imdb_id
stringlengths 9
9
| title
stringlengths 1
92
| plot_synopsis
stringlengths 442
64k
| tags
stringlengths 4
255
| split
stringclasses 1
value | synopsis_source
stringclasses 2
values | review
stringlengths 119
19k
⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
tt0107507 | Manhattan Murder Mystery | Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) and his wife Carol (Diane Keaton), both in their late forties, come back from a hockey game to their apartment in Manhattan, and, in the elevator, they meet their next-door neighbors Paul (Jerry Adler) and Lilian (Lynn Cohen) House, who are both in their sixties, and whom they actually hardly know. Carol and Lilian discover they go to the same gym club, and Lilian invites Larry and Carol for a drink in her apartment. We learn that Larry work in the publishing business, and that Paul owns an old cinema, which is being redone. Carol doesn't work but she would like to open a restaurant. Even though they have been married twenty-eight years, Paul and Lilian don't have any children, but Larry and Carol have a son, who is away in college.The next night, Larry and Carol go to a movie theater with their friends Sy (Ron Rifkin) and Marilyn (Joy Behar), to watch Billy Wilder's «Double Indemnity». When they come back home, they find the Houses' door open and a crowd of neighbors gathered around the door. Lilian has just died from a heart attack. Larry and Carol are surprised by this death because Lilian seemed so healthy.A couple of days later, on their way to the Met, Larry and Carol meets Paul in the street and Carol finds Paul's cheerfulness slightly suspicious. Later in the evening, in a restaurant, she talks about it with their friends Ted (Alan Alda), Sy and Marilyn. Ted is just divorced, and Larry thinks he is in love with Carol. Carol explains that Lilian House didn't seem to have a heart condition. And Ted says that Paul could have killed her to run off with his «tootsie». But Larry is very doubtful about it, and just thinks that Paul is a strong guy, who tries to hide his true feelings.Knowing he likes sweet food, Carol makes floating islands for Paul and bring them to him. While Paul and Larry are talking in the living-room, Carol is making coffee in the kitchen and she finds a funerary urn hidden in a cupboard, seeming to refute Paul's claim that Lilian was buried. Carol becomes even more suspicious later in the night after hearing Paul leave his apartment at 1:00 a.m. She thinks that he left to dispose of the urn, but Larry tells Carol she's «inventing a mystery.»Knowing that Paul is away, Carol steals a spare key from Jack (William Addy), the super, and sneaks into Paul's apartment. The urn is missing, but she finds two plane tickets to Paris and a reservation for a Paris hotel for Paul and a woman named Helen Moss. From Paul's apartment, she calls Ted to tell him about it, but Paul unexpectedly returns, and Carol hides under the bed. She overhears a telephone conversation between Paul, calling himself Tom, and a woman whom she supposes to be Helen Moss. After Paul's departure, she leaves the apartment but realizes later that she left her eyeglasses in Paul's apartment. When she tells Larry what she's done, he is furious about it.Carol makes a chocolate mousse and brings it to Paul so that she can retrieve her glasses, but Paul finds them first, causing Larry and Carol to try awkwardly to explain why the eyeglasses were under his bed.Ted finds out where Helen Moss lives. He and Carol sit in his car outside her apartment and when she comes out, they follow her to the old cinema theatre that Paul owns. They hide inside the theatre and find out that Helen Moss (Melanie Norris) is a young, beautiful actress looking for a job. While eavesdropping on Paul and Helen, they hear the couple talking about the money they're going to get from selling the theater. Paul and Helen are interrupted by the arrival of Gladys Dalton (Marge Redmond), Paul's only assistant, who is a middle-aged woman walking with a cane.In the middle of the night, while Paul is away, Carol goes back in his apartment, taking a very frightened Larry along with her. She presses the «last number dialed» button on the telephone and someone named «Waldron» answers the phone. Larry inadvertently breaks a statuette in the bedroom, and picking up the debris, Carol finds a suspicious pair of gloves.Going out of the restaurant were they have been celebrating their son (Zack Braff) Nick's birthday, Larry and Carol meet Marcia Fox (Anjelica Huston), an author and a client of Larry. When Marcia is gone, Larry explains to Carol that he wants to «fix» Marcia with Ted, but Carol doubts it would work.Later, Carol meets Ted in a lounge for a wine-tasting party. Ted drinks a bit too much wine and confess to Carol he is in love with her. He goes away and Carol remains seated near the window, looking absently at the street, when, in a bus, she sees a woman that looks very much like the deceased Lilian House. When, back home, she tells Larry about it, Larry answers that she had certainly drunk too much wine. To please Carol, he even suggests that Lilian could have a twin.Next day, Carol goes back, with Ted, to the place where she saw the bus. Ted has been investigating and found that Lilian had a sister and a brother, but no twin. A bit further down on the street, they find a «Hotel Waldron», «Waldron» being the name Carol was given when she called the «Last Number Dialed» on Paul's telephone. Ted calls the hotel from a pay-phone, and finds there is no Mrs House and no Miss Moss staying at the hotel.Meanwhile, in a empty restaurant, Marcia is giving Larry a poker lesson. While playing, Larry tells Marcia about his feeling that Carol is having an affair with Ted. Marcia tells him he should try to involve himself in Carol's investigation despite having denounced it as foolishness.So Larry goes along with Carol to spy on the Waldron Hotel from their car and they see Lilian House entering the hotel. They question the hotel clerk (Aida Turturro) and find that Lilian is staying there under a false name. On the pretense of giving her a birthday present, they go to her room and find her dead on the floor. They rush out of the hotel and call the police, but when, a bit later, the police eventually search the room, they don't find anyone in the room, not even a dead body. Nevertheless, one of the policeman gives his business card to Larry.Much later in the evening, Larry and Carol come back to the street near the hotel and, from the street, they see a light in Lilian's room. Using the business card the police officer gave him, Larry pretends to be a policeman. The night clerk (Yanni Sfinias), who has never seen them before, let them go into Lilian's room, which they start searching for clues. And they find Lilian's wedding ring. While leaving the hotel, they get stuck in the elevator, triggering Larry's severe claustrophobia. Carol opens the emergency exit panel to escape and finds Lilian's body hidden on the roof of the elevator cabin. The lights go out, and the elevator rides down to the basement. When they exit in the back street behind the hotel, they see Paul putting a wrapped body in the trunk of his car.Carol and Larry follow him out of the city to a junk yard. Paul dumps Lilian's body on a pile of scrap metal, and it is dropped into a melting furnace with the metal. Larry and Carol are helpless and the evidence of murder is destroyed.They come back home, and as they reach their building, they see Paul coming out of it, walking slowly because he is accompanied by Gladys Dalton. He says they've been watching Madame Bovary and she confirms his alibi.Larry and Carol know that Ted is having diner with Marcia in a restaurant called Vincent's and they decide to meet them there. The four of them discuss the mystery and try to solve it. Larry remembers that, when they came home, the night of Lilian's death, the body was already covered with a sheet and they never actually saw it. Carol is also sure it was Paul they saw cremating his wife's body in the junk yard. Marcia thinks that Paul has committed the perfect murder. And she explains it :The night of the murder, they had a guest, who looked a bit like Lilian, and this guest had a heart attack. After her death, Lilian dressed her with her own clothes, and then hid somewhere in the apartment, while Paul was waiting for the doctor. When the doctor and the paramedics were gone with the body, Lilian went to the Waldron hotel under a false name. But Paul had been cheating on his wife with Helen Moss for a long time, and he decided to double-cross her and kill her, taking her share of the profits. Gladys Dalton is in love with Paul and she lied both to the police about Paul being working with her while he was killing his wife in the hotel, and to Larry and Carol about Paul watching Madame Bovary with her while he was cremating his wife in the junk yard.Carol gets a bit jealous of Marcia getting all the attention from both Larry and Ted, because of her brilliant explanation of the mystery, so acrimoniously she says Marcia has no proof about Paul being the murderer. But Marcia answers she has a plan to make Paul confess the murder.Ted owns a theater and Marcia, Larry, Carol, Ted, Sy and Marilyn use it to stage a fake audition, to which they ask Helen Moss to come. They tape-record the whole audition, and then Sy edits the tape, changing the sentences Helen said to fit in the fake dialogue they need to trap Paul. To be sure Helen won't be with Paul when they call him, Ted meets Helen in a bar to talk to her about the stage play he supposedly wants her to be part of.Meanwhile in Sy and Marilyn's apartment, Carol, Larry, Sy and Marilyn each have a small tape machine which they play in turn to give Paul, whom they are calling, the impression that he is actually getting a call from Helen. Helen's faked call suggests that «his neighbors» have his wife's body and that they want $200,000 for it. Either he pays them or he kills them. Marcia believes that Paul will try to kill them, and the police can then catch him in the attempt.After the call, Paul meets Gladys outside his office in the movie theatre. Seeing him worried, she tells him she is always available if he needs help, but he gets mad at her and tells her to stop interfering with his business.Meanwhile, in the street outside Sy and Marilyn's building, Carol is getting mad at Larry, whom she accuses of being in love with Marcia. She eventually tells him she feels like being alone for a while and she walks away.A bit later, as scheduled by Marcia, Larry calls Paul from a pay phone, telling him he has a «package» that is going to cost him $200,000. But what he doesn't know is that Paul has kidnapped Carol. And Paul answers that he also has a package for him, and, to prove it, he gets Carol on the phone. He then asks Paul to bring Lilian's body to the movie theater.Larry goes to the theater with a dummy in the trunk of his car. When he sees it, Paul gets mad and the two men start fighting on the parking lot of the theatre, but Larry breaks away from Paul and rushes into the theatre. He starts searching for Carol, but becomes disoriented by an array of mirrors behind the theater screen, mirrors which are reflecting the movie being played (Orson Welles's «The Lady from Shanghai»). Paul stalks him with his gun in hand, but he is shot by Gladys, who doesn't want Paul to drop her for Helen. Meanwhile, Larry rescues Carol and they call the police. They're both in love with each other again.Later, Marcia explains to Ted what exactly happened. The dead body in the apartment was Lilian's rich sister, who bore a strong resemblance with Lilian. The sister had a heart attack while having dinner with them, and the Houses took advantage of the situation. Lilian ran away from the apartment to hide at the hotel Waldron under a false name while Paul was showing the doctor his dead «wife». Pretending to be her sister, Lilian changed her sister's will naming Lilian and Paul as her sole beneficiaries. But Paul double-crossed her, killed her and cremated her, so he could run off with Helen. Gladys covered for him, because she was in love with him, but without knowing he actually was a murderer.Marcia and Ted are starting a romantic relation, and Larry and Carol are acting as a couple of young lovers ! | comedy, mystery, murder, flashback | train | imdb | With an all star fantastic cast; Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston and Jerry Adler.The reunion of Keaton and Allen together was such a delight, the chemistry between Allen and Keaton, is truly top-notch, remind me of Annie Hall.(Diane Keatons role where actually intended for Mia Farrow, but as most of you know Woody Allen was going through his off-screen scandal at the time..).
Whit Manhattan Murder Mystery Allen also reunites with writer Marshall Brickman, they wrote Annie Hall and Manhattan together, Like those films, this one contains some very funny one-liners.Manhattan Murder Mystery is one of Woody Allen's most wonderful movies.
Couple Larry and Carol Lipton (Woody Allen and Diane Keaton) get involved with a complicated murder (they think) when their next door neighbor's wife dies suddenly.
He plays Larry Lipton, a New York City book editor, whose wife Carol (Diane Keaton) becomes convinced that one of their apartment neighbors is a murderer.
When you combine this naturalistic style of talk with terrific performances by Allen, Keaton, Alda, and several other actors, the time flies by, and you're sorry when the film ends.The murder "mystery" element isn't really believable.
Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)This movie almost defines delightful--at least for people who already like Woody Allen.
It helps (a lot) that we have the reuniting of Allen with Diane Keaton, and it's a nice breeze in the room to have both Alan Alda at his ordinary guy best and Angelica Huston as a true New Yorker brimming with confidence and savvy.
Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) Dir: Woody Allen Supposedly Miss Keaton (never married by the way) only did this film as a favor to Mr. Allen who was enduring some rather unsavory press at the time concerning his breakup with actress Mia Farrow and his ensuing love affair with Miss Farrow's adopted teenage daughter.
Wonderful creative (and not only) relationship between Woody Allen and Diane Keaton has resulted in such movies as "Bananas" (1971), "Sleeper" (1973), "Love and Death" (1975), "Annie Hall" (1977), "Interiors" (1978), "Manhattan" (1979), "Radio Days" (1987), "Manhattan Murder Mystery" (1993), and has brought them both well-deserved fame and Oscars.Made 20 years ago, "Manhattan Murder Mystery" could be symbolical final chapter of imaginary Manhattan trilogy that would also include "Annie Hall" and "Manhattan", and it would give (among many more great things) a chance to happy ever after to Woody's and Diane's "neurotic romance".
The reunion of Keaton and Allen as a married couple, Larry and Carol Lipton, trying to figure out if their new next door neighbor has committed murder of his wife is their last film together, and IMO, the funniest.
For me, Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) is the most delightful and enjoyable of all Allen's films and I never laugh as much and hard as when I re-watch this comedy/whodunit.
It is so clever and funny that I would take it with me to any deserted island, and if I felt lonely and down, I'd watch the scene in the hotel's lift, and the Allen's face when he delivers one of his funniest lines ever, "Claustrophobia and a dead body - this is a neurotic's jackpot!" I believe Manhattan Murder Mystery has more witty and hilarious dialogs and one-liners than any of Allen's films, and I enjoy every one of them.
In Manhattan, Carol (Diane Keaton) and her husband Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) are coming home late night when they meet their next door neighbors Lillian (Lynn Cohen) and Paul House (Jerry Adler) in the elevator.
If the reader wants to spend 104 minutes laughing, watch "Manhattan Murder Mystery" since this film is funny even for those that are not fans of Woody Allen.
After the mature and gritty work of "Husbands and Wives" (1992), Allen returns to what can be described as an amalgamation of his early "funny" movies and the moral ethics of his 80's work like "Crimes and Misdeameanors" (1989) and "Hannah and her Sisters" (1986)."Manhattan Murder Mystery" (1993) re-teams Allen and Keaton, and also uses two cast members from "Crimes and Misdeameanors", Alan Alda and Angelica Huston.
By comparison of some of his previous work, including Husbands and Wives and Crimes and Misdemeanors, this is a very breezy and light-hearted farce that has great fun within the genre of films such as Rear Window and The Thin Man. Woody Allen writes and directs with such ease and relaxation and actors Diane Keaton, Alan Alda, and Angelica Huston so perfectly fit the mold he creates that it is simple enough to engage instantly with these characters and follow them as they interact.It must be said here that the actual murder plot is somewhat predictable and not very original.
Looking at this from a more comedic angle than his previous works, this is one of the funniest Woody Allen movies I have yet to see, surpassing even the heavily comedic undertones of works such as Midnight in Paris and Whatever Works.Allen rounds up Diane Keaton again in the leading female role, perfectly replicating the kind of atmosphere he created in Annie Hall, one of his first films to be recognized by even the Academy as a significant achievement in dramatic filmmaking.
After 20 years of marriage, and with one son in college, Larry (Woody Allen) and Carol Lipton (Diane Keaton) try to accommodate with each other's interests, and from the very first hilarious exchanges, we get the point on how dramatically opposed they happen to be.
After, "Husbands and Wives", a powerful social commentary about marital relationships and an opportunity for Woody Allen to exorcise all the demons resulting from the custody battle with Mia Farrow, "Manhattan Murder Mystery" feels like a moment of pure refreshment.
Woody Allen said "Mia likes to do funny things, but she's not as broad a comedian as Diane is", although I don't approve the manner but I have to agree with the director, Mia Farrow is fine but as far as comedy is concerned, Diane Keaton has that little sparkle that makes all the difference.
Yes, we have the New York middle-class lifestyle, the intellectual discussions with the couples of friends, Allen's neurotic personality ("a dead body and claustrophobia, a neurotic's jackpot"), his distaste for Wagner, a compositor who gives him the "urge to invade Poland" and the whole romantic twists and commentaries on men and women's relationships, all the ingredients for a great Allen's film are here but Diane Keaton is the icing on the cake.And believe me, she's for more than three quarters in what make "Manhattan Murder Mystery" such a delicious pastry, reminding us how a great chemistry she always had with Woody Allen, hell, even when they argue, they're hilarious..
The movie is based about a happily married couple (Larry (Woody Allen) and Carol Lipton (Diane Keaton)) in their mid-ages settled in Manhattan.
I liked "Manhattan Murder Mystery" a lot, The performances of Woody Allen and Diane Keaton as a mature married couple investigating their neighbor about the possibility that he has murdered his wife is very funny.
I think this movie deserves 7.5 stars.There is a lot of chemistry between the leading and the supporting cast, Anjelica Huston looks so cool as the clever writer with a lot of world, Alan Alda is good too like the good friend of Diane Keaton who supports her in resolving the mystery about the possible murder, and who loves her.
I love his humour and his ability to act and so I was delighted to see him in a role that catered for his style of acting and humour, but also showed a more mature and serious side to his acting.I watched this movie not knowing what to expect, except that the movie's lead stars (Woody and Diane Keaton) had been given very good reviews about their part in this film.
Woody Allen and Diane Keaton teamed up again for "Manhattan Murder Mystery" in 1993 and proved once more that they are a great match.
She confides in her divorced friend Ted (Alan Alda) and before you know it, she's snooping around Mr. House's apartment, following him and doing stakeouts with Ted.This is a wonderful comedy that has a very improvisational feel and two people who act and talk just like a married couple - except funnier because Woody's the husband.
As a lonely divorcée, Alda gives a wonderful performance, and Angelica Huston as a beautiful, savvy, tough poker-playing writer is perfection.Woody Allen has made some heavy-duty films, comedies, and along the way, he's had a few misfires.
He relaxes our attention to aesthetics, and so we feel that we're watching a light, breezy little geriatric romantic comedy.Indeed, a central theme of the movie seems to be indifference, which tends to come with age when people seem to unfussily accept that there are many things they've never gotten to do and probably never will, and in effect some, like Woody's character, seem to see life's reality as a place where nothing exciting happens so there's no reason to feel dejected because there's no point of comparison to make between yesterday and today.
We could be living next to a murderer," Carol Lipton (Diane Keaton) emphasizes to her doubtful husband, Larry (Woody Allen).
Larry isn't so convinced: "New York is a melting pot: I'm used to it!" When put in the situation of having a murderer live next door, there are two kinds of people: there are (1) the bored who decide their life could use a little fluffer, deciding to solve the mystery themselves, like a modern day Miss Marple, or (2) the fearful who figure it would be best to mind their own business and let karma stop by sometime in the future.Trouble is, Carol is of the first category, Larry of the second.
Is it the contagiously humorous repartee between Allen and Keaton (in their first film together since 1979's "Manhattan"), the obvious homages to film noir(you can't beat "The Lady from Shanghai" playfulness of the ending) and Agatha Christie, the likable supporting performances from Alan Alda (the likable best friend type) and Anjelica Huston (the superiorly cool female figure), the New York setting?
As someone who has really liked or loved most of what she's seen of Woody Allen's filmography(15 left to watch as of now)- he has done some disappointments but none to me have been terrible or unwatchable, more uneven than anything else-, Manhattan Murder Mystery is up there with his best, not quite in his top 5 but most definitely in the top 10.
With the hand-held camera, no narration, no breaking of the fourth wall and an all around more realistic feel, Manhattan Murder Mystery is a clear follow-up for Husbands and Wives, but transferring that great film's style into a semi-comedic thriller parody doesn't work that well, mainly because Allen's character and his neurotic sarcasm are completely out of place - part of the point, of course, but it gets tiring much too often.
Diane Keaton is the film's saving grace - it's great to see her work with Allen again for the first time since the masterpiece Manhattan - and she's at her very best, as is Anjelica Huston in a smaller but unforgettable part.
Allen and Diane Keaton, still the best of his many leading ladies, play an upper class, snooty New York couple who go sleuthing when the wife suspects their next-door neighbor of murder.
Even though the main characters, Larry and Carol, take on the task of resolving the case of a suspected murder by their neighbor, the film never quite feels like a crime movie.
It's good to see Woody Allen make a film which has nothing to do with relationships, although he does questioned Diane Keaton about her feelings for his friend half of the time.
With Carol spending more time with their friend Ted on the investigation, Larry reluctantly begins to help her.When Allen made Annie Hall he had originally planned to write an element of a murder mystery into the story.
Starring, in my opinion, Woody's best screen partner Diane Keaton, as well as another pair of repeat co-stars, Alan Alda and Anjelica Huston, Manhattan Murder Mystery is a zesty look at the lives of a middle aged couple who suddenly become convinced that a neighbor in their New York City apartment building has murdered his wife.
Manhattan Murder Mystery is so much more than a "silly plot" in a "throw away" Woody Allen film, but rather, another brilliant attempt at decoding the human condition we are all born into by one of America's best filmmakers.Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) and Carol Lipton (Diane Keaton) are a middle-aged couple in New York, tasked with the ever familiar plight of learning each other once again after becoming empty-nesters.
Diane Keaton and Woody Allen as a married couple are like a pair of old slippers...warm, inviting and comfortable.They have this wonderful energy between them and Dianne is so enthusiastic that she makes you want to go along on this 'murder mystery' with them.
I've not actually seen many Woody Allen movies, the only other I've seen is 'Small Time Crooks' (2000) both are equally enjoyable, but both run out of steam well before the end, as if Allen can't be bothered and moves on to something else, having said that though 'Manhattan Murder Mystery' is for the most part an incredibly enjoyable old-timey sort of film,Woody Allen teams up again with Former Girlfriend Diane Keaton as they play husband & wife Larry & Carol Lypton a fairly normal middle aged New York Couple who are now alone as their son (Scrubbs' Zack Braff in a blink and you'll miss him part) goes off to college.
With having found myself over the last few months unwittingly putting films of Woody Allen right at the back of the line of my "must watch" pile of movies,I decided shortly after finding out that a poll for the best films of 1993 was being held on IMDb's Classic Film board,that I would instantly put Woody Allen's 1993 right at the front,so that I could at last uncover the mysterious Manhattan murder.The plot:Returning to their apartment building after watching a game of hookey, husband and wife Larry and Carol Lipton run into near by residents,and fellow husband and wife,Paul and Lilian House.Making small talk with Paul and Lilian as they find themselves in the building's elevator with them,Larry and Carol are caught by surprise when Paul and Lilian suddenly invite them round for a late night coffee.Ignoring her husbands less then subtle signs of annoyance,Carol accepts the House's kind offer.As Larry gets bored out of existence by Paul showing him all of his stamp collection,Carol finds every minute that she spends with Lilian to be a true joy,who along with having a similar craving that Carol has for French deserts,is also very keen on her at- home gym,which leads to Carol greatly admiring Lilian,due to how amazingly fit and healthy she looks.The next night:Coming back from a night spent at the opera,Carol and Paul's fun night is stopped in its tracks,when they are given the tragic news the earlier that night,Lilian House had died of a heart attack.Feeling shaken over not just the death of her friend,but also the very odd,calm manner that Paul seemed to be in,Carol pushes Larry's reasoning that Paul is just grieving in a "different" manner right to the side,and begins to wonder if the thing that killed Lilian House was really a heart attack,or something much more sinister?...View on the film:Picking up a sub-plot that was originally meant for the duo's 1977 movie Annie Hall that got cut from the script due to feeling out of place with the rest of the plot,the screenplay by Marshall Brickman and co- writer/actor and director auteur Woody Allen impressively keep the movie away from every feeling dusty by cleverly balancing a tightly-coiled, surprisingly thrilling murder-mystery with characters like Carol Lipton,who will go to increasingly insane leginths to prove that their "hunch" is correct.Shooting the film in a "floating", non-shaky Cam style,Allen gives the movie a wonderful fresh atmosphere,with the scenes that Larry and Carol share together having an expert,improve-like feel about them,which helps to give each of Allen's and Brickman's lines (with "I cant listen to that much Wagner ya know.I start to get the urge to invade to conquer Poland!",being a particularly hilarious highlight) a real sharpness.Along with the crisp one-liners,Allen also gives the movie some terrific sly nods to Film Noir,from going to see Double Imdematey at a cinema,to an extremely stylish ending ,that has strong shades of 1947 Orson Welles Film Noir The Lady from Shanghai.Reuniting for the first time since 1979,Woody Allen and Diane Keaton both give strong performance's which set out to prove,that despite not appear on screen together for more than 10 years,neither of them has lost the other ones rhythm.Bounceing off a wonderfully agitated Allen,who would much rather be in bed then going round amateur sleuthing,Keaton shows Carol to be someone with an electrifying,and risky personality,who cant resits keeping away from solving the Manhattan murder mystery..
As events unfold however, Carol begins to suspect foul play and enlisting friend Ted (Alan Alda), she sets out to solve the case.Actually dating for a long time, there's little surprise to see so much chemistry between Woody Allen and Diane Keaton.
Watching a Woody Allen film is always rewarding, and this one has the advantage of his re-casting with Diane Keaton, as well as Alan Alda.
This is one of Woody Allen's later comedies that I enjoy much more than his earlier, more highly acclaimed "Annie Hall." For one thing, "Manhattan Murder Mystery" has plot.
Along with Woody and his usual female lead, Diane Keaton (as wife, Carol), this film has some nice cast additions in Alan Alda as Ted, Anjelica Huston as Marcia and others.
Yes, there was the murder mystery of course, but also the relationship and chemistry between the main characters (Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Alan Alda, Anjelica Houston). |
tt0472198 | Notorious | The film begins on March 8,1997 in L.A. with a party playing the popular song Hypnotize (The Notorious B.I.G. song)|Hypnotize. Biggie is seen sitting at his chair smoking a cigar, as dancers, including Faith Evans and Puff Daddy dance. Biggie, Puff Daddy, and his other friends are driving. They stop at a red light and while the guys are flirting with the girls outside. A black Chevy Impala pulls up and fires several shots at Biggie.The film then flashes back through many scenes all the way to 1983 showing Biggie as a kid. Biggie writes several songs, as he's made fun of by some school girls. Soon Biggie's mother, Voletta Wallace comes back to face with Biggie's father, who left when he was a child. There's a fight that Biggie witnesses and continues to listen to his music. Biggie soon starts "hustling" and being involved with drugs.Then in 1990, when Biggie is seventeen, he and his friend D-Roc (Dennis L.A. White) start to hustle with friend Lil Cease. Biggie wins a rap compeition on the streets and sees a beautiful girl named Lil Kim. After leaving the battle Voletta becomes aware of Biggie's drug dealing and kicks him out onto the street, where he finds his own place and starts getting money.Biggie finds himself in prison for 2 or 3 years.He is then released from prison and he goes to see Janet, his girlfriend and their new daughter. Biggie's mom has forgiven him for what he has done. After making up with his mother he goes to find D-Roc and Lil Cease and other friends and records a demo called "Microphone Murder."Biggie soon meets Puff Daddy, an ambitious producer for Uptown Records. Puff Daddy promises Biggie that he'll become a millionaire and that a record deal is right around the corner for him. Also, Biggie meets up with Lil Kim and begins a relationship.A few days later Biggie meets up with D-Roc and is caught with drugs by a nearby cop. Two police cars chase after Biggie and D-Roc. As they run Biggie throws his pistol into a nearby bush. Eventually they both get caught and are interviewed by a cop, who says that one of them must go away for carrying an illegal firearm. D-Roc takes the fall saying that Biggie has a chance in the rap game and if someone like him can make it then they can all make it.Puff Daddy soon reveals to Biggie that he got fired, but tells Biggie that some time soon he'll get a record deal. Later, Voletta reveals she has breast cancer and Biggie struggles with his life all around him. As the days go by Puff Daddy begins his own record label, Bad Boy Records.Biggie starts recording songs for his new album after he gets paid his first check by Puff Daddy after a small party. Biggie records for his first album. He gets down his supposed first single, but Puff Daddy refuses saying there's another track that Biggie can record. The track is called Juicy (The Notorious B.I.G. song)|Juicy. Biggie's friend laugh at it, but Biggie eventually records the first single and they actually enjoy it.At a photoshoot Biggie meets Faith Evans. They begin a relationship, even though Faith Evans has a kid named China. Then they get married 9 days later. Meanwhile, Biggie continues to ignore his relationship with Janet and their child together.Biggie begins a friendship with Tupac Shakur, who is already a big rapper and music star. Biggie celebrates for his album Ready To Die with Tupac and actually looks up at him. Ready To Die does amazing for fans. As this goes on Janet visit Faith Evans and ask her is Biggie is home and to tell him that to visit his daughter once in a while. And Faith is disappointed that Biggie hasn't seen his kid. Driven by this Faith Evans goes to check on Biggie and sees him with another woman. Faith Evans punches the girl and leaves Biggie in disgust.Biggie goes to the studio to find Puff Daddy and Faith Evans recording. Faith forgives Biggie and they make up. As this continues, tensions between Biggie, Faith and Lil Kim continue to grow.Things change suddenly when Tupac is shot in Quad Studios and full blaims it on Puff Daddy, Biggie and Bad Boy Records. At The Source Awards in 1995, Death Row Records' Suge Knight makes a speech dissing Puff Daddy and Bad Boy Records, claiming Death Row is the place to be. Soon the disagreement has escalated into a east vs west beef and attacks are made on both sides. The friendship between Biggie and Tupac is crushed. Tupac meets up with Biggie and verbally fights him, but decides to leave when Biggie's security pulls out a pistol. This whole thing is bringing down Biggie and making him clueless about what to do next.A track is leaked called "Who Shot Ya?" which claims to diss Tupac. The streets heat up and continue to pick sides. Biggie and Puff claim that Who Shot Ya? was recorded before any of this happened, but Suge Knight and Tupac claim otherwise.Biggie is walking out of his house one day to see Lil Cease with a magazine with Tupac and Faith Evans hugging each other. Biggie becomes a completely different person as he interrupts an interview with Faith Evans and a local news station and starts to run after Faith, until she hides from Biggie and Biggie is forced to go away by one of his managers, Mark.Biggie soon meets up with Faith, who is packing ready to leave. Faith says that Tupac and her met at the House of Blues and simply took a picture. Biggie tries to make Faith laugh, but it isn't enough and tensions grow between them.Fights continue, until in 1996 Tupac is shot in Las Vegas with Suge Knight in the car with him. Tupac dies and is seen in the papers by Biggie and Lil Cease. Biggie calls his mother, Voletta to consult. Voletta claims that Tupac's mother is brave and says that he probably died because of their arguements.Biggie has trouble handling with Tupac's death. He didn't expect it and no one did. On top of everything he has relationship problems with Faith Evans, Janet and Lil Kim. Biggie starts to clean everything up by meeting with Janet and his first kid more and more often.Biggie and Lil Cease are driving one day when they crash in the car, forcing Biggie to have a cane for the rest of his life. While in hospital, Biggie is met by D-Roc, who has just been released from prison. Biggie, D-Roc and Lil Cease all reunite as Biggie decides to go to LA to promote for his upcoming album Life After Death.Biggie, Lil Cease, D-Roc, Puff Daddy and Faith Evans all go to Los Angeles for promotion. Biggie gets death threats on Lil Cease's phone several times. That night Biggie is in the back of an award show and complains about the size of his shoes. Puff Daddy calms him down. Biggie reveals that Faith Evans is pregnant with a boy, CJ.Before leaving Biggie calls Lil' Kim and appologizes and tells her he would like to talk when he gets back, Biggie then leaves the award show in an SUV, with Puff Daddy in the other van. At an intersection another car pulls up and fires into their vehical. Biggie is shot several times and is mortally injured. A few days later Voletta, Puff Daddy, Lil Cease, D-Roc, Lil' Kim, Faith Evans and others all grieve over the death of Biggie at the funeral. In a black limo Voletta leaves. Fans everywhere are shouting. As Voletta leaves she hears her boy's voice. Overwhelmed with the bittersweet moment she sees hears a nearby boy is playing B.I.G.'s debut single "Juicy". This is so sad I want to cry to my mommy. | murder, flashback | train | imdb | Also Pac, though I am a huge fan of his music as well, is just a supporting character, this movie wasn't about him, it was about Christopher Wallace, the man, the son, the father and the husband.
He had a dream as a child and in the end he achieved that dream of not just becoming a success as a performer, but a success as a father to his children, a good son to his mom, and a good man to himself.I love that line in the move "If you wanna change the world, First you've got to change yourself"Inspirational film, even if you're not a fan of his music or hip hop, you can still appreciate the story behind this man..
Besides the hype surrounding it, for someone who embraced hip hop for many years being influenced by the like of Biggie Smalls, Nas & Tupac to mention a few, it only made sense for me to want to watch this movie.From the beginning i could not seem to get over the way in which B.I.G was portrayed as this smart, lovable young boy because it made me look at him in a whole different light that i initially thought.
The rest of the cast were not too bad either: Puffy, Faith Evans and the guy who played Biggie's manager were good too (don't expect any Oscar winners though!) From a neutral point of view (without being a Notorious B.I.G or Tupac fan) i really felt that they tried to explain the beef between the artists with a more lenient view of Biggie.
It's up to you to believe it or not.All in all it was a good effort, nothing too memorable but a story worth knowing especially if you want to know more about some of the most critical times in Hip Hop. Biggie fans will undoubtedly love this..
Of course it traces the beginnings of Biggie's life, from growing up as a bright Catholic school student in Brooklyn raised by his loving mother Voletta Wallace (a perfectly cast Angela Bassett), to his dropping out of school at age 17 to sell crack on the streets to help feed his baby daughter, and his eventual being signed to the then-newly formed Bad Boy Records by his best friend Sean "Puffy" Combs (Derek Luke).
For that, Mackie should not be invited back to the hip hop movie world.Lil Kim, played by Naturi Naughton (the girl who got kicked out of 3LW), was acted out beautifully, but the actual character was written a little over the top.The biggest flaw of all is the fact that the movie had no interpretation and no real drama.
Instead, Notorious plays out like a substantive character drama that always keeps the focus on Christopher Wallace rather than Biggie Smalls, and the result is compelling in its ability to stuff in so much material into its runtime without seeming overly abundant or superfluous.
Most importantly of all however is that Tillman's effort here resonates far more emotionally than one would expect; sure, the rags-to-riches story is fast becoming a sickly cliché, but Notorious remains true to its story regardless and ends up coming out feeling genuinely compelling without resorting to mundane and transparent devices.No doubt key to the entire productions success however, regardless of how finely constructed the screenplay may be is the performance by leading man Jamal Woolard who not only embodies Christopher Wallace to a fine point, but also nails what is demanded of him when chants of "Biggie" take form.
Of course, this does have some detrimental effect on some elements of the script's focus (namely involving his mother who battles breast cancer) but with a runtime already clocking in at two hours with very little throwaway material therein, one can't complain too much.In the end it's obvious that existing fans of the Notorious B.I.G, Biggie Smalls, Christopher Wallace and all around hip-hop icon will no doubt find a lot more to enjoy here than casual onlookers, but even those with an affinity for these kinds of stories will find much to invest within here.
I didn't know anything about his music or his life.What really made me like this movie was the way the writing, directing, and acting helped bring the character and his story to life.
The movie went into a lot of depth about Wallace's upbringing in Brooklyn, about his mother, his absentee father, the neighborhood influences, his slide into the "Thug Life" of violence, drug dealing, and prison, all of which contributed to his development as an acclaimed rapper.I really enjoyed how his entertainment career development interacted with Lil' Kim, Puff Daddy, Tupac, and all of the others.Many people will be turned off by how this movie seems to glorify violence, objectifies women, and accepts the baser and more coarse aspects of inner city Black culture.
Unless you were a close friend, classmate, neighbor, relative, or business associate of Christopher Wallace, you would never know the REAL "Biggie Smalls." You knew Biggie Smalls the "media creation" and marketing product of Bad Boy Records.I think this movie gives the indifferent B.I.G. fan another side of his personality.
Derek Luke was entertaining at time, Angela Bassett did her normal "concerned mother in the hood" role, and Naturi Naughton gave a balanced performance as X-rated lyricist Lil Kim.But this is Woolard's movie.
Notorious (based on the life of rapper Notorious B.I.G) is one such example, and while it is an enjoyable and compelling piece, it is perhaps more suited to the rapper's new fans rather than his die- hard ones.The story focuses on the life of Biggie Smalls (AKA the Notorious B.I.G) from his early beginnings as a New York drug dealer to his early success when he signs on to Bad Boy Records to his personal relationships later in life to his untimely death by an unknown assailant.
Bad Boy Record head Puff Daddy (who also produces the film) is suspiciously portrayed more hagiographically than BIG himself, many of BIG's problems aren't perhaps as accurately as they should be (i.e. the drug dealing and firearms charges aren't as severe as they would be in reality) and you can't help that the film has a overtly negative view of the West Coast rap scene, mainly that of Suge Knight & Tupac Shukar, leading to many set-pieces (mainly one which describes why Tupac turned on Biggie) that even those who have reservations towards Suge and Tupac (I have my own) won't buy.
All the other actors are pretty good too, with the exception of Anthony Mackie as Tupac Shukar, who while good, doesn't bother to attempt to look (only bearing the slightest resemblance) or sound like Tupac, something even more distracting considering Jamal's accuracy to his role or how one of Tupac's songs plays on the radio at one point, making the differences even more obvious.However, despite its faults, Notorious isn't an overall bad film.
No Dream Is To B.I.G. I went to watch this film not really expecting much, just thought it would be your average hood movie, wasn't a big fan of Biggie Smalls too...until now!
Through raw talent and sheer determination, Wallace transforms himself from Brooklyn street hustler (once selling crack to pregnant women) to one of the greatest rappers of all time; THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. Follow his meteoric rise to fame and his refusal to succumb to expectations - redefining our notion of "The American Dream." The story does get interesting and a lot of lessons are learned and this film sent out a message saying: It's never too late to change yourself.If you are a drama and rapping fan then by unanimous decision this film is what you need to watch.
It has fantastic performances by every actor (especially Jamal Woolard as Biggie), but with that said, I'm afraid that this film just focused too much on the negative side of Biggie, rather than his main contributions.Of course, the music is great, the cinematography is pretty good, it's well directed and extremely well acted (that's twice I've said that, stop me the next time I bring it up), but there's just such a negative flow to the whole film and that pretty much brought it down from my original rating of 8 to a 6.Yes, it did exceed my expectations, but not by much.
It's a good movie and deserves to be recognized, but I just really wished that they had focused much more on the positive side of Biggie's life rather than all the negative.By the way, I'm not a fan of rap music so this is a totally neutral review..
The film is populated by giants, such as Biggie, Tupac, Puffy, Shug (a large sized man, and an incredibly tiny human being, who in my opinion was more than likely responsible for the murder of this musical giant) Faith Evans, Lil Kim, and others.
i seen the movie at the theater, and there were only 2 other white people there- the rest were black kids aged 15-23 I'd say- most of em laughed whenever Biggie Smalls said something that the film makers intended to be funny.it was okay- had all the shiny bland production values of a typical Hollywood movie, failed to portray life as gritty and shitty like it is, but I've seen a lot worse.
this movie makes it look like becoming a super star is a walk in the park (which can be said for A lot of movies), and we all know the answer to that...there's not much to say about the performances and story, as most people can probably guess the flow of the movie before it even starts- Biggie Smalls roses from the gutter in Brooklyn to rappa super stardom, then got shot by west coast gangsters in 1997- so it's pretty easy to conceive of what happens in the film based on the semantics of a usual Hollywood biography.4.8/10- nothing special, but worth a watch if you've nothing to do.
Biggie Smalls influence on modern Hip Hop is still relevant today in the lyrical styling of Jay-Z, Nas and countless other New York rappers, bringing his life story to the big screen would require great detail and most all of the right actor.
Rarely do we talk much about Wallace's life as young boy, a teenager, and somebody who tried to break into the rap game before being picked up by Sean "Puffy" Combs, who had faith in him and his abilities.George Tillman, Jr.'s Notorious makes a bold attempt at detailing those years and, as a result, produces a captivating biopic, one that is built on complete and total devotion, admiration, disgust, but above all, interest in its character and not his rapping persona.
The film doesn't make the case he was a role model, frequently being unfaithful to his girlfriends and children, and going back on his word several times in the face of turmoil and uncertainty, but paints him more as a figure that came to define some of rap music's core elements.Notorious is a rousing biopic, never boring, filled with invigorating and memorable music, some of which even performed by Woolard himself, and bearing very skilled people in the writing and directing fields to assure justice was done to one of rap music's most charismatic and defining figures.Starring: Jamal Woolard, Angela Bassett, Derek Luke, Antonique Smith, and Anthony Mackie.
I like to just give honest reviews without going too much into the characters and plot and spoiling ot for everyone.The Good Points - Good music, great casting the lead actor stands out as B.I.G and as always Angela Bassett is reliable as ever,not sure of the complete story but the movie looked as if it tried it's best to portray an honest account of his life.The Bad Points - Appeals to a particular type of audience, leaves you with mixed feelings afterwards.Overall - Not a movie which will appeal to everyone, I enjoyed it but then again I like that type of music, it's a decent enough film but like I said before it leaves you with mixed feelings towards the mighty B.I.G and his life and the problem is the truth of his life will probably never be revealed so you feel a little cheated somehow..
Notorious B.I.G. This film could almost be seen as a glorified documentary of the rise and fall of Chistopher Wallace, A.K.A Biggy Smalls/Notorious B.I.G. As the storyline unveils, the audience seems to try and integrate themselves into BIG's character, however it is not as well directed as it really could have been and this was a huge disappointing factor of the movie.
(Remember that Notorious BIG was one of the first rappers to come off the streets and make something for himself.) The film was overall nothing more than a 6/10 because of the lack of emotion and build-ups, but I did like the respect he always gave to his mother, and the change of personality BIG showed just before Tupac's death.
This movie was an amazing movie, i give it a 10/10 although some parts could of been better it portrayed a beautiful line of what his life was, as a rapper and how he grew up, also how new york still is today, i'd recommend you watch this movie, you will laugh, then you will want to cry.This is history in the making, and forever long live Notorious B.I.G R.I.Peven if you are not a fan of rap, this movie will blow you away with pieces left behind to shatter, his words and music mean much more than just jams for you to listen to, they are spiritual, you will want to hear him over and over again.
But it was his talent for rapping - for putting into words and music his reflections on what it meant to be a black man living in the inner city - that brought him to the attention of Sean "Puffy" Combs, founder of Bad Boy Records, who signed Wallace, now known as Biggie Smalls, to his first recording contract.Soon, B.I.G. was a major figure in the gangsta' rap scene, adored by his fans, hated by his enemies and partaking in the fruits of all that the "high life" of a mass market celebrity had to offer: namely, wealth, fame, fashion, women, and an unlimited access to guns and drugs.
This real-life thug opera that played itself out in the media ultimately turned deadly when, first, Tupac, and then B.I.G. himself met similar fates at the barrel of a gun.The movie is most notable for the performance of rapper Jamal Woodard in the title role, who not only looks amazingly like the original Biggie but manages to sound quite a bit like him as well.
The film sheds light on the hardships, life and relationships that B.I.G often spoke about in his rhymes.Watching the story of Christopher Wallace unfold was extremely interesting because it truly revealed the man behind the music.Christopher Wallace was played by first time actor, Jamal Woolard.
He does a serviceable job of expressing the flaws in Wallace's character and his early attraction to the mean streets during his days as a drug dealer, but Derek Luke as the charismatic (and, obviously, angelic, considering who produced the movie) Combs and Anthony Mackie as rapper Tupac Shakur steal every scene they are in with their over-sized personalities.
Look,I'm reading and reading this comments and there's a lot of it that I wanna say but I will try to make it short but clean...First of all, lets forget all of the things how bad this movie was made...How it didn't show anything of Notorious and I agree with the most people here saying that it was "Hollywood", I mean, what did you expect a real life story?
Look I am maybe wrong about something and Im not saying this is a completely bad movie because even if I'm in hip hop for 17, 18 years I still don't know anything bout 2pac or Biggie no matter how many articles I read or how much I support them and listen to their music...Like most of you all out there.
Only people who were really close to them and the killers know the truth behind all this.And for the end I just wanna say for all of ya Biggie and Tupac fans and family, this two men were and will be the greatest of all time, no matter how they lived their lives but PLEASE IN THE FUTURE TRY TO BE BETTER, LEARN AND LOVE EACH OTHER, THINK GOOD EVEN FOR THE ONES THAT Don't LIKE YOU, BECAUSE AT THE END...ITS NOT ABOUT HOW MANY MONEY OR FAME U COULD GET AND HOW FAST U COULD GET TO THE TOP, ITS ABOUT ACCOMPLISHING YOUR SELF TO THE FULLEST AND FEEDING YOUR SOUL, YOUR BODY AND MIND...BECAUSE IF U MANAGE TO DO THAT, YOU WILL BE LIVING A LIFE EVEN AFTER DEATH!!!!
I was expecting, and looking forward to, a dramatised portrayal of the life and times of Christopher Wallace, which is exactly what I got, and I enjoyed every minute of it, from start to finish.Now being a long time fan of the Notorious B.I.G, may imply that this review could be biased, but I can assure you that I am, more often that not, more than ready to attack a movie and pick it apart, no matter what it is.As someone who knows the ins and out of the story, obviously, there were some things that bothered me slightly, including the void of some key characters who played a big part in Biggie's life, and the less than impressive casting of Tupac and Puffy's characters.
It would seem that all the reviews from other IMDb users say the same thing...the movie is completely biased towards making Biggie Smalls look like a glowing angel and it's true it does that but I know nothing about his history, his life, or his death so for me it was just completely and utterly entertaining. |
tt0061931 | Mad Monster Party? | NOTE: All voices by Allen Swift, except where noted.Baron von Frankenstein [voice of Boris Karloff], the scientist who discovered the secret to creation, has just perfected the secret to destruction. In order to celebrate his discovery, the baron invites all his monster friends -- Dracula, the Werewolf, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the Hunchback of Notre Dame -- to his Caribbean Island of Evil for a big party. The baron also has another reason for hosting such a gala. He has decided to retire as head of Monsters Incorporated and to pass on his secrets to his only "living" heir -- geeky, allergy-ridden pharmacist Felix Flankin, son of the baron's sister, the white sheep of the family. As the SS Herring bearing all the guests nears the island, the baron briefs his zombies about the necessity of remaining calm and collected no matter what happens. Only Yetch is having trouble keeping his head (and hands) attached. This is partly because it's been so long since Yetch has seen all their friends, but also because he is besotted with the baron's secretary, the lovely, well-stacked, red-headed, cool-as-a-cucumber Francesca [Gale Garnet].As the baron and Francesca prepare to greet their guests, they are joined by Frankenstein's Monster and his Mate [Phyllis Diller]. First to arrive is Dracula, who is enchanted to see Francesca. ("You have always been my type...O-negative, isn't it?") Next is the Werewolf. ("Wolfie, you old dog! This convention is going to be a howling success!") The Invisible Man arrives. ("You're looking well...I think.") The Hunchback carries in the Mummy, then comes Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde, followed by the Creature. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Chef Mafia Machiavelli is preparing the menu for the party. There's octopus soup and a poison ivy salad with toadstools, poison berries, and three kinds of dressings -- arsenic, cyanide, and nitroglycerin. The antipasto consists of black widows marinated in their own poison, smoked lizards and snakes, and marinated mice. For the main course, there is boar's head, roasted vulture, and minced hyena casserole. In addition, entertainment is to be provided by Little Tibia and the Fibulas. As the dinner commences, the guests are all trying to figure out who will be the baron's successor. Dracula is assured that there is no one more evil, treacherous, and sneaky than he. Francesca thinks she might be able to use Dracula in order to attain the secrets for herself. The Monster and his Mate feel there can be no one closer to the baron than themselves ("He CREATED us!"). Ultimately, a big fight breaks out, and the guests spend the rest of the night trying to sleep it off.The next morning, the baron's nephew Felix arrives. The baron's plan is to have Francesca show Felix around the island. Francesca's plan is to set Felix up for an ambush along the way. Fortunately, Felix bumbles himself from Dracula, the Mummy, and the Werewolf and all attempts to knock him off. Feeling betrayed by Dracula, Francesca concocts a new plan which involves inviting the diabolical IT to the island. In an attempt to escape from the wrath of the other monsters, however, Francesca finds herself falling in love with Felix. As the two lovers make their way to the opposite side of the island where Francesca has a boat hidden, they are followed by the monsters who have decided unanimously to kill Felix. Just as the monsters capture Francesca and catch up with Felix, IT (King Kong) arrives. IT storms the castle, but when he finds a photo of Francesca, he falls madly in love with her. Grabbing Francesca in his oversized palm, IT climbs to the highest mountain where he is swarmed by airplanes flown by Baron von Frankenstein and his zombies. In his final act, the baron drops the vial of destruction, and the island blows up. Safe at sea, Felix makes plans to marry Francesca, but Francesca reveals that she cannot marry him because she is really only a machine fashioned by the baron. Felix consoles her. "Don't worry, Francesca. None of us is perfect...is perfect...is perfect...is perfect...is perfect." [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.] | cult, psychedelic | train | imdb | null |
tt2199571 | Run All Night | Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) is lying on the ground with a gunshot wound in his stomach. We hear his voice saying that your life doesn't flash before your eyes when you die, but rather all the regrets and mistakes you've made. In the distance, Jimmy's son Mike (Joel Kinnaman) is yelling and evading gunfire.Sixteen hours earlier, Jimmy was in a bar. He goes to the basement to find Danny Maguire (Boyd Holbrook), the son of Jimmy's former employer Shawn (Ed Harris), making a deal with some dirty NYPD cops. Jimmy asks Danny for a loan of $800 since his heater is broken. Danny will only give Jimmy the money if he goes to his home as Santa Claus since his last guy canceled. Jimmy reluctantly agrees.Mike works at a gym where he mentors young boys without fathers. One of his closest students is a boy nicknamed Legs (Aubrey Joseph). Mike lives at home with his wife Gabriela (Genesis Rodriguez) and their daughters Catelyn (Guilia Cicciari) and Lily (Carrington Meyer). The couple is also expecting their third child. Gabriela is making a collage for the baby to see what the family's life was before he is born. Mike notices Gabriela put a picture of him as a child with Jimmy. He doesn't want the picture there and obscures his father with a picture of his daughter.Danny meets his father with some Albanians to push a special brand of heroin. Shawn rejects them, to Danny's displeasure. The Albanians tells Danny they'll be at his place to collect the money they gave him to convince his dad to push their heroin. Shawn wants no part of his old lifestyle, which is something that Danny doesn't get. Shawn wonders at what point did his son go wrong.Jimmy does the Santa gig at Shawn's house, only he is drunk and making an ass of himself by hitting on one man's wife. He then burns his hand near the fireplace and swears in front of the kids. Shawn joins Jimmy upstairs as he cools off. They have been friends since youth, and Jimmy was once an enforcer for Shawn. The two share a cigarette.Jimmy is at a diner when he is met by Detective John Harding (Vincent D'Onofrio) and his partner Detective Torres (James Martinez). Harding knows of Jimmy's past and the fact that he's gotten off scot-free from killing for Shawn due to several cops being on Shawn's payroll. He tells Torres that Jimmy was known as "Jimmy The Gravedigger". Harding gives Jimmy his card in case he ever needs to call him, or specifically confess for his crimes.Mike, moonlighting as a limo driver, takes the Albanians to Danny's home. As he waits outside, Mike sees Legs riding his bike alone. He tells him to go home or he'll tell his mother. He offers to give Legs a ride home. Meanwhile, inside the house, Danny gives the Albanians a bag of Monopoly money as a joke. The head Albanian threatens Danny, but he responds by shooting him dead and then shooting at his partner. The partner runs outside limping. Legs catches them on video as Danny shoots the man dead. Mike starts the car, but Danny breaks the window open and pulls him out. He forces Mike into his home, when Legs leaves the car. Danny hears the door close, distracting him long enough for Mike to strike Danny. He fights Danny and Danny's friend until he escapes, leaving his wallet behind.Mike runs home and calls Gabriela, who is at her brother Ricky's (Dan Domingues) house with the girls. He tells her to stay there until he calls her back. Mike then hears a pounding sound at the door. It's Jimmy, who got a call about an incident involving Mike. He hasn't been to Mike's home since his wife's funeral. Jimmy goes outside to have a smoke, just as Danny comes into the house. Mike notices him, and Danny approaches him with his gun aimed at Mike. A gunshot goes off, but it's from Jimmy after shooting Danny in the neck. Mike puts pressure on the wound, but Danny dies. Jimmy leaves, and Mike calls the cops, saying his father shot Danny in self-defense. Jimmy then calls Shawn and confesses to what he just had to do. Shawn goes to break the news to his wife, who slaps Shawn in response and then falls to pieces.The dirty cops that met with Danny earlier go to Mike's house and arrest him when they identify Danny's body. Jimmy chases after them through the streets until he rams them hard enough to crash through a store. Jimmy breaks Mike out of the car, and Mike grabs one of the cops' guns. The surviving cop attempts to shoot the two. Mike aims the gun at the cop, but Jimmy stops him and shoots the cop dead himself. This is witnessed by several civilians, and the cops issue a manhunt for Mike and Jimmy.The two go through the subway to find more goons are on their tails. Jimmy fights one man in the bathroom while Mike evades them through the train. He gets Jimmy on with him just in time. Although Mike wants to go to his family, Jimmy tells him that Shawn will be coming after both of them and Mike's family, so he needs to get through the night with Jimmy to survive.Jimmy meets with Shawn to try and ask for forgiveness for what he did to Danny. Shawn instead vows to get to Mike and kill him in first before letting Jimmy die.Two of Shawn's goons hunt for Mike's family at Ricky's house, right after Mike showed up to warn Gabriela and the girls. They hide in the shower as Ricky stalls the goons. They leave the family alone after finding nothing.Shawn calls for a hitman named Price (Common) to go after the two. They go to Legs' apartment to ask for his help. Mike finds Legs' brothers there and tells him to get Legs to help him. A neighbor woman spots Mike and Jimmy, alerting her to call the police. The cops show up soon enough, forcing Mike and Jimmy to plan their escape. They cut the power to the building, just as Price shows up after killing a cop at the door. He gets through the dark stairways with a night-vision lens. He catches up to the two as they leave a fire going off in an apartment. Jimmy fights Price as the building starts to burn. Jimmy burns Price's face and gets him down on the ground, giving Mike an opportunity to shoot Price. However, Jimmy tells him not to pull the trigger. They run as the cops show up, and Price kills them. The apartment explodes as Mike and Jimmy get away.Jimmy brings Mike to his brother Eddie's (Nick Nolte) home. When Jimmy mentions he killed Shawn's son, Eddie freaks out and demands that he leaves. Eddie tells Mike that Jimmy killed their cousin because he was going to testify against Shawn, and Jimmy told Mike that someone else had done it. Mike returns to Ricky's home to get Gabriela and the girls. Lily sees Jimmy standing outside and asks her dad who he is. Mike says it's nobody.Jimmy decides to end this once and for all. He goes to the bar where Shawn operates his business, and Jimmy kills all the hitmen in the bar. He and Shawn end up running out to a trainyard where they start shooting at each other. Shawn starts to run, and Jimmy hesitates to shoot him, but, knowing that Shawn won't stop until he's gotten Mike, he pulls the trigger. Shawn gets hit in the side, and he attempts to keep running, but he falls. Jimmy goes over to Shawn and holds him as he dies.Legs goes to Harding at the police station with the recorded video of Danny killing the Albanian mobster outside his building. Legs also tells Harding who Mike is and why he wouldn't commit these crimes.Jimmy meets Mike with his family at a lake house in North Shore. He finally meets Gabriela and the girls, although Lily doesn't want to say hi to Jimmy. Mike goes outside with the family by the lake to feed ducks. Jimmy stays in the house and sees the collage Gabriela made. He then gets shot through the side by Price, standing in the distance. Mike hears the gunshots and tells Ricky to take the girls somewhere safe. Mike grabs his gun and exchanges fire with Price through the woods. Jimmy gets his rifle, but he is severely wounded and he falls to the ground, knowing he is going to die. With his last bit of strength, he puts one bullet in the rifle and raises it in time to shoot Price in the head before he can kill Mike. Mike rushes to his dad's side right before he dies. Harding and his partners show up. He tells Mike he knows he's innocent. He then looks in Jimmy's hand to see that he's holding a list of everybody he's ever killed.Later on, Mike is at the gym watching Legs fight another kid. Legs beats his opponent, making Mike proud. He returns home to find Gabriela and the girls making Christmas cookies. He goes into his room and puts on formal attire (presumably to Jimmy's funeral). Before he leaves, he takes one more look at the picture of him and Jimmy by the lake. | revenge, neo noir, murder, violence, flashback | train | imdb | null |
tt0082247 | Death Hunt | In the Yukon Territory in 1931, Albert Johnson (Charles Bronson), a solitary American trapper, comes across an organized dog fight. A white German Shepherd is badly injured and Johnson forcibly takes it, paying $200 to its owner, a vicious trapper named Hazel (Ed Lauter).
Aggrieved by his treatment and claiming the dog was stolen from him, Hazel leads several of his friends to Johnson's isolated cabin. Some begin shooting while others create a diversion. After the shooting of Sitka, the dog that Johnson has nursed back to health, the trapper kills one pursuer, Jimmy Tom (Denis Lacroix),
Once they discover that Johnson has bought 700 rounds of ammunition from the local trading post and paid in $100 bills, many conclude that he is the "mad trapper", a possibly mythical, psychopathic, serial killer who supposedly murders other trappers in the wilderness and takes their gold teeth. An old trapper, Bill Luce (Henry Beckman), warns Johnson that the law is coming for him. Johnson fortifies his cabin.
Sergeant Edgar Millen (Lee Marvin), commander of the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police post, seems a tough but humane man. He has a veteran tracker named "Sundog" Brown (Carl Weathers) and a young constable, Alvin Adams (Andrew Stevens), plus a new lover in Vanessa McBride (Angie Dickinson). He reluctantly agrees to investigate Hazel's accusations that Johnson stole his dog and murdered Jimmy Tom.
Millen leads a posse of mounties and trappers to the cabin. He parleys with Johnson, telling him that he has a pretty good idea of what happened and if Johnson comes with him they can get it sorted out. However, before Johnson can answer, one of the trappers opens fire. Several end up killed, including one who is shot by one of his own friends. The posse uses dynamite to blow up the cabin, but Johnson escapes, shooting dead a Mountie, Constable Hawkins (Jon Cedar).
Millen, Sundog and Adams, joined by Hazel with his tracker dogs, set off into the frozen wilderness after Johnson. The case has made front page news across the country, and many trappers join in the chase, attracted by the $1,000 bounty that has been placed on Johnson's life. Captain Hank Tucker (Scott Hylands), a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot, is sent by the government to join the hunt, which is causing a national embarrassment. He reveals that Johnson was a member of a United States Army special intelligence unit during World War I.
Johnson utilizes a number of tracking techniques to avoid Millen's posse and the bounty hunters, living off the land in treacherous winter conditions. As the hunt continues, Millen begins to respect Johnson's uncommon abilities, while growing to resent the intrusion of so many outsiders.
Luce comes across two of the trappers camping in the wilderness and shoots them both dead before pulling out their gold teeth. Luce, it seems, is the real mad trapper.
The pursuers catch up to Johnson. Tucker begins to strafe the area indiscriminately with his aircraft machine gun, killing Sundog. The enraged Millen and Adams shoot down the aircraft with their rifles; Tucker crashes into a canyon wall and is killed. Johnson escapes after killing Hazel.
Luce comes across Johnson and tries to kill him, presumably attracted by the reward. Johnson tricks him and captures him at gunpoint. Millen spots Johnson and opens fire; the bullet hits him in the face, rendering him unrecognizable. As they examine the body, both Millen and Adams spot the real Johnson, dressed in Luce's clothes, on a ridge above them. The man they shot was Luce dressed in Johnson's clothes.
The Mounties allow Johnson to flee into Alaska, well aware that everything he did was in self-defense. As the other pursuers appear, Adams tells them that Millen has killed Johnson. A trapper finds that the body has a pocket full of gold teeth, so they celebrate the killing of the "mad trapper". | comedy, murder, cult, revenge, violence, suspenseful, sadist | train | wikipedia | Using the leads posted by other readers, I have been able to glean the following facts from various Internet and library resources concerning the strange tale of The Mad Trapper of Rat River, played in Death Hunt by Charles Bronson;a] A man referring to himself as Albert Johnson [identified post mortem by associates as Albert Nelson, although that was also an assumed name] arrived in the Aklavik area and brought attention onto himself from a large purchase of ammunition, a new shotgun, and an inexplicable refusal to get himself a trapper's license.
Johnson ran afoul of a Constable Edgar Millen [Lee Marvin's character] during the New Years season of 1931-32 after his apparent meddlings with the traps of some of the local types, who suggested that he had gone bonkers in the isolation of the mountains.
- William Beckamn's character of Old Bill is introduced to provide a way for Bronson's character to survive the film after Lee Marvin manages to blow Bill's face off with a single slug.
Charles Bronson has less than fifty words of dialogue in this film, since he spends most of it running through the snow on his own pursued by the mounties, but it is still one of his better films from the late seventies and early eighties era.He plays the real life character Albert Johnson, a fur trapper who killed some people in a dispute over dogs and went on the run in territory which had never been crossed during the ferocious Arctic winter.
Marvin is great and Bronson is fabulous in this action movie set in North Canada in the early 30's.
With a lurid title like "Death Hunt" and lead actors like Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin, it would be easy to dismiss this film as just another shoot-'em-up run through the mill to capitalize on the marquee names (particularly Bronson).
It stars Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Carl Weathers, Ed Lauter, Andrew Stevens, Scott Hyland, Maury Chaykin and Angie Dickinson.
Music is by Jerrold Immel and cinematography by James Devis.Film is loosely based on the real "Mad Trapper" man hunt that occurred in the Yukon Territory, Canada, 1931.
As Johnson takes to the snowy terrain, with Millen and co in pursuit, a respect begins to form between the two wise heads, with Millen very much aware that there will be only one winner in this hunt.So it goes, framed by lovely location photography, and with Bronson and Marvin doing what they do best, film plays out as a snowy chase and survive adventure.
Lee Marvin as a veteran Mountie, Carl Weathers, and fresh from training Mountie Andrew Stevens set out to track Bronson down as he tries to escape into Alaska.The acting in this film is sensational, the settings are true to life, and the story is riveting.
I am an advocate for Charles Bronson(R.I.P.),that ,this was one of his most PHYSICAL movies,the incredible outdoor trekking during the filming of this movie must have been tough on everybody involved with the filming of this great story in the wilderness,,and keep in mind, he was 64 years old when this movie was filmed,,The best part of this movie is that there was a fluent and exciting scene constantly throughout,and the writers mixed a little comedy along the way to break up the story a bit,,,I personally own some wonderful memorabilia from this movie,,I have the actual Bowie knife carried by Lee Marvin in the movie,,,and I also own the ACTUAL coyote coat that Bronson wears in the movie,,it is unbelievably beautiful,,,,,,When I wear it,,I can feel a true connection with this great under-rated flick,,,,A true classic of our time,,,,,,any fans of Bronson are welcome to connect by email,Charles Bronson will be dearly missed by all of us,,I hope these comments will help keep him in our hearts as one of the GREATEST!,,,thanks for reading,,,DOUG 12/3/05.
Add to this Charles Bronson doing his stoic loner and a great list of character actors (including William Sanderson) coupled with a tightly woven script, beautiful cinematography and some rousing action and you've got a neat little classic.
Still, Bronson was effective (you could totally believe he was a rugged mountain man) and Marvin had some good lines (I am sure Canadian government culture ministers would have axed his comment calling the trappers "savages" if it was made in country)..
A solitary , self-reliant trapper(Charles Bronson) is wrongly accused of killing , then he is pursued by Canadian Police Mounted ( some Mounties as Andrew Stevens, Carl Weathers) commanded by Sgt Edgar(Lee Marvin).
I thought the movie was entertaining and fun for Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson fans.
Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin in an action flick; sounds like it can't miss, right?
That's the beginning of a massive man hunt that's led by law enforcement official Lee Marvin.What makes this movie really work are few things in particular.
After killing one of 'em, the Mounties (headed by Lee Marvin), and indeed all the men in the area (for reward of course), go on a death hunt for the guy, starting at his cabin and leading all over the snowy, mountainous terrain.
Both Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson are excellent here -- I don't know how many more movies either one appeared in after this, but they both give performances worthy of the veterans they were.
Marvin is simply terrific as the aging, world-weary Mountie, and Bronson is able to convey a lot with just an expression (which is essential in this film, since his lines are very limited).My only complaint is that, as excellent as they were, they only had one scene together in the entire movie, and that lasted less than five minutes.
Bronson is in sight, then he escapes, and then again he seems cornered by the Mountie posse soon joined by the improvised bounty hunters coming out of the wild, simply catching up with the unrelenting chase (ok Bronson is supposed to zigzag and the plane helps to locate him very closely, but little is done to make this a consistent narrative feature).Eventually it's a poor rendition of a fantastic true story only because the guys involved took the pedestrian path to a Death Hunt in the Arctic wilderness.
Made just years before Marvin's death and before Bronson went all bad-movie belligerent on us, this rugged wilderness saga is a glorious last hurrah for its two revered stars.Loosely (and I mean LOOSELY) inspired by an event that occurred in the early 30s, Albert Johnson (Charles Bronson) is a reclusive and unsociable mountain man who incites a group of men after rescuing one of their dogs from a primitive dog fight.
Marvin mentions that they're tailing a man who knows how to live off the land, but we e don't really get much of that aside from one shot of Bronson trying unsuccessfully to ice fish with his hands.At the end of the day, DEATH HUNT isn't a masterpiece and it surely doesn't break any new ground.
In spite of the terrific ensemble cast and the most breathtaking filming locations there are to be found on this planet, "Death Hunt" sadly felt somewhat like a disappointing and routine action movie.
The true story is touted as one of the most intense manhunts ever, and I am sure it would make for fascinating reading.Two legendary cinema tough guys play pursuer and the pursued; Charles Bronson is Albert Johnson, a solitary man forced to kill in self-defense.
Lee Marvin is Edgar Millen, the Royal Canadian Mountie who is obliged to track him down, but who respects him far too much to want to see him bagged by a greed-motivated bounty hunter or an overly ambitious pilot.Ultimately, the movie doesn't deliver too much on the action front; the action scenes are certainly competent but there aren't too many of them, and we really don't get a sense of the characters having to endure any real hardships, despite the potentially riveting man vs.
The music by Jerrold Immel and cinematography by James Devis are noteworthy, as well as a prominent male milieu, headed by greats Bronson and Marvin; Andrew Stevens is baby faced, by-the-book young Mountie Alvin, Carl Weathers the easygoing "Sundog", veteran screen heavy Ed Lauter the troublemaker Hasel, and an under utilized Angie Dickinson in an obligatory (and brief) love interest role.
Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin - these two great actors had already starred together in Robert Aldrich's awesome hangdog war flick "The Dirty Dozen" and their casting alone is reason enough to watch a film.
Teriffically set in the snow-covered Yukon territory of the early 1930s "Death Hunt" of 1981 is an atmospheric and tough-minded film that is not only recommended to my fellow Bronson fans.
This film, which is (supposedly) based on a true story, is set in 1931, but in an area that still seems like late 19th century, a chillingly cold and sparsely populated mountain wasteland that is home to tough trappers, lone hermits and, mainly, people who don't put particular value on a human life.The loner Albert Johnson (Bronson) saves an almost dead dog by buying it from its owner after it has been severely wounded in a dogfight.
The hunt for Albert Johnson is lead by the elderly Mountie Sgt. Millen (Marvin), who, even though sympathetic towards Johnson's motives, has to do his duty, his black assistant Sundog (Carl Weathers) and rookie Mountie Alvin (Andrew Stevens)...The film bares several resemblances to Michael Winner's great revenge Western "Chato's Land" (1972).
Ever since I fist saw Sergio Corbucci's Italian Western masterpiece "Il Grande Silenzio", which is one of my all-time favorite movies, I have a thing for films set in snow-covered mountains, and the Yukon setting is awesome and makes you almost feel the cold of the Canadian borderland.
The film's two stars, Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin are as great as one may expect, and Angie Dickinson plays a small role as Marvin's girlfriend.
I just thought I'd add that this movie is roughly based on the true story of "Mad Trapper" Albert Johnson.
Two loggerheads; Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson find themselves at the opposite sides of the law (the Mountie and the trapper) in this bold, grizzled and expansive survival action trek through the rocky, snowy Canadian wilderness.
An innocent man being hunted down by a large posse for a crime he did not commit, rugged mountainous terrain, and death defying stunts by one man's struggle to survive.The viewers sympathy lies with the main character played by Charles Bronson, (Albert Johnson) a lone trapper living in the wilderness, but it also lies with his main pursuer (Sergeant Edgar Millen of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) played by Lee Marvin.
Carl Weathers and Andrew Stevens are the cavalry, and Ed Lauter is at his villainous best as the key protagonist who goads Bronson into his murderous siege.Glorious snow-covered landscapes, tense action and a great cast of familiar faces (Sanderson, Lesser, Barnes, Chaykin etc) create a westernised "Death Wish" meets "First Blood" with Bronson and Marvin the two old salts forging mutual respect out of a relentless and increasingly deadly cat and mouse in which the mouse is fatally underestimated.
This is one of Charles Bronson's more popular vehicles (though I've missed it more than I care to remember in the past!) as much for his pairing with Lee Marvin as for the tough, snow-bound action of the plot.The film, in fact, is based on true events depicting a bloody manhunt which has gone down in history; ironically, its source seems to have been a trivial argument about possession of a wounded dog!
While the location photography is pretty spectacular, the narrative tightly-paced and the action sequences undeniably well-handled (Peter Hunt being a veteran of James Bond movies as both editor and director), it's unfortunate that characterization the posse grows in number once a bounty is offered for the capture of trapper Bronson is mostly relegated to unpleasant stock types.Even if both stars (who only get to share one scene) were clearly ageing by this time, they bring conviction to their respective roles: Bronson demonstrates his characteristic quiet fortitude as the hunted man, while Marvin is the experienced and tenacious lawman on his trail (but whose cynicism gives way towards the end to reveal an essential humanism underneath).
Bronson certainly has his work cut out, as facing him are a whole host of notables: Lee Marvin has one of those great roles as a sympathetic opponent who's actually got more in common with Bronson than his own side, while Andrew Stevens reminds us of why he got cast in big-budget films before his star waned.
Also on hand are the likes of Bronson regular Ed Lauter as a redneck, Carl Weathers as another tough guy (possibly a dry run for his turn in PREDATOR?), sleazebag William Sanderson and even Angie Dickinson in a cameo.This film has a ton of action to complement the short running time, and the thrills never stop coming.
It's oddly enjoyable seeing old veterans such as Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin - both in the twilight of their unique careers - chewing up the lush Canadian scenery while involved in a battle of wills during a early 20th century man hunt.
Death Hunt (1981) *** 1/2 (out of 4)Based on a true story (fictionalized heavily here) of mountain man Albert Johnson (Charles Bronson) who kills a man in self defense but the cowards who attacked him claim that he started it.
Charles Bronson is the Alleged Killer (based on a real-life Mad Trapper) that Proves to be Quite an Adversary as He Defends Himself from the Mob Out to Not Bring Him In, but Kill Him in the Process.This is an Overlooked Film in Bronson's Career and Will Prove to be an Excellent Find for Both Charlie and Marvin Fans.
Charles Bronson plays Canadian trapper Albert Johnson, who lives alone in his mountain cabin.
One day while in town he breaks up a dogfight, then forcibly buys the beaten dog from his loathsome guardian, only to later have to shoot and kill someone in self defense at his home, forcing seasoned lawman Sgt. Edgar Millen to form a posse to arrest Johnson for murder, leading to an extended chase of the resourceful and elusive Albert in the frozen mountains of the Yukon.Good to see Bronson and Marvin reunited(after they worked together in "The Dirty Dozen") and nicely filmed on location, with good action scenes, but unfortunately film is cluttered with two many characters(like the ones played by Andrew Stevens and Carl Weathers) with some poor writing of them, and extraneous scenes, when it is the dynamic of Bronson & Marvin that should be the focus.
If you can look past the legion of historical inaccuracies, you'll probably enjoy Death Hunt, a bringing together of Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson, along with Angie Dickinson in a story of a wrongly-accused trapper harassed and chased by the RCMP and a posse made up of men, none of whom has an IQ above that of a pine tree.The 1931 story, filmed fifty years after the fiction (who would accuse the script of being factual?) showcases Marvin and Bronson at the near-end of their useful careers.
Instead, we are treated to a serious discussion on justice and survival in the Arctic circle.Charles Bronson is the "mad" trapper, Albert Johnson, who (in the film if not in actual history) stops a dog fight and precipitates (by this action) a rising tide of violence that aims at killing him.
In short, not only is he the man you least want to pick a fight with, but he is less likely to be easily catchable if you chase him.The local Mountie is Sgt. Edgar Millen (Lee Marvin) who appears to be unconventional.
Charles Bronson plays Albert Johnson, who becomes known as the 'crazy trapper'after killing a man in self defense.
Not being the social sort, Johnson is a self-reliant trapper and soon finds himself being chased across snow covered Canada by a solemn Mountie, Edger Millen(Lee Marvin).
The head of the Mounties in the district, the northern Yukon, Sgt.Edger Millen, Lee Marvin,is anything but interested in capturing Johnson feeling that he killed one of those trappers who were out to kill him.
Death Hunt is set during 1931 in the isolated desolate Canadian snow covered mountains where trapper Albert Johnson (Charles Bronson) lives on his own except for the white Dog he rescued from a local Dog fighter named Hazel (Ed Lauter).
Defending himself Johnson shoots & kills one man & fights the other's off, annoyed Hazel goes to Royal Canadian Mountie Sergeant Edgar Millen (Lee Marvin) & accuses Johnson of murder.
Unable to ignore Hazel's accusations despite his suspicions Millen, his men & a posse from town head out to Johnson's cabin to bring him in but Johnson considers himself innocent & won't go without a fight...Directed by Peter Hunt (is it a coincidence that a film centering around a hunt in the Canadian mountains for a fugitive be directed by someone whose name is Hunt?) this watchable action adventure film was based on the true story of Albert Johnson, also known as The Mad Trapper of Rat River who was the focus of a huge manhunt in Nothwest Canada which culminated in Johnson being shot nine times & killed after eluding Mounties for over a 150 mile foot chase.
Charles Bronson & Lee Marvin only share one scene together & never face off against each other, Marvin is pretty good while Bronson barely says anything as he is running on his own for the majority of the film.Death Hunt is an alright action adventure film although anyone looking for a historically accurate account of The Mad Trapper of Rat River are advised to look elsewhere.
I've always been a bronson and marvin fan and here they do a great job of playing their usual tough-guy roles. |
tt0249462 | Billy Elliot | In 1984, Billy Elliot, an 11-year-old from the fictional Everington in County Durham, England, loves to dance and has hopes of becoming a professional ballet dancer. Billy lives with his widowed father, Jackie, and older brother, Tony, both coal miners out on strike (the latter being the union bully), and also his maternal grandmother, who has Alzheimer's disease and once aspired to be a professional dancer.
Billy's father sends him to the gym to learn boxing, but Billy dislikes the sport. He happens upon a ballet class that is using the gym while their usual basement studio is temporarily being used as a soup kitchen for the striking miners. Unknown to Jackie, Billy joins the ballet class. When Jackie discovers this, he forbids Billy to take any more ballet. But, passionate about dancing, Billy secretly continues lessons with the help of his dance teacher, Sandra Wilkinson.
Mrs. Wilkinson believes Billy is talented enough to study at the Royal Ballet School in London, but due to Tony's arrest during a skirmish between police and striking miners, Billy misses the audition. Mrs. Wilkinson tells Jackie about the missed opportunity, but fearing that Billy will be considered to be gay, both Jackie and Tony are outraged at the prospect of him becoming a professional ballet dancer.
Over Christmas, Billy learns his best friend, Michael, is gay. Although Billy is not, he is supportive of his friend. Later, Jackie catches Billy dancing in the gym and realises his son is truly gifted; he resolves to do whatever it takes to help Billy attain his dream. Mrs. Wilkinson tries to persuade Jackie to let her pay for the audition, but he replies that Billy is his son and he does not need charity. Jackie attempts to cross the picket line to pay for the trip to London, but Tony stops him. Instead, his fellow miners and the neighbourhood raise some money and Jackie pawns Billy's mother's jewelry to cover the cost, and Jackie takes him to London to audition. Although very nervous, Billy performs well, but he punches another boy in frustration at the audition, fearing that he has ruined his chances of attaining his dream. He is sternly rebuked by the review board, but when asked what it feels like when he is dancing, he describes it as being "like electricity". Seemingly rejected, Billy returns home with his father. Sometime later, the Royal Ballet School sends him a letter telling him he has been accepted, and he leaves home to attend.
Fourteen years later, Billy takes the stage to perform the Swan in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, as Jackie, Tony, and Michael watch from the audience. | dramatic, violence, cute, humor, inspiring, entertaining, sentimental | train | wikipedia | Billy Elliott is a moving, uplifting, and often exuberant, drama about motherless young Billie (Jamie Bell) fulfilling his dream of becoming a ballet dancer, in the process overcoming the objections and prejudices of his father and brother (Gary Lewis and Jamie Draven).It is also a piece of magic realism, with political overtones.
By setting their near fairy tale in the context of a close-knit mining community, and more specifically against the backdrop of the 1984/5 miners' strike - a defining moment of modern British economic and social history - writer Lee Hall and director Stephen Daldry are able to refer to gender and class issues, without turning their work into a political tract, and without losing focus on the central human drama.The film is realised near flawlessly.
The scenes of violence between strikers and police are presented uncompromisingly and authentically, but with the occasional touch of humour.Julie Walters provides an outstanding performance as Mrs Wilkinson, the dancing teacher who recognises and fosters Billie's talent; and helps him resist his own and his family's inhibitions.
To we outsiders watching the movie, Mrs Wilkinson appears as an integral part of the local community; but it is made clear that in the mid-80s, as far as Billie's family and friends are concerned, she is a middle class outsider, almost as alien as another species.One issue which the film tackles head-on is traditional heterosexual male abhorrence of homosexuality.
I heard that it should be very good or even excellent film and another reason for watching it was that I have seen several Working Title films before (About a Boy, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral) and I found all of them much more sincere and emotional than average Hollywood products.
Also these British films have something to offer that you rarely can find in Hollywood movies: a charming heartwarming mixture of sweet and funny comedy and inspiring and touching drama.
Billy Elliot in my opinion Billy Elliot is a brilliant movie, easily one of the best movies of the year and most likely of the current decade.Director of the movie Stephen Daldry brought to us an exceptional, truly inspiring and moving, emotional and poignant movie.
But the fact is that such stereotypes are not invented by the director of the movie and if you would try to learn more about this terrific picture you will found that Jamie Bell, who took dance lessons from age six, suffered from similar sneers and taunts.
Several brilliant come scenes and bright humor greatly emphasize the struggles of the main hero.Jamie Bell playing Billy has on of the best performances ever among young actors.
He is also a fantastic dancer, and some of the dance sequences are reminiscent of the dance-filled musicals of the old black and white movies.The backdrop of the historic miners' strike of the mid-1980s, it brings the story down to the earth and adds the necessary tension to make this film truly believable and a worthy story to tell.I find it hard to see how anyone would not like this film.
For a film that is in essence a feel good coming of age drama it is mightily impressive that the film never veers down that street known as sickly boulevard.Set against the grim backdrop of the English Coal Miners strikes the film tackles an array of subjects, class struggles, fear of homosexuality, youthful adventure in discovering potential adulthood, and the universal joy that music and dance can bring to us all, even in the most trying of circumstances.
So many great scenes here that are both happy and sad, Billy's father feels he has to break the strike to give Billy a chance in life, this leads to a truly heartbreaking scene between him and his eldest son, I weep unashamedly at the realism of it all, the dancing is just wonderful, with too many great scenes to only pick just one out, the film is a seamless classic that ticks every box that I personally require from a film like this.The cast are magnificent, Jamie Bell perfectly layers the lead role of Billy by fusing confusion, joy, fear, hope, and sorrow into one almighty performance.
A knockout performance, with some of the most dramatic scenes played out with perfect honesty and realism.Another notable performance comes from Julie Walters, who plays Mrs. Wilkinson, the dance instructor in the mining town where Billy lives.
Once a great dancer but now forced to work in the bottom floor of a boxing hall, she plays her part wonderfully, showing the lack of compassion and jadedness without words but only through expressions, deep hurt lying beneath all that scorn, but love shining through as she sees Billy's true talent.
With wonderful scenes that play themselves out with harsh reality, I never tire of seeing the hurt in his eyes when he sees that his little boy isn't going to be a boxer or a football player, but a dancer, then seeing him again with the love and appreciation for his dancing son.
This is one of the only complaints I have for another favorite of mine, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.Billy Elliot is a true rag-to-riches story that unfolds amazingly well without pulling your heartstrings shamelessly as other movies love to do.
Billy Elliot is a wonderful story of a young boy overcoming obstacles to participate in the one activity that takes him away from his troubled family life.
Since I am only young, I haven't experienced much in my life, while I am growing and I discovering new feelings and this movie has triggered oneit's become apart of me.Showing that he came from a poor and broken family, and relished in his dream to become a ballet dancer and escape his born destiny to become a minerit's just unbelievable.Since I come from a wealthy family, with so many opportunities around me, it made me think about what I am taking for granted, this movie has changed me-- since Friday night I have watched it about 6 times over and over again.
We've finally been given a film with a good, almost mythic story, complicated yet believable characters, a masterful blend of emotional intensity and critical restraint, and a series of dance scenes that are authentic, inspiring and completely integral to the plot.No wonder critics have been falling over themselves in heaping praise on Billy Elliot.
We've finally been given a film with a good, almost mythic story, complicated yet believable characters, a masterful blend of emotional intensity and critical restraint, and a series of dance scenes that are authentic, inspiring and completely integral to the plot.No wonder critics have been falling over themselves in heaping praise on Billy Elliot.
I sometimes wonder how the movie would have been done by Hollywood: Billy would have been made a more pathetic figure; the people in his life rendered more black and white; characters would have either remained caricatures, or made to develop in the blink of an eye.
I sometimes wonder how the movie would have been done by Hollywood: Billy would have been made a more pathetic figure; the people in his life rendered more black and white; characters would have either remained caricatures, or made to develop in the blink of an eye.
"Billy Elliot" caught some attention however because it combines the dream-like fancy-free spirit of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films along with the social-historical context of the '80s coal miner strike in England.
Youthful optimism and social reality are at odds as seen through the young Billy (a very talented Jamie Bell) and the film doesn't let either one completely win out, an admirable and unexpected quality for a story about a child.Pre-teen Billy lives in a small England town where his father (Gary Lewis) and brother (Jamie Draven) are picketing as part of the coal miner's strike, so money is scarce.
Despite his father's disapproval at his son taking up a "girl's" activity, Billy meets regularly with Mrs. Wilkinson (Julie Walters) to prepare for the Royal Ballet School audition.The feature film debut for both writer Lee Hall and director Stephen Daldry, "Billy Elliot" is a real triumph of art imitating life.
Scenes are intercut often to show how Billy's drive to master ballet is indicative of a need for self-discovery, family approval and learning how to handle life's challenges.With a soundtrack mixing '70s English rock band T-Rex with classical music and orchestration by 1999 Oscar-winning composer Stephen Warbeck, "Billy Elliot" takes on this true independent spirit.
Billy's cross-dressing friend is there to remind us that one thing is not connected to the other, but the film doesn't waste time overdramatizing this small conflict in a greater story."Billy Elliot" is a special film, one that perfectly fits the magic of finding one's passion within the troubles of real life and a cast that accurately reflects that vision from Daldry and Hall.
Brisk and sprightly movie about a little boy growing up in a working-class English village who wants to train for ballet, much to the displeasure of his dad.Jamie Bell gives a tremendous performance as Billy, an angry youngster who doesn't understand why he should be ashamed of something he loves, particularly since that something gives him a means of expression for his juvenile frustration and anger.
The story is about finding beauty in the world, finding it despite the chaos and conformity that surrounds youth.Billy, through the course of the movie, struggles to find his own direction in life at a very young age.
It's quite easy to understand this because of the choices of setting and character made for the sake of the story.Billy is relatively young, making him subject to the pressures of his father and older brother.
It's absolutely undeniable that Jamie Bell has greatly acted and delivered a very charismatic performance, evoking laughters and tears at the same time; Billy Elliot works his way up to success after giving through the hardest times and situations a child could live in.
At the end of the movie we see Billy in a dance recital and his brother and father watching him proudly.It takes a lot for outsiders to think he wasn't gay.
Billy Elliot is a film for those people who have faced or face problems in choosing what is good for them.Young minds are at a loss to decide for themselves as they have neither knowledge nor experience to opt for whatever that is good for them.For them, it is not so easy to make a choice as there are times when they have to take into consideration the feeling of others around them.This is some kind of a universal phenomenon but for most young boys it is sometimes difficult to choose dance instead of boxing.This might be because boxing is a symbol of strong male character whereas dance is mostly associated with feminine world.This is precisely the case in the life of our film's young protagonist named Billy Elliot.With this film British director Stephen Daldry has succeeded in revealing the feminine aspects of young boys.
Why filmmakers have to constant push their gay agendas on the movie public, you'd have to ask them.Anyway, the good points are (1) the film is never boring; always entertaining; (2) it's nicely filmed, looking great on DVD; (3) the lead kid "Billy Elliott" (Jamie Bell) is a likable lad and an excellent actor; (4) the guy who played his father (Gary Lewis) was also good, playing an intense character; (5) the music and dancing were good and I enjoyed the Fred Astaire and Lord Of The Dance-type numbers (which I prefer over ballet, anyway).Other negatives included : 1 - an unlikeable dance teacher "Mrs. Wilkinson" (Julie Waters), who was too hard-edged (profane, cigarette dangling from her mouth); 2 - too much profanity in general in this film (way too many f-words, kids using the Lord's name in vain, etc.); 3 - Billy, although likable, talks back too much to adults and has a bad mouth; 4 - Billy's father and brother (Jamie Draven) with exaggerated roles as the ultra-macho stereotypes..
Vividly edited and briskly plotted, we follow young Billy as he fumbles his boxing lessons and discovers ballet during the great miner's strikes in the 80s.The inevitable tension that develops between Billy and his father is played out among a cast of memorable characters: Billy Fane's appearance as the seedy, misanthropic piano player is brief but hilarious; Julie Walters' rendition of the chain-smoking ballet teacher is simply iconic.The depth and detail in this movie evoke countless bittersweet images: the way Billy's gritty neighbourhood is framed so as to show the majestic and tranquil sea in the distance, glistening with Olympian indifference; the menacing, surreal omnipresence of authority in the form of the British police force; the dignified despair of a town library which has been relegated to a mobile home.Unprepossessed, humorous and genuinely moving..
I found the character of Billy Elliot extremely funny and cute, and was happy to see that after so many trials and tribulations with his family, especially his father, they stood by him in the end and allowed him to achieve his dream.
Billy Elliot is the story of a young lad from the North-East of England in the early 1980s whose Mother has passed away and is being brought up by his Father & Brother.
The one involving Billy Elliot's quest to be a great dancer and the other involves his father and brother's struggle with their labour jobs in the midst of a miner's strike.
I felt almost every emotion possible watching this movie and director Stephen Daldry along with writer Lee Hall have made the most artistic looking film about the arts since Scott Hicks' 'Shine' in 1996.
Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot) is, in my eyes, the best new comer of the year 2000 and Julie Walters performance as ballet teacher is brilliant.
It has virtually all of the elements of what I expect in a fine film: great characters played with care by wonderful actors cast appropriately, a great director (in his first major effort), a moving plot set off by a number of very strong subplots, a striking new leading actor (and superb dancer) in the person of young Jamie, a gritty realism nicely moderated by fine touches of humor, and so much more.
This is one of the best movies of the year.it is a beautiful told story about a boy who loves dancing, but is caught between his fathers wishes, his own and what people think.
Watch the way young Billy's dancing looks clumsy most times, though the whole movie is about his talent to become a dancer.
I think the acting of both boys is quiet good.To me it was a touching movie, particularly the way Billy's father and brother respect Billy's wishes although at first they seem to treat him rough.
I have also seen the musical version of the story but I didn't like it quite as much as the movie.The boy playing Billy is great and all the performances work very well in the film.
A very touching story which makes one think about the choices you make in life and how to make your own way towards the things you want to do.This movie is definitely worth to watch..
I just have one thing to say to director Stephen Daldry and all the actors and everyone else who worked on Billy Elliot: thanks for making this film!
If, on the other hand, you enjoy a feel-good movie with realistic characters, then Billy Elliot is the one for you.
`Billy Elliot,' one of 2000's best films, is far more than just the typical coming-of-age story.
`Billy Elliot' takes us back to that time in our lives early adolescence - when we are just beginning to experience the manifold wonders of the world, when we are just beginning to explore those things which makes us feel good, and when we are just starting that long process of self-discovery that will ultimately define who we are and what we love.
The much lauded and nominated film "Billy Elliott" is a slice of life flick about an 11 year old English boy who, to the dismay of his motherless working class coal mining family, chooses ballet over boxing as a pastime.
Eventually Mrs Wilkinson decides Billy may be good enough for auditioning for the Royal Ballet School in London but how can he do it without his father's permission?It seems that any British film that isn't rubbish gets hyped up and spread all over the place like the new Messiah.
They kept practicing, even harder then before.The best scene in the movie was Christmas night, Billy took his friend to he place that he dances at.
They kept practicing, even harder then before.The best scene in the movie was Christmas night, Billy took his friend to he place that he dances at.
At the end of the movie we see Billy in a dance recital and his brother and father watching him proudly.It is hard to overcome caring what other people think about you especially when you are young.
Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell) has a difficult life by dealing with his harsh father (Gary Lewis), his mean brother (Jamie Draven) the death of his mother who he was very close to and living in a working class town who is not accepting of Billy's dance.
This film seems an extension of that: the lead (Jamie Bell, in a wonderfully nuanced young adult performance), is just a boy with a lot of energy who finds he's better at channeling it via dance than boxing (as his father would prefer).
whats on TV.....only one film....billy Elliot story of a ballet dancing boy.
A lot of people want change him to an other person he isn't, but Billy is pursuing all the time his greatness wish, to dance and go to a ballet school. |
tt0408306 | Munich | The film begins with a depiction of the events of the Munich Massacre in 1972. After the killings, the Israeli government devises "an eye for an eye" retaliation. A target list of eleven names are drawn up in retaliation for the eleven Israeli men murdered.Under orders from Israel's Prime Minister, Golda Meir (Lynn Cohen), Operation Wrath of God is given the green light.Avner (Eric Bana), an Israeli-born Mossad agent of German descent, is hand-picked by Meir to lead the assassination squad because he is not well-known in the field and he knows his way around Europe. To give the Israeli government plausible deniability, Avner officially resigns from Mossad, and the squad operates with no official ties to Mossad or the Government of Israel. Avner is given a team of four men: Steve (Daniel Craig), a South African driver; Hans (Hanns Zischler), a document forger from Frankfurt; Robert (Mathieu Kassovitz), a Belgian toy-maker trained in explosives; and Carl (Ciarán Hinds), a former Israeli soldier who "cleans up" after the assassinations. Since the Mossad is "not connected" to the mission, Avner and his team set about tracking down the eleven targets with the help of a French informant, Louis, who is introduced to Avner by an old friend. Funding for the mission comes in the form of U.S. cash deposited in a Swiss bank in Zurich.The group go to Rome to track down and kill their first target, one of the Black September planners, Abdel Wael Zwaiter (Makram Khoury), who is now broke and living as a poet in Italy where he has translated One Thousand and One Nights into Italian. The group follows him from a speech he gave to a small audience. After confirming the poet is indeed Abdel Wael Zwaiter (by asking him) two members of the nervous squad (Avner & Robert) make their first kill, shooting him to death in the lobby of his apartment building. Moments after Zwaiter is dead, Carl walks in and collects the spent bullet casings.Robert pretends to be a journalist interviewing their second target, Mahmoud Hamshari (Igal Naor) (who lives in Paris), about the Munich attack. He plants a bomb in the phone that is set to be detonated by a remote key. The phone number of Hamshari is to be dialed by Carl from a public telephone booth. However, Hamshari's daughter, who is supposed to have left for the day, unexpectedly returns to the flat. The men are not able to see her go back into the building because of a truck that blocks their view. When Carl calls the telephone from a phone booth and hears the little girl's voice, he and Avner race to stop Robert from detonating the bomb. After the little girl leaves the building, Carl calls the number, asks the man who answers if he's Mahmoud Hamshari and upon affirmation of same, Robert detonates the bomb. Hamshari is hospitalized and later dies from his wounds.The team travel to Cyprus to kill the next target, Hussein Al Bashir (Hussein Abd Al Chir Mostefa Djadjam), by planting a bomb under his bed in his hotel room. Avner gets a room next to Abd Al Chir in the hotel. Avner and Abd Al Chir are both on the balcony and converse for a short while. When Avner has seen him actually on the bed, he shuts off his night-stand lamp (the agreed signal of the group) and Robert detonates the bomb. However, the explosives are much more powerful than expected, almost killing Avner in the room next door, and injuring a young couple in the room on the other side of Al Chir's. The team now have their doubts about Louis, who provided the explosives. Louis later claims that the explosives were exactly what Robert requested.Louis gives the group information on three Palestinians in Beirut, a calculated risk since Avner & his team were strictly ordered by their handler, Ephraim (Geoffrey Rush), not to engage any targets in Arab countries. The three men targeted are among the top most brass of PLO; Muhammad Youssef al-Najjar (Abu Youssef), (involved in planning of Black September), Kamal Adwan, a Fatah veteran, and Kamal Nasser, PLO spokesman. Ephraim at first refuses, however, he relents on the condition that the group be accompanied by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commandos. In Beirut, Steve, Robert and Avner meet up with a group of Sayeret Matkal IDF soldiers (including future Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak). They penetrate the Palestinian leaders' guarded compound, killing all three leaders as well with other militia. Avner stops one of the team from killing a young teenaged witness.Avner travels to Paris and meets again with Louis, who seems angry about the operation carried out in Beirut. Louis says that his father wishes to meet with Avner. Avner agrees and, wearing a sleeping mask, is taken to the French countryside. Louis' father is quite genial; he an Avner share a love for cooking. Avner eats with the family, a tense meal since Louis is agitated by Avner's presence & his papa's favorable attitude toward the stranger. As he leaves, Papa tells him that their business arrangement will continue as is provided Avner and his team do not attempt any other assassinations like those in Beirut. Upon returning to Paris, Louis tells Avner that he has another name for him, Zaid Muchassi (Djemel Barek). Avner agrees to the new fee of $200,000 & asks Louis to arrange a safe house for the team in Athens.The team heads to Athens where Louis has provided a dingy apartment. During the night, four PLO members, who have rented the same apartment as a safe house, enter the dwelling. After a tense confrontation with guns drawn, Robert defuses the situation by claiming that his squad are fellow militant revolutionaries, members of ETA, RAF and ANC.Avner discusses Middle Eastern politics with the group's leader, Ali. Ali speaks passionately about his quest for a homeland, while Avner debates with him, arguing that violence would only make the world regard Arabs as brutes, and that there are other Arab countries the Palestinians could go to. Ali disagrees, citing the examples of the Irish and the Jews themselves, and concludes that a home is more important than anything else.Avner's group carry out their next assassination that of Zaid Muchassi, the replacement for Hussein Al Bashir in Cyprus. However, the bomb they hid in Muchassi's television malfunctions and it does not detonate. In desperation, Hans walks into the hotel, forces his way into the target's room throwing a grenade at the television and setting off the explosive phosphorus grenades planted there, killing Muchassi. The squad exchanges gunfire with the Palestinians during their escape, and Ali is killed by Carl.Louis provides the squad with information on Ali Hassan Salameh (Mehdi Nebbou), the organizer of the Munich Massacre and the squad's prime target. Avner learns that the CIA may have ties to Salameh. The squad moves to London to track down Salameh, but they are not able to accomplish the assassination due to several unruly men, whom they suspect to be CIA operatives protecting Salameh because he is providing information to the United States government.Avner is later propositioned by a woman in a bar but declines. Afterward, Carl reports to Avner and goes into the bar and is later killed by the same woman, who turns out to be a professional independent Dutch assassin. The group later track down and kill her in Hoorn in the Netherlands. When they have killed her, Hans refuses to let Avner close the woman's robe, leaving her body naked.The movie then proceeds on dark and sombre lines. The squad is feeling the pressure of assassinations. Robert (the explosives expert), questions the morality of the entire mission. Avner listens to him patiently and asks him to take a break while they travel to Hoorn.Later, the three remaining members, Avner, Steve and Hans discuss the futility of the entire mission. Sometime later, Hans is found stabbed to death (reasons not explained) while Robert is killed in an explosion in his workshop.Avner and Steve finally locate Salameh in a gated residence in Spain, however, their assassination attempt is thwarted by Salameh's guards. Frightened, Avner shoots the guard who turns out to be a teenager -- the same one Avner left alive during the Beirut operation. The guards immediately return fire at them, and Avner and Steve manage to escape.At the end, Avner is dispirited and disillusioned. He flies first to Israel, where he is lauded by a number of military persons, including Ephraim. Ephraim is eager to know more about Louis and any other sources, hoping to learn more about potential targets. However, Avner angers Ephraim when he refuses to divulge this information, saying that he is loyal to Louis. Avner visits his mother for consoling, but finds from her words of praise for what he's done.Avner then travels to Brooklyn, New York to reunite with his wife and their child. Avner becomes psychologically tormented with paranoid fears about his family's safety, horrifying flashbacks of the Munich Massacre, and pangs of conscience about the morality of his killings and the value of his mission.Avner travels to Brooklyn to reunite with his wife and their daughter. Increasingly paranoid and post-traumatic, he suspects that agents from the Israeli consulate in New York are spying on him and his family. In a fit of rage, he goes to the consulate and berates the staff, hysterically telling them to leave him alone.Ephraim comes to the United States to urge Avner to rejoin Mossad, but Avner rejects the offer. In the movie's final scene, in a playground in Gantry Plaza State Park across the East River from the United Nations headquarters building, Avner asks Ephraim to join him for dinner, in an offer of Jewish hospitality. Ephraim pauses, declines and leaves. Avner turns to go as well, and the camera pans to a shot of the New York City skyline, including the World Trade Center.A postscript states that nine of the men originally targeted by Mossad were assassinated. It adds that Salameh was eventually killed in 1979. | avant garde, mystery, murder, realism, dramatic, violence, revenge, thought-provoking, flashback, action, philosophical, romantic, tragedy, suspenseful, historical | train | imdb | There is so much to praise in this film, because it is utterly seamless film-making with a keen eye for every little detail that never reveals the intense precision behind its construction.While some have found the film "disengaged," I found that it pulled at the viewer's conscience through the central characters, not only Bana's Israeli agent Avner and his cohorts, most of who slowly find themselves gnawed by doubts of their mission's morality and effectiveness, but also smaller characters as well, drawn with indelible deftnessthe weary ex-French Resistance fighter now a trader in deadly information to stateless agents because of his cynicism about recurrent corrupt regimes replacing each other, or the PLO operative who debates Palestinian strategy and justification with Avner, who he wrongly believes to be a German left-wing terrorist who is "soft" on Jews because of the Holocaust.
As Spielberg makes clear in this film, all that matters in the end is peace or violence, and whoever ultimately desires the former had better be damn sure that their use of the latter is measured by the awareness that it use will create debts that will need to be repaid in the end, and the debtors will most likely be the generations to come on all sides..
Above all, one can't help but wonder what the Spielberg oeuvre would look had he not dedicated his career to kid's movies, fantasies and feel-good sci-fi.'Munich' is an intelligent and gripping thriller that is a major contender for award recognition, and deservedly so.
Tony Kushner and Eric Roth deal with people in all its complexity - a welcome new detail in a Spielberg film - and that gives "Munich" its most powerful aspect.
They five go on a mission of vengeance, but are soon faced with unexpected problems in the process and feelings of guilt which lead some to believe maybe what they are doing isn't righteous.When creating 'Munich' Steven Spielberg could have sided one way or the other on issue 'revenge killing', but he doesn't, and I strongly admire that.
Spielberg's directing is both electrifying during the action sequences and beautiful during the poignant and thought- provoking scenes like when Kassovitz's Robert questions Bana's Avner about the good of what they are doing in a subway station on the way to assassinate another target.
After struggling to prevent myself leaving the cinema within the first ten minutes I found myself repeating just that line in my head as I struggled through the unwieldy and overblown three hours that make up the "Munich" "epic".The length is pretty incomprehensible and completely unjustifiable as Spielberg goes in for innumerate lengthy pans on the characters faces which reveal precisely nothing (the worst scene being a completely comical flashback scene as Azner has sex with his wife whilst being "haunted" by the events in Munich he didn't actually see) and includes gratuitous panoramic views of nearly every city in the world.With a terrible script to work from (speaking other languages I wasn't spared from the awfulness of the dialogue in German or French) the actors managed to match it with their delivery.
Identification with any of the characters was completely impossible as Spielberg regularly and cringe-worthily tried to dip into the "buddy movie" genre with dialogues between the "crack team" of Israeli operators (about as crack as a WI reunion).The dinner they enjoyed together with awful banter flowing across the table about being toy-makers or furniture dealers sat very awkwardly with feeble jokes about receipts and the role of the South African (I don't look forward to the next James Bond film if that performance is anything to go by) was a mystery to everyone including the actor himself.Well, I can't even begin to emphasise how boring, how much of a waste of time and how completely unengaging this film was, but if you liked Troy (also starring Azner as Hector) and other abominations of movies of a similar ilk then run to the cinemas, throw over your money and take in yet another slice of Hollywood tripe masquerading as an artistic and thought provoking work..
As the movie unreeled, however, I found I was treated to a shameful falsification of history and what looked more like a propaganda tool for the Israeli government than a true story.Mr Spielberg began his tale by eliminating a rather telling point: the reason why these militants decided to do what they did at Munich.
This is the story of a mission that wasn't acknowledge initially when it happened in 1972,Golda Meier(Lynn Cohen) pulled together a number of government officials and members of the Mossad(Geoffrey Rush) and they decided to put together a list of people that they felt were responsible for what had happened in Munich.And they made the decision to try to go after those people.It's told there was a committee of 10 people decided to,sort of,try and sentence to death as many as 11,possible more,possible less but it was probably around 11 Palestian men .Some of the people that were targeted were definitely part of a terror network and some of the people that were targeted were political leaders,intellectual leaders.The idea was to call attention to the world that Israel would no allow this to happen again.And the mission Golda send them on,it's almost an eye for an eye.Golda Meier took the responsibility on her own shoulders.The main dramatic agents are five guys who are assassinating people,the guys are working for intelligence agency and they weren't sociopaths,they were doing their job.The guys are vulnerable,doubtful with no falling into all the obvious clichés of the hit-man with the doubt.The 5 guys(Bana,Daniel Craig,Matthew Kassovitz,Cirian Hinds,Hans Zischler) are all very different,age,background,upbringing,some have been bringing up in Europe,some have been in Israel,they have been selected for their different qualities.We might say it's like a quintet,a musical quintet,they are very sharply defined characters in themselves and sometimes their hesitations look like.They have different ways of speaking ,of behaving ,but they know they are are forged together.They are committed to the cause of Israel and they are ready to fight for his land.Avner(Eric Bana) doesn't really know why he's chose but for some reason he was chosen as the leader though we really know why the others were chosen.It's a totally intelligent movie about hatred and revenge,there is no glory or outcome but pure destruction.It was really no the story of the massacre itself but the aftermath.And this very murky,problematic,complicated story about the policy of targeted assassination.The picture is produced by Barry Mendel using actual locations,he was working on the movie for eight years and he assembled every book and documentary on the subject that he could find including all news footage and then he along with Spilberg who gives his own point of view on the story ,they went to work on the script for the next year and a half and eventually writer Tony Kushner came on at the end of the last year.Tony gave to Spielberg a total immersion into the politics and policies with a point of view coming from both sides,not just one side.When Steven Spielberg first got involved in this project and it was called ¨Vengeance¨,then he hired to Eric Bana when he saw ¨Incredible Hulk ¨,but he saw a warmth and a strength and even a little tickle of fear behind his eyes which humanises people,no matter what their jobs and he was very determined to humanise the characters.In the film intervene the usual and excellent technicians Spielberg as Rick Carter(production design),Michael Kahn(edition),Joanna Johnson(costume designer),and of course the cameraman Janusz Kaminski and the master John Williams with an evocative score musical..
too long, too boring, too gory, too slow, too little character development, too self serving, too ugly sex, too stupid dialog, too many locations unknown to the audience, too much fiction posing as history, too false as to Intifada vs 9/11 terrorists, too little of the reason for the Olympic assassinations, too bad Spielberg is washed up.I thought the remake of "War of the Worlds" was bad, but this took the cake.
It also was fascinating to me as almost a travelogue, seeing a lot of different cities around the world, following this team of Israelis as they track down and kill many of the men responsible for murdering hostages in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.That's the story of this film: not what happened at the Olympics, but how the Israelis tracked down the killers/terrorists afterward.Some of the violence is room-shaking if you have good speakers as a few of the explosions felt like it made my room shake when they went off!
Still the Israeli hit team was unable to find and terminate the Big Salami and leader of the bunch who's name ironically is Ali Hassan Salameh, Mehdi Nebbon; were told at the end of he movie "Munich" that Ali Hassan Salameh was indeed killed by the Israeli Mossad in 1979.Penetrating and thought provoking real life thriller that shows the fine line between the Israeli hunters and Palestinian hunted.
We also see how they suddenly switch later in the movie when the Black September terrorists start to turn the tables on the Israelis by tricking and trapping three of their agents, with the help of a beautiful but deadly Dutch femme fatal Jeanette(Marie Josee-Croze),leading to their deaths.Avner who was so eager and determined to do his job later started to get sick of killing and even felt a bit of sympathy for the hated Palestinians seeing that they, like himself an Israeli Jew, have a right to live in a land of their own.
Eric Bana, all the character actors--everyone completely became their characters.I see that some people complain that Spielberg didn't completely get the facts straight, but this movie never purports to be a documentary--it is "inspired by true events." Really what it is about is how difficult it is to kill another human being, and the price we often pay for fighting for what we believe in.
The only thing Steven Spielberg made clear is that this violence will continue forever.I thought it was offensive to make an action movie out of this subject matter, SS is making $$ off of these people's tragedies!!
The cinematography is great, as is the direction and Eric Bana, as ever, does an excellent job of leading the film; but like Schindler's List before it, Munich just feels like nothing more than an attempt to win an Oscar.
There is one scene in particular which is SO OUTRAGEOUSLY BAD, it doesn't even seem like the same movie.Ultimately, there's no real emotional tug here, and one gets the sense that the same story could have been told more effectively in a shorter film which focused more on the main characters.But, yet, the film did affect me, mostly for the way it convincingly transported me, through its look and some visual sequences, into its world, evoking thoughts and memories of historical events and the state of our world today..
The film's screenplay, cinematography, acting and of course his own trademark serious yet visually appealing style of direction.Israel security officer Avner is assigned to conduct a secret government operation to kill eleven Palestinian high officials after eleven Israeli athletes were murdered in 1972 Olympic Games.
The movie is well crafted right from the way the title is displayed(showing all cities involved in the movie(incident) to the end of the movie where the director sends a strong message to the Zionist regime (or) even the warring nations at a larger picture.Eric bana shines as Avner exemplifying the saying 'Action speaks louder than words'.He is a stern Mossad agent who is asked to kill 11 Palestinian names, who are said to have planned the Munich massacre.
He starts doubting whether the persons he kills were actually behind the Munich operation and gets out of mossad leaving a strong message that 'there is no peace at the end of all this'.A must watch movie .
Akin to spy films, only without the spies, Munich is a gripping emotional film that takes you too the edge of your seat and to the brink of tears.Following the slaughter of 11 Israeli athletes by a group of Palestinians at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, a group of Israelis is then contracted to hunt down and kill the organizers of the event.Violence begetting violence and the futility of it all is the major theme that Steven Spielberg wants you to take away from it all.
I love Steven Spielberg's movies but I truly wanted to hate this one.The happenings at the Munich Olympics, 34 years later, are still fresh in my mind, and my feelings of that day, that someone needs to get even with Black September and its supporters is still present.
Therefore, I wasn't ready to accept a large part of Spielberg's premise---that there was a great personal toll on the Israelies who were commissioned to carry out targeted killings of those who actually planned and/or carried out the terrorist plot.With mixed emotions I have to say that this is an outstanding movie pointing out the complexities of how a free Western society reacts to the actions of society's lowest common denominator--those who would rather destroy a perceived enemy than attempt to work with them as partners.
From it's beginning to it's end, the film's graphic subject matter will not be easy for those to take.Eric Bana, Oscar worthy in every way, portrays Israeli Mossad (intelligence) officer, Avner Kauufman who was years ago a bodyguard of the then Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.Kauufman is a loyal Israeli supporter who wants nothing more than for a strong Isreal and it's citizens.Hours after the massacre at Munich, Avner is contacted by an Israeli intelligence officer played by Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush to plan a top secret mission of retaliation against the members of Black September, a Palestinian terrorist organization responsible for the murders of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games.Avner is brought together with a group of European Jews each with a certain specialty, one who is great with weapons, and for getaways, one for creating explosives, one who is excellent with forging documents, and one for clean up, leaving no traces of Israeli responsibility.The first sets of retaliations goes as planned as the group led by Avner and his hit-man team track down and "assassinate" each of the Black September members responsible for the assassinations in Munich.Shortly afterwords, the tables are turned against Avner and his team as Black September and it's members begin tracking Avner's team in retaliation for the first bombings.
This starts to mark questions in Avner and the audience's mind about what is right and what is wrong in dealing with terrorism.This begins a long game of cat and mouse between the Israels and the members of Black September as they chase each other across the globe, from Europe to the Middle East, searching for revenge on one another.One of the biggest and most tense scenes is where Avner, and a member of Black September argue each other's point, Avner justifying the existence of Israel, and the Black September member arguing for a homeland for the Palestinians.There are no points in confronting terrorism, is the movie's message, each time you retaliate, the other side will also retaliate.This is definitely Spielberg's darkest film, with some of the most graphic violence recreating the assassinations of the Israeli athletes, and those looking for simple answers will not find them in this film.Spielberg has raised some serious questions, about the state of Israel, it's existence, and how they handle and justify their defense against terrorism, and this film could anger some of his most loyal fans.However, I applaud Spielberg for the questions, that he and his film have laid out, and the questions it asks for how our country is leading the current War on Terrorism.One word about this film, it is surely going to be controversial, some will absolutely hail it, and some will absolutely hate it.
The action shots covered the actually killing of the Israeli Olympic team feels hauntingly real, as does some of the bombings which take place.While some may be turned away by the 164 minute run time (which I know my friends were) I feel this is a great film, and definitely one of Spielberg's best.
At this point, I feel like I know his face better than one of my family members."Munich" is a powerful story done by a powerhouse group, as it is directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Tony Kushner.
It's the story of a young Israeli, Avner (Eric Bana), who is asked to head up a team with the mission to eliminate the men responsible for the massacre at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
I agree that Spielberg does not take sides in the film and shows how everyone suffers in any violent conflict, and that after a time, people hate for the sake of hating and kill for the sake of killing, often forgetting what started the whole cycle.Eric Bana gives a fantastic performance as Avner.
This Steven Spielberg movie tells a haunting and compelling story, based on a terrorist attack during the Olympic Games in Munich.
Based on George Jonas' book 'Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team' this movie tells about how one group of men enacted Israel's retribution and the prices they had to pay.Eric Bana is awesome in the film as a man who undergoes a dramatic change after what he does for his country, a country that cannot afford to acknowledge his existence.
By film's end, Avner fantasizes that he is both a member of the Black September attack and a member of the doomed Olympic team.Spielberg also portrays both Israeli and Palestinians as defending their actions due to their desire to have a home.
From two-time Academy Award winning director Steven Spielberg comes Munich, the story of the assassination of the 11 Israeli athletes who were killed at the 1972 Olympic Games. |
tt0822832 | Marley & Me | Soon after their wedding, John and Jenny Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston) escape the brutal Michigan winters and relocate to a cottage in South Florida, where they are hired as reporters for competing newspapers. At The Palm Beach Post, Jenny immediately receives prominent front-page assignments, while at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, John finds himself writing obituaries and two-paragraph articles about mundane news like a fire at the local garbage dump.
When John senses Jenny is contemplating motherhood, his friend and co-worker Sebastian Tunney (Eric Dane) suggests the couple adopt a dog to see if they're ready to raise a family. From a litter of newborn yellow Labrador retrievers they select Marley (named after reggae singer Bob Marley), who immediately proves to be incorrigible. They take him to Ms. Kornblut (Kathleen Turner), who firmly believes any dog can be trained, but when Marley refuses to obey commands, she expels him from her class.
Editor Arnie Klein (Alan Arkin) offers John a twice-weekly column in which he can discuss the fun and foibles of everyday living. At first stumped for material, John realizes the misadventures of Marley might be the perfect topic for his first piece. Arnie agrees, and John settles into his new position. Marley continues to wreak havoc on the household, providing John with a wealth of material for his column, which becomes a hit with readers and helps increase the newspaper's circulation. Jenny becomes pregnant, but loses the baby early in her first trimester. She and John travel to Ireland for a belated honeymoon, leaving the rambunctious dog in the care of a young woman who finds him impossible to control, especially during the frequent thunderstorms that plague the area. Soon after returning from their vacation, Jenny discovers she is pregnant again, and this time she delivers a healthy boy, Patrick. When she has a second son, Connor, she opts to give up her job and become a stay-at-home mom, prompting John to take on a daily column for a pay increase. Due to the crime rate, the couple decides to move to a larger house in the safer neighborhood of Boca Raton, where Marley delights in swimming in the backyard pool.
Although she denies she is experiencing postpartum depression, Jenny exhibits all the symptoms, including a growing impatience with Marley and John, who asks Sebastian to care for the dog when Jenny insists they give him away. She quickly comes to realize he has become an indispensable part of the family and agrees he can stay. Sebastian accepts a job for The New York Times and moves away.
John celebrates his 40th birthday and later goes skinny dipping with Jenny in their swimming pool. Increasingly disenchanted with his job, he decides to accept a position as a reporter with The Philadelphia Inquirer with Jenny's blessing, and the family moves to a farm in rural Pennsylvania. John soon realizes that he is a better columnist than reporter and pitches the column idea to his editor. Life is idyllic until the aging Marley begins to show signs of arthritis and deafness. An attack of gastric dilatation volvulus almost kills him, but he recovers. When a second attack occurs, it becomes clear surgery will not help him, and Marley is euthanized with John at his side. The family pay their last respects to their beloved pet as they bury him beneath a tree in their front yard. | dramatic, comedy, sentimental | train | wikipedia | null |
tt1007028 | Zack and Miri Make a Porno | The movie starts with a shot of the street covered in snow and ice with a boy on a bike doing the paper route. He's throwing newspapers when a car almost hits him and swerves the other way hitting the fence. The driver gets out and spews a bunch of cuss words as the paperboy keeps delivering and ignores the man.Inside an apartment, Miri (Elizabeth Banks) gets up to her alarm and knocks on the door telling her roommate Zack (Seth Rogen) to get up or she'll be late for work. Zack sits up but lies back down. Miri puts on a pot of coffee and above it are a ton of bills owed but none have gone in the paid slot. She knocks on the door again to get him up and goes into the bathroom. Zack gets up and just before he goes into the bathroom she yells that she's using it and he freaks saying he didn't know she was taking a shit. She yells at him that the door was closed but he argues it wasn't all the way closed. They argue some more and then he leaves. Miri is soon in the car waiting for Zack using a hand warmer. Zack gets in the car and asks her what it is and she tells him. He gets an idea and snatches the hand warmer out of her hands and puts it in his pants. Miri freaks out but drives off in their hoopty (cheap, beat up car). As they're driving Miri smells something and thinks it's the car. Soon Zack is freaking out that the hand warmer is stuck under his balls and yells for her to pull over. She pulls over and he gets out taking off his pants to get it out. He gets back in the car and he tells Miri he thinks he burned some of his ball hair off. She laughs and drives off. She pulls up to the mall where she works and as she gets out asking Zack why he won't help her pick out an outfit for later that night. He said she needs a friend and she says he is her friend but he says he meant a girlfriend. They say goodbye and he drives the car to work.At the Bean and Gone coffee shop, the manager is telling Delaney (Craig Robinson) he needs him to work black Friday. Delaney tells him how dare he do that and starts running off a list of racist names with days such as nigga Tuesday, or monkey Sunday because he's black. The manager says he didn't mean it like that and Delaney tells him he doesn't care because when he gets his settlement from the post office he won't have to work anymore. At that time Zack walks in as Delaney asks him if it's racist that the manager asked him to work black Friday. Zack says yes and the manager starts yelling at him saying he'll soon install a camera to see everything they're doing saying he hates their ebony and ivory team and fuck them both. Delaney explains that he can't work black Friday because he has to buy the flat screen his wife has been bugging him about forever. Zack says he can blame it on him because he took the day off because he'll be really drunk on the day. Delaney asks why and Zack tells him Miri really wants them to go to their high school reunion together and Delaney teases him that they should've hooked up a long time ago. Zack tells him that they have a good thing going because she pays half the rent, does dishes, and they've known each other since first grade so it would be creepy. Delaney tells Zack that he's known his wife since kindergarten and that they have a beautiful thing. Zack asks if he's telling the truth and Delaney says no he hates her and they can't stand each other.That night at Bean and Gone, Miri's changing her clothes at the coffee shop getting ready for their high school reunion. She changes into an all yellow outfit and asks how she looks. Zack tells her she looks like Ronald McDonald and she gets mad going back into the back stock room. He asks to use her computer and she says yes but he has to hit it before turning it on or the screen won't work. He hits it and asks her why she won't buy a new one. She says she can't afford it and as he looks on her screen he sees she ordered a vibrator on amazon.com asking her why she's getting one. She tells him she can't have orgasms with any of the guys she's been with. As she's changing, two young perverts see her underwear and laugh because she's wearing a huge pair of granny panties. One of them takes his phone out and starts recording it. She soon changes into another outfit with hearts all over the sweater. She asks how it looks and Zack still doesn't approve and she goes back to change again while the two perverts are still recording her. Zack asks her how can she afford the clothes if she can't pay bills or get a new laptop and she tells him she borrowed the clothes from a friend who works at another store in the mall. He then says he'll order a pocket vibrating vagina for himself and she says he should put his extra money toward the rent or some bills. She doesn't think it would be smart if he bought one and he argues that he's sick of using Jergen's to masturbate. While still recording Miri, the phone is suddenly recording Zack's butt because he caught them and places him in front of the camera. They immediately cut it off and Zack kicks them out. Miri changes into a dress and he tells her it looks ok. They go back home to get ready while Miri is in the shower and the water shuts off. She yells for Zack and he goes in the bathroom trying to turn on the faucet. It goes off and he tells her they shut the water off. Miri then asks him to use water from the toilet. He lifts the seat and says there's poop in there and she says no from the back of the seat. He gets it out and starts pouring it into her hair trying not to look as she hangs on to the shower curtain. It's going fine until she falls on the floor trying not to let Zack see her. They soon get into the car and Zack tries to convince Miri that they shouldn't be going since they haven't done so well 10 years later. She tells him nobody is better than them but he cuts her down by saying yes they are. They then check with each other if they look any better than they did 10 years ago and they both give negative answers so then they drive off.They arrive at the high school and go to check in. At the front desk the girl checking in the guests doesn't remember either Zack or Miri and they tell her their names. Miri says her name is Miriam Linkey and the girl says she remembers stinky Linkey. She says to her no, that's not true but they give her a nametag with her name and nickname on it saying stinky Linkey. Zack gets his but has no nickname on his and asks if he can have sex with the girl after the reunion telling her he eats pussy. She says no while handing them the sign in sheet saying she's married with kids and Miri says that's beautiful. Zack tries to convince her again but she refuses. He hands her the sheet back and they walk to the gym. The girl looks down and sees he wrote I love your pussy and freaks out. To make matters worse she turns around mad and Zack is emulating eating her out. They both get to the gym and start talking and socializing when a guy who goes by the other Zack and keeps giving Zack hell about it because they have the same name. Zack and Miri then go get drinks at the bar when Miri sees the high school quarterback that she had a crush on, Bobby Long (Brandon Routh) and goes to hit on him. Zack laughs at her for trying something pointless but she goes for it anyway. She sees him and starts talking to him and asks if he remembers her. Since they earlier took off their nametags he doesn't know until she says she's stinky Linkey. Bobby then remembers and tells Miri she looks good. She says thank you and starts hitting on him noticing that he's not married and tells him neither is she. She asks about him and he tells her he has to go back to L.A. tomorrow and she says he's gotten all big-time. Later by the punch bowl Zack sees a guy standing there named Brandon (Justin Long) and starts talking to him. He asks Brandon if he knows him and he tells Zack that he didn't go to high school with them he just came with somebody else and says he came with Bobby Long. He tells him he wasn't prepared to come to Monroeville (Pennsylvania). He asks Brandon what he does and he tells him he's an actor. Zack asks what movies Brandon's been in and he tells him he's been in mostly spoofs that involve mostly men, actually only men. Zack then realizes that Brandon's a gay porn star and looks a bit shocked. Zack apologizes but Brandon says its ok because he knows Zack isn't a part of his fan base. Zack asks how he knows so and Brandon asks him if he likes pussy and immediately Zack says yes. Brandon then tells Zack that that lets him know he's not apart of his fan base. Zack then looks at Miri telling Brandon that Miri really wants to get with Bobby realizing that she doesn't know Bobby's gay. Soon Miri's asking Bobby back to her place after having a few too many drinks and he tries nicely to let her down. Zack and Brandon approach them while Zack tries to stop Miri from making a fool of herself. She still keeps propositioning him when Zack tells her what Brandon does and that Bobby brought him. Brandon sees Miri and then calls her granny panties because he saw the footage an hour ago that the two perverts recorded on their camera phone saying they got over two million hits in three hours. He then asks Bobby to take a picture of the three of them because he realizes that Zack's ass was in the footage as well. Humiliated, Miri then realizes that Bobby's gay and she leaves saying she's going to drink until she falls over.For some odd reason Zack stays to ask about Brandon doing gay porn somewhat curious about his profession. But soon Bobby and Brandon get into a fight about Bobby being so secretive about their relationship while Zack stands in awe watching them argue. Brandon says he's been putting up with Bobby being in the closet when they visit his mom and starts making a scene in front of everyone while people start looking as he yells that they're gay. He keeps talking about how much he loves sucking Bobby's dick and how much Bobby loves eating Brandon's ass out and wants to know why he doesn't want anyone else to know what they do in bed. Zack still stands in amazement that they fight like straight couples do. Somehow Bobby calms Brandon down and they kiss and make up when Zack leaves. Zack then goes to the table and sees another high school classmate he remembered while she looks pissed off seeing her husband flirting with a former cheerleader. Zack looks shocked that they got married and offers she can give him a handjob if she wants to get back at him. She first says she doesn't want revenge but Zack says they can go in the girls locker room and she says she'll do it in 10 minutes. They soon walk out as he zips up his pants showing that she did the deed.That night Miri and Zack get home looking depressed about to drink beers and Zack tries to see the two in the granny panties site when their power goes out. Soon they go to a bar and start talking about how bad things are financially and how low they are on options. She then tells Zack that soon when they get home the heat will be cut off too since all the power went out and soon they won't have a roof over their head. Miri asks Zack to extend his credit line again but he says he already did and he's maxed out. He then says she could start by doing what they always said and be a hooker. She says she never thought things would get so bad that they would have to start having sex for money. He tells her that Brandon makes a lot of money for sex. Then the idea pops into his head and she gets excited. He tells her they could make a porno. Miri says that wasn't the idea she had in mind but Zack keeps going on about how Brandon gets paid $1,000 each time he gets banged or gives a blow job. Miri still isn't sure about it since it would be weird between the two of them. Zack mentions that the only people who do it are those with no dignity and no families. He says they both have no dignity and Miri's parents are dead and Zack's grandparents are dead nobody would care if they did porn. He also mentions they've known each other for a long time and would finally know what it's like to have sex with each other. Miri accuses Zack of wanting to do a porno only to have an excuse to have sex with her. He says that's not true, as the film would be profitable since the porn industry does make a lot of money. They soon get home and keep talking about doing a porno while burning all their bills in the fire of their trashcan for heat because the heat was eventually cut off. They discuss how strange it would be having sex because they've known each other for so long and Miri says it'd be like having sex with her brother. After much convincing, Zack finally gets Miri to agree to it.On black Friday, Zack and Delaney are at the mall shopping when Zack runs the idea by Delaney saying if he takes the money for his flat screen to pay for their porn he can be the producer. Delaney seems hesitant because of his wife but Zack tells him he'll get to see free tits and he won't have to have sex. He says he'll let him do the auditions and check out all the women willing to be in the movie. Delaney lights up to the idea and gives him his flat screen money agreeing to be the producer. Soon they're all posting signs for auditions and looking for a studio. Delaney has a line of women waiting to show him their talents hesitant to see them because he's married. He keeps trying to talk himself out of it while looking at different women. At the same time Zack and Miri are trying to come up with names of their porn such as spoof names from sci-fi flicks. They're also using the water at Bean and Gone. Zack and Miri also find a place to shoot the film that used to be an old homeless shelter where the homeless used to go to the bathroom on the floor. The landlord tells them as long as they can clean it up they'll be ok. They pay to rent it out and begin to set it up like a studio. Back at the audition, Delaney tries to respect the woman in the room and she strips her clothes off and he stares practically drooling. They also go to strip clubs looking for women and ask if any of them do anal sex and they find one, Stacey (Katie Morgan), who says she loves oral too. They decide to bring her on as part of the cast. They also interview different men who would like to star in their porn and find one guy, Lester (Jason Mewes), who says he has a special talent and tells Zack and Miri that he can make his dick stand straight up and not just out. He stands up and shows them and amazed they cast him. With the men they also pick up Barry (Ricky Mabe) as part of the cast. Zack, Miri, and Delaney also meet another girl auditioning who tells them she learned a trick at a bachelor party. She stands up and pulls her underwear down and shakes a bottle of bubbles and puts the blowing stick by her vagina and queefs to make it blow up. It works and she pops it. At a loss for words, Delaney starts calling her Bubbles (Traci Lords). While playing recreational hockey (think intramurals), Zack is skating across the ice and the goalie gets mad because he doesn't want to get hit. He gets fed up when he almost gets hit and throws down his hockey stick knocking out the guy trying to make a goal. He's then told to sit out and sits next to Zack talking to him and Zack asks him if he used to videotape games in high school. His teammate, Deacon (Jeff Anderson) says he did only to sleep with cheerleaders. Soon Zack has a cameraman. After getting a full cast and crew they come up with the idea to call the movie Star Whores and get started. Back at Zack and Miris apartment, the cast is there discussing who will have sex with who. They decide everybody will sleep with one another except when Zack says he'll sleep with Stacey and Miri starts to look a little jealous. In order to deny her feelings she says she'll sleep with Lester. Zack then starts to get jealous and says she shouldn't do it or she'll be uncomfortable but Miri says she's slept with uglier guys than Lester and she's ok with it. They then let it go and agree that everyone will have sex with everyone minus Delaney and Deacon (so he can shoot it).They then go to the renovated studio and begin doing shots of them with dildos as guns dressed as the Star Wars characters. They even show a pair of balls hanging where R2-D2's opening is. They soon wrap it up and congratulate each other saying they're looking forward to tomorrow when the actual sex begins. After they wrap it up Zack and Miri are the only ones left and begin talking about their sex scene. Miri makes Zack promise that things won't get weird and he says they won't. They then leave and Miri says she hopes things don't go wrong and Zack asks what could go wrong with their porno. The next day the building's being demolished by construction workers just as the cast pulls up to see all their equipment and studio getting crushed. Zack and Miri yell to the head construction worker they already paid the man the full rent and then Zack says he'll crush him. The construction worker tells him good luck because he ran off to Florida. Frustrated, they all go to Bean and Gone and are defeated they were tricked. Zack walks around pissed saying he knew he was a loser and gives up on it all while a patron walks in for a cup of coffee. Zack asks him what he wants and when the man tries to say something Zack interrupts saying it's too late so he gets a latte. Then as Zack looks out at the coffee shop he gets a vision and starts running around excited about his idea. He then runs to the back stockroom and sees the camcorder the manager set up in the back and gets the idea to use it to make a porno in the coffee shop since all of their equipment was demolished. They then decide to shut down the shop after hours and cover it with curtains. That night they shut it down and soon begin to shoot their first sex scene with Stacey and Lester. Barry acts as the sound crew and uses a hockey stick with a microphone on it. Lester begins the act by walking up to buy a cup of coffee while Stacey acts as the barista and offers him herself since she's already topless. They then start to have sex while Barry pours coffee beans on them for effect. It seems to be going well until a drifter shows up drunk asking what time the place closes. Obviously he was still in the bathroom when Zack tells him they closed a while ago. He tells them he needs a coffee to drive home and Zack makes it on the house. While Lester and Stacey still have sex, Zack makes the coffee like it's nothing out of the ordinary. He then gets the drifter out and the cast and crew finish the scene. It goes well and they go to the next scene of Bubbles fucking Barry with a dildo while he seems to be enjoying it as much as she is. Delaney then says he's disturbed at how much it's turning him on.The next night Zack closes the coffee shop shoving patrons out and gets the cast and crew to run in. This happens to be the night of Zack and Miri's scene and it's obvious that Miri's nervous while Bubbles does her makeup. She keeps telling Bubbles that Zack and her are just friends and always have been while Bubbles doesn't seem to be buying it. Then Zack walks in and Miri comments on how he shaved and he said he did it so he wouldn't give her razor burn when he went down on her. She laughs saying she likes it and Bubbles leaves them alone. Miri tells Zack how proud she's of him and likes the ambitious look on him. They have a moment and then go to shoot the scene. The crew turns on the music and starts filming when Miri acts as an employee in a really short skirt, her bra out, and really high heels. Zack comes in with a delivery in cut off UPS shorts with a crate full of crème. They look uncomfortable the whole time and keep dancing around to the music while making sexual references about the crème and his going on Miri's face. They keep moving to the other side of the room while the crew keeps pushing them along to have sex. Zack even tells Miri not to take her top off and almost none of their clothes come off. Delaney calls it the worst porno he's ever seen while they all look waiting for some action. While walking, Miri reaches under her skirt and pulls her granny panties off throwing them on Zack trying to be sexy when it clearly isn't working. Zack and Miri finally get on the coffee bean bag about to do it still hesitant. He asks her if she's ready and she says yes. They kiss and Zack finally gets inside her and they begin having sex. But they aren't doing it porn star style they seem into it like they're making love. The crew looks at them because they're so surprisingly gentle with each other and Deacon says they're in a different world. Back to the duo they're still having sex and enjoying it when Miri is about to climax Zack joins her and cum together. They lay in complete bliss while the crew cheers them on how great the scene went. They congratulate Zack and Miri on how well they did and leave to go out front. Zack asks Miri if she's coming and she says she needs to take a break and he leaves. Miri lays on the bag of beans happy that she finally had an orgasm while Zack walks out the door and stands still thinking about what happened and seems relieved.Back at their place, Zack and Miri talk about how well the scene went when Miri brings up that she felt weird while recording the scene and that she is still feeling that way. Zack asks if she meant weird in a bad way and she tells him no, she just didn't expect him to do all he did sexually. Trying to dance around the issue, Zack tells her he did do a lot by acting, writing the script, and directing. Miri tells him she wasn't talking about those things and he admits he knew. Just when they approach the subject of their romantic tryst, the power comes back on even though they haven't paid one bill. Then they check the water and it comes back on. They jump in excitement and get a knock on the door. Miri answers with the whole cast and crew standing there. Zack asks if they talked to the landlord but find out they decided to pay their bills for the month because they were tired of Zack and Miri using their showers. They also appreciate the two for giving them a chance to do a porno and how they feel connected as a family. Delaney tells them they're having a wrap party even though the movie isn't done. He says they need a break and they begin dancing, drinking, throwing things off the back porch, and playing drinking games. Sitting on the couch, Miri looks at Zack and he smiles at her when Stacey suddenly sits next to her asking about the connection between her and Zack since Stacey has a sex scene with him tomorrow. Miri says it was good and Stacey interrupts saying she wanted to hook up with him that night. She asks Miri if its ok and Miri approves even though she doesn't seem to be happy about it. Stacey jumps on Zack whispering she wants to sleep with him. He looks uncomfortable and whispers looking at Miri thinking about her. Stacey whispers she said it was ok and Zack looks shocked. He then stares at Miri as Stacey leads him to his bedroom looking upset that Miri approved. Miri also stares at Zack disappointed that he's going to sleep with Stacey. They both close his bedroom door and Miri looks depressed on the couch.The next day, Zack is directing the final scene for Stacey and Lester to have sex asking if she's ok with it. She tells him she is because she's constipated and normally anal sex loosens her up making her regular again. Zack says he takes an Ex-lax looking disgusted saying he's never had that conversation before and goes to the back right when Miri walks in. Zack asks her why she's there and she tells him she came to do the final scene with Lester and Zack gets upset asking her to come back so they can talk in private. He asks her what she's doing and Miri says ever since they started the porn Zack has only wanted her to have sex with him while he does everybody else. He says that's not true and brings up the other night when he knew they had something. Miri says it was just fucking and he angrily says they weren't fucking because they felt something. Zack tells her they didn't fuck they made love that night. Miri then asks if he was thinking of that when he fucked Stacey last night and he argues she did it to test him. Miri tells him she just let Stacey ask him he had the choice. Zack then calls her a jealous girlfriend and Miri yells she isn't his girlfriend she's just his friend. After hearing that Zack finally confesses that he loves Miri after all the years they've spent together. Defiant, Miri says they didn't make love that night they just fucked and she's doing the final scene with Lester. Zack gets so upset he leaves challenging her asking what if he didn't fuck Stacey. Miri tells him but he did and without trying to explain Zack leaves. Miri almost cries and comes to do the scene when everyone looks at her because Zack drove off without doing the last scene. At the same time, Deacon is filming Stacey and Lester having anal sex underneath them when shit suddenly spills out all over Deacon's face and camera. Deacon freaks out and runs outside with Delaney watching Zack drive off. Feeling guilty, later that night, Miri goes home to find Zack but sees his room is empty and that he's moved out.Three months later, it's still cold in Pittsburgh when a guy in a mask and hockey uniform is getting shot with two paintball guns as if it were a game. The two of them finish up and they're the same two perverts that posted Zack and Miri on the Internet. The guy takes his mask off and it turns out to be Zack covered in paint. Delaney walks up asking him if he used to work at the Bean and Gone and Zack looks excited to see him. During Zack's break, he and Delaney talk about how things are and Delaney tells him he finally got his settlement from the post office. Zack congratulates him because he thought it was a joke. Delaney mentions that Zack still owes him money and asks Zack about the porno they made, telling him it's not finished. Still mending a broken heart, Zack tells Delaney he won't finish it. Delaney says if he finishes it he won't owe him anything and Zack agrees to clear his debt. At Delaney's house, his wife (Tisha Campbell-Martin) starts yelling at him that he has another white boy in the basement, so why did he bring another one? He introduces Zack and she asks Zack if he thinks she's attractive. Delaney tells him to just say yes and Zack does. She offers to have sex with him until Delaney makes him go into the basement while the couple argues about her boobs sagging and Delaney's balls sagging. Zack sees Deacon in the basement editing their porno while Delaney joins them.The last scene is with Zack and Miri together and it kills Zack to watch it. He looks at the rushes, but does not find it. He asks where the last scene is and they tell him Miri never did it. He feels terrible when Delaney explains how much the both of them did for the cast and crew they had and how they should've seen what was right in front of them. Zack runs back to their old place and comes inside opening the bathroom door knowing Miri's in there. She yells to close the door and he freaks out, saying he didn't know she was taking a shit. He closes the door and tells her he loves her and that he never slept with Stacey. Suddenly Lester walks out naked. Zack then says it's ok if she's sleeping with Lester because he loves her and would rather die than be without her and will wait a lifetime to be with Miri. Lester says they aren't having sex: he just moved in because Miri couldn't afford the rent without Zack, and she moved into Zack's old bedroom because she missed the way he smelled. He says he just likes walking around naked. He then tries to get Zack to help jack him off but Zack declines and Lester goes back to bed. Crying, Miri opens the bathroom door and tells Zack she heard everything. He asks her why she's crying and she tells him because she missed him so much. He picks her up and carries her to his old bedroom, saying their porno film signature line, "Let us f***!"Do watch through the end credits to view a final scene, a what-are-they-doing-now thing. | bleak, cult, humor, boring, adult comedy | train | imdb | In addition to being deliberately shortened on TV, Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy) has had to fight for even the R-rating, a teaser trailer had to be removed from his website, the posters for the flick were so raunchy that the characters could only appear as stick figures(of which Seth Rogen is assuredly not), and already certain theaters have decided not to show it while openly showing Saw V and Max Payne without a moments hesitation.
"Zack and Miri" is vintage Kevin Smith, blending the cheerily offensive with heartfelt sentimentality, and while its nothing groundbreaking or even terribly gratuitous (sure there are some cock and ball, ass, and boob shots but what comedy doesn't have those now-adays), it's also one of Smith's most successful attempts with the formula.Seth Rogen plays Zack and Elizabeth Banks plays Miri, two best friends living in a crummy little apartment in Pittsburgh.
They enlist the help of Zack's coffee shop co-worker Delaney (Craig Robinson) to be producer and also bring on a rag tag team of actors (Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson, Traci Lords, Katie Morgan, and Ricky Mabe), first to shoot the movie "Star Whores" with such characters as R2-Teabag, Hung Solo, and Darth Vibrator and then when that encounters a shooting problem, they decide to do a coffee shop porn called "Swallow my Cock-Ucinno".The problem Smith often encounters is that sometimes it feels like he's throwing F-words, vibrator, pussy, and jerk-off jokes at us a little too easily and it doesn't really jive well with the sweeter side that comes later.
"Zack and Miri" gets very good performances from everybody and it manages to do what a lot of romantic comedies this year have not been able to do, which is earn the laughs and earn the love of it's two characters.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is a strange but enjoyable love story, cleverly written by Smith so that you do actually feel the romance behind the porn.
Although this movie had a nice start,with quite a few good jokes it failed to become much more than that.I was hoping to see something different,a breath of fresh air in the mass off generic,cheap teenage comedies.Unfortunately Zack and Miri are stuck somewhere in the middle of an sandwich and it's not pleasant at all.The first half of the movie I admire the most.This part is filled with something,not to say original but different,and actually has something fresh to bring to audience.Closer we are getting to ending movie starts dragging us in different direction,from unique and funny comedy towards cheap romantic flick filled with every possible cliché there is in a book.Actually it started becoming so bad it literally erased all enjoyable moments this movie did offer.Only thing that stopped me from turning it off was pure boredom.Disappointed,to say at least..
It's the same here, and it looks like everyone involved had fun making the film...in every sense of the word...What makes the movie work so well is the amazing platonic and romantic chemistry of the two leads, Rogen and Elizabeth Banks (who is quickly becoming one of my favorites).
They really make you feel comfortable and warm inside (I can hear the sex jokes coming already).It's not just our wonderful leads that make the movie great, it's performers like Jason Mewes (playing a variant of his usual 'Jay' character), Jeff Anderson, and Craig Robinson that really help, because any scene without Banks & Rogen together has Robinson or Mewes, who form a type of foundation for the great performances of Banks & Rogen.
Zack & Miri Make a Porno may not be high art, but it is very funny movie, with a touch of heart to go along with it.Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) have been best friends for as long as they can remember.
However, in the process of getting down to business, Zack and Miri are realizing that their long-standing friendship may actually be something more, and can they manage to watch each other get it on with someone else after discovering that they may only want to be with each other.One thing is certain: if you are not able to listen to frank jokes featuring almost every vulgar word in the English language, not to mention a fair dose of nudity and simulated sex, you should be looking elsewhere for an evening at the movies.
Zack & Miri Make a Porno, like all of Smith's best films, is all about the dialogue, and it works wonderfully, as always.Seth Rogan is proving to be an actor who manages to give a performance that seems so completely unforced and natural.
Elizabeth Banks is equally good in the role of Miri, and the two characters have a nice, natural chemistry, that evokes it's power when the two film their first sex scene for the porno, which Smith stages tastefully and scores with a great, unreleased song by Live.
You know you care about what happens to these characters once this scene hits.The supporting cast is strong, especially Robinson as Zack's co-worker who is principally interested in financing this film so he can see some women naked after being married for so long (A scene between his character and his wife late in the film is a riot) and Jason Mewes, no longer under the influence of drugs, proves that he will do almost anything in a film and gets plenty of laughs.Zack & Miri Make a Porno is Kevin Smith's second turn at a film outside of his "View Askewniverse" series of films that he kicked off with Clerks, and it shows that Smith has ability to produce a funny film without exclusively relying on his old standby characters.
Roommates and longtime friends Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) meet a gay couple (Brandon Routh and Justin Long) at a high school reunion held on the eve of Thanksgiving.
The plot twist, obvious in conventional romantic comedy terms, is that the process of shooting a sex scene with them in it makes Zack and Miri, who, we don't know exactly why, have contented themselves with hasty, meaningless sex with others up to now, realize--after a slight delay--that they've really loved each other along.Smith's use of Seth Rogen in a schlub-wins-pretty-girl comedy (there's no doubt that Elizabeth Banks is pretty) links him with Judd Apatow's productions, but let's hope he isn't swallowed up by the Apatow factory.
Apatow can do anything, but in spite of the success of 'Knocked Up,' 'Super Bad,' 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' and 'Pineapple Express,' I wish he'd go back to producing really good failed TV series like 'Freaks and Geeks' and 'Undeclared,' where Seth got started and Judd gave birth to all the good comedy.Kevin Smith's continuing appeal is his own.
A good addition here is Zack's black cohort from his place of work, Delaney (Craig Robinson of the US TV "The Office"), who has great timing and delivery, and becomes the porno's producer.In a way Zack even directly reenacts what Smith actually did when he shot 'Clerks'--he made a movie at night in the New Jersey convenience store where he was then working in the daytime.
In spite of, as I said earlier, some forced and unfunny race and gay humor, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" still features characters who feel like real people (something Smith has always been able to do) and some really inspired dialogue and even some well-executed sight gags this time around.
Oh, it's absolutely filthy, of course, but there's real heart here, and where I personally think "Clerks II" failed at bringing vulgarity and romance together into a cohesive whole, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" does exactly that, including in the film's key scene between Zack and Miri (which also features a "LOST" joke!
You can't expect something as unconventional as "Chasing Amy" (although this movie might be more consistent and hence better), which was a romantic comedy set in a geek/nerd world, with such accurate reflection of the people I know and the life I live that it remains a favorite of mine in spite of its rough visual look and some bad acting, but "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" is so well-written and contains such genuine emotion that it overcomes all the hurdles which a romantic comedy faces.The acting is certainly a big part of the movie's success.
It wasn't the porn that bothered me, it was the poor acting and boring dialogue, I would've loved to have seen this same story done, but with actors that are not full of themselves or conceited or big douchebags like Seth Rogan, and with a better script and to not have it be full of comedy clichés and stereotypes.
The focus on crude jokes in the first half means that you don't really care about the characters and when Smith decides to go all doe-eyed in his plot then you just don't buy it and it only results in being unfunny and dull.The cast all do the basics and there is only really one "good" performance in the film which is from Banks.
Mewes is amusing but his presence only reminds you how much funnier he was as Jay. Long is funny in his small turn and there are a couple of other good comic performances from others in the group as well.Overall this film is just what we have sadly come to expect from Kevin Smith a crude film that is funny but nowhere near funny enough to carry the whole film like he once did.
Beneath the dirty sex jokes and over-the-top porn scenes, Zack and Miri Make a Porno is essentially a love story about two people who have known each other their entire lives and are just realizing their feelings for one another.
The movie was a complete failure, the dialogue can only be described "bla bla bla", 15 years since clerk and stil there is not even one funny line, if you look for something funny in the script, yes there are plenty of stuff there that could've turn out to be hilarious, but kevin smith isn't a director, he just isn't.
They tried the "Best Friend" conversation at the beginning of the film, that falls flat and sounds like they're reciting from a bad script, so their sexual attraction just isn't believable.Finally, let me skip to the nail in this films coffin: the "This porno needs an ending" speech from his friend that pushes him into giving her one last chance...and their final scene ends with the romantic music and happy ending flair..I was waiting for the Slow Clap from the film, "Lucas." :)Kevin Smith, I now crown you as the George Lucas of comedy.
However, "Zack and Miri make a porno" is simply not at the quality of previous Kevin Smith films.
Aside of Justin Long's character which is a nice change from his usual stuff - the rest is just bad...Maybe it the over abundance of what is considered swearing - maybe it's the useless story or uninteresting setup.Whatever it is, it's not enough to make this a true comedy.This relies on bad mouth words to the extreme and too much sex talk - even for a set up of the porno industry.I felt insulted that I watched this - as comedy has sunk to another low.Swearing does not offend me, but to construct it in such a pitiful manner is just bad.This beyond retarded in the comedy section and to the edge of stupidity.Humour is not present.If you are gonna go through all this stupid and weak plot, you would be far better off watching a porn movie to begin with.At least then you would enjoy it in it's true form..
I just hope next time Kevin Smith makes a comedy he decides to work with a new cast because despite his undeniable talent we are all a little sick of Seth Rogan.5 out of 10.
It was just the standard romantic comedy dressed up in R-rated humor.The parts that I found to be particularly funny were the parts that had nothing to do with sex; such as the lights being shut off in the apartment and all the problems Zack and Miri had trying to make enough money to pay their bills.This is definitely not a movie I would ever watch twice.
Zack and Miri has some amusing parts, and Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks are pleasant and work hard, but the script becomes predictable and the ending of the movie is hardly any sort of surprise.Maybe Smith can one day create a lead female character that is less than perfect.
Although similar to the Apatow formula, Zack and Miri is easily distinguishable as a Kevin Smith film, even with the casting of Apatow regulars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks.
Like "The Dutch Rudder", Kevin Smith's eighth film, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno", is a cheap bit of fun, a nice way to kill some time, but nowhere near as good as it can and should be.Okay, so you haven't seen the movie and don't get the reference?
The story revolves around platonic friends/room-mates Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) who, after finding themselves in deep financial trouble, find inspiration at a high school reunion from a gay couple (a hilarious Justin Long and Brandon Routh) to venture into the adult film business to make ends meet.
Craig Robinson practically steals the show, and although Kevin Smith wrote this as a vehicle for Seth Rogen, it's Elizabeth Banks who has all the great lines and provides the heart of the film.Great cast aside, the plot just does not deliver.
I think you must be.It makes me very sad to say this, because I have generally been a big Kevin Smith fan, but I thought that "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" was a bit disappointing.Definitely not as good as "Clerks", "Chasing Amy" or "Dogma".
"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" is not as good as any previous Kevin Smith film.
No Jay and Silent Bob (it would have been a better film if they had been in it), but I kept thinking to myself that maybe it is time for Kevin Smith to change the record."Zack and Miri Make a Porno" is not totally terrible.
Desperate to raise enough money to pay their mounting bills and rent, two platonic flatmates decide to film and star in a homemade pornographic movie, but things get complicated when they realise that they might really love each other in this lively Kevin Smith comedy.
Despite the obvious smuttiness of the title, Zack and Miri Make a Porno is one of writer/director Kevin Smith's sweetest, and most formulaic, films to date.
Director Kevin Smith makes a slacker buddy porn comedy in Zack and Miri make a Porno.
Zack and Miri are good friends living in a run down flat and not having enough money to pay the rent and bills and decide to make a porn film to roll in the cash, an idea they got after they met a former school friend at a High School reunion who revealed he was a gay porn star.Smith makes the film rude and crude but deep inside is a sweet love story as Zack and Miri find out that they have a romantic tingling for each other which is more than just sex for the camera.The film is amusing enough helped by the good chemistry between Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogen although the film is prudish showing nude scenes with Banks.
Like most of Kevin Smith's films, Zack and Miri is clever and dirty.
Kevin Smith's latest, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," as some have already said, is one of the most deceptively innocent (and I really mean "guilty") and romantic comedy films to ever come out this decade.
He matured greatly with "Chasing Amy" (1997), and in my opinion really hit pay-dirt with "Clerks II" in 2006, which is my favorite film of his so far.And yet, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" feels very different from the usual Kevin Smith movie.
The surrounding performers provide an interesting foundation for Rogen and Banks's characters to grow, especially Jason Mewes playing a hyper-sexualized variation of his trademark character Jay, Jeff Anderson getting "in" on a great joke at his expense, and porn actress Katie Morgan getting to shine as well in a role that does prove that even porn stars can act, sometimes."Zack and Miri Make a Porno," despite its raunchy excesses, is one of the best romantic comedies I've seen in a while.
It's been a long time since we've seen him like this, so in a certain sense, Kevin makes a comeback with "Zack and Miri." By the way, while the title suggest something pretty vulgar the film is really only slightly more vulgar then the "Clerks" or its sequel.
In fact it looks to be the first time that Mewes appears in Smith's movie, playing someone other than Jay, but for the same reason don't expect to see Silent Bob. But of course, don't be mislead by the porno bits and dirty jokes - "Zack and Miri" is first of all a love story, even if it's the weirdest one ever seen on screen..
Either way, one wonders of course if this is indeed Smith's secret fantasy (with Princess Lay-Her *ahem*), but I digress.While it took a while for Zack (Set Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) to conceive the titular plan to save their sorry state of cash flow problems, this movie is not about making a porn film for the sake of.
As I find myself still glued to Kevin Smith's work, and will watch him until he dies, or until I do, I could only guess what would come into Kevin's mind next, and lo and behold, We have Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks in Zack and Miri Make a Porno.The movie premise is simple.
Traci Lords also does a very funny job in this too.Overall, Zack and Miri Make a Porno is an interesting Comedy with some classic feel, but its not Kevin Smith's cup of tea. |
tt0060934 | The Sand Pebbles | For troubled hero Jake Holman (Steve "Lightning" McQueen), no good deed goes unpunished.Transferred in 1926 to the U.S.S. San Pablo (whose crew is nicknamed the "Sand Pebbles"), a gunboat serving on the Yangtze River Patrol in China, engineer Holman finds that Chinese coolies are actually doing most of the work on the ship. When he insists on working on the ship's engines himself, he earns the enmity of the Chinese "boss" of the engine room. Captain Collins (Richard Crenna) dismisses Holman's warnings that the machinery needs significant maintenance, and when the ship experiences inevitable engine troubles, the engine room boss is crushed to death by a giant piston when Holman lets him attempt the repair. The head coolie boss bitterly blames Holman for the accident.Told to train a replacement for the dead man, Holman chooses Po-Han (Mako), whom he also befriends, overcoming his bigoted assumptions about the intellectual abilities of the Chinese. Holman sticks up for Po-Han against a bully, and sets him up to win in a prize fight against his tormentor, crewman Stawski (Simon Oakland). Shipmate Frenchy (Richard Attenborough) uses the money to pay for the freedom of a young Chinese woman, Maily (Emmanuelle Arsan), saving her from a life of prostitution. Po-Han is later captured and tortured by a Communist mob because he works for the Americans. The captain attempts to pay ransom money to trade for Po-Han, but is ignored by the mob. Unable to save his friend, Holman shoots Po-Han to end his suffering. This further enrages the Communists, and the captain rebukes Holman for disobeying orders. The Captain informs Holman that because of his meddling, two crew workers have died and he intends on having him transferred out of the San Pablo.Frenchy eventually marries Maily in a makeshift ceremony witnessed by Holman and his love interest, Shirley Eckert (Candice Bergen), an American teacher at the China Light Mission. The Chinese form a naval blockade around the San Pablo, but Shirley is able to return to the mission accompanied on a boat with a student leader. When increasing tensions with the Chinese force the Americans to spend all winter on board under siege, Frenchy slips overboard and swims to shore to visit Maily. Made desperately ill by exposure to the cold water, Frenchy ignores Maily's pleas to return for medical care. Holman, permitted to go ashore to deliver the ship's mail to the US Consulate, visits them, but finds that Frenchy has died the night before. Holman pleads with Maily to leave with him to the China Light Mission for protection, but is interrupted by Chinese thugs. Anti-American nationalists kill Maily and her unborn child, and frame Holman for the murder. He makes it back to the ship where his fellow sailors come close to mutiny when the Captain refuses to hand over Holman to the Chinese for prosecution. Feeling that he has lost command of his ship, the captain contemplates suicide.Just as spring arrives, bringing a rise in the river water levels and the opportunity to escape the siege, news reaches the San Pablo that revolutionaries have begun open violence against Americans in Nanking. The captain ignores orders to return to the coast and goes to attempt to rescue the Americans at China Light Mission. -- Shirley Eckert and the idealistic missionary Jameson (Larry Gates). To reach the mission, the gunboat must break through a blockade of junks manned by the very same boys educated at the missionary school, including the student leader who had been protecting Jameson. Holman has to cut through a thick boom rope with an axe in order to break through the blockade. Holman kills a student leader with the axe near the end of the fighting between the sailors and junk blockaders. The captain decides to take a small group to rescue the missionaries and informs the Ensign to sail back to the coast if the rescue party cannot return in time. The captain and a few men, including Holman, reach the nearly abandoned mission compound to find Jameson and Shirley reluctant to leave. Jameson says that he is a "stateless person" and has renounced his citizenship with his submission of a document to Geneva, so the rescue attempt is not justified since he no longer considers the US to be his protector. He says that the students will protect him and Shirley. Jameson insists that the missionaries are in danger only because of the actions of the American gunboat personnel who back the warlords. The captain refuses to listen to Jameson and insists on escorting them out of the mission because of the imminent danger. Collins tries to have Jameson and Shirley forcibly removed from the mission, but Holman refuses the order to do that and informs the Captain of his desire to remain with them. As Collins and Holman are arguing, one of the student leaders arrives wounded at the mission after having been shot by troops, but after talking to Jameson, he is then subsequently shot dead by Chinese soldiers. Jameson attempts to communicate with the soldiers saying that he is not tied to the American foreigners anymore, but is also shot. When the captain is killed attempting to provide cover for the others to escape, Holman takes his place, remaining behind while the other sailors slip away with Shirley to freedom. Holman shouts out loud commands in an attempt to keep the focus of attention of the soldiers on him only. He kills several snipers from the rooftops. Holman tries to escape too, before he is shot. His dying words are, "I was home. What happened? What the hell happened?" | cult, violence | train | imdb | Anyone who doubts what a great actor McQueen was need only watch this film, because his performance here as Jake Holman is simply as good as it gets.
`The Sand Pebbles, ` directed by Robert Wise, is the story of Holman, a sailor assigned to the U.S. Gunboat, `San Pablo,' stationed on the Yangtze River in China in 1926 (the sailors aboard are known as `sand pebbles').
A powerful drama, extremely well crafted and presented by Wise, `The Sand Pebbles' is a great and memorable film that will forever stand as the pinnacle of McQueen's successful career.
Some, like Jake Holman (Steve McQueen), demand sympathy and respect as they struggle to come to terms with their personal challenges brought to the fore by these historically significant and politically dangerous events.Inevitably there are slow and confusing passages as the political implications are expounded, but these are more than compensated for by our emotional engagement as we become involved in the stories of the people caught up in the political fall-out.
Steve McQueen gives what was probably the performance of his career (receiving his only Academy Award nomination), and he is supported by a wonderful cast including Richard Attenborough, Richard Crenna, Candice Bergen (aged just 19), and especially Mako.
Steve McQueen felt an affinity for this role like few others in his career.In this compelling war drama set in China in 1926, he plays American sailor Jake Holman, a man who's bonded to machinery more than people yet is imbued with a powerful sense of right and wrong.
In 1966 it also brought him his only Academy Award nomination, for Best Actor (but won that year by Paul Scofield for "A Man For All Seasons").Scripter Robert Anderson had a tough job distilling Richard McKenna's sprawling novel of U.S. Navy gunboat 'San Pablo' (hence her sailors called themselves 'Sand Pebbles') at the start of the revolution that would tear China asunder and ultimately transform it into the post-WWII behemoth we know today.
Though it starred Steve McQueen, who did an excellent job, its strength was the ensemble acting with a very talented cast including Richard Crenna, Richard Attenborough, Mako and Candice Bergen.
RICHARD CRENNA is the Captain, uncertain of just how the U.S./Chinese friction should be solved, and CANDACE BERGEN is lovely as a missionary who has a tender romance with McQueen.The exotic locales (it was filmed mostly in Taiwan), the lush background score by Jerry Goldsmith, and the confrontation between the U.S. Navy and the Chinese authorities which supplies the necessary suspense before an action-filled climax, all serve to make THE SAND PEBBLES a fascinating look at a period in history that is seldom explored.
An examination of the little-known or understood tensions and political ramifications of being aboard an American gunboat, in the 1920's, in the China backwater.The atmosphere and the story are superb.Steve McQueen has never been better as Jake Holman, a hard-nosed American sailor, with his own code of right and wrong.
Richard Crenna's ship Captain was perfect: smug, self-involved, deluded about his patriotism, but a decent man caught in a confusing, thankless, possibly deadly situation.The rest of the cast in this is tremendous, especially Richard Attenborough, Candace Bergen, Simon Oakland, and Mako.An absolutely superior film!.
Joseph MacDonald's cinematography is breath-taking; you could take almost any individual frame of "The Sand Pebbles" and hang it on your wall as a work of art.The second is that Wise himself (if you believe his commentary) wasn't trying to draw explicit parallels to Vietnam, where things did not begin to drastically escalate until near the end of filming for this movie.
Her often tentative body language works beautifully as a counterpoint to McQueen's assured and seemingly effortless performance, giving their doomed love affair great believability and poignancy.This is an example of 60s' epic film-making at its best..
This is truly my all time favorite film and not just because of the wonderful performances by McQueen, Crenna, Mako and the rest, but because I had an opportunity to experience the Asia culture first hand (during Viet Nam) and the depiction of the culture and the climate of the land is right on.
I also found two interesting character studies: "Jake Holman," by lead actor Steve McQueen, and "Captain Collins-," with Richard Crenna.
Also kind of like Eugene O'Neill's Yank in The Hairy Ape.But Steve McQueen as Jake Holman, probably THE rebel character he ever played in film, finds his life getting increasingly complex by America's mission in China between the two World Wars.
They find no acceptance in either society and meet a Sayonara like end.McQueen's performance was one of eight Oscar nominations The Sand Pebbles got including Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Wise, Best Supporting Actor for Make as the coolie who McQueen bonds with and who also finds no acceptance in either society.
As a result, Mr. McQueen's character is heroic but without fanfare, which to me makes this movie special.By the way, wasn't Richard Crenna a great actor?.
Consider "I Want to Live," "Odds Against Tomorrow," "Curse of the Cat People," and, most especially, "The Sand Pebbles," one of the best, most insightful films about men at war ever made.Set in China in 1926, this film gives an honest evocation of the period between the collapse of the Monarchy in 1908 and the Communist takeover 41 years leter, when whoever had the most firepower essentially ran the country.
He was deservedly Oscar-nominated for this performance, but lost, perhaps inevitably, to Paul Scofield's incomparable St. Thomas More in "A Man for All Seasons." Sir Richard Attenborough once again proves a better actor than director as Frenchy, Holman's best friend.
And Candice Bergen proves that she can act when called upon as the young missionary with whom McQueen falls in love, and whose life he dies trying to save.They don't make 'em like this anymore.
It tells of crewmen Frenchy {Richard Attenborough} & Jake Holman {Steve McQueen} from the U.S.S. San Pablo, two men whose lives are to be severely altered here on the banks of the Yangtze River.
Steve McQueen was made to play loner Jake Holman who finds true love and a sense of purpose in 1920's China.
Engineer Jake Holman (Steve McQueen , though first choice to play him was Paul Newman) , arrives aboard the gunboat U.S.S. San Pablo, he is a ¨loner¨ seaman who is a newcomer to the crew assigned to patrol a tributary of the Yangtze in the middle of exploited and revolution-torn 1926 China when Chinese communists take on nationalists and subsequent attacks to foreign people .
Also featured are Candice Bergen as an American woman who has arrived in China at a mission along with Larry Gates , Richard Crenna as a doubtful commandant and a motley plethora of secondaries as American actors : Charles Robinson , Simon Oakland , Joe Turkel , Gus Trikonis , Gavin MacLeod of Love Boat, as Chinese players : Mako , James Hong and Richard Loo .
Among the number of interesting books on China I've read was Richard McKenna's "The Sand Pebbles." From first to last, the story within described a young seaman named Jake Holman.
Time and again we are lead to believe this will be some uplifting tale of the underdogs triumphing and interracial harmony – for example Steve McQueen and Mako's working friendship or Richard Attenborough's romance with Marayat Andrienne – only to see the story take another shockingly dark turn and have all hopes dashed.This was a pet project for producer-director Robert Wise, one he had worked hard to get off the ground and would later look back on as one of his proudest achievements.
For one thing he isn't right for the uniform – he looks like a little boy in a sailor suit – and for another he isn't right for the American accent, unless he was doing it as some kind of cultural revenge for Dick van Dyke's appalling attempt at being a cockney in Mary Poppins.The Sand Pebbles is undoubtedly one of bleakest war movies ever made, but what is so different about it is not its anti-imperialist stance or even its downbeat mood.
I saw the movie when I was a child and I remember that I fell in love with Candice Bergen ,only 19 and thoroughly inexperienced,which made her a very credible schoolteacher.A schoolteacher I would have loved to have.The movie was not as big a blockbuster as such previous Wise's works like "west side story" and "sound of music" (I must confess I do not go much for the latter,but I love the former),and not as ambitious as films noirs such as "the set up" and "odds against tomorrow" and his Gothic horror film extraordinaire "the haunting".Some people saw a connection between the situation depicted in "sand pebbles" and the Vietnam war.And everybody disagreed:some were saying that the film denounced the sixties war ,some that it approved of it.What remains today is a good film,a bit overlong, but endearing ,with strong characters ,mainly Attenborough's and Crenna's.McQueen is efficient too ,as a soldier lost in a world he does not really understand and whose life has no sense.That's why Bergen's character ,with her naiveté and her compassion which pass for blandness to some people, is so important on Jake's road.Like Frenchie before him,he has found a reason to believe .This is not a racist movie ,as an user has mooted.Frenchie's and his Chinese girl's love affair is given a much better treatment than the Japanese/American lovers in Logan's tear-jerker "Sayonara" .And a noble man,like M.Attenborough,who would later film a memorable "Gandhi" (where Miss Bergen played a small part),how could he have agreed to be part of such a film?.
Asian actor Mako as always gives a great performance.The accuracy of the life in China during those years and the Navy lifestyle and uniforms of the time period all help to make this an epic film that gets better with age..
You honestly don't care for these characters, and I can imagine after the first half, which concludes without really any suspense, many people walking out figuring they've seen enough.Steve Mcqueen truly is wasted, Mako and Richard Attenborough pull themselves off all right, and RIchard Crenna probably is the best actor of all four.
This movie simply has it all; a great cast, superb direction, a very true to life and exciting story, and some of the best action sequences in the history of film (for both military combat and personal brawls).
I also think that this movie brought out the best performances in almost the entire cast including Steve McQueen, Richard Creena, Richard Attenborough, and Mako.
The cast is tremendous - Steve McQueen the reluctant hero, an authoritarian Richard Crenna, Mako who's more than a downtrodden coolie, a sympathetic but doomed Richard Attenborough, a youthful Candace Bergen, and all those supporting actors whose faces made '60s film and television.
My point is, you can watch a variety of colorful movies this way.The main reason I checked out "The Sand Pebbles" was to see Mako's only Academy Award nominated performance.
In pre-revolution China an American gunboat (The San Pablo) is sent down the Yangzi river to protect American interests in the area.One of those films that can viewed in two different ways: As a message picture (mixed race relationships, being on the sharp end of gesture politics, trying to help people that don't want to be helped) or as a simple adventure yarn.
The fact that Vietnam was at its height at the time of its release cannot be ignored, but only director Robert Wise can tell us how much it influenced the project.Steve McQueen puts in his only Oscar-nominated performance as a stoker with a troubled past.
All Jake Holman wants out of life is a running engine, but his goals run afoul of reality circa 1926 when the U.S. Navy gunboat he serves on finds itself a pawn in a political tug of wills between the American government and the emerging nationalist and communist forces of China."Mobs, that's all I see," says a British inhabitant of the then-subjugated Chinese nation.
It cover's Jake's childhood a bit.Kudos to Simon Oakland, Richard Crenna & Mako, Candice Bergen and of course to the king- Steve McQueen.To Robert Wise for keeping the ending pure..
Some would argue it is too long, and maybe some scenes are, but that helps to develop the characters very well.Looking at the film today, what really stands out for me today is that one could argue that Richard Crenna(Captain Collins) deserved an Oscar for best supporting actor, as his performance came close to upstaging Steve Mc Queen, who was of course outstanding.I bought the two disc special edition recently(highly recommended), and loaned the film to a couple of my friends and colleagues at the university where I work, and they both liked it.
We realize very quickly what we are about to watch: the last gasps of the old world powers to try to control China, but to no avail.Intertwined with these great events are the touching personal stories of the little people caught up in the turmoil: Jake, Frenchy, Shirley, Maily, and the captain & crew of the U.S.S. San Pablo.
Steve McQueen, known by many as the coolest cat who ever lived, won his only Academy Award nomination of his long acting career in this movie, playing Jake Holman, an engineer in the U.S. Navy.
One of Steve McQueen's best performances and all-round good film, with fine support from especially Mako (supp.
Excellent film from Robert Wise about a cynical sailor, played marvelously by superstar McQueen, in an Oscar nominated role.
Steve McQueen and a 19 year old Candice Bergen (The future Murphy Brown) are superb in this story of war and sort-of romance between an American gunboat Sailor and a missionary's daughter in 1926 China.The Oriental actors are excellent as well, especially Mako, whom I have enjoyed in countless films.
This is the last line of the movie, and presumably it is Holman (Steve McQueen) still trying to create the impression the crew is with him, but movies being movies no doubt there is more to it.Well, a revolution happened but also I was thinking before he spoke those words that he became the metaphorical captain of the boat.In the '00s the line might be considered a realisation that the USA underestimated China.Or maybe that is a conclusion I've come to only after hearing one of the Anglo-centric audio documentaries on the DVD about filming in Taiwan.
There is a well-done combat scene late in the movie when the gunboat, the San Pablo - hence Sand Pebbles - is forced to fight it's way through a line of Chinese junks blocking the river with a thick hemp cable.
"The Sand Pebbles" is an epic war movie set during the 1920s in China.Steve McQueen delivers one of his strongest performances as Jake Holman, the sailor responsible for the engine room of the U.S.S. San Pablo gunboat.There are uncomfortable scenes in the film.
It's an epic movie and extraordinary adventure starring one of my favorite movie 'tough-guy' heroes, Steve McQueen.The movie also stars the legendary Richard Attenborough (Director of "Gandhi" and "A Bridge Too Far," and, star of "Jurassic Park" and other greats).Richard Crenna ("First Blood") also stars; as does Candice Bergen ("Gandhi"); Simon Oakland ("Psycho;" "Bullit;" "West Side Story"); Mako ("Seven Years In Tibet;" "Pearl Harbor"); Joe Turkel ("The Shining"); Gavin McLeod ("Kelly's Heroes"), making it a star-studded movie that no one should miss!"The Sand Pebbles" has everything - great actors; a great script; a great soundtrack (by Jerry Goldsmith); great settings; action; intrigue; and, even a love story; and, even another 'almost' love story.
Steve McQueen gives one of his finest performances as Jake Holman, a sailor at odds with the rest of the crew on a tiny gunboat stationed off the China coast in the 1920s.
Seaman engineer Jake Holman (Steve McQueen) transfers to gunboat USS San Pablo patrolling the Yangtze River in 1926 revolutionary China.
The Sand Pebbles (1966) Is Another Of Robert Wise's Masterful films that feature's Steve McQueen, And The Great Escape's Co-Star Richard Attenborrough, Steve McQueen, Star's as Jake Holman,a sailor in the navy in turbulent china 1926, Mcqueen is a loner whose passion is boat engine's and is assigned to the 'San Pablo's Engine room, The sailors refer this ship as the 'Sand Pebble's'(Hence The title, Mcqueen and company are assigned to rescue the missionaries who are stationed there.
Mcqueen falls for the lovely Shirley Eckhart( Candice Bergen in her debut role) At it's time of production, It's a clever allegory of the soon to be raging Vietnam war at the time, Richard Crenna,also star's As the Stoic Captain of the vessel, American Japanese, star Mako, put's in a great role he almost steals the film he plays an eager to please, 'Coolie' whom Mcqueen, look's out for and shows him the ropes.
"The Sand Pebbles" is the film that cemented Steve McQueen's status as a leading man in Hollywood, one in which his character is the embodiment of a loner, a rebel at odds with himself and his environment.
In 1926, in a troubled China, the efficient navy engineer Jake Holman (Steve McQueen) meets the American teacher Shirley Eckert (Candice Bergen), while traveling to take his new position in the gunboat 'U.S.S. San Pablo'.
That project - The Sand Pebbles - is a passable epic set in 1926 China which, while technically well done and colourfully performed, is decidedly on the long side and hampered by irrelevant allegorical links with the Vietnam War. On the plus side, the film features arguably the best performance ever given by Steve McQueen, and expensively recreates a convincing view of its period and locale despite being shot forty years after the incidents on screen.
It is about the things that leads up to war.The Sand Pebbles is the story of the gunboat San Pablo and her crew, on their mission in China in the 1920s.
We get to follow the engineer Jake Holman, played by Steve McQueen, who is transferred to the San Pablo. |
tt0907681 | Wicked Lake | At the art class of a suburban community college, nude model Ilene (Robin Sydney), is approached by a shy and learning disabled art student named Caleb. He asks her if he could walk her home after classes and she agrees. During the walk, Caleb and Ilene introduce themselves and make small talk. Upon arriving at Ilene's house, the socially awkward Caleb runs away when one of her roommates opens the front door. Caleb discovers that Ilene has three hot roomates - Helen (Eryn Joslyn), Jill (Eve Mauro), and Mary (Carlee Baker). Unbeknownst to Caleb, the four women are all lesbians. Caleb returns home, where it is discovered that he is a member of a seemingly inbred family (a la Texas Chainsaw Massacre) led by his violent older brother Runt, his equally retarded brother Fred, and their wheelchair-bound, dementia suffering, war veteran father Sir Jim. They decide to follow the girls and bag them just for kicks.The next morning, the four girls go on a road trip to a rented lake house for the weekend, meeting some menacing rednecks on the way at a local gas station and convenience store. Helen and Ilene buy some junk food from the counter, while Mary has a run-in and then scares a little girl out in back of the store by telling her about the relm of Hell and how each person makes it what they want it to be. After an altercation with the rednecks, the four girls then leave. They manage to drive the final miles of their journey to the lake house where they spend the rest of the afternoon, skinny dipping in the lake, as well as dancing to rock music, and talking.Meanwhile, two police detectives, named Ray and Jake, are hot on the trail of some serial killers after they find an abandoned house where a ritual killing took place.At nightfall, Runt and family manage to gain entry into the cabin rented by the four girls and take them hostage at knife and gun-point. When they force Caleb to have his way with Ilene, she reists and ends up killing Caleb by impailing him to the front door with a fireplace poker. Ilene runs out the door and Frank chases her. When cornered in some bushes a short distance from the house, he accidentally ends up killing Ilene by bashing her head in with a rock during the struggle.Back at the house, Mary is forced to perform fellatio on Sir Jim (although she bites it off after a few minutes). Frank returns to the house, and begins to further beat on and sexually humilates the three girls. But when the clock strikes midnight, the women all easily escape from their restraints and unveil that they are centuries-old cannibalistic witches (replete with sharp, pointy teeth), powered by the light of the full-moon. They quickly take their three remaining captors hostage.Two of the rednecks show up to apologize for their earlier behavior. The nudable Jill kills one of them by ripping his throat out while the other escapes into the woods.Meanwhile, Ray and Jake arrive outside the girls suburban house where they break in and discover that in the basement, the remains of a number of sacraficial victims (both male and female). It turns out that the four women are the serial killers that the two detectives are tracking. After finding a map and directions to the cabin, the two cops then proceed to journey towards the cabin.Back at the lake cabin, Mary, Jill, and Helen torture the remaining members of the redneck clan with brutal and gory intensity. Fred ends up being tied up and his head is literally chewed open where the three girls/witches drink his brains through straws. Sir Fred is drugged by the girls in his wheelchair where they proceed to slowly rips his libs off before devouring him. Runt is last when, after being tied down to a bed, gets his throat ripped out by Jill, and the rest of his torso torn open and eaten (while he is still alive) by Helen and Mary.A short while later, Ray and Jake show up at the cabin, and Jake is immediately killed. Ray, mourning the loss of his partner (and his dead father's best friend to boot) charges into the house determined to kill the women. Ray manages to kill Mary by shooting her in the head as she jumbs on him from behind and bites into his left shoulder. Ray stumbles outside where Jill attacks. During the struggle, Ray loses his gun, but manages to kill her by stabing her through the neck with a shard of wood. But afterwords, Ray confronts Helen where she manages to knock him out.When Ray awakens, he is tied to a table in the basement with Helen performing a resurrection rite with Ray as a human sacrifice. Ray manages to cut himself loose thanks to a hidden knife he has kept in his sleeve and attacks Helen, stabing her a few times but just when he is about to kill her, the surviving redneck and his friend show up. A fight ensues in which Ray kills the surviving redneck, but he is then killed by his friend who shoots Ray.Afterwords, a gratefull Helen promises to give the Redneck friend a sexual reward. As dawn begins to break, Helen leads him outside the cabin where the three other witches (still with their horrific and gory wounds) rise up and surround the Redneck's friend and literally devour him alive... the recurrection spell had been a success.Over the end credits, the four fully alive witches/young women, Helen, Jill, Mary, and Ilene bathe nude in the lake and take a walk hand-in-hand through the forest, presumably enjoying their success.In the final shot, it is revealed that Caleb is still alive in which he manages to pull out the fireplace poker pinning him to the front door and then walks out and down the road away from the cabin, looking for help and safety. | revenge, violence | train | imdb | null |
tt0080850 | He Knows You're Alone | A young bride is murdered on her wedding day by the man she rejected for her current fiancé Len Gamble, a police detective. Several years later, a bride-to-be is stabbed to death in a movie theater with a dagger on Long Island while her friend sits beside her. The killer, Ray Carlton, flees into the night.
The next morning, the killer arrives by bus at Staten Island, where he sees from a distance university student Amy Jensen (Caitlin O'Heaney). Amy is preparing for her wedding, and she sees off her husband-to-be Phil and his two friends who leave town for a bachelor party the weekend before the wedding. After attending a ballet class with her friends Nancy and Joyce, the three run into their psychology professor Carl (James Rebhorn), with whom Joyce is having an affair. Amy leaves to go to a dress fitting, stopping to get ice cream on the way, where she notices a man following her. She is startled by Marvin (Don Scardino), her ex-boyfriend, outside the ice cream shop on a break from his job at the local morgue. She then goes to the dress shop for her fitting, and as she leaves, the dressmaker is stabbed to death with scissors by the man who was following her. Later that night, Nancy and Joyce surprise Amy at her home with a small bachelorette party. Her parents are gone for the weekend, leaving Amy in charge of her kid sister. Joyce leaves the party for Carl's house, where the two begin to have sex until the power inexplicably goes out. Carl goes to check on the electrical box, and when he returns he is stabbed to death by the killer with a chef's knife after finding Joyce's lifeless body in the bed.
The following morning, Marvin arrives at Amy's house and insinuates that he wants to rekindle their relationship, and Amy expresses second thoughts over her marriage to Phil. While in the kitchen, Amy sees the mysterious man standing in her yard and becomes frightened. She invites Marvin to come to a local amusement park with her, Nancy, and her sister, but he declines as he has a shift at the morgue that night. Meanwhile, police find the dressmaker's body at the shop, and detectives Frank Daley (Paul Gleason) and Len Gamble arrive to investigate. Later, Amy and Nancy meet Elliot (Tom Hanks), a psychology student, while jogging through a forest trail. They later attend the amusement park with him, where he questions Amy's claims of a man following her. While riding a dark ride with her sister, Amy sees Ray Carlton inside the ride, and confides in Nancy at her house that night. Amy briefly leaves to take her sister to a birthday party, leaving Nancy alone at the house. Nancy takes a shower and then puts on a record and lies down in the living room where she smokes a joint, and moments later has her throat cut by Ray with his chef's knife.
Amy returns, discovers Nancy's severed head in the fish tank, and is attacked by Ray. She flees outside to her car and struggles to drive with Ray on the roof. She crashes the car in a wooded area and runs to the nearby morgue, where she finds Marvin and phones the police. Ray enters the morgue, and Detective Gamble arrives as well. Ray confronts Amy and chases her through a tunnel system in the morgue's basement. When confronted by Detective Gamble, the killer stabs him in the heart after he gets shot in his right shoulder by the detective. Neverless, Ray continues to pursue Amy. Amy manages to trap the wounded killer inside a storage closet and escapes from the basement where Marvin finds her. The two flee outside to safety where police are arriving and entering the morgue. Later, Marvin and Amy are to be married, as it is implied that she cut off her marriage to Phil. As Amy sits in front of a mirror in her wedding dress, an unseen person enters the room. She stands, approaches the camera, and says "Phil, what are you doing here?" before she screams and the screen fades to red. | cult, murder, flashback | train | wikipedia | The characters were actually quite likable here, which is something of a rarity in the slasher genre, and they were very well acted (including Tom Hanks in his very first movie appearance).
And it's pretty refreshing to see a killer's bare face since most slasher maniacs always wear a mask.So if you're a fan of Halloween or other similar themed horror movies, then I would definitely recommend this one.
He Knows You're Alone is a fairly forgettable example from 1980, but it has sporadic moments of suspense and is of curiosity interest as the movie debut of Tom Hanks.A knife-wielding killer (Tom Rolfing) preys upon young brides-to-be.
The disturbed psycho starts a new campaign of bride-brutalising, first stabbing an engaged woman in a movie theater, and then stalking resourceful young Amy Jensen (Caitlin O'Heaney, in a very winning performance), whose future husband is away on a bachelor weekend.
One by one, Amy's friends fall foul of the killer, until she seeks the aid of her ex-boyfriend, oddball morgue attendant Marvin (Don Scardino), in escaping from her stalker.Director Armand Matroianni (son of actor Marcello) borrows heavily from earlier genre entries.
Hanks has a very small role as a psychology student who gives the film's self-referential speech about why people love to be scared by horror movies.
Also there are effective locations like amusement parks, movie theatres (in a good opening scene that obviously inspired "Scream 2") and a big house.Unfortunately the film has some serious flaws.
Also the then unknown Tom Hanks (in his film debut) has a small role.Perfect movie for a Halloween night.
Some of the scenes in this movie , while we have seen them before, are worth a view, rather odd at times.Tom Hanks in a bit part as a psychology major talking about fear and how audiences pay to be frightened , as a spoof of the movie itself.Tom Rolfing as the Michael Myers type villain is good, this is a comparable film to "Halloween".
Will lovely Amy who's set to be married in just weeks become the killer's next victim?He Knows You're Alone is an enjoyable slasher with a game cast (most notably the always charismatic Scardino).
The opening murder in the movie theater is one of the most effective scenes in the whole film as it sets the tone for the film and, with slasher film playing during murder, firmly plants tongue in cheek making fun of itself.
His approach to filming Tom Rolfing as the murderer was a good choice; have the killer lurking but rarely ever seen fully.
A dedicated police detective (Lewis Arlt) is trying hard to capture the killer before he gets to his next target.Directed by Armand Mastroianni (Who been's directing Television movies for years) made an interesting, slowly paced, horror film in the wake of "Halloween" and "Friday the 13th".
"He Knows You're Alone" is memorable for the opening sequence and some well-known actors like the late Paul Gleason, James Rebhorn, Two-Time Oscar Winner:Tom Hanks and Dana Barron in small roles.
After the first scene in the theater, this thing fell apart.The cast includes Lewis Arlt, Don Scardino, Elizabeth Kemp, Caitlin O'Hearney and a small part played by Tom Hanks, before his stardom..
