified screams and sobs as they start to torture her.The dark ritual is interrupted by a knock at the door. How anyone else even knew about the cabin, let alone were able to find it, is a mystery. Kevin seems to know, however. He answers the door and Garrick walks in. Kevin had sent Garrick letters of admiration, including a code that helped him find where Sarah had escaped to, and how to find the cabin.But suddenly Garrick asks what they're doing to Sarah, and when they say they're finishing his work, finishing off the woman who put him away, Garrick reveals that he didn't break out of prison to finish Sarah off, but to save her from Kevin and his cohorts. Until then, he says, he was actually very content in prison and in solitary, because he couldn't hurt anyone else there-- especially Sarah. He doesn't blame Sarah for putting him away; in fact he believes that she saved not only many others who he might have killed, but also saved Garrick from himself. The only reason Garrick escaped from prison and killed again, was because of the letters Kevin sent him about the plans to finish Sarah off... so that Garrick could save her.As Garrick speaks, he stealthily pulls a hidden knife. Making further small talk as a distraction, he buries the knife in Rusty's temple, grabs his gun and shoots Reed. Kevin, however, gets the drop on him, and stabs him with another long knife. Garrick is gravely wounded, but alive, and as Kevin tries to apologize, calling Garrick his hero, Garrick shoots and kills him.Sarah tearfully begs Garrick to untie her. Her pleas make it seem that a part of her still loves Garrick even now. Despite how gravely wounded he is, Garrick is able to untie Sarah and undo the rigging suspending her from the cabin ceiling. As he gently lowers her to the ground, he starts to succumb to his wounds. After a brief flashback with some recollections of Sarah and Garrick as a couple, Sarah stands up and exits the cabin without comforting him or showing him any gratitude. Garrick falls down to the ground and quietly dies alone.The movie ends as Sarah stumbles out of the cabin, back toward Kevin's car, to return to civilization. | violence, murder, flashback | train | imdb | Lots of people die in this movie, either on screen or off, and one person comes very close to dying, and all of the methods used are pretty horrible."A Horrible Way to Die" brings an admittedly unique spin to the serial killer movie.
It uses mixed up chronology to tell the story of a woman whose boyfriend, a convicted serial killer, escapes from prison and comes back to find her, and the efforts of a new love interest to help her and keep her safe.
The wacky order in which the story is told makes it feel richer than it probably is, and there are some major plot twists toward the end (up there with some of the biggest) that are handled less than delicately (you can practically hear the gears grinding at one point as the movie shifts into an entirely new direction).
And stylistically it feels like a film made by a film student who's been itching to get his hands on a camera and can't control himself once he has -- the camera is always, I mean ALWAYS, moving, randomly zooming, drifting off to the edges of the frame, going out of focus.
The movie was filmed in a very artistic, independent, simplistic way that connects the viewer with the characters in a personal way that makes the ordeal effective and all too real which makes the sinister acts very disturbing and chilling.
The film has a very familiar theme that we've seen before as a serial killer escapes from prison and begins to kill again but to me it hasn't quite been done like this before and makes the thriller different from the norm and ends on a surprising and powerful note.
The movie did have suspense in it and some bloody scenes but it's done in a less is more way making it have a classic feel but this movie is smarter than that and relied more on character depth, performances and story than anything else which it mostly succeeded on.
Overall if you like your serial killer movies to have a more deeper meaning and not over the top like it was back in the day you might find something to appreciate about A Horrible Way To Die but don't expect a lot of gore, scares and action but more on mood, atmosphere and suspense and even at that it a pretty slow burn of a movie but a decent one at that.
Other than knowing a brief plot outline of an escaped murderer on the hunt of his ex-girlfriend, I had no idea what I was getting into when going to see Adam Wingard's latest, A Horrible Way To Die. Just so you're aware, as far as plot goes, that is all you have to know before heading off to see this film.
Both of which I am not, enabling me to absolutely love this film.Constant shots of close-ups and not just on the actors' faces but knuckles, waists and other body parts (get your mind out of the gutter) as well as random objects around them effectively brought me into the characters' personal space with an intimacy most other mainstream films lack.
A Horrible Way to Die was in a 3 DVD movie box presented by Night Vision.
Also A Horrible Way To Die is a very straight-forward title, but the movie is far from it.
The "seriously boring art drama" feel was also enhanced by the way this film was shot.
Of course I don't believe in chronological narrative anymore, because breaking the story with flashbacks work most of the time, but in A Horrible Way to Die it was sometimes really hard to tell when something happened.
Of course this was enhanced by the cinematography, because you can't always see the characters and what they look like, and then realise when that scene took place and all that.The writing of this film is good though.
The slowness itself is not a sign of bad writing in general, but when you watch a horror movie it's frustrating when everything happens at the last minute.
But the story might work well as a novel.A Horrible Way to Die is an interesting movie to say the least.
I see no need for watching a movie that has no consistent plot, no story line that we can derive from the events, and no underlying motive to see a series of people killed in cold blood.
How these two stories relate we come to find out in flashbacks as this movie progresses.Turns out that the killer is a convicted serial killer who managed to escape while being transported somewhere.
But there is a twist in the relationship between her and the new guy.A Horrible Way to Die is a good title for a horror movie, except that it doesn't have anything to do with this movie.
It's just not enough- not enough horror, not enough violence, not enough gore- after all this movie involves a serial killer..
It looks like they just blasted some lights, cranked the shutter speed and did hand-held to make an "artistic" movie.
I'm a huge fan of Gaspar Noe, and I appreciate directors who "break the rules." These guys do nothing but shaky hand-held the whole time, and man is it annoying!
Gaspar Noe films make you interested and actually want to watch the rest of the movie, not take your eyes off screen because you have a head ache.This movie is not much more than a student film with a really nice camera and good actors.
A Horrible Way to Die is a great example of a movie for people who can appreciate the craft of filmmaking and storytelling..
so when it comes to a lot of people, A Horrible Way to Die will mostly likely disappoint because it doesn't follow a humdrum and redundant horror movie formula: blood, guts, haunted places, monsters, deranged psychopaths stalking people, etc...watch this movie if you're looking to watch a GOOD movie in general.
and because the horror genre is vast, it seems too many people make horror movies with only blood and guts in mind (which isn't always a bad thing).
the story in this movie is attentive to appreciating the craft of MAKING a good story.generalized example horror plot (that has nothing to do with this film):a movie about someone breaking into a house and terrorizing the family inside.it's a basic concept that's been done a million times and will be made a million more times.
Plain and simple, the cinematography looked as if the camera person had just walked in to the nearest Wal Mart and bought a point and shoot HD camera minutes before filming began!
I, of course, presumed that AHWTD was just another B-Horror movie belonging to the 'torture-porn' genre, and therefor, most likely a waste of time.
I mean, really, it's almost unwatchable-maybe the director had some artistic statement in mind (attempting to give the film a feeling of 'visceral reality'?), or if the camera man just didn't have a the ability to stay in focus or to keep a steady hand.
I'm a man that values aesthetic, and I like movies to look beautiful-and if they don't..Well, I expect there to be a reason for that (for instance, it makes sense that the camera work looks shaky in a movie like 'The Blair Witch Project').
I suppose some might argue that the hand-held shaky camera-work adds a flair of 'grit' to the film, but I would argue that it does not (after all, Bad Leutenant got it's point across while still staying in focus), and instead creates the impression that the cinematographer was relying on a corny gimmick to cover up his lack of talent.
There is absolutely no reason that half the film has to be out of focus.Secondly, I would have to disagree with the assertion that the writing in 'A Horrible Way To Die' is anything above average.
It's hard to tell in movies like this if this is the product of the script itself or bad acting, but I'm going to go with the latter.
I almost feel as if they got their impression of 'The Program' from other movies.Anyway, I have to admit, I only watched 3/4 or the film, because quite frankly, the quality became to abrasive for my taste.
I don't mind low-budget films if the film-maker knows how to work within that limited budget (a great example of this is Mark Flannegans' 'Absentia', or the Sci-Fi time travel film 'Primer', supposedly filmed with a $7,000 budget), but that is not the case with 'A Horrible Way to Die', which instead looks at best like an ambitious student film that despite it's efforts, fails.I will say that for what they were given to work with in terms of the script, the acting was pretty good, and that's probably the movies' one redeeming quality.
I see a lot of people making claims like it's a 'hidden gem', and I imagine if you went into the movie with the expectation that it was going to be the the worst film in the history of cinema you might walk away with that point of view, but in to me it was an incredibly mediocre, predictable thriller..
Refreshing as it is to see attempts made to reinvigorate the played out serial killer genre movie it seem that in this and to a certain extent in the ludicrously over rated Australian film "Snowtown" the only thing "new" the director can bring is annoying camera work.
This movie is particularly irritating asA) Between almost every scene change the picture fades out and then fades in again.B) It would appear that even though some of the actors are portraying recovering alcoholics it is in fact the camera man who is drunk.C)The doom laden score plays too often promising tension that is never delivered.D)Although filmed in widescreen there is little scope to the cinematography - it may as well be pan and scan.E) In the sorry end this is nothing but a generic serial killer movie and a poor one at that.Yet again for the millionth time - DO NOT believe the hype.
Eventually the connection between these stories is revealed.While absolutely no match for "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" (the high water mark for this genre), "A Horrible Way to Die" is an entertaining, and very grim, independently made film.
He deliberately goes for a rather drab look for the film, and the only major annoyance that this viewer had regarding the technical aspects was the way that damn camera would refuse to stay still.
Expecting something like "Tony : London Serial Killer" what I got was a very disappointing and shallow look at a movie that wants to be more than it is.
The fact is, you never feel like you are getting into the mind of this killer.
The acting was fine and there were some genuine decent moments, but the film wants realism, and the biggest killer to the realism is in the ending.
I am not going to spoil it, but I thought "no way, this is basic horror movie stuff".
I thought that it was a cheap way to end what was a film that was lacking the positives that made films like "Henry" and "Tony" the films that they are in the Serial Killer sub genre.If you want a good serial killer movie, check out the films I just mentioned.
Therefor choosing AJ to play the lead was actually a very good idea, that helps the movie a lot.The final resolution of the movie and some of the characters is too convenient and predictable as mentioned, but if you can overlook that, you will get a thriller that knows what it wants.
They couldn't even afford fake blood - so they filmed all the murders off camera.The only reason I did not shut the movie off after the first 15 minutes was twofold - first: a lot of the actors were actually decent.
The lead actors do such a fantastic job of making us care or loathe for these believable and well structured characters that it can be easy to forgive the film for its shortcomings in its questionable cinematography and irritating shooting style.
A horrible way to watch a movie.
A horrible way to watch a movie.
Just watched this movie and the whole thing is a slow burner with many deaths on the way but you have to watch this..
There is a lot to admire here, mainly a great lead performance by Amy Seimetz as the alcoholic ex-girlfriend of a serial killer trying to re-establish a normal life.
For most of its running time this plays more as a drama (that happens to involve a serial killer) than as horror.
A little of this would be fine but it never lets up, this movie is 87 minutes of random close-ups with a camera that won't hold still.
Unfortunately, I couldn't watch this film due to the shaky camera..I turned it off after 10 minutes.
I've missed a lot of good (looking) movies because of the awful camera work...
This movie should be shown as an example to film students on how to deliver a story line.
The story itself had a lot of excellent twists and turns that really kept me very interested.The acting was pretty good as well for a low budget thriller.
The bad reviews of this film must be by people that want their stories laid out for them on a silver platter within 5 minutes.
This one keeps you thinking and you truly don't know what is going on for a good 40 min of the movie.
Either that or they couldn't get past the strange camera work.If you appreciate something that's different and a really good story delivery.
Looks like it was filmed with a hand-held cell phone.
I refuse to watch any movie that looks like it was filmed with a hand-held cell phone camera which is exactly what this movie is like.
An escaped murderer (AJ Bowen) is in pursuit of his ex-girlfriend (Amy Seimetz), who has fled to start a new life in a small town.Director Adam Wingard, best known for the indie flick "Pop Skull", is a guy who focuses on style.
I am all about the writing, not so much the visuals of a film (which actually seems odd given my love of Dario Argento).The visuals Wingard is associated with are here, with some camera shots pointing away from the subjects, a gritty grindhouse appearance, and "light spots" in scenes that clearly do not benefit from having spots over important characters.
He might be (and I mean that in the nicest possible way).The film has something of an unusual shower scene, at least from my point of view.
And you have to respect a man who shaves his beard into a mustache -- mustaches are hard to pull off, but if you are a serial killer, you can do this.Keeping characters and times straight is a bit complicated, distracting and somewhat annoying.
His ex-girl friend is in hiding and under witness protection because she testified against him.But, the cinematography was so bad, it was hard to follow the story.I think the director got a string of Christmas lights and decided to use them in an out of focus foreground for a 'anxiety' effect.
You might try a tight story line, good actors, and scenes and presto a movie and a tripod.Rather than move you into the story, such techniques take you out of the story since you are very aware of the effects and fail to follow the story.
But maybe the cinematographer had the d'ts'Pulp Fiction had very little 'artsy out of focus lights' as an effect to get the audience in a tipsy mood.Story line wasn't bad, but ruined by the constant use of out of focus lights and jumpy camera work.
The filming is rather amateurish giving the viewer a headache watching the movie with so much camera shakes and sways which was done on purpose for unnecessary effects.
In fact, I must confess I love this movie, great acting, we can observe the stugle of a serial Killer and the desire vs the guilt of killing is victims.
A good independent film despite the camera work.
A Horrible Way to Die follows both Sarah's and Garrick's stories both in the past together and separately as the two begin a path that will surely have them reunite.
Director Adam Wingard (Pop Skull, 2007) uses a single camera that constantly zooms in and out of focus as his shooting style to bring their story to the screen.
But for an independent and low budget film, A Horrible Way to Die is above average.
He graciously answered my questions, and I've been a fan ever since.A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE is a complex but easy-to-follow story that takes you on a suspense-filled emotional roller coaster ride.
Their facial expressions made it for me...the killer's inner turmoil was so evident on his face that the viewer almost feels sorry for him at several points during the film.It is difficult to go into details about how wonderful this movie was without turning it into one big spoiler.
True to the name of the film, several people did die in horrible (and creative) ways.The two main actors gave a flawless performance.
The close-ups were perfectly timed.The only thing that bothered me was the camera work between scenes.
It seemed odd that the transitions were so bad and the rest of the camera work was so utterly perfect.I was very impressed with this movie.
The movie didn't feel like a slasher film.
AJ Bowen is very powerful as unrepentant serial-killer Garrick Turrell, Sarah's ex, who escapes from prison apparently to pursue her and end the lives of a few others along the way. |
tt0470000 | Wicked Little Things | In 1913, in Carlton Mine, Addytown, Pennsylvania, the cruel owner of a mine exploits poor immigrant children. After an explosion, a group of children are buried alive.Present day. Karen Tunny has just lost her husband after a long period of terminal illness and has inherited her husband's home by Carlton Mine. She moves to Carlton Mine with her two daughters, the 16-year-old Sarah and the 10-year-old Emma.Sarah meets a couple of teenagers around her age. She mentions to them that she lives up in the hills and one of them replies "Up where the zombies are?"William Carlton, a cynical and greedy local businessman and the last surviving heir of the Carlton who owned the mine in 1913, is hungrily devouring property and kicking people off his own property, which he claims goes from the mine to Addytown, which is very perplexing to Karen, since she lives on part of this land. Carlton wants to build a fancy ski resort near the mine. Hanks, a neighbor, tells Karen that the only way she can stay on her land is if Carlton dies. In that event, the land goes back to the "miner's deed", or those like Hanks and Tunny, who now live on the land.Many people are known to have gone missing in the vicinity, and the plumber, Mr. Thompson, who helps the Tunny family to fix their place, is another victim. William Carlton's two associates, helping him to survey the land and plan for the ski resort, are two others when they are killed by unseen figures.As it turns out, the Tunny's and Mr. Hanks are all relatives of the zombie-like children, who protect relatives, while killing all others. Emma informs her mother that the "zombies won't eat me" and on another occasion, that they wouldn't hurt her mom, but others they might. Karen finds some old photo albums in the basement with her husband in them, as well as the Tunny and Hanks children who died in the mine disaster, thus revealing that the family is related to some of the children who died.Karen is advised by her neighbor, Hanks, to stay at home in the night when the zombie children roam the nearby forest. He also tells her that there is no need to thank him for the blood smeared on his and the Tunny's door. The blood has a repellant effect on the zombie children. Meanwhile, Emma is making trips to the mine, where she meets and befriends Mary, who is one of the zombie children that suffered an untimely demise. Her mother, however, believes Mary is imaginary. Karen makes Emma promise not to go back to the mine, but Emma still goes out with Mary. At times, Mary even comes to the Tunny place, her former home, to sleep with Emma, her newfound relative/friend.One night, Sarah, with her new friends hang out in a car. Unbeknownst to them, the zombie-children approach the car. The boyfriend leaves the car to check out some strange noises where he is slain by the children. Sarah's "boyfriend" takes the driver seat and pushes the pedal but the car is stuck in the mud. He exits the car in hopes of moving the car out of the mud as Sarah takes the wheel. Suddenly, a zombie-child appears in front of the car as Sarah and her friend scream. The zombie-child jumps on top of the car and walks toward the guy who is desperately trying to move the car. Since his back is towards the zombie-child, he does not see the child swing his scythe in the air and impale him. Sarah and her friend continue to scream as the zombie-children break the windows and try to take the girls. They take Sarah's friend, as Sarah helplessly continues pushing on the pedal. She sees her friend bludgeoned by the children. Miraculously, she is able to get the car out of the mud. As she escapes, she cries "It didn't happen! It didn't happen!"Sarah arrives home to relay the horrific events that just occurred. Bewildered, Karen agrees to leave Carlton immediately. First, though, they run upstairs to fetch Emma. Unfortunately, Emma is not there, but Karen knows that Emma probably went to the mine with Mary.Karen and Sarah leave the house to go look for Emma. They enter the mine and Sarah is scared by a hand like tree root. They hear voices and leave the mine. Surrounded by all the zombie children, they run and find a car on the road (with Carlton inside), and enter telling them to drive but the tires are slashed before they can go anywhere. Karen and Sarah run to Hanks' house and are there until they hear a knocking on the door. They debate to open the door and William Carlton is standing there and tells how his driver was eaten alive by the zombies. The zombie-children break all the windows and attempt to climb in the windows but Carlton and Hanks keep them at bay with their guns. They decide to make a run for it and head to Hanks' truck. They run into some problems when the truck woun't start and head to the barn instead. The zombie-children come and start looking in the windows. They then break open the door. Hanks explains that they want Carlton. They let the children pass and they find Carlton at the top of the barn. Below blood starts coming through the slats and falls onto Hanks, Sarah and Karen. You then hear "Mommy?" The crowd of zombie-children parts and Emma is standing there with Mary. Karen starts walking toward Emma and embraces her. Emma then tells her that they wont hurt anyone anymore. Karen looks at Mary and the zombie-child smiles.In the final scene, Tunnys are driving away; they are moving. Sarah asks why they didn't sell the house. Emma remarks she's glad they didn't. Karen agrees.Back at the house, Hanks looks at the house and walks away. All the windows are boarded up. In one of the bedrooms, the zombie Mary is sitting on a bed and her brother zombie closes the door.THE END | violence, haunting | train | imdb | null |
tt1245678 | The Torturer | Endorsements and Reviews:- "A Breathtaking Psychological Thriller!" - Emmy Award Winning Entertainment Reporter Kirk Montgomery, KUSA-TV, NBC Denver- "Y'all in the mood for some war-horror after Tarantino's INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS? Well have a look at Graham Green's debut feature THE TORTURER." - JoBlo Movie Network· "Shocking, Compelling... Intense!" - Thom Hartmann, Air America Radio· "Youve got to see this film!" - Mike Malloy, Mike Malloy Radio, Sirius/XM, KTLK, Etc· "A riveting film great performances" - James Seale Director, 'Throttle' and 'Juncture'· "Excellent!" - Laurie Walters, Ironweed Films· "I can't get it out of my mind. It really stays with you. It was incredible. By far the best film" (at the AFM 2008) - Charlie Fagin American Film Market, Projectionist· "Extremely Powerful!" - Ban Bessie, Producer Executive Action (Burt Lancaster, Will Geer)· "Extremely powerful!" - Michael Haas, CEO, Political Film Society, Stanley Awards· "An important film" - Linda Zises, WBAI, New York- Thrillerdrama für kritische Geister Hulu Mulch, BOERSE.BZ· "About time" - An Army Wife | suspenseful, psychological, neo noir | train | imdb | Imagine Dexter with military training.
The reason Dexter is so popular, IMHO, is because he's a sympathetic and plausible character who happens to be doing horrifying things.
The same is true of Rick (Andrew Walker), the lead in this film.Rick is a man raised with solid American values, who was trained as a "special interrogator" in Iraq.
He does and experiences things there that cause him PTSD.
When he is debriefed by a therapist (Doc), strange things begin to be revealed, and as the creepiness factor starts to rise we realize that all is not as it seems.I rank this 9 out of 10 because it has superb acting, plot, message and surprise factor.
The Torturer is particularly scary because it could really happen..
Crisp writing, excellent acting.
Don't confuse this well-written, well-acted movie of substance with the Italian film of the same name.
This is NOT a weak plot that serves as an excuse for graphic sex and violence -- it is a thoughtful and insightful indictment of certain elements of our military.It is a horror movie, but not just because there's horrifying violence.
It's a horror movie because the events depicted could happen ...
and for all we know, actually have happened somewhere.There are a number of pivotal twists to the plot, where you think one thing is going on and it turns out it's something completely different, so I can't really say much about the action in the movie without spoiling it.
The primary actors are two up-and-comers, and Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura in the original Star Trek) who called the role of "Doc" her best role since Uhura..
Worthwhile.
I wasn't expecting much from this - after all it is almost a duologue, albeit with 3 main characters, if that makes sense.
However I found myself getting quite gripped by the story, and the duologue between Ayesha and Rick is quite superb.Although clearly partisan the script is subtle and we can sympathize with both the aforementioned characters, though perhaps not with the callous 'Doc'.
The message is quite clear, whichever side you take.
It manages to demonstrate an aspect of the 'war on terror' that we perhaps know too little about and which many find distasteful, but without preaching a simple 'good versus bad' sermon.Walker and Masoudi are mesmerizing in their portrayal of two characters who come from opposite ends of what many see as a definitive good or bad spectrum, filling in some of the grey areas that many overlook.
The simple and understated twist at the end is brilliant, and says in one short scene what 10000 words could not portray effectively.It's not a horror story so don't watch it for that, nor is it really a mystery.
It's a powerful and thought-provoking drama from an excellent writer..
Crimes of the Patriot Act Subliminal Sandwich.
The film spends most of its time watching the psychological and physical torturing of a hooded captive which we quickly find to be an Iraqi woman.
The torturer asks her for her name, her employer, why she is lying and where the bomb is.
She is then (not graphically) raped and a close Stockholm Syndrome relationship matures between them.
This process bounces between the dark cell and a psychiatrist's (played by Nichelle Nichols) office.
He confesses his horrible feelings and she listens.As the confession (and torturing) progresses, the doctor begins to justify his actions and absolve the man of his crimes.
She then steps through individual articles of the Patriot Act and other new executive powers that decriminalize his actions.
He is a private contractor and he was doing his job.
The president has the executive power to dismiss the crimes committed by private contractors in Iraq by such and such clause in this or that piece of legislation.
The film really unloads a pent up dislike of the Bush Administration's radical policies of torture on the audience.
It also displays a rage blowback from the torturer doing his patriotic duty and waterboarding.I have no problem with the acting and I liked the message.
It's not a bad film but I just didn't like it.
It drags the viewer through long, uncomfortable rape and torture scenes and then drags more through the immorality of the actions in the doctor's office..
Incredible, but so good....
A real good surprise, for I who like films that make you watch something different, something not predictable.
When I saw this one, I of course thought of UNTHINKABLE, starring Samuel L Jackson, that shows us the same topic around torture against terrorism; torture used by American forces or contractors against people suspected of what you think.
The two features: TORTURER and UNTHINKABLE don't speak of torture in the same way, on the same angle.
The are some differences between the two films, they are not exactly the same.
But I although thought of the second when I saw the first.
The two are very interesting and prove us that the bad ones are not necessarily those who we think in the first place, and that keeps us great surprises.
It's a shame that this film is not better known, especially in France where it is not yet released in DVD.
But maybe in a few months, or years, who knows...And, as I have already said, I guess there are so many more in the same kind that will be never shown to the European audiences.
I do my best to purchase them.
I will do it till I die !!!.
A real nail-biter.
Interesting turns and a terrific job by all involved.
Highly recommend!.
This movie really surprised us (wife and I).
When I first started watching it I thought I had the story line down and then it starts to twist and turn.
Very spooky story with first rate acting, direction, camera and lighting.
Andrew Walker does a terrific job in the lead and "Star Trek" veteran Nichelle Nichols and Mahsa Masoudi are great in their roles which evolve in an interesting direction.I had never seen Masoudi before but she did a great job.
The story explores the psychological effects on Walker as he performs his interrogation duties for an independent contractor.
The story turns constantly, he is not who we think, the prisoner is not who we think, the "Doc" is not who we think, the location is not where we think and the bomb...
well, the bomb.
See the movie. |
tt0401729 | John Carter | In New York City, 1881, a man eludes another in the crowded streets. He appears anxious, and eventually enters a building. Inside he pays extra to send a telegram express. A young man receives the telegram -- his uncle is urging him to hurry and save him. The young man travels to the uncle's large estate where a lawyer explains the uncle, John Carter, died suddenly and left everything to the young man. He passes the young man, Edgar Rice Burroughs (Daryl Sabara), an old diary.After the lawyer leaves the young man begins to read. The story begins in Arizona, after the Civil War. John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), a decorated former captain in the Confederate Army, is prospecting for gold. The locals don't seem to like him. Colonel Powell (Bryan Cranston) of the cavalry tries to press Carter into service to fight the Apache. Carter refuses to cooperate, and after several failed escape attempts, he tricks a cell guard, knocks him out, and escapes Fort Grant on Colonel Powells' horse. Powell and the rest of the cavalry give chase but are forced to halt when they see that Carter has met up with a mounted Apache war band. Both sides are armed and wary, and a language barrier increases the tension. Soon a gunfight breaks out. Carter takes the chance to run off, but Colonel Powell is shot, and Carter returns to retrieve the injured man.The two escape into a box canyon and find a small cave. The Apache approach but quickly withdraw when they see something on the the rock above the cave. Confused, Carter returns to where the Apache had been standing, and notices the spider symbol on the rock face. Leaving Powell near the opening, he goes deeper into the cave to investigate. There Carter finds a chamber with strange markings, the walls and roof lined with gold. Entranced, he misses the stranger who appears behind him, and Powell is almost too late to shout a warning. The stranger is a bald man in a shining robe with a knife that seemed to have manifested out of thin air. The two fight, Carter managing to shoot the bald stranger and notices that he had retrieved a blue-glowing medallion. Picking it up, Carter repeats the words he heard the other say, and suddenly he awakes in a strange desert.Carter tries to walk but stumbles and appears to float. He spends several minutes learning how to walk in in this strange new environment. (The gravity on Mars is much lower than what he's accustomed to, but he doesn't know that.) He makes his way to the nearby hill and finds a nest of eggs hatching green six-limbed infants. Disturbed, he is about to leave when he notices a group of green creatures approaching. They are mounted on large beasts and armed with firearms, and when they see Carter they open fire until one of them tells the others to stop. This tall green alien with 4 arms lays down his sword and rifle and greets Carter. As with the Apaches, there's a language barrier but the two manage to give their names. The green man is Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe), the Jeddak, or leader, of his tribe. Tarkas knows Carter is not a local, and asks him to jump again. Carter takes the chance to jump towards Tarkas' weapons, but before he can fight he is overpowered.Again Tarkas waves off the rest of his group, telling them to spare Carter. They collect the hatchlings, killing the unhatched eggs , and take Carter to their home in the ruins of an ancient city. By this time Carter is horrified and out of his depth, he wants to go home and knows the medallion is likely the only way. Unfortunately, Tarkas has recovered the medallion and wears it. In the city other Tharks treat Carter roughly. They do not recognize what type of being he is and his lack of language comprehension labels him something akin to an animal or baby in their eyes. Thus, he is thrown in with the babies. As is Thark custom, the babies are released to the mob and whoever manages to catch one will be the parent of the hatchling. Carter is given to Sola (Samantha Morton), a female who the other Tharks seem to view with contempt - particularly another female called Sarkoja (Polly Walker). When Carter had been cleaned and put inside a pit to rest with the other babies, she pours a liquid into his mouth. Afterward, he is able to speak and understand the local language.Somewhere further away, a battle between humanoids is happening. They fight on airships, one side blue and the other side red. On a red ship, three bald figures appear and approach General Sab Than (Dominic West). They give him a blue mesh device that gives him the ability to shoot bolts of energy, but when he tries to shoot the three figures he is instead blasted backwards. The three figures laugh. They are Therns, representatives of the Goddess, and she has chosen to side with Prince Sab Than of Zodanga in this conflict. The Thern leader, Matai Shang (Mark Strong), gestures for him to test his holy new powers. The general sends bolts of energy to the enemy ships and wins the combat.In the Royal Palace of Helium, Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) is practicing a speech. Her father Tardos Mors (Ciarán Hinds), the Jeddak of Helium, arrives arguing with an entourage. Dejah demonstrates a machine that generates a weak blue ray - something she calls the Ninth Ray, which she claims is the source of their enemy Zodanga's new power. As the entourage discuss the possibilities, one of them (a disguised Thern) discreetly zaps the device, making it fail. Tardos understands that this power could help level the battlefield, but they have no time to further their research into this mysterious blue ray. He dismisses the group and tells Dejah she has to marry Sab Than to end the conflict. Dejah is devastated; she knows that the wedding is unlikely to stop Zodangan expansion, and that once married she would no longer be able to continue her research.Back in 'Tharkville' Carter now has a guardian, Woola, a massive, wide-mouthed, low-to-the-ground creature that is very quick and insists on following Carter like a dog, no matter how high or how far he jumps. Carter is disgruntled, as he is trying to find Tars Tarkas to retrieve the medallion, but Woola is able to catch up with him and make enough noise to thwart Carter's plans. Carter ends up jumping into a Thark party, and Woola bursts in and loudly disrupts the gathering. The angry Tharks beat Woola and his owner, Sola. Enraged, Carter jumps in to stop the beating, unintentionally killing a Thark as a result and proving his ability to jump long distances. The Tharks see Carter as a new weapon but are angry at Sola for allowing him to escape. The next day they brand her for her error in front of Carter, who watches in horror as the Tharks warn her that her next offense will lead to death because she has transgressed so many times that she has no room on her skin for more brands.The Tharks take cover when a sentry warns of flying craft. Three flying battleships appear in the sky, two red-flagged (Zodanga) ones chasing a blue-flagged (Helium) one. They close in for boarding parties and hand to hand combat. Tarkas watches with a telescope and explains the war to Carter: the Zodangans are fighting the Heliumites. On the ship Dejah Thoris attempts to escape, then falls and hangs on several hundred feet up. Carter sees she is "human" and jumps to her rescue. With his ability to jump long distances he manages to rescue the girl and starts to defend her, only for her to prove her own fighting ability. Still, Carter is able to turn the tide of the battle, but the blue Helium craft crashes.After this spectacle Tars Tarkas makes Carter his 'Dotar Sojat' or 'right arms', and gives him Dejah Thoris as a prize. Tars Tarkas's rival Tal Hajus (Thomas Haden Church), a warrior with a broken tusk, looks on in angry disapproval. Carter is reminded of Powell and refuses the position, but Tarkas says that if Carter rejects the offer Tarkas would be unable to spare Dejah's life. Carter reluctantly agrees, and soon finds himself fending off everyone's inquires about his ability. Dejah wants to learn how to jump as Carter can, but figures that the ability is likely related to Carter's different bone density and thus it would not be a skill she or anyone else could learn. Tarkas knows that she is trying to gain a new weapon for Helium and warns Carter against her. Carter just wants to go home. He tries describing his home to Dejah but she thinks him either insane or a liar because he describes an environment that hasn't existed here for thousands of years. Seeing his seriousness, she guesses he is a Thern, leading them to a discussion of astronomy and finally the realization that Carter is from Earth, which she calls Jasoom, but he is currently on Mars, which she calls Barsoom.If there is indeed a way of traveling between the worlds the Therns will likely know the answer. Although Sola tries to stop them, Carter and Dejah Thoris enter a cave that is supposed to be a temple of the Goddess and her followers the Therns. Dejah reads some ancient markings, but before they can proceed the three are arrested by the Tharks for going into the temple. Tarkas helps them all escape, at great personal risk, and Carter guesses Sola is his daughter. Considering that Thark custom is to hatch their young in isolation and rear them anonymously, there had to have been plenty of law-breaking involved.Sola, Carter, and Dejah Thoris journey to the river Iss to solve the temple mystery, taking the medallion. Along the way Sola warns Carter that Dejah Thoris is leading them astray. Confronted, she admits they were headed for Helium, and a furious Carter makes to abandon her as he realizes she may have been manipulating him to turn him into her new weapon. He ignores Dejahs' pleas until she finally admits she did have a personal interest in the battle for she is the Helium princess, likely to be married off to the Zodangan prince and potentially killed. Carter convinces her that he needs time, and that they should go to Iss first. The river is a path for pilgrims; those who have sinned or have lived too long follow the river to end their lives and find paradise. Sola, seeing what seem to be Tharks sailing away and bodies on the ground, almost joins them until Carter stops her.Up the winding river they find an inverted pyramid-structure. Carter and Dejah Thoris enter and glowing blue graphics show the Solar System. Dejah Thoris realizes the blue light is not supernatural but generated by machines -- it's the Ninth Ray, the same blue ray she had been researching and that the enemy had been using as a weapon. They also realize that Carter's appearance on Mars is likely due to transmission of a copy of himself from Earth to Mars.Outside, an army of Tharks approach, advised by Matai Shang. He is curious about the stranger who is getting involved with the wars, and intends to test his ability. Carter and the two women mount up and scramble. As the hordes approach, Carter tells the others to flee, over Dejah Thoris's objections. He stays back to fight the rampaging army with only Woola to help him. Killing many, he is reminded of the the devastation of war, and finding his dead wife and child in a burned farmhouse. Carter is eventually overcome, just as a Helium battle cruiser arrives overhead to end the fight. Tardos Mors and Sab Than disembark. Sab Than offers his sword to Dejah Thoris as a sign of trust and asks her to marry him. Dejah Thoris almost kills him anyway, but stops herself and instead makes them take the wounded Carter to Zodanga to be healed.Carter awakes in a guarded room. At first he thinks he is in Helium but the red-clothed guards laugh. As he muses on being in enemy territory, a man dressed in blue appears and tells him he is in Zodanga. The man is Kantos Kan (James Purefoy) and he issues orders about putting Carter under higher security. Once close enough, he whispers to Carter to take him hostage, but Carter is too confused, and an exasperated Kantos pretends to be held hostage as he leads Carter away from the guards.The two jump to a nearby tower. Inside, Dejah Thoris is dressed in wedding finery. After thanking Kantos for bringing Carter to her she dismisses everyone in the room. Again she asks Carter to fight on her side. He refuses again, and finally she sees the wedding ring on his finger. Understanding that his heart belonged to another but now knowing that the other woman is dead, Dejah Thoris tells him the magic words that will transport him back to earth. Outside, Zodangan guards demand entry, but when the door opens Carter has vanished. Dejah Thoris and the others leave, but the matron of chamber (Cate Fowler) returns to the room, then leaves again, and we see Carter is in a ceiling recess. He exits, and she uses a blue ray to immobilize him, then transforms into Matai Shang, the Thern leader. He forces Carter to come with him and explains how the Therns are managing the end of Mars. Caught in a wedding-procession traffic-jam, Matai Shang changes into a Zodangan officer (Darwin Shaw) and leads Carter outside. Then Shang changes into an elderly woman (Eileen Page) as they watch Dejah Thoris being paraded down a street. Almost lightly, Matai Shang tells Carter that after the marriage Dejah Thoris and anyone else who knows about the Ninth Ray will be killed.Suddenly Woola arrives in a flurry, manages to disable Shang's restraint, and Carter escapes on the light-flyer. After a hair-raising chase, he crash-lands close to Sola. Knowing he is unable to challenge the Zodangan military or the Therns by himself, he decides to return to 'Tharkville' and ask for their help. Carter and Sola arrive safely but the Tharks throw Carter in jail, where he finds an imprisoned Tars Tarkas, also in chains. Tarkas tells Carter that he had been overthrown by one-tusked Tal Hajus. Tarkas is furious when he learns that Carter brought Sola back, and would have killed him were not for the fact that he had been beaten and drastically weakened. The prisoners are then taken to a large coliseum and made to fight first one then a pair of giant white apes. Sola causes a distraction in the stands, which allows Carter to kill first one then the other beast. As the Tharks cheer for him, he challenges Tal Hajus for the role of Jeddak. Carter beheads him with one neat stroke. Now the Jeddak of the Tharks, he has an army willing to fight for him.He leads them back to Zodanga to stop the wedding. On arrival they find the city empty -- everyone has gone to Helium. An unimpressed Tars Tarkas slaps Carter upside the head, since there is no way they can make it to the wedding in time. Carter points to the airships but the Tharks refuse, so he takes off by himself in a light-flyer. Zodangan guards spot him as he approaches, but as he's flying a Zondangan aircraft, they assume he's part of their plan and let him pass. As the wedding ceremony is about to finish, Carter crashes in. Dejah Thoris is thrilled to see him but it is too late as the signal had been cast. Zodangans begin attacking the Heliumites, and once again Matai Shang and his blue ray seem unstoppable. Suddenly a huge light-cruiser crashes in too, and the Tharks disembark to follow their leader. They join the Heliumite army and fight off the Zodangans. Matai Shang escapes but Carter recovers the medallion. During the fight, Sab Than is killed by the blue device he so dearly loved.With the immediate threat of Zodanga gone and now knowing where his heart is, Carter takes his wedding wing and asks Dejah to marry him. She agrees and both Helium and Thark rejoice. That night Carter is restless and steps out of the room. He tosses the medallion into the canyon below. As he returns to the bed-chamber, the guard thanks him, and reaching out, grabs him and shifts into Matai Shang, to send Carter back to the cave in Arizona. Carter wakens stiff, dusty and bearded; the Colonel is but a skeleton, and the gold and the Thern body are gone.Carters' narrative continues, as he realizes there must be other Therns on Earth, and spends the next 10 years looking for another medallion. He appears to find something in the Orkneys. He prepares a crypt on his estate so he can return to Mars and leave his body safe on earth. Nephew Edgar is to be entrusted with keeping him safe because it is likely that the Therns are going to attack his body -- perhaps right at the moment when Edgar is reading the journal. Horrified, Edgar runs to check the crypt, not knowing he is being followed. After a few tense seconds he figures out the password to enter and opens the door, but the crypt is empty. A Thern appears behind Edgar, and is about to kill him, but is shot dead. Edgar turns around to see Carter outside holding a gun. Carter explains he took a drug that made it appear that he was dead, and Edgar realizes he was simply bait to draw out a Thern and enable Carter to obtain the medallion he needs to go back to Dejah Thoris. Carter corrects him, saying that Edgar is indeed going to play a very important role: protector of Carter's body on Earth as he returns to his true home, on Mars. Taking the medallion from the dead Thern, Carter goes into the crypt, lies down and recites the phrase to return to... Barsoom! | fantasy, violence, flashback, good versus evil, action, sci-fi | train | imdb | I have found John Carter to be an amazing movie visually, and the story was actually great.
Don't get me wrong, Star Wars and Avatar were great movies, but I believe that John Carter was far much different and slightly better.
I saw John Carter in the theaters the week that it came out and I had a lot of fun watching this movie!.
As a devotee of the books -- I appreciated Star Wars and Avatar, but neither produced the level of excitement and reader/viewer loyalty that Edgar Rice Burroughs did with his vivid and unforgettable tales of John Carter, Dejah Thoris, and Barsoom.So what has Andrew Stanton given us?Anwer: A gem that shines bright and true with a light all its own.
The result is a richer, character driven experience that transcends the dear sweet old pulpy fiber on which it is based and becomes something grander, richer, and more satisfying.A word about how the film differs from what you're seeing in trailers: The promotion promises spectacle and action and there is plenty of that; but the promotion also suggests that the film will be a kind of childishly simple, woodenly executed mashup of questionable seriousness featuring awkward performances and cartoonish characterization while the film itself is almost the inverse of that--a thoughtful, finely tune spectacle that is a feast of imaginative transport and whose few flaws flow from the fact that it's a three hour epic that plays in two hours and twelve minutes.Taylor Kitsch is convincing and natural and I never thought I'd be saying that, based on the promotion.
The special effects are state o the art and seamless -- and the music by Michael Giachinno deserves special mention: haunting, unique, and uniquely suited to the material, and the editing by Eric Zumbrunnen seamlessly supports the narrative.The "flaws" amount to quibbles: The film feels lean and compact at 2 hours and 12 minutes and feels as if it could benefit greatly from 10 additional minutes which could have been used profitably to better set up the moment when John Carter and Dejah Thoris "close the deal" on their love, and clarify some story points that are there -- but could be highlighted more.
And as I sit here writing about it the next morning, if there were an opportunity to go back and see it again tonight, I would do so without hesitation and, quibbles aside, that's a simple but ultimately profound recommendation.A final thought: Like everyone, I've got plenty of things going on in my life and my world, distracting things, things that makes me worry, things that drag my mind out of a movie when I'm watching it and back into my world.
Effects that stood out for me were John Carters "Hulk" like jumps, Martian sky ship battles, green martians (as good as Avatar), and a cute monster dog sidekick that almost steels the show.Another major feature of the film was the cinematography.
It's like Disney's formula of "Star Wars" and "Avatar" meets "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time." So, the plot revolves around a Civil War veteran who is somehow transported to Barsoom (aka Mars), where he must help a princess and a colony succeed in a heated battle against another feuding colony.Director Andrew Stanton delivered well in this epic take of John Carter.
Since John Carter was conceived as a story back in 1912 by Edgar Rice Burroughs (of Tarzan fame), I have to say that this movie is certainly NOT a rip-off.
It pretty much sparked an influence on the sci-fi, action, adventure genre films that most audiences came to know decades later.It looks like Stanton's following exactly what his fellow Pixar colleague Brad Bird had done with Tom Cruise in "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," stepping up as director for once in live-action!
Originally going to be titled John Carter of Mars, the movie apparently dropped the 'of Mars' to "make it more appealing to a broader audience" and this film is supposed to be the origin story "about a guy *becoming* John Carter of Mars" - this probably explains why we finally get the originally-intended title of 'John Carter of Mars' at the very end.The man in question is John Carter from Virginia, ex-Civil War soldier who lost his family and is now gold prospecting.
Given the running time, you wouldn't think things would need to be like this, but it seems the makers realised their movie was reaching the limit of its runtime and there was still some stuff left to address at the last minute.The effects on display are as dazzling as Dejah's blue eyes.
The bar on science fiction and fantasy movies has Officially Been Raised.JOHN CARTER is based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars --a novel first published a century ago.
James Cameron's AVATAR showed us a world we've never seen before and it was wondrous to behold, but Andrew Stanton's JOHN CARTER is a movie so rich with detail that it left me feeling like I had been somewhere.
JOHN CARTER feels like nothing so much than as if David Lean had made a science fiction epic of love and war set on Mars.This movie has a confidence to it you won't be expecting.
Upon seeing this, the first question you will likely ask is, "How is it no one has filmed this fantastic, mind-blowing, eye-popping, compelling sci-fi adventure saga before?" Well, there have been a few faint attempts but the true realization of John Carter's magnificent adventures waited patiently for the masterful CGI wizardry of director Andrew Stanton and the 2012 resources of Disney/Pixar.
My dream fulfilled: A new overwhelming sf- spectacular which isn't part of the Star Wars or Star Trek franchise but opens a new rich and fantastic world and which has- in opposite to the SW prequels- a logical and intricate story.All my hopes that it won't bomb but allow new adventures with John Carter on the Mars to be filmed..
Some of that should have made it's way into the dialog of "John Carter." There's a marvelous exchange between Errol Flynn and an English judge at the beginning of the movie "Captain Blood." It sets up the sense of romance for the rest of the film.
I'd have loved to see her grow into the part through a long course of sequels...All in all, despite its limitations, "John Carter" is a fine adventure film, that does manage to convey at least some of the magic of Edgar Rice Burroughs' writing.
I really enjoyed seeing the origin of familiar Sci-Fi concepts, as it was drafted over a 100 years ago.Considering the original story spans over several books, the movie script compacted it pretty nicely, and a friend of mine who read the books would vouch that it has been packed with relatively few mistakes or shortcuts.
It is THAT good!To be clear: I am an ERB-fan (Edgar Rice Burroughs, the genius that over a hundred (yes) years ago wrote the original books about John Carter, Jeddak of Helium, Warlord of Mars and the incomparable Dejah Thoris!) I read the first of the John Carter novels out of curiosity a couple of years ago and was instantly hooked!
ERB is one of the all time greatest Sci Fi writers to ever grace us with his remarkable story-telling talent and no mistake!This movie, and I would like this opportunity the express my warm and heartfelt gratitude to Disney for making this project a reality, has everything one could possibly want in an entertaining, believable, captivating movie.
I had hoped it would be good but the reports of attendance at the box office had not been good, so I went with my 2 sons and an open mind.Thank goodness we did it was fantastic, I had read the book as a boy and enjoyed it then, but some 30 or so years later you can never be sure whether the silver screen will be able to empower what your recollections were.The story line was good the special effect were great and the action and the pace were made this a must see movie I could recommend and my teenage boys were impressed,as well,which is also impressive.Having had $60m spent on marketing this gem, I can only say that I am not sure the film makers have had their moneys worth yet, if this had been marketed like a "Pirates of the Caribbean" I can't help feeling the clamour to see this film would feverish and queues round the block..
There, he gains some recognition and is forced to be involved in a series of battles, all part of a war between the city of Helium and Zodanga, as well as decide the fate of the planet.Now that you've met John Carter, let's introduce you to Mars/Barsoom, the "Red Planet".Barsoom is where the film takes place.
The children will love the technology incorporated, the older kids will clamor the dazzling special effects, and the adults will enjoy the love story and action scenes.Rating: 7/10Final Verdict: "John Carter" is a film that offers a perfect blend of fantasy and science-fiction accompanied with satisfying performances and spectacular visual effects..
Rather than focusing on creating memorable characters (Tars Tarkas, Sola, and Kantos Kan might as well be footnotes) and elaborating on the the different cultures and belief systems that shape the world of Barsoom, the movie focuses on action scenes and a story line which doesn't occur until deep into the second book.
The rest of the cast was equally good, I thought.There are a lot of movies that have come out lately that I had to force myself to watch all the way though (Cowboys and Aliens comes to mind...), but I wish JC had been longer!If only Disney had done a better job deciding who this film was marketed to, I think it would have blown away the box office.As it stands, the movie did turn a modest profit, so here's one person who is hoping to see more of JC on the big screen.I am so looking forward to seeing...John Carter...of MARS!.
Sadly, once transported to Mars (known by its inhabitants as Barsoom) the plot falls to tedium, with few action scenes separated by never-ending and never convincing "romance" between Carter and Dejah, the titular Princess of Burroughs' tale.
I for one can recommend this movie to anyone, even if you never heard of Edgar Rice Burroughs or don't know any details about the John Carter of Mars books like my son, I think you will like it just like he did.
The biggest problem is that it does not really follow the book, but on the other hand all the stuff in the movie appears in other Burroughs books.I didn't like the holy Therns, since they do not appear in the book "A princess of Mars" but then again they are apparently some kind of mix of Therns in "Gods of Mars" ans Lotharian therns from the book "Thuvia, Maid of Mars" a masters of suggestion, not a master of shape-shifting that X-men generation might misinterpret them.When looking this movie I could not wonder how much Lucas and Cameron stole from this story, Star wars stole so many words (Jed, Sith, Padwar, Banth, Woola and so on) + the idea of noble man fighting with sword even tho they have laser weapons, and saving princess + Tatooine desert and so on, it it obvious that Lucas read Burroughs, no matter how much he denies it, it would be the most unbelievable coincidence ever if he have come up with all of these without reading Burroughs.Stanton also makes one nice inside joke, he has taken one scene from a book "Tarzan the untamed", anyone who don't know could be fooled that this scene is copied from the original -76 Star wars movie.
But the pictures shows that this is a part of Tarzan story, not John Carter.Anyway, the film is enjoyable, even when it does not follow the book.
The characters had depth and development, the story was great, the action and special effects were some of the best I've seen and I was even very impressed with the acting (something I didn't expect from the preview, but the acting was wonderful).
And comparisons are, unfortunately for John Carter, not in its favor.The movie is based on the book "Princess of Mars" by Edgar Rice Burroughs, being yet another example of how the movie industry is unable to come up with its own original plots.
Even though the trailers do come across as a Star Wars/Avatar clone (and there's much more to the film than just the all-action sequences), and people are already lazily writing it off as such, but as the original book 'A Princess Of Mars' was first published 100 years ago, you can see after reading the book that George Lucas, James Cameron were definitely 'inspired' and mined the books for ideas (they've even said so in interviews themselves).Well, that day has at last arrived!
Not everything will translate well from the page and your imagination to screen, not forgetting that the original source material is 100 years old too.I thought the leads played their parts pretty well, Taylor Kitsch did his job as Carter, and I was very impressed with Lynn Collins' Dejah Thoris (I think I'm in love!) and James Purefoy's Kantos Kan, even if his role was pretty brief!
I also liked the way the movie was bookended with the Edgar Rice Burroughs (Daryl Sabara) scenes.I really do hope we get to see the next film - 'The Gods Of Mars'.
"John Carter" is an excellent sci-fi film and absolutely underrated in IMDb. The complex story is engaging and highly entertaining and among my favorite movies of 2012.
It did not disappoint.John Carter reminded me of the 80's when they still made great sci-fi/fantasy movies with standout characters and excellent plots.
Most of these type movies made in current times fail miserably because more energy is spent in CGI effects and battle scenes than building characters, story lines, and worlds that are rich and believable.
It features great special effects with "flyers" that glide on the rays from the sun, six-limbed aliens, a beautiful red princess, and dastardly villains!"John Carter" is a perfect reflection of its pulp sci-fi origins by the American master of pulp sci-fi and adventure, Edgar Rice Burroughs!
In a way this has nothing to do with that little speck of light we see in our night sky: This is the planet Barsoom.And the film begins with a battle involving the fliers Burroughs thought up - Visually, they are just how Burroughs described them, and in detail when Larry Niven used them in his book "Rainbow Mars"Taylor Kitsch, "Gambit" of "Wolverine" is John Carter - Who has had enough of War and fighting on a losing side.
Leave 'em all at home.John Carter is not at all the movie that you would expect based on all of that- and believe it or not, that's a good thing.
Stanton is truly the heir to David Lean, and we are very excited to see the films he will be making in the years ahead.This is the Lawrence of Arabia of fantasy sci-fi, and that is a fair comparison.John Carter is an instant classic, to be watched over and over again, enjoyed, discussed and remembered.
I have read all of the 'John Carter' books many times - both as an impressionable boy and as a more demanding adult, so I came to this movie with all the enthusiasm of a fan who has waited a lifetime to see Barsoom on the big screen.
Clearly, other film companies benefited as audience money was driven elsewhere.I went to see this film because I only judge for myself and because I had read several Edgar Rice Burroughs novels as a kid...He was a gifted storyteller, had the best imagination ever and gave us heroics unseen to date unless you read his books which have been ripped off by Star Wars, Avatar and many other "intellectual properties." I won't remark on the story other than to say, like all films intended to have sequels, it suffered a bit because it had to lay the groundwork for what is to come.The acting was good, the leads were very likable and the best part is that they didn't use known actors for the cast.
It's one of those movies that is meant for the big screen -- great action, sweeping visuals -- give it a ride and you won't be disappointed.I wasn't sure what to expect the first time I saw it as the poor box office showing and mediocre reviews had me wondering.
John Carter starts off like a western film, turns into a science fiction, and turns into a action/adventure; all combined brilliantly.
It was with a collection of Tarzan books which must have belonged to my father since he was a great Tarzan fan, I had pretty much forgotten the John Carter stories until I saw the movie advertised.
John Carter is worth seeing.In a time where everything seems to be a sequel, prequel, a remake, a re-release in 3D, or just plain bad, this was a very original, good story and kudos to Disney for getting it out there.
"John Carter" is one amazing Sci-Fi thrill ride, taking place from the American Civil War period to the red planet Mars.I haven't read the story upon which the movie is based, so I have no vision of how I envision it to be, nor do I have any predetermined hopes or expectations to the movie.
"John Carter" delivers lots of action, adventure, CGI effects, and even a love story, so it has almost everything you need in a movie.As for the ending to the movie, well that was somewhat of a nice touch.
Here is a list of the most important points concerning the movie.I- Book VS Movie First of all, I'm quite sure you all know that the story behind John Carter is from an Edgar Rice Burrough's novel called 'A Princess of Mars'. |
tt0020724 | Call of the Flesh | In Seville, Spain, a cantina is located across the street from San Agustín convent. At the convent, postulant Maria Consuelo Vargas (Dorothy Jordan) receives a visit from her brother, Captain Enrique Vargas (Russell Hopton). They have not seen each other in seven years, as he has been stationed in Africa. During the intervening time, their mother has died, which left Maria alone in the world, until she entered the convent. Enrique is thrilled that she will soon be married to God. Maria is enthralled by the music that comes from across the street – implying that she wants to explore life outside the convent - but Enrique prefers that she remain behind the safety of the convent walls, as he considers the outside world evil.
After Enrique leaves, Maria peers over the convent walls to watch Juan de Dios (Ramon Novarro) perform at the cantina. Later in the set, Juan sings and dances with his partner, Lola (Renée Adorée). After the set, Juan flirts with some female customers, which irks Lola. Juan walks Lola home, during which time he treats her badly, knowing that she is in love with him, and thus will tolerate the abuse.
At home, Juan meets with his music teacher, Esteban (Ernest Torrence). Esteban believes Juan has the makings of a great singer like he himself once was. Esteban squandered away his fame and fortune by reckless behavior – the same reckless behavior Juan now exhibits – which he is trying to steer Juan away from. If his old contacts will listen, Esteban plans to take Juan to Madrid so that he can truly become a great serious singer under the management of one of the great impresarios.
After a day outing at the market where he steals some oranges and some cloth and thus is trying to escape from the police, Juan runs into Maria in a private courtyard, she who he has never met. She has escaped from the convent and is stealing a dress from a clothes line to replace her convent garb. She leaves a token for the dress. She recognizes him. As she tells him she has no home, he, who is immediately attracted to her, takes her home with him. Maria eventually tells Juan that she has escaped from the convent to find “him”, as she has always been drawn to the magic that is his singing. Then, Lola shows up. Juan is able to make her go away without knowing that Maria is there.
Esteban believes Maria to be nothing more than a street harlot, but Juan is able to convince him that she is a child of God. Juan then tells Esteban that they will indeed go to Madrid, and bring Maria along as their housekeeper.
At the convent, Enrique is trying to find Maria. The Mother Superior (Nance O'Neil) tells him that as Maria had not yet taken her vows, she was free to leave. Maria being drawn to music may provide a clue as to her whereabouts. Then, Lola arrives – she has found a convent garment in Juan’s room, the garment which Enrique and the Mother Superior recognize as Maria’s. Enrique vows to travel to Madrid to kill Juan.
In Madrid, Juan, Esteban and Maria rent a three-bedroom flat that is managed by a music aficionado, La Rumbarita (Mathilde Comont). A once great singer used to reside there, which they all believe is karma. Later at the audition with impresario Mischa, Juan displays his arrogant attitude about what he sees as the greatness of his singing. Although the audition is technically sound, Mischa tells Juan that he has no soul in his singing, and that he needs to have his heart broken to achieve true greatness. As such, Mischa, will not accept him as a client. After Juan storms out in disgust, Esteban negotiates payment – all the money that he has - to Mischa to take Juan on as a client in lower level musical events, Juan not to know the financial arrangement. Mischa happily agrees, seeing this arrangement as a windfall.
Back at the flat, Juan, angry about Mischa’s assessment, takes it out on Maria by berating her. But seeing how loyal she is to him, Juan changes his tune and declares his undying love for her. They embrace. Later, he visits a priest to make arrangements for their marriage. As Juan tells Esteban and La Rumbarita of the wedding, they go off to buy items for an engagement celebration party, but not before Esteban is able to tell Juan that Mischa has arranged for him to sing Pagliacci that evening. Juan is excited, but believes that Mischa has just come to his senses, not knowing about Esteban and Mischa’s financial arrangement.
While Juan is alone at the flat, Enrique tracks Juan down, ready to kill him. Although they initially argue about the situation with Maria, Enrique, with a little help from Lola, is able to convince Juan to send Maria back to the convent, as his act of love is stealing her away from her vow to God, and that she would always be seen as harlot if they were to get married, thus sending her to eternal damnation. Knowing that Maria will not go willingly, Juan convinces Maria that he no longer loves her as he has reconciled with Lola. A tearful Maria, now believing the outside world is evil as Enrique once said, leaves with her brother back to Seville and San Agustín.
Despite Juan’s broken heart, Esteban is able to convince Juan to proceed with the performance of Pagliacci by telling him the truth about his and Mischa’s financial arrangement. Juan’s performance ends up being a triumph, with Juan emotionally spent after it. Mischa remarks that this Juan and the Juan at the audition are two totally different people. Mischa now wants to sign a legitimate contract with Juan. Regardless, Juan does not recover emotionally. As Esteban takes him back to Seville, Juan is bedridden, dying from a broken heart. Seeing what is happening to Juan, Lola decides to go to the convent to tell Maria the truth about their deception, which Lola now knows will lead to certain death for both Juan and Maria of broken hearts. Maria rushes to Juan’s side, the two who enter into a loving embrace. | romantic | train | wikipedia | Novarro confirms his talent in a great performance..
Ramon Novarro is really great in this fairly ordinary film about a young singer and his love for an innocent girl.
Also he demonstrates his usual charm, wit and joy of life - and proves yet again that he deserved better material than MGM offered him.It's easy to see why this sweet film was so popular in its day, and why it was re-made twice (in Spanish and French) in 1931, with Ramon starring in and directing both versions.
It's all impossibly romantic and quite charming.Ramon's regular leading lady, Dorothy Jordan, is pretty good here, Ernest Torrence hams a bit as Ramon's dad, and Renee Adoree is wonderful in her last screen performance (she died very young of TB) - just as in "The Pagan" her love for Ramon is unrequited and she is ultimately self-sacrificing.
Russell Hopton is, unfortunately, wooden as Jordan's brother and, as a consequence, his crucial climactic scene with Ramon does not work as well as it should have.Charles Brabin's direction and the screenplay are uninspired, but the film is worth seeing for Ramon Novarro's extraordinary performance..
Lively Ramon Novarro Film.
Ramon Novarro plays a saucy singer who teams with Renee Adoree to appear at local cantinas and is pushed by his friend (Ernest Torrence) to get serious about opera.
But then he meets a "runaway" from a convent (Dorothy Jordan) who knows nothing of the world.
He falls in love and dumps Adoree.
But Adoree gets even by finding Jordan's military brother who tracks them down and sends her back to the convent.
Meanwhile Novarro is turned down by a local opera house because he's never had his heart broken and his singing has no soul.
Torrence buys a night for Novarro to sing at the opera and he grudgingly does to, bringing down the house.
But his heart is so broken he's actually dying until Adoree takes action.Novarro is quite good here, especially when singing.
A few of the dramatic scenes are badly done, but the rest of the film is lively.
I have no idea what Novarro sings in the finale but he's good despite having rather thin high notes.
It's quite a shock to see Torrence break out in song, but the burly Scottish actor, a dependable heavy in silent films, was a trained opera singer.
Jordan and Adoree handle the music well.There's a great scene where Torrence at the piano joins Novarro in a burst of song only to be joined by the landlady (Mathilde Comont).
It all seems so spontaneous.Sadly this was Adoree's final film.
One of my favorite films..
This is one of my favorite films of all time.
I loved every character, and every actor and actress.
The film is charming.
This story must have been written with Ramon Novarro, Dorothy Jordan, and Renee Adoree in mind; but the whole cast is "perfect".
Some may find this film naive or too simplistic, but it's innocence and sincerity overwhelm me..
One of Novarro's best Early talkies.
I watched "Call of the Flesh" (1930) a romantic, musical melodrama with touches of comedy, that was a huge surprise for me.
Surprise, because after watching "In Gay Madrid" (1930) filmed and released earlier the same year and after re-reading the pertinent passages from André Soares' very good Bio on Novarro "Beyond Paradise" my expectations were low, since Mr. Soares believes "In Gay Madrid" (1930) to be the best film that Novarro made with co-star Dorothy Jordan.
Well, I am sorry to totally disagree, but for me "Call of the Flesh" is simply one of Novarro's best talkies along with "The Barbarian" (1933), "The Cat and the Fiddle" (1934) and "Daybreak" (1931) - I'm not counting "Mata-Hari" (1931) because it's a Garbo vehicle and not really Ramon's film.Mr. Soares and some other reviewers felt that Novarro plays an obnoxious, difficult to tolerate character, especially at the beginning of the film, but I found him most amusing and likable in a way.
A sort of immature, mischievous, full-of-life young lad -much more appealing than Haines' truly obnoxious characters.
Novarro is very charming and natural, in spite that some times he could be perceived by some to be a little bit "too much".
For me he's fine.On the other hand, the chemistry between him and Dorothy Jordan is far more effective here than in the previous film I saw.
Ms. Jordan really redeemed herself in my eyes in terms of acting.
She's no Duse, but she did fine and she conveys the innocence and charm of a naive convent girl who falls for life outside the convent and for Novarro.
The musical interludes, singing and dancing are much better in this film and it has better production values.
In terms of cinematography, camera movement, pacing and editing it's "eons" beyond "In Gay Madrid" (1930); definitely Charles Brabin and his crew did a much better job that Bob Z.
"Call of the Flesh" (1930) doesn't look at all stilted, stiff and creaky like "In Gay Madrid" (1930) did.
Probably by the time they filmed the former the crew at MGM had already learnt how to overcome those shortcomings."Call of the Flesh" also benefits from an overall superior supporting cast, with Ernest Torrence fantastic as Novarro's mentor; ailing, lovely Rénée Adorée very moving as Novarro's fiery lover "Lolita" and Mathilde Comont hilarious as Novarro's landlady in Madrid.Adorée was gravely ill with TBC and was in very bad condition during the making of the film (and one can see it; she looks very frail and thin).
In fact she and Ernest Torrence died a couple of years after this film was finished.
I think that it was her final film.There are two alternate versions of this film: in Spanish and French, which I don't know if they are still extant, but I'd love to see.I was so surprised by this film (maybe, because I didn't really expect much), I enjoyed the romance, the musical interludes, the comedic touches, even the Operatic Arias (although like Jeanette MacDonald people who know about Opera, say that Novarro hasn't got a voice of a caliber enough to tackle such a challenge) and I was sincerely moved by the scenes towards the ending.All in all, a rewarding experience..
Ramon Novarro Behaves Like A Cad. A brash cantina singer in Sevilla heeds the CALL OF THE FLESH when he romances a young postulant from a nearby convent.Sometimes movie studios make most unwise decisions, resulting in ramifications that can be quite detrimental to the careers of even their biggest stars.
Good production values & fine performances can not save this film from its one fatal flaw: it is difficult to like, or even tolerate, the hero.Ramon Novarro, usually quite the pleasant fellow, here is forced to play a repellent rogue who quickly irritates the audience with his cruel treatment of those who love him most.
Novarro's undoubted acting abilities enable him to deliver a fine performance, but mischievousness mixed with too much meanness can result in viewer apathy.This did not help his career.
The fad for the Latin Lover was wearing mighty thin already and would soon be completely eclipsed by the All American Hero, and Novarro's sexual ambiguity was always a bit of a problem for the MGM front office.
The advent of Sound, while finally revealing his strong singing voice, also exhibited his Mexican accent, making it difficult to cast him in traditional roles.
Dorothy Jordan is radiant as the innocent young woman who loves him with every fiber of her being; she delivers a heart touching, memorable performance.
Flamboyant & hammy, Scottish actor Ernest Torrence is terrific as Novarro's friend & mentor - although one has to wonder just why he was willing to put up with so much nonsense from the little squirt.
Equally adept at drama or comedy, Torrence's theatrical mannerisms and the contortions of his great homely face make him both entertaining to the audience and an enjoyable contrast to handsome Novarro.
French actress Renée Adorée, in her final film, stirs up the flames in her role as Novarro's musical partner & lover.
(Ill health would bring about the early deaths of both Torrence & Adorée in 1933 - he at 54 and she at 35.
Today, these two fine performers are virtually forgotten.)Mention should be made of Mathilde Comont, hilarious as a rotund little diva turned landlady.Novarro is in good voice throughout, which is fortunate as the plot keeps him singing interminably..
Novarro Sings Again.
In a Spanish convent, girlish-acting Dorothy Jordan (as Maria Consuelo Vargas) is thinking about taking her final vows when she hears handsome Ramon Novarro (as Juan de Dios) singing in a nearby cantina.
She sneaks away from the nunnery to watch Mr. Novarro sing.
The seemingly aroused Ms. Jordan looks like she may never become a nun.
Novarro playfully turns down some after-hours bedtime with attractive dancing partner Renee Adoree (as Lola) – proving "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets" is not correct, this time.
Next, Novarro sups with operatic mentor Ernest Torrence (as Esteban), steals a few things at the market, and then meets Jordan.
Hoping to advance his career, Novarro moves to Madrid with Mr. Torrence going along as singing coach.
They take love-struck Jordan along to serve as cook.
Back at the convent, Ms. Adoree jealously informs Jordan's brother Russell Hopton (as Enrique Vargas) about her association with Novarro.
The nuns say Jordan never took her final vows, but Mr. Hopton expects his sister to remain holy – he is understandably upset about her running away with a young man.
Adoree does better with her role.
Sadly, this was the last film for Adoree, who often appeared supporting bigger stars – like Novarro, John Gilbert and Lon Chaney.
His female co-stars have a fine rapport with Novarro.
Greater as a villain, Torrence is out of sorts as Novarro's loving mentor.
The cameras adore Novarro.
There are clearly times when director Charles Brabin is unable to reign him in, but Novarro is charming in spite of it all.
***** Call of the Flesh (8/16/30) Charles Brabin ~ Ramon Novarro, Dorothy Jordan, Ernest Torrence, Renee Adoree.
What Happened to Ramon Novarro's Career.
By no means a "B" film in budget, but definitely one in story and technique.
After seeing this effort, it's remarkably easy to understand why Novarro's stellar career declined so rapidly and dramatically in the sound era.
It's not that there's anything wrong with his voice, it's just that his acting seems so ludicrously inept and his personality so colorless and lacking in charisma.
Mind you, if you turn off the sound, then Novarro's gestures and even his persona appear quite acceptable.
But with sound in this film, he's just ridiculous!
Unfortunately, Charles Brabin is not this sort of chef at least not here.
Ramon Novarro's pedestrian sound period hastened an end to his film career and Call of the Flesh may well be the vehicle that pushed him over the cliff.
In the silent era Novarro's handsome chiseled features, dark eyes and killer smile showed him adept at both drama (The Red LIly, The Pagan) and romantic comedy ( The Student Prince of Heidleberg) but in Call of the Flesh he is a triple fret as speaks, sings and dances dreadfully.
Juan Di Deos is a carefree entertainer that loves to play tricks and chase the ladies.
His fiery dance partner Lola (Renee Adoree) is often the victim of his childish pranks but is crazy about the guy.
Nun in training Maria Vasquez however is the one that captures his heart.
Career wise he has the same laissez faire attitude which frustrates his mentor Esteban who pulls strings to get him an audition with an opera impresario.
Meanwhile Lola gets wind Juan's romancing the good sister and tries to break it up.
Call of the Flesh is early sound at its worst.
Without his title cards doing the talking Novarro comes across like a mischievous twelve year old.
The timber in his voice fails to live up to his look and his singing and dancing would get the hook at a local amateur show.
Aquitting themselves as shabbily as Novarro fellow silent film alumni Ernest Torrence and the ailing Renee Adoree overact monstrously while fresh faces Dorothy Jordan and Russell Hopton make it clear they will have short careers.Charles Brabin's direction is haphazard and flat as he allows his troupe to step on each others lines and display bad timing; some of it so poor you get the feeling he might have had his face buried in a newspaper oblivious to the action being recorded.
One could hardly fault him for averting his eyes since Call of the Flesh is dead meat from the opening reel..
Navarro's voice is wonderful but the pace is a bit slow.
I realize that this is an operetta from the first generation of early sound musicals, but the film could have benefited from tighter pacing and therefore a shorter running time.
Plus there is virtually no back-scoring in this film, also typical for early sound, that just makes the lulls seem more pronounced.
The story opens at a convent in Spain as a group of postulates prepare to take their vows and become actual nuns.
Maria Vargas (Dorothy Jordon) gets a visit from her soldier brother Enrique (Russell Hopton).
As a result of a weird and possibly unfortunate choice of zoning, Maria hears Juan de Dios (Ramon Navarro) singing at the cabaret next door.
(What is a cabaret doing next to a convent???) Maria climbs up to the top of the convent wall, sees Juan and it is love at first sight.
This is most unfortunate for her, since Juan de Dios seems to love nothing but trouble.
Maria, who has not yet taken her vows, runs away from the convent in search of him.Juan callously casts girls aside, steals from local vendors for the thrill of it all, and then runs across Maria staring at him adoringly as he evades the police for the latest chaos he has caused at the market.
He takes the girl in and takes advantage of the fact that she obviously adores him to have her cook for him, clean for him, and take extraordinary criticism from him anytime he wants to feel better about himself - however relations between them are squeaky clean thus belying the film's title.
In what seems like a bit of miscasting, Ernest Torrence, a big craggy mountain of a man who looks like he should be playing a pirate sailing the seven seas, instead plays Juan's mentor and voice instructor.
At his audition for the opera in Madrid, Juan's mentor is told that Juan will never be a great singer because his heart has not been broken - there s no there there in short.
Since Juan seems to have no heart that could possibly ever be broken it seems like his soul and his singing have hit a dead end.
Watch and find out.Dorothy Jordan starred opposite Navarro in the first three of his sound films - this was their third appearance together.
Navarro had been an effective romantic lead in the silent era, but the coming of sound both blessed him and cursed him.
Sound cursed him because the pitch of his speaking voice projected sweetness rather than masculinity.
This would explain Jordan as a frequent costar.
Yes, she was a talented singer whose voice meshed well with his, but she was also capable of being femininely unintimidating which made Navarro's lack of machismo in sound films less stark.
For example, in this film she is almost mimicking Minnie Mouse in her diminutive portrayal of Maria.
Once more powerful female sound stars begin to take the field such as Barbara Stanwyck and Jean Harlow, there was just no way Navarro could hope to hold on to the leading roles he had once had, especially after musicals went out of fashion for a couple of years starting at the end of 1930.
I'd recommend this one because it is put together pretty well although it does have that characteristic of MGM films of the time - an abrupt right turn in the plot that causes an outlandish happy ending for all concerned..
Not because I think this is a great film -- it's not.
But because they seem a bit unaware of the situation.First, in terms of why the popularity of his films fell off.
But, particularly in the early days of Hollywood, the film industry tended to go through cycles of "taste".
And one cycle was "Latin lovers"...a cycle which lasted about a decade, beginning with Valentino and practically ending with Novarro.
The coming of the American hero -- Gable and Cagney in 1931, just one year after this film.
American tastes were changing.Second, rather than blame Novarro for the problems with this film, I choose to blame the director.
Poor sound -- after all, the film was made just 3 years into the talkies and the big improvements that arrived right around this time.
This looks like a fairly big budget film for MGM...consider the sets, for example.I found the criticisms of Novarro's acting interesting.
It certainly doesn't fit today's tastes (nor does his singing voice...a style that was totally outdated by a decade later when the crooners took over.
What did I see in Novarro's acting?
He appears pleasant on screen here; a good person.
This review is just written by a Novarro fan.
And the context is a threshold of change in Hollywood -- change in what is desired in a leading man, change is the type of stories to be told, change in the technical abilities of the Hollywood studios, change in the tastes of the American public.This is worth watching for a glimpse of really old Hollywood on the verge of morphing into the Gables and Loys and Cagneys and Davises. |
tt1535472 | Bulshinjiok | Hee Jin, a college student currently studying in Seoul, receives news that her 14-year-old sister So Jin has disappeared. Hee Jin then quickly returns home to look for her missing sister. Meanwhile, her mother prays obsessively for her daughter to return and asks Hee Jin to do so. Veteran detective Tae Hwan becomes involved in the case, but at first doesn't take things as seriously, believing So Jin is a runaway. Then another person, Jung Mi, falls down from a roof and discovers So Jin's note. The apartment's security guard Kwi Kap and apartment resident Kyung Ja reveal that So Jin was possessed by a ghost. The detective and Hee Jin become confused with these news facts. Shortly later, Jung Mi is found dead and Det. Tae-hwon learns that Jung Mi attended the same church as the missing girl's mother. The security guard Kwi Kap is then found dead. Meanwhile the mother continues to pray silently, while Hee Jin sees dead people in her dreams ... | psychedelic, suspenseful, haunting, flashback | train | imdb | null |
tt1638002 | Love, Rosie | Alex and Rosie have been best friends for almost as long as they can remember. On Rosie's 18th birthday party Alex kisses Rosie, who is drunk, and realises that he has romantic feelings for her. However, the day after her 18th birthday, Rosie is upset about having got drunk, and tells Alex that she wishes the night had never happened. Alex interprets this as Rosie just wanting to be friends.
Greg, the "fittest guy in their year", asks Rosie to the school dance. She originally intended to go with Alex but accepts Greg's offer when she learns that Alex is thinking about going with a girl named Bethany. After the dance, Rosie has sex with Greg, but the condom slips off inside her.
Rosie gets accepted to a hotel management course at Boston University. She rushes to tell Alex but finds him having sex with Bethany, which causes her to vomit. She discovers that she is pregnant. She refuses to tell Alex, fearing that he will forego his chance to study at Harvard to help take care of her. After Alex leaves for America she gives birth to a daughter, whom she names Katie. Alex learns of Rosie's pregnancy from Bethany and becomes Katie's godfather.
Five years later, Rosie visits Alex in Boston and they spend a night together talking and visiting places. The following morning, she discovers that his girlfriend is pregnant. She understands that Alex's living situation was not proper and tries to discuss it with him, but he rebuffs her, saying that at least their kid is going to have both parents. Infuriated, Rosie leaves Boston immediately. She reconciles with Greg, who had initially fled to Ibiza upon learning of her pregnancy, and eventually the two marry. She later learns that Alex split from his girlfriend after discovering that the baby wasn't his. When Rosie's father dies, Alex attends the funeral of Rosie's father and reconciles with her, whereas Greg behaves immaturely at the funeral.
Rosie bumps into Bethany, now a famous model, and suggests that she look up Alex on a coming trip to America. After having noted Greg's boorish behavior at the funeral, Alex writes Rosie a note saying that she deserves better and that he can be that better man. However, Greg intercepts the note and hides it from Rosie. Later, Rosie discovers that Greg is cheating on her and kicks him out. While disposing of his things, she finds the letter from Alex. She calls him, but discovers that Bethany is living with him now and the two are engaged. They invite Rosie to be the "best man" at their wedding.
Rosie gives a speech at the wedding, telling Alex that she loves him as a friend. Her daughter Katie brings a friend named Toby with her, in a friendship that is reminiscent of Rosie and Alex when they were children. During the dance, Toby suddenly kisses Katie, and Katie pushes him away and runs outside. Rosie and Alex follow her. Alex counsels her and tells her to follow her feelings with Toby otherwise she might regret it, a reference to how he has felt about Rosie. After a moment, Toby finds Katie and apologizes for what he did, telling her just to forget whatever had happened, but Katie interrupts him with a kiss. Alex realizes that Rosie does not remember the kiss which they shared on her 18th birthday and that he misinterpreted her desire to forget that night as her not wanting to be more than friends.
Rosie finally makes her dream come true, starting her own hotel. Alex is her second guest, and tells Rosie on arrival that he has ended his marriage with Bethany. He tells her about a recurring dream he has had about the two of them being together and they share a kiss. | romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1300854 | Iron Man Three | The movie opens with Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) narrating a story about how we create our own demons. In a flashback to New Year's Eve 1999, Tony, meets a botanical scientist named Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall) in Bern, Switzerland, and arrogantly avoids crippled scientist Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), who wants Tony's backing in his endeavor, Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM). Maya has an experimental plant. Maya has been working on experimental (and in some cases unethical) biological research in plants that causes their DNA to change drastically and has the power to cure incurable diseases and paralysis.In December 2012, it has been quite some time after the events of New York City and the Avengers Initiative. A haunted Tony Stark has obsessively built several Iron Man suits in his mansion. Tony works on a new model, the Mark 42, which is modular; all the suit pieces fly to him and recombine. The first attempt at making the MK42 work is met with a funk version of "Jingle Bells" with Tony dancing while the pieces are coming at him. As per the course, Tony of course completely ignores any safety measures that JARVIS takes. It ends rather poorly when Tony is thrown across the room attempting flight with the MK42 and it shatters into pieces. JARVIS of course gloats with an "I told you so" moment.Tony then continues his story about creating demons. He then talks about how he turned on the TV to find a new terrorist at work called "The Mandarin" (Ben Kingsley). The Mandarin hijacks American airwaves and makes his American debut by taking credit for the bombing of a US military station in Kuwait that killed the wives and children of soldiers out on maneuvers. President Ellis's initial response to the Mandarin however makes him the butt of the jokes of late night talk show hosts: It seems the only thing that he's able to come up with is to take the MK8, the suit worn by Colonel James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and formerly known as "War Machine" and have it repainted, rebranded, and reintroduced as "The Iron Patriot".Tony later asks Rhodes in a restaurant what's really going on with the Mandarin. Rhodes tells Tony that while the media and the press only know of three bombings attributed to the Mandarin, there have been at least six more that have taken place off the books. Rhodes explains that he's now operating MK8 as the "Iron Patriot" (formerly known as War Machine). While the two are coming to an agreement that the name chosen was horrible, Tony is confronted by a group of kids who want his autograph. Tony jokes that the boy looks very much like Ralphie from A Christmas Story. The girl asks how Tony was able to escape the worm hole in New York, causing him to freak out. Tony makes a B-line for his Iron Man suit and enters, JARVIS explains that Tony is suffering a massive anxiety attack.Back at Stark Industries, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) goes to meet her 4:00 appointment. The appointment is Aldrich Killian, who has cleaned himself up since 1999. Aldrich wants Stark Industries' backing in his think tank called "Advanced Idea Mechanics". AIM's goal is a biological experiment called "Extremis" which harnesses' the brain's power to alter human DNA. He then shows Pepper a massive hologram reconstructing of his brain and how Extremis can utilize parts of the brain that would otherwise go unused. Pepper tells Aldrich that Stark Industries isn't interested in funding AIM because the ideas could be translate into human weapons.Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) has found a new career as the head of security at Stark Industries although he's annoying nearly 99% of the company's personnel and visitors with his penchant for requiring everybody to wear badges, and Pepper explains that complaints against him have risen nearly 200% since he started working there (which Happy takes as a compliment).Pepper drives home and Tony has a huge stuffed bunny for her as her Christmas gift. However, he is busy working and Pepper isn't greeted by Tony, but by another remote-controlled prototype of the Iron Man suit, and that has her rather upset. Tony has developed a heads-up-display (HUD) and is using it as a remote control. That night while asleep, Tony is having some bad PTSD induced trauma about what happened in New York. They're then startled when one of the new prototype Iron Man suits is awakened and has made its' way into the bedroom. Tony then immediately dismantles it. A frustrated Pepper tells Tony that she's going to sleep downstairs and has him "tinker with that" after he explains to Pepper that he's been a complete mess since the events in New York and has been unable to sleep.The next day Happy follows one of Killian's men, Eric Savin (James Badge Dale), to the Grauman's Chinese Theater. Savin gives another man, Jack Taggart, a briefcase. Happy tries to intercede but is beaten senseless by Savin, and seconds later, Taggart overheats and explodes, leaving behind only his old dog tags. Happy is left severely injured, while Savin walks away. Hours later, the Mandarin hijacks the TV airwaves to take responsibility for the blast.Tony is now furious over Happy, who has been knocked into a coma by the bombing.. After visiting the hospital to check on Happy, and to make sure that all of the hospital employees were wearing badges while in Happy's room (not to mention make sure that the TV is playing Downton Abbey as it's Happy's favorite show), Tony is mobbed by reporters. One of them blatantly asks if Tony is going to kill this guy. A frustrated Tony then asks the reporters if that's what they really want, then issues his threat to the Mandarin saying that he just died and gives his home address on TV, egging on the Mandarin to carry out an attack on his home and that he'll be ready. Tony then angrily destroys the reporter's tape recorder and tells the mob of reporters to bill him.While at home, Tony has JARVIS bring up a hologram diagram of the destruction at Graumann's Chinese Theater. While JARVIS is analyzing the attack, Tony discovers that Happy is pointing to a curious oddity of military dog tags with the name "Jack Taggart" etched onto them. Since there was no active military personnel at the blast, Tony wonders exactly what the dog tags are doing there. JARVIS then analyzes the latest Mandarin attack and compares with past incidents. This blast at the theater bears resemblance to an incident that happened four years ago in Rose Hill, Tennessee, and predates any known Mandarin attack, where an ex-army soldier named Chad Davis blew himself up, taking five people with him. Tony asks JARVIS if he's ever been to Tennessee. JARVIS then creates a flight path for the Iron Man suit.He's interrupted when the doorbell rings. A paranoid Tony wonders why he's getting visitors since he told JARVIS that the house is on complete and total lock down. The visitor turns out not to be the Mandarin, but Dr. Maya Hansen, who believes Tony is in danger. A freaked out Pepper is arguing with Maya and just as that's happening, the house is attacked by three gunships disguised as news choppers. Tony commands the MK42 suit to cover and protect Pepper. Pepper and Maya survive the attack. Tony gets the MK42 back but down on power he cannot fly. The house crumbles into the sea, taking Tony with it. The suit regains some power and flies off, unseen. Tony passes out.Sometime later, Tony awakens in the suit when JARVIS sets off the low battery alarm. He then sees he's plummeting towards the ground and crashes into a snowy forest at full speed. Initially, he thinks he's in Northern California, but JARVIS informs him that he's actually five miles outside of Rose Hill, Tennessee. Tony is exasperated, but JARVIS reminds him that he asked for a flight plan to be made. With no more power, JARVIS shuts itself down.Tony trudges through the snow, dragging the MK42 along with him. He stops at a gas station, where he uses a payphone to call Pepper, then steals a Poncho off a cigar store mannequin.Tony then drags the MK42 to a seemingly empty house nearby. Inside, he immediately begins work on repairing the MK42. But the house isn't empty. It's occupied by a lonely 10 year old kid named Harley Keener (Ty Simpkins), who is stunned to find Tony working in his garage. Tony asks Harley for some help and promises that he'll be rewarded later on if he gets the help he needs. Harley tells Tony that the world thinks he's dead after the attack on his mansion. Tony calls himself "The Mechanic" and Harley asks Tony one question too many about the events in New York City, causing Tony to have another anxiety attack.Back at the remains of Tony's now completely destroyed Malibu mansion, Pepper is searching for any clues to find out whether or not Tony's still alive. Thankfully she is able to retrieve a voice message left from Tony recorded after the attack that proves that he is alive. A relieved Pepper then seeks answers. Tony, working with Harley, assumes that Harley is being bullied at school because Harley keeps making harmless weapons to defend himself with, like a potato gun. Tony finally manages to get JARVIS back online thanks to a HUD display that he developed several months prior to the bombing.Teaming with Harley, Tony investigates the remains of the Mandarin-esque suicide bombing. Harley tells Tony about all the rumors surrounding the attack and the "soldier" in question. Tony notices that there are five shadows on a concrete wall, from the five victims who were killed along with Chad Davis.Tony then meets with Davis's mother at a bar, where he notices she's expecting someone and has a file on hand. He is about to ask her more questions when one of Killian's agents, Ellen Brandt, shows up and suddenly cuffs Tony. She poses as a Homeland Security agent to explain her actions to the sheriff, but when he starts asking her for identification, she shoots him. Tony manages to escape the bar, only to be cornered by Savin. He manages to defeat Brandt by luring her into a room where he's opened a gas line, and heats up Davis's dog tags in a microwave. The explosion throws Brandt into a telephone line and electrocutes her. Savin tries to take Harley hostage, but Harley overpowers him, allowing Tony to grab his car keys and escape.Tony drives off in Savin's car. While he drives, the Mandarin hijacks the airwaves once more and explains that he's going to brutally murder the CEO of a major oil company on live television if the president doesn't contact them within a specific time frame. Despite the President making the phone call, the Mandarin carries out the shooting, warning that the President is his next target.Tony calls Rhodes, who has managed to locate what they think is the Mandarin. Rhodes takes his suit to the Middle East. There, he is shocked to find nothing but an abandoned warehouse which doesn't have a single trace of the Mandarin. He also finds that the file he got in Rose Hill is a document from Advanced Idea Mechanics, Killian's company.Tony drives to a nearby beauty pageant, and sneaks into one of the camera crew vans so he can research the data on the documents he's found. Fortunately for Tony, the van is being operated by one of Tony's biggest fans, who even goes so far as to have Iron Man's likeness tattooed on his arm - though rather unrecognizable. Tony hacks into AIM's servers and finds video footage that sheds new light on what is going on: the bombs are the work of soldiers from the Extremis program, an experimental treatment intended to allow its users to recover from crippling injuries like amputations. However, if a user's body cannot properly metabolize Extremis, the user's body heats to an extreme temperature and explodes. After veterans started growing unstable and exploding, their deaths were used to cover up Extremis' flaws by manufacturing a terrorist plot. The test footage shows that a number of early subjects were killed because of Extremis's flaws.Rhodes tracks the Mandarin's IP address and is led to a sweat shop in the Middle East. But it turns out to be a trap, for one of Killian's agents disarms him and knocks him unconscious. Then Killian's men steal Rhodes's suit.Tony uses the IP addreses that the Mandarin has been using to hijack American airwaves and traces him to Miami. Tony infiltrates the estate headquarters using a variety of home-made weapons fashioned from stuff bought at a hardware store, Harley's trade mark potato gun, and a limited edition Dora the Explorer watch belonging to Harley's unseen sister.Inside he discovers the Mandarin is actually a flighty British actor named Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), who is oblivious to the acts the Mandarin has carried out. When confronted, Slattery manages to tell both Tony and Rhodes that he's the Mandarin, and manages to completely annoy them both, and Tony goes to confront Killian, while Rhodes stays behind and tries to get any information he can out of the completely clueless Slattery. Tony is captured by some of Killian's henchmen - who are also Extremis experiments, and Maya reveals she was working with Killain all along. She thinks Tony can help perfect the Extremis DNA. Aldrich arrives and reveals he has kidnapped Pepper and subjected her to Extremis, intending to infuse her with superhuman abilities and turn her against Tony as leverage to gain Tony's aid in fixing Extremis' flaws. Aldrich then shoots Maya.Tony escapes his captivity by summoning the MK42 suit from Tennessee, and reunites with Rhodes on the estate, discovering that Aldrich intends to attack President Ellis aboard Air Force One. Unfortunately as time is critical, the MK42 has yet to regain full flight power. Savin boards the President's plane wearing the Iron Patriot suit, shoots the Secret Service agents aboard and takes the President. Savin then blows holes in the airliner body and survivors fall out. Iron Man kills Savin and manages to rescue the falling people, Tony had been controlling the unit by remote control. Meanwhile the Iron Patriot suit flies away with the President on board. Tony and Rhodes trace Aldrich to an impounded oil drilling platform where Aldrich intends to kill Ellis on live television. The Vice President will become a puppet leader, following Aldrich's orders in exchange for Extremis to cure a little girl's disability.Rhodes manages to locate the President in a massive ship yard at Miami's port. Tony enacts a new strategy, and has JARVIS enact the "House Party Protocol" which unleashes a massive army of Iron Man suits - each one different from the next. On the platform, Tony goes to save Pepper, and Rhodes saves the President. Tony summons a fleet of his various Iron Man suits, controlled remotely by JARVIS, to provide air support and attack the many other Extremis infected guards. Rhodes secures the President and leads him to safety, while Tony discovers Pepper has survived the Extremis procedure. However, before he can save her, a container crane rig collapses around them and she falls 200 feet to her apparent death. Tony is forced into confronting Aldrich using several suits and finally traps him in the 42 suit that self-destructs. But, a glowing Aldrich survives and staggers toward a defenseless Stark. Killian tells Tony that the Mandarin was made up, that he is the Mandarin and that all attacks were taken out by Extremis experiments. Pepper shows up with Extremis powers and finishes off the weakened Aldrich.After the battle, Tony orders JARVIS to implement "Clean Slate Protocol" which destroys each remaining Iron Man suit remotely, as a sign of his intention to devote more time to Pepper. The Vice President and Slattery are arrested. In a voiceover Tony mentions he cures Pepper, and Tony himself undergoes surgery to remove the shrapnel embedded near his heart. He pitches his obsolete chest arc reactor into the sea, musing he will always be Iron Man, even without his armor. He gathers some scrap parts from his house wreckage and drives off in his Audi eTron. He then leaves Harley with a rebuilt lab and new version of Harley's trademark potato gun, telling him that Iron Man will be back and leaves a thank you note from "The Mechanic".In a post-credits scene, it is revealed that Stark has been recounting his experiences to Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo, uncredited), who awakens, having fallen asleep at the beginning of Tony's story, followed by the words "Tony Stark will return". | comedy, boring, murder, violence, flashback, good versus evil, absurd, humor, psychedelic, action, romantic, revenge, entertaining | train | imdb | null |
tt0079641 | Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht | Jonathan Harker is an estate agent in Wismar, Germany. His boss, Renfield, informs him that a nobleman named Count Dracula wishes to buy a property in Wismar, and assigns Harker to visit the count and complete the lucrative deal. Leaving his young wife Lucy behind in Wismar, Harker travels for four weeks to Transylvania, to the castle of Count Dracula. He carries with him the deeds and documents needed to sell the house to the Count. On his journey, Jonathan stops at a village, where locals plead for him to stay clear of the accursed castle, providing him with details of Dracula's vampirism. Harker ignores the villagers' pleas as superstition, and continues his journey unassisted ascending the Borgo Pass. Harker arrives at Dracula's castle, where he meets the Count, a strange, ancient, almost rodent-like man, with large ears, pale skin, sharp teeth, and long fingernails.
The lonely Count is enchanted by a small portrait of Lucy and immediately agrees to purchase the Wismar property, especially with the knowledge that he and Lucy would become neighbors. As Jonathan's visit progresses, he is haunted at night by a number of dream-like encounters with the vampiric Count. Simultaneously, in Wismar, Lucy is tormented by night terrors, plagued by images of impending doom. Additionally, Renfield is committed to an asylum after biting a cow, apparently having gone completely insane. To Harker's horror, he finds the Count asleep in a coffin, confirming for him that Dracula is indeed a vampire. At night, Dracula leaves for Wismar, taking with him a number of coffins, filled with the cursed earth that he needs for his vampiric rest. Harker finds that he is locked in the castle, and attempts to escape through a window with a makeshift rope. The rope, fashioned from bedsheets, is not long enough, and Jonathan falls, severely injuring himself. He awakes on the ground the next morning, stirred by the sound of a young gypsy boy playing a violin. He is eventually sent to a hospital and raves about 'black coffins' to doctors, who then assume that the sickness is affecting his mind.
Meanwhile, Dracula and his coffins travel to Wismar by boat, via the Black Sea port of Varna, thence through the Bosphorus and Gibraltar straits and around the entire west European Atlantic coast to the Baltic Sea. He systematically kills the entire crew, making it appear as if they were afflicted with plague. The ghost ship arrives, with its cargo, at Wismar, where doctors – including Abraham Van Helsing – investigate the strange fate of the ship. They discover a log that mentions their perceived affliction with plague. In turn, Wismar is flooded with rats from the ship. Dracula arrives in Wismar with his coffins, and death spreads rapidly throughout the town. When Jonathan is finally transported home, he is desperately ill, and does not appear to recognize his wife. Lucy later has an encounter with Count Dracula; weary and unable to die, he demands some of the love that she gave so freely to Jonathan, but she refuses, much to Dracula's dismay. Now aware that something other than plague is responsible for the death that has beset her once-peaceful town, Lucy desperately tries to convince the townspeople, but they are skeptical and uninterested. She finds that she can vanquish Dracula's evil by distracting him at dawn, but at the expense of her own life. She lures the Count to her bedroom, where he proceeds to drink her blood.
Lucy's beauty and purity distract Dracula from the call of the rooster, and at the first light of day, he collapses to the floor, dead. Van Helsing arrives to discover Lucy, dead but victorious. He then drives a stake through the heart of the Count to make sure Lucy's sacrifice was not in vain. In a final, chilling twist, Jonathan Harker awakens from his sickness, now a vampire, and arranges for Van Helsing's arrest for the murder of Count Dracula. He is last seen traveling away on horseback, garbed in the same fluttering black as Dracula, stating enigmatically that he has much to do. | cult, psychedelic, atmospheric, gothic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0065988 | Little Big Man | In the present day 1970, 121-year-old Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman), the oldest living man in the world, who resides in a hospice, is recounting his long and colorful life story to a curious historian (William Hickey). Among other things, Crabb claims to have been a captive of the Cheyenne, a gunslinger, an associate of Wild Bill Hickok, a scout for General George Armstrong Custer, and the sole white survivor of Custer's force at the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn. Having been adopted by the Cheyenne and reared in their culture, Crabb tells the Historian that he has perspective on both Caucasian and Native American life in the 19th century.Flashing back to 1859, the 10-year-old Jack and his older sister Caroline (Carole Androsky) survive the massacre of their parents' wagon train by the hostile Pawnee warriors. Found by a Cheyenne warrior, Jack and his sister are taken back to a Cheyenne village. Caroline manages to escape on horseback, but Jack is reared by good-hearted tribal leader Old Lodge Skins (Chief Dan George). Life among the Cheyenne proves to be idyllic, though Jack unwittingly makes an enemy of another boy, Younger Bear (Cal Bellini). However, Younger Bear eventually owes his life to Jack, who saves him from a Pawnee warrior. Jack is given the name "Little Big Man" because he's short but very brave.In 1865, when Jack is age 16, he is captured by U.S. cavalry troopers after skirmish between them and the local Cheyenne. Jack then renounces his Native American upbringing in order to save himself from being killed. After his interrogation and debriefing, and being that he is still a minor, Jack is put in the care of Reverend Silas Pendrake (Thayer David) and his sexually frustrated wife, Louise (Faye Dunaway), who tries to seduce Jack. Jack cannot accept the contradiction between Louise's piety and sexual appetite. When Jack finds Louise one day seducing the owner of a local soda shop/pharmacy, he leaves the Pendrake household.A year or so later, Jack becomes the apprentice of the snake-oil salesman Merriweather (Martin Balsam). The two are tarred and feathered when their customers realize that Merriweather's products are fraudulent. One of the angry customers happens to be Jack's sister, Caroline. Once Caroline realizes that one of the men she helped to tar and feather was her brother, they reunite. She attempts to mold her brother into a gunslinger named the Soda Pop Kid (after his favorite beverage). Jack meets Wild Bill Hickok (Jeff Corey) at a saloon, and Hickok takes a liking to the young man. When Hickok is forced to kill a man in self-defense, Jack loses his taste for gun slinging and Caroline deserts him.Another year or two later, Jack becomes a partner in a general store and marries a Swedish woman named Olga (Kelly Jean Peters). Unfortunately, Jack's business partner turns out to be a thieving scoundrel and Jack is forced to close the store. The famous cavalry officer George Armstrong Custer (Richard Mulligan) happens upon the scene and suggests the couple re-start their lives further west.Jack and Olga set out, but their stagecoach is ambushed by Cheyenne hostiles. Olga is abducted and Jack sets out in search for her. During his quest, he is reunited with Old Lodge Skins, who is overjoyed Jack has returned to the tribe. Younger Bear has become a contrary (a warrior who does everything in reverse) and, having been humiliated by Jack years before, is still bitter. After a short stay with the tribe, Jack continues his search for Olga.He eventually becomes a "muleskinner" in Custer's 7th Cavalry, hoping to obtain information on Olga's whereabouts. He takes part in a battle against the Cheyenne, but when the 7th troopers begin killing unarmed women and children, Jack becomes enraged and turns on them. Nearby, Jack discovers a Cheyenne woman, Sunshine (Aimée Eccles), giving birth. He saves Sunshine from the marauding troopers and returns with her to Old Lodge Skins's tribe. Sunshine becomes his wife and, the following year, bears him a child of their own. Jack again encounters Younger Bear, who has undergone another life change. No longer a contrary, Younger Bear is now the henpecked husband of the long-lost Olga, who has become a Cheyenne squaw. Olga does not recognize Jack, who makes no attempt to remind her of their previous relationship. Sunshine asks Jack to take in her three widowed sisters as wives and to father children with them. He is reluctant at first, but finally agrees and has sex with all three in succession.One day during the winter season, Custer and the 7th Cavalry make a surprise attack on a Cheyenne camp in Oklahoma (to be known as the Battle of Washita River, which took place on November 27, 1868). A now-blind and elderly Old Lodge Skins is saved by Jack, but Sunshine and their child are killed along with her sisters. Jack tries to infiltrate Custer's camp to exact revenge. At a crucial moment, with knife in hand, Jack loses his nerve, and is mocked by Custer for it.Flashing forward eight years later in 1876, a disheartened Jack has become the town drunk in Deadwood, South Dakota. While in a drunken stupor, he is recognized by Wild Bill Hickok, who gives him money to clean up. When Jack returns to the bar, Hickok is shot and killed. With his last breath, Hickok expresses a dying wish involving a widow he was having an affair with. Jack goes to see the widow, a prostitute who turns out to be Louise Pendrake. Jack gives her the money that Hickok intended for her to use to start a new life.Jack soon becomes a trapper and hermit. His mind becomes unhinged after coming across an empty trap with a severed animal limb. Poised at the edge of a cliff, he prepares to commit suicide. Jack suddenly hears the faint chords of the traditional cavalry tune Garryowen echoing through a valley and spots Custer and his troops marching nearby. Jack decides to exact revenge. Custer, who remembers that Jack once tried to assassinate him, hires him him as a scout, believing anything he says will be a lie, thus serving as a reverse barometer.Jack leads the troops into a trap at the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876. Before the attack, Jack truthfully tells Custer of the overwhelming force of Native Americans hidden within the valley of the Little Bighorn. The arrogant and overconfident Custer does not believe him and leads the 7th Cavalry to its doom. During the frantic battle, Custer begins to rave insanely while Jack is wounded. Ignoring the closing circle of massed Sioux and Cheyenne warriors, Custer points his pistol at Jack. Before he can pull the trigger, Custer is shot and killed by Younger Bear, who removes the unconscious, wounded Jack from the battle by carrying him to Old Lodge Skins' tepee pretending that he is carrying a fellow warrior. Having thus discharged his life debt, Younger Bear tells Jack that the next time they meet, he can kill Jack without becoming an evil person.Some days later at the Indian camp, the recovering Jack accompanies Old Lodge Skins to a nearby hill, the Indian Burial Ground, where the old man, dressed in full Chief's regalia, has declared "It is a good day to die", and decides to end his life with dignity. He offers his spirit to the Great Spirit, and lies down at his spot at the Indian Burial Ground to wait for death. Instead, it begins to rain. Old Lodge Skins is revealed to still be alive, and says, "Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn't". They return to his tepee to have dinner.Back in the present, Jack's narrative abruptly ends and he dismisses the Historian who leaves the room. The film concludes with an extended shot of the elderly Jack sitting in his wheelchair and sadly staring into space.... thinking about the memories of a world which is no more. | murder, cult, violence, cute, historical fiction, flashback, revenge, alternate history | train | imdb | This is one of those movies you have to see if you like great films.This is a long movie but it is so good you'll never want it to end.I rated this movie a 10 but only cause the scale doesn't go any higher.This is the story of Jack Crabb who begins the movie as a 121 year old man in a nursing home recounting his life.And what a life it was.He bounces back and forth in the Old west between the world of the white man and the world of the Native American.Crabb sees and does just about everything possible in both worlds.The joy and sadness and fun he has along the way makes for one helluva movie.Dustin Hoffman is brilliant in this film.It may be his best performance ever yet it is somehow overlooked when many people think of his movies.It is a tour de force for Hoffman who plays an Indian and gunslinger and drunkard and muleskinner and many other things in this movie.
Richard Mulligan was so perfect as General George Custer in this movie that he is who I see whenever I hear the name of Custer mentioned.Faye Dunaway and Martin Balsam create memorable characters too.This movie makes one of the strongest statements I've ever seen about the treatment of the Native Americans yet you probably won't even realize it at the time.This is a movie that you'll replay in your head and then it hits you that there was even more there than met the eye.The humor,tragedy and lush characters will stay with you long after you see this movie.This movie is based on the fine book by Thomas Berger and is very faithful to it.I recommend the book wholeheartedly, too..
Little Big Man is an exceptionally well done movie (the cast, the direction, and the great acting of Hoffman, chief Dan, and of course the sexy Faye).
Dustin Hoffman excels in one of his early film roles, throwing himself into its physical demands with obvious enthusiasm and in the process creating one of his most endearing characters.But he had to be on his toes in the face of much scene-stealing by a host of experts, including Richard Mulligan as the screwiest Custer you'll ever see, Martin Balsam as the eternally optimistic Mr. Merriweather, and Chief Dan George as Old Lodgeskins, a noble, wise and very funny Native American patriarch.
Jack is abducted by Indians, raised by the preacher's ultra sexy wife, becomes the fastest gun in the west, sells dodgy "medicine" and joins General Custer at Little Big Horn.A MUST SEE if you ask me.And to top it off, the blues great John Hammond provides a fantastic score.
LITTLE BIG MAN (western, 1970) From his Hospital bedside 121-year old Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman) recounts his exploits to a reporter: Captured by Cheyenne Indians at the age of 10 he's integrated into their 'alien' society and made the son of Indian 'Old Lodge Skies' (Chief Dan George).
The latter landing him under the command of General Custer (Richard Mulligan), who's putting together an army to fight the Indians at Little Big Horn.Critique: Extremely enjoyable, epic western directed by Arthur Penn.
Calder Willingham's adaptation removes the ambivalence inherent in the novel and thereby writes one of the first and greatest revisionist Hollywood Westerns.Little Big Man is a great movie, as I have said, and it deserves much more notoriety than it receives.
`Little big man' the film is another cinematic oxymoron: a tragi-comedy.Most of Penn's movies are double-edged swords presenting serious subjects with a twinkle in the eye--`The Miracle Worker' seems to be an exception to the rule.
Chief Dan George, Dustin Hoffman, and cinematographer Harry Stradling Jr have considerably contributed to this fine cinematic achievement, but ultimate giant behind the film is Arthur Penn.He has presented yet another example of looking at a subject and seeing two sides of the coin that appear as contradictions but together enhances our entertainment..
Also mustn't be discarded the role of the time when the Little Big Man was made, the turbulent era of the Vietnam War, which most certainly found its reflection on the film, critically paralleled in portrayal of the ruthless and mindless slaughter of the Indians by the American troops.
We follow his life story as he is kidnapped and raised by the Indians, after a few years escaping from them only to return back again to witness the brutal death of his friends and loved ones from the hands of the American soldiers under the command of vicious and eccentric General George Armstrong Custer who finally has to pay for his inhuman deeds in the battle of the Little Big Horn that is shown in the end of the film and which might be considered as the natural consequence of the brutal tactics employed by the American troops in conquering the Indian territories, and finally represents a significant lightening of the karmic burden for them, achieved by the purificatory and relieving death in the fight with the Indians whose victory symbolize only a temporarily successful culmination of destined-not-to-last-long struggle.
Though in Jack Crabb's life story we basically revisit a number of very familiar for a Western genre fan fields, one of them being the battlefield of the Little Big Horn, the masterful way in which revisiting is done turn it into an unforgettable viewing experience during which you'll most certainly find yourself moved from laughing at the perfect comic moments of parody on some of the most used Western clichés to shedding tears when tragic happenings unveil on the screen, always remaining absorbed by it, mesmerized by the superb acting delivered by all of the actors involved and the film's visually vast beauty.
Arthur Penn's Little Big Man is a lesson in man's inhumanity to man, mixing historical events and characters with fictional ones.I first saw this film in Junior High School, about 1978 and we actually watched it during history class over three days.
If people dismiss this movie as 'just another western', they are missing out on one of the finest films ever made.I applaud the use of REAL Native American actors in little Big Man. There were so many Hollywood films and TV shows with Native Americans often portrayed by white actors of Jewish, Italian and German heritage.The US.
Released in 1970 and directed by Arthur Penn, "Little Big Man" is narrated by 121 year-old Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman), who details a tall tale of his colorful exploits in the Old West.
Events include: Growing up with the Cheyanne, his adoptive family/tribe; a religious period with a striking hypocritical woman (Faye Dunaway); working as a snake oil huckster; living as a (funny) gunslinger who meets Wild Bill Hickok (Jeff Corey); working for General Armstrong Custer (Richard Mulligan); his many conversations with this loving adoptive grandfather (Chief Dan George); and many more.This is a historically significant Western, coming out at the height (and twilight) of the hippie movement, and the movie reflects this.
I think it is way too long, at least .30 minutes could have been edited without affecting the story line as we follow Jack Crabb and his various lives as an Indian brave, religious zealot, gunfighter, town drunk, medicine show con man, hermit, cavalry scout, etc.The best part of this was Chief Dan George as the Cherokee chief.
"Little Big Man" is highly uneven, but always fascinating.Arthur Penn directed this picaresque tall tale about a man (played by Dustin Hoffman) who experiences first-hand much of America's ugly history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Indians refer to themselves as the "Human Beings", and it's clear where Penn's sympathies lie; as a matter of fact, Chief Dan George was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar (and deservedly so) for his wonderful characterization of the old Indian sage who takes Dustin Hoffman under his wing.The 'white' cast is impeccable as well, however - Hoffman (who gets to age to a 121!) and Faye Dunaway are in top form, but it's the character actors who really shine: Martin Balsam as the quack medicine salesman (who loses a limb every time he appears!), Jeff Corey as Wild Bill Hickock, and especially Richard Mulligan as a lunatic's idea(!) of Custer.
As craftsmanship, the film is mediocre; the film looks like it was shot on a soundstage, and gives the viewer no feeling for nature or the absurd, crazy poetry of American Indian life that is so much a part of what makes the book so successful; Berger's superbly sophisticated and imaginative moral absurdism has been turned into crude, ugly, cheap, cartoonish left-wing caricature that resembles the work of Oliver Stone; and, aside from the one glorious exception of Chief Dan George, in his wonderful turn as Old Lodge Skins, the performances are gross, sloppy and impersonal, with Dustin Hoffman terribly miscast, his innocent, square, adenoidal man-child persona subtly but completely wrong for the sketchiness and semi-amoral pragmatism of Jack Crabb, a man who drifts between two opposed lifestyles, American and Indian, forming no loyalty with either – a character which would require a projection, not of guilt or corruption, but of simple adult knowledge, something Hoffman is incapable of..
Very imaginative direction by Arthur Penn, great performances by Hoffman, Chief Dan George (if I recall correctly, the only Native American to be nominated for an Oscar), Faye Dunaway, and the rest.
So finally Little big man is released on DVD, great news, it ranked as one of my favorite "realism" westerns along with Cullpepper cattle company, Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (Peckinpah) and of course The ultimate ballad of the West 'The Wild Bunch', but a movie that made a lasting impression on me was Soldier Blue.
The story depicts events on both sides leading up to the battle of little bighorn as told through flashbacks by Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman at his best), the 121 year old soul white survivor.
Jack is like a fly on the wall of many momentous events from the wild west, almost like a western version of Forrest Gump.At the beginning of the film the old version of Crabb (Hoffman, in an incredible make-up job) tells an interviewer to turn on his tape recorder and shut up and he'd tell the story of the "human beings".
Jack is captured back by the whites as a teenager after an Indian battle, raised by preachers wife Louise Pendrake (Faye Dunaway), and from this point on he goes back and forth between the whites and the Cheyenne as his story unfolds.Jack continually will come across people from his past and each time it happens it changes the direction of his life; he meets a snake oil salesman (Martin Balsom, perfectly cast) with one eye, and each time he meets him again he's missing another body part
"you're getting whittled down pretty good Mr. Meriwether"
then he ends up being abducted by his long lost sister who teaches Jack how to shoot and thus he becomes a gunslinger and is befriended by Wild Bill Hickok (Jeff Corey).
It's hard to put into words just how insightful and ironic that scene is right before the battle
the voice-over of Jack says "I had him now, but what I had wasn't a knife
but the truth"
while the pitiful Custer is all pomp and arrogance, too proud (and stupid) to realize Jack is telling the exact truth, and the poor aide can see the whole thing coming but can do nothing as Custer's bloated ego leads them all to their doom.One of the great things about Little Big Man is seeing the recurring characters all having their destinies fulfilled, whether its Lulu becoming a prostitute and then going to live with her aunt, or Meriwether losing his limbs one by one, or Hickok getting gunned down in Deadwood holding his aces and eights, or Custer being turned into a "greasy spot" on Medicine tail coulée.Well, then there's old Lodgeskins, who had often made mention of it being "a good day to die".
Both sides were brutal--Old Lodge skins even says (in the book) "Live not as whites or Indians, but as people."If a mere movie can taint a person's perception of a quietly affecting landmark like the Little Big Horn, I have to question the depth of the observer..
Custer's attack on the Washita was perhaps intended to trigger thoughts of the Calley massacre at My Lai, the trial of which was going on the same year as the film.And I seriously doubt whether Custer was quite as crazy as Richard Mulligan portrays him in "Little Big Man." Egotistical, yes, but I don't think he suddenly started calling people "Mr. President" at the Last Stand and tried to murder them.But the film is also a subtle satire of the west.
I can see why some folks won't like this film: it has a tone that is incredibly uneven, at different times diving deeply into very funny comedy and utterly tragic drama; it has an utterly unforgiving sense of violence and death; it doesn't pull any punches with the concept of the destruction of the Native Americans by the "white man"; and it's exceptionally long.
There are a lot of great performances including and beyond Dustin Hoffman, and production is rock solid, yet it doesn't quite fit in the world of comedy or drama, and Little Big Man runs too long for the impatient.
Little Big Man in my opinion tells the truth showing the Native American side of what happened after the civil war in the west and portrayed the "great" George Armstrong Custer for what he truly was.
Highly entertaining saga has Dustin Hoffman as the lone elderly survivor of the attack at Little Big Horn, recounting his life history to a skeptical historian--and it's quite a story, beginning with the massacre of his family in an Indian attack as a ten year-old boy and his growing up among the Cheyennes who adopt him and call him "Little Big Man" when he proves he's a worthy "human being" among them.The handsomely produced tale, filmed in gorgeous color on what appear to be actual locales, follows him throughout episodes always spiced by wicked humor.
Especially funny is the sequence where he's delivered to the doorstep of a minister and his wife (FAYE DUNAWAY), a woman who quotes the Bible but has more earthy matters on her mind when she sets eyes on Dustin and assumes the duty of bathing him while promising to avert her eyes at the proper moment.The humor is beneath even the most serious scenes, so that we know the tall tale is being offered as a tongue-in-cheek treatment of Indian/white relationships, as well as a re-evaluation by Hoffman of what General George Armstrong Custer was really like.
Caught up in the Zeitgeist of the era Penn's ambitious attempt to debunk legends and bring attention by way of metaphor to the Viet Nam War, defined by the actions at My Lai, it lumbers along for well over two hours and loses a considerable amount of impact along the way.One hundred and seventeen year old nursing home resident and only white survivor of the Battle of the Little Big Horn Jack Crabbe (Dustin Hoffman)narrates his picaresque journey of being raised by Indians and encounters with General Custer, Wild Bill Hickock and lesser stock types (greedy gun runner, lustful Sunday School teacher) to give a true account of the American West.
It stars Dustin Hoffman, Faye Dunaway, Martin Balsam, Chief Dan George and Richard Mulligan.Arthur Penn's Little Big Man is tagged with many filmic sayings, be it revisionist or anti Western etc, it's a picture much cherished for its oddly quirky slyness.
An historian interviews cranky 121-year-old Dustin Hoffman (as Jack Crabb), who promises to reveal truths about General Custer, "The Battle of Little Big Horn" and Indians (Native Americans).
Native Americans were way ahead of their time.******* Little Big Man (1970-12-14) Arthur Penn ~ Dustin Hoffman, Dan George, Faye Dunaway, Richard Mulligan.
LITTLE BIG MAN is a playful film with good spirits about a man who throughout his adventurous life is drawn between the Red Indians and the white man of the American West.
A historian wants to know the story of a 121- year old man, Jack Crabb.He tells how he became a member of the Cheyenne tribe, how he became the apprentice of a snake-oil salesman, how he knew Wild Bill Hickok and General George Armstrong Custer.Little Big Man (1970) is a western directed by Arthur Penn.The movie is based on the 1964 novel by Thomas Berger.Dustin Hoffman is amazing as Jack Crabb, both young and old.Faye Dunaway is very fine as Mrs. Pendrake.Chief Dan George is great as Old Lodge Skins.Martin Balsam is terrific as Mr. Merriweather.Richard Mulligan does great work as Custer.Jeff Corey is very fine as Wild Bill Hickok.Caroline Androsky is very good as Caroline Crabb.M. Emmett Walsh is seen as Shotgun Guard.The movie is a different kind of a western movie.It's something never seen before.The movie is full of drama, like in those battle scenes.Then it can be funny, like when Mrs. Pendrake gives a bath to Jack.Or when Jack has to bed his Indian wife's three sisters.And his gunslinger name The Sodapop Kid is just hilarious.I recommend you'd listen to the story of Jack Crabb.This is a big story of a little man..
The Thoman Berger novel about the life and times of a white man raised by Indians is turned into an entertaining epic Western by Penn.
The plot is interesting and the acting is good, Dustin Hoffman was great as Little Big Man. I like how there is some actual history involved like Custers Last Stand and the genocide of the Indians.
Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman), looking back from extreme old age, tells of his life being raised by Indians and fighting with General Custer.This film starts off strong with a relative young William Hickey. |
tt0060901 | Ringo del Nebraska | New Mexico, 1866. A man riding alone on horseback is gunned down by several gunmen. The man is revealed to be Donato, one of Marty Hillmann's ranch hands.Soon after the opening killing, a laconic drifter (Ken Clark) arrives at the remote Hillmann ranch where he asks the owner Marty Hillmann (Alfonso Rojas) if there is any work. Introducing himself as Nebraska, the drifter subsequently impresses Hillmann with a display of gun fighting. Hillmann determines that Nebraska is the kind of man he needs on the ranch, and so he hires him to do odd jobs. A little later, Nebraska meets Hillmans beautiful young wife Kay (Yvonne Bastien), and they are clearly attracted to each other. However, Nebraska is devoted to his employer and he rejects Kay's advances.Meanwhile, a criminal named Bill Carter (Piero Lulli) is established as the villain of this story. Carter basically controls the entire nearby town with help of hired thugs, and he is determined to kill Hillmann and take Kay as his lover. Finding Donato's dead body, Hillmans first though is to blindly rush off and kill Carter, whom he knows to be responsible for the crime. However, Nebraska urges Hillmann caution because Carter will be waiting for him. Nebraska suggests that they wait and plan things out. Hillmann agrees and both he and Nebraska ride into town to report the incident to Burt, the local sheriff who has been disgraced by his alcoholism. Using the fact that Carter's men have stolen Donato's horse as evidence, Burt puts the two men who killed Donato in jail, all the while knowing that he is endangering his own life by opposing Carter.Later that night, as they ride home to the ranch together, Hillmann and Nebraska become good friends as they talk about their lives and how Nebraska ended up as a drifter. Hillmann is impressed by Nebraskas intelligence and resourcefulness, and promises to be loyal to him. At that moment, Hillmann is shot by an unseen assailant. The assailant is none other that Bill Carter himself. But the need to get his wounded friend back to the ranch prevents Nebraska from going after the culprit.The next morning, Carter's men are set free when another one of Carters men arrives at the jail with bail money for them. When Burt uncovers some evidence against them, he is shot and killed. Meanwhile, Nebraska leaves the ranch to look for Burt, unaware that the sheriff has been killed. Taking advantage of Nebraska's absence, Carter and his men show up at the Hillmann ranch. By this point, Hillmann has already died from his wounds, and Carter is anxious to retrieve the money thats owed to him. In transpires that Kay and her father had conspired with Carter to rob a bank in El Paso. However, Kay and Hillmann double crossed Carter by running off with the money. Pretending to be married, the criminal couple have been hiding out in New Mexico, and now that their hiding place has been discovered, and with Hillmann out of the way, Carter is ready to reclaim the only two things that interest him: the money and Kay. The money is quickly discovered partly buried on the property, but before the bandits can escape with it, they are thwarted by the sudden appearance of Nebraska. In the climatic gunfight, all the thugs are quickly dispatched, and the subsequence fight between Nebraska and Carter ends with the former being killed.Nebraska hands the stolen money to the new sheriff, who seems only too happy to keep the money for himself. Shaking his head, Nebraska mounts his horse and rides off, alone once again, leaving behind Kay who is alive and well, but facing a lonely, sterile future. | western | train | imdb | solid, unpretentious spaghetti western, Ken Clark is excellent.
This review is of the pan-and-scan AIP-TV version of this film, called SAVAGE GRINGO.
I taped it off TV about 20 years ago.
I liked it then, and I like it now just having re-watched it.
The few references to this film I've seen note that Mario Bava took over the direction from Antonio Roman, who is solely credited on the copy I have of this film, and then fault the film because it has few if any distinctively Bava touches in it.
If you are looking for an Italian western that is to the genre what HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD is to sword-and-sandal films, look elsewhere, as you won't get it here.
With so many Italian westerns having so many odd cinematic techniques used in them, SAVAGE GRINGO is actually quite conventional.
Perhaps Bava simply just did a professional job on this and did NOT see it as an auteur piece on which he would put his personal stamp or with which he would make some statement about life and art.
He had already worked with Ken Clark previously in ROAD TO FORT ALAMO/ ARIZONA BILL (a film which DID have a number of Bava touches to it)--perhaps that was one reason he was asked to complete this film?
In any event, Clark is fantastic in this role.
He is tall and athletic and one of the better American actors to work in the spaghetti western genre--it's a shame he only made two.
His character NEBRASKA is fascinating although enigmatic, and creates a warmth and passion in the role.
He's also VERY quick with a gun and it's exciting to see him come out of the woodwork in the blink of an eye and blow someone away.
Personally, I don't have a problem with his motivations never being clearly stated--isn't that a little bit like real life?
While we have a feeling that Nebraska will win in the end, we don't really know HOW he will get to that point or what barriers he will face along the way, so I don't see that as causing any lack of suspense.
The suspense is caused by wondering how the situation got to the point it did--who exactly is Kay?
Why does she point out that she's not married to Marty, and if not, what exactly is going on here?
How did this Bill Carter get to be running things?
What's Nebraska's perspective on this?
In a way, the film plays against our expectations of what we expect from other films.
Judged solely as a spaghetti western, NOT as a Mario Bava film, I've got to give this an above average rating.
It's not wildly original, but like an old genre western with Johnny Mack Brown or Charles Starrett (we always know the ending of one of their films in advance, don't we?), it moves quickly, has a lot of fistfights and gunplay, and has the right attitude.
And Ken Clark is superb in a rare Western appearance.
I have a French language version of the previous Bava-Clark western, Arizona Bill.
I'll have to watch it again now (got it 10+ years ago) after seeing this one, and I've got the DVD of ROY COLT...
(Bava's 3rd and final western) on order..
SAVAGE GRINGO (Antonio Roman and, uncredited, Mario Bava, 1966) **1/2.
I managed to acquire this rare Spaghetti Western just in time for my ongoing Bava retrospective: in fact, I opted to start with it since this was one of only three titles I had never watched before.
I wish I had the time to read through Tim Lucas' chapter on the film in his long-in-coming (and, thus, appropriately massive) Bava biography – especially given his uncredited contribution here when, reportedly, he actually replaced Roman quite early into shooting!
Anyway, this is one of four Spaghetti Westerns made by this cult figure and, having now checked out all of them, I can safely say it is the most satisfying (if still far from a key work for either director or genre); obviously, while Bava tried his hand at most any type of film within the "Euro-Cult" stable, he was clearly at his most comfortable (or, if you like, inspired) when handling fantasy/horror/thriller elements!
Apart from the trademark inventive camera-work, one thing which alerts one to Bava's involvement is the presence of both hero and villain: one is the star of his previous Spaghetti Western entry, THE ROAD TO FORT ALAMO (1964; which was pretty decent in itself), i.e. brawny Ken Clark (hence, the U.S. moniker for this is more than a bit misleading!) and the other, Piero Lulli, would play a major role in one of the director's best films – KILL, BABY
KILL!
Though usually one of the main assets, the score for this one is no great shakes – nor is there a particular emphasis on violence (nevertheless, the action set-pieces are above-par for the course); what we do get is a reasonably engaging (if thoroughly unsurprising, even in making the heroine out to be something of a conniver) plot which keeps moving, thus allowing one little time to ponder on its potential shortcomings!.
this was directed by Mario Bava!.
Stranger Clark helps a rancher and his beautiful wife (Bastien) against a ruthless bunch of cowboys.
Cardboard western with little action and suspense and a leisurely paced plot.
Still not that bad.
Legendary Mario Bava's direction is utterly conventional (he replaced film's original director Antonio Román), he obviously made this without much ambition.
Score by Nino Oliviero dominates this tame spaghetti western.
Román was credited with the direction for more than twenty years until Bava's involvement was made known.
Still, some believe this to be Bava's best western (his ROY COLT wasn't much better anyway)..
Absolute predicable...even so watchable!!.
My brother gave me this movie in DVD-R by internet download in nearly fine footage quality,the plot is absolute predicable as said in the title,even had been directed by Mario Bava the picture didn't have great atractive,worth to see by the gorgeous Yvonne Bastien with several sexy scenes showing a plenty twins mellons actually she looks like Susan Hayward.....Ringo Nebraska is an usual western from spaghetti's land...but watchable!!!Resume:First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD-R / Rating: 5.5.
A familiar plot, but solid execution.
RINGO OF NEBRASKA is a spaghetti western chiefly of interest for being directed by Mario Bava, in an uncredited role after the original director was fired for being too slow.
This film's pretty conventional, although it does have a sunny aspect and likable characters which makes it an easy watch for fans of the genre.The story is nothing simple, charting the efforts of a ruthless landowner to get a farm off a couple who refuse to budget.
Thankfully, Ringo rides into town and soon takes out the bad guys in a series of fist fights and latterly, shoot-outs.
Ken Clark is a square-jawed hero type and Yvonne Bastien makes for a very attractive and feisty heroine.
Other familiar faces likes Howard Ross and Frank Brana show up periodically and the film as a whole is quite fast-paced and enjoyable despite the familiarity of the set-up. |
tt2823054 | Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates | The film starts with Mike Stangle (Adam Devine) trying to sell liquor to a bar owner named Randy (Marc Maron). Mike uses his brother Dave (Zac Efron) to help him sell the stuff by pretending to be a stranger looking for good booze. Randy is used to Mike and Dave pulling this stunt, but he decides to buy three cases of their stuff anyway.Mike and Dave are party animal man-children. Their parents Burt (Stephen Root) and Rosie (Stephanie Faracy) call them together to meet with them and their sister Jeanie (Stephanie Beard) and her fiancee Eric (Sam Richardson). Burt presents the boys with a slideshow of all the times they ruined family events with their shenanigans, including setting off fireworks dangerously and causing a girl to injure herself after she fell off a roof. Burt demands that the two of them bring respectable dates to Jeanie's upcoming wedding in Hawaii. Mike and Dave don't like the idea, but they agree to do it for Jeanie. We later find out that Mike is considered to be the black sheep of the family, and Dave is just roped into his foolishness.Meanwhile, we are introduced to best friends Alice (Anna Kendrick) and Tatiana (Aubrey Plaza), two "bad girls" as they stiff a cab driver for a ride. They go to their waitress job at a bar. Alice argues with her boyfriend Ronnie (Jake Johnson), forcing Tatiana to intervene. Alice then gets drunk and hops on a table to dance, causing both of them to get fired. The two of them go home. We learn that Alice got jilted at her own wedding, and she hasn't gotten over it. Tatiana proposes that they stop moping and seek out an adventure.Mike and Dave place an ad to get dates, which gets tons and tons of replies due to the promise of a free trip to Hawaii. The brothers interview a bunch of girls, but none of them qualify as being respectable enough for them to take (and one of them is just a creepy dude in drag). They later go on "The Wendy Williams Show", where Alice and Tatiana see them talk about their trip. Thinking this is the adventure they need, they decide to clean up and make their moves.The ladies catch the brothers leaving a restaurant one evening. Tatiana gets their attention by jumping in front of a moving car. Alice calls for help, leading Mike to jump in and try performing CPR on Tatiana. After "saving" her, the two pairs go out for the night and get to know each other. Alice says she manages a hedge fund while Tatiana makes up a story that she's a schoolteacher. Mike and Dave think they've found the perfect girls. They ask them if they want to go to Hawaii, and they accept.Everyone heads on over to Hawaii. Mike and Dave introduce Alice and Tatiana who manage to charm the pants off the whole family. Mike catches his butch lesbian cousin Terry (Alice Wetterlund), with whom he's always had a bitter rivalry, flirting with Tatiana. The ladies manage to convince Jeanie and Eric to go on an ATV ride in the spot where they filmed "Jurassic Park", even though the brothers planned to go swimming with dolphins.The gang rides their ATVs to a hill. Alice and Tatiana ride off a slop and impress the guys with their moves. Mike is then goaded into riding down himself, despite Dave and Eric telling him not to. He goes for it, but he is unable to control the movement of the vehicle and he ends up hitting Jeanie in the face with one of the wheels, leaving a nasty bruise on her face.Feeling partially responsible for what happened, Alice joins Jeanie at the spa. She and the maid of honor, Becky (Mary Holland), make Jeanie feel more tense, causing her to snap on all the ladies near her. Alice then talks to the masseuse (Kumail Nanjiani) and slips him some money to give Jeanie a truly relaxing experience. The masseuse gets very naked and gives Jeanie such a great massage that she has an orgasm.Mike walks in on this and screams. He then runs into the sauna where he runs into Tatiana who is reluctantly fingering Terry in exchange for Rihanna concert tickets. Mike confronts Tatiana, where she unintentionally admits that she and Alice saw their appearance on Wendy Williams and decided to score the free trip to Hawaii. Horrified, Mike runs to find Dave.Dave and Alice are taking a walk around the area. Dave says he wants to work on a graphic novel, showing Alice some of his artwork. Alice admits to him about what happened with her ex-fiancee. The two appear to have a spark going on. Mike shows up and calls Dave over, ruining the moment. He tells Dave what he has seen and learned regarding Alice and Tatiana. Dave doesn't believe it, though.That evening, the family is set to gather for the rehearsal dinner. Jeanie thanks Alice for hooking her up with the massage, mentioning that she's been stressed about everything so far. Alice helps her loosen up with ecstasy pills, not knowing that Jeanie has never done E before. Alice and Jeanine take their clothes off and set some horses free from their stable. Dave finds them and realizes Mike was telling the truth.At the actual dinner, Mike tries to poison Terry by putting eye drops in her drink to make her sick as she goes onstage for a standup bit (he was inspired by "Wedding Crashers"). Dave stops him and argues with him backstage, not knowing that their mics got turned on. They reveal all the things they've seen during the trip and argue when Dave says Mike is the screw-up. Mike keeps trying to attack Dave, but he keeps getting punched hard in the face. When Eric hears about the massage, he confronts Jeanie, who's still tripping on E. She admits that she thinks Eric is kinda boring, leading to the two of them to call off the wedding.Everyone starts preparing their bags to go home. Mike and Dave, plus Alice and Tatiana, all realize how badly they screwed up. The brothers cry like babies over ruining their sister's life while the ladies realize they have to care about other people's feelings. Both of them run to Jeanie and Eric's place to apologize. Unfortunately, their constant stupidity pushes Eric over the edge, causing him to flip out on all of them for ruining their weekend. Eric proves he's not boring as he got himself and Jeanie tickets to ride a hot air balloon around the world, even though Eric is afraid of heights. They reconcile and decide they still want to get married.Mike, Dave, Alice, and Tatiana rush to get things ready for a last minute wedding. They manage to secure a venue and get the families gathered to watch Jeanie and Eric get married. Burt and Rosie are surprised that the boys managed to pull this off. After the wedding, Mike offers Tatiana the chance to work with him in selling his liquor since Dave is going to start his graphic novel. She agrees. Dave and Alice then become a couple and hook up.At night, Mike and Dave perform a song for Jeanie. They then start to sing "This Is How We Do It" with help from Alice and Tatiana. They set off some fireworks, but unfortunately cause them to go off all around the party.The film ends with Mike and Tatiana getting it on in the horse stables. | violence, intrigue, adult comedy | train | imdb | null |
tt0360139 | Chasing Liberty | Anna Foster (Mandy Moore) is the daughter of the President of the United States, James (Mark Harmon) and First Lady Michelle Foster (Caroline Goodall).When a hassle of Secret Service agents ruins a first date, Anna demands some freedom. Her dad agrees to send only two agents with Anna and Gabrielle La Clare (Beatrice Rosen) to a concert when Anna goes to Prague with her parents. A sexy new look for Anna causes her father to renege. When Anna discovers the concert is filled with agents and that her father has broken his promise, Gabrielle helps Anna elude her protectors. Outside the concert, Anna meets Ben Calder (Matthew Goode), and asks him to drive her to escape the agents. Anna goes to a bar with Ben and proceeds to get drunk. Unbeknownst to Anna, Ben is with the Secret Service, and tells agents Alan Weiss (Jeremy Piven) and Cynthia Morales (Annabella Sciorra) where Anna is. The President orders the three agents to have Ben guard Anna without telling her who he really is, to give her an illusion of freedom with a guarantee of safety. Believing herself free of her guards for the first time in years, Anna jumps into the Vltava River naked, mistaking it for the Danube, and Ben has to fish her out (he stays clothed). Weiss and Morales buy the camera from someone taking pictures of the skinny-dipping Anna. Anna and Ben climb a rooftop to watch an opera being shown in a plaza, where Anna eventually falls asleep with Ben guarding her, and Weiss and Morales watching from another roof.The next morning, Anna calls her parents to avoid getting into further trouble with them. Knowing she is safe, her father is initially indulgent, and Anna is about to return, but his tone changes when he is shown the photos of her nude in the river. The First Lady, however, asks, "What happened to 'let freedom ring?'" (That had been his earlier line when he had decided to let her stay out with Ben.) Anna is outraged at both her dad's sudden imperious tone and finding out that he traced her call. She decides to meet Gabrielle at the Love Parade in Berlin and return to her parents right before the plane trip home. Ben goes with her on the train, where they meet Scotty McGruff (Martin Hancock), a flighty romantic obsessed with Six Million Dollar Man stickers and the interconnectivity of the world, he gives them a stack of stickers and tells them to stick them up in random places, then one day when they are unhappy, they will see one and it will make them smile. Through him, the two learn that they have boarded a Venice-bound train. When they arrive in Venice, Ben calls the other agents to tell them where they are but has to leave the phone dangling when he realizes he can no longer see Anna. He finds her and McGruff getting new clothes, and the three explore Venice - until McGruff steals their wallets. Ben is about to tell the cafe they cannot pay when Anna is recognized and races off to avoid being identified as the First Daughter. Ben follows, and they tell a story of marrying, against the wishes of Anna's parents, to get a gondola ride from a kind-hearted gondolier, Eugenio (Joseph Long). Ben kisses Anna during the ride to hide her from the cafe staff's sight. Since they have no place to stay, Eugenio invites them to his and his mother Maria's (Miriam Margolyes) house. That night, thinking the kiss meant that Ben cares for her, Anna offers herself to him. To dissuade her, Ben is disingenuous and harsh. Anna finally gets in the bed alone, while Ben lies on the floor.The next day, Eugenio drives them to the Austrian border, as Weiss and Morales show up at Maria's looking for the gondolier with whom Anna and Ben were last seen. Maria tells them that Anna and Ben are married, which is reported to Anna's parents. Upset that Ben rejected her, Anna gets a ride on a truck, leaving Ben to chase her on a borrowed push-bike through the Austria countryside, Anna finds the Jumping Germans, a bungy group who are preparing to jump off a bridge. She also finds McGruff about to bungy as well. Ben arrives just as Anna is being strapped into the harness and insists on jumping with her. At the Germans camp that night, Anna and Ben sit by a fire and eat s'mores whilst keeping McGruff on a tree branch over the river. McGruff says he needed the money to find a mystery girl he has been chasing all over Europe. After one of the Germans asks Anna to share his tent for the night and she refuses, she once again reminds Ben of her attraction to him and after he rebuffs her once more, she walks away declaring that she will share the tent with the German. Insanely jealous, Ben finally admits his feelings for her. As Ben's repaired phone rings, he tosses it aside instead of answering and they spend the night together.The next day they make it to the Love Parade and find Gabrielle, who guesses that something has happened to Anna to make her so happy, Anna points out Ben on the payphone and admits she is in love. Whilst Ben is trying to explain his actions on the phone, Anna comes up behind him and finds out that he is an agent and he has lied to her all this time. Enraged and swearing mentally never to forgive him fully, she runs from him, only to be surrounded by some men who recognize her. After Ben fights them, he carries her to the helicopter that has come to pick her up.Back in the White House, we see Anna preparing for college and her mom asking how her heart is, to which her reply is, "It's a little bit broken." When at college, with Weiss and Morales protecting her, Anna sees a Six Million Dollar Man sticker and smiles in spite of herself, as it reminds her of her European adventure. On her Christmas break, she visits her father who tells her that Ben has resigned and is now working as a photographer in London. She goes there on an exchange to Oxford College and visits Ben at an opera, where they kiss and reconcile with Agent Weiss and his new bald, moustache wearing partner looking on. Then, as in the beginning of the movie, Anna asks his help to get her out of there.A subplot involving Weiss and Morales (Anna's two secret agents) is also in the story. Weiss makes snide comments about Morales, even once asking her to strip naked. Morales then asks him what kind of women want his "construction-break" attitude. Weiss suddenly treats her coldly after this, until they make up later on. Weiss tells Morales that he has had no girlfriends since his hairline receded. Morales tells him that he should get it cut short because some women like that. Later, Morales sees that Weiss has cut his hair and she says it is sexy. He kisses her. He says sorry and pulls away. He begins to walk away, but she grabs his arm and kisses him back. At college with Anna, we see that their relationship is still going well, with Weiss mentioning that he will need to get a new partner, preferably an "old, fat guy." | cute | train | imdb | Mandy Moore is just adorable and Matthew Goode is just...hum...really great eye candy!!!
I have always liked Mandy Moore (especially in "A Walk to Remember") and I thought she was pretty good in this.Nothing that will make you think which is nice if you're looking for a fun girly movie.My only complaints are that the movie dragged a bit long for this type of movie...
I also really enjoyed the story line of the two secret service agents who are trying to find Anna- Weiss and Morales- in many ways their romance is even more enjoyable storyline than that of the main characters.
Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode are new actors but they have palpable chemistry and both work perfectly in their roles.
But the events of the movie are really entertaining and also suggest a message for those girls who are chasing their liberty or whatever.I caught this movie on HBO about two years ago and I enjoyed it pretty much mainly because of Mandy Moore's unique on-screen charisma and her beauty.
it was generally Mandy Moore and her ability to absorb the character she is playing without letting herself get in the way, (like the way i find Jennifer Love and Gwyneth Paltrow let certain elements of themselves come out).
The concert where the Roots are playing, the opera movie, the big dash for the train scene and the music, Venice and the gondolier, walking across Europe, bungee jumping and the love parade shows excitement and fun, urging the audience to see the world.
i don't know if its Mandy or just a coincidence that i love her 'chick flick' movies, but Chasing Liberty is a movie i could watch over and over..
Now don't get me wrong, this isn't a great movie in any way, but I happen to think that Mandy Moore has a likable screen presence.
No, I didn't think so.Speaking of the cheesy pop songs, man, things started off so well with Mandy dancing around to Tom Petty's "American Girl." But aside from a Chris Isaak song later in the movie, the rest were pure Velveeta.
Better yet, just catch it when it eventually airs on TV.If you're a teenage girl, a Mandy Moore fan, or someone who loves cute romantic comedies no matter how cheesy or predictable they are, then you'll probably enjoy this.
Mandy Moore plays Anna Foster, the 18 year-old daughter of the President of the United States (Mark Harmon).
Anna thinks she is finally free to live like other teenagers, and she sets out to tour Europe with Ben, with whom she falls in love.
Pop singer Mandy Moore plays Anna Foster, the 18-year-old daughter of the President in this romantic comedy set in Europe, as she tries to ditch her Secret Service handlers to enjoy a bit of fun and romance with her new boyfriend (Matthew Goode).It's pretty obvious that not a lot of thought went into this film.
I knew it was for 13 year old girls, and if I had to write down what the major plot points would be before I actually saw the movie, I think I would have had a pretty accurate list.What drove me to the theater was Mandy Moore, She gave a surprising good performance in "A Walk to Remember", and you have to admire a pop princess who chooses to dye her hair brown.Unfortunately, and I think this is more writing than Mandy's acting, her character Anna Foster is not very likable at all.
She's going through the typical Disney princess "I want to see how the other side lives" phase, but her rebellion strangely includes wanting to drink as much as possible, making out with strange boys, and the need to go to the "Love Festival." A tad risque for the target audience if you ask me.Anna's love interest, Ben (Matthew Goode) is a little more likable, and though his character succumbs to bad lines, Matthew's crooked smile and overall charisma shines through, and I hope to see him in more (and better) films.Jeremy Piven and Annabella Sciorra play Anna's bodyguards who have to chase Anna around Europe, and oddly enough, their scenes and interactions with each other are way more entertaining and interesting than what's going on with Anna and Ben.The highlight of the movie is the Beautiful locations of Prague, Venice, and Germany.
If I got nothing else from the movie, it was probably a deepened desire to travel around Europe.A number of people have made the obvious comparison between this movie and Roman Holiday (which is an excellent film, and one of my favorites), and I'm going to go a step farther and say this flick was like a combo of two Disney TV Movies from 1998, "My Date with the Presidents Daughter" and "Sabrina (the teenage witch) goes to Rome." One had the beautiful European scenery, and the other had, well, the Presidents daughter rebelling while dragging along a guy.
I thought Mandy Moore did quite a good job acting (except for one scene near the beginning that seemed a little overdone) and Matthew Goode was fabulous in this role (and I'm not just saying that because I happened to notice his extremely good looks...of course I won't deny it may have influenced my opinion just a smidge).
The chemistry between the two actors on screen was excellent, there's a great mix of comedy, romance and drama throughout, plus brilliantly chosen songs to go along with every part of the movie.All this, plus many other positive aspects, leads me to believe that despite the less than shining reviews it has gotten, this is still the perfect feel-good and completely romantic chick flick I've seen in awhile and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something fun and easy to watch..
Anna Foster(Mandy Moore) is the teenage daughter of President James Foster(Mark Harmon) and First Lady Michelle Foster(Caroline Goodall) who's not too happy with the Secret Service agents interfering in her personal life.
As the pair travel across Europe, they start to fall for one another while the two other agents try to catch them up.On an airplane for around about 7 hours is not the place to tell me that my entertainment will consist of a movie aimed at teenage girls that I have never heard of!
She doesn't like being followed around by Secret Service agents, so while in Prague she escapes them with a charming guy she just met (Matthew Goode) and has an adventure, basically.
There is some beautiful cinematography as the pair travel from Prague to Venice to Berlin (especially a truly charming scene where they sit on a high rooftop in Prague, looking out over the city and watching a movie projected on a giant screen below), and a secondary love story between the two bumbling Secret Service agents on their trail (Jeremy Piven and Annabella Sciorra) that is, predictably, much more interesting than the one between Moore and Goode.
In other words, when "Chasing Liberty" opens with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' classic "American Girl", you get the feeling that not only does Moore know that song, but she likes it too, and that kind of thing matters to me.
Mandy Moore carries the film a lot better than she would do later in 'License to Wed' and Matthew Goode plays a sarcastic Brit well.
"Chasing Liberty" from 2004 is a film for young people, much younger than I am, certainly, but I rented it because I am a huge fan of Matthew Goode.
The film stars Mandy Moore, Mark Harmon, Jeremy Piven, Annabelle Scioorra, and Caroline Goodall.The President's teenage daughter (Mandy Moore) is sick and tired of never being alone and being unable to date anyone who doesn't become intimated by practically being strip-searched when he picks her up and surrounded by secret service.When the First Family goes to Prague, she gives the secret service the slip and takes off on a motorcycle with a handsome young man (Matthew Goode).
Without telling her, the president orders Calder to take her on a cross European trip ending at the Love Parade in Berlin.Mandy Moore is perfectly likable if somewhat a little bland.
Chasing liberty:Biographical information: America, 2004 World premier: 02/07/2004 Running length: 1:11 MPAA Classification: PG-13 (sexual content and brief nudity) Cast: Mandy Moore, Matthew Goode, Jeremy Piven, Annabella Sciorra, Mark Harmon, Caroline Goodall, Stark Sands, Miriam Margolves, Beatrice Rosen and The Roots.
Pictures Genre: Romantic comedyFilm review: The story is about Anna "Liberty" Foster who is the 18-year old daughter of the American president.
Like many other 18-year-old well-built beauties, Mandy Moore (as Anna Foster) wants to get drunk and have sex (after meeting the right guy, of course).
Matthew Goode is totally and absolutely gorgeous (I looove the way he speaks!), and I must say, it makes one more point to this movie (cut me some slack, I'm just a girl...
:) Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode just have this charisma, compatibility, and chemistry that makes the movie even better.
"First Daughter" was a bad film, with the best of intentions, and without trying to make any comparisons; somehow "Chasing Liberty" is a little bit better, when it isn't even good.The format presented gives the main characters more freedom to develop their own relationship.
These are Mandy Moore as Anna, the president's rebellious daughter; and Mathew Goode as undercover agent Ben Calder.
It's good to see actors that play characters as the movie passes by, and these two agents are played by Jeremy Piven and Anabella Sciorra.
The concept of the President's daughter running away from home to seek independence, freedom and LIBERTY has been frequently used but this movie tries to be away from the stereotypical storyline.She unfortunately finds herself in love with Ben, the spy that her father places on her track.
Andy Cadiff, its director, doesn't add anything new to the formula these movies follow and the result, while not unpleasant, leaves us with a feeling we have seen it all before.The film becomes a great travelogue where Anna, the daughter of the American president escapes from Prague with a young man she has met and seems to like.
Oh well, leave it to the creators of the movie to take the cute Anna all over the continent trying to find herself.Mandy Moore is a young actress that could do better.
I found Mandy Moore convincing in the role of sheltered first daughter, Anna Foster, and Matthew Goode perfectly charming as her reluctant undercover bodyguard, Ben Calder.
Chasing LibertyThe President's daughter (Moore), unable to experience life like a normal 18 year-old, escapes from her entourage of Secret Service agents while traveling in Europe.
She falls in love with a handsome British stranger (Goode), who also happens to be working undercover for her father (Harmon).Mandy Moore, in my opinion, is one of the smarter teens out there.
Matthew Goode (as her undercover minder) and Jeremy Piven and Annabella Sciorra as secret agent partners who begin as dueling personalities and predictably fall in love make this movie utterly painless.
Matthew Goode was a delight, as was Mandy Moore - both are charming and adorable and they had some great moments of nice banter, but overall they and the spectacular European landscape couldn't save the film from is poor writing and contrived plot points.
Chasing Liberty is definitely your molded romantic comedy, but its colorful cast and nice settings bring it all together.From the moment the movie started I knew what the story would be, but the creators throw in so many plot twists and turns that you can't help but enjoy the movie.
It also helps that the cast is fun and unique.I would recommend Chasing Liberty to anyone who enjoys a good romantic comedy..
I would first like to start off my review for Chasing Liberty by saying I love Mandy Moore.
So on Saturday evening I went to see Chasing Liberty.The film stars my future girlfriend (Yeah I wish), Mandy Moore as Anna, the daughter of the president of the United States who is played by Mark Harmon.
That's why it was nice to see Mandy Moore back in action in this good movie.
This movie is my second favorite Mandy Moore film; A Walk to Remember is still my favorite because I really feel for the characters and I can at times I can really relate to the film.
Mandy plays the "sick of being controlled teenager" role very well, and Jeremy Piven and Annabella Sciorra add a lot of humor to the film as well as the Secret Service agents assigned to Mandy's character Anna.
The love comes in time like in real life.Anna Foster is the United States president's daughter.
This film was great, if only Mandy Moore was like this all the time.
There is something to be said for simplicity and happily-ever-after endings and the good girl getting the good guy with a little adventure thrown into the mix.I found the movie to be entertaining in the same vein as Clueless or Ten Things I Hate About You. I watched it three times just this weekend, and I imagine that when I need a pick-me-up that this film is one that will be able to do the job again and again.I'm not awarding Chasing Liberty any Oscars, but it will have a place on my DVD shelf along with some other tried and true films that are just simple entertainment when I'm not looking for a deep and meaningful story that will change the world..
I mean yeah its all been done before but I think its one of the few teen movies that I can tolerate these days.Mandy Moore does a great job as Anna Foster, the president's daughter, who yearns for a normal life and freedom that she hasn't been able to have.
Mandy Moore gives us an endearing interpretation as Anna, the daughter of the President of the United States, rebelling against her lack of freedom and the difficulties of her love life.
In Prague, she meets handsome brit Ben (Matthew Goode), who was perfectly casted for his role of an aloof, dutiful secret agent who, predictably, falls in love with Anna while trying to protect her while chasing her through several European cities.
Because we are boring to look serious movie all the time, we need something that can relax us like this film..
The casting couldnt really be very much different, most of the best female leads are now too old for Mandys role, and to her credit, given her dialogue, she did very well.If you want to escape for a few hours, visit some of Europes best sites and feel a little love - by the end of the movie, Chasing Liberty ticks all the boxes..
Chasing Liberty was definitly a good premise to a movie and the casting was great minus the lead.
Not to be to hard on Mandy Moore but there are a ton of better actresses out there that good have made the movie ten times better..
"Chasing Liberty", though an unnecessary and flawed reworking, is still a sweet little romantic comedy starring occasional singer Mandy Moore.
That, and it's not even that funny.A purported "romantic comedy" about the U.S. President's daughter trying to escape the political and social confines of a high security environment, only to hook-up with with a deep-voiced British-accented "hunk," who happens to be secret service agent himself, and on clandestine assignment to watch over said daughter.I can see how a segment of young female-America would fall for this film.
Harmless romantic comedy with Mandy Moore as the daughter of the President (Mark Harmon) who runs off in Europe with a young stud who happens to be secretly a secret service agent..
Chasing Liberty (2004) * 1/2 (out of 4) Why am I watching a Mandy Moore film?
In the film, Moore plays the daughter of the President of the United States and she's tired of having the Secret Service follow her around so she runs away, meets a photographer (Matthew Goode) and decides to live life for the first time.
I saw him in the movie "Imagine you & Me"...good movie...odd story line but believable in the world we have today...haven't seen him in "Match Point" yet...the actress Mandy Moore will be able to "stay the course" of her acting career...when the character "Ben" in the movie says that "she looks like a 50's starlet...he is so right!
In Prague, on a state trip, Anna manages to escape her protection detail by running off with British supposed tourist (but actually another Secret Service agent) Ben Calder (Matthew Goode).
Of course, since this is a romantic comedy, something happens between the two of them.In addition to the main story, there is a great subplot with Jeremy Piven and Annabell Sciorra who play two Secret Service agents pursuing Goode & Moore.Recommended for any Romantic Comedy fan..
If you are looking for a good clean family fun movie, this one is right on.Mandy Moore plays the Presidents daughter and is frustrated with the secret service ruining her dates with the boys.
Thie is a really great film with Mandy Moore and up-incoming actor Matthew Goode.
The movie shows how Ben an undercover secret service agent follows Anna the presidents daughter all over Berlin.
And i really like Mandy Moore in this movie,is good character for here, after the bestfrom the movie "A Walk To Remember".I believe is a great actress and a singer, and i hope to see and other movies with here.If you have the chance to see this movie don't loser.Thanks.
Mandy Moore plays Anna Foster, an 18-year-old girl who has discovered that being the daughter of the President of the United States can put quite a crimp in one's dating life.
This is a movie about a teenage girl, who just happens to be the president's daughter, who wants freedom and fun. |
tt0079095 | Die Ehe der Maria Braun | The film opens with a portrait of Adolf Hitler hanging on a brick wall. Suddenly an explosion blows a hole through the wall and inside is Maria Braun (Hanna Schygulla) and Hermann Braun (Klaus Lowitsch) about to get married. What is supposed to be a ceremonial and memorable moment for them has turned violent as bombs are going off around them. The setting is Berlin during World War II. As the ceremony is brought to a halt by the bombs, the Priest attempts to leave only to be stopped by Hermann. Separated for a brief moment as bombs continue to rain around them, Maria, Hermann, and Priest take cover on the ground and are finally able to sign their marriage license. After the opening of the credits, we see Marias mother eating a small piece of bread with a tiny drizzle of oil. The economic times are bad. Maria returns after being unable to sell off her wedding dress. However, she does not return empty handed. Amongst the things she brings back is a shaving brush. Then catching a photo of her husband Hermann, she begins to break into tears. Hermann has been sent to the front. With her mother cheering her up, they decide to cook up some potatoes with bacon.
With a poster hanging behind her back with the information of Hermann, Maria waits with anticipation at the train station, where the women wait for the men to arrive from the war. However, Hermann doesn't show up. Taking refuge in a soup kitchen, Maria talks to a woman working in the kitchen about the death of her husband in the war and remarriage. These are desperate times for everyone as several men dive for a cigarette butt thrown by a soldier. Heckled by a couple of American soldiers, Maria's strength is revealed as she confronts one of them, only to be given a packet of cigarettes. She decides to give it to her mother only in exchange for her brooch, which the mother agrees to. In the following scene, we see Maria once again roaming the city with the poster of Hermann hanging on her back. This time she is accompanied by her friend Betti Klenze (Elisabeth Trissenaar), who also has a poster of her husband Willy Klenze (Gottfried John) dangling on her back. Near the end of the day, they help each other put on heavy makeup in order to search for a job that their husbands might or might not approve. Maria believes that Hermann would have no qualms about her. On the following day, Maria meets up with a peddler (Rainer Werner Fassbinder) who trades a dress for her in return for Maria's brooch. She wears the elegant dress and manages to find a job as a waitress in a bar. Paying a visit to her childhood doctor (Claus Holm), she asks for a health certificate for her new employer. The following morning, she returns back to the train station and doesn't find Hermann. Giving up on her hope, she tears Hermann's photo off and tosses the poster board onto the train tracks. At her new job at the bar, she meets and shares a dance with Bill (George Eagles), an African-American soldier. Spending an afternoon in the woods, as Bill teaches Maria English, their relationship suddenly has become more passionate and intimate. In the next scene, we see Betti reunited with her husband Willy. However, he brings with him the news of Hermann's death. Maria returns and is shocked to find Willy back. Although ecstatic to have Willy back, Maria cries because her husband is not with her. Her only means of comfort now is in Bill. As Bill and Marias relationship begins to grow more intimate and close, she soon finds herself pregnant with his child. As they celebrate the announcement and preparing to make love, they are paid an unexpected visit. It is Hermann. As Bill and Hermann wrestle each other, Maria grabs a bottle and hits Bill across the head, which kills him. As the Americans put Maria on trial, Hermann takes responsibility and admits that he is the one who killed Bill. As Hermann is put in jail, Maria says that she will wait for him so that they can start a new life together. Furthermore, in spite of picturing their future with a new child, Maria tells her doctor that she is going to abort it. In the meantime, Maria focuses on attaining wealth. During a train ride, she meets Karl Oswald (Ivan Desny) in first class, a half-German, a half-French business who owns a factory in Germany. He has returned to restart it after enduring difficult times during the war. Changing to her more seductive dress, Maria strikes a conversation with him. However, her nonchalant and in different attitude ultimately attracts him. He also admires her firm demeanor as Maria is able to drive away a drunk and noisy American soldier from the train. As they share a car ride with Karls accountant Senkenberg (Hark Bohm), Karl decides to give her a job as his personal advisor. Later as she tells her family about her new position, Maria decides to move out of her mothers house in order to prepare for a future home with Hermann, much to the disagreement of those around her, especially Betti. Visiting Hermann in prison, she tells him that she is going to change thanks to this job. In one of her first duties as personal assistant, she becomes a translator for Karl and an English speaking customer. However, she doesn't translate faithfully in order to tell Karl what he wants to hear. As Karl and Senkenberg argue over whether or not the company can afford to buy three SE Machines, Maria asks for 30-minutes alone with the customer. In the scene that follows, Karl congratulates Maria with a toast for her contribution. However, Senkenberg remains skeptical as he would only drink in five years time of the company. As Karl reprimands Senkenberg for not being able to have fun, Maria jumps to his defense. We soon find Maria in bed with Karl. He even asks her to be with him over the weekend in the country. However, she tells him that she has to visit someone on the weekend. Maria though does not divulge the fact that she is going to visit her husband. As Karl tries to understand her and show her his affection, Maria shrugs it away. Instead, she chooses to talk about her salary as she tells him that she has to earn a lot of money over the next few years. On the day Maria visits Hermann, she tells him that she is sleeping with Karl. She reassures him that she wants to sleep with him because she is dependent on him. Furthermore, she does it in order to give herself the upper hand. Upon returning home, Maria finds Karl waiting for her. Having spent the night together, Karl lets it known that he was going to propose to her had she gone with him to the country. Maria tells him that she will never marry him, but is willing to settle as his mistress. In a business event, Maria finds out from Willy that his marriage with Betti is in trouble for he is unable to communicate with her. Willy describes her as someone who cooks for me. In the following scenes, Karl once again reiterates his love for Maria. Yet, his love remains unrequited as she simply offers her body to him. One day, Karl pays a visit to Hermann in order to meet the man that Maria loves. Karl makes a secret deal with Hermann that if he stays away from Maria until Karl dies, than they will get the company. Later, on her mothers birthday, Maria finds that her mother has a new lover. During the party, Betti reveals that she is losing Willy. Like the strong assertive woman that she is, Maria tells her that she can do something about it. As Maria dances with Karl, he declares his love, fully realizing that he is going to die soon because of his liver.
Finally on the day of Hermann's release, she realizes that he has left to Australia or Canada. As agreed upon with the deal between Hermann and Karl, Hermann will leave a rose every month for her to remember him by. Maria soon loses herself in her job. Her personality begins to transform as her once firm demeanor evolves into certain ruthlessness. Her family, co-workers, and Karl become victims to her change. As the film draws to its end, Karl passes away. Hermann finally returns back to Maria. However, upon finding out that her husband and Karl made a deal on her behind her back, she does not accept it lightly. As Maria and Hermann are in her new home, she accidently leaves the gas stove on in order to light a cigarette. As Senkenberg leaves after handing over the company to the Brauns as promised, the house explodes as Maria lights her cigarette. The film ends with Senkenberg witnessing the dead body of Maria Braun. | psychedelic | train | imdb | We watched this film in our German Cinema class at university some years ago, and I still remember it well.Without wishing to give too much away, it tells the tale of a woman who, seeing the desolate landscape that Germany was in 1945, determines to build herself a comfortable life and, as she does so, she becomes one of many women in Germany rebuilding the nation.
"Maria Braun"'s style reminds much of melodramas by Fassbinder's favorite Hollywood director, Douglas Sirk and offers a glimpse of the loss and survival in postwar Germany.
It seems to me that if one views the characters as representatives of some of the major "world views" obtaining during the reconstruction period, one sees a few of the many different human reactions there can be to such an experience: Many feel burned out and can't feel hope any longer; others, like Maria, feel there is at least money and position to be gained under the new dispensation; some simply don't care; others try to feed off the experience without contributing; and so on and so forth.It also occurred to me that, at age 60, I may be in a position to appreciate this film more, and certainly to be more understanding of and sympathetic with the characters/types portrayed.
And the character of the Black US Army Sergeant, while tragic at the end, was itself an essay in human relations that has to embarrass most Americans -- the fleeting moments when he and Maria found joy and pleasant times together were just wonderful to behold, and an indictment of our sad history in that regard.View it and see what you think!.
But in this version, instead of the tragic Mother trying to save her children and mourning them, Maria Braun sells out for comfort from collaboration with the Nazi's through the economic wonder "Wirtschaftswunder" of the cold war.
It's a betrothal where the husband goes off to war and is held in a Russian prison camp, unbenownst to the helpless but hopeful and proud Maria, who keeps standing by the depressing rubble of the train station as some come home, others don't, with a sign awaiting Hermann.Trouble arises, as happens in Rainer Werner Fassbinder's melodramas, and as its one of his best and most provocative, we see as Maria (uncommonly gorgeous Hanna Schygulla in this role) will do a two-face: she'll stand by her man, even if it means working at a bar for American GI's and, even still after she hears from a fellow soldier that Hermann has died will still stand by him as she sleeps with a black GI and comes close to bearing his child (that is, naturally, until he reappears and a murder occurs and he takes the rap so she can be safe), or working for a German businessman (effectively sympathetic Ivan Desny) and becoming his sometimes mistress and rising star in the company.
She's like the feminist that has her cake and eats it with a sultry smile: she gets to have a husband, more or less (actually a lot less until the last ten minutes of the film) while obtaining things- a man who dotes on her whenever he can, a new and expensive house with servants, a secretary, money- that others around her aren't getting due to already being with a man or too weak in a position to rise anywhere (such as the secretary, played interestingly enough by Fassbinder's own mother).Maria is sexy, confident, and all alone, with an idealized life going against a life that should be made in the shade.
She says of the two men- the American soldier and poor old and sick Oswald- that she's fond of them, and at the same time will stick by those roses the confused and soul-searching husband Hermann sends from Canada, after being released from prison.
She's casts a profile that a feminist would love to trounce, but understand where she's coming from and going all the way.Fassbinder employs this inherent contradiction, and moments with Maria appear to go against the conventions of a melodrama (for example, Hermann walking in on the jubilant and half-naked Maria and GI is just about a masterpiece of a scene, with Maria's reaction not of surprise or guilt but pure happiness to see that he's there let alone alive), while sticking to his guns as a director of such high-minded technique with a storyline that should be predictable.
A few times Fassbinder puts sound of the radio on in the background, and we see Maria walking around her family house, hustle and bustle going on around her, and the radio speaks of a divided Germany, of things still very unsettled, of a disarray.
This is what Fassbinder captures in his wonderful first part of his "trilogy"; while I might overall prefer Veronika Voss as a masterpiece, Maria Braun is perhaps just as good as a character study, of what makes a woman tick and tock with (almost) nothing to lose..
When Hanna Schygulla says to her husband in prison `this are bad times for feelings' it is Fassbinder saying that in the seventies cinema there's no place for the classic melodrama of the 40s and 50s, unless all the craze that then was suggested now turns somehow more explicit.
The points Fassbinder's trying to make are a bit obtuse and perhaps not designed for American viewers (those are his prerogatives, after all) but the early scenes of the country immediately after the war are fascinating and he's aided immensely by the great Michael Ballhaus' restless camera.
While Mildred rebuilds her life after a personal tragedy, so does Maria, albeit in the backdrop of the post-war German economic disaster.
Of course since Maria herself is not a very likeable person, one doesn't feel too much for her.The story in a nutshell is of almost war widow Maria Braun rebuilding her life in post war Germany & rising high on the corporate ladder till she realises that she has given too much of herself for the climb to enjoy the cause she was climbing for.Standing by itself, I still think this movie will appeal either to European baby boomers or serious students of Fasbinder.
In doing so she becomes financially successful but loses her soul in the process.The Marriage of Maria Braun is a film that operates on two different levels.
While on another, the film can clearly be read as a critique of the way the new Germany forgot it's awful past and sold it's soul in order to prosper in what would become known as the German Economic Miracle.
She begins by prostituting herself to the Americans and ends very wealthy but emotionally dead; she forgets her past quickly in order to concentrate on her future.There is no doubt that Rainer Werner Fassbinder put together a clever allegorical film here.
There seems to be almost as much dead weight being carried around in The Marriage of Maria Braun as there is subtle grace.Thankfully to aid Fassbinder's articulate work is lead (and apparent muse) Hanna Schygulla.
It was sweet, I liked the way it was shot and something in the relationship between her and the black soldier charmed me but I am very much a product of my generation and I think if i ever do really appreciate this movie it will after I have a heap of more life experience under my belt.If you are trying to really get into the world of movies that are technically great (like I was), this one is a bit advanced.
'The Marriage of Maria Braun' is German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder's best-known and most financially successful movie and it's not hard to see why: it's a big event, a tour de force.
The film begins as she's getting married amidst the chaos of the last day of World War II in 1945, and much of what follows has to do with the peculiar way in which she devotes herself to her absent, yet somehow always present, idealized husband.
Nothing here is easily spelled out as right or wrong.'The Marriage of Maria Braun' is the first part of Fassbinder's BRD (Bundesrepublik Deutschland) trilogy, along with 'Veronica Voss' (1982) and 'Lola' (1981), which is made available as a set by the Criterion Collection.
Although this film has abundant imagery that is inspired in post WWII Germany, people watching this movie should not forget that it's entertainment.
A World War II widow (Hanna Schygulla) seeks to adjust to life in postwar Germany.Karena Niehoff wrote in the daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung that The Marriage of Maria Braun "is a charming and even amusing film, at the same extraordinarily artful, artificial and full of twists and turns".
Although obviously dark (this is Germany right after World War II), there is plenty of humor that arises from unusual situations, particularly as the Americans and English interact with the local Germans.I feel like this is the sort of film that Professor Wes Gehring might have considered in the dark comedy tradition of Charlie Chaplin's "Shoulder Arms".
He was one of the leading directors in the New Germany after WWII.Hanna Schygulla was magnificent as the cold, calculating Maria Bruan, who lost her husband to the War, found him after she took an American soldier as a lover, lost him again after he went to jail for her, and found him agin at the end.
The political musings have point to them: we see the shortages after the war, how the blackmarketers were able to control so much of the day-to-day life (delicious moment when Fassbinder, playing a grifter, tries to sell a complete set of Kleist to Schygulla, who remarks that burning books don't provide much warmth: she really wants firewood).There's some clumsiness in the first hour.
Film starts out with Maria (Schygulla) and Hermann Braun (Klaus Lowitsch) just getting married as the bombs continue to fall and Hermann is shipped out towards the waning days of the war and now Maria and her mother and sister must scrape by to survive.
The war has ended and Germany must rebuild and one day on a train Maria meets Karl Oswald (Ivan Desny) who is a successful businessman in textiles and she uses her charms to get a job.
But Maria leaves the gas on the stove and the house explodes with both of them still in it.There are so many interesting things in this film that its one of those movies that can be studied and talked about to great lengths.
Like in all Fassbinder films the use of color is used in a very interesting way.
As the film begins the tones are brown and gray to represent war torn Germany but as Maria starts to become successful they change to bright rich colors like red and white.
The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979) was the first part of director Rainer Werner Fassbinder's celebrated trilogy of films that looked specifically at the period following the end of the Second World War, and in particular, the socio-political and economic re-birth of Germany following the Wirtschaftswunder.
It is to this day one of the most startling opening sequences from any of Fassbinder's work; with the war-time iconography, use of ironic, on-screen inter-titles, freeze-frames and the continual punctuation of loud explosions and jarring cuts in the editing, all grabbing our attention right from the off.From this set up, Fassbinder uses the situation to explore the eventual ideas of faith, loyalty and betrayal, incorporating an early subplot in which Maria - who earnestly believes that her husband has been killed in battle - begins a passionate relationship with one of the American G.I.s who hangs out at the bar where she works.
Veronika Voss exists in very much the same cinematic universe as the two other films that formed the backbone of what would eventually become known as "the BRD trilogy"; though Fassbinder himself had often talked of plans to make more films in a similar vein - analysing post-war German history through to the present day - but was unable to continue the theme due to his untimely death in June of 1982.
Regardless, The Marriage of Maria Braun skilfully establishes the ideas that would go towards forming the dramatic nucleus of these two subsequent works, depicting the sense of determination and the sheer triumph of will that went towards rebuilding Germany from the ashes of the Second World War through the eyes of a resolute young woman willing to push her own emotional stability to breaking point in order to secure a better future for her and her incarcerated husband.To me, it is startling to think that Fassbinder could begin something as obviously political and large of scale as the film in question only a few months after having completed the incredibly personal and controversial In a Year of 13 Moons and the similarly controversial but very much satirical The Third Generation; with the entire look, feel and evocative period recreation of The Marriage of Maria Braun seeming light-years away from the harsh, unglamorous and unflinching depictions of late 1970's Frankfurt and Berlin with their various homosexual and pseudo-radical subcultures.
There are continual overlapping themes to tie them all together, but at times it really does feel like the work of a completely different filmmaker; almost as if Fassbinder had a shadowy alter-ego who made painfully honest and personal films alongside his more large-scale and popular works.
Not to say that this doesn't have its personal moments, and of course, there is still that ending, with its ironic and almost melodramatic mark of devastation and the almost subversive sense of mocking satire that is something that only Fassbinder could pull off.The Marriage of Maria Braun is, without question, one of the highpoint of Fassbinder's all-too brief career and one of the crowning achievements of the once-radical New German Cinema movement.
"The Marriage of Maria Braun" tells the story of post-war Germany as seen by a young woman, the title character Maria Braun.
The film opens in 1943 with Maria's marriage to a soldier named Hermann Braun.
After the war we find Maria (like most Germans during this period) living in desperate poverty, but she finds work as a bar hostess and, believing her husband to be dead, becomes the lover of Bill, a black soldier with the American occupation forces, who helps to support her financially.
Subsequent developments involve Hermann's unexpected return to Germany after being held in a Soviet prison camp, his imprisonment for the killing of Bill (a crime actually committed by Maria herself) and Maria's life as the mistress of Karl, a wealthy industrialist.The French film critic Jean de Baroncelli saw Maria Braun as an allegory of Germany, "a character that wears flashy and expensive clothes, but has lost her soul".
There is certainly some truth in this comparison, but I felt it might perhaps be more accurate to say that it is the marriage of Maria and Hermann which is an allegory of the plight of Germany during the Cold War years.
Maria, who sells herself to an American for nylon stockings and cigarettes and is later seduced by a capitalist, can therefore be seen as symbolising the flashy and prosperous if rather soulless West Germany, while Hermann, held prisoner by the Soviets, represents the Communist East.The director Rainer Werner Fassbinder was one of the leading members of the "New German Cinema" group of auteurs of the late sixties, seventies and eighties.
Despite numerous clashes between Fassbinder and his collaborators, clashes which led to an acrimonious lawsuit which was to continue even after the director's death, it was both a critical and a commercial success in West Germany and, despite its political subtext, was also shown in cinemas in the East.Many European films from the Cold War years have since lost much of their relevance, but this one still remains watchable today.
The lovely Hanna Schygulla, who had earlier appeared in some of Fassbinder's other films such as "Effi Briest", succeeds in making Maria a brilliantly realised character and in persuading us of the central truth of the film, namely that, whatever her relationships with Bill and Karl, it is Hermann who is really her true love and that in her heart she stays true to him.
She reminds us that "The Marriage of Maria Braun" is not just a film about post-war Germany, and certainly not just a film about politics, but also a human drama with a very human character at its centre.
Basically this film projects Maria's attitudes - those attitudes she permits herself under the mentioned circumstances, as a metaphor for Germany's loss of soul after they lost the war, and how it proceeds to rebuild itself.
And why would you, if the central matter of most of his films is about "What love becomes in this society a commodity, an instrument of power, a weapon."It was remarked that it is typical Fassbinder to have the scenes with Maria and Betti walking in expensive dresses in the ruins after the war - with these clothing essentially the wrong period.
Fassbinder's opening scene is an excellent example of the female lead character, Maria Braun, becoming a metaphor for the German nation.
Rainer Werner Fassbinder's most profitable film, "The Marriage of Maria Braun" tells the tale of an upwardly mobile, independent Maria Braun (Hanna Schygulla), a woman who uses a combination of business smarts, tenacity and promiscuity to lift herself out of desperation.
From director Rainer Werner Fassbinder (The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant, Fear Eats the Soul, Fox and His Friends, I assumed this was a German war film about the sister or another female relative of Eva Braun, and even though it wasn't I watched with interest.
Basically, set in Germany, 1943, and during a bombing raid by Allied forces, Maria (Hanna Schygulla) is married to soldier Hermann Braun (Klaus Löwitsch), but after only a short time together he returns to the front, and she is later told he has been killed. |
tt0060176 | Blowup | The plot is 24 hours in the life of a glamorous fashion photographer named Thomas (David Hemmings), inspired by the life of an actual "Swinging London" photographer, David Bailey.In the opening scene, Thomas wakes up after spending the night at a doss house where he has taken pictures for a book of art photos. He is late for a photo shoot with Veruschka von Lehndorff (playing herself) at his studio, which in turn makes him late for a shoot with other models later in the morning. He grows bored and walks off, leaving the models and production staff in the lurch. As he leaves the studio, two teenage girls who are aspiring models, a blond (Jane Birkin) and a dark-haired brunette (Gillian Hills) ask to speak with him, but the photographer drives off to look at an antiques shop.Wandering into Maryon Park, he takes photos of two lovers making out. The woman (Vanessa Redgrave) is furious at being photographed and demands that Thomas hand over the film, but he refuses. When she walks away to rejoin her boyfriend, he is gone and she runs away with Thomas taking photos of her as she runs.Thomas then meets his agent for lunch, and notices a man following him and looking into his car. Back at his studio, the mysterious woman from the park arrives asking for the film, but he refuses. The woman introduces herself as 'Jane' and tries to seduce Thomas by removing her top to entice him to hand over the film and negatives. Thomas agrees without going any further, but he deliberately hands Jane a different roll. She in turn writes down a telephone number to give to him.After Jane leaves, Thomas begins work on developing his photos that he took that day. His many enlargements of the black and white film are grainy but he finds something strange. In the Maryon Park photos, Thomas notices a figure hiding in the bushes near Jane and her boyfriend and upon enlarging them in a series of 'blow-up' shots, sees that it is a man with a gun (the same man he saw following him earlier). In the shots where Jane is running away with her back to the camera, Thomas also notices something on the ground in the distance. The blow-up shots of the blurred figure on the ground that Jane is running to appears to be a body in the grass. Thomas gets the feeling that he just witnessed the before and afterwards of a murder.Thomas is disturbed by a knock on the door, but it is only the two girls again, with whom he has a group-sex romp in his studio and falls asleep. Awakening, he finds they hope he will photograph them but he tells them to leave, saying, "Tomorrow! Tomorrow!"As evening falls, Thomas goes back to the park to investigate and finds a dead body (Jane's dead lover), but he has not brought his camera and is scared off by a twig breaking, as if being stepped on by someone unseen watching him. Thomas returns to his studio to find that someone (possibly Jane and her gunman accomplice) has broken into his place and all the negatives and prints from the park are gone except for one large, very grainy blowup showing the body (which proves nothing). He tries to call the phone number Jane gave him, but learns from the operator that the number does not exist.After driving into town, Thomas sees Jane walking alone on a sidewalk and he pulls his car over and follows her on foot into a night club where The Yardbirds, featuring both Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck on guitar, are seen playing. Thomas moves to confront Jane, but she sees him and runs. Thomas loses her on the crowded street.Thomas then goes to a drug-drenched party in a house on the Thames near central London. He finds a strung-out Veruschka, who had told him that she was going to Paris, and when confronted, she says she is in Paris. Thomas then meets his agent Ron (Peter Bowles), whom he wants to bring to the park as a witness to show the dead body. However, Thomas (after taking a few puffs from a joint given by a party guest) cannot put across what he has photographed. Ron invites him to stay and they take LSD. Waking up in the house at sunrise after the party, Thomas takes a spare camera from Ron's house with film in it and goes back to the park alone to take photos of the murder victim, but the body is gone without any trace.Befuddled and emotionally defeated, Thomas (aware that someone has just gotten away with murder), begins walking out of the park when, he watches a group of mimes arrive and play a mimed tennis match. Thomas is drawn into it when the mimes beckon him to retrieve their imaginary tennis ball that they have "lost". Beat and deciding to play along, Thomas picks up the imaginary ball and throws it back to the two mimes playing. While he watches the mimes, the sound of the ball being played is heard. Thomas walks out of the park as his image fades away, leaving only the grass as the movie comes to an end. | mystery, murder, cult, intrigue, atmospheric, psychedelic | train | imdb | null |
tt1907668 | Flight | In the opening scene in a hotel room, Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) wakes up before it's time to take off on a new flight, after an evening of drinking, drugs and sex with one of his plane's flight attendants, Katerina Marquez (Nadine Velazquez) who crawls out of his bed to get dressed. Still trying to rouse himself from his hangover, his phone rings, and he answers a call from his ex-wife Deana (Garcelle Beauvais). Deana wants to discuss putting their son through a private school, but Whip doesn't want to discuss it at the moment, claiming he'll talk to her about it when he gets back to Atlanta.While Katerina quickly heads off to the airport to prepare, Whip is unable to collect himself until he snorts a line of cocaine. This wakes him up, and he is next headed to the airport, where rain pounds the building and the airplanes. Whip does a quick inspection of the airplane and then boards it speaking with a flight attendant named Margaret (Tamara Tunie), and meeting his co-pilot Ken Evans (Brian Geraghty).Ken seems a little apprehensive of Whip (who is wearing sunglasses and takes a hit from his oxygen mask), but goes along with his story that he's alright to fly. The plane takes off through rain, and Whip pushes it higher and faster, attempting to find a break in the clouds, causing the ride to be turbulent. However, once Whip finds a break in the storm, the plane stabilizes, and the passengers applaud.Shortly after takeoff, Whip addresses the passengers personally, while secretly pouring three mini-vodka bottles into a bottle of orange juice. After disposing of the bottles, Whip returns to the cockpit, and naps after turning control of the plane over to Ken.On the ground, in a small town in Georgia, a prostitute, Nicole (Kelly Reilly), leaves a hotel after a night with a client and calls her drug connection from her cell phone. She shows up at the guy's place, where a porno film is being shot and buys a small quantity of heroin from him; he warns her not to shoot too much because it hasn't been cut properly. He also asks her to play a part in the movie but she refuses and leaves. At home she finds her sleazy complex manager in her apartment. The two argue over her unpaid rent and he propositions her sexually. She coaxes him out the door and slams it in his face. Spotting a hypodermic needle in her things, she takes a hit of the drugs she bought from her connection and passes out from an overdose.Meanwhile, a sudden jolt stirs Whip as the plane suddenly pitches into an uncontrolled dive. Steering mechanisms don't respond, and numerous houses can be seen out the window. Staying relatively calm, Whip has the plane's fuel ditched, before proposing a crazy maneuver: roll the airplane so they're flying inverted. One of the stewardesses, Camila, leaves her seat to aid some of the passengers and is pitched onto the ceiling of the cabin when the plane rolls. A young boy falls out of his seat when the plane rolls over and Katerina unbuckles herself, lifts the boy back into his seat and buckles him in.With Ken and Margaret's help, Whip inverts the plane, leveling it out, before rolling it to crash-land on its belly in a field near a small church -- the plane's wing collides with the church's tower, shearing it off. The ground impact slams Whip's head against the steering yoke, knocking him out. Whip regains consciousness long enough to see himself being dragged out of the plane by the local parishioners and long enough to see Ken is slumped over in his seat, bleeding from his head. Margaret is also bleeding and screaming. Katerina's body also lies near Margaret, presumably dead.Just before the plane crashes into the church, it flies directly over Nicole's apartment complex where we see her being taken out on a stretcher.Whip wakes up in a hospital where he finds his friend Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood) in the room. Though Charlie claims Whip saved a lot of lives with his maneuver, he tells Whip (off-the-record) that there were six deaths, including Katerina and Camila as well as four passengers.Shortly afterwards, Whip is visited by an acquaintance of his, Harling Mays (John Goodman). Harling brings Whip some cigarettes and some extra things, and fields Whip's request for some clothing and items from his house. Harling is jovial about the treatment Whip is receiving, saying Whip should demand better medications. Harling also tells Whip that his heroics during the crash have called the media out to his home and the hospital.Looking for a place to smoke one evening, Whip goes into a stairwell, where he encounters Nicole. They are soon joined by a cancer patient named Mark (James Badge Dale). The cancer patient soon realizes who Whip is, and steers the conversation towards God and if disasters can be prevented or not. In Mark's mind, there's no way to stop things from happening. To him, he was meant to get cancer, just as much as the three were meant to meet in the stairwell, and Whip was meant to land that plane. After Mark leaves, Whip tells Nicole that he would like to see her after they are released from the hospital, and she gives him her address.Eventually, Whip is released, and Harling sneaks him out a back way to avoid the press at the front of the hospital. Whip has Harling take him to his father's old farmhouse out in the country, where a small Cessna resides in a nearby garage. Going through the house, Whip finds all the alcohol stored around the place, and empties it all out. He also disposes of a small supply of marijuana.Whip refuses to respond to any of the messages on his phone, but is surprised when Charlie calls him at the farmhouse, leaving a message to meet him after a medical check-up in a few days. Whip gives into the request, and sits down with Charlie, and Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle), a lawyer from Chicago who has been sent by the pilots union. Hugh explains that at the crash site, blood was drawn from Whip, indicating he had an elevated blood alcohol level, and cocaine in his system. The two indicate to Whip that Hugh is going to fight the findings, but that Whip could face charges of manslaughter, and jail time.Whip does not handle the news well, and heads off to a liquor store afterwards. He then attempts to find Nicole's address, and finds her being kicked out of her apartment by the landlord. Whip manages to help her pay her rent, and seeing as she has nowhere to go (and her car won't start), offers to let her stay with him.Over the next few days, Whip continues to avoid the press, but soon realizes that his reputation could be plagued by the others who were around him. At Katerina's funeral, he meets Margaret, who claims she could tell that Whip was drunk when she encountered him that morning. Whip then starts to get personal, claiming that if not for him, she could have ended up dead as well.In the hospital, his co-pilot Ken explains he hasn't told the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who have been investigating the crash, about his suspicions about Whip's condition at the time. Even though he may never walk again, Ken and his wife believe that his surviving was a miracle. The couple is strictly religious and insist that Whip pray with them, which he does reluctantly.Meanwhile, Nicole has been turning her life around, getting a job, and attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. She suggests Whip come along with her, but he is unable to stomach much of the meeting. Shortly afterwards, Nicole finds Whip working on the Cessna in his father's garage. Whip claims that they can fly away and start over, but Nicole refuses his advancements, and Whip (who has been drinking) angrily yells after her as she leaves.Eventually, Nicole leaves Whip and he grows even more out-of-control with his drinking. When the press finally find the farmhouse, he drives off and ends up in the neighborhood of his ex-wife and son. Both demand that he leave, but Whip refuses to listen, causing them to call the police on him.Needless to say, Charlie and Hugh are incensed at Whip's behavior, claiming that this does not bode well for their upcoming case with the NTSB. Even though Hugh has managed to have Whip's alcohol test thrown out, they still need to have Whip present his side of the story to Ellen Block (Melissa Leo), the investigator for the NTSB.Whip gives in to their requests to clean up his act, and the evening before the hearing, he is escorted to a hotel room. A security guard is stationed at the door, and all traces of alcohol have been cleaned out of the mini-fridge in the room. Whip attempts to relax, but finds himself unable to sleep or even go over the documents that Hugh has prepared for him.Later on, he hears a thumping sound. He soon finds it leads to the room adjoining his, where the door has been left unlocked. In the room he finds a fully-stocked mini-fridge with alcohol. Whip looks over the contents of the fridge for a short time and even uncaps a bottle of vodka. He hesitates before downing the bottle, places it on the counter and leaves. A few moments later, he snatches the bottle.The next day, Charlie and Hugh show up, but when Whip doesn't answer the door, they find him passed out in the bathroom with a cut on his head, and empty mini-bottles littering the room. With the hearing's time coming closer, they hatch a bold plan. They call in Harling Mays, who provides Whip with the cocaine he needs to get himself woken up. After paying off Harling, Whip, Charlie, and Hugh head to the hearing.During the hearing (with Ellen Block presiding), it is determined that the cause of the plane's locked dive, was a damaged screw in the tail-section that had not been repaired a few years prior. This seems to exonerate Whip, but Ellen then brings up the findings of two empty mini-liquor bottles in one of the trash cans near the pilot's cabin. Given the blood-test findings (of which Whip's has been thrown out due to outdated equipment and procedure in drawing his blood), only one other member of the flight crew could have potentially stolen the vodka: Katerina, who has a documented history of alcohol and drug abuse.When Ellen asks Whip if it's possible that Katerina drank the vodka, he hesitates before confessing that he drank the vodka. Charlie and Hugh attempt to quell Whip's words, but he confesses to his alcohol problems, claiming that he is drunk at the moment, and has taken cocaine.After the hearing, we segue into a small group in a prison, with Whip among the prisoners. Whip explains to the others about his confession, and that how it seemed that that moment at the NTSB hearing was his breaking point: he couldn't tell another lie.Epilogue. 13 months later.In his time in prison, Whip has become clean of alcohol, and has gained the trust of his ex-wife and son again. His son Will soon after comes to visit him, asking to interview him for a report, to find out more about his father, whom it seems has been absent through much of his life. | suspenseful, home movie | train | imdb | Denzel Washington is William "Whip" Whitaker, an alcoholic pilot who, after a night of heavy drinking, remains drunk well into the morning he is to fly a plane into Georgia.