A good clone in fact.HE KNOWS YOU'RE ALONE (1980)stars Caitlan O'Heaney plays a victim who is stalked by a bride killer (Tom Rolfing) since O'Heaney is going to be married to a class clown (Don Scardino) we suggest that they run as fast as they can.
I only watched this to see Tom Hanks' first appearance on screen (he's only in the movie for about 5 minutes) and ended up transfixed by the whole thing.
Norris, Mastroianni actually keeps this story moving along quite well.A serial killer (Tom Rolfing) who targets brides-to-be sets his sights on Amy Jensen (played by the very pretty Caitlin O'Heaney).
Meanwhile, a somewhat unhinged detective, Len Gamble (Lewis Arlt) who lost his bride to the killer realizes that the maniac is once again on the loose, and is hellbent on catching him."He Knows You're Alone" admittedly gets off to a great start.
While the movie isn't 100% predictable, the ending falls short of really being satisfying.What has given "He Knows You're Alone" some stature is the fact that it was future superstar Tom Hanks's film debut, as he plays a psychology major.
(*** out of *****) This occasionally creepy flick is sort of a combination of "Halloween" and "When A Stranger Calls." It's not half as good as "Halloween," but I liked it better than "Stranger." It's about a psycho killer who stalks and kills brides-to-be after being dumped years ago by his girlfriend for another man.
There are several scary and suspenseful scenes throughout the movie to keep things interesting, including an extended, climactic chase that ends in a morgue and a frightening opening sequence in a movie theater that was closely duplicated in "Scream 2." The shock ending is pretty good, but it also kinda p***ed me off.HIGHLIGHT: Best friend, Nancy (Elizabeth Kemp) is lying on the floor with the headphones on, so she's totally unaware of the killer, butcher knife in hand, creeping up on her.
Patsy Pease and Elizabeth Kemp are good as Amy's friends, and a young Tom Hanks puts in a great performance in his first ever movie role/acting job.
On the case is a cop (who's been after the guy from the very beginning) has tracked down killer's next victim, now it's a matter of time just who gets to Amy first.Standard post-Halloween low-budget slasher with a smart title that really has no relation to anything in the film, but gains topical interest for being the starting point of a young charismatic (it was there from the get-go) Tom Hanks in a tiny role.
No hiding the fact who's the killer, as we see him and wielding a blade as he openly takes out his first victim that closely resembles the opening of Wes Craven's slasher hit 'Scream 2 (1997)".Armand Mastroianni (The man behind little unknown horror oddities such as 'Cameron's Closet (1989)', 'The Supernaturals (1986) 'and very good 'The Clairvoyant (1982)') fashionably controlled direction is all about placement and build-up, despite the sparse atmosphere and at times mishandled suspense or the lack of it.
Lewis Arlt productively gets out a worn-out cop routine and Tom Rolfing's lurking presence makes for a modest killer who's good at slicing and dicing with little to no blood being spilt (truly class- work!) and staring down his victims..
That is not to say the music in 'He Knows You're Alone' is anywhere near as frightening or effective as it is in 'Halloween'(which the composer obviously tried to imitate) because that would be highly inaccurate, but it works very well in its own way.There are also several suspenseful stalker sequences, the settings are quite atmospheric, and, finally,the smooth twist ending which threatens to bring events full circle is actually an intelligent improvement on most fade out scenes in films of this genre.
He is supposed to be stalking and killing brides yet he murders Ms O'Heaney's friend and teacher 'James Rebhorn' for no apparent reason and their bodies are never discovered during the film.
Movies like PROM NIGHT and JASON TAKES MANHATTAN are a lot worse.The movie, about a killer stalking young brides-to-be, is kind of scary and at times suspenseful.The fact we always see the killers face is scary because it gives you a realism.However, you see several scenes yanked from HALLOWEEN.
It copies the music(which was creepy), the appearance of the killer(from behind), the script is not very good or the acting (except for Tom Hanks), and it's not gory just like in Halloween.
The plot languishes in time because the writer doesn't seem to know what to do in between murders.What I said before about clichés that aren't clichés yet was said in regards to any recurring surprise you've ever seen in a slasher movie.
Whenever I'm traipsing around the horror section in Movie Madness (a video store in Portland), I point out to other people that "He Knows You're Alone" was Tom Hanks' film debut.
Knowing that Tom Hanks became probably the most popular actor in the United States, I wonder whether or not the movie would have been any different had he played the killer.
This tale about brides to be facing the fury of a serial killer is of interest only for movie buffs who want to look for a very early appearance by a young Tom Hanks.
Anyone who doubts how influential John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN was to the countless slasher films that followed soon thereafter should take a look at 1980's HE KNOWS YOU'RE ALONE.
The killer soon focuses on bride-to-be Amy Jensen (Caitlin O'Heaney), who is conflicted over whether to go through with her marriage or get back together with her old flame Marvin (Don Scardino).No matter how hard it tries to be, this film is no HALLOWEEN.
Like HALLOWEEN, the film contains little graphic gore, but director Armand Mastroianni is no John Carpenter when it comes to building up suspense.
Solidly made, if unoriginal, little slasher film about a bride-to-be having herself and her wedding party stalked by a deranged killer.
There's not a lot of gore and it's not all that scary, but you do get to see the film debut of Tom Hanks as a psychology student who has a scene where he tells the group about why people like to be scared at the movies.
a girl gets killed at the movies while watching a horror movie (scream 2) that scene was set up good but then it all goes down from there.
Again?" The young and attractive actress Caitlin O'Heaney who plays the bride to be Amy Jensen believes she has a stalker following her and her friends and recent acquaintances are being murdered one by one by her unknown stalker which we get a few glimpses of, but who is he?I honestly felt as if I was sitting on my royal throne constipated, waiting for something to happen, and as my suspense is displaced with discomfort waiting for a long overdue bowel movement suddenly I hear a little plop and realize the plop results in nothing more than the size of a peanut which has caused so much discomfort.
In the case of "He Knows You're Alone" the agony continues throughout the 94 minutes (much longer than my discomfort waiting for a BM) and then the end of the film FINALLY comes and I ask myself "you have got to be kidding?!!!"Don't waste your time seeing Tom Hanks in his film debut, he was much more impressive four (4) years later in director Ron Howard's 1984's film Splash..
it didn't match Halloween's, the direction is decent, and the gore factor is bad overall.HE KNOWS gained popularity at the end of the 80's when Tom Hanks was already a big Hollywood star, I guess that Hanks fans watched this slasher just because their idol is on it.
and then that's it.When this movie tries to build suspense it works very well, and most of the stalking scenes are done in broad daylight, which is another point in this movie's favour since it avoided all of the clichés about a dark house/ basement/ attic/ closet, but it does end up lapsing into clichés several other times, like when we see a friend of Amy's having an affair with a college professor for no other reason than just to have a sex scene and ten minutes of filler material, and then, as I said before, the ending is just the obligatory set up for a sequel.
A boring ending notwithstanding, this is still better than most of the other slasher movies that came out around this same time - including that horrendously over rated 'Halloween'..
he plot follows a soon-to-be bride who is stalked by a killer the weekend before her wedding.Shot in Staten Island, New York in 1979, He Knows You're Alone has been credited as one of the first horror films inspired by the success of 1978's Halloween and shares a number of similarities with the previous hit.
A Good Title and the Opening Scenes are Inviting but from there it has Pacing Problems and although there are Numerous Kills, only one or two are in any way Memorable or Ground Breaking.The Acting ranges from Bad to Good, in Fact, Tom Hanks' Feature Film Debut had His Character Slated for a Slashing but Cut Not so because His rather Brief Appearance was so Likable.The Editing is Clunky and the Movie Shows Little in Articism and is only Slightly Removed from its Cloning.
Two things a slasher film should never be.If you're making a slasher film and you can't manage to keep your movie taut and suspenseful for 90 minutes what with all the stalking and slashing you have the opportunity to put on screen, you're either trying too hard to be classy or you just shouldn't be making a slasher.This isn't to say "He Knows You're Alone" doesn't have some good things going for it--the lighting is atmospheric in some night scenes, there are some tense moments where the killer is just out of frame waiting to strike, and the film is more professionally shot than most of its brothers--but all of its merits are bogged down by the interminably slow pacing.
The film needed more blood, more kills, and more suspense overall to compete with even "Halloween", a slow burn itself which still manages to be ten times as entertaining.If you're a fan of 80s slashers, of course you'll still have to see it.
A serial killer with a serious grudge against women about to get hitched stalks pretty bride-to-be Amy Jensen (Caitlin O'Heaney), killing her friends and acquaintances in the process.He Knows You're Alone's rather neat film-within-a-film opening scene briefly suggests that the film might offer a little more fun and creativity than the average 80s slasher—which only goes to make it all the more disappointing when the film turns into one of the most uninspired and ineffective Halloween clones of the whole genre.The killer POV shots, the menacing figure looming in the background before mysteriously vanishing, the suburban setting, the final chase scene, and the all too familiar score all smack of the 1978 slasher classic, but solid scares and edge-of-the-seat scenes of suspense are sorely lacking, director Armand Mastroianni's pedestrian handling of his material rarely having the desired effect.A brief shower scene featuring a topless Elizabeth Kemp and an unconvincing severed head in a fish tank prevent the film from being a total loss, while the debut movie appearance of Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks (in a completely pointless bit part that adds nothing to the plot) adds a certain curiosity factor, but overall this is a far from memorable effort..
The film is known for its ending, where it ensures the viewers that the killings won't stop and 'women' play a vital role in the making of a serial killer.The film begins with Amy (Caitlin O'Heaney) bidding goodbye to her boyfriend Phil (James Carroll).
the only thing I founded a little bit exiting, was the appearance by Tom Hanks (his first film debut), actually why didn't he get more screen time, it would have been much more fun to look at him, than this sorry pierce of slasher cinema.This slasher movie, as many others, looks a lot like that successful movie called 'Halloween', not that I'm disappointed over that, because how can you, half of the slasher movies out there is a cheap knockoff of 'Halloween', but what i am disappointed about is the lack of creativeness in the soundtrack department...
And by the hand, what this slasher really need, is more gore and violence, you never get that wonderful feeling of B-movie trashiness, when you see the actual kills, after-all we only see these kind of movies, because we love to see how cheap and violent they can look, and this movie never shows that, the only "remotely violent thing" we get to see, is the killer waving with his knife in the air, and some blood dripping from the dead person (not even a single flesh wound)...
HIGHLY underrated slasher is well made and VERY creepy a times especially the finale although i couldn't help think about Halloween while i was watching this because some of the scenes are very much like Halloween's still this is one of the best rip offs of Halloween due to the 2 strong leads and suspense.
Instead we get some insights of the detective chasing the guy and a friend dating a character played by Tom Hanks among many other subplots.I watched it only because i am checking movies released in 1980.
This sort of resembles John Carpenter's "Halloween," but I think it helped inspire some later films like "Scream 2." It's not bad and features a decent cast.
SPOILERS AHEAD...This early eighties slasher gets the first prize award for plagiarising John Carpenter's Halloween (1978), all the situations, age groups, clichés, even the synthesiser music is similar to Carpenter's superior movie.The opening of He Knows You're Alone is the best part of the film, later given homage in the opening scenes of Scream 2.
So you know that Gamble will finally face Ray, the man that killed his fiancé in cold blood while the maniac chases Amy throughout the lower section of the morgue through lots of dark halls and quiet, darkly lit rooms.Gore-less slasher flick has a polished production and great cast(..including a young Tom Hanks as a charming Psych major who starts a relationship with victim Nancy).
The man, it turns out, has a history of murdering brides, and he has his eyes set on Amy and her friends.While I'm the first person to admit that "He Knows You're Alone" is a complete tread on everything that made John Carpenter's "Halloween" the great film that it is, I still don't have the heart to rag on this movie simply because it's so much fun. |
tt0243595 | Kill Me Later | The movie opens with a shot of two people leaping from a bridge into the water below. The camera is panned out too far to determine anything about the two jumpers.Fade out and back in, 24 hours earlier; in the apartment of Shawn Holloway (Selma Blair), a young woman whose life is going nowhere fast. We then see repeatedly shifting shots of Shawn hanging upside down from her window sill, smoking two cigarettes simultaneously, one in each hand; interspersed with Charlie Anders (Max Beesley), a young man playing a full set of drums.Shawn crawls back into her apartment and to her bed, where her lover, Matthew (D.W. Moffett) still sleeps. She brusquely awakens him, only to promptly get an earful of laments as to how Matthew is going to explain his all-night absences to his wife, as he hurriedly dresses.Shawn's relationship with Matthew is going nowhere either, as he's too spineless to leave his wife. Looking gloomy, she stomps into her bathroom and sits down, grabbing a shaving razor and putting it to her wrist, although she's barely able to nick it before she throws the razor aside and grabs another cigarette, having to listen to Matthew drone on about how his wife cancelled a planned trip she was going to take, forcing Matthew to have to back out of a planned trip to Tahoe he'd been planning with Shawn.After Matthew leaves, a morose Shawn drowns her sorrows in more tobacco, until it's time to shower and dress. But the emotional pressure continues to build until she screams in anger.7:30 am: Charlie shaves as Shawn has finished dressing. The forecasted weather for the day matches Shawn's mood pretty nicely, although she couldn't care less. And it's about to get worse for Shawn as she grabs her boots, and spots her goldfish floating lifelessly in its fishbowl.Meanwhile, Charlie is picked up for work by two car pool mates: Billy (Brendan Fehr), who's around his age, and a much older man named Jason (Tom Heaton), who suffers from a prostate condition.Needing someone to comfort her, Shawn calls her father Lyle (Marcel Maillard), only to find him so wrapped up in playing with a newborn daughter he's fathered with a new wife, that he hardly has any time for her and barely pays attention. Shawn finally tells him that she's doing fine, and hangs up. Grabbing a plastic trash bag, she begins stuffing all of Matthew's things into it.9:15 am: Shawn is at work as a loan officer for a bank, interviewing a married couple expecting their first baby, who are applying for a home loan. The wife is delighted to hear that they qualify for the loan, but Shawn launches into a droning pitch about how the eventual reimbursement requirements could leave the couple too cash-strapped to put their child through college, or handle any of numerous other 'what-if' possibilities that can arise. The husband is summarily intimidated into wanting to rethink and consider further, prompting the wife to angrily take her feelings out on Shawn.Shawn picks up the trash bag and goes to see her boss and the bank vice-president... Matthew. She tells him the affair is over, as it's clear she can't compete with Matthew's wife, and sharing him behind the wife's back is proving torturous. Matthew tries to plead for more time for things for the two of them to get back on track. But a surprise visit from Matthew's wife shoots this down rather permanently; Shawn sees that Matthew's wife is pregnant. She's expecting a baby with Matthew.Shawn sits at her desk, her whole world crumbling around her as she tries to hold back tears. Grabbing a bottle of liquor from her desk drawer, Shawn curls up on the bank building's roof, smoking and drinking, trying to blot out all her misery.An armored car pulls up to make a pickup from the bank as Shawn climbs up and teeters on the edge of the roof's railing. She's reached the end of the rope and is hoping to work up enough courage to commit suicide.Two men in ski masks, and carrying guns, jump the armored car pickup and demand the money being loaded aboard. A robbery starts to go down. One of them punches Matthew right in the nose as the armored car drives off.Across the street, an office worker glances out his window and notices Shawn standing on the ledge, working up her courage to jump. He grabs his phone and calls emergency services to report it.Police and firefighters arrive to stop Shawn's suicide. The robbers note the arrival and think police are already responding to the robbery. They retreat into the bank looking to run through it and escape.Billy sits in his car, alone, watching the police. Seeing them look up at the roof, he follows their gaze and sees Shawn. Billy, Charlie and Jay are the bank robbery crew, and Shawn's intended suicide threatens to derail it.Shawn screams angrily at the cops that they can't stop her from killing herself. Just at that moment, Charlie and Jay, still masked and carrying the stolen money, run through the bank proper. Jay runs out the front doors, running right smack into police responders. He dashes for Billy's car, but one of the cops shoots him in the buttocks. This scares Billy and he drives off in a real hurry, leaving Charlie alone in the bank, without his escape ride.Charlie panics and charges blindly into a set of stairs, climbing as fast as he can while a pursuing cop shoots at him. With nowhere else to go but to continue up the stairs, Charlie continues climbing. Oblivious to all this, Shawn drinks from her bottle, more and more quickly in hopes it will finally unsteady her balance enough to make her fall.The cop pursuing Charlie trips and bangs his shin on one of the steps, breaking his pursuit. Unable to open a locked door back into the building proper, Charlie continues running up the stairs.Shawn is finally ready to jump, and begins leaning further and further forward to meet her maker. But Charlie bursts out onto the the roof and sees her. Grabbing her from behind, he yanks her to safety and menaces her with his gun, trying to sound frightening, and threatening to shoot her if she doesn't cooperate. But Shawn eagerly yells at him to go ahead and shoot her; that it's the biggest favor he can do her right now. At first, Charlie doesn't take her seriously, and the pursuing police officer finally makes it to the roof and begins a stand-off with Charlie, but he backs down when Charlie challenges the cop if he wants Shawn's death on his conscience.More police arrive, including detectives McGinley (O'Neal Compton) and Reed (Lochlyn Munro). They find that the robbery was interrupted by a call on a woman looking to jump from the roof.Meanwhile, Charlie is left with a hostage who wants to die, and is ready to provoke him into shooting her. Cornered, scared and only wanting to get away, Charlie manages to make a half-witted bargain with Shawn; help him, and he'll help her. If she acts as a hostage and helps Charlie get to safety, then once he's out of danger, he'll put her out of her misery-- "I'll kill you later (thus the title of the movie)." Shawn has nothing to lose; Charlie has everything. Pulling off his mask, he makes a final plea. Shawn warily agrees to the deal.McGinley and Reed are settling in for dealing with a hostage situation when McGinley is distracted by a call from his untrusting and needy wife. SWAT arrives on the scene.To escape SWAT snipers, Charlie and Shawn jump down to another ledge a few floors down and slip back into the bank; Charlie grabbing a woman's coat off a hanger to hide. Inside the coat pocket is a valet ticket that will let them grab a car and escape.Shawn claims the car with the ticket, but it's a manual clutch that she doesn't know how to drive. Worse, after Charlie sneaks in, Shawn sees two officers inspecting all cars at the gate. Finally he thrusts his own foot down to floor the gas and burst through the gate, alerting the officers at the checkpoint.Shawn cannot control the car properly, and finally she and Charlie get out and abandon it, running on foot; Charlie throwing aside the coat. The car, which had started to be driven up a hill, rolls back down and whacks into the pursuing police cars, interrupting pursuit.Charlie and Shawn duck behind a dumpster and then climb into a meat truck to hide. When the truck stops, they hurry out and run through the city, though they can still hear the sirens of police cars searching for them. They keep running until they can no longer hear the pursuing sirens. On a main street, blending in with other pedestrians, they're safe. Charlie and Shawn appear to have made good their escape. All that remains is for Charlie to hold up his end of the bargain and kill Shawn-- exactly what he's never really had the heart or nerve to do. He also reminds shawn of the difference between suicide and murder. To her outrage, he tells her that she'll just have to step in front of one of the passing streetcars and let it run her down.As Charlie walks away, Shawn does just that; she steps into the path of an oncoming streetcar. Before it can reach her, Charlie runs back and pulls her to safety. Shawn shows she's lifted his wallet and has his name and social security code memorized, using them as blackmail. Frustrated and desperate, Charlie tries to bribe Shawn, though he says she has to do what he says and not piss about it.11:30 am. McGinley and Reed question Matthew for what he remembers about the robbery. They also ask about the girl on the roof whose intended suicide botched the robbery up. Matthew denies seeing any girl on the roof, although when McGinley describes the girl's brunette hair and black suit, Matthew realizes it's Shawn. He still denies knowing anything about her, although McGinley and Reed can tell by his look that he knows something. Reed begins to suspect that the robbery itself might even be a set-up, with Matthew behind it. McGinley can't deny the look in Matthew's eyes when Shawn was discussed. Another amusing subplot emerges as we see Reed deliver a very detailed lecture on the nature of suicide and people looking to kill themselves. McGinley is harassed by his wife again on the phone.Charlie finally starts to break through and gets a smile out of Shawn when he puts her cigarette in his mouth backward, in a joking impression of a train.McGinley and Reed have a composite sketch of Shawn made, and they show it to Matthew. He says the drawing isn't familiar, but he's busted in humiliating fashion when his secretary brings in some papers and looks at the drawing, immediately telling the detectives who Shawn is and that she works at the bank, and that she and Matthew were 'very close.'Charlie brings Shawn to his ex-girlfriend (Sarah Chalke) Linda's apartment as the ex's elderly neighbor, Mrs. Sabatini (Bethoe Shirkoff), looks on with scorn; she always disliked Charlie. Shawn sees that Charlie has a young daughter with Linda, although the child doesn't know that Charlie is her father. Charlie asks to borrow Linda's car, saying she can report it stolen if it's not returned in two days. Linda shows that granting the favor is going far against her better judgment, as she goes to get the keys.The two drive in silence, listening to the radio report on the search for Charlie and Billy, who's also still at large. Shawn finally mocks Charlie as spineless and irresponsible in having children and abandoning them. This pisses Charlie off and he puts Shawn in her place with a stern lecture about what really happened-- he spent two years in jail for a petty crime, and Linda stopped visiting him, and started seeing another man. When Charlie was released, he saw Linda with her new man, and Molly thinking that was her father, since he loved her and treated her like a daughter. Rather than blow his cool and start any fights, Charlie forced himself to swallow his pride, and stepped away for his daughter's sake, because the arrangement was right for her.McGinley and Reed speak to Shawn's father, although it's his wife who tells most of the story about how Shawn's mother drank herself to death after her divorce, and Shawn's father still was a good parent to her, putting her through school and college and taking her to movies.4:45 pm: McGinley and Reed hear that Jason is out of recovery after the hospital treated his bullet wound. Meanwhile, Charlie and Shawn arrive back at a shipwright building where Charlie has a hideout. Charlie's been refurbishing a boat there that he intends to use to escape to Mexico. Billy hasn't arrived back yet (he's gone to see his girlfriend Heather (Keegan Connor Tracy), an exotic dancer), and Charlie says they'll wait until 11 pm for him. Heather doesn't want to make time for Billy, until he tells her he has a lot of money on him.At the hospital, McGinley and Reed try to grill Jason about his accomplices. Jason, however, is condescending and obnoxious, refusing to talk without his lawyer present.Heather has a near orgasmic experience looking at the money from the robbery, and tries to sweet talk Billy into forgetting about Charlie (who's still being sought by the police) and run away with her and the money. Billy struggles to maintain his sense of loyalty to Charlie and to stick with 'the plan.'As they wait, Charlie continues to break down Shawn's heavy shell of self-pity. They talk about their dreams (Charlie wants to build a restaurant on a beach in Venezuela) and share some life stories. An innocent remark by Shawn about the Hava Nagila dance sparks an old memory in Charlie and he treats Shawn to her first dose of real fun in some time by getting her to dance with him.11:25 pm: Billy hasn't returned yet, and Charlie tells Shawn they're leaving the boat.11:40 pm: Mrs. Sabatini watches the evening news and sees a report that includes Shawn's name and inset photo, listing her as the hostage taken in the bank robbery. Mrs. Sabatini immediately recognizes Shawn's face and grabs her phone to call the police. Reed tells McGinley he's gotten Charlie's name and the license plate of Linda's car, which Charlie had borrowed. An APB is already out. Reed puzzles McGinley by reciting more trivia on suicides.Charlie finds Billy at Heather's apartment and confronts him. Billy doesn't want to leave without Heather (who isn't home at the moment), while Charlie tries to tell Billy that Heather cares far more about the money than about Billy himself. Charlie challenges Billy to convince Heather to run away with him if he has only $5000 of the money.McGinley and Reed grill Jason at the hospital again, telling him he's looking at life in San Quentin if he doesn't cooperate. Jason isn't scared, believing he doesn't have much longer to live due to his problems with his liver and prostate. But in his bravado, he accidentally lets slip a major clue: That Shawn, hostage or not, isn't 'the fourth one.' There are four people in the robbery plan, not just Jason, Charlie and Billy.1:15 am: Charlie gives Shawn the $50,000 bribe money he's promised her, and tries to tell her he'll always remember everything she's done for him. Shawn starts to cry again and runs toward the beach, intent on running into the water and drowning herself. Charlie stops her, and she begs him to take her with him. Staying with Charlie is the one thing that will give her something to live for.A police siren alerts them to trouble: An officer gets out of a squad car and starts examining their vehicle. Despite Shawn's tearful pleas to run with her, Charlie insists on recovering the rest of the money, which is still in the station wagon.As the officer returns to his car, Charlie sneaks around the front of the car and tries to hurry away. The officer shoots at the car, and Charlie is hit. Shawn races to the car and climbs in, driving away. Reed reports to McGinley. All hospitals and ER's have been put on alert and are being checked. Reed has also found photo booth snapshots in Matthew's office, showing Shawn kissing Matthew, along with brochures for a getaway vacation. Unfortunately this only proves Matthew was having an affair with Shawn, nothing more.Shawn and Charlie ditch the car at a bus stop and ride a bus, climbing Shawn's fire escape to enter her apartment. Charlie just has a graze wound on the side of his shoulder; it hurts but he'll be okay. Shawn treats it at best she can with some supplies in her medicine cabinet.Charlie and Shawn hear the sound of entry into the apartment. They blow out the candle they'd been using-- the only light they'd allowed themselves, since police are watching her apartment-- and Charlie readies his gun to confront the intruder.The intruder is Matthew... and he and Charlie know each other. Reed was right in his theory: The whole robbery was a setup orchestrated by Matthew himself. Matthew invested in what he thought was a sure get-rich quick scheme; a company intended to process chicken droppings into cow feed. Matthew embezzled a quarter million from the bank, only to see it all gone when the cows didn't like the manufactured feed. He hired Charlie to rob the armored car so he could put the embezzled money back before the bank noticed. Matthew hid the stock certificates for the investment in Shawn's apartment; he's come to retrieve them. Matthew and Shawn have it out over their affair (Matthew never intended to dump his wife for Shawn, and sees her suicide attempt, that started the whole mess, as pathetic).Charlie points out plainclothes officers staking the apartment out, which sends Matthew into a panic. Charlie grabs the stock certificates back and tells Matthew that he needs to walk out, and tell the officer that he came to Shawn's house to pray for her safety. This also creates a distraction so Charlie and Shawn can escape the way they came in, through the fire escape.Charlie's warning to Billy comes true: Heather blows her stack and dumps Billy in brutal fashion. Billy plus a rather small portion of the robbery money equals nothing that Heather had any interest in.Shawn tries to hail a cab while arguing with Charlie. She intends to get a ride to the Burrad bridge and jump. Charlie tells her that her self-pity and self-loathing are what drive her to affairs with men like Matthew who care nothing for her, so that her cycle of despair can self-perpetuate. A cab stops, Shawn gets in, and rides off.3:45 am: Reed reports more findings to McGinley. He's checked all records at the bank going back two months and found enough evidence for an arrest warrant. Matthew was grabbed at the airport and started 'crying like a baby.' McGinley finds it incredulous that Shawn was going to commit suicide over her failed affair with Matthew, and when Reed goes into another monologue of suicide-related trivia, McGinley finally pushes him to admit why he's become such a know-it-all on the nature of suicide: Reed lost a sister he was very close to, that way. She killed herself.Shawn is dropped off at her father's house. Lyle has little time to express his relief, however: Shawn came to give him the money she was given by Charlie, calling it reimbursement for everything he spent on her after the divorce from her mother. Shawn finally calls her father out on how her mother wasted away after the divorce and Shawn had to take care of her despite being only eleven at the time of the divorce. Shawn understood her father leaving her mother, but could never understand how he left Shawn. Lyle can say nothing as Shawn hurries back to her cab.Charlie finds Billy back at the boat. Billy tells him about how Heather dumped him. Charlie tells Billy that police only know one more suspect is at large, and Billy hasn't been identified yet. He needs to return home and go straight, and try to rebuild his life.The cab drops Shawn off at the bridge. After paying the cabbie, Shawn discreetly leaves her purse in the backseat. As she sits on the railing of the bridge, Charlie grabs his motorcycle and drives off. He escapes just as police cruisers converge on the shipwright building. Shawn lights up a cigarette, but can't finish it. Again she wrestles with herself, conflicted on whether to jump. Charlie gives the pursuing police cruisers the slip as Shawn cries miserably.Morning has risen. Shawn still stands on the bridge. She smiles in elation as Charlie comes riding up. Charlie asks her if she'd wait for him, if he turned himself in for his part in the robbery. Shawn says she'd wait a million years. Having Charlie gives her a purpose in life again.Charlie suddenly has another idea; they could jump from the bridge and swim together to safety. Shawn just has to trust in him.Police cruisers approach. Charlie and Shawn stand together on the railing. Together they leap from the bridge, as in the first scene of the movie.McGinley and Reed arrive at the spot where Charlie and Shawn jumped. They find that Charlie left behind his duffel bag with the stolen money. Recovering it for the bank, the two officers decide to report the young lovers as having jumped to their deaths, and with the money retrieved and Matthew in custody for masterminding the robbery, the case can be closed.Shawn sits on a rocky beachhead before a small makeshift campsite. Charlie comes out of the treeline, leading a Mexican mariachi band and holding a bouquet of roses. Shawn laughs happily as Charlie picks her up over his shoulder and runs into the surf, carrying her with him.A series of title cards shows what becomes of the major cast in the movie:Jason did not die, and now coaches senior volleyball at the prison where he's serving a five-year sentence.McGinley took his wife on a well-deserved Carribean cruise.Billy, never identified as a suspect in the robbery, went straight and got a job in construction, and met a new girl.And the get-rich-quick scheme takes off, as the chicken shit just needed a little salt in order to be processed into a feed that the cows loved. The stock certificates become worthwhile. With the money from the stock, Charlie and Shawn escape to the mountains of Chihuahua, Mexico, open their little cafe together, and proudly serve the finest margaritas in town. | suicidal, comedy, neo noir | train | imdb | "Kill Me Later" is a romantic comedy about a suicidal woman (Blair) who reluctantly takes up with a bank robber on the lam (Beesley) if he promises to shoot her once he's made his escape.
What follows is busy enough with side plots, action, and snappy patter to keep the waning eye lid open in spite of the movie's many flaws including unnecessary visual effects, loose ends, Kodak moments which don't work, and a speed bump at the midway mark.
"Kill Me Later" (this is the definitive title) is cool but not overdone Funny, unlikely, beautiful romance and redemption story.
For me, Selma Blair is the reason to watch this one.
Movie is strongest in the first 40 minutes or so, as the constant running from the authorities gets a bit tedious after that..
This was clearly a work that was low budget and yes perhaps a little rushed - but I get a bit annoyed at reviewers here who whinge on about script development for a film that clearly had a hard time getting any kind of funding at all.
Script development is hard to get in even the biggest budgeted films just look at Lord of the Rings if you want to see underdeveloped characters but strangely not to many people shooting that down.
That said this is a nice, gentle film about a bank robbery that is not trying to be Reservoir Dogs or Lock Stock, and I don't think it is so much underdeveloped as less violent.
The writer and director have stuck to their own vision and have produced something that they should be proud of for a first feature.The performances are good and the script and directorial choices are clever and interesting without trying to scream at the audience "Look at me I'm an Auteur"Certainly worth a look and a good video movie for females who are tired of seeing the male dominated violent heist films..
Kill me later, watch me first.
If you liked Bandits or Birthday girl, Kill me later is another film I'd recommend, even though it is probably harder to find.
It's not great, but it is definitely likable.Life isn't going so good for loan officer Shawn Holloway.
On the day she decides to jump off the roof of her bank building, there is a robbery that goes south, thirty floors below her.
Thus the two continue their run from the law, and on the way, Shawn starts to fall for this quirky robber.Although the story isn't super extensive and its dimensions are of middling depth and detail, it gets you going, and you sort of end up caring.
Selma Blair is not much of an actress at all, and much of her work is torpid, but this is a fairly good role for her as an average American emo, who starts to get something out of life when a few cute story contrivances come her way and take her on a crazy journey.Like all films (even great ones) there is room for improvement, in Kill me Later, but the film is strait forward, to the point, and cute/quirky enough to be worth a watch, if by chance this relatively unknown feature finds its way into your life..
Despite being made in 2001, this movie is basically about life in times in the '90s when Gen X culture took over the world.
Our heroin Shawn (Selma Blair) find's herself disappointed by life in every way and decides to jump from the roof top of the bank building she works in.
As she finishes her last cigarette, a bank robber Charlie (Max Beesley) comes up to her and tells her that if she doesn't cooperate, he's gonna kill her :-) not knowing that that's EXACTLY what she was trying to do.
There's sort of a deal struck between the two that if Shawn helps Charlie get away by becoming his hostage, he'll help her out by killing her later (hence the title of this movie).The funny part of this movie is that a supposed rogue Charlie is actually a nice guy compared to the status quo people around Shawn who're all morally bankrupt.
Shawn and Charlie decides to take the leap together (no pun intended) and try out for a new life while other people gets their just comeuppances.
Selma Blair is at her best in her role as Shawn, and brings the goods to the table in one of the best movie of her career.
Shawn Holloway (Selma Blair) has a miserable life since she was eleven, when her father left her mother and she stayed alone with her problematic mother.
Meanwhile, the bank where she works is being robbed by Charlie Anders (Max Beesley) and two friends of him.
When the cops arrive to save Shawn, the heist is in progress and the police shoot one robber, the driver escapes and Charlie runs to the top of the building.
They make an agreement: she would help him to escape, and he would give US$ 50,000.00 to her and kill her later with a shot in the head.
"Kill me Later" is predictable but a good entertainment; however something is missing to be an excellent movie.
Selma Blair is extremely beautiful and well dressed along this film.
Her performance is also great, and there is some sort of chemistry between Shawn and Charlie.
How they escaped in the end of the movie, after jumping from the bridge with the police chasing them?
Selma Blair is a fabulous, currently underrated actress and Max Beesley was rather charming in "Kill Me Later".
I can't remember the last time I saw such an incompetent job of directing a film.
It is crammed down their throats.There are a couple of good scenes in "Kill Me Later" which show what could have and should have been.
Unfortunately, just when things would start to show promise, Ms. Lustig would dig into her bag of film school tricks and jumble things up again.
It's a shame because Blair and Beesley had good chemistry and you could tell that the film really had a good heart.
Selma Blair is one actor I normally make an effort to avoid, but she is surprisingly good in this B-level piece.
Indeed, I think she was done a great injustice by the slick photo that comes with the Australian DVD of The Sweetest Thing.
Quite possibly, this is all that the film has going for it, as I am struggling to think of another selling point.The plot, such as it is, concerns a loan officer who works in a big city bank.
Aiding him in his escape, we follow her as she learns more about this rather charming robber with a passable British accent.The fundamental problem here is that not enough happens in the midst of all this character development to distinguish the story.
So if you're thinking of buying DVDs from the Australian market, be advised that at least indie distributors in America take some pride in their workmanship.Tom Heaton gets a great cameo as the wounded man in the robbery, delivering one of the few stand-out laughs the film has to offer.
The eighty-six minutes that this feature-length offering take up feel like at least sixteen too much, but I may be biased because of my desire for something noteworthy to happen during a story.
The number at the end of the film is equally sugary and over-glazed.Still, I have seen plenty of worse offerings, so I gave Kill Me Later a five out of ten.
Underdeveloped script & direction sink film.
Kill Me Later" has an interesting initial premise: a suicidal woman (Selma Blair) on the verge of jumping off the top of an office building is protects a bank robber (Max Beesley) who promises to "kill her later."The actual execution of this premise, however, falls flat as almost every action serves as a mere device to move the plot toward its predictable conclusion.
Lack of character depth especially diminishes Selma Blair's performance, whose character Shawn vacillates from being morose to acting "cool" and ultimately comes across as a confused dolt.
This is unfortunate, as under other circumstances Ms. Blair is an appealing and capable actress.Compounding matters for the worse is director Dana Lustig's insistence on using rapid cuts, incongruous special effects (e.g. look for an unintentionally hilarious infrared motorcycle chase at the end), and a hip soundtrack in the hopes of appealing to the short attention spans of the MTV crowd.
Certainly Ms. Lustig proves that she is able to master the technical side of direction, but in no way does her skill help overcome the film's inherent problems and thus the movie drags on to the end.
Clearly, Lustig has a distinct visual style; however it is perhaps better suited to music videos than to feature film.The producers (Ram Bergman & Lustig)can be commended for their ability to realize this film: they were able to scare up $1.5 million to finance the film, secure a good cast, and get domestic and foreign distribution.
I'm quite happy to admit that I only watched 'Kill Me Later because it starred Selma Blair and I happen to think she's rather cool (despite 'Hellboy', but I'm happy to chalk that down to a bit her right of a laugh at work).
Dana Lustig balances out 'Kill Me Later' with all the food groups necessary to make a motion picture work, pulling together some great performances with an original script and well thought out characters.
But this is turned on it's head to satisfy the black comedy needs of 'Kill Me Later'.
I'm fairly sure that the intent of the film is not to make suicide seem funny, so your allowed to laugh..
Despite being a 2001 movie, the direction is the kind of 90's art-house style that was considered "old" and out-of-date a few years ago.
The performance by the actor who plays Selma Blair's married boyfriend seriously bothered me.
I did sit through the whole thing, though, which is rare for the kind of random, what-is-this movie you just find on TV and decide to watch..
obvious low budget movie; short sighted acting, not worth your time.
However if the plot had any kind of original substance someone would have seen that it got the necessary funding, this was not the case and movies like this are not necessary themselves and have no purpose in existing.
The plot for this movie has been done and done better i might add, many times before.
The only exception to this is if you are the kind of person who likes watching crappy movies that get played on the womens entertainment network at 2:00 a.m. in that case go ahead see what i care..
Then i saw it for $3 10 minutes later, and i thought its gotta be worth $3.
It is definitely worth a look despite the cheapness.Its got the dumb girl from Wild Things in it.
This movie was good for the down to earth girl that I am.
I have always thought Selma Blair was a quite good actress and she was very convincing in this.
Even though at some points in the movie it gets a bit dull and repetative, generally your attention is kept..
Both Max Beesely and Selma Blair pull in solid performances in this piece.
One thing that's enjoyable about this movie is that all of the characters are generally relatable.
Selma Blair's Shawn is utterly pessimistic, While Max Beesely's Shawn is hopelessly optimistic about things.
The film may be a little contrived but the ending is a little more realistic.
Honestly, the only think I can fault are the direction and editing, which can be a little too "I'm try to be arty, look at me!".
The movie itself is wonderful: serious, funny, romantic.
When I heard of the actor Max Beesley and found out he was in a movie with Selma Blair so I rented it @ Hollywood Videos and I watched for about 3 times already.
The movie is really sweet and I think Selma Blair and Max Beesley are great actor/actress.
This is a fairly subtle, intelligent, low-budget ride that's propelled by very good acting and some mother-of-invention film work.
Selma Blair does a fine job as a young woman who has had enough and is ready to kill herself at the beginning of the movie, and Max Beesley is both funny and caring as the bank robber who promises to kill her later.
Watch it on DVD, and you can enjoy the movie, then listen to the director and producer (both women) talk about the things they had to do to get the movie made on their small budget.
If you're into movie-making, it's interesting to hear them talk about the 9 years they kicked the script around and the dozens of drafts for the script and that they finally decided not to sell it when they had a buyer, because they wanted to make it themselves..
Well written and well directed romantic/adventure/comedy about an unhappy bank loan officer played by Blair who is taken hostage by a bank robber while attempting to kill herself by jumping from the roof of the bank.
He promises to kill her later if she will help him escape the police..
Dana Lustig's "Kill Me Later" is a thoroughly enjoyable romantic caper.
Superbly acted by Selma Blair, Max Beesley and a strong ensemble cast, it is a masterful mix of action, thrills and comedy.
Another fine product of the great team of Ram Bergman and Dana Lustig, this film is a 'must see'..
A dark comedy about a depressed bank teller(Selma Blair) who is contemplating suicide when her bank is robbed.Bottle of booze in hand,she is inches away from jumping to her death when the heist goes awry and she finds herself face to face with thief (Max Beesley)Panicking with the law closing in,he asks for her help.
She agrees to help him escape if he makes one promise- kill her later.AND SO BEGINS A RUN FOR BOTH THEIR LIVES.Rated R for some language.This movie is really good when you get the chance rent it you'll be glad you did ( well thats what i think ).
The sometimes comic yarn about an embezzlement gone awry with a suicidal mistress accidentally drawn into the plot has got a lot of potential and some very watchable performers but the screen writer apparently was in too much of a hurry and the director didn't have any idea where the story was supposed to go in the first place.
It is not a bad watch just to see some young performers who evidently took their work more seriously than the producers and directors and hopefully we may see them again..
This movie is a wonderful surprise...contains very minor spoiler.
I just happened to come across this movie one night when I couldn't sleep.
In fact, I liked it so much that I watched it every time it came on a movie channel the rest of that week.
The movie follows Shawn(played by the talented Selma Blair), who, after some bad events in her life, has decided to commit suicide.
But as she is about to jump off a building, she is kidnapped by a bank robber on the run.
The rest of the movie follows the two as they run from 2 detectives trying to catch them.
If you are looking for a fun, suspenseful, as well as offbeat, movie, this is one for you.
A suicidal girl is taken hostage, but bonds with the assailant from whom she extracts a promise to kill her once they escape.
You would think you could write the rest of the story and the ending.
This one's a cute, little indie thriller with a silly name and even sillier premise, which succeeds with some endearing performances and creative direction.Selma Blair plays a suicidal snot rescued by accident from her 13-story building leap by an armored car bandit.
The deal: She helps him escape, he agrees to kill her later.
Hence, the title, the setup and the plot roll all together into one gloppy Cinnabon of a movie.Blair should permanently hire the makeup artist who made her appear, perhaps for the first time, somewhat attractive, despite being required to chain smoke (and, oddly be admonished for it by nearly every male character) throughout the movie.Max Beesley as the hapless bank robber was good in this movie, I think, except I couldn't understand a word he said.
Setting can sometimes become a character in itself, and a film devoid of interesting characters (though interestingly played, which is not the same thing) really needs some attention to detail regarding place.
But my guess is it was budgetary, because the film as a whole comes off like that.Yet, money isn't the make-or-break here.
But writer/producer/director Dana Lustig, who's done nothing else you've ever heard of (and probably never will), uses jump cuts and other camera tricks to try to mask shallow dialog, superficial characters with no development, and a deliberately paced plot.
(At one point toward the end, the entire movie becomes a two-color blue-black cartoon for about 45 seconds, FOR NO FREAKING REASON.)But Lustig does have a knack for enticing good performances from her actors, even the minor ones (like the elderly bank robbery accomplice who would have been played by Ray Walston, were he still alive).
Really, I hope he's OK.Anyway, Blair and Beesley succeed in making their characters endearing to the viewer, even though their lives are wholly distasteful.
(Hey, when the viewer is rooting for the violent bank robber and the dour, suicidal homewrecker to get together and tongue-kiss at the end, you gotta thank the actors for pulling that off).
Lustig's in debt to these actors because their performances make the audience care and, thus, hold this movie together.And so, this movie is enjoyable, just not as much as it could have been.But coulda-woulda-shouldas don't fly with a piece of art.
And in this case, it's worth your while to invest a couple of hours of your time in Kill Me Later. |
tt0040626 | My Dear Secretary | Stephanie "Steve" Gaylord (Laraine Day) attends some writing classes. It's the last day and her teacher, Owen Waterbury (Kirk Douglas) offers the class some inspiring words. The professor also talk of his own aspirations, which consist of writing a work of high literature, well-written and meaningful, and offers a job to one of the ladies in the classroom a job as his personal secretary, because his last secretary has just left the job because she's about to get married. Steve has got aspirations as well, but she needs the job on the meantime.The job interview is really hectic: she is going to work in his apartment, but an assortment of weird people appear. First, there is another applicant for the job, who runs away in panic. Waterbury's roommate, Ronnie Hastings (Keenan Wynn) creates havoc in the kitchen. Owen and Ronnie are playing cards on the floor, and Owen wants to know if Steve is married, as some of the husbands of his old secretaries were jealous of him. Maid Mary (Irene Ryan)'s bookkeeper appears to collect the money to cover her bets. Waterbury promises that everything will be dignified and cultural from that moment on. Steve is not further sure that the position is suitable for her, but Owen convinces her.The mother of the other applicant appears to slap Ronnie in his face. Ronnie will pass the message. Mrs Hannah Reeve (Florence Bates), Owen and Ronnie's landlady arrives to collect the rent, and she asks if Steve is coming or going.Finally, Steve accepts the position. However, the work is not progressing a lot. Once, she offers herself to iron one of Ronnie's shirts. While they are talking, she wonders why she is doing that instead of writing, and also realises that Owen's novel is not coming across. Another day, Owen takes her to Vegas. Over the roulette, Owen think she's not throwing the dice in the right manner. Steve has had enough and quits her job.Some time later, Owen finds Steve with her new boss dining out at a luxurious restaurant. He feels a bit jealous and asks why she's going out with her boss. At that moment, Owen realises he wants her by his side and he asks her to marry him. At that moment, they talk about it for a little while, and Steve finally accepts. When Owen phones his office, nobody thought that he'd ever get married, especially publisher Rudy Vallee (Charles Harris) and his secretary Elsie (Helen Walker).Back at Owen's bachelor apartment, Ronnie has made them breakfast. While they are kissing, Ronnie answers the door, it's a private detective Deveny (Alan Mowbray) who announces that the party Owen was interested in has just got married, because Owen used to use it to find out private information about his "love prey".Owen tells Steve that it's better if she stops being his secretary. To finish off his long-awaited book, Owen decides to look for another secretary. Steve has finally finished her book. She has to tell Owen to read it, because in spite of it being for two weeks in his office, he hasn't even noticed it is there. Steve finally takes the manuscript to Rudy Vallee, who says he'll read it. Steve also says that Owen will finallySteve begins the search for Owen's secretary, and he chooses a mature and a bit overweight secretary. Steve wants to hire her, but Owen finds a fault on her: she doesn't know shorthand, and although the secretary promises to learn, it's to no avail. Owen dismisses her. The other applicant is attractive brunette Dawn O'Malley (Gale Robbins) and Steve accepts her.Rudy has shown Steve's manuscript to his boss in New York. Steve is worried that if she publishes the book, her husband will lose all hopes in himself. She prefers to go unpublished in fears of destroying him. Rudy says he had thought that Steve wanted to be published more than anything in the world but she says that that was before she got married.Owen fires Dawn. Steve leaves her husband. Owen asks Deveny to investigate. He finds out that Harris was with a woman, and Owen thinks that it was Steve. When he confronts Harris, he's told that it was Elsie, because she's gonna marry Harris. Elsie tells Owen everthing.Now Steve's book is a wonderful success. Owen hadn't even bothered to look at it in spite of her asking him to do so. Stephanie Gaylord's first novel, Dawn's Yearning even wins the McNally literary prize. When Owen comes back to his bachelor flat, there is only Mary to welcome him. Steve wants to divorce him and tells him so. Owen throws Steve's make secretary out.The story ends up with Owen Waterbury being Stephanie Gaylord's secretary as she has an idea for her following book, which is going to be inspired in Owen's life.Ruby is about to marry Mrs Reeve, so he'll become Owen and Steve's landlord for the future. They kiss each other. | romantic | train | imdb | null |
tt0106697 | Demolition Man | In 1996, psychopathic career criminal Simon Phoenix kidnaps a number of hostages and takes refuge with his gang in an abandoned building. LAPD Sgt. John Spartan uses a thermal scan of the building and finds no trace of the hostages, and leads an unauthorized assault to capture Phoenix. When he is captured, Phoenix sets off a series of explosives that bring down the building. The corpses of the hostages are found in the rubble, leading to the arrest of Spartan for manslaughter. He is incarcerated along with Phoenix in the city's new "California Cryo-Penitentiary", where they are cryogenically frozen and exposed to subconscious rehabilitation techniques.
During their incarceration, the "Great Earthquake" of 2010 leads the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Barbara to merge into a single metropolis under the name San Angeles. The city becomes a utopia run under the pseudo-pacifist guidance and control of the evangelistic Dr. Raymond Cocteau, where human behavior is tightly controlled. In 2032, Phoenix is thawed for a parole hearing. He inexplicably knows and uses the access codes to the security systems, and escapes the prison. The police, having not dealt with violent crime for many years, are unable to handle Phoenix; Cocteau verbally authorizes the police to employ all means at their disposal to contain Phoenix. Lt. Lenina Huxley suggests that Spartan - the police officer who caught Phoenix - be revived and reinstated to the force to help them stop him again. Spartan, having spent 36 years in cryo-stasis until now, is thawed, reinstated, and assigned to Lieutenant Lenina Huxley to help with acclimation to the future, which he finds depressing and oppressive. Others on the police force find his behavior brutish and uncivilized, and Huxley, though fascinated by the lifestyles of the late 20th century, is disgusted when Spartan suggests kissing and sexual intercourse, acts which are taboo in the future due to their unsanitary exchange of bodily fluids and risk of transmitting diseases.
Even after six officers fail to apprehend and subdue Phoenix, the police chief remains confident of success and predicts, with the help of a computer algorithm, that Phoenix will attempt to establish a crime syndicate, which Spartan finds ludicrous. Spartan instead correctly anticipates that Phoenix will attempt to secure firearms, which by 2032 are only in museum exhibits - Spartan and Phoenix have their first face-to-face confrontation in 2032 at the local museum when Phoenix breaks into a museum's weapon exhibition to arm himself. Phoenix escapes and encounters Dr. Cocteau but finds he is unable to shoot Cocteau. Dr. Cocteau reminds Phoenix to assassinate Edgar Friendly, the leader of the resistance group called the Scraps that fight against Cocteau's rule, and allows Phoenix to bring other criminals out of cryo-sleep to help at his request. After seeing the exchange on security cameras, Spartan and Huxley review the cryo-prison records and find that instead of an appropriate criminal rehabilitation program, Phoenix had been given the information necessary for his escape by Cocteau directly. They also discover information directing Phoenix towards Friendly, and go off to warn him.
At the Scraps' underground base, Spartan convinces Friendly of the threat and takes sympathy in their cause given what he has seen above ground. Spartan and the Scraps ward off an attack by Phoenix's gang, leading to a car chase between Spartan and Phoenix. Phoenix taunts Spartan by revealing that he had killed the hostages before Spartan had arrived in 1996, so Spartan spent 36 years in prison unnecessarily. Phoenix escapes, and Spartan arms himself with help from the Scraps as they emerge in force to get food.
Phoenix returns to Dr. Cocteau with his gang, and as the rehabilitation programming prevents him from killing Cocteau, orders one of his gang to do so. They go back to the CryoPrison and begin to thaw out the most dangerous convicts. Spartan enters the prison alone to fight Phoenix, heavily damaging the facility in the process, and eventually uses the cryogenic chemical to freeze Phoenix solid. Spartan escapes the prison before it explodes and regroups with the police and the Scraps. The police fear the loss of Cocteau and the CryoPrison will send their society into a downward spiral, but Spartan suggests that they and the Scraps work together to create a society which combines the best aspects of order and personal freedom. He then kisses Huxley (which she finds enjoyable) and the two go off together. | entertaining, comedy, murder, violence, good versus evil, humor, satire, action, revenge, alternate history, sadist, sci-fi | train | wikipedia | I love this film to death it is Stallone-Snipes futuristic science fiction action flick of the 90's.
They don't make like this anymore.Demolition Man is my favorite best Stallone Sci-fi, action movie, very awesome alongside with Rambo films.
Sylvester Stallone is a legendary bad-ass cop John Spartan Demolition Man he plays by his own rules and he does what he does best to catch the bad guys.
The movie has humor, a little comedy and pure action that the gunplay is delivered in perfect Stallone-Snipes style - you'll see lots of heavy automatic and explosive weapons, and you'll see them used well.
Demolition Man shows what would happen if the politics will went to far with it.Anyway I love this film, I grew up with Demolition Man, beside Cliffhanger is my second best favorite action Stallone movie!!!
The film was released in the United States on October 8, 1993.Demolition Man is a 1993 science-fiction action film starring Sylvester Stallone as John Spartan, a Los Angeles cop with a reputation for destruction who in the then future year of 1996 is found guilty of a crime he didn't commit and is subsequently sentenced to be frozen in a cryogenic prison along with his nemesis Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes).
Chief Earle makes a decision to revive Spartan, reasoning that an out of control but effective cop mired in the ways of the late 20th Century may be the only one who can capture the out of control criminal, but he, and the future society, may be in for a lot more than they bargained for by reawakening the Demolition Man.Demolition Man is one of the funniest, most action-packed and most poignant social satires of at least the last 30 years.
There are other films with somewhat similar aims, such as Total Recall (1990) and Starship Troopers (1997), which are perhaps just as good as Demolition Man, but they certainly can't top it, and they have aims other than the purely satirical.The opening scene feels like a typical late 1980s/early 1990s action sequence.
But what sets Demolition Man a cut above the rest are the script and the performances--yes, even from Stallone and Snipes, although Bullock, and especially Denis Leary, in a relatively minor part where he gets to do his motor-mouthed, ranting comedy schtick that made him famous, both threaten to steal the show.Director Marco Brambilla (who has remained oddly inactive since Demolition Man, which was his first film) and his writing "team" skewer a lot of cultural norms as relatively arbitrary conventions.
Don't take it seriously and it's a fun ride.Wesley Snipes and Sly Stallone play off each other well as the forces of bad and good -- old foes that have come out of chryo-generic storage hundreds of years into the future.Sandra Bullock as the nostalgia [for Stallone's time, naturally] struck cop isn't even rubbish and annoying -- a first time for everything!Watch out for a fun performance by Nigel Hawthorne also..
The opening action scene is set in the present day and is a rip roaring sequence with Stallone polishing off bad guys with stylish flair, before he has a face off with the show stealer Wesley Snipes.
When Simon Pheonix escapes into a new world in the year 2032, the police have no way of dealing with such a vicious arch-criminal so they re-animate John Sparton, and so it begins.I simply love the way the future is portrayed in this film, it is a wonderfully satirical crime free environment where the humans have become ultra-placid geeks under the new regime.
Sandra Bullock and Nigel Hawthorne are the two main police-persons that we see and they are brilliantly funny in their performances.Demolition man is as funny as it is action packed and although it's pretty shallow, it is still great fun to watch.7/10.
As the baddie, Snipes, hair dyed the color of an upset stomach, gives a performance of operatic schlockiness, laughing in the face of
everything.Demolition Man is as much a piece of cheese as the grade-B sci-fi movies of the '50s, which also satirized, with a kind of touching literal- mindedness, the brainy emasculation of the future.
As John Spartan, a 20th century policeman frozen in a cryogenic prison and then thawed to pursue his nemesis Simon Phoenix (played by an effusive Wesley Snipes),Sly gives an understated and enjoyable performance as a violent "fish out of water".
I can't for the life of me believe that any fan of the dumb action popcorn picture could not have enjoyed this tremendously fun, violent, and furious film.It's 1996 and L.A. is in chaos, Sly Stallone is tough bastard cop John Spartan, a cop who is known as The Demolition Man because he does what it takes to take the bad guys down.
Lenkov and Robert Reneau have created, but in amongst the jokes is a very cute social commentary that may have been missed by the arty farty set, so although the film serves purely as a one date no brainer offering, it still can proudly lay claim to being one of the best that the genre had to offer not only 1993 (a good year for action movies), but also the whole decade.Leave the brain at the door, turn all the speakers up, and enjoy the ride.
Typical Performances By All. Boy, Sylvester Stallone made a lot of money for awhile there making some dumb action-packed films...but, generally-speaking, they were fun to watch so I guess he himself is no dummy.The dialog is the movie is dumb, I can tell you that.
There are also precious few nice characters to root for, including the annoying Sandra Bullock, an actress who consistently made stupid movies herself.In here, witness the typical: Stallone showing of his body; Snipes being the fast- talking profane "hip" bad guy and Bullock, who only knows how to say OMG and nothing else.There are some nice special-effects in here making it pretty high-tech in spots.
And its funny, all-round way more entertaining than I thought it would be.Sure it has moments where its just your average action movie but it never takes itself too seriously and is bolstered by a strong performance from Sylvester Stallone -who I find usually struggles with the comedy roles but he does a great job here as John Spartan aka The "Demolition man." Wesley Snipes also must have had a ton of fun playing bad guy Simon Pheonix as he basically steals the show.Stallone as Spartan is one of LAPD's most notorious cops and the opening sequence sees him wrongly blamed for the death of several hostages while in pursuit of the crazed Phoenix (Snipes).
It's not necessarily the easiest film to appreciate, as it makes its points through extremely over-the-top "mindless" action and tongue-in- cheek, purposefully cheesy plot and dialogue, but it's well worth trying to acclimate oneself to the style if you're not an action or sci-fi fan, as the satire cuts deep.Stallone does an excellent job as over the top old school police cop in a very soft future.
Just like a lot of other Stallone movies, this one is underrated and just goes to show how much critics (and the razzies) under-appreciate Stallone and just shows that they aren't afraid to say "Hey, where assholes." Demolition Man is one of the best action films I've seen in my life because it has a great balance of satire like Robocop and a good amount of action.
When John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) utters that line about half way through this film, it really symbolizes (unfortunately) the kind of tone "Demolition Man" takes.For a brief plot synopsis, "Demolition Man" begins in Los Angeles circa 1996, where policeman John Spartan is trying to corral wacko criminal Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes).
Unfortunately, the entire film was played for purely "camp", thus leading to groan-inducing one-liners, characters that start off interesting and quickly turn one-dimensional, and a plot that kind of meanders around without ever really delving into the interesting issues (what cryostasis is like, how the future became what it is like, morality, etc.).Don't get me wrong...this is a fun little movie to watch.
The movie begins in the year 1996, where John Spartan, (Sylvester Stallone), (who is nicknamed the "Demolition Man".), is being sent in a burning building to arrest and apprehend a notorious criminal mastermind named Simon Phoenix, (Wesley Spines).
I think she also creates some of the film's humor when she is working with Stallone.The action in Demolition Man borders on cartoon violence, especially when Stallone and Snipes battle each other off in a museum and at the end of the movie.
The supporting cast plays it straight (with the exception of Sandra Bullock, who is part of the joke which underlies this flick).The movie is set in the near-future world where profanity is illegal, along with salt, meat, tobacco and anything that is "bad for you".
Anyhow, I digress
Here's a short summary before I let you know what I really think (summary haters, the next paragraph really isn't for you
trust me, you won't like it).The year is 1996 and after cop, John Spartan, destroys yet another building while pursuing psychopath Simon Phoenix, he is sent to be cryogenically frozen along with his prisoner.
Unfortunately, the Demolition Man lives up to his reputation and there is much more mayhem in the offing for the seemingly hapless police force.I really love the humour in this film, Wesley Snipes over-the-top performance and Stallone's stone-faced delivery are really enjoyable to watch.
In fact, really good performances all round, particularly from; Sylvester Stallone as John Spartan, Wesley Snipes as Simon Phoenix and Sandra Bullock as Lenina Huxley.
Snipes is good as a bad guy but i more liked when he is Blade...but hey...!!:)...Stallone in this film is hard guy but very funny..!!!
Sylvester Stallone plays John Spartan, aka "Demolition Man", a take-no-prisoners cop who is cryogenically frozen and then thawed when wacko terrorist Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes) escapes from his prison and wrecks all manner of havoc.
It's up to Spartan, with some support from female futuristic cop Lenina Huxley (Sandra Bullock, way before her big role in 1996's SPEED), to fight Phoenix off the "old" Mano-a-Mano way, gun-play and numerous explosions all in.DEMOLITION MAN also co-stars Nigel Hawthorne as Dr. Cocteau, the man who discovered and developed the nearly-perfect paradise and Dennis Leary plays an underground rebel ala Robin Hood who believes the all-too-perfect paradise is too off-whacked.
It's really one of my favorite action flick.from the memorable characters, to the great performances, to the great pacing, and the humor in the film to make this an enjoyable film.The film starts in 1996 officer John Spartan is on a hunt to catch criminal Simon Phoenix.Spartan evenutally catches him, but is arrested when police officers find out that hostages where in a burning building and John takes the blame for their deaths.John is sentenced to be frozen in prison for about 60 years for his crime.Now, 36 years have passed the world has changed from crimes to the environment and etc.Now, Simon Phoenix is having a parole hearing but evenutally frees himself and kills a couple of guards and a doctor.Phoenix also realizes that he has changed and wonders how.he is more stronger, more smarter, and more violent.realizing that the police don't stand a chance against him.they decided to realize John Spartan since he was the only person that ever stopped phoenix.Spartan is now back being a cop and fights phoenix in a museum where guns only exist.John finally discovers that phoenix was relased because to kill someone and john has no choice but stop phoenix despite the fact he is much stronger than him but he isn't alone since he has help from fellow officer Lt. Lenina Huxley.Overall, the one problem of this film is that the film is straight-forward and mediocre.really no plot holes in this film.From phoenix being realized to being stronger and it's obivious that john spartan is gonig to fight phoenix and defeat him in the end so really this film has really no surprises.as for character development, it's decent.John spartan is the overall, tough-guy "I Don't give a damn" personality.but he has sympathy for others.
This movie I think is underrated for the simple fact that it poses as your standard run-of-the-mill action flick, it has two of the biggest action stars playing opposite against each other and looks to be another mindless silly blockbuster film.The great thing about this film is that it is disguised like that but it is actually very clever, it has an almost to the T look at the future (Schwarzenegger, Taco Bell, the people living in the sewers etc.)The film is also quite funny, Sandra Bullock is extremely cute in this, Sly Stallone actually plays his character well & Wesley Snipes is a riot.
DEMOLITION MAN is a sci-fi comedy so hilarious that it compensates for the brain-dead action sequences mandatory in any Stallone movie.John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) is your stereotypical super-cop who is sent into the burning war zone of 1999 Los Angeles (OK, so the movie got dated a bit quickly), where he must rescue some hostages taken by mad criminal Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes).
This is by far the best film that ever starred Stallone and Snipes, and together they deliver in this masterpiece of futuristic sci-fi action thriller.
I wouldn't watch it right away again- it's something that you'll maybe catch on video once, maybe in part again if you really feel like it late at night on a cable channel- but for its running time it's enjoyable as a half red-meat-headed action movie and as self-knowing parody/satire.It's about a cop and a big-time criminal who are already facing off in 1996 (yes, apparently it's already turning into the future, um, three years into the future taking this as set in 1993), and then after a big blunder where Stallone's cop is unable to save a load of hostages that Snipes offs, the two of them are cryogenically frozen (Stallone for letting those people die, Snipes for being a, uh, big-time gangster who is about as evil as possible within his means) and brought back to life decades later.
There are also no guns, which brings about one of the most fun sequences in the movie where Snipes has to go to a museum to crack open the cases to use weaponry as all firearms are outlawed.We get some amusing and cool side characters: Sandra Bullock, in one of her early performances, is the 20th century loving cop who takes a big liking to Stallone even though he can't seem to understand why music is all old-school commercials and that a kiss is met with a "eww".
What we get is two action stars, one just entering his prime while this remains one of the other's few recent films of any worth, engaged in a typical cop vs bad guy movie, but one that doesn't ignore everything else in favour of these two characters.Much of the credit for this lies with Sandra Bullock.
The final fight is pretty off key as well and doesn't really do the tension Stallone and Snipes generate much justice, although it does involve some pretty nifty effects given the year this was made.However, all in all Demolition Man is something of a gem of an action movie, involving a clever premise intelligently handled and with some great lines delivered by actors who are on form.
It doesn't dip much and is a very satisfying couple of hours, complete with all the prerequisites of a futuristic action movie (guns, explosions, love interest and so forth), with a lot more than I was expecting having just watched it again for the first time in years (such as great lines, good acting and excellent pacing).
Cheesy Dumb Fun. Mellow greetings citizen,Demolition Man is a 1993 film about police officer John Spartan, played by Sylvester Stallone, pursuing criminal psychopath Simon Phoenix, played by Wesley Snipes.
The action scenes are also sufficiently well-directed though there is not any particularly mind-blowing or impressive choreography.Final thoughts: Demolition Man is at its strongest not when Stallone and Snipes are fighting it out, but when they are apart and simply interacting with the future world and its people.
I know The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day are two of the best futuristic action science fiction films and they are good movies I like them so much.
Sly Stallone stars here as John Spartan, a hard-charging, take-no-prisoners cop in 1996 who apprehends master criminal Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes), only to be charged with manslaughter when it's believed that Spartans' actions caused the death of about 30 hostages.
Wesley Snipes best role and Stallone is not bad either.Really funny and some nice lines LikeI've been dreaming about Killing You for 20 years then keep on dreaming.A Great Film..
Demolition Man is a good, solid action movie with some good action, and even some good humour (the scene where Spartan (Stallone) keeps swearing at the machine on the wall to get some toilet paper), but the plot is average.Wesley Snipes plays Simon Phoenix, a 20th Century criminal that is arrested by John Spartan (Stallone) for kidnapping and murdering (Spartan doesn't know this) 30 bus passengers.
Plenty of action scenes follow, with the Demolition Man John Spartan using his violent methods to try and catch Phoenix.The supporting cast is excellent with a sexy young Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne (Yes, Prime Minister), Benjamin Bratt and Denis Leary.If you liked Die Hard and Terminator 2, you'll love this.
A little more action might not have gone amiss, but as a movie Demolition Man was great to watch, and a good film.
I love this film, in the way it can be funny (particularly the violation machines giving out tickets to people who cuss or curse) have good action sequences, and have characters who u can care about: Sandra Bullock, was hilarious, Wesely Snipes seems right at home as the badguy, and Sly is pretty hilarious too, I just love those one-liners. |
tt0089175 | Fright Night | Charley Brewster, is a normal, average teenager living with his divorced mother in a unnamed suburban township. One evening, Charley looks out his window and sees his new neighbors moving in the next door and appear to be carrying what looks like a coffin. Intreged with his new neighbors, Charley begins to spy on them.One day, a young woman (obivously a call girl) shows up at Charley's house by accident looking for another address and Charley directs her to the house next door. The next morning at school, Charley sees a news broadcast about the police finding "another murder victim" from an unknown serial killer who decapitates female victims and drains the bodies of blood.Another evening later, Charley, suspecting something sinister about his new neighbors, spies on the house next door and sees Jerry Dandridge bitting the neck of a young teenage girl. He tells his mother what he saw, but she passes it off as Charley's imagination. Charley tries to tell his friend "Evil Ed", and girlfriend Amy Peterson, but neither of them believe him, and begin to worry about Charley's mental well being.Another day later, Charley calls the police with information about one of the murder victims and a detective accompanies him to the house where they meet Billy Cole, Jerry Dandridge's "roommate" who lets them in and shows them around the house. Finding nothing, the detective decides to leave, but Charley tells him to check the basement, which Billy seem adament about letting them go down there. The detective forces Charley to leave with him and tells him not to ever call on him again, thinking that Charley has an overactive imagination.Suspecting that Jerry Dandridge is a vampire, he seeks advice from Evil Ed about how to fight vampires. Evil Ed tells him, from watching movies and documentaries about suspected vampires, that vampires are super strong, have no heartbeat or pulse, have vulnerabilites to holy water and crosses. They also cast no reflection in a mirror and they and can only be killed by fire, decapitation, sunlight, or a wooden stake through the heart. Ed also tells Charley that a vampire cannot enter a person's home without an invitation.Charley goes home, but finds Jerry Dandridge in his living room waiting for him... having been invited in by Charley's mother. Dandridge is seemingly friendly and tells Mrs. Brewster about Charley showing up at his house today, and she reprimands Charley not to do it again.That evening, Charley begins to fortify the house, knowing that Dandridge can enter whenever he feels like it. However, Dandridge enters the house from a second floor window and hides in a closet in Charley's bedroom. When Charley gets ready for bed, Dandridge suprises him and threatens to kill him for snooping around and nearly revealing his secret that he indeed is a vampire. When Dandridge tries to choke Charley to death, he stabs the vampire in his right hand with a pensil. Wounded and angry, Jerry Dandridge terrorizes Charley by revealing his true vampire demonic image, complete with red eyes, fangs, claws, and a roaring with a wolf-like rage, but waking up Charley's mother. Dandridge flees and threatens to kill Charley tomorrow night.The next morning, Charley then seeks out help of favorite vampire killer, Peter Vincent, a former actor who hosts TV segments of horror movies that Charley watches and who claims to be a real vampire hunter. Charley confronts Vincent at the studio where he works and tells him that his neighbor is a vampire and is going to kill him. Vincent, like everyone else, brushes off Charley's claims as an overeager teen with an overactive imagination.Charley does not go to school that day (because he finds his car totaled after Dandridge apparently trashed it the other night after their confrontation). Evil Ed and Amy visit Charley at his house and finds him secluded in his bedroom with crosses hanging everywhere. Hearing him talk about Peter Vincent, Evil Ed and Amy visit him at his apartment where they tell him about their friend and persuade him to prove to him that vampires don't exist. Vincent calls Dandridge at his house and offers to come over the next night with Charley to debunk Charley's theory that he is a vampire.The following evening, Vincent, Charley, Ed, and Amy pay a visit to Dandridge's house where Billy lets them in and introduces them to Jerry Dandridge. Vincent tries to show Charley that Danridge is not vampire by having him drink a vital of holy water, as well as him holding a cross. Charley is still not convinced and says that crosses only work on vampires if a person has faith to use it, and the holy water that Dandridge just drank isn't real holy water. However, after Vincent sees Jerry casts no reflection in his small compact mirror he gets scared, and gathers up Amy, Charley, and Ed, and they all leave. Mr. Vincent hurries to his car, and then he drives away fast. Dandridge finds the mirror dropped by Vincent on his way out and leaves as well.As Charley, Amy and Ed walk away, Evil Ed decides to leave Charley and Amy by walking in a dark alley. He runs down an alley, and it gets darker. All the sudden Jerry Dandridge appears, who wants Ed to become a vampire.At Peter Vincent's apartment, he huddles scared and tries to shake it off, from feeling scared. Just then Evil Ed knocks on Peter Vincent's door. Vincent opens it, and begins conversing to Evil Ed casually, as he knows nothing of the hideous, undead Evil Ed is now. Suddenly Evil Ed attacks Mr. Vincent, who places a cross upon Evil Ed's forehead, which burns. A scalded Evil Ed slinks away, threatening Mr. Vincent by telling his "Master".Charley and Amy find Dandridge following them and he chases them to a local nightclub where Dandridge sees that Amy resembles his lost love. He uses his vampire charm to hypnotize her and dance with him. When Charley intervenes, Dandridge restrains him and two bouncers appear, in which Danridge morphs into his fanged, red-eyed vampire self and kills both bounders with his superhuman strenght. Dandridge escapes from the nightclub in the confusion and chaos with Amy, and he and tells Charley to meet him later at his house or he will kill her.Charley runs back to Mr. Vincent, who makes him grab a cross before he enters his apartment. Charley persuades Peter Vincent that they must confront Dandridge and kill him before the night is over. The duo get ready, and go to Jerry's house. By then, he has already turned Amy into a half-vampire. As Charley and Vincent enter the house, Dandridge appears on the top of the stairs and says: "welcome to"Fright Night"... for real. Vincent hesitates for a moment, and his faith Is too weak to keep Dandridge at bay with his cross. However Charley has faith and the vampire covers in fear from his crucifix. But Billy Cole comes to his master's aid and knocks Charley off the staircase, rendering him unconscious.Vincent panics and runs to Charley's house. Charley wakes up to find himself locked in a room with Amy (who is now a half-vampire). Dandridge leaves a stake for Charley, giving him a choice:to kill Amy or not and risk getting killed by her when she fully turns in the morning.Vincent flees to Charley's house to hide out, only to be confronted by Evil Ed, who transforms himself into a wolf and attacks Vincent again. Vincent defends himself by breaking a wooden table leg and kills Evil Ed by stabbing him through the heart, who then morphs back into his human form as he dies.Vincent then returns to the Dandridge house where he frees Charley and they confront Billy again. Vincent shoots him several times with a gun, but Billy (a sort of zombie-like slave/familiar) keeps advancing towards them, and Charley finally kills him with Vincent's wooden stake by stabbing him through the heart in which Billy melts into a gooey mess of blood and green slime.Charley and Vincent have another confrontation with Dandridge, who is kept at bay with their crucifix's, and they see that dawn is approaching. Dandridge transforms himself into a bat and flies away. Charley and Vincent venture down to the basement to find Dandridge's coffin to kill him while he sleeps. Just when they find the coffin, Amy, now a fully turned vampire, enters and attacks them. While Charley tries to keep her away, Vincent manages to open Jerry Dandridge's coffin and tries to drive his wooden stake through his heart, but Dandridge wakes up and Vincent stabs him, but misses his heard. The vampire rises from his coffin, pulls out the wooden stake and breaks in two. But when he attacks Vincent, Charley begins smashing in all the basement windows, allowing the sunlight to hit Dandridge. Using a mirror, they reflect the sunlight and finally manage to kill Dandridge by blasting him with the rays and he bursts into flames and within seconds his body is redused to dust and bones. With Jerry Dandridge's death, the still-alive Amy is apparently released from his curse and becomes human once again.In the final scene, the movie ends just where it began with Charley and Amy back in his room watching a horror movie hosted by Peter Vincent on the TV, who announces his dedicating the movie to his friend Charley for making him belive that vampires are real. The movie is left open ended, when Charley looks out at the Dandridge house next door, now dark and vacant, he briefly sees a pair of red eyes staring at him from the darkness. But instead of telling Amy, he decides to let it go and goes back to her for another make-out session on his bed. The voice of Evil Ed is heard saying "oh you're so cool Brewster!" | cult, violence | train | imdb | null |
tt0166396 | Waking Ned | When word reaches Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly), two elderly best friends, that someone in Tulaigh Mhór (Tullymore), their tiny Irish village of 52 people, has won the Irish National Lottery, they, along with Jackie's wife Annie (Fionnula Flanagan), plot to discover the identity of the winner. They obtain a list of lottery customers from Mrs. Kennedy (Maura O'Malley) at the post office and invite the potential winners to a chicken dinner, where they attempt to get the winner to reveal him- or herself. After everyone has left and they are no closer to an answer, Annie realizes that one person did not come to the dinner, so Jackie pays a late-night visit to the only absentee: the reclusive Ned Devine (Jimmy Keogh). He finds Ned in his home in front of the TV, still holding the ticket in his hand, a smile on his face and dead from shock. That same night, Jackie has a dream that the deceased Ned wants to share the winnings with his friends, as he has no family to claim the ticket. Jackie wakes up after the dream, and before dawn, he and Michael return to Ned's house to gather Ned's personal information so they can claim the winnings for themselves.
Elsewhere in the village, Maggie O'Toole (Susan Lynch) continues to spurn the romantic interests of her old flame, "Pig" Finn (James Nesbitt), a local pig farmer. Finn is convinced they belong together, as he thinks he is the father of her son Maurice, but she cannot abide him due to his ever-present odour of pigs. Finn has a rival in Pat Mulligan (Fintan McKeown), also hoping to marry Maggie.
Jackie and Michael call the National Lottery to make the claim, prompting a claim inspector to be sent. The inspector, Mr. Kelly, arrives to find Jackie on the beach and asks him for directions to Ned's cottage. Jackie delays Kelly by taking him on a circuitous route while Michael races to the cottage on a motorcycle, completely naked, and breaks in so he can answer the door as Ned. After discovering that the lottery winnings are far greater than they anticipated (totaling nearly IR£7 million), Jackie and Michael are forced to involve the entire village in fooling Mr. Kelly. All the villagers sign their name to a pact to participate in the ruse, except one—the local curmudgeon, Lizzie Quinn (Eileen Dromey). She threatens to report the fraud in order to receive a ten-percent reward, and attempts to blackmail Jackie for £1 million of the winnings. Jackie does not refuse her outright, but later insists to Michael, "She'll sign for the same as us, or get nothing at all!"
The villagers go to great lengths to fool the inspector, even pretending Ned's funeral is a service for Michael when the inspector wanders into the church. The inspector leaves, satisfied that the claim is legitimate, and the villagers celebrate their winnings at the local pub. Meanwhile, Quinn makes her way to the nearest working phone, a phone box outside the village on the edge of a cliff, and phones the lottery office. Before she can report the fraud, however, the departing claim inspector sneezes while driving past her and loses control of his car, forcing an oncoming van (driven by Tullymore's village priest, returning from a sabbatical) to crash into the phone box, sending it plummeting off the cliff and crashing to the ground below with Quinn still inside.
At the celebration, Jackie spots Maggie, who is content to marry Finn now that he has the money to give up pig farming. Maggie confides in him that Ned is Maurice's real father, meaning that Maurice is technically entitled to the entire winnings. Jackie urges her to claim the fortune for Maurice, but she demurs, determined to keep the secret so that Maurice will have a father and the villagers will have their money.
Finally, Jackie, Michael, Maurice, and several other villagers stand on a headland and raise their glasses to Ned, toasting him for his gift to the village. | comedy, cute, psychedelic, feel-good | train | wikipedia | On the whole Waking Ned is a refreshing film that is "Feel Good" all the way through without laying on thick layers of mush.
Waking Ned Devine caught me from the get-go, with the opening scene with the lottery and apple tart being my all-time favorite in movie history.
Some fine performances from the cast especially the late Ian Bannen.Jackie O'Shea lives in a quiet little village, which is beset by the kind of gossip normal in such communities.
The backdrop of a small village in Ireland sets the stage for an interesting comedy about a winning lottery ticket and the dead guy it belongs to.
A delight for the entire family, even the quick scenes of a 70 year old naked man on a motor cycle comes out to be nothing more than good clean fun.
Sure it's sentimental and plays somewhat on stereotypes (I'm assuming, as I've never actually spent any time in a small Irish village), but the cast includes many great Irish and British character actors (especially the late Ian Bannen), and it's funny, well directed, beautifully shot, joyous and ultimately life-affirming.
Fionnula Flanagan, Ian Bannen and David Kelly, are just a few of an excellent cast in this tale about an Irish Lotto-winner, who is unable to collect.Never have I seen a lovelier yarn, and, I tell ye', I've seen a few!
Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) figures out that one of the inhabitants in the local hamlet must have won the latest Lotto draw, and does he best to find out who, by every mean possible, and eventually finds out who.I don't want to spoil it, but it sure is a lovely story!
Ned Devine is a superb, feel-good movie that uplifts the spirit.The photography is outstanding and only approached by two other notable film epics: Fiddler on The Roof, and Doctor Zhivago.
After a while Jackie finds out the winner was elderly fisherman Ned Devine (Keogh) who died from the shock of it.From that point on the movie remodels into a bit of a caper in the style of Whisky Galore (1949).
Jackie and his friend Michael O'Sullivan (Kelly) decide it's best to claim the money for themselves (it's what Ned would have wanted), and attempt to defraud the lottery to the dismay of the sensible Maggie who just as soon not see her husband in jail.
She drives her scooter across town with the wicked determinism of Margaret Hamilton on a broom.Waking Ned Devine is a spirited slice-of-life comedy that amuses with the power and quirk of the ensemble.
With a deft mix of black comedy and quaint small-town Provincialism, Jones and the entire crew behind this film know a small story can yield big heart and hearty laughs..
This is a wonderful movie which captures village life in Ireland brilliantly.The antics of the 2 main characters is hilarious and captured their life long friendship and affection .Love,Greed,Loss and Decency are all covered in a story of village folk trying to hoodwink the Irish Lottery when one of their neighbor's dies of shock when the lottery numbers are announced on TV winning millions,but the prize is destined to go back to the Government as the winner,Ned Devine was a single man with no family to claim the prize.So the race is on to Ressurrect Ned once more!...There are a few familiar faces in the cast and sadly Ian Bannen died in a car accident soon after...Enjoy the movie...you wont be disappointed!!.
The basic premise is that Ian Bannen & David Kelly's characters know someone in the village has won the lottery jackpot.
With the help of his lifelong best friend, Michael O'Sullivan, played wonderfully by David Kelly, the adventure from fantasy and a strong desire for hope become a classic story worth adding to anyone's movie collection..
SPOILER: In the small, isolated town of Tullymore on the Irish coast, Ned Devine has just won the a big jackpot of the Irish lottery: $12.24 million, in U.S. dollars.
Ah well, at least old Ned died smiling.The whole town of 52 knows that the winning number was sold in Tullymore, and finally, Michael O'Shea figures out, by process of elimination (and many chicken dinners at his house) who won it.
Waking Ned Devine is one of those charming and funny movies that you just can't help liking.
. In the quaint Irish town of Tullymore, an elderly pair of jokers, Jackie and Michael, discover that one of the villagers has won the National Lottery's First Division.
And so Jackie and Michael embark on an increasingly complicated scheme to convince the lottery scrutineers that Ned Devine is in fact still alive and well, and eligible to claim the £7 million winnings.It's a refreshing change to watch a comedy where the protagonists are largely - to put it bluntly - old.
Not only do they manage to create and capture the humour of the film, they also touchingly portray the affection each character has for the other.But it is its own unique brand of humour for which Waking Ned Devine will most likely be remembered.
However, the rather macabre method of dispatch dealt to the story's 'villain', while it is funny at the time, doesn't bear thinking about too closely.Interestingly, the movie was filmed in the Isle of Man, rather than Ireland; nevertheless, the scenery is beautiful, and is complemented by some stirring Irish music (although this is a little loud in comparison with the dialogue).
Jackie (Ian Bannen) discovers both facts, as well as the body, and devises a plan to keep the winnings between himself, his wife and his best friend Michael (David Kelly).
Similar to "The Full Monty" (but never copying it), "Waking Ned Devine" tells the story of a village in Ireland suddenly upset by some quirky events.
When local old timer Ned Devine dies, his friends discover that he has won the lottery, and set about trying to reclaim the cash.I remember that I saw this movie a few months before Ian Bannen died, so I pretty much will always remember him for his great role here as Jackie O'Shea (although I do also remember him from "Ghost Dad").
Overall, "Waking Ned Devine" is one of those great little movies about life in general.
STAR RATING:*****Unmissable.****Very Good.***Okay.**You Could Go For A Meal Instead.*Avoid At All Costs.I'd been kept in somewhat recupital anticipation of Waking Ned Divine,an Irish comedy I'd missed at the theatres and caught up with just today on video.It seems to have been post subject to much the same fiddling most British helmed pictures are put through nowaday,with numbers of critics viewing it prior to it's theatrical release.
Gradually,the script worked on the chemistry of this pair to thrust me into the central story,which gathered pace and laughs considerably towards the end (the actual ending itself is a right hoot.) Mind you,I can't resist a flick set in good old Ireland whenever opportunity arrives,and this interesting,fairly funny and original comedy was satisfactory enough for me.***.
Complications arise and it becomes necessary to involve all fifty-two families, the winnings to be shared equally among them.The ending, which I won't describe, involves the intersection in time and space of a young man representing the Lotto authorities, a bitter and greedy old witch from the village, and the priest returning from a journey to Lourdes.I wasn't expecting too much.
From the HB and Lotto signs in the local shop, to the Irish accents by james nesbitt and Ian Bannen, to the Irish name for phone: 'Telefon', really making it seem that it is actually Ireland.Fantastic writing by Kirk Jones, capturing brilliantly the Irish village way of life.
"Waking Ned Devine" is a comedy about life and friendship and sharing with neighbors.
The movie starts off with people in the small coastal village of Tullymore, Ireland (Tulaigh Mhor) watching for the weekly drawings in what seems to be the Irish National Lottery.
Jackie O'Shea (played by Ian Bannen) and his wife Annie (Fionnula Flanagan) see a small item in the Dublin news that leads them to trace the jackpot winner to their village of 52 people.
It was filmed entirely on the Isle of Man with some wonderful scenic shots along the coast of the Irish Sea. The village of Tullymore is fictitious.
'Waking Ned' is a fun little movie about a village that conspires to claim the lottery winnings of a deceased resident.
It is brilliantly written and provides some genuinely hilarious individual scenes, with charismatic and fun lead characters.For a low budget, relatively unknown film, I was surprised at just how good it was.
This is the perfect feel good film - a simple, easy to follow plot, endearing characters and a well-written script.
A little sparkling treasure in the movie world.Old friends Jacky and Michael learn that some of their neighbors in the small village Tullymore must have won the lottery - but they do not know who.
Waking Ned is one of those comedies which ought to be in your movie collection,its a wonderful film with such a simple background and story that shows how a film can be funny without those unusual jokes and effects.I totally enjoyed watching it and i am sure everyone will agree with me once they have seen this magnificent film.There is an Indian film which is based upon the very same subject,so i wanted to see Waking Ned very badly because i was sure that the original would be better and i was right..waking Ned is far better than the rest.Its a funny story of a small Irish village where a lottery winner's unexpected death is seen as an opportunity by two men to cash in for themselves which ultimately leads to hilarious events and this is the subject of the film,highly recommended to all..
An entire village works on "Waking Ned Devine" in this 1998 film starring Ian Bannen, David Kelly, Fionnula Flanagan, Susan Lynch, and James Nesbitt.In a village of 52, one person has the winning lottery ticket.
Jackie faces facts: he's got to cut the entire village in for his scheme to work.This is a very funny, warm, sometimes sentimental film with some great performances and truly lovely moments, not to mention glorious Irish scenery.Not to be missed..
It has beautiful scenery, excellent acting, and a wonderful story that will brighten your day.Rent this movie, especially if you need a little cheering up..
I can appreciate the light humour in parts but fear that those of you who've never been to Ireland may take away an image that life in Ireland is like this.............perhaps back in the 50's but not in the late 90's !!!!!.....The film is certainly entertaining and will while away a couple of hours but to maintain that this offering is movie of the year is a little bit melodramatic..
Clever characterizations and wacky situational humor compensate for the slim plot of Waking Ned Devine, a movie stereotypical (but certainly positive) in its portrayal of the rural Irish.
Going the distance with one bizarre escapade after another, writer-director Kirk Jones unspools the tale of Jackie (Ian Bannen) and Michael (David Kelly), best friends who scheme to keep a lotto payoff when they discover its winner -- the titular Ned Devine -- is as stiff as an arctic wind.
My friends who I watched it with thought they went a bit over the top with the diddly-di irish music, but i thought that's the way it had to be for a movie like this.Everyone will like this film.
Ian Bannen (Braveheart) Jackie O'Shea, and his best friend Michael O'Sullivan, played by David Kelly I (The Matchmaker) convince the entire town to join then in committing fraud against the lottery.
Waking Ned Devine shows that movies do not need to be slick to be good.
The evocative rhythm of "Waking Ned Devine" captures the film so much better than the multiplex-friendly clunk of "Waking Ned" that I find it hard to believe that it's the latter title that's the Irish original.It's a charming, good-natured, clever (and, of course, funny) comedy.
Filmed entirely on the beautiful Isle of Man, this perfect gem of a movie will make everyone who watches it want to book vacations to both the filmed location and Ireland, where it's supposed to take place.
When Ian and David read in the newspaper that there's been a local lottery winner, they make it their mission to find out who it is-and it's the last person they suspect.There are so many wonderful elements to this movie: the beautiful Irish scenery, the peppy Irish music, Kirk Jones's irresistible and quick script, and the realistic chemistry between the cast members.
Waking Ned Devine is a very special movie, one I hope you'll watch and love as much as I do..
So Jackie enlists Michael - actor David Kelly (1929-2012) whom "The Irish Times referred to...as the "grand old man of Irish acting" - to help him achieve Ned's supposed wish.The ensuing shenanigans all take place on the beautifully filmed landscape of the Isle of Mann.
"Waking Ned Devine" is a few years old but I watched it last night for the first time.
A story well told, a craft mastered by the filmmaker, excellent, credible actors and a touch, just a touch of fantasy, enough to believe that life can and will turn everything around for the best, for everyone who has love in their heart (the only unanswered question would be if the lottery rep lived or died, did he die?) I demand more movies like this, and they are not only for us in our fifties and up, look at La-la whatever.
"Waking Ned Devine" is a thing of beauty, a simple joy all the way through.
Watching it is to feel a little less sorry for the stuff of life and death.Good fortune has come to the small coastal Irish village of Tullymore.
It's only fair the film's a bit of a masquerade like that, as it celebrates an approach to life that's anything but on the level but wonderously amiable all the same.Watching Bannen's expressions of surreptitious glee while pushing his oldest, dearest friend Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly) to commit crime is really too much of a pleasure to explain.
Waking Ned is a fun story about a small village in Ireland.
This movie has excellent role characters, such as Ian Bannen who plays as Jackie O'Shea, David Kelly as Michael O'Sullivan and Fionnula Flanagan who is Maggie O'Shea.
Another interesting thing about this movie is Michael because he is the one who has to pretend to be Ned all thru the film knowing that he is a terrible liar.The way the whole town was part of the plan made even more interesting to watch.
This was a great film to watch because its an old classic movie but funny and has no violence.
'Waking Ned Devine' is a very pleasant little surprise that I had the good fortune to come across in my local Hollywood Video.
I know this was filmed on the Isle of Mann and that the actors aren't all Irish, but I really met a lot of people there like these characters.
I guess you all know what the movie is about, but let me brake it down for you: In a small community a man wins the lotto, BUT he dies when he realises, so two local...men, take the opportunity to claim the ticket!
There isn't much "laugh-out-loud" humor here, but the movie is funny.WAKING NED DEVINE is a feel-good comedy that gives the image of a town that tries to be like a place where everyone would want to live.
No majorly huge laughs here, but the film makes you feel good and is also...devine.WAKING NED DEVINE gets 4/5..
Delightful little comedy about the denizens of a small Irish village who conspire to claim an enormous lottery prize when the winner drops dead of shock.
In this touching light hearted comedy two best friends Jackie and Michael will do anything to find out who won the lottery in their small town and try to get a peice of it.
There are so many unlikely comic scenes in this movie, that it's sort of like witnessing the birth of a whole new genre, I think.This is really a wonderful film to share with friends and family.
Charming, funny, and very much in the tradition of gentle feel good movies...and something a whole family can watch without offending anyone..
When the townspeople find out, they scheme to make it look like the character is still alive and try to split the winnings among themselves.Although the ending was a bit abrupt (I won't give it away!) the movie was still very good.
It is how Jackie and Maggie (Ian and Fionnula) attempt to find out who the lottery winner is that makes me laugh, but what makes me wimper, just a bit, is the sympathy that everyone in the audience feels for Ned Devine.
and it would not shock me if this were true.You do not need hundreds of millions of dollars to make a thoroughly entertaining movie.This is a classic and the reasons are: great idea, the script is as natural as it can get, the characters are very real and time passes before you know it.This film is like a good friend that knows how to cheer you up..
Waking Ned Devine is a light, refreshing film.
Waking Ned Devine is a delightful little movie set in the Irish country side.
I wonder if the audience knows anything about what a weapon is, or how they really work.Waking Ned Devine should be movie of the year just because a producer / writer thought of something original, and because the final product was a 10.
The characters in the movie are excellent, the story great and there are enough (mostly) good-humored jokes in it to make you laugh all the time, combined with breath-taking scenery and Gaelic music that fills your heart with longing and joy. |
tt0094027 | Stand and Deliver | Based on a true story, this low budget theatrical masterpiece opens with the background of Eastern LA. In an environment that values a quick fix over education and learning, Jaime A. Escalante is a new teacher at James A. Garfield High School determined to change the system and challenge the students to a higher level of excellence. Leaving a steady job for a lowly position as a math teacher in a school where rebellion runs high and teachers are more focused on discipline than academics, Escalante is at first not well liked by students, receiving numerous taunts and threats. As the year progresses, he is able to win over the attention of the students by implementing innovative teaching techniques, using props and humor to illustrate abstract concepts of math and convey the necessity of math in everyday lives. We all use math every day, a value that Escalante successfully instills. He is able to transform even the most troublesome teens to dedicated students, ready to learn. While Escalante teachs math 1A, basic math, he soon realizes that his students are capable of more than the expectations set forth by the school board. Despite concerns and skepticism of other teachers, who feel that "you can't teach logarithms to illiterates", Escalante nonetheless develops a program in which the his students can rise to take AP Calculus by their senior year. This intense math program requires that students take summer classes, including Saturdays, from 7 to 12, tasking for even the most devoted and committed students. While other students spent their summers "barefoot and pregnant", these math enthusiasts were learning complex theorems and formulas. The vast contrast between home life and school life, however, begins to show as these teens struggle to find the balance between what other adults expect of them and the goals and ambitions they hold for themselves. With Escalante to help them, they soon find the courage to separate from society's expectations for failure and rise to the standard to which Escalante holds them to, a standard of success. Taking the AP Calculus exam in the spring of their senior year, these students are relieved and overjoyed to be finished with a strenuous year. After receiving their scores, they are overwhelmed with emotion to find that they have all passed, a feat done by few in the state. Later that summer, a shocking accusation is made. The Educational Testing Service calls into question the validity of their scores when it is discovered that similarities between errors is too high for pure chance. Outraged by the implications of cheating, Escalante feels that the racial and economic status of the students has caused the ETS to doubt their intelligence. In order to prove their mathematical abilities and worth to the school, to the ETS, and to the nation, the students agree to retake the test at the end of the summer, months after their last class. With only a day to prepare, there is high stress to show that they have what it takes to make something of themselves. After the retake, these students truly stand and deliver when they all pass the exam again, showing they deserve all they have achieved.-The Numerators. | inspiring | train | imdb | null |
tt0159693 | Razor Blade Smile | Lilith Silver [Eileen Daly] was made a vampire in the 19th century when she attempted to
stop a duel between a human and the vampire Sethane Blake Christopher Adamson]. Sethane shot
and killed the human, Lilith shot Sethane, Lilith was shot, and Sethane
rewarded her by making her a vampire. Lilith's first meal as a vampire was
on the human who shot her.Nowadays, Lilith dons her black, skintight, leather jumpsuit, leaves
her breasts a-heaving, paints her lips blood red, and hires herself out as
an assassin working for a man she calls Platinum [Kevin Howarth]. She is known as the
Angel of Death, and her current hit list revolves around a select cadre of
wealthy and influential people who call themselves the Illuminati, who
claim ancient roots on par with the Freemasons, and who wear rings that
look like eyes. Each time Lilith kills, she uses the same modus operandi.
She drinks their blood and then mangles their necks to obscure the bites,
and she brings back the telltale ring. For such service, she is paid
£250,000 [about what she needs to keep herself in leather].Unbeknown to Lilith, the head of the Illuminati is none other than
her sire, Sethane Blake, and Sethane is concerned that the cadre is being
systematically knocked off. He suspects that the assassin may be a vampire
because of the testimony made by a witness to Lilith's last killing. She
saw Lilith drinking her husband's blood and then followed Lilith to Club
Transylvania, a nightclub for vampire wannabees. Sethane has set Detective
Inspector Raymond Price [Jonathan Coote], also a member of the Illuminati, to look for and
stop the vampire angel.
Things begin to heat up when Price gets closer and closer to Lilith.
He hires a photographer to photograph the 'vampires' at the Club, a move
that yields Price a photo of Lilith but yields the photographer a bite on
the neck. Price brings in Lilith for questioning, but his superior comes
to the conclusion that Price is looney and releases Lilith. Not to be
daunted, Price sharpens a few stakes and sets up watch outside of Lilith's
house, but all he gets is a stake in his own gut.Meanwhile, Lilith receives a package in her post. It's a videotape of
Platinum asking Lilith to return the last payment of 250,000 pounds
because she was unable to produce the ring from that assassination (it
fell into the bathtub and she didn't want to get her leather gloves wet).
Platinum is bound and bleeding and says that, if Lilith returns the money,
his captors will let him go. If not, he will be killed. Since Lilith has a
sexual thing going with Platinum, she complies.It's a trap. As Lilith cuts the cords that bind Platinum, a dozen
guns appear and fire on her. Wounded and bleeding but still standing, of
course, Lilith gives Platinum a gun and tells him to split. Lilith then
proceeds to take out those who are gunning for her. Unfortunately,
Platinum decided to hang around a bit longer so that he could take out a
few of the gunners. He winds up being confronted by Sethane.
As it happened back in the 19th century, Lilith appears just in time
for the duel between human and vampire. Sethane shoots Platinum. As
Platinum lay dying, Sethane offers Lilith a choice. In her wounded
condition, she needs blood. She can either take what's left of Platinum's
blood or she can give to Platinum what's left of her blood and, thus, save
Platinum's life.Lilith makes the correct choice and, after a swordfight with Sethane
in which she almost succeeds in beheading him, she only nicks his neck.
Sethane looks up amazedly and says, 'You've got good.' The vampire lovers
embrace and congratulate each other on yet another game successfully
played. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.] | sadist | train | imdb | An irreverant, entertaining and bloody film, full of nifty gunfights, amusing dialogue and FUN.If you're stuck up about low budget films, don't waste your time - you won't get anything out of it.
It is one of the best bad films I've ever seen (I would place it on a level with Commando), and you can even take it to a higher level by interpreting parts of it as a parody on the goth-culture and on traditional serious modern-vampire films.
I pressured a group of very sceptic people to watch this movie with me and within a few minutes, these people, who had just been threatening never to let me decide on a film again, were laughing out loud.
Gorgeous women (I really can't judge as to the men in this film), blood and guts, sex and kink, interesting art direction, plot twists, and the good time enjoyed by the cast transmitted into my living room.I have always thought that Bram Stoker was a shill for the "real" vampires, providing false information about their abilities, weaknesses, and what would be fatal to them.
If/when I write a vampire or werewolf story this film will be an inspiration to me.I love the locations, too, especially the manor for the beginning and ending, and the rock formations for the hostage resolution.
Better off dusting down a copy of Nikita and Near Dark then watching them back to back or if you want a sexy vamp flick which is more style than substance, then The Hunger (1983) should do the trick.However, keep an eye on Jake West.
The story's an entertaining and fresh go at an ever so well known theme (vampires) but what really makes this movie worth watching is a) the fact (?) that the entire cast really seems to have had great fun while doing this and b) that the visuals are just what they ought to be given that the makers didn't have a Hollywood budget.
Amateurish at times, it is convincing enough for what it is - a cheap but fun vampire movie with lots of teeth, bites and blood.
Just as you thought that Britain didn't have a small, low-budget movie industry left outside of student projects, Razorblade Smile makes it's appearance.
She also mentioned that it was meant to be camper than a campervan and poked more than a bit of fun at the too serious vampire movies.And even if one doesn't bear all of that in mind, it's still great :)It also has one of the best plot twists since The Usual Suspects towards the end.Deffo 10 out of 10.
I prefer my vampires to be supernatural and this coven are just fashion winners.Eileen Day is the film's main asset and the camera really shows its appreciation.Plenty of 'intimate scenes' for me to fast forward through..
I know(after reading some reviews on this page)that most horror fans don't appreciate the value of this film and call it trash,but they don't know what they're talking about.OK,I admit that the story is pretty lame and the acting is also rather bad,but "Razor Blade Smile" is sexy,gory and highly entertaining bloodbath.Eileen Daly,who plays a fanged assassin Lilith Silver,shines in her first leading role.Man,she is hot!Oh,and there's also a blood-soaked lesbian scene that would make Jean Rollin proud.The late David Warbeck(Lucio Fulci's "The Beyond"),who sadly died after making this film is another reason to watch "Razor Blade Smile".Plenty of sex,violence,blood and macabre humour,but the ending is kinda' lame.So if you like vampire flicks,you could do a lot worse than this.Recommended!.
However, if you watch this movie all the way through the end you'll see it is as I said a cheap vampire flick with a little humor.
Lilith Silva (of Tran-sylva -nia) makes a much better Irma Vep - I refer to "Les Vampires," directed by Louis Feuillade, 1915-1916 (see the review by Geoffrey O'Brien in the December 17, 1998 issue of "The New York Review of Books") - than "Irma Vep," directed by Olivier Assayas, 1996, a movie with its own charms..
It is glaringly low-budget in places, and there are a few loose ends that are jarringly ineffective in the movie (example: the police detectives are questioning Lilith in New Scotland Yard (whatever happened to Old Scotland Yard, by the way?) and they have this tape recorder running, and the camera keeps doing close-ups of the tape...
Thanks to the low budget, the production values actually lead to lots of groovy atmosphere of the "camp horror" variety, plus the movie boasts characters that are just compellingly 3-dimensional enough to latch on to and really get into.
Well, Razor Blade Smile obviously is a low budget horror/action flick.
Razor Blade Smile is a small production so don't expect mega-special effects by the ILM boys but some nice camera-angles, a few colouring filters in the right place and wildly edited actionscenes.
As a long-time lover of vampire films (especially the old British ones from Hammer), I especially appreciated the fangs and full breasts treatment, along with an atmosphere straight out of Mario Bava-land.
Despite the no-name cast, this is a first-class film, apparently produced on a shoestring budget with lots of tongue-in-cheek humor and campiness, but not enough to detract from the horror.
Lilith Silver, played with an uncanny sense of sympathy for her character by the enigmatic Eileen Daly, is a Vampire who is employed as a contract killer in Modern day London.Lots of opportunity for Gothic tinged sex and violence as we follow Lilith through a simplistic conspiracy theory concerning her "real" employer.
Lets be simple and straight forward about this, I rented this movie because I like vampires and it looked interesting.
Eileen Daly, as Razor Blade Smile's sexy vampire assassin Lilith Silver, sure looks the part: she has long black hair, pale white skin, blood red lips, a butt you could bounce £2 coins off, and cheekbones that are almost as impressive as her cleavage (and boy, is that impressive!).
The problem is, whilst she might look like a Gothboy's wet dream, all clad in figure-hugging rubber and sporting a massive pair of fangs, as an actress, she sucks more than her character does (and Lilith does a LOT of sucking!!!).Still, she's in good company: pretty much everyone else in this low-budget horror romp is dreadful as well.
Writer/director Jake West clearly isn't concerned too much about decent performances, instead hoping that his deliberately cliché-ridden action sequences, iffy script (replete with camp dialogue and intentionally dreadful one-liners), steamy soft-core sex scenes, and use of cheap gore effects will find help find his feature length debut an audience amongst those who love their films trashy and bloody.Unfortunately, the film just isn't as much fun as West wishes it was: the over-theatricality of the performances, the hip MTV-style editing, the poorly choreographed fights, and the lame humour all become very irritating, very quickly; the gore just isn't outrageous enough; and the script meanders aimlessly until eventually revealing a particularly lame twist ending.On a more positive note, West does display flair with some of his visuals: his opening credits sequence is a stylish take on Maurice Binder's famous Bond titles; his use of the camera is often innovative, with brave use of unusual angles and movement, and sparing use of reasonable CGI; and the guy sure knows how to make the most of his striking star, giving viewers plenty of chances to ogle her shapely body.4.5 out of 10, rounded up to 5 for IMDb..
If you like vampire movies, as I do, you'll love it, just don't expect everyone you know to love it too.
I must say that Eileen Daly does a pretty good acting job as Lilith Silver, the sexy bounty hunter/vampire.
But then again, "Razor Blade Smile" is a low-budget flick, so it fits the movie.
It's not a great film or even a particularly good horror flick but it made me smile now and again and had the lovely Eileen, mostly in but now and again partly out of her stunning costumes.
Razor Blade Smile is another attempt to do the same; and while there are certainly a lot of things wrong with it, I actually found myself liking the film more and more as it went along and director Jake West has to be credited with a really good attempt at doing what the earlier films attempted.
The action scenes are fast and entertaining and more than do their job, but the main draw of this film is the way that the screenplay handles the vampire legend.
The film also boils down to a very good twist at the end, which makes more sense the more you think about it.
Fortunately it has a good story,and Elieen Daly looks very sexy, the montage is good and it has some nice shots.It is different to see England make this kind of movie, which are normally made in the USA, so it looks different to usual modern vampire movies.I have not seen any other film from Jake West but I will be interested to see what happen when he has more money.I gave this 6/10 and think it is a good movie for if you like sexy vampires and can see passed the limits of the money..
after watching another of Jake wests entertaining movies i had been considering this film for a while.
cons = a big two fingers up to the classic tried and tested vampire genre, a little to goth is good with all the leather and PVC and some unnecessary sex scenes.But watch it especially on a Friday night with a few brews don't take it seriously and take it for what it is.If the sequel is in the pipeline lets hope it grows up a little.
I'd give it about 0.5/10 and that's just in recognition of someone being bold enough to release such a bad movie.RBS has the worst acting, plot, script, effects, fight scenes, music etc...
How anyone can say the script is anything other than appalling amazes me.I also can't understand why a film would want to try to destroy all the interesting parts of vampire legend.
If that's what you want, and you wear a cloak, file your teeth to points and think that the name Lilith Silver is cool, you'll see a fine film.If, like most people, an assassin dressed in gleaming, creaking rubber with HUGE cleavage, thick makeup and bad fangs makes you laugh, then this is one of the best comedies you'll see.
Ridiculous acting, dialogue and plotting help to make this a better spoof than Dracula, Dead and Loving It could be...It tries to be cool and goth, and all it succeeds in doing is making each scene hilarious.
If you can get over the cheapness of the movie there is a fantastic plot underneath which is generally well acted ( with the exception of the wooden security guards and the vampires who cannot speak properly with their fangs in) and a fantastic twist in the tail.
My main problem with this film applies to any vampire movie.
Writer/Director Jake West has penned an intelligent piece of cult cinema here and although some of the lines fall flat, much of the script really does illuminate a new angle on the vampire world.
This factor, coupled probably the twistiest twist of a twisted finale ever put on the screen should be enough to put a canine revealing smile on a lot of you fellow vampiric folks out there.Where the film fails is forgivably in its cast and its special effects.
Probably the best 'lesbian vampire assassin in fetish gear' movie filmed in London ever made.
Instead I will make a recommendation for all you Euro-horror fans: If you want to see an enjoyable low-budget Vampire flick, check out Nattens engel (1998).
It has everything Razor Blade Smile lacks: acting, nice locations, terrific score, and less hissing vampires....
A very worthy debut from Jake West: it combines Bond- movie action with Hammer-horror cheesiness to great effect.
I would have to say that it was pretty interesting for a gothic vampire movie which was set in a modern time.
It was worth watching if you are interested in B vampire movies.
Probably the best "indie" Horror movie that Britain has produced in the last 20 years.Granted some of the special effects were a bit basic,but no more so than a Jean Rolin or even a Hammer offering.Eileen Daly and Christopher Adamson are totally the right people for the lead roles and completely believable.Daly's character Lilith Silver does however have a forced or laboured Fanella Fielding voice that seems a little wrong,however it is more appropriate to a 19th century Lady than Miss Daly's normal Chelsea girl sound (that's a complete Air Head for the Yanks).However without a doubt she plays one of the best Vampires there has ever been.Next to Christopher Adamson he really puts the Teeth in vampire.The film starts off in the 19th century being narrated by Lilith who explains we know f**k all about vampires.The film then through an excellent story (more credit to Jake West) charts her life into modern times,no pausing along the way for either war or historic events.Just a straight blend (after her first kill) into the modern age and her hit-woman and night clubbing "goth" life style.Giving an insight into what a vampire really is.Whilst out witting the law.
What you do get is a brilliant,well written story with a new slant on the vampire life that Anne Rice would have been proud to have penned.Complete with a nice little twist ending.Making it unlike anything you'll have seen before..
David Warbeck has a brief role as a doctor (dubbed "The Horror-Movie Man"!) who conducts the autopsy on one of the vampire's victims; the film seems to have taken quite a long time to shoot as Warbeck died in 1997!
Sure, there IS a cheese factor (let's face it- is there such thing as a vampyre movie that doesn't have a bit of one?) and you can definitely see how fake the fangs are, but I thought this film was great!
I really loved razor blade smile it is one of my favourite art-house movies it was played really well in fact I actually believe if vampires existed they indeed would become an assassin I really enjoy art-house and vampire movies so this was in my taste thank you for making such an excellent movie lilithsilver was my favourite character in this movie and I think she played the part excellently the whole plot was designed without flaw I would love to know how exactly how the writer came up with such a genius story there will never be a vampire movie quite as believable and influential there was not a thing I dident believe about this movie and I would recommend this movie for any true vampire lovers so thank you again for making such a great movie.sincerely yours Levi.
A great British vampire flick, full of kinky scenes, fun one-liners, a protagonist you wish to die for (a splendid Ellen Dayly), a good enough story, with a little convoluted end.
There are several key scenes in this movie that are a direct homage to several other classics, from Vampire Lovers to First Blood (yes, Lilith preparation for the battle is very similar to Rambo dressing up for fighting in First Blood II).
It might have been a little confusing, and there was a surprise ending, but the story was there.This was one of the best non-traditional vampire films I've seen since "Near Dark".
Razor Blade Smile was first and foremost a vampire film, and it's action scenes played a secondary role.
Other reviews are unkind to this movie, written by people who are expecting way too much...This movie was shot on a pretty low budget, on high quality video, has loads of imagination, wicked shoot outs, clever ideas, lurid sex scenes, the beautiful Eileen Daly and one of the last ever performances by David Warbeck who was a nice guy from what I hear.Look at this as a movie a mate of yours has shot instead of a Hollywood film, and you can't fail to have anything other than immense respect for it.
The acting is very good and the movie doesn't drag along.Lillth does look great in leather.
Terrible overacting paired with regular bad acting makes this movie a pain to watch.
Under no circumstances should you be mislead into seeing this film as a ligitimate horror/vampire or even "British" movie.
I cannot believe that the Odeon cinema in Camden are screening this movie it is a complete embarrassment to British film-making - it makes the "Carry-ons" look big budget and intellectual..
The star is trying to tell the audience about vampires, but she should have told this to the writers, director and producer of this film (and everyone else who had anything to do with this movie).
Its actually quite a good film.Okay so it looks like it was shot on camcorder for £5.58.
I love this movie and it is great that I once knew f..a about vampires.
There are plenty of other interesting vampire movies out there, so please do not give the people who made this any more money so they can keep making this kind of cheap garbage..
It also shows a bundle of enthusiasm, a great-looking cast and a half decent script can give oodles more entertainment than your average blockbuster.Rather than just re-review the film, I'd rather just wave the flag for British low-budget autors like West and Alex Chandon who are making this stuff happen, budget or not.
British cinema is infested with an 'in crowd', which is why dire slop like Long Time Dead gets shot on film and Razorblade smile doesn't.This movie was made half a decade ago for £20k.
I love vampire movies, even bad cheesy ones.
A really fun and inspired low-budget British vampire horror treat. |
tt0055031 | Judgment at Nuremberg | Judgment at Nuremberg centers on a military tribunal convened in Nuremberg, Germany, in which four German judges and prosecutors stand accused of crimes against humanity for their involvement in atrocities committed under the Nazi regime. Judge Dan Haywood (Spencer Tracy) is the Chief Trial Judge of a three-judge panel that will hear and decide the case against the defendants. Haywood begins his examination by trying to learn how the defendant Ernst Janning (Burt Lancaster) could have sentenced so many people to death. Janning, it is revealed, is a well-educated and internationally respected jurist and legal scholar. Haywood seeks to understand how the German people could have turned blind eyes and deaf ears to the crimes of the Nazi regime. In doing so, he befriends the widow (Marlene Dietrich) of a German general who had been executed by the Allies. He talks with a number of Germans who have different perspectives on the war. Other characters the judge meets are US Army Captain Byers (William Shatner), who is assigned to the American party hearing the cases, and Irene Hoffmann (Judy Garland), who is afraid to provide testimony that may bolster the prosecution's case against the judges.
German defense attorney Hans Rolfe (Maximilian Schell) argues that the defendants were not the only ones to aid, or at least turn a blind eye to, the Nazi regime. He also suggests that the United States has committed acts just as bad or worse as those the Nazis perpetrated. He raises several points in these arguments, such as: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.'s support for the first eugenics practices (see Buck v. Bell ); the German-Vatican Reichskonkordat of 1933, which the Nazi-dominated German government exploited as an implicit foreign recognition of Nazi leadership; Stalin's part in the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939, which removed the last major obstacle standing in the way of Germany's invasion and occupation of western Poland, initiating World War II; and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the final stage of the war in August 1945.
Janning, meanwhile, decides to take the stand for the prosecution, stating that he is guilty of the crime he is accused of: condemning to death a Jewish man of "blood defilement" charges—namely, that the man slept with a 16-year-old Gentile girl—when he knew there was no evidence to support such a verdict. During his testimony, he explains that well-meaning people like himself went along with Hitler's anti-Semitic policies out of a sense of patriotism, even though they knew it was wrong.
Haywood must weigh considerations of geopolitical expediency and ideals of justice. The trial takes place against the background of the Berlin Blockade, and there is pressure to let the German defendants off lightly so as to gain German support in the growing Cold War against the Soviet Union. All four defendants are found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
Haywood visits Janning in his cell. Janning affirms that Haywood's decision was just, but asks him to believe that he and the other defendant judges never desired the mass murder of innocents. "We never knew," he insists, "that it would come to that." Judge Haywood replies, "Herr Janning, it came to that the first time you sentenced a man to death you knew to be innocent." Haywood departs; a title card informs the audience that, of 99 defendants sentenced to prison terms in Nuremberg trials that took place in the American Zone, none were still serving their sentences as of the film's 1961 release. | dramatic, historical | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0037691 | Fallen Angel | Eric Stanton (Andrews), a down-on-his-luck drifter, gets pulled off a bus in the hamlet of Walton because he does not have the $2.25 extra fare to take him to San Francisco. He finds a greasy spoon called Pop's Eats, where Pop (Percy Kilbride) is worried about waitress Stella because she has not shown up for work for days. Ex-New York cop Mark Judd (Bickford) tells him not to worry. Sure enough, the sultry Stella (Darnell) soon returns. Stanton (like the others) is attracted to her, but she is unimpressed by his smooth talk and poverty.
Stanton cons his way into a job with Professor Madley (John Carradine), a traveling fortune-teller. No one is willing to buy tickets to the "spook act" because influential local spinster Clara Mills (Anne Revere) disapproves. Stanton gets to Clara through her inexperienced younger sister June (Faye) and persuades them to attend the performance.
Madley stages an entertaining séance, channeling Abraham Mills, the deceased father of Clara and June. Using information secretly dug up by his assistant Joe Ellis (an uncredited Olin Howland), Madley brings up the sisters' financial problems. The two leave quite upset.
Stanton gets to know Stella, watching her steal from the cash register and go out with men. Stanton falls in love with her. She makes it clear that she wants a man who is willing to marry her and buy her a home. He is so obsessed that he agrees to her terms.
To raise the money, Stanton romances and marries June, planning to divorce her as soon as he can. Clara, who has been victimized by a man of Stanton's type, is unable to prevent their marriage. Stanton cannot stay away from Stella even on his wedding night. Instead of sleeping with his wife, he goes to Stella, who has given up on him. He explains his odd scheme to her. By the time he returns to his wife, she has fallen asleep.
The next day, Stella turns up dead. Judd is asked by the local police chief to investigate. He first tries to beat a confession out of Dave Atkins (Bruce Cabot), Stella's latest boyfriend, but Atkins has an airtight alibi. Stanton is also a strong suspect, having been seen quarreling with Stella shortly before her death. Judd tells him not to leave town.
Stanton flees to a seedy hotel room in San Francisco with June. He tells her all about his drifter's life of failed schemes. June tells Stanton that she loves him. The next day, June is taken into custody when she goes to the bank to withdraw her money.
Stanton returns to Pop's Eats, where Judd is waiting for him. Stanton proves Judd is the killer. Judd found out that Stella had agreed to marry someone else rather than wait for his wife to give him a divorce. Judd pulls out his gun, but Pop wrestles it away, and Judd is arrested. Outside, when June asks Stanton where they are going, he tells her, "Home." | paranormal, murder | train | wikipedia | It also features Linda Darnell at her most sultry and mercenary; Alice Faye (her only appearance, I think, in the noir cycle); John Carradine; Charles Bickford (as a policeman with a past); Ann Revere (whom most of us think of as a tenement mom to John Garfield); and even Percy Kilbride before his Pa Kettle days.
Indeed much of the appeal and frisson of the genre stems from its tales' and characters' nightmarish, inexplicable irrationality.The almost always underrated Dana Andrews is superb here in a brilliantly understated performance: by posture, tilt of head, and deft deployment of his eyes he communicates more than most actors manage to tell with their whole scenery-chewing bodies; and Alice Faye kept me guessing: was her June the "still water runs deep" character whodunit?
Most of all there's 'Fallen Angel's peerless camera-work and direction that raise it a notch or two above the rather overrated 'Laura' - whose plot sometimes drags and which is chiefly rescued by the literate, finicky presence of Clifton Webb; and Gene Tierney's mannered, diffident, and albeit mysterious Laura isn't half the hard-boiled noir femme fatale that Linda Darnell's Stella is in 'Fallen Angel.' There's another lovely, understated effort here from Bruce Cabot and still another from Percy Kilbride; but in the supporting cast Anne Revere stands out for moving the plot along, for creating tangible suspense, and for two solid moments of palpable nape-prickling foreboding.'Fallen Angel' is just one of the most underrated noirs.
However, "Laura" still holds it's own even by today's standards and the media, along with the marketing people, have done us all a favor (this time!!!) in keeping this classic alive and popular.Needless to say, "Fallen Angel" redeems Preminger's ability to present a film in the classic noir of it's time and because of this is competitive with Billy Wilder's "Lost Weekend" (1945) and "Double Indemnity" (1944), both huge successes with audiences.
We all know that Bickford, along with Kilbride, Dana Andrews and Bruce Cabot all are victims to the whims of the dark Darnell.And the way the blonde, good and virtuous Faye is contrasted with the dark, bad and selfish Darnell is more proof that this film should be marketed for the masses.
The plot is strong, the camera work of Joseph LaShelle and, especially the film direction by Preminger rates this movie as one of the best of it's time.
It is an engrossing story about a man (Dana Andrews) who marries a woman (Alice Faye) for her money, but seeks to kill her in order to inherit her fortune and hook up with vamp Linda Darnell.The movie is star studded.
It not only features Andrews, Darnell and Faye, but spectacular performances are made by Charles Bickford, Anne Revere and Bruce Cabot.The movie is a typical film noir with a catchy plot.
Otto Preminger makes great use of lighting to portray the typical murky image found so often in a hard boiled, sex-money drama as film noirs were meant to portray.It is a shame that this movie is not available on video..
While the men (naturally) gravitate to the darker sexy role of the femme fa-tale in the movie, the stunning Linda Darnell, Alice is just as important to realize what she represented during that time in the public's eye and Darryl Zanucks.
As always, there is no way to tell whether LaShelle or Preminger came up with these unusual images, but they are exceptionally effective.bWhat's more, the film is perfectly cast down to the smallest role: Linda Darnell is particularly effective as the slutty tough girl who knows what she wants; and middle-aged Alice Faye, having put on a little weight since her Don Ameche musical days, looks and acts exactly like a lonely and desperate small-town woman who can't help loving the wrong man.
The acting is marvelous, especially Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell, and all those wonderful character actors that Otto Priminger hand picked for their roles.
Darnell is good as the sluttish café worker, going out with everyone who asks, but when we see Faye with her hair down towards the end and playing dynamic scenes we surely realize that without intervention, Preminger's film would have been just that little better balanced.
Curiously chosen by the studio's biggest musical star Alice Faye for her 'comeback' role as a dramatic actress (and she is fine in it), unfortunately for her, it collided with Linda Darnell's own stunning "femme fatale" revamp who, even though bumped off halfway through, effortlessly walks away with the film; needless to say, Faye wouldn't make another picture for the next 17 years!
Andrews who would have turned 100 on January 1st of this year had he lived and thus I'll be watching several of his movies throughout this month plays the anti-hero: a penniless cad who marries Faye (against elder sister Anne Revere's advice) for her inheritance money but lusts after Darnell as do, understandably, most of the male cast: married detective Charles Bickford (his paradoxical character is a fascinating creation), jukebox salesman Bruce Cabot and Darnell's own employer Percy Kilbride; favorite character actor John Carradine, made up to look like some forbidding Scandinavian pastor, has an amusing bit as a mentalist Andrews hitches up with early on.
The fortune hunter (Dana Andrews), the flirtatious girl (feline Linda Darnell) and her suitors, the good girl of the village (Alice Faye), and a murder...
Also, the instant romance between June Mills, the spinster church organist and Eric Stanton and their surprise wedding is something one only sees in movies, but then again, who knows, the old maid must have been just ripe for picking.For this film being made in 1945, it has a sexuality that comes across openly whenever we are taken to the seaside cafe and watch all the men ogling Stella, the waitress who provokes desire in them.
Alice Faye in a dramatic role doesn't come as well as the others, perhaps because her character is not clearly defined.A film to watch for the great cinematography and as a curiosity piece from Otto Preminger..
The film stars Alice Faye, Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell & Charles Bickford.
Zanuck and Preminger cut her role out of the picture (they were all about Darnell), Faye left the studio the day after a preview screening, and did not make another film for 16 years.The plot sees Andrews as press agent Eric Stanton, who down on his luck gets turfed off the bus some 150 miles from San Francisco and finds that he is in the small coastal town of Walton.
Pretty soon his life will be surrounded by love, infatuation, jealousy and worst of all—murder.More a mystery whodunit than an overtly dark venture into the realm of film noir, Fallen Angel is still a tidy and atmospheric movie.
Eric decides to seduce the lonely June Mills (Alice Faye), a wealthy woman that lives with her controller sister Clara Mills (Anne Revere), to have money to move with Stella.
When Eric becomes the prime-suspect, he investigates the murder seeking the identity of the real killer."Fallen Angel" is a disappointing film-noir by Otto Preminger.
In a movie where the police deputize civilians to beat up witnesses in order to "gather information" and where some individuals' entire character and identity change at the drop of a hat, the charm of this movie is in the gleefully melodramatic yet charming interactions of the love quadrilateral that is Alice Faye, Faye's sister, Dana Andrews and Linda Darnell.
It must have been particularly racy in 1945.Not believable for a second, but enjoyable for more than an hour, FALLEN ANGEL is worth a look for hardcore fans of crime drama, noir, and Dana Andrews / Linda Darnell.
All the traditional noir elements are in place: a drifter, Dana Andrews, who sails into town on a bus, hooks up with a sultry waitress, Linda Darnell, and romances an old maid, Alice Faye, with plans to swindle her and run off with the waitress.
The film is brim full of atmosphere -- shadowy scenes in the hash house where Darnell works, a song that keeps playing on a jukebox, a la the "Laura" theme (and by the same composer, David Raskin), lots of sharp, smarmy character actors on the edge of things.
With a more appropriate actress in Faye's role, this might have been a major noir.Great scene: Andrews walk into the diner where Darnell works and hears the film's theme, a low, sultry love ballad, playing on the jukebox for the umpteenth time.
Sadly undernourished film noir has shady Dana Andrews and Linda Darnell plotting to bilk Alice Faye out of her money.
That being said, it's still a snappy but minor film noir, the story of a down-on-his-luck man who falls in love with a vixen and marries a nice girl for the money.
Andrews plays a bitter, down-on-his-luck promoter who arrives in a town near San Francisco and falls for sultry waitress Darnell, but marries rich spinster Faye.
Yes, Darnell is sultry, but the dialogue and Andrews' one-note acting remove any interest in the outcome of this film-gris(more gray than black).Everyone and everything seems manipulated to serve ill-considered marketing,as opposed to dramatic interests...And a final quibble--film noir works best when attention is paid to the minor details--don't throw lit matches onto tables, punch a number on the jukebox before playing your favorite song,if you're penniless, don't have an endless supply of cigarettes, and don't have a magic room that cleans and presses your clothes when you're on the road with one shirt and suit...I love film noir...this movie ain't it..
(IMDb informs me that she was a direct descendant of Paul Revere, the hero of the American Revolution, so I had better show a bit more respect!) Severe is trying to save her little sister from falling into the clutches of Andrews, who wants to marry her for her money while being insanely infatuated by Darnell.
Knowing what we learn about his character as the film Fallen Angel progresses, you have to wonder what both good girl Alice Faye and bad girl Linda Darnell see in him.Dana Andrews gets dropped off the bus in a small, sleepy California town because he's got no more money to proceed any farther.
In this case his biggest message is from the late father of rich sisters Anne Revere and Alice Faye.In the meantime Andrews also gets himself involved with mantrap waitress Linda Darnell who's got the hormones in overdrive of a lot of people, salesman Bruce Cabot, retired cop Charles Bickford, her employer Percy Kilbride, just about every mail she comes in contact with.
"Fallen Angel" is a good, solid example of 'film noir', which should come as no surprise as the director is Otto Preminger, one of Hollywood's foremost directors.
(The theory that studio brass insisted on boosting Darnell's role at Faye's expense seems to make sense, though--if Faye's part was cut way down, no wonder she seems like such a dolt.)Andrews gives a good performance as the scheming, dreaming, irresistible drifter...his sometimes-despicable character is indeed almost sympathetic.
Anne Revere has a small but important role as Faye's not-so-gullible sister.The plot includes not only Andrews's wicked plans but other characters' jealous schemes as well, leading up to an eventual murder.
I have a penchant for film noir and it seems to me he was an adept in the genre.Here we have a movie with most of the convention staples present and intact, a loner anti-hero prepared to rob a pair of sisters out of their life savings to the extent of marrying the younger one and who yet walks out on her on their wedding night for a secret liaison with staple number 2, femme fatale Linda Darnell's beautiful-and-she-knows-it diner waitress who has him and every other customer there on a string.
The cast is very good, Dana Andrews as the drifter kicked off the bus at the start with insufficient fare to complete his journey to San Francisco where he encounters the alluring but astringent Stella with the other nighthawks at Pop's Diner, where you later realise the director is actually parading all the suspects for her future murder.
When Andrews' Stanton gets involved with a hokey spiritualist and his taciturn gopher, he encounters two well-read, clean-living, God-fearing but maid-ish sisters and forms a plan to inveigle himself into the affections of the younger of the two, played by Alice Faye, to get at their life savings so he can go back and marry Stella as part of their "deal".It's all realistically shot with plenty of hand-held camera shots and suitably gloomy atmospheric interiors.
No one knows anything about him, the audience least of all, he is a loser and maybe a criminal one, you can suspect all the worst about him, as Alice Faye's non-nonsense sister has every reason to do, and only gradually his real character comes into light, mainly in the great hotel scene in San Francisco, an even shabbier place than the road joint, clearly pointing out the direction of Hitchcock's "Vertigo" 14 years later.
The Post-War Years had finally Arrived and Film-Noir, and the Seedlings Planted in the previous 10 Years, started to become Fully Formed and the Pure Film-Noir became more Abundant and the Crop bore Fruit for a Full 5 Years before the Genre would be increasingly Watered Down with Police Procedural, a more Friendly Style with the Conservative 1950's."Fallen Angel" was Directed by the Dictatorial Hand of Otto Preminger who Found Breakout Success with the Popular Murder Mystery "Laura" (1944).This Movie Suffered On-Set Strife and the End Result was a Work in Progress, Changed on the fly, and it Shows.
Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell, and Alice Faye Star.Overall, Dense with Drama as the Movie Unfolds.
Dana Andrews is, nevertheless, compelling.....Anne Revere is always good.....Alice Faye's character makes little sense .
Having a way with words he is soon involved with the town hottie, waitress Stella (Linda Darnell) as well as a local pillar of the community June Mills (Alice Faye).
Alice Faye supposedly left Hollywood movies after "Fallen Angel", because she saw the final cut and some of her scenes were cut in favor of Linda Darnell.
Otto Preminger liked using Dana Andrews in his film noirish melodramas and, while this one is not quite up to the classic "Laura", it's a well played story of a drifter (Andrews) who comes into a small town and cons a decent woman (Alice Faye) into marrying him although her money is what he's after.
Years later she did for "State Fair".Linda Darnell excels in her role as a tart and the supporting cast includes veterans like Charles Bickford, Anne Revere, Bruce Cabot, John Carradine and Percy Kilbride.
Otto Preminger used 20th Century Fox stars - Alice Faye, Linda Darnell, and Dana Andrews for "Fallen Angel," a film noir about a drifter who falls for a sultry waitress.Since Linda Darnell's heyday was the 1940s, and she has now been dead for 40 years, her name doesn't appear on lists of all time beauties, but she was surely one of the most beautiful women ever to appear in films.
Then Darnell ends up murdered, and Andrews becomes an instant suspect.One thing about noir films that has always troubled me is the ease with which women fall for these nasty guys after about three seconds.
Otto Preminger's follow-up to his ground-breaking film noir "Laura" is an off-beat, dark and foreboding tale of con man Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews) who arrives in a small California coastal town with literally no money in his pockets.
Very difficult to like her in this film.Alice Faye just seemed in the doldrums in the first half of the film, but once she marries Dana Andrews, she turns in a very good performance.Charles Bickford as the retired police detective (and ultimately the murderer) is good, though not outstanding here.
Disappointing film noir despite the stellar cast.Anne Revere and Charles Bickford must have been thinking back to two years before when both received supporting nominations for "The Song of Bernadette."While an example of film noir, a student of Jessica Fletcher (Murder, She Wrote) could unravel the mystery very quickly.Andrews does an admirable job as the drifter who comes into town and romances both Linda Darnell and an older-looking Alice Faye.
Enter Dana Andrews in yet another great role for director Otto Preminger, as a drifter who sets up small towns for seances put on by the shady character played by the always interesting John Carradine.
After collaborating on one of the greatest films ever made(Laura (1944)), director Otto Preminger and star Dana Andrews this time join forces to make a lesser but nonetheless beautifully photographed film noir titled FALLEN ANGEL.
With 'Laura (1944)' and 'Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950),' director Otto Preminger and actor Dana Andrews collaborated to produce two of the great American film noirs.
Otto Preminger and star Dana Andrews made this film a year after their highly acclaimed "Laura", with leading ladies Linda Darnell and Alice Faye (top billed above Darnell and Andrews).
Eric (Andrews) arrives in town short of bus fare to San Francisco, and manages to involve himself with a sham-mystic (John Carradine) and a pair of young ladies with a small inherited fortune (Faye and Anne Revere as her jealous sister), all as a sidelight to falling in love with sultry barmaid Stella (Darnell).
The two women, Linda Darnell, as the vixen Stella, and the angelic Alice Faye's June, fill out the typical noir female personas.
FALLEN ANGEL is a typically classy slice of film noir from director Otto Preminger, starring that mainstay of the genre, Dana Andrews.
I came to appreciate Charles Bickford's role as the sadistic cop, but I still could not make heads or tails of Alice Faye's blind faith in the greasy Dana Andrews' character.This is a flawed film, but I must say, I enjoy it much more than 'Laura'.
Ironically Alice Faye gets top billing in what was to be her only non-musical, leading man Dana Andrews is solid but Darnell runs away with the movie thanks to a dream of a role. |
tt0133240 | Treasure Planet | The film opens in a narrative (Tony Jay) which introduces us to deep space where merchant ships sail on solar winds transporting valuable cargo. However, their journeys are not without danger as one of them is attacked by a small pirate ship commanded by the notorious Captain Nathaniel Flint, a pirate who vanished without a trace after each heist and was rumored to have stashed his loot on the mysterious Treasure Planet. The image of Flint's alien face is soon seen to be a holographic image in the storybook of young Jim Hawkins (Austin Majors), a three year-old boy who is completely immersed in the story. His mother, Sarah (Laurie Metcalf), comes into Jim's room to put him to bed, playfully tackling him, but Jim continues to read his book, even under the covers. Twelve years later and Jim has grown into a strong teenager, taking thrills from solar surfing (windsurfing on a solar-powered rocket board), his favorite pastime. Unfortunately, the aloof Jim takes his board through a restricted construction zone and is quickly apprehended by authorities.Meanwhile, back home at the Benbow Inn, Sarah tirelessly serves customers including the frequent dog-like Delbert Dopplar (David Hyde Pierce), an astrophysicist and friend of the family. He asks how Jim has been doing just as Jim is brought home, flanked by two robotic police officers. They explain that if Jim performs any further transgressions he will be locked away in juvenile hall. Later that night, while Jim listens from the roof, Sarah confides in Delbert that, ever since his father left, Jim hasn't been the same. Despite being smart, he fails in school and acts distant. At that moment, Jim notices a spaceship fall from the sky and crash at the end of the Benbow docking platform. He runs out in time to help the injured pilot, an old, snaky creature named Billy Bones (Patrick McGoohan). Jim assists him back to the inn as it begins to rain and make it through the front door before Billy collapses. Before Sarah and Delbert can do anything, Billy gives Jim a golden sphere and tells him to 'beware the cyborg' before expiring. Shortly after, the inn is raided by a gang of pirates and Sarah, Jim, and Delbert barely escape before the inn is burned to the ground. They seek refuge at Delbert's home where Jim discovers the minute mechanics of the sphere and activates it to reveal a holographic map of the galaxy. They discover that the map holds the key to finding Treasure Planet. Eager to make his mother proud and help rebuild the inn, Jim proposes to go find the Planet with Delbert's help, who is more than excited at the prospect of charting an expedition of discovery. Sarah is against the plan at first, but Delbert assures her that it may just be the right thing to help Jim sail straight.Delbert commissions a ship and a crew out of Belfast, the 'harbor' of which resembles the size and shape of a crescent moon. He and Jim depart for the RLS Legacy where they greet the stony first mate, Mr. Arrow (Roscoe Lee Browne), before meeting the stern and cat-like Captain Amelia (Emma Thompson). The crew is a motley but seemingly obedient bunch and, as the ship sets sail, Jim is sent down to work in the galley for John Silver (Brian Murray), a cyborg who Jim becomes immediately suspicious of. Silver introduces Jim to his pet amorphous blob named Morph (Dane A. Davis) that can change into any shape, and to the notion of hard work. Resentful over his menial tasks, Jim picks the wrong side of crew member Scroop (Michael McShane), a large, spidery alien with a temper quelled only by Mr. Arrow's reprimand and a quick glare from Silver. Silver berates Jim for not picking his fights wisely but the two soon begin a relationship out of mutual respect. Silver keeps Jim busy on board and grows impressed with his increasing work ethic. Along the journey, they eventually bond from a master and ward relationship to one near father and son, their experiences montaged to the song 'I'm Still Here'. The sequence features flashbacks from Jim's early life showing his father acting indifferent towards him as a child before finally leaving without warning during his pre-teens.It is clear that they enjoy each other's company and Silver praises Jim's mechanical and piloting skills when he fixes one of the ship's solar skiffs and takes it for a spin. After they return to the ship, an explosion rings out as a nearby star goes supernova. Amelia takes the ship into evasive maneuvers and instructs Jim to secure all the crew's harnesses to the mainmast. Due to the turbulence, Silver nearly falls overboard but is saved by Jim. At this time, Delbert discovers that the supernova is devolving into a black hole and is pulling the ship back into its core. The black hole releases sonic waves which rattle the ship. Delbert tells Amelia that two more will follow before they are pulled into the hole and she comes up with a plan to ride the last wave out with the ship's engines at full thrust. The next wave sends Mr. Arrow overboard but he is saved by his harness line. However, Scroop appears above him and, with a sinister look, cuts his line, sending Arrow into the abyss. Silver and Jim hang on as the last wave erupts, sending the ship out of the black hole and back into deep space. Amelia addresses the crew and congratulates Jim and Delbert for their help before calling to Mr. Arrow. Scroop appears with Arrow's hat and claims his harness was not secure, to Jim's bewilderment. Scroop gives Silver a knowing glance, to Silver's disapproval. Jim takes the news, and Amelia's reaction, hard and retreats into seclusion. Silver finds him later and tries to pick him up again, telling him that he has the makings of greatness, if only he could see that himself and take charge of it. Jim's spirits are raised and he embraces Silver, much to Silver's surprise, before going below decks to sleep. Silver admits to Morph that he'd best watch how he acts around Jim, lest the crew thinks he's going soft.The next morning, Jim is awoken early by a playful Morph. He chases him to the galley and catches him in a fruit barrel just before some of the crew comes down. Listening to their conversation, Jim learns that they're actually pirates that are planning a mutiny before they make land-fall. Silver comes into the galley, revealing himself as the mastermind and leader and expresses his discontent to anyone who makes a move before his say-so. Scroop tells Silver that he thinks Silver's gone soft for Jim and doesn't have it in him to continue with the plans. Enraged, Silver tells the crew that he cares only for Flint's treasure and that he warmed up to Jim to keep him ignorant to their plans. A cry comes from above that they've reached Treasure Planet, the exclamation coming from crewmember Onus (Corey Burton), a six-eyed alien, and the crew leaves the galley. Jim emerges from the barrel and begins to make his way up to the deck but comes face to face with Silver on his way back down. They tensely stand off before Jim lunges forward with a pair of scissors and stabs Silver in his robotic leg, causing a pressure malfunction. Silver begins the mutiny as Jim retreats into Amelia's quarters and escapes with her and Delbert to the loading bay. However, ever-playful Morph grabs the map out of Jim's pocket, holding it in his mouth. Silver appears in the bay area and he and Jim try to coax Morph to go to them with the map. Confused, Morph dives into a bundle of ropes. Silver reaches for the map but Jim grabs it and escapes into the skiff with Amelia and Delbert. As they flee towards the planet's surface, Silver takes aim at them but refuses to shoot due to his attachment to Jim. However, a mutineer shoots the ship's cannon at the skiff, causing massive damage and injury to Amelia. The skiff crashes upside down on the surface.The three compose themselves and Amelia asks for the map, but when Jim removes it from his pocket, it's revealed to be Morph in disguise. Jim realizes the map is still on the ship as a second skiff flies overhead, looking for them. Amelia orders Jim to find a safe haven for them before she collapses from her injuries. Delbert tends to the delerious Amelia while Jim scoures the alien jungle. He eventually comes into contact with a eccentric robot named B.E.N. (Martin Short), short for Bio-Electronic Navigator. B.E.N.'s memory is hazy, at best, and he shows Jim that he's actually missing a part of his central database at the back of his head. Although, from what he does remember, he informs Jim that he was Flint's own navigator and was left on the planet to protect the treasure which is located at the 'centroid of the mechanism'. Jim is less than amused by B.E.N.'s antics but is relieved to find that B.E.N.'s lair is the perfect hiding place. Soon, however, the mutinous pirates surround the hovel and Silver demands the map. Knowing that Silver is unaware of the map's true location, Jim goes out to negotiate but refuses to cooperate with Silver. He returns to the hideout where B.E.N. reveals a 'back door' into a metal-works piping system that interweaves through the planet's very core. Jim, B.E.N., and Morph head back to the ship to deactivate the laser cannon and retrieve the real map while Delbert watches over Amelia.On board, B.E.N. whimsically goes off to deactivate the cannon while Jim goes to the loading dock for the map. However, he runs into a vengeful Scroop and the two fight their way onto the main deck. B.E.N. accidentally deactivates the artificial gravity on the ship and Jim and Scroop float into the rigging. Jim is saved by grabbing onto the pirate's flag and, just before Scroop can cut him away, swings back onto the mast and kicks Scroop into the loose flag, sending him into space. B.E.N. turns the gravity back on and disables the cannon. When they return to the hideout, Jim holds out the map to Delbert only to see that Silver and the other pirates have invaded the place and tied Amelia and Delbert up. Jim is the only one who knows how to properly activate the map and thus demands that they all travel together to the treasure's location. They take the skiff and follow a laser trail to a cliff's edge where the trail disappears. An inscription on the ground reveals a plug for the map. Jim inserts it and a portal is engaged, with each planet's location on the map's hologram allowing for immediate travel; the secret to Flint's mysterious raids. Jim selects the Treasure Planet icon and the center of the planet is revealed with the treasure inside. Jim, the pirates, and B.E.N. step inside, walking through an unseen trip-laser. At the heart of the treasure, Jim discovers the remains of Captain Flint, clutching what seems to be the rest of B.E.N.'s 'mind'. Jim plugs it back into B.E.N.'s head and he suddenly remembers that Flint actually commissioned him to booby-trap the planet to make sure no one took his treasure. The very core begins to rip apart and scores of treasure, and some of the pirates, are lost in the molten center. Silver finds himself torn between collecting what treasure he can and saving Jim, hanging from a precarious ledge. Silver saves Jim and the survivors escape back to the Legacy as the planet begins to break apart. The ship becomes damaged and Amelia realizes that they'll never make it out of the planet's atmosphere in time. Jim comes up with a plan to activate the portal so that it takes them directly to Bristol. He attaches a rocket engine to a scrap of metal and surfs it ahead of the ship to the portal. Nearly failing, Jim manages to make it to the portal and enter in the coordinates, allowing himself and the ship to pass safely through just as Treasure Planet explodes.Amelia orders the remaining pirates imprisoned in the ship's barracks as they return home and offers to recommend Jim to the Interstellar Academy for his actions. Later on, Silver sneaks down to the loading bay and sets off to escape in the skiff. Jim catches him in the act but lets him go. Morph decides to stay with Jim and Silver commends his bravery and predicts that he will 'rattle the stars'. He hands over a small fortune of treasure for Jim to rebuild the inn with, and leaves. The movie ends with the Benbow Inn rebuilt, B.E.N. providing waiter services for Sarah, and Delbert and Amelia married with children. Jim arrives home with two police officers, this time serving as escorts, as he reveals himself in a military cadet uniform. As everyone celebrates his home-coming, Jim looks to the skies and sees an approving image of Silver in the clouds. | psychedelic, sci-fi, murder, flashback | train | imdb | null |
tt0089530 | Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome | The film opens with an aerial view of a desert vehicle being towed by a team of camels. As the frame moves in closer, a plane flies in very close to the vehicle, knocking it's driver off. The plane, being flown by a man named Jedediah and his son, flies over the vehicle again and Jed jumps out, landing on it. Though the owner tries to catch up, Jed gets away quickly. A monkey in the back of the vehicle throws several items out for the driver, including his boots and water. The driver is Max Rockatansky, a loner who scratches a living out of the desert. He finds his small whistle in the belt of one of his boots and blows on it almost ritualistically.Some time later, Max crests a ridge and sees desert vehicles like his heading toward a remote city called Bartertown. Max approaches the gatehouse and finds a man, The Collector, who is making deals for goods with visitors. Max demands to be let inside for an hour to find the pilot who stole his vehicle and camels. He offers to trade his skills in lieu of material goods to which the Collector tells him "the brothel's full." Max grabs the man and shoots the headdress off a guard who threatens him with knives. The Collector determines that Max may have more to offer and agrees to take him in.On the streets of Bartertown, which are populated by citizens and criminals alike, Max sees his vehicle and camels but is dragged away to meet with Bartertown's flamboyant and charismatic leader, Aunty Entity. The two chat for a bit and Aunty sends a signal to her guards to attack Max. He dispatches them all fairly easily. Auntie tells him he's the first to "survive the audition." Aunty and the Collector explain that Bartertown is an attempt to reconstitute civilization in the face of the post-nuclear apocalypse that has destroyed all rule of law. With neither an atomic-based nor a petroleum-based energy economy, Bartertown runs on methane gas, which is produced from pig feces by prisoner-slaves. All methane comes from an underground cavern, Underworld, where pigs are raised and herded for their waste. Aunty also shows Max a large, armored man carrying a smaller man on his back. They are Master Blaster. The larger, muscular man protects the smaller man, Master, an intelligent dwarf who runs Underworld. Of late, Master seeks to wrest control of Bartertown from Aunty through embargoes where he threatens to cut off the town's energy supply. Aunty wants Max to kill Blaster in a "fair" fight so they can keep Master and use his genius to continue to run the reactor. She offers him the return of his vehicle, his camels and a supply of methane. In exchange, Max will work for 24 hours in Underworld, where he'll be able to size up his opponent.In Underworld, Max is subjected to hard labor. He meets a prisoner who has been branded "Pig Killer." Max sees that Master wants his vehicle and has a mechanic working on it. The mechanic has run into a problem; the vehicle is booby-trapped with explosives. When Master demands Max defuse the bomb, Max refuses. His defiance enrages Master who immediately enacts another embargo against Aunty. The power to the city is nearly turned off and Master tricks Aunty into saying Master Blaster now runs Bartertown; in doing so, Master slyly switches on the city-wide intercom and Aunty's voice is heard everywhere. Master lifts the embargo and forces Max to defuse his vehicle's bomb. While he does, he trips the siren and notices that Blaster is nearly incapacitated by the noise. He tests him further with his small whistle, finding it to be an effective weapon.Max is released from Underworld and makes a deal with Aunty to kill Blaster. Aunty shows Max Bartertown's only means of settling disputes (and it's chief form of entertainment), Thunderdome, a large domed cage that serves as a combat arena. Max picks a fight with Master Blaster as they drive through town celebrating their victory over Aunty. Master accepts the challenge of Thunderdome. Max and Blaster are taken to the arena and trussed up on elastic bands. The rules are simple: they must try to kill each other using any means necessary, including the weapons placed in the dome. Both show considerable skill in combat with Max eventually gaining the upper hand by using his whistle. He uses a large sledgehammer to knock Blaster's helmet off. As he moves in finish him, he sees that his opponent is mentally retarded. Feeling remorseful at besting an opponent that doesn't understand his own involvement, Max turns to Aunty and says "this wasn't part of the deal". Master demands to know what this "deal" involves and promises that he'll further squeeze the city for the power he provides. Suddenly, Aunty's guards kill Blaster. The crowd, realizing the outcome of the match, begins to yell the motto of Thunderdome "TWO MEN ENTER, ONE MAN LEAVES!!", a collective demand to let Max go. When Max tries to leave the arena, he's not permitted. Aunty quells the crowd by saying that Max broke their deal by not killing Blaster himself and introduces a new form of sentencing, the Wheel of Fate. The vanes of an old windmill contain punishments for Max, who spins it to reveal his fate; "GULAG". He's tied to a horse and banished to the desert.When his horse collapses, Max is met by his monkey, who brings a goatskin filled with water. Max stumbles on, carrying the monkey, for a bit longer and finally collapses. Some time later he is found by a person dressed and equipped for desert survival. It is a woman, Savannah, who lives with a group of children in a crevice. Savannah takes Max to her home and tells everyone that she's found their savior. Max wakes up a few days later and is puzzled by the presence of the children. In a bit of playacting they show him that he bears a striking resemblance to a man named "Captain Walker". Walker was the pilot of a passenger airplane carrying colonists seeking to escape the crumbling post-atomic cities; the plane crashed in the desert years before and the children are the descendants of the passengers. The kids have believed that Walker will lead them to civilization, a place they call "Tomorrow-morrow Land". Max tells them that he's not Captain Walker and that civilization is gone, wiped out by the apocalypse. He tells them that they'll stay in the valley. Savannah, disheartened by Max' revelations, decides to leave with a small group of the children to find their paradise. Max stops them and has them bound so they won't leave. One of the group, Scrooloose, frees them in the night and they strike out. Max goes after them with a few more of the children and finds the group struggling to save one of them from a sinkhole in the desert. Even with Max's help, they fail.Later that night, they see the distant lights of Bartertown and go there, sneaking into the city. Max knows that they need to free Master and take him along to help build a new home. They are quickly spotted by Underworld's guards and a fight ensues. Pig Killer, whom Max had befriended while working there, starts up a locomotive with an attached caboose and breaks out of Underworld into the desert. The damage to the city his heavy, however Aunty knows they can rebuild if they can recapture Master. She and her warriors pursue the train for several miles while Max and the older kids fight off Aunty's men. At one point, Aunty seizes Master and has her mechanic decouple the caboose. As they drift away, Max grabs Master and leaps into the locomotive. Coming to a sudden stop at the line's end, they see Jedediah's young son who tells them all to raise their hands. However, he runs when he sees that Aunty's crew is rapidly approaching. Max and his crew chase the boy to his father's hideout; Max tells Jedediah that they'll have to escape in the pilot's plane. With Aunty bearing down, Jedediah says that there isn't enough runway between them and Aunty to take off. Using a vehicle captured by Scrooloose, Max drives out ahead of the plane at high speed, heading directly toward Aunty's lead vehicle, driven by her bodyguard, Ironbar. Max leaps out just before the collision and the Jedediah's plane takes off safely.Max is met by Aunty and a few of her crew, who point their rifles at him. Aunty, however, simply lets Max go and they leave him in the desert.Jedediah flies his passengers far into the desert where they eventually come across the city of Sydney, recognizable by its famous bridge. They settle there with Savannah, who has recently borne a child, saying they keep the lights on in the city in case Max returns. | violence, action | train | imdb | null |
tt0058888 | Akahige | In 1820, young Dr. Yasumoto, returned to Edo after graduating from Dutch medical school in Nagasaki. He presented himself at the public clinic managed by Dr. Niide (Toshiro Mifune), aka Akahige (Red Beard- because of the color of his beard), thinking it was merely a courtesy call arranged by his father (who also a physician).To his surprise and displeasure, he found that out he was expected to work there for a while. Yasumoto didn't find anything to his liking. He found out that the doctors were expected to sacrifice sun (the patients needed the sunny rooms), heat (better for the soul), and tatami (Japanese comfortable bedding). Extremely upset & frustrated because he had hoped to find a prestigious post as a shogun's personal physician, Yasumoto rebelled by not doing what he was supposed to do and refusing to follow the rules. He would not wear the traditional clinic doctor's uniform, refused to eat, drank sake (though it was forbidden) and complained that the patients stank (which one of his colleague at the clinic called "the smell of poverty"). He reclined on the lawn in front of an isolated ward reserved for a murderous female mental patient (which he had been warned to avoid). In short, he believed he was too good for this under-funded public clinic-that the job and patients were beneath him. His goal was to be asked to leave.One night, the mental patient escaped from her ward. Dr. Niide & nurse Osugi went out looking for her. The escaped patient (nicknamed the Mantis) showed up in Yasumoto's bedroom. She told Yasumoto the story of her life, how men had raped her many times, beginning at age 9. They threatened to kill her if she ever denounced them and she kept quiet. Finally, after a few years, she had had enough of the sexual abuse and snapped-- killing three men (thus the name Mantis). She was quite beautiful and Yasumoto succumbed to her charms. She seduced him, with the intention of killing him. Dr. Niide came back, just in time, to save him. Red Beard excused him for being drunk & for his weakness, as with all other men, because of her beauty and charm. According to Dr. Niide, the Mantis was just born that way.Little by little, Yasumoto started to integrate into the workforce at the clinic. For his 1st assistance in the operating room, he couldn't stand it & fainted. Yasumoto discovered that Dr. Niide, even though he looked stern & appeared difficult, had a kind heart. He managed to get a bit of money to help a patient's destitute daughter with 3 small children (the old man just passed away before her arrival). He gave her 5 ryos (1 gold ryo = USD$150 today). Later he said that he was able to get that money from the magistrate, because he knew the judge had a mistress on the side. Hinting that he might make this information public, Red Beard was able to get the charges against her for attacking her husband dropped. Gradually, Yasumoto started to put on the uniform.When Dr. Niide learned that funds for the clinic were being cut by the government, he was very unhappy. With Yasumoto in tow, he paid a visit to an obese wealthy lord. He ordered a lean diet for the man & charged him 50 ryos, instead of the usual fee of 30. On the way back to the clinic, they paid a visit to a brothel to see a patient with syphilis. There they discovered the madam & her servant were getting a 12 year old girl ready, by way of beating, to receive customers. Dr. Niide had to use force to defeat a dozen thugs working for that madam in order to bring the girl, Otoyo, to the clinic, and begin healing her.He assigned Yasumoto to care for the girl. She was to be his first official patient. Not only was she physically sick (with a fever), she manifested abnormal mental behavior as well (wiping the floor without stopping when she was not feverish, not speaking, and refusing kindnesses). At first Otoyo was resistant, but gradually with Dr. Niide's patience, she started to accept treatment (drinks & medications).Meanwhile, Yasumoto had a visitor named Masae. She was Yasumoto's ex-fiancee's (Chiugas) sister. At first, he refused to see her. But one day, Masae waited for Yasumoto at the gate, hoping to see him. This time he agreed to talk and invited her inside. Seeing Otoyo wearing a torn and weathered kimono, Masae brought her some nice clothes. But Otoyo was not happy with them, because she realized that Masae drew away Yasumoto's attention. In a jealous rage, she threw the new clothes into the mud. She was scolded by the female orderlies. Dr. Niide told them that this was actually a good sign. He could see that Otoyo's love for Yasumoto was her first step in being able to see good in people and overcoming the mistreatment she had experienced. He knew that with time, she would be able to love others as well.One day, while Osugi was having an intimate moment with another doctor at the clinic, the madwoman tried to hang herself. The Mantis' father came & scolded Osugi severely. Dr. Niide came to her defense & reprimanded the father for not caring enough for his daughter, allowing strangers to take advantage of her, causing her illness.One day, a 7 year old beggar boy named Chubo, snuck into the clinic kitchen, trying to steal some gruel. Otoyo befriended him, gave him food, and pleaded with him not to steal anymore. Some time later, the boy came to say goodbye, saying he, his parents, and 2 brothers were leaving for a better place. Otoyo was too young to suspect anything, believing they had some rich relatives who could help them out. Shortly thereafter, the whole family was brought in on the brink of death because they had swallowed rat poison. They were trying to kill themselves because of the disgrace of having a thief in the family (Chubo had been caught stealing again despite Otoyo's pleas). The boy & his parents were saved but his 2 brothers perished.Dr. Niide brought good news to Dr. Yasumoto. Masae's parents proposed that he marry Masae & forgive her sister. Their father, because of the broken engagement, had forbidden Masae's sister to set foot in his house. Now since she had given birth to a baby, he wanted to forgive her in order to be able to see his grandchild. Yasumoto also was promised a post under a shogunate's wing--the job he had always wanted.Yasumoto expressed remorse & regret with Dr. Niide for being haughty & arrogant upon his arrival at the clinic. He expressed regret for questioning Dr. Niide's intentions when Akahige wanted to see his notes. He had learned how to become a real doctor, not only with his knowledge in medicine but how to help others who were much less fortunate than he was - in short, how to be a compassionate doctor.At their wedding ceremony, Yasumoto announced to Masae, in front of their parents & Dr. Niide that he wished to inform her that if she wanted to become his wife, she should be prepared for a life without honor & money because he had decided to continue to work at the clinic of Dr. Niide. Dr. Niide tried to talk him out of it, realizing that it would be a challenging and difficult life--and not for the faint of heart. Yasumoto stuck to his newly learned principles. Akahige was inwardly pleased. | insanity | train | imdb | Akira Kurosawa's direction was never better, Mifune never acted better and at it's core Red Beard tells a story borrowed heavily form Dostoevsky, thus making this a labour of love.
Akira Kurosawa said about the film, "I had something special in mind when I made this film because I wanted to make something that my audience would want to see it, something so magnificent that people would just have to see it." Humanistic and compassionate, the film tells the story of a young doctor who after graduation from the Dutch Medical School in Nagasaki hopes to become a member of the court medical staff but instead has to take a post as an intern at a Public Clinic for the impoverished patients.
The long and difficult journey awaits the young doctor from the initial shock and denial to work at the clinic, to learning how to understand his patients, care for them s and see the humans in them.
What I did not realise until later was that it was his career apotheosis.Red Beard is not Kurosawa's best film.
Kurosawa built a hospice and miniature village for his characters to inhabit, and this episodic story of a young star doctor discovering a vocation among the poor under the gruff "red beard" (Mifune) feels all the more authentic for it.
All the while, countless instances of technical brilliance remind you why this film could only be made by this director: a surgery covered in nothing but an extended closeup of the young doctor, an eerie seduction covered in an almost static, dreamlike wide shot, and, halfway through, the ass-kicking of a life-time and its touching follow-up.This is an extinct form of filmmaking, one preserved in the ember of its stark black-and-white film stock.
In a world where pettiness abounds to see the big-hearted nature of the main characters and how such compassion literally changes people for the better -- you're going to want to see this film.For years I avoided this film (like IKIRU) because it was not a samurai film.
While in the clinic, Dr. Yasumoto becomes responsible for healing the hurt teenager Otoyo (Terumi Niki), and he learns a lesson of humanity, becoming a better man."Akahige" is another magnificent work of Master Akira Kurosawa.
Although the great Toshiro Mifune dominates the film as the hospital head, it is the effect of his presence on the young doctor who pays him a visit that is the main theme of the narrative.
Nevertheless it is full of wonderfully contrasted sequences from the knockabout humour of Mifune applying his medical skills to warding off a group of assailants by breaking their limbs like matchsticks to the tender scene of the young doctor being nursed back from sickness by the girl rescued from enslavement in a brothel.
In a way, they both were the needed cure for each other.Akira Kurosawa is most famous for his samurai/war films like Seven samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, or Ran. But here, we have a period piece that is not set as a samurai story.
I cared so much about the characters that I could just watch another 3-hours of it if the story were to continue that way.Kurosawa is definitely a genius of 20's century filmmaking.
Kurosawa takes his time to establish his characters and once it is done emphasis shifted to story and sub-plots.On moral grounds it teaches us all that humanity is the only sky above all humans and one must not forget this fact.All technical aspects including camera handling, set designs, acting from supporting staff is very good.
It could be because the movie is 3 hours long, but it is probably more due to the skill of Akira Kurosawa and his meticulous craftsmanship.Some complaints of the film are that it is slow, too episodic, too much like TV medical dramas, it treats psychotherapy like the newfound Holy Grail (and in 1965 Japan it might have been), but the movie is so well done it doesn't really matter.
Kurosawa considered 'Red Beard' his monument to the goodness of man, and it is inspiring in such a way.Toshiro Mifune is wonderfully restrained as 'Red Beard', but you know when he starts rubbing his chin, he's going to kick some ass, mostly verbally, but in one scene, physically; he beats the crap out of some thugs who don't want him to take a sick girl to his clinic.
He also will speak his mind beyond that of a typical doctor; poor parents get chastised, the lazy rich get a dressing down, and even acknowledges that well-being is usually in the mind of the patient and sometimes the best doctor in the world cannot change that.As always, it's a shame Kurosawa and Mifune went their separate ways after this film, because they truly did bring out the best in one another..
Through the instruction of an older doctor, the wise Red Beard (Mifune), and exposure to human suffering around him, he grows up and finds his place in the world of medicine.
This is the case with Red Beard, a picture best known for being the last in a long line of collaborations with actor Toshiro Mifune.Kurosawa typically had a kind of mission statement with every film he made.
Eventually all the stories of grief and woe just start to sound ridiculous.Of course, there is one overarching storyline, that of the young doctor Yasumoto's transformation from being a selfish snob who resents having to treat poor people, to a dedicated professional who takes satisfaction in his work.
The most uplifting moment in the film is when Yasumoto wears his uniform for the first time, and is immediately greeted with greater respect from both colleagues and patients.And, in spite of his poor judgement with the plot, Kurosawa's direction is still of good standard and there are plenty of marks of quality.
It's choreographed just like the frantic arm-chopping scene from Yojimbo, but rather than drawing a sword Mifune is instead twisting limbs and cracking bones in a completely bloodless fight.It's a pity that this was Mifune's swansong with Kurosawa, not just because it's a poorer film, but also because Mifune is somewhat sidelined to a secondary role (in spite of being the titular character), and it's not a performance where he really gets to flourish.
I'd never thought this would happen, but it did: This one's the first black-and-white Kurosawa pic I don't care about.Yes, his direction is impeccable; yes, the photography is marvellous; yes, it's all in good taste and style.But the overlong and predictable narrative never goes beyond superficial medical soap opera hokum - except, maybe, for the final part -, Mifune's beard-stroking performance is oddly boring, the social message is delivered with a heavy hand and the individual episodes featuring different cases of mental and physical illness lack insight.Surely a must-see for fans of the great Japanese director, but just a mediocre swan song to the successful Kurosawa-Mifune-collaboration.5 out of 10 butt-kickin' medicos.
It was that last time that his common leading man, Toshiro Mifune would appear in one of his films.Mifune plays the title character, Red Beard who is the head doctor in a government run clinic for the poor.
But soon, he realizes from his patients, himself, and most importantly Red Beard what it means to become a good doctor.Red Beard is a long film that clocks over three hours, but is never boring and carries a strong message of what it means to be human.
For Yasumoto's post-graduate medical training, he has been transferred to a countryside clinic under the leadership of a clinic director aptly nicknamed Red Beard, played by Toshiro Mifune in a tremendous performance, seeming like a domineering tyrant, however it is easy to see that in truth he is a kindhearted clinic leader.
At the outset of the movie, Yasumoto is up in arms about his relocation, judging beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has not much to reap from working under Red Beard, whom he believes is merely interested in his medical writings and almost immediately defies the clinic director.
He rejects his uniform and turns his nose up at the food and simple surroundings.In a scene of tension that one could cut with a pairing knife, Yasumoto crosses into the prohibited garden in which he encounters The Mantis, in a mysterious and brimming performance by Kyoko Kagawa, an enigmatic patient that no one but Red Beard can doctor.
In one of the film's most emotional chapters, Yasumoto, subsequent to falling ill, is nurtured to health by the tending and warmth of a 12 year old girl who he and Red Beard have saved from a brothel in a spectacularly entertaining scene involving a choreographed fight that no matter how unexpected is not one bit incongruous.In the course of his interpretation of Red Beard's empathy and a chain of impoverished patients, Dr. Yasumoto gathers the most precious knowledge he could ever ascertain as a doctor.
I am speaking collectively of his performances in Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Drunken Angel, Stray Dog, I Live In Fear, High and Low and others, but in Red Beard, he has reached that point that can only be so apparent with age, one of great wisdom and understanding of personal compromise..
Red Beard is a defining film in the Akira Kurosawa filmography as it was his last film to be shot in black and white as well as his last teaming with Toshiro Mifune, one of the greatest actors of the twentieth century.
While under his tutelage, the young doctor Yashumoto learns much about what it means to care for people and see them not as objects to overcome but as flesh and blood that need affection and care in order to bring them to full health.In my opinion, Red Beard is one of the very best Kurosawa has to offer.
RED BEARD is a drama film about the relationship between a doctor and his trainee in a rural clinic.
Finally, he learns what being a doctor really means...Mr. Kurosawa has brought several moving stories through a great photography and the changes in human behavior.
Yūzō Kayama as Dr. Noboru Yasumoto is an arrogant and immature young man who gradually learns about his work, but much more about life.Terumi Niki as Otoyo is a mistreated girl from a brothel who has changed the flow of the story.
Certainly not a samurai picture, but not quite one of Kurosawa's melodramas, Red Beard is situated somewhere between the two, moving almost like an action movie while focused primarily on human stories of hardship and trauma.
While this film never appears in the all time best off lists of films (where films such as Seven Samurai and Rashomon usually appear in the first spots), Red Beard is perhaps one of the most powerful Kurosawa films.
I would rate this as the second best drama that Kurosawa did, after Ikiru, though this film is more complex, featuring several sub-plots and many different characters.
The story will move you to tears, the acting is subtle and nuanced, the lighting is at times startling, and the editing, camera-work and sound design are perfect and on occasion iconoclastic.Kurosawa takes the story of a young, proud doctor apprenticed to a gruff genius at a poor persons' clinic, and weaves around it humanistic tales of tragedy and spirit.
Red Beard certainly lacks some of the urgency in Kurosawa's best-known films, proceeding at a stately pace in nearly three hours running time.Throughout the film we witness a series of episodes that shed light on the lives of the patients suffering within the walls of the hospital.
The final episode involving the rescue of Otoyo and the fate of the boy thief, is the most fully developed of the episodes within the film and in itself delivers moments of both intense joy and tragedy.In a definite nod to the martial roles usually played by Toshiro Mifune, his character, Red Beard, is involved in one spectacular melee during the film, which had me wincing one moment and laughing out loud the next.
Akira Kurosawa, behind the veneer of directing a few of Japan's most well-known/received action films (Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Hidden Fortress), was also a master at finding the right touches in drama.
It's a film shot in black and white, but it deals with characters that will always be out there, the good and the bad, the under-privileged and those who are not.But besides the themes that Kurosawa and his writers have underneath, he tells an interesting, if somewhat familiar, story of the young being brought into a world by the experienced.
But then he gets drawn in bit by bit, starting with an encounter with a mentally-damaged woman (Kyôko Kagawa, who assists in making their one scene one of Kurosawa's absolute best), and observes Red Beard at work.
Then, when a girl (Miyuki Kuwano) is struck with a fever under a repressive mother, Yamamoto takes her under his care, leading into the second half of the film.It would be one thing if Kurosawa decided to focus squarely on the relationship between Niide and Yamamoto, but because he is more interested in certain stories with the patients, so is the audience.
There is a tendency for some Japanese actors to take it a little to far into the over-reaching, but her work here is far from that.I was emotionally moved by Red Beard, and in a way that some films just can't do.
The heart of this excellent and final Kurosawa/Mifune collaboration is the transformation of the young doctor from a cocky and arrogant intern interested mainly in prestige and advancement (he plans on being the Shogun's personal physician) to a doctor who's primary goal is to provide medical treatment and emotional support to the poor people who rely on a public clinic.
masterful actor Toshiro Mifune is the almost mystical wise Red Beard - the lead doctor in a small town full of peasants and generally lower class, where his presence affects everyone like a god...
there's still so much of his catalog i have to explore as well as re-watch (Seven Samurai, Sanjiro, Yojimbo for starters), this was his last film with his star actor Mifune but I'm slowly coming to grasp that Kurosawa has many masterpieces (not just a couple like most greats do) & one of the true greats of cinema....
A special mention goes to the child actors who were simply superb, one scene near the end was especially moving and I think it even made me shed a tear or two.Another masterpiece from Kurosawa and for me, it firmly places him as the greatest film maker of all time.
This aspect of the movie can be attributed to Kurosawa's influence on Scorsese and is seen in the film "Red Beard".
The young girl is the same exact age as Iris in Scorsese's film as well.One of "Red Beards" most important cinematic themes is the rescue of this girl and her realization that there is better to life.
I love Akira Kurasawa and his movies, and while not among his best like Seven Samurai, Ran, Throne of Blood, Hidden Fortress, Ikiru, Rashomon, Yojimbo and High and Low, it is an interesting film.
Red Beard is a great example of Kurosawa's skills: he has an outstanding cast, superb cinematography, and a fascinating story about pre-modern Japanese medicine that is episodic but riveting.
This movie, signified yet lasted.The film signifies the beauty and amazing collaborator attempts and successes of director Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune.
The best example is in a scene close to the end.To set the scene, the young doctor played by Yuzo Kayamo has almost completed his transformation from a sceptical, arrogant apprentice to a humane, loyal disciple under the eccentric but effective training of the head of the hospital played by Toshiro Mifune.
''Red Beard'' is a beautiful story and also a lesson of life.Noboru Yasumoto, a recent graduated Doctor who wishes to work for Shoguns, is assigned to work in a simple clinic, full of poor people.
Also Dr. Niide, played by the great actor Toshiro Mifune, helps Yasumoto to understand the patients and the meaning of the word 'doctor'.
Kurosawa is probably my favorite all time director, but I have found that some of his 2+ hour movies tend to get a little long in the tooth before all is said and done (excepting the superb Seven Samurai.) However, I was pleasantly surprised.
A young and headstrong Dr. Noboru Yasumoto who has trained in Europe seeks a position as a personal doctor to an important official in 19th century Japan, instead he is assigned to a rural clinic under Dr. Kyojio Niide (Toshiro Mifune) who is known as Red Beard and perceived to be an autocratic administrator.
"Red Beard" is one of director Akira Kurosawa's best films.
Through the use of a haughty young doctor from a rich family who arrives at Red Beard's combination clinic/hospital, the director is able to show the nobility of the poor.
But what keeps Red Beard from the first rank of Kurosawa's films, I think, is the sentimental moralizing, the insistence of having the characters "learn lessons." Yasumoto, having learned his initial lesson about valuing the lives of the poor, is given a young patient, Otoyo (Terumi Niki), rescued from a brothel where she has essentially gone feral.
"Red Beard" is the last of Kurosawa's black and white movies, and the final movie of the 16 film collaborations between Mifune and Kurosawa (Where they stood remained ambivalent, yet something of a reconciliation happened between them at Director.
The young doctor also encounters and delves into the various life's of each patient, who all have very emotionally raw human tales of existentialism.In many ways "Red Beard" is Kurosawa's underrated gem.
Toshiro Mifune's character is also downplayed a lot, which actually benefits everyone else's screen time and makes it all feel like the movie wasn't driven just by a renowned actor.Final Verdict: Even after all those production problems, "Red Beard" is a heartwarming and somewhat affirming hospital drama that holds up wonderfully. |
tt0054345 | Strangers When We Meet | Kirk Douglas plays Larry Coe, a Los Angeles architect who's married with two kids. He has a very bright wife, Eve. She's ambitious for him, but he wants to do work more imaginative than the commercial buildings he's designing. Maggie Gault (Kim Novak), one of his neighbors whose son is friends with his son, helps him get a commission to build a house for an eccentric writer named Roger Alter (Ernie Kovacs, for comic relief). Both Larry and Maggie are dissatisfied in their marriages. Larry's wife is too hard-headed and practical and Maggie's husband isn't interested in having sex with her (or maybe he can't). So they have an affair that involves lots of walking on the beach and having drinks in oceanside hideaways. They both know what they're doing is wrong, and they each love their spouses in their own way and they're devoted to their children.Felix Anders (Walter Matthau) is a dirty old man neighbor who snoops around and finds out about their affair. His leering and insinuations to Larry makes Larry realize the risks he's taking and he tells Maggie that they shouldn't see each other for a while. Felix, in the meantime, makes a play for Larry's wife Eve in an unbelievably creepy scene. In a way, Felix is a personification of the tawdriness of Larry and Maggie's affair. After her near-rape by Felix, Eve wises up and realizes that Larry has been unfaithful. She confronts him and they agree to stay together and move to Hawaii, where Larry has been offered a job to design a city.Roger Alter's house is finished but still empty. Maggie drives up to take a look at it. Larry shows up and they talk about how they can never be together. Larry tells Maggie that he wishes they could live in the house and if they did, he would dig a moat around it and never leave it. Maggie doesn't say anything. Maybe she's thinking it's just as well the affair ended after all. The contractor for the house shows up and thinks Maggie is Larry's wife (which is strange because Eve has been a regular visitor to the building site). They both take a moment to savor the irony of his remark and Maggie drives away. On the way out of the driveway, one of the construction workers leers at her. She's not immune to one night stands, so she's already being put to the test. She drives back into their banal suburban enclave while Larry stands out on the house's balcony savoring the view of Los Angeles and no doubt thinking deep thoughts.This is a long film that moves along at a leisurely pace that reflects the time when it was made. Larry is a successful architect, yet he still can take his kids to the school bus stop and have time to carry on his affair with Maggie without his wife suspecting (even though he works at home, she doesn't keep much of an eye on him). None of the women in the film work; they don't have to because their husbands have jobs that can support a family on one paycheck. America was a more economically secure country then. The film has nice expansive feel despite the constricted lives the characters lead. | melodrama | train | imdb | null |
tt0864761 | The Duchess | The movie explores the marriage, relationships, and passions of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. 17-year-old Georgiana (Kierra Knightly) is delighted to have excited the notice of the much older Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes), and marries him amid high personal and family expectations. Unfortunately for Georgiana, the Duke is an undemonstrative and tight-lipped man who is far more interested in his dogs than in getting to know his new wife. He does nothing to alleviate her wedding night fears, and does his husbandly duty with few words and a noticable lack of tenderness. He makes it clear at the outset to both Georgiana and her mother, Lady Spencer (Charlotte Rampling), that it is Georgiana's duty to bear him a male heir in short order.Georgiana becomes the center of a glittering social circle, attended not only by the British noble elite but also by the political figures of the time. She uses her beauty, wit, charm, and social connections to advance the Whig party -- especially the policies and ambitions of a young nobleman, Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper), with whom she socialized, and to whom she was attracted, before her marriage. She indulges her love of parties and gambling, to the apparent delight of her peers, who joke that Georgiana is adored by all of England, except her husband.Shortly after Georgiana marries the Duke, he has a young girl brought to live with him and Georgiana. Initially shocked by his admission that the child is his illegitimate daughter, Georgiana soon takes on the role of the child's mother. In the meantime, Georgiana gives birth to two daughters, but fails to provide the Duke with the expected male heir. The Duke continues to have affairs with other women.While "taking the cure" at Bath in the hopes of being able to conceive a boy, Georgiana befriends Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell), whose husband, Georgiana is appalled to learn, beats and even tortures Bess. Because Bess has left the marital home, the husband refuses to allow her to see their three young boys. At Georgiana's suggestion, the Duke invites Bess to live with the Duke and Duchess in Devonshire. Some time later, Georgiana discovers that the Duke and Bess have begun sleeping together. When Georgiana confronts Bess, Bess begs Georgiana to understand that she is in the affair only in order to have the Duke pressure her husband to release her sons to her. When Georgiana demands that the Duke remove Bess from the house, he refuses. Bess remains in the house, and her sons come to live with them. While Georgiana adores her children and is obviously a devoted and loving mother, she chaffs at the presence of the Duke's lover and her sons. She explores her attraction to Charles Grey, and finds that the attraction is mutual. She brings the situation to a head by proposing a "deal" to the Duke: she will not object to his continuing to have Bess live with them, if he will not object to her engaging in an affair with Grey. The Duke, not surprisingly, rejects the proposal, pointing out that he does not make "deals," and that all of the power in the situation belongs to him. He upbraids Georgiana for failing in the two things that he demands of her: bearing him a male heir, and remaining loyal to him. She is outraged by his attitude and refusal to break off his affair, and flees from him. He chases her down and rapes her.After the rape, Georgiana appears at her social gatherings in a fog -- alcohol induced? -- until it is learned that she is pregnant. She delivers a boy. Having done her "duty," Georgiana goes to Bath, where she finally consummates her passion for Grey. They live blissfully in Bath until the Duke arrives unexpectedly. He accuses of her of being indiscreet and demands that she drop Grey and return with him to Devonshire. He warns her that, if she does not, both she and Grey will be cut off entirely from their wealth and positions in society, Grey will lose his political position, and she will never see her children again. After the Duke leaves, Georgiana races back to Devonshire, realizing that she cannot live without her children.Bess and her children are still at Devonshire. Georgiana informs Bess and the Duke that she is pregnant with Grey's child. At the Duke's command, she moves to the countryside to await the birth. She delivers another girl, Eliza, and immediately is forced to give the baby up to Grey's family. Heartbroken, she returns to Devonshire, where she continues her social circle, but with none of the vivacity and verve for which she was known before. She remains at Devonshire with the Duke and Bess and their children, until her death. After her death, the viewer is told, the Duke marries Bess. | romantic | train | imdb | The Duchess is a superior slice of costume drama which manages to craft interesting, multi dimensional characters and an involving storyline from the well worn confines of the genre.Keira Knightley plays a very similar role to the one she played in Pride and Prejudice, a feisty, modern woman trapped in a male dominated society.
The Duke also clearly sees very little wrong in his treatment of his wife and acts, as he sees it, in a logic manner making the whole film feel more believable and, as a result, tragic.In terms of the cast the only misstep is Dominic Cooper as Charles Grey, who lends the wide eyes of a political dreamer but doesn't have convincing chemistry with Knightley and plays one of the more one dimensional characters in the piece.
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who although is the key character in the film (as you can probably infer from the title), represents the situation of all woman belonging to a patriarchal society, not just the aristocracy.Keira knightly is exemplary in this role.
The film delves into Georgiana's passionate and doomed affair with Earl Grey, the future Prime Minister, and the complex love triangle with her husband (Ralph Fiennes) and Georgiana's best friend, Lady Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell).Kiera Knightley again does a period piece and again looks mostly out of place.
There is also a fine performance from Charlotte Rampling, though there is a weak link in the person of Dominic Cooper, who is too young for his part and struggles with it.The witty and emotive script has a lot to recommend it and its characters are put into an engrossing and lavish world, successfully created by the director Saul Dibb.
What rather wonderful about this story is that Georgiana Spencer (Keira Knightley) discovers a way to exult in victory over things and to get back some kind of power in a time where, really, women had very little
Being someone of great vitality and liveliness, she was very much a dreamer and an idealist, a woman who loved being the center of attention, who loved the fact at some point that her picture was in the paper, that the clothes were always talked of, that her every move was commented on
We are immediately impressed by her presence, by her personality
She wasn't behaving quite in accordance with the way in which other 18th century women were expected to behave
But there was something incredibly sad about this self-conscious lady
She was a victim of herself
A victim of her own innocence
A victim of people using her for their own profit
Even though she seemed to have everything, we realize that it was not that simple
And with all of her privilege came a lot of moral obligation and things were never what they really appeared to be
The Duke (Ralph Fiennes) was a misanthropic man, rather cold, unemotional and quite cruel
He seems to like better his hunting dogs to his young wife
Of course with certain values, that he believes were absolutely right and that he strictly held to
This sumptuous period piece also presents the Duchess of Devonshire as a political hostess
Saul Dibb's film shows us her dinner parties, her evening events, her fame and its extraordinary effect on her
It made her both desperate to please, terrified of doing anything wrong and shocked at her own celebrity and unable to figure out in her own mind why she was quite so famous
And we see the crippling effect it has on her sense of self.
On the one hand, Saul Dibb has managed to turn a book into an entertaining film about the trials and tribulation - and, let's keep things in perspective, extremely privileged life - of the frolicking Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (Keira Knightley).
The female protagonist gets married to a Duke (Ralph Fiennes), is supposedly unhappy (but wastes little time exploiting the new social options presented to her because of said marriage), and soon the viewer is on board with Georgiana for a ride through all the familiar scenes: her husband's mistresses, her own dalliances with young dreamers, an unexpected pregnancy, etc.
A shame, especially because this is an era in which there should be no shortage of great characters from which to draw inspiration for far more interesting stories and films.A final note on the acting: Ralph Fiennes is great as William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire, as is Simon McBurney as the politician Charles Fox. Dominic Cooper and Hayley Atwell gave two decent but unexciting (which isn't necessarily bad) performances as Charles Grey and Bess Foster respectively.
The latest slice of period drama to grace our screens is this biopic on Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who during the 1770s was patroness of the Whig party and prisoner of a marriage which made her, among other things, suffer the indignity of having her husband's mistress living under the same roof.
The Duchess is a superior example of the genre, though nowhere in the league of Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, and combines the spectacle of Keira Knightley looking glamorous in a range of frocks and wigs, while at the same time honing her acting talents (no more those rictus grins), with the guilty pleasure of following the uncomfortable parallels between the fortunes and indiscretions of the ancestress of Lady Diana Spencer with those of the Princess of Wales herself.
This story truly touches you and makes you grateful for our present day.Georgina is born into a high class family of royalty who is about to be married off to the Duke of Devonshire and everything seems great, G is going to live the high life of class, culture, and being a lady of the people.
This film really, really surprised me.Yes, it's from the director of Bullet Boy - but I'd only ever seen Saul Dibb's Line Of Beauty so I was expecting a pretty standard period piece with Keira Knightely - who I have never rated much as a credible acting talent.Boy does she impress here - she is fantastic.
Okay, so let's put this in context, if you don't like period dramas, don't go and see this movie, you probably won't like it, and it is NOT Diana's story, nothing like although some in the marketing department thought so ...But i love this film, having being dying to see it since the first teaser trailer.
All i know is that i wouldn't want to be married to him.I hope that both Knightley and Fiennes get their second and third Oscar nominations for this respectively, as they are well made parts.As for the others: Dominic Cooper, is lovely as Grey if perhaps a little underused, Hayley Atwell's character is again one you want to hate but really can't, and Rampling is great as the mother.All in all a great period flick, i say 10/10, but if i wasn't so into this kind of thing i'd probably still rate it quite highly, it is a fine piece of film-making..
"The Duchess" tells the tale of the beautiful young Georgiana Spencer (Knightley) who, in the late 18th century, is married to the much older Duke of Devonshire (Fiennes) and attains wealth, status, and prestige, all at the price of being condemned to a loveless marriage.
And while Joe Wright hit the jackpot with Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, his colleague Saul Dibb doesn't fare as well with The Duchess, an elegant but frigid costume drama which fails to be particularly dramatic.To secure some kudos, Dibb cast Wright's go-to leading lady Keira Knightley as the film's heroine, Georgiana Spencer, whose life changes radically when the Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes) asks for her hand in marriage.
No. He puts all his energy in highlighting the natural beauty of 18th century England, and in that sense the movie can be mentioned in the same breath as Room with a View or Howard's End. Elsewhere, though, it's pretty basic, with a story that's been told many times before and has no new twists that can add to its dramatic resonance.The performances are another problem altogether: Knightley might have seemed like a perfect fit for the role and she tries her utter best, but it feels quite theatrical (in a bad way) and overstated, and sh isn't helped by Atwell and Cooper's emotionless staring as support.