But it is all about the lead character, Captain "Whip" Whitaker (Denzel Washington), a man who is a pilot and an alcoholic.
Robert Zemeckis' latest film Flight starring Academy Award Winner Denzel Washington is not only thoroughly entertaining and terrifically structured, it encompasses a soul that Hollywood hasn't really delivered in quite some time.
The film, that closed the New York Film Festival, is simply one of the best films of the year.Flight tells the story of Whip Whitaker, an airline pilot that saves a plane and nearly all its passengers from a certain death.
Denzel gives an access root into the character for all intended purposes, a clear understanding of the inner resistance that will not only plague Whip, but the movie audience as well.The story doesn't seem like an obvious choice for Robert Zemeckis, who has excelled in genres that have provided masterpieces like Forrest Gump (1994) and Cast Away (2000).
Denzel Washington does an awesome, believable job as an alcoholic airplane captain, struggling with his addiction and accusations after the plane crash.
Flight is the story of a commercial pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) who is able to land a defective plane with extraordinary skill, maneuvering it into an inverted position in order to slow the decent.
Cheadle and Greenwood have great scenes together, Reilly is a wonderful find (I didn't realize she was British - excellent southern US accent), and Goodman not only steals his scenes, it's almost as if he's acting in an entirely different movie altogether.I wouldn't recommend Flight.
Having dealt with Delorean time-machines, cartoon rabbits and autistic heroes in his previous productions, Zemeckis takes a dark turn with his latest effort as he teams up with two time Oscar-winning actor Denzil Washington to present a film about the temptation of alcohol and how it can affect the life of its central character.
While it has been done before in other alcohol-related films like The Lost Weekend (1944) and Leaving Las Vegas (1995), you can't help but be intrigued when you know that Denzil has an Oscar nomination for it
.William "Whip" Whitaker (Washington) is a pilot who has an alcohol addiction.
As he continues to indulge himself to booze, those around him including lawyer Hugh Lang (Cheadle), close friend Harling Mays (Goodman) and former drug addict-turned-new love interest Nicole (Reilly) try to support him.As soon as the film starts, you know straight away this isn't Zemeckis's usual territory as we see Whip surrounded by empty beer bottles, lines of cocaine and a sexy (and naked!) Latino woman which sets the tone for what the character's life is all about.
Having spent several years starring in average action-flicks, Denzil Washington manages to reclaim responsibility as one of Hollywood's best actors with his stunning performance of a man whose addiction leaves him in a troubled state of mind.
Audiences will also find it hard to root for Whip as he is presented as unlikeable for the majority of the film and even when we get to the important courtroom scenes, we struggle to really know whether to care about his fate.VERDICT: Robert Zemeckis makes a worthy return to live-action films with this gritty but slightly underwhelming character study which is strengthened by an award-winning comeback from Denzil Washington and a mid-air sequence of thrilling proportions..
Flight takes the real life crash of an Alaska Airlines plane and turns it into a story about alcohol and redemption.The fiction is hard to take.
In his first live action film in 12 years, director Robert Zemeckis brings the story of an impaired pilot flying a stricken airliner to the big screen.
A pathetic message comes from this film, and an even worse (is that possible) the inquiry scene does not in anyway redeem the story.All it does is give people the idea that combining alcohol and drugs helps you stabilize, perform better and hide your drunk junkie state.
Oh and Goodmans role makes drug dealers look cool(in an American way)...if I was in the hotel room when he came in shouting orders, I would have pushed him head first out the window.It has been happening, increasing for many years but this hits a new low for rubbish American culture being spread around the world.Denzel must be desperate to do this movie...a previously highly respected actor..
There was no real surprises in this film and it was pretty predictable from beginning to end, but I think that director Robert Zemeckis did an excellent job telling this story.
There is no depth to this movie, no real insight into the trials that a pilot may face after a disaster and how aircraft mechanical malfunctions can be handled by a talented pilot.The movie is instead about Denzel's ridiculous alcohol problem that he would have no realistic way to sustain throughout a career as a commercial pilot, since commercial flight crew in the U.S. are regularly subjected to being breathalyzed and drug tested by the FAA.
It's a sober piece about a man's moral choices, built around a creditable central performance from Denzel Washington as Whip Whitaker – an alcoholic pilot who, still drunk and high from the night before, manages to land his airplane after a mechanical failure sends it into a 4,800 ft dive.
Even the man most in Whitaker's corner, played by Bruce Greenwood in a straight-laced but well-played exasperated performance, doesn't know what the hell to do with him after a while.In a sense the film is like the best episode of the TV show 'Intervention' never made: we see this character in full dimensions, and it goes further with the performance by its star.
The captain William "Whip" Whitaker (Denzel Washington) of South Jet Air is a divorced man with an estranged ex-wife and son and is having an affair with the flight attendant Katerina "Trina" Marquez (Nadine Velazquez).
But Whip is an alcoholic and can not control addiction."Flight" is a powerful drama about alcoholism with top-notch performance of Denzel Washington.
In an epic tale of man versus booze, Denzel Washington takes flight in one of his best roles as a deeply disturbed alcoholic pilot.
The start and the end provide more bombastic scenes, the first plane crash sequence is very engrossing as it puts the audience right besides these characters in their desperate time.Flight could've been an entirely bleak or somber movie, but it takes us into a man's journey to face his demon, merely as audience and with tongue-in-cheek humor.
After the opening scene in which pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) wakes up with a monster hangover yet drinks some more alcohol, smokes some weed and does a line of cocaine, it's clear the trailer for Flight was massively misleading.
If the star of the movie is Denzel Washington and the director is ( Robert Zemeckis ) who directed legend films such as (Forrest Gump 1994, What Lies Beneath 2000, Back to the Future trilogy), so the result will be fantasticI was really afraid before going to the cinema cause i thought it is the same story about flights, but wan't trust me the film is excellent, the whole crew were marvelous at their Patrs, and Denzel Washington gave us his finest role he had ever done.I went for the same movie three times just to see Denzel Washington performance, and for those who want to be a great actors have to see Denzel Washington performance over and over again he convinced you from the beginning of the movie till the endi hope he gets the Oscar for this year, but I think her will lose it for Daniel Day-Lewis in (Lincoln).
The character of Nicole (Kelly Reilly)strikes up a friendship with Whitaker and they almost become kindred spirits as they are both affected by alcoholism - again her character was quite poorly written, but unlike Whitaker she was, at least, fairly likable.Another problem with this film is that it's almost impossible to sympathise with the main character; He willingly boarded an aircraft knowing that he'd had no sleep and was pumped full of drugs and alcohol and he knowingly risked the lives of all his passengers - yes I'm aware this is a plot device for the entire film, but it does make it difficult to root for Whitaker (especially when we learn how selfish he is throughout the film).There are other things that stretch credibility such as Whitaker being able to crash-land a plane and save 96 lives out of 102 whilst he's under the influence of alcohol/drugs and had no sleep the night before, yet 10 other fully trained pilots crashed their planes and ended up killing everyone on board in a simulated recreation of the event whilst they were stone cold sober.
Here the actor gives one of his most powerful performances in years.The fine supporting cast includes Kelly Reilly, delivering a strong performance as Nicole, a young drug user whom Whip befriends, Tamara Tunie as Margaret, a flight attendant and friend, Bruce Greenwood as his union representative and friend, and a scene-stealing John Goodman as Harland Mays, his hipster supplier.
) Still, Flight is an exciting action thriller, skillfully directed by Zemeckis and flawlessly acted by Washington, who creates an intense character study of an alcoholic, a man in crisis unable to stop his downward spiral until he begins to realize that he can't fly away from himself or his real issues.
"Nobody could've landed that plane like I did," Captain 'Whip' Whitaker (Denzel Washington) proclaims in "Flight".
"Flight", despite its painfully sluggish pace, captivates audiences thanks to a gripping storyline and a haunting performance from Denzel Washington.The morning after a sleepless night filled with drugs and a dangerous amount of alcohol, Captain Whitaker shoots some cocaine to straighten up for his short routine flight to Atlanta.
After controversial toxicity tests reveal the state the pilot was in during the flight, Captain Whitaker finds himself torn between hiding the truth to remain a hero or facing his problems head on for the first time and losing his newfound fame.The special effects used in "Flight" produce quite the visual spectacle during the plane crash.
Being allowed in to see each event as the other characters in the movie do, audiences truly become emotionally invested in Whip's life."Flight" takes moviegoers on quite a ride as they watch Captain 'Whip' Whitaker struggle with substance abuse, fame, and regret after his heroic emergency plane landing.
The film depends on an actor skilled enough to reach the depths necessary for us to believe this guy, despite his cocky pilot strut and unmatched flying skills, is little more than a mentally weak addict.There are a couple of outstanding supporting performances here: John Goodman as Harling Mays, a colorful and energetic, free-wheeling dealer who works miracles with Whitaker when he appears to gone to function; and Kelly Reilly (Mary Watson from the Sherlock Holmes movies) as fellow addict Nicole, who connects with Whip and tries to help him.
The premise of this movie focuses on a pilot by the name of William Whip Whitaker who becomes a hero after saving the lives of countless passengers on a crashing plane.
What I came to realize is that it is a movie about the investigation of an alcoholic.Denzel Washington's character Whip Whitaker is portrayed as an exceptional yet alcoholic airline pilot.
The movie revolved around Whitaker and his alcohol and drug problems, yet it does not investigate any of the problems that cause the plane crash or the character's hardships.
An alcoholic will do ANYTHING BUT accept blame for anything....flight attendant scores on a tox report, SHE did it!....NEXT!!No seasoned alky would EVER do a coup de gras if it might mean no access to another drink.....and he was loaded during the hearing?Great job by Denzel....awful horrendous writing of the final scene!You have to wonder all of the believable takes that are on the cutting- room floor....this ending ruined the entire experience..
Flight being over 120 minutes and already treading down a familiar road from the getgo, there was no way the decent directing from the amazing Robert Zemeckis or the great Best Actor nominated performance of Washington could save this from being a bit of a bore.
The plot moves on when Whip drugged and drunk but extremely lucid, operates the Flight 227 to Atlanta which, after some turbulences, starts to fall apart, and he is forced to crash land it in a field, managing to save the lives of almost everyone on board.
(Frank Capra comes to mind, but he's another order of director at his best, which he wasn't always.) Zemeckis is smart and competent, however, and he makes this movie roll right along with a quiet fascination for the process of NTSB investigators and alcohol tests, not the most exciting material.Don't let me leave out the plane crash--this is no spoiler, I think--which is terrific and harrowing, and with the final smartphone footage from the ground you'll be gasping.
With that in mind, I think it's only fair to give Zemeckis, the creator of such beloved films as Back to the Future and Forrest Gump, the benefit of the doubt if Flight, his first foray back into the realm of live-action cinema, shows a few signs of rust.When his commercial aircraft experiences a massive mechanical malfunction, Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) goes above and beyond to save the lives of his crew and passengers, taking evasive maneuvers that perhaps no other pilot could have managed.
His story takes a turn, however, when it becomes known that Whitaker has a serious issue with alcohol and drug addiction and was in fact drunk at the time of the crash.
As investigators close in on his condition and the heaping pile of lies he's told to cover it up, Whitaker's drinking problems reach a whole new level, alienating his only allies, heroin addict Nicole (Kelly Reilly) and company lawyer Hugh (Don Cheadle), and bringing himself closer and closer to a breaking point.There are moments of sheer brilliance in Flight that reminded me of just how good Zemeckis can be when he's on his game, especially in the early going.
But whereas Flight requires a great performance in order to make the movie work, Washington's is only a good one that holds some real strength but doesn't measure up against the man's better works.
Flight is not a film about planes or a pilot's life, but it is an amazing character study about the demons of a man.
What's so great about the movie is how you actually sympathize with the character of Denzel Washington: I mean there are literally many times during the film when I actually was talking to Denzel in my head like "Oh don't do it man, don't drink that stuff, come on" And I believe that says a lot about the movie, cause you actually care for the characters in this.
In taking on the role of Whip, Denzel Washington delivers a cracking good performance about a character that you eventually almost love to hate.
Apart from a terrific performance by Denzel Washington and an amazing flight crash scene, this movie lacks depth.
Zemeckis's live action film never a disappointment though it might not be for everyone since the trailer is misleading and you end up expecting something else.Flight is about an alcoholic pilot who saves hundreds of live when his plane went malfunctioned.
Despite an Oscar worthy performance by Denzel Washington, the films too heavy- handed, redundant, and never quite takes full flight.
A large part of the praise for this film goes to Zemeckis' professional direction (hey, this guy's roots are in Lithuania!)Not usually we see great addiction dramas with performances like in "Flight".
Flight brings two talents under one roof- Robert Zemeckis and Denzel Washington and when you hear their name out , you can exactly expect a wholesome entertainment with some power packed performance and superb direction.Known for his alcoholic addiction , Whip Whitaker(Denzel Washington) fights the case for which he is accused of crashing an airplane and killing 6 people on board.After a long time , Robert Zemeckis returns to reality cinema , taking break from live-action animation movies, and gives us a path breaking film never attempted before.
Denzel Washington stars as an alcoholic, drug addicted pilot.
'FLIGHT': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)Denzel Washington gives one of his best performances to date in this dark and disturbing drama about an alcoholic airline pilot who saves nearly a hundred people from dying in a plane crash but then faces possible charges of negligence due to substance abuse.
I am happy to say that while nowhere near a perfect movie, Flight is better than I thought it would be and Denzel, is able to show off his acting abilities in a film where there is no real action, or adventure, but rather a fairly well developed character study that deals with the issue of substance abuse and in this case, alcoholism.
Yes, Denzel Washington is very good here and most likely he will be nominated for an Oscar for his performance, but at times I didn't always feel that Denzel was the right choice to play this character.
Flight (2012) **** (out of 4) Denzel Washington turns in one of the strongest performances of his career playing Walt Whitaker, a pilot who becomes an overnight hero after he saves the majority of the passengers on a doomed plane.
Sure their is an epic crash (Due to the amazing job done by the film crew it looked totally real) however this story revolves about pilot William "Whip" Whitaker (Washington) a divorced heavy drinking/partying who has with that life style surprise surprise a drinking problem. |
tt0076191 | The Incredible Melting Man | A space rocket communicates with ground control at Houston (Dave Hull's voice). The astronaut, Steve West (Alex Rebar) reaches the rings of Saturn and sees the rising sun. A solar explosion reaches him immediately, and he passes out.Steve wakes up at hospital. Dr Leland Loring (Lisle Wilson) wonders aloud how he could survive, but the nurse (Bonnie Inch) can't give him an answer. He decides to call Dr. Ted Nelson (Burr DeBenning). He also stresses to her that Steve's condition must be kept secret. When both leave, Steve wakes up - his head has been completely bandaged, but he sees his monster hands. Taking away his bandages, he sees all the blisters. He becomes enrages. The nurse enters, sees him and runs away. There's nobody else in all the clinic, and monstruous Steve runs after her, who reaches the parking lot by going through a glass door.The two doctors check the dead body, and they find it died of radiation poisoning. They don't even know if it is a contagious condition. Ted phones General Michael Perry (Myron Healey), who insists in keeping the murder and everything secret.Steve has escaped into the woods, and he kills a fisherman (Samuel "Sam" W. Gelfman). Ted and Leland have a conversation in which Ted shows that he's feeling sympathetic towards Steve's plight. Perry phones Nelson at home, and he has to pretend that nothing is wrong in front of his wife Judy Nelson (Ann Sweeny). Outside, two boys (Stuart Edmond Rogers and Chris Witney) give a cigarette to their friend Carol (Julie Drazen), who finds it disgusting. She coughs, dislikes it and steps on it. They go playing, running around the forest. The girl gets lost and she finds the monster. She runs away in panic until she finds her mother (Leigh Mitchell), who tells her that Frankenstein (she refers to the Monster, not the doctor) doesn't exist.Nelson follows the radiation to the forest but can't find him. Sheriff Neil Blake (Michael Alldredge) is already investigating a murder. There is a photographer (Don Walters) who is pushed away. The body looks weird, and the locals get nervous. Nelson says that it must have been a bear, while Perry tries to hide his face. The photographer takes a picture of Nelson and Perry.West wanders aimlessly. Perry will have dinner with the Nelsons and reminds Nelson to keep quiet about their task. Nell Winters (Janus Blythe) and Matt Winters (Jonathan Demme) are going to visit their pregnant daughter, but silly Matt wants to find a shortcut through the forest. Nell and Matt walk, they kiss and stare at the full Moon. They get into their car because a wild dog scares them off. However, this is when they see Steve, who now looks like a monster-size bug, or moth.Steve West sleeps at a cemetery. He keeps on remembering his astronaut past, but he's becoming green goo. Judy stops sewing when the cat breaks a bottle of milk; then, her approaching husband scares her off. Nelson confides in her, and she's distraught about the death of her parents. The sheriff finds them. Nelson gives Judy a sleeping pill. The general stays with Judy while Nelson goes to speak with the sheriff, who gets angry with him because he's not collaborating with him; he even starts to suspect Ted.Another lady, called Helen (Dorothy Love) gets attacked at her home. Two security guards (Westbrook Claridge and Mickey Lolich) see West running around in the water plant they are watching. West throws a maintenance man (Keith Michl). Ted arrives and tries to reason with Steve, who pushes him over the balustrade to his death. Finally, Steve helps Ted. The two security guards appear. They shoot Ted, who was trying to talk to them, so Steve kills them both.Steve drips more and more. Now he looks like a human-size squid. He melts away and dies.The rising sun again. The dam has been saved. Steve is now a bloody mess. A janitor (DeForest Covan) is the first to arrive and sees the bloody scraps of meat. While a newscaster (Jennifer Mulaire) drools on and on broadcasting another mission being launched into space, the janitor puts the remains of Steve into the rubbish bin. | violence, murder | train | imdb | null |
tt0077975 | Animal House | In 1962, college freshmen Lawrence "Larry" Kroger (Tom Hulce) and Kent Dorfman (Stephen Furst) seek to join a fraternity at Faber College. They visit the prestigious Omega Theta Pi House's invitational party, but are not welcomed there. They then try next door at Delta Tau Chi House, where Kent's brother was once a member, making Kent a "legacy." There they find John "Bluto" Blutarsky (John Belushi) urinating outside the fraternity house. The Deltas "need the dues" so they permit Larry and Kent to pledge. They receive the fraternity names "Pinto" (Larry) and "Flounder" (Kent).Vernon Wormer (John Vernon), dean of Faber College, wants to remove the Delta fraternity from campus due to repeated conduct violations and low academic standing. Since they are already on probation, he puts the Deltas on something he calls "double secret probation" and orders the clean-cut, smug Omega president Greg Marmalard (James Daughton) to find a way to get rid of the Deltas permanently.Flounder is bullied by Omega member and ROTC cadet commander Doug Neidermeyer (Mark Metcalf), so Bluto and Daniel Simpson "D-Day" Day (Bruce McGill) persuade Flounder to sneak Neidermeyer's horse into Dean Wormer's office late at night. They give him a gun and tell him to shoot it. Unbeknownst to Flounder, the gun is loaded with blanks. Unable to bring himself to kill the horse, he fires into the ceiling. The noise frightens the horse so much that it dies of a heart attack.In the cafeteria the next day, smooth-talking Eric "Otter" Stratton (Tim Matheson) tries to convince the stuck-up Mandy Pepperidge (Mary Louise Weller) to abandon her boyfriend, the uninteresting Marmalard, and date him instead. Bluto proceeds to provoke Marmalard with his impression of a popping zit by stuffing his mouth with a scoop of mashed potatoes and propelling it at Marmalard and table mates, Chip Diller (Kevin Bacon) and Barbara "Babs" Jansen (Martha Smith). Bluto then starts a food fight that engulfs the cafeteria.Bluto and D-Day steal the answers to an upcoming psychology test, but it turns out the Omegas planted the exam stencil and the Deltas get every answer wrong. Their grade-point averages drop so low that Wormer needs only one more incident to revoke the charter that allows them to remain on campus.To cheer themselves up, the Deltas organize a toga party, during which Otis Day and the Knights perform "Shout". The dean's alcoholic, lecherous wife, Marion (Verna Bloom), attends the party at Otter's invitation and has sex with him. Pinto hooks up with Clorette (Sarah Holcomb), a girl he met at the supermarket, and makes out with her only to learn she is the mayor's 13-year-old daughter. He later takes her home in a shopping cart. Due to the party, Wormer organizes a kangaroo court with the Omegas and revokes Delta's charter and all belongings are confiscated.To take their minds off their troubles, Otter, Donald "Boon" Schoenstein (Peter Riegert), Flounder and Pinto go on a road trip. Otter picks up some girls from Emily Dickinson College by pretending to be the fiancé of Fawn Liebowitz, a girl who recently died on campus. They stop at a roadhouse because Otis Day and the Knights are performing there, not realizing that it caters to an exclusively black clientele. The hulking patrons intimidate the guys and they flee, damaging Flounder's borrowed car and leaving their frightened dates behind.Boon breaks up with his girlfriend Katy (Karen Allen) after discovering her sexual relationship with a professor (Donald Sutherland). Marmalard is told that his girlfriend is having an affair with Otter, so he and other Omegas lure him to a motel and beat him up. The Deltas' midterm grades are so poor that an ecstatic Wormer expels them all. He even notifies their draft boards of their eligibility. In the process, before Bluto attempts to speak to the dean, Wormer orders Flounder to speak with the words, "Well? Out with it!", whereupon Flounder vomits on the dean.It seems time for the Deltas to give up, but Bluto, supported by the injured Otter, rouses them with an impassioned, historically inaccurate speech ("Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!") and they decide to take revenge on Wormer and the Omegas. The Deltas construct a rogue parade float with Flounder's car as its base and wreak havoc on the annual homecoming parade. During the ensuing chaos, the futures of many of the main characters are revealed. The last shot of the film is of Bluto driving away in a white convertible with his soon-to-be wife, Mandy Pepperidge. | comedy, cult, satire, revenge, entertaining, prank | train | imdb | The early bird director John Landis directs this film into greatness bringing stars John Belushi, Tim Matheson, Tom Hulce, Mark Metcalf and Donald Sutherland to the screen in brilliance.
Every successful movie has its myriad clones and imitators, but none of them ever come close to what made the original so good.That's certainly true of "Animal House".The laughs are all solid, especially when the main focus is in toppling the stoic pillars of decency and normality with a battle cry of "food fight!".Pledges Pinto (Hulce) and Flounder (Furst) are good soldiers, making us laugh with their desire to fit in at first then, finally, to succumb to the madness and pillage and destroy with the other Deltas, led by Bluto (Belushi), who waylays all in his path.
I saw this picture for the first time when it was released to theaters and laughed my buns off; it still holds up today, almost 30 years later.Every actor in the show gives a bravura performance, with stand-out debuts by the likes of Thomas Hulce, Tim Matheson, Karen Allen, Bruce Davidson, and others.
A simple story of college life for a bunch of delinquents who seek solace with a an endless supply of beer, toga parties and loads of young girls.It doesn't matter that the Delta House (the home of said delinquents), continually fail to pass their exams, for them sex & booze is all what life is about.The movie is a perfect vehicle for Saturday Night Live star, John Belushi, who is allowed to show off his considerable talent as the biggest sicko of the Delta bunch - check out his impression of a Zit!!But he is well supported by Tom Hulce, and surprisingly Donald Sutherland as the hippy professor with wayout theories.
Able actor, John Vernon, plays the Principle of the college and often the butt of the Delta House: finding a horse in his office is a classic piece of farce!All in all, the film hangs together very well with a good script and superb visual jokes.
It is the gross-out boys-only flick that launched a new wave of rude-n'-crude teen comedies, as well as immortalizing John Belushi as one of America's most beloved comedic icons.It's the 1960s and the Delta fraternity is in trouble with the Faber College's Dean Wormer (John Vernon) yet again.
The writers Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney and Chris Miller create a plethora of strong characters, which helps define and separate "Animal House" from many of its imitators (and indeed compares it to the equally-enjoyable "American Pie" series, which like the "Animal" before it took the time to study and care for its characters, rather than completely exploit them for "humor" it's always harder to laugh at characters we don't care about, and much easier to laugh at those of whom we do).Director John Landis (who would re-team with Belushi again in 1980 with "The Blues Brothers") not only understands his cast (mainly Belushi) but also his audience and paves a way for sibling genre entries through his realistic slapstick approach (this is not crazy in the same way as Airplane, Naked Gun or Police Academy is in fact it's far more rooted in realism and only a few sequences really get out of hand and turn into classic dumb slapstick).John Belushi as the alcoholic Bluto Blutarsky (on getting kicked out of college: "Seven years down the drain!
I might as well join the Peace Corps!") remains the scene-stealer to this day, yet despite the film's close links with Belushi in general he is just a co-star, and when on-screen rarely speaks (a fact played to the film's comedic advantage when Bluto gives his final rousing speech, it seems to mean something, even if
well
it doesn't.) Belushi demanded the largest paycheck of all the actors including Donald Sutherland but is hardly the "star" of "Animal House." Had he been, it may very well not have been as successful as it turned out to be not because Bluto is annoying, but because introducing him in smaller portions rather than focusing on him alone constructs a fall-back mechanism of sorts; when the comedy is lagging too much, they bring in Bluto for support.Bluto thrives on fun and partying when he learns of a possible toga party, he begins a chant.
"Animal House" doesn't only have its fair share of funny material and iconic screen moments, but is also incredibly entertaining, rowdy and cool the quintessential college film and certainly the sort of comedy any self-respecting bachelor would make sure he views at least two hundred times a year.
Controversial one in 3....2...1.Animal House is one of those infamous household name cult classics, yet despite my movie obsession it's taken me this long to get around to it.It's been in the IMDB's top 250 and isn't far off going in there again, but what did I think?I think, it's very overrated.
We'd seen it before this and we've seen it plenty of time since, it's a classic concept and usually a fairly fun one.What really helps the film is its cast, it has a host of familiar and talented faces from those you can name to those you'll just recognise as being prominent character actors for the past number of decades.Notable names would be John Belushi, Tim Matheson, Donald Sutherland and one of my earliest "Celebrity" crushes Karen Allen.
What I don't see however is why it was met with such critical acclaim, it's a fun movie but why is it considered THAT good?Animal House is a harmless little comedy but hardly groundbreaking even in the 70's.The Good:Incredible castKaren Allen #droolFeel good charmThe Bad:Simply not THAT funnyWeirdly could have used a bit of extra timeThings I Learnt From This Movie:Knowledge is goodReal ladies use rubber glovesWomen commonly stand in front of windows in a state of undressGod delivers Playboy bunnies on demand.............now I get the appealRape jokes are funny when they're about men.
This has got to be the most-OVERRATED comedies of all time,I have no idea why everyone haved been raving about this silly SO-CALLED CULT-CLASSIC,sure that's what i expect from a movie like this and i do enjoy the genre,but the cookie-cutter script just frankly lacks BREAK-AWAY humor and the humor is too dull for my taste,I'll go with PORKYS, BLUES BROTHERS or AIRPLANE!
The posh kids wouldn't have them, and the losers couldn't care less, so the join Delta House, who are already on "double secret probation" (what the hell is that – how are you supposed to know you are in trouble if you aren't told about it?) After various illegal activities, underage drinking, underage sex, hints at date rape (we believe his conscience got the better of him) horse murder, in addition to academic issues, such as NOT GOING TO ANY CLASSES or having grade point averages of less than zero, they seem somewhat surprised and shocked when they are expelled.I did identify a few attempts at humor in the process: The inability to open a bra strap has now become such a cliché – and I know it wasn't a new joke when this film used it – that it is purely not funny.
The closest thing for me to an actual comedy moment, was when the house was being emptied and a cow was led down the front steps.In protest at their expulsion, our (anti?)heroes decide to get their revenge, ruining the homecoming parade, an event that the good people of the town were very much enjoying, they assault, molest and pretty much attempted murder their way to notoriety, finishing off with driving their "death wagon" or some such into the platform holding the Dean and his wife.
Animal House is beautifully filmed, has a good soundtrack and John Landis does a great job directing, while the sight gags are smart and the script has enough hilarious one-liners to keep you chuckling.
The acting is very good, while Kevin Bacon, Tom Hulce, Peter Reigert and Donald Sutherland give great performances, it is John Belushi's film all the way as he gives one of his best ever performances in this film.
Got it?This has it all: getting drunk every night is the goal; vandalizing is fun; being totally obnoxious and a slob is the only way to act and be cool; make fun of any kind of authority, especially anyone connected to the (ugh) military; make fun of anyone who is religious and party til you puke!!!This is what life is all about and who better to show this than John Belushi....the ultimate party slob (until he overdosed on drugs and killed himself but, hey, at least he wasn't a phony actor just playing a role).Animal House - ah, the benefits of higher education!.
A much talked-about movie, not just because of the stars like John Belushi, but also because of the insanity and taboos broken (lecturers smoking pot, promiscuous sex et al), Animal House is easily one of the best wild comedies ever made.Merely watching the movie makes one relish for days of skipping classes and wreaking havoc everywhere.
Not a word is said, it only takes seconds on screen, by a nameless actor, yet it is one of the funniest bits ever filmed.If nothing else, how many other comedies 30+ years old are still watched repeatedly by millions of people.I will echo another's comment: You need to see this on a DVD or VHS, not on TV, where half the humor is bleeped or cut..
The late, great John Belushi is absolutely outstanding, Donald Sutherland makes an appearance, and Kevin Bacon's "Thank you sir may I have another?" line is an instant classic.
Animal House set the standard for college/drinking/women chasing/bad behavior movies of the last 20 years.
With an Oscar worthy preformance by John Belushi it is a movie that continues to be interesting and simply hilarious every time you watch it.
slobs movie, every pitiful 'slacker' comedy ever made in the past owes a great debt to 'Animal House'.
My favorite comedy and one of the all-time greats.Perhaps more memorable one-liners than any other movie.My fave lines were by Dean Wormer concerning "double secret probation" and his verbal chastisement of John "Bluto" Blutarski....
Animal House(1978) was done during a excellent time in movie making for John Landis in which he came up with films like Kentucky Fried Movie(1977), The Blues Brothers(1980), An American Werewolf in London(1981), and Into the Night(1985).
One such line to look for...it's toward the end of the movie and Bluto(played in such an incredible manner by the late great John Belushi) stands up to rally the Delta's.
The Delta House, led by Otter, Boone, D-Day, and Bluto, show the pledge class of 1962 that "fat, drunk, and stupid," is the way to live it up during you college years.
He directs this movie with such energy and comic zest that it is no wonder he went on to make other great movies like "The Blues Brothers.""Animal House" is a better movie than people may have first realized.
Jon Landis' "Animal House" is one of the best-directed comedies in American film history -- and one of the funniest.
It's in my tope ten favorite comedies.The genius of "Animal House" is that it intended to a b-movie type of film.
It's amusing to see then unknown Kevin Bacon so young; Peter Riegert and Karen Allen make a very appealing couple (but their dramatic back story is dull); John Vernon is excellent, and very funny, as Dean Wormer; Tim Matheson is also very good--he nicely underplays his role (and flashes his butt briefly); this made John Belushi a star (he IS funny--sometimes); there's great direction by John Landis (especially during the "Shout" number); there's a bombastic Elmer Bernstein score that helps and seeing Tom Hulce and Stephen Furst so young is incredible.BUT that doesn't excuse the lousy script; horrible jokes; the sexism; the racism; Donald Sutherland's pointless and lousy performance and the fact that this film is DULL!!!!!!I'm giving it a 4...and I'm BEING generous!.
After hearing all the hype about the "classic" comedy Animal House I figured it was time to watch this movie and see for myself.
Belushi's John "Bluto" Blutarsky is in a class all by himself, Eric "Otter" Stratton (Tim Matheson) is a new kind of pervert, Donald "Boone" Schoenstein (Peter Riegert) toes too many lines for his own good, Larry "Pinto" Kroger (Tom Hulce) tries but fails to play it straight, and Kent "Flounder" Dorfman (Stephen Furst) is a dork.Then, there's the vicious Omega house.
What was considered distasteful, grotesque or disturbing but funny back in those days now seems very cheesy and distinctly unfunny as the comedies of today have raised the bar far beyond Animal House.The problem with this movie is that every scene is either not acted enough or far over-acted by John Belushi.
Admittedly, though that may of helped me find some scenes funny, the acting in this film made lines that should of worked not work and the movie almost screams for a laugh track as it would be appropriate, given the wooden dialogue and sitcom-like over-acting and premises.Time has moved on and good comedies of today are in a far superior league not just because of the acting shown but because they either choose to embrace the cheesiness or wackiness of their story and do things that people in the 70's wouldn't imagine seeing at M and R16 comedies, which Animal House tries to do but fails as the wacky, disturbing stuff was done far more tastefully.Other comedies focus on realism and are funny because you can imagine yourself in a situation not too far away from the one the characters find themselves in and the jokes they make are a lot like the ones you and your friends make.In short, Animal House may have been revolutionary in the 70's but an audience watching it today would expect far more from a movie so highly acclaimed.
Animal House is one of those movies that makes everyone give you a funny look if you haven't seen it.
All right, after about 25 years, I decided to once again watch National Lampoon's Animal House which was the movie that made SNL star John Belushi a bona fide film star.
After sitting through about 1/3 of Animal House (a movie about a college dean trying to expel the trouble-making Delta Tau Chi Fraternity), I switched it off.
1st watched 6/10/2001 - 3 out of 10 (Dir-John Landis): Mostly unfunny supposed classic comedy that really only has a couple of scenes that are actually funny.
Such an easy watch and a must see film for those, who like myself, are big fans of teen movies set within a college backdrop.
Although Tim Matheson, Peter Reigert, Thomas Hulce and all the other more main characters are all funny in their own way and all give good performances this film would have been nothing without John Belushi.
Animal House sort of brought on that kind of comedy, but did it better than almost all of them, even the nude scenes are funny, not just there to bring guys in.
I saw this the year after I saw each episode of Delta House and I was just as Impressed with this even after seeing the TV Series of which was based on this film.Check my review on that site too.Otis Day and The Nights along with John Belushi as Bluto and Stephen Furst as Flounder and all of the rest of the cast of the fraternity and Needermyer really make the movie as they do when they reprise their roles the following year in Delta House.Bluto's Famous"Food Fight!" quote and The Frat Boys having the time of their lives whether up against the administration or the soldiers including when they have the Toga Party right up to messing up the Parade and the films end with the Animal house lyrics along with the "Do the Bluto lyrics." You'll go astray as how I did even the first time of which I saw this movie late on a Sunday night on HBO.But I most especially like how the Playboy Bunny flew into the window of the boy who was looking at his Playboy Magazine & said "Thank You God!" and even though my big brother J.Kevin blew it before I'd heard it it was still funny.
The first time i've seen animal house i could'nt stop laughing.its raunchy and wild.the late john Belushi steals the show as blutarski.
it depicts college and frat house's in 1963.john Vernon as the mean spirited dean wormer adds to the mayhem.this by the way was Kevin Bacon's first film,after that he went to star in;Friday the 13th.
John Belushi can just make you die of laughter, because he is so funny."Animal House" is your basic comedy that works very well.
(the movie, not the watered-down TV show), 'Saturday Night Live', and THE KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, mix in the youthful, anarchistic humor of writers Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, and Chris Miller, add the energy of director John Landis and an inspired cast, and top it all off with liberal quantities of John Belushi, and you have the recipe of the ULTIMATE college comedy, ANIMAL HOUSE.
For a movie without a message, this one is actually one of the funniest comedies of all time, and, true to form, Belushi steals every scene with his screwball humor.
I'm not comparing John Landis to George Lucas or Hitchcock, but the man has always gone his own way, and together with the funny and talented scriptwriter Harold Ramis, he delivers one of the top ten best comedies ever which shouldn't be missed by no one.Animal house also contains a wonderful soundtrack and some great first time actors; Tim Matheson, Karen Allen, Kevin Bacon, Bruce McGuill, and the talented John Belushi (may he rest in peace) as Bluto.
In 1978, there were only a few things a movie needed to be really funny...sex, beer, drugs, and John Belushi. |
tt0098554 | Uncle Buck | Bob and Cindy Russell and their three kids, 15-year-old Tia, 8-year-old Miles, and 6-year-old Maizy, have recently moved from Indianapolis to the Chicago suburbs because of Bob's promotion. Late one night, they receive a phone call from Indianapolis informing them that Cindy's father has suffered a heart attack. They make plans to leave immediately to be with him. After hearing the news, Tia, bitter about having been forced to move, accuses Cindy of abandoning her father.
Bob suggests asking his brother, Buck, to come watch the children, to which Cindy objects. While they are middle class suburbanites, Buck is unemployed, lives in a small apartment in Chicago, drinks and smokes, and earns his living by betting on rigged horse races. He drives a dilapidated 1977 Mercury Marquis that pours smoke and backfires. His girlfriend, Chanice, owns an automobile tire shop. The couple have been together for eight years; Chanice wants to get married and start a family and Buck has grudgingly accepted a new job at her shop. Since no one else is available to help Bob and Cindy, they have no choice but to turn to Buck. Buck cheerfully informs Chanice that he can't start his job yet due to the family emergency. Chanice thinks Buck is trying, as usual, to lie his way out of working.
Upon arriving, Buck quickly befriends Miles and Maizy, but the rebellious Tia is aloof, and the two engage in a battle of wills. When Buck meets Tia's obnoxious boyfriend, Bug, Buck warns her that Bug is only interested in her for sex. Buck repeatedly thwarts her plans to sneak away on dates with Bug. Over the next several days, he deals with a number of situations in comedic fashion, including taking the kids to his favorite bowling alley, making enormous pancakes for Miles' birthday, ejecting a drunken birthday clown from the property, speaking with the school assistant principal about Maizy, and handling the laundry when the washing machine doesn't work.
Eventually, Tia exacts revenge on Buck for meddling in her relationship with Bug by misleading Chanice to think he is cheating on her with their neighbor, Marcy; the two have an argument and Chanice leaves him. The following weekend, concerned after Tia sneaks out to a party, Buck decides to go looking for her rather than attend a horse race which would have provided him with enough money for the entire following year. He calls and begs Chanice to watch Miles and Maizy as he searches for Tia. At the party, thinking that Bug is taking advantage of her in a bedroom, he forces the door open by drilling out the lock, but walks in on Bug with another girl. He kidnaps Bug. After he finds Tia wandering the streets, she apologizes to him and acknowledges he was right about Bug. Buck lets Bug out of the trunk to apologize to her. When Bug is finally released, he threatens to sue him. Buck then strikes him with a golf ball, making him retract his apology and flee. At home, Tia helps Buck reconcile with Chanice by admitting her lie and tells her that he would be a good husband and father. Buck also agrees to start his job at the garage.
Bob and Cindy return from Indianapolis, Cindy's father having recovered. Upon entering the house, Tia surprises her mother with a hug. Buck and Chanice then leave for Chicago, with Buck and Tia exchanging a loving wave goodbye. | humor | train | wikipedia | As hard as it is to pick a favorite role that John Candy ever portrayed, I'd have to say it was Uncle Buck.
Although this wasn't the only title he and Culkin ever shared, it was the only film the two ever shared any time on screen together.Basic plot: Candy's sister-in-law's father has just had a heart attack in the middle of the night and the two parents rush trying to find someone to watch the kids for them while they hop the next flight to go see her father.
However, the oldest of the children doesn't care for her bumbling uncle, and the discipline and protection he places upon her, while her parents are away.A great heart-warming comedy that will make you laugh and possibly even cry at times.
If you see only one John Candy movie make it UNCLE BUCK..
It is very good but it is a simple little film, one of those nice films to watch on a Sunday afternoon without having to rack your brain or think too hard.The late John Candy excels here as Buck Russell who at first glance is a slob and without much going for him.
The film really is about a guy who looks like the type of man you would keep your family away from but who is in fact a guy with a heart of gold.I recommend Uncle Buck to anyone who fancies watching a nice simple little film for the whole family to enjoy.
John Candy plays Uncle Buck, a guy who has to look after his brothers children for a while, as his brother and sister-in-law have to go away.
Not really sure how things work, but trying hard to make friends with the younger kids (Gabby Hoffman and Maculay Culkin), and trying very hard to make peace with the older, cynical niece (Jean Louise Kelly) who for some reason, just can't take a liking to Buck.
Though, I think the funniest scenes are with Laurie Metcalf (always a scene stealer) as the seductive, cooky next door neighbor who takes a liking to Buck.John Hughes fans in general will probably enjoy this comedy, though that depends if you kept maintained faithfulness to his film catalogue even after he started going strictly with mindless family films (and not teenage comedies).
Though, this is the earliest period of that transition, about the same time as Dutch and Curly Sue, so it really depends on what serves your taste as far as John Hughe's family film collection goes.It is a nice little comedy, and one that wouldn't hurt to try.
Uncle Buck is a lovable character who, though irresponsible at times, loves his brother's children like his own.
The story,acting,music,and cast is just right.The film is very funny and it is never boring.I just love the Uncle Buck character.The character always wants to have a good time,is always kind and does small and big things for people that he doesn't even have to do.
I wish more people in the world was like this.Anyway I have seen it many times and in My opinion its a classic!If you haven't seen Uncle Buck and love John Candy,silly and serious comedies then check out this great movie!I highly recommend it!.
John Hughes' Uncle Buck is a comedy that isn't as recognized as much as his acclaimed films (Home Alone, Pretty In Pink, Weird Science, Breakfast Club, 16 Candles), but this is just as funny and heartwarming as the others.
What's behind it?The movie is about a character named Buck, who is played by the late John Candy.
To my mind, Uncle Buck was the role of John Candy's life.This character is a man who has more faults and weaknesses than you could ever count, but it's clear that he is very warm-hearted and, *surprise!*, can be a good parent in a very inventive way.
He plays the part of the lovable slob, who may not always make the best decisions for himself, but is remarkably shrewd when it comes to other peopleGood family entertainment and is a great advert for Uncles (and Aunts too of course) to take a greater role on helping their young relatives find their way in the world Feel good - yes!.
If you really want to have a great lazy Saturday afternoon watching movies, be sure and rent this one.And remember kids, the blue water's not good for the dog..
John Candy always had a sweetness about him that was obvious in any movie I ever saw him in & even though his comedy was sometimes a little over the top he was still more consistently funny than either Farley or Belushi.
This is John Candy at his absolute hilarious best as the family slob and misfit who has to babysit his brother's children for a week.One thing that does bug me, is that subsequent re-releases of this on video, have placed Macaulay Culkin as the star of this movie.
It is a wonderful early performance from him, giving a glimpse of the character he would hone to such perfection in Home Alone, but this movie should always belong to Candy, who is funny and charming in every scene he appears in.There may be funnier performances from Candy, such as Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but none showcase his individual comic ability more than this.An essential addition to any video collection, as a fitting momento to one of Hollywood's must loveable and endearing funny men..
John Candy is Buck Russell, a character very similar to Del Griffith from Planes, Trains & Automobiles.
He has a girlfriend who desperately wants him to grow up but...he can't be bothered.But when Buck is called to the wintry, affluent suburbs to look after his brother's kids for a couple of weeks (much to his sister-in-law's horror) he learns what it's like to be a responsible adult and does surprisingly well with his extended babysitting chore (in his own unique way).Uncle Buck was Candy's fourth (of five) collaboration with Hughes and the role is clearly tailor-made for him.
Not because of his teen movies, but because he made my favorite comedy ever: `Planes, Trains and Automobiles' with Steve Martin and John Candy.
Anyway
John Hughes' second to last film he directed was a little, low budget comedy named `Uncle Buck,' about a guy named Buck (John Candy) and his ordeals of the week.Basically, to make a long story short, Buck's brother and sister-in-law are called out of town because of a family emergency.
There are some funny one-liners that have John Candy saying things like `Ever heard of a ritual killing,' etc
(anyone who's seen the movie knows what I mean).John Candy uses his natural comedic charm in this film; he is loveable and huggable.Macaulay Culkin has his best role in this film.
He was not yet an annoying brat, and could actually handle his lines, for once, without sounding like he is reading off a piece of cardboard (see `Home Alone' and/or `The Good Son').John Hughes directs the film in his typical fashion.
Every time I see the freeze-frame ending it makes me want to cry (well, I feel sad, at least), because like `Planes
' the freeze-frame captures John Candy at his best, with his heart shining through.
Strangely that makes her funny (probably because this is in a movie) but in real life I couldn't stand someone like her.Macaulay Culkin and Gaby Hoffmann (two talented kids from that time) star as the brothers Miles and Maizy.
John Candy, whose tragic and untimely death deprived us of great comedic talent and of a wonderful actor, gives a great deal of depth and believability to his role and plays his character with a great deal of warmth and humor that is endearing to watch.
While it's no "Planes, Trains & Automobiles", this is a pretty funny John Hughes/John Candy film with some good sentiment.
I first saw his 1987 film, "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" starring John Candy and Steve Martin, in 2006, and thought it was a great comedy.
"Uncle Buck" is another movie written, directed, and produced by Hughes and starring Candy, both of whom are sadly no longer with us.
I had known about this film for quite a while by the time I finally saw it, and I wasn't expecting it to be as good as the 1987 movie, which it isn't, but it was still enough to leave me with a good feeling.Bob and Cindy Russell recently moved from Indianapolis to Chicago with their three offspring, Miles and Maizy, who are both under ten years old, and Tia, who is now a teenager.
It helps that there are also some good dramatic moments in the movie, especially towards the end.Basically, what makes this flick inferior to "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" is that it's not as consistent as its predecessor, and the 1987 John Hughes/John Candy collaboration certainly doesn't have any characters that are as off-putting as the Tia character is here.
In between those two films, Hughes wrote but didn't direct a comedy entitled "The Great Outdoors", which also features Candy in the cast, but I haven't seen that one, so I don't know how it compares, but "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" and "Uncle Buck" are both funny comedies which can also be serious in some scenes, with good sentiment, and Candy really stands out in both of them.
I can understand why "Uncle Buck" doesn't have the appeal of its hilarious predecessor, but there is a lot to make it watchable, and it can remind us of the talent Hughes and Candy had..
John Hughes, one of the most underrated directors of the last 50 years, is on form and keeps the saccharine sweet nature of the film well under control in a way few others could.Other than Candy the rest of the cast is amazing with many household names.
What counts is John Candy is the star, and watching this movie on the Disney Channel helps me better realize how much of a great comedian he was.
It's been a while since his death, and that's why it's good that they show this movie to pay homage to the great John Candy.
Of the four main players in here - John Candy, Jean Kelly, Amy Madigan and Macauley Caulkin - the only one I've never heard about (at that time) was the one that annoyed the heck out of me and ruined the film.
I am referring to Kelly in the role of teenage brat, "Tia Russell." Ironically, six years later she played a stunning and extremely likable role in the person of "Rowena Morgan" in "Mr. Holland's Opus."Candy, as usual, is fun to watch as "Buck Russell," or the title character, "Uncle Buck." Few actors were better at playing a lovable, hapless slob than Candy.
Out of desperation they turn to someone whom they have grave reservations about in terms of his suitability for the job - Bob's single, layabout brother, Buck.Sweet, funny movie, written directed by the master of the poignant- yet-funny 80s comedy-drama, John Hughes.
The transformation of Uncle Buck, played superbly by John Candy, from a single slacker to a responsible adult with better parenting skills than most is quite heart-warming and makes the movie into a great drama.Some quite hilarious scenes too, so a good combination of comedy and drama.Unfortunately, probably thanks to some scenes in this movie and Macaulay Culkin's role in it, John Hughes did go down the silly adults-vs-kid (with the kid as the hero) slapstick route soon after this.
Amy Madigan is on hand as Buck's sorta girlfriend while Macaulay Culkin and Gaby Hoffmann play the younger kids.This movie has garnered a decent reputation over the years, but I didn't see it until last night.
Uncle Buck is another highlight on John Hughe's film reel.
John Candy is a comedian that died before his time, but thankfully he was able to make this movie as this is one of his best roles.
The Late/Great John Hughes delivers a gem of a film with 'Uncle Buck'.
Performance-Wise: The Late/Great John Candy brings Uncle Buck to life, with a stupendous performance.
Most when asked.."You know John Candy?"...More than likely the answer will be.."Oh yeah...Uncle Buck." Like many other John Hughes films, Uncle Buck relies on Comedy and a little bit of love.
i like this film.it has a an endearing quality to it that makes it so easy to watch.i think i was six when i saw it in the cinema and i remember renting it a lot and taping it on TV every year for about 5 years,and then i forgot about it until i was going through a john hughes phase recently.
its definitely no "planes,trains and automobiles" or "ferris bueller's day off",but the late,great john candy can make me sit through a lot of unfunny films just because of his presence.this is a film that won't change your life,but if you are a hughes fan,it's a warm inviting film with usual michigan setting,80's new wave music and warm atmosphere to it.it does end all of a sudden and your left wanting a bit more,but its an enjoyable ride nonetheless..
John Candy plays a man named Buck Russell, who has to babysit the children of his brother Bob (Garrett M.Brown) and sister-in-law Cindy Russell (Elaine Bronka).The children include little Miles (Macaulay Culkin), little Maizy (Gaby Hoffman) and a rebellious teenager Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly).Tia isn't too pleased about the fact Buck is looking after them.Especially when he gets in the way of the relationship of her and Bug (Jay Underwood).During the babysitting process Buck does some growing as an individual.But can he keep his girlfriend Chanice Kobolowski (Amy Madigan), when he has kept treating her badly for years?
I guess nobody stays as a kid forever, not even Peter Pan.He became Robin Williams when he grew up.Gaby Hoffman does really sweet role work.Jean Louisa Kelly is there to offer some drama to this movie.She's terrific.Mike Starr has a great visit there as the drunken clown Pooter.Macaulay Culkin's My Girl buddy Anna Chlumsky makes a brief visit as a school child.Uncle Buck offers some many funny moments, like when Buck does some golfing to Bug.Everybody who hasn't had a laugh in a long time, should watch this movie..
Director, John Hughes, pulls off another great credit to his name, I hope he keeps up the good work.If you are a fan of John Candy, definitely see this film as soon as possible, I'm sure you'll like it.
Uncle Buck is a great movie for the whole family.
John Candy is is a crack up, and his funniest movie since Trains Planes and Automobiles.I have seen this movie about 1,000 times and it's still funny.
Jean Louisa Kelly is the perfect snotty teenager, and Macaulay Culkin and Gaby Hoffman are also great as Miles and Maisy.This was one of the movies I watched when I was younger, so it will always be a favorite of mine!
Arguably the weakness movie of the three, Candy's timing and soft self-deprecating humor as a bachelor turned babysitter give "Uncle Buck" a charming center that helps you endure Jean Louisa Kelly's grating performance, as his snotty angst-ridden niece, and John Hughes' sappy direction..
John Candy plays uncle Buck, a perpetually unemployed man who is called over to his brother's house when they unexpectedly have to leave town on a family emergency, since they cannot take their three children with them.
And although he made very few films that were good enough to show his comedic ability, it reminded me just how funny and lovable John Candy could be before his unfortunate death (a sentence I never thought I would say/type).The character of Tia has to be one of the most annoying characters in a Hughes movie since Anthony Michael Hall in Sixteen Candles.
John Candy gives one of his very best performances ever in this touching and funny movie by the great John Hughes.
Uncle Buck is never included many times in a list of good John Hughes films and
old Uncle Buck played by John Candy.The younger two Gaby Hoffman and MacCauley Culkin are happy to have their
telling her off is priceless.One of John Candy's best films, still very funny indeed..
A much-watched John Hughes classic, this marked a move away from his teen angst/coming of age style movies into more family-focused films with broader appeal.
Culkin is so funny in this, he got the HOME ALONE films and huge international stardom from it.Anyway, UNCLE BUCK is a must watch for fans of John Candy, because it seems almost to have been written as a tribute to the larger-than-life star.
This movie is for the entire family.John Candy is superb as Uncle Buck.
Uncle Buck is comedy which is recommend to watch over and over again, because the movie its self is very funny.
"Uncle Buck" lets Candy have great fun with the role of a slobby bachelor who seems like the type of person to keep your kids away from, but who turns out to be an incredibly responsible and caring guy.
It's a fun movie, and definitely worth watching for John Candy at his best..
UNCLE BUCK (1989) ***1/2 John Candy, Jean Louisa Kelly, Amy Madigan, Macaulay Culkin, Gaby Hoffman, Laurie Metcalf.
John Hughes comedy about lovable loser Buck Russell (Candy's finest comic moment) who is forced to take care of his brother's kids when an emergency occurs.
John Candy has made a great film!
I really miss John Candy very much and have always loved his movies.
john candy is really funny as uncle buck.
As for UNCLE BUCK, i'd say it's a funny, but predictable movie.
John Candy as Uncle Buck is exactly the right role for this talented comedian.
The film is the story of Candy (Uncle Buck) taking care of his brother's three children for a few days.
Along with Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Uncle Buck ranks as one of John Candy's best films. |
tt0104812 | Map of the Human Heart | This 1993 film is a love story about a young eskimo boy, Jason Scott Lee, and a metisse (French for half breed) girl, Anne Parillaud, set in Arctic Canada. The story begins pre WWII with the main characters as children and the beginning of their love, continues through WWII with their love truly and fully blossoming, and ends sometime after the war with the eskimo boy, now an old alcoholic man meeting a young woman. What sets this apart from most love stories is how it ends, rather how it doesn't end. It doesn't end with your typical "and they lived happily ever after" finale. SPOILER ALERT: don't read on if you haven't yet seen it.It finishes with love at the final end being unfulfilled, never really resolved. Although I'll have to say that there is a parallel ending - probably insisted upon by the producers - that shows the audience what it would've been liked had everything worked out. That scene notwithstanding, the story unfolds quite innocently, midway becomes joyful as the two young people, the boy and the girl now a young man and young woman in their prime of their life, consumate the relationship that was always meant to be although there is an outside force which threatens and ultimately thwarts their "happy ever after" scenario. Toward the end, the film turns a bit depressing, the story showing us how disappointing things turned out. The young woman, the alcoholic old man meets, is very special in his life (not a love interest) and the timing of his meeting with her makes it all more tragic.Although other reviewers thought this film corny I credit it for being closer to life than a lot of other Hollywood big budget movies. Things didn't work out - how many times has that happened in our own personal lives? This of course with the tacked on alternative pseudo ending aside.It's a long film but well worth the sit. Don't expect to leave it uplifted but moved. Beautiful cinematography and well paced direction. The scenes of the polar animals and night bombings of Germany are quite compelling. The love scene on the blimp will stay forever in one's mind. Out of 5 stars I'd give it a 4 simply because it did get slow at times and because of the phony happy ending toward the end.Cameo appearances from John Cusack and Jeanne Moreau. | bleak, atmospheric, flashback | train | imdb | This is one of the few movies that actually cost me some sleep after I first saw it one evening.The two main characters are "half-breeds," Avik (or "Holy Boy") is an Eskimo- white man and "Albertine," an Indian-French female.
The filmmakers did an amazing job finding two kids who really look like the two adults probably would have looked like when they were young and with the same voice inflections and accents.As adults Jason Scott Lee and Anne Parillaud are memorable.
So is the cinematography, particularly the Dresden bombing scene which is simply jaw- dropping.Warning: the movie is heart-wrenching at times with not a happy ending, but I think that helps make this film so memorable, so haunting.
We experience the horrors of war and the exhilaration of reunited lovers, and the film's final scene is truly haunting and heartbreaking.
This is a film of great performances and moments, the firestorm in Dresden gives me nightmares.I would love to recommend the film, but its ultimately so bleak I don't know many people who would want to see it.Still I give it 10 out of 10 simply because it provokes such a deep reaction in me..
Outstanding acting, especially from the little boy Eskimo, then from Jason, as the adult character/pilot for the RAF.
Absolutely beautiful cinematography; a story that kicks the heart strings in many ways -- kicks and tickles, too, a few times.
I'm usually a "guy Movie" person, but this film moved me so profoundly.
Great great story, I loved this movie!!!!.
It tells the story of Avik, a young Eskimo boy who meets Walter Russell (Patrick Bergin) when Walter comes to map his village.
Avik discovers he has Tuberculosis, and Walter takes the young boy to Montreal where he stays at a Catholic hospital.
There he meets Albertine, a young girl of mixed French Canadian and Indian blood.
He finds he is ostracized by his fellow tribe, because he has lived too long among the white people.Avik as an adult is played by Jason Scott Lee. By this time, Canada is involved in World War II, and Avik joins the Air Force and flies on bombing raids.
Avik does not want to interfere in the relationship, because Walter saved his life.This is a story of two people who are truly in love, but whom the fates keep apart.
This film isn't for everyone, but if you like a good romantic tear jerker, this is for you..
At first I just watched it cause Jason Scott Lee was in it so I thought there was gonna be some butt whupin in it but as I watched on I realized that it wasn't that kind of movie.
Through out the movie you can't help but feel bad for Avik.
In "Map of the Human Heart", a down and out middle aged Eskimo man recounts his life story to an Arctic cartographer (Cusack, who has only a few minutes on screen) which constitutes the bulk of the film via flashback.
His story begins with his puppy love relationship with a young half-breed girl in a hospital.
The film meanders from the dramatic to the poignant to the romantic to the horrific and back to square one where it continues the story in present day.
Beautifully filmed and well executed though a bit clumsy at times, "Map..." spackles up its many plot holes and provides a thoughtful fantasy camouflage for its lack of resolution in the end while serving up very pretty Kodak moments such as making love on a barrage balloon or dancing in the rafters high above an orchestra.
American movie goers and film watchers (and Reviewers here) find something missing or too over-the-top in Canadian projects, wherever they're financed.
Very good - and moving and thought-provoking, and so on ..."Map..." has a love scene that could have come from the mind & imagination of Spielberg.
But was rather disappointed that they have never released a directors cut, I remember when it first came out there was a 4-5 hour version show at the Venice or Berlin film festival, I still have the cutting of a review from the screening and the writer was totally blown away by it and commented that it deserved to be released uncut.
But back then as we know now people weren't prepared to sit in a cinema for that long, but now with the advent of DVD and everyone basically wanting a cinema at home with large plasma and 5.1 sound, its great that you are now getting the choice to see these gems as they were originally envisioned, its a real shame as i personally feel that this was a highlight of everyone involved in this movie, and is wards best movie, you also can tell when watching it that there is a lot of stuff missing, especially in the cuts from scene to scene.
I'm not a big fan of the romance genre, but I am a fan of Jason Scott Lee, and this movie was recommended to me by several of my friends.
The agony of the characters' situations was at times almost unbearable, and the cruelty that life can show was never so clearly captured.I was drawn back to this film because of a recent article I read in one of the major weekly periodicals, which discussed the changing role of the Asian male in popular American culture.
It is a love story, with a tell-tale of a time long ago.
There is probably a great book behind this movie, because the epic sweep of the story is interesting, ranging from the 1920s in the Canadian north, through World War II, to a return to the north in the 1960s.
I'm not sure what the other reviewer saw in this film, but this is not a great love story, it's not even a good attempt at a love story.
Map of the Human Heart is one the great coming-of-age romance films of all time.
We've fell in love with Robert Joamie & Annie Galipeau characters the story-scenes of them were very loving, sweet, caring, and moving; couldn't stop watching them.
Throughout the film there were sad times and the audience felt what the character Avik was feeling.
As of 2018 I decided to watch this film again and again the story always inspires me.
At an Arctic oil site, elderly Inuit Avik (Jason Scott Lee) befriends the newly arrived Mapmaker (John Cusack).
As a boy, Avik's tribe is visited by cartographer Walter Russell (Patrick Bergin).
In England, he runs into Albertine (Anne Parillaud) who is now having an affair with Walter.This is an epic of tragic romance.
There is a lot of story here and director Vincent Ward does a pretty good job.
This movie, about love lost and found, started out full of promise.
He heals, learns English and meets a girl who, like him, is a half-breed, and they enjoy an episode of puppy love until she is whisked away.
Coincidentally, the girl is also working for the British military, reading the photographs taken by Avik on his bombing runs.
The central character of a beautiful and mysterious half-breed woman who seeks to escape into "white" society doesn't work in the transition from childhood to adulthood, unlike the other central character of the Inuit boy who becomes an acculturated man who later survives World War II's Dresden bombing raid when his plane is shot down.
His mysterious survival when all other crew members are killed as the plane explodes and among the firestorm of Dresden's somehow transforms him into reverting back to Inuit life, avoiding his childhood love, and becoming a somewhat drunken stock "native" figure in a land being devastated by oil exploration who avoids the daughter who comes seeking her father..
The only aspect of the film that is even passable is the cinematography, which, though dark, does a consistently good job of telling the story.
But, if you care one iota about plot, consistent and or logical character motivation, and pacing, avoid this never-ending series of outrageous vignettes masquerading as a movie.
This is not my idea of a good time or good film making..
This film is one of them in that it has absolutely no story to it at all.
It looks good but is empty of real meaning to the overall narrative because the narrative does not exist and so on to a infinite regress.In like manner the use of a moment – a key scene – is used to show some deeper though wholly ridiculous scene to make a magical moment in an otherwise idiotic film.
Map stars Jason Scott Lee as an Eskimo named Avik who is taken from his people as a boy by an explorer named Walter (Patrick Bergen) because he has tuberculosis.
In the hospital where he is sent he meets up with a young half-breed French Canadian girl named Albertine (Anne Parillaud, as the adult version) and they become inseparable friends, usually annoying the strict Catholic headmistress (Jeanne Moreau) with their pranks.
In the course of time, Albertine is healed and leaves; eventually Avik is as well and he returns to his own people.
Near the end of his service time, he chances to run into Albertine again, who is working in bomber command, and the two rekindle their friendship, which has turned into something more for Avik, at least.Map is a slow-moving film that lingers on its subject and the beautiful countryside that surrounds them.
Whether it's the fields outside of a Montreal hospital, the English countryside, or the endless white snows of the Arctic, we are continually treated to sumptuous visions of the earth all the better to contrast with the characters, who find themselves confined much of the time, be it in a bomber, a bunker, or an igloo.The beauty is also starkly counter-balanced by the best scene in the film, a final raid over Dresden that is a testament to the bizarre beauty that can be found in hellish destruction.
The bombers seem to move in slow motion as we are treated to the fiery landscape, a city consumed by flame, made all the more vivid when Avik is shot down and must make his way through, almost literally, Hell.Map is also a sad story, of longing between two people who will never be together, and in that vein it's a very poignant film.
But it's lovingly told, and even though it may lack a happy ending, or even a very coherent one (a waking dream sequence merges with reality in a sometimes confusing way at the very end), it's nonetheless a satisfying film for those with a little patience.Jason Scott Lee has never been better.
Though Avik isn't given a wide emotional range, Lee manages to convey the deep feelings that run within him gestures rendered almost in shorthand.
All three of them play well off one another.Map isn't for everyone it is long, slow, and a little depressing but it's also a beautiful film and it certainly revels in the gentle unraveling of its subject matter.
Map of the Human Heart is a rare film which is both haunting and beautiful as well as filled with the violence of man against man and nature.
It's lead actors, Jason Scott Lee (Avik) and Annie Parlliaud (Albertine) play aboriginals of Canada who are both outcasts by their mixed-blood status in the respective communities, Inuit and Cree, providing insight to the ancient animosity between native groups that shatter the positive stereotype and myth of egalitarian indigenous tribes living in harmony before western contact.
In fact, the theme of conflict repeats throughout this fine, little film and provides the backdrop for the love story of Avik and Albertine in WWII England.Discovered as a small boy by a military mapmaker on expedition to his community, Avik, aka "Holy Boy" is drawn to the officer who removes him from his village, a typical action by intrusive, well-intentioned outsiders.
Removed to a Catholic run native hospital for treatment, Avik meets the Cree Indian girl, Albertine, a patient with tuberculosis.
As Avik and Albertine's friendship blossoms, their childhood devotion turns to first love.
The children attempt to run away from the hospital but are thwarted by adult authorities and their separation begins the second half of the film.When the adult Avik returns to his native village to care and provide for his elderly grandmother, he is an unsuccessful as a provider, something seen as a curse to others of the village as well as his grandmother.
Time and the setting jumps to WWII London where a grown up Albertine is now married to the same British officer who was Avik's liberator.
Their love is rekindled in one of the most memorable settings -- the Royal Albert Hall dome -- where Avik and Albertine escape.The film revels in unlikely settings to situate it's stars adding to the visual and physical splendor of Albertine and Avik's love.
Avik, faced with Albertine's marriage to the man who changed his life, confronts the mapmaker, a jealous controlling man.
Albertine's passionate love for Avik is unbearable and he orders Avik's unit back to the "Holy Boy" to take part in one last run that is the controversial bombing of Dresden, Germany.
However, the hatred for Avik and Albertine's love drives the mapmaker to order the firebombing of Dresden, with the participation of the "Holy Boy." Shot down during the offensive, Avik parachutes into Dresden as the flame offensive engulfs the city.
Trying to save a child from the flames, Avik drops the x-ray of Albertine's heart, a symbol of his constant devotion and love, in the conflagration.
The conclusion of the film is a heart-wrenching resolution that remains true to the storyline and by the end, the story comes full-circle.
The film remains little known but is a captivating romantic adventure which should have received more recognition for both originality and camera-work.
Map of The Human Heart - I can't candy-coat it - I love this movie- I own the soundtrack and once paid much moolah to get it on VHS- yet somehow I missed the DVD release of this Vincent Ward movie.The DVD has some deleted scenes - but no behind the scenes or even a trailer.This epic follows a young eskimo boy (Avik played very well by Robert Joamie as a wide-eyed youth and Jason Scott Lee when he is older) who is rescued by a British mapmaker when it is discovered he has T.B. and taken to hospital.While there he encounters the cute charming and tomboyish halfbreed Albertine- they have instant chemistry as they fight,play,steal and hang out whenever possible.Since the hospital is run by nuns they separate the two.There are jumps in the story and we end up 10 years later.An older Avik helps Walter on another mapmaking journey and hears about WWII- he wants to help.Soon Avik is a bomber for the R.A.F. and he reconnects with Albertine who is working for bomber command-yep that is a major coincidence.Soon we encounter some amazing shots of nighttime bombing over Germany and some major melodrama.The movie is a tragic romance about 2 soulmates that seem like they should be married from the first second that they meet- but life keeps getting in the way.Beautiful movie with great cinematography.
It was a lovely movie but just too sad for me.
I love movies that evoke deep emotion but this was too much-too depressing for me.
The dialog suffers the most from this; because everything has to be so absolutely grand, most characters, some of the time, talk unlike real people do.
Even the scene of the first time Parillaud and Lee have sex has to be grand: they do it on a huge air-balloon.
And one of their romantic meetings is on top of Albert Hall, minutes before Germans start bombing the neighbourhood.
I'm sure that director Vincent Ward had grand swirling ideas about this film, but most of it feels like a mid-quality Lifetime movie.
Patrick Bergin just simmers and leers, and when he talks about the bombing of Dresden and why he's ordering it to be bombed is just silly and over the top.Like I said, most of the film feels like a Lifetime movie.
And when Anne Parillaud drops one of her stockings down into the orchestra pit, both my wife and I said, "It's WWII, isn't that stocking going to be a little hard to replace?" When Lee's daughter shows up at the end of the film, she says the stupidest thing in the movie.
Well done story mixes adventure,war and romance.
It focuses on the relationship between an Inuit boy 'Avik' and a girl of mixed Indian/French ancestry 'Albertine'.
Young Avik & Albertine start off on the wrong foot with each other, fighting and bickering, but soon discover they have a liking for one another.
ONe of the nuns at the school is played by the great Jeanne Moreau who disciplines both children and sets Albertine straight about using that bit of her 'white' heritage to make a better life for herself in the world.Time and years pass and both children have been separated and re-meet as young adults during WW2.
Avik(Jason S Lee) leaves his Inuit village and becomes a bombardier on a Royal Air Force Bomber.
It's during respite from one of his missions that Avik learns that Albertine(Anne Parillaud from Le Femme Nikita) is in England and also is in uniform for the war effort.
She works in the office of Avik's old cartographer friend Russell.
When Avik starts seeing Albertine they become an item and consummate their relationship one misty afternoon by having sex on top of a weather balloon.
He has been telling his life's story to a young man in a bar played by John Cusack.
Avik later discovers the girl is his now grown daughter with Albertine.
Avik's and Albertine's relationship is not explained after WW2.
But Jason Lee & Anne Parillaud make their relationship work. |
tt0314353 | Tears of the Sun | A montage of news footage illustrating a violent coup that is taking place in Nigeria, overthrowing the Presidential family and establishing a dictatorship under the rebel general Yakubu. The Fulani rebels then begin a violent ethnic cleansing campaign against the Ibo (Eebow) tribes in the southern region. We then join a squad of SH-60B Seahawk helicopters on approach to the USS Harry S. Truman off the coast of Africa, and a news reporter on the flight deck reporting on the coup taking place. His report is interrupted by the news of the whole presidential family being assassinated by rebel forces.Lieutenant Waters and his team of Navy SEALs disembark from a helicopter, returning from a mission to extract American citizens from the embassy. They are greeted by Captain Bill Rhodes on the deck who immediately informs them that they'll need to be reinserted to extract a critical personality immediately. After refitting for the next mission, eating and having their wounds tended by the medic they meet in the ships briefing room to get the details of their mission. They're instructed that they will Halo Jump over Cameroon and into the jungle outside of a small Catholic mission where they will find Dr. Lena Fiore Kendricks (an American citizen by marriage). Their secondary mission is to extract the priest and two nuns who run the mission if they are willing to go with them. Once they have their "package" they are to make a twelve kilometer hike to the designated extraction point where they'll be flown out by helicopter.The mission begins precisely as planned with the SEAL team dropping from the aircraft and free falling over the target area. After forcibly having a young Nigerian woman lead the SEALs to Kendricks, Waters informs Kendricks of the rebel company approaching the mission and that their orders are to extract U.S. personnel. Kendricks refuses to leave the mission without the people under her care. Waters contacts Rhodes to explore their options and after a short and ambiguous conversation concedes to the doctor that they will take the refugees that can move under their own power with them. Kendricks agrees and immediately begins to round up every able-bodied refugee to make the hike. Irritated and behind schedule the SEALs start to move out with the refugees after daybreak. Their journey proves to be slow and hindered as guiding forty injured and wounded refugees is a difficult task.After night has fallen they decide to take a short break to allow the refugees to rest and give Dr. Kendricks time to administer medication to those that need it. Waters has his team setup a defensive perimeter around the refugees. Moments after the perimeter is set, guerrilla rebels are rapidly approaching their position, with Waters stealthily killing a straggling tailgunner. Dr. Kendricks expresses her concern to Waters that the rebels are headed for the mission, but Waters is determined to carry out his orders and they continue on their way.They finally reach their landing zone and contact the helicopters that are en route. When the choppers land, Waters' initial plan becomes clear as the SEALs suddenly turn on the refugees and hold them at gun point. Waters forces Dr. Kendricks onto the helicopter and the SEAL team collapses back for a swift extraction. The refugees are left stranded in the middle of the jungle without any protection against rebel forces.During the flight back to the Truman, the helicopter crew and SEALS pass over the mission and discover that its been raided and destroyed just as Kendricks had predicted. Feeling a deep conviction, Waters orders the helicopter to turn around and regroup with the refugees. The SEALs decide on the spot to escort the refugees to the Cameroon border.During the trip, the SEALs discover that they are being tracked by a large body of rebel soldiers while using satellite scans of the area. Their pursuers are having mysterious success in their tracking of the SEALs. As they continuously attempt to escape and evade the rebels, they encounter a small village that is in the process of being destroyed and the residents executed, raped and murdered by rebel soldiers. Realizing that they have an opportunity to stop it, Waters orders the refugees to remain on the high ground while his team assaults the village. They execute their plan with surgical precision, eliminating the threat. During the aftermath of the assault, the SEAL team becomes morally conscious after seeing the after-effects of the atrocities.While continuing on their way, Slo determines that somebody within the group must be transmitting a signal that's allowing the rebels to identify their location and close in with incredible speed. It is then revealed that there is a surviving member of the Presidential family in their party, Samuel Azuka's son, Arthur, and that its very important for the rebels to ensure his death. A newer "refugee" is discovered in the group to have a transmitter on his person. He attempts to flee but is shot dead. Waters is angry at Dr. Kendricks because she knew all along about Arthur's true identity, yet never informed him.The SEALs unanimously continue to escort the refugees no matter what the cost is. A massive fire fight breaks out between the SEALs and the hundreds of rebels hidden in the trees. Soon the SEALs form a defensive line against the rebels as they order the refugees to retreat to the tree line where the Cameroon border is in sight. Zee radios in to the Truman for air support and two F/A-18 Hornets take off from the flight deck en route to their location.The SEALs continue to hold the line as they fall back to the refugees' location. However the overwhelming firepower of the rebels claims the lives of Slo, Flea, Lake and Silk. The refugees provide a small amount of cover fire as the remaining SEALs fall back into the reeds. During the battle, Waters, Red, and Zee are all wounded. The planes forming the airstrike radio in to their location. The SEALs mark the ground with a smoke grenade and order the pilots to fire on everything between the tree line and the smoke. Arthur and Dr. Kendricks are scrambling to the gate when they hear the thunderous roar of there bed on approach. They are terrified to see the planes drop a substantial payload on the rebel fighters. With the battlefield engulfed in fire, Arthur and Kendricks fear that the airstrike wiped out Waters' team.Waters, Zee, Doc and Red emerge from the grass as helicopters land on the other side of the Cameroon border as Captain Rhodes orders the guards to open the gate and let the SEALs and refugees in. A group of Marines then escort the SEALs to the helicopters where their wounds are tended to. Dr. Kendricks says her goodbyes to her friends and departs on the same helicopter with Waters.The final scene depicts the refugees recognizing Arthur as the tribal king and rightful heir to Nigeria, and he raises his hand exclaiming "Freedom!" as his fellow Nigerians celebrate around him. In the closing title, we see the quote "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" by Edmund Burke. | tragedy, anti war, suspenseful, murder, violence | train | imdb | We start with Lieutenant Waters (Bruce Willis) and his team of SEALS who have to rescue Dr. Lena Kendricks (Monica Bellucci), a priest and two nuns from a missionary post in Nigeria where murdering rebels are about to arrive.
Another is the way the movie dares to show the rebels and their actions, things we see parts of on the news in places like Liberia and Sudan.
Many of these extras were showing genuine emotions which was captured on camera, as they relived traumatic moments in their lives when certain scenes were filmed.On that note, one scene in particular made for very difficult viewing, but totally in context and I would expect it would provoke a strong reaction from viewers, for good reason.
I would not say that this film was entertaining, it is very hard to watch but it is an example of good film that will challenge everyone who watches it and who has a conscience.After seeing this film, as with Hotel Rwanda and Tears of the Sun, I am constantly reminded of our individual and collective moral responsibilities in the 'civilised Western World' when atrocities are committed.
It's not entirely successful at the latter, but to even attempt to stray from typical Hollywood is admirable, and Tears of the Sun is often more hit than miss.Bruce Willis stars as A.K. Waters, the head of a mission to retrieve a Dr. Lena Hendricks (Monica Bellucci) from the Nigerian jungle, after Muslim rebels have just assassinated the presidential family, and are on a rampage throughout the country.
Waters reluctantly agrees, but soon finds that he and his group must trek the jungles with no assistance and with 300 Nigerian soldiers hot on their trail.Tears of the Sun works as a thoughtful film, but is more successful as a tension-builder.
Director Fuqua shows an able hand at building suspense to a feverish pitch, all the way to the concluding battle sequence, a fifteen minute setpiece that rivals any recent war film in both intensity and technical superiority.
The film's two best developed characters belong to Bruce Willis and Monica Bellucci.
But when all is said and done, Tears of the Sun is highly recommended, a Hollywood film that has more on its mind than explosion and gunfights (which the movie still has an ample amount of)..
If you like sanitized action movies then this film might upset you a little.
It's not for those who think that war is about pushing buttons from hundreds of miles away or that all soldiers carry a copy of the Geneva Convention in their kit and consult it regularly.But if you like gritty, realistic action movies then this will not disappoint.And now....a small rant.Oh dear God!
So when we are presented with a story about a war in Africa, it only stands to reason that we must ask exactly why we see American soldiers.Bruce Willis gives a delightfully underacted performance as the leader of an infantry unit sent to retrieve a handful of American citizens.
The is a solid "war" movie with U.S. Navy Seals, led by Bruce Willis, rescuing an American doctor and 70 of her patients from war-torn Nigeria.
Some of the reasons for this are hinted at in the movie: greed, by the west hungry for oil and minerals and by the corrupted local officials, tribalism, which may be linked to religion although in my experience the tribe comes first, and especially the use of tribalism to foster greed, as in this film.The carnage shown at the mission and at the village are gripping illustrations of something that has been happening in Africa for ages and certainly will continue for many more years.
On the other hand, it gave a sense of Africa, and as such the music came much closer to illustrate the universality of the movie than did the story.Still related to topicality but in a different sense: the character of the doctor played by Monica Belluci was very unbelievable, especially if you consider that her husband was killed not that long ago in a similar situation in Sierra Leone.
Bruce Willis is always a good actor in intense situation movies, with his straight face, spunk, and how is natural charm always gets the girl.
Obasanjo ran in the elections of 1999 and won.What eats me about `Tears of the Sun' and other war films like it (`Behind Enemy Lines' comes to mind) is that just once I'd like to feel like I'm not watching an Army propaganda film.
I would think someone as big as bruce willis would look at this movie and laugh, he doesnt need the money, come on bruce pick a better script.
The first interesting thing comes into the plot about half way through the movie when we find out that the last living member of the presidents family is in the group bruce and his boys are trying to get out.
This is not one of them not even close.Bruce Willis has starred in some of the best action movies ever made (Die Hard, Pulp Fiction, Unbreakable, 16 Blocks) where he also shows that he can truly act.
Oh, a couple of his men fall, heroes all, but Bruce with his coterie of favorites breaks through, and, with a little bit of help from a couple of convenient F-18 Hornets, by God and US Might, finally reach Safety on The Other Side of The Fence.And the last we see of Bruce is with the good doctor, she cradling his (only slightly) wounded body (and soul) as they both rise in the almost white Blackhawk chopper flying off into the sunset.Thankfully, this film is now forgotten by me; alas, it's not gone from the scene yet.
Seemed to have missed this Bruce Willis film and I was completely taken by surprise with the plot of the film, the photography and the great acting and action scenes are beyond words.
The way they move, how they attach suppressors without being told to, the tactics they use, the way they deploy to cover a large area with only eight men, the actual procedure of "peeling off" (retreating) later in the movie, and many other small details, are the closest I've ever seen that shows the general public what a deadly machine a real life SEAL team is.
Antoine Fuqua, director of `Training Day,' the critically successful film that garnished Denzel Washington an Academy Award for Best Actor, now brings us `Tears Of The Sun.' This film comes at a turbulent time in America with the possibility of war looming.
In `Tears Of The Sun,' Bruce Willis stars as a lieutenant assigned to rescue an American missionary working in a Nigerian jungle during a rebellion.
It comes to a point where Willis's character has to decide whether to simply follow orders and save Bellucci's character, or he can do the right thing and try to save the refugees from rebel troops who are invading the jungle.
For example, a scene where Bruce Willis tells his commander played by Tom Skerritt, over a satellite phone that he is going against the mission to save the lives of the refugees.
The target audience for `Tears
' is primarily people who have come to see an action film, so why not give it to them?
It hit just about every war movie cliché I've ever seen and is loaded with badly developed characters, most predictable plot and nature shots which I'm convinced were bought form never used National Geographic footage.
Maybe it's me, but when you see Bruce Willis's name on a picture you at least expect a half decent action/adventure film even if the plot, and everything else isn't all that new or creative.
Unfortunately, what you get in Tears of the Sun (TOS), is an attempt at teaching us how brutal the conditions are in Africa during the time period in which the film takes place.Main Gripes:-After the first 10 minutes of the film you start to wonder if you've missed the first hour of the movie.
Its amazing how many people downrate this movie because it has little action...that really shows their intellect and taste in movies, or should I say no taste.Tears of the Sun is in a league of its own, the cruel reality of the African world is depicted in this dramatic military film.Im an Army Ranger, and I have to say this is by far one of the best military movies ive ever seen.
"Tears of the Sun" is a rare war movie in that it makes the audience feel strongly about saving lives.
The Choice for Bruce Willis and Monica Belucci was the best in my opinion.The movie in short just has everything in place, the soundtrack was just beautiful(beautiful being an understatement!).
Bruce Willis stoically heads up a team of special ops soldiers who are sent into a war torn region of Africa to rescue a doctor (Monica Belucci) from a missionary camp.
One of the best depictions of what it's really like in a civil war in Africa, I remember Rwanda on the news and that was horrendous, this movie doesn't push it that far or it would have been R rated, the actors done a great job of depicting the struggle between what's right and orders.
Movie Review: "Tears Of The Sun" (2003)This technically-flawless war-action-movie directed Antoine Fuqua, who chose his follow-up picture to "Training Day" (2001) in order to work with Hollywood Star Bruce Willis, portraying Lieutenant A.K. Waters as leader of a team of Navy Seals special forces with facial-striking concerns, who needs to enter hostile rebel territory in central Nigeria, when a fictitiously post-civil-war, in the 1960s, collapsing democratic government gets over-run by an ultra-violent rebel army, who kills every rural villages in their path to control further regions of natural resources for an international black market, when the Seals team gets the assignment to retrieve a solely operating female Doctor with no further background story, performed by put-into-emotional-restraints actress Monica Bellucci, in the deepest green jungle scenarios of highly-visceral machine-gun combat action captured in excellent-executed visuals by cinematographer Mauro Fiore, who can not save the picture produced by high-scale war-action-pushing Producer Ian Bryce from falling short by being pretentious in its simple conception of just bringing a western-educated academic woman into safety from a constant-raging guerilla war tactics, when denied visualization of aftermath village massacres in population-starving agony gets exchanged for continuous suspense-loss, out-going from a thin originally-conceived screenplay by writers Alex Lasker and Patrick Cirillo, who hardly found an emotional peak to make "Tears Of The Sun" stand out from a crowd of modern warfare motion pictures.Nevertheless boot-camp-prepared supporting cast members including Cole Hauser, Eamonn Walker and Tom Skerritt as combat-jet-carrier stationed Captain Bill Rhodes put authentic U.S. military atmosphere in the high-profile Columbia Pictures presented movie, when talented director Antoine Fuqua avoids to break free from the shooting draft to improvise a desperately needed bonding scene between extreme-situations-enduring main characters of Lieutenant Waters and Doctor Kendricks; the showdown stays visually compelling in a sky-rocketing bullet-storms and a massive napalm explosion, mimicking obviously a superior "Apocalypse Now" (1979) opening shot, when this war-action-movie fades again in forfeited consequence of an important opportunity to put out an "Anti-War-Campaigning" post-curtains-enduring message into "Tears Of The Sun" with respects to a still-war-struggled continent of Africa.© 2018 Felix Alexander Dausend
The fact that she is possibly the most beautiful woman alive doesn't hurt in attracting you to this film.The first part of the movie is the character of Bruce Willis' dilemma of committing to duty or doing the right thing.
This is the best war movie I have ever seen and the first that I actually liked so I would to send my congratulations to the director and the amazing job the actors did!!!
Thanks for taking the time to read my comment and continue making great movies like that!!.
I knew I was guaranteed excitement and explosions with Bruce Willis involved in a war\action flick, but I wasn't prepared for his outstanding performance, a huge strong cast alongside him and a punishing film which highlights the pain and genocide that Africa struggles with year after year.Antoine Fuqua directs in epic style, with fantastic backdrops, big camera sweeps and hugely powerful scenes.
He shows again that he can more than ably deliver the quality and cinematic style that he did with Training Day. The movie is powerful and compelling and beautifully filmed.Willis had hold of this story from 1995 and it seems a passionate piece for him, and I find that quite amazing that not only can he give it up so easily to a new Director, but that he also produces such a restrained and controlled performance.
In fact there are scenes that are deliberately non-Hollywood, and from what the Director and Willis have said, they wanted to keep it that way.Overall this movie is excellent.
I went to the theater tonight to watch Tears of the Sun. I am a big Bruce Willis Fan, I own all of his movies, and if you are not, you might be after this movie.
This movie takes place in Africa where tribal warfare is going on and people are getting killed off because of what others believe in and because of ethnic cleansing.
And a group of Navy Seals lead by Lieutenant A.K. Waters(Bruce Willis) is put on a mission to go to a small village in Africa in order to bring back a priest and few doctors.
However one very good thing about the movie is that it opens by and gets underway straight away without wasting any time and dives straight into the action.
Both Bruce Willis and Monica Bellucci were excellent and everyone who played a marine although the script felt a little basic and the bads guys just felt like stereotypical bad guys and it just became good vs bad Hollywood type of movie.
some people felt it was just another war movie but i believe it was different in the fact that it was not about Vietnam or ww2 or something we've seen a hundred times.
And the ending was so Hollywood with everything happen just yards from the other country's border.FINAL VERDICT: I like war movies, but this one doesn't have a very good plot.
The acting was great, although Bruce Willis is becoming a big aged to be playing real major action roles, but its still a great movie.
No thought needed for this formulaic plot: it's the usual Bruce Willis action tear jerker from Hollywood where the troops do the right thing and end up dying in the process.
Tears of the Sun is a typical heroic action military film with a predictable main military styled theme, going against your orders and the mission because you feel it's not the right thing to do, and a lot of explosions and brutal war scenes.
It's difficult to do a Military action movie without having a lot of the same main ideas of, going against orders for the greater good, brotherhood of war, sacrifice, and dramatic bravery that are all scene in Tears of the Sun. A movie like Training Day can be unpredictable and exciting with several twists and you can have an unexpected ending.
As soon as Waters turned that helicopter around to go back for the patients, it just seemed like the movie became a ticking time bomb for that explosion of the "final battle" that all military movies have where the main character (Bruce Willis) will get shot like 12 times and still be able to run around and carry his wounded men on his back while getting blown up by rockets and killing hundreds of enemy soldiers at the same time.
Watching this movie, the audience knows that Waters and Dr. Hendricks are going to make it out alive, which is quite predictable, but at the same time it would be upsetting if he were to die at the end so it just seems like there was no chance of getting that stomach turning ending that everyone wants.
Who doesn't like watching Bruce Willis running through the flaming jungle destroying everything in his path, looking invincible and getting shot more than anyone else in the whole movie combined, seeming to just be getting stronger and blooded as the battle goes on?
No matter how predictable the film turned out to be, I will admit the action scenes were exciting and that fact is attributed to Bruce Willis and his unstoppable rampage through the jungle.
01/01/2019 I enjoyed this Bruce Willis movie like I always do, but the military actions within the storyline would never have ever taken place as the we're all good guys and don't follow orders fantasies portrayed.
(I can say ass cause they say it on TV) Tho it was not of the same caliber as Black Hawk Down it was better than that long winded The Thin Red Line, which by the way I own and have tried to watch a handful of times and have never been able to get all the way through.Bruce Willis is one of those actors that people love to hate and there is no reason why.
But, maybe that's what his character was like...not letting on the pain.But, at any rate, I thought it was a good movie, a little touching, maybe even a little too sappy at times, but it was alright.
With all that's going on in the world these past couple of years, the last thing movie goers want to see is another film about war on foreign soil.
I just saw Tears of the Sun - Bruce Willis new movie!
it's so now type of film due to whats happening in west africa at the momentIt Bruce's best movie since Pulp Fiction..
I expected a run of the mill, Bruce Willis action movie..
One of the coolest war movies I've seen I a while and a role I liked to see Bruce Willis in. |
tt0094754 | Blackadder's Christmas Carol | Ebenezer Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson), the Victorian proprietor of a "moustache shop", is the nicest man in England. He is everything that Ebenezer Scrooge was by the end of the original story: generous and kind to everybody, and sensitive to the misery of others. As a result, people take advantage of his kindness—Mrs. Scratchit and an orphan take all his money, and a beadle takes his food. All but Mr. Baldrick (Tony Robinson) view him as a victim. His business turns no profit, all his earnings going to charity and to con artists, and he lives a lonely, miserable life.
One Christmas Eve, Blackadder's destiny changes when the Spirit of Christmas (Robbie Coltrane) visits him to congratulate him for his ways. The spirit lets him see shades of the past: his ancestors Lord Blackadder and Mr. E. Blackadder, Esq. Instead of being convinced that he is better than them, he grows to admire them and their wit. He asks the spirit to show him what could happen if he became like them. He sees a vision of a distant future where his distant descendant Grand Admiral Blackadder is a successful and ruthless official of a Galactic empire (with Baldrick as his semi-naked slave) who is about to marry the similarly ruthless and insanely ambitious Queen Asphyxia XIX (Miranda Richardson) after murdering her "triple husbandoid". Blackadder asks the Spirit what will happen if he stays as he is. He is shown an alternative future in which his descendant is the semi-naked slave of the incompetent Admiral Baldrick.
Blackadder proclaims, "Bad guys have all the fun." He wakes up a different man: bitter, vengeful, greedy, and insulting to everyone he meets. Now in control of his life, he misses an opportunity when he insults two strangers: Queen Victoria (Miriam Margolyes) and Albert, Prince Consort (Jim Broadbent), who were about to award him £50,000 and the title of Baron Blackadder for being the nicest man in England. They leave without doing so after being ridiculed by Blackadder. The episode ends when Blackadder's extravagant Christmas dinner with Baldrick is ruined when Baldrick informs him of the identities of the strangers and shows him the royal seal.
=== Censored version ===
Most versions of this special edit Baldrick's speech about a dog being used as Jesus for the Nativity play to remove a line in which Baldrick says the dog will be nailed to a cross for Easter. The earliest known case of this edit was on its first rerun in December 1989. The same version was used for later terrestrial broadcasts when the special aired on Christmas in the years 1998, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2012. The edited version is also seen in the Blackadder Ultimate Edition DVD set and, as of 2016, is on Hulu Plus. The original uncut version can be seen on the UK channel Gold, the Region 1 U.S. DVD set, and was on the U.S. and UK versions of Netflix until 2015. | cult, comedy, historical fiction | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0100318 | Pacific Heights | Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton) makes love to a woman (Beverly D'Angelo) in a nice house as 2 men enter and attack him with a bat. He talks about leaving.Drake (Matthew Modine) and girlfriend Patty (Melanie Griffith) are house hunting in San Francisco. They purchase a house with rooms that can be rented, and set about remodelling. Several people look at the units, and Toshio (Mako) and Mira (Nobu McCarthy) Watanabe rent one. Another potential renter, Lou Baker (Carl Lumbly), wants to rent the other, but his application is lost during move-in. Carter arrives and pays for 2 month's rent, but refuses to fill out a credit application. Drake calls Carter's references and speaks to Carter's lover Ann, who asks for the house address.Carter seems shifty, but covers smoothly when questioned. His down payment never arrives, but he's already moved in. Construction work seems to be going on in his unit, and Carter has changed the locks. He also seems to be fixated with phone books. Drake tries to sue for eviction; Drake and Patty are short on money, and tempers flare. Drake witnesses a fight between Carter and his roommate, and realizes Carter has been breeding cockroaches to drive off the other tenants. The courts rule against Drake, and Carter continues to annoy him. Patty has a miscarriage.Carter comes by the next morning, and Drake attacks him. The police, tipped off by Carter prior, arrest Drake. Carter files for a restraining order and begins stalking Patty. Drake tries to see Patty and Carter shoots him and places a tire iron in his hand, faming him for assault. The courts finally evict Carter, but he has stripped the place bare. Patty files a police report with, of all people, Detective Baker, the original rent applicant.Patty discovers Carter's name is James Danforth, and that he is legally severed from his family trust. Patty begins tracking Carter's previous scams, questioning Ann and learning where Carter is. She tails him, watching him scam other people. She sneaks into his hotel room and charges up a huge room service bill. She also tells Drake to cancel his credit cards, as Carter has been using them. Carter is arrested.Patty and Drake start to rebuild their house. Carter sneaks in and attacks Drake. He comes after Patty, and she and Drake fight him, killing him.Months later, Drake and Patty are selling this house - for a profit.====================================================================At an upscale Palm Springs resort, a man, Carter Hayes and his lover, Ann, are enjoying an evening of sex. Suddenly, the door bursts open and two men with baseball bats enter and beat him severely. Ann is mildly injured herself. She holds Carter, who talks about leaving.In San Francisco Drake Goodman and his girlfriend Patty Palmer are house hunting in the city's upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood. They find a large, Victorian fixer-upper comprised of three apartments. Patty and Drake look upon the house as an investment and know they can make their mortgage payments by renting out two of the apartments: one is a small studio, the other is a one-bedroom. Patty and Drake fix them up to look more modern, handling almost all the work themselves.Among the first applicants are a pleasant Japanese couple, Toshio and Mira Watanabe, who agree to rent the one-bedroom. Another applicant, Lou Baker, talks about how he and his wife are divorcing and he needs a place to live. He's reluctant to fill out a credit application but Patty insists and Baker finally agrees, saying that he's been nervous because of the trouble with his wife. He returns the application, slipping it under the front door, however it becomes lost when the Watanabe's move in. While screening applicants for the studio, Drake meets Carter Hayes. Hayes is also reluctant to fill out an application for credit & references and also flashes a large amount of money in front of Drake, promising he'll pay for the security deposit and six months rent in advance, however he also says that he's unexpectedly short. Drake agrees, believing that Hayes will wire the money to his bank account but is also firm about Hayes filling out the application. The woman that Hayes was in bed with when he was beaten acts as a reference for Hayes and tells Drake that he was a model tenant when he rented from her.Patty finds Hayes in the apartment one day, asking who he is and seeing that Hayes has brought dozens of out-of-town phone books with him and has stacked them around. Hayes explains that he'd talked to Drake, who'd said weeks prior that he could move in. Patty wonders why Drake wouldn't tell her; Drake tells her that Hayes should not be occupying the apartment because they haven't received his security deposit. Drake becomes increasingly frustrated and angry when the bank tells him the money hasn't arrived. When he tries to talk to Hayes, a strange man, Greg, answers the door and tells Drake that Hayes is out of town. Just then Ann arrives, demanding to speak to Carter. Greg lets her in & the two begin to argue, ignoring Drake.One night Toshio complains to Drake that there is loud pounding and other noise coming from Hayes' apartment. When Drake tries to enter the apartment to investigate, he finds that Hayes has changed the locks. The noise continues. In a fury, Drake illegally turns off the electricity and heat to the unit. Hayes calls the police who, though they understand Drake's plight, order him to turn on the utilities. They also inform Drake that tenant's laws protect Hayes as much as his landlord. Patty and Drake are then forced to hire an exterminator when roaches appear under Toshio and Mira's sink. The expense will be high and the couple are already in debt, creating further tension between them.To evict Hayes, Drake and Patty retain a lawyer, Stephanie MacDonald, who tells them that cases like this are common: a con-artist who knows the laws and the system will act the same way that Hayes has & even try to drive out the owners of the property. The case will take several months and the possibility of getting any money from Hayes is near zero, however, Drake and Patty simply want Hayes gone. Patty also tells Drake that she's pregnant.Another night Hayes makes even more noise in his apartment and Drake enters the crawlspace under the studio and, through an air duct, witnesses an argument between Greg and Hayes, which escalates into a physical fight. A jar falls on the air duct and shatters, spilling large roaches onto Drake's face. Later, in their apartment, Drake surmises correctly that Hayes is somehow breeding roaches in his apartment in an attempt to drive out the Watanabes. Drake also discovers that Hayes has kidnapped the stray cat Drake and Patty took in when they moved into the house.Patty starts to feel ill, having morning sickness. Drake comes home one night to find Patty weak and crying in the bathroom. She has miscarried the pregnancy and ends up hospitalized for a few days. When she returns, Hayes shows up at their door, offering flowers in sympathy for Patty and to make peace between him and Drake. Drake is infuriated and tackles Hayes. The two fall down the stairs and Drake beats Hayes severely. Just then, the police arrive an arrest Drake -- Hayes had phoned the police and reported a physical altercation in the house prior to talking to Patty and Drake. Drake is charged with assault and Hayes obtains a restraining order that keeps Drake from coming within 500 yards of the house.Drake stays with a friend. Patty, spooked when Hayes places a harassing phone call to her, calls Drake at their friend's house. Drake goes to his house immediately and enters in violation of the restraining order. Hayes finds him in the main hallway of the house and shoots him in the arm and shoulder with a pistol. He places a crowbar in Drake's hand, again framing him for assault.With Drake in the hospital, Patty oversees the house and the final eviction of Hayes. A city sheriff has the door opened and Patty finds that the apartment has been completely stripped. Hayes and his partner had everything removed and probably sold. At the police station Patty meets with Baker, the man that had applied first for the studio apartment, who turns out to be an SFPD detective. He says he'll do what he can to retrieve the stolen property but cases like this are hard to solve. He suggests that Patty let it go and consider herself and Drake lucky that Hayes didn't seize the house from them.Among the ruins in the studio, Patty finds a photograph that has a name on it: James Danforth. Patty begins to investigate the name and finds that Hayes had once been a member of an affluent family and the recipient of a private trust, however his family now pays him to stay away from them. Patty tracks Hayes to Palm Springs and finds Ann, who tells Patty she loves Drake but tolerates his games and even partners with him to con others -- the house she currently lives in was awarded to her and Hayes when the landlord tried to evict them by force. She shows Patty a postcard she'd gotten from Hayes with a picture of a Los Angeles hotel on it.Patty goes to LA looking for Hayes at the hotel. She follows him and finds out he's spending a large amount of his time with a rich widow. Patty is able to gain entry to Hayes' room at the hotel and discovers that he has been staying there under the name of Drake Goodman. He has even had identification cards forged with Drake's name and has set up credit accounts and an identical bank account in Drake's name. Patty craftily begins to turn the tide against Hayes by posing as Carter's wife and then charging an huge amount of hotel services to Hayes' room, reporting the fake credit cards and Hayes' traveler's checks as stolen, reporting his stolen Porsche to the police and stealing a large amount of petty cash for herself. She has Drake call the customer service number for the duplicate bank account and cancel it. When Hayes returns to the hotel, the hotel manager tells him that there are problems with his credit. The manager also tells Hayes that his "wife" is responsible for the charges to his room. The manager allows Hayes to go to his room to find answers; he and Patty pass in the hallway and Patty narrowly escapes. Hayes is arrested but doesn't stay in jail for long; he convinces the widow he's been sweet-talking to post bail for him.At home, Drake rests upstairs from his hospital stay and Patty performs a few touch-ups on the studio. She uses a pneumatic nail gun to put pieces of plywood over the holes Hayes left in the floor. Hayes returns to the house and beats Drake with a golf-club. Hayes tricks Patty into re-entering the apartment by imitating their cat, locks the door and threatens her with the nail gun. Drake, unable to enter because of the latched door, tries to enter through the hole in the floor. Patty is able to temporarily force Hayes off her and Drake grabs his leg from below the hole, causing Hayes to pitch backwards and fall on the sharpened ends of the piping to the sink he stole. Hayes twitches and dies.Several months later, Patty and Drake sell the house to another yuppie couple. When asked why they want to walk away from such a beautiful home, Patty says "it was just an investment." | revenge, suspenseful, neo noir | train | imdb | Prior to this film,we only saw Michael Keaton in comedic,and good guy roles.In Pacific Heights,he proves to us that he is not afraid to turn on us and be the bad guy.Keaton is excellent as Carter Hayes,the worst kind of no account,as he knows how to stay just out of reach of the law.
The character is very similar to that of Max Cady in Cape Fear,though Cady is the far more memorable of the two.Carter Hayes is a nightmarish tenant wreaking havoc on the lives of his helpless landlords,wonderfully played by Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine.I consider this film to be an overlooked classic that never really got the attention it deserved,perhaps because no one wanted to see Keaton,particularly after his Batman success,as a villain.Those looking for a modern day "Hitchcock-esque" thriller will find a winner here.Thumbs up!.
There was never anything particularly suspenseful about the film, and you pretty much know who will win by the end, but the loathesome Michael Keaton character helped to keep me interested throughout.
William Goldman says that the last 15 minutes are the most important of any movie and that's what saves what is otherwise a sometimes fascinating but often dull film in "Pacific Heights."The plot line is fairly interesting but feels rather drawn out through most of the film, until the fantastic ending pulls out all the stops and turns the film into something good.
The writing in general is a bit contrived and the dialogue fairly wooden, but it isn't quite enough to destroy the film even early.The acting is very uneven, led by a terrible Melanie Griffith and a middling performance by Matthew Modine in terms of screen time, but certainly controlled by the fantastic performance of Michael Keaton, one of the world's greatest actors.
His use of lighting and well-chosen camera angles wonderfully play up the situation.Overall, "Pacific Heights" is a middling film with a fantastic performance by Michael Keaton and good direction by John Schlesinger that turns into something better with its fantastic, surprising, venemously satisfying ending.
An unusual choice for Michael Keaton to follow up his first "Batman" movie with him going from hero and to outright villain.Plot In A Paragraph: Drake Goodman (Modine) and Patty Palmer (Griffith)an unmarried couple, purchase an expensive 19th-century house in the exclusive Pacific Heights neighbourhood.
Before any of that happens he moves in unannounced and refuses to leave.Melanie Griffith whilst looking great is awful acting wise, and Matthew Modine had me questioning how this man forged a career as an actor.
Some of my main annoyances came from his character, and I had my concerns that he may end up being the real psycho, but his performance really was dire.It's Keaton as the villain of the piece, who shines and gives the movie it's best scenes.
Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) and his girlfriend Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) are stretching their finances to the limit to buy a San Francisco house.
Since I expected more, I was disappointed.The only interesting character was the villain, "Carter Hayes," played nicely by Michael Keaton.
This movie needed more scenes with him in it, and less of the two other major characters: "Drake Goodman." (Matthew Modine) and "Patty Palmer" (Melanie Griffith).This starts off promising, as if it's going to be very suspenseful.
When San Francisco renters Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) and Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) fix up an apartment, they sell it to newcomer Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton).
"Pacific Heights" is based on a true story, about a couple who rent out an apartment to a crazy scam man, played by Michael Keaton in the film, who reak havoc.
Sick little film has the dark and shady Michael Keaton terrorizing Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine after he rents the ground-floor apartment from the young couple.
To call such nonsense drivel is to pay it a compliment.As for the cast, Michael Keaton is enigmatically menacing as the tenant, but Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith are largely (I think unintentionally) irritating as the couple he targets as his victims.
Then there's Michael Keaton who was actually quite a fun character and a typical "baddie" to have."Pacific Heights" offers nothing much new with an all too familiar storyline, 'Bad Tennants', and although it was quite entertaining and not really that boring, it just offered nothing new but frustration.
Highlights are far too infrequent, in a movie that never could decide what mode it was in.Cast - all just there, and nothing more - included Matthew Modine, Melanie Griffith and Michael Keaton.
Although Melanie Griffiths exemplifies all that everyone hates about the cutesie pretty girl next door, this film offers what is possibly Michael Keatons best performance.
Michael Keaton, who made his way by usually being likable, plays the demented Carter Hayes who apparently does this kind of thing for a living.
He destroys the interior with loud power tools at all hours, he releases roaches into the neighboring apartment, and has a creepy jerk living with him for whatever reason you could imagine.Things between Keaton and the yuppies go south right away, so the balance of the film deals with them trying to evict him.
He's a professional." That's the advice given to the Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine - the couple in this movie - when they are robbed blind by the tenant from hell.
If they meet a nice, attractive, hardworking and likable couple justifiably proud of their dream house such a sociopath will only have one thought in their head; "How do I get it away from them?" In these days of second mortgages and 'extreme makeovers' we can hardly be surprised if this kind of villain multiplies faster than the cockroaches Keaton releases into Griffith and Modine's house.Watching this movie was certainly cathartic for me - and the ending was certainly satisfying.
Every time I view this film, I just simply hate Michael Keaton(Carter Hayes)"Jack Frost" '98, as the sick tenant who drives Melanie Griffith (Patty Palmer), "The Shade" '03, simply crazy along with Matthew Modine (Drake Goodman),"Hairy Tale"'03, who is driven completely NUTS.
Michael Keaton's performance in Pacific Heights is interesting, but the film practically makes no sense.
A twist in plot, but a very enjoyable movie.When Patty (Melanie Griffith) and Drake (Matthew Modine), a young couple starting out together, decide to pool their resources and buy a home with two rental units inside, they have no idea how much trouble is waiting for them on the horizon.
Patty and Drake are a young couple who has decided to move in together and they buy a pricey Victorian house in Pacific Heights,San Fransisco and renovates it meticulously.Since the price was so high,they decide to find some tenants for the two apartments on the first floor,one goes to a timid Japanese couple and the other to....yea,you take a guess.That's right,a psychopath who enjoys cockroach-breeding,played by the for the role well suited Michael Keaton.He seem like a normal,proper businessman with a Porsche and good income at first sight,but nothing is what seems.Soon he starts to alter the life of Patty and Drake very significantly.
A young couple played by Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine, buys there dream house and the new tenant played by Michael Keaton wrecks havoc with their lives.
SF couple (Matthew Modine, Melanie Griffith) purchase a $1 million Victorian house and rent out the individual apartments.
Keaton, cast against type as a psycho, is good, but the rest of the film can't match him and what could have been an edge-of-the-seat movie like THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE turns out to be merely so-so.John Schlesinger, who made the excellent MARATHON MAN amongst others, over-directs the film so that it looks like a music video.
Predictibly, their perfect plan is destroyed by a seemingly respectable tenant(played well in a rare villain role by Michael Keaton) who ends up driving away other tenants and putting a strain on the couple's relationship with his increasingly erratic behavior.The film is suspenseful right up until the last minute, but there were some problems.
Central players Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine and villainous Michael Keaton are each solid, yet John Schlesinger directs with shallow showiness; his tricks, including a dopey nightmare sequence, cause one to lose faith in the proceedings long before the too-timid, unsatisfying fade-out.
He's playing the tenant from Hell, terrorizing couple-of-the-year Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine, but I can only describe this is a real estate thriller - which is just as exciting as it sounds.
This makes the story very formulaic, but I do give credit for the third act because it went in a direction I did not expect.Playing the young spirited couple are Melanie Griffith as Patty Palmer and Matthew Modine as Drake Goodman.
The vicious character of Carter Hayes played by Michael Keaton is so good (or rather bad!) that immediately the viewer sympathizes with the landlords (Griffin and Modine) and begins detesting Keaton and his infamous friends.
A young couple, (Modine and Griffith-equally yery good) so much in love, become landlords, renting out this two story Victorian house, to some suitable trusting tenants, to keep money in flow.
This poor couple who's life is turned into a sheer nightmare of landlord hell, where they reach utter depths of despair, really gets you angry, you wanna put the knife into Keaton, as does the other tenants like Mako, a soft sided character here, who practices tai chi on his balcony, it's reminds of his kung fu movie playing days.
Not impossible, but even if they had been able to obtain it as shown, the costs and time incident to their refurbishing would have taken far longer and been far harder to achieve than shown or implied in the film.They looked and acted like a couple of college kids who might have been renovating a studio flat in an inexpensive college town -- not like a pair of yuppies involved in a real estate enterprise, overall, around the low 7-figure range.They even looked a bit like doophuses in dealing with prospective tenants, and pretty much in all aspects of their relationship and activities.In many ways, the sociopathic (this character's a time capsule example to illustrate the word "sociopath") Keaton was the most empathetic figure among the leads.**Possible spoiler material following**Even in this age of identity theft, and the capability to do wonders with computers, credit records, credit cards, etc.
Getting rid of the Devil (MICHAEL KEATON plays a truly psychopathic nutcase) proves a strain on the marriage of MELANIE GRIFFITH and MATTHEW MODINE, until they discover that he's not only a one man demolition team but has stolen her husband's identity in some sort of real estate scam.With all of these events taking place, you know you're headed for a bang-up ending once Melanie makes it her personal mission to destroy the evil Keaton--and we do get a satisfying ending when her mission turns out not to be too impossible.If you stop to think about all the loop-holes in the story, you'll find yourself getting restless long before the ending.
But it works as a stark nightmare of what kind of tenant abuse really can exist in today's society, especially if a nutcase is involved.MELANIE GRIFFITH(she of the somewhat annoying speech patterns and squeaky tones) is reasonably good as the stronger in the marriage partnership, but it's clearly a field day for MICHAEL KEATON who walks off with the film as the devilish psychopath..
Schlesingers story about two dating landlords (griffith and modine) who cant get a strange man (Keaton) out of an apartment that he is not paying rent for.
THe acting in this film was decent, Griffith was annoying, i didn't like her performance, Modine was decent, but Keaton was great in the villain role.
Typically pedestrian performances by Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine didn't help the cause, and while Michael "I'm not just a comedian" Keaton was credible as the malevolent tenant, he alone could not rescue the film.
This film was made in the early 90's when suspense/thrillers were making a comeback; Michael Keaton, while not a favorite, was quite good.Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine portray a young couple wanting to make a real estate investment, so they purchase a Pacific Heights building, and proceed to renovate it.
Pacific Heights is an underrated movie and has Michael Keaton playing a sinister role as the tenant from hell.
Pacific Heights is an underrated movie and has Michael Keaton playing a sinister role as the tenant from hell.
Pacific Heights is an underrated movie and has Michael Keaton playing a sinister role as the tenant from hell.
This is a rather entertaining and suspenseful thriller starring Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith as Drake Goodman and Patty Palmer - a couple who buys their dream house in an upscale San Francisco neighborhood.
To help pay their mortgage, they've rented their two downstairs apartments out, including one to the mysterious Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton).
This isn't to say everything should've been spelled out, but a little more character clarity on the part of Carter - or a more gradual progression of the character mechanics - might have made it a legitimately good movie.As it is, Pacific Heights is at best a guilty pleasure, a flick that's not dated well but certainly has a lot of fun moments in watching these actors play these sorta-yuppies in this would-be cat/mouse game.
John Schlesinger directed this thriller that stars Mathew Modine & Melanie Griffith as Drake Goodman & Patty Palmer, a young couple who buy an old house in the Pacific Heights section of San Francisco.
***SPOILERS*** Putting a down payment to their dream house the $750,000.00 Victorian dwelling on 170 Pacific Street in the trendy Pacific Heights section of San Francico both Drake Goodman, Matthew Modine, and his live in girlfriend Patty Palmer, Melaine Griffith, went straight to refurbishing it.
Later on the two advertise the place in the local newspaper for tenants whom they feel would, with the scarce apartment situation in San Francisco as it is, love to live there.Everything seems to be going right for Drake & Patty until Carter Hayes, Michael Keaton, shows up out of nowhere looking for a place to stay.
Michael Keaton or should I say "Carter Hayes"still to this day freaks me out in this.The last 30 minutes or so of this film work perfectly and every time I see it,it keeps me engaged.Every time I hear Melanie's voice no matter what movie it is,it exudes sex.
It all starts when a couple (Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine) buy their dreamhouse but as such things are expensive (yeah we know!) they must rent two parts of the house.
Drake Goodman (Modine) really cant hear anything bad about Carter Hayes (Keaton) especially not if he sees the money in the mans wallet but Patty (Griffith) isn't that convinced and soon she has right as the promised rentmoney never cames and Drake develops himself to a real evil and it's not just the house he wants destroy and with tears in their eyes the young couple must witness how the American justice protects the renter...
It is the tale of two newlyweds (Melanie Griffith as Patty; Matt Modine as Drake), slightly short on reasonable income, who buy a hefty house in Pacific Heights.
Keaton, well-dressed, polite, aces out other tenants and rents one of two apartments in an old Victorian house that a yuppie couple, Modine and Griffith, have just gone deeply into hock to buy and have lovingly refurbished.
Instead of a Freddy Krueger or a Michael Myers we have Michael Keaton as a psychotic tenant who makes life hell for his landlords Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine.
Even if it occasionally gets into some muddy areas along the way, Pacific Heights is compelling to the very end.Modine and Griffith play Drake Goodman and Patty Palmer.
The tension then builds steadily as the conflict becomes increasingly intense and the stakes get higher.Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) and his girlfriend Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) are an ambitious middle-class couple who decide to buy a Victorian house in the Pacific Heights neighbourhood of San Francisco.
Basically boyfriend Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) and girlfriend Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) buy a large San Fransisco neighbourhood house, and they renovate it planning to rent two apartments on the first floor to cover the costs.
Keaton might not have been on as much as I'd like, but he certainly made a creepy performance, Griffith and Modine add some interest too, most of the story is a bit ridiculous and it continues to get more so, but it is still an okay film.
Pacific Heights (for some strange reason I keep calling it specific heights!) is set in the upmarket San Francisco suburb of Pacific Heights where young couple Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) & Drake Goodman (Mathew Modine) buy a large $750,000 19th Century Victorian property with plans to do it up, rent two apartments within it out & let the place pay for it's own mortgage.
The acting varies, I thought Melanie Griffith was awful, Matthew Modine alright & Michael Keaton very good.
One of the better ones was "Pacific Heights", which starred Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine as a young couple who renovate a group of apartments.
The film then shifts to a man by the name of "Drake Goodman" (Matthew Modine) and his girlfriend "Patty Parker" (Melanie Griffith) buying a large Victorian house with the intent on renting some of the rooms out in order to help pay off their sizeable mortgage.
Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this is the type of film that is was an interesting movie for the most part which included a good performance by Michael Keaton as the dark and sinister villain.
Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine and Michael Keaton star in this 1990 thriller.
This takes place in San Francisco and focuses on couple, Patty Palmer (Griffith) and Drake Goodman (Modine) who buy a Victorian house. |
tt0093990 | Slaughterhouse | Deputy Dave and Sally Jean go out parking, and Dave sees Skip's jeep and Kevin's car, both apparently abandoned. He hears screaming on the dock and pulls his gun, but it is only a group of friend, practicing for Liz's "horror video". After Dave and Sally leave, Liz, Skip, Annie and Buzz get in Skip's jeep and drive away. Michele and Kevin stick around, and she playfully runs and hides from him. Michele conceals herself in an old, rusty bus, as Kevin picks up and hits a shovel against a fence (containing squealing hogs). Just then, a huge, dirty man named Buddy arrives with a long-handled meat cleaver and chops Kevin's face in half. He enters the bus and slices Michele to death with the cleaver.The next day, Tom goes to see Harold, Lester Bacon's attorney and advisor and complains about Lester not selling his property. The two of them drive to Lester's house (next to a large meat-packing factory about to be shut down). There, Tom and Harold meet Sheriff Borden (who happens to be Liz's father). The old man Lester answers their knocking, and Tom makes a final offer of $55,000 to buy his property, allowing Lester to stay and work as a consultant. Lester is told that the demolition of the slaughterhouse would create employment opportunities for many people, as well as get the county tax assessor off his back. Lester grumbles about Tom's equipment and bad meat (claiming that it's 30% fat), and says that he could do better with his hands, knives and fewer men. The sheriff tells Lester that the assessor's office is foreclosing his property and he has 30 days to vacate.Meanwhile, the group of friends are at a local restaurant, talking about the party the other night and Liz's video.Back at on Lester Bacon's property, his son Buddy takes Lester to a room and shows him the dead Michele and Kevin. Lester is a bit unsettled, thinking that they are in a heap of trouble, but he tells Buddy: "at least you made good clean cuts". He also tells Buddy that Tom, Harold, and Sheriff Borden are the ones who deserve such a fate.At the restaurant, Liz tells her friends that she wants a "creepy" place to film, and Skip suggests the old slaughterhouse.Lester phones Harold and says that he has decided to work out the offer with Tom, and he invites the man over.Dave, after being told of the worried parents of Michele and Kevin who did not come home last night, checks out the dock and then goes to the slaughter house. He walks inside and calls for the two teenager. Dave soon finds a dead, hanging cat (Buddy had eyes the feline earlier while siting in the hog pen). A large metal sliding door is shoved on his gun-toting hand, chopping it off.Buddy shows Lester the dead Deputy Dave. Lester responds: "you've gone hog wild!" Soon after, Harold arrives and Lester takes him to a dark room of his house, where he asks the "jury" (the dead Michele, Kevin and Dave) if they believe Harold's claim that he has not deceived Lester. They raise their hands (with Lester's help) and Buddy squishes Harold's face in.Meanwhile, the sheriff goes to the Lakeside Hotel (where Dave has been spending his lunch time), and Sally tells him that she has not seen the deputy since that morning.Back at the slaughterhouse, Buddy puts on the dead Dave's policemans bloody shirt, hat, sunglasses, belt, gets in the cop's car and drives around the area. On the main road, Sally waves at the passing police car at "Dave" and is chased until the police car stops. She sees Buddy getting out of the car, screams and runs back to her car. Buddy hits her windshield with a nightstick and then drops a rock on it. Sally runs out of her car and tries to look for a place to hide, but Buddy grabs her and slits her throat with a knife.A little later, Tom arrives at the slaughterhouse where Lester meets with him and as they look at an old saw machine, Buddy appears and grabs Tom from behind. Tom tries to tell Lester that he is sorry about everything and that his motivation is "only business", but Lester just laughs as Buddy then casually picks up Tom and drops him into the machine. Tom is gorily sawed and chopped up into fleshy bloody parts.That evening at the Pig Out, a town dance, the power goes out (due to a storm), and many people leave. Buzz says that it is now the best time for filming at the slaughterhouse. Skip then makes a $20 bet that the girls cannot last one hour at the slaughterhouse. Liz and Annie are dropped off at the place while the boys are sneaking around with masked (used in Liz's video).Elsewhere, Sheriff Borden finds Sally's car with the damaged windshield and Dave's patrol car with the door standing open. The sheriff then goes back to his car and radios in to connect him to the county sheriff's department for backup.Back at the slaughterhouse, Liz and Annie realizes that the boys are outside trying to scare them. Liz looks for a way to get behind the two guys and scare them instead. The boys split up and Buzz gets inside the building. Skip is at the window, and Annie laughs until Buddy suddenly appears and whacks Skip. Annie screams and runs, but Lester appears and grabs her.Liz walks to the front door and sees that everyone is gone. At the same time, Buzz walks into a room, hears a noise, and is hit in the face by Buddy.Liz calls out her friends names and she eventually finds a hanging, still-living Annie, as well as the dead bodies of all the other people Buddy killed. The father-son duo are there and Buddy grabs Liz. Meanwhile, Sheriff Borden learns that Tom and Harold have mysteriously disappeared.Buddy and Lester hold Liz down on a table and Lester talks about "bucherin'", saying that a meat cutter like himself and Buddy have the skills like a surgeon. Lester slices one of Liz's fingertips to prove to her that it is one of the most sensitive part of the human body. When Lester turns and hears Sheriff Borden enter through the front door of the slaughterhouse, Liz kicks Lester and runs away. She finds her father and runs to him. Buddy appears and the sheriff tries to shoot him, but hits the blade of his meat cleaver. Sheriff Bordon and Liz run outside into the pouring rain. As Sheriff Borden pauses at his squad car door, Lester appears and stabs him in the back. Liz picks up her father's gun and uses it to shoot Lester. She then helps the wounded sheriff into his car. She also gets the keys to start up the car just as Lester rises and knocks at the car windows. She turns around, shifts the car into reverse, and runs over Lester, crushing his head and finally killing him. The sheriff tells Liz to drive away and radio for help. But in the final shot, Buddy suddenly sits up from the backseat where he had been hiding and swings his knife at Liz who screams.... | cult, revenge, murder, violence | train | imdb | As for the plot, it was a typical slasher that had pretty good acting, great music, and a sadistic killer in Buddy.
I can only imagine what those freaky hillbillys from Deliverance would think of Buddy, the 300+ pound mentally handicapped killer who grunts like a pig rather than speaking normally.
The plot centers around old man Lester Bacon who gets his property, slaughterhouse and all, seized so a larger slaughtering factory can move in.
Lester isn't going to take this lying down, so he lures the foreclosing son's of guns to his slaughterhouse so son Buddy can slaughter them.Joe Barton, as the deranged swine-friendly killer, is the chief reason to watch this film.
The old butcher Lester Bacon is declared bankrupt and along with his seriously retarded son Buddy, he plans vengeance to all parties involved.
Clearly inspired by the notorious Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this Rick Roessler one-man-showed is one of the better slashers produced in the 80's.
'Slaughterhouse' has to be the greatest B-movie, horror slasher piece of cheese to come out of the 80s.
The only thing that differentiates "Slaughter House" from other "slasher" or "dead teenager" films is that in this one, the killer makes oinking and other pig noises whenever he appears.
Even for hardcore horror fans, there isn't much gore and absolutely no nudity (and if you're going to make a crappy R-Rated movie, at least give me something to garner my interest).
The story is so paint-by-numbers that you'll be able to predict every scene, making this an incredibly dull horror film.
This was one of the better horror films of the late 80's, While almost every other horror flick was played mainly for laughs, this one broke away form the norm and actually injected a little gore and dementia to it's characters.There are really a lot of cool aspects about the movie.
I couldn't recognize the old man mask, but I'm sure it's been used in some other horror flick, but I definitely recognized the cobra mask from terror train.The murders are also a bit gory for their time and not at all funny.
There are funny parts, but totally unintentional.The best part is the ending, I won't give it away, but it's a well known cliché in horror films.Final Words: Good old 80's Horror, just done the right way..
In this blood-drenched gore-soaked slasher a group of businessmen try to buy an abandoned slaughterhouse owned by Lester Bacon(Don Barrett) and his son Buddy(Joe Barton)who enjoys playing with filthy pigs and butchering people with meatcleaver.After a radio station promo prompts curious college students out to visit the abandoned facility,Lester and Buddy proceed to dispatch victims,who end up on meat hooks.Rick Roessler's "Slaughterhouse" is grisly slasher punctuated with some moments of black humour.Buddy looks like a hidden brother of deadly twins from "Just Before Dawn",the gore flows freely and Buddy seems a little more goofy and we get a hilarious moment where he is pretending to be a cop and drives around in the cop car.Its sequel "sLaughterhouse II" from 1988 actually doesn't exist..
Whilst not being the best slasher film around, Slaughterhouse is worth a watch as it has its fair share of splatter and a good atmosphere.
The slaughterhouse itself is a great setting for a slasher film, you can almost smell the atmosphere of death surrounding it.
Skip this one if you are looking for some serious frightening stuff, but don't miss it if you like this sort of movies..
The main story concerning two all-mod-cons (for 1987 anyway) small town businessmen and a gruff sheriff trying to underhandedly usurp an old school sausage factory owner, Lester Bacon (Don Barrett), and his psychotically wayward son, Buddy (Joe Barton), is pure EC horror comic pulp resulting inevitably as it does in gruesome murder.Wrapped around this is a fun quartet of teens in a Jeep who while away their time making rubber mask music videos in the slaughterhouse when they're not drowning their French fries in ketchup or cutting a rug to cheesy synth bands at the local Bacon disco dance.Both these strands are married up quite successfully with likable and reprehensible characters alike meeting grisly fates in the piggy execution chamber via Buddy's big cleaver.But Buddy's kind of a problem as he's played more for laughs than menace and comes over way too sweet and cuddly for a Leatherface wannabe.
Buddy's Pop is cartoonish in tone too but Don Barrett makes a fair old go of it in the eye rolling/teeth gnashing department, so some kudos is due there.The last third however, does make up for these shortcomings somewhat with an atmospheric climax in the meat plant chamber of horrors where most of the cast are quite harshly dispatched in brutal fashion before the freeze frame cliff-hanger brings us to an unexpected full stop.Keeping the murderous pig farmers in the shadows would have added a much needed air of mystery and surprise and may have pushed it toward the realm of 'minor classic' and, possibly, a higher rating.
But it's still a pretty decent, fun slasher that's well worth a look..
Lester Bacon (Don Barrett) and his grunting, meat-cleaver wielding son Buddy (Joe Barton) aren't very happy about the foreclosure of their abattoir and decide to use their slaughterhouse equipment and butchering skills to deal with the swine responsible.
The meat-hooks become even more crowded with bodies after a group of teens visit the old meat-packing factory during a thunderstorm for a dare.With its all-pervading aura of death and decay and its hulking mentally challenged killer (mentored by his demented father), Slaughterhouse is clearly aiming for a Texas Chain Saw Massacre vibe, but at the same time it also caters for the audience of the day, delivering inane teenage characters, predictable jump scares, some reasonable splatter, a few pig-related puns (Lester is described as 'pig-headed' and calls his son 'hog-wild'), and a couple of typically cheesy '80s scenes in which the youngsters act all wild and wacky, their zany antics accompanied by a tacky pop/rock soundtrack.The result is a fun slice of stalk 'n' slash, a spirited blend of mean-spirited nastiness and tongue-in-cheek silliness that ticks all of the genre boxes with the notable exception of gratuitous female nudity.
"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" wields an enormous influence over this rural horror comedy; on the whole, "Slaughterhouse" manages to be a reasonably interesting and effectively atmospheric production.
Writer / director Rick Roessler gives us a taste of what's to come with his pre-credit sequence, then goes through a little bit of set-up, eventually delivering respectable bloody mayhem for 80s horror lovers.Don Barrett plays Lester Bacon, a demented old farmer about to lose his slaughterhouse to foreclosure.
Buddy also gets along much better with pigs than with people.
Lester finds that Buddy has a taste for murder, but implores him to save it for those who deserve it, namely those that are trying to take his business away from him.
Soon enough, he starts to enjoy the experience.Barrett is a delight, and Barton is quite fun to watch, especially in one scene where Buddy goes on a joyride after slaughtering a deputy.
The movie gets better as it goes along, culminating in what is actually a solid finale, as four friends that had been filming their own "horror" footage head right into danger by utilizing the slaughterhouse at night.
Pure fun to watch if you can dig low budgets, otherwise leave it on the shelves.Gore 1,5/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 2/5 Story 2/5 Comedy 0/5.
In fact, it's one of the worst films I've seen recently and this is after watching SILO KILLER and SCARECROWS.
Being a big TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE fan, I had hopes that this film would be a fun rip-off.
That scene is the most pathetic example of acting I've ever seen in a film.
Let's get into why "Slaughterhouse" fails in every way and manner possible and why it's not even trying to be a horror flick.The acting is the worst thing you will ever see on screen.
Seriously, these kids do such a poor job in their roles and the characters are genuinely unlikable; However, the kids are the best actors, compared to Don Barrett as Lester Bacon.
A six year old could do a better job at writing a horror film.The kills are an absolute joke and the way they're executed is atrocious.
"Slaughterhouse" is a pathetic excuse for a horror film that feels like it's not even trying.
I'd definitely recommend this movie for slasher fans, as there were some pretty nice kills.
Not a lot of slasher films at the time would have attempted this.
And this movie got away with doing so pretty well.Other than that, great acting, which bad acting can sometimes be a problem in B-movie slashers; casting for "Buddy" was perfect.
Over the threat of his slaughterhouse being closed down, Lester chooses to send his boy, Buddy (Joe Barton), out to kill anyone that tries to take, or trespasses on, what's his.
Furthermore, I don't know why people are complaining about the slaughterhouse footage in the beginning, it didn't repulse me, just made me hungry.My Grade: C+ DVD Extras: Commentary Track; 5 Deleted Scenes; Making of; Executive Producer Interview; home video of Joe Barton and Director/writer Rick Roessler going to various cities to hype the film; Theatrical Trailer; Teaser; a smoking PSA; and 4 TV spots DVD-Rom: Sketches and clippings; the film budget documents; the Theatrical Distribution agreement; Stills Gallery, and the entire script all in PDF form.
Typical '80s slasher flick, with some authority figures threatening to shut down a slaughterhouse and so the owner gets his pig-like son to kill anyone who trespasses.
I figure that Archie would say that people in slasher movies deserve what happens to them because they act like hippies.Anyway, it's pretty fun to watch, just as long as you don't expect anything special..
Barton is actually pretty menacing as the son who does all the dirty work and for some reason makes pig noises.
The people who play the teens aren't really any good, but if they were they would probably be in another movie.
Now what really works in its favour, is there's an actual plot hanging off the meat hook than just focusing on a bunch of rowdy teens (which this film does have) being pointlessly slaughtered (and it does happen).
What is a little disappointing though, with a title like that is the lack of gore, as the most sickening (or yummy) scene can be found in the opening shots (take a lesson in the trade) of pigs going through the gruelling slaughterhouse procedures.
Director Rick Roessler (his one and only film) does a modest job, elevating some suspense, sticking in with energy, creating few moments of atmosphere and well-placed jarring sound effects.
Don Barrett was a treat as the old coot Les Bacon and Joe Barton dominates as his fat, mentally challenged son Buddy who expresses himself through pig noises.
Teenagers venture to a slaughterhouse to play a game of hide and seek, what they don't realize is that the twisted farmer and son duo who own it are mass murderers with plenty of bodies piled up in the place.
Buddy was the greatest slaughterer that ever worked in the abattoir until the day they shut it down and left him unemployed........This films greatest asset is the high level of production it affords despite it's low budget.Even with the one dimensional characters, telegraphed climaxes and the other usual slasher cliches, an 80's genre picture like this completely outclasses any of the similar 90's fare marketed to teenagers..
Now a former worker is trying to take his property so Lester decides to send his obese and mentally retarded son Buddy (Joe B.
Barton) out for revenge.Writer-director Rick Roessler only made one film in his career and this here was it.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE is your average slasher film that was way too common during this era.
The entire slaughterhouse stuff appears to have been influenced by THE Texas CHAIN SAW MASSACRE and the rest is your typical Friday THE 13TH stuff.There's really not too much plot here as those who harmed the owner, a bunch of cops, some teenagers and other find themselves at the old slaughterhouse where Buddy does them all in.
The murder scenes are certainly the highlight of the picture and while none of them come close to the work of someone like Tom Savini, they're at least good enough for this type of low-budget movie.
There's quite a bit of gore splashed around, which of course will please horror fans.Performances are pretty much what you'd expect from a film like this.
Instead, I got a movie were certain scenes bordered on comedy, if not, slapstick even (the one were Lester"Pigboy"Bacon started driving the police car).
Instead they threw in the pretty irrelevant subplot with the teenagers who want to shoot a horror-video at the isolated farmhouse, just to pad things out & up the body count (and most likely to try and give this film that popular 80's slasher vibe, to please a certain target audience).
After seeing this sick and gory teenage slasher film, the smartest thing I did is that I dropped it off to the video store the next day!!!.
This is a very lame attempt at a slasher film, and anyone looking for a scare or a good time should avoid "Slaugherhouse" like the plague, for it is horror for the mentally challenged.
Barton) a filthy fatso who runs a slaughterhouse and kills local interlopers.
Horror Movie about surrounding an old slaughterhouse.
Nice movie for horror fans.
I really like the scenes with Buddy.
The actor has obviously put some great effort in it and I like the fact that the movie does not end with some stupid kids escaping.I liked some of the extras as well but the quality of the film showing Buddy meeting some fans is poor.
~Spoiler~The Slaughterhouse box proclaims that it's "Good-Ole-Boy horror...like a country-western tune sung in the key of plasma." That's a tad misleading because the scariest thing in the movie is probably the real slaughterhouse footage at the beginning of the movie.
Slaughterhouse tells the hard-luck story of the Bacon & Son's Hog Slaughtering company that's being forced to foreclose so a larger corporation can move in.
Instead of having a bake sale to make money, Bacon and Son, Buddy, go on a killing spree.
This 1987 horror comedy stars Joe Barton, Don Barrett, Sherry Leigh and William Houck.
This tells of a hog farmer, Lester (Barrett) who discovers that his mentally challenged son, Buddy (Barton) is hacking up trespassers in the area.
There weren't really any scares to be had, despite some enjoyably atmospheric eerie music.I would also have liked to have seen an added chase scene and a bit more thrust towards the climax.
Overall Slaughterhouse offers a slight, but fun time for 1980's slasher aficionados..
Teenagers, police, and other unfortunate folks are being stalked by a father and son who live on the land of a decrepit, abandoned abattoir, pressed into bankruptcy due to an evolved mechanized processing system which prospers more within the county.The star of the film is Buddy(Joe B Barton), a massive, unclean, mentally challenged son, in overalls, of demented slaughterhouse father Lester Bacon(Don Barrett) who kills people that threaten his pops or pigs.
He's very primitive in nature, and the film establishes his kinship with the porcine population..he even grunts like a pig instead of talk!
A group of teenagers are shooting an amateur horror movie, using the abandoned slaughterhouse as a setting which is how they come in contact with Buddy, sealing their fates.
The final girl is Lizzie Borden(Sherry Leigh), not joking, and her father is the county sheriff(William Houck).Generic characters(..the cast do their best but have little to work with)and plot, relatively little profanity and features no nudity.
The gore is at a minimum with director Rick Roessler having to find economic ways to make kill-scenes more cringe-worthy(..even without the graphic nature to back them up) due to lack of budget.
Besides his cleaver, Buddy uses other hog slaughtering equipment to kill his victims.
This is a perfect example of that.SLAUGHTERHOUSE tells the story of Lester Bacon, the owner of an old slaughterhouse that's seen better days and his illiterate son Buddy.
Perhaps the only problem with Buddy here is that he's supposed to be this tremendously ominous killer but comes off as a sympathetic character at times because of his mental health issues.
Bitter slaughterhouse owner Lester Bacon (robustly played with tremendous zest by Don Barrett) and his dim-witted hulking brute son Buddy (imposing behemoth Joe Barton) exact a harsh revenge on both young adult trespassers and several folks who want to foreclose on Lester's property.Writer/director Rick Roessler relates the familiar, but still enjoyable story at a brisk pace, makes excellent use of the sprawling abattoir main location, crafts a reasonable amount of creepy atmosphere, delivers a handy helping of graphic gore, and tops everything off with an amusing sense of pitch-black humor.
Saying people who kill animals for a living must be insane to begin with and that's just B.S. like the movie LARVA, SLAUGHTERHOUSE must have been written by a vegetarian or something.
I am an avid horror movie fan and this was just wasted film.
If you like listening to horrible music while teenagers run around or dance this is a great movie.
I don't know whether to love or to hate this movie because, despite it being a obvious ripoff or omen to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" it wasn't all that bad.
The killer in this movie is a mentally challenged boy witch doesn't have anywhere close the the horror appear that "Leatherface does" and while running around he constantly makes pig noises which I thought was just stupid and didn't add to the scare factor of the movie.
If you like horror movies you MIGHT like this. |
tt0117318 | The People vs. Larry Flynt | In 1952, 10-year-old Larry Flynt is selling moonshine in Kentucky. Twenty years later, Flynt and his younger brother, Jimmy, run the Hustler Go-Go club in Cincinnati. With profits down, Flynt decides to publish a newsletter for the club, the first Hustler magazine, with nude pictures of women working at the club. The newsletter soon becomes a full-fledged magazine, but sales are weak. After Hustler publishes nude pictures of former first lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis, sales take off.
Flynt becomes smitten with Althea Leasure, a stripper who works at one of his clubs. With Althea and Jimmy's help, Flynt makes a fortune from sales of Hustler. With his success comes enemies - as he finds himself a hated figure of anti-pornography activists. He argues with the activists, saying that "murder is illegal, but if you take a picture of it you may get your name in a magazine or maybe win a Pulitzer Prize". "However", he continues, "sex is legal, but if you take a picture of that act, you can go to jail". He becomes involved in several prominent court cases, and befriends a young lawyer, Alan Isaacman. In 1975, Flynt loses a smut-peddling court decision in Cincinnati but is released from jail soon afterwards on a technicality. Ruth Carter Stapleton, a Christian activist and sister of President Jimmy Carter, seeks out Flynt and urges him to give his life to Jesus. Flynt seems moved and starts letting his newfound religion influence everything in his life, including Hustler content.
In 1978, during another trial in Georgia, Flynt and Isaacman are both shot by a man with a rifle while they walk outside a courthouse. Isaacman recovers, but Flynt is paralyzed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Wishing he was dead, Flynt renounces God. Because of the emotional and physical pain, he moves to Beverly Hills and spirals down into depression and drug use. During this time, Althea also becomes addicted to painkillers and morphine.
In 1983, Flynt undergoes surgery to deaden several nerves in his back damaged by the bullet wounds, and as a result, feels rejuvenated. He returns to an active role with the publication, which, in his absence, had been run by Althea and Jimmy. Flynt is soon in court again for leaking videos relating to the John DeLorean entrapment case, and during his courtroom antics, he fires Isaacman, then throws an orange at the judge. He later wears an American flag as an adult diaper along with an army helmet, and wears T-shirts with provocative messages such as "I Wish I Was Black" and "Fuck This Court." After spitting water at the judge Flynt is sent to a psychiatric ward, where he sinks into depression again. Flynt publishes a satirical parody ad in which Jerry Falwell tells of a sexual encounter with his mother. Falwell sues for libel and emotional distress. Flynt countersues for copyright infringement, because Falwell copied his ad. The case goes to trial in December 1984, but the decision is mixed, as Flynt is found guilty of inflicting emotional distress but not libel.
By that time, Althea has contracted HIV, which proceeds to AIDS. Some time later in 1987, Flynt finds her dead in the bathtub, having drowned. Flynt presses Isaacman to appeal the Falwell decision to the Supreme Court of the United States. Isaacman refuses, saying Flynt's courtroom antics humiliated him. Flynt pleads with him, saying that he "wants to be remembered for something meaningful". Isaacman agrees and argues the "emotional distress" decision in front of the Supreme Court, in the case Hustler Magazine v. Falwell in 1988. With Flynt sitting silently in the courtroom, the court overturns the original verdict in a unanimous decision. After the trial, Flynt is alone in his bedroom watching old videotapes of a healthy Althea. | comedy, murder, dramatic, violence, romantic, historical | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0489664 | Butterfly on a Wheel | Chicago residents Neil Randall (Gerard Butler) and his wife, Abby Randall (Maria Bello) have the perfect life and a perfect marriage. With their beautiful young daughter, Sophie, they are living the American dream... until today. When Sophie is suddenly kidnapped, they have no choice but to comply with the abductor's demands. The kidnapper, Tom Ryan (Pierce Brosnan), an apparent sociopath, takes over their lives with the brutal efficiency of someone who has nothing to lose.
In the blink of an eye, Neil and Abby's safe and secure existence is turned upside down. Over the next twenty-four hours they are at the mercy of a man who wants only one thing: that they do his bidding. It soon becomes clear that Ryan's demands are all the more terrifying because he doesn't want their money. What he wants is Neil and Abby's life, the life they have built over 10 years, to be systematically dismantled and destroyed, piece by piece.
With time running out on their little girl, Neil and Abby realize their nightmare is just about to begin. They will have to submit to Ryan's challenges over the next 24-hour period. Tom asks them, how far will they go to save their child? He requires them to withdraw more than $100,000 from their bank, which Tom burns and throws along with their wallets into a river. Then he requires them to get $300 from nowhere in a part of the town where they don't have any friends. Abby pawns her bracelet and Neil his watch to get the $300. He then requires Abby to deliver a document to Neil's office within 20 min, and Tom show Neil a copy of document that contains details of Neil's hacking into customer accounts, which if leaked will ruin Neil. Neil watches Abby deliver the document from a distance. Neil and Abby try to rescue Sophie from a hotel, only to get caught by Tom, who makes Abby take off her dress and put on an enticing, short dress in front of both of them.
Tom has one last test for Neil to save Sophie: he requires Neil to enter a house and kill the occupant - a coworker named Judy who Neil has been having an affair with. Neil is greeted warmly by Judy, and is desperately confused as he sees a picture of Tom on the mantel and learns that he and Judy are married. Tom enters the house and tells Neil to shoot Judy or he will kill their daughter Sophie. Neil pulls the trigger but the gun isn't loaded. Ryan reveals he knows about their affair and tells Neil his daughter is safe at home.
As they return home, Neil lies to Abby and tells her that his boss was having an affair with Judy and Tom mistook Neil for that person, which is why Tom had tormented them the whole day. When they return home, Sophie is asleep and apparently has been there the whole time. Abby reveals to Neil that their daughter had never been kidnapped, and Tom had concocted the entire day to let Neil experience for one day the pain he has undergone. Neil says that Abby has ruined his career by delivering the document to his office, but she tells him it was blank. Abby has paid Neil back for 24 hours a portion of the pain she has experienced since learning of his affair. | revenge | train | wikipedia | On top of that: this movie's great twist ending beautifully blurs the line between good and evil.Pierce Brosnan has already proved to be much more than 007 and continues to do so here.
And Gerard Butler has fought side by side with Lara Croft and 300 of the bravest Greeks, but now this Scottish actor takes a break from this senseless violence and plays a more fragile role.In short: "Butterfly on a wheel" is an intelligent cat-and-mouse-game that steadily becomes a first-rate thriller..
Such is the case with Butterfly on a Wheel (released in North America under the title Shattered).The title Butterfly on a Wheel, taken from the Alexander Pope's 1734 poem "Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot", refers to someone putting massive effort into achieving something considered minor or unimportant, and is cryptically referred to at various points in the story and pretty much sums up the entire plot of this movie.Gerard Butler plays Neil Randall, a Chicago advertising executive and rising star at his firm.
That is until everything comes to a grinding halt when, on an outing with his wife (Maria Bello) they find themselves hijacked by Tom Ryan (Pierce Brosnan), a mysterious stranger who tells them his associate has their daughter captive and unless they wish to see her alive again, they must complete a series of arduous and cryptic challenges.From there unfolds a cat and mouse game with Ryan's motives becoming ever more difficult to decipher as the movie progresses.
With a plot peppered with enough red herrings to keep you guessing (I thought for sure I had it all figured out early on, only to be thrown for a loop), Butterfly on a Wheel/Shattered is paced to perfection, strongly acted by all three principals, and delivers a smart, almost too clever story.What's more, it will leave you thinking about it long after viewing, and even motivating you to go over scenes again to try and find flaws, which may be there, but are very cleverly hidden.While the media blitz that tends to foreshadow most movie releases undoubtedly benefits the film studios, in this case I can honestly say that knowing zero about this film going in actually worked in its favor, and has me marking it as one not to be missed..
A grungy looking Brosnan makes the villain a very unappetizing psychotic and we're never quite sure about Butler either, an ad agency man who gradually loses his swaggering overconfident manner.Without giving away more of the plot (except to say that there is a mildly interesting twist toward the end followed by a double twist), the whole thing plays more like a made-for-TV movie than an actual film because none of the characters are more than one-dimensional despite the good acting.
It has been a while since i have seen a movie that i can't guess it's finally after the first 20-30 minutes....no more comments , just watch that movie.I can't think at other comments that would not spoil the story but the damn guidelines are asking for minimum 10 lines....so.The story is original, i can't remember to have seen this subject in a movie before, and the performance is almost perfect, the characters seem to be able to hide the motives behind their actions until the very last moment...contributing at the tension of the movie.
A normal married couple's life (Gerard Butler and Maria Bello) is thrown into turmoil when their daughter is kidnapped and the kidnapper (Pierce Brosnan) put's them through a series of brutal challenges and horrible experience, threatening to kill their daughter if they don't pass every challenge.This is a gripping thrill ride that constantly makes you think what YOU would do in this situation and question why it's happening.
The suspense just turns to irritation However this film is well worth watching if you want a no-nonce thriller that requires little thinking on your part and don't mind that half the movie takes place in a car due to the small budget..
Basically, the kind of overly simplistic, TV movie of the week story you'd expect from basic network TV or from the formula Hollywood films that also end up making little or no stop at theaters.Besides being boring and predictable, it lacks any significant meaning.
Every action, every event, and every scene has been seen a hundred thousand times before."Butterfly on a Wheel" is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition in the race to be the most predictable, god-awful piece of crap in the history of storytelling.Words cannot express how utterly tired I am of these painful trips into the recycle bin of motion pictures.Awful movie in every way.
It soon becomes clear that Tom's demands are all the more horrifying because he doesn't wish their money that is burnt.This exciting picture is packed with suspense, thrills, mystery,tension and extraordinary plot twists.Tense and stirring film with a moving race against time.
i've just lost 30 min of my life trying to watch this piece of garbage and i wish i would have done something else, i have no idea why the rating is so high because its nothing else but a confusing movie with a awful plot and bad directing i mean my god even a dog can see all the mistakes..
About 20 minutes into this flick, I nervously thought to myself, "Man, I sure hope this isn't gonna turn into an over-the-top manipulative piece of bad film-making." Because it became clear at that point it could go either way, and being a fan of Pierce Brosnan, I was hoping it would rise above my fears.But it didn't.
Unfortunately, Gerard Butler and Maria Bello are pretty much stuck on the edge of hysteria throughout, bickering like children, and the plot (such as it is) has so little suspense that attention quickly turns from the victimized couple toward the many holes in the script (which are not covered up by the twist finish, scenes such as the ludicrous trip to the Chicago police station wherein a detective turns a man away because he thinks he's drunk).
I saw it last night in a theater here in Korea.There is a reason it did not see wide release in the United States.Without giving anything away, think of every stupid movie that relies on the conceit that a plot twist in the last 5 minutes ought to save it, and then add another plot twist.When Koran's get up and leave a movie, that is another sign that it is bad.Allow me to calibrate a scale of plot twists from 1 to 10: If the plot twist in Hide and Seek is a 3, the one in The Illusionist is a 7, Fight Club is a 9, and Next is a 2, Butterfly on a Wheel is hovering around -50.Goodnight..
The script is diabolical the acting is worse than a soap opera and the plot is no better than a dodgy episode of 'tales of the unexpected'Right from the off the tone is set with Gerard Butlers utterly ridiculous American accent I mean come on I know your a Scot but you're an actor for goodness sake, surely any actor who wishes to play American characters in an American set movie must do better than this.And Brosnan...
I always thought of Brosnan as a respectable actor but not anymore.And nobody should be surprised by the ending.Sometimes you just want to pick up a movie for the evening and you don't expect to much.But after watching this I am actually angry I wasted my time on this.How could anyone greenlight this?.
"Butterfly on a Wheel" (or "Shattered") is unfortunately not one of these movies.Without revealing much of the plot, the movie revolves around Neil and Abby Randall (played by Gerard Butler and Maria Bello), a Chicago couple living a perfect marriage with their daughter in a nice house.
This is one of those movies that you simply can't talk about too much before you see it, as the whole experience is better if you don't try and guess it in anyway and just let the film take you through the emotions.I saw this on the recommendation of friend and didn't expect to like it since I haven't really enjoyed watching Pierce Brosnan after his excellent James Bond films, but i was absolutely wrong - his performance is really very good (as are both other performances) and also his accent is a bit shaky in places, but other than that it was very good.I don't normally write these, but I was so amazed by the film, the twists and turns and the performances that I felt compelled to let everyone know so that you too will be convinced to see this film.9 out of 10.Brilliant..
Butterfly left me very cold and possibly shivering.What I got was just a smart thriller, that is really distasteful.Yes there are plot holes, but the performances and filming are good.But these are minor issues when the overall film makes you want to come out and run for a shower.I felt violated after watching this: it may be smart but it ain't good movie making.
I personally, liked both and this movie satisfied my Thriller needs..Abby (Bello) and Neil (Butler) Randall are a happily married couple with a young daughter, Sophie.
Meanwhile, Abby is going out with a friend for the evening and gets a babysitter for Sophie since she and Neil will be gone (him on the trip and she with a friend) - they leave together in the family car.Everything is fine until out of no where Tom (Brosnan) pops up from the backseat of the car where he had been hiding with a gun and immediately makes it known that Abby and Neil better do what he says and what he wants or else Sophie is dead - implying that the sitter that arrived to care for her is in on the scheme with Tom.From here on out it's a mind game with Tom making Abby and Neil do countless different things including doing to the bank, withdrawing all their savings and then once Tom gets the money, he sets it all on fire making the audience and the two main characters question his motive even more than before.
In addition, the time and form of the turnings aren't as twisting as they should/could be.In summary: I think in this movie a good working story was wasted by an unfinished constellation of characters and the missing insight into them.However, my rating says it: You can enjoy watching this, and if you don't, you won't miss it.(Sorry for bad English, long ago..).
I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that the acting was top notch...the surprises were ever present...and the ending really threw me for a loop.Pierce Brosnan, Maria Bello and the rest of the cast did fine jobs...I never wanted to look away for a moment for fear of missing something important to the plot.I highly recommend this one!!.
Didn't see that coming.Butler is (nice to look at) and does a decent job as a happy family man placed in a desperate situation, when a calculating sociopath (played brilliantly by Pierce Brosnan) kidnaps his young daughter and toys with his wife.
So well done director Mike Barker (I'll be watching for more of your work) and to what is, basically, a cast of three.It was interesting to see Pierce Brosnan as the 'bad guy' rather than the hero and, when you watch the film, I'm sure you'll agree, he was quite loathsome with his cool, calculating manner.I won't include spoilers here but leave you to see if you can work out the reason for everything.
Radio Times online gave just two stars and only the skimpiest of plot lines as their review, when I saw it was going to be shown on BBC3.Having never heard of director Mike Barker (he's done a couple of episodes of Silent Witness; yes he's British) didn't inspire me but Pierce Brosnan surely must, right?Against-the-clock ransom movies don't really do it for me and when they're flashily directed, they're usually covering up a bad or non- existent plot.
Gerard Butler and Mario Bello play the requisite distraught couple whose young daughter is the pawn in this increasingly sinister cat-and-mouse game.It becomes obvious that the motive is far beyond mere money and whilst the motives get even more hazy, an unseen and (for once) believable outcome prevails.Laziness probably stopped me from turning it over at times when it was just loud and angry but, like a few reviewers here, I'm gently satisfied with the end result.
I have just finished watching this movie and all I can say is wow This movie is really good and here are the reasons why: The movie follows a great storyline and has a great script to it, The directing is very well done, the acting in this movie is really good, The actors are very good such as Pierce Brosnan as Tom Ryan, Mario Bello as Abby Randall, Gerard Butler as Neil Randall.
I have to say that the best character in this movie is pierce brosnan's character because he just does it so great and I think he plays a very good Bad guy.
It was great to see Maria again, since seeing her look not so great (her character) in the COOLER a few years back...and Gerard big as life in 300....WELL MY WIFE AND I WERE IN FOR A GREAT RIDE...this movie had twists and turns and exciting moments and I must admit I usually guess the future in plots and their holes but this one surprised us....it may seem frustrating at times, but stick with it and you will see a FULL and fulfilling movie.
Shattered (Butterfly on a Wheel) was a bit different.Very few people, I think, will anticipate the twists that this movie ends with, yet for once, they are quite believable.
Tonight, i watched "Butterfly on a Wheel".Let me straighten this up-i haven't got neither high nor non or "low" hopes at all, i just thought it would be more of the same stuff, although the cast...And the cast is quite interesting, the least i can say.With a nice mix of two Brits and a girl from the States, the movie really worked out for me.The story (and it turned out to be a good one) circles around the life of a married couple with a little child.As the wife prepares herself for a girls night, her husband is going to meet his boss in his place in the countryside, out of town.The child is left with a nanny.After they leave, the couple soon understands, that their plans will change rapidly, when a kidnapper, claiming he has their daughter, forces them to do what he says, otherwise he'll kill their child.As they fulfill everything he says the puzzle reveals more and more towards why he is doing this to them and the couple soon realizes, that there are some disturbing truths, they don't know about each other.Now not only time is their enemy.How far will they go to save the life of their child?I must say, that Maria Bello and Gerard Butler are very likable and convincing in every single role of theirs.But for me Pierce Brosnan was the surprise.I have seen him as a scientist, as an agent, as an environmentalist if you want, but this time he won me.The chemistry between the three leads was strong, obvious, and throughout, until the end, the movie pushes you to the edge of your seat.In a few moments throughout, i kept thinking how familiar the movie's been to the first "Saw" movie from the franchise.The difference is in the level of the movie and the lack of cassettes, of course :).Here, the movie shows a mid-level victims, trying to save something they really love and care about, and at all costs.In "Saw", the victims, that are shown, are from the lowest possible level of the chain.You'll understand me, when you watch the movie.It had a few leaks though, and if you ask yourself how many people are ready and capable of doing such things, you'll find out, that there aren't almost any people left...
After all, the movie entertained me, and the most important-left some questions for the viewer.It was well directed, crafted and executed.It was thrilling and in the end disturbing.If you are a suspense/twist thrillers fan, you'll definitely enjoy it.I highly recommend it.My rate: 8/10.
frankly, couldn't find a better word to start with.Critics can always rate a movie by its plot, how bad or good one acted or any just damn thing real audience wouldn't give a damn about.
But good ratings always go to those films that make you feel "It could happen to me" or, "Hey, is that not how I may end up like?" Butterfly on a Wheel takes one of the very basic problems of a typically successful American office-goer (I am not American, neither married or going to some corporate office, mind you, so I am only using my projection skills here) and explores the possibility that everyone hopes will never happen.
Gerard Butler, Maria Bello, and Pierce Brosnan are all strong actors and one wonders why they opted to participate in this movie.
Oh, Pierce Brosnan, 007, is in this movie.If you are interested in wasting your time watching this flick, let me try to dissuade you from doing so (and in the end you can thank me later for saving your precious 2 hours).
Their basic story, though, is so spectacularly ill conceived that they just don't work on any level.Shattered is about Neil and Abby Randall (Gerard Butler and Maria Bello), a successful and seemingly happy couple who are taken prisoner one day by a stranger (Pierce Brosnan) who says he's kidnapped their daughter Sophie (Emma Karwandy).
This is the sort of film that makes you say stuff back to the screen like "On, come on!" and "You've got to be kidding me!"Gerard Butler, Maria Bello and Pierce Brosnan all give perfectly acceptable performances, though their characters are very shallowly drawn. |
tt0462219 | Camille | The following synopsis were provided by la_bon_chat. His/her writings were even more attractive than the film itself and contained the spoilers. Saluted to la_bon_chat and enjoyed.
****************************************************************************************************************************Main female character is in love with main male character though he can't stand her (his sole reason for despising the always gorgeous Sienna Miller? She talks too much. Okaaayyy.) Boy marries girl that he hates. (Why? Because he's on parole and her uncle is a sherriff. Duh!) Girl dies. Girl awakes and continues to live though her body is now decaying. Cue the teenybopper pop-country soundtrack aannd...Boy is now in love with girl. Mmm-bop! (Why? Because she's the walking dead now, duh! I'm always falling in love with zombies.) Cops think boy killed girl. The cliche must-have, a "wise, older character", Cowboy Bob, hides them amongst his 'My Little Ponies' and takes them to their honeymoon destination--Niagara Falls. Along the way she continues to decay. Terrible soundtrack continues to accompany rotting and travel. (Don't worry--the decay is gore-free. Think, cute rotting...no peeling flesh or maggots.) They reach gigantic waterfall, she disappears, cops appear, Uncle/Sheriff character says best line in movie, "I'm a lawman. I'm not afraid to take the law into my own hands. The real law...The law of love." and gives boy a gun. Boy gets shot. Girl reappears, riding a blue horse. Seeing her alive, cops back off. Together boy and girl jump into the falls while riding said horse. Onlookers gasp. Cheesy song about miracles and love plays. Credits. (Poor horse.)***************************************************************************************************************************Here we go for the normal plot description:The plot followed the two characters who just married were going to Niagara Falls on their honeymoon. Silas Parker (Franco) was a thief who marries Camille Foster (Miller), his parole officer's niece, in hopes it would be his chance to escape to Canada. But Silas couldn't stand Camille and she was blind to how he really felt, believing that everything would be all right once they reached the falls. After their wedding Camille fretted about there was no rice thrown and how that was bad luck.On the way to Niagara Falls they crashed their honeymoon bike and Camille died in the accident. Thinking that he killed Camille, Silas ran away & breaking into a nearby house to call the police but hanging up before he reported the accident. When he returned to the scene of the accident he found Camille up and washing in a nearby river. Over the course of the trip Silas realized that Camille really did die in the accident as she started to decay. While taking care of her, Silas showed a kinder side due to his guilt over having accidentally caused her death.Meanwhile the police believed that Silas actually killed his wife and began to hunt him down. The couple evaded capture several times and ended up traveling with an old rodeo cowboy (Carradine) with colored horses. One of the horses, Maggie, was old and should have died years ago but was still sticking around for some reason.As Camille got worse, she and Silas grew closer, eventually dancing and kissing in the rain. Silas said that while he never believed in anything, Camille believed in him when no one else ever had.They finally reached Niagara Falls and took the boat tour together. As Silas smiled down on Camille, happy to be with her, she told him that she's ready now. He turned to ask someone to take their picture but found her then vanished. He got off the boat and headed towards the Canadian border, but stopped and went back looking for Camille.He's then spotted by the police and chased to the edge of the Niagara Falls viewing point. He screamed out for Camille - not believing her to be truly dead and gone - and the police, thinking he's still evading arrest, shoot him. Camille suddenly appeared, riding toward him on Maggie, the horse.She asked why he didn't go on without her and he replied he couldn't without her. He mounted up behind her and said "I love you" for the first time. They two kissed and then turned toward the falls. Camille said "I had a great honeymoon" and Silas answers "Me too."Then Maggie galloped forward and jumped over the edge into the Niagara Falls with Camille and Silas on her back, all three disappeared into the mist. After they jumped, rice started to fall from the sky.(I must admitted that my eyes were filling with tear at the end of the film.) | romantic, fantasy | train | imdb | This is a very original movie which is not like most things Hollywood produces.If you are reading this, you already know the basic plot so I will not bother going over that.
The only movies that come to mind to compare this to are "Interstate 60" and "Art of Travel" which are little known gems that take a different path than most of the Hollywood garbage.This is well worth seeing if you are tired of watching more of the same.Dean.
An unusual movie, which starts off with the classic premise of a hooligan who marries a girl who loves him in order to escape the country.
Most of the film hits the right buttons: the story develops smoothly, acting is solid (Sienna Miller's drawl is priceless, she really can act!), chemistry between both leads works, and rolling American rural scapes and quirky side characters really make for a good time.
The mood, which starts off as light and romantic soon moves into something darker and downright eery at times.At times though the pace slows just a tad more than we would like, but don't let this stop you watching this unusual little cinematic treat.
James Franco and Sienna Miller really do go so well together on screen.
Because of my age and gender, I was asked to stay for a "talk." We all got to comment on the movie and a lot of people didn't seem to like it.
I really loved it and I don't know why so many people didn't think it was that good.
One thing that you might want to do if you are going to see this movie is to go into it not knowing anything about it.
I don't know why she was even interested in a loser like James Franco, but married him anyway.
I simply love Sienna Miller and went along with the situation as written in the script.
I thought all of the actors played their parts very well, and hope more people get to see the movie.
until I watched it later on from the beginning.I won't spoil the ending for you, but if I told you what happens in the end you too would probably think this movie was horrible and ridiculous.
"Camille" is quite far-fetched and strays from the normal love story, except for it's another movie where a female character believes she can change her man.
What surprised me about this movie is how deep of a character Camille really is.
I always considered Sienna Miller to be overrated, until the movie "Camille" came along.
While I didn't find James Franco to be very convincing (not that I ever have), he did do an adequate job of playing the inconsiderate bad-boy.
For the rest of the movie you can't help but feel terrible for this innocent woman who only seems to be full of love.
David Carradine (Cowboy Bob) and Scott Glenn (another underrated actor) compliment Sienna Miller and the story perfectly.
I would definitely recommend this movie for people who can suspend disbelief for the corny parts of the movie but who love heart-wrenching films.
James Franco is sooo hot and him and Sienna Miller make the perfect couple.
I don't want to give away what happens but they play a pair of newlyweds who go off on their honeymoon to Niagara Falls and some pretty wild stuff happens along the way....The movie is really really funny and sad and original.
Camille stars Sienna Miller(Camille) and James Franco(Silas) as a pair of lovers who just go married.
They go on a trip for their honeymoon, but soon after they leave, Camille realizes she might be having illusions when it comes to Silas.
When the motorcycle-riding couple has an accident, Silas begins to notice some strange things about his blushing bride as her hair falls out and grows pale soon concluding that she's death.But he promises her, no matter what, he'll get Camille to their destination, Niagara Falls...
Camille is a sweet and romantic little film, with a somewhat original plot.
As a character, Camille might be annoying at times but that has nothing to do with the actress playing her but, with the way the character was written.
I guess it comes down to a question of mood and disposition, if you want to watch a serious, realistic and well thought film this is not for you, if you want to see a decent and harmless romantic story then you can watch Camille.6.5/10.
The best way to enjoy this movie is to just expect a fairytale.
Be ready for a crazy, surreal, comedic & romantic story, and don't try to rationalize any of the wacky things that happen.I picked up this DVD for $2 at my local Blockbuster, and if you hurry down to yours there may be a few left in the bargain bin.
Packaged as a romantic comedy about a good girl & a bad boy, the description hardly begins to scratch the surface.
I advise you not to even watch the trailer (which gives away the story somewhat).Still, you're probably wondering what the heck this movie is about.
Like a fairytale, there's something about it that makes you feel like a kid again, even though the story can get pretty weird.The acting & casting is perfect.
If more movies were like this, I'd probably start going to the theater again..
If you like realist fantasies such as Groundhog Day, or Stranger than Fiction, Camille is the movie for you.
It feels like more could have been done with the story, but it is definitely safe to say that Camille is original, and charming.
They depart for the falls in a lousy little bike and side car, and they barely get a mile before they have an accident, which becomes a chain reaction for a weird and wonderful remainder of the journey, and perhaps a chance for Silias feelings to grow.There are two things that Camille would've needed to be on par with the great realist fantasies (such as Groundhog Day).
She totally upstages James Franco, who has never really done much for me.I don't think Camille will disappoint.
I would not call it great, though and it certainly didn't make me cry ( I was rather hoping for a chick flick with a few tears but alas my friends and myself must be more hard hearted than some of the others who have commented on this film!) It was unusual, I liked the twist in the story and I thought all the characters involved were appealing in their own ways.
David Carradine seems to have cornered the market in 'quirky but likable' nowadays and he does it yet again here (Im not knocking him, I think he's great) For those of you looking for a watchable romantic film with a difference this is probably it - if you don't want to look too hard.....
Kinda a strange story, where James Franco plays this jerk who marries Sienna Miller just to get out of the country and they go to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon.
Don't wanna give it away cuz the movie isn't released yet but its totally cool and you would never expect the stuff that happens.
I kinda thought I would hate it cuz its a romance but its also kinda twisted and stuff which I like a lot.
The acting is really good and Sienna Miller is totally smokin' and plays this really sweet girl.
James plays a jerk but you end up liking him and the end of the movie is really good.
What a truly moronic movie, all I can say is the writer must be very fond of magic mushrooms and LSD because this must be the result of one of his 'trips'.You follow the whole movie thinking alright this is very weird but hey I'm sure at the end there will be a perfectly good explanation for all of this...
There are so many factors in this movie that go unexplained and I think it leaves it to the imagination of the viewer in an entirely bizarre way.
I can tell you they are probably the sort of people that would go to an art exhibition, see a splat of pigeon excrement on a white board and say "Oooooh what a masterpiece, the artist has truly found a unique way to portray eternity" when in actual fact all it is, is bird excrement on a board.Keep that last bit in mind when watching this movie, Thanks for reading!.
I recently saw this movie at a screening and honestly, Bizarre is the only word that can completely describe this story.
The actors did an excellent job with their characters, but I think this movie kind of brings down (especially James Franco) their creditability.
I wonder if they signed for the money, cuz honestly I don't see anyone after reading the script say "This is an amazing story that I must be a part of".I guarantee you, when the credits roll you will look at your movie buddy and say "HUH?!"..
but Sienna Miller is also really good and plays a southern girl who is in love with him so much that she can't let go.
I don't think anyone can forget a movie like this one.
its about a good girl who loves her bad boy and their messed up honeymoon.
but different than other movies in a good way i think.
i don't know what to compare it to but its a love story.
i saw this movie at a test screener because i like her a lot and her fashion.
i liked her in factory girl but this is a better movie than that was.
her and james franco look really in love in this movie and i hope they are together in real life but don't knowsee it!!!!.
The creators did terrific job of turning what might have been a typical "honeymoon in Niagara Falls" story into a moving drama/adventure with some comedic moments.
James Franco is the ultimate guy's guy and a complete ass most of the time - which makes everything so much more believable and the feelings you feel at the end seem natural as well.
This film tells the story of a man who often has trouble with the law, marrying a sheriff's niece and go to Niagara falls for honeymoon.
Unexpected things happen which make their trip very memorable, even bizarre.After watching so many very bad James Franco low budget films, I expected "Camille" to be equally bad.
I think "Camille" successfully set the scene with a strong character buildup, and the film is consistently fun, engaging and suspenseful.
It's quite sad to see how Sienna Miller enjoys the wedding while James Franco hates every minute of it, but this exactly makes me look forward to a change in the later parts of a film.
I enjoyed watching this film, I think it's quite refreshing to see a romantic comedy with a twist..
Everyone I've reccomended this film to love it, especially since we're Canadian and it's a journey to Niagara Falls xD One criticism I have is the Falls scenes they try and pull it off as the American side when it's Canadian but you wouldn't be able to tell unless you've been there many times like I have.
Not a movie that everyone will enjoy perhaps, the weird plot alone is bound to test the patience of many viewers looking to watch perhaps your standard rom-com (which this is not).Now mind you it is in a sense very much both a romance and comedy but it's also (perhaps even mostly) a fantasy film.I can't go into any details without starting to spoiling stuff (even though a lot of the plot is open for interpretation) but if you're looking for something different and unique then this might just do the trick.Has a bit of a rocky start though which makes you wonder where on earth this is going and occasionally the plot is a bit all over the place but if you give it some time and look aside some of the flaws then it should be worth your while.James Franco and Sienna Miller both deliver fine performances in the leads and David Carradine has a nice supporting role, the soundtrack is also really good and give it that extra push so you can get all the right feels..
Thus, the result is this bizarre, clumsy movie in which a young dead bride and his criminal husband wish to honeymoon at Niagara Falls with the help of painted horses and an old rodeo showman!
The only good thing here is the cast, especially Sienna, as an energized, always happy, simple wife..
in reference to one of the commenters who said something like, 'i can't honestly imagine the actors(who did a good job) looking at this script and thinking 'i really want to be part of this...'.
i think this is a reeeeeally interesting movie in the reaction/s that it's made on the people who commented.
so, overall, for the above reasons, i think this movie is a small work of genius that, most likely, will not be understood intellectually by most.
The actors are good but the story isn't strong enough to sustain the movie.
James Franco is good but his lines are exaggerated.
He can't leave the state, but his newly wed wife Camille Foster (Sienna Miller) insists on going to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon.
When they get into an accident on the road, the movie goes in a strange direction.Silas is a moody guy frustrated with hyper-talkative Camille.
She's hopelessly manic and romantic.This is a movie where the story is trying to push it into quirkiness, and most of times it fails.
Bad-boy James Franco marries Sienna Miller, the niece of his parole officer, in order to get of the States.
Franco can barely stand Camille ("Sometimes I just want to punch her in the head!"), who is madly in love with her "Tiger", blind to his faults and heartbroken when he leaves her at a gas station on their honeymoon motorcycle trip (she's riding sidecar).
Franco falls in love with Miller, amidst thefts, blue horses and a cross-country chase for Franco, who is mistakenly thought to have murdered his wife.
Miller's love is so strong that it can't be stopped even in death, and it's really just a different kind of love story.
Franco hates the movie (he blasted it in an interview) but he's pretty good in it, as is Miller, who consistently does excellent work but never gets noticed for it (see her wonderful work in "The Edge of Love" for instance).
Not a good film by any means, but kind of sweet in it's own odd way..
Certainly Sienna Miller and James Franco did a wonderful job, they're both superb and likable actors, and they had good chemistry together.
This is definitely a love-it or hate-it movie, though everyone seems to agree that the acting was superb.
Beautiful, stunning movie, a fairy tale for those who have lived long enough to understand true love, whether they've found it or not..
R U Kidding Me. I am giving this two stars for the two lead actors, James Franco and Sienna Miller.
Please stop writing failure Folk Tales.I love you James and Sienna but please be more discerning next time..
I watched this movie with my girlfriend at her request, since she thought it was time to see a "romantic/comedy" movie, so we gave it a shot.
I understand the ending could resemble "symbolism" or other stuff like that but it was complete disappointment for a movie with a great beginning.
I can assure you if you are a mature audience and don't live in some kind of fairy land you will not like this movie, just giving heads up..
It's done in a very intriguing way that at times you would be wondering >> is this a comedy, a sad story, a fantasy or a suspense/horror????
Sienna Miller also pulled off playing this role as a bubbly chatterbox with unconditional love for her newlywed husband who treats her like she was a nuisance.
This film follows Silas (James Franco) and Camille (Sienna Miller), two newlyweds traveling to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon.
Silas's redemption, as well as his love and dedication to Camille, will have you grinning and the ending will leave you feeling like the world doesn't suck quite so much.
Solution: maintain calm and continue on your honeymoon to Niagara Falls with your new wife who has a knack of coming back to life at, of course, inopportune moments.Camille is an enchanting exercise into fantasy.
;-) but I really feel like I need to warn people away from wasting their time on this one...If you're thinking about watching it because it's been called quirky or romantic or funny, DON'T!
I mean, at least ten people had to have read this screenplay and went, "Okay, let's make this movie." How!?
And, James Franco, WTF were you thinking?!
Oh, and by the way, I'm with user "psychopathicmofo" on this one...I actually LIKE weird movies.
Way too quirky for my wife, I enjoyed this whimsical love story.
Saw it via streaming video.Sienna Miller is Camille and James Franco is Silias.
Too bubbly and happy, Silas just wants her to shut up, quit talking all the time, and quit telling strangers everything about them.To say this is an unconventional love story is a big understatement.
Camille is a bit frivolous, and her timing often sucks, as when she is playing with her diamond ring, it falls to the road, she panics Silas, to avoid hitting a big truck they fly off the road, he is injured and, we soon find out, she is dead.
The whole escapade has made Silas fall in love with Camille and both now dead will spend eternity together. |
tt0058672 | Topkapi | Professional jewel thief Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri) reunites with her former lover and partner Walter Harper (Maximilian Schell) for the score of her life - the theft of an exquisite jeweled dagger from the Topkapi museum, located in the former Ottoman imperial palace in Istanbul. Walter recruits the team, which includes alarms expert Cedric Page (Robert Morley), strong man Hans Fisher (Jess Hahn), and circus acrobat Giulio "the Human Fly" (Gilles Ségal). Since the museum's floor is completely pressure-alarmed, it will be necessary to lower Giulio by rope from a rooftop window and raise the the heavy glass cover enclosing the mannequin on which the dagger is displayed. Giulio will then replace the dagger with a copy and leave the scene intact in the hope that the theft will not be discovered until the thieves leave the country. This method will require two strong men, Hans and Walter, holding ropes - one to raise the glass cover and the other to hold Giulio.The plan calls for shooting out a searchlight and exploding smoke grenades to distract the guards when the team leaves the museum. Walter hides a rifle and some smoke grenades inside the door jamb of a convertable limousine. In Greece, he hires a small-time hustler named Arthur Simpson (Peter Ustinov) to drive the car to Istanbul. When Simpson arrives at Turkish customs, he is detained for an expired passport and the officials become suspicious of his disjointed personal history. The car is searched and the contraband discovered. Simpson is now accused of abetting terrorism, a capital offense.Simpson manages to convince Maj. Ali Tufan (Ege Ernart) that he knows nothing of the supposed terrorist plot. He agrees to redeem himself by infiltrating the gang as a spy for Turkish security. Upon arriving in Istanbul, he informs Walter and Elizabeth that, due to a bureaucratic mixup, only the person who brought the car into the country is allowed to drive it. Walter and Elizabeth reluctantly agree to hire Simpson as their chauffeur during their "touristic" visit, so he joins them at their rented villa.Simpson does his best to ferret out information, leaving messages for the police in discarded cigarette packs, but he learns little. One evening, the drunken and obnoxious cook Gerven (Akim Tamiroff) annoys Hans to the point that a melee breaks out. In the confusion, Hans manages to break his hands when a window is slammed shut. With Hans out of commission, the plan cannot go forward without a second rope holder, and Cedric demurs that he is not strong enough.Walter and Elizabeth put Simpson through a test of strength, which he passes, barely. They decide to offer Simpson $10,000 to participate in the robbery. Simpson agrees, but then lets slip that he is working for Turkish security. Walter decides to go through with the robbery anyway, but to move it forward to that same evening.Though the group is being tailed by police, they manage to slip away one by one at a crowded wrestling match. Since they can no longer shoot out lights or use smoke grenades, Elizabeth, with Cedric's help, will distract the guards using her feminine wiles. Walter, Guilo and Simpson enter the museum just before closing time, hide, and eventualy make their way to the roof, where Simpson announces that he has a fear of heights. They manage to get across the roof anyway, and as soon as darkness falls Guilio is slipped in through a high window. The plan almost fails when Simpson lets the rope slip, but he recovers just in time. As planned, Guilio switches the daggers and the three depart the museum.The dagger is brought to the courier who will take it out of the country. It looks like everything has gone according to plan, but of course there is an unexpected twist at the end. | suspenseful, intrigue | train | imdb | The film talks a hold-up to Turkish museum carried out by a motley group : Melina Mercouri , Maximiliam Schell , Jess Hahn , Gilles Segal .
Melina Mercouri introduces herself as a thief who doesn't hide the way she feels about the most wonderful emeralds
She wants to rob a dagger encrusted with fascinating gemstones
One of her potential partners is her former lover Maximilian Schell, a very distinguished crook who fights at his best when he fights in a corner
Schell wants to pick his crew from amateurs with no police records, and strike the most protected fortress
Peter Ustinov won his first Best Supporting Oscar for his amusing performance as the clever middle-aged 'nobody' who could have gone far but he always plays for small stakes
Ustinov is the victim of circumstances, caught at the Turkish border with a riffle and six grenades
For that, his mission is to spy on the spies, and report to the Turkish security everything he overhears-no matter how trivial it may seem to him
The police gives him a chance to prove that he is not a terrorist
He accepts to work with them
With a funny toy man who proposes to get into the palace museum without touching the floor; a mute acrobat who talks with his whole body; a mad muscle man who hates a drunken cook; a showman with no problems at the customs border; plus Islamic mosques; ancient streets; colorful bazaars; oiled wrestlers; talented belly dancers; and fable roofs; "Topkapi" overlooks both the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus, offering bright moments with a final suspense sequence in the 'Rififi' manner.
Before "Mission Impossible" made every big heist a challenge for technology, there were movie efforts like "Topkapi" which played the human element in the big scam.A wonderful and truly international cast is assembled here for this 60's effort that showcases Istanbul.
Topkapi is a wonderful caper film that established the genre of the light heist flick.
With beautiful camerawork in Istanbul and Greece and an equally intriguing plot, Jules Dassin brings to the screen a film worthy to be considered alongside his masterpieces "Du rififi chez les hommes" and "Naked City".
Peter Ustinov follows up his Oscar-winning performance in "Spartacus" with a second award for best supporting actor, while playing a "schmo"--a lowly, disgraceful, British rogue living in Greece as the self-proclaimed "un-crowned king of the nightlife": Arthur Simon Simpson.
Getting involved in much more than he bargained for, Simpson enters a ring of double-crosses as an informer for Turkish Intelligence while still hoping to line his pockets with filthy lucre.The show, however, is stolen by the seductive, raspy-voiced Elizabeth Lipp, played by Greek beauty Melina Mercouri (who was also in the starring role of Dassin's "Phaedra" two years earlier--as well as "Pote tin Kyriaki" (1960), "La Legge" (1958), and "Celui qui doit mourir" (1957)--and whom the director would marry two years later).
The curvy enchantress draws in Walter Harper (Maximilian Schell) and Cedric Page (Robert Morley I), offering them their cut on the biggest heist ever--the theft of the sultan's jewel-encrusted dagger from the Istanbul Museum.However, there is a problem.
The eclectic ensemble cast are all very good - Dassin's wife Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell, Robert Morley, and especially a knockout performance from Peter Ustinov, an actor I usually have little time for.
The robbery sequence was "borrowed" thirty years later by Brian De Palma for 'Mission Impossible', but 'Topkapi' is the better of the two movies by far..
This film involves a collection of rogues who set out to steal a fabulous jewel encrusted dagger from an Istanbul museum, protected by an "Indiana Jones" style nest of security features and traps, not knowing they are being watched by Turkish undercover agents mistakenly believing them to be terrorists.Filmed on location in Turkey and Paris, this film is a droll sparkling delight, a skillful blending of humor and suspense, with a touch of the exotic, making, at times, magnificent use of Istanbul for its scenic backdrop.
Unlike the same director's most famous heist film, the legendary Rififi, Topkapi is light hearted in tone, but its big heist sequence is genuinely ingenious and suspenseful.Aside from the film's physical attractiveness with its color photography, much of its appeal lies with its cast of players, headed by Maximilian Schell as the mastermind behind the robbery, Melina Mercouri, Robert Morley, a spectacularly bizarre and slovenly Akim Tamiroff and, above all, Peter Ustinov as a small time hustler who becomes involved in the scheme.