Ralph Fiennes is at the top of his game as the Duke, and Kira Knightley continues to grow in stature and grace in a role as the Duchess which makes you immediately think of the late and extraordinary Princess Diana.
Rounding out the cast are Dominic Cooper (Mamma Mia) who plays future Prime Minister Charles Grey, and the true love of The Duchess' life; and Charlotte Rampling as the too proud mother to Knightley, who dispenses very weak advice with a stiff upper lip.The film is well done and the similarities to Princess Diana's marriage are inescapable, but there is just not quite enough substance here.
The fact that the story is based on the life of the outspoken feminist and political thinker in the late 1700s - Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire - who happens to be an ancestor of Princess Di whose life in many ways paralleled the Duchess, makes it more interesting than most costume dramas.
Lady Spencer (Charlotte Rampling) coaxes the marriage of her beautiful daughter Georgiana (Keira Knightley) to marry the very wealthy Duke of Devonshire (Ralph Fiennes), a rather boring dog lover whose only interest in 'purchasing' a wife is to gain a male heir.
Caught up in the dignity and lush homes and gardens of the Duke, the new Duchess charms all who see her - and the manner in which Keira Knightley wears the vast number of gorgeous sculpted costumes gives credence to her appearance popularity and enhances her personal popularity as she looks beyond the surface to the hearts of the people around her.
The novel angle in director Saul Dibb's work is that this is a true story about the life of Georgiana Spencer who became the Duchess of Devonshire in a loveless marriage so there is much resonance with the experience of Diana Spencer in our own times.In a sense, this is a movie which cannot fail - after all, there is a steady market for period drama with wonderful English stately homes and repressed English sensibilities.
On the other hand, it needs to be rather special to stand out from so many similar outings - and there's nothing unique or outstanding here.Although there is a good supporting cast - Ralph Fiennes as the Duke, Charlotte Rampling as the mother and Dominic Cooper as the lover - this is very much a starring vehicle for young Knightley (still only 23) who is rarely off the screen.
The best thing about the movie is again how wonderful Fiennes is, and how the film revolves around him, even though there is much to enjoy by watching Knightley bring the legendary woman to life.
Fantastic settings: Althorp, Chatsworth, Bath etc; amazing budget on costumes - without a doubt the best since Sophia Coppola's Marie Anotoinette - and a feast for the eyes with it's detail for Georgian times.However, and it's a huge however, no matter how great the production values, and this looks pretty expensive, nothing can disguise the fact that Knightley is beautiful but fails to be more than than a good actress.
This time she is Georgiana, a slender, attractive, fashionable, emotional woman who is all but sold to the Duke of Devonshire, played as an ice-cold, aging, brute by Ralph (he would like you to call him "Rafe") Fiennes.
i thought it was really interesting and i loved the cast, i thought the actors fitted the characters were perfect for their roles...Although Keira Knightley is not my favourite actress, (dont get me wrong, she is fantastic) but Ralph Fiennes stood out, i hadn't seen him in allot of films before, but once i started getting interested more and more in film and the really memorable films in the industry e.g. Schindler's list.
At times the Duke may seem cruel, but Fiennes also portrays how he was also human, with feelings deep down inside.The movie is beautiful filmed and the costumes are gorgeous.
For the Duke, it means spending a lot more time with his dogs with no effort in communicating with a factory worker, and being the sex addict that he is, takes pleasure in bedding chambermaids within his castle, or even the Duchess' good friend Bess Foster (Hayley Atwell), who succumbs to trading her body for powerful influences in order to see her children, taken away by her estranged husband.As with most period dramas, it's a tussle between duty and love, and affairs of the heart.
The movie doesn't distinguish itself from a hundred other period films you've seen that are just like it, and beyond the specifics of the Duchess's life (which may be enough for some viewers), it doesn't tell us anything we don't already know.I take that back -- it did answer one question for me.
Keira Knightly gives a reliably apposite performance in this costume drama, playing the Duchess of Devonshire with the charm and grace that made Georgiana Spencer so captivating, struggling in a loveless marriage, having to contend with her repression and loneliness.
It is strange seeing lord voldemort with a nose, though Ralph Fiennes does a good job in his role as the duke.Keira Knightly's voice and acting is as enchanting as always, and made me want to watch even more of her work.With astonishing costumes and nice settings the films atmosphere is in every way received by the audience.I feel the story was a bit rushed, and throughout the whole film it felt as they were trying to tell five books in two hours.
Georgiana (Keira Knightley) is arranged by her mother Lady Spencer (Charlotte Rampling) to marry the older Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish (Ralph Fiennes).
Keira Knightley's performance is brilliant, the costumes (her extreme hair) and sets are gorgeous, the true (ish) story involving and Ralph Fiennes is perfect as Georgina's callus, indifferent husband.This really is Keira Knightley's movie though and she does a fantastic job capturing the charm, intrigue, frustration and (often) scandalous exploits of Georgina Spencer, the duchess of Devonshire in 18th century England."G" was the original "it girl" with uncanny parallels to her direct descendant Princess Diana.
"The Duchess" is a dazzling celebration of the weirdest and fascinating world of the eighteenth century's European aristocracy, through a lead, Georgiana Kavendish who, beyond her Duchess of Devonshire title was a real Queen of fashion, and the story manages to betray the very feeling provided by the art and costume design by depicting this world as a golden prison endured by the heroine, played by Keira Knightley in a performance that should have earned her an Oscar nomination.I still wonder why the film was overlooked by the Academy, except for a lousy art direction and costume design nomination (a deserved win) when the epic "Benjamin Button" bore garnered much more accolades, I guess the film didn't have much more a drama except for the constant evolution in the relationship between the Duchess and the Duke of Devonshire.
Well, perhaps, but this latest entrant into a historically crowded field has such a strong narrative (based on a true story, so the legend has it), that taking into account the customary high production values this type of film usually engenders, the final result is a quality movie, with contemporary resonance as issues of child access, infidelity, class division, male-dominated relationship issues and a little bit of celebrity populism and more are presented for our delectation.The high-society-at-play opening on the lawns of England is merely the entrée to the more serious sport of class politics as aspirant mother Charlotte Rampling thrusts her innocently ambitious 17 year old daughter Keira Knightley into an arranged marriage with the older, colder Duke of Devonshire, old dour-face Ralph Fiennes, rich beyond belief and a major power in contemporary Whig politics whose sole expectation of his new bride is to sire a son to prolong his family line.Knightley's and to a lesser extent Fiennes' characters' stormy progress from this starting point to a sort of understood peace at the end is effectively the story in a nutshell, taking in, as it does, the affairs of subsidiary characters who cross their paths, like the Duchess's soul-mate, Lady Bess who will go to any lengths, including the bedroom, to win the Duke's influence in getting her infant sons returned to her from her in-possession separated husband and aspirant young politician, later Prime Minister, Charles Gray, the Duchess's ardent admirer from her youth who remains her passion in adulthood plus other contemporary historical figures like Whig Prime Minister Fox and Restoration playwright Sheridan, always making appearances at some grand ball or somesuch.
Keira Knightley portrays Georgiana, a young 18th Century aristocrat who entered a loveless marriage with the Duke of Devonshire, played well by Ralph Fiennes.The first surprise of the movie is that Knightley is able to look like the real Georgiana, Dutchess of Devonshire, whose likeness was captured by Reynolds and Gainsborough.
A girl of nineteen (Georgiana Spencer Cavendish played by Keira Knightley) is to be married-off to an older titled man (The Duke of Devonshire played by Ralph Fiennes) as a form of provider-of-male-heir business arrangement (brokered by her mother - played by veteran Charlotte Rampling), rather than as a union based on true mutual love.Based - loosely - on a true historical story.(Parallels to the doomed marriage of Diane and Charles being played upon in the marketing and - in my opinion - in some of the acting on-screen!)I am a bit hesitant over costume drama.
Keira Knightley is the 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life.
And they do not need to do anything...The Duchess is a interesting costume drama that shows the real life of Duchess of Devonshire (Keira Knightley). |
tt0102511 | Naked Lunch | New York City, 1953. While spraying an apartment for insects, Bill Lee runs out of bug powder, to the annoyance of his employer, A.J. Cohen, who rations it carefully. In a local bar, Bill meets with two writer friends who debate technique. Martin endlessly rewrites while Hank disagrees with any form of self-censorship. Bill's opinion is "exterminate all rational thought". Bill tells them that he no longer writes because it's "too dangerous". Bill arrives home to find his wife, Joan, shooting up the powder. She tells him that he should try it too by saying: "it's a Kafka high... you fee like a bug."Bill is arrested for possession of illegal drugs, and at the police station narcs Hauser and O'Brien leave him a interrogation room with a giant beetle. Gorging itself on the powder, it asks him to rub it into it's sphincter-like "lips" on its back, and says it's his "case officer". Bill's assignment is to kill his wife, who is an inhuman agent for Interzone Incorporated. Bill crushes it with his shoe and escapes from the station. Bill finds Joan and tells her that he was arrested for bug powder and he's hallucinating. A work colleague gives him a card for Dr. Benway, who can cure his addition.At Dr. Benaway's office, the mysterious doctor dispenses black centipede powder, which he says is like "an agent who's come to believe his own cover story but who's in there, in a larval state, just waiting for the proper moment to hatch out". Passing a marker stall selling giant centipedes, Bill feels nauseous. When he gets home, Hank is having sex with Joan while Martin recites stream of consciousness prose. He inject himself and Joan with narcotics and then says "I guess it's about time for our William Tell routine." She places a glass on her head and he shoots, killing her.In a bar, a young Asian man introduces Bill to a mugwump, a bizarre gangly alien creature who recommends a Clark-Nova portable typewriter for his report on his wife's death, to be written in Interzone. It hands him a ticket. In a pawnshop, Bill exchanges his gun for a Clark-Nova.In Interzone, a North African coastal enclave, Bill and many other men type reports. He is propositioned by German bon vivant Hans, whose drug factory synthesis black centipede 'meat'. In Bill's room, his drug haze is interrupted by his Clark-Nova's semi-transformation into a beetle - a bug writer - which tells him that homosexuality is an agent's best cover.At a party, Bill meets expiate American writers Tom and Joan Frost. Joan looks like Bill's death wife, and whom has the same name. Tom confesses to Bill that he is killing her slowly, using their housekeeper Fadela. He does this telepathically - her lips says something else entirely. Bill crashes out on Interzone beach, and in the morning he is picked up by enigmatic Swiss dandy Cloquet. The Frosts tell Bill that he impressed Cloquet, and Tom lends him his sleek Martinelli typewriter. Bill writes that he seems addicted to something that doesn't really exist. He wakes up to find his bug writer devouring the Martinelli, which is indignantly informs him it is a enemy agent. It suggests that he seduce Joan Frost for information.Bill goes to see Joan and confesses to wrecking Tom's Martinelli. She tells him that she has another, in Arabic - a Mujahedin (!) As she types something erotic, it mutates into organic form. A vaginal orifice opens, into which she thrusts her fingers as Bill caresses her. Their arousal escalates and the typewriter transforms into a 'sex blob' and jumps on them in uncontrolled ecstasy. They are interrupted by housekeeper/witch Fadela, who whips the thing over the balcony. It crashes to the street in front of an incensed Tom, becoming a typewriter once more. Bill and Joan walk through the kasbahs, finding Fadela with her cover on a stall selling black centipede meat. Joan is her power.The bug writer tells Bill that he was programmed to kill his wife. She was a "special case", an elite-corps-centipede. Tom storm in for his Martinelli, only to find it smashed, and captures the bug writer in exchange. On Interzone beach, Bill is found by Hank and Martin, who encourage him to complete his book 'Naked Lunch', which they have been receiving installments. He doesn't know what they're talking about. They get him on the bus back.Bill passes out in an alley and is helped by Kiki, who takes the broken Martinelli to a forge where a new mugwump-head typewriter is cast. The 'mugwriter' tells Bill that Benway is behind Interzone Inc. His powder is based on the black centipede meat; however, he's too elusive to catch. Bill and Kiki takes a ride in Cloquet's "wonderful car", and Bill relates a story about a man who taught his asshole to talk, but found it aspired to a life of its own.At his sumptuous house, Cloquet takes Kiki into the bedroom. When Bill investigates, Cloquets has become a giant centipede, literally sucking Kiki dry inside a huge cage. Bill takes the mugwriter to Frost to swap for his Clark-Nova. It has been tortured, but before expiring, it tells Bill to go to Hans' drug factory in the medina, where he'll find Interzone Inc.The factory is now a dispensary, where mugwumps are strung up and highly addictive jissom is milked from teat-like protrusions on their heads. Fadela supervises the process, while Hans and other dissipated addicts consume the jissom. Fadela reveals herself to be Benway in a prosthetic disguise. Bill agrees to work for Benway in Annexia, as long as Joan can accompany him.Bill drives a strange red half-truck vehicle to the border, where the border guards demand proof that he is a writer. Bill wakes Joan and says it's time for the William Tell routine. She places a glass on her head, and once again he shoots her. He is devastated, but the guards merely welcome him to Annexia and wave him on. | comedy, murder, insanity, psychedelic, humor, sci-fi | train | imdb | I like most of Cronenberg's output, and I would rate 'Naked Lunch' as one of his most successful movies, and the best depiction so far of the Beat sensibility..
This is the conclusion I have come to".So says Bill Lee, the central character of David Cronenberg's adaptation of William Burroughs' bizarre novel "Naked Lunch".
I don't think there is any way to fully understand "Naked Lunch".Bill Lee is an exterminator who, along with his wife, has become addicted to bug repellent powder.
Following this, he uses the powder to go on a seemingly endless trip, ripe with sinister cabals, talking bugs, and journalistic endeavors.What the film theorizes is that this is actually the tale of how Burroughs wrote the book "Naked Lunch".
They help him piece it together and head off back to New York, leaving Lee to "Interzone" and his hallucinations.It takes a bit of discipline to watch this film - never has the creative process looked quite so destructive of the writer.
Julian Peters as Yves radiated menace but overall was a bit of a cardboard-cutout, not helped by his dress and appearance, which seemed to have come straight from "Brideshead Revisited" (Sebastian in Morocco).David Cronenberg as a director has certainly got a reputation for weird films ("The Fly", "Crash") but this offering is relatively restrained It was something of a pity that "Interzone" was a studio set somewhere (Canada?) but this is low-budget stuff after all.
mugwump jizzThemes: Substance addiction and how physically self-conscious it makes our protagonist feel, the creativity forced by imprisonment (a direct reference to real-life events between Burroughs, his wife, his subsequent incarceration and his heroin/acid issues), the sense of betrayal as more surprise than malice and of course the inevitable interface between Dave and Bill at the pelvic level.The effects work is pre render-mation latex and sufficiently restrained to allow your imagination to back-fill the appropriate horror/fascination/titillation for the moment.
Don't try to figure out which you =should= feel or to mentally sort it out, that'd rob you of the fun; it's the psychic and emotional disarray that makes it so compelling.Peter Weller is suitably deadpan, allowing only a sparkle of the playful poet to shine through from time to time (the story about the Duke du Vantra's Espano-Suiza made me howl); he must have spent a few =fun= hours with Burroughs himself to get the role down.If you liked Cronenburg's smarter stuff, such as Dead Ringers, you'll love this.
Cronenberg and Weller are entertaining and informative, and they left me wanting to watch the movie again, equipped with a deeper understanding of this classic film.
It will either bore you to tears, or hurt your personality."Naked Lunch" is a ride into the mixture of 10% reality and 90% hallucination of a self-denial homosexual drug addict (Please note that I am not classifying this or any person or character like him - but merely listing all the qualities this character had).
None of these projects proved Mr. Cronenberg to be the genius that he showed in "Naked Lunch." I am in awe of his talent and salute him.Another thing that I applauded Mr. Cronenberg for was his augmenting the film with spots of undistilled reality - as when "William Lee" cries out to his now dead "bug" and then drops it to the ground - in the next scene it is the typewriter.
:) Scenes like this were used with the perfect amount of punctuality - to bring you back from the realm of riding out one of "William Lee's" hallucinations, and back into the real world which "Mr. Lee" has almost completely left behind.Peter Weller as "William Lee" is so good in this film.
I love Mr. Weller's work - from "Buccaroo..." to "Robocop" and now "Naked Lunch" - he is clearly a thoughtful actor who puts all of his effort and thought into each role.Kudos to Ian Holm, Julian Sands, and Roy Scheider for their great support in this fine film by David Cronenberg.
The meaning of "Naked Lunch" is the same as "Clockwork Orange" or "Bug Typewriter" - it's like a thing you dream up in your sleep - or drug addicts see in their hallucinations...
:)BTW, "kaiman" (another commentor) got it ***EXACTLY*** right in very few words - nice job dude!I guess understanding this movie is like understanding (seeing the humor in) "Pootie Tang" - you have to have "tasted it" in some small way to have appreciate it.ZPPS: I took 1 and a half hours to write this comment - that alone should tell you how much I enjoyed this film..
Anywho, the movie plot is a great springboard into the disparate shapes and pea soup- colored haze known as "Interzone." Cronenberg clearly is sharing his own experience of reading the book, mixing it with his knowledge of Beat history (including the world of Paul Bowles, the American ex-pat, living in Morocco, not an intimate part of the Beat generation) and his personal issues regarding sexuality.
This is one of those movies worth warning watchers about, I've been interested by Cronenberg's surreal settings and mastery at creating an unsettling aura, but bugs with "talking anuses" is definitely a good place to draw the line, this movie really pushes that agenda, very in your face, so if sexual ambiguity is not your bag you will be a bit bothered with about 50% or more of the film.I don't know when it started happening in the movie but it all started looking like a set, not very impressed with that department or the special effects either, most of those bugs didn't look too realistic, terribly plastic, but then again I'm not sure if this movie was intended to be quality cinema, it was probably more of an artistic whim.
Cronenberg manages to bring Burroughs' vision to life in a very strong way, keeping the film moving at a frenetic pace and never really letting the viewer feel like they finally have a grasp of what is going on.
An exterminator who injects himself with bug deterrent suffers hallucinations or are they, to be honest I didn't fully understand it all and becomes a writer that indulges in espionage and homosexuality while getting high from the juices of alien lifeforms.I realised when watching the movie a second time (or the first, as I've never made it to the end before) that I've seen an unhealthy amount of David Cronenberg films.
Ironically, the elements of a Cronenberg movie that you consider detracting the juvenile need for excessive gore, the shallow characterisation and frenetic pace are sorely missed here, as Naked Lunch is a film without dramatic conflict.
In reaction to the overwhelmingly plastic culture of the 80s, 90s media started to regurgitate grainy images of "the Beats", fifties counter-cultural icons that could be easily reduced to a handful of key works, stylized photographs and design-heavy biographies dropping names like Ferlinghetti, Kerouac, Ginsgberg and of course Burroughs - a man who's inherited wealth, tragic past and anthropological interest in obscure cultures made him a hipster, low rent bon vivant and comedy artist all at once, lampooning Americana whilst somehow representing it at the same time.The film "Naked Lunch" is something of a failure.
It has some fascinating qualities, such as Ornette Colemans jazz score, and Judy Davis's somewhat crazed depiction of Burroughs wife in the film which creates a story opening that has a real sense of purpose, but then it all goes astray because, essentially, this is a film without a functioning plot.Sure, the main character has a motivation: after the accidental shooting of his wife, he moves to North Africa, creating screeds of experimental writing under the influence of painkillers and alcohol as an escape, or perhaps a form of therapy.
The least flattering thing to say about Cronenbergs "Naked Lunch", a film that isn't really related to the wild satire and poetry of the famous book, is that it continued to reduce the image of Burroughs to an aesthetic, as if the death, addiction and suffering in his life could just be recycled as part of a conveniently "hip" pop culture style.Cronenberg and Burroughs themselves are people of considerable talent, for sure, but not here..
Burroughs' "unfilmable" novel Naked Lunch, a giant bug in a police interrogation room begins talking and tells Peter Weller that he has to kill his wife.
Within fifteen minutes of Naked Lunch, Cronenberg makes sure you know that this isn't going to be your conventional film.
For decades people had been trying to figure out a way to bring Burroughs' novel to the big screen, but after all other hope had failed, Cronenberg decided that it was time to take on a new approach to the source.This isn't a direct adaptation by any means, but instead is almost more of a biographical picture of Burroughs himself, taking strands of the titular novel, some of his other works and also elements from the author's personal life (he did kill his wife in the same way that happens here, although probably not after a giant bug told him she was an agent of a nefarious organization) and combining it all into the very mad world that you see on screen.
Weller plays Bill Lee (a pseudonym of Burroughs), an exterminator who after killing his wife flees to an exotic location known as the Interzone, where he becomes involved in a war between organizations and tries to write a novel while being addicted to the bug powder he used in his work.Cronenberg wrote the script himself but the way it all plays out it's hard to imagine how this could look on paper, as it's descent into the hallucinations and paranoia of Lee's mind seems like an almost improvisatory decay into madness.
Things like he "accidentally", shot and killed his wife in Mexico while tryng drunkenly to perform this films William Tell Routine, an event which would start Burroughs in his writing career(William and "Tell" being a strange coincidence for a writer named William), he was addicted to various drugs until his death in his 80's, heroin longer than any, did once work as an exterminator, spent a good deal of time in Tangiers and North Africa, was monotone voiced and always sharply dressed, though the film shows him as more bi-sexual than gay(he did have children), but was overwhelmingly gay(read a few of his books and you will get the overwhelming part).
As for what the title "Naked Lunch" means, it's the point during a meal when one looks down their fork and realizes what it is they've been consuming and eating all this time, where the true nature of the meal is revealed(not that this get's discussed in the movie) Without any of that information and before I started reading Burroughs, I had no idea what was going on, in this movie save something about drug addiction, sexual identity confusion, and paranoia (which it is too) afterwords though I was amazed at how much David Cronenberg was able to bring together.
Also, the tone of the movie is very slow and cold exactly like the acting.I'm really frustrated because Naked Lunch is my first Cronenberg film, and I was ready to enter his universe, and to be presented to his distinctive directorial style and to his wonderful work as I heard and read many times.
Also from David Cronenberg we have 'Naked Lunch' a weird movie that could be good but it is so depressing I was not able to like it at all.The story about drug addicted William Lee (Peter Weller) is about his own hallucinations.
The IMDb plot description gives some clue of the plot: "After developing an addiction to the substance he uses to kill bugs, an exterminator accidentally murders his wife and becomes involved in a secret government plot being orchestrated by giant bugs in an Islamic port town in Africa." David Cronenberg's adaptation weaves in autobiographical details of Burroughs' life, including his copious drug use, and the accidental shooting of his wife Joan Vollmer (reportedly during a botched game of "William Tell" with a loaded pistol).The film thus combines the narrative of the novel "Naked Lunch" with a fictional story of its conception – kind of like 'Adaptation (2002),' only with crazy bug alien things which morph from one's typewriter.
The main character is played by Peter Weller, an underrated stalwart of the 1980s whose credits include 'Robocop (1988)' and the cheesy action classic 'The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984).' I didn't make much sense of 'Naked Lunch,' but it did make me want to find out more about Burroughs and his work.
The movie is partly an biography of William Burroughs life, and partly about the creative process of writing "Naked Lunch".
Naked Lunch is absolutely not a film for everyone, but those who are known with Cronenberg and/or Burroughs works should definitely check out this hallucinatory masterpiece..
Deep are the piles we sift through in trying to understand the depth of those hallucinations, yet quite simple if you give it the attention required to stay focused.This is not a film to watch because you fancy a particular actor, though Ian Holm and Julian Sands were both incredible, and Peter Weller personified Burroughs own portrayal of himself brilliantly.
Filming a movie based on the book of the eccentric writer, Canadian director David Cronenberg, prone in his work to the constant shocking, decided to mix with original work of reference to the rest of creation of the author, as well as elements of the biographyWilliam Burroughs.
After developing an addiction to the substance he uses to kill bugs, an exterminator (Peter Weller) accidentally murders his wife and becomes involved in a secret government plot being orchestrated by giant bugs in a port town in North Africa.In order to recreate the beat movement, Cronenberg turned to jazz, as he saw beat writing as jazz with the typewriter as instrument.
Instead of being a truly faithful adaptation of a novel that is described as many as being "unfilmable" anyway, it weaves in elements from Burroughs's own life with memorable results.It takes place in a Northern Africa community known as the Interzone, where an exterminator and aspiring writer named William Lee (Peter Weller) has fled following his accidental shooting of his wife Joan (Judy Davis).
The reports he writes end up becoming the novel Naked Lunch.This film certainly isn't for everyone's taste, but it is a must for any Burroughs fan, and for anyone interested in surrealist existentialism..
Cronenberg's vision of Burrough's book is stylish, well acted, and about as strange as a movie can get.Bill Lee (Peter Weller) is an exterminator in 1953, and has resorted to using his own homemade substance to kill the bugs.
Cronenberg mixed elements from the "Naked lunch" novel with elements from Burrough's life and some of Burrough's other novels (obviously "the Exterminator"), to pull off this brilliantly hallucinogenic, unsettling and extremely funny piece of film.For people who like strange, haunting, unsettling, larger-than-life movies with an edge ("Brazil", "Delicatessen", "Erendira", "Satyricon", "Eraserhead", "The Devils", "Santa Sangre", and of course Cronenberg's "Existenz"...) - count me in -, this is a real treat.Perhaps David's most beautiful cinematic achievement to date (these color schemes are mesmerizing!), Naked Lunch has a great sense of humor that won't be perceived as such by many movie-goers, just like with most other Cronenberg movies, that are mistakenly taken as dead serious works.Giant bugs with talking anuses, centipedes and cockroaches, typewriters as characters, nested/folded hallucinations...
Having seen a few of Cronenberg's other films, I have to wonder how many of the bizarre notions and visuals in this where taken from Burroughs' book(s; both Naked Lunch itself and his other works, as this apparently references several of the man's writings), and how many Cronenberg thought up and added(and I doubt that he would require any drug to make them up).
Burroughs had an interesting life as a fugitive and drug addict, so I think the plot turns out well.In the film, Bill flees New York after accidentally shooting his wife as part of a drunken parlor trick during a party.
If you already read the book naked lunch of W.S.B. and you want to see a movie base on this novel...
"Naked Lunch" is loosely based on William S.Burroughs novel of the same name.The film is excellently acted and filled with some truly bizarre characters:writers,drug addicts,mysterious strangers and homoerotic bugs.During 1950's in New York City bug exterminator(Peter Weller)gets introduced to injecting bug powder into himself by his wife Judy Davis.He gets addicted and starts hallucinating.He sees giant bugs which start controlling his life,as he sinks lower and lower.The bugs are well-created,especially the typewriter bug.The film features some excellent special effects,so if you like to see something different check out "Naked Lunch".A must-see!.
Not to say that Naked Lunch is weirder then Videodrome, but it certainly is up there.When you watch a film where the lead character talks to his typewriter after he imagines it transform into a bug who speaks out of it's anus....you wonder to yourself can this be any good?
For those who are fans of Cronenberg, Burroughs, or Weird Films, then definitely check this out.Peter Weller is the perfect choice for this character, who is clearly insane.
Judy Daivs is the leading lady the plays the two characters, who in Burroughs mind tripping novel are the same.Naked Lunch is exactly what you would expect from the weird mind of Cronenberg who brought us such films like Videodrome and The Fly. Nothing new here, we see aliens, talking anus bugs, huge centipede people and so on.
I have been an avid reader of William s Burroughs since the age of 15, and I give props to Cronenberg for attempting to film the unfilmable, which is Naked Lunch.
This is one of Naked Lunch's high points.I'll admit it, this is my first film by David Cronenberg. |
tt0116421 | The Glimmer Man | Jack Cole (Steven Seagal) was once a government intelligence operative known as "The Glimmer Man," because he could move so quickly and quietly through the jungle that his victims would only see a glimmer before they died. Having left the Glimmer Man job behind him, Cole—steeped in buddhism and not used to working with others has become a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Cole is partnered with Jim Campbell (Keenen Ivory Wayans), a tough, no-nonsense cop who has little patience for Cole's New Age philosophies and outsider attitude. Cole and Campbell have to set aside their differences when they're assigned to track down a serial killer called "The Family Man," for his habit of killing entire households.
The Family Man's latest victims turn out to be Cole's former wife Ellen and her current husband Andrew Dunleavy—and Cole's fingerprints are found on Ellen's body. Cole and Campbell think that Cole's former bosses in the government may somehow be involved in the killings. Cole contacts his friend Smith (Brian Cox), unaware that he has been working with local crime boss Frank Deverell (Bob Gunton).
Cole and Campbell receive a tip that leads them to Christopher Maynard (Stephen Tobolowsky), who admits that he committed the Family Man murders that happened before Cole arrived in Los Angeles. Someone else has been committing the more recent murders and making it look like Maynard's work. Cole fatally shoots Maynard in self defense.
Cole, hoping to get a lead on the new killer, goes to the home of Deverell's Russian translator Celia Roslov (Susan Reno), who was a victim of the killer. Cole finds out that the Roslovs had tickets to Russia paid by Deverell's company. The killer attacks Cole, and later sets Campbell's home on fire after a discussion between Smith and Deverell to kill Campbell, Cole and Johnny(Johnny Strong), Deverell's stepson.
Cole and Campbell discover that Deverell's stepson Johnny (Johnny Strong) knows some important information. Johnny tells Cole and Campbell that Deverell's right-hand man, Donald Cunningham (John M. Jackson), is the new killer who has been making his killings look like Maynard's work.
Johnny also tells them that Smith has been working with Deverell. Cole and Campbell confront Smith, and torture him into revealing that Deverell is smuggling chemical weapons into the USA from Russia, with plans to sell the weapons to the Serbian mafia. Smith made the contacts, with the deal being cut by a group of Russian terrorists known as the Russian Liberation Fighters. The meeting for the deal is scheduled to take place at a downtown welfare hotel. Cole and Campbell storm the hotel, where Cunningham fatally shoots Deverell, and Cole kills Cunningham by throwing him through a window and onto a wrought iron fence below. Campbell, having been shot, tells Cole that, ever since he met him, he's been nothing but trouble. Cole says he'll keep that in mind, as Campbell is taken away in an ambulance. | comedy, suspenseful, neo noir, murder, violence, humor, revenge | train | wikipedia | Segal plays yet another former government operative, now a local police officer/detective, trying to live out his life out of the "business".Shrouded in mystery and controversy, Segal, once again, become a one man wrecking crew taking out everyone and everything, while maintaining his clam, Buddhist/Art of War philosophies in the process.Why on earth they dragged, Keenan Ivory Wayans into a Segal formula movie is beyond me.
in my opinion this is one of Steven Seagal's better films,due in large part to having Keenan Ivory Wayans as a co star.they have good chemistry together.it's also one of his darkest films,at least of those i have seen to date.but there some funny moments to balance things out,comic relief,if you will.the fighting scenes are pretty are good,and as brutal as usual for a Seagal flick.you won't really find much new here,but if you're a Seagal fan,or a fan of the genre,this should keep you satisfied for the most part.by now,with Steven Seagal,you know what you're getting,or at least you should know.i was entertained for around 90 minutes or so.for me,The Glimmer Man is a 7/10.
Neatly crafted action thriller, with Seagal on top wrist-snapping form as a Buddhist cop from New York, with a shadowy past, teamed with Wayans' wisecracking LA cop to investigate the gruesome murders of a serial killer, known as the `Family Man'.
The support cast should have been better but people like Gunton, Cox and Tobolowsky just sink into the mess rather than helping to raise it.Overall this is a watchable "Friday night" style thriller that you will quite enjoy if all you want is watchable action surrounded by messy and clichéd plotting and delivery with "par for the course" acting.
While "The Glimmer Man" isn't any outstanding action movie, I will say that it is still worth watching if you enjoy Steven Seagal movies.
You can enjoy this one, only if you get in with limited expectations.Two cops, played by Seagal and Wayans, are forced to work together to solve a chain of mysterious killings by a killer nicknamed "The Family Man".'The Glimmer Man' isn't pretentious.
This movie has three things going for it: one is Steven Seagal as a mystical character with a shadowy past who does magical things; two Keenan Ivory Wayans as his partner, a man who cries while watching Casablanca; and three John M.
This movie has three things going for it: one is Steven Seagal as a mystical character with a shadowy past who does magical things; two Keenan Ivory Wayans as his partner, a man who cries while watching Casablanca; and three John M.
well i was over at a friend's house with some other folks and he gave us the choice to see a ninja movie, some sappy love story and glimmer man.a good steven seagal comedy would do us all well.and that's all it is.
so if you're looking for some hilarious over the top action comedy (and it's even better cause a lot of the time you're pretty sure that seagal is trying to be serious) then really consider watching glimmer man..
My Age: 13James Cole, played by Steven Seagal, is sent to help Detective Jim Campbell, played by Keenen Ivory Wayans, solve a series of killings in which the victims are crucified.
The Glimmer Man is probably Seagal's darkest film.His other films were action packed and very entertaining.The Glimmer Man is more of a mystery/thriller.There is still quite a bit of action, as well as more comedy than the average Seagal film.Also Seagal and Keenan Ivory Wayans had fairly good chemistry.The plot has Seagal and Wayans trying to catch a serial killer.After the killer murders Seagal's ex-wife they think he did it.So now he has to prove his innocence while trying to catch the real killer, with the help of his partney played by Keenan Ivory Wayans.Now, Glimmer Man is not very original, it's sort of like the movie Seven mixed with your average action/cop/buddy film.But I enjoyed it.It was a bit different from Seagal's other films.
The plot relies on a series of incredibly improbable coincidences; there's a hefty dose of conspiracy theory which would be much more palatable if we didn't know that Seagal takes it all literally; and once again, bad-movie multi-millionaire Seagal tells us all about the evils of The Rich.Seagal's survival relies, as usual, on the fact that Bad Guys never fire their guns from out of arm's reach, and always like to give a little "I'm gonna kill you" speech before blowing a man's head off.Watch this one right after the even-worse *Fire Down Below* and note how the carpet in Keenen Ivory Wayans's apartment is more flammable than a big puddle of gasoline.Oh, and watch in the final fight scene for the Incredible Disappearing Forehead Wound, which is probably the most entertaining thing in the film..
In this se7en-styled knock-off, Steven Seagal and Keenen Ivory Wayans are teamed up together to track down a typically vicious serial killer.Along the way they encounter Russian Mafia who, we learn from this movie, all have tattoos on their forearms, but Seagal, can beat them quite easily.
The heroes don't even try to go to the docks to try and find the container shipment, or use SWAT to storm warehouses that belong to the Russian Mafia.This movie is filled with sub-plots that are, to all ends and purposes, totally irrelevant to the movie.The acting and chemistry between Seagal and Wayans feels forced - but I didn't mind because the action and story kept this movie moving.One of the things I liked about this movie is that half way through Seagal himself is considered a suspect.
It was Not to Be.The Fight Scenes and Gun Battles in this Serial Killer/Corrupt Agents Story are Excellent and Buddy Cop Teamed with Keenan Ivory Wayans, Seagal's Only Embarrassment here is the Wardrobe and Prayer Bead Accessories.Much of the Movie is Gritty, Dark, and Entertaining.
Released in 1996, "The Glimmer Man" is a cop thriller starring Steven Seagal and Keenen Ivory Wayans as a detective team in Los Angeles, the former recently transferring from New York City.
"The Glimmer Man," directed in 1996 by John Gray, is yet another typical Steven Seagal martial arts-action/crime-thriller, but it is undoubtedly one of his better movies from his heyday.
"Under Siege" was not perfect by any means upon its blockbuster release in 1992, but it is unquestionably Seagal's best movie to date (which unfortunately doesn't say much about his wildly hit-and-miss career as a whole).By '96, when "The Glimmer Man" was released, Seagal had become something of a walking parody of himself and a rather formulaic action star; the stoic Aikido martial arts master with a shady government-agent background was quickly wearing itself out.
Cole has since become a homicide detective with strong spiritual leanings (he wears Buddhist prayer beads throughout the film and is quite keen on Eastern religion and philosophy), first in New York and now in Los Angeles, where he's first partnered up with Det. Jim Campbell (Wayans).From the beginning, this movie takes a few pages from the "Se7en" (1995) play-book with trippy editing/cinematography and a serial killer called "The Family Man" (so-called because he murders entire households) with religious motivations behind his serial killings; "Se7en" was still quite popular around this time, hence the reference.
Another wrinkle comes from the fact that Cole's ex-wife is one of the most recent victims of The Family Man, and he is now a suspect.The reason I feel that "The Glimmer Man" is one of Seagal's better vehicles is because 1) there's a believable dynamic between himself and Keenen Ivory Wayans, which makes the movie feel a bit different from his usual stuff because of the added bits of humorous dialogue, and 2) it has some of his best fight/action sequences, despite the fact that it is one of his lesser-regarded films overall.
The fights here are quite brutal (Wayans's Campbell character even gets a few punches in, too, including a battle with an intruder in his apartment) and Seagal finally has an opponent in the end who can actually match him in hand-to-hand combat scenes."The Glimmer Man" is a Steven Seagal movie post-"Under Siege" that is worthy of a "glimmer" of honorable mention amongst his catalog of films.7/10.
Because like it or not, ole' Steve's just good at revenge, man.The latest murder is Cole's ex-wife and her new husband, so he is brought almost miraculously into a personal involvement in the case (that he came from New York to help find a serial killer and then that killer managed to kill his ex-wife is what I call a Movie Miracle), but luckily his partnership with LA Detective Jim Campbell is interesting an amusing enough to carry us past such small snags.Ad by the way, Campbell is played by Keenan Ivory Wayans who, you may have noticed, is one of the Wayans brothers, but don't let that deter you.
But if you save the head for last, like I did, then by the time you bite into the skull you get cold brains squirting into your mouth, and trust me, that's even a little worse than it sounds
So anyway, while tracking the serial killer, it seems that Cole's old boss, played with satisfactory menace by Michael Cox (who you may remember as the movie world's first Hannibal Lecter) is attempting to enter into a shady deal with the Russians to get super-rich off the black market sales of chemical weapons.
Not a good way to make a first impression.There are some good action sequences (if not exactly original) and enough fight scenes to satisfy the Seagal fans (who will admittedly make up most of the audience, except the film critics who warn everyone else away), although it's all made a little goofy by the fact that Lieutenant Cole, at one point, explains that violence is against his religion.
"The Glimmer Man" is mostly just a discount "Lethal Weapon", it relies heavily on Seagal's talent for comedy and the chemistry he has with co-star (well...side-kick) Keenan Ivory Wayans.
This coming from the guy who'd watch Under Siege 2 several days earlier.The Glimmer Man is ACTUALLY an action-thriller film about two cops trying to find a serial killer called the Family Man because he kills and crucifies whole families, what a hoot!
This is Seagal at his best, the movie is kick-ass funny, and for the first time, he does not hog the spotlight and in shares the screen with someone who can kick butt almost as well as he does, and deliver one liners equally well (if not better).LAPD officer Jack Cole, and his new parter detective Campbell, are going after a family killer who crucifies his victims and paints religious art on the walls with there blood.
Cole may have to go rogue to prove his innocence, but not entirely, Campbell trust him even thought, he is getting into lots of trouble around Cole, (and his allergies to Cole Buddist incense, have forced him to purchase lots of herbal medicine made from animal parts).The Glimmer man has a pretty good sense of humour on top of everything else, and there is actually something moderately legitimate in the way of a plot, (this and Under Siege) Nothing feels too gratuitous or unintentionally funny, So if you are gonna pick one Seagal film to see, this might be your best choose.
It served all the new formula's elements (the maverick cop, the marital arts, the buddy comedy, and the hunt of serial killer) but in straight way, without much funniness, and close to the "V" movies yet in big budget._From temperate point of view : Along with being invaluable antique among Seagal's later movies, it looks like a gaudy nosiness that hits its mark; THE ENTERTAINMENT cleverly.
He needs to start making films again like this.Out of Seagal movies this gets a 10 without a doubt.If you think about it Kill Switch could have been the next Glimmer Man if it had half decent camera work and producers..
The Glimmer Man starring Steven Seagal and Keenan Ivory Wayans.
The working team of Steven Seagal and Keenan Ivory Wayans was very good, but still lots of things in this film should have been different.
The film also had some pretty good acting by Steven Seagal, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Bob Gunton, Brian Cox, John M.
Here the veteran action star plays a typical Steven Seagal character, in a formula-bound plot that attempts to travel far on the odd-couple pairing of Seagal and the usually comedic actor / filmmaker Keenen Ivory Wayans.
The two make for a generally agreeable team, even if the movie overall is pretty forgettable.Seagal and Wayans play Jack Cole and Jim Campbell, L.A. homicide detectives working the case of a particularly sick serial killer dubbed The Family Man. Jack is a New Age, spiritual type who frequents a Chinese restaurant and wears beads, Jim is a wise cracking sort who tears up whenever watching "Casablanca".
The Glimmerman has got far more in common with Seagal`s Out For Justice, Hard To Kill, Marked For Death and Above The Law. Steven Seagal plays Jack Cole, a New York cop, who ends up as Jim Campbell`s partner.
The buddy-cop genre gets chop-socky with Steven Seagal as a mystical-heavy cop teaming up with street-smart detective Keenan Ivory Wayans (whose as much as a smart-alec as his younger brother Damon!!) to nab a ruthless serial killer in this cool action flick.
Forget the Psycho killings (no doubt a freudian outcome of the writer's having spent some time in a nun's school), the whole crime plot is just a McGuffin, as the film is a buddy movie comedy disguised -with extraordinary skill- as an action thriller/chiller.Wayans and Seagal engage in funny shenanigans, all the while kicking in sensible body parts to anyone crossing their path.
I enjoyed Seagal's on screen relationship with Keenan Ivory Wayans which gave the movie a Lethal Weapon feel to it.It was back to the days of Hard To Kill and Marked For Death, although the action was spread a little, it is certainly Mr Seagal's best offering since the under seige movies, best fight scene was in the restaurant and with the hope of a decent story and a good script we might see Seagal doing these kind of movies again.As for the comment I read about why it was called The Glimmer Man, well the line in the movie goes "They called him the glimmer man, all you would see was jungle then a glimmer, then you would be dead..
Keenen Ivory Wayans is likably unaggressive as his partner, and the director does his best to emulate the style of "Seven" (minus the intelligence), but (SPOILERS FOLLOW) the whole serial-killer business is actually a big red herring, and the film ultimately turns out to be the typical Seagal actioner.
Steven Seagal, Det. Jack Cole and his partner Det. Jim Campall(Keenen Ivory Wayans), who only seems to be in the movie for comedy relief, are put on the "Family Man" murder case in L.A. The "Family Man" murdered some half dozen families and had them crucified in some weird ritual after they were dead.
After breaking a number of heads and arms and legs of Russian gangsters and Deverell thugs Det. Cole finally gets to the bottom of what is really behind all these killings.The movie is so violent it made me wonder what Seagal, who had a lot of control of the material in the film, was trying to tell his audience, love your fellow man?
The Glimmer Man is set in Los Angeles where ex New York Buddhist homicide detective Jack Cole (producer Steven Seagal) joins a task force lead by detective Jim Campbell (Keenan Ivory Wayans) who are hunting an active serial killer dubbed 'The Family Man' because of his ritualistic slaying's of entire families.
The script by Kevin Brodbin takes itself very seriously & one feels it tries to marry a dark serial killer thriller storyline not too dissimilar to the excellent Se7en (1995) which was a big box-office success the previous year together with the brutal violent action & martial arts of some of Seagal's previous better films like Out for Justice (1992), Under Siege (1992) it's sequel Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) in particular which is an uneasy combination The Glimmer Man fails at spectacularly.
The serial killer plot is there just for the hell of it & is totally abandoned by the halfway mark in favour of a buddy buddy mismatched partner cop action thriller like Lethal Weapon (1987), in fact The Glimmer Man feels like little bits & pieces, themes & ideas from various similar (much better) films all strung together in a rather lazy, routine & predictable narrative.
He's teamed-up with wisecracking Detective Jim Campbell (Keenan Ivory Wayans, who did not like Seagal) to catch 'The Family Man'; a serial killer who crucifies families (actually just the parents).
With a higher humour content than before (mostly in the form of Wayans), a plot which actually requires you to think, and the expected action and fight scenes, THE GLIMMER MAN is nothing amazing but it's solid entertainment and a bit better than some other action films of today..
great buddy movie starring steven seagal and keenon ivory wayans.
The Glimmer Man (1996): Dir: John Gray / Cast: Steven Seagal, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Michelle Johnson, Brian Cox, Stephen Tobolowsky: Pointless bag of trash that uses creative expressions of violence as entertainment.
Steven Seagal stars as a bead wearing Buddhist cop called the Glimmer Man, and Keenan Ivory Wayans is his partner.
Steven Seagal is a martial artist who came to fame in the late 80s actioner ABOVE THE LAW, starring in films such as HARD TO KILL, MARKED FOR DEATH, OUT FOR JUSTICE & his all-time best work, UNDER SIEGE. |
tt3045616 | Mortdecai | Lord Charlie Mortdecai (Johnny Depp) is an eccentric English art dealer with a curly moustache. He is at a casino in Hong Kong meeting with a gangster named Fang (Junix Inocian) to sell a rare vase. Mortdecai is about to collect the money when Fang reminds him that during their last transaction, Mortdecai sold him a piece of art for $3 million when it was only worth $1 million. As payback, Fang wants to collect one of Mortdecai's fingers. One of Fang's men tries to do the job when Mortdecai's faithful manservant/thug Jock (Paul Bettany) steps in and beats the goon. A shootout ensues, forcing Mortdecai and Jock to flee.Recently, Mortedcai and his wife Johanna (Gwyneth Paltrow) have come into debt. After returning to his home in London, Johanna sees the moustache her husband has grown and she is utterly repulsed by it, gagging whenever he kisses her (and making him gag in response as he has a sympathetic gag reflex). She ponders what they will do about their financial concerns. Here, we learn how much Mortdecai loves his wife, and he also mentions a bit about Jock, specifically how much sex he has and how it's got him in hot water (i.e., sleeping with a farmer's daughter).A woman named Bronwen (Norma Atallah) is working on a painting by Goya when she is shot in the back with an arrow. After Bronwen expires, a thief swipes the painting and leaves her home, when he is knocked out by yet another thief.Inspector Alistair Martland (Ewan McGregor) is put on the investigation to recover the painting. He visits Mortdecai to ask for his services. Martland has been in love with Johanna since their college years, and he harbours a slight vendetta against Mortdecai after catching them sleeping together. He informs Mortdecai and Johanna of the theft, with their prime suspect being a criminal named Emil Strago (Jonny Pasvolsky), and he convinces Mortdecai to recover the painting with Jock, to which they agree on the condition of receiving 10% in payment after they plan on selling the painting to an American dealer by the name of Milton Krampf.Mortdecai first visits an art aficionado named Sir Graham (Michael Culkin) to get a clue as to where the painting may be. Then he visits an art smuggler named Spinoza (Paul Whitehouse) in a garage. Spinoza has apparently also been screwed over by Mortdecai in the past, as he angrily yells and swears at the man. Emil shows up and shoots at the men. Spinoza is killed, while Mortdecai and Jock take one of the cars and drive away.While her husband is away, Johanna does a bit of investigating on her own.She meets with a man known as The Duke (Michael Byrne), who informs her that the painting was taken by a friend of his from the war. It supposedly has codes written on the back that lead to the location of a hidden stash of Nazi gold.Mortdecai learns that the painting was stashed in the car that he was driving. A while later, he is kidnapped by Russian thugs working for a man named Romanov (Ulrich Thomsen). They want the painting too, and they threaten to electrocute Mortdecai's balls until mortdecai pushes one of the thugs out the window along with himself to escape with Jock. After returning to London, Martland forces Mortdecai to go on ahead to America to meet with Milton Krampf.Mortdecai and Jock arrive in Los Angeles where the former meets Krampf (Jeff Goldblum) and his apparently nymphomaniac daughter Georgina (Olivia Munn). The painting has been selected for a gallery to be on display for a party later on. Jock proposes that they sneak into the room where it's being kept and swipe the painting for themselves when nobody is looking. Mortdecai also gets in touch with Johanna and overhears Martland in the room with her, thinking she is unfaithful. He tries to convince her he is staying in a brothel out of spite.On the night of the party, Mortdecai is nearly seduced by Georgina, until he is caught dancing with her (and with his hand on her breast) by Johanna, who has also shown up with Martland. Mortdecai leaves and goes to take the painting with Jock.They find Krampf has been murdered by Emil, who has nabbed the painting. Martland and Johanna come in with Martland aiming a gun at Emil. However, it turns out Georgina is in cahoots with Emil, and they are also lovers. They take the painting and run for it, with the other four chasing after them. The villains go to a motel and try to find the codes with lighter fluid and a blowtorch. In the chaos, Emil purposefully ignites the lighter fluid with the torch, which ignites a conveniently placed pile of petrol. Everybody runs as the motel room explodes, destroying the painting with it.Johanna informs Mortdecai that this painting was a fake. The real one is with The Duke, which he actually did tell her when he invited Johanna to look at it in the bathroom (she thought he was talking about showing her his penis). The couple return to London to find The Duke, only to learn that he has passed away. His widow does allow them to go to the bathroom and find the painting.The couple puts the painting up for an auction later that evening, hidden as a fake under a familiar painting owned by Mortdecai. Fang is informed of this and goes down to collect Mortdecai's finger. Romanov and his goons also show up to the auction with Sir Graham. Mortdecai and Jock subdue Romanov's goons before encountering Fang's goons. Those two nearly take one of Jock's fingers instead, until Mortdecai takes a club and beats them down to save his friend. Mortdecai runs to the auction, where Emil has been seated next to Johanna with a knife. Mortdecai arrives and makes a high bid until Romanov outbids him. The painting is sold to him, giving Johanna a moment to pepper-spray Emil in the face, and he is apprehended by Martland.We learn that Romanov purchased the wrong fake, and he decides to have Sir Graham's balls. Martland accepts that he will never be with Johanna, and he leaves her be. Mortdecai has collected some money, but the rest is paid off for taxes he skipped.In the end, Mortdecai and Johanna continue to love each other and remain faithful through thick and thin. He agrees to finally shave his mustache if it will make her happy, because he would do anything for her. Johanna decides to let it stay. She kisses him passionately, until moments later when she gags, forcing Mortdecai to follow suit. | avant garde, murder, violence, intrigue, flashback, revenge, sadist | train | imdb | null |
tt0122718 | Small Soldiers | Toy company Heartland Playsystems is acquired by the multinational conglomerate GloboTech Industries, which is expanding from manufacturing high-quality military hardware. GloboTech CEO Gil Mars (Denis Leary) pays a visit to Heartland to meet with Larry Benson (Jay Mohr) and Irwin Wayfair (David Cross) concerning their newest projects, which involve the creation of intelligent, interactive toys.Irwin offers the Gorgonites, peaceful creatures whose mission is to gather information about Earth, prompting children to learn with them, whereas Larry presents the Commando Elite, a special task force of action figures. Despite Irwin's objections, Mars chooses the ugly-looking Gorgonites as the Commando Elite's enemies and imposes a three-month deadline, which Irwin protests as 'impossible' due to the rigorous testing and design period required.Through Larry's inexperience with the GloboTech database, he commits a critical mistake: rather than standard toy-related computer chips, the action figures are fitted with surplus X-1000 "intelligence" chips designed for use by the military.Three months later, schoolboy Alan Abernathy (Gregory Smith) and his parents Stuart (Kevin Dunn) and Irene (Ann Magnuson) have moved to Cleveland, Ohio, hoping for a fresh start after Alan's expulsion from two schools for playing practical jokes. His father Stuart owns an unpopular traditional toy store that does not sell electronic toys or violent action figures. Stuart goes on a business trip, leaving Alan in charge of the store, hoping that Alan will prove worthy of his trust. During his absence, Alan sees a box containing Commando Elite and Gorgonite toys bound for another larger toy store, and convinces the delivery truck driver Joe (Dick Miller) to leave him a complete set of each to sell, so as to make the shop wealthier and more sophisticated. Joe initially resists, but relents after Alan pleads with him. When released from their boxes, the toys become animated and begin to wage war against each other. Alan's neighbor and romantic interest Christy Fimple (Kirsten Dunst) visits the store with her younger brother Timmy (Jacob Smith) who stumbles across the feuding toys in the back room, and is shot by Elite Commander Chip Hazard. Because the toys' weapons are merely imitations, he is not hurt and pleads his sister to buy one of them. Alan and Christy later lock up the store and part ways, while the Gorgonite leader called Archer (voiced by Frank Langella) hides in Alan's backpack.During the night, Chip Hazard (voiced by Tommy Lee Jones) activates the others of the Commando Elite consisting of Kip Killagan (voiced by Ernest Borgnine), Brick Bazooka (voiced by George Kennedy), Butch Meathook (voiced by Jim Brown), Nick Nitro (voiced by Clint Walker), and Link Static (voiced by Bruce Dern). Chip issues functional weapons, and orders all Gorgonites in the store to be destroyed. During the ensuing melee, the Commandos and Gorgonites make a mess. The Gorgonites, who are programmed to lose any battle with the Elite, hide in a garbage dumpster behind the store.At Alan's house, Alan discovers Archer in his backpack; but the Gorgonite refuses to respond in any 'intelligent' manner. Eventually, Alan realizes that the X-1000 is, in fact an 'intelligent' computer chip that is capable of learning, reasoning, and adapting, and has turned the former 'toys' into artificial intelligence.The next day, at Archer's direction, Alan finds the remains of one destroyed Gorgonite Troglokhan, but no sign of the Commando Elite or the remaining Gorgonites. Alan manages to repair most of the damage done to the store by their fight and calls the company to complain about the Commandos' actions, but receives an apathetic response and is transferred to a voice-mail machine, where he leaves an angry message but is unable to record his telephone number.Archer tries to talk to Alan, but the furious Alan tells Archer to 'shut up and stop talking'. Archer obeys and remains silent until later in the night.Alan and Archer headhome on Alan's bike, but are closely followed by the Commando Elite. Brick Bazooka is sent to assassinate Archer, and is caught in the bike's wheel and has his legs and hips torn off by the spokes. After reparing Brick, Chip notes Alan's House and orders the Commando Elite to move in. During the night, the Commandos enter the house, capture Archer, and interrogate him in the kitchen over the garbage disposal. Alan awakens, saves Archer, drives off the Commando Elite, and jams Commando Nick Nitro into the garbage disposal, destroying him from the knees down. Nick escapes out the window while Alan is caught by his parents, to whom he is forced to confess his illegal acquisition of the toys.The parent-to-son discussion becomes a heated argument when Alan asserts that the toys were responsible for his father's crafting tools missing, leading his parents to suspect he might be using drugs and regressing to his mischievous lifestyle. Alan, furious at Archer for not supporting him, demands why he did not speak up to prove to his parents that the toys are alive, to which Archer responds by repeating Alan's earlier command to 'shut up'. Alan worries that he will suffer losses of others' trust if the Gorgonites have been destroyed, whereupon Archer replies that the Gorgonites must be alive, because the Commandos are still seeking them.The Commandos regroup in the Fimples' garage next-door, where Chip Hazard delivers a stirring, noticeably incoherent speech to his followers. Nick crawls his way into the garage and dies in Chip's arms. He then announces that Alan, for rescuing Archer, must be eliminated. The Commandos begin to convert all the sharp tools, electronics, and other hardware into makeshift vehicles and miniature weapons of mass destruction.Alan returns to the toy store in the morning and retrieves Gorgonites Slamfist (voiced by Christopher Guest), Ocula (vocal effects done by Jim Cummings), Punch-It (voiced by Harry Shearer), Scratch-It (also voiced by Christopher Guest), Insaniac (voiced by Michael McKean), and finds Troglokhan, who has been repaired by the Gorgonites as Freakenstein (also voiced by Michael McKean) from parts of Alan's father's radio. They thereafter use his computer to seek out their imagined homeland of Gorgon.That night, the Commando Elite tap the phone lines and discover Alan and Christy's relationship. They enter Christy's room while she is away and find her collectible Gwendy dolls. Chip retrieves Nick Nitro's body and tear open his head to find his X-1000 chip. They create a Frankenstein-esque laboratory in her room to raise the Gwendy dolls, using Nick's chip as their mindset. With the "reinforcements" lying in ambush, they drug Christy's parents Marion (Wendy Schaal) and Phil (Phil Hartman), tie up her brother, and scare off her visiting sweetheart Brad (Jonathan Bouck), then force Christy to a hostage video demanding the surrender of the Gorgonites. Alan and Archer trick the Commandos by putting an old radio into a cardboard box, playing a tape of supposed Gorgonites debating the merits of an idea. They rescue Christy after defeating the Gwendy dolls (voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar and Christina Ricci) animated by the Elite in battle.The Commandos blast their way out of the garage on their vehicles and pursue Christy, Alan, and Archer, who escape on Christy's motor scooter. In the chase, all the Elite crash into a pond and are destroyed. Chip, however, survives the crash with part of his face melted and floats downstream to a local toy store. Chip then hijacks a shipment of new Commando Elite figures by forcing the driver to Alan's house.As the parents meet and begin arguing about what has happened, Larry and Irwin of the toy company arrive in response to Alan's earlier phone call. They have learned about the dangers of the X-1000 chip (and a possible weakness) from its designer, and are trying to circumvent any lawsuits.Returning to the Abernathy home, Chip Hazard activates dozens of Commandos and declares war on the Gorgonites and their human allies, whom they attack by cutting off the electricity supply and then shooting nails, flaming tennis balls, and firework rockets at the house. The humans are frantic and scared until Irwin and Larry recall that an electro-magnetic pulse might deactivate the X-1000 chip: desperate to find an available source thereof, Mr. Fimple suggests connecting a power-transformer in parallel, resulting in an explosion. Alan sends Christy, Larry, and Irwin to Fimple's house to turn on every single piece of Mr. Fimple's massive assembly of electronic components, so that the power will be flowing to overload the transformer. He then prepares to go out into the 'warzone' to complete this task himself, only to be stopped by his father, who wishes to protect him. Alan disobeys his father and goes to activate the E.M.P. Nearby, the Gorgonites override their program and decide to achieve victory, then set out to do so.Chip Hazard flies after Alan in a toy helicopter, but Freakenstein hijacks one of the vehicles and uses its weapons to shoot it down. Before it crashes into the Fimples' new satellite dish, Hazard ejects himself from it and attempts to knock Alan down. The situation changes when Archer confronts Hazard; after a brief fight, Hazard kicks Archer from the pole. In retaliation, Alan grabs Hazard and jams him between the transformers to activate the E.M.P., destroying the Commando Elite and their doll allies. The Gorgonites survive by hiding beneath a fallen satellite-signal receiver and are discovered later by Alan.The next morning, Gil Mars arrives to bribe all witnesses to the crisis into silence. Larry is fearful to lose his job, but Mars proposes that they increase the price of the Commando Elite and sell them to the military of a South American nation. Alan and Christy kiss passionately. At the end of the film, the Gorgonites set out in search for their home, Gorgon, on Stuart's model ship in a river in Yosemite National Park.(Source: WikiPedia. Bangs_McCoy) | violence, satire | train | imdb | You can always tell how smart a movie is by its supporting cast, and the presence of the legendary Dick Miller ( a Dante mascot), Phil Hartman, Dennis Leary, and Mr Show's David Cross, not to mention the terrific voice talent, emphasize just how cluey Small Soldiers is.
I popped it in and was ready to be overwhelmed with the memories of how great this film truly manages to hold up being over time.I thought this movie was overall just a really great and enjoyable little film that even though it was just meant for entertainment, ended up being so lovable and cherished, much more than I thought I would love and cherish it.
Some I bet were already even doubting it from the start, which that's no way to enter with a film as lighthearted and good-willed as Small Soldiers.Most of the comedic antics were quite laughable, and that's laughable in the tasteful kind of way, especially the renovated Barbies and cowardliness of the Gorgonites.
It completely entertains you, and it certainly keeps you interested through the whole movie with the fun characters and non-stop deliverance of toy warfare and excellent voice-overs.
The fighting scenes were cool and amusing, and the script was pretty different and new, even though many think Dreamworks tries to silently and sneakily follow in the footsteps of previous Disney/Pixar films that are big hits, in this case, Toy Story.I don't see why this movie has the rating it does, for I thought a lot more people would've liked it better than this, but I guess not everybody can spot a great film when they see one.
It's definelty one of the coolest kids movie ever made!Overall, if you like edgy family films, watch 'Small Solders'.
Small Soldiers is good old fashioned, Tongue-in-cheek fun.Regular movie watchers will see many of their favorite characters, all caricatured here together as either a Commando-Elite or a Gorgonite warrior.The names of the characters, particularly the Commando-Elite, are extremely good, and worthy of an award of their own.Although some of the animation is a little wooden, that just seemed to add to the whole flavour of the film.As long as you don't have any pre-conceptions about this film, and ignore the hype, you are in for some highly entertaining fun.
Yes, it may be a flawed movie, but considering that it is a movie born in the heart of Hollywood studios and intended for small audiences (and not so small), "Small Soldiers" takes his chances to create successfully a political satire, a very dark one.Joe Dante (a very underrated director) is a specialist in filtrating that kind of political message.
When "Small Soldiers" came out, it was right after back-to-back school shootings (plus the murder of Phil Hartman), so there was some controversy about having a movie where toys get violent.
You see, it's not some ridiculous, rah-rah military movie; it sides with the Gorgonites (the soldiers' adversaries), showing how - whether or not they win or lose - they always remain supportive of each other.As for the cast members, this is a Joe Dante movie, so Dick Miller and Robert Picardo get supporting roles.
I thought it was a fun story.The special effects alone are worth watching the film.
I really feel that actors in films like this don't get the credit they deserve, because they are acting against small little harmless platic or metal animatronic toys, or, in some cases, against nothing at all.
The voice talents in this film are also quite good, with plenty of big names to go around including Tommy Lee Jones, Frank Langella, Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, Bruce Dern, George Kennedy, Clint Walker, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Christina Ricci.This film is just a fun film, there's nothing terribly deep or mind-boggling about this film, just enjoy it for what it is.
You`ve gotta love that name I enjoyed this movie and despite it not being an all time classic I do recommend it as an entertaining family film.
SMALL SOLDIERS is, essentially, Joe Dante's third GREMLINS film, except that the antagonists aren't gremlins this time around but instead normal, plastic toys who have been brought to life via military technology.
It's along the same lines as TOY STORY, which came out at around the same time, but I think the Dante movie has the edge; it's live action, for a start, and the special effects used to animate the soldiers are remarkable.The film goes for a light action-adventure template with plenty of laughs thrown into the mix along the way.
It's a kid's film, with child actors in the lead roles, but one of those ones that adults are sure to enjoy too.Cast-wise, we're handed decent turns from Gregory Smith (before he won popular attention with EVERWOOD) and Kirsten Dunst (just before she graduated to adult roles in SPIDER-MAN).
Dante makes the film comical and thought-provoking, with main characters who seem like we are supposed to see ourselves in their place, rather than learn about who they are.
The story has The Commandos (military, which means bad guys, of course) against the Gorgonites (peaceful, different-looking creatures.)GOOD NEWS - A very clever animated-live action computer animated film (at least for 1998) in which the toys come to life and look real.
Once the action starts, it's a very interesting story with fun special-effects, some good, funny dialog and some neat references to past films.
I loved Edward Scissorhands and I saw that when my mother brought it home never seeing anything of it before and adored it(I still do) I saw the trailer to the nightmare before Xmas and it scared the hell out of me, and has since become a classic in my heart This film was the film of my childhood, it was everything I wanted in a movie and it was if it was made entirely for me (i'm sure other people went through that) For most people that was Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star wars: A New Hope/Empire Strikes back.
I don't know how many but come the day I die I'm sure at least one hundred....not joking In that way it may be my favorite film of all time.It made such an impression on me I wanted to start committing crimes like Alan Abernathy because that might lead me to meet such cool friends as the gorgonites.
I attempted making a movie with a friend with my toy 'beast wars' coming to life.Whenever I feel like watching it, I always watch it the next day or soon after.
It never gets old, it really never will It'll get called weird by people, a reviewer from my beloved empire magazine called it 'Gremlins with toys, but not as dark or funny' It remains a film that I love yet does not have the same enthusiasm shared by people all around the world like.....oh there's about one hundred of 'em Last Year I saw it on the shelf of the DVD store and bought it, telling myself if you don't get it now you might not find it again in your life It's the kind of movie people my age saw as kids and kinda remember whenever I bring it up to them, it doesn't have the classic status I wish it did, but maybe in a way that gives it a security.A lot of people who do know it, including a different writer in empire called it one of the most underrated kids movies of all time, better than nothing I suppose The truth is I have seen more artistic, meaningful, profound, original films in my life, the best being the one I returned as a member on the IMDb to spread my love with just by what my Username is (not hard to notice) But I'll never forget this film, I'll always get all teary-eyed when the boat sails off at the end, and so in a way yeah that's right people It is my favorite film of all time and if you watch and enjoy know you're doing a Kiwi proud.
Former defense supplier Globotech and his chairman(Dennis Leary) and employees(David Cross, Jay Mohr)have transformed into dangerous soldiers toys to being mistakenly implanted with military intelligence chips.Commanded by Chip Hazard(voice of Tommy Lee Jones)take under siege the town and battle their rival toys , the Gorgonites, led by the pacific Archer(voice by Frank Langella).
The Commando Elite is attacking like the 'Dirty dozen' movie, in fact the voices are played by original casting, Ernest Borgnine,Jim Brown,George Kennedy and Clint Walker.
The acting was great, effects were good, had characters you cared about, the story wasn't too complicated topped off with a very good soundtrack that fitted the moment perfectly, this film has the full package.
Dante has a very creative mind yet it's weird that he would create a movie that pertains to children but isn't for them.Small Soldiers is the story of two toy designers' dreams brought to reality; a deadly reality.
Now teenager Alan Abernathy gets enlisted to help the Gorgonites and rescue the girl of his dreams before the whole town is turned upside down.This movie also led to an awesome action figure line.If you like, you can further discuss this film at http://generationz.b1.jcink.com or http://generationz.b1.jcink.com/index.php?showtopic=1499..
(Ok, so maybe the Barbie Doll scenes were a little creepy for someone under the age of 9.) Definitely worth the watch IMO, if you would like to have an evening of good, fanciful fun.Not a blockbuster by any means, but definitely entertaining.And besides, what kid wouldn't want to have a box full of toys that could actually communicate with him??.
This film was really good.Rewatched it last year when I got the DVD and I must say that it's one of the few movies I watched in the 90's that actually aged well, It is right up there with Terminator2 guys.So the premise, actionfigures made to hate and fight another, are upgraded with military chips to be badass and think for themselves.So it is basically a few inches away from a R-rated Toy Story with a terminator twist...
But it's the voice talent of Tommy Lee Jones as Major Chip Hazard and Frank Langella as Archer (leader of the Gorgonites) that provide the most entertaining moments as they give life to the toy figures.If you can suspend your disbelief long enough to absorb the silly premise of the story, you'll have a good time.
However these are clever rather than funny and have the down side of distracting from the film, you find yourself spotting references and voices rather than getting into the story.The cast are pretty good - the kids aren't too annoying and the adult cast are filled out with quality like Dick Miller, Phil Hartman and a great cameo by Dennis Leary.
I also thought the whole idea of having the soldier figures build weapons out of power tools and the likes was a decent enough idea, it just lacks any good explanation of how they manage to build such impressive firepower from so little, and this actually bothered me so much that I at times sat there, being generally annoyed at a scene based on such an unrealistic premise rather than entertained by it.
mines the Gremlins landscape for another 12 year old boy movie that mostly works but is not as good as it could have been.It's a pretty good film though with good special effects, ideas, some clever jokes, good lines, and it's all packaged quite well.Parent's beware...
this is a film appealing to 12-14 year old boys all the way and that means it's a little more violent than you would like and has a couple of inappropriate scenes for younger folks.
Set in that beautiful Looking suburbia like his 'burbs film & with nosy & annoying neighbours it's got all that Dante magic & feelgood style & tone that is his own little universe & Dante universe wouldn't be complete without veteran character Actor DICK MILLER who is again great on screen here in Small Soldiers as Joe the delivery guy & my god i live Dick Miller!!!
The action figures who run around suburbia causing trouble & hunting the good toys are all done BRILLIANTLY the fx are stunning with a nice mix of practical puppets & c.g.i the commando elite & the gorgonites!!!
When missile technology is used to enhance toy action figures, the toys soon begin to take their battle programming too seriously.On making the film, director Joe Dante recalled "Originally I was told to make an edgy picture for teenagers, but when the sponsor tie-ins came in the new mandate was to soften it up as a kiddie movie.
Extremely Entertaining amalgamation of Toy Story (1995), Gremlins (1984), and the popular Kid Toys G.I. Joe, and Barbie.Director Joe Dante Loves In-Jokes and this one has plenty.
The Anti-War stance (making the Commandos Psychopaths) is a welcome Non-PC take, The "Hero" Gorgomites are the Awkward, Pacifistic Conscientious Objector Types (who hide) and are "Born to Lose".All of these Political and Social Statements are really not that important because the Film is basically an Action Romp, sort of a Toy Story on Steroids.
It's kind of like Toy Story meets The Gremlins with a mixture of action, science fiction, fantasy, and comedy and it works really well throughout the film.What really stands out the most is the characters because their personalities and interactions got me interested to like them as much.
Small Soldiers is one of those movies I like to have on hand for the occasional visiting kids, but I enjoy it, too.
It has more than family-safe appeal (which I don't need for myself); this movie has music, action and humor in all the right amounts which makes it watchable several times per year.I think the soundtrack can be described best as a multi-faceted feast, perfectly integrated.
The film's special effects are great and the toys that come to life though the marvel of modern military technology and more than a little help by the wizards down at ILM interact seamlessly with the live actors.
This is the sort of movie though that could work really really well if just could decided on a genre, Kids film or horror/comedy/action, kind of like stuff Joe Dante normally turns out.
Also trying to pick the celebrity voices behind the toys is lot of fun, but unless you're willing to let the film pamper you a bit you aren't going to like it.
I was aware that it was Phil hartman's last movie but wasn't aware it was a Joe Dante film.
As a film buff I always get a huge kick out of the in-jokes and references (often leaving my wife wondering what's cracking me up).The script is admittedly a little weak and at times dark...but not every "kids movie" has to be fluffy happy Disney dreck.As for the comment that anti-war sentiment has no place in a kid's movie...um, so, I guess pro-war is better?This movie is great escapist fare and fun...I especialy enjoyed the scenes of the soldiers fashioning their own weapons from household items.
I quite enjoyed this movie since it brought back many childhood memories of playing with toy soldiers and making them fight one another in one battle after another.
Hope (like the little kid in the movie) I don't get such toys for Christmas!.
The movie is zippily entertaining and overwhelmingly well crafted, with boundless visual imagination (for example in the soldiers' conversion of a kitchen into an assembly line for bringing Dunst's Barbie-like dolls to life; or in the use of everyday objects as military hardware) and an interesting enough execution that the more formulaic elements (such as the kid's strained relationship with the father who doesn't trust him) seem particularly grating here.
The only thing that scared me was that it looked like such a boy's movie, I was kinda a Barbie girl when I was younger, but Small Soldiers proved itself to be a great family film.Anthony, a pre teen, just got a shipment of toys he wants to sell so he can make his dad's store some money.
Small Soldiers is a good film for everyone, I was pleasantly surprised and I would recommend this movie for anyone, it was very cute and had a great look to it.
In fact, while it seems to be mostly a sort of combined Child's play/Gremlins for children, it turns out to be probably one of the most violent movies they could watch.Some images are even a little disturbing, such as the Barbie-doll soldiers with their warped faces or the level of carnage that occurs to some of the individual toys.
Small Soldiers seems like a Joe Dante film that started out as Gremlins 3 and then ended up as being some kind of Toy Story rip off aimed at older kids but lacking any special charm.Denis Leary plays a slimy executive who wants advanced toys.
The effects aged decently well and to this day I can enjoy it.Most of its current hate is "Better than thou" reviewer fans such as Nostalgia Critic slamming it to the point of MAKING UP STUFF to whine about.Want an easy watch fun action movie akin to ID4?
The soldiers are pretty cool, menacing as they are, with their hardline military attitude showing in everything they do- then you have the good guys, a motley collection of creatures, who to be honest fall into that classic trap of never being quite as interesting to watch as the bad guys.Everything else is what you would expect from a film aimed at kids- nice set pieces, silly jokes, etc.
I really enjoy "Small Soldiers"; it´s like "Toy Story" meet Gi-Joe" For me, this movie represented the return of the great Joe Dante; the same director that made "Gremlins", "The Howling" and "Innerspace".
The action sequences of "Small Soldiers" are great, sometimes better than other serious films.
I love Joe Dante films and I thought he could really make this into a good movie. |
tt1605783 | Midnight in Paris | In 2010, Gil Pender, a successful but creatively unfulfilled Hollywood screenwriter, and his fiancée Inez, are in Paris vacationing with Inez's wealthy, conservative parents. Gil is struggling to finish his first novel, centered on a man who works in a nostalgia shop. Inez dismisses his ambition as a romantic daydream, and encourages him to stick with lucrative screenwriting. Gil is considering moving to Paris (which he notes, much to the dismay of his fiancée, is at its most beautiful in the rain). Inez is intent on living in Malibu. By chance, they are joined by Inez's friend Paul, who is described as both pedantic and a pseudo-intellectual, and his wife Carol. Paul speaks with great authority but questionable accuracy on the history and artworks of Paris. Paul contradicts a tour guide at the Musée Rodin, and insists that his knowledge of Rodin's relationships is more accurate than that of the guide. Inez admires him; Gil finds him insufferable.
Gil gets drunk one night when Inez has gone off dancing with Paul and his wife, and becomes lost in the back streets of Paris. At midnight, a 1920s Peugeot Type 176 car draws up beside him, and the passengers, dressed in 1920s clothing, urge him to join them. They go to a party for Jean Cocteau, where he encounters Cole Porter, as well as Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald. Gil realizes (but doesn't draw attention to) that he has been transported back to the 1920s, an era he idolizes. Scott and Zelda, along with Cole and his wife, Linda Lee Porter, go to another bar, Chez Bricktop, where he sees Josephine Baker. At a third bar, Gil meets Juan Belmonte and Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway offers to show Gil's novel to Gertrude Stein, and Gil goes to fetch his manuscript from his hotel. However, as soon as he leaves, he finds he has returned to 2010 and that the bar where the 1920s literati were drinking is now a laundromat.
Gil attempts to bring Inez to the past with him the following night, but she becomes impatient and peevishly returns to the hotel. Just after she leaves, the clock strikes midnight and the same car arrives, this time with Hemingway inside. He takes Gil to meet Stein, who agrees to read his novel and introduces him to Pablo Picasso and his lover Adriana. Adriana and Gil are instantly attracted to each other. Stein reads aloud the novel's first line:
Adriana says that she is hooked by these few lines and has always had a longing for the past, especially the Belle Époque of the late 1800s.
Gil spends each of the next few nights in the past. His late-night wanderings annoy Inez, and arouse the suspicion of her father, who hires a private detective to follow him. Gil spends more and more time with Adriana, who leaves Picasso for a brief dalliance with Hemingway. Gil realizes he is falling in love with her, leaving him in conflict. He confides his predicament to Salvador Dalí, Man Ray and Luis Buñuel, but being surrealists they see nothing strange about his claim to have come from the future, finding it to be perfectly normal. They discuss the impossibility of Gil's relationship with Adriana, and each of the artists envisages a different masterpiece inspired by such an unusual romance. Later on Gil suggests a movie plot to Buñuel - that of Buñuel's own 1962 film The Exterminating Angel - and leaves while Buñuel continues to question the plot idea.
In present-day Paris, while Inez shops for expensive furniture, Gil meets Gabrielle, an antique dealer and fellow admirer of the Lost Generation. He buys a Cole Porter gramophone record, and later finds Adriana's diary from the 1920s at a book stall by the Seine, which reveals that she was in love with him. Reading that she dreamed of receiving a gift of earrings from him and then making love to him, Gil attempts to take a pair of Inez's earrings to give to Adriana, but is thwarted by Inez's early return from a trip.
Gil buys earrings for Adriana. Returning to the past, he finds her at a party and tells Adriana, "I sense there are some complicated feelings you have for me." He takes her for a walk, they kiss, and he gives her the earrings. While she's putting them on, a horse-drawn carriage comes down the street, and a richly-dressed couple inside the carriage invite Gil and Adriana for a ride. The carriage transports the passengers to the Belle Époque, an era Adriana considers Paris's Golden Age. Gil and Adriana go first to Maxim's Paris, then to the Moulin Rouge where they meet Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gauguin, and Edgar Degas. Gil asks what they thought the best era was, and the three determine that the greatest era was the Renaissance. The enthralled Adriana is offered a job designing ballet costumes, and proposes to Gil that they stay, but Gil, upon observing that different people long for different "golden ages", has an epiphany, and realizes that despite the allure of nostalgia, any time can eventually become a dull "present", so it's best to embrace your actual present. Adriana however, elects to stay in the 1890s, and they part.
Gil rewrites the first two chapters of his novel and retrieves his draft from Stein, who praises his progress as a writer and tells him that Hemingway likes it, but questions why the main character has not realized that his fiancée (based on Inez) is having an affair with a pedantic character (based on Paul).
Gil returns to 2010 and confronts Inez. She admits to having slept with Paul, but dismisses it as a meaningless fling. Gil breaks up with her and decides to move to Paris. Amid Inez's pique, Gil calmly leaves, after which Inez's father tells her and her mother that he had Gil followed, though the detective has mysteriously disappeared. It is revealed that the detective found himself in the Versailles of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and is last seen fleeing from the agents of the State.
Walking by the Seine at midnight, Gil bumps into Gabrielle and, after it starts to rain, he offers to walk her home and they learn that they share the love of Paris in the rain. | comedy, boring, fantasy, stupid, whimsical, thought-provoking, magical realism, clever, psychedelic, philosophical, inspiring, romantic, entertaining | train | wikipedia | From its overcast skies and reflective streets, showing lovely architectural details and its magnificent landmarks to the superb and lovely recreations of older time periods, one can't help being seduced, charmed, and inspired to find a way to show what a special place, and consequently what a truly magical film this might be.Performances are outstanding all around, with Cotillard once again stealing every second she is on the screen.
Cotillard's muse is the perfect human equivalent, a dazzling and potent woman, who moves from man to man, place to place, time to time, and who surprises us with her own wishes near the end of the story.Wilson inhabits the Allen persona, and he does a very good job, not creating a tired imitation, an annoying cliché that could have ruined the perfect balance of sight, sounds, and insightful dialog, keeping this masterpiece way ahead of the best Allen has offered before.
Unlike many of his leading men, Wilson displays an innocence which allows him and us to see his adventures in a fresh light."Midnight in Paris" is a beautiful display of what movie magic can truly create, a sense of wonder long gone from contemporary cinema; This is a movie that entertains, teaches, and wears each one of its elements, like Paris bewitches us with every light, every facade, and every heartbeat of its music..
Woody Allen's love affair with France, which goes back decades, finds its finality with "Midnight in Paris," the latest of Allen's Parisian brochures, which recently opened at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.
This light comedy may not have some of the heavier messages about adultery and art that previous Allen films have had, but Midnight in Paris is, nonetheless, an enjoyable exercise in allusion to the Lost Generation and artists of the 1920s.Midnight in Paris begins with the same idea of a man, in this case a screenwriter named Gil played by Owen Wilson, searching for connection with the real world.
In comparison to Woody Allen's previous tales of lust and spite, his newest film feels like a dessert rather than a filling entree, yet this is exactly how a good, highbrow summer movie should be.
I'd been meaning to watch Midnight in Paris for ages but, I have to confess, I was put off by the presence of Owen Wilson, who I could not really envisage as the lead in a Woody Allen film.
It wouldn't be a hyperbole to proclaim that everything that Woody Allen learned and gained during his long stint in cinema culminated in form of Midnight in Paris – An ode to the City of Love, and its most celebrated denizens of the past.
During a press conference at Cannes, Woody Allen had said that he wanted to show the city of Paris emotionally, and wanted it to be the way he himself sees it, and he indeed succeeds in fulfilling his dream by bringing the city to life, thanks to his perspicacious eye.Midnight in Paris presents a chapter in the life of a successful but disillusioned Hollywood screenwriter, Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), who yearns to break the shackles of monotony by writing a fiction novel, but is perplexed by his slender prospects as a writer beyond the glamour and razzmatazz of the sequestered world of Hollywood, while he is out on a vacation to the breeding ground of creativity and talent, Paris, and accompanying him are his ravishing fiancée, Inez (Rachel McAdams), and his affluent future in-laws.
Who can dare to overlook Bunuel's decorated oeuvre right from his maiden venture, An Andalusian Dog (1929), which he collaborated with another pioneer Surrealist, Salvador Dali to his surrealistic magnum opuses, The Exterminating Angel (1962), to which Mr. Allen pays a tribute in the movie, and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), which won the Best Foreign Picture Oscar for the year?Woody Allen's inspired direction and inciteful screenplay are well complemented by a very fine ensemble of support cast that includes the likes of Kathy Bates and Adrien Brody.
Allen has another of his surrogates, this time Gil (Owen Wilson),who virtually experiences the past (the twenties) while dealing with the troublesome present.Gil, engaged to marry Inez (Rachel McAdams), is with her and her parents on business in Paris where he hopes to work on his novel while he is still a successful Hollywood writer.
Just one of the Allen signature touches that make him the equal of great European directors such as Rohmer and Godard is opening the film with music that reflects the allure of the twenties, the romance of Paris, and his abiding love for this city: "Si Tu Vois Ma Mere" by Sidney Bechet combines jazz, the clarinet, the twenties, and Allen with a romantic nostalgia.Owen Wilson catches the halting diffidence of the typical Allen persona without slavishly imitating him.
The magic and the realism, both requiring hard work from the protagonist, lead to surprising understanding of human nature, the delusion of nostalgia and Paris, and hope for a present that brings love and inspiration."For all we know, Paris might be the hottest place in the universe." (Gil)It's been at least a decade since I have enjoyed an Allen movie this much..
From the first frame, following the Darius Khondji's camera on such familiar but uniquely beautiful streets, alleys, boulevards and quays of the City of Light, it was hard not to fall in love with Paris and with the film of Allen, his love letter to the most famous city in the world, capital of love and Mecca for writers, artists, musicians and artists to whom Paris gave inspiration during all times and epochs - Belle Époque 1890s, the Golden days of the 1920s, and today, right now...Midnight in Paris is a delightful, kind (yes, this is Woody Allen), light, and charming film, which can be described as A Paris Midnight Magical Movable Feast.
I can confirm that the film theme and the songs that Allen picked up for Midnight in Paris are important, integral component of the film's charm and add to the romantic and joyous feeling that the film brings to the viewers.As always, in Woody Allen's movies, the actors give uniformly good performances.
Owen Wilson is very convincing and likable as Gil, Hollywood's successful screenplay writer who works on a first novel, a protagonist, a much younger, attractive, and funny Woody Allen stand-in.
The First Lady of France, Carla Bruni appeared in a small role of a museum guide.The story itself was so lovely in using the time travel as the plot device and brought so many funny and sharp one-liners, dialogs and scenes as well as the plenty moments of recognizing the beloved literature and art figures of the past, that I sat and smiled happily during the whole film.
The artists too, such as Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dali, Pablo PIcasso and Man Ray are merely cartoon stereotypes, often spouting quotes from their own work, or commenting on art in that phony-baloney way people in Woody Allen movies are wont to do.
I think Woody Allen is the greatest American screenwriter and director of this age - That if you can call him a director
he admittedly does nothing but let the actors free to do their work, which is probably his greatest quality.He's been honing his skills for a long time now and at this point in his life has made countless works of art.
A Paris I never seen on the postcards
Images of the City of Lights that makes you feel you are there.The movie goes on unpretentious as Owen Wilson's character and adorable as Marion Cotillard's Adriana.
Woody Allen has done an excellent job in Midnight in Paris (MIP).There are a lot of special features about this movie.
Like Micheal Sheen's character would say: ¨Nostalgia is denial - denial of the painful present
the name for this denial is Golden Age thinking – the erroneous notion that a different time period is better than the one ones living in.¨ Woody Allen has directed numerous great films and this is one of them that will be remembered nostalgically in years to come.
Gil realizes that he can only travel back in time when the clock strikes midnight, so the adventure begins every night where he meets interesting people like Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo) and his mistress Adriana (Marion Cotillard) who he falls for, and other great artists such as Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody) and Luis Buñuel (Adrien de Van), among others.The true heart of the film relies on Owen Wilson's performance.
Midnight in Paris is just a terrific movie, with a lot of heart, and Woody Allen proves once again that he is a great director and writer.
It seemed like he put all of his attention into crafting the time that Gil (Owen Wilson as the Woody stand-in) travels back to at midnight, and just got sloppy when it came to writing the present day.
Woody Allen directs Owen Wilson, a typical example of a modern American actor, in a movie built on two elements : the magic of the City of Light and the unbelievable spiritual and artistic prosperity of the 20's.
She has seduced writers for centuries, and in "Midnight in Paris" writer/director Woody Allen makes love to her with his camera, in the most poetic of ways.
Played quite convincingly by Owen Wilson (in a surprising and refreshing role that Allen had to re-write for him), Gil is an aspiring novelist who is visiting Paris with his girlfriend (Rachel McAdams) and her parents.
"Midnight in Paris" was a massive disappointment.The film is full of beautiful shots of Paris and perhaps this may distract viewers from the fact that this movie is void of any real meaning whatsoever.The 'story' is about a writer Gil (Owen Wilson) who wants to stay in Paris and write.
This is not anything brilliant, but it is very entertaining, amusing and original; and it its a great time spent at the movies.Midnight In Paris is a surreal and touristic romantic comedy with clever comical gags, a creative story and a beautiful portrayal of the City of Lights.Rating: 3.5/5..
So everyone by now knows the story: Owen Wilson, playing the Woody Allen surrogate, plays a Hollywood writer entranced with the city of Paris during his trip there.
One of them noted that Owen Wilson was a surprisingly excellent choice as the Woody Allen "character"/mouthpiece.After the seductive opening of scenes of Paris (think of the valentine to NYC at the beginning of Manhattan), I found it incredibly jarring to hear what were basically the words and thoughts of a New York Jewish intellectual coming out of a lanky Texan (a problem which was not the case with Larry David in the same role in "Whatever Works").I tried to work with it when I ran into my second big problem with the movie - the fiancé.
Actors and critics alike fall over backwards to praise his work yet i find it all very bland.Midnight in Paris is an odd film about a writer who , while on vacation in Paris with his wife to be, finds a way to go back in time to meet famous artists , writers and musicians and he soon realises that this world is far better than the one he currently lives in.As is any Woody Allen movie , Midnight in Paris is very dialogue orientated , and i have no problem with that but what i don't like is the pretentiousness of it.
Luckily for director Woody Allen it was set in the beautiful Paris which sold the title to me in the first place, I was looking forward too seeing the stunning French backdrop to reminisce on my recent travels...and the horrendous long introduction covered this, and then began the script and the character introduction; In short, the main characters, Gil (Owen Wilson) and the other one...his fiancé i think she was supposed to be (Rachel McAdams) are two people who live in the States and travel to Paris often, despite the obvious and constantly expressed dislike McAdams feels for the place which makes no sense to me at all.
Namely, James Joyce, and note that ALL other writers living in Paris at that time acknowledged Joyce as THE leading writer of that generation.The main actor (character's name is Gil) was like a youthful carbon copy of Woody Allen himself.
"Midnight in Paris" pairs ingenious casting with Allen's usual parade of characters (a neurotic writer, a right-wing Republican ignoramus, and a pedantic know-it-all) and places them in Paris.Woody Allen movies are typically described as a love affair with the city, but this one is just so much more.
"And actually, Paris is the most beautiful in the rain."Probably the most charming and fanciful Woody Allen movies that I've seen, and also one of the most enjoyable.
Owen Wilson is great as a proxy Allen, transported back to the streets of 1920's Paris and looking for his "Golden Age" amongst the famous writers and artists that wafted through the city at that time.
Once the film starts Woody Allen imposes an improbable story with stereotype characters and with a few notable exceptions, it gets stuck in its own cuteness.VERY briefly screenwriter wannabe novelist Gil (Owen Wilson playing Owen Wilson) and his bride to be Inez (Rachel McAdams) are in Paris with Inez' parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy) who in turn are on a business trip.
At midnight, an old car stops and the passengers invite him to go a party and sooner he realizes that he is back to the 20's, where he meets his favorite writers, musicians and artists and lives his dream."Midnight in Paris" is another little masterpiece of Woody Allen, who returns to the genre of fantasy of "The Purple Rose to Cairo" to disclose his alter-ego Gil that falls in love for Paris.
The performances are top-notch, with cameo of great actors and actresses, but I loved Owen Wilson, who is speaking in the same way Woody Allen does, Marion Cotillard and Kathy Bates.
At night, the city comes alive, even in the rain; the movie is shot with such unerring detail and each raindrop seems a work of art symbolizing Gil's various quandaries.I think that Midnight in Paris is one of Allen's finest over the past 20 years, perhaps one of his best ever, and certainly I'm not saying so idly.
I never really thought much of Owen Wilson as an actor, but here - essentially inhabiting the Woody Allen role - he proves to be a charming leading main and much like the film itself, very likable, because even though 'Midnight in Paris' is undeniably clichéd in its portrayal of Paris and the various historical figures, this all adds to the delightful charms of the movie.
Woody Allen, like most directors, has had some moments on pure perfection ("Match Point") and pure garbage ("Shadows and Fog"), but as much as I have the utmost respect for the man, I wouldn't say I am a fan, I just have merely loved a couple of his movies, hated a few others, and there are many I am sure I haven't seen or are somewhat indifferent about.However, "Midnight in Paris," for sure, despite being one of his most commercially successful films ever, is not one of his best works.
Now, one of cinema's smartest directors has made a movie showing the beauty and grace of the city of Paris, with an all-star cast including Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, and Michael Sheen.
A frustrated American writer (Owen Wilson playing a role Allen would have played himself 30 years ago)on his hols in Paris with his obnoxious, materialistic fiancé finds his midnight strolls turning into time travel back to Paris' golden years of the 1920s and the 1880s and along the way meets all manner of artistic and literary greats from Paris' past such as Dali, Scott-Fitzgerald, Hemingway,Metisse etc and in the doing so realises that the past isn't as important as now.
Well up there and surpassing Annie Hall The main protagonist Gil (Owen Wilson) plays his role superbly (as well as the great cast that Woody Allen always seems to find and take from roles you had normally seen them in to roles you would never imagine they could perform)- he essentially has come to Paris with his fiancé and her parents who are as materialistic about life as well as being insincere.
I was certain that Woody Allen's movie 'Zelig' was my all-time favorite film of his...but if so, 'Midnight in Paris' certainly runs a very CLOSE second!.
It is even difficult to describe all the emotions I had after watching it.In this movie directed by Woody Allen, Owen Wilson plays the role of Gil Pender who is an American screenwriter who travels to Paris with his fiancée and her family.
I think this movie is on the fine line between a romantic comedy and an art film with a beauty of color that we can see in most of Woody Allen's movies.I would recommend Midnight in Paris to people who would like to see a peculiar movie with a fantasy world that takes us back to the past.
Escaping his life as a successful and under-demand Hollywood screenwriter, Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) travels with his fiancé Inez (Rachel McAdams) to Paris trying to write a novel and make a real contribution to art, only to find himself going back a 100 years of time, to be surrounded by the artists of the "Golden Era".In his 41st movie, director and screenwriter Woody Allen leaves his most common two topics (love and death) aside, to discuss the art and the definition of the artist.
He seems to be able to bring out the best in them.The only setback for some watching this film may be the various real life characters that Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) runs into who were supposedly hanging out in Paris during the 20's. |
tt1201607 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 | After burying Dobby at the garden of the Shell cottage, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) convinces
Griphook (Warwick Davis) to help them get to Lestrange's vault in Gringotts, to retrieve
one of Voldemort's Horcruxes in exchange for Godric Gryffindor's Sword.
Meanwhile, Ollivander (John Hurt), the Wandmaker warns Harry that he won't stand a chance
with Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) who has the Elder Wand. They arrived in Gringotts, Hermione (Emma Watson) disguised as Bellatrix (Helena Bonham Carter), using a Polyjuice Potion, Ron (Rupert Grint) disguised as a random wizard while Harry and Griphook go under the Invisibility Cloak. With the help of Imperius curse, they manage to get to the carts that take them down to the vaults, but when
their cover is blown, Gringotts security attacks them. They manage to get to Lestrange's vault and find the Horcrux, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, at which Griphook betrays them and flees with the sword yelling "Thieves! Thieves!" Harry grabs the Horcrux and the trio escape using a captive dragon. As they swim ashore of a lake, after jumping off the dragon, Harry has a vision about Voldemort receiving the news that the Horcrux was stolen. Harry sees that Voldemort is angry and scared. Voldemort kills the goblins, including Griphook, that bring him the news. Harry also sees that the next Horcrux is related to Rowena Ravenclaw, and is in Hogwarts castle.The three Apparate to Hogsmeade in hopes of sneaking into the school but a Caterwauling charm is set off that warns the Death Eaters of the trio's arrival. They are saved by Aberforth Dumbledore (Ciarán Hinds),
Albus's brother, who Harry has seen through the mirror that he has. The trio use a passageway to Hogwarts
provided by Aberforth, with Neville Longbottom (Matthew Lewis) leading the way. The group arrives
at the Room of Requirement where Dumbledore's Army made a resistance from Snape's regime. As headmaster, Snape (Alan Rickman) has turned Hogwarts into a lifeless prison. Harry confronts him in front of the entire school by saying, "How dare you stand where he stood. Tell them how it happened that night. How you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you, and killed him" (referring to Albus Dumbledore). Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith) intervenes and fights Severus, who flees to his master. Meanwhile, Voldemort has summoned his army and surrounds Hogwarts.McGonagall and the other Hogwarts staff made a barrier to keep the school safe from any attack. Hermione and Ron go to the Chamber of Secrets to get a basilisk fang (which can destroy Horcruxes), destroy Hufflepuff's Cup, and abruptly kiss. Harry, with the help of Rowena Ravenclaw's ghost daughter, Helena, finds out that the Ravenclaw Diadem was hidden, by Voldemort, in the Room of Requirement. He goes there, but is confronted by Malfoy and friends. When one of Malfoy's cohorts creates an unstoppable fire (and perishes due to it), Harry, Ron and Hermione rush to escape on brooms. They save Malfoy (Tom Felton) and his other friend on the way. They destroy the diadem using a basilisk fang. Voldemort uses the Elder Wand to destroy the shield around Hogwarts.Voldemort and Snape then meet in the boat house, where Voldemort tells Snape that the Elder Wand is not truly his, because he is not the master of it; that Snape is the master of the wand because Snape killed Dumbledore, the previous master. So, Voldemort attacks Snape, and then orders Nagini to kill him.Meanwhile, Harry had been looking into Voldemort's mind to see where he was, and so knew that he was in the boathouse. Harry, Ron and Hermione witness all of this, and when Voldemort disapparates, go into the boathouse. Snape cries a tear of memories, and comments on how Harry has his mother's eyes, and dies.Voldemort then speaks into the minds of every person in the area. He commands his forces to retreat so that the fighters at Hogwarts can dispose of their dead with dignity. He then tells Harry that, unless he gives himself up in the Forbidden Forest, Voldemort will kill everyone who stands in his way.Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to the castle and find that Lupin (David Thewlis), Tonks (Natalia Tena), and Fred (James Phelps) have all died. Harry goes to the Headmaster's office, where he uses the Pensieve to view Snape's memories. Harry learns that Snape has been on the good side ever since Voldemort decided to kill Lily Potter (Harry's mother). Snape loved Lily almost his entire life, and promised to do anything for Dumbledore as long as he protected her. Then, when she was murdered, Snape promised to protect Harry in her place. We learn that Dumbledore had told Snape to kill him, as he would die soon anyway. We then learn that Harry is a Horcrux. Voldemort accidentally created one that fateful night at Godric's Hollow. For this reason, Harry must die.Harry then goes to the Forbidden Forest and opens the snitch (by saying I am ready to die). The
Resurrection Stone appears inside the snitch, and Harry uses it to bring back his deceased loved ones. Harry faces Voldemort who uses the killing curse to kill Harry.Harry wakes up and talks with Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) in a 'heaven-like" place. They talk a little, and Dumbledore says that Voldemort actually killed the bit of his soul that was in Harry, and not Harry himself. So, Harry decides to go back to the Forbidden Forest (his body was always there, but his consciousness was not).Voldemort has Narcissa Malfoy (Helen McCrory) check if Harry is alive. When she reaches Harry, she finds that he is alive, and asks Harry quietly if Draco is still alive. Harry nods, and she pronounces him dead.Believing that he is truly dead, Voldemort's army marches down to the defenseless Hogwarts while Harry is being carried by the tied Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane). Voldemort torments the students and staff as they are now vulnerable and he's ready for anyone who wants to join him. Neville then gives a moving speech in which he says that although Harry is dead, the fight is not over. He then gets the sword of Gryffindor from the sorting hat. Harry reveals himself to be alive and casts a spell to Voldemort and his army. Many of the other Death Eaters flee, including the Malfoy family. Battle ensues inside the castle, and Harry and Voldemort face off and continuously cast spells at each other. On the other hand, Hermione and Ron try to kill the last Horcrux, Nagini. However, they fail to do so. However, when the snake is about to kill them, Neville kills it by decapitating its head using the sword of Gryffindor.Harry and Voldemort cast spells at each other, and Voldemort's killing curse backfires, and kills him, as the Elder wand flies to Harry. Harry explains to Ron and Hermione that Draco was master of the wand, not Snape, because Draco disarmed Dumbledore before Snape killed him. Then, at Malfoy Manor, Harry disarmed Draco, making Harry the true master of the wand. Harry then snaps the wand in two, and throws it away forever.19 years later, Harry and Ginny (Bonnie Wright) are now parents and are guiding Albus Severus Potter and their other children into platform 9 3/4. When Albus is nervous about being sorted into Slytherin, Harry reveals to him that the sorting hat will take your opinion into account. The Potters meet up with Ron and Hermione (who are married) who then watch as their kids ride away on Hogwarts express. | fantasy, boring, cult, violence, atmospheric, flashback, good versus evil, plot twist | train | imdb | null |
tt0086423 | Tender Mercies | Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall), a washed up, alcoholic country singer, awakens at a run-down Texas roadside motel and gas station after a night of heavy drinking. He meets the owner, a young widow named Rosa Lee (Tess Harper), and offers to work in exchange for a room. Rosa Lee, whose husband was killed in the Vietnam War, is raising her young son, Sonny (Allan Hubbard), on her own. She agrees to let Mac stay under the condition that he does not drink while working. The two begin to develop feelings for one another, mostly during quiet evenings sitting alone and sharing bits of their life stories.Mac resolves to give up alcohol and start his life anew. After some time passes, he and Rosa Lee wed. They start attending a Baptist church on a regular basis. One day, a newspaper reporter visits the hotel and asks Mac whether he has stopped recording music and chosen an anonymous life. When Mac refuses to answer, the reporter explains he is writing a story about Mac and has interviewed his ex-wife, Dixie Scott (Betty Buckley), a country music star who is performing nearby.After the story is printed, the neighborhood learns of Mac's past, and members of a local countrywestern band visit him to show their respect. Although he greets them politely, Mac remains reluctant to open up about his past. Later, he secretly attends Dixie's concert. She passionately sings several songs that Mac wrote years earlier, and he leaves in the middle of the performance. Backstage, he talks to Dixie's manager, his old friend Harry (Wilford Brimley). Mac gives him a copy of a new song he has written and asks him to show it to Dixie. Mac tries to talk to Dixie, but she becomes angry upon seeing him and warns him to stay away from their 18-year-old daughter, Sue Anne (Ellen Barkin).Mac returns home to a jealous Rosa Lee and assures her he no longer has feelings for Dixie, who he describes as "poison" to him. Later, Harry visits Mac to tell him, seemingly at Dixie's urging, that the country music business has changed and his new song is no good. Hurt and angry, Mac drives away and nearly crashes the car. He buys a bottle of whiskey but, upon returning home to a worried Rosa Lee and Sonny, he tells them he poured it out. He admits he tried several times to leave Rosa Lee, but found he could not. Some time later, Mac and Sonny are baptized together in Rosa Lee's church.Eventually, Sue Anne visits Mac, their first encounter since she was a baby. Mac asks whether she got any of his letters, and she says her mother kept them from her. Sue Anne also reports that Dixie tried to keep her from visiting Mac and that she plans to elope with her boyfriend despite her mother's objections. Mac admits he used to hit Dixie and that she divorced him after he tried to kill her in a drunken rage. Sue Anne asks whether Mac remembers a song about a dove he sang to her when she was a baby. He claims he does not, but after she leaves he sings to himself the hymn "On the Wings of a Dove."Boys at school bully Sonny about his dead father, and he and Mac grow closer. The members of the local country band ask Mac permission to perform one of his songs, and he agrees. Mac begins performing with them and they make plans to record together. His newfound happiness is interrupted when he learns Sue Anne has been killed in a car accident. Mac attends his daughter's funeral at Dixie's lavish home in Nashville and comforts her when she breaks down.Mac returns to Rosa Lee in despair. He says, "I don't know why I wandered out to this part of Texas drunk, and you took me in and pitied me and helped me to straighten out, marry me. Why? Why did that happen? Is there a reason that happened? And Sonny's Daddy died in the war, my daughter killed in an automobile accident. Why? See, I don't trust happiness. I never did; I never will."Back home, Mac keeps quiet about his emotional pain, although he wonders aloud to Rosa Lee why his once sorry existence has been given meaning and, on the other hand, his daughter died. Throughout his mourning, Mac continues his new life with Rosa Lee and Sonny. In the final scene, Sonny finds a football Mac has left him as a gift. Mac watches the hotel from a field across the road and sings "On the Wings of a Dove" to himself. Sonny thanks him for the football and the two play catch together in the field. | romantic | train | imdb | This moving and thought-provoking film is a timeless classic of redemption and perseverance.Robert Duvall totally captures the pain, heartache, despair and ultimate survival of a once beloved entertainer.The film is an emotional tour-de-force for all the main characters, as they deal with forgiveness, doubt, loss of faith and memories of what might have been .......The direction, screenplay, music and cinematography are all top-notch and add to the realistic feel of the film.In a career that has seen a number of great performances, this quiet, unassuming Duvall film will leave you inspired as well as thoughtful.
"Tender Mercies" is a strong character study about a washed-up country singer (Robert Duvall, in his Oscar-winning role) who finds the will to live and makes the most of his life.
Excellent and somewhat surprising supporting performances came from newcomer Tess Harper (discovered for this film by Duvall and Beresford) Ellen Barkin and Betty Buckley.
It's a lot more than just seeing an Oscar-winning performance by Robert Duvall as Texan and former C&W singer and writer, "Mac Sledge." It's simply good storytellingI can't say I am a fan of Duvall's country singing, but that is the only thing I didn't like.
In addition, actors Buckley (who can sing, too), Wilford Brimley and Ellen Barkin all give memorable supporting performances.It was an interesting tale of something I have rarely seen on film in the past 50 years: a good Christian woman lifting up a man to her level.
Robert Duvall richly deserved the Oscar he won for Best Actor, and Bruce Beresford's direction is quirky but consistently entertaining.The most wonderful aspect of this movie is how the screenwriter (Horton Foote) doesn't let the characters engage in all the obvious, "Hollywood" histrionics that the plot would allow them to do.
"Tender Mercies" is one of those rare Hollywood films that works in all departments, from the cast, the writer, the cinematographer, right on down to the smallest contributors.The story concerns a popular country music recording artist, Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall), hooked on alcohol, used up by the Nashville shredding machine and now adrift looking for new directions when a younger widow, Rosa Lee (Tess Harper in her movie debut), running a second-rate motel in east Texas, with a son, Sonny (Allan Hubbard), to raise, takes him in.
Like Mac, Lefty was able to overcome the handicap and make a triumphant return to stardom just before an untimely death caused by his rambunctious life style.Not only does Robert Duvall successfully pick and sing other artists' songs, he contributes two good compositions of his own, "Fool's Waltz," and "I've Decided to Leave Her Forever." Needless to say, Duvall deserved the Oscar he won for his performance.The highly underrated Tess Harper keeps up with Robert Duvall all the way.
Tess Harper played Rosa Lee, Mac's new wife." Adding to that note, Tessie's parents, the Washam's, owned and operated a hardware store in Mammoth Spring at the time "Tender Mercies" was released..
TENDER MERCIES is a simple story of a country western singer's rise from the depths of drunken despair to respectability again after meeting a woman (TESS HARPER) with whom he falls in love, marries and is encouraged to try his hand at music again.ROBERT DUVALL is Mac, the washed up singer, now the handyman at the motel run by Harper, who lives there with her young son.
Duvall plays the role with conviction, lending his voice to the songs in pleasant country style.His ex-wife is bitter and unforgiving (BETTY BUCKLEY), and sees everything, even the tragic death of their daughter (ELLEN BARKIN) in terms of herself as the spotlight--and unable to treat him with any sort of respect.
But he basks in the loving attention of his wife and his adopted son, getting his nourishment from his relationship with them rather than anything from his past.It's a bittersweet story, simple and direct without any sub-plots or any kind of distraction and passes the time quickly in ninety minutes, more a character study of Mac than anything else.I'm not a fan of country music nor this sort of western, but it has a certain homespun appeal and Duvall, of course, is an actor worth watching.
A broken-down, middle-aged country singer (Robert Duvall) gets a new wife, reaches out to his long-lost daughter, and tries to put his troubled life back together.The film encompasses several different themes, including the importance of love and family, the possibility of spiritual resurrection amid death, and the concept of redemption through Mac Sledge's conversion to Christianity.
Ah, he can't sing, but he gets a nice voice-over during a honky tonk gig.So former Country star Duval has fallen hard and end drunkenly ends up at a rural Austin motel to take up with Tess Harper, a widow of the Vietnam War. Her young son needs a father.
An endearing portrait of a weather-beaten American country musician Mac Sledge (Duvall), who takes the pledge and plumps for an ordinary life with his new wife Rose Lee (Harper) in the sticks.
Fetching up in a motel in a middle-of-nowhere Texas, the lush Mac is broke and has to pay off his staying by working for the motel owner, that happens to be Rose Lee, a young widow who has lost her husband in the Vietnam war and now runs the motel with her school-age son Sonny (Hubbard, this is his sole screen credit but he is down right sympathetic).
Meantime, Mac's backstory trickles alongside his new-found happiness, his ex-wife Dixie Scott (Buckley, shrilly shines in her Dolly Parton-inflected singing bent and edgy streak) is still a highly demanded touring singer feeding off on songs Mac wrote for her, and Mac has been proscribed from seeing their daughter Sue Anne (Ellen Barkin's second film credit), now in a troubled age of 18, ever since the inimical divorce (whose raison d'être entails alcoholism and domestic violence).
So naturally, there are some fences needed mending, and through tacit love, old/new friendship and religion (not pedagogic but with a waft of sincere communion), Mac will eventually get hold of the most precious values about love, loss, family and life itself (past and present), they are mundanely traditional, but gleaming with a patina of poetic finesse under Beresford's sober and unobtrusive execution (you might anticipate an old soak's inevitable interlude of backsliding, which would serve as a jolting plot swerve, but nonetheless, that doesn't need to happen every time in a movie's plot!), which elevates this gem from other blasé offerings replete with lachrymosity and/or melancholia.The film is based on American playwright Horton Foote's tender-hearted and unaffected script (also reaped an Oscar), his very first original screenplay if truth be told, and there is no dispute on Mr. Duvall's quietly touching impersonation of a country singer in his own raw voice, like Mac's persona, his musical rendition is also mostly touching when he is simply strumming and humming inside his homestead, music should always have its self-pleasing precept before becoming a crowd-pleasing commodity.
However, it is utterly remiss that Tess Harper is hardly hailed for her equally brilliant turn (a Golden Globe nomination is the solitary consolation, but she is leading in my book), an immaculate screen debut, her Rose Lee exemplifies a woman who truly understands how to tame a jaded soul and wills herself to stand behind her imperfect husband and support him through the vagaries, it is such a rare performance completely devoid of pretension and self- awarenss, her tranquil gaze magnificently rounds off this essential small-tale-with-a-big-heart boon, a slam-dunk melodrama..
Robert Duvall, in an Oscar-winning role, is a has-been country singer given a second chance with a new wife and a stepson (the previous father/husband in this family had been killed in Vietnam) while his ex-wife continues a successful singing career while prohibiting him from seeing their daughter due the the fact that he used to be an alcoholic and tended to be violent when he was drunk.
Horton Foote's original screenplay also won the other Oscar that Tender Mercies took home.If you're a country music fan you'll love this film and for Robert Duvall fans it's a must..
Reduced to a life of drunkenness, a former famous country singer finds the inspiration to turn his life around after befriending a lonely widow who works an outskirts gas station in this Horton Foote scripted drama that won Robert Duvall his only ever Oscar.
Emotional, engaging drama.An alcoholic drifter, Mac Sledge (played by Robert Duvall), finds himself in a small Texas town.
I was pleasantly surprised on how good this film was, and it certainly hits home.Bruce Beresford's film is about a middle-aged, once-famous country singer named Mac whose life was turned upside down by alcohol.
But life gets complicated when his long-lost daughter comes back into his life and when a chance arises to resurrect his music career.It's surprising that Robert Duvall has only one Oscar win to his name, but that came with this film and you can see why.
We get some riveting supporting performances by Tess Harper as his new wife, Betty Buckley as his bitter ex-wife, and Ellen Barkin as his long-lost daughter.Overall, Tender Mercies is a small, emotional drama that is led by Robert Duvall's heartfelt performance and the notion of what it's like to change for the better.
That's kind of the theme of this slow-developing character study of a damaged man named Mac (Robert Duvall), former country songwriter and singer.The script tells the story of Mac and his life in the slow lane, and his relationship to Rosa (Tess Harper) and others around him.
As such, the film's tone was less evocative than it could have been.Slow-moving and very low-key, "Tender Mercies" offers viewers a plausible and deeply thematic story of life in a rural setting with characters that are believable and fairly likable.
Standing in stark contrast to the superhero and graphic novel special effects extravaganzas of today, this little film takes a slow, simmering approach as it deals with real emotions of life.Robert Duvall won his only (so far) Oscar (he's been nominated 6 times) for playing Mac Sledge, a divorced former C&W singer/songwriter who spends each day trying to kill the pain by draining bottles of booze.
The similarities to Jeff Bridges' 2009 film Crazy Heart are unmistakable, but this film is much quieter with emotions being relayed through the eyes and body language of the key characters.Mac's gradual path to redemption comes courtesy of war-widow Rosa Lee, played exceedingly well by Tess Harper (her first feature film).
I won't go into describing the plot because so many other people already have, but there's one thing that I don't think anyone else has touched on and I wanted to give my opinion on it.If you look at the two women in Mac Sledge's life, that's where you'll see the point of the whole story.Rosa lost her young husband to a war not long after they got married and could never find out how or even when he died.
What was so well shown was that all fame is ephemeral and can be gone in a flash, so deeper values must be sought and lived instead.Tess Harper, as his practical and loving wife and Texas motel owner who gave the old ex-country singer/present drunk his last chance at life by first employing him and then marrying him, was truly outstanding.
And, since this is a film that earned Robert Duvall the Oscar for Best Actor, I decided to give it a try once again.So what did I think this time?
A gentle quiet film, wonderfully written by Horton Foote, and featuring a magnificent performance by Robert Duvall as an alcoholic ex-country singer star, who rediscovers himself by finding a family.
The supporting work by Tess Harper and Betty Buckley is worth mentioning as well, as is Bruce Beresford's understated but always effective and evocative direction.But ultimately it's Foote's screenplay, set in a world where predictability and cliché are the usual, that manages to pull off the almost impossible and create something unique, tender, and new..
Robert Duvall was awarded an Oscar for his performance in this quiet film about a down and out country music singer who rebuilds his life in the Texas flatlands.
Left for dead in a desolate motel room in the middle of the Texas plains, it is here where this former star begins to build a modest, yet honest life from his own ruins.This is perhaps Robert Duvall's best work, and indeed he was rewarded with the Oscar for best actor.
The use of irregular shots is also extremely effective in drawing--no, yanking the viewer's attention in the right direction in ambivalent plot moments.If you like Robert Duvall, or have any interest toward failure/redemption, the business side of Country music, rural Southern scenes, or enjoy a strong subject, subtly put, you should definitely see this film.
This isn't, after all, a glorified music video vehicle for an established country star - it's a quiet film about real people.The look and feel of "Tender Mercies" falls in close to what the title promises.
Bobby Duvall's Oscar-Winning performance as a washed-up singer, is flawless, and Bruce Beresford directs this story with great patience.'Tender Mercies' tells the story of Mac Sledge, played by Duvall, a recovering alcoholic country music singer, who seeks to turn his life around through his relationship with a young widow and her son in rural Texas.Horton Foote's Screenplay is beautiful, as said before.
A Work Of Art. Horton Foote has written a fine story with rich character sketches: Mac Sledge a divorced, drinker, country song writer who rebuilds his life.
"Tender Mercies" (1983, color, 92 minutes) is one of Roger Ebert's "Great Films." It won Oscars for leading male actor (Duvall) and screenplay (Foote).
Mac Sledge (Duvall) starts the film in a drunken stupor at least partially caused by his divorce from his country star wife, Dixie.
Rosa Lee, (a young Tess Harper) as a young Christian widow with an 8 year-old son, lets him do odd jobs to pay off his debt and then agrees to have him stay on to help out around the motel.They fall in love and marry as he gradually leaves the bottle and regains interest in his music.This really is a story of redemption and the love and support that a fallen person needs to get back on his feet.
It is very sincere and real.It is especially interesting to see the ever surprising Robert Duvall sing the songs and dance to the country music as if he really were a country music star.Of course at that time most people remembered his role as the lawyer in the Godfather films but he has since shown that he can play a retired Cuban barber and an assassin who loves Tango..
I don't know that it necessarily makes it the "best movie ever," but this film is absolutely "perfect:" it has a realistic, heartwarming story line; the three leads (led by on of the great actors of out time) are likable and genuine; all of the supporting characters are likewise; and the performers are also the same.
From the cinematography, to the excellent screenplay and direction, and especially to the outstanding cast, Tender Mercies is a must see film.Robert Duvall's career has really run the gamut in the last few years.
Great casting, good music and one of the best actors of all time, Robert Duvall, make Tender Mercies an all time great..
Tender Mercies (1983)*** (out of 4) Robert Duvall picked up the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Mac Sledge, a country music singer who finds himself broke due to alcohol.
Relationships evolve in unexpected ways and change the participants, for better or worse.The narrative from the intense scene in the garden with Mac and Rosa to the end of the film summarizes the tenets of existentialism in a manner that would make Camus jealous.Even if you are not a country and western music fan the songs in this movie are such an integral part of it that the strength of the movie can at least stimulate an appreciation of the genre.Most all of us have had some tender mercies granted to us in our lives.
Simple, wonderfully acted, quietly effective drama about an alcoholic singer, Mac Sledge(Robert Duvall)whose career and life is careening into a complete disaster until he meets kind, warm-hearted Rosa Lee(Tess Harper), the widow of a young man who died in Vietnam and mother to a gentle, intelligent little boy.
Mac has a second ex-wife, Dixie(Betty Buckley), now quite a huge Country music star, he was abusive to when drunk that denies him a chance to re-unite with his 18-year old daughter Sue Anne(Ellen Barkin).
Tragedy will inevitably strike Mac's life when Sue Anne decides to run away with a musician in Dixie's band, who is a drunk like he once was.Unlike other films of it's ilk, "Tender Mercies" doesn't take that melodramatic turn one might expect.
But upon thinking of it (and just the fact that I'd spend that much time thinking about it shows you how great a film this is) I realized, no, the story is so universal, the acting so excellent, the music so enthralling, it passes boundaries and anyone can enjoy it.It's difficult to believe that Betty Buckley and Robert Duvall are actually doing their own singing since neither has been given enough credit for those talents.
Bruce Beresford directs this wonderfully moody small town drama, which sees actor Robert Duvall playing an alcoholic country singer who divorces his wife and takes up odd jobs at a Texas gas station to make ends meet.
"Tender Mercies" is a drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and nominated for five Academy Awards including the Best Picture, and won 2 of them, Best Original Screenplay, Horton Foote, and Best Actor in a Leading Role, Robert Duvall.
As the story opens, washed-up country singer Mac (Robert Duvall) is dead drunk in a shabby Texas motel room. |
tt1853739 | You're Next | In the opening scene, Adam and Talia (Kate Lyn Sheil) are seen having sex. After they finish, Adam gets up to take a shower while Talia heads downstairs to make herself a drink. She notices that the sliding glass doors in the living room are open. She closes the doors then puts on a CD. Adam finishes with his shower, and steps out into the bedroom, where he sees something written on the mirror. As he steps closer, he realizes the message is written in blood and reads, "You're Next". When he looks down, he finds Talia lying in a pool of blood, stabbed to death. As Adam turns around, he is accosted by a masked man, who kills him with a machete to the head.In the next scene, Paul (Rob Moran) and Aubrey (Barbara Crampton), a middle-aged couple, are driving to their country home. As they pass by their neighbors house, Paul mentions that the neighbor (Adam) recently left his wife for a co-ed (Talia). They enter their country home, a stately mansion, heavily secluded deep in the woods. As they are unpacking, Audrey hears a noise come from upstairs. She is then startled by Paul, who enters the dining room where she was setting up. She asks if he was upstairs just then; he says no. She thinks someone is upstairs, but he just brushes it off, saying its a creaky old house. Just then, they hear another sound. Paul sends Aubrey outside, while he goes up to investigate. He enters the upstairs bedroom and is about to open a dark closet door, when he is startled by Crispian, his son. Crispian (AJ Bowen) asks why his mother is outside, crying. Paul and Crispian head downstairs; once they leave the room, the closet door creaks open, revealing that someone was, in fact, hiding inside.Paul and Crispian meet Aubrey outside, where she is comforted by Erin (Sharni Vinson), Crispian's Australian girlfriend. It is later revealed that the entire weekend is a family reunion of sorts, which includes Crispian's two brothers and his sister. Erin and Crispian are the first to arrive, with the rest set to arrive the next day. That night, while in bed, Crispian reveals to Erin that his father was in the marketing department for a huge defense contract company, and the family is loaded.The next morning, Crispian awakens and heads downstairs, where he finds Erin sitting with Drake (Joe Swanberg), Crispians brother, and Kelly (Margaret Laney), Drakes wife. Drake is somewhat arrogant and condescending, and mocks Crispian for being fat as a child. Erin goes into the kitchen where Aubrey is preparing dinner and asks if she needs help. Aubrey asks if Erin can go to the neighbors house (Alan) and borrow some milk. Erin heads over to the house, where she hears the Dwight Twilley song blaring. As she knocks on the door, the song ends, and starts right up again. From inside the house, we see Alan's dead body propped up on the sofa, so it appears he is just sitting, as we hear Erin knock on the door. When she receives no reply, she heads back to the house.Later that night, the rest of the family arrive: Felix (Nicholas Tucci), Crispian and Drakes other brother, and his girlfriend, Zee (Wendy Glenn), a moody goth chick; and Aimee (Amy Seimetz), the little sister, and her boyfriend, Tariq (Ti West), a documentary filmmaker.As the family sits down to dinner, Paul toasts the reunion of the family, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. However, the mood is suddenly broken when Drake starts mocking Tariq's films, claiming that he enjoys commercials more than actual film making, then asks Crispian how he and Erin met. Crispian (who is a teacher/professor) reveals that Erin was originally his TA, but stopped when they begin dating. Drake mutters that it was unprofessional under his breath, which Crispian hears, and an argument ensues. Soon, the rest of the family joins in, and everyone starts arguing. In the middle of all of this, Tariq looks out the window and sees something. He gets up from the table and approaches the window. Suddenly, an arrow bursts through the glass, striking Tariq square in the forehead. No one notices at first, until they see Tariq stumble around, then drop dead to the floor with the arrow sticking out of his head. More arrows burst through the window panes, causing everyone to fall to the ground and seek cover. In the middle of the panic, Aubrey stands up, and Drake moves to push her out of the way, just as another arrow breaks through the glass, hitting Drake in the shoulder.The family makes it out of the dining room, while they tend to Drakes wound. Everyone checks their phones to call 911, but none of the phones are working. Felix mentions that whoever it is might be jamming the signals. Erin grabs her phone and sends a text message to 911, revealing that she knows that they have to respond to that, but is unsure if they will get a decent signal. They decide that one of them should run outside and try to get to one of the cars. Aimee volunteers. Crispian suggests that Aimee get a running start, and that he and Paul will open the doors at the last second, so as to catch the killers by surprise. Aimee makes a break for the door. They open the doors, and she makes it outside, but is immediately cut down by a length of piano wire stretched horizontally in front of the door. The wire slices Aimee's jugular, and, after they pull her back inside to safety, the family watches helplessly as she bleeds to death. Aubrey breaks down after watching her daughter die. Erin runs upstairs and checks around, finding no one, and suggests they put Aubrey to bed. Paul comforts Aubrey as he puts her in bed, and leaves her in the room, locking the door behind him.Aubrey is inconsolable, and continues to cry in bed, just as a man dressed in black clothes and wearing a Fox Mask crawls out from under the bed. As Aubrey continues to wail, Fox Mask pulls out a machete and kills Aubrey with a blow to the head. The rest of the family hears Aubrey's scream and rush upstairs, where they find Aubrey's corpse, and the words "You're" Next scrawled on the wall in her blood. Paul breaks down, and is helped back downstairs by his sons. Kelly goes up into the bedroom to see Aubrey's corpse, and notices the window is open. She moves to close the window, then hears something in the room. She peeks down under the bed and sees Fox Mask. Frightened, Kelly runs from the room, screaming, and runs outside. Drake goes after her, but knocks the back of the arrow sticking out of his shoulder against the piano wire, causing him extreme pain. He grabs the end of the arrow and yanks it from his shoulder, causing him to pass out. Crispian and Erin pull Drake back inside the house. Crispian then tells Erin that hes going to go look for help and promises that he will return.Kelly rushes through the woods and comes upon Alan's house. She sees Alan sitting on his couch, and she screams to be let inside, slamming her hands against the back windows. Alan, however, doesn't respond because he is dead. As Kelly continues to pound on the glass, the reflection of a man wearing a Tiger Mask materializes behind her. She turns around just as a person with a tiger mask throws her through the glass. Kelly, injured and bleeding, begins crawling on the floor, as Tiger Mask pulls out an maul, puts his foot on Kelly's neck, and slams the maul into Kelly's head. Tiger Mask then pulls the maul from Kelly's head, then sits down on the couch next to Alan's corpse, staring at Kelly's dead body.Back at the house, Erin goes into the kitchen to gather weapons and grabs a kitchen knife. As she passes by a window, a hand bursts through, as a man wearing a Lamb Mask grabs her by the hair. Erin struggles to break free, and stabs Lamb Mask in the hand, pinning it against the wall. Lamb Mask screams, as Erin moves to get another weapon, grabbing a meat pounder. When she turns back to the window, she finds Lamb Mask is gone.Erin goes back to the living room, where she finds Felix and Zee, and is about to hand them weapons when another window explodes, causing Erin to fall to the ground, dropping all of the weapons. She looks up and sees that Kellys corpse was used to break the glass, as Tiger Mask enters the home, wielding the axe. He raises it and slams it down on Erin, who moves out of the way just in time. Erin then kicks Tiger Mask in the crotch, then grabs the meat pounder. She strikes Tiger Mask in the knee, causing him to fall over and then bludgeons him to death with the meat pounder. Felix and Zee watch in horror, as Tiger Mask lies dead on the ground, surrounded by his own blood and brains. Erin reveals Tiger Masks face, asking Felix and Zee if they know him. They both say 'no'. Erin guesses that there are at least two other assailants, and that one is definitely in the house. Hearing this, Paul grabs a knife, and heads back upstairs, seeking revenge for his wife's death. Erin notices that he's gone and goes to find him, but Felix and Zee offer to go get him instead. Erin then heads down to the basement after Felix reveals that there are additional tools (weapons) down there.While upstairs, Paul searches for the other assailant, and is shadowed by Fox Mask. Paul checks the closet from earlier, and finds a sleeping bag, bottled water, and even a bottle filled with urine, revealing that someone had camped out in the closet over a few days. He is startled by Felix and Zee, who try to convince him to come back downstairs. Paul tells them that they're being targeted, that this wasn't a random act of violence, just as Fox Mask steps out of the corner and slices Paul's throat with the machete. Paul dies a slow, bloody, agonizing death, as Felix and Zee watch without emotion. After Paul dies, Fox Mask walks up to Felix and Zee. Felix asks Fox Mask why he did that in front of them. It is then revealed that the assailants are working for Felix and that he is after the inheritance, which is worth millions.Downstairs, Lamb Mask enters the house, and finds Tiger Mask dead on the ground. Lamb Mask goes into a rage, turning the dining room table over, and screaming. Erin hears his screams, grabs a screwdriver, and heads back upstairs. Drake also awakens from the screams, and is cornered by Lamb Mask, who is hell bent on revenge. He approaches Drake with the machete, just as Erin runs into the room, and stabs Lamb Mask in the back. Lamb Mask screams in pain, then rushes out the front door, with the screwdriver still in his back. Erin tells Drake that he blacked out. He asks about Kelly, and, not wanting to reveal the truth, Erin says she doesn't know where she is. Felix and Zee re-enter the room, and both say that they found nothing upstairs. Erin then tells Drake and Felix to go down to the basement to find more weapons, as she and Zee will make booby traps. Erin and Zee then take some boards and drive nails into them, placing them under the exposed windows, so that anyone stepping inside will step on a nail. Zee asks where Erin learned all of her tactics. Erin reveals that she had a strange childhood, and that her father went crazy when she was a child, and moved the entire family to the Outback, and basically raised Erin in a survivalist compound. As she explains this, Zee picks up one of the boards and is about to drive the nails into Erin, but stops when she turns around.Downstairs, Felix reveals to Drake that Kelly is actually dead. Drake breaks down and yells at his brother, who proceeds to stab Drake in the chest with five screwdrivers, yelling for him to die.Meanwhile, Erin asks about Paul, and Zee says he upstairs, and hes fine. Erin wants to go up and check on him, but Zee volunteers to do so. Erin says they can go up together. Zee changes her mind, and says she feels safer downstairs. Erin heads upstairs, as Zee goes to the basement to meet up with Felix. Upstairs, Erin finds Paul's corpse, and is suddenly cornered by Fox Mask. With nowhere to go, she jumps from the second story window, landing hard on the ground below, as a shard of glass impales her left leg. Fox Mask looks down from the second story, as Erin limps off into the woods. Felix and Zee meet up with Fox Mask, and explains that everything is going wrong. He tells Fox Mask to go get Erin and kill her, but Fox Mask says that hes faster and stronger than her, and doesn't seem to be in a hurry to finish the job. Felix reminds Fox Mask that he is paying him a lot of money. Fox Mask exits the room, as Zee pushes Felix onto the bed and tries to initiate sex. Felix says hes not in the mood, and Zee says she wants him to fuck me next to your dead mother. Felix is revolted, as Zee states that he never wants to do anything interesting. Felix leaves the room, while Zee steals a ring off of Aubrey's corpse.Erin limps next to a tree, pulling out a mini-flashlight, and pulls the shard from her leg. She hears a noise and turns with the flashlight, revealing Lamb Mask, aiming a crossbow at her. He fires, but she ducks just in time, and makes back towards the house.Erin crawls through one of the shattered windows and hides behind a curtain. Lamb Mask crawls through the same open window, avoiding the boards with the protruding nails, but doesn't see the other board placed closer to the windowsill, and steps right on a nail. Lamb Mask screams in agony, as Felix, Zee, and Fox Mask make their way into the living room. Lamb Mask pulls the nail from his foot. Felix complains about Lamb Mask bleeding on the carpet, leaving his DNA. Lamb Mask, enraged, grabs Felix and shoves him against the wall, shouting about Erin killing his brother (Tiger Mask). Felix claims he didnt know they were brothers, he just knew they served together (implying that the assailants are all ex-soldiers, possibly working for the defense company that made the family rich). When Lamb Mask threatens Felix again, Felix, though frightened, states that no one will get anything if he dies, since he alone will receive the entire inheritance of his family's estate (revealing that he killed Drake). He does, however, offer to pay Lamb Mask and Fox Mask extra as soon as the inheritance comes through. Erin, hiding behind the curtain, hears all of this, when suddenly her cell phone starts to beep. The sound gets everyone's attention, as Erin fumbles with the phone, revealing that her text message to 911 sent earlier has gone through, meaning the cops are on their way.After Felix agrees to pay the remaining assailants extra, Fox Mask grabs the machete, and walks over to the curtains to kill Erin. Erin, weaponless, raises her fists, and, when Fox Mask pulls back the curtains, she punches him straight in the throat. Fox Mask grabs his throat, choking, as Erin escapes out of the house. When she makes it outside, she double backs into the house through another exposed window. Felix, Zee, Fox Mask (having recovered from the throat punch) rush out to catch her, with Lamb Mask, dragging his wounded foot, follows behind. Felix, Zee, and Fox Mask split up to search for Erin, with Felix taking the crossbow from Fox Mask. Lamb Mask, once he makes it outside, notices the other open window, and slowly approaches it with the axe ready. When he pokes his head through the window, Erin stabs him in the head with a screwdriver, killing him, and taking the maul.While inside the house, Erin sets up a booby trap by positioning the maul above the door, holding it with a brick and some yarn, and tying it to a chair, so that once the front door is opened, the axe comes swinging down, and kills whomever walks through. As she finishes setting up the trap, she sees Fox Mask heading back inside the house. She anticipates him opening the front door, but is surprised when he enters through one of the exposed windows. Erin makes her way down to the basement, where she smashes all of the lights. She sets up her digital camera to take numerous pictures automatically, each time with a flash. Fox Mask enters the darkened basement, lit only by the flashes of the camera. As he approaches the camera, Erin takes a block of wood and smashes Fox Mask over the head. She then beats Fox Mask to death with the block of wood and exits the basement.She heads back into the living room and slowly picks up a discarded knife, not seeing that Felix is outside the house with the crossbow, putting her in his sights. She senses something, then turns right as the arrow bursts through the glass. She falls over, seemingly hit. Felix and Zee crawl through one of the windows and go to find Erin.Zee enters the kitchen, where she finds Erin (who was not hit by the arrow), and they fight. Felix enters and stabs Erin in the shoulder with a knife. Erin grabs a blender and smashes the glass over Felix's head, then places the exposed blades on top of his head, wraps the cord around his neck, and plugs the blender into the wall socket. The blender starts up, the blades cutting through Felix's skull, killing him. Zee watches in horror, as Erin pulls the knife from her shoulder, and stabs Zee through the head, killing her, as well.As Erin, exhausted and bleeding, sits next to the corpses of Felix and Zee, she hears Felix's cell phone ring. She grabs the phone and accepts the call, but doesn't say anything. She hears Crispian on the other end, asking Felix if it is over. Crispian enters the house, continuing to talk to whom he believes is Felix, until she turns a corner and finds Erin holding the cell phone in one hand, a knife in the other. Crispian asks about Felix and Zee; Erin reveals that she killed them both. Crispian tries to explain that he was in on it, but that was because he was broke, and offers to pay off Erin's student loans, quit her bartending job, take a vacation, etc. He tries to explain that she was never meant to be harmed, but that things got out of control. He slowly approaches her, trying to convince her that she can either be rich or he could go to jail. Erin then stabs him in the neck behind the ear, causing him to bleed severely, before finishing him off by stabbing him in the eye. Crispian falls to the ground, dead.Just as Erin is about to leave, she is shot in the shoulder, and falls to the ground. A young police officer stands next to one of the exposed windows, holding his smoking gun, surprised by either what he did or what he's seen. Mistakenly thinking that Erin might be responsible for all of the killings, the cop returns to the patrol car and radios into dispatch about bringing backup and an ambulance. He then turns to head inside the house and opens the front door. Erin, with very little strength, screams for the cop not to enter through that way, just as the maul slams into the policeman's face. | dark, comedy, realism, murder, violence, horror, plot twist, entertaining | train | imdb | So when another one comes along with good hype and a promise of reinvigorating the formula, it's cause for horror film fans to start salivating.You're Next doesn't reinvent anything, but it consistently and confidently keeps the formula well oiled and proves to be one of the better films of its type.
Refreshingly this is not a roll call of pretty teenagers being stalked and slashed, this is an assorted bunch, young and old, all shapes and sizes, and the family bickering that precedes the carnage is a smart move, because once family members start getting killed there's a genuine sense of grief and regret coursing through those yet to be sliced and diced.It's nice to find that Wingard has great respect for his target audience, he's made a film for fans of the sub-genre and inserted a darkly comic streak that pays off royally.
Elsewhere the makers give us a great heroine, a truly resourceful gal that fights back with a ferocity that's both sexy and frightening, and while the revelation of why these events are happening is hardly original – or that the back story given for our heroine's skills is just silly – Wingard plonks it all together with such bloody verve it hardly matters.Some less than good acting from a couple of the cast, and the overuse of shaky-cam stops it from going through the roof out into the genius stratosphere, but this is a cracker of a home invasion horror and well worth a night in with the lights off and the volume tuned up loud.
A gang of masked killers descend on the family, but Erin has a few surprises waiting for them.It takes a lot of time to get the movie going.
Ti West made a few worthwhile movies ("The Roost", "House of the Devil"), but their previous group project "V/H/S" was lamentable and this effort – released with a delay of nearly two years – is only just slightly above average."You're Next" opens very promising and traditional, with a mixture of good old 80's slasher setting and a post-2000 brutal home invasion concept.
Soon the killers are in the house, taking out family members one by one as they inexplicably go exploring rooms on their own.There will be blood; there will be predictable twists; there will be a dearth of surprises.A lack of innovation wasn't a problem for recent horror hit The Conjuring, but then that movie was propelled by skillful performances, the subtle building of tension, a fine script, plausible character motivations, elegant direction and editing, and some imaginative scary encounters.
I saw this film last night with my teenage granddaughter.She wanted to be scared by a "horror" movie, and it managed to turn her head a time or two.
With an excess of the red stuff, a lack of genuine structure and some repetitive stuff, those who don't care for horror films will be more exhausted than entertained and this certainly isn't without flaws, but it has to be admired for its energy and use of humour.It's a well directed movie with a lot of punch and zest, and while it's not emphasizing scares there are suspenseful and frightening moments.
What sets the film apart is its gloriously badass heroine, who is one of the coolest horror movie heroines of all time.
YN can feel like a bit of a slight movie, but it's got brains and intensity that modern horror lacks and from the start you're drawn in by the normal seeming characters and stylish, gore soaked death scenes.
And when they did receive screen time, the scenes usually featured other people, all of whom were usually screaming and/or talking over one another, making things very disorienting.Second, the movie takes on the common slasher movie structure -- the group of people in a house, and the killer who comes in, and well, you can guess.
This caused the movie to no longer be scary, but just a practice in "look at these ways of killing people I thought up of!".
If you enjoy "Good" Horror flicks like "The Strangers" don't rent this movie...ever!!.
Otherwise, what is the point of watching?But when a movie comes along trying to be a serious horror flick and it has ALL of the above faults & possibly more, I draw the line.
That's fine for some shoe- string short film made by amateurs for youtube but it's ridiculous for a movie like this.It does get better in the second half and I think the reason people are scoring it so highly is all down to the one character and actor who makes this dross just that little bit better.
Then the second half is just fun and mayhem.I haven't seen the Korean original - I had no idea this was remake when I watched it, but I might track it down just to see what the movie was supposed to be like.
But that doesn't make this movie in any way bad, in fact I found this movie rather enjoyable, especially when the killers show up, three of them in fact wearing animal masks, which makes the whole ordeal rather frightening and unsettling.There are moments of great shock and great impact, like when the first family member gets knocked off, and the remaining members are left ducking and taking cover, and the death scenes are cool and gruesome, but the only thing that kinda lacks are the characters, as they are written rather thinly and very absent minded, I know okay you gets that in nearly all these types of movies, but in this one, they are especially stupid and mean, for a family unit, it's as if they don't care about each other, like letting their youngest daughter run outside and leaving a family member alone in the bedroom alone to get hacked to pieces, and the way they run off alone is rather unbelievable even for a movie of this kind.
But that doesn't make this movie in any way bad, it's all the more fun and the only cast member worth mentioning is Erin played brilliantly by Sharni Vinson takes the final girl role to a whole new and exciting level and also the twist in the plot does explain things rather well and wraps everything up nicely.All in all "You're next" is a fun paced slasher, that okay a bit sloppy in places but still packs a punch and with a cool final girl who really makes this movie a decent watch..
Being someone who's seen SO many different horror movies, it's nice to finally watch one that keeps you on your toes the whole time.
For the genre that it is -- 100% slasher -- the film worked well, with the second half definitely bringing more life(/death) to it.Would recommend, if you're looking for a fun horror flick..
Let's make a blood and guts movie using a real house (no movie set), slap a simple title on it and we'll get rich off the suckers who fell for it.I already feel like I've wasted more time than I should writing this "WARNING" (doesn't deserve a critique/review), but I'm passionate about saving other good intelligent people from wasting their time or money.Trust me!
Honestly not even worth writing about, first time I have reviewed on IMDb and its purely for the sake of hopefully warning people from wasting money on this rubbish.Starts of rather promising and within minutes transcends in to what can only be described as a horror parody, which I do not believe to be the goal for this utterly shocking piece of nonsense.
When I heard that the team behind V/H/S was involved in making this movie I was tempted to pass it over because that film was one of the worst audio/visual experiences I've ever inflicted on myself, but I'm a horror fan and decided to give it a try.
The first thing that struck me was how bland it was; the set-up dialog is duller than anything I hear at my local supermarket, the first few scenes are almost entirely beige and leached of color, the 'tension' is mainly generated by a woman moving furniture and people jumping and screeching, "You scared the sh*t out of me." By the time the action begins, you no longer care what happens, and then there's just a lot of screaming and shaky camera action.
Its so awful, so disgusting in every way that you couldn't even imagine and I am not going to explain it in details because I believe that my time worths a lot more than explaining this piece of s..t. I even believe that the film directors force(maybe directors put a gun to IMDb's mods head) IMDb to write "comedy" in description because even the directors know what they made.
If that isn't enough to get my point across to you on how bad this movie really is, I'll tell you that I made this account in order to review and try to stop people from making the same mistake I did of spending my money on it..
Watched this last night with the wife and yet again another film what was hyped up and yet again another "Horror" Movie which was a total let down.
Well not to spoil this for you sorry soles who will want to watch this but I knew what and who about 30mins into this and read this so called horror like a book that's how bad this was and for it to Gross: $18,474,268 well a lot of people must've been easily pleased or been thinking how can I get my money refunded for this crap.
Typical non-thinking drone behavior.Besides the comedy, the trailer makes it seems like it's gonna be a good, scary home invasion movie like The Strangers or Funny Games.
The only thing possibly qualifying it as horror is gore.Obviously I wouldn't recommend watching this, but if you'll be wasting any time on it at all it should be spent briefly reading about the ending somewhere.
Towards the end I felt like I was watching home alone meets scary movie.
Check this movie out if you like slashers, horror, thrillers, and especially if you enjoy seeing a smart, attractive lady take on some criminals.
I am not a huge horror movie fan, especially the direction they have pulled with so many found footage films over the last few years.
It was everything that I enjoy about a good horror movie.He really put together some awesome action/kill scenes in the film.
It wasn't a perfect family that was unexpectedly attacked.5 Sharni Vinson (Erin) was nice on the eyes and was the star of the show.6 They made the vocal point of the movie the killings.
That's all I will say about that.8 I guess you could complain about the acting, but with a low budget horror movie you get a bunch of C and D list acting.9 They had some poor attempts at some comedy that came off pretty rough.10 Lastly, I would have liked to see a bit more gore and blood.
It wasn't over the top like "Evil Dead" was this year but they could've made it a little bit more gory.Final Verdict 4 out of 5 stars Overall this is the best horror movie I have seen in a long time.
If you like your horror/thriller movies simple, gory and fun, id definitely give this a go..
An unusual horror film with a lot of black comedy and a very good twist.
I thought this was a great movie and I would recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers/horror.The acting is pretty good and the scenery is cool.
Unfortunately, I have to give it only one star because about for almost whole 10 minutes at the beginning and end of the movie, they stop showing people getting murdered, to waste time bogging it down with some throwaway backstory or reason for the murders, or something, completely from out of left field.
A second one, right near what should have been the climax of the film, just leaves the viewer wondering what the director was thinking that he allowed such ham-fisted, totally gratuitous irrelevancies into his film — not just once but TWICE.At least these pointless minutes of "plot porn" are prevented from completely ruining the end of the film, by being suddenly followed in the final minutes with a few more gory, explicit murders (and even the last-minute introduction of a totally new character for the sole purpose of squeezing in just one more axe axe splitting a head open before the credits roll!) I have to imagine after being forced to sully their film with stupid scenes of people talking to each other, they probably snuck back in to the studio late at night and added those final few minutes on the quiet, without the marketing department or whoever demanded they ruin the movie to give it "box office appeal" or something knowing about it, to spare us having to leave the theater with the lamentable spectacle of people SAYING THINGS — not even killing or dying while they say them, just SAYING THINGS!
The story was paper thin and i couldn't care less about the characters even if i tried...there was some plot twist but anyone who had seen a movie before saw theme from a mile away and that brings me to the next thing, was it scary?
No story, bad acting, cheap jump scares and bad gore effects...and all the reviews i have read or seen about this movie has been good...i just wanted the movie to end.
I love a good horror movie, and have seen some pretty mediocre ones, but this one is just painful to sit through.
I thought the bad reviews along with the really good reviews meant that some people just didn't like gore or didn't understand some odd element of humor (still not sure what horror comedy is), but it turns out all of the bad reviews are correct.This movie is predictable (to a point, but enough that you aren't surprised by the ending), dragged out, and just plain dumb.
There are a few good jumpy scenes here and there, but you will waste two hours of your life.The comedy element must be the horrendous acting, but the plot line is not clever like everyone is making it out to be.
This movie is a bit of the revenge portion of "I Spit on Your Grave" crossed with the home invasion of "Funny Games" and the antics of "Home Alone." But it comes out looking like "Bay of Blood," a surprising family blood feud that ends badly for everyone, and was lots of fun.
I'd really like to know what people that rated this less than5 stars minimum actually think is a good horror movie.
While not a very original premise, this movie had some good things going for it:it had a cool set - the masks of the killers were actually pretty creepy - a large cast that could have played off of each other well, since they were all supposed to be family - the soundtrack, at times, was very good and creepy - The title, while cheesy, is actually quite fun and catchyUnfortunately, a weak script and some very bad acting squandered any sort of potential this movie had.I get this is a horror movie, and most horror movies are pretty light on character development, but that shouldn't excuse it.
It's an okay movie to watch to pass the time if you're really bored, but that's about it.My rating: 4/10.The horror genre deserves better..
I found that some of the acting was a bit bad, although I do think this movie was a "spoof"-like film?
This is the way you develop a good horror movie if you decide to make one.
Good horror movie camera work, very good character development and excellent soundtrack!
If you don't like it then I'm not really sure what would be considered a good horror movie because for me, you can't get much better than this..
However, in my opinion, his even better talent is working with the score, unique editing, old school style and influences of filmmaking.I truly do feel like this is one of the best horror movies in a very long time.
I saw this movie last night with a friend and we both agreed how predictable this kind of movies get, I'm OK with it as long as its entertaining and if it can get creative.Sadly You're Next is labeled with slasher clichés, the worst thing in this movie was its "victims" a family comprised of the most unsympathetic characters I've ever seen, you don't care anything about them, their horrible to each other all the time, you really don't care when they start becoming bloody corpses, i mean you want to feel sorry for this people but it makes it so hard to relate to them.The other thing was the villains, there hinted to have been in the military but the act more like army rejects, ill give credits for the action scenes i have to admit there pretty well done, the soundtrack helps as well but the acting is just awful its painfully overreacted and it feels so forced and I'm a big fan of home invasion movies but the acting is so unnatural it becomes unintentionally funny and that just bring the movie down.The lead actress what the only one interesting enough for anyone to care what ever happened to her, my problem was her back story that made it so convenient for her to get stick in this situation but at least is was something different.I would recommend The Strangers as a far more superior home invasion movie, You're Next is OK at least to me personally, any horror lover knows exactly how this movie works, i give it a low rental or catch it on the t.v. if you get the chance..
People that say a horror needs great acting to be good horror movie is nuts. |
tt0345950 | The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie | This movie starts out unanimated with pirates sailing in open water. One of the pirates is looking through his spyglass and spots something. Then another pirate is rowing a dinghy toward the pirate ship that contains a treasure chest. The chest and pirate are brought aboard where the captain opens it to reveal tickets to the Spongebob movie. The ship pulls up to dryland and the pirates race to the cinema where they rush to their seats. This is where the animation begins. We see Mr. Krabs(Clancy Brown) talking to a reporter about "a situation" and that he would rather wait for his manager to arrive until he discusses it. Turns out the "situation" is a customer ordered a crabby patty with cheese but it has no cheese. Then Spongebob(Tom Kenny) pulls up in a car that has flames down the side of it, gets out wearing cowboy boots and spurs and asks Mr. Krabs what the problem is. SB goes in and puts cheese on the patty in his own unique way and comes out the door carrying the customer and says "Order Up". The crowd applauds and lifts Spongebob up and yells "Three cheers for Spongebob, Hip Hip HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOnk(Spongebobs foghorn alarm clock), Hip Hip HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOnk, Hip Hip HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOnk and he wakes on the third honk. SB then tells Gary that he had that dream again. SB goes to the calendar and tells Gary that today is the day, the opening of the Krusty Krab 2 where Mr. Krabs will name the manager of it. He is convinced it will be him due to the fact that he has been the employee of the month for thirty something months in a row. SB takes a shower, gets dressed and leaves, talks to Squidward(Rodger Bumpass) while he is taking a shower in his own house, about being named the new manager, then tallks to Patrick(Bill Faberbakke) about being named manager where after they will party till they are purple at Goofy Goobers. At the ceremony there are reporters present talking about the opening of the new KK2. Plankton(Mr. Lawrence) sees it and asks Karen(Jill Talley) why he can't be successful like Mr. K. He says he has exhausted every plan from A to Y. Karen asks about Plan Z. Across the street Mr. Krabs starts the show by announcing the new manager as Squidward. SB is disappointed and asks why he was not named. Mr. K. tells him the reason is because he is just a kid. SB walks away with his head down. Then Patrick flies in praising SB for his promotion with a SB flag between his buttcheeks and crashes into the stage collapsing it. Later that evening Plankton goes to King Neptunes(Jeffrey Tambor) castle and steals his crown leaving a note saying Mr. Krabs did it. Neptune confronts Mr. K. about it at the KK2 and starts to fry him on the spot. SB tells Neptune that he will go get the crown and Neptune laughs in his face saying that he can't do that because he is only a kid. Neptune gives SB 6 days to find the crown before he burns Mr. K. During that 6 days, Mr. K. has to stay frozen and then Neptune freezes him. SB and Patrick take off to Shell City to retrieve the crown in the "Patty Wagon", a promotional car that is an exact replica of a Krabby Patty. They stop at the county line to fill up where two "hick" fish tell them, "you won't last ten seconds over the county line" because they are just kids. Crossing the line a large, mean looking fish makes them get out of the car. As he speeds away, SB asks the "hicks", "how many seconds was that" and they say "twelve" and SB and Patrick high five each other and say "in your face". Meanwhile, Plankton has stolen the Krabby Patty formula from Mr. K., started selling patties and giving away chum bucket helmets with every puchase. Squidward leaves home and everywhere in town he sees people are wearing these helmets. Finding out where they got them, he confronts Plankton and says he is going to tell Neptune that he stole the crown. At that moment, Plankton pushes a button and all the helmets become mind controlling with Plankton in charge. SB and Pat are walking now and spot their car at a local tavern filled with rough and tough thugs named "Tough Tavern". They get the key and are back on the road again. Back at Bikini Bottom, Plankton has the big head and tells Karen that nothing can stop him now. Everyone wearing a helmet is constructing a monument that is a replica of Plankton and whatever else he wants. Karen says that nothing can stop him but SB and his pink friend. Plankton says he has taken care of that by hiring a hitman named Dennis(Alec Baldwin). SB and Pat lose the car again when a monster eats it by posing as an old lady selling ice cream. To go any farther, they have to cross a deep cavern filled with hideous monsters. They decide it can't be done by a couple of kids and start to go back home. At that moment, Mindy(Scarlett Johansson), who is Neptunes daughter, shows up and tells them they can not go home because of what Plankton is up to and decides to turn them into men. She makes them close their eyes and she puts seaweed on their lips as mustaches. So they start singing the "Now That We're Men" song and cross the cavern. On the other side, Dennis confronts them for the first time saying Plankton wanted him to step on them. A giant foot then steps on Dennis and SB and Pat see that it is the cyclops that guards Shell City. The cyclops grabs those two and takes them to his hideout. SB and Pat wake up laying on colored rocks in a fishbowl. Turns out, Shell City is a gift shop for dead sealife. SB and Pat escape with Neptunes crown after realizing that they as a couple of kids DID reach Shell City. Now they are wondering how to get home when David Hasselhoff tells them that he can take them. They get on his back and start home on top of the water just as a boat would. Dennis shows up again to step on them and gets knocked off by another boat. At that time Neptune is at the KK2 to burn Mr. K. with Plankton sitting close by eating popcorn and waiting for the show. At the last second, SB and Pat show up with the crown. Plankton then puts a king size helmet on Neptune and tells him to burn SB and Pat and Mr. K. SB turns into a wizard singing the goofy goober words to the tune of Twisted Sisters "I Wanna Rock", destroys all the helmets with laser beams out of his guitar and saves the day. Neptune unfreezes Mr. K., the cops arrest Plankton and put him in jail and SB is made manager. | brainwashing, psychedelic, humor, entertaining | train | imdb | To my surprise, he said SpongeBob because it was "funnier." I suppose this is a lesson that children aren't quite as impressed with fancy animation as adults are.But he's right, SpongeBob is a funny movie in it's own quirky, original way.
All very light though.For all the children and adults who have still a child-like look on life, I sincerely hope that the Spongebob team will continue making movies!.
It is still the same old SpongeBob, and that what I like about this movie.The story is consistence and the humor is still fun to watch, there is always something new coming up making it unpredictable.
SpongeBob still make it big despite being a 2D cartoon cause the animation here is colorfully done.Overall: I enjoy the whole film, but maybe a little downside on the David Hasselhoff parts.
But overall it is an extremely enjoyable film.Reason To Watch: Finally Able To See SpongeBob In Full Length Movie.
And some of the younger kids I saw looked confused when Mr. Krabs was telling Spongebob he was making a jackass out of himself and when Patrick was wearing hooker tights.Not for everyone but a very funny movie indeed..
The comic timing was perfect, the music resonated perfectly in my ear, and I can honestly say that from the opening pirate credits to the final jump in the air, this film was the rawest form of cinematic perfection and the BEST film I have seen this 2005 year (so far).I know you are probably thinking, "Andy, you watch a lot of movies, why did you like this one so much?" and I really don't have a straightforward answer to that question.
Perhaps it is the repetitive nature of the films that I am currently watching that had me running towards the arms of this SpongeBob movie, or maybe because comedies are not quite the caliber of humor as they once were (resorting to restroom humor and sex instead of actual "funny" comedy), or maybe it was because it told a story that I could relate to, but whatever the case may be this film ranks among the best.
I'm ready, depression." HA, this has me nearly falling out of my seat as I type this now.The heart, humor, and childlike feeling for this hero will have children falling over to see this film (though where I work most children are not huge fans of this film
they say that television program is better), and if it is watched by an embarrassed adult, you will be surprised on how much you could probably relate to this film.
This isn't just one of those "pretty good for a kids' flick" deals, this is a good movie, period.The characters are hilarious and the sight gags are great; the scene in which SpongeBob and his idiot friend Patrick drink one or two ice creams too many is positively hilarious, as well as some other sequences.
Definitely worth seeing.Oddly enough, while most people complain that this movie wasn't as good as the show it's based on, I've watched a few episodes of SpongeBob and I could barely make it through them.
If you for some reason have not seen this movie it is WAY funnier than the mild kid TV show and is totally awesome even my 54 year old dad liked 100 times more than Napoleon Dynamite and a lot better than Spirited Away.
Great plot, funny movie,appropriate for all ages,and is definitely one of those movies you can watch over and over again.This movie is just a good animated film period.10/10 stars.
There are laughs for everyone; the Patrick stupidity jokes for the kids and the David Hasselhoff appearance for the adults, and yes, it does appeal to that one third of the SpongeBob viewing population that's over the age of 21, but can be seen and enjoyed by anyone as young as six.
The thing I like most about the movie was Spongebob was still his character and is very good at being it.
Meanwhile, back in Bikini Bottom, Plankton's evil plan Z has taken an even more sinister turn.I've never actually watched an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants but figured that the film was at least worth a look as it seemed imaginative and good enough to have made the transition from television to movie.
The film opens with a rather obvious "it's a movie" live action starter that didn't inspire me that much but once we get down into the animated world of Bikini Bottom things instantly get a lot better.
lots of stuff that flies right over the kiddies' heads.The one thing I didn't like about the movie - the character Mindy (King Neptune's princess daughter).
lots of stuff that flies right over the kiddies' heads.The one thing I didn't like about the movie - the character Mindy (King Neptune's princess daughter).
Although I'm sure there are many parents who would shudder at the thought of sitting down to watch The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, I was actually looking forward to it: it may be a far cry from the Disney and Hanna-Barbera fodder I was raised on, but I love the surreal and 'anything goes' vibe of the TV programme and was keen to see the feature length version.The story centres around Spongebob's attempt to retrieve King Neptune's stolen crown, in order to save the life of his boss, Mr. Krabs, who has been framed for the crime.
Together with his friend Patrick, Spongebob travels to Shell City to find the crown and save the day.Spongebob is a well-meaning character who I find it impossible not to like, and although perhaps the format is stretched a tad too far for an hour-and-a-half long film, there is still plenty to enjoy about this fun packed feature (let's face itany film that sees a climactic fight take place on David Hasselhoff's butt, and a sponge defeat evil via the power of rock 'n' roll, has got to be worth seeing!).The Spongebob Squarepants Movie may not win any new fans, but those who think that the TV show is genius should definitely give this one a whirl..
Fans of SpongeBob and its special humor will certainly enjoy this movie, although it's not as good as the television show.
SpongeBob and Patrick form a great stupid comical duo and Mr. Krabs and Squidward are also present but unfortunately a bit underused in the movie, especially Squidward, who always is such a fun, grumpy and dry character to watch in the television show.You would normally expect from a featured animated movie to be better and more detailed than its television show.
When I moved overseas as an 8 year old and considered it to be the worst thing that had ever happened to me, I knew that I could always laugh at Spongebob.Even now when I've had a really bad day and I feel terrible about myself, I can throw on an episode of Spongebob and almost immediately feel better as I roar with laughter.And I fully believe that this is the best film based on a TV show ever made.
It doesn't feel too ambitious, nor does it feel too small of an idea, it just works perfectly with the time limit.The characters from the show (Spongebob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr Krabs and Plankton) are all hilarious here and this is where some of their best lines come from.
As an appearance from David Hasslehoff the film was quite weird but still it was the same old Spongebob and Patrick but they set sail on another adventure in the deep blue sea.On a quest to find King Neptunes crown as the evil Plankton has stolen it to take over the world as he frames Mr Krabs in the stealing of the crown and King Neptune freezes him and plankton steals the formula for the one the only Krabby Patty!
There's so much upbeat energy and creative / fun dialog that this movie is a bit of gem.The movie involves the two principal characters, Spongebob and his friend Patrick, on a quest to find the stolen crown of King Neptune.
The one thing I didn't like about the film was the lack of squidward I mean he has his moments to it just wasn't fair really, hes just the complete opposite of spongebob and it works so well the contrast between them its great but hes only in about 5 minutes of the film at most!
and some baby cries, so if you want to see this film in all its true glory get the VHS or DVD of the movie.the plot, to cut a long story short, Mr Krabs, a crustatious cheapskate, gets frozen for being framed by plankton, the tiny evil genius wannabe, for stealing king Neptune's crown.
The writers came up with some good lines, and even if you don't like Spongebob or Patrick as characters there are always some other great and likable characters like Squidward, Plankton and Mr. Krabs (sort of.) It is worth your time!
I personally loved this movie, I'm a huge sponge bob fan and i thought i was gonna be disappointed with all these negative reviews.But i actually had a good time, i didn't go to the theaters sadly because i thought, "why bother?
People who said this movie sucked wasn't there ONE good thing you liked about this film?
A part of me rejoiced over the very idea of feature-length Spongebob, yet another part of me was very much worried that this would turn out to be another run-of-the-mill kids movie full of fart jokes and supposedly "funny" scenes where the characters suddenly start dancing to some Britney Spears song.Well, as you probably noticed from my rating, my hopes were more than satisfied.The film is every bit as hysterical as the very best episodes of the television show, featuring some of the most random, bizarre, and completely ridiculous humor ever put on film, and it probably helps that this always made for my favorites episodes of Spongebob.The film finds Spongebob and Patrick embarking on an epic journey to recover the malevolent King Neptune's (the ruler of Bikini Bottom, the town where Spongebob resides) crown, which the evil Plankton stole and framed Mr. Krabs (Spongebob's boss) for.
Along the way, they encounter rough thugs, monsters, a contract killer sent to stop them, and a deep-sea diver out to turn them into "humorous dioramas".The film showcases slightly sharper animation than the show, dead-on comic timing, and plenty of completely ludicrous and absurd situations, including a particularly memorable sequence in which Spongebob and Patrick ride "The (David) Hasselhoff" out to sea.
The aforementioned Hasselhoff scene being an exception, of course.But those segments aside, "The Spongebob Squarepants Movie" is a hilarious celebration of the off-beat and actually turns out being a little bit epic.9/10.
I saw a episode of this on a TV about a year ago,it was so amusing that when i saw toys of that sponge in stores I would recall,"ya I liked that show , funny stuff for kids".So when I saw a DVD movie of Spongebob I bought it for my 16 month old son (ya right) and sat down and watched it.
I have been watching the shows and episodes for about two years now and still laugh :) I thought the movie was very well done and I liked all the new characters are were introduced that you don't really see in the dvds.
Here's another example of where the TV show is far superior to the movie.I stayed through the end credits and there is a GREAT song that was actually written by Tom Kenny (Spongebob's voice) called something like "The Best Day Ever" that would have been great in a "F.U.N."-musical-number scene.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie exercises the voice talents of Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick Star), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy Cheeks), Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) and Rodger Bumpass (Squidward Tentacles) from the original Nickelodeon television series SpongeBob SquarePants, and adds Alec Baldwin (Dennis) and Scarlett Johansson (Mindy) to the bill.The movie is conventionally animated, with SpongeBob and Patrick on a mission to reclaim King Neptune's crown.
He figures that by saving the boss, he may take the manager job from Squidward, his boringly stable coworker.Along the way he and Patrick encounter a hit man biker named Dennis (voiced by Alec Baldwin) and Neptune's mermaid daughter Mindy (Scarlett Johansson), who encourages the two on their quest.Despite the juvenile antics, the movie has a well-defined sense of humor, thanks to creator Stephen Hillenburg, who links his love of marine biology and animation with a message that kids can accomplish the most just by being kids.Overall: 7.5/10.
I don't get some commentators like if u didn't see any of spongebob squarepants TV series what's the point to watch this movie.
'The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)' is not only hilarious and incredibly smart, working both for kids and adults alike, but also surprisingly emotional and more-than-competent from a story stand-point too, becoming one of the most lasting and memorably smile-inducing animations of the twenty-first century.
It's a very fun film from start to finish that the entire family can easily enjoy, I grew up watching this movie and seeing it today serves as huge nostalgia, it still holds up and it is definitely very pleasing for fans of the television series.
The only thing that I noticed while watching this movie today is that there are several plot holes, obviously this movie is aimed at children and they wouldn't take any notice, but for grown ups they can be ridiculously obvious, the most obvious one being that it makes no sense that Plankton would give them the actual location of King Neptune's crown, if he wanted to rule Bikini Bottom then there is no logic to why he would put SpongeBob and Patrick on the right track, also the characters nearly die after being exposed to sunlight for just a few seconds, but then they're running around outside on a sunny day without hesitation, this kind of stuff certainly had me bewildered, but it is only a cartoon at the end of the day.
The characters are fantastic, I grew up watching SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr Krabs, Squidward, Plankton, among many others and they have a very special place in my heart, and here they are supported by a star studded cast that all seemed very interested in their roles, Jeffrey Tambor, Scarlett Johansson, Alec Baldwin and David Hasselhoff, appearing as himself in the only live action role, are all fantastic and it never came across in their performances that they were only doing it for the paycheck.
Very funny for all ages, filled with great musical numbers and charming characters, I would recommend the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie to anyone looking for a good family film.
Well OK no it isn't but the SpongeBob SqaurePants movie is a great little creation at the bottom of the sea, are the jokes on point?, Well not all of them and is the story greatly fun?, Not always but even so I enjoyed myself here, not the kind of downright crying with laughter enjoyment but there is some stupid stuff in here to make you giggle.We see the little yellow sponge go on an adventure to find a crown with his best mate Patrick the starfish and all well as you might expect does not go to plan.
Neptune gives Spongebob 6 days to retrieve the crown in order to save the life of his boss, so along with Patrick the two go on an epic journey to retrieve the crown and prove that they have it in them to be men.Whilst this certainly feels different to the show we do have less time to spend with some of the characters we love.
In the end i will say that as a fan of the early.seasons of the show The Spongebob Squarepants movie really delivers and i enjoyed it a lot both as a child and now that i'm older too and it has me really looking forward to the sequel..
But I went ahead and watched the movie anyway because, frankly, I love David Hasselhoff.The movie is funny, fun, and just a good time.
If you are a fan of Spongebob Squarepants, or cartoons in general, and want to see a funny and epic movie, I would highly recommend this to you!
This is a fun movie based on the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon, where SpongeBob and his best friend Patrick go on an adventure to Shell City to find out who stoke King Neptune's crown and to save Mr. Krab's life, who is blamed for the theft.Like the cartoon, this is a fast-paced, silly and adventure-filled (albiet goofy and campy at times) movie that will surely entertain an audience of all ages.
The voice actors did a great job in portraying the roles, giving each character a unique, comedic and, at times a dramatic side.This film reminds you of a good old fashion sail-to-the-high-seas adventure story but with a combination of animation and live action (David Hasselhoff's Baywatch-inspired cameo gives the movie a nice touch), giving the plot a refreshing feeling.It's definitely a film that will make your blues go away - it's fun and entertainment for both kids and adults.Grade B.
Most people would agree that the humour is aimed more at an older audience but my grandson was in stitches with great visual and scripted gags throughout.Spongebob works on so many levels but like all good comedies it is about the characters and especially the voices in this brilliant series.Sit back and enjoy.
But it's a lot better than some of the other films parents are conned into and forced to take their children to, such as the latest barrage of CGI animation and the one too many Rugrats movies.There is no way I will waste time explaining the origins and backstory of Spongebob Squarepants. |
tt0076150 | Communion | New Jersey, 1963. Alice Spages (Paula E. Sheppard) is a 12-year old girl who lives with her mother, Catherine (Linda Miller), and her younger 10-year-old sister, Karen (Brooke Shields). Their father, Dominic (Niles McMaster), is divorced from Catherine, and has recently re-married. Catherine and the girls live in a humble apartment, and their lives are very much centered on their Catholic parish. Both Alice and Karen go to the small Catholic school associated with their church, and all of the students wear church-issued yellow rain slickers as part of their uniforms. Karen is just about to make her first holy communion, but Alice seems to be jealous of the attention that Karen is getting because of it. Alice appears to have some major emotional problems.In the opening scene, Alice, Catherine and Karen are visiting the young priest Father Tom (Rudolph Willrich) at the rectory, discussing Karen's upcoming first Holy Communion. Alice startles the rectory's housekeeper, Mrs. Tredoni (Mildred Clinton), by wearing a bizarre transluscent mask, and she terrorizes Karen by stealing her doll and luring her to an abandoned building. While inside the building, Alice frightens Karen with the mask and briefly locks her in a room alone, threatening to never return her doll if she tells their mother about the incident. In the family's apartment, Alice takes Karen's communion veil and models it herself in a mirror; Karen causes a commotion over it and Catherine has to intervene.Things go from bad to worse on the day of Karen's communion. As the parishioners sit in the pews waiting for the children to enter the sanctuary, Catherine and her younger sister Annie (Jane Lowry) notice that Alice is not with them. Annie sends her daughter Angela (Kathy Rich) to look for Alice. Before Karen can join the rest of the girls who are dressed in their white communion dresses and veils, she is attacked by a figure in one of the school's yellow rain slickers, wearing the same translucent mask that Alice wears. The figure strangles Karen and then stows her body in a hollow bench, setting it on fire. Just before burning the body, the killer snatches the small cross that Karen wears around her neck, ripping the pendant from her body. Alice then appears among the younger girls, in Karen's place and wearing her veil, awaiting holy communion. Annie is outraged and urges Catherine to put a stop to it immediately. Shortly after, a nun notices the smoke and discovers Karen's body, her screams summoning the rest of the congregation. Annie sees Karen's body and melodramatically tells Catherine that her daughter is dead. Catherine breaks down crying. Alice slips Karen's veil into her pocket.Dominic returns for Karen's funeral and Catherine weeps when she sees him. The domineering Annie imposes herself on Catherine and Alice, insisting that she will stay with them to help Catherine with anything she needs. Alice is resentful of Annie's presence, and wants to stay home with her mother instead of going back to school. Annie's obvious dislike for the girl gives way to accusations about Karen's murder; Annie points out the fact that Alice's whereabouts during the murder are unaccounted for. Catherine seems to be unwilling to admit that Alice acts strangely, insisting that nobody understands Alice like she does. She has to smooth over a confrontation between Annie and Alice, sending Alice on an errand to defuse the argument.Catherine has Alice take the rent check to the family's landlord, Mr. Alphonso (Alphonso DeNoble), who lives in one of the lower apartments of the building. Alphonso is a grotesque man, extremely obese and living in an apartment full of kittens; we see him feeding the kittens, referring to himself as "mommy", and then eating some of the moist cat food himself. Alphonso has repeatedly made jabs at Alice regarding Karen's death; he aligns himself with Alice's Aunt Annie, saying that Alice must have had something to do with Karen's murder. He also tells Alice that he knows about the odd shrine she has in the basement of the building, where she keeps various objects that she has either found or stolen, including the mask and Karen's missing doll. He tells Alice that Karen will return from the dead to collect her doll. When he makes inappropriate advances toward Alice and begins to touch her in a lewd manner, Alice throttles one of the kittens and strangles it to death and yelling "you never do that again!", upsetting Alphonso and allowing her to escape.Meanwhile, the detectives investigating Karen's murder summon Alice's school records from the parish. When Dominic visits the police station to discuss Karen's case, he becomes hostile when Detective Brennan (Tom Signorelli) suggests that he would like to question Alice about the murder. He phones the rectory to talk to Father Tom, with whom he is apparently familiar; at first his phone call is intercepted by Mrs. Tredoni, who is fiercely protective of the priests and the elderly monsignor who reside there. Tom picks up an extension and talks to Dominic, asking if they can meet in person. Dominic seems unaware of Alice's emotional problems, which have resulted in a number of questionable incidents at school. Father Tom tells him that Alice has a knack for causing trouble and making it seem like an accident.Alice goes into the basement to her shrine, where she keeps her strange items, one of them being a jar full of large cockroaches, which she keeps alive by feeding them. She also still has Karen's doll. Alice puts on her mask.Upstairs, the mysterious figure wearing the yellow rain slicker and mask is creeping around the hallways. Annie goes to leave the apartment and she is attacked by the figure. The killer stands on the landing and slashes at Annie's legs and feet was she walks down the stairs, seriously wounding her with a kitchen knife. Before the killer can administer the death blow, Annie's screams summon Mr. Alphonso, who sees the killer's outfit and immediately identifies it as Alice. As the masked raincoat figure flees, Annie, who is hysterical and terrified, drags herself out into the street in the pouring rain, where Catherine finds her. Dominic and Father Tom happen to pull up at the same time, in Father Tom's car. Tom and Catherine rush Annie to the hospital, while Dominic goes into the building to look for the person who attacked Annie. In the basement, he finds Alice at her shrine, terrified; she claims she saw Karen, apparently believing what Alphonso told her about Karen returning to claim her doll. Dominic comforts her; like Catherine, Dominic doesn't believe that Alice could be a killer.At the hospital, Catherine tries to get Annie to recant her story about being attacked by "Alice", but Detective Cranston (Ted Tinling) shows up to question Annie and she becomes hysterical, screaming that Alice was the one who stabbed her. They bring Alice into the police station to question her, giving her a lie detector test. Although Alice does not implicate herself, she gives a number of strange responses; one of the things that the lie detector machine reveals is that Alice sincerely believes that Karen is the one who attacked Aunt Annie. Alice resents being questioned, even lashing out at the policemen's lie detector machine, deliberately throwing it on the floor when they leave her alone with it.Although the police cannot charge Alice with either Karen's murder or Annie's slashing, they still feel she may be responsible for one or both, and they order her to have a psychological evaluation at the Sara Reed Children's Hospital. Catherine and Dominic are furious, but try to make the best of it. They visit Alice at the hospital together, discussing the case with the doctor who examines her, Dr. Whitman (Louisa Horton). Dr. Whitman's evaluation seems especially damning, suggesting that Alice is schizophrenic and possibly dangerous. Whitman refuses to allow Alice to be released.Dominic and Catherine have a quiet moment back at Catherine's apartment, when Catherine gets a strange phone call consisting of nothing but breathing; we see the caller is wearing the translucent mask. When the caller hangs up, Catherine assumes it was Annie; since Annie identified Alice as her attacker, Catherine vowed to disown Annie forever. Discussing the recent tragic events of their lives, Dominic and Catherine both agree that Alice could not have been responsible for all that's happened. Dominic suggests that perhaps Angela was the one who attacked Annie, which could explain why Alice thought she saw Karen, since they all wear the same yellow raincoat. Catherine, however, points out that Angela is an overweight young girl, and Karen was very petite, so it would be unlikely for Alice to confuse them. They wind up holding each other and beginning to make love, but are interrupted by a phone call from Dominic's wife, which breaks the mood.Dominic returns to his hotel in time to receive a phone call from a sobbing voice; the caller identifies herself as Angela, saying that she ran away from home and needs Dominic to help her. She asks him to come to the abandoned building, the same one where Alice scared Karen at the beginning of the movie. When Dominic arrives, he sees the figure in the yellow raincoat and mask off in the distance. When he follows her into the building, she attacks him with the kitchen knife, stabbing him in the shoulder. Still unsure of who it is, Dominic follows her up a staircase, where the figure surprises him and bludgeons him repeatedly with a brick.With Dominic unconscious, the figure binds him with a cord and rolls him over to a loading door; the drop over the precipice is three or four stories to the ground. Dominic regains consciousness and realizes he is about to fall to his death. The killer removes the mask to reveal Mrs. Tredoni underneath. She rants about Dominic's relationship with Catherine, revealing that she knows that Alice was conceived before Dominic and Catherine were married. Dominic screams for help, but the area is too desolate for anybody to hear him. He uses his teeth to grab the crucifix that Mrs. Tredoni wears, the same one that she pulled from Karen's body the day she killed her. Mrs. Tredoni notices it and uses the brick to try and smash in Dominic's teeth. He refuses to give up the cross, swallowing it instead. Mrs. Tredoni, now furious, pushes him over the ledge and he falls to his death.Mrs. Tredoni then goes to the church, where a group of children are being instructed on how to make their first confession. Father Tom is the one who is going to hear the children, but he goes into the confessional to find that Mrs. Tredoni is already in there, changing out of the costume she wears to impersonate Alice. She pretends she is seeking to make a confession, and claims she feels guilty about having thoughts regarding the Monsignor; she says that he is in such poor health that she sometimes wishes he would pass away. Father Tom tells her she is a good woman, and that she doesn't need to come to confession about this since her thoughts are not sinful. He praises her for the care she has given himself and the other priests, and she is ecstatic when he calls her a friend.The next day, Catherine becomes worried when she does not hear from Dominic, and she goes to the rectory to look for him; she reasons that since he has been borrowing Father Tom's car, he may be there. She is greeted by Mrs. Tredoni, who tries to get rid of her but finally allows her in to wait for Father Tom. Mrs. Tredoni is gutting fish for that evening's dinner, and she brings Catherine into the kitchen after preparing coffee for her. Catherine is uneasy, when Mrs. Tredoni reveals that she also had a daughter who died on the day of her first holy communion, Mrs. Tredoni seizes the kitchen knife and brandishes it toward Catherine while calling her a whore for having her own child out of wedlock. Father Tom returns and interrupts their conversation, telling Catherine that Dominic's body has been discovered. Catherine weeps in frustration and horror.Dominc's murder suggests that Alice is no longer a suspect, and Catherine is able to take her home. After they return, the figure in the yellow rain slicker and mask enters Alphonso's apartment while he is sleeping, and places the jar of roaches from Alice's secret shrine on his chest. Removing the mask, the figure reveals itself to be Alice herself. Catherine catches her leaving Alphonso's apartment, but Alice explains that she was only saying 'hello' to him after returning from the hospital. Catherine praises her for being kind to him, and they leave to go to mass.Outside, Detective Cranston is watching the building as protection for Alice and Catherine. When they leave the building, Mrs. Tredoni slips in the back through the basement, wearing the yellow rain slicker and mask. She goes up to Catherine's apartment, apparently planning on murdering the first person she sees, but she finds the door locked. As she knocks on Catherine's door, Alphonso awakens and reacts in horror when the roaches begin to crawl over him. He starts screaming and alerts Cranston that something is wrong. Mrs. Tredoni hears it too, and she panics that he is drawing attention to the scene too soon. She runs back down the stairs, but Alphonso emerges and sees her running past his apartment. Thinking her to be Alice, he grabs her and starts to manhandle her, so she pulls out the kitchen knife and stabs him in the chest several times. He stumbles back into his apartment and dies. When Mrs. Tredoni tries to escape through the basement, Cranston smashes down the front door and sees her. In her panic, she has forgotten to put the mask back on, and he easily identifies her.Still wearing the yellow slicker, Mrs. Tredoni returns to the church and enters the sanctuary during service, making her way to where Alice and Catherine are sitting. Outside, the police arrive and discuss the best way to apprehend Mrs. Tredoni. Father Tom warns them not to try and confront her, as she is too close to Alice and her mother. Tom believes he can convince Mrs. Tredoni to come peacefully, since she adores him.During communion, Alice, Catherine, and Mrs. Tredoni all come up to the front side by side. Father Tom gives Catherine the wafer, but skips Alice. He also skips Mrs. Tredoni, instead leaning toward her and quietly asking her to go with the police. Mrs. Tredoni becomes indignant and asks why he will not give her communion; becoming furious, she shouts "But you give it to the whore!", pointing at Catherine. In a rage, Mrs. Tredoni pulls out the knife and stabs Father Tom through the throat. The congregation reacts in horror. Mrs. Tredoni clutches Father Tom to her as he dies, his blood pouring over the yellow rain slicker. Alice remains curiously detached from what is happening. In the confusion, a few policemen run into the church and arrest Mrs. Tredoni, while Alice has claimed Mrs. Tredoni's bag. Alice, still having not received communion, walks out of the church and pulls out the knife briefly, fondling the handle and smiling to herself (insinuating that Alice might one day adopt Mrs. Tredoni's murderous killing spree herself). | mystery, cult, horror, murder, atmospheric | train | imdb | Alice's sister, Karen, is played by a very young Brooke Shields, and this movie is probably most known for having her name branded on it, even though she dies very soon in the film.
Paula Sheppard (who was actually 19 years old at the time) plays Alice, Karen's violently jealous sister, and her performance is probably the best of the entire film.
It's in fact a thriller with just that tad bit extra
Despite of the modest budget Alfred Sole had to work with, his film doesn't look dated like many others and the influence it had on the slasher sub-genre is amazing.
Plotting, characterization and suspense are so expertly mixed the film doesn't even feel like a genre piece at times ; instead, it feels like a European drama...but one circling a potent giallo.As noted, Sheppard is superb as Alice; Linda Miller is exemplary as Alice's tormented mother Catherine and Jane Lowry as the domineering Aunt Annie turns in a powerhouse performance.
When young Karen Spages is strangled and set on fire in a Catholic Church at her first communion, her disturbed older sister Alice is the central suspect, because of her jealously towards her.
This is one of my favourite 70's horror oddities, which breaths a fresh air in its premise's circuitously glum layout, an ominously nasty streak, purposely stinging jolts and being filmed on authentic locations in New Jersey.What makes the unusually cunning and certainly unpredictable plot compelling, is that so much can be read from it, like it's penetrating thoughts on Catholicism too the prolific character developments involving the hardships of family life, but there's no lying about its true intentions, which did kind of got mingled with the baffling conclusion.
Some might think the tension will evaporate, as just after halfway through the killer is unmasked, but the story's slow rising sinisterness early on eventually leads to a brooding intensity that actually seems to fester up, for the thrilling final third with one powerful conclusion to boot.Sole does a vividly lucid job in the director's chair with moody imagery, creative viewpoints and uneasy composition, backed up by disquietingly stylish jolts timed with utter perfection.
Terrifically good sleeper horror from director Alfred Sole rises to a level much higher than it's low-budget appearance.Is young Alice the masked murderer that's targeting her family?Communion, better known as Alice Sweet Alice, is an engulfing and sharply-made shocker that seems to have been lost over the years.
Rudolph Willrich is also memorable as father Tom. Look for young Brook Shields as Alice's little sister.Communion is a striking and haunting little thriller that deserves a wider audience.
This is one of those films that came out during the mid 1970s in which the stories were pretty plain at first sight and the ending could be somehow taken for granted.In "Alice Sweet Alice", the attention is mostly focused on the main character's psychology, which is Alice Spages (Paula Sheppard), an introverted 12 year old girl who lives with her mother (Linda Miller) and her spoiled little sister Karen (Brooke Shields).
Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) for Alice, her sweet sister Karen is brutally murdered during the day of her first communion by the hand of a merciless killer wearing a mask and a yellow raincoat.
As it is expected, all the fingers start pointing directly to Alice, since her jealousy and strange withdrawn manners match with her sister's perplexing slaughter Regardless of the obvious feelings surrendering Alice, her mother refuses to believe that her only daughter left is a raging murderess and confronts everyone who stands in her way just to prove the world that her sweet little girl is incapable of killing a bug.
While Mrs. Spages and her former husband Dom desperately try to convince the others that their sweet Alice is not a premature murderess, the body count increases in the most dreadful ways and the victims are coincidentally Alice's declared rivals.Clearly, this film could be taken as some kind of overlooked slasher film, but I myself find it compelling enough to be compared to some of the most respected horror gems that people worship nowadays.
The scene at the beginning when Alice's sister is burnt alive inside the church is amazing, and as for the end scene where the priest is murdered in front of the church congregation....I'm surprised this film wasn't on the video nasties list considering the religious horror elements!
Alice Sweet Alice (1976) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Rather surreal horror film centers on 12-year-old Alice (Paula Sheppard) who is a strange girl who is suspected of murdering her younger and more popular sister Karen (Brooke Shields).
Following the murder of her sister (played by a young Brooke Shields) twelve-year-old Alice Spages becomes the suspect in the ensuing investigation.'Alice, Sweet Alice' is a heavily atmospheric part-slasher, part-psychological drama which successful maintains a disturbing undercurrent despite minor shortcomings in the technical department.
Unfortunately, the most glaring failing with the film is the mediocre-to-inept acting abilities of the majority of the cast with Jane Lowry giving a particularly obnoxious, hammed and hard to tolerate performance (incidentally, Ms. Lowry would only appear in one further movie) and central performers Linda Milla, Paula Sheppard and Niles McAster providing only a minor guise of acting competence.Perhaps the most accomplished aspect of this low-budget chiller can be found in Stephen Lawrence's masterfully ambivalent score which fuses the enchanting with the malevolent and the tepid with the zealous.
Drenched in Catholic angst, it's a Hitchcockian horror-thriller with a haunting score, and a remarkably eerie performance by Paula E Sheppard, who is here playing a 12 year old when I believe she was in fact 19 at the time - lending her performance a truly other-worldly tone.
After a young Catholic girl, Karen (Brooke Shields), is brutally murdered during communion, suspicion falls on her emotionally disturbed older sister Alice (Paula E.
Sheppard).Director Alfred Sole's Alice Sweet Alice is the closest thing you will find to an American giallo: the death scenes are sudden and brutal, the score is haunting, the killer is distinctive in creepy plastic mask and yellow raincoat, and the film's overall atmosphere and aesthetic is redolent of many a Euro thriller/horror.Admittedly, the film falls short of the best work of maestros Argento and Bava, the motive for the killings a little weak, and the pacing a tad pedestrian, while the identity of the killer is revealed way too early for my liking (true giallos generally wait until the very end before letting the cat out of the bag), but Sole conducts matters with an assured hand, presenting some striking visuals, and his cast give solid performances (with the exception of Jane Lowry as Alice's Aunt Annie, whose histrionics are waaaayy OTT).6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for Alphonso DeNoble as morbidly obese, cat-loving pervert Mr. Alphonso, who is wonderfully grotesque..
And "Alice Sweet Alice" clearly fits the descriptions of that the story is somewhat different with murder and religion and it involves a withdrawn little girl and an older woman with a secret that causes her to be for revenge.Set in 1950's Patterson, New Jersey ten year old Karen(in one of Brooke Shields's very early screen roles)is all of a sudden killed in a shocking and violent bloody manner in church on the day of her first communion, and her older sister Alice(Paula Sheppard)who's different and withdrawn appears for sure the prime suspect.
Yet the film becomes more deviant and filled with bloody drama as more of Alice's family members and people who live in her apartment complex are attacked.Just when you think you have it figured out this movie takes a shocking twist as the past full of secrets prove that another person is doing the killings.
Overall this film isn't mainstream, but for a 1970's horror film it's one of the better ones that entertains with suspense, gore, blood, and it twist with a shocking surprise reveal of the truth behind the killings at communions, "Alice Sweet Alice" is a cut above many classic horror films..
Alongside that, the film's few slasher scenes aren't all that bad either with the fact that there's the chilling taboo-breaking opening attack in the church confessional where the death of a child is the prime factor here in setting this forward, the great ambush at the warehouse where he follows the masked killer into the abandoned building and leads into a fine brawl into the big battle to the ending confrontation in the church.This also manages to touch upon normal giallo motifs where the gloved killer requires a single killing device, the middle segment of the film trying to play detective for an incredibly brutal crime that takes place at the beginning of the film and several other little touches from the genre.
By turns seductive, cruel, childish and mature, Sheppard's Alice is a superb character and the final shot is a hauntingly memorable one.While modern fans of the horror film may be put off by the slow pacing and the literate script, this is a brilliant film whichever way you look at it and easily stands against the best work of Italian maestro Dario Argento - indeed the influence of the Italian giallo is very strong in this film, which can be seen as an American giallo in itself.
In addition, the film has an eerie score which complements the movie well and good performances from the cast, especially from Linda Miller who plays Alice's mother Catherine, and Paula Sheppard, who plays Alice herself.However, the overriding characteristic of the movie is the claustrophobic air of morbidity that comes from the lashings of Catholic iconography employed throughout the film and in far from sympathetic tones.
Mercurial and withdrawn since her parents divorce, all of the attention is lavished on little sister Karen (a very young Brooke Shields) by their rather glacial, newly single mom,Katherine (Linda Miller).When Karen is found murdered in church on the day of her first Communion, all eyes on on Alice, who has Karen's veil in hand, and was ready to take her sister's place at the altar when the body was discovered.
Even when the killer is revealed just below the half way point, it just ups the ante for the remainder of the film My only real quibbles are that some of the character backstory and motivation is sketched quite thinly (particularly that of the killer, and the precise details of the divorce that fractured the family) and that those well crafted mood making moments were not let run just a tad longer, as the stills have a way of burrowing into your head and staying there.Given that a lot of the more straightforward expository scenes are written a touch awkward and thin, shaving a few seconds off them would have not done any harm, and made the transitions slightly less jarring.In any case, this film deserves to be remembered for far more than the first screen appearance of Ms. Shields, spent the $5 on Amazon and grab yourself a copy.For a nice little double feature, screen this with the equally atmosphere filled and under watched "Dead & Buried" (which I've also reviewed) and lament for a moment what thrillers used to be before the current vogue for sheer shock value..
It's these self-righteous fanatics who can committed the most gruesome and unholy of crimes, in the case here inside a Catholic Church,without even the slightest bit of remorse feeling, like Islamic suicide bombers, that their in fact doing God's work!The movie starts off with 11 year-old Karen Spages, Brooks Shield, being grabbed from behind and strangled at the St. Michael Church in Patterson New Jersey, on the very day she's to receive communion, by a masked and unknown assailant.
The test, which Alice passed, shows that if Alice did in fact commit these two crimes she by passing it has no recollection of them.The movie soon turns into a bloodbath of religious horror with the masked killer coming out into the open and first slashing and then throwing to his death, down a three story landing, Alice's father Dominick Spages and then later slicing up the fat guy who lives down the hall, the landlord, of Alice's apartment house Mr. Alphonso, Alphonso DeNoble.
We get to see well before the movie is over, with some half hour left to go, who the masked killer really is which makes the blood-splattering ending, during Communion at St. Michael's Church, a bit anti-climatic.A notch above the usual slasher movies that came out in the 1970's and 1980's "Alice Sweet Alice" or, as it was originally titled, "Communion" is a lot like the 1973 religiously-inspired blockbuster "The Exorcist" in it's treatment of personal guilt in traditional Catholic teachings.
But there is some good acting (Linda Miller, Niles McMaster and Sheppard were all good), it has some very bizarre characters (Mr. Alphonse is hard to forget), creepy murders (the mask the killer wears scared me) and is VERY anti-Catholic.
Alice sweet Alice is a creepy disturbing horror film that takes place in the 1960s in Paterson new jersey,where i grew up.i remember them filming it in my neighborhood.and this is Brooke shields acting debut.
Alice sweet Alice is a low budget film thats about a killer and the catholic church.its a mystery horror film directed by Alfred sole who also directed the horror spoof pandemonium with tommy smothers.i would call Alice sweet Alice an underrated horror,I'm not sure its out on DVD just yet but i know i still have the cheap good-times VHS video version.
The performances are all exceptional, the intricate plot is well-written and keeps you guessing, and there is some deep symbolism and themes of ritualistic Catholic guilt and obsession that you wouldn't find in, say, "Slumber Party Massacre 2." Paula Sheppard stars as the title character, a hostile young girl who becomes the prime suspect when her little sister (12-year-old Brooke Shields, in her first role) is strangled to death and burned on the day of her first Communion.
Alice (Switchblade Sister Lace)is a twisted 12 year old violently jealous of her younger sister(Brooke Shields)in this absorbing, atmospheric slasher movie.
I liked the variation on the slasher films and enjoyed cute little Paula Sheppard's performance as Alice.
(I love those masks!) If you are a horror fan, GET THIS MOVIE!Paula Sheppard's performance as the formidable "Alice" is so awesome.
"Alice, Sweet Alice" (aka "Communion", aka "Holy Terror"), isn't just one of the great American horror films but one of the key American movies of the seventies.
Notable, too, is an effective score that's occasionally (and not inappropriately) reminiscent of Bernard Herrmann's legendary music for PSYCHO (1960).The scariest bit comes early on when Alice terrorizes Brooke Shields (in her film debut) by donning an ugly mask under her usual get-up (the knife-wielding yellow-jacketed killer which itself harks back to Nicolas Roeg's classic DON'T LOOK NOW [1973]); interestingly, then, the result of Shields' fiery death early on is seen only via a photo among the police records.
At Karen's (Brooke Shields in her screen debut) First Communion, she is murdered and when her older sister Alice (Paula E.
The story involves a 12 year old girl named Alice who becomes the suspect of murdering her younger sister Karen (a young Brooke Shields in her feature film debut) on the day of her first communion.
Communion (Aka Alice, Sweet Alice) (1976)I want to say about this movie, is that it had a good story and a great ending, but all the way in-between it got confusing and somewhat boring.
Paula Sheppard is chillingly perfect as Alice, a mental little girl who torments her little sister (Brooke Shields in a bit part), wears a creepy mask and yellow raincoat, and spends her time collecting cockroaches and reading comic books in her secret basement dwelling.
Alice Spages (Paula Sheppard) is a rebel and problematic twelve year-old girl that lives with her divorced mother Catherine (Linda Miller) and her younger sister Karen (Brooke Shields).
"Communion"-the second film by Alfred Sole(after porn "Deep Sleep"-1973)is one of the most underrated horror movies ever made.Not many horror fans heard about this gem,so if you find it you'll not be disappointed.Young Brooke Shields is killed in church,and the prime suspect is her creepy sister Alice(brilliant Paula Sheppard of "Liquid Sky").With its oppressive religious atmosphere,gory as hell murders and nerve-wracking tension,this is surely one of the best horror movies of the 70's.Alphonso DeNoble("Bloodsucking Freaks")is particularly memorable as a fat pervert landlord,and there is really gruesome staircase slashing which shocked me beyond belief!10 out of 10-find this low-budget chiller and prepare to be scared!.
The tragic murder of a little girl, Karen(Brooke Shields, who was just an adorable child)before receiving her communion powerfully opens this horror film about a killer donning a yellow raincoat and children's mask.
The film immediately points towards Alice(Paula Sheppard, who is quite creepy..her image in the closing frame gave me goosebumps)who was quite jealousy of Karen's attention regarding her communion.
But really, exaggerated portrayals of Catholicism only make this movie more brilliant.Karen (Brooke Shields in her film debut) is doted on by her single mother, but when she is brutally murdered during her first communion, her older sister, the more withdrawn and rebellious Alice (played by an incredible Paula E.
When her sister Karen gets killed in church on her first communion with the killer wearing a mask just like Alice's favorite one, Alice becomes suspect number one.
Although filmed and set in the United States, it looks and feels more like a giallo, which at the time was more prevalent than the slasher movie.Overall I would give Alice Sweet Alice 8/10 plastic doll masks.
On the day of her first communion, 12 year old Karen, (Brooke Shields in her first role) is gruesomely murdered by a masked killer wearing a yellow rain coat.
In the beginning of the film, we see that Alice and her pretty little sister (a young Brooke Shields), live with their mother Katherine.
Paula Sheppard turns in a particularly good performance as the unbalanced Alice who is implicated in the brutal murder of her sister (played by a young Brooke Shields). |
tt0059878 | Village of the Giants | On the outskirts of the small village of Hainesville, a landslide has closed off the community. As the storm rages, a car full of drunken teenagers has crashed into the landslide. Throwing open the doors, the music from the car radio blares out the doors as they dance and drink beer in the rain. After some time, one of them notices a broken sign telling that Hainesville is 3 miles away. One of them suggests to go there to have some fun.In town, teenage couple Mike (Tommy Kirk) and Nancy (Charla Doherty) are having an intimate moment when Nancy's little brother Genius (Ron Howard) interrupts them, showing a concoction that he has made with non-compatible chemicals. Strange enough, the mixture has not blown up. Nancy professes to not being impressed, and Genius returns to his basement laboratory, where he puts an electrical charge to the concoction, resulting in an explosion.Mike and Nancy quickly enter the lab, and find the concoction has turned pinkish, growing out of a tulip glass that Genius put it in. As they attempt to clean up the basement, a stray cat enters the lab and begins to eat some of the concoction. Mike shoos the cat away, but soon, the three find that the cat has grown enormous! Genius' dog named Wolf chases the cat out of the house, before Mike wonders what they have on their hands. Genius explains the concoction is probably "Ammonia-actride-sulfate-deethyl-chlorazine," but opts to just call it "goo."Mike takes some, and the three go outside. Feeding it to a pair of white ducks, they watch as the ducks grow large, with Mike deciding that they can easily make a million dollars from Genius' invention. After going back inside, they find that Wolf has also eaten some of the goo, and grown large. The amusement soon turns to shock when Nancy looks out the window and sees the giant ducks are gone.Meanwhile, the delinquent teens have broken into the closed Hainesville theater. Having cleaned up, they head off to the local go-go dance club. No sooner have they arrived, than the giant ducks appear, amusing everyone as they dance to the music. Mike and Nancy are not far behind, and when Mike claims the ducks are his, one of the delinquent teens named Harry (Robert Random) demands to know how they got so big. Mike just hints that it's a food additive, and a 'million dollar secret.'Harry tells the other delinquents, who formulate a plan to try and find out more about the food additive. The leader of the delinquents named Fred (Beau Bridges) attempts to woo Nancy, while one of the girls named Jean (Tisha Sterling) attempts to get the information from Mike. However, neither Mike nor Nancy divulge the information Fred or Jean ask for.The next day, the giant ducks are killed and barbecued at a party in a nearby park. As Mike and Nancy serve up the giant ducks, Genius arrives, intent to show them that he's made more goo...only to watch as the substance dissolves into nothingness. One of the delinquent teen girls named Elsa (Gail Gilmore) notices this, and persuades Genius to take a walk with her, as she hopes he'll tell her where the rest of the goo is.Later on that evening, the delinquents sneak over to Nancy's house, and one of the teens named Pete (Tim Rooney) sneaks in and steals the substance, but not before a burglar alarm is tripped. Mike and his friends show up, and a brawl ensues, but the delinquents get away with the goo.Returning to the town theater, some of the teenagers want to use the goo and get rich, when a couple of the guys dare the others to take it. Several refuse to be considered cowards, and everyone takes the goo, causing the teenagers to grow 30 ft tall, and bursting out of their clothes. Some of the girls are ashamed of their size, but some of the guys see this as a way to get back at the adults.Fashioning clothing from curtains and cloth in the theater, the giants leave and appear at the local teen party, and proceed to dance. One of the girls named Merrie (Joy Harmon) picks up Mike friend Horsey (Johnny Crawford), and holds him to her chest as if he were dancing with her. Mike demands Fred tell Merrie to put his friend down, but when Fred refuses, Mike breaks a wooden chair on Fred's lower leg, causing the dancing to end.After brushing Mike aside Fred asserts that they are going to take over the town, but his plans fall short when the local Sheriff (Joe Turkel) arrives, and orders the giants to return to the theater where they've been staying.The Sheriff and Mike show up at the theater the next day, with the Sheriff demanding the giant teenagers leave Hainesville. However, Rick reveals that they have kidnapped the Sheriff's daughter, and use her as leverage against the Sheriff. The Sheriff then gives into the giants demands and surrenders all the guns in the town to them, as well as has food brought to them.Mike decides to do something about this, and feels that they need to capture one of the giants as their own hostage. Luring Fred into a neighborhood, Mike, Horsey and their friends attempt to capture Fred using their cars and some rope. However, the plan backfires when Pete captures Nancy, and Mike and the others are forced to let Fred go, as the two giants take her to the theater.Mike then comes up with a new scheme, with Horsey's girlfriend Red (Toni Basil) sent in to distract the male giants with a dance. After this, Mike appears outside the theater with a slingshot, meant as a distraction. Fred goes after Mike with a spear, and sends Merrie back into the theater to watch Nancy and the Sheriff's daughter. While she watches, Horsey shocks her with a large amount of ether-filled cotton, causing her to pass out. This allows Horsey and his friends to free Nancy and the Sheriff's daughter, and recover the guns.Meanwhile, Genius has failed to make more goo, but has come up with a yellow gaseous antidote that proves itself when Wolf shrinks back to normal size.Genius quickly takes the antidote and heads to the town square, where he uses it on the giants, shrinking them back down to normal size. Clutching onto their oversized garments, the now shrunken teens run out of town back to their car at the landslide. Realizing the car is damaged beyond repair, they realize they have a long walk ahead of them.Before they start, they are greeted by several little people who claim they are heading to Hainesville to find out about the goo. After the little people have passed them, the once giant teenagers walk off away from the small village and their car. | psychedelic | train | imdb | null |
tt0062960 | Fear Chamber | Prologue: Doctor Carl Mandel [Boris Karloff], an aging scientist, has spent his life
looking for answers to the secrets of the universe. When his radio
telescopes picked up patterned transmissions coming from under a volcano,
he sent his assistants -- Mark [Carlos East] and his daughter Corinne [Julissa] -- to find it,
while he communicated with them from his laboratory where his faithful
colleague and psychologist companion Helga [Isela Vega] makes sure that he takes his
medicine and gets his sleep.Months later. Mark and Corinne have found the source of the
transmissions and brought it back to the lab. It is a rock, fashioned from
what Dr Mandel thinks might be "primordial plasma," that is able to
communicate through an interface with Mandel's computer. It promises great
information about the universe, such as the location of diamonds, but
first it must be fed. It feeds on hormones that are released into the
blood when a human is experiencing great fear, so Mandel and Helga have
built a "chamber of fear" in order to procure the hormones needed by the
rock.Under guise of being an employment agency where young women are
solicited for potential foreign jobs and given lodging during the testing
period, Helga choses suitable donors to be awakened during the night and
made to run through the fear chamber (a maze filled with skeletons,
spiders, and scenes of torture) until they faint from fear. Then Mandel,
aided by Mark, Corinne, Helga, and other assistants -- a midget [Santanón], a bearded
guy wearing a turban, and the retarded strongman Roland [Yerye Beirute]) -- extract just
enough blood to feed the rock but not harm the donor. In fact, most donors
awake the next morning thinking they have merely had a bad dream. None of
the donors are ever harmed...well, except for the one girl, which Helga
has kept from telling Mandel, who is extremely adamant about not taking
human life.As the experiments continue, however, the rock seems to be becoming
more and more hungry. It has also evolved a tentacle which allows it to
reach out and grasp at things. When it uses that tentacle to grab a
victim, draw her in, and feed on her blood, Mandel realizes the potential
of the rock to become a murderer and cuts off the heat source it needs to
survive. The rock responds by interfacing with the computer as though it's
finally willing to tell its secrets, but Mandel begins to pull out the
power cords anyway. The strain of pulling out the cords causes Mandel to
collapse.With Mandel confined to his bed, Helga refuses to let the rock die.
She arranges some time away for Corinne and Mark and enlists Roland's help
in killing the midget and the turbaned guy. Between just the two of them,
Helga and Roland revive the rock and provide it with all the blood it
wants. It thanks them by spitting out some garbled data about diamonds.[Roland likes diamonds. Roland wants diamonds. Lots of diamonds.
Roland is friends with the rock. The rock talks to Roland, and Roland
talks to the rock. The rock tells Roland that he will be king of the
world. Roland wants to be king of world and have all the diamonds!]After reanalyzing the data, Helga has come to a chilling conclusion.
The rock's purpose has been not to educate scientists about the secrets of
the universe but to learn how to live on the surface of the earth. It is
now ready to relay its findings to others like itself who live near the
earth's core. Their plan is to take over the earth and feed on the blood
and fear of humans.Helga wants to kill the rock, but Roland won't let this happen to his
friend, so he chases Helga through the fear chamber and allows the rock to
feed on her. Roland then drives off in his car, yelling, "I'm going to be
king of the world!" just as Mark and Corinne return home. Corinne runs
straight down to the laboratory where she finds Helga with the life sucked
out of her and her father feverishly typing a new program into the
computer. The rock grabs Corinne with its tentacle. Mandel reminds her
that the rock feeds on fear and tells her not to be afraid. As Corinne
repeats over and over to herself "I am not afraid," Mark takes over for
Mandel on the computer, fighting to run the program before the rock can
develop its own internal circuits, which will render it capable of living.
Mark is successful. As the computer wiring around them goes up in
flames, Mandel explains that the program required accessing every step of
the rock's growth process and then reversing it. The now dead rock begins
to crumble into bits, as Mandel expresses the hope that they were able to
stop it before it relayed its information to others like itself.
Meanwhile, Roland can be seen running around under the volcano, shouting
"Diamonds! King of the World! Diamonds!" The volcano then erupts. [Original
Synopsis by bj_kuehl.] | murder, sadist | train | imdb | null |
tt0081793 | You Better Watch Out | Suburban New Jersey, Christmas Eve, 1947. Harry catches his mother being sexually groped by his father, who is dressed up as Santa. Heartbroken, the child then rushes up to the attic and cuts his hand with a shard of glass from a shattered snow globe.33 years later in the year 1980, the adult Harry (Brandon Maggart) now works in "a lousy position" as the manager of the Jolly Dreams toy factory. At home, he has taken it upon himself to become the next true Santa; he sleeps in a Santa costume, and his apartment is resplendent all year round with Christmas toys and décor. From the roof of his building, he uses binoculars to spy on neighborhood children to see if they have been 'bad or good' (two children are doing household chores and playing with their doll, the third child, Moss Garcia, is shown rifling through a Penthouse magazine and cutting out a nude photograph). Harry runs back home and writes Moss' name in his "Bad Boys & Girls" book.On his way home from work, Harry peeps into the window of a local bar and sees co-worker Frank Stoller, whom earlier that day had phoned-in sick and Harry had relieved on the assembly line. Harry becomes angry that Frank lied to him about being sick just to avoid not going to work. Harry rushes home, hums a Christmas tune, and breaks one of his male dollhouse figures.The following morning Harry phones his younger brother Phil (Jeffrey DeMunn) and cancels his plans to come over for Thanksgiving dinner with Phil and his family.One month later on Christmas Eve, the Company Christmas party for Jolly Dreams is in full swing. Harry watches the owner of Jolly Dreams making a televised announcement that, if production increases sufficiently, the company will be able to donate toys to the disadvantaged children at Willowy Springs State Hospital. Just then, Harry is greeted by one of his co-workers, named Ben, who thanks him for taking Frank's place at the warehouse on the assembly line. Frank then introduces Harry to newcomer employee George.At home, Harry realizes that people generally consider him a "schmuck" and is constantly exploited by others. He then has a nervous breakdown, and he is now convinced that he truly is Santa Claus. Down in his basement workshop, he begins smelting toy soldiers (with swords at attention) and small axes.Alone after-hours, Harry gets a brilliant idea. He steals company toys, wraps them, loads them into his van, and later drops them off at the hospital. He then leaves a bagful of dirt at bad-boy Moss Garcia's doorstep. Sometime later, Harry passes by a local community center where a party is being held. Two men outside see Harry in his Santa costume and mistake him for the Santa that was supposed to show up for the children. They pull him inside where Harry has fun mingling with the other attendees and giving toy soldiers to the children also there. He soon leaves, but announces to the children to be good or they will not get any presents for next year.At around midnight, Harry passes by a local church where he murders three teenage parishioners who happen to taunt him at the bottom steps of the church. Coincidentally, Frank and George are also attending the midnight mass, and witness "Santa's" bloody crime, the hatchet murders of the young bullying preppies.Later that same evening, Harry manages to invade two family's homes for different reasons. After sneaking into Phil's home, he destroys his nephews' Jolly Dreams gifts, and delivers the newly minted soldiers, as well as toys from his own workshop. At the Stoller home, he sneaks in through their basement, delivers the kids' toys, murders Frank in bed by stabbing him to death, and escapes in his van.Meanwhile, an all points bulletin is posted for the town as police begin to search the area for the murderous Santa Claus. Several street-corner Santas are brought in for questioning as well as police line-up for the witnesses to the three murders outside the church.On Christmas morning, Phil begins to suspect something is seriously wrong with his brother and argues with his wife Jackie. Their children are preoccupied with watching a television program and do not seem to mind playing with their damaged and sub-par toys.At the closed warehouse, Harry gains entrance and activates the assembly lines, breaking even-more toys in the process.That night he drives off, and his van becomes stuck in the snow on a beautifully decorated street with plenty of lights, sending him further into a delusional state. By now his costume is dirty and dishevelled. He eventually finds himself on the wrong side of his brother's neighborhood. When he offers to give a toy soldier to a group of needy children, the children's parents happen by and threaten Harry. One father attacks him with a switchblade knife, before the children come to Harry's defense and allow him to get away. Now, a large torch-bearing mob pursues him. Nevertheless, he manages to drive his van out of the sludge and arrives at his brother's house.Phil quickly realizes that his brother is the homicidal Santa he has heard announced on the news. Harry tries to justify his actions to his brother, but Phil proceeds to choke him unconscious. Phil loads Harry into the front seat of the van, whereupon Harry comes-to, cold-cocks him, and again drives off. During his escape, the oncoming mob appears on the road and forces him and his van off a bridge. The van then is shown to magically fly off towards the moon as Harry's voice over reads the end of "Twas the Night Before Christmas." | cult, murder | train | imdb | Jackson takes aim at the crass commercialization of the holiday, a common theme in Christmas fare, and comes up with some very striking images, notably the police line up of Santas, and the homage to the Fritz Lang classic "M" with angry torch bearing citizens hellbent on getting their hands on Harry.Talented star Maggart came in cold for his audition and delivered the exact performance seen in the movie; it's truly something to see.
oddball seasonal slasher that has more characterisation and less gore than many of its contemparies.After witnessing his mother getting it on with his father in a santa suit as a boy,a now deeply disturbed and grown up harry standling (Brandon Maggart) decides to celebrate Christmas his own way by metering out punishment to those who have besmirched the season of good will.'Christmas evil' succeeds due to the film's emphasis on showing harry as a three dimensional character and for conjuring up a generally oppressive and Eerie atmosphere throughout,the fact that the death scence's are sporadic and often off kilter add too this 1980 slasher's unsettling nature.'Christmas evil' will be far too off-beat for your average stalk and slash fan,but for those open minded and adventurous enough,'Christmas evil'is a one of a kind,genuinely original treat..
A young boy sees mommy having sex with Santa Claus (this seems to turn a lot of people crazy in these movies) and grows up Christmas-obsessed.
You Better Watch Out otherwise known as Christmas Evil is essentially a Christmas version of Falling Down (1993) just not as clever, interesting, thought provoking or even remotely good.It tells the story of a man tormented by the memory of discovering that Santa Claus isn't real.
Overworked and underappreciated, taken advantage by work colleagues and witnessing the selfishness of his company he finally snaps and goes on a killing spree dressed as santa (As you do).It's one of those films where though you can't fully empathise with the antagonist you can understand his plight to an extent and even feel a little bit sorry for him.
Something more like De Niro in the later picture "The Fan" to give a closer idea.Harry has an obsession with everything related to the greeting card version of Christmas, from counting the days, decorating his apartment, watching parades and even dressing up as the jolly, white-bearded man himself.
As the unlucky ones that learned the hard way from Dirty Harry about being judge, jury and executioner: You don't mess with a man on his own turf.Instead of being just a straightforward plot about someone ready to commit violence if anything comes between their fixation like some typical slasher, this is a character study that goes through motivations in a quirky, off-beat way and reveals a method to the madness, as unorthodox as that may be.
(Some Spoilers) Off the wall slasher film involving this not so stable toy factory manager who got the shock of his life when, as a little boy, her saw Santa and his mom getting off on Christmas Eve. The fact that Santa was young Harry Stadling's father didn't seem to be noticed by Harry who became obsessed with Ol' Saint Nicholas his entire life.
Harry went so far as living a secret life as the man in the red and white suit using his disguise as Santa as his personal and secret identity.Harry keeping tabs on all the kids in his neighborhood, by spying on them, had a list of who was naughty and who was nice among them and as Christmas approached he was to make sure that they all got, good or bad, everything that they so rightfully deserved.
Besides Harry taking all the toys, from the factory, to give away as Christmas presents to the children in the city he also plans to give his Scrooge-like bosses a Christmas that they'll never forget!Harry's rampage in the movie was motivated by those who looked at Christmas, and Santa, as nothing but a money making, not giving, time of the year.
Harry was so believable as the lovable Santa Clause that even the children of the people that he murdered looked up to him, with Harry giving them expensive presents, as if he were the real McCoy, Santa, himself!During the entire film Harry was always on the outs with his younger brother Philip who, since they were little boys, never believed in Santa and let Harry know it in no uncertain terms.
A killer disguised as santa claus is haunted by A 1947 christmas after seeing his mom being fondled by his father(who by the way is dressed in A santa claus suit)and finding out there is no santa claus.Now as an adult,he keeps records of boys and girls who are good and bad and kills the people who are mean to him and those who uses christmas as profit making.Although this movie is low budget,it still has great acting and A surprising (and funny)ending.It's A must for horror buffs..
You Better Watch Out (aka Christmas Evil) is much more of a black comic character study than a slasher film.
If you mess with Santa, you get taken out.You Better Watch Out is the perfect cinematic experience if you have seen to many bad Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel.
There's not much horror in this film, beside a couple of killings (mainly folks who don't like Santa), plus a fair amount of pathos and touching moments as Harry really does play the Santa bit to the full for the kids.
Part horror, part drama and all round weird tale with quite a bit of emotion, Christmas Evil stands out as a film that's hard to categorise, but that's what makes it so good in the first place.
He has already been acting like Santa Claus before by watching the neighborhood children and listing off their activities.The thing about this movie is it wanted to be this in depth examination of this sick mind.
One Christmas Eve he snaps and sets out to kill the naughty people--dressed as Santa of course.Boring and just plain bad killer Santa movie.
Christmas EvilSanta Claus tells burglars that home invasion is okay so long as you bring a gift.Regrettably, the only gift the malefactor in this horror movie bares is a swinging axe.Toymaker Harry (Brandon Maggart) takes his job so seriously he believes he's destined to be Kris Kringle.
Wearing the red and white costume and compiling a nice/naughty list of his neighbours, Harry dispenses his brand of Christmas justice upon them.While some get gifts from him, others - like his shiftless coworker (Joe Jamrog) or mouthy hipsters – get a taste of Harry's hatchet.Originally titled: You Better Watch Out, this B-Movie from 1980 set the standard for the seasonal slashers that started appearing shortly after its release.
The movie focuses on Harry, a middle-aged worker at a Christmas-themed toy factory who has an unhealthy obsession over the Christmas holiday and Santa Claus, stemming from a traumatic childhood event.
His good deed, however, is disrupted, and an ensuing psychotic break has him slashing instead of spreading holiday cheer.One of the better (and earlier) holiday horror excursions, "Christmas Evil" is an interesting film and probably isn't what you'd expect.
Many people seem to get the film confused with the 1984 slasher film, "Silent Night, Deadly Night", but in fact, these two movies are actually quite different aside from the "murderer in the Santa Claus attire" plot device.
"Christmas Evil" is less a slasher, and more a character study, where the reverse is arguably true of the former.Although the root of the main character's (effectively played by Brandon Maggart) mental disruption is addressed early on in the film, it does require some suspension of disbelief, as Harry's unhealthy obsession with Christmas leads him to assuming the identity of Santa Claus.
His innocent intentions to deliver toys to the good boys and girls is actually rather heartwarming, but the narrative takes a sinister turn that has the film shift from what could have been a weird Hallmark movie to a demented slasher.
Keeping tabs on all the local children (via voyeurism); documenting their good and bad behaviour.One Christmas, after witnessing the greed of management at the toy factory where he works, he snaps, and fully embraces his Santa alter-ego, on the one day of the year that the rest of the world might accept it.Everything goes well for him at first.
Overall, Christmas Evil is a decent "horror" film but I personally don't think it's all that a lot of people are making it out to be.
And once again the jolliest time of the year is approaching and Harry (Brandon Maggart) is starting to feel the pressure of the Yuletide.Christmas Evil stands apart from its slasher horror brethren by the virtue of its quality.
A young boy witnesses his mom getting it off with Santa which warped his mind and he grows up to become obsessed with Christmas.He keeps a record of all of the children who had been good and all of those who had been naughty and he hates those people who use Christmas for their own needs.Eventually he snaps and goes around the town,looking for "naughty" people who trash the good name of Christmas.The series of bloody murders begins..."Christmas Evil" is a joy to watch.Brandon Maggert is perfect as a psychotic Santa Claus and there are some moments of sheer lunacy including a Santa Claus police lineup,a murder with a tree topper star and New Yorkers chasing bad Santa through the streets with torches."Christmas Evil" is slow in parts;it plays more like a character study than a straight ahead slasher flick.Still despite its low body count I enjoyed this twisted little flick..
On and on these things drag on; scenes of our schlub of a anti-hero wandering around, or climbing ladders or driving in his van, all of which I suppose were intended to establish mood and emotion, but end up making you want to hit fast forward a whole lot.I did like the scene in which the evil Santa-type guy stabs someone in the eye with a toy soldier, and also a scene in which a guy walks away from someone talking to him, and after a cutaway, the two are right back together again.
But this is no Plan Nine, and moments like these are few and far between.This movie would probably be fun to show to people only if you told them you were putting on a "real" Christmas movie and then saw their faces when Santa and Mommy start getting it on in an early prologue scene.
"Christmas Evil", or "You Better Watch Out" is about worker in a toy factory who happens to be Santa with a purpose.
On one day he just looses it and becomes "Santa", drives and his van delivering presents to children, but also kills some specific people he doesn't like.The movie is quite memorable and full of Holiday cheer and atmosphere, despite the story.
A toy factory worker (Fiona Apple's father), mentally scarred as a child upon learning Santa Claus is not real, suffers a nervous breakdown after being belittled at work, and embarks on a Yuletide killing spree.I had a copy of this movie on my desk for over a year (thanks, Vinegar Syndrome) but somehow never found the time.
And, sadly, despite a few good scenes and the possibility of this being the first killer Santa movie, it runs a bit too slow and too long to be a really strong slasher.On the bright side, it has Jeffrey DeMunn before he really became a horror icon through his work with Frank Darabont..
"Hailed" by wondrously camp film maker, John Waters, as the best Christmas film ever, Christmas Evil begins in 1947 where the young Harry Standling (played in adult form by Brandon Maggart) witnesses what he believes to be Santa Claus getting off with his mum!
Really boring this strange horror movie, not particularly gore either: a boy who saw his parents make love under the Christmas tree - with the father in a Santa suit - become a man who, as Santa Claus, dispense justice, punishing evil children and rewarding good ones.Slow, preposterous, insane..
However, one fateful Christmas Eve Harry has a severe mental meltdown and goes dangerously off the deep end with his Santa obsession.Those expecting a typical and conventional slice'n'dice body count opus will be seriously disappointed; instead writer/director Lewis Jackson offers something much better and more ambitious: A quirky, vivid, and often darkly humorous psychological character study of a deeply tragic and troubled soul who elicits from the viewer a complex blend of fear and pity.
Moreover, this film delivers a wonderful wealth of inspired oddball moments: A raucous Christmas office party that degenerates into a drunken fracas, Harry marking a bratty kid's house with muddy hand prints, Harry happily dancing at another Christmas party (Harry's speech to a bunch of little children at this particular party is an absolute loopy hoot!), Harry getting stuck in a chimney, Harry being chased by an angry torch-wielding mob, a police station line-up of sidewalk Santas, and a truly bonkers magical ending that's probably all in Harry's unbalanced head.While Maggart clearly dominates the movie with his top-notch portrayal of a fascinatingly sincere and well-meaning, yet still lethal and unhinged individual, he nonetheless receives sturdy support from Jeffrey DeMunn as Harry's fed-up long-suffering younger brother Philip, Dianne Hall as Philip's more sweet and tolerant wife Jackie, Joe Jamrog as lazy and irresponsible coworker Frank, and Peter Friedman as callous executive Mr. Grosch.
It's less trashy than Silent Night Deadly Night, less influential than Black Christmas, and less sleazy than Don't Open 'Til Christmas, but You Better Watch Out (AKA Christmas Evil) is certainly no less worthy of your time if you dig seasonal horrors.In fact, it fully deserves to have something of a cult following thanks to its quirky sense of humour, and a wonderful turn by Brandon Maggart as crazy Harry Stadling, who as a child, spotted his mommy doing more than just kissing Santa Clause, and who now takes Christmas a little too seriously, deciding for himself who has been naughty and nice, and dealing with them accordingly.With such fun scenes as Harry (in full Father Christmas costume) dancing his heart out at a Christmas party, getting stuck in a chimney, and imagining his van is being pulled by reindeer, plus a police identity line-up consisting of a motley looking collection of Santas, You Better Watch Out might be more amusing than horrific, but it is still very twisted at times; certainly what little graphic violence is shown is surprisingly nasty, such as when Harry attacks a group of church-goers, poking an eye out with a toy soldier and then axing a couple of guys in the head.As Harry's murderous rampage continues, and local people begin to eye anyone in a Santa costume with suspicion, it's not long before our jolly psycho is confronted by an angry mob, who chase him down the streets with flaming torches (in an homage to Universal's Frankenstein, perhaps).
Anyway, I was generally impressed with the film: its deliberate pace, coupled with a remarkable leading performance from Brandon Maggart and the weird score, creates a genuinely unsettling aura throughout; despite the unfamiliar personnel involved and the obvious low-budget, the end result is certainly compelling.Still, while it's touted as a slasher film (one of a few with a Yuletide backdrop - I've watched the even superior BLACK Christmas [1974] but haven't yet checked out any entries from the SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT [1984-92] series), the killing spree here is limited to just two violent outbursts: the first - leaving numerous victims - occurs outside a church in full view of the public, utilizing shock cuts and crude gore effects for its impact; the second, a personal vendetta taking place inside the house of one of Maggart's colleagues, relies mainly on creating suspense and is then carried out in one swift and vicious stroke.
In fact, the film is better approached as a character study in the vein of TAXI DRIVER (1976) - with Maggart, having something of an obsession with Christmas after a traumatic childhood experience, slipping slowly but surely into madness: he keeps a couple of diaries in which the vices and virtues of the neighborhood kids are periodically listed - so that, at Christmastime, he's able to reward the good whilst punishing the bad (actually, his interaction with the children might well be construed as borderline paedophelia by today's standards)!
After a series of events which sends Harry over the edge, including run-ins with his mean scrooge like boss Mr. Fletcher (Scott McKay) and various work colleagues, Harry dresses up on Christmas Eve as Santa and travels around New York giving out presents to good boys and girls and killing the bad ones, until he ends up at his brothers house for a final confrontation.
Going into a movie like I this, I was expecting absolutely nothing entertaining except for a whorde of kills.....what I got was even less.Christmas eve 1947 a kid witnesses his parents doing it while daddy is in a santa suit.
Don't go messing around trying to get all deep and thoughtful; you're only gonna wind up looking foolish.Christmas Evil is the story of Harry Stadling, who saw a little bit too much of Mommy kissing (Daddy-dressed-as-)Santa Claus back when he was a kid.
So, of course, Harry grows up obsessed with Christmas, and finally, when his disillusionment becomes too great, he flips out, dresses as Santa, and wanders the city giving out toys to good little children, and viciously killing anyone he deems naughty.Simple enough, and not a bad place to start.
I'd make them watch it every year and if they didn't like it, they'd be punished."Christmas Eve 1947: Harry Stadling (played later in the film Brandon Maggart, who is the father of Fiona Apple) watches his father - dressed as Santa - get sexy with his mother. |
tt2334879 | White House Down | John Cale (Channing Tatum) is a United States Capitol Police officer assigned to Speaker of the House of Representatives Eli Raphelson (Richard Jenkins) after Cale saved Raphelson's nephew's life during a tour in Afghanistan. Cale is struggling to develop a better relationship with his daughter Emily (Joey King), who has a strong enthusiasm for politics. He hopes to impress her by getting a job with the Secret Service, but the interview is conducted by Carol Finnerty (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a former college acquaintance of his who believes that he is unqualified due to a lack of respect for authority. After lying to Emily about the outcome of the interview, she and Cale join a tour of the White House. At the same time, U.S. President James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx) proposes a controversial peace treaty between allied countries to remove military forces from the Middle East.Meanwhile, a man disguised as a janitor detonates a bomb at the center of the United States Capitol, causing the collapse of the building's dome. Raphelson - who was in the Capitol but is uninjured - and Finnerty are taken to a secure command center underneath the Pentagon while Vice President Alvin Hammond (Michael Murphy) is taken aboard Air Force One. The White House is put on lockdown separating Cale from Emily (who had left the tour group to use the restroom). Meanwhile, mercenaries led by Emil Stenz (Jason Clarke) start killing off most of the Secret Service and take the tour group hostage, but Cale manages to take a gun from a mercenary named Carl Killick (Kevin Rankin) and escapes to go and find his daughter. Meanwhile, retiring Head of the Presidential Detail Martin Walker (James Woods) escorts President Sawyer and his detail to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. Once Sawyer gains access, Walker kills everyone else in Sawyer's detail, revealing himself to be the leader of the attack; he wants revenge for his son who was killed during a botched black ops mission. Cale, who fails to find Emily, kills a mercenary and takes his gun and radio. Using the radio, Cale locates and rescues the President.Walker and Stenz bring in Skip Tyler (Jimmi Simpson) to hack into the defense system, but they still require Sawyer to activate the nuclear football. Emily, while hiding, records a video of the mercenaries and uploads it to YouTube before eventually being captured by Killick. Walker demands $400 million from the Federal Reserve as ransom for the hostages. Cale and Sawyer manage to get in contact with the Pentagon, and Finnerty tells Cale to get Sawyer out through a series of secret underground tunnels. Finnerty then uses Emily's video to discover the mercenaries' identities, discovering that they used to work for various government agencies and radical political groups. They are informed that Stenz, a former Special Forces operative, was disavowed and burned on mission, leading to his capture by the Taliban. They also discover that Walker has terminal cancer, suggesting his involvement to be a suicide mission and that the attack is not for ransom. Cale and Sawyer find the tunnel gate rigged with an explosive and are forced to escape in a presidential limousine. After a car chase/shootout with Stenz on the White House lawn, Cale and Sawyer are flipped into the White House pool after Cale gets distracted by the sight of Killick holding Emily at gunpoint. A gunfight erupts which results in an explosion that leaves Sawyer and Cale presumed dead. Aboard Air Force One, Hammond is then sworn in as President.When Cale and Sawyer reveal they are still alive, they learn Hammond has approved an aerial incursion by Delta Force to take back the White House. Knowing the mercenaries have Javelin surface-to-air missiles, Cale tries but fails to stop the mercenaries from shooting down the helicopters. Cale gets into a fight with Stenz and ends up dropping his White House passes for himself and Emily while escaping. Having already learned of Emily from the video, Stenz, knowing that she is Cale's daughter, takes her to Walker in the Oval Office. Meanwhile, Tyler finishes the upload to NORAD and launches a missile at Air Force One, killing everyone on board, including Hammond. Raphelson is then sworn in as President and, in a last ditch effort to end the crisis, orders an air strike on the White House. Finnerty informs Cale of Raphelson's decision.Walker tells Cale over the White House intercom to surrender Sawyer or he will shoot Emily. Sawyer ultimately surrenders himself to save Emily, knowing Cale could still save them both if he was free. Holding the pair in the Oval Office, Walker reveals to Sawyer that his motive for the attack was to convey a message of American power. Because of Sawyer's dislike of military force, as well as backing out of the mission that killed his son, Walker had grown to believe Sawyer was too weak to be President; by launching a nuclear attack on Iran, Walker had hoped to regain international respect for America and avenge his own personal loss. He asks for Sawyer to activate the nuclear football. Sawyer refuses, and tries to convince Walker that his son did not die in vain, and that the peace treaty was a form of victory. When Walker threatens to shoot Emily again, the alarms and sprinklers are activated by Cale setting fire to the Lincoln Bedroom. In the chaos, Tyler tries to escape but encounters the tunnel gate bomb. When he tries to deactivate it, it detonates instead, killing him. Killick finds Cale and tries to kill him, but is ambushed by Donnie Smith, the White House tour guide (Nicolas Wright), who bludgeons Killick to death with a clock. After freeing the hostages and entrusting Donnie to get them out safely, Cale battles Stenz and ultimately kills him with a grenade belt. Using the explosion to catch him off guard, Sawyer attacks a distracted Walker, but Walker gains the upper hand and forces Sawyer to activate the football before apparently shooting him dead. Using updated launch codes from an anonymous source, Walker targets various cities in Iran, but before he can initiate the launch, Cale smashes through the wall of the Oval Office with a presidential SUV, and kills Walker with the SUV's minigun. Cale warns Emily of the air strike, and she takes a presidential flag and waves it on the front lawn, prompting the pilots to call off the attack. Meanwhile, Sawyer reveals himself to be alive since the bullet that hit him hit a pocket watch his wife (Garcelle Beauvais) had given him. Finnerty calls them to reveal that the mercenaries were not hired by Walker, and that there is another person behind the attack. Cale realizes who it is and asks Sawyer for his help in exposing the person.Later, Finnerty arrives at the White House with Raphelson. When Cale tells them Sawyer was killed, Raphelson then orders troops to be placed back into the Middle East, which would go against Sawyer's peace treaty. Cale then reveals Raphelson had conspired with Walker to orchestrate the attack because of Raphelson's opposition to Sawyer's treaty and then proves it by having Finnerty call the call-back number on Walker's pager, which was the source of the updated launch codes. Sawyer arrives and has Raphelson taken into custody, treating his taking of the Presidency as a coup d'état. Sawyer then officially offers Cale a job in the Secret Service and takes him and Emily on an aerial tour of Washington, D.C. on his way to the hospital. Realizing an increased need for peace due to the day's events, Russia, Iran, China, and other Middle Eastern and Asian countries agree to sign Sawyer's peace treaty. | suspenseful, mystery, murder, violence, psychedelic, action, revenge, entertaining, sentimental | train | imdb | null |
tt1144804 | Kambakkht Ishq | When Hollywood stuntman Viraj Shahriyan (Akshay Kumar) and medical student Simrita Rai (Kareena Kapoor) come across each other at his brother Lucky's (Aftab Shivdasani) and her best friend Kamini's (Amrita Arora) hastily planned wedding ceremony, they instantly develop a dislike for each other. They both have a very low opinion of the opposite sex, and staunchly believe marriage is not the way to go for the two newlyweds, whom they try to discourage from proceeding further.
Simrita convinces Kamini to test out her theory that men are after only one thing, by forcing Lucky to delay their marriage vows for three months. She is sure, Lucky will not be able to do so and this will prove to Kamini that Lucky is just another low-class male, like all others, and her claims of him being different than most men are unfounded. Viraj, upon hearing about this new development, tries to do the exact opposite. This results in a hilarious scene at a local disco bar, where Viraj lures Kamini with the hope of her finding Lucky with a "girlfriend" that he has planted in the lap of Lucky in order to make Kamini jealous. The plan backfires and Kamini and Lucky end up in divorce court where the judge puts them on a three-month probation and marriage counselling. Simrita keeps on telling Kamini that all men are the same and that all they want is sex. Lucky tries to make love with Kamini but she never lets him come near her.
Meanwhile, Simrita and Viraj keep bumping into each other when they both travel to Italy independently; the former to make some quick cash as a model to pay her medical bills, and the latter, with Lucky, to chill out and take a vacation from all of the marital stress Lucky has been facing back home. Upon returning home, Simrita is given a watch pendant by her Dolly Aunty (Kirron Kher) to wear as a good luck charm. The pendant hangs from a bracelet on her wrist. Viraj gets seriously hurt in an accident at work and is brought for emergency surgery to the hospital where Simrita is an intern. Much to each other's irritation, Simrita is given the charge to perform surgery on Viraj. After the surgery, while looking at the X-rays, she is horrified to discover that the watch on her wrist has accidentally ended up in Viraj's stomach.
Simrita tries various ways of getting the watch out. During one such process, which fails, it becomes clear that Simrita is bitter about her perceived unfaithfulness of the two most prominent men from her childhood: her divorced father and her elder sister's ex-husband. By this time, Viraj is secretly beginning to fall in love with Simrita. Several days later, Simrita is successful in removing the watch from Viraj's stomach. Following the surgery, Viraj overhears the truth and leaves. Several days later, he proposes to Denise Richards in an attempt to forget about Simrita. Upon realising her mistake, Simrita helps Lucky and Kamini reconcile and decides to confess her love for Viraj at the wedding ceremony. At first, Denise is upset but then tells Viraj to go to Simrita. The two embrace and go off together in the car sharing a few passionate kisses. | humor, entertaining | train | wikipedia | It is about a 'super' Indian stuntman in Hollywood (Akshay Kumar as Viraj Shergill) who meets an Indian supermodel (Kareena Kapoor as Simrita Rai) at his brother's (Aftab Shivdasani as Lucky) wedding in church.
I hold a great respect for Indian cinema and I have been in love with Bollywood since before I could even walk my first step.The thing about this movie is that it is ridiculously illogical in every single aspect, not to mention the lead actors serious problem of over-acting.
I loved Kareena in 'Jab we met' and I thought "well this girl finally proved that she can indeed act normally", but this movie changed my mind.To be fair though, I did laugh at times.
Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor are the lead actors, the film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and has 3 Hollywood Supertstars, Stallone, Routh and Denise Richards.
Then the whole movie rounds about the same theme with cheap jokes, stupid dialogues and worst acting from really good actors..I just pity Akshay ...
and of course, no one can say it's a good movie, because all the world know how bad it is.so i think that AKSHAY KUMAR has to say good bye to comedy because he can't do it, he is is good in drama and action, but in comedy he is just a bad actor.
Let me start saying what i liked in the movie, the song - Om Mangalam - (Reprised) Kambakkht Ishq and the extras behind Kareena Kapoor (Bebo) and Akshay Kumar in every song.Akshay Kumar previous movie Singh is King is much better than this movie.
Akshay Kumar please get back to the Khiladi mode or get into the mode the reel son of Amithabh Bachchan.Kareena Kapoor is way toooo loud in the movie, i do not know was it for emphasis or was the acoustics in the new theater.
Talking about the much hyped swimsuit sequence of Kareena Kapoor, yeah, swimsuit was good, but it was not that great on her.From the Hollywood brigade there is Sylvester Stallone, Denise Richards, Branden Routh, i think all of them are wasted to some extent, they should have be given some more meaty role.
Like most of the scenes end very abruptly.If this an entry of Hollywood stars in Bollywood movies then for a fact then we can surely see a trend of Johnny Depp fighting a battle with Aamir Khan, then Depp loosing the battle, Megan Fox and Frieda Pinto setting a ramp walk on fire, then Frieda taking the crown away.
As for the Hollywood crowd, oh lord they must have been desperate, not that I really expect much from the likes of Sylvester Stallone or Denise Richards, neither of whom could ever be accused of being great actors.Even the music here, which can often redeem at least partially any Bollywood film, is sadly way off the mark.Not even the visual delights of Amrita Arora and Kareena Kapoor could entice me to watch this piece of rubbish in its entirety ever again.
Its hard to imagine a film as bad as this across the board (although some comments passed about Akshay Kumar's more recent films would indicate that he is trying to make this look like a pinnacle of his career).Believe me, you do not need to watch this film - find the stills of Amrita in bikini that are floating around the internet: you would then be seeing the highlights of the film just about.3/10 only because its got Amrita in a bikini and Kareena looks good..
After watching her poor performance I just realised that Indian film industry board should also introduce award for worst performances and worse movies, just like Hollywood's Razzie Award.
Its quite impossible to believe the fact that the makers of Kambakkht Ishq actually thought just Akshaye Kumar and Kareena Kapoor could make a movie run at the box office and not the script.Kambhakkt Ishq's protagonist Viraj Shergill(Akshaye Kumar) a stuntman by profession who strictly believes in the fact of staying bachelor and is quite successful to pass on the same values to his brother Lucky Shergill(Aftab Shivdasani) another stuntman by profession until the day he finds out himself about Lucky's marriage plans with Kamini(Amrita Arora) a model.
Now here's where he bumps into Simrita(Kareena Kapoor) , Kamini's friend who thinks the same way about men as Viraj does about women.Now till about this point, i think director Sabir had a script in place and was seriously planning on something really good with the movie until the first song rolled out.
The script essays the antics of a very hot Indian-origin-soon-to-be-surgeon-cum-part-time-model in the US who tries to recover her mantra-chanting watch which she accidentally leaves inside a Hollywood stuntman whom she hates during her first surgery, only to discover that both of them are inconsolably, unspeakably, indisputably in love.No, really.This plot, my friend, is a flash of inspiration from the Gods.
From here on you start expecting more entertaining stuff coming down the lane related to the battle of the sexes, but sadly you are not served a better dish later on.The good news for all Akshay Kumar's fans is that he is back in form with his impeccable comic timing in the first half.
Her performance in the movie also proves the immense acting talent she has, as expected from a lady from the Kapoor Family.So, the first half is high on entertainment where you keep on enjoying the scenes even when there is no story being developed.
Firstly, in a movie based on the life of a Hollywood Stuntman, you don't find any amazing stunts and action sequences performed by Akshay Kumar.
What has happened to Akshay Kumar...he looks like to be heading the Govinda path...where the guy got too confident and didn't really bother to do some acting and thought people will laugh at anything he does....Akshay Kumar is a very fine actor with some serious acting skills....right now he is loosing whatever he learned in all these 15-20 yrs of acting..Its not just Kambhakt Ishq but all his recent movies just provide more evidence to the thought..The end credits song from Chandni Chowk to China just shows it..He needs to improve his skills again....It is already hard enough to understand the purpose of Sylvester Stallone in the movie, they even needed to add Javed Jafferi....you'll understand when you watch the movie one night in the cable...The only one who seems to be knowing what she's actually doing in the movie is Kareena Kapoor...I couldn't believe that one day I would be saying this but she did look like a bomb.I get that the movie was no brainer and was supposed to be carried forward by the charms of the leading actors...What happens when one of the leading actor fails...."Kambhakt Ishq."6/10.
On the other hand, there's a woman, who is a firebrand and believes that there's no love.Starring Akshaye Kumar, Sylvester Stallone, Kareena Kapoor, Denise Richards, Aftab Shivdasani, Brendon Routh, Amrita Arora, Diane Sellers, Kirron Kher, Ashwin Mushran and Reann Giles, this is directed and written by Sabir Khan and Ishita Moitra and is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and the music score is by Anu Malik.Akshaye performing some of his own stunts was good.
This battle-of-the-sexes saga starring Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor is a loud, vulgar and seriously offensive film that has reportedly been made at a price of Rs 60 crore.
Where in the world can you expect to find Sylvester Stallone lurking in alleys waiting to come to the rescue of hapless girls?Provocative, but just for the sake of it, director Sabbir Khan resorts to cheap gimmicks for the sake of cheap thrills - like a group of girls flashing their breasts to the men at a wedding reception, and Akshay Kumar grabbing Kareena and smooching her forcibly on the lips.In terms of performances, there is very little that can be said about both leads.
Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar may be good actors but they have surely ruined their images now.The story is stupid, the twists are even more stupid, and the coincidences are the sturdiest part of the film.
I guess both Akshay and Bebo signed it cuz they were thrilled that it will be a big box office hit cuz of the Hollywood actors' guest appearances, but I guess their guest appearances didn't save the movie as well.This as yet again a clichéd comedy just like Chandni Chowk To China...
The storyline was a hundred year old, the jokes were pretty used up, the songs, well not that good enough too, acting was good, as we cannot forget the fact that both Akshay and Bebo are pretty solid performers.So in the end, it is a 4/10 movie, and just a timepass, no thrills whatsoever, pretty much predictable at every stage.And ignore the comments of any users who says they loved it cuz if you are a serious movie watcher, you'd prolly not like it a lil bit!.
one tip for bollywood, do NOT try to make your movies as if you live in Hollywood, cuz clearly, even experienced actors like Akshay Kumar hav just showed that they have absolutely NO choice in movies.
and after akshay kumar having ALL his movies a flop this year, id say he should stop acting, and about kareena kapoor, i don't know why she got into the field in the first place.
well what can i say this film is excellent please ignore all the negative views which are mainly from India this type of movie is to explicit for the audience in India they like the old traditional about to kiss then turn heads away at last minute films this still seem to be a taboo subject there although we are in the 21st century.yes the movies is not a family film and yes is based on sex and one night stands this movie will be a massive hit to western audience some of the best blockbuster comedeys ever made are based on sexual expolits American pie,super bad ,hangover etc its about time bollywood release movies on that subject.movies like this should have been made 10 years ago this movie has excellent comedy sexy women some offensive language which is funny very English type of movie people were falling of their chairs watching this movie in the cinema so people ignore the neg comments and watch the movie if u think this is a romantic old fashion love story think again this is a bout how women are good for one thing men use them and how they get revenge on men if u are offended by sex then dnt watch movie if u want a laugh and enjoy your popcorn go and watch this film u will come out smiling excellent a++++++++++++++++.
Simrita too was made to look like a Jeckyll and Hyde character, balancing modelling with medical school, where she needed the former assignments to pay for the latter's fees as a surgeon-in-waiting, which was already a first step in implausibility, adding to that a situation that was highly impossible involving surgery and misplaced personal artifacts, but probably brought on the best laughs when delivered by Akshay Kumar.Then again this is supposed to be a comedy and not taken seriously.
Akshay proves again that he has great comic timing and the initial song and dance sequences brought out some mischievous play when he tries to rag Kareena's Simrita, which unfortunately gave way to romantic melodrama in the second half where the narrative decided to turn it into a mediocre romantic film where Viraj does a sudden about turn in letting his heart rule over his other head, totally forgetting the challenge he was set out to perform.Akshay excelled in what he does best as well, and that's the high octane, energetic role as a stuntman.
Only one word "Missing".Aftab n Amrita are about to get married, enter Akshay(Viraj, should have been a mirage) n Kareena(Simrita, the only thing i like about this movie other than the cinematography is kareena's characters name in the movie), they fight like children, although in the beginning it was kinda cute but then its too much for its own good.They try to break the marriage of Aftab n Amrita but end up falling for each other with of course some over the top action scenes and some idiotic songs.Sylvester Stallone was good, Denise Richards looked old but still beautiful.The action scenes were over the top but sometimes good.The jokes.....lets just not start it......PATHETIC, just as the movie is.The award function was cool.
After watching movies like Chandni Chowk to China and 8 x 10 Tasveer, I thought that maybe Akshay can entertain us this time,at least a bit.There was a little hope that it might be an entertaining movie but Akshay Kumar disappointed us again.After watching this 'totally insane' movie, I thought that I was cheated and robbed.I don't know why Sylvester Stallone,Denise Richards and Brandon Routh agreed to 'appear' in this movie.I want to tell the people that this movie does not deserve to be watched.
Sajid Nadiadwala's last film HEYY BABYY was a trite comedy and had fo emotional scenes where in a 70's style guys grow up and stop womanizing but actually living their life for a childIn this film directed by Sabir Khan(first timer) again similarly A womanizer changes and becomes responsible and really falls for Kareena both keep fighting on ego hassles throughout the film as male vs femaleThe start promises unlimited laughter at least but the problem is lack of consistent humour, even the humour is trite mostly Also the constant terms like Bitch.etc are too muchand many scenes are not funnythere is no proper narrative structure and the film just goes on and on The romance angle is weakly forced in towards the end Direction by Sabir Khan is weak Music is okayAkshay Kumar though repeating himself is a fun to watch, though he is growing old yet he is entertainer no.1 but he needs to stop this roles now Kareena though loud at times does her part well Amrita Arora is very bad Aftab is good Jaaved Jaffrey is an unwanted guest Boman Irani and Kirron Kher are wasted Kirron is repetitive too.
Over acting most of the times as in most of her movies (Jab We Met was an exception - may be she was possessed by a good actor's ghost then).Akshay Kumar's face is filled with emotions at some remote times but mostly he is doing nothing but cracking cheap jokes and acting like a stupor.Kareena seems to think of her Size Zero as some accomplishment which none others have.
I expected nothing much out of KI because I think Akshay Kumar is an overrated comedy actor and Kareena kapoor is the queen of overacting.
Finally I would say go for the first half of the movie, its a laughing riot, very funny, some over the top scenes but then again its Akshay Kumar comedy.
Kambakkht Ishq a.k.a Damned Love is a Bollywood romantic comedy that features Akshay Kumar and Kareen Kapoor together with Hollywood actors and actresses such as superstar Sylvester Stallone,Denise Richards,Holly Valance and Brandon Routh who appear in cameos.It was based on another Bollywood film entitled Pammal K.
Sambandam that tells the story of Hollywood stuntman Viraj Shergill and medical student Simrita Rai,who came across each other in a wedding ceremony and have developed a dislike for each other due to their own low opinion of the opposite sex.In other words,it brought back old themes particularly that about a man being better than the woman and vice-versa as well as the opposite sex trying to upstage one another.With the man vs woman theme,the film fails miserably.But the list of negative things about the movie does not end there.It also has a poor screenplay as shown by the poorly written dialogues and uninteresting characters.Obviously,a stuntman falling in love with a medical student seems far fetch especially when both have a certain dislike for the opposite sex and empathy from the viewer is far- fetched due to their superiority complex.Added to that,the comedic scenes does not provide any laughter as they fall flat and they are mostly crude and racy.Added to that,the pacing is far from being constant that some parts are just simply too long and boring that one may even want the movie to end sooner than expected.Its 2 hour and 13 minute length was just too much especially for a clichéd and predictable movie.The appearance of the Hollywood stars does not increase interest in the film as they are totally wasted and at worst not necessary at all.
people of India please learn from this nonsense movie they waste your money & time..protest against these films Please!!!the music was average but this movie do not even deserve 0 i am only giving it 1/10 for akshay kumar...
and the funny part was the director wanted to make scene where kareena kapoor would stop the wedding at last and marry akshay kumar so in the movie we are shown that akshay and denise are having good time and in the last he proposes just after breaking up with kareena.i mean what the??.so whats the director did that you may like 1.amrita in a bikini 2.kareena in a bikini 3.kareena kissing akshay4.both in short and sensual clothes.
Although, I find it hard to believe that a Bollywood film would offer her more money than a Hollywood B-movie would.
A guy and girl, who hate each other very much but eventually they end up falling in love with each other and get married..Now, to cook up this 1 sentence story, they brought in Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Sylvester Stallone, Denise Richard, the great Javed Jafri (no I am not serious), Kirron Kher and the producer had some extra money in pocket, so they roped in non actors, Aftab Shivdasani & Amrita Rao too
So, now what, they had some more extra money.. |
tt0066831 | Big Jake | In 1909, there is a raid on the McCandles family ranch by a gang of ruthless outlaws led by John Fain. They massacre the ranch hands and kidnap "Little" Jake, the grandson, leaving a ransom note and heading back for Mexico, where they have been hiding out. Martha, the head of the family, is offered the help of both the state militia and the Texas Rangers in rescuing Little Jake or delivering the ransom. She replies that this will be "a harsh and unpleasant kind of business and will require an extremely harsh and unpleasant kind of person to see it through." In consequence, she sends for her estranged husband, the aging Jacob "Jake" McCandles, a near legendary landowner and gun fighter gunfighter who roams the west with his Rough Collie, simply named Dog.
When Jake arrives by train, he and Martha discuss a plan to take the ransom to the kidnappers, a million dollars in a big red strongbox. After looking at the boxes content Jake asks Martha "Is this the way you want it" to which she replies "Yes, these are very dangerous men". Jake then warns Martha, "Pay or not, we run the risk of never seeing the boy again". Then his son Michael rides up on a motorcycle, bringing word that he has seen the kidnappers in the Chilicothe Canyon. Buck, The Texas Ranger Captain, offers the services of his men, equipped with three REO touring cars. Martha agrees to the plan and the Rangers, Michael and Jakes oldest son James set off to ambush the kidnappers. The Rangers however, are ambushed with several killed and their cars put out of action. Jake, preferring the old ways, has followed on horseback, accompanied by an old Apache associate, Sam Sharpnose. Jake and Sam come across the defeated Rangers and Jake chides Buck for risking his Grandson's life. Michael and James are invited by Jake to ride along and they agree although the relationship is tense, especially with James, because of Jakes 10 year absence from the family.
That night, Fain rides into their camp to make arrangements for the handover, telling Jake that they will “send the boy's body back in a basket" if anything should go wrong. Both men deny any personal stake in the business, Fain claims he's "just a messenger boy" and Jake truthfully saying he's "Never laid eyes on him". The family party crosses into Mexico the next day and checks into a hotel. Knowing that they have been followed by another gang intent on stealing the strongbox, Jake sets a trap for them and the would be theives are all killed. During the attack, the chest is blasted open, revealing newspaper clippings instead of money. Michael and James become suspicious of Jake with James asking "Where's the money, Daddy?" Jake takes a punch from each of his sons and returns the favor knocking them out. Afterward Jake informs them it was Martha's and his idea. When James and Michael question Martha's involvement in the decision Jake replies "There were seven McCandle's people killed, one crippled. Your own brother shot, maybe crippled, maybe even dead and my grandson kidnapped. I ain't gonna pay 'em for that. Neither is your mother". James fears for Little Jake's life, revealing for the first time to Jake that his grandson is named after him.
A thunderstorm breaks and Pop Dawson, one of the kidnappers, arrives to give them the details of the exchange. Dawson gives away part of the plan that a sniper will have a gun trained on the boy in case of a double-cross. Jake arranges for Michael to follow after them to take care of the sharp shooter. When questioned by Dawson about Michael's whereabouts Jake tells Dawson they had to pay a price to keep the box suggesting that Michael had been killed in the fight. Dawson objects and Jake tells him he could view Michael's body down at the jail. Dawson knowing they only have limited time to get to the meeting and wary of the law declines and leads them toward the exchange. At the hideout, Jake is told to go in alone to where Fain and four other gang members are waiting, with Will holding a shotgun on the boy. Michael sneaks in with Jake using Jakes horse as cover. At the exchange Jake tosses the key of the chest to Fain telling him "that's what dreams are made of". Fain opens the box and is stunned to find it contains the clippings instead of money.
Fain orders his brother Will to kill the boy but Will is shot and killed by Jake. Dog knocks Little Jake off his horse saving him for the moment but is wounded by the sniper. As Jake and the boy run for cover Jake is wounded in the leg by the sniper before Michael kills him. Jake tells the boy to escape and find James, giving him a small Derringer for protection. Michael attempts to climb down from his counter-sniper position on the water tower but accidentally drops his rifle. Little Jake is pursued by the machete wielding John Goodfellow, who had hacked Sam to death but not before Sam is able to wound him with a knife. Goodfellow locates the boy hiding in a haystack but is attacked by Dog who is killed in his attempt to save Little Jake. Big Jake arrives and attempts to shoot Goodfellow but has exhausted his pistols ammunition and resorts to impaling Goodfellow with a pitchfork. Fain rides up and is preparing to finish off the two when Michael arrives after retrieving his rifle and shoots Fain off his horse. Before he dies, Fain asks, "Who are you?" When Jake answers, "Jacob McCandles," Fain says, "I thought you was dead," as have other characters during the course of the film. “Not hardly," Jake replies.
With Little Jake rescued, and the broken family bonded, they prepare to head home. | good versus evil | train | wikipedia | There has been no tougher or more formidable Western heavy than Richard Boone
He has occasionally depicted hard-bitten nobility, as his portrayal of General Sam Houston in "The Alamo" or the ageing cavalry officer in "A Thunder of Drums"but more often his grim, craggy features have led him to villainy
He was Randolph Scott's intelligent, embittered adversary, smooth as a rattlesnake and twice as treacherous, in the Tall T; he wrapped non-conforming farmers in barbed wire in Man Without a Star; as mean, sadistic Major Salinas, he persecuted Rory Calhoun in Way of a Gaucho; and he gave Paul Newman a rough ride in Hombre.
In "Big Jake," he wasas alwaysa powerful presence and one of the screen's most efficient scene-stealer
George Sherman's "Big Jake" was the Duke fifth and final film played opposite the lovely redheaded Maureen O'Hara who plays, here, his wife Martha McCandles
The movie opens in 1909 where nine men crossing the Rio Bravo into Texas
Their leadera sadistic gunrunnerJohn Fain (Richard Boone) is ready for his bloody McCandles' raid where ten people were slaughtered and Big Jakes's grandson, the 8-year-old Little Jacob (Ethan Wayne) is kidnapped, and a ransom note is left demanding one million dollars in $20 Bills for Jacob's safe return
Marthaquite sure that this job requires an extremely harsh and special kind of man to attend it called back her husband, absent for many years, to pay the ransom, and take back home the little boy alive
Jacob McCandles (Wayne)who has never seen his grandsonresponds to his wife's call and organizes a hunting party to track down the dangerous and violent men
With his two sons, his faithful Indian scout (Bruce Cabot), his loyal dog, and with a large red strongbox packed to the back of a good mule, McCandles initiates his very daring hunt
There are some hard feelings among Wayne's resentful boys, and as the film progresses, Wayne's blue eyes were gentle and revealing a wonderful caring father but also his eyes turn to blue steel as he took that decision to get alive his grandson
The heart of the film is Wayne interacting with his wife and what he has in store for his sons next...Patrick Wayne plays Wayne's older son who is short on ears and long on mouth
Christopher Mitchum rides a 'crazy bicycle,' carries a Bergman 1911, and a rifle with one fancy new telescope...With great action scenes, great photography and with a terrific Elmer Bernstein musical score, "Big Jake" is one of Wayne best Westerns.
John Wayne said he was offered "Dirty Harry" before Eastwood took it (but Dirty Harry was also supposedly offered to Paul Newman, Frank Sinatra, Bill Cosby and Walter Matthau before Eastwood, too!)The twice-repeated "do you feel lucky?" speech in "Dirty Harry" and the twice-repeated "your fault, my fault, nobody's fault" speech in "Big Jake" prove to me that the same writers worked on both scripts.Also, Richard Boone must be singled out.
Boone finally said "yes" to "Big Jake" and the verbal showdowns between Big John and Big Boone in "Big Jake" are a wonder to behold.BTW, Boone turned down a lot of movie parts during the 70's (like the Robert Shaw part in "The Sting") but came to help out his old friend Wayne twice in that decade: "Big Jake" and "The Shootist" (1976.).
Big Jake Holds His Own, Thank You. Mark this down as a very entertaining western with more realistic gunfight scenes than most films, meaning the good guys get shot as well as the villains.
John Wayne's "The Searchers," a very similar movie story-wise, gets a lot better press than this film but "Big Jake" is just as good, if not better.
From the outset 'Big Jake' will always be a firm favourite of mine, it's the first John Wayne movie I can recall watching, and this is the movie that has made him my all-time favourite movie star and actor.The movie follows Dukes pursuit of seven kidnappers whom killed a large number of people at his former ranch (now run by his estranged wife) and kidnapped his grandson.Up until this point in John Wayne's career he had by in large refrained from using excessive violence in his movies.
The movie does contain many memorable scenes such as the opening and closing shootouts, Dukes casual killing of a would be assassin and some touching and at times volatile scenes involving Jake and his ex wife played eloquently by the great Maureen O'Hara.An interesting segment at the start involves a voice-over retelling the transformation of the west from the early 1800's to its relatively civilised state in 1909 (when the film is set).
The voice-over also introduces the audience to nine bandits whom act as the heavies in the movie, its fascinating to hear a brief introduction of each bandit and what skill they bring to the group e.g. Fain is the leader, O'Brien the gunfighter and John Goodfellow is proficient with a machete etc etc.Duke in this movie is accompanied is his pursuit if the kidnappers by a trusted dog (who is very violent) an Indian friend played very well by Bruce Cabot, and his two on screen sons James (Patrick Wayne who is Dukes own son) and Michael (Chris Mitchum).
John Wayne's youngest son John Ethan Wayne makes his debut in this movie playing the kidnapped grandson of Jake and acquits himself very impressively to the field of acting.Despite my fondness for this movie it is not however without its weaknesses, for one the acting by both Patrick Wayne and Chris Mitchum is horrendous and neither one manages to endear the audience to their respective characters.
When Patrick Wayne tries to provoke the Duke by calling him "Daddy", the retort by the old man is priceless.A good villan(Richard Boone), another pairing with Maureen O'Hara, some great one-liners and several references to older Wayne films make this a great choice from the westerns section at Blockbuster.
There are some good comic moments, but they are well integrated into the plot of the story.Of the Duke's films post his Oscar from True Grit, Big Jake is one of his best and a personal favorite of mine..
The writers of Big Jake, Hondo, Rooster Cogburn and the Shootist composed the right words and actions to showcase the best John Wayne character..
This movie has something for everyone, but be warned it has plenty of violence and is definitely a PG/ PG13 type film.The supporting cast is excellent with Patrick Wayne, Christopher Mitchum, Richard Boone,Bruce Cabot, Maureen O'Hara, Gregg Palmer and Dog turning in solid performances.While there are the formulaic elements such as horrendous acts perpetuated by bad men that give license to the good guys to do whatever is necessary to right the wrong, Big Jake also has other elements that make this film not just another Western:1) Takes place in transition period of the turn of the century which provides some interesting interaction between the old ways and new ways.
But he is called back into action by his estranged wife (Maureen O'Hara) after a gang of ruthless outlaws, led by Richard Boone, shoot up his ranch, kill much of the hired help, and kidnap his grandson (Ethan Wayne).
The only really serious disappointment with BIG JAKE is that Wayne and O'Hara barely have any screen time together, given how well they worked under Ford, particularly on 1952's THE QUIET MAN, and seeing as how this was their last joint appearance on screen (Wayne died in 1979, and O'Hara wouldn't make another feature film until ONLY THE LONELY in 1991).Still, just about everything else one expects from the Duke on screen happens here in BIG JAKE, including those little bits of humor revolving around being called "Daddy" and being thought dead.
The highlight of this film involves the interaction between Wayne and Richard Boone who plays the chief villain John Fain.
Strong and determined to do the right thing, Jacob McCandles sets out to rescue his kidnapped grandson with the help of his two renegade sons, (Patrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum)and an Apache friend Sam Sharpnose (Bruce Cabot).
This is one of John Wayne's best film from the 1970's; it blends the technology of the time, gritty realism and an ensemble of actors seem to be having a wonderful time.The last scene between Bruce Cabot and the Duke is especially touching considering it was their last together.In this day and age when popular media seems to make heroes out of criminals, "Big Jake" stands tall 29 years later and is helping WTBS with the October Sweeps week in the year 2000!Long Live the Duke and his loyal ensemble cast !.
Plot finds Duke Wayne as tough old rancher/gunfighter Jake McCandles, who is estranged from his family and spends his days roaming the west with his trusty dog.
However, when the McCandles family ranch is raided by a gang of outlaws led by John Fain (Boone), and Jake's grandson Little Jake is kidnapped for ransom, Big Jake gets the call from his separated wife Martha (O'Hara) to go find the boy.
But it's a film that finds old hands Wayne and Boone turning in good shows and the action and thematic camaraderie on show more than compensates for the looming cloud of same old same old.Of worth, too, is the time setting of the story, coming as it does towards the back end of the Old West, we get to see many examples of the Wild West being tamed.
John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara made 5 feature films and appeared together many other times.
Wayne is at his best when he is sent by his estranged wife (O'Hara) to deliver a ransom to be paid to a band of western thugs who have taken his grandson hostage.The film is largely over-looked or under-rated, but if you are looking for a good John Wayne movie, buy it, rent it.Which ever, way just see it!.
While past his prime, John Wayne is good here, I liked how Maureen O'Hara was so elegant and Richard Boone is very entertaining.Sadly, Big Jake is also quite lazily directed, and the plot is disappointingly meagre.
After his grandson is kidnapped in Texas by a notorious outlaw gang led by a man named "John Fain" (Richard Boone), an equally harsh and unpleasant cowboy by the name of "Jacob McCandles" (John Wayne) sets off after them.
Riding with him with the ransom money is one of his sons named "James" (Patrick Wayne) and an old Apache friend by the name of "Sam" (Bruce Cabot).
To rescue his son from the greedy malefactors.A good western that really works.The last time The Duke works with Bruce Cabot and Maureen O'Hara..
Wayne really looked tired and frail in this movie but this man was so full of macho charisma he can still be imposing half dead!By this time in the 70's,Wayne had perfected his acting skills and he acually had his best performances at this late stage of his career.Some things bothered me about this movie like the hero(Wayne) beating up his kids although I understand this was his way of imposing his leadership of the pack under those circumstances.Another thing that bothered me was the way the relationship was between Wayne and his trusted loyal Indian sidekick.We all know Wayne's right wing policy regarding people of color and that is they are ok as long as they are subservient to him as this Indian was.At one point the example was shown very clearly when Wayne asked the Indian to leave the room ALONG WITH THE DOG when he needed to talk to his sons.Kinda makes one chucke a little bit becouse that is so John Wayne.What a guy.The cinematography and attention to detail was good.The direction was average and the performances were very good except for the two sons of Wayne.Those two young actors skills were very amateurish.The screenplay and script was also good.Overall this movie made classic status by the skin of it's teeth.Not recommended to be seen by pre teens though becouse of it's more tha usual graphic style compared to other Wayne movies which is a plus for this movie as well!The 70's Wayne was the best!.
Highlight of the film was when Wayne's real life son playing Little Jake first met Big Jake and asked if he was his grandpa..
Released in 1971, "Big Jake" is a Western starring John Wayne in the titular role.
The magnificent Maureen O'Hara plays Jakes long-lost wife, but her role is limited to a glorified cameo in the opening reel.Some of The Duke's best Westerns were in the last decade of his career, like "True Grit" (1969), "Chisum" (1970),"The Cowboys" (1972), "The Train Robbers" (1973), "Rooster Cogburn" (1975), "The Shootist" (1976), and even oaters like "The War Wagon" (1967) and "El Dorado" (1967), but "Big Jake" isn't one of 'em.
Grandmother Martha (Maureen O'Hara) is offered help from the Army and the Texas Rangers but she decides to call on her estrange husband Big Jake (John Wayne).
Only "Big" Jake McCandles, John Wayne, can save the day, despite being old and presumed long dead in the film.
I disagree with that notion but I must admit that I understand why my Uncle felt that way-- Even in the latter part of his career "The Duke" was still nothing more or less than a remarkably charismatic figure who could always carry the formula movies tailored for him from scene to scene--- "Big Jake" is not as sophisticated as "True Grit" but it is better than most of Wayne's later films---O.K.--The plot is kinda goofy at times and Bobby Vinton's appearance at the onset is horrid--but as other user's have pointed out -Vinton is shot up at the beginning of the film during the attack on the ranch---and while he is unfortunately not killed outright--he is through for the rest of the picture---- I notice that Chris Mitchum takes some hits for giving an awful performance--but he is at least almost as good playing Wayne's son as Wayne's own son (Patrick) is...
Richard Boone is superb as the leader of the kidnappers---the Indian and the dog do their jobs (all part of the formula)-----I have to note as others have that there are some memorable lines---The Duke enters the film by saving a sheepherder from a hanging--Big Jake is threatened by Jim Davis playing one of the lynchers-who asks him if the sight of blood bothers him---Big Jake answers..."Only my own." Davis wants to know who he is....When he tells them that he is Jacob McCandles--Davis tells him that he thought he was dead...."Not Hardly" says the Duke-------This line is also used marvelously at the end of the picture---- I like Boone and Wayne exchanging another threat several scene's apart..."Your fault -my fault - nobody's fault-I'm going to blow the boy's head off..." coming from Boone and then Wayne turning the tables on him later.
I also (as others have mentioned) found the last scene of the movie rather incongrous as the grievously wounded Wayne and and his son (and supposed grandson but really younger son acting) go grinning away from a massacre that killed Big Jake's life-long friend (Sam- the Indian) and his dog---You would have thought they were leaving a wedding reception..........
Richard Boone plays the head kidnapper, and he's solid as always.John, Patrick and Chris go off to pay the ransom for his grandchild, Bobby's son (actually played by Ethan Wayne, the Duke's youngest son).
Aging Texas cattleman Jake McCandles(John Wayne)is looked upon by some of his peers as being too old to cut the mustard; but this man's man musters into action when ruthless cutthroats led by John Fain(Richard Boone) kidnap his grandson.
Your potential enjoyment of this movie can be gauged by how you feel about the following contrived scene: After hearing the proposals of two individuals who have offered to rescue her recently kidnapped grandson, Mrs. McCandles (Maureen O'hara) declines both and states that this job will be "harsh and unpleasant" and will therefore require a "harsh and unpleasant" kind of man---instant cut to John Wayne in his first appearance in the film.
Seeing him in a film as bad as this isn't just disappointing, it feels wrong.Jacob McCandles (Wayne) is a famous gunslinger whose estranged wife Martha calls upon him to return to his old ranch after desperadoes kidnap the grandson Jake didn't know he had.
BIG JAKE is another solid western for the dependable John Wayne, here playing up his age as an old-time gunslinger drawn back into action once more when his own son is kidnapped.
Joined by his faithful dog, his sons James and Michael (Patrick Wayne and Christopher Mitchum) and his old Indian friend Sam Sharpnose (Bruce Cabot), Big Jake McAndles heads out through the beautiful countryside to battle Fain's raiders, greedy cowboys and the bitter resentment of his son James.Amidst the shootouts, brawls, scenery, gags and other elements of the Wayne Western, an interesting theme is woven through Big Jake.
Well, nothing really-it's another in the line of those sixties/early 70's 'Superstar John Wayne' flicks ala the War Wagon or Sons of Katie Elder or Chisum, where he trots out the same old faces-Paul Fix, Bruce Cabot, a Mitchum, Hank Worden, beats on baddies, Indians and the younger folks, saves the day, and tosses in some broad humour to boot.This one adds: more violence, more blood-letting, a motorcycle, a plane, Richard Boone in a fine nasty villain role, and Maureen O'Hara back to the well one more time.Debits-there are bad continuity booboos galore-in terrain, in the color of the Dawg, in some of the stunts, etc.
First, this represented the last time John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara co-starred in a film.
As "Big Jake," John Wayne spends most of his time riding around Mexico trying to keep himself and his two inexperienced sons alive.
John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara appeared together in five films over 20 years.
The Duke plays "Big Jake" McCandles, and two estranged sons join him in his quest to save his grandson. |
tt0091217 | Hoosiers | On an October morning in 1951, Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) drives through the Indiana countryside. In the afternoon he arrives in the small rural town of Hickory and enters the high school. He notices, on a shelf in the hall, basketball trophies won in previous years. As the bell rings to end the school day, he encounters teacher Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey). She realizes that Norman must be the new basketball coach and teacher of history and civics. She directs him to the office of principal Cletus Summers (Sheb Wooley), where the two men recall how they met many years ago at Buffalo State Teachers College. They had lost touch until recently, when Cletus tracked down Norman and asked him to come coach at Hickory. When Norman thanks Cletus for the opportunity, Cletus interrupts and says, "Your slate's clean here." They proceed to the gym, where student Jimmy Chitwood (Maris Valainis) is shooting baskets. Cletus introduces Norman, but Jimmy ignores the new coach and keeps shooting.That evening on his farm, Cletus explains to Norman that Jimmy has been strongly affected by the recent death of the previous coach, who was like a father to Jimmy. Now the young man has withdrawn from almost everything and everyone and has decided not to play basketball this season. Cletus adds that Jimmy is the best player he has ever seen. As they finish talking, Norman cryptically mentions that he hopes things will work out for him this time.That night, Norman meets some of the townsmen in the barbershop, who bombard him with questions. He tells them he last coached 12 years ago, in Ithaca, New York, and that he has been in the Navy for the past 10 years. The men voice their opinions on what Norman should do with the team. They all agree that Jimmy must rejoin the Huskers for them to have a winning season. Losing patience with all the questions and unwelcome advice, Norman cuts short the meet-and-greet and leaves.The next morning, before school begins, Myra tells Norman that Jimmy is her neighbor, and she has been looking out for him ever since his father died. She thinks it best that he stay off the team. After school, the Huskers are already practicing in the gym when Norman walks in. George Walker (Chelcie Ross), one of the townspeople Norman met in the barbershop, is leading the practice and assumes that Norman will continue allowing him to assist. When Norman brusquely makes it clear that he doesn't need any help, George storms off. As Norman gathers the seven Huskers and begins to introduce himself, Buddy (Brad Long) rudely whispers to his teammate Whit (Brad Boyle), who is standing next to him. Norman orders Buddy to leave, and Buddy convinces Whit to go with him. Jimmy is watching, unseen, at one of the far exits. Norman begins the practice and puts the Huskers through drills of passing, running in place, and dribbling while weaving between chairs; they never scrimmage. Norman explains, "There's more to the game than shooting. There's fundamentals and defense." He also wants them to be in top physical condition because, if they continue to have only five players, substitutions and rest during games will be impossible. On the second day of practice, several townspeople walk in to observe; they've heard about Norman's unusual drills. Rollin Butcher (Robert Swan), Whit's father, brings in his son and has him apologize for walking out the day before. Rollin then tells the other men to leave, because the coach doesn't want them there.One day, as Cletus and Norman eat pie at the diner downtown, in comes Wilbur "Shooter" Flatch (Dennis Hopper), stumbling a bit and wearing a worn-out coat. Shooter, a former basketball player, describes for Norman how he almost led his team to victory in the 1933 sectional game of the tournament on a last-second shot. When Shooter asks Cletus in a low voice if he can borrow some spare change, Shooter's son, Everett (David Neidorf), who has been sitting in another part of the diner, walks up. He insists that Shooter give back the money and then escorts his father outside.One afternoon, as Jimmy shoots baskets at the school's outdoor court, Norman approaches him and asks why he wasn't in class that day, but Jimmy doesn't answer. Norman goes on to tell him that he believes Jimmy has a special talent that belongs only to him. Norman concludes by stating matter-of-factly that he doesn't care if Jimmy rejoins the team, and he walks away. From a window in the school, Myra has been watching them. Entering the school, Norman runs into Myra, who tells him to leave Jimmy alone. They begin arguing about Jimmy's future. She says she thinks Jimmy could receive an academic college scholarship if he concentrates on his studies instead of athletics. She doesn't want him to get stuck in Hickory, where the high point of his life will have been his days playing high school basketball. She doesn't understand why the townspeople place so much emphasis on the sport. She also is suspicious of Norman, wondering why someone like him has moved to Hickory, a town unaccustomed to seeing outsiders. She believes he might be running away from something.At the beginning of an afternoon pep session meant to showcase this season's Huskers, several people in the crowd begin chanting "We want Jimmy!" Norman silences them and defends his six-man squad, concluding, "This is your team."In the locker room before the first home game, Norman reminds the team what he taught them in practice: they must pass at least four times before attempting a shot. After Rev. Doty (Wil Dewitt) offers a prayer, a kneeling Strap (Scott Summers) continues praying silently, even after everyone else has departed the locker room and begun warming up. Norman tells team manager Ollie (Wade Schenck) that he will substitute for Strap in the game until Strap finishes praying. To Ollie's relief, Strap shows up right before tip-off. Early in the game, the Huskers quickly fall behind, and some of the townspeople in the crowd start yelling at the Huskers to shoot. Jimmy watches from the top row. Myra and Shooter are in the crowd as well. At halftime, Norman chews out the players, again telling them to always make at least four passes before shooting. In the second half, an impatient Rade (Steve Hollar), feeling pressure from the fans, decides to disobey the rule and shoot if he's open. Even though he makes these shots, Norman benches him. Moments later, after Merle (Kent Poole) fouls out, Rade attempts to reenter the game. Norman orders him to sit back down, even though this means Hickory will have only four players on the floor for the rest of the game. The fans yell and boo, but Shooter smiles with amazement. In the locker room after the loss, Norman asks the boys to consider whether they really want to be on the team. He reminds them that his instructions to them are "the law, absolutely and without discussion!"The next week, Norman encounters Myra and her sports-loving mother, Opal (Fern Persons), outside the feed-and-grain store. Opal invites him to Sunday dinner because she wants to talk basketball. Arriving well before dinnertime, Norman helps the two women grind sorghum on their farm. When he gets a chance to talk to Myra alone, she tells him a bit about her family and past, including the fact that she left Hickory for a few years but later returned. When he asks her if she's ever thought about getting married, she declines to answer, explaining that in Hickory, people tend to mind their own business.A few days later, Shooter unexpectedly calls on Norman at home and offers him unsolicited advice about the Huskers' upcoming game against Cedar Knob. Norman can tell from Shooter's remarks that he is quite knowledgeable about basketball history and strategy and has valuable insights into Hickory's opponents. That weekend, the Huskers travel in the team bus, owned and driven by Preacher Purl (Michael Sassone), Strap's father, to their first away game at Cedar Knob. The game is a tough one, with lots of physical contact. A drunk Shooter is present. Norman begins arguing with one of the referees, and then the Cedar Knob coach, and then one of the Cedar Knob players, who pokes Norman in the chest. Norman slaps his hand away, and Rade decks the player with a left hook. The rest of the boys begin scuffling. Norman and Rade are ejected, leaving a distressed-looking Cletus to take over as coach.The next day, Norman visits Cletus, who is suffering from heart trouble and has been ordered to be on bed rest for a while. After that, Norman goes to see Shooter at his dilapidated cabin in the woods. He offers to make Shooter his assistant coach, on one condition: he must remain sober. Offended and embarrassed, Shooter asks Norman to leave. However, at the next home game, Shooter surprises the players and perplexes the townspeople by showing up in a suit and tie, ready to accept the coach's offer.The next week, after class, Everett tells Norman he has doubts about his father's being the assistant coach, because he's a drunk who will do something stupid. After that, Myra comes in and informs Norman that a town meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, at which Hickory residents will decide if he will be removed as coach.During that Friday's game, Norman receives a technical foul and, after arguing with the referee, is thrown out. An anxious Shooter is forced to take over. The next day, Myra finds Norman standing alone along the fencerow on Cletus's farm, lost in thought. She tells him about an old newspaper article she found at the library, which describes how Norman was suspended from college coaching after he hit one of his players. Myra then says she appreciates how Norman is trying to help Shooter and how he hasn't pressured Jimmy to rejoin the team.At the town meeting that night, which takes place in the church, Norman gives a brief speech in which he defends himself. Myra then steps up to the lectern and prepares to tell the crowd what she has discovered about the coach. But she abruptly changes her mind and tearfully tells them she thinks it would be a mistake to let him go. After the residents vote on Norman's dismissal, as George finishes counting the ballots, Jimmy enters the church. He announces he has decided to rejoin the team, but only if Norman is allowed to stay. George indicates that the majority of votes are for dismissal, but Opal calls for a revote. This time most of the residents vote for Norman to stay.With Jimmy on the team, the reenergized Huskers go on a winning streak. About halfway through the season, Norman counsels Shooter, who is struggling with sobriety, that if he can't resist the urge to drink, he should go to the hospital to dry out. Shooter promises not to fall off the wagon if Norman will promise not to be ejected from any more games. At the next home game, Norman gets himself thrown out on purpose so that Shooter can take over as coach and hopefully gain some confidence. Shooter has the team run the picket fence play, and they win. Everett is proud of his father.At the end of the regular season, tournament play begins. At the start of Hickory's sectional game against Terhune, Shooter is nowhere to be found. During the game, he suddenly shows up and stumbles onto the court, drunk and yelling. After Rollin leads him away, a technical foul is called on Hickory. Everett becomes angry and distracted. When one of the Terhune players shoves Jimmy during a layup, Everett retaliates by punching him. As the two continue fighting, the other players from both teams join in. Everett is pushed hard into a trophy case in the adjoining hallway, cutting his shoulder badly. The fight breaks up and the game continues, with Hickory winning by 2 points.The next day, Norman and Everett go looking for Shooter, who has been missing since he was tossed out of the sectional. They find him lying unconscious in the snow-covered woods. Shooter is soon admitted to the hospital's alcohol rehabilitation unit, where Norman visits him.That weekend, reporters mob Norman and the team as they enter the Jasper gym for the regional game against Linton. In the locker room, Norman advises the Huskers to think about this game only and not to worry about progressing in the tournament. They should focus on the fundamentals, not on winning or losing.With the score tied at 50 with 2:30 to go, one of the Linton players hits Everett in his injured shoulder, causing the stitches to pull out. At first Norman wants Everett to ignore the pain and keep playing, but then he changes his mind and takes him out. Strap, not one of the better players, enters the game and immediately scores several points. When Buddy fouls out, only Ollie is left to substitute; he reluctantly enters the game. With Hickory up by 1, Ollie is fouled. He shoots awkwardly and misses his free throw. Linton then scores. Ollie is fouled as he shoots and misses. Two Linton players try to intimidate Ollie before he attempts his free throws, but Merle steps forward to offer encouragement. Using the same unusual underhand shooting style as before, Ollie makes both his free tosses, winning the game and sending the Huskers to the state finals.The following week, after Norman receives a haircut from Opal at her home, he notices Myra working in the muddy garden. They go on a walk. He asks her if she would like to go to a movie sometime, but she responds by bringing up the incident in which he hit his college player. He says he can't really explain or understand why he did it. They kiss.A few days later, Norman and the Huskers encounter a group of reporters gathered in the Hickory gym, waiting to interview Norman about the upcoming state-finals game. That same week, Everett visits Shooter in the hospital.On the morning of the state finals, Norman and the team enter an empty Butler Fieldhouse and are awed by its enormity. Norman has the Huskers measure the length of the free-throw lane and the distance from the rim to the floor. He reminds them that these dimensions are the same as those in the Hickory gym.In the locker room that night, Norman reviews game strategy with the team. He then tells them that the last few months have been special for him. He asks the Huskers if they would like to say anything. Merle wants to win for all the small schools that never had a chance to get to the state finals. Everett wants to win for his dad. Buddy wants to win for their coach. After Rev. Doty and Preacher Purl offer appropriate Bible verses, the Huskers take the floor. They struggle early in the game against the taller and more muscular South Bend Central Bears. But they regroup and begin to close the scoring gap until they are tied with the Bears at 40. After Rade intercepts a South Bend pass, Hickory controls the ball. With 19 seconds on the clock, Hickory calls time-out. Norman tells his players that, because the Bears will expect Jimmy to take the last shot, the Huskers will use Jimmy as a decoy while Merle attempts the final basket. Seeing the boys' uncomfortable reaction to his plan, Norman demands to know what's wrong. They say nothing until Jimmy declares, "I'll make it." Norman hesitates but then realizes that entrusting Jimmy with Hickory's last chance to score is indeed the best course of action. Play resumes, and with only 2 seconds left, Jimmy launches his shot, which sails through the net. The Hickory fans erupt in celebration and spill onto the floor.The final scene shows a grade-school-age boy shooting baskets in a quiet, empty Hickory gym as the camera zooms in on a team photo of the state-champion Huskers hanging on the wall. | inspiring | train | imdb | The film was lovingly written for the screen by Angelo Pizzo.Coach Norman Dale gets a reprieve in life when he is hired to coach the Hickory basket ball team in rural Indiana.
At the same time, Myra realizes the goodness in the coach's heart by involving the drunken Shooter into helping him with the team.Gene Hackman has one of the best opportunities of his distinguished career with his portrayal of Coach Dale.
He makes a very believable high school basketball coach who is tough-but-fair on the outside and soft-and-compassionate on the inside.The story of an extremely tiny school defying the odds and becoming a state champion in dramatic form was so inspiring that this film has played thousands of times for 20 years now by high school coaches to their kids for motivation.But the key to the story is the coach getting a second chance in life to do what he loves and does best and he, in turn, giving others a second chance such as the alcoholic here played by Dennis Hopper.
When I heard that a movie was being made about Milan (Indiana) High School's improbable 1954 boys' basketball state championship54, I was excited.
The second time, I managed to view it simply as it is as opposed to my original expectations and I enjoyed it much more."Hoosiers" in a fictional story about the 1951-52 Hickory High School team.
Two of the team's seven remaining players quit during his first practice - though both end up returning - and he alienates much of the town with his dogmatic philosophy and sometimes abrasive style.Among those not pleased with Dale is fellow teacher Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey) who thinks that basketball is over emphasized and academics are under emphasized.
Dale's job is saved and from there, the team improves greatly and becomes a state championship contender.You can probably figure out what happens in the end, but the movie works the underdog formula to perfection without being overly cliché.The performances in "Hoosiers" are great, particularly Dennis Hopper's best supporting actor Oscar nominated role as Shooter, the father of one of the players.
Many small towns passionately embraced the local high school team, which was often a point of unity, identity and pride.One other strong point about the movie, the late, great Jerry Goldsmith's adrenaline pumping music heightens the emotion of the game scenes down the stretch.The collector's edition DVD set also contains three bonus features that I think are worthy of mention here:*A 29 minute documentary about the making of the movie, the Milan '54 story and Indiana's love for basketball.*The 1954 state championship game between Milan and Muncie Central.
Pizzo and Anspaugh said they wanted to include some of those scenes but were told by the movie company to make the movie under two hours.In conclusion, I now greatly enjoy "Hoosiers" as fiction and its new collector's edition DVD set is a great buy for any sports movie fan!
It's what life looked like when I myself "came down to this planet" in the late 1940's and experienced my teens in the 60's.The old school with high ceilings and gleaming wooden floors, the gyms with the gold-toned wall-tiles, even the hospital scene with the nurse in her starched white uniform -- all evoke a peculiar beauty that you no longer find today.There is even a scene where a young teen girl yells "NO!" to an unjust referee call, and her pointy glasses and pony tail look so much like me back then, it feels like a glimpse into a parallel dimension.I'd say this is a must-see experience for people my age -- although all ages can thoroughly enjoy the basketball action.I'm glad for the social progress since then.
A tough-as-nails coach with a heart of gold, a team of farmboys with dreams of making it to the state finals, a small town pinning their hopes on their little high school - the movie has it all.
Everybody, especially those who live in the Midwest, will love this movie about an intense coach (Gene Hackman) with a questionable reputation who finds himself in a small Indiana town faced with the unenviable task of turning around tiny Hickory High's 8-man basketball team.
The Milan game is the most famous, and storied game in Indiana and is only used as the quientessential example.The movie is a collection of typical things that happen in Indiana High School basketball which is known as "Hoosier Hysteria".
Although, Hickory H.S. is fictictious, the opposing team names were real Indiana schools in the western part of the state: Jasper, Linton, Logootee, etc.The movie actually tried, but fell short in my opinion of the excitement at tournament time.
Classic movie which effectively transports the audience to 1952 Indiana countryside and the story's circumstances.One of the all time best sports dramas ever and also one of film's all time best pure dramas as well.The lead actors are so believable and the attention to detail so admirable.Love story subplot is created to please romance fans as well as add more to the story.To Basketball fans,it is also a great lesson regarding the POWER OF GAME FUNDAMENTAL KNOW HOW.Athletics is a great weapon in Basketball BUT INTELLIGENT KNOW HOW can take a player with little athletic ability to a very high level.When a young player with great athletic ability takes the patience to learn the KNOW HOWS,he becomes superhuman like.This is the lesson HOOSIERS has effectively demonstrated.A must see for all Basketball fans and most sports movie fans.......
This film is primarily about Basketball, but don't let that fool you, I have no interest in the game but I was yanked into it and was feeling the passion of the coach, players and the town all the way through.The underlying thread is of forgiveness and second chances.
Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) is a former college basketball coach of the Ithaca Warriors who turns up in French Lick, Indiana to coach their local high school basketball team.
I must say all the performances are terrific the best being Hackman and Dennis Hopper in his best role as Shooter, an alcoholic dad of one of the players who loves and knows basketball better than anyone and who Hackman recruits as assistant coach.
It is set in Indiana where basketball is the sport of the Gods , a small town called Hickery ; there a high school basketball team gets an opportunity , thanks to supposedly experienced coach .
A coach (Gene Hackman, Jack Nicholson was the original choice to play Coach Norman Dale) with a checkered past and a local alcoholic (Dennis Hooper) train a small town high school basketball team to become a top contender for the championship .
The team dreams of playing basketball final , no matter how far-fetched the dream .This agreeable tale based on the 1954 Indiana State champs, Milan Indians , contains a classic plot and deals about a slice of American history , and is plenty of good feeling , heartfelt, interesting characters and formidable performances .
A coach with a checkered past (Gene Hackman) and a local drunk (Dennis Hopper) train a small town high school basketball team to become a top contender for the championship.Although I am not one who cares for basketball or sports films (they all seem to follow the same general plot), this one does have some good things going for it.
This site shows this movie to have about the normal number of "goofs" (here, all minor) - but its "perfection" is in the fact that this is an interesting, truly uplifting story, with warm characters, outstanding performances, and an appeal to everyone, whatever sex, age, background - and equally for those who know and/or care little for the game of basketball.There isn't a finer actor around than Gene Hackman, and Dennis Hopper is in the same league.
Anyway, this movie was pretty good, even the simple basketball games have you cheering for the small town Indiana team.
I am not sure if Hoosiers was adapted from a true story or not, as Carter was, but never the less, the movies are very similar.Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) is the new coach hired by an old friend to give him a second chance.
Of course, his past comes back to haunt him but not before he can get his players to trust him and inevitably help him not to lose his job.Dale was doing a good job getting his team ready, going back to the basics and working on the fundamentals of basketball but his team was not enjoying much success in the beginning.
While there are some great lines ('God wants you on the floor, son') there are also some *horribly* cliched lines as well ('I've wanted to kiss you since the moment we first met!')Gene Hackman is fabulous in this, as the former college coach turned Navyman who comes to small town Hickory, IA to coach basketball.
This is the greatest sports movie ever, with a spectacular performance by Gene Hackman who plays a coach with a troubled past that transforms an average looking high school basketball team from Indiana into state champions.
Other noteworthy performances are by Barbara Hershey as a teacher who can't stand basketball and won't let Jimmy play; but eventually Jimmy joins and she falls for Hackman, and Dennis Hopper as one of the players' drunken father who knows a lot about basketball and becomes an assistant coach.
Having grown up in Indiana, and having been part of more than one caravan to watch a high school basketball game, I know of no film that captures the heart and spirit of the Midwest -- let alone Hoosier basketball -- like Hoosiers.
It's hard to see a flaw in this film, i was amazed at the dimension of u.s school basketball culture, and how it's importance in people life is displayed in the movie with absolute credibility.I also got to see a couple clichés during the movie (but the movie turned out to be so good that i actually think it may very well be the one movie that started them) and a couple scenes that should be a cliché in today's movie-making.
I'm not a big sports fan except for hockey but even though this is a basketball movie I just loved it.Not a big Gene Hackman fan either but he was fantastic as the coach and Dennis Hopper was also very good as the alcoholic who gets another chance as the assistant coach (and father of one of the team's players).
In the end though the players believe in him and want to keep him, then they end up making it all the way to the championship game against one of the state's biggest schools as huge underdogs.You just end up pulling for the team and the players the whole time so even though it's pretty formulaic for a sports movie it does it very well, it's a great sports movie that's great for the whole family..
Taking place in southern Indiana where basketball is life, a new coach named Norman Dale (played by Gene Hackman) takes over as coach of a small town high school team in Hickory.
Throughout the film we watch Coach Dale deal with everything from being booted as coach to helping Shooter get over his alcoholism to constantly being the underdog.What else is there to say, Hoosiers gives a person the real-sense of what high school basketball is and how it's a persons life in some places.
The actors who played the high school team really could play basketball which gives the movie much credibility for sports fans.
One of the primary influences for the over-used underdog formula that we would see years later in many mainstream and straight-to-video/TV movies, "Hoosiers" is about a big-time coach (Gene Hackman) who arrives at a small town in the middle of rural America and transforms the basketball team into a winning one.Predictable outcome but it's a lot of fun getting there.
Within the classic, all-American story-line of the underdog overcoming incredible odds to achieve greatness through hard work and sacrifice, Hoosiers gives the audience a unique inside look at the game of basketball as well as a glimpse of small-town life in the early '50's.
Beautifully written and scored by the same team that brought us "Rudy", well cast and acted from top to bottom featuring, perhaps, Dennis Hopper's finest performance, I feel Hoosiers will continue to delight and inspire for long time to come.
It makes for a great matinee.The story was very basic: small town basketball team begins rising through the ranks with a shot at the state championship.
Never mind the competitive spirit: the film is more a celebration of spacious skies and amber waves of grain, with hard luck coach Gene Hackman leading his undisciplined team to the Indiana State championship, bullying his way into the hearts of taciturn, conservative farm community where the game is regarded almost as a religion.
The sports film Hoosiers is directed by David Anspaugh and stars Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, and Dennis Hopper.
The film takes place in 1951 Indiana.The film starts off with Norman Dale (Hackman) coming to a high school in Indiana to coach the team and also teach.
Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) arrives in the small Indiana town of Hickory.
The small town atmosphere is nicely evoked in this film, which was inspired by the true story of the Milan High School's 1954 state title in Indiana.
It's more like a secular religion down there.In the early Fifties Gene Hackman has been hired by a local high school to coach its floundering basketball team which is built around one star player, Maris Valainis.
It is a classic movie based on a true story about a small school in rural Indiana were basketball is big.
Over the years I missed this film starring Gene Hackman,(Coach, Norman Dale),"Heartbreakers",'01, a true story about a small high school in Indiana who struggle with many ups and downs and are considered one of the worst teams in the Hoosier State.
I have read many of the reviews on this forum and understand where some of the comments come from; those who never had the experience of living in a small-town Indiana environment can't appreciate how well the film captured the mood and emotion associated with Indiana sports, especially basketball.What you see in Hoosiers is as real as it gets.
Hackman and Hopper were believable and created a dual drama in overcoming adversity and character building.For those of you who were not big on the film, remember the art of movie making is designed to entertain and allow one to take a break from life as we live it and immerse ourselves in what's on the screen.
He is faced with bringing a small Indiana town's high school basketball team together.
It chronicles a coach with a troubled past (Hackman) who must try to turn around a small Indiana school's 8 man basketball team.
If you want the whole line of emotions from feeling bad for Norman Dale; loving him or hating him, to feeling great for the state championship, to a realistic view of small town life with its blessings and hypocritical sides, this is a movie that you can watch over and over again.
Okay, maybe I'm biased, having played basketball at a school barely larger than Hickory High (their enrollment was 64, mine was 82) but Hoosiers is one of the best sports movies I've seen in years.
Magnificent sports tale about a former college coach, Norman Dale (Gene Hackman)who's given a chance to redeem himself by coaching a boys' high school basketball team in a rural Indiana town.Director David Anspaugh and his screen-writer, Angelo Pizzo, don't go for over-the-top in providing the numerous issues that Dale deals with constantly.
Some of those issues play a pivotal role in the movie such as Dale hiring Shooter (Dennis Hopper), a former basketball star who's now confined to being the town drunk and father to one of the players.
It's your classic inspirational sports movie that also manages to capture the feel of small-town Indiana incredibly well.
A beautiful story of how a coach has realized his past mistakes and takes a small town team in Indiana, where high school basketball is a religion, to the state finals.
The movie is somewhat based on the true story of a small Indiana high school that defied the odds in 1952 and won the state basketball championship.
Gene Hackman performs brilliantly and Dennis Hopper probably plays his best role in this film (though I am not a huge fan of his so I haven't seen many of his movies).
Hoosiers does a great job of capturing small town life, and how it all revolves around the town living vicariously through their high school sports team.
Some of our finest performers (Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper) are terrific here but David Anspaugh's high school basketball Cinderella story works more like a industrial motivational film promoting teamwork, which it does all the way up to its conclusion--and then it abandons the concept in favor of the individual heroics that's been chastised throughout.
As Norman Dale, the new coach of a small town high school basketball team in Indiana, he wasn't called on to do much acting.
Hackman is fabulous in sometimes understated role as embattled coach for small Indiana high school, I don't know if there's ever been a sports movie tour de force like Hackman in this one.
As the season begins so does his work.From the opening scene you know how this film is going to go - a small town basketball team?
The basketball action is well filmed and it does feel like small town high school basketball. |
tt0071877 | Murder on the Orient Express | The murderHaving sorted a matter out in the Middle East, detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) is returning to England aboard the Orient Express. During the journey, Poirot encounters his friend Bianchi (Martin Balsam), a director of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, which owns the line. The train is unusually crowded for the time of year: every first-class berth has been booked. Shortly after the train's departure from Istanbul, a wealthy American businessman, Ratchett (Richard Widmark), tries to secure Poirot's services for $15,000 since he has received many death threats, but Poirot finds the case of little interest and turns it down. That night the train is caught in heavy snows in the Balkans. The next morning Ratchett is found stabbed to death in his cabin.
Poirot and Bianchi work together to solve the case. They enlist the help of Dr. Constantine (George Coulouris), a Greek medical doctor who was travelling in another coach with Bianchi as the only other passenger and thus not a suspect. Pierre Michel (Jean-Pierre Cassel), the middle-aged French conductor of the car, also assists the investigation, as well as being a suspect. Poirot soon discovers that Ratchett was not who he claimed to be. The victim's secret past indicates a clear motive for murder, even justification, but who was the killer?CluesDr. Constantine's examination of the body reveals that Ratchett was stabbed 12 times. Some wounds were slight, but at least three of them could have resulted in death.
The stopped watch in the victim's pocket, as well as Poirot's reconstructed timeline of passenger activities the night before, indicate that Ratchett was murdered at about 1:15 a.m. The train had stopped, surrounded by fresh snow, before that time. There are no tracks in the snow and the doors to the other cars were locked, so the murderer is almost certainly still among the passengers in the coach in which Ratchett was killed.
Most importantly, Poirot realizes that Ratchett was in fact a gangster called Cassetti. Five years previously, Cassetti and a henchman kidnapped and murdered Daisy Armstrong, the baby daughter of a wealthy British Army Colonel who had settled in America with his American-born wife. The body was found after the ransom had been paid. Overcome with grief, the pregnant Mrs. Armstrong went into labor early and died while giving birth to a stillborn baby. A maidservant named Paulette who was wrongly suspected of complicity in the kidnapping committed suicide. Colonel Armstrong, consumed by these tragedies, later killed himself as well. Cassetti's accomplice was arrested and executed, but Cassetti himself fled the country with the ransom, as he was only revealed to be the leader on the eve of the execution.
Having established these facts, Poirot, Dr. Constantine and Bianchi summon the other passengers one by one and proceed to interrogate them.
(The fictitious Armstrong case was inspired by the real-life kidnapping of aviator Charles Lindbergh's child.)SuspectsThe thirteen suspects are:
Hector McQueen (Anthony Perkins), a tall, young American man, the victim's secretary and translator;
Edward Beddoes (Sir John Gielgud), the victim's British valet;
Mary Debenham (Vanessa Redgrave), a young British woman, returning home to England after working as a teacher in Baghdad;
Colonel Arbuthnott (Sean Connery), a British officer in the British Indian Army returning to England on leave;
Princess Natalia Dragomiroff (Wendy Hiller), an elderly Russian royal;
Hildegarde Schmidt (Rachel Roberts), a middle-aged German woman, the Princess' personal maid;
Count Rudolf Andrenyi (Michael York), an aristocratic Hungarian diplomat;
Countess Elena Andrenyi (Jacqueline Bisset), née Grünwald, his beautiful young wife;
Greta Ohlsson (Ingrid Bergman), a middle-aged Swedish missionary returning to Europe on a fund-raising trip for her mission in Africa;
Mrs. Harriet Belinda Hubbard (Lauren Bacall), an older, fussy, very talkative American pluri-widowed socialite;
Antonio (Gino) Foscarelli (Denis Quilley), an exuberant Italian American car salesman from Chicago;
Cyrus B. "Dick" Hardman (Colin Blakely), a Pinkerton's detective masquerading as a talent agent;
Pierre-Paul Michel (Jean-Pierre Cassel), the French conductor of the sleeping car.MotivePoirot soon comes to realise that all the suspects were connected to the Armstrong family and had reason to seek revenge for the tragedies that followed the kidnapping. Some openly admit their connections to the Armstrongs, while other ties must be uncovered by Poirot.
McQueen was the son of the District Attorney who prosecuted the case and was very fond of Mrs. Armstrong;
Miss Debenham was Mrs Armstrong's secretary;
Beddoes was Colonel Armstrong's army batman and the family butler;
Col. Arbuthnott was an army friend of Col. Armstrong;
Princess Dragomiroff was Sonia Armstrong's godmother;
Miss Schmidt was the Armstrongs' cook;
Miss Ohlsson was Daisy's nursemaid;
Foscarelli was the Armstrong's chauffeur;
Hardman was, at the time, a policeman who was in love with Paulette;
Michel was Paulette's father;
Countess Andrenyi was Mrs Armstrong's sister;
Mrs Hubbard was Mrs Armstrong's mother;
Count Andrenyi was Mrs Armstrong's brother in law.
Ratchett was sedated by Beddoes and McQueen. Each of the passengers then stabbed him in turn.
Poirot presents this explanation for the murder to the assembled passengers, describing it as the "complex" solution to the crime. Yet he also offers another explanation, a "simple" one. In the course of the inquiry evidence has been found of an intruder on the train, who may have murdered Ratchett and then escaped evidence planted by the suspects. Poirot suggests that Ratchett/Cassetti may have been involved with the Mafia and murdered as the result of a feud. He leaves it to Bianchi, director of the line, to decide which explanation to present to the local police.
Bianchi decides that this "simple" solution will be enough for the local police and that Ratchett deserved everything he got. A cover-up is therefore instigated. Poirot is satisfied that justice has been done, though he does admit to a struggle with his conscience. | dramatic, mystery, murder | train | imdb | I will be honest and say it took me a long time to appreciate just how good a film this actually is.The format and layout of the film works tremendously well, the dark and twisted kidnap and killing story at the beginning sets the tone well, it hits hard, and makes the end of the film all the more engaging and believable.The film looks sensational, it is a beautiful production (especially in HD) the scenery throughout is lavish, a true feast for the eyes.
He is wonderfully theatrical, and as Ustinov definitely suits the flavour of Death on the Nile, so does Finney here.The characterisations aside from Poirot are expertly brought to life, some glorious performances, Lauren Bacall and Wendy Hillier are sensational in their roles, how well the cast bring to life the class system of 1930, it really was a different world.
The rest of the cast has ensemble parts, my favorite being Wendy Hiller whose Princess Dragomiroff comes across as royal, proud, and very eccentric.With its snowy landscapes, ornate and cozy interiors, and subdued lighting, "Murder On The Orient Express" is an excellent movie to watch on a cold, winter night, snuggled under a blanket or next to a warm fireplace with a cup of cappuccino or a glass of cognac.
It is a wonderful film - I have never read the book to compare to the movie - but I can say the film is worth watching if you love a good mystery movie.An all-star, well seasoned, cast does help to make the film more intriguing, more appealing because all gave outstanding performances in this film.
"Murder On The Orient Express" is arguably the most famous theatrically released film based on an Agatha Christie book, but there are two factors that keep me from rating it quite as high as its successors, "Death On The Nile" and "Evil Under The Sun": a) Albert Finney has his moments as Hercule Poirot, but sometimes his stuffy, mannered performance comes close to obnoxiousness (some people might claim that he's trying to be more accurate to the character as written by Christie, but I don't think the Poirot of the books would ever tear up the menu of a restaurant and throw the pieces up in the air), b) although the solution to the mystery is one of Christie's most daring and unusual, it is also pretty tough to translate from the page to the screen because it is necessary to introduce a remarkably high number of characters and explain the connection of all their backgrounds to the present events.
Besides all that, however, there's still a lot to like about "Murder On The Orient Express": the superb cast (though I don't know why Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar for this role, if anyone deserved such an award, it was probably John Gielgud or Wendy Hiller), the exhilarating music score, the nostalgic train setting, and some memorably atmospheric scenes (the opening, the re-construction of the crime, etc.).
But in 1974 she saw her vision of Hercule Poirot as a character put properly on screen by Albert Finney in MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.It gave her a satisfaction that few mystery novelists of her age ever had.
While Josephine Tey's novels occasionally were made into films, her Inspector Grant was not turned into a good running series character.I think that the reason that Agatha Christie was satisfied was the care that Sidney Lumet took with MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS.
Of course there's the typical enclosed group of suspects with a murderer in their midst.The setting is 1935 and Belgian detective Hercule Poirot boards the Orient Express along with an assortment of colourful, suspicious passengers.
Sidney Lumet directs a great cast through a brilliant cinematic interpretation of one of Agatha Christie's most popular Hercule Poirot Mysteries.
Despite the cramped quarters, the only witness is the murder victim himself, and Poirot must put together the solution from disparate and seemingly contradictory evidence.The three most striking qualities of this film are its production values, cast, and Finney's exhausting performance.
This is achieved by perfect visual pacing, great camera work, spectacular - though somewhat cramped and redundant - sets, good costuming, and a stunningly attractive cast.Murder on the Orient Express also succeeds in sticking with Christie's original narrative (mostly), and sets a high standard for film versions of the great mystery writers repertoire.
The movie is an excellent whodunit and concerns upon one murder in the Orient Express train with Hercules Poirot (Albert Finney) as sleuth-man to solve it .
However this doesn't make boring it.The runtime movie is overlong : two hours and some but isn't slow-moving and is amount amusing for suspense and tension.First-rate interpretation specially from Albert Finney and Ingrid Bergman , Oscar winner as best secondary actress .The set design and costumes are riveting , the flick is magnificently set by that time .
Although Albert Finney who does a fine job as the Belgian Sleuth Hercule Poirot declined to do further films with Poirot, Peter Ustinov more than amply took up the slack in later productions.Richard Widmark is an American expatriate traveling on the famous Orient Express train and he's been receiving mysterious death threats.
There are a whole lot of people who had reason to want him dead.Poirot conducts his inquiry of the other passengers and they are quite a crew consisting of among others, Lauren Bacall, Michael York, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Wendy Hiller, Rachel Roberts, Vanessa Redgrave, Jacqueline Bissett, etc.
Based on the novel by mystery sleuth Agatha Christie, it takes you on a ride by train where we meet an assortment of colorful characters all traveling on the Orient Express.
Also good: the great Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar (her third overall) for her small performance as an African missionary; and Martin Balsam as the director of the line and Mr. Poirot's personal friend.
Along the movie when Poirot interviewing suspects and you can enjoy his funny acts and talks, a non criminal story happening, introducing western countries nations from Agatha Christie point of view.
The performances are not from your typical B-movie detective who done it.As a teen I was totally confused by these flashbacks and line of questioning even though I had read several Agatha Christie novels including "Murder On The Orient Express".
This movie actually creates a whole other more interesting and character driven way to tell a who done it detective murder mystery in a most elegant and stylish way while remaining brilliantly grounded and believable by the performances of top shelf actors in gorgeous and authentic looking '30's era costumes.Through the years I've had to watch this movie several times in TV re-runs to understand the connections provided by the flashbacks even though I already knew the surprise ending.
Still, once it gets going it moves well and the way that Poirot puts the clues together manages to ensure that the film is always interesting.This film features quite a few smaller performances from well-known screen actors, including Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael York and Sean Connery.
I don't mind telling you that my head nearly exploded during the opening credits: Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Michael York, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark, Anthony Perkins, Martin Balsam, John Gielgud!
Not to mention that 'Murder on the Orient Express (1974)' was directed by Sidney Lumet, one of my favourite filmmakers, and adapted from an Agatha Christie novel.
The cast is incredible with the like of Sean Connery, Michael York, Ingrid Bergman (who won an Oscar for her role in this), Lauren Bacall, Martin Balsam, Richard Widmark, Anthony Perkins, and Albert Finney who does a fantastic job as Poirot himself.
What struck me most was the luxurious star-cast, worthy of a true super-production, with memorable names like Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean- Pierre Cassel, Sean Connery, Wendy Hiller, Anthony Perkins and Vanessa Redgrave.
Set it within a cold winter snow drift (my favorite season), and assemble an outrageously good cast featuring the likes of Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave and more, and Murder on the Orient Express had the potential to be some kind of masterpiece.
Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave, Sean Connery, Anthony Perkins and Michael York, to name a few, together in a movie.
Director Sidney Lumet (from '12 Angry Men') has made a movie set in a train where all these great actors have the same amount of screen time, accept for Finney who is in almost every scene.The movie is set on the Orient Express where a murder is committed.
Sidney Lumet's "Murder On the Orient Express" is adapted from the classic mystery by Agatha Christie.
"Murder On the Orient Express" is a faithful adaptation from Christie's original novel, and is blessed with a stunning all-star cast: Lauren Bacall as Mrs. Hubbard, Ingrid Bergman as Mrs. Olson, Sean Connery as Col. Arbuthnot, Anthony Perkins as Mr. McQueen, Michael York as Count Andrenyi, Wendy Hiller as Princess Dragomiroff, and Albert Finney as Poirot himself.
Lumet's film version of Agatha Christie's immortal novella "Murder on the Orient Express" is – simply put – phenomenal entertainment from start to finish and, to me personally, the main reason why cinema is the greatest invention in the history of mankind.
Of course there is an all-star cast, but not just for the names' sake: every single one of the stars fits his role to a T (imagine that Ingrid Bergman was originally to play Princess Dragomiroff, but she chose the "ungraceful" one of Miss Olsen - and won an Oscar for it!), from Albert Finney of course as the original Hercule Poirot, literally as he was described by Agatha Christie (although he would have been at that time "too young" for the role, but an excellent make-up fixed that) to Martin Balsam as his eager friend and "assistant" who after every inquiry asks hopefully: "Please - HE did it?!".
"Tall Story," "Friendly Persuasion," "Psycho," "Phaedra" -- in ALL his films he involvingly and believably portrayed a variation of the same man.Of the entire cast, Perkins seems most camera-aware and "actorish." Ironically, his role is closest to his own natural "American" persona.Everybody else (but Connery, who is what he iconically is, no matter the role or the subtlety of his playing, so overwhemingly magnetic is he) gives us characters we haven't seen before and are obviously delighted doing so.Quibble.So brilliantly-produced is MOTOE that it's endlessly watchable and enjoyable for all the great talents in front of and behind the cameras.Yes, I know whodunit and how.But every time I sit down to MOTOE it sucks me in and I find myself thinking, "But how can that BE?" And delight, once again, at Christie's jaw-dropping construction and this -- the film adaptation of her work with which she was most pleased.It's a ball!.
The first in the quarter of mysteries produced by John Goodwin and Richard Brabourne has the starriest cast of all of them - Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Vanessa Redgrave, Anthony Perkins, John Gielgud and Jean-Pierre Cassel all have the chance to flex their acting muscles in a generally acceptable version of the Christie classic.
Murder On The Orient Express (1974)Plot In A Paragraph: In December 1935, when his train is stopped by deep snow, detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) is called on to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before.Murder on the Orient Express is an entertaining movie, it's a classical who done it and it has a large and expensive collection of stars.
Amongst them were Finney for Best Actor and Geoffrey Unsworth for Best Cinematography, whilst Ingrid Bergman won Best Supporting Actress.Murder On The Orient express become Connery's biggest success away from the Bond franchise by quite some distance as it grossed $36 million at the domestic box office to end 1974 as the 11th highest grossing movie of the year..
In this movie version, the inimitable Albert Finney plays Hercule Poirot, who is aboard the Orient Express, coming from Istanbul.
An amazing cast consisting of Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Colin Blakely, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Rachel Roberts, Michael York, and Denis Quilley play the suspects, and each hold their own in the movie.
"Murder on the Orient Express" starts with infamous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) making his way to London on urgent business.
For this movie ofc at the beginning i had cursory ideas about it because this kind of mysterical movies could be much more complicated and very difficult to solve and realise the story i think but i knew Agatha and i love reading her novel so i gave a chance.Cast is very powerful and it gives us a wonder on the film.Sean Connery,Albert Finney had an adoroble acting,Anthony Perkins as well.
About story i can say that you wonder everything until the end of the film.It might be a little spoiler but i want to say that the last 20 minutes which Hercule Poirot expresses his ideas about murder i watched it like the hair stood up on my neck and i said myself he is such a smart guy.
Great, star-studded adaptation of the classic Agatha Christie novel.It is 1934 and master-detective Hercule Poirot is travelling from Istanbul to France on the Orient Express.
Just about every name is an icon of the silver screen - Albert Finney (as Poirot), Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Michael York, Jacqueline Bisset, Martin Balsam, Anthony Perkins, Richard Widmark.None of them put a foot wrong,Ingrid Bergman got a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance, but I'm not sure why.
Apart from its stellar cast – which includes Albert Finney as Poirot, Sir John Gielgud, Richard Widmark, Wendy Hiller, Ingrid Bergman (in an Oscar winning role as the nervous Swede Miss Olsen), Anthony Perkins, Jacqueline Bisset, Lauren Bacall, Michael York and others, the atmosphere of the film is striking.
This film features an all-star cast, including Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Anthony Perkins, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark, and of course John Gielgud.
And with such elegantly styled period costumes and sets (the Orient Express itself is a masterpiece of cinematic potential: masked in superbly artistic shots of billowing steam and chugging pistons, it shows a clear influence on almost any given train sequence since) the film makes its mark as one of the most sumptuously aesthetic pictures of the decade, perfectly backed by the sweeping and eerie musical score.While adjusting to Albert Finney's flamboyant accent does take time, he proves an unconventionally perfect fit for the eccentric but brilliant detective Poirot, showing the good sense to play the quirkiness of the character straight rather than overdoing it for comedy's sake and letting his fiery passion for knowledge and reason shine through enough to win over even the least interested audience member.
The rest of the all star cast similarly do not disappoint, with standout performances from Martin Balsam as the warmly charismatic owner of the train, Lauren Bacall as a motor-mouthed passenger, Oscar winner Ingrid Bergman giving a nervously passionate performance as an obsessive missionary, a perfectly cast Sean Connery as a gruff Colonel, John Gielgud as a wryly humorous butler, Anthony Perkins as an oddball secretary and Wendy Hiller as a dignified elderly princess, all of whom may or may not know more about the murder than it would immediately appear.Of course the film is not for everyone, and may in fact alienate many modern audiences who have grown accustomed to associating the murder mystery genre with white-knuckled tension and palpable threat, or those bereft of the patience to sit through the dialogue heavy plot (particularly Poirot's near half hour final monologue).
Sidney Lumet directed this film-version of Agatha Christie's book "Murder on the Calais Coach", and his penchant for letting his actors carry on at length is tempered quite a bit by the setting here (a snowbound train) and by the large collection of characters (posers, as it turns out, all pretending to be something they are not).
In addition to Albert Finney and Martin Balsam, there are: Sean Connery, Wendy Hiller, John Gielgud, Rachel Roberts, Anthony Perkins, Lauren Bacall, Richard Widmark, Michael York, Jacqueline Bisset, Ingrid Bergman, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Vanessa Redgrave.
His Hercule Piorot in 1974 earned him an Oscar nomination as Best Actor, though it's a far more shouty and loud performance (completed with oily black hair and rich Belgian accent) than subsequent interpretations of the role by Peter Ustinov and David Suchet.When Sidney Lumet's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS appeared in British and American cinemas at the end of 1974,audiences were not yet accustomed to the numerous Agatha Christie adaptations which are now part of ITV peak-time schedule.
Here was a British- made film bursting with movie stars (Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark, Jacquline Bisset, Anthony Perkins etc) all cast as various American and European murder suspects marooned a snow-bound Orient Express somewhere in the Balkans in 1935.
Here we have a typically baffling murder mystery, the old-fashioned kind set aboard an exotic train setting where a number of suspects are available for the final round-up by detective Hercule Poirot (ALBERT FINNEY).We've seen plenty of train murder cases before, but this one has an extra special passenger list of exceptional well-known star talent: LAUREN BACALL, JACQUELINE BISSET, SEAN CONNERY, JOHN GIELGUD, WENDY HILLER and VANESSA REDGRAVE are all rather first-class snobs, and MARTIN BALSAM, INGRID BERGMAN and ANTHONY PERKINS are members of the lower class.Naturally, they all become prime suspects when a murder is committed and they all have their moments to shine.
Sidney Lumet managed with "Murder on the Orient Express" to do something no other director of film based on a Christie novel had done. |
tt0430926 | Bloodsuckers | The year is 2210. Humans have moved out into space. In doing so, they have
encountered several alien races -- like the Leatherfaces and the Vorhees -- all
of them vampiric. In order to make space safe for humans, V-San (Vampire
Sanitation) crews serve as advance teams, sweeping planets of vampires and
making them habitable for humans. The V-San crew of the Heironymous is
captained by Nicholas Churchill [Joe Lando], who loves his job as vampire hunter. First
officer is Damian Underwood [Dominic Zamprogna], new to the job after being hand-picked by
Churchill after Damian was blacklisted by Star Fleet for leading a mission that
got his entire crew killed. Damian would rather do almost anything but V-San
work, but Churchill isn't about to sign for Damian's transfer, not when he can
get a cheap but top-notch Star Fleet educated commander who needs just a bit of
training (and stomach) in vampire killing. Rosa Wong [Leanne Adachi] and Roman Kuchinsky [Aaron Pearl] form the rest of the human crew. Then there is Quintana [Natassia Malthe] -- beautiful, telepathic,
and born a vampire-human of two humans who were vampirized. Quintana has chosen
to side with humans in the intergalactic war against vampires, but that doesn't
stop Rosa and Roman from questioning her loyalty and making snide remarks to
her face.After cleaning up the mess following a Vorhee [flesh- and organ-eating
vampires that must be staked to be destroyed] attack on Earth Base Quantum in
the Takai System, the Heironymous receives a distress call from a scared
soil-sample technician on Basra 14, a remote mining colony. Fiona Kennedy [A.J. Cook] is
the sole survivor of an attack by Leatherfaces [primitive vampires who wear
facemasks made of their victims' skin but who can be killed with bullets]. His
stomach still churning from his first experience hunting vampires, Damian
follows the captain into the mining shafts, where they are trapped and the
captain is captured and killed. Suddenly, Damian is catapulted to the position
of Captain pro tem of the Heironymous V-San crew, but Rosa and Roman make it
clear they aren't going to take orders from Damian. They feel the captain's
death was Damian's fault for not doing enough to save him from the Leatherfaces.With no further assignments in the roster, the Heironymous puts down at
Transit Station DHF in the Millerton Quadrant to drop off Fiona and allow the
crew a little R&R while awaiting orders. After an evening at the clubs, Damian
tries to get his crew back to the ship only to find that Rosa and Roman are
refusing to reboard. Instead, they have put in for a transfer and intend to go
clubbing in the interim, but their retinal scans and IDs suddenly won't work.
They have been classified as V-San persona non grata and now have nowhere to go
but back to the ship where Damian offers them a deal. One more assignment
together and he'll sign for their transfers. Until then, all protocols must be
followed under his command, and the bickering between Rosa, Roman, and Quintana
must stop. After more bickering, they agree.Suddenly, an urgent SOS comes in from the Transit Station. They are under
attack. By the time the Heironymous returns, everyone is dead. After a
preliminary investigation of the dead bodies, Quintana admits that she doesn't
recognize the vampire species but can tell that they kill by injecting a venom
that causes immediate necrotization of the tissues; it is on the dead, rotting,
warm flesh that these vampires feed. The hunters go in search of the vampire
and find him feeding; they shoot him but, horror upon horror, a number of
leech-like vampire worms crawl out of his mouth. Quintana now recognizes Vermis
nosferati, a species of wormlike vampires that lives inside the body of a host
and comes out only to feed. After the crew stabs and shoots all the vampires
until the last one emerges from a hole in the vampire's stomach (think
"Alien"), Quintana tries to talk to it. It will say nothing but rant about the
arrogance of humans. Remembering how vampires killed his entire family when he
was a child, Roman shoots it, which starts another big row between Quintana,
Rosa, and Roman.Meanwhile, watching from closed circuit cameras, Fiona and her friends
Gilles [Michael DeLuise] and Vondi [Peter DeLuise] criticize the arrogance of their human species and
applaud the work their group has accomplishedin their efforts to put
a monkeywrench in "unbridled Earth imperialism." Convinced that the Earth's
declaration of Manifest Destiny is a plague on the galaxy, they have been
plotting with Muco [Michael Ironside], leader of the Vorhees to stop the intergalactic expansion
of humans and end prejudice against vampires.Back on the Heironymous, Damian is attempting to fit the pieces together.
One thing he noticed in both the last two attacks is that, although the vampire
species involved were different, the electronic defense systems of both
stations had been shut down. He also noticed that Fiona's body was not amongst
the dead found on the Transit Station and wonders if she might be the key.
Fiona goes to a station, he reasons, and dismantles the electronic defense
system. When the vampires come in, Fiona gets out and moves on to her next
target. Reasoning further that Fiona must have left the Transit Station just
before they returned, Damian calls up the record of her departing flight plan
and learns that it leads to Cosmosis. Just then, they get a call from HQ
directing them on a search and destroy mission in the Knobe System, but Damian
and the crew decide that taking a little detour to Cosmosis is necessary to
revenge Captain Churchill's death, even if it means they'll all be fired. The
crew doesn't know that Damian made up the assignment from HQ, but it served the
purpose of uniting the crew.While the crew catches some zzzz's, the Heironymous follows Fiona's ship,
which leads them, instead, to Dhiagalev 8, a depleted ore planet. Just after
they land, they are attacked by a small craft that Roman manages to shoot out
of the sky. Unfortunately, it lands on the Heironymous and blows it up.
Stranded, they decide to head for the old colony, looking for a way off the
planet. They find the colony, and they also find Fiona and vampires. Fiona
promises that no one will get hurt if Damian goes with her. She leads him to
Muco and Captain Churchill, who has been turned into a vampire. Churchill
explains how the vampires want to learn from humans --things like compassion
and cooperation -- so that they can unite and take over the world. Damian
refuses to teach them, so Muco orders Damian and his crew killed. Fiona,
realizing that Muco has lied to her, challenges Muco to show the other vampires
what he is capable of, so Muco capably fires a bullet into her stomach.While Churchill and Damian duke it out, Gilles and Vondi, after seeing the
ease with which Muco killed Fiona, convince the vampires holding the
Heironymous crew that Muco has ordered them released. Gilles and Vondi grab
weapons and escort Rosa, Roman, and Quintana to the room where Churchill
has almost bested Damian. As they enter, Gilles and Vondi toss the weapons back
to the crew and they open fire on the vampires. Damian stabs Churchill in the
heart with a shard of glass, then sneaks up on Muco and stabs him.
Their work done here, Damian and crew head back to HQ to get a new ship.
[Original synopsis by bj_kuehl] | violence | train | imdb | This is no Blade and Star wars cross, but being a movie thats whole budget would have been less then Darth Vader's wardrobe cost its pretty darn good.This is a B movie and I knew that when I bought it, it surpassed my expectations and gave me 90 or so minutes of amusement.The acting ranged from passable at worse to good.
Natassia Malthe is nice eye candy and had a great wardrobe( skin tight and sexy).The special effects were not that great, but they did not ever remove you from the movie by being super bad.
Completely acceptable for a B movie.(well the hand puppet was a stretch but otherwise...) The gore was great, there was lots of it and it was a blast to watch.Someone mentioned a cross between Buffy and firefly( a good review) I agree only think with more edge and darker.This one is a winner for B movie buffs..
Humans#2 Military-reject roughneck squad as first responders to dangerous, unknown Vampire incursions.#3 Sexy female Vampire on the side of the "good guys".#4 Plenty of gore and action.There are four (4) major plot devices that may help you decide if you want to watch this movie.
It will stand-up against any of the other Sci-Fi channel offerings, and even against the other Vampire movie Natassia starred in (who keeps giving Uwe Boll money?)..
First off, the movie I watched was "Vampire Wars: Battle for the Universe", which apparently is an alternate title for "Bloodsuckers" (and a much better one IMO).
Regardless, the story holds together, the special effects were above average, and there were even some good actors (specifically the guy who played the captain and the environmentalist girl).This movie is perfect for the "let's all watch a bad movie" night..
Seriously, if you don't like this, then you're either way too serious or you should just stick to watching Gus Van Sant movies and never visit the modest-budget horror-genre again.
This isn't a prime example of excellent indie-film-making (even if made for TV) and it's not as good as the two aforementioned movies.
The V-SAN (aka Vampire Sanitation) spaceship leaded by Captain Churchill (Joe Lando) receives a distress call from an Earth base and his team formed by the vampire Quintana (Natassia Malthe), the rookie officer Damian (Dominic Zamprogna) and the rebels Rosa (Leanne Adachi) and Roman (Aaron Pearl) seek survivors and vampires and they rescue the scientist Fiona (A.J. Cook), but Capt.
After their next assignment, the provisional captain Damian and his group disclose that a traitor has disengaged the defense system of the bases and they chase their prime suspect.I like B-movies, but "Bloodsuckers" has very contradictory characters and situations.
i mean the acting does grow better later on in the movie, there is some pretty good music, and the storyline isn't bad either.This is a movie that you should watch, it has action, humor, romance, betrayal it has it all.Ow and a funny little fact for those of you that used to watch Andromeda.
The only good thing in this movie was Natassia Malthe, with her stunning Norwegian beauty.
Bloodsuckers has the potential to be a somewhat decent movie, the concept of military types tracking down and battling vampires in space is one with some potential in the cheesier realm of things.
As it is the movie comes across a low budget mix of Firefly/Serenity and vampires movies with a dash of Aliens.The action parts of the movie are pretty average and derivative (Particularly of Serenity) but passable- they are reasonably well executed and there is enough gore for a vampire flick, including some of the comical blood-spurting variety.
A nice try at fleshing the characters out but people don't watch a movie called Bloodsuckers for character development and drama.
The way things are set up Bloodsuckers really does seem like the pilot for a TV series- character dynamics introduced, the world introduced but not explored, etc.
-The credit "And Michael Ironside as Muco." The most annoying aspect of it all though is the really awful and usually inappropriate pop music they have playing very loud over half the scenes of the movie.
Honestly, do you believe that a movie called "Bloodsuckers" aka "Vampire Wars: Battle for the Universe" can actually be good?
It's not brilliant, but it's good enough, and it has a couple of one-liners, some really good character relationship moments, homage to classic horrors (like Leatherface and Voorhees vampires), and a fun ending.
Good camera-work, which I think is rare these days in B-movies, they all tend to shake and zoom, trying to give some "reality" feel to it.If you'd watch every once in a while something different than Oscar winners and summer blockbusters, and if you like sci-fi flicks, I encourage you to see this one.I'm giving it 10/10 cause I think it deserves more than 4-something, which is it's current IMDb Rating.
It's a straightforward sci-fi/horror flick with rich and engaging characters (pared down to archetypes for the time allotted, of course), a fully-developed setting (again, pared for time, but the rich background is obvious in the vampiric languages that are apparently more than gobbledigook and the information given on planets and positions, etc.), a very rapid pace that keeps the story moving without turning into a music video, and pitch-perfect cinematography and direction.It is not flashy or showy, but it's certainly not "sock puppets and CGI." In fact, there is almost none of either.
The story revolves around a group of space vampire-hunters that go from planet to planet trying to exterminate the bloodsucker menace.
Though the idea of the movie is a bit cheesy and there is literally no plot twists; Bloodsuckers has an unexpected charm that lures you in and keeps you watching.
However, Bloodsuckers made up for that by actually showing reasons why the crew start to trust each other, instead of the main character does something cool and they forget all their past discrepancies (A feet that most movies always do).
Also, I enjoyed the idea of many different species of vampires, instead of just one (Yes, even the vampire worm IDEA was creative; not the actual worm itself.) In conclusion, Bloodsuckers is a strange, entertaining film.
In my personal opinion, I would like to see Sci-fi channel make a series from this movie.
OK, it wasn't the best movie I've ever seen but it was still worth watching.The acting is OK for the most part of the film and there's enough eye candy (Natassia Malthe in leather) for the guys.
The special effects could have been better, but are still good enough for me.The plot was about what you can expect for a movie with a title like this, the only thing that really disturbed me was the cowboy-hats.
A little more depth in the characters wouldn't have hurt either.If you're out for a mind blowing experience then you should probably view another movie, but if you're into SCI-FI movies and don't mind if the whole vampire-myth gets a little bit trashed this film ought to keep you company, should you get bored some night..
In this film (which I saw as "Bloodsuckers" but I guess also goes as "Vampires Wars") we see what happens when the imperialist earthlings meet the imperialist vampires.I will make this review very short because it's undeserving of a good review.
but the same can be said of Uwe Boll's work.The concept of the military tracking and killing vampires in space isn't necessarily a bad idea, but it easily falls into the realm of "cheese" and this film falls hard.
If you can stand lots of cheese (on this day I couldn't and I'm from Wisconsin) and want to see average actors with poor costumes fight vampires in space (although "space" looks a lot like any other forest on earth) check this one out, if you can find it.
I don't personally recommend this when you can watch other cheesy vampires films (Jon Carpenter's "Vampires") or other cheesy space movies.
Even Joe Lando said "it was a different kind of experience playing a vampire." The crew that they have is good and will get better.
Okay, Bloodsuckers is not a good or great movie, or at least to me.
Bloodsuckers does actually have some note-worthy performances, Joe Lando, who was the best and only good thing about Meteor Apocalypse, is decent, Michael Ironside while underused does a nice job as the villain and Natassia Malthe, complete with a wardrobe that completely flatters her figure, is incredibly sexy and not too bad acting-wise either.
The story is also an improvement, true it is predictable and not exactly original(apart from the interesting angle of vampire mind sex) but unlike most other low-budget movies I've recently seen it's actually engaging too, and I say the same thing about the action scenes and the gore.
Where Bloodsuckers does fall down is with the rest of the cast aren't as good, either bland or irritating(Leanne Adachi manages to be both those things), the script is of rather cheesy quality, the human characters are stereotypical and not all of them are easy to identify with and the cheap effects for the vampires(who themselves as a whole lacked charisma and menace mostly).
5/10 Bethany Cox. Goofy, Gory Low Budget Sci-Fi Fun. I got this movie on a 4-film "Vampire Collector's Set" DVD under the title "Vampire Wars: Battle for the Universe," though the opening credits of the actual film identify it as "Bloodsuckers," which quite frankly is a cooler (and less wordy) title.
The movie itself was pretty much what I expected: a low budget B-film.
Fortunately, I love stuff like this and "Vampire Wars"/"Bloodsuckers" turned out to be a surprisingly cool mish-mash of the horror, sci-fi and action genres, bolted together from parts of the "Blade" series, a little bit of "Firefly," and some "Aliens" as well.The good news: it's the 23rd century and mankind has at last discovered humanoid life on other planets.
Genre legend Michael Ironside makes a brief cameo, hamming it up in a quick-paycheck role as some sort of vampire overlord in cahoots with the turncoat humans, and eventually lots of big guns go off, and we get severed limbs and gore galore.True "vampire" movie fans will probably hate this movie as this so-called "vamps" act more like zombies (i.e. they eat the flesh of their victims rather than drink their blood).
It is interesting that there appear to be numerous types of vampire races in the Universe (one in-joke refers to two different races as "the Voorhees" and "the Leatherfaces") depending on what planet the V-SANS agents visit, causing me to wonder if this film was intended as the first in a series (or perhaps a TV series pilot -- I did notice that even though the film is quite violent and bloody, language is toned down and though I really hoped to see Quintana strip off that leather bodysuit, no such luck).As with most of the movies on these "4 Film Collections" that I've seen, "Bloodsuckers/Vampire Wars" is worth viewing if you've got a taste for goofy, low-budget fare; those who prefer their horror on the more serious side can safely skip it..
The plot and characters are mainly stolen directly from John Carpenter's "Ghosts of Mars" and James Cameron's "Aliens", as a crew of futuristic vampire hunters are crusading through space and regularly holding to eliminate a mutated species that peculiarly named themselves after notorious horror icons, like the Voorhees and the Leatherfaces.
The creativity to the movie is what I think separated Bloodsuckers from any old vampire movie, like the idea of having several different vampire clans and instead of having regular blood-sucking vampires they had flesh-eating vampires.
The flaws in this movie are identical to every other sci-fi original: low budget, bad visual effects, bad special effects, bad acting, horrible script, annoying clichés, bad plots, and lots of obviously fake and overdone gore.
Futuristic soldiers, taking on bad ass Vampires led by genre vet Michael Ironside....In Space.
I mean I wasn't expecting high art, but It looked like a potential B movie classic.
I gave it a 2 just because Natassia Malthe (as the vampiress Quintana) looks sooooo sexy in this movie.Certainly there is very little logic to this movie, but so are most of the sci-fi vampire flicks.
A good vampire movie should be more sensible that you don't need to see a lot of blood -- we all know when a vampire jumps on a human he/she is going to do what a vampire will do.
Pretty much the only thing original about Vampire Wars is about how bad it is.Watching this afterbirth of a film, the only amusement I got was from the feeble attempts at set-making.
This said, I particularly enjoyed the character of the vampire fighting on the side of humans-One of thr problems for this movie is the plethora of high budget films with all the effects money can buy.
So please, if you are expecting lots of awesome vampire action, then think again.But all of this could be blamed on its story.
It's storytelling and character handling like this that still makes this a pretty bad movie to watch, most of the time.It's not the worst genre example but there still is no good reason why you should ever watch this.5/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
Granted, it was on Sci Fi, and I don't watch much Sci Fi, but man, talk about a razor thin plot and two dimensional characters to the max.The characters were stereotypical and overdone, the plot and setting were unbelievable, the vampires were less intimidating, more funny-looking, the gore was unnecessary, the special effects were down-right horrible, and the ending?
Okay, I have to admit I was a little hesitant about watching a movie about alien vampires, but the overall outcome certainly exceeded my expectations.
I'll admit the plot line did have a few things I was able to spot easy from the bat-like the return of a character you think is gone at the beginning-but it had its good points, like all the tension between the two main ladies (wich made for a really interesting end) and the entire crew at some points.
Well, for the previous, it is better than daytime television....though I'm not sure how much.It does have its points but after about the first 20-30 minutes, the good points pan out and one comes to the conclusion that they are watching a made for TV movie that was put together with not much time to make something that will hold together.
In short, a terrible Sci Fi channel type movie.It has its points such as the future is dirty, like "Blade Runner" showed .....
The Captain looks, sort of feels like actor Robert Forster, the kind of person one might want to be around.But unfortunately, it rather ends up feeling like a bad "Andromeda" rehash where the muscle of the crew consists of poor copies of the smart gunners of "Aliens", the mystic is vampire Willow sexually intensified, and the new Captain might as well be like Jan-Michael Vincent running around on "Danger Island" in the "Banana Splits"; he only put on the uniform with the epaulets; he's got very little right to it.
"Bloodsuckers" is a bit more original than most vampire movies.**SPOILERS**In the future, vampires have been found in every part of the galaxy.
Knowing they have to work one more mission in order to get released, they agree to handle on of the most dangerous vampire groups in the universe.The Good News: There was a bit of truly original thinking in this movie.
Those into watching movies with some creativity and thought put into it will want to give this a look.Rated R: Graphic Violence, some language, and suggested sex scene.
The acting was fairly done well and the plot to it was much better than most of the movies that the Sci-Fi Channel has in its arsenal.
Like I said, it is better than some of the made for TV movies..
low budget vampire movie.
This was well done, but the rest of the movie, forget it.There is another scene, which looks like a engineering plant, which i bet it, and does not look like a space outpost as the character say it is.This movie is stupid, has a serious low budget, makes no sense and God Help Micheal Ironsides..
That's where the likes of Captain Churchill (Joe Lando) & his crew come in, you see he leads a team of soldiers killing Vampires wherever they find them.
This has a pleasing amount of blood & gore, from bodies with legs ripped off, stakings, blood spurts, gory gunshot wounds, Vampire worms bursting out of people's chests & severed limbs Bloodsuckers is a pretty gory film & that's a good thing in my book.
The acting isn't good, the usually brilliant Michael Ironside is only in for about 10 minutes & he gives a terrible performance but he's no worse than anyone else & he's got every right to be p*ssed off if this is the sort of crap he's been reduced to.
A special mention for Leanne Adachi as Rosa who not only gives an awful performance but makes her character so irritating & unlikable you want her to die, horribly (the character that is, not the actress!).Bloodsuckers is a better film than I had any right to expect, it's not perfect but as a one off watch to pass the time it's reasonably good, gory fast moving fun.
I could go on, but as I said it's the same storyline used in about a hundred other 'films' of the genre.The effects were cheese and why Michael Ironside was in this movie is beyond me.
The vampire vampire hunter (still not a typo) was pretty hot, but of course if you're waiting for her to expose more than just her cleavage, look elsewhere.I can't say that it was the worst film I've seen, as I actually rented 'Starship Troopers 2', but wait for this one to come on the Sci-Fi Channel. |
tt2997766 | De nieuwe wildernis | The movie De Nieuwe Wildernis is set in the Oostvaardersplassen, a nature reserve of high standard in the Netherlands. The reserve has been developed in a location that 40 years ago was under sea level in one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Nowadays, its the stage for a unique nature show: the nature determines the rhythm.EMS Films was the first with exclusive rights to shoot footage during all four seasons in the Oostvaardersplassen. The team of "De Nieuwe Wildernis" filmed in the Oostvaardersplassen over a period of two years. The result is a nature film never seen in The Netherlands before. It is a nature spectacle! The film features Konik horses, Red Deer, Foxes and Heck cattle, just to name a few, battling for new territories and survival.A new wilderness has started. It is a paradise in the spring and summer times, but in the winter it transforms into a grim landscape. The food is scarce and the inhabitants of the new wilderness have to make vital life decisions. Only the strongest survive. De Nieuwe Wildernis captures the circle of life in this unique landscape. | storytelling | train | imdb | null |
tt0263488 | Jeepers Creepers | We open on a long country road, where Trish (Gina Phillips) and Darry (Justin Long) are driving back home during Spring Break. As the two are driving down the road we learn that they are taking the long way home. Darry claims that the reason they are doing this is because Trish is trying to avoid getting home quick in order to postpone talking about her boyfriend from college. It is implied that Trish and her boyfriend are no longer together. As they are driving they see an RV up ahead of them. Both try to figure out what the vanity plates message is a game the two like to play.As they pass the RV and begin driving further down the road, we see that behind them that the RV turns off the road quite suddenly. Then we see a beaten up van coming down the road behind Trish and Darry, unbeknownst to them. The van approaches them quite quickly and tail gates them, honking the horn insistently. Trish yells at Darry to let him pass and Darry keeps swerving on the road. Finally, Darry moves over to the oncoming traffic lane and lets the van pass. As the van passes, we see the license plates says, BEATNGU.Trish mentions that the encounter with the truck reminded her of Kenny and Darla. It was said that Kenny and Darla were drunk driving and that their bodies were never recovered only the vehicle was found. Darry disagrees and says that they just werent able to find her, Darlas, head or Kenny. Darry chalks it up to a generational cautionary tale of drinking and driving. Despite this, Trish is still spooked and claims that she had always heard it was true that Kenny and Darla attended Wheaton Valley High and were part of the class of 78. Trish then tells Darry that when she first heard the story she thought she would die on that highway. The two then start bickering over whether or not Darry will get the point for the vanity plate on the van, claiming it read as beating you, since he didnt call it right when he saw the plate.The two stop on the side of the road to urinate, Trish asks her brother if he had talked to their mother. He claims that he only told her that he would be home for break. Trish asks how her mother sounded, particularly if she sounded weird. As Trish gets back in the car she notices that Darry has a bag full of laundry for their mother to do. Trish then claims that something is wrong with their mother, which Darry denies. Trish says that he is unable to notice anything beyond his own existence and insists that their mother isnt happy. At that point, Darry notices the beaten up van that tailgated them from before. It is by an old run-down church. As they slowly pass the van, we see that the driver is a guy with his face covered, wearing a hat and a dark trench coat. Both notice that he is dumping something wrapped in a bloody sheet down a pipe. On the drivers second trip to the pipe he notices the two watching him.The two begin asking each other what he was doing with the bloody sheets wrapped with rope. Trish tells Darry to get them out of there, while Darry tells her to grab his cell phone in his gym bag. She finds the cell phone and notices that the van is now pulling out from the church and begins to follow them. Trish tries to use the phone but sees that his battery is low and despite the fact that Darry has a power plug for it, her lighter doesnt work. The van is now catching up to their car at unnatural speed. As he catches up to them he smashes into the back of their car several times, finally running them off the road and into a field. The van continues on down the road.After Darry fixes the trunk of Trishs car, he stops and says that they need to go back. They both know that it was a person in the sheet and Darry wants to go back and check that the person isnt still alive. Trish doesnt want to and would rather get to a phone and call the cops. Darry argues that they are too far away from a phone to be able to save the person if they are still alive. He finally convinces her by asking if it were her back there.They head back to the church, which is surrounded by crows. Upon approaching the pipe, which smells terrible, Darry claims to have heard something down there and he shines a light down there. So he climbs into the pipe, asking Trish to hold onto his feet. As he is shining the light down in the pipe he claims to see something, which happens to be rats. Trish and Darry start screaming and in the commotion Trish lets go of Darry, leading Darry to fall down the pipe. While Darry is down there he notices the bloody sheet that the creepy guy threw down the pipe. He kicks it to see if the person is alive, and when it doesnt move he turns to yell up to Trish, when all of a sudden the person in the sheet grabs his leg. The person in the sheet starts to thrash around and Darry uncovers his face to find it is a boy not much older than him. His face is blue and he starts pointing to his stomach. When Darry rips open the sheet he sees that the boys stomach has been opened up and sewn back together. The boy in the sheets starts to mumble something inaudibly and when Darry leans in to hear him better, the boy dies. Darry then goes back to the opening of the pipe and tells Trish that she needs to go back to the road and get help by flagging someone down. Darry claims that he is going to find a way out. Before Trish can leave he tells her that if she sees the old van that she needs to run back to the pipe and let him know.Darry then heads further into the basement and sees more bodies wrapped in sheets. He then sees that there is an opening into a room. As he inspects the room he finds a bunch of weird instruments and bottles. As he is looking he notices that his show is untied and upon bending down to tie it his flashlight shines on the wall behind him showing a collection of naked human bodies, all arranged weirdly onto the wall. All of a sudden, something drips onto Darrys shoe. He shines his flashlight up to the ceiling and sees hundreds of bodies all over the walls. Trish is out on the road watching for cars, which there seem to be none approaching from either direction. While she is out there we cut back to Darry down in the basement where he has found an opening leading out of the basement. As he approaches it he notices two bodies sewn together in the corner. The womans sewn on head is placed on the guys shoulders, their arms sewn together leading to their hands intertwined with one anothers. Darry notices a class ring on the guys finger which says Wheaton Valley High.Back on the road, Trish is facing oncoming traffic in the left lane. While she is facing this way, behind her we see headlights approaching in the distance. Finally, Trish looks behind her and sees what looks to be a beaten up van coming towards her. She hops into her car and tries to start the car, but it seems as though the cars clutch is stuck in gear. As the vehicle comes closer we see that it wasnt the beaten up van but a beaten up truck with hay in the back. As she relaxes from having scared herself thinking it was the creepy guy, her brother, Darry pops up by her window looking completely in shock.The two begin heading down the road again, Trish trying to get Darry to say something. Trish notices that they are low on gas and claims that they need to stop as she passes a sign that reads they are entering Pertwilla. At that point, Darry speaks up mentioning that the tales about Kenny and Darla were true and that she did lose her head.Trish pulls into a diner with a gas pump. As they get out of the car they are discussing that they need to call the cops and Darry needs to tell them what he found. At that point, we see the beaten up van pass by the diner, heading back to the run-down church. Both run into the diner, asking for a phone to call the cops. Everyone in the diner looks at them puzzled. Finally, the waitress goes to call the cops. Trish turns to her brother, trying to snap him out of his frightened state when the payphone in the diner rings. Trish picks it up and a woman asks if they have seen the cats yet. The woman on the phone explains that she had seen her and Darry with lots of cats. Trish, confused, asks how she knows Darry. At this point, Darry takes the phone and starts asking the woman who she is. The woman continues on proving that she knows who they are by describing Darrys torn shirt, bloody hand, and rose tattoo on his stomach. She tells them that they have found its house of pain. She explains it to be a hungry thing that will not stop coming after them or anyone else it wants. She proclaims that once it has the scent of something it likes, it cant stop. She says that she saw the awful truck/van, too, with the weird license plate. Darry asks, Beating you? She tells him no, and to think about it. Then she tells him to listen to something. On her speaker she has playing Jeepers Creepers (Jeepers Creepers, whered you get those peepers/Jeepers Creepers, whered you get those eyes. She tells Darry that when he hears that song to run because it means something terrible for him. Darry ends up hanging up on her.It is now night, and Darry has already relayed what he saw to two cops, a Black woman and a white guy. Darry begins questioning Trish if she believes him. The gentleman cop comes over and lets them know that there is a unit on its way over to the church. But the cop questions what Darry saw, claiming that Kenny and Darla would have been bones by now since the crash happened over 20 years ago. Darry insists he knows what he saw retelling that there were at least 600 bodies all stitched together like a quilt. Then the waitress comes over asking if his car is over by the pumps. They run outside and see that their clothes are all over the floor. The waitress says that they saw some guy standing over by their car, sniffing their clothes. The people in the diner say that they saw him head back down the road towards the church again. Darry claims that the creepy guy knows what we saw and that he is after them now. As he is picking up his clothes, he notices that there is a handprint on the door handle the handprint is quite ashy. As Trish looks at the print, she notices a shadow in the sky and the sound of wings up above them. But when she looks up she sees nothing.Darry and Trish are back on the road, this time with the two cops driving behind them, escorting them. Both question how he was able to get back to the church and diner so quickly and why he was sniffing their clothes. The cops then get a call from central letting them know that the church is now burning out of control. Back in Trishs car, Trish turns on the radio and begins surfing through the channels. She passes a modern pop song of Jeepers Creepers. Darry turns back to it saying it's the song the woman was talking about on the phone. Trish and Darry begin bickering. Back in the police cruiser, they get back the results from the dust on the car handle which is dead skin. Suddenly, the cops hear a thud on their hood of their car. Back in Trishs car, still bickering over the song, we see that the creepy guy is on the hood of the police car. The woman cop looks out and is thrown out of the car, while the male cop driving gets his head chopped off, which is then thrown onto the windshield of Trishs car causing them to swerve to a stop. They get out of the car and Trish begins walking to the police car, seeing someone moving in the car, but then on the road sees the severed head of the cop. Trish runs back to the car and they look out and watch the creepy guy get out of the car, whistling the Jeepers Creepers song. Both watch as he eats the cops tongue. They leave, despite Trishs car giving her some issues. We then see the Creeper (Jonathan Breck) throw the cops body into the back of his van.Trish stops the car after Darry insists she slows down. To their left is a house, which Trish takes as an opportunity to get help. As they walk towards the house, Trish notices that the owners of the house have a scarecrow in their garden. The two are greeted by an old woman Trish asks to use her phone, but the woman explains that she does not have one. She asks what Trish needs with a phone anyway and Trish tells her that she needs to contact the police. The woman says that she doesnt want the police out near her house because they are trying to get her to get rid of some of her cats. Once Trish mentions that someone has been killed she turns on the light, concerned that it was one of her cats. We then see that there are at least 20 cats in her home. Darry tries to get Trish to leave when the lights on the womans porch go out. All of a sudden all the cats in the womans house go towards the screen and begin growling. The woman asks if they brought anyone else with them, looking off to the right. When Trish and Darry turn around they see the Creeper where the scarecrow was. The old woman comes out from the porch with a shotgun and tells him to get out of her yard. When the Creeper moves from the scarecrow the old woman shoots, but instead of hitting him she hits the scarecrow. The Creeper then jumps from the ground and scurries across the old womans roof, breaking into her house. The woman goes into her house despite the pleas from Trish and Darry. From outside, they hear two gun shots. Then they see the old woman by the inside door of her porch. They see that the Creeper has killed her and was propping her up. Trish and Darry finally see the face of the Creeper (he looks like a monster with bat-like features and his eyes are all clouded over as if he is blind).Trish and Darry run to their car and the Creeper follows, jumping onto their hood. Trish reverses the car and tries to run over the Creeper to no avail. She then waits until he is close enough and hits him with her car. She then reverses and runs over him a couple more times. Darry stops her and they watch as the Creepers wings come out. The Creeper attempts to fly away but is too damaged. Trish runs over him one more time and they head off to the Poho County Police Station.In the police station we see that a guy has been picked up for trying to steal a car. Trish is on the phone with her mother, who is upset along with Trishs dad. Trishs mom tries to go get them, but Trish explains that they dont want to wait for her. They are just going to drive home themselves. Darry notices a board of missing people, one missing person being a child. Just then a woman comes into the police station saying Trishs name. We find out that her name is Jez (Patricia Belcher). She tells them about how she had seen them with the bodies in the cellar and then seeing them with a bunch of cats. Darry figures out that this is the woman on the phone from the diner. Jez explains that she has dreams and that she has seen them two. Jez goes on to tell them about the Creepers ritual. Every 23rd of Spring, the Creeper is allowed to eat for 23 days. While Jez is explaining this, we notice that the beaten up van pulls up to the police station and the injured Creeper hops out and makes it way to the back of the police station. He eats things that he needs, a lung to breathe, eyes to see, etc. She explains that since they have harmed the Creeper, he is going to continue eating until he is not harmed anymore. She then says that one of the two has something he likes, but hes not sure which one yet. The way he finds out is by scaring you he can smell something in fear. It tells him if there is something inside a person that he might want. At this point, the lights in the police station go out and the emergency lights come on.Darry doesnt understand how it is able to still be alive, since they ran over it so many times. Jez claims that he has eaten too many hearts for his own to stop. One of the cops heads to where the inmates are being held to get a head count. He approaches one cell where the two inmates are hovered against one wall in fright. On further inspection, the cop notices the Creepers clothing on the floor of the next cell, where the Creeper has eaten someone and is healing himself. The cop tries to shoot it but the Creeper overtakes him.The cop with Trish, Darry and Jez tries to move them into a holding room after hearing the gunshots. Jez insists that they do not hide in room because she has seen the Creeper find them hiding in a room. She then says that she sees the song Jeepers Creepers playing on an old phonograph while one of them is screaming in the dark somewhere. The head cop then gets in a call saying that the Creeper is heading up the rear stairwell. He tells them all to stay where they are. After the cops leave, Jez says that she needs to get them out of there. They start running down one of the halls of the station.We then hear over the radio that one inmate and an officer are down and then there are gunshots. He explains that they are unable to take him down, that he is wearing some kind of crazy armor. He then tells the sergeant that he is gone, heading up to the rest of the cops. Then the Creeper comes up behind one of the cops and punches a hole right through his stomach. They look up the staircase and see nothing, but hear something, so they begin shooting into the stairwell.We then see that the way Jez tried to lead Trish and Darry out is locked. Trish argues with her and it comes out that she is there in the hopes that they can change the outcome. Darry figures out that she knows who it wants and what it wants. She explains that she has seen them run up the stairs and hide but that she doesnt know what happens. He asks her who hears Jeepers Creepers while screaming in the dark. Sobbing, Jez begins to look over at Trish. Darry asks if her dreams have never been wrong. She tells him that he doesnt understand. Trish, upset, says that Jez doesnt know anything. Then, the Creeper, comes out from around the corner. Jez yells for them to go upstairs.The Creeper crawls over the wall and comes up behind Jez. He smells her and not finding anything he wants, he runs after Trish and Darry. In one of the interrogation rooms, Trish goes up to the two-way mirror and starts looking at her eyes. On the other side of the mirror, the Creeper is watching her and growling. The two are arguing when the Creeper smashes through the mirror. He picks up Trish and Darry up by their throats and proceeds to sniff them. He then licks Trish and after tasting her, he throws her to the side. He then licks Darry and seems to be pleased with the taste, when the cops from downstairs begin shooting one of the other two-way mirrors and aim their guns at the Creeper. They see that he has Darry in a headlock and do not shoot.At this point, Trish runs up and tries to convince the Creeper that he wants her and not Darry. The Creeper then flies out the window with Darry in his arms. The next day, Trishs folks show up at the police station. Trish asks her what it means when Darry is screaming in the dark while the song is playing she wants to know what else she saw. Jez tells her that shes just a crazy old woman with crazy dreams and Trish walks out of the police station.We then see an old factory where Darry is screaming and crying. In the background we hear the Jeepers Creepers song playing on an old phonograph. The Creeper seems to be sewing something together and we see that Darrys body is strung up and his eyes have been removed and the Creeper is using them as his own. | murder, paranormal, violence, horror, suspenseful, entertaining, sadist | train | imdb | Hello, this is a horror film and if they weren't stupid we wouldn't have a movie.
"Jeepers Creepers" is supposed to be your average monster-movie but turns out to be a very scary and above all a very entertaining film, whose script ist cleverly written and which has some sharp and enjoyable dialogues.
The less you know about this one the more fun it brings, even if there are also some disappointing facts: the special-fx-work does sometimes look cheap, but in times of CGI-effects in nearly every two fantasy-movies, i prefer the 'organic' look of old-fashioned-effects, even if one can say that they look cheap.
I thought this movie was gonna be mediocre,based on the Scooby Doo like title and the reviews,but this was excellent.First off,the story,the concept was so creepy and unique,I can't really explain it without spoiling the movie,so I'll just say it was great.Second,the atmosphere,yes there is gore,but the movie doesn't focus on that,it focuses on tension and suspense.Third,the characters,they are well acted,well developed,and feel real.The effects are great,and so is the main villain,the Creeper,you don't know much about him,which makes him even more scary.The setting was good,but last,the pacing,it may have been slow,but I was glued to the screen the whole time.Now onto the negatives,I thought although the movie was overall dark and creepy,there was many cheesy moments that took me out of the movie and some bad dialogue,but that's it.Jeepers Creepers is a well made,suspenseful movie with some stupid moments.
Although the brother and sister's rivalry was played up just a bit too much, their characters were still a lot more believable than most modern scare films.
Top it off with some overacting "we're not taking any crap" police officers and a poorly acted psychic lady and you turn what could have been a gem of a scary movie into a second rate dud.
Remember don't listen to what other people say, if you like scary movies, and no not to take them seriously go see this, it's worth the money..
Jeepers Creepers follows a grown-up brother and sister taking the backroads home when they discover a mysterious man appearing to dump bodies, they're investigation finds them stalked by a deadly monster called the Creeper.Jeepers Creepers blends several comedic moments into a movie that's creepy and disturbing.
Sticking to being practical rather then CGI.There are some good disturbing scenes many of which are enhanced by the films great score.The actors are solid, never feeling unrealistic.My only gripe is the main two characters.
They stop to investigate an old dark refuge what looks like a killing , but results to be a bizarre monster , Creeper(Jonathan Breck)which appears each new 23rd spring, after several years.
The brothers flee and looking for to save their own skin , when the cannibal go after them.This exciting movie with original monster, displays terror, suspense,cannibalism, thrills, and lots of blood and gore.
At first , while watching it , this movie reminded me of a lot of different horror movies - but in all actuality - it was not like any other ever.
When asked about this movie I tell them that the first half-hour is good, and that each ten minutes after that seems like it was written and directed by someone else, and each person didn't get to see what the person right before him had done.
I really thought that it was going to be an 'on the edge of your seat' horror film and the opening had all the tension and weirdness that one needs to set that kind of atmosphere.
It's just that they didn't really stick out for me.All of the above being said, if the movie was on cable on a cold winter night, I'd probably relent and watch it again - it's certainly better than most in it's category, but would I recommend it as a 'great' film?
JUSTIN LONG and GINA PHILIPS are brother and sister returning home for spring break when they run into road rage and a monster who comes out of hiding after long hibernation to kill humans for body parts that keep him thriving.It's a fairly suspenseful horror flick with the leads making the usual mistakes so that they can come into contact with the flesh eating monster who clearly is after one of them for a purpose not revealed until the end.Long is amusing as the brother who has some good lines to say to his irritating sister as they squabble over how to approach the idea of hunting down a monster.
His facial expression is mainly one of shock at finding dead bodies at the bottom of a barrel-shaped pipe and he keeps up the shocked look throughout most of the film.There are some genuinely scary moments and a lot of silliness in the plotting which is pretty par for the course in these kind of thrillers.
Sitting down in a theater in 2001, I assumed this would be another crappy teen horror film with useless sex scenes and cheesy unrealistic plot points (I reviewed movies at the time for my community).
The climax in the police station is sadly quite boring and loses all the tension the film was building up (despite that the scene involves a massive shootout), but its the VERY ending, the last 2 minutes of the movie that satisfy me.
From Sixth Sense to Blair Witch Project and right on through to The Ring, in recent years horror movies have been missing several key elements.
Let's look at the horror movies of the past: Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Halloween.
Great to see this kind of new Horror type movie other then the old style crap.....I just saw this film as a time killer....Lightly .....But after watching this film I became a huge fan of Jonathan Breck (The Creeper).....As well as Director Victor Salva......Great Just Great CLASSIC film..
I was prepared to believe that this movie was going to be another one of those campy, poorly-acted teen scare flicks, but curiosity got the better of me and I took a chance.
I particularly love a fright film that can create the mood by taking common, otherwise normal objects and settings, and turning them into symbols of sheer terror -- a deserted country highway, an abandoned, boarded-up building, and an old, beat up automobile -- this movie does not disappoint!
In what looks like a good premise for a film - a kind of horror version of Duel in some ways, it really disappoints.
There's not much happening during the movie, the only reason to stay awake is cute Gina Philips walking around and looking good...
;)Jeepers Creepers is some kind of transcendental "scary" movie that features a weird looking creature that is supposed to be some kind of horror element .
let's go see it anyway...It starts off quite good - a scary movie that makes you jump every few minutes.
The two characters in this movie KNOW how dangerous it is and they still decide to throw themselves into danger.The bad guy/monster/boogie man, which is never explained by the way, looks so silly that people in the theater were laughing in the supposedly scary parts.The acting was horrible, the script was incoherent, the special effects were cheap and I don't understand why people don't see this.
If Jeepers Creepers is two stars, I would be scared to see a 'no-stars' movie.There was one scene, however, that I really related to the female character.
And I feel most reviewers are short-changing this film by lumping it in with other lesser movies as a "teen slasher flick".This was my take on it- There were some serious jumps (at least for me and others in theater) and definitely some creepy pit of your stomach tension.
Also, I felt the reactions of the characters to what they are witnessing was realistic-as opposed to what people usually do in movies today.If you are looking for a lazy movie-going-experience where everything is explained and wrapped in a nice pretty package in 90 minutes-this is not your movie.On the other hand if you are willing to suspend belief and watch a fun, scary, interesting, surprising monster movie where you may have to come to your own conclusions about some plot points -I would recommend this movie to you..
Having seen all of the other movies in the theater, I went to see Jeepers Creepers this weekend because the trailer looked mildly interesting.
mixed in with the unnecessary screaming, the pasty scare tactics that went out with the Texas Chain Saw Massacre ...We were cheering for the good guys to be murdered by the thirty minute mark if for nothing else but to allow us some relief from their next dim witted show of ignorance.Yeeeeeeeuck.Suffice it to say that I rated this movie a 1 and would have scored it lower had the IMdb allowed me to go into the negative digits on the scale.Don't waste your time or your money at the theater or the video store if they are not too embarrassed to release it on video.BTW, who said it had a surprise ending?
The fact that the girl (I'm not gonna even bother remembering her name) referenced the Scream movies didn't help much either.Whoever approved of this film being made should actually sit down and think real hard about this abomination that he/she released.
He and Gina Philips made this film almost unbearable, though they didn't have much to work with - the script was born from the same place as the big scary monster in the movie (Hell, of course).
Although I admit the first half was good at building suspense, the second half turned into the usual teen slasher movie with no thrills, boring characters, and dumb logic.
I just hope this does not start a franchise horror movie like Freddy and Jason.Die creeper die..
This is one of the worst Horror Movies i have ever sat through.The Brother And Sister in this movie have to be the most Stupid in Screen history.The fact that they were unlikable didnt help.Its not scary,takes too long to get going and where is the Ending?Pointless..
The movie has potential, the story could be interesting, and it could even be scary if it tried a little harder, but the script/dialogue and acting absolutely ruin it.
Jeepers Creepers kicks ass!"Sheer terror...spooky and jolting!" Plot: A brother and sister driving home through isolated countryside for spring break encounter a flesh-eating creature which is on the last day of its ritualistic eating spree.On a desolate country highway, two homeward-bound teens siblings a brother and sister Gina Philips and Justin Long are nearly run off the road by a maniac in a beat-up truck...and later they spot the driver showing what appears to be a body down a sewer pipe.
I really had no idea Francis Ford Coppola also executive produced this film, I really had no idea he liked to produced a scary movie.
Jeepers Creepers is a 2001 American horror film written and directed by Victor Salva.
Around 2001, I was really beginning to believe there was no such thing as an original horror film anymore, but then along came this scary little gem!Brother and sister, driving home from college, believe they have stumbled upon a murderer, but this 'murderer' turns out to be something far more terrifying!Director/writer Victor Salva made a tour-de-force entry in modern horror with this clever, twisted film.
From its startling opening sequence to its mercilessly chilling conclusion Jeepers Creepers is a gripper of a horror movie.
Jonathan Breck, even under a ton of makeup, does a scary good performance as the 'Creeper'.Also of note are the excellent makeup FX, perfect art direction, the beautiful Florida filming locations, and a dramatic and haunting musical score.Jeepers Creepers became the sleeper horror hit of 2001 and rightfully it should be.
It had the potential to be a good horror film but just ended up being laughable.
This movie can be watched many times i personally liked the acting of both the characters or maybe it was because i was a teenager when i watched it with my friends .
I haven't seen many horror thrillers but when watching Jeepers Creepers I could tell that this was fantastic and fitted the genre perfectly.Its fast, tense and definitely exciting.
The plot is consistent and will keep audiences excited as Justin Long stars alongside Gina Phillips who play the brother and sister who are being chased on a road-trip by a mad creature who wants to catch them.Long and Phillips are brilliant in their roles as stereotypical teenagers who are scared and freighted and are brilliantly portrayed by the two young actors.The film is often set at night which makes it even scarier and I was very scared when the tension starts to build for the characters as the film moves along at a ferocious pace.If you like horror films then this is definitely a must watch.
One reviewer said that since it's a horror movie, people are expected to do dumb things.
If so, maybe he should go back to film school.The expectation that people do dumb things in horror movies just shows the level to which these movies have sunk.
I hadn't heard anything good or bad, and went in with an open mind.That being said, this was one of the worst modern movies I've EVER seen.
I don't want to spoil the stupidity, but it seems like they wrote the stupid Jeepers Creepers song and thought they were real clever and then wrote the movie around the lyrics.
Perhaps some may be scared (a little) near the beginning, but as the movie progresses it just gets worse and worse until you just laugh at how stupid it is.A one word summary for the film is PATHETIC..
These days since Scream is seems that making an in movie joke about horror movies is the popular way to get the audience to look past the characters stereo-typical stupidity and other short comings.
Like "you know the part in the horror movies where the guy does something stupid and everyone else hates him for it...this is that part".
I was very disappointed to discover that Jeepers Creepers is a SCREAM disguised as a demon movie.
Anyways, the director lacks imagination (so does the scriptwriter): everything you see in Jeepers Creepers, you've seen done A LOT BETTER elsewhere, and often too, none of the most important plot points/characters holds up to someone that has seen more than half a dozen good movies before...
Being a fan of the new wave teen horror genre, I had heard quite a bit about this movie and was interested to see how good it would be compared to other such films I'd seen.
The most annoying part of the entire movie was the last twenty minutes of the film - a "showdown" between the main characters.
I'm wondering if the people that gave this movie a good review were watching the same film.
Victor Salva (I don't care if I get his name right) fished it out of the trash and TRIED to make it into a movie.Don't get me wrong, I've watched all of the classic horror films.
The first half of the film had me on the edge of my seat and I was beggining to think someone had actually made solid horror movie, while at the same time breaking the trendy mold of late 90's "Scream" teeny bopper horror flicks.
No frights, no chills, even I, who gets scared watching many ghost movies, didn't get scared seeing this film.The plot is so stupid, no sense at all.
Jeepers Creepers has a look near to "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "The House Of 1000 Corpses", and that kind of deep-America-terror-movies, with an strange evil creature which kills anything that moves (and, of course, the main characters are his next victims); but it gets to nowhere.
Very Very Very Scary plot and atmosphere than your usual horror film.
Jeepers Creepers is an awesome movie.
This is one of the worst horror films I've ever seen.
The kids in this movie make every other horror movie teen look like a genius.
Look, I really wanted to like this movie!
But in terms of creepiness and originality, Director Victor Salva definitely came up with a wicked little gem that despite some of it's flaws, still becomes one of those horror films that get you thinking.A brother/sister combo are driving through rural country when they see what looks like a transient throwing bodies in a sink hole.What they find out later is that the murderer turns out to be an ancient demon that only lives for 23 days every 23 years.But in those 23 days, it feeds it's insatiable hunger on the surrounding citizens.Good news is, the "Creeper" is a discriminate killer, only going after certain humans it "smells" out and of course killing those that try to get out of it's way.The stunning ending shows you why the demon relentlessly chases after the hero's.Veteran actresses Eileen Brennan and Patricia Belcher were thrown into the cast in different scenarios: Brennan got one of the creepier scenes as the "Cat Lady" whom the hero's come in contact with on the lam from the Creeper.
But Belcher is overwhelmingly annoying as the psychic Jezelle, who sheds light on what the killer is after.The plot is uneven at times, but for sheer horror, Jeepers Creepers often delivers the goods..
jeepers creepers is a horror movie thats bound to be a classic.
Suspenseful, scary, what more do you want in a horror movie.
If you don't like horror movies -- and, or can't handle them, Avoid it.
With their 'old-horror-movie' special effects, they provided great entertainment.
Like most horror movies, you invariably end up shouting at the screen telling the characters not to do something, but in this movie, I did that only once.
granted its not the best horror movie, but its still worth a good watch or if u really enjoy it maybe even a purchase. |
tt1285016 | The Social Network | In October 2003, Harvard University student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) has the idea to create a website to rate the attractiveness of female Harvard undergraduates after his girlfriend Erica Albright (Rooney Mara) breaks up with him. Over the course of a single night, Mark hacks into the databases of various residence halls, downloads pictures and names of female students and, using an algorithm for ranking chess players supplied by his best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), he creates in a few hours a website called "FaceMash.com", where male students can interactively choose which of two girls presented at a time is more attractive.Mark is punished with six months of academic probation after the traffic to the site brings down parts of Harvard's computer network, and he becomes vilified among most of Harvard's female community. However, the popularity of "FaceMash" and the fact that he created it in one night, while drunk, brings him to the attention of Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer and Josh Pence), identical twins and members of Harvard's rowing team, and their business partner Divya Narendra (Max Minghella). As a result, he gains a job working for the Winklevoss twins as the programmer of their website, Harvard Connection.Soon afterwards, Mark approaches his friend Eduardo and tells him of his idea for what he calls "Thefacebook", an online social networking website exclusive to Harvard University students. He explains this would let people share personal and social information securely. Eduardo agrees to help Mark, providing a fee of $1,000 to help start the site. Once complete, they distribute the link to Eduardo's connections at the Phoenix S-K final club, and it quickly becomes popular throughout the student body. When they learn of Thefacebook, the Winklevoss twins and Narendar believe that Zuckerberg stole their idea while simultaneously stalling on their website. Cameron and Divya want to sue Mark for intellectual property theft, but Tyler convinces them they can settle the matter as "Harvard gentlemen" without resorting to the courts.A few months later, at a lecture by Bill Gates (Steve Sires), fellow Harvard University student Christy Lee (Brenda Song) introduces herself and her friend Alice (Malese Jow) to Eduardo and Mark. She asks that the boys "Facebook us", which impresses both of them. The girls invite them to a bar, where they have sex in the toilet. Mark later runs into his ex-girlfriend, Erica, who is not aware of The Facebook's existence because she is not a Harvard University student. Stung by this, Mark decides to expand the site to more schools. Christy, Mark, and Eduardo later return to Mark's room where they outline the structure of the company and their plan for moving forward.By the spring of 2004, the Facebook grows in popularity, and it expands to other schools in the Northeastern United States, while the Winklevoss twins and Narendra become angrier at seeing "their idea" advance without them. Tyler refuses to sue them, instead accusing Mark of violating the Harvard student Code of Conduct. Through their father's connections they arrange a meeting with Harvard President Larry Summers (Douglas Urbanski), who is dismissive and sees no potential value in either a disciplinary action or in a lawsuit against Thefacebook website itself.Through Christy Lee, now Eduardo's girlfriend, Eduardo and Mark arrange a meeting with Napster co-founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). When Christy, Mark and Eduardo meet Parker at a trendy Fusion restaruant in New York City, Eduardo becomes skeptical of the eccentric Parker, noting his problematic personal and professional history. Mark, however, is impressed with Parker since he presented a similar vision of Facebook. Although no deals are reached, Parker suggests that they drop "The" from Thefacebook to make it simply "Facebook".That summer, Mark moves the company's base of operation to Palo Alto, California at Parker's suggestion, while Eduardo remains in New York for seeking advertising support. When Eduardo visits from New York, he is angered to find that Parker is living at the house and making business decisions for Facebook. After an argument with Mark, the vindictive Eduardo freezes the company's bank account and returns to New York. Upon returning, Christy and Eduardo argue about his Facebook profile, which still lists him as "single". Christy accuses Eduardo of cheating on her and sets fire to a scarf he gave to her as a gift. While Eduardo extinguishes the fire, Mark angrily calls him on the phone about freezing the Facebook bank accounts, and reveals that they have secured money from "an angel investor" through Parker's contacts. As a result of Christy's jealousy, Eduardo ends his relationship with her.Meanwhile in England, while competing in the Henley Royal Regatta, the Winklevoss twins become outraged that Facebook has expanded to a number of universities there and they finally decide to sue Mark. Eduardo has also discovered the deal he signed with Parker's investors allows them to dilute his share of the company from a third to less than one tenth of one percent, while maintaining the ownership percentage of all other parties. He confronts his erstwhile friend Mark at his new Facebook office in downtown L.A. and announces his intention to sue him.Later that night, Parker, along with a number of Facebook interns, is arrested for possession of cocaine during a party thrown on the occasion of Facebook's 1 millionth member. It is strongly implied (but never fully explained) that Mark had anonymously tipped off the police to raid the frat house where the party was held and probably had someone plant drugs at the party to intentionally have Parker and his interns arrested to remove them from the Facebook company.In the final scene, a junior lawyer for the defense informs Mark they will be settling with Eduardo, since the sordid details of Facebook's founding and Mark's cynical personality will make a jury highly unsympathetic to him. The film ends with Mark sending a friend request to his former girlfriend Erica on Facebook, and refreshing the page every few seconds waiting for a response that never comes. | revenge, comedy, entertaining, prank | train | imdb | So there I was, sitting in the cinema waiting to see 'Inception' greeting every belated trailer with a groan, each one prolonging the time till I could finally see one of the most anticipated movies of the year and there it was, I turned to one of my friends "my god..a film about facebook?!.." To say I was skeptical for those few moments would be an understatement, I was almost angry, like a footballer who releases an autobiography 5 years after he starts his career I just didn't understand the timing of it, who cares anyway?"I think this is Finchers new movie actually""DAVID Fincher?