Today, this would probably be considered way too slow, compared to most modern crime movies.Nonetheless, I thought the story of it all was interesting enough to keep one's attention, Peter Ustinov won honors for his performance which, indeed, steals the spotlight from the two others stars of the film, Melina Mercouri and Maximllian Shell.For a "leading lady," and one who is portrayed or at least has the air of a sexy woman, I found Mercouri anything but that.
The character that should have carried the comedy part here is Peter Ustinov, and he just can't do it, first because he's no Peter Sellers, and second because the script has very few punch lines for him, so the comedy part rests solely on circus acts, clown and acrobatic, and that makes the whole thing look rather stupid.Maximilian Schell is the only one who looks half as decent and the casting of Melina Mercouri is the biggest mistake of all.
Jules Dassin's film version of Eric Ambler's book "The Light of Day" seems more like a light-hearted variation of his French heist-drama "Rififi" from 1955.
A glamorous Greek thief and her Swiss lover concoct an ingenious plan to rob an emerald-studded dagger from the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul with help from a disparate group of wily characters.
"Topkapi" is a movie filled with great locations, good acting and a funny story that, although ridiculous at some points is smart and provides a great finale.
Jules Dassin's Topkapi was one of the lavish heist movies, set in touristy locales, that were all the vogue four decades ago.
Finally we get to the rounding up of the gang of amateurs who will pull off the caper: mastermind Maximilian Schell, Robert Morley, Peter Ustinov, Gilles Segal (as a deaf-mute gymnast), and Mercouri.The plotting and rehearsing of the crime take up most of the movie, leaving us to be entertained by the characters, none of which is really written.
What little friction exists among the cast members gets played for laughs -- no subversive subplots, no separate agendas are afoot.Dassin made his reputation directing tough, unsentimental films in the noir cycle: Brute Force, Thieves' Highway, Night and the City.
The script is uninteresting, the direction is sloppy, and the acting ranges from good (Ustinov is amusing) to bad (Schell overacts) to terrible (Mercouri is annoying).
Perfect for their plans so they think.Topkapi was responsible for Peter Ustinov getting his second Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
The strongest aspects of the films are a stellar comic performance by Peter Ustinov, another classic Dassin jewel heist and the glorious use of location.
If I had to think of another heist as good, the first thing that springs to mind is Dassin's Riffifi (a film that has perfect acting and cinematography to go along with its heist).
The time-capsule glimpse at Istanbul in the 1960's is a lot of fun.When Topkapi isn't being a good film, it's at least weirdly bad..
Although I much preferred Dassins' earlier heist film, 'Rififi', 'Topkapi' was a lot of fun, and once again used silence to create a great suspense sequence during the heist.
A group of sundry crooks plan to steal a jewelled dagger from the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul, but where "Rififi" showed the tragedy that occurs when there is dishonor amongst thieves "Topkapi" plays it for laughs.Dassin's wife, Melina Mercouri, is the glamorous thief who organizes the heist and Peter Ustinov won his second Oscar for playing 'the schmo' roped in on the scheme.
This part is uneven, but it does contain some humor.Finally, we get to the actual caper, a Mission Impossible-like, daring heist that plays out in real time, which I appreciate.
The ending of the film feels unimportant.The best thing about this movie, besides the heist, is it seems like the cast is having fun.
Peter Ustinov plays Arthur Simpson, a hapless con artist "schmo" who gets suckered into the scheme.The planning and execution of the heist is the main plot line.
Maximilian Schell makes a real good con/gang leader, and those two pros Robert Morley and Peter Ustinov are always worth watching, but frankly Ms Mercouri looks haggish (forgive the chauvanism, but she does have the cheesecake role) and the plot drags and has annoying characters (Akim Tamiroff's cook; he is a good performer but the role wasnt much).
Jules Dassin directed this film, starring his wife Melina Mercouri, supported by Peter Ustinov and Maximillian Schell, who were all big names in those days.
This was the perfect bookend to Rififi, even though that was black & white and French while this one was very much colourful and Pan-European, but both were excellent tense Jules Dassin robbery thrillers.Scintillating plot has jewel heist from the Topkapi museum planned minutely by suave Schell in charge of an eccentric happy-go-lucky gang of thieves including sexpot Mercouri, mechanised Morley, and eventually the crown jewel of the film, Carbuncle (On The Behind Of Humanity) Ustinov.
Charmingly acted along with being excellently photographed and edited, ex-patriot noir director Jules Dassin displays the same adept style in outrageous color with the same suspense mastery evidenced in Riffifi over a decade earlier.Elizabeth Lipps (Melina Mercouri ) has an insatiable desire for men, diamonds and adventure.
Aware they are being shadowed by the Turkish police the gang pushes forward with the plan.Topkapi is an excellent blend of comedy and suspense filled with wonderful performances, especially by the comically sympathetic Ustinov.
Dassin keeps the mood light most of the way leading up to the job at which time he grippingly builds the suspense with a heist scene that merits classic status.
Schell's protegees include alarms expert Robert Morley, strongman Jess Hahn and human fly Gilles Segal, while whimpering, half-Egyptian tour guide Peter Ustinov and drunken servant Akim Tamiroff (one of the great character actors of the Golden Age, whose fans included Orson Welles) also buzz around.
In what may be the greatest heist movie of all time, a group of people set out to steal a dagger from an Istanbul museum.
Director Jules Dassin had met Melina Mercouri a few years earlier on the set of "Never on Sunday", and they married shortly thereafter, eventually collaborating again with this supremely cool story.One thing that I have to say about this movie is that the heist itself is truly the highlight; in some movies, I find the events leading up to the heist more interesting than the heist itself, but here the heist is definitely the best part.
Also starring Maximilian Schell, Peter Ustinov (who won a well deserved Oscar), Robert Morley and Akim Tamiroff..
It stars Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell, Robert Morley, Akim Tamiroff and Peter Ustinov in an Oscar-winning performance.
He lines up a crew of people who have no police record and hires a small-time crook, Arthur Simon Simpson (Ustinov) to drive a car containing explosives needed for the job across the border, figuring that if he's caught, he's dispensable.
Meanwhile, Arthur is throwing empty cigarette packs with notes in them (one claims the thieves are Russian spies) out of windows so they can be picked up by a following car.Mercouri's husband, Jules Dassin, does an excellent job of directing this film, which is based on a novel by Eric Ambler.
Scaling heights despite fear and vertigo, pulling heavy weight despite being a weakling - Ustinov is fabulous, creating a marvelously funny and sympathetic character.Highly recommended to see the comedy caper film that begot movies like Oceans 11, Gambit, The Sting and many others..
Elizabeth Lipp, (Melina Mercouri) plays the role of a craft woman who fell in love with the emeralds and decided to work with her friend, Walter Harper, (Maximilian Schell) who is a professional thief.
Peter Ustinov won an Oscar for his best supporting role in this film and this is a great film which was entirely on location in Greece and Turkey.
If you want to see a REALLY cool 60s, slick, sexy, jewel caper flick, AND with the incomparable and rarely seen on film, Melina Mercouri, see A MAN COULD GET KILLED, http://imdb.com/title/tt0060662/ done just two years later.
My second Jules Dassin's film after NIGHT AND THE CITY (1950, 7/10), and out of my expectation it's an exotic Turkish heist adventurer with a blithe tone and meticulous detail- solidification with regard to the theft action.The film starts with a tawdry but foxy Melina Mercouri (Dassin's muse and future wife) enigmatically introducing her craving to steal the most precious jewelled dagger from Topkapi museum, her kitschy costume and the settings are antiquated enough to divert the film into a burlesque frivolousness, but when her entire team assembles (including the male-counterpart mastermind Maximilian Schell), with an additional interlope, a small-con "schmo" (the Oscar- winning Peter Ustinov), the film regains its vigour and flair in its strongest form to manoeuvre a seamless treasure-replacement theft, benchmarks an exemplar of its genre which haven't been overshadowed since then, the escape strategy during a Turkish old-wrestling (Kırkpınar) pageantry is no less pleasant to watch against the trickery's predictability, and far more thrilling is the actual stunts which thoroughly generate a gravitating magnetism on the screen lest as little as one needle's dropping would scupper the plan.
He won an "Academy Award" as "Best Supporting Actor" for the year, but both the end credits and screen time agree Mr. Ustinov is the film's leading actor.
The robbery - starring Ustinov, Maximilian Schell (as William Walter) and "human fly" gymnast Gilles Ségal (as Giulio) - is excellent.******** Topkapi (9/2/64) Jules Dassin ~ Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, Maximilian Schell, Gilles Segal.
"Topkapi" is a very good film, but I noticed that a reviewer thought this film was better than director Dassin's earlier brilliant caper film, "Rififi".
Great - Locations Music Editing Photography & Peter Ustinov 10/10.Quite a feat for the sixties and the bold attempt with robbery as the focus fantastic.Scenes from this movie copied all over but not with the same result.The cook also performed well,albeit a bit over acted in some parts.All characters well chosen and screenplay and dialogues top class.The editor is the real winner here because of the tension that s generated in the final scenes.Definite watch for all who like a solid performance with lot of location and humour..
While watching "Topkapi",one can surely notice that there are too many nice views of Turkey.It is not known whether it was all intentionally relevant or director Jules Dassin wanted to achieve a kind of exotic nirvana in order to find spiritual enlightenment in Istanbul.It is due to these reasons that there are moments in this film where it appears as if it is nothing but a glamorous propaganda film made for Turkish government with a sole objective of giving a boost to local tourism industry.It is only for 20 minutes of its heist sequence that "Topkapi" is able to cement interest in viewers' minds.Alas,by that time viewers must surely have made up their mind to stop paying any attention to what is happening with the film..
While watching "Topkapi",one can surely notice that there are too many nice views of Turkey.It is not known whether it was all intentionally relevant or director Jules Dassin wanted to achieve a kind of exotic nirvana in order to find spiritual enlightenment in Istanbul.It is due to these reasons that there are moments in this film where it appears as if it is nothing but a glamorous propaganda film made for Turkish government with a sole objective of giving a boost to local tourism industry.It is only for 20 minutes of its heist sequence that "Topkapi" is able to cement interest in viewers' minds.Alas,by that time viewers must surely have made up their mind to stop paying any attention to what is happening with the film..
Instead of concentrating a plot dealing with the political realities of Europe or the Far East, "The Light Of Day" was a first person narrative of one Arthur Simpson (played in the film by Peter Ustinov).
The movie also showed the success of the robbery collapse when the thieves fall out over personal matters.After his marriage to Melina Mercouri, Daissin moved to Greece, and would make his two masterpiece comedies "Topkapi" and "Never On Sunday" (again he starred as Homer, opposite Mercouri in that film).
It was a role that won Ustinov his second Best Supporting Actor Oscar.I notice there is a lament that, despite the ending, there was never any sequel film.
It takes the border guards what, 10 seconds to find the stuff?It's almost worth waiting for the scene in the museum, except every time I got involved in it I would think, They're doing all this for a stupid dagger that she just feels like having?One nice Dassin touch is how things keep going wrong, and they have to come up with plans B and C.
Also, my husband came up with a much better ending than the one here.So...nice scenery, including a ridiculously good-looking Max Schell, but Ms. Mercouri nearly ruined this movie.
As Arthur, Ustinov won his second and final Best Supporting Actor Oscar, the first being for "Spartacus", but really it should have been the Best Actor Oscar since he is the male lead.A major and almost fatal flaw in the film is the casting of the horrendous actress Melina Mercouri as Elizabeth Lipp, a brilliant career criminal / nymphomaniac and the mastermind behind the heist.
Naturally, later filmmakers would imitate it.Larcenous Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri of "Never On Sunday") must steal a priceless sultan's jewel-encrusted dagger from the Topkapi Palace museum in Istanbul. |
tt0026230 | Condemned to Live | Professor Paul Kristan [Ralph Morgan] doesn't know that his mother was bitten by a vampire bat just before he was born. The doctor who delivered the baby some 40 years ago in a bat-infested cave within earshot of angry native drums in the darkest reaches of Africa, handed the bundle of joy to his colleague, Doctor Anders Bizet [Pedro de Cordoba], who raised the boy as his own son. Paul is now a grown man, beloved by everyone in the village because of his "goodness", and engaged to be married to the flower of the village, the beautiful Marguerite Mane [Maxine Doyle].Then the murders start. Three victims have been found lying in the caves, their throats torn open and the blood drained from their bodies. The cry goes up that this the work of a huge and loathsome vampire bat that kills during the dark of night and then carries the bodies into the caves. Only young David [Russell Gleason] cannot accept that there is a bat large enough to carry a human body. The good Professor isn't certain that it's a bat, but he is sure of one thing...the creature strikes only in the dark. Therefore, he suggests that everyone stay home after dusk and keep their lights burning.After bringing some roses to the good Professor, Marguerite meets David in the garden. David has been her friend since childhood, and he's in love with her. However, Marguerite is intent on marrying Professor Kristan because...well...he's so good. David attempts to convince Marquerite that what she feels is respect, admiration, and reverence but not love. Marquerite won't hear of it. She is honored that Professor Kristan (she's trying to learn to call him "Paul") has chosen her, and she intends to make the good Professor a good wife.That night, after seeing his last patient, Paul retires to his study to read his books by candlelight. The night gets darker, Paul falls asleep, and the candle burns out. When he awakens, it is dark outside. Suddenly, his face twists in pain. The good Professor has become the vampire. He climbs through the window of a sleeping girl (Katrina) and attacks her. Somewhat later, his faithful servant, the hunchbacked Zan [Mischa Auer], carries Katrina's body into the caves. When the villagers learn that Katrina has disappeared, they run to the good Professor for guidance. He advises them to go quickly to the caves, but it is too late. Katrina is dead.Meanwhile, back at the good Professor's house, his housekeeper Mother Molly [Lucy Beaumont] has received a surprise visitor...Paul's foster father, Dr Bizet. Bizet is surprised at all the candles that Mother Molly has lit. She explains about the killer vampire bat who only attacks during the dark. Bizet looks concerned. At that moment, Paul and Zan return home. Mother Molly leaves the room to prepare a room for Bizet, and Paul takes the moment to tell Bizet about a problem he has been lately having with headaches followed by "vagueness and exhaustion." Again, Bizet looks concerned but says nothing.That afternoon, Paul introduces Bizet to Marguerite. Marguerite takes Bizet on a tour of her garden, and Bizet uses their time alone to question her about her feelings for Paul. Later, Bizet relays to Paul his belief that, although Marguerite loves him...nay, worships him...she is not IN LOVE with him. Bizet suggests that Paul talk to her to confirm his suspicions. A bit later, Paul decides to walk over to Marguerite's house and talk with her. He takes a lantern to protect him from the vampire bat. Along the way, however, he trips, and the light goes out. Now in the dark, Paul transforms into the vampire. When Bizet finds that Paul is headed to Marguerite's house, he goes after him.Along the way to Marguerite's house, Bizet runs into Paul being carried by Zan. Zan admits that he was afraid for his master and followed him. Paul remembers only that his lamp went out. The three of them continue on to the Mane house and find that the vampire has murdered Marguerite's maid. One of the servants exclaims that he saw a figure...a man...running from the house. "Then David was right," Paul sighs. "The monster is a man." After a town meeting in which the good Professor again warns everyone to go home and keep their lights burning, he also warns John Mane [Carl Stockdale], Marguerite's father, to keep watch over his daughter and never allow her to be alone with anyone. "With anyone at all," Bizet stresses.Who could be committing these heinous crimes? Suspicion falls on Zan, and the villagers unite to look for him. Paul is concerned because each time someone was murdered, he had fallen into a swoon and couldn't remember his whereabouts. Considering this strange malady that seems to have befallen him, Paul decides that it would be best to call off his marriage to Marguerite...so he takes a lantern and heads back to her house. Zan begins to follow, but Bizet holds him back and wrests the truth...it is the good Professor who is the monster, and it is Zan who has been carrying and disposing the bodies in the caves.Meanwhile, David has been visiting Marguerite, again trying to convince her that she loves him, not the good Professor. Confused in her feelings, Marguerite asks David to leave, just as her father returns home. When Paul arrives a few minutes later, John admits him to the house and leaves him alone with Marguerite so that they can talk. Paul begins to explain to her about his strange malady. When he covers his eyes with his hand, Marguerite assumes it is because of the light, so she blows out the candle. Paul panics for a moment, but nothing happens, so he explains that he cannot marry her until he is cured. When he covers his eyes again with his hand, Marguerite turns off the lamp, leaving only one candle burning. Again, nothing happens.Paul decides to come totally clean with Marguerite. He confesses that he may be the fiend who is killing the villagers. Marguerite refuses to buy it. In order to prove that he's not the monster, she blows out the one remaining candle. Suddenly a cloud passes in front of the moon, plunging them into total darkness. "A light!" Paul screams but the transformation has begun. He lunges at Marguerite, who screams. David, who is still hanging around outside, breaks into the house, followed by Zan, Bizet, and the villagers. Zan runs, and the villagers take off after him.Paul lies in a swoon on the floor, and Marguerite has fainted. When she comes to, she tells how the monster went for her throat, after which Zan came through the window, proving that it couldn't have been Zan. Unfortunately, she can't remember the fiend. David chases after Zan to save him, while Bizet waits for Paul to come out of his swoon. When he does, Bizet finally tells him the truth about his mother and the vampire bat whose bite has condemned him to live with the mark of the vampire. In time, he explains, Paul will eventually become fully a vampire. When Bizet tells Paul how Zan has led away the villagers in order to buy some time for his master, Paul realizes that Zan is in danger, and he and Bizet go after him.Zan has gone to the caves. Just as the villagers corner him and are trying to decide whether to hang him, burn him, or seal him in the caves to rot, David catches up and informs the villagers that Zan is not the fiend. Paul and Bizet arrive a few minutes later, and Paul confesses that it is he who is the fiend. After making David promise to love and cherish Marguerite, the good Professor jumps off a cliff. Zan follows suit. The villagers gasp and take off their hats. David holds Marguerite in his arms. [Original synopsis by bj_kuehl]. | violence | train | imdb | Ralph Morgan plays a kind-hearted doctor, known throughout his community for his wisdom and charity, that has a terrible secret he does not even know.
It seems when he was born he was marked by a vampire bat....and now in his middle age the terrible strain of over-work has caused his affliction to surface.
Ralph Morgan, brother of the Wizard of Oz'z Frank Morgan gives an interesting performance.
The rest of the cast is pretty good too with Mischa Auer standing out as a hunchback and Pedro de Cordoba excelling as a friendly doctor.
"Condemned to Live" is one of those movies that make you feel sorry for the monster.
The creature seemed to me to be a cross between a vampire and a werewolf although which one it actually is, is really unimportant to the movies plot.
Ralph Morgan, the star of this film, is the brother of Frank Morgan, who played the Wizard of Oz. I just don't want anyone to be misled by the other reviewer's comment.
As with most sympathetic "monsters" the Morgan character is doomed - his mother was bitten by a vampire, and his engagement to a much younger woman has evoked his vampiric tendencies, which are more akin to lycantropy than vampirism.
Mischa Auer is also commendable in his role as a hunchback, loyal to Morgan, and who has been keeping Morgan from discovering the truth about himself..
The plot of this is very similar to another movie (I believe "The Vampire Bat).
The main character, Paul, was cursed from birth to become a horrible creature with bat-like tendencies.
It's a little slow at times, but the gentle goodness of the characters, contrasted with the evil forced on them, makes it work..
Good story holds up despite aged film style.
I'd never heard of this film but it's worth a look for those who can put up with 1930's style film-making and especially for genre fans.The story has elements of Jeckyll and Hyde and it has psychological overtones of the main monster character that help it.
But the aftermath of the killings and good acting of Ralph Morgan help.
The final scene is suspenseful as well and of course the whole thing is over pretty quickly, but still manages, thanks for Karn DeWolf's script to pack in quite a bit of character complication.Nice production values but the director, Frank Strayer, shows little flair.
Condemned to Live (1935) ** (out of 4) A Professor (Ralph Morgan) learns that his mother was attacked by a vampire bat while pregnant with him and soon he begins to fear that he is the vampire stalking his small town.
This film comes from the same director as The Vampire Bat, which was made two years earlier.
For me, I didn't enjoy the previous film and this one here didn't work either, although there were a few interesting twists on the vampire legend.
When the local doctor begins to look into the deaths, he discovers the victims were really attacked by some type of vampire-like creature.
The doctor is also startled to find the he may be responsible for the deaths, due to a condition he acquired when his mother was attacked by a creature while pregnant with him," according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.No need to wonder about the vampire's identity; it's given away during the first attack.
Although the film goes to dullsville with the idea, it is intriguing to think about a plot involving the offspring of a pregnant female vampire victim.
As does a "love triangle" involving older doctor Ralph Morgan (as Paul Kristan), fresh-faced fiancée Maxine Doyle (as Marguerite), and more age appropriate young Russell Gleason (as David).
Ms. Doyle seems unrehearsed.*** Condemned to Live (1935) Frank Strayer ~ Ralph Morgan, Pedro de Cordoba, Russell Gleason.
A pregnant woman is bitten by a vampire bat.
Years later, a village is terrorized by a series of murders and the woman's baby, now grown and a respected professor, believes he might be the killer.
Romantic subplot about a young woman (Maxine Doyle) in love with a guy while being engaged to Morgan's character, thirty years her senior, is a negative.
I liked this film to a degree: the idea of vampire bats, a murder mystery and a belief that one might be a vampire rolled into a film is a pretty neat idea 1935 and still is today.The acting is good, fine.
The biggest thing is it's easy to solve the mystery, so you are left watching the characters "solve the mystery" when you already know the answer - but it is kind fun watching them solve it.Dr. Anders Bizet is played by Pedro de Cordoba - quite well I must add.
Paul Kristan's mother was bitten at the time of child birth.With aid of Zan the hunchback (Mischa Auer) Kristan is able to hide his vampire qualities until?
This film is ranked #50 in my top 'B' movies with a 7 star rating.
The film has its faults with a poor soundtrack, missing the boat on some occasions completely, the over use of the word swooning toward the end of the film, and the too nice scenes with Kristan and Marguerite (Maxine Douglas) who is very young for Kristan.
Don't look for anything gory in the vampire scenes just enjoy the film for what it is, a good 'B' movie..
Condemned to Live story concerns a physician in a small village in Europe who is born a vampire because his mother was bitten by a vampire when she was pregnant with him.
A Trusted college arrives and helps him finally realizes that he must be the vampire that is murdering the villagers for their blood.Invincible Pictures was a poverty row studio but they did produce some watchable movies.
Condemned to Live was one such movie.
Eventually Invincible was absorbed by Republic Pictures.Ralph Morgan was a notable character actor who became overshadowed by his more famous younger brother Frank.
Mischa Auer plays the doctor's hunchbacked servant who is loyal to a fault.
The rest of the cast is professional enough.Condemned to Live is an interesting take on the vampire legend but there are just too many plot holes and weak performances to make it a really good movie.
Atmospheric little film that won't win any awards but is perfect as part of a horror fest on a dark and stormy night.
Who could it be and how does it relate to the events years earlier when a shipwrecked pregnant woman was bitten on the neck by a vampire bat?
Well made melodrama with horrific overtones take many horror conventions and breathes just a bit of new life in them, Give this movie a good many points for daring to be different in its supernatural tinged tale.
Add to it a great cast headed by Frank Morgan and Misha Auer (as a hunchback) and you get a fine little lost film.
Sure it won't win any awards but as a movie to watch on a dark and stormy night with the lights on low its gangbusters Worth seeing, especially if you program a night of moldy oldie horror films..
Marguerite to marry older saintI love old horror films, so the fact I disliked "Condemned to Live" so much really says a lot about the movie.
But the writing and direction were so sluggish, it felt more like I was watching a community theater production instead of a movie.The story begins with a prologue about some folks stuck on a hellish island with nasty natives and vampire bats.
There you learn that Professor Kristan (Ralph Morgan) is a saintly man, as folks repeat this about 800 times...just to make sure the audience knows.
Not having been exactly impressed by the director's other, more popular genre work (namely THE MONSTER WALKS {1932} and THE VAMPIRE BAT {1933} which, again, this resembles quite a bit), I hardly expected the film under review to change matters; while presenting a novel (if silly) spin on the vampire theme, the approach is so stodgy as to defeat its purpose!
Here, in fact, we have a man (Ralph Morgan, who would return to the genre with a couple of somewhat better efforts i.e. NIGHT MONSTER {1942} and the recently-viewed THE MONSTER MAKER {1944}) who transforms – a' la Jekyll & Hyde and complete with inhuman slurping sounds – into a bloodsucker (actually preceding in this regard the 1957 THE VAMPIRE by more than two decades!) because his mother was bitten by a vampire bat during pregnancy.
The irony is that, being an eminent doctor, the community looks up to him after every new attack (he is himself unaware of his nightly depredations which occur during periodic blackout spells – hilariously and repeatedly described as "swooning" to the point that the film has been disparagingly described by some as CONDEMNED TO LIVE aka I SWOONED!) As usual, he is about to marry a much-younger girl that is loved by another man, who is most vociferous about the fact that the fiend is human as opposed to supernatural.Incidentally, what triggers Morgan off is complete darkness(!?), so that he has the townsfolk keep a candle burning at all times of the night
but, when he begins to feel the blackout coming during a visit to his girl, she unwisely turns out the lights one by one (which sends him off in a fury every time!).
In the meantime, the attacks continue – with Morgan's devoted hunchback (future comic Mischa Auer who was also in THE MONSTER WALKS) always lurking behind to save his master from being apprehended as well as finding out about his true nature, even if this means that Auer is himself fingered as the vampire on more than one occasion!
Just as THE VAMPIRE BAT was filmed on standing sets from James Whale's much-superior THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932; with which it had even shared leading man Melvyn Douglas), this one uses leftover scenery from that same genre master's BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935) and, it seems to me, even some from his FRANKENSTEIN (1931), not that these are adopted in any imaginative way given CONDEMNED TO LIVE's relentlessly talky approach!
In the end, Morgan bows out not by the traditional stake through the heart but by simply leaping, of his own free will, from a cliff
followed in quick succession by Auer himself (apparently, the latter saw no point in living if he cannot be with his beloved master – make of that what you will!).
It all surrounds a kindly doctor (Ralph Morgan) who finds himself suffering from blackouts as a brutal vampire-like killer strikes in his small community.
Morgan is in love with pretty Maxine Doyle, who admires him tremendously but is not in love with him in spite of being engaged to him.
As the list of victims increases, Morgan becomes more confused by his headaches, and his hunchback assistant (a touching Mischa Auer) keeps close tabs on him.
Haunting photography, above average performances (for this type of film) and strident pacing make this a must for classic horror fans..
Ralph Morgan (Professor Kristan), Maxine Doyle (Marguerite Mane), Pedro de Cordoba (Dr Bizet), Russell Gleason (David), Mischa Auer (Zan), Lucy Beaumont (Mother Molly), Carl Stockdale (John Mane), Heida Shope (Anna), Marilyn Knowlden (Maria), Paul Weigel (doctor), Edward Cecil (Manservant), Ted Billings (bell ringer), Charles Slim Whitaker, Harold Goodwin, Dick Curtis, Frank Brownlee, Horace B.
67 minutes.SYNOPSIS: A small European village is terrorized by a monster bat.
COMMENT: Despite its second-string cast (only Maxine Doyle as the pretty heroine and Mischa Auer as the devoted hunchback make any sort of impression), this little "B" emerges as a fairly effective horror yarn, thanks to Strayer's suspenseful direction and Anderson's atmospheric lighting.
'Condemned
' doesn't repeat Strayer's earlier movie about bloodsucking in a peaceful village.
'Condemned
' is about _vampirism, it has much more drama (which would of required a better cast), no comedy.
For those who complain about humor in suspense movies, we are completely spared of it, the chills are straight.A peaceful village, a cave and its pit
.
The eeriness in both is basically natural: a disease here (and the giant bats are real, though they live in the depths of Africa), the hypnosis in the earlier movie.The script depends much more on drama (and here, the cast dis-serves it), not at all on comedy, Kristan, as played by R.
Morgan, is wholly bland, though doomed, a bland altruist stricken by a disease; Maxine Doyle is banal, and more naughty and knowledgeable than a village ingénue.
The cast has Auer, whose role was smaller than advisable; in an earlier movie, also by F.
The script offers a romantic drama, but Kristan (one of the medicine professors who practiced in peaceful villages) should of been more keenly characterized, while Maxine Doyle looks nothing like her role.
The overtones of sexual pathology perhaps required better scenes, according to later criteria; but within the age's code, the dissonances are spelled as explicit as possible (the manservant Zan is a double of the professor, and like a son, signifying the inner deformity; the girl is another double, not inner, not interiorly, but as mirroring his repression and denial).'Condemned
' is a movie about _vampirism understood as a disease; it also links this illness with morbid sexuality, the girl's bland sentimentality, guessed by both Bizet and the professor's rival, mirror the vampire's unacknowledged _pulsions, and both the professor and his fiancée are trapped in an unhealthy relationship to deny their genuine leanings (wholly morbid, his; entirely sane and ordinary, hers).
The earlier movie had been a sure recipe, and meant as such; the later one tries a new territory: gloomy drama, and it needed a dependable cast, and even Auer, underused here, had been better filmed by the very same director.There's a bit of effective music I recognized from another '30s chiller.R. Morgan and Maxine Doyle weren't the most enjoyable leads.
In an earlier Strayer movie, Auer had been much better showcased..
"Condemned to Live" was one of her very few budget films but she was in good company.
Ralph Morgan was always a good character actor, excelling in quirky villain roles until he became better known as Frank Morgan's older brother.
He plays Professor Paul Kristan who, along with his apelike assistant, Zan (Mischa Auer) is called to a cave in his village to examine a man that has been killed by a bat.
He is engaged to marry Marguerite (Maxine Doyle) who although she doesn't love him, worships him as a village hero.
Unbeknownst to the village the professor is really a vampire!!!
Paul's mother was bitten by a vampire bat and so Paul carries the curse.
The village believe the killer to be a bat, but David (Russell Gleason) who is in love with Marguerite thinks a human is responsible.
The villagers, thinking Zan is the fiend chase him to the cave until David catches up with them and tells them it is really the beloved Professor.With a plot borrowing heavily from "Frankenstein" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", it is an interesting film.
There is even a little Maria, a village child played by Marilyn Knowlden.Recommended..
American horror films of the 1930's are notorious for unbelievable special effects, degrading female acting, and incoherent plots.
This film is no exception, but Condemned to Live is still entertaining due to the care with which it was made.
It isn't Karloff's Frankenstein, but it's worth a viewing.In an African cave, a pregnant woman is bitten by a vampire bat.
However, Marguerite has fallen in love with her neighbor David, but feels obligated to marry doctor Kristan.
Both are discovered and commit suicide at the end of the film.With such a short running time, a lot happens in Condemned to Live, and most of it happens too quickly.
While it isn't difficult to see this plot twist, Strayer's incorporation of Jeckyll and Hyde personality disorder and vampirism into Ralph Morgan's character add suspense to the film.
Kristan is a knowledgeable man, and he knows he must separate himself from the village in order to continue serving the people.The special effects are also worthwhile and appear as realistic as one could expect from a film so old.
This is why he prefers biting people on the neck, but isn't a real vampire.I may have read too much into the film, but a good film allows an audience to do that.
I've read the plot summary for The Vampire Bat, and feel obligated to warn you that this film is similar but they both have around a 5.0 rating on IMDb. Yes, there are several holes in the plot, but I don't think I can fairly lower the film's score given its age.
The film then fast-forwards to forty years later where a man by the name of "Professor Paul Kristan" (Ralph Morgan) is helping his fellow villagers resolve a recent spate of murders in which the victims have be totally drained of blood.
To further assist him is his loyal servant, "Zan, the hunchback" (Mischa Auer), his fiancé "Marguerite Mane" (Maxine Doyle) and his old mentor "Dr. Anders Bizet" (Pedro de Cordoba) who has just recently arrived.
At any rate, rather than reveal any more I will just say that this could have been a pretty good vampire film if it hadn't been so bogged down with repetitive dialogue and a lack of action.
Professor Paul Kriston(Ralph Morgan) is a well liked and respected doctor in his tiny village.
The beautiful Marguerite(Maxine Doyle)is willing to be his bride in spite of being in love with another man, David(Russell Gleason).
The doctor has a hunchbacked servant(Mischa Auer);this is the clue that this is a horror flick.
Miss Marguerite discovers her fiancée's secret, only after she realizes she's actually in love with her other man.
Things have already turned sinister.This 30's chiller is directed by Frank Strayer. |
tt0323571 | Nemesis Game | This movie is a very good thriller, for the most part. Just cryptic enough, most of the riddles are easy enough to figure out, though some of them hard enough you run out of time if you don't pause the movie. But the biggest mystery of all is the ending, which could be seen as a continuation of the theme of the movie, or it could be seen as a case of a writer running out of good ideas. In the end, it does mirror one of the first riddles presented, as what it delivers IS the answer to that riddle. In doing this the film comes full circle, which OUGHT TO be very satisfying. However, because of what the ending DOES you, the excellent plot doesn't matter, when the movie ends you are left with the same thing as you are in real life when you die.Sara Novak is a college student whose mother died in a car accident. She is haunted by her inability to understand why such random tragedies happen, and when she stumbles upon a game that promises to provide the answer, she plays along. The Nemesis Game is played by following a series of riddles left to her by anonymous people, if you solve the riddles you are led to an abandoned building, and when you solve the final riddle and write the answer on the wall, you will see the "Design"' of life and understand why bad things happen. Sara meets a group of people who are involved in the game, and eventually reaches the end of it. However, she doesn't get a chance to write HER answer on the wall. But it doesn't matter, she receives the same thing as everyone who reaches this stage i life, and she personally experiences the central metaphor of the Game; That life itself is a game, you play your part, and then you die. There IS no understanding other than that, and as most people do realize at some level "In life also there IS no understanding, life is about NOT understanding but going on living anyway". And what IS the surprise ending that is finally delivered that wraps up the otherwise excellent plot? What ARE you left with as an explanation to the twists and turns of the movie? It's the answer to the riddle "what do the poor have, the rich want, and God fears?"'Nothing' | murder, flashback | train | imdb | Instead what I found was a movie that kept me guessing until the very end.
The film has a superb ending and good acting all the way around.
The 'Nemesis Game' as it comes to be called is supposed to end with one final riddle.
This very unique plot and inventive ending leave you wanting to know more of story at the end.
At the end it leaves you saying 'wow.' This film is highly recommended..
This is one of the movies that keeps you glued to your seat till the end by weaving too many plot webs but in the end fails miserably to provide some interesting climax.
'Nemesis Game' has a decent basic plot, taut suspense, an interesting central character...
The movie somehow reminded me of the Jude Law starred 'Existenz' but far less efficient in making a story come around.
Director Jesse Warn tries hard to give it a cult look, with appropriate shooting locations, good background music,decent script etc and is aided by nice performance by Carly Pope.
Yes, the riddles themselves sometimes looked easy, sometimes bizarre which leaves a mixed impression, but they were not enough to answer all the incidents happening in the film.
If somehow that means to keep the viewer occupied with it after watching the film, that's the big mistake.
Nemesis Game is a mind-bending film filled with riddles, death, mystery, and philosophy.
In it's simplest sense the film is about seeking answers and what happens when you've finally found them all.
What would you do if you were offered the ability to finally make sense of the chaos of life?The movie was written and directed by Jesse Warn.
While this was Warn's first feature length film, the movie doesn't reflect that at all, but instead shows polish and an artistic approach to telling the story.
I would definitely love to see more of her work.Being based on riddles, this is a very cerebral movie.
It could be easy to complain about the quality of this movie (you don't have to throw cartloads of money at a movie to make it good, nor will it guarantee that it is worth watching) but I think that is totally missing the point.
If your expecting fast cars, T&A or a movie that will spell itself out for you then don't watch this, you'll be disappointed and dumbfounded.This movie was thoroughly enjoyable, kept us on the edge of our seats and made us really think.
The writer obviously put a lot of thought and research behind this movie and it shows through the end, just remember to keep an open mind.Note: the school scenes were all filmed at McMaster University and most of the rest was done in Toronto..
The only reason I even watched this film that I had previously never heard of before, was strictly for IAN McSHANE.I was not disappointed in the least.
These people certainly weren't being paid huge amounts of cash for their participation (as this was a fairly low budget film) but this did not mean that any of them "mailed" their appearances in.
Everyone was convincing and compelling with the parts given to them.I was even pleasantly surprised at ADRIAN PAUL's performance though I must admit I have only ever seen him in the HIGHLANDER Television series before this movie.The plot was well paced and the storyline intriguing and much like real life, not everything ends up tied in a nice neat little package for you at the end of the film.
Anybody who expected a clear-cut, by-the-numbers, connect the dots "conclusion" or "answer" at the end of the movie...
CLEARLY wasn't watching the film closely enough!
This film is not going to tell you what the "meaning of life" is!
(sounds pretty dull, huh?) But the reality is that I was completely absorbed by the film and it's just a well written little piece with an interesting hook and solid character performances by all parties involved.****** WARNING...****** If you're the kind of person who dislikes movies that dangle an enormous "question" as the central engine of the story and then end the movie without answering that particular question directly...YOU MIGHT NOT ENJOY THIS FILM..
"The Nemesis Game" tells of a college student, Sara (Pope), who plays a game of riddles but who can't seem to solve the riddle of her life.
The film develops a pair of wispy, marginally intriguing, and converging plot lines; Sara and her riddle game and her father, a cop, and his interrogation of a murder suspect.
The result is a frustrating mess with paper thin characters which wallows in it own sense of self importance while failing to deliver anything of substance finally ending with an epilogue much like the punch line of a shaggy dog story.
It could only have been a better film if we had known more about the nightmares from the past the characters see when they close their eyes, and why they felt this desperate need to seek the "answer" that is so integral to the storyline.
I thought it was a thought provoking movie that made you want to look into the power behind riddles.
I think the type of people that wouldn't like this movie would be those who don't like solving things, or those who get frustrated when they can't solve riddles.
its a good movie, based on a true story that happened in my home town of Toronto, Ontario.
so if u want a real record of the things that happen in the alleys there, watch this movie.
And for those who only watch movies to point out plot holes and character flaws, realize that in real life, this same stuff does happen.
But the movie also leaves you wanting more, more riddles, more explanation, just plainly, more.
Something more I want to add, is that the ideas within this movie, the underground riddle world, does exist, but there is a lot more to it.
This movie tries to be a clever one but it does this by not making any sense at all.This is really one pointless movie to watch because it just isn't heading anywhere with its story.
The entire idea behind the concept of this movie is that once you have solved enough certain riddles you will get to see the entire pattern and meaning of life.
Guess this is something that could had still worked out, if the movie had only truly been a clever one.The riddles in this movie instead feel so utterly pointless and on top of that are also quite stupid ones.
Further more it really doesn't become apparent in this movie how solving these riddles will get you anywhere.
Seriously, this stuff is going nowhere and in the long run nothing in it makes really sense, since the movie simply doesn't bother to explain very much.
It just thinks that it's enough to confuse its viewer and to present it with difficult riddles, that however serve no purpose for the movie at all it seems because the movie really doesn't provide much back-story for anything at all.It's a real problem with this movie that it sees itself as a clever one.
Everybody in this movie is behaving as if solving some riddles written on a wall somewhere is the most important thing in the world and needs to get done, regardless of any danger or foul play involved with it.Yes, I really hated this movie because of its approach and story.
It would had been better, or at least more interesting, to me if the movie actually had a a big mystery to be solved in it, like the disappearances of something or someone or a murderer that needs to be stopped.
That way the story the story and all of its riddles could had more of served a purpose for the entire movie.
Instead now the movie seems like a real pointless one but above all things also a terribly uninteresting one.Yes, the movie definitely did still showed some potential but it basically all gets wasted as the movie moves along, despite the actor's hard efforts to still make something good out of it all.Nothing interesting, tense or mysterious to be found here.
This movie is like a philosophical thing, and could be psychological as well.
Storyline is complex but overall is quite interesting and different from most movie cliché or storyline.I was pretty disappointed by the ending but in a way is a good ending.
And if every movie solve everything for you or make a typical ending, than that would be boring.Every movie has its flaws depending on how you look at it.
since noone truly knows that answer, you definitely sail into murky waters when you incorporate that concept into a movie.
the rest of the cast were somewhat shaky, however since the focus was on sara novak (carly pope), her performance anchored the movie.
watch this movie you should enjoy it.t. Avoid this movie like the plague.
here's a short synopsis of the movie : Sara Novak (Carly Pope) is a college girl who's into riddles.
She 'plays' riddle games with Vern (Adrian Paul), a shopkeeper, in a scavenger hunt type thing, where solving one riddle will lead to another one.
But both of them (separately) get an 'invitation' to play a series of riddles, (usually spray painted on subways for Sara, and on his shop windows/websites for Adrian) which, once solved will reveal the 'design' supposedly explaining why things in life are the way they are i.e. the meaning of life.
I have a couple of movie ideas about talking chipmunks involved in industrial espionage that I'd like to run past them.
A problem could be the quality, but that doesn't bring down the essence of the movie.The idea it self is brilliant and the ending leaves you just completely shocked and with the question for you to seek the answer.
All she will do is talk in riddles.After that, we see Dennis and Vern, two weeks earlier, talking about the meaning of life in Vern's store, which sells merchandise that appeals to heavy metal and alternative rock fans.Then we see a like-new 1966 Ford pickup being driven through the dark, wet streets of an unidentified large city (Toronto University is mentioned).
Sara is then given the first of several clues that she needs to solve a mystery (while being timed) as she explores a section of town she probably shouldn't be in after dark.Sara, the detective's daughter, is in college, but her father feels she is not reaching her potential.
Jeremy is persistent, and he says he knows her secret--she drives to school but takes the subway home.When she gets on the subway, Sara sees riddles written in blue, mostly on the walls.
The mystery author of the riddles is behaving in the same way as the mythological character Nemesis (not the Nemesis of Greek mythology, though--she is female, and the pictures and stories in this movie seem to be of a man; to the ancient Greeks, The Sphinx was responsible for riddles).The game becomes a life-and-death situation after a murder.This movie is darker than what I generally would watch.
I liked him better on the TV series, but that doesn't mean he wasn't good here.
at least I didn't find anything on this character.The mystery was interesting, though the ending was somewhat shocking.
If you enjoy riddles and suspense, you will enjoy this movie.
Plot is: Sarah (Carly Pope), a student of philosophy and metaphysics, starts playing a mysterious riddle game trying to figure out "the reason" and gets involved in "the game" by solving riddles.
I personally happen to like riddles and puns, so while most of them weren't very difficult, it was still a fun movie.
Four things intrigued me as to this film - firstly, it stars Carly Pope (of "Popular" fame), who is always a pleasure to watch.
Aside from the nice riddles which are littered throughout the movie (and Pope and Owen), this film isn't very good.
The concept is good, but what ends up in the movie is just a summary.
Two weeks earlier, his daughter college student Sara Novak (Carly Pope) likes to solve riddles from comic book store owner Vern (Adrian Paul).
Sara takes part in a riddle game in the real world when it turns dangerous.The start is a little slow and a little muddled.
Being a movie I had not heard of before but just happened to stumble across, I had no expectations prior to watching it.
I love this kind of plots, that includes riddles and clues which gives the person watching the movie, abit of a challenge.
But unfortunately they didn't manage to make a good ending, that explained it all in a brilliant way, that made sense of the whole movie.
Instead the ending destroyed the entire film.
When they build up a plot, they've got to deliver an answer that's reasonable and explains everything that's happened up till that point.
I would like to advice the ppl responsible for this movie to remake the last 10 minutes and do it better this time..
It's the same thing here: after about 90% of the film writer and director seem to have noticed that they need an end and so they come up with one too quickly; considering the built up the end is an anti climax.
So all in all I think there is a lot of talent wasted in this film: great actors and a gifted director but nothing comes of it.
So in spite of the brilliance of 90% of the film it's not worth watching..
My advice - take the average rating of about 5 out of 10 as a hint that the movie is really not worth watching.
I found the movie rather tedious with a poor script and nothing to keep me wanting to watch it at all.
I watched this film not knowing anything about it.
The plot is enthralling and intelligent, the cast are all charismatic and the whole film just makes you think for a change.
Some of the riddles stumped me completely but in the end the answers were rather simple.
It is a film however than ultimately provides no answers which may irk some people but I thought the ending was great.
I watched this movie a few days and was highly impressed.
And the ending did not disappoint like so many other movies that are made now.
I like films that make you think and confuse you which this does.
It was like they ran out of funding and then decided to end the film with framed narratives.
You need to watch this movie just so you get what I am talking about but the bottom line is: All the things that are interesting in the film, and all the things that you can;t wait to come together somewhere, Are ruined by the fact that they don't.
(This commentary entails revealing parts about the film or Spoilers)I though that this movie was a very unassuming and well-done suspense and drama rolled into one.
(Pun intended) It had great acting the characters didn't try to oversell their persona like perhaps would be done on a more financially equipped film but on the same note they did just open with the plot like one would assume a B rated movie would.you definitely wanted to keep watching and find out how the loose melange of subplots would unite, and find out what precisely was the meaning of The 'Design'.
Don't misinterpret me, you did work solving puzzles and jumping over plot holes but it wasn't laborious.It was a good movie but I don't think I could be prevailed upon to watch it again one time is enough.
You have to do that when you present a story which normal, everyday acts (lie solving riddle rhymes) start to have an abnormal effect on people.
The "menacing" atmosphere, with the "oh-so-clever" riddles (enter the 60's series of Batman and Robin, with guest appearance of The Riddle) and the crazies who claim to have "the knowledge" behind that smirk on their faces
just horrible, HORRIBLE.I'm usually very partial about low budget movies, and tend to root for the underdog by giving them more praise than they may deserve, in lieu of their constrictions, you know, but this is just an ugly excuse for a movie that will keep you wanting to be good for an hour and a half, and at the end you will just lament that you fell for it..
Good movie - if they had put an ending to it.
Mystery, riddles, questions, death, murder.It nevers bores you for a second and keeps on going like a book, that you don't want to close before you've read it completely.
[POSSIBLE SPOILER]At the end you'd expect an explanation of why the riddles, why the deaths, why this trouble and perhaps even the answer to the question in this movie: the reason to live.
That spoiled my feelings about this movie; a definite open end, no understanding whatsoever, just the knowledge of who's behind all this.
Movie raises too many questions, but not the good kind..
If you are looking for a movie for people who think they know a deep intellectual movie then maybe you might enjoy this one..
In the end, I still had the feeling of being fooled the same way that Sara was caught in the thriller that did not seem like a thriller, in a thoughtful, muted hurt youth silenced and torn by the questions, silently scavenged by a great conspiracy, or maybe the opposite.
The film never intends to answer all of its mysteries , but does an excellent job in the exposition of several plot twists.
I mean, if you're gonna have the internet play such a prominent role in your movie, at least get the little things right. |
tt1035730 | Anonyma - Eine Frau in Berlin | CONTAINS SPOLIERS This is a real diary from a real woman. The woman cast in this film is too young too play the real woman. The diary was written by a woman in the basement of her bombed out building during the invasion of Berlin by The Red Army in the last months of WWII. It details the way German women survived the rapes the Red Army officers felt they deserved in victory. Anonymous uses one soldier to her advantage and essentially considers him her lover not her rapist. Her real fiancé returns from the front only to spurn her for being raped. The inginuity of the survival techniques used by the Berliners of this time round out Anon's tale. The diary should be read by every priveleged person, man or woman. Americans especially. War is no place for socialites.Regarding the age of the author vs. the actress; the author was 34 when writing the diary. Nina Hoss 33 at the time of filming. Great book.
In this movie appears Juliane Köhler who will later play the role of Clara, Fritz Shimon Haber's wife in Haber. | violence | train | imdb | To begin with the end note: When the anonymous memoir adapted here ('Anonyma - Eine Frau in Berlin') was published in Switzerland in 1959, it was greeted with such outrage among Germans the author allowed no further editions; she of course never revealed her name.
They don't, and when they invade Berlin and begin the wholesale raping of the German women, she chooses to mete out her favors selectively for her own protection and that of her neighbors in the apartment building.
"Anonyma" moves in with a group of others in a large flat and turns over the studio she occupied with her absent soldier boyfriend Gerd (August Diehl), for whom she keeps a diary of what happens, to an unrepentantly Nazi young woman and the adolescent German soldier boyfriend she hides (Sebastian Urzendowsky), who is armed.
And there are more, not to mention a half dozen clearly defined Russians, including the high ranking officer's Mongolian guard.It's a bit difficult to keep track of all these, and Woman in Berlin is best at making us feel close to the narrator and conveying a sense of the chaos and uncertainty when the invasion and the raping begin.
And the film shows the range of the then Russian people, the Ukrainians, Caucasians, Mongols, who are to be the Soviet Union.Though reviewers and commentators seem to think they know what all this material means and proclaim judgments if not on the protagonist, on the filmmaker, this is primarily an example of Germans taking hard looks at repressed material that formerly was too ugly to examine.
Even the fact that the book on which the movie is based was met with outrage when it was first published in the 50's is ultimately part of this chain.There are more complex answers to why horrible things happen in a war, and in the world in general - and Europe has had its share of it - and this film manages to capture these complexities masterfully..
It is often hard to make a choice between honor and survival.This is the story of German women at the end of WWII when the Russians have moved into Germany.
Anonyma (Nina Hoss) decides the best way is to find the best Russian officer to care for her in exchange for sex.It is easy to see why the Germans and the Russians hated the book, upon which this film is based, when it came out after the war.
It has the courage to tell the story of what it was like in Berlin as World War II was ending - the time of the Russian siege of the city just before and just after Hitler committed suicide, ending the horror of the Nazi regime.
While many films have been made about the German populace and how they coped with the fall of their 'great Third Reich' country that was to rule the planet, few have been able to allow the audience to understand the brutalities of war on the people of Germany in so direct a fashion.
Anonyma (Nina Hoss) is a journalist, a pretty woman living in the cellars and other hiding places while the Russians took over Berlin.
The Russian soldiers, still angry with the gnawing hatred for the Germans from the Siege of Leningrad and the loathing of anything that exists in Hitler's Berlin, drink heavily and seek out the women from hiding to satisfy their insatiable lust.
Anonyma speaks several languages including Russian and decides her only hope for survival is to align with the Commander of the troops, Major Andreij Rybkin (Yevgeni Sidikhin), believing that if she becomes his concubine she will be safe from the random raping by the rest of the soldiers.
Max Färberböck, known to the world-wide audience since his "Aimee and Jaguar", shows in this newer film for once not the standard story of the bad Germans, who, deserving after what they have done, being Nazis, are liberated by the good Russians, the good Americans and the good Allies.
After Berlin was taken over by Russian soldiers(among them men who had not had sex for four years) at the end of WW2, and raped 100.000 women, leading to the death of 10.000 of them.
A Woman in Berlin (2008)Imagine the horrors of women caught in a large city during the chaos of war, with occupying troops storming your apartment building day after day.
This is a personal story, centering around one woman played by Nina Hoss, and about the repeated rape and abuse of women by the Russian troops for days and weeks on end.
There was no escape, no power to complain to, no justice anywhere, anywhere, not German or Russian or even American (assuming they were any better) a mile or two away.The movie is based on a book, "Anonyma," by a woman whose identity is not revealed, if it is even known (this was her protection even after death).
(Wiki) The controversial German movie is about the women who survived the war by working as captivate prostitutes for the Russians.
The starting of the movie is really nice as how it shows how people have to go through and live through once Russians won over Germany.
The film stars the lovely to look at,Nina Foss as Anonyma,who's husband is seen shipping out for the elite S.S. squad of the German Army the very morning of the Soviet invasion of Berlin in 1945.
Determined to survive this nightmare,she forges a relationship with the Russian leader, Major Andrei Rybkin (played by Yevgeni Sidikhin,who commands a genuine presence here),as well as a renegade member of the German army,that is hiding in the attic of the apartment block she lives in.
The rest of the cast is made up of both German & Russian actors who truly live up to their roles (and watch out for a winning performance by Irm Hermann, generally known for her work in the films of the late Rainer Werner Fassbinder,as Witke).Comparisons to Paul Verhoeven's 'Black Book' will be obvious.
A wonderful movie, well directed and very well acted (main characters, especially Anonyma, played by Nina Hoss, and the Russian major, played by Evgeny Sidikhin, were simply superb).
Generally, I like watching movies about World War II, but I think it's something really special when you experience it from a German point of view.
For me, it is not important to pinpoint exactly how accurate this story is or whether it reflects a general situation for women in Berlin; the important thing is that it did happen to someone, and it forces the viewer to reconsider the whole "us and them" concept by demonstrating that there are perpetrators and victims among all peoples of all nations in the world.
What, Germany was invaded by Russian troops during the last few months of World War II, and the men were beaten, the women were raped and everyone had their property stolen by these shameless Ruskies?
As the great German writer Johannes Becher wrote in a poem after the war, "Who has done all the deeds/To free us from drudgery?/The heroes of the Soviet Union/Thanks to you, Soviet soldiers" But influenced by the Cold War triumphalism of Anglo-Americans, a resurgent neo-Nazism in Germany, and fascist nationalism in countries of Eastern Europe, there is an effort to rewrite the facts and results of World War II.
Blackening the name of the Red Army with sensationalistic, perverted accusations of mass rape made is part of an effort to revive German nationalism, whitewash the Nazi past, and normalize the fact that Germany was and will always be responsible for imposing a genocidal war.
The intent of this film to slander the Russians and the great Soviet soldiers as a hordes of marauding, Asiatic beasts has its roots in the dying days of the German Reich.As Russian historians have shown, an objective analysis of abuses by the Red Army demonstrates that rape and other crimes against Germans did not represent a massive and extraordinary phenomenon, and were not the reflection of an organized and systematic policy by the authorities.
While western falsifiers of history are so keen to highlight this "Eine frau in Berlin" story by devoting enormous resources for a movie and book, there is a curious absence of the stories of Red Army veterans who discredited these allegations of abusing German civilians, as well as countless German residents who expressed gratitude to the liberators.
The fact that some German women were raped by some soldiers of the Red Army isn't a secret.
Were there any Russian soldiers who raped German women?
If Russian soldiers were raping millions of East German women as this film falsely show, why did East Germany become socialist and remain socialist for over 40 years?
Women didn't speak like this when I was a young woman in NYC in the 1990's and they for sure didn't speak this way in sexually repressed post-war Germany.One last thing before I end my review: A relevant question to ask is why certain films are financed and not others?
Being of German blood and having a mother who actually lived through the experience of living in Berlin as the Russian armies marched in, I was looking forward to a film that mirrored the experiences that she lived through.
"If the Russians do just a fraction of what we did to them in the past four years," writes a woman in Berlin "every German will be dead." There are repeated rapes, day and night.
Others vow to survive whatever way they can; encouraging each other, finding protectors and treasuring the light where it can be found.Not only does A Woman in Berlin provide insight into the brutality of war from a woman's perspective who is at the epicenter of it, the film is alluring from all the other aspects that go into filmmaking Nina Hoss, who plays the main character, is fantastic and her award winning performance here provides a well deserved jolt to her career.
This is a story based on the diary of a woman living in Berlin at the time of its downfall in late April and early May of 1945 when the Red Army moved in for the final assault.
Unfortunately, as depicted here, much of their revenge is taken out on German women.The central character, who is called "Anonyma," decides that it would be in her best survival interests if she were to attach herself to the highest ranking army officer she could find.
Printed via Secker & Warburg (1955).I think it was closer to an ambivalent position, which would seem shameful but in Great Britain which hadn't gone through horrors of war comparable to mainland Europe there was still rationing the country was dealing with its declining empire,this I believe may have lead to a general sense of wishing to look ahead( together with a largely ambivalent feeling towards Germans sufferings).The general response from Russians I think would be obvious.I think it seems likely that the book with for obvious reasons difficulties including not having the author available ,tragically slipped through the cracks,as have many works in the past for different reasons .In regard to the film I think overall they did quite a good job ,It being a subject which can be handled badly and result in exploitation .or sometimes understate the reality and have an anaemic product,which looks insensitive and uncaring to the victims.There is also no eventual 'day in court'or cathartic victory or 'closure '.An alternative to this 'populist' approach may be something like Salo:120 days in Sodom which is revered by many critics but failed to reach the 'General public '..
German screenwriter and director Max Färberböck's third feature film which he co-wrote with actress and screenwriter Catharina Schuchmann, is based on an autobiographical book which was published anonymously in 1959 by an author who kept a diary whilst held captive by the communist national army of the Soviet Union called the Red Army.
During the Soviet occupation of Germany she is separated from Gerd and as numerous other German women systematically raped by Red Army soldiers, but due to her lingual skills she manages to seduce a Soviet major named Andreij Rybkin.Finely and engagingly directed by German filmmaker Max Färberböck, this finely paced and somewhat fictionalized tale which is narrated by the protagonist and mostly from her point of view, draws a moving portrayal of a German woman's involuntary relationships with various men and her ability to adapt and survive in times of war.
While notable for it's naturalistic milieu depictions, fine production design by German production designer and art director Uli Hanisch and Polish production designer, art director and actor Andrzey Halinski and cinematography by Swiss cinematographer Benedickt Neuenfels, this character-driven and narrative-driven story about a woman's experiences during the end of the Second World War depicts an empathic study of character and contains a great score by Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner.This biographical, conversational, historical and at times romantic drama about war crimes in Germany where an unspecific number of German women from varied age groups were raped both in connection with combat operations and during the Soviet occupation of Germany by members of the Soviet armed forces and in the aftermath died from the molestation they were exposed to, is set in the capital of Germany during the Battle of Berlin in 1945 and is impelled and reinforced by it's cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, multiple perspectives, the distinct acting performance by German actress Nina Hoss and the fine acting performances by Russian actor Yevgeni Sidikhin.
'A Woman in Berlin' is set in the last days of World War II as the Soviet Army wreaks vengeance upon the German civilian population following their invasion of the German capital.
The main recipient of the soldiers' wrath are the women of Berlin who they end up raping in great numbers.
'A Woman in Berlin' is based on the a true-life anonymous diary which was published in West Germany in 1959.
I question how the boyfriend could have ended up back home without being taken into custody by the Russians, who were rounding up all ex-soldiers and shipping them off to imprisonment in the Soviet Union.'A Woman in Berlin' commendably handles the rape scenes in a matter-of-fact way.
A German woman tells another that had the Russians did what (our) soldiers did to them, "we would all be dead by now".
While the rape of German women by the Russian soldiers was deplorable, the film could have made the soldiers' motivations for doing so, more understandable.'A Woman in Berlin' is a bit long and sometimes it's difficult to follow everything that's happening.
A well made German movie that touches with frankness a very delicate historical subject: the mass rape of German women by Soviet soldiers during and after the Battle of Berlin.
The movie, which has a good historical reconstruction of the times, is based on the memories of a woman, who choose to publish the book anonymously.
As a result, the book languished in obscurity for many decades afterward, and it was only republished, with great public success, in 2003, well after the Cold war ended and the author died.According to the movie, the Russians engaged in rape not because they were sadistic (very few of them are portrayed this way) but because they have a very natural urge for sex and they had few available Russian women around among the troops.
The Russian soldiers were so starved of sex that they even rape older German women in their 60s or even 70s.
As shown in this film, German women at first were obviously shocked at being raped, but later would more or less adapt to the situation and even joke about it, and seek powerful Russians as lovers, to protect themselves from mass rapes by drunken, lowly soldiers.
Personally, I don't think one can make a moral equivalence between the rape of German women (which is obviously reprehensible) and the genocidal behavior of the German army in the Eastern front during World War II, killing millions of innocent Jews and Slavs (the movie should have mentioned more about the latter, I think).
The intrigue of the movie is the setting, the war, the meeting of the different peoples (Germans and Russians).
It's worth watching for that.As history: It does present a story that needs to be told--the rape of the German women by the Russians.
Rape is prevalent in war, all nations were guilty of rape on the part of their men, but what the Russians did to the German women is beyond compare.
It also makes it clear that there is not one answer for every woman; in the film some of the victims lose their minds and end up killing themselves (or others); others find a sugar-daddy in the Russian army who gives them 'gifts' in exchange for protection (or at the very least, less violent sex).Personally, I see this film as a story about the way in which women cope with unimaginable, unjustifiable violence from their other halves.
I guess that just goes to show how male-dominated the film industry really is!!In one scene Anonyma confronts a major and asks him to do something to stop the rape of Berlin women.
Eine Frau in Berlin (2008) tells the story of a German woman (Nina Hoss) --who was identified as Marta Hillers only after her death--, a professional journalist who gets repeatedly raped during the Red Army occupation of Berlin.The anonymous journalist who can speak Russian and French writes the horrid wartime experiences she and the other German women had during the occupation.
The main problem with the movie is that it's actually a quasi love story - instead of a war drama - between a German woman and a Russian major.
The most common title of this film in English is "A Woman in Berlin," based on the published diaries of an anonymous female author in 1959. |
tt0079417 | Kramer vs. Kramer | Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman) is a workaholic advertising executive who has just been assigned a new and very important account. Ted arrives home and shares the good news with his wife Joanna (Meryl Streep) only to find that she is leaving him. Saying that she needs to find herself, she leaves Ted to raise their son Billy (Justin Henry) by himself. Ted and Billy initially resent one another as Ted no longer has time to carry his increased workload and Billy misses his mother's love and attention. After months of unrest, Ted and Billy learn to cope and gradually bond as father and son.
Ted befriends his neighbor Margaret (Jane Alexander), who had initially counseled Joanna to leave Ted if she was that unhappy. Margaret is a fellow single parent, and she and Ted become kindred spirits. One day, as the two sit in the park watching their children play, Billy falls off the jungle gym, severely cutting his face. Ted sprints several blocks through oncoming traffic carrying Billy to the hospital, where he comforts his son during treatment.
Fifteen months after she walked out, Joanna returns to New York to claim Billy, and a custody battle ensues. During the custody hearing, both Ted and Joanna are unprepared for the brutal character assassinations that their lawyers unleash on the other. Margaret is forced to testify that she had advised an unhappy Joanna to leave Ted, though she also attempts to tell Joanna on the stand that her husband has profoundly changed. Eventually, the damaging facts that Ted was fired because of his conflicting parental responsibilities which forced him to take a lower-paying job come out in court, as do the details of Billy's accident.
The court awards custody to Joanna, a decision mostly based on the assumption that a child is best raised by his mother. Ted discusses appealing the case, but his lawyer warns that Billy himself would have to take the stand in the resulting trial. Ted cannot bear the thought of submitting his child to such an ordeal, and decides not to contest custody.
On the morning that Billy is to move in with Joanna, Ted and Billy make breakfast together, mirroring the meal that Ted tried to cook the first morning after Joanna left. They share a tender hug, knowing that this is their last daily breakfast together. Joanna calls on the intercom, asking Ted to come down to the lobby. She tells Ted how much she loves and wants Billy, but she knows that his true home is with Ted, and therefore will not take custody of him. She asks Ted if she can see Billy, and Ted says that would be fine. As they are about to enter the elevator together, Ted tells Joanna that he will stay downstairs to allow Joanna to see Billy in private. After she enters the elevator, Joanna wipes tears from her face and asks her former husband "How do I look?" As the elevator doors start to close on Joanna, Ted answers, "You look terrific." | dramatic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0085970 | Mr. Mom | Jack Butler is an engineer at an automobile manufacturing plant in Detroit, Michigan. He lives with his wife, Caroline, their two boys, Alex and Kenny, and their infant daughter, Megan. Jack has a decent life and a decent home in the suburbs.However, Jack's job seems to be stressful for him; he and his coworkers, whom he carpools with in the morning, all talk about their lack of sleep from the night before. When they drive in one morning, they talk about rumors of layoffs at their plant. Their supervisor, known only as Jinx, tells them not to worry about losing their jobs. The rumors persist while Jack talks to the assembly line workers.Jack is called into Jinx' office during the day and finds out that he and the two men he and Jinx carpool with are being laid off. Jinx tells them that they'll be asked to come back at an undetermined time in the future. The guys are not convinced.At home, Jack talks with his wife about finding another job and also having some time off to do work on the house he'd been planning. When Caroline, a former advertising expert, tells him she'd put her resume out on the job market as well, Jack suddenly becomes competitive, challenging her to a wager where the first of them to get a job will win $100. Some time later, Caroline wins the bet and goes to work for a prominent advertising firm. Jack becomes a stay-at-home-father and takes care of the kids, the errands, and the house during the day.Jacks first few weeks at home are mostly a disaster: he discovers that the vacuum cleaner has a mind of its own and rampages around the house, he's inept at operating the washer and dryer, three repair-people come in one day and the baby eats chili. Jack also has trouble at the supermarket and he misunderstands the procedure for dropping Alex off for school. He also draws too much attention from one of his wife's more attractive friends, Joan, who is divorced.As Caroline's career takes off she becomes an employee prized by her boss, Ron Richardson. At her first staff meeting, Caroline looks over the firm's ideas for one of their flagship clients, Schooner Tuna and, though she is constructively critical, receives scornful remarks from the rest of the staff. Caroline realizes that they are overworked, stressed out and have little or no experience similar to her's with regard to food prices or shopping.Months later, Jack has not been called back to his work at the auto factory and there are no other jobs available in his line of work or similar fields. Jack becomes increasingly depressed, wearing the same flannel shirt every day (without laundering it), he gains weight, lets his beard grow ungroomed and drinks beer while watching soap operas. His attention to his kids even wanes a bit which makes it more difficult for him to convince his younger son, Kenny, to give up the baby blanket he carries around for security. One day, while watching a soap opera, Jack daydreams that Joan stops by. He begins to talk about his strained relationship with Caroline; Joan takes off her raincoat and is dressed in sexy lingerie. While Jack kisses her, Caroline walks in and finds them. She pulls out a gun, affixes a silencer to it, and threatens Jack. A struggle ensues and Jack is shot. As he dies, Ron Richardson appears and walks off with Caroline and Jinx appears and says that the auto factory was going to call him back to work. Jack wakes up, cancels the weekly poker game with Joan and decides to clean up his act. He gets the kids to follow a morning routine to get them off to school on time; he exercises with Caroline's friends and loses the weight he'd put on, and he fixes up the house. At one point, we see him throwing his flannel shirt into the fireplace, a gesture meant to encourage Kenny to give up his security blanket. Kenny refuses and Jack has a man-to-man talk and convinces his son to give up the blanket.At a party thrown by Richardson at his palatial mansion, Jack is egged on by Richardson himself to compete in a race involving toys and other obstacles meant for children. Before the race, Jack, a fair sportsman himself, is persuaded by Richardson's subordinates to throw the race because his wife works for their host. Not wanting to jeopardize his wife's career, Jack stumbles just short of the finish line, preserving Richardson's dignity.Caroline's schedule keeps her away from home more frequently, which has an effect on Jack and the family. Caroline also develops a new strategy for Schooner Tuna; she meets with the company's CEO and tells him that the only way to sell more of his product is to lower the price in light of tougher economic times. The CEO goes almost immediately for Caroline's ideas, which also include filming a TV ad that will express the company's new policy, with an included appeal to consumers. Caroline is charged with going to Los Angeles to aid in shooting the new ad, which takes her out of town on Halloween. Richardson comes to their house to pick Caroline up in a limousine, but before she leaves, Jack talks to her about all the changes the family has experienced in her absence. Caroline still goes with Richardson.A few nights later, while Caroline is still out of town, some of the girls invite Jack out for the evening, leaving one of them, Annette, behind to sit with the kids. As a prank, the women take Jack to a male stripper bar. When he comes home late, he tries to call Caroline in California. Unknown to him and to Caroline, Richardson has snuck into Caroline's hotel room with dinner and champagne to celebrate their Schooner Tuna success; Richardson answers the phone and Jack recognizes his voice. Richardson abruptly hangs up on him. Caroline confronts Richardson, who suggests she leave Jack. She refuses and orders him to leave, punching him in the face when he won't. At home, Jack becomes furious when the phone rings and throws it across the room. He also kicks the TV, shattering the screen.Annette, witness to Jack's meltdown, leaves and tells Joan the next day. Joan takes it as a signal that Jack and Caroline are through and races to his house to talk to him. She stretches out in the bedroom while Jack cleans up in the bathroom. Caroline, returning early from California after her confrontation with Richardson, finds Joan in her bed. When Jack comes out of the bathroom, after a lengthy contemplation with himself about having an affair with Joan, he finds Caroline, who is angry about finding Joan in her bed. The two argue, Jack telling Caroline that he heard Richardson's voice on the phone when he called. Jack storms out of the room saying he has a house to run. Caroline follows him and the two begin to reconcile when both Jinx and Richardson arrive at the house, both wanting Jack and Caroline to return to their jobs. At one point, Jinx yells at Alex and Jack hits him in the face, knocking him to the floor. Caroline tries to tell Richardson that she's quit and Richardson offers her a better working contract. The couple negotiate new employment deals for themselves and agree to return. The story closes with everyone watching the TV ad Caroline helped create. | satire | train | imdb | Keatons first lead role after his successful "Night Shift" debut in 82 was this family comedy about a laid off auto worker who takes over at home as his wife (Garr) goes back to work.
Its a little like a fish outta water story as he has to go to the unfamiliar market, do numerous chores around the house and learn the right way to drop off the kids at school in the morning ("South to drop off, moron!").
Plenty of good moments from a comedic and dramatic standpoint, as Keaton and Garr deal with her being away from home so much.
Michael Keaton plays Jack Butler, who, along with several co-workers, loses his job at an auto plant due to layoffs.
To make ends meet, wife Caroline (Teri Garr) gets a job at an advertising agency, and he stays home with the kids.
Can Jack and Caroline keep the family together despite these woes?It is my belief that "Mr. Mom" is one of the best comedies of all time, and features Michael Keaton and Teri Garr at their best.
Going into this film, I expected some trite family comedy with a lot of cheap gags involving things like the normal guy trying to change diapers.
You have to care for the character's intentions."Mr. Mom" is a funny, sweet, kind-hearted family comedy that doesn't cater to any particular age group.
At first glance, it looks an anti-parenting film that manipulates us guys into thinking, "Geez, I'm never gonna have a kid." But as Keaton's character goes through his arc, your attitude changes along with his.
I'm not a big Teri Garr fan, but she was more than adequate as a second banana in the film.If you have no children, are a man, and have never had to raise any children even for a weekend, then you will certainly appreciate this movie.
This is one of Michael Keaton's best movies I think, forget Night Shift and all that.
It does a brillant job of protraying role reversal and the rest of the cast makes this movie a joy to watch.
Thus wife Teri Garr finds an advertising job really fast and it is up to Keaton to care for their three young children in this admittedly funny, but somewhat under-achieving comedic venture.
Martin Mull steals every scene as Garr's new boss and Ann Jillian sizzles as the couple's next door neighbor who has her eye on Keaton.
The main plot of the movie is that Keaton gets fired (or laid off, I can't honestly remember, it's been so long since I've seen it...) from his job, and ironically enough his wife wants to go to work for an advertising company.
Mr. Mom (1984) *** (out of 4) An auto-engineer (Michael Keaton) gets fired from his job so his wife (Teri Garr) must go out and get a job to support the family.
The screenplay by John Hughes is pretty light from start to finish but the majority of the humor works thanks to the performance by Keaton.
MOM (1983) **1/2 Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Martin Mull, Ann Jillian, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd.
Amiable domestic comedy with recently downsized auto engineer nice guy Keaton becoming the household ruler and Garr out to bring home the bacon with sleazy ad exec Mull makes for some chuckles thanks to John Hughes' warm script and silly scenarios..
Had I dropped into the middle of this film without seeing the opening credits there is no way I would have recognized Michael Keaton: I only knew him from his later work..
He was also however capable of churning out daft comedies like this one.It's not great unfortunately, very much in the same mould as 'Three Men and a Baby' in the sense that it thinks that men can't look after children.Michael Keaton tries his best, but this film is not a classic..
This is the Michael Keaton we all know and love.The nice guy, the lovable slob, the lug who tries to do the good thing but messes up one detail or another then gets it right by the end."Mr. Mom" makes his frantic antics the highlight as he loses his job in an auto plant just as his wife (Garr) gets one at an advertising firm.
And John Hughes' script is subtle and fun; this was long before he watched too many cartoons, mind you.In the end, all is well in the average American household and Keaton, Garr and Hughes demonstrate once and for all that, guys, it doesn't kill you to pick up after yourselves once in a while.Seven stars for "Mr. Mom" - eight if you like "The Young and the Restless"..
This one is focused almost entirely on the parents (Keaton and Garr), with the kids being peripheral to the story.The blatant product placements became annoying (Lite Beer anyone?) About half way through, one of my family members said what turned out to be what we were all thinking, "This is really bad!".
With the simplistic nature of the film, you could easily fall in love or feel a connection with Keaton's Jack.
Mr. Mom reminded me of the classic family structure and also how our world has changed so much since this film.
As soon as he is, his wife (Teri Garr) decides to go back to work and gets a great job.
This is a wonderful family comedy that deserves a lot more attention than it got.Funny how things have changed since then.
This movie starts off with a traditional family setup until engineer Jack (Michael Keaton) gets laid off by the car company.
Before he could get another job, his wife Caroline (Teri Garr) gets hired by Ron (Martin Mull) for an ad job.This is definitely one of those comedies that suffers from the passing of time.
John Hughes is able to write a very nice light hearted family movie for his first big hit..
It stars Michael Keaton, Teri Garr and Martin Mull.
Plot sees Keaton as Jack Butler, who after being laid off from work, is forced to become as house husband when his wife Caroline (Garr) lands a good job with Schooner Tuna.
But good honest comedy is just that, honest, and for those looking for a good chuckle whilst admiring the talent of a pre-Batman Keaton, Mr. Mom is a bad mood lifter.
Lines which Keaton delivers with the comic timing not befitting someone just starting out in films.The fun is mined from Jack being hopeless at basic household chores whilst badly tending the three young children at the same time.
This coincides with his wife Caroline (Garr adorable) advancing well at work, but paying a price for it by being away from the family home far too much.
There's also the looming presence of Caroline's smarmy boss (Martin Mull delightfully sleazy) and the good time girl (Ann Jillian sexing it up) who has her eye on Jack for fun and frolics.
Simple-minded fun is ensured from this charmingly light-hearted suburban family comedy penned by John Hughes, produced by Aaron Spelling and starring the likes of Michael Keaton (after his break through performance in "Night Shift" the year before), Terri Garr and the comic actor Martin Mull.
It showcases the work of two outstanding comedic actors: Teri Garr and Michael Keaton.
When Jack (Michael Keaton) loses his job working for a large automobile company his wife decides to get a job at and advertising company so that they won't suffer financially.
Great roles for Teri Garr,Martin Mull, and Michael Keaton.
Fun to watch Garr and Keaton try to be successful as they switch roles at home & at work.
An Entertaining Family Comedy that made Michael Keaton a star....
MOM, a warm and funny family comedy which stars Keaton as Jack Butler, an automotive engineer who gets laid off and can't seem to get another job anywhere else.
In order to make ends meet, Jack's wife, Caroline (Teri Garr), who gave up a brief career in advertising to be a stay-at-home Mom, decides to go back to work and is instantly hired at an advertising agency, which forces Jack to settle into being the stay-at-home Dad. It's hilarious watching Jack cluelessly trying to deal with his kids, shopping, laundry, and other domestic duties.
This film is a joy from start to finish, thanks to a clever screenplay and the impeccable comic timing of Michael Keaton..
It's about a guy who gets laid off and his wife ends up getting a job and he has to stay home with his kids.It really funny how he starts to act like a mom.
it was fun, and hilarious to see michael keaton in this role as a working man, who's wife becomes the working girl, and he becomes a househusband.
You can see that by the fact that it stars Teri Garr and a Michael Keaton who looks like he's just graduated from high school.
Director-Stan Dragoti and his actors-Michael Keaton as well as Teri Garr tackle a serious subject in a funny manner..
Actor Michael Keaton gives an incredible performance as an out of work man who is compelled to stay at home in order to look after his children.
Jack (Michael Keaton) has been laid off, and his wife Caroline (Teri Garr) takes over working for a while, as Jack stays home to raise the kids.
Also starring Jeffrey Tambor and Christopher Lloyd.This film is not only really funny and a great example of John Hughes' writing, but definitely a film of its time.
First, the casting of Teri Garr and Michael Keaton was an excellent choice for the role of yuppie couple.
Michael Keaton plays a husband who was laid off from work and now has to deal with running the household.
The rest of the cast is right there behind him supporting him all the way.What's extra great about this movie is that it is a comedy yet has tender, tense, and even one risque' moment all handled superbly by director and actors.If you want to have a fun, relaxed, entertaining movie, then "Mr. Mom" is perfect!
From start to finish it was a great family/comedy movie that made me laugh a lot.
So many good and funny scenes with dad learning to play the mom role.
The concept is passable, and there are some engaging moments too.'Mr.Mom' tells the story of this middle-class family, of whom, the man of the house is suddenly sacked from his job and is given the responsibility to become MOMMY of the house, as the real mommy needs to work and earn money.
Now, the man of the house, isn't use to doing all this MOMMY stuff, so he has to make it a point that he learns the rules.'Mr.Mom' begins well, but honesty, this is not a hilarious movie.
Stan Dragoti's direction is decent, and so is the Cinematography.Michael Keaton is the life of 'Mr.Mom'.
OK, so "Mr. Mom" ain't exactly "Masterpiece Theatre," but it's a very good, solid comedy that holds up surprisingly well today.Michael Keaton is one of those actors who I've always found to be intensely likable, no matter how good or bad the movie he happens to be in.
And conversely, it also understands the difficulty in balancing a challenging career with home responsibilities.Teri Garr is her usual adorable self as Keaton's wife, and Martin Mull is a little too good as her smarmy boss.Grade: A-.
I think it helped that the movie trailer at the time perfectly illustrated Keaton's character's dillemna, in addition to the obvious film title.
Now, in conclusion, if you are a fan of Michael Keaton or Teri Garr, you're in for a good time and lots of laughs, so see this movie today..
Michael Keaton, in an early hilarious role, plays Jack Butler, a car designer who is laid off from his job and now puzzled to find work.
So now Jack must become the stay at home dad, while Caroline becomes the breadwinner.What makes the film funny is the subplots.
Some of my favorites include Jack's first meeting with Caroline's boss Ron (With unforgetable quotes like "220, 221..Whatever it takes" or "How would you like a trim on that mustache, Ron?" lol); Jack getting hit on by Joan (Ann Jillian is hot as a redhead) as he becomes "one of the girls"; His confrontation with Jaws; and the kids toilet papering the auto plant bathroom lol.Michael Keaton would continue to do comedy until 1989 when he made his first Drama piece Clean & Sober.
Because I like Michael Keaton and Martin Mull and Terri Garr.
Mr. Mom launches two careers, Michael Keaton's as well as John Hughes'.
Mr. Mom was Hughes' first major script and it was Michael Keaton's first major role.
Michael Keaton starts as Mr. Mom and he goes on to be Johnny Dangerously, Beetlejuice, Batman, Doug, Jack Frost and among many other good parts.
John Hughes starts with Mr. Mom and he moves on to write Summer Vacation, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Home Alone are just a few of his numerous good films.Michael Keaton is one of my very most favorite actors.
Jack and Caroline are a couple making a decent living when Jack suddenly loses his job.They agree that he should stay at home and look after the house while Caroline works.It's just that he's never done it before, and really doesn't have a clue...This is one of those fish out of water movies, that is really only funny thanks to Keaton and the chemistry he has with the children.Hughes has gone for the predictability factor with this, and although it's very pleasing to watch, you cannot help but feel that a wealth of better material could have been added.we have the boss who wants to marry Keatons wife,the inevitable watching of the soaps (which is quite funny) and of course, men do not know how to use household appliances.But Keaton pulls this out of the doldrums, and thank heavens he has such a great supporting cast.The narrative flows freely and makes the film easier to digest, but one cannot feel tat this could have been so much more.At least this doesn't have much of a Chance of being re-made, as it wouldn't be very original or unique now..
Despite the appealing performances of Keaton and Garr, and two admirably sleazy villains (the always-good Mull and Tambor), this film comes across as a feature-length infomercial for traditional gender roles.
<SPOILER>Though both eventually succeed at the role reversal, in the end the marriage is threatened and Garr decides she is happier as a full time mommy, leaving the better-adjusted Keaton to the big, bad world of business.</SPOILER>The year that this film was made (1983) is instructive.
This tale of the early 1980s recession has Jack Butler (Michael Keaton) losing his engineering position with a Detroit automaker, which requires his wife Caroline (Teri Garr) to go to work in the advertising business.
It's really pretty offensive at times.Jillian and Mull are great as the second leads (maybe better than Keaton and Garr) and the story moves along quite quickly.
Having just made a splash in "Night Shift", Michael Keaton got another really funny role in "Mr. Mom".
As struggling dad Jack Butler, he and wife Caroline (Teri Garr) decide to switch roles: he'll stay home while she works.
He wrote Mr. Mom, and although, not as significant or funny as 'The Breakfast Club' or 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', it still represented a reasonably popular and somewhat iconic film on the gender role in the 1980s.Michael Keaton plays Jack Butler, hard-working father of three children, who finds himself in a pickle when he and his colleagues are fired from his manufacturing car company.
His wife, Caroline (Teri Garr), manages to get a job in advertising, and the roles are reversed so to speak.
Anyway, Jack finds himself learning the ropes of being the stay-at-home dad, while Caroline begins to excel selling tuna as her new boss Ron (Martin Mull from "Roseanne") begins to take more than liking!
Meanwhile, Caroline gets caught up in her work in more ways than one.This early 80s comedy is quite funny, even though some stereotypes may not be accepted now.
Keaton does well with or without a beard, and Teri Garr was quite funny too.
One of those was Stan Dragoti's "eighties" comedy, "Mr. Mom".The story tells a role swapping tale about new househusband Jack, who finds himself in charge of his home and three feral kids when he loses a bet with his wife.
At least for me.When I watch this movie, I remember what it felt like to be home during the day with my mom and sisters, watching daytime t.v. and cleaning house.
In a nutshell - Auto worker Jack Butler (Keaton) loses his job, thus prompting a role reversal with wife Caroline (Garr), who goes back to work in advertising while Jack tries to master the dangers of the household - including a mad vacuum cleaner - when not fending off his oversexed neighbor (Ann Jillian).
Michael Keaton plays Jack Butler, an engineer who is currently laid off from work.
He has a hard time finding new employment, and his wife, Carol (Terri Garr) suggests that she look to return to work instead.
So, as the movie suggests, there is nothing wrong with a man taking care of the house and family while his wife goes off to work.
Michael Keaton plays Jack Butler, a father and husband who loses his job as an engineer in auto manufacturing plant.
Unable to find work, his wife, Caroline (Terri Garr) is instead offered a job at an advertising company while Jack is now the one to tend to the domestic duties.
Caroline keeps her job at the firm, and Jack, for the time being (they don't say if he looks for work again), stays Mr. Mom.
The movie is quite charming thanks to the lead actors, Michael Keaton as the witty husband and Terri Garr as his often charming wife. |
tt2017038 | All Is Lost | Somewhere in the Indian Ocean ("1700 nautical miles from the Sumatra Straits"), we see an abstract image of an object floating in water. Our Man (Robert Redford) narrates:"13th of July, 4:50 p.m. I'm sorry. I know that means little at this point, but I am. I tried. I think you would all agree that I tried. To be true, to be strong, to be kind, to love, to be right, but I wasn't." And I know you knew this, in each of your ways. And I am sorry. All is lost here, except for soul and body, that is what's left of it, and a half day's ration. It's inexcusable, I know that now. How it could have taken this long to admit that, I'm not sure, but it did. I fought to the end. I'm not sure what that is worth, but know that I did. I've always hoped for more for you all. I will miss you. I'm sorry."The film cuts to eight days earlier, as Our Man wakes up to find his sailboat, the Virginia Jean, a Cal 39, taking on water. He goes out on deck to see the boat has hit a detached shipping container filled with sneakers, leaving a yard-long hole in his high starboard side. He goes below to get a sea anchor and ties it to the container. The anchor pulls the container free from the sailboat. He steers the boat back to the side of the container and jumps onto the container to go retrieve his sea anchor. He then steers his boat away from the container for good.Our Man checks the electronics on the boat and discovers that they do not work. He retrieves a box filled with fiber glass patch materials and mixes up a batch and starts patching the hole. He uses a knife to carve a piece of wood until it can fit in the manual- hand-bilge pump hole, as he has lost the lever for it. He starts pumping out the water from below deck. That night he sleeps in a hammock, above the water remaining in the boat.The next day he continues patching the hole in the side of the boat and pumping more water. It's slow, exhausting work. He pulls out the radio equipment and pours bottled water on the interior of the devices to remove conductive sea salt from them. He sets them out to dry on deck.The next day, he's able to complete cleaning the cabin with a sponge and mop. His fiber glass patch seems tentative, but at least keeps water out. He drags one of the boat's service battery on deck and hooks it to his radio. The radio does not work. He consults his navigation charts. He goes below and as he's looking through a book on celestial navigation, he hears someone speaking on the radio. He hurries back up on deck and makes an SOS call. It doesn't appear to work before the radio goes dead.Later, he has a couple of stiff drinks and begins fixing a meal. It begins to rain. He goes out on deck and enjoys washing off in a brief rain. He eats a pasta dinner, reads some of a book using a head lamp, and goes to sleep.The next day he hoists himself high up the mast in a bosun's chair, and discovers a disconnected antenna lead. He reattaches the lead but, while at the top of the mast, sees an oncoming tropical storm. He immediately descends to make preparations for it. He packs things away and even takes time to shave.When the storm arrives, he runs before the wind under bare poles for a while, until he determines that approach is too tiresome and dangerous. He returns below deck to put on a rain suit. He intends to bring the boat into a hove-to position and puts on a safety harness and starts crawling to the bow to hoist the storm jib. Suddenly, a large wave hits him and he is thrown overboard. He manages to hang on and pull himself back on board, returning to the cabin where he vomits sea water and briefly collapses.The boat starts to list heavily, then capsizes, rolling completely over. He goes back out on deck and throws the sea anchor out. The boat does another 180 degree roll, knocking him overboard. He makes his way along the mast and gets back on deck just before the boat returns upright. The main mast has snapped and most of the equipment on board is destroyed.He cuts the mast loose, then goes back into the cabin and sees that the fiberglass patch has started leaking again. The boat lurches and he strikes his forehead on the bulkhead and falls unconscious. When he wakes, the cabin has about two feet of water in it, with more gushing in.He grabs the bag containing a life raft and takes it out on deck. After tying the raft to the railing of the sailboat, he tosses it overboard and pulls the rip cord, causing the raft to self inflate. He pulls it close to the boat and jumps on board. He pulls the roof of the raft up and around and zips it closed. He rides out the rest of the storm in darkness.The next day he awakens in the raft, which is tethered to the boat that is now is half-submerged. He pulls on the rope and brings the raft up next to the boat. He climbs onto the boat and looks things over. He lowers himself into the flooded cabin and gathers some canned food, fresh water and a few other items. He is leaving, but remembers something else he wants and pulls the raft back to the boat and goes back into the cabin, diving under the water and retrieving a white cardboard box. He then starts tending the wound to his forehead, until he realizes that the boat is going under. He returns to the raft and watches the Virginia Jean sink.He opens the white cardboard box, which contains a sextant and a card. He tosses the card aside without reading it. He then refers to an instructional manual and tries using the sextant and navigational maps to determine where he is.He wakes after sleeping to find sea water has seeped into his raft. He starts using a rag to mop it up and wring it out over the side.He figures his best hope of being found is to make his way over to the shipping lanes. From his readings, he is heading north by northwest, toward a shipping zone he sees on the map. Another storm moves in. The storm capsizes his raft. He unzips the cover and goes out to pull the raft back upright. Back inside, surrounded by wind, rain, and water, he closes his eyes and covers his ears.The next day he uses a hand pump to re-inflate the raft and continues bailing water out of the raft. He finds that his jug of drinking water has been contaminated by seawater, after which he gets emotional and emits a drawn out, "Fuuuccck!" He has a thought and cuts open the water jug and uses a plastic bag to make a freshwater still.Our Man is exposed to the elements, becoming dehydrated and numb. His still works and he gets a little water to drink, savoring it. He maps out that he is in the shipping lane now and he begins looking intently along the horizon. Seeing nothing, he naps. When he wakes, he sees a cargo ship and lights a flare, waving his arms and yelling for help, as the ship passes by very close. It keeps on moving and disappears.The next day, he finally gets a tug on his fishing line, but just as he is about to pull in a fish, a small shark grabs it at the surface. Many sharks are swimming under his raft. That night, he wakes up to find another cargo ship passing closely by, almost right on top of him. This time he fires off two aerial flares, but again, the ship keeps going and disappears.On the eighth day, he charts that he has now moved north out of the shipping lane and back to open ocean. He is also out of food and has very little water and cannot hope to survive much longer. He writes the message that he narrated at the beginning of the movie, puts it in a jar, and with some hesitation, he tosses it into the water.That night, he sees a light in the distance, possibly another ship. He is out of signaling devices, but tears blank pages from his journal and a book to create a signal fire in the empty water jug. As he adds more paper to the fire, he loses control of it and the flames consume his raft. He falls overboard. Treading water, he looks up to the heavens, then stops swimming and lets himself sink, watching the raft burning on the surface above him.As he sinks, he sees the hull of a boat with a search light approaching his burning raft.
Our man swims up to the surface, and a hand reaches down to him. | flashback | train | imdb | null |
tt0130487 | Backwoods | A man, who is a doctor, and and his girlfriend go hiking in the woods. They stop and camp for the night. The next day they find a girl choking with her father next to her. The doctor is able to save the girl's life. In return the father invites the couple to eat supper with him and stay at his home. All seems to be going well until it is discovered that the father has a son. The son is an lunatic who bites the heads off of animals. It is also revealed that the son has caused harm to humans. The lunatic is attracted to the doctor's girlfriend apparently because her hair reminds him of his mother's. A conflict ensues between the boyfriend and girlfriend and the lunatic. This conflict grows more and more violent with the lunatic's family swept into the middle. | humor, murder | train | imdb | "Backwoods", or "Geek" (as I know it) is one of those films in the same sub-genre as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Deliverance, Midnight, Just Before Dawn...you get my drift.
It reminded me very much of "Just Before Dawn", as some of the scenes are very similar.I won't go into a detailed description of the plot as I'm sure you will get an idea of it from the other reviews here.The film gets off to a slow start, although the atmosphere is rather creepy.
The film also makes you think a bit and by the end, the message I got was that ultimately humans stand alone and must protect themselves at all costs.If you love films such as Just Before Dawn, Midnight, Deliverance, and so on, I would recommend giving this a watch.
If you like b-movies from the 80s then you might enjoy this.
This movie (Backwoods) is also known as 'Geek' in the U.K. Its a straight to video film with a cast of unknowns, but they play their roles well.
I liked the overall creepy atmosphere of the film and the last 30 minutes were very entertaining.
One thing that bugged me about this movie was not knowing what really happened to Beth,the little girl.
Other then this tiny plot hole i liked this movie.
Dean Crow's "Backwoods" is nothing special.The film itself is quite entertaining as it reminds me a little bit "Luther the Geek".Jack O'Hara,who plays William,is truly amazing as a drooling and bearded weirdo.He kills chickens by biting their heads off and goes mad on numerous occasions.The film offers plenty of female nudity and a little bit of gore.The action is rather slow-moving,but the climax is pretty suspenseful and memorable.So if you're a fan of low-budget horror give this one a look-just don't expect something scary or original.My rating:6 out of 10.Here are my other recommendations:"Just Before Dawn","Hunter's Blood","Blood Tracks","Blood Salvage" and "The Hills Have Eyes"..
The slowly sung and chilling lyrics give you the wrong impression that you're about to watch a good film.
The plot = A young couple travel throughout the country on they're bikes in search of a camping adventure, After they venture into the part of the woods that people in the town are scared off they come across an odd family with an even odder son.This is yet another in a long line of camping slashers that came out during the 1980's.
Despite the theme of campers getting mixed up with an odd local family, it's actually somewhat different than what we usually get from this particular sub-genre.
In fact it takes over an hour for anything to actually happen, during that time this movie just attempts to build the tension and flesh out the characters.But to be honest none of this worked in my opinion as this movie was just way to boring, and the cast were just not interesting for me to care about.
Even the so-called pay off didn't work By the time things start rolling it's already an hour in and I've almost lost entirely all interest.
The attempt to build character development was a worthy, but failed, effort for a flick in this genre.All in all "Backwoods" is just way too slow paced to be considered interesting, cause by the time anything happens you would have likely lost interest..
Backwoods (1987) ** (out of 4) By-the-numbers slasher has a couple from the city deciding to go to Kentucky for some camping.
What the couple doesn't know is that the old man has a retarded and deranged son.BACKWOODS is a film that I'm guessing went straight-to-video back in the day.
With that said, if you're a fan of slasher movies and need to see them all then I must admit that this here is much better than several of the slashers out there that had a bigger budget and better cast.As it stands this here is a pretty routine movie.
This film wants to be like that masterpiece but also appeal to horror fans but the lack of any real gore and the lack of killings will keep it pretty much forgotten to most people.The performances are pretty much what you'd expect but I did enjoy Dean Crow's direction.
BACKWOODS isn't a masterpiece, a good film or even a very memorable one but it's mildly entertaining for what it is..
Obscure horror made just after the slasher era but has the looks like an early eighties slasher even as it isn't really a slasher.
And still people do search it even as it isn't all that good, face it, being obsessed by long black hair.The reason therefor lays in the fact that the first hour it's all about talking and characterisation.
But I guess the director Dean Crow did knew about that fact and did put in some gratuitous full frontal nudity by one time actress Christine Noonan.
It's only towards the end that this flick delivers the horror and even that doesn't look creepy at all.
But the score used and the hissing of the geek (Jack O'Hara) gives it a special atmosphere.
Still, if you do like hillbilly horror then this is a must see.
For the other 'geeks' if you can grab it watch it, you certainly will enjoy the ending but overall a bit lame.
I'm tired of seeing "mountain people" of Kentucky get made the crazy people of every stupid woodsy horror movie.
There's always some father who has an attitude about "his way" and he makes moonshine and hunts 'coons and carries a shotgun everywhere he goes and wears dirty overalls and an old hat (but shaves clean everyday!??) And then there's always some passive little white-dressed blond girl who never says anything and is really scared of everyone but is very nice and friendly anyway.
I feel like i've seen this movie a million times.
It's exactly like this other movie that I can't remember the title of, but in the other one, there were two brothers.
Karen (Christine Noonan), the female protagonist from backwoods slasher Geek, has got to be one of the most irritating horror movie heroines I've ever seen, totally deserving of the suffering she endures: she completely ignores a helpful park ranger's advice by choosing to camp in an area shunned by locals (they're not going there for a reason, you silly bint!); she refuses to listen to reason from her boyfriend Jamie (Brad Armacost), forcing him to accept an invitation to dinner from redneck Eben (Dick Kreusser), despite the fact that, moments earlier, he had held a loaded shotgun to Jamie's head; she skinny dips alone at a remote lake, without questioning the wisdom of such an act; and she not only insists that Jamie goes 'coon hunting with Eben, leaving herself at the mercy of Eben's drooling retard of a son William, but she decides that then would be a good time to strip off, giving William an eyeful of her nekkid bod.William, whose hobby is biting the heads off small critters (especially chickens), rather unsurprisingly wigs out at the sight of Karen's tatas, and tries to attack her, at which point the film offers up some reasonable thrills followed by a neat finale in which Karen sets up a nasty trap involving fish-hooks and a bag full of rocks.
Unfortunately, this comes very late in the day, after lots of dull wandering around the woods, and a drawn out scene in Eben's cabin in which Jamie and his hillbilly host get drunk on moonshine.
If it wasn't for Karen's occasional nudity to alleviate the boredom, getting to the (unbelievably silly) end of Geek would be tougher than a three day hike through the backwoods of Kentucky.3.5 out of 10, rounded up to 4 for IMDb..
Absolutely Dreadful Backwoods "Slasher".
However, in all my years there, I never once heard mention of a movie that was made there, BACKWOODS.
After watching it, I can see why.Jamie and Karen are a couple who bike into the woods to go camping.
However, when they awake, they find a young girl choking and her father standing above her holding a shotgun.
However, it turns out the family has a son named William who is a bit nutty.
Well, Karen reminds William of his mother, which causes him to go on a homicidal rampage as he kills anyone who gets between the two.
I'm usually not the biggest fan of the backwoods slashers, but a few have managed to stand out, like JUST BEFORE DAWN, HUNTER'S BLOOD, and RITUALS.
BACKWOODS is a crowning example of why I try to avoid this type of slasher.
Okay, so the acting is definitely really good, it does manage to build up some atmosphere, and the characters were somewhat likable.
Actually, those three things are responsible for one of the stars I've awarded this movie.
The couple bike around, they talk with the forest ranger, they have dinner with the pa, Jamie and Pa go 'coon hunting, etc.
And when that happens, it's still boring because we've seen it all before, and there are more than thirty other flicks that do it a lot better than BACKWOODS.Aside from the rare spurt of entertainment, BACKWOODS should be chopped up for firewood.
There are no interesting plot twists, no interesting characters, almost no interesting kills (the last one is alright), no memorable gore, no nothing.
Jamie and Karen(Brad Armacost and Christina Noonan) are biking across Kentucky, deciding to camp exactly where the park ranger warns them not to.
Karen is up for anything, Jamie himself is more cautious and attempts to talk her out of the notion of hiking deep into the backwoods.
A playful couple, always kidding each other around(she often pokes fun at him because she's more of an adventurer, a tough gal who can better rough the elements than her softie squeeze), they run across a girl suffocating as her helpless father, shotgun in tow, looks on.
Thankfully, Jamie is a doctor from Detroit.After performing an emergency tracheotomy on his daughter, backwoods hick Eben(Dick Kreusser) invites Jamie(and Karen) for a little grub, a special thanks for saving Beth(Leslie Denise).
Eben has a retarded son named William(Jack O'Hara) who drools at the mouth, likes to kill animals, and peep on Karen when she's swimming naked in the local watering hole..oh, he's just "misunderstood" is all.Coon hunting, moonshine in mason jars, chicken heads, and a lil ditty the name of "Shake 'em Down" all should appeal to fans of "redneck cinema" as poor savage William is clearly aroused by Karen(he views her in various stages of undress)and is certain to make his move on her eventually as Eben informs Jamie of his boy's past behavior in regards to snapping the neck of his deceased wife.
William is the perfect embodiment of a wilderness freak of nature, with no teeth, who hisses, screeches and gargles, in overalls, covered in filth, bad hygiene, the works.
The finale erupts in chaos as William makes a nuisance of himself, nearly choking Karen over a necklace, shot by Jamie out of fear for her life.
This causes Eben to suffer a heart attack, with William going berserk.
The result being a fight for survival between Karen and William in the woods as night falls.
Neat trap involving fish hooks, with shots to the face by a stone, and the effective use of a flare all add some potency to an otherwise snoozer except for the hicksploit elements certain to please fans of this sort of thing.
If I'm honest, though, regarding the plot, not a lot happens until the end, and I think backwoods horror fans might be more than a bit disappointed..
Could've been better, but this off-the-beaten trek through the Kentucky wilderness wasn't all that bad.
The odd thing about this ultra-cheap, b-grade fare was how it actually went about setting up the whole situation, as the horrific nature and possibilities waiting to break out don't really come to play until the hour mark when it turns in to a fairly routine backwoods survival story.
But before that it's slow winding with its focus on a city couple (a doctor and his girlfriend) when they save a young girl from chocking, as her father (a perfect performance by Jack Kreusser) watched on.
In gratitude the father invites them back for supper and to spend the night on his property, but unknowingly to them he keeps in his back-shed his geek son (an illustratively deranged Jack O'Hara) that likes to bite heads off chickens.
Strangely this where an interesting rapport is created as the drama at hand follows the welcoming hospitality and communication between the father (who likes coon hunting and moonshine) and the young doctor.
Their first encounter with the wacko son builds up a bit of tension and would show the fascination that draws him to the young lady (the very capable Christine Noonan).
This progression of differing values comes to a loggerhead and the material does a good job in developing the characters.
However the tactical set-up of the climax is a nasty surprise, and the shock ending is a bit of a doozer.Dean Crow directs with a resourceful touch for such a budget and enthusiasm, where he skips the blood and gore (which can be disappointing) in the favour for building up suspense.
Geeks Are People Too. I have to admit that this fascinatingly awful movie (the version we screened was the US release, BACKWOODS) was actually quite watchable, the most amusing aspect being that one of the peanut gallery here remarked that it was better than DELIVERANCE because it had four scenes female nudity instead of Ned Beatty getting punked.
"What EVER, dude" was all I could manage as a reply.THE PLOT: An annoying young urbanite cutesy yuppie liberal couple sets off for a biking/hiking tour of the Kentucky mountains (with their doctor's bag & some sort of game about telling people they are brother/sister, which is kind of kinky to say the least) and promptly wind up enjoying supper with a backwoods cracker who makes his own moonshine, carries a breech loader shotgun everywhere and thinks he's Tom Waits, growling out the movie's theme "song" with the same kind of gusto.
Seems ole' Eben has had a spate of bad luck at his stereotypical cracker/hick/hillbilly chicken farm, losing his wife to tragedy, having his son suffer a developmentally disabling accident and his daughter breaking her neck, oops.
The yuppies are too polite to tell the cracker to go punt off and hang around long enough for William the Geek to decide he likes the purdy lady's hair more than biting the heads off the mechanical chickens credited in the film's closing reel of talent names (there's a resume I'd like to read -- "Responsible for the mechanical chicken effects on Dean Crow's BACKWOODS, 1987").William predictably runs amok, Eben conveniently dies, the annoying doctor boyfriend inexplicably disappears, there is a showdown of survival skills that our pretty heroine wins by default for just having seen a couple episodes of "MacGuyver" or "The Fishin' Musician", perhaps both, and the inconclusive twist ending (now how does the guy end up in the Geek Shack, again??) is just infuriating enough to make you forget that eighty nine minutes of pretty much nothing have just idled by, but gosh darnit it wasn't boring once you get down to brass tacks.
There is indeed abundant female nudity (though star Ms. Noonan's film career begins and ends with this epic tale, too bad because she had some spunk to her & a non-traditional feminine beauty that is hard to deny when she's all naked like that), it's always fun + politically acceptable to laugh at stupid white redneck trash haha, and ole' Eben can spin a mighty interesting story when he's tossing back a mason jar of real Mountain Dew. All he needs is some guy with an accordion and he could go on tour with a Tom Waits revival band.I guess that's the movie's big insight: The term "Mountain Dew" was originally hillbilly slang for moonshine before becoming the name for a disgusting soft drink I'll never be able to ingest again without thinking of this movie.
Beyond that, a great line about how "Women in these parts warm the bed", and some hints as to how to make a death trap out of fishing hooks (plus bring some nice take-out when staying at a hillbilly chicken farm overnight) the movie doesn't seem to have had a real artistic need to have been made, raising the interesting question of what the point of it is :-) .
We don't learn anything about the people involved and since William the Geek is a slavering sub-human rather than an evil villain ala the guys in DELIVERANCE the film comes down to a behavior study -- Here is how yuppies behave when on vacation, here is how hillbillies behave when the have company over for dinner, and here is how geeks behave when purdy ladies start getting undressed on the front lawn & going for ill-advised but fun to watch naked swims.
That the movie is well made and doesn't try to accomplish more than it's budget allowed is more impressive than anything depicted on screen; Here is a stupid exploitation film that knows it's place, nice and safely tucked away down in the gutter for anybody who wants a peek, the rest of us can just go about our lives without missing anything too novel.
Basically third generation 'Friday the 13th' on a meagre budget, with a cast of unknowns who have, justly, stayed that way - kudos though to Jack O'Hara as the eponymous 'geek' for a performance with more conviction and disturbing energy than the rest of the crew put together.
It's difficult to really find anything interesting to say about a film that has very little to offer.
For a film of this nature it's also disappointing (and incomprehensible) that all but two of the cast survive! |
tt0114181 | Prime Suspect: The Scent of Darkness | A prison guard walks down a hallway and enters a cell. Inside is George Marlow (Tim Woodward), who gives the guard a letter to mail. Marlow then picks up a book about his own case called "Not Proven". Mr. and Mrs. Branwell (Christopher Ashley and Penelope Beaumont) are calling their daughter Christine's friends after she didn't come home when she was supposed to. They report their daughter missing to the police. Some kids meet under a railway bridge. One owes another money and is knocked over. He lands next to the railway tracks, where he sees a black plastic bag containing a dead body. Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) is in a meeting with several male police bosses, complaining that a female police officer is being overlooked for promotions. Later, Tennison meets her lover, Patrick Schofield (Stuart Wilson), at a play; they are both late. Soon they are in a bathtub together, Tennison talking about justice and retribution, when she is called to investigate the dead body.Tennison arrives at the scene, where officer Tom Mitchell (Christopher Fulford) tells her it is a woman's body, which was dumped there after being violently killed. She returns home, but finds Schofield gone. She calls Richard Haskons (Richard Hawley) to have him meet her; he is with his two young children. They both see the pathologist, who shows them the stab wounds and marks of rope and iron clamps on the body. Tennison looks frightened when she mentions to Haskons the similarities between the injuries they have just seen and those in the case they previously investigated together, in which George Marlow was convicted. We also see Tennison at police archives looking over photographs from the old case. Next, Tennison is in the office of Chief Superintendent Kernan (John Benfield), requesting that she be allowed to handle the case. She goes to meet the team, and Tom Mitchell gives her the known details, with an abrupt attitude that annoys her. The dead woman is Margery Miller, a local woman and widow of a policeman. On the preceding Tuesday she was at the police social club, left on her own, but never returned home. Friday morning, she was dead.Tennison talks to Haskons about the book published by an author claiming George Marlow was innocent, "Not Proven". She thinks someone may have used the book as inspiration for a copycat murder. Mr. and Mrs. Branwell give a televised plea for help in finding their daughter. We see George Marlow watching with fellow inmates. Reading the book she talked about, Tennison discusses the case with Schofield who says that as a psychiatrist he finds it unlikely that someone copied a murder in detail. At the station, Tennison is updated on progress on identifying footprints from the crime scene. She is also informed that a Meditteranean-looking man was seen in a Ford Escort early Friday morning; she blames Mitchell for not telling her sooner. Some of the staff have caught on to the links with the Marlow case, and Tennison tells them that Marlow was guilty and no one should think otherwise.Tennison wakes up with Schofield. She says it is the first time she has ever wanted to stay home from work and that she will not let work stand in the way of another relationship. Elsewhere, Mr. and Mrs. Branwell are informed of their daughter's death. The body of sixteen-year-old Christine has been found in a similar state as Margery's. At the station, a cigarette-smoking Tennison goes over the facts with the squad. The girl must have been kept prisoner for three days before being killed. Also, traces of perfume were found in both women's hair. An officer suggests they check out a Greek man who the book on the Marlow murders claims might have committed the crimes, but Tennison refuses.Forensic identifies the scent in the women's hair as a gardenia perfume. Neither woman used that sort of perfume. Officer Mitchell complains to Tennison that she is not willing to follow leads that don't match her own ideas. She refutes the criticism, but is soon on her way with Haskons to look into the Greek man, Andreas Hulenkinis (Darrell D'Silva), who is the nephew of the proprietor of the garage where two of Marlow's murders took place. They go to the garage, now used by a small business, and Haskons questions Andreas at the cafe where he works. Andreas left the country for several years and has returned only recently. He says he knows nothing about the case and does not drive an Escort. Tennison comes to dinner at Schofield's place. She discovers the Marlow book on his desk and is upset that he has read it because of its nasty portrayal of her.The next day Tennison sees Kernan, who has had a complaint from Mitchell and shows her newspaper headlines with leaked information from the case. He takes her off the case against her objections. Mitchell takes over and orders Andreas and his uncle brought in for questioning. There's no firm link between Andreas and the van or the footprints, but he doesn't mind. Haskons details Christine's path home on the night of her abduction and centres on a car driven by a uniformed policeman seen in the vicinity with someone possibly in the back seat. We briefly see George Marlow in his cell sticking a newspaper article on the recent murders on the wall.Kernan meets Commander Trayner (Stafford Gordon) and Thorndike (Stephen Boxer). Thorndike is to conduct a discreet investigation into the Marlow case; Kernan's objections are ignored. Tennison is at a bar with Schofield. He tells her he looked in a file of hers after she fell asleep one night and came across a detail from the Marlow investigation: Gardenia scent was in fact among items found at the garage, and a sweet scent was noted on several of the victims. Since this information was never public the recent murders could not have been copied from the book. Meanwhile, the media start to speak of miscarriage of justice in Marlow's case.When Mitchell asks for the Marlow file the next day, Tennison has to pick it up at Schofield's place. She lets herself in and overhears the answering machine recording a message from Mark Whitehouse, the author of "Not Proven", who Schofield had denied knowing. She finds files on Marlow and herself in Schofield's filing cabinet. Kernan meets with Thorndike, who thinks the investigation should be opened up to include the old murders. Mitchell puts this into effect, though it means spreading the squad's resources thin. Tennison arranges to meet Haskons and asks him to provide her with information. Then she meets with Mark Whitehouse (Ray Fearon). He tells her how he met Moyra Henson, Marlow's former wife, and came to write the book. Kernan picks Tennison up in the street and tells her she has his support, but she has to be careful. At night she speaks to Schofield on the phone, but she is disillusioned with him.Another woman, Lynn Matthews, has gone missing. The police set out to find her, fearing she may be in the hands of the killer. The investigation is going nowhere, and Haskons is frustrated. Tennison visits George's mother, Doris Marlow (Joyce Redman), in Blackpool. She takes her for a walk on the pier, and the senile woman tells her fragments of an affair she once had and how George discovered it. The gardenia is the perfume she wore back then. Schofield is seen meeting with Thorndike, then comes to see Tennison. He explains that he has never met with Whitehouse and that his file on Tennison was for research for a book and no longer of use. Tennison doesn't trust him and throws him out.Tennison visits George Marlow in prison. She knows that the perfume confirms that Marlow was guilty and that only someone with access to him could have done the new murders. She tells him about her visit to Blackpool. He is upset, but doesn't tell her anything. Back at the station, leads are turning into dead ends. Jane Tennison is summoned to Commander Trainer's office. She is suspended from all duties because of her unauthorized visit with Marlow.Haskons visits Tennison early next morning. He has been looking into George Marlow's fellow prisoners from the past years. One of them is now free and living alone in the London area. Mitchell has told him not to investigate. He asks for Tennison's help, and they go to see the man only to find that he is not their guy. At the station, the squad finally has a list of police officers who drive cars like the one seen in Christine's neighbourhood and who were on duty at that time. Mitchell has each of their homes searched. While looking at Schofield's file on her, Tennison sees a picture of Moyra Henson and has the idea that it might have been Moyra who told someone about the perfume; she asks Schofield for help.In prison, George Marlow speaks to the prison guard (Pip Donaghy). He asks him if he will kill the woman today, and the guard turns towards him. We realize he is the killer and Marlow has just found out. He says he does not have the strength to go on, but Marlow convinces him he must finish the job. Tennison and Schofield visit Whitehouse to ask about Moyra. At the police station, the searches have brought nothing, and things are desperate. Then Tennison calls. The squad rush to the prison guard's home, and they are in time to save Lynn Matthews.Haskons and Mitchell interrogate the prison guard, Len. He tells them it was Moyra who told him about the perfume once after she visited Marlow; they had a relationship. After Moyra died, he wanted to feel what it was like to do what Marlow did. He says it turned out that it felt like being in hell.Tennison stands before a disciplinary committee headed by Commander Trayner. Trayner says her actions during the case was a serious breach of conduct, but since she also helped solve the case and save a life she is let off with a reprimande. In the street Patrick Schofield waits. She had mentioned to him that she would resign, but he understands that she won't. In the evening they go to a police party together. Schofield tells Tennison about the visit Thorndike paid him to ask him to inform on Tennison. Tennison asks Thorndike to dance and lets him know exactly how she feels about him. | mystery, psychological, murder | train | imdb | OK Give In. I previously wrote that part 2 in this set was going to be the most gripping for myself - without even having seen this one, part 3.
I liked the premise of part 2 and could not imagine I'd find another better.But OK: I give in.
It's just so juicy seeing Mirren have to haggle with these creeps who are simultaneously her superiors.
She says herself that acting is no big deal, but try telling that to all the two-bit actors out there who never seem to get it.
Did Chuck Norris ever say acting was no big deal?
(Come to think of it, he would say that, wouldn't he?)Tennison is up against it in this one.
Everything's at stake, and the plot follows a classic (but not worn out) story line found in many whodunits of this nature, namely Tennison's integrity is called into question.
And the case has her really upset.
And things fly in all possible directions.
Which is only good.There's no contest: even if you don't particularly like the format, odds are you'll still be 'glued to the tube' for this one and unable to break away.The writing, the direction, the acting - and above all (and it's a lot) Mirren stand out and shine.The UK have come out with some amazing detective series over the years, and this is one of their absolute best..
Nothing compares to Prime Suspect.
These series were popular, and still admired and remembered.
Helen Mirren is wonderful as always, playing Jane Tennison - a great detective, proving that women can be both strong and emotional (In real life as much as on the screen), which is a quality men rarely have...in my not at all humble opinion.
It's suitable for everyone not just fans of crime stories- it's not violent, it's emotional and filled with suspense and mystery..
It seemed like the absence of Lynda LaPlante was a major loss to the series and you can really feel it in this episode.
Characters who never showed much emotion in previous episodes were suddenly screaming for no reason.
I understand the theme of sexism but the chip on Mitchell's shoulder and the commander screaming at Jane was very unusual and seemed unprovoked.The actor playing Mitchell was too overdramatic.
The scene where he yelled at Richard was unexpected and seemed very unusual behavior for a guy who is angling for a promotion.
Perhaps this character had issues.
Since the show never bothered to let us in on them, it made for a confusing and ridiculous character arc.
Why would a man who is trying to build a team to help him start screaming and slamming doors?
Why was he so unwilling to properly investigate the case if he's trying to distinguish himself to the brass?When the commander kept cutting Jane off when she tried to speak and then yelled over her, it was very out of character for him.
Suddenly he's screaming at Jane because he's angry she didn't follow orders?
She's always gone her way and he's never reacted like this.
She gets results and solves cases.
Also it's the mid 90s so there are plenty of female officers in the police department in Britain.
All the young rookies were laughing and making jokes openly against a superior officer?
Just seems strange that they seem to be going backwards with women's rights in the police department when the rest of the country isn't fighting gender battles anymore.
There have been female PMs and MPs so I'm not sure why they are still harping on the woman angle.Sure, Jane has no bedside manner but only because she's had to fight for everything she's accomplished due to entrenched biases against her.
Also, DCI Mitchell was an even bigger jerk than she was and a far less thorough detective so why are they still so hateful towards her?
If there's a reason they don't like her, that's great.
But they didn't let us in on it, so this made for a tough watch.
It almost felt like they were trying to force drama in places it wasn't needed.The actor playing Marlowe was grossly miscast.
He looked like a criminal completely capable of taking lives.
The great thing about the original Marlowe was he maintained his cavalier attitude throughout which made him scarier.
The wide-eyed smiles were absent here because the actor playing him couldn't pull it off with his beady eyes.For the first time I found myself wishing they would just let Tennison do her job and stop with all the department drama as it's getting very tired.
If I wanted all that forced drama, I would watch Chicago PD.
I'm still trying to figure out why they keep bouncing Tennison from station to station.
When she became superintendent, didn't that mean she is in charge of one department like Kernan is?
Everytime she's put on a case she's got to prove herself all over again and it's beyond annoying since the other officers would have heard of her track record and that would have earned her some respect.On an unrelated note, this episode marks the end of Richard in the series which makes me sad because he's always been my favorite character..
Like as was said for 'Inner Circles', this is going to be fairly similarly worded to my review for the previous case 'The Lost Child', mainly because their strengths are exactly the same to each and to the previous three series.None of the three cases making up 'Prime Suspect IV' ('The Lost Child', 'Inner Circles' and 'Scent of Darkness) are as good as the three previous series (though it would have been a Herculean task to do so, considering their sheer brilliance), but high expectations were met if not quite surpassed.
All three are very good, often terrific with a lot of spot-on elements if falling short of perfection.
Once again, 'Scent of Darkness' continues with the changes in format introduced in 'The Lost Child', including Lynda La Plante not being involved and the lengths of the episodes being shorter, for the fourth series it was three cases clocking in around just over five hours overall for 'Prime Suspect IV' rather than one case split into two halves like in the first three 'Prime Suspect' series.'Inner Circles' and 'Scent of Darkness' feel more settled in the changes generally than 'The Lost Child', though to me they are about equal quality-wise.
'Scent of Darkness', again from personal opinion, is let down only by the meeting between Tennison and Marlow which, despite it being tense, missing the ambiguous nature that was most striking in the first 'Prime Suspect' series, and an ending that didn't satisfy as much as ought.However, 'Scent of Darkness' is stylishly and cleverly filmed, with slick editing and atmospheric lighting, and there is a consistently wonderful atmosphere throughout.
It is very gritty, if not quite as dark as 'Prime Suspect III', and effectively claustrophobic.
The scripting, like its predecessor, is some of the best there is of any mystery/detective drama, being superbly constructed and intelligent, plus it is hard to not be impressed by the cunning subtlety of the conflicts.Story-telling is very compelling and twisty, with an atmosphere that is gritty and harrowing but also intricate and honest.
It is a complex story that keeps one guessing right up to the end while also being easy to follow.
Tennison's personal life is balanced very well.Jane Tennison continues to be an interesting character, the character and the depiction of the police force was very ahead of the time back in the 90s and holds much fascination now even if not so novel.Helen Mirren gives a typically magnificent performance in the lead, and perfectly matched by Stuart Wilson.
Tim Woodward gives a very good, often excellent, account of himself, though John Bowe in the first series gave the character more chills and complexity.In conclusion, 'Prime Suspect IV' ends on a strong note.
Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) leads the investigation.
They are similar to the first major case of the original episode.
George Marlow is still in prison for those murders but evidences mount that Tennison had made a mistake.
Tennison is thrown off the case and later even suspended.
Through it all, she never stops investigating.The return to the original case is good.
Tim Woodward is the new actor playing George Marlow and he does a great job.
In this one, Mirren is given juicier work.
It allows her to stretch and fight the old boys' club once again.
In many ways, this is going back to the beginning and it is good.
I would let Tennison do the actual rescue in the final climax but that's a minor change that I would make..
Let down by story and lead.
Nicely filmed and well acted, it has a lot of tension and suspense and is gripping.
But Tennison is such a dragon that it's hard to sympathise with her, as she insults everyone around her and never apologises for her mistakes.
Despite her detestable nature, Tennison never seems to get her comeuppance nor does she get put in her place.Another let down is the story which, though gripping, is rather predictable in some respects and very difficult to believe in others.
One never feels that one is getting anywhere by watching the story and feels that instead one is at the whim of the author, who himself probably hadn't thought up the ending till writing it.
The attempt at introducing suspense by introducing some time pressure fails rather.There is some comical garbled shouting exchanged by some officers, which is quite amusing.
It's also worth noting that there's a large amount of smoking, especially by today's standards.Overall not bad, but not good either.
The main character is too hard to like and the story (especially the conclusion) too ridiculous..
Prime Suspect misfires..
In this final episode of Prime Suspect 4, the series misses the mark set by it predecessors.
The story does have some interesting ideas and twists, but the whole is less than the sum of its parts.Spoilers:Tennison is faced with a series of killings which bear a strong resemblance to the Malowe killings of the first series.
On top of it, there has been a book published, which casts a shadow of doubt on her original investigation.
Tennison knows she got it right and is forced to prove it again.
Also, she finds herself caught in a political struggle with her superiors, who have always resented her position.
Meanwhile, she has developed a relationship with Dr Patric Scofield, who was introduced in the first episode of series 4.
Once again, Tennison puts a strain on her personal life as she becomes more obsessed with her work.Tennison ends up removed from the case due to her personal obsession.
Meanwhile, the new investigation head is leading the police down the wrong trail.
At the same time, a mother has disappeared and appears to be the next victim.
The police and Tennison, on her own, are on a race to find her before she turns up dead.
Tennison is forced to confront Marowe again to gain some insight into the killer and assure herself that she was correct, originally.Tennison's actions result in the safe rescue of the mother and the apprehension of the killer; but, she faces disciplinary action for involving herself in the case, after she was removed.
Although her actions were correct, she has far too many powerful enemies, including Thorndike, who tries to dig into her personal life.
Although she gains a measure of satisfaction, Tennison finds her career ruined.There are good ideas here: the possibility that Tennison got her first case wrong due to her obsessive nature, her attempts at building a relationship with someone who might be able to understand her, and her fight against political enemies.
Unfortunately, those parts don't really come together.
Also, the idea of Marlowe manipulating events from his cell comes across as too much like Hannibal Lecter.
The realism that has been a hallmark of this series is lost.
The final scene where Tennison confronts her antagonist, Thorndike, is classic; but her relationship with Scofield is left up in the air.Helen Mirren is good, as always, and Stuart Wilson is a fine addition.
His character is a psychologist and is fascinated with Tennison, both as a woman, and as a case study.
He is able to defuse some of Tennison's destructive tendencies, but grows frustrated with her paranoia.Ultimately, this episode feels like a pale reflection of the original series.
The only positive aspect is the possibility of a lasting relationship for Tennison; but, it is not to be..
The Good Old Boys' Club Faces Their Worst Nightmare.
Jane, once again, must go toe to toe with a bunch of short sighted males.
For her, the job's the thing and all the other guys merely players.
They are hard working but have a bit less passion.
In this one, she deals with a serial killer she put away years ago.
Now this guy is orchestrating the deaths of other women through a psychotic prison guard.
Because she has crossed the guy who normally would have handled the lead in the case, she falls into disfavor.
Her higher ups begin to try to discredit her, hoping to have her drummed out of the force.
Of course, sexism is a major player, but it has more to do with her open disdain for them.
Anyway, she begins to go rogue after being suspended from the case.
Her allies are her psychologist boyfriend and her friend on the force.
A focus here is a hack author who wrote a book making her look incompetent and making a plea for the release of the serial killer, Marlowe.
This is a classic of our wanting to see the smug superiors get theirs.
This may be my favorite episode of this series.
The intractability of these guys and their mocking laughter is anathema to her.
As I've said in previous reviews, Jane is flawed, and this makes her so much more believable than those characters who seem to have the world by the butt.
If you have not seen any of this series, this would be a good one..
The continuing epic of Jane Tennison....
This episode touches upon the subject and, also, upon the nemesis of the pilot of Prime Suspect, George Marlow.
Unfortunately for us, the creators did not use the same actor in both episodes and this episode suffers for it.
The character lost most of his chillingly charming "Ted Bundy-like" impact due to the ill-advised casting.
The entire Prime Suspect series revolves around the complexities, quirks and demons that comprise Jane Tennison throughout her career: one clearly sees that one CANNOT "have it all," an American colloquialism that is depressing in its banality and lack of truth.
Certainly, most current crime and psychological dramas that carry any real impact, both British and American, have benefited immensely from the impeccable model set by the Prime Suspect body of work and the attendant BBC production values.
Prior to this show, most crime shows were not very realistic and the characters were not very complex or compelling.
Early serial killers lacked "layers," making them one-dimensional and unbelievable.
Early crime and psychological dramas lacked the rhythm and personality that distinguishes every person, every snowflake and every breath of air.
One show could easily be substituted as any other one simply by changing a title, crime or character.
(The notable exceptions are the shows in which Jack Webb participated and/or created; at least, considering the 1950s and 1960s "status quo ante," Jack Webb utilized the few tools available to him at the time.) This PS episode poorly distinguished itself, from a series which always garners 9 point and above ratings from this viewer, chiefly in the final 2-3 minutes of film.
The Jane Tennison so valued by this viewer would never have reacted as she was depicted.
The real Jane, a la LaPlante, would have made a cutting remark to the entire "nob" table when she turned back to face them.
Without missing a beat, LaPlante's Jane would have said that she, too, had heard from various sources that David was having trouble having "hard feelings" for ANYONE AT ALL and perhaps, he should consult his urologist!
Head held high, with the male laughter virtually castrated, Jane would have glided away, smiling, as the credits rolled.
The actual ending, coupled with the poor casting of George Marlow, left me vaguely dissatisfied with this episode and the future direction of the Tennison character..
Prime Suspect 4 changed the format from the previous series as it has three shorter separate stories rather than one long story.
The middle episode, Inner Circles, was surprisingly poor so it was a relief that the third story was a return to form.A series of murders and a high profile book start to cast doubt on a high profile conviction from earlier in her career.
DCI Tennison becomes paranoid that the powers that be in the police are out to get her.
To prove she is right she has to find a new killer and confront someone she put behind bars before.As usual Helen Mirren is excellent and you won't see a better depiction of the hard grind involved in police forces solving major cases..
A key lead withheld from the viewer.
However, completely mystified as to how a sudden telephone call to the main police station at the end (according to the useful IMDb synopsis, from Tennison herself) leads detective "Mitchell" to exclaim "we've got him" - and then suddenly the viewer is made aware that the killer of victims 7 and 8 is actually the prison guard of Marlowe.How, may one ask, did Tennison (if, she) "suddenly" become aware that it was after all the prison guard of Marlowe?
In credible crime thrillers you just can't spring this sort of thing on a viewer. |
tt1433540 | Panique au village | Cowboy and Indian, long-standing best friends and rivals, decide to celebrate the birthday of Horse, their faithful and loyal friend. They want to organize a surprise party for him and build him a wonderful hand-made barbecue. Unfortunately, when ordering the bricks for their construction, a typing error multiplies the number ordered by a billion. At first, they manage to hide away the excess bricks by stashing them on top of their roof. Later in the night though, as the party is in full swing and Horse finally plucks up his courage to approach his beloved Madame Longrée, the bricks suddenly collapse and cause a cataclysm throughout the village. Horse, Indian and Cowboy's house is destroyed. The following day, the three heroes get busy rebuilding but their new walls disappear mysteriously overnight. Horse, Indian and Cowboy start all over again and decide to keep the rebuilt walls under close surveillance. As night falls, the walls start moving and slowly disappear into the distance. The trio start chasing these strange submarine creatures, the Atlanteans, mischievous traitors and wall thieves. During their chase, they encounter an angry bear, three crazy scientists whose ambition is to cover the world in snow, and a disturbed psychopathic matriarch determined to protect her Atlantean offspring thanks to a school of bloodthirsty barracudas. At last, Horse, Indian and Cowboy win their walls back and return home only to discover that the Atlanteans have followed them and are ready to start off the final and most explosive confrontation yet. | whimsical, absurd, psychedelic | train | imdb | The gloriously cheap stop motion animation is a world away, however - Cowboy and Indian, for instance, even have the little flat stand to hold them up like regular children's toys.Don't take that as a criticism, however- it just makes the whole thing more endearing.
This isn't Avatar - this is more like Morph: forget the budget, it's all in the skill of the film maker to tell a great story that's a laugh a minute and keeps you watching.
It starts out with a cowboy and an Indian accidentally ordering 50 million bricks for the birthday of their roommate, Horse, and goes from there to a visit with the Atlanteans, the centre of the earth, and giant robotic penguins.The animation in the film is just as entertaining.
The only thing I thought a bit strange was that it seems to go on for a little longer than it felt the natural ending point of the story should be.This film is in the running for the animated feature Oscar this year, but probably won't be nominated; it's too low-profile and somehow I think that the animation style could offend some of the Academy professionals.
An adventure/comedy/romance/drama with simple yet detailed & inspired stop-motion animation much like Gumby, Pingu or Henry Selick's work for Burton.
In an age where comedy is declared funny by how much a person yells or acts like a petulant child; and the idea of a solid script and story are thrown out in favor of improvisation, it's refreshing to see a movie that's crafted with care from beginning to end.
The crudely animated adventures of Horse, Cowboy, Indian and the rest of the town of Panic are full of life and excitement, much more than many of the so called animated masterworks that come out of the USA.
cartoons, the Marx Brothers, and a little Three Stooges thrown in for good measure, A Town Called Panic should be viewed and enjoyed by the whole family.
Imagine a world not unlike Terry Gilliam's Monty Python animations mixed with a dash of Robot Chicken, The Mighty Boosh and finish with the wonder of the mind of a child at its most innocent imaginative play and you are close to the beauty that is 'A Town Called Panic'.
The main story centres on the characters Indian, Cowboy and Horse who share not just a house but adventure and after a simple present buying goes bizarrely wrong they embark on a multicoloured toy road trip that will see them visit the centre of the earth, the depths of the ocean and the icy cold of the tundra.
An animated classic that's bold, different and magical 'A Town Called Panic' is one crazy place to visit just remember to leave the serious you at the door..
(In French, 75 min.) This feature-length stop-motion animation that appeared at Cannes is based on the Belgian TV series by Stephane Auber and Vincent Patar.
Auber and Patar have collaborated ( and voice two main characters) in a film that's not only simpler and more primitive in effect (figures even have little stands on the bottom like plaster toys) but more truly uniquely for children.
They didn't get glamorous superstars to voice the parts and they worked visibly from scratch, bringing to life recreations of kids' little Plasticine toys, a typically mismatched collection including a horse, an Indian, a cowboy, mechanical tractors, a piano lesson, and moving them around on surfaces that could be a village, or could be a train set or a display under a Christmas tree.These are actually spin-offs from a TV series that Belgian, French, and maybe French Canadian kids would know.
They were featured in five-minute films on the arty but widely watched French TV outlet Canal Plus and later dubbed by "Wallace and Gromit" producer Aardman Animations for export to other outlets such as Nicktoons in the U.S.; they can be found on YouTube.The Town Called Panic effect is much more boldly artificial and crude than the stuffed but charming furry creatures in Wes Anderson's film.
It is very simple, and the film consists of Indian, Cowboy, and Horse's misadventures, but the screenplay is clever and very funny.
The biggest worry one has when watching a film like this is that maybe after a while the animation style or loose story- telling technique may get one overwhelmed, I know that was my biggest worry.
This is intentionally low tech animation of a high order.A series of absurd, barely connected story-lines shapes this visit to a high energy stop-motion animation world, where the characters all move around just fine, thank you, regardless of the fact that they mostly have plastic bases to which their feet are welded.
Besides, it's not a cartoon, but animation with those cowboy and Indian figures that you used to get in big bags, complete with the plastic bases.The film is done in stop motion and is frantic.
"A Town Called Panic" does not invite any moments of calm or temperance, or respite from the chaos of the world, instead in revels in its absurd animated mania that would not feel out of place on Adult Swim or Saturday mornings..
Toys from a time before action figures, when plastic figures stood on mounted bases and lacked bendable limbs.A town called "the town", houses a postman, a policemen, a musical school, a farmer, his wife, and their animals (who attend the musical school), and a horse, an Indian, and a cowboy.
The trio forms a strange family, with the Horse heading the household, driving, the car, handling the finances, etc, with Cowboy and Indian as the two young impish tricksters getting into various shenanigans.The action begins when the boys realize they have forgotten Horse's birthday, and decide at the last minute to build him a barbecue.
The best scene a drunken party takes place early on, but where I expected the film to dip after the 20 minute mark, it kept delivering taking us into the center of the earth, into a Penguin shaped mobile Artic
"research"
station, and an undersea kingdom located directly beneath the town.
Though the effect is light, the production seems painstaking."A Town Called Panic" is delightful lo-fi animated film, that doesn't aim to impart any kind of moral or lesson, but recreate a Chuck Jones's "Looney Toons" like free range explosion built of escalating absurdity and stacking gags on top of gags in a Tower Of Babel to cartoon comedy heaven.
It doesn't quite reach these epic levels, but it's a fun film that I could imagine watching episodically week to week, late on a foggy night or over breakfast cereal the day after (or breakfast cereal later that night).Enjoyable for the uninitiated (like myself), and probably more of a treat for fans.
Churn in a love story with an equine pianist, a spastic farmer, and a slew of other high-energy characters and you have the makings of A Town Called Panic.
This flick could be watched by the whole family (though I think there is a couple swear words - that is, if you're little ones can read the subtitles, or your French), but this film isn't really very accessible.
A few gags got chuckles out of me, like the "cordless" phones and Horse (not) playing the piano, so I gave it one more star than I would otherwise.Maybe it's because I'm American, maybe I just don't get it, maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time, but it's just not for me..
I watched it at a sleepover and it made my laugh hysterically.The plot is basically about an Indian, a cowboy and a horse trying to get their walls back.
In a strange rural town, three plastic toys, Cowboy, Indian and Horse, share a house.
But a gang of strange creatures who live underwater keep stealing the walls they build, so the trio embark on an adventure to take back their bricks, and get Horse to his piano lessons.Sound mad?
Made from the same people who did the fantastic Cravendale milk adverts, A Town Called Panic feels like the kind of the thing that goes through your mind when playing with your toys as a kid.
The creators are having far too much fun to allow meaningless things like logic to get in the way.This is truly a one in a million film, made from creative minds of such fierce individualism, with some truly beautiful animation.
So I give you the crazy ass french stop motion animation flick called " A town called panic" from 2009.
Well because it is not supposed to make sense, It is just a crazy film with a crazy adventure that all starts when someone orders way too many bricks and the movie just keeps rocking from there.
It is in french so don't watch if you don't like subtitles and don't get an English version, it is animation but I can't see anyone portraying the zaniness of these characters other than the original actors, all though it may be possible.
Like many who have reviewed this film I sat down with low expectations, and like others I did think at the start that the animation was lacking, but after a few minutes I really did get it.
I found this to be a wonderful film, and as it has been said by others here I do agree that it is totally insane, funny, and charming.It is like the filmed imagination of a child playing with these plastic figurines and objects around the house, and the crazy and extreme adventures that they would see these toys having.
There is a lot of screaming, actually it is pretty much all screaming, which again is like a 6 year old's Super Sugar Crisp fueled afternoon play romp.This is a Belgian film with subtitles, but if there were an English language version of this I am sure that it could be a kid's classic in the US too..
Inspired by a review from a completely baffled critic, I endeavoured to seek out Panique au Village, a stop-motion animated film based upon a Belgian television series.
Well, it turns out the same characters from "La Bûche de Noël" also appeared in an earlier full-length film...one worth seeing, "A Town Called Panic".Like the follow-up, "La Bûche de Noël", this one is stop-motion and features the same three characters...Indian, Cowboy and Horse.
In this case, it all begins when Indian and Cowboy order 50 bricks online so they can build Horse a BBQ.
Well, you wouldn't believe me if I told you!!The film made me laugh and seemed a bit like a movie made by some very precocious children.
Animated plastic toys Cowboy, Indian and Horse live together in the farming town called Panic.
"A Town Called Panic" was a good movie.I wasn't expecting a lot out of this movie; I saw clips of it on a YouTube video, and decided to check it out.
It just embodies the "in-your-face" kind of comedy, and its pretty funny!With characters that are all over the place, and settings that come out of nowhere, "A Town Called Panic" was just refreshing to watch..
It is also for adults who are on drugs." — Paul McCartneyAnimated plastic toys like Cowboy, Indian and Horse have problems, too.
Surreal adventures take over as the trio travel to the center of the earth, trek across frozen tundra and discover a parallel underwater universe where pointy headed (and dishonest!) creatures live.Absurdists at heart, Belgian animators Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar have spent two decades perfecting their hilariously antic brand of fantastic, faux-naïve humor..
Perhaps if I were a Belgian child and lived a very sheltered life in which I was unfamiliar with animation, plots and story lines, I would have felt differently about this film.
In 2009, Belgian animators Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patier made a film adaptation of their own stop-motion comedy series entitled A Town Called Panic.
Imagine what you'd get if you mixed the surreal humor of Monty Python and the bizarreness of Wallace & Gromit and Robot Chicken.The main storyline revolves around a small town consisting of some farmers, a cowboy, an Indian, and a horse.
Now comes Belgium's first entry for a full blown,stop motion animated film,'A Town Called Panic' (or as it is better known in Europe as 'Panique Au Village').
The plot concerns three house mates,Cowboy,Indian & Horse (played by miniature toys & action figures).
It's been a surprising year for stop-motion animation, and A Town Called Panic can have a seat at the table with the two giant achievements of the year, Coraline and Fantastic Mr. Fox.
In the case of A Town Called Panic, which takes characters named simply 'Horse', 'Cowboy' and 'Indian' and makes into a delirious comedy like Wallace and Gromit gone French and super-playful.
Maybe too ridiculous, actually.Oh, it's charming for most of its running time, and the directors Aubier and Patar make this into something that, for at least the first ten minutes or so, had me giggling and smiling in anticipation for what might happen next, what craziness Indian and Cowboy would somehow get themselves into in trying to get Horse's birthday off the ground.
I wonder if it's meant to really work in smaller doses; before this years ago it was a TV show (clips can be found on youtube) and it's really the kind of storytelling, not even so much animation, that's meant for short bursts of cartoonish energy ala Looney Tunes (and, again, Wallace & Gromit).At its best, this loose story around a brick barbecue present that spirals into 50 million bricks, thieving aquamen, a robot penguin with missiles, and horses that become piano masters, has its moments.
It's like forced whimsy, and an eccentric sensibility that is hard to dismiss but never gives a moment to let the audience and characters breathe - a key matter to how Selick and Anderson got through the madness of their comic narratives.I'm also not too sure, by the end, if the film really works better for kids or adults.
Firstly, let me say I am a fan of animation and do enjoy a fair few French films as usually the comedy is brilliant.
I wanted the film to charm me but there really wasn't any; wanted to be amused but there was nothing to laugh at; wanted to bond with the characters but found them annoying, and wanted to go on a journey but the plot was just daft.Really, in my opinion, it would have been better shrunk into a half- hour episode and adjusted for children, because essentially that was the only age group I could understand enjoying this.No doubt a lot of effort went into making this, however, regardless, I am still left rather unimpressed..
Well we had claymation animation, computer animation, Lego animation and now little plastic action figures that have their turn for a movie, and I want more of it.The story to Panic Village is about are two main character's Cowboy (Stéphane Aubier) and Indian (Bruce Ellison) -- who plan to buy a birthday gift for their friend Horse (the voice of Vincent Patar) but accidentally destroy his house.
A series of wacky, often hallucinatory adventures ensues that finds the trio journeying to the center of the earth, wandering across icy tundra and discovering a strange aquatic world inhabited by oddball beings with pointed heads.Cowboy and Indian are basically the two stooges doing funny but stupid things to push the plot along.
Are main characters go through a strange adventure and meeting new people who are basically two things: Strange or barking mad, like this one scene where Cowboy, Horse and Indian come across there's mad scientist in there big metal penguin, and what they do all day is control the penguin to throw giant snowballs at people for a joke, and you can already guess what kind of movie this is.
I enjoyed watching A Town Called Panic.
The movie isn't for everyone, it's just like Adventure Time not everybody isn't going to find they kind of entertainment, but I have a soft spot for those kind of humor so it's all good...
A Town Called Panic is the anarchic, frenetic feature film version of the popular Belgian cartoon of the same name.
Technically crude but all the better for it, the film like the cartoon is stop-motion animated using what look like (and in some cases are) the cheap plastic toy figurines that came by the dozens in bags, complete with plastic bases affixed to their feet.
Then things get really strange.Apparently animated using a tub of plastic toys by a bunch of Ritalin dodging five-year-olds on a Sunny-D bender, A Town Called Panic is not the most coherent of films, but it is brilliantly inventive and frequently ball-achingly funny..
I can honestly say it takes a really funny film in the animated genre,to make me laugh over 90% of the time.
Horse, Cowboy and Indian are a great trio.
The best part of the film is seeing this strange world, where the animation and set design becomes the joke.
The animation may be very basic when compared with animation coming out of Japan and Hollywood but that is part of the charm; the characters are just toys and the film looks like they were being played with by children with a very vivid imagination.
As the three chase after them they find themselves in strange locations such as the centre of the Earth, one of the poles and under the sea before they eventually get home.This film really is a lot of fun; as mentioned before the story is completely insane and the characters are equally bizarre.
If you are a fan of animation or surreal films it is a must see; I'm sure children would enjoy it too if they don't mind reading the subtitles or are good at French. |
tt0058898 | Alphaville, une étrange aventure de Lemmy Caution | A man arrives in a hotel very possessive about his white suitcase. This is Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine), an American private-eye, and he has arrived in Alphaville, a futuristic city on another planet.Here he meets Natacha von Braun (Anna Karina) and tried to arrange an interview with her father, saying he is a journalist.In the Red Star hotel he meets Henri Dickson (Akim Tamiroff), who tells him that there used to be artists, musicians et.c but today nothing at all.FULL TRANSCRIPT:Sometimes ...reality is too complex for oral communication
But legend embodies it in a form which enables it to spread all over the world
It was 24.17 Oceanic Time ...when I approached the suburbs of Alphaville
[Sign:]
Silence. Logic. Security. Prudence.
Scene:
Hotel
Johnson:My paper reserved a room for me: Ivan Johnson
-Which paper?
-Figaro-Pravda
Clerk: Room 344. Have you registered at Residents' Control?
You must, even if you're a Festival visitor
Johnson: Clear off!
Seductress: You're tired, sir?
You'd like to sleep, sir?
If you're tired, you can rest, sir.
The bedroom's here
[Johnson checks the walls]
Seductress: I'm checking if the Bible's here
-Do you believe in all that?
-Of course.
Seductress: I'll put the tranquilizers in the bathroom
I'm very well, thank you, you're welcome
Seductress: -Will you take a bath?
-Yes, I must think.
I'll help you, sir
I'll take your tie, sir
Johnson: Now what?
Seductress: I'll bathe you, if you like, sir
Johnson: I'm a big boy, sweetie; I can find my own dames
Clear off!
[Spy concealed in bathroom:] Be polite to the ladies, Mister Johnson
Johnson: Bloody hell, now what?
Spy: Don't you fancy this kid?
Johnson: How about your sister, Mister?
[Johnson kills spy]
I'm getting rusty
What's the game? Are you on narcotics?
Seductress: No, it's just normal
Johnson: Everything weird is "normal" in this hole
Sit in that chair
[Johnson takes photograph of Seductress]
Her name was Beatrice
She said she was a Seductress, Third Class
I was struck by her sad, yet hard, face
Something's not in orbit in the capital of this Galaxy
Johnson: Hold this up
[Johnson shoots a hole through each breast in a Vargas painting in magazine]
Johnson: Not bad for a veteran of Guadalcanal
Seductress: Just what I was thinking about you
Johnson: Go play your record elsewhere; I've heard it before
Yes?
[Voice:] Mister Johnson
Miss Natasha Vonbraun...
...has called for you
Johnson: Just a moment
[photo on bed: Leonard Vonbraun; bring back alive, or liquidate]
Johnson: Tell her I'll come down
[Voice:] She's on her way up
[photo on bed: Henry Dickson. Agent X21. 12, Enrico Fermi. Alphaville.]
Natasha: Got a light?
Johnson: I've traveled 9,000 kilometers to give it to you
Natasha: I'm Natasha Vonbraun
Johnson: Yes, I know
Natasha: How do you know?
Johnson: Miss Vonbraun?
Natasha: Yes, I'm very well, thank you, you're welcome
You've come from the Lands Without?
Johnson: Yes
Natasha: Everything to your satisfaction?
Johnson: Yes
Natasha: I've been ordered to remain at your service during your stay
Johnson: Who ordered you?
Natasha: The authorities, of course
Are you here for the Festival?
Johnson: Which Festival?
Natasha: The big one; that's what people from the Lands Without come for
It was silly not to have come earlier
The Festival's nearly over; it's the last till next year
Johnson: You don't say
Natasha: Yes, Mister Johnson
But this evening there is a Reception-Gala Performance
Very big
At a ministry. I'm going; come if you like
Johnson: What time? I must attend to something else first
Natasha: Residents' Control registration?
Johnson: No. What's that?
Natasha: You mustn't forget to go there. We can meet afterwards
Johnson: I'll go there tomorrow. First I must meet a friend
Natasha: I've work, too
I'll tell you where I'll be
Call for me and we'll go on together
See you in an hour or two
Johnson: See you then
I'll go down with you
Natasha: Mister Johnson, what's it like in the Lands Without?
Johnson: Haven't you been there?
Natasha: No, but my father told me about them when I was little
Now it's forbidden to think about them
Johnson: Are you often ordered to spend your time with strangers?
Natasha: Yes, it's my job
Johnson: How nice for you. Aren't you ever propositioned?
Natasha: What?
Johnson: Has no one ever fallen in love with you?
Natasha: In love? What's that?
Johnson: There's one thing I'd like to know
Natasha: Yes, Mister Johnson?
Johnson: Just how big of a fool do you take me for?
Answer me
Natasha: I can't understand what you're talking about
Johnson: Check, Princess! I can't make head or tail of what you're talking about
That's how it is, you never understand anything
Yes, that's always how it is; you never understand anything
Until one fine day you die of it
Scene:
Hotel Lobby
Natasha: Which way are you going?
Johnson: 12, Enrico Fermi
Near Heisenberg Boulevard, near Mathematical Park
Natasha: I can give you a lift
I'll get the keys
I'm very well, thank you, you're welcome
Johnson: You don't want me to flirt with you?
Natasha: What?
Johnson: You really don't know what it means?
[nods yes]
Her smile and her small pointed teeth...
...reminded me of an old vampire film...
...the sort they used to show at cinerama museums
[car drives away]
Natasha: I'm a Programmer, Second Class
Johnson: Natasha's a name from the past
Natasha: Yes, but...
...the present is all one can know in life
No one's lived in the past, or will live in the future
Johnson: Thanks for the lift, anyway
Natasha: It's a pleasure to do my job, Mister Johnson
Johnson: Is it much farther?
[Driver:] You know we must cross the north zone, Miss?
Johnson: What's the population?
Natasha: Don't forget, you must go to Residents' Control
What exactly do you do for a living?
Johnson: I work
For a newspaper
Professor Vonbraun, is he your father?
It's vital that I write about him; can you arrange an interview?
Natasha: I don't know. I've never seen him. I'll ask.
Johnson: I'll get out here-Here?-I've changed my mindNatasha: You noted where to meet me?Johnson: Yes. Tell him to stopNatasha: StopScene:LobbyJohnson: TelecommunicationI'd like to telecommunicate-Galaxy or local call?-Local-Do you know that man?[Johnson points to portrait of Prof. Vonbraun on wall]-Of course, I'm not stupidScene:Hotel[Man reading:]At the end of Galata Bridge......that's where the Red Star Hotel isIt bears no comparison......to our splendid galactic corridors...[Another man sitting on floor eats out of a box while rubbing thigh of woman]...all a-glitter with luxury and lightIt is a labyrinth of tall, cramped...Johnson: Is this the Red Star Hotel?Manager: Yes, I'm very well...-Is Mister Dickson in?-He's outJohnson: I'll waitSeductress: Have you money, sir?You can wait here, sir, if you're tiredI wanted to see it again......and I saw the tomb of the Duc de MontpensierThe reclining statue of the Prince......is the work of PradierJohnson: Henry!Henry, it's me!We've got plenty to talk aboutDickson: -Where's my key-Where's my rent, Mister Dickson?[Johnson hands Dickson a stack of bills, Dickson lays a bill in front of hotel manager]Manager: His key... and a beer[Seductress brings Dickson his key and a beer]Seductress: And me?Manager: Why don't you hurry up and commit suicide?We need the room for a cousin from the South[Johnson and Dickson ascend stairs.]Dickson: You come from the Lands Without?Johnson: Why did he ask if you'd commit suicide?Dickson: There's quite a few...There's quite a few who doCan't manage to adapt to this placeIt's the method the Chinese invented......about thirty years ago in PekingvilleDissuasion is their strong pointJohnson: What about those who won't adapt, or commit suicide?Dickson: Those... they're executedBut one can hide, you know. There aren't many leftJohnson: Dick Tracy, is he dead?[Dickson nods yes]And Guy Léclair?[Dickson nods yes]Why didn't we hear from them, or from you, Henry?Dickson: I'm sorry. These things happenJohnson: And what's Alpha 60?Dickson: A giant computer, like they used to have in big businessJohnson: Nueva York... IBM...Dickson: Olivciti... General Electric... General Tokyorama...Alpha 60 is one hundred and fifty light years more powerfulJohnson: I see. People have become slaves to probabilitiesDickson: Their ideal here, in Alphaville......is a technocracy, like that of termites and antsJohnson: I don't understandDickson: Probably one hundred and fifty light years ago...One hundred and fifty, two hundred......there were artists in the ant societyArtists, novelists, musicians, painters...Today, nothing at allNothing, like hereJohnson: Has Professor Vonbraun organized it all?Dickson: He just obeys logical ordersJohnson: Then why didn't you kill him?Dickson: "Why" ... what does that word mean?Johnson: You know his daughter, Natasha? Who is she really?It was him they sent to Los AlamosHis name wasn't that thenAnswer! That wasn't his name in those daysWe'll get out together; you'll be O.K. But first you must...[knock at door]Dickson: It's a terrible secret, but...Enter, Madame la MarquiseMy cloak, Madame RécamierThank you, Madame PompadourMadame Bovary, Marie Antoinette......Madame La Fayette[Madame and Dickson frolic on bed][Dickson spontaneously starts to choke]Seductress: You're greatDarling you're wonderfulDickson: I love you! I love...[Dickson gasps in pain, then collapses & slides off bed]Lemmy... conscience...Alpha 60... make... self-destruct...Tenderness...Save those who weep[Dickson points to object under pillow, then dies]Scene:TaxiJohnson: The Capital of Pain14. Light Radiation. Institute of General SemanticsDo you know it?Driver: Which way? Through the North Zone, or the South?Johnson: What's the difference?Driver: There's snow in the North......and sun in the SouthJohnson: Anyway, it's my Journey to the End of the NightIt was my first night in Alphaville......but it seemed to me that centuries had passedDriver: I'm very well, thank you, you're welcome[Johnson enters lobby]Johnson: Natasha VonbraunClerk: -Which section?-Programming and memory[clerk waves Johnson up stairs where a lecture is being delivered]The Central Memory......is thus named......because of the primordial rôle......that it plays......in the logic-organization of Alpha 60But no one has lived in the past......and no one will live in the futureThe present is the form of all lifeThis quality......cannot be changed by any meansTime is like a circle......which is endlessly describedThe declining arc......is the pastThe inclining arc is the futureEverything has been said......provided words do not change their meanings...and meanings their wordsIs it not obvious that someone......who customarily live...in a state of suffering......requires a different sort of religion......from a person habitually living in a state of well-being?Before us, nothing existed hereNo oneWe are totally alone hereWe are unique, dreadfully uniqueThe meaning of words......and of expressions, is no longer graspedAn isolated word, or a detail of a design......can be understoodBut the meaning of the whole escapesOnce we know the number one......we believe that we know the number two......because one plus one equals twoWe forget that first......we must know the meaning of plusJohnson: I'm goingThe acts of men......carried over from past centuries......will gradually......destroy them logicallyI, Alpha 60......am merely the logical means of this destruction[Natasha descends stairs]Natasha: I thought you had gone for good[Johnson takes photograph of Natasha]Natasha: Shall we go?I'll get the keysJohnson: I left because I couldn't understand a word he was sayingNatasha: But it's very simpleWe learned this evening......that death and life are found within the same circleJohnson; -Are you afraid of death?-Of course not. Why?We took the tangent......to the centre segmentsTraffic bulletins on the radio......as Natasha talked to me in her pretty sphinx voicePretty sphinx...Pretty sphinx...Pretty sphinx...Pretty sphinx...Natasha: Foreign ambassadors usually attend......or delegations from the districtsJohnson: Why does everyone look so miserable?Natasha: You ask too many questionsBecause they lack electricity[Voice:]The essence......of the so-called capitalist world......or the communist world...[sign: MINISTERE DE LA DISSUASION Police]...is not an evil volition......to subject their people......by the power of indoctrination......or the power of finance......but simply the natural ambition of any organization......to plan all its actionsScene:TheaterNatasha: In other words, to minimize unknown quantitiesJohnson: This dump of yours isn't Alphaville, it's ZerovilleWhat's the show?Natasha: Son et Lumière, I supposeWhere is everyone?Attendant: It's already begunNatasha: Hurry, we're lateAttendant: It's already begunScene:Elevator[Johnson shoots two photos of woman with white gown and number tattooed on forehead]Scene:Natasha: Don't they electrocute them anymore?Attendant: Darling, you know the Seventeenth Plan took a plunge[Man with machine gun steps away from edge of pool into which a body falls][Four female swimmers dive into pool in sequence in pursuit of floating body][Audience claps as Natasha kisses cheek of her father]Johnson: Introduce meNatasha: I told you to stay there; we're among very important peopleJohnson: -May I take a photograph?-I'll ask[Natasha walks over to man in suit & hat who kisses her raised hand]Natasha: Yes[Johnson takes several more photos, including one of Professor Vonbraun]Johnson: -What have they done?Man to left: -They've been condemned-Only men?Man to right: There's usually a ratio of fifty men to one woman executedJohnson: But what have they done?Man to left: They behaved illogicallyNatasha: Isn't that a crime in the Lands Without?He wept when his wife died[Man in white shirt approaches pool]Johnson: He was condemned for that?Natasha: Of courseMan in white: Only advance!Aim straight for those you love![Gunfire, man in white shirt falls into pool, two swimmers dive in to retrieve body][Audience claps, one of the swimmers performs acrobatics in water][Another man stands at end of diving board]Victim: Listen to me, normals!We see the truth you no longer see!The truth is that the essence of man is love and faith......courage, tenderness, generosity and sacrificeThe rest is the monolith created by your blindly ignorant progress[gunfire, as man yells "One day!" swimmers dive into pool][Leaving the show Johnson pushes Professor Vonbraun away from guards into an elevator]Johnson: Sorry, Professor, but I must have a word with youProfessor: I never give interviewsJohnson: I'm not really a reporter. Can't we talk somewhere quieter?Professor Nosferatu...[Johnson is apprehended as they leave the elevator]Professor: That man no longer exists[Johnson is dragged back into elevator and beaten back & forth by two guards. Elevator doors open]Guard: Are you crying?Natasha: No, because it's forbiddenScene:Hallway leading to interrogation rooms[Voice:]OccupiedOccupiedOccupiedOccupiedFreeAttendant: Sit there and answer when you're spoken toJohnson: I haven't done anythingAttendant: Newcomers must be interrogatedAlpha 5: Alpha 5What is your name?Johnson: Ivan JohnsonAlpha 5: Where were you born?Johnson: Nueva YorkAlpha 5: How old are you?Johnson: I don't know... forty-fiveAlpha 5: What make and model is your car?Johnson: Ford GalaxyAlpha 5: What do you love above all?Johnson: Money and womenAlpha 5: What are you doing in Alphaville?Johnson: An article for Figaro-PravdaAlpha 5: You seem to be afraidJohnson: I'm not afraid... not the way you thinkAnyway, you wouldn't understandAlpha 5: Rest assured that my decisions......always have in view......the ultimate goodI shall now.....ask you some test questions......as a control measureYou have come from the Lands WithoutWhat were your feelings......when you passed through galactic space?Johnson: The silence of infinite space appalled meAlpha 5: What is the privilege of the dead?Johnson: To die no moreAlpha 5: Do you know what illuminates the night?Johnson: PoetryAlpha 5: What is your religion?Johnson: I believe in the inspirations of conscienceAlpha 5: Do you make any distinction......between the mystery......of the laws of knowledge......and the laws of love?Johnson: In my opinion, there is no mystery of loveAlpha 5: You are not telling the truthJohnson: I don't understandAlpha 5: You are hiding certain thingsJohnson: I admit I might have reasons to lie......but how can you differentiate between lies and truth?Alpha 5: You are hiding certain things......but I do not yet know what they areFor the time being, you are freeI should like you to visit......the Control ComplexFreeOccupiedFreeFreeOccupiedJohnson: -Where are we going?-To the Chief EngineerOccupiedOccupiedOccupiedFreeOccupiedOccupiedOccupiedAh, Le Jour se LèveScene:Conference Room[Chief Engineer pats calf of woman standing on table and she jumps off]Engineer: A momentous occasionGuard: Yes, we spent three years looking for Grand Omega MinusEngineer: Well, Mister Johnson...How do you find Alphaville?Johnson: Not bad, if I knew where I wasEngineer: You are in the centre of Alphaville, inside Alpha 60The task of Alpha 60 is to calculate and project......the results which Alphaville will subsequently enjoyJohnson: Why?Engineer: No one ever says "why"; one says "because"In the life of individuals, as in the life of nations......everything is cause and effectJohnson: That's the notorious theory of Professor Leonard NosferatuEngineer: Leonard Nosferatu......no longer exists, Mister JohnsonThe Lands Without expelled him in 1964Today there is only Professor VonbraunJohnson: I remember. He was sent to a town in the desert......to perfect his inventionEngineer: He was exiled, you meanNow the Lands Without wring their hands, wishing him backThey flood us with spies. Perhaps you are a spy, Mister JohnsonJohnson: You know I'm not, since I'm a free manEngineer: [blinks] A meaningless replyWe know nothing. We record, calculate, draw conclusionsAn hour ago......one of Alpha 60's 1.4 billion nerve centres questioned youYour replies were difficult and sometimes impossible to codifyWe deduce an above-average intelligenceWe are sometimes in mortal need of superior intelligencesAt other times we have a no less mortal distrust of themJohnson: So, what will you do with me?Engineer: For the moment, we're ordered to show you Alpha 60Johnson: Who ordered you? Professor Vonbraun?Engineer: Absolutely notAn order is a logical conclusionOne must not be afraid of logic. Simply that. Full stopWhat is it?Man: The circuit elements... of 183 Omega Minus... malfunctionEngineer: Calculating or memory elements?Man: Memory elementsEngineer: Professors Heckle and JeckelProf. Heckle: I'm very well, thank you, you're welcomeJohnson: I'd like to know what Grand Omega Minus isEngineer: Our Seventeenth Electricity Plan is inadequateSooner or later the Lands Without will declare war on usTherefore, it has been decided to invade themDirected by Professor Vonbraun......Omega Minus will be the victory......of anti-matterJohnson: A great ideal!Men like you could advise us of the weak points in the Lands Without[Voice:]Your tendency to dwell in the past......could be useful to usEngineer: We send brain-washed people to the other galaxies......to forment strikes, revolutions, family rows, student revoltsThat's us: Grand Omega Minus[Walk past model of nude female in illuminated caseJohnson: -Where now?-The invisible part of Alpha 60[Voice:]You think more of what has been......than of what will beAssistant: An obsolete cameraJohnson: I'm old-fashionedJeckel asked why I shot the man in my bathroom......when the whole thing was just a psycho-testI replied that I'm too old to argue, I shoot firstIt's my only weapon against fatality[Inside computer room]Johnson: -What's this?Engineer: -Central Interrogation StationHere Alpha 60 sets itself problemsThe forms and references are too complex for human understandingJohnson: What sort of problems?Assistant: Train and aeroplane timetables... movement of people and goods......electricity networking... crime suppression... war operations[Voice:]Element Seven. Malfunction.Johnson: What's happened?Engineer: It's war with the Lands Without[Voice:]A simple instruction......is usually insufficient......to put into execution......a task set by Alpha 60Do not think that it is I......who initiates this destruction......nor the scientists......who have accepted my planOrdinary men......are unworthy......of the positions they hold in the worldAnalysis of their past......automatically leads one......to this conclusionTherefore......they must be destroyedThat is to say: transformed[Voice:]I don't need anyone to draw it for meDirected by Vonbraun and his assistants......Alphaville has developed by leaps and bounds......guided by electronic brains that developed themselves......by posing and solving problems......beyond human comprehensionForeigners had been assimilated if possible......which was easiest with the Swedes, Germans and AmericansThe unassimilatables were purely and simply killedScene: Empty seats in a theaterThe usual method was to seat them in a theater I saw......and electrocute them as they watched the showThe bodies were then tipped into huge rubbish bins......and the theater was ready for the next batchIf an individual showed hope of reclamation......he was sent to a chronic illness hospital......here mechanical and propagandistic treatments soon cured himI felt that my existence here......was becoming a distorted, twilight memory......of an awesome destinyThere was only one solution[Voice:]It would not be logical......to prevent superior beings......from attacking......the other galaxiesScene:Fancy hotelBellboy: Going up, sir?Johnson: No, I'll shine my shoes[Johnson walks up stairs using carpeting on stairs to shine shoes]Seductress: You're tired, sir?You'd like to sleep, sir?Johnson: Yes, to sleep: perchance to dreamWhat are you?Seductress: I'm a Seductress, Third ClassJohnson: Has your colleague gone?Seductress: Who? Beatrice?Johnson: I don't know; a blond with long legsSeductress: She's working in the suburban flatsWe're all replacementsJohnson: Ever heard of the Lands Without?Seductress: Never[Johnson reaches for Seductress to see the number branded on her neck]Johnson: -Clear off!-Why?[Johnson bends over to examine calf of Seductress]Johnson: If anyone asks, say you don't knowSeductress: I'm very well, thank you, you're welcomeScene:Hotel room from first sceneNatasha: Mister Johnson?Johnson: If it isn't the little princessNatasha: I was forbidden to come, but I so wanted to see you againJohnson: I pass!As you're here, order breakfast for meNatasha: I'm very well, thank you, you're welcomeJohnson: Natasha?Natasha: Yes?Johnson: Bow your head[number "508" appears on the back of Natasha's neck]Natasha: What is it?Johnson: Nothing, just a thoughtWhat about my breakfast?Natasha: I want to tele-order breakfast[Voice:] What is your number?Natasha: What is your number?Johnson: They didn't give me one at Alpha 60Natasha: Not your control number, your room numberJohnson: Ever heard of this book?Natasha: "The Capital of Pain". NoJohnson: Some words are underlinedNatasha: We live in the void of metamorphosesBut the echo that runs through the day......that echo beyond time, anguish or caress...Are we near to our conscience, or far from it?These are words I don't understandConscience...Johnson: Death in conversationAnd thatNatasha: Your eyes have returned from a despotic land......where no one has known the meaning of a glanceJohnson: You've really no idea what this is?Natasha: It reminds me of somethingI don't know whatThe naked truthI know it wellDespair is wingless, so is love...I am as alive as my love and despair...[Johnson grabs book from Natasha]Johnson: And this: Dying is not dyingAnd this: The beguiler beguiledThis: Men who changeNever heard of secret messages, Miss Vonbraun?Natasha: A secret message?Johnson: Don't you know what a secret is?Natasha: Yes. Planning secrets, atomic secrets, memory secretsJohnson: Now what are you looking for?This dump is driving me nuts!Natasha: I'm looking for a Bible, to see if it's in itJohnson: What?Natasha: The word I'm looking for, of course.Are you stupid?Where is it? There's always one per person.I'm becoming afraidSince you've come, I no longer understand what is happeningJohnson: Me, I think I'm beginning to understand[a knock, and breakfast is wheeled into the room by a hotel worker]Natasha: I've found it"Conscience"... it's not in itWorker: I'm very well, thank you, you're welcomeNatasha: "Conscience"...Not in the new one, eitherSo no one here......knows the meaning of the word conscience any moreNever mindSugar?Johnson: This is a dictionary, not a BibleNatasha: Isn't it the same in the Lands Without?Johnson: Now tell me, what's it for?Natasha: Nearly every day words disappear, because they are forbiddenThey are replaced by new words expressing new ideasIn the last two or three months......some words I was very fond of has disappearedJohnson: Which words? I am interested[Johnson opens notebook: Make Alpha 60 self-destruct]Natasha: Redbreast, weeping...Save those who weep...autumn light...Tenderness...tenderness, tooMister JohnsonJohnson: YesNatasha: When I'm with you I'm afraidThey've ordered me not to see you againJohnson: Who? The Alpha 60 engineers?Natasha: YesJohnson: What are you afraid of?Natasha: I'm afraid because I know that word......without ever having seen it or read it-Which word?-Le conscienceJohnson: La conscienceNatasha: La... ...conscienceJohnson: You've never been to the Lands Without?Are you sure?You're lyingNatasha: Why are you cross with me?Johnson: Aren't you supposed to say "because", not "why"?Natasha: I said "why"?Johnson: YesAnd if enemy ears are listening, they heard you, tooNatasha: Well, then, I was careless, because it's forbiddenPerhaps it's all right for you to use itWhen did I say "why"?Johnson: Another question first: where were you born?Natasha: Here, in AlphavilleJohnson: Another lie. Perhaps you're unaware of it, but you're lyingI must know the truth: where were you born?Natasha: Here, I told youIn AlphavilleJohnson: No, in Tokyoama......the Land of the Rising SunGo on, say itNatasha: In Tokyoama, in the Land of the Rising SunJohnson: Or in Florence, perhapsOr... try to remember it for yourself, NatashaNatasha: I don't knowJohnson: Where the sky's as blue as the South SeasNatasha: Florence, where the sky's as blue as the South SeasJohnson: Or in Nueva YorkNatasha: Nueva YorkWhere the winter, Broadway......a glitter in a snow fur coatJohnson: You see, you do know the Lands WithoutYour father was banished from Nueva York in '64He brought you here, so you don't belong hereNatasha: I know what this book isA man who came with us from Nueva York, he wrote such booksI don't know what became of himThey live in the forbidden quarters here; they commit suicideI know that Alpha 60 uses them sometimesJohnson: How come?Natasha: Because they write incomprehensible thingsNow I know: it used to be called poetryIt seems to hold secrets, but really it's emptyWhen Control has an hour or so free......it codifies such stuffLike everything else, one never knowsJohnson: It might prove usefulNatasha: Absolutely. We're highly organizedI'd like to go with you to the Lands WithoutBut I'm afraidI'm no longer normalWhen did I say "why"?Johnson: Why?Natasha: Because... you know very well, Mister JohnsonNo, I don'tAt which moment?Johnson: Last night in the corridor, for instanceNatasha: Now it's you who is lyingJohnson: No, when I talked about falling in loveNatasha: In love? What's that?[Johnson walks around Natasha]Johnson: ThisNatasha: No, I know what that is: it's sensualityJohnson: No, sensuality flows from itIt cannot exist without loveNatasha: So what is love, then?[Natasha's voice:]Your voice, your eyes......your hands, your lips...Our silences, our words...Light that goes......light that returnsA single smile between us bothIn quest of knowledge......I watched night create day......while we seemed unchangedO beloved of all, beloved of one alone......your mouth silently promised to be happyAway, away, says hate; never, never, says loveA caress leads us from our childhoodIncreasingly I see the human form......as a lover's dialogueThe heart has but one mouthEverything ordered by chanceAll words without aforethoughtSentiments adriftMen roam the cityA glance, a wordBecause I love youEverything movesTo live, only advance!Aim straight for those you loveI went towards you, endlessly towards the lightIf you smile, it is to enfold me all the betterThe rays of your arms pierce the mistJohnson: How will the chief engineer use me?Natasha: As an inter-galaxy double agent, I thinkJohnson: So it's true what Heckle saidYou send spies to sabotage the rest of the worldNatasha: Of course; we learn that at schoolJohnson: Are you going to betray me?[Johnson places his hand around Natasha's throat and she nods "yes"]You can't talk? Or don't you mean to?[She shakes her head "no"]Can I telecommunicate with Lands Without from this hotel?Natasha: Just ask for Galaxy Service[Voice:]To Lands Without......telecommunications are suspended for some daysNatasha: What did you want?Johnson: An atomic attack on AlphavilleI'll explain later, Princess, but now let's scram[Four agents appear, two from the bathroom and two from the hallway]-Come with us!-Where?Agent: Residents' Control. When he doubles up, get him...Story 842, MissNatasha: One day a tiny man entered a North Zone café......and ordered a cup of very hot, sweet coffee......adding, "I shan't pay, because I'm afraid of no one"He drank his coffeeHe leftHe didn't pay for his coffeeFor the sake of peace, the café owner said nothingBut when the tiny man repeated the trick three times......the café owner decided to get a tough to sort him outSo, on the fourth day......when the tiny man called for his cup of coffee......the tough lumbered up to him and said:"So you're afraid of no one?""That's right""Well, neither am I""Make that two cups of coffee", called the man[Johnson begins laughing hysterically]Meet you outside Residents' ControlYou'll stay here, Miss VonbraunScene:Interrogation room[Voice:]Alpha 60: Last night you liedJohnson: You organized Dickson's death. Why?Alpha 60: Your name may be spelled......Ivan Johnson......but it is pronounced Lemmy Caution......Secret Agent...[Johnson shakes head "no"]...Number zero zero three...[Johnson shakes head "yes"]...of the Lands WithoutYou are a threat to the security of AlphavilleJohnson: I refuse to become what you call normalThose you call mutants......form a race superior......to ordinary men......who we have almost eliminatedUnthinkableAn entire race cannot be destroyedI shall calculate so that failure is impossibleI shall fight so that failure is impossibleEverything that I project shall be accomplishedDon't count on it; I have a secret, tooWhat is your secret? Tell me, Mister CautionSomething which never changes, day or nightThe past represents its future, it advances in a straight line......yet it ends by coming full circleI cannot trace what it isI won't tell youSeveral of my circuits......are looking for the solution to your riddleI will find itIf you find it, you will destroy yourself simultaneously......because you will become my kin, my brotherThose who are not born, do not weep......and do not regretThus it is logical to condemn you to deathStuff yourself with your logicMy judgment is just......and I am working for the universal goodIf you plan to drive us from the other galaxies, you'll failYou will not leave; the exit is blockedWe'll see[Johnson crashes through door, firing. Kills man in stairway][Natasha is brought into the building but resists the agents as they struggle to get her into the lobby][Johnson avoids the agents, and Natasha, and asks a Driver:]Professor Vonbraun -- do you know where he lives?Alpha 60: Central Palace, South Zone, behind Raw Materials StationLet's go[Johnson gets in pointing a gun in the driver's neck][Driver parks]Don't move[Johnson shots driver]That way I'm sure you will keep your word[Professor Vonbraun is followed by a team of engineers through basement hallways][Johnson follows and takes a photo]Assistant: No reporters!Johnson: Reporter and Revenger both begin with R! Tell your boss![Johnson follows Vonbraun up a flight of stairs]Professor: What can I do for you, Mister Caution?Johnson: News travels fast hereProfessor: Because we're very rapidly entering Light CivilizationJohnson: I'm returning to the Lands Without. Come with meProfessor: Stay with us, Mister CautionWhen the war's over I'll put you in charge of another galaxyYou will have money and womenWe are mastering a science so fantastic......that the old American and Russian atomics will see patheticJohnson: I seeYou oppose my moral, even supernatural, sense of vocation......with a simple physical and mental existence......easily controllable by technicians[Lights flash on several control panels]Professor: Your ideas are strangeSome years ago, in the Age of Ideas, yours would have been thought sublimeLook at yourself. Men of your type will soon be extinctYou'll be something worse than deadYou'll become a legendJohnson: Yes, I'm afraid of death......but for a humble secret agent that's a fact of life, like whiskyAnd I've drunk that all my life[Johnson reveals a gun]You never want to see the Lands Without again?Professor: Good-bye, Mister Caution[Shot]Such people will serve as terrible examples......to those who want to play the world......when technical power is the only act in their repertoire[Walking across balcony Johnson is fired upon from below by a policeman]I was running a straight line which, like Dickson's Greek labyrinth......and its baffled philosophers, could disorientate a secret agent[Johnson returns to the hallways of interrogation where men and women move along disoriented with the walls as their only means of guidance][Alpha 60:]In many respects......your reactions and your modes of thought......differ......from present normality[Johnson:]The inhabitants of Alphaville are not normalThey are products of mutationDo you accept our proposal?Answer silently......with yes or no[Johnson gets into a car; a tall man in a black suit leans against the hood]I'll never betray the Lands Without[Johnson engages the agent, knocks him down and drives over his head in an escape from the parking garage][Johnson is pursued by two cars as he drives toward the North][Voice:]The present is terrifying......because it is irreversible......and because it has a will of ironTime is the substance of which I am made[Johnson searches interrogation rooms as men stumble down the hall. A woman stands motionless against wall]Time is a river which carries me alongBut I am timeIt's a tiger, tearing me apart; but I am the tiger[Johnson finds Natasha in an interrogation room]Johnson: Look at her and me, there's your replyWe're happiness, and we're heading towards itAlpha 60: It is our misfortune that the world is realityAnd I......it is my misfortune that I am myself, Alpha 60[Natasha is dazed and helped by Johnson down the hall]Johnson: Natasha, think of the word love[She regains her balance and they continue to escape][In the lobby Natasha is still dazed. Johnson carries her to the parking garage]Not all the inhabitants died, but they were all strickenThose not asphyxiated by the absence of light......sped about crazily, like antsIt was 23.15, Oceanic Time......when Natasha and I left Alphaville by the ring roadA night drive across intersidereal space, and we'd be homeJohnson: Don't look backNatasha: Do you think they're all dead?Johnson: Not yetThey may recover, and Alphaville will be happy, like FlorenceLike Angoulême City, like TokyoramaNatasha: Have I slept for long?Johnson: No, just the span of a momentNatasha: Where are we? In the Lands Without?Johnson: Not yetNatasha: You're looking at me very strangelyJohnson: YesNatasha: You're waiting for me to say something to youJohnson: YesNatasha: I don't know what to sayThey're words I don't knowI wasn't taught themHelp meJohnson: Impossible, Princess. Help yourself, then you'll be savedIf you don't, you're as lost as the dead of AlphavilleNatasha: IloveyouI love youThe End | avant garde, neo noir, mystery, dramatic, violence, alternate reality, psychedelic, satire, philosophical, comic | train | imdb | null |
tt1606389 | The Vow | The movie begins with Paige Collins (Rachel McAdams) and her husband Leo (Channing Tatum) coming out of a movie theater. On their way home, when they stop at a stop sign, Paige unbuckles her seatbelt to lean over and kiss Leo. At that very moment, a truck rams their Saab 900 from behind and Paige crashes out through the windshield. Both of them are rushed to the emergency room, and as Leo, in a voice-over talks about how "moments of impact.. help in finding who we are" the movie cuts to how Paige and Leo first met. The scenes of how they courted, proposed and married are interwound with the present.When Paige regains her consciousness, she thinks Leo is her doctor, implying her loss of memory.
Paige verifies what her remaining memories are when she starts a conversation with Leo. She learns she has not lost all, except for the past few years of her life given she still remembers that she wanted to be an artist in high school. Paige is unable to figure out why she left law school.Later her parents learn about the accident and come to visit her and it is for the first time that Leo meets them. They learn that the doctor recommends she return to her normal routine but her parents and Leo disagree about what her normal routine is at the present time. Leo tells Paige that she stopped talking to her parents before the accident mostly because her father insisted she attend law school while she attend art school. Paige is unable to understand why she broke off the engagement with Jeremy. Leo tries to persuade her to return home with him but she asks for proof such as a diary. He confirms that he does not know of such a diary existing before the accident.Her parents insist on taking her home with them and Paige agrees assuming she might have married Leo for some mutual benefit. Just as she's about to leave, Leo comes running to play her a voice message in which she sounds very happy and romantic. Paige decides to go back with Leo hoping it will help her regain her lost memory.On the drive to their home, Paige learns from Leo that the American president is Obama. She recognizes him as the senator. Leo states that she voted for him.Paige is welcomed home with a surprise party by her friends but as she's not able to remember any of them, she finds it overwhelming and isolates herself from the party. She expresses her anger at the situation to Leo after the party is over and everyone leaves their home. Paige asks him to leave her alone so he complies with her request.
The next day Paige appears dressed in a Chicago Cubs hoodie and she says it's the only piece of clothing she owns that she feels comfortable putting on that morning. Leo informs her that it is actually owned by him. She grabs a piece of bacon and she puts it in her mouth but he informs her that she is vegetarian.Paige reassures Leo that she is fine and she tells him to go to his job. He reluctantly accepts her advice and he leaves her alone at home. Paige continues to eat the bacon once he has left for work.Paige discovers more evidence of her marriage with Leo while she is alone at home. These come in the form of a video recording of her wedding. She spots the Cafe Mnemonic menu in her hand while she is watching the video.Paige ventures out to Cafe Mnemonic but does not remember being there and loses her way back. She calls up her mom as she does not know or remember Leo's number.That evening Leo and Paige are invited for dinner by her parents. Paige's mom brings out filet mignon and she announces it is Paige's favourite dish. Paige accepts it happily despite Leo's puzzled expression.At the dinner and in the bar later, Leo does not fit in with her family and friends. Leo keeps trying to help her regain her memory but Paige is more drawn towards finding answers as to why she left law school or broke the engagement. And, in one such occasion with Jeremy, she kisses him.Leo attempts to get closer to Paige by tickling her like he did before the accident. The plan fails as she does not remember the ritual.Leo takes Paige to her art studio the next morning. He turns up the music in an attempt to jog her memory when he asks her to complete a piece of artwork. This plan also fails when the music only succeeds in giving her a headache.Her doctor advises her to fill the holes in her memory rather than be afraid of her past. With her sister Gwen's wedding approaching, Paige decides to stay with her parents until the wedding. Leo asks her out on a date and she accepts his proposal. He successfully spends the night with her and it ends with them making out before he takes her home.Leo returns home to find a stack of overdue bills waiting for him. After Gwen's wedding, Paige's dad confronts Leo about his debts and he concludes that Leo's best solution is to divorce his daughter. Leo punches Jeremy for talking about sleeping with Paige. Afterwards Leo confronts Paige and they agree that their relationship has reached its end.Paige rejoins law school and Leo signs the divorce papers. At a store, she meets with a former friend of hers whom she recognizes as Diane immediately. Diane apologizes for having a relationship with her dad; and Paige now realizes why she had left her family. When Paige confronts her mom about deceiving her, her mom tells her that she decided to stay with her dad for all the things he had done right instead of leaving him for one wrong act. Paige concludes that she must stay away from her parents in order to recover her true identity.Paige then asks Leo why he never told her and he replies he wanted to earn her love instead of driving her away from her parents. Paige, while in class, starts sketching; thus depicting how she first left law school. She does it again and is back into sculpting and drawing. Though Jeremy confesses he broke up with his present girlfriend, hoping to be back with her, she turns him down stating she needs to know what life would be without him. Jeremy confesses to Paige that she dumped him the first time for a similar reason.And as seasons change, Leo, in a voiceover talks about "moments of impact and ripple effects bringing unpredictable change where some particles are brought crashing together, closer together while others are sent farther away." Back in her room, Paige finds the menu card on which she had written her vow and is deeply moved. The movie ends with Paige waiting for Leo at a closed Cafe Mnemonic and going with him to try a new place instead of their regular alternative, a Cuban place. | romantic, flashback | train | imdb | In Chicago, Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) have just married and they are in love for each other.
Leo decides to woo her again to have his wife back, but her ex-fiancé Jeremy (Scott Speedman) is courting Paige and she does not know why she had broken with him."The Vow" is a cute movie based on a true story.
The charming Rachel McAdams performs a character that had completely changed her personality from a silly Valley girl dominated by her wealthy parents to a cool artist, but after the accident she returns to her previous behavior; however the role of Leo deserved a better actor.
The Vow actually comes across having a feel more like The Notebook.It's the story of the romance between Leo (Channing Tatum) and Paige (Rachel McAdams), and who are victims of a car accident.
There were plenty of cute moments that make you say, "ahhhhhh." There strange nostalgic moments that makes you realize exactly how much time Rachel McAdams forgot (wait for the moment when she turns to Channing Tatum and asks him who the President of the United States is).This movie delivered for the audience at large.
Vow, based on a true story, was decent rom-com which had some fine moments to sustain you through the entire film coupled by good performances and good storyline.Leo is happily married to Paige and they are having the great time together until they meet with fatal accident and life turns topsy when Paige goes into Coma and loses her memory, including her husband.