The gritty 'Se7en' and the intelligent 'Fight Club' had been two of my favourite movies growing up, the latter of which I had the privilege of studying in college quite in depth and although I missed 'Benjamin Button' (only god knows why it took me until 2013 to watch!) I had thoroughly enjoyed the enigmatic 'Zodiac' as well.'Social Network' became my favourite Fincher title almost immediately.
I've always been a huge fan of Trent Reznor & Nine Inch Nails but with his partnership with Atticus Ross and his ongoing collaborations with Fincher (also see 'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo') I can only see them becoming the most formidable artists in the industry, every minor note resonates perfectly throughout the film and creates a beautiful texture on top of an already excellent piece of work.Secondly, Sorkin's razor sharp screenplay is something a director can only dream of receiving, the dialogue never falters and it is always witty, sincere and hilarious all in one (which can also be attributed to the performances of the actors involved)But most of all, the atmosphere that Fincher is able to create visually is stunning, huge credit must also go to long time collaborator Jeff Cronenweth, together their formidable partnership and undoubted perfect understanding of each other's work is clearly the factor behind this film being one of the best movies of the past decadeGreat performances from Eisenberg, Garfield and Timberlake also help this movie stand head and shoulders above most and as one of the most promising young actresses in the business, Rooney Mara is given her first chance to truly show her quality in a small role.It's difficult to say where 'Social Network' will stand when we look back on Finchers body of work but one things for sure, if it isn't seen as one of his truly great masterpieces then he is sure to become one of, if not the most powerful director in the industry for years to come..
The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous – once again, Fincher proves that he is probably getting the best results in digital photography out of any other director working in that medium, and this film, shot on the RED One camera, looks absolutely beautiful, from the framing to the camera movement to the lighting and on to the look and the feel of the depth of field the RED captures.Sorkin's script is also an impeccable achievement and showcases, once again just what a genius this man really is.
His counter in the film is Saverin, played brilliantly by Andrew Garfield, a name we will be hearing a lot more of of in the next few years: Saverin is a far more sympathetic character, more warm and inviting – these traits only increase the impact of the tragedy of Zuckerberg's betrayal of their friendship.Many pundits and commentators have designated this to be the "film that defines our generation", and truly a "product of its time" in the most literal sense of the word.
However, I'm not sure I like this designation, especially since once you watch the film, you very quickly realize that this isn't a story about the founding of Facebook; it's really a story of friendship, ambition and betrayal, a character study of this fascinating individual whose actions in the film happen to depict the invention of an online social networking site that gets out of hand and puts all of his relationships, especially that with his best friend and business partner, in jeopardy.
A story centred on a teenager who becomes the world's youngest billionaire, a web site that reaches a million users in two years, and a cast of real life characters with names like Zuckerberg and Winklevoss just shouldn't be possible.
The all-important, sparkling script is courtesy of Aaron Sorkin who gave us "The West Wing" - the best television series ever - and yet apparently does not do social networking.At the heart of the movie is a brilliant, Oscar-worthy performance from Jesse Eisenberg as the 19 year old Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg, the genius behind "The Facebook" (the social network), the unsympathetic anti-hero of the adventure, a borderline sociopath variously described by women characters as "an asshole" and someone "just trying so hard to be" one.
Jesse Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerberg as a fast-paced, nerdy, kind of jerk-ish attitude, and Andrew Garfield is his best friend, Eduardo, who at the beginning didn't mean much to me, but I found myself rooting for him by the end.
...and that's "The Social Network".It joins the ranks of his best, and just like many of his his previous works, has been reviled before it was properly understood.For months before it came out, it was the laughing stock of people who were off-put by the idea of a "movie about Facebook" (even though it's easy to look and see that it's about the founding of Facebook and the people behind it), just like "Fight Club" is dismissed as a violent film about people fighting, or that "Se7en" is just a serial killer movie.Not to get sidetracked, though."The Social Network" is filmmaking and storytelling of a high order, that shows the grand irony of a socially inept Harvard student named Mark Zuckerberg who ended up creating one of the largest social phenomena of the twenty-first century (and love Facebook or hate it, it most certainly is that).
The story works as an engaging, fascinating character study; at the beginning of the story, Mark is a socially maladjusted reject, and even after several million 'friends' and a few billion dollars later, he remains pretty much the same.The outstanding acting, style and direction, as well as the great script armed to the teeth with sharp dialogue is what people are likely to miss by dismissing it as a mere 'Facebook movie'.Even if it were just a "movie about Facebook", why is such subject matter off-limits?
Written by soon-to-be-best- adapted-screenplay-nominee/winner Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network's writing is intelligent and demanding on multiple levels: most obviously, the story is cleverly structured across dual lawsuits, but there's an equal amount of sophistication to Sorkin's character work--Zuckerberg is never quite capable of maintaining a dialog, Eduardo always stops just short of explicating his emotions.
The film's score is a perfectly atmospheric concoction of electronica from edgy dark horse best original score nominees Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and it's all united under the name and vision of David Fincher, who did not win an Oscar for Fight Club or Zodiac or Benjamin Button.All of this is to say two things: this is a really great movie from a phenomenal creative team, and also there are times when the film feels somewhat calculated for accolades--never in the repugnantly safe, crowd- pleasing, middle-brow Benjamin Button sense, but in the sweetly transparent sense of a kid who did all his chores and is suggesting that he might deserve a cookie.
"The Social Network" was an incredibly engaging film that, while mainly revolving around the invention of Facebook (and all the problems that the creators encountered both before and after all was said and done), really focused in on ideas and feelings that can be (and are) universally felt through all people, the primary example being trying to fit in.
In a year where movies have received some of the lowest critical ratings (as well as box office earnings) in recent memory, "The Social Network" was, while haunting, truly refreshing and ultimately a triumph in all aspects, whether it be considering the acting, script, or directing.
Fincher took Aaron Sorkin's brilliantly clever screenplay and turned it into a film that highlights the best and worst moments of out technology-based life.The Social Network's first scene is brilliantly written and acted, and it sets the mood that both Fincher and Sorkin want to set for the rest of the film.
I think The Social Network has a lot of similarity to last year's Up In The Air. Both represent a dilemma about people's communications in the modern world, and both can be seen as perfect examples of what life in the 21st' century was like.
I also loved Rashida Jones in the few scenes she was in.With terrific performances from the cast all around, a brilliant script, some fine directing by Fincher, and an engaging score by Trent Reznor, it should be no surprise that THE SOCIAL NETWORK succeeded the way it did.
I thought that facebook was a site for people who wanted to get laid, and I did not see the connection with my political views or opinion about a TV show, so I saw no reason to join.( Also I had enough bad lays in my lifetime, I do not need any more.)When I heard all that Hallelujah about the Social Network movie I went to see it in the hope of understanding the younger generation and facebook better.My reaction leaving the theatre was mainly relief that I am not young anymore.
The real story of this, movie (?) it that of a virgin dork, sick of playing with himself who takes up programming.He does a good job, makes a site that attracts a lot of no life kids, then decides to use his money to get over the past experiences from high-school, by inventing a story about how he has a lot of foes.I simply cannot understand what attracts people to this site, and this so called film.Furthermore, I cannot understand how humanity can idolize a nerd, just for giving lame kids a chance to meet boys/girls.Fabricated story, lame result.If your IQ is over 50, you can't enjoy this trash.Over and out..
Apart from a good idea of the plot being intertwined in two lawsuits and a couple of nice scenes like the row race in the UK (wonderfully filmed) the movie is just impossibly schematic and, let's not be afraid to use this word, boring.
Facebook and the Internet in general is a massive part of today's world, so making a film on this subject seemed like an interesting idea.The acting in this movie is very good, Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield in particular (two of the main characters).
The story of Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg, acted with as much flatline self absorption as the character he portrays - a compliment) and Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield in the most sensitive, multifaceted performance in the film) and their brainy computer manipulated program that became the ruler of the computer universe is well told.
Some time ago, many people openly demonstrated their skepticism about the idea of making a film devoted to the Facebook founders but today and at this very moment, no touch of irony is seen, while the movie confidently enters the top of best flicks of this year.
It didn't entertain me.I understand that many folks might find Mark Zuckerberg's rise to Facebook CEO interesting; however, I suspect that a good many more people will not--I am among the latter.About eight years ago, former San Diego Union-Tribune movie critic David Elliot wrote eloquently of a movie's need to personally reach a viewer's psyche before the individual can embrace it.
The dialogue is sharp if unnatural (typically Sorkin) and delivered in rapid-fire fashion, sometimes (as in the opening scene) hard to follow (but the fans of this won't admit that, because that wouldn't make them smart enough); it is set in a subterranean darkness, much favoured by modern films (does nobody like daylight anymore?); it has a 'clever' (but dramatically distracting framing device; and a soundtrack designed more to sell CDs as to work on screen from the awful opening plinky plonky piano tune (representing what exactly?) to the loud inappropriate underpinning of the various scenes of drug taking or programming (the music makes no distinction between these activities).In the end, we feel this is a typical product of the post-modern age: slick, shallow, cynical, derivative, dark and disposable..
Perhaps it's because of its relevance to our times, like last year's Up in the Air. Unlike that film, though, The Social Network is especially pertinent to me, because Facebook is such a huge part of my life.
Also worth noting is Rooney Mara, who has a small role but does big things with it, and will get her chance to shine under Fincher's direction again as Lisbeth Salander in the American take on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.At two hours, The Social Network is a long movie but it never feels like it.
Director David Fincher's The Social Network stars Jessie Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, and depicts how he became the billionaire behind the popular Facebook website.
But, even he seems to be selfish, childish, and immature throughout, using his family's money as a means of making or breaking friendships throughout the movie.Everyone else in the film seems to be "even bigger" j*rks than the character of Mark Z., going around trying to intimidate their enemies and each other without really accomplishing anything or, again, wanting anything real except for "revenge." It's difficult watching a movie like this where there's no one to latch on to emotionally.
Scripting and acting keep you interested all along but there's absolutely nothing in it you would feel like discussing with your friends after it reaches the 2h mark when it's time to close shop.So you may think David Fincher is a great director, I just think he has a talent for building his team, which is just half the job.
That's a little disappointing, considering that David Fincher (Seven, Zodiac, Fight Club) is the director, but the movie isn't much more than a run-of-the-mill history movie about a subject matter – websites – that's not particularly compelling.In 2003, Harvard undergrad Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg, Zombieland) creates a quickie site called Facemash, which takes head shots of female coeds and puts them side by side, allowing male users to rate which one is more attractive.
In this respect, the story behind Google or Napster would have been even more interesting.real characters are rewritten in ways which I'm sure only retain a portion of the truth, and a not-so-subtle commentary on social mobility and glass ceilings is made which in fact is not pertinent at all here.If Fincher wanted to make a film about stupidity and its different forms, and about the mediocrity and the moral desert his society lives in, he succeeded.
The Social NetworkUsually, when a nerd invents something, it is promptly captured, decapitated, and the stolen panties returned to the girls' dormitory.However, in the case of this dorkenstein, his creation was allowed to flourish.After he is dumped, a supercilious Harvard student, Mark (Jesse Eisenberg), creates a vicious website that attracts the affluent eyes of the Winklevoss twins (Armie Hammer).After agreeing to program a social networking website for them, Mark then takes their concept to his benefactor Eduardo (Andrew Garfield) and begins work on his own social network.When the site launches, so, too, do lawsuits from the twins, as well as Eduardo.The analysis of an asshole, The Social Network is a profound film, thanks to director David Fincher and Jesse Eisenberg's haunting performance.And the best thing about communicating via electronic devices is that–just like in real-world conversations–you never have to look away from the screen.
I also found irony in the fact that Mr. Zuckerberg did not cooperate in any way with the making of Social Network because it exposed his private life to the world - but, yet, at the same time, the general public is encouraged to give him (Facebook) as much of our personal information as we can!
He's not the most pleasant hero, but his story makes for two incredible hours of cinema, and all those involved should be proud.While this film certainly is more than just "the Facebook movie," it still is, first and foremost, about the founding of the irritatingly inescapable social networking site.
This film succeeds because of a number of things, but in my opinion, number one on that list would be Aaron Sorkin.Mark Zuckerberg is an absolute fascinating character played brilliantly by Jesse Eisenberg.
It's his best performance so far."The Social Network" tells the true story of Facebook but the best thing about this movie is the dialog, acting, directing.
Mark my words in years and decades from now The Social Network will still be watched and talked about by a lot of people and will go down in history as one of the best films of all time.
This film is so evident that people are somehow meant to socialize, I'm not speaking as an expert here or whatever, but by just witnessing all my friends and relatives speaking the lingo "Facebook Me", or "Add Me As Your Friend" is such a testament that we actually do care to care about other's lives
I don't know if it's good, but most people claim it's fun and so the rest of the film.Based on my few learnings about this movie, Mark Zuckerberg just like many other guys got the better out of him because of a girl
and the inevitable Heartbreak which, on the other hand brings out the best out of a man.
The Social Network tells the story of how Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard University student, comes up with the idea of Facebook, and the ensuing legal battles he faces. |
tt0818110 | Inju, la bête dans l'ombre | A man discovers one of his literary heroes may be just as dark and twisted as his work in this thriller from director Barbet Schroeder. Alex Fayard (Benoit Magimel) is a French novelist who has earned an international reputation for his crime fiction. Fayard travels to Kyoto to help promote the publication of his latest novel in Japan, and he tells Ken Honda (Gen Shimaoka), Fayard's editor at his Japanese publishing house, that he'd like to meet Shundei Oe, a celebrated but enigmatic Japanese author who does not do interviews and has never been photographed. While Oe's works are full of moral ambiguity and dark undercurrents, Fayard is a man who believes that good can and must ultimately triumph. Honda takes Fayard out for a night on the town, and they visit a geisha house where Taomo (Lika Minamoto) is performing. Fayard is struck by Taomo's beauty but intrigued by a long scar running down her back, and she tells him (in perfect French) that it was inflicted upon her by a sadistic former lover. Taomo also confides that the same man is trying to work his way back into her life; Fayard offers to help her, and discovers that the cruel man who hurt Taomo is in close contact with Oe. Inju, La Bete dans L'ombre (aka Inju: The Beast in the Shadow) was based on a novel by Japanese author Edogawa Rampo. [D-Man2010]This stylized thriller stars Magimel (The Piano Teacher, A Girl Cut in Two) as Alex, a French crime writer traveling in Japan to promote his new book, until he is plunged into a dangerous world of bondage and violence when he falls for a stunning geisha. Blurring the lines between dream and nightmare, reality and fiction, Schroeder weaves samurai and film noir motifs into a self-reflexive puzzle of a film, which remains enigmatic even after the credits finish rolling. In French, Japanese, and English with English subtitles. [D-Man2010] | romantic, murder | train | imdb | It's all been done before, but what the hell, it's done professionally.
Aside from Reversal of Fortune and Single White Female, Barbet Schroeder is probably best known for the two documentaries he made about two controversial figures like Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and French lawyer Jacques Vergès, aka Terror's Advocate.
His latest fiction work, Inju, continues in that direction by dealing with another mysterious, possibly evil man.The man in question is Shundei Oe, a reclusive Japanese writer who has never let anyone see his face, and unlike, say, Terrence Malick, he doesn't even allow his picture to circulate: the only clue readers have as to what he looks like is a disturbing self-portrait (think David Carradine in Kill Bill with a skin disease) he puts on the back cover of his novels, morbid thrillers where evil always prevails.
Oe is the subject of the studies of Alex Fayard (Benoit Magimel), a French college lecturer who believes the atrocities in those books reflect the author's own deranged fantasies.
When Fayard goes to Kyoto to promote a book of his own, an Oe-style tale minus the sombre ending, he starts having unsettling dreams and receives a menacing phone call during an interview.
On top of that, he meets a geisha named Tamao (Minamoto Lika), who claims to be stalked by her former lover: Shundei Oe.That's the premise: the rest of the film is a succession of murders, mysteries and twists, all delivered following the blueprint set by The Usual Suspects and exploited to the point of self-parody by the Saw franchise.
These parallels aren't just predictable, they're downright unavoidable, since Schroeder's blatant intent is to make Shundei Oe a cinematic icon in the same league as Keyser Soze and Jigsaw (the latter is more of a genre icon, but that's beside the point).
That this doesn't happen is due to the director mimicking the behavior of the film's protagonist: just like Alex imitates Oe without adding anything personal, Schroeder sets out to be a new Bryan Singer while being handed a ridiculously thin script and a twist ending that some people (most, actually) will find more obvious than the final revelation of The Village.And yet, despite that, Inju isn't god-awful or even boring.
How come?
Because Schroeder most likely knew the plot wasn't that strong and put all his energy into the creation of a memorable, perverse atmosphere, and he succeeds: the gloomy mood is adequately complemented by sly visual nods to Cronenberg and Takashi Miike, most notably the weird sexuality that is present in either's body of work.
There is nothing too explicit, but what is there is suggestive enough to wonder: what if Schroeder had directed Basic Instinct 2?
As for the acting, there is nothing special to write home about, but Magimel deserves some back-slapping for being a better actor here than he was in the abysmal Crimson Rivers 2 (still nowhere near the heights he reached in The Piano Teacher, though).And then there's the movie's major selling point, one of the best opening sequences in the genre's history: a Tarantino-inspired film-within-the-film that sums up Inju's unconventional charm in ten minutes.
The overall picture isn't a masterpiece, that's for sure, but that beginning is worth the ticket price regardless..
Master of Manipulation.
The writer and college professor Alexandre Fayard (Benoit Magimel) studies and gives lectures about the gruesome literary work of the mysterious Japanese writer Shundei Oe that is considered by him the master of manipulation.
In his underground detective novels, evil always prevails and Shundei Oe has never allowed anyone to see his face, and his only image available is a frightening picture on the back of his best-sellers.
Alex travels to Kyoto to promote his successful detective story that follows the same style of the Shundei Oe but with a positive message instead and meets his publisher Ken Honda from the publishing house Hakubunkan.
While in an interview in a TV show, Alex receives a phone call from Shundei Oe that advises him to return to Paris, and Alex believes it is a marketing strategy of Ken. Then Alex and Ken go to a tea house where he meets the Masochist geisha Tamao (Minamoto Lika), and Alex has a crush on her.
Tamao discloses to Alex that she knows Shundei Oe and his real name is Hichiro Irata; further they were lovers when she rejected his proposal many years ago.
From this moment on, Hichiro Irata loathed her and vanished.
When she got pregnant of the wealthy and powerful business man Ryuji Mogi (Ryo Ishibashi), Shundei Oe returned and stalked her.
Alex decides to help Tamao and Ryuji Mogi against the menace of the deranged writer, and his mind is blurred between fiction and reality in dreadful nightmares."Inju, La Bête Dans L'Ombre" is flawed, but also mysterious and intriguing.
The story is supported by good screenplay with murders and twists, direction and performances and a wonderful cinematography.
Unfortunately there are very few characters and based on the explanation of Alex that Shundei Oe would be the master of manipulation, I could predict the identity of the bleak writer that recalled the unforgettable conclusion of "Body Heat".
Nevertheless this movie is engaging and highly recommended.
My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Inju, O Despertar da Besta" ("Inju, The Awakening of the Beast").
Surprisingly decent thriller.
Inju - The Geisha Killer, alternatively known as Inju: The Beast in the Shadow, is based on a Japanese novel by Edogawa Rampo.
It tells about a French crime author who admires and has based much of his work on the expertise and skill of a Japanese colleague, named Shundei Oe, a known recluse who has never been seen in public.
But now our main character is about to travel to Japan and it just might be that he gets a chance to meet his idol.What makes this film work is its cohesion.
No single element in it stands out, nothing in it is all that extraordinary.
But neither does it have any weak elements in it.
It is a proficient mystery thriller done right.
The two main actors, Benoît Magimel and Lika Minamoto, are both talented and likable in their roles.
The Japanese setting is utilized well enough.
The score is nice, the pacing is nice and the twists are genuinely thrilling, though I did see the final twists coming a bit early, but that simply gave me the joy of discovery.Then again, I can sort of see why this film hasn't received all that much praise.
It doesn't stand out.
It is merely good in an average way, which makes it forgettable.
I'm personally a big fan of Japanese culture, which certainly made me more favourable to this film, allowing me to accept it from the start.
But, otherwise, I probably would have thought it to be a bit lazy and not that inspired.It's still a good film.
Definitely worth seeing if you're into thrillers and especially if you like Japan as a setting as well.
Don't expect any miracles, just lay back and enjoy a decent mystery story with an erotic undertone..
A waste of two hours.
I'm not sure why this film was made, every character is bland and the actors are either talentless or badly directed, everything is by the numbers; dream sequences, an incredibly obvious twist, no social commentary and no examination of morals or motives.
Don't expect anything particularly Japanese or French, this is as bland as anything out of Hollywood, it only inspires confusion and frustration.
Like many movies made about writers this is full of awful writing, it should have been two intelligent complex characters matching wits, subtly probing, dropping taunting elusive clues.
Instead it is one barely competent adversary foiling a totally moronic protagonist while dropping unambiguous proof and lucking into foiling the one able character who is then perfunctorily killed..
Standard, but not quite.
It's not about the story (or the twist therein).
It's not about the technical realization of the movie (there is a standard here).
But it's about the actors.
Not that they are bad actors.
But for a movie that has nothing much going for it (you should see where this is going from the get go), you need Actors who can carry this through.
Unfortunately there is nothing to remind them by.If you lower your standards, you might enjoy this a little bit.
But since the actors and the story don't give you anything to look for in this movie, you could watch better and other movies instead.
A french thriller in Japan, that is not successful..
if it not becomes boring.a French writer in Japan.
in search of a ghost.
a meeting.
adventures.
and a confuse chain of events.
the story is beautiful and the cast is nice.
but not Benoit Magimel or Lika Minamoto can save the film.
it remains a mixture of Hollywood crumbs and Oriental atmosphere.
drawing of thriller with few drops of erotic scenes.
and the end can impress at first view.
like a magic of clown.
but it is not really credible and seems be a kind of Pulp Fiction copy.
full of good intentions, its ambitions are too great.
it is not really a sin.
but the game with delicate ingredients for a story with beautiful air but without a real subject is not base for success.
only for a sparkle..
only for a sparkle..
not great but....
old recipes.
not bad result.
only problem - the story is far to be original but it has decent presented, the drops of Orient saves large parts, the cast is inspired and the ambiguity preserved in a correct form.
at first sigh it seems be an easy spell.
fascinating, ambiguous, far by great ambitions but beautiful.
a film who preserves a special flavor who saves the mistakes or the old ways.
Benoit Magimel is, not surprise, one of the good choices for the role of writer looking the truth.
and his work seems be more than decent .
far to be a great thriller, it is a seductive one.
a challenge and a meeting.
and Japanese culture's crumbs as veil to define the fight for understand the truth..
Not bad, for DVD viewing.
(brief report from the Toronto International Film festival) Despite the teaser on Internet, "Inju" turns out to be a somewhat mainstream mystery thriller except for maybe a little bit of kinky stuff that ranges from pretty standard to outrageously hilarious.
If you have seen enough mystery thrillers, you'll probably guess the final twist before the end, although how soon you get it depends on how much of a veteran of this genre you are.The plot has some elements of interest.
Top Japanese thriller writer Shundei Oe who leans heavily on the dark side has steadfastly refused to review his identity, showing on his books only an ominously drawn self-portrait.
A keen follower of Oe's work, French newcomer Alex Fayard surpasses his idol with his own work which, when translated into Japanese, breaks Oe's sale record, the first time any author has done it in 10 years.
As a promotion gimmick, he is invited to go to Japan to meet Oe, even though the publishers still haven't quite figured out how to find this mysterious author.
Then as always, a woman comes into all these, a bewitching and seductive geisha who get entangled with both authors.As mentioned, this is a somewhat mainstream thriller, without playing up the pseudo psychological side a wise choice, making the movie simple and enjoyable rather than tediously pretentious.
Event-driven and clue-seeking under a formulaic structure, the movie takes the audience down a predictable path of mild thrills and occasional laughs (many quite unintentional).
The ending twist will not exactly extract a gasp from a seasoned thriller audience.
There is no need to rush to the cinemas.
A DVD will do nicely..
A standard but very effective film.
That's the best Barbet Schroeder film I have ever seen.
Not ambitious but well made, smoothly and solidly directed.
Actors are wonderful, including Magimel and his fellow Japanese partners.
It tells the story of a successful french writer who flies to Japan in order to meet, and somewhere provoke, a famous Japanese author.
A writer he usually criticizes with ardour.
Of course nothing will be easy for him.
He will have to face many "vicissitudes".
The worst ones...The ending is absolutely unpredictable.
I wouldn't have bet a cent on it.A standard but somewhere interesting and unusual feature, especially, I repeat, the ultimate ending..
Mainstream crime thriller that could have been a real test of character and wit.
Enjoyably silly movie about a literature academic and aspiring crime fiction writer whose career, night-time as well as day-time, seems to revolve mostly around a mysterious and reclusive Japanese pulp crime fiction author who may be mentally disturbed and perhaps even psychotic, "Inju ..." poses food for thought about the way films can be constructed and how Westerners view foreign societies and their institutions.
Alex Fayard (Benoît Magimel) has just had his first novel published and translated into several languages and it becomes a best-seller around the world, especially in Japan.
His Japanese publisher organises a promotional trip so after wrapping up his last lecture for the term with a screening of a film based on a gruesome novel by Shundei Oe, that famous hermit writer, Fayard jets off to Japan for TV and radio interviews and book-signing sessions.
While in Japan, among his marketing duties and sight-seeing trips organised by the publisher and his guide Ken Honda, Fayard meets and falls in love with a geisha, Tamao (Lika Minamoto), who seeks his help as she is being pursued by a vengeful and violent ex-boyfriend Ichiro Hirata who may well be the strange and disturbed Shundei Oe.The film starts impressively with a visually striking and melodramatic mise-en scène of the closing scenes of the crime drama Fayard screens for his students and for a while you may wonder whether "Inju ..." will delve into issues like authors' responsibility to readers to show the triumph of good over evil in fictional worlds where society flounders in moral ambiguity, evil is often disguised as good, good people are cut down and evil ones profit, and the universe itself appears not to care either way.
At least Fayard hopes to meet his idol and argue that point; the movie appears to travel that way, setting up Fayard as a crusader using Oe's plot constructions and arguments against themselves in his novel, and Oe as a sinister force who may test Fayard's stand and moral mettle with the same weapons, and perhaps leave the Frenchman a changed man of stronger steel.
Tamao may be the innocent mystery woman compromised by a past romance and her current relationship with her rich but violent and abusive patron Ryuji Mogi (Ryo Ishibashi).
Clues and warnings are left for Fayard to discover and he gets swept up in piecing together a puzzle of Tamao's dangerous liaisons and the mystery of Shundei Oe's identity, nature and what he intends for Tamao, Mogi and Fayard himself.Well the plot doesn't go as expected in a conventional, suspenseful, noirish way and astute viewers will pick up enough clues to crack Oe's identity before all is revealed in the twist ending.
Some people might feel a bit cheated by the MacGuffin device that drives what turns out to be a soap opera plot.
Admittedly the set-up is ingenious and clever if far-fetched and Fayard turns out to be no more than a puppet manipulated by Oe in a not very complex web.
"Inju ..." is more clever and intellectual mystery crime drama of the kind Agatha Christie and her ilk might have written if they were alive today and were aware of psychological horror / slasher and fiction / film noir genres and their elements.
Everything that happens to Fayard from the moment he leaves his apartment is a test of his character and intelligence in some way in a tight construction by Oe, and whether he wins or not depends on whether he can recognise the sequence of events happening around him as Oe's next novel with himself as protagonist.The acting isn't anything special and lead actor Magimel looks mostly shell-shocked throughout the film.
There are very lovely scenes of modern Japanese life that are reminiscent of the style of Seijun Suzuki's 1960's gangster flick "Kanto Wanderer" and "Inju ..." could be viewed as a travelogue of the exotic in modern Japanese culture with sometimes voyeuristic emphasis on its underbelly (the rich yakuza lifestyle, the use of ropes and knots in sadomasochistic sex) and the mix of native traditions and institutions with Western-style cultural sophistication."Inju ..." could have been a real cat-and-mouse game in which Oe and Fayard try to outwit each other, trying to understand one another's motives and Fayard himself questioning his own morality and original motivation in championing and criticising Oe's body of fiction where evil always trounces good.
Instead it's pretty much a standard crime thriller with considerable potential left unrealised that Hollywood could do better if the right hack director (say, Ridley Scott or David Fincerh) were thrown into the hot seat.
The opening scenes make "Inju ..." worth at least one viewing.At the very least, the movie can be viewed on one level as an intellectual subversion of Western presumptions about Japanese society, its treatment of women and the institution and of geishas and the roles they play vis-à-vis their male clients, and how one woman uses her supposed victim status and passivity to play two men and their weaknesses against each other. |
tt0073800 | O thiasos | Angelopoulos came to international attention with the release in 1975 of "O Thiassos" ("The Travelling Players"). The subject of this three-hour-and-forty minute historical epic is the adventures of a group of actors traveling across Greece from 1939 until 1952, performing "Golfo," a traditional 19th Century Greek classic tale of unrequited love. In this way, the film covers the last days of the Metaxas dictatorship, the beginning of the World War II, the German occupation, the Liberation and the arrival of the English and the Americans, and the Civil War. Greece's political history and the actors' lives are being woven together along this journey.I have limited the synopsis to the film's timeline, with minimal commentary about some of the happenings. I hope this timeline will help clarify the contemporary Greek history for the reader, and therefore contribute to a better appreciation of the film.Following the credits, which appear on the background of a red theater curtain, hammering on the floor followed by three distinct thumps announces the beginning of the performance. An old accordion-playing man introduces the play ("Golfo, the Shepherdess," by Spyridon Peresiades). The film's main characters are based on Aeschylus' "Oresteia trilogy" ("Agamemnon," "The Libation Bearers," and "The Eumenides"), so we get a foreshadowing of their true natures: the father, Agamemnon (Stratos Pachis); the adulterous mother, Clytemnestra (Aliki Georgouli); the traitorous uncle, Aegisthus (Vangelis Kazan); the avenging daughter, Elektra (Eva Kotamanidou); the revolutionary son, Orestes (Petros Zarkadis); and the self-centered daughter, Chrysothemis (Maria Vasileiou). However, Orestes is the only character ever identified by name in the film. We can surmise who the other characters are by the vague mythical elements which surround them, and also by seeing the names listed in the film's credits.Winter, 1952. Cut to a gray winter morning. The nine travelling players are standing in front the Aegion train station, holding their suitcases. The players seem indistinguishable from one another. The troupe walks in the street, seeking a place to stay. Megaphones blare political slogans about Marshal Papagos, a candidate in the next presidential election. The group continues walking, but when they arrive at the town square, it is now fourteen years earlier, in 1939, and they are under the General Metaxas' pro-monarchy dictatorship. The group settles in a restaurant. Outside, Metaxas "black shirts" are parading and singing fascist songs. Aegisthus stands on a table and sings an old patriotic ballad, while his companions remain silent. The troupe stays at a nearby hotel for the night. Electra walks on the balcony, and happens by a room from which emanate lovemaking sounds. She peers through the window and sees her mother, Clytemnestra, in the arms of Aegisthus. A while later, a shocked and crying Electra sees her mother return to her own room.Clytemnestra and her husband are in bed, both asleep. Orestes enters the room and kisses his mother. A soldier, he has been called to the border. Although sleeping, Clytemnestra delivers a monologue that recalls an event that happened when Orestes was four years old. Orestes leaves the room and runs into his sister: they embrace and she cries. Later, Agamemnon, carrying his grandchild by Chrysothemis, speaks to Orestes in pessimistic terms about the future.The next scene shows Orestes, his friend -- as in the ancient myth -- Pylades (Kiriakos Katrivanos), and the Poet (Grigoris Evangelatos) walking along the railroad tracks. They speak of the threatening war. Arriving near a river bank, Pylades reads about the conditions for a true Marxist revolution. The three friends join in a chorus singing this Marxist speech, authored by Lenin.The actors are now in a "kafeneon" (a typical Greek bar), dressed up in traditional Greek mountain costumes for the performance of "Golfo." They stand before the window, advertising the upcoming performance with songs. They are lined up as the puppets in the traditional "Karaghiozi"s Greek shadow-puppet theater. An accordion provides the accompaniment for the songs which always open such shadow plays. Eventually, the "Golfo" performance begins.Later that same night, Pylades is chased down the street by several of Metaxas' secret police. They catch him, and then beat him before pushing him into a car and taking him away. As the next scene opens on a lake at dawn, a boat carrying political prisoners approaches the dock. The police push Pylades and several new prisoners into the boat that will take them to some unknown place of exile. On the dock, Orestes, Electra, and the Poet are silent witnesses.October 28, 1940. The players are on a train. Agamemnon, facing the audience, makes the first of three monologues in the film. He recalls his arrival in 1922 from Ionia, Asia Minor, to Greece, as a refugee. This is quite different from Agamemnon, the King, who returned triumphant from Troy to Argos. The players end up in a small town, where they will be playing "Golfo" in a small theater. The play is interrupted by the announcement that at 5:30 in the morning, WWII commenced with the invasion of Greece by Italy. Early the next morning, Agamemnon, wearing a soldier uniform, is seen saying goodbye to Electra and Chrysothemis: the war is breaking up the group.Early 1941. On a gloomy, rainy day, Electra walks down a street. She is being followed by a young fascist Italian soldier. They enter a hotel and go to a room. Electra tells the soldier to strip. Excited, he complies, but when he is finally naked, he gradually becomes uncomfortable and embarrassed by Electra's stillness. Electra, fully clothed, rises and leaves the room. Quite a role reversal!April 27th, 1942. The German army has just entered Athens. The Third Reich flag is raised. The German occupation of Greece has begun.Autumn, 1952. Pylades comes to Elektra's bedroom and says, "Let's go." The players walk by the sea. In the background, we hear announcements of the upcoming election over megaphones. Going back to the same location, ten years before, there is a performance of "Golfo" being again interrupted, this time with the Germans' arrest of Agamemnon. Aegisthus has betrayed him. In the next scene, Agamemnon is waiting to be executed by a firing squad. He stands before a wall upon which one can read several inscriptions bearing the letters EAM. EAM ("Ethniko Apeleftherotiko Metopo"), the largest of the resistance movements, began operations within months of the German occupation, and was established by the Greek Communist Party, KKE ("Kommunistiko Komma Elladas"). As Agamemnon faces the audience, he identifies himself, "I come from beyond the sea, from Ionia. And you?" This is the traditional form for greeting strangers, going back to antiquity. Of course, the greeting is lost on the German soldiers. The soldiers fire and Agamemnon falls to the ground.1943. A line of people waits for some kind of food distribution. Chrysothemis walks to a house, carrying an empty bottle. She knocks at the door. A fat man opens the door and leads her down to the cellar. He taps one of his oil kegs, and waits for payment. Without a word or hesitation, Chrysothemis strips singing "In your eyes there is a calm sea" as the merchant sits in his chair, watching her. This scene directly parallels the earlier one between Electra and the fascist Italian soldier. As Chrysothemis leaves the merchant's house, she crosses paths with two men. Shots are heard, and we see the merchant who had come out to lock his door after Chrysothemis' departure slumping to the ground. We speculate that maybe these two men, obviously EAM members, were tipped off by Chrysothemis about this profiteer. Chrysothemis enters the hotel where the players are staying and puts the bottle of oil on the table around which the group is sitting. They all look at it, fascinated.1944. The travelling players walk down a snowy mountain road, singing cheerfully. Their happy song stops at a turn of the road, when they arrive at a large tree from whose branches hang two men. There is no explanation as to their identities. Perhaps they are partisans, hung by the Germans: we are just being confronted with Death. Later, in a rather comical, silent scene, the group surrounds a lone wandering chicken, which ends up in the cooking pot. Here, we are confronted with Hunger.The group is traveling in a bus which is stopped by German soldiers. They are forced out of the bus and are marched to an old castle that serves as a prison camp. Later, they are lined up against a wall to be executed. Aegisthus steps forward and pitifully tries to negotiate, but he collapses, and is carried back to the wall. We hear shots, and the prisoners fall to the ground. However, they are not shot: the prison camp is under attack by the partisans.It is dawn. A large group of people rushes into the prison camp waving a German flag. They climb the embankment and hurl the flag into the sea. Bells ring and everybody is joyous. Partisans on horseback arrive in the camp crying, "Freedom to the people!" The war is ended.In a town square, a large crowd is waving Greek, American, and Russian flags. Some shots ring and the crowd runs, leaving behind several dead. That same night, the traveling players try to leave town. They are in the middle of a fire fight between the government soldiers and the EAM partisans. Eventually, the group manages to escape.The group walks along the beach. They are stopped and searched by British soldiers. When the soldiers find that they have encountered a troupe of actors, they request a free performance. The players are only too happy to oblige, and eventually everybody ends up dancing with everybody else, to the music of the eternal accordion. However, the merrymaking is stopped by a single shot that kills one of the soldiers.1945. Electra walks down the nighttime street. There is a variety of music in the air. She meets Orestes, Pylades, and the Poet, who all wear EAM uniforms. Inside a large building, a performance of "Golfo" is under way. Orestes goes onstage, where he shoots his Clytemnestra and Aegisthus to avenge his father's death. The audience stands up and applauds.Moments later, Electra is in her mother's room. She sits on the bed, wearing her mother's coat, when men burst into the room and take her away. They take her to a dark, empty tavern, and wearing clown masks, four of them hold her down while a fifth one rapes her, striking her from time to time. He interrogates her as to the whereabouts of Orestes. Electra reveals nothing. She wakes up by the bank of a river where the rapists have dumped her. She stands, brushes the dirt from her coat, and facing the audience, begins the second monologue of the film. She describes how, following the departure of the Germans, the civil war began. She recounts the battle in Athens between the government troops and the communist Partisans.In a town square are assembled British, American, and French soldiers. They are supervising the agreement which will end the Allied occupation. One by one, on horseback, the communist Partisans come and surrender their weapons.Electra is in her room. We hear Chysothemis' young son reading a war story. Chrysothemis is packing to leave the group, and her son. The sisters meet silently in the hallway. Three men enter Electra's room and ransack it. They leave three pictures of Orestes in his "andartis" (communist partisan) uniform on the table. Electra goes out in the night. Right-wing slogans are being broadcast from a PA system. As she passes a "kafeneon," she sees several people being dragged out by right-wing thugs.1946. Electra walks into a nightclub: a sign advertises a special dance for January 1, 1946. She walks across the room and stands by the orchestra. An all-male group of right-wing government supporters is seated at a table. They are drably dressed in cheap suits and hats. Another group consisting of couples, dressed in a more eclectic and colorful fashion, is seated near the orchestra. They represent the Left. These two groups start a musical duel, each singing songs pertinent to its ideology. Finally, a right-wing man pulls out a hand gun and shoots into the air. The music stops. The left-wing couples indicate they are not armed and walk out of the establishment. The fascists stand up, and pairing off, dance. Electra leaves the hall.The group of right-wing men is walking through the empty street at dawn. When they reach the square, it is now 1952, and a royalist government rally is taking place. Electra and the travelling players are making their way through the crowd.1949. In a street, a small band leads a jeep carrying soldiers. As the group nears, we see a soldier standing up, holding in each hand the decapitated head of a communist -- a common fate for communists captured during the civil war. Following the jeep is a group of communist prisoners. Among them is Orestes.1950. In the harbor, a boat seen earlier taking prisoners away to exile brings back some prisoners to be released. Pylades is one of them. He meets Electra and they walk together to a "kafeneon." There, Pylades delivers the third monologue of the film. He explains how he was captured in 1947 and sent to detention. Like so many, he was tortured so he would sign a confession, but he never did.Chrysothemis and an American soldier are getting married. The wedding is taking place on the beach. Chrysothemis introduces her husband to Electra and her now teenage son, but both remain silent. The wedding feast continues with American and Greek songs, and someone calls for a toast. At this, Chrysothemis' son rises and walks off, in obvious protest, dragging the tablecloth with him. Everything on the table crashes to the ground.1951. Electra travels to a prison by the sea. She is taken to the morgue, where Orestes' body is laid on a table. She stares at the body from the doorway for a while. She then approaches her brother's corpse and murmurs a line from "Golfo," "Good morning, Tasso," in remembrance of Orestes' role in the play. In the next scene, the players follow the Orestes' hearse to the burial ground. The group stands by the grave, and as two men shovel dirt onto the coffin, Electra suddenly applauds, and the whole group follows, as a salute to Orestes' brave life.1952. People enter an old theater, where the players are to present yet another show of "Golfo." Electra helps Chrysothemis' son, who is now dressed up as a Greek shepherd, assuming Orestes' former role of Tasso. It is now Pylades, banging the hammer against the floor, who announces the performance. The accordion plays. The show must go on.Autumn, 1939. In the town of Aegion, the traveling players have arrived, carrying their suitcases, as we saw them at the beginning of the film. The cycle is complete. | revenge, murder | train | imdb | null |
tt0800240 | Deception | Timid accountant Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) is an auditor working in New York. One night while working late in a boardroom he meets a charismatic lawyer, Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman), who befriends him over a joint. After a long conversation, Jonathan takes the subway home where he has a brief encounter with a blonde woman (Michelle Williams) while waiting for the train. Upon returning home he notices a pipe in his bedroom is leaking and leaving a stain.
Jonathan contacts Wyatt the next day and they play tennis after work. They meet again for lunch the next day and upon leaving, Wyatt takes Jonathan's mobile phone instead of his own, forcing a trade. He mentions he will be in London on business for the next few weeks. When Jonathan realizes the phones have been switched he attempts to contact Wyatt but does not reach him. He is soon contacted by a woman (Natasha Henstridge) who asks if he is free that night. He informs her that he is and agrees to meet her. When she arrives, they proceed directly to a hotel room upstairs and have sex. In the morning, Jonathan realizes that Wyatt must be on some type of exclusive sex club list.
When Wyatt calls the next day, he encourages Jonathan to stay on the list. Jonathan has an encounter with an older woman (Charlotte Rampling) who explains the list's rules: the initiator pays for the room, no names are exchanged, there is no rough play. Participants are always anonymous, although Jonathan later spots the older woman on the cover of Forbes. Over the next few weeks, he has anonymous encounters with several women.
One night after initiating another encounter, Jonathan is surprised to find that his partner is the blond woman he met while waiting for the train. He tells her that they have met once before, and instead of having sex, they order room service and talk for hours. The woman does not say her name, but Jonathan assumes that it begins with an "S" because of an S-shaped pendant on her handbag. The next day Jonathan rejects other callers from the list but when "S" calls again they agree to meet for dinner in Chinatown. They then proceed to a hotel where she requests some ice. When Jonathan returns to the room she is gone and there is blood on the bedsheets. Someone knocks him out from behind, and when he wakes up again the bed has been made. He contacts the police and explains to the Detective (Lisa Gay Hamilton) that "S" is missing but that he has little to no information about her. She doubts his story, thinking that he is delusional. Jonathan tries to trace Wyatt, but Wyatt's boss and landlady claim not to know him.
Upon returning home Jonathan is surprised to find Wyatt waiting for him and demanding that he steal $20 million from an investment firm he will begin to audit in a few days. Jonathan agrees to do so, fearing for the safety of "S". The following night at work, Jonathan receives a call asking if he is free. The woman calling is named Tina (Maggie Q), an investment banker who once introduced Wyatt to the exclusive sex club list. She reveals that Wyatt's real name is Jamie Getz, and that they met when he was attending a private corporate event as a guest of Rudolph Holloway, an investment banker with whom Getz played tennis. Jonathan finds out through research that Getz murdered Holloway, strangling him with tennis strings, and also served three years in prison for insurance fraud and arson. Jonathan is later notified by the detective that a blond woman matching his earlier description was discovered dead. When he comes in to identify her, he sees that it is actually the first woman who called him, and that she was also strangled by tennis strings.
Jonathan goes on to complete a wire transfer to a bank in Spain in his name, but secretly adds Wyatt's name as co-signer. When he returns home he notices that a picture Wyatt had sent of "S" being held captive was taken in his apartment before the pipe started leaking. He realizes that she must have been a conspirator and wisely avoids his apartment which explodes when the superintendent enters to fix the pipe.
Now in Madrid, Wyatt impersonates Jonathan and attempts to withdraw the funds from the bank, but he is denied access because of the co-signer. Jonathan approaches Wyatt outside the bank and agrees to help him withdraw the funds if Wyatt splits it with him. Swapping identities, Jonathan and Wyatt cash in the $20 million in two $10 million suitcases. (A deleted scene reveals that Jonathan encountered a black market operator in Chinatown, who offered a variety of items, including fake passports; Jonathan presumably obtained a passport with his image in the name of Wyatt Bose and used this in his scheme to obtain half of the money.) After the transaction is complete, Jonathan offers Wyatt half of his money if Wyatt tells him where "S" is. Wyatt pretends to agree and lures Jonathan to an uncrowded area where he draws a gun on Jonathan. Before he is able to shoot Jonathan, Wyatt is shot by "S" who leaves quickly. Jonathan pursues her, leaving a dying Wyatt and the money behind. He begs her to talk to him but she'd rather call it off, apologizing to him as she did not know Wyatt's intent to kill Jonathan. "S" gets into a cab and leaves as Jonathan watches her go.
In Madrid, Jonathan again crosses paths with "S" and they exchange smiles. The film ends as Jonathan walks to her and she stands waiting for him.
=== Alternate Ending ===
In the alternate ending of the film, Wyatt disappears right after they finish their business in the bank. Jonathan also disappears with his part of the money and finally, "S" is seen running away (that is the same scene shown in the theatrical version). At the end, Jonathan is seen walking around Madrid as he continues his desperate search for "S." | romantic, revenge, murder, atmospheric, plot twist | train | wikipedia | Michelle Williams is suitably enigmatic as the girl involved, Hugh Jackman as Wyatt Bose brings charm and charisma to the part, and Ewan McGregor as Jonathan McQuarry convinces as the straight, lonely accountant seduced into the events played out.However the performances alone can't save the movie from being a disappointing, predictable thriller..
If they cut this movie in half and decided to re-shoot it with a believable ending, it might have been a 5, but this movie is a solid 1 because of the low IQ of the plot.The Spanish Prisoner with Steve Martin is a thousand times better than this stupid dog, that ripped of that script and added some scantily clad women as window dressing and a completely unrealistic "love" interest..
A movie that was made almost twenty years ago and features two main characters that are carbon copies of those of McGregor and Jackman, only they were played respectively by James Spader and Rob Lowe.Whatever "twists" are found in Deception, you see them coming from a mile and they fall flat.
Even the "list" subplot feels tacked on and doesn't even provide any enjoyment, nor does it add anything to the film.The photography is amazing but this is truly a poor Hollywood movie and one that you will be better off passing on, unless you are a die-hard fan of the genre or one of the main actors featured.
Ewan McGregor never convinces as a meek accountant (who actually admits to sleeping with only four women in his entire life!) whose cell-phone is switched with that of a swinging New York City lawyer (Hugh Jackman, also none-too-convincing with a hack American accent).
This movie is supposed to be a thriller, but is unfortunately quite short of "thrills".My biggest complaint would be the movie's pace - it is very slow, and at times quite boring.There are far too many implausabilities and plot holes, but even if you suspend your disbelief and just accept the story being told, it's still not a very good movie.
The trailer of this movie looked interesting.The story is about an accountant Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman) who meets Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) who in turn introduces Wyatt to a secret sex club.
The movie moves slowly throughout, gains maximum interest in the deceiving part holds your attention, but remaining times it is just a usual dull affair.Both Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor look great and act well.
But the style of narration does not build up that interest to make a great cinema of a good story like this.First time director Marcel Langenegger does a decent job in delivering a visually good cinema good closeups, good acting, good music, good movements of camera I think he has a good eye for making better movies.I think there is a problem with the scripting of the movie.
But nobody told the director coz he was carrying on like he was fooling us with a clever story leading up to a historic twist...well if you don't guess it then please stop watching movies now...OMG...so predictable!!!
And yet with all of its flaws and mishaps Deception does get something right, well for 20 minutes at least it manages to capture a minor bit of interest.A disconnected accountant finds his mundane life injected with a new sense of urgency after striking up a friendship with a charismatic attorney in director Marcel Langenegger's sexually charged action thriller.Jonathan (Ewan McGregor) is an accountant who has lost his passion in life.
When his powerful new lawyer friend, Wyatt (Hugh Jackman), introduces Jonathan to a salacious underground sex club called The List, the the dejected accountant soon believes he has found the woman of his dreams (Michelle Williams).
His Jonathan McQuarry cuts a pitiable figure that most of us in the corporate world will probably understand.In comes a highly sociable, humorous, and charismatic legal counsel of the firm, Wyatt Bose (played by Hugh Jackman, who also serves as producer), and the two hit it off over a late night filled with jokes and the sharing of pot in a conference room, before getting so chummy with each other, that going to strip clubs to chill out seemed perfectly OK.
Of course, you can feel right at home with the pervasive use of cell phones, but then you may watch enough TV to be used to them as dramatic device.Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) is a dorky high-level auditor with the requisite glasses and outdated haircut who stumbles into a sex ring, aided by the urbane Wyatt Bose (High Jackman).
As Jonathan enjoys himself picking the ever so sweet fruit from this vine, he falls in love with one of the anonymous partners, not a good thing to do.The ensuing plot complications are as clichéd as clouds in Seattlethey don't always make sense, but, hey, this is the movies!
You can feel the movie trying to stretch your imagination to make room for it's stereotypes and plot holes.After this a few scantily dressed women have sex with the accountant but movie refuses to become interesting as all the encounters are flat and after an 45 minutes you are still waiting for something to happen.Fortunately Jackman comes to rescue by playing the villain for a bit and finally the movie groans onwards.
Michelle Williams gets some screen time but plays like 3 different, unrelated plot devices (sorry, characters) and the movie goes nowhere slowly.In the end, Jackman was good, Ewan was Ewan and the ending scenes reminded me it's beautiful weather outside and I could be sitting outside with some friends having a cold beer.
I for one had a darn good time viewing the film though for the way it was done and the scenes blended well especially the sex scenes and the acting from the characters and the plot for the way it builds up suspense is some of the best I had seen in a good time.Hugh Jackman enters as top notch and big time lawyer Wyatt Bose who befriends an auditor for the firm by the name of Johnathan McQuarry(Ewan McGregor).
As you will see I don't want to spoil it when the tables turn identity wise then finally some fairness has come into the game.Overall "Deception" may be a little predictable and easy for some veteran movie people to figure out yet still it's suspenseful enough to enjoy and mostly it's carried by it's sexy scenes as the performances from Jackman was wicked and Williams is innocently likable.
I like being generous when it comes to making Hollywood films, and not being too harsh, as Directing is supposed to be a difficult job.Anyway, to cut a long story short, this is a good film, though fairly predictable for a lot of Movie Lovers, it was still entertaining enough for me.Perhaps Ewan has been a little out of acting practice because of his long bike rides, because it took a while for me to adapt to his performance in this, though Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams were fine.I would be generous enough to give this a perfect 10 (because I'm a nice guy), but what stops it getting that extra 1 from 10 is the face that it is so similar to Bad Influence from the early 90s with Rob Lowe and James Spader, so .....
An anonymous sex club that dominates the beginning of the film, wasn't necessary at all for the scam, and this is a serious indication that the movie is pretentious and just tries to incorporate elements so to become more intriguing.The same goes for the ridiculous twists, one after the other near the end.
Twists so to speak, because you can see them coming a mile away.Lots of well known actors in this and they give adequate performances but there are so many flaws plotwise that you can't really take this movie seriously, especially the last 15 minutes or so.The direction doesn't work well either nor the music which sets the tone of the film."Are you free tonight?" is the code line for the secret sex network.
One night while working late a smooth talking well dressed lawyer named Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman) introduces himself to Jonathan, Wyatt offers Jonathan a certain green cigarette and the two quickly establish a friendship and begin to socialize with one another and soon enough, Jonathan is involved in a secret sex club.Deception is a movie where it attempts to bring back the dying erotic thriller genre and to some degree it works, the concept of this sex club amongst Manhattans elite is intriguing and watching Jonathan gain confidence in himself and doing things he thought he never would makes for quite a watch.
Deception is a disappointing thriller starring Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams.
For those of you who haven't seen it yet I won't tell you what it's about except that even the three leads including Jackman, McGregor, and Williams who did an all right job in their roles but even they can't save this film from being lame and predictable.
Overall Deception is a flawed attempt at an erotic thriller that could've been a lot better than it was and despite the talented cast who try to bring life to their characters the movie itself just isn't that great and when it's over you can help but feel disappointed..
On many aspects,Deception is like many crappy generic erotic thrillers made for TV.I think that the element which makes Deception marginally better than those rubbish films is the presence of two brilliant actors...who are unfortunately wasted by the boring and painfully predictable screenplay.In other words,Deception is a very bad thriller.I think the worst point from it is the screenplay,which results too basic and predictable.If you do not figure out the twists from this movie,you have never seen a thriller.Plus,this is one of that movies which make the characters to act stupidly for making the story to advance.So,the spectators only have a collection of obvious twists and boring scenes.This film has so many (predictable) twists on its desperate effort of amazing us with its (non-existant) ingenuity.The only saving grace from this movie is the performances from Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman,who show enormous charisma on their characters.All the time,I wished to see this two talented actors on a better film than this crappy erotic thriller.The female cast (composed by Michelle Williams,Natasha Henstridge,Maggie Q and Charlotte Rampling) does not have much to do.Lisa Gay Hamilton did not convince me at all on her character.Deception is a very crappy film which commits the fatal mistake of being boring.In summary,this movie is a waste of time and I suggest you to do something more interesting than watching this boring and predictable thriller..
This was okay, I was expecting it to better though with Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams attached but it just fell kinda flat especially as an "erotic thriller".
I will say it didn't ever go where I thought it going to, the mystery aspect was unique in that respect.Ewan McGregor plays a nerdy shy accountant here who is introduced to a secretive sex club known as "The List" when he mistakenly swaps phones with his smooth talking lawyer friend Hugh Jackman.
"Are you free tonight?" is how it all starts, Jonathan soon falls for one of the members and then becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance as well as a multi-million dollar heist.Jackman and McGregor had pretty good chemistry together, I like both these actors so they were an easy sell and it was interesting how they managed to look so alike later on.
Based on the story and the good acting by all involved this film is entertaining and will keep your interest if you've had enough sleep the night before.Jackman is excellent and Ewan does a great job doing something he's not typically cast for.
straight to the bone auditor, played by Ewan McGregor in a very good way, who got involved in a very twisted plot at the beginning that finally brought him to a rather banal blackmail and money fraud story Nothing new in here, well, that is true Hugh Jackman is a very good choice here, too.
This is the director's first credit as a director...now I'm sure that he had directed other stuff, maybe commercials or videos of sorts but as a major film, this is pretty decent.It has a nice story to it, but I didn't like the very end...the very end...not the end or near the end...but the very end.I found it tight and well performed, but senseless in the fact that anybody who works as an escort would just ask "Are you free tonight?' without having any idea who is answering the phone or knowing any more details.That is the major flaw I found to this story.The rest was good, but the stupidity of a girl randomly calling a number in hopes that somebody answers and they make a business date is pretty dumb.That aside, I enjoyed it.However this should have called for a depressing ending...I just felt it would have worked out better..
I would have liked that this movie had been more like the Michael Douglas film "The Game (1997)" but in a sexual aspect.The life of Jonathan McQuarry,a lonely accountant, will have a big change when he meets Wyatt Bose and begins to hang out with him being introduced to a kind of sex club where he will find the love of his life but he might lose her too .....6.5 stars = regular +.
Continuing my plan to watch every Hugh Jackman movie in order, I come to Deception (2008)Plot In A Paragraph: An accountant is introduced to a mysterious sex club known as The List by his lawyer friend.
Continuing my plan to watch every Hugh Jackman movie in order, I come to Deception (2008)Plot In A Paragraph: An accountant is introduced to a mysterious sex club known as The List by his lawyer friend.
its about sex, money and black mailing and nothing wrong with Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGregor, and Michelle Williams they all done a great job acting, its the story thats gets slow and boring at times it just needed a slight rewrite for the odd parts with a occasional stupid line from someone.
Wyatt (played by Hugh Jackman) has come up with a plot to steal millions from an investment company, using Jonathon (Ewan McGregor) - an accountant doing an audit on the firm - to transfer the appropriate funds to an offshore bank.
The primary one was that the whole plot depended on Jonathon falling head over heels in love with "S" - Michelle Williams - a woman he meets through an anonymous sex club Wyatt sets him up in.
At the same time the gimmick is working through the plot's bloodstream, big doses of things like "contrivances" and "Holy s***, are these people kidding me?" theatrics.With Deception, the so-called deception can be seen within about I would say one and a half minutes of Hugh Jackman's performances (which involves, at that point, smoking up Ewan McGregor's character Jonathan with weed late at night in a high-rise office), and from there on in it's a matter of fish in the barrel for the writer and director.
When Jonathan tells his story to the police, no one believes him but soon, he also discovers that Wyatt is not what he seems to be.Directed by Marcel Langenegger made an good-looking thriller with an fine performance by McGregor.
He meets S, a mysterious girl he just falls for, but when she is "kidnapped", he gets in a lot deeper than he expects and doesn't realize the set up he fell for.Deception is predictable in some ways, the ending, if you are used to these thrillers, yes, you're going to be able to see what's coming, sad, I know, but I'm so used to it that I'm just accepting it.
In Manhattan, the shy auditor Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) befriends the lawyer Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman) in the office where he is working.
And Deception had promise: Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, and Michelle Williams, actors I think highly of; Dante Spinotti, brilliant cinematographer of Heat and LA Confidential; and a story of anonymous sex, a secret list and white-collar crime.Unfortunately, Deception turned out to be a film of unfulfilled promises.
It's pretty entertaining, but it's just not as good as it could have been.Ewan McGregor plays kind of a nerdy, shy accountant who one night meets Hugh Jackman's character (Wyatt Bose), a suave, kind of wild Wall Street-type guy who's pretty much the complete opposite of McGregor.
Shy loner accountant Jonathan McQuarry (Ewan McGregor) has no life outside his numbers, until one night he meets lawyer Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman), who introduces him to life.When Wyatt goes away to London on business, Jonathan 'accidentally' gets Wyatt's phone, and soon he's being called by dozens of women who are all a part of a sex club, and now his life is filled with everything he's ever imagined.One night he runs into another member of the list, S (Michelle Williams), before he knows she's on the list, and it's love at first sight for him.
It was mostly towards the end when the winces of disbelief appeared.It's a suspense story in which naive, dumb, prosperous burgher Ewan McGregor is blackmailed by smiling, psychopathic, murdering Hugh Jackman and sultry but beef-brained Michelle Williams.I don't think I'll give away much of the plot because it's twisted and at the end it explodes into a multitude of flapdoodles.I found the acting to be pretty good.
Ewan McGregor is solid as Jonathon, an everyman sort of character caught up in what seems like a dream but what turns into a nightmare; Hugh Jackman impresses as the charismatic 'Wyatt' and Michelle Williams is good as the woman known only as 'S' who Jonathon understandably falls for.
Lonely accountant/auditor Jonathan (Ewan McGregor) is befriended by charismatic lawyer Wyatt (Hugh Jackman). |
tt0103639 | Aladdin | The film starts with a street peddler, guiding us through the streets of the fictional Arabian city of Agrabah. After trying to sell us on his wares, he pulls out an old oil lamp, claiming it "once changed the course of a young man's life. A young man who like this lamp was more than what he seemed: A diamond, in the rough."The peddler then begins to tell us a tale, beginning on a dark night, where the Sultan's grand vizier, Jafar, meets with a thief named Kassim. Kassim hands over half of a gold scarab beetle, of which Jafar has the second one. Putting them together, the beetle flies off, before causing a giant tiger's head to rise from the sand: the Cave of Wonders.Jafar sends Kassim to enter, telling him to retrieve a lamp inside. However, upon approaching the Tiger's Head, it speaks that only one may enter: "One whose worth lies far within: the Diamond in the Rough!" Kassim still attempts to enter upon Jafar's orders, but upon entering the tiger's mouth, it bites down on the thief, closing off the entranceway. It is then that Jafar claims he needs to find the Diamond in the Rough in order to enter.The next day, on the streets of Agrabah, a young street urchin named Aladdin is struggling to steal a loaf of bread, along with his monkey, Abu. After outwitting some of the Palace Guards, the two settle down to eat their spoils, but are put off their stomach by a couple children who are hungry. Aladdin and Abu give the two their bread, but are then sidetracked when a Royal Prince marches through the streets, and claims Aladdin to be nothing but "a worthless street rat." Aladdin and Abu then retire to their abode, with Aladdin promising his friend that someday, things will be better.The next day, the Royal Prince leaves the Palace, angered that Princess Jasmine has fended off his advances -- Jasmine's pet tiger Raja has bitten out the seat of the suitor's pants. The Sultan talks to his daughter, who claims she is tired of living her life being cooped up behind walls. The Sultan goes to consult with his adviser, Jafar, who claims he can help the Sultan, if the Sultan will give him the blue diamond ring on his finger. Using hypnosis, Jafar gets the ring, and retreats to his private quarters.Later on that evening, Jasmine escapes from the Palace, and wanders the streets of Agrabah the next day. However, her act of giving an apple to a hungry little boy lands her in trouble with the street merchant until Aladdin interferes and leads Jasmine away just in time.Meanwhile, Jafar has used the blue diamond ring of the Sultan's and consulting The Sands of Time, is revealed just who he needs to enter into the Cave of Wonders: Aladdin!Aladdin has retreated with Jasmine to his and Abu's place, and she is rather taken by his kindness. However, Aladdin is suddenly set upon by the Royal Guards. It is then that Jasmine reveals herself to them, demanding Aladdin be released. However, the head of the Royal Guards, Razoul, claims he is acting under orders from Jafar.Returning to the Palace, Jasmine confronts Jafar, who claims that Aladdin was captured because he kidnapped her. When Jasmine claims this to be ridiculous Jafar tells her that Aladdin has been executed, sending her away in tears.In actuality, Aladdin has been imprisoned in the Royal Dungeon. Abu manages to free Aladdin, but are then met within the dungeon by an older prisoner, claiming he needs Aladdin's help to locate The Cave of Wonders. In truth the prisoner is actually Jafar in disguise, who manages to help Aladdin escape the dungeon.After the group arrives at the Cave of Wonders Aladdin is allowed to enter, with the cave commanding that he "touch nothing but the lamp." Aladdin and Abu venture deep into the cavern, where they first encounter a magic carpet, that then leads them to the lamp's location. Aladdin is able to retrieve it, but Abu breaks the rule, and swipes a large ruby, causing the cave to begin to collapse on them. Using the magic carpet, Aladdin and Abu manage to get to the entrance to the cave, where the old beggar pleads for Aladdin to give him the lamp. Aladdin does so, and the beggar then reveals a dagger, intending to kill him. Luckily, Abu bites the beggar, and both Aladdin and Abu fall back into the cavern, as the giant Tiger's Head disappears under the sand.Jafar then laughingly reaches for the lamp, only to find it is gone. Abu managed to steal it off the beggar before he fell into the cave with Aladdin. Deep within the cave, Aladdin begins to examine the lamp, finding a worn inscription on the side of it. Rubbing it, the lamp then produces a large blue genie. The genie tells Aladdin that for rubbing the lamp, he is entitled to three wishes (and that wishing for more wishes is also not an option), but that they come with the following exceptions:1) He can't kill anyone
2) He can't make anyone fall in love with someone else
3) He can't bring people back from the deadUsing his street-smarts, Aladdin manages to con Genie into getting him and Aladdin out of the cave without using a wish. Landing in a small oasis, Aladdin contemplates what to wish for, and asks the Genie what he would wish for. The Genie mentions how he'd wish to be free of the lamp, prompting Aladdin to promise to free the Genie after making his first two wishes.As the topic turns to Aladdin's wishes, he thinks of wanting to be with Jasmine, and though he cannot make her fall in love with him, he decides to wish to be a Prince, as she is a Princess. Aladdin uses his first wish; the genie will turn him into a fabulously rich prince. Abu is transformed into a large white elephant and will be Aladdin's mount.Meanwhile, back in Agrabah, Jafar is still upset that he didn't get the lamp. Wanting to find some way to attain power, Jafar attempts to convince the Sultan that there is a clause in the royal rules that if Jasmine has not been suitably wed by a certain time, Jafar can marry her.However, the plans are put on hold when a large and noisy royal procession enters the Kingdom, proclaiming the arrival of Prince Ali Ababwa (aka Aladdin in his new persona). The procession is huge, with riches, exotic animals, hundreds of servants and Aladdin himself. Aladdin's entourage bounds into the palace, impressing the sultan. Jafar appears suspicious and cold toward the new suitor. Aladdin is taken to Jasmine, who is unimpressed and rebuffs Aladdin's charms. However, when Aladdin removes his hat to shoo away Raja, Jasmine is reminded of the street urchin. Aladdin tries to gain Jasmine's interest again by telling her how rich and powerful he is but she remains steadfastly ambivalent. Aladdin decides to leave Jasmine and steps off on his magic carpet. Jasmine wishes to ride with him and the two take a trip around the world. Aladdin's charm eventually wins her over.Returning Jasmine to the palace, Aladdin is roughly seized by palace guards who tie him up and dump him in a nearby lake. When he accidentally rubs the lamp, Genie appears and coaxes Aladdin into using his second wish to save the boy's life. Aladdin returns to the palace to find that Jafar is using his cobra-shaped staff to once again hypnotize the sultan, demanding that he order his daughter to marry the treacherous vizier. Aladdin figures out Jafar's schemes and smashes the staff. Jafar vanishes before the palace guards can arrest him. After he's gone, the sultan sees that Jasmine has accepted Aladdin and wishes to marry him.However, Aladdin is still troubled by the fact that he's not a real prince and has been lying to the princess. Genie appears and tries to coax Aladdin into using his 3rd wish to free him. Aladdin tells him he can't since he still feels he's betraying Jasmine. The genie suddenly retreats into the lamp, feeling betrayed himself.Jafar returns to his secret lair beneath the palace, seemingly defeated. However, he has stolen the lamp from Aladdin and summons the Genie. Genie is forced to do Jafar's bidding and appears in a gigantic form, grabbing the palace and taking it to a remote mountain. Jafar uses his 1st wish to become a powerful sorcerer and reveals to everyone that Aladdin is nothing but a street urchin. He launches him out of the palace in a makeshift rocket which lands in a wintry mountain region. Jafar then uses his 2nd wish to become sultan and imprisons the sultan and the princess until she agrees to marry him.Trapped in the mountains, Aladdin finds the magic carpet and is able to return, sneaking into the palace. He finds the genie, who tells him he can't help him since Jafar holds the lamp. Aladdin tries to sneak up on Jafar to steal back the lamp -- Jasmine pretends to be suddenly enraptured with Jafar to distract him. However, Jafar sees Aladdin and knocks him away and traps Jasmine in a large hourglass. Jafar transforms himself into a giant cobra to terrorize Aladdin, who fights back valiantly. While trapped in Snake Jafar's coils, Aladdin has an epiphany and talks Jafar into using his 3rd wish: he tells Jafar that the Genie is still more powerful. Jafar then wishes to be turned into a genie himself, which Genie complies. As Jafar revels in the power he's suddenly gained, Aladdin reminds him that being a Genie means becoming a servant to whomever holds Jafar's lamp. Jafar is suddenly shackled and is sucked into the new lamp created by his wish and is trapped.Genie takes the Jafar lamp and hurls it out into the desert, where it lands in the Cave of Wonders. The genie then tells Aladdin that if he wants to use his third wish to become a prince again he can. Aladdin, however, wishes the genie free. The lamp becomes inactive and the genie's shackles fall off his wrists. Overjoyed that he's no longer a servant, the Genie plans to travel the world. The sultan, knowing that Aladdin is not a prince, decides to let him marry is daughter. Abu is changed back into his monkey form and the Genie leaves after an emotional goodbye. Aladdin and the princess are married and Aladdin becomes heir to the kingdom. They fly away on Aladdin's carpet toward the moon, which turns into the laughing genie's face.Suddenly the film is lifted up by the Genie who says "Made ya look!!". | good versus evil, comedy, action, entertaining, fantasy | train | imdb | "Aladdin" is not too short and it's not too long, it's not too immature and it's not too mature, it's a perfect movie for the entire family with a wonderful love story (even though it's no "Beauty and the Beast") and good animations with some good looking early computer effects.9/10.
From the first few scenes I was spellbound by the voices and the script.I can still mimmick nearly all of the Genie's themes as well as see myself play Aladdin in a live action version of this movie with Paula Abdul as Jasmine and John De Lancie as Jafar.
The songs are infectious, especially "Friend Like Me" and "A Whole New World." The whole movie is one big roller coaster ride augmented by the raucous wit of Robin Williams and his own talent for mimmicry and improvisation.
Robin Williams, Great Songs Make This One Of The Best Animated Films Ever.
I can think of three quick reasons why this has remained one of the best animated movies ever: 1 - Very good, very catchy songs that still sound good 15 years later; 2 - excellent, colorful visuals; 3 - the unique humor of Robin Williams, who seems to spout a joke-a- second.
Williams' genie character doesn't appear on screen until after the first third of the film is over.Without all those jokes - and the great visuals that go with those gags (things popping up like Saturday morning cartoons), this would just be a routine Disney animated film.
I can also talk about the animation, the music, the extraordinary multi-vocal performance of Robin Williams as Genie
but I don't feel like getting rational.
And I guess the fact that I knew the story helped a lot: I grew up with a French cartoon from 1969, titled 'Aladin and the Magic Lamp' recorded in an 80's videocassette, a movie I can recite (and sing) by heart, and there was also an obscure Manga 'Aladdin' film we watched at school before the summer holidays.Needless to say I was already familiar with the story, and seeing it translated into Disney language was something I was excited to see.
Well one thing matters apart from these questions: I knew the story and I could understand the film even if I didn't speak English at that time
it wouldn't have helped me anyway because the airport was very noisy, so I just sat on my luggage, eating some candies, and I could understand who was who and what was everyone's scheme: obviously, Aladdin wanted to be a prince to marry the princess and Jafar to marry the princess to become the prince, and between them, the Genie would come to fulfill their dreams.
And when I saw it again, it took another dimension: I finally understood the subtleties of the stories, I learned all the songs after repetitive viewings, and for months and months, I was transported by the 'Prince Ali' parade and its climactic conclusion and the romantic 'A Whole New World' and its beautiful opening, when Jasmine jumps on the carpet and the zoomed-out Rajah looks smaller and smaller, watching from the balcony.
I saw the film so many times during my pre-teen years that I would never forget the first sensations it immersed me into, with an unexpected awkward one.I must confess that Jasmine was one of my first movie crushes and my idea of the ideal woman as a kid, I don't know why but the way she looked during the 'love at first sight moment' hypnotized me and the moment where I always melt occurs in the carpet ride, when Aladdin gives her the apple, when you understand that she understood who the Prince Ali is, there are no words to describe how incredibly sexy she looks at that very moment.
The crush didn't last of course, and as I grew older and was disappointed with the 'Return of Jafar' sequel and the TV series, my interest for "Aladdin" declined and it was reduced to 'kid's stuff I used to like'.And then 10 years later, as a student, I saw the film again on my computer, eating a pizza, and something magical happened when the 'Whole New World' music started during the closing credits, my heart was inundated by a nostalgic torrent, so immense that I couldn't stop crying because it reminded me of the privileged place the movie occupied once in my heart.
The magic was back, and whenever I was spending a good time with friends, we were having fun listening to these old Disney songs, and the clip of 'A Whole New World' was a must-see
and how glad I was to discover that I wasn't the only one who 'liked' Jasmine.I feel so concerned by this film and so deeply attached to it, that I don't want to spoil this review with critical or ecstatic reviews, the film is just thrilling, romantic, adventurous, and features certainly the greatest cast of supporting characters without it being the counterpart of a dull hero or heroine, there's not a single minute of the film that seems pointless and wasted and certainly not with a character like Genie.
It is a giant tiger's head with an absolutely fantastic and brutal deep-throat voice."Aladdin" is a festival of magic, special effects, bombastic humor and jokes.By the way, I absolutely love the song "A Whole New World".
The story is slightly shallower than the best of Disney's films, but this is balanced by the sheer lunacy of Robin Williams' bad, blue Genie.
The story is slightly shallower than the best of Disney's films, but this is balanced by the sheer lunacy of Robin Williams' bad, blue Genie.
The comic timing of his riffs combined with the comic timing of the animators transform the Genie from a "Deus Ex Machina" into the soul of "Aladdin." I have a tiny issue with the fact that the most recent VHS and DVD prints of the movie have bowed to pressure from activist groups and altered a line in the opening song.
The comic timing of his riffs combined with the comic timing of the animators transform the Genie from a "Deus Ex Machina" into the soul of "Aladdin." I have a tiny issue with the fact that the most recent VHS and DVD prints of the movie have bowed to pressure from activist groups and altered a line in the opening song.
Aladdin is originally one of those dark stories with complicated language and plot, but directors Clements and Musker look beyond the obstacle and, once again, produce a great animated movie for children and adults.
Incredible characters, a strong villain, good songs and breath-taking soundtrack and scenes, it has everything a Disney classic needs to be great.
My favorite song is "Friend Like Me." Not only are the lyrics, music, and animation great, but Robin Williams gets just as animated as the animation.ROMANCE: I mentioned our main characters' romance a bit earlier, and, again, you believe they're in love.
I had at first thought that this movie would be a brief "detour" for the studio in terms of comedic and artistic style, but everything in this movie has been rehashed by Disney so many times in an attempt to copy its success to the point of on-the-nose-predictable formula that it's safe to say ALADDIN completely destroyed the Disney tradition of lyrically beautiful animated films from the mouse house for good.
And, the biggest offense of all, try saying that you were un-wowed by Robin Williams' performance here despite the fact that you had usually enjoyed his work up to this point.I didn't care for all of Genie's modern-day references in a story that I had loved dearly as a child.
Get this for shallow: he refuses to free the genie from servitude in order to perpetuate a deceit practised on Jasmine because of a crisis of confidence that, so far as one can tell from the opening song, he doesn't really feel.Of course we all know the film was a huge success, and it's not hard to see why: it offered the best character animation in the world, expertly staged songs, an uncynical look at an old story - all of the usual things, with a luscious princess thrown in.
Aladdin the street urchin (voiced by Scott Weinger) finds a magical lamp that unleashes the power of the blue Genie (voiced by Robin Williams) who grants him three wishes.
Unfortunately the evil Jafar plans on using the genie to his own will and wreaks havoc on Aladdin's newly-found life (he wishes to become a sultan in the hopes of earning the love of his life, Princess Jasmine).This is simply a wonderful story with bold animation and a truly terrific vocal performance by Robin Williams.
When this was released in 1992 I was fascinated and used to watch it all the time; now, as an adult, I still enjoy the film for many different reasons, while still managing to appreciate the utter joy of the story.Yes, it's a bit politically correct with Princess Jasmine's strong will against her father and the representation of certain "careful stereotypes" (Disney is careful not to come across as racist and in the process cast Americans to do the voices!) but I like it this way.
It starts out as the usual raucous and routine Disney animated feature but over thirty minutes in a blue genie appears and as if by magic the film already very good is transformed into something special.
Robin Williams and his manic vocal interaction with the cartoonery is sure fine looking, and still crazy after all these years: imho it was his best film.The old story of a poor street urchin who falls in love with a rich Princess, attains a magic lamp and the genie within who grants him three wishes; the rest is mythology.
Like most of Disney's animated fare, the story is pretty straightforward and involves Aladdin trying to rescue his beloved Princess Jasmine from the evil clutches of Jafar, with the genie being his ace in the hole.
He discovers inside of a mystical cave, a magic lamp with a powerful yet goofy Genie (voiced by Robin Williams) whom grants him three wishes makes him a prince and must try to defeat the evil Jafar.This film is the most spectacular movie of 1992, the highest grossing movie of that year and became an instant animated classic for the Disney company.
The voice cast is just great especially Gilbert Godfried's Yago character, beautiful animation, humor, spectacular imagery and unforgettable songs by Alan Menkin and Howard Ashman but what also makes the movie a great one is Robin William's scene stealing Genie character whom happens to be the funniest character Disney has made.Perfection at it's finest here, this is highly recommended and a true must-see movie..
The story is the tale of wonder- a street rat who wants to win the heart of a princess, so he finds a magic lamp with a genie (voiced amazingly by Williams) who grants him his wish, but consequences come around.
I believe this is the first of the more recent full-length animated feature films to lose the "Disney touch." For some good points first, the animation is great and story had potential, about a poor street urchin named Aladdin who meets a princess in disguise, the palace-fatigued Jasmine, on the streets.
And, the music is great - "A Whole New World" is breathtaking and "One Jump Ahead" is very catchy.However, I do not believe the screenplay/story is very captivating, lacking the charm and uniqueness that was found in previous films like "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid." The movie was told in a way that resembles a teenage-bop love story.
The Genie (our favorite Robin Williams) comes out and grants Aladdin three wishes - now Aladdin can decide what he wants to do.Aladdin is such a fantastic and entertaining film.
There are also several deleted scenes, showing how different they originally planned the film and even a deleted song that was done by Jafar, (Jonathon Freeman)!My favorite scene is when Aladdin releases Genie for the first time and he quickly gets out of his small bottle (he is rather big).
I love his first line, "10,000 years will give you such a crick in the neck!" I love this scene because instead of ranting about something, he just does his first line as a pretty funny joke, which forever brought this lovable special character into our lives.Aladdin has something similar to the other Disney animated films in that they are meant for the whole family.
Watched this Disney's optimal animation in its BluRay form, a stock-in-trade family crowd- pleaser which has been engineered with an impeccable technique and what's more impressive, it oozes an unceasing force of genuineness to edify both children and adults, no condescending doctrine nor feckless naivety, and Robin Williams' voice-performance as the Genie is a great bonus and plays a big part in the film's classic status among its genre.
2D animation surely has been largely outcast from the lucrative market, but one can never ascertain there will be a wave of coming back in some years ahead, like Black and White films, their unique aestheticism is the wellspring of their vitality, after watching ALADDIN, it perfectly suffices to originate great mojo of satisfaction for an adult first-time viewer, so the last rites seem to be unnecessary, but a niche market-planning should be conducted for the sake of the laborious craftsmanship.
In this Disney family animation, street thief Aladdin runs into the princess and falls in love with her, but she can only marry a prince.It has been some years since we have seen a classic 2D animation as we enter a stage in film where everything is about visual effects rather than the narrative, and thankfully we have these wonderful films to look back on with a good solid plot, which is funny, strong and consistent throughout, and which is proper entertainment for the whole family.With brilliant characters with their own issues on their shoulders does the film achieve depth and variety for viewers, such as Aladdin wishing for more, Jafar wishing for power and Jasmine wishing for love.
And its through these goals does the film become inspirational and enjoyable, and the one character who breaks all the boundaries is the genie.Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting) is the only person who could have made the genie what he is with a simply outrageous performance as the blue hero, with great magic, catchphrases and sing a longs.
Easily the funniest character in Disney history in my personal opinion, the Genie has great charisma in helping others with his own personal life a sweet and soft moment for the film.There have been numerous times when I have watched this film and not noticed something different and it somehow seems to get better with every watch.Though does run on a few clichés there is no question that it does so in a very sophisticated and sentimental way which makes it feel more real and believable.The situations used and the ideology of good vs evil make the plot intense and exciting throughout.
The use of magic was a very powerful device and makes the story even more special and brilliant.The film also has a terrific Oscar winning music score, which includes the outstanding song "A whole new world" which is possibly one of the best used songs in animation history.With a magical tale, great characters and a beautiful music score, Aladdin is a fantastic family animation and one of Disney's best..
It is pretty predictable, and has a main character who usually falls in love with some pretty girl.One of Aladdins many strong points was the talented voice acting of Robin Williams.
One of my favorite Disney Classics, I remember as a child this was the movie that made me truly love Robin Williams, his portrayal of the Genie was hilarious.
Charming Aladdin, stunning Jasmine, cute like a Teddy bear Abubu, cunning Jafar and his idiotic sidekick iago, greedy but lovable Abu, helpful magic carpet and the wholesome entertainer Genie(thanks to the super energetic Robin Williams).
Aladdin is the best animation movie in the world, and the best Disney film.
Aladdin and Jasmine are very likeable and believable, but the best performance in the movie is by Robin Williams as the Genie.
Robin Williams as the genie steals the show.Wonderful animated characetrs fantastic music combine together and bring us Aladdin from 1001 nights.A MUST SEE!.
In this very good animated Disney film, we meet Jafar, the Sultan's evil adviser, who is trying to find a magic lamp, with a genie which will make him Sultan.
The high-tech artwork and graphics look great, the characters are strong, the familiar story is nicely augmented with an interesting villain (Jafar, voiced by Jonathan Freeman), and there's an incredible hook atop the whole thing: Robin Williams's frantically hilarious vocal performance as Aladdin's genie.
This movie is truly hilarious and it appeals to both children and most adults.It isn't only the comic genius of Robin Williams as the Genie, or Gilbert Godfried (sp?) as the parrot, but it's the little subtle bits of humor like facial expressions, inside jokes, one liners, and the humor of the overall scenes themselves.But, if the humor wasn't enough for you, it's got a very addictive soundtrack, much of the music is very catchy and I found myself singing along to a few of the songs after watching it for the first time.
i love this film because the songs are uplifting, the animation is excellent and the characters are all fun to watch.
Sure, it's even more fun if you actually know whom the Genie is making fun of, but it's also great fun if you don't.So I would love to say it's THE best animated movie ever, but Disney has released so many masterpieces in the 90s that it would be unfair to say that this one is the best.
ALADDIN is a very funny movie; the characters-even Rasoul-are genuinely likeable and Robin Williams does an amazing job as the Genie. |
tt1704573 | Bernie | When the soft-spoken, chubby-cheeked Bernhardt Tiede II arrived for his first day of work as the assistant director of the Hawthorne Funeral Home in the little rural town of Carthage, Texas, no one was sure what to think. The towns barber called him "peachy and sweet." Some men who spent their afternoons swapping stories at Leon Choate's combination barber-and-gunsmith shop just off the town square openly speculated that he might be a little light in the loafers."But it wasnt long before Bernie, who never had an unkind word to say about anyone, became one of Carthage's most beloved residents. His greatest attribute, however, was his ability to create beautiful funerals for Carthage's deceased. As one townsperson said, With Bernie doing your service, you just knew you were going to get to heaven.One afternoon Bernie organized the funeral of Rod Nugent, a rich Carthage oilman and chairman of Carthage's bank. There, he met Marjorie Nugent, the town's domineering grande dame, despised by almost everyone in Carthage for her arrogance and rude behavior. Like he did with many of the town's widows, Bernie regularly visited Mrs. Nugent after the funeral. Soon, she began asking him to run errands for her, to take her to both lunch and dinner, and act as her escort on trips. Then, in August 1997, in a story that made headlines in newspapers around the country, Mrs. Nugent was found dead, shot four times in the back, and buried under some frozen foods in the large, rectangular freezer in her garage.What made the story of Mrs. Nugent's murder so peculiar was that she had been dead for nine months before people noticed she wasn't around. (The truth was that no one really cared about looking for her because no one missed her, one resident said.) What made the story truly bizarre, however, was the announcement by police that Bernie not only had murdered Mrs. Nugent but had been using her money to give to people in need throughout Carthage. He even donated $100,000 in Mrs. Nugent's name to build a new Sunday school building at the Methodist church. Almost immediately after his arrest, even after he confessed to killing her, Carthage citizens rallied around Bernie, going so far as to drive around the courthouse blowing their horns, and begging District Attorney Davidson not to prosecute their favorite assistant funeral home director. | comedy, murder, flashback | train | imdb | Casting Jack Black in the title role of this 2012 dark comedy turns out to be a masterstroke on the part of director and co-screenwriter Richard Linklater because the real-life character of Bernie Tiede is a comically ambiguous figure not only sexually but more to the point, as a jovial child-man personality beloved by his small Texas town of Carthage while at the same time, strangely insistent in his constant presence in their lives.
No stranger to Texas-size guffaws intermingled with wry observations about human nature, the versatile Linklater ("Before Sunrise/Sunset") tells this hard-to-believe, true-crime story with both morbid humor and surprising conviction.Based on a seriocomic 1998 Texas Monthly article by co-screenwriter Skip Hollandsworth, the plot revolves around the unlikely relationship between Bernie, a relentlessly thoughtful assistant funeral director, and Marjorie Nugent, recently widowed and one of the richest women in Carthage.
Much like Warren Beatty did in "Reds", Linklater uses them as a cumulative Greek chorus who on one hand, provide some of the film's biggest laughs, and on the other, illustrate just how myopic and oppressive a small town can be in its rumor mongering ways, so much so that Bernie's trial has to be moved fifty miles away in order to allow the light of objectivity to filter into the proceedings.
As Bernie, Black finally has a multi-dimensional role that fits him perfectly, and I would be hard pressed to identify anyone else who could have played the character to the seriocomic depths he achieves here.Well into her seventh decade of movie stardom, Shirley MacLaine is not particularly challenged in portraying Marjorie's sourpuss nature since she's been playing variations on the same role since her turn as the ornery Ouisa in "Steel Magnolias".
Jack Black gives one of the best performances of his career in "Bernie." Shirley MacLaine was the icing on the cake and Matthew McConaughey was the cherry on top.
We learn so much about Bernie and his life before the inevitable murder that we almost can't hate the man despite his unforgivable actions.Richard Linklater, who previously worked with Black in the impressive School of Rock, directs this black comedy with a serene bite, providing it with a rich script, and three lovable performances by three fine actors.
"Bernie" is a nice surprise by Richard Linklater and Jack Black - the same team that brought you 2003's comedy hit "The School of Rock"; now they have reunited for a different type of comedy - a dark one.Black acts differently in this movie - more restraint, more focused, and at times more intense than in any other film he's done before.
Just when you think the film is about to end - there's always another interesting thing happening that keeps the audience glued.Black and Linklater make a good, promising actor-director team.
Supporting players, the funeral director, the broker, the sheriff, were first rate - but the major character in the film is the Greek Chorus, dubbed "The Gossips" by director Linklater, comprised of a score of actors and local townspeople who narrate the reenactment of real events in a docudrama, combining interviews that have the look and feel of modern Reality TV with techniques that were used in the earliest silent films, like the use of title cards to indicate the passage of time and the shifting focus of the story.
In the end, though, one might wonder what the point of the movie was, and for a comedy - even a dark one - there are a lot of unanswered questions at film's end.Bernie arrives in town and lucks upon a job at the local funeral parlor.
Really outstanding in this sharp observational film is the sharp ensemble work by everyone in the cast, a huge supporting cast, some actual folks from Carthage, Texas, each giving a positive spin on character, with Matthew McConaughey continuing his string of outstanding portrayals--this film, Magic Mike, and the new Oliver Stone film shows he is much more than the usual goofy sex symbol And although her role is the kind Shirley MacLaine could do in her sleep, she makes wealth and privilege seem absolutely frightening in her chilly portrayal of a spoiled heiress we want to watch.
The movie has gotten me interested in the real-life situation, so it may be time to hit the research books.Linklater's film is about a man named Bernie Tiede who happens to be this well-loved man that is highly involved with the community.
Richard Linklater and Jack Black have reteamed up for Bernie bringing along Matthew McConaughey and Shirley MacLaine with them.
Full of great characters, brilliant dialogue, and a story like no other, Bernie is a must see film for not only fans of the actors involved, but for everyone.http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-dallas/bobby-blakey.
Larger-than-life comedians take note of Black's subdued, character-enlightening and hilarious performance.Bernie meets wealthy widow Marjorie (Shirley MacLaine) and like with all little old ladies, he wants to make sure that she's properly cared for during this tough time.
There's something special about an actor who can follow up the success of "Magic Mike" (2012) with something like this.Linklater has followed this true story to the letter, even using real town residents to introduce us to the character of Bernie.
Matthew McConaughey also takes on the role of lawyer but with less screen time and in role that is not likely to be a memorable one his filmography.Bernie is a smart, ingenious dark comedy with both morbid humor and moody style but doesn't shine without the fantastic performance by the ever-likable Jack Black as the titular character.
In Bernie, Mr. Linklater captures the essence of a small Texas town and the true crime story of the bigger-than-life character loved by all.Mr. Linklater perfectly casts Jack Black (with whom he had done School of Rock) as the community's favorite citizen Bernie, Shirley MacLaine as the rich, bitter widow with whom Bernie becomes entwined, and Michael McConaughy (another Linklater alum, on the cusp of his career makeover) as the district attorney who must prosecute Bernie despite public opinion that Bernie should go free.
Marjorie quickly became fully dependent on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands.2011 was the year for Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey and the director Richard Linklater, because this movie was beautifully directed and acted.Bernie is a entertaining dark comedy with a sweet side to it.
It's good to see Jack Black doing roles were he can poof that he is a great actor and in this movie he shines and gives it his all.The movie does have it's slow parts and some of the short interviews of the town people can be a little bit uninteresting.
On to that add Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McCounaghey and you got just about the right ingredients.Bernie is the nicest person a small town has ever known who ends up committing a murder, thus posing the question: if the perpetrator of a crime is highly regarded and the victim is not, does this make the crime any lesser?Superb performances by McCounaghey and Black, intelligent dialogue, and a dual format that of film documentary assures you of a good time at the cinema.Often comedies have a tendency to be lame, which is confused as humour and Bernie was undoubtedly a breath of fresh air..
Black completely immerses himself into the role, and completely immerses the viewer into the film; for the first time he doesn't play himself (as he did in films like School of Rock and King Kong), but a character who feels real and very lovable, and it's hard not to root for Tiede even after we see what he's capable of.Linklater seamlessly merged dramatized and highly stylized scenes (the opening scene in particular is pure cinematic gold) with mockumentary style 'talking heads' segments and with actual interviews with people who knew the real Bernie; the juxtaposition is so perfect that, if I didn't recognize Matthew Mcconaughey, I might have mistaken him for one of the townspeople.
This is actually the true story of what happened between a purely good man and a purely evil woman.Jack Black plays Bernie Tiede, an assistant undertaker in the small town of Carthage, Texas.
This really is a perfect move on the director's part, because it makes the 'acting' completely real and spontaneous.I really like Jack Black, but in this case, I'm somewhat glad he left his crazy mannerisms and facial expressions at the door, in order to just play this character true-to-form.
He actually acts, rather than just playing another silly, typical "Jack Black character".I always love watching Shirley MacLaine in a mean and vile role such as this one, and in 'Bernie', she plays it to a T once again.
If you can stand the molasses-like pacing and the mix of professional and amateur thespians, this is a change of pace which many will find enormously refreshing - especially for Black's understated performance and McConaughey's variation on Ted Danson's against-type prosecutor all those pre-CHEERS years ago in BODY HEAT.Jack Black, the true lead, gives a truly remarkable restrained performance based on an actual assistant funeral director, justly beloved in his town.
The entire film is really a tour-de-force for Black (who knew that he could SING this well!?) and a "brief for the defense" in the controversial case the man became involved in.It would have been more reasonable for Black's name to be the only one above the title, but he is joined there by Shirley MacLaine giving a performance which will remind many of her role in STEEL MAGNOLIAS (only ten years later) and Matthew McConaughey as a slimy prosecutor (best scene in the picture: when he realizes that NO ONE in his town supports him).
We all know that most films based on true stories are almost completely fictional except for a few details, but here we have a really interesting story that even used some of the real people involved in an interview format that gave the movie a documentary like feeling.
Once more the story takes place in his beloved Texas, with people who he's very familiar with, and so the film turns out to be a great character study while at the same time combining dark comedy, drama, and suspense.
All these elements mixed together combined with a great performance from Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, and Shirley MacLaine make for a near perfect movie.
Bernie really took me by surprise, just like Jack Black did with what I think is his best performance ever; I had a great time watching this.
The small rural town of Carthage in Texas is also a main character in this film as we meet its people who all seem to adore Bernie as much as I did this movie.
The film is narrated in a semi documentary style as we have the story taking place and it being interrupted by several interviews of the Carthage townspeople who share their opinion about Bernie (Jack Black).
Richard Linklater reunites with his School of Rock star Jack Black, and provided the latter with what would probably be his best film role to date, without the need to go over the top in comedy, but having to rely on his dramatic acting, and great singing voice.
No offence meant to the victim's relatives of course, as Bernie takes on what would be a docu-drama style, interviewing real people on their memory about the incident and their feelings toward Bernie Tiede, where in a small town community of Carthage, Texas, everyone presumably knows everyone else in consummate terms, truth, rumour or both.Interspersed with these engaging talking head moments and interviews, are the fictional re- enactments of these scenes, or played out with drama or comedy just to make the presentation fresh despite having a documentary-like feel.
MacLaine nails the irritating nature of the character, complete with passive-aggressive behaviour that makes claws on chalkboard more tolerable, and to watch her acting cute, just sends shivers.While Matthew McConaugney probably overdid his Southern Drawl as the district attorney keen to nail Bernie and get to the truth, his hamming it up served as one of the highlights of the film, as do the real talking heads interviews conducted to give us all a little bit of a reality check of a very skewed modern day Robin Hood of sorts.
In Carthage, Texas, the assistant funeral director Bernhardt "Bernie" Tiede (Jack Black) is a nice guy that loves his work.
'BERNIE': Four Stars (Out of Five) Jack Black and Richard Linklater re-team (after 2003's 'THE SCHOOL OF ROCK') for this dark comedy based on the actual murder of an 81-year-old millionaire widow in a small-town in Texas in 1996.
Black plays Bernie Tiede, a highly religious and extremely upbeat mortician who moves to the small-town of Carthage, Texas, in order to become an assistant funeral director there.
When Bernie has finally reached his limits he snaps and despite his actions the town still ends up supporting him.The movie is a little like a slightly more comedic 'FARGO' in some ways; it's a great commentary on small-town rural life and the characters are for the most part believable.
With Jack Black as the leading role you are expecting something funny not the BORING BORING BORING joke of a film that this is.Just simply avoid this at all costs and if you do go a head and watch it don't say I didn't tell you not to.So basically this film is based on a "Real life event" with documentary parts with the other people of the town talking about the aftermath about a funeral director who is basically loved by everyone and He loves everyone...
The story itself is not a very interesting one and the mockumentary technique employed throughout only serves to distance the viewer from the happenings rather than inviting them in.The argumentative dialogue lacks any sort of depth and the acting is unimaginative, with both Black and McConaughey bringing nothing new to the table other than their own, fatigued by now style when, unfortunately, MacLaine alone can't carry the whole film on her shoulders.Do keep in mind that the "comedy" tag attached to this movie is terribly misleading as there are no real funny moments, with most of the humorous attempts being in extremely poor taste given this is based on a true story and they are afforded in the expense of an old woman who got murdered simply for being unpleasant.Proceed at your own risk..
It seemed more like a Discovery Channel movie because of the real conversations with people who actually knew Bernie, but its hard to take Jack Black seriously, even though you know that the storyline was true.
That's why I was filled with enthusiasm when I found out the fact that Black and Linklater were going to collaborate together again in a film called Bernie, based on a strange crime committed in a small town from Texas in the '90s.
The movie mostly managed by documentary filming based on opinion from citizens at small town Texas who apparently knows Bernie-Marjorie Nugent in person that would convince us of how their behavior was and showing their unbelievable reaction after the murder case.
Normally seen as the hyperactive comedy performer (and lead singer of the legendary Tenacious D), Jack Black show rare restraint in 'Bernie' a film about small town do-gooder Bernie Tiede (Black) whose kills Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine) after she pushes him too far.On the surface, Bernie is you average super nice guy.
That is, without giving away tons of cash and flowering his friends with complements, badly needed attention, and charming, persuasive and masterful manipulation, these town folks would be at best indifferent to this oddball.It is this unique combination of inconvenient truth, an unconventional Directorial slant, and an uncanny lead performance that makes this charming and pleasing, just like the real Bernie.AFTERTHOUGHT: If they ever decide to make a Movie about Laurel and Hardy...Jack Black is a lock..
What happens after his decision is up to you to find out, especially did he wanted to make Marjorie happy or did he was just looking out for himself...Shirley MacLaine, an extraordinary actress with her phenomenal performance as Marjorie created that link with Jack Black that made this movie so good, not to mention other actors, of which some are actual residents of Carthage, who actually knew the real Marjorie and Bernie.
In small-town Texas, the local mortician (Jack Black) strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow (Shirley MacLaine), though when he kills her, he goes to great lengths to create the illusion that she is alive.I am generally a fan of Richard Linklater's work, despite (or perhaps because of) his unpredictability.
The performances of Matthew McConaughey and the other cast in this half-documentary style film are all fitting and exceptional, but audiences will not be prepared to see Jack Black as Bernie; I mean this as the highest of praises.
What a fun movie this was to watch, between the great performance of Jack Black as Bernie and the real life interviews with the people in Texas who knew the real Bernie, it made for a greatly entertaining and funny film.
Jack Black gives a memorable performance of a beloved assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede from Carthage, Texas.
Although the background and many issues are morbid, you will have your laughs and giggles.The cast is strong and distinguishable, particularly Jack Black as Bernie Tiede (apparently his best role so far), Shirley MacLaine as Marjorie Nugent (her character was a bit arid, but still) and Matthew McConaughey as Danny Buck Davidson (typical narrow-minded redneck, many similarities with his Killer Joe depiction).
Anyways, Writer-Director Richard Linklater's latest offering "Bernie" is based on a true story of an assistant funeral director called (hence, movie title) who was well-liked in a small Texas town called Carthage.
Bernie Tiede (Jack Black) an assistant funeral director endears himself to Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine) a very rich recluse in a small Texas town. |
tt2883512 | Chef | Miami-born Carl Casper is the head chef of Gauloise in Brentwood, California. While popular with his kitchen staff and hostess Molly, the restaurant owner Riva wants Carl to stick to tired "classics" rather than innovative dishes. Carl has a strained relationship with his tech-savvy preteen son Percy and rich ex-wife Inez.
When Carl has a chance to prove his creative talents during a visit from prestigious critic and blogger Ramsey Michel, Riva demands that he stick with old favorites at the last minute, causing Carl to concede, leading to a scathing review. On Twitter, Carl insults Ramsey for the review, not realizing that his reply is public, and gains a large Twitter following. Carl comes up with an inspirational new menu that his staff loves and invites Ramsey to a "rematch". After a confrontation with Riva as the owner wants the same old menu again, Carl walks out, quitting. At home, he prepares the menu he wanted to serve to Ramsey. Carl's assistant becomes the interim chef and even the regular dishes become a disaster. Ramsey again starts to tweet negatively about Carl, leading Carl to go to the restaurant, where he angrily and publicly berates Ramsey.
Videos featuring Carl's meltdown go viral, and his professional credibility evaporates. Molly and Inez encourage him to run a food truck. He accepts Inez's invitation to Miami, where he spends some quality time with Percy and rediscovers his love for Cuban cuisine. Inez's ex-husband Marvin offers him a dilapidated food truck, and Carl reluctantly accepts. He also finds out that Marvin and Inez spent some time together after his divorce from Inez, which makes him a little angry. He and Percy bond while restoring the truck and buying groceries and Carl buys him a chef's knife. Martin, his friend from Gauloise, turns down his restaurant promotion to work with Carl, who has become an exuberant and passionate chef again.
The three drive the food truck across the country back to Los Angeles, serving top-quality Cuban sandwiches and yuca fries. Percy finds ways to promote the food truck on social media websites, and the truck becomes successful in New Orleans and Austin, Texas, where the daily specials include items made with local ingredients such as po' boys and barbecued brisket.
Back in Los Angeles, Carl realizes the importance of his relationship with his son and accepts Percy's enthusiastic offer to help out on weekends and holidays. Ramsey visits the truck to explain that he wrote the bad review as he knew Carl's creativity did not suit a restaurant which had been serving the same menu for years. He leaves with an offer to bankroll a new restaurant. In a flash-forward set six months later, the new restaurant is a hit and closed for a private event: Carl and Inez remarry. | bleak | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0241025 | Vanity Fair | This film adaptation's storyline begins around 1920 and concludes in 1933. In its opening scene a limousine is traveling down a road outside London. In the car are two passengers, Amelia Sedley (Barbara Kent) and her friend Becky Sharp (Myrna Loy), young ladies who agewise are in their twenties. Amelia is from a rich, well-connected family, while Becky is from very modest means and has no family at all. Given Becky's circumstances, Amelia has invited her to her home for the Christmas holidays.
At the Sedley estate Amelia's family welcomes their guest, but the mother is soon wary of her. Those suspicions are warranted, for Becky aims to use her beauty and guile to gain wealth and privilege by climbing England's social ladder. Her first target for achieving those goals is Joseph, Amelia's much-older brother (Billy Bevan). After Becky tries unsuccessfully to trap him into marriage, Mrs. Sedley sees her cuddling in the home's drawing room with her daughter's fiancé, George Osborne. Disgusted, the mother calls "Miss Sharp" into the adjoining room, where she advises Becky to leave immediately so she can begin the job she had accepted before the holidays, that of governess for the family of Sir Pitt Crawley. Becky heeds the thinly veiled advice and departs.
Upon her arrival at the residence of Lord Crawley, Becky quickly stirs the passions of both the elderly Sir Pitt and his son Rawdon (Conway Tearle). The new governess entices them with her suggestive comments and by allowing each man into her bedroom at night while she glides about in her satin pajamas. Soon she and Rawdon begin a secretive affair, but Sir Pitt finally catches them together in Becky's bedroom. There they inform him they had married the previous day. That news enrages the old man, who orders his son and his "shameless little hussy" out of his house.
Relocating to a townhouse in London's Mayfair district, Becky and Rawdon feel the financial strains of being cut off from Lord Crawley and his wealth. The couple at first brings in money by betting and cheating their friends playing bridge. That income, however, is insufficient for their mounting bills, so Becky schemes to find other ways to get money. She does so through blackmail and by obtaining gifts from a string of lovers, including George Osborne, now the husband of her friend Amelia. Eventually, even Rawdon cannot tolerate his wife's wanton, criminal behavior. On the evening he is released from police custody for writing bad checks, Rawdon finds Becky at their home with another lover. He declares their marriage is over and gives her only ten minutes to vacate the premises. As she leaves, he informs Becky that his father had just died, and he is now the new Lord Crawley. He then warns her that if she ever dares to refer to herself as "Lady Crawley," he will track her down and kill her.
Several years pass and Becky lives in a far less affluent, largely French-speaking area of London. There she prowls the area's bars and casinos, getting money from the assorted men she meets. One evening in a casino, she sees Amelia's brother Joseph, who updates her about his sister's situation. While Becky already knows that Amelia's husband George had died five years earlier in a horse-riding accident, she learns from Joseph that Amelia still refuses to remarry. Subsequently she also learns that her friend's devotion to George's memory and her mistaken belief in his fidelity have led Amelia to refuse repeated marriage proposals from Dobbin, a gentleman who has adored her for years. Sometime later, Becky invites Amelia to her apartment and confesses her affair with George. She then calls Amelia a fool for revering a dead "cad" and urges her to wed Dobbin, who is waiting outside in a car. When Amelia rejoins him after Becky's disclosures, she rests her head on Dobbin's shoulder, implying that his next proposal will be accepted.
The film sequence that follows shows the passage of more years and the ongoing disintegration of Becky's life, which has become a daily struggle marked by petty crimes, prostitution, and meager funds. In the final scene Becky enters her shabby one-room apartment. Lying on the bed is Joseph, stirring from his latest binge. She addresses him as "my love" and informs him that his sister had just given her another check. He is infuriated and tells her never to accept money again from Amelia. Becky turns, sits at a dresser, and stares into its mirror. In the reflection she watches her face transform from the reality of its present haggard appearance to its former beauty. She then notices that Joseph has quietly departed. She also notices on a small bedside bureau that he has torn up his sister's check, and in the dust that coats the bureau's surface he has written Finis ("The End"). The film concludes with Becky lowering her face into her hands and weeping. | revenge, murder, romantic, melodrama | train | wikipedia | I half expected the husband to say "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."Another flaw involves the Indian director Nair's inability to resist bringing in some Bollywood type scenes, particularly one involving Becky leading an Indian type dance, with Indian music, before the king, no less, and to thunderous applause.And yet another thing: this film spans at least twenty, maybe twenty-five or thirty, years in Becky's life after she graduates from finishing school--I am not counting the one scene of her as a child--yet the character never ages.
"Vanity Fair" (2004) is an acceptable but abbreviated version of the classic Thackery Victorian period novel which tells of Becky Sharp (Witherspoon), who uses artifice and charm to climb from lowly governess to aristocrat, always able to find a suitable family of peerage or property to use as a rung in her ladder to the top in spite of the tribulations of the time.
If Becky Sharp, Georgian England's conniving, calculating social climber, had a contemporary equivalent, it surely would be Tracy Flick, the deliciously ambitious high school student played delightfully by Reese Witherspoon in the acerbic comedy, "Election" (1999).Director Mira Nair has said what made Witherspoon the ideal Becky Sharp was the actress' "American energy and sassiness." Fair enough.
You don't transform Goneril and Regan into caring daughters, for instance.That's where Nair's take on William Makepeace Thackeray fails miserably.She and Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes - the two other credited writers, Matthew Faulk and Mark Skeet, reportedly disowned the film alleging the shooting script bore no resemblance to their work - have stripped Becky of all her viciousness and cunning.
And that's what Nair's film is.It sparkles for about a half-hour or so as we see a young Becky, played pluckily by Angelica Mandy; then, the older Becky (Witherspoon) leaving school with her friend, Amelia (Romola Garai), and meeting, among others, Dobbin (Rhys Ifans) and George Osborne (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers).
And in an attempt to condense the story, important characters - Amelia and Dobbin, for instance - disappear for long periods and show up solely to wrap up subplots.The highlights are Declan Quinn's striking cinematography, performances by Hoskins and Atkins, the only two who seem to be having any fun, and a superbly restrained Ifans, playing convincingly against type.Much has been made about the Indian influence in Nair's story.
However, no matter how exotic it seems, Becky's dance just doesn't work and seems like nothing more than an imprudent attempt to add a foreign film style into this period piece.Witherspoon, whose English accent falters occasionally, works commendably, but ultimately remains unconvincing through no fault of her own, really.
It's unlikely another actress, say Kate Winslet or Kate Beckinsale, would have fared any better for she'd have worked with the same script and Nair's foolhardy direction, which includes inexplicably asking Geraldine McEwan to not so much speak her lines as to squeal them high-pitched, making the veteran actress' Lady Southdown needlessly irritating.This film remains so emotionally lackadaisical that when Becky finally breaks down before Rawdon, it seems more like a "For Your Oscar-Consideration" moment for Witherspoon than anything else.
The rich period in which the action takes place comes alive in the screen as a feast of colors, which in a way, compensate for the failings on the story and in the way Ms. Nair conceived the way she wanted to tell this tale about an ambitious young woman who is the epitome of social climbing.
As a character puts in the film, Becky Sharp would be a perfect mountaineer.Part of what is wrong with the film is Reese Witherspoon in the central role.
Bob Hoskins, Eileen Atkins, Jim Broadbent, Gabriel Byrne, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Rhys Ifan, Romola Garai, Jonathan Rhys-Meyer, James Purefoy, just to name a few, do an excellent job in the portrayal of their characters.This "Vanity Fair", although flawed, is not a total failure.
Thackeray would have been appalled at this hack job.Were it not for my love for time period films, and the possibility of enjoying this movie as something very separate from the book, I would not care to see it again.
Becky Sharp, played by Reese Witherspoon, became aggravating and tedious, and any sympathy, understanding or patience for that matter, was lost to a plot so drawn and witless, it made 'Charlie's angels' seem thought provoking.The charm and the magic of the William Makepeace Thackeray novel were forgotten in this drawn and soulless remake of a classic.
Elegant costumes, beautiful scenery, and piano playing in excess all add to the sights and sounds of Mira Nair's film 'Vanity Fair.' Her 2004 version is one of over ten tries to put William Makepeace Thackeray's novel onto the big screen.
At the center of this movie is Becky Sharp (Reese Witherspoon), a beautiful blonde from a terribly poor family (her father was a talented but poor artist).
Their relationship is one of the most intriguing points of the film, kind of similar to that of Fast Eddie Felson and Bert Gordon, and Laura Hunt and Waldo Lydecker.Despite most of its characters being cunning and sinister, 'Vanity Fair' is a distinctly moral movie.
Ifans' is a fantastic, heartbreaking performance, the best of the movie.Mira Nair's direction is awesome as well, what other director could make a passable (even good) glittery, belly-dancing scene in a Victorian drama.
The Oscar for costume design will most certainly go to this, and its set design makes the best competition to 'The Terminal' so far this year.As for acting Oscars, well, the way the movie switches from story to story doesn't quite let us get to know most of the characters, but some great performances can still be found here.
Particularly Rhys Ifans, whose performance is so quiet and strong, and Eileen Atkins, who is perfect and hilarious, a true scene-stealer of her performance (and maybe even Byrne, too).And then there's Witherspoon, in one of her best performances as Becky Sharp, the girl who, after learning her lesson by the end, is so stubborn that she's at it again, 7.5/10..
What a strange experience it must have been for Natasha Little to play Jane Sheepshanks, the most goodly character in the story, and witness the insipid Becky of Reese Witherspoon, after having herself starred as the perfect embodiment of Miss Sharp in the BBC dramatization of the novel.
If this was the intended idea the supporting cast would be needed but Vanity Fair is supposed to be about Becky Sharp and the movie is far too much of an ensemble piece for that to be the case.Mira Nair's direction is too present.
It took me a second time to love this movie.The exotic feel of the Indian scenes is the best part, especially when Becky performs an Indian dance for the king.
I am a proud owner of this movie, for the fact it has one heck of a serious plot, and shows the character of BEcky sharp in a light that lets you judge for yourself, whether this "social climber", should be put in her place, or let loose to climb to high society.
So knowing that I am proud to say, that this screen adaptation by Mira Nair really hits the mark.If I wanted to see a book exactly the same on film, I would not have gone to see a film that was publicized, "as a different take on classic material." The book I was forced to read in the 11th grade, and I must say trying to capture 800+ pages on film with all the little subplots would have been tedious and even boring.
If you're not going to even remotely adhere to the novel, don't call it Vanity Fair; make your own movie and call it something else.One last thing, Becky Sharp has been utterly defanged for some reason.
In many ways, director Mira Nair is a daring, imaginative choice to helm this latest film adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's classic novel of social mores in early 19th century England.
It is a feast for the eyes though, as it appears Nair is intent on bringing her native India into the film as much as possible from the brightly colored period costumes to the contemporary-looking exotic dance at the Marquess of Steyne's party (with very anachronistic Rai music in the background) to the happy ending atop an elephant in Jodhpur.
Nair, however, also has a good handle on the comic banter among the characters, and it certainly helps that she has assembled a "Who's Who" of British stage and film in all the roles except the primary one.As Becky, Reese Witherspoon gives it a valiant effort and perfects her British accent to Gwyneth Paltrow's standards, but she seems to be channeling a hybrid of her Elle Woods ("Legally Blonde") and her Tracy Flick (in Alexander Payne's "Election") by way of Kate Winslet in "Sense and Sensibility".
Starring Witherspoon as Becky Sharp, a daughter of a starving artist who seems to fight and claw her way up the social ladder by either being in the right place at the right time or aligning herself with the appropriate aristocrats to push her one step closer to the perch of societal acceptance, Vanity Fair tries to hard for too long to be something that it is not.
However, someone should have warned me that I wouldn't be able to follow the plot through the entire, slow-moving, 2 hour and 15 minute long film.By reading reviews of Vanity Fair, I've gathered that the book was about a sassy and conniving young woman trying to get up the social ladder by any means possible.
This latest literary adaptation definitely makes the grade - scripted by Julian Fellowes (after 'Gosford Park' he's fast becoming a rival to Andrew Davies for this kind of thing), and directed by Mira Nair with a heavy Bollywood influence.Reece Witherspoon - another American playing an English role!
High up in the cast are actors from other places too - Rhys Ifan is Dobbin (surprisingly good if all you've seen him in is 'Notting Hill'), and Gabriel Byrne fails to grasp an English accent but is otherwise memorable as the dissolute Marquis of Steyne.'Vanity Fair' being a brick of a book which is hard to get through, this film version will do much to bring out the relevance of Thackeray's clever text and put it in the 21st century.
"Vanity Fair" is an old-fashioned, huge costume drama that is delightfully more sympathetic to its social-climbing ("She's a mountaineer.") protagonist than such movies more faithful to their sources as "House of Mirth" or "Age of Innocence" and so feels more French, a la Balzac, than British, let alone American.
And with Reese Witherspoon starring in the movie, i think vanity fair should be an eye candy for the viewers.
In Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair,' Becky Sharp makes not a thoroughly successful journey depending on how much you believe a human should give up in order to be socially esteemed.
Director Mira Nair ('Monsoon Wedding') has a sumptuous adaptation of the novel helped or hurt by Reese Witherspoon as Becky, depending on your perception of the actress and the role she plays.Witherspoon, who played white trash rising in 'Sweet Home Alabama' (2002), is just right when she is a working class daughter climbing (described in the film as more a 'mountaineer') because of her facility for language, her charm, and her beauty, all three seemingly in short supply in the maidens of the houses we see.
Though author Margaret Mitchell denied critics accusations in 1936 that the characters of Scarlett O'Hara and Melanie Hamilton were based on Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley...seeing Mira's film it is quite clear that Gone With The Wind was very influenced by the Thackeray classic.
IT IS A BIG HEARTED, VOLUPTUOUS AND SUMPTUOUS ROMP through the England's Regency period...this film has love, lust, war, heaving bosoms, songs, music, dances and to top it all off the amazing talents of Mira Nair and Reese Witherspoon...This is a must see!.
Becky's life is a journey worth experiencing; meeting people like Sir Pitt (Bob Hoskins) and his family, the severe Mr. Osborne (Jim Broadbent), his son George (from "Match Point", Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and his friend Dobbin (Rhys Ifans), the unique Matilda Crawley (Eileen Atkins) and the peculiar Marquess of Steyne (Gabriel Byrne).The mentioned above are people Becky took or could have taken advantage of.
SUPERSUPER.Reese Witherspoon played Rebecca Sharp very well i found Rawdon Crawley played by James Purefoy also very well.In the movie there love is beautiful it's a pity it does last but has to end because Becky really loves Rawdon en Rawdon really loves Becky.It's a pity Rawdon died because i hoped that they would meet again at the end of the movie and she would also see little Rawdie back like in the alternative ending.The movie has everything love, hate, jealousy just everything a great movie in this genre should have!You could cry and laugh at the same time.It's a movie you can watch 10 times after each other..
After seeing Vanity Fair, I must say that I was extremely impressed with Reese Witherspoon and the rest of the cast and I thought it was altogether an extremely well-made film.
From the moment the child Becky Sharp, heroine of William Thackeray's Vanity Fair, is first introduced in Mira Nair's film version of his novel, we are engaged by her presence of mind, astuteness, and wry humor.
"Vanity Fair is a beautiful mess." Sadly I missed this comment before TRYING to watch the movie.I didn't read the book, I didn't know it was total pulp.
Still after going through the 2 hours I can say that this film looks beautiful with exquisite period costumes and settings but the main characters don't come to life.
This is a condensed version of Vanity Fair, a story about Machiavellian social climber, Becky Sharp in the early years of the 19th century.
Director Mira Nair infuses the film with Eastern sensitivities to keep things spiced.Becky (Reese Witherspoon) is certainly determined to get to the highest strata of English society by use of cunning, guile and her sensuality.
Solid movie adaptation of Thackeray's novel, thought I believe some liberties were taken here because I can't imagine king's entertainment being described as ribald as this one.Nair does a good job of following melodramatic story about young, pretty and ambitious orphan girl rise in the society.
VANITY FAIR is a well-mounted adaptation of the classic William Makepeace Thackeray novel, a story which follows the life and loves of Becky Sharp, a girl who rises from nothing to become the cream of society.
Unfortunately it turns out to lack the wit and flair of an Austen novel or the drama of a Bronte book, although whether this is due to the author or not I can't tell as I haven't read the book.Still, VANITY FAIR is a lavish costume drama in any respect, and it's absolutely packed to the rafters with familiar faces beloved to those who watch British TV and film.
Vanity Fair is a film about a young girl named Becky Sharp played by Reese Witherspoon.
William Makepeace Thackeray's novel "Vanity Fair" is a satire telling of the rise, fall and rise again of the social-climbing adventuress Becky Sharp.
That adaptation kept to Thackeray's plot reasonably faithfully, but scriptwriter Julian Fellowes and director Mira Nair evidently thought that that plot would not work on the big screen because they made a number of changes, most notably to the character of Becky, who becomes far more sympathetic than she was in the original.
Reese Witherspoon makes Becky into an appealing heroine, and cannot be held personally to blame for the fact that the character she is playing is far from being the one that Thackeray created.
I like the performances of all of them: Reese Witherspoon, James Purefoy, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Romola Garai, Rhys Ifans, Bob Hoskins, Gabriel Byrne, Jim Broadbent and others.In short, the whole movie is good but is not much faithful to the novel.
reese witherspoon, if you have never read the book, does an adequate job, but does'nt quite pull it off.the screenplay is the thing that lets this piece down the most though.a look at the unused scenes suggest that we could have had a more powerful film.perhaps the thing to have done would be to focus on a part of the novel, the action spans 20/30 years.
Yet Indian director Mira Nair recreates the timeless "Vanity Fair" with sharp, deft strokes and the resulting film is a remarkably epic and compelling story that in spite of being stretched long across 2½ hours, feels condensed and poignant in every scene.Nair has also blurred the irrevocable lines between good and bad in 'Vanity Fair' which means that her protagonist Becky Sharp (Reese Witherspoon) is no given heroine, but inhabits the role nonetheless a character utterly polarized between unlikeable and greedy and confident and charming.
Did anyone realise that Natasha Little who played Lady Jane Sheepshanks in the 2004 Vanity Fair film actually played Becky Sharp in the TV Series of the same name which was made in 1998 and was a far superior adaptation of the book?
Mira Nair's version of Vanity fair is quite good, it has beautiful landscape some fantastic acting and great costumes, but the plot has lots of holes in it.
Mira Nair's long film version of Vanity Fair, based on the 1847 novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, is a stinker.
Reese Witherspoon was an excellent choice for the character of Becky Sharp.
I have not yet read Thackeray's novel, but I look forward to doing so, now that I've seen this film.The movie centers around two friends--Amelia, who is wealthy, and Becky Sharp, who is poor.
The casting is great, and Reese Witherspoon fills the role of Becky sharp perfectly.
It is directed by Indian director Mira Nair, and stars Reese Witherspoon as Becky Sharp, the ambitious heroine. |
tt0063121 | Ice Station Zebra | The time is the late '60's, deep in the chill of the Cold War. As observers in both Russia and the USA watch closely, an orbiting spy satellite re-enters the atmosphere, parachuting down to a soft landing in the desolate Arctic wastes. Soon, a hooded figure fights his way through the ice-storm and retrieves the capsule, unaware that, hidden nearby, another figure is watching his every move.Not long afterwards, the world is shocked to learn that Drift Ice Staton Zebra, a scientific weather station at the North Pole, has met with disaster. The weak distress calls first issued have fallen silent, and the nuclear sub Tigerfish, commanded by James Ferraday (Rock Hudson) is being sent to attempt a rescue. Oddly, the mission also includes a platoon of Marines, as well as a mysterious British agent known only as Mr. Jones (Patrick McGoohan), and a boisterous Russian defector, Boris Vaslov (Ernest Borgnine). Ferraday's orders are to get Mr. Jones to Zebra as swiftly as possible, but without any explanation as to why, a situation he is none too pleased with.Submerging, the submarine travels under the Polar ice cap, hoping to break through the thin ice near Zebra. As they near their destination, a torpedo is readied in order to blow a hole through the ice. Checking the torpedo tube, a slight trickle of seawater is noted draining from it, but all indicators show clear. The hatch is hard to open, and as the crewman thrusts against the handle, it suddenly slams open, ice-cold seawater flooding the torpedo room.Fighting for their lives, the men struggle to close the outer hatch while Ferraday orders engines full astern, hoping to prevent the crippled boat from heading for the bottom. Pumping pressurized air into the flooded forward rooms and red-lining the engines does little, and the Tigerfish plummets deeper and deeper into the darkness. Passing far below their dive limit, the outer torpedo door finally begins to close, and once sealed the boat slows its deadly descent. At extreme depth, and withstanding incredible pressures, they manage to halt the dive, and slowly head back up. Badly shaken, they are further stunned at Jones' claim that this was no accident. Someone very capable had sabotaged the tube controls, and tried to murder them all.Ferraday has had enough of Jones and Vaslov's cloak-and-dagger tactics and demands to know what the hell they are really doing here. "You seem to know an awful lot about the business of operating a submarine", snarls Ferraday."I know how to wreck them," replies Jones, shivering under a blanket. The situation begins to turn ugly, but the sonar man breaks in to report they are now under Zebra's position. Disgusted, Ferraday leaves for the control room.With consummate skill, the crew locate and surface through a relatively thin layer of ice, exposing the submarine's conning tower to the blast of an Arctic ice storm. Quickly taking a fix in Zebra's weak signal, a rescue team sets out across the rugged ice pack, led by Jones, Vaslov and Ferraday. Only a few miles need to be covered, but the way is filled with danger, and several men are nearly lost when an unseen crevasse opens up at their feet. Tied together for safety, the other manage to pull the trapped men out, but back at the Tigerfish, the ice pack is shifting, squeezing the submarine. Unable to contact Zebra or the rescue party, they are forced to submerge once more.As they near the station, Jones can smell burned rubber in the tearing wind. Finally stumbling into the camp, they see through the storm that the station is in a shambles. Several of the huts are wrecked or burned, and there seem to be no survivors. Cautiously searching the huts they find one is still intact and sheltering a few numbed, barely alive scientists, and these are quickly warmed and revived. Jones and Vaslov both find familiar faces and begin to probe for answers as to what happened, but the frozen men are still too much in shock to provide any information. Leaving the scientists to the rescue team, Jones begins to hunt through the rest of the camp, desperately searching for something. In what's left of the laboratory, he turns to find Ferraday watching him."What size is the film?" Ferraday asks.Surprised, Jones replies that it's a standard film canister, "And all of a sudden, you know a whole damn lot about my business." Ferraday confesses that he has been briefed on the real nature of their mission, despite all the precautions taken by Jones, so he continues to elaborate. The film he's searching for came from a Russian spy satellite, equipped with a special camera stolen from the British, and using a new type of film developed by the Americans, "all very hush-hush," says Jones. Launched by the Russians, it was capable of taking pictures of incredible detail, and it had photos of all missile bases in North America. Unfortunately for the Russians, something went wrong, "and that darling little satellite just kept on taking pictures of Soviet missile bases, even when it wasn't supposed to, making it the most valuable piece of film in the world." Attempting a recovery, the satellite merely shifted to a new polar orbit, meaning that the only choice the Russians had to bring it down was over the North Pole. The British sent an agent up to Zebra, as did the Russians, and the satellite was brought down. "Then disaster, fire, silence," mused Jones, "and here we are. No agents, no clues, and no film." As they think about their next move, a deathly silence settles over the camp: the storm is finally dying down.Ferraday uses an ice drill from the tool shed, and has his men drill a small hole in the ice a short distance from the camp. Dropping a transponder down the hole, they are quickly located by the Tigerfish which surfaces through the ice a few minutes later. "I want a hundred men out here on the double," orders Ferraday. The entire crew is sent out through the camp and across the ice, looking for the hidden film. Meanwhile Jones has discovered a homing device hidden in the fuel tank of the camp's tractor, and he turns to leave the hut.A crowbar strikes him across the chest, flinging him back across the room and knocking him out. The attacker cautiously approaches and pulls his hood back; it is Vaslov, the Russian defector, and Jones' supposed friend. Now revealed as a double-agent, he takes the homing device to search for the hidden film but is caught by the Captain of the marine platoon, and they fight to the death. Just as the marine gains the advantage, shots ring out and he falls to the floor, dead. Jones had come to and shot the marine, thinking he was the traitor. Ferraday and the others hear the shots and come running in before Vaslov can regain the homing device, and he quickly re-assumes his old character. As the others take the homer out to search, Ferraday looks over the fight scene with suspicion. Re-checking the tractor fuel tank, he finds another device wrapped in plastic.The homer quickly finds the film canister, buried in the ice a few yards from the camp. Torches are brought out to melt the ice away, but another problem looms. The clearing storm has allowed the Russians to fly over the camp and drop a squadron of paratroops to take the camp and the film by force. As the Russians approach the camp, Ferraday orders most of the men back into the submarine. The Russian Captain steps quietly up to the edge of the camp, and calmly asks for Ferraday by name, claiming the satellite is Soviet property and stating that they wish only to retrieve what is rightfully theirs. A tense situation ensues, and Ferraday stalls for time while the canister is melted out of the ice. A tricky self-destruct device had been attached to the canister, making things even more difficult. The Russian captain gives Ferraday two minutes to turn over the canister.Vaslov, still playing the double agent, disarms the small bomb and opens the canister removing the priceless film. Still shaky, Jones walks up behind and observes. Ferraday calmly re-arms the bomb and carries the canister to the Russian captain, tossing it lightly to him. But the captain is no fool, he too disarms the bomb and checks the canister and when he finds it is empty, an order is barked and the Russians open fire.Smoke bombs are fired into the camp, filling the air with dense fog and hiding everything. Vaslov sees his chance in the confusion, and runs for the Russian troops outside the camp. Another man looms up in his path: Jones. Smiling grimly at each other, they both realize the charade is over, and they begin a fight to the death as machine gun fire whistles all around them. As the smoke clears and everyone is ordered to hold their fire, Vaslov is lying on the ice and Jones is holding the film.Covered by the Russians, Jones cannot escape. Ferraday takes control of the situation and orders Jones to drop the film. Shooting a venomous look at Ferraday, Jones is forced to toss the film at the Russians in defeat. The film is quickly returned to the canister, still attached to its self-destruct unit, and run up a thin line attached to a weather balloon for collection by a circling Russian plane. As the aircraft approaches, Ferraday turns his hand and reveals the object he'd found hidden in the fuel tank: a remote trigger for the self-destruct unit on the canister. Jones looks at the device and then at Ferraday, understanding dawning on his face.Just as the Soviet plane swoops down to snare the canister, Ferraday triggers the bomb. In a brilliant flash, the capsule and its film are destroyed, startling everyone. The Russian captain looks across to Ferraday, also beginning to understand. Stepping back across the ice, they contemplate each other for a moment."Our mission here is completed" he says, "at least in part.""Agreed", replies Ferraday. With the precious film now gone, both sides realize it is time to leave. The Americans move to pick up their wounded, and Ferraday tells the Russian that "you sir, may pick up your man", indicating Vaslov, still laying on the ice. They separate, and make ready to depart.The Tigerfish, carrying the Zebra survivors and wounded marines, submerges once more and begins its long voyage back home. | suspenseful | train | imdb | Ice Station Zebra was spared no expense by MGM in bringing the Alistair McLean Cold War novel to the screen.
A Russian defector scientist Ernest Borgnine, British agent Patrick McGoohan (wasn't that ever natural casting) and spit and polish Marine captain Jim Brown.
I don't know how I missed this film for 40 years, but I corrected that mistake.Not a blockbuster, with the only outstanding features being the cinematography and special effects, it is nevertheless a taut cold war thriller.The interplay between Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine.
The conditions at Ice Station Zebra could definitely heat up, as US Marines and Russian paratroops confront each other.The cast is top-notch; Rock Hudson plays Capt.
The Russians want it as badly as the Americans because the film contains high-orbit pictures of BOTH country's missile sites.Rock Hudson is the sub commander, Patrick McGoohan is the cynical secret agent with a dry wit (a roll he made famous in two famous British TV shows, `The Secret Agent' and `The Prisoner'), Jim Brown is a hard-nosed Marine captain, and Earnest Borgnine is a Russian defector working with McGoohan and the Americans to retrieve the valuable film.The special effects of the Russian jets could have been much better, even in 1968.
Sterling screenplay by Douglas Heyes, riddled with sharp dialogue that the fine cast delivers perfectly (I love it when McGoohan tells Hudson that the film invented by America's German scientists was put into the camera invented by Britain's German scientists and sent up in the satellite invented by the Russian's German scientists.
All of the actors involved here are at the top of their game, especially Rock Hudson, who portrays a nuclear submarine captain as if he was born to it.A very believable story, well acted, with lots of action sequences interspersed with tightly-delivered dialog.
Ice Station Zebra moves along at a crisp pace, and builds to a gripping climax.This movie is NOT to be missed if you like nuclear submarines, cold-war epics, or just well-acted and written movies in general..
Captain James Ferraday (this was Rock Hudson's favourite film of his own, and also of Howard Hughes ; Charlton Heston was originally offered the role but turned it down, saying there was no characterization in the script) , Commander of the nuclear submarine called USS Tigershark, is assigned to the polar ice region on a rescue mission when an emergency signal is heard from a research station, Ice Station Zebra (in real life, there was no "Ice Station Zebra", but there was an "Ice Station Alpha" which was situated in a Arctic's Ice Island).
It is one of the most thrilling and exciting films set on the years of the Cold War. Great superproduction with all-star-cast , impressive scenes , shimmer photography and a vibrant sound , the time has increased its documentary value.
Special appearance by Lloyd Nolan and film debut for Ron Masak .The film's story has similarities with the real life events, reported in the media in April 1959, of the Discoverer II experimental Corona satellite capsule that went missing and was recovered by Soviet intelligence agents after it crashed near Spitsbergen in the Arctic Ocean ; Spitsbergen is in Norway's Svalbard archipelago of islands which is where both Alistair MacLean 's novel and the film of Bear Island is set.
Unique and innovative underwater camera equipment was developed for this movie by 2nd unit cameraman and cinematographer 'John M Stephens', a former U.S.A. Navy diver, who is billed in the credits for additional arctic photography , the camera system enabled the first ever filming of a continuous submarine dive and this technical innovation produced some outstanding photography for the picture.The visual effects, despite its quality, not 'see that snow is artificial, that the landscape of the polar station is mounted on set ; his picture is the first of two movies based on an Alistair MacLean novel set in rugged icy and snowy terrain , the second would be Bear Island about eleven years later.
A superb cast of seasoned professionals including Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown and especially a very suave and droll Patrick MacGoohan create fully realized characters that act and react in very real human emotions to some extremely tense and suspenseful situations.
Commander James Ferraday (Rock Hudson), the captain of the nuclear submarine USS Tigerfish, receives the assignment to get three persons to North Pole: the civilian David Jones (Patrick McGoohan), the Russian deserter Boris Vaslov (Ernest Borgnine) and the marine Capt.
Their secret mission is to recover an American film from an English camera in a Russian spy satellite, which felt close to the Ice Station Zebra.
Despite a few "impossibilities" in the maneuvering of submarines visually through ice floes, its quite realistic.The acting is sufficiently good, and although I would have loved to see Gregory Peck in the leading role, Rock Hudson does a fine job.
American submarine captain Commander James Ferraday (Rock Hudson) of the USS Tigerfish is ordered up north for a secret mission under the cover of rescuing a British civilian weather station, Ice Station Zebra.
Ice Station Zebra was such a movie.The combination rescue mission and spy story makes for a good mix and Rock Hudson looks dashing as the commander of the sub sent to get to Zebra.
Jim Brown is seen as a military figure like we saw in the Dirty Dozen, this time he is a Captain.Although the plot is a bit predictable, and the Station a bit fake, the story still holds up to the end and makes the 2 1/2 hour plus movie into a "page turner"..
I also remember getting a program (How I wish I had kept that program through these years)This benefit was for the College that my father worked for at that time, and even at 11 years of age, I kind of realized that viewing Ice Station Zebra, a film I was enjoying, may not have been enjoyed with the other people who were watching.
It goes on a bit too long, and Ernest Borgnine chews up every bit of scenery he can find, but Rock Hudson (not normally one of my favorite actors) is extremely convincing as the sub commander, and he and Patrick McGoohan (one of my all-time favorite actors) have unusually good acting chemistry.
It's true that the script is so weak that any actor would have a hard time of it, but Rock Hudson is just his usual flat self, Ernest Borgnine's overacting verges on the silly, and Patrick McGoohan's overdone diction and self-involvement (he doesn't see any of the other characters) sometimes takes us into the cartoonish.
Actually, the whole film would have made a better comic book than a film.There's lots of music, but too often it goes over the top, getting all excited while nothing in particular happens on screen.You may have a taste for this particular brand of fantasy thriller, but unless you do, I wouldn't suggest you waste any time bothering about Ice Station Zero..
Rock Hudson leads an all-star cast as Commander James Ferraday, captain of a nuclear submarine sent on a desperate rescue mission to the top of the world.
Ernest Borgnine trades PT-73 for SSN 509, playing an anti-Russian Russian with a dubious dialect (nobody's perfect.) Former football great Jim Brown plays the tough-as-nails Marine platoon leader who trusts no one.The real heroes of the film are the special effects wizards who recreate both the claustrophobic interior of the submarine and the wonderful sequences of the sub navigating gingerly under the ice pack.
Based on Alistair MacLean's novel, and starring Rock Hudson as a submarine commander assigned to a top secret mission to the North Pole, where he carries passengers; a mysterious British civilian(played by Patrick McGoohan, on a break from filming his classic series "The Prisoner") a Russian(played by Ernest Borgnine) and also stars Jim Brown as a platoon leader.
Again, from the top down the word had to have been, "The plot drives this film and you don't, the Navy cooperates, so let's play it straight, no frills." You wouldn't think Rock Hudson could captain a nuclear attack sub, but he does, and suitably well.Said exceptions: Ernest Borgnine first comes across as Quinton McHale with a funny accent.
As others have pointed out, it contains many flaws -- the story compromised (compared to the original novel at least), the special effects patchy in parts, some of the acting quite wooden -- but then most movies are imperfect to most viewers.I was a BIG Alistair MacLean fan in the days when I had time to read a lot of fiction (having read all his novels, each of them twice, by my early 20s) and made a point of watching almost all of the movies based on them.
Ice Station Zebra, one of his very best books (especially when you consider when it was written), as a film falls somewhere in between.The great score by Michel Legrand and opening sequence promise much and the suspense of the story is maintained for much of the movie, but the denouement is somewhat clumsy and ultimately the ending is a bit unsatisfying for readers of the novel.
The story differs a bit from the novel by Alistair MacLean but still comes off as a pretty good cold war thriller with Patrick McGoohans performance probably the best of the lot..
Along for the ride to "Ice Station Zebra" are suspects: Ernest Borgnine with a Russian accent, Patrick McGoohan being Patrick McGoohan, and Jim Brown being Jim Brown.Rock Hudson tries to keep a straight face as the mission commander.
*** Ice Station Zebra (10/23/68) John Sturges ~ Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan, Jim Brown.
So; it's a race against time.There's an interesting mix of players led by Rock Hudson as captain of a US nuclear submarine, and Patrick McGoohan doing his devious special-agent routine from British terrestrial TV's 'Danger Man' - later reprised in his immortal 'The Prisoner'.
Just boring.It looks like they were trying to combine elements of a James Bond film, a WWII submarine drama, and some John LeCarre' cold-war novels.Patrick McGoohan and Ernest Borgnine make this watchable, but just barely..
It's a crackin' MacLean 'who's good/who's bad' cold war thriller and it's also a decent submarine movie..
Suspense builds as Rock Hudson's nuclear sub streams North with spymaster Patrick McGoohan in tow, soon joined by a Russian defector, Ernest Borgnine, and a serious swat team led by James Brown (ex-NFL).Progress to the North Pole is slow and the sub is hindered by sabotage.
In the first part of the film, until they finally reach that polar station after the middle of the film, there is very little acting and mainly only technical manoeuvres to get the submarine to its destination, which involves tremendous difficulties, especially with the lack of communications and of course a very thrilling sequence of almost getting stuck under the ice with the prospect of a submarine shipwreck, which isn't a very cheerful prospect for those suffering from claustrophobia on board - this is unavoidable in every submarine film - the claustrophobia is the main element of terror, although here it is not so much in focus.Patrick McGoohan is the ordinary hard line tough guy as an agent with a secret mission, he always is, Ernest Borgnine is the one of the leading actors that gets some opportunity to act, while Rock Hudosn is very bland as a character, almost like a mere figure-head of the journey, while the actor who makes an impression is Alf Kjellin in his brief but efficient appearance in the end.
Rock Hudson is the lead, Borgnine as a "Russian", Jim Brown, and Patrick McGoohan slog through this mess on some crazy mission with one of them (or somebody) apparently a spy.
Lastly we have the all time NFL leading rusher (in 1968 and up to 1977) turned movie action hero Jim Brown who plays hard ass Captain Leslie Anders assigned to deal with whatever awaits them when they get to their destination, the North Pole.The cinematography, screen color, script and acting were all top notch.
Directed by John Sturges and based on a novel by Alistair MacLean, "Ice Station Zebra" should have been a fast-paced Cold War thriller.
Fapp's Oscar nominated cinematography is visual candy for the Cinerama screen and Michel Legrand's score is easy on the ears, both attributes were overused to convince audiences that the premium prices paid for their seats were warranted; during that period, a movie had to run at least two and a half hours to merit a roadshow engagement.Largely set aboard a submerged nuclear submarine and at an Arctic base, "Ice Station Zebra" follows a submarine crew ostensibly sent on a rescue mission.
Hudson is solid and convincing in the role, although Patrick McGoohan as the British agent and Jim Brown as the marine leader make more of an impression; Ernest Borgnine wrestles with a Russian accent and is memorable for the wrong reasons.
Later in the film, Alf Kjellin appears with a more authentic sounding Russian pronunciation.Despite a decent budget for the time, the scenes at the ice-bound Arctic station appear fake and tacky; special effects are generally unconvincing, even taking into account the period.
Then the submarine is sabotaged - there is clearly a Russian spy on board.Enthralling, suspenseful Cold War thriller, directed by John Sturges and based on the Alistair MacLean novel.
Cheesy toy Russian planes arrive, and in the end the film is destroyed (the US/UK get it in Maclean's book).A good cold war thriller overall, although the goings-on might seem a bit tedious till the torpedo tube incident.
The novel's second half played like a murder mystery as we tried to figure out who among the survivors of Ice Station Zebra sabotaged the base and was the Soviet spy trying to recover the film.
Patrick Mcgoohan overacts, Rock Hudson is stiff, Jim Brown is plain awful and Ernest Borgnine one of my favorite character actors is pathetically miscast as a Russian.
but both Rock Hudson and Patrick Mcgoohan are my favourite actors they are only outshone out by William Shatner!.a recommendation for 60's movie buffs and submarine films.the best bit in the movie is when the missile room gets flooded in the icy cold water this bit is really realistic!.
Having read Alistair MacLean's novel, Ice Station Zebra, I didn't know what to expect in this movie.
Given a big budget movie treatment by MGM, it is hampered by its length which restricts the flow of the action but it does keep its suspense.Commander James Ferraday (Rock Hudson) is the captain of the nuclear submarine USS Tigerfish who gets orders that three people will come on board.Mysterious cynical Brit, David Jones (Patrick McGoohan), gregarious Russian defector Boris Vaslov (Ernest Borgnine) and square Marine Captain Leslie Anders (Jim Brown).The men are on a mission to recover a film from a spy satellite that fell close to Ice Station Zebra.
There is a race to get to the Ice Station Zebra and find the film before the Russians but the USS Tigerfish has a saboteur.McGoohan dominates the film, his mysterious character is a British spy and all along knows what must be done.
It's one of the tentpole movies of the 1960s, a larger-than-life thriller that makes full use of Cold War tensions in its tale of a desperate race to the North Pole to grab a MacGuffin that the other side can't be allowed to get its hands upon.ICE STATION ZEBRA is an unashamedly old-fashioned film, brought to life by the sterling direction of surehand John Sturges (who'd previously completed, so memorably, THE GREAT ESCAPE and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN).
Hudson's characteristic bluster fits sub captain role to a "T", and we finally get to see McGoohan in action as a British spy in a full-length film.
McGoohan's chilling explanation to Hudson of the true purpose of the mission, which comes well into the film, is the crowning moment of the cold-war/spy movie genre ("and that is when the lights began to burn in the Kremlin....").
McGoohan's chilling explanation to Hudson of the true purpose of the mission, which comes well into the film, is the crowning moment of the cold-war/spy movie genre ("and that is when the lights began to burn in the Kremlin....").
Ernest Borgnine, (Boris Vaslov) and Patrick McGoohan, (David Jones) assist James Ferraday on his mission to locate a very important film which was taken by a space station and it contained all the locations of where American Nuclear sites and also other Russian military information.
Rock Hudson, looking bored, is a submarine captain leading a secret mission to the North Pole to help British spy Patrick McGoohan uncover some stolen film.
The Freezing Cold War. Like his earlier 'The Satan Bug' ( 1964 ), John Sturges' 'Ice Station Zebra' is based on a novel by Alistair Maclean.
Rock Hudson is 'Ferraday', commander of U.S.S. submarine Tigerfish, assigned to go to Drift Ice Station Zebra, a British weather station at the North Pole.
"The Great Escape" director John Sturges serves up a platter of Cold War tension in his riveting, straightforward 1968 submarine thriller "Ice Station Zebra.
ACold War thriller based - loosely - on an Alistair MacLean novel, Ice Station Zebra is a decidedly overlong film that entertains in patches but is less than special as a whole.
Anyone who has read the original novel will know that there was a truly great movie waiting to be made here, but writers Harry Julian Fink and Douglas Heyes have somewhat fudged the transition from the pages of the book to the pages of their script.A U.S submarine commanded by Cdr James Ferraday (Rock Hudson) is sent from a base in Scotland to the Arctic ice-cap.
That in a nutshell is the plot of Ice Station Zebra, the 1968 Cold War submarine movie/spy thriller adapted from the earlier novel by Alistair MacLean.
Rock Hudson does well as Commander Faraday, the captain of the American nuclear submarine, especially in the final twenty minutes or so of the film. |
tt0073631 | Rollerball | It is the year 2018. There are no wars, poverty, or violence on the entire planet Earth. People get their frustrations out by watching and attending Rollerball games.The Houston team plays against Madrid and wins, with their star player Jonathan E doing most of the scoring. It's an extremely violent game, but the players thoroughly enjoy it. After the game, the men shower and the corporate executives, led by the pompous Mr. Bartholomew are congratulated. Jonathan E is requested by Bartholomew to come visit him the next dayHouston, Texas in the future resembles a prosperous western European city from the late 20th century. Jonathan comes to visit Barthlomew and is informed he needs to retire, per Energy Corporation executives, but Jonathan resistsJonathan comes home by helicopter just outside of Houston in the piney woods of East Texas to a young lady provided to him by the corporation and his friend/trainer Clete. The lady leaves for Indianapolis on a whim.Jonathan is training the Rollerball team players, plus some newbies introduced.Jonathan and Moonpie visit a library hub in downtown Houston, because he's wanting to get information about the Energy Corporation. A library clerk reveals she cannot issue the books he's wanting because they are classified.Jonathan is back on his ranch and meets another young lady Daphne, also issued to him by the corporation.The Rollerball team is informed of the changes of the rules to the game of no penalties. Despite their objections, they are all reminded they are bound to a contract. All this is mainly due to the fact Jonathan refuses to quit.Jonathan is in a television studio being interviewed by a computer over the upcoming Rollerball game and his history of playing it. He is supposed to be following a script and the show is about his announced retirement. It is revealed that Bartholomew has been behind this interviewThe Rollerball team is exercising in a fitness room with a coach from the Tokyo team there to warn them about the karate and hapkido techniques they use, but the players shrug him off and declare their team as number one.Jonathan and Daphne attend a lavish cocktail party at a mansion in the piney woods of East Texas. No longer an area of hick towns and backwoodsmen, but a prosperous area catered to the wealthy. The guests are beautifully dressed and slightly drunk and strung out on aphrodisiac pills. Some guests overheard that the players are actually robots. Jonathan is warned once again by Bartholomew to quit and he still resists. Some of the party guests are outside shooting pine trees with a laser gun for fun.Jonathan is back at his ranch packed and ready to go. He wants Daphne to come along, but the Energy Corporation wants her back and she tells him he won't be back. Jonathan threatens her with his spiked glove that she better leave and not come backThe players are now in Tokyo. The Tokyo team is beating all of them half to death. Moonpie takes a blow to the head by a spiked glove by one of the team members and is in a coma. A Japanese doctor tries to persuade Jonathan to sign for Moonpie to be removed from life support, but Jonathan refusesBartholomew is on a televised video conference with various executives from the Energy Corporation about having Jonathan E removed from the game and for Rollerball to go back to its intended meaning and effort. All the men concurJonathan is now in Geneva, Switzerland at the worlds largest computer bank to get information about the corporate wars and the decisions made by corporate executives. The computer malfunctions and fails to give him any straight answers.Jonathan's ex-wife Ella, whom the corporation removed from him, comes to visit him at his ranch. Ella tries to reassure Jonathan that the corporation took her away for a good reason and it was all over the game. She also tries to convince him to quit and that he'll die if he doesn't, with the new set of rules. Jonathan erases all video footage of he and Ella together and Ella leaves.The Rollerball team is now playing New York City. No substitutions, penalties, or time limits. Half the players end up knocked out or dead and Jonathan scores. The crowd chants his name and Mr. Bartholomew is furious. Jonathan skates endlessly, then the frame freezes and the credits roll. | murder, cult, revenge, violence, flashback, suspenseful, sci-fi | train | imdb | The corporation has taken away the woman he loves(Maud Adams),but they won't take away his soul even if the diabolical corporate head(John Houseman)tells him he'd better retire..or suffer the old-fashioned way.With some surrealistic imagery,Orwellian theme,and tense action with some of the best action sequences ever filmed,this picture will grip you from the moment the ball rolling out and zooms into the stadium to its chilling cilmax,this movie has haunted audiences as it takes a look into the future and what the future would become,and has a stunning effect.
He tries every trick without success.The supporting cast is filled with great actors, like Moses Gunn, John Beck, Sir Ralph Richardson (not John Gielgud, as one reviewer stated), Maude Adams, and Shane Rimmer.The film demonstrates that the individual can triumph over insurmountable odds and cautions against corporate control of society.
As John Houseman, the corrupt and ubiquitous head of the all-powerful Corporation that owns and operates ROLLERBALL inc worldwide, tells Jonathan at one point, "Rollerball was meant to demonstrate the futility of resistance, no man was ever intended to become bigger than the game." This was a society (set in 2018) with media censorship in place to such a degree a centralised computer stores the worlds' entire literary knowledge (physical books being a thing of the past as in FAHRENHEIT 451.
We couldn't understand why the whole film wasn't just composed of game sequences (a criticism also leveled by at least one reviewer on this site).Now, having just watched the movie twice in a night, the second time with the director's commentary, I have finally got to grips with the scenes between the action, and discovered that I like it more than ever.
In this way, when we come to watch the actual contests, our enthusiasm is whetted, and by making the rules progressively more dangerous with each passing game, the stakes grow ever higher.The central themes of the movie are (i) loss-of-soul/nihilism/sensual-vs-spiritual-happiness, and (ii) individuality vs state control.
If the film were truly anti-sport,then I think Jonathan would drop the ball and leave; he would mock the game as Mandy Patinkin's character does hockey at the end of SLAPSHOT.
But here you'll see an excellent example of what scifi was designed to do: comment on our current human condition by creating a fictional (extreme) scenario as a cautionary tale.Excellent, and I mean EXCELLENT performances by James Caan (The Godfather, Misery), John Houseman (The Paper Chase, The Fog), Maud Adams (3 James Bond films), Moses Gunn (every 70s TV show from Hawaii 5-O to Shaft), and a particularly gripping performance by Pamela Hensley (Princess Ardala in "Buck Rogers" homina homina) make this an all-star powerhouse of 70s talent.The music deserves a special mention of its own.
But since rollerball has never been played, James Caan as Jonathan E really looks like the best in the game.
From the beginning we sense the stakes are higher -- Jonathan E will either conform or die.That brings up the fact that ROLLERBALL also shares a central theme with a lot of other powerful movies, like FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, COOL HAND Luke, and even A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS.
The rugged action scenes are so real you hardly notice that rollerball is a make believe game.James Caan as Jonathan E turns in a sensitive, nuanced performance, deliberately underplaying the tough guy side as much as possible.
"Rollerball" even foreshadowed the political correctness of the 1990's with the generic Bach-like Corporate Anthem played before each game.When the film was produced, roller derbies were hot items on TV and attended by large gatherings of blood-thirsty fans who egged on the pugilistic elements participating.
Jim Croce even had a hit record parodying the game, "Roller Derby Queen." Add bikes, spike-studded gloves, the roller ball, change a few rules and there's Rollerball.One of the more interesting elements of "Rollerball" is how it differs from the futuristic societies depicted in the two classics, "1984" and "Brave New World." Rather than Big Brother watching you, an anonymous board of directors who run a corporate global conglomeration rule the world.
The only important part for a woman in "Rollerball" is when a pistol is used to set trees ablaze making the depletion of the rain forests seem like child's play.The story concerns Rollerball idol of millions, Jonathan E., who for some unknown reason the corporate ladder orders to retire at the height of his career.
Released in the summer of 1975, there are definite and readily apparent influences of earlier films, not the least of which being Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange." The colors, the film stock, the editing style are all reminiscent of that earlier, similarly-themed master work, yet I don't believe it detracted from this film at all.Supposedly set in the year 2018 (though this is never established in the movie, that I could tell), corporations have replaced governments and managed to eliminate war, poverty, disease and bad hair days.
Director Norman Jewison couldn't know what the world of forty years in his future would be like, so he took the wise route of not making it all that different from 1975, but with subtle changes (such as the interesting but impractical "multivision" concept in which all TV sets have a large screen and three smaller screens above it, each showing different but related pictures).
The world's greatest star of the sport Jonathan E finds himself being manipulated by a global corporate company Believe it or not after THE GODFATHER films were released it wasn't Pacino or DeNiro who was going to be the biggest star from the films but James Caan .
George Orwell described sport as " War without the shooting " and as someone who grew up in the west of Scotland I can testify that most peoples obsession revolves around two football clubs Rangers and Celtic who attract a lot of sectarian pond life and there's a blackly comical joke that there's only six letters in the West of Scotland alphabet - IRA and UVF , so the idea of corporate companies controlling the masses wasn't a ridiculous idea when this film was made The problem is that the message is a bit too heavy handed to be entirely credible .
Rollerball star Jonathan E, as played by James Caan, knows this all too well - his wife was taken from him by one of the corporation's executives.The game known as Rollerball fits in as a sort of enforcement of these rules.
In a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes (James Caan) is out to defy those who want him out of the game.So, the film is known for its stunts and being the first film to give credit to the stunt performers in the credits.
James Caan plays a dull, shallow hero ("the great Jonathan E") who tries in his own thickheaded way to learn the hows and whys of his world--but largely to get back the love of his life, a woman even more shallow than him, and ultimately far less appealing.
James Caan stars in Rollerball and if you can forget the silly remake and the fact that audiences completely missed the message and that the thing was adapted into a real "sport" then you're in for a treat.
However, the powerful themes woven so artfully into this gem only add to the visceral thrill that even a sports-hater like me gets from hearing the organ thundering out Bach's shimmering chords and seeing the silver ball slammed home.Twenty-five years later, as government steals more and more of our individual freedoms while placating the masses with socialist bread and circuses, this movie's strong, jarring themes ring truer than ever.
We only see them as mind-numbed chanting sports fans.Rollerball has some interesting ideas, but the film just lasts too long and doesn't have as much action as you'll probably want.
But Jonathan doesn't want to leave and the Corporation gets angry...The film LOOKS great with some stunning set designs and costumes.
The violent game play is only part of this movie that looks realistic.The acting by the extras is quite good, they look like drug crazed, hedonistic maniacs who live only to get high, get laid, and watch roller ball games, especially in the tree frying scene.
This thoughtful direction gives a sense of the "vibe" of life in this future world, and elevates this movie beyond the action-flick genre.And I cannot close out this review without mentioning the power of the final scene.
Leading the Huston team is the greatest player in Rollerball history Jonathan E.,James Caan, who together with his fellow teammate Moonpie, John Beck, bashing heads and breaking bones in no time at all demolish the Spanish team beating it 3 to 1 with Jonathan scoring all the points for Huston.After the game in the locker room Jonathan is asked by the Huston team owner Energy Corps.
Being in the game for ten years, more then any other player, it's felt by the worlds top corporate executives and CEO's that it's time for Jonathan to call it quits.
Jonathan in his not getting killed or baldy injured but winning championship after championship for Huston was doing exactly that!Given the choice to retire and live a life of luxury and pleasure for the rest of his days by the corporate elite Jonhatan instead, in a sign of rebellion against his masters, chooses to continue to play the dangerous game of Rollerball for Huston and lead his team to the world Rollerball championship, thats to be played in New York City.
It's determined that there would no rules at all with the only winner being the last player left standing alive on the blood-splattered skating rink.The movie "Rollerball" was one of the biggest box office successes of 1975, it grossed $30 million dollars, but was both overlooked and not taken seriously as a thought-provoking motion picture like most people watching it now.
Despite his superb performance Jonathan's good friend and teammate Moonpie ends up with a near-fatal injury leaving him practically dead, actually brain-dead, to the world.It now comes down to the championship game against the tough and no-holds barred New York Rollerball team that has been declared, by the corporate giants, to be a last man standing event.
The plot hinges on a sudden demand by the corporate powers who rule the world that the star player of THE GAME and captain of the Houston team, Jonathan E (Caan), retire.
So it was no wonder that it led to a crossover of those two genres - and it was Norman Jewison's turn to create the ultimate chase'n'fight science fiction drama of the mid-seventies.Filmed in 1975 in the then futuristic setting of the Munich Olympic Stadium, it shows us a time in the early 21st century when there are no governments and wars and crisis anymore, but big companies ruling the world.
The most popular hobby to keep people busy and satisfied are rollerball races, a mix of roller blades, ice hockey, rugby, American football and motorcycle racing with a large amount of seriously hurt and killed players.The most brutal star of the game, Jonathan (played by James Caan), is a big media hero, just like in our times.
Jonathan refuses to stop and wants to continue - so he's got a big problem as the presidents of the companies change the rules of the game and send killers into the arena....There are only three Rollerball matches - one in the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the movie, each becoming more brutal, bloody and deadly as the one before.
that's the efficient ruthless and insidious ruling politics of the corporate elite in the year 2018; the nations are kept sedated into a state of well-being, totally deprived of information, in conclusion subdued to the worst kind of captivity, mental slavery; freedom that comes through knowledge has been traded for comfort, and the Rollerball game has been created to inhibit the individual effort and initiative; Jonathan's 'awakening' and decision to play the game until the end taking the risk of sacrificing his own life is the ultimate heroic gesture against the monolith-corporations and their disguised tyranny, statement underlined in a very discrete yet powerful way; big ups for this excellent prophetic dystopia.
At first, he is bemused and doesn't understand, but as the movie progresses, we see him simply refusing to change as instructed while seeking the answer to why he is being asked to give up the one thing that gives his life meaning.For those of us (myself included) who may not understand the message buried in the dialog, we are eventually told the simple premise behind the game itself, its role in a perfected (though far from perfect) society and the stunningly simple answer to the question as to why this man is being told to conform.The dramatic development of the political theme and the characters make the actual game sequences meaningful and interesting, not because roller derby with motorcycles is in any way compelling, but because it brings the inherent struggle of the story to a pique and engulfs both ideas and characters that are extremely well set up.I cannot help but think that in modern times, as we witness the (attempted) manifestation of many of the Utopian ideas presented in this film, that it is a timely reminder of - and a timely warning against - the essential forfeiture of liberty that seems more and more unavoidable.This may be billed as an action film, but it's actually a thinking film and will challenge you intellectually even as those motorcycles which never seem to have any purpose race around the track..
A mixture of speedway, roller-skating, basketball and raw gladiatorial combat: that's rollerball, sport of the future, opium of the people, and the subject of Norman Jewison's eponymous film, which tells the story of Jonathan E., the star who becomes too big for the game.
After re-watching it recently I now understand the fundamental theme of the film & actually found the non-action parts more interesting than the games.There are plenty of reviews here describing what the movie is about, so I won't go into that.
Only the team matters and it is therefore a great analogy for the corporate utopia depicted.Rollerball looks very dated now but I'm sure modern films that depict the near future will also appear dated in 30+ years.
All these elements combined to derail a society where corporate America has created an impersonal and morally depraved world through violent entertainment for the masses.If you want to see an interesting 1970's flick, with violence, hot babes, or to just watch James Caan pulverize people into hamburger, then Rollerball is worth a look..
James Caan is really good (I found myself wishing I was more familiar with his work); his performance as a Rollerball veteran and champion who is so conditioned to combat that even the corporations that govern the world don't scare him is great.Yes, the costumes are cheesy; yes, it CLEARLY is a movie from the 1970s (roller derby and pinball combined with excessive violence); yes, it MAY be a little bit slow for very brief moments (I never thougt it was slow but my mate thought it dragged a bit at the end).However, it is still really good, and I plan to buy it on DVD..
The Rollerball action sequences are superb, fast and violent as you would expect from the sport that has replaced wars.The plot's anti-violence and anti-corporate subtexts are somewhat harder to follow, but more is revealed on each viewing.One of my all-time favourites.
The 70s got some of the best sci-fi movies ever done: Soylent Green, Colossus, Silent Running, Solaris, The Omega Man, Logan's Run, Westworld, Dark Star, Star Wars, The Black Hole, Alien, Mad Max, Stalker and and and.One of those classics is Rollerball with James Caan as the superplayer of a deadly game, made by the corporations who rule now the world to entertain the masses.
As the action is set in the year 2018 for this 1977 film you have to ask yourself just how close are we to the world that Rollerball projects for our future?
James Caan plays Jonathan E in the year 2018, and he is star champion of the ultra violent sport called Rollerball.
But his joy won't last long: Bartholomew (John Houseman), head of the corporate power and supporter of the Houston team for quite a long time, wants him out for reasons he doesn't feel like explaining.But Jonathan has no intention of retiring: the rollerball is everything he has.
But what I saw when watching "Rollerball" was an inert, dreary film that establishes a central conceit early on and then spends the rest of its lengthy running time not developing that conceit at all.James Caan is zoned out in the central role of a celebrity Rollerball player who is asked by the shadowy corporate entities who seem to run everything, and who are represented by John Houseman, to retire because he has become too famous and is setting a bad example of an individual who is becoming more powerful than the masses.
It's movies like this that make the 70's my favourite decade for film.It's the story of one man's refusal to accept his assimilation into a society run by corporations.
The three games of Rollerball are breathtaking and if you just like action movies, it's worth seeing just for those.
The Pinnacle of 1970s Sci Fi. One of the grimmest and most effective projections of the corporate future, Rollerball is unrelentingly dark in its portrayal of a high profile athlete(Jonathan E.- James Caan) who begins questioning the assumptions holding his world together.
James Caan is Jonathan, the best player in the game and the powers that be want him to retire. |
tt0095403 | Ging chaat goo si juk jaap | Inspector Chan Ka-kui has been demoted to highway patrol as the result of his handling of his previous case, which involved the violent arrest of crime lord Chu Tao and heavy property damage. The new duty pleases his girlfriend, May, who is glad that her boyfriend is no longer taking difficult cases and has more time to see her.
However, the happy mood changes when Ka-Kui is greeted by Chu Tao and his bespectacled right-hand man John Ko. It seems Chu Tao is terminally ill with only three months left to live, so he has been released from prison, and while he is still alive he vows to make life difficult for Ka-Kui. John Ko and some henchmen show up at Ka-Kui's apartment and intimidate him, baiting the policeman to attack. Later, May and her mother are beaten by John Ko and his men. Ka-Kui can no longer hold back, and he lashes out against John Ko and his men at a restaurant.
Ashamed of his behavior, Ka-Kui resigns from the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. He plans to take a trip to Bali with May, but while he is at a travel agency in a shopping mall, some police officers see him and report that the mall is under a bomb threat. Unable to resist the urge to get involved in police work, Ka-Kui tells the officers to sound the fire alarm and have the mall cleared, and agrees to take responsibility for the decision. A bomb does indeed explode, and the entire mall is leveled by the blast.
Ka-Kui is praised for his efforts, and he is reinstated and assigned to solve the case of the bombing. Ka-Kui plants a covert listening device in the mall property company's office to try to learn more about the bombers. This leads to a suspect who is a deaf-mute and is a fierce martial artist and explosives expert.
The bombing gang, aware that the police are on to them, plan a simultaneous bombing of the property company and the police headquarters. They double their ransom demand to $20 million and kidnap May, luring Ka-Kui into a trap in which he is strapped with an explosive vest and forced to pick up the extortion money from the property company. However, after picking up the money, Ka-Kui tells the gang that they are being followed and split up. Ka-kui, still holding the ransom, is able to drive his car into a tunnel so that the bomb he is wearing cannot be activated and he strips it off. He then goes to rescue May, who is being held in a warehouse full of fireworks. Ka-Kui again faces the deaf-mute man, who throws small firebombs at him. Ka-Kui then gains the upper hand and brutally retaliates against the mute man, finally throwing him off a third story catwalk onto a pile of plastic drums below. Ka-Kui then rescues May and departs the warehouse, just as it explodes in a huge ball of fire. | violence | train | wikipedia | "Police Story 2" is a movie that mostly shows Jackie Chan's serious side.
The action sequences are superb, and that deaf-mute guy with the incredible martial-arts skills is one of the most memorable villains Jackie ever had to face (literally: I had seen the film only once before in 1997 and I still remembered him clearly).
Jackie Chan in flight is such a joy to behold (especially during the end credits showing bloopers and the injuries from the mind-blowing stunts), as this particular series (five films so far and a spin off from the third feature) along with "Project A" and its sequel would come down as probably his most recognizable home-grown efforts to western audiences.
As for "Police Story Part 2", it continues on from the excellent original to simply match the quality and go on to be a little larger in scale and excitingly explosive
literally.The Hong Kong police force doesn't like individual heroes and that's what they see Ka Kui as.
But it doesn't last long when he's conned back onto the force to help combat against a string of bomb threats involving a gang holding ransom a big corporation.Jackie Chan flexibly directs astonishingly dangerous stunts-galore and inventively rapid, if elaborate martial arts choreography in what is an old-hat, but very busy and comic book pulp cops and robbers chase formula.
Chan Ka-Kui or Kevin Chan(aka Jackie) is a Hong-Kong cop, who scores his first big hit by virtually single-handedly apprehending and arresting a big drug- lord in ¨Police story I ¨ .
Then Chan looks for vengeance against the ominous villains at a cat and mouse game.This exciting movie is packed with intrigue, thrills , unstopped action , suspense , overwhelming stunt-work and lots of violence but with humor .
Jackie Chan is top notch as one army man fighting a group of heinous criminals and as always he makes his own stunts like is showed on the final fake-shots .
Spotlights movie include a stirring car pursuit , Jackie jumping over a bus ,impressive and interminable fights with Chan dangling and downing , a mall blow-up and a breathtaking final explosion and other extraordinary action sequences in James Bond style .
Of course , his big hits were ¨The Police story¨ series that won the Golden Horse Award, a Chinese version of the Oscar , the first was titled ¨Police story(1985)¨ directed by the same Chan , it was a perfect action film for enthusiastic of the genre ; the following was ¨Police story 2(1988)¨also pretty violent and with abundant humor touches.
Its just not as good as the original, but how many sequels are?The plot is simple, Mr.Ku is out for revenge and a series of bombs have been set off in Hong Kong, so its up to Jackie and his regulars to investigate.
For those expecting an all-out stunt-fest like "Police Story," this first sequel in the series will be a disappointment.
Although more character/story-driven (which is a plus for Chan and martial arts movies in general), those who came to see stunts and hard-hitting, slap-happy hand-to-hand combat action will be the ones feeling left-out or cheated.
However, because Ka Kui is a Hong Kong super-cop in need of some action, the aforementioned trouble comes in the form of the gangster he locked up in the first film, in addition to more bloodthirsty criminals and a deaf, gonzo, high-kicking toymaker (Benny Lai) who has an aptitude for rigging RC vehicles with things that go BOOM.
Like its predecessor, "Police Story 2" does have Chan battling criminals like any movie cop, but with a kung-fu vengeance.
The first half hour or so of "Police Story II" is easily it's best and it seems as if the sequel to the original action masterpiece is going to be almost as good.
But Police Story 2 is still good, and a good Jackie Chan movie to check out.
Jackie Chan's fighting scenes are always amazing, but this movie focuses too much on a silly plot and sophomoric humor..
The action scenes are as spectacular as ever - most notably an eye-popping fight in a children's park, and the climactic showdown in an abandoned factory - but the script (credited to Chan and Edward Tang) is weak and uninvolving, and the characters are basically stick-figures, broadly played by an otherwise talented cast whose collective hamminess serves merely to dilute the impact of some pretty violent set-pieces.
** out of ****As the direct sequel to Jackie Chan's highly enjoyable Police Story, I had high expectations for this thriller, but those expectations were only occasionally met, making this an inconsistent action outing that's easily the weakest of the Police Story series.Jackie Chan returns as well, the cop with multiple names (depending on which version you see, he's Kevin Chan, Ka-Kui, or Jackie).
Jackie Chan movies have always been driven by action, so to expect anything different from Police Story II would be foolish.
The movie sets up two of these villains with high skills in martial arts, but they're hardly given a chance to strut their stuff in their fight scenes with Chan, which spend more time doing creative things with sets and props than actually trying to get the adrenaline pumping with an all-out kung-fu battle.Stupidity is something this movie has in spades.
Cheung is one of Hong Kong's most talented actresses, with a seemingly effortless ability to jump back and forth between performing slapstick stunts and humor (as she does here) and delivering powerful dramatic performances (as she did in the wonderful Hero, her best film to date)Police Story II is further weakened by a teeth-scratching score and a poor use of sound (the punches and kicks sound more like a guy beating a two-by-four against a rug, amplified by a broken microphone), but I guess that's to be expected from an 80's chop suey flick.
It tries too hard to rejuvenate the sense and the feel of the first film by having the bad guys of the original trying to kill Jackie off.The plot revolves around the unstable character Kevin Chan (played by Jackie Chan) whose loose cannon approach to police work gets him demoted to traffic duites - this is where he meets up with the bad guys of the original and realises that his life is going to tormented by the crooks he put into jail.Then, half way through the film switches direction for no reason - it turns to a small group of terrorists who threaten a large company into giving them 10, then 20 million dollars.The film gets confusing after a while, although you never watch a film for its plot - you watch it for the kung-fu and brilliant stunts performed by the egnimatic Jackie Chan - this is where he doesn't disappoint.
He makes use of a very low budget and uses every locale to its extreme - for example the jaw dropping fight in the kids playground or the amazing jump on to two moving veichles going in different directions leaves the viewer amazed and shows the unstable character of Kevin Chan exploding onto screen in every essence.The film then ends at a huge warehouse with one of the largest explosion sequences ever filmed in Asia - and right in the middle of it is Jackie Chan.Jackie doesn't disappoint in the action, nor the comedy - the plot and the lack of a credible storyline made this film fall flat on its face.Fortuently we find that Jackie Chan throws away the memories of this film with the amazing film Police Story 3: Supercop..
He is out to stop a band of blackmailing bombers as well as the man he put behind bars in the previous movie.Chan continues to display some of his best martial arts action in this film, with incredible stunt work, daredevil jumps and butt-kicking action.
It's good old-fashion fighting skills with no wires and CGI.The plot is pretty intriguing, though the story is also chock full of slapstick humor, and Chan seems more serious and sensitive in his character role.
The film is fast-paced fun with a lot of decent acting, courtesy, of course, Jackie Chan and Bill Tung.
Well, because it wasn't as action-packed as the first movie.Jackie Chan was, as usual, delivering impressive action and superbly choreographed stunts and fights.
And it is, of course, spiced up with a hint of the usual Jackie Chan comedy."Police Story 2" is an entertaining action movie for sure, but it is not one of the top Jackie Chan movies.
The Hong Kong super-cop (Jackie Chan) must stop a group of blackmailing bombers at the same time that the villains of the first Police Story are out for revenge.As much as I enjoyed this movie -- the humor, the explosions, the fast kicks to the face -- it has to be said that it never quite lives up to the first film.
Things just aren't so good for him, but when the bombers kidnaps Maggie, Ka Kui has had enough, and goes after the bombers.This movie along with the first Police Story is filled with classic action scenes from annals of Jackie Chan's action scenes.
While this movie is not the classic the first Police Story is, it's still one of the best action movies to come out of Hong Kong, and is recommended for viewing..
Although maybe not his best,the first Police Story is definately amongst Jackie Chan's best films.This first[there are two more,and apparently another in production,Yippee!!]sequel is basically more of the same.It does not have the freshness of the original,but remains as good a sequel as one could expect.Once again the film mixes cops,martial arts and comedy.This last element is slightly less prevailant here then in the first film,though there are still some funny moments.Consequently the film is more evenly paced than the original,in which much of the humour slowed the movie down despite often being extremely funny.Unfortunately the action is not quite in the first film's league,there being nothing to match the incredible opening and closing of that film.Nevertheless the fighting,especially a setpiece in a playground,is still impressive and there are two incredibly dangerous stunts that were just darn stupid to attempt,one having Jackie cross a road by means of jumping on a car and a bus and then crashing through a window[real glass,he jumped through the wrong one!],and the other having him slide down a tube and JUST MISS being blown up.Just for equality's sake,co-star Maggie Chung had her hair nearly burnt off and metal bars fall on her!
Perhaps in a response to criticism Jackie's character is less the lone wolf he was in the original and there is more done by other police too,but this feature a rare really emotional scene in a Chan movie,in which Jackie is tied up and has his girlfriends break-up note read to him by the mocking villains.Overall,an efficient sequel that pretty much does the job..
Police story 2 is not as good, funny or action-packed as the original but is still a good movie to watch.There are less fight scenes in this then it was in the first one, but have some fight scenes that are really good.
The playground fight, is one of Jackies best ever.The story is about some drug dealers who are trying to kill Ka-Kui (Jackie Chan) because he put them in jail in the first movie.
He is correct in the fact that the original Police Story was one of the greatest achievements in Hong Kong film history; but the sequel was definitely not a disappointment.
In characteristic Chan style, the film mixes mind-blowing stunts and wonderfully choreographed fight scenes that showcase Jackie's incredible mix of grace, talent, and power.
This film was one of the few times that Jackie Chan played a real character instead of a cartoon.
And the action scenes are incredible.Much like the first couple Lethal Weapon film when Mel Gibson actually got into character instead of relying on his well worn movie star persona like he does in LW 3 & 4, Police Story 2 shows the multi talented Jackie actually creating a fully formed character.
I really don't know why Americans have to put up with a second rate no talent like Lucy Liu when there are so many wonderful Asian actresses like Maggie Cheung out there.I love Jackie Chan, but I have been very disappointed in his by the numbers American films.
I needed this.I saw the first two movies from Jackie Chan's Police Story franchise a few days ago...
I prefer the second movie, as it has more action, better constructed plot, and less silly comedy, but the first one is also rather great and I wholeheartedly recommend it.A direct continuation of 'Police Story', 'Police Story 2' tries hard - very hard - to top it everywhere.
Without spoilers, all of this is addressed in the second movie, and the sleazy corporate boss and his thugs appear again - to give us one of the most spectacular fight scenes in Jackie Chan's entire career.
(And they will give the viewers some great fighting and frighteningly huge explosions, unseen in Hong Kong movies before.) It is hardly the greatest story ever, but it gets the job done, flows nicely and gives us enough action and humour.And the action is exceptional.
Review: I was expecting more from this film because the end fight in the first Police Story was great but I was a bit disappointed with the outcome.
Average!Round-Up: Like the first Police Story, this movie was also directed by Jackie Chan who also wrote it with Edward Tang.
I recommend this movie to people who are into their action/comedy/crime/martial arts movies starring and directed by Jackie Chan & Maggie Cheung.
also a touch of humour that you expect from Jackie Chan, which makes it a fun action fighting experience even for the whole family.
Just like i said Jackie Chans a legend......if this movie can't get any better, Jackie's the man who also directed the film and write the story.
A true action classic and one of the best Jackie Chans movies.
There is no down-slide in the quality - it's a perfect trilogy with sense and incredible stunts (and not only Jackie Chan's character appears in all three movies - that's also excellent and keeps continuity up).Each movie can be described in a few words: No.1 - great (in all aspects - it is one gripping story from the very beginning to the very end) and funny (many scenes are ridiculous); No.2 - raging (Jackie is really off the hook here) and painful (Jackie gets tortured); No.3 - unbelievable (the woman that fights alongside with Jackie is incredible) and bombastic (should a lot of guns and explosions be mentioned?).As to the rest - much has been mentioned by the others.It's a trilogy that can be watched over and over again (at least by me).
Police Story 2 is the second film in a series directed by, and starring Jackie Chan.
The action in Police Story 2 feels much less real and gritty than the first film.
Although there is no "jumping from the top floor of a mall and sliding down Christmas lights" scene like in the first film, there are some great falls, fights and stunts that are worth watching.
John Cheung and Charlie Cho both return from the first film as sub-villains to the story.Similar to the first movie, the best action scenes are at the beginning and the end of the film and as stated the middle lumbers along at a slow pace but its still fun to watch and something about this series so far really grows on you.
Now this is a cool movie, and as Des Mangan says, when we discuss Jackie Chan movies we talk about the action, not the plot: so this is the one where he runs through thick traffic, gets beaten up in a playground by guys with iron bars, and is severely injured in a warehouse brawl at the end.
To me that says little, unless you said that it is the one where the warehouse blows up at the end, then I would know what movie was being referred to.After the events in Police Story, Jackie is demoted to traffic cop and the guy that he busted is now out of gaol.
The acting was good, Jackie Chan has great comic timing and makes the action look easy, although the out takes shown during the end credits show that it was anything but easy.
Also starring Bill Tung as Inspector Bill Wong, Kwok-Hung Lam as Superintendent Raymond Li and Charlie Cho as John Ko. I think the biggest problem is that this film is too chatty, with hardly any comedy, hardly any decent martial arts fights, no relevant thrills, and not enough action or stunt work by Chan, it's no surprise that I dozed off towards the end.
Although the film does lack the freshness and originality of its predecessor there's still a lot to like here, whether it be in the comic interplay between Chan and his superiors - still excellent - or in the action sequences which are even bigger and more explosive than in the original.
This movie essentially begins with "Detective Chan Ka Kui" (Jackie Chan) being unfairly demoted for his heroic actions in the previous film.
Now rather than reveal any more of this movie I will just say that it was a decent sequel for the most part with plenty of action and comedy for those who enjoy this type of film.
This movie is jam packed with creative fight sequences and a lot of stunt work with some violence but with slight humor to go with it as well, which is usual in Jackie Chan films.
The first "Police Story" was a important and essential film in Jackie Chan's career but this one is a solid sequel. |
tt0311113 | Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World | The film takes place in 1805, during the Napoleonic Wars. Captain Aubrey of the British man-of-war HMS Surprise is ordered to pursue the French privateer Acheron and "burn, sink or take her a prize." As the film opens, Surprise midshipman Hollom briefly spies a dark shape in a fog bank. After some hesitation, the call to beat to quarters is given. Aubrey and the other officers at first see nothing, but the Surprise soon comes under attack by the Acheron. The British warship is heavily damaged and its rudder destroyed, while its own shots fail to penetrate the Acheron's hull. The crew tows the Surprise into the fog, where it evades its pursuer.Aubrey learns from a crewman who saw the Acheron built in America that due to a cutting-edge design, the privateer is heavier and faster than the Surprise. The senior officers consider the ship out of their class, and such a ship could tip the balance of power in Napoleon's favor. Rather than return to port, Aubrey orders a refit at sea while they pursue the Acheron. The Acheron once again ambushes the Surprise, but by using a decoy the ship manages to escape in the night.Following the privateer south, the Surprise rounds Cape Horn. In the high winds the topmast breaks, throwing a popular crewman into the water. Aubrey is forced to leave the man to his fate, lest the wreck sink the Surprise. The ship heads to the Galapagos Islands, where Aubrey is sure the Acheron will want to prey on Britain's whaling fleet. The ship's doctor, Maturin, is interested in the isle for the strange creatures claimed to reside on the isles. Aubrey promises his friend that he will have several days to explore the islands.When Surprise reaches the Galapagos they recover the survivors of the whaling ship Albatross, destroyed by the Acheron. Realizing the ship is close, Aubrey hastily pursues the privateer, ordering a departure from the Galapagos. Maturin feels that Aubrey is going back on his word, and is following the Acheron more out of pride than duty. During their pursuit, the Surprise is becalmed. The heat and lack of water lead the crew to believe there is a Jonah aboard someone who is bringing the ship bad luck. Hollom is singled out as the source of the bad luck, and his popularity with the crew plummets; the ship's carpenter's mate openly insults Hollom by failing to salute, and is condemned to a flogging. It is revealed in a deleted scene that the crew's sympathies lie with the carpenter and not Hollom, who later commits suicide by jumping into the ocean clutching a cannon ball. After a memorial service for Hollom, the wind picks up, followed by a downpour of rain, and the pursuit continues.One of the ship's Marines, attempting to bring down an albatross, accidentally shoots Maturin, who quickly loses consciousness. The surgeon's mate informs Aubrey that the bullet dragged a piece of the doctor's shirt inside his abdomen and must be removed or it will cause a deadly infection. The surgeon's mate states that the operation should be performed on solid ground. Despite closing in on the Acheron, Aubrey turns around and takes the doctor back to the Galapagos. Maturin performs surgery on himself using a mirror and removes the bullet and piece of shirt.Having relented his pursuit of the Acheron, Aubrey grants Maturin the chance to explore the island before they head for home. On crossing the island looking for a species of flightless cormorant, the doctor discovers the Acheron, anchored in a bay on the island's opposite side. Abandoning his specimens to make it back quickly, Maturin warns Aubrey, and the Surprise readies for battle. Due to the Acheron's sturdy hull, the Surprise must get in close to deal damage. After observing the deceptive qualities of one of Maturin's specimens a stick insect Aubrey has the idea to disguise Surprise as a whaling ship, assuming the French, in their greed, would close to capture the ship rather than destroy it outright. The French take the bait and the Surprise pulls alongside the frigate, destroying her mainmast. Aubrey and Pullings lead boarding parties across the wreckage. With the help of whalers freed from the Acheron's brig, the French ship is taken. Looking for the French captain, Aubrey is directed to the sickbay, where the French doctor tells him his captain is dead. The doctor offers Aubrey the captain's sword.The Acheron and Surprise are repaired. While the Surprise will remain in the Galapagos, Pullings is promoted to Captain and charged with sailing the captured ship to Valparaiso. As the Acheron sails away, Maturin mentions that a French crewman had told him that their doctor had died months ago. Realizing the Acheron's captain tricked him by dressing as the doctor, Aubrey gives the order to beat to quarters and escort the Acheron to Valparaiso. Maturin is again denied the chance to explore the Galapagos. Aubrey wryly notes that since the bird Maturin seeks is flightless, "it's not going anywhere", and the two begin to play Luigi Boccherini's "La Musica Notturna Delle Strade Di Madrid No. 6, Op. 30" on cello and violin as the crew assumes battle stations. | dramatic, action, historical, boring | train | imdb | "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" is half swashbuckling action movie, half detailed examination of life in the 19th-century British navy, and all entertaining.