Leo must must convince her and remind her of all the beautiful moments they spent together in order to bring his wife back.Directed by Michael Sucsy , The Vow is the perfect date movie in the recent times.
For a story that seems tailor-made to be a tug at your heartstrings, tearjerker kind of movie (and it's inspired by an actual story of a woman who loses her memory of her husband after a car crash and falls in love with him all over again, so how could this miss?) it is surprisingly weak in the emotion department.
The problems begin with the lack of any discernible chemistry between Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum (who play Paige and Leo - the fictional couple who go through that nightmare scenario) and it continues with weak acting and a bunch of important characters who are just totally unlikable.
But it made me wonder why this movie had to be populated with such imbecilic characters.Sam Neill as Paige's father and Jessica Lange as her mother are nothing short of manipulative as they try to turn their daughter's horrible accident and memory loss to their own advantage, actively trying to cut Leo out of their daughter's life, and Jeremy (Scott Speedman) is no less manipulative.
Directed in ample fashion by Michael Sucsy (Grey Gardens) , but written by a trio of "B" rate romantic comedy writers, including Abby Kohn (Valentine's Day), Marc Silverstein (He's Just Not That Into You) and Jason Katims, "The Vow" works not on the theory that "love conquers all", but on the lesser addressed notion of: good guys always finish last, but if they stay loyal (like dogs) they will eventually get the girl they want.
Based on a (no doubt heavily modified) true story, "The Vow" suffers from the typical Hollywood romance flaws: everyone is way too good looking to be believable, the protagonists are flawless and perfect human beings, and the ending can be seen coming from miles away.The interesting premise still makes for an above-average movie though, the main actors serve well as eye-candy, and the movie does not possess any unnecessary lengths.Above average, but if you want to see a really good movie about memories, forgetting, and love, try "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" instead..
There will be frustration as normalcy is slowly eased into a life we never knew, loved ones will be exasperated when we spurn their care and concern because they're strangers to us now, and enemies may find it timely to exact revenge, or take the easy path to reconciliation since we cannot remember what had transpired.This forms the premise for The Vow, which starts off just as the trailer presented, with married couple Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) getting involved in a car accident, and Paige suffering the brunt of the impact because she had her seat belt unbuckled (traffic safety warning so subtly sneaked in).
In a comatose state, Paige cannot remember who Leo is after she wakes up, and thus begins the road forward in trying to jolt her back to remembering what would be the best years of their lives in Chicago.A good part of the film transpires in flashbacks to set the movie firmly in the romance genre, showing how the couple met, their courtship, their marriage and lifestyle, with him still involved in a sunset industry with the setting up of a recording studio, and she pursuing the dream of being an artist much to her parent's disdain in wanting her to become a lawyer.
Played by Sam Neill and Jessica Lange, Paige parent's see the chance to reclaim their estranged daughter back into the household which Leo fights tooth and nail against, and Lep's story dwells a lot on this contention on which party should be able to provide the best care - the one with money, or the one with love.Complication and challenges come from an ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman) who sees it apt to try and woo back his one time love without much effort since in Paige's mind she's still engaged to him, and not married to Leo, and with Paige's automatic drift toward her graduate school days and her friends then, leaving Leo pretty much in the lurch when he decides to tag along just to make sure she's safe.With the leads having cut their teeth in Nicholas Sparks film adaptations to date with The Notebook and Dear John, both Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum I might add, have what it takes to play lovebird in a romantic film outside of the Sparks series.
This causes trouble and pain for Leo, which Tatum to my surprise tackles it quite well, having come from being a dancer to an action star and perhaps now a bona fide romantic lead.Together they share incredible chemistry that makes you root for their coming back together again somehow, especially with Leo's lofty ideals that wooing his wife all over again will be a walk in the park and a piece of cake since she had done it before and will perhaps do it again, but I guess the harsh reality is that it's never that simple to expand effort and not expect something in return, which in this case expectations built by one does prove to be a bummer when the returns aren't exactly what was planned for, especially with the increasing amounts of cold shoulders, being ignored and witnessing someone carry on their lives as if you don't exist.What I thought was interesting in the narrative is how it played out almost like a time travel movie, where we're presented the current timeline, that got interrupted and we go back to a past where the couple hasn't met yet, and then from that point tangent off into an entirely new timeline in itself.
Moments become a big deal in the film as the monologue narration makes a huge point about the impact that moments can have, and in some ways it's true to life if you reflect upon what makes you, and how you remember events in specific, memorable snapshots.Released during the Valentine's Day week in the USA and only finding its way to our shores now, The Vow will still pack an emotional punch for couples out there who will likely flock to this like bees to honey, and Kleenex may be the order of the day as well.
Well I was expecting a chick flick, but this is not your ordinary one at that, yes there are a lot of moments where this is very sweet, romantic and with the main lead without his shirt on, but it also has warmth, depth, a different plot and just a new thing about it that other chick flicks doesn't.Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum is a good movie couple, and even though the film is more about them not knowing or fitting together, they do and that makes this film good and of course sweet, romantic and chick flick material :)I actually was very entertained and even though this is not your typical sweet story, couple falls in love and live happily ever after, based on a real story kind of flick.
Perhaps it would had been a better move to build up more slowly toward its changing point, which now occurs far too early on in the movie already and more time should had been spend on showing the Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams character being truly in love and happy with each other.
It seemed freakishly similar to "The notebook", and with one of the main actors unchanged as well.Rachael is a very capable actress, but she somehow flunks when it comes to making her acting appear natural, and unfortunately, there was an element of "forcing it" when it came to the believability of her role.I am starting to warm up to Channing quite a bit, and hopefully he'll flourish more as an actor in the near future, as he still requires some work in order to be recognized as a well-established performer.To sum up, this is a RomCom film with a lovable story and a concealed message about never giving up that may not be so concealed after all.6.5/10.
The movie wouldn't have had to include any explicit "faith" references to be truer to the real life story, but it would certainly have to have portrayed the protagonists as real humans.Instead, "Paige" and "Leo" believe in nothing but their nauseating hipster subculture, what has rightly been called the dead end of Western civilization.
This one is said to be based on a true story about a married couple involved in a car accident where the wife was injured so badly she received brain trauma which erased all memories of her husband and their entire relationship together.
It stars Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum as the couple and was directed by Michael Sucsy, who's only previous directing experience is that of the HBO TV movie 'GREY GARDENS' (which also co-starred Jessica Lange, in this film she plays McAdams' mother).
Like I said the movie is really bad and I like romances (but they have to have some emotion and actual heart).McAdams plays Paige and Tatum plays Leo, a recently married couple who get in a car accident leaving a movie late one snowy night.
Leo does everything he can to try and win Paige back but she wants most to return to her old ways.The movie is a little hard to swallow: it's a little hard to believe that Paige's lifestyle and personality had changed so much in such a short time before the accident that when she loses her memory she's now an entirely different person!
Director Michael Sucsy (Grey Gardens) manages to keep this overly long film centered and allows each of the characters to become developed as people rather than clones.Leo Channing Tatum in his most sensitive role to date) and Paige (Rachel McAdams) are a couple who just got married.
The movie kind of falls apart near the end, but The Vow is a harmless chick flick and the story it's based on is quite interesting..
Rachel McAdams is a class act, able to mix Comedy and Drama effortlessly, so this film is good because it allows her to be able to show off both sides.This isn't the best film she's ever made, it falls into too many cliché's but it is an engaging story with a lot of heart behind it.Her chemistry with Channing Tatum is a pleasant surprise and he himself shows that he is able to show much more emotion than I had seen previous.There are lots of 'friend' characters who don't add much but when McAdams and Tatum are in scenes together this becomes better than the run of the mill rom-com..
Despite my inability to relate to Channing Tatum as a dramatic actor, and probably because I like Rachel McAdams as an actor and the movie did NOT actively attach people of faith as many Hollywood films, I still enjoyed the last 1/3 of the movie.
Romantic drama type that I watched was little different from other films.It was little stable but the end of film was amazing.Although the film didn't resent from a real life,it made more impressive.When we talk about film.Leo and Paige is newly married couple.They have a happy marriage.Paige take the knock in a traffic accident and can't woke up for a while.When she woke up,she didn't remember Leo.Paige forgot not to talk with her family and to come to study art education by escaping from her family.And then her family visits their son after the accident.She was very happy when she saw her family.Paige is happy,but Leo is very sad and he wants a chance to remind himself and to bring back her memory.He takes this chance.Leo makes a lot of things.However,Paige doesn't remember him.After a while,Leo is tired of this situation and he tells no longer that can't do.Then Paige and Leo break up.Paige remember why the family is abandoned.She doesn't still remember Leo.After Paige lost her memory,she thought the days that she spend time together.At the last,she wanted to be with Leo.One evening,she goes to Leo and they start from the beginning.In short,the film was a love story..
Whilst there where some flaws with the whole movie I thought it was made well enough to keep me entertained for the duration of the movie.Rachel McAdams is adorable in the movie, Channing Tatum however was not as good he barely just gets by, by taking his shirt off at every possible chance and his 'acting' was well satisfactory.Its amazing to find out at the end that the movie is actually based on a real couple, but the ending still leaves a lot to be admired.
And a film like this shows you it's important to love it's a touching emotional drama that brings heartfelt feelings.Set in the windy city of Chicago a young couple Paige(Rachel McAdams) and Leo(Channing Tatum)have just taken a vow to get married only unexpected a tragic car accident happens shattering everything, and that puts Paige in a coma.
Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams star in "The Vow", the newest 'romantic tragedy' about a married couple, Leo and Paige, who get in a disastrous car accident.
you might think there would be moments of heart felt drama it never builds up, leave you dry eyed, and wondering why I ever spend 2 hours watching such crap, a love story maybe, but I would think they might have added some emotion when they might reunite, but at the end I was left feeling like I'm so done with he quality of movies they are producing!
Paige (Rachel McAdams) loses the past five years of her memories; the past five years where he met and married her husband Leo (Channing Tatum).
"The Vow" is based on the true story of a couple where the wife lost her memory following a debilitating car accident.
Before I write a review, let me admit that Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams are two of my favorite actors which might have a positive influence on my opinion.I loved this movie!
The Vow (Sucsy 2012) is an exceptionally respectable love tale because of the renowned leading actress Rachel McAdams, the charming male lead Channing Tatum, and the physical appearances of the supporting actor Scott Speedman, but because of the chosen set design the romance is not as powerful as it could have been.
I love Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum is alright, but this movie was NOT alright.
It has Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams as a young married couple who end up in a car accident with Ms. McAdams losing her memory on recovery.
"The Vow" is a romantic movie based on true events that deal with the loss of those memories when they become the epicenter of your own life.
They are both good in their own way and although the story loses a bit of pace along the way, "The Vow" stands as a nice movie, not too shabby.The tragic side of it is not as touching as I expected, but it still manages to get you involved, especially in those moments where love speaks for itself and you start wishing that, in spite of the whole sadness of it, you could experience that same strong feeling of dependency and yet true companionship..
Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) are a madly in love married couple that suffer a horrible car crash.
"I gotta make my wife fall in love with me again." Leo (Channing Tatum)The Vow is another romance with Nicholas-Sparks-like tragedy and tears the central characters.
A very much in love married couple named Leo and Paige(Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams) are driving home after a date, but soon get into a car accident.
Inspired by the true story of real-life couple Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, 'The Vow' is a cute film, about love & belief.
And even the performances, are good!'The Vow' Synopsis: A car accident puts Paige in a coma, and when she wakes up with severe memory loss, her husband Leo works to win her heart again.'The Vow' is all about love & in believing that true-love will always triumph over obstacles.
Art & Costume Design are well-done.Performance-Wise: Rachel McAdams as Paige & Channing Tatum as Leo lead 'The Vow'.
In this romantic drama Channing Tatum plays Leo, and Rachel McAdams plays his wife Paige.
I think that Rachel McAdams has done a great job in this movie with her emotion, just like in the Notebook. |
tt0054198 | Pote tin Kyriaki | In Piraeus, the port city of Athens, Greece, a free-spirited woman named Ilya (Melina Mercouri) is the most popular with all the men because she is a prostitute who isn't only interested in the highest-paying client.She never sets a price, and she must like the man before she will go with him. A young philosophical intellectual Homer Thrace (Jules Dassin) arrives from America in search of the truth behind the fall of the greatness of ancient Greece when Plato and Aristotle lived. He is introduced to Ilya by his friend the Captain (Mitsos Ligizos) in the local taverna as she meets and dances with her male friends/clients. Homer is immediately smitten by Ilya and her spirit and - when he sees her leave with an English sailor after negotiating a price for the evening - equally horrified by her lifestyle. There is also a subplot regarding the other prostitutes, who admire Ilya for her freedom; however a local pimp named No Face (Alexis Salomos) keeps the women in high-priced apartments and isolated so they don't "get ideas".Homer can't accept Ilya's earthy feel-good philosophy, particularly when he finds that she has made up her own happy endings for the classical Greek tragedies, and refuses to accept the real plots even when she sees them performed at the annual festival. "A whore can't be happy, a whorish world can't be happy!" Homer exclaims. He believes that if he can show Ilya the cultural side of living for two weeks she will leave prostitution for a better life. Since Ilya cannot go for two weeks without a steady income, Homer pays her handsomely in return for her agreement to study the great art and philosophy of the world.She agrees partly because she is beginning to fall for one of her clients, a handsome half-Italian named Tonio (Giorgos Foundas) who is sincerely in love with her. Little does she know that No Face offers Homer a large amount of money to complete his task. The two weeks is a long affair in which Ilya endures her agreement to study instead of her regular activity, especially missing her Sundays when she has traditionally kept Open House for all her friends. Then her friend Despo (Despo Diamantidou), a prostitute who lives in one of No Face's apartments, discovers the source of Homer's educational fund and tells Ilya, and the experiment is over. Ilya furiously turns on Homer, then leads the other girls in a united revolt just as the Navy fleet comes into port; they blockade themselves inside the apartment block and throw mattresses and bedding down onto the heads of the frustrated sailors. They're jailed, and No Face's attorney arrives to bargain with them. The women hold the cards, and a satisfactory agreement is reached.Ilya returns to the taverna, where Homer has created a crisis by telling Taki, the virtuoso bouzouki player, that he's not a true musician because he can't read music. Taki has locked himself in the bathroom, but on the suggestion of one of the others, Ilya asks him through the door if the birds can read music. If they can't, should they stop singing? Taki comes out, happy to play again, and everyone joins in joyful dancing. Homer, a little drunk, admits to Ilya in front of all the others that he's wanted her since the first time he saw her. "Oh, Homer, why didn't you say?" she wonders. But Tonio intervenes. Sweeping her up in his arms, he cries, "It's too late!" and carries her out into the night. The Captain tells Homer that with love, anything is possible. Soon Homer, sadder but much wiser, is leaving for home. His ship pulls away from the pier, and he watches as Ilya and her friends dive into the water and wave a farewell, just as they'd greeted him at the beginning of the film. | romantic | train | imdb | Coming from the 50's generation, I remember seeing this movie when I was a teenager and being absolutely fascinated by the Greek setting, music and dancing.
"Never on Sunday" is why.Aided immeasurably by Manos Hadjidakis' unforgettable score (you're probably already humming the theme) and Jules Dassin's story, Mercouri's incredible presence stole the show -- and hearts worldwide.Dassin is perfect in what would be the "nebbish" role, were he Jewish.
The Greeks have, perhaps, 27 words for "nebbish" as they do for "love." Dassin brilliantly inhabits one of them.Rarely has the energy and life force of a particular time and place been so economically and delightfully captured on film.There's a reason "Never on Sunday" is a legend and part of every serious film lover's collection.
Never on Sunday, a story of the attempts of an American to reform a Greek prostitute and the adventures they both share in the process.
The sensitive and skillful direction of Jules Dassin ranks as one of the best efforts I can remember in a film because of the humor and pathos he managed to combine and capture as well as the great love of life of the Greek people.
Melina Mercouri takes an often-played role - the 'Whore with a Heart of Gold who Loves Life Despite It All' - and makes it her career-defining movie role, and she is the entire reason to watch the movie.
Jules Dassin has directed a great movie but he should have hired an actor to play Homer, and not played it himself.
Melina Mercouri, "The Last Greek Goddess", stars in the comedy "Never on Sunday"(1960) directed/written by Jules Dassin.
Mercouri was 40 years old when she played Illia but she did not hide a single day of her age and she was gorgeous, full of the inner fire and absolutely irresistible.
When the new Pygmalion, the intellectual American named Homer (of course) sails into the town and meets Illia, he decides that his search for meaning of life would end in Pyres if he would reform Illia and make her change her way of life.
Homer played by director/writer Jules Dassin is the weakest part of this mostly charming comedy.
I agree with one of the IMDb commenters who said that "Jules Dassin has directed a great movie but he should have hired an actor to play Homer, and not played it himself...
A better actor might have found a way around the rough spots but Dassin magnifies them." I guess that in real life Dassin was much more charming that in the film because he and Mercouri were married in 1966 and stayed married until her death in 1994.7.5/10.
If I remember correctly, she has a way of rewriting Greek tragedies in her head so that, at the end, "everyone goes to the seashore." I imagine that the film isn't as vivid as it was in its day because while the scenery was beautiful the photography was not special.
You might not like Jules Dassin as Mercuri's foil -- he acted in as well as wrote and directed the film -- but see it for Mercuri.
Melina Mercouri was perhaps Greek's best known actress.
While American born and bred, Jules Dassin's character, Homer, tries to capture his vacation in Greece.
It is no wonder that in real life, Jules Dassin and Melina Mercouri fell in love..
To a committed hellenophile, this film represents all things that are great about Greece - the food, the music, the people.First, there is the incomparable music of Manos Hatzidakis, who won an Oscar for the title song.Then, there is Melina Mercouri, the star of the film, who won at Cannes for her role, as well as getting an Oscar and BAFTA nomination.
The Minister of Culture after the fall of the dictatorship in Greece, she was magnificent.She later married the writer/director of the film, Jules Dassin, who received two Oscar nominations for this film, as well as a BAFTA nomination.
Dassin is also well know for the film Rififi.Watching film is a trip back to the old Greece when the spirit was high and people lived life to the fullest.
"Never on Sunday", that charming Jules Dassin film, was shown unexpectedly on cable recently.
The director himself decided to play the pivotal role of Homer Thrace, a Brooklyn scholar familiar with Greek culture, but naive in matters of the heart and sex.Ilya, a happy-go-lucky prostitute, is loved by the men working in the port.
In a way, the relationship that develops between Homer and Ilya, is a modified version of Pygmalion and Galatea, something that Homer was happy to undertake, even though he knew better not to try.Melina Mercouri dominates the film.
Ms. Mercouri's effortless performance wins the viewer right away because one realizes she is, like Fellini's Cabiria, a genuine soul that gives love without expecting anything in return.Jules Dassin has been criticized by some contributors to IMDb by his take on Homer, but actually, he also gives an appealing account of his scholar.
Ultimately, the film was another triumph for Jules Dassin, an American original whose body of work speak for itself..
It is more important to be happy than to understand everything.PROS AND CONS Every recent prostitute film from 'Irma la Duce' to 'Pretty Woman' owes a lot to this work.
It was one of the first films that shed light on the idea that prostitution was a respectable and acceptable way to make a living.If nothing else this film is a homage by Jules Dassin to his wife, Melina Mercouri.
It appears care free, relaxed and almost infectious with its love of the simple life.The plot of the film is not overly complex and deals with an outsider, Homer (Dassin) arriving in town to study Greek culture.
Hence the title to the film.Homer is smitten by Ilya and decides that he must 'save' her from what he perceives as a wretched life that is going no where and decides to educate her so that she can see the error of her ways.
The education of Ilya does have a silver lining, which if anything, leaves the town more corrupted than when Homer found it.The underlying theme of the film is that one should strive to be happy in what you do and more importantly, who you know.
From the second the film begins to the moment it ends, Jule's Dassin's bouyant movie brims with life, love, laughter, great music, great food, wonderfulcharacters and a delightful modern fable.
In these precarious times it is great to search out a film like this which is life-affirming, beautiful and profound.
Melina Mercouri's Ilia is one of the great screen creations of all time--and every man will fall in love with her when they watch this film.
When I first saw the film in 1950, I thought he was terrible, but seeing the film again I realize that the character must be this way to show the difference between him, and the people of Greece.The fat whores in the very tight dresses were just wonderful.
It's set in Greece, and has a painfully dated and almost naive tourist view of Greek "culture" on the docks of a fishing village.Director Jules Dassin, born in Middletown, Connecticut just as Homer, the leading rather clueless character of this movie, loved Greece.
He's an uneven director, and a not so compelling actor, but apparently no one had the heart to tell him this.There is some sharp acting here, not what you would call naturalistic, but colorful, especially from the leading woman, Melina Mercouri.
And all the location shooting is fun, for sure.So you can get yourself in the mood for this kind of European old school film, but for 1960 it's weirdly out of date, and it lacks the punch of other true Euro productions of the time (and I'm not just talking French New Wave, but all kinds of great post-war movies).
Never on Sunday:Director Jules Dassin and actress Melina Mercouri show that what is good for X is bad for Y..
Greek film "Never on Sunday" is a perfect film for all those viewers who appreciate good cinema and have already seen films directed by Jules Dassin namely Rififi, Topkapi and Celui Qui Doit Mourir.
The film's star cast includes director Jules Dassin who is paired against his wife Melina Mercouri, one of Greek cinema's best known actresses who was also active as the minister of culture in her native Greece.
Middle-aged American scholar Jules Dassin (as Homer) goes from Connecticut to a Greek sea port, where he discovers vivacious thirty-something prostitute Melina Mercouri (as Ilya).
As he soaks up local culture, Mr. Dassin decides to play "Pygmalion" with Ms. Mercouri.
Speaking about morality and happiness, Dassin wants Mercouri to cleave only unto him; but, that means she must give up her regular seamen, including handsome Giorgos Foundas (as Tonio) and the occasional lonely young sailor.
In the end, Mercouri and the music are the film's main assets.
MGM made sturdy record albums; it still plays.****** Never on Sunday (5/25/60) Jules Dassin ~ Melina Mercouri, Jules Dassin, Giorgos Foundas, Titos Vandis.
He meets a happy, independent prostitute in Piraeus and believes that she embodies the reasons that Greece is no longer great, and using a pimp's money, tries to reform her.Full of cliches, but pleasant none the less, mainly for the Greek music and for the look and atmosphere of the time..
Jules Dassin has directed a delightful film starring Melina Mercouri as the happy whore with the heart of gold.
As wonderful as Mercouri is, and she is wonderful, Dassin is a disaster, whose performance almost destroys his film.
How lucky we are that Ms Mercouri, who won best actress at the Cannes film festival for her role here, was at the top of her form.
Hollywood blacklist Jules Dassin's Greek comedy, starring his future wife and muse Mercouri, which was a sensational success, acquired 5 Oscar nominations (including BEST DIRECTOR and LEADING ACTRESS, with one win for BEST SONG, the titular NEVER ON Sunday, a record- breaking first-time for a foreign movie).
The story is a variation of the Pygmalion, a delectable tug- of-war between a golden-heart Greek prostitute's free spirit and an amateur American philosopher's attempt to save her from the oldest profession.Ilya (Mercouri), a sought-after prostitute lives in the port of Piraeus, who exerts her own volition instead of the highest bid when comes to choose her customer, she meets Homer (Dassin), an American tourist, the scholar type, who clashes with denizens in a bar brawl on grounds of baffling cultural disparity, and reeks of the superior Western morality to persuade Ilya from doing what she does best, Homer is seeking for the truth in the cradle of culture, and immediately correlates Ilya with the fall of the Ancient Greece, it is beyond his understanding why such a marvel of beauty could be so content with her debased occupation.
Through their entanglement, especially their vastly contradictory interpretations about Greek tragedy, they agree to try out a tentative plan, Ilya stops receiving her patrons and Homer educates her with literature and philosophy, but a less convincing plot-device eventually would set her back to her larger-than-life spirit, Homer's experiment fails miserably, just one time, a prostitute doesn't need salvation, her Greek blood renders her unbridled exuberance and spontaneity, that's something no education can alter, like her passionate romance with local worker Tonio (Foundas)This Black-and-White picture is a winsome culture-clashing curio, Mercouri unleashes her divine charisma which infatuates not just Homer and her regular clientèle, also us, wide-eyed viewers as well, her personification as the object of passion, a magnificent force-of-nature defies all the earthly categorization, eventually becomes an invitation card for people to visit her enchanting motherland; to that effect, Dassin sacrifices her character for bookish caricature, utters "Ilya, you are a Greek, you must be logical, since it is established by Aristotle" and a devoted second fiddler for Mercouri to hog the limelight entirely.
It is most unfortunate that a talented director Jules Dassin, Hollywood black list runaway, director of a very influential heist flick, Rififi , should cast himself as the goofy American that wants to educate his real life wife, Melina Mercouri.
There's a lot of haughty drinking of the ouzo and the Zorba dancing, but really, the premise of Ancient Greece corrupted in the symbol of this smiling whore; indeed, Greece to be restored to greatness is so fuzzy, Dassin and Mercouri must have cooked it up in the Mediteranean sun.
Jules Dassin wrote, directed, and co-stars in this Greek-infused play on "Pygmalion", wherein an American scholar vacationing in Greece becomes obsessed with reforming the most popular prostitute in the village: a fiery local who picks and chooses her men--and celebrates alongside all her paramours with an 'open house' on Sunday.
Melina Mercouri gives a star-making performance as the passionate Ilya, though Dassin, who also co-produced the film uncredited, may have taken on more than he could handle.
We understand that educating Mercouri's Ilya, in effect, replaces her sexual desires with a quest for knowledge, but one isn't sure how the professor personally hopes to benefit romantically from this denouement--nor how his plan relates to the greedy landlord who keeps raising the rent on all the prostitutes in town.
The music and the film's celebration of life (and sex without need for attachments, which Dassin tells us can be cured by true love) put the movie over at the US box-office, but only Mercouri's delicious performance remains memorable today.
Flipped over this exuberant film when it first came out, but got bored sooner in the plot line mainly because of Jules Dassin's feckless role as Homer the Mentor to his big everything prostitute Ilya.
An American scholar (Jules Dassin) in Greece meets earthy, happy prostitute Ilya (Melina Mercouri).
Everybody is happy, sex is seen as a great thing, everybody gets drunk and there's no problem with it and all the Greek men know how to dance and sing.
Mercouri also sings the title song in Greek.The bad things--there's some badly overdubbed dialogue in the beginning (watch the fighting scene), Dassins' character is extremely annoying and unlikable and this was so predictable I started to get bored.
Dassin's Homer, a gently goofy parody of a naive American provincial let loose in the big bad Old World, is the only one who's negative about Ilya's profession.
As she says, "Oh, Homer, I think you have big problems with your morals." NOS is a romantic vision of personal freedom working for the best: Ilya can conduct her business independently because her clients are also friends who will protect her from the local gangster - and her clients are friends because that's the way she conducts her business, on a basis of personal liking and trust rather than the bottom line.
Of course it's a fable; it takes place in a circumscribed neighborhood world where that kind of personal relationship can rule, and the only downside for Ilya seems to be her uncertainty whether she is "someone who it is good to love" now that she's feeling more deeply for her lover Tonio - which is why she lets Homer try his experiment.
Not classically beautiful but possessing a smile and a personality that could light up Chicago, Mercouri plays Ilya, a prostitute in a small Greek village of Piraeus who brings life and music to those around her.
Surrounded by a small troop of male groupies, she is a fountain of joy and life.Into the picture comes Homer Thrace (Dassin), an American who is smart but does not possess a great deal of common sense.
Watching her turn a local tavern into a place of life and music, he explains that he has become disillusioned by the sadness in the world and has returned to Greece, the cradle of civilization, in an attempt to discover what went wrong.
Through this woman, brimming with happiness, he hopes to find out.Homer loves Ilya's spirit but he's troubled by her profession which he finds demeaning.
but not for long.Mercouri gives a performance of a character we don't see much in American films, the kind of person with a lust for life, the kind of person who absolutely lives to get out of bed in the morning.
Except that this is not about Judy Holliday but about Melina Mercouri, a Greek whore who likes her life style and believes that every story ends happily.
The film is drenched in the Greek pop tunes of Manos Hatzidakis, so much so that it's almost a musical.
Give it some effort and -- well, it's pretty deep.Junes Dassin, the director and male lead, is Homer Thrace, the idealistic Grecophile who comes to Piraeus to discover what made the Ancient Greeks so hot, in hopes that, having found the answer, the whole unhappy world of 1960 can be transformed.
He overacts, but then so does Melina Mercouri and just about everyone else, so it hardly detracts from an appreciation of the film.
Mercouri is not stunningly beautiful, and she's burdened with a somewhat abrasive voice, but she has a splendid, long-limbed figure and her character is full of charm.Dassin the screenwriter has injected some thought-provoking exchanges into the dialog but they're pretty lightweight and get lost somewhere along the way in this story of a whore who has found that the greatest happiness comes from acceptance and love, not from Bach's cello solos.
A very charming film about a whore and the men who love her.
Just once, I want to see a film where instead of Melina Mercouri or Julia Roberts playing a nice "professional girl", I'd like to see one where the lady has oral herpes sores or at least a bad yeast infection.Well, the plot revolves around a naive American (played by Jules Dassin) who wants to reform Mercouri and make her a "nice girl".
Mercouri was a wonderful actress in the film, but the overall effect, while rather charming, is also pretty disturbing since it's a prostitution film. |
tt1245492 | This Is the End | Jay Baruchel arrives in Los Angeles to visit with old friend and fellow actor Seth Rogen, who invites him to attend a housewarming party hosted by James Franco. Baruchel is uncomfortable at the crowded party, so Rogen accompanies him to a convenience store for cigarettes. There, beams of blue light come down and suck numerous people into the sky. Rogen and Baruchel flee back to Franco's house, where an earthquake strikes and the partygoers rush outside. A large hole opens in Franco's yard, swallowing Michael Cera (impaled by a lamppost), Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Jason Segel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Martin Starr. Rogen, Franco, Jonah Hill and Craig Robinson survive and run back inside the house. Franco's assistant Karen gets accidentally crushed by Paul Rudd. Aziz Ansari gets his arm cut off and falls into the sinkhole. Kevin Hart tries to get Ansari's arm off, but he also falls into the sinkhole. Baruchel tries to help David Krumholtz escape the sinkhole, but he also falls into the sinkhole. Baruchel escapes the sinkhole and also runs back to the house. They take inventory of their supplies, set up a ration system, and await help.
The next morning, Danny McBride, also in the house and unaware of the crisis, wastes much of their food and water. The others tell him of the previous night's events, which he initially does not believe until a man outside is decapitated as they watch. Tensions rise due to various conflicts, including Baruchel and Rogen's growing estrangement, and the others' scepticism of Baruchel's belief that the disaster might be the Apocalypse predicted in the Book of Revelation. Later, Emma Watson, another survivor of the party, returns. However, due to a misunderstanding, she believes the group is planning to rape her and leaves, taking the group's remaining drinks with her. Robinson is chosen to travel outside to the basement for water, but finds the door is locked and returns after an encounter with an unknown being.
The experience causes Robinson to believe Baruchel's theory that the Apocalypse has arrived. The guys reach the basement by digging through the floor, and find the water, but McBride ends up wasting most of it out of spite, prompting him to be kicked out of the house. Before he leaves, McBride reveals that Baruchel was in town two months prior but stayed at a hotel, instead of at Rogen's house, because of their strained friendship. Hill makes a remark that annoys Baruchel, causing him to punch Hill. Later that night, Hill prays for Baruchel to die, but is possessed by a demon shortly after. The next day, Baruchel and Robinson go to a neighboring home for supplies, and escape a demonic bull. Meanwhile, Rogen and Franco are attacked by the possessed Hill. The group subdues Hill, but during an exorcism attempt, Baruchel and Rogen get into a fight and knock a candle over. A fire starts, engulfing Hill and the house in flames and forcing the others outside.
Franco suggests taking his car to his home in Malibu, but finds the car guarded by a demon. Robinson volunteers to sacrifice himself. The plan succeeds and Robinson is raptured, leading the others to realize they can be saved if they do a selfless act. They are then captured by cannibals led by McBride. Franco volunteers to sacrifice himself to save the others, but taunts McBride as he ascends to Heaven, causing his beam to vanish. Franco is then eaten alive by McBride and his cannibals. Rogen and Baruchel escape, but they encounter a gigantic satanic being. Baruchel apologises to Seth for his actions as the being attempts to eat them. A beam strikes Baruchel, and he begins to ascend while Rogen does not. Baruchel grabs Rogen's hand, but Rogen's presence prevents him from ascending into Heaven. As a result, Rogen lets him go; he is promptly saved by another beam, which also kills the being.
In heaven Rogen and Baruchel meet Robinson, who tells them that Heaven is a place where any desire comes true. Baruchel wishes for the Backstreet Boys and the band performs "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" as everyone dances. | comedy, boring, stupid, paranormal, bleak, violence, humor, satire | train | wikipedia | The movie made me laugh extremely hard and had all my favorite people in one film.
The acting in the movie was not that spectacular, but the actors involved were all born for this kind of movie.For anyone who can truly appreciate a hilarious movie which is made specifically to humor and entertain people, and has no other hidden agenda whatsoever, this is definitely a must watch..
I was expecting a raunchy but light hearted comedy that took light of a bad situation but instead the apocalypse in this movie is taken very seriously.
But I've had over a week to think on it and I have decided that Overall I really enjoyed watching This is the End.I love the cast I think everyone in this movie is talented and really funny.
The funniest part of the movie for me and my friends I think was a several minute long back and forth between Danny Mcbride and James Franco but I would watch the movie again for that scene alone So overall This is the End is a really fun over the top movie.
Not sure how it can have a score of only 6.4 at the moment, the film is easily the best comedy of the year so far and deserving of an 8 or my case a nine as i was so pleasantly surprised by the quality of the jokes and the story.The cast is perfect and the cameos aren't there to fill out the movie and take up time, they are excellent especially Emma Watson and Michael Cera.
I was fortunate enough to watch a screening today in Miami and let me just point out, this movie is exactly what you would expect from Seth Rogen in terms of comedy.
Having such funny actors like James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson playing themselves all in one movie just makes it that more entertaining.
If you liked the comedy in Superbad and Pineapple Express, you will love This Is the End. I recommend this movie to everyone who has a sense of humor.
I don't often laugh at movies, but if you're looking for a relaxed, light comedy, I would recommend this film..
The ending is just simply madness but that is exactly what I expect from a comedy like this: to be surprised.Rogen, Franco and the rest of the pack are amazing as always.
A lot of these negative reviews I've read either have some kind of religious agenda against this movie or were people trying to measure how big their cinema knowledge penis is by citing great foreign films and comparing how much it falls short.
In a movie filled with celebrity cameos and over the top CGI and humor, it felt to me like it was still a down to Earth movie they probably spent 30 minutes writing and had a blast filming and getting friends together and showed Hollywood excess from the point of view of the outsiders.
Yet again Seth Rogen and pals star in a "comedy", that would only make the simplest of teenage boys laugh.The story itself is fairly interesting and I hold nothing against gore, but the dialog and the attempted humor are on a level that a monkey could achieve, and to be honest, this style of comedy hasn't been fun for over a decade (Beavis and Butthead was good at the time, not now).
Seth Rogen and his usual entourage of stoner near-celebrities return to the screen, this time propped against the backdrop of a biblical end-of-world scenario.
There's a certain taste of playful irony in the fact that so many of these actors, Rogen, Jonah Hill and Danny McBride especially, who share the common criticism of merely playing themselves throughout their careers, are doing so literally this time around.
They're able to play that up to ridiculous extremes and big laughs in the long-form party scene that eats up most of the first act, riffing and rolling with the punches in their never-ending quest to make the cast and crew smile.
Really uproariously funny at a few points, but pointlessly thin and overblown at others.Additional thoughts after a recent re-watch:Like a lot of Rogen and company's films, I think this works far better if you fit one or two descriptions: happy-intoxicated or just in the mood for something completely mindless.
Of course, the opening party scene has the greatest bits - actors and celebrities poking fun at themselves and the vapid public image that typifies their slice of pop culture - but it also functions well when the crowd is significantly reduced and the plot shifts from a snappy ensemble comedy to a much smaller crew in the midst of a disaster.
This Is The End is a movie that really shouldn't have worked, yet had me doubled over laughing for the entire film.
To say more would risk spoiling some hilarious scenes, so I'll give you some brief non-spoiler comedic highlights: Jonah Hill's shtick as the nicest guy in the world, Jason Siegel lampooning his own role on How I Met Your Mother, Michael Cera as an unapologetic sex and cocaine addict, anything that Craig Robinson does, the fake trailer for Pineapple Express 2, and EVERYTHING involving Emma Watson.
Whilst Edgar Wright's The World's End is the superior film that is consistently funny and action packed flick, This is the End does offer many laugh out loud moments, using more crass and crude humour, having jokes ranging from masturbation, stoner jokes and violent slapstick.
The main stars have excellent chemistry together and had a strong dramatic with Seth Rogan balancing his old friendship with Jay Baruchel who hates LA and his newer friends in the city.If all else fails at least Kevin Hart dies a nasty death.If you enjoy this film then Zombieland and Dogma are worth checking out.7.5/10.
Poor story of particularly bad taste, with ample of tackiness similar to a B horror movie, to the point I found myself wishing they could all just evaporate so that I could leave and head home.In all fairness they were some amusing scenes and decent one liners but could do nothing to salvage this rubbish of a movie.One thing I will not get over, is how such a cinematic junk got the most known younger Hollywood to take part is a question for the ages.
These are supposed to be the 'new breed' of American comedy actors but if this is the best they have to offer, I'll look elsewhere for my laughs.The only time I did find myself laughing was literally because it was so bad it was funny.
I'm sure some of the "smart" fans will be quick to tell me that was the point of the film but I fail to accept that as excuse for making such a terrible movie.
Its in fact as if they did smoke a lot and wrote a silly movie and thought the day after, "hell I bet we can make this and people would watch it just because we are in it".
Not only in the tone of the film but literally in the dialog as each "celebrity" attempts to justify their aww shucks, I'm just good folks down to Earth movie star.
Just watch with a sense of humor..I know the BAD reviewers most likely applaud at the end of every foreign art film in black and white with a anxious grin with worried thought of not making it to the 5 o'clock wine tasting...The point is be your own judge..If you love any of Seth, James or Jonas ' s movie's this would be worth making an effort to see..
While this movie had several funny moments, it was overall a horrible waste of time.
Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel and Craig Robinson are so funny I actually clapped during the movie!
They came up with all this ridiculous stuff that was basically so stupid it was funny!If you like Pineapple Express, Knocked Up, Superbad, etc, you will absolutely love this movie!
Alas, it is the fate of so many comedies - the first half of the movie is great and funny, the second half is 'meh' as the director tries to figure out how to resolve the story lines.
That being said, at the end of the movie I felt like I had just watched a male porno with the same joke being repeated over and over again.
I understand people find drugs, alcohol, and sex funny nowadays, and that kind of humor is to be expected with these actors.
I can't believe I was so close to not even watching this, "This is the End" works in many ways, its an apocalyptic comedy, a date movie, a stoner movie, its Seth Rogen and the "Apatow Mafia" at their peak and most of all its the most fun you'll ever have at a movie theater this year.Set in Los Angeles, its about Jay Baruchel (She's Out of My League) hanging out with Seth Rogen, who invites him to a party at James Franco's house, when suddenly all hell breaks lose.Its better to go in it not knowing nothing about it, its definitely one of those movies.
Its about friendship and it has a lot of pop culture references, which I loved about it.I saw it here in Los Angeles, where I'm staying for the film festival, I actually bumped into Michael Cera on the way to the movie, he seemed like a very cool guy, when I asked him for a picture, instead he said "You know what, I'd like to get to know you instead" and he shook my hand, it was pretty cool.Overall its a very fun movie, wait to see Craig Robinson in it, I couldn't stop laughing at everything he did, but avoid seeing it with someone who's already seen it, you don't want them to spoil anything for you.
I laughed in every scene and consider it one of the best comedies I've seen in a long time.
This movie, on the other hand, finds its humor more in individual jokes: its one-liners, funny insults, and the self-deprecating humor of each of the hilarious cast, stemming from the wise decision to have each actor play themselves.
The only thing I didn't like is it was extremely obvious every time the movie was trying to get you to laugh.
However, comedy knows no boundaries!This movie pulls out all the stops, the comedic value of all the actors playing as themselves while making fun of each other couldn't be funnier and the clichés take it over the top, all that was missing was a cameo from Woody Harrelson eating some twinkies!.
But thankfully, all is not lost if you save your time and money for a similarly themed but far more boisterous comedy instead – THE WORLD'S END..
I have no idea how this movie got such a high rating on IMDb, this is the only reason I watched it, and I wish I didn't!
It's a terrible story, sure the special effects are good, and the acting is pretty good generally, but the story itself is terrible, and the humour isn't great either, it's mostly just a bunch of gay jokes mixed with every other word being the F-word.I don't mind either kinds of humour, swearing or gay oriented, but this is so over the top, it's unreal, it seems the only way these guys can make a joke is to say the f word 10 times in amongst a bad gay joke.The story is absurd, but could have been done so much better, the idea isn't bad, but the fact that IMDb users are rating this so highly must be solely because it's being reviewed by teenagers who love stupid humour without anything clever at all in it and simply want to see lots of swearing and innuendos in bad taste.OK this is probably worth maybe a 4 out of 10, but I can't give it that considering the number of obvious biased reviews by what must be teenagers who simply find swearing funny..
However, they are mere additions to the main course of 'Pineapple Express'-like buddy comedy featuring Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill and Craig Robinson.
Be it playing soccer with a severed head, fighting over a Milky Way or filming the sequel to 'Pineapple Express' (hands down my favorite part of the movie) - it all seems to be pure fun to these guys.
I do not know why people are treating Seth Rogen like he is incapable of mailing it in because This Is The End is lazy and feels like it was mailed in to fulfill an obligation to the movie studio.
It's all about mocking the superficiality of actors in today's Hollywood and, yes, it's tongue in cheek humor...but the movie was just stupid.I saw it based on the positive reviews received both here and at Rotten Tomatoes, but now want my money back.
If you're a fan of James Franco, Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Danny Mcbride I think you'll enjoy this film.
I went to see This Is The End thinking it will be silly and funny, judging by the trailer of the film.
The film was completely tasteless and uncreative, and it does not deserve 8/10 on IMDb. The people who LOVED it, just like the actors.
I thought I would always love comedies featuring Seth Rogen / Jonan Hill / James Franco for example Pineapple Express, Superbad, Knocked Up ----- I kept that belief until now.
Well, it only shows the stupidity of the "next generation" young actors who can't say NO to a idiotic project like this..But the worst thing is - NOTHING FUNNY AT ALL FOR HALF HOUR OR MORE.
No matter how much they try to "be honest" with the viewer through using the real movie actors names and satirizing the decadent lifestyle of Hollywood celebrities (which seems to be a lot easier than really creating new characters), the core and conclusion of the story is still a conservative Christian topic.
I'm going to start off by saying that if you didn't like this movie and didn't think it was funny, please don't read this review.
They could've just written up fake random characters and had all this happen, but no, having all the actors play exaggerated versions of themselves makes this ten times funnier, because this make the movie self-aware.
I guess the relatively high score of this film is because it gets reviewed by people who like this kind of humor.
yes, they're better than this supposedly comedy movie.Avoid this film if you want to remain mentally fit and spare your money.
Likely worthwhile to see anyways but not a second time.It was a weird movie in that some scenes were somewhat horror-like, the guy sitting next to me screamed at one point - while most of it was pure humor and juvenile comedy.
en-thrilling the whole way through, the film itself leaves you with a jaw ache, i couldn't help laugh throughout the whole thing, crude it may be but if you love films, you know your more then likely going to watch this film, even if its for the sake of saying you seen it.
The idea seemed like a good one.A group of current Hollywood A listers playing fictionalized versions of themselves in a fictionalized idea of how the world will end.The basic idea is funny.What is presented to us on film is not.What we have here is a vile,tasteless,vulgar,sacrilegious piece of garbage of a movie.The language in this atrocity alone made me sick to my stomach.That seldom happens to me.You blew it,guys.You took what was a hysterical idea that could have potentially been labeled a classic sometime in the future,and turned into something I wouldn't contaminate my garbage with.I went in wanting to like it,and came out wishing I hadn't wasted the rental..
But make no mistake, Seth Rogen is making a run for Sandler's undisputed title of World's Worst movie writer/producer/actor.
i think the ones who are laughing are people like Seth rogen and Jonah hill.
It started out mildly funny, then degenerated into something completely stupid, then completely disgusting and unfunny (and I love crazy, quirky movies in general), and I found myself actually getting angry at these so called actors for not only making me waste my money (thank gawd I bought this on PPV, if I paid to see this in the theater I would have been livid), but wasting my time as well watching this drivel.
There's one scene in This Is the End, where James Franco and Danny McBride arguing, when I snorted from laughing so hard.Even though it's embarrassing, it's been a long time since I've literally laughed out loud at the movies.
Similar to the best bits of Anchorman, there are moments here when you're thinking "What the heck is going on?", but due to the likability of the actors involved and the fact that they're just having fun with it, makes it you laugh even more.This film is like an inside joke with some of Hollywood's biggest actors, and while watching it you feel like you're in on it.
Jay and Seth remain the main characters here, which is why they're basically "the straight guys" in amidst all the weird stuff that's going on.James Franco is making me dislike him less and less these days, to the point he's actually one of the best things about this film.
It's really not funny when a comedy deals with subject matter, like the end of the world, that really shouldn't be joked about.
I saw the MetaCritics reviews and, even though I am a mature, cinema-buff-type woman, thought I'd take a chance that The End was indeed funny.I suspect the ONLY people liking this movie are of the male persuasion, although I can't speak for all women.
I actually like all the actors in the movie. |
tt3717252 | Underworld: Blood Wars | The film starts with a recap of the previous 'Underworld' films. The vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale) has been a death dealer for thousands of years in the war against the lycans (werewolves). She was betrayed by the vampire elder Viktor (Bill Nighy) and later met and fell in love with Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), who would become the first vampire-lycan hybrid. Selene and Michael's daughter Eve (India Eisley) is the first pureblood hybrid. Selene was forced to keep Eve in hiding to keep her safe as she went to look for Michael. Without Michael, Eve, or her coven, Selene feels alone as both vampires and lycans are hunting her.The lycans have a new leader named Marius (Tobias Menzies). Selene rides her motorcycle as she's being pursued by a group of lycans. She battles the men as they morph into their wolf forms, just as David (Theo James) arrives to help her. He shoots one of the lycans in the foot as an incentive to send a message to Marius, but David also ends up getting shot.David's father Thomas (Charles Dance) arrives at the home of the Eastern vampire coven, where he is greeted by Varga (Bradley James). Varga brings Thomas to Semira (Lara Pulver), a high-ranking vampire in the coven. They discuss the growth of Marius's lycan army and the destruction of the Western coven, with the main concern being to prevent a potential full-scale lycan attack. Semira also hoped to succeed Viktor as an elder after Selene killed him, and she, along with a vampire leader named Cassius (James Faulkner), wants to prosecute her for it.Marius meets with his group in their hideout. He lays out a plan of attack so that the lycans can destroy the vampire's sanctuary, but Marius also wants Eve's blood to gain a great power.Thomas speaks before Cassius and the other vampire council members to convince them to allow Selene to train new death dealer recruits. After Selene helps take the bullet out of David, they are found by two vampires who escort them back to the sanctuary, where Selene is introduced to the recruits and is told she will teach them how to fight against lycans.Meanwhile, it is revealed here that Semira and Varga are secret lovers, with Semira conspiring to get rid of Selene and the others leaders in order to step up as a vampire elder.Selene begins her training with the recruits. She teaches them that lycans are vulnerable in their wolf forms because they are unable to use weapons. Varga demonstrates combat with Selene, but he overpowers and incapacitates her. He then shoots all of the recruits and burns them. Varga and Semira frame Selene for killing them. She and David run, and Thomas helps them get out. Semira catches them and kills Thomas in front of David before he and Selene escape.Semira sends a vampire named Alexia (Daisy Head) out to find Selene and David. Alexia meets with Marius, as they are engaged in a forbidden affair. She tells Marius about Selene's escape and how the other vampires are closing in on him and his clan.Selene and David head to the sanctuary of the Nordic vampire coven. They meet Lena (Clementine Nicholson) and her father Vidar (Peter Andersson). Vidar reveals to David that his mother was Amelia (Sveta Driga), one of the original vampire elders alongside Viktor. David doesn't believe it as he always thought his mother abandoned him. Vidar gives David a sword made of pure silver that was Thomas's greatest weapon.Selene feels shame for herself since she was unable to take care of Eve and considers herself a failure as a mother and warrior. As David talks to her, she gives him a vial containing Amelia's blood.The lycans eventually find the sanctuary and begin to attack. The vampires fight back as Selene and David try to help. David manages to slice one lycan in half with his father's sword. Marius finds Selene and fights her on the ice. He demands to know where Eve is. Alexia impales Selene with a sword. She licks the blood off of it and sees Selene's memories, confirming to Marius that she really doesn't know where Eve is. Selene sinks into the icy waters. Lena later recovers Selene and begins to revive her.Back in the Eastern coven, Semira drinks a large glass of Selene's blood to absorb the same kind of power she has. Alexia returns to give Semira more information, but Semira quickly learns of Alexia's affair with Marius, and she slits her throat as a result.David goes to confront Semira and the council. He tells them that he is Amelia's son. Knowing his claim would be challenged, he gives Cassius the vial with his mother's blood. Cassius drinks it and sees Amelia's memories, confirming the truth that David is the last pureblood. Semira orders Varga to kill David, but he has shifted his allegiance to the rightful leader. Varga orders Semira to be detained.Marius and his army soon storm the house, leading to a climatic bloody battle between the vampires and lycans. The lycans break open the windows, leaving the vampires exposed to light and burning them. Lena and her own army arrives and join the fight. Selene returns, now more powerful (and with highlights and a fur coat for some reason) after her revival. She fights against Marius once more while David takes on Semira. After a bladed duel, Semira is exposed to the sunlight but is now immune. She isn't immune, however, to David's sword as he runs it through her head and kills her. Meanwhile, Marius morphs into a gigantic wolf creature. He is wounded and some of his blood hits Selene's mouth. She sees into his memories and learns that Marius found Michael and murdered him. Selene manages to rip Marius's spine out, ending him for good.Selene and David interrupt the continuing battle to show Marius's severed head to the lycans, forcing them to retreat. Selene, David, and Lena are then initiated as the new vampire elders. Selene thinks that for now, she may have found peace.The film ends with a brief clip of Selene seeing Eve walking on the ice outside the Nordic coven's sanctuary. | gothic | train | imdb | Do expect some Lycan ass-kicking from Selene as usual, and enjoy the movie for what it is - a war between vampires and werewolves.
I watch the Underworld movies for pure action, a little bit of story, and seeing a bad chick kicking butt.
As far as girl power movies go, the Underworld franchise is one of--if not--my favorite.Underworld: Blood Wars was, of course, more of Selene (Kate Beckinsale) being the bad B in black.
If you have seen all the previous movies of underworld you will love this one, because is like a fresh restart, but without deleting all the past like happened in Terminator Genesys (I hated) and is well written.This time vampires and werewolves are amazingly organize, and the story continues in a good way.
Poorly cast actors especially Pulver, too much use of guns with lack of physical fight scenes, no gore, bad script, uninteresting dialogue, overall weak story line, irrelevant flashbacks, lack of vampire elders or any character depth in werewolves removes the lore and legend that made the franchise interesting.
I had to watch this one twice as first viewing I thought The movie was not cool at all.my 2nd viewing always like to see films twice see if I missed anything,what I missed was this is a v good additional movie to the franchise,Kate Beckinsale was her awesome best being the death dealer she is.don't expect much Change but there are a few surprises she gets to have a few different powers and the great coven of vampires got some good characters in it with a few twists all in all if you like these films there is not much to complain about so sit back and enjoy underworld blood wars,if like me you cant get enough of Selene dealing death to Lycans..
When it comes to the underworld series, I pretty much liked all of them so far (Awakening was a big meh but still OK).So lets just start by saying the obvious, if you didn't really liked any of the movies in the series so far, you will not like this.Second thing, if you really loved and are a fan of the series, you might also have some problems with the movie if you over analyze the plot, since there are some good sized plot holes when looking over the entire events that happened in the previous movies.That all being said, the movie was pretty damn fun.
If you're reading this review, I take it you're actually considering watching the fifth installment of an action-horror vampire/werewolf franchise; so, this is not for those who will be pointing fingers at 'originality' or 'depth' of the script, right?
Okay.Taking the movie as it is, its purpose and audience in mind, I can definitely say it delivers: way better than the last one (Underworld Awakening), Blood Wars is highly entertaining, never boring, extremely fast-paced and the Selene we have here is less robotic and more developed than we've seen her before.
One of the worse scripts in recent memory, so bad it verily fails the late Roger Ebert's "20 minute test" (if a film fails to hook up in the first 20 minutes, leave the theatre).Horrible story, horrible characters, and overall a pretty rotten movie.Advice -- go see the first one all over again.
My friends went in with no info about any Underworld movies.End result, it was a fun super action packed movie that had some fight moments that will make you go "OHHH SHITT", majority of all the characters were hot as hell, and in the hour and half we weren't bored once as it was just fight scene after fight scene with little moments of dialogue to further the story.If you're looking for some in depth Oscar worthy movie, this ain't it.
"Blood Wars" is simply put just another addition to the ongoing tale about the fight between the Lycans and the Vampires as it picks up after the previous film "Awakening".
Kate Beckinsale Never Ages Up. i was always waiting for this sequel to come 4th film i knew there was a no ending because it is continue loved this movie on of my top movies in 2016 it was very entering film, lot really continue from 4th film and rest of other Underworld films continue i really love how it continued the franchise for a very longtime the action was really good fun action kick ass Kate Beckinsale leather Sexy looking outfit still is in it, It's a good action-Horror flick, with a lot of fighting and shooting and sword fights, the story is great like there's going to be sequel.
i thought it was really worth watching movie i wont say its noting special when i had fun with all action scenes saw some cool confusing staff hard to understand some cool staff turns Selene into a white Powerful vampire there is some more gore then the other movies but it's GREAT FUN but there's not much , fight scenes are good just as the other Underworld movies, also some great special FX, as the other movies.
the 3D is OK not worst 3D ever i know there is a lot of 3D movies are so bad but not like this but Expect for this movie but there is no Impact not much of that but still Good 3D if your eyes don't get too tried.story follows Selene is running from the Vampires, because she killed Viktor and Markus Corvinus, and she is running from the Lycans (Werewolves), she do not know where her lover Michael Corvin is and her daughter Eve, she only have a friend called David (Theo James)Underworld Awakening,but she feels she has no reason to live without them.
the another i know this might be Bit Disappointed for Fans of Selene & Michael romance together everyone really misses and witchkinda Disappointed but it didn't matter to me a lot, all matters is characters and movie, story everything whats in it has to be right the thing is Scott Speedman didn't want to be in franchise anymore witch is shame for that to happen but since he is mention in previous 4th movie he is mention again in this movie but i don't wanna spoil at all, but its twist you wont expect at all but you should watch movie its great not because of Kate Beckinsale is sale herself with sexy outfit that everyone would watch in movie that what makes everyone watch movie.
but that's not it the action was very worth watching the fight scenes were really good and gore was splatted in 3D if your fan of 3D movies, it has a great twist of movie in story pilot of movie new looking outfit of Kate Beckinsale character with white jacket and with all white hair not white hair that kinda makes her look older but its style, a lot of action and shooting, gore, fighting in movie with a great showdown in it movie is very quick like Underworld Awakening but when the running time says 1h 31min but movie is just went bit less.
well its not just worth watching and it was great to see Kate Beckinsale comes back again in Underworld franchise, fighting against Werewolf's and enemy's and action was so good, go and check it out on 3D i mean there is no impact but there is a lot of good shots in 3D, and film had a lot of cool staff in it i don't want to write too much about it but go and see it for Underworld fans highly recommend this movie 9.1 there is going to be sixth movie to out cant wait for sequel !.
Of course it's worth watching it because of Kate Beckinsale (MY GOOOOD), and that's worth a 4 point review and the other point it's for the entire movie, and i was really hoping for an amazing film, but left with a dog's...
May have spoiler, so be aware.Selene is running from the Vampires, because she killed Viktor and Markus Corvinus, and she is running from the Lycans (Werewolves), she do not know where her lover Michael Corvin is and her daughter Eve, she only have a friend called David, but she feels she has no reason to live without them.It's a good action flick, with a lot of fighting and shooting and sword fights, the story is OK but nothing special, good to see some familiar faces like David and Thomas, from the move before Underworld: Awakening (2012), there is some more gore then the other movies but it's OK not to much, fight scenes are good just as the other Underworld movies, also some great special FX, as the other movies.If you are a big fan of the other Underworld movies or love good vampire and Werewolf movies, then you really gone like this one, it's a little bit like the fist Underworld movie, and that's a good thing, i really liked it, only a pity it was short, only 80 minutes without the credits..
Charles Dance offers a somewhat engaging performance - but his ability lies few and far between the rest.Running at a brisk 92 minutes Blood Wars feels like it drags on for an eternity, with a constant barrage of special effects driven action sequences woven into a horrible plot line which is severely disjointed.Ultimately, I'm disappointed in the most recent entry of the Underworld series.
This movie still used the same formula from the previous Underworld series where Selene had to fight for her life in order to save the Vampire clan, from the attack of Lycan clans.
Selena, gaining unsurmountable powers (back from dead), ripping through hybrids, where does this all come from.Oh, finally we remember Selena, Lycans, Vampires are all fighting for that elixir blood of Selena's pure daughter; whose character was developed slightly in the prequel to this.I miss the time, when a vampire movie used to scare.
It's impressive how poorly written and directed this movie is; it unfortunately lacks from any sort of good taste, and beside the characters there's nothing that resembles an underworld movie, hands down the worst of the franchise yet.It is obvious that the story has no backbone, the direction is at the level of an amateur project, as if the director has no clue what it's doing, making obvious the lack of sensibility to the narrative of the previous installments..
Underworld: Blood war, a movie that is satisfying experience for fans, it plays out as its name suggest, based on same theme as previous 4 movies, there is still war between Vampire and Lycan's, now both of them wanted to become more powerful and that is drawn from blood of new hybrid race.
In all total, this fifth part is treat for underworld and Salena's (Kate Beckinsale) fan, action sequence in it will make you grab your seats and nothing else matters, you go on and don't want it to end, but then question is: Does movie really end?
I'm betting you two cents that the existence of this movie comes just for the strange world where guns and swords somehow coexist where vampires rule a democracy.The story makes just as much sense as the 2016 presidential election: Kate Beckinsale (The Aviator, Love & Friendship) plays the highly motivated feminist lead who is out to find her daughter whose blood can end the war
and apparently she has this same type of blood too, which she's trying to keep away from the vampire council who want to use it for abusive means
well, that was at least the plot I got out of it.
He has no future in this field.Foerster does have her moments of proving to be potentially good at this directing thing; as she includes a gorgeous view of a snowy landscape blanketed by northern lights, but it's not enough to outweigh the incomprehensible fight choreography that takes the place of character development.There is nothing that Underworld: Blood Wars has to offer besides feelings of dark coldness, kind of like the unfortunate winter season we're living through now.
With its trademark gothic visuals and a flare for top-notch action, the ongoing saga about the battle between vampires and werewolves has remained consistently entertaining and engaging, even as it's gotten progressively sillier with each new installment.Unfortunately, after the films reached a surprisingly pleasing crescendo in quality with the third installment "Rise of the Lycans", there was a noticeable dip in quality with the follow-up, "Awakening." It began to lose sight of why audiences fell in love with the series in the first place.
And it just goes to show you how invaluable series co-creator Len Wiseman was to the success of those early installments."Underworld: Blood Wars" is a frustrating film.
It did a great job of tying up a lot of loose ends in the plot from the previous installment and, as always, the story/adventure was quite good with some excellent acting all around.
Actually, come to think about it, Kate Beckinsale, the action and the CGI is pretty much the reasons I liked this movie.They could have selected a more charismatic bad guy though.
"Underworld: Blood Wars" turned out to be a rather enjoyable installment in the "Underworld" franchise, and if you enjoyed any of the previous movies, then you will definitely also like "Underworld: Blood Wars".The story in "Underworld: Blood Wars" continues on with the raging war between the vampires and the lycans.
Selene, the highly-trained vampire death dealer, seeks to end this war that still rages.There is a good amount of action in the movie.
But despite its simplicity, it is still an enjoyable movie to watch, just don't expect a grand Shakespearian experience."Underworld: Blood Wars" has very good special effects and CGI, just as in the previous movies.
The make-up on the vampires is good and believable, but the special effects on the lycans (werewolves) is just amazing and it looks so realistic.This movie also has a good cast ensemble, and it is nice to see that Kate Beckinsale returns to her role.
Furthermore, it was also nice to see some good appearances by Charles Dance, James Faulkner and others."Underworld: Blood Wars" is definitely a movie worthy to be an installment to the franchise, and it is most certainly a movie that will please fans of the franchise..
The thing about this movie is: if you are an Underworld series fan, you will just like it.
She reteams with the vampire David (James) to fight both armies.I was a fan of the original 'UNDERWORLD' movie (and it's first couple of sequels), and I especially like Beckinsale in the lead, but this installment did not interest me at all.
Because it's full of action and a 'simple' story you can pick it up easy and watch it without thinking about previous entries.Of course you need effects and they are looking like previous entries, I mean, the lycans do transform in the same way as always.
I am a HUGE Underworld fan; so let's be honest, Underworld 1 and 2 were the TOTAL best out of all the movies; I thought Patrick did a great job with Rise of the Lycans too and although Wiseman was involved in some way on all the other films he did not direct them and that is where this franchise went wrong and where many tend to go wrong as well such as with the X-Men films.
I am a hardcore fan of the Underworld series but missed this film when it came out in the cinema and only caught up on it now due to life related matters.That worked out for the best though as this movie is quite disappointing.
I was really hoping Blood Wars to be that film that brought the series back to Underworld 1 fidelity...but, to be fair, what we have to remember about the first one that made it so special to us was it was a whole new kind of vampire movie and one that was directly competing with the Matrix movies.
Underworld Blood Wars is the best movie out of all the previous Underworld movies, it has new face, enemies and some original characters such as Selene and David from Awakening.
If you are an Underworld fan you must watch it, but if you'd never seen an Underworld movie before you would be turned off the whole franchise by this rubbish.Poorly scripted, poorly acted and the worst effects and cinematography of the entire series to date.MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT.
As a fan of Underworld from it's first release, I'm disappointed in Blood Wars for being the only film of the franchise that I didn't enjoy.
You can't help loving the concept of the film about vampires going to war with werewolves and you went to see them hoping they would get better, but they didn't, but you still hoped, so you still went and they keep making them because of it, but they never got better (but they didn't really get worse at least).So as we come to the end, Blood Wars once again stars Kate Beckinsale looking cool doing all the fight scenes, which is the most important part, as the vampires request her help yet again against the werewolves, which did generate some pretty cool action sequences.So no matter how mediocre Blood Wars and the others that came before it are.
Worst Underworld Yet. Underworld: Blood Wars is the fifth movie in the series about the war between Vampires and Lycans.
I am a fan of the underworld movies, I like Salem; her character, but it seems this series has gotten worse as it goes on.
Kate Beckinsale as Selene, like the previous movies, is the best of the film.
As a person who was never into neither vampire nor werewolves relating stuff, Kate Beckinsale was reason to watch all Underworld movies.
After finally watching it on last day the movie was shown here, I'd recommend Blood Wars to all fans of the series.Somehow it continues the story line and adds some new stuff to the Underworld Universe. |
tt0092675 | Bloodsport | The movie begins with montages of various hopeful competitors training and practicing their fighting techniques. Interspersed with these montages are shots of the arena where the Kumite will be held. The hosts of the Kumite are rehearsing pageantry and preparing the arena for proper use.Frank Dux (Jean-Claude Van Damme), an army captain at his base, is summoned to a meeting with his colonel before going on furlough. The colonel has found out he plans to travel to Hong Kong while on furlough, and Dux's superiors want to stop him from entering the Kumite, in part because the Kumite is an illegal, underground fight. It is not sanctioned by world martial arts organizations, due to its particularly violent nature. Fatalities, though uncommon and frowned on, are considered part of the risk. Dux stages a daring escape from his base, going AWOL to travel to Hong Kong. The Army dispatches two MPs, Helmer (Norman Burton) and Rawlins (Forest Whitaker) to find Dux and bring him back.Dux first visits the home of his mentor and teacher, Senzo Tanaka (Roy Chiao). He is greeted warmly by Mrs. Tanaka (Lily Leung), who goes to tell her husband that Dux has arrived. Waiting in the living room, Dux becomes lost in thought looking at Tanaka's katana (samurai sword). He begins reminiscing about his long relationship with Tanaka: As a youth, Frank fell in with two unruly boys who made him come with them to try and steal the sword. The boys ran at the sound of people approaching, but Frank started to put the sword back on its stand when he was found by Tanaka and his son, Shingo. Tanaka admonished Dux for stealing, and Dux protested he wasn't going to steal it. Tanaka slices the visor off of Dux's baseball cap and is impressed that Dux didn't even flinch. Meeting with Dux's parents, he convinces them to let him train Frank in martial arts. At first, the young Dux becomes frustrated that he is only learning some of Tanaka's knowledge while Shingo is being trained far more intensively. Shingo is being groomed to represent his family in the Kumite as an adult. But tragedy strikes when Shingo dies as a young adult. A heartbroken Tanaka, having already lost his first family in Hiroshima, chooses to stop all training, believing his family is ended. Dux makes an impassioned plea for Tanaka to train him fully, to compete in the Kumite on Shingo's behalf, to honor both Shingo and Tanaka. Montages are shown of this training, becoming more and more intensive, until at the pinnacle, Dux is able to ignore pain and operate while blindfolded as if still fully sighted.Dux goes to see Tanaka, who is now an old man and showing the infirmities of old age. He tells Dux that when he fights, Tanaka's spirit will be there, fighting beside him, and in the Kumite, he will need it.Dux arrives at the hotel where most of the Kumite participants are staying. He meets Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb) playing a karate video game. The two play the game together and start to bond as friends and as fellow Americans. Jackson is a big, brawny, beer-swilling brawler with a scruffy beard. Not knowing anything of Dux, he likes the smaller man and treats him almost like a 'little brother.'Also at the same hotel, an American journalist named Janice Kent (Leah Ayres) is questioning two men about the kumite. She knows it is being held in Hong Kong over the next three days and is trying to get a story on it. The two men don't acknowledge even knowing what the kumite is.Helmer and Rawlins arrive at the Tanaka home to find out if Dux was there and if the Tanakas knew he was going to Hong Kong. Mrs. Tanaka says that Dux came by to pay his respects, but she doesn't know if he was heading to Hong Kong. Rawlins is sure she does know and tries to press her, but Helmer steps in, simply thanking Mrs. Tanaka for speaking to them.Dux and Jackson go to check in at their hotel and are told that a Victor Lin is looking to speak to them. Lin (Ken Siu) comes across Dux and Jackson at that moment and introduces himself, saying he is one of the Kumite agents and he's been assigned to assist them with their stay in Hong Kong. He leads them through the streets of the city to a run-down, seedy part of the city (no man's land, as Lin calls it), explaining that the Kumite is being held in Hong Kong at the permission of the "Triad," the Chinese Mafia. At the entrance to a back alley being guarded by several tall, burly, stoic men. Victor speaks to them in Chinese, and the tallest of the guards, their leader, lets them all through with a condescending air toward the American foreigners. Victor leads them through the alley to the secret arena where the Kumite will be held. The first step is to properly register for the Kumite. Participation is by invitation only. As Jackson and Dux present their invitations, the officials stop and are very dubious of Dux, because his invitation lists him as being part of the Tanaka Clan. Clearly they know of Senzo Tanaka and are unwilling to believe, at face value, that Dux is a student of Tanaka's. They insist he prove this claim with a demonstration of the legendary "Dim Mak" pressure point strike. They show him where several bricks are stacked. To properly demonstrate the Dim Mak, Dux must shatter the bottom-most brick without damaging either of the two bricks stacked atop it. As all the other participants in the arena watch, Dux successfully demonstrates the Dim Mak. The officials accept Dux as authentic and complete his registration. The Kumite participants resume training and sparring, except for one-- a large, burly Chinese man named Chong Li (Bolo Yeung) who is not impressed, warning Dux, "Bricks don't hit back."Helmer and Rawlins go to the Hong Kong police department and confer with Inspector Chen (Philip Chan). They give him a photo of Dux, explain that they are trying to stop him from competing in the Kumite, and they ask Chen to contact them if his men learn anything about Dux's whereabouts. Chen is very dismissive but tells the two MP's that he'll see what he can do.Back at the hotel, Dux and Jackson find Janice Kent trying to get a story on the Kumite from one of the participants, a Mid-Eastern fighter named Hossein (Bernard Mariano). Hossein and his friends are surly and condescending. Hossein is only willing to speak if he can take Janice to bed, a proposition she finds repulsive. Hossein is offended at her defiance and is about to slap her when Dux and Jackson intervene. Jackson is ready to melee, but Dux asks everyone if it's worth getting ejected from the Kumite over a woman. Despite Janice's indignant protests, Dux arranges an alternative contest-- he puts a coin in Hossein's hand and challenges him to close his hand into a fist around the coin before Dux can successfully snatch the coin out of his palm. Hossein is amused and overly cocky at the challenge, but the smirk is wiped off his face when Dux succeeds in grabbing the coin. Per the terms of the bet, Hossein and his friends have to leave Janice alone.Dux and Janice are talking as they take a walk, and Janice tells Dux about her ambition to get a story on the Kumite, which she describes as 'a cockfight, except with people.' Dux agrees te speak to Janice, and asks her to dinner in return.The first day of the Kumite arrives, and the opening pageantry is conducted and the host organization introduces itself, speaking about the traditional background of the contest.As the Kumite prepares for the first fight, Victor reminds Dux and Jackson that the contests are full-contact, and there are three ways to win-- knock the opponent out, knock them off the platform, or force the opponent to shout the word "Matte," which is a cry of surrender similar to saying 'Uncle.'The first-round bouts are conducted, showing several participants standing out as victorious and forces to be reckoned with -- a Polynesian fighter named Parades (Michel Qissi), a Chinese kung-fu fighter named Chuan Ip Mung (Dennis Chu), a big and burly Japanese Sumo fighter named Pumola (David Ho), a Muay Thai kickboxer named Paco (Paulo Tocha), Jackson, and Chong Li, who is the current champion. Chong Li exults in hearing the crowd cheer his name, and enjoys finishing his matches by maiming and crippling his opponents. He is notorious for having killed a participant at the last Kumite. Chong Li easily dispatches his opponent, breaking his own world record for the fastest knockout.Dux's first opponent is none other than Hossein. The Syrian fighter is eager for a little revenge, but Dux not only knocks him out, but proceeds to break Chong Li's new record for fastest knockout in so doing-- and Chong Li is noticeably angered.Helmer and Rawlins are eating lunch when Inspector Chen comes to see them. He's found out the name of the hotel Dux is staying at. Helmer and Rawlins confront Dux in the lounge there as he is talking with Jackson. They pull taser stun-guns and order him to come with them immediately. A football tackle by Jackson takes them down and gives Dux time to run. He leads them on an amusing chase scene, seemingly toying with them before giving them the slip.Dux meets with Janice that evening for dinner. He tells her a little about the Kumite, but insists she cannot truly understand it without seeing it-- and the Kumite doesn't allow just anyone in, even as spectators-- they are especially strict about keeping press out. Janice asks Dux to pull some strings to let her come in and watch. She even sleeps with him as an incentive (and because she likes him). In the morning he kisses her goodbye and tells her that he cannot get her inside. But Janice quickly finds another way of entry, going "undercover" posing as a date to a wealthy patron.A number of Kumite bouts are shown, and Dux, Chong Li, Chuan Ip Mung, Pumola, and Paco stand out, eliminating various opponents. Chong Li fights Parades, whose longer reach lets him land various combination punches that jar Chong Li. But Chong Li adopts a counter-punching strategy and gets inside, landing brutal attacks that leave Parades completely dazed and stunned. Playing to the crowd, Chong Li executes a brutal stomping kick to his opponent's kneecap, breaking Parades' leg and presumably crippling him.More fights are shown, and more fighters are eliminated. Dux defeats Pumola by doing a split to get under Pumola's charge, and punching his groin. The crowd begins to chant Dux's name, which really gets Chong Li angry.Ray Jackson finds himself facing Chong Li. Jackson is remarkably confident and arrogant, and shrugs off warnings of caution from both Dux and Victor. Dux has noticed a weakness in Chong Li's fighting style-- Parades almost turned the tables on him by landing a stiff punch to Chong Li's belly. Dux advises Jackson to focus on punches to the stomach, and warns Jackson to stay away from Chong Li's right leg. Jackson brushes off the warnings and advice, saying he has everything under control.As the fight begins, Jackson pounds on Chong Li's head with several hammering blows that drive him to one knee. Jackson then turns away, thinking he has the fight in the bag, and plays to the crowd, trying to get them to chant his name the way they chant Chong Li's name. From ringside, Dux tries to call out to Jackson to focus on finishing Chong Li, who is still on one knee, nursing his bruises and recovering. But by the time Jackson turns back to face Chong Li, the burly Chinese fighter has risen back to his feet and is ready to show the whole crowd what happens to people who try to make a mockery of him. Chong Li lands a devastating kick that turns the tide of battle in a heartbeat. Not satisfied with merely defeating Jackson, Chong Li lets his rage bubble to the surface and delivers a frighteningly brutal stomp to the head of his prone opponent, as Victor struggles to hold Dux back from intervening. Jackson is unconscious and bleeding profusely from his mouth as Chong Li pulls off Jackson's biker bandanna and claims it as a trophy, shaking it in front of Dux as a dire warning.At the hospital, Jackson is being examined by doctors. Dux speaks to the unconscious Jackson, telling him he's lucky to have such a hard head, which saved him from being permanently maimed. Dux vows to get revenge on Chong Li. Janice is there as well, and she is horrified at the personal vendetta. The two argue passionately outside the hospital. Dux points out Janice's career as a reporter, and she is trying to be the best she can be-- Dux is doing the same; to be the best fighter he can be. Seeing she cannot budge Dux, Janice resignedly shouts that she only hopes Dux doesn't end up in a similar state as Jackson-- or even worse, before storming off. Lin goes up to Dux and admonishes him to forget Janice, as well as Jackson's injury and also about revenge. Dux has the chance to become the first fighter from the Western hemisphere to ever win the Kumite, but he needs to have a clear head.Desperate to see Dux spared from grievous injury, Janice turns to Inspector Chen. Knowing that the Kumite is illegal under Hong Kong law, Janice hopes to see the police get involved in stopping the competition. Inspector Chen is again dismissive, until Janice gives him Dux's name.Riding a bus back to his hotel, Dux is haunted by memories of the bout and mistakenly thinks he sees Chong Li's reflection in the bus window, glaring at him.Walking through the back alley for the final rounds of competition, Dux finds he has to fight his way through a gauntlet of Inspector Chen's police officers. After getting past them, he finds Helmer and Rawlins waiting at the doors to the arena with Chen and Janice. Helmer and Rawlins have their taser stun-guns at the ready. Dux uses a trash can lid to deflect the taser darts and grabs their weapons away. Knowing they cannot take Dux hand to hand, Helmer disgustedly enters the arena with Rawlins and Janice to observe the final bouts, hoping they do not have to scrape Dux up off the floor.In the arena, the officials are unaware of what is going on outside-- only that as a result of the melee, Dux is extremely late in showing up. They are just about to disqualify him when Dux enters.Dux's semifinal match is against Paco. As the fight begins, Paco extends his fists, motioning for Dux to touch knuckles with him. Warily, Dux finally does so, and is hit by a cheap shot from Paco. Recovering, Dux wades into battle and knocks Paco out.Chong Li's semi-final opponent is Chuan Ip Mung. Chuan gives Chong Li the stiffest resistance he's encountered in the Kumite, but even he cannot withstand the power of Chong Li's blows. Chong Li has Chuan supine and barely conscious on the ground, and starts to play to the crowd. But then, looking to send a message to Dux, Chong Li grabs Chuan's head and brutally snaps his neck. The crowd falls completely silent as the referee feels for breath and looks at Chong Li in appalled shock. Chuan is dead.The officials all stand and turn their backs to Chong Li, facing the wall and bowing their heads in a moment of silence. To Chong Li's disappointment the whole crowd, including Helmer, Rawlins and Janice, follow suit. Chong Li warns Dux that he is next, and Dux just glares back before joining the rest of the crowd in the moment of silence.As Chong Li prepares for the final bout, his trainer (Wilson Lee) carefully and stealthily slips a small chunk of a chalky substance into the waistband of his trunks. (Hinted to be cocaine but not stated definitively)Dux and Chong Li step onto the platform for the final bout to determine the Kumite's champion. Chong Li points to Jackson's bandanna, which he has tied around his calf, saying he plans to break Dux in return for Dux's breaking his record. Dux stares back unafraid.The bout begins and Dux quickly seizes initiative. He takes control following the advice he tried to give Jackson, focusing on repeated punches and kicks to Chong Li's stomach and watching for kicks from Chong Li's right leg. He knocks Chong Li down, staggering him. On one knee, using his body to shield the action, Chong Li carefully removes the chalky object from his trunks and crushes it into a powder in his hand. Rising to his feet, he throws a punch that falls well short of his mark but, unseen by everyone else, flings the powder right into Dux's eyes. Aside from his vision being completely clouded over, Dux appears to fall into a near stupor. The tables are turned and Chong Li takes the opportunity to enjoy beating Dux from pillar to post.On the mat, screaming in frustration, Dux suddenly clears his mind and appears to go into a meditative trance. Flashbacks are shown of his training with Tanaka, including training where he is blindfolded and learns to operate through his other senses as if he were fully sighted. Dux blocks a punch to his head and throws a ground side kick to Chong Li's stomach. Rising to his feet, Dux begins to step carefully around the arena, but always able to fend off Chong Li's attacks and land more blows to his stomach. Chong Li tries to throw Dux off by pushing the referee into him, but Dux, grabbing a handful of the ref's tunic, recognizes the ploy and carefully eases the referee behind him. He takes control of the match, hammering Chong Li's stomach and then going up to the head with leaping, spinning wheel kicks that knock the burly Chong Li completely for a loop.Dux refuses to settle for a mere knockout. He needs to establish absolute dominance-- meaning even Chong Li himself must declare it to the whole crowd. Dux grabs Chong Li's head and gradually twists his neck, shouting, "Say it!" He twists Chong Li's neck harder until it is clear that his neck will snap if he doesn't comply. With his very life on the line, Chong Li defeatedly shouts 'matte,' and the crowd goes wild as the referee gestures to signal Dux's victory.The closing ceremony shows the officials presenting Dux with a beautifully crafted Japanese katana with words of praise. The whole crowd, including Helmer, Rawlins and Janice, applaud as Dux looks up to the ceiling and says quietly, "This is for you, Shidoshi."Dux and Janice visit Jackson at the hospital. Jackson has regained consciousness and is convalescing. He is notably impressed as Dux's victory-- forcing Chong Li to submit, no less-- but jokingly warns that Dux might have to fight him next time. Dux and Jackson give an emotional handshake, their bond having strengthened to near blood-brothers.Helmer and Rawlins are waiting at the airport in front of a plane to take Dux back to the United States. They wait, and finally they are convinced that Dux has given them the slip yet again. Suddenly they hear a whistle behind them and turn to see Dux just inside the plane's boarding doorway, telling them to hurry up. The two MP's are grudgingly amused as they board the plane.Just as Dux is about to re-enter the plane, a cab pulls up and Janice steps out. Looking up at Dux, she gives him the Chinese covered-fist salute. The camera freezes on Dux returning the salute and bowing his head to her. Captions proceed to give Dux's career fight stats in the Kumite over several years, saying he established four records that were still standing at the time of the movie's release, and that he retired undefeated, before establishing his own martial arts school. Fade out as the credits begin to roll. | comedy, murder, cult, violence, flashback, humor, revenge | train | imdb | A cult classic best martial arts Van Damme Style movie!.
In my opinion is Van Damme's best martial arts film!
Van Damme called those three months "the hardest training of his life" - this despite being a world-championship martial artist in his own right.It does feel good to go re-watch films like this especially dealing with the very sad fact that films like this classic aren't made anymore and seeing Van Damme these days on film, he just seems to stone faced or depressed.
One of my favourite movies it also provides the Rocky pump, as in like Rocky it has the emotion both in action and through the films music and the fighting makes you want to get up and starting punching and kicking anything!
Van Damme is excellent, his fighting manoeuvres are breathtaking, the range of different styles of fighters is great and well know martial artist Bolo Yeung's destruction of all opponents is wonderfully filmed, and as Van Dammes main contender we have a great adventure.
I left the videos with her, and when I returned the next day I was surprised to see her cheering along with Van Damme as he was beating the large Asian Man.A few days later, she was walking around and trying to perform some of the stunts she saw in her new favorite movie.
While it seems to have a similar storyline to other martial arts films, this one differs in that it is based on the true events of Frank Dux, who also assisted the fighters for this movie.Anyone at all that doubts Van Damme's talent as a fighter, should see this film.Bolo Yeung also makes a spectacular appearance as the evil one in the tournament.
He acts about as cruel and heartless as one can get, and he makes the perfect climax for the film.If you are after a good quality martial arts film, and you haven't seen Bloodsport, then this is the one for you.
No one can deny that van damme is a great martial artist, but his acting is so so the opposite.You have to look at it as a martial arts film (which it is) and accept the stunning fight sequences (especially the final fight scene which was very well choreographed) the film offers.Yes, people will talk about how bad his acting may be, but what people forget is that he is a martial artist more than an actor.
The military Frank Dux (Jean Claude Van Damme) abandons his base to participate in the Kumite, a dangerous secret competition in Hong Kong.
"Bloodsport" is an early Van Damme´s film and also one of his best films ever, disclosing the refuted story of the American martial artist Frank Dux. The screenplay is funny and engaging with excellent fight choreography.
Bloodsport is Van Damme`s first American film and it is a great B-movie.
In his film starring debut, Jean-Claude Van Damme portrays a martial arts expert who decides to compete in the Kumite, a no holds barred martial arts competition in Hong Kong.
This film has plenty of the well staged fight scenes and martial arts sequences that would be evident in Van Damme's later films.
While Frank is pursued by government agents (played by Norman Burton and Forest Whitaker) who mean to take him back to the U.S., he makes friends with amiable giant Jackson (Donald Gibb) and attempts to romance reporter Janice Kent (Leah Ayres).There isn't much in terms of story throughout this relatively brief movie (93 minutes all told), but devotees of the action genre will get what they aim to see.
It deals with Frank Dux (Jean Claude Van Dame, at the time being a world-championship martial artist in his own right) has spent most his life being trained by Tanaka (Roy Chao) to participate in the Kumite, the ultimate martial arts tournament .
The real Frank Dux was the fighting coordinator for this movie , when Jean-Claude Van Damme was cast, Dux announced that Van Damme wasn't nearly in good enough shape, and put him through a 3-month training program.
Bloodsport is considered by many to be Jean-Claude Van Damme's best film as well as the film that paved the way for his international fame and cult status among martial-arts and action film fans.
The fight coordinator for the film was the actual Frank Dux himself, who even allegedly took the time to put Jean-Claude Van Damme through three months worth of training in order for him to be extra prepared for the role despite the fact that Van Damme was already a championed martial-artist.
The director Newt Arnold balances the adventure elements with the dramatic touches of the plot (and in this more serious moments, Van Damme demonstrates a surprising talent) what turns "Bloodsport" into an excellent show not only for those who admire martial arts, but also for those who enjoy a fast and interesting entertainment.
The film that consecrated Van Damme as an action star is also the one that had his best acting!.
The film that consecrated Van Damme as an action star is also the one that had his best acting!.
A young American soldier, trained, when child,by a master in martial arts, escapes from the United States with the objective to go to China and participate in a secret tournament, famous for its violence,as a form to honor his teacher's memory.Once he is there, he ends up falling in love for a beautiful journalist who is there to report the event, at the same time in that he needs to use all the force and technique he acquired with his master to survive...and to win.The film that consecrated Van Damme as an action star is also the one that had his best acting.
Director Newtt Arnold balances the adventure scenes with the dramatic touches of the plot, what turns "Bloodsport" into an excellent show not only for those who admire martial arts, but also for those who like a nice entertainment.
I personally think this is one of(if not the best) the greatest martial arts movies of all time.
As Frank Dux,Jean-Claude Van Damme , enters the Kumite, an illegal martial arts tournament.
Being a martial arts film, this is probably one of the most famous ones, and for Jean-Claude Van Damme, his best movie.
Meanwhile two military policemen arrive in Hong Kong determined to return Dux to his station and not allow him to fight.The illegal fight tournament is a frequently used plot device in films of this genre, in fact Van Damme himself has used it several times (and his 2005 project looks like it will be a return to the setting of this film Kumite).
But just because it is a common setting for martial arts movies and video games doesn't mean that it alone will supply a good plot and an engaging film and Bloodsport is certainly proof of the former even if it sort of pulls off the latter.
Add some good one-liners and you have BLOODSPORT.So if you like action films, Van Damme and the 80's you have to see this film.
"Bloodsport," the 1988 debut vehicle of Belgian martial artist and "actor" Jean-Claude Van Damme, opens with one of the most impressive montages of fighters preparing for the Kumite, an illegal full-contact mixed martial arts tournament held in Hong Kong.
It gets the audience ready for the bloodiest cultural display of martial arts combat in decades.We're told that there are three ways to win a match in the Kumite:1) You knock the guy out2) The opponent gives up and shouts "matte," which is like saying uncle3) You knock the other fighter right off the matEnter into the picture, clean-shaved United States military intelligence officer Frank Dux (Van Damme), of whom this film's story is supposedly based off of.
Dux (like, "put up your dukes") is first introduced as a teenager, coming under the tutelage of a venerable martial arts master who instructs the young man in a brutal regiment of non-stop combative training to prepare him for the Kumite.Once in Hong Kong, Dux befriends fellow American Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb), also a Kumite fighter, and the two prepare for combat.
No one will talk about it, especially to nosy reporters like Janice Kent (Leah Ayres), much less pick fights outside the ring, which would result in an automatic disqualification if a brawl took place outside the Kumite.When it comes time for the action of the great tournament, 40 or so fighters look over one another, eager in anticipation of jumping into the ring and duking it out.
When the combat begins (with action choreographed by the real-life Dux himself), blood flows as one fighter after the other is knocked out leaving a titanic duel between only-standing Dux to duke it out with the brutal Chong Li. In between, though, we see many great styles from all over the world including straight-up Chinese gong-fu, Karate, Hapkido (my own current style of training), Capoeira, Sumo, Monkey, Muay Thai, and some good old-fashioned American brawling.Even in recent years, "Bloodsport" is still a wholly decent affair that does get bogged down in some cheap Hollywood theatrics.
Surprisingly, the movie holds up well...far better than I was expecting...and probably better than the dubious history of real-life fighter(?) Fred Dux.Upon my initial viewing one of my problems with Bloodsport was the lack of flashy fighting sequences.
But, in today's MMA world the fights look pretty darn good and with the exception of the bouncy-guy and the finale with the over-the-top acting, the rest of the fighting rings surprisingly realistic.Bloodsport was VanDamme's first movie and it still holds up as one of his best.
Can't say anymore about this film but its fight scenes are great despite being a little annoyed at seeing Van Damme doing the same kick over and over again.
However, if you watch it as it's meant to be watched, that is to say as a no questions asked, straightforward, martial arts tournament movie, then it is a truly great film.Based on an allegedly true story, there is no deep meaning to Bloodsport...but it isn't meant for one to be there.
This is a movie you can watch again and again, just because it's not all about the story.All in all, Bloodsport is an entertaining flick, with a decent story, decent acting, great music by Paul Hertzog, and great fight scenes.
I never grow tired of watching this movie; its one of JCVD (Jean Claude Van Damme's best role.
Not only does it have a decent plot based on a true story that is not wacky or corny in the slightest way (okay, it is corny in some parts, but not to the extent of Kickboxer), but the fighting scenes actually are the best of any American choreographed martial arts film out there.
I am a big fan of Jean Claude Van Damme, and I can honestly say, this is his best movie ever.
I rated this movie a 10, because I can never get tired of watching it and it is totally entertaining for any Van Damme or martial arts fan in general.I did find one more goof about the film though, in Chong Li and Paredes' fight, Chong Li wins by breaking Paredes' leg and you see the bone penetrating the skin.
It is a perfect film for Van Damme to showcase his amazing martial art skills.
Even though Jean Claud tried to remake this movie with The Quest, I believe that Bloodsport could not be surpassed.Despite being completely unrealistic at times it does appeal to the Martial Arts crowd very well.
Bloodsport is Best Martial arts movie in history.The movie is tense and fast.The background music adds to the chill.VAN DAMME(FRANK DUX) fights for honour of Tanaka for revenge of his son who is killed by CHUNG LI a fighter in "kumite",an illegal Hongkong ring fighting arena.The movie is full of intense action scenes.It is based on TRUE story of martial arts expert FRANK DUX.The lowpoint of movie-it could have been made bigger in length..
Van Damme, in this movie is a very good fighter and wants to learn from Mr. Tanaka how to FIGHT.
It was easily watchable and fun, and the fact that it was mostly based on a true story makes it even better, but what really makes this movie is Jean-Claude Van Damme's Martial Arts Skill.
If you like Martial Art's Films, Van Damme Films or Action Movies..this is for you..
Bloodsport stars Ogre from 'Revenge of the Nerds' as he tries to win some underground fighting tournament against a bunch of Asians, Jean Claude Van Damme and some mystery French/German kickboxer.
Any fan of kick 'em ups owes it to himself to watch this film - Van Damme's finest hour, and the best fighting movie ever made..
I have seen all the Van Damme movies, and I could promise to you that 'Bloodsport' is the best of them all...
This is Van-Damme's best martial arts film and one of the best ever in the martial arts genre.Based on Frank Dux's true story, who also helped the fighters in this film, it tells the story of how he enters the kumit'e.The fight scenes are amazing, and are all real.
Frank Dux (Jean Claude VanDamme) has spent most his life being trained by Tanaka to participate in the Kumite, the ultimate martial arts tournament, where participants are seriously injured, even killed.From a critical standpoint, this film gets sort of a bad rap because of the cheesy acting and formulaic plot.
Bloodsport tells the story of martial arts expert, Frank Dux (played by Jean Claude Van Damme), who travels to Hong Kong to participate in a dangerous underground competition known as the Kumite.
My number 1 personal favorite the best martial arts tournament film of all time in Van Damme style.
My number 1 personal favorite the best martial arts tournament film of all time, with Enter the Dragon!
The best martial arts movie from Jean-Claude Van Damme he ever did.
It is now 30 year anniversary since this movie come out.Bloodsport is in my top 10 Van Damme films.
We can all agree Bloodsport is one of Van Damme best films, he ever did and worked on.
Bloodsport is my number 1 personal favorite martial arts tournament and one of my favorite Van Damme movies.
Bloodsport is no high art and it with today standard where it all about the craft and the acting it maybe consider a bad movie but without it we will never got a Jean Claude Van Damme when Bloodsport not only make him famous but also shape his career into what we know and love today.Arguably there far better movies about martial arts tournament than Bloodsport like Enter The Dragon with better fight scenes but I still hold the movie close to my heart because there something about a guy with worst English than his sensei entering a bloody event with his loveable but obnoxious friend that make this movie so enjoyable.Because I love Hong Kong style of action where anything is quick and brutal so at first the fight scenes in Bloodsport for me kinda slow and not that interesting but from time to time when I get used to it the fight scenes turn out very believable and realistic in many ways..
If you like Van-Damme movies you'll probably enjoy it, but this movie despite having some good fight scenes really shows its age now.
Jean- Claude Van Damme (getting better at his English lol) plays Frank Dux, a strong will-ed fighter who decides to enter the Kumite, a deadly illegal fighting arena where men confront each other and display their athletisism...
This is one of my all-time favorite movies, I loved the story line (which is true), this one is probly Van Dammes best movie.
If your a fan of the "underground tournament, brutal fighting" martial arts movies then definetly check this out!.
This movie is so very crummy.It's an exhibition of terrible acting, a thin and ridiculous story(yet based on a true event), pathetic dialogue, non-suggestive music ("go on a date"-music when Van Damme is chased by cops in the Shanghai harbors) and so on.Now, of course, all these things are secondary to the fighting and action scenes.
Enter the Dragon only bloodier and not half as enthralling, this cherpy action classic sees Van Damme as real-life master Frank Dux, escaping from army training to represent his dying teacher in the brutal Kumite, a violent martial arts tournament secretly-held in Hong Kong where world representatives get to strut their stuff.
Van Damme stars as a soldier who flies to Hong Kong to compete in a outlawed tournament called the kumite.The story is cliched but still Bloodsport offers excellent action scenes and rewards to be worth a look.
One can tell why people often say this is "the very best martial arts movie ever made" (que exclamation marks and over-use of caps); quite simply because this is a solid, fun movie to watch as a whole.Fighting films should be about fights, obviously, so it would be a good idea to just keep the rest simple, which is just what Bloodsport does.
'Bloodsport' is the best Van Damme movie ever.
'Bloodsport' is the best Van Damme movie ever.
The plot could have been better, and the acting too, but it is a Van Damme movie, and it is the fighting we wants, and the fighting in this movie are very good!
Good Van Damme film, Bad Movie.
This is obviously Van Damme's best film, which isn't saying much since most of his movies suck.
Van damme's best & the greatest martial arts film ever.
Bloodsport is definately Jean Claude van Damme's best movie.
It seems like they all try: I wish they'd stick to what they are good at.Bloodsport is just amazing in terms of martial art on film.
Frank Dux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) decides to turn his back on the military so that he can compete in the Kumite (which is a full contact fighting tournament held in Hong Kong). |
tt0467197 | Max Payne | As the movie begins, Max Payne (Mark Wahlberg) is struggling to surface in a ice-crusted river. In a voice-over, he is also narrating. The film then cuts to one week earlier, where Max working as a clerk in the Police Departments cold-case unit. He is obsessed with finding the killer who brutally murdered his wife, Michelle, and newborn daughter. Looking for new leads, Max crashes a party run by his snitch, Trevor Duncan, where he meets Natasha Sax (Olga Kurylenko) and her sister, Mona (Mila Kunis). Natasha and Max go back to his place where she wants to have sex and even offers to act as Max's deceased wife. An upset Max asks Natasha to leave and while she is walking in an alleyway and talking to her drug dealer on the phone, she is hunted, attacked and killed by a mysterious flying entity.The next day, Max and his former partner Alex Balder (Donal Logue) investigate her murder. Alex reveals that Max's wallet was found at the crime scene and that Alex is the prime suspect. Back in his office, Alex discovers that a tattoo of wings found on Natasha's arm is similar to the one on the arm of one of men he killed at the time of Michelle's murder. Alex tries to call Max to reveal what he's learned, but gets his voice mail. Max receives the message and rushes to his apartment only to find Alex dead. Max is suddenly attacked and thrown around until he blacks out. Max wakes up in the hospital beside his mentor B.B. Hensley (Beau Bridges). Max goes to Alex's house to offer his condolences but is forced to leave by his wife Christa Balder (Nelly Furtado), who says that Max has always pushed away everyone who ever cared about him. Later, Max again meets Mona Sax, who believes Max killed Natasha, but Max convinces her that they are both looking for someone else. After storming into Alex's precinct and searching through his partner's investigative files, Max learns that a man named Owen Greene was the last person Natasha called before her death.The scene shifts to crime boss Jack Lupino (Amaury Nolasco) who has become unstable and increasingly berserk due to addiction to the drug Valkyr. He gives the drug to another wing-tattooed junkie and shortly afterwards kills him. Max and Mona find Owen Greene's apartment but hear him screaming. Owen has also become unstable and hallucinated due to Valkyr and backs away from Max and Mona towards the edge of the apartment. He is then pulled by a demonic creature on wings and falls to his death. Max and Mona go to see a tattooist who did Natasha's tattoos; when asked about the winged tattoo, he tells that it is the wing of a Valkyrie, the Norse mythological deity that carried to Heaven only those that died violently in combat. Max then arrives at Aesir Pharmaceuticals headquarters, Michelle's former workplace, to talk with her former supervisor, Jason Colvin (Chris O'Donnell). After beating him and threatening him at gun point, Colvin reveals what he knows. He explains that Michelle was working on a big military-related project with Aesir's CEO, Nicole Horne (Kate Burton) on the development of a stamina-enhancing drug for soldiers. Colvin also reveals that the drug only worked in 1% of the test subjects and the remaining suffered severe traumatic hallucinations about demonic creatures. Because of the hallucinations, they had to shut the project down. Colvin tells Max that his wife was killed because of the drugs. He says everything Max wants to know is inside an envelope Colvin has been carrying around. Covin's secretary alerts B.B., the company's security chief, who summons an internal security team. As Max and Colvin attempt to leave, Max identifies himself as a police officer, but Colvin is deliberately killed to prevent him from revealing what he knows, but Max manages to escape with the envelope, amidst a shooting spree, not before a brief encounter with Jim Bravura (Ludacris) , an internal affairs agent.Mona later finds Max in an abandoned warehouse, watching the video inside Colvin's package. It is revealed that Aesir Pharmaceuticals was the company manufacturing Valkyr for the military. It was a drug created for the purpose of enhancing a soldier's ability in combat and to control their fears. It is also revealed that, before becoming unstable and a rampage killer, Jack Lupino was a former sergeant who volunteered for Valkyr testing; in the video interview, Lupino stated that "he felt invincible" and "suffered no side effects". Mona tells Max that Lupino's lair is at Ragna Rock. Max goes there and successfully kills all of Lupino's henchmen. Max then encounters Lupino, who attempts to force the drug into Max's body. Before he can, he is shot dead by B.B. While leaving Ragna Rock with B.B., Max is knocked unconscious by B.B.'s assistant. Max is then showed walking handcuffed between B.B. and his assistant, who confesses he is the lead manufacturer of Valkyr and the runaway killer that Max has been searching for. B.B. and his partner then attempt to eliminate Max. Making him look like a drug-addicted suicidal by slipping two vials of the Valkyr drug in his jacket pocket, and then attempting to drown him in a freezing river. Max sinks to the bottom as we saw in the opening scene of the movie, but only the thought of his wife and daughter give him the strength to struggle and he barely makes it out alive. In order to combat freezing to death, he ingests the two vials of Valkyr that B.B. had earlier put in his jacket. The effects are felt immediately as he revives. His strength and anger are magnified, but he also hallucinates, seeing the demonic winged creatures, which are revealed to be the mythological Valkyries.A strengthened and berserk Max then rushes to Aesir Pharmaceuticals to kill B.B., but in the middle of the shooting, distracted by his increasing hallucinations, Max is almost killed by one of B.B.'s security team members. Mona arrives and saves Max. She offers to hold the rest off until he reaches his former mentor. B.B. has arranged a helicopter to evacuate him while his assistant tries to blow up the rooftop access with explosives. Mona fatally wounds the assistant, but he still manages to blow up the floor he is on. Max catches up with B.B. and, despite being shot twice, he shoots B.B. dead. Max then slumps near the edge of the building and the dark, snowy, cloudy city sky is now clearing up and the sun appears shining on Max's face. He then experiences an image of himself, his wife and daughter together and Michelle saying, "Not yet, Max". With this he returns to the helipad and the arriving police.In a post-credit scene, Max Payne meets Mona Sax at a bar. They say nothing, but Mona gives Max a newspaper article that shows Aesir's CEO, Nicole Horne, and the headline, "Aesir profits soars". Max and Mona give each other a knowing look. | revenge, neo noir, murder, violence, flashback | train | imdb | null |
tt0477102 | Super Bowl XIII | Super Bowl XIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1978 season. The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 3531. The game was played on January 21, 1979, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, the fifth and last time that the Super Bowl was played in that stadium.This was the first Super Bowl that featured a rematch of a previous one (the Steelers had previously beaten the Cowboys, 2117, in Super Bowl X), and both teams were attempting to be the first club to ever win a third Super Bowl. Dallas was also the defending Super Bowl XII champion, and finished the 1978 regular season with a 124 record, and posted playoff victories over the Atlanta Falcons and the Los Angeles Rams. Pittsburgh entered the game after posting a 142 regular season record and playoff wins over the Denver Broncos and the Houston Oilers.Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who was named Super Bowl MVP, completed 17 out of 30 passes for Super Bowl records of 318 passing yards and 4 touchdown passes. Bradshaw eclipsed Bart Starr's Super Bowl record for passing yards in the first half with 253 yards in the air as the Steelers led 2114 at intermission. His 75-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter also tied Johnny Unitas in Super Bowl V for the longest pass in a Super Bowl. The Cowboys were able to stay close, only trailing 2117 at the end of the third quarter, but Pittsburgh scored two touchdowns in a span of 19 seconds in the fourth period. Dallas also could not overcome turnovers, drops, and a controversial penalty during the second half. The Cowboys were eventually able to score two touchdowns in the final minutes of the game, but still ended up being the first defending champion to lose in the Super Bowl and the first losing Super Bowl team to score 30 points or more.The game came to be known as "Black Sunday" in Las Vegas. The point spread opened at Pittsburgh -3.5 points. As the Steelers backers placed bets on them the sportsbooks adjusted the line. It eventually hit Pittsburgh -4.5 and then the Dallas money poured in on the Cowboys. It eventually settled at Pittsburgh -4. The game's final outcome of Pittsburgh 35 Dallas 31 meant the Las Vegas sportsbooks lost the vast majority of wagers on the game. | non fiction | train | imdb | null |
tt3783958 | La La Land | During the opening credits, the movie we are viewing is said to have been filmed in CINEMASCOPE (like the old-time musicals) and then the screen expands from box format to wide. We find ourselves on the 105/110 interchange in Los Angeles. People listen to various forms of music in their cars. Then one woman gets out of her vehicle and starts singing ANOTHER DAY OF SUN to camera (à la a musical), a song about how great it is being in sunny California. Someone else exits his car and joins her. Pretty soon, everyone has left their car and is singing the song while dancing in the street or on the cars that are parked via the traffic jam, everything synchronized for the full-length musical number.The song ends and everyone gets back in their cars. We are told it is WINTER. Traffic finally begins to move. Inside her Toyota Prius, Mia (Emma Stone) appears to be talking to someone on the phone. In his classic car, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) honks at her to move. We realize she isn't talking to anyone but is practicing for an upcoming audition. Sebastian goes around her, glaring, while she flips him off. She then murmurs that she should probably move as she's obstructing the traffic flow.Mia works at a coffee shop on the Warner Bros lot, serving the employees of the studio. When a movie star comes in for coffee, the manager tells her it's on the house so she puts her money in the tip jar instead. Mia watches in awe as the movie star gets on a golf cart, being escorted to set. Then Mia's phone goes off, reminding her that she has an audition to get to. Mia rushes off so she won't be late and collides with a customer, spilling coffee all over her shirt. When Mia gets to the audition, she is wearing a jacket over her blouse. She does her reading, giving a really honest performance where she breaks into tears. But it goes unnoticed as someone appears in the window with a message. The casting directors interrupt Mia's audition while they talk to an assistant who tells them someone has called for them, which they say to relay that they'll return the call shortly. Mia is thanked even though they have neglected to watch her performance. She leaves the casting office and into the waiting area where everyone looks like her. Then she gets into the elevator where two other girls look like her and are wearing similar clothes, all presumably there for the same audition.Mia returns home to the house she lives with three other aspiring actresses. They ask how her audition went but she doesn't want to discuss it. They are all going out to a Hollywood party at the home of someone in the film industry and suggest she goes along. She is reluctant but through a song called SOMEONE IN THE CROWD, Mia's roommates point out that someone might discover her if she attends and she can ascend from being just someone in the crowd. We see the party in a classic movie musical montage with close-ups of champagne being poured and creepy older men hitting on Mia. Time moves in slow-motion and the guests ballroom dance around her. The night has proven uneventful and Mia returns to her car only to realize she has parked in a tow away zone and her car is gone. She is forced to walk in heels down the canyon into the city. She walks around Hollywood and is distracted when she hears a beautiful jazz song being played on piano. It entices her to step into a restaurant/night club called Liptons, where she sees Sebastian playing the song.We flashback to earlier in the day, when Sebastian is laying on his horn behind Mia in traffic. After he gets around her, Sebastian drives his car to a coffee stand. Across the street, he watches a club open for the day, that advertises Tunes & Tapas. He goes home to his run-down apartment, and his sister is there. He chastises her for putting her feet on a stool which he took from the street after a jazz club closed down, citing that one of his favorite jazz musicians had sat on it. In their conversation, it's evident that he loves jazz music and he tells her how his old club was closed down and turned into the Samba/Tapas place. His sister points out that all his bills are overdue and that he needs to start making money.Later, Sebastian arrives at Lipton's for a piano gig. He talks to the club's manager (J.K. Simmons in a cameo role) about whether he can do some of his choices for songs. The manager refuses. He asks if he can do one as requested and then one of his own and is told no. He asks if he can do two as requested and then one of his own. The manager tells him all the songs should be as requested. So he begins to play Christmas songs, begrudgingly, as the patrons ignore him. After several holiday tunes, he begins to play his own piece. As fantasy, the lights in the club dim and he plays the piano in a spotlight. The piece (MIA & SEBASTIAN'S THEME) is beautiful. This is when Mia has stepped into the club. When Sebastian finishes, the fantasy fades and the lights come back up. The manager pulls him aside and tells him he's fired. Sebastian tries to convince him to give him another chance but is denied. Mia watches this whole exchange. As he passes her, she tries to tell him how moved she was by his music but he gives her a dirty look and pushes past her. This takes her aback and she is left speechless.We're told it's now SPRING. We see a montage of Mia auditioning for different roles: Mia auditions again first for the role of a doctor, where she has to recite jargon that she doesn't understand; then the role of a police officer, reciting jargon she doesn't understand; and then she reads the role of a white woman trying to educate inner-city high school students, with the casting assistant reading the lines (''Why you trippin'?'') opposite her in monotone.Mia ends at up at a pool party while an '80s cover band plays ''Take On Me'' by A-Ha. Mia is introduced to a young man who is a writer. He immediately goes into a spiel about how his career is blowing up and he's on everyone's radar; she excuses herself and ventures over to the band, only to see Sebastian is the keyboardist, wearing a hot red track suit akin to '80s fashion. The singer asks if anyone has any requests. She shouts out ''I Ran.'' Sebastian gives her a disapproving look, as the song only requires him to play the keytar. The band plays ''I Ran'' by A Flock of Seagulls' with the lyrics ''I never thought I'd meet a girl like you'' and ''I ran, I ran so far away.'' After their set, Sebastian finds Mia and tells her she can't request ''I Ran'' because he's a serious musician. She playfully mocks his outfit and says she needs his wardrobe for an audition she has that week, for the role of a Serious Fireman. He asks what she does in life that puts her so high above him to critique, and she tells him she works at a coffee shop on the Warner Bros. lot. He chastises her for being just a barista, yet talking down to him, but is then called back to the band for another set.After the event, the writer tries chatting Mia up again. She sees Sebastian leaving and calls out to him to get her keys from the valet, as a way to escape the conversation. He asks what car she drives. When she tells him it's a Toyota Prius, he notes that all the cars are Priuses. She tells him the one with the green ribbon. We cut to them walking down the canyon among parked cars. She mentions it's strange that they keep running into each other, and Sebastian agrees, wondering if it means something. Mia says she doubts it. Her remote car key fob isn't beeping. He tells her to put it under her chin to connect with the antenna, joking that it will give her cancer but she'll find her car faster so it's a fair tradeoff. The two playfully bicker and then find themselves at the top of the canyon with a view of Los Angeles below, the sunset looking pink. They both joke that the view is nothing to look at. Sebastian begins singing A LOVELY NIGHT, a playful musical number where he says it's a waste of a lovely night on two people who aren't interested in each other. Mia changes from heels into dance shoes and midway through she joins him in the duet. They move from singing to dancing together. When the song ends, she gets a call from Greg, who turns out to be her boyfriend. She then puts the fob under her chin and hears a chirp. She gets to her car and asks if he wants a ride. He says, no, he's parked just up the hill. She drives away downhill. He watches her go and then also heads downhill, walking a long distance back to his car, which it turns out was parked right outside the house where the party was held.Mia is back at work at the coffee shop. A snooty woman asks her if a pastry is gluten-free. Mia tells her no. The woman demands a refund. She tells her she has to get her manager to approve that. When she approaches the manager, she is told that she has to work Friday, despite having an audition. She goes back to the counter and Sebastian is there; the only info he had about her was where she worked. She asked how he got onto the lot and he said he hightailed it past security and might need to hide in the restroom for a little bit. He asks when she's getting off work and she tells him in ten minutes. The lady who wants the refund demands service so Mia tries to take care of it at the register before realizing she still needs approval.Sebastian and Mia leave the cafe and walk along the lot; they pass many different sets filming varied scenes. They are stopped and directed around a live shoot, which prompts Sebastian to say they film movies on his street all the time. He asks Mia why she wanted to be an actress. She says her aunt was an actress and when she'd visit Mia in Boulder City, Nevada, they'd go across the street to the library and check out old movies. She used to write plays and put on productions and always wanted to act. As they continue walking past the stages on the Warner Bros. lot, Mia then tells him about her last audition for a show that is ''Dangerous Minds'' meets ''The O.C.'' He suggests that she write her own material so she doesn't have to suffer at auditions, citing that Louis Armstrong did this. She confesses that she doesn't like jazz music. This inspires him to take her to a jazz club called The Lighthouse. As the band plays, Sebastian tries to explain to Mia his love for jazz, and why he thinks jazz is great. He also tells her that jazz is dying, and his dream is to open his own jazz club where they play whatever they want, whenever they want. Mia returns a missed phone call in a quiet corner of the club, and discovers she has a callback. Sebastian asks what it's for and she said it's the ''Dangerous Minds/O.C.'' show but it's not as bad as she made it out to be now that she has a callback. It's more like ''Rebel Without a Cause.'' He quotes the movie, but she doesn't know what he's referencing, and he realizes she hasn't actually seen the film. He tells her it's playing at the Rialto and they should see it together later that week. She agrees and they say goodbye.Sebastian is then seen walking along a pier at sunset. He sings CITY OF STARS, as he finds a man's hat on the pier, returns it to the owner, and spontaneously dances with the man's wife.Mia goes to the callback for the show. One casting director texts on her phone while the other one just looks at her headshot instead of her. After she reads one line, he tells her "That's enough". She suggests doing it a different way but he won't let her. She is discouraged as she leaves and drives back home, but on her way she passes the Rialto, and begins to smile. Back at home, Mia is getting ready to go to the Rialto when her boyfriend, Greg (Finn Wittrock) arrives and reminds her they're going to dinner with his brother who just got into town. She doesn't have Sebastian's contact info so she isn't able to postpone their movie date.Sebastian arrives at the theater, and waits outside for Mia. Meanwhile, Mia is at dinner while Greg has pompous conversation with his brother and his brother's date about all the exotic places they've traveled to. Mia looks up at the speaker, which begins playing MIA & SEBASTIAN'S THEME. She apologizes to Greg and leaves the restaurant, running toward the movie theater in heels. By this point, Sebastian has gone inside and the movie has already begun. Mia can't find Sebastian in the darkened theater so she stands up on the stage to scan the crowd, and Sebastian stands up once he notices her there. They watch the movie together, with the scene at the Griffith Observatory on the screen. Their hands slowly drift closer and closer until they touch. They hold hands. He leans in to kiss her and then the film breaks. The lights turn on and the moment is interrupted. Mia has an idea for a fun alternative.The two end up at the Griffith Observatory, driving into the scene with a shot recreated from the film we saw moments before. They find an unlocked door around the back, and venture inside. They begin to dance around the halls and finally end up in the planetarium. Suddenly they float up to the dome ceiling, which is lit up with stars and find themselves in the stars. They dance in outer space, until they come back down to earth and finally have their first kiss.It's now SUMMER. Mia and Sebastian are dating. She is writing a play, as Sebastian suggested. Her roommates ask for parts but she tells them it's a one-woman show. Sebastian arrives at her home but instead of coming to the door, he lays on his horn until she goes outside, annoying her roommates. What follows is a montage of the two of them on dates throughout the city, ending with the two of them at The Lighthouse, where Sebastian plays the piano and Mia dances with the other patrons. They sit down at a table together and are interrupted by a friend of Sebastian's, Keith (John Legend) who he had previously been in a jazz band with. Keith says his new band is looking for a piano player, and it pays, but Sebastian declines.Back at Sebastian's apartment, Mia finishes performing her one-woman show for him, and he tells her it's incredible. She then shows him a logo for his club she made. She wants him to call it SEBS and he compliments that she used a music note for the apostrophe but he is set on the name Chicken on a Stick as an homage to jazz musician Charlie Parker, who got his nickname Bird because he loved eating chicken.Later, Mia is on the phone with her mother. She is being asked about Sebastian and defensively tells her mom that he's going to open a jazz club but admits he doesn't have the money yet. She is insistent he is saving up though, even though he doesn't have a steady gig. Overhearing this, Sebastian is lost in his thoughts.Sebastian decides to try out the gig with Keith and his band. Keith says they have a record deal, and a tour set up, and they can pay him $1000 a week, plus a cut of tickets and merchandising. Sebastian is momentarily speechless at this. They rehearse a song that begins as the type of jazz Sebastian is used to, then Keith adds in electronic, modern noises and Sebastian is thrown off, but he tries to continue playing. Keith pulls Sebastian aside afterwards and notes that Sebastian has always been difficult because he's a traditionalist but young people don't like that kind of jazz music it has to be modernized to appeal to them and Sebastian is foolish to cling to the antiquated past instead of focusing on the future of jazz.We see Sebastian at home playing piano. Mia comes home, and Sebastian begins singing CITY OF STARS as he plays. Mia joins him on the piano bench and joins in, making the song a duet. As the piano music continues, we see a montage of changes in each of their lives. Mia quits her day job as a barista, and arranges a theater rental for her one-woman show. Sebastian signs with Keith's band, and proceeds to tour and do press events with them. We see that Mia is moving in with Sebastian, and selling some of her stuff, and working on her one-woman show, while Sebastian is out performing. They seem to be growing apart, as Mia is shown staying up late waiting for him, then Sebastian coming in after she's fallen asleep, and then Mia alone in the kitchen the next morning. The montage ends with a flashback of the two of them finishing their CITY OF STARS duet on the piano bench together.Mia attends a concert for Keith and Sebastian's band, The Messengers. What begins as a jazz song turns into a dance number with samples of jazz elements (START A FIRE). The massive crowd of young people love it as it sounds very modern and radio-friendly. But Mia is surprised that Sebastian doesn't mind selling out when he is so particular in the style of music he loves. She searches his face for disapproval but he kind of shrugs the experience off as a non-issue. As the song and the crowd grows more frenzied, Mia is pushed to the back of the crowd, and fades out of Sebastian's view by the end of the song.It's now FALL. Mia drives by the Rialto, where they saw ''Rebel Without a Cause'' and notices it's been closed. She emails a handful of people about her show, then on her way home she leaves a message for Sebastian, saying she misses him and that they haven't talked in a while as he's been on the road touring. However, when she gets home Sebastian is there to surprise her, having come back into town for just one night to see her. Over dinner, Mia notes that she hasn't seen him in months and is so glad they're together again. He suggests she joins the band in Boise for their next gig. She politely declines, saying she has to stay in Los Angeles because her show is two weeks away from its opening night. He points out it's a one-woman show and she can rehearse anywhere. She replies that the theater is set up for her in L.A. She notes that she is terrified that it won't go well, noting that while he doesn't seem to have concerns with performing, she has a lot of fear of whether people like her. She asks when the tour ends. He tells her there's no set amount of time but when it's done, they will then begin recording the record and then start another tour to promote the record -- the whole thing could be years. She asks him if he even likes the music they're doing. He is surprised by this and notes that the music is fine. Mia presses that he loves old school jazz. He doesn't understand why she's debating about his band she pressured him to make money to start a club and he went out and did that. She asks why he can't just begin focusing on the club with the money hes already earned. He tells her he's now part of something that is a success and that's what every musician strives for. Sebastian suggests she's surprised that the band would be successful because she suspected it would fail. He then adds that she probably doesn't want him to stay in the band to keep him down on her level (since she hasn't had much success as an actress). She asks if hes serious. He says yes. This moves Mia to tears and she leaves. Sebastian realizes the dinner has been burnt in the oven.The day comes for Mia's one-woman show. Sebastian has promised to be there since he's in L.A. practicing with his band. As he heads out after practice, Keith reminds Sebastian of the photo shoot they have that night, for the album artwork. Sebastian didn't know it was that night and we realize he's going to miss Mia's show.Mia performs her one-woman show across town, while Sebastian is photographed by an obnoxious photographer who asks him to bite his lip and lower his glasses to his nose. Mia's show ends and we see that only about ten people are in the audience. To add insult to injury, when she goes backstage, she can overhear people complaining that Mia isn't a very good actress and the show was bad.Sebastian gets to the theater after it's closed but in time to run into Mia leaving. He apologizes for missing the show. She is upset and has lost faith in herself. She tells him her desire to be an actress was probably just a pipe dream and she's wasted six years, never realizing until now that she wasn't good enough to be an actress. He tries to encourage her but she points out she can't even pay back the theater because she had no ticket sales. She tells him she's got to regroup and is going home. He thinks she means her home in L.A. but she tells him she means home home, a.k.a. Nevada.Mia drives back to Nevada and moves back in with her family. Inside her childhood home, Mia sees all the acting paraphernalia that decorated her room. Time goes by and Sebastian is in his apartment in L.A. He receives a phone call, someone asking for Mia. He tells her she is no longer accessible. The woman on the phone says she was told that this was the only number she could possibly reach her after she couldn't reach her through her home number. She tells Sebastian she is with Amy Brandt Casting.In the middle of dinner at her parents' home, Mia is startled when someone outside lays on his car horn. Mia knows who it is immediately as this is how Sebastian would always get her attention. She goes to the window and see Sebastian across the street, with a neighbor yelling at him to be quiet.Mia joins Sebastian outside. He tells her that a casting director who called him was one of the ten people who had seen Mia's one-woman show and now wants Mia to audition for a movie the next day at 5 p.m. Mia isn't sure if she wants to travel all the way back to L.A. to get her heart broken again. Sebastian tells her hell be outside her home at 8 a.m. if shes there, he'll drive her the five hours to Los Angeles; otherwise, he'll go back without her. She asks how he found her and he points out it's the house across from the library (she had mentioned this in the story about her aunt inspiring her to become an actress).Sebastian returns the next morning and parks outside of her house but she's not there. He starts to drive away and then Mia steps into frame, telling him she was delayed because she got them coffee. She hops in the car and they drive to California. He takes her to the audition which now is just them in the waiting room, unlike her previous experiences. She is immediately called into the audition room, where both Amy Brandt and her assistant are friendly and happy to see her. Mia is told that the film will have a three-month rehearsal and then a four-month shoot in Paris. There is no script, as they say it will be built around the lead actress, so for her audition, they ask her to tell her a story. She thinks for a bit and then begins to tell them about how her aunt lived in Paris once. This monologue turns into a song, AUDITION (THE FOOLS WHO DREAM), about how Paris is the place for dreamers.Mia and Sebastian go back to Griffith Park to catch up after their absence from each other. He asks how the audition went but she is afraid to be positive and get her hopes up. Mia asks Sebastian where they are now. He tells her Griffith Park but admits he's joking; he tells her he doesn't know where their relationship stands but he doesn't want to be the one to keep her from her dream. He is confident she will get the part and she has to devote all of herself to the opportunity, just like he did with his music. And that doesn't include him.We see a palm tree and are told it's WINTER. But then we pull back to see it's actually a scrim with a palm tree and were on the Warner Bros. lot. We're told its FIVE YEARS LATER. Mia goes into the same coffee shop she used to work in. The new manager and employee are a bit star-struck and tell her the coffee's on the house. Like the movie star in the beginning of the film, Mia puts the money she intended to pay for the coffee with in the tip jar and then goes outside to a golf cart, where shes chauffeured to a set. Meanwhile, we see Sebastian in a small jazz club, testing out a recently tuned piano and talking with an employee about how business is.Mia goes to an expensive home and greets her husband who is revealed to not be Sebastian but David (Tom Everett Scott). She is also shown to have a young daughter now. In another part of town, Sebastian arrives back at his home, where he is clearly better off than he was five years ago, but he does not appear to be living with anyone. He cooks lunch for himself alone.Later that evening, a babysitter watches Mia and David's daughter, and they go out to an event, supporting a colleague in the industry. We also see Sebastian arriving at his jazz club, walking past a giant poster advertizing Mia's newest film on the side of his building. Mia and David get stuck in gridlock traffic with no cars moving, and Mia notes that this is what she doesn't miss about the city, letting us know she's bicoastal but based mostly in New York. She suggests that David exit the freeway and they go out to dinner instead.After dinner, Mia is walking to their car but the sound of jazz music convinces David to scope out a nearby jazz club. He asks if Mia wants to check it out and she agrees. As they walk down into the club, Mia sees the name of the club on a neon sign - it says SEB'S. Inside, the club is packed with people as the band is finishing a song. Sebastian goes onstage to welcome the crowd and thank the band. Sebastian notices Mia in the crowd, temporarily losing his cool demeanor. He takes the spot of the pianist and begins to play MIA & SEBASTIAN'S THEME that he was playing when she first saw him. The lights dim on him and he plays, lit only by spotlight. When it's over, the lights come back up and we find him back in the restaurant where she first saw him playing the piano. Once again, Sebastian is fired by his manager (J.K. Simmons) for not sticking to Christmas tunes. He walks towards Mia who tries to compliment him but instead of brushing her off as before, he grabs her and kisses her.This begins a lengthy epilogue, a ten-minute musical number where Mia and Sebastian dance from one set to another, symbolizing what their life could have been together. It starts with all of the restaurant's patrons and the manager dancing. Then we see them running through scenes of their life, scenes we've seen before, but a little bit better. They're at the jazz club with Keith approaching Sebastian but Sebastian turns him away before he can even say hello. They're at the theater where Mia performs her one-woman show, but the audience is full and they love it, and Sebastian is there cheering for her the loudest. They leave the theater and end up on an empty soundstage, and as they walk along it becomes the soundstage on the Warners Bros. lot with people dancing on a re-creation of the 105/110 interchange while a camera crew films. Amy Brandt appears to bring Mia in for her audition, and she and Sebastian embrace when she gets the part. They're both go to Paris with Mia filming a movie and Sebastian playing jazz. They end up getting married. Now we see them as a couple, with her returning home but it's a more humble abode than her movie star reality. Instead of David and her daughter, it's Sebastian and her son. They leave the baby with a babysitter and end up in the same gridlock traffic. Mia now suggests to Sebastian that they pull off the highway and go to dinner instead. She stops by their parked car but he leads her into the jazz club. They find the same seats that Mia and David found but now it's Sebastian next to her while they watch a pianist play on the stage. Sebastian and Mia seem closer and more affectionate than she does with David. But then the song ends and she's next to David with Sebastian onstage at the piano -- it was all a fantasy.The crowd applauds, loving the song. David asks Mia if she wants to stick around for another. She contemplates the question but then finally says no. The two leave and she pauses at the door, looking back to make eye contact with Sebastian. He looks at her, and then very slightly smiles and nods his head. She smiles back at him, and turns to leave. Sebastian takes a moment, then begins playing with his band. | flashback, home movie | train | imdb | His passion for classic movies and musicals is evident as he references and pulls influence from films like 'Singin' in the Rain', 'The Umbrellas of Cherborg' and even 'Rebel Without a Cause', the latter of which is one of my favourite films so seeing the nod to it was something I was pleased about.The chemistry between Gosling and Stone is strong to say the least, after two previous collaborations, their already-strong bond helped them become one of modern-day cinema's finest couples.
It is as if the cast from the FAME remake grew up, had children of their own, and then those children hijacked the Santa Monica freeway to do a 10 minute flash-mob dance sequence.From that point on, the film is hypnotic.We segue to a love story as pure as anything since the great dramas of the 1940s.
If the film had been in B&W, you would almost have expected to see Bette Davis in a 3-hankie tear jerker.Except for the musical interludes, of course, which are pitch perfect and totally wonderful.Gosling is surprising as a leading man expected to do song and dance, but he delivers the goods.
The main characters in this Los Angeles romantic musical are Mia (Emma Stone), a coffee-shop employee with dreams of being an actress; and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz pianist who aspires to open his own club that plays jazz like it was played in the good old days.At long last: a movie released during the 2016 awards season that actually lives up to the hype!Early in the film, there are two superb group musical numbers.
They include the hell of auditioning to people who are too busy plus the desire to maintain the purity of a great music genre (jazz) while too often being told it is "a dying art".Gosling takes a while to break into the role particularly where the singing is concerned but it's not long before he fits into the part quite nicely.
The movie also gives nods to great classic musicals like "Singin' in the Rain", "Les Demoiselles de Rochefort", and "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg" all the while being unique and standing out on its own.
I was interested in seeing this film because not only am I a sucker for a good musical, but I'll admit to being a big fan of Ryan Gosling and I was intrigued to see what the director of Whiplash would do with a musical picture to make it fresh and unique.
So when I had the chance to see a late-planned viewing at the London Film Festival, I jumped at the chance (FYI, Ryan Gosling came to the screening as a surprise post- film Q&A attendee despite not appearing at the Headline Gala the night before so I was chuffed!)The premise of the story is that Stone is a young actress who has moved to LA to wait tables while auditioning to try and 'make it', while Gosling is a jazz purist ("Anyone who doesn't like jazz just doesn't have the right...context", he insists) who plays the piano in bars to make a living and dreams of opening his own Jazz bar.
The musical flows thematically from first love to heartbreak and every other emotion between, with great music throughout.The most impressive thing about the film, for me, is just how daringly it dances between the old-fashioned "Singing' In The Rain" style of musical, and a bolder, modern style.
The song numbers are great (the opening number received a round of applause in my viewing) and are an undoubted homage to classic musicals - a thoughtful mixture of old school dance numbers you'd expect from a musical in the 50s, and emotionally-wrenching ballads that hit you where it hurts; there is one particular sequence toward the end of the film which is a real gut-punch.
Stylistically the film skirts this same line; the film again looks and acts like a classic musical but frequently we see low-key reminders that this is modern day; actresses using their iPhones, a video being seen on Youtube, etc to remind us that this is set in the present day.
The film is ultimately everything it had the potential to be - an unashamedly romantic musical, infused not only with great song and dance numbers but with intense emotion and charisma from Gosling/Stone, wonderful visuals and a unique pacing and tension from Chazelle.
The old- fashioned musical extravaganza is back, and back with style!"La La Land" tells the bittersweet love story of Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) who first meet in an LA traffic jam but then get thrown together by chance (LA is such a small place after all!).
Whilst there are obvious and non-apologetic throwbacks to the classic musicals of the 50's like "West Side Story" and "Singin' in the Rain" and references to "Casablanca" and "Rebel without a Cause", there is also a 60's vibe to the 'girls getting ready' sequence; an 80's A-ha cover thrown in at a pool party; and a Californian Prius obsession that is surely more 'noughties' than current.
Can Hollywood take a hint?) The big question: now that both Stone and Gosling have won Golden Globes for acting in the "Comedy or Musical" category, can they convert that to Oscar glory where there is a single category in play?
It's also great to see proper movie-making taking place in the Hollywood studios again: during my recent visits to LA there seemed to be little other than TV work going on in the main studio complexes there (although its worth pointing out that for this film not all of the filming was actually done on the Warner Brothers lot).
I had that feeling with La La Land, the new film from Damien Chazelle, who blew us all away with Whiplash a few years ago.With La La Land, Chazelle has made an irresistible musical comedy-drama that serves up a real delight for the eyes and ears.
If you haven't heard of this film yet (where have you been?), I'm sure you will do in the coming months.Mia Dolan (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress serving coffees to film stars while Sebastian Wilder (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz pianist playing a small time bar to make ends meet.
The two meet and fall in love but it's their dreams of success that soon threaten to tear them apart.The most striking thing about La La Land is just how beautifully crafted a film it is; the story, performances, music, dance numbers and cinematography all playing their part in making this such an unforgettable cinematic experience.
The gorgeous cinematography from Linus Sandgren brings the city of Los Angeles to life, awash with colour, while his swift camera-work, including some impressive long takes, in particular through the dance numbers, immerses the audience right in the middle of this dreamlike musical.Coming to the performances, La La Land features two superb lead performances from Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, both giving arguably their best performance to date.
The pair share an undeniable chemistry and I would love to see them both get the recognition they deserve come awards season.Justin Hurwitz's score and the original songs in La La Land, along with the wonderfully choreographed dance sequences, including a great opening number that sets the tone for the rest of the film, heighten the film's level of originality, maintaining that energy Chapelle's films possess.I dare you to try and not fall in love with La La Land.
Yet here it is, hale and hearty.The music is melodic but never simplistic; the lyrics are intelligent and intelligible; the script is funny, touching without ever resorting to sentimentality; the two leads are not only skillful but full of a kind of charm that I honestly thought had disappeared entirely from American movies: but here we have Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone just oozing it.The only pebbles in this ocean of inventiveness are some routine dance routines and over-reliance on the device of lights dimming on set to isolate an actor in white light, but that's me being r-e-a-l-l-y picky.
It may well be that this is the best musical written directly for the screen since SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS.All credit to writer-director Damien Chazelle and his team - and it really feels like a team-movie - for giving us this gem.
Looks like the 2017 Oscars will be the most predictable event of this year Romantic musicals aren't my thing so my dread was realised in the opening scene with a California highway turning in to a song and dance scene so camp I thought I was watching a forest of pink tents which hints at what you're going to get - feelgood factor whether you want it or not .
It was at this point I seriously considered giving up on the movie and going on youtube to listen to proper love songs by the likes of The The and Joy Division As the film continued the narrative did expose itself to being what you expect , two young people , a man and a woman , who are embarking on fulfilling their careers in respectively jazz music and acting .
It draws inspiration by classics like Singing in the rain and West Side Story but it can't compete with any of these masterpieces and it doesn't offer anything new in the genre.In terms of acting Emma Stone is very good, showing seamless transitions between opposite emotions but nothing special from Ryan Gosling who adds to the sad tone that the movie will eventually reach.The plot it starts as a satire of todays (and past and maybe future) Los Angeles, which is full of waitresses who want to be famous actresses and struggling musicians who have their own dreams to make it in a very competitive world.Later it becomes a romantic story (not only for relationships but also for dreams and wishes) but in its final act the movie takes a serious dramatic turn where the two "happy" endings are combining to a depressing conclusion, that even the final two reassuring nods can't repair.
I really like both Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, but neither can carry a tune in this movie!
Take a good book and stay home.Its boring, the plot is dull, it is slow and the opposite of inspiring or interesting ....The beginning of the movie has a scene as if inspired by West Side Story...
But to be honest, Gosling's singing (a presumed effort to mimic Astaire's approach) was not good, and Stone's dancing didn't hold a candle to a really trained, talented dancer (like the lead in the opening number).
Perhaps there is a missing scene on the cutting room floor since this then permitted an alternate ending which, of course, made no sense.Finally, many others are right to note the lack of chemistry between Ryan and Emma.To vote anything close to an 8.9 you need memorable songs, great chemistry, ever greater singing and dance talents plus a story that makes sense rather then contradicting itself.
This is basically a typical and predictable film which is typical broadway.The acting is poor overall and the dance sequences appear to be far too similar in the Cherography.The ending may not have been typical but it's not worthy of even being nominated for an Oscar let alone winning..
But since this movie is stealing all the awards so far, and some people are calling that dull & cheesy film "a masterpiece" I felt forced to write something.
And Ryan Gosling (who is OK in the film but not amazing) is actually playing the piano, which, in a Hollywood movie is already a lot.
First, I like both actors, I really do..But I don't think they did justice to dancing or singing.It simply didn't look real or serious enough.Either they're not talented enough or they should've work harder and longer for it...I'm not a professional dancer but you can see from the sky that the way they move their feet isn't real dancers alike!
Idea of bringing old Hollywood style, step dancing and singing is brilliant but there is no much story..Scenario is somehow cheap.John Legend I love your music..But casting him was more desperate than necessary..The buzz over this movie is just so over-hyped, they're even mentioning Oscar nominations which it obviously doesn't deserve..You simply can't put this next to Titanic,The Lord of the rings or I don't know...
The film impressed me on so many levels, for the quality of the direction and cinematography, the seamless transition between musical song-and-dance numbers with a powerful narrative, the inventive choreography, the authenticity that Stone and Gosling brought to their portrayal of their characters, and the amplification of the intensity of their romance enacted through their singing and dancing.
Given my love of both movies and musicals, I had such high hopes for La La Land.But alas, it was not to be.The good news is that the cast and production values are excellent.
Her acting is way better than Ryan Gosling.However, movie is colorful, musical background track is also good.
As much as I like both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, neither of them can sing or dance well enough to star in a musical.
It wasn't only painful for me to watch, but I also was robbed of my precious time and energy, because of the media's thumbs up reviews, which should have been all thumbs down.Although the actors where good, the "chemistry" was awkward and boring.The story line was a C- poor.
Although I like Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as actors, they really should not be casted for musicals.
I'm kind of disappointing at their casting as lead roles because I think that with different lead actors (two who can actually sing and dance) this movie would've been breathtaking.
Ryan Gosling was stiff and bland (as he is most of the time).My advice to people who gave this a 10, please go watch:SINGIN' IN THE RAIN -- WEST SIDE STORY -- THE WIZARD OF OZ -- THE SOUND OF MUSIC -- CABARET -- MARY POPPINS -- A STAR IS BORN -- MY FAIR LADY -- AN American IN Paris -- MEET ME IN ST.
La La Land makes me upset because I feel like there is a great movie in this film.
The character I related to most is the writer character at the party and he is trivial at best in the film.Therefore, the criticism is that there are no characters that one can get involved with and relate to in this mess of a film.Other than the lacking characters, clumsy plots, lack of good music (besides 2-3 songs), awkward conversations that lead to nothing meaningful, the movie is well done.
The flow of this movie is bad it's like they look for another scene to play another boring song.
OK we re not so down with the movies but we expected to see a combination of Marry Poppins and the Diary, after seeing all the reviews and Oscar nominations but what the hell was that?Do they think in Hollywood that we re brain dead zombies and we re gonna fall for this crap?Don't spend a dime and time for this, better look at your ceiling for 2 hours its more productive..IMDb metric system isn't trustworthy after this for sure...
La La Land is a cute story, mediocre movie and has some nice dance and music scenes, but THAT IS ABOUT IT!
I do like the actors- Ryan Gosling is great and Emma Stone is not bad also but that is the only positive in that film.
I think that the story had potential and it could've been a great movie it was just bad casting and too much musical, they should've toned down a little..
I left feeling very disappointed and wondering what all the hype was about.A song and dance movie, with stars that could neither sing nor dance.
To boot, I loved almost all the separate components of the film individually but I didn't love the resulting bundle.Aesthetically, my eyes were gently caressed with beauty for the full duration of the movie and for that I'm most appreciative.Ryan Gosling is his usual, immaculate self, succeeding in gracing us with yet another stunning performance -- stylish, suave and utterly charming.Emma Stone has her ups and middles but never a down, and she gave me one of the sole two scenes that made my breathing falter against an emotional hiccup; another win.Now, on the musical side of things...Meh.The songs left me disinterested, the overall sound dress of the film rang uninspired and repetitive, only resonating with my pathos during a couple of instances, while the rest lagged tiredly to the request of the more instinct-driven scenes.The story itself...
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were really impressive with their dancing and singing.
I kept looking at my watch saying "only another 1/2 hour." Ryan Gosling cannot really sing & dance.And Emma Stone may be very photogenic & a good actress but she also is not much of a singer/dancer.There are wonderful musicals such as The amazing "West Side Story",the wonderful "Grease' Chicago was terrific to watch also as well as "Hairspray" with Jennifer Hudson & 'Mama Mia" with Meryl Streep.But this mess was a dud.
By the way, the film completely fails to capture L.A. in any way.Kudos to Emma and Ryan for trying to sing and dance, unfortunately proving that it takes MORE talent than they or most other Hollywood celebrities have to perform in a musical.
Its apparently supposed to be a movie musical, yet BOTH RYAN GOSLING AND EMMA STONE ARE BELOW AVERAGE SINGERS.
Our story starts off in a traffic jam on a freeway and suddenly everyone does a song and dance number that sets the tone that this film is a colorful original musical about ambitious young people who pursue their dreams in LA.
Are we as a people supposed to rejoice that the song and dance of old Hollywood musicals had a tribute film made just in time for the Oscar season? |
tt1904996 | Parker | Parker (Jason Statham) is a professional thief, who doesn't steal from the poor or hurt innocent people. His mentor Hurley (Nick Nolte) asks him to do a five-man job with a crew he doesn't know, which consists of Melander (Michael Chiklis), Carlson (Wendell Pierce), Ross (Clifton Collins Jr.) and Hardwicke (Michah Hauptman). The job is successful, but Parker refuses to go further with another plan that will earn them millions. They shoot him and leave him to die in a lake. Having barely survived, he is found by a family who take him to the hospital, where he chokes out a male nurse, steals his uniform, and escapes. He robs a check cashing store to get funds, shooting one proprietor in the leg, and stealing a woman's car parked outside. Parker tells Hurley that he wants to go after Melander for double-crossing him, who he later discovers is in Palm Beach, Florida for another heist. The crew learn that he is alive, and uses their mob connections to get a hit-man named Kroll (Daniel Bernhardt) to go after Parker. He tries to kidnap Hurley's daughter and Parker's girlfriend Claire (Emma Booth). She narrowly escapes and goes into hiding at a Fish Camp. Hurley is worried and suggests Parker run away with Claire, but he refuses, completely intent on revenge against Melander.Parker travels to Palm Beach and poses as a Texan named Daniel Parmitt. Leslie Rogers (Jennifer Lopez) is a depressed, unsuccessful real-estate agent living with her mother (Patti LuPone), and struggling financially after a divorce. She is thrilled when Parker (as Parmitt) appears to become interested in her properties, because she is desperate for a commission. Leslie soon becomes suspicious when Parker only takes interest in a house that a man named Rodrigo is renting. In reality, Rodrigo is Melander, and is staying in this house with the crew in anticipation of a $50 million dollar jewelry auction from which they plan to steal jewels. Leslie becomes suspicious and eventually finds out that Daniel Parmitt is a fake identity. She offers her knowledge of the area as help to Parker, if he will give her a commission. He considers it after making her strip to make sure she isn't wearing a wire. Together, they plan to steal the jewels from Melander after he robs them from the auction. Leslie kisses Parker, but he stops it from going any further.Before the auction, Melander's crew disguise themselves as movers to plan their heist. They soon learn that Parker is in Palm Beach, and send Kroll to kill him. After a bloody fight, Kroll stabs Parker through the hand, but ends up falling from a balcony and dying. The next morning, local detective Jake Fernandez (Bobby Cannavale) arrives with questions for Leslie about Daniel after learning that she was in business with him. She is shocked when she discovers a bloody Parker hiding in her house, and tells Jake that Daniel was a waste of her time. At her workplace, Leslie is horrified when she watches a video of Kroll's death online, which was filmed by local onlookers. When she gets back to her condo, Claire is there stitching up Parker's wounds. Leslie is hurt, believing she had a chance to be with Parker romantically. Claire goes back into hiding at the Fish Camp.The crew successfully steal the jewels at the auction, and swim back to the house, where a weak and injured Parker has already arrived. Worried that Parker might get hurt, Leslie makes her way to the house and begins snooping around the garden. She is found and taken inside, where the crew abuse and grill her with questions, assuming she is working with Parker. Melander finds Parker and a fight ensues. Carlson starts to molest Leslie, and she shoots him multiple times with a gun she noticed under the table. Melander is eventually killed after Parker stabs and shoots him. All members of the crew end up dead. Parker and Leslie arrange for the jewels to be hidden and for her to receive her cut. She tells him that she never did have a chance to be with him, and they part ways. Six months later, Parker goes to Chicago and kills the mafia boss who hired Kroll to kill him. A year later, Leslie receives a hefty box in the mail containing thousands of dollar bills. In the final scene before the credits, the tomato farmers who saved Parker's life are talking to somebody about how they got all this money that changed their lives, and they credit the stranger they rescued, who they think was an angel sent to test them. | revenge, neo noir, murder, violence, flashback | train | imdb | It also has a better than usual cast and director for a statham action movie (Good villains + hot leading lady).
Apparently the director thought the same and cast her in the film as a walking butt to centre shots around in the time Jason is off screen, presumably to make JS' male fans feel less awkward and have an excuse about having an erection throughout the movie, because we all know how unsure of themselves "bros" are.It's a completely forgettable film you will probably regret paying actual real world money to see, because you will feel like you've seen this film at least 4 other times..
The choice of a caper which is set largely in Palm Beach, with its artificial, pointless display of wealth and no other reason for existence is the perfect backdrop for the ferocity of Parker in his battle with Michael Chiklis' Melander; Jennifer Lopez' clueless Leslie, who gets caught up without understanding what is going on, gives the audience a good point of view.Director Taylor Hackford is not a great director, but he is a highly competent one.
Well, SURE, there are places where you must suspend disbelief (it's not THAT easy to steal a car, is it?), and SURE there are plot holes, and SURE there are times when you say to yourself "How did he know to go there?" BUT...this is one enjoyable movie!The acting, the action scenes, and the eye candy (Statham for you XXs, and J-Lo for us XYs) are all great.
Who knew?All in all a good action thriller as we would expect from any Jason Statham movie even with a star who hitched her wagon to a profitable venture
..but did good.
It is an Action pic, so good action, fun one-liners, and you are pulling for the good bad guys instead of the bad bad guys all the way.I've wasted so many hours watching movies that cost so much more to make and came with gushing reviews and were garbage, so when this one turned out to be unassuming, likable and fun, I was happily surprised.Also, silky and sexy performance from Emma Booth, and Lopez is fantastic in her role too.
I wanted to like this movie so much, because I really think Jason Statham has some serious acting skills and he deserves some good scripts.
As for Parker, everything is at least okay with those: the director Taylor Hackford is an accredited creator and names like Jason Statham, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Lopez are certain signs of quality and non-boredom.
It was actually better than I was expecting in some respects since I wasn't to keen on the whole Jennifer Lopez aspect going in but she plays a desperate, past her prime sort of character and thankfully not a love interest, so that worked for me.Not as many flashy fight scenes from Statham here but still enough good ones with unique aspects (knife through hand, chair to trachea, dive out car window) to keep me more than interested.
He gets beat up real bad a couple of times here with a serious amount of bloodshed.I also had to laugh at his attempt at being a Texan, yeah the accent was terrible but I think it was meant to be.Statham is a professional thief here, an anti-hero with a unique code of ethics who is double-crossed and left for dead by his former partners, then spends the remainder of the movie seeking revenge (and to hijack the crew's latest heist) while getting help from a real estate agent (Jennifer Lopez).This was kind of a long movie, going to multiple directions and several locations, and with a plot that wasn't as predictable as most action/ revenge thrillers tend to be, so I enjoyed those aspects.
I've got to give it to both Lopez and Statham for pulling off not only a entertaining movie, but for also doing really quit a good job of selling their respective roles.
Westlake's PARKER (who died in 2008) is nothing more than your typical, undemanding Jason Statham-centric crime thriller.The movie opens quite promisingly with Parker (Jason Statham), who is put in charge by veteran thief Hurley (Nick Nolte) to lead a crew of four: Melander (Michael Chiklis), Ross (Clifton Collins Jr.), Hardwicke (Micah Hauptman), and Carlson (Wendell Pierce) -- for a big heist at the Ohio State Fair.
There, he gets to know a struggling real-estate agent named Leslie Rodgers (Jennifer Lopez), who gradually learns the truth behind Parker's motivation and demands to get a fair cut from him as well.On the surface, putting a respectable Hollywood veteran like Taylor Hackford and BLACK SWAN screenwriter John J.
While his character as Parker is more of the same cool-mannered role we used to see him from other movies, he's always entertaining enough to watch for especially when comes to action sequence.
The movie stars Jason Statham so everyone knows the type of characters that he portrays....a guy which draws down action, action, shooting, guns, martial arts, more guns, explosions, fighting, and chase scenes.
A Kick-Ass Action Crime-Thriller, that doesn't lack the bite!'Parker' Synopsis: A thief with a unique code of professional ethics is double-crossed by his crew and left for dead.
Despite my expectations of seeing a standard Jason Statham action movie, I can still safely say that "Parker" honestly entertained me.
The main premise of the movie is that after being double-crossed by a gang of thieves that hired him, a man named Parker (played by action superstar Jason Statham) decides to steal the bounty of their next heist as revenge.
A lot of the characters like the gang's leader Melander (played by Michael Chiklis-famous for playing The Thing in "The Fantastic Four" movies) and Parker's girlfriend (played by Emma Booth) are underdeveloped and not given enough screen time.
Though I'm sure they would if this was an ordinary Jason Statham action movie, there was one certain element that grabbed my interest and honestly made me smile.Without a doubt, Jennifer Lopez's character Leslie Rogers (see below) stole the show.
Yet, Parker is not a loser film because its eponymous hero (Jason Statham) is not a loser; rather he's one bearded cool cat, who pulls heists with a set of principles deadlier than a gun or almost as deadly as his hands.
With John Boorman's Point Blank having adapted Westlake's The Hunter, nothing but good pedigree resides in Parker.Besides providing Parker with a reasonably hip and hippy femme fatale, Leslie (Jennifer Lopez), the film does the unusual by keeping him away from her and devoted to his girlfriend, Claire (Emma Booth).
Hooray for the real amid this unreal story: some dudes, even ones in white cowboy hats, love exclusively.Parker has minor characters somewhat lost in the Statham-Lopez celebrity: Bobby Cannavale plays a good-hearted West Palm cop with a yen for Leslie; Michael Chiklis is Melander, a shaved-headed ( like our hero) baddie pulling a jewel heist after he screws over Parker in the Ohio State job.
This however is Mr Stathams worst film I've ever had the displeasure of watching.Let me set the scene for you:Parker a professional thief is betrayed by his gang and left for dead.
Jason Statham's Weakest Film Yet. I generally enjoy Jason Statham movies and even though they have been getting more and more generic as they go along, I still tend to enjoy them for the most part.Unfortunately, this is not the case with Parker.Based on what I had seen from the trailers, I didn't go into Parker expecting it to be great, but at least decent with some good action scenes in it.
After seeing this garbage, I honestly don't have any desire to see a Jason Statham movie again for a while (Unless it's Crank 3).The tagline for Parker reads "To Get Away Clean, You Have To Play Dirty", and thats exactly what the people behind this film did..
But by then a contract killer hired to kill him and his loved ones (his girl Claire and her dad Hurley) finds him and a violent fight ensues.The next day the crimes happens and Parker has his revenge all planned out but didn't count on Lopez's character showing up at the wrong place at the wrong time.I guess people think of Statham movies as an action film subgenre, even though they are all very different.
A standard type of movie you would expect Jason Statham to make, not much store, great action scenes.Personally I enjoy the type of movies he often makes and while they are not going to be award winning or particularly memorable films they are always great to sit down kick back and just watch some action.
McLaughlin (Black Swan) screenplay of a Donald E Westlake novel, and it directed by Taylor Hackford (Oscar nominated for Ray).Statham plays Parker, a masterful thief with a straightforward code that he isn't shy about sharing.
Something different for Jennifer Lopez, but all-in-all an okay movie with okay acting, lots of fighting just the way it should be in these films, but in the end Jason Statham has a brand, a way were all his movies becomes the same, same acting, same action, same thing.There is nothing special or new about this one either, it is just plain good action and fighting, unfortunately no surprises, it's pretty much straight on payback fighting flick.
Directed by Taylor Hackford, who actually directed "Ray" (oh, how the mighty have fallen) and starring Jason Statham as the same character he plays in every movie, and Jennifer Lopez playing a sort of love interest character, who reeks of desperation (art imitating life perhaps?) "Parker" is neither a bad nor a good action film, but more so a forgettable one.OK, so I won't bother with a synopsis here, or a critique of this pretty flimsy storyline, or discuss how Statham and Lopez have absolutely no chemistry, or even touch on Statham's horrid Texas accent, because in all actuality, nobody reading this cares; when a majority of audiences (men primarily) probably paid top box office prices for the sole purpose of catching the shot of Lopez's butt, which had been teased in the trailer.
So while you do see her butt in some polka dot underwear, the consensus has to be that if you were one of those who paid 10+ dollars to see this scene in particular, you may come out of "Parker" feeling more than a little cheated
and probably ashamed.Final Thought: If this is the type of movie that Jennifer Lopez is reduced to starring in, then it is no surprise that when recently confronted by Latin periodicals as to her level of interest in playing Jenni Rivera in the sure to be forthcoming biopic, her answer was resoundingly positive.
'PARKER': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)Jason Statham plays Parker, the lead character of Donald Westlake's (going by Richard Stark) action/crime-drama novel series.
This is a good but routine Jason Statham action flick and it's definitely no 'PAYBACK' (or anything special you might expect from a Richard Stark adapted 'Parker' film).Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5qSQfmiLqM.
Deserting his girlfriend Claire (Emma Booth) and her Mafioso dad (a cameo from the gravelly voiced Nick Nolte), he hunts them down to the lavish Palm Beach Florida, and enlists a fledgling realtor Leslie (Jennifer Lopez), together they hatch a plan to catch his former crew whilst they undertake a jewellery auction heist.The first thing worthy of mention is that the plot, like all good/bad action B-movies, is utter balderdash.
Parker goes to take his revenge with the help of a local real estate agent Leslie Rodgers (Jennifer Lopez).I love Jason Statham as Parker.
I had high expectations going in that we would have a great action movie here.It doesn't hurt that it stars action hero Jason Statham, and the gorgeous Jennifer Lopez.
Directed with brio and panache by Taylor Hackford, the film features Jason Statham as a big-time robber who's left for dead by his cohorts (Michael Chiklis, Wendell Pierce, Clifton Collins, Jr., and Bobby Cannavale) after a post-heist falling out, proving once again that there is no honor among thieves.
Statham spends the rest of the film plotting his revenge against the men, employing real estate agent Jennifer Lopez as an unlikely accomplice to that end.While I probably could have done with a bit more of Chiklis and company and a bit less of Lopez, I must say that "Parker" has enough energy and spirit to ride up and over most of its shortcomings, including succumbing to that third-act curse that afflicts far too many action movies these days.
"Parker" is your by-the-numbers Jason Statham revenge/heist movie, and what it has to offer is pretty straightforward: the job goes South, our star wants his money, and he's gonna beat up a lot of guys in the process.
The real surprise of the movie came with Jennifer Lopez's character (whose story was much more interesting than Parker's).
A Nice Easy Jason Statham/Jennifer Lopez Movie-Reasonable Storyline-Professional Acting.
12/31/2018 A well rounded movie with a storyline that holds the viewer, played out in a realistic way by Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez.
Parker, Taylor Hackford's adaptation of the Donald Westlake character (aka 'Richard Stark' creation), has about 45 minutes to an hour of a very good crime/heist flick with Statham performing surprisingly decently as the titular character, made iconic by Lee Marvin in the masterpiece Point Blank and memorable (in some circles) by Mel Gibson in Payback.
Jennifer Lopez is not a great actress, but she fits pretty good in the role of Leslie.In times where good fighting movies are rare, Statham is one of my last hopes for simple and good fighting action-movie.
If you've seen both movies you will discover that they are completely different, so fans of Westlake's novels featuring Parker might be disappointed if they expect to experience that action hero, because all they will find is another Statham movie.
Parker (Jason Statham) is working on his next heist after his long time partner, and now father- in-law, Hurley (Nick Nolte) recommends him and introduces him to four other thieves for an apparently easy heist: Melander (Michael Chiklis), Carlson (Wendell Pierce), Ross (Clifton Collins Jr.), and August (Micah Hauptman) who has close connections with the mafia in Chicago.
Last played by Mel Gibson in the film Payback, Parker's name was changed to Porter, is back on the bring screen with Jason Statham taking on the popular Parker character from the novels by Donald E.
As if Statham wasn't enough to bring this cool character to life, he's bringing an interesting cast along with him including Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, Clifton Collins Jr., Wendell Pierce, Bobby Cannavale and Nick Nolte, but is enough to make the film work?Parker follows a a thief who lives by the code that you do not steal from those who can't afford it or hurt people who don't deserve it, but clearly his crew doesn't share the same code and steals his stash and leave him for dead.
The Big man has had his moments it has to be said (Snatch, The Bank job) but for every good movie this tough, hard working British actor makes, there are a couple off average same old,same old action movies, and with a tagline like "payback has a new name" you'd be right in thinking that "Parker" is one off those.Statham plays a tough guy "Robin Hood" style robber, screwed over by his partners in crime, and heading out on a vendetta too get his usual tough guy revenge.
Those wanting an interesting story, will probably be fed up with Stathams slow seeking revenge, and those going too see it for Jennifer Lopez, will find that her being in the movie serves merely too kill time, and drag it out long enough to be a feature length revenge story.
"Parker" is a thriller made for the thrilling action movies fans and specially, for Jason Statham's fans.
In conclusion, this is a very recommendable movie, specially when you just feel like action, entertainment, a nice city to watch and attractive people like Jason Statham and Jlo. Do not expect anything very profound!
"Parker" is one of those action movies that you watch and feel entertained it's a crowd pleaser with a happy ending as everything ends in a way that's all most to good to be true like the anti hero Parker(Statham)getting revenge and getting money and splitting it with a woman Leslie(Jennifer Lopez) who needs it!
Anyway Jason Statham is Parker a thief who after getting double crossed by his crew of bad guys goes off and assumes his own new identity and he relocates and meets and has a friendship with an unlikely woman named Leslie Rodgers(Jennifer Lopez).
Lopez doesn't act in too many movies these days, but she plays the perfect fodder opposite Statham, lending good comedic timing to an action film that's serious from the get go.
'Parker' is everything that you have come to expect in a Jason Statham film.
The film would have been 1000% better without the Jennifer Lopez character.Not one of Jason Statham's better pictures; however, it does tick all the right boxes for an action adventure.
Parker is another film starring Jason Statham as he plays the lead crook in an action crime thriller.
Jason Statham's character was interesting in that he's a thief but reveals touches of goodness a few times in the film, unlike the villains (also thieves).
The only good thing in the movie and I'm surprised to be saying this is Jennifer Lopez, she was the only thing that made sense and her acting and comedy addition to this flick was impressive.Taylor Hackford (Ray (2004) and The Devil's Advocate (1997)) directing skills is not in question in this flick, it is the story and the plot that takes you by storm on how dumb and boring it is for an action film.
The movie plot is about a man named Parker (Jason Statham), I'm pretty sure you would have guessed that. |
tt0093349 | King Lear | King Lear of Britain, elderly and wanting to retire from the duties of the monarchy, decides to divide his realm among his three daughters, and declares he will offer the largest share to the one who loves him most. The eldest, Goneril, speaks first, declaring her love for her father in fulsome terms. Moved by her flattery Lear proceeds to grant to Goneril her share as soon as she has finished her declaration, before Regan and Cordelia have a chance to speak. He then awards to Regan her share as soon as she has spoken. When it is finally the turn of his youngest and favorite daughter, Cordelia, at first she refuses to say anything ("Nothing, my Lord") and then declares there is nothing to compare her love to, nor words to properly express it; she speaks honestly but bluntly, which infuriates him. In his anger he disinherits Cordelia and divides her share between Regan and Goneril.
The Earl of Gloucester and the Earl of Kent observe that, by dividing his realm between Goneril and Regan, Lear has awarded his realm in equal shares to the peerages of the Duke of Albany (Goneril's husband) and the Duke of Cornwall (Regan's husband). Kent objects to Lear's unfair treatment of Cordelia; enraged by Kent's protests, Lear banishes him from the country. Lear then summons the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France, who have both proposed marriage to Cordelia. Learning that Cordelia has been disinherited, the Duke of Burgundy withdraws his suit, but the King of France is impressed by her honesty and marries her nonetheless. The King of France is shocked by Lear's decision because up until this time Lear has only praised and favored Cordelia ("That she, women even but now was your best object, the argument of your praise, balm of your age"). Meanwhile, Gloucester has introduced his illegitimate son Edmund to Kent.
Lear announces he will live alternately with Goneril and Regan, and their husbands. He reserves to himself a retinue of one hundred knights, to be supported by his daughters. Goneril and Regan speak privately, revealing that their declarations of love were fake, and that they view Lear as a foolish old man.
Edmund resents his illegitimate status, and plots to dispose of his legitimate older brother Edgar. He tricks their father Gloucester with a forged letter, making him think Edgar plans to usurp the estate. Kent returns from exile in disguise (calling himself Caius), and Lear hires him as a servant. At Albany and Goneril's house, Lear and Kent quarrel with Oswald, Goneril's steward. Lear discovers that now that Goneril has power, she no longer respects him. She orders him to reduce the number of his disorderly retinue. Enraged, Lear departs for Regan's home. The Fool mocks Lear's misfortune.
Edmund learns from Curan, a courtier, that there is likely to be war between Albany and Cornwall, and that Regan and Cornwall are to arrive at Gloucester's house that evening. Taking advantage of the arrival of the duke and Regan, Edmund fakes an attack by Edgar, and Gloucester is completely taken in. He disinherits Edgar and proclaims him an outlaw.
Bearing Lear's message to Regan, Kent meets Oswald again at Gloucester's home, quarrels with him again, and is put in the stocks by Regan and her husband Cornwall. When Lear arrives, he objects to the mistreatment of his messenger, but Regan is as dismissive of her father as Goneril was. Lear is enraged but impotent. Goneril arrives and supports Regan's argument against him. Lear yields completely to his rage. He rushes out into a storm to rant against his ungrateful daughters, accompanied by the mocking Fool. Kent later follows to protect him. Gloucester protests against Lear's mistreatment. With Lear's retinue of a hundred knights dissolved, the only companions he has left are his Fool and Kent. Wandering on the heath after the storm, Edgar, in the guise of a madman named Tom o' Bedlam, meets Lear. Edgar babbles madly while Lear denounces his daughters. Kent leads them all to shelter.
Edmund betrays Gloucester to Cornwall, Regan and Goneril. He reveals evidence that his father knows of an impending French invasion designed to reinstate Lear to the throne; and in fact a French army has landed in Britain. Once Edmund leaves with Goneril to warn Albany about the invasion, Gloucester is arrested, and Regan and Cornwall gouge out Gloucester's eyes. As he is doing so, a servant is overcome with rage by what he is witnessing and attacks Cornwall, mortally wounding him. Regan kills the servant, and tells Gloucester that Edmund betrayed him; then she turns him out to wander the heath too. Edgar, in his madman's guise, meets his blinded father on the heath. Gloucester, not recognising him, begs Tom to lead him to a cliff at Dover so that he may jump to his death.
Goneril discovers that she finds Edmund more attractive than her honest husband Albany, whom she regards as cowardly. Albany has developed a conscience—he is disgusted by the sisters' treatment of Lear, and the mutilation of Gloucester, and denounces his wife. Goneril sends Edmund back to Regan; receiving news of Cornwall's death, she fears her newly widowed sister may steal Edmund and sends him a letter through Oswald. Now alone with Lear, Kent leads him to the French army, which is commanded by Cordelia. But Lear is half-mad and terribly embarrassed by his earlier follies. At Regan's instigation, Albany joins his forces with hers against the French. Goneril's suspicions about Regan's motives are confirmed and returned, as Regan rightly guesses the meaning of her letter and declares to Oswald that she is a more appropriate match for Edmund. Edgar pretends to lead Gloucester to a cliff, then changes his voice and tells Gloucester he has miraculously survived a great fall. Lear appears, by now completely mad. He rants that the whole world is corrupt and runs off.
Oswald appears, still looking for Edmund. On Regan's orders, he tries to kill Gloucester but is killed by Edgar. In Oswald's pocket, Edgar finds Goneril's letter, in which she encourages Edmund to kill her husband and take her as his wife. Kent and Cordelia take charge of Lear, whose madness quickly passes. Regan, Goneril, Albany, and Edmund meet with their forces. Albany insists that they fight the French invaders but not harm Lear or Cordelia. The two sisters lust for Edmund, who has made promises to both. He considers the dilemma and plots the deaths of Albany, Lear, and Cordelia. Edgar gives Goneril's letter to Albany. The armies meet in battle, the British defeat the French, and Lear and Cordelia are captured. Edmund sends Lear and Cordelia off with secret-joint orders from him (representing Regan and her forces) and Goneril (representing Albany's) for the execution of Cordelia.
The victorious British leaders meet, and the recently widowed Regan now declares she will marry Edmund. But Albany exposes the intrigues of Edmund and Goneril and proclaims Edmund a traitor. Regan falls ill, having been poisoned by Goneril, and is escorted offstage, where she dies. Edmund defies Albany, who calls for a trial by combat. Edgar appears masked and in armour, and challenges Edmund to a duel. No one knows who he is. Edgar wounds Edmund fatally, though he does not die immediately. Albany confronts Goneril with the letter which was intended to be his death warrant; she flees in shame and rage. Edgar reveals himself, and reports that Gloucester died offstage from the shock and joy of learning that Edgar is alive, after Edgar revealed himself to his father.
Offstage, Goneril, with all her evil plans thwarted, commits suicide. The dying Edmund decides, though he admits it is against his own character, to try to save Lear and Cordelia; however, his confession comes too late. Soon after Albany sends men to countermand Edmund's orders, Lear enters bearing Cordelia's corpse in his arms, having survived by killing the executioner. Kent appears and Lear now recognises him. Albany urges Lear to resume his throne, but like Gloucester, the trials Lear has been through have finally overwhelmed him, and he dies. Albany then asks Kent and Edgar to take charge of the throne. Kent declines, explaining that his master is calling him on a journey. Finally, Albany (in the Quarto version) or Edgar (in the Folio version) implies that he will now become king. | tragedy, avant garde | train | wikipedia | I liked this film quite a lot and I thought it was interesting.
I think it is very innovative and ahead of it's time; it almost seems like a multimedia project more than a film.
It's Godard's own Finnegan's Wake-like dreamscape of the making of a film on the theme of King Lear, beginning with the contract, ending with the editing - a project that apparently turned into a nightmare.
Just as Godard's film about Lausanne, Lettre a Freddie Buache, consists of his refusal to make a film about Lausanne, so King Lear is his refusal to make the Lear required of him, while contract bound to make something.It opens with an actual phonecall from the producer giving Godard a roasting for failing to deliver the film.
The film that follows is Godard's response and is basically a middle finger to the Cannon Group and everyone else, focussing as it does, on the key word in the play: Nothing.In the opening scenes, Norman Mailer and his daughter discuss the King Lear script he has just finished.
It's unclear whether Mailer's actual script was ever going to be used, assuming he wrote one, or why Mailer himself would want to act the part, or why Godard would ever have agreed to make a film written and acted by Norman Mailer.
That's one hell of an opening for a film, leaving us blinking and wondering what is going to happen, or not happen, next.A kind of story pops up.
A descendant of Shakespeare (Peter Sellars) is trying to recreate the Bard's works after all art has been lost in a nuclear catastrophe.
In a Swiss hotel he finds Burgess Meredith and Molly Ringwald, vaguely recognised as Lear and Cordelia (power and virtue in contest), and from whom he gradually reconstructs the play.
Meanwhile, Sellars is in pursuit of the mad Professor Pluggy (Godard, in a truly bizarre performance) who has crucial knowledge of how images should complement the words.Pluggy's long and solemn thesis on words, images and reality is at the centre of the film.
Their coming together in image form releases the emotive power.
Contrary realities (Lear and Cordelia) don't come together.
Barely understandable on a single viewing - perhaps complete gibberish - yet key to what the film is about: the struggle of the artist to create.At the end, Woody Allen is splicing the film with safety pins while reciting an irrelevant Sonnet - a final swipe at the Americans who clearly should never have messed with Godard in the first place.
Godard is probably my second favorite director (right behind Kitano), and this isn't his first really weird film or anything (I'd go so far as to say all of his films in his unfairly-neglected-but-superior "late period" are quite strange in some way, either in their fractured narrative, or in their hardcore deconstruction of typical movie-making -- "Where's the story?" indeed...).
People usually get interested in this film for its genesis and some of the bizarre happenings in this film (Godard signs a contract on a napkin; Godard recorded telephone conversations with producer and put it in the film, which peeved the producer off; Godard never actually reads past page 3 of King Lear itself; this film was made from like 4 or 5 different aborted scripts cobbled together; a father and daughter sign on to do this movie, do 5 takes or so, and then walk off the set in disgust, all of which is captured in the movie, with a voice-over explaining this; Woody Allen was hired to be in this film and he had no idea what he was doing so he drinks some coffee, puts some safety pins in some film, recites a few verses from the play King Lear and that's about it).Well, it goes far beyond that, as far as strangeness is concerned...
seeing Molly Ringwald in a Godard film is just bizarre, first of all (keep in mind she was HUGE at the time; Pretty In Pink and all that stuff).
I mean, you can barely even tell what he's saying, in English (this is also his only English film from beginning to end!).
Since Godard never actually read King Lear, the film instead asks if King Lear is even an important work of art, if it's even valid a radioactive, post-Chernobyl landscape.
So, the main actor (who actually says the line, "Oh yeah, by the way, my name is William Shakespeare Junior the Fifth." in a comical tone) is "searching" for, uh, something, and he encounters a bunch of crazy characters, in an extremely, EXTREMELY fractured narrative, with scenes ending abruptly, double (sometimes triple) voices of characters constantly on the soundtrack, and pretty much everything crashing, colliding, and being completely out of sequence, out of time, out of tune.
Oh, let's not forget the soundtrack, which is made of slowed-down and electronically-manipulated versions of Beethoven symphonies; also, there is a loud, annoying, seagull sound about every 3 minutes in the movie.Sounds like a disaster, doesn't it?
Well, I gotta say, it's one of the best films -- not just by Godard -- but EVER.
Godard designed the film to fail, but he did so in a way that's really, really interesting, and is actually extremely experimental, especially when you consider that this was designed to be a mainstream film!
Godard himself said he never got page 3 of King Lear, it didn't interest him at all...
he said the film was the first 3 pages of King Lear and the rest of it is him trying to "Get past" the rest of the play.
Which is hilarious, absurd, and reason enough to check it out...A powerful film, misunderstood to be certain, groundbreaking and unconventional in every way, I'd say anyone into Jodorowsky and stuff like that should probably want to seek this out and have their mind blown..
It's interesting that director Jean-Luc Godard flashes up the title card King Lear: Fear and Loathing throughout this film, as he himself appearing on the screen looks like Hunter S.
Upon watching Godard's King Lear the first time, I understood this much - William Shakespeare Junior the Fifth (Peter Sellars) is in the process of writing something for the Cannon Group in a post-Chernobyl mind-f*ck parallel universe, where art and movies are faded memories and where Don Learo (Burgess Meredith) and his daughter Cordelia (Molly Ringwald) talk of separate philosophies and emotional struggles.
And yet there was something about the film that intrigued me, how there was such a height of intellectualism going on from Godard's head to the celluloid that it almost reverberated to ludicrous-ness, so I watched it again, giving it another shot.What King Lear does accomplish, at least up to a point, is that Godard's trying to get inside the mind of a writer (if not himself, which is more than likely the case, then of the spawn of Shakespeare), as he tosses about various ideas and nonsense to pound out a story and characters.
The film also gives some interesting and true improvisation time for an actor like Meredith, and once in a while Godard's Professor Pluggy makes a point of fascination (i.e. the significance of images and emotions).
Godard's basically making a film for himself, delving into themes and stylistic techniques that only he would understand, and since he limits what the audience can latch onto and comprehend of what philosophical goals and meanings he's derived from Shakespeare's classic, it's pretentious more often than not.
The sounds of seagulls are practically inexplicable (unless he's trying to have the POV of the character every time a seagull chirps, which is over-the-line for me), the over-lapping of puzzling Shakespearian-esquire philosophy over some of the dialog is too much to concentrate on and digest, and the way Godard talks he might as well be speaking through a voice box.So, I think that King Lear is a bit of a mess, but for some reason I don't think it's a failure.
It's the kind of mess that only a director like Godard could go for and make his own.
A hack wouldn't even KNOW how to use such weird narrative devices like this man does.
The film could even be of use to be dissected by someone scene-by-scene (although it could perplex someone enough to destroy the videotape their watching and curse Godard for all eternity), and as an experiment of treating Shakespeare it's not the worst in history.
Even Woody Allen (who bookends the end of the film with only minimal Shakespeare dialog and hands amusingly fiddling on the film) must've been scratching his head through most of this.
but if you want to have several insights concerning issues like authorship, patriarchy, literacy, the entertainment industry (hey, this is a Golan-Globus production!), the mafia, crime (anyone read Albert Fried's Rise and fall of the Jewish gangster in America?).....don't miss Godard's King Lear!.
But the second time gelled this movie for me and now I truly love this film.
It's a wonderful brainstorm about the nature of film and the inherent capacity of art to reform itself.
It's one of the weirdest films of all time - It's not just surreal but a tiny bit minimalistic too.
As most of Godards films he's trying new things out.
One of the characters, the one played by Godard actually, mumbles a lot, also in his narrations, this seem to be more of a comic relief after a while but at the opening it can be found as annoying and it seems to be the most criticized part of the film.If you don't object to any of these things and have liked/loved other Godards of the 80's, 90's, you will like/love this.
I mean- it's fine if you want to pick one scene from a play and analyse it for an hour and a half; it's fine if you want to do this in an obscure semi-story way that only become the tiniest bit clear after having watched the whole thing.But when it's constructed as an endurance test, with the director holding the audience in contempt- I mean, why waste your time?
(To the end of making your experience as unpleasant as possible, Godard shows up as a "professor", mumbling unintelligible profundities.
I did think a little about Lear, but more to keep myself occupied than from any theses the film presented.And a caveat to anyone considering seeing this because the IMDB credits list Woody Allen: don't bother; he's only in the flick for a few minutes at the end and barely says anything.To review: avoid.Rating: 3 out of 10 (very poor).
And what does any of this have to do with 'King Lear'?
Most of the great works are lost, and it is up to people like William Shakespeare Junior the Fifth to restore the lost artwork of the human race.
He finds strange goings-on at a resort enough to remind him of all the lines of the play, dealing with mob boss Don Learo and his daughter Cordelia, a strange professor named Jean Luc-Godard, who repeatedly xeroxes his hand for no particular reason.I gave this film a low rating primarily because of the way I saw it, with a low quality of picture and sound.
Oddly, I don't think any people have seen this film, despite the names involved.
You couldn't even use this if you were doing a thesis of King Lear at college because this is faeces.
Not to mention that it has hardly anything to do with the play King Lear.
Quotes and sayings repeated endlessly, terrible seagull sound effects that 1) happen in scenes where there are no seagulls and even scenes when we are indoors 2) happen in scenes when there is other dialogue going on and 3) are so loud that your ears begin to bleed (well, nearly).I went to see this film because 1) I had only seen one other Godard movie Bande à Part (1964) and 2) I am a great Woody Allen fan.
Godard (in my opinion the most over rated director in cinema history) has almost become drunk with power, power gained from years of critics kissing his ass, and now believes he can do no wrong as long as he entertain and excites himself (i.e. masturbation).
Another celluloid masturbator (for want of a better word) is Woody Allen, this shared hobby probably bringing the two together.
But the one difference between these two is this, Woody Allen still has the gift to entertain and excited others as well as himself, whereas Godard lost this gift along long time before King Lear.Now I have wasted enough time talking about this catastrophe.I give it 0 out of 10.P.S. If you want a really good Shakespeare adaptation try Throne of Blood (1957)..
Weird characters and the fact that there's NO-THING really going on made this film interesting for me.
Other people might find this film pointless and totally boring, but for me it's a treasure.
I don't know anything about Shakespeare's 'King Lear' so I can't say if this film has anything to do with the actual play at all.
This is exactly the kind of film that makes you think.
After seeing this film you wonder what did the director want to tell me?
The same goes to another Godard film 'Numero Deux'..
Zen Buddhists think we can have direct contact with the mysterious outside reality--not merely contact with images that those objects helped produced (satori).
Godard is concerned with satori, but he is also concerned with experiencing the projector of the series of still pictures that he is experiencing.
Your mind is working incredibly hard organizing everything you are experiencing 24 times a second.
The incredible amount of organization it takes for you to read this sentence is but a small fraction of what your mind has just done.If a child were very bored with a movie, he might look around and see that it all comes from this light in the back of the room.
If you had no interest in the images thrown up on your private movie screen by the ground of your being, perhaps you too could turn around and experience this projector.
But (Oh no!)they are not innocent, and we get caught up with these images (which together their relationship to other images Kant calls reality); they are like the child who is too interested in the movie to look around.Now it is like choosing the first fruit from a cornucopia.
I had some understanding of the ending this time, so let's start there.
It significance is just that: it's merely in our minds, but it comes from an outside reality that is trying to makes its presence known.
The movie ends with that reminder.The visual image at the end is merely the words: King Lear A Study.
Godard is saying that he has figured out something about King Lear.
But now there might be something that is not a mere image on the looking glass--the mist or stain.
An image is strong (which means that it has greater emotive force) if the association of ideas is distant and true.
When Godard goes back and forth between images that tend to merge into each other, we are relating to them as two dimensional.
Cordelia could not heave her heart into her mouth, but if Lear had been perceptive her silence could have shown him about her inner reality.
He could relate to her inner reality through the representation.It is not Lear's voice that reads the lines at the very end of the film, but the same resonant female voice that is associated with the symbolism of the white horse.
The waves would be the 24 times a second movement that throws itself onto the movie screen.
In a way, this is Jean-Luc Godard"s "Wasteland": in a manner not unlike the T.S. Eliot poem, Godard fills his work with quotes, allusions, and sometimes outright plagiarisms of his favorite works of art, literature, and film, including hommages to Robert Bresson's "Trial of Joan of Arc" and Grigori Kozintsev's "King Lear"; there's even a character named Kozintsev in the movie.
Of the international cast, Molly Ringwald gives a touching performance as Cordelia, conveying much of her character's anguish through body language alone; Burgess Meredith reads Lear's lines with authority, and one wonders how he would have measured up in a more traditional interpretation of the play.
Godard is an experimentalist -- a theorist -- but not a great artist, and it shows here.
Therefore, to expect that his film "King Lear" was a passable film adaptation typical of Shakespeare's tragedy, it is at least the public's total lack of knowledge about the director or incoherence on the part of critics.Although some lines of Shakespeare's play are used in the film, only three characters (Lear, Cordelia, and Edgar) are, so to speak, "presented." King Lear is, without any confessionals, a difficult film, and so it is, if we consider Godard an insane director (in the positive sense), we have in this his visual experiment, the apex of human insanity when questioning art in a new world Of a major nuclear disaster (in reference to the Chernobyl episode).I view Godard's films as a laudable experimentation, which makes it unmistakably unique to each film.
Godard is one of the rare, almost sole director who succeeds in affirming cinema through denial, thus more than presenting or affirming what cinema is, Godard discusses the various possibilities of being and making movies.
And it does this by laughing and mocking the audience, but not in a gratuitous and unnecessary mockery instead, laughter is in front of our lack of care in assimilating the narratives of a film, seeking understanding and logic for everything, including in art, that historically sought Always breaking with the conventional, taking into account the very incoherence that is humanity and its disastrous way of living. |
tt1320261 | Gulliver's Travels | Lemuel Gulliver (Jack Black) is happy to coast through life working in the mail room of a New York literary powerhose, until new employee Dan (T.J. Miller) is promoted to be his boss in less than a day, prompting Gulliver to blag an assignment to be a new travel writer, hoping to impress the love of his life, travel editor Darcy Silverman (Amanda Peet).Sent to explore strange happenings around the Bermuda Triangle, Gulliver's boat - the Knot for Sail - is hit by a huge storm and swept up into a giant inverted whirlpool, before he is knocked unconscious.When he awakens he finds himself on the island of Lilliput ... tied to the ground and surrounded by angry little men a 10th of his size!He has been 'captured' by General Edward (Chris O'Dowd) and paraded through the streets of Lilliput to be brought before the royal family - King Theodore (Billy Connolly), Queen Isabelle (Catherine Tate) and Princess Mary (Emily Blunt).Gulliver, nicknamed 'The Beast' by the Lilliputlians, is kept in chains in the island dungeon by the sea, where he meets and relates to another prisoner, Horatio (Jason Segel) - jailed for "unlawful courting" of Princess Mary, and previously the tallest man on the island by a few millimetres.Soon Gulliver is put to work ploughing the fields, but the warning bells sound to signal a Blefuscian attack - in which they try to kidnap the Princess, and burn the palace. Brave, and selfish, General Edward is off to save the day - but Horatio knows he cannot reach the Princess in time and begs Gulliver to help. Horatio breaks his large friend free from his chains, and together they are off - first Gulliver drops the enemy spies into the village pond, before he does the only thing he can think to put out the flames in the palace and save the King -- to take quite a big leak. It works, the flames are doused, but he doesn't endear himself to Edward who gets a good bath in the yellow stuff.The Lilliputlians throw a huge feast for their protector, and start work on Gulliver's dream house by the sea. Life is pretty sweet for Gulliver - and the islanders are amazed at the 'stories' about his life (all scenes from famous movies). Horatio makes a successful move on the Princess with Gulliver's (and The Artist formally known as Prince's) help. When General Edward finally finds Gulliver's ship, Gulliver asks to stay.This is the final straw for Edward, who is asked to take a break by the King, allowing Gulliver to be promoted to the new General. Hoping to regain his position, Edward sabotages the island defences. The Blefuscian launch a huge cannonball attack, and then their Armada approaches. Gulliver is summoned.He wades out into the sea, hoping to strike a truce with the enemy. The Blefuscians instead attack, yet Gulliver's gut absorbs all the cannonfire, and then like an elastic band fires the metal back at the ships. Gulliver picks up the guideropes and hauls the Armada away, further strengthening his bond with the little people of Lilliput.(Former) General Edward skulks off to the enemy with plans from Gulliver's salvaged booty - a page on how to "Build your own robot".Edward returns to Lilliput to challenge Gulliver to a duel - inside a 6ft tall robot. He gives Gulliver a giant wedgie as he tries to run away, and shows Gulliver's true colors. Gulliver is banished to the 'island they don't talk about', tied to a huge raft, while the Blefuscians take control of Lilliput and the King and Queen are locked in the dungeon.Meanwhile, Darcy has had to take the writing assignment - and is caught up in the same storm and shipwrecked on the island of Lilliput. She is captured by General Edward. Horatio escapes to find Gulliver and travel to the forbidden island.Gulliver awakes on the 'island they don't talk about' - to find himself outside a giant house. He is snatched up by a little (but very tall!) girl, and forced to accept a new life as a doll inside a giant doll's house.That night Horatio finds Gulliver and encourages his friend to break free. Using the parachute from a dead pilot, they jump from the house and float away back to Lilliput.Gulliver finds Darcy chained up in the dungeons. He comes clean about his background - and his feelings for Darcy. Full of courage now, he breaks everyone free -- and goes to challenge General Edward in a winner-takes-all rematch.Edward, in the giant robot, is ready - with a new secret weapon -- electricity! (They didn't seem to have electricity until Gulliver came along) Gulliver is losing badly. Horatio bravely grabs a horse, breaks his way into the robot, and turns off the power to the mighty weapon.It's a fairer fight. Gulliver beats the robot on the head a few times, and then gives him a robot wedgie, sending him back to sleep mode.The Lilliput King and Blefuscian Leader square up to fight again ... so Gulliver asks -- "War - what is it good for?!". They join in with his song, and everyone is at peace again. General Edward captures the Princess, but she beats him off.Back in New York, Gulliver is now a travel writer, enjoying more time with Darcy, with published articles about his travels framed on the wall.Dan, from the mail room, enters the office with a new mail room attendant, and is firmly put in his place. As it ends, we see glimpses of Gulliver's articles, against the original Jonathan Swift novel content.JT, HowDoesTheMovieEnd.com | revenge, comedy, psychedelic, satire, romantic | train | imdb | null |
tt0046899 | Demetrius and the Gladiators | The movie is introduced by the closing scene from the previous year's The Robe, in which Marcellus (Richard Burton) and Diana (Jean Simmons) are martyred for their Christian beliefs. As they are led away to their deaths, the robe of Christ is given to former slave Demetrius (Victor Mature) for safekeeping. Mad emperor Caligula, mistakenly believing that it is the mysterious robe which bestows eternal life, orders his soldiers to find it at all costs. While ransacking the village of Demetrius during the search, a Roman soldier assaults Lucia (Debra Paget), the beautiful love interest of Demetrius. Demetrius rushes to her defense and attacks the centurion. He is sentenced to a gladiator school, where he draws the lustful attention of sensuous Messalina (Susan Hayward), the unsatisfied wife of Caligula's elderly uncle. Demetrius initially refuses to fight out of devotion to his Christian beliefs. But when he spurns the advances of Messalina, she is enraged and wants revenge. He is returned to the arena where he is forced to defend himself against several tigers, killing all of them. He becomes a hero to the crowds. Lucia goes to the gladiator school to see Demetrius, but Messalina allows her to fall into the hands of the gladiators. As one of the gladiators hungrily paws at her, a helpless Demetrius prays for her deliverance. She fights wildly before falling into a catatonic state resembling death. An embittered Demetrius renounces his faith and accepts a post as a centurion. Caligula sends Demetrius to the Christian enclave to personally find the robe, where he finds unconscious Lucia clutching the sacred robe. The emotional encounter sets him on the path to redemption. | good versus evil, insanity, violence, murder, romantic | train | imdb | The film opens with Emperor Caligula (Jay Robinson) calling for his guards to find him the robe to bring him eternal life
Caligula stakes his life on the loyalty of the Praetorian Guards
So if they can keep him alive at all, why not forever?Peter (Michael Rennie) gave Demetrius of Corinth (Victor Mature) their master's robe to keep for him
As we all remember, Demetrius took the robe from the foot of the cross before Jesus died
By order of Caligula, 20 pieces of gold were authorized to pay for information concerning the robe that Jesus wore to the cross
Defending Lucia (Debra Paget) from malicious attack of a Praetorian Decurion, Demetrius is caught and sentenced to train as gladiator in the Claudian school
Being fully a Christian entails having a commitment: Demetrius, obviously, is condemned to death because he can't take a man's life
Puzzled by his religion, and fascinated by his magnificent physique, and wanting to find out if Demetrius will kill or not his opponent, Messalina asks to be put in the arena against the king of swordsmen the Nuban Glycon (William Marshall).