Director Peter Weir has created an intriguing film that nicely balances fierce battle sequences with quiet, intimate scenes.Nearly all of the film takes place aboard the HMS Surprise, under the command of Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe).
Rather than casting good-looking Hollywood types as crew members, Peter Weir went after people who look like believable seamen who are also great actors in their own right.
Excellent performances by Crowe and his doctor right-hand-man played by Paul Bettany only add to the thrill.The film also has a great original and non-original score which makes it flow perfectly.
Pirates of the Crappy Be-in was a cute romp, but Master and Commander has real ships, real crews, real cannon,convincing characters, historical accuracy and a REAL film director.Director/ Peter Weir (Witness) has returned big time and, with this one film, revived classic Australian realism, actually surpassing the production values of Peter Jackson's Ring Trilogy.
His style is very compromising and clean, you are not surprised by originality, but you can enjoy the professional touch he has in his work.Another Australian, Russell Crowe is also a professional, but has some weak points in his acting, mainly caused by certain machismo he desperately tries to maintain in all his characters.Rest of the cast was unfamiliar to me and I had not read any Patrick O'Brian books.
But the sea itself, tall ships and the Napoleonic Wars are of course great elements to base the story on, especially for a amateur war historian and summertime sailor like me.I was surprised, how truly good Master and Commander was.
One of the best things in Master and Commander is the heartwarming friendship between these two characters.It's like Weir and Crowe were born and trained to do this movie.
The guns and cannons look like artifacts to the modern viewer, but they're also well-kept and shiny.The dialog is fantastic, too
I can't remember exact quotes, but when Crowe gave some of his powerful, rallying speeches to the crew, I was ready to climb the mast myself.This movie is an incredible addition to the action/adventure/historical genre.
'MASTER AND COMMANDER' did that, and even if you play the DVD on a plain TV, you would still marvel at the realism of the sound.Finally, unlike every other sea movie that preceded it, the special effects were seamlessly integrated into the real footage of the ships at sea.
I also remember feeling embarrassed as a teenager buying a ticket for a movie with such a florid title as 'Master and Commander: Far Side of the World' and Russell Crowe on the poster looking like a butch sailor with an unbuttoned uniform staring wistfully off into the future.
As a film it rates right up there with Captain Horatio Hornblower which starred Gregory Peck and Damn the Defiant with Alec Guinness, a couple of films I liked very much.Russell Crowe completely fits my conception of Patrick O'Brian's Napoleonic naval hero 'Lucky Jack Aubrey'.
The books have been best sellers for years and this is Jack Aubrey's first screen appearance.The film opens with Crowe in command of a ship that's just seen a lot of action and it's not in the best of shape.
The action takes place in 1805 right after the Battle of Trafalgar and the United Kingdom is still keeping a lot of ships close to home.Crowe is nothing short of outstanding as Aubrey the charismatic captain of this vessel.
He gets good support from the rest of the cast, my favorites being ship's surgeon Paul Bettany and Max Pirkis as the young midshipman who Crowe takes a fatherly interest in.In a sense the character's nickname of 'Lucky' is a misnomer.
From the standpoint of the story and cast, Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey is the ultimate star of Master and Commander.
It was very well deserved.Based on Patrick O'Brian's novels about Aubrey's adventures, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World follows the Surprise, as it battles the Acheron, a superior U.S.-made ship in Napoleon's navy.
Captain Jack "Lucky Jack" Aubrey (Russell Crowe) of the Royal Navy commands the HMS Surprise , he fought with Admiral Nelson on Nile and is under orders of British staff to capture the three-masted French privateer Acheron, which has sunk several vessels .
The battle scenes are great, but what makes this more than simply an action entertainment are the discussions and interactions between Aubrey and Maturin that are at the heart of the film.
Music plays an essential role here; I know some people who remember this movie mostly for its music.Breathes there a man with soul so dead, yea even a landlubber, who is not stirred when the drums start beating and the Surprise heads out in pursuit of the Acheron?This was a staggering undertaking and fortunately all the effort paid off in producing a wonderful film..
All the cast are exceptional, not least Crowe and Bettany, who create real characters of true warmth, integrity and charisma.If I ever won the lottery I would build myself an IMAX screen just so I could watch this movie on it all day.
I'd categorize it as part of the "drama set on the high seas" genre."Master & Commander" isn't what I'd call a "chick flick" (whatever that is), but it's as close as you can get for a movie with about .08 minutes of total female screen-time.
I love the entire supporting cast, from the complaining Captain's steward, to the grouchy old George Innis seaman character
I could go on and on, they're all brilliant.The overall particularly stand-out performances in my mind are: Russell Crowe, who provides such a performance of depth, as always, that it made me wonder what's really going on inside the mind of Jack Aubrey.
This is a film that holds its own by pulling you into its atmosphere with masterfully developed characters, beautiful photography, fantastic ship battles, good score, and surprisingly fine acting.
Just unexplored boundless ocean, people on the certain ship and that's it.Peter Weir is a director who has made lots of very good but different from each other movies (worth to mention among them Dead Poets Society, The Witness, and The Truman Show).
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is directed by Peter Weir, it stars Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey and Paul Bettany as Stephen Maturin.
The film takes place during 1805, during the Napoleonic Wars and finds Captain Jack Aubrey and the crew of British frigate HMS Surprise ordered to intercept, destroy or take as a prize the French privateer Acheron.
Except for an interlude spent on the lusciously filmed Galapagos Island (Russell Boyd Best Cinematography Academy Award Winner), the film is set 99% of the time out at sea, on a cramped ship, this tells you that Weir is interested in telling a character driven story, cloaked in realism, above all else.The teaming of Weir with the highly rated O'Brian material looked a good one, and to someone like me who has never read an O'Brian novel?
Crowe peels off each layer and delivers a high quality performance; from our first encounter with Crowe as Aubrey, the realism so loved by Weir is given a shot in the arm; and it stays throughout the movie.An excellent piece of casting then, as is that of Paul Bettany as ships surgeon, science and nature lover, and best pal of the Captain, Stephen Maturin.
I put this DVD into the player simply looking for some light afternoon entertainment, but instead found a really good movie...The scene for this movie is set rather quickly, as a British frigate (HMS Surprise) captained by "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) is stalked by a larger and faster French warship, in the treacherous seas off South America.
The year is 1805.After setting the scene, director Peter Weir concentrates on character development and we get to know Captain Aubrey and some of his crew, and become aware of the friendship (and at times conflict) between the captain and the ship's doctor (Paul Bettany).
The other central character is Blakeney (Max Pirkis), a young and likable Midshipman.The story traces the voyage of the HMS Surprise as it sails down the coast of South America, via the picturesque Galapagos Islands, and tension steadily mounts as the movie reaches a climax with the final sea battle.Other excellent movies directed by Australian Peter Weir include Dead Poets Society and The Truman Show..
The plot of Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World is actually fairly bland - upon reflection, there doesn't seem to be any way that such a plot could flesh out to a 138 minute picture; thus it is so that the interaction between the men on the ship, and the refreshing absence of female romantic interests, is what makes the movie truly engaging.
I'm not a huge fan of Russell Crowe but when it came to 'Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World', I was able to put aside his thuggish behaviour in real-life as I was swept away by the excellence of the film and his brilliant depiction as valiant Captain Jack Aubrey.I haven't read any of the Patrick O'Brien novels, on which this film is based upon, but I imagine most fans of his work will be pleased by this adaptation as it's clear much effort has gone into preserving details, from the close fraternal bond between Aubrey and the ship's physician Marutin to the depiction of the tactics used to win in battle to the child crew who serve aboard the ship.
And for me, Master and Commander is not only one of his best, but also one of the best period epics from the last few years.Based on a novel written by Patrick O'Brian, it follows Captain Aburey and his ship HMS Surprise, as it does battle with a French ship in the South Pacific and the South Seas...There are many reasons why this movie works so well.The casting is spot-on.
It's to Bettany's credit that he more than holds his own against Crowe, making their relationship believable.The supporting cast, are all impressive, but special mention I think has to go to Max Pirkis as Blakely, one of the boy officers on the ship.The script by Weir and John Collee gives the actors plenty to work with.
Most of all the impenetrable language (toned down for the movie) sets you amid the detail in a totally vivid completely & alien world which you can nevertheless relate to as these men built the world we live in nowFor a movie fans point of view Peter Wier maybe went to far slavishly adapting the books, but give the guy a break, look at his track record (TRUMAN SHOW etc) If I were a producer I'd let him do whatever he wants with whatever budget.From an O'Brian fans point of view this is much better than anyone could reasonably expected and I can only say to those that enjoyed MASTER AND COMMANDER that if more come in the series in the same vein (wait until you see the various wives and families, the damn Yankees, the battles in the south atlantic, the adventures in the Indian Ocean, the spy plots in France and London, the feasts
) you're in for a real treat.Note this is an adaption of two novels Master and Commander, and The Far Side of the World (hence the title) & enemy ship in The Far Side of the World is actually an american ship :-).
Crowe's delivery is very reminiscent of Richard Burton, exuding a measured screen presence without overpowering the dialogue.It would have been easy for the director to read through the salty notes of previous period pieces and deliver the usual tale of ocean going brutality and scurvy encrusted woe but Peter Weir's version of order through respect and camaraderie is far more believable especially when you realize that the sailor's greatest enemy was the ocean itself.I found little to dislike and much to admire.
Crowe's delivery is very reminiscent of Richard Burton, exuding a measured screen presence without overpowering the dialogue.It would have been easy for the director to read through the salty notes of previous period pieces and deliver the usual tale of ocean going brutality and scurvy encrusted woe but Peter Weir's version of order through respect and camaraderie is far more believable especially when you realize that the sailor's greatest enemy was the ocean itself.I found little to dislike and much to admire.
After LA CONFIDENTIAL, GLADIATOR, and A BEAUTIFUL MIND, I believe that he can even tackle the ultimate macho role: 007 (Move over, Pierce).The most pleasant surpise that I found throughout the film occurred within the reunion between Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany (Dr. Stephen Maturin) as they played the two main characters.
20th Century Fox, Miramax Films, Universal Pictures:Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.**Russell Crowe** **Paul Bettany **Edward Woodall** **James D'Arcy**Directed by Peter Weir.
This film is not just a masterpiece of its genre, but a time machine that takes you there in fact.Every moment of Master and Commander is informed with feeling and thought that is so true to real life that it sets a new standard for the art of movie making.
Do check this out if you like Russell Crowe-giving another fine performance, Naval sea-battles, Errol Flynn movies, or just plain old well mounted, intelligently made, written and acted epics.
Truth is Peter Weir has made some good efforts over the years at making a great movie and in my opinion has not really made one...oh I hear the groaning and to some degree I agree...Dead Poets Society was pretty close to the mark but I don't share the general enthusiasm for The Truman Show and...well that is all past and "Commander" is now and it is a hand full.Running two hours and eighteen minutes it passes the true test of such length movies...it passed very quickly!There will be plenty said about Russel Crowe, and as much as I detest his too much macho off screen persona, I got to give it to him the man can play the role of a hero.But the award winners of this piece are a really neat young fellow named Max Perkis who plays Midshipman Blakney and for a fact steals the show.
Performances are excellent throughout and Russel Crowe will certainly be put in Oscar contention for his role as Aubry.I think some may criticize some of the pacing of the movie but I think it captures the fact that life on a ship like this was sometimes boring, fun and very dangerous for short periods of time.If I only have a one criticisms of the movie the are for the lack of exposition on Dr. Maturin.
Meanwhile his confidante, the ship's surgeon (Paul Bettany), questions his stubborn decision to continue the pursuit.There's no doubt that Master and Commander is a handsome film (beautifully photographed by Russell Boyd) and a great deal of effort has gone into faithfully recreating 19th century shipboard life.
There is much to admire about Peter Weir's adaptation of the British sea voyage novels, "Master And Commander: The Far Side of the World".
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World tells the story captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey.
Master and Commander brings to the screen Pat O'Brien's epic of Captain 'Lucky' Jack Aubrey's (Russel Crowe's) hunt for the privateer Acheron.
Nearly all of the film takes place aboard the HMS Surprise, under the command of Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe).
He provides a grounding force for the captain, and the friendship between these two dissimilar men is the emotional heart of the story.I've yet to read any of the Patrick O'Brian series upon which "Master and Commander" is based, but the movie shows every evidence of being derived from a painstakingly and meticulously detailed work, one which has gone to great lengths to re-create the world and environment of these men.
He provides a grounding force for the captain, and the friendship between these two dissimilar men is the emotional heart of the story.I've yet to read any of the Patrick O'Brian series upon which "Master and Commander" is based, but the movie shows every evidence of being derived from a painstakingly and meticulously detailed work, one which has gone to great lengths to re-create the world and environment of these men.
It's a place where both close friendships and deep resentments can grow, and the tension in the air at times feels like a living presence.Crowe dominates the production, once again proving himself one of the best leading men working in movies.
It's a place where both close friendships and deep resentments can grow, and the tension in the air at times feels like a living presence.Crowe dominates the production, once again proving himself one of the best leading men working in movies.
Most of the rest of the crew tends to blur together (the exceptions include a young officer who's right arm gets amputated early on, and later takes command of the ship), but "Lord of the Rings" fans will be amused to notice Billy Boyd among the ranks.The combination of action and introspection in "Master and Commander" at times seems like an odd mix, but the film succeeds on both levels.
Most of the rest of the crew tends to blur together (the exceptions include a young officer who's right arm gets amputated early on, and later takes command of the ship), but "Lord of the Rings" fans will be amused to notice Billy Boyd among the ranks.The combination of action and introspection in "Master and Commander" at times seems like an odd mix, but the film succeeds on both levels.
And your commander is Jack Aubrey, played with stunning realism by Russell Crowe.Based on the novel by Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander begins right in the middle of the action. |
tt0486822 | Disturbia | The film begins with a teenage boy and father fishing together. Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf) and his father, Daniel (Matt Craven), are involved in a car accident while returning from their fishing trip, which takes Daniel's life. A year passes in which Kale remains in a consistent state of melancholy and lifelessness. One day near the end of the school year, he is reprimanded by his Spanish teacher, Señor Gutierrez (Rene Rivera) for sleeping during class. When the teacher goes on to ask Kale what his father would think if he could see him now, Kale punches him in the face and proceeds to attack him. For this assault, which under normal circumstances could lead to a year in a juvenile detention center, he is sentenced by a sympathetic judge (Charles Carroll) to a three-month house arrest period with an ankle monitor and a proximity sensor, which prohibit him from roaming beyond the boundaries of his house and yard. He then learns that one of the police officers monitoring him is the teacher's arrogant cousin (Jose Pablo Cantillo), who takes delight in humiliating and embarrassing Kale in front of others, such as one occasion where he is forced to the ground after accidentally going past the limits of the yard, while chasing a group of boys that play a prank on him.Initially, he satiates his boredom by playing video games, but shortly after, his mother, Julie Brecht (Carrie-Anne Moss), cancels his subscriptions to the iTunes Music Store and Xbox Live, as well as cutting the power cord of his television, to force him to help around the house more. His boredom leads him to spy upon the surrounding neighborhood. One night, Kale becomes suspicious of his neighbor, Robert Turner (David Morse), who returns home in a 1967 Ford Mustang with a dented fender, matching the description given on a news report detailing an errant serial killer from Austin, Texas. Kale and his best friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo) begin to view the girl next door, Ashley Carlson (Sarah Roemer). She is alerted to their spying when Ronnie's binoculars collide with the window; she subsequently decides to join them.Ronnie and Ashley dismiss Kale's suspicions initially, regarding them as based on circumstantial evidence. But they become gradually more involved when events inside Turner's house lead them to believe that he has been abducting women and murdering them there. Kale observes a woman Turner had picked up from a nightclub trying to escape the house in a panicked state. However she is later seen to leave. Thinking nothing is wrong, Ashley has a party, which Kale ruins by blasting Minnie Riperton music out his window. After Kale and Ashley have a conversation, they start making out. A scene then shows blood splattering on Turner's window, which both teens fail to see. Later, with Kale and Ashley watching, Turner is seen to drag a heavy bag to his garage, which Ashley claims to have seen blood on.Kale insists that Ronnie break into Turner's car to get his garage door opener to continue investigating. While Turner is at the store to buy a shovel, Ronnie retrieves the garage door opener code but unfortunately leaves his cell phone behind. That night, Kale keeps spying on Turner and leaves messages on Ronnie's cell phone. When Ronnie discovers that he left his cellphone in Turner's car, they attempt to get it back by opening the garage door. They do this successfully and Ronnie finds the bag and says he can see hair in addition to blood, leading the two of them to conclude that it really does contain a human body. The garage door is suddenly shut and Ronnie hides in the house while Kale attempts to rescue him, in the process, alerting the police to the breach of his house arrest. As the police arrive they search the house and discover that Ronnie does not seem to be anywhere inside. Checking the garage reveals that the bag contains the remains of a deer that Turner had hit on the interstate. Kale fears Ronnie is dead, but later discovers that he escaped, unharmed, fearing that he would be caught if he stayed and confessed to breaking into the house.Kale's mother Julie then goes across the street to talk to Turner herself, in hopes of steering him away from pressing charges. While she is there, Kale watches Ronnie's tape, which he left on the whole time he was making his escape from Turner's house. As Ronnie falls over in his haste in the tape, he accidentally filmed something hidden behind an air vent, so Kale zooms in to see what it is. It looks like a clear bag, with something in it. He zooms in further and sees what is clearly, the dead body of a girl. At the same moment, Turner knocks out Julie.Turner then moves into Kale's house and hits Ronnie on the head with an aluminum baseball bat. He then goes after Kale, who tries to signal the police by unplugging his proximity sensor, then runs outside to trigger his ankle monitor, but in the end fails to escape. Turner knocks him out and duct tapes his limbs together, as well as duct tapes his mouth shut. Turner then reveals his plan to frame Kale for the murder of his mother, due to grief over his father, and Ronnie, due to annoyance over going out with Ashley, before killing himself. As Turner has Kale writing a suicide letter to Ashley, she enters his bedroom, surprising the killer. Kale knocks Turner down, giving him and Ashley a chance to escape. They leap out of Kale's window, landing in Ashley's pool, also alerting the police of Kale's escape.Kale grabs a pair of garden shears and goes to search for his mother in Turner's house while Ashley goes to warn the police. In a room resembling an operating theatre, Kale finds credentials belonging to Turner's previous victim, the redheaded club girl, as well as a wig, suggesting Turner wore the wig and it was him Kale saw leaving the house. Officer Gutierrez arrives at the scene in the hope of charging Kale for breaking and entering, but he is killed when Turner sneaks up behind him and breaks his neck. Proceeding to the basement of the house, Kale falls through the floor and finds himself floating in a pool along with several dead bodies in various states of decay. He manages to climb out and finds his mother bound and gagged underneath the foundation. Turner suddenly appears from behind Julie and attempts to silence Kale and his mother. Julie stabs Turner in the leg, giving Kale time to kill Turner with the pair of gardening shears. As Kale and Julie exit the garage, the police arrive, and their ordeal with Turner is over.The next scene then shows Kale in his kitchen getting his ankle monitor removed and released from house arrest for "good behavior". It then shows Kale getting revenge on the neighborhood kids who put a bag of flaming dog feces on his porch, provoking him to leave the bounds of his house arrest while chasing them, and water-bombed him the night Ashley had her party. Previously in the movie, he had discovered them watching pornographic TV while looking out from his window. This time he is watching them with Ashley and calls their mother pretending to be with their satellite TV provider and says someone is currently watching adult movies in their room. Their mother rushes into their room and discovers the boys, securing Kale's revenge but then he says that he hopes for more as that was only his first strike.In the end Ashley and Kale begin making out on a sofa when they are interrupted by Ronnie, who is fine apart from a black eye, filming them with plans to put the video up on YouTube. Nevertheless, they do not show any sign of annoyance other than Kale doing a half hearted middle finger at Ronnie. The film ends with the song (One Man Wrecking Machine). | comedy, suspenseful, neo noir, murder, mystery, violence, revenge, prank | train | imdb | While it clearly tries way too hard to be hip, and the staggering amount of product placement serves only to distract, the story serves its purpose of allowing DJ Caruso to pull every trick out of the book, to very satisfying effect.Shia LaBeouf just about gets by on his charm, but also hints at his ability as an actor, which was firmly cemented through his stunning performance in 'A Guide To Recoginzing Your Saints' last year.
His character is nothing new, nor is his predicament, but he remains likable enough and it is hardly difficult to see why he is so taken by his new neighbour, played by the gorgeous Sarah Roemer.David Morse is appropriately creepy as the neighbourhood nut-job and Carrie Anne Moss, while given little to work with, is fine as LaBeouf's mother.The story unfolds well, and the red herrings serves to stretch the anticipation until the brutally tense finale.
After all the other rated PG13 thrillers that have come out in the past six years or so, DJ Caruso, who directed, proves that it has always been possible to make a good suspenseful thriller these days without all the gore.Shia Labeouf plays Kale Brecht.
Yes Disturbia is a blatant rip-off of that movie, but it is done with skill, and the acting by all, including Carrie Anne Moss as Kale's mother, was very good.
All the characters are likable, and David Morse's turn as the creepy Mr. Turner was well done as well.Disturbia may not be a great movie, but it is definitely one of the best PG13 thrillers in years.
Disturbia tells the story of a teenage boy named Kale who is sentenced to three months house arrest after punching a teacher in the face for making a comment about his recently deceased father.
Disturbia is loosely based off the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window, but it is still a film all in itself, and it is the best thriller I've seen in a while.What makes this movie better than most horror movies that are released today is that is doesn't rely on excessive gore and gross out tactics to frighten you.
Shia LeBeouf was a likable protagonist, Carrie-Anne Moss did a great job in her role as the mother, and David Morse played an exceedingly ominous and creepy neighbor.
It had a new and fresh feeling with teens and it worked, despite how it seemed a bit more predictable than Rear Window, it still was pretty clever.Kale has had a rough year, while driving his father back from their father/son fishing trip, they get into a horrible fatal car accident, the Father dies, but Kale is alive trying to deal with the guilt of what happened.
Actually since every rom-com follows that exact plot sketch, they are more derivative than Disturbia to Rear Window because Caruso takes a premise, updates it, and makes it his own.Worried that this might end up as another lame duck attempt from the director, I didn't have too lofty of expectations.
Later I found that it is somewhat similar to Rear Window the Hitchcock movie and is on the same lines; that made me go and see this movie.It is the story of a young boy Kale (Shia LaBeouf) who is sentenced to 3 months of house arrest and finds ways to peep through his windows in neighbors' lives one, the recently moved neighbor girl Ashley (Sarah Roemer) and another middle aged guy Mr.Turner (David Morse) who our young boy and his friend Ronnie (Aaron Yo) suspects as a killer.
There are a couple of minor annoying scenes like the love aspect (quite unnecessary I thought, but may be required for today's young audiences) and the usual cliché of thriller movies.
But overall the movie is entertaining.Shia LaBeouf is not a great actor, but does a decent job, so does the Sarah Roemer, Aaron Yo and David Morse.The camera work is excellent because it shows only that much which would make you eager to peep beyond the camera frame to see what is there and that keeps you engaged.
The young cast give very good performances in what is much like a smart teen romantic comedy, and the opening scene is very well done.If you just enjoy sitting back and watching a thriller then you'll enjoy this, A LOT, but if you're a fussy nit-picker who think they are beyond teen thrillers, you better stay away.It's co-written by Carl Ellsworth who also wrote RED EYE and if you enjoyed that you should enjoy this.
The direction is good also.The music choices are cool too.Lot's of quirky humour and scary set pieces keep you entertained in a fun suspense-mystery-thriller."Rear What?" Disturbia - 9/10..
Really good version of Rear Window where a kid on house arrest realizes that his neighbor is a serial killer.While not scary as such (you can pretty much guess where this is going to go because it is by the numbers) this is a nice thrill ride that will keep you watching to the end.
If there is a flaw its that the film could almost be a well made TV movie, there really is no reason this needed to be seen on the big screen (other than the attention a genuinely good thriller would attract).
When Ashley sees Kale and his friend Ronnie (Aaron Yo) at the window, he tells out of the blue that their neighbor Robert Turner (David Morse) seems to be a wanted serial killer from Austin, Texas.
He's not the most inventive director out there but, and this is a compliment, "Disturbia" with someone more inventive directing, would have been another movie
A worse movie.However, after some very disturbing (matches with the title) couple of scenes, Kale (Shia LaBeouf) finds himself in the situation of 'house arrest', which is not good for any teenager.
Then Ronnie (Aaron Yo) comes along, and they discover Ashley (model turned actress Sarah Roemer), and they sense something wrong about a neighbor (David Morse)
And they start watching.Once this basic premise is established, things start flowing.
Also the sense of time
When a cop is walking down a hall and the killer is haunting someone, the cameras change several times, but they are both moving; because it is how it is and time in film shouldn't stop.Another thing that "Disturbia" excels at (and that's why it's better than good), which also has to do with false perception, is in not giving you what you want.
These characters decide to watch him with binoculars.Add dialog that was written by a 10th grader, dramatic music cues that feel more accidentally satirical than empathetic, and pretty weak art direction, and you've got a truly awful teen movie.The most interesting piece of dramatic tension, a relationship between Carrie-Anne Moss and David Morse, is a throw away.
The movie was simply overwhelmingly painful to watch.When the suspense did come ALL the way at the end, I was bored and restless to leave.
Very creepy.CINEMATOGRAPHY: A+ Rogier Stoffers -- For a guy that usually works in comedy, he did a great job with the angles and movements.DIRECTION: A D.J. Caruso -- More used to episodic work but made the transition to feature very nicely.ART and SET DECORATION: A + + Attention to detail was always there.SOUND: A Very nice and steady.The movie started out with an incredible action scene put together by stunt coordinator Manny Perry and SFX Coordinator Darrell Pritchett that seemed as if to set the pace for the entire film.
Let's remake Hitchcock's Rear Window, but THIS TIME we'll make it a teen make-out flick, make the killer not just a wife murderer but a serial killer, toss in lots of Porky's style gawking and drooling, jazz it up with cell phones and computers; and we'll have the perfect movie for today's audiences, which at Dreamworks they assume are idiots.
Somehow, though, there seem to be way too many 2007 movies where watching a pretty actress is the only thing the movie has going for it.REAR WINDOW was a classic 40 years ago and it still reaches an audience in 2007.
With LaBeouf's performance, it was as if he was a completely different person every five minutes with no sense of connection to the rest of the film.The dialog went from stale, to boring, to laughably bad to downright insulting of one's intelligence in no time flat.
All reality is thrown out the window as injuries that would kill any normal person become minor inconveniences, law enforcement procedure is tossed aside for happy Hollywood sentiment, and the final two minutes are so laughably bad that one has to wonder both who approved this film and what mafia Don it was that director D.J. Caruso insulted to land this gig.Perhaps my only lucky break of the night in seeing this was that the projectionist at the theater I was at screwed up the framing half-way through so that the boom mics were present in every shot in the last half of the film.
This is a modern-day teen version of the 1954 classic "Rear Window." To show you how far down the tubes Hollywood has gone since then, instead of a grown, mature adult spotting a criminal across the way, we now have a snotty teenager under house arrest for slugging his high school Spanish teacher.
It really gets carried away, story-wise, when more and more dramatic things occur and some stupid scenes like Kale and his buddy standing in front of a well-lit window spying.
The acting was great, Shia LaBeouf David Morse, Carrie Ann Moss, Sarah Roemer, and even Aaron Yoo as Ronnie the like able character.
I never saw Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window but even if I did I wouldn't judge this movie on questions like "Is this better than the original".
Rear Window is the epitome of Hitchcock's pure cinema, Disturbia differs in telling us what is going on at every moment, simply put, these types of films do not trust audience's enough today as opposed to the '50's.
Rear Window never left the apartment of it's protagonist, which created it's suspense because like the films protagonist, the audience could do nothing about the situation, except try to make people believe that a neighbor is committing a murder.
I would have enjoyed the film much more if Disturbia had been a complete remake of Rear Window, never leaving Kale's room, and us only seeing glimpses of the supposed murderer.
Shia LaBeouf seems to be a decent actor and Carrie-Anne Moss's mother character was one of the most realistic I've ever seen in this type of movie; she was neither an overbearing troll nor a doormat for her son.
All in all, I think the casting was done well and the actors all turned in decent performances, with David Morse's Turner standing out the most.Unlike the other review I just read, I don't think the pacing in this movie was all that good.
I guess if you're a seventeen year old male, you'll enjoy the 65% of the movie that is spent watching Kale's new female neighbor through binoculars, but to me it just seemed to slow down the film.
I think Disturbia would benefit from a few less minutes of swimming neighbors and Hostess products towers (you'll see what I mean when you watch the movie).I gave this movie a six because, despite what I said above and the constant presence of boom mics, this movie actually got my heart racing once or twice and the acting was quite good.
Disturbia disturbs suspense film fans Kale a teenager, loses his father in a horrifying accident on the trip back home after fishing together.
Like most of the teen movies, there are way too many shots of the "hot" girl next door doing Yoga, slow-mo swimming, sun bathing.David Morse's character was the only good thing to watch in this film.
I tend to think that Disturbia tried create a great suspenseful film like "Above Suspicion" but failed completely.
But, there is nothing remotely interesting about this flick and it's submerged in so much putrid banality that one cannot help but to think "hey, haven't I seen all of this before in another movie starring Tom Hanks?" And yet this film is about a hundred times more watered down and it is loaded with the kind of sickening, corny sentimentality that can only be found in the likes of a made for TV Lifetime special.
While Rear Window had you at the edge of your seat this film has you rolling your eyes thinking to yourself "how come no one I knew in High School acted like the characters on screen?
It always puzzles me when characters do that, it's like: "Oh our good friend was brutally murdered, and we were almost murdered too, but its the day after and near the end of the movie so lets pretend were not even thinking about that and just kiss each other and feel all well-adjusted and normal despite an unspeakable horrible ordeal" In short I would expect this for a low-budget B-movie direct to DVD bad movie, but a major studio relese?
With his cabin fever, Kale's imagination might get him into trouble when he begins to believe that his creepy neighbor Turner (David Morse) is a serial killer from Texas.(My Comment) The story was supposed to be a suspenseful thriller, but for the first hour, it moves at a very slow pace.
While it has a moment or so of entertainment, DISTURBIA is not a good film and shouldn't be seen by anyone who loves thrillers.
All in all, just watch rear window, if you want to see someone spying on people, only you also want to see a good movie at the same time..
Or I just look at the center of the screen at all times.)The kids might enjoy this, but if you want to show them what a GREAT suspense film looks like, rent them "Rear Window".(See http://imdb.com/title/tt0047396/) It's sexy and seriously disturbing.
With the police not believing him and his mother thinking he's just acting out, Kale enlists the help of his best friend Ronnie, and the new girl next door, Ashley, to further prove his suspicions.I'd been following the progress of this film since I first heard about it some months ago.
Yes. With a classic, slow-build, characters you actually care about (I was all for the relationship between Kale and Ashley) and a last act that will have you on the edge of your seat, "Disturbia" is definitely a film for fans of the genre to check out..
It takes all the things that made Rear Window a classic, adds in a modern twist and keeps the whole piece just different enough for Disturbia not to feel like a rip-off!
Bored, he turns to the window, where he discovers sexy new neighbour Ashley...and something more sinister in the form of 'Mr Turner' - the next door neighbour whom Kale comes to believe may be a Texan serial killer...Disturbia is brought to life by an excellent cast, who all perform excellently in their respective roles.
I liked everything about this movie, but when I think about it, the thing that surprised me the most was the cast, especially Shia LaBeouf.
I've seen this kind of thing before, in movies like REAR WINDOW, FRIGHT NIGHT, and others.
The movie itself is actually a remake of the Hitchcock classic "rear window" but it has definitely been modernized but in a fun way.The main character winds up under house arrest with a high tech sensor attached to his leg which literally doesn't allow him to be more than a few more feet from the house without there being serious consequences.
One day, one person might think it is great and another day another person might hate it.I guess this isn't really a bold statement since it could easily be applied to just about any movie, but it's what I've got today.My best recommendation would that anyone who finds the premise of this film interesting should really check out Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 masterpiece Rear Window.
Welcome to Disturbia, a cool thriller with big scares." Living under three months house arrest, Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf, Transformers)passes his days spying on the neighbors.
Shia LaBeouf turns in a terrific pulse pending performance, the cast also includes David Morse, Sarah Roemer and Carrie-Anne Moss in this film.
The film follows a teenager who is placed on house arrest and begins to spy on his neighbors, thinking one of them is a serial killer.7/10 Grade: B+ Studio: Paramount Pictures Starring: Shia LaBeouf, David Morse, Sarah Roemer, Carrie-Anne Moss Director: D.
However, add in the incredible acting of Shia LaBeouf, and the film easily jumps up into the "very solid" category.For a basic plot summary, "Disturbia" very loosely follows the premise of Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window".
While homebound, Kale enlists the help of friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo) and new-to-town girlfriend Ashley (Sarah Roemer) to spy on the next-door-neighbor Mr. Turner (David Morse), who they believe to be a serial killer.As I mentioned in the opener, as a "thriller" alone this movie is passable.
I really liked this movie, I would say it's probably my favorite PG-13 horror film and one of the best thrillers of the last decade.For the negative side, it does take a while to get going, the main villain doesn't appear until about 30 minutes in.
A troubled teen called Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeuof)is living under house arrest and is convinced that his next door neighbor is a serial killer after spying on a girl that he likes.
I didn't expect much of this movie since it's been a while since I saw a good thriller (especially one from the last year) but I REALLY liked it. |
tt0068654 | El gran amor del conde Drácula | When their carriage loses a wheel while traveling over the Borgo
Pass, the five stranded passengers, Imre Polvi [ Vic Winner] and four young women --
Karen [Kaydee Politoff], Senta [Rosanna Yanni], Marlene [Ingrid Garbo], and Elke [Mirta
Miller] -- are forced to seek refuge at the Klinik
Dr Kargos. It was near here, Imre explains to the girls, that Jonathan
Harker and Professor van Helsing finally put an end to the king of the
vampires, Count Dracula. The sanitarium once held the laboratories of Dr
Kargos, who was hanged for his unsavory research in blood studies. It has
recently been purchased by an Austrian physician, Dr Wendell Marlow [Paul Naschy], who
is agreeable to putting up the travelers until supplies arrive in a week
and they can hitch a ride back to Bistritz.The first night in the somewhat rundown sanitarium (Marlow is having
difficulty hiring local workers) seems to go well. Karen and Senta share a
room while Elke, Marlene, and Imre have their own rooms, although Imre
finds his way to Marlene's bedroom for a little lovemaking. When Karen
leaves her room to close a window banging in the storm, she runs into a
vampire, but Marlow returns her to her bed, assuring both Karen and Senta
that it must have been a tramp taking refuge from the bad weather. The
next day Marlene and Imre go off alone while the other girls swim in the
pool and explore the sanitarium, ending up in a library where they find an
old book about Dracula's immortality that foretells a time when a true
virgin will fall in love with Dracula and give herself to him willingly.
When this happens, Dracula will be restored to his full power and will
rule mankind for all eternity, and his daughter Radna will also be
awakened.The second night, as Imre makes his way to Marlene's room again, he
is attacked and bitten by the vampire/tramp. When Imre finally makes it to
Marlene's room, he bites her, too. Meanwhile, Karen can't sleep, so she
leaves her bedroom and finds Marlow sitting in a chair, reading. Since
Marlow has been gone all day (checking his traps, he says), they take a
stroll together and talk about his lonely life. The next morning, the
girls notice that Marlene and Imre have disappeared but chalk it up to
them going off together and getting lost in the forest. The girls spend
the day looking for them, until Senta gets her foot caught in one of
Marlow's traps. When they return to the sanitarium, Marlow begins to clean
up the blood but then relinquishes the duty to Karen so that he can get
some disinfectant.During the night, Marlene bites Elke's neck. Senta wakes up and pokes
her head outside her bedroom door. She sees Marlow walking down the hall.
Senta has had the hots for Marlow since the day they arrived, so she
invites him into her bed and he is all too happy to join her, although he
does lecture her afterwards about how they shouldn't have done this.
Besides, Senta is not a virgin. Meanwhile, Imre tries to put the bite on
Karen, but her scream brings Marlow running. Marlow bests Imre and tosses
him out the window. Imre falls on a stick of some sort and is impaled.
Suddenly, Karen is attacked by the vampire/tramp. Marlow fights with him,
but the tramp seems to be getting the best of Marlow, until Marlow catches
up with him and drives a stake through his heart. Karen cowers in Marlow's
arms and reveals that she's in love with him. Marlow promises that they
will leave tomorrow.When Karen wakes up, Marlow is gone. She goes in search of him and
hears him calling her. She follows his voice into a chamber of coffins and
finds Marlene, Elke, and Senta (who has now become a vampire) waiting for
her. Marlow reveals himself as Dracula and tells Karen of his plan to use
her to cause his final rebirth along with the rebirth of his daughter
Radna, then he cuts Karen's neck and drinks her blood. With the first
ceremony completed, he imprisons Karen to wait until the next full moon
when they will perform the second ceremony.When the next full moon comes around, the three vampiresses kidnap a
virgin from the village and whip her until her blood flows. Then they hang
her upside down over Radna's coffin and slit her neck. At the same time,
they slit Karen's wrist so that Karen's blood will mingle with the
innocent virgin's blood, both combining to give life to Radna. After going
through all that in order to awaken Radna, however, Dracula/Marlow
decides, out of love for Karen, not to awaken Radna and has her coffin
tossed in a lake. He stakes Senta through the heart and hangs Marlene and
Elke out in the sun to fry. But, when Dracula/Marlow asks Karen to
renounce her mortal life and unite with him, Karen refuses, so he thrusts
a stake through his own heart and turns to dust. Alone now, Karen begins
the long walk over the mountains to Bistritz.Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl. | romantic, gothic | train | imdb | DRACULA'S GREAT LOVE (1972) ** ½ Paul Naschy, Haydée Politoff, Rosanna Yanni, Ingrid Garbo.
Unfortunately for the travelers, the castle's owner, Dr. Wendell Marlow (Paul Naschy), turns out to be none other than Count Dracula.
Like a lot of '70s European horror movies, the film suffers from slow pacing and a somewhat muddled plot.
In "Count Dracula's Great Love" Paul Naschy plays legendary vampire Dracula.The legend says that he is still lurking in his castle in the middle of nowhere.Four buxom ladies decide to spend the night at the old castle which most recently was used as a sanitarium.Quickly the passengers fall prey to Count Dracula.But Count falls in love with Karen...Javier Aguirre's "Count Dracula's Great Love" is a trashy and sleazy piece of Eurohorror with plenty of nudity and grue.The shots of white mists and dense forests are wonderfully atmospheric and the macabre mood is very sensual.Paul Naschy is memorable as Count Dracula/Dr.Wendell and he plays his evil character with gusto.8 sensual vampires out of 10..
Paul Naschy's version of the notorious character Dracula , it turns out to be an acceptable picture compellingly directed by Javier Aguirre with a good cast plenty of Eurobabes .
A man (Vic Winner) along with four women (Ingrid Garbo , Mirta Miller , Rosanna Yanni , Haydee Politoff) spend the night in an old deserted and rundown mansion on a mountain of a far country , Los Carpatos , Romania .
As Dracula starts a reign of seduction and horror, draining the life from four girls .This thrilling as well as terrifying film contains horrifying scenes , chills , lots of gore and red tomato was used for the blood .
The picture contains a crazy love story , but also nudism , lots of blood and gore as when Dracula stabs enemies and bites women .
It results to be a strong tale as well as sensitive flick with melodramatic touches in which Dracula falls in love with a gorgeous young played by Haydee Politoff .
Other significant horror figures Paul played were the Mummy, Jack the Ripper, the Hunchback, the Frankenstein Monster, the Phantom of the Opera, the Devil and even Dracula , his performance as the Prince of Darkness in this "Count Dracula's Great Love" it was one of his personal favorites.
Rating : Good , it will appeal to mad-cults movies and Naschy fans ; it's one of the best films ..
Imagine a Latin, less animated Bob Hoskins playing Dracula and you've got Paul Naschy in this film.
A group of four women and one guy are crossing through Romania by carriage and as the guy is explaining about Dracula and what not the wheel falls off the carriage and a horses kicks the driver right in the head and kills him, which isn't the best form of criticism.
We later get an explanation (from a narrator or Naschy, I'm not sure) that Drac needs a virgin to bleed onto the corpse of his daughter to bring her back to life and only true love etc etc zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.Luckily this is a Spanish Vampire film and not a Hammer vampire film and things shortly get underway with the neck biting and the staking and naked boobs and the blood and the vampire chicks in nightgowns and more boobs and the slaughter of the villagers and even more boobs, so you've not got much time to get bored.
COUNT DRACULA'S GREAT LOVE (Javier Aguirre, 1972) **1/2.
Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy's take on another traditional monster (making for the blood-sucking Count's beefiest incarnation since Lon Chaney Jr.'s turn in SON OF Dracula [1943]) results in one of his more enjoyable efforts, albeit given the "Euro-Cult" style's trademark languid approach and with a few weird touches all its own.
This begins with the shot illustrating a man falling down the cellar steps of Dracula's castle after having his head split open with an axe being repeated ad nauseam all through the credit sequence!
Also in the cast are Rosanna Yanni (from Jess Franco's two "Red Lips" films from 1967) and others bearing such dubious names as Vic Winner and Ingrid Garbo (her character is named Marlene to boot)!; on a personal note, it was nice to see character actor Jose' Manuel Martin (who had been one of the beggars in Luis Bunuel's VIRIDIANA [1961]) as Dracula' first victim – subsequently 'residing' in his house, he notches up victims of his own and is even killed by the master (oddly enough, all vampires here contrive to dispose of one another) for daring to attack his beloved!
Other unusual ideas, then, include: the fact that Dracula's prowlings occur on full-moon nights (as if he expects to turn into a werewolf?!); his having a dead daughter, which he intends to revive by mixing the blood of a virgin (Politoff, who rather than being vampirized has a knife driven through her throat in the manner of a conjuror's act) and an innocent (a village girl his brides abduct and present before him to be whipped)!; and, perhaps most baffling of all, Politoff's rejection of Dracula's offer to live eternally by his side throws him into such a dejected state (apparently, he has fallen hard for her) that not only is he willing to give up on his daughter's revitalization but actually commits suicide by piercing his own heart with a wooden stake!
As I said, the film is certainly among the better of the star's vehicles that I have come across (though still not adding up to a completely successful work) and, in fact, this viewing inspired me to acquire another Spanish variant on the theme i.e. THE Dracula SAGA (1972), directed by frequent Naschy collaborator Leon Klimovsky but not involving the redoubtable Jacinto Molina himself.
Naschy doesn't physically fit the part of the classic Dracula, but then again he doesn't really play the classic Dracula--he turns the traditional bloodsucking embodiment of evil into a tragic, doomed figure much like his "Waldemar Daninsky"/"hombre lobo" character who can only be cured of vampirism by a virgin who truly loves him giving herself freely to him.In a horribly clichéd set-up a group of attractive young women and their male chaperon have to take refuge in the sanitarium where Dracula lives after a wheel of their carriage falls off and crushes their driver.
This is pretty typical Naschy movie really in that it has the style of an old Hollywood or early Italian Gothic horror movie, but with the old 1970's standbys of blood, boobs, and, of course, bloody boobs.And speaking of boobs, the best way to see this movie unedited today is on the double-feature DVD hosted by Elvira.
Well, this time we have the indefatigable Paul Naschy, starring in a film in which he plays Count Dracula, (he is one of the actors who has played the vampire most times in the history of cinema).The story is simple, a group of people, a man and four beautiful women, get lost in the middle of a carriage ride and seek refuge in an old castle inhabited by a mysterious man, played Naschy.
From there will unleash a story full of attractions and sexual tensions on the part of women towards that attractive and mysterious man.The film is developed in few scenarios, but these are pretty well decorated and detailed so as not to be crappy, which raises the quality of the film.The address of Javier Aguirre is quite contained and correctly fulfilled.Photography, on the other hand, could have been better, although it was not horrible either.And as for the actors, Naschy is much better than usual, showing us a Dracula quite sentimental and full of emotions.
It does have a fair bit to offer Euro horror lovers, like the expected sex (some of the ladies bare their breasts), the violence (the camera really loves zooming in on the red stuff), and the sadism (virgin girls are whipped so their torturers can lick up their blood).
Count Dracula's Great Love (1973) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Four women and their male traveler break down in the forest and must take shelter at a nearby sanitarium, which has a history of evil.
Once there they meet Dr. Marlow (Paul Naschy) but what they don't know is that he's in fact Count Dracula.
Soon the women begin to be turned into vampires with Dracula needing the virgin to fall in love with him so that his dead daughter can return to life.COUNT DRACULA'S GREAT LOVE was the only time that Naschy got to play Dracula and needless to say he did a very good job with it.
As far as the film goes, it's easy to see why it has such a strong cult following because even though there are some flaws to be had the film for the most part is a success thanks in large part to director Javier Aguirre who manages to keep the film moving at a nice pace and he builds up a very good atmosphere.The film is available in a few different versions but the recent Blu-ray by Vinegar Syndrome returns the film to its R-rated cut that contains all of the nudity missing from some version.
As I had said, the atmosphere is certainly a strong highlight as we get all sorts of fog, a great castle and of course some nice bits of blood and vampire attacks.The actresses playing the women all do a nice job in their roles and especially Rosanna Yanni.
I always had some sort of respect for the late Paul Naschy and I even definitely consider myself a fan of the Spanish horror legend, but I really have to be in a special kind of mood in order to enjoy – or sometimes even endure – his films.
I have seen a few Naschy movies that are quite bonkers already, but "Count Dracula's Great Love" is surely one of the craziest.
Our hero Naschy stars as Count Dracula, but he has actually taken the human shape of Dr. Wendell Marlow.
Typically Paul Naschy
In practically all of the films that he (co-)wrote, his character is extremely successful amongst the ladies even though he's not the least bit attractive.
Fans of gory and sleazy 70's exploitation flicks certainly can't complain, though, as "Count Dracula's Great love" is a 80 minutes showcasing of gratuitous nudity and thick red bloodshed.
Purely talking technical, "Count Dracula's Great Love" is truly horrible.
Naturally Count Dracula (Paul Naschy) lives there and attacks them all.
The late great Paul Naschy had his chance to step into the role of Count Dracula, and scripted this weird variation on the vampire.
The deliverer bitten takes a bite out of Imre(Víctor Alcázar), the man of the group staying with Marlow, and it sets of a chain reaction where by film's end, practically everyone is a vampire.
Dracula and the sole survivor, Karen(Haydée Politoff)fall in love and this makes his prospects of using her(..and a village girl virgin)blood to reawaken his dead daughter who has been resting for centuries.
The print I watched, on the Elvira DVD, was rather ghastly.Taking the liberties afforded to him, Naschy's script allows for vampires to slowly disrobe their female targets, as they enjoy their bloody neck meals, the lips steadily moving down the breasts and chests of the women victims.
El Gran Amor del Conde Dracula, or Count Draculas Great Love as it's more commonly know among English speaking audiences is set in 1870 & starts with two hired hands delivering a large heavy wooden crate to an abandoned sanatorium high on a mountain in the middle of nowhere.
Watch it & find out!This Spansish production was co-written & directed by Javier Aguirre & I thought it was a really enjoyable Euro sex/gore exploitation film that has a stab at some genuine style & depth under the blood & breasts.
I loved the ending as well which in my opinion was a brave decision by Aguirre to have things turn out as they did, Count Dracula sacrificing himself because he has fallen in love with Karen works very well & I was pleasantly surprised about how things turned out for everyone without a happy 'hero kills the bad guy & gets the pretty girl' clichéd ending in sight, with better dubbing, dialogue & acting this could have been a really emotional climax.
Paul Naschy is a little on the short side but still makes for a good on screen Dracula, there is also a nod towards his Werewolf films when howling is heard in the night & he comments on it.
Now to the exploitation elements in which El Gran Amor del Conde Dracula doesn't disappoint either, there is plenty of neck biting & dripping blood (usually on naked women's bodies & breasts), whippings, killings, plus there's plenty of naked female flesh & sex as well.
This film is one of the classic Spanish vampire tales, starring Paul Naschy as Count Dracula.
This is considered to be his best performance as a vampire - Naschy having played vampires in other movies.
Four unwary young women end up having to spend the night there, three become vampires, the fourth becomes Dracula's lover.
A quintet of wayward travelers -- one jerky guy and four hottie ladies -- wreck their stagecoach in the middle of nowhere and seek refuge in the opulent castle of Dr. Marlow (glum, stocky, plain-looking Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy, who's miscast, but not half bad in the part), who turns out to be none other than Count Dracula.
This is a very low budget Spanish version of Dracula that is chock full of breasts--sort of like a nudie version of a horror film.
After viewing this Spanish B-picture, "The Great Love of Count Dracula," it's clear to me that I've looked too far.
Anyways, their carriage breaks down, and the film turns into an old-dark-house type of horror movie before the weird voiceover-narrated stuff starts happening.Dracula is portrayed by a short and stocky man--an oddity that's even pointed out by one of the ladies, who says she prefers her men tall and slender.
So while watching it this time I'm pleased to say the quality of this blu-ray release from Vinegar Syndrome made it a much better time.The story follows 5 companions, one man and four women, traveling through the Carpathian Mountains when their carriage breaks down and loses a wheel.
The group walks along in hopes of reaching a nearby castle now owned by Wendell Marlow (Paul Naschy) who in reality is Count Dracula.
He makes the travelers welcome, feeds them and offers them shelter until someone can come and take them on their way.Legend has it that Dracula can return to human form when a virgin offers her love to him willingly, an offering that will include making a blood sacrifice to bring back his deceased daughter as well.
Along the way plenty of flesh is exposed, the typical Euro-horror inclusion of lesbian attraction between the female vampires, gore enough to satisfy those seeking it as long as they keep in mind the film was made in Spain and in 1973 and a lack of concern from the characters over the disappearance of their friends.
I've only come across Naschy in recent years (I know, forgive me) but each time I watch one of his films I see a passion for the genre that many tend to want to deviate from.
With all previous efforts to present this film have been severely lacking, offering washed out prints, visible scratches and a version from Elvira that included her performance as that character, I wondered what this version would look like.
If that wasn't enough, the disc comes with the inclusion of several extras including a commentary track with director Javier Aguirre and actor Paul Naschy, a video interview with actress Mirta Miller, both an English dub and Spanish language soundtracks, a still gallery, an 8 page booklet and reversible cover artwork.Horror fans and Naschy fans will want to toss aside any of those previous releases of this film and add this one to their collection immediately.
Naschy had a very specific body type, so it's great to see those films where he didn't let his shorter, stockier physique get in the way of playing characters that are traditionally tall and/or gaunt.
The plot of Count Dracula's Great Love concerns ye olde sanguine's attempts to procure the blood of virgins and innocents so as to revive his dead daughter (which is a great twist from the usual lost-love pining).
And Naschy proves that he can play a romantic lead without the crutch of Waldemar, though his Count Dracula is more akin to Barnabas Collins than the manic blood-junkies one normally has to endure in a vampire film (though there's nothing wrong with the occasional manic blood-junkie).
Paul Naschy is best know for his roles as Count Waldemar Daninsky, who turns into the Wolf-man.
He takes a break for this film and play Count Dracula.
Naschy fans will enjoy the film, even if it was rudely interrupted by the unfunny Elvira.Four gorgeous babes (Haydée Politoff, Rosanna Yanni, Ingrid Garbo, & Mirta Miller) and their male companion (Víctor Alcázar) end up in an old sanatorium after their carriage breaks down.After they bed down for the night, Imre Polvi (Alcázar) quickly moves to Marlene's (Garbo) bed, while Karen (Politoff) get a scare in the hallway.
Solid vampire film with added Naschy.
It was inevitable that the Spanish king of horror, Paul Naschy (real name Jacinto Molina) would get around to making a Dracula film sooner or later, and this bizarre outing is well worth a look for fans of traditional vampire movies.
Cutting aside, COUNT DRACULA'S GREAT LOVE is a fine vampire yarn which takes things in a different direction from that of tradition, has plenty of fetching leading ladies to watch and some exciting action. |
tt0059243 | The Great Race | The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis) and Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon) are competing daredevils at the turn of the 20th century. Leslie is the classic hero – always dressed in white, handsome, ever-courteous, enormously talented and successful. Leslie's nemesis, Fate, is the traditional melodramatic villain – usually dressed in black, sporting a black moustache and top hat, glowering at most everyone, maniacal evil laugh, grandiose plans to thwart the hero, and dogged by failure. Leslie proposes an automobile race from New York to Paris and offers the Webber Motor Car Company the opportunity to build an automobile to make the journey. They design and build a new car named "The Leslie Special". Fate builds his own race vehicle, the Hannibal Twin-8, complete with hidden devices of sabotage. Others cars enter in the race, including New York City's most prominent newspaper. Driving the newspaper's car is beautiful photojournalist Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood), a vocal suffragette.
The seven-car race begins, but Fate's long-suffering sidekick Maximilian Meen (Peter Falk) has sabotaged four other cars (and his own, by mistake), leaving just three cars in the race. The surviving teams are Leslie with his loyal mechanic Hezekiah Sturdy (Keenan Wynn), Maggie DuBois driving a Stanley Steamer by herself, and Fate and Max. The newspaper's car breaks down and Maggie accepts a lift in the Leslie Special. Fate arrives first at a refueling point, the small Western frontier town of Boracho. A local outlaw named "Texas Jack" (Larry Storch) becomes jealous of the attraction to Leslie shown by showgirl Lily Olay (Dorothy Provine) and a saloon brawl ensues. Fate sneaks outside amidst the chaos, steals the fuel he needs, and destroys the rest. Leslie uses mules to pull his car to another refueling point, where Maggie tricks Hezekiah into boarding a train and handcuffs him to a seat, lying to Leslie that Hezekiah had quit and "wanted to go back to New York".
The two remaining cars reach the Bering Strait and park side-by-side in a blinding snowstorm. Keeping warm during the storm, Leslie and Maggie begin to see each other as more than competitors. Mishaps, including a polar bear in Fate's car, compel all four racers to warm themselves in Leslie's car. They awaken on a small ice floe which drifts into their intended Russian port, where Hezekiah is waiting for Leslie, who in turn casts off Maggie for deceiving him. Maggie is snatched by Fate, who drives off in the lead.
After driving across Asia, both cars enter the tiny kingdom of Pottsdorf, whose alcoholic and foppish Crown Prince Hapnick (also played by Lemmon) is the spitting image of Professor Fate. Rebels under the leadership of Baron Rolfe von Stuppe (Ross Martin) and General Kuhster (George Macready) kidnap the Prince, Fate, Max, and Maggie. Max escapes and joins Leslie to rescue the others. Fate is forced to masquerade as the Prince during the coronation so that the rebels can gain control of the kingdom. Leslie and Max overcome Von Stuppe's henchmen and confront Von Stuppe. Following a climactic sword duel with Leslie, Von Stuppe attempts escape by leaping to a waiting boat, but bursts the hull and sinks it. Leslie and Max return the real Prince in time for his coronation and depart with Fate and Maggie. Fate takes refuge in a bakery but falls into a huge cake. A pie fight ensues involving the racers, the Prince's men and the conspirators.
As the racers leave Pottsdorf (with Maggie now back in Leslie's car), it becomes a straight road race to Paris. Nearing Paris, Leslie and Maggie have a spirited argument regarding the roles of men, women and sex in relationships. Leslie stops his car just short of the finish line under the Eiffel Tower to prove that he loves Maggie more than he cares about winning the race. Fate drives past to claim the winner's mantle, but becomes indignant that Leslie let him win. Fate demands a rematch: a race back to New York.
The return race commences, with newlyweds Leslie and Maggie now a team. Fate lets them start first, then attempts to destroy their car with a small cannon. In the final scene, the cannon misfires, knocking down the Eiffel Tower. | comedy, action, satire | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0087998 | The Deadly Spawn | Two campers are nearby when a meteor falls to Earth and lands in the woods near their campsite. When they go to investigate, they are attacked and eaten by a bizarre lifeform that emerges from the crashed rock, mostly unseen but apparently consisting of multiple heads with hundreds of teeth.Nearby the crash site is a large house located on a rural plot of land. The house is the home of Sam (James L. Brewster) and Barb (Elissa Neil), and their two school-age children, high school age Pete (Tom DeFranco) and his younger brother Charles (Charles George Hildebrandt). Visiting are Aunt Millie (Ethel Michelson) and Uncle Herb (John Schmerling).Sam and Barb rise before anybody else is awake; they have an unspecified trip planned, which Barb hopes can be put off because of the incessant rainstorm. Sam insists, and he goes downstairs to check the basement for flooding. A flapping basement window suggests that the creature from the meteor has taken refuge in the cellar, and sure enough, when Sam goes into the basement, he is eaten by the bizarre monstrosity. Barb suffers the same fate when she goes down to see what happened to Sam; the creature corners her and viciously bites off her face.Aunt Millie is awakened by screaming, but she attributes it to the horror movie that Charles is watching on TV in his room. Charles is obsessed with magic, monsters, and scaring people. When Aunt Millie returns to call Charles to breakfast, he surprises her by wearing a scary mask and costume and setting off flash powder when she opens the door. Pete disapproves of Charles' hobby, being more interested in schoolwork and science. Pete fancies himself a scientist, and he sets up a study date with three classmates, Ellen (Jean Tafler), Frankie (Richard Lee Porter), and Kathy (Karen Tighe).Aunt Millie has plans to have lunch with her mother, Bunny (Judith Mayes), who is planning an extravagant vegetarian lunch for a small group of friends. Uncle Herb, who is a psychologist, is interested in talking with Charles about his interest in the macabre, and Pete suggests that Herb has been asked by their parents to analyze his brother. Herb asks Charles how real the monsters are to him, and if he ever thinks he'll see one in real life. Charles seems to be well grounded, however, understanding that monsters are not real.Uncle Herb falls asleep in the living room, and Aunt Millie heads over to her mother's house to help set up the luncheon. An electrician arrives to investigate a problem with the circuit breaker box in the basement of the house, and Charles sees an opportunity to scare somebody. Slipping on his mask, he creeps down into the basement, which is flooded with several inches of water. But he discovers something strange; the basement is swarming with small tadpole-like creatures, the size of small fish. Charles follows them silently until he finds the electrician's body in a corner, with hundreds of the smaller creatures feasting on it. The creatures are all of varying sizes, from the small fish-sized tadpoles, to arm-sized worms, and there is a huge one, presumably the original, that has developed three different heads. The smaller ones seem to be spawn given off by the adult monster, each with the potential to grow into a full sized threat. The creatures have no eyes, and Charles discovers they are sensitive to sound in which their open mouths, filled with hundreds of sharp teeth, seem to be their receiver of sounds since they apparently do not have ears either. The large three-headed creature almost eats him when he snaps his fingers, and he is only able to distract it by tossing his flashlight into a far corner and allowing it to go after the noise. Adding to the horror, he sees Barb's disembodied head lying on the cement floor, partially consumed by spawn, and realizes that the creatures have killed his parents. Charles stands motionless against a basement wall, unable to move in fear of being discovered by the alien creatures.Meanwhile, Ellen and Frankie arrive for the study session in a flurry of excitement; they have discovered one of the creatures dead on the way over to the house, and they've brought along its body to dissect in an attempt to understand what it is. Frankie hypothesizes that the creature could be from outer space, but Pete is hostile to that idea and dismisses it as ignorance. Ellen reminds Pete that to make suppositions, scientists must have some imagination.At Bunny's house, Millie arrives and helps her set up for her guests; Bunny is unaware that the spawn have reached the house and are lurking in her kitchen. One of them gets into her food processor, tainting the vegetable sauce she is making. When her guests arrive, all of them older ladies, they are horrified when they taste the sauce with the dead spawn in it, and the arm-sized creatures suddenly come at them from all angles, biting at fingers and toes, latching onto their legs and arms like small leeches. The women fight back and smash and kill a number of the creatures, all of them bearly escaping with their lives in Millie's car.Back at the house, Pete, Ellen and Frankie seek out Uncle Herb to get his opinion on the strange creature they've found. They find Herb's body in the living room, with hundreds of spawn eating him from the inside out. The three-headed adult creature confronts them in the hallway, and they run upstairs to Charles's bedroom. Charles, who understands that the creature will chase after them because of the noise they are making, distracts it with a radio, which it eats. Before the creature can find Charles and kill him, the doorbell rings--Kathy has finally arrived at the house. Pete and the others try to warn her from an upstairs window, but she doesn't hear them and goes into the house anyway. The monster nearly grabs her in the hallway outside Charles' bedroom, but she escapes its huge mouth.Desperate to summon help, the teens devise a plan: they will make a dash for Pete's bedroom, where there is a telephone, and they'll call for help. But the monster ambushes them in the hallway. Pete runs to another room, Frankie and Kathy run upstairs to the attic, while Ellen stays in Charles' bedroom and slams the door. The creature, attracted by her shouting, knocks the door down and rushes at her. Before Ellen can escape out the window, the monster bites her head off and her headless body falls out into the front yard of the house.Pete climbs out onto the roof and sees Ellen's body on the ground below. He also notices his parents car, still in the garage, meaning they never left. Kathy and Frankie see Ellen from the attic window, too, and Pete eventually climbs in through the small opening. He is in shock and is delirious, telling them "Ellen's really scared." When he tries to open the barricaded door, Frankie tries to stop him but Pete becomes unhinged, fighting with Frankie and screaming for Ellen. Frankie knocks him unconscious, but it's too late, his shouting attracts the creature. Fortunately, Charles has concocted a plan. Rushing to his bedroom, he assembles a hollow head full of flash powder, embedding a frayed electrical cord in the explosive material.As the creature advances on Frankie and Kathy, Kathy is hysterical and screaming. Charles rushes up the stairs and tells them to be quiet, then he baits the creature with the fake head. At first it refuses to eat it, until Charles gets the idea to scream. The monster immediately devours the head; with the dangling power cord hanging just outside its mouth. Using extension cords, Charles lures the creature closer and closer until he is close enough to an electrical outlet to plug it in. However, one of the arm-sized spawn creatures lands on his right shoulder from the above rafter and begins bitting into him. Charles is forced to use a screwdriver to stab at the spawn attached to his shoulder until the three-headed mother spawn approaches and inadverantly eats the wounded spawn creature from Charles' shoulder, thus freeing him. Charles manages to get at the extension cord and plugs it into an outlet, and the three-headed spawn creature instantly explodes in a gory shower of alien blood and body parts alll over the attic interior.The threat no longer a secret, a massive hunt for the spawn has been mobilized at the house and the surrounding areas as dozens of townspeople converge on the area. Aunt Millie arrives back at the house and cares for the wounded and shaken Pete and Charles as best she can, while policemen and volunteers scour the surrounding woods and bushes for spawn, which they stun with cattle prods or stab with shovels, picks and axes. The creatures are dumped onto various bonfires that the locals set, and are disposed of, including the remains of the three-headed eight-foot mother spawn. Frankie and Kathy are also shaken but alive, and are taken away in an ambulance.In the final scene, several hours later, night falls. The house, now deserted except for a posted patrolman, seems to have been cleared of all the aliens--that is, until the patrolman hears a rumbling in the ground. It seems as if an earthquake is hitting, until the entire hillside next to the house erupts with the head of a gigantic spawn, even larger than the house itself. Looks like somebody missed one! | cult, violence | train | imdb | This is definitely one of the greatest indie/sci-fi/horror/splatter films ever, and I do wonder why it hasn't got the kind of recognition that movies like "Evil Dead" have (no big-budget sequels maybe?).
Extremely low budget, but lively sci-fi horror movie about a group of people trapped in a house full of toothy extraterrestrial monsters, hatched from a fallen meteorite, which look like a cross between a giant salamander and H.R. Giger's creation from the ALIEN movies.
First off, I don't this utterly fantastic piece of low-budget film-making should be referred to as a rip-off of `Alien.' Just because both films share `something' that comes from another world with sharp teeth and kills people doesn't mean they're in the same ball-park!
If anything, this film owes a lot more to old Corman pieces and stuff like `Trilogy of Terror,' `Don't Look In The Basement,' the early Raimi pieces, and the reprehensible `Rabid,' starring Marilyn Chambers.
If there's any connection, real or feigned, it comes from the distributors, who, hoping to cash in on the rumor of a sequel to `Alien' gave `Deadly Spawn' another theatrical as `The Return Of The Aliens: The Deadly Spawn' (hence the odd title), or `Return of the Alien's Deadly Spawn' (if you like Continental's mis-print).I enjoy this film because it's gritty and real, shot in 16mm over weekends only, filled with the normalcy of everyday life - people prepare breakfast and lunch, they feed the cat, they worry about tests, they talk about plaster giraffes.
in the end, science and imagination triumph together in sheer MacGyver genius!This is an independent film, much like `Evil Dead I/II,' with the same tongue-in-cheek approach, plenty of point-of-view shots, the same good editing (though certainly not as tight), and loads of staggeringly elaborate alien and gore effects (that would make Tom Savini proud).
The adult alien is much like Audrey, the blood thirsty plant from `The Little Shop of Horrors,' but has thousands of teeth and an almost-leering grin, while the offspring are part piranha, part mealworm, part eel, part phallus - they like look like something you'd see in a Gwar stageshow or film.
He pokes fun at vegetarians amidst man-eating aliens and ends the film in a 'black humor' finale.A charming film, `Deadly Spawn' overcame some serious distribution problems (imagine that) and eventually grossed something like $320,000 in one weekend (?).
For some it's probably criminally easy to dismiss a movie like this just because of it's low budget, but "The Deadly Spawn" was somewhat of a cult-hit in it's day and it's easy to see why.
The make-up-effects are quite good for a movie this cheap (reportedly it cost just $ 20,000 and ended up making millions), and writer/director Douglas McKeown actually takes time building characters before he lets them die gory deaths (moahahaha).The monsters are quite effective, at least those small eel-like buggers reminiscent of the chest-burster that ruined everyone's breakfast in "Alien" (1979).
It also deserves kudos for - in the end - painting a realistic picture of the traumatizing effects something like this would have on those who survive.If you like alien-invasion-movies in general, or just love the charm of horror on a shoestring-budget, this might be your cup of tea..
the people who made this film obviously loved what they where doing and managed to pull off some great special effects and gore whilst doing so.
It's cheesy, full of gore, has comedy (some intentional, and some unintentional), and cool low budget monster effects.In other words, it's fun.
It is a unique film, and a great standout scene includes the monster's "babys" (they look like mean tadpoles with teeth) attack an old folk's home.
"The Deadly Spawn" is a classic example of a horror flick made on a shoestring budget which is nevertheless worth watching due to the ingenuity of its creators.The plot is basically non-existent.
If you're looking for the epitome of low budget B-movie horror scifi with tons of gore that will make you say, "how the hell did they do that?" then this is your film.
I know you're asking yourself "what makes this film so great, there are about a million other alien b-movies I could be watching" but that's my point the film doesn't try to take itself seriously and accepts what it is, a budget horror film, it doesn't try to be anything more or less.
But if you are after; a giant three-headed slug monster in a cellar, hammy performances, brilliant gore and a shock ending, then this is the hammy pile of lovable 80s schlock is for you.2/5 'The deadly spawn' 1983.
Yes, this has got crap acting, barely any plot, and an out loud shoddy budget, but the crazy alien effects and high gore level make this one a total buzz to sit through.
This is yet another film I remember being advertised when I was a kid, and it didn't disappoint.The plot, as it were, involves a meteorite falling to Earth and disgorging an alien that kind of resembles Audrey 2 from Little Shop of Horrors, only much more toothsome, bigger, and deadlier.
I tell you what it was, hundreds of alien like little monsters (think Critters, but bloodier) who are here on earth, with big appetites as they feed on human flesh.
Return of the Aliens: The Deadly Spawn seems to have blew its wad on the monster effects and ignored crucial things like pacing, storytelling, dialogue and continuity.
The big monster effect looks great, but that's no reason to watch this film, since you have to wade through a story that tells like molasses.
I was wrong...most people actually praise this movie...why?The plot is so random and small (alien mother and her offspring invade a farm house) that it constantly has characters talking about nothing just to fill time.
Four young teenagers, plus one boy, try to find a way to stop the angry space monsters before they reproduce and literally eat humanityI saw Night of creeps/Slither before this movie, I can not believe this one came out before them However I really like night of the Creep and I love Silther think they are both awesome.The space monsters in this movie look like fat slugs that is taller then door and somehow it make (We never get to see how he makes them) small kind worms just like the one in Slither but these are bit bigger has have very sharp teeth to skin in human fleshNice mount of blood his movie decent acting for low budget movie, The ending I was like oh my god, Who have got to be joking, it just so bloody funny, I love the ending so much that I going to give a 10/10 I Know this came in 1983 but it's the best horror I have see this year!.
In some unidentified rural part of United States a meteorite strikes the ground one night.Two unlucky campers are killed by alien critters.The creatures then hide in the basement of the house,where they start to attack and gorily eat various family members and visitors."Return of the Aliens:The Deadly Spawn" is an enjoyable and gory sci-fi horror romp in the tradition of early Sam Raimi kinetic works.The characters are likable,but paper-thin and the gore flows freely.I was impressed by the monsters and the gore makeup in "The Deadly Spawn".Especially the baby alien spawn in the basement looked realistic.The film was actually made for under $20,000.21st Century released it in theaters as "The Deadly Spawn" and then re-released it with the "Return of the Aliens" title because "Alien" was a big commercial hit.Check out this gory piece of alien mayhem.8 out of 10..
You know this grade of film is called a B-Movie and now a days I take it means a horror/slasher movie that is low budget and unknown but if good, it reaches cult status and places like your famous bookstore online services can charge an arm and a leg for out of region DVD's.In short, I give this movie a 10 star rating because for a horror movie it holds all of the elements of it's genre (blood, gore, tragedy and culture shock or moral shock) and it actually left me scared and cringing to my notebook so by far, out of my library, this gem is the most valued movie because it delivers and what's crazy about it is despite it's dated effects, it isn't dated..
What we got was a frenetic, frantic frolic through a mishmosh of movie madness complete with good frights, campy effects and such an implausibly inaccurate story line on how the deadly spawn of aliens are ACTUALLY trying to take over the Earth, that this film will always have a hallowed place in my library..
A young boy obsessed with monster movies discovers that these critters hunt using sound, and sets out to destroy the hungry aliens.A low-budget gory treat for lovers of monster B-movies, The Deadly Spawn has developed a small but loyal following thanks to its no-nonsense story, an enthusiastic cast and a whole load of impressive, and wonderfully gruesome effects.
Despite being made with limited funds, over the course of a couple of years, this nifty nasty not only manages some truly grisly moments (faces are devoured, heads chewed off and eyes eaten out of the sockets) but also delivers a nicely realised main monster (complete with huge gaping jaws, row upon row of teeth and bizarre claw-like appendages) and a whole load of smaller eel-like wriggly aliens.With a running time of only 78 minutes, there really isn't time to get bored of proceedings, although a couple of the talkier moments (in which characters chat about such exciting topics as vegetables and science exams) could've been replaced with more action, and would've seen me rate this enjoyable film 8/10.
A meteorite crash lands in a mountain near a town, a deadly three headed eel-like creature that almost looks like a certain male genitalia with sharp teeth hides out in someone's basement so it can unleash it's deadly spawn to feast on humans, however a kid with four teens must fight off these hideous alien creatures so they can escape.Gory and violent independent Science Fiction horror thriller made on a shoestring budget and took 2 1/2 years to film then it was released in 1983 in theaters, became a sleeper hit and an instant cult classic for years.
There's some good acting for a b-movie, nice pre-CGI special effects for it's day, great music score, twist ending, gore, and cool creature design as well!
Immediately after its landing on earth the "mother"-monster settles in a cozy basement and spawns hundreds of mean but strangely cute-looking little slugs with sharp teeth and an insatiable hunger for human flesh.
The Deadly Spawn (1983) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Good mix of old-fashioned sci-fi and 80s gore about a group of kids who must fight off an alien creature that has taken up in their basement.
If you can take very, I mean very gory horror films and haven't see The Return of the Alien's Deadly Spawn then this is a dream come true for you!
You can admire what they got out of a $25,000 budget, but that cannot hide the fact that "The Deadly Spawn" is a tedious movie to watch.
If you're watching movie called "Return of the Aliens: The Deadly Spawn" you're probably horror fan that's use to campy acting in campy movies.5 stars.
I guess I expected too much from this low-rent independent cult Sci-Fi horror favourite, as it delivered on the cheesy gore and monster effects (an infestation of outer-space slug parasites with imposing pearly whites) that was like something of a old-school 1950s monster throwback, but when that wasn't the case the characters that the story concentrated on were awkwardly dull (outside the young lad) and the dialogues just as mundane.
Have a look at the posters in the hero kid's room and you'll see what the creators had in mind.At times the movie gets quite impressive FX-wise, for example when it comes to the creature scenes in the cellar, which feature great puppetry and theatrical lighting.
But still not as bad as "AVATAR".The characters are a bunch of nerdy kids plus some notably ugly grown-ups, and they altogether have some of the weirdest dialogs you'll ever find in a movie.I give this 7 of 10 for being fun from the beginning to end, for fast pacing, great gore-scenes and total weirdness."WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD?".
The creatures do lots of killing, even in their smaller tadpole like state and they cause a lot of havoc, thank goodness that kid shared the same hobby as Tommy from the Friday the 13th movies, though this came out first so one has to wonder if they stole that particular plot point from this film.
I wonder if this movie is on DVD as I would love to see it again, granted I am sure the effects will not look as good and it will be dated, but from what I remember it will still be enjoyable to watch..
I was quite simply blown away by the final few minutes of "The Deadly Spawn." It is right up there with "Braindead" and "Story of Ricky" in terms of the gore at the end.The plot of this one is great: aliens come to Earth to feed on humans.
You cannot help but laugh at the schlocky creature effects in this flick, add a couple of grade-a, comically bad actors and some above average gore effects and you got a film that is best watched under the influence.
Originally titled "Return of the Aliens: The Deadly Spawn" in an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the original "Alien" movie that came out around the same time this film definitely deserves it's place in the cult movie hall of fame...not terrifying or scary but still a lot of fun!.
Like 'Parasite' which was released a year before this film, 'Deadly Spawn' is one of a plethora of movies which attempted to cash in on the huge success of Ridley Scott's brilliant 1979 science fiction-horror flick 'Alien'.
This is a fun movie about some monster kind of thing coming to earth in a meteor and setting up home in someones basement.
I agree that this movie is definitely low-budget, but only a true open-minded die hard horror and gore fan (such as myself) can appreciate it.
To compare movies like _Return of the Alien's Deadly Spawn_ to say, _Citizen Kane_ is pointless.
I'm actually inclined to say that this one scene is one of the best I've ever seen in a monster movie; in this one moment everything falls into place and it actually becomes better than ALIEN, the film which it was ripping off.
For a LOW budget(..it was indeed a good idea to set most of the film in the central location of one house), the gore effects are quite impressive.
I would recommend The Deadly Spawn to all horror fans who can tolerate cheesy "monster" horror films, it has plenty of blood to satisfy and is highly entertaining.
Cut to the next morning & in a large house nearby Sam (Brewster) & his wife Barbara (Elissa Neil) check the their basement after a vicious thunderstorm the night before & become the latest victims of the huge hungry alien creature that has hidden there, the alien monster spawns lots of slimy tadpole type offspring who also spread out in search of food & they definitely aren't vegetarians...Written & directed by Douglas McKeown this is a terrifically entertaining splatter film from the early 80's, an era when independent filmmakers could turn in a decent horror flick for very little money.
There's a great sense of fun here, there's plenty of gore & alien action & considering the entire film takes place in one location it doesn't get repetitive.
For a start I'd rather watch a film shot with 16mm film than digital video like most low budget horror filmmakers do these days, there just isn't an effective substitute for the look of film in my opinion.
There are a few imaginative scenes like when Barbara is in the basement looking for Sam & he appears to tap her on the shoulder from behind but it turns out that it's just his severed arm in the aliens mouth as it eats it.Unbelievably The Deadly Spawn had a minuscule budget of about $25,000 which to my eyes is incredible, how on Earth could they make a complete film with so many good special effects, edit it, score it & distribute it for so little?
While The Deadly Spawn isn't as polished as a big budget Hollywood effort it's surprisingly well made, it has an The Evil Dead (1982) & Bad Taste (1987) guerrilla film-making feel in the sense all three films were made on low budgets over a period of time largely by people who had little more to offer than enthusiasm.
The acting isn't that great but everyone gives a functional performance if nothing else.The Deadly Spawn (I hate the 'Return of the Aliens' prefix) is a brilliant, gory monster flick from the 80's made for practically nothing.
One of the things that's great about low-budget horror is that sometimes the filmmakers are having so much fun making the picture that it translates to the finished film, and no matter how inept it may be technically, you have to love it anyway.
It's true, people don't win Academy Awards for movies like "The Deadly Spawn", but the character actors on hand here are memorable and very enjoyable.
The young people are very good in this film, too, and Karen Tighe has one of the best horror movie screams I've ever heard.While stories like this are obviously not entirely original, the filmmakers of "Deadly Spawn" have a childlike reverence for the source material, which in this case is the monster movies of the 50s and 60s, as well as EC Comics, and of course the film owes more than a small debt to "ALIEN". |
tt0070909 | Westworld | It is sometime in the near future, in a fictional high-tech adult amusement park called Delos. The park is divided into three zones: WesternWorld, MedievalWorld and RomanWorld. The entertainment in all three areas consists primarily of interaction by the guests with androids programmed to act in character (the Old West, medieval Europe, and pre-Christian Rome, respectively). The androids are indistinguishable from human beings, apart from minor flaws in their hands, and guests are encouraged to indulge in any fantasy, including killing the androids. The androids are programmed to respond positively to guest requests, specifically including requests for sex. Delos's guests pay $1,000 a day for the experience.Peter Martin (Benjamin) a first-timer and his friend John Blane (Brolin), who has visited previously, come to the WesternWorld zone, where one of the main attractions is the Gunslinger (Yul Brynner), a robot programmed to start duels. Thanks to its programming, humans can always outdraw the Gunslinger and kill it. The guns issued to the guests also have temperature sensors that prevent them from firing at each other or anything else living but allow them to 'kill' the room-temperature androids.Gradually, the technicians running Delos begin to notice problems with the androids. In what may be the first mention of the concept of a computer virus in a film, the technical staff describe inexplicable problems and breakdowns spreading "like a disease" between the machines, first in one area of the park and then on to the others. First, the robots in MedievalWorld begin suffering an inexplicable number of systemic failures. Then, a robot rattlesnake strikes Blane. Against her programming, a female servant android refuses a guest's request for sex. The failures increase until the robotic Black Knight kills a guest in a sword-fight in MedievalWorld. The resort's supervisors, in increasing desperation, attempt to regain control by shutting down power to the entire park. Unfortunately, this results in trapping them in the control rooms, unable to turn the power back on again while the robots run amok on stored power.Martin and Blane, who have been passed out drunk after a bar fight in the WesternWorld bordello, wake up unaware that there has been a change for the worse. The two men are confronted by the Gunslinger, who challenges them to a showdown. Blane treats the confrontation like a joke, until the robot shoots and kills him. Martin runs for his life as the robot implacably follows him.Martin flees to the other areas of the park, but finds only a panicky fleeing technician, dead guests and damaged robots. He manages to open a manhole leading to the underground control area, where the resort's technicians have suffocated since the ventilation shut down. The Gunslinger stalks Martin through the corridors, arriving at the robot repair facility where Martin lies in wait, pretending to be a disabled robot. Martin ambushes the Gunslinger by throwing a beaker of hydrochloric acid, found among the repair materials, into its face. Thinking he has disabled the Gunslinger, he leaves the service area and enters MedievalWorld.However, Martin is again followed by the Gunslinger, whose face has melted but who is still functioning, though its visible spectrum optics were destroyed by the acid. The robot can still see Martin, but only via infrared backups, and is confused when he moves in front of several flaming torches, something it would not have been programmed to deal with in WesternWorld. The Gunslinger begins to leave the room, but Martin accidentally makes a noise, allowing the Gunslinger to zero in on him again. When it lunges to strike, its ammunition exhausted, Martin seizes the opportunity to set fire to it with a large torch.Thinking this has destroyed the robot, Martin leaves the burning Gunslinger and wanders out of the great hall, finding what he believes to be a female guest chained up in the dungeon. He releases her and gives her a drink of water, whereupon her face bursts into sparks, revealing she is a machine. Backing away in shock, he is confronted by the still moving burned hulk of the Gunslinger, which continues its attempt to attack him. However, it falls off a high set of steps in the process and, finally succumbing to damage, shuts down. Martin, apparently the sole survivor of the humans at Delos, simply sits down on the dungeon steps in a state of near-exhaustion and shock, thinking of the irony of Delos's advertising, "Have we got a vacation for you!" | cult, suspenseful, murder | train | imdb | It was a great blend of action, horror, and comedy.Richard Benjamin and James Brolin are the heroes of the film, but Yul Brynner is the star.
Set during an unspecified future era on Earth, Westworld features Peter Martin (Richard Benjamin) and John Blane (James Brolin) on their way to a new kind of amusement park, Delos, located way out in the middle of a desert.
Disney World's operational infrastructure is an extensive behind-the-scenes computer network, which Crichton parallels with his white lab coat-wearing scientists working amidst monitors and banks of flashing lights (and this is even better satirized in the sequel to Westworld, 1976's Futureworld).The premise provides an easy launching pad for a number of ethical, philosophical and scientific dilemmas: What are the implications for killing someone when they seem almost identical to humans?
"Boy, have we got a vacation for you...where nothing can go wrong!"Well, as the old saying goes..."famous last words.""Westworld" is supposed to be set in the future (as visualized back in 1973 when the film was made, apparently the computers of the future are really, really big, and the monitors are really, really small, lol), where pampered rich folk can go to a vacation resort named "Delos", where they choose one of three "worlds" to visit and interact in: Medieval World, Roman World, and Westworld.
Roman World is promoted as a big sex resort, and Medieval World is geared towards the romantic, it seems.The film starts out with quite a lot of intentional comedy and satire, and frankly starts out very much like it could have been a 1970's TV "Movie of the Week", but once the robots start to go bad...what we have for the rest of the film is a truly creepy western/sci-fi film.
The last half-hour of the film is essentially a silent movie, as Crichton said he wanted, save for the great soundtrack, which sounds something like a bow being drawn against piano strings, or a cello; anyway it has the same unsettling effect as the out-of-tune piano in another classic, "Wait Until Dark" (1967).Movies with robots/androids...there have been many I have seen and loved.
And even after the others that followed, nothing quite equals Yul Brynner in his role as the gunslinger robot gone bad in "Westworld." His performance is what really makes the movie.
The story concerns a unique and expensive vacation resort called Delos in which customers can choose from one of three "worlds"--Roman World, Medieval World or Western World (as it is referred to in the film.) Here, customers can indulge their fantasies of conquest (violent or sexual) among a host of ultra-realistic robots who are programmed to promote the experience while not allowing the participants to become hurt.
Classic sci-fi thriller of the 70's, Westworld is a film that never fails to be fun and riveting in its own campy way.Two pals go on vacation to a hi-tech resort where they can live out a wild west adventure among human-like robots.
Unfortunately, the robots are starting to malfunction and our human guests may be in for more excitement than they bargained for.Michael Crichton delivers a clever and engaging story with this film.
Richard Benjamin does a nice turn as the timid visitor who must fight to survive, as does his friend played by James Brolin.Westworld is truly enjoyable sci-fi/thriller excitement and stands as one of the best genre films of the '70s.*** 1/2 out of ****.
This is what Richard Benjamin and James Brolin have chosen for themselves.For reasons unexplained in the story, the whole thing breaks down in all three theme worlds and in the case of Westworld, a very nasty gunslinger robot has shaken loose from his programming and is on the hunt for human targets.
They make love to robot saloon women, participate in wild bar room brawls, and frequently get bullied around by a tough humanoid gunslinger dressed all in black (Yul Brynner, spoofing his look from THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN), who is automatically obliged to get riddled up with bullets, repaired by technicians overnight as the guests sleep, and then shot up all over again for the next day.All is pure fun and games until something unidentifiable in the computer system begins to malfunction, and suddenly the world of Disney devolves into a place of horror.
No longer taking orders to play dead, the robots are out to kill the guests, and the ominous gunslinger develops a frightening taste for the kill as he becomes an unstoppable walking menace, 10 years before Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator ever hit the screens.Author Michael Crichton (THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN) wrote the screenplay and directed his first film with WESTWORLD, and it's an impressive debut in that he's able to keep the action moving along at a comfortable pace, using a small budget to its full advantage, and fashioning a real good-time movie experience that is at the same time both fun and foreboding.
James Brolin and Richard Benjamin are completely likable in their parts, but it is Yul Brynner's multi-layered conception of the gunslinging robot who changes from willing court jester to deadly assassin that's the main draw.Also a major asset is Fred Karlin's versatile music score.
From the novel by Michael Crichton and also directed by him, James Brolin and Richard Benjamin are the two friends who travel to the resort to indulge in their every whim as 'Cowboys'whilst they are engaging their childhood fantasy Benjamin has an encounter with 'Gunslinger' Yul Brynner who virtually recreates his role from 'The MAgnificent Seven' is brutally menacing as the gunslinger who eventually stalks Benjamin through Westworld 'where nothing can go wrong' does as there is a malfunction which creates havoc for the tourists.
Classic sci-fi thriller, written and directed by Michael Crichton, about a futuristic amusement park called Delos where people can role play in fantasy "worlds" based on the Old West, the Roman Empire, and Medieval Europe.
Westworld is a compelling Sci-Fi film that works from an intriguing premise and features an excellent central performance from Yul Brynner.
Very stupid sci-fi film about a future amusement park where you can live out your fantasies in a simulation, either in a Medieval world, a Roman world, or Westworld.
Westworld is written and directed by Michael Crichton and stars Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin and James Brolin.
If it weren't for a couple of major liabilities it would be one of the best science fiction pictures of its time (early 70s, pre-Star Wars).Very simply, Westworld is about one of three 'worlds' created by a group of scientists looking to give the public a "real-life" experience of being in a) medieval times, b) Roman empire, c) the American old-west.
For the first half we're immersed into mostly Westworld (once or twice we get a peek at Medieval world, probably more-so than Romanworld, which is a little disappointing not to get some extra time for the other worlds), and it's glorious to see Crichton, wit with and excellent precision as a storyteller, go through the clichés of the old-West: the Gunslinger (Yul Brynner, himself a spoof on Magnificent Seven), the breakout of prison, the sex with the prostitutes, the bar fight, the harsh whiskey, all of it is apart of the fun- and Twilight Zone style curiosity- of the premise.And yet, while Crichton is able to explore this premise well throughout, with many of the scenes in and of themselves excellent, it's also too short to really make a complete impact; at 88 minutes we get just enough to suffice with the Westworld section, but what about the others?
And yet again, Crichton scores big points for the last 25 minutes, which is, basically, one long chase with the dysfunctional Brynner Gunslinger (one of the coldest and most effective killing machines in movie history alongside Michael Myers and Anton Chigurgh, in this case perfunctory in mission) and Richard Benjamin's bewildered guest who runs all the way from Westworld into the underground lair of the group that manages the park.
Unfortunately, the system breaks down, and the androids turn murderous, especially the gunslinger(Yul Brynner, well cast) who becomes determined to kill both Benjamin & Brolin...Despite the plot not being airtight, this is still an interesting and effective thriller that poses real questions about how much control humans should blithely hand over to machines.
Michael Crichton wrote and directed this dandy science fiction soufflé that contains some classic Crichton themes--whizbang technology (although it all looks dated now with the computer techs monitoring computer screens with glorified screensavers on them), flesh and blood and warts and all humans, and something unexpected going totally wrong (or "worng" as the tag line states) wherein the humans are up to their arses in prehistoric alligators or killer viruses or being stuck in medieval France.The movie is good, mildly hokey fun.
Soon, the technology goes haywire when the robots are infected by an early computer virus and are killing off some of the guests as only John and Peter must try to survive this even with that Gunslinger they fought many times that is after them.Highly entertaining, edge of your seat and quite original 1973 science fiction thriller western action film written and directed by Michael Crichton the legendary book author and creator of Jurassic Park and this movie predates Jurassic Park years later.
Michael Crichton wrote and directed this classic 1970s tale of a theme park gone awry about 20 years before he went back to that same well for "Jurassic Park." In this film an enormous theme park has been created the recreates an old west setting populated entirely by robots where visitors can realistically and safely play out their cowboy fantasies (there's also a Roman themed world and and a medieval themed world).
Richard Benjamin and James Brolin play two visitors to Westworld who are looking forward to strapping on sixguns, taking on robot gunslingers, and other old west clichés.
Benjamin is well cast as the dopey visitor playing cowboy like a 10-year old, who instead finds himself unexpectedly fighting for his life, but casting Yul Brynner as the central robotic gunslinger villain is brilliant.
Brynner donning a black hat nicely recalls his iconic role as Chris in "The Magnificent Seven." A main weaknesses of the film is the cutaway scenes to the Roman and medieval worlds, which are not all that interesting and seem only to exist to widen the theme park world, which wasn't really necessary, and to hint that something is going awry, which could easily have been done within the old west setting.
Peter Martin (Richard Benjamin) and John Blane (James Brolin) enjoy a $1000-a-day vacation at the high-tech Delos amusement park, where it is possible to live out one's fantasies in an environment populated by lifelike robots.
Their fun ends, however, when the robots develop a serious fault
It's easier to shoot holes in the plot for Michael Crichton's Westworld than it is to put a few rounds into Yul Brynner's robot gunslinger.
The second half is gripping sci-fi horror, as the theme-park's mechanical marvels go on the fritz, the gunslinger becoming a relentless killing machine intent on evening the score with Peter (inspiration for James Cameron's The Terminator?).In addition to providing thrills and spills, Crichton's film also throws up all sorts of interesting philosophical and ethical dilemmas to chew over, most notably the moral implications of catering for guests' primal instincts (sex and violence).8/10.
There are also some fantastic shot sequences in the second half of the movie, particularly as rogue robot (Yul Brunner) hunts down one of the guests (Richard Benjamin) at Westworld.
Rexes and raptors run amok in a little movie called "Jurassic Park," he wrote and directed this film about choose your own adventure theme parks peopled by robots that malfunction and start slaughtering the guests."Westworld" is a pretty entertaining sci-fi flick with modest ambitions, well acted by Richard Benjamin, who plays a nerdy dude who chooses to go to the wild west world and be a cowboy for a few days, and finds that he likes it, at least until Yul Bryner, as one of said robots, goes haywire and starts stalking him like the terminator.
Plus remembering that he also wrote for this film probably added to the amount of work Crichton had to deal with so it's plausible he was under a lot of pressure.James Brolin and Richard Benjamin as the main two leads help give viewers a better understanding of what there is to expect from Delos.
The short answer is yes but the long answer is not really, as Westworld is film with far better ideas than execution and acts as the perfect example of films that deserve to be remade and revisited as if done right, this not too far off HBO production should offer an abundant amount of goodness for Sci-Fi fans, action fans and all connoisseurs of brilliantly unique and bizarre ideas.Crichton who is arguably most famous for his writings of Jurassic Park and The Lost World, fills Westworld with an endless mine of material to delve into, from the at the time high end thoughts regarding robots, computer viruses, modern day theme parks and our fascination with looking back at old worlds like Rome, The Middle Ages and the Wild West and there's an unarguable joy in watching our protagonists Peter Martin played by Richard Benjamin and John Blane played by James Brolin who in this picture looks like a dead ringer for his son Josh, traverse the wild surrounds of a western settlement all the while being hunted by the increasingly determined robot gunslinger played by Yul Brynner.
Things go awry when the robots malfunction and become deadly.The film features James Brolin and Richard Benjamin as guests and Yul Brynner as the determined black-clad cowboy robot/assassin.ANALYSIS: I didn't see this classic sci-fi flick until fairly recently so I was able to view it without nostalgia-tinged glasses.
I am giving WestWorld a 9 out of 10 not because it was near perfect film but more because the idea itself was so futuristic and still today the idea of a park of this nature is not too far off in the distant future.The pace of technology means we could eventually be having shoot-outs with robots (sorry!
Made before Star Wars changed what sci-fi meant, it is more than just an adventure in the future plot: it is a great idea - What if you could go on holiday and be part of another world / time?Wouldn't we all want that?THe clever part is that Westworld puts us in a cowboy setting and then introduces robots too - making the unfamiliar very familiar.The Western kind of plays out just as you would want it to - imagine you were given such a holiday, you'd want gunfights and barfights and loose women, and with the robots around the moral consequences are avoided - until the robots go haywire.Yes the computers look hokey, but in 72 they did look futuristic with their 3D figure modelling, but above all what makes the flimimg stand out is great lighting, costumes (All new enough to look as they a company had made them for the experience), and good, clean directing and grading of film mean that this is far more ageless that you'd expect.Very good entertainment with a brilliant turn by Yul Brynner as the robot cowboy - his eyes may be glazed but his body language is pure dynamite.One of the better films of its genre, and a great film in its own right.Recommended..
The two main characters (Dick Benjamin and James Brolin) seem to having a great time in the Old West park, complete without shootouts, barroom brawls, and ladies of the evening until, one day, it all goes horribly wrong.
The final chase sequence through Delos' underground corridors, in which Benjamin can't run fast enough to outlast Brynner until the very end, was paid an unintentional homage of sorts much later on in HALLOWEEN II.If perhaps not quite a masterpiece, WESTWORLD still manages to get its point across: that making robots and technology work for us for entertainment purposes can be a dangerous thing.
It was Michael Crichton's directorial debut (long before his similar but inferior JURASSIC PARK), and I once read in a "Making Of" paperback that he said "I like to think people have fun with this film.
Unlike the Hollywood version most gunslingers met their end after getting shot in the back , they never stood in the middle of the street telling their opponent to draw , this is a myth that only happened in Hollywood movies , and WESTWORLD is an enjoyable celebration of this myth where ( Rich ) holidaymakers can spend ( For $1000 a day ) their holiday drawing their guns on gunslingers , taking part in bar room brawls and visiting ladies of ill repute and it`s really fun to watch people play up to all the wild west cliches in a film that`s entertaining , funny and a little bit scary too .
The cast for the movie was fantastic especially i think on role of Gunslinger played by legendary Yul Brynner, he is just fantastic, his cold scary face, like a real robot ready to shoot and kill you.
While this idea was first done (as far as I know) in a Star Trek episode, the premise is good, and the execution is highly enjoyable.Westworld is a robotic theme park, where your fantasies become a reality, but something is awry.Fine performance by Yul Brynner, excellent direction, and some great Western stylized dialog make this highly enjoyable.
Y'know if this film would focus more on them, this whole thing would be a fable telling us to be faithful to our wives(You'll have to see this to know what I mean.), but it didn't(Phew!) Meanwhile, when they're in Westworld, We not only get to see what this park has to offer(like the gunslinging' Yul Brynner.), but we get to know Benjamin and Brolins characters: Ones been there before, the other's an everyman on his first trip. |
tt0099365 | Darkman | In an unidentified city a gangster, Eddie Black, and his henchmen, await the arrival of another gangster, Robert Durant. Durant has been encroaching on Black's territory and Black is seeking revenge. When Durant and his crew arrive, they're immediately searched for weapons and allowed to enter the warehouse. Black delivers his terms, which demand that Durant move out of his territory. Durant nods at one of his crew, Smiley, who grabs the fake leg of one of his comrades and begins shooting at Black's men with an Uzi hidden in the fake limb. Black's men are quickly defeated and killed, leaving Black himself alive. Durant gives Black his terms, cutting off one of his rival's fingers for each with a cigar cutter. (It is revealed later that Durant preserves the fingers of his enemies and keeps them as trophies.)In a science lab Dr. Peyton Westlake experiments with artificial skin cells. However, all his attempts to create fake skin have failed; none of the samples he creates will remain stable after 99 minutes of exposure to light. Westlake's girlfriend, Julie Hastings, comes to his apartment later and brings a private memorandum from her office. The two share a romantic evening together.Julie notices that the memo is connected to shady dealings of her boss, Louis Strack. When Strack warns Julie to stop her investigation of the alleged connection, she refuses. Later, she leaves Westlake's lab just as he suggests they should get married. Julie is unsure of marrying him. Westlake returns to his scientific work and, as the timer closes in on 99 minutes, the lights go out in the lab. Westlake's assistant, Yakatito, reports that the skin cells are stable past 100 minutes. Westlake says that the key to the experiment has something to do with light. As Westlake goes to make a phone call, Durant appears and has his goons begin beating Westlake. Durant demands the memo Julie had found that would implicate her boss, which she had left at the apartment. Westlake tells them he knows nothing about it. Durant has Yakatito shot and his goons beat the doctor more, dipping him in a vat of boiling fluid that scars his face. He also burns his hands on the vat's electrodes. Durant's crew finds the memo and leave Westlake for dead; Durant himself sets a fuse to ignite flammable gas. Westlake's lab explodes, launching him through the roof and he falls, on fire, into the river, just as Julie arrives and sees the conflagration. Julie later attends Westlake's funeral, though there are almost no remains to be buried.Westlake is found by a medical team that takes him to a neurological clinic. Assumed to be a homeless person, they perform surgery to sever the nerves that transmit pain impulses, which relieves him from the pain from the damage to his hands and face. However, there is a serious side effect; Westlake's emotions, particularly anger and rage, become amplified. He also becomes physically stronger as well. Westlake escapes from the institution and begins to live on the streets. Donning a raincoat, he finds Julie as she leaves her apartment and tries to talk to her, however, his burnt face prevents him from doing so. Julie doesn't recognize him and rejects him as a homeless man. Westlake returns to his destroyed lab and salvages as much of his equipment as he can. Setting himself up in an abandoned factory, he continues his work on the artificial skin and plots his revenge against Durant and his thugs. He uses his computer system to make a mask of his own face, however, the process will take several weeks.Westlake first shadows Durant's man, Rick. He kidnaps him and takes him below street level, coercing him into revealing Durant's name. Westlake then thrusts Rick up through a manhole where he's crushed under the wheels of a semi-truck. Westlake uses his technology to reproduce the faces of Durant's thugs. He first imitates a man named Paulie by drugging him in his sleep and taking his place at a money drop off, stealing the cash in a briefcase. When Durant finds Paulie in his apartment, he finds that Paulie has two tickets (planted by Westlake) for Rio, one for him and one for Rick. Infuriated, Durant has Paulie thrown out the window to his death. Westlake, sitting nearby, and still wearing Paulie's false face, is a witness. He runs off when the skin begins to decompose and a woman screams.Every attempt by Westlake to perfect his skin formula fails. However, his computer completes the necessary reconstruction of his own face and he meets with Julie, finding her at his grave. The two begin to date again, with Westlake telling her that he'd been in a specialized institution in a coma. One day, he takes her to a carnival where he's cheated out of a prize by one of the staff. Enraged, he breaks the man's fingers and his false face begins to decompose. He runs back to his refuge, where Julie finds his work. Westlake refuses to come out of his hiding place.Westlake next turns his attention to Durant. Donning Durant's face, he holds up a convenience store, making sure to identify himself on the security camera. The police arrest Durant and while he's incarcerated, Westlake goes with his thugs to a meeting with a Chinese gangster, Hung Fat. The man owes Durant a hefty sum of money but refuses to pay him until Westlake holds a match to his arm, burning himself severely. Fat coughs up the money immediately. Meanwhile, Durant has posted bail and rushes to the meeting site in Chinatown. When he tries to enter the building through a revolving door, he runs straight into Westlake. In the confusion, Westlake knocks Durant to the ground and, while yelling at one of Durant's goons, his false skin begins to fail. He bolts from the scene and escapes while Durant and his goons shoot at him.Julie meets with Strack again, who tells her that her life is in danger because of her association with Westlake. Julie leaves and Strack calls in Durant himself, who works for the tycoon. Strack orders Durant to find and kill Westlake. Julie will be the bait when she next goes to his hideout. When Julie does, Durant's gang kidnaps her and chases Westlake through the factory. He dispatches several of them wearing his disguises. One man has the misfortune of being shot by his friend while gagged and wearing a false face of Westlake. Westlake next turns his attention to Durant, who is riding in a helicopter. Westlake grabs onto a hook at the end of a long cable and is flown through the city. Flying over a highway, Durant has him lowered into traffic. Westlake lands on the top of a trailer and hooks the chopper to it, which is pulled into a bridge and destroyed when the truck goes under it.Westlake once again imitates Durant and meets with him at one of Strack's construction sites. Julie has been brought along. Strack tricks Westlake into revealing his identity and snatches the Durant mask off his head. Westlake fights with Strack's thugs, one of whom drops Julie onto a bundle of cables, where she dangles precariously. Westlake defeats all of Strack's men and uses a cable and hook to save Julie. When Strack corners him, he uses a bolt gun to pin Westlake's hand to a girder. As he moves in to kill him, Westlake rips his hand from the bolt and eventually throws Strack off the building to his death. In the elevator down, Westlake tells Julie of his shame at being disfigured and how he can never be with her again. He dons a final disguise (Sam Raimi regular, Bruce Campbell, in a cameo) and walks off, a voiceover saying he'll fight crime as Darkman. | comedy, avant garde, gothic, neo noir, bleak, cult, violence, horror, romantic, revenge, entertaining | train | imdb | null |
tt0104952 | My Cousin Vinny | While driving through the fictional Beechum County, Alabama, New Yorkers Billy Gambini (Ralph Macchio) and his friend Stan Rothenstein (Mitchell Whitfield) accidentally neglect to pay for a can of tuna after stopping at a convenience store. After they leave the store, the clerk is shot and killed off-camera, and Billy and Stan, who match the descriptions of the murderers given by witnesses, are then pulled over and detained in connection with the murder. Due to circumstantial evidence and a series of miscommunications based on the boys assumption that they have merely been detained for shoplifting, Billy ends up being charged with murder, and Stan is charged as an accessory.The pair call Billy's mother, who tells her son that there is an attorney in the family, Billy's cousin, Vincent LaGuardia "Vinny" Gambini (Joe Pesci), who travels to Beechum County accompanied by his fiancée, Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei). Unfortunately, although he is willing to take the case, Vinny reveals himself to be a neophyte personal injury lawyer from Brooklyn, New York, newly admitted to the bar (after six attempts and six years) with no trial experience whatsoever.Although Vinny manages to fool the uptight and conservative trial judge, Chamberlain Haller (Fred Gwynne), about being experienced enough to take the case, his ignorance of basic court procedures and abrasive, disrespectful attitude towards the judge gets him into trouble immediately. During the arraignment, Vinny has no idea what he's supposed to do and angers Judge Haller with his ignorance of whether or not to plead "guilty" or "not guilty" for Stan and Billy.The next day, Vinny's ignorance and inexperience causes more harm, much to Billy and Stan's consternation. Vinny does not even bother to cross-examine any of the witnesses in the probable cause hearing. As their claims go unquestioned, it appears that the stuffy prosecutor, District Attorney Jim Trotter III (Lane Smith), has an airtight case that will inevitably lead to a conviction at the trial. After Vinny's poor showing at the hearing, Billy and Stan decide to fire him and use the public defender, but Vinny asks for one more chance to prove himself.After several weeks of preparation, the trial then opens with Vinny representing his cousin and the public defender representing Stan. Despite some further missteps, including wearing a gaudy secondhand suit to court (as his new suit fell in the mud) and sleeping through Trotter's opening statement, Vinny shows that he can make up for his ignorance and inexperience with an aggressive, perceptive questioning style. While the public defender stutters through a line of ill-prepared questions that appears to bolster the case against the boys, Vinny quickly and comprehensively puts into question the testimony of the first witness Sam Tipton (Maury Chaykin) who testifies seeing Bill and Stan arrive at the Sac-O-Suds parking lot before he started cooking his breakfast grits and saw them flee from the scene after hearing a gunshot. Vinny is able to show that 20 minutes had actually passed between those two events, not the five minutes that Tipton claims, thus opening the door to the idea that there may have been two cars involved. Billy's faith is rewarded, and Stan develops newfound respect and confidence for Vinny, firing the public defender.The next day, Vinny's cross-examinations of the remaining eyewitnesses are similarly effective. The elderly Mrs Riley (Paulene Myers)'s testimony becomes suspect because she could not identify how many fingers Vinny was holding up at half the distance she had been from the getaway car. Redneck Ernie Crane's (Raynor Scheine) testimony is made to question his own identification of the "two men in a green convertible" when he was forced to realize that he had made it looking through a dirty window, crud covered screen, a bunch of leaf-covered trees, and seven bushes.But on the third day of the trial, Trotter produces a surprise witness, George Wilbur, an FBI analyst who testifies that his chemical analysis of the tire marks left at the crime scene shows that they are identical to the tires on Billy's Buick Skylark. With only a brief recess to prepare his cross-examination and unable to come up with a particularly strong line of questions, Vinny becomes frustrated and lashes out at Lisa by taunting her about the usefulness of her wide-angle photographs of the tire tracks. She storms out, leaving Vinny alone.However, Vinny later realizes that that photo actually holds the key to the case: the flat and even tire marks going over the kerb reveal that Billy's car could not have been used for the getaway (The Buick had an axle that connected the two wheels, and would make a tilted, not flat, impression of the lower tire when going over the kerb. The tire marks are both flat, revealing the car that made the marks had an independent wheel suspension system.) Vinny needs Lisa, an expert in automobiles, to testify to this. He drags her into court, and during Vinny's questioning, they patch up their differences. Vinny then recalls the FBI analyst, who concurs with Lisa that Billy's car did not produce the tracks.Next, Vinny calls the local sheriff, who has run a records check at Vinny's request. The sheriff testifies that two men resembling Billy and Stan were arrested a few days earlier in Georgia for driving a stolen Pontiac Tempest, a car very similar in appearance and color to Billy's Buick Skylark, and in possession of a gun of the same caliber used to kill the clerk. Trotter then respectfully moves to dismiss all the charges.Throughout the film, Vinny and Judge Haller play a game of cat-and-mouse over Vinny's qualifications. Haller first discovers that, despite Vinny's claims that he tried "quite a few" murder cases, there exist no records of anybody named Vincent Gambini trying any case in New York State. Aware that Judge Haller will not let him be Stan and Billy's legal council if he finds Vinny to be inexperienced, Vinny then begins a series of lies by claiming that he had his name changed during a previous career as a stage actor and continued to use the name when he opened a law practice. Vinny, believing that he should give the judge the name of someone with the kind of resume he claimed to have, supplies the name of a prominent New York attorney, Jerry Gallo. Unfortunately, Lisa later tells Vinny that Gallo passed away the previous week, and when Haller learns this, Vinny claims that Haller misheard "Gallo" when Vinny actually said "Callo". Finally, Lisa gets Vinny off the hook by calling his mentor, Judge Malloy from New York, who responds to Haller's request by claiming that 'Jerry Callo' has a long and impressive trial history.The film concludes with Haller apologizing for doubting Vinny and praising his skills as a litigator. Vinny and Lisa then drive off together, discussing how they were able to fool the judge about Vinny's qualifications and arguing about plans for their wedding. | entertaining, cult, comedy, murder, mystery | train | imdb | And I really don't understand the "controversy" or brouhaha over Marisa Tomei receiving the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in this movie.
Marisa Tomei, who RIGHTFULLY won the Supporting Oscar for her excellent performance (please don't believe that urban myth about Jack Palance calling out the wrong name!!), is hilarious as Pesci's fiance with a foul mouth, a smart a**, the heaviest Brooklyn accent and an incredible expertise in automobiles.
And the whole idea of an out-of-work hairdresser knowing about Positraction is simply brilliant.This dialogue is brilliant because of excellent performances by both Marisa Tomei and Joe Pesci.
Some of the exchanges between a local Alabama judge and a NYC poser lawyer would be completely ridiculous in anyone else's hands, but these people make it so real and so funny it's truly a thing of beauty.This is one of those rare films that I can watch over and over again for hours and not tire of it.10 out of 10 Barky.
Joe Pesci plays Vincent LaGuardia Gambini, a Brooklyn lawyer who is asked to defend his cousin and friend from a murder charge in Alabama.
Marisa Tomei as Mona Lisa Vito, Vinny's girlfriend, deserved the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, rare for a comedy to even be nominated for anything by AMPAS.
I really liked Fred Gwynne as the no-nonsense Judge Chamberlain Haller, a great foil for Joe Pesci's laid back, easy going Brooklyn wise guy.
First of all you have the fish out of water scenario with Vinny and his fiancee Lisa, wearing leather jackets and cowboy boots down in the south where it seems everyone is wearing overalls and they hang out in establishments where their best selling feature is chicken and pool.You also have a great supporting cast that features Lane Smith as a very animated D.A. that has to hammer home every point to his jury like they were morons.
My Cousin Vinny is a movie that I will play to cheer me up because it's hard to feel down while watching it.Joe Pesci who scared the hell out of us as Tommy Devito in Goodfellas takes on the role of wise cracking, inexperienced attorney Vincent Gambini.
I love all the court room scenes and Pesci and Tomei have great chemistry.This movie is truly underrated; although Tomei did earn an Academy Award for her role in this film.
I borrowed this film from a friend but had no idea what it really was but just knowing Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, and Marisa Tomei were starring in it.
He had the best role in this movie out of anyone but Marisa Tomei as Vinny's fiancée and Fred Gwynne as the judge did wonderful.
This is the first film I have seen where Pesci is the lead role and he proved to sore beyond what his talents are, he's definitely one of the most under rated actors of all time, I feel like he's Hollywood's hidden secret weapon.
:) I had heard a lot about My Cousin Vinny, I know this was the movie that won Marissa's Oscar and not to mention I heard how funny it was.
Macchio knows that his one hope is the titled character (the priceless Joe Pesci) and his red hot girlfriend (Marisa Tomei in a well-deserved Oscar-winning turn).
"My Cousin Vinny" is a real gem, a perfect, funny, smart comedy, a very rare kind that I can watch and enjoy over and over again no matter how many times I've seen it and from what scene I watch it.
Joe Pesci as a lawyer with no legal experience from Brooklyn whose first case just happened to be defending two "youtes" in a first degree murder trial, and Marissa Tomei in the dresses that are so magnificently out of place in the muddy Wahzoo City, Alabama but so deliciously fit her like a glove, make one of the best screen couples ever but I like the supporting characters and small cameos, too.
Ten years after the film was released, Film critic and historian Mick LaSalle wrote in his article, "Half of what made Joe Pesci funny in this comedy was the stream of reactions of Gwynne, as the Southern Judge, a Great Dane to Joe Pesci's yapping terrier." The film made me root for Vinny, wishing him victory in his first case, and he won gloriously with the help of a lovely, lovely expert in the general automobile knowledge in this lovely, lovely comedy..
The supporting cast is peppered with fine actors doing good work, Lane Smith and Austin Pendleton are memorable but the real standout is Fred Gwynne as the judge in his last role, a great way to wrap up a career.
This is one of those films, which if you completely enjoy, is as much fun to see over and over as it was initially.It is simply a perfectly enjoyable and humorous piece of entertainment.The two primary leads, the two young defendants, the main co-stars (judge, prosecutor, sheriff) and the other cast, are all excellent.One of the best features as the story was presented is that every character seemed to contribute to its humor (e.g. the prosecutor, judge, other defense attorney, sheriff, witnesses - even the dolt whom the Tomei character had beaten in a game of pocket billiards) as well as Pesci and Tomei.
Not only that but Launer has written a script with gags that are both credible and funny , even the skit involving possible sexual abuse in prison ( They'd have to be one of course ) isn't as silly as it could have been The cast are pretty good too with Joe Pesci showing that he's just as good as a comedy leading man as he is at playing Italian American wiseguys .
Today MY COUSIN VINNY is rightfully considered one of the best comedies of its time and the performances here are just downright classic and make the film so special.
Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei is flawless in her role as the girlfriend and we get great support from Ralph Macchio, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill and Austin Pendleton.
And Joe Pesci & Marisa Tomei are simply Brilliant in here!'My Cousin Vinny' Synopsis: Two New Yorkers are accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college, and one of their cousins--an inexperienced, loudmouth lawyer not accustomed to Southern rules and manners--comes in to defend them.'My Cousin Vinny' works from Scene A to Z.
It took me over 3 hours to watch this movie the first time on DVD because I kept rewinding laugh scenes over and over.I wake up every morning and go to work in the courthouse, and My Cousin Vinny helps me get through the host of people every day now.Aside from Casablanca and this year's Oscar winner The Artist, My Cousin Vinny in my top list of 'movie with lovable characters' 10 out of 10.
As many other reviewers have mentioned, Marisa Tomei won an Oscar for her role in this movie and by rights Pesci should have won one too.
Gotta love the internet movie database!Its a change of pace for Joe Pesci after his roles in films such as Casino, JFK and Goodfellas.
This is one of the rare movies in comedy that i could watch over and over again,, this movie is sooooo , freaking funny it's like a laugh a minute,, especially how Vinny,, "bag of donuts" is woken up constantly every morning,, first the train,, then the pigs i think the owl, and o yeah the steam whistle...
i can relate to that stuff, and living relatively close to N.Y. for years i can relate to the accents in the movie,, very Brooklyn if i'm not mistaken,, i loved Joe Pesci in this movie,, this is one of his finer moments ever in a comedic role,, Marissa Tomei however stole the whole show for me,, not only is she sexy and pretty she can act too, her accent fits her like a glove, Ralph Maccio,, hmm well, not everything can be perfect..
MY COUSIN VINNY is the kind of comedy that makes its point pretty early on when it's apparently going to be a battle of wits between a fast talking New York lawyer (JOE PESCI, who only passed his bar exam after six tries) who finds himself embroiled in the Alabama court system and a stern and uncompromising Judge Waller (FRED GWYNNE) who takes an instant dislike to his lack of courtroom decorum.The brash Vinny comes to Alabama to help his nephew and his friend, innocents accused of a convenience store murder who seek his help as a last resort.
Vinny's equally brash and foul-mouthed girlfriend MARISA TOMEI is along for the ride and turns out to be the saving point of the trial when she exhibits a knowledge of automobile engineering that's hidden by her crude behavior and comes as a real surprise in the amusing and cleverly written courtroom windup.JOE PESCI is excellent as the lawyer who antagonizes the judge so much that he has him jailed twice during preliminary hearings.
When she finally gets her chance to shine, she walks off with the film and it's easy to see why she copped a Best Supporting Role Oscar for her work here.The other supporting standout is the job done by RALPH MACCHIO as Bill, the nephew who sends for Vinny and then has second thoughts about maybe using a public defender.
Having just passed the bar on his sixth attempt, Vinny is able to bluff his way into the court but his street-attitude and relaxed approach (not to mention bad luck) puts him on the wrong side of the judge from the very start; not a good thing in a case where everyone is pushing for the death penalty.If you are looking for a sassy little comedy that is sparky fun despite not amounting to much then this is a good a place as you could start as this film is a lot of fun and has stood up well over the ten years since its release.
Of course, he comes very close to losing the film to Marisa Tomei who deserved her Oscar (and how much more of a surprise was it for a comedy role to win one of the main awards?).
Gwynne is a delight; Lane Smith is well played; McGill is a familiar face and the various small town characters are all well played and convincing.Overall this is a fun film that may not across as high energy or having a hilariously funny script but it produces a consistently amusing tone with plenty of enjoyable sequences and has stood up very well over the past decade.
But Vinny has a secret weapon--the Gambini family trait of being argumentative.This brilliantly written film allows Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei to deliver the performances of their careers.
Can you imagine what a good defense attorney might have cost Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield if Pesci was not Macchio's cousin Vinny?Of course for a lot of the film that does not seem like a good idea because not only is Pesci a newly minted attorney, but he's a Brooklyn Italian trying a case among the good old boys in Alabama.
"My Cousin Vinny" delivers a ton of laughs, some great acting from Pesci, Tomei, and Fred Gwynne.
Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei have a ton of fun with this role and really do a great job acting off one another.
Thanks to Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Fred Gwynne and the other main cast members, and to Jonathan Lynn, the film's director, it succeeds and is quite entertaining.Much has been said in a non-complimentary fashionabout several of the acting efforts in the film, but it's the acting that elevates the film from run of the mill ho-hum fare to one which keeps you laughing on repeat viewings.Recently, I watched the film on DVD and listened to Jonathan Lynn's audio commentary.
Whatever, if you're looking for a funny movie to watch, My Cousin Vinny will have you laughing..
As Vincent La Guardia Gambini, the relatively slow learning attorney who comes to his nephew's rescue when he's falsely accused of murder in the deep South, Joe Pesci landed his best ever comedy (and leading man) role.He's aided heavily with a terrific script and a superb supporting cast.
MY COUSIN VINNY is an entertaining and laugh-packed comedy confection that stars Joe Pesci as a New York tough who somehow barely passed the bar exam but has yet to try a case, who is asked to come down south to redneck country to defend his young cousin (Ralph Macchio)and his friend (Mitchell Whitfield), who have been wrongfully accused of murder.
Marisa Tomei won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her scene-stealing performance as Pesci's brash and loud-mouthed girlfriend who accompanies him down south.
Without a doubt,This is the Greatest and Magnificent hilarious-comedy of all time.I never saw the Great Comedy as funny as "Meet the Parents" until i found this one as the "Next Brilliant Comedy" after all.This movie was giving us everything:Genius Directing,Magnificent Casting and Smart-Funny Plot.For Cast,Marisa Tomei truly deserved get the Oscar for her role as Lisa,Vincent's Bambini fiancé.Aside her,pesci was giving his Top-Notch performance as Genuine Comedian in Hollywood Cinema.Ralph Macchio still didn't lose his Charms and Brilliant Acting as like as his leading role in Best Martial-Art Drama "Karate Kid trilogy".GOD..Everybody who loves very much with comedy,Needs to see this one!You won't regret it!I guarantee 100%!
After repeated viewings, I think the movie works because of the play of the main actors: Joe Pesci, Fred Gwynne, Marisa Tomei (Oscar winner for this role, well-deserved) and the minor characters, Austin Pendleton and Lane Smith.
MY COUSIN VINNY is an excellent comedy, and proved that Joe Pesci can be more than a wonderful supporting actor, Marisa Tomei is a fabulous actress, Ralph Macchio is more than a karate kid, and Fred Gwyne had a knack for comedy other than the munsters.
The actors in this movie were 10/10,Marisa Tomei and Joe Pesci Specifically.
Because the story is clever and well-written, because it's full of healthy humor and some hilarious moments (like jail conversation), because of good entertainment that Joe Pesci never fails to provide, because of great actors led by Marisa Tomei, who won an Oscar for this role, and most of all, because I fell madly in love with her when I saw this movie for the first time and that crush seems to come back again every time I watch it.
Our two leads Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei are a revelation as two working-class urbanites struggling and failing to adapt to the inconveniences of loud sawmill whistles, rumbling trains and Alabama mud.Years after My Cousin Vinny's release, many have joked that Tomei's Supporting Actress win in 1993 was at best a fluke and at worst undeserved.
"My Cousin Vinny" arrived not too long after Joe Pesci's Oscar win for his classic performance in "GoodFellas", where he memorably badgered Ray Liotta's character into explaining just why he thought he was so funny.
In any case, in addition to having good chemistry together, Pesci & Tomei also had a stellar cast of character actors supporting them.
The plot becomes more solid, the cheap laughs turn into some clever laughs and a quality movie emerges.The final few scenes are quite wonderful, not just in comedy turns but, and even more so, in courtroom-drama terms.Decent performance by Joe Pesci in the lead role.
"My Cousin Vinny" is an engaging, funny movie that if nothing else shows us just how talented Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei are.
It would seem at first to be basically a one joke comedy - take an Italian American and drop him into the deep South - but it's developed in an entertaining way and has some real heart and charm going for it - although it does go on a bit long.Pesci stars in the tailor-made role of Vinny Gambini, a so-called "lawyer" who needed six tries in order to pass the bar exam.
Fred Gwynne has some great moments as the stern, disapproving judge who doesn't care for Vinnys' way of doing things.Serious at times but never too, too serious, "My Cousin Vinny" knows how to end big, and send us away with smiles on our faces.
Old Freddy Gwyne is perfect as the strict Southern Judge and great to see him in a different role to Herman Munster, very interesting.this film gets better each time i watch it.
There's not much more to this movie when it comes to material, but thankfully Pesci and Marisa Tomei (who got an Oscar out of it) make all this stuff work.
I remember watching the Oscars when Marisa Tomei won "For My Cousin Vinny." The clip that was shown was the scene of Tomei's character Mona Lisa Vito whining about her "Biological Clock." Her character from that clip seemed cartoonish at the time and didn't tempt me to see the movie.
Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei give superb performances and the writing is great!.
The result is is a comedy guilty of exceeding the laugh limit.Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei are perfect as the "New Yawk" lawyer wannabe and his contentious fiance.
And Tomei's motormouth witness-stand finale (which likely helped secure her Oscar) is a scene to remember.I highly recommend this movie, one of the best comedies to come out of the 1990s..
Thankfully, the movie does get into its element once it turns into a courtroom farce, when Joe Pesci and especially Marisa Tomei take center stage and allow their characters to grow.
Thus the movie should have started with Pesci, not Macchio.Tomei, as you probably know, won an Oscar for her performance.
A typical fish out of water story scenario with hilarious consequences.Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei and Fred Gwyne are in fine form.Try watching it, it's original and very funny.. |
tt0283530 | The Emperor's Club | Professor William Hundert is a distinguished Classics history teacher at St. Benedict's Academy for Boys. Another year is beginning, and the students file in and introduce themselves. Hundert has a certain plaque above his door he requires one student, Martin Blythe to read. The plaque states: "I am Shutruk Nahunte, King Anshand and Sussa, sovereign of the land of Elam. By command of Ishushinck I destroyed Sippar, took the stele of Niran-Sin, and brought it back to Elam, where I erected it as an offering to my god, Inshushink." He requires his students to look up Shutruk Nahunte, then stops them, saying they won't find it in any history book, because Nahunte is not any. Hundert then says that Nahunte was virtually forgotten because "Ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance." Then he challenges his students, saying "What will your contribution be? How will history remember you?" which becomes the theme of the film. A friendly relationship between Hundert and fellow teacher Elizabeth is also introduced, as she has returned from Greece and presents Hundert with a snow globe of the Parthenon.A new student enter the fray shortly after, a certain Sedgewick Bell, the son of a senator from West Virginia. The cocky Bell starkly contradicts the principled Hundert, and various acts of rebellion lead to much tension between the two. As Bell's attitude worsens, and Hundert unable to straighten him, Hundert feels forced to travel to Washington D.C. and have a word with Senator Bell, Sedgewick's father. The Senator shows a surprising amount of apathy in his son's character development, and reprimands Hundert, telling him that Hundert's job is to teach him facts out of a text book, but not to influence him as a person. Hundert dejectedly returns to St. Benedict's and begins preparations for a certain "Mr. Julius Caesar" contest. The three finalists are determined by a series of essays given by Hundert, and the three highest net scores proceed to the finals, where they stand on stage in togas and answer trivia questions about ancient Roman history. During the course of the essays, Hundert surprisingly sees a changed Bell, one who begins working hard in his studying and overachieves Hundert's expectations. After Hundert completes the grading of the essays, Deepak Mehta, Louis Masoudi, and Martin Blythe have the highest score. However, wanting to reward a newly-dedicated Bell, Hundert alters his grade, putting him ahead of Blythe.The Mr. Julius Caesar contest arrives and Masoudi, Mehta, and Bell are pitted against each other. Masoudi quickly misses a question and is forced to sit, leaving Bell and Mehta to duel each other for the crown. Both do surprisingly well, much to Hundert and Bell's father's excitement. However, Hundert notices Bell does a peculiar motion whenever he is asked a question, where he put his hands over his eyes. Hundert speculates Bell is cheating and quietly asks the headmaster what to do. Contradictory to Hundert's principles, the headmaster tells Hundert to allow it. Knowing Mehta read an extra-curricular book about Hamilcar Barca, who is not in the assigned textbooks, Hundert asks Bell a question about him. Surely enough, Bell can't answer and Mehta wins the crown of Mr. Julius Caesar. Hundert visits Bell later and discovers that Bell indeed was cheating, having taped notecards of the question on his toga, out of sight to anyone but him. Hundert keeps the incident to himself but the trust and respect he had developed for Sedgewick has been broken. Hundert feels he has failed as a teacher, especially considering he disallowed Blythe from participating.
Twenty-five years later, Hundert and Elizabeth are married, and the headmaster of St. Benedict's has passed away. Thinking he'll take the vacated position, Hundert is shocked to discover a fellow teacher has been given the privilege of being named the headmaster, because the Board believes he's a better fundraiser. Hundert immediately tenders his resignation, much to the Board's chagrin, and retires. Shortly after, Hundert receives a letter inviting him to a class reunion, one that a now-successful and wealthy Sedgewick Bell is hosting. Also, if Hundert agrees to come and host a rematch of the Mr. Julius Caesar contest, Bell will donate a large amount of money to the school. Agreeing to this, Hundert arrives at Bell's estate, where an enthusiastic Bell greets Hundert. Before the rematch begins, Bell speaks of Hundert's dignity and how much Hundert taught him, in spite of his rebellious nature. Then, Bell reveals his attentions to succeed his late father and run for Senator, and the contest begins.Once again Masoudi loses on the first question and Mehta and Bell duke it out again. Both again do surprisingly well, but Hundert catches a glimpse of an earpiece in Bell's ear, then looks to the back and sees a man on a headset looking in books. Shocked, Hundert continues the contest, but asks Sedgewick Bell who Shutruk Nahunte was, knowing Nahunte isn't in any textbooks. Both Bell and the man on the headset are stumped, but Mehta quickly recites the plaque that was above Hundert's wall, and wins the contest again.
Hundert goes to the bathroom to collect himself, and Bell walks in, engaging Hundert in pleasant conversation, which Hundert uses to confront Bell. Suddenly Bell's demeanor changes and he becomes defensive and spiteful, telling Hundert that he doesn't care for Hundert's principles and virtue, because it's all a bunch of bull****. Bell reveals he lives in a world where "people do what they do to get what the want." Suddenly, Bell's son emerges from a stall with a shocked look on his face, and quietly walks out. Bell is left speechless and embarrassed, knowing he just revealed himself to be a cheater and liar in front of his son. Hundert quietly retires to his room, and wakes up the next morning expecting to find his students down at breakfast. Reading a note they left wishing him well, and disappointed by their absence, he prepares to leave, but they throw a surprise party in his room when he returns, and Hundert later admits to a now-grown Martin Blythe that he allowed Bell to unfairly sneak over him in the Mr. Julius Caesar contest years earlier.Upon returning to his home, he decides to return to St. Benedict's, now a co-ed school, as a teacher of the Classics. It shows a fresh new batch of students, including Martin Blythe's son. Seeing Martin Blythe outside his classroom window and exchanging a friendly wave, Hundert has Blythe's son read Shutruk Nahunte's plaque, just as his father did years earlier. | prank, historical, flashback | train | imdb | Movies that stress intellectual or moral higher pursuits are somewhat rare to come by and when they are,they either are heavy-handed(Dead Poets Society)or arcane,word-of-mouth projects(Kidco,Stand and Deliver).If they don't feature some level of arousing interest(two examples:Sirens or Kinsey,both films I greatly appreciated BTW),then they are probably going to fall under the wheels of Hollywood's promotional behemoth if they are produced for the large screen.Such,I suspect,is the case with The Emperors Club, a Neil Tolin screenplay based on a Ethan Canin short story.
The central figure is one William Hundert(Kevin KLine,perhaps never more dignified in role),a well-respected and generally popular teacher at a Catholic,boys-only academy,who teaches the classics(i.e.Roman and Greek history and culture).
His long stay as an educator is put to the test(probably not the only time,but what has to be the most memorable) in the 1976-77 school year when an arrogant,selfish son of a congressman(Emile Hirsch,avec David Cassidy fro)enrolls in the school,for whom Hundert decides he's going to make a special effort to "mold" into a true student of enlightenment.
His efforts then have effects on both his students and himself that stay with him long after.Well-acted,well-scripted,thoughtful and gently guided by Michael Hoffman(who directed Kline in the pleasant Midsummer Night's Dream adaptation three years earlier),this film quietly came and went in the Autumn of 2002 and it seems like a shame,but not un-understandably so.
This is a show with virtually no violence and very little(if any)sexual content and the majority of the cast are either rising young stars who haven't quite reached high acclaim yet or are older character actors,so one will enter this on virtually a blind-faith interest of the film's topic or(more likely)an appreciation for Mr.Kline.
Unlike Dead Poets (and also Mona Lisa Smile), the Emperor's Club teacher has no controversial subject matter or approaches, just relatively traditional (though passionate & effective) teaching methods.The story depicts Mr. Hundert, a highly respected and idealistic Classics professor at an ivy covered, prestigious boys' prep school, St. Benedict's.
A reunion 25 years later will depict the impact of this teacher's flawed choices on his former student's character and whether or not past injustices can finally be righted.I don't want to give the outcome away, but this reunion provides a fascinating portrait of Mr. Hundert's students as grown men.
Compelling glimpses of two of these student's offspring, Robert Bell and Martin Blythe IV, prove to be incredibly revealing.Kevin Kline, an under rated actor, is masterfully convincing in the role of the scholarly, dignified, and conflicted Mr. Hundert, and his 25 year aging process seems well depicted.
Also, the roles of the boys Martin, Louis, Deepak, and of course the unpleasant Sedgewick are all well cast, as well as their older versions.This is not simply another great film about an extraordinary teacher who has a profound impact upon his students.
In some respects, this actually makes him a much more three dimensional, realistic, and compelling character than such previous exemplary teachers as Mr. Chips (Good Bye, Mr. Chips), Mr. Keating (Dead Poets Society), and Mr. Holland (Mr. Holland's Opus).
It all made me wish I was a student myself in Mr. Hundert's Classics class, surrounded by all those busts of Cicero, Socrates, Plato, and Caesar.The Emperor's Club is a unique, intelligent, and thought provoking film that contrasts society's misguided values with the truly meaningful and important.
It does run a bit on cheesy sentimentality, but the ending is more than surprising considering the type of film this is.It is a period-piece about a teacher (Kevin Kline) at a prestigious school for boys, and how he tries to "mould" a strong-willed fifteen-year-old boy.
And just when you think that it's as depressing as it can get, the very, very end gives your spirit a bit of a boost.Kline realizes that in those years that Sedgewick attended his class, he ignored the other students who were trying - and actually cared - about what they were doing.
Kline's character is flawed, and while he is a good teacher, he makes mistakes, such as spending so much time on Sedgewick and bumping a smarter kid off of the school toga challenge, just so he can put Sedgewick in it (the challenge).Kevin Kline isn't Otto here.
From `Goodbye Mr. Chips' in the 1930's to `Dead Poet's Society' in the 1980's, the movies have had a long-running love affair with inspirational, sentimental stories set at ivy-covered, collegiate-gothic, all-male prep schools.
The latest addition to the genre a successful one is `The Emperor's Club,' with Kevin Kline assuming the role of the teacher who considers it his duty not only to instruct his students in the details of classical history but to mold them into men of integrity and character in the process.
It, thus, becomes Hundert's job to turn Sedgwick around, a feat that always seems much easier to accomplish in the movies than it ever is in real life.`The Emperor's Club,' after its rather conventional beginning, deviates from its predecessors in one key respect: Hundert, though a man of values and integrity, is not above compromise himself, and he winds up making a very serious one, the ramifications of which he has to live with for many years to come.
Yet, what breaks Hundert's heart is the recognition he comes to that such a person is often times more highly rewarded by the world than the man who follows along the straight-and-narrow path all his life.Kline gives a superb performance as Hundert, capturing the quiet dignity, understated passion and conflicted conscience of a man who loves his boys and who tries to do the right thing but who, like the rest of us, doesn't always succeed in doing so.
Emile Hirsch is also excellent as young Sedgwick, the boy whose need for attention and lack of moral guidance from his father lead him to accept the winning-at-all-cost philosophy to get him through life.`The Emperor's Club,' despite having its roots firmly planted in a grand storytelling tradition, still manages to take us into new territory from time to time and its recognition of the importance of education and academics (we actually get to learn a little about Roman history while watching the movie) makes it virtually unique among films of its time..
I never learned one single thing that was actually of use to me and I believe going to such a place is mostly responsible for turning me into the faithless cynic that I am now.In this movie Kevin Kline (a seriously underused actor) plays a history teacher who is dedicated to making sure his students grow up to be fine and morally sound, upstanding people.
Over the years he comes to regret his mistakes but sees a chance to put things right again with a reunion of all his former students organised by Sedgewick who appears to want to put things right.There are loads of Student/Teacher movies out there but what separates The Emperor's Club from the likes of Dead Poet's Society and Mr. Holland's Opus is that Mr. Hundert's teaching is never in doubt.
Kevin Kline is so good in the role that for most of the film I thought I was watching a real person and not a character.
The movie deals with a good and idealist teacher (Kevin Kline) of Roman classic history and his relationship to a roguish and rebel pupil (Emile Hirsch) in a high class school .
The film is displayed throughout among past and present time where we find the same characters though twenty five years later , except Kevin Kline the actors are different .
The actors' interpretation is excellent , such as Kevin Kline as a mature and upright teacher who hands perfectly the role , Emile Hirsch as the rascal young is top-notch as well as Embeth Davidtz who is wonderful and enjoyable .
However, as he has proved yet again, anything other than dramatic roles is a waste of his acting talent.In the finest film he has made, he is superb in his role as school teacher and mentor to a generation of boys -- including one particular bad egg.Excellently cast, scripted and acted, this is a must see..
I thought it was going to be a version of Goodbye Mister Chips or Dead Poets Society, but the movie has an unexpected twist at the end and lesson that we all can learn from.
Kevin Kline is an inspiration, while Emile Hirsch is truly brilliant in a difficult role for his age group.The movie reminded me of the Breakfast Club because none of the main characters are what they seem at first glance to be.
5. Kline's character is a repressive (and repressed) authoritarian figure who refuses to let his students express themselves or experience life in any way, yet the film expects us to take his side throughout.
Kline's character never cites historical figures from ancient China or Mexico or India or Mali or anywhere else in the world, and if you've seen the movie, can you honestly imagine him ever thinking it was worth his time to even learn their names?
The truth is, he's right in a lot of ways: when his friends are adults, they'll be a lot more happier that they snuck off one day and rowed to the girls' school across the lake and had an actual life experience than that they once memorized the names and dates of some Roman emperors (which, from what we see, is basically the extent of what Kline's character actually teaches).Basically, this film is not only crushingly sappy and not compelling, it's wrongheaded and a bit offensive too.
From the idea that here's nothing I didn't know before to the idea that cheating doesn't matter if it doesn't hurt anyone - which is the real measure.The fact that a teacher (Kevin Klein) decides to encourage a failing student (Emile Hirsch) by improving his score - at the expense of an already successful pupil - is a clear case of 'morally-correct cheating' - much like Robin Hood redistributing the wealth from those who have too much to those who have too little (although he was a bit more blatant about it).Ultimately though, this action fails everyone - including Klein's character.There is a glimmer of hope amongst the ashes at the end of the film - an act of forgiveness which seals the overall lesson being taught by the movie.It's a feel-good-feel-bad film and one which is definitely worth viewing.
The movie follows a long experience of William Hundert (played by Academy award winner Kevin Kline) as a professor in a privileged and prestigious school for boys, particularly two episodes from his life divided by a long period of time.
The movie asks a question what cost his social achievements were reached but the idea of re-matching school competition after many years as well as the fact that these lessons of ancient history survived in memory of former students after such a long time is far-fetched.
The movie tries to avoid clichés usual for such a movies, cinematography is good here, some scenes are quite good and finally the acting in the movie is obviously not bad but unfortunately most likely The Emperor's Club is a movie where numerous flaws of the story and weakness of some moral messages easily outweigh all the rest.
and his performance is admirable first for the art to not be the clone of other teacher - characters.yes, The Emperor's Club is not version of Dead Poets Society and Mr. Hundert is far to be Mr. Keating.
Fine drama about a history teacher, performed my Kevin Kline, and a tough and rebellious student, performed by Emile Hirsch (who we saw in "The Girl Next Door" and "Lords of Dogtown" with Heath Ledger) The aspect the movie focuses on is the influence of a teacher on the personality and character of a student and what he will become in his future life.The story is nice, but it's nothing new.
And in the end, Hirsch doesn't really _take_ the values of Western Civ, merely parroting them to get ahead in society.Watch especially two characters: Martin Blyth (Paul Dano) as one of the slighted boys who goes through life unaware of the slights, and of Robert Bell (Jimmy Walsh), the son of Sedgewick who overhears the showdown between Kline and Hirsch.Not the ending you expected from the beginning - you are encouraged to root for Sedgewick, and you give Hundert a pass on his passing slights.
But at its heart are questions about ethics and integrity.Kevin Kline's Mr. Hundert, Professor of Western Civilization, is a staid, venerable scholar whose passion for teaching is matched by his appreciation for high ethics and good character.
In the film, Kevin Kline does a fantastic job as a devoted school teacher to help instill moral values into the lives of his young students.Although some people criticize the film for being too predictable, my family thoroughly enjoyed the film.
A lot of people have compared this film to Peter Weir's "Dead Poets Society" but I found it much closer in spirit to that English classic, "Goodbye Mr. Chips." Kevin Kline plays a kindly professor much like Robert Donat's Mr. Chipping.
But in the "Emperor's Club" things don't turn out so tidy.The story revolves around the relationship between a teacher of classic history and Sedgewick Bell, a troublesome student and the son of a powerful U.S. Senator.
Defiant and disruptive at first, the pupil is eventually motivated by his teacher to learn the classics.There's a contest held each year at the school to crown the student who knows classical history the best - hence the title of the film.
Hundert's last glimpse of Bell is of him sitting on a couch being interviewed by a reporter and telling her how he intends to bring moral integrity back to America.The movie is well-done and Kevin Kline is excellent in the role of Professor Hundert, but I had a real problem with the ending.
It's a kind of "feel good" and "feel sullen" film experience, as you realize that people get away with a lot in this world, and the wealthy and powerful people can rise and flourish despite their use of deceit; and yet, there are many more good people than bad, which leads Kevin Kline's character to return to the world of teaching, where he can continue to do more good and harm.
This film can stand on its own, and actually make the viewer feel much better after having seen this movie than Dead Poet's Society of more than a decade ago.
As been said before, 'The Emperor's Club' (isn't that a great title?) is similar to such movies as 'The Dead Poets Society,' but it has a fresh angle on it.Kevin Kline is superb as Mr. Hundert, a teacher at St. Benedict's, a boarding school for boys, who has that kind of 'serious-humor' that only a rare few can ever achieve, who referees two academic contests taking place aproximately 25 years apart.
`The Emperor's Club' starts out in medias res with our protagonist, retired classics teacher William Hundert (Kevin Kline) arriving at a posh resort.
Looks Like Dead Poets Society Meets Mr. Holland's Opus...But This Time the Teacher Gets "Schooled".
Kevin Kline is amazing, even though he looks like he aged maybe 10 years when he's supposed to have aged 25 in the present day sequences of the film.
By my criteria, art (literature, cinema, etc.) is only 'excellent' if it makes a profound point about human nature, and if it does so with some subtlety.The Emperor's Club showcases an authentic group of young prep school students (not the 20+ year-olds who often pose as them in other movies), and a very measured but inspiring performance by Kevin Kline.
I still like Kevin Kline, he's a good guy, just made a bad choice with this movie.
Early in "The Emperor's Club" Professor William Hundert (Kevin Kline) informs his students that: "It's not living that is important, but living RIGHTLY." Hundert later asks the same young men: "How will history remember YOU?" Those are the two themes that are examined in this fine film.
By the end of "Emperor's" Professor William Hundert learns that how he deals with students can have far-reaching consequences both good and bad.
But -- Kevin Kline is as effective as always, and the film does introduce flaws into the estimable teacher role that are new, which automatically makes it more interesting than it otherwise would have been.
People have called director Michael Hoffman's The Emperor's Club an unsurprising film with a surprising moral, but screenwriter Neil Tolkin provides the lesson at the onset of the film as Classics teacher William Hundert (Kevin Kline) rows on the river.
Even with star power lent by a very wooden Kevin Kline in the lead role, The Emperor's Club never quite feels like a fully-realized feature film.On one note, I think the Producers missed a great opportunity for Political Satire.
In his first year of tenure at the school, he found himself struggling to reach Sedgewick Bell (Emile Hirsch), a neglected senator's son whose unruliness and disregard for his studies proved to be a formidable obstacle for Professor Hundert (Kevin Kline).
Yet, the lesson that Hundert learned in the end is one that made "The Emperor's Club" a truly memorable film.
It took a while for me to warm to the story, primarily because of the parallels to another film, the similarly titled "Dead Poet's Society." But once you get past the title and the all boys private school setting, these movies are pretty different.
"The Emperor's Club" is a well crafted serious drama which takes a hard look at a staid and principled prep school teacher (Kline) as he struggles to teach the importance of character along with simple facts of Greek and Roman history.
A kind teacher (Kevin Kline) at an exclusive all boy boarding school in the mid-70s, gets a troubled student (Emile Hirsch).
I think a movie such as this, and Dead Poets Society, tap into that feeling of remembering a teacher that changed your life. |
tt1509767 | The Three Musketeers | In Venice, the musketeers Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, with the help of Milady de Winter, steal airship blueprints made by Leonardo da Vinci. However, they are betrayed by Milady, who incapacitates them and sells the blueprints to the Duke of Buckingham.
A year later, d'Artagnan leaves his village in Gascony for Paris in hopes of becoming a musketeer as his father was, only to learn that they were disbanded. At a rural bar, he challenges Captain Rochefort, leader of Cardinal Richelieu's guard, to a duel after being offended by him, but Rochefort merely shoots him while he's distracted. Once in Paris, d'Artagnan separately encounters Athos, Porthos and Aramis and, accidentally offending all three, schedules duels with each. Athos brings Porthos and Aramis to the duel as his seconds and d'Artagnan realizes who they are. Richelieu's guards arrive to arrest them, but, inspired by d'Artagnan, the musketeers fight together and win. All four are summoned before the young King Louis XIII and Richelieu urges him to execute them, but Queen Anne is impressed by their bravery and the king condecorates them instead.
Richelieu instructs Milady, now his accomplice, to plant false love letters among Queen Anne's possessions, steal her diamond necklace, and take it to the Tower of London in order to frame her as having an affair with Buckingham, which would force King Louis to execute her and declare war on England. At this point, the people would demand a more experienced leader: Richelieu himself. In order to secure her own position, Milady demands that Richelieu declare in a written authorization that she is working on behalf of France.
The false letters are found and given to King Louis, who is advised by Richelieu to set up a ball at which Queen Anne would be forced to wear the necklace. If she doesn't, then her affair is real, and there will be war. Queen Anne's lady-in-waiting Constance Bonacieux discovers Richelieu's plan and pleads with the musketeers to stop him. They follow Milady and Buckingham to London, while Constance is captured by Rochefort for helping the musketeers to escape from him.
In London, Milady tells Buckingham the musketeers have arrived to take revenge on him and teaches him all their tendencies in battle. D'Artagnan is captured, but turns out to be a decoy, allowing his associates to steal Buckingham's airship and rescue him. Milady's getaway coachman reveals himself as the musketeers' manservant Planchet and delivers her to his masters, who retrieve the necklace from her. Athos prepares to execute Milady for her treachery, but she leaps off the airship, apparently dying on her own terms.
The musketeers depart back to Paris, only to be intercepted by Rochefort in another airship, as Milady had given Richelieu copies of da Vinci's blueprints. Rochefort offers to exchange Constance for the necklace, but captures d'Artagnan and orders an attack as soon as he retrieves the jewels. His superior airship has the upper hand and severely damages the opposing ship, but the musketeers manage to crash both onto Notre Dame. On the roof, d'Artagnan duels and ultimately kills Rochefort. Constance is sent ahead to quietly return the necklace to Queen Anne.
The musketeers arrive at the ball and, for the sake of King Louis and his people, lie by claiming that Rochefort tried to sabotage an airship that Richelieu built for them, and that they executed him for his treason on Richelieu's permission. To convince the king, Athos presents Milady's authorization, which the former accepts. Richelieu, satisfied, offers the musketeers a place in his army, but they refuse, and Richelieu vows they will come to regret their decision.
Meanwhile, Milady is found alive at the English Channel by Buckingham, who declares his intention to exact revenge. He is then revealed to be advancing towards France with a massive fleet of battleships and airships. | murder, violence, historical fiction, good versus evil, action, humor, revenge, sci-fi | train | wikipedia | The story is all over the place, you don't get to know any of the musketeers, or barely a character at all and the biggest problem: A movie doesn't have to be realistic for me but it has to make sense in his own universe of the movie (like Matrix its not realistic but logical).
Oh and surprise surprise: 3D is useless, but thats nothing new tell me a movie that really had to have 3D except for avatar or maybe tron.Movie with a simple plot fine , one that makes no sense at all, you better don't count on my vote.So if you can enjoy a pointless excuse of a story for some nice swordplay, have fun..
"After failing in a scheme to steal Leonardo Da Vinci's airship blueprints, the Musketeers..."Seriously, the writer of "Predators" and the director of "Resident Evil" decided that Alexander Dumas masterpiece was not good enough...
It has a lot of adventure and cool scenes with good special effects.I did not expect to see Milla Jovovich in a movie like this but she really pulled it off.
And it was pretty nice seeing Orlando Bloom playing a villain for a change, I've had the feeling that he always plays the a character with same qualities in almost every movie (Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Kingdom of Heaven etc).This movie is much more adventurous and wild than the '93 version and in my opinion these two can't really be compared because they are made for different audiences.
Played by Logan Lerman, D'Artagnan sets out to become a musketeer and arrives in Paris to find the famed trio Athos (Matthew Macfadyen), Aramis (Luke Evans) and Porthos (Ray Stevenson) disbanded and de-commissioned by Cardinal Richelieu (Christoph Waltz).
It is now up to the (four) musketeers to prevent France and England from plunging into war by stopping M'lady De Winter from executing the Cardinals evil plan.With a budget of US$ 100 million, Alexandre Dumas' complex plot is simplified for this movie but hugely amplified with visual effects and 3 D.
Perhaps it all boils down to the script again although I was expecting more from Waltz in comparison to the rest of the actors, as he could have actually been the film's saving grace.At the end of it all, this latest adaptation will not be worth remembering and will go down as a half-baked attempt at remaking a movie that has been made too many times.
Producer and director Paul W.S. Anderson presents Dumas' exciting story of love and adventure , ¨The three musketeers¨ including a lot of computer especial effects , anachronisms and overwhelming aerial scenes .
This cool filmmaker provided visual style , comedy , fencing , drama , clangorous action in equal proportions .This classy story is subsequently remade on several versions ,as the MGM classic version in musical style by George Sidney with Gene Kelly , Paul Lukas , Gig Young , Vincent Price , Frank Morgan and Lana Turner as Milady ; 1973 amusing version by Richard Lester with Michael York, Oliver Reed and Raquel Welch ; 1993 modern adaptation by Stephen Herek with Charlie Sheen , Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt and Chris O'Donnell, and 2001 rendition by Peter Hyams with Justin Chambers, Mena Suvari and Tim Roth , among others.
I expected great action movie, with massive and beautiful sets, wonderful music and well choreographed fight scenes.
Paul W.S. Anderson's reboot of the Three Musketeers is one of those movies you should see with one expectation only: to be entertained without straining your braincells.It is an enjoyable adventure movie that never takes itself too serious, reminiscent of the first Pirates of the Caribbean film.The cast members seem to have enjoyed their parts as they display a mellow playfulness, with Orlando Bloom being the exception as he seems a little over-strained in his role as a bad guy.
But even his helpless overacting can be overlooked in a movie that seems to be very self-aware about it's ultimate goal - to deliver two hours of mindless entertainment.Logan Lerman should be positively mentioned, because once you get over his haircut, he delivers a nice performance as the cocky, young hot-shot D'Artagnan, with a good sense of timing for his (mostly cheesy) onliners and a great agility in the fighting sequences.I thoroughly enjoyed this movie in 3D and look forward to a sequel.
This movie proves that God exists only for their is no way that the worst screenplay and the worst acting got together and made this movie by coincidence, there had to be divine help.Not only does this movie not even remotely follow the book or any other movie it tries to spice up the failure of a movie that it is by having special effects that are so ridiculous they would make you laugh if you weren't in pain from realizing you paid to see this movie.Overall I would rather pay forty dollars to watch a censored version of Piranha 3D then get paid to see this movie again..
Paul W.S. Anderson is an unusual person to direct a film like this since he's more of a futuristic action movie guy.
Like this we may give in the future a chance to young viewers to enjoy real plots, good scripts and excellent movies.
From the great performance of the calculating Cardinal to the wonderful basterd that is Rochefort who is truly fun as a villain who never plays fair even if he has all the advantages :) Orlando Bloom makes a very decent semi bad guy who also shows surprising comedic talent As for the movie itself it doesn't take itself too seriously but it also doesn't fall into the idiotic and over the top vibe(yes despite Airships)rather if has the vibe of an 90's action movie.
Naturally the key tertio of romantically-driven Athos (Matthew Macfadyen), pretty boy Aramis (Luke Evans) and the bulky gentleman Porthos (Ray Stevenson) actually make for a somewhat amiable band, charmingly churning out incongruous jokes, thus making the best out of the appalling base they have to work on.D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman) however is another story.
Backing cast is quite impressive with Milla Jovovich, playing her sexually-charged oft-negliged self so well known from the Resident Evil franchise, but with much less pizazz to her performance, plus Orlando Bloom as the trend-setting Duke of Buckingham and an obviously uninspired Christopher Waltz as Richelieu.The story itself is a checkered ordeal, sometimes working, oft however falling into vast pitfalls of trite clichés.
Yes, the script may be flawed and clichéd at parts, and sometimes the movie just feels a little dull at parts, but that doesn't stop the great, goofy fun that is The Three Musketeers.I've seen quite a few adaptations of the Musketeers, and i have to say the Disney version with Kiefer Sutherland is the best because it captures a serious and interesting story with funny and dynamic characters, but when i saw the trailer for this version, i felt as if the filmmakers wanted to just spoof the whole idea.
For those guys who wine about it not being true to the book by Alexandre Dumas, after watching the trailer showing airships and "Mission Impossible" like scenes, please...what did you expect...The actors all did a fine job, even Mila Jovovich and Orlando Bloom where o.k..The mix of elements in this Movie, was quiet nice...If you like "Pirates Of the Caribean", "Le pacte des loups"/"Brotherhood of the Wolf", "Fanfan la Tulipe" (1952), Jules Verne, Steam Punk or Alan Moores "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" - comic that is, this maybe one for you...and i recommend the 3D version....
in a puppet way, though.I liked how Waltz didn't embarrass himself too much and how the three musketeers were "okay" characters.The thing is, the whole movie started as if it was a parody.
Modern elements through phrasing and reasoning is not witty, and inclusion of airship is odd.Luckily, there are some pleasant performances - Logan Lerman, Milla Jovovich, Christoph Waltz, Mads Mikkelsen, Orlando Bloom.
I wonder if any one doing this movie, hast ever read Alexandre Dumas books, about the musketeers.This movie is one of the worst musketeer movies, ever made, they even shot this movie in Bavaria, not in France!If you looking' forward for a good sword fighting musketeer movie, I would recommend, the 3 Oliver Reed movies, which are close to the books, and a lot more fun to watch.And please, don't think about, giving' us sequels, to this trash..
I could not give it more then 1 / 10 - - - This is a complete butchery of classic Dumas novels, and previous movies of the same title - - - - The acting is no comments, somewhat great cast could not save this bad script / directing - - - - On that note, the acting was so wooden, you could see, that even actors need to pay the bills.
The writing is often very cheesy and anachronistic, with Lerman and Bloom getting the worst of it, though there are some nice snappy moments too with McFadyen, Mikelssen and Waltz.The story is a wonderful one, and is well paced generally, however I would have liked more with D'Artagnan and the three musketeers.However, I do think the film looks fantastic.
Logan Lerman is handsome and charming if rather flat, likewise with Freddie Fox. Orlando Bloom and Milla Jovovich didn't blow me over I admit, however they were both much better than anticipated.When I first heard of Bloom as Buckingham to me it screamed of disaster, that said he was much less painful than I thought, his dialogue was bad but the performance was okay relying less on the all-looks gimmick.
I guess that the director likes working with Milla Jovovich (Milady) since he used her in all his Resident Evil films.
With their swords dusted off and old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure clearly in mind, The Three Musketeers make it back to the big screen in this engagingly colourful and action-packed romp, with director Paul W S Anderson displaying verve and panache in this rousing 3D re-booting of the much-filmed French classic novel.
As he displayed in Resident Evil: Afterlife – the most recent of his hit zombie/sci-fi films, which star Milla Jovovich – Anderson has an appreciation and sure touch when it comes to 3D work, and it does help his delve into a colourful and dynamic movie-version of 17th century Europe as the Musketeers set about plenty of sword-fights, carousing and general derring-do.
The Three Musketeers is a film that critics will find it easy to sneer at, but it is a well-crafted bit of mainstream entertainment that doesn't disappoint in terms of good old-fashioned swashbuckling fun..
To avoid total war in Europe, The Three Musketeers and D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman) are activated to save France and King Louis X111 (Freddie Fox) from The Duke of Buckingham (Orlando Bloom).This movie seemed to be more concerned with cinematography and silly looking costumes for King Louie (Freddie Fox) than anything else.
Fortunately, fate aligns him with former members, Athos (Matthew Macfadyen), Porthos (Ray Stevenson) and Aramis (Luke Evans).After proving his parry, D'Artagnan joins the ex-Musketeers as they set out to save the queen from being framed by a treacherous cardinal (Christoph Waltz) and his assistant (Milla Jovovich).Featuring fast-paced fencing matches, airship dogfights and slow-mo explosions, this bombastic adaptation is as far removed from Alexandre Dumas' novel as possible.Besides, we all know that after retirement the Musketeers didn't sail around in a flying boat, they invented a chocolate bar.
Dumas's stories about his musketeers isn't Shakespeare,no metaphor for the afterlife,it's adventure with a splash of thriller plot-wise.Who wants to see the same film over and over with the only difference being the actors?
And that's from the book.It's not a film that stands still,there's chasing,slicing and goofing and we get crisp cinematography for once by Anderson,good camera-work and everything about the surface is beautiful....I DO feel like a lot of hate just comes based on Andersons resume;If you"know"movies,you shouldn't like this,hence judging and sentencing it from a biased view.The cast is mostly able and sufficient for this kind of easygoing entertainment.
Get used to this, they call it Hollywood.I watched the film and it was just what I expected; a bit of action, a bit of romance, good special effects and the Musketeers saving the day.
Firstly, I have given this movie a 1 star rating because IMDb does not allow me to give it a 0.Secondly, my respect to those that have rated this film as low as it should be.Thirdly, those that didn't and referred to it as 'not that bad' I beg you to watch a previous version to fully understand how wrong you are.Dumas was a brilliant writer and the fact that his stories are still being adapted so many years later is a true testament to his talents.
I could have lived with some of the tech they used even though it certainly isn't period but when I saw a wooden ship that was so heavy it would have never gotten off the ground with a blimp ten times the size much less the size it was well lets just be polite and say I had a lot of bad words for the idiots who dreamed up the monstrous clap trap it was.You would think that the director Paul W.S. Anderson would have had his fill of that in the resident evil movies but no he took a perfectly good story that I have liked every incarnation of it till now.
Matthew Macfadyen goes with British, Logan Lerman sticks to American, Christoph Waltz does his best French, Milla Jovovich is doing...something, and Orlando Bloom does his best Spongebob mocking meme a good 6 years before it becomes a thing.The CGI was blatant and gratuitous, though I will cut the film some slack since I watched in 2017 so the technology is already outdated.
The likes of MacFadyen, Stevenson and Evans also work their roles well too and all 4 of these players are what really hold this film together.My thoughts on this version of The Three Musketeers is that it was entertaining in spots with the principal cast making it quite fun to watch at times.
I really appreciate Logan Lerman and Milla Jovovich the most for playing D'Artagnan and Milady respectively.The film's ending calls for a sequel, probably called "The Four Musketeers", now counting D'Artagnan.
Gratuitous airships.May make you long to read Alexandre Dumas' Les Trois Mousquetaires in French and want to re-watch old versions of The Three Musketeers (1993), The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), and The Man in the Iron Mask (1998).Stalwart acting, enjoyed Juno Temple's Queen Anne, Logan Lerman's D'Artagnan and all the musketeers.Also, explosions..
It was a late night show with my friend.The story is nicely made and the roles too.It centralizes the three people who saves their nation from being trapped.3d animation is really worth to watch.The fourth musketer Logan Lerman played his role really well.Don't miss to watch the beauty of Gabriella Wilde.Still the lagging part is the way the film structured,it may be changed.The airships designed and the fight from the airships was a notable achievement of director.The scenes of fight also tamed nicely.Comedy is also good throughout the movie, and the most important thing is it will go into the 17th century European beauty..
Forget Alexander Dumas's original story as this is another movie to feature Milla Jovovich.This could have been a great swash buckling adventure the Three musketeers & D'Artagnan were great casting but not given a chance to perform as the Director was to busy featuring his wife.
If there is to be a second feature the musketeers must be given time to develop their characters and perform.People can enjoy the fantasy of it all but don't cut out the main characters.The costumes and settings were excellent with the 3D effect.I am sure many a young person who has not read or seen previous movies will appreciate the fun..
(Orlando Bloom, being as uncharismatic as ever)The action is competent enough - lots of CG, Milla Jovovich gets to leap around in period dress instead of combat gear or scifi rubber, and the traps in this film are about as close to scifi Resident Evil / heist movie type traps as they could get away with.
Well what a lot of hype for a load of nothing, this is a very poor adaptation of a great story, Logan Lerman (who) as D'Artanyen looked like a Sixteen year old doing a school play, the two brightest actors was Matt MacFadyen as Athos, and Orlando Bloom in his best role to date as the "baddie".
Action is good but was expecting even better, considering the level of the plot.My verdict is watch the movie.
It works as a mindless mayhem film, but fails disastrously as a novel adaptation.Go in the theater only if you want some senseless entertainment with a few good-looking action sequences.
The film is good with good action but could have been better.the four musketeers are good specially ray Stevenson is very funny but the best are the villains Milla jovovich is very very evil Orlando Bloom made a different character and Christoph Waltz simply PERFECT!
Director Paul Anderson retaining the name and characters but little else of the original story.The Three musketeers Aramis (Luke Evans), Porthos (Ray Stevenson) and Athos (Matthew Macfayden) serve at the pleasure of the weak French King (Freddie Fox).
The movie starts with a comic like character introduction, so one knows instantly it is not a serious Duma story.
Alexandre Dumas' famous trio of swashbucklers – Athos (Matthew MacFadyen, uninspiring), Aramis (Luke Evans, solid) and Porthos (Ray Stevenson, funny) – are joined by a young D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman, just passable) to retrieve a stolen piece of royal jewellery from the arrogantly evil Buckingham (Orlando Bloom, hilarious) and the deadly assassin Milady de Winter (Milla Jovovich, decent). |
tt0361411 | Bride & Prejudice | When Balraj, a London barrister of Indian origin, visits Amritsar for a friend's wedding, he brings along his sister Kiran and his American friend, William Darcy. While there, they make the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Bakshi and their four daughters, Jaya, Lalita, Maya, and Lakhi ("Lucky"). Balraj and Jaya feel an immediate attraction, but Lalita is offended by William's condescending attitude toward India and Indians, and even his attempts to apologize all seem to go wrong.After the wedding, William wants to visit Goa, to see whether his company should build a hotel there. Balraj and Kiran will be going with him, and Balraj invites Jaya to accompany them. Mr. Bakshi observes that this would hardly be proper, but Mrs. Bakshi is very eager to see all of her daughters married, and suggests that Lalita go along as Jaya's chaperone. While in Goa, Lalita quarrels with William, saying that a beach resort in Goa is nothing but a way "to go to India without having to deal with Indians". But, during an Ashanti concert, she meets and is drawn to Johnny Wickham, son of the nurse who helped raised William, who explains that William kicked him out of the Darcy household as soon as the elder Mr. Darcy died.Back in Amritsar, the Bakshi family is visited by Mr. Kohli, a distant cousin who has emigrated to America, and become a successful accountant in California. He is very proud of his green card, and very dismissive of India. But one thing that he cannot find in his new country is a nice, old-fashioned, subservient Indian girl, and, as he puts it, "No life without wife." Johnny turns up again, and attends a dance with Lalita. William tries to warn Lalita that Johnny is not all he seems, but she is too angry to listen. Lakhi is also very taken with the handsome Johnny. At a family dinner, Mr. Kohli continues to speak disparagingly of India, when, much to Lalita's surprise, William objects that he has seen much to admire in India; in particular, he thinks rather more of the loving Bakshi family than his own. To her daughters' embarrassment, Mrs. Bakshi speaks openly of her plans for her daughter's future lucrative marriages, despite her husband's attempt to change the subject.Mr. Kohli proposes to Lalita, who turns him down in no uncertain terms, to her mother's dismay; but Mr. Bakshi is proud of his daughter. The next day, Balraj claims a sudden change in plans is forcing his party to return to London early. The Bakshis hear that Mr. Kohli has proposed to Lalita's best friend, Chandra Lamba, who has accepted. There will be a small wedding here, and a larger one in America. That evening, Johnny claims that he has to meet some friends in another village and leaves as well.When all the visitors have left, both Jaya and Lalita are disappointed. Neither Balraj nor Johnny are keeping their promises to stay in touch. Lakhi does not tell anyone that Johnny is answering her letters.For all his vulgarity, Mr. Kohli has a good heart, and sends four tickets to Los Angeles (via London) for Mrs. Bakshi and three of her daughters to attend his wedding. In London, they visit Kiran, but Balraj, it appears, is in New York, where their parents are introducing him to some marriageable girls.At Heathrow, the travelers run into William, who is taking the same flight. He offers to trade his first-class seat with Mrs. Bakshi, which lets him sit next to Lalita. Impressed with his kindness, Lalita finally has a polite conversation with him. He tells her he is glad that Johnny Wickham has not stayed in touch with her, as Johnny is a 'nasty piece of work,' and discusses his own and Balraj's problems of parental influence.Mr. Kohli is holding his wedding at one of the Darcy family hotels, and there we meet William's unpleasant mother, who says that they have lost a fortune over William's taking Lalita's words to heart and passing on the Goa resort idea. William's younger sister, Georgina ("Georgie"), then adds that William has been telling her many nice things about Lalita. Lalita and William are soon dating, but at the wedding, Mrs. Darcy introduces vapid yet well-connected Anne, whom she wants William to marry, as Darcy's girlfriend. After the ceremony, Georgie tells Lalita that William has advised his friend Balraj not to marry an Indian woman with a horrid, fortune-hunting mother. Lalita realizes that Georgie is referring to Jaya, and when immediately after Darcy tries to deny any future with Anne and profess his love for Lalita, she blows up completely at him: "Only you could say you love me and insult me at the same time!" she says. He admits having a part in breaking up Jaya and Balraj, and she angrily walks away from him.Darcy tries to see Lalita the next day, only to find the Bakshis have already left for London.In London, Lakhi leaves "to go shopping", but instead goes off to meet Johnny Wickham and does not come home that night, sending a note telling her family who she is with. The Bakshis are still in shock when William shows up to apologize to Lalita the next day. He says that he has apologized to Balraj, too; that he simply hadn't realized that Jaya was really in love. But Lalita has no time for this; she tells him how Lakhi has run off with Johnny. Darcy is thunderstruck, and tells her that Johnny got Georgina pregnant when she was only sixteen, and attempted to elope with her for her money, and that Darcy had been "left to pick up the pieces". They both go to track them down, first to Johnny's home on a canal boat, then to the London Eye, and, finally, into a Bollywood cinema. There, William and Johnny get into a fist fight in sync with the fist fight on the screen, and, as William and Lalita are pulling Lakhi away, Johnny's big mouth makes it clear even to Lakhi that he's worthless.When they get back to the family, everyone's relieved, and they are greeted with the news that Balraj is there, that he has proposed to Jaya and that she has accepted.Back in Amritsar, it seems the whole city is there to celebrate the double wedding. | romantic | train | imdb | Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, this Western-style Bollywood musical can't possibly achieve the heights that a union of the best of East and West movie making and English literature might suggests, but it manages to fulfil a delightful couple of hours of song and dance that Western cinema these days struggles to accomplish.Like the novel, Bride and Prejudice uses the ideas that that first impressions are often wrong, and that a person can mature if he or she keeps an open mind.
The unlikely courtship of Mr Darcy and (in our movie) a beautiful Indian girl starts with mutual contempt, but moves forward as they become wiser and learn that their first instincts, based on pride, prejudice and illusions, were wrong.The scene moves between Amritsar and Goa to London and Beverley Hills, all in brighter-than-bright super-saturated colour, with an assortment of equally colourful characters, wonderful costumes, lavish dance pieces and heavenly bollywood-style ballads.
While almost everything is in English (except for a few subtitled songs), nearly all the characters are top Indian performers.In the golden age of musicals, stars such as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire had a whole sub-industry to draw on for good dancers who could also sing and act well, plus the technicians used to producing high-end musicals.
Bollywood, on the other hand, has no such shortage, and Bride and Prejudice is the sumptuously choreographed musical with Indian dancing that has become nigh impossible with western dancers.Admittedly it's a bit cheesy at times - but it's self-consciously so, and as endearing as warm, gushy Indian hospitality.
Like many east-meets-west movies, the stereotypes are a handle to allow easy assimilation of foreign ideas, and the heavy Indian involvement wards off any tendency to patronise (which is one of the themes explored in the film).This is not high drama or high art, but it's an accomplished romantic comedy / song-and-dance film, and one that warms the heart and makes you want to wave your arms in the air Indian-dance-style for the sheer joy and exuberance of happy endings..
The incredible Indian colors explode in front of our eyes giving the Western viewers such an opportunity to experience a little taste of India.Asihwarya Rai is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women working in movies.
What I got was an explosion of colour and music, Bollywood style, and sure some of the songs were pretty awful, but hey, there were a few terrible numbers in Grease too, and I still love that movie!The lead players were all virtually unknown to me but they were perfect in their roles.
And Martin Henderson was perfect as the American version of the disdainful Mr Darcy, this time Mr Will Darcy.Go and see this film if you are open to something new - it really is quite a faithful re-work of the story, and it is very entertaining.The only people who won't enjoy this are people who hate musicals with a passion, or people who are purists to the original.If you liked Chicago, then you can definitely enjoy this one too.
When I first started watching Bollywood flicks back in the day, I was always on my high horse (being a connoisseur of independent and foreign cinema that I am), and I was constantly berating these movies which always had seemingly trite plots, typical main characters, and a number of flaws spawning from lazy scriptwriting/editing.
Over the years, though, I've continued watching it because I love the sound of the music and the way everything surreally breaks into song and dance -- no matter how ridiculous the music itself is.What Gurinder Chadha has done here is create a very, very solid Bollywood movie.
And Rai needs to be commended for doing what few Bollywood actresses would do: giving up fame and fortune to try new acting prospects.If you're looking for the apex of cinematic art, don't watch this flick, but if you're looking for a two-hour feel-good romp littered with bright colors and toe-tapping musical numbers, this is right up your alley.
one must look at this movie from the point that it was made more like a bolly wood movie that is dramatic , has songs (as all Hindi movies are incomplete with out) and a dash of Indian culture yes the movie is based on pride and prejudice so a lot of people will go expecting it to be like the book and hence will be surprised.
the whole point to having an Indian girl who is from a different culture, background,class and country fall in love with a rich ,snobbish American boy is to make it romantic almost i would say like a mills and boons romance.
this movie is funny as well as emotional and has all the stuff required in making a good movie one must go and see this movie and expect it to be like a bollywood film and the person will not be disappointed.this is a truly different movie and is worth a watch..
Chaddha Bollywoodizes the film by adding numerous songs, dance numbers, setting it in India and casting Indian actors but she also tries to Hollywoodize it by casting Hollywood actors.
One of the guys I know says that he can not marry any Indian girl now, because he got his Green card about a year ago, and he has been unsuccessful so far to get a long-term girlfriend within the United States).Now good points.1) Music: Chadha has done a great job in making this music possible, by bringing in Anu Malik.
Chadha even made Punjabis dancing Garba, which is a Maharashtrian dance, look convincing!2) Acting: Chadha managed to gather a bunch of talents and a handful of former Miss India's (Namrata Shirodkar=Jaya, Aishwarya Rai=Lalita etc.) for this movie.
However, the film suffered a little, for a number of reasons, the main ones being that it left the Bollywood- style when it went to Hollywood (which changed the tone of the film), it didn't really find a good way to make Wickham as wicked as he is in the original, and there did not seem to be the same desperate need to be married as there was for the Bennet sisters in 'P&P'.
Because it is based on Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice, having read the book allows you to compare the two, but isn't necessary at all to enjoy the movie.
The musicals created in Bombay have become a genre all their own, with the nickname "Bollywood." Now the Bollywood style comes to Western audiences in "Bride & Prejudice." In this movie, director Gurinder Chadha takes a new look at Jane Austen's classic novel "Pride and Prejudice." Bollywood favorite Aishwarya Rai stars as Lalita Bakshi, a modern Indian girl with a mind of her own.
The conflict of the traditional arranged marriage and the "foreign concept" of marrying for love make this story a little like "Fiddler On the Roof." The many musical numbers offer a bright, colorful look at the Bollywood style.
First off, I'm a huge Jane Austen fan, from a multi-cultural family(Hawaiian and Mexican), love bollywood movies, and live in Los Angeles.
There is not one part of it I want to fast forward and not one song that doesn't play in my head all day.Martin Henderson makes a wonderful modern Darcy and Aishwarya Rai is brilliant as Lalita.
In fact, all the cast are readily identifiable as their Pride and Prejudice characters and I think each performance perfectly translates Austen's Regency character into a modern version we can all relate to.The perfect movie to lift your spirits at the end of a long hard day at work.If I have one negative comment to make it is that the song that has been cut is one of the best and I think all the deleted scenes have something to add to the movie.
A Bollywood-style version of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, Bride & Prejudice tells the story of the Bakshi family, living in a small Indian town with four daughters whom their mother is anxious to marry off.
The family knows a few very eligible bachelors (read "rich, successful in business and handsome") from the UK and the US, and the film tells the troubles, triumphs and tragedies surrounding the daughters' relationships with the bachelors.First, I should note that I'm not a huge fan of Bollywood musicals, soap opera-like plots, realist dramas or traditional romance films (traditional both in a filmic sense and in the sense of traditionalist values being espoused).
On the other hand, there are films in all of those genres that I do like quite a bit, and my wife, who is Indian and usually enjoys those genres much more than I do, gave Bride & Prejudice an 8, so perhaps my bias wasn't that significant.A 7 from me is equivalent to a "C" letter grade--a passing grade but nothing to be overly proud of.
The director, Gurinder Chadha, is of Indian descent but was born in Kenya and raised in the UK, so her making a film that blends cultures (like her other famous film, "Bend It Like Beckham") is a natural.It's Bollywood roots are apparent in several ways.
They don't look and sound 100% authentic, but like the Jane Austin novel, they seem "inspired" by Bollywood.Interestingly, in this film, the differences between the leading lady and Mr. Darcy are not just social but cultural, as Darcy is an American.
This is a seriously bad movie that I've been unlucky enough to watch.Cons: Bad characterization - both Aishwarya and Martin jump into their pride and prejudice polarities in no time at all - it's as if the director is expecting the audience to know the characters well already.Terrible song-and-dance routines - I don't know if the attempt was to make it a musical, but the routines look terribly shoddy.
They neither match Hollywood musical standards, neither are they good Bollywood-type interludes.Poor Acting - Aishwarya overacts and Martin underacts.Terrible view of India - The way Indian arranged marriage and family systems are shown, I'm really surprised how the Indian cast agreed to act in such a movie..
Gurinda (Bend It Like Beckham) Chadha's exuberant Bollywood/chick-lit crossover is so unashamedly feelgood that viewing it is akin to being in a slow motion tornado as it rolls through the world's most colourful flowershop.Relocating Jane Austen's novel of match-making and heartache to a small rural town in India rescues it from being forevermore a period piece by finding a context in which its arranged unions and propriety are still relevant.But, really, any old romantic tale would have worked as well, given that Chadha's mission is to ply the senses with a vibrant kaleidoscopic whirl of colour, dancing and music.And beautiful people, too.
It's almost a shame, because her stunning looks almost overshadow the genuinely relaxed charm she exudes as her fiery character Lalita plays loves-me-love-me-not with Martin Henderson's occasionally stuffy and cool-blooded businessman Darcy.Look for anything like social reality and satire in Bride And Prejudice and you'll wind up disappointed but let yourself fall into it with your eyes and ears wide open and there's a good chance it'll run off with your heart for a couple of hours, at least..
It made me feel good and that's a great thing for a film to do!I could see so many likenesses to the characters from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (tv series) especially Miss Bingley.I saw it with a friend who felt the singing in the streets was all a bit much but then that is the way of a true Bollywood films isn't it?I would recommend this to anyone who likes to leave the cinema on a high!.
I wonder if at any time during the making of this movie writer and director Gurinder Chadha realized her film was going haywire.Actually, a Bollywoodized version of Jane Austen's novel, "Pride and Prejudice," sounds an interesting, enticing premise.
But Chadha, who quite successfully turned a conventional coming-of-age, romantic comedy into the enjoyable "Bend it Like Beckham" (2003), fails miserably this time.She seems to have an able and willing cast in "Bride and Prejudice," but they just don't click.The film's two biggest problems: Chadha's insistence on including English-language songs mixed in with a few Hindi Bollywood numbers, and lead actor Martin Henderson as Darcy.The Hindi songs are bouncy, vivacious, fun to watch.
It's probably not unusual that I loved this film as it contains all the elements I love in a movie - comedy, music; romance; a story and beautiful people.I loved it because it does pay homage to musicals like Grease and to Bollywood which I have started to watch more recently with awe.
Its a shame that the deleted scenes (in the DVD) where not in the full version as I think they were quite pivotal to the story telling especially the song, Arrogance, Love and Vanity.It truly helps when there's eye-candy with the gorgeous Martin Henderson ans Aishwarya Rai. These people make it even more worthwhile to watch!The story of course based is based on a classic by Jane Austen yet it brings us to modern world by its issues of cross-cultural differences.I know the reviews have been mixed but you can't please everyone yet I highly recommend it if you are a romantic like me!
Most of the songs are in English and, if not, subtitles or characters' comments make it clear what is going on.If you are not familiar with East Indian films and the whole Bollywood-style of movie-making then permit this film to be your introduction.
I am a big Jane Austen fan, and love "Pride and Prejudice." I have seen many versions of it and always enjoy a new twist on the story.
Taking only the best of Hollywood, and leaving behind the sordid sex and death row humor we've all come to hate but ruefully expect from most movies, Director Chadha rewards the many many people who so loved her last film, Bend It Like Beckham.
"Bride & Prejudice" is truly a 'labour of love': co-written by the British expatriate Indian director Gurinder Chadha and her real-life Japanese-American husband, Paul Mayeda Berges, from the original novel "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen.Translating a 200-year-old novel, which addressed a very acute slice of a very specific culture, to a modern cross-cultural story that embraces three continents .
But in the deft and loving hands of Ms. Chadha ("Bend It Like Beckham", "Bhaji on the Beach") the end result is amazingly successful: all the fun and colour of a full-scale Bollywood extravaganza, yet remaining true to the timeless emotional core of the classic original material.This adaptation works because Ms. Chadha reminds us – in a particularly loving and life-affirming way – of certain universal truths about human behaviour that are just as powerful today as they were during Ms. Austen's time, truths we recognize from our own experience.
Lovers can only succeed if they DO persevere and work through their misunderstandings and obstacles.The Bollywood musical form employed here by Ms. Chadha expresses particularly well the sheer emotional quality of falling in love that Hollywood seems to have forgot.The power of this classic love story between the enigmatic Darcy (Martin Henderson) and the intrepid Lizzie Bennet (here "Lalita Bakshi", in the justifiably much-vaunted English language debut of Indian superstar Aishwarya Rai) continues to affect us today because it taps into this timeless fascination with lovers and their follies.
In Bride and Prejudice Gurinder Chadha's Bollywood film version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice a few things are different.
I am not speaking to my wife at the moment, she made me watch this film and now almost two hours of my life are gone forever.Seriously though, she LOVES Bollywood-style films, yet, like me, she thinks this film is a turkeyMost of the musical arrangements/lyrics are just plain woeful.And don't start me on the rest of the film.There should have been a clue when she bought the DVD, apparently no-one could be found to give a positive quote about this film judging by the lack of any independent endorsements on the cover.From my score of 3, 1 point is for the use of colour in the film, the other 2 for Former Miss World Aishwarya Rai's stunning beauty on-screen, and she seems to be a decent enough actor considering.WARNING TO IMDb USERS: THIS FILM IS DISPLAYING A MISLEADING RATING!.
My friend turned to me after 40 minutes in the theater and said "When is this going to end?" I love Bollywood and have enjoyed so many other recent films by Indian directors so this stands out as an enormous let down.
The film projects modern and changed India , still holding its unique traditional culture .Story very beautifully defines a young girl from punjabi family (Aishwarya Rai) and her chemistry with rich English guy (Martin Henderson)in a very dramatic and high voltage punjabi style with a big bang music.
U will find already popular punjabi style music in the film , bollywood type dance , ashwaryia in a very sexy look , lots of emotions , attractive dresses , colorful environment .A definite yes to Bride and Prejudice and real value for money..
At first i wasn't sure i would like it but i really enjoyed it the leads were wonderful the songs were catchy and for someone who likes musicals it was great.i would recommend anyone to see this film for some light hearted fun and just to escape especially if your a romantic so don't think about the musical side of the film think about the love story that grows between the two lead characters,the chemistry was brilliant and the looks were wonderful that was passed from darcy to lalita.
You would think that mixing two movie genres is a daring move, but Gurinder Chahad's film Bride and Prejudice is the perfect blend between classic Bollywood and modern Hollywood.
Bride and Prejudice was more of a Hollywood film, but still contained many of the Bollywood aspects such as the singing, dancing, and cultural elements.
When two nations come together in this film, both stand to lose something.Bride & Prejudice did not seem like a Bollywood movie at all. |
tt0050976 | Det sjunde inseglet | Text is too large - max size is 60,000 characters.
The night had brought little relief from the heat, and at dawn a hot gust of
wind blows across the colorless sea. The KNIGHT, Antonius Block, lies
prostrate on some spruce branches spread over the fine sand. His eyes are wide-open and bloodshot from lack of sleep.Nearby his squire JONS is snoring loudly. He has fallen asleep where he collapsed, at the edge of the forest among the wind-gnarled fir trees. His open mouth gapes towards the dawn, and unearthly sounds come from his throat.
At the sudden gust of wind, the horses stir, stretching their parched muzzles towards the sea. They are as thin and worn as their masters.The KNIGHT has risen and waded into the shallow water, where he rinses his sunburned face and blistered lips. JONS rolls over to face the forest and the darkness. He moans in his sleep and vigorously scratches the stubbled hair on his head. A scar stretches diagonally across his scalp, as white as lightning against the grime.The KNIGHT returns to the beach and falls on his knees. With his eyes closed and brow furrowed, he says his morning prayers. His hands are clenched together and his lips form the words silently. His face is sad and bitter. He opens his eyes and stares directly into the morning sun which wallows up from the misty sea like some bloated, dying fish. The sky is gray and immobile, a dome of lead. A cloud hangs mute and dark over the western horizon. High up, barely visible, a seagull floats on motionless wings. Its cry is weird and restless. The KNIGHT'S large gray horse lifts its head and whinnies. Antonius Block turns around.Behind him stands a man in black. His face is very pale and he keeps his hands hidden in the wide folds of his cloak.KNIGHT Who are you?DEATH I am Death.KNIGHT Have you come for me?DEATH I have been walking by your side for a long time.KNIGHT That I know.DEATH Are you prepared?KNIGHT
My body is frightened, but I am not.DEATH Well, there is no shame in that.The KNIGHT has risen to his feet. He shivers. DEATH opens his cloak to place it around the KNIGHT'S shoulders.KNIGHT Wait a moment.DEATH That's what they all say. I grant no reprieves.KNIGHT You play chess, don't you?A gleam of interest kindles in DEATH'S eyes.DEATH How did you know that?KNIGHT I have seen it in paintings and heard it sung in ballads.DEATH Yes, in fact I'm quite a good chess player.KNIGHT But you can't be better than I am.The KNIGHT rummages in the big black bag which he keeps beside him and takes out a small chessboard. He places it carefully on the ground and begins setting up the pieces.DEATH Why do you want to play chess with me?KNIGHT I have my reasons.DEATH That is your privilege.KNIGHT The condition is that I may live as long as I hold out against you. If I win, you will release me. Is it agreed?The KNIGHT holds out his two fists to DEATH, who smiles at him suddenly. DEATH points to one of the KNIGHT'S hands; it contains a black pawn.KNIGHT You drew black!DEATH Very appropriate. Don't you think so?The KNIGHT and DEATH bend over the chessboard. After a moment of hesitation, Antonius Block opens with his king's pawn. DEATH moves, also using his king's pawn.The morning breeze has died down. The restless movement of the sea has ceased, the water is silent. The sun rises from the haze and its glow whitens. The sea gull floats under the dark cloud, frozen in space. The day is already scorchingly hot.The squire JONS is awakened by a kick in the rear. Opening his eyes, he grunts like a pig and yawns broadly. He scrambles to his feet, saddles his horse and picks up the heavy pack.The KNIGHT slowly rides away from the sea, into the forest near the beach and up towards the road. He pretends not to hear the morning prayers of his squire. JONS soon overtakes him.JONS (sings)
Between a strumpet's legs to lie Is the life for which I sigh.He stops and looks at his master, but the KNIGHT hasn't heard JON'S song, or he pretends that he hasn't. To give further vent to his irritation, JONS sings even louder.JONS (sings)
Up above is God Almighty So very far away, But your brother the Devil You will meet on every level.JONS finally gets the KNIGHT'S attention. He stops singing. The KNIGHT, his horse, JONS'S own horse and JONS himself know all the songs by heart. The long, dusty journey from the Holy Land hasn't made them any cleaner. They ride across a mossy heath which stretches towards the horizon. Beyond it, the sea lies shimmering in the white glitter of the sun.JONS In Frjestad everyone was talking about evil omens and other horrible things. Two horses had eaten each other in the night, and, in the churchyard, graves had been opened and the remains of corpses scattered all over the place. Yesterday afternoon there were as many as four suns in the heavens.
The KNIGHT doesn't answer. Close by, a scrawny dog is whining, crawling towards its master, who is sleeping in a sitting position in the blazing hot sun. A black cloud of flies clusters around his head and shoulders. The miserable-looking dog whines incessantly as it lies flat on its stomach, wagging its tail.JONS dismounts and approaches the sleeping man. JONS addresses him politely. When he doesn't receive an answer, he walks up to the man in order to shake him awake. He bends over the sleeping man's shoulder, but quickly pulls back his hand. The man falls backward on the heath, his face turned towards JONS. It is a corpse, staring at JONS with empty eye sockets and white teeth.JONS remounts and overtakes his master. He takes a drink from his waterskin and hands the bag to the knight.KNIGHT Well, did he show you the way?JONS Not exactly.KNIGHT What did he say?JONS Nothing.KNIGHT Was he a mute?JONS No, sir, I wouldn't say that. As a matter of fact, he was quite eloquent.KNIGHT Oh?JONS He was eloquent, all right. The trouble is that what he had to say was most depressing.
(sings)
One moment you're bright and lively, The next you're crawling with worms. Fate is a terrible villain And you, my friend, its poor victim.KNIGHT Must you sing?JONS No.The KNIGHT hands his squire a piece of bread, which keeps him quiet for a while. The sun burns down on them cruelly, and beads of perspiration trickle down their faces. There is a cloud of dust around the horses' hooves. They ride past an inlet and along verdant groves. In the shade of some large trees stands a bulging wagon covered with a mottled canvas. A horse whinnies nearby and is answered by the KNIGHT'S horse. The two travelers do not stop to rest under the shade of the trees but continue riding until they disappear at the bend of the road.In his sleep, JOF the juggler hears the neighing of his horse and the answer from a distance. He tries to go on sleeping, but it is stifling inside the wagon. The rays of the sun filtering through the canvas cast streaks of light across the face of JOF'S wife, MIA, and their one-year-old son, MIKAEL, who are sleeping deeply and peacefully. Near them, JONAS SKAT, an older man, snores loudly.JOF crawls out of the wagon. There is still a spot of shade under the big trees. He takes a drink of water, gargles, stretches and talks to his scrawny old horse.JOF Good morning. Have you had breakfast? I can't eat grass, worse luck. Can't you teach me how? We're a little hard up. People aren't very interested in juggling in this part of the country.He has picked up the juggling balls and slowly begins to toss them. Then he stands on his head and cackles like a hen. Suddenly he stops and sits down with a look of utter astonishment on his face. The wind causes the trees to sway slightly. The leaves stir and there is a soft murmur. The flowers and the grass bend gracefully, and somewhere a bird raises its voice in a long warble.JOF'S face breaks into a smile and his eyes fill with tears. With a dazed expression he sits flat on his behind while the grass rustles softly, and bees and butterflies hum around his head. The unseen bird continues to sing.Suddenly the breeze stops blowing, the bird stops singing, JOF'S smile fades, the flowers and grass wilt in the heat. The old horse is still walking around grazing and swishing its tail to ward off the flies.JOF comes to life. He rushes into the wagon and shakes MIA awake.JOF Mia, wake up. Wake up! Mia, I've just seen something. I've got to tell you about it!MIA (sits up, terrified)
What is it? What's happened?JOF Listen, I've had a vision. No, it wasn't a vision. It was real, absolutely real.MIA Oh, so you've had a vision again!MIA's voice is filled with gentle irony. JOF shakes his head and grabs her by the shoulders.JOF But I did see her!MIA Whom did you see?JOF The Virgin Mary.MIA can't help being impressed by her husband's fervor. She lowers her voice.MIA Did you really see her?JOF She was so close to me that I could have touched her. She had a golden crown on her head and wore a blue gown with flowers of gold. She was barefoot and had small brown hands with which she was holding the Child and teaching Him to walk. And then she saw me watching her and she smiled at me. My eyes filled with tears and when I wiped them away, she had disappeared. And everything became so still in the sky and on the earth. Can you understand ...MIA What an imagination you have.JOF You don't believe me! But it was real, I tell you, not the kind of reality you see every day, but a different kind.MIA
Perhaps it was the kind of reality you told us about when you saw the Devil painting our wagon wheels red, using his tail as a brush.JOF (embarrassed)
Why must you keep bringing that up?MIA
And then you discovered that you had red paint under your nails.JOF Well, perhaps that time I made it up. (eagerly) I did it just so that you would believe in my other visions. The real ones. The ones that I didn't make up.MIA (severely)
You have to keep your visions under control.
Otherwise people will think that you're a half-wit, which you're not. At least not yet -- as far as I know. But, come to think of it, I'm not so sure about that.JOF (angry)
I didn't ask to have visions. I can't help it if voices speak to me, if the Holy Virgin appears before me and angels and devils like my company.SKAT (sits up)
Haven't I told you once and for all that I need my morning's sleep! I have asked you politely, pleaded with you, but nothing works. So now I'm telling you to shut up!His eyes are popping with rage. He turns over and continues snoring where he left off. MIA and JOF decide that it would be wisest to leave the wagon. They sit down on a crate. MIA has MIKAEL on her knees. He is naked and squirms vigorously. JOF sits close to his wife. Slumped over, he still looks dazed and astonished. A dry, hot wind blows from the sea.MIA If we would only get some rain. Everything is burned to cinders. We won't have anything to eat this winter.JOF (yawning)
We'll get by.He says this smilingly, with a casual air. He stretches and laughs contentedly.MIA I want Mikael to have a better life than ours.JOF Mikael will grow up to be a great acrobat -- or a juggler who can do the one impossible trick.MIA What's that?JOF To make one of the balls stand absolutely still
in the air.MIA But that's impossible.JOF Impossible for us -- but not for him.MIA You're dreaming again.She yawns. The sun, has made her a bit drowsy and she lies down on the grass.
JOF does likewise and puts one arm around his wife's shoulders.JOF I've composed a song. I made it up during the night when I couldn't sleep. Do you want to hear it?MIA Sing it. I'm very curious.
JOF I have to sit up first.He sits with his legs crossed, makes a dramatic gesture with his arms and sings in a loud voice.JOF (sings)
On a lily branch a dove is perched Against the summer sky, She sings a wondrous song of Christ And there's great joy on high.He interrupts his singing in order to be complimented by his wife.JOF Mia! Are you asleep?MIA It's a lovely song.JOF I haven't finished yet.
MIA I heard it, but I think I'll sleep a little longer. You can sing the rest to me afterwards.JOF All you do is sleep.JOF is a bit offended and glances over at his son, MIKAEL, but he is also sleeping soundly in the high grass. JONAS SKAT comes out from the wagon. He yawns; he is very tired and in a bad humor. In his hands he holds a crudely made death mask.SKAT Is this supposed to be a mask for an actor? If the priests didn't pay us so well, I'd say no thank you.JOF Are you going to play Death?
SKAT Just think, scaring decent folk out of their wits with this kind of nonsense.JOF When are we supposed to do this play?SKAT At the saints' feast in Elsinore. We're going to perform right on the church steps, believe it or not.
JOF Wouldn't it be better to play something bawdy? People like it better, and, besides, it's more fun.SKAT Idiot. There's a rumor going around that there's a terrible pestilence in the land, and now the priests are prophesying sudden death and all sorts of spiritual agonies.MIA is awake now and lies contentedly on her back, sucking on a blade of grass and looking smilingly at her husband.
JOF And what part am I to play?SKAT You're such a damn fool, so you're going to be the Soul of Man.JOF That's a bad part, of course.SKAT Who makes the decisions around here? Who is the
director of this company anyhow?SKAT, grinning, holds the mask in front of his face and recites dramatically.SKAT Bear this in mind, you fool. Your life hangs by a thread. Your time is short. (in his usual voice) Are the women going to like me in this getup? Will I make a hit? No! I feel as if I were dead already.He stumbles into the wagon muttering furiously. JOF sits, leaning forward. MIA lies beside him on the grass.MIA Jof!
JOF What is it?
MIA Sit still. Don't move.JOF What do you mean?MIA Don't say anything.JOF I'm as silent as a grave.MIA Shh! I love you.Waves of heat envelop the gray stone church in a strange white mist. The KNIGHT dismounts and enters. After tying up the horses, JONS slowly follows him in. When he comes onto the church porch he stops in surprise. To the right of the entrance there is a large fresco on the wall, not quite finished. Perched on a crude scaffolding is a PAINTER wearing a red cap and paint-stained clothes. He has one brush in his mouth, while with another in his hand he outlines a small, terrified human face amidst a sea of other faces.JONS What is this supposed to represent?PAINTER The Dance of Death.JONS And that one is Death?
PAINTER Yes, he dances off with all of them.
JONS Why do you paint such nonsense?PAINTER I thought it would serve to remind people that they must die.
JONS Well, it's not going to make them feel any happier.PAINTER Why should one always make people happy? It might not be a bad idea to scare them a little once in a while.JONS Then they'll close their eyes and refuse to look at your painting.
PAINTER Oh, they'll look. A skull is almost more interesting than a naked woman.
JONS If you do scare them ...PAINTER They'll think.JONS And if they think ...
PAINTER They'll become still more scared.
JONS And then they'll run right into the arms of the priests.PAINTER That's not my business.
JONS You're only painting your Dance of Death.PAINTER I'm only painting things as they are. Everyone else can do as he likes.JONS Just think how some people will curse you.PAINTER Maybe. But then I'll paint something amusing for them to look at. I have to make a living -- at least until the plague takes me.
JONS The plague. That sounds horrible.PAINTER You should see the boils on a diseased man's throat. You should see how his body shrivels up so that his legs look like knotted strings -- like the man I've painted over there.The PAINTER points with his brush. JONS sees a small human form writhing in the grass, its eyes turned upwards in a frenzied look of horror and pain.JONS That looks terrible.PAINTER It certainly does. He tries to rip out the boil, he bites his hands, tears his veins open with his fingernails and his screams can be heard everywhere. Does that scare you?
JONS Scare? Me? You don't know me. What are the horrors you've painted over there?PAINTER The remarkable thing is that the poor creatures
think the pestilence is the Lord's punishment. Mobs of people who call themselves Slaves of Sin are swarming over the country, flagellating themselves and others, all for the glory of God.JONS Do they really whip themselves?PAINTER Yes, it's a terrible sight. I crawl into a ditch and hide when they pass by.JONS Do you have any brandy? I've been drinking water all day and it's made me as thirsty as a camel in the desert.PAINTER I think I frightened you after all.JONS sits down with the PAINTER, who produces a jug of brandy.The KNIGHT is kneeling before a small altar. It is dark and quiet around him.
The air is cool and musty. Pictures of saints look down on him with stony eyes. Christ's face is turned upwards, His mouth open as if in a cry of anguish. On the ceiling beam there is a representation of a hideous devil spying on a miserable human being. The KNIGHT hears a sound from the confession booth and approaches it. The face of DEATH appears behind the grille for an instant, but the KNIGHT doesn't see him.KNIGHT I want to talk to you as openly as I can, but my heart is empty.DEATH doesn't answer.
KNIGHT The emptiness is a mirror turned towards my own face. I see myself in it, and I am filled with fear and disgust.DEATH doesn't answer.
KNIGHT Through my indifference to my fellow men, I have isolated myself from their company. Now I live in a world of phantoms. I am imprisoned in my dreams and fantasies.DEATH And yet you don't want to die.KNIGHT Yes, I do.
DEATH What are you waiting for?KNIGHT I want knowledge.DEATH You want guarantees?KNIGHT Call it whatever you like. Is it so cruelly inconceivable to grasp God with the senses? Why should He hide himself in a mist of half-spoken promises and unseen miracles?DEATH doesn't answer.
KNIGHT How can we have faith in those who believe when we can't have faith in ourselves? What is going to happen to those of us who want to believe but aren't able to? And what is to become of those who neither want to nor are capable of believing?The KNIGHT stops and waits for a reply, but no one speaks or answers him. There is complete silence.KNIGHT Why can't I kill God within me? Why does He live on in this painful and humiliating way even though I curse Him and want to tear Him out of my heart? Why, in spite of everything, is He a baffling reality that I can't shake off? Do you hear me?DEATH Yes, I hear you.KNIGHT I want knowledge, not faith, not suppositions, but knowledge. I want God to stretch out His hand towards me, reveal Himself and speak to me.DEATH But He remains silent.
KNIGHT
I call out to Him in the dark but no one seems to be there.
DEATH Perhaps no one is there.
KNIGHT Then life is an outrageous horror. No one can live in the face of death, knowing that all is nothingness.DEATH Most people never reflect about either death or the futility of life.KNIGHT But one day they will have to stand at that last moment of life and look towards the darkness.DEATH When that day comes ...
KNIGHT In our fear, we make an image, and that image we call God.
DEATH You are worrying ...KNIGHT Death visited me this morning. We are playing chess together. This reprieve gives me the chance to arrange an urgent matter.DEATH What matter is that?
KNIGHT My life has been a futile pursuit, a wandering, a great deal of talk without meaning. I feel no bitterness or self-reproach because the lives of most people are very much like this. But I will use my reprieve for one meaningful deed.DEATH Is that why you are playing chess with Death?KNIGHT He is a clever opponent, but up to now I haven't lost a single man.DEATH How will you outwit Death in your game?KNIGHT I use a combination of the bishop and the knight which he hasn't yet discovered. In the next move I'll shatter one of his flanks.DEATH I'll remember that.DEATH shows his face at the grill of the confession booth for a moment but disappears instantly.KNIGHT You've tricked and cheated me! But we'll meet again, and I'll find a way.DEATH (invisible)
We'll meet at the inn, and there we'll continue playing.The KNIGHT raises his hand and looks at it in the sunlight which comes through the tiny window.KNIGHT This is my hand. I can move it, feel the blood pulsing through it. The sun is still high in the sky and I, Antonius Block, am playing chess with Death.He makes a fist of his hand and lifts it to his temple.Meanwhile, JONS and the PAINTER have got drunk and are talking animatedly together.JONS Me and my master have been abroad and have just come home. Do you understand, you little pictor?PAINTER The Crusade.JONS (drunk)
Precisely. For ten years we sat in the Holy Land and let snakes bite us, flies sting us, wild animals eat us, heathens butcher us, the wine poison us, the women give us lice, the lice devour us, the fevers rot us, all for the Glory of God. Our crusade was such madness that only a real idealist could have thought it up. But what you said about the plague was horrible.PAINTER It's worse than that.JONS Ah, me. No matter which way you turn, you have your rump behind you. That's the truth.PAINTER The rump behind you, the rump behind you there's a profound truth.JONS paints a small figure which is supposed to represent himself.JONS This is squire Jns. He grins at Death, mocks the Lord, laughs at himself and leers at the girls. His world is a Jnsworld, believable only to himself, ridiculous to all including himself, meaningless to Heaven and of no interest to Hell.The KNIGHT walks by, calls to his squire and goes out into the bright sunshine. JONS manages to set himself down from the scaffolding.Outside the church, four soldiers and a monk are in the process of putting a woman in the stocks. Her face is pale and child-like, her head has been shaved, and her knuckles are bloody and broken. Her eyes are wide open, yet she doesn't appear to be fully conscious.JONS and the KNIGHT stop and watch in silence. The soldiers are working quickly and skillfully, but they seem frightened and dejected. The monk mumbles from a small book. One of the soldiers picks up a wooden bucket and with his hand begins to smear a bloody paste on the wall of the church and around the woman. JONS holds his nose.JONS That soup of yours has a hell of a stink. What is it good for?SOLDIER She has had carnal intercourse with the Evil One.He whispers this with a horrified face and continues to splash the sticky mess on the wall.JONS And now she's in the stocks.SOLDIER She will be burned tomorrow morning at the parish boundary. But we have to keep the Devil away from the rest of us.JONS (holding his nose)
And you do that with this stinking mess?SOLDIER It's the best remedy: blood mixed with the bile of a big black dog. The Devil can't stand the smell.JONS Neither can I.
JONS walks over towards the horses. The KNIGHT stands for a few, moments looking at the young girl. She is almost a child. Slowly she turns her eyes towards him.KNIGHT Have you seen the Devil?The MONK stops reading and raises his head.MONK You must not talk to her.KNIGHT Can that be so dangerous?MONK I don't know, but she is believed to have caused the pestilence with which we are affected.KNIGHT I understand.He nods resignedly and walks away. The young woman starts to moan as though she were having a horrible nightmare. The sound of her cries follows the two riders for a considerable distance down the road.The sun stands high in the sky, like a red ball of fire. The waterskin is empty and JONS looks for a well where he can fill it.They approach a group of peasant cottages at the edge of the forest. JONS ties up the horses, slings the skin over his shoulder and walks along the path towards the nearest cottage. As always, his movements are light and almost soundless. The door to the cottage is open. He stops outside, but when no one appears he enters. It is very dark inside and his foot touches a soft object. He looks down. Beside the whitewashed fireplace, a woman is lying with her face to the ground.At the sound of approaching steps, JONS quickly hides behind the door. A man comes down a ladder from the loft. He is broad and thick-set. His eyes are black and his face is pale and puffy. His clothes are well cut but dirty and in rags. He carries a cloth sack. Looking around, he goes into the inner room, bends over the bed, tucks something into the bag, slinks along the walls, looking on the shelves, finds something else which he tucks in his bag.Slowly he re-enters the outer room, bends over the dead woman and carefully slips a ring from her finger. At that moment a young woman comes through the door. She stops and stares at the stranger.RAVEL Why do you look so surprised? I steal from the dead. These days it's quite a lucrative enterprise.The GIRL makes a movement as if to run away.RAVEL You're thinking of running to the village and telling. That wouldn't serve any purpose. Each of us has to save his own skin. It's as simple as that.GIRL Don't touch me.RAVAL Don't try to scream. There's no one around to hear you, neither God nor man.Slowly he closes the door behind the GIRL. The stuffy room is now in almost total darkness. But JONS becomes clearly visible.JONS I recognize you, although it's a long time since we met. Your name is Raval, from the theological college at Roskilde. You are Dr. Mirabilis, Coelestis et Diabilis.RAVAL smiles uneasily and looks around.JONS Am I not right?The GIRL stands immobile.JONS You were the one who, ten years ago, convinced my master of the necessity to join a better-
class crusade to the Holy Land.RAVAL looks around.
JONS You look uncomfortable. Do you have a stomach-
ache?RAVAL smiles anxiously.JONS When I see you, I suddenly understand the meaning of these ten years, which previously seemed to me such a waste. Our life was too good and we were too satisfied with ourselves. The Lord wanted to punish us for our complacency. That is why He sent you to spew out your holy venom and poison the knight.RAVEL I acted in good faith.JONS But now you know better, don't you? Because now you have turned into a thief. A more fitting and rewarding occupation for scoundrels. Isn't that so?With a quick movement he knocks the knife out of RAVAL'S hand, gives him a kick so that he falls on the floor and is about to finish him off. Suddenly the GIRL screams. JONS stops and makes a gesture of generosity with his hand.
JONS By all means. I'm not bloodthirsty.He bends over RAVAL.RAVEL Don't beat me.JONS I don't have the heart to touch you, Doctor. But remember this: the next time we meet, I'll brand your face the way one does with thieves. (he rises)
What I really came for is to get my waterskin filled.GIRL We have a deep well with cool, fresh water. Come, I'll show you.They walk out of the house. RAVAL lies still for a few moments, then he rises slowly and looks around. When no one is in sight, he takes his bag and steals away. JONS quenches his thirst and fills his bag with water. The GIRL helps him.JONS Jns is my name. I am a pleasant and talkative young man who has never had anything but kind thoughts and has only done beautiful and noble deeds. I'm kindest of all to young women. With them, there is no limit to my kindness.He embraces her and tries to kiss her, but she holds herself back. Almost immediately he loses interest, hoists the waterbag on his shoulder and pats the GIRL on the cheek.JONS Goodbye, my girl. I could very well have raped you, but between you and me, I'm tired of that kind of love. It runs a little dry in the end.He laughs kindly and walks away from her. When he has walked a short distance he turns; the GIRL is still there.JONS Now that I think of it, I will need a housekeeper. Can you prepare good food? (the GIRL nods)
As far as I know, I'm still a married man, but
I have high hopes that my wife is dead by now.
That's why I need a housekeeper. (the GIRL doesn't answer but gets up)
The devil with it! Come along and don't stand there staring. I've saved your life, so you owe me a great deal.She begins walking towards him, her head bent. He doesn't wait for her but walks towards the KNIGHT, who patiently awaits his squire.The Embarrassment Inn lies in the eastern section of the province. The plague has not yet reached this area on its way along the coast.The actors have placed their wagon under a tree in the yard of the inn. Dressed in colorful costumes, they perform a farce.The spectators watch the performance, commenting on it noisily. There are
merchants with fat, beer-sweaty faces, apprentices and journeymen, farmhands and milkmaids. A whole flock of children perch in the trees around the wagon.
The KNIGHT and his squire have sat down in the shadow of a wall. They drink beer and doze in the midday heat. The GIRL from the deserted village sleeps at JONS'S side. SKAT beats the drums, JOF blows the flute, MIA performs a gay and lively dance. They perspire under the hot white sun. When they have finished SKAT comes forward and bows.SKAT Noble ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for your interest. Please remain standing for a
little longer, or sit on the ground, because we are now going to perform a tragedia about an unfaithful wife, her jealous husband, and the handsome lover -- that's me.MIA and JOF have quickly changed costumes and again step out on the stage. They bow, to the public.SKAT Here is the husband. Here is the wife. If you'll shut up over there, you'll see something splendid. As I said, I play the lover and I haven't entered yet. That's why I'm going to hide behind the curtain for the time being. (he wipes the sweat from his forehead)
It's damned hot. I think we'll have a thunderstorm.He places his leg in front of JOF as if to trip him, raises MIA's skirt, makes a face as if he could see all the wonders of the world underneath it, and disappears behind the gaudily patched curtains.SKAT is very handsome, now that he can see himself in the reflection of a tin washbowl. His hair is tightly curled, his eyebrows are beautifully bushy, glittering earrings vie for equal attention with his teeth, and his cheeks are flushed rose red.
He sits out in back on the tailboard of the wagon, dangling his legs and whistling to himself.
In the meantime JOF and MIA play their tragedy; it is not, however, received with great acclaim. SKAT suddenly discovers that someone is watching him as he gazes contentedly into the tin bowl. A woman stands there, stately in both height and volume.
SKAT frowns, toys with his small dagger and occasionally throws a roguish but fiery glance at the beautiful visitor. She suddenly discovers that one of her shoes doesn't quite fit. She leans down to fix it and in doing so allows her generous bosom to burst out of its prison -- no more than honor and chastity allow, but still enough so that the actor with his experienced eye immediately sees that there are ample rewards to be had here.Now she comes a little closer, kneels down and opens a bundle containing several dainty morsels and a skin filled with red wine. JONAS SKAT manages not to fall off the wagon in his excitement. Standing on the steps of the wagon, he supports himself against a nearby tree, crosses his legs and bows.
The woman quietly bites into a chicken leg dripping with fat. At this moment the actor is stricken by a radiant glance full of lustful appetites.When he sees this look, SKAT makes an instantaneous decision, jumps down from the wagon and kneels in front of the blushing damsel.She becomes weak and faint from his nearness, looks at him with a glassy glance and breathes heavily. SKAT doesn't neglect to press kisses on her small, chubby hands. The sun shines brightly and small birds make noises in the bushes.Now she is forced to sit back; her legs seem unwilling to support her any longer. Bewildered, she singles out another chicken leg from the large sack of food and holds it up in front of SKAT with an appealing and triumphant expression, as if it were her maidenhood being offered as a prize.SKAT hesitates momentarily, but he is still the strategist. He lets the chicken leg fall to the grass, and murmurs in the woman's rosy ear.His words seem to please her. She puts her arms around the actor's neck and pulls him to her with such fierceness that both of them lose their balance and tumble down on the soft grass. The small birds take to their wings with frightened shrieks.JOF stands in the hot sun with a flickering lantern in his hand. MIA pretends to be asleep on a bench which has been pulled forward on the stage.JOF Night and moonlight now prevail Here sleeps my wife so frail ...VOICE FROM THE PUBLIC
Does she snore?JOF May I point out that this is a tragedy, and in tragedies one doesn't snore.VOICE FROM THE PUBLIC
I think she should snore anyhow.This opinion causes mirth in the audience. JOF becomes slightly confused and goes out of character, but MIA keeps her head and begins snoring.JOF Night and moonlight now prevail.
There snores -- I mean sleeps -- my wife so frail. Jealous I am, as never before, I hide myself behind this door. Faithful is she To her lover -- not me. He soon comes a-stealing To awaken her lusty feeling. I shall now kill him dead For cuckolding me in my bed. There he comes in the moonlight, His white legs shining bright. Quiet as a mouse, here I'll lie, Tell him not that he's about to die.JOF hides himself. MIA immediately ends her snoring and sits up, looking to the left.MIA Look, there he comes in the night My lover, my heart's delight.She becomes silent and looks wide-eyed in front of her. The mood in the yard in front of the inn has, up to now, been rather lighthearted despite the heat.
Now a rapid change occurs. People who had been laughing and chattering fall silent. Their faces seem to pale under their sunbrowned skins, the children stop their games and stand with gaping mouths and frightened eyes.
JOF steps out in front of the curtain. His painted face bears an expression of horror. MIA has risen with MIKAEL in her arms. Some of the women in the yard have fallen on their knees, others hide their faces, many begin to mutter half-forgotten prayers.All have turned their faces towards the white road. Now a shrill song is heard. It is frenzied, almost a scream. A crucified Christ sways above the hilltop.The cross-bearers soon come into sight. They are Dominican monks, their hoods pulled down over their faces. More and more of them follow, carrying litters with heavy coffins or clutching holy relics, their hands stretched out spasmodically. The dust wells up around their black hoods; the censers sway and emit a thick, ashen smoke which smells of rancid herbs.After the line of monks comes another procession. It is a column of men, boys, old men, women, girls, children. All of them have steel-edged scourges in their hands with which they whip themselves and each other, howling ecstatically. They twist in pain; their eyes bulge wildly; their lips are gnawed to shreds and dripping with foam. They have been seized by madness. They bite their own hands and arms, whip each other in violent, almost rhythmic outbursts. Throughout it all the shrill song howls from their bursting throats. Many sway and fall, lift themselves up again, support each
other and help each other to intensify the scourging.Now the procession pauses at the crossroads in front of the inn. The monks fall on their knees, hiding their faces with clenched hands, arms pressed tightly together. Their song never stops. The Christ figure on its timbered cross is raised above the heads of the crowd. It is not Christ triumphant, but the suffering Jesus with the sores, the blood, the hammered nails and the face in convulsive pain. The Son of God, nailed on the wood of the cross, suffering scorn and shame.
The penitents have now sunk down in the dirt of the road. They collapse where they stood like slaughtered cattle. Their screams rise with the song of the monks, through misty clouds of incense, towards the white fire of the sun.
A large square monk rises from his knees and reveals his face, which is red-
brown from the sun. His eyes glitter; his voice is thick with impotent scorn.MONK
God has sentenced us to punishment. We shall all perish in the black death. You, standing there like gaping cattle, you who sit there in your glutted complacency, do you know that this may be your last hour? Death stands right behind you. I can see how his crown gleams in the sun. His scythe flashes as he raises it above your heads. Which one of you shall he strike first? You there, who stand staring like a goat, will your mouth be twisted into the last unfinished gasp before nightfall? And you, woman, who bloom with life and self-
satisfaction, will you pale and become extinguished before the morning dawns? You back
there, with your swollen nose and stupid grin, do you have another year left to dirty the earth with your refuse? Do you know, you insensible fools, that you shall die today or tomorrow, or the next day, because all of you have been sentenced? Do you hear what I say? Do you hear the word? You have been sentenced, sentenced!The MONK falls silent, looking around with a bitter face and a cold, scornful
glance. Now, he clenches his hands, straddles the ground and turns his face
upwards.MONK
Lord have mercy on us in our humiliation! Don't turn your face from us in loathing and contempt, but be merciful to us for the sake of your son, Jesus Christ.He makes the sign of the cross over the crowd and then begins a new song in a
strong voice. The monks rise and join in the song. As if driven by some superhuman force, the penitents begin to whip themselves again, still wailing and moaning.The procession continues. New members have joined the rear of the column; others who were unable to go on lie weeping in the dust of the road. JONS the squire drinks his beer.JONS This damned ranting about doom. Is that food for the minds of modern people? Do they really expect us to take them seriously?The KNIGHT grins tiredly.JONS Yes, now you grin at me, my lord. But allow me to point out that I've either read, heard or experienced most of the tales which we people tell each other.KNIGHT (yawns) Yes, yes.
JONS Even the ghost stories about God the Father, the angels, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost --
all these I've accepted without too much emotion.He leans down over the GIRL as she crouches at his feet and pats her on the head. The KNIGHT drinks his beer silently.JONS (contentedly)
My little stomach is my world, my head is my eternity, and my hands, two wonderful suns. My legs are time's damned pendulums, and my dirty feet are two splendid starting points for my philosophy. Everything is worth precisely as much as a belch, the only difference being that a belch is more satisfying.The beer mug is empty. Sighing, JONS gets to his feet. The GIRL follows him like a shadow.In the yard he meets a large man with a sooty face and a dark expression. He stops JONS with a roar.JONS What are you screaming about?PLOG I am Plog, the smith, and you are the squire Jns.JONS That's possible.PLOG Have you seen my wife?
JONS No, I haven't. But if I had seen her and she looked like you, I'd quickly forget that I'd seen her.PLOG
Well, in that case you haven't seen her.JONS Maybe she's run off.PLOG Do you know anything?
JONS I know quite a lot, but not about your wife. Go to the inn. Maybe they can help you.The smith sighs sadly and goes inside.The inn is very small and full of people eating and drinking to forget their newly aroused fears of eternity. In the open fireplace a roasting pig turns
on an iron spit. The sun shines outside the casement window, its sharp rays
piercing the darkness of the room, which is thick with fumes and
perspiration.
MERCHANT
Yes, it's true! The plague is spreading along the west coast. People are dying like flies. Usually business would be good at this time of year, but, damn it, I've still got my whole stock unsold.WOMAN They speak of the judgment day. And all these omens are terrible. Worms, chopped-off hands and other monstrosities began pouring out of an old woman, and down in the village another woman gave birth to a calf's head.OLD MAN The day of judgment. Imagine.FARMER
It hasn't rained here for a month. We'll surely lose our crops.MERCHANT
And people are acting crazy, I'd say. They flee the country and carry the plague with them wherever they go.OLD MAN The day of judgment. Just think, just think!FARMER If it's as they say, I suppose a person should look after his house and try to enjoy life as long as he can.WOMAN But there have been other things too, such things that can't even be spoken of. (whispers)
Things that mustn't be named -- but the priests say that the woman carries it between her legs and that's why she must cleanse herself.OLD MAN Judgment day. And the Riders of the Apocalypse stand at the bend in the village road. I imagine they'll come on judgment night, at sundown.WOMAN There are many who have purged themselves with
fire and died from it, but the priests say that it's better to die pure than to live for hell.
MERCHANT This is the end, yes, it is. No one says it out
loud, but all of us know that it's the end. And people are going mad from fear.FARMER
So you're afraid too.MERCHANT
Of course I'm afraid.OLD MAN The judgment day becomes night, and the angels descend and the graves open. It will be terrible to see.They whisper in low tones and sit close to each other.PLOG, the smith, shoves his way into a place next to JOF, who is still dressed in his costume. Opposite him sits RAVAL, leaning slightly forward, his face perspiring heavily. RAVAL rolls an armlet out on the table.RAVAL Do you want this armlet? You can have it cheap.JOF I can't afford it.RAVAL It's real silver.JOF It's nice. But it's surely too expensive for me.PLOG Excuse me, but has anyone here seen my wife?JOF Has she disappeared?PLOG They say she's run away.JOF Has she deserted you?PLOG With an actor.JOF An actor! If she's got such bad taste, then I think you should let her go.PLOG You're right. My first thought, of course, was to kill her.JOF Oh. But to murder her, that's a terrible thing to do.PLOG I'm also going to kill the actor.JOF The actor?PLOG Of course, the one she eloped with.JOF What has he done to deserve that?PLOG Are you stupid?
JOF The actor! Now I understand. There are too many of them, so even if he hasn't done anything in particular you ought to kill him merely because he's an actor.PLOG You see, my wife has always been interested in the tricks of the theatre.JOF And that turned out to be her misfortune.PLOG Her misfortune, but not mine, because a person who's born unfortunate can hardly suffer from any further misfortune. Isn't that true?Now RAVAL enters the discussion. He is slightly drunk and his voice is shrill and evil.
RAVAL Listen, you! You sit there and lie to the smith.JOF I! A liar!
RAVAL You're an actor too and it's probably your partner who's run off with Plog's old lady.PLOG Are you an actor too?JOF An actor! Me! I wouldn't quite call myself that!RAVAL We ought to kill you; it's only logical.JOF (laughs)
You're really funny.RAVAL How strange -- you've turned pale. Have you anything on your conscience?JOF You're funny. Don't you think he's funny? (to Plog)
Oh, you don't.RAVAL Maybe we should mark you up a little with a knife, like they do petty scoundrels of your kind.PLOG bangs his hands down on the table so that the dishes jump. He gets up.
PLOG (shouting)
What have you done with my wife?The room becomes silent. JOF looks around, but there is no exit, no way to escape. He puts his hands on the table. Suddenly a knife flashes through the air and sinks into the table top between his fingers.JOF snatches away his hands and raises his head. He looks half surprised, as if the truth had just become apparent to him.
JOF Do you want to hurt me? Why? Have I provoked someone, or got in the way? I'll leave right now and never come back.JOF looks from one face to another, but no one seems ready to help him or come to his defense.
RAVAL Get up so everyone can hear you. Talk louder.Trembling, JOF rises. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but not a word comes out.
RAVAL Stand on your head so that we can see how good an actor you are.JOF gets up on the table and stands on his head. A hand pushes him forward so
that he collapses on the floor. PLOG rises, pulls him to his feet with one hand.PLOG (shouts) What have you done with my wife?PLOG beats him so furiously that JOF flies across the table. RAVAL leans over
him.
RAVAL Don't lie there moaning. Get up and dance.JOF I don't want to. I can't.RAVEL Show us how you imitate a bear.JOF I can't play a bear.RAVAL Let's see if you can't after all.RAVAL prods JOF lightly with the knife point. JOF gets up with cold sweat on his cheeks and forehead, frightened half to death. He begins to jump and hop on top of the tables, swinging his arms and legs and making grotesque faces.
Some laugh, but most of the people sit silently. JOF gasps as if his lungs were about to burst. He sinks to his knees, and someone pours beer over him.RAVEL Up again! Be a good bear.JOF I haven't done any harm. I haven't got the strength to play a bear any more.At that moment the door opens and JONS enters. JOF sees his chance and steals
out. RAVAL intends to follow him, but suddenly stops. JONS and RAVAL look at each other.JONS Do you remember what I was going to do to you if we met again?RAVAL steps back without speaking.JONS I'm a man who keeps his word.JONS raises his knife and cuts RAVAL from forehead to cheek. RAVAL staggers towards the wall.The hot day has become night. Singing and howling can be heard from the inn. In a hollow near the forest, the light still lingers. Hidden in the grass and
the shrubbery, nightingales sing and their voices echo through the stillness.
The players' wagon stands in a small ravine, and not far away the horse grazes on the dry grass. MIA has sat down in front of the wagon with her son in her arms. They play together and laugh happily.Now, a soft gleam of light strokes the hilltops, a last reflection from the red clouds over the sea.Not far from the wagon, the KNIGHT sits crouched over his chess game. He lifts his head.The evening light moves across the heavy wagon wheels, across the woman and the child. The KNIGHT gets up.MIA sees him and smiles. She holds up her struggling son, as if to amuse the KNIGHT.KNIGHT What's his name?MIA Mikael.KNIGHT How old is he?MIA Oh, he'll soon be two.KNIGHT He's big for his age.MIA Do you think so? Yes, I guess he's rather big.She puts the child down on the ground and half rises to shake out her red skirt. When she sits down again, the KNIGHT steps closer.KNIGHT You played some kind of show this afternoon.MIA Did you think it was bad?KNIGHT You are more beautiful now without your face painted, and this gown is more becoming.MIA You see, Jonas Skat has run off and left us, so we're in real trouble now.KNIGHT Is that your husband?MIA (laughs)
Jonas! The other man is my husband. His name is Jof.
KNIGHT Oh, that one.MIA And now there's only him and me. We'll have to start doing tricks again and that's more trouble than it's worth.KNIGHT Do you do tricks also?MIA We certainly do. And Jof is a very skillful juggler.KNIGHT Is Mikael going to be an acrobat?MIA Jof wants him to be.KNIGHT But you don't.MIA I don't know.
(smiling)
Perhaps he'll become a knight.KNIGHT Let me assure you, that's no pleasure either.MIA No, you don't look so happy.KNIGHT No.MIA Are you tired?KNIGHT Yes.MIA Why?
KNIGHT I have dull company.MIA Do you mean your squire?KNIGHT No, not him.MIA Who do you mean, then?KNIGHT Myself.MIA I understand.KNIGHT Do you, really?
MIA Yes, I understand rather well. I have often wondered why people torture themselves as often as they can. Isn't that so?She nods energetically and the KNIGHT smiles seriously. Now the shrieks and the noise from the inn become louder. Black figures flicker across the grass mound. Someone collapses, gets up and runs. It is JOF. MIA stretches out her arms and receives him. He holds his hands in front of his face, moaning like a child, and his body sways. He kneels. MIA holds him close to her and sprinkles him with small, anxious questions: What have you done? How are you?
What is it? Does it hurt? What can I do? Have they been cruel to you? She runs for a rag, which she dips in water, and carefully bathes her husband's
dirty, bloody face.
Eventually a rather sorrowful visage emerges. Blood runs from a bruise on his forehead and his nose, and a tooth has been loosened, but otherwise JOF seems unhurt.JOF Ouch, it hurts.MIA
Why did you have to go there? And of course you drank.MIA's anxiety has been replaced by a mild anger. She pats him a little harder than necessary.JOF Ouch! I didn't drink anything.MIA
Then I suppose you were boasting about the angels and devils you consort with. People don't like someone who has too many ideas and fantasies.JOF I swear to you that I didn't say a word about angels.MIA
You were, of course, busy singing and dancing. You can never stop being an actor. People also become angry at that, and you know it.JOF doesn't answer but searches for the armlet. He holds it up in front of MIA with an injured expression.JOF Look what I bought for you.MIA You couldn't afford it.JOF (angry)
But I got it anyhow.The armlet glitters faintly in the twilight. MIA now pulls it across her wrist. They look at it in silence, and their faces soften. They look at each other, touch each other's hands. JOF puts his head against MIA'S shoulder and sighs.JOF Oh, how they beat me.MIA Why didn't you beat them back?JOF I only become frightened and angry. I never get a chance to hit back. I can get angry, you know that. I roared like a lion.MIA
Were they frightened?JOF No, they just laughed.Their son MIKAEL crawls over to them. JOF lies down on the ground and pulls his son on top of him. MIA gets down on her hands and knees and playfully sniffs at MIKAEL.MIA Do you notice how good he smells?JOF And he is so compact to hold. You're a sturdy one. A real acrobat's body.He lifts MIKAEL up and holds him by the legs. MIA looks up suddenly, remembering the knight's presence.MIA Yes, this is my husband, Jof.JOF Good evening.KNIGHT Good evening.
JOF becomes a little embarrassed and rises. All three of them look at one another silently.
KNIGHT I have just told your wife that you have a splendid son. He'll bring great joy to you.JOF Yes, he's fine.
They become silent again.
JOF Have we nothing to offer the knight, Mia?KNIGHT Thank you, I don't want anything.MIA (housewifely)
I picked a basket of wild strawberries this afternoon. And we have a drop of milk fresh from a cow ...JOF ... that we were allowed to milk. So, if you would like to partake of this humble fare, it would be a great honor.MIA Please be seated and I'll bring the food.They sit down. MIA disappears with MIKAEL.KNIGHT Where are you going next?JOF Up to the saints' feast at Elsinore.KNIGHT I wouldn't advise you to go there.JOF Why not, if I may ask?KNIGHT The plague has spread in that direction, following the coast line south. It's said that people are dying by the tens of thousands.JOF Really! Well, sometimes life is a little hard.KNIGHT May I suggest ... (JOF looks at him, surprised)
... that you follow me through the forest tonight and stay at my home if you like. Or go along the east coast. You'll probably be safer there.MIA has returned with a bowl of wild strawberries and the milk, places it between them and gives each of them a spoon.JOF I wish you good appetite.KNIGHT I humbly thank you.MIA These are wild strawberries from the forest. I have never seen such large ones. They grow up there on the hillside. Notice how they smell!She points with a spoon and smiles. The KNIGHT nods, as if he were pondering some profound thought. JOF eats heartily.JOF Your suggestion is good, but I must think it over.MIA It might be wise to have company going through the forest. It's said to be full of trolls and ghosts and bandits. That's what I've heard.JOF (staunchly)
Yes, I'd say that it's not a bad idea, but I have to think about it. Now that Skat has left, I am responsible for the troupe. After all, I have become director of the whole company.MIA (mimics) After all, I have become director of the whole company.JONS comes walking slowly down the hill, closely followed by the GIRL. MIA points with her spoon.MIA Do you want some strawberries?JOF This man saved my life. Sit down, my friend, and let us be together.MIA (stretches herself) Oh, how nice this is.KNIGHT For a short while.
MIA Nearly always. One day is like another. There is nothing strange about that. The summer, of course, is better than the winter, because in summer you don't have to be cold. But spring is best of all.JOF I have written a poem about the spring. Perhaps you'd like to hear it. I'll run and get my lyre.He sprints towards the wagon.
MIA Not now, Jof. Our guests may not be amused by your songs.JONS (politely) By all means. I write little songs myself. For example, I know a very funny song about a wanton fish which I doubt that you've heard yet.The KNIGHT looks at him.JONS You'll not get to hear it either. There are persons here who don't appreciate my art and I don't want to upset anyone. I'm a sensitive soul.JOF has come out with his lyre, sits on a small, gaudy box and plucks at the instrument, humming quietly, searching for his melody. JONS yawns and lies down.KNIGHT People are troubled by so much.MIA It's always better when one is two. Have you no one of your own?KNIGHT Yes, I think I had someone.MIA And what is she doing now?KNIGHT I don't know.MIA You look so solemn. Was she your beloved?KNIGHT We were newly married and we played together. We laughed a great deal. I wrote songs to her eyes, to her nose, to her beautiful little ears. We went hunting together and at night we danced. The house was full of life ...MIA Do you want some more strawberries?KNIGHT (shakes his head)
Faith is a torment, did you know that? It is like loving someone who is out there in the darkness but never appears, no matter how loudly you call.MIA I don't understand what you mean.KNIGHT Everything I've said seems meaningless and unreal while I sit here with you and your husband. How unimportant it all becomes suddenly.He takes the bowl of milk in his hand and drinks deeply from it several times. Then he carefully puts it down and looks up, smiling.MIA Now you don't look so solemn.KNIGHT I shall remember this moment. The silence, the twilight, the bowls of strawberries and milk,
your faces in the evening light. Mikael sleeping, Jof with his lyre. I'll try to remember what we have talked about. I'll carry this memory between my hands as carefully as if it were a bowl filled to the brim with fresh milk.He turns his face away and looks out towards the sea and the colorless gray sky.KNIGHT And it will be an adequate sign -- it will be enough for me.He rises, nods to the others and walks down towards the forest. JOF continues to play on his lyre. MIA stretches out on the grass.The KNIGHT picks up his chess game and carries it towards the beach. It is quiet and deserted; the sea is still.DEATH I have been waiting for you.KNIGHT Pardon me. I was detained for a few moments. Because I revealed my tactics to you, I'm in retreat. It's your move.DEATH Why do you look so satisfied?KNIGHT That's my secret.
DEATH Of course. Now I take your knight.KNIGHT You did the right thing.DEATH Have you tricked me?
KNIGHT Of course. You fell right in the trap. Check!DEATH What are you laughing at?KNIGHT Don't worry about my laughter; save your king instead.DEATH You're rather arrogant.KNIGHT Our game amuses me.DEATH It's your move. Hurry up. I'm a little pressed for time.KNIGHT I understand that you've a lot to do, but you can't get out of our game. It takes time.DEATH is about to answer him but stops and leans over the board. The KNIGHT smiles.DEATH Are you going to escort the juggler and his wife through the forest? Those whose names are Jof and Mia and who have a small son?KNIGHT Why do you ask?DEATH Oh, no reason at all.
The KNIGHT suddenly stops smiling. DEATH looks at him scornfully.Immediately after sundown, the little company gathers in the yard of the inn.
There is the KNIGHT, JONS and the GIRL, JOF and MIA in their wagon. Their son, MIKAEL, is already asleep. JONAS SKAT is still missing.JONS goes into the inn to get provisions for the night journey and to have a last mug of beer. The inn is now empty and quiet except for a few farmhands and maidens who are eating their evening meal in a corner. At one of the small windows sits a lonely, hunched-over fellow, with a jug of brandy in his hands. His expression is very sad. Once in a while he is shaken by a gigantic sob. It is PLOG, the smith, who sits there and whimpers.JONS God in heaven, isn't this Plog, the smith?PLOG Good evening.JONS Are you sitting here sniveling in loneliness?PLOG Yes, yes, look at the smith. He moans like a rabbit.JONS If I were in your boots, I'd be happy to get rid of a wife in such an easy way.JONS pats the smith on the back, quenches his thirst with beer, and sits down by his side.PLOG Are you married?
JONS I! A hundred times and more. I can't keep count of all my wives any longer. But it's often that way when you're a traveling man.PLOG I can assure you that one wife is worse than a hundred, or else I've had worse luck than any poor wretch in this miserable world, which isn't impossible.JONS Yes, it's hell with women and hell without them. So, however you look at it, it's still best to kill them off while it's most amusing.
PLOG Women's nagging, the shrieking of children and wet diapers, sharp nails and sharp words, blows and pokes, and the devil's aunt for a mother-in-law. And then, when one wants to sleep after a long day, there's a new song -- tears, whining and moans loud enough to wake the dead.JONS nods delightedly. He has drunk deeply and talks with an old woman's voice.JONS Why don't you kiss me good night?PLOG (in the same way)
Why don't you sing a song for me?JONS Why don't you love me the way you did when we first met?PLOG Why don't you look at my new slip?JONS You only turn your back and snore.PLOG Oh hell!
JONS Oh hell. And now she's gone. Rejoice!
PLOG (furious) I'll snip their noses with pliers, I'll bash in their chests with a small hammer, I'll tap their heads ever so lightly with a sledge.PLOG begins to cry loudly and his whole body sways in an enormous attack of sorrow. JONS looks at him with interest.JONS
Look how he howls again.PLOG Maybe I love her.JONS So, maybe you love her! Then, you poor misguided ham shank, I'll tell you that love is another word for lust, plus lust, plus lust and a damn lot of cheating, falseness, lies and all kinds of other fooling around.PLOG
Yes, but it hurts anyway.JONS Of course. Love is the blackest of all plagues, and if one could die of it, there would be some pleasure in love. But you almost always get over it.PLOG
No, no, not me.JONS Yes, you too. There are only a couple of poor wretches who die of love once in a while. Love is as contagious as a cold in the nose. It eats away at your strength, your independence, your morale, if you have any. If everything is imperfect in this imperfect world, love is most perfect in its perfect imperfection.PLOG You're happy, you with your oily words, and, besides, you believe your own drivel.JONS Believe! Who said that I believed it? But I love to give good advice. If you ask me for advice you'll get two pieces for the price of one, | comedy, cruelty, allegory, atmospheric, psychedelic, suspenseful, entertaining | train | imdb | Ingmar Bergman questions the meaning of life, death, faith, and the existence of God in this masterpiece of world cinema....
Antonius Block - "Who are you?" Death - "I am Death." Antonius Block - "Have you come for me?" Death - "I have long walked by your side." Antonius Block - "So I have noticed."The Seventh Seal, considered by some to be Ingmar Bergman's greatest achievement, is the desperate prayer of a sensitive, introspective, and insightful young man confused by the horrors of the world around him.
Expressing his fear of life with no meaning, death with no understanding, and faith with no validity, Ingmar Bergman takes us deep into the well of his mind.As the Black Plague ravages the world, a Antonius Block and his squire, Jons (Max Von Sydow and Gunnar Bjornstrand, respectively), return from fighting in the Crusades.
Block and Jons move across the countryside in the hopes of finding safety in Block's castle, but Death is always around the corner, biding his time.Brilliantly conceived, and stunningly executed, Bergman's vision is brought to the screen through Gunnar Fischer's powerful cinematography creating images that will likely remain with you for the rest of your life.
One thing that can be certain after watching the Seventh Seal, outside of being thankful for living in this century, is that Bergman knows his film-making- and imagery.
I can't reveal what the bottom line point is (many newcomers to Bergman's work won't either, especially if you're not in the mood for soul searching), but one thing is for certain, an allegory on life and death is shown perfectly in the second to last shot of the reaper and his minions following in a dance across the field.
A compelling contemplation of death and the nature of Man's existence, Ingmar Bergman's `The Seventh Seal' is uncompromising, riveting drama that is every bit as striking conceptually as it is philosophically.
In the Fourteenth Century a knight, Antonius Block (Max von Sydow), and his squire, Jons (Gunnar Bjornstrand), have returned after ten years away at the Crusades to their native Sweden, and are beginning their journey home.
And though Block knows what the outcome must inevitably be, he welcomes Death's acceptance of his challenge, for the game affords him perhaps enough time to fulfill his quest, while adding purpose to what promises to be an arduous trek through a land being ravaged by the Black Plague.
Ingmar Bergman creates a believable world of dark happenings, wherein Death can play chess with a Knight, witches burn at the stake, with flagellants, and plague ever present.
Max von Sydow brilliantly plays Antonius Block, a knight returning from the Crusades who challenges Death (Bengt Ekerot) to a chess match.
There are several significant or interesting questions raised by the characters - from the imagery of the "Seventh Seal" in Revelation, to their simple but important concerns about eternity - but it is the way that the visuals play off of the ideas that make the movie so worthwhile.The recreation of the medieval world is convincing and effective, with a lot of detail to set off a varied assortment of characters with different personalities and perspectives.
I suppose one has to view the reputed great classics of cinema to sort of test one's critical faculties against established standards and coming to this iconic film I was certainly aware of some of its famous imagery, in particular that of the soldier playing chess with Death, but nothing more than this.
Well, with Death silently and unobtrusively along for the ride, I think I get the inference; nobody lives forever.Mind you, I guess in all of it there's lots of stuff I'm still missing about faith, relationships, class, superstition and the human spirit, the meaning of life in short, but I'm afraid much of its symbolism passed me by.
It is well shot in black and white and language-barrier notwithstanding appears to be well played with the actors certainly giving life to their individual characters, Van Sydow in particular, but I found the bitty, episodic development of the story as mystifying and unsatisfying as the higher allegorical meaning striven for.In fact the only really memorable scene for me was the chess match, which of course I knew about already, so really there was no need for me to watch the rest of it and I'm kind of sorry I did.
It has some really nice moments (and for some reason I really liked the concept of a man playing chess with death itself) but in the end almost nothing is resolved except from the main protagonist who, at the brink of his death, discovers that it's love that makes people want to live ,very roughly put, I apologize, but even this revelation was hidden from the writer of this comment.
All I can say is, I was immediately struck by the cinematography, and I started getting interested in the idea of a knight (Max Von Sydow) playing chess with "Death" himself, as a means of deciding the fate of his own soul....
but that's as far as it went.From then on, nothing made much sense and the noble core idea of the film (presumably about questioning death, and the existence of God) seemed to go out the window, as we spend our time with secondary characters I just could not become interested in.
I liked the symbolism of a man interacting with Death and the excellent scene of the plagued people and their march through the town, but the majority of the film was simply dull, dreary, and boring.
Dark, beautiful, meaningful, exploring the most serious themes of faith and searching for God, "The Seventh Seal" is known as one of the landmark Bergman's movies.
The film follows the journey of a knight Antonius Block (Max Von Sydow) returning from Crusades through Sweden ravaged by plague.
It is like loving someone who is out there in the darkness but never appears, no matter how loudly you call." On his way home, he encountered people dying from starvation and disease, being burnt as witches as well as Mr. Death himself who challenged him to play a game of chess and the family of a happy juggler, his wife, and their infant son.
A man seeks answers about life, death, and the existence of God as he plays chess against the Grim Reaper during the Black Plague.That fooled me.The movie is not that interesting.
The pace was so slow the movie felt more like 150 minutes instead of its 90 minute run time.This is the second Bergman film i have viewed, the first being Persona which i also felt was overrated but at least kept me interested and concerned with it all along.I am sure this guy knew his movies but one doesn't make movies only for their fans but for a wider audience.
They watch that stupid Death plays chess on the beach scene, rate the film a "10" and then post a glowing review here on IMDb to prove they know art when they see it!
The Seventh Seal has a large cast of characters who all come together within the film's vague plot (a Knight returning home from the crusades, who plays a game of chess with Death along the way), it does feel as though some characterisation has been lost somewhere as a result of the little screen time given to each one, personally I would have liked to have got to known these characters a bit more, but it is not really necessary for the viewer to do so for the film to achieve it's aims.
THE SEVENTH SEAL (Ingmar Bergman - Sweden 1957).Max von Sydow is the weary knight Antonius Block returning from the crusades in plague-ridden Sweden.
Antonius delays his own demise by challenging "Death" for a game of chess , and over the next several hours, Antonius is confronted by some who are unconvinced of God's existence (a Knight's agnostic Squire, played by Gunnar Bjornstrand) and some who are (a wandering band of performers).The initial encounter with "Death" is still overwhelming, and when Antonius Block suggests a game of chess to "Death", he answers with a kind of wonderful understatement, I've never seen in any other film, 'Yes, I'm actually quite a skillful chess player.' This was instantly hailed as a masterpiece at the time and was perhaps one of the first true "art-films", but fifty years later I can only watch this film with a certain detachment.
Lastly, almost everyone writes the same thing: the film questionnaires the meaning of life, death, faith and the existence of God. Some films have a repetitious sentence and The Seventh Seal's sentence is this.
"The Seventh Seal" would strike me as a better film today had Ingmar Bergman not gone on to remake virtually the same film countless times over the rest of his career.In "Seal," Max von Sydow sits down to a game of chess with the Grim Reaper and seeks answers to the meaning of life, existence of God, and so on and so forth.
It's been a long time since I've seen "The Seventh Seal," and maybe I would have a better opinion of it on a second viewing, but frankly, I would rather watch "Snakes on a Plane" than watch this film again.One of the famous images in this film is the shot of the Reaper leading a dance of death across a stark hillside.
Maybe because of its landscapes, barren and desolated; maybe because of its close-ups: paintings, section-views of a human's spirit; maybe because of the beauty, angelical, yet full of vitality and passion, of the female interpreters; maybe because of its hieratic stillness, alternated with the utmost dynamicity, the timeline blurring at the edges, both in the movie, and in real-time; maybe because of Antonius Block and his obsessive quest, exemplar of the struggle we face against fake spirituality, and his all-consuming receipt of the final strike of the scythe.Block is a noble knight, returning to his native Sweden after ten years spent fighting in the Crusades, with his faithful squire, who shares the same whole-heartedness, only to find a country ravaged by the Black Death, and people trying what they can to save themselves from what they think is a divine curse.
"The Seventh Seal" is considered my many to be Bergmans best film and since he made it back in 1956 he never came close to making another motion picture, with the many fine movies that he made over the years since then, as good as it was and still is even now.
It doesn't seem to have a well defined plot, besides a protagonist which plays chess with Death himself during the course of the film and in the end finally looses the match and is sent to the next world.The characters aren't complex, they are not emotionally developed, but that's not the point of the movie.
Maybe those serious, somewhat dull Woody Allen films where he would try to emulate his idol Bergman; he would even get Sven Nykvist to be the cinematographer sort of put me off.However I felt it was time to enter the stark monochrome world of Ingmar Bergman and his most celebrated film, The Seventh Seal starring Max von Sydow as the medieval knight Antonius Block.Von Sydow looks as young as I have ever seen him before, he is an actor who has always looked old.
I find it hard to believe that I am older than he was in films such as The Three Days of the Condor and he looked old in that movie.Block has returned with his squire from the Crusades to find Sweden ravaged with the plague.
There's so much you can do with a plot like this so I was curious what Bergman would do with the film.After a knight named Antonius and his squire return home after fighting in the crusades, he meets Death on a beach who has come to take his life.
It's very direct in asking controversial and essential questions about the existence of God. Perhaps, the most haunting scene comes at the very end when the film shows a depiction of the Dance of Death.
However, Bergman could've easily added roughly 15-20 minutes of the chess game throughout the film.The expedition Antonius went through in the film let us know about his questions on life, death, and God. However, I wish that the film informed us a bit more about himself as an individual and how he approaches life.
The fear of God, the Devil and the black death has warped the countryside into a surreal and dangerous local.The Knight plays an ongoing game of chess with death all the time questioning his beliefs and asking question about the existence of God.I fell in love with this movie in when I was about 16.
Ingmar Bergman's masterpiece centers on a meeting between Antonius Block (Max Von Sydow), a knight returning from the Crusades, and Death (Bengt Ekerot).
"The Seventh Seal" is Ingmar Bergman's film depicting Sweden during the 14th century in the time of the bubonic plague.
From there the film explores the lives of a number of characters within Sweden with the chess game as a recurring element in the film.My favorite of the characters was Antonius Block, the pensive knight in a crisis of faith played skillfully by Max von Sydow.
My only regret of this film is that Bergman didn't include more interplay between Block and Death, but overall "The Seventh Seal" is very engaging and interesting..
Bergman's blurring of comedy and tragedy is very effective, because considering what the movie is saying, irony in feeling and mood is vital.The plot seems as if it's a glum farce, as a knight plays for his life in a chess game against personified Death.
The visuals, the acting, the beautiful script, everything connects here and gives birth to the brilliant tale of a knight's quest for the meaning of his life.The plot is well known, a knight who returns from the crusade faces Death, but instead of accepting it, he challenges it to a game of chess.
Pretty simple.Nevertheless, what Block(played by wonderful Max Von Sydow) will find in the journey home is a long series of questions and answers about life, death & God. With his loyal squire, Jöns(Gunnar Björnstrand), he will be part of a series of events that will serve as catalyst to Block's meditations(and ours).
Jöns' particular cynicism and Block's bizarre(for the time) view of life contrasts with the traditional way of life of the age, and the innocence represented by Jof and Mia, a couple of traveling artists who also joins them in their travel.As many critics and historians have pointed out, the visual imagery used by Bergman in this film has become an immortal image of the history of cinema.
(Bergman did understand that view, and created the character of Jons the squire, as a fill-in for the modern cynic.) Each time I show the film, and see it again for myself, I ask myself if in really is more than my own 60's romanticism, when we were discovering life.
He put two opposites: cynical and pessimistic Jons and Antonius versus Jof and his family, common people who live a simple life, and therefore are close to God (Jof has visions of the Virgin Mary); and somehow gives answers to Antonius' questions.If you don't know any of Bergman's films start with this one.
This film is a genuine masterpiece of the highest quality.Not a particularly difficult story but Bergman adds to the common strand a morality & immorality of God's existence along with the eternal contradictions of what the purpose of man's existence is upon this sacred Earth.After returning from the Crusades hundreds of years ago, Sydow (Antonius Bloc) and his squire return to a plaque ravaged Sweden where people are dying a horrid death and the sinners tour the country pleading to be exorcised of their sins.Bloc is confronted by the Grim Reaper (Bengt Ekerot) on (of all places )a beach.
Rather than subtly hide it in some other story, Bergman creates a character who openly wonders about these questions.A knight, Antonious Block (Max von Sydow) is returning to his native Sweden from the crusades.
I just had no idea these films existed long before I ever become involved with cinema.Plunging us straight into the Black Plague-era of the Middle Ages, the story of a knight playing chess against Death while attempting to reach home from the Crusades is the backdrop for what conspires to be a film full of symbolism, representation and discussion of some of the biggest and most important questions and issues that human beings can raise.
Even those untroubled by the questions that obsessed Bergman so completely, should find enough going on to take something away from the film.As The Seventh Seal begins with an iconic image, it also ends with another: Death, carrying his scythe and leading his party of seven on a macabre dance against a brooding sky.
Seventh Seal, The (1957) **** (out of 4) The black plague is sweeping through Sweden and a knight (Max Von Sydow) challenges Death to a game of chess so that he can try to understand the meanings of good, evil and who God really is.
This is one of those movies, like Seven Samurai, where you watch it for the first time, following one character, and suddenly not-quite-midway through you realize that every character is important and intricately linked into the progression and exposition of the story and themes, so you know before you've even finished that you need to watch it again.One of the more blatantly philosophical films out there (which is a good thing in this case, by the way, don't think that I'm using the term "blatant" as a negative indicator), Ingred Bergman's The Seventh Seal basically is a contemplation on Death.
A great story which questions the meaning of life, death, faith, and the existence of God. Greatest movie of Bergman. |
tt1364487 | Postia pappi Jaakobille | The visually-stunning Letters to Father Jacob follows two wonderful, moving characters each are on their own unusual path. The two paths cross when Leila, who has recently been pardoned from a life-sentence for murder, goes to work as a personal assistant for Pastor Jacob.Each day the mailman brings letters from people asking for help from Father Jacob. Leilas job is to read aloud the letters and answer them as the pastor prays and gives encouragement. Pastor Jacob is old, he is blind. Answering the letters is his life mission; Leila thinks the whole thing is pointless. After all, she is not a Believer. But the job, which comes with a place to live, is pretty much the only option available to her at this stage in her life.For all its beauty, the secluded parsonage in the countryside, is another form of prison for Leila. Finally, she cannot take it any more. One idea is to borrow some cash from the house and leave.But one day the letters stop coming.Father Jacobs life is shaken to its foundation. Leila cannot leave him now. Physically fragile before, now he is spiritually at his breaking point.In the beginning it was Leila who needed a roof over her head, and a job. Now it is Father Jacob who needs to be rescued. Leila rouses Jacob from his despair and an unexpected thing happens: a door opens to Leilas past. She steps forward.And then both she and the pastor are freed. | sentimental | train | imdb | They're not kidding: this is excellent..
Careful, finely-honed directing by Klaus Härö features wonderful performances by Heikki Nousiainen and Kaarina Hazard.
Brilliant casting.
Small, tiny, luminous inventions are everywhere; nothing is heavy-handed.
The story, first written by Jaana Makkonen, is austere, moving; the film ends just where it needs to in order for the story resonate.
In any other person's hands besides Härö's, the result could have been disastrous.
Because the story does not appear to be overtly exceptional; and the visuals of the film need to be composed with the actors in natural, country surroundings and among existing buildings and a church.
Härö, a cinematic poet, transmutes the physical materials he has on hand into gold.
See this film if you dislike badly made movies and yearn for outstanding quality..
Beatifuly photographed.
If you want to see cinematographic art, see this movie.
I won't tell the plot.
This is something you can find on other sites.
The movie is moving and deeply thoughtful while being light and entertaining.
A reflection on today's world without being schoolmarmish.
It is comparable to Whale Rider in the storytelling.
And it is beautifully photographed as well.
There are scenes where just the movement of the birch tree leaves by the wind are shown and they themselves tell a story.
I hope it will be shown in many countries.
I have seen it at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
It didn't win, unfortunately.
Well done Finland.
I hope to see more from this director and crew..
small cast with a huge message.
Very simple story, Leila (Hazard) gets pardoned from jail and gets a simple job and a roof over her head by working for the blind Father Jaakob (Nousiainen).
The job is very simple.
All she has to do is take care of him which isn't much and help him with his favorite past time which is read and write letters that come to him.Quickly you learn to love father Jaakob and understand he is just as human as everyone else is.
Right off the bat we understand that there is some type of anger stored inside of Leila's head while we also wonder how she made it to jail in the first place.
She also seems to neglect every time Jaakob offers some words of wisdom.The only other supporting character that we see throughout the 75 minute film is the postman (Keinonen).
He has seemed to of developed a close relationship with father Jaakob over the years and loves seeing Jaakob's face light up when he delivers the mail.
Of course Leila doesn't seem to be to happy with the man on the bike.It's a simple film.
It is much like the simpleness of The Bycycle Thief as of both movies will keep you intrigued throughout the whole film.Very enjoyable.
My rating 8.5/10 or A-.
don't miss this film.
Now here is a movie that everybody should see.
A sad story, though not sentimental.
The optimistic ending leaves you in a comfortable feeling that even the worst situation can turn to better.The Finnish landscape is beautifully pictured.
Postcard like sceneries.
Two brilliant actors, the directing is what you may expect from Härö: simply brilliant, as true as life.The filmmakers have shared a very strong trust in humanity.
The most warmhearted priest meets a woman whose fate has been to suffer a jail sentence that should never have been judged.Do yourself a favor, watch this film..
Best Finnish clip this far..
I've seen lots and lots of Finnish movies, but this was the best one of them.
It went straight to my top 10 movies.
It lasts only a little over an hour, but still I think it's the most important film Finnish have done.
I loved everything in this clip, and I think you will too, at least the ones who like to watch art movies.
I ain't going to tell about the movies plot, 'cause all of you should definitely see this great piece of art.
I want to thank the idealist behind all of this, Jaana Makkonen, and also the scriptwriter, Klaus Härö.
You've both done something that is going to be part of our culture, and a way of understanding all over the world..
Where redemption happens in the most unlikely places..
This superlative film from Finland shows, better than most, how to tell a story with few words.
The director, Klaus Haro, definitely shows the same skill with visual story-telling as that consummate master, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, famous most recently for Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011).The plot is simple: a youngish woman, Leila (Kaarina Hazard) is released from a life sentence in prison to take up a job as a personal assistant to a blind priest, Pastor Jacob (Heikki Nousiainen) out in the boondocks.
Leila settles in, reading the pastor's letters from supplicants and writing necessary replies.
Leila is not happy though; she resists Jacob's attempts at friendship; she avoids helping in other matters; she remains aloof, uncaring, unsatisfied.
Until, one day, she notices that the postman fails to bring more letters for Jacob, and Leila discovers that things are never quite what they seem to be.The underlying story is complex, lyrical, philosophical, and ultimately heart-warming without being sentimental.
The acting is simply perfect for the context: Kaarina Hazard, with a large bone structure, deep frowning face and brusque manner is every bit the ex-con and depressive personality – but why was she serving a life sentence?
Why was she released?
And why was she sent to the pastor, of all places?As the pastor, Heikki Nousiainen, is equally adept at portraying a gentle sage near life's end, supremely faithful to his god, forever upbeat and friendly, always with a gentle word for all, even for those who despise him, as Leila seems to do, at first.
Dialog is sparse.
Often, all that is needed is a quick look, a glance, a sigh, a slight groan of disquiet, as the two get to know each other and while the days meld into a seamless, almost timeless stasis with the gorgeous Finnish forests.
Some comic relief is provided by the wary attitude of the postman towards Leila, as he brings the letters for Pastor Jacob.The sound track – mostly piano – is muted and fits the overall mood.
We see the wind in the forest, and hear the river water.
But, more than that, we hear the silence, particularly when the two sit, contemplating each other and their inner selves.
The rain falls, the water drips through the ceiling into pots or buckets, and life must go on.
Even for the Leila's of the world...It's a credit to the script writer and director that I was never squirming in my seat eager for something to happen.
In fact, that never impinged upon my involvement with the unfolding story: so that's perfect pacing for me.
My only criticism, though, is that story lacks true believability: it's possible, yes, but highly improbable in real life.No story is ever perfect, however.
This one, though, comes close by promising nothing up front; and then, with a denouement that arrives like a meteor, it rips away any comfortable sang-froid to show us that, if you're prepared to dig deep within, you will indeed find promises to keep.Highly recommended for all adults, young and old.
Eight out of ten for this effort, no question.February 28, 2013.
Not as good as it could have been.
As far as Finnish drama goes, this is pretty typical, though it has a visual style that's far more cultivated and deliberate than is normal.
The film is full of details and carefully thought out use of lighting and sound.
Atmospherically this is a very nice film and I managed to fully immerse myself into the world of it.So what went wrong?
In short, the story, which should have been a bit longer.
The basic idea is nothing special.
A prisoner has served her time and is thus released on the condition that she goes to serve an elderly priest that needs her help answering his mail.
Okay, so this is spiritual guest about finding the lost soul of this poor woman, I thought.
And unfortunately that's pretty much all it is.
And don't get me wrong, that alone could have made for a great film, if handled correctly.
But it seemed almost as if the film makers were in a hurry to finish the story before it had had the proper time to unfold.
You get the proper three act structure, but nothing more.
I didn't feel like I had enough time to get to know these characters.
We got the introductory scenes where their basic characteristics were established and almost immediately after that the film just ends.
We get the emotionally cathartic ending alright, but it means nothing if we haven't managed to identify with these characters and we cannot do that if we are not given the time to do so.So yeah, the movie could have used a few extra scenes.
Not too many, mind you, but at least a few.
Now the mood feels like a whiplash, going from one end of the spectrum to another with almost no scenes in between.
There is one or two, but I could have used a third or fourth.Aside from that major gripe, the film is rock solid.
Both of the main actors are really talented and Father Jaakob (Heikki Nousiainen) especially just oozes the elderly charisma of someone who has seen it all and come out on the other side as a better man.
Furthermore, the scenery is good, the dialogues are interesting and the whole premise has promise.
It's just that I'm far more used to movies that take their time to tell the story so for me this felt more than little jarring.
Perhaps it's just perfect for someone who has had a bit more experience with Finnish films, which are generally shorter than most Hollywood productions..
ice castle.
first word - touching.
but it is only a small suggestion.
in fact, it is a kind of poem.
puzzle of precise art to give to each piece not only importance but soul.
it is beautiful but not the beauty is important.
Kaarina Hazard, who remembers by Restituta Kafka, in an extraordinary role, mixture of force and storm of feelings, Heikki Nousiainen as priest who gives the light of Orthodoxy - delicate scene in church - in skin of Protestantism, Jukka Keinonen as postman - fragile, naive, full of fear.
and the letters as axis of story.
it is a gem.
or an ice castle because, for director and viewer, the risk is same - to fall.
but the gift is the subtle joy.
that is basis for my invitation to see it.
because it has potential of experience.
because, like each good movie, it is a window - mirror.
and because the faith has strange power to change a life..
A beautiful movie that falls just short of perfection.
I'm assuming that the reader's idea of a great movie does not necessarily include explosions, gunfire or sex.
Those can be part of a good movie, but you won't find them here.
This is literally a quiet movie that has to be judged on its own terms.
In that context, this is a terrific movie.
The story is simple but well told and well acted.
It's moving without being maudlin or syrupy.
Straightforward yet emotionally involving.
It's about forgiveness, redemption, and purpose in life, as worked out by a most odd couple, an aged blind priest and an ex-con who did time for murder.
So within its limited parameters, I found it a beautiful film.
My only complaint relates to the ending, which was rather contrived.
I don't want to add a spoiler, but I thought the ending could've been drawn out a bit longer and been more convincing and effective.
Watch it - and do watch it, if it sounds even remotely appealing - and I think you'll see what I mean..
Sweet, simple and well worth your time..
Have you ever seen a movie that just sneaks up on you?
You find yourself watching a film that seem okay and then suddenly you realize that it's really a magnificent and moving picture?
Well, I sure have and I wish it happened more often, that's for sure.
Like "My Afternoons with Margueritte", "Letters to Father Jacob" is one of these sweet pictures.
But, because it sneaks up on you, be sure to pay attention and fight that urge to turn it off--it's a terrific little film.The film begins in prison.
Leila has been pardoned for her crime but she refuses to leave!
It seems she has no where to go and is content to stay in prison.
However, an old blind priest named Father Jacob has requested that she be paroled to him--as a housekeeper.
She is not thrilled but has no other options and moves in with the guy.
Her job is to do light housekeeping as well as read letters to him.
Apparently, he's received thousands of letters from people requesting his advice and prayers and that is his ministry.
Leila seems pretty bored by this and even begins tossing many of the letters away and contemplates running.
However, she stays and then it happens--the film really goes right for the heart.
I won't say more--it would spoil it.
However, suffice to say it was NOT predictable, many questions are answered and you should have some Kleenex nearby.
The bottom line is that this film is exceptional--great writing, wonderful natural acting by folks who do not appear to be professional actors (though they are--especially Heikki Nousiainen who has had many film appearances) and the direction was just wonderful.
If you don't mind a film without explosions, super-stars or glitz but just want a great film about people, give this one a try---you'll be glad you did!.
This movie requires longer time to assimilate it.
Lutheran church is the national religion in Finland.
As a Lutheran, I was interested in this movie, which is set at a church in Finland.
I think the main theme of the movie is the concept of love in Corinthian I chapter 13, which the pastor recites in preparation of a wedding ceremony: If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
*snip* And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.
The ending is surprising and moving.
Brightness and darkness of light, rain and cloud, are effectively used in the impressive cinematography, typical in North European movies.
The high rate in IMDb is no question.However, when I saw the movie, I couldn't simply be moved to tears.
There are many questions in this movie, and I couldn't help thinking about them.
In fact, it makes you think too much.
Let me take an example from the 'storyline' on IMDb: Father Jacob spends his days answering the letters of the needy.
Indeed, letters come every day.
But Father Jacob does not look like a famous pastor known over the country.
His church is almost forgotten by the villagers.
How come many letters come to the pastor from over the country asking his advice and prayer?
There are many other points that made me think about.
But I can't write here to avoid spoilers.
Anyhow, although the run time is short, this movie requires longer time to assimilate it..
Wow!.
Stumbled on this gem somehow.
As others have already noted, beautifully photographed.
A tricky job of balancing everything to stay on point, not fall into melodrama, and present a meaningful story.
There were a couple of flaws.
Biggest flaws the easy predictability in a key scene.
Second biggest flaw is why the letters stopped coming.
There is, of course, a key scene that might explain this but the suddenness catches the view off guard.
Actors did a superb job and music choices were spot on.
Contrary to other views, the length, give the material, was about right.
The only alteration might have been more/different letters but the point was made.
Highly recommended if you haven't seen it even though it's been out for a while. |
tt0061937 | Magical Mystery Tour | The situation is that of a group of people on a British mystery tour in a 1967 coach, focusing mostly on Mr Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) and his recently widowed Aunt Jessie (Jessie Robins). Other group members on the bus include the tour director, Jolly Jimmy Johnson (Derek Royle); the tour hostess, Miss Wendy Winters (Miranda Forbes, credited as Mandy Weet); the conductor, Buster Bloodvessel (Ivor Cutler); and the other Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison).
During the course of the tour, "strange things begin to happen" at the whim of "four or five magicians", four of whom are played by the Beatles themselves and the fifth by the band's long-time road manager Mal Evans.
During the journey, Ringo and his Aunt Jessie argue continually. Aunt Jessie begins to have daydreams of falling in love with Buster Bloodvessel, who displays increasingly eccentric and disturbing behaviour. The tour involves several strange activities, such as an impromptu race in which each of the passengers employs a different mode of transportation (some run, a few jump into cars, a group of people have a long bike they pedal, while Ringo ends up beating them all with the bus). In one scene, the tour group walk through what appears to be a British Army recruitment office and are greeted by the army drill sergeant (Victor Spinetti). (McCartney appears briefly as "Major McCartney", on whose desk rests a sign reading "I you WAS".) The sergeant, shouting incomprehensibly, appears to instruct the assembled onlookers on how to attack a stuffed cow.
The tour group also crawl into a tiny tent in a field, inside which is a projection theatre. A scene in a restaurant shows a waiter (played by Lennon) repeatedly shovelling spaghetti onto the table in front of Aunt Jessie, while arriving guests step out from a lift and walk across the dining tables. The film continues with the tour's male passengers watching a strip show (Jan Carson of the Raymond Revuebar). The film ends with the Beatles dressed in white tuxedos, highlighting a glamourous old-style dance crowd scene, accompanied by the song "Your Mother Should Know".
The film is interspersed with musical interludes, which include the Beatles performing "I Am the Walrus" wearing animal masks, Harrison singing "Blue Jay Way" while waiting on Blue Jay Way Road, and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band performing Vivian Stanshall and Neil Innes' "Death Cab For Cutie" sung by Stanshall. | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | Although a great album,MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR was definitely not among The Beatles best works as far as movies are concerned, albeit a made for tv movie.
Magical Mystery Tour has the amateur, string-and-stickytape appeal of the early Gumby series, but with the bonus of Northern English sensibilities and great Beatle songs.
The poor boys were shattered after the death of Brian Epstein, John Lennon's marriage was coming to a very unfortunate end, they had had enough of so many things and were moving into a new and frightening phase of their lives : the film can be seen as an expression of all this angst overlaid with nostalgia for the Music Hall, Crazy Gang, Goon Show comedy and tragic sea-side holidays of their, and many of their fans', childhoods, and the sheer, magical power of their creative imaginations always looking forward to new possibilities.
Anyone truly fascinated with the Beatles' music and legacy, especially after thirty years hindsight, ought to be downright thrilled that these four amateur filmmakers could pull off such an original, amusing and tuneful homemovie (not to mention long-form video WAY before it's time) on their spare time between recording Sgt. Pepper and the White Album, no less.
And George's utterly bizarre film for "Blue Jay Way" has gotten better and more mysterious over the years now that I have the patience to actually sit still long enough to see what he wanted to show us, and some of it is creepy as hell.It's impossible to get around how deeply the music and imagery is infused with a seeming preoccupation with death, or mortality at any rate.
Where I used to look upon "Magical Mystery Tour" as The Beatles' attempt at Ken Kesey psychedelic twaddle I now look upon it as a subtle reaction to their grief and loss at having lost their friend & mentor right as they ceased needing him minding their daily affairs.
I can imagine that non-Beatles-fans can find this a very bad movie, but if you have any respect for the fab four of likes their music ('I am the walrus','Fool on the hill','Inner light','Your mother should now')this is a must.(P.S.: I enjoyed the 'coming-down-the-stairs-scene' a lot at the end of the movie).
It's hard to accurately rate this unusual film, since I cannot honestly say I'd consider it "good movie-making," but it certainly still can be fun here and there, which is the whole point.
These days, however, MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR has aged a lot better as a piece of sixties history and a look back on those wild and exuberant times.There isn't any plot to speak of here; we see Ringo Starr and his ever-quarreling fat aunt Jessie boarding a special tour bus consisting of the three other Beatles and a zany cast of misfits and oddballs.
One thing that may always be counted on within any Beatles movie are great songs, and here we're treated to early MTV-like vignettes of John's I AM THE WALRUS, Paul's FOOL ON THE HILL, and George's BLUE JAY WAY.
The six songs presented in the 'Magical Mystery Tour' are however alone better than what the group did with the movie.At times the movie is even hilarious but perhaps too permissive adaptation of some scenes makes the overall atmosphere a bit too lame to be wholly enjoyable.
Therefore the overall impression will become negative to many viewers.My score of this film is actually a combination of two separate categories: people who don't consider themselves as a Beatles fans they will get nothing more than just few cute tunes and for them this is a 4/10 movie.
Seeing it stone cold sober, it's a pretty lame attempt at a Beatles movie (although I admit, I do like some of the music in it)..
Being a die-hard Beatles fan and having seen A Hard Day's Night, Help!, and Yellow Submarine already, naturally I just couldn't live without seeing Magical Mystery Tour.
If your a fan of the Beatles or weird film making style rent this movie, but if you just want a movie with solid story and plot then, well you're the fool on the hill..
If you have the choice of watching the Beatles movies in order of quality, MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR would definitely be in last place, firmly holding the rear.
poor film quality, terrible "acting", rock-bottom "improvisation" and a definite feeling that there was no way to end this movie easily.Despite this unbelievably poor idea, there are moments of surreal abstractions that make it worth watching.
The movie features the only filmed version of Lennon singing "I Am The Walrus", which watching it makes one think that MMT was the casts off of Sgt. Pepper.Many have speculated that this production would never of happened if Brian Epstien had been alive at the time to stop them.
So they decided to end the year with an hour-long comedy-and-music television special on Boxing Day. The problem was that all their success, combined with copious amounts of psychotropic substances, went right to their moptopped heads.Who had the brilliant idea of using handheld cameras that jangle annoyingly throughout the movie?
"Already the magic was beginning to work," intones narrator John Lennon, though there is little evidence of anything other than headache-producing blue-screen effects and an assortment of nonsensical activities that start out tiresome and quickly turn obnoxious.People who like this movie (like Paul McCartney) seldom try to defend these sections as inspired.
"Your Mother Should Know" is the best sequence, opening with the Fabs marching down a flight of stairs in sync and in tails, but no one bothered to figure out what was supposed to happen after they got down, and it shows.Paul and others defend this movie as the only chance we would ever get to see the band perform "I Am The Walrus," but any 12-year-old's imagination can do a better job than seeing John in a shower cap attempting to mime this great song while a line of police bobbies bob up and down.Defenders also talk about this movie breaking barriers and giving vent to surrealist notions that would see their expression in Monty Python's Flying Circus.
In between some terribly unfunny comedy bits, there are a few music videos and in many ways it seems like a much, much lower budgeted version of Paul McCartney's later vanity film, "Give My Regards to Broad Street".As I sat watching this film, I looked through some of the IMDb reviews.
I guess making this movie was a way to show off some of the Beatles' songs, but I would've much preferred the music videos to sitting watching this.
The most surreal gags from 'A Hard Day's Night' do not even compare to the least surreal gags from 'Magical Mystery Tour', one of The Beatles's "quodrilogy" of films (including 'A Hard Day's Night', 'Help!', this, and 'Yellow Submarine'), and certainly their least talked about or appreciated movie.
The soundtrack is obviously fantastic and would probably appeal to a vast majority of mainstream moviegoers but it's still some of the strangest stuff The Beatles have performed ('I Am the Walrus' is an iconic classic for many reasons, two of the main reasons being its heavy surrealism and strange sense of humor), and when paired w/THIS kind of movie is definitely fitting, but totally disorienting to the average person.
And after a recent great UNCUT magazine cover story on this period of The Fabs, I just had to finally check it out.Oh, I'd seen the movie still photos, including Paul in military garb, the fat lady with the spaghetti, and the boys prancing in their white suits inside the record album my brother bought about 50 YEARS AGO.
Basically one huge music video for the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour album.
The acting, especially by the Beatles members, is atrocious.If it wasn't for the music and the fact that this is the Beatles, this would be a 1/10 movie.About the only upside is that now I know where the band Death Cab for Cutie got its name from...Not worth watching, not even for its link to the seminal album..
A made for British TV film, "Magical Mystery Tour" was what John Lennon called, "the most expensive home movie ever made." The film is about Ringo and his Aunt Jessie taking a "mystery" bus trip.
(53%) Before the days of the music video, publicising music on TV was a bit more tricky than it is today, but the Beatles had more clout (and money) than most so they could create a just shy of an hour long TV movie, first aired at Christmas to tens of millions, plugging songs from their new hit record.
Plot wise there is nothing here at all, things just happen a pure random, while the Beatles themselves oddly don't actually do a great deal in terms of actual performances and are largely lost in their own film, with good old George Harrison hardly getting more than a couple of lines.
It didn't.The story is that Ringo takes his aunt on the Magical Mystery Tour with the other Beatles and a bunch of weird stuff happens.
So back in the day, this video was boring and ugly.My final thoughts are that I think this movie is pretty decent and is not as bad as people make it out to be.
Today with our more sophisticated viewing of videos and MTV it just seems like a great long form music video that includes all the latest batch of new songs from the Fab Four way back then.
The Beatles takes us on a long and psychedelic road trip with their "Magical Mystery Tour", a happy, cheerful and unusual road movie whose point is to be happy and incomprehensible.If you're feeling down this film and the music will make you better but don't wait for a conventional musical film.
Here we have The Beatles on a bus along with eccentric passengers such as Ringo's aunt (played by Jessie Robins) and a dwarf photographer (George Claydon) going to weird places, colored locations and unusual situations, sometimes dreaming, other times not, and of course, listening to songs that goes for the "Magical Mystery Tour Theme" to "I am the Walrus" and others.
To me, Beatles can't go wrong although this tour is very messy, sometimes it makes no sense at all unless you're high or drunk (which might be a great experience while viewing this film, it might work better).
Here's four guys having a nice time, doing their best while acting and playing songs, having a moment of happiness and happiness is a great thing, specially if displayed on film which is quite rare.
Some of the dream/subconscious spew sequences approach Fellini or Brunuel for their purity of creative expression.And, of course, Magical Mystery Tour was one of the Beatles' best albums, and all the songs are showcased here.And how nice it is to see the Bonzo Dog Doodah Band, led by Stanshall, doing their thing!.
The only saving grace of the whole movie is that, it is the one and only time and place where one can see John Lennon belt out his classic "I Am the Walrus." Also, the instrumental "Flying" is a great song.
The best part in this movie is when John comes into the room, dressed as a magician, with a tray of tea and says "Talk about your magical mysteries; it took me half an hour to find the sugar!" I love the way his eyes are rolling around in his head while he says it, too!.
only thing that kept me watching this movie was the great music and i thought john looked cute there.
Paul McCartney dismisses it as "it's the only time you'll ever see a performance of I Am The Walrus" that's true - and I recommend this movie *only* for hardcore Beatles fans, and you really only need to see it once...for the sake of seeing it.
Well, yes, this movie does feature some of the Fab Four's best work - "The Fool On the Hill", "Flying", "Blue Jay Way", "Your Mother Should Know", "I am the Walrus", and of course the title song, as well as the jazzy "Death Cab for Cutie" by the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.
And if you're going to do that, you might just as well buy the Magical Mystery Tour CD, which also includes "Hello Goodbye", "Penny Lane", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Baby You're a Rich Man" and "All You Need is Love"....If in spite of these comments you still feel compelled to watch the film, it has been released in Australia on DVD.
I love their music and other movies.Magical Mystery Tour is unfathomably awful.
By the time it's over, I want the floor to open up and swallow me.Some years later - 1979, I think - it was shown on British TV, in colour this time, and I watched it again because I couldn't believe that it was actually as bad as I had remembered.It was.Yes, the music sequences were good and, yes, there were some good moments (those with Nichola, the little girl, for instance), but even those tended to go on and on long after they'd made their point (the spaghetti dream sequence).
Except of course this trip keeps getting interrupted by strange happenings and visions, and has some classic Beatles tracks including 'Flying' (with lots of colour filter changes which would have really looked rubbish when this film first aired on TV, in black and white!); 'Blue Jay Way' (in which George drones on while playing a keyboard drawn on a rock); 'Your Mother Should Know' (with the cheesy 'coming down the stairs' bit); 'The Fool on the Hill' (where Paul stands on a hill, natch); and, best of all, 'I Am The Walrus' (with eggmen, walruses, and other strange beings, and some funky spaced out camera work).The fab four also appear as some irritating magicians, all big hats and silly voices, and not that funny, while Ringo's 'aunty' dreams about hitting it off with Buster Bloodvessel (played by the very odd Ivor Cutler).
LSD-Inspired Fun. A hundred years from now, or a thousand, historians wanting to see a film that captures the spirit of flower-power and the late 1960's will watch "Magical Mystery Tour." This 50-minute LSD-inspired film is fun to watch, with the Beatles "tripping" around the English countryside in a bus with various strange characters, ending up at a weird dinner where a lot of spaghetti is served.
They don't use drugs on camera (of course).It's easy to overlook this film, but it's definitely worth watching just to see the real gem of the piece: The 1967 music video for "I Am The Walrus." The Walrus video is very low-tech by the standard of videos from the year 2003, but hey, it's the Beatles doing one of their greatest songs, it's such a cool moment!
The lack of a discernible plot and the random cast members detract slightly, but it's certainly worth watching at least once.Perhaps one of its best moments is the only existing live performance of "I Am the Walrus," which is pretty cool to see, and the rest of the song performances (Fool on the Hill, Blue Jay Way, Your Mother Should Know) aren't bad, either.
The aerial scene is beautiful to watch, though, and makes good use of the song "Flying."But don't buy it unless you're a serious fan; you'd do better to use your money on the other Beatles movies..
If you're a Beatles fan, you should see this film just to say that you've seen it and to enjoy the music; otherwise, keep away.
Everybody knows the film was slagged off at the time.It was the first time it had happened in the Fab Four's career.It was also the first time a pop group had directed a movie,a thing many people had forgotten when it was released."It would have been better with a little help from their friend Richard Lester" sneered the critics.Was it worse than Presley's contemporary flicks anyway?Actually its best sequences predate the flood of video clips which swept across the world during the eighties.Video kills the radio stars indeed!.The sequences where Paul sings "Fool on the hill" ,Georges "Blue Jay Way" and of course John "I'm the walrus" were as innovative as Peter Gabriel's extravaganzas 20 years later,given the technology at their disposal in the sixties.The story is admittedly not much and the gags are not really very funny but it was an experiment and an interesting one.Paul's black carnation fueled the "Paul is dead" rumors..
And after seeing gems like "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!", I decided to watch Magical Mystery Tour.
Well, that's why almost forty years later this film is * still * fascinating: NO ONE KNOWS!You may not like it, true, but then again you might think its' great fun.
The movie does include various Beatles songs ("Fool on the Hill," "I Am the Walrus", among others).
Magical Mystery Tour is an hour-long TV movie starring The Beatles - John Lennon,Paul McCartney,George Harrison and Ringo Starr.It was based on a loose unscripted narrative, this experimental film was directed by The Beatles themselves and it was the vehicle to present 6 new songs namely: Magical Mystery Tour, The Fool On The Hill, Flying, I Am The Walrus, Blue Jay Way and Your Mother Should Know.
And getting back on Magical Mystery Tour, it has a fantastic soundtrack with inventive and interesting (and addictive) songs like "The Fool on the Hill," "I am the Walrus," "The Magical Mystery Tour," "Blue Jay Way," and "Your Mother Should Know." This movie is well worth watching, so don't listen to whoever tells you that "it's not as good as the other two" because it IS definitely just as amazing as the other two Beatles movies, but it's just very different in its style- this movie is very out-of-the-ordinary, but it's still very much gear and fab ;). |
tt0993842 | Hanna | Hanna Heller (Saoirse Ronan) is a 15-year-old girl who lives with her father, Erik Heller (Eric Bana) in rural northern Finland, near Kuusamo. The film opens with her hunting and killing a reindeer.
Since the age of two, Hanna has been trained by Erik, an ex-CIA operative from Germany, to be a skilled assassin. He teaches her hand-to-hand combat and drills her in target shooting. He left the agency, going incognito into the Arctic. Erik knows a secret that cannot become public, and Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett), a senior CIA officer, searches for him in order to eliminate him. Erik has trained Hanna with the intent that she will kill Marissa. Due to her upbringing in the wilderness, she is unfamiliar with many aspects of modern civilisation despite having read encyclopedias.
One night, Hanna tells Erik that she is "ready" to face their enemies. Erik digs up a radio beacon that eventually will alert the CIA to their presence. Although he warns Hanna that a confrontation with Marissa will be fatal for either her or Marissa, he leaves the final decision to Hanna, who activates the beacon. Erik leaves, instructing her to meet him in Berlin. A CIA special forces team arrives to capture Hanna and Erik, but Erik is already gone and, while Hanna kills two soldiers, the rest of the soldiers assume Erik killed them before escaping.
Hanna is taken to an underground CIA complex where Marissa, being suspicious, sends a body double (Michelle Dockery) to talk to Hanna. While talking to the double, Hanna starts to cry and crawls sobbing into the lap of the double, which makes her captors uneasy. They send some guards to her cell to sedate her. As they enter the cell, Hanna kills the double along with some of the guards and escapes.
In a flashback, Marissa is seen firing at a car that is carrying Hanna's mother, two-year-old Hanna, and Erik. The car crashes but the trio flees. Marissa shoots Johanna, but Erik escapes with Hanna into the woods.
Hanna finds herself on the run in the Moroccan desert, where she meets bohemian English couple Sebastian (Jason Flemyng) and Rachel (Olivia Williams), who are on a camper-van holiday with their teenage daughter, Sophie (Jessica Barden), and their younger son, Miles (Aldo Maland). She stows away in the family's camper-van on the ferry ride to Spain, seeking to reach Berlin. The family is kind to her, and she and Sophie become friends, even sharing a kiss together.
Marissa hires Isaacs (Tom Hollander), a sadistic former agent, to capture Hanna. Hanna travels with the family as they drive north through France. Isaacs and two skinheads trail them and eventually corner Hanna and the family near Lille, but she manages to escape, killing one of the assailants. Marissa catches up with the British family and during interrogation finds out that Hanna is heading to Berlin.
Arriving at the address that Erik had given her, Hanna meets with Knepfler (Martin Wuttke), an eccentric old magician and a friend of Erik's, who lives in an abandoned amusement park. Hanna plans a rendezvous with her father. However, Marissa and Isaacs arrive. Hanna escapes, but overhears comments that suggest Erik is not her biological father.
Later, Hanna goes to her grandmother's apartment where she finds Erik, who has unsuccessfully tried to kill Marissa in her hotel room. Hanna's grandmother has been murdered by Marissa. Erik admits to Hanna that he is not her biological father. He once recruited pregnant women into a CIA program where their children's DNA was enhanced in order to create super-soldiers. After the project was shut down, its subjects were eliminated.
Marissa and Isaacs arrive, intent on killing them; Erik acts as a distraction to allow Hanna to escape. Erik kills Isaacs in a fight, but is shot by Marissa, who goes to Knepfler's house. Hanna is there, having just discovered Knepfler tortured to death by Isaacs. They wound each other and eventually Marissa becomes disoriented from her wound and falls down a chute, losing her pistol. Hanna picks up the gun and kills Marissa, echoing the deer hunting scene from the start of the film. | mystery, murder, flashback, psychedelic, action, revenge | train | wikipedia | Seriously, stop reading, don't watch the film and go calculate Pi or something.If, however, you have an appreciation for tightly-edited, emotionally engaging, aesthetically pleasing cinema with a brilliant soundtrack and at times breathless pacing, please allow me to take a few minutes of your time.Hanna is the story of a teenage girl who lives in total isolation with her father.
We see the world from her unique perspective as she struggles to understand non-familiar interaction, the natural ease of recreation and even the basic electrical appliances that we all take for granted.The story moves us from one location to the next, painting a rich tapestry of colour and culture, whilst simultaneously (and somewhat comically) contrasting Hanna's desperate need to traverse these territories with the bourgeoisie's seeming obsession with "experiencing" as many of them as possible.The acting is solid throughout.
The only truly great performance comes from Ronan, but Tom Hollander, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana all turn out good performances that serve the picture well.However the true credit for this film has to be laid at the feet of Joe Wright.
Wright's mastery of both a tight, intricate plot such as in Atonement, combined with his incredible skill in making this beautiful, thoughtful, action-packed coming of age story mark him out as a director of real class.It is true that Hanna suffers from a few plot holes, but that plot is delivered in such an appealing, exciting and above-all entertaining film that anyone who isn't compiling continuity errors for some god-awful TV programme that relishes in the fact that THIS ISN'T REAL LIFE, IT'S ACTUALLY ONLY A FILM!!
Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Hanna (Saoirse Ronan), who was raised in a forest by her father Erik (Eric Bana).
One day, Hanna was sent out of the forest to assassinate Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett), the woman who murdered her mother.Joe Wright's latest feature is modern-day fairy-tale that is part revenge-flick, part coming- of-age drama.
Even this, however, is sometimes ruined with over-energetic camera-work, turning the film into a music video.Saoirse Ronan is a good action star, throwing herself into her fight scenes with zeal, but her real strength is her acting.
But to me she looked like Julia Gillard on a ruthless rampage to restore order to a chaotic world surrounded by unreliably competent underlings.The real success of this movie is director Joe Wright's ability to use every prop and every location in a highly provocative and meaningful way.
But there is no escape.I love wonderfully choreographed hand-to-hand combat action sequences and there are quite a few in Hanna – but I long for the day directors will return to holding wider shots so we can actually see the fighting take place.
Well Joe Wright has done the seemingly impossible by making his container port scene exciting and different.Look, you're not going to learn the meaning of life or even the meaning of the plot by watching this movie.
What we have is the kind of action film that comes around every once in a while that values it's characters, but also demonstrates some great action pieces.Hannah tells the story of the 16 year old girl who, after living her whole life in the woods, is set upon the world.
Beautifully shot and fantastic all the way around, the film elevates itself to art by successfully balancing Bourne-style action and a beautiful coming of age story.
In fact, I felt Saoirse Ronan's Hanna is a teenage version of The Bride from Kill Bill and Leeloo from The Fifth Element.I've seen Cate Blanchett in a couple of movies, but was impressed by her portrayal of a ruthless agent.
Columbiana with a lesser known cast (and less of a following) is the far superior film.HANNA gets an A for effort, but seriously at some level in Hollywood the people paying the bills should insist on reading the script before they start writing checks..
After the first few times falling asleep, I finally got through it (to give it a fair review).The plot-line was as cheesy-predictable-80's style as you can get, while the action sequences were perfect excuses for potty-breaks (and completely ridiculous at times); let alone the over-the-cliché-top acting, and the terribly executed themes like "i'm a teenager and i don't know who i am--waaah!"Additionally, it didn't help that it was shot on a camcorder of sorts.
It has a constant weird undertone of a fairy tale - the Story of Red riding Hood comes more than once through ones mind.The acting is really good, especially Cate Blanchett as evil cia-operative agent and her henchman, played by Tom Hollander, where a delight to watch.
(Perhaps the answer to those questions flashed by on the screen when I was fantasizing about getting up and leaving, or when I was kicking myself for not having gone to "Source Code" instead.) Anyway, these lame roles were WAY below the skills and abilities of such excellent actors as Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana.I wouldn't recommend this movie.
It's pretty exciting on that level, filmed with the kinetics we've come to expect from films in the last thirty years.In a very large way this is patterned after the "Bourne" movies, and instead of super-man Jason Bourne we have super-woman (very young woman) Hanna.
The Bourne movies are superior in every way, both with a sense of urgency, with plain old acting, and with the filming, both camera-work and editing.
Running second best to those very well made movies is still worth noticing, however, and if you like this kind of modern, heart-zipping, survive as the individual against the evil CIA agents, then this might make your night.Lead actress Saoirse Ronan does her best to be both cold (emotionless by genetic design) and vulnerable (she's a cute blonde girl that plays the innocent cliché too easily, frankly).
What?So much for a well-rounded education.Hanna doesn't know civilization, people, conversation, propriety--anything, really, beyond killing efficiently and without mercy.While Saoirse Ronan is superb in her role as an innocent(?) miscreant, Cate Blanchet--an otherwise unique and dynamic actress--struggles with the character she portrays, and one can only wonder what evil stroke of nature forced her to take the role.
They are equally clueless as to what make a good script.As, apparently, are the producers.The writing is abhorrent; the film-work, competent though visually dismal; the premise, fascinating; the execution of the premise, awful.And--the least annoying thing in a film chock full of annoying things, but indicative of the film's total disregard for reality, (and the intelligence of the audience)--why couldn't they even get the CIA's logo right?My advice: Spend your time watching something better thought-out, researched, written, and far more cerebral.The Three Stooges comes to mind..
Focus might not have wanted the movie they got out of Hanna, but I think it's terrifically entertaining.The first thing I talked about with my friends after we got out of the screening was the great job that Saoirse did of carrying the film, though she had some very entertaining supporting characters as well (the British family she meets up with is incredible).
Another thing that really worked with the film was its soundtrack--the Chemical Brothers did a great job with their songs, matching the fast pace of the action scenes and setting the mood for some of the quieter scenes.There were a few problems with the film, though, especially when it came to character development.
Hanna's father (Eric Bana) and the CIA officer trying to kill her (Cate Blanchett) are never really given purpose, so I was never able to invest emotionally in either one.That brings me to another low-point of the film, Cate Blanchett.
I'm not a casting director or anything, but it felt like they got her for her name rather than for her ability to play the character well.Overall, I would definitely recommend this movie, even with its faults; there are times when it feels like it is trying to be too many movies at the same time, there are some strange editing choices (you might feel motion sick after you leave the theater from all the spinning shots), and the script seems like it could have used a little more polishing to put some more detail into the story to make it a more complete film.
We see a new Saoirse here in "Hanna" as this wan, frail-looking lass as a kick-ass cold-blooded assassin.The titular character Hanna was brought up by her dad Erik (Eric Bana) in the wilds of Finland, seemingly with one aim in mind -- to train this girl to be the perfect killer exact revenge on the CIA, represented by the vile agent Marissa (Cate Blanchett).
All well and good, but apart from Saoirse Ronan the acting is very poor Blanchett is extremely bad, very camp and unbelievable, Bana is poor too, he's very unconvincing, at times looking like he does not want to be there, both badly cast, the hippy trippy English couple and their kids that pop up mid movie are also poorly acted, annoying and really just unnecessary fluff.
Worst movie of the year , worst plot of the year , worst acting of the year, worst director of the year , worst music of the year i still have headache , everything worst of the year , i must write ten worst lines of the year for IMDb , worst action of the year , worst clichés of the year , i really cant understand why people keep writing good reviews about this crap , save your self's and stay away from this real bullshit.There's really nothing to comment the whole thing is a cover up a childish movie transformed to an secret agent bullshit,The truth is there's no secret agents on this stupid movie don't get fooled from company people that get payed and writing good stuff about movie craps like this .
Oh my the list is just too long suffice it to say you will have to do a LOT of "overlooking" to get through this film.The score is obnoxiously booming screeching and repetitive and barely passes for techno just awful in the in the context of the movie although it MIGHT be okay if not attached to a wreck of film.The editing looks like it was done by a 5 year old clips, bits and pieces throughout the film and I know it was designed this way to give it an artsy feel, to endow its action sequences, to give the audience a feel of anxiety and excitement but it fails so miserably that you almost have to feel sorry for even the behind the scenes artists.
Now I am not going to spoil this for you just in case you have absolutely nothing better to do one day and your best friend just dumps this DVD in your lap for you to watch but the movies only salvation is the plot twist involving Hannah's mother and her being raised by Bana but you gotta endure 2 hours of this grueling film - a cliché script, a God awful score, mediocre acting, atrocious almost psychotic filming to get there but the last 15 minutes IS perhaps the one piece of solid acting by Ronan in the entire film.
In this too-wannabe-cool-for-its-own-good "film" (if you can call it that, because it feels rather like a two-hour music video), however, the effect is the exact opposite: every scene, every frame even, is overloaded with capricious extravagances, in what looks like a desperate attempt to mask how hopelessly formulaic and one-note the plot actually is, making it nigh impossible for the viewer not to be jolted right out of the narrative at every turn by the avalanche of distractions.
Hanna tells the story of a man who raises his daughter to be an assassin, when the mission comes around however will she be ready?This multi award winning critically acclaimed thriller stars Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett & Eric Bana.
Though I didn't exactly find it revolutionary it is undeniably a well made film.Solid cast, great writing and highly fitting score this is well worth anybodys time.The Good:Well scoredRonans performanceWell written piece of cinemaThe Bad:Blanchetts accentThings I Learnt From This Movie:Ronan makes everyone else look bad by comparison.
DO NOT WATCH THIS PILE OF MUCK!I will never be able to get that time back, Bana was embarrassing and his German accent was a joke.The main character had a thick Dublin accent in parts which also made me cringe.30million budget was ridiculous, I hope salaries were included in this.The fight scenes must have been choreographed 5mins before they were shot.Honestly the worst film I have seen in a long time, so much so, it prompted me to submit this review.
What i think must of happened is that the producers and the writer must of gotten the idea that because of the very warm reaction to HIT-GIRL in the movie KICK-ASS, that they thought lets go ahead and make a movie about this ,but it just doesn't work out in this case because who ever made the film, is not very good at their job.As for the good reviews on here for this film, they really do make me wonder about humanity, as in how can you put such rubbish in front of people and still make them lap it up??Anyone who gave this a good review is a mindless automaton who does not know a real movie when they see it, they need to go and become a proper connoisseur of all types of movies and then think properly about the nonsense that is Hanna..
Words fail to describe how bad this movie is, Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is a master assassin who has been trained by Erik ( Bana) to kill Cate blanchette for killing her mom.
The movie jumps around the globe with Hanna killing her way to her target, there isn't any real cohesion and so much filler in between the odd fight, it makes you wish that there was a super human director improvement program so hopefully stuff like this doesn't get made again.
This makes Hanna a very bizarre combination of genres that will likely disappoint both action flick lovers and people who enjoy more watching drama movies.Overall I would rate this movie meh (with a shrug of shoulders).
His artistic style made the movie seem more intense and kept the audience engaged even during scenes where Hanna is trying to come to understand the real world.I cannot do a review without mentioning the amazing (and in my opinion, blows Dakota Fanning out of the water) Saoirse Ronan.
The film takes you into the point of view of a young girl, Hanna(played by academy award nominee, Saoirse Ronan), who is living with her father(Eric Bana) in the wilds of Finland with no connections to the outside world.
In this movie she plays Hanna, a young girl raised by her father Erik(Eric Bana) to be an efficient and deadly assassin.
The scenes that set us up to care for Hanna and her father at the beginning of the film, cast a mystical glamour over the whole viewing experience, and acts as a foil for the rest movie.
Hanna is one of those movies that I did not expect to be this good and then after I watched the film, I came out of the theatre absolutely in love with what I just saw.
The film has a really good pace and what makes it so interesting is not the action scenes, or even the more thrilling chase sequences, but rather the characters, or should I say character itself because the film mostly does focus on Hanna and she is very interesting to watch.
There's a scene early in the film where Hanna kills a group of guards (won't spoil why or where) and shoots all of the cameras in the room, and the way it's edited makes you jump with every gun shot.The acting here is is superb.
So Hanna maybe is the most successful and perhaps one of the best films of its genre since 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum.I say this because as I said above, is not just an action movie, the drama is also present and very well located.
Joe Wright brings a wonderfully eclectic bag of tricks to this story of a 16 y.o. girl, Hanna (played superbly by Saoirse Ronan), who is brought up in the forest to be a lethal killer by her CIA-defecting father (Eric Bana).
Reasons why Hanna is the best action movie I've ever seen:*An offbeat, emotive, dubstep-like score by The Chemical Brothers*A small, yet diverse and thoughtful pool of characters and personalities*Strong, likable and unique female characters all around*Action scenes with some of the best cinematography you'll ever see.
There's even a single-shot subway fight scene.*A unique European setting, which allows for unconventional choices for characters and locations (example: a gang of skinheads as the villain's henchmen)*A same-sex kiss scene, if you like diversity in your films (and you totally should)*Contrasting dreamy fantasy motifs with some brutal and startlingly realistic violence, it manages to be both a modern action thriller and a romantic fairy tale.You might be a little disappointed by the ending, depending on how much you like those kinds of resolutions.
I think a great deal of frustration can come about trying to see this film like a modern action thriller.
If you are looking for a superbly acted, stylish, beautifully filmed, suspenseful action film with a good mystery and killer fight scenes, watch Hanna.
Well, I sat through it all in disbelief, not at the poor quality of the movie only, but the viewers who got this rating even above 4.The best of the lot must only go to actress, Saoirse Ronan who played the character of Hanna.
Having been trained, almost from birth, to be an assassin by Erik (Bana), her father, Hanna (Ronan) is now on a mission to kill CIA Agent Marissa (Blanchett). |
tt0187738 | Blade II | NOTE: Sequel to Blade (1998).Prologue: At the Parizska Blood Bank in Prague, Czech Republic, Jared
Nomak [Luke Goss] has come to donate blood. As he is being led into the donation room,
he is informed that his blood is of a rare phenotype. Bad news for Jared;
good news for the blood bank, the phlebotomist says and bares his vampire
fangs. Jared laughs hysterically. Suddenly, his chin cracks open revealing
a gaping maw with a barbed tongue. He pounces on the phlebotomist's neck,
and blood flies everywhere.Two years have passed since Blade's mentor, Abraham Whistler, shot
himself, after being brutally beaten and bitten by vampires. When Blade [Wesley Snipes]
learned that the vampires were keeping Whistler alive, he followed their
trail through Eastern Europe--first to Moscow, then to Romania, and now to
the Czech Republic. When Blade discovers that the vampires are keeping
Whistler in stasis in a halfway house, he breaks into the house and
rescues him, after killing a number of vampires with silver stakes and
bullets made of silver nitrate and garlic extract. One accelerated
retrovirus detox shot later, and Whistler [Kris Kristofferson] is back among the living.Much has happened in the last two years. Blade has taken on a new
assistant named Scud [Norman Reedus] who doesn't get along very well with Whistler, now
that he's returned. The High Council of Vampires has created a group of
six warriors, referred to as the Bloodpack, who are being trained to fight
against Blade. However, a vampire virus called the Reaper Strain has
mutated in Jared Nomak who passes the virus to everyone he bites. Since
the Reaper virus makes carriers extremely voracious, Nomak (and each of
his victims) need to feed daily, and they feed on both humans and
vampires. The numbers of Reapers, noticeable because they resemble nosferatu with their bald, blue-veined heads and pointy ears, are increasing exponentially, and the
vampires fear the Reapers will first wipe them out then start on humans. Soon...
you do the math.Now that the Reapers are presenting an even bigger threat to the
vampires than Blade ever did, Vampire Overlord Eli Damaskinos [Thomas Kretschmann] has sent a
message to Blade, requesting a truce and asking him to join with the
vampires and actually lead the Bloodpack against the Reapers. Blade
agrees, but the Bloodpack--Lighthammer, Verlaine, Priest, Snowman, Chupa,
and Reinhardt--are not happy being led by the Daywalker they were training
to kill. To assure their cooperation, Blade plants a silver nitrate bomb,
courtesy of Scud, on the back of Reinhardt's [Ron Perlman] head. Blade holds the
detonator, and it is set to explode should anyone tamper with it.Accompanied by the vampires Asad [Danny John-Jules] and Nyssa [Leonor Varela],
daughter of Overlord Damaskinos, Blade and his Bloodpack begin their search for Nomak by
staking out places where vampires congregate, such as blood banks and safe
houses, figuring these places will also be attractive to the Reapers.
First on the list is the House of Pain, an old hotel converted into a
safehouse sheltering some 200-300 "suckheads," all dancing and feeding. As
the Bloodpack searches the building, Reapers begin emerging from the
subbasement. About 1/2 hour before dawn, the Reapers attack. The Bloodpack
manages to take out several Reapers with ultraviolet guns, but Nomak gets
away, even after being injected with the anticoagulant EDTA, and a Reaper
bites Priest, requiring that Priest be destroyed in the rising sun.
Lighthammer also gets bitten, but he hides it. In this first battle with
the Reapers, Blade learns that Reapers are impervious to silver, EDTA, and
garlic, and they rapidly bounce back from almost any wound, including
silver stakes thrust into their chests. How in the world can these
creatures be stopped, and whose side should Blade be on anyway,
considering that both Blade and Nomak are enemies of the vampires?Meanwhile, back at the High Council, Damaskinos' lawyer, Karel
Kounen, has informed Damaskinos of Priest's death and warns the Overlord
that he is playing a dangerous game, one that could result in his
daughter's death. Damaskinos informs Kounen that his "friend inside" says
that everything is going as planned. Friend inside? Who could that be? One
of the Bloodpack? Nyssa? Whistler?Outside the House of Pain, Scud and Whistler, who have been working
surveillance from the van and on the roof, have managed to capture a
Reaper who was trying to escape down a manhole into the sewers but got
stuck. For some odd reason, this Reaper is dying. Blade surmises that the
Reaper's body, having gone several hours without feeding, is beginning to
feed on itself. Since he is dying anyway, this provides Nyssa with an
opportunity to perform an autopsy and learn more about the Reapers. She
learns that the barbed tongue contains a nerve toxin to paralyze the
victim while the Reaper feeds. Their hearts are encased in bone, making it
virtually impossible to shove a stake through them. The only thing that
seems to affect them is exposure to sun and to ultraviolet light.
Unfortunately, these are also deadly to vampires, which is going to make
it difficult for Blade to destroy the Reapers without harming his vampire
allies.Scud spends the rest of the night working to build UV grenades out of
phosphor rods. The next morning, meaning to use daytime, the only
advantage they have over the Reapers, Blade, Whistler, Nyssa, Asam, and
the Bloodpack, armed with UV guns, UV grenades, and large-scale UV bombs
go down into the sewers. They split into three units. Whistler goes with
Chupa and Reinhardt down the east tunnel. Lighthammer, Verlaine, and
Snowman go in the opposite direction, and Blade goes with Asam and Nyssa.
Unfortunately, treachery abounds. When Chupa and Reinhardt get Whistler
alone, Chupa beats him up. We lose a partner and Blade loses one, Chupa
threatens. Lighthammer completes his evolution into a Reaper and feasts on
Snowman, then goes after Verlaine, who has no recourse other than to open
a manhole cover, killing both herself and Lighthammer in the sunlight.Then the Reapers start arriving, crawling on the sewer floor, walls,
and ceiling. Asam is attacked by a half dozen Reapers crawling underwater.
Blade sets off a UV grenade, killing all the Reapers, but it is too late
for Asam. Chupa falls prey to Reapers. Reinhardt is being followed by
Reapers, so he sets a UV bomb, but the detonator sticks. Blade radios
orders to everyone to regroup, but the only ones left standing are Nyssa,
Reinhardt, and Blade, so Blade goes back to get the UV bomb that Reinhardt
left behind. Only after Blade has found the bomb and is surrounded by
dozens of hungry Reapers does Reinhardt radio Blade to inform him that the
denotator doesn't work. Holding off Reapers with both hands, Blade kicks
at the lever until it finally gives. Ten seconds later, UV light floods
the tunnels. It fries the Reapers, but it also hits Nyssa and Reinhardt.Where is Whistler? Whistler has met up with Nomak who, instead of
attacking him, has given Whistler a ring and told him to tell Blade the
truth, which Nomak whispers in Whistler's ear.Meanwhile, Blade has caught up with Nyssa to find her severely burned
by the UV bomb and badly in need of blood, so he cuts his wrist and makes
her drink his blood. Suddenly, Blade is shot in the back with stunguns.
Kounen and Reinhardt step in. Vampires from the Council round up Whistler,
Nyssa, and Blade and deliver them to Damaskinos.When Nyssa regains consciousness, she is back in her father's study.
She tells him how Blade saved her life and asks whether he is still alive.
Oh, Blade's alive alright. He, Scud, and Whistler are being held in a
chamber deep in Damaskinos' sanctuary. Just as Whistler begins to tell
Nomak's "truth" to Blade--that the Reaper virus didn't evolve, it was
genetically designed--Damaskinos, Nyssa, and Reinhardt enter the chamber.
Damaskinos explains that he has been searching for a way to rid the
vampires of their hereditary weaknesses by recombining DNA. As he talks,
he shows Blade a cylinder filled with hundreds of small fetal vampires.
Nomak was first, Damaskinos says, but Nomak was a failure in that he isn't
immune to light. Soon, however, Damaskinos thinks he will have created a
new pure race of daywalking vampires, immune to silver and sunlight. All
he needs is to figure out why Blade is immune to light and then program
that quality into his fetal vampires.Whistler tosses Nomak's ring at Damaskinos' feet. Nyssa recognizes it
immediately as the Damaskinos family crest. Turns out that Nomak is
Damaskinos' son, Nyssa's brother! She storms out, followed by her father.
Reinhardt takes this chance to beat up on Blade, but Blade pulls out the
detonator to the UV bomb on the back of Reinhardt's head. He presses the
detonator button, but nothing happens. Scud laughs. I designed the bomb to
be a dud, Scud explains as Reinhardt pulls it off his head and tosses it
to Scud. Scud then tells Blade how he's been Damaskinos' familiar all
along. What do you think of that, Scud asks Blade. Two things, says Blade.
One, I've known about you all along and, two, the bomb isn't a dud. Blade
then presses a second button. Goodbye Scud.Blade is then repeatedly stun-gunned and taken to an operating room
where Kounen drives spikes through Blade's body in order to secure him.
Kounen explains that he is going to harvest Blade's blood and body parts
in order to search for the key to what makes him a Daywalker. However,
Whistler manages to get out of his handcuffs, knock out Reinhardt, and
escape through the floor ducts to the operating room. He shoots Kounen,
and releases Blade. Blade is drained of blood and severely weakened, so
Whistler carries him into a bloodbath where Blade quickly regenerates. The
first thing Blade does after leaving the bloodbath is to take out two or
three dozen guards. Next, he slices Reinhardt in half from head to toe.
Then he's off to find Damaskinos while Whistler destroys the fetal
vampires.Meanwhile, Nyssa is having it out with her father. She feels totally
betrayed because Damaskinos sent her and her Bloodpack out, expecting them
to die. He used both of his children, her and Nomak, for his own purposes,
and he used Blade, too. Blade, her supposed enemy, saved her life. As she
debates where her loyalties lie, Nomak has succeeded in invading the inner
sanctum where Nyssa has sealed herself and Damaskinos. Damaskinos attempts
to apologize to his son for all that has befallen him, but Nomak bites his
father's neck anyway. As Damaskinos lay dying on the floor, his
bluish-green blood spilling out, Nyssa takes off her family ring and
tosses it in her father's blood. Nyssa then offers herself to Nomak who
dives into her neck, too.Enter Blade. A drawn out fight ensues between Blade and Nomak until
Blade manages to thrust his sword through Nomak's side, the one place
where his heart is unprotected by bone. Nomak seems almost happy and, in
fact, thrusts the blade in further, and his body disintegrates. Poor Nyssa
has been bitten and can already feel her body changing into that of a
Reaper. I want to die while I'm still a vampire, she tells Blade. I want
to see the sun. Blade carries her outside. Together, they watch the
sunrise before Nyssa burns up in Blade's arms.In the end Blade disposes of Rush, the vampire he had left alive in the beginning of the movie, at the vampires' half-way house. | gothic, murder, cult, violence, flashback, good versus evil, action, revenge | train | imdb | Because Wesley Snipes knows all those martial arts, they are nice to look at, and since it is 2002 we now got in to the phase, where the fights scenes are awesome and the choreographer says something once heavy handed, you will see bloody violence right away when the character turns in to an CGI model and it is shown trough whole movie, you can really see that, specially old dude drops kicks, kicks Blade right in the face and goes in to an CGI character, you can kind a see that, kind a weak, but does it track down from the movie?
The effects in this movie is pretty good too, besides the fight scenes when they turn the CGI character however, but that's okay I can kind a forget about it because Spider-Man (2002) come out the same year, of course they also did do the same thing, yea, I guess you have to live, with that back than, I'm pretty sure they can do better now this days.
Without the doubt, the acting in this movie is awesome, Effects are awesome, Action is awesome, story is awesome, Cinematography it is kinda even a bad ass, you actually feel bad for one of the characters, tough she was cute, I am just saying.
In the end of the day Blade II is one of the best sequel ever, you have to watch this movie!!!!!
The sword-wielding warrior Blade (Wesley Snipes - "Demolition Man," "White Men Can't Jump") returns to fight the Reapers, a new race of super vampires hell-bent on annihilating all other vampires before destroying the entire human race.
and warns anyone who can't stand Hong Kong action scenes that they are probably watching the wrong screen.The movie is essentially a platform for Snipes to have fun with his most renowned character.
The impact of all the blood and guts is reduced by the obvious fantasy of the fights (wires and SFX a lot of the time), but its still pretty powerful.The lead performances are all very good, although some of the peripheral characters are a little too hammer horror.
and there is occasionally that urge to shout "when will I be famous." and the pure blood female vampire who takes a shine to blade is well worth being bitten by.Overall it feels less like a sequel and more like a stand alone movie.
Blade 2 takes what made the first Blade film good and transforms it into a different country with different characters (outside of Blade and Whistler) and a possibly deeper feel, and it works without going into the bad sequel range.This time, the vampires Blade (Wesley Snipes) has been hunting down for so many years want to make a truce so that he can help them kill a new breed of monsters called reapers, which if you want a brief description are creatures that look like half vampires half zombies and half, whatever, with a chin that opens up a big damn mouth that before attacking it's prey could resemble a mini-sarlac pit (star wars reference).
Well, to spin a long (actually not that long or terribly complicated) story, Blade is...Sorry I cannot say anymore or I might give away too much of the plot - and you know movies like this are plot-driven.
The action scenes were amazing, and though it looked like Blade was gonna get all sappy towards the vampires - (especially the girl), he still kicked ass.
Goyer is much sillier.This bloody punch-fest lacks the charming antagonists that livened the original movie.If only as much time was spent on the script as was spent on the fight choreography.Take away everything that was original about BLADE, add some exploding vampires, and vampire night at the WWF - you get BLADE II, a knock-off, rip-off waste of film, released to suck the blood and money out of audiences everywhere.Just never seems very convinced of itself that a sequel was even necessary.This second instalment in the trilogy tries to crank things up even more than in the action packed original, which makes for an obnoxiously hyper active movie.Isn't as sharp as the original,Despite some visual virtues, Blade II just doesn't cut it.The fast-paced action is unnervingly fast, almost dizzying.
The story is thin, the plot is predictable, but Wesley Snipes carries this comic book character off with enough clever humour and self-indulgent pathos to carry it off.There are plot twists and inventive fight scenes galore, but what director Guillermo Del Toro loves most is the gore.Blade II is almost excessively violent OK, it is excessively violent but that's exactly what Snipes and Blade fans want.
I thought the person who was looking like he was having the most fun was Ron Perlman who was great in his villainous role with his chemistry with Blade being really good.
Blade II is an exciting action film that takes the tired vampire story and adds a new twist by introducing an entirely new villain.
The question of whether or not the writers were justified in introducing these new characters is, in my opinion, satisfied by the fact that they made such quality villains that fit so well into the genre.I am thrilled to see that they didn't just make another dumb Blade film that was exactly the same as the original except for the possibility of some new special effects, because these new characters, called Reapers, are exactly what the film series, as well as, potentially, the genre as a whole, needed.
This is in itself one of the better parts of the movie, because even though I was enormously unimpressed with the original film, there is no one that could play this character as well as Snipes does.
There is also an interesting conflict introduced as Blade is forced to team up with the vampires, his mortal enemies who we are to assume could turn on him at any time, in order to fight the Reapers (by far the more dangerous enemy), who reproduce,' you might say, at an astonishing rate.
Blade is attacked one night by two vampires wearing body suits (and some goggles that probably retain the coolest effect of the entire film), they fight violently for several minutes at full speed without rest, until one of them suddenly kneels before Blade and asks for a truce, informing him that there is now something on the streets that is even worse than him.
There is, of course, some stuff here that was thrown in without apparent reason and therefore without beneficial affect (such as the unnecessary, however impressive, fight scene between Blade and the two vampires early in the film), but as a whole the film rises high above its predecessor.
The fact that the original film ends with Blade becoming a worldly vampire-hunter is mostly ignored in this film, although this one does end with a similar bit of comic relief and may even leave room for a second sequel.
Not great by any stretch of the imagination, but nevertheless enjoyable.Blade 2 is not.No wonder the movie is about vampires, you can tell because it really sucks.
So lets expose something of the movie-making frailty that Blade 2 embodies....Pretty much any scene, by itself captures something of the essence of the first film (and tortures it).
It's as if the film was written by about 7 different script-writers, kept in separate rooms, and not allowed to communicate with each other.Plot-developments and devices used in one scene, are not carried over to the next, exposing poor continuity and one begins to see the movie for what it actually is: A series of disconnected fight scenes which begin to look more and more like a particularly violent hour on MTV.The film has one redeeming feature which I was quite surprised to discover: Luke Goss played his part superbly, stealing each scene, and making Blade look like a lunk.
Blade is the little boy's fantasy come true, and it scratched the itch I got from watching pretentious-PG-13-for-little-Goths-wannabes-posing-as-dark-movie-Queen-of-th e-Damned by mutilating the bodies of Satanicly twist-minded vampires, and turning them into BME poster children.
Wesley Snipes has a great performance in this film, as the kick butt vampire/human blade and does an excellent job with the character.
They hunt down vampires and turn them into their own kind, plus they are almost as invulnerable as Blade himself.Blade has to lead the blood pack, a group of vampires trained to hunt him; they are the best the vampires have, but without blade they are no match for the reapers.More action, better special effects and a truly awesome performance by Luke Goss as the reaper, Blade 2 is sheer entertainment that is at least as good as the original, maybe even slightly better.8/10.
The direction of Guillermo del Toro, whose Hellboy films and Pan's Labyrinth were extremely enjoyable, is at best questionable including a questionable decision to transition from a live action fight scene to ridiculous looking CGI.
The characters are as one-dimensional as they get, the plot is very basic yet makes little sense (Blade is such a super person that he can easily wipe out both old and new vampires, so why team up with the old ones?), and the dialog is full of tired and unfunny one-liners that leave no opportunity unused to show us once again how supposedly cool Blade is.
Blade 2 had some awesome fighting sequences at the end unlike any i've seen, great special effects, and it's a damn good movie, i've watched it like 30 times and i never get tired of seeing it.
It is a multi-layers movie where the action/horror fanatic will have what they're looking for, a Vampire/Kung Fu flick (and that's fine) however those of us who are asking for more than just another Blade sequel might discover a very thought through movie blend in a myriad of details with extraordinary fight sequences (thanks to Donnie Yen) and a "design" feel to it.
Obviously the main critic against Blade II is a very "simplistic" scenario when you know from the beginning what is going to happen: the story is about Blade (Wesley Snipes) who is half vampire, half human and refuses his vampire nature trying to fight the "bloodlust" he suffers.
The story had a little bit too it I guess but a bit cliche all round but hey, thats not why you go to see a horror/action flick is it!?So overall, a good movie if you liked the original Blade, if you have not seen the original, hire that first!.
The lack of character-development and story is substituted with lots of unnecessary gore and continuous action (but none of the fight-scenes are anywhere near as good as in first one!!).
The good thing about Blade 2 is that it's not like other sequels made for money, it's actually not worse than its predecessor.
You'll have to look hard for a dumber action scene, actually.The Blade series is here turned into something much less mature and adult and into something that is even more dumbed down than the original (which was no Casablanca, but still good).
He takes time to meditate, he actually lets a wounded vampire go and he does a lot of unnecessary sword moves for no other purpose than to get the audience to watch Wesley Snipes make his moves.
Since I liked the first 'Blade' movie, I went to a friend to see the sequel.
Thus, an uneasy alliance is formed between Blade and the Vampire legion to combat this growing epidemic.Action fans who like their violence bloody with plenty of martial arts and gunfights will probably be pleased.
Blade 2 is full of stupid jump cuts and post-Matrix slow motion, so you end up not having a clue what's going on.And I hate the way in films like this when the good guys have to team up with the bad guys, the bad guys suddenly stop doing whatever it was that made them bad in the first place.
It's slightly better than The Matrix, pretention incarnate, but can't come close to the physical beauty of CTHD, whose action sequences did not rely on computers.Blade II steals its plot wholesale from Aliens, which is a common action film to steal from (it's probably the best ever made at this point, over 15 years old now).
I saw the first movie Blade and although somewhat bloody at times it was a fairly well done vampire film.
Although there are a few well choreographed fight scenes in Blade II where Snipes gets to show off his stuff, unfortunately, many were just animations which became cartoonish at times.
Wesley Snipes is even better than he was in the first film, and Norman Reedus (The Boondock Saints) does a great job as Blade's sidekick.
This is how sequels should be made.This time, the vampires Blade has been hunting down for so many years want to make a truce so that they can recruit him to help them kill a new breed of monsters called reapers, which if you want a brief description are creatures that look like half vampires half zombies and half, whatever, with a chin that opens up wide.Blade reluctantly agrees, knowing full well that the vampires could turn on him and Whistler if things go wrong.Overall, Blade 2,is a great film for fans of Action movies, comic movies or the first one.
Blade 1 is a fantastic film for the action/vampire genre.
Especially when he chooses to kill Nomak when as said "they want the same thing." I also love Wesley Snipes as Blade and even Luke Goss plays a good Nomak.The fight scenes are very entertaining...when they aren't Computer Generated.
This chapter of the Blade trilogy does not quite deliver the same atmosphere as the first installment, but still brings enjoyment, a capable cast, and a good story.I can't rate this one as high as the first, but it's still a great vampire film, which delivers some of the best elements.
The film is based on a comic book which is meant to be unreal and supernatural.My type of movie!!!09/10 Because some of the CGI scenes were too obvious at the ninja fight..
It should be a no-brainer that if the only movies you can appreciate fall into the category of films such as "Vertigo", "Citizen Kane" and the like, you're not going to have fun watching "Blade II".
In terms of the visual style of the film, "Blade 2" fares even better than its predecessor; with its dark and stylistic presentation, this movie certainly is a treat for the eyes.
After re-watching it, however, I realized that a lot more attention was payed to the first film.Wesley Snipes returns in the sequel as the title character and he is woolly at best.
BLADE II (2002) (BAD) (D: Guillermo del Toro) - Everything is wrong with this mess, and typical of recent films in the horror genre: All action and SFX, nothing else.
I have seen a lot of movies worse than Blade, but it could have been done much better if the main characters were explained better.
and "Blade".The movie takes up two years after the first film.
Even more when I see Blade uttering things like "Oooh, how exciting", or having a romantic interest.The movie also features lots of martial arts, some done by Wesley Snipes, other by CGI, and other by a stunt surely.
CGI: I know its good to have computerised fight scenes in action movies but sometimes they can go a bit too far because some of the fight scenes were totally unbeleavable and trust me you can tell where cgi has been used.But if you overlook these problems and just watch for a good fun time then you will like it.Also The Reapers were very good wereas the bloodpack they suck.SCORE 7/10 or 3* out of 5.
I mean, I like the first movie, "Blade" have a lot of good fighting, good specials effects, it was fun and I know that the plot wasn't really elaborate, but it worked.
The reapers make up and special effects where great they have a good point there, and the fight where cool too, but the movie sucks.I'am a fun of Guillermo del Toro since "Mimic" and "Devil's Backbone", he is quite a good director, but here it looks like he get paid and he don't care.
However, if you are, like me, more a fan of vampire films than action movies , then you might ask yourself why the first movie needed a sequel like this one?
Wesley Snipes' performance in this sequel of Blade is totally amateur, his fight scenes show that he really knows nothing of martial arts.
Del Toro works wonders with the action aesthetic and special effects, making us feel like we're really there watching these creatures of the night pound the ever loving hell out of each other in one fantastical, bloody, stylistic scene after the next.
the first part was amazing.This one is a masterpiece.Wesley snipes is one tough guy.Though alot of you thought how whistler came back,well you must watch the movie and find out.If your a fan of blade,you must defenetly go watch this movie.Its pure action,more horror and the fighting scenes are perfect..
A step or two up from the first outing.First up, the story is better - some folks are saying there was no story but this one has 200% more story than the cliche that is the first movie's 'plot', that one and this one are really about Snipes fighting vampires, not an in-depth character study.
Fantastic movie, more action and comedy than the first.Wesley Snipes does an excellent job as Blade again.Favorite Line:Blade: "But your a human"Vampire Lawyer: "Barely ...
I see a movie to have a good time, and in that sense, DOES 'BLADE 2' DELIVER!!!
After Blade II, I can definitely say that it is one of the best vampire movies that I have ever seen.
Definitely better than the original Blade and a good way to spend eight bucks (or whatever movies cost nowadays). |
tt0111558 | Aswang | NOTE: The aswang is a vampire from Filipino myth. It is a living person, usually a woman, who can take the form of a large bird and who waits on the roof of a victim's house until s/he falls asleep. Then, the aswang drops down its long tongue, pricks a hole in the victim's neck, and feeds on its blood. Once filled with blood, the aswang returns home to feed her own children. In this movie, the aswang is particularly fond of feeding on the unborn.Kat (Tina Ona Paukstelis) is unwed and pregnant but refuses to get an abortion. Instead, she opts for adoption and contracts with Peter (Norman Moses) and Janine Null to give them her baby after it is born, as Janine is unable to bear children and Peter needs an heir so that he can inherit the family estate, a large tract of apple orchards in Wisconsin.7 Months later: Very pregnant and posing as Peter's wife Janine, Kat accompanies
Peter to visit his family at the estate. Having lived in the Philippines,
the family is rather strange. There is Peter's mother Olive (Flora Coker), who is ailing
and is confined to a wheelchair. Peter's sister Claire (Jamie Jacobs Anderson), whom Peter
describes as "touched", lives as a recluse in a rundown cottage, and Peter
warns Kat to steer clear of her. And there is Cupid (Mildred Nierras), their Filipino maid
who seems to be the one who holds everyone and everything together. All in
all, though, Olive and Cupid seem genuinely glad to have "Janine" there,
and both are very anxious for the baby to arrive.At dinner that evening, Kat drinks too much of Cupid's "homemade
apple cider" and gets drunk. That night she has strange dreams about Peter
feeding on some white liquid and then putting his head between her legs as
though trying to listen to the baby. The next morning, while out walking
on the Hull property, Peter and Kat happen upon a trespasser, who
introduces himself as Dr Roger Harper (John Kishline) and who shows them a strange
"cocoon" he has found. Harper has already found scores of them and can't
explain what kind of animal made them, only that the bodies inside have
been reduced to bones and it seems as though they've had their lives
sucked out of them.Peter is unhappy about Harper poking around on their land, but Kat
invites him to dinner anyway. After dinner, Peter shows him some artwork
from the Philippines, including a drawing of an aswang, a dark figure
sitting on a rooftop and sticking its long skinny tongue down into the
house. Upon returning home, Harper looks up a picture of an aswang,
under which the caption reads "as*wong: a Filipino vampire who feeds on the
unborn. The fetus will likely die, although some survive to become Aswang
themselves." Harper immediately fears for Kat/Janine's baby, but he
doesn't have time to warn her. He is himself attacked by an aswang.Meanwhile, Kat and Peter have gone to bed, and Cupid is helping Olive
into her nightclothes. While Kat sleeps, an aswang slides its long tongue
into her bedroom and snakes around under the bedsheets until it finds the
way between her legs. Kat wakes up, dislodges the tongue, and manages to
trap it in the door. Peter rushes outside to find Olive hanging from the
bedroom window by her aswang tongue. In order to release her, Peter has to
cut off her tongue.Sensing that she's in danger, Kat runs...straight to Claire's cottage
where she finds Harper enwrapped in a cocoon. Still alive, he tries to
warn her. Kat tries ripping him free from the cocoon but, before she is
successful, she hears a noise. It is the real Janine, and she's armed with
a chainsaw. Janine attacks Kat, but Kat manages to kill her with a blow to
the head from a garden hoe.Enter Peter, who injects Kat with a tranquilizer. Kat tries to run,
but Peter retrieves the chainsaw and goes after her while screaming, "We
have a contract...This is America...We have laws!" Kat gets away but
stumbles onto the grave of Janine Hull. It's now apparent that "the real
Janine" is actually Peter's sister Claire and that both she and
Olive are aswangs.Peter carries the bodies of Olive and Claire into the big house.
While walking along the highway, Kat is "rescued" by the local sheriff who
takes her straight back to the Nulls, oblivious to Kat's contention that
they are trying to kill her. After the sheriff leaves, Peter takes Kat to
Claire's cottage and chains her to a window. But the sheriff, doing his
duty, calls for some information about Janine Hull and comes up empty, so
he returns to the Hull house, where he is attacked and killed by a chicken
(Peter).Peter, Olive, and Cupid go to the cottage. Olive is dying and must
feed. While they prepare Kat, however, Olive dies, so Peter decides to
feed on Kat's baby himself. At that moment, however, Harper wakes up and
Peter has to kill him first, giving Kat a chance to chop off her own hand
with an ax and run away...straight back to the Hull house, Peter in
pursuit, garden hoe in hand.Meanwhile, Cupid has gotten religious. She falls down on her knees
and starts to pray. When Peter orders her to kill Kat, she raises the ax
to obey. Just at that moment, a tiny aswang tongue emerges from between
Kat's legs, and Cupid lets the ax fall.Five years later
Cupid and the 5-year old aswang girl are saying their prayers
together, blessing Grandma Olive, Aunt Claire, Daddy (Peter), and a number
of Janine-mommies. [Original Synopsis by bj_kuehl.] | violence, cult, haunting | train | imdb | This starts off being something of a cross between Society and Rosemary's Baby and for the first half hour is really quite creepy.
For the rest of the film things are distinctly more nasty and occasionally almost too repulsive to watch.
Possibly budgetary restraints led to most off the movie being shot in just the one colour, brown, but not without effect.
In fact the gloom is about as cheerful as this nasty film gets, there are splashes of humour but you are rarely in the mood for smiling and from the spooky Filipino maid, Cupid, to the manic leading man and his almost dead mother and crazed sister all is very, very wrong.
I cannot understand the bad reviews this film has received because to me it seemed a shockingly different effort in the horror field.
I suppose much has been borrowed from earlier horrors but there is enough that is different to certainly set it apart from much more celebrated films..
The Unearthing is a film I'd had been wanting to see for a long time and now wish I hadn't bothered.
It does offer a bit of a different spin on the vampire lore.
The film's villains are based in the Philipino legend of the Aswang (don't laugh).
The Aswang is demon or vampire that feeds upon unborn fetuses.
Unfortunately it is never utilized in a way that is new or interesting.
The acting is appalling, the direction slack, and there is so much padding here that the movie could have been a 30 minute short.
A young lady with child marries(for pay) into a family of "Aswang"...bloodthirsty creatures from Phillipines-regional lore with an appetite for fetal humans(which they extract from a living mother's womb using elongated wriggling tongues...a rather sexually manky and squirm-inducing distinction of these mythical beasts).
Also, it is interesting to note that these beings are devout Catholics(!)ASWANG is a flawed but intriguing low-budget film, and there are scenes which will likely offend very sensitive people.
Technically a tad grotty at times, but atmospheric enough to hold the interest of many horror buffs.
A unique other-cultural study of vampirism, and one the likes of which I have personally not seen beforeDespite the frequently negative criticism of this film, I maintain that it has some great moments, and is an overall fairly impressive minor-league effort.5.5/10.
I've seen a lot of vampire films but never one like this.
Tense, dark tale of a pregnant girl who thinks she's selling her unborn child to a rich family with inheritance issues but comes to realize that what they really need is something a whole lot worse.
With terrific use of color AND lack of color (look how the scenes in Claire's house are all shot in the same bleached-out reddish sepia, like partly-washed-out bloodstains), neat twists on Gothic horror conventions, nasty use of garden implements, and an overall Blair-Witch-meets-Texas-Chainsaw vibe of unnerving low-budget conviction, this is a cheap but effective little chiller.
Vamp fans who've stayed in the familiar Eastern European and urban American traditions should definitely give this Filipino-based oddity a try..
I enjoyed this blend of horror.
In this film, it's something we didn't really expect so therein lies the true horror element.
Not just a true horror element, but a taboo one at that.
One of the best uses of horror in this film is the off screen presence of lurking doom.
I had never heard of this film, I must confess.
The 90s were a horrible dry time for horror, but this isn't bad at all.
It's pure schlock, frustrating at times and plot exposition isn't handled as well as it could be, but it's worth a watch if you like obscure horror.The film plays like a cross between The Evil Dead (with the backwoods, claustrophobic feel and some 'running fast with the camera' bits) and the superior recent French movie Inside (the central concept, albeit given a supernatural angle).
It's quite professionally done (although due to a lot of the nonsense I subject myself to, my standards are low!), the effects are good enough and the performances capable.
Some of the concepts are a little distasteful, and in the gloomy netherworld of tame mid-90s horror, were probably quite nasty.
I wasn't aware of Aswangs before watching this movie, very creepy mythical beasts.
It's a shame this film didn't do better, as there's quite a bit of mileage in these nasty bloodsucking creatures, I reckon( I really, really recognise the guy who plays the central male role, but this is the only movie he's done apparently...strange.
Good enough original take on the vampire horror genre..
You could call this movie like "Rosamary's Baby", only done way worse.
Not saying that "Aswang" is an horrible movie though, on the contrary actually.
It's being saved by the fact that it's taking an original approach to a well known genre, without ever becoming a great movie as well though.The movie is being a big of a mixed bag.
On the one hand it's being a quite original and also atmospheric movie but on the other, it isn't a really well told one.
It's a movie that takes a more slow approach but in its slower moments it doesn't manage to build up any tension.
The movie is really lacking in some good interesting mystery and some well done horror.
It doesn't make this the most interesting movie to watch.With a more experienced director at the helm this movie would already had been a better one.
A more experienced director would had know how to handle this story more properly and make it a more interesting and effective movie.
Instead now the storytelling is too often lacking in its pace and approach.Still it remains a somewhat refreshing movie to watch, due to its original take on the genre and also because it often isn't holding back on its gore.
I therefore still consider this movie to be a watchable one and even a recommendable one as well, especially when you also consider that this was an extremely low-budget production.6/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/.
A Combination Film.
This movie caught my eye on the shelf with it's impressive sounding reviews printed on the front.
Words such as, "original", "gory", and, "shocking".
As the movie plays on, these things turn out to be at least slightly true.
Parts of the movie seem to be mildly reminiscent of, "Rosemary's Baby", "Friday the 13th", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", and Lucio Fulci's "House by the Cemetery".
Plus much like Coscarelli's "Phantasm", things get just a little stranger continuously as it unfolds.
I did have a good idea of what was coming next a lot of the time.
HOWEVER, the minor details in between my kind of knowing what was going to happen made it worth waiting to see exactly how it would turn out.
The special effects were good enough for a bizarre little tale of horror on film.
People complain too much about that kind of thing in most instances.
Go ahead and check it out if you like to see something just that tiny un-explainably bit different than everything else.
At least you already know it HAS to be better than "House of the Dead", right?.
fantastic indie horror.
Aswang is a great low budget horror movie...
made for next to nothing in the tradition of the evil dead, the film is a knowing and loving treatment of the horror genre.
Bizarrely taking philippino foetus sucking vampires ( now relocated to wisconsin!!!) as its storyline the movie packs more set pieces, story lines, deliciously camp moments into its 84 minutes than most big budget horrors could dream of.
With a calibre of acting much much higher than could be expected for its budget the film delivers plenty of shocks and gore as well as keeping its tongue firmly placed in its cheek.
you see it doesnt take an army of computer graphics designers and a hundred million dollars to make a good movie...just some brains, commitment and a thirty foot rubber tongue!
I still don't learn from previous lessons not to trust comments on DVD covers.I don't know WHAT I was thinking when buying this DVD.
It says here this movie was a sensation when it hit Sundance in 1994?
Puking?Let me quote some of what's written on the back cover:"After a brief theatrical release, nervous video chains refused to carry the film and the shocker [BWAAAHAHAHAHA] all but disappeared."When it disappeared, why did they bring it back?
IT DISAPPEARED FOR A REASON, GODDAMMIT!!!!I WANTED TO GET RID OF THIS MOVIE, BUT NOONE WANTS IT.
I hope more people would buy this film because I won't be the only one stoopid enough to see it.Hey, i didn't even spoil it for you..
Just Bad. The DVD cover made out like this 1994 film was not released before because of its shocking content.
There are few horror films that are less shocking than this lame-in-all-ways film.
More than half this film is filler and all of it is bad.
This is Ed Wood quality film making (but probably bigger budget) that is trying to be taken serious.
Avoid these film-makers at all cost.
I'm getting sick of people giving bad horror flicks good reviews.
This falls under the "when a good idea happens to a BAD movie.
Bad acting, directing, writing...you name it...
Story about a Filipino Vampire called an Aswang..problem number one: There isnt ONE Filipino Vampire in the movie!
You get 3 rich WHITE Americans who only say they were from the Phillipines...oh to be fair there IS ONE Filipino..shes the nurse caretaker who supposedly looks after the "vampires"..man this film was horrendous tripe.
the charactors behave BEYOND dumb, and even move SLOW at times to help the bad people catch up to them!
First off, if you are not a fan of Low Budget Horror Movies, go no further.
You will not enjoy this movie.
It appears to have been shot on 16mm film.
Either that, or the stock they used was VERY old, because even in the new DVD transfer, there's a fair amount of grain.HOWEVER, the plot is at least original (and you can't say that about ANYTHING out of Hollywood in the last few years) and the acting earnest.That said, gore hounds will be disappointed, as this the new DVD appears to be a cut down "R" version that expunges some of the more graphic scenes.
(I know they exist, at least one is shown in the trailer).All told, this is an enjoyable Independent movie..
An unwed mother-to-be ostensibly signs her unborn baby over for adoption, but the adoptive family has other plans.
Long on suspense, short on scares, the film still manages to create a genuinely creepy and claustrophobic setting for its cast of bizarros (the low-budget production values contribute to the movie's sense of impending doom) but it is Tina Ona Paukstelis's plucky (not to mention physically grueling) performance that saves the day.
Proof positive that performances contribute as much to the suspense of a film as lighting, sound, and cinematography.
(useless to summarize; very disappointing, inaccurate movie).
I have seen the movie and honestly, I STRONGLY DISLIKE it.
Being "aswang" isn't like being a vampire that is contagious.
Not because you've ever been to the Philippines and got acquainted with an "aswang" you'll eventually turn into one.
I am Filipino who grew up listening to my grandmother's stories about this creature.
They all share common information about "aswang" -- information which remained consistent even in Filipino movies.
This so-called "A" movie internationally produced is a big slap on our faces, an insult, and humiliation to us.
Not bad for 90's indie horror.
This movie is certainly interesting in many ways and for different reasons.
It was the first horror movie ever shown at Sundance.
It's also a serious departure from the usually tired and done-to-death western vampire stories.
Plus, for a movie made in 1994, it doesn't suffer from the usual woodenness of pretty much all horror films that came out in the 90's.I guess I watched this because I always thought the idea of aswangs (a vampire/witch type creature from Filipino folklore) was kind of cool.
There's not much going on here in the way of gore or really much physical violence period.
The horror aspect comes more from the tension than anything else and it seems to work rather well.
The story is fairly simple, revolving around a pregnant girl who is tricked and led to a remote home where a family of aswangs attempts to steal (or eat?) her unborn baby.
The acting is above par for the budget, but only slightly.All in all it's not a bad time.
I do wish they would have touched on the mythology of the aswang, especially since the family is about as white as they can be but it's just mentioned that they used to live in the Phillipines.
Fair enough, but without any back story that's just a bit lame.
I'd really like to see the original uncut version (I have to assume that the one I watched was the "R" version), but still it's not too bad..
Relatively Entertaining Low-Budget "Vampire" Outing....
I wasn't really expecting a whole lot out of this one, so ASWANG really didn't disappoint.
I knew pretty much nothing about it before I threw it in and at least I can say it wasn't a total waste of ninety minutes.An Aswang is some sort of Filipino vampire that feeds off of fetuses (and dogs, and adult humans, apparently...), so now you have an idea about where this one is going'.A guy claims to need an heir in order to claim his inheritance, and employs a pregnant young lady to pose as his wife for the matriarch of the family.
Along the way, we find that the family is a little "off", and we figure out the connection between them and the whole Aswang business when the audience learns that the family was raised in the Philippines - though no other real connection is ever made.
Anyway - the family turns out to be the vampires and they are out to feed off of the pregnant girl's unborn child...A couple of nifty gore scenes, a relatively interesting (if not very "fleshed-out") storyline, and a few creepy moments make ASWANG worth a look.
There is no nudity, save for a brief titty shot in the opening credits, but other than that - I'd say this one is worth at least a one-time-view for fans of lesser-known, low-budget horror...7/10.
It said something about video stores not carrying this movie.....but I don't know why.
I kept thinking they were going to do something gruesome to the baby but they didn't.
The old woman's tongue thing was really gross but not THAT gross.
I've seen worse for sure!!I thought overall the concept of this type of vamp was really interesting.
Why did she kill everyone but the little girl?
Where are all those dead babies coming from?
Overall, not a bad low budget effort.
Interesting monster, weird story but not tied together well at the end.
This film started with a great idea, something most people haven't heard of, and did a reasonable job with setup and creepy suspense.
Then it decomposed into nonsense, like too many horror films.
Too bad they didn't have a decent writer; the base concept is chilling..
Strange story, poorly executed film.
+---------------- WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD ----------------+Aswang is a strange movie, but that does not mean it's particularly a great movie.
The script itself has an interesting premise, but it's never really explained in detail and many things in the movie make little or no sense.
Sometimes that works in movies, but at the end of this movie I was seriously asking many questions, and not really in a good way.
They paradoxically reveal too much and too little of the story in this movie.The movie leans on a popular Philippino mythic vampire/creature called the "Aswang".
I looked up the definition after the film and learned that an Aswang looks like a normal human during the day, and like an Aswang creature at night assuming various animal forms.
The movie correctly dwelled upon the Aswang extracting the baby from a mother's womb by extending their tongue.
Okay, that explains the basics of an Aswang.
I don't think it would have mattered too much if I did know this information before watching the movie.There is some gore in the film, but I never found it to be necessary for the overall story.
It's not like an original "Evil Dead" gore effect that works mostly because it doesn't take itself entirely seriously.
It was as if the director was actually proud of that special effect.The acting in Aswang is a mixed bag.
But, a few of the performances are downright terrible, even as far as indie films are concerned.
I doubt those people had ever acted before (or since) in their life, it was as if they were drugged and reading lines off a screen with no emotion.Aswang was made in 1993 or 1994 from what I gather.
Supposedly it wasn't released due to the "shocking things that go on in the movie".
I personally didn't find this movie all that shocking.
Strange and bizarre as far as the story goes perhaps...but shocking even for the early 1990's???
I somehow doubt it wasn't released for so long simply due to that one factor.
I suppose some people will automatically think this is a "campy cult film" due to it's long delayed official release.
In some aspects it is, but there are many films out there superior to Aswang that actually deserve the cult status.
Just because Aswang was an independent B-Movie doesn't make it brilliant or even particularly memorable.So, Aswang is worth one viewing simply because the storyline is somewhat interesting and unique.
On closer examination, an original idea for a film is only as good as it's execution in the production. |
tt0094327 | The Wind | Also known as The Edge of Terror. This was the title on the screen of the version I saw.Sian Anderson (Meg Foster)'s voice is retelling the story of Pinocchio and Jesus Christ. The camera pans over a Hollywood mansion and its swimming-pool. It's a ridiculous joke that she is telling to his lover, John (David McCallum), a 40-something still attractive wealthy man. They are hugging after sex. He complains that he is not one of the heroes in his novel,so that he can only have sex once every night. She says that he will have time to rest afterwards, during the weekend, as she is flying away.Suddenly,there is the noise of a helicopter or something like that getting close. She wonders what that noise is about. He undraws the curtains electronically showing her a flying announcement saying "Bon voyage".Sian is telling this story to somebody else, one of her girlfriends (Summer Thomas). The friend feels jealous,but Sian says that he is perfect, but that she wants freedom and a different man every night. The friend thinks that Sian will have lots of sexual adventures during her holidays, but Sian says that she needs to work in her following novel. Awkward moment of another girlfriend, I guess, wearing a skimpy Baywatch-like red swimsuit who smiles and sits down and the same poolside table and Sian and friend.Her wealthy boyfriends sees her off in a limo, saying that he will miss her. Sian is skeptical, though. He mentions that many people think that she has "huevos" like a man, but she says that that is only because she uses a male pseudonym in her books. At that moment, Carol, his secretary, calls him. He also worries about Sian getting on well with her landlord, Elias Appleby (Robert Morley) because he doesn't have a very English-sounding name, so that they may have misunderstandings. But Sian is confident she can get well with him. Finally, he asks her to phone him often, but she says a non-committal "I will call you when I miss you." Sian says that she will spend the night with her friend Jane and the next day she will go to Monemvasia. He can't pronounce that name.A Greek-looking village by the sea in an island. The landlord mentions that historically, Monemvasia has been an isolated place, although at its peal 60,000 people used to live there. The name of the town, Monemvasia, means "single entrance", according to wikipedia.org, which has helped to keep it isolated. Elias is an idiot, saying that he is sorry that Sian has to carry her own luggage across the stone-paved street of Monemvasia, but then he moves onto saying that if women want to be liberated they had to do without pleasantries, and then he adds he's too old anyway - he is carrying a walking stick. Sian says that it's not problem for her. Elias hasn't heard her as he is a bit deaf and only carries a hearing aid on his right ear. Elias says that he married a Greek woman, and that Greek women never complain. He also adds that she never learnt English and he never learnt Greek, so that they can't communicate but they can't argue as well, which is a good thing, as he believes like Homer Simpson that too much communication. She says that he may be right, and he stops and states that he is always right. He shows her a 1,700-year-old building. Then he says that he had an orgasm when he saw the house for the first time. He tells her that he bought the house for cheap, and then asks her whether she believes in ghosts. She says that she has never seen any. Neither has he, but he sometimes feels that history is watching him when he approaches that house. The breeze opens and closes the shuts of a window in the background. Finally, they enter the house. It is very messy. Elias mentions that he doesn't usually rent the house to strangers, but that the agency has spoken well of Sian and her books - which he has never read. Elias says that Phil (Wings Hauser) should have tidy everything up, but that he is going to speak with him so that he does it now. She asks where everybody is, and he says that there are only farmers in Monemvasia, but that they migrate to Switzerland all year to work, and only come back in the summer because of the tourists. There is a corridor through which he cannot walk because he is too fat - although he is not that fat. Sian looks at the black-and-white photographs of a woman - it's Elias' wife (Dina Giannakou), who used to be an actress.Elias will sleep in the village because he doesn't like driving after dark, but the next day he'll come back to his life in the city. He is going to leave, but mentions the wind, which is capricious: it may be a hurricane or a slight breeze. He advises Sian not to stroll during the night, tells her that in wardrobes there are only personal belongings like his son's hunting shotguns, He finally leaves. She has found him annoying, although she smiles and is nice to his face.Unpacking, she notices a man hiding behind a corner. Five seconds later, he is not there. She goes to the terrace to feel the breeze and the salty air. There is a cliff right underneath her terrace.Sian calls John. She says that when she is not working in her next crime novel she will speak to herself as she usually does. John offers to go and call on her once in a while, but Sian prefers that he won't. She feels tired but rejoices at her loneliness. She gives him her phone number 22608. He promises to call her later on, but the call gets cut off by the wind. All the windows crack and slam.This noise doesn't prevent Sian to start writing in her typewriter. She hears a knock in the door,but there is nobody there. Somebody has left what looks like shopping bags. She looks around while the wind blows up the dust in the unkempt streets. We can hear a man's laugh and the back of that man going away. Sian walks around the village, but it looks like there is not anybody.Phil just comes in, chewing gum and being a moron.He says that he only wants to make sure that she saw the shopping. Mr Appleby had told Sian that Phil was American, and he says that he is so, but he has lived in France, Nicaragua, and many other countries. Phil says that Elias calls him names, and Sian says that Elias is only nice to her because she is paying him a lot of money. He says that if she needs any help, he is living in the house next to hers.The breeze becomes a gale. Sian is not scared of the noises,the crack and crackings. She reads aloud what she has just written and then writes some more. She is describing somebody killing an old man with a poker. That happens when Mr Appleby fires Phil with a torrent of abuse. Phil says that he has nowhere to go and kills Elias with a poker. He buries her.Sian hears the digging noise. Phil realises the turned-on light on Sian's window. Sian has to push herself against the wind to leave her house. She goes to the digged-out area with a torchlight. A scarecrow falls on top of her. She falls to the ground touches Elias's hand. She is sure it is his hand because of a huge blue ring she had noticed before. She runs back to her house, but the door is closed.She can't push it open, so she goes to a ground storey window and is about to break it with a stone. However, Phil shows up at that moment and gives her her house keys.Back home, Sian tries to speak with Elias' wife, but she doesn't understand. Finally, she tells what has happened to John.The line goes silent so he tries to phone her back, but he doesn't know the province code - apparently, this works like the old system in many other countries - that you only need to know the whole province code if they were calling from outside that province. John threatens with calling the local police. Meanwhile, Sian goes back to correcting and reading her novel while smoking. Somebody is trying to open the door. Sian runs to the kitchen door but it's too late - Phil is already in. Phil says he is sorry about scaring her again, and tells her that the wind has cut the phone lines, and admonishes that the power can go out as well.Sian says thank you and Phil leaves, giving Sian her key. Sian is putting on her sneakers, wondering why Philhas given her the key if he has killed Elias. She wonders if he knows that she knows. Sian realises that the power may truly come off if something happens to the generator. She prepares candles and turns them on even though there is still light.Phil picks up a scythe. He has also problems to move around because of the wind. Sian gets to the generator first, locking the door after her. Finally, Phil goes Bernese and attacks Sian, who locks a basement door. Sian throws something on Phil's eyes through the holes that he has created on the door. At this point, Phil is playing with the generator. All the opposite, there is too much power on the line and light-bulbs explode.Sian starts a fire in the fireplace.Elias' wife felt nervous enough to visit the village herself. She was taken there by two young men. She walks on her own among the dark and the dizzying blaze.Phil calls Sian, pretending that nothing is happening. Phil says that he is not crazy, that he has killed Elias, but it was self-defense. He also admits that he likes her.She tells her to rot in hell and hangs up.He says to the phone "I don't want to hurt you.", but then he wonders aloud, "why do they force me to kill?".The wife arrives and enters the house, calling out for Elias. Phil kills her with the scythe. Sian looks at Phil running around and tries the phone again. She picks up a huge carving knife from the kitchen. She goes to phone from Phil's house. Phil comes back and closes the door of his house. Phil walks around with the scythe. John is swimming comfortably. He goes for the operators' numbers. Apparently, he is speaking with two call centre people. He is about to give Sian the numbers, but she stares at Phil, who is hollering at the window of Sian's house, saying that the wind has died, and that she will die as well. Sian hangs up and hides in another room when Phil comes back. She makes a noise because in that room Phil has put the body of Elias' wife. Phil hears her but he is not sure of where she is. Suddenly,a mop falls on top of Sian who screams and leaves running through the main door. Phil goes after her.There is a gale outside again. Both Phil and Sian have to push against the wind,but Phil cannot get to Sian in time. Sian locks herself in the house again.Andros (Mihalis Giannatos) is the local policeman.He speaks with John in English. Kesner (Steve Railsback) is a stranded sailor because of bad weather. Kesner offers to forget about the money Andros sows him if he gets his passport back. He intends to see Elias' wife. Andros says that however goes to the village with that wind is suicidal.Sian boils water to throw to Phil who is trying to break a window with his scythe.Kesner knocks on Sian's door. Sian refuses to open the door. Sian is waiting for him with the knife. Kesner speaks to her. Now the phone is working. Kesner seems to think that the writer is making it all up. Kesner wants to take a look around the house, although Sian would rather leave. She puts a new light-bulb, as Kesner has told her to. There is a noise, but Kesner doesn't reply. Then he screams. He scares her when he goes up to the house again - the generator had so many loose cables that he could have been killed. Both go to see the corpses at Phil's house. Kesner has a gun and opens the room shooting the lock,but there is no body. Phil sees the scarecrow and jokes that Elias has a good look tonight.He digs,but there is only rubbish bags. Kesner will finally take Sian away. He tells her to make her luggage. He has never liked Phil anyway, even when he once advised him to be more ambitious and to have more goals in life. Kesner will take the risk of taking Sian back to the police office.They are speaking when Phil stabs Kesner with his scythe.Sian goes to fetch the carving knife again. She goes back to the room again, having seen the shoes of somebody behind the curtain,but it is the dead bodies of Elias and his wife again. She steps back crying when she overhears a noise. Music blares from her room. She turns off the music. Phil picks up his scythe again.Phil asks her not to die in silence.Phil shows himself. Sian runs up the stairs. Phil trips her and grabs her ankle. She runs away. Phil applies a red-hot knife to his wound. He reads parts of Sian's manuscript but deems it too bad. He stops playing with the red apples and says aloud that the party is over. Phil phones Sian saying that she is very intelligent.At this moment, Sian remembers what Elias had said about the hunting guns of his son. He picks a shotgun up. On of her characters, Fabiani, has used it in one of her former novels. She only has four attempts. So she fails three times, the last one hitting a plant pot.Phil has a knife stabbed on his chest, but he climbs to the roof anyway. Sian hears him crawling on the roof.Sian takes a painting from the wall, ties a rope around the nail which was holding it and prepares a booby trap. Phil is finally inside the house. When he jumps in, he is shot in his stomach.Sian weeps. She leaves.A couple of newlyweds (John Michaels and Tracy Young) are arguing because they got lost, the village looks like a ghost town and there is not even a phone booth on sight.Sian stumbles around in the dark. She falls in a natural cave/hole and sees a skeleton.The couple argue some more. She says that it is 6 in the morning, and that everybody must be sleeping. With the dawn, an Orthodox priest is sounding the bell. Finally, Sian sees the newlywed couple, who leave with their tins and cans making noise on tow. They don't hear Sian shouting for help.It is not an Orthodox priest; it's Phil who is still alive and runs after Sian. Phil is supposed to be badly-hurt, but he runs as though he were in perfect health. They approach the shore. They both get close to the sea. Sian trips and stays in a ball in a corner.Phil is about to kill her with the scythe, but for no reason, he looks as if somebody has stabbed him in the back, and for no reason at all he falls down the cliff into the sea.Last shot of a still distraught Sian in her corner. | cult | train | imdb | null |
tt0138992 | A.W.O.L | Vietnam. 1972. US Army Special Forces Major Cliff Marquette (David Morse) leads a squad ordered to investigate unusual reports and secure a remote jungle temple locals believe has mystical powers.The Marines guarding the temple have withheld provisions for days from a Viet Cong prisoner. Despite severe mistreatment, the prisoner mysteriously shows no signs of suffering.Marquette confronts the Marine in charge, Garris (John C. McGinley) for torturing a prisoner of war when suddenly enemy forces attack and mortar shells rock the temple.An exceptionally heroic, but losing battle lands Marquette in the hands of a merciless Viet Cong torturer. His men are dead; his screams unheeded.At the height of agony, Marquette's world is turned upside down. In an instant, he finds himself a stranger in the midst of an American life that apparently belongs to him an idyllic but unrecognizable life complete with a loving wife (Caroline Kristiahn) and two children hes never seen before.Marquette struggles to take in what is happening to him. First is paranoia. Soon uncertainty and fear give way to relief and acceptance. But the twist of fate that delivered Marquette into this life from the hands of his enemy has granted him only a reprieve. The cruel pain of war is not over.As the clock strikes midnight Marquette is back in Vietnam where his torture resumes a few minutes each night. Desperately trapped between two worlds, Marquette must endureunless, with the clock counting down, he can cheat fate.Escaping will take his wits and it will require a gun. | alternate reality | train | imdb | null |
tt0095742 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master | Kristen, Joey and Kincaid have been released from the Westin Hills Asylum and are now living normal lives and attending high school. Kristen has managed to make some new friends: Alice, a young, bright girl who is a frequent daydreamer; Sheila, a brainy, quiet black girl with asthma; and Debbie, a tall, tough girl who hates bugs. She has also found herself a boyfriend, Rick, a martial arts enthusiast who is also Alice's brother.Kristen begins to have bad dreams and feels as though Freddy has once again come back from the dead. During one of her nightmares, she pulls Kincaid and Joey into her dream as she explores the deserted Elm Street house. In school the next day, Kincaid and Joey confront Kristen about pulling them into the dream.Kincaid wakes up one night and finds himself locked in the trunk of an old junked car. When he opens the hood, he realizes that he is in the same salvage yard that Freddy's body was buried in. Kincaid spies his dog, Jason, digging and urinating in the ground nearby. Freddy then resurrects from the ground after which a pile of junked cars crash down on him. Freddy quickly recoups and kills Kincaid. Later that night Joey is also killed by Freddy.The following day at school, Kristen is concerned when her friends fail to show up for class. She confides to Alice about nightmares. Kristen hits her head and passes out when she discovers both her friends missing, being attacked by Freddy but revived in time. After she learns of the deaths of Kincaid and Joey, Kristen goes to the actual Elm Street house, with Rick, Dan, and Alice. Rick tells Dan the story of Freddy, and Alice reveals a part of the dream master spell. Alice suggests to Kristen that she is in control of her own dreams. However, Alice also looks down at the ground and sees something, a chalk drawing of the house, that only Kristen has been able to see. Clearly, she senses something. At home that night, her mother gives her a sedative to help her sleep. When Kristen falls asleep this time, on Alice's advice, she tries to convert nightmares into pleasant dreams, to no avail. While she meets a child named Alice in her dream, creating a sand castle, even in her good dreams, Freddy appears and ruins everything. Kristen eventually finds herself in Freddy's boiler room. It is explained that Kristen is the last child from Elm Street, and Freddy needs her help to get more children. When Freddy is about to kill her, she screams for Alice. Alice appears suddenly in the boiler room just as Krueger kills Kristen by throwing her into fire. Before Kristen dies, she sends her power, the power to pull people into her dreams, to Alice. Before the power can reach her, it passes through Freddy first.Alice awakens immediately, realizing that Kristen's in danger. She turns out to be right, as Kristen's room is on fire. As Alice tries to understand what has happened, and who exactly Freddy is, her friends begin to die. First, Sheila and Rick are killed. While taking a test, Alice accidentally pulls Sheila into a dream where Freddy is waiting; the same thing happens to Rick later. Yet, after every death, including Kristen's, Alice picks up new talents and abilities. She also picks up the dream powers of the children who have died. She is obviously Freddy's supernatural opposite, albeit too weak to truly conquer or even resist him yet. After his death, Alice teams up with Dan Jordan, who was one of Rick's closest friends. Together with Dan, Alice tries to get to Debbie, their last surviving friend, before Freddy finds her. Unbeknown to the two teens, Freddy is able to control their movements. Trapping Alice and Dan in a time loop, Freddy is able to reach Debbie and kill her (by transforming her into a cockroach and trapping her inside a roach motel and then crushing her) before Alice and Dan intervene.Following a car accident, where Dan is injured and rushed to the hospital, Alice returns home to prepare for one final battle with Freddy. Alice goes to sleep to help Dan before Freddy can kill him. As Alice and Dan search for Freddy, Dan is injured. Alice wills him awake right at the moment the doctors wake Dan and he is pulled from the dreamworld. Alice, facing Freddy alone, attempts to use all of her newly absorbed abilities against him. The fight is relatively equal, except that she has a mortal body and he has not, giving him the advantage of immortality. It's an advantage that proves nearly too great to overcome. He declares that he's been guarding his gate for too long to be taken down by her. But just as he is preparing to kill her, she recalls the final verse of the dream master spell. For the first and only time, someone defeats Freddy, by using the power of the spell to make him see the evil that is inside. Using her power as guardian of the gate of good dreams (which Kristen never was, nor was Nancy,) Alice releases the tortured souls that Freddy imprisoned into the gates of good dreams where he can no longer harm them. Krueger's clothes fall lifelessly to the floor. The film ends with Dan and Alice at a fountain some time later. She tosses a coin in and makes a wish. As she and Dan depart, she decides to keep the wish to herself as Freddy's image appears in the ripples left in the fountain from the tossed coin. | murder, stupid, paranormal, cult, violence, revenge | train | imdb | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) It is one of my personal favorite horror movies with the original A Nightmare on Elm Street film, it is solid, decent, excellent horror slasher sequel in A Nightmare on Elm Street series franchise.
This film is actually my Renny Harlin's favorite movie alongside Cliffhanger, Die Hard 2 and Deep Blue Sea. Renny Harlin did a great job with direction and visuals of the film, I think it's actually some of the best directing work he did, and Lisa Wilcox's character Alice is probably to Freddy what Tommy Jarvis is to Jason, an enemy that he will always fight but he will always lose.
Plot: Freddy Krueger returns once again to terrorize the dreams of the remaining Dream Warriors, as well as those of a young woman who may know the way to defeat him for good.Before I start what I like about this movie, I love Wes Craven's original film A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) which is my favorite best horror slasher film.
Tuesday Knight as Kristen Parker was decent and she was awesome, she was better than Patricia Arquette I love movies from the 80's action and horror films that I love, so this is pretty solid good movie, far way better than 5 and remake which I think they are the worst one I have ever saw.
Kristen Parker (Tuesday Knight) was actually a Dream Warrior she had a power to call her friends in her dreams, Alice Johnson (Lisa Wilcox) was a Dream Master and she gave her power to Freddy, of course Kristen was the last Elms Street child, but Freddy need it new ones to get the souls from the children to become more powerful than ever.
She has the ability to pull other people into her dreams and of course Alice is scared to find out how to use her powers, but she may just have to use them since Freddy is now after her and other kids too.A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master was a good enough sequel, but it just could have been better.
The only flaw in his plan: a shy outcast named Alice who harbors powers that will enable her to do battle with Kruger as she assumes qualities of past Freddy victims.Although some of the more interesting characters are sacrificed first, the Nightmare franchise proves to be deeper and more original than any other slasher series around.
Dark humor is my taste and I always laugh when he pops his quotes: "You shouldnt have buried me; I'm not dead!" "Now how's that for a wet dream?" "Welcome to Wonderland, Alice!" There are a few things that blows; Patricia Arquette should have been recast as Kirsten Parker and the resurrection is a bit lame but then the S/F effects rocks, the director likes action scenes and the music is well above average for a 1998 film.Definetly recommended.
Patricia Arquette, who performed Kristen Parker in the previous "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors", was pregnant and not able to film this sequel.
Not the shallow and unbelievable characters, nor the bad acting (except for the ever so wonderful Robert Englund, that is) or the non-existent story.The nudity, the bad one-liners and the often imaginative kills still get a chuckle out of me now and then and, as I've said, I still enjoy watching the movie every once in a while, but like most of the "Nightmare" sequels, this one is just nowhere near as good as it could and should have been..
After huge success with the first outing, Wes Craven tried to correct the wrongs of Freddy's Revenge with A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, and he made no mistake about ensuring he killed Freddy and left him buried for good.For some reason (Almost Certainly Money) Renny Harlin (Director) and William Kotzwinkle (Writer) decided to resurrect him again claiming 'Pure Evil Never Really Dies'A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 - The Dream Master is an unnecessary sequel that is clearly milking the success of the franchise.
Kristen Parker once again takes the lead (but Miss Arquette no longer plays the character) Freddy is once again funnier than he is scary, as with all the non Wes Craven episodes, and its pretty much more of the same with less story than before, and the odd decent death scene.5/10 Freddy is still cool, even if the movie isn't.
The Dream Master's refusal to assert itself by accepting the emphasis on fear and vulnerability ideas from the first and third film or the metaphorical significance of the Freddy Krueger character is evident by the film's emphasis on comedy from what was previously the franchise's main source for terror.Being that The Dream Master is the most expensive film from the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, one can see where director Renny Harlin and his set/production designers wanted to put their emphases - the dream sequences.
While acting in horror films is traditionally never the first thing one judges on, when it's so wooden, as it is here, it can't help be a jarring feature, especially when the film itself already isn't particularly good.A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 works in the way it decides to further construct and elaborate on the many worlds of which Freddy inhabits, in addition with taking on some seriously twisted and quirky scenes the franchise has never seen before.
This time with have Kristen Parker, Roland Kincaid, Joey Crusel return for the 4th movie in this series, I was disappointed that they re casted Kristen Parker, which i think was a really big mistake.The way Freddy came back from the death, was a bit ridiculous but he dose not take long to get the last two elm street kids, before going face to face with Kristen, who is the last of elm street kids but silly Kristen get her new Friend Alice involved with Freddy.Alice is now key to Freddy as she bring her Friend to Freddy, not intentional.
she has to stop him before he kills again.The deaths scenes in this are not as good as A Nigthamre on elm street 1 or A nightmare on elm street 3 ,I did enjoy watching the dream scenes which were really good, i loved the class dream scene was great.The other thing, I liked in this was the way, Freddy died , it was really gross and scary, I think that was best Freddy deaths in the whole series.Now the acting, I did not like the new Kristen but happy that she was not in the whole movie, I think Girl that played Annie did a great Job.I give this movie a 5/10.
The greatest horror film of the 1980's and one of the greatest horror films of all time in my opinion!.I saw Nightmare On Elm Street 2 a while ago so I cant really remember much about it.I have not seen Nightmare On Elm Street 3 but I really want to now.So I skipped right ahead to four.Unlike the first film which was pure horror with maybe 1 small humorous scene, this film is basically a horror/comedy with Freddy being the wise-cracking humorous villain that we all know.I heard the comedy started with the third film.I also heard that the film New Nightmare goes back to being a horror film.Anyway in this film, a girl has the power to bring people into her dreams.Apparently they killed Freddy in the third film but now he comes back and kills them all one by one.So its basically up to the teenagers who have not been killed yet to try and stop him.The plots of the films are basically the same but the films are still entertaining and fun to watch!
A Magnificent brilliant chapter in the franchise with a great cast (The One And Only Freddy Krueger, Horror Legend Robert Englund, Lisa Wilcox, Tuesday Knight, Danny Hassle, Brooke Theiss, Andras Jones, Toy Newkirk, Nicholas Mele and Brooke Bundy with Ken Sagoes and Rodney Eastman reprising their roles), innovative nightmare sequences, cool fight scenes, amazing soundtrack and it's just full of fun.
Cheesy 80s Fun. First,the good,I like the fact that it picks up right from the last one.The characters are likable and decently acted.I like the concepts for the dream world.The score was great,just like in the other movies.Freddy,although he's more of a comedian now,is still great.I liked the ending,it was very poetic.I also liked the fun 80s feel of it.The best part though,is the kills,they are creative and have amazing effects.The cons though,it is a bit too outdated,the dialogue is really bad,it gets too dumb in the end,and there is some noticeable tonal problems,it doesn't if it wants to be funny or scary.All in all,Dream Master is a fun above average sequel with some problems..
Not a great movie but a fun one none the less strangely enough.Pros: pretty dark and atmospheric overall ridiculous yet fun movie Cons:Freddy begins to look more like a caricature of himself, and looks very plastic as opposed to previous filmsthe film & Krueger essentially become a parody of themselvestypical 80's horror flick level of "acting"underwhelming final act as we've come to expect from the franchise at this pointSoundtrack: 8/10.
A nightmare on elm street 4 was an instant classic aimed at a new generation of movie goers and is considered one of the last good sequels.The kids felt like real life friends who known each other all their lives and care about each other.
What makes this one special is they actually mourn or care as their friends are picked off one by one.Freddy's puns have taken on ironic twists about the fates of his victims and showing how cruel he actually became.The picture looks polished, gruesome death scenes and visuals that are eye candy for anyone taking a course on camera techniques.A new concept used here is gates that need to be protected one by a demon and the other a dream master.
As well, other big scenes include the beach-front dream that's quite exciting for really going through with a rather gruesome ending, the martial arts battle in the dojo is quite fun and the visions of her and her friends at the movie theater as they watch her playing in the diner which makes for a great overall time here, while later scenes include the seriously chilling and creepy runaround as they try to stop their friend being turned into a cockroach in one of his traps and the fun car-crash which leads into the incredibly enjoyable and twisted finale where they battle him through the church using the collected powers to put up a great fight and getting an incredibly unique climax that works rather nicely here in keeping true to the series' strengths.
Soon Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) is resurrected and the fight for survival begins all over again and this time, the dream warriors bring in more characters.Joining the group is Kristen's boyfriend Rick (Andras Jones), her sister Alice (Lisa Wilcox), smarty Sheila (Toy Newkirk), muscle punk girl Debbie (Brooke Theiss) and not so cocky jock Dan (Danny Hassle).
Safan could have also expanded the score to focus on the characters and important scenes but for now it at least keeps it simple.Most entries at this point get pretty bad, but this passage maintains some of the better quality that made A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) an entertaining sequel.
Alice Johnson's story would continue the next film, which I talk about my hatred feelings, "A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child." and this film is really amazing with blending horror and comedy together throughout the whole movie.I give this film a 8 out of 10 stars.
The credit is all given to Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger and he is alright in his fourth portrayal as Freddy Krueger and I really got to see more humor and there is one scene and that is Kristen's nightmare at the beach and he really does kill it with his awesome humor.Since Patricia Arquette could not return due to her being involved in other projects, Tuesday Knight fills in for her as Kristen Parker and she definitely nails her performance and it could have been worse, but it is a damn good performance for this character.Lisa Wilcox plays our new primary protagonist, Alice Johnson and she does a damn good job in playing the role of Alice and it is not Oscar worthy, but it is really good and she was the perfect choice to a new enemy to our antagonist, Freddy Krueger.Danny Hassle plays Alice's boyfriend, Dan Jordan and he is top-notch and just like Lisa Wilcox, he could not have done any better.
The credit is all given to Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger and he is alright in his fourth portrayal as Freddy Krueger and I really got to see more humor and there is one scene and that is Kristen's nightmare at the beach and he really does kill it with his awesome humor.Since Patricia Arquette could not return due to her being involved in other projects, Tuesday Knight fills in for her as Kristen Parker and she definitely nails her performance and it could have been worse, but it is a damn good performance for this character.Lisa Wilcox plays our new primary protagonist, Alice Johnson and she does a damn good job in playing the role of Alice and it is not Oscar worthy, but it is really good and she was the perfect choice to a new enemy to our antagonist, Freddy Krueger.Danny Hassle plays Alice's boyfriend, Dan Jordan and he is top-notch and just like Lisa Wilcox, he could not have done any better.
They have great chemistry on the screen and it definitely shows all the way throughout this entire fourth Nightmare on Elm Street film in the scary film franchise.The rest of the cast is just out there and they make either a huge or very little effort to put on a darn good performance and it is really intense and I really can't blame them because they try they're absolute best but does not deliver when they really need too.The nightmares in this film are just incredible: You have Freddy Krueger sucking the life out of one girl, turning her into a cockroach and that was pretty cool.
They have great chemistry on the screen and it definitely shows all the way throughout this entire fourth Nightmare on Elm Street film in the scary film franchise.The rest of the cast is just out there and they make either a huge or very little effort to put on a darn good performance and it is really intense and I really can't blame them because they try they're absolute best but does not deliver when they really need too.The nightmares in this film are just incredible: You have Freddy Krueger sucking the life out of one girl, turning her into a cockroach and that was pretty cool.