Julie Newmeyer was one of the dancing girls, long before she became Julie Newmar and played Howard's rival in "The Marriage-Go-Round.""Demetrius and the Gladiators" is a lively, efficient sequel to "The Robe," with emphasis less on religiosity than on the brutality of the arena.
What to do, but make a sequel to tell of where the rest of some of these characters wound up.Victor Mature as Demetrius, Michael Rennie as St. Peter, and Jay Robinson as Caligula continue their roles from The Robe.
The film starts with a clip from the end of The Robe where Caligula has condemned Richard Burton and Jean Simmons to execution.
Of course it gets into Michael Rennie's hands, but Jay Robinson has heard rumors about this magical robe the Christians possess.
Once you have seen this movie you will never ever forget Jay Robinson's performance as deranged but cunning Caligula.Is it great acting or just one of the greatest slices of ham ever put on film?I don't know but it proves the maxim that one actor can make a basically routine movie into a personal favourite."Demetrius" is in some ways superior to its predecessor "The Robe" -it lacks the ponderous religiosity,theres more action,and Caligula moves into centre stage..
"Demetrius and the Gladiators" is one of a number of films (the most famous is "Ben Hur", but others include "The Robe", to which "Demetrius" is a sequel, "Quo Vadis" and "The Fall of the Roman Empire") which deal with the early days of the Christian church and its persecution by the Roman emperors.
Several of the epics of this period combined, incongruously, an improving religious message with a good deal of eroticism, with much bare female flesh on display- examples include "Solomon and Sheba", "Esther and the King" and "Salome", where we get to see the famous dance of the seven veils, but it is made clear that, contrary to the Biblical version of the story, Rita Hayworth's character is in fact a virtuous heroine who only is flashing her legs in public in a desperate attempt to save John the Baptist from his fate.
He is a more complex and interesting figure than many epic heroes, so it is unfortunate that the part was played by Victor Mature, an actor whose success often seemed to owe more to his ruggedly masculine good looks and his virile physique than to his acting technique.
It's directed by Delmer Daves and stars Victor Mature as Demetrius, a Christian slave made to fight in the Roman arena as a gladiator ( and ultimately entering into a bigger fight, that of faith), and Susan Hayward as Messalina.
Filling out the support cast are Ernest Borgnine, William Marshall, Michael Rennie, and Jay Robinson as the maniacal emperor Caligula.
The acting is mixed, Mature is solid without ever really convincing as the heroic figure of Demetrius, Hayward and Robinson are camping it up and thus entertain royally, while Borgnine and Rennie earn there pay.Very much like another Phillip Dunne screenplay genre piece, David And Bathsheba, this one is often overlooked or forgotten in discussion about the sword & sandals genre.
When I first saw this movie " Demetrius and the Gladiators ", I was very impressed with the acting skills of both my favorite actors at the time.
There was something shortcoming about this sequel in that it concentrated on the search for the robe by the Mad Emperor Caligula, played to the hilt by superb actor Jay Robinson.
A sequel to the box office successful "The Robe", this film is just one more of those spectacular epic films of the 50's and early 60's settled in ancient Rome and with a religious background of the early Christians and their whereabouts in an all pagan world.After a secondary lead in "The Robe", Victor Mature (as the freed Christian slave Demetrius) takes here the centre of the stage and the film deals with his story; the man looses his faith and recovers it after fighting as a gladiator in the arena, becoming a Decurion for Emperor Caligula and having a passionate affair with the woman (Messalina) married to the weak emperor's uncle Claudius (Barry Jones).
The film is most colourful, the script is not bad as well as the costumes and armors, the settings and reproduction of the old Rome are good enough (no computers back in 1954) and some action sequences in the arena are well achieved.
But somehow this picture lacks the sort of sensation of greatness and huge spectacle other products of the genre transmitted ("The Robe" itself, the previous "Quo Vadis?" or the posterior "Ben Hur" and "Spartacus"); in fact, "Demetrius and the Gladiators" is not one of the titles that comes to mind easily when epic spectacular films is the subject.Victor Mature shows his inevitable overacting as the main character though it is fair to say he has done worse ("The Egyptian" and "Samson and Delilah", for instance, and many others).
Jay Robinson clearly overacts and very much as Calìgula (Caius Germanicus was his real name) but in his case it appears to be a conscious performing decision after he was the most remembered character in the previous "The Robe"; he just lets himself go without limits.
There are good performances by Ernest Borgnine, Richard Egan (as a villainous gladiator), Barry Jones, Anne Bancroft and William Marshall (far before his "Blacula" days).
Debra Paget delivers her acceptable acting but she looks as a contemporary girl here (she could have used the same hairdo and make up for her real life in the middle 50's).All in all, "Demetrius and the Gladiators" is a watchable and entertaining product, but no much more than that in my opinion.
A sumptuous musical score, in the tradition of Miklos Rosza's Ben-Hur,greets the movie goer who sees "Demetrius and the Gladiator." This 1954 film was a sequel to 1953's Oscar nominated "The Robe."Victor Mature plays a Christian who denounces his religion when his beloved is killed or so he thinks.
Ultimately falling for Mature, she will give him up to rule with her husband at film's end for the glory of Rome.The real acting kudos go to Jay Robinson who portrays Caligula.
Fresh from his sadistic Fatso in "From Here to Eternity," Ernest Borgnine appears as Strabo, a bull-like head of the gladiators school.In certain respects, this film is far better than the sequel.
All in all, a decent film that is far better than I'd suspected.UPDATE: Since this review, I've finally seen the precursor, "The Robe", and was surprised just how bad it was compared to "Demetrius and the Gladiators.
Yes, Jay Robinson does go way overboard as Caligula, and Victor Mature was a bit too wholesome as Demetrius, but the guy never really took himself too serious as an actor to start with.
Toss in Michael Rennie, William Marshall, a young Richard Egan (300 Spartans), and Earnest baby, and your get a star-studded action film that holds it's own in the world of even worse Roman epics like the tortuous "Fall of the Roman Empire".I sat through that no-action/women (Ok Sophia!) bore in a theater for as long as my mother could put up with her two boys squirming and bellyaching about the 188 minute run time.
Stereo sound is so-so, and at least on my system, I didn't hear any surround sound, which this movie certainly had (this was a significant aspect of early Cinemascope presentations).The actor playing bad guy Caligula gives one of the most hammy, over the top performances I can remember; he seems to have studied at the Simon Legree school of melodrama..
This direct sequel to The Robe starts literally where the previous movie ends, starting out with the last 2 minutes of The Robe.Even though the Roman guard and his girlfriend were executed for refusing to renounce Jesus, the slave Demetrius still lives and has faith.
Victor Mature, who plays the lead role in this film, appeared in three box office champion films in the 1950's; #1 "Samson and Delilah"(1950), #1 "The Robe" (1953), and #6 The Egyptian" (1954).
The battle in the arena between Glycon (William Marshall) and Demetrius (Victor Mature) is reminiscent of the battle between Kirk Douglas and Woody Strode as gladiators in "Spartacus" six years later.
One scene I thought was particularly awkward when Saint Peter (Michael Rennie) has a cup of wine thrown on him by Messalina (Hayward) when he tries to convince Mature to return as a Christian.
It was one of those big-screen epics that made an impression on me.With your Roman Empire movies, your best bet is to set the story in the reign of one of the three mad emperors - Nero is tops, but Caligula and Commodus are the next best thing.
Someone like Augustus with his stable, 40-year reign is just a little too sedate when it comes to drama - a bit like the Eisenhower era.Set in Rome during the reign of Caligula, all Demetrius (Victor Mature) wants to do is hand over the robe of Jesus to Peter (Michael Rennie), and lead a quiet life as a potter.
It takes Peter and a good buddy from the arena, Glycon (William Marshall), to guide him back to the light.Well that's the story; the script is there to keep the spectacular arena scenes apart, and clear the set for Jay Robinson's viperish and eye-poppingly campy interpretation of Caligula.
He plays Dardanius, a gladiator with attitude, and he looks the part with more muscles and teeth than Burt Lancaster.Susan Hayward gave Messalina some of the same medicine Jay Robinson gave Caligula; together they keep the movie from getting too serious.
The script is standard Biblical-Roman-epic tripe, but what makes it enjoyable for a bad movie fan like myself are the performances.
Then there's the acting: Victor Mature, just horrible; Susan Hayward, a decent actress who only makes things worse trying; some fool named Jay Robinson, who minces through his lines like a pre-menopausal Boston fishwife.
Absolutely wonderful!Other than that, this movie is a pretty standard '50s sex-and-reverence Biblical potboiler, with really dreadful acting by Victor Mature in the title role, and Susan Hayward more luscious than ever as Messalina.
The film was such a success, Hollywood spawned a sequel, without the two leads, but starring Victor Mature in a reprise of his role as Demetrius, a Christian slave.Susan Hayward joins him in the film, as does Michael Rennie, Deborah Paget, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Egan, and Anne Bancroft.
The absence of Richard Burton, which I didn't like to see in the first film due to his bad acting, was another improvement, allowing Demetrius to come out and be the center of our attention.
SPOILERS!'Demetrius and the Gladiators', the sword-and-sandal sequel to 'The Robe', sets the tone from the opening frames, when the famous climax of the earlier film is repeated.
Demetrius (the ever-wooden Victor Mature), has assumed the position of second-in-command to Peter (again played, with dignity, by Michael Rennie), and has found happiness hanging around a pottery, where his love (played by Debra Paget), a young Christian girl (with VERY '50s makeup), works for her father.
Messalina promises to be a good Empress, and not mess around with the hired help, anymore (yeah, right!), and Demetrius, Marshall (carrying the robe), and Peter leave the Palace, to the swell of Waxman's finale.Seeing Bancroft, Julie Newmar (in an unbilled role as a court dancer), and Borgnine are added pleasures, but the REAL fun in this movie is watching Robinson define 'ham' as the scenery-chewing Emperor!
A worthy, though rushed, follow-up to "The Robe" has a fun cast, a tired looking Victor Mature (from all his work on the previous film, no doubt).
Douglas's novel.It features Victor Mature as Demetrius, a Christian slave made to fight in the Roman arena as a gladiator, together with Susan Hayward,Ernest Borgnine, William Marshall, Michael Rennie, Jay Robinson, Debra Paget, and a young Anne Bancroft in one of her early roles during her film career.Thrown in jail for defending an elderly merchant from a sadistic Roman legionnaire, Demetrius is forced to attend gladiator school and fight in the arena for the amusement of the mad, debauched emperor Caligula.This allows Demetrius to attract the attention of Messalina, the nymphomaniac wife of the soon-to-be emperor Claudius.
For a short while,Demetrius lost his faith in God but he was allowed to get re-acquainted with his Christian faith through the Apostle Peter.This happens to be more of a gladiator epic rather than a religious one like its predecessor film,The Robe.People would probably watch it more for the action scenes.Too bad that it won't allow viewers to have some serious thoughts about their religion particularly their relationship to both God and Jesus.Despite being advertised as The Robe's sequel,it is definitely a different film compared to it..
Demetrius And The Gladiators (1954): Starring Victor Mature, Jay Robinson, Susan Hayward, Michael Rennie, Anne Bancroft, Debra Paget, Barry Jones, William Marshall, Charles Evans, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Egan, John Cliff, Karl Davis, Carmen De Lavallade, George Eldredge, Lyle Fox, Ed Fury, Everett Glass, Fred Graham, Frank Hagney, Selmer Jackson, Russell Johnson, Kenner G.
Susan Hayward was still a big star but she abandons her usual repertoire to play the role of a Roman priestess/noblewoman Messalina, who falls for Demetrius.
But if you like Victor Mature, Susan Hayward and Anne Bancroft, then this film is for you, as well as being a film of interest to old Hollywood epic films..
A sequel to 1953's "The Robe" starring Richard Burton, Jean Simmons and Victor Mature, this film picks up following the martyrdom of Marcellus Gallio -- Burton -- and Diana -- Simmons -- due to their unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.In this movie, Victor Mature reprises his role as Demetrius, as does Jay Robinson as Emperor Caligula, and Michael Rennie as the Apostle Peter.
Claudius promises to not bother the Christians, just as long as they obey Roman laws.Overall, the acting is good, although I personally didn't really become attached to any of the characters.If you are willing to overlook the Biblical inaccuracies, as well as the errors concerning actual Roman history, and just accept this as a fictional work regarding early First Century Rome and gladiatorial fights, you may enjoy this film..
The ending of "The Robe" shows the triumphant deaths of two proud Romans choosing Christianity over the insane rantings of Jay Robinson's Emperor Caligula.
On the run, Demetrius (Victor Mature) is captured, sentenced to die in the gladiator ring, and ends up becoming a hero but gives up his Christianity.
The supporting cast includes Ernest Borgnine as Messalina's guard, Richard Egan as a brutal gladiator, and Anne Bancroft and Debra Paget as two of the decent women in Mature's life.
You do not change a winning team.Unfortunately the two stars of "the robe" (Burton and Simmons )died in the first episode.Three of its characters are featured:Demetrius (Victor Mature),Saint Peter (Michael Rennie)and Caligula (Jay Robinson ).There are two extracts from "the robe" :the first one has additional shots of Susan Hayward (Messaline)who was not present when the two Christians were sent "to their kingdom".Demetrius becomes the center of the plot.A Christian ,his belief will be put to the test.They make him a gladiator against his will and he knows he shall not kill his brothers.There is a very good depiction of the gladiators'life ,even if history is given a rough ride:it was Nero before the Christians were really persecuted,as former classics such as "sign of the cross" (1932) or "quo vadis"(1950) testify .Susan Hayward plays a bitchy Messaline,even if her wish to " loyally assist" her dear husband Claudius (who was just pretending he was a moron to fool Caligula)is rather laughable.Best performance comes from Robinson's "Caligula" .The actor is given more time to display his madness and he really does:the scene when he "tests" "the robe "is really spooky.This is an entertaining sword and sandal by Delmer Daves,known for his remarkable westerns such as "broken arrow"..
I love a good sword and sandal epic and this sequel to "The Robe" pretty much fits the bill.
I looked closely at the scene where Demetrius makes his name as a gladiator by killing three tigers in the arena and they looked real enough to me.
Of course films like this, with everyone pretty much wearing dresses, tend to see the actors either ham or camp it up and there's little doubt that Jay Campbell as the notoriously deranged Emperor Caligula is doing both while Mature however plays it pretty straight for the most part.
Susan Hayward vamps it up as the loose Messalina while Michael Rennie is positively saintly as Peter.Some of the dialogue betrays its twentieth century origins such as when Demetrius warns that his old camp is likely to be "wiped out" by the Romans while Lucia's miraculous recovery takes some swallowing too. |
tt0811080 | Speed Racer | Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is an 18-year-old whose life and love has always been racing. As a young boy, Speed shirked his schoolwork, only dreaming of being able to race one day as well as his older brother, Rex Racer (Scott Porter).However, Rex eventually had an altercation with his father Pops Racer (John Goodman), and never returned home. In the 2-3 years of racing that Rex did, viewers were divided, calling him both brave and a coward. However, it was during the final leg of the Casa Cristo road rally that Rex died in a fiery crash in the Maltese Ice Caves. After this event, Speed continued racing, with his lost Brother constantly on his mind.Now the prime driver for Racer Motors, Speed Racer is quickly sweeping the racing world with his skill, driving the "Mach 6" of his father's design, but remains interested only in the art of the race and the well-being of his family. Speed father is still adamant that Racer Motors continue to be an independent in a sport where almost everyone is owned by a large corporation.Shortly after Speed's most recent win, Mr. Royalton (Roger Allam), owner of conglomerate Royalton Industries, shows up at the family's doorstep. Inviting the Racer family to tour his company, Speed is somewhat impressed, yet a little apprehensive. Royalton gives Speed a week to consider his offer.Speed eventually returns to Royalton, and declines his offer, citing that racing is more of a family affair for him. Royalton then shows his true colors, revealing that top corporate interests(including himself) have been fixing races and cheating to gain profits for years. In retaliation for his refusal, Royalton promises that Speed will lose his next race that takes place in Fiji, and that Racer Motors will come under scrutiny as well (proof of the power that he holds, all his threats come to pass, leading to Speed's loss and the destruction of the Mach 6 racer).Shortly afterwards, the Racer family is visited by Inspector Detector (Benno Fürmann) and the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox). Both men are involved in trying to uncover the unscrupulous business dealings and cheating that have been plaqueing the WRL (World Racing League) competitions for many years. Their wild card is Taejo Togokhan (Rain), the son of the owner of Togokhan Racing. Taejo has information that could incriminate Royalton, but will only divulge this if he is able to win the Casa Cristo cross-country race, also know as "The Crucible." The inspector knows the proposition is dangerous (Rex Racer was killed in a previous race), but hopes that Speed and Pops will reconsider, given that the Racer family is one of the last groups that is not tied to corruption. Pops angrily declines the offer, but Speed takes it into consideration, knowing the kind of power that Royalton can use to hurt his family. Trixie volunteers to help Speed, taking the Mach 5 under the guise that they are going skiing.Before the start of the race, a team working under the Inspector modifies the Mach 5 to counter any defensive measures other drivers will take. The first leg of the rally tests Speed, Racer x, and Taejo, with the three of them coming in behind Snake Oiler and his team.Speed and Trixie then receive a surprise when they find the entire Racer family has arrived, having seen Speed on television. Pops demands Speed drop out and come home, but Speed is adamant about winning the race, still thinking of his family's safety and what Taejo's information could do to help them.The family then decides to stay, and have Speed see the race through to the end. However, during the night, several ninjas are sent in to try and deal a blow to the racing team. Racer X handles one, while Pops takes care of another. However, Taejo has ended up being drugged, and is in no condition to race.A trade-off is made, wherein Trixie dresses up as Taejo to take his place until half-way through the race. Once they've reached a certain point, Taejo takes back the wheel to his vehicle, and the team continues to take on Snake Oiler and his team. Finally pulling ahead, the Togokhan roars to the finish.However, in the aftermath, it becomes apparent that Taejo's actions were mainly to affect his Father's stock price, and his deal to reveal secrets about Royalton falls through. Back home, Speed angrily drives the Mach 5 to the nearest track to get over his anger. It is here that he encounters Racer X, who races Speed, and is impressed by his skills.Speed finally asks a burning question that has been on his mind: Is Racer X his older brother, Rex? The clues seem to match up: Racer X appeared shortly after Rex was killed, and his driving style seems eerily similar. Racer X then reveals his identity to Speed, and the young man sees that the mysterious driver does not resemble his brother at all. Speed laments that their efforts at the Casa Cristo were for naught, but Racer X tries to help Speed see the silver lining in the situation.Back at home, Pops and Speed have a heart-to-heart, and Pops laments how he drove Rex away all those years ago, and how he felt in danger of doing the same thing when he attempted to deny Speed the chance to finish the Casa Cristo. Speed understands Pops' concern, but the moment is interrupted by the arrival of Taejo's sister, Horuko (Yu Nan). Horuko expresses regret for her Brother and Father's actions, and presents Speed with an invitation to the big Grand Prix race coming up. Taejo was planning not to enter anyway, but the rules also state that any member of the winning team can use the invitation and race.Reinvigorated, the Racer family and Trixie work round the clock and rebuild the Mach 6. Showing up just before the start of the race, Royalton is incensed over Speed's entry, and a number of drivers are informed to take Speed out during the race at all costs.Speed manages to dodge almost everything thrown at him, but runs into trouble when going up against Royalton's famed racer, Cannonball Taylor (Ralph Herforth). Taylor uses a secret weapon called a 'spear-hook,' almost causing Speed to wipeout. At the last second, Speed manages to send the two flying, with the illegal item being caught by the race cameras. As the two cars crash to the ground, Royalton's racer is dislodged and crashes.Speed has other problems when the Mach 6 refuses to start. After concentrating, and realizing just what his racer needs, Speed manages to get the vehicle started, and takes off, leading to an unstoppable finish and a surprise upset against Royalton and the other racers.Inspector Detector watches the celebration with Racer X. When the Inspector asks if X would like to be with the family, we realize (through flashbacks) that Speed was correct about Racer X. Rex Racer actually faked his death, and through plastic surgery, changed his identity to protect his family, as well as try and stop the corruption in racing with the inspector.In the aftermath of Speed's win, Taejo reveals Royalton's secrets, and the Corporate head is jailed, with the judge delivering the caveat, "Cheaters Never Win." | cult, entertaining, flashback | train | imdb | Good and bad guys with crazy cartoon anime hairstyles, crazy over-the-top kung fu, elaborate motion line effects just like in mangas, crazy death defying races, cheesy as hell dialogue which fits perfectly in context!
Go into this movie expecting high adrenaline scenes and all campy fun that only a 60's anime adaptation can provide, but don't just to go and watch it just to 'see what the fuss is about' until you actually understand what the source material was like.
I must admit that I know, or knew rather, very little about the story or history of Speed Racer- and his TV series - and maybe that is why I enjoyed this movie so much.
I've never smiled through a movie as much as I have with this one in a long time.Huge 10/10 for Speed Racer and a big thank you to everyone involved in making this masterpiece.
The effects used are so fitting for this movie because they're almost cartoonish and the movie doesn't take itself too seriously.The film, an adaptation of the long running Japanese anime, revolves around natural racing phenomenon Speed (the wonderful Emile Hirsch) and his family, which somehow includes John Goodman and Susan Sarandon (whoever pulled off this casting deserves some kind of award).
The buildings, the cities, the homes, the cars themselves...all beautiful.The Wachowski brothers get an A+ for keeping the movie in the spirit of the show as much as they could (they really did a great job), however the film has a major flaw: a runtime of just under 2 and a half hours.
The film also has a sensual scene or two featuring Ricci and Hirsch, not to mention occasional language.My advice: don't listen to the critics, see this movie for the fact that it's pure entertainment for the audience, and it will take you away to a visually stunning world for a couple hours.
This may be a spoiler, but honestly, if you don't know by now that "Racer X is really Rex Racer, the older brother of Speed who ran away from home years ago and is secretly racing behind the mask and the wheel of the number nine, the shooting star" then you probably need to go watch the series.
This movie really caught a good look at Live action Speed Racer without losing the characteristics of the Cartoon.
I didn't think even the Wachowski brothers could pull this off, but as usual, they did.As far as the actors performances, Emile Hirsch did exceptional, but my eye was mostly on the brilliant performances by John Goodman, and new comer Paul Litt who plays Spritle, Speed's mischievous little brother.
I agree with the critics that it is very different than the original Speed Racer, but I think that the directors properly modernized it for todays audiences and to fit with the extensive amount of computer animation used in the film.
Speed Racer is a boring and cold movie.I say this is a cold movie because,the movie does not go beyond of showing special effects.There is zero character development,so we do not really care about them.I do not think even the race scenes are good.They all look like a video game and that scenes never get exciting.So,the race scenes,which should have been exciting and tremendously entertaining,are cold and tremendously boring.Emile Hirsh does not show too charisma.I do not wanna attack him...he's an excellent actor (he showed that in Into The Wild) but directors Larry and Andy Wachowski could not recognize Hirsch's talent.At least,the supporting cast makes a very good work.Matthew Fow,Susan Sarandon,Christina Ricci and the great John Goodman show enthusiasm and conviction on their characters and they brought some points to this weak movie.Speed Racer is a failure,but not only in the economical aspect.It's a failure as a movie.This movie represents a big wasted opportunity..
The only thing they had going for them is that the cast actually resembled how I remember Speed Racer, especially Pops.If the original cartoon is out there, watch it instead.
BUT, watching them, even though I had to admit as an adult that the stories, dialog and animation sucked, watching them 30 years later STILL invoked those dreamlike sensations and mysterious aura, and I was glad for that.I cannot fathom how ANYONE, who either saw Speed Racer at age six in 1973 or never saw it, or saw at age 6 in 2003 even in the context of modernized entertainment, can like this movie.
Other than the great visuals, "Speed Racer" is possibly the emptiest, shallowest, dullest movie experience I have had in a cinema, since my misfortune in shelling out a couple of quid to see "The Matrix" sequels.
The whole look of the movie is ridiculous with acid-pop colors and an absurd family (never watched the original anime, fortunately..).
I could go on about the movies other problems such as Speed's annoying little bro and his chimp and the bland characters, but this film does have one redeeming quality,the special effects.
The movie looks great from the racing scenes to the color palate, the Wachowski's know their special effects.
One of my favorite parts is when they are fighting in the hotel bedroom, that scene was awesome, and I laughed at a lot of the cute jokes too.I understand it was mostly all for thrills in the vision department, but that is what you should have been expecting when you went in to Overall Speed Racer exceeded my expectations, and in the end I was very glad I had the chance to view it, for I loved it and think it rises above a lot of other movies out there recently.
the best word to describe this movie is ridiculous for the second time in my life i went to a movie and laughed not because it was funny but because it was so bad the first was when a friend gave me free tickets to the epic "the grinch" which is in the same ridiculous lines the movie is so long and useless that me and my gf could sleep several times wake up and not loose a thing at some point i heard someone else scream this is ridiculous, never seen that before lol people walk out of the room, i applauded the absolute reason why a person would not ridicule this movie is that they were cartoons fans, but then again that is not about the movie is it?
Christina Ricci always on top form provides much love and half of the eye candy with her petite top boyish love interest.The Matrix masterminds Andy and Larry Wachowski usher anime icon Tatsuo Yoshida's classic 1960s-era hit into the new millennium with this family-friendly story of a young race car driver who takes on the mysterious Racer X in a custom-made, gadget-loaded speed machine named the Mach 5.Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is the kind of driver that every wheel man wishes he could be: a born winner whose unbeatable combination of aggression, whose unbeatable combination of aggression, instinct, and fearlessness always finds him crossing the checkered flag with a comfortable lead.
It was Speed Racer's father, Pops Racer (John Goodman), who designed the unbeatable Mach 5, and even a lucrative offer from racing giants Royalton Industries isn't enough to get the young ace to break his family ties.Right from the word Go, Speed Racer is hugely dependent on its visual effects and sound, which are both considerably good.
This Review was originally written for South Yorkshire Newspapers and featured on BBC Radio Sheffield, Leeds, and York - Speed Racer is a labour of love for the Wachowski Brothers; the self confessed geeks behind the Matrix Trilogy have gone to great lengths to realise their vision of the cult 60's cartoon.
Right off the starting line the movie establishes its highly stylised visual appeal with a kaleidoscope of psychedelic imagery, (an epileptic's nightmare that warrants warning signs around the cinema) before entering a bubblegum Bladerunner world of neon CGI and real life actors.The plot tracks the aptly named Speed (Emile Hirsch, star of last year's 'Into the Wild') as he strives to fulfil his ambition of winning a futuristic Grand Prix.
The story follows a tight racing line, to the point that it feels very much like it's on rails, as the young hero must prove himself against the odds, with the help of his family, friends, and some fantastical driving feats on roller-coaster race tracks.The Racer family are a colourful bunch, headed up by Super Mario look-a-like Pops (John Goodman, who clearly seems to be drawn to cartoon adaptations with this and the Flintstones movie on his CV), Mom (a free-wheeling Susan Sarandon), girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci, who looks every bit the wide-eyed cartoon character) and for the kids the daft comic pairing of Speed's younger brother Spritle (newcomer Paulie Litt) and Chim-Chim the monkey.
These two are clearly intended to provide some light relief during the too frequent dialogue-heavy points of the film, playing as close to the exaggerated actions of their animated equivalents as possible.It's unfortunate that in reality this type of visual humour feels ridiculously kitsch and more often than not falls flat.
Speed Racer also bares some similarities to some of Warner Bros' other cartoon franchises, most notably with the dastardly weaponry of Wacky Races and the futuristic family feel of the Jetsons.Considering Andy and Larry Wachowski found fame through their revolutionary 'bullet-time' special effects in the Matrix films, devoting moments of hyper-real focus to fast-paced action, the lack of clarity in this film is a big disappointment.
The races convey an intense impression of speed, but it feels disconnected, the audience left blinded by the assortment of motion blurs, light coronas and trailblazing neon effects, it's akin to watching a video game without the benefit of being in control or having the 'off' button within easy reach.Speed Racer is fast, polished and has a style of its own, but there's not a lot under the hood, it has no sense of grip and ultimately it's a really unsatisfying ride.
And what continues to baffle me is how this movie ever got green-lighted.The original Speed Racer, which ran for only a short time, was basically a campy sixties cartoon that lived on as cult television.
There's no doubt that "Speed Racer", the Wachowski brothers' version of a '60s anime series, is a visual spectacle.
What was he thinking?"Matrix" is by far my favorite movie of all times, and after watching "V fro Vendetta", I thought that the Wachowski brothers could do no wrong.
not an ounce of grandeur here that's needed in a fantasy film - just a big, overblown grunt of a movie that feels like it was the result of the sound John Goodman makes whenever his "character" is upset at something..
It also reminded me of racing car game i used to play with my PSI I will safely assume that if you like video games and cartoons (especially the original speed racer), you will enjoy this movie.
A tremendous job making something I thought was never possible into one of the best action movies I've ever seen.Anyone that doesn't know what they are in for, and has never seen the anime, will probably not enjoy themselves, but for anyone who is a genuine fan, you will have an absurd amount of fun with this film..
I listened to everyone about their doubts, but I remained faithful and excited, knowing that the WB's would do great.I signed up for my screening of Speed Racer ever since I saw the teaser and I definitely felt it was worth the wait!
My eyes were constantly busy with all the color, the style of the editing, the action and the fun of the characters.I MUST congratulate the Wachoski Brothers and everyone involved with the production of this film for holding my interest during the awaiting and watching of SPEED RACER!
No qualms about Emile Hirsch in the titular role, and I thought the entire Racer family was well cast, from Pops (John Goodman in yet another series-to-movie role after his Fred Flintstone stint), Mom (Susan Sarandon), mechanic Sparky (Kick Gurry), kid brother Sprittle (Paulie Litt) who provides most of the slapstick together with pet monkey Chimp Chimp, and hot loyal girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci).
What I liked about the narrative flow was how the races blend seamlessly with moments of drama thanks to creative editing, and of course, throwbacks to the animated series again with many a close up shots of drivers looking cool, or looking mean.What's the best way to enjoy Speed Racer?
It is a flawed movie, where the story- of Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) and his battles with the corrupt owner of Royalton motors (Roger Allam) with the help of Trixie, his girlfriend (Christina Ricci) and the mysterious masked Racer X (Matthew Fox), not to mention winning the big Grand Prix race- is told at times in such a jumbled way that one starts to loose the momentum built up in the race scenes.
I really wanted to like this because I was a fan of the first Matrix movie and thought a live action Speed Racer had a lot of potential.
For those, like me, who like special-effects and stylish visuals, it was definitely worth a look, particularly on a Blu-Ray hi-definition disc.Many of the characters were over-the-top, especially the villains, naturally, led by Roger Allam as "Arnold Royalton." The good guys - meaning "Speed Racer" and his family, were okay.
The younger brother "Sprittle" (Paulie Litt) and the chimp, I'm sure, drew most of the laughs from most audiences.This film, however, is not really about the story or, more specifically, about futuristic auto racing, although if you love auto racing you should like this - it's about the incredible colors and special-effects extravaganza.
I love the Wachowskis, but this should have been Speed Racer: The Movie!
Batman is reduced to an artifact in his own movie, an echo of an unwanted element in this serious character study/action film.Speed Racer is completely without shame for its source material.
This was advanced, engaging, nifty, bypassing the fact of the flimsy narrative itself.No, where the brothers killed it for me was in the racing sequences.Given the seemingly manifest limits on story inspiration, one thing outsiders like myself might reasonably expect from a "Speed Racer" is competent simulation of sustained, exhilarating ...
We needed a better director like Steven Spielberg, John Landis, Ron Howard, Joe Dante or Robert Zemeckis for this kind of project, not two guys who only made one good movie out of 4 ones before Speed Racer.
I find it highly ironic that in the same way Speed Racer (the character) would get a 10 for his driving skill, the Wachowski brothers deserve the same for their movie making.
I've watched some of the episodes (including the finale) and I understand why lots of anime fans love this show so much that in fact, I actually love this show as well.So, when I heard that Warner Brothers hired The Wachowski Brothers to direct a live-action movie adaptation of the show, I saw that lots of Speed Racer fans saw it and were excited at how it managed to capture the spirit and tone of the show perfectly, but the critics weren't completely satisfied since they complained about how the CGI seemed overdone and when it first came out, it was a failure at the box office making only 43 million domestic and only 93 million worldwide out of it's 120 million budget, but has then remained by fans of the show to be a cult classic for about four years since it's release.However, in my opinion, when I first saw it on a DVD copy that my cousin had, I did the best that I could think of: not listening to the critics because I think that this is an underrated and very entertaining adaptation of a great classic TV show.
Other actors including John Goodman (got the part of Pops Racer just right), Susan Sarandon (got the part of Mom Racer right as well), Matthew Fox (exactly the right character for Racer X due to his emotions and the past where he pretending that he got in an accident), and Roger Allam (he made a fantastic love-to-hate villain Royalton) did a great job with their performances along with the annoying, yet likable little brother Spirtle Racer and his monkey friend Chim Cham.The story is like a mixture of the 50s, 60s, and 70s altogether with a quirky and very inspiring storyline about racing that could change a lot of ordinary people.
It was a huge surprise when the Wachowski Brothers, after making two cult favorites - The Matrix and V for Vendetta, announced that they were going to make a live-action movie based on the widely popular cartoon series Speed Racer.
Speed Racer is a live action feature film version based on the Japanese animated television series of the same name from the late 1960's.
Aside from the look I thought all the actors did a good job mimicking the characters from the original and the plot while a little complicated and confusing at first was a lot of fun and filled with action, great visuals, humour and entertainment that pleased me as an adult and seemed to please the younger children in the audience, who most likely are not aware of the original show.
In fact, "Speed Racer" was some of the most fun I've had at the movies in years.
The movie isn't campy, but it's also not overreaching its own bounds to be falsely great; "Speed Racer" makes last year's SFX bonanza, "Transformers," look bloated and silly.The actors are pitch-perfect; the plot is much better than other cartoon adaptations; the visuals, cutting edge and thrillingly atmospheric.
Critics have been wrong about other films, including "Fantasia," "The Wizard of Oz," "Jaws," and "Blade Runner." I won't pretend that "Speed Racer" is a great movie like those; but it, like those classics, is simply ahead of its time..
If you didn't watch Speed Racer as a kid, you may not understand how great this film is. |
tt0415679 | Boy Eats Girl | While working in the church, Grace finds a hidden crypt. While exploring she discovers a voodoo book, however she is soon sent away by Father Cornelius. Grace's son, Nathan attends the local high school, with his friends Henry and Diggs. Nathan likes his long-time friend Jessica however is too scared to ask her out, in case he is rejected. Also in the school are popular girls Charlotte, Glenda and Cheryl. Cheryl pursues Nathan, despite already having a boyfriend, Samson, who confronts Nathan along with his womanising friend Kenneth after seeing Cheryl talking to Nathan. Meanwhile, Henry and Diggs, fed up with Nathan not asking out Jessica, force the pair to meet after school.
While Nathan waits for Jessica, he writes a note about what he will say to her to ask her out. Meanwhile, Jessica's over-protective father forbids her to leave, but she sneaks out. Nathan becomes impatient due to Jessica's lateness and leaves before Jessica arrives; she reads the note; however, through a misunderstanding, Nathan believes Jessica is with Kenneth. Nathan goes home and contemplates hanging himself in his room. Just as he dismisses the idea, Grace enters and knocks the chair over Nathan is standing on, causing him to be hanged. Grace returns to the church and performs a ritual from the book, which brings Nathan back to life. The ritual seems to have gone well, despite Nathan not remembering what happened, however Father Cornelius soon warns Grace that the book was damaged and those who are resurrected by it have the urge to eat human flesh.
At school, Nathan hears Kenneth lying about what happened with Jessica the previous night to Samson and another friend, Shane. As Jessica attempts to ask Nathan out, he turns her down, thinking what Kenneth said was true. As the day progresses, Nathan slowly succumbs to the symptoms of the book. At night, everyone heads to a school disco, where Nathan soon becomes more zombie-like and bites Samson before returning home. As Samson becomes a zombie, he attacks Shane and infects him. Jessica goes to Nathan's house to sort things out, but Nathan warns Jessica away from him, realising something is wrong with him.
The next morning, Grace tells Nathan what happened. Nathan realises that Samson is infected and tries to get the police to help capture him, but he is ignored. Returning home, Grace locks Nathan in the garage and starts to search for something to help him recover. Meanwhile, Charlotte has also become a zombie and infects Kenneth. Cheryl and Glenda go to a local bar, where they witness a zombie attack. Henry and Diggs also witness a zombie attack in the video shop. Henry and Diggs hide, and see that most of the town have been infected. They phone Jessica and tell her to lock herself inside her house. Henry and Diggs travel to Nathan's house and free him, before setting off to Jessica's. However, on their way they crash their car and have to continue on foot. Jessica is attacked by zombies in her house, including Samson, but she overpowers them and manages to escape.
Grace goes to the church, but is attacked by Father Cornelius. He is soon bitten by a snake in the crypt, revealing the snake's venom is the cure to the infection. She takes the snake and leaves. Outside, Cheryl and Glenda are hiding in the graveyard. They encounter the infected Charlotte who bites Glenda, allowing Cheryl to get away. Nathan finds Jessica in a barn beside her house, where Jessica tells Nathan that she never did anything with Kenneth. Meanwhile, Henry and Diggs arrive at Jessica's house, followed by Cheryl who is being chased by a group of zombies. They hide in a cupboard in the house until night time when they try to escape. As they go outside they are saved by Nathan, however a group of zombies close in on them, but Jessica manages to kill them with the aid of a tractor.
The survivors hide in the barn, but Samson and Shane get in and infect Cheryl. The others manage to escape to a platform, but are now trapped. They pour gasoline onto the barn floor, before Grace arrives with the snake. However, the snake escapes and the zombies begin to attack Grace. Nathan saves Grace, allowing her to escape, and also kills Samson. Nathan soon completely succumbs to the ritual, and becomes a zombie. As he is about to attack his friends, the snake bites him. The zombies quickly attack Nathan and he is caught in the fire that Jessica has ignited. Jessica, Diggs and Henry leave, and soon discover Nathan survived the fire, who finally asks Jessica to go out with him, to which she answers yes. | violence, cult | train | wikipedia | Yes i do admit that the storyline when it comes to the bit about how the zombies were created ( by voodoo) was a bit weak and also the love story between the two main characters was a bit too soppy, but you've got to expect that from a teen movie.
But as for the amount of gore that definitely deserves a 10 out of 10, not only is the tractor kill scene the best gore i've seen in a zombie movie ever it was stomach churning as well as funny.
"Boy Eats Girl" is an Irish-made romantic zombie comedy ("RomZomCom?") about a high schooler who, when he thinks he's lost the girl of his dreams, commits suicide ...
For those who are still reading, "Boy Eats Girl" was a hilarious horror/comedy treat with -- gasp!
As the film begins, our high school hero Nathan has already got enough problems -- being bullied by the jocks, abused on the rugby field - but when he accidentally misses a chance to tell his long time friend Jessica how he really feels about her, he goes home and hangs himself.
Hilariously over-the-top mayhem ensues.It takes a little while for the zombie shenanigans to really get going in "Boy Eats Girl" but once it does I doubt any gorehound will be disappointed.
The compact run time (just about 80 minutes) keeps "Boy Eats Girl" from overstaying its welcome, and wraps everything up nicely.Fans of "Shaun of the Dead" or "Zombieland" should get a few kicks out of "Boy Eats Girl," and the film is a worthy addition to the growing Zombie Comedy genre..
The movie had its share of plot holes (quite a few of these were pretty big.) But on the whole I did find it funny and I was smiling by the end so it wasn't too bad, just nothing to write home about.
From the title "Boy eats Girl" it's pretty clear that this film is one that requires you to leave your brain outside the door.
If you're hoping for anything more than a bit of enjoyable fluff, look elsewhere.The film starts off great, the audience gets to know the main characters quite well, and there are more than a few good laughs.
However the gory bits (which there is quite a lot of for a 15A film) are varied and inventive enough to keep the viewers entertained.The main cast all do a good job, in particular David Leon and Tadhg Murphy.
Some of the supporting cast however (for example, Bryan Murray as Fr.Frears) are awful.Overall it is an entertaining, funny, gory movie, and one of the best Irish productions in a long time..
"Boy Eats Girl" is an unoriginal Irish comedy about a group of zombies that are not living dead, but teenagers infected by the bites of their schoolmates that follows the American style with Irish accent.
Throw in some lovey dovey side-plot crap and you basically have Boy Eats Girl.The flick most importantly, isn't that bad.
Only good can come from this.Boys Eats Girl is a pretty damn average RomZomCom flick that was entertaining based solely on the amount of blood it spilled.
Part satire and part romantic-comedy, Boy Eats Girl should be looked upon as a homage to the classic 70s horror genre and not a poor effort at recreating the success of Shaun of the Dead.
Not wholly European as you'd expect but it works on most levels, just not so much on the humour however.Nathan (David Leon) is the heartbroken teenager who accidentally kills himself after making the mistake of witnessing the love of his young teenage life, Jessica (Irish pop sensation, Samantha Mumba) in a compromising situation with his school's Lothario.
Nathan's mother (Deirdre O'Kane) finds his lifeless body in his room and remembers the handy book of resurrection spells that she'd found just days earlier in the bowels of the church that she works at.As easy as you can say beginner's luck, she manages to bring back her son and gets him ready for the next day of school.
Things start to get a whole lot worse for him after last night's attack starts a chain reaction of killings, each spawning a much more vicious version of Nathan's condition.The plot and situation 'borrows' heavily from a handful of movies, especially the 1993 cult classic, My Boyfriend's Back with virtually the same sub-plot of unrequited love between the unfortunate undead and his high-school sweetheart.
As the movie is a relatively short enterprise, clocking in at about 77 minutes (including credits), it almost makes up for the lack of spilled blood and guts when the horror aspect of the film finally kicks in.Most satires succumb to taking themselves too seriously at some point in their films and Boy Eats Girl is no different.
The attempted suicide scene was clumsy and awkward; not exactly an endorsement for depressed teenagers everywhere.The film starts out slow, working out the set-up of the eventual suicide that triggers the rest of the plot, leaving just a third of the movie for bona fide zombie mayhem.
Leon's Nathan seems too self-aware and confident to pull off being the angst-ridden chump who finds it hard to bring up his true feelings around Jessica.From start to end, its campy throwback to nonsensical horror-comedy masks over its inability to find its feet and its problematic attempts at satire.
Boy Eats Girl is the kind of film to watch when you're in a non-committal mood, something that demands only vague attention and which doesn't try to be clever.
If you want a horror or a zombie movie then look elsewhere, it's neither nor does it try to be.It is a comedy, let's get it straight right now, not a zombie film.
Romero's legacy to pop culture and the film industry certainly gets a good outing here, but this isn't a film to make gorehounds feel fat and happy, nor will zombie purists find anything to debate over.A lot of the characters are like those from sappy American Teen comedies but with Irish accents and in situations involving blood and throw-away limbs.Perhaps this helps: It's California Man with gore.It entertained me for the short running time (about an hour I made it) and I liked it enough to cough up £5 for it.
He is brought back to life by his mother, as a flesh-craving zombieI found this movie so-what Original, with mum bringing back her son after he killed himself.Also enjoyed some really decent funny moments, that work really well with the rest of the movie.There were some really good bloody messy scenes, which were fun to watch.
The beginning is also good, but as the whole film it's said in just a few words and a movie would never look fine read as a bedtime story.
There's nothing much here to make the film stand out - the acting ranges from acceptable to awful (Mumba in particular should stick to singing), the story is pretty thin (even by zombie movie standards) and the whole movie drags a little, going too slowly at some points and rushing through more important parts.
The few decent jokes and some quality violence make it worth a rent, but in general, people looking for a good romantic zombie comedy should head for Shaun of the Dead..
I think they were pushing the boundaries of actors playing young characters even in comparison to the likes of 90210.Lacking in any of the fundamental elements of the genres it was going for; Horror, Comedy, Suspense.
For a comedy that's pretty lame.Still, there are a few gags in there, the zombies are decent, the gore is good and the story isn't that bad, which makes the film enjoyable..
"Boy Eats Girl" is a funny, brilliant take on both adolescence and the horror genre; the characters take center stage and the whole zombie plot is more of a side note.But...I loved it.
I've seen some pretty shoddy horror movies, but this film has excellent cinematography, decent special effects, and, most importantly, good acting and interesting characters.
I was of course drawn to "Boy Eats Girl" because it is a zombie movie, but also because of the pun title of the movie.
I watched this movie back in 2005 or 2006, and then decided to revisit it again in 2019 and actually getting around to making a review of it.While "Boy Eats Girl" is a zombie movie, it wasn't really all that great, and I did remember it as being a funny movie from back around 2005-2006 when I first saw it.
Watching it again in 2019, I can honestly say that the movie is definitely watchable, but it is by no account a great addition to the zombie genre.There wasn't enough gore and zombie make-up or special effects to keep me properly entertained.
"Boy Eats Girl" wasn't one such movie.It pains me to the very core when I see the zombies or infected running around and sprinting.
But it just doesn't feel right, it is as if that shambling zombie feel is a must for a zombie to be scary for me.While the characters in the movie were pretty much stereotypical and generic college student, I will say that David Leon was actually the primary force driving the entire movie with his performance, and he was also the one with the more detailed and meaningful character.For a zombie movie, then "Boy Eats Girl" holds very little aside from a hilarious movie title.
Boy Eats Girl is a teen horror romantic comedy that is somewhat of a cross between Clueless and Dead Alive aka Brain Dead.
If you have seen a decent amount of movies, Boy Eats Girl probably won't rock your socks off.
And it especially isn't every day that a feature film from Ireland turns out to be a horror comedy.
When it comes to horror, the movie does have a few somewhat pleasing bloody moments, particularly the climatic scene that in part rips off the climax of the Peter Jackson film "Dead Alive".
Since starting The Walking Dead, I've been on a bit of a zombie craze, and decided it was time to check out and old movie that had a really interesting cover.
Technical I suppose the movie is still considered rated R because of gore, even when the blood looks like V8 juice, but this film is anything but scary.
Boy Eats Girl, promises a zombie film for the ages, but it's more laughable than anything else.
You just can't take Irish people being pursued by the living dead seriously.There's some pretty poor acting in here and the whole situation pushes suspension of disbelief a little too far.There are a couple of good moments, but anyone could throw a couple of decent jolts into such a genre film it lends itself to them...I can't understand how anyone can bugger up such a simple format.
(What I did first was watching Slither, another funny and sometimes spooky horror-movie and just after it, I watched Boy Eats Girl and my package of these two films really entertained me a lot!) Boy Eats Girl, though it is a teen horror, has also good camera shots in some scenes besides making you laugh in general, but be sure most of the things you laugh at purely comes from the fact that the wits are good enough and the movie isn't one of those poor teen-horrors which unfortunately suck while seriously trying to scare you!
It isn't a full-on horror movie, it's more like the Buffy movie with zombies instead of vampires and a lot more gore.
Well, it won't be the first time.Aside from the aforementioned gore, Boy Eats Girl is a horror-comedy with the emphasis on the comedy.
...with the only thing of note about it being that it was made in Ireland, and given the over(t)ly earnest attempt to imitate American cinema/TV, its Gaelic origins hardly matter.If "Boy Eats Girl" really had a $5mil budget, the bulk of it must have gone to one of its ostensible leads, pop singer Samantha Mumba, who had a moment in the sun in a smallish part in the mostly-wretched 2002 remake of "The Time Machine," and apparently came away from the experience with the idea that she's an actress.
The Irish take on the zombie genre, adopting a clever title, but little else in the movie is overly original.
Zombie fans often put aside originality if they get their grue, and "Boy Eats Girl" does in fact deliver plenty of ultra-violence, but a good deal of said carnage occurs off screen.
The film's highlight would have the be the showstopping splatterfest where Jessica(Samantha Mumba)gets inside her father's tractor and mows through an array of zombies, with blood and body parts scattered all over her yard.
The film features a romantic subplot between lovelorn Nathan(David Leon), the one whose mom brings back from the dead, and Jessica, whose pops forbids her to see him.
The use of a snake bite as it pertains to a possible cure for the virus is a bit hard to swallow, but the way the zombie outbreak is concocted in the film's plot, such a development seems only fitting..
Now here's Boy Eats Girl starring former teen pop star Samantha Mumba trying her hand at acting, and failing miserably.
The movie follows 17 year old Nathan who is in love with Mumba's character Jessica.
Following in the bloody footsteps of British zombie-themed romantic comedy Shaun of the Dead, Irish movie Boy Eats Girl sees a heart-broken schoolboy, Nathan (David Leon), accidentally hanging himself after mistakenly believing that the girl he loves, Jessica (ex-popstar Samantha Mumba, looking way too old for the part), is a slut.When Nathan's mother discovers the body of her dead son, she steals a voodoo book from the vault of a local church and reanimates him.
Unfortunately, she screws up the process (the book is missing a vital page), and Nathan returns as a flesh-craving zombie; it's not long before hordes of hungry undead are rampaging through the streets of Ireland.With its likable characters and fair amount of impressive gore, Boy Eats Girl had the potential to be a real winner.
One nip from the slithery little blighter, and Nathan is as right as rain, and getting smoochy with Mumba like nothing has happened.Oh well, at least before our hero is returned to normal and gets the girl (sheesh!), fans of excessive violence are treated to a bit of decent splatter (most of which happens towards the end of the film, so gore-hounds hang in there), including a spectacular incident involving a piece of heavy-duty machinery (with which limbs are scattered and bodies crushed), and a great moment where Nathan pulls the head off an undead school bully..
Not quite as good as "Shawn of the Dead," but still not too shabby.In Ireland, young go-nowhere teen Nathan pines for upper-class best friend Jessica, but is too nervous to show his true feelings.
Now Nathan needs to get to Jessica before it's too late."Boy Eats Girl" is a refreshing move away from the traditional zombie movies.
Finally the subtext of the forlorn love between Nathan and Jessica just adds to the entertainment value of the film.Sure, it's no Oscar-worthy movie, but it's definitely worth a watch..
Perhaps it's because of the natural humour, or the sense that the cast is having a whale of a time making it, but this is a fun if goofy way to spend seventy minutes of your life.The film goes about setting up the various characters (jocks, geeks, etc.) that you'd expect from a high school teen flick before introducing the zombie element.
The zombies themselves are played for laughs although the film is happy to wallow in the gore at key moments.
Pretty good comedy-zombie-teen thingie.The soundtrack is all US adolescent angst, but doesn't create horror/suspense effects.
David Leon stars as Nathan, a guy secretly in love with his friend Jessica (Samantha Mumba).
The best thing about this was Samantha Mumba as a school girl.The plot A guy accidentally commits suicide after he thinks (wrongly) that Sammy does not want a bit of his snake.
He bites some one and they turn into a zombie but will the ma finds a cure can she save Nathan and cure the world before the end of the movie?
Samantha was great and it is pretty good for a comedy movie.
Boy Eats Girl is set in an Irish town where a woman named Grace (Deirdre O'Kane) renovating a Church finds a hidden crypt & some ancient Pagan books on Voodoo rituals including the resurrection of the dead, initially the find doesn't seem significant but comes in very handy after her teenage son Nathan (David Leon) accidentally kills himself while drunk.
The script by Derek Landy isn't as much an out-and-out comedy as Shaun of the Dead was since most of it's comedic moments are one-liners or people reacting in silly ways to certain situations they find themselves in like someone taking an umbrella out of a golf bag to protect himself by accident rather than a golf club like his friends, the romance element is alright but a little corny while the horror aspects are OK with some decent blood & gore although it's not an overly dark film.
I'm not too happy about the happy ending either where the hero gets the girl, the bad guy is killed & a cure for being a zombie is rather luckily found by complete accident.
The acting is alright but rather predictably Samantha Mumba who is better known as a pop singer is terrible & you know your in trouble when she's the 'name' in it.Boy Eats Girl has a wonderfully amusing title, unfortunately the film isn't anywhere nears as imaginative, funny or clever & it's as simple & straight forward as that.
It's worth a watch if you like horror comedies but isn't anything brilliant whichever way you look at it.
The bad thing is, he develops a taste for human flesh.Review: Irish zombies, for a change. |
tt0190865 | Vertical Limit | In a mountain range in the Southwestern United States, veteran mountain climber Royce Garrett (Stuart Wilson) is traversing a cliff base with his son, Peter (Chris O'Donnell), and daughter, Annie (Robin Tunney). Amateurs above them lose their footing and endanger them all, eventually causing all three Garretts to hang precariously from a cable that cannot support their weight. Royce orders to Peter to cut the rope, sacrificing himself to save his children. Years later, Peter has retired from climbing and is a wildlife photographer. Annie has become a renowned mountain climber, but resents Peter for cutting the rope. When his assistant is injured, Peter shows up at base camp as Annie attempts to climb K2 in the Pakistan province of Gilgit-Baltistan, the world's second highest mountain, which is very dangerous to climb because of the tough conditions which await at the summit. Complicating matters further is the war between Pakistan and India, which has limited the expeditions support and resources. The expedition is funded by wealthy industrialist Elliot Vaughn (Bill Paxton) who is also going to climb, with the help of his friend Tom McLaren (Nicholas Lea). There is a huge party the night before the climbers begin the trek, which is briefly interrupted by an eccentric, Montgomery Wick (Scott Glenn), who warns that none have ever conquered K2, and none will. Vaughn is introduced to Peter, whom he asks to accompany them on the trip, but Peter instantly refuses.As the expedition progresses, the base discovers a potentially devastating ice storm, which could endanger the expedition, but they cannot say with 100% certainty. Tom suggests that they return to base. Vaughn refuses, deciding to play the odds. The winds begin to wreak havoc. Annie, Vaughn, and Tom fall through a patch of ice and become trapped in a crevasse. Annie radios back to base using Morse code and Peter learns of Annie's plight. Due to the seriousness of the cave-in, the rescue party realizes that they may need explosives to blast a hole for a rescue. But the only explosive that they can get their hands on is old nitroglycerin in leaky canisters. Few climbers are willing to consider the trip. Peter manages to assemble a rescue mission with the base's best climbers including brothers Cyril and Malcolm (Steve Le Marquand and Ben Mendelsohn), Monique Aubertine (Izabella Scorupco), Kareem Nazir (Alexander Siddig) and Skip Taylor (Robert Taylor). However, the day before the rescue mission goes underway. Skip and Peter also go visit Montgomery, reported to be the world's best climber and foremost expert on K2. Wick reluctantly accepts after some serious convincing, and it is implied that there is bad blood between him and Vaughn. Skip is unable to go as Wick says he needs him on the ground directing the mission.To maximize their survival odds, Wick decides to pair the strong climbers with the less experienced: Malcolm and Kareem (much to Malcolm's dismay), Monique and Cyril, and Peter and Wick. They each split up and take different entry points up the mountain with the hope that diversifying their explosives will increase the chances of at least one pair getting through if another has an accident with the unstable Nitro. Cyril constantly "flirts" with Monique (much to her dismay). Malcolm and Kareem have awkward conversations which Malcolm points to wanting to complete the mission faster. Monique and Cyril enter trouble when Cyril loses his balance and clings to the side of a cliff. After Monique secures her harness to him, the peak cracks and Monique also falls over the edge and the nitro falls from Cyril's backpack and creates a huge explosion that the other teams notice. Cyril is able to climb back up, however, while he cheers arrogantly lowering a harness for Monique, they both hear a rumbling noise. The explosion and crackling has in fact started an avalanche and is heading straight for Cyril. Cyril, unable to do anything watches and screams helplessly as the avalanches swamps him and subsequently throws him over the edge off the peak. Monique, still hanging onto the edge, manages to survive and get back onto the peak. She then radios in and informs base that Cyril has been killed, but orders them not to tell Malcolm yet.Back at the station, nitroglycerin, used to clear rock formations etc., comes into contact with the sun and reacts and subsequently explodes, completely dumbfounding the crew. Base tell the groups to get their cases of nitroglycerin into the shade to avoid an explosion. Monique teams up with Peter and Wick and they successfully manage to avoid a calamity. Malcolm and Kareem just manage to get the nitroglycerin, but the can containing it leaks and it is exposed to the sun, killing both of them in the explosion. Monique, Wick, and Peter witness the explosion.Meanwhile, underground, Annie begins to suffer from pulmonary edema, when water begins to form inside of the lungs, and she will die unless given medical attention. Tom is in a more severe state, with his leg and ribs broken. Vaughn is the only one unharmed and possesses the medical kit. Annie pleads with him to use dexamethasone (colloquially referred to in the movie as "Dex") to save Tom and herself, but Vaughn declines, unwilling to waste it on a "lost cause". More to the fact, Vaughn doesn't want to die and believes he and Annie have the best chance of survival.During the trek the next day, Monique comes across a woman's body frozen in the ice that has been uncovered due to the second explosion. As she gets closer, Wick instantly recognizes the body and tells Monique not to touch her; it is his own wife, Mayama. After Wick collects a ring and an empty box that contained "dex" from his wife's body, he tells Peter that Elliot Vaughn is responsible for his wife's death. Vaughn's story from his first disastrous climb on K2 detailed that the "dex" was swept away, but Mayama always kept it on her person, meaning the empty box proves Vaughn used it for himself. Knowing that Vaughn's story is a fraud and that he contributed to the deaths of other climbers, Wick plans to kill him on the mountain and warns Peter that his sister ought to watch her supply very carefully. Peter and Monique begin to grow close and there is some mild flirtation as Peter helps her set bones on her broken finger; moreover, they talk about her relationship with Skip, for Peter to find out that it's mostly professional, and not romantic, as he had once thought. Meanwhile, in Annie's camp, as night comes Vaughn gives himself some dex, then kills Tom by sticking Tom with the syringe, full of air to save remaining dex for himself.Annie radios Peter and tells him that she won't survive much longer and that he should save himself and turn back; he and Monique instead continue on their own early while Wick is sleeping. Wick wakes up to see them gone and Peter and Monique, having continued trekking up the mountain, soon find the place where Annie and Vaughn are imprisoned. They use the nitroglycerin to create a hole, enabling access to the survivors. As Peter attempts to rescue Annie and Vaughn, the harness begins to loosen but Wick arrives and secures it. Wick descends into the cave and harnesses Annie again, and though a weakened Vaughn thinks he is about to attack him, Wick attaches a harness to him as well, and along with Peter (with Monique towing the rope), they manage to pull Annie up with Wick and Vaughn still harnessed underneath.As they pull Annie up a clump of snow is dislodged and Annie, Peter, Wick and Vaughn are all left hanging with just Monique supporting all their weight. With Vaughn below him, Wick understands they cannot be pulled up and calmly cuts the rope.Recovering at base camp, Annie reconciles with Peter, who finally pays his respects at a memorial for those killed on K2, including the Wicks, Kareem, his cousin Ali, brothers Cyril and Malcom, guide Tom McLaren.. | action | train | imdb | null |
tt1334102 | The Resident | The movie starts with newly divorced ER doctor Juliet (Hilary Swank) running through New York City and working in a busy ER. She is looking for an apartment to rent. After viewing one ridiculously small one, she looks at a stunning apartment with a lovely view. The owner, Max (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is renting it for £3800 she is surprised at the price and immediately takes it.Max helps her move in and while moving in her furniture, she meets Max's grandfather, August (Christopher Lee), they exchange pleasantries and continue to move the furniture in. Max and Juliet immediately hit it off and appear to be becoming good friends.That night, Juliet is alone in her house, as she gets ready for bed by taking a bath, the camera view looks like it's spying on her.The next day, she is persuaded by her friend to go to an art exhibition. While there, Max bumps into her and she asks that he walk her home. He is happy to do it and they take a long walk home, stopping to get coffee. As they sit in the park drinking coffee, they chat. Max then walks her to her door, and as they kiss on the cheek, she turns to kiss him, but he turns away. She is embarrassed, saying she read the signals wrong and closes the door.Juliet then prepares for a bath, we also see small, dark corridors and peepholes looking into her apartment. She pours a glass of wine and gets in the bath. While there, we can see her through a vent at the end of her bath. She ducks her head under the water just as a train passes and knocks her wine to the ground. After her bath she hears noises, she heads towards her bedroom window where it closes suddenly frightening her. She then turns in to bed.The next day her ex husband Jack calls, she answers the phone and he apologises and asks to meet up, she tells him she has to go and hangs up. Just as she hangs up, Max calls and asks her for dinner. That night she is in Max's house for dinner. After dinner, he walks her back to her apartment and they both walk in. They start to kiss passionately while taking each other's clothes off.Then the movie does a fast rewind past all of Max and Juliet's meetings right to the very start of the film where she was in the ER department. It shows Max there with August. August had just had a stroke. Max is watching Juliet work and starts to become obsessed, he clocks her name tag. While at the hospital, he notices a flyer from her asking for an apartment, he takes one of the slips with her number on it. You then see them meeting in the apartment. At the art show, Max followed Juliet in a cab and watched her go in, he then followed her in and pretended to bump into her. Afterwards you see their almost kiss. After she closes the door, he heads back to his apartment where he is watching TV, he then heads through the corridors and you see him looking through the vent at the end of the bath tub as Juliet's wine falls. You see Max then entering her apartment and watching her in the dark corners, he then hides under her bed as she gets ready and goes into it.The movie goes back to them passionately kissing and taking each other's clothes off. They head to the bed when she changes her mind, telling him that she is not ready to be with someone else after Jack yet. He leaves.That night, Max seals off the entrance to the peephole corridor by using a nail gun and planks of wood at the door, which we discover is in his wardrobe.The next scene shows Max with August, giving him his medication by syringe. August calls him weak like his father, and we see through newspaper clippings that his father killed his mother.Juliet and Max then bump into each other in a café, she apologises for the previous night and he tells her it probably wouldnt be a good idea and it could get complicated as they are landlord and tenant, she is happy he says this as she was thinking the same thing.That night, Max tears down the barrier to the corridor, and goes into Juliets apartment. She is sleeping and he goes into her bedroom and tries to kiss her, she turns round so he leaves. He creaks the floorboards and she wakes up and heads to the kitchen where she can hear a noise. You see Max watch her though a secret door in her kitchen cupboard, she goes into the cupboard and pushes against a wall, only for the wall to collapse into a secret wine cellar.The next day she calls Max about it and asks if she could keep it. He tells her he can fix it up but she has to go to work, he says he can do it while she is out, she is happy with that arrangement and leaves.After she is gone, Max studies her house, he goes into the bathroom and uses her toothbrush. He then goes into her bath and starts masturbating. Meanwhile, Jack is texting Juliet at work asking for a truce, she does not reply but smiles.Juliet comes home with groceries and Max is there to help her carry them in, she seems uncomfortable with him. He senses this and tells her that she kissed him first. She tells him that's what people do to see if they fit together. He tells her he doesn't do that and neither should she. He then leaves.That night, she is preparing dinner while Max watches her through a peephole in her kitchen. She receives a text message and then goes to her bathroom to get ready. While there, Max comes into her home to check her phone, as he is there Jack and his dog come to the door, Max hides. The dog senses Max and starts barking at the kitchen cupboard. Jack and Juliet have dinner and they have a discussion about their break up. Jack tells her that she was never there and she asks him not to tell her he cheated because she works too hard. They have more of a discussion and then sleep with each other. Max is watching the whole thing from behind her two way full length mirror in the bathroom.Jack does not stay the night and leaves with the dog. Max pours something into the open bottle of wine from a syringe just as Juliet comes to pour herself another glass. Later on, Juliet is knocked out in her bed and her hand falls off the edge. Max is lying under her bed and starts licking her fingers.The next morning, Juliet sleeps in for work which she finds odd as she has never had a problem waking up before. She is finding a lot of things suspicious so she decides to install CCTV in her home looking onto her bedroom and her front door. It only records when there is movement and it has night vision.Max decides he is sick of looking after August, he injects him with his medicine in the neck and kills him.He then follows Juliet and Jack out to dinner. After they leave each other, Max bumps into Jack on the bridge and pushes him down the stairs. Juliet is at home checking her CCTV and it is only her leaving and coming back. She then pours herself a glass of wine. After she is sleeping, Max comes into her bedroom and unbuttons her top, he then kisses her. He lifts her up to cuddle her and as he holds her, he notices her eyes are open. He quickly drops her and inserts a syringe into her big toe while she watches him. She then closes her eyes.In the morning, she sleeps in for work again and notices a syringe cap on the floor. She decides to take a blood and urine test at work and sends them off to the lab for analysis.While she is at work, Max is in her home and he takes a dress from her wardrobe and lies on the bed with it. Jack comes in, with a sling on his arm from the fall down the steps. He notices the secret door in her kitchen cupboard and is attacked by Max.Juliet gets the blood work back and discovers that she has Demerol, valmid and valium in both her blood and urine. She then quickly calls Jack and tells him not to go to her apartment but she only gets his answer machine.After she gets home, she notices that the shopping bag that Jack brought is there. She also has several recordings on her CCTV. She watches them and notices Max coming in and raping her as she sleeps. Just as she notices this, Max comes into her apartment by the front door. She tries to act normal and they sit. Max has brought some wine and asks her to drink it. Juliet tells him she is not in the mood. She then gets up and starts to use her phone, Max tells her to put the phone down , he then forces her to sit down. Max then tells her that this time she is going to be awake and sticks a syringe in her thigh. She then stabs him in the shoulder with a small kitchen knife.They fight and she hides in the bathroom. After he stops banging on the door, she looks at herself in the mirror just as Max punches though it and drags her though. She fights with him and runs off. As she is running, she discovers all the peepholes into her apartment. She keeps walking until she hears a door ahead of her, it is Max coming in. He walks down the stairs. Juliet is hiding under the stairs watching him. He leaves and she walks back up the stairs into the kitchen cupboard in her apartment. She also picks up the nail gun from earlier. She walks back though what was her bathroom mirror and is attacked by Max. She shoots him in the chest with the nail gun and makes a run for it. He chases after her but she crawls through a small space. It takes her to a room with a steel door, she is able to slip through the small space and max tries to follow her, he pushes and pulls on the door until it has a bigger space for him to fit through but she pushes it back and locks him out. Max starts battering on the door loosening it from its hinges.Juliet, meanwhile runs towards the only window and smashes it through, she then notices Jack, tied up and bloody.Max gets in through the door and walks over to the window. He stands and looks out just as Juliet comes up behind him with the nail gun, he overpowers her and grabs her neck while holding his hand over the gun, she fires the gun into his hand and he recoils back. She then shoots him several times in the chest and once more when he is down. He jumps up for one last scare but she shoots him in the middle of the head. He falls back dead.Credits roll. | flashback | train | imdb | This could be a lot entertaining if Hillary Swank wasn't attached to it, and could be a lot interesting and nostalgic if the movie wasn't too serious.I can't blame the plot, which is very interesting though the great collection of clichés and some bad character's development destroy the main subject and entire movie.It has a good beginning and is never hidden from the audience the mad obsession of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character.
Then everything become a completely mess and the movie transforms into another regular thriller with that ordinary 'cat & mouse' thing and Jeffrey's character, which was just a regular guy suffering from obsession, becomes an ordinary serial killer.The movie ends as it should exactly in the moment that you were expecting since the very first minute, or the very first trailer if you have watched.Is just an empty movie with some rare good moments and a lot of other lazy I've-seen-that-before moments, a waste in Hillary's career..
I expected Hilary Swank to produce so much better, but this film was merely a vehicle for her to show off her body which is a surprise from an Oscar-winning actress.The direction and atmosphere was suspenseful, but the lack of depth to the plot and narrative was such a disappointment given such good production.
As it was, with control of the fast forward, I could skip the repetitive hide and seek.There was no satisfying explanation for this perverted stalking landlord choosing his tenant, and no intelligent reason for wanting to watch until the end, unless you just enjoy gratuitous violence.Suitable for post-pub group viewing, Resident is fine for mindless scares; but the lack of whodunnit and whydunnit just leaves the viewer wondering why did I watch it..
In New York, Dr. Juliet Bliss Devereau (Hilary Swank) of the Brooklyn General Hospital has ended her relationship with her boyfriend Jack (Lee Pace) and is seeking an apartment in Brooklyn to live alone.
The room is being rented by the good-looking Max played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen, The Losers) and the price is beyond enticing.But after moving in, Juliet realizes that it is truly too good to be true and Max and his elderly father (Christopher Lee is a throw away performance) are hardly the innocent warm-hearted individuals that they seemed at first introduction.With a standard 90-minute running time, there isn't much in The Resident to recommend.
Swank does a commendable job in a paper thin character but the movie really hinges on Max and JD Morgan is neither convincing nor as creepy as he needs to be to elevate the film above a one-and-a-half star rating.As things begin to reveal themselves and the Max becomes more aggressive as the antagonist of the film, we just don't buy into the ideas represented in the script penned by director Antti Jokinen.
The plot summary from The Resident did not sound very interesting to me, but my suspicions of mediocrity were not enough to dissuade me from watching it, because the presence in the cast from the good actors Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Christopher Lee suggested enough talent in order to compensate the potential fails from the story; besides, the fact that it was produced by Hammer Films touched a nostalgia factor to me.
Unfortunately, the screenplay wastes any chance of making something original or unexpected, preferring a predictable ride through the clichés from this kind of movies: romantic moments illuminated by candles; fleeting glimpses to the villain's psychosis (moments which reach the involuntary humor); disgusting invasions to the privacy when the villain spies the main character naked in the bathroom, or kisses her furtively while she sleeps...and, sure, the unavoidable acts of violence when the intruder feels that his "real love" is not answering as he wants to.
While the stalker is said woman's new college roommate in the other movie, it is young doctor Juliet Devereau's landlord here in "The Resident"- and a male at that, in contrast to "The Roommate's" female.Juliet is played by Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank, and while this thriller could not be further from her "Million Dollar Baby", the box-office reception to her movies in the years since (e.g.
Indeed, she lets her audience feel her character's naivety, helplessness and desperation keenly, which makes the eventual denouement between victim and stalker much more engrossing.The stalker is the landlord of the building in which she rents an apartment overlooking New York's East River, having just separated from her boyfriend (Lee Pace).
Big mistake- turns out Max ran into Juliet months ago at the hospital she works, decided he liked her, and deliberately set things up so she would come knocking to rent the apartment from him.With the villain revealed within the first half-hour of the film, Finnish director Antti Jokinen- who makes her feature film debut- has an uphill task keeping her audience's attention on Max's increasingly intrusive and even violently obsessive ways.
One wonders if it would have been better if the writers had simply left out Max and Juliet's brief fling and cast someone more credible, like Morgan's fellow "Watchmen" actor Jackie Earle Haley, as Max.Yet in spite of its flaws, those looking for a little counter-programming opposite "Thor" should find this a effective thriller that has its moments of genuine suspense and excitement.
Being the center of almost every shot and probably being the largest single dollar amount in the budget would be appealing, sure.The whole thing finally turns into protracted and not well done slasher chase scene inside the apartment's confined inner recesses.Though the same director went on to do PURGE--leading to a successful theatrical run of movies--he does little here to show he has much interest in the genre.
Number one: this is supposed to be – along with "Let Me In" and "Wake Wood" - the comeback movie of the legendary British production studios Hammer and, number two, it stars the legendary Hammer horror icon Christopher Lee. From the early fifties until the late seventies, Hammer Studios pretty much embodied the genre of horror and almost single-handedly skyrocketed the popularity of classic monster stories (like "Dracula", "Frankenstein" and "The Mummy") amongst wide and versatile audiences.
After having left her unfaithful boyfriend, hard-working hospital doctor Juliet Devereau (Swank) seeks a new apartment and falls head over heels in love with a large and beautiful Brooklyn flat that is astonishingly cheap considering its shape and location!
As the doctor Juliet Devereau at the Brooklyn General Hospital, she thought she got herself a good deal with a rustic looking apartment with a great view to move into, despite having to put up with the creepy looking aged owner August (Christopher Lee) and a stalking ex-boyfriend Jack (Lee Pace).As a side incentive to move in, the owner's grandson Max (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is the handyman and focal point for the apartment, and being incredibly good looking means new opportunities in the romantic front, although having a landlord-tenant relationship tended to be tricky.
As the adage goes, if it's too good to be true, then it probably is, because Max hides a deep dark secret in having to retrofit all the rooms in the apartment with secret peepholes, two way mirrors and passageways to feed his obsession and perverse pleasures, and not to mention being the recipient of all the wrong signals as sent out by Juliet.So remember girls, control yourself during a rebound and not give the wrong ideas to strangers, because you really do not know if they're mental, and when they'll snap.
Christopher Lee the Hammer Horror Icon makes a cameo appearance.The film is directed by débutante director Antti Jokinen, who has never before directed any feature film.Plot: Dr. Juliet Devereau rents an apartment in New York, large and affordable, but with the nearby subway causing noise and vibrations, occasionally even causing objects to fall off the table.
OK,so maybe this isn't the most original movie around,but how many of those are there ,if you really think about?this was a well acted suspenseful,thriller.it kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen next.one thing that separates this from many suspense thrillers is there are no jump scares,where the music builds to a crescendo and then suddenly a cat jumps out at you or some piece of equipment falls down in front of you.so no cheap scares.Hilary Swank and Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Christopher Lee are very good.all in all,i enjoyed this film.it comes by its thrills/scares honestly.for me,The Resident is an 8/10.
Both of them done justice to their roles.Though we don't expect Christopher Lee in a greater role here but we generally think such a big star to be an important twist in the story but the answer is he is not...and another role of Jack ex of the heroine has a very less screen space in the movie.The only nice and can be a worse thing in the movie it focuses to much on the leads.On the whole the movie appears to be a neat thriller but you find some 'x' factor to be missing in the story.
Too bad that Christopher Lee wasn't given a bigger role in the movie, because he always brings something unique to the movies he was in.The Max character was just genuinely disturbed and creepy, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan was really nicely cast for this role.The storyline in "The Resident" was quite good and captivating, which made for some adequate entertainment.While "The Resident" is indeed and entertaining movie, then it is hardly the type of movie that has enough contents in its storyline and plot to support more than a single viewing..
The Resident (2011) I heard some descent comments about this movie, i had put it on watch list for a while.I now that seen it, i felt it was very disappointing movie , it had some nice tension in the movie and some nice setting which did make some what creepy.I found the rest of movie really dull and boring as you could tell how all these well going pan out and there were no surprises in this movie or anything really shocking as the plot was little to thin.The last scenes were entertaining however it just ended there with no real end to the story, This movie had some really good acting in and the Landlord was really good as the creepy guy.
Hilary Swank stars as an ER doctor who moves out of her home with her cheating partner and finds an apartment that seems too good to be true, along with a helpful, charming landlord (Jeffery Dean Morgan).
Now they release this voyeuristic thriller starring Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Christopher Lee (a Hammer studios regular in it's heyday).
That's what a good horror film should do so I have to give it credit for that.The film was directed by Antti Jokinen and written by Jokinen and Robert Orr. It tells the story of an emergency room doctor (Swank) who follows her boyfriend Jack (Lee Pace) to a new city, Brooklyn, only to discover he's been cheating on her.
I actually had a thriller movie night where I had watched a few crazy killer psycho films like RELENTLESS, BAD DAY ON THE BLOCK and RESURRECTION, then the last film I watched was THE RESIDENT and I have to say it was the least entertaining film of the bunch.The good points about it is the great production value, the scene settings and the cinematography, the bad points are the plot which is easily predictable and doesn't really develop the characters a whole lot.I can't be too critical on the acting because basically the material they're given isn't really much to work with, for example Hilary Swank plays a young doctor looking for a new place to stay and has been cheated on by her ex boyfriend, Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays a generic psycho who develops an obsession with Swank's character and pretty much the majority of his behavior is never explained and lastly Christopher Lee plays Morgan's creepy grandfather and that's the character development.Overall, its not a bad movie but its also nothing to rave about and it brings nothing new to an already familiar formula, I'd recommend the other three films I've watched with this one, they were at least more entertaining..
The Resident would perhaps be best described as Hitchcock-lite as it is a schlocky, old fashioned, psychological thriller that falls short of providing Hitch's trademark inventiveness but never fails to engage and entertain in equal measure.Academy Award winner Hilary Swank exec-produces and stars as Juliet Devereau, an ER doctor recently separated from her husband after she discovered him in their bed with another woman.
To describe any more of the plot would be to reveal too much, but if you're looking for pointers as to what to expect here look no further than the likes of Pacific Heights, Single White Female, Sliver or an innumerable other late nineties thrillers.Traditionally the sight of a stars name in the credits as a producer is the sign of a deeply personal passion project, more often than not telling a true-life tale of a character that overcomes great struggle to beat the odds whilst fighting poverty, illness, disability or a mixture of the lot.
The plot had potential as it sets out a modern day horror idea that could be very realistic however the casting of the villain was poorly allocated and generally the film will be one of those ' the resident, oh yeh i think i've seen that, what happens in it again?' type of movies.
I decided to watch this movie because it had Hillary Swank in the lead.And i have to say i wasn't completely disappointed.Swank has done a pretty good job in this movie.movie is kind of predictable but not a cliché.Movie has got a couple of good moments.Swank plays a doctor who recently broke up with her boyfriend and needs an apartment.And she gets a new one with its owner as the neighbor.but as time passes she feels someone else is also there in her apartment apart from her.movie is interesting and even though its predictable, i found it pretty entertaining.Still not the best you can get.watch it if you got nothing else to do..
I particularly liked the actors in the movie, who all played their parts very well especially Juliet Devereau (Hilary Swank)and Max (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) I was really pleased to see Christopher Lee who played August in the film.
Things are further compounded by the fact that Morgan's villain (it's signposted a mile away) is about as scary as a puppy letting out its first bark.Swank gives it a good go as the woman in peril, while Christopher Lee is a reassuring presence even if he is utterly set up as a token character.
The sexual violation angle feels like a lame attempt to put some horror into a standard thriller set up, while the script is wooden and kills what chance of suspense there briefly was.Some impressive cinematography and camera techniques keep it interesting to the eyes at least, but this is a waste of acting talent and a waste of time for those looking for something to chill the blood.
Dr. Juliet Devereau (Hilary Swank) is recently broken up with her boyfriend from Jack (Lee Pace) and rents a place from Max (Jeffrey Dean Morgan).It's your basic lone-girl-in-big-bad-world horror.
The Resident (2011) ** (out of 4) Really disappointing film from Hammer about an ER doctor (Hilary Swank) who moves into a lavished apartment in Brooklyn and soon discovers that her kind-hearted landlord (Jeffrey Dean MOrgan) is actually obsessed with her.
With some brilliant thriller potential and a magnificent cast, maybe next time they would get it right!Title: The Resident Directed by: Antti J Jokinen Starring: Hilary Swank, Jeffery Dean Morgan & Christopher Lee Rated: R for violence, language and brief sexuality/ nudity Rated:4.5/10 91 Minutes.
The cast includes a seasoned and accomplished cast including Hilary Swank, Christopher Lee as the creepy building owner August and his son Max played excellently by Watchmen's (2009) Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (who plays the landlord) the only reason why I really wanted to watch this film has succeeded in making me see him in a new light.
Swank does her best as the woman innocently settling into her new place unaware of the dangerous man watching her through the walls, Morgan does alright as the Norman Bates like character with the dangerous obsession for her, but Lee hardly seem worth casting with such a small amount of time on screen, but this is a Hammer film.
A pretty young emergency room doctor, Juliet Devereau(Hilary Swank), fresh from a break up from long-time boyfriend Jack(Lee Pace) shops for a new apartment closer to work.
The Resident: ER doctor Juliet Devereau (Hilary Swank) has left her cheating husband and moved into a huge loft apartment, that's surprisingly cheap, and too good to be true.
So this is like a double helping of sexiness to me before we even start the movie.I was not let down in the slightest in spite of the fact I had read some good and some not so good reviews and seen a clip already.Its a short movie and you soon get into it - there is a strange creepy quality from the start (maybe the music etc)and seeing Christopher Lee (legend) leaves you in no doubt something sinister is lurking somewhere beneath the surface.The dearest most beautiful Hilary Swank is soon into her special talent that no other actress can manage to pull off the same IMHO- this is the fact you really want to love her and **** her but at the same time you feel protective towards her and sorry for her too.This is how I saw her in Million Dollar Baby and with The Resident you could not get a better setting and role to invoke these emotions- I think she was chosen for this part for this reason.Jeffrey Dean Morgan does a great job too in being her landlord come stalker. |
tt0062288 | Something Weird | A man named Cronin Mitchell (Tony McCabe) survives a horrible electrical accident when a maintenance man falls from an electrical power line pole, and accidentally releases the power line he was attempting to attach. Mitchell attempts to help the man, but the electrical line thrusts into his face. An ambulance arrives, where the paramedics discover that the maintenance man is dead, but that Mitchell is still alive, but in horrible pain. They place him on a stretcher and take him away in the ambulance.
In the next scene, Mitchell tosses and turns frantically in his hospital bed. Two doctors, named Dr. Roxin and Dr. White, examine him and it is discovered that Cronin Mitchell, due to this near-fatal electrical charge through his brain, has somehow given him Extra Sensory Perception. The two medical colleagues discuss Mitchell's horribly disfigured face and his apparent lack of will to live. Dr. Roxin convinces Dr. White, that ESP is real due to a series of ESP test cards.
After the disfigured Mitchell sexually harasses a local nurse who tends to him, she rebuffs his advances because of his scared face. After leaving the hospital, Mitchell retreats from the public and dons a black scarf and dark sunglasses to hide his appearance. Having lost his job and everything else, he begins giving private psychic readings out of his house for cheap prices. During a reading, a book titled 'Bible of the Witches' magically appears in his hands. Almost at once, an ugly hag of a woman enters and questions him about his psychic powers. Revealed to be a witch, the ugly hag makes Mitchell a proposition: in return for using her magic powers to restore his face to as it once was, Mitchell must agree to be her lover. Mitchell agrees and his face is instantly returned to its normal state, and the hag disappears.
Mitchell leaves his house for the first time in months since his accident and begins to explore his renewed and enhanced life. In a dive bar, Mitchell encounters the beautiful Ellen Parker (Elizabeth Lee). But to his curiosity, Mitchell cannot read Ellen's mind. They retire to her apartment for some alone make-out time. Suddenly without warning, Ellen transforms into the ugly hag and reveals herself, and orders him to keep his end of their deal. Mitchell very reluctantly submits to his slave status with this ugly witch.
Circumstances change when he attempts to use his psychic abilities to identify a serial killer who is committing murders in the small town of Jefferson, Wisconsin and runs head-to-head into a karate-happy government official, Alex Jordan (William Brooker), who has been sent by the federal government to work on the case. Detective Maddox of the Jefferson police force meets with Dr. Jordan and takes him to see Mitchell and his assistant Ellen, who is now accompanying Mitchell wherever he goes. Jordan is immediately smitten by the beautiful Ellen, but only Mitchell still sees her as an old hag whereas everyone else sees Ellen as a beautiful young woman. During the meeting to help find the elusive killer, Dr. Jordan produces a small container from his coat pocket and explains that it contains the hallucinogenic drug LSD. He advises Mitchell to take the drug and to meet with him the next day. Mitchell explains that he has no experience with the drug, but that he will, under the circumstances, do as he is asked.
At a party, Mitchell is asked to demonstrate his extraordinary powers. He does so by levitating a chair to the amazement of the onlookers. Next, Mitchell visits a church where he summons a ghost that has mysteriously laid claim to the unfortunate house of worship. The apparition appears, touches Mitchell and leaves. Mitchell states to the priest of the church that the ghost will not return for "she" only needed contact with humankind.
Meanwhile, Jordan is pursuing Ellen to seduce her, but she rebuffs all his advances by claiming that she belongs to Mitchell and he is her one and only lover. Ellen further explains that she and Mitchell are meant to be together until death. Jordan then attacks her in a moment of misogynist rage, but she fights him off. In an act of revenge, Ellen tells Mitchell what happened and insists that he kill Dr. Jordan before he can try to force himself on her again. But Mitchell refuses to kill Jordan by conventional means and decides an alternative. During one evening, Jordan retires to his hotel room bed alone and in a truly bizarre scene, is beset by his blue bed sheets. However, Jordan resorts to ripping the living blankets and escapes unscathed.
At the climax, Mitchell finally takes the LSD and during his "trip" he discovers that Detective Maddox is the serial killer. Somehow, Mitchell also surmises that the murderous and corrupt police detective intents to shoot him. Maddox does appear to kill Mitchell and shoots him right between the eyes. Jordan and the police arrive too late to help, but kill Maddox. Despite Mitchell being dead, the case is solved with Dr. Jordan taking all the credit for finding the killer, which he decides to make the move onto Ellen.
In the final scene, Jordan is with Ellen in his parked car making the moves on her. Ellen responds to his advances by kissing him in return. But just like with Mitchell earlier, she suddenly transforms into the ugly witch hag. In horror, Jordan runs out of the car and flees from the grotesque Ellen/Hag. Jordon unwittingly runs head-on into a fire flare at an excavation site and falls to the ground with part of his face horribly burned. The hag approaches him and offers to heal his injuries and restore his scared face with magic if he agrees to become her lover. Jordan agrees... and the vicious cycle is to continue all over again. | paranormal, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0087336 | Girls Nite Out | At Weston Hills Sanitarium, Dickie Cavanaugh is found hanging in his cell. Cavanaugh's sister gives permission to two gravediggers to bury the body. While the two men are digging the hole for Cavanaugh's body, they are attacked and murdered by an unseen killer who throws their corpses into the burial plot and buries them.
At DeWitt University, the basketball team won a championship game, and an all-night scavenger hunt will take place the next evening for the female students. Lynn and her boyfriend/star player Teddy Ratliff celebrate the victory at the diner, and the waitress Barney is thrilled for the team. Lynn, Teddy, and other students attend a party that evening, where the story of Dickie circulates among freshman who are unaware of his recent death; they are told that Cavanaugh murdered his girlfriend Penny in a jealous rage and is locked away in the sanitarium. Lynn becomes jealous over Teddy's attraction to Dawn Sorenson and misfit Mike Pryor gets into a fight with his girlfriend Sheila. Soon, school mascot Michael Benson is stabbed in his dorm room after arriving back from the party, and his bear mascot costume is stolen by the killer.
The following day, Mike Pryor is questioned by campus security officer Jim MacVey over the fight with his girlfriend; MacVey's daughter Penny was Dickie Cavanaugh's girlfriend. Later that evening, the campus radio DJ broadcasts the clues to the scavenger hunt, which are received by the girls on their portable radios. Meanwhile, the killer who is dressed in the bear costume, is armed with serrated knives mimicking bear claws.
Jane is brutally killed in the girls' locker room after finding the first item of the hunt, and her body is tied up in the showers. Her friend Kathy discovers her body and tries to run before getting murdered by the killer. The DJ at the radio station begins receiving phone calls from the killer, who tallies his victims; the killer also calls officer MacVey and claims to be Dickie Cavanaugh before hanging up. Sheila goes down to the pond to search for another item and runs into the bear-clad killer, whom she believes to Benson. Teasing the killer, she goes into a shed by the pond and she is murdered by the window. Lynn is searching for items on the scavenger hunt and Teddy has sex with Dawn. Lynn's friend Leslie goes to search for an item in the attic of the old chapel, where she is murdered and her body is discovered by Lynn. After calling, the police arrive and find all of the bodies, where they are suspicious of Mike Pryor and question several of the students. Dawn gets into an argument with her boyfriend, who kicks her out of their house after he tells her he knows about her affair with Teddy. Officer MacVey studies the phone calls placed to the radio station as well as files and photographs of Dickie Cavanaugh, whose death he became aware of by Dickie's doctor.
Dawn senses that someone is following her and she makes a call from the cafeteria phone to Teddy's house, where he is consoling Lynn. Teddy leaves Lynn to get Dawn, and finds her bloodily wounded in the cafeteria. As Teddy is comforting her, he is then stabbed by the Barney, who was the killer all along. Officer MacVey enters the cafeteria and confronts her, who he addresses as Dickie's twin sister named Katie Cavanaugh. She suffers from multiple personalities (with her speaking in different voices) and claims to be Dickie. After MacVey tells Katie that Dickie had committed suicide, she calmly tells him that he Dickie ins't dead and that he brought him from the hospital. The film ends with her opening a freezer door, showing Dickie's frozen body clothed in a wheelchair and having the bear-claw weapon in his hand. | cult, murder, violence | train | wikipedia | Sure, this isn't "Gladiator" but it's one of the better teen slashers from the eighties and doesn't deserve the mauling it's received here.The plot - a menacing killer picking off university co-eds during a scavenger hunt - is just a credible as the more popular storylines in slashers like "Prom Night" and "Friday The 13th" and the direction from Robert Deubel generates many decent jolts and suspense.
Everything moves at an entertaining pace upto a satisfying finale with a neat little twist.I'm a big fan of these campus slasher pics - other fine examples being "Final Exam" and "Graduation Day" - and, for me, this was one of the best ones from the eighties.
"Girls Nite Out" focuses on an isolated Ohio college campus where a group of cheerleaders are preparing for an annual all-night sorority scavenger hunt after the university's victory basketball game.
What would be a fun evening for these young women is everything but when a killer dressed in the school's mascot bear suit is stalking and murdering them throughout the night, and the suspicious death of a local asylum patient and former student has the campus security guard (Hal Holbrook) on high lookout.I had been curious about this film for a long time, and when I finally decided to get a hold of it, my expectations were low due to an overwhelming amount of negative reviews on the internet.
While the title "Girls Nite Out" doesn't exactly paint this movie as a class act, I was extremely surprised at how "usual" the film was in terms of slasher protocol, and un-trashy it actually was.
I went in expecting something along the lines of "Slumber Party Massacre", and ended up getting a film that had more in common with "Friday the 13th" and "Prom Night" than anything else.Despite its little-known reputation and apparent sleaze cinema status, the film benefits greatly from slick production values, decent camera work, and surprisingly good acting.
Add to that list a handful of unexpectedly bloody murder scenes at the hands of a bear mascot (wielding multiple claw-knives in hand, ala Freddy Krueger, no less), and this is actually a well-rounded slasher movie.Despite the film's quality production, I think what makes "Girls Nite Out" most unique (and successful) is the killer himself.
The dark college campus is a perfect setting for the film, and the accompanying score provides heavy doses of unease.While the film is actually something of a slow burner (the first murder doesn't take place until a good 45 minutes into the film, and the first act is made up of college kid charades which gives the audience a little time to understand the characters, and the writers to flesh out a couple of infidelity subplots), the murder sequences are a payoff for slice-and-dice horror fans.
The second murder actually caught me off guard by how graphic it was, and the fact that the killer screams at the female victims, calling them "sluts" and "whores" while digging serrated knives into their necks is pretty disturbing.
Like I said before, some of the scenes are surprisingly bloody, while a couple of others are suggestive rather than gratuitous (namely the scene in the chapel attic), but they are all equally effective.As I mentioned before, the acting in this film is surprisingly good, especially for a movie of this calibre.
Hal Holbrook plays a stern campus cop, and the rest of the cast is fleshed out by a group of lively college-aged kids who are more believable than they need to be in an '80s slasher flick.
That said, the absence of one discernible protagonist eliminates the clichéd "final girl", so there is equal playing ground.The reveal at the end of the film is slightly anticlimactic, but besides that is actually well-handled and bizarre, and greatly acted by the villain (whom I'm not going to name).
It stars Hal Holbrook (Creepshow), Rutanya Alda (Mommie Dearest)and Julia Montgomery (Revenge of the Nerds) and features a murderer wearing a dancing bear costume.
The film centers around a series of murders taking place on a college campus during their annual "scavenger hunt"...and just when you think you know who the murderer is, the film springs the classic horror movie "surprise" twist ending on you that makes you scratch your head and say "Huh?" This is an excellent "party" film since you really don't have to pay all that much attention to it.
It's good little slasher flick compared to most of the low budget teen horrors of the time.
A killer in a mascot bear costume with big round eyes and knives for paws (kinda like Freddy Krueger) is knocking off guys and gals on a late-night scavenger hunt.
When the story isn't following one lame relationship problem after another, we get to watch Hal Holbrook, as a campus security guard, sitting at a desk looking bored and out of place as he tries to figure out who the killer is.
The use of oldies rock and roll songs and some of the hair and clothing styles make the movie look like it was supposed to take place in the '50s (even though the annoying school DJ -- who for some damn reason gets his ugly mug shown about EVERY FIVE MINUTES in his studio -- tells us it's part of a some kinda '50s flashback weekend).HIGHLIGHT: The final shot is pretty chilling, and it's a great leaves-you-hanging place for the movie to end.
A maniac in a bear suit with steak knives for claws (Freddy?) prowls around a college campus on the night of a coed scavenger hunt.
Then, an unseen killer, posing as the mascot for the basketball team, begins stalking and killing a number of young girls from the cheerleading squad.
Meanwhile, Mac (Hal Holbrook) is the campus security guard, looking very puzzled to what's going on, who wades through a series of red herrings.Not the best of the early 1980's slasher flicks, with the bear costume the only original thing about this one.
Worth a look for horror fans, with some nice touches to the low-budget.Contents: seven killings; inferior slaughter; one psycho in a bearsuit; no sex or nudity; lots of Golden Oldies on the soundtrack; much duller and dumber than usual.
The early '80s was a boom-time for slasher films, which is how a cheesy-kill fest like this one made it to the big screen.
Fox. Both movies centered around a late night college scavenger hunt and both featured a truly annoying oldies-style soundtrack (to this day I can't get that damn insidious theme song to Midnight Madness out of my head).
But this movie had what the other film quite sorely lacked--a maniac dressed in a bear costume killing off all the idiotic characters.
There are over the top frat parties, great costumes, brat gossip, cheating whores, killer Mascots, and a residential DJ...what more could you ask for in a Midnight movie?...that being said its clear that this one lacked a little direction and was not the scariest nor the most suspenseful thriller to come out, but it was atmospheric if not formulaic in its filming.
A killer murders the college mascot and steals the bear costume as they go about murdering the girls who are taking part in an all-night scavenger hunt held by the campus radio-station.
Campus security officer Mac begins to get the feeling something isn't quite right, especially when he gets a strange phone call from someone who claims to be the guy who killed his daughter on these grounds many years ago.
The novelty of the killer in the bear costume is the most original aspect, as it goes on their own little scavenger hunt using its claws which are made of blades to cuddle then hack-up their victim.
Imagine yourself the type of flamboyant and outrageous party where the deejay plays irresistible hits like "Yummy, yummy, Yummy, I've got love in my tummy" and where the loudest, most annoying guy of the bunch tells eerie stories to petrify the girls.
Naturally the killer escapes right in time to join the fun, as the very next day the school's famous annual scavenger hunt contest kicks off.
The killer wears the basketball team mascot suit – a bear – and ingeniously replaced the fake plastic claws with genuine knives.
The acting is good for the most part, Hal Holbrook solidifies the cast as a stern campus security head.
AKA Girl's Nite Out. Watched this on an old British VTC VHS release, it's one slasher movie that I had so far missed.
The positives are that the killer goes around wearing a bear mascot costume, with blades inserted as claws (pre Freddie Krueger), pretty cool.
Girls Nite Out is yet another slasher flick that takes place on a school campus, and as such; all the characters in the film are your common set of teens.
I couldn't detect much comedy in the film, which is odd because the killer is one of the most ridiculous I've ever seen, in that he goes around slashing people while wearing a giant bear suit!
It is good for a chuckle here and there, especially when the killer is killing the sorority girls with his bear suit.
Wait a minute, HAL Holbrook plays the security guard in this movie.
Students at Dewitt University are all getting ready for the annual all night Scavenger Hunt unaware a psycho dressed as the bear mascot and armed with a fist full of steak knives is stalking the young ladies of Dewitt.
Her line "It hurts when I sit down." is one of the worst in the film.All in all I found this movie quite disappointing, no nudity which didn't really bother me, no gore, low on suspense and plus there is no final girl showdown with the killer a first in the slasher genre which I find a major letdown and what we're left with is a totally stupid ending which kind went out with a whimper instead of a bang.
Boring Nite In. I had high hopes for this slasher flick after learning that the killer wears a bear suit.
Afterall, there's not many slasher flicks out there where the killer wears a bear suit is there?
The ending is one of those that makes you think "huh?" - I imagine the film makers thought it was clever - but really it was just silly.If you're a slasher completist then you may want to seek this out, but for anyone looking for an Entertaining Nite In - avoid it..
Horrible film about a killer in a bear suit killing sorority members during a scavenger hunt.
The acting and direction isn't any worse then other slasher films of the 80's, but with no scares, and a laughable premise & death scenes this does stand out as one of the worst of its kind.
Frat brothers and Sorority sisters prove to be claw fodder for a serial killer dressed in the basketball team's bear mascot suit.
Sure, the killer's bear costume is dorky, but it doesn't harm the film of scares and cool death scenes..
That's pretty much all you need to know except it's important to point out that the killer has stolen the team's bear mascot outfit and that's about the only original thing you're going to find here.
For a slasher film it seems that the four writers knew how to throw in every cliché that they could yet they didn't seem to remember that fans of the genre wanted nudity, violence and gore.
With the security guard hung up with curiosity, the campus DJ harassed by the killer's incessant phone calls, and close friends dispatched of ruthlessly, the truth remains to be seen.I took notice that Hal Holbrook, the campus security officer, took a part in this film, after witnessing his appearance in The Fog from 1980 and 1982's Creepshow - in particular, the segment entitled "The Crate." I find him to be a suitable actor in Girls Nite Out in addition to the aforementioned titles.
In the past I've thought to myself, "You know
that movie was horrible but it had one killer ending, it might be worth owning just for that." If I had a dime for every time I've said that I'd be a rich man; spending carelessly on sub-par Slashers wouldn't be an issue for me.
Something about those 80's horror movies that gets me is the killer is almost always dressed in some animal costume.
After popping in the original VHS of the film that I recently acquired, the grainy, dark atmosphere was immediate.A college is having it's annual sorority scavenger hunt on campus, but someone is picking the girls off one by one.
There are multiple events leading up to the scavenger hunt that create quite a wide range of suspects, and I absolutely did not guess the killer, something that is rare for me after having seen so many movies in the genre.
The bear suit is comical, but is at the same time very twisted, lulling the victims into security and having "that look" to it.While the plot itself is not too out of the ordinary, character relationships, legitimate suspenseful moments and a dark atmosphere work for this film.
The tie in to the history mentioned throughout the movie of the other crime is fully realized, and I was not bored even though there are multiple extended scenes of partying, dialog and walking."Girls Nite Out" might just be THE most criminally underrated slasher film I've seen so far.
Most of the harder to find and obscure titles in the genre are buried deep for a reason, but "Girls Nite Out" is a shining example of what atmosphere, creativity, character development and a great ending can do for an otherwise basic film.
The story here is simple enough: on a college campus, coeds find their good-hearted fun, in the form of a scavenger hunt, hampered by the activities of a brutal killer who has murdered the basketball team's mascot, appropriated his goofy bear costume, and is using it to escape detection while slaughtering the participants.
To add to that, there's a melodramatic sub plot about the killing of campus security head Jim MacVey's (Hal Holbrook) daughter once upon a time, which is going to prove to be important to the story later.
Yes, it does have some things going for it: the addition of a scavenger hunt helps to create a somewhat playful approach, as well as the bear costume (it is a hoot to see a slasher villain wearing something like this), the soundtrack features golden oldies like "Summer in the City" and "Do You Believe in Magic", and the killer's weapon of choice automatically calls to mind the glove made famous by Freddy in "A Nightmare on Elm Street" two years later.
It takes a cheap slasher film to poke some fun at this, by subverting the supposedly 'friend to all the family' character and making them into a vicious and deranged killer.
An interesting idea and the very presence of this Dancing Bear, complete with razor paws, actually carries a degree of menace with mild panache.As for the plot, you'll be hard pushed to write it down in more than 3 sentences and this follows some familiar 80's slasher traits: a prior tragic event which sets off the killer's rampage, college students with sex, weed and alcohol their sole preoccupation, some gratuitous slayings of women with the camera fixated on their terror and a twist ending with a Scooby Doo style whodunnit.The premise of this all stems from the story of a former student referred to as Dickie Kavanaugh, whom you see at the very beginning, at least his legs which are suspended from an apparent suicide, in a mental hospital and then at the very end, in a truly arresting final shot.
I have such mixed feelings about this movie.GIRL'S NITE OUT has a little bit of gore - not as much as you'd see in a normal slasher movie and not nearly as graphic as most I've seen, but it has some.
It was executed (in a manner of speaking) about as well as you'd expect for an average 1980's slasher film.In places, the movie annoyed the you know what out of me.
At least in this film the characters didn't know there was a murderer on the loose and most of the time, they had a reason to be alone - a nice change.The soundtrack is pretty good overall, and there is also a fair amount of licensed music from the 1960's.
The film starts out slow (again, watching college students partying and dealing with their dramas) - it picks up in the second half when most of the killing occurs.
I knew it wasn't the person the movie was trying to lead me to believe it was and I thought I'd figured it out - and I was wrong.One quick note about the plot line such as it is - There is a costume party at the beginning of the movie and it would have made much more sense to have the slaughters happen then because the killer wears a bear costume (the school mascot's), but it is what it is.This movie would be a great introduction to slasher films if 1.
There's no "girls' night out" type thing going on, and a lot of the movie focuses on male characters.Someone is found hanging in a hospital.
The mystery is, was he not really dead or did someone else come along?A bunch of college students are having a scavenger hunt with clues given by the campus radio DJ.
The killer steals the goofy-looking bear mascot uniform of the college, adding large serrated knives into the claws.
A vicious psycho wearing a beat suit stalks and slaughters cheerleaders on a college campus during a scavenger hunt.
Soon, a killer stalks a group of college students who are having an all-night scavenger hunt. |
tt0491747 | Away from Her | Grant and Fiona are a retired married couple living in rural Brant County, Ontario. Fiona begins to lose her memory, and it becomes apparent she suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Throughout the film, Grant's reflections on his marriage are woven with his reflections on his own infidelities, and influence his eventual decisions regarding Fiona's happiness.
When she feels she is becoming a risk to herself, Fiona decides to check into a nursing home, where one of the rules is that a patient cannot have any visitors for the first 30 days, in order to "adjust". Wary of this policy, Grant agrees anyway, at the insistence of his wife whom he loves. During the drive to the home, Fiona acknowledges Grant's past infidelity while he was a university professor. Despite the awkward situation, the couple makes love one last time before separating.
When the 30-day period ends, Grant goes to visit his wife again, only to find she has forgotten him, and turned her affections to Aubrey, a mute man in a wheelchair who has become her "coping partner" in the facility. A caregiver at the facility befriends Grant and gives him some advice and support.
While seeing his wife grow closer to Aubrey, Grant becomes an unhappy voyeur when visiting his wife at the nursing home. As time goes by and Fiona still does not remember him, Grant even wonders whether Fiona's dementia is an act, to punish him for his past indiscretions. After some time, Aubrey's wife Marian removes him from the home due to financial difficulties. This causes Fiona to sink into a deep depression, with her physical well-being also appearing to deteriorate. Grant is touched by this, and visits Marian in an effort to allow Fiona to see Aubrey again. He would rather see his wife happy with another man than miserable and alone. Marian initially refuses, but the meeting leads to a tentative relationship between her and Grant. As time passes, Grant continues to visit both Fiona and Marian. He eventually succeeds in taking Aubrey back to visit his wife. But in his "moment alone" before he brings Aubrey into Fiona's room, Fiona temporarily remembers him and the love she has for him. They embrace. | romantic, flashback | train | wikipedia | One thought that would be her best turn at geriatric impersonations.Less than a decade later, Christie comes up with an even better performance of a woman coping with Alzheimer's disease in a debut directorial effort "Away from Her" of Canadian actress Sarah Polley.
Sarah Polley's film grips, holds, moves, thrills; you will think and talk about it, remember the story and the characters indefinitely - which could well serve as a dictionary definition of "great film." All this from a 27-year-old first-time director!You will see advertising and hear talk about "the one with Julie Christie having Alzheimer's," but that describes "Away from Her" no better than saying "Hamlet" is about a man who cannot make up his mind.
Yes, Fiona, Christie's character, is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's, but the actress - as beautiful as ever and in her greatest role here - creates a complex, full figure, with good moments and bad ones, with intelligence, warmth, carrying regrets and hurts with grace.
You don't; the film's unpredictability is one of its great assets.Add to Polley's script (based on Alice Munro's "The Bear Came Over the Mountain") and direction, to Christie's and Pinsent's magnificent individual and ensemble acting, a cast to treasure.
She had Alzheimer's.After self-righteous 'disease of the week' movies such as Iris, it is maybe hard to imagine a riveting, nuanced love story of depth and imagination, one centred on loss of memory, but Away From Her succeeds in spades.Fiona (Julie Christie) has been married to Grant for 44 years.
There she not only forgets who her husband is, but develops an affection for another patient an affection that holds all the tenderness she used to share with her (now onlooking) husband.Says Producer Simone Urdl, "The role of Alzheimer's in the film is a metaphor for how memory plays out in a long term relationship: what we chose to remember, what we choose to forget." And our ability to recall things, as Oscar Wilde pointed out, is highly selective.Secure in the knowledge that he has given his wife many years of happiness, Grant glosses over his unfaithfulness in their younger days.
You are watching actors at the peak of their craft, Julie Christie (playing Fiona Anderson), Gordon Pinsent (Grant Anderson) and Olympia Dukakis (Marian) and there is never a false move.But beware, this is a movie for grown-ups and is reminiscent in some ways of "The Dead".
This is the context in which we are introduced to Grant and Fiona (Gordon Pinsett and Julie Christie) in the first feature film adapted and directed by Canadian actress Sarah Polley, AWAY FROM HER.
Wow. Just amazed at the sensitivity of the direction and the spectacular performances.Julie Christie is so adept at convincing her audience, there wasn't a dry eye at our screening.Gordon Pinsent and Olymia Dukakis were equally as gripping in this quiet, realistic tale.If it doesn't get an Oscar for somebody - there is REALLY something wrong with the distribution and/or with AMPAS.come along everyone !Give Sarah your votes..
If there is a God, she, Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent will all be nominated for Academy Awards.This film deals with a couple married for 45 years, and have never been away from each other.
As Julie Christie's character realizes that she is losing her memory, she makes plans to enter a clinic, from which she knows she will not return from, and her husband does not want her to be "away from her." In a few of the scenes in which her memory has reverted to the past, you find out that their marriage was not perfect, as she brings up events from the past that caused both of them pain.Bring tissues and ladies- make sure you've got waterproof mascara on..
Julie Christie's character was WAY too self-aware -- nobody with Alzheimer's would say many of the things she did, nor would they willingly be skipping off to an Assisted Living facility/nursing home when there is no apparent need for her to go there for some time, perhaps years.And speaking of the facility, I have toured a lot of them, and I can promise you the scenes depicted in this film are not the norm.
It's unusual to find a caregiver who speaks English, much less one who could be a psychologist/marriage counselor in her nonexistent spare time.I really, honestly wanted to like this film and I absolutely love Julie Christie and Olympia Dukakis, but I was so very disappointed.
I'm not usually one to watch films dealing with diseases of any type believing them to be maudlin, manipulative and even somewhat morbid much less mental illness, but since this is expected to earn Julie Christie another Oscar (which would probably make it the longest gap between the first and second win), I decided to check it out in time for the upcoming awards ceremony.Christie's character has been struck with the debilitating Alzheimer's Disease but, thankfully, she or, more precisely, writer-director Polley (a likable actress in her own right, though not appearing here herself) doesn't bemoan her fate; rather, she accepts it with grace and even treats the condition with mild humor (which is the way these things should be approached but, I guess, one has to really be going through them himself to really know).
On the other hand, the viewpoint of the younger generation (obligatory in our zealously-PC world) is present here though in a somewhat idealistic manner, if you ask me via a teenager who chats with Pinsent during one of his visits to the clinic (and, in a deleted sequence, is revealed to be a neighbor of Dukakis and occasionally takes care of Murphy for her).Actually, this isn't the kind of film one would expect an emerging young director to make particularly since it has aspirations of being a Bergman-like chamber drama which, while fairly compelling and austere (aided with respect to the latter by the snowy Canadian setting), clearly lacks the necessary depth which a master craftsman would otherwise bring to such material..
Based on an Alice Munro short story, this follows an elderly man, Grant (Gordon Pinsent), whose wife, Fiona (Julie Christie) is suffering from Alzheimer's.
Christie's Fiona must go to a nursing home before her disease "progresses." Gordon Pinsent's former college professor Grant reluctantly lets her go.It's not exactly One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in there, but romance does evolve, such as Fiona's with Michael Murphy's Aubrey (art nouveau's Beardsley I'd guess as the artistic allusion).
Sarah Polley's sensitive film about the onset of Alzheimer's may not be the most realistic portrayal of the horrors of the disease, in fact it is more of a love story between two ageing middle-class liberals shocked to suddenly have to come to terms with the passing of time when she is diagnosed as being in the early stages of dementia.
anchored by two extraordinary performances a revelatory Gordon Pinsent and the exquisite Julie Christie (who, in addition to delivering a gripping, fiercely intelligent portrayal, also sports an impeccable Toronto accent) the film depicts a married couple dealing with the cards that life's later stages deal.
It is called "Away From Her" and, after a blinding white gives way to some credits, the voice of a man tells a beautiful short anecdote; about how his wife proposed to him.This is Grant (Gordon Pinsent), and there's tenderness in his voice that turns to be very unusual for a guy his age.
One woman's jaw was even broken.All the acting in the film was superb, even when it was not totally realistic relative to AD and its many side issues, but I wish the newbie young filmmaker Sarah Polley would have spent a little more time on how tragic it is that life savings can be depleted quickly by high nursing home costs, leaving sufferers indigent.
We've already seen Joanne Woodward's "Do You Remember Love?" as well as Judy Dench and Jim Broadbent in "Iris."The heartbreak of Alzheimer's is depicted in "Away from Her." Before the disease really advances, victim Fiona (Christie) decides to go into a home where her husband can't see her for 30 days after her admission.
Julie Christie is Fiona, an attractive older woman in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease who has been happily married for 44 years to Grant (Gordon Pinsent), a retired Professor with a grizzly beard, a gentle-looking face and a lilting, melodious voice.
Adapted from a short story by Canadian author Alice Munro, Sarah Polley's Away From Her does not dwell on the ravages of illness but is more about how we handle sudden change in life, poignantly reminding us that all of us may at some point be forced to alter the nature of our relationship with those who are closest to us Set in a rural part of Northern Ontario, the film begins with hints of subtle loss of memory.
As a result of his hurt and jealousy, he visits Aubrey's wife Marian (Olympia Dukakis) and their relationship opens up new avenues of acceptance.Both Christie and Pinsent give masterful performances that should be remembered at Oscar time, yet, in spite of the best efforts of the actors, the dialog, though it has a rich quality, often feels stilted and overly literary, creating an unwelcome touch of artificiality.
Some of the most powerful moments in film are often very quiet and that is in full display in multi-talented Sarah Polley's fantastic first feature film as a director.The film centers around the latter days of the 44 year marriage of Grant and Fiona and their struggles with the most cruel of all diseases, Alzheimers.
Fiona, in what must be an Oscar-nominated performance by Julie Christie, ironically is the one to realize that she needs to be put into a home.There are so many touching, intimate, delicate scenes and subtle performances by the two leads that the film is often difficult to watch.
She has an eye and feel for the story and the layers which add depth to the experience.The most thought-provoking part of the film is the idea that Alzhemiers and real life have some similarities as we often choose to "forget" the rotten points in a long term relationship, while Alzhemiers does the choosing for the person and is not always so forgiving.Must also mention Olympia Dukakis in one of her most grounded roles of all time.
Perhaps more surprisingly, Polley has, in her first attempt at an endeavour such as this, crafted a mature, unrelenting effort at exploring the difficulties of dealing with Alzheimer's.When we first meet the couple concerned - Frank (Gordon Pinsent), and Fiona (Julie Christie), unless you've read a synopsis of the film, you may be somewhat unsure as to which one of them is actually afflicted with Alzheimer's.
It's quite the bleak picture of foreshadowing that Polley paints here, when you realise that by the film's end, this is likely where Fiona will be ending up, despite Grant's insistence that she will not be needing a transfer to the second floor.Thematically, Away From Her is all about loneliness - the sufferers of Alzheimer's are isolated, victims of their own minds, and their families are similarly afflicted, but their solitude comes in their grief, and in some cases, their failure to come to terms with what is coming.
This point marks something of a transformation for a number of the characters - these emotionally drained individuals attempt to make the best of a terribly tragic situation, finding someone, anyone with similar problems, and clinging to them as tightly as possible.Ultimately, Away From Her hits the expected peaks and troughs, but this isn't a film about surprises and stultifying plot twists - it is a sympathetic, affecting, uncompromising look at Alzheimer's, and how it affects the sufferers and their families (who are consequently also suffering a great deal).
Much of what Polley has going for her dramatic gifts as a storyteller is in understatement with her characters, and Pinsent is such an assured player at it I'm quite surprised I have never really seen him before (he's mostly a Canadian television actor).His role, which is what also slightly surprised me from the little I heard about the film, is the crucial one in the story- Fiona, who is starting to lose her memory (not of everything, as we see, but of the things that do endanger her, like when on a walk out on the countryside), goes to a retirement home.
As her condition worsens, she and Grant, her husband of 44 years, agree that she must finally move into a facility specifically designed for the care of Alzheimer's patients.Based on a story by Alice Munro, "Away From her" is more than just the tale of a woman slowly losing herself and her identity in a world of increasing mental oblivion; it is a heartbreaking story of enduring love, as Grant comes to terms with losing his life partner not merely to the condition itself but possibly to a fellow patient with whom she seems to have developed a romantic relationship.
Grant is, in many ways, the focal point of the drama and it is his selfless devotion to the woman he loves that serves as a beacon of hope for what would otherwise be an unendurably depressing story.Christie and Gordon Pinsent are utterly flawless in their performances and both deserve every accolade that could conceivably be bestowed on them for their work in this film.
The Canadian film 'Away from Her' is a story of Grant (Gordan Pinsent) who is coping with his wife Fiona (Julie Christie) as she fades into Alzheimer's disease after a 50-year marriage.
AWAY FROM HER is a wonderfully intelligent and powerful film from Sarah Polley with a performance from Julie Christie which is heart breaking and realistic in its portrayal of how the adult mind becomes a victim to Alzheimer's and the effect it has upon one's family.
The dialog is crisp, clever and real to the characters and their internal and external motivations.AWAY FROM HER touches upon so many emotions-family, love, marriage, trust and yes, even betrayal, and coupled with Julie Christie's mind wandering in and out on the screen, that the film makes an audience appreciate what they have at present, and most importantly, what might happen to a family member in the future.
The debut feature from talented Canadian director Sarah Polley, AWAY FROM HER is a love-story set in a care home involving Fiona Anderson (Julie Christie) and Aubrey (Michael Murphy).
The action takes place during midwinter in the frozen wastes of Canada: the snow on the ground and the crisp winter air offer a fitting metaphor for the state of the Andersons' marriage as Fiona's husband Grant (Gordon Pinsent) comes to the realization that his wife will no longer be living full-time at home, and that their relationship is effectively over.
That is different.Gordon Pinsent gives a quiet, dignified but enthralling performance as Grant, the retired University Professor who travels each day to visit his wife at a care home but feels like a voyeur as Fiona (Julie Christie) gives her affection to wheelchair bound and mute Aubrey (Michael Murphy).Christie's Fiona is glamorous, used to a fine life, skis cross country, wears nice clothes.
As the disease progresses, her loving husband Grant Anderson (played brilliantly by Gordon Pinsent) puts her away in a nursing home where she is cared for round the clock.
In fact, Sarah Polley is able to milk fantastic performances from its entire cast, Gordon Pinsent (who plays Christie's heartbroken husband) and Olympia Dukakis (the wife of Christie's newfound love) included.I didn't fall head over feet for 'Away From Her' for some reason or another, but this poignant film is certainly one which deserves to be seen as it explores territory rarely approached in cinema.
Away From Her (2007) ** 1/2 (out of 4) A husband (Gordon Pinsent) must come to terms with his wife's (Julie Christie) Alzheimer's disease as she slowly begins to forget him and starts a relationship with a crippled man living in her nursing home.
Gordon Pinsent and Olympia Dukakis were superb as the spouses who had to deal with the loss of their loved ones.Sarah Polley has accomplished a magnificent tour de force as writer and director of the outstanding film.
Away from Her explores the world of an ageing couple named Grant (Gordon Pinsent) and Fiona (Julie Christie) whose comfortable retirement becomes complicated by Fiona's affliction with Alzheimer's.
given the subject matter,you might think this film would be depressing,but i didn't find it so.it's about a husband and wife who have been married a long time,when they both notice the wife has been having memory lapses.soon they come to the realization that she has Alzheimer's disease.the rest of the movie deals with their struggle to cope.the meaning of the title is explained very early on,and makes a lot of sense.the acting is superb.that's the word that comes to mind.Julie Christie is the wife,Fiona,and is brilliant in her transformation from loving wife to someone in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's.the transformation is subtle,as is her performance.Gordon Pinsent is equally great as Grant,her husband.Olympia Dukakis is also strong.beyond the performances,the movie itself is very realistic in how it depicts the people afflicted with Alzheimer's,as well as their loved ones.it's also very moving,and is uplifting and even hopeful.i hope Sarah Polley continues to direct,as she has a very great future ahead of her.for me,Away From Her is a 10/10.
Set in cold and snowy Canada the scenes give it a winter and blissful touch of hard love from the beginning showing the love of a married couple for almost 50 years, Grant(Gordon Pinsent)and Fiona(Julie Christie).
It tells the story of Grant (Gordon Pinsent) and Fiona (Julie Christie), a couple in their 60s dealing with the harsh reality of Alzheimer's disease. |
tt0454921 | The Pursuit of Happyness | In 1981, San Francisco salesman Chris Gardner (Will Smith) invests his entire life savings in portable bone density scanners, which he demonstrates to doctors and pitches as a handy quantum leap over standard X-rays. The scanners play a vital role in Chris's life. While he is able to sell most of them, the time lag between the sales and his growing financial demands enrage his already bitter and alienated wife Linda (Thandie Newton), who works as a hotel maid. The financial instability increasingly erodes their marriage, in spite of them caring for their five-year-old son, Christopher Jr. (Jaden Smith).
While Chris trying to sell one of the scanners, Gardner meets Jay Twistle (Brian Howe), a manager for Dean Witter Reynolds and impresses him by solving a Rubik's Cube during a taxi ride. After Jay leaves, Gardner lacks money to pay the fare, and chooses to run, resulting in the driver chasing him into a BART station. Gardner boards a train but loses one of his scanners in the process. His new relationship with Jay earns him the chance to become an intern stockbroker. The day before the interview, Gardner grudgingly agrees to paint his apartment so as to postpone being evicted due to his difficulty in paying the rent. While painting, Gardner is greeted by two policemen at his doorstep, who take him to the station, stating he has to pay for his numerous parking tickets he has accumulated. As part of the sanction, Gardner is ordered to spend the night in jail, complicating his schedule for the interview the next morning. He manages to arrive at Dean Witter's office on time, albeit still in his shabby clothes. Despite his appearance, he impresses the interviewers, and lands an unpaid internship. He would be amongst 20 interns competing for a paid position as a broker.
Gardner's unpaid internship does not please Linda, who eventually leaves for New York because she might get a job at her sister's boyfriend's new restaurant. After Gardner bluntly says she is incapable of being a single mom, she agrees that Christopher Jr. will remain with his dad. Gardner is further set back when his bank account is garnished by the IRS for unpaid income taxes, and he and Christopher are evicted. He ends up with less than $22, resulting in them being homeless, and are forced at one point to stay in a restroom at a BART station. Other days, he and Christopher spend nights at a homeless shelter, in BART, or, if he manages to procure cash, at a hotel. Later, Gardner finds the bone scanner that he lost in the BART station and, after repairing it, sells it to a physician, thus completing all his sales of his scanners.
Disadvantaged by his limited work hours, and knowing that maximizing his client contacts and profits is the only way to earn the broker position, Gardner develops a number of ways to make phone sales calls more efficiently, including reaching out to potential high value customers, defying protocol. One sympathetic prospect who is a top-level pension fund manager even takes him and his son to a San Francisco 49ers game. Regardless of his challenges, he never reveals his lowly circumstances to his colleagues, even going so far as to lend one of his bosses five dollars for cab fare, a sum that he cannot afford. Concluding his internship, Gardner is called into a meeting with his managers. One of them notes he is wearing a new shirt. Gardner explains it is his last day and thought to dress for the occasion. The manager smiles and says he should wear another one tomorrow, letting him know he has won the coveted full-time position giving him his 5 dollars as he promised. Fighting back tears, Gardner shakes hands with them, then rushes to his son's daycare to embrace Christopher. They walk down the street, joking with each other and are passed by the real Chris Gardner (in a business suit appearance). The epilogue reveals that Gardner went on to form his own multimillion-dollar brokerage firm. | inspiring, depressing, feel-good | train | wikipedia | I will say that Will Smith was shockingly good now that he's paid his dues with "Men in Black" and "Bad Boys."I was very happy that this film never got political and blamed Reagan for the number of "down on their luck" people that were shown, nor was the race card ever pulled out.
While the movie has an uplifting "go for your dreams" message, the deepest theme is that of family.Will Smith did a great job as the father trying to protect his son from their circumstances of becoming homeless as much as he can, while at the same time trying to work in the competitive world of stocks as an un-paid intern.
Jaden Smith was outstanding as the preschool-aged kid who knows things are going wrong and tries to have a stiff upper lip, but just can't do it all the time.The story is very touching and was close to home for me.
His son also did a fantastic job.There is a great lesson that is learned in this movie and it truly shares the struggles of everyday life.This movie was heart felt and touching.
Bruce Willis never had to make this many life threatening decisions in Die Hard.Will Smith gives a better performance of toughness here than he did portraying Muhammed Ali. This movie is raw.
And because we know that -- because we've seen more than one movie in our lives -- "The Pursuit of Happiness" has a particular challenge: To take the real-life rags-to-riches story of stockbroker Chris Gardner, a story with a preordained happy ending, and imbue it with tension and suspense.The great surprise of the picture is that it's not corny.
In the taxicab scene, in which he tries to impress a prospective employer by solving the Rubik's Cube, and in every other scene in which Chris has to sit or stand there smiling while another man pronounces on his fate, Smith is right there with the right emotions: absolute hope and total terror.This film is an amazing heartfelt performance certain to influence and motivate its audience to reach new heights.
This film is based on a true story by the life of Chris Garner who struggles with his life and is now a multi-millionaire.Although this film is depressing in many points, Will Smith's son, Jaden Smith, lifts up the screen.
There are undoubtedly two camps of people who watched this film: those who start to tear up at the very hint of a Very Special Movie, and those who rely a little on logic and, I dunno, sense; those who, that is, want the movie to work a little to earn tears, not the other way around.Guess which group I'm in.Chis Gardner (Will Smith) is a salesman of sorts - he sells scanners to medical professionals that are supposed to be more detailed than x-ray machines, and much more expensive.
Now, me, in this situation, might, perhaps, get another job, one that paid something, anything to keep food on the table for my wife (Thandie Newton) and son (Jaden Smith).But Chris isn't like me.
By the end of its two-hour running time, even the most naive and maudlin members of the audience will have long lost any signs of compassion and empathy.The film follows Christopher Gardner (based on the real-life millionaire entrepreneur) as he struggles with homelessness, fatherhood, and poverty, while trying to get his foot in the door of a brokerage firm.
Only you would have been hard pressed to come up with a story quite so bland and unimaginative.What is worse is that this is a film that effectively praises the central character for dragging his child onto the street to satisfy his own pursuit, not of "happyness", but of money in his pure greed to get a job with a big money finance company.Will Smith simply plays himself, to the point of falling back on his Prince of Bel Air vocabulary on more than one occasion and Thandie Newton does her best to portray a character with no depth.The occasional 80's reference scores nostalgia points and Jaden Smith delivers what little is asked of him but overall this is 145 mins of my life that would have been better spent doing the ironing, and probably more enjoyably spent at that..
His comic timing is still evident in the lighter moments, but it is his sincerity in playing a man with no options, no family, no help and little hope that shows him shining.Special praise should also be reserved for Will's own son Jaden, who plays Christopher Gardner Jnr. Some people hate child actors, but its perhaps that they are not good child actors...
perhaps it was perfect casting to put a real father and son together here, as they are an outstanding double act playing themselves in different, more downtrodden circumstances.I rarely give movies a full 10, but this throughly deserved it, and should be an example to us all on how movies should be made, and even how we look at our own lives and wonder if we are living up to our own potential in our own "pursuit of happiness" Outstanding..
Great performance by Will Smith for sure.But the movie is just so predictable, long; and shows to you multiple times what you can grasp at once: he is struggling!
This film is inspired by a true story about a man going from economic nothingness to being rather wealthy and simultaneously trying to raise his little son.
But Director Gabriele Muccino, whose track record is hitherto with foreign language films, squanders it.I didn't really like Chris Gardner.His pursuit of the stockbroker "Dream" is at the expense during the film, of a squalid life for his young son.
As many have said you can't help but to be inspired by this true story of devotion.Sitting in the theater with my wife, I (not only) like Will Smith teared -up I was simply worn out, 30 minutes into the movie!
Maybe it permits to live, but there are definitely more important things, at least for me.Also, the movie is just too typical, and even though I admire Mr. Smith's character's struggle to just get his son a life he wants him to give, it smells of that too well known, rancidly recycled American dream.
Without money and wife, but totally committed with his son Christopher (Jaden Smith), Chris sees the chance to fight for a stockbroker internship position at Dean Witter, disputing for one career in the end of six months training period without any salary with other twenty candidates.
Meanwhile, homeless, he has all sorts of difficulties with his son."The Pursuit of Happiness" is a touching story of perseverance, commitment and objective in life, and one of the most beautiful and enlightened biographies I have ever see in a movie.
So I end this review by quoting Chris Gardner ; "Don't let ANYONE, tell you that you can't do something", because that is the feeling I have now, I will never give up something easily again, and I'm thankful for the life I live today.I recommend this movie with all of my heart!
I have just watched "Pursuit of Happiness" and could not prevent tears running down my cheeks.This movie reminds me of my struggles.I am a student from Kenya who came to Middle Tennessee State University on a track scholarship.Unfortunately I did not perform to the expectation of the coach and he cut my scholarship in my freshman year leaving me with no direction or anyone to turn to.Like Will Smith in this movie,I realized how painful it is not to have anyone to turn to for help.I am alone here,ten of thousands of miles from my family.I was kicked out of the dorm,no money in my pocket,no where to go......(I learned the world is so cruel and unfair sometimes).With prayers and running up and down trying to make ends meet,God did a miracle and a good samaritan/friend helped me financially stay in school the following semester.I looked for jobs but only managed an internship because of my residency status which prohibited me from working off-campus.This internship is what makes me be in school today as I look forward to my senior year.I have to work so hard to pay for school and other bills as well as working hard in school.
This movie is the most inspiring and touching movie I have ever seen.Just like Gardner's achievement,the movie tells me that nothing is impossible no matter what some people think.One lesson I learned in this movie is "Failure isn't about falling down, it's about staying down" "The Pursuit of Happiness" is a brilliant masterpiece of Will Smith work.Two thumps way up..
Wills Smiths kid is really funny he's a great actor just like his father, it was a brilliant idea to make a movie with two family members in it.
Thank you for giving me more than 2 hours with a wonderful movie in a life that sometimes is as hard and unfair people can't imagine, but always worth living if we do believe in our strength and faith and luck to meet the right people at the right time at the right place.Will shows us, despite all his problems which seem to occur always at the wrong time, that standing tough how hard things might be in life is the only way to survive..
Everybody knows that Will Smith is a great actor.It is rather unfortunate that his greatness as an actor has not been revealed in escapist films like Men in Black and Wild Wild West.Pursuit of Happiness is a film which has showcased his real acting talents.As the film is about an American dream or what it takes to achieve an American dream,it would be nice to discuss something about Italian director Gabriele Muccino.He is not an American yet he has been able to create a beautiful,honest visual document about what it means to be happy in USA.This has happened as foreigners in America have a fairly good idea of what they are supposed to do in order to succeed in a great land of opportunity known as USA.There is no hidden political message in this film as it makes it clear that a hardworking individual can succeed/will succeed no matter how great the obstacles are.This is what happened to Chris Gardner in real life.This is a nice film which does not try to get neither sentimental nor maudlin as watching it we get joy as we laugh and cry at the same time..
He's smart and diligent but unable to catch a break and falling further and further behind in his responsibilities to everything except his young son (Jaden Smith) whom he'd promised to always be around for, no matter the circumstances.The Pursuit of Happiness is heartwarming in parts but as a whole, the film wasn't very engaging or memorable.
I know that they are related in real life so filming these scenes was probably an easy thing to do yet they did have an appealing relationship and watching them together made you root for Chris a little more because you want the best for the kid.
It is not just a family drama, but it also contains a message in it.It is a film about Chris Gardner, who is fighting hard to bring happiness into his home but nothing is going in his favor.A perfect blend of real performance and a great story along with the topping of the great emotions, this is what this film is all about.
An absolutely great movie of a man's life.It's a real story,which is why it adds more credibility and feelings to the whole watching process.GREAT!
Most of the movie ("most" meaning not half but about 9/10 of it) deals with Chris Gardner's (Will Smith) struggles with poverty, the raising of his son Christopher (Jaden Smith) and his tired wife (Thandie Newton).
His wife leaves him, he gets kicked out of a few motels, takes his son to homeless shelters, then ends up staying in a subway bathroom, all this in a background of more oppression and intimidation at the broker firm.I thought the film would make me feel good (not that I'm feeling bad or anything, I'm just saying), but there's too much going bad for Chris and only at the end do we get the emotional, tear jerking moment.
Much like the movie "Castaway", "The Pursuit of Happiness" is really riveting because it depicts the things that ordinary Americans (who live in the richest nation on earth) tend to take for granted, such as living in a nice home (instead of a homeless shelter or a subway station), or having a job.Great performances by Will (and Jaden) Smith, Thandie Newton, and Brian Howe.
Jaden Smith was outstanding as the preschool-aged kid who knows things are going wrong and tries to have a stiff upper lip, but just can't do it all the time.I was very happy that this film never got political and blamed Reagan for the number of "down on their luck" people that were shown, nor was the race card ever pulled out.
"Chris Gardner" is the living manifestation of (whenever there is a will there is a way).Some people saw that the movie is so hard and got "tough scenes"!
Based on a true story about a man named Christopher Gardner set in 1981, Pursuit of Happiness is probably one of Will Smith's best performances, one that stands unique to the rest, and once again he shows us how powerful his acting ability can be, when accompanied with an incredible story.
This movie is so great and my favourite because the storyline is very good and it teaches us how to live life to the fullest even if you are in the worst of your situations.It definitely made me cry after the last scene where Chris Gardner finally gets his job and shows his inner strength and joy of achieving of what he had been trying for so long.
The Pursuit Of Happiness was much better than expected mainly because of the great performance by Will Smith who continues to show his talent as an actor in this film.
Director Gabriele Muccino has done an admirable job of making this movie based on an inspiring true story about a struggling salesman who tries to find a steady job so that he can support him and his son after losing nearly everything but finds a chance to get his life back on track with a stockbroker internship at Dean Witter.
Will Smith is fantastic as Chris Gardner the struggling salesman giving one of his best performances in this film.
The movie has drama, some small doses of humor, characters we come to care about, and terrific performances by the cast especially Will Smith who makes this inspiring true story enjoyable to watch..
I was a little reluctant before watching this movie, I have seen "Seven Pounds" recently, and found it disappointing (although saved by good acting) which, together with my low opinion of Muccino's Italian movies, contributed to my doubts on The pursuit of Happiness, but I had to reconsider my opinion, since I really appreciated it, and was able to stand the huge amount of advertising on Italian TV, which often destroys the pleasure of watching any movie.The plot is evidently but not annoyingly marked by the solid American belief that man's efforts and commitment lead to success, with that maybe too optimistic faith that everything will turn better, and your sacrifices will once get the deserved prize (although life often shows something different), but there's no pretence of too much didascalism, it's a quite realistic portray of the hardships of life, with a happy ending aimed at leaving the audience with some self-confidence and trust in others.The overall impression of anxiety, with all that running after people, appointments, occasions, is softened by some tender moments between father and son (at times melodramatic, but never too melodramatic) and also relieved by funny moments.
And I suppose the point of this film is to show just how miserable that pursuit can be as all manner of things go wrong for Will Smith, son Jaden, and ever-bitchy wife (Newton).Chris Gardner is a salesman down on his luck.
Too often a film like this seems to be gunning for tears from it's audience at every possible moment, but Muccino shows genuine restraint and instead lets the drama play out very naturally.Many times throughout the movie, it seemed impossible how difficult this poor mans life...
I recommend this movie because its true story, of the great acting of Will Smith, and it can bring us hope for a better life.In the movie The Pursuit of Happiness we can see how a good man tries to make an honest living and keep his family together during hard times.
No matter how hard it is to live, Gardner never gives up, and he tries to make a better life for his family.The movie: The Pursuit of Happiness is produced by Columbia Pictures; the director is Gabriele Muccino, and the lead role is played by Will Smith.
The Pursuit of Happiness, set in 1981, is inspired by the real life story of underdog Chris Gardner, who rose from being homeless to become a stock market tycoon.
I heard about many people crying when they watched this movie because of the impressive plot and Will Smith's perfect acting skill.From The Pursuit of Happiness we can see that we all can be a hero if we keep fighting and never give up for life.
This movie has something in it that, I can't describe in words.An usual man with his Wife & Son struggling for a happy life.This movie is focused on a Man named, Chris Gardner.
while i watching the film, I didn't see will smith, I saw only Chris Gardner.
Will Smith does an amazing job playing the character of a man who has lost it all but is looking to gain a better life for him and his family (son). |
tt1341167 | Four Lions | A group of radicalised young British Muslim men aspire to be suicide bombers. They are Omar (Riz Ahmed), who is deeply critical of Western society and imperialism; his dim-witted cousin Waj (Kayvan Novak); Barry (Nigel Lindsay), a bad-tempered and extremely rash white convert to Islam; and the naive Faisal (Adeel Akhtar), who tries to train crows to be used as bombers. While Omar and Waj travel to an Al Qaeda-affiliated training camp in Pakistan, Barry recruits a reluctant fifth member, Hassan (Arsher Ali). The training trip ends in disaster when Omar attempts to shoot down an American drone and accidentally destroys part of the camp; the pair are forced to flee. However, Omar uses the experience to assert authority on his return to Britain.
The group begins acquiring materials for making improvised explosive devices but disagree about what to target. Barry wants to bomb a local mosque as a false flag operation to "radicalise the moderates", but Omar considers this idiotic. Faisal suggests blowing up a branch of the pharmacy chain Boots, but Omar states it is a not a worthwhile target. Hassan allows an oblivious neighbour (Julia Davis) into their safe house; the group suspect they have been compromised and transport their volatile explosives to a new location in grocery bags. Faisal trips up while crossing a field and is killed in the explosion. This causes a row among the remaining four, who disband; they later reconcile, and Omar decides to target the upcoming London Marathon.
Wearing mascot costumes to conceal their explosives, they drive to London and prepare to attack. Waj expresses doubts about the morality of their plot, but Omar convinces him and the group parts ways to detonate at separate locations. Hassan loses his nerve and tries to alert nearby police officers, but is killed when Barry detonates his bomb remotely. This causes the police to search for the remaining three.
Omar has a change of heart, feeling guilt about manipulating the easily led Waj into dying for a cause he doesn't understand, and attempts to prevent the attack. Police snipers receive Omar's description and shoot at him as he attempts to blend in with the runners, but mistakenly kill a bystander in a similar costume instead. Omar eventually contacts Waj from his mobile phone but is attacked by Barry, who swallows the phone's SIM card. However, Barry begins to choke on it, provoking a passer-by to carry out the Heimlich manoeuvre and in the process detonate his bomb, killing them both as Omar flees.
Waj is cornered by police in a kebab shop and takes the staff hostage. Omar borrows a phone and attempts to talk him down, but his call is interrupted when the police charge in and kill a hostage whom they mistake for Waj. Confused, Waj detonates his bomb, killing himself and the officers. Distraught, Omar walks into an empty pharmacy and blows himself up. In an epilogue, it is revealed that the police later arrested Omar's innocent brother as a terrorist; that they deflect responsibility for shooting the bystander; and that Omar unknowingly killed Osama Bin Laden when Omar misfired his rocket in Pakistan. | comedy, satire, entertaining | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0128853 | You've Got Mail | An updating of 1940 The Shop Around the Corner and the1949 musical version, In the Good Old Summertime, to the Internet Age, You've Got Mail follows the squabbling and romance of two competing book retailers on Manhattan's Upper West Side.Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) awakens to the latest comments by her newspaper columnist boyfriend Frank Navasky (Greg Kinnear) on how computers are ushering in the fall of civilization. Once she has made quite sure Frank has left for the day, Kathleen starts her computer and goes on-line. She doesn't want Frank to know that she's exchanging e-mails with a man she's never met, Joe Fox (Tom Hanks). He is also keeping this a secret from his own girlfriend, publishing executive Patricia Eden (Parker Posey). Kathleen and Joe avoid discussing anything that might reveal their identities to each other, keeping to such subjects as pets, the changing seasons, and the charm of New York. They know each other only by their Internet handles "Shopgirl" and "NY152".Joe is an important executive in his family's business, Fox & Sons, a bookstore chain. Currently, he is readying a new "Superstore" (like a large Borders or Barnes & Noble). He has a bit of trouble attending to work rather than musing on Shopgirl's latest e-mail, but friend and subordinate Kevin (Dave Chappelle) finally gets him to focus. Joe says that although the locals won't think they want a big chain store, he knows he can seduce them with discount prices and cappuccino. Joe decides it's time to put up signs announcing that the Superstore is coming.Meanwhile, Kathleen starts a new day at her charming little children's bookstore, "The Shop Around the Corner", a long-time local landmark. She has doubts about her on-line relationship and discusses with cyber-savvy employee Christina (Heather Burns) whether it counts as cheating on Frank. Ultimately, she decides there's no real problem because "It's nothing."At Fox Books corporate HQ, Joe reports on the new store's progress and potential competition (including The Shop Around the Corner) to his father (Dabney Coleman) and grandfather (John Randolph). The latter revels that Kathleen's store was founded by her mother, with whom he had briefly exchanged letters and found her "enchanting". Another piece of news: Joe's father is planning to marry his taste-challenged girlfriend Gillian (Cara Seymour), the mother of his four-year old son Matt (Jeffrey Scaperrotta). This becomes another item to share in an e-mail to Shopgirl, who responds with anecdotes of her own.Kathleen's employees are dismayed to see the "Fox Books Superstore coming soon" sign on a building only half a block from The Shop Around the Corner. However, Kathleen is confident that her store's vastly superior service will prevent this from damaging her business. She ignores the ominous words from staffer George (Steve Zahn), "But they discount." Boyfriend Frank is quite supportive of Kathleen's optimistic assessment, but entirely oblivious to her uncertainties about whether running the store is really all she wants to do in her life. These are sentiments she can only share with NY152.One day, Joe is left in charge of his half-brother Matt and his Aunt Annabel (Hallee Hirsh), who is Joe's grandfather's ten-year-old daughter. In search of ways to keep them entertained, he takes them to a reading at The Shop Around the Corner, where he finally meets Kathleen in person. Joe is determined not to spoil a pleasant encounter by revealing that he's her competitor. The kids seem determined to spill the beans (Matt shows off the only word he can spell - FOX), but Joe laughs this off, manages to change the subject, and leaves with his secret intact. Still unknown to either of them is the bigger secret that they are each other's e-mail correspondents.The Superstore finally opens and is a big hit. The effect on Kathleen's sales is immediate and sharp. She claims this is just because the Fox store is new and that things will soon be back to normal, but she seems to be trying to convince herself. She and Frank attend an author friend's party, where she runs into Joe. He tries to preserve his anonymity, but is soon unmasked. His earlier attempts at secrecy now completely backfire, as Kathleen is convinced that Joe was spying on her. Her accusations, and her apparent contempt for big stores like Joe's, provoke him to belittle her shop as "insignificant but full of its own virtue." Late that night, Joe has trouble sleeping because he regrets some of the nasty things he said to Kathleen, but he can only reveal this to his confidante, Shopgirl. She admires his ability to come up with deflating comments on the spot, something she's never been able to do. From this point on, relations between Kathleen and Joe become icy, and they usually avoid acknowledging each other when they happen to meet, which occurs surprisingly often.After further discussion with longtime friend and store bookkeeper Birdie (Jean Stapleton), Kathleen admits that the problems at her store aren't going to solve themselves, and writes to NY152 for advice. Since she won't reveal to him that she's in the book business, he gives her general business advice summed up in the Godfather quote "Go to the mattresses". He explains this as meaning "Fight to the death" and also gives her his mantra "It's not personal, it's business". Kathleen accepts this advice and starts an anti-Fox Books campaign, including media coverage, a neighborhood rally, and picketing at the Superstore. This, particularly Kathleen's TV interview where she twists some of his words to suit her purposes, is aggravating to Joe, but ultimately doesn't have any impact on her sales problem.Finally, Kathleen decides that to get the support she needs in this crisis, she should meet NY152 in person. The on-line friends, still not exchanging names, arrange to meet at Cafe Lalo. Joe brings Kevin along and has him check out who's there (with the agreed upon identifier, a book with a rose). Kevin recognizes Kathleen from her TV interview and lets Joe know. Resenting that Shopgirl turns out to be someone he dislikes, he threatens to leave, but finally enters the cafe. However, rather than revealing that he's NY152, he pretends he has again merely bumped into her. He makes cynical comments about her book, Pride and Prejudice, and the fact that someone has apparently stood her up. As their arguing progresses, Kathleen finally comes up with a dig that succeeds in hurting Joe, "You are nothing but a suit". He leaves, and at first seems unwilling to continue their on-line exchanges. After he reads an e-mail expressing how she values NY152, plus her regrets for being cruel to the unpleasant person who was there instead of him, he resumes the correspondence.Changes in the characters' lives quickly follow. Kathleen decides to close her store. She and Frank admit they aren't in love, and part amicably. Joe has an epiphany on a stuck elevator and leaves Patricia, moving to his boat. Although it involves no immediate financial hardship, the store closing is painful for Kathleen, as it ends a connection she had to her mother. Joe's dad breaks up with Gillian, who has started a relationship with Matt's nanny (Katie Finneran). While discussing this with Joe, he mocks the notion of ever finding "the one person who fills you with true joy" - at which Joe appears to come to a realization.Still not revealing that he's NY152, Joe makes a concerted effort to become friends with Kathleen. He brings her flowers when she has a cold and accepts her criticism of his "It's not personal, it's business" philosophy. When she reveals that she only knows the man she was expecting at Cafe Lalo from e-mail, he encourages her to meet him. Joe gently stops Kathleen as she's about to make a crack he knows she'll later regret, and they are both surprised by the intimacy of the moment. On following days, he manages to spend more time with her, showing that he can be amusing and supportive. Kathleen mentions that she is making progress as a children's author and that NY152 had given her the idea to try. One day, she tells Joe that she in finally going to meet NY152 later that afternoon. Joe expresses his regrets about the hostility at the beginning of their relationship, and says if it hadn't been for this, he would have asked her out "for as long as we both shall live". Kathleen is moved, but has to leave for her rendezvous. This time there are no tricks, and when she sees Joe and realizes what this means, she tells him "I wanted it to be you." They kiss - a bit awkwardly at first, but then with conviction. | romantic, boring, psychedelic, comedy, sentimental | train | imdb | Romantic comedies are not everyone's cup of tea; after all, who would want to watch unrealistic stories about ordinary people 'coupling' when we are offered such wonderful everyday experiences as ten car pileups, hordes of people being slaughtered in a hail of bullets while shopping, goblins, explosions, vampires and intergalactic spaceships?But the majority of women, and many of those men who do not see themselves as the Governor of California will surely find much to like in this charming eye-moistener.Tales of this ilk can easily be mawkish, but this one largely avoids the trap, thanks to an intelligent script, the believability of the lead pair (as well as the supporting cast) and good pacing that leaves the denouement until the closing shot..
In films like You've Got Mail, where you can almost predict how it's going to turn out as soon as the opening credits appear, then it is up to the writers, director, and actors, to get us to enjoy the journey to the end credits.
Tom Hanks is believable as the head of a gigantic bookstore chain, as is Meg Ryan as the owner of a small children's bookstore shop.
As the guy who is putting Meg out of business by opening a chain store close to her little shop, Tom Hanks character comes across as the arrogant person who only goal seems to open as many bookstores as he can, and make as much money as he can in doing so.
Kathleen's vulnerability and pride in her mother made me cry and Joe's sensitivity and devious behavior were so very sweet.I didn't think that Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan could pull off a romance better than they did in Sleepless In Seattle but I am happy to be mistaken..
Three-quarters into the movie I was wondering how they would ever pull off a romantic and yet believable ending, but the scene at the garden was one of those perfect moments in filmmaking.
Mail is a clever story, cleverly acted by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
Let's talk about this movie: I'm gonna be honest with you, this isn't Forrest Gump or The Green Mile, but it is romantic, special, wonderful and it made me smile and wish for them to get together in the film, and in the end I was just happier then before!
Pleasant, undemanding fluff reworks 1940's "The Shop Around the Corner" (remade initially in 1949 as the musical "In The Good Old Summertime") and reteams Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan for the second time in genial plot about rival bookstore owners.
Despite the lack of laughs, it was as feel good as it gets.The movie was blessed with two great actors, a creative idea, excellent writing and directing.
If the movie is trying to make a social statement about big book chains with no personality (like Hank's Fox Books) greedily driving the little stores with charm (like Ryan's Shop around the Corner) out of business, how is it that the filmmakers chose to put every other scene in a Starbucks?
If you must indulge in such romantic piffle, you can see essentially the same movie by renting "When Harry Met Sally." But then you would also get the added bonuses of performances that aren't so paint-by-numbers, some actual humor, and a few likeable supporting characters..
Or, perhaps Mr. Hanks really wants to be feeling and genuine and Ms. Ryan would love to have brass balls beneath her kilted skirt that swung out so far it could smash the men who got in her way?
tom hanks and meg ryan (who have amazing chemistry and are wonderful, evocative actors) are charmed with each other based on the words they say, not something superficial like looks.
Each character is great - even the children - and You've Got Mail truly explores and portrays (with comedic but not in-your-face stereotypes) the different people that inhabit Manhattan: the intellectual, the businessmen, the rich families, the struggling young adults, the idealists...
Hell is indeed other people, if they're Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (and a Nora Ephron marathon on infinite repeat in the background).
We've seen Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan doing this before; they work well together, and it's fun to see them at it again.On the other hand, the other story going on - the conflict between the small corner bookstore and the big chain - gets in the way of the obligatory happy ending.Now suppose the roles had been reversed; would anybody perceive this as being a happy ending, and the movie containing this story as a fun romantic comedy - or would all the attention be focused on the business battle?The implied message here is that love is more important to women than their career.
WRONG.If there's a lazier, more pleased-with-itself, predictable, trite, non-urgent movie than this, I'd like to know--so I can avoid it too.If you go in expecting the Nora Ephron of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY or SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, you'll be disappointed.
Tom: Oh, I ruined your business but I guess I love you anyway.Meg: Now I'll be a good little girl and go to work for you.The movie is loooooooooong, stupid, boring and did I mention long?
This film starts out in a promising way, small bookstore owner Meg Ryan is about to be put out of business by mega-store guy Hanks, with the twist being that they are also anonymous e-mail friends.
It was a good premise for a romantic comedy, and Hanks and Ryan have done well together in the past, but the storyline becomes contrived and implausible, and the whole thing falls apart.
You've Got Mail runs way too long, and I really had a problem with Ryan's increasingly warm feelings towards Hanks, who is trying to put her out of business.
Meg Ryan, the small business owner, has her bookstore driven into the ground by Tom Hanks and his Borders type mega-store but all is forgiven in the name of love.
Hanks, as a cold-blooded, ruthless mega-book store owner/developer wipes out Ryan's beloved family bookstore, with a "so what" its "only business, not personal," attitude, plays her for a total fool with his knowledge of her and her not of him in their email exchanges, rips her life totally apart and then has the unmitigated gall to go after her to complete his heart...and she falls for it.
The third of the three films Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks starred in together, You've Got Mail is my favorite of the three.
Joe Versus the Volcano was a great and quirky adventure, but Sleepless In Seattle was merely OK, having made the mistake of keeping Ryan and Hanks apart for too long, as the greatest appeal of their films is the two's chemistry.
You've Got Mail manages to brilliantly find a way to keep them apart and together at the same time.Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox are internet pen pals, frequently sending e- mails to one another, not knowing each other's real name and leaving out specifics that would give away their identities.
As the two clash in their real lives they continue to communicate and develop a relationship through their e-mails, not knowing their rivalry.As previously mentioned, the greatest part of the film is the chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
If you're a fan of either Meg Ryan or Tom Hanks, or both (like me), you'll definitely enjoy this film..
It has a great story, great dialog, great characters played by great actors (not only Hanks and Ryan, but the supporting cast as well does an excellent job), and a great city showed in all seasons with each giving a distinctive feeling.
"You've Got Mail" is a third pairing of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in a romantic comedy.
Who can ignore the charm of a young vivacious Meg Ryan, I can't, neither does James Fox. A simple but lovely romcom with the right chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan makes this movie beautiful.
I love watching the movies of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, and together they just light up the screen.
However, I think the movie was a little too long and the Tom Hanks character spent too much time stringing Meg Ryan's along after he discovered the secret.
Not only is the entire movie a shameless plug for AOL that happens to be in the form of Sleepless in Seattle, but Tom Hank's love ode to Starbucks?
They're just lucky they got such respected and talented actors such as Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
While Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks appear to be genuinely nice people, this film is nothing but a disguised attempt to make sexism and multi-national corporations look good.Meg Ryan owns a small store that gets put out of business by a chain book store with severely uneducated clerks who earn very little money.
What will happen to their happily ever after ending when she sees him do this to another person, except this time he does it with more "compassion?" Because Hanks' character didn't truly change (he would have had to denounce his family's business practices), the message is clear: Give in, submit to big business.Even the very set-up of this film is sexist.
(Btw, I'm a man and I saw this sexism from the get go.)This film, in the simplest terms, is a thinly disguised sexist pro big business fairy tale that's supposed to make us feel better about our losing a way of life -- the "shop around the corner" where everyone knows your name, knows the products and isn't out to screw the small guy..
On the contrary, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan and Nora Ephron can be counted on to perform very well.
This movie may have Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks together again, but in no way is it a duplicate to the '93 hit "Sleepless in Seattle".
Maybe it's Tom Hanks and his ever smug niceness, which is really blinding us from seeing his real evil.Whatever is wrong, I don't know...this movie is just not right.
The amazing chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in "Sleepless In Seattle" made me eager to see this film, and I really thought I would like it, but unfortunately it fell short of my expectations.
The best things about this film were Meg Ryan's adorable wardrobe and the amazing New York City scenery.
To those who are wont to put forth the proposition that `They don't make em like they used to,' I have a rejoinder: The two best romantic comedies ever made, EVER, have come our way since 1998; one of them is `You've Got Mail,' an absolute delight of a movie directed with heart-felt care and finesse by Nora Ephron.
It's the story of two people who meet in a chat room on the Internet; Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) is the owner of a chain of bookstores, and Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) is the owner of a small, independent children's book store called `The Shop Around The Corner,' whose continued existence is threatened by the Fox superstore which offers discounts and cappuccino.
This is a great story, with outstanding performances by all, the dialogue is crisp and witty, and it's all put together and delivered so well, and with such style and class by Ephron that it makes `Sleepless In Seattle,' (an excellent movie in it's own right) seem like a mere warm-up for this team.
The musical interludes, which set Hanks and Ryan at different stages of their relationship against the backdrop of New York City, are entirely effective; the city comes alive during these scenes and adds further character to the overall ambience of the movie.
`You've Got Mail' is quite simply the second best romantic comedy ever made, and it should have walked away with a basketful of Oscars, especially for Meg Ryan's performance.
I don't want movies to lose Meg's qualities.Tom Hanks, too, plays an excellent role.
The dialog is witty, the story is charming, NYC has never looked better, and Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks are at their best.
Plus I think the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were so good for the roles like if they had anyone less "nice" than Tom Hanks you wouldn't feel sorry for him when she is mean to him and people wouldn't "like" him and that would screw up the whole feel of the movie.
I've been a Meg Ryan fan for years, even though I still think that "Harry & Sally" was the best movie she ever did, this one comes second.
While "Sleepless in Seattle" was too fixed on this other movie that I have never seen and I could not relate to the 'why' they fall in love (I know that can't be explained), the storyline of "You've Got Mail" really touched me.
That's just the reason why I watch movies with Meg Ryan.
This two hour advertisement for Starbucks and AOL was not only predictable and boring, I found myself utterly frustrated with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks' chemistry.
(There is no need to mention but Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan again make a nice couple.)I haven't seen the movie for more than a year now but it still reminds me of newly sharpened pencils.
Tom Hanks was slightly less flaky than his too cute to be worth the six bucks I paid to see this movie counterpart, Meg Ryan.
The best thing I got out of this movie was a nap and a few good laughs at the fact that people still actually enjoy mindless, less than awful romantic comedies that leave you thinking, "Is this a joke?" Sorry, but think my dog could have done better..
We all know real romances are never going to be as beautiful and perfect as they are in a movie but when I see this kind of film I still feel my heart beating faster.
The chemistry between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is definitely impressive and we could see that in "Sleepless in Seattle".
So if you are hopelessly romantic this film is a must and if not you can still have a good time watching the funny situations in which Meg and Tom get involved..
If you liked Sleepless is Seattle, you will love this movie!.
You know that a movie starring both Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is going to be great.
You know that a movie starring both Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan is going to be great.
SEEING MEG RYAN AND TOM HANKS TOGETHER AGAIN WAS A WISH COME TRUE.
Sounds pretty retro to me.Although I have always sort of liked Tom Hanks (how can you not) for some reason I have always been deeply suspicious of Meg Ryan (except in When Harry Met Sally - wasn't that her in some other life?) She's made a career of appealing to men's befuddled desire for a woman who is childishly cute and very non-threatening and, let's face it, not very real.
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are charming.
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are charming.
If you are either a fan of Tom Hanks or Meg Ryan, you will have a good time.
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are at their snarky and sentimental best in this classic romantic comedy where opposites attract via a love of books and social media.
When it come to romantic couple in the movie, ryan and hank is the best.
The stars both Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are in the centre of their disguises in this movie with their lives being based here in their work.
Tom Hanks is one of most charismatic actors of his generation, I've spent most of the 90's deeply in love in Meg Ryan and I'm obviously naive enough to fall on pattern Hollywood pathetic, cause I cried over at least quarter of a movie.
Small time book owner Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) is living in the Big Apple and must compete with the opening of the new Fox Books run by the high profile Joe Fox (Tom Hanks).
Well, this isn't a masterpiece that i would watch again & again to ponder about, but it is surely a good piece: The actors are excellent; maybe Ryan & Hanks will be remembered only for those romance castings, but they get the feeling for it, the chemistry between them and in a career, it is better to have one memorable label than no label at all.
They make contact on the internet but she doesn't know her true identity and she doesn't know his.This is supposed to be a romantic comedy in the vein of Sleepless in Seattle but Hank's character is not likable.
I didn't like this movie much for that reason.Meg Ryan is just getting too old to play these parts any longer.
She certainly has been cute in previous movies but now her wrinkles are showing.Tom Hanks is just too good an actor to play these slight roles anymore.
The film leaves you awed and feeling happy for our two united lovers, just like any good romantic comedy should.Sure, it's different than Sleepless in Seattle, but in terms of achievement, Nora Ephron hasn't lost any points yet.dan.
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks really work good together..
Nora Ephron did it again - she put Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan together with a wonderful script and created magic.
And some romances have begun on the internet, a phenomenon explored in You've Got Mail.Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan with writer director Nora Ephron last teamed in the hugely popular Sleepless In Seattle.
Another smash for Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
Meg Ryan actually outshines Tom Hanks in this one but both stars are good.
This is a pleasant movie, with winning performances by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
The film is hampered by the fact that Ryan and Hanks have little screen time together until the last thirty minutes.
This film is not nearly as good as Ryan's best romantic comedy, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. |
tt0120746 | The Mask of Zorro | In 1821, the Mexican Army is on the verge of liberating its country from Spanish colonial rule. In the area of Las Californias the ruthless Spanish Governor, Don Rafael Montero, is about to be overthrown. In a last ditch effort to trap his nemesis, the masked swordsman Zorro (Anthony Hopkins), Montero prepares to execute three innocent townspeople. With assistance from two orphan brothers, Joaquin and Alejandro Murrieta, Zorro releases the prisoners. Zorro rewards the Murrieta brothers with a special medallion he wears, and escapes on his horse, Toronado, after cutting a "Z" into Montero's neck as a parting gift and warning.
The same night, however, Montero confronts Zorro at his home, having deduced that Zorro is really Don Diego de la Vega, a Spanish nobleman married to Esperanza, the woman Montero had always loved. Attempting to arrest Diego, a fight ensues, during which Esperanza is killed while trying to protect Diego. Diego's house is burned and his infant daughter, Elena, is taken to Spain by Montero to be raised as his own while Diego is taken to prison.
Twenty years later, Montero secretly returns to California, looking for Diego in the old prison. Although de La Vega is there, Montero does not recognize him, while several prisoners claim to be Zorro (taken from the famous scene of Spartacus). Diego later escapes, intent on killing Montero the following day at a public ceremony for Montero's return. However, Diego restrains himself when he sees Eléna (Catherine Zeta-Jones), now a beautiful young lady. Elena is presented with a bouquet of flowers - Romagnas, native to California - the scent of which she recognizes, although she incorrectly believes she has never been to California before.
Diego soon meets an adult Alejandro Murrieta (Antonio Banderas), whom he recognizes by the medal he awarded Joaquin. Now a drunken, clumsy bandit, Alejandro is bitter over the recent capture of his mentor, bandit Three-Fingered Jack (L. Q. Jones), and the murder of Joaquin by the sadistic Texian Army Captain Harrison Love, Montero's commander-in-chief. Diego recruits and trains Alejandro to become his successor.
After some training, Alejandro dons a makeshift costume and clumsily steals a black stallion resembling Toronado, Diego's former steed. En route, Alejandro encounters Eléna. Escaping from Captain Love, Alejandro seeks refuge in a nearby church, with the assistance of the town priest and Zorro's old friend, Father Felipe. Alejandro hides in the confessional, where Eléna unwittingly reveals her infatuation with the mysterious "bandit" she had just met.
Upon his return, Diego scolds Alejandro, claiming that Zorro was a servant of the people, not a thief and adventurer. Diego rebuffs a challenge by Alejandro, instructing him that to gain Montero's trust, Alejandro must convince Montero that he is "a gentleman of stature." Posing as visiting nobleman Don Alejandro del Castillo y García, with Diego as his servant, Alejandro attends a party at Montero's hacienda, where he quickly gains Eléna's admiration and enough of Montero's trust for the latter to invite him to a secret meeting. There, Montero hints at a plan to retake all of California for the Dons by buying it from their hero, General Santa Anna, who is desperately in need of money to fund his ongoing war with the United States.
The next day, Alejandro and the Dons are taken by Montero to a secret gold mine known as "El Dorado", where peasants and petty criminals are used as slave labor. Montero reveals that he plans to buy California from Santa Anna using gold mined from his own land. Three-Fingered Jack, now a slave, attacks the noblemen and is killed by Captain Love. Meanwhile, Diego uses this opportunity to become closer to Eléna, though he identifies himself as "Bernardo" the servant (a homage to the name of Zorro's mute sidekick from the original story), learning that Montero told Elena that her mother died in childbirth. Later, while walking in a local market, Eléna meets the woman who had been her nanny and used to hang romagnas on her crib.
Diego later sends Alejandro, dressed as Zorro, to steal the map leading to the gold mine from Montero's hacienda. In the process, Zorro duels and fights off Montero, Captain Love, and their guards. As he escapes to the stable, he is confronted by Eléna, who attempts to retrieve the map belonging to her "father." While Elena shows considerable skill with a sword, Zorro nonetheless manages to defeat her, then playfully cuts off her bodice, leaving her in nothing but her underwear and her long tresses. After a passionate kiss, Zorro flees the stable and shakes off his pursuers. Meanwhile, terrified of Santa Anna's retribution if he discovers that he is being paid with his own gold, Montero and Captain Love decide to destroy the mine with explosives and kill the workers, thereby leaving no evidence.
Alejandro uses the stolen map to locate the mine in order to release the workers. Diego tells Alejandro to release them on his own, so that he can confront Montero and reclaim Elena as his daughter. Alejandro sets off to the mine, feeling betrayed by Diego's personal vendetta. Later that night, Diego corners Montero at the hacienda and reveals his true identity. After being summoned by her presumed "father," Montero captures Diego after threatening to kill him in front of Elena. As he is escorted away by guards, Diego tells Elena the name of the flowers she recognized upon her arrival to California, convincing her that Diego is her true father. She later releases Diego from his cell, and they proceed to the mine.
There, Zorro prevents Captain Love from loading gold onto a wagon to be taken from the mine, and engages him in a duel. Diego prevents Montero from shooting Zorro, and they also duel. After disarming Montero, Eléna appeals for him to spare Montero's life. Montero capitalizes by threatening Eléna, and then wounding Diego. Zorro ultimately defeats and mortally wounds Love in a protracted swordfight taking them through various points around the mine. Though mortally wounded, Diego also defeats Montero, by having a gold-laden wagon drag Montero off a cliff and crushing Love in the process. Eléna and Alejandro, now without his mask, free the captive workers before the explosives set by Love go off.
Before dying in their arms, Diego makes peace with Alejandro, fully passes the mantle of Zorro to him, and gives his blessings for Alejandro's and Elena's prospective marriage. In the film's epilogue, Alejandro and Eléna are married and have a son named Joaquin, in honor of Alejandro's brother. As Elena puts Joaguin to sleep, Alejandro exits the room and as Zorro, draws his sword and makes his trademark 'Z' as the credits roll. | comedy, boring, murder, good versus evil, action, tragedy, revenge, entertaining | train | imdb | null |
tt1440728 | The American | Jack (George Clooney), an American assassin, is relaxing in a remote cabin at Dalarna, Sweden with his lover, Ingrid (Irina Björklund). The two decide to take a walk on the frozen lake nearby. While walking, Ingrid notices some footprints. Jack immediately becomes suspicious and quickly drags Ingrid to cover behind a large boulder as someone begins shooting at them. Jack kills the shooter and then tells Ingrid to return to the cabin and phone the police while he searches the body. As she rushes past him, he shoots her in the back of the head. Jack suspects there may be another shooter and goes in search of him. He comes up behind another armed man and kills him.Jack travels to Rome, Italy where he contacts a man named Pavel (Johan Leysen). Pavel is the person who provides Jack with his assignments. They don't typically meet in person. Pavel insists that Jack cannot stay in Rome and sends him to Castelvecchio, a small town in the mountains of Abruzzo. Jack arrives in Castelvecchio and immediately feels uncomfortable, so he drives down the road to, Castel del Monte, throwing the phone Pavel had given him out of the car window on the way.While he is hiding out in Castel del Monte, Jack is befriended by an elderly priest, Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli), who senses that Jack is not who he claims to be and is struggling to find his way. The father pressures Jack to seek absolution, something which Jack, now going by the name 'Edward' and posing as a photographer, resists.Jack contacts Pavel, who offers him another job, a job that won't require him to kill anyone. Jack eventually decides to take the job and meets with a shady Belgian, named Mathilde (Thekla Reuten), who wants him to build a compact gun with the firing capacity of a submachine gun and the accuracy of a rifle. Jack begins work on the weapon as he begins patronizing a local prostitute, named Clara (Violante Placido). At the same time, Jack realizes that he is being followed by a young Swedish man (Samuli Vauramo) who is probably associated with the people who tried to kill him at Dalarna.One day, Jack meets with Mathilde to test the weapon he has made in the nearby forest. She asks for a few more alterations to it, as well as some special ammunition.While having coffee one day, Clara and a friend, named Anna (Anna Foglietta), see him and come inside to say hello. Clara invites Jack on an actual date, and the two begin to deepen their relationship.One night, as the Swedish assassin follows him, Jack manages to get himself into position for an ambush, but just when he is about to shoot the man from behind, one of his neighbors who rides a Vesta scooter, comes speeding along, alerting the assassin who fires, missing Jack but killing the man on the scooter. Jack takes the scooter and chases after the Swede, who has jumped into his car and sped off. Jack shoots at the Swede, breaking out the back window of the car, then a front tire. The car crashes. Jack has to lay down the scooter to avoid crashing into the car, then gets up and runs to the driver's window, smashing it out with his elbow. He reaches in and grabs the Swede, pulling him partway out of the window, then twisting and breaking his neck.The next day, Jack encounters Father Benedetto while out walking. The father suspects that Jack was involved in the deaths that occurred the previous day and again offers himself to receive Jack's confession. Jack responds by observing that all men have sins, even Father Benedetto, and makes it clear that he has figured out that Father Benedetto fathered an illegitimate son, named Fabio, who works as a mechanic and also gets involved in illegal activities locally. Jack makes use of Fabio to acquire some items he needs to construct a suppressor for the weapon he's building for Mathilde.Jack begins to become suspicious of Clara after he looks through her purse and finds a small pistol. He also follows her and sees her meeting with some rough looking men. He takes her on a picnic where he's prepared to kill her if need be, but when she doesn't make an attempt, he decides instead to confront her about the gun in her purse. Clara explains that she has the gun because of a number of assaults on prostitutes which have occurred in the area. She further explains that the men she was talking to were cops investigating the case.After talking to Pavel one last time, Jack agrees to deliver the weapon to Mathilde, but tells Pavel it will be his last job. That doesn't seem to sit well with Pavel. At the drop off, Jack is on alert, suspicious that Mathilde may try to kill him after she takes the briefcase and excuses herself to go to the ladies room. Mathilde does prepare her pistol inside the ladies room and returns to meet Jack outside the restaurant. They appear about to engage in an old west shootout, but before anything can happen, a busload of students arrive and the kids run between them. Mathilde turns, gets in her car and says goodbye.While driving away, Mathilde is contacted by Pavel, who asks if she has killed Jack. She informs him that she didn't get the opportunity. Pavel orders her to find one. She follows Jack back to town.Jack meets Clara in the crowd at a local religious festival. He asks her to go away with him and she joyfully agrees. Meanwhile, Mathilde has murdered a local citizen in his house and gone up on the rooftop, putting Jack in the sights of the weapon he has just delivered to her.However, when she pulls the trigger, the weapon misfires, the shell exploding into her right eye and she falls back and off the roof. Apparently, Jack came to suspect that he may have been Mathilde's assigned target, so he rigged the gun to misfire. Jack sees Mathilde fall from the roof, so he hands Clara an envelope with money in it and tells her to go to the place where they had picnicked by the river and wait for him.Jack goes to where Mathilde was lying on the ground. She's still alive and he demands to know who she works for. She mumbles that she also works for Pavel and then she dies. Father Benedetto and several altar boys who had been part of the procession, arrive. Jack leaves, apologizing to Father Benedetto, and begins looking for Pavel.Pavel gets the drop on Jack, and shoots just as Jack is turning to face him. Jack is able to get off two shots of his own, one hitting Pavel in the forehead, killing him. As Jack drives to meet Clara at the picnic spot by the creek, he discovers he is bleeding and realizes he has been fatally wounded. As he arrives at the picnic spot, Clara smiles with joy, just as Jack loses consciousness and crashes into a nearby tree... apparently dead. | avant garde, suspenseful, neo noir, murder, mystery, boring, cult, revenge, violence, flashback, romantic | train | imdb | The assassin is determined to do one last job before giving up his nefarious profession, but two women are complicating his intentions: fellow shootist Mathilde, played icily by the Dutch Thekla Reuten, and a local prostitute Clara, the beautiful Italian actress Violante Placido.
The sparse script is the work of Rowan Joffe (son of the director Roland Joffe) who has adapted the novel "A Very Private Gentleman" by the British novelist Martin Booth.Clooney is a great lover of all things Italian and this film - which he co-produced - is obviously a very personal work which is likely to be more enjoyed in Europe than in the States..
If you are expecting this to be another Jason Bourne or James Bond-style of movie with elaborate action sequences, tight pacing, and ear-throbbing music...you had better stay away, for you will be sorely disappointed.
The advertising campaign and production photographs gives one the impression that George Clooney is taking on a role in a movie like Liam Neeson did in that marvelously powerful thriller "Taken" released in 2008.
While he is waiting for the right time, Clooney tries to avoid being shot at by assassins, and begins a relationship with a prostitute (Violante Placido) which slowly transforms from lust to love.This is not really an action picture and to a certain extent, it's not even really a thriller.
But for me, and those who really get involved, this is rather fascinating and it doesn't drag on for very long at all.However, the best scenes in the movie revolve around the relationship between George Clooney and Violante Placido, who is effective and charismatic as the prostitute who falls in love with him.
Paolo Bonacelli is compelling as the priest whom Clooney befriends, and Johan Leysen is chilling in his moments as the mysterious individual who always answer his phone with a gruff "Yeah?" "The American" is one of the best movies of the year.
But he finds himself drawn again to another woman, and that complication may turn his employer against him.Clooney gives a great understated performance as the quiet, complex Jack, and he's joined by a pair of excellent, beautiful female leads in Violante Placido and Thekla Reuten.
The publicity from The American suggests it is an action and adventure film, when it is in fact a melancholic and deep drama.I liked The American very much, but I perfectly understand why its slow rhythm and calm narrative would make it inaccessible to those people who expect to see shootouts and explosions.And that is not a problem from the film or from the people, but from the distributors, who did not know how to sell this movie.The American is developed parsimoniously, dividing its time in the methodic way in which the main character constructs a rifle; the flourishing romance among two people who are hungry of affection; and the occasional moments of suspense.Oh, and we also have conversations between the main character and a priest, which contribute to reveal the psychology from the first one mentioned.And all that is framed by the perfect Italian locations, which are full of atmosphere and detail, but without becoming into the idealized brochures from advertising agencies we have seen in movies which were also set in that country (such as Letters to Juliet and Under the Tuscan Sun).I would have said that is an unusual style for director Anton Corbjin, who made many video-clips of Metallica, U2 and Depeche Mode...if he had not already shown his firm hand and measured vision in the excellent film Control.In order to make a relaxed narrative like the one from The American to work, we need a good actor in the leading role, so that we can perceive the thoughts from the main character in an almost intuitive way.Fortunately, George Clooney is one of those actors, and his brilliant performance in The American is one of the best attributes from this movie.The rest of the cast also made a good work, highlighting Violante Placido, Johan Leysen and Thekla Reuten.The brief sequences from The American which could be considered as "action" look almost anti-climatic...like an interruption in the paused routine from the main character.And this is one of the few movies in which the romance is not used as a forced ornament, but as an integral part from the screenplay.The only negative element from The American is that there are a few scenes which feel out of context.However, that minor fail did not avoid me from having a fascinating time with The American, which I very enthusiastically recommend with the warning that you do not have to expect shootouts and explosions..
Not enough "happens." But if you let it envelop you, and if you aren't in a hurry, and if you can see it on a larger screen (to maximize those sensory effects), it might really impress you.Finally, it has to be admitted that the plot is a bit of a borrowing from "Day of the Jackal." Some of the acting is mediocre, too, but not Clooney, and not his one main sexual interest, played by Violante Placido, though she doesn't have a big role.
Yeah, that's more like it.Another thing that makes Corbijn's work so appealing is his star, who is really George Clooney the "actor" this time.
One of the key things to look for is how Clooney acts, calmly and assuredly, and how simply Corbjin films him, as Jack puts together the gun and assembles the pieces.
I would see the film again just for Clooney and how he drew me in with the believability of the resolve and sorrow in his character.Another hard sell this season - an art film in the guise of Hollywood Euro-thriller fare in strikingly gorgeous locales shot by that guy who did music videos for Depeche Mode - but it holds a lot of rewards for the patient and willing..
You can't come straight from having watched Angelina Jolie's 'Salt' or Liam Neeson's 'The A Team' and expect to enjoy 'The American,' which you'll have seen advertised as a spy thriller with George Clooney, so it's only natural to think that it will follow in a similar fashion.
Instead of long winded action set pieces, it has sudden but meaningful bursts of violence which work almost as effectively as in 'Edge of Darkness' to contrast the slow but involving scenes of character and intrigue that worked so well in 'True Grit.' So if your tastes run more toward the mainstream of Hollywood thrillers then maybe this is not the film for you.
However, what if I told you the film contains a car chase, five assassination attempts on Clooney's character, a femme fa-tale who isn't all she appears to be, a suspenseful foot pursuit through a narrow maze of streets with two professional hit men trying to outwit and kill one another, a steamy sex scene, a face to face showdown and a 7 person body count (more than 'The Bourne Ultimatum').
Aided by a fresh and solid supporting cast with the likes of Thekla Reuten (In Bruges), Violante Placido and Paolo Bonacelli, Clooney has a great deal of talent to play off and Herbert Grönemeyer's contemplative music score only underlines and adds to the atmospheric, brooding quality that the film proudly possesses.
Reuten brings a coldly effective steeliness to her emotionless assassin, Placido is immediately likable as Clara, the sweet and loving prostitute and Bonacelli delivers a knowing, world weary gravitas to his philosophical role as the priest that makes you hang on to his every word and whose scenes with Clooney are the forefront for the film's moral statement and raising of questions.
Every single character is revealed to have sinned one way or another and a powerful line from the film is Clooney's response to the priest when being told to seek God's forgiveness, 'I don't think God's very interested in me Father.' Something which could be said for all the characters and all of us in general, as highlighted by Clooney's meaningful line, 'All men are sinners.' Verdict: Not perfect but with wonderful craftsmanship from Corbijin's subtle direction to a powerful, hard hitting performance by Clooney, this is the first of its kind for the thriller genre.
Most "one last job" movies are high-energy action flicks or thrillers driven by a veteran actor playing a character with a troubling back story, but Anton Corbijn's "The American" operates as a character-driven mood piece, a precise and quiet visual portrayal of a man trying to quit his dangerous profession who is constantly haunted and pervasively paranoid.
There is no mêlée of Bourne-style assassin-chasing amid the hillside towns of the Italian countryside, so for many, shots of Clooney doing push-ups and putting together a rifle will become tedious.But "The American" doesn't languish quite as much as it might seem, though it certainly does at times.
You can critique the method all you like and complain about the film's choice to lean towards drama instead of action, but Corbijn possesses a good measure of talent and "The American" will leave a profound impression.~Steven CVisit my site http://moviemusereviews.com.
While the music, composed by Herbert Gronemeyer, is sparse; when it is used, it is to great effect, amplifying the mood of the scene.This kind of filmmaking may leave some people cold, especially in the first half of the film, but Clooney's masterful performance really cements an emotional connection with the audience.
The love story of the film unfolds very much as one would expect with Clooney falling in love with a beautiful Italian prostitute, played by Violante Placido.
No shaky cam, or mile-a-minute pacing, instead we get a perfectly thought out thriller that takes its time to make its characters interesting and believable.The film's beginning and end were superb scenes.
I had no idea what was going to happen and where these characters were going to end up.The American may not be fast paced or action packed, but it is one of the best thrillers I have seen in a long time.
But there you have it: that's THE American.George Clooney, whom I usually enjoy more in his comedic or semi-serious roles (O' BROTHER WHERE ART THOU and BURN AFTER READING being two of my recent favorites) pulls in a dark, interesting, and dangerous character as Jack, a weapons man/hit-man who's retirement from his chosen profession is proving extremely difficult.Making friends is risky to both Jack and those he likes, as we witness early on in the film what he's forced to do to a woman whose innocence means nothing when Jack is discovered in a Swedish hideout.
And when the instructions come, the audience can feel those pin-pricks of caution raising on their necks.The great thing about The American is that Clooney is truly the only recognizable face for many U.S. film-watchers.
We see and feel the battles raging within Jack as he's forced to decide whether to kill someone he's growing close to, or to let them live and risk his own life ...again.Those looking for a kind of BOURNE IDENTITY style flick are going to be sorely disappointed if they think this is in-line with that action-driven drivel.
After his directional debut making Control Anton Corbijn quickly became an in-demand director and his follow-up feature was The American with Hollywood leading man George Clooney.
This subtle slow thriller has divided audiences the world over.Clooney plays an assassin, going by the names Jack and Edward, but often called The American.
This is a film that aims to be a atmospheric, slow burning film, about a character that has to be always on guard and can not let anyone into his world.Whilst I like the idea of a more realistic look into how an assassin would function and trying to be a bit more intelligence to a typical action film, at times The American is too slow for its own good, being too drawn out.
There is some pleasure to be had from their methodical preparations, similar to the much older "Day of the Jackal".Jake/Edwards relationship with his paid companion Clara (Placido) and the local priest are minor diversions but overall this is this is a very slight tale albeit with a reasonable ending.However, it is difficult to know what director Corbijin is desiring from his audience, sympathy is unlikely, certainly this is no thriller nor is it a love story as such.
The attempts to shorten his stay by the "Swedes" are almost comical in nature, many opportunities exist without resorting to skulking around like bad 70's Euro thriller wannabees.At times it feels like the film is travel porn with beautiful panoramic vistas of mountainside villages bathed in evening light, pretty but difficult to stretch over two hours.Based on the book "A Very Private Gentleman" by Martin Booth.Summary Glacially slow and despite some good work by the cast and solid direction, rather an empty film and difficult to recommend to anyone not in the Clooney fan club.The film leaves the audience with a feeling of "what was that all about", a feeling not likely to have them queuing round the block for tickets.http://julesmoviereviews.blogspot.com/.
"The American" is George Clooney in a European movie, complete with a European cast, beautiful women, excellent acting, cinematography, and music.None of the action beats feel clichéd and the emotional impact of the film is powerful despite the understated tone.
Good films today are still being made, and as for George Clooney, he can add THE American, to his impressive body of work..
It goes something like this (First par might contain a spoiler, although such is the total confusion of the film's ending that it might not):Jack (Edward, or whatever his true name is) actually survives that apparently fatal gunshot wound (thereby clearing up the ambiguity of the final scene of the first film.) Nursed back to health by the local prostitute Clara, he's soon again running up and down those narrow, deserted streets of Castello del Monte, calling in as usual for a cup of coffee with the locals in the town café.
The final credits roll up over a scene of the local priest, who tried so unsuccessfully to save Jack's soul in the first movie, now sitting in the doctor's consulting room....George Clooney could surely be persuaded to accept the star role again, on the conditions that he probably demanded for the first film: an exotic European locale and the opportunity to get his hands as often as possible on the voluptuous breasts of his young co-star Violante Placido.
Although the critics say the only thing American about the film is the title and Mr. Clooney, they are rating the movie three out of five stars probably for the cinematography.The film is an adaptation of the 1990 book by British writer Martin Booth (1944-2004)) entitled A VERY PRIVATE GENTLEMAN: the book explains all.
The story is written in the first-person narrative from the point of view of the main character, who is known as Edmund or Signor Farfalla.There are only three major characters in both media (perfectly cast in the film especially George Clooney as Farfalla):...Signor Farfalla, "Mr. Butterfly" is a middle-aged man from a country where English is spoken as a first language.
This is that one movie that most big stars make, and then think back and say "what was I thinking".I would have to believe that George Clooney lost a bet or owed someone money in doing this film, because it was just that bad.
The only thing that could possibly be more gorgeous than the Italian countryside is Violante Placido, the actress portraying Clooney's love interest.*NOTE-- This film isn't for those who seek the cheap, thoughtless, instant gratification that's falling off the Hollywood assembly line these days.
Ironically, his feature follow-up, The American, often comes across as a shallow rock video, with glum gun-maker and possible-hit-man Jack (George Clooney) doing his best to steal our eyes from a series of glorious rural Italian vistas.After a jolting opening scene, which starts like Roger Moore's Bond and finishes like Daniel Craig's, we're treated to a cavalcade of clichés, as Jack escapes to a remote, yet strangely well-served, Abruzzian village, where he meets a priest (The Soul) and a prostitute (The Body) – and of course his destiny, in the form of One Last Job. It's like Michelangelo Antonioni picked up the script for Carlito's Way, stripped out the backstory, and relocated to the hills of his homeland.Clooney is becoming the cinematic totem for the burning male soul – and yet his body has inhabited far more interesting (if less picturesque) worlds in Solaris and Michael Clayton.
There were a couple of things that hit a raw nerve with me but more on that later.I have been watching the talented Mr. George Clooney since his first appearance on TV when I remarked to my wife, "If he gets good management that boy could go places." I liked him in this, a convincing job of portraying this type of personality.
The entire movie is George Clooney brooding and staring, making a gun from auto parts and a tawdry, cheap sex scene which added nothing to the film.
What you may think you might be getting is a tight paced action thriller, what you actually get is a modern day Western.George Clooney plays Jack / Edward, a hit-man and gun craftsman who must hide out in a small Italian town to do a job, but stay hidden from "The Sweedes".
Hell, it's one of the great subversive films of ANY genre from recent years.The titular American is the innocuously named lead character, Jack (Clooney); a sort of mesh of varying action movie genre stereotypes of the last thirty years rolled into one.
The movie is full of multiple sex scenes, some being 10 minutes long, as George Clooney visits various love hotels and prostitutes.
Even James Bond tries to protect those he has had sex with.This might look like it is an action film, but it is actually a drama/suspense movie. |
tt0365677 | Red Water | Dr Kelly Raymond (Kristy Swanson) wants to investiage on the waters of a Louisiana river. She tries to convince her ex-husband, expert John Sanders (Lou Diamond Phillips) who at first rejects her offer. He is not convinced by her ecological proposal. Their relationship hasn't gone too smoothly between them since their divorce, especially because of the only thing they have in common, their only son. She left him because she's ambitious, while he just wants to keep on living in his shabby shiphouse. She has hopes of finding oil there. Gene Bradley (Gideon Emery) is the young man eager to find oil. He's bought the rights to look for oil in all the place. John finally agrees to go with them because of the payments he has to make to keep his boat and his humble way of life - he doesn't want anything else from life. It's impossible that a drilling operation is ecological, but Kelly is ambitious, and has sold his soul to the devil in a way.When they arrive in the site, they see an anchored boat and they believe that belong to their competitors from the Global Oil Company. However they are dangerous criminals that are seeking a large amount of stolen money that is hidden in the bottom of the river. Gene confronts the mobsters and the group is threatened by the gangsters.There have been two deaths on that river killed by a lone shark. This people-eating bull shark is different, as it can live in river water. A reward is issued by the family of one of the victims agains the shark which killed their son. John convinces the local sheriff, Captain Dale Landry (Dennis Haskins) to let them go upriver, telling him that they will be careful. He lets them be because he thinks that the shark will try to reach the open waters of the sea, so they will capture it on the estuary.Kelly goes scuba-diving while John watches in the radar if anything out of the ordinary happens. Meanwhile, another group of people is scuba-diving. There are some people hoping to find the booty from a crime. Rick (Tumisho K. Masha) has sent Brett and Ice to get the information concerning the hiding place from Jerry, who has just released from gaol. The money was hidden on the course of the river but it looks like the tide or the strong current has moved it from its original place since that moment.The shark kills a bakcpacker (Steven Pillemer). Both groups don't know about it.Brett van Ryan (Langley Kirkwood) gets hurt while scuba-diving. John saves Brett. Gene gets all paranoid, thinking that Brett and his team belong to an oil prospector rival company, the Globa. Brett says that they are looking for a treasure laughingly. Gene behaves like an asshole, and insists they Brett and friends leave immediately. Brett says that they will leave tomorrow morning, but Gene insists in phoning the police. Ice (Coolio) shoots Gene on the leg so that he won't call the police.Dale appears on a helicopter and talks to John, who also behaves in a calm way. Dale insists that they should not get into the water, as they haven't been able to find or kill the shark. They try to save Gene, but there is risk of hinm losing his leg or his life without professional medical halp. Ice'd rather kill everybody, because they've seen them.The bell announces that an oil factory nearby is about to explode because of the gas pressure. Ice, Brett and Jerry Collins (Jaimz Woolvett) want to leave leaving the rest to die on the explosion. On the last second, John releases some pressure. The place is blown to pieces anyway. Lacombe (Garth Collins), one oil rig worker, dies because he can't jump the factory on time.Because of the explosion, the police tries to contact John and his ship, but Brett stabs the radio, killing it for good. John tries to use the radio, but Brett shoots him. Brett wants them to close the fountain of dirt and mud which the factory is throwing to the river. They have to do it from under the water. Hank Ellis (Charles Dumas) does it, but, during the process, he hurts himself and bleeds. The shark attacks him and John jumps underwater to try to save him. John has to stay quiet so that the shark won't think he's some prey. He goes out of the water on the last second.Brett tries to kill the shark, attracting him and later blowing him to pieces, but he's not sure that he's killed him. Kelly realises that the criminals will kill them sooner or later. Gene dies. Emery Brousard (Rob Boltin) thinks that the shark is the spirit of the god protectors of the swamp, who are angry because humans don't respect nature anymore. Brett takes Kelly to another room, and threatens to kill her if she doesn't have sex with him. She kisses him to distract him from John's attack from the back. After hearing the shot, Ice helps his fellow criminal. Kelly offers to go in Emery's place, because he can't swim.John and Kelly devise a plan if they find the money: to take it to the bankside and exchange it for the life of all of them. That's the only way they're going to live to tell. The shark appears right after Kelly and John find the money. Jerry and Kelly ran for dear life, but Brett doesn't let Kelly go back to the river to help John fight the shark. John survives the attack, although he's been hurt.The moneybox cannot be opened. Jerry has conspired agains Brett: he'll give Ice half the money if he kills Brett. That's what they do. John tries to rescue Kelly and Emery. There is a series of fights, shootings, and on-the-spot plans to be the one left standing. Ice blows up the boat. Emery moves Kelly out of the way, while John fights with Ice. John gives the moneybox to Ice and jumps right before the engine explodes. They all end up in the water.The shark opens the moneybox. When Ice is picking it up from the water overjoyed, the shark eats him off. John and Kelly go to the factory, while Emory is trying to help them from the place, moving things around. Emory turns on the drilling machine, who falls onto the shark, killing it.John and Kelly kiss each other. They can collect the prize money for the shark, but Emory thinks it'd be better to let nature rest in peace, so they throw to the river one of the huge teeth of the shark, the only proof they have that they killed it. | violence | train | imdb | null |
tt0368479 | Cold Case | Detective (Lilly) Rush is a homicide detective working for the Philadelphia Police Department in the present day. Although she initially dabbled in current crimes, she begins focusing on "cold cases" (murder cases in the past that were originally never solved). Assisting her along the way are her colleagues. Her boss and at times surrogate father figure, John Stillman, is her mentor and the one who was there for her in the past after she was assaulted as a child. Her partner, Detective Scotty Valens, is also her best friend, and a street-smart guy who struggled with extreme grief and guilt after his schizophrenic girlfriend began seeing imaginary friends from childhood called "the giants" and eventually took her own life. Lilly grew up with an alcoholic mother who acted more like a needy child than a mom. Her father was out of the picture throughout childhood, and her promiscuous sister, Christina, was known as the family tramp after Lilly's boyfriend cheated on her while he was drunk. Because of the ordeal, Lilly often resents her entire family although she does care about them all the same.Among Lilly's other colleagues are:Detective Will Jeffries: Jeffries is a former Vietnam war vet and high school D.J. who, while working as a police officer before getting into the homicide career, lost his wife in a fatal truck hit-and-run accident. Because of the accident, he often despises people who drive unsafely and ignore the rules of the road. He's one of the most valued members of the team and a good friend to the other detectives.Detective Kat Miller: Miller worked in narcotics and was introduced to homicide in Season 4. She's one of Lilly's best friends and knows the areas of Philadelphia like the back of her hand, a useful skill as a detective. She has a daughter called Veronica, whose deadbeat father is an ex-gangster. Initially Miller wants to keep Veronica away from her father at all costs because of his criminal past, but by Season 7 she eventually decides to compromise with her former husband after he tries to gain full custody of the child.Detective Nick Vera: Vera is an overweight big-mouth at times, but is actually very caring and really wants to have a family (his wife left him and started a family with another man). Vera is revealed in Season 7 to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown after unintentionally having an innocent man convicted of murder. Despite this, he's a great cop.Franny: Franny is a medical forensics expert who often examines cadavers and crime scene evidence throughout the first half of the show.Louie: Louie is an expert at the science of fire and explosives, using his skills to help solve crimes where these things were present as a weapon. Lilly likes him as a good friend, and eventually he gets married to a science teacher and invites the Cold Case team to his wedding.Frankie: Frankie studies photography in the police department, mostly working with traditional film. She has a brief relationship with Scotty.Cold Case is unique because, unlike most crime shows, it focuses on the past, celebrating nostalgia and combining present technology and police methods with old-school music and references to things like vinyl records, disco, super 8 film, roller rinks and the hippie counterculture, among other things. As the show progresses it gets much more intense and several side-stories arise. The show also bases several episodes on films like The Breakfast Club, The Ice Storm, Fight Club and The Big Chill. Unfortunately Cold Case was cancelled by CBS during Season 7, but rumors about a revival have been brought up by fans of the show ever since. Cold Case is the Americanized version of a Canadian television program called Cold Squad. | romantic, revenge, murder, violence, flashback | train | imdb | null |
tt0363547 | Dawn of the Dead | Ana (Sarah Polley), a nurse, finishes a long shift at her Milwaukee County hospital and returns to her peaceful suburban home. She and her waiting husband Louis (Justin Louis) make love and go to sleep, missing warnings beginning to trickle through the local media concerning a mysterious and rapidly-spreading contagion which turns its infected hosts into reanimated flesh-eating ghouls.The next morning they are awoken by their zombified neighbor, a young girl, who bites Louis in the throat. Ana locks the zombie out of the room, but despite her frantic efforts, Louis dies. When Ana unsuccessfully attempts to call 911 for help, Louis immediately awakens as a reanimated zombie, and chases Ana into the bathroom. Ana escapes out the window and flees from her now chaos-torn neighborhood in her car, before a failed hijacking attempt sends her crashing into a tree. The opening credits roll, showing the worldwide collapse of human civilization.Ana meets Kenneth (Ving Rhames), a grim police sergeant traveling to Fort Pastor, a nearby US Army base. With the route to the base blocked by zombies, they and three others - jack-of-all-trades Michael (Jake Weber), petty criminal Andre (Mekhi Phifer) and his pregnant Russian wife Luda (Inna Korobkina)- break into the nearby Crossroads Shopping Mall. Inside the mall, a scuffle with a zombified mall security guard results in Luda getting a minor bite-wound and Kenneth getting a cut on his arm.They confront three living security guards - C.J. (Michael Kelly), Bart (Michael Barry) and Terry (Kevin Zegers) - and give up their weapons in exchange for refuge. After the group secures the mall, they head up to the mall's roof to dispose of bodies and paint SOS signs. There, they "meet" another survivor, Andy (Bruce Bohne), who is stranded alone in his gun store, across the mall's zombie-infested parking lot.The next day, a delivery truck arrives at the mall, carrying the driver Norma (Jayne Eastwood), jerkish Steve (Ty Burrell), working man Tucker (Boyd Banks), elderly Glen (R.D. Reid), trampy Monica (Kim Poirier), bitten Frank (Matt Frewer) and his teen daughter Nicole (Lindy Booth), and an anonymous (and severely-injured) obese woman (Ermes Blarasin). These newcomers report that Fort Pastor has been overrun by zombies and no help is coming. Shortly after, the obese woman dies, reanimates and is killed by Ana, who thrusts a metal fireplace poker into her eye. The group determines that bites are how the zombies multiply their numbers; after Ana and Michael argue about what to do with the rapidly-deteriorating Frank, the man is isolated in a store with guard Kenneth, allowing him "every single second" before expiring. Michael and Ana achieve an awkward reconciliation, which is interrupted by Kenneth's shotgun blast as he destroys Frank's reanimated body.Though the mall provides many material distractions and the survivors begin pairing off romantically (Ana and Michael, Terry and Nicole, Steve and Monica), the undead surround the refuge in ever-increasing numbers. Finally the malls power goes out and Michael, C.J., Bart and Kenneth enter the underground parking garage to turn on the emergency generator. They meet a friendly dog (Blue) who appears unharmed nor infected. They question this when a zombie suddenly bites Bart, which attracts more zombies that forces the group to flee. While trying to avoid the horde, Michael and Kenneth reach the generator compartment and C.J. joins them when Bart is overwhelmed and killed by the zombies. They eventually work together to douse the zombies with gasoline and set them ablaze.Andre, faced with the fact that Luda will soon die, sinks totally into denial, and has his heavily-pregnant and infected wife tied to a bed in the mall's children's store. As she gives birth, she dies and reanimates. Norma checks on the couple, discovering the zombie-Luda and the demented Andre clutching a small bundle of blankets. Norma shoots Luda, causing Andre to snap completely; they exchange more gunfire and both are killed. Ana arrives on scene and opens the bundle to reveal a zombie baby. She pulls her revolver and a single shot rings through the mall.At an impromptu memorial, Kenneth says anything is better than "sitting around waiting to die". The remaining mall-dwellers thus plot to fight their way to the local marina, and from there travel out on Steve's small yacht to an island in Lake Michigan. They reinforce two small shuttle buses from the parking garage, removing the seats, welding on a snowplow, attaching metal bars and floodlights, stringing barbed wire, boarding up the windows, and cutting slits for the deployment of weapons. Chainsaws, propane tanks and other supplies are also loaded on board. Meanwhile, Andy is starving, and will not have the strength to join the escape (and contribute much-needed ammunition), so the mall survivors strap a pack of food on "Chips", the dog from the basement, and lower him into the parking lot in a sling. Unfortunately, while Chips makes it safely to the gun-shop, a zombie sees the dog and gets in as well and bites Andy. Nicole, distraught over Chips, takes the delivery truck and barges her way into the gun store, where a now-zombified Andy traps her in a closet.Kenneth, Michael, C.J., Terry, and Tucker gather their meager weapon supply and go into the sewers, while Steve is assigned guard-duty on their exit door. They reach the gun store, where they kill Andy, rescue Nicole and stock up on weapons and ammunition. A detonated propane tank is used to clear a path back to the sewers, but the zombies pursue them. Along the way, Tucker breaks his legs and, despite C.J.'s desperate attempts to pull him to safety, is attacked by the perusing zombies, forcing C.J. to shoot him dead out of mercy. Thanks to Steve's negligence, the zombies force open the exit door. The survivors pile into the buses and smash out into the parking lot, where another propane bomb is used to clear a path through the waiting horde. When Glen moves to take out a last hitchhiking zombie with a chainsaw, a sudden swerve sends the weapon slashing into Monica's shoulder. The resulting splatter of blood covers the windshield, causing driver Kenneth to lose control and crash. Glen and Monica are killed, while Steve flees the toppled bus and is attacked by the hitchhiking zombie.The others scramble for the second bus, meeting zombie-Steve en route. Ana shoots him dead, then must linger long enough to get the boat keys off his corpse, allowing more zombies to catch up with them. Ana flees back to the bus, where Michael helps her in. After a short struggle, they pull away and speed to the marina dock, where they crash the bus and dash for the boat. Cornered in the bus by their pursuers, C.J. detonates a final propane tank blowing up the vehicle, the zombies, and himself. The remainder of the group gets on the boat, except for Michael; he was bitten while helping Ana. Ana futilely pleads with him to come, and the boat sets sail with Terry, Ana, Kenneth, Nicole, and Chips. Ana watches unflinchingly as Michael draws his pistol, places it under his chin, and a final gunshot rings out over the water.The end-credits roll, interspersed with video footage taken by Terry, using a camera from the boat. Following a grim voyage where water, fuel and food supplies all run low, the remaining survivors succeed in reaching an island, only to be immediately attacked by a new swarm of zombies. As the survivors attempt to retreat to the boat, the camera falls to the ground and blacks out, leaving their ultimate fate unknown. | comedy, murder, violence, cult, horror, action, sadist | train | imdb | Dawn of the DeadI'm not sure I can recall witnessing an opening sequence quite like the one I saw in Zack Snyder's remake of the classic horror film 'Dawn of the Dead.' Besides being rather lengthy (it's over ten minutes before we see the opening credits), it has a bizarre creepiness about it.
Now you have to admit, that line really can't fit perfectly in to many movies but in the ever consistent mood of Dawn of the Dead, it's right at home.Ving Rhames is easily the second best thing in the movie (second only to the fast moving, constantly hungry and occasionally limbless zombies) once he actually starts speaking, and it is welcoming that Sarah Polley's Ana is as composed as she is subtle which is great for the audience because for a change the lead female character is not screaming every 30 seconds because, oh my god, someone is trying to bite me whilst drooling oodles of blood and saliva all over my nice white t-shirt.
As they learn that the zombie outbreak is much more widespread than anyone could have imagined, their chances of survival grow increasingly dim.I know an awful lot of genre fans rail against remakes, but like the update of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), this version of Dawn of the Dead is so good that we should instead be clamoring for more.Writer James Gunn and director Zack Snyder knew that they had to come into the remake with both barrels blasting.
We quickly move to a wide shot of explosions, brutal car crashes and other mayhem.We do finally get a breather while we're learning our cast of characters at the mall in nicely written scenes that bring out personality and depth to the relatively large cast, but horror fanatics need not fret that the film will evolve into a drama--tension and gore are never far removed from the film.Gunn and Snyder earn credit for both paying homage to their source material and taking off into other interesting directions.
This remake is just as intense and titillating as Romeo's original, but with a different spin.The cast is excellent, the cinematography and editing exciting and innovative, and the makeup and "creature" effects are top notch.Even though I've seen greater quantities, the DVD for Dawn of the Dead also has some of the best extras I've seen on a disc in terms of quality.
The movie, a remake of George Romero's classic 1978 sequel to `Night of the Living Dead,' throws a group of people together while society crumbles around them and allows the viewer to watch as humans seek to survive an onslaught of the undead.The movie opens with the unimaginable happening.
One such group includes Ana (Sarah Polley), a nurse who is running scared after losing her husband, Kenneth (Ving Rhames), a tough-as-nails cop, Michael (Jake Weber), who tries to be two-steps ahead of any dangerous situation, and Andre (Mekhi Phifer), whose trying to care of his pregnant wife.Seeking shelter from the waves of zombie attacks, the group decides to head toward a local mall and hole up there until help arrives.
Luckily, `Dawn of the Dead' has strong personalities to fall back on, making it thankfully every bit a character-driven drama as it is a horror-action piece.As Ana, Polley convincingly plays a waif turned survivor with just the right amount of emoting.
The first '`Dawn' had human characters selfishly hoarding material goods for themselves, using the mall not only as a refuge from zombies but also as their own personal palace that provides them with more items than they could ever need.It's to the detriment of the new film that it never takes the concept to this level.
Also, in the original the zombies wanted inside not only to eat the humans but also because they are drawn to the shopping center since is was an important place to them when they were alive.It's a shame that this time around viewers won't get the chance to see zombies wandering around JC Penney or stumbling up and down escalators, the joke being humans amble about aimlessly themselves like the undead at the mall.`Dawn of the Dead' is a very bloody and terrifying film but it lacks the superior gory effects from the 1978 movie.
I also feel that the movie did a good job of showing how quickly people would turn on one another and watch out for themselves only.One of my favorite "realisms" of the movie is how the characters are too attached to their loved ones to shot them when they become zombies.
We have the strong and silent male hero, the quick-thinking blond heroine, the official dumb jerk, the official slut, the young and naive girl who loses everything and needs the group's protection, the angry challenger for group leadership who has a change of heart and becomes heroic, the young trainee who disagrees with the angry challenger yet follows due to a sense of duty, and the stupid follower who gets his comeuppence.One aspect that was missing from this remake was the original movie's social commentary on the commercialism of people.
his remake also starts off on some happy little slope and then when we see the girl who's a zombie, then we all know that it's gonna get better from there.I like how Zack keeps the film's plot on the exact same story line where there are many survivors trapped in a Mall and that there are Zombies trying to get in.
But it was great to have a variety of smart and dumb-witted characters.There were also many sad moments in this film that really left me disturbed and I'm not going to spoil it.Overall it doesn't fall short off of Romero's Classic Dawn of the Dead, having a chaotic situation, fast zombies, different varieties of characteristics & tones of weapons.
Utterly, completely, hopelessly outnumbered, Ana flees her perfect life and hooks up with a bunch of other survivors who take refuge in a huge shopping mall.I will not pretend that the satire of the original is something of my own discovery (as so many, many other reviewers have) and complain that it's pretty much absent in the remake because DOTD 2004 has so many other levels to it.First of all, the zombies (the word is never mentioned in the film) can be seen as the perfect society.
Indulgent, ignorant and wasteful on one side and starving masses grabbing for whatever food they can on the other.DOTD 2004 offers a wider range of characters (more zombie nosh!) boarded up in the mall: cop, nurse, hoodlum, survivalist old lady, pregnant woman, security guards, gay guy, arrogant playboy millionaire, pretty girl and average Joe. It could be argued that they're a far more PC assortment of characters than the original (DOTD 1978 had 2 SWAT cops and 2 reporters-the very people we rely on to protect and inform us in times of crises-chickening out of their utterly futile duties to fend for themselves) but it ends up with character arcs and a sense of sticking together to survive, despite differences, that the original didn't have.The cast is well chosen and all act their parts brilliantly.
I'm glad that Hollywood can still make horror films as bloody and relentless as this, though there were several cuts made to the theatrical version.This new Directors Cut DVD runs 110 minutes and features more gore, bridging scenes, more character development, more violence and the odd restored shot here and there.
"Dawn of the Dead" is a remake of the George Romero film from 1978, which was itself a sequel to his 1968 classic, "Night of the Living Dead." This new version, written by James Gunn and directed by Zack Snyder, follows the original storyline fairly closely, centering on a group of people who are holed up in a local shopping mall while flesh-eating zombies wreak havoc on the world outside.The original, in addition to being a horror film, was also a playful little satire on the consumerism in modern society.
There's even a very subtle homage to the great "Carnival of Souls," the far more gentle precursor to all these over-the-top zombie pictures, when a character describes himself as a church organist who sees his "calling" as "just a job." Although the film isn't really all that scary, "Dawn of the Dead" provides just enough tension and chills to make it worth seeing for any true horror film aficionado..
A group of five surviving humans-nurse Ana,a tough cop Kenneth,ordinary guy Michael and expecting parents Andre and Luda- seek refuge in a local mall.There they encounter a pugnacious security guard,CJ and his sidekicks,Terry and Bart.Later,they spot a truck circling the mall parking lot and rescue the passengers,including smart-ass Steve,sexy Monica,father and daughter Frank and Nicole, Norma and Tucker.Banding together these people try to outrun and out-gun an army of bloodthirsty zombies."Dawn of the Dead" by Zack Snyder differs a lot from the original,but we never learn about the origins of the virus.The characters are well-developed,the direction is extremely impressive and the zombies look truly menacing and they move a lot more quickly than those in the original.The gore is plentiful with head explosions,chainsaw dismemebrments and other zombie mayhem to boost.Generally I'm against remakes of older classics,but "Dawn of the Dead" is a fine zombie flick.8 out of 10..
Many critics call it an attack on consumer America (zombies flocking to the mall = us), and while I admire the message and the obvious passion behind Romero's project, I've always admired Night of the Living Dead (1968) the first installment in the original 'Dead Trilogy' the best, and think its allegories about racism are even more subtle than the consumer attack in Dead (which is about as blunt as being hit over the head with a hammer).The remake of Dead boasts a better cast but a lot of the dialogue is just as stiff as its predecessor.
This makes those 'Don't go in the basement!' moments in other horror films look like brilliant ideas.The zombies in this re-imagining of Romero's tale are faster than the slow-walking numbskulls in the original, which begs the question: If they can run as fast as a car, how come they can't manage to outrun humans carrying heavy weapons, and can't manage to figure out how to break into a mall, when all the humans did was throw a toilet seat through a window?
Heck, the movie starts in a hospital, leads into a dramatic loneliness seen, then the alarm clock imagery followed up by riot footage and a red on black title sequence so similar to 28 days later - oh and not to mention they sped up the film half way through, and of course magically all the zombies were fast paced atheletes - even a bloated obese woman, it made me feel bad knowing this movie was made in a america with a much more bloated budget than that of 28 days later, a movie that I feel made some steps forward in a genre that hasn't hardly been improved on since the early 80s.
Ving Rhames is tough as always, and every other cast member is very good.This movie is a great end of the world film, capitalizing on post 9-11 fears and bring Romeros legendary epic into the 21st century.
The directors commentary is great, and I never like those things either.My only regret is I did not know this movie was being filmed in Toronto, or I would have tried to get a job as an extra zombie..
Some stupid comic relief for those who can't handle the "horror" (if you can call it that) and then the breakneck final act which is edited in that MTV, shaky cam (Blair Witch), cut every nanosecond pace in which the "zombie" attacks in 28 days were edited or for that matter any typical "Fast and the Furious" action film of the past decade which is geared to appease the no-attention-span video game playing fans who make this kind of crap so successful at the box office.
Whenever I begin watching a modern movie with the slightest hint of zombies in it, my expectations are never high, and this was completely true for Dawn of the Dead.
So, when I sat down to begin watching, I was expecting a movie more to the likes of the horrendous Night of the Living Dead 3D; definitely not up to the standard of a George Romero classic.
I saw an interview with the director Zach Snyder who said something I thought was brilliant about doing the Dawn of the dead remake; "The Original is a classic, so I didn't want to do anything to step on the toes of that, so we took the basic premise of a bunch of people holed up in a mall during a zombie apocalypse and wrote a story around that".
Personally I think it works since it explains why things fall apart so fast.The new film, like the old film, is not with out its flaws, they just occur in different places.If you want to see a really good horror/action film that takes its source material and does something other tan resting on its laurels with it, see this movie.
When the zombie action and scare scenes actually happened, there were simply some of the best I've seen on film.Too bad action and scares only happened for 20% of the movie, and even that might be a little high.
This is all wrong; zombies don't move fast, they're slow; and Dawn of the Dead is supposed to be a horror movie, not a quick-edited action fest.
There's so much that still could be done with the idea of zombies, in spite of the greatness of the original Dawn of the Dead, but this film hardly attempts to capitalise at all.
Original DOTD is a classic of horror genre...Remake is a rotten cheese ball...Pondering to the trend of "fast" zombies new version gets rid of character development, suspense, scares and half way decent plot...All the things that made an original film a cult item.
oh by the way that wasn't zombies doesn't look a bit like them if you're a real fan i mean real real fan of zombies film this one will make you disappointed till you wanna kick ur own butt i find that this one is awful and the music is awful why do you Hollywood have always destroy classic films dawn of the dead 1978 is the best zombie movie i ever saw in my life but if you like the remake version i have to say that u're not a real zombies fan sorry but that's real if you wanna know what i mean go buy the original dawn of the dead george roemeo you're still the king but this remake sucks.
The original Dawn of the dead is actually a HORROR movie.
The cast and crew of this remake by name a basic plot only (zombies take over the world and group, unrelated to the characters in the original, hold up in a mall) did an outstanding job in making a very scary, very high energy film that will undoubtedly have it's place in horror history..
Dawn of the Dead was always one of the better Zombie films, and although this remake is not entirely true to the original, it is still a fine movie.Keeping the same basic plot, it successfully thrills and scares the audience with a new breed of zombie, (similar to the infected in 28 Days Later) the undead are pretty quick and therefore far scarier than the conventional slow paced zombies.The film has a strong and believable characters and plenty of action sequences, making it a highly enjoyable 95 minutes of blood soaked fun, if you like that kind of thing.8/10.
This remake is way better than the original, to be honest: It's my favorite zombie-movie.
I think, "Dawn of the Dead" from 2004 is simply the best zombie movie I have seen yet, better than the George A.
"Dawn of the Dead" is the 2004 remake of the original 1978 classic horror film.THE STORY: When dead people start coming back to life it seems like the end of the world.
Besides, the film more than adequately portrays the downside of human reaction -- depression, violence, grief, madness, etc.The only negative I can cite is the speeding-up effect used in the Third Act. It worked at times but too often it came across as awkward or amateurish and just served to confuse the viewing experience.Some people didn't like the zombie birth scene but I found it well-done and effective.The original was filmed at the Monroeville Mall near Pittsburgh, PA, while this remake was shot at the (now demolished) Thornhill Square Mall in Ontario, although the story takes place in Milwaukee.The theatrical version runs 101 minutes (the version I saw) and the Director's Cut 110 minutes.BOTTOM LINE: If you're in the mood for a truly intense, horrifying flick you can't go wrong with this 2004 version of "Dawn of the Dead."GRADE: A-.
Dawn Of The Dead Is A Decent Horror Remake from director Zack Snyder whose admirable in making this movie about a group of people who hold find themselves trapped in a shopping mall with aggressive flesh eating zombies outside waiting for them to make a mistake.
This remake felt more like an action film than horror because it didn't really scare me but that didn't hurt the movie.
Remake of Romero's classic Dawn of the Dead (1978) is pretty good, even though it mostly steers away from the original film.Zombies are running amok, which leaves a number of people trapped inside a shopping mall, but how long will they be able to live there?Dawn of the Dead 2004 basically only keeps the premise of the original film, building a new plot with a larger number of new characters, and with the help of director Zack Snyder it becomes an entertaining flick.
More than any 'zombie' movie I've ever seen, this remake of Dawn Of The Dead feels most as if the world was actually ending. |
tt0059674 | The Sandpiper | Laura Reynolds (Taylor) is a free-spirited, unwed single mother living with her young son Danny (Morgan Mason) in an isolated California beach house. She makes a modest living as an artist and home-schools her son out of concern that he will be compelled to follow stifling conventional social norms in a regular school. Danny has gotten into some trouble with the law through two minor incidents, which are in his mother's eyes innocent expressions of his natural curiosity and conscience rather than delinquency. Now with a third incident a judge (Torin Thatcher) orders her to send the boy to an Episcopal boarding school where Dr. Edward Hewitt (Burton) is headmaster, and his wife Claire (Eva Marie Saint) teaches. Edward and Claire are happily married with two student sons, but their life has become routine and their youthful idealism has been tamed by the need to raise funds for the school and please wealthy benefactors.
At an initial interview, there is a momentary immediate attraction between Laura and Edward, but this quickly turns into tension brought on by their greatly differing world views and Laura's dislike of religion. Finally she storms out. She attempts to flee the area with Danny but the police quickly catch them and take the boy away to the school. He initially has trouble fitting in because his mother's home schooling has placed him far in advance of boys his age in many subjects; the standard course of instruction at the school leaves him restless and bored. At Claire's suggestion, Edward visits Danny's mother to learn more about his upbringing.
Laura's unconventional morals initially disturb Edward, as they conflict with his religious beliefs. After visiting her several more times he finds her irresistible and cannot get her out of his mind. They begin a passionate extramarital affair. At first Laura tells herself that Edward is a fling like her other lovers, but to her surprise she finds herself falling in love with him, becoming jealous of his wife Claire. He struggles with guilt, while she urges him to accept the rightness of their love. Meanwhile, Danny flourishes after Edward relaxes school rules and allows the boy to choose more advanced classes.
A jealous former lover (Robert Webber) of Laura's exposes the affair by making a remark to Edward within earshot of his wife. At first Claire is distraught, but later they quietly discuss it in the light of how their lives diverged from the idealism of the first years of their marriage. Edward declares that he still loves Claire and that he will end the affair. Still, they agree to a temporary separation while each decides what they want to do with their future. When Edward tells Laura that he confessed to his wife, she is outraged at what she perceives as an invasion of her privacy, and they part angrily. He resigns his position at the school and decides to travel. The school year over, Laura tells Danny that they can move away, but he has put down roots at the school and wants to stay there. As a parting gift, Edward arranges for Danny to attend tuition-free. His mother has a moment of pain but realizes Danny's need to make his own choices and agrees. On Edward's way out of town, he stops at Laura's place for a silent farewell, she and the boy down on the beach, he high up on the bluff above looking down at them. | romantic, melodrama | train | wikipedia | "The Sandpiper" was the second in a number of films ("The VIPs" was the first) made together by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.
By 1965, however, the Code, although not quite dead, was no longer in robust health, and a film on this subject, although still highly controversial, was no longer impossible.Taylor's character, Laura Reynolds, is an unmarried mother who works as an artist and lives with her nine-year-old son Danny in an isolated California beach house.
(This plot line reminded me of Iris Murdoch's novel "The Sandcastle", published a few years before "The Sandpiper", which also dealt with an adulterous affair between a married older schoolmaster at a boarding school and a young female artist).Danny himself does not play a major role, being more of a plot device than a character in his own right.
Her own solution, however, home-schooling Danny in a remote part of the world away from any other children and without a father-figure in his life, struck me as being likely to turn him into a self-centred loner, although the film rather shies away from criticising Laura on this point.
It seemed to me highly improbable that a woman like Laura, whose whole philosophy seems to be one of living in harmony with nature, would allow her young son to have a rifle and then, when he uses it to kill an animal out of wanton curiosity, shrug the whole thing off as a harmless youthful escapade.Elizabeth Taylor looks stunning, but neither she nor Burton are really at their best here.
Taylor always comes across as slightly too glamorous to be altogether convincing as a proto-hippie.The film contains some attractive photography of the Californian coastal scenery (although the colours in the indoor scenes are often rather dull) and there is a notable musical score, including the song "The Shadow of Your Smile".
The love affair between Richard Burton, a jaded Episcopalian priest and headmaster at a boys school in San Simeon, and Elizabeth Taylor, an alienated artist seeking peace and solitude at an isolated beach house, is reasonably convincing.
It's silly and shallow, but it's got a great performance by Richard Burton, and a pretty good one by Elizabeth Taylor.
This film was designed to take advantage of public curiosity about the recent marriage of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who were kind of the Bragelina of the 1960's.
The school is run by the Reverend Richard Burton, along with his pretty and supportive but staid wife, Eva Marie Saint.
I think that not only the scenery, plot, characters and music make it so lovely, but the strength of the relationship between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton which is so obvious and was happening in real life at the same time.
One good aspect of it is it would be very easy to make this a one-sided film in which the Big Bad Headmaster (with a Soft Spot) takes away the child of sweet, free-spirited Elizabeth, but Taylor and Burton play their characters in ways that we could sympathize with either of them--or not.Unfortunately, "or not" is a very distinct possibility.
(Eva Marie Saint's character would be a possible exception if she had more screen time.) They're just varying degrees of liberal and conservative clichés.While Vincente Minnelli was really incapable of making a truly awful film, given his talent--and the talent we would see in Taylor and Burton the following year in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?--this can't be seen as anything but a disappointment.
For their third film together (and their first as a newly-married couple), the Burtons chose one of the most infamous bad movies of all-time, the hilariously misguided effort THE SANDPIPER (1965).
I won't spend the time discussing the film's clumsy attempts as addressing such complex issues as theology, which are handled even worse than the central love triangle.In all fairness, Burton has the right degree of sullenness to play the conflicted reverend, but the script gives him little else to do other than appear solemn.
No matter how hard she tries, it simply impossible believe a glamour queen like Taylor as a shack-living, bra-burning hippie, and the characterization only becomes less convincing and more ridiculous as the movie goes on.In the supporting cast, only Robert Webber's villainous Ward makes much of an impression, as Eva Marie Saint is completely wasted as Burton's wronged wife and Charles Bronson is as miscast as Taylor as a sexually ambiguous sculptor.
The location footage of the Big Sur is sometimes breathtaking and the Oscar-winning theme song "The Shadow of Your Smile" is memorable, but these attributes alone cannot lift the movie out the realm of being a "bad movie classic." Despite it's dubious quality and unanimously bad reviews from critics (or maybe because of them), THE SANDPIPER was yet another significant hit at the box office for the Burtons..
Meanwhile, Laura is initially resentful of Hewitt's academic approach, but of course, given this is Taylor and Burton in their prime, they fall quickly into a torrid love affair.
With her zaftig figure and designer outfits, Taylor simply looks disengaged, while Burton tries to inject some dignity to a basically unsympathetic character but to no avail.Poor Eva Marie Saint is left stranded by Claire's frigidity and ignorance.
He's bored with his marriage too, to Eva Marie Saint.Into his life comes single mom Elizabeth Taylor who is raising her son Morgan Mason out of wedlock and living in a hippie colony on the California coast.
Art imitates life as Liz gets Dick's hormones into exponential overdrive.A lot of younger members of IMDb could not possibly appreciate all the publicity surrounding Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor from the first reports of an affair on the set of Cleopatra.
Liz and Dick got a good supporting cast that included Charles Bronson, Robert Webber, Tom Drake and Torin Thatcher.Thatcher plays a judge and he inadvertently gets the adultery ball rolling when he orders that Liz Taylor stop home schooling young Mason and he orders her to send him to the Episcopal school run by Burton.We certainly have come full circle.
The other is the truly lovely score by Johnny Mandel, including "The Shadow Of Your Smile" which has haunted me for about the last 20 years.Really, watch the first five minutes (until the deer is shot) and the end credit sequence and you'll have seen everything worthy this movie has to offer..
In place of pot-smoking hippies with scraggly hair and dirty jeans, Minnelli gives us freshly scrubbed, perfectly coiffed 20-somethings in coordinated scarves and ponchos.Richard Burton is a much better fit in his role as a minister, though, as another reviewer commented, what Liz's character sees in him is something of a mystery.
And poor Eva Marie Saint is reduced to little more than walk on part, though she gets kudos for being able to maintain a stoic expression while a boy recites Chaucer.The dialog is lively, if overwrought and ridiculous, at the film's beginning, but once Liz and Dick fall in love it immediately becomes overheated mush.
Wildly scandalous couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (for those who are too young to remember, the Brangelina of their day in terms of sex) play roles they were miscast in for this mid-60s soaper.
Taylor is Laura Reynolds, a free-spirited, single-mother artist living a quasi bohemian lifestyle on the California beach.
Empty-headed romance with Elizabeth Taylor as a single mother and beatnik artist (and atheist!) living in a beach shack in northern California and Richard Burton as the married minister whom she 'innocently' entices.
Eva Marie Saint is Burton's noble wife (the type of movie good girl who tend to drive men right over the mountain into Sin City).
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton star in "The Sandpiper," a 1965 film also starring Morgan Mason (James Mason's son) and Eva Marie Saint, Charles Bronson, and Robert Webber.Taylor plays Laura Reynolds, a free-thinking single mother living and painting in Big Sur with her young son (Mason).
Her son gets into trouble, not for the first time, and this time, the judge orders him to San Simeon School, headed up by an Episcopalian priest, Edward Hewitt(Burton) and his wife (Saint).
Edward and Laura fall deeply in love, and it presents problems.The sandpiper in the title refers to Laura's rescuing of a wounded sandpiper and caring for it until it is able to fly free - freedom is a strong theme in the film, freeing oneself of the bonds of religion, marriage, rules, and what people think."The Sandpiper" is directed by Vincente Minnelli, but it's really not up to his usual standards, except for the glorious Big Sur scenery.
The film is responsible for the huge hit, "The Shadow of Your Smile." Seeing Taylor and Burton together is always fun, knowing how much in love they were, and they have good chemistry here.
Having grown up so poor, he liked the money he made from film and never minded if the script wasn't equal to his great abilities.This movie isn't fun like "The VIPs" or trashy like "Boom!" or excellent like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" It's just a Taylor-Burton vehicle.
Elizabeth Taylor plays a "free spirit"--she lives in a shack on the beach and is bringing up her young son without sending him to school.
I just remembering watching this movie in 1984,in that time gave 6/10 now in first time on DVD it refresh my mind on this fine picture,if was directed by the great Vincente Minnelli is worth to see itself,Taylor and Burton make a convincing performance in their roles,she as unmarried free woman with a son and he as Dr.Reverend who is school director,they get attracted each other ended up a dead end,he realize that your work is just a keeper of treasure's God when he raised funds to Church in fraudulent way making bad fiscal agreements to take the money,the conflicts existential driven him to start again in a new place alone...strong matters nowadays...Resume: First watch: 1984 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.5.
Free-spirit Laura Reynolds (Elizabeth Taylor) lives in a beach house with her home-schooled son Danny.
Edward Hewitt (Richard Burton) and his wife teacher Claire (Eva Marie Saint).
The Hewitts' stale marriage and professional lives give rise to Edward's affair with Laura.This is definitely more compelling due to Taylor and Burton's real-life love affair.
Like Thomas, he pronounces the word as if there was an "a" right under the "o" that is more felt than heard.Taylor seems to be following him everywhere he leads, in opposition to the roles played, as Burton evokes a performance from her that is replayed in her future works..
I don't care what this movie is about - I just want to watch the Big Sur beaches, that bouquet in Elizabeth Taylor's beach house and Burton and Taylor exchanging silly lines that seem like out of the Women's Studies textbooks.
Eva Marie Saint plays Burton's elegant wife whom he dumps when the goddess of nature appears one day in his office wearing a violet blouse without a bra and we can just enjoy the two most vulgar and most talented actors of their generation being scandalous on beautiful locations for the rest of the film..
Not only in "Cleopatra" but in her next two films as well, "The V.I.P.s," and "The Sandpiper," Taylor was more the world-famous celebrity and less the conscientious actress than at any other time in her career
The three movies exploit the public's fantasy of what the lovers must be like: tempestuous, as in "Cleopatra;" quarreling, on the verge of separation, as in "The V.I.P.s;" illicit lovers, defying the moral norms, as in "The Sandpiper." As the ancient Queen of the Nile, as modern day grande dame, or as a hippie artist, Taylor is Taylor, hemmed in by her spectacular fame
The international celebrity, the world's most famous lover, takes over from the burgeoning actress of the Fifties, and Taylor walks through the movies as the fabled beauty she'd become rather than the high-strung Southern belle she had been before Rome
Playing an unmarried woman who lives with her son exactly the way she wants to live, in harmony with the California coast, Liz Taylor, for once, gets to talk about ideas: her character proclaims the joys of independence and self-expression
Taylor is no Jane Fonda, alight with radical fervor, but the role does express something of herself; it lets us see a side of her that differs from the standard screen Taylor
Here she's a 'new' woman, free and wise, who teaches a thing or two to a rigid churchman
The film's symbol is the sandpiper with a broken wing which she offers as proof that every creature should be allowed to fly free
We know too much about her to believe her as a hedonistic artist who would dress so fashionably in such an impossibly expansive beach house...
The character's broad humanistic philosophyher objections to organized religion and to formal schooling, her advocacy of free love and her celebration of the naturalness of physical loveare, oddly enough, at the film's center
The story that interrupts the characters ongoing declarations about life is the old number of a minister tempted by a beautiful woman
Bombarded by the artist's charms, the man succumbs, only to depart at the end, weighed down by, guilt and vowing to seek the way of repentance and purification
The movie's morality is thus a mingling of the old and the new
The movie plays it both ways, admiring the woman's freedom and righteous self-justification, but making the clergyman pay dearly for his indulgence in forbidden fruit
It's an old Hollywood romance trying to masquerade as a love story in the modern manner
Burton's prude is impossible and he plays him in a harsh oratorical manner, as if he's deadening himself to the pain of it all, but Taylor's character almost approaches being a real rebel with ideas
The movie exploits the public image of her as a challenger of conventions, but the role also gives her a chance to sound reasonably articulate about matters other than love
Under Vincente Minnelli's graceful guidance, Liz is sweet if not entirely convincing.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton romance drama in a beautiful setting.
Perhaps best known for its Johnny Mandel-Paul Francis Webster Academy Award winning song "The Shadow of Your Smile" and beautiful picture postcard vistas of Big Sur, California, this average Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton romance drama was directed by Vincente Minnelli.
It was written by its producer Martin Ransohoff, adapted by Irene & Louis Kamp, and features a screenplay by Dalton Trumbo and Michael Wilson.Taylor plays Laura Reynolds, a free spirited atheist (liberated, single mother by choice) artist who hangs out with other hippies while trying to raise her undisciplined nine year old son Danny (Morgan Mason).
But through his actions (such as his most recent shooting of a wild deer), Danny has gotten himself in trouble with the authorities such that Judge Thompson (Torin Thatcher) has given his mother no option but to have him enrolled in a San Simeon religious school, run by the Reverend Dr. Edward Hewitt (Burton) and his wife Claire (Eva Marie Saint).
It's so easy to make fun of this Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton soap opera with a pretty setting and an Oscar Winning song that lasts only 45 seconds in the movie as the cast credits roll at the end.
All it takes, though, is an injured sandpiper to get the two stars together after Taylor gets over a judge's order remanding her illegitimate son to be enrolled in the exclusive boarding school Burton runs as an Episcopal priest.As the two get to know each other, they begin to appreciate the warmth hidden inside their individual personalities.
Their love affair threatens to destroy Burton's marriage to the sweet Eva Marie Saint, while Taylor's free-wheeling lifestyle is constantly getting in the way, threatened by fellow artist Charles Bronson and an old beau, Robert Webber, whom Taylor refers to as a slime.Thanks to the wonderful scenery (beautifully photographed to capture each sunset the technical crew could capture), the lush score and tight direction by Vincent Minnelli, "The Sandpiper" rises above mediocrity.
****SPOILERS**** Events get really hot and heavy on the beautiful beaches and countryside of Big Sur with the wild antics and escapades of the administrator of the local church and school for disruptive but gifted children Dr. Edward Hewitt, Richard Burton,and hippie beachcomber and free soul and love advocate Laura Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor.
Like magic Hewitt seemed to forget that's he supposed to be a man of God as well as being happily married, for 19 years, to a saint of a woman Claire, Eva Marie Saint, and co-administrator at the school whom he has two twin teenage boys with.Stopping off at Laura's beach front house Hewitt is smitten by not only her beauty but her knowledge of birds as she, together with Hewitt's help, mends the wing of an injured baby sandpiper who soon becomes Laura's house pet.
A straight-laced Episcopelian priest who is headmaster of a boy's school on the California coast (Burton) has a fling with a free-spirited artist (Taylor).
Laura (Elizabeth Taylor) is a free-spirited painter with a troubled son who gets sent to a religious school run by a strict cleric (Richard Burton).
One of director Vincente Minnelli's more interesting films, "The Sandpiper" stars Elizabeth Taylor as Laura Reynolds, a free-spirited mother who lives with her youngest son Danny.
Damn those beatniks.Mirrored to Laura is Dr Edward Hewitt (Richard Burton), the headmaster of an Episcopal boarding school.
Elizabeth Taylor is a free spirit trying to teach her son there's more to life than school, rules, and living like the rest do.
The story centers around her tumultuous affair with a married minister (Richard Burton) who manages a religious school where she's been forced to deposit her one and only son.The film has a lot of interesting ideas that don't really translate or correspond with the human drama. |
tt0091306 | Jumpin' Jack Flash | Teresa "Terry" Doolittle (Whoopi Goldberg) transfers funds for the First National Bank in Manhattan, New York. She does not quite fit with the bank's corporate image, despite being a good employee and well-liked by her co-workers. She is often chastised by her no-nonsense boss James Page (Peter Michael Goetz).
Set against the backdrop of the pre-Glasnost Cold War, Terry receives the message, "Knock, Knock," and is contacted by a man calling himself "Jumpin' Jack Flash" who turns out to be a British Intelligence agent in Eastern Europe who is being pursued by the KGB. After being given a riddle for his password, Terry determines the password to be B-flat, after the key in which "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is supposedly written (as the actual song by the Rolling Stones is recorded in the key of B-flat). Jack sends her to the British Consulate to deliver the message "Dog's barking, can't fly without umbrella" to Department C. Despite feeling ludicrous, Terry delivers the message to Jeremy Talbot (John Wood) who is apparently puzzled and informs her there is no Department C. Jack then asks her to enter his apartment in New York to retrieve a frying pan, on which are Jack's CIA contacts to acquire a passport. Meanwhile, Marty Phillips (Stephen Collins) arrives at First National Bank as a new coworker and, unbeknownst to her, Terry is being watched.
A computer technician (Jim Belushi) shows up at the bank to repair her terminal, but when Terry calls Sperry Corporation to confirm his identity, the technician vanishes. As she enters the taxi upon leaving Jack's apartment, she is frightened to find him as the driver. His plan to abduct her fails when she knocks him out with the frying pan and flees the cab.
Using the contacts on the frying pan, Terry attempts unsuccessfully to contact Peter Caen, but does reach Mark Van Meter (Jeroen Krabbé), who meets her at the docks. After being stunned to realize Terry is a civilian and has no relationship at all with the intelligence community, Van Meter notices they are being watched and pushes Terry off the docks and into the East River to save her life, but is shot and killed himself. The police dismiss Terry's claim of the murder and Marty comes to the station and takes her home. After finding a listing in the local obituaries, Terry goes to Van Meter's funeral, where she meets Liz Carlson (Annie Potts), the wife of Harry Carlson, one of Jack's contacts and another of his contacts, Archer Lincoln (Roscoe Lee Browne). Terry tries to talk to Lincoln, but he leaves before she can. Liz invites Terry back to her home and gives her some information about Jack and her husband, who she assumes is still with Jack. When Terry tells him about her meeting with Liz and Lincoln later that night, they both deduce that Harry has been killed. Jack then tells her how to break into the British Consulate central computer. Conning her way in under the guise of an entertainer, she manages to enter the mainframe with help from Liz, who is also there, but Talbot finds and deactivates the computer link before Jack receives a contact. Terry quickly goes to Liz's house for help, only to find her and her children gone and the house deserted. As Terry leaves, she is approached by Archer Lincoln, who informs her that Liz and the children have been relocated and given new identities by the CIA. He then tells Terry to "get off the stage before she gets carried off". Going through one of Jack's romantic contacts, Sarah Billings (Sara Botsford), Terry is rebuffed and then captured by the KGB, who lock her in a phone booth and drag her around the city. After escaping when the booth is knocked over, Terry is injected with truth serum by the computer tech, this time posing as a police officer, but escapes after trapping his arm in a car window and rolling the car into traffic. In a drug-induced haze, Terry again locates Sarah and makes an impassioned plea for her help. Sarah tells Terry she would rather let Jack be killed than risk losing face. A disgusted Terry chastises Sarah for her indifference to Jack's plight and walks out. She then stumbles into work and, after embarrassing Mr. Page by yanking off his hairpiece in front of the entire office, passes out.
Terry awakens at home and is dropped in on by Sarah, who has had a change of heart and gives her a contact. After passing the contact to Jack, she is again captured by the KGB and learns that Talbot is a KGB mole and the contact he provided (via Sarah's husband, head of MI5) is a setup to kill Jack. After nearly being tortured with a reciprocating saw, Terry escapes and frightens the embassy receptionist into calling the police, who escort her away from Talbot. After realizing the police are unwilling to let her go to warn Jack and are arresting her, Terry blinds the driver and escapes from the crashed police cruiser. She rushes to the bank to warn Jack, but the KGB and Talbot are already there, masquerading as bankers. Terry is ordered to tell Jack nothing's wrong, but she tricks Talbot into sitting on a chair adjusted for a pregnant employee, causing him to fall over. One of Talbot's henchmen opens fire on the office with an Uzi, sending everyone diving for cover. Terry manages to type out her warning about the contact being a setup to Jack, but Talbot grabs her before she can send it and the two begin fighting. Talbot's other henchman, Carl, grabs Terry and is about to kill her when he is shot by Marty. After Marty shoots the gunman with the Uzi, Terry manages to bite Talbot's groin and send Jack the message as Talbot collapses, saving him. Marty then reveals to Terry that he is really Peter Caen, one of the CIA contacts on the frying pan, and gives Jack the correct contact to ensure his safe return.
That same evening, Terry arrives at the restaurant where she and Jack had planned to have dinner together, but she becomes despondent when Jack never shows up. As the restaurant is closing, Peter arrives and tells Terry that Jack isn't coming because of another engagement. Terry is crushed, but Peter comforts her, saying how much Jack wanted to see her. The next morning, Terry's co-workers are discussing the news that Mr. Paige is being promoted and transferred to Silver Springs and that she will be taking over his old position. Terry is still depressed about the night before, but receives a "Knock, Knock" message on her terminal from Jack. Terry berates him for not showing up, even as he tries to placate her with thanks from the Queen. When she slams her glasses down in frustration, Jack advises against it, and Terry realizes he can see her. When he reaches over her shoulder to type on her keyboard, Terry turns...and sees Jack (Jonathan Pryce) for the first time. He embraces her, thanking her personally for saving his life and offers to make it up to her by taking her out to dinner again. Terry introduces him to her co-workers, who all greet Jack warmly, including Mr. Page (now sans hairpiece), who now seems to have a newfound respect for Terry. The film ends with Terry and Jack leaving the office with the entire office applauding as they exit and the credits roll. | comedy, murder, violence, intrigue, cult, humor | train | wikipedia | Whoopi Goldberg plays the quirky and livewire Terri Doolitle a low level bank employee who gets involved in a dangerous spy game involving the CIA, British Secret Service and the KGB (made in the 80's the cold war was still in full swing).Contacted via her computer (the computer geeks out there will love seeing this earlier version of the internet) by a secret agent codename 'Jumping Jack Flash' (Jonathan Pryce) Terri must use her street smarts and attitude to save the day against rogue agents, KGB the police and while not being fired from her own job.The only drawback to this movie is it is quite profane those adverse to the occasional swear word should probably steer clear.
But fun for everyone else.7/10 - Good honest fun probably Whoopi Goldbergs funniest movie and certainly no Sister Act thank god!!!.
There are still some hilarious pieces, notably the comic tryings to decipher the lyrics to the film title song by famous Rolling Stones, when her dress get caught in a shredder, Whoopi singing at the British Embassy by impersonating Diane Ross and when she's dragged by a tow truck, among others.
"Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a very funny comedy-thriller starring comedienne and current "Hollywood Squares" star Whoopi Goldberg in the movie she made after her outstanding performance in "The Color Purple".
One of the best moments in the film is the one when the spy asks her to "sing with me and find the key", and she listens to the lyrics of the Mick Jagger song "Jumpin' Jack Flash" so she can find the word or words to crack the spy's code.
There's also the scene where, after almost getting killed, Goldberg confronts a police detective played by "Pretty Woman" and "Runaway Bride" director Garry Marshall (who oddly enough is the brother of the director of this film, former "Laverne & Shirley" star Penny Marshall making her directorial debut here).
And there are good supporting performances by Stephen Collins, Carol Kane, John Wood, Annie Potts, Roscoe Lee Browne, Jim Belushi, Jon Lovitz, and the late Phil Hartman.
The essence of a great film is that it makes us laugh each time we watch it and this film certainly fits this criteria .Whoopie Goldberg's star quality shines through as she carries scenes along mainly by herself as she supposedly communicates with an unseen man-in- trouble .The film has some superbly memorable lines and just fulfils our deepest wishes that one day we will be whisked into a glamorous world of intrigue and espionage.The end scene in the restaurant shows Whoopie's versatility and has us in tears for her.She does not need swearing though to carry her talents .
There aren't not that many female directors around and Penny Marshall is one of the few who scored some hits with her movies in the eighties ("She's having a baby", "The hard way") and of course "Jumpin' Jack Flash", one of those delicious comedies from the eighties that aren't dated, and that aren't silly.
Absolutely do not to try to understand the plot, there isn't one and if there should be some it has no meaning...it's just a CIA-agent who runs for the KGB, that's all but that's not the reason why you should watch this, it's just to see a fine comedy that stands for 90 minutes of entertainment..
I don't think there are any spoilers in revealing that Whoopi plays a computer genius who is contacted by a guy who needs her help (since it says so on the back of the DVD!).
And it's good to see Carol Kane and Stephen Collins, who both look about 12.There are some fabulous continuity errors as well for anyone looking for them - in the scene in the police station, not only does the blanket Whoopi's wearing change places from scene to scene, so does her collar.If you want a fun film that won't stretch your brain, this is well worth a look.
Ingmar Bergman it isn't, but it's a nice feel good movie for those times when you just want to sit down and turn your brain off it's great.
If you like Whoopie, you'll love this movie, full of fun and action.
Throughout she remains in contact with this unknown person, who needs Terry to help save his life.This is easily my favorite Whoopi Goldberg film, it has the best story that is very interesting and very well told by director Penny Marshall.
Whoopi Goldberg saves the day in this comedy, that is not brilliant (I've seen hundreds of better movies) but it pleases anyway.
Like they did with Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy before her, Hollywood took the broad outline of Whoopi Goldberg's stand-up persona and tried to craft a movie around it.
I do, so I'm not troubled that so much of the focus is on just one person for so long.There's the usual 80's stock plot about spies and secret dealings, but really that's just a front to see if Goldberg can establish a wacky character and manage to keep the audience interested in following her journey until the end of the film.
A good thriller, though, with interesting twists.If her language, and Goldberg's overall attitude, is not your liking, then pass this film up (and not all, but many others of hers) because this is typical of her humor and her profane mouth.
If only for the dress shredding scene, this has enough laughs to keep the plot spinning as WHOOPI GOLDBERG gets deeper and deeper into deep you know what trying to help some guy in Russia do his spy thing.It's all impossible, shows the technological gap existing between then and now with old computers, and all the while has Whoopi cutting loose as only she can.
The scene at the Embassy ball and the telephone scene with her being dragged through the city streets, are just two of the highlights in this comedy directed by Penny Marshall.STEPHEN COLLINS is totally wasted as the office worker replacement who lends some mild mannered assistance, as are JAMES BELUSHI and JONATHAN PRYCE in small parts, but since the film depends heavily on Whoopi for all the laughs, it doesn't matter much.
Here she plays Teri, DoLittle, a bank teller, who one day, starts receiving mysterious pleas for help from a British Intelligence going by the name Jumpin' Jack Flash, and asks her to help him get back home.This film was made in 1986, and a lot of the props, scenery, costumes and words are a bit old (particularly Teri's brightly-coloured shoes) and the computers have very little to them.However, what the film lacks in what is cool nowadays, it more than makes up for in comedy!
And mixed with elements of thrillers, mysteries and dramas, it all comes together nicely in this wicked film.There are a heap of favourite scenes - the tape deciphering one, the singing act, the police station scene and the truth serum part were so funny, I still laugh at it - and I've seen this film at least 30 times!!There are so many funny lines, I just had to put some in:"There's a dead man floatin' around in the river!...
Typical Goldberg fare in which she plays a banker who communicates with a "Secret Agent" with the code name Jumpin' Jack Flash while being pursued by a group of spies.
I had seen this movie at the supermarket and i was thinking of buying it, so i came home and asked my mum had seen it and she said yes and also said it was a good film i then bought a week later and had real good laugh.This has become one of my favourite comedy movies i watched it for days.
Whoopi Goldberg gives a hilarious and compelling, Goldberg plays a conspicuous computer operator at a bank she tries to blend in, although she is the type of character who cannot.The 1986 comedy which was Whoopi Golberg's claim to fame is about A computer operator at a bank is plunged into an exciting world of international intrigue, danger, surprise, fun and romance, when her terminal gets an S.O.S. from "Jumpin' Jack Flash," a British spy stranded in Eastern Europe.
Jon Lovitz and Jim Belushi co-star in this suspenseful, fast-paced and murderously funny comedy.Goldberg pulls off this character of a person who cannot find romance or a great deal of friends, but soon she will find romance and many more friends just as much as she finds danger and pleasure in this deep comical movie with a orthodox happy endingIt's not necessarily a fast paced murder blood and guts movie it is a fast paced movie of comedy, fun and thrill, i must say this film may not fit for everybody, but in my opinion i think it hasn't yet lost it's funniness and great story line an 8/10 an EXCELLENT film..
Whoopi Goldberg is contacted over a computer and finds herself helping a British spy in this comic action thriller that if it were a better film could have been a modern day "North by Northwest" or even a fun contemporary like "The Man with One Red Shoe," but instead it's a dull story that's only made watchable by a talented cast.
That cast includes Jonathan Pryce, Jon Lovitz, Phil Hartman, Michael McKean, Jim Belushi, Paxton Whitehead, Tracey Ullman, Garry Marshall, Carol Kane (looking the most normal and most conventionally attractive I've ever seen her), Annie Potts, Roscoe Lee Browne, Jeroen Krabbé, Jamey Sheridan, Stephen Collins, and John Wood (you know, Falken from 'WarGames").
This is a fast-paced and to-the-point crime comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg as banker Terry Doolittle who communicates with clients electronically on her computer throughout the world.
The suspense builds as an espionage case is revealed to be involved and culprits are after Terry.Goldberg delivers her unique brand of humor (especially liked the scene where her cocktail dress got caught in the shredder) and her fast-talking and no-nonsense attitude.
Carol Kane plays Terry's sassy and high-pitched voice co-worker Cynthia, and Annie Potts plays the mysterious Liz Carlson, who seems to be the only person Terry can trust in the espionage case.It's a somewhat classic-style spy genre film, which I thought could have used a bit more action and suspense.
The pre-internet online communications in "Jumpin' Jack Flash" might be the main thing that interests you, but you should watch the movie for much more than that.
Having established herself as a serious actress in "The Color Purple", Whoopi Goldberg plays a sassy bank employee who inadvertently gets herself involved in international espionage.The funniest scenes are when Goldberg gets herself worked up into a frenzy and starts verbally tearing people a new one.
It's just a funny movie, and I suspect that they had a lot of fun filming it.
However, the thing that makes this movie truly horrible is the mistake made by the director and producers in thinking that Whoopi Goldberg can be funny.
This movie did not get a single laugh out of me, and I'm still wondering whether the movie was even supposed to be funny.Don't see "Jumpin' Jack Flash"..
Whoopi tries hard, and there are lots of other great actors with small parts in the movie, but the script lets everyone down.
This is a comedy that is rarely funny, and it was certainly a mediocre way for Penny Marshall to start her film directing career..
Whoopi Goldberg was OK in "Ghost" (filmed years later) but here she begins to wear her at-the-time comedy routine very dry.Whoopi is a computer programmer who stumbles onto a very weak plot.
We'd also probably hang out at lunchtime together as well, because I just know we'd be good friends.In homage to this film I have decided to call my first-born child Whoopi after the talented Ms Goldberg.
Watching Jumping Jack Flash reminds me dearly about the eighties, and really this is the oldest film I've Whoopi Goldberg in other than Sister Act. I have to admit that I myself fit right along with Whoopi's character-Terry Dolittle.
I enjoyed this film when it was first released so on seeing the DVD in a charity shop it was an easy decision to part with a few coins, however age has not been kind to this movie.The sleeve describes the film as a suspenseful, fast-paced and murderously funny comedy.
The acting is wooden by all the players and particularly by Whoopi Goldberg.If you enjoyed this film first time round, keep it as a happy memory, don't revisit or like me you will be sorely disappointed and wonder why you wasted an evening..
Whoopi's character Terri Doolittle is a "talk to yourself" kind of person but that doesn't mean she's mental, it gives the film humour and outrageous behaviour when it comes to her stunts and assignments she needs to do, in order to save a British Intelligence agent who calls himself "Jumpin' Jack Flash".
Good one time watch movie with mix of comedy,action and mystery.
Poorly scripted film where heroine Whoopi Goldberg works diligently on her computer at a bank only to get involved with spies when her computer connects with them.Carol Kane is totally wasted in a small role as an office worker.
Single Terry Doolittle (Whoopi Goldberg) works for a Manhattan bank transferring money through a computer.
So it's unsurprising to find that Jumpin' Jack Flash is a bit muddled, not fully formed as it were.Plot finds Whoopi Goldberg as a computer programmer thrust into a world of espionage when a plea for help appears on her monitor.
It also feels like years since I last watched it and having spotted it on my Better Half's DVD collection, it also felt like the time was right to reacquaint myself with Whoopi Goldberg's electrifying comic debut.
Plus, I'd just worked a long night shift and was in the mood for something undemanding and this fit the bill perfectly.Whoopi plays Terry Dolittle, a computer worker in a New York bank who communicates with clients across the world.
Terry quickly finds herself up to her neck in international espionage and murky meetings at midnight in an effort to get Jack back, despite the efforts of the British Embassay and slimy diplomat Jeremy Talbott (John Wood).It's fair to be said that despite the obviously dated storyline and setting, Whoopi carries this film.
Only Whoopi develops a head of steam and is easily the best thing in "Jumpin' Jack Flash".In summary, this is a disappointing waste of a timeless lead performance from one of America's most under-rated comic performers.
It is Whoopi Goldberg's first comedy..and she does a good job.
Its more than just a gas gas gas, Whoopi Goldberg gives out, I think, one of her funniest roles of her carrer, in this Penny Marshall film ( her directorial debut as well).
This is a comedy, folks, not "Gone With the Wind." As far as that goes, I think Whoopie's character in this film is more believable than any character played by Robin Williams in any movie.
It's not quite as great as Jumpin' Jack Flash, but it IS very funny.).
Let's see: Penny Marshall directs, Whoopi Goldberg debuts, there's SNL cast members, Tracey Ullman, Michael McKean....Sounds like a comedy.And it is, for the most part.
Well, that's Whoopi for you.Eight stars.Watch "Jumpin' Jack Flash" - it's a gas, gas, gas!.
When Whoopi Goldberg was making her comedies in the 80's, she was very good at it too.
Burglar was a funny film and so is Jumping Jack Flash.
Its nowhere near as bad as Theodore Rex. Now that was a turkey!After making her debut in The Colour Purple, Jumping Jack Flash was Whoopi Goldberg's first proper starring role, and a chance to flex her muscles as an actress.
All the while the situation gets more and more murkier, things go from one dangerous extreme to the next, and Terry and Jack's lives are both endangered.Although a lot of people have an astonishing hatred of this film, I can't say the same.
Whoopi Goldberg hits a lot of the right notes, and its also a film that was ahead of its time in addressing the E-Mail system.So give Jumping Jack Flash a chance.
If not for the film, than at least for the scene where Terry goes through the song for Jack's code-key.
***1/2 out of *****Plot:- Whoopi plays Bank Worker Terry Dolittle who while working on her (very dated-It is 1986!) Computer, gets a coded message from an unknown Source, after Decoding the Message, she starts chatting to a man called Jack (Johnathan Pryce) who turns out to be a British Intelligence Spy whose in great danger,Terry tries to help her new friend out - but by doing so puts her own life in danger and bad guy Jeremy Talbot (John Wood) is on her tail.Will Terry Survive?
This film, starring Whoopi Goldberg, is an absolute HOOT.
The whole spy plot, along with Goldberg's many quotables, plus a great supporting cast including Annie Potts, Stephen Collins, and John Wood, as well as many bit parts/cameos by the likes of Jim Belushi, Jon Lovitz, Jeroen Krabbe, Phil Hartman, Carole Kane, Michael McKean, Garry Marshall, Jonathan Hyde and Traci Ullmann, makes this film fun, and it never fails to get me laughing!
I'd say that Jack and Terri probably stayed good friends for a long time, if not for life.
Basically Goldberg is Terry Dolittle who works in a bank, and one day she receives a message from someone called Jumpin' Jack Flash, and as she gets to know him she discovers he is a spy working for the British Secret Service.
But, of course, this is the movies, and where would the fun be in that...Terry Doolittle (Whoopi Goldberg) is an energetic woman who has a boring job at a bank.
And then one day, she gets a message on her computer from someone who only identifies himself as Jumping Jack Flash (Jonathan Pryce, only seen at the tale end of the movie). |
tt0318649 | Sahara | The film begins with a prologue set in Richmond, Virginia in 1865, showing the ironclad CSS Texas, carrying the last of the Confederacys treasury, as Captain Adrian Tombs (Robert Cavanah) tries to run a Union blockade.The film then moves to the present day, circa 1990s, where World Health Organization doctors Eva Rojas (Penélope Cruz) and Frank Hopper (Glynn Turman) are investigating a disease that is spreading across Mali, Africa. Assassins attempt to murder Eva, but she is rescued by Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey), from National Underwater and Marine Agency, who was working nearby.Dirk gets a call from a dealer in Nigeria. He sells Dirk a gold Confederate States of America coin, one of supposedly only five in existence, which was found in the Niger River. Dirk believes that this is a clue to the long-lost Texas. He convinces his boss, James Sandecker (William H. Macy), to let him, Al Giordino (Steve Zahn), and Rudi Gunn (Rainn Wilson), from NUMA, go to Mali to search. They give Eva and Hopper a ride, so that they can continue their investigation, for the WHO.Businessman Yves Massarde (Lambert Wilson) and dictator General Kazim (Lennie James), who controls half of civil-war torn Mali, try to stop the doctors from discovering the source of "plague". Kazim sends men to kill them and the NUMA team, not realizing their CIA and Navy background. Dirk, Al and Rudi survive the attack. Rudi tries to get out of the country to get help while Dirk and Al go to rescue the doctors. They save Eva, and then the three try to get across the border, but are captured by Tuareg, who are fighting the civil war. The Tuaregs leader, Madibo, shows Eva his people, who are dying. After taking samples, Eva finds that the water is contaminated.By accident, Al stumbles into a cave with a painting showing the ironclad Texas. Dirk believes that the Texas became stranded when the river water dried up after a storm and that the same river that carried the Texas now runs underground, spreading the contamination. They start to follow the dry river bed and work their way to the border. Dirk still hopes to find the ironclad along the way. Their plans are interrupted when they stumble upon the solar detoxification plant owned by Massarde, and realize that it is the source of the contamination. Rudi and Sandecker analyze their samples and find that the contamination is heading down the Niger River to the ocean, but they can't get any government help to intervene during a civil war in a sovereign country.Massarde captures Dirk and the others. He keeps Eva but sends Dirk and Al to Kazim. They escape and contact Sandecker, who warns them that Kazim and his troops are after them. Dirk and Al enlist Madibos aid to return to the plant and rescue Eva. He helps them infiltrate the plant and rescue his people who are working there as slaves. Rather than risk discovery, Massarde plans to destroy the plant, making it almost impossible to stop the contamination. Al goes to defuse the bombs while Dirk tries to head off Massarde and save Eva. Massarde escapes. Dirk, Eva, and Al get away from the plant, but are strafed by Kazim in a helicopter gunship. A series of explosions along the dry river bed reveals the Texas, right where the cave painting showed it to be. They take cover inside but Kazims ammunition is too much for the old ironclad's armor. They manage to fight back with the old cannon and destroy Kazim's gunship, just as Madibo arrives with Tuareg reinforcements.In the end the contamination is dealt with, and Sandecker is offered a deal to do some covert work, while the government serendipitously funds NUMA, which he accepts, tentatively. Massarde, busy eating with a businessman, does not notice that the waiter who serves him water (which he drinks) served only him and disappeared with the rest of the bottle. The Texas gold, which belongs to the CSA - Confederate States of America, is left with Madibos people. Later, while Al, Rudi, Sandecker are busy, Dirk and Eva are at the beach at her house on the bay in Monterey. | comedy, humor, action, boring, flashback | train | imdb | I also found it refreshing for the sidekick to look like a doofus, but actually more than hold his own during crunch time.I can only assume the negative reactions are from fans of the book (I have never read any Clive Custler, so it may well depart from it in tone or otherwise.) But judged solely on its merits as a light-hearted adventure movie, it more than met my expectations..
It's not great at the field, but at least it has its heart on it.Its tag line states "Adventure has a new name", it's without question or doubt that Dirk Pitt, Cussler's brainchild hero played here by Matthew McConaughey, will be a new James Bond or Indiana Jones.
If characters in adventure movies could be quite as interesting as those featured in the INDIANA JONES series, couldn't we deserve to get the same on other entries in the genre, including knock-offs.Still, what you've come to expect from SAHARA are here anyway.
The implausible plot involves the quest for a lost Ironclad in the middle of the Sahara desert (!) by the dashing Dirk Pitt (McConaughey), his sidekick Al (Steve Zahn) and a daring Dr. Eva Rojas (Penelope Cruz), who trek through the blazing desert landscape with camels, vans, boats, you name it.
Even if this genre, which includes films like NATIONAL TREASURE, will never live up to its superior INDIANA JONES ancestors, they will still nonetheless offer the action and adventure it promises.
Admittedly Zahn has fallen into a role of the crazy side-kick, but in this film I think he finally finds the balance of kooky and serious in the way a action movie "buddy" should..
The film follows our hero ex-marine treasure hunter Dirk Pitt and his friends through Africa as they uncover evil plots, fight bad guys, and search for treasure.
The ending is just about as slam-bang as you'd expect, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.Dirk Pitt is played by Matthew McConaughey, who happened to speak before the movie was shown.
Apparently he'd been involved in the movie as more than just an actor he is one of the executive producers, a role he takes seriously (he said he'd had the opportunity to produce other films but turned them down, not wanting to get involved in something unless he was really going to commit to actually working on it).
The film starts in the Richmond battle (1865) where a war ship is disappeared and is gone during modern time in that an archaeologists(Matthew McConaughey,Steve Zhan and William H.Macy) are looking for treasures on Africa.
Now I admit that most things are quite shallow, but if you mix all of the above mentioned ingredients with a decent story, good action sequences and throw in the fact that there isn't one nanosecond of corniness in this movie, you inevitably end up with a crowd pleasing blockbuster.7,25 out of 10.
There's an edge, an extra quality of "can do" that helps carry the improbabilities of the plot nicely.If you liked /Raiders of the Lost Ark/ or /Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade/, you should go see this picture.Some violence, mostly of the shoot-'em up variety, often more implied than "in your face" (and that's a good thing).
It had been a good six years since I had read the corresponding book, but I still remembered it somewhat.Matthew McConaughey is one of my favorite actors, but honestly I had never thought he would work as the beloved Dirk Pitt.
Steve Zahn certainly has a kind of chemistry that worked well with Matthew McConaughey, and he certainly could steal the show for the right viewer, but I find his performance and his entire presence in the movie a distraction, and an insult to Al Giordino's true character.Raine Wilson as Rudi Gunn was passable, but not really that much like Rudi.
I also hope if the movies continue, they will show the N.U.M.A. headquarters, and Sandecker's commanding role at the facility.Since Penelope Cruz is not one of my personal favorite actresses, I was not excited at her being cast opposite Matthew McConaughey as Eva Rohas.
I gave a rating a little less than perfect because of the presence of Steve Zahn, Raine Wilson not quite up to par, and the fact that much of the story was changed from the book...too much, in my opinion.All in all a very enjoyable film, and I do look forward to the next installments of the series, if they ever manage to make it to production..
Matthew McConaughey has developed into one of the bigger action/adventure stars over the last decade and its with films like Sahara that he's gotten that reputation.
If u enjoyed the indiana jones movies u will enjoy this one, no it doesn't have a deep and moving plot, no it doesn't have intense character development, no it's not a boring arty farty film where u feel like slitting your wrists to escape the boredom of the two hour 'action shot' of some guy adjusting his umbrella.
I've read some ppl commenting that the disease in the film should have been AIDS instead of the toxic water thing, but action movies are not much fun when they involve ppl driving through informal settlements throwing condoms at the residents.
And what a perfect Pitt, Matthew McConaughey makes.I was a little concerned about Zahn as Al Giordino (always my favorite character) but he was pretty terrific too.Right from the opening scenes this movie was an adventure and the music chosen, complemented it beautifully.
I really got a 'feel' for Africa by the use of genuine African music too - traditional and contemporary played......apart from the African music, it didn't hurt that a lot of my other favorite songs were played either.As far as the book was concerned - I felt the movie kept to the book as faithfully as the time constraints of movie making allows - I was sorry the Kitty Mannock scenes couldn't be used though, but agree it would've slowed the movie down.Not since Raiders of the Lost Ark have I felt so completely engrossed in an adventure movie from the opening scenes to the roll of the credits.Can't wait for Mr McConaughey to reprise his Dirk Pitt roll in the next adventure .....(hint hint) For pure escapism in the best sense this is a 10 out of 10 movie, and with no bad language or really graphic violence, it's one for the whole family..
Sahara was a pretty good action movie in the same mold as Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider & National Treasure.
They need a ride and manage to get on board with Dirk and Al, but by doing so, they get the attention of an African dictator, who wants to stop them before they get too close.There are quite a few action scenes and for what it was, I was entertained throughout the movie.
I must confess that I have never heard of Dirk Pitt before seeing this movie and am therefore unable to make comparisons to the book.However I would certainly get Sahara on DVD and recommend anyone who hasn't seen it to do so.Its a terrific action movie which for once doesn't belittle female viewers.Penny Cruz is resourceful and brave as the Doctor trying to track down a plague in Africa and doesn't just stand around waiting to be rescued.What a refreshing change for Hollywood!Matthew McConaughey makes a sexy and charismatic action hero and has a great foil in Steve Zann as his wisecracking sidekick.There are some fantastic and original action pieces,great locations ( the Solar Plant looks amazing!
I really enjoyed this movie.Its an old fashioned blend of swashbuckling adventure in which men are men and women are chicks.Obviously different to the book that inspired it SAHARA is humorous and action packed.Matthew McConaughey- not normally an actor I have the slightest faith in-is surprisingly effective as the treasure seeking rogue with an eye for the ladies.Steve Zahn is a fine foil as sidekick Al Giordano ( admittedly completely miscast if you want the character from the novels, but he has a strong chemistry with McConaughey that really works on screen).William H Macy is a decent Sandecker.Only poor Penelope Cruz is underused as Dr Eva Rojas..although thankfully she is given practical wardrobe rather than the usual miniscule tat action heroines wear.The action sequences are diverting, the score is memorable but the main thing about this production is the wonderfully evocative cinematography.It seems there has been a hate campaign against this movie- no doubt from fans of Cussler's work.I liked the books too but they were at least as full as silliness and illogical plotting as the movie.Trust me.This is worth a watch..
I'm not a huge fan of Matthew McConnaughy to be honest, but he was very good as Dirk Pitt, the leader of the expedition looking for the ironclad, and he was complemented very nicely by Steve Zahn as his sidekick Al. The two shared some witty dialogue and both were well partnered with Penelope Cruz as the doctor from the World Health Organization who's investigating the plague and, in a somewhat lesser role, by Rainn Wilson as Rudi, a fellow adventurer.
Macy as Dirk's boss.It's what you'd expect in such a movie in terms of adventure and action, but the intrigue in the storyline and good performances raise it up a notch or two.
Sad to say, but Eisner makes this movie move along, and the plot is a good one (Clive Cussler likely deserves most credit on this).
Thankfully, this breakneck African adventure is built of much headier stuff.Matthew McConaughey's Pitt is a cross between Indiana Jones, James Bond and The Dude in 'The Big Lebowski', here embarking on a search for an American Civil War battleship in the Sahara desert and, along the way, uncovering the source of a mysterious plague that is decimating the locals.The film mixes exactly the perfect amount of action and comedy, most of the jokes coming from Pitt's sidekick Al Giordino (Steve Zahn), who is a welcome change from the usual suspect Seann William Scott..
Then you sprinkle the movie with the irrepressible Matthew McConaughey, the smoldering and incredibly sexy Penélope Cruz, and the always entertaining Steve Zahn and you've the makings of something that could turn out quite well.
In fact, to their credit, some changes from the book actually do a better job of tying the historical backdrop to the contemporary story, and another edit makes somewhat more palatable the deus ex machina that saves Dirk and Al in the desert (the excised footage is included in the DVD's deleted scenes).The casting isn't bad, although Al Giordino is described in the Cussler novels as being more like Monk from the Doc Savage pulps than any run-of-the-mill actor.
i didn't mind this movie.it's pretty lite fare,but enjoyable.the movie is based on a novel by Clive Cussler and centers around thrill seeking adventurer Dirk Pitt(Matthew McConaughey)and his travelling companion(Steve Zahn).the duo find themselves in over their heads and trying to avoid being killed by enemies they have made on their latest treasure hunt.they end up teaming with a humanitarian aid doctor,played by Penelope cruse.McConaughey and Zahn make a good pair,and work well off each other.they each have some funny lines.cruse was OK,though i am not a fan of hers.the movie is fast paced and has some thrills.it's funny at times,but it is also unrealistic to the point of absurdity.my eyes got a workout from rolling back in my head so much.also the movie feels incomplete somehow.there was great potential and i think they could have made a great movie.nevertheless,for mindless entertainment,you could do worse.for me,Sahara is a 6/10.
You can neither call it a comedy or a romantic movie but both has their share in Sahara.McConaughey or Zahn are not great, but you don't expect them to be in this action packed movie.
Adapapted from one of Clive Cussler's popular Dirk Pitt series of novels, this very much Holywoodised adaptation is glossy, well photographed and very slick.Whilst most entertainment these days can be enjoyed by leaving your brain at the door on the way in, for this, it would be wise not to bring you brain anywhere near the door in the first place as the plot leaves a lot to be desired with holes the size of battleship in it.The original plot line about the highly unlikely story (or plot device, take your pick) of the lost Civil War Ironclad battleship winding up on the wrong side of the Atlantic in the middle of a desert is seemingly forgotten for the middle two thirds of the film until an urgent requirement for something with armour plating and a convenient working cannon turns up.Whilst there are good laughs to be had and the casting of the criminally underused Willam H Macy as Admiral Sandecker is spot on, there are other problems, not the least of which is the civil war in Mali that seems to be lacking somewhat.
Clive Cussler fans (like me) should enjoy this as long as they remember that this is not one of Cussler's masterpiece novels and it is extremely hard to transfer novels such as his onto film.Keep and open mind as you stroll into the cinema and remember that you are about to experience a good old fashioned adventure story and not Citizen Kane.
Searching for what the locals call "The Ship of Death," a long lost Civil War battleship which protects a secret cargo, Pitt and his wisecracking sidekick (Steve Zahn) use their wits and clever heroics to help Doctor Eva Royas (Penélope Cruz) when they realize the ship may be linked to mysterious deaths in the same area.Based on the best-selling novel by Clive Cussler.This movie is certainly one of the most interesting movies of 2005.
I really enjoyed this movie.Its not intellectual but its not based on an intellectual book.The cast are good and Mcconaughey and Zahn have a real sense of rapport which makes up for ZXahn not resembling the character in the books.He also has a personality as does Rudi Gunn ( the books characters are cyphers who exist only to serve Pitt).Cinematography is excellent and the locations are well used.Music and original score are evocative and fun, the set pieces are excellent and unlike recent entries in the Bond franchise this retains its sense of fun.Excellent..I recommend this.
Really good Action/Adventure movie, just a bad release date..
I really liked the plot of the movie, it did seem a little like Indiana Jones and National Treasure, but all Action/Adventure movies tend to follow a lot of the same lines.
Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn made a great team and I hope to see them do another movie together, and Penélope Cruz is an amazing actress.
I love those movies, well the first three anyway(fourth was mediocre) but to me while Sahara does have that vibe and like the Indy movies are adventure/action films they are all different and recommendable films in their own way.Sahara mayn't be perfect, while the script is mostly witty and the story exciting and engaging, there can be some disbelief in the dialogue and the film meanders at the end both in credibility and pacing.However, Sahara is visually stunning.
I thought the acting was fine on the most part, Matthew McConaughey has just the right charisma for the role, and Penelope Cruz is beautiful and suitably foxy.Steve Zahn has some great humorous lines and scenes and thankfully doesn't grate, William H.
This is pretty good action/adventure/comedy that is similar to the likes of Indiana Jones and National Treasure.
This is true - some of the scenes are flat out stupid if you scrutinise them, but if that's what you want to do, what are doing watching an action flick with Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn as the lead roles?
The chemistry between the main actors is great and the film moves from action scene to comedy scene to action scene with a kind of happy-go-lucky indifference to things such as realism that you can't help but get swept along for the ride.I enjoyed this movie from start to finish and would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a bit of mindless entertainment.
But i still have my memories from when i first read his books and i remember "Sahara" being one of the more outrageous and entertaining.Dirk Pitt is played by Matthew McConaughey who is of course completely wrong for the role judged by the book, as is Steve Zahn as Gilardino.
And finally, while it is not the focus of the movie, no action flick can be perfect without humor and/or a comic sidekick - this movie has both, and uses them to good effect.It's worth a watch, if you're interested in this type of film.
I would suggest Sahara to anyone looking for a fun movie that will take them on a action-packed adventure with a few good laughs along the way..
Matthew McConaughey & Penelope Cruz acted great in the movie.
The story is about two treasure hunters, former mariners and great friends, Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) and Al Giordino (Steve Zahn), which go to Lagos seeking for a battleship from the American Civil that might be in Africa.
Steve Zahn gives the best funny moments, but something is missing in Matthew McConaughey to be an action hero like, for example, Harrison Ford and his Indiana Jones.
The film follows Dirk Pitt (Matthew McConaughey) and his buddy Al Giordino (Steve Zahn) on a wild treasure hunt to find a lost Civil War Ironclad Battleship buried in Africa.
Macy, Delroy Lindo, and Lambert Wilson, SAHARA succeeds in pulling off an interesting caper film.Not having read the apparently sacrosanct novel by Clive Cussler upon which the film is based, this 2 hour plus film seemed to putt along without any great shakes, without much in the way of character development, without any hint of screen chemistry between Cruz and McConaughey, but with the surprise pleasure of watching Steve Zahn steal the scenes with his comic talent. |
tt1441395 | Under the Skin | In the opening shot, there is a tiny ball of light, which turns into a bright circular flash, slowly coming into view with a circular object. Amidst the ominous tone that plays, we hear a woman's voice making sounds, trying to get her speech down to being perfect (down to a Scottish accent). We see what appears to be a black liquid circular pool. The light and the circular object come together to form an eye - a mysterious woman's eye.A shot of a long curving road among the mountains of Scotland with a single headlight appears. The view changes and we see it is an unknown man on a motorcycle.The man rides his motorcycle to a tunnel where he stops. He gets off the bike and walks off the road into a ditch, appearing a moment later carrying a young woman's body. We assume he knew the body was there because he goes directly to it, so he either knows how she died or was involved in killing her. He throws the body into the back of a white van.Next, we see the woman's dead body being unceremoniously undressed by another naked young woman in a completely white, brightly lit room. This scene contrasts with the scenes of dark/black rooms we will see later in the movie. After the woman is dressed, she stands over the body and stares at it. The camera focuses on the now nude woman's body and we see a tear fall from her eye. (We are not sure at this point if she was indeed dead, and the tear was simply a reflex, or if she is perhaps in some catatonic state.) The name and identity of this woman remains unknown throughout the film, but due to the tear falling, and due to the motorcycle man knowing exactly where the body was, she may have been in some sort of comatose state and aware of what was going on. The woman who took the clothing bends down over the body and seems to inspect something she picked up from the body. It appears to be an ant that was crawling on the dead/comatose woman's body.The next scene opens with a cloudy sky and mysterious lights above a tall skyscraper. This scene is supposed to indicate that it is an alien presence that the film is depicting, although this particular scene is so brief the significance of it is lost unless the viewer pays close attention.The mysterious female (at this point we are unclear if she is an alien, a succubus, or some sort of machine, but since the movie is based on a book that was written about an alien, the prevailing theory is that she is an alien) is then seen leaving a dirty rundown looking house. The white van is parked outside, and the motorcycle man is there as well. The relationship between the two is unclear at this point, although they seem connected (In the book, the male is the female alien's superior officer, and in the film we see hints of this relationship, although sparse and unexplained). These two, although seen together in a few scenes, and often in the same areas, do not communicate at all in the film, leaving us to assume they communicate telepathically or some other way. The man departs on his motorcycle, and the woman gets into the white van and begins to drive.The following scene opens with the mysterious young woman/alien in a crowded shopping mall. She seems to pick out several items of clothing including a faux fur coat and red lipstick. She then continues to drive in the white van around Glasgow, eyeing men as she drives past. She passes through several crowds of people before stopping on a less crowded street to approach a man who is alone, like any good predator would. She asks him for directions to the local M8 motorway and they converse. Several separate scenes repeat the same pattern- she seeks out lone men walking and asks for directions or some other banal topic. She asks basic questions of these men, such as their names, where they are from, and also more in depth questions that lead you to think her intentions might be more sinister. She asks questions such as if they are alone, if they have a family, if they are going anywhere, and also more personal questions, studying her prey, such as, "Why do you like to be alone?" She drives off when a subject appears to not fit her criteria - at one point, a siren from a police car sounds nearby, and she drives away. At another point, one of the men she is speaking to is called to from somewhere in the distance. She loses interest and drives off. When she is able to determine a candidate is adequate, she invites him into her van for a ride and begins another line of questions - "Do you have a girlfriend? Do you think I'm pretty?" Finally, she finds a man with a green and white scarf who fits her criteria, and we see them entering the run-down house. The surroundings fade to black, and as she looks at the man seductively over her shoulder, undressing, he follows, also undressing. Once the man is completely naked, as he approaches her, instead of getting closer, he suddenly sinks into the floor, as if it were made of liquid. The man appears not to notice, seeming to be hypnotized by the woman. Once he has fully disappeared, the mysterious alien/woman picks up her clothing and walks off camera.Some time passes, and we can assume the alien woman continues her preying on men, due to scenes of her in the van again driving around.The alien woman is at the beach, and we see her watching a solo male swimming in a wetsuit. When he comes ashore she begins her line of questions, what is he doing here, why is he in Scotland. The two are interrupted by the screams of a woman being pushed out to sea by huge waves, and a man in a heavy coat seems to be swimming after her. The man in the wetsuit rushes over to help, while the alien woman stands there watching, completely passive, as these events progress. The woman in the water is eventually lost to sight, but the man in the wetsuit manages to pull the man in the heavy coat, presumably the woman's husband, to shore, only to have the man rush back into the waters chasing after his wife, who has already been swept too far out. The man in the wetsuit, exhausted from his efforts, does not chase him, instead collapsing on the shore. We seem him move so we know he is alive. Finally, the alien woman springs into action, at first we think to help, but what she does instead is find a rock and bash the man in the wetsuit in the head, to ensure he is either unconscious or dead.The scene cuts to another part of the beach where she is dragging the body of the man in the wetsuit past a crying child. Since the man in the wetsuit was alone, we can assume the baby belonged to the man and the woman who were swept to sea. The alien woman is completely unfazed by the crying child, intent on her task of dragging the body. She eventually gets the body in the car, and we see the man on the motorcycle locate a tent on the beach which we can assume belonged to the man in the wetsuit. He appears to fold up the tent, and take it with him. We are reminded of the opening scene in which he had originally found a woman either dead or comatose, so we can assume either he or another alien made a victim of that woman, and he was sent to clean it up like he is doing now. We hear the child still crying, and it is now night - the motorcycle man walks toward the child as if to console him, or to pick him up, but stops a few feet away and bends to pick up an article of clothing that was left behind - as if the wetsuit man's body and taking all of his personal belongings are of significance, but the crying child is not. We also see the woman, back in the van, and hear crying again - she seems to notice the crying this time, but looks out her window to see she is back in the city, and the crying is from the vehicle next to her, where a child is in the back seat of a vehicle parked nearby. It is not the same child from the beach, but perhaps she was thinking about that child.The woman is next seen that evening in her white van in a parking lot. In the car on the other side of her is a group of rowdy men who seem to catcall her. She follows them around what seems like an abandoned building, and when she sees the man who called to her alone outside, she exits the van and starts to approach. As she nears the other side of the building, she suddenly sees a large crowd and realizes the man has gone into a club. A crowd of outgoing women intercept her as she turns to leave and insist she go into the club with them. The alien looks absolutely baffled by these woman and gets ushered into the club with the throng of women urging her to do so. As soon as she enters the club there is loud music, flashing lights, and people everywhere. The first door that she sees, the alien woman escapes into, but it is not a door that leads outside, instead it leads to some sort odd lounge area, where she is again approached by the man who called to her from the road. He insists that she let him buy her a drink, and we see them dancing in the club.The scene then cuts to the all-black room in the run-down house where the first man sank into the floor. The club guy is dancing, half-naked. We see the alien woman undressing and staring at the club guy seductively. As she walks backward, the club guy sinks into the floor, exactly like the first man, staring at her so intently he seems not to notice that he is sinking. After he is gone, the alien woman walks off, and the camera suddenly pans to the view from under the liquid floor- the man stares up at her as she walks away, unaware of his surroundings until she is out of sight. It isn't until she leaves that he seems to suddenly be aware of what is around him - nothing but blackness, he appears to be frozen somehow, not able to move and the sound seems deadened around him, but he is otherwise alive. Suddenly he looks up, and he sees the first man who was swallowed into the floor with him, floating before him, also in an apparent state of frozen preservation. The first man we saw sink into the floor seems older somehow, his skin twisting oddly on his frame, and he seems to be screaming or mouthing to the club guy, but there is no sound coming from his mouth. The two drift closer to each other - close enough to barely touch hands for a moment, and then the first guy starts drifting backwards with a pleading look of helplessness on his face. Suddenly a sharp snap noise punctuates the silence, and the first victim POPS like a balloon- his skin stretching out and then shrivelling up, just like a popped balloon would. The empty skin floats aimlessly in the black void, twisting like a plastic bag in the wind. The man from the club stares in shock as the empty skin of the first victim gruesomely floats away. We see what looks like a rivulet of blood and debris being funneled down a conveyor belt of some type, followed by disturbing musical tones, and then a bright piercing of reddish light engulfs the screen. We can interpret this as the woman somehow either devouring these men inside of her body (the black goo) where they are destroyed and their skins kept, or another interpretation centering from the novel is that they are in a state of stasis so they can be sent to the alien world to be devoured by the aliens, and the man's body popping was him being eaten and the blood on the conveyor belt going down the hatch showing that he was killed and his body used by them, and the bright light following this scene is supposed to be another sign of alien presence although again, it is so subtle to the point of being almost insignificant.We see the alien woman in the van the next day. There is a broadcast on the radio about a body that was found washed up on the beach, obviously drowned. The broadcast references that the man was supposedly at the beach with his wife and 18-month-old child. Obviously, this was the man and woman from the beach with their child. The alien woman seems to pay attention to the broadcast, but shows little emotion. Throughout the day, rather than staring at men, she pays more attention to women and children. But, eventually she does find a man, who tells her she is gorgeous, and that there is something about her eyes (hypnotic, perhaps). She barely seems as interested in him as she was previously with the males she abducted. They end up at the run-down house, and the two are seen entering, but the scene fades to black.The woman is then seen applying her lipstick in a different room - this room is dark and with a cobbled floor, not the same dark room where she seduces and traps the men. The motorcycle guy is there, and he paces around her angrily. It is obvious the two are communicating, albeit without words. Something she has done has caused the motorcycle man to be displeased, causing him to somehow question or lecture her actions. He stares into her eyes intently for a moment, and then abruptly turns away from her and leaves the room.The woman is walking down the street and is accidentally tripped and falls flat, face first onto the pavement where she lies still. It is almost as if she is shocked by this event. She lays there unmoving, and eventually a passersby pull her up, asking if she is okay and insisting on helping. She seems perturbed by these events and continues walking. She takes notice of the people around her who pass - not just the men, but women, children, elderly. It is as if she is noticing them for the first time - people smiling, laughing, going about their daily tasks. Almost as if she can see herself in them.Back in the van later that night, she watches as a single man crosses an empty street, but makes no move to approach him. A moment later, a younger man bangs on her window. He talks to her but he is muffled. He bangs harder and demands she roll down her window. Suddenly, more hoodlums show up and also bang on the windows, demanding she get out of the van. Could they possibly recognize her as the woman who picked up their friend from the club, or one of the other men she abducted? After all, she has been driving around for quite a while, approaching all the men she could find. She drives off and appears unfazed by the hoodlums.Later that night she finds a single man and uses her same "I am lost" conversation starter to approach him. (Adam Pearson). His face is disfigured due to a condition called neurofibromatosis. She picks him up and gives him a lift. She begins to ask him the typical questions, but does not seem to understand that the man is disfigured and odd-looking, and therefore outcast by society. The alien asks the man when he last touched someone, and if anyone has touched him. He is nervous and uncertain as she takes his hand and lets him caress her face. Perhaps she is thinking she can give this man something nobody else has- because of his disfigurement, he has not been with a woman, and because she is an alien, she does not have the same emotional disgust, fear or shock that other women project toward this man. She takes him into the run-down house and for the first time we see how truly dilapidated the structure is. In the all-black room we see a dark, shiny silhouette approach. The alien woman completely undresses, which is different as she usually stays partially clothed. She lures the disfigured man into the black liquid, but after he is submerged, we see a slender black skeleton on the screen before the scene cuts away to the woman walking down the stairs afterward, like she has done before after seducing her prey, only this time she pauses and gazes into a dirty mirror, staring into her own eyes, perhaps reflecting on what she has done. She stares for a long moment. Her gaze is pulled away by a fly tapping against the door, perhaps trapped like the man she just seduced.In the next scene, we see her leave the run-down house, with the deformed man alive, still naked, and seemingly still hypnotized, or not aware of what has transpired. She seems to let him free as he is seen walking naked through a field toward a town. It is dawn. The motorcyclist speeds into a housing estate, stopping by a bungalow. He strides up to a car in the driveway, smashes the driver's window and then reaches in to flick a button to open the boot. He then purposefully marches to the back garden where he meets the deformed man climbing through the fence. We do not see him kill or harm the deformed man, but we see from a distance him placing a body into the boot, all the time being watched by a neighbor from her window. As he drives off he looks at the woman, unconcerned.At this point, the film takes a different turn and focuses more on the alien woman's attempts to understand humanity, rather than hunting them as prey.Later that day, the alien woman is driving to a secluded beach. She has shed her faux fur coat. She stands in the fog at a lonely beach, perhaps taking it in, perhaps knowing she has done something wrong and unsure of what her next move should be. She hears singing in the background, and a bird chirping. We see her walking down a long abandoned dirt road in what looks like the middle of nowhere.The motorcycle man, meanwhile, stands by the mirror of the abandoned house, as if looking for some clue of what the alien woman might have been thinking.The alien woman has found a restaurant in the mountains. She watches the patrons eating, and is served a piece of delicious-looking chocolate cake. We see her carefully slice off a piece and take a bite, only to immediately spit it out. Any thought that she might still be human is gone at this point, as we realize that she cannot even do something like eat human food. She walks through the secluded mountain town as if she is going to leave, but a villager tells her the bus will be stopping soon, so she decides to wait at the bus stop. She seems uncomfortable, and that continues even after she gets on the bus. The bus driver questions her casually, as to why she is not wearing a coat, is she "feeling alright?" A man on the bus also questions her, concerned but also obviously interested in her. She gets off the bus with the passenger and together they go to the grocery store. She looks around at the items with confusion, as if she has never been in a store before. She is now wearing the man's jacket, and they go to his house. She takes notice of the people in the buildings around them as they walk. She watches TV with the man from the bus while he eats, her food remaining untouched. They listen to the radio, and she idly taps her fingers while music plays. The man brings her a cup of tea and bids her goodnight. She explores the room she is staying in, and inspects her naked body, carefully looking at her legs, toes and fingers.We see several men on motorcycles zooming down a road. They seem to go in different directions. They might be spreading out in search of the renegade alien woman.The next morning she goes for a walk with the man from the bus, and he lifts and carries her over a deep puddle. The motorcyclist stops over a busy overpass and looks in both directions, perhaps trying to sense where the alien woman has gone.Meanwhile, the nice treatment by the man from the bus causes her to exhibit more emotions. They are together in her room at his house and she turns to him as if to kiss him. He obliges, and they begin to undress. She seems unsure of what to do, which is funny considering how she had previously seduced so many men. She lets him take control, but before they can have intercourse, he seems to struggle while entering her. Sudden realization dawns on her, she grabs a light and gazes between her legs. It appears she has a human form that is not complete. She leaves the man's house, and we see her walking alone across a barren field surrounded by a vast forest. She is running, still wrapped in the coat she got from the man on the bus, and she is wet from rain. She may be running from shame or embarrassment after the incident with the guy from the bus, or she could be trying to evade the motorcycle men searching for her.She runs into a forest worker who begins talking to her about the forest, not getting any replies, and asking, "Are you on your own?" before wishing her well and leaving. Eventually, she comes across a stone-built hut for hikers in the woods. It continues to rain outside. She eyes a fireplace covered in black soot. Perhaps it reminds her of the dilapidated house with the black chamber where she would entrap men, or perhaps it simply reminds her that she is cold - something she rarely seemed to notice previously in the movie. She zips up her coat, huddles into a corner of the building and curls into a ball, falling asleep. Time passes and she awakens to find the forest worker in the cabin with her groping her. She snaps awake and runs from the cabin. She looks back but sees no one. She hides for a while until she realizes nobody is following and then she finds a logging truck, climbing into the driver's seat. She sees the forest worker approaching and honks the horn to alert anybody but, as nobody comes, she runs back into the forest with him in pursuit. He catches her and starts to violently rip off her clothes. She seems confused and scared, and in the struggle he not only rips her clothes but also her skin, to find she has another black skin underneath. He staggers away in shock and she gets up, slowly walks away and starts to peel off her human flesh from her head and upper body, kneels down and looks at her still-blinking human face, held in her lap. The forest worker sneaks up behind her, douses her in gasoline, and deploys a match. The alien, carrying her broken human flesh with her, stumbles away, but it is too late, the flames progress up her legs and we see her running across the hillside on fire. Not too far away, she collapses. We see the motorcycle man standing on a hilltop far above. It is unclear whether he sees the body burning, or if he suddenly lost any trace of the female alien and either knows she has come to harm or does not know what happened.In the final scene, we see the alien woman's form as nothing more than a pile of ash, the flames beginning to die down. The camera follows the smoke upwards as it drifts into the sky.The final shot is a prolonged view of snow falling from the sky. | dark, psychological, boring, atmospheric | train | imdb | Instead, they say things like "Not enough was explained." "This film had no plot." "The movie went nowhere." or "Nothing happened." At the risk of sounding smug, I will say that these people are looking for the wrong things in this movie, or any movie.
Movies can explain the plot, story, character motivations, and roles without having to have a character, or narrator explain it to you.I was one of those people that didn't "get" this film and gave it an extremely low rating of 1 star.
Some scenes (on the beach, the last passenger, the two guys) will stay with me forever.An amazing performance by Scarlett Johansson, who was given very little dialogue and had to act non-verbally for most of the running time.
If your expecting some Hollywood movie about a sexy alien killing lots of dull characters in a gory and sensationalised way (with lots of explosions thrown in), then you will be disappointed.
The ending was a little disappointing in my opinion but I still feel this film is classy, original and will make most people think!.
Really, it's not possible to make a so-so version?Sometimes people try to make moody, interesting, thought provoking, different kinds of movies and just don't do a great job.
The whole thing was very film school and didn't totally feel like the work of a mature director, but if you told me it was a student film or something a first timer made on credit cards I would have believed you and said "hey nice effort, keep at it".
But Jonathan Glazer's "Under The Skin" is art in the highest sense, like Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", or Vincent Van Gogh's "The Starry Night".The film requires you to watch in a different way than you normally watch films.
There are different KINDS of film, and to enjoy 'Under The Sin' you must tune your brain to a different wavelength and succumb to the pleasure of beauty, PURE beauty, 'the vast unknown' and an Alien perspective, unfettered by the banal conventions of everyday films."Under The Skin" is a absolutely unique movie experience.
If you like big, expensive sets, posing movie stars, and predictable, cosy entertainment, this film is not for you.
I never thought I'd be this riled up by one movie, but I am.The director took a story with an interesting premise and turned it into the most boring and nonsensical feature film.
As much as I respect the actors in this, I have no idea why such talented actors would look at this script and think "Hm, I think this is something that's going to boost my reputation!".As nice as it was to see Glasgow in it's glory, it seemed like over an hour of the film's screen time was awarded to things that didn't even matter nor effected the film in any way.
While I can try and look past the Scarlett Johansson oversaturation that we've endured the past year or two, which has had some delights with Her, her casting here is quite interesting as the alien intends to be a desirable woman, though I do have doubts about the claims that scenes were improvised with strangers.
I found myself looking at other people in the same detached way as the alien (Scarlett Johansson) in this film.We view the world from the perspective of the alien for the most part.
However, as this woman encounters more men, she will also realize and discover new things about herself.Despite the presence of a big name star Scarlett Johansson, this is not a mainstream film.
I think the film is trying to be sylish and artistic but fails into long over dragged out scenes that simply bore the viewer.
You can see this from the opening scene of the movie which continues throughout the whole movie, I found my head constantly thinking "Get on with it"Soo dragged out it spoils what could have been a very good story.My best comparison would be like a student made movie that had to be a certain duration so as the actual film was 30 minutes long the student went and extended scenes for no reason other that to make the film 1hr 42 minutes long (yep basically its like 1hr 12 mins of un-required dragged out silences and long camera shots of random people in the streets for no reason..I have given the 2 stars because Scarlett Johansson does play the part very well and her acting is all this movie has going for it.Overall a good concept may have been there but such poor execution makes this film like waiting for time to pass in such a boring way.
Under the Skin is just his third film, but director Jonathan Glazer is already being compared to filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick or David Lynch, something which seems simultaneously appropriate and a bit condescending.
However, I think the film is good enough to transcend comparisons; and Glazer's vision feels so deep and personal that it deserves to be evaluated on its own merits, and not on its (hypothetical) similarity to another director's work.
The film never backs away from its strangeness, therefore makes it totally interesting.The story doesn't bother building any appealing character development, nor typical pleasures from mainstream movies.
This is a very unlikely film to be seen for mainstream audiences, and if they're impatient enough to sit through a movie filled with visual ambiguity then it's best for them to just stay away.
Scarlett Johansson performance as the alien is a career changing move for the avengers star, her view on our modern human society reflected through the aliens eye is very well done as the camera follows her through shops, nightclubs and the rural surroundings of Scotland watching her every move.This style of filming is enhanced greatly with the use of hidden cameras used to film scenes of her picking up random strangers on the street.
The film also has some of the most surreal movie scenes i have watched in recent memory with the visual style of Kubrick and the atmospheric weirdness of David Lync still with its own creativity.
Every scene just captivated me especially the way he focused on small details - the wind flowing through the trees, the sound of rain on the shelter's roof in the forest, the snow falling in the last scene, the darkness of night with subtle lighting for her face as she was driving...Just brilliant.The ONLY thing I did not like about this film is that Johansen's character was very good at interacting with humans.
I don't think most people would appreciate these small details and would look at the film broadly...that there is no "dialogue" or "plot" or "action." Most movies nowadays are so jam packed with fast action/crappy dialogue I think it has spoiled the appreciation for independent films like this.
It's like a French film, with absolutely no plot, then just at the end when you're starting to get really bored and wondering why you bothered, nothing happens!
( apologies if I have offended any gnats ) However , if you are prepared to ignore and forget all the negative reviews and if you are prepared to immerse yourself in this deep and provoking story and go along for the ride, I am sure you will come out the other side with a feeling of rich reward having witnessed one of the best movies of the year and a masterclass in understated acting from Scarlet Johansson, she literally eats, lives and breathes this movie from start to conclusion, there is a whole lot of story in this picture but its not handed to you on a plate and that's exactly how I like it, indeed, most people seem to have missed the twist in the tale which begins roughly halfway through when the main character meets a facially challenged person on his way to Tescos , sounds ridiculous I know but I cannot say more without spoilers.
I get that this movie wasn't about plot, characters, or script but instead about being an film version of art.
It took the exact same plot as a million other sci-fi films took away the special effects and the acting and left the viewer with a boring piece of garbage.I kept waiting for something even remotely interesting, but it never happened.
More concerned with mood and atmosphere than conventional storytelling, "Skin" excises superfluous (or, for that matter, most if not all) exposition and dialogue, as director Glazer is more intent on visualizing the story rather than merely telling it explicitly, passing the complexity of his tale to the audience to piece together.Scarlett Johansson stares as an unnamed stranger in Scotland who utilizes her sensuality to lead dirty-minded young men to their doom.
Blinded by lust or simply their own naivete, the victims swiftly begin to tally up, though their exact fates are unclear (as is apt with the rest of the narrative.) Beautifully shot by cinematographer Daniel Landin and featuring a hauntingly beautiful score by Mica Levi, Glazer's "Under the Skin" is an abstract and disturbing film, deeply unsettling in many respects, and a rewarding experience for a patient audience..
I should have left after 15 minutes in, it was that bad.I have never saw a movie in my life where I wanted to get up and leave.I think the only reason why people went to watch it was probably to see Scarlett Johansson naked.Majority of the audience was was male and there were 2 people who got up and left not even halfway through the movie.Skip the movie!
If you like looking at someone riding a bike up and down roads and someone driving a van, next to no speaking and just gloomy shots of a rainy city, no story, no beginning or middle and an end that is just plonked on you that even then has an annoyingly tedious length of time before the titles role (that i couldn't wait for)', then you will love this.
I wonder how much this film traded on Scarlet Johansson's celebrity glamour rather than her acting skills as she seems like a passive observer, almost mute, apart from a few encounters with stranger pick-ups on the streets, where the recognisable husky voice and seductive tone reels another unsuspecting victim into her lair.There are some brilliant,stunning visual effects, making the film realise the the alien presence with the eye image from the spherical globe, to the birth of her human identity in the all-white space, where she dons the victim's clothes and identity.
The ending is both matter-of-fact and tragic.Glazer made it clear on this project of 9 years, he didn't want to make the novel, but make a film on what it means to feel human.
In a surprising turn of events the woman decides to go out of her routine and finds out that the actual human connections are far more complex.The movie made quite the hype before its release due to the reason that Scarlett appears in it and she is naked in some scenes.
I am more than surprised at Scarlett Johanssen agreeing to appear in this tripe and can only surmise that she had a gap in her schedule and was bored.If like me you have seen thousands of movies and are looking to see something different then just give this one a very wide berth.
I actually like Scarlett Johansson and could understand what she was saying, but I think this rubbish of a film was a complete waste of her talent.
wort movie i ever seen I just don't understand how a good actress like Scarlett Johansson accept this awful scenario this is the only movie where you don't need to understand English to be able to watch it because nobody speak a dame word.
Really awful movie from it looks like a retarded producer I can't imagine why they needed a star of Johansson's magnitude for this low-budget trash.
Very loosely based on Michel Faber's critically acclaimed novel of the same name, this stripped down (no pun intended) sci-fi, follows an alien who takes on the physical form of Scarlett Johansson, as she wanders the Scottish countryside, luring young men back to her home and
well I won't ruin it for those of you who haven't seen the movie yet.
But after a certain point, around the time Johansson's character begins to have her internal moral dilemma (the inciting incident) at the end of the second Act, the story crumbles under its own pacing, as the plot seems to have been stretched so thin that not even a visually stunning and emotionally powerful final sequence could sway me into recommending this film.Most of the imagery, which ranges from beautifully symbolic to hypnotizing-ly grotesque and unsettling, stems from Glazer once again proving his visual prowess.
Really, a little of this would've gone a long way, but apparently Director Jonathan Glazer enjoyed extended periods of watching his star at work.The extremely limited dialog is all vapid small talk exchanged in mumbles or chowder-thick Scottish accents, adequate to establish a mood and obviously not intended to convey any useful or interesting information, as this seems to be a cognition-free zone.Intermittently a mystery motorcycle guy careens buzzingly down a deserted highway for about 30 seconds, to no obvious purpose and without any visible connection to the rest of the story.Oh, the SF angle.
Artistic and consistently odd, this film is unlike anything I have seen before.Beautiful cinematography, a good performance by Scarlett Johansson, little else of merit and hardly any dialogue.
From what I have seen regarding critic and audience reviews of this film, Under the Skin is one of the most decisive movies of 2014.
I, like many of you, enjoy a movie that makes me think or allows me to draw my own conclusions as to what the writer or director intended regarding certain themes or plot points.
I, however, do not enjoy a movie that makes me think, "What the heck is going on here?" I don't need everything spelled out for me but a nudge in the right direction certainly would have helped.The story, if you could call it that, follows a mysterious woman(Scarlett Johansson) trolling the streets of Glasgow, Scotland looking for lonely, unattached men, seducing them with the promise of a sexual encounter.
Many reviews seem to base their ratings on assumptions that try and give sense to the movie, all of which come from everywhere except the film.
A movie needs to give you a bare minimum of things to know for you to base yourself on, but this film only leaves you with a billion questions you don't even care about, because there is no way to answer them.
Another thing is that most positive reviews, if not based on assumptions, seem to make up for the fact that no one has or will understand this movie for sure, because the weirdness of this film makes it seem "to smart to be comprehensible by the masses", which leads people to want to explain it in an effort to seem smarter, and justify watching an hour an fifty minutes of naked people.
Editing lets the story unfold at its own pace & is never in a hurry while Mica Levi's skin-crawling score ends up encapsulating the whole picture with a very creepy, haunting & surreal ambiance.As far as acting goes, it's Scarlett Johansson show all the way for the actress commands the screen unlike ever before and chips in with an unexpectedly impressive, audacious & intensely alluring performance.
Trying to make sense of the human world, getting to know people for a brief time & attempting to understand a human feeling, Johansson is able to express all that through her piercing gaze & subtle body language with effortless naturalness.On an overall scale, Under the Skin is too complex a film to be fully analyzed on the first watch but it nevertheless delivers a haunting, hypnotic & heartbreaking cinematic experience.
Going forward though I don't think I'm likely to miss his next film, these are fearless movies that take the audience along on an unexpected voyage like few others even try to do.
the only good thing in this movie are the short nude scenes, but this are just not enough to hold the film, since they are not very erotic and scarlet is not that attractive.
Scarlett Johannsson was very convincing and this movie kept me thinking about her character as well as about the whole film for days.
It repeats this scenario until she fails, so she starts wandering in different places, apparently searching for answers that don't come, obviously in the same boring and uneventful way.To be honest, just to find something good about this movie would be Scarlett Johansson and her lustful shapes, which are presented in detail.
Films like "Under the Skin" are the reason I love movies.
Johansson has proved that she is a great actress in films like "Lost in Translation", but "Under the Skin" proves that she is the greatest of our time.
The movie has very few dialogues; the story is essentially visual and poetic.The brilliant Scarlett Johansson does job of her role as Laura.
That is, if you like weird, creepy and completely inexplicable phenomena.As for Scarlett Johansson, well you'll get a fair look at her in a state of undress, although most of the sex scenes in this story are not like anything I have ever seen in a porn movie.
Seeing the current 6.6 rating for this movie compelled me to write a short review even though I do not feel I have the time to give the film justice.
but despite the long, boring, drawn-out nonsensical lack of plot line or excitement in the movie I kept watching figuring maybe something cool happens at the end.
There was only enough story and dialogue present in the movie for a 10- 15 min short film. |
tt0041886 | The Small Back Room | Sammy Rice (David Farrar) is a British scientist working with a specialist "back room" team in London during the Second World War. Rice is embittered because he feels military scientific research is being incompetently managed. He is also enduring unremitting pain from his artificial foot. The painkillers he has been prescribed are ineffective, and his use of alcohol as an analgesic has led to his alcoholism. His girlfriend Susan (Kathleen Byron) puts up with his self-pitying, self-destructive behavior as long as she can, but finally breaks up with him, telling him that he lacks the ambition to better himself.
Rice is brought in by Captain Stuart (Michael Gough) to help solve the problem of small booby-trapped explosive devices (mines) being dropped by Nazi bombers, which have killed four people, including three children. They receive some useful information from a critically wounded young soldier (Bryan Forbes in his debut). Two further mines are found at Chesil Beach: they look like common thermos flasks. Stuart is first on the scene but has difficulty getting Rice on the telephone in his flat because Rice is alone following his breakup, angry, drunk and destructive. Rice quickly sobers up, and travels to Chesil Beach only to find that Stuart tried to defuse one of the mines and has been blown up. Rice sets to work on the second mine after listening to the notes Stuart dictated to an ATS corporal (Renée Asherson) during his effort earlier in the day. He discovers that the mine has two booby traps, not one, and manages to defuse them both, after which the engineers steam-out the explosive charge, thereby rendering the mine safe, and intact and suitable for scientific examination, and development of countermeasures ("Rendering Mines Safe", actually a Royal Navy function at that time).
When Rice returns to London, his self-esteem somewhat restored by his success, he is offered an officer commission as of head of the Army's new scientific research unit. He accepts. Susan returns to him and they return to his flat to find Susan has repaired everything he damaged while drunk. | suspenseful | train | wikipedia | The film shines in its production values, photography, art direction, casting but most of all in its details and its capacity to involve the viewer in a subject that would seem almost repellent today, a complicated and imperfect man's devotion to his work in time of war.
Its success is helped by the talent of the principals, a wise woman every warrior would like to return to (Kathleen Byron) and the most gorgeous hunk of uncompromising masculinity ever to grace a British screen and titillate the female viewers, David Farrar..
This film is an interesting return to the general subject matter of Powell and Pressburger's black and white war films (49th Parallel, One of our Aircraft, etc..), but, made four years after the end of the war, it is a moody piece that focuses on a man disabled by the war.
As always, Powell's keen visual sense is paramount to the brilliance of the Archers' films, and the bomb-defusing scene on the beach makes great use of the setting in its compositions and editing.
Although it is not the best introduction to the work of Powell and Pressburger, this film is a keen testament to the capacity of their storytelling abilities in weaving a tale of a man who finds redemption through work and love.
Now possibly one of my favourite films of all time, the very good, simple underlying plot is overtaken by the principal characters, played by David Farrar and Kathleen Byron.
An excellent supporting cast, including Michael Gough, Jack Hawkins and Leslie Banks enables the viewer to pull the curtains on a rainy afternoon and to lose themselves in a world that is not quite the 1943 in which the film is set and in in some ways is much later than the 1949 in which it was made.
As I am sometimes less than kind in my comments of the Archers, it was a pleasure to rediscover the other day "The Small Back Room" , a film I had not seen since its original release.
Sammy Rice, the boffin of "The Small Back Room", is struggling with alcoholism and the mental as well as the physical pain of coping with an artificial foot when he is called upon to discover the way to dismantle one of several booby-trap explosive devices dropped by the Germans over Britain in 1943.
Although the part of Sammy calls for someone with a James Mason like authority, a much lesser actor, David Farrar, rises to the occasion particularly as he has the advantage of a large lumbering frame that conveys a certain physical awkwardness.
As his sympathetic ladyfriend, Susan, Kathleen Byron drops her "Black Narcissus" melodramatics to give the performance of her lifetime as the woman who really knows how to handle Sammy when he is at his lowest.
The filming has the intense chiaroscuro of monochrome at its best, Kathleen Byron is astonishingly beautiful (even more so than in Black Narcissus), and the undertones are dark and very modern.
The Small Back Room (AKA: Hour of Glory) is directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, with both adapting the screenplay from the Nigel Balchin novel.
It stars David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Jack Hawkins, Leslie Banks and Michael Gough.
Music is by Brian Easdale and cinematography by Christopher Challis.As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps across coastline England, Sammy Rice (Farrar) will be tasked with learning the secret to disarming the deadly devices.
But first he must beat his private battle with alcohol, his form of self medication due to the loss of one of his feet.The Archers produce what is in essence a tale of redemption, it's a superbly mounted drama dripping with realism and infused with atmospheric black and white photography.
It's hard to think of a better supporting-role performance from Jack Hawkins, and anything with Kathleen Byron in it always has to be watchable.I've only just read the novel of the same name, on which it's based (still in print and available, and strongly recommended by the way).
This film called THE SMALL BACK ROOM is constantly ignored for some reason , perhaps the fact it's in black and white might have a lot to do with it but is certainly of the best films in Powell's resume Perhaps this fact that it is shot in black and white works in its favour ?
David Farrar plays Sammy Rice a scientist working for the war office and finds himself besieged on all sides by marketing agents who want to win government contracts for new weapons even though these weapons are nowhere near as effective as the marketing men claim .
What the film does brilliantly is taking us in to the tortured psyche of Rice who knows fine well that this will cost the lives of young men who have to fight the war against Nazi Germany with these weapons In film noir the protagonist is portrayed as a flawed anti-hero and in the case of Rice he's flawed both physically and mentally .
The entire film benefits greatly from the cinematography of Christopher Challis that any director of film noir would kill for One other overlooked aspect to THE SMALL BACK ROOM that you would never get in an American movie is the " joint effort " portrayal of the allies .
Believe me you wouldn't get that in a 21st Century American film THE SMALL BACK ROOM remains one of the best films Powell made .
It was one of the best character studies that I've seen (from that era) in quite a long time.Set in 1943 (in war-torn London), this beautifully restored, b&w drama held my undivided attention from start to finish.Featuring a good cast (headlined by David Farrar) and impressive camera-work (there's lots of great close-ups), The Small Back Room's story concerns the professional and personal conflicts of Sam Rice, a troubled research scientist and bomb-disposal expert with a "tin leg" and a weakness for whiskey.This solid, intense (and somewhat depressing) story even contains a scene filmed at Stonehenge.
After the wild fantasies of Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, Matter of Life and Death (and to a lesser extent Canterbury Tales, Colonel Blimp, and Spy in Black) this was a quiet Archers film, but one I enjoyed very much.
David Farrar and Kathleen Byron are fine, well-cast, adequate - the supporting players (including Cyril Cusack and a youngish Sid James) are good, and the story, although slight, keeps the interest and is done rather well.
An interesting film, ahead of its time in its depiction of the relationship between Sam (Farrar), the alcoholic, embittered bomb disposal expert looking for a purpose, and Susan (Byron), the woman who bears much of the brunt of his despair.There are good dramatic scenes in this film, some comic such as the visit by a silly minister (Robert Morley in excellent form), the meeting where Sam goes against his dept.
and supports the Army's doubt about a key weapon, the hallucination scene (surreal & gripping) and Sam's final confrontation with his nemesis (the crafty Nazi booby-trap) on the beach.The film also includes Powell/Pressburger's characteristic send-up of British manners/society, such as buffonish Ministers, slightly creepy/ambitious Civil Service men, and gruff soldiers.Well-acted and filled with many good supporting performances such as Cyril Cusack as an insecure bomb disposal officer and Michael Gough as a colleague of Sam's.
I particularly liked his scene where he shouts in desperation at a dying victim of a booby-trap; it comes across as cruel but it highlights the sheer desperation of the experts as they try to solve a deadly secret.On the whole, I enjoyed it but it is mostly a character study with the plot perhaps acting as secondary interest.
As the Germans drop explosive booby-traps on Britain in 1943, the embittered expert who'll have to disarm them fights a private battle with alcohol.While this film is about World War II and a man's struggles with alcohol (as noted in the plot summary), this is not what I particularly enjoyed about the film.
While not a great film in comparison to other Archer productions such as The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, 49th Parallel or The Red Shoes, The Small Back Room is a tense and interesting British thriller that recounts what it must have felt like to live in England during World War II, a most precarious time when the threat of Nazi air invasion was constantly hanging overhead (no pun intended).In this story, David Farrar and Kathleen Byron are reunited after their tumultuous chemistry in Black Narcissus, playing a respected bomb detector and his secretary girlfriend who find themselves fighting a personal war in addition to the larger conflict amidst Europe.
Farrar finds himself battling alcoholism and directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger create many parallels between the two instances.
What is most intriguing about this film, like so many other Powell and Pressburger productions, is how the ideas are presented as just as important as the action.
I like this, but realize some people just want to see stuff happen--not look inside a person's character.This film is about a very odd man.
Here is makes him interesting--while you like Sammy Rice and can't help but admire him, he's a very screwed up man.
Where's the crime, the chase, the gunshots, the road house, the slinky woman, the scream, the ominous shadows?Many years after its original release, Powell saw this film at a retrospective and declared it "cold." This emotional void is the real reason it failed to win an audience.Much time is wasted on satire and caricature: humpty dumpty Robert Morley, grinning despicable Jack Hawkins, the "Old Army" Colonel, the chaotic Committee Meeting, the intrusive over-animated blonde at the nightclub, etc.
Go for convincing realism throughout the film so the audience can respect Farrar's problems, his relationship with Kathleen, and most of all the German explosive device that is killing children.The explosive device is a careless figment of the writer's imagination.
Ten years is too long to try you." The concluding Pebble Beach scene, Revised: As the Sergeant and David walk to the explosive device, clouds like billowing black smoke darken the landscape, a stiff wind is blowing.
Pressburger and Powell are well known for their films like "Black Narcissus" (1947), "The Red Shoes" (1948) and "Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" (1943).
The strongest of these sub plots is the romance between a bitter scientist and a secretary, wonderfully played by David Farrar and Kathleen Byron.
It's more like Powell saw Chien Andalou right after it came out and was marked forever - besides the clocks and bottles in the "surreal" sequence, that close-up of the bomb on the beach.
Master filmmakers Powell and Pressburger return from their much-more-famed stint to make their much-more-underrated "smaller" film "The Small Back Room", a combined thriller/romance in heady expressionistic tones.
It's not really noir, but the lighting and staging put the genre to shame.Among many surprises here are some of the actors of Black Narcissus taking on new amazing roles, a mysterious German boobie-trap, and an expressionistic interlude that matches the opera from Red Shoes but is structured more like The Life and Death of 9413, a Hollywood Extra.
The timing of this movie is great, too, as long involved sequences showcasing Sammy's alcoholism and doubt stretch to painful lengths, whereas his technically much longer scene defusing a bomb is so tense that it seems to whip by in a second.Fans of the Archers should pretty much make it a point to see this.
Nigel Balchin, a woefully neglected novelist, one of the finest British writers of the mid 20th century, wrote two novels against the backdrop of World War 2, his masterpiece Darkness Falls From The Air, written, set in and published during the London Blitz in 1941 and The Small Back Room, published two years later in 1943.
Had I been involved in the adaptation of novel to screen the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger would have been way down my list of candidates if even on the list at all for their penchant for fantasy, faerie-like romance and off-centre plotting does not lend itself to a story rooted in realism.
Having said that they manage to make something of a half-decent fist of it with the help of two outstanding leads in David Farrar as boffin Sammy Rice, who, some years before the outbreak of war had a foot amputated and replaced with a tin one and Kathleen Byron as his live-in lover, whipping-girl and colleague in the hush-hush department devoted to shortening the war.
As a real-life scientist Balchin's day job means his novels reek with authenticity not least when satirising the Civil Servants who got under his skin; Jack Hawkins grabs his role as R.B. Waring by the scruff of the neck and becomes the oleaginous character more interested in 'selling' a suspect new weapon to the army than in the lives of the men who will have to use it.
Both Farrar and Byron had appeared in the previous Powell-Pressburger effort the wildly overrated Black Narcissus and here they more than redeem themselves.
Sammy Rice (David Farrar) is a first-rate scientist and something of an expert in defusing bombs.
The Small Back Room features some very good acting, excellent dialogue, one of Michael Powell's quirky internal surrealistic scenes (as Rice fights his compulsion to have a drink) and an extremely well-handled and tense final twenty-five minutes as Rice works to defuse the bomb.
On the whole, though, it seems to me that Powell and Pressburger, after such a run of great movies they created in the Forties, used The Small Back Room as a way to step back and let out a long breath.
The movie is by no means a let- down, but the sulky self-pity of Sammy Rice leaves little room for us to get willingly involved with him.
This is a problem because the movie, despite an exciting premise with the new- type of German bomb and the excitement of the last third of the film, is essentially a character study in Rice's self-pity.
Sammy Rice starts out gloomy and unhappy, and he stays that way throughout the movie until he walks across the sand to see if he can defuse the bomb.
I think it's fair to say that The Small Back Room marks the coming decline of Powell and Pressburger.
For those who admire Powell and Pressburger, The Small Back Room is well worth having.
In addition to Farrar and Byron, both of whom were in Black Narcissus, there are a number of fine actors to enjoy, such as Jack Hawkins, Cyril Cusack, Sid James, Leslie Banks, Michael Gough, Robert Morley and Renee Asherson..
If you haven't seen Kathleen Byron go mad in "Black Narcissus," you might want to try it.The same writers and directors -- Powell and Pressburger -- are responsible for this film and it shows.
As I have come to expect from Powell and Pressburger's films, the duo's writing and direction is excellent.
When it comes to the treatment of the World War II material, the wonderful bomb disposal scene towards the end of the film is the most tense scene of its kind that I have ever seen.
Powell attributed this in part to its extremely gloomy tone, which he did not think sat well with postwar British audiences.The film stars the sorely underrated David Farrar in a first rate performance as a military scientist named Sammy Rice, who is assigned to a "back room" think tank in London which is run by his friend and mentor Professor Mair.
There is a sense that Sammy is merely going through the motions when it comes to his life and, if there had not been a war on, he would probably do nothing more than shut himself away and drink.
The role of Susan could have been a rather thankless one but Kathleen Byron delivers an extremely good performance, her best moment being the breakup scene, and the character always seems like a real person.In one of his first film appearances, Michael Gough is very strong as Captain Stuart, a young officer who comes to Sammy in the hope that he can help figure out the workings of small booby traps which the Germans have recently begun dropping on Britain during raids.
Jack Hawkins is excellent as the think tank's smarmy, sleazy, obnoxious and condescending administrator R.B. Waring, whom both Sammy and Susan feel like punching at different points during the film.
107 minutes.Alternate U.S. release title: HOUR OF GLORY.SYNOPSIS: A back-room scientist meets his greatest challenge when called on to defuse a German bomb.COMMENT: Although handicapped by the serious miscasting of Kathleen Byron as the heroine, this is an engrossing, well-written (the phraseology and nuances of Civil Service talk are expertly captured) and often inventively directed (the sequence with the clocks) picture of back-room boffins engaged in secret war work.David Farrar does a sterling job keeping audience sympathy way up for what is basically a rather unpleasant character.
There are too many sub-plots (Cyril Cusack's wife, for example) and Kathleen Byron just can't help looking sinister even when she's supposed to be friendly.Although the theme has since been worked to death, "The Small Back Room" has it all over Time Bomb, Ten Seconds to Hell and the rest in both meticulous background and moodily stylish film noir photography.OTHER VIEWS: Based on Nigel Balchin's anti-heroic novel, the story of Sammy Rice's obsessive quest to understand the workings of a new German bomb, is intertwined with his tortured love for Susan.
I did not go into it expecting big things like the previous Powell/Pressburger classics "Black Narcissus" and "The Red Shoes".
The sudden appearance of a giant booze bottle overshadowing its leading man (David Farrar) reminded me of things that audiences had already seen on screen in films prior to this: Ray Milland's withdrawal in "The Lost Weekend" and Gregory Peck's nightmares in "Spellbound". |
tt0464141 | El orfanato | The film is set in Spain, where Laura (Belén Rueda) returns to the dilapidated orphanage where she grew up, accompanied by her husband, Carlos (Fernando Cayo), and their seven-year-old son, Simón (Roger Princep). Her plan is to reopen the orphanage as a facility for disabled children. Once there, Simón claims that he sees a friend named Tomás, whom he draws as a child wearing a sack mask. Later, Benigna, the social worker (Montserrat Carulla), visits the orphanage and tells Laura that she has Simón's adoption file. Laura becomes angry at Benigna's intrusion and sends her away. That night, Laura finds Benigna snooping around her garden shed, but Benigna escapes before Laura can confront her. Later, Simon teaches Laura a type of scavenger hunt game that Tomás taught him. The game involves hiding a person's possessions, with the player who recovers his final possession winning a wish. While playing the game, Laura discovers Simón's adoption file is missing and angrily accuses Simón of hiding it. An angry Simón denies this and says that Tomás told him that Laura is not his real mother and that he is going to die.Later, at a children's party at the Orphanage, Laura and Simón argue, and Simón hides from Laura. Laura looks in the bathroom, only to be confronted with a boy in a sack mask with the name "Tomás" embroidered onto his shirt. When Laura approaches Tomás, he traps her in the bathroom. Laura escapes and frantically searches for Simón. She sees a vague figure of a boy standing in a cave in the distance; in her haste to go to the figure, Laura trips and injures herself. At a medical center, the police psychologist, Pilar (Mabel Rivera), suggests to Laura and Carlos that Benigna may have abducted Simón. That night at home, a bedridden Laura hears unexplained banging in the walls.Months later, Laura and Carlos spot Benigna pushing a baby carriage downtown. As Laura calls out to her, Benigna is suddenly hit and killed by a speeding ambulance. Laura rushes to Benigna's carriage, but finds only a doll wearing Tomás' sack mask. With this clue, Police search Benigna's home and find evidence revealing that Benigna worked at the orphanage long ago. Pilar shows Laura an old photo of a young Benigna (Carol Suárez) and her deformed son named Tomás. Laura learns that the children of the orphanage played a trick on Tomás, which led to his accidental death.In desperation, Laura goes to a medium named Aurora (Geraldine Chaplin), seeking clues to her son's disappearance. The medium tells Laura that she is close to death, and so has the ability to see the dead.Unable to cope with the situation, Carlos leaves the orphanage, and Laura takes sedatives to get into a state of near-death. She begins to see ghost children around her who lead her to a hidden door which leads to a basement room. Here, she finds Simón alive and hugs him in a blanket.She tells Simón to think about what he's going to do when he grows up, next year's Christmas, and anything that will make the children go away. As the ghost children vanish, Laura sees the basement back to the present. She then finds the blanket in her hands as light as a feather. She drops the blanket to realize Simón is gone again. She turns around to see the rails of the stairs to the basement had been broken. Lying right beneath the stairs, Laura sees a body of a young child with Tomás's sack mask on. She slowly approaches the motionless body and takes off the mask to realize the body is actually her son, Simón, but dead. She cries in pain and grief. She then realizes that when she threw the metal poles in the closet leading to the basement, she trapped Simón inside. The big crash she heard in the middle of the night was Simón falling to the ground by the stairs. So Simón had been wearing Tomás's mask all along. Laura then carries Simón's body upstairs and swallows all her medication, begging to be with Simón again. Laura's wish is granted as the ghosts of the dead children appear and Simón comes to life in Laura's arms.Alone outside the orphanage, Carlos walks over the gravestones for Laura and Simón who both were found dead while he was gone. Carlos returns to their old bedroom and finds a medallion that he gave to Laura on the floor. Carlos hears the sound of the bedroom door opening. When he moves his head up, he smiles. Screen cuts to black. | paranormal, horror, gothic, depressing, fantasy | train | imdb | 'El Orfanato' surprised me first in successfully thrilling me with its surface, and surprised me again in how deeply it moved me with its core.When Laura (the marvelous Belén Rueda) moves back into the house that used to be the orphanage she lived in as a girl, she is thirty-seven, married, and she and her husband have adopted a son - Simón, a little boy with HIV who doesn't know that he's terminally ill or adopted.
The story dragged a little towards the end and during the scene with the medium - cutting it just a little shorter might have been equally as effective and easier on the viewer.Bottom line: even if you don't like "scary" movies (like me), you'll probably still appreciate and enjoy the more thrilling aspects.
Together with her husband and adopted son Simon, Laura tries to make the huge old building ready to receive it's first new residents, but all is not quiet in the dusty rooms and grounds, and gradually she starts to feel sinister presences from the past making themselves known.The film strings out quite a good story, blending traditional scares (bumping noises heard through walls and doors, silently appearing children in masks) with modern touches (Simon is HIV positive).
Laura (Belen Rueda) returns to the orphanage she spent time in as a child with her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) and little boy Simon (Roger Princep) in hopes of re-establishing it as seaside retreat for children with disabilities only to find there may be some former residents who never left.
In Juan Antonio Bayona's tightly wound "The Orphanage" nothing is as it seems and child's play takes on sinister overtones.Bayona belongs to this new wave of Spanish-language directors (most notably Del Torro and Amenabar) who excel when it comes to creating moody atmospheric tales of the supernatural with Catholic overtones.
Laura returns with her family to the orphanage she grew up in as a child, she reopens it for handicapped children and all is going to plan until her son starts communicating with an invisible friend...Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona & produced by Guillermo del Toro, this Spanish picture is a delightful antidote to the ream of gore for gore sake movies flooding the market on a seemingly daily basis.
The story is a creepy one, and there is always an added air of unease when children are the focal point of the piece in question, and sure enough this central concept of troubled children and troubled childhoods gets the maximum amount of emotion from the viewing public.It's hard to write anymore than I have without delving deeper into the story and it's significant turn of events, suffice to say I feel this is a wonderful creepy, and at times beautiful, film that prospective viewers would be better off going into devoid of any prior knowledge.
Bayona directs carefully, and it's evident that he is benefiting from the guiding hands of his gifted producer, but his marker is here and I'll be keeping an eye out for future efforts from the young Spaniard.A smashingly engaging film that is in the vein of Robert Wise's The Haunting & Alejandro Amenábar's The Others, so if you like real well told ghost stories that unhinge rather than shock you, get in the queue because El Orfanato is a real pleasure.
Obviously it's an extremely professionally made film, with a handful of memorable style elements and effective jump moments, but in the end it really isn't much more than just another derivative and predictable 'ghosts from the past coming back to haunt us' tale that lack the courage to go very far.
Will I see "Sweeney Todd?" Sure I will -- just as soon as pigs fly out my rear end whistling the "Colonel Bogey March." But I went to see "El Orfanato" because I gathered that it was more of a ghost story than a horror film, and that it was more of a thoughtful reflection on The Unseen World, like "Don't Look Now," or "The Sixth Sense," than a movie whose main purpose was to scare the bejabbers out of the audience.And so it turned out to be.
We learn that Laura was an inmate of an orphanage, that she was adopted away from the orphanage, and that she has, at the present time, returned to the old property with her husband and adopted child to create a home for neglected children.This movie, like "Sixth Sense" (one of my all-time favorite films) is about love and death.
The movie might contain aspects of the Horror genre but I see it as a Drama film with Horror elements, that might be just as an interpretation.This film is about a kid that goes missing and his adoptive mother thinks it has something to do with his imaginary friends, of which are ghosts of children at the orphanage that once stood there.This may sound like a typical cliché pile-up no-brainer Horror film but this is certainly one of the better films of the genre, CARED for the characters and INTERESTED in the plot instead of the American crap like the Halloween remake.Overall, A very touching film that needs more praise.
However, there have been a few good chillers out there, such as "The Others" and "The Ring." And now, "The Orphanage," from acclaimed Spanish producer Guillermo del Toro, creeps its way into their ranks, while still being a genre-defying film.The story revolves around Laura, a woman who buys her childhood home in hopes of starting an orphanage for handicapped children with her husband Carlos.
Horror films are known for having some of the campiest acting out of all the film genres, but "The Orphanage" is one of those rare gems where the actors are so great they make you think, "Yeah, maybe they really are experiencing supernatural phenomena." And Kudos to Belén Rueda (Laura) for having the most range and believability in the entire movie.
This film has a different style of mystery, not the same we see in most of the horror/suspense movies in which the overact curiosity of the characters carry to cross the creepy door where are killed in the next shot with the axe or the saw, no..., this time the bad guy isn't the ghost.
Turn of the Screw by way of Others, Lord of the Flies, Sixth Sense, and myriad suspense, horror, and science fiction films and literature: The Orphanage is a respectable Spanish contribution to the depiction of children as masters of the house, be they real or spirits.The Orphanage has crisp cinematography that accentuates the old Orphanage's lurid corners and closets wherein may hide the supernatural forms of past inhabitants and the hope of the current mistress of the house to find her son lost to the history and lure of the home.The clichés of horror fiction abound: No one, much less physician husband, believes mom that the house is haunted; the admirable score provides a measure of scary telegraphing; each nook and cranny has the potential to shock the unwary; the denouement is predictable right down to the conversion of the most wary.
There is little blood, just enough disfigurement, and surprises such as the haunting cameo by Geraldine Chaplin, a medium heating the suspense and converting the skeptical.Like any thinking person's sojourn into the spiritual, the Orphanage doesn't quickly make a case for ghosts; rather it poses questions such as how far into a psyche should a mother go before Oedipus kicks up a royal storm, or how far a husband, or even responsible administrators should go to support an unstable-appearing wife.Nothing is new for the genre, but the look is classic, the acting above average, and the kids still hold the attention of adults, who, like the audience, know enough to respect the power of innocence unbound..
The story feels a little too familiar for most of it's length to quite make it too classic film status, although the last 10 minutes do elevate it to something more moving and more thoughtful than 95%of the genre pictures currently being made.Wonderfully acted by Belen Rueda, as a mother whose child mysteriously disappears.
They intend to re-open it as a home for disabled children, but as we get to know them the realisation dawns that they are not alone in the house.What starts with the premise of being a classic haunted house tale, including the new vogue for stories of this kind – i.e. creepy children, is actually transformed into something which takes it from a standard horror to something much more powerful.
Indeed, the creation and sustaining of the atmosphere is probably the films highest point, because it build in you a classic horror tension, whilst letting you into the personal grief and sadness of Laura at the same time.There are some shock moments, and jumps hidden amongst the twists and turns of the plot, but this is not a film to see if you are looking to be scared witless by your horror.
The husband (Fernando Cayo), although only playing a comparatively minor role, draws sympathy as someone who is troubled by his subconscious attempts to normalise what is going on around him.This is not just a horror/thriller movie but a film about the beauty of family dynamics and what happens when something comes along that tries to disrupt them.
This hauntingly brilliant horror film stars Belen Rueda as Laura, a woman who brings her family back to her childhood home in order to re-open it as an orphanage.
The end of the movie also leaves something to be desired, the movie, no matter how much it tried to trick the audience into thinking it was a serious movie, they just could not stick with the sad ending, they had to give a positive, cheerful note at the end, just in case people get too disturbed, let's kill the little dark overtone of having a boy with AIDS, I can see the producers and Bayona, "let's give it a Pan's Labyrinth touch, that worked last year right?" The movie also makes the stupid cliché of having the protagonist discover the most retched, scary places imaginable, and well, obviously, she is going to go in, alone, with out a flashlight, cause if she doesn't, the movie can't be scary, and just when it gets too scary, someone walks in and saves the day, just at the nick of time, well sure, cause if no one saved the protagonist from a heart attack, the movie would be over, an that is too much to hope for.Not to mention some incoherent elements like a woman mistaking red haired little girls for her brunette boy, and a mysterious and tool like character that makes no sense, has no beginning, and no end, and only works for comedy and terror and to tie in a plot hole.Aside from creating a convincing looking set, the movie really has nothing worth mentioning, or remembering, cause I already could mention and already remembered all the things that happened on this movie, from other, better movies.This is the epitome of uninspired cinema, and it's a shame that just cause del Toro put his name in it, distributors and audiences were suckered in on it..
Can we go home again?What if you never grew up?These are a few questions you may ask of yourself as you leave the theater after "The Orphanage." This film is equal parts dark-fantasy and ghost-story, a parable for the beloved kid's tale Peter Pan as well as a tale of spectral children.
Very suspenseful, this film does a wonderful job luring you into genuine jump moments hook, line and sinker, and at the same time crafts a beautiful story.Our characters are developed with care, whether living or dead.
These are ghosts that will scare you and keep you jumping, but they are real characters as opposed to the monsters waiting in the dark.This film is an archetypal hero's journey, where our protagonist is drawn into a world of mystery at a careful pace, shuddering at times to leave us guessing, and rolling along at a terrifying clip at others.
Guillermo del Toro has a production credit on this film; and it's a real shame that some of his creativity didn't rub off on director Juan Antonio Bayona, because The Orphanage has nothing on 2001's orphanage-set ghost story 'The Devil's Backbone'.
Laura has decided to reopen the orphanage specifically for disabled children; but the opening day turns sour when her son begs his adopted mother to see something, but ends up being ignored
On the technical side, there's really nothing wrong with this film.
Melodramatic ghost story about a woman named Laura (Belen Rueda of Alejandro Amenábar's The Sea Inside , she was the first choice for the lead from the start) with tortured soul who brings her family formed by her husband (Fernando Cayo) and adopted seven-year-old son named Simon (Roger Princep, over 400 children auditioned for the role) back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for physically handicapped children .
Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend and chime with recollections from Laura's own childhood .Spanish horror film full of thrills , suspense , chills , intrigue and plot twists .
I personally find ghost films to be the scariest kind of horror in that they rely on suspense and atmosphere to frighten as opposed to loud sound effects and jump scares and in that regard, 'The Orphanage' really delivered.My only complaint was that there were scenes in the film that really built up the suspense but then fell flat and left me wanting more but overall, I was impressed.
Cleverly plotted, it dares to take its time to create the required atmosphere rather than prematurely rushing into scaring its audience like so many horror films do nowadays.The Orphanage concerns Laura; a former orphan who returns with her husband & son back to her childhood home which used to be an orphanage for handicapped children, which she hopes to reopen again.
Although the horror genre has always been difficult to define I would rather refer to this movie as an exercise in suspense mixed with a good old-fashioned ghost story.
There are jump scares and horror clichés aplenty but the film is smart enough to play with these conventions in a number of smart ways.A married couple with an ailing, adopted son move to a mansion in the country with the intention of setting up a care home for disabled children.
Too many times, in big budget Hollywood movies, I've got the whole thing wrapped up in the first 30mins but not in the Orphanage.A friend warned me
'it's not a horror.' He was right it's a dark, captivating thriller, a classic and a must see.P.S. If you can't speak Spanish, be prepared for half a screen full of subtitles that give you a split second to read them.
Produced by the great Guillermo del Toro and directed by Spain's new hot shot director, Juan Antonio Bayona, the film has some very basic, even cliché, story lines and premises.
The best moments are the "little" things and I really enjoyed Geraldine Chaplin's time as the medium.OK, it is a horror movie, but this is a very good performance from Bolen Rueda, who was so memorable in "The Sea Inside".
Sánchez, for whom this marks only his third of five screenplays, and director Bayona helming his first theatrical film.One of the best ghost story fables to come along since 2001's The Others, the movie tells the story of Laura who, along with her husband Carlos, purchase the vacant orphanage in which she spent her childhood.
All of which leads to a terrifying and emotionally draining end.Thanks to del Toro, The Orphanage carries much of the look and feel of Pan's Labyrinth and The Devil's Backbone, two films equally obsessed with the plight of children in harms way.
Directed by Spanish first timer Juan Antonio Bayona, the film see's Laura, who grew up an orphan herself, raising her adopted son Simón with her husband Carlos in an old house and former orphanage where she was raised.
It all sounds like a great premise to a good movie, and while the Orphanage isn't all that bad, there are quite simply not enough big moments in the film to warrant it a five star rating.
Part of what some are describing as a new wave of Spanish Horror (as influenced by last years superb Pans Labyrinth), The Orphanage sees director Juan Antonio Bayona take over duties from Guillermo del Toro, who is wearing the producers hat this time round.
Watched this film last night and had high hopes on it as most reviews I read are very positive.I can say I am not disappointed.El Orfanto(The Orphanage)is truly an amazing Spanish chiller thats in my opinion even better than the excellent Pans Labyrinth.Laura goes back to here childhood home with her husband Carlos and adoptive son Simon.Laura was as a child living at an orphanage and now have plans to restart it again.Soon things starts to happen.Simon here son speaks about he got new friends,but Laura & Carlos never see any.I will not give away anything more about the plot,but I can say its a damn good horror film thats both creepy&Atmospheric.Excellent acting and truly near Oscar performance by Belen Rueda as Laura.Music soundtrack is great and scary.The Director J-A-Bayona does a good job and the film is beautifully shot.Even my girlfriend who don't like horror-films and thinks they are most silly thought it was scary as hell.Many times she had a pillow over here face.Maybe not anything if you only like horror-films like Hostel&Saw,but if you like me also can see horror movies without any blood and gore you probably like it.I Highly recommend it and give it full points 10/10..
In a time when horror movies have forgotten how to be atmospheric and scary, The Orphanage shows you it can be done right. |
tt0073594 | I quattro dell'apocalisse | Salt Flat Utah, 1873. Stubby Preston (Fabio Testi) a card-shard and gambling trickster, arrives in the small Wild West town to practice his art at the local casino. However, the town sheriff (Donald O'Brien) recognizes him climbing out of the stagecoach and within minutes, he is in a jail cell for the night and his marked cards are burned. Stubby's cell-mates are Emmanuelle 'Bunny' O'Neill (Lynne Frederick) a young prostitute; Bud (Harry Baird), a mentally disturbed black man who is obsessed with the dead; and Clem (Michael J. Pollard), the town drunkard. During the night, a masked posse of men wreck havoc throughout the settlement. Fearing for their safety as the massacre progresses, the prisoners demand to be realeased, but the sheriff refuses. The following morning, the sheriff, amused by Stubby's ways, allows them to leave town, pointing them to an abandoned wagon as their means of transportation. The sheriff also tells them that the massacre was all his idea to reclaim the town from lawlessness.The four released convicts decide to travel together, and Stubby takes a liking to Bunny. As they travel, aiming to his the next big town over 200 miles away, a friendship develops between the four reprobates. During their first stop for the night, Bunny reveals that she's eight months pregnant, having gotten knocked up by a client in Salt Flat and has been hiding it with oversized dresses. The following day, the four have an encounter with a group of Christian missionaries from Switzerland where Stubby has Bunny pose as his wife, who's happy about the charade.Afterwards, the four's idyll is interrupted by appearance of a Mexican sharpshooter called Chaco (Tomas Milian). Despite initial suspicious, he is welcomed into the group. Chaco displays his shooting skills by shooting rabbits and ducks for their meal for the night. But he shows a sinister side when the group is attacked by three posse members from Salt Flat, and Chaco gleefully shoots all three of them, and sadistically tortures the one surviving posse member. That evening, Chaco persuades the group to take peyote with him. Stubby, secretly spits out the hallucinogenic cactus, suspicious alerted, but the rest of the party accepts. Chaco then amuses himself with Clem, humiliating the drug-addled alcoholic by ordering that he crawl and bark like a dog for some liquor. When Stubby attempts to make a run for it, Chaco subdues him and ties up the four travelers at gunpoint. As day breaks, Chaco rapes Bunny despite seeing her condition. Stubby swears to kill Chaco one day if he survives. The evil bandit then rides off on the wagon with all their gear, leaving them tied up in the desert, except for Clem who he shoots in the leg. Clem frees the others and they continue their trek on foot. As Clems wound worsens, Stubby is forced to remove the bullet and he and Bud carry him on a makeshift stretcher. Later, the group comes upon the aftermath of another attack by Chaco and two henchmen. The Christian wagoners, children and all, have all been slaughtered.The group's journey continues. Eventually the four friends see buildings ahead. The arrive in a small town in the pouring rain, but discover that it's a ghost town. The following morning is bright and sunny. Bud is ecastic when he discovers a graveyard full of friends to talk to. That evening, Clem gets more sicker from the infection of his wound. But he makes dying request that Stubby and Bunny to get married. The couple profess their love for one another and they kiss for the first time. The next morning, the couple decide to leave the ghost town. Bud elects to stay behind having learned to hunt animals for food. But Stubby and Bunny discover Clems mutilated dead body and learn that Bud has taken a liking to cannibalism as well. Stubby and Bunny leave Bud and his 'city of the dead' and head on out.A little later, the couple run into another one of Stubby's old acquaintances, the pseudo-Reverend Sullivan (Adolfo Lastretti). Stopping for the night, they talk about Stubby's past before Sullivan broke away to join a parish. But then Bunny begins to go into labor, and Sullivan recommends that they take her to the nearest town for medical treatment, which is Altaville located deep in the mountains. The next morning, the group arrives in Altaville which as Sullivan puts it, "a strange town." Altaville is a tiny, snow-covered settlement populated entirely by men, ranging from outlaws to social outcasts. After initial resentment to these outsiders in their community, the men of Altaville become excited at the prospect of a birth in their settlement, and betting commences on the gender of the baby. Celebrations break out at the sound of the baby's cries and learning that it's a boy, but once again tragedy strikes as Bunny goes into seizures and dies from internal bleeding. Stubby is heartbroken. The village doctor who delivered the baby (Giorgio Trestini) recognizes Stubby's ambivalent feelings towards it, and persuades him to leave the child in the care of the men of Altaville. After Bunny's funeral, and following it, the baptism of the baby which the men of Altaville name the child 'Lucky', Stubby agrees to let the men of the town raise the child. The next day, Stubby is given a horse, a gun, some supplies, food and water, says goodbye to the men of Altaville, and rides away into the snow.Arriving below the snow line on the desert floor, Stubby passed by an abandoned ranch and discovers that Chaco is there after seeing the Salt Flat wagon, which enables Stubby to finally seek his vengeance. Stubby sneaks into the disused barn and surprises the Mexican bandit and his two henchmen by shooting the sleeping bandit in the arm and kills his two henchmen. Stubby then reclaims his luggage and his shaving kit which he immediately uses to give himself a shave. When Chaco spits at Stubby, calling him a coward for shooting him without warning, Stubby replies that a poker player never issues warnings. Chaco, evil to the last, then taunts him about the rape of Bunny. Stubby finally shoots the villainous Mexican dead. Alone once again, Stubby rides off into the evening sunset. At the last minute, a stray dog joins him on his way. | murder, western, violence, insanity, tragedy, revenge, sadist | train | imdb | Pacing up to this point was sharp, but here things did drag a little.There are some well-handled action sequences, a little hard-boiled violence (but leagues away from the incredible sadism of something like 'New York Ripper') and some humorous touches, mainly provided by the character of Clem, the town drunk.
The conventions of the Western have provided a great canvas for many auteurs - Fulci makes the most of stock characters and visual cues, imbuing them with all the sub-text he wanted to get across.I'll definitely check out 'Massacre Time' after this.
Many people, among them even fans of Spaghetti Western, seem not to like "The Four Of The Apocalypse", but it is actually a good movie, even though untypical for the genre.
Although the movie's violent reputation is maybe a little exaggerated, the uncut version of the movie has some very brutal scenes, there is a pretty gruesome torture scene, and there is a lot more blood when people are shot than in most Westerns, including Spaghetti Westerns.The Movie takes place in Utah of 1873, where gambler Stubby Preston meets prostitute Bunny O'Neill, alcoholic Clem and a mentally ill guy named Bud in prison.
They meet an obscure Mexican hunter called Chaco, who joins their group, but soon turns out to be a villainous and sadistic psychopath.The acting is very good, specially Lynee Frederick's performance as the lovable and beautiful prostitute Bunny, who gives the brutal movie a little heart-warming touch and almost seems a little too innocent for a prostitute, and Tomas Milian who is truly diabolic as vicious Chaco.The movie's biggest weakness is its score, which is not really bad throughout the whole movie, but in some parts of the movie the songs don't really fall in place with the scenes.
A must-see for every fan of Lucio Fulci and every fan of Spaghetti Westerns, although quite untypical for the genre, since Fabio Testi's character Stubby Preston is not quite the typical anti-hero of the Italian Western.A highly recommendable film, entertaining and gory, but in some parts also very moving.
Four lowly criminals that meet in jail; card shark Stubby, pregnant prostitute Bunny, a drunk Clem and the loony Bud manage to escape a vigilante slaughter of the town they were in and end up on a rugged journey in the open frontier.
Although by standard genre conventions, I Quattro dell'apocalisse (Four of the Apocalypse) is definitely a (spaghetti) western, in many ways it is just as terrifying as any of director Lucio Fulci's more famous horror flicks.The story centers on four people who end up together by happenstance--they are all jailed in a small Utah town.
Although adapted from two Bret Harte stories, "The Luck of Roaring Camp" and "The Outcasts of Poker Flat", Fulci and screenwriter Ennio De Concini amped up the violence, added a character, Chaco (Tomas Milian) probably influenced by Charles Manson (and prescient of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow portrayal in a way that must be more than happenstance), and embedded the Biblical "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" connection.In the Bible, the four horsemen represent the destructive phenomena of pestilence, famine, war and death.
Quattro dell'apocalisse (original title) is a bloody Spaghetti Western with usual Mexican desperado Tomas Milian who steals the show as a merciless bandit and filmed , of course , in Almeria .
Pollard) , a crazy African-American (Harry Baird) obsessed with the dead and a pregnant prostitute (Lynne Frederick) , wander through the trackless terrain of the Wild West and are hounded by a hearless outlaw who rapes , slashes, ravages and murders each person involved in his attacks .
Lucio Fulci made some Westerns in his prolific career (like the 1966 Tempo di Massacro aka Colt Concert and 1978 Sella d'argento aka Silver Saddle) but this film, I Quattro dell'apocalisse aka The Four of the Apocalypse (1975, and among the very last of the Spaghetti Westerns alongside Enzo G.
Castellari's Keoma, 1976 and Sergio Martino's Mannaja from 1977) is perhaps his most noteworthy Western as it at least has some marks of the director's talent as well as a very great premise and potential which are sadly used very minimally.Fabio Testi, a great actor, stars as a clever card shark who arrives in one town somewhere in the West.
Pollard) who all soon meet the film's and perhaps the whole Western genre's most heinous and mean spirited villain, Chaco, played by the always great Tomas Milian (Django Kill, Compañeros, Run Man Run among many others).
A tale of violence, revenge and some surreal goings-on has begun in the hands of the director who has done much better.First the negative things as Fulci has a certain place in my heart as he was the very first to introduce me to the wonderful and atmospheric, and sometimes very gory, Italian horror genre as well as being responsible for two of the greatest Italian Giallo mysteries ever, Non si sevizia un paperino aka Don't Torture a Duckling (1972) and Sette note in nero aka The Psychic (1977).
When the baby is born for Testi and his wife, we see long takes of Testi watching the small human being with amazement and something definitely going on inside him, but still he, and the film makers, don't understand how great scene that would have been to make Testi's character forget about his hunger and see what he has achieved, something that he should protect with his whole heart.
But that same sequence has some great acting, mostly by the "whore" who became Testi's wife as she really cried in that scene, and that, according to Testi, moved the whole crew a lot as they saw how emotional the girl got for the scene, and despite the actress Frederick at times moves her eyes a little too much and exaggeratedly, she shows her abilities in that moving scene.The third major negative thing is the way how the black character (Baird) is treated here.
Somewhere must be a better place as all the dead or soon-to-become-ones in the film seem to know.The actors are also good as can be expected from the cast and naturally Testi and Milian stand out.
Milian's character does some horrific acts in the film and the torture scene is very haunting and would have also been ever more so if Fulci had only shown the great face Testi has in that scene.
A fairly entertaining mix of director Lucio Fulci's usual excesses and a bit of rambling seventies style pretentiousness, Four Of The Apocalypse isn't a film I'd easily recommend to non-Fulci fans, though some spaghetti western aficionados might find it interesting.Cult stars Fabio Testi, Michael J.
However, squinty-eyed villain Tomas Milian is extremely nasty and steals the film from them, despite only limited screen-time, particularly when he feeds the four stars peyote and spits alcohol into the mouth of craven drunk Pollard, before forcing him to bark like a dog!Late in the film, the film's unrelentingly downbeat tone gives way to a heart-warming sequence reminiscent of 3 Godfathers and a satisfying revenge finale.The dated soft-rock score is pretty terrible though..
Milian heads off, and the four characters set out to follow their dreams and destinies - in Testi's case, a slow, violent death for the bandit...This unusual, horror-tinged effort suffers from slow pace and some awful music ballads, as well as Frederick phony Transatlantic accent.
Also, Milian's villain is superbly evil, and there are some excellent action sequences, such as the opening purge of the town, and Testi's score-settle.Some of the violence is truly shocking, and all prints of the film were cut down - Milian gouging into a man's stomach with a knife after pinning a sheriff's badge into his chest (commonly seen in stills), and some of Frederick's harrowing rape ordeal.Don't get the Swedish Sun Video entitled 'CHACO' - it's heavily cut down.
Although I'll have to admit that some scenes we're pretty hard to watch, overall the film had a classic spaghetti atmosphere with some fairly macabre moments, and was a step above many I have viewed.Many people have complained about the score which includes narrative songs with a kind of folksy early period Pink Floyd/Byrds sound which I personally love.
Some may dislike this, but I like that you can note what was and wasn't in the original release.The film begins with four small-time misfits sharing a jail cell--a gambler (Fabio Testi), a pregnant prostitute (Lynne Frederick), a drunk (Michael J.
I liked the portion set in the mining town--the miners were great characters and offered a nice contrast to all the violence early in the film.
Testi and Milian are top notch actors in any film and here they play things to the full.Also worth noting, despite all the grimness, is the poignant scene set in a town from a broken men, hiding from the world.
Extremely uneven and very disappointing spaghetti western that has a reputation of being violent and nasty,it's not, in fact it is slow paced and very little happens.Film is directed by Lucio Fulci who like Dario Argento in my opinion are very over rated by the horror and giallo fans.Film is violent at times, but not enough in my opinion and film is more often sad.
The performances are also uneven with Fabio Testi coming off best, but Harry Baird and Lynne Frederick are annoying.Michael J Pollard, one of my least favourite actors is surprisingly at his least annoying here.very disappointing.
A Card shark, a mad slave, the town drunk & a pregnant prostitute escape a town massacre only to find themselves at the mercy of sadistic bandit Chaco.Directed by Lucio Fulci a familiar name to fans of Italian horror movies this is a Spaghetti Western made at the tail end of the genres lifespan & it shows.
The premise is intriguing & on paper the characters are interesting, particularly the transformation of the central protagonist gambler Stubby Preston, but in execution it is not so good.Most of the acting is as flat as the direction which slows the pace right down as do the bizarre kitsch musical interludes.
The highlights are few & far between with the excellent Tomas Milian woefully underused as is the great American character actor Michael J Pollard & the remaining cast are left with little to work with.
Of the highlights are the notorious torture scenes which have a strong sadistic streak much like the excellent Django & the results of where the protagonists food came from in a rainsoaked ghost town.Unfortunately this film appears to have been made by a director who is not familiar with Westerns.
This is a shame, the film could have been great if more attention was placed upon the script & acting.In closing Four Of The Apocalypse has an interesting movie hidden somewhere in the script if only one of the masters of the genre such as Leone or Corbucci had been given the material to work their magic on..
Four of the Apocalypse (1975)** 1/2 (out of 4)Spaghetti Western about a gambler (Fabio Testi) who is thrown out of town with a hooker, an alcoholic and another criminal.
Soon Chaco shows his ugly side and before long the gambler must seek revenge against him.Lucio Fulci's FOUR OF THE APOCALYPSE has gained a pretty big cult following over the years.
I think FOUR OF THE APOCALYPSE is a decent movie but I'm going to stop well short of calling it a great movie or even a good one.The biggest problem I had with the picture is that we've seen this type of revenge story done countless times before and there's really nothing new done with it here outside some of the gore.
this movie has a great soundtrack, which is very underrated and had great direction by Lucio Fulci, not just the master of terror, but also the master giving instructions to his actors on how to act grief, horror and revenge, I highly recommend this film, I know I give it a ten, but try to watch an episode of the Rifleman or Maverick and then quickly watch this movie.
I enjoyed this film on a different level from films like The Great Silence, Django or The Good, The Bad & The Ugly because I liked the characters more than the actual story but this is a rough film to recommend to anybody not familiar with Fulci's work or Spaghetti Westerns in general.
I'm a big fan of Lucio Fulci; both for his blood-splattered gore flicks and for some of his non-horror movies, but this western was absolutely not what I was expecting.
Westerns were obviously not Fulci's main forte, but films like this would have given him a great chance to show the blood and gore like he does best but it's never taken.
The disappointment of this film increases when you consider the talent involved; most notably, performances from two of Italy's most popular actors in Fabio Testi and Tomas Milian, who both deliver good performances alongside a decent supporting cast that includes Michael J Pollard and Lynne Frederick.
On the back cover of the DVD is stated that "I Quatro dell Apocalisse" was the most violent western ever made, and as the film was directed by Lucio Fulci, I believed the hype.
And here comes the question: Would you see an indifferent film just because of some violent scenes?In the DVD rental store I had picked up two spaghetti westerns: "I am Sartana, Trade your Guns for a Coffin" and "Four of the Apocalypse".
What happens next is something I did not expect from Lucio Fulci.Although the dubbing here is pretty bad, the acting uneven at best (though I did think Testi did perform admirably) and the music score horrendous the film possesses a strange kind of charm with it's humane unexpected twists.
The sheriff (played by Run Man Run's sheriff Donal O'Brien, locks him in a cell with the so-called scum of the earth: the visibly pregnant woman of the night Bunny (played by the late British actress Lynne Frederick), an unnervingly upbeat African American named Bud, and the weird-looking cherubic Michael J Pollard, most famous for his role as the slightly brain-damaged CW in Bonnie And Clyde, here on his downhill career slide as Clem, the slightly brain-damaged town drunk.Hooded killers cut a swathe through the rest of the town in a display of gloriously slow motion wholesale butchery while sheriff plugs his ears - and this is before the end of the credits!
Here he brings his talent to the Western genre, with compelling results.The film, based on a story by Bret Harte, unites four disparate characters as they make a perilous journey from one town to another, in the year 1873.
Now, gambler Stubby Preston (Fabio Testi), pregnant prostitute Bunny O'Neill (Lynne Frederick), alcoholic Clem (Michael J.
Their fortunes truly take a turn for the worse when they make the acquaintance of Chaco (Tomas Milian), a depraved bandit."The Four of the Apocalypse..." is fairly episodic, but its episodes are each riveting in their own way, and there's a real poignancy to the film that fans of Fulci's horror films might not expect.
The penultimate episode, when our protagonists come across a town of chauvinistic men, is far and away the best, as these macho individuals eventually come to embrace the imminent arrival of Bunny's child.The principals are all wonderful in their roles - the handsome Testi and the lovely Frederick are well matched, Pollard supplies a bit of comedy relief, Baird is engaging even as his character is clearly shown to have gone off the deep end, and Milian is great malevolent fun as the unrepentant villain.
Their struggle to survive in the desert is bad enough but the filth really hits the fan-blades when they encounter sadistic outlaw Tomas Milian, star of a few million spaghetti Westerns.There is a rape scene, a bloody gunfight with shotguns, and Lucio Fulci is one of the few who would throw a live skinning and cannibalism into a western.
By the time Testi catches up with Milian you won't care who murders who, as long as the film comes to an end.This was supposedly based on a story by Bret Harte.
It turns out that he's actually lucky, because the town has become a vigilante mob that burns that den of iniquity to the ground, leaving only Stubby and three other criminals alive: Bunny (Lynne Frederick, Phase IV), a pregnant prostitute, a black man named Bud and the alcoholic Clem (Michael J.
While the beginning slaughter of the "sinners" in the town was pretty much what I expected from a spaghetti directed by schlockmeister, Lucio Fulci ( avoid at all costs, he's no Dario Argento...though come to think of it...neither is Dario Argento) the rest of the movie failed to deliver anything remotely resembling entertainment...in fact what it did deliver was a crazy naked man named Butt.
No gunfights...no Eli Wallach...no nothin!There are some of the requisite spaghetti elements...beautiful girl (thought not a beautiful italian girl), evil mexican Chaco, and some great cast names, if Fabio Testi isn't the GREATEST actor name ever I'll eat this DVD, the only thing it's good for, really.If you're a fan of the genre, I'd steer clear of this one.
Also, and to my personal surprise, this film features many aspects that you don't expect to see in a western, like a lot of sentiment (the dreadful interactions between Stubby and Bunny) and even occult stuff (the black character Bud supposedly communicates with the deceased).
Smooth gambler Stubby Preston (an excellent and charismatic performance by Fabio Testi), sweet pregnant prostitute Emanuelle 'Bunny' O'Neill (a fine and moving portrayal by the lovely Lynne Frederick), pathetic drunk Clem (the ever-quirky Michael J.
It's a brutal, uncompromising spaghetti western, with so-so dubbing and some fine acting by Testi, Fredrick and the great Milian.
The other members of the group in Lucio Fulci's western are Bunny (Lynne Frederick), a pregnant prostitute, Clem (Michael J. |
tt0120684 | Gods and Monsters | Clay gets up from his trailer at the beach and drives to Mr. Jimmy's lush house, where he mows the lawn.Mr. Jimmy has a visit from David, who is concerned about his health. He then goes out to chat with Clay, his new gardener, and invites him to swim in the pool after he is done working. Clay says he needs to do another lawn later.An academic named Edmund Kay comes to visit Mr. Jimmy, and expresses his deep enthusiasm for his films. Jimmy takes him out back to the pool, and recalls his youth in London, and then his movement into movies and on to Hollywood.Mr. Jimmy becomes bored with Kay's questions, and suggests that Kay begin removing clothing in exchange for his answers. Kay begins disrobing to each of Jimmy's tales about homosexuals in Hollywood and making Frankenstein.Jimmy then gets lightheaded and needs Kay's help to get inside and lie down. His maid Hanna scolds him for chasing boys after just returning from the hospital.Jimmy goes to a doctor who explains that he had a stroke which has left his brain somewhat impaired.Jimmy sees Clay working out in the garden and invites him to talk over iced tea in his painting studio. Jimmy tells him he directed the first two Frankenstein movies, and they talk about his paintings. Jimmy tells Clay he has an expressive head and asks him to model for pay; Clay agrees.Clay arrives at Jimmy's house and Hanna asks if he is going to hurt him. Clay is confused, and she withdraws the question. Clay sits down in the studio to model for Jimmy, who asks him to remove his shirt, even though he only plans to draw his face. Jimmy begins to draw, telling Clay of a memory he has about eating fat drippings as a poor child. He explains how different he was from his family, more talented, more intelligent.Clay goes to a bar and boasts that a famous director is drawing him. Betty the bartender, whom Clay has slept with, turns on The Bride of Frankenstein on TV; meanwhile, Jimmy watches at home with Hanna. The others at the bar criticize the film for not being scary. Clay seems to understand the monster's feelings of loneliness.Flashback: Jimmy directs the performers on the set of Bride of Frankenstein.Clay and Betty talk outside the bar, and he gets upset that she does not want to sleep with him again.Clay calls his parents from a payphone but does not want to talk much.Jimmy dreams that Clay is Dr. Frankenstein, replacing his brain and electrifying him.Hanna tells Clay that Jimmy would like him to have lunch. The two talk as she cooks, and Hanna tells him he should be married. Hanna tells Clay that Jimmy commits unspeakable sins of the flesh, buggery. She is surprised that Clay did not know.Jimmy and Clay have a rather fancy lunch. Jimmy tells Clay that he had hoped Bride of Frankenstein would be seen as a comedy. Jimmy asks Clay to pose for an hour after lunch, and he declines. Jimmy explains that he had a "husband" named David, and Clay asks about his homosexuality. They smoke cigars, and Clay agrees to pose.During the sitting, Jimmy talks about how he made the successful Show Boat and then tried to make his WWI masterpiece The Road Back but the studio butchered it. He says he always wanted to go back to movies, but that was the end. He also broke up with David thereafter. Jimmy begins to describe how he used to have many male models, all naked, which upsets Clay so much he gets mad and storms out.Clay goes to Betty's bar but she is not there. He finds another woman and has sex with her in the parking lot.Clay returns to Jimmy's house and says he will sit for him again if he eases up on the locker room talk. Jimmy is curious that Clay has never known any gay men before, not even when he was in the Marines. Jimmy recalls a young soldier from WWI he mentored in the trenches, then becomes quite upset, looking at Clay intensely. After a calming moment, Jimmy asks Clay to drive him to a fancy party in another few days.Jimmy finds a gas mask and has another memory of the war.Clay drives Jimmy to the party, where they pay their respects to Princess Margaret and George Cukor. She is chatty but mistakes Jimmy for someone else; Cukor is more curt. David is there with Elizabeth Taylor, and he has an awkward chat with Jimmy.Kay also shows up, telling Jimmy he had Cukor invite him. Kay brings over Elsa Lanchester to chat, then Boris Karloff as well. Jimmy notices the resemblance between Karloff and Clay. A thunderstorm arises, and Jimmy asks Clay to take him home.They come in soaked from the rain. Jimmy offers Clay a baggy sweater, but he wears a towel over his waist. Clay confesses he never made it out of boot camp as a Marine since his appendix burst.Jimmy sketches Clay in the living room and they continue talking about fear and monsters. Jimmy describes how his beloved soldier was gunned down in the war and died. Clay reassures Jimmy that he survived the war. Jimmy reveals that his sketches have been nothing but scribblings, his mental powers are lost.Clay stands up and takes off his sweater, offering Jimmy to draw him like a statue. Jimmy grabs the gas mask and asks Clay to wear it, kissing his shoulders and trying to grab his penis. Clay reacts violently and beats him, but Jimmy asks Clay to kill him, placing his hands on his throat. Clay refuses and throws Jimmy to the floor. Jimmy apologizes. Clay helps him to bed.Jimmy has a dream of standing with Clay, looking over the bodies of dead WWI soldiers. Jimmy walks down among them, finding his beloved comrade, and lays down next to him.Clay wakes up at Jimmy's house. He finds the portrait of the monster that Jimmy drew for Frankenstein next to him. He then quickly dives into the pool when he sees Jimmy floating face down. Hanna runs out with a suicide note from Jimmy while Clay says he didn't do it. Hanna tells him to leave to avoid investigation, but Clay suggests they put his body back in the pool.Years later, Clay is watching a scene from Bride of Frankenstein on TV with his son, in which a blind man befriends the monster. Clay smokes a cigarette while the monster smokes one in the movie. After the movie, Clay shows his skeptical son the sketch of the monster. Jimmy has written on the back: "For Clayton. Friend?"Clay goes out in the street and starts to walk in the rain like the monster. | romantic, flashback | train | imdb | I knew little about James Whale and the Frankenstein franchise, possessed virtually zilch experience with Bill Condon (aside from the trivial baggage that his previous _and first_ feature film was the Direct-To-Oblivion sequel to the Scariest-Movie-Of-All-Time-When-I-Was-Fourteen, Candyman.), and unceremoniously avoided anything to do with Brendan Fraser.
Fact or fiction, he wasn't necessarily James Whale, but a complicated, reserved, and often misunderstood director who found a glimmer of intrigue and desire for his new gardener, Clayton Boone, played impeccably by Brendan Fraser.
In one of the Motion Picture Academy's most bewildering choices, the Best Actor Oscar for 1998 went to an Italian comic who has not been heard from since instead of to the brilliant Ian McKellan in what is arguably his finest film role as James Whale.
A historical drama about famed director James Whale (Ian McKellen), Gods and Monsters finds Whale primarily in his last years, living relatively modestly in 1950s Hollywood.
A heavy emphasis is placed on his homosexuality and his complex relationship with his young male gardener, Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser).Gods and Monsters is an unusual film in that although it's not very plot heavy, there is little feeling of a lack of substance.
Of course McKellen and Redgrave are good, too, but their roles are more along the lines of some of their past fine work.Echoing the parallel between Boone and Whale's histories and dispositions, Whale's life is shown as being deeply mired in the themes of his two Frankenstein films, even though he is shown as publicly wanting to play them down.
Like the Monster seeking emotional recompense, especially in the face of imminent destruction in the wake of a stroke, Whale attempts to latch on to whatever intimacy he can find from others, and ultimately expresses an embrace of death over living.Although the historicity of the film may be questionable on some accounts, it's important to remember that the film, although a historical drama, is still fiction, and many changes are by way of normal "literary license", designed to underscore more abstract points about Whale's life and character.Director Bill Condon nicely inserts select scenes from Whale's past, including his experience in World War I, which informed his films such as Journey's End (1930), and a wonderful recreation of Whale filming a scene from Bride of Frankenstein (1935).
From the opening credits to the (mostly) predictable climax, Bill Condon's film is a technical masterpiece and an excellent bit of arthouse fodder to boot.The title, which comes from James Whale's classic film Bride Of Frankenstein, refers to the gods and monsters living in our lives and vicariously in our close associates' lives.Condon has done a remarkable job editing in flashbacks, and the sketchy oblique, often contrasted shots pay great homage to Whale's early Universal pictures.The story is a simple one: James Whale (Ian MacKellan), famed director, has had a stroke and is slowly dying.
Based from Christopher Bram's novel, Gods and Monsters depicts the last days of famed director James Whales and his flourishing relationship with his gardener Clayton Boone.
Ian McKellen plays the ill-fated director haunted by painful memories of the past while Brendan Fraser, in a very serious role, is the man from which Whales finds peace.
Though this episode is a predictable story, it makes us explore within ourselves the Gods and Monsters of our lives.I'm surprised that the Academy ignored Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser for their extremely fine performances.
The film is based on the novel Father of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram and explores the final days of James Whale, the director of the original Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein movies.
Condon tries very hard indeed to draw links between Frankenstein's monster and Whale, the invisible man and Whale, between Whale's films and his experiences in the Great War. These links come across as forced, too.The thing is, nothing much happens in the two weeks of Whale's life we see - nothing to constitute a story.
Anyway, Whale himself is sick to death of being associated with Frankenstein, and would rather people thought of him as the director of `Show Boat'.The surprisingly good press this film has generated is almost entirely due to Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser.
But much more than that, it is a film that speaks of human strengths and weaknesses, one that studies with quirky charm and quiet strength the scenario of man versus man.Without getting maudlin or preachy, "Gods and Monsters" goes about telling its story about ignorance, frailty, and unconditional love, the very themes that ran throughout most of James Whale's life and films.Bill Condon has created a poetic masterpiece, a wonderful answer to the question "Can't we all just get along?".
Boone prooves to be as dignified and monstrous as Whale.The few problems I had with the film where two gimmicky scenes, one showing Boone's surrender to a request of Whale's that he pose "like a statue", the other a dream sequence that has Whale walking among his fallen comrades in the trenches of World War one, and one flashback on the set of "Bride of Frankenstein", a scene tainted by Arthur Dignam's awful portrayal of Ernest Thesiger.Eventually, "Gods and Monsters' proves two things: that we are all at once superhuman and sub-human, and that Hollywood can still show this in a beautiful way..
We see him in the last year of his life, 1957, when a ficticious Clay Boone (Fraser), working as a gardener, happens upon Whale, who is afflicted by ill-health but living in comfortable retirement in Beverley Hills and being looked after by his severe but caring Hungarian housekeeper (beautifully played by Lyn Redgrave).Old James invites Clay in to see his etchings, or rather to be sketched.
McKellen, a very great actor in the classic English tradition and himself gay, has little trouble playing Whale, but the real surprise is Brendan Fraser as Clay a quiet and well-judged performance.
This is one of the works of art that the 90s should be remembered for.The marvellous tale of how an old, homosexual, educated genius, in the twilight of his life, with a glorious past but also terrible ghosts, first tries to court but ultimately becomes a friend of a simple, young, good hearted man and opens his eyes and his mind with his stories and memories, becoming the turning point of his life, is gripping and moving beyond belief.Arthouse it may be, due to its reduced budget and complex content, but I can't understand how anyone could fail to be touched by this deeply human story, no matter his or her tastes.
Brendon Fraser truly shows depth of character as the gardener.Not only is the cast top notch but the film is filled with fantastic imagery and subliminal qualities that take the viewer into the minds of the characters.From the beginning to the end the viewer is taken on a journey through the life of James Whale.
On second viewing, after having discovered "Gods and Monsters" at a film festival when it hadn't been released commercially, we can report the film is worth another viewing.Mr. Condon, the director, who adapted the Christopher Bram's book, made a great film about James Whale, an English man that came to America and became a film director during Hollywood's golden era.
Hanna knows all the secrets of "Mister Jimmy", as she calls him.James Whale, the director of the famous film "Frankenstein", and others, was a gay man living in a closeted society.
The plot summary for Gods and Monsters states that it follows the last days of horror director James Whale, but it shouldn't be thought of as a biopic; it manages to avoid almost every pitfall suffered by most movies of that genre, except for one - predictability.
It doesn't matter, though, because Gods and Monsters isn't about the story; it's an art-house piece and a character study, an exploration of a complex personality and, above all, a remarkably beautiful film.Like any biographical film, Gods and Monsters relies heavily on one powerful lead actor; Ian McKellen gives one of the best performances of his career as James Whale, with whom he clearly felt a certain bond.
As for supporting cast - Lynn Redgrave is fantastic in a small but memorable part as Whale's maid; Brendan Fraser, on the other hand, plays a very generic character, mostly there as an avatar for the viewer, and though his performance is decent, it's not by any means impressive, and he gets a little too much screen time, taking the film down just a notch from masterpiece status..
"Gods and Monsters" is the beautifully acted and somewhat fictionalized story of director James Whale (Ian McKellan) as he faces the end of his life.
The openly gay Whale was the director of some of the great horror films: Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and The Old Dark House, as well as the definitive Showboat, and one of my favorites, the bizarre Remember Last Night?
How else to explain the omission of Ian McKellen not getting an award for his role as the stricken director James Whale.Gods & Monsters is a touchingly predictable story.
If you want a plot-driven movie, find something else.It is not a biography of James Whale, nor a tribute to his films.It is a serious character study of deep human emotion.
Stories like "Gods and Monsters" make you contemplate what is truth and reality...and Oh, don't I prefer the latter to the former.On the surface, this film is about James Whale's attempts to manipulate Clay Boone into a new version of his most famous creation, the Hollywood version of the Frankenstein monster...a creature that destroyed its creator in the first Frankenstein movie.
The layers fit so neatly and seamlessly into each other, one becomes almost indistinguishable from the other.Needless to say, I love "Gods & Monsters." I already had massive respect for Ian McKellen and Lynn Redgrave (they was robbed at the Oscars), but Brendan Fraser's low-key, almost brutally gentle performance was a revelation.Brendan, you kick it.This film is richly deserving of praise for every aspect of it -- from the writing and low-key directing to the perfect pitch music to the sense of time and place to the performances.
James Whale (Ian McKellen) was once a great director of monster movies like Frankenstein.
Here, we have Sir Ian McKellen CH KBE CBE in an Oscar nominated performance as the late great horror director, James Whale, who was also gay, artistic, and a genius.
In this film, James Whale is elderly and frail who encounters a handsome gardener, Clayton Boone (played wonderfully by Brendan Fraser in his best performance to date or since).
Based on the novel Father of Frankenstein by Christopher Bram, 'Gods and Monsters' recounts the "somewhat fictionalized" last days of the life of troubled film director James Whale.
Ian McKellen gives a triumphant performance as film director James Whale in this biopic about Whale's later years.The film focuses specifically on Whale's mental and emotional struggles with his own homosexuality and his obsession with a young hunk of beefcake, played by Brendan Fraser.
But the most interesting part of the movie for me were the glimpses of old Hollywood peppered throughout, including appearances by George Cukor and Elsa Lanchester, and the incorporation of Whale's best-known film, "Frankenstein."Director Bill Condon won an Oscar for the film's screenplay, and McKellen and Lynn Redgrave, who makes much of a teensy-tiny role as Whale's maid, received nominations.Grade: A.
Gods and monsters is a really extraordinary film which deserves a very enthusastic recommendation.Director Bill Condon,who counted with a very low budget,made an intelligent,emotive and great movie with excellent performances from the underrated Brendan Fraser and the great Ian McKellen.McKellen brings the best performance of his career.The performance is excellent,full of details.Fraser is a good actor who brings,here,a perfect performance.This is a brilliant film;one of that movies which are real art.I recommend this extraordinary film with a slow,but never boring development.Rating: 10.
It is fueled by two remarkable performances: just watch the doco on the disc, where you'll find pictures of the real James Whale, and then watch Ian McKellen's face in the movie, and you realise that he's virtually summoned the spirit of the eccentric, reclusive ex-Hollywood director of fun horror classics Frankenstein, Invisible Man, Old Dark House and Bride of Frankenstein.
His partner in the duet of this movie is Brendan Fraser, who pays homage ever so subtly to Karloff's monster in his portrayal of gardener Clay Boone, who reminds Whale of his great creation and seems to evoke memories of the past in him.This movie did a wonderful thing for me: it left me with an appreciation for the character of Whale, and made me notice and appreciate his eccentric humour behind those horror movies.Haunting and beautiful (helped in large part by Being John Malkovich composer Carter Burwell giving a terrific haunting score), with the poetry and simplicity of a Bergman film, no less..
Anyone interested in producing a biography should pay heed to this film, simply because it manages to encompass everything we need to know about the subject by focusing on one small period in his life.Gods and Monsters looks at the final days in the life of director James Whale.
Boone's character was making an act of love and sacrifice based on their friendship and his feelings of pity for this man when he offered himself for the final portrait in the "seduction" scene (as everyone seems to call it, but that's not really what it was to me.) All in all, one of the most thought provoking movies of the decade- all performances were great.
Ian McKellen, Lynn Redgrave, and even Brendan Fraser (in the film's most difficult role) shine in this beautifully written drama.
Ian McKellan plays director James Whale with near perfection, and Brandon Fraser and Lynne Redgrave throw in two almost equally done performances.
The terror and fright comes not from a psycho wielding a butcher knife, but internally from the protagonist.James Whale writer and director of the original Frankenstein and Bride Of Frankenstein movies is this film's protagonist played aptly by Ian McKellen.
One of the remarkable things about this movie is that while Whale was gay (as is McKellen), this is not emphasized in the film any more than is the heterosexuality of Brendan Fraser's character.
Gods and Monsters' is film-making at its best, depicting the final days of James Whale, a complex and complicated man, famous for directing the first two 'Frankenstein' films and the original movie version of 'Showboat.' Exquisite performances are given by the great Sir Ian McKellen as Whale, who executes every nuance, every witticism, every emotion, with a perfection that is little short of incredible; Lynn Redgrave as Hanna, Whale's formidable but devoted housekeeper; and Brendan Fraser, in a wonderfully humane acting turn as Clay Boone, Whale's hunky grounds keeper, who is unwittingly and inexorably drawn into Whale's ever-increasingly confused and confusing world.
Ian McKellen is the only reason to watch these imagined last few days of the film director James Whale.
James Whale (Ian McKellen), the Hollywood film director of the thirties who helmed such notable pictures as "Journey's End" and "Showboat," is retired now and looked after by a devoted but grumpy maid (Lynn Redgrave), who thinks it a shame that he'll burn in hell for being a homosexual.A bit of excitement arrives with an effeminate university student (Jack Plotnick) who is a gushing fan of Whale's work and wants to interview the man responsible for them.
This film is about an old film director and his young gardener, who overcome the great divides and make an unlikely friendship.Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser are great in the film, but I like Lynn Redgrave the best.
"Gods and Monsters", the 1998 classic from writer/director Bill Condon, centers around James Whale {McKellen}, a flamboyant homosexual who is somewhat of a recluse living in Hollywood.
There he is on screen with one of the great English theatrical masters, Ian McKellan, and he blithely holds his own and even goes beyond what one would have accepted in his performance of Boon, the hunky gardener who enters Whales' life at the end, at least in this film version.
"Gods and Monsters" offers some stellar performances, headed by Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser and Lynn Redgrave.This star trio creates mesmerizing chemistry in the subtle interpretations of their respective characters.
"Gods and Monsters" is a film which deals with the possible last days of famous Hollywood director James Whale (Ian McKellen in his Oscar-nominated role).
The big problem the movie suffers from is that it puts too much emphasis on a fictional friendship between Whale (Ian McKellen) and his gardener Clayton (Brendan Fraser).
The other role was in "Gods and Monsters" of homosexual movie director James Whale, the brains behind "Frankenstein" and "The Invisible Man (although the movie stresses "Frankenstein" and "The Bride of Frankenstein").Specifically, "GAM" focuses (apparently in a fictionalized way) on Whale's last few days alive, and his relationship with his gardener Clayton Boone (Brendan Fraser).
Sir Ian Mckellen's portrayal of Film Maker James Whale, had such depth, you didn't want the story to end.
While there are some 'flashbacks' to earlier events in the director's life (e.g. fighting in the trenches, directing his classic "Bride of Frankenstein"), most of the film takes place in the late-'50s, and focuses on the relationship between Whale (who was openly gay) and his gardener Clay Boone, a fictional character played by a very buff Brendan Fraser.
Gay desire for the unobtainable is also one of the movie's themes.The film is a biography that tells the specific story of a man who led an interesting life, Frankenstein director James Whale.
In my opinion,he is one the best directors that ever lived and therefore I think that it is a shame that this movie is more about the personal life of Whale,there should have been more footage of his directorial achievements.Ian McKellen is wonderful as the always witty and blackhumored James Whale and the performances of Fraser and Redgrave are also pretty good. |
tt0068369 | Child's Play | Eight years after the Chucky's second demise in the Play Pals factory, The Play Pals company has recovered from bad publicity brought along by Chucky's (voiced by Brad Dourif) murder spree and resumes manufacturing of the Good Guy dolls. The company releases a new line of Good Guy dolls and recycles Chucky's remains. However, the soul of serial killer Charles Lee Ray still inhabits the remains, and Chucky is soon revived. Chucky is unwittingly given to Play Pals' CEO Mr. Sullivan, whom he kills with a variety of toys. He then uses computer records to relocate Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent).
Still troubled by his past encounters with Chucky, 16-year-old Andy Barclay (Justin Whalin) has been sent to Kent Military Academy after having failed to cope in several foster homes. Colonel Cochran (Dakin Matthews), the school's commandant, begrudgingly enrolls Andy, but advises him to forget his "fantasies" about the doll. Andy befriends cadets Harold Aubrey Whitehurst (Dean Jacobson), Ronald Tyler (Jeremy Sylvers), and Kristin DeSilva (Perrey Reeves), for whom he develops romantic feelings. He also meets Brett C. Shelton (Travis Fine), a lieutenant colonel who routinely bullies the cadets.
Shortly after Andy arrives, Tyler is asked to deliver a package to his room. Tyler realizes that the package contains a Good Guy doll and, excited, takes it to the cellar to open it, only to have Chucky burst free from the package. Remembering the rule that he can possess the first person who learns his true nature (and that with a new body) he tells Tyler his secret, but just as Chucky is about to possess him, they are interrupted by Cochran who takes the doll away. Cochran throws Chucky into a garbage truck, but Chucky escapes by luring the driver into the truck's compactor and crushing him. That night, Chucky attacks Andy and tells him his plans for taking over Tyler's soul. Before Andy can attack Chucky, Shelton comes in and takes the doll from him. Andy tries to get the doll back by sneaking into Shelton's room, but Shelton catches him in the act. Upon realizing the doll has vanished, Shelton suspects it stolen and forces all the cadets to do exercises in the courtyard as punishment.
Andy unsuccessfully tries to warn Tyler about Chucky. At one point, Chucky lures Tyler into playing hide-and-seek in Cochran's office, where he attempts to possess Tyler again. However, they are interrupted by De Silva and, moments later, Cochran himself. When the cadets leave, Cochran is suddenly confronted by a knife-wielding Chucky. The resulting shock causes Cochran to suffer a fatal heart attack. Chucky later kills the cruel camp barber Sergeant Botnick (Andrew Robinson) by slashing his throat with a razor.
Despite Cochran's death, Sgt. Clark declares that the school's annual war games will proceed as planned, with Andy and Shelton on the same team. However, Chucky secretly replaces the blank paint bullets of the Red team with live ammunition. When the simulation begins, Chucky accosts Tyler. Tyler stabs Chucky with a pocket knife and flees, trying to find Andy. Chucky then attacks Kristin and holds her hostage, attempting to lure the teams into fighting each other to save her. Chucky forces Andy to exchange Kristin for Tyler.
Suddenly, the Red team descends upon the area and obliviously opens fire with their live rounds, with Shelton being killed in the crossfire. Amidst the chaos, Tyler makes a quick getaway, but before giving chase, Chucky tosses a live grenade at the quarreling cadets. Recognizing the danger, Whitehurst bravely leaps on top of the grenade and sacrifices himself to save the others. With no time to mourn his friend, Andy heads off in pursuit of Chucky, with Kristin close behind.
Eventually the chase leads the group into a fake haunted house at a nearby carnival. Tyler tries to get a security guard to help him, but Chucky kills the guard offscreen and kidnaps Tyler. In the ensuing melee, Chucky shoots Kristin in the leg, leaving Andy to fight Chucky alone. When Tyler is inadvertently knocked out, Chucky seizes the opportunity to possess him, but Andy intervenes, shooting him several times. Enraged, Chucky attempts to strangle Andy, but Andy uses Tyler's knife to cut off Chucky's hand, dropping him into a giant fan which mutilates him. Afterwards, Andy is taken away by the police for questioning, while Kristin is rushed to the nearby hospital. Tyler's fate is left unknown. | cult | train | wikipedia | A great film..
This is an excellent film.
Unfortunately the word subtle, which applies to this film, is used as a negative by the only (at this date) other comment on "Child's Play." Subtle it is, and those who like character studies and evocative camera work, a sustained mood and a finely wrought battle between good and evil will be delighted.
If you like the garbage that passes for horror in most of today's bloodfests and loud, non-stop, effects-driven films, well - don't bother.
Robert Preston and James Mason, two A-list actors, knew good material and both give performances that rank highly with the best of their careers.
This film was directed by the great Sidney Lumet, and reveals what is usually best about Lumet's work: great acting, sustained mood, the ability to confine the action to one setting and exploit it for all it is worth, attention to detail and precise pacing that builds exactly as it should.
This unheralded gem deserves a DVD release soon!.
The prime of Mister Paul Reis.
Among Lumet' s monumental filmography ,"child's play" must be ,even more than the overlooked "the group" ,the movie nobody knows or loves to hate .Personally, I have always thought that Lumet is particularly at ease when he directs films the action of which takes place in an enclosed space: a tribunal in "12 angry men" ,a bank in "dog day afternoon" a train in "murder on the orient express" a house in "deathtrap" or "long day's journey into night" the Strategic Air Command in "fail safe" ,a prisoners camp in "the hill"....."Child's play " happens entirely in a boys high school but the students are not often on the screen ;unlike some naive works such as "dead poets society" ,the nice modern beloved teacher (Robert Preston) is not the one you think he is ;he is a distant relative of the "good" teacher Miss Brodie in "the prime of miss Jean Brodie ";whereas the old maid was urging her students to fight for "noble " causes such as Spanish fascism,hercolleague uses them to put his old "pal" James Mason down,to drive him crazy;his motives are very obscure (the fact that he wants to teach the twelfth graders is not really convincing and one could write that "some people who do not fit get the only fun they get by putting people down ",as John Prine sings ."So cold ,sometimes it looks so cold" .Women (apart from a nurse) are completely absent and no one among the secular staff has a girlfriend or a wife ,even the young naive gym teacher.Beau Bridges is a bit clumsy and as a sports teacher ,well...besides he lacks charisma and his dramatic range is ineffective in the scene when he blames his colleague (just compare with young Pamela Franklin playing opposite Maggie Smith in a similar scene at the end of "Miss Jean Brodie").All in all,when you cannot mention it in the same breath as Lumet's works I mention above ,if you like this director,you should catch it :James Mason is excellent in his part of a fallen pitiful Latin teacher (you can also notice his subject had already begun to lose the prestige it used to have in ancient times) and Robert Preston is all the more scary since he remains cheerful or straight-faced.A flawed but nonetheless worthy work .Like this ?
try these....."Unman,Wittering and Zigo" (McKenzie,1971)"The prime of miss Jean Brodie (Neame,1970).
Not that bad!.
Chances are you will never have an opportunity to see this film as it hasn't been on TV for ages.
However, I wouldn't say it is as bad as some of the comments.
I thought it was well acted, but the ending left the viewer confused about exactly what had happened with the boys.
The fates of two of the three major characters are also left to the viewer's imagination.
Robert Preston and James Mason made interesting foils.
Mason managed to make his character a man to be despised and pitied.
Preston was also quite capable in his role - all sweetness and light with increasingly malevolent undertones.If it had been as dull as described in some of the other comments, I probably wouldn't have been able to stay awake since I watched it in the wee hours of the AM..
Very slow building, tense, yet superb mysterious drama!.
If you're the type of movie watcher who prefers to be entertained without having to really invest in the film (and that's absolutely fine) then this movie is probably not for you.
I'm fortunate in that I enjoy all types of film from juvenile slapstick such as Top Secret to classic epics like The Godfather.
This particular film builds very slowly and although there's little "action" in the first third, it's well written and acted and the you can feel the tension build.
Without giving too much away, it's brilliant how convincing one of the main protagonists is due to the quality of the lines attributed to him in the screenplay.
Although I personally believe this movie deserves a wider audience, I fully understand that it will not appeal to a significant number of viewers.
Recommend if you appreciate slow paced, well acted drama..
Good 70's mystery.
Sidney Lumet manages to engender great tension in this curious tale about a group of satan like kids and one of their masters.
Reasonable acting with an intelligent script produces satisfactory results.The only thing missing here is a lack of focus on the mechanics of how the boys behaviour is merely down to a local cult or if something more sinister is at work; however it may have been the writers intention to leave us in two minds regarding this aspect.Definitely worth watching.
Harold Hill meets Mr. Chips.
Apparently at this exclusive Catholic prep school even the civilian teachers have to be officially celibate.
In Child's Play the focus of the film is on an intense rivalry between a pair of civilian teachers who have no outside attachments, save for James Mason and his dying mother.
So they indulge in this rivalry for the approval of the students.
And Robert Preston who dusts off a bit of his Harold Hill persona from The Music Man is winning hands down.Child's Play, a David Merrick Production on stage ran 342 performances during the 1970 season and starred Pat Hingle and Fritz Weaver in the roles that Preston and Mason essay here.
Preston is a charmer as Professor Harold Hill was, but his charm is laced with malevolence.
For reasons I'm not sure whether for money or prestige Preston turns the students against Mason, he wants Mason out to move up in some kind of seniority system.Mason makes it real easy.
A stiff demanding pedagogue he's Mr. Chips before Robert Donat's marriage to Greer Garson humanized him.
He's way past the age of retirement, but other than a terminally ill mother this guy has no life.
Going to teach gives him an excuse to get up in the morning.
Both these guys are a pair of real closet cases.
Both are obsessed with the young male preppy kids they teach, Mason just does not know how to relate to them.
Preston does and he uses his influence with them to produce some terrible consequences.
Caught in the middle of all this is new gym teacher Beau Bridges who once went to this school.
He knows both men from his years there, but learns a whole lot more once he becomes a faculty member and learns disturbing stuff about both.Child's Play is smartly directed and photographed by Sidney Lumet.
Pay attention to some of the deep focus cinematography involving all three of the players I've named in joint scenes.
All three register facial expressions that help move the story along immensely.I think a lot was left out of the play coming over from Broadway, but still Child's Play is a fine film with great performances from the leads..
"Right Here in River City....".
When I was younger, this movie hit major cities but never made the small burg where I live.
Beau Bridges was able to play young innocent roles then.
I loved it most because the Catholic Church was playing host to., really, this wonderful horror movie.
It was shot like many horror shows I've seen.
Quality was as good as the Haunting of Hill House, a very high quality horror film of the early 60s.
I was happy to see it just starting on Fox Movies channel when I arrived home tonight.
I was riveted.
Loved the give and take all the way to the end.
But the end was a turnabout like a hundred similar turnabouts, with the obvious turned upside down by a revealing, riveting end piece.
Yes, I wanted a surprise ending.
But beyond that, as a lapsed Catholic since first grade, I enjoyed seeing the Church get what amounted to what in the seventies would've been an unfair bashing.
I went to Catholic school for five years.
I'd endured the enormous fear the Church sold then.
Recent statements by Pope Francis and errant priest scandals in dioceses everywhere have brought home the realization that all Catholic dioceses in the world have been subject to priests taking up with children, men, women, anyone walking, really.
The Church in America is taking a steep dive in members as we speak because of the new understanding.
The Church was founded in the First Century.
Priests at first married.
The Church divided into different branches, the new branches not part of the Roman Church.
By the 4th century celibacy was becoming mandatory in the surviving Roman Church.
But it didn't become uniform until the 11th century.
Given the nature of human beings I think one can assume a great many priests began violating the celibacy rule immediately.
Covering up scandals has likely been part of the duty of Catholic dioceses for centuries.
The backdrop of a boys school run by the Church is not accidental in Child's Play.
Schools run by men in the priesthood have inherently had great potential for scandal, whether driven by sexual scandal or something else..
Shallow and pointless exercise disguised as frightening horror film.
Not even heavy names like Sidney Lumet, James Mason and Beau Bridges can make of "Child's Play" everything that it should be.
Halfway through a more experienced viewer like me will think of similar and better executed examples of the same story: the disturbance between the students of a boy's school after one dangerous incident after another involving injured students are deeply concerning among teachers who'll investigate the case to later find out things are not what they appear, and one of them might be the source of all this trouble.
In this grandfather of films like "The Faculty", we follow the rivalry between a tyrant teacher (James Mason) hated by everyone versus a more likable guy (Robert Preston), and in the middle of this is the new PE teacher (Beau Bridges) former student of the place, now trying to uncover the mystery involving the students and their deadly beatings on some of their classmates, and also the threatening letters given to the menacing master.
A movie with such divided line of classes shouldn't keep distant at one of them and focus mainly on the other.
This should be like "Gosford Park", following from the top of the pyramid to the lowest level.
The frightening students are given one horrific scene here and there, most of the time they're in the background of the whole action and let's face it, they suck as actors with those emotionless expressions that doesn't cause anything after a while.
One dimensional at its worst.
And while we have time to see the teachers and the headmaster dealing with the case everything is incredibly slow, sickening and overplayed.
Bridges gets sympathy from us because like him we're entering into a new thing, wanting to get answers on events that seem unexplainable; Mason gets more credit than he ever deserved it, not only from the titles giving him as a lead when he's not but also credit from many critics who praise his performance.
Not only his character isn't sympathetic (even when he should be after getting more and more death threats, we should feel something for him but we don't due to its emotional overreactions) but we sense that he is too performatic, representing on a play and never being the character.
He's a trained dictator and not the dictator, lack of embodiment ruined his acting in this film.
If "Child's Play" deserves a little of recognition is because of Robert Preston playing the cool teacher.
The more the film develops, the more he changes into something he's not, a part rarely played that grows on you.
Probably the good remembrances after watching this film is because of him.
I disliked this yet it was almost enjoyable.
First of all there's no lesson learned in here.
Movies with teachers in the main roles commonly features some rewarding (or not but they do try) lesson or a useful teaching.
By those standards, what do we get?
There's little devils in the school working for a great devil with a noble purpose?
Quite alright.
Unappealing drama, stiff horror with few pleasant and thrilling moments but it doesn't go too far with a predictable plot underworked ruined by its lack of action.
This proved to be a wrong project for Lumet, he's good in conducting filmic play adaptations but this one adds almost nothing to his resume.
He didn't had the touch for the horror and it's a meaningless play so why do it.
Might have been successful on Broadway (as it was played at one time) but as a film doesn't deliver much.
Doesn't deliver at all.
Just leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
Subtle and not very good.
I haven't seen this in years but here's what I remember.Dull horror film about the strange behavior of students at an all boys school.
James Mason as a teacher thinks Robert Preston (another teacher) is trying to drive him out (or crazy).
Beau Bridges tries to figure it all out.You think that a film which has young students attacked (one is blinded, another is tied up and hung from a statue) might at least be disturbing...but it's not.
It's dull, slow and it's pretty obvious who the villain is (he's always lit to look evil).
Also, for a PG film, this is pretty grim stuff.
It all leads to an unsatisfying ending which never truly explains what's going on.
Also Preston, Mason and Bridges are at their worst.
I caught this on TV years ago and had trouble staying awake!
A rightfully forgotten horror film.
Skip it..
Grueling actors' piece.
Idealistic new gym teacher at an all-boys Catholic boarding school, his alma mater after graduating there nine years ago, is warned by one of the priests on arrival that the students have changed over time, their attitudes towards each other have become malicious and their violent actions touched by evil.
Overcooked melodrama from Robert Marasco's Tony-winning play is, at its core, a battle of wills between two veteran instructors: one, a sagging-faced, paranoid old taskmaster (James Mason) whom the students deplore and the other (Robert Preston) a gregarious, glinty-eyed teacher who has rallied the students to his side.
When these men face-off, the material hints at something headier than what director Sidney Lumet and screenwriter Leon Prochnik really hope to present: the dehumanization of young men into soldiers of misfortune.
Broadway showman David Merrick made an inauspicious debut here as movie producer, and his first mistake was to hire Lumet as director.
Lumet, who specializes in his keeping his actors riled-up on-screen, wants to give us the shakes with bloody beatings, an eye-gouging and a desecration in the church (underlined by Michael Small's "scare music"), scenes which are nasty and unpleasant to sit through--and also time-consuming.
The real drama, between Mason and Preston (with Beau Bridges caught in the middle), is nearly buried under the morass.
Though ultimately too theatrical to feel honest, the performances by the principals are at least polished by the actors' professionalism, bringing substance to a picture caught in the balance between melodrama and its own horror-movie subtext.
The soul leaves and doesn't return....
Sidney Lumet's fascinating, ambiguous fight between good and evil.
Robert Preston and James Mason are teachers at a Catholic school for boys fighting for the collective soul of the student body.
On the surface, Preston is the angelic one, while Mason is evil incarnate...that shifts as new teacher Beau Bridges slowly unravels what's really going on.
The film is slow but never lethargic with terrific performances by Preston and Bridges and an absolutely brilliant turn by Mason (he hasn't been this neurotic and pathetic since LOLITA).
Preston was reportedly a last minute replacement for Marlon Brando and, while he seems the least likely choice, he pulls off this dramatic role with ease..
Nice idea but poorly delivered.
*minor spoiler*Boring so-called thriller about a seemingly possessed bunch of students.The direction is totally unimaginative, while most of the characters are paper-thin.
The students are like muppets with no personality at all during the second half of the film, despite signs at the beginning that they would play a significant role in the story - which unfortunately never happens.
Beau Bridges is at his most unconvincing, but then again, the script doesn't help him much.I'd say you better avoid this.3 |
tt0178868 | Ringu | High school students Katie and Becca discuss an urban legend about a cursed videotape which kills anyone who watches it seven days later. Katie admits that she watched the tape with her boyfriend and two friends the previous week. That night, Katie is killed by an unseen force.
At Katie's funeral, her aunt Rachel, a Seattle journalist, is asked by Katie's mother, Ruth, to investigate her death. Rachel discovers that Katie's boyfriend and two other teenagers mysteriously died on the same night as Katie. After learning that they watched the cursed videotape at Shelter Mountain Inn, Rachel travels there and watches the tape, which contains disturbing and surreal imagery. Afterwards, she receives a phone call from an unknown caller who utters "seven days".
Rachel recruits the help of Noah, the estranged father of her son, Aidan. He watches it and has Rachel make him a copy to study. Rachel discovers hidden footage of a lighthouse on the tape. Her research leads her to identify a woman on the tape: a horse breeder, Anna Morgan, who committed suicide after her horses were involved in a mass suicide in Moesko Island. Rachel discovers Aidan watching the videotape and informs Noah.
Leaving Aidan in Ruth's care, Rachel heads for Moesko Island to speak to Anna's widower, Richard. At the same time, Noah travels to Eola Psychiatric Hospital to view Anna's medical files, which contains missing footage. On the ferry to the island, Rachel spooks a racehorse and it leaps off the ferry to its death. On the island, she discovers Anna had an adopted daughter, Samara, but Richard denies it.
Rachel speaks with the island doctor, who explains that Anna could not conceive and so adopted Samara. Samara possessed an uncontrolled ability to psychically etch images onto objects and into the minds of her parents and their horses, tormenting them. Noah also learns of Samara's existence and heads for the island.
Rachel sneaks into the Morgan house and watches the missing footage of Samara explaining her powers during a psychotherapy session. Richard discovers her and strikes her. Realizing that Samara's evil is still at large, he electrocutes himself in the bathtub. Noah arrives and he and Rachel enter the barn. In a loft converted to Samara's bedroom to isolate her from her mother, they find an image of a tree behind the wallpaper; Rachel realizes it is the image of a tree at the Shelter Mountain Inn.
In Cabin 12, Rachel and Noah discover a stone water well beneath the floorboards. They remove the lid but Rachel is pushed inside. A hand grabs her, and Rachel experiences a vision of Anna pushing Samara into the well, where she survived for seven days. Samara's corpse surfaces in the well and Rachel tries to appease her spirit by giving her a proper burial. Afterwards, Noah informs Rachel that seven days have passed since she watched the cursed videotape, leading them to believe that the curse is broken.
Aidan warns Rachel that the curse is not over. Rachel realizes that Noah is next and rushes to save him, but the vengeful ghost of Samara crawls out of his television and kills him. Rachel finds his corpse and returns home to destroy the tape. She realizes that she was spared because she made a copy and showed it to Noah. Rachel helps Aidan make his own copy and plans to show it to someone else. | psychological, cruelty, murder, realism, paranormal, cult, violence, atmospheric, flashback, good versus evil, psychedelic, suspenseful, sadist | train | wikipedia | **CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS**Ringu is an unassuming little movie that my boyfriend and I rented from the local DVD store knowing little about it other than it had inspired a recent Hollywood remake.The first thing which accosts you when watching this film, is it's lo-fi documentary-style reality.
Ringu has the look and feel production wise of a TV movie, but this only adds to the objective of it, to terrify.The story unfolds of an everyday Japanese single mother, the backdrop is nothing unusual but this is required as the bizarre begins to unravel before the eyes of the watcher.
You will not be able to stop watching, but be wishing that you could rip out your eyes simultaneously!This movie is a quiet and unpretentious if imaginative little piece from Japan, which displays something that Hollywood has lacked in the horror genre in many years.
This film is very Japanese, and I cannot imagine it doing well when converted to Hollywood form.Ringu is a movie made to be watched on your TV at home, exactly the way I did renting the DVD from your local store.
One such victim is a seventeen year old girl, and it is up to her aunt, hotshot newspaper reporter Reiko, to solve the mystery of the strange video.Like the American remake "The Ring," Ringu is not a perfect film.
But for fans of good, spooky, old fashioned ghost stories, "Ringu" has a lot to recommend it.One of the things I appreciated the most about this movie is the complete and utter lack of gore.
Fans of urban legend type horror will take delight in this offering from director Nakata Hideo and whilst the film does lack substance somewhat, it makes up in suspense and mystery.
Now that I've seen both I would have to say that 'Ringu' is the better film (marginally).The Hollywood version was quite an unsettling experience in it's own right and having seen it first I rather expected 'Ringu' would be a 'ruined' experience as I was already familiar with the overall story and, of course, THE scene.
I hadn't been truly frightened by a scene from a horror movie for a very long time so I was unequivocally impressed.So when I got around to watching 'Ringu' my expectation was low.
When her son watches the tape Reiko and Ryuji race against time to discover the meaning behind the curse to be able to lift it.I came to this only knowing the hype and the barest bits of the story.
Like many Japanese movies, I simply could not accept that the character would really do what they were doing; it just didn't make sense to me that these people would go running around Japan trying to discover the mystery of the 'video' based on some people dying.
Perhaps its a testament to Japanese work ethic or American laziness but I just thought there wasn't enough to back up the characters actions.I realize it might somehow be hip to say that you enjoy foreign films more than their domestic counterparts and insult the Hollywood 'money machine' and decry the end of american cinema but I simply can't do it with this movie.
You are uneased by the surreal imagery on the infamous video tape and the atmosphere produced by the film getting your nerves ready for the final insomnia inducing final scene.Other Recommendations: Dark Water, Ring 2..
This was partially because of how much I loved it, and mostly because I couldn't have slept anyway!Watch this along with 'Ring 2' and 'Ring 0' before seeing the crappy american version, as the remake contains elements (and scenes) from those two films as well.I also feel that anyone who likes the american remake more than the japanese original should not be allowed to have opinions about anything.
While "The Excorsist" was entertaining and nice, and "the Shining" was both hilarious (Jack Nicholsson) and effective, no horror movie I've ever seen has been as unsettling as Ringu.Nothing much happens compared to a western horror piece, where the director often spends a lot of time explaining and making things dumber for the broad audience, and squeezing in as much scary stuff as he can within the time frame.
The actors where good even though I cannot really compare since I don't watch a lot of Japanese movies.The movie is worth seeing, but not if you've seen "the Ring" first.
For those who haven't seen either Ringu or the Hollywood remake The Ring, it would be a travesty to reveal the cause of death to the hapless victims, but suffice to say that Ringu's sustained feeling of spine tingling unease builds and builds to a truly horrible catharsis that marks it as the most frightening horror film I have seen, bar none.
The concept is nice, it goes on exactly where you think it's over, some nice scenes too and an overall good atmosphere (you get the feeling of some good 70's horror films), but I think the plot -especially in the beginning- has some gaps and is going on somewhat fast.
To this day, after viewing the film several times, Ringu still gets under my skin, with it's bizarre imagery, slow burn pacing, and ultimately the most terrifying force ever seen in a horror film: Sadako Yamamura.The plot revolves around a mysterious urban legend too silly to be true.
Now, with the help of her ex husband Ryuji Takayama(Hiroyuki Sanada), who has also viewed the tape, Reiko has only seven days to save herself from an inevitable death, and protect all that she loves from a powerful evil.Where Ringu strikes its audience the hardest is not with a gratuitous amount of quick cuts, ample jump scenes, or gory images It is all in the slow pace, the feeling of inevitable doom drawing near, for with each passing day, the characters are closer and closer to their final breath.
Watching Ringu is comparable to digging a pit, looking for answers, with no where to go but down, knowing full well that time is running out, and that giving up may be for the best.Director Hideo Nakata films Ringu is quite a simplistic, low key way, focusing on the mystery of the video and our protagonists quest more so than fancy visuals and cool images.
That I am not so sure, as the Americans, as usual, felt like they *had* to spoil another amazing movie with some fast-food remake.'Ringu' is rich and complete when it comes to the horror element.
But when she learns three other teens died on the same night and at the same time, and that they all watched a "cursed video" a week earlier, she realizes that there is a mystery behind it all...This is the premise for Hideo Nakata's masterpiece of modern psychological horror, Ring (a.k.a.Ringu).
In either event, you should follow this film with either Rasen (aka Spiral, 1998), which was the original "Ring 2" (and which more closely follows the second novel), or with the "official" Ringu 2 (1999).---------------------------------------At the same time that some teens are turning up dead, a rumor is going around that the deaths are correlated to a mysterious piece of video, sometimes seen on videotape, but rumored to also be broadcast.
Two, Nakata is good at building subtle atmosphere.The success of the story is easy to discern from the legions of films that have been influenced by the Ring in some way, including FearDotCom (2002) and Ju-On (2000)--and these within only a few years.
What was also good was that I saw the US Ring about a year ago and thought that less of it was that I couldn't really remember the film except from the beginning when the two teen girls are talking about seeing the video but when scenes came I did begin to recollect them.I am pleased to have finally seen the original as I really enjoyed it more and now I am going to role onto Ring 2 and Ring O and hopefully will come out watching the best horror trilogy since never..
As well, most of the world trend to be a lot better at making horror films compared to the Americans, which is too reliance on slasher films.The premise of the Ring is there is a videotape which when another watches it they will receive a phone call telling them they only have a week to live, and guess what: after a week they die.
The US version is OK and indeed better than most modern horror films, but Ringu is superior and of course the impact of the famous ending is lessened slightly.
Yeah,I have watched ringu and all rings.I think they are great,especially because the grotesque thing comes out of the television.Sadako is true main killer in thing movie.A journalist Reiko Asakawa,divorced,with a six years old son named Yoichi.Reiko's niece had died in a terrible death of sudden heart failure.Her friend Masami witnesses her death.Now Reiko watches the tape and she has seven days left.With her ex-husband's help,Ryuji Takayama.Now it's a great mystery,but is she willing to take every risk..well yes.And putting her son in danger when he watches it...like I said..it's a great mystery.Great movie I say..
Now, she has just seven days to live, and with the help of her ex-husband, Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), Reiko must delve deep into the mysterious origins of the tape, before it threatens to destroy her.Originally published in 1991, Kôji Suzuki novel 'Ring' has been adapted once before, in the form of a television movie from 1995 ('Ring: The Complete Edition').
Nakata has now proved himself as a maestro of horror movies (or at least this one), but I'm tempted to hate him for it; 'Ring' got under my skin so much that I almost wanted the film to just stop.Nakata hardly relies on star Nanako Matsushima for 'Ring''s quality control, but her performance is nevertheless worthy of note.
I don't mean to overly praise it, but 'Ring' is more of an intense experience than an actual film, and the horror becomes amplified by the unexpected twist ending, which paves the way for an immediate follow-up.
Make no mistake that this is the one that started it all...one beast of a horror movie oozing not only bucket loads of originality, but some of best acting capabilities that Japan has to offer.The story revolves around Reiko Asakawa, a news reporter who has recently found out about a group of people (one of whom is her niece) who have died in unexplained circumstances.
Enduldge all of your senses into this remarkable film...and let your nerves do the talking!Entertainment: 9/10Scares: 10/10 (Depending on how you watch a horror film)Finger Nails: BrokenMy Pillow: A Life-saver...Performances: 10/10Direction: 10/10 (Wonderous atmospheric Nakataness)Sadako: OMFG!!!/10Final Rating: 10/10.
The only really scary moments were spoiled for me because I had already seen them before on things like "The 100 Scariest Movie Moments" on TV or something, and the notes by a critic inside the DVD box also spoiled it.Sound design was one part of this film that struck me - quite good at doing what it was supposed to, sometimes unsettling.
Told with simplicity and economy, Ringu is superior to the American remake -- in itself still a good thriller but one short on subtlety -- a textbook example of Japanese horror at its most inventive and frightening..
This is also one of the few only horror movies I'd call an utter good movie, and not just a scary one.I've seen my share of Asian movies, so this wasn't something entirely new to me, but since this one is a fairly a-typical Asian picture, I think people from Europe and America can enjoy it as well.I love the way of implying rather than showing(like the Asakawa - Ryuji relationship).
`RING' is a Japanese horror film and stars Nanako MatsushimaOne day, four young people die at the same time on the same day.
It runs almost like a detective story rather than a traditional horror film as the main character works her way closer to finding the facts behind the mysterious video tape.
The original movie that the Hollywood-based hit The Ring is based on, Ringu is tons creepier and scarier, with better acting, better production, better script, and better everything.Reiko (Nanako Matsushima) is a newspaper reporter who is learning about a cursed videotape: after viewing an odd video, a phone rings, and the person on the other end says, `You have one week to live.' After her niece dies from, presumably, the tape, she decides to investigate, so she gets a hold of the video and watches it.
She, along with her husband/boyfriend Ryuji (Hiroyuki Sanada), dissects the tape frame by frame and tries to figure out the mystery.This is the only movie that kept me up at night and had me terrified at night, which is odd because the American remake is basically the same, except that Ringu is in every way better.
Rather, the horror is achieved through images from the haunted video, *very* spooky sounds, startling glimpses inside the characters' minds, the passage of time, and an absolutely terrifying scene at the end.If you can find this movie (I am not aware of an English-language version), watch it, and you'll be scared of your TV for at least a week.
The plot is quite common, it's a very "Japanese" style horror movie (curses, ghost of a young girl, but no gore...), nevertheless what strikes from the very beginning is the excellence of the directing.
One of the most effective horror films of the past 20 years, Hideo Nakata's "Ringu" (or "Ring") is a terrifying and very human ghost-story that will chill you to the bone..
And I do believe that Hideo Nakata's "Ringu" (or "Ring"), a 1998 Japanese horror film inspired by the novels of Koji Suzuki, belongs on a list with those classics.
This cult Japanese horror follows the investigative journalism of a young Reiko Aswaka, who in the course of duty watches a cursed video tape, in which the viewer is killed by a mysterious force exactly seven days after viewing.
In her last week alive she tries to get to the truth behind the video (and it's apparent power) in order to save her life, and also the lives of her son and ex-husband who end up watching the tape.Chances are you've heard of this film, or at least its American remake.
Unlike most of its fellow genre inmates, even with the horror stripped away, there is enough narrative to make the film work and the detective side of the story (although fairly underwhelming at times due to the easy accessibility of what they are looking for) makes it far more worthwhile than the typical slasher flicks that have plagued the horror films recently.The dark undertones (murky lighting, and slow panning shots) certainly create an atmosphere suitable on first viewing, but on second time round, without the shock value, they are a little bit too obvious, as if the plot is stuck in a linear rut in terms of style.The film is superior to its American cousin in my view due to the strong cast, and the horrifying first viewing (if you haven't seen this film I would advice you watch it with someone, with the lights on), and whilst directed very tastefully and artistically (and far better than any American horror of the last 10 or so years) lacks the brutal or horrific punch an effective horror film should have..
Japanese horror films are really good productions to watch, moreover these films make you feel badI can guarantee you that Ringu is better than The Ring(the Hollywood version of this film).
I recommend this film to everyone, you should watch this movie before watching the American version which I did not like at all.
Then the phone rings, and the film becomes a race against time as Reiko tries to exorcise' the curse, which soon extends to her surly ex-husband Ryuji (Sanada) and their young son, Yoichi (Nakatani) as they also view the tape.
However, it is still a good movie, and if you liked The Ring very much, I can you advise this masterpiece of horror.
I was so glad I did, this is the scarest film I have ever seen, I serious I still cant look at an off TV with out thinking about Sadako!FOrget the crapy American re make which so many people seem to like, I've watched and it sucks.
This is why its so scary because you have to visualise it, all the way throught I was wondering what she looked liked.That sticks with, the ending is the best I have ever seen in any horror film ever.
I'd heard about this on the film circuit for a few years and when it was finally released on DVD in the UK I went and bought a copy.It's story is simple if you watch a certain videotape, then the phone will ring and seven days later you will die (in a shocking manner).
She watches the tape, the phone rings, horrible screeching and then she has seven days to break the curse.To say anything more would ruin the various surprises in the film (and there are many).
There is a film in horror movie folklore like no other.
If you want a good scare I advise you to watch this one.Also, the cursed video in the Japanese version is much scarier than the one in the remake version.
One thing that you must understand here is the film is not trying to scare you in an overacting way or frighten you in a gross blood bath (if that the term of horror movies by you!), but to make you realize that living is full of circle and your life is like a ring.
As a foreign film, The Ring is a great movie all by itself.
(EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and ELIZABETH were the other two).So, about RINGU...I found the beginning of the film to be much, much, much better than the American version of THE RING. |
tt0319531 | I'll Sleep When I'm Dead | Davey Graham (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) arrives at an upper class party to sell drugs to a woman named Stella. As he leaves, Stella's date watches him and makes a call on his cell phone. Outside the party, three men are waiting for Davey in a black Range Rover, including a car dealer named Boad (Malcolm McDowell). The men follow Davey around London, finally attacking him just as he's headed home. Two of the men wait for Davey as Boad waits down an alley. Both men grab him, and one of them holds his hand over his mouth to muffle his cries for help. They then drag him off the street and into a garage, where they hold him down as Boad rapes him. At dawn, Davey emerges from the garage and stumbles home, where he draws a bath for himself and gets in fully clothed. Several hours later, his friend Mickser (Jamie Foreman) arrives to pick up Davey. He discovers Davey dead in the bathtub, with his throat slashed. Mickser visits Helen (Charlotte Rampling) and asks her how to get in touch with Davey's brother Will (Clive Owen). She says that she has stopped receiving letters from Will, who left London three years earlier.
Will has been working as a logger in the country. He's unshaven with long hair, and he lives out of a van. After he's fired from his job for having no papers, he heads to the sea to take a ferry out of England when he sees Davey in the terminal. After realizing it was a hallucination, he begins calling Davey's flat. Receiving no answer, he returns to London, where he learns that Davey is dead.
His return to London stirs up the anxiety of crime boss Frank Turner (Ken Stott), who sends word to Will that he should leave town after he buries his brother. Will's old cohorts urge him to return for good, saying that Turner could be overtaken easily. Will makes it clear that he is not interested in returning to his old life. He visits Helen and apologizes for leaving her. He explains that he has been grieving for 'a life wasted', lamenting the fact that Davey also wasted his.
Will orders a second post-mortem to try to determine why Davey would kill himself. It reveals that he was raped the night before he died, in addition to the fact that Davey ejaculated during the rape. The coroner explains that it was a result of the anal stimulation, surmising that Davey probably killed himself over the shame he felt after involuntarily ejaculating during the rape. He refers Will to a psychologist who can explain the phenomenon more eloquently. As Will listens to the psychologist explain the mindset of the rapist and the mental damage of a rape victim, he takes his first drink in three years.
Mickser visits the woman who hosted the party where Davey made his sale. The hostess remembers seeing the man make a phone call as Davey left, and she tracks down his identity. Will and Mickser visit the man who leads them to Boad. During a dinner party at Boad's house, Will cases the grounds and leaves. Meanwhile, Will's cohorts pull a prank at Turner's house, hogtying one of his bodyguards in a bra and panties. Irate, Turner hires an Irish hitman to retaliate.
Will visits a garage and uncovers a vintage Jaguar. He retrieves a suitcase from the trunk and checks into a hotel. The suitcase is full of money and clothes, in addition to a gun. Will has a suit pressed and orders a barber to cut off his long hair and beard. Clean cut and in his suit, he has the Jaguar washed and heads to Boad's house. On his way, he calls Helen and tells her to pack a bag. Turner's hitman is waiting outside her house, though.
At Boad's, Will trips the alarm on a car in the garage, drawing Boad out of the house. Will kills his dog and then points his gun at Boad, asking him why he raped Davey. Boad explains that he'd been following Davey for six weeks, fascinated by how fake he was. He hated the way that Davey waltzed through life, conning everyone with good looks and charm. Boad says that he wanted to make Davey realize that he was worthless. Will tells Boad that he will kill him later, because killing him at that moment would be too easy. As he's walking away from the house, he pauses and then returns to the garage and kills Boad.
Helen is shown being held hostage by the hitman who is waiting for Will to pick her up. The film ends on an ambiguous note as Will watches a man hitting golf balls into the ocean. It is the same shot and voiceover which open the film. Will speaks about how most thoughts are just memories, and after someone is gone, the memories of him are all that's left. He gets into his car and drives off. | revenge, murder, violence | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1578873 | Pretty Little Liars | 1 year ago, Allison, the queen bee of the four friends, Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily, went missing. Since her disappearance, the four girls became less close, with Aria moving to Iceland, Hanna losing weight, Spencer in competition with her older sister, Melissa, and Emily experimenting with her sexuality. When Aria comes back from Iceland, she hooks up with a guy from a bar, who turns out to be her English teacher. Hanna gets arrested for stealing sunglasses from the mall, and her mother has sex with the arresting officer to get Hanna out of trouble. Tired of always coming second to Melissa, Spencer makes out with her fiancee, causing the engagement to end. Emily meets the new girl who moves into Rosewood, Maya, and feels something a little more than friendship for her. When Aria moves back to Rosewood, all four girls receive strange and threatening messages from "A", who they believe could possibly be Allison, considering the messages were about exposing both present and past secrets- secrets only Allison knew about. The past secrets included Aria's father cheating on her mother with his student, Spencer kissing Melissa's previous boyfriend, Emily's romantic feelings for Allison, Hanna's bulimia to become skinny, and one night when Allison claimed to see a boy named Toby peeping through the window and threw a stink bomb in the garage, causing a fire, and blinding Toby's step-sister, Jenna. Even after Allison's dead body was found and a funeral was held, the girls keep receiving texts from A. Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily must find out who A is before he/she reveals all of their deepest, darkest secrets. | neo noir, murder | train | imdb | null |
tt0195714 | Final Destination | Alex Browning is aordinary teenager, who has the power of seeing the future.He and 40 of his classmates are going to Paris on a school trip. Just before the plane takes off, Alex has a premonition of the plane exploding, killing everyone. He awakens and screams to everyone that the plane will explode. The guards take him off the plane and onto the airport. During the commotion, teacher, Valerie Lewton, and students, Billy Hitchcock, Clear Rivers, Terry Chaney, Carter Horton and Tod Waggner get off as well.Soon after, the plane explodes. The survivors are shocked to find Alex's premontion has come true. Days later, Todd slips in his bathroom, and falls on a clothesline in his shower. His velocity causes the rope to wrap around hsi neck, and strangles him to death. After his body is discovered, everyone deems it a suicide.Alex thinks that Death is after them, since they survived the plane explosion. He figures out that they are meant to die in the order that they died on the plane. He calls Clear and they go to a cafe and talk about Alex's theory. While at the cafe, all the survivors reunite. But Carter and Alex start arguing. Terry, Carter's girlfriend, is enraged at Carter still holding a grudge against Alex. She walks off, only to be hit by a bus.Next on the list is Miss Lewton. She has a series of household accidents that ultimately leads to her computer blowing up in her face, a knife impaling her and her house exploding.The four remaining take off in a car only to have it stall on the railroad tracks. They all get out except the Carter, who spots a oncoming train. The others convince him to get out. He decides to get out, with Alex's help, Carter's death has been intervened. But Billy, is decapitated by a piece of thin metal from the car wreckage. Alex figures out that if someone intervenes and prevents the people next in line to die, Death will put that person at the end of the list. Next in line is his girlfriend, Clear Rivers. She is at home when lightning hits a tree causing a chain of events to occur that ultimately find her in her car with a power line on top of it. Alex swoops in again and saves her, cheating death once again.Six months later, thinking they have finally cheated death for good, the three remaining fly to Paris. At a cafe, Alex sees omens around him, and thinks that Death is still after them. Walking away, Alex is about to be hit by a bus, without realising it. Clear has a vision and shouts to Alex and saves him. However, the bus hits a traffic pole, which sends it flying in the air, finally hitting a electrical sign, which says "CAFE LA MERO 81" on top of the cafe. The sign comes crashing down, about to hit Alex. Cartercomes and saves him. Thinking Death has been defeated, Carter asks Alex, "Who's next?". Then the sign comes back down, this time backwards saying, "18o" and hits Carter.This leaves Clear and Alex the remaining survivors from the first film. It is revealed afterwards that Alex was struck in the head by a falling brick. Clear, now powerless, sends herself into a mental asylum. | fantasy, mystery, murder, paranormal, dramatic, violence, horror, humor, suspenseful, entertaining | train | imdb | Final Destination has made my list as one of the best horror films in the wake of the teen/slasher revival.
This is where the story gets interesting by getting off the plane Alex soon realizes that him and his friends have cheated Death and they have to figure out when death is coming back at them.The one thing i thought was trully good about this film was whenever "Death" came after the remaining students that got off the plane it wasn't some grim reaper type guy you could see.
Donella), other peers Billy (Seann William Scott), Clear (Ali Larter), Ms. Lewton and Alex watch from the airport as their late flight bursts into flames within minutes after takeoff-leaving these characters suspiciously confused about fate.The film wastes no time depicting its setup.
Although "Final Destination" provides many edge-of-your-seat surprises and tension, the film likes to poke fun at many of its scenes.
It's not just shock-factor movie-making, they actually sat down and outlines how all the deaths would work in a way that keeps the plot alive.
I love a clever death scene in movies like this ...
What I really liked about it was that Death never showed itself and that it turned simple everyday items into murder weapons.Of course no horror movie is perfect.
I mean who is going to place a beverage on top of a computer monitor?Other than this one minor flaw, Final Destination is still a great and scary horror film.8/10.
I apologize to the writers and director of Final Destination, because this was one of the better horror movies I have seen in a while.Basically, Alex and his fellow students, including four teachers, are going on a field trip to Paris, but Alex has a horrifying nightmare of the plane crashing horribly and exploding killing everyone.
Final Destination is original and a terrifying story that brings up the interesting subject of fate and destiny and if you make it or things should happen naturally.
Not to mention the pretty cool death scenes that occur in this film is any horror fan's dream of watching.
When you go to watch a movie like Final Destination, which is obviously a teen horror movie, you take your chances.
Soon, everyone who was supposed to be on the plane start dying one by one.Knowing that this was written and directed by the same team who did Willard, I knew that a lot of the movie wouldn't be just needless blood, but that there would be some sort of a creepy atmosphere to it all.
There must be a few scenes of that in Final Destination, and one quite humorous one in WillardI also thought that the movie took too long to get started.
Thankfully, the characters aren't as stupid as they usually are in teen horror movies, and I did like all of the talk about `death's pattern', etc.
Without being an absolute masterpiece, "Final Destination" is a good fantastic movie that deserves to be watched.
Moreover, the suspense is well lead during all the movie until the end.But if "Final Destination" isn't a masterpiece, it's because it also contains faults: for example, how can Alex, the hero of the film succeed in seeing these odd visions about "accidents that are going to happen"?
In this film, teens get on a plane for a high school trip to Paris.While on the plane, one teen had a premonition of something bad happening to the plane and everyone on the plane would die.He prevented it by getting off the plane with five of his classmates.It didn't stop the plane from taking off with the rest of his classmates and they ended up dying on the plane.The truth is you can't cheat death.Now death is going to hunt them down one by one.The death scenes in this movie are unique, intriguing and frightening.Through out the whole film, the movie is suspenseful and unpredictable.
Granted, the basic premise of the film is fantastic, and unusually original in this genre, but the script is absolutely terrible.For example, without spoiling the 'plot', the complete pattern is worked out after just one incident: now I may be wrong, but I think a pattern is defined as a series of events linked in some way.
From that point on the dialogue was awful, the supposed 'make you jump' moments may as well have had an on-screen countdown they were so obvious, and the film became overwhelmed in sheer banality.The ending did give a little bit of interest, until you realise that it leaves the door open for a sequel, at which point you just wonder...why?Only rent this film if you are extremely bored or hung over.The John Denver music was in there due to the 'ironic' fact that he died in a plane crash.3/10.
Comment on the plethora of common household items that, if they were to be involved in just the right coincidences, might result in your death.If you really want to scare someone, take them to Final Destination.The lead character, a high schooler named Alex Browning, is waiting on-board an international flight to Paris along with almost 40 of his classmates.
Needless to say, Alex's track record for saving his friends drops drastically post-plane crash.The acting, though excellent, is a bit forced at points, and there are parts of the movie created solely to pad the film.
This type of problem might have crippled most horror movies, but Final Destination cleverly eludes the chance of a weak and long-overdue ending by cashing in on the repetitive "tag-you're-dead" quality of the plot.
The movie is not, despite what you may hear, a teen flick, if you're a horror fan from any generation trust me you'll like it as long as you go in wanting to see it and willing to actually think about the film and follow the story line.
The first mistake was to choose highschool pupils as the main characters, which is surely good for making teenagers go to the cinema to watch the film, but concerning the acting this was catastrophic.
It would seem that Death is not someone you really want to annoy since he is incredibly resourceful when it comes to pay-back time.There was quite a lot of hype surrounding the film in the UK, what with the TV adverts showing people jumping out of their seats in terror every 10 minutes and I must admit that I did jump, but only about twice.
Each death scene shows a person doing regular activities, and they focus on about 17 different ways that person could die, until finally, after a ridiculous long amount of time, the person dies in the most completely impossible and stupid manner you could imagine.
When one compares the excellent beginning with the ridiculous horror/comedy ending, it is like looking at two different movies.
Easily the dumbest scene, however, isn't the ending but the way the aggressive teen turns around his car to beat up the movie's main hero, and nearly kills the bicycle-driving teen - while completely ignoring the fact that he nearly killed him and caused an accident!
The idea of being able to cheat death, it sounds pretty neat but it fails miserably for the following reasons:-Horrible acting...simply horrible -Horrible dialogues (no character in this movie is believable) -Dumb script -Retarded, over-done death scenes -And most importantly: THE FACT THAT ALL THE DEATHS IN THIS MOVIE ARE PREVOKED BY A MIND OF ITS OWN (A.K.A. the grim reaper) AND DESTROYS THIS MOVIE'S AUTHENTICITY AS A FICTION FILM.To conclude this bogus film, Final Destination could have benefited had it been a little more mature.
I thought it was a great movie to look at and the acting was good, it was just the story that was lacking.
Only in this film someone makes the stop sign swing a little to hard causing really bizarre thing like explosions, impaling, and black 'water' to come out of your toilet all resulting in someone's death.
The entire film is packed to the brim with the traditional "horror-movie" cliches, such as the curtains blowing in the wind and the strikes of lightning occurring every time something bad is about to happen.
For a film which was supposed to promote the idea that Death is unavoidable, "Final Destination" has an abysmally happy ending.
The idea of cheating death, and then having death itself 'chase' you until the only conclusion ensues is a frightening one, and a really great premise for a horror movie.
Death is the ultimate unknown and the idea of it being a malicious presence should give way to a classic horror movie.
Everything from this film is dumb, clichéd and predictable (From the beginning you know who will die and who will survive) Like if it were a episode of "Happy Tree Friends" the big deal of this movie it's see how the characters die.
But pretty soon after the disaster strange accidents start to befall those who got off the plane, it seems that death is out to get them.With the number of hugely disappointing teens in peril movies that were made post the success of Wes Craven's hugely successful Scream, it's refreshing to find one that was, well, refreshing.
Not purporting to be anything other than a wickedly entertaining piece of horror based nonsense, Final Destination is inventive, funny and above all else, shock laden.From the opening, and terrifying air crash sequence to the clever and gross way that our protagonists shake hands with the grim reaper, this film is gloriously proud of its horror intent.
One peak at the surnames of the characters will tell you just how into their horror roots the makers are here, whilst not a homage movie as such, James Wong and his team clearly know what makes a modern horror picture work.If you find yourself complaining about the writing then you clearly are missing the point of Final Destination's existence, either that or you are in fact dead yourself!
Movies come from artificiality and therefore strive to distance themselves from it, but this film seems to embrace it: every scene looks phony and staged, like the "fight" when they are booted off the plane.
It should be frightening - I should want to yell out to the characters, "look out, you're about to die!" Instead it became a movie about a director who wondered, how gory can I make this next death?.
I think that this was something which made this first movie of final destination so good and special.I liked the plot of this movie and I also liked that throughout the whole film had suspense and you could not predict what it's going to happen next..
This was supposed to be a great movie.It follows the exploits of a bunch of absolutely typical American teenagers [the girls are beautiful,the boys handsome] who narrowly escape death on a plane when one of them has a vision of the impending disaster.But Death won"t be cheated,and it sets out to claim them back.What we have here is "Alien" without a monster;it picks them off one by one in a variety of satisfying ways,but ultimately we feel cheated by not seeing its dripping fangs.The movie is heavy on visual cliches too--i lost count of the "running away from large explosions in slowmotion" scenes!If you are foolish enough to watch this movie,be warned; you will be two hours nearer your own death by the time its finished..
After the first survivor dies, the dreamer protagonist works out that by escaping the plane they have cheated Death, who does not take kindly to this, and therefore sets out to finish his business, by killing the survivors one by one, in true slasher movie fashion.
I thought this movie was going to be another lame teen horror flick in the vein of I Know What You Did, Urban Legend, the Scream sequels, etc..
Immediately after establishing the fact that this was (hopefully) going to be a good movie, though, it dropped suddenly and became another stupid teen horror movie, much like the aforementioned films (only without the killer with the scary mask and scary knife).
If you want to see a film with someone dealing with Death in a decent horror/comedy context, I'd highly recommend watching "The Frighteners" instead of "Final Destination."I suppose if you want a good "Mystery Science Theater 3000" type of laugh-fest, "Final Destination" might be the sort of movie for you.
Final Destination is original for being a horror film.
Of course, like always, horrified is probably the last thing I feel watching horror films, but Final Destination is genuinely entertaining, it includes one or two original thoughts (which rarely happens in this genre), and I actually jumped once so I guess it's a good film.
A group of people escape a great tragedy due to a premonition of one of them and the rest of the movie involves the Grim Reaper systematically slaying those who cheated Death in various creative ways.
Every movie like this were the cast are getting picked off one by one needs to include likable characters to make me want them to live or an interesting antagonist to make the deaths interesting.
People who like horror or thriller movies should definitely watch this if you haven't yet..
The plot = Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) along with his classmates are about to take a school trip to Paris, but Alex has a premonition that the plane crashes, so he and a handful of people leave the plane, it crashes, thinking that they've escaped near death, an unseen force known as death starts killing off the survivors one by one.I remember going to see this movie in the cinema many years ago and never thought that this would start off a franchise.
"Final Destination" is a really good movie and gives an almost entirely original concept.
Okay I wasn't sold on the idea at first, as I'm old fashioned and prefer a straight up standard slasher, but when I saw this movie, I really enjoyed it.Coming out at a time when the second slasher boom was starting to wane, "Final Destination" breathed new life into the genre.
Okay it's a little slow to start off, but as it goes on it really kicks in and doesn't become predictable as the death scenes are accidents and could really happen making it suspenseful.Another aspect that works is the cast, all of which give really good performances, not a bad one in sight which again is really rare in these types of movies.
Now i have seen all the final destination movies date and it all comes back to the original which is clearly the best , the others are good but the concept is just too familiar they didn't introduce any new ideas weather as this one was the first , and when theirs a long line of movies , the first one is always the best (e.g) saw, nightmare on elm street, Halloween, Friday the thirteenth , their all the same.Back to the film, after all of that ranting the film in my opinion is still one of the best thrillers to date , however its not scary as such just lots of teenagers getting slaughtered , which is pretty amusing.
The final showdown and surprise ending has the same feeling as well.The film gives a perfect after movie discussion for the question of "what happens if or when we die?" It even shows why the later sequels didn't have a heart and mind.
What is a better way to make a horror film than to constantly make people die in freak accidents by 'death' himself?
What makes Final Destination rise above other films of its horror genre is there is no designated killer.
Loved its dare to be different style of film-making, and loved every character, even the antagonist bully.There are some movies you can't put a price on and Final Destination is the one for me.
"Final destination", is a good movie, not a very good one, but a more than decent one, which leaves you wanting more of those freaky deaths.The story is very simple, a group of teenagers are saved by one of them, Alex, who had a premonition in which the plane blew up.
Anyway I didn't expect high quality acting, so I wasn't disappointed, after all "Final destination" is just a teen horror, nothing more, than that.Even if it's primarily a horror, the movie made me laugh a little, it had a particular satiric side, which I liked.
With just the right amount of intense inventive deaths, an interesting premise, solid acting for the most part, suspense, and some thrills Final Destination is an entertaining horror movie to watch..
After Alex (Devon Sawa) has a dream of a horrible plane crash in which all his friends die horrible deaths (In one of the best horror movie scenes in years) He gets in a fight with a bully (Kerr Smith) and him and a couple of others, including Clear Rivers (Ali Larter with her cheesy character name) and a teacher (Kristen Cloke).
But, after the crash the people begin to die in strange "accidents".After the AMAZING opener, the movie sags a little with a "just okay" death.
Around the time of Final Destinations production, teen slasher films were very popular.
The main character becomes a suspect in the deaths, a love interest develops between him and a female survivor (WOW, now there's a surprise), and, of course, there's the obligatory twist ending, which anyone who's seen more then one horror movie will see coming from a mile away.Followed by an equally idiotic sequel.
In Final Destination the characters are all out to keep Death itself from finishing them off since they are supposed to have died anyways in a plane crash.
It's an interesting idea to create a movie about a bunch of people who escape death and destiny keeps coming after them, trying to kill them. |
tt0103522 | Red Shoe Diaries | Jake Winters (David Duchovny) is at the funeral of his fiancée, who has just commited suicide. A lady tells him that he can speak with her when he feels prepared. He feels lost, on his own, after the funeral. Nobody can understand why it happened. He goes to his huge luxury apartment, where he remembers her, dancing, her voice still on the telephone recording machine. He pushes a ball and pets his dog.Packing things up, he finds her red diary. He sits down to read it.Ely Pouget ... Private Jane Chandler (9 episodes, 1992)
Anthony Addabbo ... Billy Bar / ... (6 episodes, 1992-1996)
Audie England ... Josie / ... (6 episodes, 1992-1996)
Jennifer Burton ... Coco / ... (4 episodes, 1992-1995)
Brad Fisher ... Lawyer (4 episodes, 1993-1996)
Frederick Washburn ... Jamie / ... (3 episodes, 1992-1994)
Mark Zuelke (3 episodes, 1993-1996)
Angella Kaye ... Dancer / ... (3 episodes, 1994-1996)Henric Nieminen ... Hobo No.1 / ... (3 episodes, 1995-1996)Jacqueline Lovell ... Bordello Woman / ... (3 episodes, 1995)Matt LeBlanc ... Kyle / ... (2 episodes, 1992-1993)Neith Hunter (2 episodes, 1992-1996)
Ángel Ferreira ... Dancer / ... (2 episodes, 1992-1995)Scott Plank (2 episodes, 1992-1995)Michael Woods ... Sam (2 episodes, 1992-1995)Lisa Boyle ... Dancer (2 episodes, 1992-1994)Denise Crosby ... Officer Lynn 'Mona' McCabe / ... (2 episodes, 1992-1994)Christina Fulton ... The Other Woman (2 episodes, 1992-1994)
Marina Giulia Cavalli ... Daria (2 episodes, 1992-1993)
Ron Marquette ... Tom (2 episodes, 1992-1993)
Dee McCafferty ... Blue (2 episodes, 1992-1993)
Andrea Riave ... Jana / ... (2 episodes, 1992-1993)Annabelle Gurwitch ... Annie (2 episodes, 1992)Justin Carroll (2 episodes, 1993-1996)Jennifer Ciesar ... Aleta / ... (2 episodes, 1993-1996)
Eric James ... Cop (2 episodes, 1993-1996)
Daniel Leza (2 episodes, 1993-1996)
Raven Snow (2 episodes, 1993-1996)Denice D. Lewis ... Ester / ... (2 episodes, 1993-1995)Amber Smith ... The Model (2 episodes, 1993-1995)Rhonda Aldrich ... Actress / ... (2 episodes, 1993-1994)John Enos III (2 episodes, 1993-1994)Robert Peters ... Cop #2 / ... (2 episodes, 1993-1994)Peter Quartaroli ... Pete / ... (2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Lorna Firman ... Jill / ... (2 episodes, 1993)
Alexandra Tydings (2 episodes, 1993)Michelle Beauchamp ... Bella / ... (2 episodes, 1994-1996)
Caron Bernstein ... Frances / ... (2 episodes, 1994-1996)
Kelly Cooper ... Dancer / ... (2 episodes, 1994-1996)Darren Foy ... Adam / ... (2 episodes, 1994-1996)
Maximo Morrone ... Antonio / ... (2 episodes, 1994-1996)
Tarik Ergin ... Man in Tuxedo / ... (2 episodes, 1994)Janine Stillo ... Lady in Cake / ... (2 episodes, 1994)
May Karasun (2 episodes, 1995)
Kathrin Nicholson ... Daisy / ... (2 episodes, 1995)Honey Labrador ... Angelica / ... (2 episodes, 1996)
Torry Pendergrass ... Runway Dancer / ... (2 episodes, 1996)Rubi Zack ... Director / ... (2 episodes, 1996) | pornographic | train | imdb | Soft Porn With A Woman's Touch. Late night eroticism, but the stories were told from a woman's perspective. The music in this series was fantastic, and it set the mood perfectly. Many of the stories were good, but there were some clinkers, as well. Some of the actors and actresses that appeared were those that viewers would recognize from other TV series and B-grade movies (Joan Severance, Steven Bauer, Denise Crosby, Matt LeBlanc, Francisco Quinn, Paula Barbieri, etc.). This was one of two TV series that David Duchovny appeared in before he starred on "The X-Files" (the other was the odd "Twin Peaks").. Better than the average love & erotic program/film. I use to really like this show as it had a better storyline than the other junk, late night soft erotic shows of the past. I especially relate to Jake's (David Duchovney's character) yearn to know why his late fiancé kept the secret of an affair she was having hidden from him, when he thought they were perfectly happy and when he gave everything he could to her. My favourite episode was with Cheryl Lee entitled 'Jake's story'; it made such a change to see Jake share with us his experience and encounters with new love with a mysterious woman.Occasionally there was the bad episode, but the great camera shots and the whole style of the show when showing people and places was worth watching and made up for it.Worth a watch!. 90s late-night erotic melodramatic pulp. Jake Winters (David Duchovny) is still heart-broken by the betrayal and death of his girlfriend Alex. He has placed personal ads in the paper as Red Shoes asking for diaries from women to better comprehend. He reads the material he receives at the start and at the end of each episode with his dog Stella always at his side. In between, there are the pulpy erotic romance stories with some fleeting softcore nudity told by the women's diaries.Zalman King uses his movie of the same name as a launch point for this late-night erotic cable show. Duchovny gets to walk around at the docks pretending to read letters. It is what it advertises to be. It is cheesy and pulpy. There are scantily-clad hot women with little or no clothes. It is an after-dark lounge with impossibly hot people getting it on. Some of these women are actually known with real acting experiences or other exposures. There are plenty of nude models, and B-movie actresses like Audie England or Joan Severance. It's the 90's and it filled that softest of 30 minutes porn needs. The stories are nothing special to write home about but they could be a lot worst.. Red-eyed for the Red Shoes. I had a bad experience with RED SHOE DIARIES. I insisted on VHS-recording it live to edit out the ads on local M-Net pay channel. It was Fridays late at night, and the programs preceding it were boring long movies sometimes causing the show to be fitted in shortly before 11:30 PM and I was quite grumpy about having to stay up winter's nights to slough on through the junk even if the show turned out to be worthwhile. No, I wasn't a video pirate, just in it for love of a good piece of film featuring pretty girls. Some episodes were less favorably received, but I suppose I have to take my disdain into account. Hell, long movies like PULP FICTION and CARLITO'S WAY I especially remember how disgruntled I was. How much better on DVD, only I got bogged down buying those 4 episode sets, heard tonight about a complete Season 1 release in 2014. I'm used to buying box sets in proper complete-season sets, with the episodes in sequence, but here it was self-defeating, and I rather focused on the show that later on replaced R.S.D.on M-Net... THE HUNGER, which isn't better, but was properly available. Okay, even now, why only Season 1? After all these years, only Season 1 as a complete season?Make it available in a complete set, or all six seasons separately available, and I'll get to it.There were some episodes that were worth staying up for. Others were a letdown, setting me up for grumpy Saturdays even. |
tt0099674 | The Godfather: Part III | The movie begins in 1979, with a brief flashback establishing the long and tragic history of criminal activity within, and by, the Corleone family. Much has changed. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) is now approaching 60 and feels tremendous guilt for indulging in his ruthless ambition many years ago. Although his previous conquests have made him a very rich man, the thoughts of his children, their future, happiness, and his legacy are the only things keeping him going. His adopted brother Tom Hagen is now dead. The Corleone compound at Lake Tahoe is abandoned and in disrepair. Michael and Kay (Diane Keaton) divorced in 1959, and Michael gave her custody of their children, Anthony (Franc D'Ambrosio) and Mary (Sofia Coppola).Michael has returned to New York City, where he is using his enormous wealth and power to restore his dignity and reputation in the eyes of the public. The violent criminal element of the Corleone family has been largely abandoned, ostracized by Michael as well as the public, which no longer romanticizes the gangster lifestyle. Michael has embraced corporate America, which is now more tolerant of Michael's nihilism. He has rebuilt the Corleone interests as a legitimate enterprise using the blood money from his gangster years. The thugs and sociopathic soldiers from Michael's past (Al Neri, Willi Cicci, Calo, etc). have either died, gone into the underground, or have been relegated to the background, serving as bodyguards for Michael and his family. Michael now struggles between repairing his fragile relationships while trying to contain the violent sociopaths that are still a part of his decaying criminal empire. In an attempt to break with the past, Michael creates a charity, the Vito Corleone Foundation, in memory of his father. At a ceremony in St. Patrick's Cathedral, presided over by Archbishop Gilday, Michael is named a Commander of the Order of St. Sebastian. Kay, who has remarried, sits with Michael's children at the ceremony.At the lavish party following the ceremony, Kay and Michael have a somewhat uneasy reunion. Anthony tells his father that he is going to drop out of law school to pursue a career as an opera singer. Kay supports his choice, but Michael disagrees, wishing that his son would finish law school or join the family business. Michael eventually acquiesces to Anthony's wishes. Meanwhile, Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), Sonny Corleone's illegitimate son (with Lucy Mancini), shows up at the party. He is embroiled in a feud with Joey Zasa (Joe Mantegna), the Corleone family's mafioso muscle who has been running the Corleone Family's crime businesses in New York for the past 20 years. What remains of the old Corleone criminal empire is now under Zasa's stewardship. However, the Corleone's old neighborhood in New York's Lower East Side is in ruins, and has become lawless.In Michael's study, Vincent and Zasa tell him about their feud. The discussion grows violent, with Vincent accusing Zasa of being an out-of-control monster who mocks Michael behind his back. Michael makes it clear that he is not "a gangster" and that whatever bad blood exists between Vincent and Joey Zasa is none of his business, and must be settled between only them. He asks the two men to make peace with one another. The two men embrace, but Zasa insults Vincent by whispering "bastardo" in his ear. Enraged, Vincent bites off part of Zasa's ear. Zasa is escorted out and Michael scolds Vincent for his violent ways. However, impressed by Vincent's passionate loyalty to protect him, Michael agrees to take his nephew under his wing. The party concludes with a family picture where Michael asks Vincent to join the rest of the family.That night, two men break into Vincent's apartment, after Vincent has spent the night with a female journalist, named Grace Hamilton (Bridget Fonda), whom he picked up at the party. Vincent brutally kills one in order to frighten the other into revealing Zasa as the man who sent them. Vincent then ruthlessly kills the second man.Later, in an attempt to garner respectability and wealth for the Corleone Family through legitimate enterprise, Michael seeks to buy the Vatican's shares in Immobiliare, an international real estate holding company, of which 25% is controlled by the Vatican. With the help of his new lawyer B.J. Harrison (George Hamilton), he negotiates the transfer of $600 million to the Vatican Bank with Archbishop Gilday, who has plunged the Holy See into tremendous debt through his poor management and corrupt dealings. While in Vatican City, Michael learns that several influential parties oppose the deal for many reasons, not the least of which is the extensive criminal history that has tarnished the Corleone name. Because of this and the failing health of Pope Paul VI, ratification of the deal will be far more complicated than he had anticipated.Don Altobello (Eli Wallach), an elderly New York mafia chief, tells Michael that his old New York partners want in on the Immobiliare deal. A meeting is arranged in Atlantic City, and Michael appeases most of the mafiosi with generous payoffs from their casino days. Zasa, however, gets nothing. Furious, he declares that Michael is his enemy, and tells everyone in the room they must choose between him and Michael. Zasa storms out of the meeting. Don Altobello runs after him to try and talk to him about this irrational move. Minutes later, a helicopter hovers above the conference room and sprays a barrage of bullets through the ceiling windows. Almost everyone is killed, but Michael, Vincent, and Michael's long-term bodyguard and caporegime, Al Neri, manage to escape. Back at his apartment in New York, as Michael considers how to respond to this hit, he suffers a diabetic stroke, and is hospitalized. During the diabetic attack, in a near-delirium, Michael screams out the name of his brother, Fredo, whose murder he had ordered some 20 years earlier.Though they are cousins, Vincent and Mary begin a romantic relationship. Unbeknownst to Michael, Vincent, with the urging of his aunt Connie, plots revenge against Joey Zasa. During a street fair similar to that seen in The Godfather Part II, Vincent and his accomplices kill Zasa's bodyguards, and Vincent, disguised as a mounted New York police officer, shortly murders Zasa himself. Michael, still hospitalized, berates Vincent when he finds out, but Vincent insists that he got the go-ahead from Al Neri and from Connie, who has become deeply involved in family affairs. Michael insists that Vincent end his relationship with Mary because Vincent's involvement in the family puts Mary's life in jeopardy. Vincent agrees.The family travels to Sicily. Michael tells Vincent to speak with Don Altobello and, in order to see where the old man's loyalties lie, to intimate to him his intentions of leaving the Corleone family, under the pretense that his affair with Mary still exists, and that his loyalty to Michael has been supplanted by his desire to continue the relationship. Altobello supports the idea of Vincent switching his allegiance, and introduces him to Licio Lucchesi, the man behind the plot to prevent Michael's acquisition of Immobiliare.Michael also has lunch with Kay, and asks forgiveness for his behavior 20 years earlier. He also tells her that he never planned to go into a life of crime. Kay admits that she still loves Michael, and the two make plans to begin a new life together.Michael visits Cardinal Lamberto, a well-intentioned and pious priest, to speak about the Immobiliare deal. Lamberto convinces Michael to make his first confession in thirty years; among other sins, Michael confesses to ordering the killing of his brother Fredo. After confessing Michael breaks down in tears. He is told by Lamberto that it is "just that he should suffer," and that although he could tell Michael to repent, he knows Michael would not. Nevertheless, he absolves Michael of his sins. Touring Sicily with Kay, who has arrived for Anthony's operatic debut, Michael also asks for her forgiveness. As both admit that they still love each other, Michael receives word that Don Tommasino, his Sicilian friend and ally of the Corleone Family for half a century, has been killed (by a famous assassin), signaling that a new round of violence is about to begin. Cardinal Lamberto is elected Pope John Paul I, which means that the Immobiliare deal will likely be ratified, due to his intention to "clean up" the dealings of the Vatican. The new Pope's intentions come as a death knell to the plot against the ratification of the Immobiliare deal, prompting frantic attempts by the plotters to cover their own tracks.Vincent tells Michael what he has learned from Altobello: Lucchesi is behind the plot against the Immobiliare deal, and a master assassin known as Mosca da Montelepre (the man who killed Tommasino), has been hired by Altobello to kill Michael. Vincent wants to strike back, but Michael cautions him, saying that if he goes ahead with such a plan, there'll be no going back. Vincent insists on revenge, and Michael relents. He makes Vincent head of the Corleone family, the new Godfather. In exchange for the promotion, Vincent agrees to put an end to his heated relationship with Mary once and for all.The family travels to Palermo to see Anthony perform the lead in Cavalleria Rusticana at the renowned opera house Teatro Massimo. Meanwhile, Vincent makes plans to seek revenge against the Corleone family's enemies.Interspersed with scenes from Anthony's performance are the brutal murders of the enemies of the Corleone family. Michael Corleone's theme, Halls of Fear, is mainly played during the murders:Keinszig is assaulted by Vincent's men. His body is hanged over the bridge, to make his death an apparent suicide.Archbishop Gilday has the tea of the Pope poisoned. The Pope soon drinks it and dies.At the opera, Don Altobello eats a dish of poisoned cannoli that his goddaughter Connie serves him. He soon dies silently at the opera as Connie watches through her opera glasses.Al Neri shoots Archbishop Gilday as he climbs a spiral staircase and flings the archbishop's body down the stairs.Finally, Corleone 'button man' Calo (Franco Citti) approaches Don Lucchesi and whispers to his ear "Power wears out those who do not have it" before stabbing Lucchesi in the throat with his own pair of glasses, killing him. Immediately, Calo himself is killed by Lucchesi's bodyguards.Mosca, the assassin hired by Don Altobello to kill Michael, descends upon the opera house during Anthony's performance, killing two of Vincent's men who delay his opportunity, and the opera ends before he has the chance to kill Michael with his rifle. The assassin retreats to the opera house facade's staircase, and tries to shoot Michael there. Mary is confronting her father about the forced break-up with Vincent, when two shots ring out. The first hits Michael in the shoulder. The second hits Mary in the chest, and she dies calling out to her father, "Dad?" Vincent then kills the assassin with a single shot, striking him in the chest. As Kay cradles Mary's bloody body in her arms, Michael screams with primal pain and rage.The scene dissolves to a short montage of Michael's memories, the first being a dance with Mary, the second being a dance with his first wife, Apollonia, and the last being a dance with Kay. The film ends in an unspecified year, showing an aged and broken Michael, seated in the front yard of his Sicilian villa. He slowly puts on a pair of sunglasses, drops an orange from his hand, slumps out of his chair, collapses to the ground, and slowly dies, completely alone. A small dog sniffs around his body and the screen fades to black as Mascagni's "Intermezzo" from Cavalleria Rusticana resolves to a high F major chord. | murder, dramatic, cult, flashback, good versus evil, revenge | train | imdb | While I never found Diane Keaton's performances in the saga that good, she still fills the spot required, same goes for Talia Shire, whose role in the ending finale of the film really came as a surprise to me - which was a good thing.
Sophie Coppola was OK, like I said a lot of people have complained about her acting skills and I gotta admit she was a little "stiff" or sorts in some scenes but it's not notable all the time and it didn't spoil any moods for me.
I'm telling you this movie is a great ending to the saga even because of that one particular scene so just go see it, despite what a lot of people have said about, badmouthing it for faulty reasons..
Actually, there were some positive things, religious-wise, with Al Pacino's character, who sought forgiveness for his past sins and made a few very profound statements such as, "What good is confession if it isn't followed by repentance?"Anyway, Pacino's acting talents are the main attraction in the lower-key, more cerebral Godfather film.
As with the other two films in the series, it's nicely photographed with a lot of nice brown tints.Finally, director-writer Francis Ford Coppola took a lot of flak for putting his daughter in such an important role but I thought she (Sofia Coppola) was fine and - like this film - unfairly criticized..
Just because it doesn't end with a violent scene like the murder of the heads of the 5 families does not make it a bad movie, but in this case, a beautiful one.
The movie would be a good staging point for a Godfather IV, with "Vincenzo Corleone" and Connie Corleone running things, while developing further the relationship between Michael, and his wife and son..
Being an optimistic fellow I wanted to enjoy The Godfather Part III the first time I saw it - this was easy, since its a competent piece of film making, generally well paced, acted, it's coherent, Al Pacino's in it, Coppola has made this film from A to Z and on its own terms the film doesn't have any inexcusable flaws.
Sure, its not as good as the first two but not many movies are!" Later in life, presumably with heightened standards and a better sense of criticism, I started to suspect that the opposite could be true - that part III was really nowhere near as good as I'd recall - and after seeing all three films pretty much back to back I have to be honest (an approach I think wouldn't hurt the more enthusiastic defenders of this film) and conclude that The Godfather Part III, despite certain qualities, simply doesn't work.(Excluded passage due to word limit; concerning how Coppola did the film for the money, and that it actually makes the film a little easier to appreciate)I think the film really, on a whole, is perhaps not 'bad', certainly not horrible, but definitely a failure.
He's a great actor, and this is as fine a performance as any other he's made, but when you consider how truly versatile Pacino can be (compare Godfather part II with Scarface, with Serpico, Devil's Advocate, you name it, he's right there in character) its a disappointment that the aged Michael Corleone has turned into...
He looked, and acted, too much like Al Pacino.Not to mention Andy Garcia being nothing more than Andy Garcia, Joe Pantanglio, Eli Wallach, Talia Shire in a strangely awful performance (she's not a bad actress at all, but whatever happened here?).
There are instead near-insulting reminders to the audience that the other two movies still exist (like the pointless scene where Michael have kept the drawing Anthony left at his pillow when he was nine or so; "I remember this" he smiles, though I'm not sure if we are to understand this as "I also remember they shot up the bedroom that same night"; once again, it seems Coppola simply forgets his own story).
The attempts Coppola takes on the Vatican are also pretty flat when you think about how Italian cinema has been doing this for half a century.There's no reason to watch this film have you not seen the first two.
Time and public demand will only tell.I liked The Godfather: Part III right up to and including Sofia Coppola's much maligned performance as Mary Corleone daughter of Don Michael Corleone, the one and only Al Pacino.
His surviving sibling Talia Shire thinks he ought to keep a hand in and his illegitimate nephew, Andy Garcia is having a running feud with another family head, Joe Mantegna.Andy Garcia got the only acting nomination for The Godfather: Part III as Sonny's son out of wedlock.
Garcia lost to another hoodlum portrayal, Joe Pesci for Goodfellas for Best Suppporting Actor.Probably Al Pacino has gotten all he could out of the character of Michael Corleone.
But people and circumstances won't let those worlds mix and as he ruefully remarks, "just when I think I'm out, they drag me back in again."Only four characters made it through the three Godfather films, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Richard Bright as Al Neri.
Sofia Coppola has taken a lot of crap for her role in this film (and Francis for casting her), and deserves every bit of it.
I recently watched all three Godfather films again in sequence and was surprised at how bad GF III is when closely compared to the other two fims.
Both of those actresses got into movies via their relative, Francis Ford Coppola, who directed this film.
Despite his absence, George Hamilton did a very nice job as the Corleone's WASP lawyer (an interesting side note: maybe Coppola thought that the final product would be better since Robert Castellano was supposed to be in Part II, but asked for too much money and was written out of the script.
A fascinating tidbit was that Castellano was the highest paid actor in "The Godfather").My apologies to Coppola about the flack he tolerated about his daughter's inclusion in this film and her "performance." But let's be real, Andy Garcia falling for her?
I think the long layoff after Godfather Part II made Coppola's casting skills atrophy a bit, not unlike George Lucas's casting mistakes a few years later in the Star Wars prequels.Even more painful than Soffia's addition was the lousy dialogue, especially between Michael and Kay. Every attempt was made to "hit the home run" and give her the one-line zingers that were quite frankly painfully embarrassing to watch.I think it's a shame because the nucleus of the film--about corruption in the Vatican and the possible murder of a pope was very intriguing and done properly, this could have been a great film.
George Hamilton made the film look like a made-for-TV movie every time he appeared: What was he doing there??
Since only three of the original cast has made it to the last installment, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Talia Shire, the movie banks on audiences caring about all the new faces and plot points.
You wouldn't think it was possible to make a three hour film in which very little happens, but Francis Ford Coppola succeeded with this decidedly average and woeful anti-climax to his Mafia saga.
The performances are good by Talia Shire and Diane Keaton, and great by Al Pacino and Andy Garcia, but Soffia Coppola is amazingly horrible, she should have gone straight to directing.
That character of course is Michael Corleone; and when he's played by an actor of such class as Pacino, the movie can't fail.
IMO, this is a superior film on its own merits, which have nothing to do with the 15yr (I think) gap between sequels.Andy Garcia is a great addition to the cast as the cocksure Vincent, and Sophia Coppola, despite what you may have heard, is fine here too as Mary.She is also very beautiful.The entire trilogy is a series which demands to be seen by all those who call themselves film fans, and the third is not a blight on the other two, but rather a quality addition that enriches far more than it detracts..
If you've read the Puzo's books, or at least have watched very closely the two first movies (specially the first one), you're going to agree with me.Compared with the Corleone's saga presented by Puzo's novel, the script of this film is, sometimes, even ridiculous.
The story ends up reaching nowhere, although it appears to go to some direction during the movie.It is understandable that different times should be expected for the Corleone's saga in the 90's, and that we would not gonna find things the way they were before.
It sounds like those poorly made sequels that just try to copy the original film's qualities.What will never be understandable is the fact that Mario Puzo, Coppola and Al Pacino joined together to make this.
It's derivative in plot outline from the first two films; it has some awful acting stints by Pacino, Sophia Coppola, & Talia Shire, among others; and it insults the Catholic Church by positing as truth the murder of a pope.
When Francis Ford Coppola decided to make "The Godfather II" he told this story in much different way as he did the other two films however this time he failed.
Perhaps you had a point about incest and cousin-relationships – however, I never got them since a) I didn't care, expecting the third part of "Godfather" and not an incestuous soap-opera and b) well, like I said: Sophia's performance made me think about many things – a stacked ham-sandwich was among them but sex wasn't.Here, now I've said it: it wasn't only general miscasting or dour, convoluted and essentially boring story lines that killed the movie beyond hope for resurrection – it was Sophia!
Then came films like "Jack" (best left uncommented) and "Supernova", which you wanted to direct under the moniker 'Alan Smithee' but Walter Hill had already adopted it for the same pile of manure.Francis, I'd like to thank you for all the great movies prior to "Godfather 3" and wish you a long, happy life.
I think that the third part of this series is just as good as the previous two parts, And ANDY GARCIA's character was so interesting that it would make you feel like that he's been acting in this movie since form the very first moment of the 1st part, and I think that Al Pacino's character doesn't need any comment because it was just perfect and he did very well just like the 1st and 2nd part.
16 years after the last of two brilliant godfather-films, director Francis Ford Coppola returns to complete his thus far unfinished mafia saga.
Back in the '70s method-actors like Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro were the true kings of the movie industry, but after a couple of years special effects started playing a bigger role in cinema and fantasy figures such as Indiana Jones, Darth Vader, aliens, terminators, gremlins and horror icon Freddy Krueger all became immensely popular and just as important.Amazing is that "The godfather part III" didn't change one bit amidst this massive update of modern cinema.
Even more compelling is the ending of the godfather-trilogy.But Al Pacino isn't the only great actor in this film.
The change in Connie, from passive to assertive and decisive, was one of the positive features of this movie and Talia Shire is great in that role.The new faces include some pretty big names: Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, Andy Garcia, George Hamilton, John Savage, Bridget Fonda.
He was stepping into Robert Duvall's shoes - Tom Hagen was meant to continue into The Godfather III but the character was dropped when Robert Duvall pulled out over a pay dispute - so he does suffer due to the comparison with Duvall.Then we have the performance which almost single-handedly wrecks this movie: Sofia Coppola.
It's the same thing that happened to Oliver Stone and George Lucas.I hate this movie, because it tries to change the way we think about characters from the first two films, because it resorts to weird '90s crap like the helicopter attack, because the ending plays like it was written in 15 minutes and filmed in 20, and because, worst of all, it's boring.So much could have been done with this.
Francis Ford Coppola turned Godfather 1&2 into two of the best movies ever to bad he dident put as much effort into 3.
I should have taken their advice.Pacino should have been forced to watch the original Godfather films 100 times each to remind him what he was like when he was a real actor.
Diane Keaton looks like she just dropped in from her real daughter's PTA meeting (which isn't so terrible considering the role she has in the film) and Talia Shire shows the rust of a woman who really hasn't acted much outside her thankless turns in the later Rocky flicks.This film could have used a fresh idea or two, another couple of passes at the screenplay and whole lot less of the Coppola family.
After watching this film the first time all I could think of was that Francis Ford Coppola waited too long to make it.
However it's still a Godfather film by Francis Ford Coppola and still worth watching..
I mean, there were parts of the movie that were good (and i'm not someone that judges a film based on the action or fight scenes if that's what you're thinking) but godfather 3 really paled in comparison to it's two older brotherskind of ironic how Michael, the youngest son, was the best, yet the third 'brother' of the series was the worst ;p.
Francis Ford Coppola directs this underrated film with family member Sofia putting in a worthy performance as Mary, daughter of Pacino and lover/cousin of Garcia.
The second Godfather wasn't as good but still very entertaining but like after every successful film, the director gets the idea of a sequel and it all goes horribly wrong.
Proboby known as the least recognized or liked of the trilogy, all you have to do is separate it from the first two(which of course are classics) and you will get a lot out of this film,it doesn't have the same feeling or passion of the first two, but it has something else, Andy Garcia gives the performance of his life as Sunny's bastard son, and pacino playing a withering and somewhat matured Michael corlione finally shows that family really is the most important thing and maybe questions some of te decisions he has made in the past thinking he is doing the best thing for his"FAMILY" but really it was just a power trip.
One can only get the impression Francis Ford Coppola wanted to cling to his title as the maker of the most memorable gangster epic of all time by reminding us of it by dealing us The Godfather Part III, which can hold claim to being possibly the most unnecessary and even damaging prequel of all time.Right from the very beginning, it is clear how transparent the film is, as possibly without even realizing it, it is copying the first film by having a long family gathering sequence where Pacino (stepping in for Brando) cuts away to have some behind the scenes discussions right up to the scene where his character is rushed to hospital, again like the original.
Coppola understands this world, or at least the dynamics of it, and that's what makes Godfather 3 at the least a fascinating character study.Not to mention, much of the assembled cast (with the loss of Robert Duvall being the only set-back) is still highly dependable- Pacino is great at being tragic, and his subtleties in some scenes rank with his best work (one scene that stuck with me was his confession to the priest about Fredo).
Far from it of course really.I still see "The Godfather: Part III" as a great movie to end the saga.
She simply is no actress and there should had been no way that she should had been in this movie but her character and her plot line with the Garcia character all play a fairly small part, considering that the story is build up out of many different story lines, which all brilliantly come together in the final sequence."The Godfather: Part III" is well written and it has a great main premise of the Corleone family trying to legitimize their business.
The only reason Sofia Coppola isn't laughed off the screen is because all the other performances here are so broadly awful that she actually comes across as somewhat understated (although her Valley Girl intonations are pretty hopeless).One of the great things about Godfathers I and II was the way they avoided cliches and gave dignity to Italian American characters in a setting that's usually been used to stereotype them, and in fact used them to comment not on mafia corruption but on the corruption of America itself.
The character we were really supposed to care about, Mary, was completely blown by a terrible acting performance by Sofia Coppola, that has to be one of the worst casting calls I've ever seen.
The new characters in this installment are Sonny's illegitimate son Vincent (Andy Garcia), Michael's daughter Mary (Sofia Coppola), lawyer J.B. Harrison (George Hamilton), and some others.
People may bash me for this, but the third and final entry into the well-respected Godfather trilogy is the second best film in the series right behind Part Two. I was really hooked into the movie for the entire running time of 170 minutes.
But it seems like a lot of my favorites get slammed on here.I love "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part 2," but part 3 is really something to behold...As many times as I've watched this film, I can't get over the fact that Michael Corleone has disappeared. |
tt0064505 | The Italian Job | A Lamborghini Miura drives through the Italian Alps, enters a tunnel, crashes and explodes. A bulldozer pulls the remains from the tunnel and dumps them down a steep alpine gorge. Some time later dapper mobster Charlie Croker (Caine) is released from prison. He soon meets with the widow (Goldoni) of his friend and fellow thief Roger Beckermann (Brazzi), victim of the Miura crash. She gives Croker her husband's plans for the robbery that attracted the attention of the Italian Mafia. The plans outline a way to rob the payroll of Turin-based automaker Fiat, and spirit it out of Italy.Croker decides to continue the plan despite the risks, but needs a large, well-equipped gang. He breaks into jail to meet Mr Bridger (Coward), a criminal who runs a gangland empire from prison. Croker explains "the Italian Job" but Bridger dismisses the plan out of hand, and indeed orders Croker be given "a good going-over" for disturbing his privacy.Bridger changes his mind shortly after, when it is announced that China is delivering a consignment of gold to Turin, as down-payment to Fiat for the building of a car factory. With this backing, Croker assembles a group including computer expert Professor Peach (Hill), electronics handler Birkinshaw (Emney) and several getaway drivers. The plan calls for Peach to infect Turin's computerised traffic control to create a paralyzing traffic jam that will prevent the police from recapturing the gold. Three Mini Cooper Ss, able to navigate the gridlock in unconventional ways, will follow Beckermann's route through Turin to evacuate the gold.After planning and training, Croker and crew set out for Turin. Mafia boss Altabani (Raf Vallone) is waiting at an Alpine pass with a front-end loader. It damages their two Jaguar E-Types and flips Croker's Aston Martin DB4 into the gorge, but Croker talks their way out of being killed by promising the Italian community in Britain will suffer reprisals if anything happens to them. He gathers the gang and has Peach load his guerrilla software into the traffic control computer the night before the heist. The next day Birkinshaw jams the closed circuit television that monitors traffic, just before Peach's software goes off and the city comes to a horn-honking standstill. The gang converge on the gold convoy, overpower the guards, pull the armoured car into the entrance hall of the Museo Egizio, and lock the doors.Inside, the gang transfer the gold to the Minis. Mafioso Altabani recognises that "If they planned this [traffic] jam, then they must have planned a way out of it." The three Minis race through the shopping arcades of the Via Roma, up the sail-like roof of the Palazzo a Vela, around the rooftop test track of the Fiat Lingotto factory and down the steps of the Gran Madre di Dio church while a wedding is in progress. In a deleted scene, the police nearly capture the minis at a school where a band is performing the Blue Danube. The gang escapes by driving through large sewer pipes, throwing off the police. The gang make their final getaway on a six-wheeled Harrington Legionnaire-bodied Bedford VAL coach, driving up a ramp on the back while the coach is travelling. Once the gold has been unloaded, the gang push the Minis out of the coach as it negotiates hairpin bends in the Alps.Charlie and the Mini crews meet the rest of the gang, who had sneaked out of the city disguised as English football fans in a minivan. On their way to Switzerland on a winding mountain road, the celebration grows raucous as beer flows. When driver Big William sends the coach into a skid, the back of the bus is left teetering over a cliff and the gold slides towards the rear doors. As Croker attempts to reach the gold, it slips further, and the audience is left not knowing whether the coach, its contents, or its occupants survivea literal cliffhanger. Croker's last line is "Hang on a minute, lads, I've got a great idea! Err..." The camera zooms out, still showing the bus on the edge of the cliff as the credits roll. | comedy, mystery, murder, cult, plot twist, entertaining, home movie | train | imdb | null |
tt0085333 | Christine | It's 1958 in Detroit. We are inside a car factory where numerous Plymouth Fury's are being assembled. Among the rather plain-colored vehicles, one of them stands out: a bright-red one. During the process, this particular red car is being fussed about by one factory worker who has his hand injured when the vehicle's hood comes down on it. Another factory worker takes a seat inside the vehicle; he will be found dead afterwords.Present day, September 16, 1978 in Northern California. Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) is a meek teenager who spends his weekends playing Scrabble with his parents (Christine Belford and Richard Darnell), who still treat him as a child. Arnie and his best friend Dennis Guilder (John Stockwell) are going to their school, as usual. Arnie is clumsy, and his black-rimmed glasses characterize him as being nerdy. Dennis is a football player, who still befriends Arnie and tries to stand up for him.During shop class, Arnie is bullied by several students led by Buddy Repperton (William Ostrander). Dennis tries to stop the bullies, but he can't be all the time checking on weak Arnie. Today, Buddy stamps on Arnie's sack-lunch and also breaks his glasses. When both Arnie and Dennis tell the shop teacher that Buddy had a switchblade in his possession when he teased Arnie, it looks that the only consequence will be bad for Arnie, as Boddy announces he will take his own back pretty soon.Arnie and Dennis start their way back to their homes. Arnie notices a used Plymouth Fury with a placard announcing "SOLD". Supposedly, this is the same vehicle that we saw on the Detroit assembly line... only now it's dirty, gritty, broken, with pieces peeling off or falling apart. In spite of everything, Arnie falls in love with this car. He immediately wants to buy it. The owner, George LeBay, tells the story of the car: he inherited it from his dead brother, Roland. The current owner also tells Arnie that the car has a name: Christine.Arnie drives Dennis home in his new car. Once at home, Arnie's overprotective parents angrily start pestering him for having spent his money on a car without consulting them, and especially one in Christine's wrecked condition. Arnie angrily shouts back that throughout his life, they haven't allowed him to have something he truly wants, and that he is dead-set on keeping Christine. However, his parents refuse to have it parked in their driveway. Arnie decides to take it to a local junkyard garage run by an irritable middle-aged man named Will Darnell (Robert Prosky) for storage.Over the next several weeks, Arnie begins working on Christine whenever he has a bit of free time after school. He also starts to help Mr. Darnell around his garage. This was the first time when Arnie stood up to his parents. However, it's not only about being against parental control. Dennis also notices a subtle change in Arnie, as he seems to be more assertive. Weirdly enough, Arnie has stopped using his eye glasses.During a football game, Dennis is shocked to see Arnie arrive in Christine, now fully-restored into a shining beautiful red car, but also along for the ride is the new student, Leigh Cabot (Alexandra Paul). The sight of the two of them together causes Dennis to make a mistake on the field as he's tackled hard. This puts an end to Dennis' football career - and to his ambitions for the future-, so he ends up recuperating in hospital, surrounded by medical paraphernalia.Meanwhile, Arnie continues to date Leigh. One night, he takes her to see a film at the drive-in; and there, Leigh confesses to Arnie that she thinks he's moving too fast in their relationship. She also claims she feels unsettled when she is around Christine. During the movie, one of Christine's windshield wipers becomes stuck, and Arnie gets out to fix it. As he does so, Leigh chokes on a hamburger and immediately, the door latches lock themselves! Arnie tries to get back into the car unsuccessfully. Basically, Leigh has to save herself when she manages to unlock the passenger door, and a nearby viewer who saw her struggling performs the Heimlich maneuver on her.Arnie then drives Leigh home. At her doorstep, she tells him that she won't go anywhere in Christine again. There are weird things about the car, she says, like when only old songs can be reached through the radio aerial, but none of the local radio stations can be heard. Arnie then returns Christine to Darnell's garage.After Arnie's departure, Buddy Repperton and his thugs arrive, and they proceed to systematically destroy the car. Arnie sees the wreck done to Christine the following day and is shocked that all the work he had put into restoring the car has evaporated.Arnie suspects that Leigh was somehow responsible for the wreck. He is getting into trouble as home as well, as his temper is radically changed. His parents notice the acute change in him and they comment that they want the old Arnie to come back. The long Scrabble nights are over, and Arnie has one big row with his father. But more and more, Arnie can only think of one matter: he wants to restore Christine to its full beauty again.Next day, first thing he does is going to the salvage garage to re-start work on Christine. Determined, he looks for his tools. Turning his back on Christine, he hears the crinkling of metal behind him. Arnie looks at Christine startled, and he realizes that, part of her engine is now repaired as if by magic. Arnie doesn't look startled anymore, and he encourages Christine to restore herself in front of him. The car flicks her headlights on, and obediently, there is suddenly mayhem: pieces are moving to their original position, the hood dusts itself off, the aerial strengthens up, buttons and seats start mending themselves and end up being shiny as brand new. The living malevolent car has the power to regenerate.A more-determined Arnie goes back to high school life. Nobody dares to touch him now. At night, Christine comes to life by herself and she seeks out and gruesomely kills each gang member who took part in destroying her. He runs after them. Eventually, Christine arrives at a gas station, spilling gasoline, setting it on fire so that the building becomes debris and ashes. Christine catches fire herself, but that doesn't stop her, as she still goes after Buddy. He tries to run away the scene, terrified because he has seen an unexplainable thing happened. The following morning, Chrisitne becomes the quiet, shiny, brand-new red car of the cover painting.Christine also kills grumply Will Darnell, by the slow method of crushing him in the front seat against the steering wheel. Christine has to deform herself in order to do this, but the following morning, she is in perfect condition.Some weeks later in December, Dennis catches Leigh in high school between classes and he talks to her about Arnie and his car. Dennis and Arnie are not best pals anymore, and Leigh had realised that, in spite of not having broken up verbally with Arnie, there is no place in his life for her. Holidays approach, and New Year's Eve is close. Dennis and Leigh talk about the supernatural element in Christine, knowing that they can only talk to each other about that, as nobody else would believe them. They know they will have to kill Christine.Dennis decides to call on his old buddy at his home, but Leigh advises him to take caution. After she leaves, it's Arnie who calls on Dennis instead. Arnie arrives in Christine and invites Dennis over. Arnie drives Dennis to the former's. Dennis realises about Arnie's dazzled eyes, even before Arnie starts doing things he would have never done before, during his nerd phase: he drinks beer in Homer Simpson-quantities, he terrorizes other drivers and even copies the "without-hands" motorbike stunt. Dennis watches how Christine's mile counter moves backwards, having less miles instead of more. Arnie tires to explain to Dennis how wonderful, strong and fulfilled he feels when he is driving Christine; Arnie's words increasingly become those of a starry-eyed lover.When Dennis leaves Christine, he is more unsettled than ever. Dennis is determined that the nightmare has to stop. He thinks that killing Christine is the only way of returning Arnie to normal. Dennis and Leigh may be having a thing going on between them, but it also may be that each one is the only safe rock of the other. They are worried about Arnie, especially Dennis, who really misses his best friend. Next morning, Dennis goes to the school parking lot and scratches "Darnell's Tonight" into Christine's hood, and drives off with Leigh. They go to Darnell's scrapyard and they wait for Arnie and Christine inside a bulldozer. Night falls down, and Dennis devises a plan. He tells Leigh to wait in the office. The plan is that she will shut door on Christine after her arrival, trapping the vehicle inside the office.Leigh leaves to do so. While she is on her way there, the car's lights suddenly break the night: she was hiding under a pile of garbage. Christine drives towards Leigh trying to run over her, but crashes on to one of the office walls instead. Arnie gets ejected through Christine's windshield and is impaled on a shard of glass, fatally wounding him. Arnie is bloodied, but in his last breath, he just caresses Christine's front bumper for the last time. In his own way, he dies happy.Enraged, Christine attacks Leigh once again. Dennis drives the bulldozer and he fights Christine, who is playing Pledging My Love at top volume on her radio. Christine is still set on dealing with Leigh first, so she approaches her top speed to run over her. However, Dennis drives the bulldozer up on to the car's back, stopping her and crashing her. Leigh climbs in to the cab of the bulldozer and embraces Dennis. Meanwhile, Christine returns back to life and begins to heal herself over again. So, Dennis has to drive the bulldozer over Christine, crashing her onto a thin layer of metal and glass materials, until her headlights flicker and then go out for good. Dennis compacts the red car onto a cube.The ordeal is over.However, later on, within that scrape-yard cube, a metallic stick starts to slowly move and straighten up... | gothic, paranormal, cult, revenge, horror, violence, good versus evil, suspenseful | train | imdb | Ah, do I remember the day that I saw Christine, which is disturbing since I was only 6 years old, but my sister said "Do you wanna watch Christine?" and I was confused, my name is Kristine, but she told me about this little horror movie and thanks to her I couldn't go near our family car for a few months.
Christine is the car that you definitely don't wanna mess with, otherwise you may have to face those bright lights and loud rock and roll music, what happens next, you may not wanna know.Arnie Cunningham, a typical high school nerd with only one friend, a childhood companion named Dennis Guilder, a popular jock.
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but the 50s music was interesting in that most of it came from artists who suffered untimely, tragic deaths....Buddy Holly and Richie Valens of course were killed in a plane crash at the height of their careers...Johnny Ace ("Pledging My Love") died playing Russian Roulette with a pistol....Larry Williams ("Bony Maronie") was killed in 1980 by a gunshot wound to the head; he had been involved with drug dealing for years and it was thought to be a gang execution....I think Dion was still alive at the time this movie was made("I Wonder Why"); I'm not sure about the rest of the Belmonts.....
Well such is a case in point when it comes to John Carpenter's "Christine" Now as a rule, and a longstanding one at that, I could never read a Stephen King novel but i could always find time to watch an adaptation of the same, if and when it either came to video as was the thing before the wonders of DVD or if it arrived at the local cinema.My personal highlights from the Stephen King Oeuvre are "Silver Bullet" if only to see the likes of Gary Busey and Everitt McGill ham it up beyond the call of duty.
A wonderful array of golden oldie classics playing throughout the movie itself, a truly wonderful script written by Bill Phillips, containing many a gem which still lingers in the mind even to this day.Which leads me finally to the actors, casting down to a tee, and as i said ably assisted by a good script, well drawn characters, of course from the mind of Stephen King, but brought to vivid life by the likes of Robert Prosky who appears as the junkyard owner Will Darnell, a true standout in the whole movie.
We begin in prologue fashion, as we see upon fade in, superimposed, the year is 1957, We see a car assembly line, all the new cars are being overseen and given the once over by the foreman, from a distance we get our first glance of how beautiful and intoxicating "Christine" the car is to look at.Of course that illusion is soon shattered when firstly a foreman shatters his hand, then one of the workers decides to take a little rest and relaxation in the front seat, all the while smoking his cigar, when ash from the cigar drops onto the plastic covering, so it begins, and the true nature of "Christine is revealed.Flash forward to present day and we see Arnie Cunningham the nerdish lead character played with aplomb by Keith Gordon, who would later go on to direct the really excellent "The Chocolate War" as well as many more.
However when it comes to acting, Keith Gordon would never better what he had done prior to this or even after.We have all at one point, either been or have known someone like Arnie Cunningham, perennial book worm, not exactly a ladies man, but when he catches first glimpse of the wreck that will forever alter his very being, It is at that point we see that compulsion leads to obsession when Arnie falls under the spell of that 1958 Plymouth Fury.Watch as Arnie emerges from his shell, argues with his parents, something that he would never have done or even finds his first and last girlfriend.
All this achieved upon the influence and presence of what would appear to be a car, but for teenager Arnie, it represents his first steps towards independence, but underneath the surface of it all we already know the motive and inevitable end.With wonderful turns by William Ostrader as chief bully Buddy Reperton and Malcolm Danare as Moochie, along with John Stockwell as Arnie's only friend Dennis and Alexandra Paul long before she donned the lifeguard bikini for Baywatch as Arnie's suffering girlfriend Lee.Watch and be amazed, time has not taken it's toll on John Carpenter's finest hour..
There are no words that can truly describe the power and passion of Christine.Anyone who owns an older car will be able to associate with the obsession that takes over nerdish Arnie's life when he restores Christine, the beautiful Plymouth Fury.John Carpenter's excellent directing brings the car to life to such a point where as you're watching, you become so entranced that you forget she isn't alive.The actors are well chosen for the roles they play, and give excellent performances.
Christine is far from the best novels of King, especially this creepy dead former owner, sitting on the backseats, and teasing Arnie.Carpenter chose not to put this character into the movie.
No, I didn't like any of the kids in this film (high schoolers who all look 30 years old!) and the language is a little too rough in spots, but that can be filtered out.The car, the '50s music, the unique story, the satisfying revenge angle all make this very watchable..
In retrospect, some of the absurd plot elements ("a haunted car," as Carpenter constantly reiterates) lends the film an odd humor that doesn't detract from things (and indeed, it was Stephen King's own infatuation with cars and rock music that inspired this story of obsession).
The excellent cast gives their all in making a potential B-movie premise glow with A-list polish: Keith Gordon's Arnie (the painfully square high-school senior who buys the titular vehicle), John Stockwell's Dennis (the resourceful jock and best friend), Alexandra Paul's Leigh (the earthy girlfriend who sparks Christine's jealousy), and Harry Dean Stanton's Junkins (the snooping P.I.) provide this tale with a lot of propulsive force.
Twenty-one years later, the outcast and bullied nerd Arnold "Arnie" Cunningham (Keith Gordon) is getting a ride with his best and only friend Dennis Guilder (John Stockwell) and he sees the wrecked car in a junkyard.
There arn't too many bad Carpenter movies.Stephen King has a lot of good stories that are just messed up when they are made into films, but not Christine.
The characters in this film starting with the dorky Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) who transforms into a super cool dude strangely just like his beat up old car Christine does.So the new and cool dressed Arnie with his super cool car Christine drive around town with the prettiest girl in school Leigh Cabot, (Alexandra Paul) as his eye candy.
As Arnie transforms from the geeky high school kid into Mr. Cool whose only friend seems to be a jock named Dennis Guilder (John Stockwell) Arnie loses touch with his own reality and is blind to the fact that his souped up Christine seems to be possessed with a mind all of its own.My wife Ms. Shullivan is not a fan of horror/science fiction films but even she put her book down as the films content has a little bit of everything for everyone to draw the film goer into.
The clue might be in the choice of music though, the sound of "Bad to the Bone" has the same effect as "Born to Be Wild" in "Easy Rider", we get the point about Christine, she's like a 'mechanical' Jessica Rabbit who was 'assembled that way'.Then we get to 1978 where we meet Arnie, the nerdy kid bullied at school, tormented by bossy parents and best friend with school's jock Dennis (John Stockwell).
And the immersion in Arnie's not-so-quiet suburban life shows how high Carpenter is aiming in spite of the critical failure of his previous movie "The Thing", "Christine" doesn't try to be the spiritual successor of "Friday the 13th" but "Carrie" as it takes time to let Arnie grow on us, as a poor bird trapped in the cage of a pampered education, whose seeming insecurity hides a good sense of humor and the repartee of a young Woody Allen, if only self-pity hadn't trapped his persona and made him the target of brutal physical bullying.Yes, there's some déjà vu with the scenes involving Buddy and his gang but it all sets up that crucial moment when Arnie meets Christine (sounds like some cute rom-com, does it?).
Interestingly, instead of showing Arnie's metamorphosis, Carpenter changes the flow of the narrative and starts focusing of his friend.We see Dennis attempting (and failing) to get a date with the new girl in school, Leigh, played by Alexandra Paul who has the homely concealed sexiness of a then-Katie Holmes.
Sure some killings get rather predictable but they're done with a sense of evil glamour as Christine gets more and more prevalent as a character, with her headlights of doom and the way she use Rock as subliminal messages, even when she's almost defeated, her "Rock and Roll is here to stay" sounds like her saying "I ain't dead yet, suckers!".The film features many great oldies' songs that work like a second language to the iconic vehicle but for all its great special effects and suspenseful scenes, I've got to say that the performance of Gordon, turning slowly into a ghoulish loner is one of the best things about "Christine".
He embodies the way isolation can push any weak soul to make a deal with the Devil, the film could have been called "Christine and Arnie" and be labeled as a romance to hell.Watching again, it plunged me back to my memories 25 years ago when I first saw I and hid my head under the blanket during some scary scenes, and from that night, whenever someone told me he hated Rock and Roll, you know which movie moment instantly popped in my head..
Introducing its sinister intentions within the opening scene, keeping its ominous vibe alive for the entirety of its runtime, and unleashing absolute terror when the occasion calls for it, Christine is a masterly directed horror from John Carpenter that makes excellent use of genre elements to build suspense, and is far more engaging & nail-biting than it looks.Based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, the story of Christine centres on a vintage 1957 Plymouth Fury with a mind of its own that's found in a used, battered & dilapidated condition by an awkward, introverted & nerdy teenager who eventually buys it.
As he spends more time at the local garage, repairing his car all by himself, his whole personality begins to change.Directed by John Carpenter, the evil nature of the automobile is established in the opening scene only after which the story jumps 20 years ahead where the main plot surfaces.
Carpenter also contributes with a thrilling score which, along with incorporated songs, infuses flavours of its own.Coming to the performances, the cast consists of Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky & Harry Dean Stanton, and they all chip in with wonderful inputs.
Stockwell is in as his best friend & provides good support, Prosky almost steals all his moments, while Paul ably plays her part.On an overall scale, Christine is a welcome entry in the killer car subgenre of horror, and is another impressive yet under-appreciated gem from John Carpenter that, just like most of his films, enjoys a cult classic status today.
When I was looking for a horror movie I saw this and read the back,the plot was O.K. so I rented.And the minute I stared seeing it to end, I have one word for this movie and its Wow.This movie kicked ass,once again two greatest horror people of all time making a good horror movie wrapped up in Christine.John Carpenter and Stephen King made another worthwhile movie to see,even not the killing parts.This had plenty of great acting and action,good suspense with the creepy song,and excellent killing on the bullies.This is almost like a similar story to Carrie,only this had more Action.They out did themselves with this movie,they were more popular+this movie scared the the s**t out of me when I saw and effects when it rebuild itself would recommend you to watch this movie before they will run out of Chistine DVD's and VHS's..
also what brings the movie closer to heart is the buying or obtaining an old junk ,,and personally fixing or restoring it,,many of us had tried it and failed but the dream is there,,and last i do know many guys that would put there car before there girlfriends,,its those reality's that make this film so entertaining,, A great movie with a good storyline.
A great mixture of excellent direction,great characters,atmosphere and a wonderful Rock N'Roll soundtrack,Christine is Carpenter and King at their best,one of the best Stephen King adaptations and one of the best Horror films of the 80s.Based on Stephen King's novel of the same name,Christine tells the story of a nerdy teen named Arnie Cunningham(Keith Gordon)who discovers a 1957 Red Plymouth named Christine and falls in love.
Now,it's up to Dennis and Arnie's girlfriend Leigh(Alexandra Paul)to stop Christine and save Arnie before it's too late.Christine is an excellent Horror film because this film takes the concept of haunted car and makes it truly creepy and the film works because of the story,characters,suspense and atmosphere.
While some people wouldn't find the idea of a haunted scary,Carpenter takes Stephen King's story and makes it frightening and believable where you feel like something in Christine can happen in the real world and that you're not safe or secure,where you feel like any character isn't safe from Christine's wrath,rage or fury.
Great soundtrack.In final word,if you love John Carpenter,Stephen King,Horror films or movies about cars I suggest you see Christine,an underrated Horror classic that is among John Carpenter and Stephen King's best.
Christine (1983) *** 1/2 (out of 4) John Carpenter's adaptation of the Stephen King best seller about high school loser Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) who buys a 1957 Plymouth and soon his obsession leads to the car's possession of him.
Yes, the film's not really "scary" but at the same time I think it's one of the better possession movies out there and I think the film does a terrific job not only in the horror elements but it also works as a coming of age story because I'm sure most people can connect with either Arnie or those around him who see their friend falling apart due to an obsession.
He evolved and did some very creative directing, as well.In "Christine" he works seamlessly with Alexandra Paul, John Stockwell, and Harry Dean Stanton.The music selected for this film is perfect!In fact, as movies go, it's hard to find anything wrong with this one.If you like horror films, Keith Gordon, or just an evening of movie fun...watch "Christine"..
The film is visually impressive as per director John Carpenter norm with lots of mobile camera-work, and Keith Gordon is excellent as the new car owner who gradually transforms from poorly dressed, mild- mannered and reserved to slick, cocky and arrogant.
One of the most intriguing coming-of-age stories in cinema, and this tends to be overlooked, both as a Stephen King story and horror film, in place of the more sensationalized frolic and mayhem of works such as 'The Shining', 'Carrie', 'Misery' and 'The Shawshank Redemption', which is a crying shame, because: a) John Carpenter is probably the finest director (at least Top 3) ever involved with King adaptations; and b) it perfectly conceptualizes, like earlier short experimental films by the likes of Kenneth Anger, the downright uncomfortable sleaziness and fetishism that has existed, mainly in America, between men and their cars.Keith Gordon does some really fine acting here (as he did previously for Brian De Palma in 'Dressed to Kill') as all possible dynamics along the range from nerd to psycho.
Put upon high school student Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon, in his first feature film lead role) is dominated by his parents, and has basically one friend in the world, level headed jock Dennis Guilder (John Stockwell).
Based on Stephen King's novel, "Christine" has a high school nerd, Arnie (Keith Gordon) buying a rundown 1958 Plymouth Fury with a morbid past.
His friend, the popular Dennis (John Stockwell) begins to notice personality changes in Arnie, mainly centered around his obsession with his new car, which is called Christine.
After some local bullies trash the refurbished Fury, it's not long before Christine takes revenge.What is an ostensibly ridiculous story (a killer car, yeah, I know how it sounds) works for two reasons here: first, the source novel by King is very well-written; and second, because we have John Carpenter at the helm of the film, steering corner after corner with remarkable finesse.
John Carpenter's excellent adaptation of Stephen King's novel about a nerdy teenager (Keith Gordon) who buys a ragged old '58 Plymouth named Christine and immediately falls in love with it.
It's an obsession that turns the nerd into a confident bad boy.For a movie by director John Carpenter and from a Stephen King, I expect lots of blood, deaths, and mayhem.
Adapted from Stephen King's chilling novel, "Christine" is master of suspense Carpenter's definitive vision of teenage autocidal lust and anguish that's thankfully devoid of immature teen comedy theatrics.The film begins typically enough: set on the first day of the new school year in the picturesque suburb of Rockridge, California in 1978, we're introduced to amiable geek Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) and his one and only friend, jock Dennis (John Stockwell).
Deathride, or How I Loved a Car. If you don't like John Carpenter or Stephen King, then don't rent the movie. |
tt0177971 | The Perfect Storm | In October 1991, the commercial fishing boat Andrea Gail returns to port in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with a poor catch. Desperate for money, Captain Billy Tyne (Clooney) convinces the Andrea Gail crew to join him for one more late season fishing expedition. The crew heads out past their usual fishing grounds in the Grand Banks, leaving a developing thunderstorm behind them. Initially unsuccessful, they head to the Flemish Cap, where their luck greatly improves. At the height of their fishing the ice machine breaks; the only way to sell their catch before it spoils is to hurry back to shore. After debating whether to sail through the building storm or to wait it out, the crew decides to risk the storm. However, between the Andrea Gail and Gloucester is a confluence of two powerful weather fronts and a hurricane, which the Andrea Gail crew underestimates.
After repeated warnings from other ships, Andrea Gail loses her antenna, forcing Captain Linda Greenlaw (Mastrantonio) of sister ship Hannah Boden to call in a Mayday. A New York Air National Guard HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopter responds, but after failing to perform a midair refueling with an HC-130 Hercules, the helicopter crew ditch their aircraft. All but one of the Air National Guard crew members are rescued by a Coast Guard vessel, the USCGC Tamaroa.
After Andrea Gail endures various problems, the crew struggles to sail through pounding waves and shrieking winds, while friends and family worry and wait for a ship that never comes home. The vessel encounters an enormous rogue wave. The boat is overturned; Billy elects to go down with his ship, the rest of the crew are trapped inside and only one manages to get out. He surfaces and watches as the Andrea Gail rights itself before sinking stern-first into the Atlantic. The rapidly rising swell carries the man away.
There are no survivors; Linda reads the eulogy at the memorial service, followed by her remembering Billy's voice soliloquising about what it means to be a swordboat captain. | tragedy, dramatic, action, mystery, melodrama | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0285175 | Havoc | The film begins in a parking lot in which a teenage filmmaker named Eric is attempting to document the faux-gangsta lifestyle enjoyed by Allison Lang (Anne Hathaway) and her boyfriend Toby's (Mike Vogel) gang of white upper-class teenagers living in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. A brawl ensues between Toby's gang and another gang, which ends with both sides fleeing just before police arrive. Later that night, Toby's gang goes to a party at Eric's house, and Allison's relationship with Toby as well her other friends Emily and Sam is further revealed. At the end of the party, Allison performs oral sex on her boyfriend.
The next day, Allison meets with her father, Stuart, at work to discuss family problems, the awkward conversation revealing the virtually non-existent relationship Allison has with her parents. Afterwards, she and her friends drive downtown into East LA, intent on buying marijuana, eventually encountering Mexican drug dealer Hector and his crew. Toby and Hector make a deal, but Toby believes that Hector did not sell him enough for what he paid, and attempts to confront Hector, who pulls a gun on him, humiliating him in front of his friends. Allison persuades Hector to leave Toby alone.
The next night, Allison and her girlfriends return to the location of the drug deal. There, she and her friends once again meet up with Hector and his crew, who invite them to a party at his house. Before they leave, Hector informs Allison of a motel where his crew regularly party, and invites her to stop by if she wishes. The next day, Eric continues his film project at Allison's home, with Allison turning his interview of her into a bizarre mind-game. That evening, Allison meets up with Hector again in a store, and he shows her around his neighborhood, while talking about his family and lifestyle. His guided tour abruptly ends when the police arrive in force, ostensibly on a drug bust. Allison winds up being arrested with the other present gang members, but – save for an argument with her parents and Toby – is let off the hook. The experience only serves to increase Allison's fascination with the inner-city lifestyle. The night after her release, Allison and Emily agree to head downtown the next evening to hang out with Hector's crew.
The two meet up with Hector and his gang at a motel, and a night of partying and drinking results in Allison and Emily asking Hector if they can join his crew. Hector informs them of their initiation; to join the gang, the two must roll a die; the number they roll corresponds to the number of gang members they must have sex with. Allison rolls a one, Emily rolls a three. Hector and Allison pair off, but Allison has second thoughts and refuses to have sex with him, and is thrown out of the room by the gang when she tries to get Emily to leave with her. Emily eagerly engages in sex with Hector, but as she does so, Hector has one of his fellow gang members copulate with her anally, against her will. When Allison storms the room and screams at the men to stop, they flee the room, leaving the two distraught women.
The next day, Allison returns to the motel and confronts Hector over the previous night, but he responds by saying he didn't do anything wrong, that he only did what she and Emily asked him to do. At that moment, a woman shows up at the door, surprising Allison, much to the amusement of Hector, who mocks Allison for thinking he had feelings for her, and calling her a poser who only knows how to play games and nothing about the realities of gang life. The same day, Emily is shown at a police station, accusing Hector and his crew of gang rape. Allison is brought in for questioning, but claims to know nothing about a rape. Hector is subsequently arrested, and members of his crew vow to seek out and silence Allison and Emily, but wind up getting lost in Bel-Air. Meanwhile, Toby and his gang are shown posing with guns in front of Eric and his video camera, making clear their intent on seeking revenge on Hector's crew. Eric later shows Allison the footage, and Allison subsequently calls Toby and makes an ill-fated attempt to convince him that there was no rape and what he is doing is foolish.
Allison informs Emily of what Toby plans to do, and reveals to Emily's parents the events at the motel. This initially upsets Emily to the point of nearly attempting suicide, but eventually the two reconcile. Meanwhile, Toby and his gang arrive at Hector's motel and bust in violently, but only succeed in frightening a group of Latino women and a baby. Toby tries to work up the nerve to shoot them, but, consumed by their desperate pleas to not hurt the baby, realizes he can't and storms out. On their drive home, the gang passes the SUV containing the members of Hector's crew that had been looking for Allison and Emily. The two gangs exchange looks, and the screen subsequently fades to black. After a few seconds the sounds of tires squealing, people shouting and gunfire are heard.
Eric concludes his film with Allison saying that teens will be teens, but if adults are willing to reach out to them to connect and give them even just a small amount of insight, it's like they suddenly know everything. | violence | train | wikipedia | It was either hearing about the various nude scenes of Anne Hathaway or a bunch of white kids trying to act black, and doing it poorly.I said that that "fake" was the first thing that came to mind, because we are immediately presented with this group of rich white kids acting like they are black.
Now it doesn't happen everywhere, or in every school, but I'm pretty sure that you know what I mean.I think this movie, is backed up by pretty well performed acting done by the majority of its cast.
It's like the whole thing was just a bad dream, which is, I suppose, a fitting description of a night spent watching "Havoc," a most aptly-titled film.
Now, Anne was a bad choice for the lead because she does look a little old for the role, but other than that, it was a good film.
If you actually watched this film closely, and had an open point of view, you'd see that the only thing in this movie that lacks credibility, is Anne's age..
At times I found Havoc annoying, but as it progressed, the story became more engaging, and you're supposed to find aspects of it annoying.Anne Hathaway--who is trying her hardest here to distance herself from her previous Disney and family film image by choosing a role where she's naked and sexual as often as possible--plays Allison, a rich, enigmatic high school student, wrapped up with a very plastic wannabe-gangsta-rapper group of white kids.
Both Allison and the audience will likely respond to the Mexican gang better because there is an air of authenticity present with them, thanks largely to the cast playing those roles, but they're just not in the film enough, and the climax and dénouement are far less than satisfactory in that regard.
Likewise, one rich kid character who is making an amateur documentary on the rich kid "gang" comes across as more authentic and interesting, but he ends up having an inexcusably minor role.Still, if you can bear the inundation of poser behavior and lingo, there is an interesting story somewhat buried here, plus some attractive cinematography, a good soundtrack (both the songs and the more traditional score), and I'm certainly not complaining about seeing, um, more of Anne Hathaway.
Writer Stephen Gaghan ('Traffic', 'Rules of Engagement', 'Syriana', etc) has composed a contrived script about rich, bored, Hip Hop imitating, unmotivated teenagers trying to spice up their insignificant lives by treading into the East LA 'danger zone', an experience from which they learn nothing about cross cultural ethnic groups and just return to Pacific Palisades whining about 'damaged goods'.
It is an insulting story, one that stereotypes Hispanics as drug-peddling, raping thugs in a totally black and white manner, not taking into consideration the viewpoint of a cultural group's positive attributes and philosophies.No longer a viable gimmick, the film begins with the tired cliché of a kid making a documentary about his friends, asking what they like and don't like, their goals, their outlooks.
Among these are three girls, the main character being Allison (Anne Hathaway, miscast in every way), who follow their superficial boyfriends on a joyride for drugs into East LA.
To find something they consider "real", they form youth gangs in imitation of the poor folk in East L.A. And then they actually go there, at first to buy drugs; but then rich girls Anne Hatahway and Bijou Phillips try to get involved in the local Hispanic gang scene.
These are basically solid middle class folk, devoted to family, who have a few surface quirks and who happen to sell crack cocaine instead of, say, life insurance.Is it my imagination or does the gorgeous Bijou Phillips always play exactly the same role -- a sexually eager girl who gets in over her head, discovering the hard way that yes, she has limits?
Despite the fact that this movie is like the umpteenth variation of Rebel Without A Cause, anybody who has gone to a high school in an affluent area in the last decade and seen the amount of pampered young 'wiggers' there are knows that the premise of this flick is relevant to today's youth and is worth exploring.
Unfortunately, the movie fails to deliver on this promising premise and only succeeds in wasting a fine performance from Anne Hathaway.The movie WANTS to make a powerful statement about spoiled, naive, pseudo-disillusioned youths searching for identity in the superficial only to receive a colossal reality check when they realize the life they've been imitating isn't as glamorous as they had thought.
Although one must consider the fact that the screenplay was for the most part written by a 16-year-old girl before judging it, it is disappointing that an Academy Award-winning co-writer with some experience with this genre of film (Stephen Gaghan) could not give the screenplay and characters a more authentic feel.Even if it was the screenwriter's intention to make the script's dialogue horrible for the sake of legitimizing just how inane the gang of rich white teens are acting, the horrid screen writing comes off so cartoonish that the viewer will have an extremely difficult time accepting the dialogue, and consequently the behavior, of these characters as being legitimate.
As for the gang of cholo thugs in the movie, they come off as being far too nice and too stereotypical to Latinos, and thus seem only marginally less cartoony that the gang of rich white kids.The movie's lone saving grace is Anne Hathaway.
The script, despite its many shortcomings, succeeds in making it clear just how self-aware, intelligent, and capable of good Hathaway's character is, in spite of her actions as a member of the gang of rich white teens, giving the film its lone three-dimensional character.
That alone will do more to land you mature roles than taking off your top for sex scenes in a poorly-scripted indie movie ever will.When all is said and done, the amount of nudity in this movie only made it worse; when you factor the amount of it in along with in how disappointing the movie is, it only adds evidence to the argument that the only reason this movie exists was for Hathaway to prove to us just how far she was willing to go to avoid being typecast as Princess Mia Thermopolis for the rest of her acting career...which is a shame, considering her legitimately solid acting job in this movie.Rent "Kids" or "Thirteen" instead; both films are about topics similar to this movie and both are far better..
This movie represents a studio advertising Anne Hathaway's nudity and making money off of it while putting a horrible plot and other actors/actresses around her.
Anne Hathaway who is trying to distance herself from her previous Disney movie image by choosing a role where she's naked as often as possible.She really does a great job as the pretty little rich girl.BTW The best characters were Hector and his gang..
this rich white kid trys to wear all his "bling" and its just overkill.Anyway besides the horrible main characters, the ONLY believable and semi-realistic people in this movie were the sixteenth street gang, and they were still portrayed pathetically.
(At least MMW was a p*ss-take of these sorts of kids, rather than trying to be serious.)This film is not entertainment.Watch it once, but no more (that is if you can bear the annoyance of the little, rich, immature, 'gansta-rap-imitating' punks).People who rated this film highly need to grow-up, get real and get a life.
Sex, drugs and gangsterism from the hop is hip culture, this movie attempts to provide a social commentary about the lives of super rich teenagers in the Palasades, wasting their bored lives away by trying to emulate another culture they think is cool, the wannabes who chose not to conform to the norms, but try their darndest best to be one in the 'hood.Anne Hathaway assumes the lead role as Allison Lang, a wide-eyed teenager whose language is as beautiful as her appearance.
It's a primal attraction and sexual tension between the girls and the men (not the boys they hang out with, who pee in their pants when faced with real danger - acting cool is not cool), and between Allison and Hector (Freddy Rodriguez).But like all revelations, sometimes it takes the hard way to learn a lesson, and the movie picked up on this rather rapidly in the last third, once they got enticed into playing a game of dice (with sexual connotations) in order to be initiated into Hector's gang.
Basically, the audience observes the attraction of an alternative lifestyle, of wannabes thinking they can handle it all, and of redemption and change.While it was a surprise to see Michael Biehn in the movie, the movie clearly belonged to Anne Hathaway in her very first attempt to break away from her goody-two-shoes roles like in the Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted.
The ending also very true because in situations that could have been avoided; end in bloodshed everyday.I wish there would have been a little bit more to the story though I feel like there was something missing maybe something that was deleted from from the scenes that shouldn't have been deleted,but I think we got robbed about 10 to 20 mins of film..
Then there are only your parents who will feel sorry for their good little girl.So if you like student movies and the cool "afroamerican-hiphop-like" (I rather use this expression that other commonly used) Mexican slang but don't like totally mainstream at the same time this could be the right pick.
The premise of the story intrigued me, I'm not a white person myself (which might be why I can see it from an unbiased standpoint, because I'm not Latino or Black either), but I grew up in New York City, so I can vouch for it's accuracy, because California isn't the only place that has "wiggas".This movie could have been done with more class, the nudity was definitely unnecessary, they could've gotten the exact same point across having Hathaway and Phillips keep their bras on (as one of the other commentators said, some things would have been better off left to the imagination, and this was definitely one of those things).
Elizabeth Berkley tried this same 360 move with Showgirls, and she's practically been laughed out of Hollywood with a scarlet letter "S" branded on her (those were her own words!).Choosing Hathaway in particular to play a role like this is unconvincing since she looks like she's in her late 20s yet she's portraying a teenager, her face looks too angelic and smiley to be playing such a devious character.The writing was a little skewed as well, some of the things that they had Hathaway say (such as, "teenagers think they are invincible"), is not something an actual teenager would say.But as far as everything else goes, the acting was great, the decorated cast was commendable, and the plot line to the story is definitely a reality check to all those little rich kids who are never satisfied with their lives no matter how much they have, this movie shows them to appreciate what they have and to just be thankful that they're alive and don't have to deal with what people forced to live in the ghetto have to deal with, because these kids do think everything is a game and it's not.
Anne Hathaway, Bijou Phillips, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and the other guy decide since they are so hardcore that they're going to try to score some pot from East L.A. In return, they are swept into a crazy world of actual poverty, crime, and drugs.
This is a good film.It's not exactly Hollywood quality and thank God for that.It focuses on a certain branch of teenagers who want something different from their ordinary lives.As Allison states, they're "really, really bored" I found it very interesting how an intelligent girl lives a double life hidden away from her parents.
Yea some of the stereotypes of characters were extremely overdone and artificial, and the thought of two random white girls getting in good with a gang highly respected in "the hood" is totally unrealistic, but I think that's what the creators of the movie wanted to express.
No one likes to be made a fool of and these white boys looked truly foolish.Lastly, comes the big question about this film --Anne Hathaway.
Then, of course, comes the question, did Anne Hathaway take this picture to shed her good girl image and get directors to start thinking about her handing more mature roles?
Like Larry Clark and Gus van Zant, she delivers incredibly believable, naturalistic characters, free from the crappy "teen dialog" so prevalent in typical Hollywood fare.Kudos to Anne Hathaway for bravely and aggressively shedding her Disney image, and to Bijou Phillips, who is hands down the reigning sex kitten of cinema, once again delivering a performance which would pop a gasket in John Ashcroft's heart.This is not the first film to deal with suburban "wiggers" getting into trouble by pushing their gangsta posing too far into the real world.
Interestingly, both Levin and Barbara Kopple began their careers directing documentaries.The gang members depicted in this movie are as real as they get, and thankfully they are not one-dimensional clichés.The plot line is fairly simple with an obvious outcome, but if you like intense personal drama with a very dark, sexy edge, this is as good as it gets..
It's an hour and a half of your life you'll desperately wish you could get back.The story here follows a bunch of spoiled, rich, white teenagers who apparently watched a couple of rap videos and decided they wanted to be "gangstas." Their pathetic attempts to act tough while driving around in Mommy's luxury car are truly hilarious.
The Hispanic gang is certainly more real and more interesting and Freddy Rodriguez, who plays Hector, is far and away the best actor in the movie.
I've lived in Los Angeles for a couple of years and I know the area of the Pacific Palisades as well as the exact area in East LA where the 16th Street Gang supposedly lives, and it's not surprising to me the way these kids in this movie act.
Anne Hathaway plays an out of control hussy who does things like strip down and pull her breasts out for a hand-wringing high school friend who just wants to film an interview of her.
On the one hand I think the chase of exitement of the privileged bored teenagers, as portrayed in the film, is an interesting subject and I like Anne Hathaway.
What "Havoc" does is presenting us actors like Hathaway, Bijou Phillips, Mike Vogel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (he nailed it, though) acting like a gang, forcing some racial stereotypes at times (specially in the beginning), very over-the-top.
'Havoc' is pretty much like any other teen-rebel film but it's not that bad for a one-time watch.
rent it and watch it with your friends, guaranteed laughs/good times
this is a strange hilarious movie things of note: -the way this movie tries to cop from other and actually good movies
such as the way it tries to say something about race/class (kinda like "crash", or not) , has a sensitive boy that films everything ("american beauty"), deals with rich kids being bored/having uninvolved parents (a million movies, a little "cruel intentions" in here, or not)
- everyone dying of laughter every time characters try to be ghetto (especially when it's that kid from "3rd rock from the sun"/ Anne Hathaway) - Anne Hathaway being insane by getting half naked for a movie like this - random boobs/ doing lines of coke off boobs - CLASSIC lines like: "b*tch got parents?!" (X a million ) this movie was made to be a cult classic.
The shallow parents and the shallow teens are fairly true to life, if you're familiar with the Palisades.The film isn't necessarily about teaching lessons or any after school special for sure, Anne Hathaway is not all T n A in this movie like someone else commented, if that's all you remember then you've got problems.
The movie start with Alison(Hathaway) and her best friend Em(Philips) having a boring sex-o-drug party, continue with Alison and Em having a sex-o-thrilling party and finish with no party.The girls try to be so called modern day hippies but they succeed in finding boredom and fake behavior by their friends and families until they meet the Latino gangsta culture of east side L.A. which open their eyes for the real life.Unfortunately they find out that real life can be more shocking than a Christmas comedy.The GOOD: + Anne Hathaway is hot!!But she has the "Angelina Syndrome".
It reflects the true living of several rich kids, i know some people just like them in the movie.
Now, I fully understand reasons why I should have never bothered to have even tried.Attempting to comprehend this movie days after seeing it just hurts me.It revolves around a group of upper-class prep white kids (featuring Hathaway and Bijou Phillips), who hang around and try to attack like they're black.
But to see Anne Hathaway being the leading role in this film and doing the crazy things she's doing really shocked the hell out of me.Bijou Philips is good and plays in another film about white rich kids who are trying to be gangsta.
In my opinion, any black person would be like "What the hell is this!?" But I think this is a really good film and Anne Hathaway did a very good job to change her image as thing innocent girl from these Disney movies to becoming this "pretend" good girl into a bad ass girl.
This movie is a waste of time , I heard good things , but this film was less than great, The film is basically about rich kids going in East L.a , doing drugs and trying to be Ghetto,getting into trouble and hating being rich and white.. |
tt0254686 | La pianiste | Erika Kohut is a piano professor at a Vienna music conservatory. Although already in her forties, she still lives in an apartment with her domineering mother. Her father is a long-standing resident in a psychiatric asylum.
The audience is gradually shown truths about Erika's private life. Behind her assured façade, she is a woman whose sexual repression is manifested in a long list of paraphilia, including (but by no means limited to) voyeurism and sadomasochistic fetishes such as sexual self-mutilation.
When Erika meets Walter Klemmer, a charming 25-year-old engineering student from a middle class background, a mutual obsession develops. Even though she initially attempts to prevent consistent contact and even tries to undermine his application to the conservatory, he eventually becomes her pupil. Like her, he appreciates and is a gifted interpreter of Schumann and Schubert.
Erika destroys the musical prospects of an insecure but talented girl, Anna Schober, driven by her jealousy of the girl's contact with Walter—and also, perhaps, by her fears that Anna's life will mirror her own. She does so by hiding shards of glass inside one of Anna's coat pockets, damaging her right hand and ruining her aspirations to play at the forthcoming jubilee concert. Erika then pretends to be sympathetic when Anna's mother asks for advice on her daughter's recuperation. (The sub-plot of the pupil and her mother, mirroring the main relationship in the film, is absent in Jelinek's novel: Haneke has explained that while the novel relies on flashbacks to Erika's own childhood and her relationship with her mother, he preferred to dramatise a similar mother/daughter relationship in the present.) In a moment of dramatic irony, the girl's mother rhetorically asks Erika who could do something so evil.
Walter pursues Erika into a lavatory immediately after she has secretly ruined her pupil's hand. Walter passionately kisses Erika even though she is rebuffing him. Erika finally responds to his passion, but insists on repeatedly controlling, humiliating and frustrating Walter.
Walter is increasingly insistent in his desire to start a sexual relationship with Erika, but Erika is only willing if he will satisfy her masochistic fantasies, which repulse him. The film climaxes, however, when he attacks her in her apartment in the fashion she let him know she desired, beating and then raping her, outside her mother's bedroom door. He then leaves.
The next day, Erika takes a kitchen knife to the concert where she is scheduled to fill in for the injured Anna. She delays going to the stage because she is desperate to see Walter, but Walter enters cheerful and laughing with his family. Moments before the concert is due to start, Erika stabs herself superficially in the shoulder and exits the concert hall into the street. | pornographic, cult, psychological, cruelty | train | wikipedia | If you think piano teacher Erika Kohut (Isabelle Huppert) in Michael Haneke's film "LA PIANISTE" is the ultimate degree in the personification of derangement, perversion and darkness, I've got news for you: the piano teacher in Elfriede Jellinek's novel "LA PIANISTE" (on which the film was based) is twice as "repulsive", "disgusting", "deranged" and even more fascinating -- though there can't be words enough to translate the level of artistic proficiency that Isabelle Huppert has reached here, above all other mortal actresses in activity today.
And who else could have played this character with such emotional power, complete with the best piano playing/dubbing an actor could deliver?In the novel as in the film, there are two big antagonists to the "heroine" Kohut: her own mother (wonderful, wreck-voiced Annie Girardot, in a part originally intended for Jeanne Moreau) and Austria itself.
The mother personifies Jellinek's perception of her native Austria as a country that deceptively and perversely encourages racist/fascist (or at least authoritarian) behavior, sexual and emotional repression, and, let's say, übermensch ideals which are impossible to keep today without the danger of a mental breakdown."La Pianiste" also deals with a very powerful and delicate issue: how dangerous it is to reveal your innermost fantasies to the one (you think) you love.
Here, Kohut learns (?) the lesson in the most painful and humiliating of ways.It must be mentioned that Elfriede Jellinek is one of the best-known and praised authors in Austria and Europe (well, now she's got a Nobel Prize!) and that autobiographical passages can be inferred in her novel, as she herself was a pianist and had a reportedly difficult relationship with her mother.
Haneke chose to hide this information in the film, forcing us to wonder how she got to be that way (don't we all know a Erika Kohut out there?).
All of them unmistakably human.I thought "La Pianiste" was a deeply moving film, very disturbing and thought-provoking, with a handful of unforgettable scenes, and that's just all I ask of movies.
(Anyone else I've talked to who's seen it has responded in much the same way.)The reason the film is so powerful is not simply because it deals with unpalatable subject-matter like sado-masochism and violently dysfunctional relationships - that on its own would leave no defence against a charge of exploitation.
It packs a punch because whatever her deeply ingrained character flaws, however reprehensible her behaviour (and at one point that's VERY), the piano teacher Erika always retains your sympathy - you never forget the type of influences which might have made her what she is, while scenes as subtle as the one where she walks down a street of shoppers, being casually bumped into without apology, remind you of her utter isolation.
Isabelle Huppert's performance is as brilliant as it is uncomfortable and I can't even imagine how she might have wound down after a day's filming.Appalling, compelling, horribly funny at times, but ultimately deeply despairing look at how people damage each other.
Michael Haneke (as a film-maker) and brilliant Isabelle Huppert (as the music professor Erika Kohut) place sexual relationships within a larger frame of reference -- that of the boundaries of one's own SELF.Erika is a highly intelligent, perfectionistic, ambitious and driven woman, who has single-mindedly and relentlessly identified her whole self with her work and achievement.
This shows even in the horrendous scene when Erika asks her potential lover Walter to beat her up.Equally interesting and intriguing are the two other main characters in the movie, Walter and Erika's pesky and nosy mother.
Powerful and thought provoking, 'The Piano Teacher' features a superb performance from Isabelle Huppert.
It's a very good movie, powerful, thought provoking and features a superb performance from Isabelle Huppert.
In the first twenty minutes we are swept away by several powerfully portrayed emotions: a suffocating and overbearing mother has a violent argument with her live-in 40yr old daughter; a piano teacher (and professor of music)'s love for her pupils expressed in unswerving critical appraisal; the joy that music can inspire both in the listener and the performer.
She is admirable in some external way for her self-control which reads, to an outsider, as cold precision, the kind needed to be an extraordinary classical pianist.But the movie takes us inside her life, first to the unhealthy relationship with her mother, then the oddly stern and indifferent role she takes with her advanced students.
(This woman, Erika, is played by the incomparable Isabelle Huppert.) He is a pianist of unusual talent, but he wants not to concertize, but to live life.
In Vienna, Erika Kohut (Isabelle Huppert) is a sick single forty years old piano teacher of the music conservatory.
Later works of her are more an indictment of the suffocation of life in Austria, a common element in Austrian post-war culture as the country has never come to grips with its troubling past.In the movie less emphasis is paid to the relationship with the mother and so the source of Erika's behavior remains largely unexplained here.
There are some good moments: There is no music when the end credits run, the use of Schubert (although used better in Barry Lyndon) as indication of 'decay', Erika never performing for a large audience herself, the mother has no name.On her personal website, Elfriede Jelinek has commented about the movie making process.
It seems that these people feel obliged to love an Austrian movie so that they can show off in their entourage because they are the only ones actually knowing where Austria is.I have just seen a opera in Paris directed by Haneke.
I don't think there's a socially respectable person in the world who would say that Michael Haneke's "The Piano Teacher" is a good time.
You need help." And yet all she does in cause pain and displeasure to others, and to herself, and we are left to watch and see just how far she can really go."The Piano Teacher" is not a good movie-going experience and I would probably be happy never seeing it again.
The film is about a piano teacher (don't confuse this film with THE PIANO However!), who doesn't want any of her students to surpass her, who gets involved with a brilliant new student in a perverse sexual relationship, and who is dominated by her "insane" mother (who, in the end, doesn't seem so insane anymore, after all that we saw before).
As a German actress she would have surely had better affinity with Michael Haneke who is an Austrian author.Even the role given to the veteran actress of the past Annie Girardot looks unconvincing as she never fits in such kind of troubled mother mold.The biggest error is related to Benoit Magimel's character.
Not for everyone, "The Piano Teacher" will play best with those into foreign films and character-driven dramas dealing with dark issues.
Watching director Michael Haneke's French - language film LA PIANISTE [ THE PIANO TEACHER ] brings to mind another work it shares an affinity with , Stanley Kubrick's chilling meditation on violence , A CLOCKWORK ORANGE.
Haneke's screenplay for why these two are so pathetically dependent on each other , but as depicted it is obviously a situation that has lasted , and festered , for years.With the emergence of a handsome , charmingly arrogant young man in one of Erika's Master Classes , the movie takes a dramatic turn that brings both teacher and student to a realization that neither one expects .
Erika's night -time forays to sex shops and drive - in theaters are not the stuff of mainstream entertainment ; but as a character study of one gifted but unfulfilled individual , this movie is unflinching in its honesty and depiction of human behavior..
It's also about the only one I'd seen before on Film 4 and this time round, it's the first Haneke that I really got into, savoured - and even enjoyed!Haneke only makes films that not only cause ripples, they're more like tidal waves and waver between being irritatingly provoking and genius and often those boundaries oscillate between very narrow margins.For once, Haneke focuses on just one person, an incredibly honest, pained and often humiliating performance from Isabelle Huppert, who is the teacher in question.
Featuring also pornography (as a playing video) and some otherwise very adult orientated material, this could all easily get too much, however unsettling much of it is, I would dare say that any open- minded adult, from pretty well any background would find much in The Piano Teacher - the content is justified by the story and the character.The ending, too, is surprisingly 'satisfying' (you'll see what I mean) for a Haneke, he is usually so open-ended that one often feels a little cheated.I would say that this is Michael Haneke's best film, so far.
His film Funny Games (1997) is among the most disturbing and unique studies on violence in media and as entertainment like Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust (1979) was and is, and it is not a surprise that both these films have been misunderstood by many during the years and that's why people not willing to think in cinema should never watch these films and this kind of difficult cinema and then judge them without valid arguments.
Haneke's film La Pianiste (Piano Teacher, 2001) is a study about feelings and thus sexuality, which have suffered during the protagonist's (Isabelle Huppert, the piano teacher) life time not least because of her almost dominating mother who doesn't let her daughter live her own life free and without guarding.
She has no feelings, as she says herself to one of the characters, Walter (Benoit Magimel), a young piano student she meets and who begins to like Erika very much, but sadly even his thoughts may not be too righteous.
It is often depicted in films that most horrific diseases of mind are because of traumatic childhood and Erika's childhood has ended when thought about her age, but her mother still thinks she is her little child and treats her like one.
Then she had had the possibility to finally save her damaged feelings and mind and live her life with healthy mind and normal relationship with her mother.Erika watches also porn and practices very perverse acts of "masturbation" and satisfaction, which she cannot reach by same methods that most people do.
Human mind has a drive for sex and sexual images, and hard core porn industry just feeds the needs of those who cannot get real sex from some reason, and by showing these images (never gratuitous no matter how graphic) Haneke just makes us look to mirror especially when we start to be attracted of the beautiful naked female on the cover etc.
La Pianiste tells also something about sexes and that how males are sadly to often in more powerful positions than females and it all is underlined in the scene in which Walter says something about how females cannot play with males' sexual satisfaction/needs as it's not possible, and even though the point may not be too clear written in here, you'll understand what I mean by this phrase when you see the film, which involves plenty of "female not satisfying male." As I told earlier, I think the last hope for Erika was Walter, but since even he couldn't offer her peace of mind and soul, her self destruction and giving up was the only way.
But since the emotions of hers are so damaged during the years, even this "non-carnal" love of hers can't save her.The last scene is extremely disturbing and involves the same ultra powerful cinematic element as Hong Kong film maker Billy Tang's endurance test Run and Kill (1993) which has the same power element by Simon Yam as La Pianiste has by Huppert.
I cannot find any mistakes or flaws in this again very brilliant film by Haneke, but I think the credits at the beginning are little irritating and not in sync with the piano music played at the background.
I only think we can think about you (after reading you comment), is that you're provably a non-sexual person (like Erika in the movie), and you are not ready for the new cinema that is coming up.
Isabelle Huppert is extraordinary in her performance as the piano teacher Erika Kohut.A very different, niche-type of emotional cinema that Michael Haneke excels in, this is one of his best along with Amour, Cache, Funny Games and White Ribbon..
However this narrow attitude of viewing sex as a means to defy her mother instead of a way to make love made her build a wall around her making her distant and immune to the possibility of developing any feelings for someone.'The Piano Teacher' for me revolves around the concept of control.
The dynamic between Erika and Walter in its progression and in the way the control shifts from one character to another, feels natural and considering the climax of the film, very believable due to the inherent risks that were always going to appear from Erika's point of view.Haneke doesn't engage in too much flashy camera like he did in 'Code Unknown' with the numerous long shots.
But the complexity of the characters and Haneke's uninhibited and piercing treatment of sexuality, control and power make this film worth a strong recommendation..
He plays well against Isabelle and switches between love, lust, wonder, shock, affection, repulsion, intrigue, indifference and blind admiration.Michael Haneke makes interesting situations and great film moments.
Things take a turn when she meets Walter, a young engineering student, whose hobby is music, at a recital and he becomes increasingly interested with her and her musical ability, and things really take a turn when he learns of her strange life outside of music.The two leads, Isabelle Huppert and Benoit Magimel, are terrific as two people with nearly opposing interests in one another - one wants love, the other someone to help act out strange and even repulsive fantasies - yet the way they are shown coming closer and closer to each other is nearly mesmerizing.
Though the story focuses as much on Erika herself as her relationship to Walter with Isabelle Huppert giving a double edged performance showing two vastly different sides to a person.
"La Pianiste" aka "Piano Teacher" is very strong psychological terror tale about destructed mind,feelings and the reasons behind that."La Pianiste" doesn't explore violence like "Funny Games" did,but these are very important films and tell about real life and real people.The film is very disturbing psychological study of female who has very severely damaged mind and extremely sick sexual life and habits.Occasionally almost unbearably powerful and extremely harrowing;the final scene made me cringe.Isabelle Huppert is jaw-droppingly excellent as the main character-her performance is only comparable to Suh Yung's performance in "Seom"/"The Isle"(2000).Highly recommended-Michael Haneke is a genius!.
Michael Haneke's film The Piano Teacher is a classic example of the proverb "Be careful what you wish for
" Erika Kohut is a teacher at a conservatory of music who is a closeted masochist.
But nevertheless, The Piano Teacher is clearly a well-made film with a clear vision from Michael Haneke.
This film tells the story of a female piano teacher who has perverse fantasies towards her young student.The piano teacher seems like an ordinary woman, until her dark side is introduced.
Michael Haneke has a knack for creating odd or even disturbing scenes or characters out of the most mundane situations and this is on full display in The Piano Teacher.
Anchored by Issabelle Huppert, a very competent support cast who hold their own and wonderful classical music (Schubert's iconic piano number from Barry Lyndon makes a return among other melodious pieces) this film explores the dark recesses of Erika's mind, her struggle with loneliness and her unconventional desires.
Erika's sexual desires are perhaps the weirdest I have ever seen in film, she's into BDSM, humiliation, voyeurism and even self mutilation, she's definitely a very perverse character which is brought up later on as well.
Neverthelles, this is an interesting film and to make things short I want to conclude by saying that it isn't perhaps a 'fun' movie to watch, but it is good cinema with some very good acting in it.
What happens to creativity when the denial of the emotional is detrimental to the aspirations of the intellectual?You become a piano teacher.Isabelle Huppert gives a frighteningly convincing and ultimately tragic performance as Erika.
The Piano Teacher of the title is Erika (Isabelle Huppert), a middle aged woman of pent up frustration who still lives with her mother, even sleeping in adjoining beds rather than in her own room.
The film turns around and you can't exactly know what the main player (an excellent Isabelle Huppert)is thinking of doing next.
She had so many emotional conflicts that I was exhausted by them long before the end.I have to admire Isabelle Huppert for taking on this difficult role - can you imagine what it was like to film some of those scenes?
It better be art, because it *sure* isn't entertainment.Erika Kohut (Isabelle Huppert) is a 40ish music professor who teaches people to play the piano.
Perhaps this disconnection of the audio and the video is because Erika's work (music) and her personal life are so disconnected.I don't want to give too much away, but if you've seen or read anything at all about this film, you know that there is a relationship with a much younger male student.
My very humanity has been enlarged.That is the case with Isabelle Huppert's performance as "The Piano Teacher".
This review contains no spoilers.The Piano Teacher is, in many ways, a difficult film to watch.
An oppressive mother, marvellously acted by Annie Girardot, and her "pianist" daughter, giantly performed by Isabelle Huppert are the elements of this theatrical film which shows the decline of the femininity of a young "mind sick" lady who has a double life. |
tt1649419 | Lo imposible | Henry Bennett (Ewan McGregor), his wife Maria (Naomi Watts), and their three sons Lucas (Tom Holland), Tomas (Samuel Joslin), and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) go on a Christmas holiday in 2004 to Khao Lak, Thailand. Arriving on Christmas Eve, they settle in and begin to enjoy the brand new Orchid Beach Resort. Two days later on Boxing Day, the massive 2004 tsunami inundates the area.
Maria and Lucas eventually emerge from the swirling water and find one another, with Maria having sustained serious injuries to her leg and chest. They help a young boy, Daniel, from the wreckage and are soon found by locals who transfer them to a local hospital in the city of Takua Pa. Daniel is separated from them during the journey. At the hospital, Maria encourages Lucas to help others find their family members while she goes into surgery for her chest injuries.
Meanwhile, Henry, Thomas and Simon have also survived and are together. Henry leaves the two boys with another family who head to the mountains for safe shelter while he stays behind to search for Maria and Lucas. While out looking, injured and alone, he is picked up by a passer-by and driven to a nearby bus shelter to wait out with other survivors. Communication facilities are scarce but eventually a tourist named Karl (Sönke Möhring), who has also been separated from his family, lends Henry his cell phone to contact his relatives. Henry promises Maria's father he will look everywhere for his family and that he will find them. Karl tells the group his wife had left him a note confirming they were at the beach, their location when the wave hit. He volunteers to accompany Henry to look for Maria and Lucas and his own family, too.
While Maria is in surgery, her medical chart is mixed-up with another patient who has died. Lucas returns to find his mother's bed empty and is then taken to a tent where children without families are kept safe. The mistake is discovered when Lucas cannot identify any of the dead woman's jewelry and he is subsequently reunited with his mother who has been moved to a private room in the ICU. In the hospital while he waits, Lucas finds Daniel who has been reunited with his father.
Henry and Karl search for their families in various places before they arrive at the hospital where Henry is given five minutes to look. Karl gives him a piece of paper with his family members names on. The vehicle carrying Thomas and Simon also stops outside the hospital and the boys get off so Simon can urinate. From a distance, Lucas recognizes his father and while searching him out in the chaotic crowd outside, Lucas' siblings spot him and they reunite. Henry finds the three of them together. He learns that Maria is in the hospital ready to undergo more surgery for her leg, which she survives. Flashbacks reveal how she came to be badly injured and how she surfaced the water. While in surgery, Lucas tells his father he has something really important to tell Maria.
The following day, the family boards an ambulance airplane to Singapore so Maria may receive further medical treatment, arranged by their insurance company. On the plane, Lucas tells his mother he knows Daniel is safe. Maria looks out the window at the chaos left behind. | mystery, dramatic, flashback, home movie, action, tragedy, inspiring, suspenseful, sentimental | train | wikipedia | Their solution was to deal with one British family on vacation in Thailand from Japan, but their film uses that family as a catalyst to show the tsunami's awful effect not only on the tourist population but on the local people who suffered even more.Both the film itself and the filmmakers have taken pains to say that this is a "true story," and they have aimed for the greatest possible authenticity in the circumstances.
(For example, those who tell their tales to Ewan McGregor at the bus station are almost all actual survivors.) While footage of the tsunami strike itself was shot in a water tank at Alicante on the Spanish coast, and a couple of days filming of interiors took place in Spanish studios, the remainder of this picture was shot on location in Thailand using the real places of the story, such as the Orchid Beach Hotel in Phang Nga, and the actual hospital where much of the action occurs.The actual Thai locations and the many Thai actors keep the production values superb, and give this film an authenticity it would not otherwise have.
True, she is bedridden for about half the film, but it is during this time where there are these small moments of tenderness and humility which undoubtedly makes Watts's performance one of the best of the year.In fact, the entire cast was exceptional, including Ewan McGregor, the father desperately trying to put together his family again, and the two littlest sons, Thomas, played by Samuel Joslin, and Simon, played by Oaklee Pendergast, both of whose innocence prevented them from thoroughly capturing the extent of this tragic event.
Starring Academy Award Nominee Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, the film tells the TRUE story about a family vacationing in Thailand when one of the worst natural disasters of our time separates them.In the opening credits of the film, Bayona tells the audience that the story is true, but what may bother viewers and critics is how coincidental and inflated the story can seem.
The mother, played by Naomi Watts and oldest of the three sons do their best to survive while the father, played by Ewan McGregor, juggles between the safety of his two boys and the search for his wife and missing son.Director Juan Antonio Bayona vividly shares the shocking and yet, miraculous story of the Alvarez family.
Watts delivers a strong performance as does McGregor but the stand out here, besides the cinematography, is the brilliant and mature portrayal of the oldest son by young, Tom Holland.An emotional tearjerker, The Impossible is a brilliant film, which will have you glued to the screen as you root against the odds while simultaneously fearing the worst.
Despite occurring in Asia, the Boxing day Tsunami of 2004 was truly a world event, with ripples emanating around the world as many of the 280,000 plus victims were holiday makers from all over the world.Focusing on a single family's true story, albeit changing their nationality from Spanish to English, was always going to invite accusations of filtering a tragic story through the eyes of a white privileged family, rather than the locals who lost everything.This is perhaps unfair, in the same way "Schindlers List" might be accused of focusing on those few that survived.
This is truthful, unflinching and harrowing film making.Be warned, this is no easy watch.The story centres on Maria (Naomi Watts ), her husband (Ewan Mcgregor) and three young sons, Lucas (Tom Holland), Simon (Samuel Joslin) and Thomas (Oaklee Pendergast), on holiday at a upmarket beach resort in Khao Lak.The sense of foreboding is swiftly alluded to and when the wave hits, the effect is quite breathtaking.
Whether this is "right", is a philosophical debate not likely to be resolved in a two hour movie.The acting is uniformly good, Watts gets the most to do and excels in a role that cannot have been easy from both a physical and emotional sense.
For those directly involved, is this a fitting tribute to the human spirit and kindness shown, impossible to say.Summary A natural disaster movie that is both affecting, effective and unflinching in it's depiction of a very real recent event with several notable performances.This is not for everyone, despite the focus on a white middle class family, this is no airbrushed Hollywood watered down TV movie.
A. Bayona's ten minute sequence near the beginning of the harrowing true-life survival tale, "The Impossible." With little to no CGI and using mostly scale models and a giant water tank, Bayona throws the viewers into the wave along with stars Naomi Watts (astonishing) and young Tom Holland (revelatory as Watts' son).
The rest of the cast is outstanding as well, and there's a strong humanist approach applied to depicting this wide-spread multi-national disaster.It might pull on the heartstrings a bit "too much" in some sequences, but the manipulation is apt in telling this real-life drama.Overall - an unforgettable, draining but uplifting film experience.Check out full reviews at theschleicherspin.com.
Not what I had in mind as a cheery film, but oh well....So basically we have a family that include married couple Henry and Maria Bennett (played Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts), a classic middle- class couple, as suggested by the fact they spend most their time on the plane travelling to Thailand worrying if they set the alarm to their house back in Japan, and also their three sons all string sentences together without saying ''Bruv'' or ''Innit'', so they must be Middle- Class.
The family is split in the wreckage of it all and the film then deals with them all trying ti locate each other, if they all managed to survive that is....The film was actually very good, a simple search story made gargantuan by the amazing effects used to portray the actual Tsunami, it literally comes at such a speed and power that leaves you in bewilderment and gives you a better idea that news reports of what it was all like at the time.
Sánchez from a story by María Belón and being based upon on true events , as the real family that the main characters are based on are in fact Spanish but living in Japan at the time of the Tsunami and many of the extras are actual survivors of the tsunami .
This swift wrath of nature is expertly realized, but the heart of the film is in its characters and how they respond to the betrayal of the world around them.Naomi Watts, in her career best performance, expresses the rooted emotions of a mother both physically and emotionally, filling the film with so much fearlessness and unshakable motivation, that she enraptures the audience with her survival instincts.
Tom Holland delivers one of the strongest juvenile debuts seen in years, conveying a complex series of emotions with natural serenity.The Impossible separates itself from the other disaster films by focusing not just on the scale of the mayhem, but the intimacy of the struggle.
This is a very strong, overwhelming and emotional film, I guess that the real family suffered more then they show on this film, based on real events, must have been a very difficult film to make in this case.Naomi Watts is very great at her part, a though one with physically demanding parts and a very hard role to make believable, but she definitely makes it work and gives a very fine presentation.
Also the rest of the cast have strong roles and make the film both entertaining, dramatic, heart-warming and charismatic.There are some very fascinating scenes, the Tsunami itself, the wasteland they walk through and the endless masses of people in need of attention at the hospitals.Strong film, strong cast that tells the story of this strong family that unlike many others makes it through and survives the perils..
The movie shows the true event in a touching way.Everyone knows about the tsunami through news but this movie will take you there and let you feel it.This true story actually connects you with the people undergone and who have withstood this tragedy.Though this shows story of single family with an happy ending you can still be able to imagine the grief of people who weren't so lucky after all.This real story movie gives us a perspective to live our self sufficient and blessed life happy.
Films always add a few elements to spice up the story a bit so I can't say how true this movie is to what actually happened in real life, but what I can say is that the Spanish family this film is based on is played here by a British one so there are some changes.
The imagery will remain in your head.Henry (Ewan McGregor) and Maria (Naomi Watts) travel to Thailand for their Christmas holidays alongside their three children: Lucas (Tom Holland), Thomas (Samuel Joslin), and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast).
The tsunami scene is terrifying as we see the terrible effects it had on the population, and isn't an easy watch, but it is worth it because it has an uplifting story.Naomi Watts has been receiving a lot of recognition for her work in this film, and she is truly amazing, but I thought Ewan McGregor also delivers a great performance as well and many people have ignored him.
Based on the tsunami of 2004, this film offers a look at the devastation and impact of this natural disaster through the eyes of the Belon family.This film oozes emotion through every scene; not only from the actors but the audience.
Sánchez, may never have been able to be produced had they not been able to bring in big-name stars and get the funding for spectacular special effects, so one must forget the politics and just be truly happy this story made it to the big screen at all in a form which could touch a wide audience.Naomi Watts plays Maria Bennet who, along with her son Lucas, are separated from her husband, Henry (Ewan McGregor) and her other two sons, Thomas and Simon, after the tsunami hits the resort where they were vacationing.
Unlike the other young kid that was nominated this year, Holland actually showed some actual skill in his craft and not just merely being, well, a kid.This is not to overlook excellent performances as well by an incredible strong McGregor and, yes, the two younger actors that pulled in much of the emotional weight, Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Pendergast."The Impossible" is an extraordinary journey of the human spirit.
The term "disaster movie" tends to conjure up images of campy and disposable entertainment involving killer asteroids and doomed ship voyages, so attaching it to a film like The Impossible feels wrong, considering the terrible true-life circumstances on which it's based.
Specifically, the film tells the story of the Belon family, British tourists who were separated from each other when the tsunami hit their beachside resort in Thailand on December 26th.The bulk of the film features the parallel stories of Henry (played by Ewan McGregor) and his two sons struggling to reunite with his doctor wife, Maria (played by Naomi Watts), and the couple's oldest son, Lucas (played by impressive newcomer Tom Holland).
The Impossible's frequent reliance on the youngster's point of view, coupled with the spectacle of the tsunami, also lends the film an unmistakable Spielbergian quality (you can also find it in the occasionally overly manipulative musical score).I found myself intermittently more emotionally invested with the characters than I would have expected, but The Impossible ends up feeling like little more than average entertainment with one dynamic ten minute segment.( More of my reviews at Mediaboymusings.blogspot.ca ).
I'm sorry, I understand this movie is based on the remarkable true story of a family's heroism in the wake of the devastating tsunami which hit Thailand (and other countries) on Boxing Day 2004, killing thousands, but I just wasn't moved by what I saw on the screen.Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts are barely together on screen long enough to project for the viewer any kind of meaningful relationship between them, their family of three young boys act stiltedly and unnaturally, while the dialogue is clichéd, ditto the dramatic sequences, the latter on innumerable occasions.
The director isn't above cross-cutting between scenes at key moments for dramatic effect, a Hollywood M.O. from the year dot, but the manipulation here is so blatant and ham-fisted that the film somehow failed to draw me into the human drama here.The special effects for the tsunami and Watts and her oldest boy's subsequent odyssey in the aftermath of the disaster, I found only passable, at best while McGregor's acting in particular leaves a lot to be desired, being shallow and showy by turns.
Watts has less to do, being wrapped up badly injured in a hospital bed for a large part of the running time, in fact any number of the extras were more watchable in my opinion.While I have nothing but admiration for the real-life family who somehow came through such a terrible ordeal, this formulaic, clichéd disaster movie didn't, I think, serve them well and rather ill-served its noble subject..
the tsunami scene was great, but after that, naomi watts did a good job, but i can't say anyone else did.i have no problem with the heroes being anglo - it's a movie done from a tourist's point of view.
And do not write on screen "true story" on the beginning when you put at the end "inspired by" and dedicate the last minute of the end credit (a few stand to see this!) to the personal thanks of Maria...See it as a movie, and you will enjoy your time, see it as a biography of the events and you will be disappointed.
What separates this from the long list of disaster films is that it's exceedingly well made, it's based on a true story, and it puts a young actor in a role vital to the connection with audience.The real life Belon family from Spain have for some reason been presented here (by Spanish filmmakers) as the British Bennett's with Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts (as Henry and Maria).
At times, the script just falls on its face for logical reasons.The special effects are excellent though.I can't recommend this film unless you love real stories, family drama, and are interested in the 2004 tsunami..
Sánchez set out to show both a personal story as well as tell a wider tale about the Tsunami affecting that area.Henry and Maria Bennett (Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts) and their children Lucas, Tomas and Simon (Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Pendergast) are a British family who go to Thailand for a Christmas vacation.
As Lucas battles in a hospital to get his mother the medical attention she needs, Henry sets out to find Maria and Lucas, something that seems to be a hopeless cause.One of the best features of The Impossible is Bayona's great ability to show both the scale of the disaster and impact it has on the landscape and people whilst still showing a personal story.
Bayona knew the impact of the Tsunami and brought out the harrowing nature of the disaster in its fullest.McGregor, Watts and Holland all give very emotional performance and the trio are excellent bring out their characters in the themes of parenthood and the child-parent relationship and bond.
This is an obvious attempt to tug at the audiences heart strings; but it is at times over done and over played as it tries to elicit as much emotion as it can muster.The Impossible is a very actuate film that excels that showing both a personal story and the wider situation of the disaster.
Maybe because it was a true story, maybe because there was brilliant acting even from the young kids in the film, perhaps the subject matter, Whatever the case this movie grabbed my emotions from the very beginning and did not let go for the duration of the film.I keep seeing reviews from critics arguing that the film is slightly racist as it centers around a white privileged family and not enough emphasis was placed on the fact that Thai people suffered also.
Absent of absurd fantastical elements plaguing high-end disaster movies in Hollywood, The Impossible is a film which uses the real disaster of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and one family's compelling true story of survival that surfaced cause of it.
Instead, THE IMPOSSIBLE is a rarity -- Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona (2007's THE ORPHANAGE) has created an emotionally-driven disaster movie that successfully captures the devastating effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami as well as the aftermath of how a significant family struggles to stay alive.
Absolutely credible, amazing and impressive job from Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland, never expected such an amazing show interpreted from this three stars.An environment disaster was NEVER so real thanks for the amazing realistic effect taken from this film.
"Lo impossible" is a realistic Spanish movie about the fate of a family in the tragic 2004 South Asian tsunami with fantastic performances of Tom Holland and Naomi Watts that deserved the nomination not only to the Oscar, but to other Cinema Festivals.
"The Impossible" tells the true story of a family that survived the disaster, and despite the PG-13 rating, the images shown on screen are gruesomely realistic.
The Impossible tells the true story of a family's suffering and how do they survive this natural disaster and unite in the end.The Impossible is a brave attempt by Juan Antonio Bayona(The Orphanage)and scripted by Sergio G Sanchez which is based on the horrific account written by Maria herself.
Ewan Mcgregor as usual was good.The Impossible is well-directed and superbly performed telling the story of a family survival in the dark hour making it actually possible.
It's a true nightmare depicted on screen and is definitely worth the watch if you can handle it.The film focuses on Maria (Watts) and Henry Belon (McGregor) as they vacation in Thailand for Christmas with their three sons: Lucas (Holland), Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast). |
tt0035884 | Five Graves to Cairo | Corporal John Bramble (Franchot Tone) is the sole survivor of a British tank crew after a major battle with Erwin Rommel's victorious Afrika Korps. Delirious, he stumbles across the North African desert into the Empress of Britain, a small, isolated hotel owned by Farid (Akim Tamiroff). The staff consists of just Frenchwoman Mouche (Anne Baxter), as the cook has fled and the waiter Davos was killed the night before by German bombing.
Before Farid and Mouche can decide what to do with the newcomer, the swiftly advancing Germans take over the hotel to use as headquarters for Field Marshal Rommel (Erich von Stroheim) and his staff. Bramble assumes the identity of Davos to save himself. When Rommel summons him to a private chat, Bramble is stunned to discover that Davos was a valued German spy, but manages to play along. He learns that he is to be sent to Cairo next.
Later, he steals a pistol from genial, music-loving Italian General Sebastiano (Fortunio Bonanova), planning to serve the field marshal a bullet rather than coffee the next morning. Not wanting trouble, Mouche steals the pistol and waits on Rommel herself. When some captured British officers are brought to the hotel for a luncheon with Rommel, one of them (a past guest) realizes that Davos has been replaced. Bramble privately explains who he is and what he plans to do. The officer orders him to use his position of trust to instead gather military intelligence.
At the luncheon, Rommel teases his guests, allowing them to ask him twenty questions about his future plans. Bramble listens with interest. From the conversation and later remarks by Rommel, he eventually deduces that the field marshal, disguised as an archeologist before the war, had secretly prepared five hidden supply dumps, the "Five Graves to Cairo", for the conquest of Egypt. The final piece of the puzzle (their locations) falls into place when Bramble realizes that Rommel's cryptic references to points Y, P, and T refer to the letters of the word "Egypt" printed on his map.
Meanwhile, Bramble and Mouche clash. She despises the British for abandoning the French at Dunkirk. He in turn is disgusted at how she is playing up to the Germans. As it turns out, Mouche's motives are not mercenary; she pleads with Rommel to release her wounded soldier brother from a concentration camp. He is unmoved, but his aide, Lieutenant Schwegler (Peter van Eyck), is more appreciative of her charms. He pretends to help her, showing her fake telegrams to and from Germany.
That night however, when everyone takes shelter in the cellar during an Allied air raid, Schwegler discovers the body of the real Davos (easily identifiable by his clubfoot), uncovered by the bombing. In the noise and confusion of the raid, Bramble and Schwegler play a deadly game of hide and seek in the darkened hotel before Bramble kills his enemy and hides the body in Mouche's part of the servants' room. When Mouche finds out, she threatens to unmask him.
However, she has a change of heart. Schwegler's body is soon found, and Rommel accuses her of killing his aide when she discovered he was lying about his assistance. Mouche does not deny it. Bramble leaves for Cairo, but arranges for Farid to present faked evidence the next day that Bramble committed the crime.
Bramble's information allows the British to blow up the dumps and thus thwart Rommel's plans, culminating in the Second Battle of El Alamein. When Bramble returns in triumph with his unit to the hotel, he is devastated to learn that the Germans had executed Mouche, not for murder, but because she would not stop saying that the British would be back. He takes the parasol he had bought for her, something she had always wanted, and uses it to provide shade for her grave. | murder | train | wikipedia | There are other excellent performances by Anne Baxter and Akim Tamiroff and a scene reminiscent of "La Grande illusion," where Field Marshal Rommel, played with swagger and arrogance by Erich von Stroheim, entertains several British POW officers.
The part then fell to Franchot Tone who gave a good account of himself as did Anne Baxter and Akim Tamiroff.The film though really revolves around Von Stroheim and his portrayal of Erwin Rommel.
The film is set on an Arab Hotel called Hotel Imperial, where its proprietary Farid(Akim Tamiroff) accords to let a British soldier named Bramble(Franchot Tone) assume the identity of a deceased barman.
Billy Wilder was one of the best directors of his era, so it's no surprise that, in spite of a certain amount of wartime propaganda, 'Five Graves to Cairo' has a fizzy plot, a strain of black humour and a lightness of touch that sets it apart from the majority of films made at this time.
It's also interesting as a film made while the war was still going on: far from demonising the enemy, it provides a generous portrait of Rommel, an unpleasant but human German army and a comedy Italian general for light relief.
Worth watching for a multitude of reasons - the opening shots of the desert, the end sequences of pure war-worship, Anne Baxter's well-drawn and bitter maid, Stroheim's compelling and scene stealing portrayal of Rommel, the comic Italian general (I think this works as a bit of light relief despite being just that little bit xenophobic).
Franchot Tone plays a British tank commander, corporal John Bramble who survives Erwin Rommel's (Erich von Stroheim) Afrika Korps in the North African desert.He walks into a small desert hotel.There he meets the hotel owner Farid (Akim Tamiroff) and Mouche (Anne Baxter).Bramble takes the identity of the former hotel worker and now deceased Davos after the Germans take over the hotel.Billy Wilder's wartime thriller Five Graves to Cairo (1943) is a really fine movie.This movie has many intense moments.I could mention the fighting scene between two men in a dark room with only the flashlight bringing some light.Franchot Tone is perfect in the lead.He does at least as good job as Wilder's first choice Cary Grant would have done.Anne Baxter was a woman blessed both with good looks and talent.Akim Tamiroff as the nervous Farid is great.Erich von Stroheim, the great director and the great actor does a real good performance as Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.Billy Wilder was a fantastic director.They're showing his movies on Sundays here in Finland right now.This one is a real good movie from his production.All you Wilder fans out there- don't miss it..
a good picture of war time,without much blood and guts.i saw this movie when it was released in 1943,and have seen it on amc this past january.all of the characters in the picture were class actors.franchot tone was my favorite actor..
Minutes later, German troops arrive under the leadership of Peter van Eyck (Lt. Schwegler) who takes over the hotel to accommodate his troops and a special guest yet to arrive – none other than the main man Erich von Stroheim (Field Marshal Rommel).
He is helped by the Egyptian owner, Farid (Akim Tamiroff), under the protest of the French chambermaid Mouche (Anne Baxter) that is afraid with the imminent arrival of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (Erich von Stroheim) and the Germans that are heading to Alexandria and Cairo.
Further, he needs to disclose the secret about Professor Cronstraetter and the five graves mentioned by Rommel to Lieutenant Schwegler (Peter Van Eyck) that can change the fate of the British Army in Egypt.Billy Wilder is among my top four directors of all times, but "Five Graves to Cairo" is a deceptive war propaganda of this great master.
This film could have been a great war movie, but the problem is that it presents Field Marshal Erwin Rommel as a stupid commander instead of one of the greatest and most respected military leaders of history.
The plot has British officer Franchot Tone, the sole survivor of a battle with the Nazis in which all of the men in his tank crew were killed, wandering into a hotel in the North African desert.
Soon the Nazis arrive, led by Erwin Rommel (a commanding performance from Erich von Stroheim), and Tone takes the place of a German spy working at the hotel who was killed the night before.
Now that TCM is able to secure a few more Paramount films for their audience, it's a pleasure to report that FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO stands as one of the most worthwhile films I've seen in a long time.Not only are none of the characters stereotypes (well, except for FORTUNIO BONANOVA's singing Italian general), but it gave me new appreciation for the talents of FRANCHOT TONE, ANNE BAXTER, PETER VAN EYCK and ERICH VON STROHEIM.
AKIM TAMIROFF supplies the only comic interest as an overly nervous hotel keeper in the middle of the desert who fears the German will discover that the man he's hiding (Tone) is a British corporal.
I went into Five Graves to Cairo only knowing that this was Billy Wilder's attempt to make some pro-ally style war movie, and that it was one of Quentin Tarantino's favorite films - anyone with two eyes and ears can tell it's a big influence on Inglourious Basterds - and finally seeing it, it holds up, as far as it goes.
The Tarantino connection is a lot thicker than one might expect; Wilder in 'Cairo' is all about mounting suspense and keeping up the rouse of Franchot Tone's JJ Bramble turned German spy turned English hotel waiter Paul Davros around a bunch of German officers occupying the hotel while planning an offensive maneuver in North Africa.Every moment is tense and taut when this man is around these officers, and while Tone is not the best or most expressive actor of his time he does enough for what the role and Wilder ask of him, giving some charm and personality to a character who has to be different things at different moments.
Part of it also comes from who knows what piece of information, the fact that from the start some p-eople know more than others (as, in a fantastic opening that sets much of the tone, Bramble stumbles sun-baked into the hotel after leaving his blown-apart tank, and Tamiroff and Anne Baxter have to do their best to make sure the Germans don't see him behind the bar, which does get moved mid-scene), and that there is other stakes going on, like with Baxter's man in a prison camp.All the while, Wilder gives some wonderful scenes for Peter van Eyck, who's the Lieutenant overseeing the operation, and his commanding officer especially Erich von Stroheim.
Von Stroheim is the strongest part of the film, as every time he gives this character dimension and presence, and how every line is delivered makes him a man who is clearly out to do his duty as a Nazi officer on the move towards Egypt (and those 'five graves', which becomes a plot point but isn't as important as seeing what the characters do about it), but is also a sort of a human villain, if that makes sense.
One British soldier, John Bramble (Franchot Tone), falls from his tank and drags himself to safely at the isolated Hotel Imperial which had recently been bombed by the Germans.
But, no sooner had they treated him when a group of Germans and one Italian, General Sebastiano (Fortunio Bonanova), under Field Marshal Rommel (Erich von Stroheim), attack and take over the hotel.
An ingenious plot twist links the action in the film to the defeat of Rommel in Africa.The film opens with Captain John Bramble (Franchot Tone) seeking refuge in a small hotel that had been bombed by the Germans the night before.
Anne Baxter plays Mouche--a French maid whose brother is imprisoned in a German concentration camp.Erich von Stroheim plays Field Marshall Rommel--the seemingly unstoppable German officer whose battle exploits confounded the Allies--as possessing egotistical overconfidence.
It stars Franchot tone, Anne Baxter, Akim Tamiroff, Erich von Stroheim and Peter Van Eyck.
Music is by Miklós Rózsa and cinematography by John Seitz.Tone plays John Bramble, the sole survivor of a British tank division who stumbles into a near deserted desert town only to find it suddenly fill up with Field Marshall Rommel and his troops.
Cast are more than capable of making the material work as well, with Tone nicely restrained, Baxter very touching (decent French accent too) and Von Stroheim a ball of emotions as a complex laden Rommel.
This was Wilder's third movie after his French effort ('Mauvaise Graine ") and "the major and the minor" .The cast is extraordinary:Von Stroheim,Tamiroff,Van Eyck and of course Franchot Tone,ideally cast as Bramble .On the other hand,although Ann Baxter is a good actress,she is not credible as a French girl:she has a vague French accent but the fact that she never says one word in her first language is implausible.Van Eyck and Von Stroheim were German and Fortunio Bonanova was Italian.OK ,Tone was American playing the part of an English soldier ,but it 's the same language after all.This is minor quibble :"Five graves to Cairo" is a very good war movie ,and a very special war movie:it's also a comedy with excellent gags (Tone giving his name to a liquor!)and it even features an enigma the solution of which you'll never guess.Most of the film takes place in a seedy inn in the desert .All the hatred Baxter feels for the English is credible ;the German propaganda wanted to make the French consider the English their enemies .On the other hand ,they were not aware of what was going on in the concentration camps.There are several incredible moments but the best is when Tone solves the riddle .Imposture was a subject Wilder would treat again afterward:"Witness for the prosecution" "the private life of Sherlock Holmes " (Genevieve Page's part),and even "some like it hot'" and " kiss me stupid" .And "five graves to Cairo" was the follow-up to "the major and the minor" where Ginger Rogers passed herself off as a little girl.I was immensely pleased when I saw Wilder's "Ace in the hole" make the IMDb top 250!It was about time!"Five graves" is perhaps not in the same league,but it would deserve a "bubbling under" mention..
Despite some recent reviews of this film that seem to miss the main points of the story and how it HAD to be portrayed and acted, this movie was well-made and a refreshing approach to an interpretation of the war in North Africa.This is especially true for the depiction of Rommel.
As has been said here by others, Von Stroheim had the real Rommel nailed pretty well.Wilder was a great director, and knew what he had to do with the actors available to him during the war, and how they would depict the characters in this story.Bravo Mr. Wilder!.
As he went to and fro at the hotel from the likes of Mouche (Anne Baxter), to the Field Marshall (Erich von Stroheim), to the Lt.
It narrates a story of love and political intrigue involving Austrians and Russians during First World War. Given green light by Paramount to make a new film, Wilder and writer Charles Brackett discovered the property and, based on recent war events in North Africa during Second World War, decided to cash in the drama headlines of the times.
Erich von Stroheim plays his trite version of a ruthless European officer, while Anne Baxter unconvincingly tries to pass as a French girl, Akim Tamiroff overacts as he frequently did (this time as a Egyptian, but he used the same tics to play a Chinese general, a Spanish Republican, a Mexican mafioso, a Turkish cook or an Italian monsignor), and Fortunio Bonanova is a bad joke as a ridiculous Fascist general who loves to sing arias.
The best performances are given by Franchot Tone and Peter van Eyck, who respectively play a British corporal and a German lieutenant, both under control.
Wilder as usual keeps you interested, but for spy thrillers, sex melodramas or action war dramas, it is better to watch "Casablanca" (1942) or James Mason as Rommel in "The Desert Fox" (1951), which are much better, and were more honest about their business..
Franchot Tone is British tank Corporal John Bramble who stumbles into a Sahara oasis hotel after crawling through the desert during the North African campaign in 1942.
Rommel and his command take up residence in the hotel run by nervous local Arab Farid (Akim Tamiroff) and an attractive Alsatian maid Mouche (Anne Baxter).
And thanks to the great Billy Wilder it's a great movie that simply refuses to age in its appeal.Classic moment from FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO:Rommel, sitting up in bed as Mouche (Anne Baxter) enters with his breakfast, "I don't like women in the morning" he declares and when she pours his coffee and with a gesture of the back of his hand he instructs her to "take two steps back please"..
By the actions of 1944 Rommel, the best known German military genius the Second World War produced, gained a posthumous place as an eleventh hour member of the Allies.Rommel would, of course, be the first Axis figure to be honored by a film biography from Hollywood - THE DESERT FOX starring James Mason.
Eric Von Stroheim, former silent film director, and now widely respected character actor, was chosen to play Rommel, and the character fit the brutal caricature (with some light touches fortunately) that Von Stroheim had developed a quarter century earlier when he played German soldiers in World War I films, or when he played the commandant of the prison camp, in Jean Renoir's LE GRAND ILLUSION.The plot begins when a British tank appears that has just been in battle with the Germans.
The only things that can stop him is a British tank corporal, John Bramble (Franchot Tone), the fearful Egyptian owner of the hotel, Farid (Akim Tamiroff), and the angry, resentful hotel maid, Mouche (Anne Baxter).
At least in the interest of being cautious with captured British officers around, one would think Field Marshal Rommel (Erich von Stroheim) or Lieutenant Schwengler (Peter van Eyck) might have addressed Bramble/Davos in German, especially in the early going when all the characters at the Hotel Empress would have come under suspicion.Which brings me to my next point.
The ruse works only too well, as the big boss-man (Erich von Stroheim as Field Marshall Rommel) meets with Tone and begins talking about Tone's job as a German spy!
The British troops are forced out by Erwin Rommel (Erich von Stroheim) and Germans and Italians occupy the hotel.
Soon after Tone arrives, the Nazis show up, led by Erich von Stroheim, playing Field Marshall Erwin Rommel.
After a very creepy opening scene of a British tank drifting recklessly through the desert sands, it's sole survivor (Franchot Tone) falls out and ends up hiding out in a broken down desert hotel run by Anne Baxter and Akim Tamiroff.
SYNOPSIS: British army corporal poses as a waiter at Rommel's headquarters.NOTES: A re-make of Hotel Imperial (1926) directed by Mauritz Stiller from a script by Jules Furthman, starring James Hall, Pola Negri and George Siegmann in the Tone, Baxter and Von Stroheim roles, respectively.COMMENT: From the very moment that Erich Von Stroheim strides on to the screen, we know we're in for a real treat in Five Graves to Cairo.
**SPOILERS** Made during the hight of WWII the film "Five Graves to Cairo" did its best in trying to explain the reasons why German Field Marshall Ewin Rommel's, Erich Von Stroheim, Africka Corps was so successful in battling the numerically superior,in men and equipment, British forces in the North African Campaigen.
What Bramble was now determined to find out was Romell's future plans and somehow get them back to British 8th Army headquarters in Cairo before Rommel makes his next move!While all this is going on the owner of the hotel the Egyptian Farid's, Akim Tamiroff, French maid Mouche, Anne Baxter, has other ideas in dealing with the German occupiers!
'Five Graves to Cairo (1943)' was Wilder's third feature-length film as director {following 'Mauvaise graine (1934)' and 'The Major and the Minor (1942)'}, a tense war-time thriller about a British soldier who finds himself behind enemy lines and so must masquerade as a hotel butler in order to escape the notice of the German troops.Franchot Tone {in a role originally intended for Cary Grant} plays Cpl. John J.
Great silent film director Erich von Stroheim arguably steals the show as the proud and ruthless Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, a cold and cunning military strategist with high hopes of defeating the Allied forces.From the opening moments of the film, with Bramble tumbling from his forsaken tank and dragging himself across the parched sands of the Egyptian desert, 'Five Graves to Cairo' is an endlessly suspenseful and entertaining picture.
Writer & director Billy Wilder's sophomore frame as a helmer occurred with the World War II era suspense-thriller "5 Graves to Cairo," the first of several W.W. II movies that included a real-life personality from the war, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.
Here there's some substance, and I think he does rather well.Anne Baxter and Akim Tamiroff do well enough, as well, although perhaps Tamiroff's role was played with a bit too much humor, although I have a hunch that is the responsibility of director Billy Wilder.I think the thing that people question about this film is whether the plot is at all logical.
Rommel (Erich von Stroheim) arrives, and the soldier (Tone) pretends to be the hotel waiter...with a club foot...and, unknown to him the real waiter (now dead) was a German advance man...and he begins to play double agent...and then the body of the real waiter is found...and.... |
tt0045477 | Affair with a Stranger | Successful playwright, Bill Blakeley (Victor Mature) phones his wife, Carol (ex model, Carolyn Parker) (Jean Simmons) to find out why she has not arrived in Philadelphia (from New York) to see the opening of his newest play. She seems ambivalent about her non-appearance and he loses his temper at her apparent lack of interest.This is exactly the opportunity for which the leading actress in the play, Janet Boothe (Monica Lewis), has been waiting. She moves in on him with all the agility of a well-oiled viper and, before Blakeley realises it, the pair have a dinner date arranged for that evening. Also, without Blakeley knowing it, Boothe has been on the phone to gossip columnist, Lucy Lawson (Henny Backus), to pass on the scoop that Blakeley and his wife are about to divorce - with her as the interloper.Within minutes of the call, the news becomes the highlight of Lawsons nightly gossip report and, soon after, it hits the newspapers. Tongues are set wagging all over New York, resulting in a series of flash-backs based on conversations between of some the couples oldest friends and, in doing so, unveils the history of their relationship from the day they first met."It was New Years Eve, 1948 or was it 49 ..." begins the story of Pop (George Cleveland), an elderly newspaper seller in Times Square, at whose stand the pair met. He explains to one of his regulars how Blakeley was then just an unknown who fell for Carolyn the moment he saw her.
The next reflection comes from Ma Stanton (Jane Darwell) who runs the diner below the apartment in which Carolyn once lived. She recalls how Carolyn hadnt met any other men before Blakeley appeared but that, soon after, he had become a regular visitor.Ma had witnessed his great charm, first hand, when he first came for dinner - after shed helped Carol clean up the result of several disasters, including; a sodden carpet caused by a broken vase, torn curtains and, (unbeknown to her at the time) a skirt ripped all the way up the back - which had befallen the normally well organised and neat-as-a-pin Miss Parker. On that occasion Blakely had proved to be both good natured and the perfect gentleman - and had won the hearts of both ladies.In fact, Bill's first remarks, after Ma left that night pertained to the overwhelming neatness of Carols apartment and how very feminine it looked. Carol, being something of an 50s feminist, took this as an insult that she didnt have any other male friends - so she informed Blakeley that she had a male caller just the previous night and that the same male caller was coming again the following night. Keen to find out more about his possible competition, Bill discovers that the other mans name is Tim.Later that night, one of Carols neighbours, Mrs Wallace (Victoria Home), who lives with her young son, knocks on the door to ask whether Carol can mind little Tim (Billy Chapin) as she has been called in to work unexpectedly. When Bill realises that little Tim is the other man he is very much relieved the three of them settle in for an evening of fun during which Bill proves to be very good with children.The next conversation occurs between a newspaper reporter who is trying to write a novel in his spare time, Happy Murray (Dabbs Greer) - and his wife Dolly (Mary Jo Tarola) - one of Carolyns modelling friends. Dolly is certain that, if the story is true, it is because of Blakeleys untrustworthy nature. She formed that opinion of him on the first night they met - when he and Carolyn had come over for dinner after which they were supposed to go to the movies.However, when Happys friends came over to play a regular, weekly poker game, Bill soon dumped the girls and stayed with the boys instead. When Dolly came home and gave Bill the message that Carol had gone home without him he seemed to dismiss it as a fairly minor issue but, to Dolly, it was proof that he was shiftless.Eventually Dolly persuades Carol that Bill is a worthless gambler with little prospect of success and that she should break it off with him however, while Carol agrees in principle, she doesnt seem to put a great deal of vigour into informing him of her decision.During a chance meeting at a cafeteria, Carol (hiding behind a newspaper) witnesses the starving Blakely preparing himself a free meal of soup (comprising tomato ketchup flavoured with a dash of every condiment available, topped off with hot water). They meet when Bill (unaware that it is Carol behind the newspaper), attempts to steal one of her bread rolls. When Dolly joins them, she tries to steer Carol towards a break up but, despite her efforts, they agree to meet again. Not only does Dollys break-up plan fail but she also ends up giving most of her breakfast to Blakeley, who devours it with all the glee of a starving man.When Happy receives a call to come in to work (on the night that the gossip was released) the cab driver turns out to be none other than an old friend of Blakeleys, Joe (Wally Vernon). Happy informs Joe of the news and, as the two talk about old times, we find out more details about the relationship in particular that, when Blakely had no money and even fewer prospects, it was Carol who had proposed marriage to him in the back of the very same cab.After seeing the poverty in which Blakeley had been living and having witnessed all the problems which Dollys husband, Happy, was having trying to write a novel, while holding down a full time job, she demonstrates her belief in Blakeleys by supporting him so that he can devote all of his energy to writing
After they marry Bill insists that he should help by doing the housework but he is not at all suited to domestic duties especially while trying to write plays. Thankfully, however, one of his plays is sold (for next to nothing) to a little known Producer/Director and Bill thinks that his hard work is about to pay off. However, the Producer is so bad and the play is such a huge flop that it damages his career more than promotes it. Depressed by failure, Bill informs Carol that he will give up his dream of becoming a playwright tells her that he is going out to find steady work as a journalist. But, in yet another display of her confidence in him, she insists that he must keep writing.When Carol finds out she is pregnant, Bill becomes so desperate to prove that he is a good provider, that he takes on a job as a waiter at swanky restaurant. Unfortunately he proves to have very little aptitude for this job either but, luckily, manages to hold onto it for long enough to be able to wait on the table of a big-time Broadway Producer, George W. Craig (Nicholas Joy), who happens to have several prospective scripts with him at the time.Bill phones home to have his latest script brought down to the restaurant and secretly places it among the others. Of course, the play becomes Craigs next big box office hit which runs for over two years. This begins a string of successes for Blakeley who eventually becomes wealthy enough to buy a big house out on Long Island, complete with a maid and a pool, not far from the home of Mr and Mrs Craig. Despite all the things which money can buy, however, there is clearly something wrong.The next discussion, between Ma and a nurse who lives in the apartments, Miss Crutcher (Lillian Bronson), fills us in on some more of the details. They reflect back to the source of Carols attitude when her first child was still born on the opening night of Blakeleys first successful play. They outline how the couple tried everything to have another child but were unsuccessful leaving Carol to feel depressed, for having failed Bill and, therefore, withdrawing from their relationship.One day, Bill happens to run into Ma who is looking after little Timmy, because his mother is ill. When he finds out that Mrs Wallace is unable to afford treatment Bill immediately offers to pay for it and also offers to look after Tim while she is in hospital partly because he thinks it will help Mrs Wallace and partly because he thinks that having Tim around may help Carol snap out of her depression.The ideas works a treat and Carol loves having Tim around. In fact she says that she wishes there were some way they could keep him forever. Soon after this they receive the bad news that Tims mother has, in fact, died and they adopt him.At home, with Tim, Carol has taken the phone off the hook to avoid any more calls about the gossip and appears to be slipping further away from Bill. But, just down the road, at the Craigs, Blakeleys Producer and his wife are also discussing the gossip. Mrs Craig, a very pragmatic woman, immediately deduces that the glamorous Janet Boothe is out to get Bill and that she has what it takes to bag him. They also reflect on a few similar turmoils which have rocked their own marriage and Mrs Craig, who is obviously a very forgiving women, determines to set Carol on the right course.She pays a visit to Carols home and lays the facts of the situation on the line that, if Carol sits idly by, Boothe will, no doubt, seduce her husband. And, in the best traditions of 50s womanhood, she convinces Carol that, if she wants to keep Bill, she will have to fight for him - no matter what he has done. So Carol boards the next train to Philadelphia.Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, Bill knows nothing about the gossip and it is unclear exactly whether anything has gone on between him and Boothe, overnight - although it is clear that he is attracted to her. When the morning papers arrive however, and Bill reads the gossip column, he immediately goes into panic mode and, feeling guilty, catches the next train to New York hoping that he will be able to explain everything to Carol.As he rehearses his story on the train, it is revealed that, while he did kiss Miss Booth (largely at her insistence), Bill has done very little else of which to be ashamed apart from being tempted by her rather obvious charms.As they sit in their respective trains thinking about what they will do and say, their trains pull up at the same station and their windows happen to be opposite. When their eyes meet it commences a mad scramble to get to each other and, after criss-crossing, they eventually manage to meet on the platform and embrace. Carol begins crying, with delight, and when Bill gives her his handkerchief, she notices some lipstick on it but, heeding Mrs Craigs advice, dismisses it without a word. As the trains pull out they are left together on the platform and Bill announces, with a gleam in his eye, that there wont be another train for two days and that the only thing for them to do is book into a hotel.Carol, realising that he really does love her after all, is so delighted by the prospect that, as they walk off the platform arm in arm, she drops the lipstick stained handkerchief in a nearby bin and, presumably, they live happily ever after. | flashback | train | imdb | null |
tt0094012 | Spaceballs | The movie opens with a Star Wars-esque text on the screen that informs the viewer of the war between Planet Druidia and Planet Spaceball. Druidia has been at peace for some time now and has managed to stop Planet Spaceball in their tracks by constructing a giant air shield around the planet. Planet Spaceball has been in an air shortage ever since and the numbers are reaching critical levels.We are shown the outline of an extremely large ship. The end of the ship has a bumper sticker on it that reads "We brake for nobody!". Inside we are shown that one of the cadets has contacted Lord Dark Helmet when they've reached Planet Druidia. He then goes over Dark Helmet's Helmet when he informs them that he contacted President Skroob. Lord Helmet is furious, but informs his henchman Col. Sanders their plan once they reach Druidia's atmosphere.Cut to Planet Druidia. We are shown that Princess Vespa, the daughter of Druish king Roland, is about to get married to a guy named Prince Valium, who has a sleeping disorder. As she approaches the alter, she tells her father that she doesn't love the guy she is about to marry and leaves the wedding. She and her caretaker, a robot named Dot Matrix, escape in the new Mercedes space cruiser that Roland had purchased.We are then shown the outside of a Winnebago. Inside, the captain - Lonestar, is seen asleep at the wheel while his companion Barf is seen stuffing his face. They then get a call from an associate of ruthless mobster Pizza The Hutt. Pizza tells Lonestar the job he was originally hired to do got screwed up, and now he's owed $1 million spacebucks. And the money has to be paid by a certain time, or else. The next call they get is from King Roland who wants Lonestar and Barf to track down Princess Vespa, but unfortunately he thinks the Spaceballs might have got to her first. They manage to locate the position of her Mercedes space cruiser and rescue her.Lonestar decides to make quick tracks to escape Spaceball One and Dark Helmet. He puts the Winnebago into hyper active mode and makes quick tracks. Dark Helmet decides to go after them, but to catch up, they put Spaceball One into Ludicrous Speed mode. They overshoot the Winnebago by a week and a half. Just as they're all set to go home, the Winnebago runs out of gas and they crash into a remote desert planet. Lonestar and Vespa get into a huge fight about what they can take with them, Lonestar tells Vespa to take only what you need to survive. Barf informs them that they have to make haste before Spaceball One comes back to make them all dead.They get lost in the desert and think everything is hopeless. During the night Lonestar and Vespa share a mutual attraction to each other before they're interrupted by Dot's virgin alarm. The next day after walking for hours, it looks like they're goners. But thankfully they're rescued by a group of small people who are followers of the almighty Yogurt.Back on Spaceball One, Dark Helmet is desperate to locate Vespa as President Skroob informs them they can use her for ransom to get a crack at Druidia's air. So in order to locate exactly where they are, Col. Sanders informs them about a new technology they can use called Instant Video - where they can watch the movie as it's being made. Unfortunately they fast forward too far and are at the "now" moment of the movie. They then manage to locate the group on the moon of Vega.Spaceball One heads to Vega to locate them in the desert. Dark Helmet instructs his minions to literally comb the desert for the foursome. But they're taken to Yogurt's underground lair where he teaches the group about the wonderful world of movie tie-in merchandising. He also teaches Lonestar the power of a magical force in the universe called "The Schwartz". Lonestar asks Yogurt about the medallion he wears on his neck. Yogurt tells him that will be later revealed to him at the proper time.Spaceball One finally arrives in Vega. Dark Helmet decides to trick Vespa into thinking that he's in fact her father King Roland. The trick worked and Lonestar, Dot Matrix, and Barf decide to go after her and destroy Spaceball One in the process. Lonestar is given the Ring Of The Schwartz, as well as a fortune cookie which Yogurt explicitly instructs him to open before eating. He also hands them a can of special liquid schwartz fuel to use if needed.Back on Planet Spaceball, Dark Helmet has arrived and has presented President Skroob with Princess Vespa, who they will use to scheme King Roland into giving them the combination to Planet Druidia's air shield, destroying Planet Druidia and saving Planet Spaceball. After threatening to give Princess Vespa back her old nose, King Roland agrees to give up the combination. It's 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5. The exact same combination that President Skroob has on his luggage. Skroob orders Spaceball One ready for departure and to have the combination on his luggage changed.Barf, Lonestar and Dot Matrix finally manage to head to Planet Spaceball, and locate Princess Vespa in a remote prison cell. But to do so requires getting past several heavily armed Spaceballs. They manage to successfully do so. They then high tail it out of the prison and head for Spaceball One.Spaceball One has managed to successfully penetrate Planet Druidia's air shield. But in order to get the air out, Dark Helmet flips a switch and has Spaceball One transformed into a maid with a giant vacuum cleaner. Lonestar, Barf, Vespa, and Dot Matrix marvel at the transformation. Just as it looks like Spaceball One is successful, Lonestar uses his Schwartz training to turn the vacuum cleaner's switch into the off position. They then fly into the ear of the Mega Maid.Lonestar finally has his face to face confrontation with Dark Helmet. After a Schwartz measuring contest Dark Helmet reveals that there's two sides to every Schwartz. Lonestar, without his ring, manages to defeat Dark Helmet and push Spaceball One's self destruct button. The Spaceballs and everyone and everything inside the ship flee, that is except for Dark Helmet, Col. Sanders, and President Skroob. The ship self destructs and Mega Maid's head crash lands on an ape planet. The apes are horrified to discover that their planet is being taken over by Spaceballs. Back on the Winnebago, Lonestar and Barf learn that Pizza The Hutt has kicked the bucket and they don't owe him anything anymore.Victorious, Lonestar heads for Druidia and drops Vespa off at the castle. They resume where they left off with the Princess marrying, or attempting to marry Prince Valium. As they walk down the aisle, Vespa is stunned to learn that Lonestar didn't take the money he was offered - only enough for gas and food. Lonestar and Barf are seen at a random space gas station filling up and stopping in the coffee shop. They're horrified by the contents of "today's special" and quickly get the check and make a b-line for the door. Barf is still hungry so they take a crack at the fortune cookie that Yogurt had given them. Yogurt reveals exactly what the medallion that Lonestar wears on his neck is. It's a royal birth certificate. It certifies that Lonestar is the son of a king and queen, and if they hurry, Lonestar could have a princess in their future. They quickly turn around and head back for Druidia. Just as it looks like the wedding is unavoidable, when the preacher gets to the "speak now or forever hold your peace" part, Lonestar shows up and tells Vespa that he's a certified prince and asks her to marry him. She thinks about it, and then quickly shoves Prince Valium off to the side. They get married and sail off into deep space in the Winnebago. | comedy, cult, good versus evil, humor, satire, entertaining | train | imdb | The story is one of Mel's finest parades, of course, this one is of Star Wars or pretty much any space film.Lord Helmet and President Skroob wish to steal all of Planet Druidia's fresh air and transfer it onto their own, but they must get the combination to the air shield that is protecting it.
But things quickly turn bad when Helmet does get the combination and now Lone Starr must use the "schwartz" and defeat Lord Helmet and Skroob before they suck all the air from Druidia.Spaceballs is seriously just a great comedy, I guarantee you that you will have a good laugh by watching this film.
Leave it to Mel Brooks; no one else could make a space movie with references to "The Wizard of Oz", "The Godfather", Mr. Coffee and flying Winnebagos."Spaceballs" is just about the best post-"History of the World Part I" film Mel has made and that's saying something, considering how many great jokes Mel and Company is able to pull off while within PG territory.Easy enough to guess that this is Mel's take on "Star Wars", complete with his own versions of C-3P0 (Dot Matrix), Princess Leia (Princess Vespa), Chewbacca (Barf the Mawg) and a combination of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker (LoneStarr).
Brisk parody of "Star Wars" and other great science fiction films pits Bill Pullman and his man-dog/dog-man partner John Candy against Rick Moranis and Mel Brooks as they try to rescue Princess Daphne Zuniga from the clutches of the evil Space-Balls.The cast are clearly enjoying themselves and there's a gag almost every minute, mostly notably the Star Wars gags.
not again!")3) Yogurt the Yoda clone (also Mel Brooks; "Please, I'm just plain Yogurt.")4) Dot's "Virgin Alarm" ("Designed to go off before you do.")5) A pot shot at "Lawrence of Arabia"6) The 'combing the desert' sequence7) Rick Moranis 'playing with his toys'8) The Statue of Liberty Transformer9) The Planet of the Apes sequence10) The light saber schwartz duel11) The guard instructing Bill Pullman on how to properly do the Vulcan nerve pinch.12) Accidentally capturing the stunt doubles.13) The quote unquote "sexual tension" between Bill and Daphne.And many more.
The actors are all very funny, with Brooks in two roles: President Skroob and Yogurt (his version of Yoda); the late John Candy as Barf the mawg (half man, half dog); Rick Moranis as the Darth Vader clone Dark Helmet; Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, the Luke Skywalker takeoff; Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa, similar to Princess Leia; and Dot Matrix, the robot with the voice of Joan Rivers who's obviously in the C-3P0 role.
If you didn't liked this movie, then you probably weren't in the right mood, because there is no way you can dislike and find this movie unfunny.Most fun thing about the movie is Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet who is the complete opposite in every way of the ultimate bad guy from the entire universe; Darth Vader, especially in size.
Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman and John Candy really come to life in their roles as not-so-subtle parodies of Darth Vader, Han Solo and Chewbacca, respectively, with Moranis in particular somehow getting deep laughs out of lines so cheesy a Taco Bell nacho would flinch.
Skroob (Mel Brooks) has sent the ultra-evil, ultra-dork Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) to kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) from the planet Druidia to extort their air.Fear not!
And they do it by jamming Dark Helmet's radar...with real jam.From there, the whole thing is typical Mel Brooks stuff, with a gag every minute and parts where they admit that they're in a movie.
To borrow from some other reviewers, it is literally as if a group of high school freshmen got a video camera and made a Star Wars spoof as a project for school, improvising the dialogue as they went.There are plenty of comedies out there that aren't funny enough to entertain adults, but are capable of amusing kids (Johnny English would be one such example).
This must be one of the best parodies I have seen.Especially for those who have seen the whole Star Wars series.Mel Brooks is a legend and makes some extremely funny stuff.The best role in the movie was definitely Rick Moranis as Lord Dark Helmet.He was just hilarious.
Having grown up with Star Wars as a child & being introduced to Mel Brooks films as a young teen, this movie seemed like a dream match when it was announced in my late teens.
It's a loving spoof of the whole STAR WARS franchise with Mel Brooks on top form as he mercilessly ribs George Lucas for his addition to merchandising, ridiculous costumes, plot elements, and the like.
Rick Moranis really shines though in his best role as 'Dark Helmet' and many of his scenes are the funniest the film has to offer; also watch out for Mel Brooks's scene-stealing 'Yogurt'.
But Dark Helmet and President Skroob of Spaceballs (Mel Brooks) will do anything to steal their air.Directed by Mel Brooks (Blazing Saddles, Robin Hood:Men in Thighs, Young Frankenstein) made an amusingly spoof on Science-Fiction movies like Alien, Star Trek, Star Wars and more.
Except for "To Be Or Not To Be," which he starred in but didn't direct, Brooks was never involved in a good comedy after 1977's "High Anxiety."Nineteen seventy-seven was also the year "Star Wars" came out, the movie parodied here along with its two sequels.
Watching "Spaceballs," one gets the feeling Mel was inspired less by his love for sci-fi fantasy than the big bucks the Star Wars franchise raked in.
Brooks does give him some good lines, and he delivers them with a goofy mixture of menace and panache, even when he is stuck making innumerable jokes about his "Schwartz."Oddly, "Spaceballs" does have many admirers, perhaps because the film was around when they were young and starving for anything "Star Wars" related, back when the original trilogy was hard to locate on video.
Brooks' brings his usual flavor of comedy to space, spoofing such movies as "Star Wars", "Star Trek", and "Alien".
The film also stars Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Joan Rivers, and, of course, Mel Brooks.
Contains the trademark Mel Brooks slapstick and plays on words and names.Decent performances from an all-star cast (some of whom weren't stars at the time, but are now): Mel Brooks (of course), Rick Moranis, John Candy, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Dick van Patten, and Joan Rivers' voice.
something particularly admirable with today's trend in so-called "parodies" being little more than cheap and instantly-dated affairs that trade nonsensical references for true gags.Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) and the incompetent President Skroob (Brooks) of the villainous Planet Spaceball hatch a plan to kidnap Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga).
I've heard of this movie before, and have seen it in bits and pieces, and I thought that this film basically makes fun of "Star Wars." Yes, it does!
His abilities stretch beyond all means, and will always be remembered as one of the greater comedians of the 80's.And, for the grand finale, Mel Brooks, who makes appearances as the incompetent President Scroobs and the wise Yogurt, appears to show his age a bit, but nonetheless, still shows that he's an old timer, and his films are going to be around for years.Get lost in space with this movie..
It spoofs the Star Wars movie perfectly!!It has a great cast and lots of laughs!!It is one of my favorite movies directed by Mel Brooks!!!You can see Joan Rivers and Dick Van Patten(TV series Eight Is Enough) in roles in this movie!!Spaceballs is a great spoof of all the Star Wars movie!!!.
From Mel Brooks who did the Get Smart tv series - this rip of Star Yawns hits the funny button on every level - i totally laugh my head off every viewing of this idiotic film ....
But the cast do a good job and make them funny.And having this movie break the fourth wall helps matters because the film does a funny jobAs for the cast we get our Protagonists Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, John Candy as Barf, Daphne Zuniga as Princess Vespa along with her father King Roland played by Dick Van Pattern.
Along with Mel Brooks who plays both Yogurt and President Skroob one of the films villains along with Dark Helmet played by Rick Moranis and Colonel Sandurz played by George Wyner.Watching this movie is just something else only Mel Brooks should be allow to make spoof films since he is the only one who can make them funny unlike other people who make them just to get a paycheck watching this film is better entertainment.However there are some scenes and characters I feel this film would have been better without and some moments will make you go Really?
But I'll give it credit for something you don't see all the time in comedy filmsAlso there is some good performances John Candy is funny as Barf, Bill Pullman did a convincing job as Lone Starr, I laugh at Daphne Zuniga's performance as Princess Vespa, Rick Moranis was smart as Dark Helmet.The film also features some of the funnest lines you will ever hear in a comedy film that will make you roll with laughter.
Dark Helmet tries to kidnap Vespa but she's rescued by Lone Starr for a million space bucks.It's an endless Mel Brooks spoof of Star Wars and other sci-fi movies.
Dark Helmet=Darth Vader, Lone Star=Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, Princess Vespa=Princess Leia, Barf=Chewbacca, Yogurt=Yoda, Dot=C3PO, and Colonel Sandurz= all extraneous military characters from space films.
I kind of feel like his character, though he comedy generated from him was decent, was kind of selfish on Mel Brooks part since he was already playing a main role as Yogurt.Though some of the comedy in spoof films is rather crude, it is nonetheless a good genre and has plenty of clean humor mixed in.
Personally I like The Producers, but I'd never argue with anyone who holds out for this gut splitting comedy which uses both subtle satire and heavy bellylaughs drilled into the viewer with the skill and speed of one writing with light saber pen.The main object of the satire is the original Star Wars movie, but during the course of the film Brooks took a shot at The Wizard Of Oz, The Bridge On The River Kwai, Lawrence Of Arabia, Planet Of The Apes and Alien and a few others I could name if I thought about it.
But evil forces in the galaxy are afoot, the planet Spaceballs has a permanently polluted atmosphere and its President Skroob and his aides Colonel Sanders and Dark Helmet played respectively by Mel Brooks, George Wyner, and Rick Moranis have hatched a scheme to kidnap the princess and suck the atmosphere out of Druidia and take it back to Spaceballs.They look like they just might succeed, but a Han Solo like character Lonestar (Bill Pullman)and his faithful half man, half dog companion John Candy pull off a rescue, but they are hunted people now throughout the galaxy.
When the helmet comes up all you see is Rick Moranis and it looks like it wasn't just the kids that got shrunk.Spaceballs is a film that can be enjoyed by folks who love good comedy and for science fiction fans who don't take themselves too seriously.
tracking Vespa is the dark forces of planet Spaceballs under the evil Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis), President Skroob (Mel Brooks), and Col. Sandurz (George Wyner) to use her as a bargaining chip for all of Druidia's fresh air supply.
It's a shame Moranis has pretty much disappeared from the spot light nowadays.The movie is a follow up parody of the SF classic's Star Wars trilogy, Alien, and other films.
Starring: Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, George Wyner, Rick Moranis, John Candy, and Mel Brooks.
Better than Blazing Saddles and Silent Movie, in my opinion.I'll warn you, the video cover makes it look shoddy - you get the feeling this will be the Mel Brooks movie people find it chic to say "what a misfire," and the first fifteen minutes of the movie, including John Candy's ridiculous costume which sends up Chewy in Star Wars, seem to confirm this suspicion.
This film is over 15 years old and I've seen it a countless number of times and I still pick up something new from the film every time I watch it or find something new to laugh at.Mel Brooks definitely knows his way around comedy and struts his stuff yet again with "Spaceballs".
Mel Brooks's mid-seventies genre parodies "Blazing Saddles" & "Young Frankenstein" are certified classics that still rank among the best comedies of all time.
I don't know, it's droll and funny but it has the appeal of TV sketches and never really tries to transcend its material, the film only exists for the sole mission of making as many references as possible to "Star Wars" and the Sci-fi genre.This is typical of Mel Brooks, either he tries to make a unique original film and you get "The Producers", "Young Frankenstein" or "Silent Movie" or it's a matter of parodying classics by the book and you get "Blazing Saddles", "High Anxiety" and "Spaceballs", funny movies that work because they know what they should remind you of, all the time.
This is the problem with "Spaceballs", once you know "Star Wars", apart from a few original bits like Pizza the Hutt or the 'One Froggy Evening' homage, it's routine humor that makes you want to go directly on Youtube and check the best parts rather than see the whole film.
But back when parody films were still worth watching, Spaceballs came out to mock everything Star Wars with quotable dialogue and great actors making this one parody that was done right.When Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) of the planet Druidia is kidnapped by the evil race of the Spaceballs in a plan to steal all the air on their planet, the king hires space pilot Lone Star (Bill Pullman) and his sidekick Garf (John Candy) to bring her back.
Plus the cast is full of very talented comedic actors with Bill Pullman blending the characters of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo into one typical protagonist and John Candy demonstrating his talents in slapstick comedy.But at the heart of Spaceballs is the trio of idiocy consisting of Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) who takes the booming voice and imposing figure of Darth Vader and turns him into a short dweeb, Colonel Sandurz (George Wyner) a man so spineless that even when he knows it's stupid will literally comb the desert because he's been ordered to and President Skroob (Mel Brooks) a man so dumb his briefcase is unlocked with the numbers 12345.
Spaceballs primarily spoofs the original Star Wars trilogy but there are comedic references to other space exploration movies like Alien and Planet of the Apes.
Spaceballs (1987) may be one of Mel Brooks' more juvenile films, but I love it as much as I did when I first saw it as a kid.This movie is a great example of how to pull off a good parody.
John Candy is good as Barf and he is funny and great like he usually is in films.
Spaceballs (1987) is a humorous spoof of the Star Wars film.
The movie is a good "pick-me-up" when you are feeling down.To Star Wars fans and lovers of comedy - don't miss out watching Spaceballs because it is good.9/10.
The casting was supreme with Rick Moranis playing Dark Helmet, John Candy playing Barf, and even Mel Brooks as Yogurt.
The cast is great (Daphne Zuniga, Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis, and Mel Brooks), the visuals/scenery is perfect, the jokes are laugh-out-loud hilarious they never prevented me from laughing really hard and the story isn't that bad all.Overall, Spaceballs came this close to become a classic, but on it's 25th anniversary, this is a great comedy that deserves a lot of repeated viewings.
Spaceballs is a good movie with an enjoyable storyline that certainly has many flaws but has enough funny parts and a great cast and characters to make up for it.The cast is great,my favourites without a doubt being John Candy,Rick Moranis,Joan Rivers and Mel Brooks.The scenes that mock Star Wars are great but I felt the movie forgot it was a parody of Star Wars every now and then,the thing thats it's missing the most is a Luke Skywalker type character,it's missing a few characters (other honourable mention,R2D2) but Luke Skywalker is the most important character of the original trilogy and an absence of a character parodying him in a Star Wars parody is a huge mistake.Ny favourite parts in this movie is without a doubt the use of breaking the fourth wall,it's normally very stupid in movies,and this is no exception,but it was being stupid purposely this time around,with the "new VHS tapes" and Yogurts idea for a Spaceballs sequel,not to mention all the merchandise for the film that is tossed around throughout,I like how they used it as a major plot point several times,I found it simply hilarious.Spaceballs is a fun movie that I would recommend to fans of Star Wars and to anyone looking for a good comedy.When Dark Helmet is sent to Planet Druidia to steal the planets air supply,it's up to Lone Starr and Barf to save the day,accompanied by a high maintenance princess and her robot companion..
This film, a spoof of the Star Wars movies, is funny to the extreme.
It is a journey into any sci-fi fan's view to see something familiar and twisted with the genius of Mel Brooks' unending rib -tickling approach to a parody.I would have loved to been in the movie just to see the actors work their way to looking serious while doing the most preposterous twisting of Star Wars.
The humor was so funny, and so well thought out, I was astounded by how I had never heard of the movie before that day.A spoof on Star Wars, Spaceballs is an extremely funny parody. |
tt0090021 | Silver Bullet | Jane Coslaw (Follows), the narrator of the film, is the oldest sister in a dysfunctional family of four. Her narration starts in the Spring of 1976 and centers on her strained relationship with her younger, paraplegic brother Marty (Haim) and their parents Nan and Bob. Their rocky relationship changes after a series of murders in their small rural town of Tarker's Mills, Maine.
First, a railroad worker, Arnie Westrum (Gammon), is decapitated by a werewolf after noticing its tracks. The county coroner believes that Arnie passed out on the railroad tracks and was run over by a train. Soon after, a local woman, Stella Randolph (Wendy Walker), prepares to commit suicide because she is unmarried and pregnant. Before she can act, she is murdered. This murder goes unsolved and the townsfolk become worried. The next victim, a redneck named Milt Sturmfuller (James A. Baffico), whose daughter is Marty's girlfriend, hears a racket in his shed. Believing teenagers are making mischief, Sturmfuller plans to scare them off with a shotgun. Instead, he encounters the werewolf and is killed. His family leaves town. Next to die is teenager Brady Kincaid (Joe Wright), Marty's troublemaking best friend, who stayed out too late one night while flying a kite.
After Brady's death, citizens led by local gun shop owner Andy Fairton (Smitrovich) form a vigilante justice group. Although local Sheriff Joe Haller (O'Quinn) and his lone deputy (Hart) attempt to stop the citizens, the officers relent after being berated by Brady's father (Broadhurst). In the middle of the melee, Baptist Reverend Lester Lowe (McGill) attempts to prevent the townsfolk from causing further bloodshed. After the vigilantes go out hunting for the killer, several are attacked and killed, including bartender Owen Knopfler (Tierney). The survivors later deny seeing anything unusual. After the vigilantes are attacked, Reverend Lowe dreams that he is presiding over a mass funeral when his congregation—including the bodies in the caskets—begins to transform into werewolves before his eyes and attack him. He awakens screaming and asks God to "let it end."
As a result of the mounting unsolved murders, curfews are put in place and the annual fair and fireworks show is canceled. The Coslaws decide to have their own backyard party and invite Nan's alcoholic black sheep brother, Uncle Red (Busey). Red gives the gift of a custom-built wheelchair/motorcycle to Marty, which he nicknames the "Silver Bullet". He also gives Marty a pile of fireworks so that he can have his own celebration. Marty uses the Silver Bullet to go out in the middle of the night to a small bridge deep in the woods where he lights the fireworks. Marty is confronted by the werewolf and barely escapes with his life by launching a rocket into the left eye of the creature.
Marty enlists Jane's help to look for someone with a newly injured or missing left eye. The search is conducted under the cover of the church's bottle drive, so as not to arouse suspicion. When Jane turns her bottles in, she discovers that Reverend Lowe is missing his left eye- as well as noticing Knopfler's broken baseball bat, called "The Peacemaker", hidden among the bottles. Realizing that no adult would believe his fantastic story, Marty begins sending anonymous notes to Reverend Lowe telling him that he knows who he is, what he is, and that he should commit suicide in order to stop the killings. A cat-and-mouse chase ensues between the Reverend and the siblings. At one point Lowe tries to run Marty, who is driving the Silver Bullet, off the road with his car. When Marty is trapped under a closed covered bridge, Lowe, whose sanity has been fractured by his condition, tries to rationalize the murders he has committed: he cites Randolph's murder during her suicide attempt as his effort to save her soul (and as rationalization for not killing himself); Westrum was a severe alcoholic; he implies that Sturmfuller was abusing his wife and possibly his daughter (this is made explicit in the novel); and the vigilantes intended to murder someone in cold blood (Lowe's logic cannot explain Brady's murder, however). Lowe then apologizes and tells Marty that he is going to drown him in the river when Marty is unwittingly saved by local farmer Elmer Zinneman.
The siblings tell Red about their letter-writing campaign to Reverend Lowe. After calming down the furious Red, they manage to convince him that Lowe is connected to the murders and attempted to kill Marty: The Silver Bullet has dents and a scrape of blue paint that matches Lowe's car. Unable to deny the evidence in front of him, Red heads straight to Sheriff Haller. Although Red admits that he has his doubts, and Haller does not believe Lowe to be a killer, Red nonetheless persuades the sheriff to investigate. That night, Haller, still skeptical but desperate to find the killer, is shocked to discover evidence that at least some of Marty's story may be true. Haller suddenly finds Lowe, who has locked himself in his garage to restrain himself from further killings, but before Haller can arrest him, Lowe transforms and kills Haller by striking him numerous times on the head with the Peacemaker.
Marty and Jane both know that with Haller out of the way, the werewolf now has an easy path to come after them. Marty theorizes that Lowe transforms more often than just the full moon, but that when the moon is at its peak he loses all his humanity and becomes more driven to kill; thus, he will attack Marty on the next full moon, when he is most unrestrained. Desperate and running out of options, they convince Red to take Jane's silver cross and Marty's silver medallion to someone who can melt it down into a silver bullet. Under the guise of Marty having just "discovered the Lone Ranger", Red has a local gunsmith make the bullet; the gunsmith proves to be a master at his craft, making the bullet so it will be accurate. When Red asks an offhand question, "… what the heck are you gonna shoot a forty-four bullet at anyway, made outta silver?" the gunsmith replies, "How 'bout a werewolf?"
On Halloween, Red shows up at the Coslaws with some fortuitous news: He has won a romantic getaway to New York, but since he separated from his wife, he gives the tickets to Nan and Bob. Questioned by Marty and Jane, Red reveals that he bought the tickets as a ruse to get their parents to safety. With the now full moon in the sky, they head inside to wait for the werewolf. Despite their best efforts, the three fall asleep and are startled awake when Red (who has fallen asleep with a lit cigarette in his fingers), burns himself, jumps up and drops the gun, nearly setting it off. Red begins to doubt that the werewolf is real, much less going to show up, and orders Marty and Jane to bed. Jane suddenly screams in horror as she sees the werewolf looking at her from the living room window, although when Red looks he finds nothing. Red starts to think that he is being fooled by the children and unloads the pistol. At that moment the werewolf tears the power cables out of the box and cuts the power to the house, leaving the trio with only the light from the fireplace. The werewolf then smashes through the wall of the house, attacking them. Despite Red's best efforts he is tossed around like a rag doll and Jane is suspended in midair. Marty manages to retrieve the cartridge (which was tossed around in the melee and had fallen through a heating vent in the floor) and shoots the werewolf in the right eye with the silver bullet. The corpse turns back into Reverend Lowe and has one last spasm before dying. Afterwards Marty and Jane both say, "I love you" and the narrator then says that she too can now say it. | cult, revenge, murder | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0086197 | The Right Stuff | In 1947, a group of determined men gathered at a remote Air Force base in the high desert of California. Their goal was to break the sound barrier by using a small rocket-powered test plane called the X-1. The only problem was that others had tried before, and not all had survived. Some thought of the sound barrier as a "demon that lived in the sky", waiting to destroy any who dared confront it.Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard), a young wartime ace with a wild reputation, volunteers to fly the X-1, and spends the night before his flight at the local bar. After a few drinks, he and his wife go galloping off on their horses through the twilight, but a tree branch catches Yeager across the chest, knocking him off the horse and cracking a few ribs. Hiding his injury from the flight crew the next morning, Yeager climbs painfully into the plane and prepares to confront the sound barrier "demon".The little X-1 is carried aloft by a large B-29 bomber, then at the right altitude, is dropped free. Yeager ignites the rocket engine and quickly zooms up into the sky, going faster and faster, closing in on the deadly Mach-1 mark. The plane begins to vibrate, then shake, with Yeager fighting the controls. Suddenly, there is a strange boom, heard by the crew waiting on the ground, and everyone fears that the sound barrier has claimed another life. A moment later, they are surprised to hear Yeager's calm voice crackle over the radio, "Make a note here would you?" This Mach-meter must be busted. It's jumped clear off the scale." Amazed, then jubilant, they realize that Yeager has done it: The sound barrier had been broken. A reporter rushes to the nearest pay phone to report the event and is stopped by an Air Force officer who tells him the nature of the mission is top secret - they don't want the news to reach the Soviet Union.The desert airbase, now called Edwards, quickly becomes the center for all test and experimental aircraft in the U.S., and every hot-shot jet-jockey looking for a chance to become famous gravitates there. A few years pass, and one such pilot, Gordo Cooper (Dennis Quaid) can't wait to take a crack at becoming "the best pilot anyone ever saw." He finds Edwards already packed with others like himself, with Yeager still at the top of the pyramid.Unforeseen events halfway around the world change everything for these test pilots. The Communists launch Sputnik, history's first orbiting satellite, and suddenly everything is focused on the race for space. Looking for the first American astronauts, representatives from the newly formed NASA visit Edwards. Cooper sees a chance to stand out from the crowd and volunteers, along with his friends Gus Grissom (Fred Ward) and Deke Slayton (Scott Paulin). Other pilots, such as Alan Shepard (Scott Glenn) from the Navy, and John Glenn (Ed Harris) a Marine flyer, also answer the call.Tested to exhaustion, the astronaut candidates are slowly weeded out, leaving a mere seven pilots as the handpicked group that will lead America into space. Basking in their glory, they are stunned to hear that the Soviets have beaten them again, launching the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space. Chagrined, they must now play catch-up with the Russians, and Alan Shepard is chosen to be the first American astronaut.Strapped into his capsule early on the morning of the launch, he waits patiently while ground control works its way through an endless series of glitches. Shepard's flight was supposed to be a short 15-minute loft into space, and he's been waiting on the pad for hours. Feeling the call of nature, Shepard is forced to "do it in the suit", much to the embarrassment of ground control. However, once he's relieved himself, he demands that they get on with it and fire the rocket. "I'm cooler than you are, so let's light this candle!" Everyone holds their breath, and the button is pushed. Shepard's rocket ignites, and quickly climbs into the sky. Subjected to tremendous stress during the launch and then the fall back to Earth, he survives the flight and is picked up by the waiting helicopter. America has its first astronaut.Gus Grissom is next and his flight goes well, but during the recovery, the hatch on his capsule is unexpectedly blown off, and when the sea floods in, Grissom nearly drowns. No one believes his claim that there was a fault in the system, and he's denied the hero's welcome afforded Shepard. The Russians make yet another bold move, placing a second man into orbit while the Americans struggle with short sub-orbital flights. Decisive action is needed, and John Glenn is chosen for the next American mission.An unreliable rocket is chosen to launch Glenn into orbit, and the country watches as the risky flight progresses. Thankfully, Glenn's capsule makes it into orbit, and everyone draws a sigh of relief. Soon however, trouble develops, and there is a serious doubt that the capsule's heat shield will protect Glenn during re-entry. Without it, he'll be incinerated. Facing the fact that there's nothing he can do but try, Glenn fires his retros and begins to fall back through the atmosphere at 18,000 miles per hour. As the heat builds up around the capsule, his radio link to the ground is blanked out, and all they can do is wait. Minutes tick by as Glenn tears through the super-heated air. Amazingly, he survives, and American can finally claim they have at last matched the Russians in the space race.Back at Edwards, events have bypassed Chuck Yeager. No one cares about high-altitude flight or Mach-speed records now; everyone is talking about spacemen. In one more record-setting attempt, Yeager takes a specially modified F-104 Starfighter up in a dangerous, high-altitude flight. Zooming through the stratosphere once more, he pushes his plane to the limit, climbing higher and higher, pushed to a record altitude by the rocket in the tail. The sky around him grows dark as he approaches the edge of space.Suddenly the engine begins to stall. The air is too thin and the jet can't keep running at this height. The plane slows as alarm lights flash on the control panel. Yeager looks out at the dark sky around him, and for a moment he can see the stars twinkling just out of reach; he is almost there. But the plane lurches, and begins to fall. There's no control, no power, no way to recover. Yeager is in a deadly flat spin. Spiraling down faster and faster, Yeager struggles to get his craft under control, but as he nears the ground, he must either eject or crash. Pulling the ejection control, his seat is fired out of the doomed plane, but the small rocket in the ejection seat has ignited his flight suit, and he plummets through the clouds, trailing smoke as the flames burn up into his helmet.On the ground, the crash truck lumbers out over the flat desert toward the crashed plane. The recovery crew fully expects to find Yeager's smashed body in the wreckage, but something off in the distance catches their eye, and they turn toward it. As they draw closer, the shape becomes Yeager, his face badly burned, calmly walking towards them. He has survived once again.Intercut with Yeager's flight are scenes of the Mercury astronauts attending a huge Texas banquet thrown by Lyndon B. Johnson. The men watch a performance by fan dancer Sally Rand, and look at each other, knowing they're heroes to all Americans. Gordo Cooper remarks that he's achieved success as an astronaut having a good home, money, and a fine meal, and that he hasn't even been on a space mission yet. When asked who the greatest pilot he ever knew was, Gordo hesitates for a time, perhaps wanting to mention Chuck Yeager, and instead answers "You're lookin' at him."As the last of the Mercury-7 astronauts prepares for his flight into space, the ground controllers hear snoring over the microphone in the capsule. Gordo Cooper is finally getting his chance to prove he has "the right stuff", but first they have to wake him up. Laughing, they continue the countdown, and Cooper rides the rocket into space, setting records for the longest space flight to date, and proving, if only for a short time, that he is "the greatest pilot anyone ever saw." The narrator tells us that Cooper was the last astronaut to go into space alone. | dramatic, historical | train | imdb | 'The Right Stuff' is one of the most glorious adventure films ever made, a story of incredible heroism, poignant romance, gripping drama, and broad humor...and amazingly, it has actually happened within our lifetimes!This is a tale of test pilots, 'pushing the envelope', proving the sound barrier couldn't constrain mankind's reach for space.
His record-breaking flight could fill a movie by itself...and this is just the BEGINNING of the story!Jumping ahead a few years, Yeager is joined by a new breed of test pilots, whose total love of flight challenges their relationships, and is the true measure of how they define themselves.
Yeager is out (he never completed college), but Cooper and Grissom, and many others, compete for spots in the New Frontier.These pilots, from all services, are weeded down to seven men, dubbed 'Astronauts', and the Mercury Space Program is born!
Working under the glare of the world press, the seven gradually come to respect one another, and embark on an epic adventure, full of triumph and tragedy!Meanwhile, Chuck Yeager, snubbed by NASA, continues to test new generations of jets, pushing the 'envelope', until, in a climactic scene, he achieves the threshold of space, himself.
The flight is a near disaster, resulting in a horrendous crash, but the image of the burned but undefeated pilot, walking proudly away from the wreckage, is an unforgettable image of courage, and truly defines 'The Right Stuff'!This is a REMARKABLE film in every way, and is director Philip Kaufman's masterpiece.
Lushly scored by Tom Conti (who won an Oscar for the Tchaikovsky-inspired music), the film soars, both on earth and in space!If you believe the Age of Heroes is past, watch 'The Right Stuff', and you might change your mind!
The Right Stuff is terrific: exciting, complex, funny, crammed with memorable scenes, unforgettable lines, and wonderful actors (many of whom went on to become big stars).A classic shot shows a test pilot on horseback coming over a ridge stopping to look at a new rocket-plane, steadying his nervous horse as it edges past the flames coming out the back.
The all-star cast includes Sam Shepard (as Chuck Yeager in an Oscar-nominated role of a lifetime), Ed Harris (John Glenn), Scott Glenn (Alan Shepard), Fred Ward (Gus Grissom), Lance Henriksen (Walter Schirra), Dennis Quaid (Gordon Cooper), and Donald Moffat (Lyndon Baines Johnson).
I also enjoyed Scott Glenn as Alan Shepard and Barbara Hershey as Yeager's wife.Yeager's feats were perhaps the most interesting and they set a fast tone to this 3-hour film as we witness him breaking several sound-barrier records prior to the formation of the astronaut team.
I always loved anything connected to science fact and science fiction and this movie is no exception.I already owned the Laserdisc version of it, but the DVD is even better.I love this movie, but I must consider the interest of the public and I honestly cannot say that this is one for the vast public.The theme alone is a difficult one and deals with the history of the Space Age, as it began from an American perspective, and by telling the story of the astronauts involved in the Mercury project.Being very long, it might not fit the modern view of a quick-fix movie.
The other real life people that this movie follows are Alan Shepard(Scott Glenn), Gordon Cooper(Dennis Quaid), John Glenn(Ed Harris), Gus Grissom(Fred Ward), and of course, their families.The running time is very long at 3 hours plus, but it goes by very quickly.
`The Right Stuff' is the story of the original Mercury 7 astronauts and their journey through the fledgling NASA program and eventually into space.
One thing I particularly enjoyed about the film was the introduction of Chuck Yeager (Shepard) and his contribution to history by breaking the sound barrier, and then the periodic simultaneous comparison of the accomplishments of the astronauts and the Air Force and civilian test pilots, as well as exhibiting their eventual mutual respect.If I had to point out any kind of glaring fault, it would have to be that they focused on some astronauts more than others obviously concentrating heavily on the bigger names, and glossing over the `lesser-known' ones.
The scene where Harry Shearer and Jeff Goldblum, playing two NASA flunkies, are bad-mouthing Yeager because he has no college degree, all while the real Yeager, playing the bartender, is standing in back of them listening in, is precious.While the plot and action centers on Yeager and the original seven Mercury astronauts, two actresses are worth watching: Veronica Cartwright does her usual great job as Betty Grissom ("I want to have lunch with Jackie!!") and the ever-versatile and talented Pamela Reed as Gordon Cooper's long-suffering wife, Trudy, who has some of the best lines in the movie (referring to the macho Edwards test pilots, "But they sure are handy assholes.").A bit of tragic trivia: Jane Dornacker, the talented actress, comedienne and musician who "uglied up" to play Nurse Murch in the hilarious "sperm count scene", later a traffic reporter in New York City for WNBC radio, was killed when her helicopter lost its tail rotor, narrowly missed a pier and crashed into the Hudson River.
The space began when Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard who played legendary pilot , is actually afraid of flying) broke the sound barrier and scorching Mach 2 and following to other aviation pioneers , the Mercury mission with 7 astronauts , the suicide squadron who volunteer for astronaut training is formed by a motley cast (Fred Ward , Dennis Quaid , Lance Henriksen , Ed Harris , Scott Glenn and Scott Paulin) , showing that no one had a clue how to run a space program or how to select volunteers to be in it.
William Goldman, the original screenwriter before he left the project also disliked it because he didn't like the way Philip Kaufman portrayed Chuck Yeager as the only hero in the film, while the rest of the astronauts only got lucky and didn't match up to him in any way.
Based on true events from Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier to the 7 Mercury astronauts, the film assembled an excellent cast including Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Dennis Quaid, Fred Ward, Barbara Hershey, Veronica Cartwright, etc., to pay tribute to those who paved the way for America to be at the "top of the pyramid".It is a long movie, but never a dull moment.
Though quite a bit of artistic licensing is carried out(so I am told), the movie showed events that were very true, such as Yeager breaking his ribs before his supersonic flight, and his friend fixing him a door handle by cutting off a section of a broom stick handle; the rigorous training the astronauts go through; Russians taking the lead going into space, Allan Shepard's "prayer" before liftoff; Pancho's restaurant burning down; John Glenn's risky re-entry, etc.The movie doesn't just portray space flight.
It starts with test pilot Chuck Yeager(Sam Shepard)and some of his accomplishments; and then right on through the trials and tribulations of picking the original seven Mercury astronauts and the final Mercury mission.Great NASA footage integrated into this meaty Philip Kaufman epic.
Tom Conti's winning and inspirational score ties this historical epic together, which deservedly won an Academy Award for best original score.The running time is slightly over 3 hours, but is never boring and seems most appropriate in retrospect to tell this epic story.The fact that Terms of Endearment won best picture over The Right Stuff at the 1983 Oscars is a travesty.
And more impressively considering its ensemble there's almost a key character to the mix with Chuck Yeagher, the first man to break the sound barrier who never got into NASA with all the other go-for-broke test pilots, but did taste that rush up to the sky just once - and what a rush.This is film-making of a superlative caliber.
The Right Stuff is a very human story, told with an approximate awe for the subject matter and an attitude that says "we can be epic, but we can also point out the flaws that come around in human nature." There were so many obstacles that could have come, and sometimes did, for the folks at NASA, the scientists as well as the handful that were picked to do missions up into space in direct competition with America's foe the Russians, that all the astronauts could sometimes do would be to joke or give a hard-lined measure.
The veneer of pure heroism is shown for what it is, as something of not always a tricky thing; the film was criticized by some of the original astronauts for the depiction of Gus Grissom (if only because Grissom had passed on in tragedy and couldn't do it himself), but his story of going into space, and the aftermath with his wife, is important to show for the story the film's trying to tell.That's one of the remarkable things in the Right Stuff, which is giving as much equal time and depth as possible to these guys, and their wives at other times.
The acting by such a great cast, especially Fred Ward, Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Harry Shearer, etc., keeps the movie from sinking like a swamped space capsule in the ocean.
Over an epic three hours, 'The Right Stuff (1983)' charts the United States' experiments with rocket-powered aircraft, and the attempts to break the sound barrier, and, more substantially, Project Mercury, which first placed America astronauts into space as an entire nation watched.
Goldman had originally wished to excise test-pilot Chuck Yeager, on which Wolfe spends considerable time, from the film adaptation, but Kaufman knowingly recognised that Yeager's involvement solidified the story's primary theme that "the right stuff" wasn't merely restricted to the highly-paid astronauts idolised by the media, but also included the humble high-achievers who regularly risked their lives for the thrill of the flight.It's obvious that Kaufman believed the film's true hero to be Chuck Yeager, as well as the dozens of anonymous test pilots whose photographs once lined the wall at the Happy Bottom Riding Club.
Yeager's history-making 1947 flight, in which he successfully broke the sound-barrier in level flight, was treated with the utmost military secrecy, and yet, later in the film, each astronaut's return to earth is greeted by a chorus of public celebration {here, Kaufman cleverly toys with archival footage, seemingly placing his actors alongside US Presidents, in a technique predating Robert Zemeckis' 'Forrest Gump (1994)'}.
Of course, the astronauts themselves were still a courageous bunch, and Yeager admiringly muses that "it takes a special kind of man to volunteer for a suicide mission, especially one that's on TV."'The Right Stuff' is a massively-entertaining piece of film-making, supplemented by its marvellous realism and a subtle element of political satire.
The film's major players, a veritable melting-pot of future stars, all deliver exceptional performances, particularly Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Sam Shepard and Dennis Quaid, though considerably uneven attention is given to certain Mercury 7 astronauts over others did Lance Henriksen, as Wally Schirra, even have any lines?
When watching Apollo 13, which also stars Ed Harris, there was a real continuity in the movie that made the two movies complement each other nicely.The Right Stuff also was a great vehicle for actors like Ed Harris, Fred Ward, Scott Glen,Sam Shepard and Dennis Quaid who have all gone on to do amazing work.
Almost nothing is taken seriously by Kaufman in this space race story, but you are so drawn in, for example, to the myth of Chuck Yeager, played with laconic stoicism by the perfectly-cast Sam Shepard, that you genuinely grieve for him when he is rejected by NASA.
Within ten years, he was virtually forgotten, replaced by "America's Mercury Astronauts" (the Mercury Seven), the first seven Americans to enter outer space.John Glenn (Ed Harris is perfectly cast) was a moral, conservative man who insisted the Mercury Seven were role models and should act like them.
Gordon "Hot Dog" Cooper (Dennis Quaid), a cowboy who called himself "the best pilot he ever saw," knew he was in the company of greatness with the others.The movie also examines the stress the Eisenhower administration was under to beat the Soviets into space, adding archival footage of Yuri Gagarin's first trip into space.At 3 hours and 13 minutes, "The Right Stuff" is a long movie, but the pace is quick enough to keep most people interested, and the story is told with humor and heart.Rating note: despite the PG rating, the F-word is used more than once.
I expected a lot from this film; a good ensemble cast (albeit with no major stars) telling the story of the early space race, an area of history in which I've always been interested.
Then, NASA starts hunting for potential astronauts - 'spam in a can', as the job is ironically described.From this point on, the film concentrates on Alan Shepard (Scott Glenn), Gordie Cooper (Dennis Quaid) and John Glenn (Ed Harris), with Gus Grissom (Fred Ward) getting a look-in.
"Who is the greatest pilot you ever saw Mr. Cooper," asks a wormy reporter in the best film of 1983, "The Right Stuff." Mr. Cooper(Dennis Quaid) goes on to describe a place in the high desert of California named Edwards Air Force Base, where he once saw one man live up to that title.
about as boring as it's possible to be......I think John Glenn's actual space flight didn't last as long as it was dragged out for in this overrated, tepid ,sleep inducing spectacle......the astronauts may have had the right stuff........but this movie was stuffed full of something else......
The Right Stuff, adapted from Tom Wolfe's best-selling account of the test-pilots in the Mercury Space Program, shows what it takes to be a man; to have the 'right stuff' inhabited by these fearless men, who were the only ones crazy enough to risk everything, on live TV, to beat the Russians in the space race.Besides the many fascinating and frequently hilarious vignettes involving the test pilots - played by a stellar cast of Dennis Quaid, Ed Harris, Fred Ward, Charles Frank, Lance Henriksen, Scott Glenn and Scott Paulin - the movie's real ace-in-the-hole is the juxtaposition of this story with that of Chuck Yeager (Sam Shepard), a man thought of by his peers to be the finest pilot in the world.
October 14, 1947.Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager flies the experimental X-1 at Mach 1 at an altitude of 45,000 feet (13,700 m) becoming the first pilot (at 24) to travel faster than sound.And this great man flew with two broken ribs, since he fell off a horse two nights before the flight.In 1953 he breaks another record.After that men start looking higher up.Space should be conquered next.In 1957 we hear news from the Soviet Union.That year happens the launch of the Sputnik satellite.The Space Race against USSR begins.A group of men are gathered to form the Mercury 7 program.Those brave seven men are Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton.The Right Stuff (1983) is directed by the great director Philip Kaufman.It's based on the 1979 book by Tom Wolfe.Sam Shepard is great portraying Chuck Yeager.Yeager himself is seen in the movie as Fred, the bartender at Pancho's.Barbara Hershey is also great playing his wife Glennis Yeager.Scott Glenn is very good playing Alan Shepard.And so is Kathy Baker as Louise Shepard.Ed Harris does a terrific job portraying the great astronaut John Glenn.On October 29, 1998, Glenn (b.1921) actually lifted off for a second space flight, thus becoming the oldest person ever to go into space.The astronaut Gordon Cooper is played by the brilliant Dennis Quaid.The part of Gus Grissom is played by Fred Ward.Lance Henriksen portrays Wally Schirra.Rock musician (drummer for The Band) Levon Helm is Jack Ridley/Narrator.Donald Moffat plays the president Lyndon B.
Sam Sheppard's portrayal of him in this film may have been exaggerated a bit, but he still was head and shoulders above the rest.Just like Yeager, the Mercury Seven also had "The Right Stuff." They went up every time not knowing whether or not they would be blown up and not come home - some didn't.
The bridging character between the early jet and rocket plane test pilots and the original Mercury 7 astronauts is Chuck Yeager, ex-combat fighter ace, first man to break the sound barrier, and also to exceed Mach 2.
Punching A Hole In The Sky. Like the U.S. space program it dramatizes, "The Right Stuff" is a film of audacious overreach that succeeds precisely because it pays no mind to earthbound limitations, namely that making a three-hour-plus long movie with no central character, romance, or conflict is a bad idea.Yes, there is the overarching theme of a space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.
I still think of Alan Shepard up in his space capsule whenever I am struggling with my bladder, and there's a scene just as wry or as powerful every few minutes for those who pay attention just a little.Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel has shot more memorable frames in movies like "Being There" and "Passion Of The Christ," but "The Right Stuff" presents probably his finest cinematic showcase, boring in on a hundred moments big and small.
After this, Yeager takes a back seat, and the rest of the film is given over to the seven men with 'the right stuff' - among them Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid and Fred Ward - and the race to get them into space before the Russians manage it with one of theirs.The Right Stuff is a strange beast, a really curious experience.
Splendidly acted by a great cast Dennis Quaid , Sam Shepard et al, this movie brilliantly tells the story of the USA astronaut program. |
tt0022867 | Ekstase | Emil (Zvonimir Rogoz), a precise, orderly older man, carries his happy new bride Eva (Hedy Lamarr) over the threshold of their home. (He has great difficulty opening the lock on the front door, trying key after key.) She is greatly disappointed on her wedding night; he does not even come to bed. After living in the unconsummated marriage for a while, she cannot bear it any longer and runs back to her father (Leopold Kramer), a horse breeder. A divorce is issued.
One day, she goes horse riding. She goes skinny dipping, leaving her clothes on the horse, only to have it wander off, attracted by another locked in a corral. She chases after it all over the countryside. The horse is finally caught by Adam (Aribert Mog), the virile young foreman or engineer of a road construction gang. Seeing this, she hides in the bushes, where he finds her. At first, she is ashamed of her nudity, but then she glares at him in defiance. He gives her back her clothes. When she tries to leave, she hurts her foot. At first, she resists his efforts to help, then accedes.
That night, she cannot stop thinking about him. Finally, she goes to his isolated residence. After some hesitation, they embrace and spend the night together. Her pearl necklace is removed and she forgets to take it with her the next morning.
When she returns home, she finds an unwelcome visitor, her ex-husband, who has been waiting for her all night. He tries to reconcile with her, but she tells him that it is too late. He leaves.
By chance, while driving away, he encounters his rival. Adam guides him through the construction and asks for a ride into town. On the way, he shows the necklace, which Emil recognizes. Emil considers driving into an approaching train at a crossing, but thinks better of it.
That night, he sits alone in a hotel room, while a fly tries futilely to get out through a closed window and several others are shown trapped in flypaper. Downstairs, Adam and Eva are dancing when Emil shoots himself. Adam does not know of the connection between Emil and Eva, and she does not tell him.
The young couple had planned to take the train to Berlin. While waiting at the station, Adam falls asleep and a distraught Eva leaves on a different train without him. A sad Adam returns to his work. Eva is shown in Adam's daydream happily holding a baby. | cult, revenge | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0108333 | The Three Musketeers | In 1625 France, following in his late fathers footsteps, D'Artagnan (Chris O'Donnell) sets off to Paris in hopes of becoming a member of the Musketeers, a band of men sworn to serve and protect the King of France. D'Artagnan is pursued by Gérard and his brothers, who accuse him of blemishing their sister's honor. Gérard had saw his sister kissing D'Artagnan goodbye or as D'Artagnan put it "she wanted to give me something to remember her by!". At Musketeer headquarters, Captain Rochefort (Michael Wincott) and the cardinal's guards have disbanded the musketeers as per the orders of Cardinal Richelieu (Tim Curry), the King's minister, ostensibly to help fight in an impending war with England. Rochefort confides to the Cardinal that there are three musketeers that have refused to relinquish their duties: Athos (Kiefer Sutherland), Porthos (Oliver Platt), and Aramis (Charlie Sheen).Upon reaching Paris, the headstrong D'Artagnan has a series of chance physical encounters with these same three musketeers, resulting in D'Artagnan accepting a sword duel with each one that very day. D'Artagnan arrives at the Ruins for his first duel and, much to his surprise, Athos, Porthos and Aramis reveal themselves as musketeers. But before the duels can commence, the captain of the cardinal's guard appears with orders to arrest the resistant musketeers. Although D'Artagnan himself is not under arrest, he joins the three musketeers in the ensuing skirmish, implicating himself with them. Displeased (but still impressed) by D'Artagnan's involvement, the three musketeers leave d'Artagnan behind. More of the Cardinals guards, led by Rochefort, arrive and D'Artagnan is captured.D'Artagnan refuses to cooperate with the investigator to the three musketeer's whereabouts or about their intentions (which D'Artagnan does know know). During an escape attempt, D'Artagnan is able to eavesdrop on a conversation between Cardinal Richelieu and Countess Milady de Winter (Rebecca De Mornay), as the Cardinal asks that she deliver a signed treaty to the Duke of Buckingham of England. Before he can get a view of the Cardinal's spy, D'Artagnan is caught at the doorway by Rochefort. He is then interrogated by the Cardinal to what he knows, and Richelieu ultimately orders D'Artagnan for execution the next morning. At the execution, d'Artagnan is saved by Porthos and Aramis, who are dressed as the hooded executioners, and the three make a getaway in the Cardinal's personal coach, driven by Athos. While D'Artagnan reveals Richelieu's plans, the three musketeers decide to intercept Richelieu's spy to prove that the Cardinal is guilty of treason.Meanwhile, Cardinal Richelieu tries to convince the young and naive King Louis XIII (Hugh O'Conor), about the three rogue musketeers and of his desire to capture them for treason. Louis knows that that Richelieu might have a hidden agenda for his reason to track down the three renegade musketeers, but allows him to proceed with the search. At the same time, Cardinal Richelieu begins to spend more time around the young king's wife Queen Sophie of Austria (Gabrielle Anwar) who also finds his presence, creepy, but that he is too powerful to confront, keeps her distance to him.That night, D'Artagnan and the three musketeers stop at an inn to rest. Athos tells the story of a count that fell in love with a beautiful woman, but upon discovering that she was branded for execution, betrayed her by giving her up to the authorities. The party decides to split up during a skirmish when the cardinal's guards arrive and open fire on them with muskets. Athos sends D'Artagnan to ride ahead and intercept the Cardinal's spy and the treaty, but D'Artagnan passes out from exhaustion in the middle of the road.The next morning when D'Artagnan wakes up, he finds he is stripped of his weapons and clothes and Milady de Winter is there to rouse and seduce him. Not knowing who she is, D'Artagnan tells her of his plans, whereupon she tries to kill him. Instead, D'Artagnan convinces her to keep him alive. When Milady de Winter's party tries to escape by boat to England, they find that the crew has been killed by Porthos and Aramis, and another sword skirmish ensues. Milady attempts to run away, but is confronted by the newly arrived Athos, who recognizes her and calls her 'Sabine'. He is astonished to see her, as he thought she was dead. It is revealed that HE was the count of his story and that Sabine was the wife he betrayed. Milady de Winter is then apprehended by her former brother-in-law, as Sabine is responsible for killing her husband, Lord de Winter she is sentenced to death by execution.The three musketeers retrieve the treaty and learn that the Cardinal is planning something on King Louis's birthday, though it does not specify what in the treaty. Athos attempts to learn what it is by visiting Sabine in her cell. She asks if he can stop her execution tomorrow. Athos cannot and Sabine does not reveal what the Cardinal's plan is.During the execution, just as Sabine is lowering her head for the executioner to be beheaded, Athos stops him and begs forgiveness from Sabine for his betrayal. She accepts and whispers to Athos that Richelieu plans to assassinate King Louis. She then jumps off a cliff to her death. The three musketeers set out to re-band the rest of the musketeers, in secret, for the king's birthday celebration. Richelieu and Rochefort hire a sharpshooter to assassinate the king. During the assembly, D'Artagnan is able to stop the sniper from killing the king, but the shot narrowly misses its target and the Cardinal blames the musketeers in the crowd for the attempted assassination.Athos, Porthos and Aramis drop their cloaks to show their musketeer tunics and face the Cardinal's guards. Meanwhile, several men from the crowd rush to their sides and reveal that they are musketeers. A climatic sword battle between the musketeers and the Cardinal's guards engulfs the palace. Richelieu takes the King and Queen as hostages and tries to take them to the dungeon below. Aramis confronts the Cardinal to stop him, but Richelieu shoots him in the chest with a pistol and makes his way into the passageway to the dungeon.Athos duels Rochefort and D'Artagnan interrupts the battle to fight Rochefort himself. During D'Artagnan's duel, Rochefort reveals that he was the one that murdered D'Artagnan's father. D'Artagnan, from anger, renews his efforts to kill him. Rochefort fights back and is able to disarm D'Artagnan. Just as Rochefort is about to deal D'Artagnan the final blow, someone off-camera (later revealed to be Constance) slides D'Artagnan's sword back to him and Rochefort is killed before he can strike. D'Artagnan has finally avenged his father's death. Constance, on the stairs, moves the sword away and puts her hands in his, smiling.Athos joins Porthos, who is at the unconscious Aramis side, and as they search for his wound, Aramis suddenly wakes, and it is revealed that the bullet was stopped by the huge brass cross that Aramis wears. They follow Richelieu into the dungeons and split up to stop him from killing the King and Queen. In the dungeon, Athos and Porthos just miss the Cardinal as his boat casts off on the underground river. Athos says that they have proof of Richelieu's treason, but Richelieu does not seem to care. The boatman then casts off his cloak and the Cardinal is astonished to see that it is Aramis. Aramis attempts to apprehend the Cardinal, but King Louis XIII stops him and punches Richelieu, knocking him in to the river. (It is the last time Richelieu appears in the film, so his fate is left unknown.)A few days later, the musketeers are reinstated by the King. Accompanied by Athos, Aramis and Porthos, D'Artagnan is honored in a ceremony. King Louis makes him a musketeer. Constance, who has remained by the Queen's side, runs to him and gives him a big embrace, impressing both Aramis and Porthos.Outside Musketeer headquarters, Gérard and his brothers suddenly appear and challenge D'Artagnan to an immediate duel. D'Artagnan tells his new friends that he will take care of this problem and Porthos stops him from continuing, stating that since now he is a musketeer, musketeers protect each other. D'Artagnan calls out, "All for one"... and the rest of the musketeers shout out, "One for all!" The film ends with Gérard and his brothers being chased by the entire division of musketeers. | comedy, murder, violence, historical fiction, good versus evil, action, romantic | train | imdb | null |
tt0104850 | Memoirs of an Invisible Man | The movie opens with the invisible Nick Halloway (Chevy Chase) dictating his memoirs into a video camera. To prove it is not a camera trick, he chews some bubble gum. Nick narrates the story of how he came to be invisible, beginning a few days earlier at his job as a stock analyst. His secretary refers to him as a "bullshit artist", and he spends most of his life avoiding responsibility and connections with other people. At his favorite bar, the Academy Club, his friend George Talbot (Michael McKean) invites him to join his table where Nick meets Alice Monroe (Darryl Hannah). Sharing an instant attraction, Nick and Alice make out in the ladies room. When Alice has to leave, Nick drinks heavily to console himself, although the pair set a lunch date for Friday.The following morning, Nick is unable to avoid going to a shareholder's meeting at Magnascopic Labaratories. Unable to endure the droning presentation by Dr. Bernard Wachs (Jim Norton), Nick leaves in search of a bathroom. When he asks a lab technician for directions, the technician spills his coffee onto a computer console. Nick eventually finds an empty sauna and lies down for a nap. Meanwhile, the coffee has caused a meltdown, and the entire building is evacuated. The building seems to explode, but there is no debris. Instead, much of the building is rendered invisible, including Nick.CIA operative David Jenkins (Sam Neill) arrives on the scene to contain the damage, and he discovers Nick's condition. While they are transferring him to an ambulance, the agents joke about how Nick will spend the rest of his life hooked up to machines and being studied by scientists. In a panic, Nick flees. Jenkins convinces his supervisor Warren Singleton (Stephen Tobolowsky) not to notify CIA headquarters; so, that they can capture and take credit for Nick, who could become the greatest secret agent in the world.Nick holes up in his apartment, but Jenkins tracks him down using the guest list for the meeting. Nick decides to hide at the Academy Club. He locates Dr. Wachs in the hope that he can restore Nick's visibility. Wachs has no idea how to help, however. After Nick runs, Jenkins arrives and interrogates Wachs and eventually kills him to keep Nick's invisibility a secret. After a confrontation at Jenkins' office, Nick decides to flee San Francisco to George's remote beach house. Unfortunately, George arrives with his wife, Alice and another friend to spend the weekend. Nick reveals his condition to Alice, who decides to help him.The pair board a train for Mexico, where Nick wants to set up a new life, trading stocks through Alice as a proxy. Jenkins and his men track them down on the train, and during the ensuing confrontation, Nick falls off the train and into a river. He makes his way to the video store, where he tapes his memoirs.At the end of the tape, he records an ultimatum for Jenkins: exchange Alice for the tape, or Nick will give it to the CIA. Jenkins agrees, putting Alice into a cab as his men surround Nick. However, Nick has disguised himself as the cab driver, and George is standing in for Nick in the exchange. Jenkins pursues the cab, eventually cornering Nick on top of a building. Nick tricks Jenkins into jumping off the building to his death.In the final scene set months later, Nick and Alice are hiding out in Switzerland, and the film closes with shots of a still invisible Nick skiing down to their chalet, where a pregnant Alice greets him with a kiss. | comedy, cult, suspenseful, neo noir, murder | train | imdb | Nick (played by Chevy Chase, whose great in a serious role,) gets turned invisible in a lab accident.
Memoirs of an Invisible Man tanked in 1992, and was seen by many as a dismal failure, and a sure sign of Chevy Chase's film career demise.
While the story is somewhat muddled, and the other performances, especially Darryl Hannah's, remain a bit stoic and wooden, the eye-popping special effects are truly top notch.Chevy Chase has never been respected in Hollywood, and his movies are always deemed as failures, but to me, and others, he is a comedic genius, either as the familiar buffoon, such as Clark Griswold of the superb Vacation series, or as the aloof wisecracker, such as Irwin Fletcher, in the Fletch films.Highly recommended..
The plot is moderately original, the settings are good, and on top of all, we see great acting from all three leads: Sam Neill, Daryl Hannah and - to my surprise - Chevy Chase.
The more astonishing that it just takes a darker setting, some good co-actors, and the fact that he is visible only about half the time of the movie, and there you go, some fantastic Chevy Chase acting over there.
Memoirs of an Invisible Man is an Under-Rated Comedy from classic genre director John Carpenter, it has Chevy Chase in the title role with fine support from Sam Neil who is Chase's Nemeisis Darryl Hannah is the love interest who look's great in the role ten years after blade runner.
"Memoirs of an Invisible Man" is a totally different film directed by John Carpenter, especially the music score that is not made by him.
Part-Hitchcockian manhunt thriller, part-James Whale and part-screwball special effects comedy, John Carpenter's 1992 misunderstood MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN is a delightful although not entirely great comedy.
Chase is pretty good too, although due to his comedic screen presence, it's quite hard to take him seriously during his scenes that are meant to be serious.Although flawed, MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN is a skillfully-paced and hilarious film.
But I'm glad that there still are a few positive surprises lurking in the video rental shelves.Most movies involving invisible people have been pure special effects extravaganzas with few thrills, so seeing this film was a pleasant fresh meat to the grinder.
"Memoirs of an Invisible Man" was actually the first Chevy Chase movie that I ever saw (and I even saw it in the theaters).
His only hope is documentary maker Alice Monroe (Daryl Hannah), but CIA agent David Jenkins (Sam Neill) has his eye on Nick (not literally, of course).Much of the movie has Nick running away from people.
I wouldn't call this John Carpenter's best movie ever, but I did find it interesting, if only to see Chevy Chase in a non-goofy role..
It's the thoughtful Carpenter direction, packaged in a Tony Scott style wrapper.What Carpenter doesn't get quite right is keeping Chevy Chase from smirking a few times too many (an arguably tough chore I'm sure, since that's what you'd usually want him to do more of in any other film).
I love the way the CIA guys do every mistake possible (acting as treaters and villains) or the way Nick Halloway tries hard to have a quiet and normal life - no invisible man had wished that before, I think.
The original and original decision of a problem of Herbert Wells of which I since the childhood have become engrossed in reading, finds the happy decision in John Carpenter's film.Chevy Chase, to tell the truth, anywhere especially it is not pleasant to me.
It is good, that, observing of special effects and turns of a fascinating plot, game Chevy Chase often simply you do not notice.And here for the sake of whom it is really possible to look this film, so it for the sake of Daryl Hannah.
Chevy Chase is perfect in the role of invisible man, Nick Halloway.
Full of breakthrough special effects, this film works as an interesting modern day variation of the invisible man theme, with plenty of gags, but also with some cool moments.
This creates a distance between the viewers and the characters themselves, resulting in alienation.Before Paul Verhoeven attempted to portray a realistic and edgy invisible man in his "Hollow" (pun intended) sci-fi mess, John Carpenter took a swing, too - and similarly missed.This isn't as hard-edged as "Hollow Man" (it's PG-13) but Chevy Chase's character does become involved in some rather uncomfortable and awkward situations.
Beginning with sexual lust as a visible man (such as the brief fantasy sequence involving Daryl Hannah wearing very little) and transferring to sexual lust as an invisible man, a few things are suggested at - a speedy sex scene with a swift cut-off, for example - but I can't help but imagine a more gritty and realistic invisible man picture is still waiting to be made..."Hollow Man" had its moments but it was just too silly as a whole to find enjoyable."Memoirs of an Invisible Man" is an espionage thriller in which Chase's accidental invisibility is caused by a government test.
Government sleaze ball Neill wants to apprehend Chase and use him to "serve" his country as a spy.This movie isn't called John Carpenter's Memoirs of an Invisible Man, and with good reason.
If you like Chase you'll enjoy this film somewhat, just don't mistake it for an authentic John Carpenter movie.
Special Effects too thrown in were top notch as well, not only cause we were dealing with an invisible man, but we got the viewpoint from two sides, that from the main actor's standpoint (played by Chevy Chase) but from that of how others saw him, or rather how they didn't see him.
John Carpenter's daft but highly enjoyable 90's update of the Invisible Man yarn, this time spun on bespectacled stock broker Chevy Chase whose somewhat alarming physical start makes him the target of an FBI Mobster (Sam Neil) and his bunch of goons.
He's forced to go on the run, once his presence is known of course, and with no one to turn to, except Alice Monroe (Daryl Hannah), the woman he fell in love with before his accident.It goes without saying that many of the effects in this movie are pretty dated, especially by today's standards, but are still pretty convincing.
Daryl Hannah is perfect as the love interest and Sam Neill is terrifying as the corrupt CIA agent on Halloway's tail.The story of the Invisible Man has been through many incarnations and adaptations, but I believe that only a few have really been able to effectively capture the psychological aspects of not being able to be seen by people.
Chevy Chase I don't like much, still his performance is pretty good, and Daryl Hannah looks nice and acts fine.
This makes things difficult as he attempts to romance a documentarian (a radiant Daryl Hannah) whom he's just met, and tries to avoid a sneaky Federal agent (an appropriately smarmy Sam Neill) who wants to exploit Nicks' situation.At the least, "Memoirs of an Invisible Man" offers an interesting look at a person who has to accept invisibility as a fact of life.
Based on the novel by H.F. Saint, "Memoirs" is the story of Nick Halloway (Chevy Chase), a San Francisco stock broker who suddenly finds himself completely invisible after a lab accident.
As he's being hounded by a rogue government agent (Sam Neill), Nick endeavors to find a cure for his condition, all the while developing an attraction to the shapely blond Daryl Hannah (who's here to look good and play a romantic lead ...
He spends his time brooding over his plight, and indeed, the movie's most interesting aspect is exploring what life would be like if people can't see you.Sam Neill nearly steals the show as the corrupt agent who wants to sell Halloway's "ability" on the black market.
Not to mention a good performance from Sam Neill as the villain of the film.The movie is basically about Nick Halloway (Chevy Chase) that turns invisible after a freak accident at a lab, and he is chased by the authorities (the leader, Sam Neill) that want to use him as a weapon.
Okay, maybe not as funny as "Big Trouble in Little China".But any movie where Chevy Chase plays an invisible man is bound to have a few laughs.
Memois of an invisible man was very underrated and deserved a lot more credit then it got cause this was an excellent film, very well written and very good special effects.
However, th ending was good cause Jenkins got what he deserved and Nick ends up finally going on with his life with Alice.This movie goes to show that Cheve Chase can play a serious role and John Carpenter can make a good film.
Daryl Hannah also does a good job as the love interest and as usual she looks great.Because Carpenter didn't write the movie or the music, the film doesn't quite have the genuine Carpenter feel to it.
Memoirs of An Invisible Man is one of Carpenter's better films and worth seeing..
But all that Nick wants back is his molecules."Memoirs of an Invisible Man" would have to rate somewhere in the middle of John Carpenter's filmography and it's definitely one of his least known, if not.
The only person that could help him is a lovely documentary producer (Daryl Hannah) in a way, she's never seen him before but NicK is running out of time.This rarely seen Comedy/Adventure/Thriller is directed by John Carpenter (In The Mouth of Madness, Starman, Village of the Damned-1995).
Sam Neill has an scene stealing performance as the Ruthless Spy. Daryl Hannah is cute as always in the film.This picture was a Box Office Disappointment back in 1992.
Memoirs Of An Invisible Man is a change of pace for both director John Carpenter and star Chevy Chase.
This is a pretty lighthearted film, though much more serious for Chevy Chase and while this may not have been what audiences wanted to see in 1992, I think he did a good job.
However, for me the best aspect of the film is Sam Neil's performance as CIA agent and killer who wants Nick Halloway(Chase) for nefarious purposes of spying and assassination abroad.
Overall, Memoirs Of An Invisible Man is a good film that was overlooked at the time of its release and is a pretty easy watching experience..
A sci-fi comedy without stakes, Memoirs of an Invisible Man finds John Carpenter stepping out of his forte to direct a lighthearted, family-friendly entertainer and though no match to his finest works, the film does what it set out to do and also features some impressive special effects.The story follows a nobody who becomes invisible after a freak accident and finds himself being chased by a shady CIA agent who wants to recruit him in the world of espionage.
The protagonist isn't even remotely interesting but the situations that arise due to his invisibility factor does make the ride slightly engaging.As for the acting, everyone from Chevy Chase to Daryl Hannah to Sam Neill chip in with excellent inputs.
But the real highlight is the special effects that its VFX team manages to pull off quite convincingly.On an overall scale, John Carpenter is well aware of the strengths & limitations of Memoirs of an Invisible Man and he works within those confinements to put up a story that's serviceable & sufficiently satisfying despite its conventional narrative.
He's got the whole silver fox thing going that I hear women seem to love and his looks mixed with his charisma and sense of style (initially in the film at least) make you think that the guy he's playing could actually land a woman like Daryl Hannah.
It's certainly one of his most serious in tone films and while it tanked with the masses who prefer Fletch, I've always loved the darker Chevy Chase movies like this flick, Deal of the Century (Gregory Hines torching that car is one of my favorite scenes of all time...
And I hope that future film fans will do just that and that people who weren't even born yet when Chase and Carpenter were still making movies will one day look back at Memoirs of an Invisible Man and see it, all preconceived notions and expectations removed, as truly his best movie..
This is not a bad movie starring Chevy Chase as Nick Halloway who turns invisible after a freak accident.
Nick tries to cope with his new life while wooing new girl Alice Monroe (Daryl Hannah) running from the treacherous Jenkins.There's a good mixture of drama, thrills and comedy in this film, and is quite entertaining and amusing.
Carpenter had a lot of grace and love for this film obviously and Chase's portrait of a stock broker turned invisible fugitive was just right.This is the movie that established Chevy Chase as a serious actor.
Chevy Chase plays Nick Halloway, a solitary man made invisible by a freak accident.
And having watched it again, I must admit that the movie is just as good as I remembered it to be.The story is about Nick Halloway (played by Chevy Chase) who is rendered invisible as a result of a freak accident.
And with government agents hot on his trail, Nick is running for his very life.Story-wise then "Memoirs of an Invisible Man" is entertaining and has a good mix of thrills, action and the classic Chevy Chase comedy though.
And there is a good and constant flow and continuity to the movie, which makes it all seem like a well-oiled machine, and that makes the movie a joy to watch.The effects were amazing back in 1992 when the movie initially came out, and actually still does manage to stand tall even today."Memoirs of an Invisible Man" has a great list of talents on the cast list; including Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah and Sam Neill.This is a good and entertaining movie that is well-worth watching..
Although John Carpenter shows what he thinks without saying it by not having the film billed as 'John Carpenter's Memoirs of an Invisible Man', this was a far better film than critics, and it's commercial disappointment, would have you believe.Chevy Chase makes for a more sardonic hero than usual, and he pulls it off perfectly, but there are still plenty of humorous moments, most of which relate to his ailment.Sam Neill is slightly hammy, but just right as the menacing, amoral CIA man who wants to use our protagonist for his own ends.The majority of the film is being narrated to us in flashback by the invisible protagonist, giving it a noir-ish feel.
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Nick Halloway (Chevy Chase) accidentally gets turned invisible and soon an agent (Sam Neill) will stop at nothing to capture him.
MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN isn't a masterpiece and it doesn't quite reach a "good" level but I still think it offers enough for fans of the director and Chase..
"Memoirs of an Invisible Man" is probably the most ambitious project ever undertaken by director John Carpenter, but ultimately the movie has no idea what it wants to do.
In 1992 though, John Carpenter directed Chevy Chase in arguably the most unique aspect of this story ever.In "Memoirs of an Invisible Man", Chase plays yuppie Nick Halloway.
Now chased by Government agent David Jenkins (Sam Neill), Nick finds himself an invisible fugitive.This film is a great laugh for late night entertainment.
With great performances, a decent script and a few good jokes, "Memoirs of an Invisible Man" is a clever little film well worthy of praise.
A well done linear Chevy Chase/John Carpenter film..
Memoirs of an Invisible Man. Not your typical Carpenter film this and certainly not your typical Chevy Chase film either.
Chase does charm well, adding a gentle feeling but the addition of Hannah as his love interest really doesn't help, she is so so wet and lame, turns the whole thing into real mush.Effects wise the film is quite good and at the time they did make an impact.
Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah, Sam Neill and Michael McKean star in John Carpenter's 1992 sci-fi film based on the book.
For those that loved Starman I highly recommend Memoirs of an Invisible Man.This movie had a terrific cast with great performances: Chevy Chase as the protagonist Nick Halloway, Daryl Hannah as the love interest Alice Monroe, Sam Neil as the antagonist David Jenkins, and Michael Mckean as Nick and Alice's friend George Talbot.
The musical score in this movie is fantastic as well, and I admit it's up there with some of the best scores in film history; quite unbelievable for a film so overlooked.The only negative criticism I have about this film is some of the story is a little flat or outlandish (I can't quite accept that Chevy would have survived drowning in that river or Sam Neil just jumping off the building in the end) and some of the comedy is pretty bad as well, but overall these are minor details that can be overlooked.To sum it up Memoirs of an Invisible Man is a fun and under-appreciated movie with great character acting, creative special effects, and a heart-warming romance.
It is, as the title suggests, a modern take on the Invisible man, where Chase is the patsy who gets turned invisible, Daryl Hannah is the girl who takes pity on him, and Sam Neill is the ruthless operative who is after him.One of the more obscure entries on director John Carpenter's filmography this was, at the time, pretty entertaining.
The advance of special effects technology at Industrial Light & Magic meant that the powers-that-be felt it was time for yet another invisible man movie, but far from offering a genuinely suspenseful modern-day classic for the genre, Carpenter made this: a so-called comedy with Chevy Chase playing a guy who's turned invisible by a secret government experiment.What happens after that? |
tt0116861 | Leprechaun 4: In Space | On a remote planet, the Leprechaun attempts to court a princess named Zarina, in a nefarious plot to become king of her home planet. The two agree to marry, with each partner planning to kill the other after the wedding night in order to enjoy the marriage benefits (a peerage for the Leprechaun, the Leprechaun's gold and jewels for the princess) undisturbed.
A platoon of space marines arrive on the planet and kill the Leprechaun for interfering with mining operations. Gloating over the victory, one of the marines, Kowalski, urinates on the Leprechaun's body. Unbeknownst to Kowalski, the Leprechaun's spirit travels up his urine stream and into his penis, where his presence manifests as gonorrhea. The marines return to their ship with the injured Zarina, whom they plan to return to her homeworld in order to establish positive diplomatic relations. The ship's commander, the cyborg Dr. Mittenhand, explains his plans to use Zarina's regenerative DNA to recreate his own body, which was mutilated in a failed experiment. Elsewhere on the ship, the Leprechaun violently emerges from Kowalski's penis after he is aroused during a sexual act. The marines hunt the Leprechaun, who outsmarts them and kills most of the crew in gruesome and absurd ways.
While pursuing Zarina, the Leprechaun injects Mittenhand with a mixture of Zarina's DNA and the remains of a blended scorpion and tarantula, before initiating the ship's self-destruct mechanism. A surviving marine, Sticks, rushes to the bridge to defuse the self-destruct but is stopped by a password prompt. Mittenhand—now a grotesque monster calling himself "Mittenspider"—entangles Sticks in a giant web. Meanwhile, the other survivors confront the Leprechaun in the cargo bay, where they inadvertently cause him to transform into a giant after shooting him with Dr. Mittenhand's experimental growth ray.
The ship's biological officer, Tina Reeves, escapes to the bridge and rescues Sticks by spraying Mittenhand with liquid nitrogen. The only other surviving marine, Books, opens the airlock so the giant Leprechaun is sucked into space and explodes. Books joins the others at the helm and they deduce that the password is "Wizard", since Dr. Mittenhand previously compared himself to the Wizard of Oz. After stopping the self-destruct sequence, Books and Reeves kiss, while Sticks looks out the window to see the Leprechaun's giant hand giving him the finger. | cult | train | wikipedia | Sequels, especially ones of highly successful films, are almost necessarily cursed with a dearth of creativity, made simply to make money, a cynical perversion of the "art" of moviemaking.That's why you have to see Leprechaun 4: In Space.
Possibly the best movie involving a Leprechaun in space...Ever!.
What a delightful sendup of other movies.It follows the plot of Alien, throws in some gratuitous sex, makes fun of marines, scientists, and women who will do anything for jewelry, puts in a dash of cross-dressing and Dr. Strangelove.
In this case it's the world of everyone's favorite leprechaun who has somehow ended up roaming around in space and decides to terrorize some unsuspecting travelers.The acting is horrendous, the special effects are ultra cheesy, and the story, well, what story?
I think we could all learn a big lesson from this little fellow.So, to summarize, I give this film a 7, because it is slow at points, but the occasional leprechaun in the pants scene redeems it all.
On the bad/good continuum it comes full-circle and is one of my favorites of all time!Most movies/stories have some sort of exposition, as in they tell why the Leprechaun is doing X or why this place is important, or how the antagonist got into his current position.
This movie, heck no - you're thrown right into the midst of an already-happening plotline, no explanation, no reason why the Leprechaun's on some alien world with a hot chick, NOTHING!
They didn't even TRY to make up a silly story to explain the badness, they just went with it!Most movies have the gratuitous nude shot, be it just a breast, full frontal nudity, etc.
This was a very funny movie, with the Leprechaun teaming up with a dastardly space princess who wants the Leprechaun's gold.
Both of this were directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, and I think he should direct Leprechaun 5: Lep In The Hood (Which is going to be theatrical and have more comedy than horror, it will star Warwick Davis and Ice-T and will be set in an inner city Los Angeles neighborhood.
This is the best movie and leprechauns and space ever!
This is the best movie and leprechauns and space ever!
Leprechaun 4 is totally different from the previous 3.It takes place in the future and I was not disappointed like in the second and third.It's got a pretty good cast and doesn't have so much funny parts that deprive it from a horror movie.When I saw it,my first thought was "now that was good".It keeps up to the original.So if you have the time, see it.Just skip the second and third,you won't miss anything.I give it **** out of ***** stars..
Actually, the acting isn't that bad either.Don't expect it to be demanding in any way, it's just a "lay back and relax"-movie.
My fetish for crappy movies aside, and the fact that I haven't figured out what the 'special' part of this 'special edition' is aside, I was overwhelmed at how much fun this movie is.The problem is, it's targeted to the wrong audience.Leprechaun 4 isn't a bad, bad, BAD (I really hated the first 3) slasher flick like the original trilogy.
And that dosen't even figure the part where the leprechaun comes out of the guys crotch!P.S. If you think I've ruined the film by giving away all the best parts...
I do have to admit that Leprechaun 4 may not be to everyones tastes, so if you are looking for a genuinely scary film, or a film that makes sense, then this is not for you.If you enjoyed the first film and like laughing at ridiculously bad films, then you are in for a treat with Leprechaun 4!.
The devilish creature that was in this movie did yes look like a Leprechaun, and yes he was played by Warwick Davis..
He re generated his body or parts any time something happened to him (like the T1000 in T2) The movie was corny, but it was suppose to be, the question is what makes a Leprechaun movie funny?
Or even better, "and now for that trick, I'll cut of your dick!!" Try this one, "there once was a fair old las, who's balls were made out of brass, and in stormy weather his balls clang together and sparks flew out of his a*s!" (most of those came from 3 by the way, the movie with the best lines!) It was the rhymes that he said, with the voice that he has, and the little Leprechaun look that made every rhyme funny..
I became a die hard Leprechaun fan, and for this, I have to say I liked the movie, because I must be true to my Horror Icons...
But once you sit down and watch the others you will see that every movie the Leprechaun is i different one, and you kill him in a different way..
As an actual motion picture, this film is pretty much the bottom of the barrel.However, for a momumental 'so bad its good' experience ala The Room or Samurai Cop, Leprechaun 4 is right up there.Watch it with a few like-minded friends and a crate of beer and good times are guaranteed..
Whenever horror and space combine they are usually met with a critical response, from Dracula 3000 (2004) to Jason X (2001) and this was no exception.Warwick Davis's Leprechaun ventures into space to woo a princess in hopes of becoming a king but faces off against a military force set to scupper his plans.As you can imagine this is pretty dumb stuff but ultimately watchable.Warwick Davis seems to phone his performance in and certainly isn't on form here.
Thankfully the rest of the cast carry the film especially the underrated Jessica Collins.More comical deaths, silly quips and dodgy sfx are in order in this 4th instalment.The Good: Jessica Collins The Bad: Warwick Davis isn't on form Looks pretty crappy Things I Learnt From This Movie: I can't see Guy Siner without thinking Lieutenant Hubert Gruber I'm very surprised George Lucas didn't sue When a person is turned into a mutant using scorpion dna they'll become a spider..........for some unexplained reason.
In my opinion, movies with poor acting, cheap effects and stupid plots should start to be considered a genre for films.
The next 90 minutes are really the best kind of terrible film -- there's something inexplicable, tasteless or plain stupid in every other frame, and yet Mr Davis has a look on his face that suggests he still thinks the movie series is scaring people.
Painfully bad, but hey, I rated it higher than Meet the Parents!All you need to know: A not-quite-so-sinister Leprechaun appears and terrorizes a bunch of idiot space-farers.
Frequently overlooked, this movie lacks the commercialization of the previous Leprechaun films (which were released to theater as opposed to direct-to-video).
This movie is the stupidest example of taking the character of a popular horror francise in space, which is really saying something.Like in the last three movies, the main character and his outlandish actions are the only redeemable quality about this straight to video sequel.Other than that, the movie is full of boring characters, a ludicrous plot and CGI that is bad even by straight to video movie standards..
I do love all the leprechaun movies since warrick davis did him wonderfully :) This one just wasn't my favorite cause he didn't rhyme or show much magic , barely any magic really , but there was a few bits of humor that makes the movie worth watching again :).
Prior to watching this, the 4th film in the Leprechaun series, I had only seen the original & 5th movie.
If you dig trashy movies, or are a fan of Leprechaun, then it's a relatively fun watch.
Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, who also helmed Pt 3, this chapter once again stars Warwick Davis as a mischievous magical Leprechaun, only this time it's not his gold that he's after, but an alien princess who he hopes to marry so that he will become a king.
Upsetting his plans are a group of Aliens-style space marines who rescue the princess, delivering her into the hands of mad scientist Dr. Mittenhand (Guy Siner), who intends to use her DNA to regenerate his damaged body.Once again, the order of the day is abject silliness, whether it be the leprechaun wielding a light-sabre, being born from a marine's penis, brandishing a space gun in a shootout, flattening a man's face with a frying pan, or growing to massive proportions.
Released to video in 1997, "Leprechaun 4: In Space" takes place in the future where a group of space marines travel to a distant planet to stop a power-hungry Leprechaun (Warwick Davis) from harming a Dominian princess, Zarina (Rebecca Carlton).
This part is stuffed with horrible directing, acting, cheesy special effects, especially the scenes of computer modeled-and-animated space ship, which is actually the worst visual effects sequence I have ever seen...
Leprechaun 4: In Space really is one of the worst movies ever committed to celluloid.I've seen some mighty stinkers in my time.
Others will, and do, dislike them for mostly being cheap, far from scary, too dumb to be entertaining and not very interesting.Being on a horror franchise roll recently, after having more free time after such a lot going on professionally and personally, finally decided to see all the 'Leprechaun' films to see which above extreme they would fall under.
There is far worse in the genre and overall, but apart from a few bright spots most of the film is poorly executed for reasons that are similar and even the same as the previous three films.Once again, Warwick Davis is the best thing about 'Leprechaun 4: In Space'.
The direction has such an inexperienced or indifferent feel to it, and apart from Davis the acting is awful, struggling to do anything with lead characters that have no personality and irritating supporting ones behaving vaguely and idiotically.Very like as with before, 'Leprechaun 4: In Space' is particularly undone by the script and story.
If you're a fan of the Leprechaun movies you're going to like them silly as some of them are.
Set in the near future a group of space marines and a tag-along doctor rescue a princess from a power-hungry Leprechaun, who plans to be king of her planet.
You cannot watch a movie like "Leprechaun 4: In Space" without a grain of salt.
In the end, there is little reason to see this film, it certainly will not entertain you (unless you get kicks out of renting REALLY bad movies and throwing your money away) and it will only give the filmmakers MORE money to make another one of these sequels (which they already have, *sigh*)..
There was a lot going on in this film and that certainly impressed me, but what I like the best about this movie was Jessica Collins.
Warwick was pretty good, with some of his monologue(the leprechaun likes to talk to himself)setting the mood and teasing the marines as they race to stop him.If nothing else, I have two words for you:Jessica Collins!.
Any one who knows a good horror movie will like it.
In the worst movie of the series, they decided to send the leprechaun into space.
Leprechaun 4 is not a fun movie to watch.
well I guess the Leprechaun is out searching for a bride (like he was in the second film), and he finds it in a beautiful space princess.
They arrive on the planet and take the princess on their ship, so the rest of the film is basically the leprechaun running around trying to claim his future bride.
It's more of a stand alone sci-fi film than a Leprechaun movie.
I think they tried to be funny in some of the scenes, but it isn't at all.Leprechaun 4 is just a strange sequel in a franchise that I enjoyed up until this point.
But still, the setting actually worked out well enough, despite it being this far out.This movie seems to be a spoof of other movies like "Alien", and the stolen ideas from those movies was put to good use in "Leprechaun 4: In Space", despite them being cheesy and bad.I found "Leprechaun 4: In Space" to be entertaining enough as a comedy, because it was totally devoid of scares and horror.It was also a nice touch to see Guy Siner on the cast list of this movie.
Núñez Jr. brought a good deal of his usual character to the movie.Watch "Leprechaun 4: In Space" for a comedy.
Leprechaun 4 (1997) 1/2 (out of 4) I'm not sure what the appeal of Outer Space is on certain franchises but the fourth film in the series has Warwick Davis returning as the leprechaun.
I have tried to watch Leprechaun 4: In Space for a while, now that I saw it, i regret it.The Acting and Dialogue are awful, it's about as appealing as a bunch of kids playing space marines.
Even though the camera shots are good and the lighting looks authentic, you can't get rid of the feeling that there on a set and not an actual space ship.The movie is so self aware that it rips off line from other horror movies, like, "It's Alive" from Frankenstein, it even uses a line from the fly at one point, and it even rips off the old black and white racial horror movies.Now I will say that THE ONLY thing I liked was the effects on the monster at the end of the film, but this also proofs what happened to the budget of the movie (if this movie even had a budget).
I can honestly say that this is my LEAST favorite film from the Leprechaun franchise, it's even worst then when he went to the hood, I say go see the 1st, the 2nd, the 3rd or even the two hood movies, just don't deal with this one 2/10.
Only thing that this movie has in common with all of the previous ones is that it stars Warwick Davis as the Leprechaun.
Sounds like an entertaining enough idea on its own, also since it has some space marines thrown in the mix but the movie just never works out and gets no way fun because it's all so poorly done.
What exactly was the Guy Siner's character motivation, that obviously was an evil one but it made no sense what he did at the end, after his 'transformation'.It's a real cheap looking movie, with some plastic sets and some non-existing special effects.
this isn't that bad,, but way off from the previous the Leprechaun movies..
But due to the terrible acting, amazingly bad plot, some of the worst special effects i have ever seen and a video that makes you want to kill yourself for watching it i still sat through the whole thing and laughed...
alllriighty then.where to begin?this installment of the "Leprechaun" series takes a bit of a step back,in my opinion.for one thing it seems to be taking itself seriously,or at least trying to.it references "the Fly" and,(since it is set in space)"Alien".there are a few references to other movies thrown in,but i can't remember the actual movies.this movie is quite slow at times,with too many dead spots,where nothing really happens action wise.i think even the first movie is better than this.i mean,there are a few chuckles,but not very many,and there are no actually very funny moments.also,the one thing this movie lacks that the others had,is that when the Leprechaun talked,he usually did in rhymes and limericks.there is none of that here.so the dialogue is bland.the one thing a bit different in this installment is that getting back his gold is not the Leprechaun's main focus.all things considered,"Leprechaun 4:in space is a 2/10 at best.
So don't come thinking that a movie titled 'Leprechaun in Space', is anything higher than a B-flick film parody.
The film was made as a direct to video horror comedy that parodies other Sci-Fi horror movies like 1979's Alien and its sequel 1986's Aliens.
Like Aliens, the movie starts out in the future with a team of Space Marines.
Its true that the space affects, like what it looks like outside the ship are pretty bad, but those are the things that make this movie so awesome!
I love how the Leprechaun uses that lightsaber like thing, and just killed the space soldier!
Thinking it was going to a "so bad, it's good!" movie.
"Hey Delores!" "Yes, Sticks?" "Doesn't that thing look a little bit like a leprechaun?" "Why yes, Sticks, now that you mention it, I think we're hunting a creature from Irish mythology." "Well what's it doing in outer space?" "Good question, Sticks."Something like that.
Personally, I think Leprechaun 5: IN THE HOOD is absolutely unbearable.But IN SPACE, is an absolute B-movie gem.
The first film was bad but kind of good, the same as the second and the third, I was sure this fourth entry in the franchise would be no improvement, directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith (Leprechaun 3, Britannic).
Davis is having fun as the Irish mischievous monster talking rhymes and killing his way through a spaceship, the rest of the actors are not really worth mentioning, the story is ridiculous, the script is silly, the special effects are terrible, especially the ship's exterior, some kills are over-the-top, gory and amusing, but most are ridiculous and gross that it's not funny, it is just badly made and excruciating to watch, unlike the other three that were almost bad but good, a pointless and awful science-fiction horror comedy.
It was just a leprechaun and some crew on a space ship if you need to summarize this film.
And again the Leprechaun had very few scenes and it gets worse ever film.
Now this movie isn't certainly for everyone, like I said there is some incredibly bad acting on everyone's part.
The graphics might of stunk but the movie itself wasn't.Leprechaun(Warwick Davis)is in outer space trying to win kingship. |
tt0051947 | The Monster of Piedras Blancas | The movie opens with a long shot of a lighthouse along the California coast. A reptilian claw comes up from behind a rock outcropping and grabs a metal bowl on a chain. The keeper, Sturges (John Harmon) exits the lighthouse, checks his watch, and prepares to mount his bike for a ride into town. He notices some kids walking along the cliffs and shoos them away, warning them not to come back. The credits roll.A group of people are gathered around a small fishing boat on the beach, gawking. One man observes, "Heads ripped clean off." Constable George Matson (Forrest Lewis) notes that the bodies look like they have no blood. Sturges bikes to Kochek's Store. He gives Kochek (Frank Arvidson), the storekeeper, his list of supplies. Kochek asks Sturges about the Rinaldi Brothers, the two bodies found on the beach. Kochek claims he found them. When Sturges asks about his meat scraps, he is told they were sold to someone else. As they finish business, two men bring the corpses of the Rinaldi Brothers into the store in a wheelbarrow. Kochek puts them in the refrigerator to keep until an autopsy can be completed. Sturges walks his bike down the road to the Wings Café. He goes in to see his daughter, Lucille (Jeanne Carmen) who works behind the counter. Constable Matson is the owner, and Lucy tells her father she has to work late. Sturges is worried about her return home in the dark. He has good reason to be concerned, as he is harboring a grim secret. Lucy assures her Dad she'll be fine, Fred (Don Sullivan) will bring her home safely in his Jeep. Fred is a biology student and talks Lucy into joining him later collecting specimens from the ocean. Constable Matson asks to speak to Sturges before he leaves. He questions him about the Rinaldi Brothers and whether he saw them and knows anything about the circumstances of their deaths. Sturges lies and says he doesn't know anything.Dr. Sam Jorgenson (Les Tremayne) finishes his exam of the Rinaldi Brothers at Kochek's store. He confirms that their heads were cleanly and expertly severed--Death was instantaneous. Kochek tells them of the legend of the Monster of Piedras Blancas. Matson warns Kochek to keep his stories to himself; the town's upset enough already.Fred and Lucy arrive at the beach. She spreads a blanket and sets out lunch. They talk about the investigation. Sturges chains a metal dish to the rocks and tosses a few fish out as bait. He then leaves the cliffs. Matson and Dr. Jorgenson meet at the café. He tells the constable there was one final matter about the autopsy. He says the main artery was such that something pumped out all the blood from the victims. Fred brings Lucy back to work in his Jeep. Matson asks Fred to come in for a talk. That evening Fred brings Lucy home. Sturges doesn't like Fred. She tells Fred she's been away at boarding school for ten years and only recently started coming home for summer vacations. Fred drives off and Lucy decides to go for a swim, instead of going directly inside. She leaves her clothes on the rocks. We see the arm and claw of the creature as it paws her clothes. Her father calls her; she returns from the surf, dresses and goes inside. When she mentions that she had the strangest sensation she was being watched, her father gives her a stern lecture about swimming at night and threatens to ship her back to boarding school. She has no idea her dad has been feeding the creature.At Kochek's store that night the creature enters and kills the shop owner. The next morning the Rinaldi Brothers funeral is underway. The two caskets are brought from the church. A mother tells her crippled son Jimmy (Wayne Berwick) that he doesn't have to come to the cemetery for the graveside service. He picks up a piece of wood and begins whittling. He spots a quarter on the street and retrieves it. He takes his new found wealth into the store to buy candy and calls Mr. Kochek. He wanders around when he gets no reply. Then in the office area he spots the headless corpse and runs from the store straight to the cemetery. He tells Dr. Jorgenson, who is officiating at the service, that Kochek was murdered. They assemble at the store and Matson confirms the death. He asks the Doctor to examine the shop keeper. He tells Eddie (Pete Dunn) to go outside. Eddie is visibly upset and perhaps nauseous. Fred arrives at the store. They look around and try to establish time of death--they estimate 2:00 a.m. Dr. Jorgenson calls Fred over to examine something. He thinks it might be a fish scale, but too large. They decide to return to the doctor's office to perform some tests. Matson tells Eddie to come back in and move the body to the ice room then lock up and go home.At the doctor's home, Jorgenson and Fred examine the scale. Matson is there and is getting impatient and voices his frustration at how long the tests are taking. They tell Matson the scale is similar to an extinct amphibious reptile. Lucy runs to the doctor's house calling for Matson. She found her father at the bottom of the cliffs near a cave and he is unconscious. They pile into Fred's Jeep and race to the lighthouse. Jorgenson, Matson and Fred revive Sturges and move him back to the lighthouse. They set him on the couch. Lucy notices the dog, Ring, is missing. Sturges and his dog are inseparable. Fred tells Matson and Jorgenson to take his Jeep, he will stay with Lucy. Fred tells Sturges that Kochek was murdered and asks about the legend.Matson and the doctor arrive back in town and see a man carrying the body of a little girl followed by a crowd of townsfolk. He places the girl's body on a table in the café. The man is in shock, but apparently the little girl, his daughter, was also a victim of the monster. He does manage to relay that her mother sent her to the store. The doctor and Matson leave to go check with Eddie. They left him at the store after Kochek's death.Fred and Lucy discuss the circumstances of her ten year absence from town at boarding school. Fred insists on searching the caves near the lighthouse. Lucy objects to this, because her father has strict orders that no one is to go in or near those caves. They argue, and she tells Fred he shouldn't come back to the lighthouse again. Matson and a few of the town's people call for Eddie at the store. A small crowd has gathered outside. Matson goes into the ice room. We hear a roar, and Matson screams. He exits wounded, followed by the monster (Pete Dunn in a second role) carrying the head of Eddie in his right claw. One member of the crowd takes a swing at the monster with a meat cleaver. They find a scale on the cleaver later. Matson proclaims, "I guess we've found our killer."Matson takes the Jeep to get Fred. Fred is examining the rocks and finds the chain, but the dish is missing. Matson warns Lucy to lock herself inside. There have been two more murders. Matson finds Fred and tells him about the monster. Fred and Matson leave in the Jeep. Lucy looks in on her father. They arrive at the café and Matson gives Fred a rifle and he grabs a pistol from behind the counter. They form a six man posse and search for the creature. They spot his foot prints in the sand, enter a cave and find another severed head. Two of the posse have been attacked and injured. They decide to regroup the next day with more men.Sturges finally tells Lucy that many years ago he explored a cave and walked many miles to an opening near the lighthouse. He heard something like heavy breathing. The next day he left some fish and the day after they were gone. He left fish daily and then got meat scraps from Kochek to feed the creature. Lucy finally concludes that her father had been feeding the creature all these years. That's why he sent her to boarding school--for her own safety. Lucy helps her dad up to tend the beacon. He tells her to bolt the door downstairs. Lucy goes out to feed her dog. She leaves his food dish outside the door. She doesn't realize Ring is dead.The doctor, Matson, and Fred devise a plan to capture the creature using a net. The creature comes to the lighthouse and forces the front door. He enters and heads for the stairs to the light. Lucy calls out thinking it is her father. The creature turns around. Lucy opens her bedroom door and is startled to see the creature and screams. Sturges hears the screams of his daughter.Matson returns to the Garage and finds the doctor, Fred and the owner working on the net. Matson tells Fred to call Lucy; he did not see the lighthouse light on and is concerned. Fred telephones and gets no answer. Fred and Jorgenson take the Jeep to the lighthouse; Matson forms a posse and meets them later.The monster carries Lucy outside. Sturges see this from the top of the lighthouse. He pitches a lantern at the creature and strikes it on the head. The creature puts Lucy down and walks back to the lighthouse to deal with his tormentor. Sturges meets it on the staircase and fires his rifle into the creature with little effect. It chases Sturges back up the spiral staircase to the light. Lucy runs for help and encounters Fred and the doctor. Sturges gets outside via a steel door and bolts it from the outside. The posse and Fred, Lucy and the doctor arrive at the lighthouse. The creature bangs on the steel door. It forces the door and chases Sturges up a ladder on top of the light. It picks Sturges up and tosses him off the lighthouse. Fred has gotten up in the lighthouse and outside and confronts the monster with his rifle. He notices a flashlight beam from below seems to distract the creature. He orders Lucy to turn on the beacon. The light blinds the creature and as it reels back against the railing, Fred pushes it over with the butt end of his rifle. It crashes into the water below. Fred and Lucy embrace, and we close with a shot of the lighthouse. | murder | train | imdb | You have one of the better amphibious creature costumes designed by Jack Kevan (No zipper!!), a great sea coast location, decapitations and gore, some very decent acting by A-list party girl and pin-up queen Jeanne Carmen, and last but not least, Les Tremayne - He is only in 85% of all classic B-horror/sci-fi films of the 1950s!
John Harmon as Sturges, the crusty lighthouse keeper who feeds the hungry cave-dwelling beast meat scraps from the local deli, does a credible job here as a man who has closed off all emotions to the world, including those of his fetching daughter Lucy (Carmen), in exchange for companionship with the hungry creature.
John Harmon plays a crusty lighthouse keeper who lives with his daughter and secretly feeds a monster of a prehistoric fish-man heritage scraps and fish.
The story is pretty straightforward with everything from one-dimensional characters to the obligatory romance between the lighthouse keeper's daughter and a serendipitous biochemist versed in prehistoric fish species(played by Do Sullivan who you may...or more likely may not...remember as Chase in The Giant Gila Monster...no singing in this one fortunately!).
Very entertaining movie,gives you a real feel for the time it was made.Was one of Don Sullivan's best and makes you wonder, if Steve McQueen could advance from " Blob " what ever happened to Don Sullivan?
My friends and I first saw this movie late on night while camping out in the backyard with an extension cord stretched to an old b/w and the scene where the monster comes out with the head scared us to death!.
In a few minutes the monster comes waltzing out of some industrial size refridgerator carrying some guys head in his hand.....that was all it took....as the blood rushed to my head I did the 50 yard dash to the doors in world record time and never looked back.
But if you're in the mood and want to see a pretty good man in a monster suit movie, this will fit the bill..
Its a rather dull film about a Black Lagoon-type creature who goes around killing people.
The first, when the monster comes bursting out of a door is a moment of shock and horror equal to the similar scene in "The Thing".
In "Keep Watching the Skies", Bill Warren criticized the film as lacking a logical plot and explanation for the monster, but he is wrong!
However dull, a lot of thought went into the plotting of this film and, had the script been better, this could have been a scare classic..
I had never heard of this movie until I met the object of aforesaid Monster at a fan convention here in the bay area a few years ago...
I told her I hadn't seen it, but I'd sure love to, and she said the guy who worked on "Creature from the Black Lagoon" had also done the monster suit for this movie.
When asked about her father's career after "Monster from Piedras Blancas", she said he moved into other types of film, to which a vocal part of the audience shouted "PORN!!!"OK, the film itself is a somewhat better than average exploitation horror flick.
The monster suit, which allows for a great deal of animation and motion, is a wonder -- it easily blows away everything else in the movie, including the much cheaper gore type effects such as decapitated heads.
A lot of the stuff in the movie seems pretty goofy, and I doubt that anyone involved took the film too seriously; it almost comes off as a comedy, kind of like but not as much so as some of Corman's movies from the time (most notably "Not of This Earth").All in all, a good show.
Moreover, Berwick deserves extra praise for his take-no-prisoners attitude: There's one remarkably gruesome moment involving a decapitated head and a few startling outbursts of brutal violence (this movie even goes as far as to kill both a little girl and a cute dog!).
The solid cast do a good job of portraying the entertaining array of quirky and colorful characters: Les Tremayne as the pragmatic Dr. Sam Jorgenson, Forrest Lewis as the baffled Constable George Matson, John Harmon as cranky lighthouse keeper Sturges, Jeanne Harmon as the spunky and liberated Lucille, Don Sullivan as the amiable Fred, and Frank Arvidson as talkative and excitable storekeeper Kochek.
1959's "Monster of Piedras Blancas" remains one of my favorite horror/sci-fi films from my childhood.
The monster, which looks like a nastier version of "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," invades a sleepy lighthouse town.
The superstitious lighthouse keeper is worried for the safety of his beautiful teenage daughter, so he leaves food for the monster, who dwells in a nearby cave.As stated, this was clearly inspired at least in part by the Creature.
A generally underrated monster flick from 1959, The Monster of Piedras Blancas is often compared to the undeniably similar Creature From the Black Lagoon, with this film invariably coming out second best.
Certainly, Creature From the Black Lagoon is a true classic and The Monster of Piedras Blancas rarely equals its more famous cousin, but nonetheless this is a very good little film with a lot going for it on its own terms.
Don Sullivan plays Lucy's boyfriend, Fred, and veteran b-movie actor Les Tremayne is a local doctor.
John Harmon turns in a surprisingly effective performance as Lucy's father Sturges, the local lighthouse keeper, a man with many secrets and who knows more about the Monster than anyone suspects.
The only real weaknesses of the film are its obvious low budget and a somewhat lagging pace that does make the movie feel a bit longer than its short run time of 71 minutes.
But overall, this is a pretty good monster movie that meets most of the genre requirements.
Unfortunately, this is a difficult movie to find, but if you can track it down, the Monster From Piedras Blancas is a surprisingly effective chiller..
In THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS, a series of grisly decapitation deaths occur in a small seaside town.
Suspiciously, the local lighthouse keeper has been feeding meat scraps to a certain big-clawed creature.
Co-stars Don Sullivan (THE GIANT GILA MONSTER, TEENAGE ZOMBIES) as Fred and Les Tremayne (WAR OF THE WORLDS, THE SLIME PEOPLE) as Dr. Jorgenson..
Yes it is no Star Wars or Close Encounter of the Third Kind but it is a fun film to enjoy from A simpler time and place and if only one could use their imagination and put themselves Inside This film for a little over an hour then they just might enjoy it a lot more.
It's got great atmosphere and pacing and the overall acting is good and the creature Is great for its time but again if you did not grow up in the 50's then most likely you really cannot appreciate this fine film!
A 7ft tall, prehistoric, amphibious reptile terrorises the folk of a coastal town in its search for red meat, which it now prefers over its old diet of fish thanks to being fed scraps by lonely lighthouse keeper Sturges (John Harmon).
After killing several people in its quest for protein (by removing the victims' heads with inexplicable surgical precision), the scaly beast is eventually hunted down by a group of gun-toting locals, but not before it carries off Sturges's daughter Lucy (Jeanne Carmen) in time-honoured movie-monster fashion.An independent horror flick produced by ex-Universal employees Irvin Berwick and Jack Kevan, The Monster of Piedras Blancas was clearly influenced by The Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954), for which Kevan helped create the iconic gill-man costume; Piedras Blancas's monster isn't quite on a par with 'The Creature', however, having been cobbled together using moulds made for earlier films The Mole People and This Island Earth, and the film lacks the excellent production values and great pacing of the Universal classic.But although matters move slowly to start with, threatening to send the viewer to sleep at times, hang on in there 'cos things gradually pick up: Jeanne Carmen provides the film with some 'cheesecake' when she is spied upon by the monster; there's an early example of graphic gore which must've proved quite shocking in the '50s (the monster appears holding a bloody severed head, albeit in black and white); and the final struggle between Lucy's beau Fred (Don Sullivan) and the monster atop the lighthouse is a real hoot.
But instead kills, actually decapitates, anyone that comes near the lighthouse.Some good fear moments when you see the creature from the distance at dusk.
**SPOILERS** There's this blood sucking monster on the loose in and around the Piedras Blancas by the old lighthouse outside of the little sea front town of Windswept.
The monster living in the caves was minding it's own business for years until the lighthouse keeper Sturges, who discovered the monsters's hiding place.
Later when old man was unable to get the monster meat from the towns grocery store owner Kochek ,who stopped giving him free scraps , it just went out looking and hunting the townspeople for it's next meal.
The usual 1950's black & white monster movie with a lot more "meat" to it then you would have expected.
Sturges becomes paranoid when his young daughter Lucy comes home to the lighthouse to spend her summer vacation there from college.It's doesn't take that long when Lucy, skinny dipping outside the Pledros Blancus caves, is spotted by the monster who develops a strong liking for her or was it Lucy's underclothes.
By the time the movie is over the monster had already finished off a half dozen or so other townspeople including the guilt-ridden lighthouse keeper Sturges.
The monster, called Eddie in the movies credits, was pretty scary looking but his movements on land were so slow and clumsy that it was a miracle that he could catch anyone, including himself; as he stumbled and bumbled around the rocks and sand outside his home in the Pledras Blancas.
With the monster in one scene nonchalantly walking out of a store with the head of the store clerk dangling from him claw-like hand and then leaving it in it's cave to be eaten by sea crabs.The ending of the movie was a bit too unbelievable with the monster chasing Lucy to the top of the lighthouse.
Monster of Piedras Blancas, The (1959) * 1/2 (out of 4) Silly Mexican rip of The Creature from the Black Lagoon has a small fishing village being terrorized by a sea creature who likes to cut off heads.
The creature looks pretty good but he isn't on screen until the very end, which makes no sense since the rest of the movie is just boring.As of now this title isn't available officially so you'll have to find it from a trader..
The local lighthouse keeper, Mr. Sturges (John Harmon, "Malibu High"), makes a habit of leaving morsels of meat for It to eat, but soon it's clear that these morsels just aren't enough.
It's up to locals such as doctor / scientist / minister Sam Jorgenson (Les Tremayne, "The War of the Worlds"), his young associate Fred (Don Sullivan, "The Giant Gila Monster"), and grumpy town constable George Matson (Forrest Lewis, "The Todd Killings") to devise a means of neutralizing their nemesis.This marked the directing debut for Irvin Berwick, a former employee of Universal-International who'd just started a production company with his partner, producer Jack Kevan.
The movie does get some points for being willing to kill children and animals, and there's one great, show stopping moment when the Monster swaggers out of an ice room holding the severed head of one of its victims.
It's a rather low rent creature suit (designed by Kevan), but it serves its purpose.Although it makes good use of locations, and is gorgeously shot by future Oscar nominee Philip H.
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Really fun, enjoyable film about a legendary monster prowling around a coastal town.
John Harmon, usually a supporting character in B-westerns, is good as the lighthouse keeper who discovers the creature.
California coastal community of Piedras Blancas is suffering a string of beheadings to the locals (it literally goes for the jugular), and it's possible the lighthouse keeper (John Harmon) has known about its existence, living in a cavern nearby, and kept it secret.
This kind of film was begging for a Universal Studios budget and a helmer like Jack Arnold to move the plot along more effectively.
A Gothic feel aids in making this more intriguing than the usual low-budget drive-in fare, with some great character performances including Les Tremayne as the doctor and John Harmon as the light house keeper.
Killing by unknown assailant starts to happen in the town near the light house of Piedras Blancas.
Little do the people of the town know, the cause of this incident started when the owner of the butcher shop refused the sale of scrap meat to the light house attendant.
It looks very much like the creature that appeared on the movie "It !
Not a big budget movie, but it has decent story and good acting.
Now, I can say without hesitation, Holy f'ng sh*t!!!.The only thing I can compare it to from the time was watching the Giant Behemoth turn people to ash, and the Monster That Challenged the World chew through a door to get at mother and child, like Jack Nicholson a couple of decades later.
All together, these were and remain, to my astonished eyes, the trinity of blind irrational terror.In a few short years, it would be Horror Hotel that produced the real nightmares, but that image of the Monster of Piedras Blancas, with head in hand, is burned deep into my psyche to this day..
A real nice little scary as hell monster flick that has stuck with me over the years.
This was a nice little low budget film that I grew to know and love.
Lighthouse keeper discovers monster in cave.
Lighthouse keeper starts to feed monster from local grocery butcher store.
Grocery store owner cuts off meat scraps for lighthouse keeper Monster guts hungry and decides to eat up the town.
Piedras Blancas is the name of the point North of there, where the light house is actually located above San Simeon.
There turn out to be the responsibility of a legendary monster, which lives in a nearby cave and is fed by the local lighthouse keeper.
After the monster kills more people, there is a confrontation on top of the lighthouse at the end...The cast includes 50's sci-fi regular Les Tremayne (The War Of The Worlds, The Monolith Monsters), Forrest Lewis and John Harmon.The monster in this movie looks very similar to the Gill Man from Creature From The Black Lagoon.Although a little slow moving in parts, I certainly enjoyed The Monster Of Pidras Blancas and is rather creepy at times too.
Low budget creature feature which pushed the envelope of gore at the time...
By this time, the British had begun introducing an element of gore into their horror movies with the likes of The Curse Of Frankenstein and Horrors Of The Black Museum
and here some of that gore makes it into an old-school American creature feature.
While the film isn't especially good in the normal sense of the word, it does rise to a number of scenes that must have been very powerful to the unsuspecting audiences of the day, most notably the scene where the monster suddenly emerges from a freezer at the back of a store with a severed head in its hand.In a quiet Californian coastal town, a couple of fishermen turn up dead in a boat, their corpses decapitated with almost surgical precision and barely a drop of blood left in their bodies.
Local store-keeper Kochek (Frank Arvidson) warns that the dead are not victims of a tragic accident, hinting that they have been killed by a living creature, perhaps even the Monster of Piedras Blancas which is a well-known but much-ridiculed local legend.
Lighthouse keeper Sturgess (John Harmon) seems particularly upset by the killings and makes a point of telling his daughter Lucy (Jeanne Carmen), waitress in a local bar, to make sure she is vigilant on the way home.
Later, more decapitated corpses turn up – one of them a child – and people start placing more credence in the idea that a monster is at large.
For me, the thing that makes The Monster Of Piedras Blancas more bearable than many films of this type is that it tries to pay attention to logic.
The monster itself is the best thing about the film – a nod towards The Creature From The Black Lagoon, with a more gruesome face and bucketloads of drool.
There's probably some nostalgic charm in revisiting a movie like this – indeed, a whole generation have The Monster of Piedras Blancas to thank for the first time they saw a severed head in a film – but overall it's not a film that has much else to offer for modern audiences..
Her sex life must have been beyond imagining.John Harmon, as her suitor and (maybe) an oceanographer -- the plot doesn't make it clear -- gives probably the best performance in the movie, right up there with Les Tremayne as the local doctor who is puzzled over the mutilated bodies that turn up at the beach from time to time.
Harmon, on the other hand, sounds almost believable, and doesn't look like a dork either but rather some kind of uncanny triangulation involving Mark Stevens, David Schwimmer, and Peter Gallagher.It's a small seaside town on the California coast, Piedras Blancas, with a nice lighthouse run by the heroine's embittered and mysterious father.
The actual light house is at Point Conception, where the coast takes a sudden eastern bend, and at the time of filming would have been run by the U.
The monster looks like a close relative of the creature from the Black Lagoon only more ridiculous. |
tt2102496 | Cabin Fever: Patient Zero | Initially, as the opening credits roll, you see what appears to be a military force armed with guns and flame throwers and dressed in Bio Hazard suites entering a building as a recording from what sounds like an emergency call to 911 plays. A female operator takes the call and speaks in Spanish and a Male voice can be herd on the other end answering in English. The male voice on the recording only says "They are sick, they are all sick. There is Blood there is blood everywhere..... there looking for me." The armed force finds multiple dead bodies and they look to be in a state of advance decay and are deformed. One man is found alive and is then taken by force back to a medical research facility on an Island off the coast of The Dominican Republic.You then see Dr.Edwards and Camila walking through a corridor towards a medical lab; Camila is an assistant to Dr.Edwards. As they walk together Camila mentions that "Incidents in the States were isolated, successfully contained. We don't know how it reached the D.R." The mention of the incidents in the states would indicate that this takes place some time after the events of the first two Cabin Fever films.It is then relieved that the man found alive at the building is named Porter and was part of an effort providing aid and building houses for the poor and that he is actually "Patient Zero." He, however, seems to be immune to the virus although he is a carrier. Porter and Dr. Edwards talk and Porter finds out that his son was one of the casualties. Dr. Edwards then tells him that he is immune to the virus and could be a great asset to his research to find a vaccine or cure to the virus. He does not voluntarily comply with the request but is told that he has no choice.Enter Marcus Driving through the Dominican Country Side. He meets up with and picks up his best friend Dobbs in a small village and drive on as they are "Running Late and Josh's whole Family will be there." Cut to the Rehearsal Dinner for Marcus and Katia's wedding. You first see Josh (Marcus's brother) and Penny having sex in a cabana and getting walked in on by a security guard. Then it cuts to the dinner were Katia is giving a toast just as she finishes Marcus and Dobbs arrive and Josh and Penny came walking back to the dinner from having sex. They all head into the Village and while Penny is browsing a stand that sells local made Jewelry a black women starts speaking to her in Spanish and hands her a bracelet or necklace Penny says "No Gracias" as she does not understand the women but Dobbs comes up behind Penny and tells Penny that it is a gift and that it's a charm to ward off evil. You also see a shot of Josh buying Marijuana from a dealer off the street.Marcus, Josh, Dobbs, Penny, and Katia then walk down the marina together and stop to admire a yacht. Josh and Dobbs then announce that they have rented the yacht to take them out to what they are told is a deserted island for the evening as a bachelor present so they can have one last her-ah before he gets married the next day. Marcus looks to Katia for approval and gets it but katia does warn Marcus not to sail to far north because of restricted waters. Marcus, Josh, Dobbs and Penny board the vessel and set sail for the island.Back at the Medical facility Porter is obviously being held against his will and is even dressed as a convict with an orange jump suit on. He speaks with Camila through glass on a jail like phone system. He expresses his displeasure at the situation and demands to speak to the American Consulate and is told that he is being quarantined partially because of CDC regulation requiring he be held and that he is not just a carrier but possibly a cure. Porter also asks about his wife and whether she has been informed of his location to which Camila responds only that she is aware of what happened to their son. Porter demands to be allowed to speak with his wife and exclaims "you can't just keep experimenting on me like this" and threatens to kill himself if his demands are not met. Camila is obviously sympathetic toward Porter and his situation and speaks with Dr. Edwards who is very cold toward the situation and refers to Porter as "The Specimen." This upsets Camila who responds "Don't you mean human?" Dr. Edwards then shows her a picture of one of the dead bodies found at the home were Porter was found, the body is hunched over and only it's back is visible but most of the flesh has rotted or has fallen away exposing it's skeleton. The ribs and spine of the body are visible surrounded by necrotic flesh. Dr. Edwards tells Camila not to personalize it and proclaims that "sometimes you have to harm one to save millions."Back in his cell Porter is seen taking a metal spring off of his cot. He bends the rounded end until it is crescent shaped then he uses it to cut his hand and then he is shown squeezing blood from his hand. He is called to the door of his cell to prepare to have samples taken from him. Dr. Edwards and another man, both in Bio-Hazard suits, wait outside. The first man has a hypodermic needle and Dr. Edwards behind him holds a rifle. The door to the cell is unlocked remotely and as soon as the first man starts to enter Porter rams the door pinning the man with the needle half his body in the cell and half out. Porter takes the needle from the mans hand and slashes his suite open at the neck with it. He then reaches into the mans suite with his bloodied hand and smears his blood on the mans face infecting him with the virus. Dr. Edwards enters the cell, gun raised, Porter goes to his knees and yells "you want my blood" then holding up his cut hand says "take it! If you want to shoot me? come on shoot!" As this is going on flashing lights and a klaxon horn can be seen and herd sounding while personnel run about the lab. Then the words "Warning Security Breach" repeat over the loudspeaker. Camila argues that the situation is contained but a Male voice speaks over the PA system saying he is sorry but he has to impose a 48 hour security lock down protocol. Men dressed in camouflage are seen closing massive metal doors sealing Camila, Porter, the man who Porter infected and Bridgett (another of Dr.Edwards assistance who wears a lab coat showing a lot of cleavage) in the lab together for 2 days. .The other staff at the facility retreat to the "evacuation bunker" and wait for re-entry ClarenceBack on the yacht Penny is seen Sunbathing on the front deck as the Men on the ship all admire her. Then they all head to the rear of the boat and Shotgun Beers. Marcus sips his beer out of the hole he made in the bottom while the others actually Shotgun their beers. Josh heckles Marcus saying that Marcus "is the one who taught them how to do this" to which he replies "yea when I was nineteen now I drink for flavor." Josh (now clutching a blow-up doll at the waist) gives a seemingly heart felt speech about his brothers impending marriage and then presents him with a gift. He thinks that at first it is a bottle of his favorite wine but after fully unwrapping it reveals a massive black colored dildo. Penny presents him with a small memento from their home town to remind him of were he came from. Josh pulls out the bag of Marijuana that he bought earlier in the town to Marcus's disapproval as he is concerned that the Coast Guard may stop them and find the drugs and threatens to throw it overboard. Dobbs interjects and reasons with Marcus pointing out that they have been going north for awhile now and have not seen another boat in at least two hours and asks Marcus to relax a little bit and let loose. Marcus agrees but after Dobbs makes a remark implying Marcus is scared of Katia is offended and retreats into the sleeping quarters of the boat. Penny follows and explains to Marcus that the guys are afraid to loose him. Penny removes her bikini top exposing her breasts and makes an advance but is rebuffed by Marcus they continue their conversation and it is reveled that Marcus was in love and had relations with Penney in the past but that she was now seeing his brother.They Arrive at the Island, which is not even on the map, and are initially skeptical when they see a large building on it but are assured by the captain of the Yacht that nobody is there and they will be alone on the island as promised. They all disembark the yacht and take a Skiff to shore and the Captain of the Yacht says he will be back to get them the next day. After coming ashore on the Island Josh and Penny immediately head out to go snorkeling while Marcus and Dobbs set up their camp and prepare the food. While snorkeling Josh and Penny are not able to find any fish in the water. Back on shore Marcus and Dobbs drink beer and then decide to smoke some Marijuana and get high. Still trying to find fish Josh and Penny keep swimming and suddenly come across a large amount of dead fish that look like they have been decaying in the water for a long time many with their bodies half missing exposing their innards and skeleton. Penny becomes scared and with Josh she returns to the campsite. She tells Marcus and Dobbs that it is a graveyard out their and she Josh interjects saying "she thinks she saw body parts" but he dismisses it as seeing leftover fish parts from a shark attack. Penny still distraught goes into their tent Josh joins in smoking Marijuana and drinking. Penny is seen drying herself off and as she does she notices a blistered rash starting to form on her arm and her noise begins to bleed.Back at the lab Dr. Edwards is continuing his work despite the incident and current lock down status. He has a Viruscide he wants to try and he now has a living infected person in the lab, the one that Porter Infected. He has the man confined in a small cell and plans to enter and inject him with the viruscide prototype but needs his assistant Bridgett to also help him. She informs him that all but one Bio-Hazard suite was taken to the bunker. Dr. Edwards decides that whoever gives the injection gets the suite and that is him. He sends Camila to try and talk Porter into cooperating with them. Dr. Edwards and Bridgett enter the cell and restrain the man on a table. Dr. Edwards places a tourniquet around his arm and as he tightens it breaks through his skin and embeds deep in the muscle causing a spray of a grayish liquid to erupt from his arm The man, now horribly disfigured and sick, screams in agony. He again screams as the doctor administers the injection.He begins to seize and flail about. Dr. Edwards yells for Bridgett to help him to hold the man down but she is reluctant as she has no protection from becoming infected except a surgical mask and lab coat. When she does move close to the patient to help restrain him he immediately projectile vomits a blackish red liquid all over her certainly infecting her. She runs from the room and strips off her Lab Coat and her outer clothing and gets into a shower but Bridgett knows she has been infected.At the campsite Marcus, Dobbs and Josh are now eating steak and lobster that they grilled and smoking Marijuana. Josh yells to Penny, still in the tent after her snorkeling incident and discovery of her rash and bloody nose, asking if she wants some steak which she does not. She summons him to the tent and he thinks it is for sex. He sees her symptoms which have gotten worse. Penny has blistering splotched over her entire body and a red rash. She then notices that Josh has a small rash on his leg similar to the one on her arm after they got back from snorkeling. He asked her if she had any "bud" she said yes before they went in the ocean and Josh chalks up the rashes to a bad reaction to the Marijuana strain. He goes to retrieve a First Aid Kit to treat her sores. He returns with Benadryl and Calamine lotion. Penny takes the pill and then Josh begins to rub the lotion on he body and they both quickly become aroused. He tells her to just lay back and they kiss briefly before he removes her bikini bottoms then starts kissing her foot and continues up her leg. When he gets to her thigh she pushes his head between her legs and he preforms Cunnilingus with her.Marcus and Dobbs walk out into the jungle a short ways from their camp and drink beers and smoke cigarettes while chatting. Marcus reveals to Dobbs the Penny is the girl the was only know as "Cucumber Girl" by his friends before as she apparently masturbated with a cucumber for Marcus. Dobbs is a taken back by this and asks if Josh knows to which Marcus says "No and he dosent need to know." During this conversation they hear Penny scream and comment on how frequently they have sex.Josh is still pleasuring Penny but it seems to stop being pleasurable and she seems to start to feel pain. She screams and then tells him to stop. He makes a comment that she is "so wet" and lifts his head up. His face is covered in blood and some solid material of an unknown nature. She then sits up and projectile vomits the same substance that the man at the facility vomited on Bridgett, on Josh.Marcus and Dobbs return and find Josh looking distraught and he says "I think Penny is sick" as night falls they try to raise someone on the radio to no avail. They consider taking the skiff but realize they would only make it a few miles out to sea and the radio would still be useless. Marcus and Dobbs go to search for help at the building they saw earlier Josh and Penny stay at camp. After Marcus and Dobbs leave Penny tries to convince Josh to take the boat and just leave but Josh refuses to leave his brother but Josh is getting sicker by the minute.Marcus and Dobbs make it to the facility and find everything locked down but are able to gain entry through a Window after Marcus is able to lift one of the security shutters up. They find a room filled with radio equipment and other electronics most of which seems to have been destroyed purposely. There is blood and a fire ax embedded in a piece of electronics. They try to get Josh on the Walkie Talkies they have but are out of range. Dobbs touches a panel on the wall and the shutter falls back over the window trapping them in the room. Having no choice they head deeper into the facility. meanwhile at camp Josh keeps trying the radio calling for help. Somebody comes through on the radio asking for their location and what type of medical emergency they have. He identifies himself as Dr. Edwards a Surgeon at a small medical facility on the same island as them. His transmission begins to break up but he says he will help them and have an EMT waiting for them if they can make it to him. Penny's skin is rotting away and she is in agony. Penny being to sick to move on her own Josh leaves her and heads out alone to find the doctor on the radio.Now deep inside the facility Marcus and Dobbs come into a room that looks like a common dining area and kitchen but has been ransacked. They hear a noise coming from a door on the far side of the room. Marcus, ax in hand, moves to and opens the door. At first nothing appears to be there Marcus looks back at Dobbs for a moment and when he turns around a grotesque rotting man with a gun comes out and begins shooting at them. They run through a door and shut it behind them but the sick man gives chase. They run through the facility trying to find a way out and come upon a room filled with rotten, infected corpses. Dobbs falls into the room but Marcus manages to evade contact with the infected. Suddenly one of the infected reanimates and starts after Dobbs and he is between him and Marcus. Dobbs runs to the opposite side of the room and after some hesitation latches the door from the outside so the infected cant get to him..Josh is coming upon the Facility as this is happening.Marcus, now separated from Dobbs, has to fight off the zombie like infected and kills it with a blow to the head with the Fire Ax. Dobbs has lost his flashlight and lights his Zippo to use as a torch. He creeps through a dark passageway until he sees a light up ahead he begins to run but is knocked on his ass when he runs stright in to the large infected man they found in the kitchen. Marcus continues on without Dobbs and comes into a room that seems to be a medical lab with pictures of the infected on X-Ray lamps but it too is ransacked and the words Pumps Activated spray painted on the wall. Marcus Surveys the room and comes across a gurney with what appears to be a dead body covered in gauze.Dobbs is pleading with the large man who is identified as the head of the Facility and the one who initiated the 48 hour lock down. He is a military officer and thus the Facility seems to be under military control. He is in the advanced stages of the infection but has his mental faculties and tells Dobbs that he cannot allow this infection to get off the island. He fires his gun, a large Hand Cannon revolver, and since his body is so decayed the recoil from the gunshot snaps his arm off between the wrist and elbow and projects it,gun still grasped in the hand, upward and the barrel of the gun imbeds in the infected mans brain killing him.Dobbs takes his gun and escapes through a door and runs right into Josh. Dobbs gets paranoid and tells Josh to stay away from him as he sees he is also infected. He raises the gun and just then Marcus shows up. They get into a squabble about whos fault things are and Marcus ends up sucker punching Dobbs and taking the gun. Dobbs pushes a button and accidentally opens the door to the lab were Porter is. Bridgett greets them at the entrance with a surgical mask on and says Dr. Edwards wants them to come with her immediately. Camila shows up and reveals that Bridgett is infected and her face is rotting off she forces her to take the mask off so they can see her skin.Camila takes them to Dr. Edwards who is unaware of what happened after the Lock Down was initiated and is told that nobody is alive outside of that lab. Porter speaks up and accuses Dr. Edwards of luring them there and points out that his Bio-Hazard suite is equipped with a high powered radio and he could have used it to talk to Josh on the beach. Porter claims that it is Dr. Edwards intention to kill everyone left alive on the island and steal their boat "So the award winning scholar gets off the island all by himself and no one knows that he is the one responsible." Dr. Edwards denies the allegations but Marcus has Josh take the Dr's rifle. Camila then asks if Josh got sick from the Facility and when he says all he did was go swimming she hypothesizes that Dr. Edwards may have deliberately dumped polluted water into the ocean to start a Pandemic so he could, with Porter's natural immunity to the virus, come up with a cure or vaccine and be a world wide hero. Camila then suggests that they all leave and destroy the facility which has a built in fail safe, a self destruct system.They leave in three groups. Dobbs, Dr. Edwards & Camila, Porter, Marcus & Josh,Bridgett. Josh and Bridgett head straight back to the Camp to check on Penny and prep the boat. On the way back to the camp Bridgett asks Josh were their boat is. He tells her and she promptly clubs him in the head with a large stick which whacks half his face off. She turns and runs off to try and steal the boat for herself. Back at the Facility Marcus's group head to the bunker room full of dead infected and Camila explains that the value in there needs to be turned before they start the Self Destruct System. Knowing that the chance is high of getting infected if any of them go in there Porter being immune to the infection volunteers and turns the valve. Dobbs and Dr. Edwards are behind Bridgett heading toward the camp and on the way the Dr. asks Dobbs if anyone has noticed his sores as he had gotten infected when he fell into the infected room earlier. Edwards asks Dobbs if he knows the progression of the virus and gruesomely explains what is going to happen to him. He then claims that he can treat him and possibly cure him but he needs to examine him to see how far the infection has progressed. He convinces Dobbs to lower the gun. Edwards looks at his sores says it dosent look that bad, sucker punches Dobbs, takes the gun, and before shooting him says "It looks like your condition is fatal." Marcus's group reach a control panel and input the code to arm the Self Destruct System.Camila then says they need to clear the blast radius before it goes off so they gotta hustle.Bridgett reaches the camp and Penny is still alive all be it in terrible shape. Penny ask Bridgett who she is and she, keeping her back to Penny and wearing the surgical mask to hide her face, claims to be a doctor sent to evacuate her to safety and that she has "already taken care of Josh." She turns around to look at Penny and when she sees her state similar to if not worse than her own, skin rotted, bloody sores covering her head to toe Bridgett says to Penny "you might need a referral." Penny attacks Bridgett Pulling a chunk of her hair off along with the attached scalp. Bridgette is livid and stands back up after being knocked down from the previous attack and pulls off the surgical mask to reveal her grotesque zombie like face. When Penny sees this she quips "your one ugly bitch!" Penny then has her stomach ripped open by Bridgett but manages to get up and a cat fight ensues. Bridgett pins Penney inside the tent but she puts to much pressure on her arms which snap in half and she falls to the floor. Penny grabs the giant black color dildo and smashes whats left of her face to pulp. Penny however is pretty much dead herself already.Marcus, Porter and Camila are running back toward the camp and Marcus trips over Dobbs body when he gets up he sees the shell casing from the rifle round. He then calls out to Josh.He finds Josh's body on the trail just ahead of Dobbs's. He then furiously starts to look for Dr. Edwards. Marcus discovers Penny and Bridgett in the tent and when he withdrawals from the tent he is sucker punched by Dr. Edwards. Edwards then asks Camila what the protocol is for an outbreak? She answers " to isolate the exposed quarantine the sick." Edwards then argues that Marcus, though he has not shown any symptoms, has been exposed thus he can never leave the island. He argues that he killed Dobbs to spare him from a horrible agonizing death. Camila pleads with Dr.Edwards but he fires the rifle but only grazes Marcus. Camila throws herself in front of Marcus and Porter comes from behind Edwards. Edwards still has the gun raised at Camila and Marcus. Camila pleads with Porter to do something. Porter raises the Hand Cannon and shoots Dr. Edwards in the neck killing him. The Self destruct explosion then goes off and the facility is destroyed.Camila radios the yacht that dropped the group off, the "Diablo." They are picked up and the captain asks about Marcus's friends but when he gets no answer leaves it at that only saying "Aye-aye-aye-aye-aye."Marcus and Camila sit in the interior of the yacht and Porter comes in with two bottles of water and offers them to the others "I thought you guys could use a drink." Porter goes "to get some fresh air" and Camila and Marcus pop the caps and each take a slug of their water. At that moment Marcus says "all this because of a little mouse." Camila gets a strange look on her face and says "what?" Marcus explains that when he was in the Facility separated from Dobbs he came across a lab with a bunch of pictures and it seemed that the other Scientists, before they all died, were able to trace the source or the outbreak in the evacuation bunker to a mouse. Camila then has an epiphany she says "Porter" then repeats the word "water" several times. She remembers Porter singing the nursery rime song Three Blind Mice while in his cell. Three gunshots in rapid succession are herd above Camila and Marcus they then look at their water bottles and see blood in them. In the ships galley a plate with a hypodermic needle filled with blood next to bottles of water. They climb up to the helm to find the captain dead and the GPS and Radio shot. Porter had infected Marcus and Camila with the water. Killed the Captain and destroyed the instruments on the yacht and fled on the skiff. Marcus asks Camila "why would he infect us?" she says "because we are the only ones left who know who he is." Camila is already showing sever signs of the virus and presumably they both died of the infection on the yacht.As the ending credits roll it is reveled by a backward playing of events left unseen before that Porter after he cut his hand with the spring, before he infected the guard, squeezed blood from his hand all over a small lab mouse after the incident when the lock down is implemented and they are being sealed in their lab Porter releases the mouse and it is able to make its way into the living quarters of the Evacuation bunker were the non quarantined staff were being keep until the 48 hour lock down was over. The mouse gets into the kitchen and is killed by someone in there on the table but everyone had already been infected. They were able to trace the spread of the virus back to the mouse on the table but there was nothing they could do. It is also reveled that Porter is the one who called Josh on the radio pretending to be Dr. Edwards to lure him to the lab. He had been plotting the end game the whole time. | violence, murder | train | imdb | I blind bought Cabin Fever 3, reasoning that it couldn't possibly be worse than part 2; I was correct in my assumption—it's EQUALLY as bad.Part three of Eli Roth's flesh-melting horror series takes place in the Dominican Republic where Marcus (Mitch Ryan) is due to marry his fiancé, but not before his brother Josh (Brando Eaton), long-time pal Dobbs (Ryan Donowho), and Josh's girlfriend Penny (stunning brunette Jillian Murray, who provides the gratuitous nudity) have given him a proper bachelor's send-off.
Chartering a cruiser, they whisk Marcus off to a remote island for a night of copious amounts of beer and weed, but the party atmosphere doesn't last long: after a swim in the warm tropical waters, Penny and Josh contract a flesh-eating virus that requires serious medical attention, and so Marcus and Dobbs go looking for help at a nearby complex, where they discover the origin of the deadly virus.When Josh gives oral sex to Penny, unaware of the severity of her condition, and emerges looking like he's been in a serious road traffic accident, Cabin Fever 3 looks set to be an enjoyable dose of messy horror in the worst possible taste; but as night falls on the island, the film rapidly devolves into a largely forgettable slice of straight to DVD fodder, made all the more lacklustre by some very dark cinematography.
Even the film's most outrageous scene—a fight between putrefying Penny and an equally gloopy nurse that culminates in death by giant rubber dildo—proves rather disappointing thanks to a lack of decent lighting.Co-starring Sean Astin as the titular 'patient zero', the carrier of the disease, who tries to hide his shame behind a beard..
I watched this gore-fest with little expectations after the second Cabin Fever.
Even with low expectations, I was disappointed.The plot is thin, the pace is slow, the horror is limited, the characters are not interesting and most of what happens makes little to no sense once you have accepted that the disease is real.
The security issues around a facility of that nature are laughable at best and the people working there seem to be hired on a good-looks basis only.Sean Astin is good, but his part is small and his lines are cliché.I also had an issue with the most gruesome action scenes where I had a hard time understanding what was happening.
Lighting in some scenes is horrible too.It's still enjoyable for some horrific scenes, but overall, this is not a good movie.Cabin fever 2 was equally bad.
Cabin Fever (the original movie) was campy and kind of good, even though it was by no standards great..
It delivers the same over-the-top gore and claustrophobic suspense, as the first two films, but not nearly as much of the dark and witty humor; that made the original movie such a cult classic.Astin plays Porter; the sole survivor of a deadly flesh eating virus, which kills all the other residents on a remote island.
I guess that's what the makers of this movie were hoping horror fans would say ignoring the fact that basically no one liked the second movie, not even its director, and it's been 10 freaking years since the original and this only Pt. 3.Cabin Fever Patient Zero looks to be the cheapest entry in the series, starting with a quartet of barely likable, uninteresting young people going on a small yacht, not a cruise ship as promotional material states, and ending up stranded on a beautiful, uncharted tropical island.In the meantime, special guest star Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings, Rudy) is the father of a dead infected kid who turns out to be immune and, now, is imprisoned indefinitely in a remote government research facility located on, you guessed it, that same uncharted tropical island.Cabin Fever 3 needs something more.
Too much of the movie comes down to dull characters wondering around and doing stupid things that don't make much sense until they finally die.In terms of production values, this movie looks like a Sy Fy original and while it's not nearly that bad, it just isn't that good either.
The movie doesn't require you to have you brain on while watching, so just sit back and relax.The story, roughly summarized, is about a group of people going out to what they believe is a quiet, secluded island to celebrate a bachelor party, but come to find a bunker-like building on the island, and inside are ghastly secrets.While the storyline is adequate, and doesn't really bring anything new to the genre, then what makes the movie worth watching is the effects and seeing people deteriorate and basically come apart.But, this is also where the aforementioned randy teenager part kicks in.
The plot is completely dumb, the acting is horrible, no suspension whatsoever.Not a point in the whole movie that was interesting and araised curiosity of what is going to happen next, a very dull and blatant movie.The first 2 parts were somehow still bearable, but this just does not live up to its prequels, the same overused scenes over and over again, the rotten genital scene is getting kinda old and could only amuse or disgust a person who has never seen anything and has lived in a cage for 50 years.I strongly suggest everyone to save their time and instead watch something else, also, hopefully there won't be a part 4, this franchise died after the second movie, that is it.
Script as can be expected from its genre, which means run of the mill "surprises", shock, and screaming, peppered with gore and ickyness.This one starts as a slow-paced guys' excursion to a tropical island, and, via some nasty flesh-eating virus infection, ends up as an unintentionally comic splatter movie, which at points reminded me of Braindead, though it is nowhere up that the standards of that classic.
Please do your self a favour and do not watch it.Acting is on the amateur level, and the Dialogue is repetitive, starts poor ends poor and characters are shoehorned in during the middle of the film for padding.You have to wait till the end credits till there is very little closure to the movie.utter Garbage.
Or, more accurately, there is no humor that works like it should in a horror movie and did in the first "Cabin Fever" film.
If this is the last of the series, they didn't end on a high note.*** Cabin Fever 3: Patient Zero (2/6/2014) Kaare Andrews ~ Mitch Ryan, Brando Eaton, Ryan Donowho, Sean Astin.
But then again this scene is classic cabin fever style!So if your looking for an exciting, gory and thrilling scary movie to watch then this movie is a great choice!
Cabin Fever: Patient Zero (2014) * 1/2 (out of 4) The third film in the series has a group of friends in the Dominican Republic where one of them is getting married.
What they don't know is that a scientist is there doing experiments on the skin-eating virus and soon the visitors are contaminated.CABIN FEVER: PATIENT ZERO is a pretty disappointing sequel that commits the biggest sin any horror movie can and that's the fact that it's just downright boring.
But that is exactly the grounds to which we find ourselves with the direct-to-DVD release of Cabin Fever 3: Patient Zero due on DVD and On Demand later this spring.The original film took place in a remote forested area.
And now, Cabin Fever 3 brings us to a remote island where a prisoner named Porter (Sean Astin) is considered patient zero – someone who is immune to the infection that starts with itching and blisters before spreading exponentially to a point where the skin just peels from the bone like a chicken breast left in a slow cooker for 12-hours.
Help that will bring them to the medical facility housing Porter and a discovery that will bring more blood and death than any could have imagined.Cabin Fever: Patient Zero is promoted as a prequel, but honestly, it is so independent from the other two films, it could be a prequel, a sequel or could even been occurring at the same time unless I am missing something.
And in this second sequel there is enough blood and gore to fill a few cabins with body parts.The plot is fairly predictable and follows the typical horror playbook.
The second prequel, Cabin Fever: Outbreak, is tentatively scheduled to be released in 2014, but for now, we have Patient Zero, a mildly-amusing, ninety-minute affair detailing the events that took place before the first Cabin Fever, which centered on a group of five college kids who went out to a remote cabin in the woods only to encounter a flesh-eating virus.Right off the bat, if you're expecting a film that cleverly places itself before the events of the first picture, you may be disappointed to learn that Patient Zero distances itself far away from that stray cabin in the woods.
He decides to wisely perform oral sex on his girlfriend to relax her and then finds his bottom jaw soaked with blood; his girlfriend is now the bearer of a vicious flesh-eating virus that will soon eat her - and anyone who touches her - alive.Patient Zero's budget is evidently low, but it's at least a relief to note that the blood and effects are not distractingly fake like in Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever.
If nothing else, commend Patient Zero for playing to the beat of the franchise's drums and applaud them for at least following the formula of its two predecessors.However, the issue here is, yet again, there's limited interest in the characters (and by "limited" I mean non-existent) and the third act, which suffers from probably the worst thing a horror film can suffer from - darkness.
Eli Roth's original Cabin Fever was a spectacular horror film given its cinematography and woodsy location, but, like its prequel, possessed lackluster characters that seemed to only be stereotypes personified.
This particular film is well-made given its obvious budgetary shortcomings, but between the darkness, the empty characters, and the franchise's first installment that is absent Giuseppe Andrews, one of the most charismatic and interesting avant-garde actors working today, it still makes its franchise 0-3 in the regard of being awarded my personal recommendation.Starring: Sean Astin, Currie Graham, Ryan Donowho, Brando Eaton, Mitch Ryan, and Jillian Murray.
The 2nd film Cabin Fever - Spring Fever is an absolute abomination it is so bad it makes the first one look like the best film created saying that Cabin Fever - Patient Zero is also better then the 2nd one, Although I found the first one OK, I was actually excited to see Cabin Fever - Patient Zero simply because I found the first one not too scary and mildly enjoyable.
After the terrible (in my humble opinion) sequel, this gets back to what made the first cabin fever good.
The first movie was not too bad, it grew on me over time, I was not big fan of the sequel This one, first if see the plot it bit of lie, as there is not cruise ship in the movie, it just bunch of teens on a boat!This movie as two stories going on, first about scientific who on another boat , who seem they got man they believe to have flesh easting virus.The other story is a bunch of teens looking for a fun time by get drunk, stoned or laid .I don't think this movie was as good as the first movie but it a lot more darker tone then the second movie.This movie was not to bad, as it had decent gory moments, which I really liked but I did found parts to be little dull.there acting were was okay times but I just didn't care about the, I Just they were all bit dull.I give a 5 out of 10 just for some gory moments!.
Traveling to an isolated island, a group of friends looking for a bachelor's party in the Caribbean find that a deadly flesh-eating virus being studied on the island has broken free and must find a way of stopping it from spreading before they're all contaminated.This one here wasn't all that bad and had some decent elements to it.
You're only interested in the gore!) and end up falling foul to that good ol' fashioned killer virus we all know so well.Cabin Fever 3 is low budget.
If you like dark and gory horror (with a helping of tongue in cheek) then watch the first Cabin Fever – ignore anything that shares its name made after the original..
Here, the viewer gets two to play with -- the film starts with two core stories, one about a group of young, stoned, teens out to have fun, who run into a deadly virus which (typical of what passes for humour in these sorts of scripts) they initially mistake for a harmless "reaction" to bad weed.
PS #1 -- If by any chance you have not seen the original Cabin Fever, one of the best things Eli Roth ever did, run don't walk to your local DVD purveyor or video streamer and watch that instead.
The ending to me didn't make a lot of sense, I think there was supposed to be a big twist to it all and maybe if you're a fan of the series you might have got it but I missed something there but regardless it was an enjoyable, mindless, ridiculously violent and over the top excessive slasher/Zombie flick.Sean Astin is probably the most impressive part of Cabin Fever 3.
Ryan Donowho is barely existent as just another friend there to be fodder for the zombie outbreak and Jillian Murray who is there early on to be a "hot" girl who will take her top off and to make sure there is a female character though she also has some really messed up disturbing scenes including a sickening (but disturbingly creative) oral sex scene and a zombie fighting scene I thought would be very memorable in the cult classic circles.The film does lack a definitive villain but then the entire concept is that the virus is the true killer.
Remembering seeing a building on the other side of the island as they were approaching, two others go off in search for help, but when they get there, they soon realise that there isn't much time for their friends and it is now a race against time to get help.Cabin Fever: Patient Zero was actually a bit of a mixed bag for me.
Only just though.Now, you obviously don't go into a movie like this expecting an amazing plot, and if you do, well more fool you, but it's still better than Cabin Fever 2 (which has been erased from my memory banks, thankfully).
I really like the way these movies follow each other, and keep to the story that started in the cabin.
This incarnation of Cabin Fever is as good as any other, it starts out with all of the bells going off, and you are never quite sure what has actually happened, until the credits wrap the whole thing up in a bow for you.
I Enjoyed this one as much as the first, in some ways more, Sean Austin is like a little gift that keeps on giving, and there is nothing bad that I could really say about the film, or sound work, it all really comes through.
On a remote Caribbean island, a research facility seeks to create a cure for the Cabin Fever virus from a bloke who appears immune to it (Sean Astin, in a career-worst performance.
It is poorly written, directed and acted, and almost all of the second half is composed of that stalwart of horror movies which have running time to fill and no idea what to fill it with - yes, that's right, creeping around in unlit tunnels by torchlight, a section which is so badly executed that you're never quite sure who is creeping where and what they expect to achieve when they get there.I don't recall ever having seen a film quite so bad featuring an actor with anything similar to Mr Astin's track record..
Cabin Fever 3 – Patient Zero,By the time a franchise like Cabin Fever gets to the third installment you know what to expect.
But by the time that starts happening there's been enough character development and internal conflict to last the rest of the movie.The virus is less convincing than the previous films and ends up being a bit of a joke.
Cabin Fever: Patient Zero is actually a good movie.
A doctor who looks like a cut price Kevin Spacey crossed with Bob Mortimer discovers where Sean Astin has been since the last Lord Of The Rings movie.It turns out that he is the carrier of the disease that started the whole franchise, and he's the titular character that the Doctor wants to keep and use to find a cure or whatever.This is the basis of the plot.Elsewhere, we get your normal group of kids, but this time one of them is getting married into a rich family (the one who looks like a cut price Benedict Cumberbatch) and his friends plan to hold him a stag party on a secluded island.Which also doubles up as the doctors lab, deep underground.Guess what happens next.We watch these movies for the spectacle and the make up, nothing else, but at least this one has a little bit of a story, the second one was just a bunch of kids acting like fools, with no characterisation whatsoever.While this is more of the same, at least the four main characters have a little bit of a background, so you do kind of connect with them.Other than that, it's more of the same.
Only this time, their cabin is an island.While it's not great, it is very enjoyable for fans of the "virus/zombie-like" genre, like myself. |
tt0074486 | Eraserhead | The film starts with a man named Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) hovering in space. His brain, represented by a rocky planet visible through his head, hovers behind him. In Henry's brain there is a Man in the Planet (Jack Fisk) who pulls levers to control Henry's functions which represents his central nervous system. This scene is going to represent Henry having sexual intercourse with a woman named Mary X (Charlotte Stewart). Henry's mouth opens and a spermatozoon slides its way out, then rests erect at Henry's side. The Man in the Planet pulls several levers and launches the sperm into a water hole which represents the vagina of Mary X. Some time passes and a creature is born in the depths and rises to the surface.The next scene starts with Henry looking at the camera. He then proceeds to walk home to his apartment through a slum in an industrial wasteland. When he gets to the lobby, he checks the mail and finds there is none. He then takes the elevator up to his apartment. Before he gets inside, the Beautiful Girl Across the Hall (Judith Anna Roberts) informs him that Mary X called and invited him to dinner. While in the apartment, Henry puts on music from a record player, takes off his shoes and puts his socks on the radiator since they were wet from stepping in a puddle while walking home. While sitting on his bed, he then stares at the radiator which represents thoughts of suicide. We see that there are electrical wires around the radiator. He glances at the only window in his one-room apartment which only has a view of a brick wall of another building across the alleyway, symbolizing his claustrophobic, prison-like setting. In the background is a small picture of a mushroom cloud which shows the setting to be a post-apocalyptic future. He then throws a stone in a pot of water in his dresser which is meant to be a superstitious gesture, and looks at a torn picture of Mary.That evening after dark, Henry walks over to Mary's house to meet her family and have dinner. Before he goes in, they mention Henry and Mary's strained relationship. While Henry is talking with Mrs. X (Jeanne Bates), it's revealed that Henry works as printer at LaPell's Factory, but is "on vacation". Henry meeting the family is portrayed as very awkward throughout the scene. The family attempt to eat the artificial chickens and salad but everything goes wrong when the chickens start twitching and bleeding when Henry tries to carve them. After dinner, Mrs. X interrogates Henry about whether or not he had pre-marital sexual intercourse with Mary. He confirms that they did and it's revealed that Mary had a deformed, premature baby. Mrs. X orders that they must get married as soon as possible and pick up the baby from the hospital.The next scene cuts to sometime later after they get married and get the mutated, alien baby home. Henry arrives, checks the mail to find a worm in a stylish black box. Henry hides this from Mary first in his pocket and later in a cupboard next to the bed. He gets home and contemplates suicide again, this time more seriously.During the night, as Henry and Mary sleep, the baby cries continually. The sounds of a raging thunderstorm appear from outside as well as sounds of more factory machinery and rumblings of a freight train are heard. Mary can't stand it and tells Henry that she is going back home, leaving Henry to deal with the baby.The Beautiful Girl Across the Hall is seen returning to her apartment in a disheveled state after an apparently bad date. (It is implied that she may be a prostitute).Over the next few days, Henry has trouble sleeping and hears the baby stop crying. He gets out of bed to check its temperature and after the temperature reads fine he looks back at the baby seeing that it is covered in sores and apparently sick. After he sets up a vaporizer, the Beautiful Girl Across the Hall comes over and seduces him and they literally melt into the bed. The Girl sees the mutated baby nearby crying.The lady in the radiator (Laurel Near) appears again on a stage singing "in Heaven everything is fine" while mutated worms (symbolizing sperm) fall from the ceiling and she steps on them. Henry goes on stage and a dead tree in some dirt is wheeled out which makes him appear uneasy and he steps to the side of the stage where he acts agitated. As he plays with a railing staring off into space, his head pops off and the crying mutated baby takes its place. His head forms a pool of blood and eventually falls into it, re-appearing out of the sky and landing in an alley in the industrial wasteland. A little boy (Thomas Coulson) sees the head and takes it to an eraser factory where his head is made into erasers. Henry then apparently wakes up from the nightmare.Upon waking up Henry hears something outside his apartment. He then sees the Beautiful Girl Across the Hall being intimate with a man named Mr. Roundheels. When he gets back inside his apartment, the baby makes strange cackling sounds as though it's laughing at Henry. Henry, apparently agitated moves over to the baby and begins to cut off the bandages covering its body causing the baby to breathe heavily. To Henry's horror, the baby's body splits open as it was either too fragile or Henry had cut into it. Henry decides to stab into the baby's heart with the scissors and collapses on the other side of the room. The baby's innards flow over the electrical wires which then produce sparks and short-circuit the lights. He sees the baby's head hovering about on a now very long neck, as the lights flicker in and out the baby's head becomes gigantic and it engulfs the camera.The man in the planet is seen pulling a lever and apparently being electrocuted. In the final shot, we see Henry standing in some kinds of white afterlife and embrace the woman in the radiator.================================================================================Alternate synopsis and possible reason for the weirdness:It is an alternate world in the early 1970's. The United States was attacked by either the Japanese or Russians in the late 1940's or early 1950's; the Japanese having revenge for what we did in World War 2 or the Russians fulfilling our Cold War paranoia. As a result, over 95% of the population was wiped out. Little or no attempt was made to rebuild America and technology was halted to a standstill. The reason that all electricity seems to be run on steam generators and factories are self-running. Henry lives in a 40's era apartment with a 1978 record player and iron frame bed. And the X home looks like a relic of that era as well.Enter a small industrial town on the outskirts of Philadelphia or a small town in Pennsylvania in the early 1970's. The population of the town is probably no more than 100 people. Henry Spencer was a child when the atomic war happened. As a result of radiation poisoning and the trauma of the attack, he was socially awkward, prone to frequent hallucinations and fantasy worlds, and with autistic traits. The X family has many forms of mental illness. Mr. X is manic depressive/bipolar, Mrs. X is schizophrenic, Mary with epileptic fits and clinical depression, and Mrs. X's mother with dementia that became catatonia.Because nearly all animal life was wiped out, nearly all food is synthetic or genetically modified.As for the baby, 20 plus years of radiation poisoning had modified Mary's reproductive system. Bringing a child into the world has been discouraged for the past 20 years.The lady in the radiator, man in the planet, and his head being made into erasers are all illusions Henry has for his miserable existence. At the end, he kills the baby, then presumably kills himself, but to him, it appeared the baby ate him and he ended up in heaven with the woman of his dreams. | comedy, avant garde, mystery, dark, boring, cult, violence, horror, atmospheric, psychedelic, sci-fi | train | imdb | null |
tt0097737 | Leviathan | Miss Martin, the CEO of Tri-Oceanic Corp., hires geologist Steven Beck to supervise an undersea mining operation for six months. The crew consists of members Dr. Glen 'Doc' Thompson, Elizabeth 'Willie' Williams, Buzz 'Sixpack' Parrish, Justin Jones, Tony 'DeJesus' Rodero, Bridget Bowman and G.P. Cobb. While working outside their deep sea station in a pressure suit, Sixpack discovers a Soviet shipwreck, Leviathan. The crew salvage a safe from Leviathan, finding records detailing the deaths of several crew members as well as a video log from the captain. Sixpack also finds a flask of vodka which he shares with Bowman. Doc and Beck review the captain's video, which describes puzzling medical problems amongst his crew. They also discover that Leviathan was scuttled.
The following morning, Sixpack feels sick and Doc discovers lesions along his back. He dies a few hours later, but Doc and Beck keep it quiet to avoid a panic. Doc checks the crew to confirm no one else is sick, but does not have the chance to examine Bowman. While Beck and Doc confer with Martin on the surface, Bowman begins feeling ill. She finds Sixpack's corpse, which is mutating and growing. When Bowman's hair starts falling out, she realizes the same thing is happening to her. Beck and Doc request emergency evacuation, but Martin reports a severe storm on the surface that will delay evacuation for 12 hours.
Doc finds that Bowman killed herself. Her body is taken to sickbay, where it merges with Sixpack's. When the crew discovers the mutating bodies, they decide to dump both of them in the ocean. As they are about to "flush" the cadavers, the body bag begins squirming. Believing someone inside may be alive, the crew opens it. The creature inside claws Cobb before they eject it. They realize that Leviathan was experimenting on its unwitting crew with mutagens. The mutagen was mixed with the vodka that the crew, and later Sixpack and Bowman, drank. The ship was scuttled when the experiment escaped control.
A tentacle was severed when the corpses were ejected; it mutates into a lamprey-like creature that attacks DeJesus in the kitchen. Jones seals the kitchen's pressure doors and goes for help. He asks Cobb to watch the door, but when he searches for a weapon, the creature assimilates DeJesus and rips its way out of the kitchen. It then grows tentacles that attack the crew.
The creature attacks the medical bay, devouring blood and plasma from the cooler. This inspires Beck to use a pint of his blood to attract the beast, then attempt to flush it the same way they did with the Sixpack and Bowman creature. Doc ejects the escape pods so that no one can escape and risk bringing the mutagen to the surface. Beck consults with Martin for emergency evacuation. Martin assures them that they will not be left behind, but that she cannot carry out the rescue because of a hurricane.
Cobb's injuries worsen, causing him to mutate and infect Doc. Williams escapes as Beck and Jones try trapping the creature. They escape to another part of the station. The crew tries accessing weather information through the computer, but it is blocked. Williams asks the computer for a financial report from the company and they discover that Tri-Oceanic Corporation has declared them dead, labeling it an accident.
The creature damages vital systems, causing the pressure to drop and an implosion to occur. They decide to use their dive suits to escape. The creature attacks them, but is crushed by the lift as Beck escapes. They make it to the surface, which is calm and sunny. As they are met by a Coast Guard helicopter, the mutant surfaces nearby and tries to take Jones. He keeps it from escaping at the cost of his own life, and Beck throws a demolition charge into the creature's mouth, causing it to explode.
After they are dropped off on a Tri-Oceanic oil drilling platform, the two survivors are greeted by Martin. Martin tells them she believed they would make it, smiling insincerely and asking how Beck feels. Beck punches Martin in the face, knocking her out, and then answers her question by saying "Better. A lot better." | cult, suspenseful, violence, prank | train | wikipedia | null |
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