Alice Johnson's story would continue the next film, which I talk about my mixed feelings, "A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child." and this film is really amazing with blending horror and comedy together throughout the whole movie.I give this film a 7 out of 10 stars.
Freddy has character, making him a more enjoyable villain than Jason.I don't think I've seen a bad Nightmare on Elm Street movie so far.
Music is by John Easdale and Craig Safan and cinematography by Steven Fierberg.Freddy Krueger (Englund) is back again to finish off the last of the Dream Warriors, but when he enters the dreams of a new girl, Alice Johnson (Wilcox), he gets more than he bargained for...In spite of part three being something of a return to form for the Elm Street franchise, it still signalled the point where Krueger as a character started to become more fun villain than a terrifying presence.
There's some nice ideas in William Kotzwinkle's story and the Brian Helgeland, Jim Wheat & Ken Wheat screenplay including Alice picking up the traits of the fallen, her being trapped in a film, the aged diner and the on loop gag.Although actress Lisa Wilcox does a great job as Alice unfortunately Elm St 4 wants you to warm to yet another new heroine and annoyingly feels like an ad wanting you to go out and buy the soundtrack.The Dream Master is a solid enough entry and has the one of the most satisfying endings and closures of the series.
Whereas other horror films just leave the survivors alone, this film follows them as Freddy returns to finish his work, but it also introduces us to a new group of heroes, including Alice (Lisa Wilcox), her brother Rick (Andras Jones), Debbie (Brooke Theiss), Shelia (Toy Newkirk) and Dan (played by the handsome Danny Hassle - who would have to be the hottest male star in all of the Nightmare on Elm Street films).Freddy finds interesting ways to kill off the kids, all of whom have a wide array of personalities and interact with each other well.
But while I still don't like this film, it has grown a bit on me (but not enough for me to actually like it).I'll judge the film in to ways: Pros and Cons.Pros: - Good acting from Rober Englund (as always) and Lisa Wilcox, who should be getting more work; The makeup here is the best out of them all; The score by Craig Saffan is effective.Cons: - Renny Harlin's direction (his version of Exorcist: The Beginning solidifies that fact); The movie feels way too much like an MTV music video while the first three had a very dark tone to it; While the deaths are inventive, they just really aren't as memorable as classic deaths as Tina's or Jennifer's (well, there is Debbie's death, which brings me to my next point); The cockroach sequence (the main reason for many of my restless nights).
The story is Following up the previous Nightmare film, dream demon Freddy Krueger is resurrected from his apparent demise, and rapidly tracks down and kills the remainder of the Elm Street kids. |
tt0091042 | Ferris Bueller's Day Off | In suburban Chicago, near the end of the high school year, senior Ferris Bueller fakes sickness to stay home. Throughout the film, Ferris frequently breaks the fourth wall to talk about his friends and give the audience advice on how to skip school. His parents believe him, though his sister Jeannie is not convinced. Dean of Students Edward R. Rooney suspects Ferris is being truant again and commits to catching him. Ferris convinces his friend Cameron Frye, who really is absent due to illness, to help get Ferris' girlfriend Sloane Peterson out of school by reporting that her grandmother has died. To trick Rooney, Ferris sways Cameron to let them use his father's prized 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder to collect Sloane. Cameron is dismayed when Ferris continues to use the car to drive them into downtown Chicago to spend the day, but Ferris promises they will return it as it was.
They leave the car with parking garage attendants who immediately take the car for a joy ride after they leave. Ferris, Cameron, and Sloane sightsee around the city, including the Art Institute of Chicago, Sears Tower, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and Wrigley Field, while narrowly dodging sight by Mr. Bueller. Cameron remains disinterested, and Ferris attempts to cheer him up by impromptu joining a parade float during the Von Steuben Day parade and lip-syncing Wayne Newton's cover of "Danke Schoen", as well as a rendition of The Beatles' "Twist and Shout" that excites the gathered crowds.
Meanwhile, Rooney investigates Ferris' home to try to prove Ferris' truancy, getting into several pratfalls. At the same time, Jeannie, frustrated that the entire school believes Ferris has come down with a deathly illness, skips class and returns home to confront Ferris, only to hear someone outside trying to break in. Rooney flees while she calls the police; when they arrive, they arrest her for false reporting, and contact her mother to collect her. While waiting, she meets a juvenile delinquent, who advises her not to worry so much about Ferris. Mrs. Bueller arrives at the station, upset about having to forgo a house sale, only to find Jeannie kissing the delinquent, infuriating her more.
Ferris and his friends collect the Ferrari and start returning home, but shortly discover many miles have been added to the odometer, and Cameron becomes catatonic, realizing his life has been controlled by his father. Back at Cameron's garage, Ferris sets the car on blocks and runs it in reverse to try to take miles off the odometer without success. Cameron finally snaps, and lets out his anger against his father on the car, causing it to fall off the blocks and race in reverse through the back of the garage and into the ravine below. Ferris offers to take the blame, but Cameron asserts he will stand up against his father.
Ferris returns Sloane home and realizes his parents are due home soon. As he races on foot through the suburbs, he is nearly hit by Jeannie driving their mother home. She speeds off trying to beat Ferris home. Ferris makes it home first to find Rooney waiting for him inside. Outside, Jeannie races into the house as their mother talks to their father about her behavior today. Jeannie discovers Rooney threatening Ferris, and has a change of heart; she tells him that she was just helping to return Ferris from the hospital, and shows Rooney his wallet that she had found from his earlier break-in attempts. Rooney flees while Ferris thanks Jeannie and rushes back to his bedroom to greet his parents while feigning his waning illness. As they leave, Ferris reminds the audience, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
As the credits roll, the defeated Rooney heads home and is picked up by a school bus, further humiliated by the students. In a post-credits scene, Ferris emerges from his room, telling the audience that "It's over" and to "go home". | cult, comedy, entertaining | train | wikipedia | And with "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", he creates a person and a time in life that just about anyone who's ever been a teenager can relate to.Who hasn't known someone like Ferris Bueller (Broderick)?
Someone who always has a plan, someone who made loafing off an art form, someone who could fall in a barrel of you-know-what and come out smelling like a rose?All he wants to do is take a day off from school and enjoy the day in Chicago - simple enough, but he must also try and convince his best friend Cameron (Ruck) and his best girl (Sara) to join him and, in the process, learn to enjoy what life has to offer.Naturally, there is a tyrannical school dean (Jones) who is determined to catch Ferris in the act of hookey and Ferris' own sister (Grey, pre-nose job) who has it in for her brother, the "trouser-snake".
There are funny situations throughout the movie, and the characters are ones that grow on you, especially Ruck's worry-wart portrayal of Cameron Frye, constantly fretting about his dystalic, cursing his father and nearly drowning in a pool, all in the name of friendship.Sara has less to do, but she plays the object of desire well, and Ferris' passion for her is understandable.
At least he thinks about the right things, like what their lives would be like after high school.All the way from beginning to end, this movie is a great trip in search of fun, relaxation, not taking life too seriously and how to sing Wayne Newton songs in the middle of a parade.
While Alan Ruck was way too old to play in this movie, at least he proved to be a great opposite to the cool and nonchalant Ferris.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Broderick banked off that boyish charm that made him so popular on the Broadway stage (Brighton Beach Memoirs) and brought it to this witty laugh ride about a high schooler who one day, just didn't want to go to school and puts himself and his friends in constant mayhem and jeopardy.
Broderick is perfect, but it is Jeffrey Jones who gives a searing comic potryal of Ed Rooney, a Mr. Weatherbee-like principal wanting to catch Ferris in only act of treachery; holding him back for one more year of high school.
On this extremely eventful day, the audience is invited to follow Ferris, his best pal and his girlfriend from morning to afternoon (when they all should have been in school), enjoying a holiday declared by the resourceful Ferris Bueller.They get to speed on the freeway in a Ferrari, sing "Danke Schoen" on an Octoberfest Float, eat at the most exclusive restaurant in town and always keep just one step ahead of a furious principal in hot pursuit.
The setting portrayed at the school of the bored students listening to a nasal monotone lecture, while intended to be a caricature of the nature of classroom lessons and children's reactions, was pretty much on target.Ferris Bueller takes the day off and what does he do?
The movie stars then 23-year-old Matthew Broderick as 17-year-old Ferris Bueller, a high school student who would like nothing better than to be done with school.
The movie consists of several several fun scenes, such as the German American Appreciation Day Parade, in which Ferris climbs onto the Great Float and the parade-goers dance to "Danke Schoen" by Wayne Newton and "TWIST AND SHOUT" of course, by the Beatles.
I understand that people love this movie and I don't want to take that away from anyone, you love the sh*t out of this movie, also I see plainly that I am in the minority, in regards to audience reaction to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Recently, some one has published an article arguing that from a clinical observation, the actions of the character Ferris, would in real life be those of a psychopath.I feel a lot of validation from reading this article ( apologies to the article's author, I didn't bother to learn your name ) because it explains to me the impression of Ferris Bueller I had as a kid.
Like Back to the Future, Ferris Bueller's Day Off seems to hold a pretty firm and entrenched place in whatever 1980s teen cannon that people hold in such high regard.
I can imagine something similar happening to Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but like Back to the Future, it is the decidedly 'un-raunchy' films of the era that we now revisit the most often and just seem to hold in higher regard.I think what keeps this film resonating with past and current audiences alike is its clear distinction in paying close attention to young people, and their ever-ongoing battle for independence, for recognition and for individuality.
Ferris is the sort of guy who can con his way into an expensive restaurant; hack his way into the school computer mainframe and shows total disregard to his friend's and certain respective situations when trying to haggle the use of a rare and classic car for the day.
I think you have to be or have been a teacher to feel as though John Hughes' movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is like a student scraping his nails across your blackboard for 90 minutes.
By the time I finished watching the movie, Principal Rooney (ployed by Jeffrey Jones), who was intended as a figure of fun, was a very sympathetic character to me.Anyway, Matthew Broderick plays the title role, an insufferable youngster who appears to have an angel of God at his side.
Ferris concocts elaborate schemes for playing hooky from school, yet he manages to endear himself to everyone except Mr. Rooney, who can never quite catch Ferris in the act, and his sister Jennie (Jennifer Grey of "Dirty Dancing"), who is justifiably annoyed at Ferris's liberties.One fine spring day, Ferris again fools his parents into thinking he is on Death's doorstep.
When they leave for work, Ferris browbeats his downtrodden buddy Cameron (Alan Ruck, later of TV's "Spin City") into stealing his father's prized 1961 Ferrari, hijacking Ferris's girlfriend (Mia Sara) from school and going on a joyride.The angel-of-God analogy is particularly apt because the movie seems a latter-day version of deus-ex-machina.
When Ferris starts talking to the camera (presaging similarly self-conscious '90s movies and TV shows), expounding his theories on life and skipping school, one half-expects to read "Based on a play by Neil Simon" in the credits.What a great combination--the self-righteousness of John Hughes and the Broadway smarminess of Matthew Broderick.
And Ferris is supposedly made lovable by such acts as his hammy performance to get out of school (an old bit when it was used in "E.T.") and his lip-syncing to a rock song (which, after Tom Cruise in "Risky Business" and Rodney Dangerfield in "Easy Money," was well on its way to become a modern-day movie cliché).All of the performances are execrable, except for Ruck as Cameron, the put-upon friend.
I look at an issue and try to find the story in it...To me, 'Animal House' was a character movie." That's funnier than anything in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off.".
Written by: John Hughes, Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffery Jones, Jennifer Grey, Cindy Pickett, Lyman Ward, Edie McClurg, Charlie Sheen, Ben Stein, Del Close, Virginia Capers, Louis Anderson, Max Perlich, T.
Scott Coffey, Kristy Swanson.Pointless and irreverent comedy with Broderick as a cool as ice teen who ditches school with his best buddy (Ruck) and his girlfriend (Sara) but must avoid the angry principal (Jones) and every adult who tries to destroy their plans but miraculously fails.John Hughes is artificial in his storytelling because there is nothing truthful to say about teenagers.
With the principal hot on their tails Ferris and Co. drive around town in Cameron's father's Ferrari, go see a baseball match, eat at a fancy restaurant and watches a parade (well Ferris participate in it to some extent).This movie is fun to watch mostly due to the principal and Cameron but also due to the elaborate schemes of Ferris and the way he tricks his parents into believing that he's really sick (the father even 'sees' his son a couple of times but for some reason dosn't recognize him?????) It has some pretty stupid moments (like the above mentioned scenes with the father).
But these dos not ruin the movie in any way.The acting is okay, not award winning but satisfactory enough: Matthew Broderick does a okay job at portraying Ferris Bueller; the scheming kid.
Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye; the somewhat insecure kid; is probable the actor that does the best work here, especially considering that he at the time was near 30 years (well above the normal age of a high school kid).
Matthew Broderick stars as the antithesis of Hughes' usual sad sack heroes, a smarmy, cocksure, insanely popular high school senior with an optimistic, yet realistic, outlook on life who decides to cut school along with his girlfriend (Mia Sara) and best friend (Alan Ruck) and spend the day seeing the sights of Chicago; meanwhile his antagonist, Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), plots his capture.
The movie's premise is the title - the character of Ferris (played by a young and cute Matthew Broderick) being a liar who convinces other friends, via lies, to spend a day off with him.
Some of it is at the expense of his poor geeky friend, who I felt immensely sorry for because he was forced to follow an over-bearing Ferris and ended up with a big problem on his hands.Despite the comedy geared at the adult authority figures (who do not understand the youth), the film really did not make a lot of sense or provide a good story or conclusion.
Right, Ferris gets his way and the principal makes a fool of himself and faces the consequences; this is a typical teen rebellion film.It's a classic comedy, but in terms of a good story, Ferris Bueller falls short.
.. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is one of the most well known movies of all time.
When Matthew Broderick plays the title character, Ferris Bueller, he skips school pretending he is sick to spend the day with his best friend and girlfriend by spending time in Chicago.
This film depicts an average day in the life of Ferris Bueller the most popular boy (Matthew Broderick) in school.
In this 1986 teenage comedy, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, a not so innocent teenager nearing the end of his high school career, ditches school and, with best friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara), embark on an adventure to the "Windy City" of Chicago.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of those movies that sticks in your mind for a long time.
All the characters play good roles in the movie, Matthew Broderick really does a good job as the lead role Ferris.To sum it up, 9 years down the road and this movie is still definitely enjoyable but not as much as when I was a teen, however if you are a teenager then this is a great film to watch especially with a bunch of friends..
Written and directed by John Hughes, and starring Matthew Broderick as Ferris, the film is the tale of a spunky mischievous teenager who cuts school for the day with the ultimate of style and "moxy".
He made some of the greatest coming of age comedies and dramas of all time.Now on to the business, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This very successful 80's comedy stars the very entertaining Matthew Broderick.
So if you want to see a film that will not disappoint then I suggest you check out Ferris Bueller's Day Off, it lives up to its reputation as a classic.10/10.
Ferris Bueller{played exceptionally well by Matthew Broderick}, a character no one would hate is an expert at fooling his parents, everybody likes him, and nobody can avoid his favour.
Everything goes his way, from worming his best friend (Alan Ruck) into taking his father's rare Ferrari, to warding off the high school principal (Jeffrey Jones) to getting his girlfriend (Mia Sara) out of school as well.Writer/director John Hughes takes his love for teenagers and school situations and gives us a story that deals with life outside school and the freedoms and privileges of being a kid.
High school senior Ferris Bueller (Matthew Roderick) brings his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) on a trip around Chicago when they're supposed to be in school.My main problem with that movie is the title character, Ferris.
Matthew Broderick plays a kid who goes to high school and decides to take a day off.He plays hookie with his friends Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) and Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara) and enjoys the day in Chicago.There's only one person who can stop the fun and that's the principal Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones).And Ferris' sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey).OK, that's two persons.Ferris is a slacker but in his parents' eyes he's a perfect angel.So can Ferris get away with his plan or will he get caught?
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is an amazing John Hughes movie from 1986.The movie's twenty years old and yet it seems so fresh.Teens all over the world still love the movie.Oh so young Matthew Broderick shines in the lead.This movie was made for him.Just like the role of Marty McFly was made for Michael J.
Fox in Back to the Future one year earlier this one was made for Matthew.All the other actors do a great job too.The young Charlie Sheen can also be seen in the movie as Boy in police station.The movie is filled with terrific scenes.One of the greatest moments is when Ferris gets up and sings Twist and Shout by The Beatles.This movie sends a great message for the kids at school.Everybody should follow Ferris' example and skip school once in a while.Let's all just get out of that class room and have a piece of the world out there.All you need is a good plan.You have to pretend you're sick.You're gonna have to be a good actor so you can fool everybody.It helps if your best friends' father has a Ferrari.It makes it all cooler.I'm kidding of course.You kids should stay at school.I'm graduating tomorrow and I haven't skipped any day of school.And no, I am not a geek.Now a few words about the movie before I finish.This is the king of all high school movies.It's entertaining, it's funny, it's serious in times.It has everything you can ever ask for a teen movie.Another thing to mention about the movie is Ferris' straight to camera monologues he gives.That thing works in this movie.That's some wise stuff he says there.It's a very well written movie.Much more intelligent than teen movies generally.Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a movie for all the high school students and those who feel like one..
Acting wise this film as a good mix of characters and is very funny to watch, its what every kid at school would love to do really when it comes down to it..
_Ferris Bueller's Day Off_ is one of those classic movies where the main character's struggle is something we've all strived for at one time or another: the struggle to take it easy.
We've all had that one teacher or authority figure in our lives that just drives us nuts, and in this movie, Ferris, his best friend Cameron and his girlfriend Sloane fight against school, evil principals, and thier own inner deamons.
But I have to admit for "best John Hughes" movie it would be tough to beat "Trains, Planes and Automobiles" which is almost as funny and also incredibly touching, with a couple of John Candy's scenes almost making me cry.In Ferris Bueller the story is a simple one of a brilliant but underachieving student scheming his way out of going to school by convincing his parents and trying to convince his principal that he is sick.
This picture deals with a high school boy named Ferris Bueller, (Matthew Broderick) who is a very well liked young man by everyone in his community and decides he wants to take a day off from high school and he seeks his best friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) to loan him his father's car which is a super sports car and the pride and joy of his father.
Ferris Buehler's Day Off is one of my favorite John Hughes movies.
Definitely John Hughes's best movie, Ferris Buehler's Day Off has many memorable scenes, my favorite being when Edward Rooney (the villainous principal in search of Ferris...) walks into a bar with a television set playing the same Cub's Game that Ferris is ditching school to attend.
All the excesses of the 1980's are here.The story is pretty simple: Ferris Bueller (Mathew Broderick), a young man who seems to be in a class by himself, fakes an illness so he and his girlfriend Sloane Peterson (the cute Mia Sara) and best friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) can traipse through Chicago.
Ferris Bueller is the luckiest kid, he skips school one day by faking he is sick and while his parents are gone he gets his friends out of school and they have fun everywhere.
I always put this movie on when I need to remember that life is supposed to be about having fun, and the best fun usually comes at times when you should be getting serious (like Ferris's college prospects).
This is a reference to the Beatles song, in which John sang it.The movie switches scenes between Ferris Bueller enjoying his day off of school and contacting his friends at the same time and Principal Rooney having a dispute with the school's secretary, Grace.
Superbly written and directed by the late John Hughes, this teen-flick is simply unmissable.'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' is about a Young High-School student having fun.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is immensely fun and likable as both a comedy and a film. |
tt0087244 | Fatal Vision | Part One:On February 17, 1970, at 0340 hours, at the US Army base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on a rainy night, Captain Jeffrey R. MacDonald (Gary Cole), US Army Medical Corps, stumbles about in his on-base house. He makes a call for an ambulance and medics, and gives his address at 544 Castle Drive. He then says, "They're dying!" and "I think I'm gonna die" and drops the phone. Then he goes to a bathroom mirror, where there is an abrasion on his forehead, made by a blunt instrument. He is clad in only pajama bottoms, his whole face and chest is covered in blood and he also has what appears to be a stab wound on his right side. Then he goes to the kitchen and picks up the phone again, giving the same message saying "stabbing"..., before he drops that phone, too.A small group of military policemen arrive at the house shortly thereafter. Upon entering the back door of the darkened house, they express shock at the sight of two adults lying on the bedroom floor: Captain Jeffrey MacDonald and his wife Colette (Wendy Schaal). They then realize that MacDonald is alive. There are two young girls in their respective bedrooms, both dead, and the walls splattered with blood. The ambulance arrives, and its crew take MacDonald to the post hospital. Sadly, the MP's make a major mistake as they carry MacDonald out: they accidentally knock over a potted plant, then stand it back up.The chief investigator, Captain William Ivory (Scott Paulin), arrives. The MPs show him what remains, and the evidence, including the bloody word PIG on the headboard in the master bedroom.In the hospital, MacDonald calls out for news of his family. Ivory struggles to secure the scene and interview witnesses. Meanwhile, the doctor at the hospital phones Colette's parents, stepfather Alfred "Freddy" Kassab (Karl Malden) and his wife Mildred (Eva Marie Saint).Next morning, more medics remove the bodies of Collette and daughters Kristen (Dylan Galer) and Kimberly (Brandy Gold). One of the medics seals MacDonald's wallet from the house. Captain Ivory and his men find more evidence, including blue pajama-top threads in the master bedroom. Another investigator recovers the pajama top and finds a bunch of neat punctures in it. At the hospital, the pathologist tells Ivory that he has found a blond hair in Colette's hand, and a piece of skin under one of her fingernails.The Kassabs arrive at the hospital, followed MacDonald's mother Perry (Paddi Edwards). A sobbing MacDonald tells all of them the same story: intruders broke into his house killed his family and he couldn't protect them.The local police start rounding up suspects that fit the profile of the intruders that MacDonald gave the MPs: three hippie bearded men (two white men and one black man wearing a Army sergeant's jacket) and a woman in boots, long blond hair, a big floppy hat, and holding a candle. Jay MacDonald (Rex Ryon) gives a statement to the press in support of his brother Jeff. And, of course, the Army holds a triple funeral for Colette and the girls. MacDonald attends the funeral and openly weeps for his dead wife and two children.Several days later, Bill Ivory talks to a technician who finds inconsistencies: no threads, no blood, no splinters from a wooden club in the living room (where MacDonald is supposed to have fought the intruders off), but splinters and threads in the bedroom. Sadly, a piece of rubber glove, also recovered at the scene, has been misplaced and lost along with the skin sample taken from the dead Colette's fingernail.Freddy and Mildred mourn for their daughter and granddaughters. Next day, Freddy drives along Castle Drive and looks at the house. In a flashback to the spring of 1969, he remembers driving Colette and the girls to the house shortly after Jeff's arrival. When they go in, they find the house unfurnished. Though Freddy suggests they stay at a motel, Jeff insists that the family stay in the house, in sleeping bags. At the end of the flashback, an MP tells Freddy to move on.Another week later, Bill Ivory has to admit to the Provost Marshal (Jack Rader) that he has no evidence, no suspects, and nothing to suggest anything except a repeat of the murders of Sharon Tate and her house party in California, the previous year. Meanwhile, Freddy Kassab worries that four murderers are on the loose, and the Army can't seem to find them.Six weeks after the three murders (April 1970), MacDonald goes to see his commanding officer, Colonel Franz Grebner (Barry Corbin) of the CID about getting his furniture out of the house. But Grebner has another agenda. He introduces Ivory and Robert Shaw (Andy Wood), the two CID investigators. Grebner starts a recording and takes a statement from Jeff, beginning with observing that he was inducted into the army in July of 1969--and then giving him the Miranda Warnings.The story Captain MacDonald tells is this:On that evening, his wife went to bed first, and MacDonald stayed up late to watch The Tonight Show. At 0200 hours, he went to bed, but found that Kristen had crawled into bed with Colette and wet the bed. So he put Kristen to bed and slept on the couch in the living room. Some hours later, MacDonald wakes up to screams: Kimberly yelling, "Daddy! Daddy!" and Colette yelling, "Jeff! Jeff! Why are they doing this to me?" He also remembers as he got up off the living room couch, three rugged men suddenly appeared in the living room trying to club him. Two men were white and one was black and the black man was wearing a US Army jacket with the sergeants strips on one sleeve. Before Jeff could react, one of them punched him in the gut, and another one of them raised a bladed weapon. He describes also a girl with blonde hair standing nearby in a big floppy hat, holding a lighted candle, wearing a raincoat and high-heeled boots, and saying, "Acid is groovy! Kill the pig!" Then he remembers being in the hallway, with his pajama top wrapped around his arms. He received a blow to the head and passed out. When he regained consciousness, the four intruders were gone. He went to the bedroom and found his wife lying on the floor, with a knife sunk into her chest. That is all he "remembers," except for a lot of blood on Colette and the girls. Vital signs, according to MacDonald, were all negative.Briefly and silently stunned by the story, Grebner starts questioning MacDonald more closely, but MacDonald doesn't quite answer the questions, preferring instead to reinforce his own account. The location of Jeff's pajama top especially puzzles Grebner. Getting more nervous and agitated, MacDonald embellishes his account about where his pajama top was first by saying it was pulled off and over his head during the struggle, then adding that it was around his wrists while fighting one of the intruders. Jeff makes a few slips about the details of the living room scene and then corrects himself by adding statements like: "I forgot to say that," etc. He then mentions the puncture wounds on his abdomen.Then Bill Ivory strikes the first sour note. He casually suggests that MacDonald wounded himself. MacDonald shrugs this off at first. Then Grebner observes that the three people were "over-killed" with multiple stab wounds, but MacDonald survived with only one serious stab wound among superficial cuts and lacerations. Grebner and Ivory also notice that the screams came from Colette and Kristen, while MacDonald was lying on the couch. So it might be possible that there may have been two more intruders involved... intruders that MacDonald never described? How could six people crowd into a house that size? Why didn't the house, walls, and furniture sustain more damage? MacDonald again shrugs and states that he doesn't know. Then Grebner comes out and says it: Jeff MacDonald's story doesn't ring true. Grebner shows MacDonald photographs taken of the inside of the house taken on the day after the murders and proclaims: "I've seen living rooms where all-night poker parties took place that caused more damage". In addition to the relative lack of damage to the inside of the house and the living room, the flower pot (which the MP's knocked over and stood back up) is standing up, and the living room coffee table is leaning over on its side. Grebner remarks that the table is top-heavy, and it should have landed upside down. The table was very likely and gently turned on its side. Conclusion: MacDonald staged the scene after killing his wife and two daughters himself. MacDonald suddenly stands up from his chair and reacts in anger and outrage at them implying that he killed his wife and kids in cold blood for no reason, but Grebner repeats that such things have happened before. MacDonald strongly denies killing his wife and two children and then accuses Grebner of picking him for a scapegoat just to close the case. However, Ivory, Shaw, and Grebner are all unsympathetic. They point out that experience says that the crime scene is inconsistent with MacDonald's story. The discussion, of course, goes nowhere as MacDonald basically pleads how much he loved his family and couldn't have done it. Grebner also has other evidence, however: he shows Jeff photos of two "other women" in MacDonald's life. Grebner openly speculates that MacDonald may have cheated on his wife with the two women and that Collette found out and it led to a fight which resulted in MacDonald killing her and his two daughters on a spur-of-the-moment rage. MacDonald admits to knowing the two women while he was working at a military hospital, but denies having any sexual relations with any of them. Jeff MacDonald then calmly and arrogantly says, "You're more thorough than I thought."A few days later, Freddy Kassab thinks the Army is stupid for suspecting Jeff of the murders, and so does Mildred. Freddy is determined to fight for Jeff as hard as he can. Perry MacDonald travels to Philadelphia and calls in a civilian lawyer named Bernie Siegel (Barry Newman) to represent her son. He asks the usual "defense lawyer questions" before he takes Jeff's case. Siegel agrees to talk to Jeff after talking to Perry.Mildred places roses on Colette's grave as the voice of Jeff narrates a letter to the Kassabs, giving his impression (negative) of the investigation. In further scenes, Jeff takes a Rorschach inkblot test, then a polygraph lie detector test, and then what might be a Thematic Apperception Test (though this is not shown clearly). Bernie Siegel and his assistant Dennis Eisman (Lance Rosen) are confident in their case. Freddy tells the press how angry he is with the U.S. Army for holding Jeff.Days later, Freddy comes home to hear from Mildred that the Army will charge Jeff with three counts of murder in the deaths of Colette and the girls. Freddy pledges his support. But Mildred takes down a picture and has her own reminiscence:In Mildred's flashback, she is playing with Kimberly (Judith Barsi as Kimberly, age 3) in their home in Chicago back in 1967. The pregnant Colette ruefully observes that Jeff's medical-school schedule keeps him busy. Later, of course, Colette goes into labor and is admitted to Lakeside East Hospital, to bear Kristen. He is almost obsessively solicitous of Colette. Kimberly stays with Mildred at the house while Colette recovers. There she receives the joyous news that she has another granddaughter. But the next day, Jeff insists that Colette had been nearly neglected in the hospital. (Whether that was true or not, the show never makes clear.)Back in the present, Freddy tells Mildred that he's spoken to Jeff. Freddy reveals that the Army wants hair samples from every part of his body, to try to match it to the hair strand that Colette was grasping when she died. Freddy is still frustrated with Jeff for not telling him any details of the crime. So Freddy offers a $5,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension of the "intruders" who killed his stepdaughter and two granddaughters.On May 1, 1970, the US Army holds an Article 32 hearing in Jeff's case. Character witnesses, including the Army psychiatrist, testify in support of Jeff. Freddy is frustrated with the Army for closing the hearing to the public. But Jeff boasts to Freddy about how Siegel showed that the MPs had not adequately secured the scene or the evidence. Freddy asks Jeff to get a daily transcript of the hearing. Jeff vaguely promises to "try" to get one.Jeff gives an interview to the Long Island Register and gives a lot of details that he never gave Freddy. That is the first thing that puzzles Freddy about Jeff's casual attitude. Mildred mourns that her granddaughters will never see something as simple as two blue jays feeding from a bird feeder.Days later, the Army investigators create an incident when they take Jeff into custody to take hair samples. In the process, Jeff, for no clear reason, kicks one of the investigators in his leg. As a result, one investigator manhandles Dennis in front of Bernie, who then goes on a rampage, yelling at anyone in sight, "Now you know how the Army operates!" Naturally that provokes Jeff to write another letter to Freddy at how he is being treated, and apparently a letter to newspaper columnist Jack Anderson.A few weeks later, a private investigator named William Posey (Joe Mays) tells Siegal and Eisman that he found a hippie woman named Helena Stoeckley (Alexandra Johnson), who wears high-heeled boots, a blond wig, and a big floppy hat. But after February 17, she never wore those items again. Instead she went about in "mourning," hung a funeral wreath on her door, and placed votive candles all over her apartment. Posey even quotes Stoeckley as saying, "We can't get married until we go out and kill some more people."Bill Ivory goes to see Helena Stoeckley first to question her about the MacDonald case. He gets little out of her, because she won't let him take notes. She admits just one thing: that she takes a lot of drugs (including marijuana), and never can keep straight what she does from week to week, let alone that far back in time. Helena claims that the blond wig she had was borrowed; the floppy hat she gave away; the boots she threw away; she denies having anything to do with witchcraft. Helena says that she will not "get involved," and more to the point, says, "I wasn't there."At the Article 32 hearing, Bernie Siegal has a field day with Ivory, showing that Stoeckley was anything but "frank, candid, and open" as Ivory tried to say.Next, Freddy Kassab testifies at the Article 32 hearing and gives more character testimony, including that if he had another daughter, he'd be happy to have Jeff marry her, too.Now Jeff testifies, describing in a proud tone about his clubs and sports teams in school, scholarship at Princeton University, medical training, and decision to join the U.S. Army. Then he re-tells this story of the night of the deaths:At 1815 hours on the night of February 16, Colette left for a night class. Then he put away some dishes from dinner in the kitchen sink, and stayed up with the two girls as they watched TV. He put Kristen to bed and fell asleep in the living room with Kimberly until Colette got back at 2100 hours. When Colette does come back, he proposes a nightcap. They sit in the living room for a while, and Jeff tells Colette that he's still working on going to Russia with the Army boxing team. Colette went to bed, and Jeff watched more TV and washed the dishes, wearing rubber gloves. He finished reading a novel at about 0200. Then he found Kristen on his side of the bed, which was wet, and put her to bed. He went to sleep on the couch, and then came the screams, the fight with the three hippie-looking men, and all the rest that he earlier had told Franz Grebner. The pajama top comes up, and he can't remember how it came to be wrapped around his arms in front of him. He remembers dropping the pajama top, but doesn't know where. He pulled a knife out of his wife's chest and tried to resuscitate her without success. Then he picked up the pajama top and covered her chest and face with it.The Army has two old knives that were found at the crime scene (a bent one beside the dead Colette and the other one outside the back door), which Jeff denies recognizing. An ice pick is introduced as another murder weapon. Again, Jeff denies ever seeing it before. Jeff also says that some of his drug-rehab patients threatened him with death in the course of his treatment of him.On October 13, 1970, the Army decides to drop the case with lack of evidence. Jeff is writing letters to a publicity agent when he is ushered into the office of the Provost Marshal, who tells Jeff that Colonel Rock has recommended dropping all charges. Afterwords, Jeff MacDonald resigns from the US Army and receives an honorable discharge.Freddy and Mildred are ecstatic about Jeff being cleared, but Freddy still wants a copy of the transcript of the Article 32 hearing. Jeff is far more interested in talking to reporters--including reporter Betsy Gilmore, who openly flirts with him over the telephone, a thing he's interested in. 'Look' magazine gets interested, and a interview is granted with both Jeff and Freddy. During the interview, Freddy says that he still wants to find "the real killers" by now. Freddy contacts a set of reporters to investigate the case, but Jeff wants the investigating paper to pay him. That's the second thing that puzzles Freddy. Jeff also tells Freddy that the Army has instructed him not to give him a transcript of the hearing, a thing Freddy won't accept.In December 1970, Jeff appears on a TV talk show, he tells the interviewer Dick Cavet (Billy James) about his interrogation, and that he had 23 stab wounds, some life-threatening, and then needed surgery. Watching the interview, Freddy knows that's false, because he remembers Jeff's hospitalization and nothing like that ever happened during it.At the CID, Colonel Pruett (Carmen Argenziano) summons Major Peter Kearns (Dennis Redfield) to reopen the investigation. Jeff MacDonald has made the Army resent him with his salacious interview. Col. Pruett's investigators find Helena Stoeckley, now living in Nashville. She then for the first time tells the Army that Jeff may have did the deed himself.Some time later, Freddy finally gets a copy of the Article 32 transcript. That makes him even angrier when he finds even more inconsistencies in Jeff's story:* Whom was Colette shouting to ("Jeff, why are they doing this to me?"), if Jeff was in the living room, she in the bedroom, and the four intruders were fighting with him there? And how could she talk at all?* Jeff was knocked back on the couch by the intruders and blacked out. Why didn't they finish him off?* Jeff heard Kimmie screaming, "Daddy!" But her skull was crushed by then, wasn't it?* Why was there no blood on the living room floor, where he fought the intruders?* Jeff never washed a dish in his life, with or without rubber gloves.* Jeff used a kitchen phone to call for help. But there was no blood on that phone.In summary: Jeff made 123 statements during the hearing that Freddy knows are false, or impossible to believe. Now, for the first time, he believes that Jeff might have done the deed.Meanwhile, Jeff MacDonald moves out to California, where he has signed on to a civilian hospital as an emergency-room physician. Perry MacDonald sees him off.Part Two:In March 1971, Freddy Kassab drives up to the vacant MacDonald house on 544 Castle Drive in Fort Bragg, carrying the copy of the Article 32 transcript. With him are Colonel Pruett and Major Kearns. Freddy wants to determine whether any part of Jeff's testimony could have been correct. And Freddy concludes, after walking about the house and wrestling with memories, that they were not:* Threads from Jeff's pajamas were found underneath the bed and underneath Colette's body in the master bedroom. How did they get there? Is is possible that Jeff wrote the word. "PIG" himself?* Why would four murderers fleeing the scene of the crime throw their weapons under a bush just outside the back door?* Four Valentine's Day cards sent by Freddy and Mildred to Jeff and his family a few days before the murders still stand upright on the top of the china cupboard in a corner of the living room. Freddy demonstrates that by stomping his foot on the floor, the four cards would have fallen down in any fight.* Two minutes is not enough time for Jeff to have done all he said he did between the first call and the second.* Jeff could never describe accurately the four intruders who attacked him as he did during the hearing, because he never testified that he turned on any lights in the dark living room when he claimed to have first saw the three men who attacked him.In the meantime, Jeff writes that he now has a good career in Long Beach, California, has bought a cabin cruiser speedboat (which he names 'Recovery Room'), and has begun an affair with Randi Amato (Nadine Van der Velde), a secretary in a yacht dealership.Now convinced that Jeff MacDonald indeed killed his wife and two daughters, Freddy from this point onward, becomes determined to bring Jeff to trial for the three murders. Over the next several months, he gets impatient with the Justice Department for not pushing the investigation. He announces to Mildred that he will "twist the arm of every Congressman in Washington" if he has to.In December 1972, Mildred, alone again, looks at a Christmas picture of Jeff and his family, and remembers Christmas of 1969 with all of them together in Fort Bragg, when Jeff gave Kimberly a pony of her own. Mildred notices Colette looking unsettled and emotionally distant while watching Jeff help Kimberly ride on the pony. Mildred thinks that Colette is just distraught about announcing her latest pregnancy (Jeff MacDonald's reaction to this is never shown, but from her appearance it might be speculated that he did not react well due to another child on the way). Mildred, Freddy, Jeff, Colette and the two girls then go inside the house for more unwrapping of gifts. But later that day comes a sour note: Jeff asks some of his Army neighbors over for a drink, though the family is already fixing dinner. And then Mildred recalls another important thing: the MacDonalds did have an ice pick in their freezer.A few days later, Jeff and Freddy have an angry telephone conversation about (what else?) the investigation, and about allegations that Jeff had an affair with someone during the Article 32 hearing. (Freddy talked to the girl, who never named or appears on-camera.) Jeff insists that Freddy is hurting people with his crusade and tells him that he just wants to move on with his life. Freddy quietly says he will not stop until Jeff is brought to justice for killing his family. Jeff continues to deny killing his wife and two daughters. Freddy, refusing to believe Jeff anymore, hangs up.In 1973, Mildred finds Freddy in the local library, where he tells her that he has found out that he could file a citizen's complaint to force the Justice Department's head to bring Jeff to trial.Freddy and CID Captain Brian Murtaugh (Joel Polis) go to the Washington DC office of Federal District Attorney Victor Worheide (Andy Griffith) to discuss the case. Worheide is openly skeptical: they have no confession, no apparent motive, and no witnesses to MacDonald killing his wife and two daughters. But Murtaugh and Freddy insist on pressing the matter. Freddy's motive: justice for Colette and the girls.Worheide visits FBI forensic specialist Paul Stombaugh (Mitch Ryan), with Freddy and Murtaugh in tow. Stombaugh tells them that the pajama top's damage is not consistent with someone stabbing at it with an ice pick while it was moving. It should have been torn, but it wasn't. But the pajama top's 48 holes, all clean, exactly match the 21 ice pick wounds on her body. And: Colette's blood was on the pajama top, in a perfect pattern, "before it ever got torn." Conclusion: Collette was stabbed with the ice pick while the pajama top was laying over her.Meanwhile, Jeff has made a lot of friends in Long Beach, especially among police officers when he treats their buddies who are wounded in the line of duty. They and the nursing staff support him completely as he knows he must go back East to face a grand jury.In July 1974, at the grand jury hearing in North Carolina, Worheide presses the point with witnesses who say that the MacDonalds did have an ice pick in the house, and that no user of LSD would ever say, "Acid is groovy." Nor could four persons using LSD organize anything as elaborate as a home-invasion murder. Jeff comes in for more embarrassment, because he has a copy of Esquire magazine. Worheide lets into evidence the February 1970 copy of Esquire which described the August 1969 Tate-LaBianca murders committed by the Charles Manson cult. Jeff also refuses a sodium amytal exam, and breaks down in the middle of the doctor's note recommending against it.Worheide also has Colette's body exhumed, long enough to recover blonde hair samples from her body to test against the hair recovered from her hand. Stombaugh later concludes that the hair belonged to Colette herself, not to any woman in a big floppy hat. MacDonald then has a field day with Colette being exhumed without his permission or even his knowledge.Another witness at the grand jury hearing, a local psychiatrist, describes that Jeff MacDonald may have a "paranoid-type psychosis," in which the patient is convinced that his version of facts is the only possible one, any evidence to the contrary not withstanding. This is to show that Jeff's attitude shows all the signs of a "paranoid-like syndrome." He testifies that Jeff MacDonald may have a "narcissistic-paranoid" mental disorder where he really believes his own lies (which is why Jeff was able to pass a lie detector test) and that he might have killed his wife and two daughters during an amphetamine rage.Jay MacDonald testifies that his brother is getting a raw deal, and Jeff protests that the government is harassing his family. Still, Worheide draws from Jeff an admission that he collected a lot of medical supplies while working at US Army hospitals in Fort Bragg and elsewhere, including Escatrol diet pills (or speed) which were found in his house on the morning after the murders.At another private strategy session, Murtaugh wants to make something of extramarital affairs that Jeff MacDonald had during his marriage. Worheide dismisses that as inconsequential and non-probative and that since Colette may have never known about it, showing any proof in open court that Jeff was cheating on his wife would be thrown out as bias and hearsay. Worheide says that on the morning after the murders, MacDonald was tested at the military hospital for all kinds of drugs (marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, PCP, Dexedrine, Thorazine, painkillers, alcohol, etc.). The results were all negative, but he was never tested for amphetamines.Then, Stombaugh reminds the group that all the members of the family had different blood types. Worheide leaves the room at this point, with Murtaugh in tow. But Freddy prevails on Stombaugh to narrate the events. The blood types are as follows: Colette - type A, Jeff - type B, Kimberly - type AB, Kristen - type OAnd on that basis, Stombaugh produces this narrative:In a possible real flashback, an argument started in the master bedroom, between Jeff and Colette, possibly over Kristen wetting his side of the bed while sleeping there and Jeff having to sleep on the living room couch. Either Jeff or Collette slapped each other as the fight escalated. Colette then hit Jeff on his forehead with a hairbrush (found on the bedroom floor beside the bed), which was the result of his head concussion. Jeff hit her back with his fists. She tore at his pajama top with her fingernails. Colette found a small knife from her nightstand and tried to defend herself with it, stabbing Jeff to defend herself, making more cuts in the pajama top, stabbing his left arm and left side at least twice. Kimberly heard the struggle and got up and walked into the master bedroom. (That's when she cries, "Daddy! Daddy!" after seeing him hitting Collette and she apparently shoved him in outrage.) Jeff then picked up the wooden club, swung it at Collette, and may have hit Kimberly with it at least once on the head (possibly by accident), and he then hit Colette several times with the club until both of her arms were broken and her head bashed in. Shocked by his own actions, Jeff dropped the club, picked up the mortally Kimberly, and carried her to her own bedroom. After Jeff stumbled into the living room and cried over his actions, he got the idea of staging the scene after reading about the Tate-LaBiana murders in the Esquire magazine sometime earlier. So, he put on a pair of surgical rubber gloves and armed himself with an Old Hickory knife and the ice pick from the kitchen. In Kristen's room, he stabbed Kristen in the back and chest with the one of the knifes while she sleeps (intending to kill the potential witness). He then went back into Kimberly's room (who may have been already dead by this point) and clubbed her a second time, and stabbed her a few times with the same knife. Sometime during this, Colette regained consciousness and went into Kristen's room. Jeff found her there and beat her to death with the club, leaving her blood on the sheets and walls. In the master bedroom he collected the bedspread and sheet and carried her into the master bedroom. He left plenty of evidence for the investigators to find, including a bare footprint of Colette's blood. Then he found the wooden club and the knife. In a rage, he came back to Colette and struck her so hard he scraped the bedroom ceiling with the club at least once. He wrote "PIG" on the headboard with Colette's blood. He stabbed Kristen many times with the ice pick, and then he used the same ice pick to stab the dead Colette while she was draped in his pajama top. That explains the clean holes in it. Next he staged the living-room scene by turning the coffee table on its side, then went to the bathroom to wound himself with a scalpel. He wiped the weapons clean of fingerprints using a bathroom mat, threw them outside in the back yard, disposed of the scalpel used to wound himself and the surgical gloves (either in the trash or flushing them down the toilet) and then picked up a telephone to call for help at 0340 hours.The narrative, of course, upsets Freddy, and he weeps bitterly. But he wanted to know, and now he knows.Next scene: Jeff testifies, and displays the same hostile and cocky attitude as he did with the Army investigators back in 1970. But he offers no explanation for the evidence introduced.The grand jury takes a long time to decide, as Murtaugh tells Freddy over the telephone. Victor Worheide, furthermore, is ill with heart disease. Freddy is not satisfied, and won't be until the case goes to trial.On January 24, 1975, the grand jury does act. They return a true bill of indictment for murder all three murders. Three FBI men show up in Long Beach to arrest Jeff on the strength of that later that same day. The trial is set to start on August 18, but no trial takes place. On January 31, Bernie Siegel files an appeal for dismissal because Jeff "did not receive a speedy trial." Jeff gets out on bail, and will stay free until his lawyers exhaust all recourse. Victor Worheide, meanwhile, dies in October 1975 from a sudden heart attack (off-camera). A few days later Brian Murtaugh, now employed at the Justice Department, breaks the news to Freddy in Chicago.In 1976, Jeff takes Randi over the ocean, in his cabin cruiser, to Hawaii for a vacation. There Siegel assures him that he had the indictment quashed. Freddy receives that news badly. He obtains a permit to carry a gun. A shocked Mildred begs him to appeal to courts, and not take the law into his own hands. Freddy decides to follow her advice and go to the courts himself. Mildred vows to endure more delays, anything but watch him become a murderer. Freddy sends out a spate of letters.In a jump forward to June 1979 in Long Beach, writer Joe McGinnis (Frank Dent) meets Jeff for the first time, after the Supreme Court has ordered Jeff brought to trial after all. Jeff's first interview with Joe strikes one critical sour note: Jeff wants to be "cut in" for "a share of the take" from any book project. In the next scene, the Long Beach Police Officers' Association gives Jeff a big fund-raising party.In Raleigh, North Carolina, Murtaugh introduces Freddy and Mildred to Federal prosecutor James Blackburn (Gary Grubbs), who admits he's never tried a murder before in his career. While in Raleigh, Freddy reminisces about Jeff mowing the Kassabs' lawn and shovel their driveway, and how Freddy used to drive Jeff and Colette to the movies.On July 16, 1979, after more then nine years of delays, Jeff MacDonald's murder trial begins in the Federal courthouse in downtown Raleigh. Judge Franklin Dupree (Albert Salmi) presides over the case. Blackburn and Murtaugh open their case by saying that MacDonald murdered his pregnant wife and two daughters in a spur-of-the-moment of rage. Jeff's lawyer, Bernie Segal, argues that the case and evidence is old and that Jeff is the victim of circumstantial evidence brought by the government looking for a suspect. During the whole trial, Bernie's wide-open style of combative advocacy does not sit well with Judge Dupree and the two of them verbally clash repeatably during the whole trial.A few days later, the jury visits the crime scene (still vacant since the night of the murders). Jeff goes inside before the jury and tours the house with Bernie, Dennis, Joe McGinnis and their staff. When they emerge, a gaggle of gawkers gaze at him. Then the jury gets off a bus to inspect the crime scene themselves for twenty minutes. The children's furnishings and blood stains interest them the most. But afterwords, Jeff just wants to "hit the track and the bar bells before dinner."Back in the courthouse, Stombaugh testifies and introduces the bloody footprints and the pajama top. Jeff still displays his hostile and cocky attitude while away from court to Joe while they are working out.Meanwhile, Freddy expresses fear that James Blackburn is not up to the aggressive standard of Victor Worheide. Mildred tells Freddy to trust Blackburn's judgment.At a birthday party for Bernie, Bernie's staff give Bernie a dartboard. They then mount a picture of Brian Murtaugh on the dartboard and take turns throwing darts at it. Jeff scores a bulls-eye.Bernie calls forensic expert named Dr. James Thornton (Roy London) to say that an ice pick could have made clean holes in a pajama top. But Brian Murtaugh, with Blackburn's help, demonstrates using a pajama top to defend against an ice pick. Murtaugh wraps a similar pajama top around his wrists while Blackburn stabs at it with the ice pick. Result: Murtaugh sustains a minor wound on his left hand, but also shows that the holes in the pajama top are jagged and torn, not smoothly cylindrical like the ones in MacDonald's pajama top.Between sessions, Bernie interviews Helena Stoeckley and tries to wring from her an admission that she was at the murder house. But Miss Stoeckley insists, politely at first and then angrily, that "I wasn't there. I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't THERE!!!" (Her testimony is not shown on camera.)Next, Bernie urgently tries to prepare Jeff to take the stand in his own defense. He does not want Jeff to display any more hostility. He especially does not want Jeff to spout off at Blackborn as he did at Worheide during the Grand Jury hearing. Jeff suddenly loses his temper again roars at Bernie about Worheide, calling him a Nazi and that it's all Worheide's fault for at bringing this whole thing to trial.... quite forgetting that Worheide is dead. He also has some choice words for Bernie about the jury. But finally he calms down long enough to tell Bernie not to mention the pony he once gave the girls.Bernie examines Jeff on the witness stand, and leads him to describe his family in warm, loving, grieving terms. (The jury do not seem impressed by Jeff's Crocodile tears.) Then the ever-courteous Blackburn rises to cross-examine. He concentrates on the pajama top with all the clean, neat holes in it. He points out that Jeff received no wounds from any ice pick. He asks several questions of fact, based largely on Stombaugh's conclusions. Then Blackburn asks several questions of this sort: "If the jury should find such-a-thing, have you an explanation for that?" Jeff shrugs with indifference and in every case gives the same answer: "No." Or, "Making the very large assumption that the Army CID knows how to type blood... no." (During a break, Siegel tells Jeff that he is generally pleased with Jeff's performance and tells him to continue to keep cool.) At one point in Blackburn's "suppose the jury should find" examination, Bernie files an objection for argumentative examination.That night, Freddy and Mildred hold each other in bed as they know they must hold out for one more night.The next day, Blackburn makes his closing argument, laying out the government's evidence, and explaining why he said, "If the jury should find this and that, can you explain it?" The point: Jeff "cannot" explain it. Blackburn suggests that the fight started inadvertently and escalated. And Blackburn ends by observing that Colette's words, "Jeff, why are THEY doing this to me?" sounds awfully close to "Jeff, why are YOU doing this to me?"In his closing argument, Bernie tries to counter by reminding the jury where the burden of proof truly lies. Whether he is arguing for jury nullification is impossible to say. But in the process, Bernie makes the same mistake that he warned Jeff not to make: getting angry in open court.August 29, 1979. The case goes to the jury. After forty-two minutes, a package arrives from the Long Beach Police Officers' Association: a bulletproof vest. Jeff dons it, at Bernie's orders.Six hours later, the jury finally brings in a verdict:In the death of Colette: "Guilty" of murder in the second degree.In the death of Kimberly: "Guilty" of murder in the second degree.In the death of Kristen: "Guilty" of murder in the "first" degree.The jury had apparently believed the prosecution's case; Colette and Kimberly were killed by Jeffrey MacDonald on the spur of the moment without any planning or premeditation, but Kristen was killed with premeditation. Seated nearby, Freddy and Mildred are both relieved and satisfied that it's over. Jeff's family and friends seated nearby are shocked and upset over the verdict. A shocked Bernie asks the judge to poll the jury. This is done, and every juror present says the same thing: "Guilty." Jeffrey MacDonald sits beside himself and slumps back emotionally defeated.An overlaid text in the freeze-frame stated that after the verdict, Jeff MacDonald was sentenced by Judge Dupree to the maximum and harshest sentence allowed under Federal government law; three consecutive life sentences (obviously to make sure that Jeff will never leave prison alive). The following year in July 1980, Jeff appealed the verdict and was freed on the grounds of being denied a speedy trial as well as judicial bias, which went from the local Federal court all the way to the Supreme Court in Washington DC. In March 1982, the appeal was denied, and Jeff was returned to prison and his license to practice medicine was revoked for good. He is serving his three consecutive life sentences in a Federal prison in Texas, and will be eligible for parole in 1991.(As of this writing in 2016, Jeffrey MacDonald continues to remain in prison and will probably do so for the rest of his life for the murders of his wife and two daughters... murders he continues to strongly deny committing).The final closes with old photographs of the real Jeffrey MacDonald which shows his induction into the U.S. Army, his wedding day, his high-school baseball picture, a picture of him in the church choir, a picture of him as a boy, and finally a baby picture. And that baby picture (his first picture wearing big-boy clothes), which holds during the end titles, shows that Jeffrey MacDonald was just as likely to be angry about not getting his own way even then. | murder, flashback | train | imdb | The screenplay by long time Hollywood pro John Gay amounts to an indictment of army Captain Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, but then again so did the book.Gary Cole gives a convincing performance as the former Green Beret army officer who was accused, and then some nine years after the fact, convicted of the murder of his pregnant wife Collette and two young daughters.
Karl Malden plays Freddy Kassab, Collette's father, with his usual skill, while Eva Marie Saint plays Kassab's wife.Since it is still being debated to this day whether Jeffrey MacDonald really was guilty of this horrendous crime (as he continues to serve his prison sentence), perhaps we should appreciate this movie strictly as a study in sociopathology.The story begins February 17, 1970 with MacDonald phoning the police to report that his wife and two daughters had been brutally murdered by a marauding gang of hippies who broke into his home shouting "Kill the pigs, acid is groovy." He claims he tried to fight them off and was injured and knocked unconscious.In contrast, the story presented by the prosecution and detailed in McGinniss's book, portrays MacDonald as having, in a fit of temper injured or killed a member of his family, and then to cover up that crime killed all of them, and then fabricated a crime scene to support his story including the infliction of superficial wounds upon himself.The question most people would like answered is WHY would a previously upstanding member of the community, a successful doctor as well as a decorated army Captain, go to such a horrendous extreme to cover up a crime no worse than manslaughter, if that?The answer is in the character of Jeffrey MacDonald himself who is depicted as a psychopath possibly under the influence of amphetamines, a man so callous and unfeeling about the pain and suffering of anyone except himself, that he would murder his own family in an attempt to divert the blame from himself.
This was the answer that McGinniss came up with after spending a lot of time with MacDonald and after initially believing him to be innocent.This is the answer that the jury believed, and this is the answer given in the character that Gary Cole so vividly portrays.There are many kinds of truth--legal truth decided by a jury, scientific truth decided by experiment and confirmation, spiritual truth, etc.
I think the business-like direction from Greene and his adherence to McGinniss's "vision," along with the fine performance by Gary Cole make us aware of the reality that there are sociopaths among us who can charm and kill with equal ease.
Regardless of the true facts of the case (which we will never know for certain) it is this singular truth that makes this movie worth seeing..
If you read Joe McGinnes' book, you'd find it difficult to accuse the author of trying to sell more copies of it by twisting facts around.
Of course McGinnis wanted his book to sell, so he could become rich and famous, just as MacDonald wanted his story told so he could become rich and famous too.
But some people want it a LOT more than others and, according to McGinnes, this was Jeff MacDonald's biggest problem.
In the end, McGinnis found MacDonald's story unbelievable because, in addition to the physical evidence, there was the simple fact that MacDonald "hadn't been hurt badly enough." The murderers in his tale (one of them a girl in a floppy hat) beat the other three members of his family to death and stab them.
And here is MacDonald, a trained green beret, who gets tangled up in his pajamas while his wife is screaming in the background and who then passes out, sustaining a few scratches and a neat nick that ends in a small pneumothorax, which sounds terrible but which a doctor would recognize as not in itself life threatening.
One young woman suspected of being the girl in the floppy hat, can't provide an alibi for herself because she "was out on marijuana" for four hours.) The "pigs" written in blood was a direct ripoff of the Manson family murders, whoever put it up there.
The film follows the book pretty closely, painting a picture of Jeff MacDonald that is distinctly unflattering.
There was evidently no history of spousal abuse, nor of previous violent acts on MacDonald's part, nor of any nucleus in family dynamics for a murderous outburst.
The book and the film, despite some revisionist statements I've read, convince me that MacDonald probably did it.
Fact-based movie depicting the case of Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, an Army Special Forces group surgeon accused of murdering his wife and daughters.
Channels are too busy broadcasting commercials for shamwows and anything else of questionable value that will fit in a paid programming slot to air good old made-for-TV fare like this anymore, so forgive any holes in my review that may be caused by my memory.By 1984 the pendulum had swung in society and thus in the justice system from slapping embarrassingly guilty criminals on the wrist (circa 1960-1980) to locking them up for mandatory sentences - the era of zero tolerance had arrived.
I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it also swept up lots of people who weren't necessarily guilty at a time when DNA forensics were not in existence that could validate a verdict.
This transitional phase in American justice is the setting of the film (1970-1979), and ironically the pendulum swung precisely because of the emergence of the kind of people - often violent drug addled hippies - that Jeffrey MacDonald claimed entered his home one night and changed his life forever.The two great performances here are Karl Malden as Freddy Kassab and Gary Cole as Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald.
One night in 1970, when MacDonald was still a captain and surgeon in the army, someone kills MacDonald's entire family in their home as they all sleep in their beds - his wife, their unborn child, and his two daughters.
After MacDonald appears on Dick Cavett and seems to joke around about the murder and the ordeal, Freddy begins to have a change of heart and becomes convinced of MacDonald's guilt.It doesn't help Freddy that he seems to be a black-or-white all-or-nothing kind of thinker and renderer of snap judgments.
It doesn't help MacDonald that he is a bit of a narcissist who seems to really be enjoying his new-found bachelorhood and that he was less than a saint when he was married to Freddy's daughter - he did cheat, and he did use mood altering prescription drugs to deal with his grueling schedule while in the army.Then both men have to deal with what is really the luck of the draw in any criminal or civil case for that matter - how good is the attorney on your case, and how good is he in particular on the day(s) that he is in front of a jury on your individual case.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey MacDonald, now a wealthy doctor, having hired the best counsel, is planning TV appearances, getting manicures, and putting people who were originally on his side ill at ease with his carefree disposition.How does this all play out?
Well, google will give you a better and more complete answer than I ever could, but watching this drama play out on screen is worth your while, even if the film is obviously biased against MacDonald.There is one scene that is a real eye-roller - I don't know if it actually happened but it lets you know that even in 1984 Hollywood thought gun control would work.
The movie shows how guilty he was, but read the book by Joe McGinness.
Ironically, the book MacDonald wanted written about his case actually incriminated him even more..
As another reviewer pointed out, there is another side to this story, so don't go thinking the movie presents the gospel truth, but it's still a very compelling flick.
Ever since I read Joe McGinniss' book I have tried to keep up with any developments in the case.
Am I to believe that these four people cared so little about what they were doing that they answered the phone while in the commission of these horrendous murders, risking tipping off whoever had called, and that the dropping of the telephone receiver was the only sound the neighbors below heard?
These men generally don't look like or act like killers either (What does a killer look like or act like before he kills anyway?) I think the only way that McDonald's wife and children died upstairs in their bedrooms is because the only threat to them was from someone they knew and trusted..
If you liked this movie, definitely definitely read the book..
To tell you the truth that I haven't read the book but I think the mini-series shows the tragedy carefully without being too gross.
For anyone interested I suggest you check out a follow up book Fatal Justice which points out how Dr MacDonald has encountered many injustices and points out new evidence and confessions which basically places these "crazed hippies" at the house.
When I first saw this movie over 10 years ago, it convinced me of MacDonald's guilt.
I saw it again last night and this time I'm not so sure.This movie is looking more and more like a propaganda film, intended to cement the audience's hatred of MacDonald, and convince the audience that he is, indeed, guilty.
Yet I couldn't help coming to an uneasy conclusion: if MacDonald really is guilty, why is he so willing to have his DNA tested?After all, if you are guilty of murder -- and knowing that mitochondrial DNA testing is highly accurate today -- you know for a fact that if you agree to DNA testing, you will be caught.
Sorry, but I just can not shirk the nagging feeling that this means he is convinced of his own innocence (notice I said "convinced" -- it may well be that he did indeed commit the murders, but is so horrified about them that they are now part of his repressed memory and he, in fact, believes he did not commit them!).The other thing that disturbs me is that the North Carolina prosecutors themselves seem very reluctant to allow full DNA testing.
In fact, combined with MacDonald's willingness to undergo DNA testing, I find the prosecutors' reluctance to be evidence that they are far less than certain that they convicted the right man for the crime.
Perhaps the prosecutors have something to hide?In conclusion, I must also agree with another writer that perhaps the most perplexing (and disturbing) aspect of this case that alludes to MacDonald's innocence is the apparent lack of motive.
If, in fact, the test results cast doubt on MacDonald's guilt, the producers of "Fatal Vision" will have a lot of explaining to do ....
There is indeed circumstantial evidence to convict MacDonald, but there are many troubling aspects of the case, including the lack of any coherent motive.Those who believe in his guilt claim he's a sociopath, but this is largely based on Joe McGinniss' book, "Fatal Vision" and the TV movie.
but I would not judge him on the basis on a TV-movie obviously biased against him, and written by an author whose objectivity has been discredited.Based on what I know, I would have to find MacDonald innocent.
If Joe McGinnis had not written Fatal Vision, There is no doubt Jeff MacDonald would never have been imprisoned.McDonald himself said that "I will never live down Fatal Vision".
People need to read Fatal Justice though because it tells the real story.
For instance, he says MacDonald had been gobbling amphetimines before the murders and flipped out from psychosis killing his family.
People who saw him before the murders said he acted completely normal and showed no signs of psychosis whatsoever.
The night of the murders, he escaped from the Fort Bragg hospital and stopped at a phone booth to call his Doctor who also happened to be a MacDonald.
He accidentally dialed Jeff MacDonald's house at the time the murders were taking place.
The people who lived below MacDonald later testified that they heard a loud thump above their heads that night.
She said there were three men and a blond woman with a floppy hat, wig and boots who were telling her about the MacDonald murders.
The Army investigators told MacDonald that they didn't believe him because "do you think there was a bunch of hippies just walking around that night rattling doors until they came to your apartment?" Fort Bragg was a very dangerous place in 1970, there were all kinds of crimes committed on post involving soldiers on the base and hippies from nearby Fayetteville.
There was a woman named Pendleyshok that lived next to MacDonald that said shortly before the murders someone broke into her apartment as well and sprayed obsceneties on her walls.
There was a Lieutenant named Milne who lived near MacDonald who saw people carrying candles going towards his house the night of the murder.
Excellent film of a notorious murder case.
The supporting roles all were played very well – from the defense attorneys, to the prosecutors, to the judges, to author Joe McGinniss, to the murder victims.I haven't read the book, so I have only the movie to go on as to MacDonald's guilt or innocence.
The story seems to be presented factually, and the screenplay, direction and technical aspects of the production all excel.All of the opinions in the world on the Internet won't change a court verdict or determine the guilt or innocence of a person convicted of a crime.
In all the reviews on this film as of the time of my writing, no one has said they have the experience of jury service.
Out of the 12 people finally selected for a jury (or 9 or fewer in lesser crime cases), there always will be some, however few or many, who take the charge seriously that a person is innocent until proved guilty; and that a verdict of guilty can only be reached when the jury is convinced beyond a doubt.
I was one of a few people who had many doubts and questions based on the prosecution's case.The only sure-fire, clear-cut cases of a person's guilt in committing a crime are when there are witnesses.
And that's precisely where the conscientious conclusion of each and every juror must be the same to find a person guilty.So it was in the MacDonald case.
Regardless of the poor handling of the crime scene, what was there and wasn't there amounted to a mountain of circumstantial evidence along with MacDonald's testimony.
The movie shows how Colette's parents believed in their son-in-law's innocence for so long, and how Freddy Kassab campaigned to have him cleared.
The discrepancies he found there moved him to pursue further and that led to his belief that MacDonald had lied and had committed the murders himself.These various matters are covered in the movie.
One thing that wasn't in the movie was a demonstration by the prosecution of how the puncture wounds through MacDonald's pajama top could be so clean and smooth, as they were found to be.
The different blood types of each family member, his foot print in blood, the use of weapons from his house that he denied were his and were all left behind with no finger prints, his being overpowered by three addicts high on drugs at the time that he says he heard his wife screaming in the other room, the lack of any signs of a real struggle – all of these things built a case of undoubted guilt in the minds of the jurors.
I would have come to the same conclusion.Reading the Web sites today that keep alive MacDonald's protest of his innocence, I find nothing to question or challenge his conviction.
Nowhere do his defenders refute the core evidence – the blood samples and locations, MacDonald's pajama top, and the murder weapons found so conveniently with fingerprints wiped off.
Sure there may have been a small, very small amount of doubt, but opposed to the GREAT amount of EVIDENCE that piles high, in fact shows his guilt.
As far as Joe McGinness, Macdonald wanted and gave him information for the book.
People need to comprehend that sociopaths are just that, as was Macdonald, clearly he lacked remorse, judgment and creditability (when it came down to it,pain ).
To people of conscience, how could Mc Donald murder his wife and children?
I have not seen the movie but have read about the actual case the movie and book is set on.
MacDonald did not kill his family.
The author of the book made this story up and real facts of the case and MacDonald's life prove that the author is lying.
MacDonald is in jail right now for these murders but only because the Army officials investigating the case lied, changed actual evidence to make him seem guilty, and did a poor job of gathering evidence at the crime scene.
after researching the history behind the trial i am disgusted by the fact that anybody would make this into a movie - i practically wanted to gouge out my eyes after reading that case on crimelibrary.com.
listen I'm sure the movie was OK but it should not be called nonfiction - a poor man who everybody knows is innocent was sent to life because of this and....
All movies and books are produced to "Entertain" not tell the truth.
Possible Spoiler Alert..........I found this link and looked at people's reviews and their comments on how guilty Jeff is according to what they read in a book and this movie.Check out some interesting asides on these sites and see if you still have your convictions intact.
MacDonald http://educate-yourself.org/jm/index.shtmlI'd suggest we not judge by movies, TV programs, or books without looking at other avenues of sources. |
tt0325980 | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | As Governor Weatherby Swann and his twelve-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, sail to Port Royal, Jamaica, their vessel, HMS Dauntless encounters a shipwreck with a sole survivor, the young Will Turner, floating among the wreckage. Elizabeth finds and hides a gold medallion she found around the unconscious Will's neck, fearing he would be accused of piracy. She then glimpses a ghostly pirate ship (the Black Pearl), disappearing into the mist.Eight years later Captain James Norrington of the British Royal Navy is promoted to Commodore. At his ceremony, he proposes to Elizabeth. Before she is able to answer, her over-tightened corset causes her to faint and fall off the rampart, tumbling into the bay. The medallion she is wearing emits a mysterious pulse through the water.Meanwhile, pirate Captain Jack Sparrow has arrived in Port Royal to commandeer a ship. Seeing Elizabeth fall, he rescues her, but Norrington recognizes him as the notorious pirate and he is arrested. He escapes and ducks into a blacksmith shop where he encounters Will Turner, now a blacksmith's apprentice and self-taught expert swordsman. Following a sword fight with Turner, Sparrow is knocked unconscious and jailed, set to be hanged the next day. That night, Port Royal is besieged by the Pearl, answering the medallion's mysterious call. Elizabeth is captured and invokes parley an agreement ensuring one's safety until meeting and negotiating with the opposing side. Not wishing to reveal that she's the Governor's daughter, Elizabeth tells Captain Barbossa her surname is Turner. She negotiates for the pirates to cease the attack on Port Royal in exchange for the medallion. Barbossa agrees but, employing a loophole in their agreement, keeps Elizabeth prisoner, believing she is the key to breaking an ancient curse they are under.When Commodore Norrington refuses to take immediate action, Will, who loves Elizabeth, persuades Captain Jack Sparrow to help him rescue her in exchange for freeing him from jail. Jack agrees only after learning Will's last name is Turner. After commandeering the HMS Interceptor Jack and Will recruit a crew in Tortuga with help from Jack's old friend, Gibbs, a former boatswain in the Royal Navy. They set sail for Isla de Muerta, a mysterious island Jack knows the pirates will go to in order to break the curse.While on route, Will learns about Jack's past. He was once the captain of the Pearl, but when he shared the bearings to a hidden chest of Aztec gold coins, First Mate Barbossa instigated a mutiny and marooned Jack on an island. Jack escaped three days later. The pirates found and spent the treasure, but soon learned it was cursed and had turned them into near-immortal skeletal beings whose true forms are only revealed in moonlight. The curse can only be lifted when every coin and each pirate's blood is returned to the chest. William "Bootstrap Bill" Turner, Jack's only supporter, sent a coin to his son, Will, believing the crew should remain cursed for what they did to Jack. Barbossa had Bootstrap tied to a cannon and thrown overboard, only to realize later that his blood is also needed to break the curse; a Turner relative must now take his place.In a cave full of treasure on Isla de Muerta, Barbossa, believing Elizabeth is Bootstrap's child, anoints the last coin with her blood and drops it into the chest, unsurprisingly, the curse remains unbroken.Reaching the island, Will suspects Sparrow may betray him and knocks him out. He rescues Elizabeth, and they escape to the Interceptor. Jack barters with Barbossa saying he will reveal Bootstrap's real child in exchange for the Pearl. Jack's negotiations come to naught, however, when the Pearl pursues the Interceptor, sinking her and taking the crew captive. Will reveals that he is Bootstrap Bill's son and demands that Elizabeth and the crew be freed, or he will shoot himself and fall overboard, lost forever. Barbossa agrees but craftily applies another loophole and maroons Elizabeth and Jack on a deserted island (the same island Jack was on ten years before) and throws Jack's crew into the brig. Will is taken to Isla de Muerta for the ritual. On the island, Elizabeth discovers the truth behind how Jack really got off the island. The island that Jack was imprisoned on was used as a cache by rum runners, who are long since out of business.Elizabeth burns an abandoned cache of rum to create a signal fire that is spotted by Norrington. She convinces Norrington to rescue Will by accepting his earlier marriage proposal. Returning to Isla de Muerta, Norrington sets an ambush outside the cave while Jack goes inside and persuades Barbossa to form an alliance. He tells him to delay breaking the curse until after they have taken the Dauntless and killed the crew. Jack then removes a coin from the chest, rendering himself immortal. But whatever Jack's actual intent is, his plan goes awry when Barbossa orders his crew to infiltrate the Dauntless from underwater. Elizabeth infiltrates the Pearl, frees Jack's crew and destroys the two pirates guarding it. She tries to enlist the crew's help, but they refuse and make off with the Pearl while Elizabeth heads to the island to aid Will. Elizabeth saves Will and together they destroy the three cursed pirate guards while Jack, immortal, reveals his true allegiance and battles Barbossa. Jack tosses his bloodied coin to Will, who returns the last two medallions to the chest, adding his own blood to his, breaking the curse. Jack then shoots Barbossa in the heart with the shot he had saved for ten years. No longer immortal, the wounded Barbossa falls dead. Realizing they are no longer cursed, the now-mortal pirates surrender to the navy.Back in Port Royal, Jack is about to be executed. Believing Jack deserves to live, Will rescues him. Both are quickly captured, but Elizabeth lends her support and declares her love for Will. Will is granted yet another pardon (having been previously cleared of stealing the Interceptor) and is allowed to marry Elizabeth with the blessing of Norrington and Governor Swann. Jack escapes by leaping (falling) from the fort and into the bay. His crew, who escaped with the Pearl, rescues him and makes him Captain. Norrington is impressed enough to allow him one day's head start before giving pursuit. | comedy, fantasy, suspenseful, mystery, cult, historical fiction, insanity, action, humor, romantic, revenge, entertaining | train | imdb | null |
tt1711425 | 21 & Over | In the opening scene, Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller) walking through the middle of campus, naked with only a tube sock covering their genitals. Their butts have been branded with a sorority symbol. "None of that ever happened," Casey tells Miller. "None of it," Miller says agreeing.ONE DAY EARLIERWe see Miller in a taxi talking to the driver about why he traveled to the university. He and Casey have come down to surprise their old high school pal Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) for his 21st birthday. Miller opens a beer in the backseat which the driver notices but Miller denies having it. They pick up Casey and the two of them start talking. Miller asks about Casey's family and more specifically his sister. Casey tells Miller that every time he asks about his sister, he knows that Miller wants to have sex with her. Casey points out that she is 16 and thus underage. Casey asks how would Miller like it if he would say he wanted to sleep with his sister. Miller says his family would consider it an honor. Miller tries to make a bet for five dollars that he will sleep with Casey's sister before Casey could with Miller's. "I'd fuck my sister first before I sleep with your sister," Casey says. Miller said he'd actually pay him to sleep with his own sister."Can we stop the talk about the sister fucking!" the exasperated cab driver screams. He drops them off at Chang's address and tells them to get out.Casey and Miller head up the steps and see The Chief (Russell Hodgkinson) dancing around high. Miller tells Casey if they don't look like that in 2 hours, they have failed at life.They ring on the door, and Chang shows up. He is surprised, but happy to see his old friends. They explain why they came, and Chang tries to explain that he can't. They get inside his room, and Chang explains that he has an important med school interview tomorrow that his father set up. Miller insults Dr. Chang (Francois Chau), only to find him right behind him. He recognizes the two and chastises his son for still surrounding himself with people like Casey and Miller. He tells his son that he will be at the house at 7:00 am to pick him up for his 8:00 am interview and not to embarrass him. Dr. Chang leaves.Chang says that was what he was trying to tell them; he couldn't go out tonight. He asks Miller if he could reschedule for tomorrow. Miller says no because he has tickets for a concert the next day. That is beside the point; Miller tells Chang that his 21st birthday is a rite of passage, the time where he can show every bar bouncer that though he still looks like a "9 year old girl" he is of legal age. Chang says he can't do it. Miller then tells him if he doesn't come with them, he will stay outside with an air horn and blast it all night so he can't sleep. Chang finally agrees, but only to one drink.Of course, that doesn't happen. When we see them again, Chang is already smashed and getting worse. Chang is happy though and hugs Casey and Miller and thanks them for coming down to see him. Miller asks about the Sidewinder festival, and Chang is happy to think about it. Being pre-med he hasn't had time to write music, play music, or even listen to music. Miller asks Casey but Casey reveals he already has a job lined up for the summer at a Wall Street firm. Chang congratulates him, but Miller can't believe he has a job already and can't even enjoy his last summer before settling into adulthood.A friend of Chang's, Nicole (Sarah Wright) shows up, and she congrats Chang for his 21st. Miller is taken by her and asks straight up who would she rather sleep with it; him or Casey. She picks Casey, so Miller takes Chang away to play darts to let Casey talk to her.Chang and Miller play darts. Miller voices his concerns for Casey's attitude.Nicole tells Casey she is going to South America for Spring Break. Casey mentions his internship, and Nicole balks at spending his last Spring Break working. She points out that everyone in the bar will be married with kids and in crappy jobs in 10 years, and they need to do as much crazy stuff as they can NOW. Casey says he does some crazy stuff. Like jumping into the pool after eating. Nicole laughs.Miller is still complaining about Casey. Chang doesn't see what the problem Miller sees. Chang accidentally throws a dart without looking, piercing Randy (Jonathan Keltz) in the cheek. Randy obviously is not happy with that, and Chang is embarrassed and horrified by what he did. He tries to take a look, telling Randy he is a med student, but Randy will not listen, being pissed off. Miller tries to tell Randy it was an accident, and they're sorry. Randy responds that accidents have all the time, and takes a bar stool and slams it into Chang hard. Chang and Miller realize they need to get out of the bar now.Casey and Nicole are still talking. It's obvious Nicole is interested, and if Casey has a little more game, he could get somewhere. However, Miller and Chang pull him away from her and out of the bar. Nicole smiles and waves him goodbye.Casey asks what was so important that he had to pull away from Nicole. Miller tells him he wouldn't have closed with her anyway. Casey says they should take Chang home, but Miller see there are over 20 bars in the area and doesn't want the night to end yet. Chang notices Galloway's, a bar that carded him like crazy and he wants to get in now. He goes up to the bouncer, and the bouncer insults him. Chang pulls out his ID. "Twenty one...BLACKJACK MOTHERFUCKER!" Chang says. The bouncer just tells him to go inside. "Where's all the white women at?" Chang calls out. Miller and Casey follow behind him.A bar montage ensues in which Chang drinks more, break dances on the dance floor, exposes himself to a bar full of women then proceeds to urinate on them and rides a mechanical bull before projectile vomiting.Casey and Miller realize they have to take home Chang home for sure then. Problem is they don't know where he lives. However, Casey remembers Nicole. Miller says to give it up, he can't close, but Casey means Nicole knows Chang so he should know where he lives. Plus, he saw her sorority sweatshirt so they can just go find her.Casey and Miller drag Chang across the university looking for the sorority. They check Chang and find a revolver on him. They are seriously freaked out by him having it. Miller jokes about wanting to kill a squirrel.They stop at what they believe is the right sorority and ring the bell. Two girls answer and write on a white board there are no visitors after 11:00 pm. Casey tries to ask about Nicole, but the girls shut the door in their faces. Casey doesn't know what to do, but Miller has a plan. Finding an open window around back and the three get inside. They get inside and notice a banner proclaiming the building a Latina sorority. Miller and Casey are confused (they are obviously in the wrong place). They drag Chang with them, but Chang starts to make noise. They tie him to a toilet so they can search for Nicole.Miller and Casey look around and realize they are in the wrong place but keep looking until the hallway hits a dead end. Hearing someone and having no choice, they drive into another room. The two girls in the room jump up blindfolded and proclaim they are ready for their punishment, mistaking them as their Pledgemistress.Chang meanwhile is struggling in his restraint. A woman comes in and mistakes him for a girl. He continues to make noise and breaks free from his restraints. The girl finally notices it is Chang and watches in bewilderment as he eats a tampon, mistaking it for candy.Meanwhile, the two pledge girls say they are ready to be spanked, so Miller goes with it and starts spanking him. He speaks up, and the girls start to go suspicious. Miller said the Pledgemistress told to be there and if they object she will find out. The girls plead for him not to say anything and asks what is next. Miller said they should make out. Though weirded out, they do with even Casey, who has been lightly objecting Miller's behavior, unable to stop himself from watching.The girl in the bathroom comes out and attacks Chang, using rapist defense techniques. She screams about an intruder and the two pledge girls take off their blindfolds and look at Casey and Miller. Realizing they have been busted, they quickly run into the bathroom and lock it. They are freaked out about the group of Latin sorority sisters trying to kill them. They climb out a window onto a balcony just as the girls are breaking through the door with a golf club. They swing Chang onto the pool cover that bounces him into a rose garden. "Oh my god, did we just kill Jeff Chang?" Miller asks (a running gag; throughout the film they never call him by just his first or last name but his full name). They have no time to think about it as the sorority girls are about to get them. Casey notices Nicole's sorority just before they jump themselves.Casey and Miller get Chang to Nicole's sorority and force themselves inside. Nicole finds them and helps them get the thorns out of Chang's body. They ask if she knows where Chang lives, and she says she doesn't. She only took remedial science with him, and he rarely talked to anyone. Miller and Casey realize what she is saying and balk; Chang is great at school. However, Nicole tells them the opposite; he's failing Science and isn't doing so hot in most of his classes. Casey and Miller are stunned as Chang didn't tell them any of this. Nicole tells them a friend of hers, Randy, has all the student addresses since he is a cheerleader and offers them a ride to a pep rally where he will be. They take her up on that offer.And with good reason. Casey and Miller see that the Latina sorority is looking for them everywhere. They see Nicole's car show up and are horrified that it is a very small car. Nevertheless, having no choice, they rush it, and pile themselves in there before the Latin sorority can get to them. The head sorority sister tells the others to "Get the Van."Nicole drives the three to the pep rally with Chang passed out on the dash.When they get there, Casey asks if Nicole wants to go with them, but she says she is going to a party. She also mentions Randy is her boyfriend, something she hadn't brought up before. Casey is crushed and Miller ribs him about it.Dr. Chang hears the sorority girls searching outside and asks what is going on. One of them shows him a photo of Miller and Casey and mentions they had an Asian boy with them. Dr. Chang is enraged and plans to find them.Miller and Casey find Randy only for Miller to realize that he is the same guy Chang accidentally hit with a dart. Randy is obviously not happy to see them. Casey tries to ask nice about Chang's address, but Randy wants to be a tool. Miller having enough, pulls out the gun and asks for Randy's phone. Randy thinks the gun is fake, so Miller shoots it in the air. That however, causes a live buffalo brought in for the pep rally to be startled and start charging and attacking people. Miller and Casey escape with Chang in a golf cart and Randy gets trampled by the buffalo.Casey finds Chang's address, and they begin to drive there. Miller has been enjoying their night saying he misses college and that he almost regrets dropping out. Casey looks at him in shock and asks when this happened. Miller admits he dropped out two years ago and has been working at a gas station. He thought that he wasn't good, enough unlike Chang and Casey. Casey tells him he is crazy as he is the smartest person he knows and he should go back to school. Casey then concedes that perhaps he can get away for a week or two to go to the Sidewinder festival which makes Miller happy.They get to the address to find a dorm housing. Casey realize it is a old address. They pull Chang in and see a full raging party is happy. They knock on a door or two before finding Sally Huang (Samantha Futerman) and asks if she knows Chang. Sally thinks they are being racist before realizing that she actually knows him. She tells them that Chang kept to himself and eventually move out when he was arrested. Casey and Miller are freaked out as they knew nothing about that. They press for more info, and Sally says his old RA, PJ, might know something. She tells them if they see him, to tell him to keep it down since she has field hockey in the morning. She then shuts the door in their face.Miller and Casey find out if they want to get to PJ, they have to beat each drinking game on 8 different floors to get to him. They plop Chang down on a couch with some stoners and get to work. First they beat some Serbian beer pong players, making plenty of Rocky and rapist jokes at them. A montage ensues as they conquer each floor before making it to the last one. It is when Casey reunites with Nicole, and they play the final drinking game together with Miller. Nicole mentions a favorite vacation spot of hers and Casey says he loves it there too. The moment is broken however, when Nicole finds out Randy has been hurting by the buffalo and the reason he hasn't responded to her was because his phone was stolen (Miller took it). Nicole leaves.The stoners, seeing how messed up Chang is, decide to mess with him. They strip him naked, glue a teddy bear to his penis, places a bra on his chest and cover him with graffiti.Miller and Casey make it to PJ. Miller is less than impressed with the final floor and their prize of gold beads. PJ bemoans his lack of funds and mockingly says he'll try better next time. Casey asks about Chang and PJ reveals he was arrested for attempted murder. The two of them are stunned. They leave, realizing they need to get him home. However, they see him outside, naked and making a further fool of himself. Casey tries to calm him down, but Chang whispers, "You'll never take me alive," and runs off.Casey and Miller run off and pursue him. Chang meanwhile, jumps on a bunch car before a cop car sees him. The cop tells him to "Get down, now." Chang begins to dance, taking the command literally." Just as Casey and Miller are going to intervene, Dr. Chang shows up and confronts him, asking them where his son is. They lie as his son is being arrested behind his back literally. Dr. Chang tells them they waste their lives being drunken fools and drives off. Casey and Miller breathe a sigh of relief and go to track him down.They go to the police station only to see Chang had been transported to the hospital wing of the campus. A woman, Cara, offers to escort them across campus. Walking them, a van pulls up. Cara is a member of the Latina sorority. They pull masks over Casey and Miller and kidnap them.When they come to they are surrounded by robed members of the sorority, buck naked saved for their tube socks on their genitals. They are going to be punished for breaking in, embarrassing their pledges and destroying their rose garden. They are swiftly found guilty. First, they are spanked by paddles by the girls they did it to earlier. Next, since they made the girls kiss each other, they are ordered to, as well. Casey and Miller balk at that, but the leader says if they don't they will be branded with the sorority logo on their butts. Casey freaks out, not wanting to be branded, saying he won't be able to be buried right (he's Jewish). Casey and Miller eventually go with it, awkwardly.Cut to the next morning, where the movie began. The sorority branded them anyway.As they walk, Casey calls Miller out on his bullshit; he forced Chang to go out and get drunk and caused everything. Miller says Chang is an adult and made his own choices. Besides this is what friends do for each other for their birthdays. Casey, angry at him, says they are not friends. Not anymore. Miller tells him if they are going to be honest, he is tired of Casey's crap too. He thinks it is stupid that Casey is so ready to settle for monotony of adulthood. Casey says he is growing up, but Miller says he has forgotten how to be young and have fun. They have a naked fight in the middle of the quad due to their fighting.Later, they reach the hospital and are given hospital scrubs to have clothing. Nicole comes out and spots them. She says she went to check on Randy after his attack, but he acted like an asshole so they broke up, it being a long time coming. Nicole says she will be leaving on her trip in a few hours and waits for Casey to say something. He doesn't, scared, and so she leaves, saying goodbye. Casey kicks himself for being too chicken.They find out by the head nurse that Chang will be held 24 hours. They grab the file from her and find out that not only Chang has been there numerous times, his attempted murder charge was actually an attempted suicide. Casey and Miller are shocked at how little they know about their friend. The nurse kicks them out.Casey and Miller sit on the hospital steps and realize how bad friends they had been if Chang couldn't even feel like he could call them to tell them what was wrong. They decide to help Chang get home on time. They notice The Chief walking out, and he tells them he took some LSD and wound up dancing outside his house all night (also that he is actually a professor at the University). Casey realize that they had probably passed by Chang's house numerous times during the night (as The Chief lives next door) and didn't realize it. They get The Chief's address and go get Chang so he will be ready for his interview. Busting through the hospital rooms they find Chang and decide to slowly drop him out of the window on top of the pep rally SUV. They change their mind, but it is too late. They can't pick him up so he drops two to three stories onto the hood of the car. "Did we just kill Jeff Chang again?" Miller asks.They get outside to find the SUV missing. Chang shows up having stolen it just as Randy shows up and notices. The three of them pile in, and Chang drives off.However, Chang is still obviously drunk and drives erratically, sometimes not even looking at the road. "I feel real alert, like Spider man," Chang notes, seconds before toppling a half dozen parking meters. Casey and Miller are scared, while Chang cuts through the university with a police car not far behind. Miller thinks they are going to die and admits that he wants to go back to school, he wants to make out with a black chick, and that he wants to really fuck Casey's sister. Chang hears the dropped out of school part and looks back at him. Miller tells him to watch the road. They eventually fish tail over a hill, with the car doing a 360 turn several times before landing right side up on a lower road with the police car unaware. "Maybe I shouldn't drive," Chang says.Having twenty minutes or less to make him presentable, the three race home and get him showered and cleaned up. Having no choice, they yank the teddy bear off Chang's penis, causing him immense pain. "I think we just circumcised Jeff Chang," Casey says. They get him in a suit and tell him he's ready. Chang says he doesn't know if he can do this; he doesn't want to be a doctor, and he's failing all the courses needed for it anyway. Miller blurts out that they know about his suicide attempt. Chang says he didn't actually try to kill himself; he had been studying for 72 hours straight, coked out on pills to help him focus and he started to hallucinate in his room, and the gun went off.Miller and Casey tell him that he needs to be honest with his father. "Tell the truth?" Chang says. "Guys that is so white."They hear a knock at the door, and thinking it is Dr. Chang, Chang opens it. However it is Randy who punches Chang to the ground with a baseball bat and starts destroying things for the earlier dart incident. Dr. Chang shows up and asks Randy who the hell he is. Randy threatens Dr. Chang and tells him his son won't be making that interview. Seeing it coming, Chang, Miller, and Casey wince as Dr. Chang takes the bat and beats up Randy. He then tells his son to come with him.Chang finally stands up to his dad, and says he doesn't want to be a doctor. Dr. Chang seemingly understands, then says he understands that he raised a worthless piece of shit son. Miller, having enough, punches Dr. Chang for bad talking his son like that. Chang tells his father to leave, and he does. Randy gets back up and tells Chang is father is a dick too and apologizes for being an asshole. Though weirded out, he accepts Randy's apology and Randy and his crew leave peacefully.Chang feels great as he can now do what he wants in life. Chang tells his friends that he wants to start doing music again, and really enjoy life for once as now every decision will be his own. Casey gets an epiphany and tells them he'll see them later, running to catch Nicole. "You're ruining the moment, dick," Miller screams after him. Chang sighs and notes, "My fucking dick hurts."Casey sees Nicole's car pull away and is sad to have just missed her. Nicole calls out to him nearby though; she is letting her friend borrow it while she is away. Nicole asks if he has something to tell her. Casey says yeah and kisses her. They proceed to make out.3 MONTHS LATERCasey, Nicole, Miller, and Chang are at the Sidewinder festival. Miller is making out with hippie girls like he wanted, and Chang apparently has a girlfriend. Casey and Nicole are a couple, as well. Miller says he has a meeting with the college board about getting back to school so they can't go too crazy. Casey smirks and Chang says he is the "little baby" tonight.Cut to the next morning with Miller with crutches due to a broken foot, hair highlighted half red, and wearing a jumpsuit with "Coroner" on the back, late for his interview. He gets into the office with the professor he is meeting only to realize it is The Chief. The Chief laughs and says Miller looks like shit and Miller laughs at his good fortune; at least with The Chief, he has someone who understands the ideal of a good time and he should still have a good shot of getting back into school. | revenge, humor, entertaining | train | imdb | If the "The Hangover" and "Project X" were fused together to make one new film, the result would be "21 and Over." From the same writers of the Hangover, Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, "21 and Over" is a film that taps into the college demographic by concentrating on some of the issues that affect a lot of students throughout the United States — binge drinking, beer pong games, sex and parties.This comedy follows three best friends who have fallen out of touch since graduating from high school and transitioning into college.
They try to meet up on important occasions, in this case Jeff Chang's (Justin Chon) birthday.Jeff Chang is finally turning 21 and with that age his best friends, Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller), believe comes a new stage in Chang's life; one filled with alcohol and girls.Chang is a straight-A student who is preparing for an upcoming interview to gain admittance to medical school.
The night takes an unexpected turn when Jeff Chang becomes unresponsive after overdrinking.Following the same formula used in "The Hangover," "21 and Over" attempts to win audiences over by using a lot of crude humor including many physical jokes.Miles Teller (Miller) takes most of the spotlight with his straightforward dialogue and comedic timing.
While it offers a few laughs, too many scenes are either lackluster, or exaggerated, and some of the humor is forced."The Hangover" was much more imaginative than "21 and Over," which has fewer plot twists and a rushed ending.Even worse, the film reinforces all possible stereotypes including the smart Asian, the party alcoholic white male, crazy Latinas, and out of control college students.The film is far from a masterpiece.
Sure, a couple of other moments are funny at the time, if only because at least one of the guys -- Casey -- doesn't seem like he deserved to be put through them, but they're kind of bland for the genre.There are a few running gags scattered throughout -- always calling Jeff Chang by his full name being one of them -- but most of the humor in "21 and Over" comes from the situations themselves.
Sure, the film is about these three guys -- although it's really two of them because Jeff Chang isn't awake for most of his screen time -- but if you want to continue bringing back these secondary characters, at least treat them with a little respect.I'm sure that all of these actors have talent.
One's own experiences and perspectives change with age, and Lucas and Moore are out of touch with the current 20s generation as the dialogue, story development, and characters in "21 and Over" are old, clichéd, and stereotypical.The movie took a while to pick up the pace.
Surprisingly and thankfully Jeff Chang is not the main focus in this film, nothing against the actors (these newcomers did a great job), but the supposed main character burned through his drinking and bar scenes early on in a series of montages.Some of the likable aspects of this movie are the timing of the stunts and how outrageous the stunts are.
This is the directorial debut of Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who wrote "The Hangover (2009)." "21 & Over" pretends to take chances even as it retraces the same sequences we've already seen in movies like--well--"The Hangover." It's hard to completely hate "21 & Over," but you cannot really laugh at it either.
I think the last film I saw was 'Movie 43' and that made me lose faith in laughter and happiness
Anyway, '21 & over' certainly isn't the funniest comedy ever but there are a decent amount of laughs and cringe moments.
Astin's Casey is the stuffed shirt who's already on the fast track to a career on Wall Street after he graduates; Chon's Jeff is the stressed-out A-student whose dad is pressuring him to ace a med school interview the next day; and Teller's Miller is the Stiffler-type wise-ass who refuses to grow up, convinced that the only life worth living is one patterned after the "American Pie" movies.Against their better judgment, Astin and Teller- take Chon out for a celebratory bender, resulting in what anyone with any knowledge of how these things customarily work out in the movies can plainly predict.
Great, time for another beer.I was aware that this film looked quite poor from the trailer and copious amounts of bad reviews, however, as i walked into the cinema, merry after a few beers i thought it may be a nice easy watching movie with a few cheap laughs.
Like anybody planning to sleep in a catharsis of vomit and food consumed from the afternoon, 21 & Over is a raunchy, absurd, highly energetic and overly confident comedy that unapologetically assaults its audience members with inappropriateness from beginning to end.On the day of Jeff Chang's (Justin Chon) 21st birthday, his old friends Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller) show up to his residence on campus.
What starts off with just a few drinks and a bit of misdirection turns out to be a rip-roaring journey into the dark corners of Jeff Chang's college campus.Where 21 & Over succeeds and other movies like it fail is in the underlying themes and chemistry.
To think how people in other countries see the twentysomethings of America after these films really makes me upset.Our story immediately breeds contempt with his familiarity; two collegian friends named Miller (Miles Teller) and Casey (Skylar Astin) decide to pick up their friend Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) to party on his twenty-first birthday.
When Jeff Chang gets so drunk and incoherent that he can't stand up straight, Miller and Casey carry him around town, haplessly, Weekend at Bernie's-style, searching for his house in order to get him ready for his interview in a few hours.Watching these nitwits wander around town, in search of their pals home, while dragging him on his feet, carrying him like an infant, or tossing him in the back of a golf-cart as they go down the stairs is not one of the definitions of comedy for me.
If there's one positive to come out of all of this, it will give me time to reflect on my choice of friends in the future.My video review of 21 and Over, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63C8Aubcv8cStarring: Miles Teller, Skylar Astin, Justin Chon, and Sarah Wright.
In all honesty i was looking forward to this film, After the trailer showed us a rip roaring comedy with plenty of that silly teenage comedy we have all came to know and love The part of this trailer states from the people who brought you The Hangover, (Must of been the script writer) as this film shows every sign of a Hangover film, with all its twists and turns and 3 friends who really don't have a clue where their night will take them Does this mean i like the movie NO!
Don't kid yourself, This film has very rare laughs, and by rare i mean every once in a while you will give in to you're childishness and laugh at a moment you would not generally choose to laugh at, From the cheesy teenage hijinks production of seen it all before and far better done, to the oh they really went there I could forgive this film a lot more if it wasn't for the huge gaping plot holes in the film that make the entire movie obsolete from the get go Non of the characters are very likable, (even the one you're meant to like is unlikeable) Maybe I'm just picking at a movie which just either was not my humor (Although the hangover and American pie are my favorite comedy's) or just a film which tried to hard to be the film people we're expecting I personally give this film a 4 out of 10 Be the judge yourself.
The Hangover has been getting progressively worse so what do you expect when the same writers turn their skills to a story about 21 year old college kids having a crazy naked drunken night before the med school interview of one of them.This movie is so terribly written it's not even funny in it's vulgarity.
The movie has been compared to other similar teen sex/party films (like last year's 'PROJECT X') as well as the great 'HANGOVER'.
I'd say while it doesn't match the greatest of all drunk party films ('THE HANGOVER') it does make a very nice and somewhat classic (in its own right) youth gone wild film all the same.Chon plays Jeff Chang (who's full name is used at all times, even by his two best friends, which some say is racism), a straight-A college student who's been studying to be a doctor.
His two best friends, Casey (Astin, who looks an awful lot like a younger Dane Cook) and Miller (Teller), who haven't seen Jeff in a while, decide to show up at his place on his 21st birthday to take him out partying.
The movie has a very similar formula and style to 'THE HANGOVER' and while it might not be as good as that classic film it is better than it's first sequel (and probably it's second).
the dialogs are exhausting and tacky, and of course, they had to push in some cheap love story.The feeling i got, is that the writers just wanted to add another movie to their records and few bucks to their wallets , and didn't really give much thought on making it original or funny, but played it safe with usual college humor.For me it was a waste of time and money, but hey, if it was free and i was watching it on TV with nothing else better to do - i might have stuck till the end.long story short : if your'e over 21, I don't recommend this movie..
21 & Over (2013) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Friends Miller (Miles Teller) and Casey (Shylar Astin) show up to Jeff Chang's (Justin Chon) house to take him out for his 21st birthday.
This film follows college students Miller and Casey (played by Miles Teller and Skylar Astin), who hope to take their friend Jeff Chang (played by Justin Chon) out for a drink for his 21st birthday.
However, what was supposed to a quick night of a few drinks unexpectedly turns into a night of endless debauchery when the Jeff Chang becomes passed out drunk and Miller and Casey cannot remember where he lives.While this movie isn't anything original as it follows nearly the same plot as The Hangover, a group of friends who get wasted, lose one of their friends and can't remember what happened the previous night, it surprisingly still brought out the laughs and humor the writers of The Hangover have been made known for.
"All I need is a little help from my friends" goes the line from the Beatles song and that is exactly what Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) discovers in his two best pals from high school Miller (Miles Teller) and Casey (Skylar Astin) do when they come to visit him at school to celebrate the coming of age 21 birthday.
The whole teenagers at college thing becomes boring and its nothing that we haven't seen before in movies like American Pie. There obviously left it open for a sequel, which I won't be rushing to see, but judging by the money that it made, I'm sure that they will be laughing all the way to the bank.
That is the case, until your very close friends surprise you and will not hear another word; to them 21st equals hard partying, period!This is one of the more hilarious films of recent times and although the Hollywood tendency to go over the top is ever present, yet it has good humour and allows us to penetrate a little deeper inside the leading characters.What started as an innocent night out goes pretty bad, but it happens for a purpose as true friends would not give up trying to rescue their buddy...at any cost.
Miller (Miles Teller) and Casey (Skylar Austin) surprise old friend Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) by showing up at his doorstep.
We then flashback to the day before as straitlaced Casey (Skylar Astin) and partying Miller (Miles Teller) visit their old high school friend Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) on campus to celebrate his 21st birthday.Jeff Chang has an important interview the next morning for a medical school and his father is stern and uptight.
21 & Over follows two boys Casey and Miller who just want to show there best friend Jeff Chang a good time for once in his life.
The film is unpredictable and funny to watch and weirdly I believe teaches a sort off lesson that maybe sticking to the normal go to high school, go to college, get job routine that every person seems to do isn't necessary correct enjoying your life is important to, I like this film..
This movie was pretty good for its genre, it made me laugh and it surprised me, it didn't even feel like The Hangover for college aged.
I don't know Jeff Chang guy was the best pick to play that role but I felt Miles Teller was little annoying, maybe because the character was developed like that I guess.This Adnveturous night takes place on 21st birthday of one of the main character, while celebration they get lost and how they end everything they have started is the rest.
You've seen everything else, in every other frat boy movie ever.Teller and Astin are game for everything thrown their way, and both are charismatic enough to make the 90 minutes fly by, but the film feels like a retread.
And the movie does follow the blueprint for those particular types of movies page by page, line by line.The movie doesn't really bring anything new to the genre that hasn't already been seen or done in other movies in the same particular genre of comedies.The story is about the friends Miller (played by Miles Teller) and Casey (played by Skylar Astin) who go unannounced to pay their friend Jeff Chang (played by Justin Chon) a surprise visit for his 21st birthday.
There are some nice enough scenes and situations throughout the movie, however you are not very likely to lay down flat on your back laughing hard.What makes the movie worth watching a single time is the chemistry between the three lead actors (and their characters) and some of the situations that they end up in."21 & Over" gets a mediocre 5 out of 10 stars from me..
However, one of your best friends is making it all the more reason to go out and have fun, "It's the birthday of a life time".21 & Over was inspired by the film The Hangover...
However it does it's pretty well and if you simply want a film about drunkenness to make you laugh this is it, it won't win any Oscars, comedies rarely do.The stunts and jokes get to the point of ridiculous, but they are at least consistent, it's one of those movies that seem to have an endless night, think Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist but there is a plot to it, even if it's not that deep.
21 & Over Not only do you have to wait 21 years to drink in the States, but you also have to drink weak-ass American beer when you do.However, the friends in this comedy are still carrying on with their rites of passage.On Jeff's (Justin Chon) 21st birthday, his pals Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller) show up at his dorm to take him out.Standing in their way is Jeff's overassertive father (Francois Chau), who's there to escort him to a medical school interview.But Miller convinces Jeff to have a drink and that leads to more drinks and sexual mischief that ultimately reveals a dark secret about Jeff.Tackling parental pressure to succeed while performing a keg stand, 21 & Over's is too immature to be taken serious and too clichéd to be advisable.Incidentally, with helicopter parenting, nowadays your parents go to the same ABC Parties as you.Red Light vidiotreviews.blogspot.com.
Don't get me wrong, it isn't the Hangover, but has similarities due to having the same writers.Acting/Casting: 7* - Miles Teller has impeccable delivery in this film and without that this movie would not have been as funny.
The music accompanies the film well and this was a well put together comedy.Plot/Characters: 6* - Jeff Chang is turning 21 and his buddies have come up to visit and show him a good time.
Some of the them include; it isn't good enough for people wanting more, we have seen films like this in the past and executed better, most of the jokes aren't funny (including many racist jokes by Miller), the dialogue is filled with constant F bombs which is okay when well written but this was overboard, a lot of stereotypes of characters in the film, and the overall plot and the way it all happened was unrealistic..
We then see longtime buddies Miller (Miles Teller, "Project X," another vivid example of how today's youth and unlimited partying definitely does not go together) and Casey (Skylar Astin, "Pitch Perfect") travel to an anonymous college town to visit a third chum, the super brainiac, Jeff Chang (Justin Chon, "Twilight") to help him celebrate his 21st birthday.
'The Hangover' scribes Scott Moore and Jon Lucas get behind the director's chair together for their first time with this comedy and they prove they have as much skill as Todd Phillips when telling a college tale about drinking and debauchery.We first me Miller (Miles Teller), who is a fast talking wise-ass who is on his way to one of his high-school best friend's college campus, in order to celebrate his friend's 21st birthday.
Twas the night before his big medical school interview, when young Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) was surprised by his two best friends from high school, Miller (Miles Teller) and Casey (Skylar Astin), who both have made special trips just to celebrates Jeff's 21st birthday. |
tt1931435 | The Big Wedding | Don and Ellie Griffin were a New England couple married for twenty years before they divorced. They have three children from their marriage – Lyla, Jared, and adopted son Alejandro, who originates from Colombia.
In preparation for Alejandro's wedding, Ellie arrives at Don's (and her old) home, and lets herself in. She interrupts Don just as he is about to perform sex on Bebe, his girlfriend of eight years (and Ellie's former best friend). All are embarrassed, but they make small talk, and he shows Ellie to her room. Meanwhile, Alejandro and his fiancée Missy are meeting with Father Moinighan, the priest who will be marrying them. It is revealed that Alejandro's biological mother Madonna is going to be coming from Colombia to the wedding, which upsets Alejandro since he does not have a "traditional" family, and his Catholic mother would not approve of that or the fact that Don and Ellie had been divorced.
Lyla, who reveals she is separated, goes to the hospital and sees her 29-year-old brother Jared, an OB, after passing out. They talk and it is revealed that he is a virgin and is waiting for the "right one". Back at home, Alejandro tells Ellie about his mother coming to the wedding. Explaining that since she is a devout Catholic and doesn't believe in divorce, Alejandro asks Ellie and Don to pretend to be married for the next three days. Hearing this, Bebe becomes upset and leaves the house, clearly upset at Don. Alejandro's mother arrives with his biological 20-year-old sister, Nuria. Later, Nuria flirts with Jared, after she brazenly strips naked to skinnydip in the family's lake as he watches.
That evening, the family goes out to dinner with Missy and her parents Muffin and Barry, and Bebe shows up as their waitress, which surprises everyone. Meanwhile, Nuria starts fondling Jared under the table, and Ellie sees Nuria giving Jared a handjob. She brings Nuria to the restroom for a chat, telling her that American women behave differently with men. When they arrive home, Jared tells Nuria he wants to have sex, as she had suggested earlier, but she tells him "No", asking him instead to do romantic things for her such as read her poetry. Don and Ellie, meanwhile, end up having sex after Ellie, still pretending to be Don's wife, sleeps in Don's room.
Ellie and Madonna go for a walk in the woods and talk. Neither understands the other's language, though they think they are communicating on some level. At the same time, Don and Lyla talk privately and Lyla reveals she is pregnant. On the wedding day, before the ceremony, Don tells Bebe he had sex with Ellie. Bebe says she forgives them but then punches him in the face. She also reveals that Ellie cheated on Don with Missy's father before Don cheated on her. Muffin says that she knows about Ellie and Barry, and tells them that she is bisexual, implying that she is interested in a sexual affair with both Bebe and Ellie. Meanwhile, Missy and Alejandro have decided to get married on the family dock to escape the chaos. The family runs after them and, after some of them fall into the lake, the wedding reception is on.
During the reception, Jared goes upstairs to talk to Nuria, who tells him she has decided to no longer follow Ellie's advice (about not being so available sexually), and they sleep together. Back at the reception, Ellie and Bebe have made up. Don surprises Bebe by proposing to her, and they get married on the spot. Lyla's husband Andrew arrives at the wedding and, upon finding out that Lyla is pregnant, reconciles with her. Alejandro's mother realizes she has been lied to about his family and he runs after her as she starts to leave. But she reveals that her own past was not as pure as he thought, that she too had lied to protect him, and she forgives him.
Time passes and it is revealed that Lyla has had a daughter named Jane, as Don attaches a plaque with her name to their family tree. | comedy, adult comedy | train | wikipedia | Just throw together a completely meaningless plot, fill it with a couple awkward sexual scenes, remove any hint of real feeling or nuance, and then fill what's left with numerous clichés that are worthy of a B porno flick - and you will get some idea of what "The Big Wedding" is like.It's another one in the long and sadly ever-growing line of Hollywood fiascoes, built on the premise that it's enough to throw together a bunch of star actors to get a blockbuster.
As a fan of four key people in the cast (De Niro, Keaton, Williams, Sarandon), it was pretty much a given that I was going to see this, even if the ads told me that I was destined for a rough ride.There was a certain stripe of made-for-TV movie in the 1980s and early 90s, movies with titles like "Crash Course" and "Baby of the Bride." They featured casts bursting with stars of all the then-hot series (Jackee, Rue McClanahan, etc.) and wacky premises (a wacky driver's ed school!
Given the premise (deduced from the trailer) and the title I was thinking of skipping 'The Big Wedding' but it's got Hollywood's finest actors like Robin Williams, Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton and Robert de Niro.
But let's do it anyways: We have the patriarch and matriarchs (Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton and Susan Sarandon); we have the up-and-comers excited for their big day (Ben Barnes and Amanda Seyfried); and then we have the middle siblings who have had their time in the spotlight and are starting to fade away (Topher Grace and Katherine Heigl).The wedding revolves around lies (obviously) and religion - with Robin Williams as the drunken Catholic priest.
At times the film crosses the line from funny dysfunctional family to repulsive dysfunctional family.The one line that "The Big Wedding" straddles well is that between comedy and drama.
I'm glad we went to the cheap matinée.In short, the jokes are all sex-related and not funny, many of the lines seem to have been bad ad-libs, one character speaks in subtitles in a poor attempt to add sophistication to the movie (and she's very annoying at that), and you couldn't care less what happens to any of the characters.
THE BIG WEDDING features not only those three Oscar-winners but we've also got Robin Williams playing a priest and the supporting cast includes the likes of Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried and Topher Grace.
There are three scenes of a highly sexual nature that are extremely funny for those who are not.This is another in the growing trend of using mature actors and it is good to see Diane Keaton and Susan Sarendon in starring roles where some years back they would have disappeared from our screens.
Robert De Niro is excellent, as ever and Robin Williams in the smaller part of the quartet of Oscar winners, made this a foursome of very funny performances.The rest of the cast also turned in fine performances and I think they must have had lots of fun making the film.
What made things even worse is that director Justin Zackham (whose major film credit is writing the screenplay for The Bucket List) had an all-star cast to work with here and none of the characters felt like a real human being.
This is one of the laziest and most shameful movies of the year and I doubt many people will enjoy this "comedy."Alejandro (Ben Barnes) and Missy (Amanda Seyfried) are a young couple preparing for their big wedding, which means that Alejandro's dysfunctional family has to come together for this special occasion.
If you had cut out half the random story lines and the random awkward sexual parts that...for the record did not add to the plot line, it would have been a great movie but as usual a potentially good film is ruined with crude comedy.
When long divorced couple Don (Robert De Niro) and Ellie (Diane Keaton) get together for their adopted son Alejandro's (Ben Barnes) wedding to Missy (Amanda Seyfried), they think it will be a piece of cake.
But when news comes about that Alejandro's incredibly Catholic birth mother is coming to the wedding arises, Alejandro has just one request of his parents...pretend to be married.When going into the film, I really wasn't expecting much other than a cheesy rom-com with an all star cast.
I only end up watching movies like this when my mother gets 'conned' by some aggressive TV advertising the film.
Directed by Justin Zackham, who also adapted the screenplay from the 2006 French-Swiss movie Mon Frere Se Marie, The Big Wedding is light on laughs, and even lighter in its dramatic, emotional moments, making it cold and distant, and never quite achieving anything in its featherweight treatment.Imagine the likes of Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace, Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams in your cast list.
The premise was set, but hardly anything of note happens, with convenience pretty much summed everything up, and its supposed surprises being pulled off as desperate attempts to add flavour to the mix.De Niro plays Don, who has for many years divorced his wife Ellie (Keaton), and is now in a relationship with Bebe (Sarandon).
Then there's the big lie they have to put up with, because Alejandro's biological mother Madonna (Patricia Rae) is scheduled to attend his wedding, but seriously, at this point, everything had sounded terribly tedious.The narrative then tried to boost its other areas and subplots to pad up the screen time, so we have Don and Ellie's other kids turn up to.
Robin Williams was nothing more than a cameo playing a priest, which he had already done to better results in License to Wed.So expect the usual bickering when characters go head up against one another, especially with Missy's parents Barry (David Rasche) and Muffin (Christine Ebersole) doing nothing but to provide one liner revelations of their entanglements with the main family members.
Surely this could have been that fine comedy when everything comes crashing down at one large, social gathering, but alas, The Big Wedding fell flat on its face, not knowing exactly what to do with talent and hand, and hampered by an extremely unmoving, and uninspiring story that didn't even try to be smart, since it can't get through to hearts, being without one of its own to begin with.One of the worst films of the year?
Having seen Crazy Stupid Love and being surprised with its wit, good script and sophisticated humour I thought The Big Wedding might be a similar kind of film.
They had to read the script prior to signing up....what the heck were they thinking???It's obvious in the first five minutes that the movie is desperately trying for cheap laughs, with sexual situations taking priority over character development.
The movie has got to get better given the talent of the cast, right?Kept shaking my head in profound disbelief throughout the film, watching these great actors stumble thru their idiotic dialogue and circumstances.
The characters were so sloppily written, that this film was essentially like watching a bad sitcom that gets canceled after 3 episodes.Hollywood has really changed, with studios green lighting anything to keep movie theatres full, and great actors now taking any work that comes their way..
The all-star cast did have some nice on screen chemistry and I liked the charm and wit brought on by the great young actors, namely Topher Grace.
He managed to make a film, that was able to tarnish the professional history of such beautiful actors as Robert de Niro, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams and Diane Keaton.
The whole messed up family thing who gathers for a wedding, has been played out, and the only way that this type of movie is interesting is when the characters are interesting, which they definitely are not in this case.
The director should have let Robin Williams loose.Budget: $35million Worldwide Gross: $22million (What a loss!)I recommend this movie to people who are into there films which are based around a couple getting married with a dysfunctional family preparing the wedding.
It wasn't even saved by the great cast and decent cinematography, it was just a flop of a comic attempt with a boring script.Adding lines to the story, like they did, doesn't make it good.
The one thing it has going for itself is its respectable cast but they are so horribly misused and abused I have no idea why a single one of them signed up for this travesty.Robert De Niro (Cape Fear) and Diane Keaton (Father of the Bride) play divorced parents who are reuniting at a beautiful lake house for the wedding of their "brown-skinned" adoptive son, Alejandro (Ben Barnes - Dorian Gray), to a lovely blonde (Amanda Seyfried - Dear John).
It is said by several characters that he is Italian because his future mother-in-law (Christine Ebersole - Black Sheep) fears brown-skinned Hispanic babies although he is supposed to be Colombian (but Barnes is actually a British actor who apparently hit the tanning beds a few times before filming the role ...
Yes, really.So many of the moments in The Big Wedding had me question whether or not I was actually seeing what my eyes were (sadly) ACTUALLY seeing because the content and situations were so dreadfully bad (not to mention embarrassing to some of the actors).Topher Grace (Take Me Home Tonight) and Katherine Heigl (The Ugly Truth) play Alejandro's two adoptive siblings -- him as a sexually-challenged doctor who is relentlessly pursued by Alejandro's "real" sister (uh -- gross but played by Ana Ayora - Marley & Me) who comes to the wedding and her as a cold who-knows-what.
A divorced couple(Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton) have to pretend to be married,cause there adopted son(Ben Barns) real mother, is coming for his wedding and thinks divorce is a big time sin.
Robert De Niro was good, So was Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Topher Grace, Katherine Heigl, Robin Williams and everybody else involved.
The Big Wedding is an awful movie with a poorly written storyline and a great comedic cast that sadly weren't enough to make this movie enjoyable.The set up for the movie sounded fun and unique,and then the cast made it sound even better,but sadly there were very few parts that I genuinely laughed at.The movie had such a great cast and didn't use any of them to full effect,Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton didn't really get to show their dramatic acting skills enough,a great actress like Amanda Seyfried wasn't even in it very long,and Robin Williams (One of the Greatest Comedy Actors of All Time,May He Rest in Peace) could easily have improvised all of his scenes and made them so much funnier,but sadly the director obviously made him go by the script,so all of his lines were very dry humour.Usually the fun thing about comedies that revolve around families is that you can relate to them in a funny way,but there is no way anyone could relate to this family's relationship,the ending was probably what irritated me the most though,most of the conflict in this film isn't resolved.The Big Wedding is not a funny or enjoyable movie and I would recommend it to no one.
The saddest part is watching actors that used to make great movies stoop to taking part in something so unfunny and stale as "The Big Wedding." But I probably said the same thing after watching De Niro's last comedy "The Family." This movie is your typical Hollywood wedding comedy, complete with Robin Williams reprising his role as the priest he played in "License to Wed." Diane Keaton brings back the character she played in "Because I Said So" and takes it up a notch by being even less credible playing the mother of the groom.
With Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams just to name a few, this comedy looks promising; if not for laughs, at least for easy watching with familiar faces.The film is a remake of the 2006 French film Mon Frère Se Marie (My Brother is Getting Married) written by Jean-Stéphane Bron and Karine Sudan.
The film is based around Ellie (Diane Keaton) and Don's (Robert De Niro) adopted Columbian son Alejandro (Ben Barnes) who is getting married.
Hearing Diane Keaton drop the C-bomb is unbelievably refreshing, and who would expect to see De Niro, Sarandon and cunnilingus- in theory and in practice- all incorporated in the first ten of the 89-minute film?But disappointingly, with its simple-minded storyline and some real cringe-worthy stereotypes, the 'The Big Wedding' just doesn't ooze the same stellar quality like that of the cast.
So long divorced couple Don (Robert De Niro) and Ellie (Diane Keaton) have to pretend to be married for the sake of their adopted son.It's a wild chaos of swirling wacky characters.
At the very least they deserve a modern, average-quality Woody Allen flick.Starring: Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Ben Barnes, Topher Grace, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, and Robin Williams.
The Big WeddingThe upside to a destination wedding is that the plane carrying your in-laws could crash.Unfortunately, the mother-in-law in this comedy landed in America safely.When their adopted son Alejandro (Ben Barnes) announces he's engaged to Missy (Amanda Seyfried), Don (Robert De Niro) and his ex-wife Ellie (Diane Keaton) couldn't be happier.But their joy only last until they learn Alejandro's devout Catholic birth-mother will be attending the wedding, and they must pretend to be married.This doesn't sit well with Don's current girlfriend (Susan Sarandon), Ellie's old best friend.Elsewhere, their other son (Topher Grace) hits on Alejandro's real sister; their daughter (Katherine Heigl) struggles with her boyfriend; and their priest (Robin Williams) tries to make sense of everything.With its wasted cast, tasteless jokes and simplistic sitcom script, this adaptation of the French comedy was lost in translation.Besides, if Catholic priests could get married, they'd condone divorce.Red Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.com.
The combination of Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams is a match made in heaven - I only needed Meryl Streep to finish off the streak of top-class, aging actors.Topher Grace was surprisingly one of the funniest actors in the film and was perfect for his role as Jared.
This film brings together De Niro and Keaton who also co-starred in Godfather II nearly 40 years ago.One must acknowledge that the lead cast, albeit a strong one, worked well together and pretty much carried the film through leaving everyone else in their shadows even if they included established actresses such as Heigl and Seyfried, not to mention Williams.As a viewing experience it was a charming, pleasant one though without ever reaching any highs as a comedy.
Nonetheless, I cannot help but feel that Robert DeNiro, Dianne Keaton,Susan Sarandon and, even, Katherine Heigl have better things to do with their time; such as, practically anything.Production values are top notch and, at least, you can understand all of the one liners.
The cast (Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robert Deniro, Topher Grace, Amanda Seyfried, Ben Burnes...) is the strongest element in the movie.
So we know from the trailer that Don (Robert De Niro) has to pretend to be married to his former wife Ellie (Dianne Keaton) so as to protect the groom Al's (Ben Barnes) biological mother from the truth, which leaves a strange predicament for Bebe (Susan Sarandon), Don's current significant other.
The best thing about this film was the casting, if it weren't for so many talented actors; I would never have given it any of my time aside from if I were home with very few options for what to watch on television.
The Big Wedding is certainly slam packed with star power including Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robert De Niro, Topher Grace, Robin Williams, Amanda Seyfried, Ben Barnes, and Katherine Heigl.
Justin Zackham's Star-Studded 'The Big Wedding' is A Decent Comedy, that works due to some truly funny sequences & winning performances by its mammoth cast.'The Big Wedding' Synopsis: A long-divorced couple fakes being married as their family unites for a wedding.'The Big Wedding' is time-pass entertainment, that engrosses in parts.
The well worked plot allows the cast to really play with their roles, that they do effortlessly ( many having played similar parts many times before) The film was funny and sentimental which is all you can ask for.An unremarkable but enjoyable movie ..
It stars Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Katherine Heigl, Topher Grace, Ben Barnes (of 'CHRONICLES OF NARNIA' fame), Amanda Seyfried and Robin Williams.
The movie is extremely hit and miss but it does have it's funny moments and the cast is all fun to watch.The film revolves around a young couple, Alejandro (Barnes) and Missy (Seyfried), who are getting married.
The stars, ROBERT DI NIRO; DIANE KEATON; SUSAN SARANDON and even ROBIN WILLIAMS, who I do not like, are very good with what they've to to work with.
all the actors/actresses are great, the plot makes me laugh frequently.it's suitable for a family weekend get together movie watch, and for romantic lovers who is planning a wedding party, or when your mood is really down, you can just watch for some laughs and joy.only one so-unpleasant thing is, i think this movie is a little short and it will be better if filled with more funny parts and meaningful lines.in my perspective, only the proposal lines that Robert De Niro said to Susan Sarandon are good but, as i said, if there are more lines like that, it would be better.
The Big Wedding (2013): Dir: Justin Zackham / Cast: Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Katherine Heigl: A big comedic mess about really finding out who members of our family really are.
Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams and Topher Grace. |
tt0398286 | Tangled | We open with the camera settling on a Wanted poster for Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) that is mounted to a tree. Flynn's voice narrates: "This is the story of how I died. But, don't worry, this is actually a fun story and the truth is it isn't even mine. This is the story of a girl named Rapunzel, and it starts with the sun."Flynn proceeds to tell us the backstory. Centuries ago, a droplet of sunlight falls from the sky and lands on Earth. When it touches the ground, a radiant, glowing yellow flower blossoms. It is capable of healing the sick and injured. An old crone named Gothel (Donna Murphy) finds the flower and discovers that, when she sings a certain song to it ("Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine, what once was mine") , it emits a power that restores her youth. Vain and possessive of the flower, Gothel hides it beneath a woven basket and regularly returns to it to keep herself young.Time goes by, and just a hop, skip and a boat ride away, the kingdom of Corona grows and prospers. The ruling king and queen desperately wish for a child and, when the queen becomes pregnant, the entire kingdom celebrates. However, the queen soon falls deathly ill. Upon hearing a rumor that speaks of a legendary flower created by a drop of sunlight with the potential to heal illness, the king spares no time and dispatches his soldiers out to find it.After searching the countryside and nearby forests, the soldiers finally come upon the golden flower that Gothel has been hoarding. They bring it back to the castle where it gets distilled into an elixir and is given to the queen. To everyone's great relief, she recovers and soon gives birth to a beautiful baby girl who, unlike her parents, has shining golden hair. The royal family marks the occasion by painting a paper lantern with the emblem of a sun, lighting it, and releasing it into the sky.Gothel, however, is not pleased. She is determined not to lose the magical powers that gave her eternal youth, so she breaks into the castle late one night and finds the baby princess lying in her crib. She recites the old song and the baby's hair glows just as the flower had. Gothel attempts to cut just enough hair to keep but the clipped hair turns brown in her hands, void of its power. Frustrated and desperate, Gothel resolves to kidnap the princess and flee with her deep into the forest. She takes the baby to a secret tower hidden in an alcove where she gives her the name Rapunzel and raises her as her own daughter. She teaches the girl to sing the old song to make her hair glow and restore Gothel's beauty and keeps her hidden from the world, telling her that it is for her own safety and that anyone on the outside wouldn't hesitate to steal her magic hair. The only access to the world Rapunzel has is a wide window from which Mother Gothel comes and goes, using Rapunzel's 70 foot long hair as a rope ladder. Despite playing the part as 'mother', Gothel often cruelly teases Rapunzel and guilt-trips her whenever she is upset or disappointed, dramatically proclaiming, "now I'm the bad guy".As the years pass, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) becomes fascinated by an annual event that seems to happen only on her birthday. That night, every year, she witnesses thousands of floating lights in the sky, brighter than the stars and beautiful in all their colors. Unknown to her, it is the releasing of the paper lanterns that her biological parents are making, in tradition of their daughter whom they hope will return to them one day.Eighteen years later, Rapunzel is a creative young woman, finding numerous ways to keep herself entertained during the day while Mother Gothel is away, including painting, cleaning, brushing, and playing hide and seek with her pet chameleon Pascal. Though she is happy with her life in the tower, she longs to someday explore the outside world and see the place where the lanterns in the sky come from.Within the kingdom, standing on the roof of the castle, young thief Flynn Rider goes over the plans to his latest heist with his associates, the Stabbington brothers (Ron Perlman), who are differentiated by one of them having an eyepatch. They use a rope to lower Flynn into the throne room where the missing princess's prized tiara sits on a guarded pedestal. Flynn steals the priceless artifact and is hoisted back to the roof with the palace guards hot in pursuit, led by the Captain of the Guard (M.C. Gainey) and his loyal horse, Maximus. The thieves make it outside the kingdom and seek refuge in the forest but soon come to a dead end in a ditch. The Stabbington brothers tell Flynn that, if he gives them the satchel with the tiara in it, they'll hoist him up to the high ledge above. Once at the top, they then command that Flynn help them up. But Flynn reveals that he still has the tiara, placed in a second satchel, and has double-crossed them. He ditches the brothers and runs into the forest.Seeking refuge, Flynn comes to Rapunzel's tower and climbs the vines to the open window above. There, he is seemingly alone and takes the tiara out of his satchel to admire it, but not before Rapunzel knocks him out with a frying pan. Rapunzel steps forward, and she and Pascal investigate the intruder. Pascal, using his color schemes, advises Rapunzel to be wary of the young man since Gothel has often told (false) stories of men bearing sharp teeth. However, Rapunzel finds nothing outwardly menacing about Flynn and hides him in her closet as Mother Gothel comes home. Rapunzel decides that she will show Mother Gothel the young man, proving that she can take care of herself, in hopes that she will be let out of the tower for her approaching 18th birthday. However, when Rapunzel plucks up the courage to ask to leave the tower and see the floating lights, Mother Gothel spurns her request. She tells Rapunzel that the world is much too dangerous for someone as naïve as her and that she is never to leave the tower, singing that "Mother Knows Best".Rapunzel solemnly promises not to ask to leave the tower again and, thinking it pointless now, keeps from telling Mother Gothel that she has a stranger locked away in her closet. Instead, she asks if Mother Gothel could restore her white paint by collecting special white seashells for her birthday. Mother Gothel is hesitant about making the three day journey to the shore, but acquiesces and leaves. Once out of sight, Rapunzel takes Flynn out of the closet and uses her hair to tie him up to a chair. When he comes to, she proposes a deal. She will give him his satchel with the tiara back (which she has hidden) if he takes her to see the floating lights and brings her back to the tower before Mother Gothel returns. Flynn reluctantly agrees.Outside the tower, Rapunzel digs her toes into grass for the first time and runs about the forest in bursts of elation and panic while Flynn can only watch. While excited to be out in the world for the first time, Rapunzel feels equally ashamed for having defied her mother. Despite her guilt and confusion, she assures Flynn that she is fine enough to continue the journey. Hoping to dissuade her, Flynn takes her to the nearby Snuggly Duckling Inn, a tavern which is frequented by an assortment of thugs and bandits. Flynn's plan to scare Rapunzel into going back to the tower backfires when the thugs recognize him from wanted posters and attempt to hold him for a reward while one of their associates goes to tip off the guards. Rapunzel pleads with them to release Flynn and asks if any of them have ever had a dream. Her innocence melts their hearts and they all confess their dreams. When the guards arrive at the inn, they stage a distraction to help Rapunzel and Flynn escape through a secret tunnel and encourage her to live her dream.As they make their way down the tunnel, the horse Maximus arrives at the inn and sniffs Flynn's trail to the secret trapdoor. He leads the guards to a large quarry where they corner Rapunzel and Flynn. Maximus unhinges a large wooden beam to try and get to them but this renders the dam overlooking the quarry unstable. It collapses and a wave of water surges into the quarry. Rapunzel and Flynn become trapped inside a cave as falling rocks block the entrance. Water begins to flood into the cave and, realizing their doom, Rapunzel and Flynn each admit a secret to the other. Flynn confesses that his true name is Eugene Fitzherbert. Rapunzel tells him that her hair glows when she sings. However, she realizes that she can use that to her advantage and begins singing. Her glowing hair illuminates a break in the rocks where water flows out and Flynn manages to dislodge the rocks, injuring his hand slightly, and break out the other side.Meanwhile, Mother Gothel returns to the tower early, having found seashells at a nearby market. She is shocked to discover Rapunzel gone and even more surprised when she finds the tiara hidden under the staircase with a satchel and a wanted poster of Flynn. Bent on retrieving Rapunzel, Gothel takes the satchel and tiara and sets out to search for her. She manages to track Rapunzel to the Snuggly Duckling, through the secret passage, into the quarry, and through the cave into the forest once more. There, she is confronted by the Stabbington brothers, but uses them to her advantage by bargaining their help for the tiara, revenge against Flynn for double-crossing them, and 'something worth much more'.That evening, Rapunzel and Eugene set up camp and Rapunzel reveals to Eugene that her hair does not just glow as she wraps it around his injured hand. She sings and, as her hair glows, it heals Eugene's injury, to his shock. He asks her not to spread word of his true name for fear that it would ruin his reputation, explaining that he adopted his current pseudonym of 'Flynn Rider' as an orphan, inspired by stories of a thief named 'Flynn'. Growing up, he dreamed of having enough money to travel the world and relished the freedom of it all. Even so, Rapunzel tells him that she actually prefers his real name.When Eugene leaves to gather more firewood, Mother Gothel appears to Rapunzel from the nearby bushes and tells her that they must return to the tower. Rapunzel refuses to leave and tells Mother Gothel that she thinks Eugene likes her. Mother Gothel scoffs at the idea and tells Rapunzel that Flynn is only interested in one thing before revealing the satchel with the tiara. She tells Rapunzel to prove her wrong and test Eugene by giving him the satchel but not to come crying if he takes it and leaves. Unsure but fearful that Mother Gothel may be right, Rapunzel hides the satchel as Flynn returns. They settle down for the night while Gothel and the Stabbington brothers keep an eye on them nearby.The next morning, Eugene wakes to see a soaking wet Maximus glaring angrily down at him. Maximus attempts to carry Eugene off but Rapunzel befriends the horse and convinces him to let Eugene stay with her until after she sees the floating lights. Maximus relents but accompanies the pair as they travel into the kingdom. The marketplace is alive with vendors and townsfolk preparing for the sky lantern festival and Rapunzel's hair is tightly braided to prevent it from dragging. While she and Eugene tour the kingdom, she notices a large tile portrait of the Royal family, including a baby with golden hair. Eugene finds himself growing fond of Rapunzel and, as the time for the lanterns to be released approaches, takes her out on a boat to the middle of the lake surrounding the castle. There, they watch in awe as the lights are released and the sky is filled with a soft orange glow. One lantern with a sun emblem on it floats down and Rapunzel gently pushes it back skyward. She then reveals the satchel she had been hiding to Eugene but, unlike what Mother Gothel predicted, he puts it aside and takes Rapunzel's hands in his.Before they can kiss, Eugene spies the Stabbington brothers on the nearby shore. He rows the boat in, tells Rapunzel to wait, and goes to meet them with the satchel. Realizing that he cares more about Rapunzel than the tiara, he gives the satchel to the brothers but they reveal they're no longer interested in the tiara. While she waits by the boat, Rapunzel is shocked to see the Stabbington brothers approach. They tell her that Eugene betrayed her trust and point to his silhouette in a boat on the lake before attempting to kidnap her for her hair's power. Horrified, Rapunzel tries to run but her long hair gets caught on a tree log. Before the brothers can grab her, Mother Gothel appears and knocks both of them unconscious. In tears and promising to never disobey her again, Rapunzel leaves with Mother Gothel back to the tower.Eugene's boat, meanwhile, docks just outside the palace. Maximus watches from nearby as Flynn comes to, having been knocked out and tied to the mast of the boat with the tiara beside him. The guards on the dock immediately arrest him.Back within the confines of the tower, Mother Gothel comforts Rapunzel and tells her that they shall put this whole experience behind them. As she walks up to her room, Rapunzel notices a recurring theme: all around her, painted on the walls and embroidered on her bed sheets, is the same sun emblem that she saw within the kingdom and on the very lantern she pushed skyward. She remembers the baby with golden blonde hair held by her brown-haired parents and suddenly realizes that she is the missing princess! She confronts Gothel about this who admits the truth but maintains that everything she did was for Rapunzel's protection. When Rapunzel asks what's to become of Eugene, Gothel tells her that he is to be executed. Enraged, Rapunzel goes to leave but Gothel resolves to 'be the bad guy' and approaches her menacingly.As he is led to the gallows, Eugene sees the Stabbington brothers incarcerated in their own cell. He demands to know what has happened to Rapunzel and they admit that they were acting under the promises of Mother Gothel to get Rapunzel back. Eugene struggles to escape, knowing that Rapunzel is in danger, but is unable to. Maximus then arrives with a few of the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling (Jeffrey Tambor, Brad Garrett, Paul F. Tompkins, and Richard Kiel) and they help Eugene break out so that he can ride out to Rapunzel's tower.Beneath the tower, he calls out to Rapunzel and her hair is let down for him to climb. When he reaches the top, however, he finds Rapunzel bound and gagged in a chair. Before she can warn him, Gothel emerges from the shadows and stabs Eugene in the side with her dagger. He reels back, falling against a vanity mirror and breaking the glass. Gothel then tells Rapunzel that she will take her far away where no one will ever find her. Struggling against her gag, Rapunzel promises that she will go with Gothel willingly if she is allowed to heal Eugene. Gothel agrees and Rapunzel goes to the dying Eugene. Before she can begin singing he pulls her close and cuts her hair with shard of glass. With the enchantment broken, Rapunzel's hair turns into its normal brown and Gothel staggers back as her skin begins to wrinkle. Horrified by her reflection, she trips over some of Rapunzel's cut hair and falls out the window. By the time her cloak hits the ground, she's rapidly aged into a pile of ashes.With his dying breath, Eugene tells Rapunzel that she was his new dream and she tells him the same. Crying over him, Rapunzel recites her song one last time. A lone tear falls from her eyes into Eugene's and the last bit of magic that remained in her revives him. The two lovers embrace and kiss before traveling together back to the castle where Rapunzel is reunited with her real parents. Eugene, now addressed by his true name, is welcomed into the Royal family. He and Rapunzel are soon married and live happily ever after. | fantasy | train | imdb | They were a little weak melodically and you won't be singing them for weeks like I do "Part of Your World" every time I watch the "Little Mermaid." However, the songs are good enough not to bring the movie down.
Let me start by saying that I'm an 18 year old male, and was kinda dragged into watching this by my girlfriend, who is a big fan of the Disney princess movies.
This movie is an instant classic, and a near perfect example of what animated fairy tales should be like if they want to appeal to a wide range of viewers, not just tween girls.
While updating our own profile on Facebook we came across a great link posted by Apollo Cinema Burnley for some free preview tickets for the new film Tangled 3D a film based on the story of Rapunzel which has been sprinkled with a little Disney Magic.Having a six year old as an excuse to see all the Disney films is great , but recently seeing Toy Story 3 3D and Shrek Happily ever after in 3D I left feeling that the movie makers still had some way to go with a 3d film .
A Disney film wouldn't be a Disney film without a bit of singing and dancing and this film has just the right amount , this coupled with the already great story leaves me to think it will become one of the Disney classics it really was brilliant.I would recommend going seeing this, it put a smile on my face and my son loved it, its one of the best films I've seen for ages that we could all sit and watch together.Review by The Local Explorer.
It's fast, exiting and very entertaining.I didn't find any parts to be 'slow going' and it certainly put a new slant on the old story of Rapunzel.A real 'feel good happy' type of movie..
Tangled is a master piece from Disney.From story to animation every little thing was amazing and spectacular to watch.
From past few years Disney was was struggling,but i think they have recovered by making this Oscar deserving animation.It's a family entertainment with a very strong story line and the execution was just perfect.Hat's off to the director and the writer and i expect more from Disney now that they will make such masterpieces again.This is probably the prettiest computer animated movie I've seen.Tangled had everything, and much more.
"Masterpiece" is the only word that truly describes the Disney movie Tangled.The story is flawless, the visual animation is perfect, because they aren't trying to experiment with new untried techniques before they are ready, Well, Good Job!
Perhaps I my self simply have a natural predilection toward parental defiance or maybe its just any work John Lasseter touches turns to pure gold.Every person I know who has seen this work of art was completely blown away and I salute everyone online for their in-kind expressions.I am a bit disappointed in the "so called" professional film critics as they dare to call this film anything but pure awe inspiring magic, but they shall have their own table reserved in the internet café of hell to express that inspiration lacking torture they receive.Best wishes my fellow film lovers, May the magic on the screen inspire you to great things.
With jaw-dropping graphics and an abundance of heart this is simply what you would wish for in a fairy tale: memorable, magical, and magnificent.We cannot remember the last time we saw a film that was simply so entertaining - there is almost nothing to complain about here in any way and much to praise from values to comedy to several scenes that were genuinely moving - this really is one of the best movies of the year and deserves its massive box office success.If perhaps you are reluctant to see it as you think it will just rehash old Disney ideas or be unsuitable for small children I would say those are always my first concerns, but here for the first time in a very long time I can honestly say that here we have a film that holds its own integrity and so, even with the villain's death, you don't feel that it was put in to scare.All in all, a magical, hilarious, witty, and very well thought through movie that deserves the Oscar that is surely coming to it - simply the best animated movie of the year as, more even than Toy Story 3, it rises beyond animation to make a wonderful heart-filled adventure that makes for very satisfying viewing indeed.Thank you, Disney..
I needn't have worried, Tangled was wonderful and Disney's best film in a while(I know I said that about last year's Princess and the Frog, yes I actually liked that too, but after seeing Tangled I've changed my mind).
The film is so much better than its advertising suggested, it is not a knock-off of Dreamworks and more importantly it not only has the Disney magic but it has something for both kids and adults.What wowed me immediately about Tangled was the animation.
When I saw the trailer I was expecting a story scattered with pop-culture references and almost laughter-free dialogue, but actually the storytelling does have a classic feel to it and some scenes like the aforementioned floating lanterns give the film its magic.I also loved Tangled's characters.
I loved the charisma Zachary Levi brings to Flynn, his voice is one of the main reasons why Flynn is as likable as he is, while Donna Murphy is perfect as Mother Gothel.In conclusion, this was a wonderful film and I recommend it heartily for both kids and adults.
For Disney fans too, I think you will be delighted, if you want humour, adventure, beautiful animation, good music, classic storytelling, witty scripting and likable characters, Tangled is a perfect match.
The music in this film isn't quite up to par with Disney's best (Circle of Life, Part of Your World, etc.), but since it was written by Alan Menken, it's definitely good enough to get into your head--and stay there.
As for the score, I feel it went back to the classics like "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast"; the songs were very much like the movies when I was growing up, when Disney was the number one choice for kids.
Although in my opinion, Tangled didn't manage to bring a song as memorable as key songs like "Part of your world" or "Beauty and the Beast", I can't take the "Healing Song" out of my mind.All in all, I believe it was a wonderful movie.
It's movies like these that made Disney so popular, and even though I understand why they decided to make this change, I feel that what Disney should focus on is bringing more movies like Tangled: with enough story, great characters, a pinch of heart and a general feeling of hope that makes Disney what it has always been: a place for kids to hope and dream..
Flynn Ryder(voice by Zachery Levi) a charming but clumsy thief, who after a heist, and nearly escapes with his life, finds his way too a tower, that appears to be isolated, but it's not, cause an 18 year old girl named Rapunzel(voiced by Mandy Moore) with magical long hair lives there.
Tangled is the best I've seen in years, in my opinion is way better than Frozen.The two main chars are extremely likable, Rapunzel is a fantastic char, much more developed than any chars from Frozen and Levy does a great job voicing Rider.The score was made by Menken(who is a genius)and the plot is consistent.Mandy Moore has a great and suitable voice making the experience of watching it PURE JOY.The sidekicks are great too (Max the horse and Pasqual the chameleon).The lantern scene is beautifully done and the city dance uplifting!Really awesome film!The last time I enjoyed a Disney movie that much was watching Alladin...Overall Tangled is on my top list..
This movie surpassed all expectations.Everyone knows the story of Rapunzel, so I'll spare the explanation - however, Disney did spice up the plot line a bit.Tangled has something for everyone - yes, even boys.
Not only does the film stick close to the original Rapunzel fairy tale, it also improves upon it by adding the Disney magic we all know and love, and that's gorgeous art, music and heart (and perhaps some twists in order to make the movie family-appropriate, as we wouldn't want an out-of-wedlock pregnant Disney heroine).The villain in the movie (Mother Gothel) is a very devious and selfish being, and perhaps the most complex Disney villain next to Frollo.
If anything, this movie would be the one that starts off the new Disney Renaissance, and I'm saying that as someone who watched and loved both Bolt and The Princess and the Frog.
Rapunzel has grown up secluded in her tower never aloud to leave, but on her birthday there's a huge lantern festival, she wants more then anything to see them and goes on an adventure.Tangled didn't look that good to me from the previews but once I finally watched it I was blown away.As usual Disney creates amazing songs to accompany their stories.
I hope in the future we will be saying the same thing about a blonde-haired girl who spent most of her life locked in a tower!I know this is not really a good review, but for all you Disney skeptics that feel let down from the Princess and the Frog and Meet the Robinsons-this is worth your time!.
The story is touching, beautiful, funny, entertaining, with a lot of action, the characters are wonderfully drawn (this is a one beautiful girl/princess and even the villain is beautiful).The whole movie is just perfect.
It's funny, touching and gripping - and it looks wonderful too.Of course it has the usual stock Disney characters (feisty, independent princess, cheeky animal sidekick, comedy villains, evil mother figure etc) - but, here's the twist: they actually pull it off this time - the funny characters are funny, the leading man is charming, the princess is hugely likable.I know Toy Story 3 will win the Oscar - but I'm amazed this hasn't been nominated.
The characters were amazing and I fell in love with the music and I gotta say the fact that Zachary Levi was in it did help things but it was mostly the story and the comedy in the movie that hooked me.
Very simple, fairy tale plot.I was kind of saddened that Disney has succumbed to making Princess movies using CGI, but watching this movie I realize that some scenes wouldn't have the power it had, if it were in 2D.
Very simple, fairy tale plot.I was kind of saddened that Disney has succumbed to making Princess movies using CGI, but watching this movie I realize that some scenes wouldn't have the power it had, if it were in 2D.
(It will no doubt be remembered as the "iconic" scene from this movie, like the ballroom scene from Beauty and the Beast.) Pretty much, nothing about this movie is "negative." It has very strong main characters with some really well-done complex relationships amongst themselves, great sidekicks, some good-natured humor, a great classical song-filled musical score that has had me humming it for the last two days, and the plot is staged without a single thing feeling boring or clichéd.
IMO, this is the biggest step forward in animation since "Tarzan" introduced deep-canvas technology.One other thing that makes this movie just like the best Disney classics is that it works on all levels.
And for the kids, there is some really good-natured humor that doesn't talk down to them, a great romance story, and the film was near-perfectly-paced, with not a moment of the running-time wasted, and yet still taking time to breathe to let us see some of the acting "ticks" that really let us get into the heads of the characters.The only reason I am giving this a 9 is because of some minor contrivance nitpicks that keep this film just below my favorite Disney movies.
In a film about a girl who hasn't set foot outside for eighteen years, Disney appropriately isolate Rapunzel even more in her own story as she ventures beyond her tower for the first time.Immediately noteworthy is the overall style of the screenplay, which resembles the witty tone and slapstick of a Dreamworks Animation product, particularly that of Shrek.
Scored by Alan Menken, who follows a genre-specific approach like the jazz and gospel laden 'The Princess and the Frog', the soundtrack is typically touching, though time will tell if the musical numbers of 'Tangled' will be memorable in years to come; they don't convey the great sense of scale the characters are facing so well as, for example, 'Part of That World' (The Little Mermaid') or 'A Whole New World' ('Aladdin'), where the lyrics encapsulate the concept of the entire movie in a more grandiose way.
Early buzz has the wistful mixed bag TOY STORY 3 with a lock with Oscar voters who long for their lost childhood despite the monstrous children they show in that film, but the FAR more enjoyable experience, while still not without flaws of pacing, is Disney's deliriously enjoyable semi-musical (wonderful even if surprisingly unobtrusive score by Alan Menken) rethinking of the old Rapunzel legend, TANGLED.The funny and yes, actually sexy animated leading man and his innocent but capable leading lady anchor a near perfect animated cast.
By elaborating on the well known story of the maid in the tower to create a classic quest to center their refurbished story around, the film makers also opened the door to a dazzling array of fresh comic touches (I'm with Flynn - "I gotta get me one of these!" - in loving the possibilities of the rediscovered old kitchen and comic standby, the cast iron skillet) and amusingly twisted sub-characters (yes, even one momentarily covered with the comic rodents that have been a Disney good luck talisman for years) with "dreams" similar to but different from Rapunzel's and thus touched on something universal in all of us.
TANGLED has its heart firmly in the right place as pure entertainment so that it's only afterward that we realize how strongly it was encouraging us in the audience to follow our own dreams, but the joy and the beauty that washes over us while watching it remains with us to inspire long after the credits (which, sad to relate, are the one unimaginatively filmed part of the movie and easily missed) roll.Of course the more and more ubiquitous new 3D system works beautifully and makes the motion picture experience more than it will inevitably be on the small screen, but the story telling is so good, that when the DVD inevitably comes out, it is one which will have to be on my shelves for regular reviewing whether or not we have 3D technology on our home screens yet.When the "previews" are as good as TANGLED's, you usually think they must have pulled ALL the best parts, but this is one case where a film lives up to it's hype.
Yes, "Tangled" may look like a typical kids film on the poster, but I am glad to say that this film is a strong return to form for Disney Animation Studios.Even if it is CGI and even though the film bases itself around another fairy-tale princess, it is done very well.
With its stunning animation, heartwarming story line and lovable characters, Tangled is in many ways, a perfect movie.
and Zachary Levi has a fine voice too, i never saw that in him.The animation is very well done as well, Repunzel is beautiful, and Flynn looks like the typical Robin Hood.Point being is that this movie took my breath away, I absolutely recommend that you go see this film if you truly love Disney..
The one song that stands out for me and I feel is the most memorable is "At last I see the Light" which is just beautiful, it is a song of course about the romance between both Flynn and Rapunzel but also about discovering your dreams.However it's the story and characters I really love the best.
Tangled is one of the best Disney films I've seen in a very long time.
Overall Tangled is by far one of the best films to come out of Disney in a long time.
They leave the tower to discover the world she never experienced.What's so great about this movie isn't just because of the music of the relationship between Rapunzel and Flynn, it's the comedy, and this has one of the best comedy characters ever made...
It is humorous and you will love the pompous horse who has a touch of Shrek's animation.Excellent story line, and the main song is as good as "tale as old the time" or a "whole new world," and the animation is great.
I LOVED TANGLED....I am a 24 years old, and was not sure if I was going to have any interest in another Disney movie.
In fact, the two non-talking animal characters, Maximus the horse and Pascal the little chameleon are such lovable and memorable creatures, while Tony-award-winning Donna Murphy is excellent in the voice role of villainous Mother Gothel.As with any Disney's works, especially when 8-time-Oscar-winner Alan Menken is involved, the music is one of the best part of the movie.
It's not just because I thought Flynn Rider was a gorgeous animated character only, but because the movie itself was great.
This film was definitely one of my favourite Disney movies I have seen in a long time, and is an Adventure to watch.10 out of 10..
Feels we are in that location and we are a character of that movie.My rating 10/10 (If I could give 100+/10 I would do it too) Best Animated film at all time ! |
tt3605418 | Knock Knock | Architect and happily married man Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) has the house to himself and his dog Monkey on Father's Day weekend (due to work and a physical therapy appointment due to a shoulder injury) while his wife and children go on a family-planned beach trip. His wife Karen (Ignacia Allamand), a successful artist, leaves their assistant Louis (Aaron Burns) in charge of her sculpture that needs to be moved to an art gallery. Alone in his beautiful and expensive home, Evan works on renderings for an ongoing house project.That evening, young two women, Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) and Bel (Ana de Armas), arrive and knock on his front door. He opens the door and they say that they are looking for the address of a party, but since their phone died, the taxi driver dropped them off. As they have no means of communication, Evan allows them in to use the Internet and get hold of the party's host. Once they find the right address, Evan offers to call an Uber driver for them, but the closest driver will take 45 minutes to arrive. Meanwhile, the girls make themselves at home and Evan plays a few of his old vinyl records he has from when he was a disc jockey. The conversation quickly turns into their opinions about human polygamy and they tell Evan about their jobs as flight attendants as well as how they engage in sexual activity with a new man in every city they fly to. They then disappear to the bathroom and when their driver finally arrives, a circumspect Evan finds them in the bathroom, naked and lusting for him. Outraged, Evan tries to convince them to leave, but as they start forcing themselves upon him, he gives in and has a threesome with them.The following day, Evan finds them eating breakfast and watching Family Feud, not worried at all about leaving. He loses his patience and offers to drive them home, since they have not taken the cab. Evan returns indoors only to find out that his wife's sculpture, which Louis was supposed to collect for the art gallery, has been vandalized. When Evan threatens to call the police, the girls reveal they are underage, showing they have control over him or risk charges on sexual conduct with a minor.Vivian (Colleen Camp), a friend of Karen's, stops by to see if Evan needs help. Seeing Genesis, Vivian angrily leaves, thinking that Evan is cheating on Karen. A shocked Evan tries to make sense of the situation, since he realized that everything the girls had said was a lie in order to get him in bed. When Evan threatens to report a break-in, they give in and agree to be taken home. He drops them off at an upscale neighborhood where they supposedly live.Evan returns home, cleans the mess, and tries to go back to his work. Just as he is getting closer to completing his project, he hears a shattering noise. He goes looking for the source of the noise as he is supposedly alone indoors. He finds a broken picture-frame of his family and Genesis knocks him out with one of his wife's sculptures.The two sinister women tie Evan up and go through his family's belongings. Bel climbs onto him trying to arouse him while role-playing as a school girl in his daughter's school uniform. Evan initially refuses, but the girls threaten to FaceTime his wife with him in a compromising position. Even though this disgusts him, Evan realizes that by moving on the bed he can loosen his binds, so he plays along. Bel semi-rapes him, and unbeknownst to him, Genesis records everything.A few minutes later, Evan finally releases himself where he jumps at Bel and knocks her off. He charges at Genesis, who stabs him in his wounded shoulder with a fork. She then pins him to the ground and both girls proceed to tie him up to a chair with electrical cord.Later on, Louis arrives to collect the sculpture Karen left him in charge of. The girls take Evan's phone and text Louis saying his niece and her friend are staying over. They hide Evan in a room. Louis enters using his keys. He panics upon finding the vandalized sculpture and immediately realizes these girls are lying about their relation to Evan. Louis then finds Evan tied up to a chair, but before he can help him he hears the girls smashing the vandalized sculpture. He runs to stop them, but then has an asthma attack, and realizes they took his inhaler. The girls play monkey-in-the-middle with his inhaler, and as he tries to get it back, he slips on a piece of the sculpture and knocks his head on the edge, killing him.Genesis and Bel turn Louis' dead body into a red sculpture and dig a makeshift grave in the backyard meant for Evan. They also reveal to him that they had been spying on him all along for several days now. He fails in his various attempts to make an emergency call and to escape from the house. They tie him up with a hose, then bury him in the hole, leaving only his head above ground. Genesis shows Evan the video she recorded earlier with his phone of him and Bel having sex. As a horrified Evan watches on, she uploads it to his Facebook profile. Ultimately, they spare Evan's life, going against the idea of killing him in the same fashion they had killed Louis.Revealing that it had all been a "game" and that they're used to tricking fathers into this type of situation, the two sinister women finally depart and take the dog Monkey with them, leaving a broken Evan to his fate in trying to dig himself out of the hole he is buried in while watching the uploaded video with comments coming in. Karen and the kids arrive home to see the entire house ruined. Evan's son says "Daddy had a party" as Karen and the kids remain speechless. | violence, comedy | train | imdb | But a film this ridiculously bad has, if nothing else, crossed whichever threshold is required to motivate me to reset my long forgotten IMDb login details and hopefully save some poor souls the 90 odd minutes of their lives, and (god forbid) their hard earned on a ticket.It's so hard to know where to begin, so, as a wiser person than me once suggested, I will begin at the beginning.
The direction of photography is bright and that's a plus, but if you are a careful viewer you will find a lot of goofs including numerous continuity errors which could ruin some of the fun.In the end you might want for the movie to last a couple of minutes more to see the outcome or even the true motives of what just happened...Overall: Not as bad as most of the other 261 reviews might want you to believe.
Whenever he shouted it reminded me of the best cry ever/worst cry ever video in YouTube.Overall this movie was a huge let down, very good idea for a film but a horrific execution.
In summary; I found a few things Keanu said in a serious monologue quite laugh out loud funny and the use of a popular pixies track at the end credits reminded me of a student movie using cool music to be cool.
The movie stuck in my mind enough for m to waste time writing this review, i wonder if that was Roth's intention for the audience or he actually took this movie seriously..
Overall this movie was a huge let down The acting was really over the top at times and so painful to watch.
Knock Knock makes Batman & Robin look like Oscar worthy movie.I don't know what Keanu Reeves was thinking when he agreed to star in this movie but after the incredible John Wick I thought he was getting his career back on track after a run of disastrous movies but I guess not.
I won't spoil the film for you but it's difficult to watch, I've never seen so many people walk out of movie before, honestly.This is 99 minutes of pure hell as a viewer.
The film is tripe, utterly unwatchable completely unredeemable in any sense.This film is a career killer and I suggest you stay the hell away from it.If you want to watch an adult movie in the cinema go see Mad Max: Fury Road.
When I watch the trailer I said like "oh there is Keanu and Eli Roth and two chicks omg there will be some blood, some terror and action, this gonna be a great popcorn film...
This time around he's gone for a more thought-provoking style, and whilst it's far from perfect, it contains a uniqueness that all his films have and which brings an added layer of quality to the story.Roth has an ability, possibly superior to any other current director in the horror genre, to build tremendous characters.
This is the first time I've ever decided to write a review about a movie but I really have to express how I wasted one hour and thirty nine minutes of my life.
Initially pleasant, after luring Evan into a night of soaring passion, they then refuse to leave and subject him to a relentless, psychopathic barrage of violence and humiliation.Playing like a variation on The Human Centipede set-up (and, by the end, astonishingly much more horrible than that film), despite not having much opening development between the main character and his loved ones, Knock Knock does manage to generate an interesting premise for the beginning.
It does not matter how much you enjoy to watch mystery movie: with Knock Knock, you are better off saving your time.
One thing I learned from watching this movie was how terrible Eli Roth was.
This movie caricatures and exaggerates just what two cute women can get away with, to delicious and frankly, genius effect.Eli Roth knew what he was doing (for instance) with the scenes where the girls grill the protagonist on what happens to alleged sexual predators.
It looks like the man is trying here, I'm not too sure if he pulls it off too well.Reeves plays Evan, an architect who has to stay at home for the long weekend and work, while his wife and two kids go to the beach house.
If you like your films dark with traces of subversive humor Knock Knock is for you.The movie could be sold as Fatal Attraction for the social media generation but it's really just a trashy chiller with a solid performance from Keanu Reeves at the centre of it.People seemed to be critical about Mr Reeves' acting skills, I don't understand why, he delivered in John Wick and he delivers in this.Some of the reviews for Knock Knock have been bad but personally I thought the film was great fun even though I expected it to be more violent than it is.My only criticism of the film is that I did wonder about the girls' motivations afterwards.
Also Keanu Reeves was not very convincing in the film.Hard Candy did a much better (and terrifying) job of exploring the shallowness of man(kind), so I would suggest that over Knock Knock.
Reeves acting was terrible, and the character was so pathetic that by the end I just kinda hoping they would off him and put me out of my misery for being one of those people that just has to find out what happens so he watches until the end regardless.
So when Karen and the two kids go away for the weekend to a cottage without their daddy/husband so that Evan can finish a big job at home that he has been working on, the family all are in a good place.Then there is that innocent knock on the door later in the evening where Evan is faced with two attractive nubile and very wet and hot looking young ladies who just want to get out of the pouring rain and use Evan's home phone so that they can get to the party that they have somehow got lost and instead landed on Evan's front doorstep.A warm smile and handshake introduction, leads the ladies into a few giggles and then before Evan knows it he is in the shower with the two ladies getting his stick licked and just like Samson who loses his strength when he gets his long hair cut so does Evan after the ladies whack him over the head, tie him up, and ironically cut his hair as well.This is a remake of the 1977 film Death Game that originally starred Sondra Locke, Colleen Camp, and their victim was Seymour Cassel.
I'm convinced they watched the 10 cheesiest thriller/suspense movies of all time and set out to beat them all for a lack of originality, believability and depth of character.Having said all of that, I am literally baffled as to why Keanu agreed to do this movie.In short I have three recommendations for this attempt at a movie.
But there are so many points in the movie where we are rooting for Evan, hoping he'll be able to escape and exact revenge on these girls, who it seems have done this multiple times before to other men in their sick thrill.....but the movie ends in a very empty, heart-breaking way, making it a total waste of an hour and a half.
Okay so I have never written a review for a film before, but this film was that bad I've made an IMDb account just to warn people of how rubbish it is.For a start, Keanu reeves acting is the most cringe worthy, painful thing I have ever seen.
It feels like a porn movie plot all the way just without porn scenes, I don't know what the Director thinks about this idiocy, did he watch this before releasing?
Don't know how Keanu Reeves accepted this movie and acted in it.
Don't know how Keanu Reeves accepted this movie and acted in it.
After watching 47 Ronin and Johnh Wick I had a respect for Keanu reeves.His fighting skills were good.But,now i hate him to the core.A hero like him should not have signed for a movie like this.This is the first time i have ever seen an action hero behave like a chicken.I hate him to the core.I wish i never watched this movie.There was It was the fault of those two bitches.They seduced him knowing that he has a family.The movie could have ended like killing the two girls at the end.
I got very angry after watching this movie.I wish i could kill those two bitches.I still cant believe that IMDb gave a rating of 5.8 for this stupid movie.It is a complete waste of time..
I mean we have been indulging Keanu Reeves with his pseudo-roles for years now, and we've allowed him to act the same way for all his different characters, and we watched him anyway.
I don't think there's ever been any kind of true social or political commentary to his work -- which the best gross-out horror films tend to have, including the film he attempts to shamelessly rip off here, Funny Games.No, Roth gets his kicks from getting his wife naked on camera, having Keanu Reeves -- who looks regretful in every scene, and not because he's in character -- bullied, bloodied, raped and tortured.
The dialogue is terrible, the cinematography is shoddy (it basically went straight to video, which is what you'd gather from the way it's shot), the story is stupid which would be OK if the film had something clever to say, but instead Roth presents this all in a transparent attempt to shock and outrage while being too lazy to have any commitment to the material, instead hiding behind the "irony" angle and playing it out as a borderline farce.Reeves, who gained so much goodwill with last year's John Wick, gives one of his worst performances here; Roth's wife, whose name I do not recall and don't care to, is a coarse screen presence; and Ana de Armas just seems like she's being exploited here.I only gave this a chance because of Reeves, but I should have known better when I saw Roth's name attached.
Bad acting: This film has a well known actor Keanu Reeves who is good in a lot of films but this film isn't one of them.
Worst Eli Roth & Keanu Reeves Movie ever.
Keanu Reeves & his dismal,irritating scream.After John Wick this was liking jumping into the lake of fire.Mr Roth..so much is expected from him..this was disappointing to say the least.Take my suggestion if you have nothing else to do..& you are a die hard fan of Reeves...watch it...
I am a "somewhat" fan of Keanu Reeves so I was willing to take a chance but, like all of his latest movies, his parts to play are questionable and I don't know whether to blame his acting or the writers for the crap he's been involved in.
Totally Waste of time...This is the most irritating movie I have ever seen in my life, got very irritated by watching two girls psychic madness, girls (actors) be careful in real life someone can do the same and can come to you if someone taken personally.
this movie makes your blood boiled while watching movie I thought its good movie, but it is a movie about girls madness Keanu Reeves please find some better scripts.Stupid movie....
Then he gets a visit from two girls, they need help and he is a nice guy so he helps them, they then completely abuse his giving nature and ultimately trap him and end up doing all kinds of horrible things to him and the house.What truly makes this movie horrific is the fact it seems rather real and it seems like it actually could happen.
Having seen the trailer, and having been a (former) fan of Keanu Reeves, I was looking forward to the film.As it started, I thought for a second that it was not the thriller that was advertised, but maybe a tongue-in-cheek goof film.I was wrong...very wrong.This ranks among the worst films I have ever wasted and hour and a half on.
Keanu Reeves is an excellent actor and he proved it again and again in every movie he does and this film he shows his incredible acting abilities .the other actors are not really famous but they did a pretty good job..
The plot NEVER develops, no twist or surprise ending, it's just two woman harassing Keanu Reeves the whole time with no explanation why, just for fun, I guess?Speaking of Keanu Reeves, his character felt pretty unnatural and very predictable consuming the fact that he always failed at every scenario in the film, I wanted to root for him but it became pretty tiresome after a while since everything he thought of got butchered down by the girls.
I actually liked the movie, but at the same time I really hated it.First off - Anyone that says Keanu Reeves can not act, is just being rude.
Maybe if Keanu Reeves character was actually a bad person, then yea this movie would work, BUT NO, he was a good person on the most part (sure he cheated, but he didn't go out of his way to cheat.
So, with that extremely subtle set up, Keanu is left home alone when his family goes on a trip without him (for some reason), and the movie actually starts.This has to be one of Roth's more gutless films, we've grown accustomed to his brutal gore and violence, but this one is surprisingly void of that.
Even when you think the girls are as young as they claim to be, you find yourself wondering how the hell they were able to subdue a full grown Keanu Reeves more than three f**king times in the movie.
It's actually interesting subject matter, and Roth does have something to say with this film, and I believe he accomplishes it elegantly with as little blood as possible.Knock Knock is not perfect - it goes on for a few minutes too long and sometimes Reeves reads lines as if he'd just shot up heroin, but it's intriguing and truly captivating once it gets going and becomes a psychological horror house in its finest moments.
Watched the movie 'knock knock' because of Keanu Reeves and am so disappointed with the story line and there is nothing thrilling about the movie.
Keanu had chances to kick back but instead gets hit by a fork by a teenage girl and gets tied up and that's so ridiculous and finally when you expect some twist you will find that both the girls will bury the so called matrix hero called Keanu Reeves in his own backyard unto his neck and there ends the movie all of sudden...such a waste of money and two hours of precious time..
The rental is only $1.50 and honestly the amount is so little I usually do not care if I rent a bad movie but, I really feel like I actually wasted my money on this film.
Literally there are no developments or advancements to the story or any twists, it really did disappoint me.Keanu Reeves' acting is so unnatural that it is actually laughable, like...
Knock Knock, a cheap copy of Funny Games, Fatal Attraction, and god knows what else,, is a sexual but not sexy thriller that tells the story of Bel and Genesis, two "Femme fatales" that wreck not just the home of a married Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) but also his life.
Watched the movie 'knock knock' because of Keanu Reeves and am so disappointed with the story and there is nothing thrilling about the movie.
What really irritated was Keanu Reeves was like a helpless moron who just couldn't do anything against two teenage girls who go to his home and take him for a ride throughout the movie.
What really irritated was Keanu Reeves was like a helpless moron who just couldn't do anything against two teenage girls who go to his home and take him for a ride throughout the movie.
As a fan of Keanu reeves i had a high expectation the whole time even when my friends wanted to leave at the last quarter of the movie i stayed and kept thinking: **************SPOILER ALERT( read it anyway since the movie is bad) ********************* -that Keanu will turn things to his side and expose them but the movie ended with villains escaping.
I'm a filmmaking student and although I love Keanu reeves and I think of the stuff Eli Roth has done isn't that bad, I highly recommend you not to see this movie, instead watch something worth your time.
1 Star for this, especially after listening to Eli Roth's interview because he made it seem like he thought the movie was good but you'd have to be delusional to think that.
Well guys, thanks for reading my first review, hopefully I get better from here, and don't see this movie if you want to have a good time.
Not done with him they later break in and tie him up, and then the real torture starts (more so for the viewer then Keanu.)There are times when the acting becomes rather woeful, the scene with the neighbour, is like something out of a budget horror movie, it was shambolic.
I just lost an hour and a half of my own life on this; don't make my mistake.Overview: The acting in this movie is bad, especially be Keanu Reeves.
I should've known better than to think Keanu Reeves could partially save an Eli Roth production.
Just another very bad Eli Roth movie....
I hope you get to see this other movie, or anything instead of Knock Knock, because as bad as it was it was a lot better than this Eli Roth piece of ... |
tt1462041 | Dream House | The film begins in a namless city, with Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) leaving his job as a successful editor in the city in order to spend more time with his wife, Libby (Rachel Weisz), and their two daughters and write a book. At first, they appear to be living the American dream in an idyllic country home they have just moved into. Early in his time at the house, Will notices tension between his neighbor, Anne Patterson (Naomi Watts), and her ex-husband, Jack, who is picking up their teenage daughter. Despite the seemingly perfect house, it soon becomes apparent to Will that something isn't right.After asking around, Will learns of terrible murders that occurred there five years earlier - a man, named Peter Ward, the previous owner of the house, shot and killed his wife and two daughters. What's more, Will's young daughters claim to begin seeing a man watching them through the windows at night. Will and his wife begin to uncover more information about the murders, despite the local police refusing to help them. Even his neighbor, Anne, who he has talked to on a few occasions, remains strangely distant and won't tell him anything. However, after uncovering some old things in a hidden attic space, they find out that Peter Ward had already been released from custody (as there was no concrete evidence that he actually killed his family) and is living in a half-way house -- and there is a lot of public controversy about it.When Will's wife also sees the strange man that her daughters had already claimed was watching the house (and the police fail to help), Will, believing it to be Peter Ward, sets off to the half-way house to find him and try and settle things. Will goes to the half-way house and sneaks into what he believes is Ward's room (the number of which he found by looking at the mail pigeon hole marked with his name) and there he finds a picture of his wife and daughters. A man comes in and, extremely angry, Will threatens him to stay away from his family. However, the man is not Peter Ward, but in fact a man named Martin Tishencko (Joe Pingue). Confused, Will returns home.Further research leads Will to the psychiatric hospital where Peter Ward was initially hospitalized. There, Will is told that he is Peter Ward and that "Will Atenton" is a false identity he invented to mask the trauma of losing his wife and daughters. Although he doesn't believe it, the seams begin to show in what he once thought was reality. More and more evidence crops up, showing that the wife and daughters he believed he had are, rather, just projections in his mind of the family that he supposedly murdered.It is here that Will begins to slip between realities -- One being his idyllic, yet completely invented, life with his wife and daughters, and the other, in which his house is in ruins and he is the accused murderer of his family, still living in that same house all alone. After his house is deemed by the city as being in an unlivable state, he is evicted - but does not want to leave as whenever he is in this house he returns to his fantasy land with his long dead family. As well as this, he is still unsure which reality is correct.Anne, Peter's (I mean Will's) neighbor, takes him in, giving him a bath and washing his clothes. She believes his innocence and even her daughter, who had previously had nightmares about the murders, is comfortable with his presence. However, Anne's ex-husband, Jack, somehow hears that Peter is with his ex-wife in her home and comes over to collect his daughter, despite him not yet having custody for a few days. Anne refuses but her daughter obliges in order to avoid any conflict -- yet she runs away as soon as she is out the door. Jack goes after her, and Anne, before following, gives Peter the business card of the psychiatric hospital in which he was previously treated, which she found while washing his clothes.Peter/Will goes to see his psychiatrist who urges him to come back to treatment, but she does not know if she believes his innocence or not and Peter storms back to his boarded up house. There, he is once again immersed in his fantasy land, but he realizes now that he is Peter Ward, which he tries to convince to his wife. She won't believe it, putting it down to a fever and Peter's high temperature. However, when the girls also get this fever and she finds gaping wounds on the girls' backs she realizes he was telling the truth.Peter later asks Libby to recall the night of the murders and she tells him everything she can remember - that she heard someone coming up the stairs and the girls, thinking it was their dad, went out to greet him. She also came out, only to find a man with a gun. Peter is jerked from his fantasy by Anne, who is coming to tell him to get out of the house, but before they can leave, Jack and Boyce are there ready to kill Anne and blame the murder on Peter.We learn that the original murders of Peter's family, were actually carried out by Boyce; he had been hired to kill Anne by Jack after their divorce yet Boyce got the wrong house and killed the Ward family instead. After being shot, Peter's wife had tried to shoot Boyce with a gun he had left on the ground while he was fighting with Peter. Instead, she hit Peter in the head, which explains the absence of any recollection of the events. Both Peter and Anne are knocked unconscious and taken to the basement where Anne is tied up. Jack shoots Boyce for his failure in the previous mission and goes on to light the house on fire with gasoline.At this point, the truth is revealed about Ward's family. Ward's wife and daughters are visible to him because they are actually ghosts. This is shown when Libby follows Jack down the stairs where he has Ann and Peter. To prevent Jack from killing Ann and Peter, she starts to make things move in the basement to trick Jack. You can see that the movie is switching between Peters realities, but Jack can see all of the things that Libby moves. Libby buys Peter enough time to free himself and Ann, and they escape from the house while Boyce and Jack are left inside to die. Peter rushes back into the burning house where he sees his wife and daughters for the last time. This moment is extremely emotional, as Peter finally forced to let them go. This scene also gives the biggest evidence of the family being ghosts, as Libby makes a wind go through the house, knocking Peter down and bringing him to his senses, so he can escape the house.The movie ends showing Peter Ward looking through a bookstore window of the book he has just written about his experience -- he was writing a book at the beginning of the film in his fantasy world, but this time the book is under his real name of Peter Ward. | suspenseful, psychological, plot twist | train | imdb | null |
tt0037017 | Lifeboat | Several British and American civilians, service members and merchant mariners are stuck in a lifeboat in the North Atlantic after their ship and a U-boat sink each other in combat. Willi (Walter Slezak), a German survivor, is pulled aboard and denies being the U-boat's captain. During an animated debate, engine room crewman Kovac (John Hodiak) demands the German be thrown out to drown. However, the others object, with radioman Stanley (Hume Cronyn), wealthy industrialist Rittenhouse (Henry Hull) and columnist Connie Porter (Tallulah Bankhead), who speaks German, succeeding in arguing that he be allowed to stay. Porter, initially alone in the boat, had managed to bring her luggage with her, and her primary concern at first is a run in her stocking. She is thrilled at having filmed the battle between the two vessels, but her movie camera is the first in a series of her possessions to be lost overboard in a succession of incidents.
Among the passengers is Mrs. Higley, a young British woman (Heather Angel) whose infant child is dead when they are pulled from the water after being saved by steward "Joe" Spencer (Canada Lee). After being treated by a U.S. Army nurse, Alice (Mary Anderson), she must be tied down to stop her from hurting herself. The woman, still wrapped in Porter's mink coat for warmth, sneaks off the boat while the other passengers sleep, drowning herself in the night. Willi is revealed to be the U-boat captain.
The film then follows the lifeboat inhabitants as they attempt to organize their rations, set a course for Bermuda, and coexist as they try to survive. The characters start out being good-natured, cooperative, and optimistic about rescue. However, they descend into desperation, dehydration, and frustration with each other. The back stories of the characters are examined, and divisions of race, religion, sex, class, and nationality are brought to the surface. The passengers also cooperate through this stress, such as when they must amputate the leg of one of their boatmates, the German-American Gus Smith (William Bendix), because of gangrene.
Kovac takes charge, rationing the little food and water they have, but Willi, who has been consulting a concealed compass and reveals that he speaks English, wrests control away from him in a storm. One morning, while the others are sleeping, Smith, who had resorted to drinking seawater, catches Willi drinking water from a hidden flask. Too delirious to be taken seriously by the drowsing survivors, Gus is coaxed overboard by Willi and drowns. Upon waking, the others discover Gus missing and Willi is questioned. When they notice that the German is sweating, the other passengers discover the hoarded flask in his jacket. In a spasm of anger led by Alice, they descend upon him as a group, beat him, and throw him overboard. Rittenhouse strikes him multiple times with Gus' boot to prevent him from re-boarding and, utterly disillusioned by Willi's behavior, laments, "What do you do with people like that?"
The survivors are subsequently spotted by the German supply ship to which Willi had been steering them. Before a launch can pick them up, both it and the supply ship are sunk by gunfire from an Allied warship over the horizon. A frightened young German seaman is pulled aboard the lifeboat. The surviving passengers debate whether to keep him aboard or throw him off to drown as they await rescue by an approaching Allied vessel. The German sailor pulls a gun on the boat occupants but is surprised and disarmed. He asks in German, "Aren't you going to kill me?" Kovac muses, "'Aren't you going to kill me?' What do you do with people like that?" | claustrophobic | train | wikipedia | null |
tt0255628 | Syphon Filter | Gabriel Logan and his partner Lian Xing investigate a series of biological outbreaks triggered by international terrorist Erich Rhoemer. When fellow agent Ellis loses contact during a mission in Costa Rica, the top-secret Agency dispatches Gabe and Lian to find him. Yet they discover Ellis is dead, and Rhoemer's suspected drug operation is a cover for the viral operation. Another outbreak in Nepal leads to more questions when an infected person who should have died did not.Before the Agency can pursue Rhoemer, he attacks Washington, D.C. with viral bombs. Gabe battles several terrorists, including Mara Aramov, as he follows the trail of bombs across city streets, subways, and finally Washington Park where he must incinerate enemy munitions expert Anton Girdeux to stop the final threat.Gabe's investigation takes him to a new lead from PharCom, a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headed by Jonathan Phagan. The Costa Rican plantation was growing PharCom compounds, meaning Phagan and Rhoemer were working together. At the PharCom Exposition Center, Gabe shadows Phagan to a meeting with Aramov and Edward Benton, an apparent Agency mole who assisted Rhoemer during the Washington, D.C. attack.After Gabe eliminates Benton, he saves Phagan from assassination only to have him escape. Mara Aramov, now in custody, had attempted to locate PharCom's virus labs. Gabe must set aside the hunt for Phagan to destroy Rhoemer's base in Kazakhstan. During his assignment, Rhoemer seemingly kills Lian, but Agency Director Thomas Markinson rescues Gabe.Markinson gives Gabe a report on the virus Syphon Filter, a bioweapon that one can program on a genetic level to target specific groups of people. Gabe and Markinson infiltrate Rhoemer's stronghold in the Ukraine to inject test subjects with a cure and locate Phagan, who is now Rhoemer's prisoner. In the catacombs, Phagan tells Gabe that Lian is alive, and they reunite. Lian now has the virus, and she says there is no universal cure.Mara Aramov arrives to shoot Phagan, but she convinces Gabe and Lian that she came to help. The three travel to PharCom's warehouses in hopes of preventing Rhoemer from launching a missile. Lian reveals that the serum Gabe injected into the test subjects was a lethal chemical, and Markinson was having them killed. Admist the fighting between the terrorists and Phagan's guards, Gabe descends into a silo and searches for the missile's detonation codes.He finds Markinson and gets him to confess that the Agency has been involved in the plot all along. Rhoemer worked for Markinson, since Markinson wanted the virus in the Agency's possession. He never authorized the missile attack, but before he can do anything to stop it, Rhoemer kills Markinson with a bullet to the head. Gabe must reach the missile's control center in time and destroy it. Upon doing so, he disposes of Rhoemer with a gas grenade.Their mission completed, Gabe and Lian call in the U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Defense Command (CBDC) to secure the area. They do not know how far Markinson was cooperating with Rhoemer and Phagan, but Gabe believes they may never know. Back in the Agency headquarters, Aramov approaches a mysterious man and whispers something in his ear. He congratulates her while the scene reveals PharCom boxes in the office. | violence | train | imdb | null |
tt3682448 | Bridge of Spies | Set in 1957, at the height of the Cold War, both the United States and Soviet Union employed spies against each other out of fear regarding the nuclear capabilities of one another.In Brooklyn, Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) is painting a self-portrait. He receives a phone call. He never speaks but only listens to what he hears. Abel leaves his apartment and walks around the city, unaware of a man, Agent Blasco (Domenick Lombardozzi) stepping out of a cab to follow him. Blasco follows Abel through the subway station where he is joined by Agent Gamber (Victor Verhaeghe). Abel ends up at a park where he sits on a bench to paint. He recovers a coin under a bench. He returns to his apartment and uses a razor to split the coin open, where he finds that it contains a piece of paper. Soon, Blasco and Gamber, joined by other FBI agents, storm into Abel's home and arrest him for espionage.We meet lawyer James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) in his workplace discussing a client with his co-worker. He is brought into the office of his associate Thomas Watters Jr (Alan Alda) to discuss the case of Abel. Donovan is given the report on Abel's case, and Donovan knows what kind of reputation he would gain for defending a suspected spy.Donovan has dinner with his wife Mary (Amy Ryan) and kids Carol (Eve Hewson), Roger (Noah Schnapp) and Peggy (Jillian Lebling). Carol is upset because her date stood her up. Donovan tells his family about the case, just as his other co-worker Doug Forrester (Billy Magnussen) enters with documents involving the case.In a motel room, pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) is undergoing a lie detector test. Later, he and a group of fellow pilots are brought into a room where they are told their mission - they are to become spies for the CIA to detect any nuclear activity occurring in the Soviet Union.Donovan meets with Abel in prison. Abel never admits to any wrongdoing and doesn't want to fully cooperate with the United States government.On a rainy night, Donovan is followed by CIA Agent Hoffman (Scott Shepherd). The two sit together at a bar where Hoffman tries to get Donovan to tell him what Abel is telling Donovan, for the sake of the country, though Donovan refuses to say anything.The pilots are brought into the Peshawar Air Station to see the U-2 planes that they will use in their mission, complete with cameras and the like.Roger's class watches a video on the dangers of nuclear warfare and the precautions that ought to be taken in the event of a catastrophe. He then sets up his own "duck and cover" station at home, worrying his father.Abel's trial begins, and nobody is on Donovan's side. The people in court think Abel deserves the death penalty for his supposed crimes, and nobody thinks Donovan can get Abel acquitted. On the train, everyone that Donovan sees is reading unkind headlines for his case, and one woman on the train looks at him scornfully. To make things worse, someone shoots at the Donovan home one evening, harming no one, but also not earning any sympathy for the family as most of the country thinks Donovan is a traitor.By the end of the trial, Abel is found guilty on all charges, but Donovan convinces the judge to give him a 30 year prison sentence instead of the death penalty.Powers and his comrades undergo their mission over the USSR. His plane suddenly takes a hit as it's shot down by a ground-to-air missile. He goes down but manages to eject himself from the plane and sail down on his parachute. Powers is later captured and held by the Soviet Union.In West Germany, American student Frederic Pryor (Will Rogers) rides his bike by the construction site of the Berlin Wall, to meet his girlfriend Katje (Nadja Bobyleva). Pryor is confronted by East German Stasi agents who find him suspicious. He shows off his books to prove he is a student, but he is subsequently arrested.With both American men in detainment, an exchange is planned between the U.S. and USSR to trade Abel for Powers. However, Donovan thinks they should get Pryor back as well. The CIA only wants Powers back, but Donovan plans to make a negotiation regardless. He travels to East Germany to meet with Wolfgang Vogel (Sebastian Koch), a German lawyer who can broker a deal. Donovan meets three people posing as Abel's family before meeting Vogel. Donovan sees through the ruse, however.During his time in East Germany, Donovan is forced to stay in a cold and crummy hotel room. As he passes by the wall on the train, he sees several East Germans trying to climb over the wall to escape, but they are shot down by guards. The sight of this horrifies Donovan.The East German government refuses to give up Pryor after learning that the USSR was involved in the negotiation. While the CIA thinks they should leave Pryor, Donovan makes a bold move by threatening the East German government. If Pryor is not released to them, the whole deal is off, and Abel would be interrogated, leaving bad blood between Germany and the USSR.The men on both sides meet on the Glienicke Bridge. Powers's buddy Joe Murphy (Jesse Plemons) is brought over to confirm that it is definitely Powers on the other side. Meanwhile at Checkpoint Charlie, Pryor is brought over. After he is confirmed, the exchange is made, and Abel crosses over to the other side, but not before letting Donovan know that he left him a gift. The two men share one final look before departing the bridge. On the plane ride, Powers tells Donovan that he never told his captors anything, to which Donovan states that none of it matters anymore. He then opens the gift from Abel, which is a painting of Donovan himself.Donovan returns home to his family. The kids see the news story on the exchange and are shocked to hear their dad's name mentioned, thinking he was away on a fishing trip. Mary then walks into the bedroom to find her husband lying there, resting comfortably at last.Donovan rides the train where he sees people are now reading positive headlines. The lady who stared at him earlier now looks at him with a smile. As he looks out the window, he sees children climbing over a fence, reminding him of what he saw in Germany.The ending text states that Rudolf Abel returned home and was never acknowledged as a spy. Francis Gary Powers died when his plane crashed in 1977. Frederic Pryor went on to become a professor at Swarthmore College. James B. Donovan was asked by President Kennedy to negotiate the release of 1,000 Cuban exile prisoners from Cuba after the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion. He would eventually get over 9,000 men, women, and children released. | suspenseful, comedy | train | imdb | There are combinations of film makers that make you confident, as you pay your ticket price, that you are not going to be terribly disappointed: Steven Spielberg directing; Tom Hanks taking the lead; Janusz Kaminski behind the camera; Michael Kahn editing and a Coen brothers script (with Matt Charmon (Suite Française)).
And Bridge of Spies doesn't disappoint, particularly for someone of my more advanced years (I was born the year following the film's climatic events) who remembers well the terror of potential nuclear catastrophe that hung over the world through the 60's and 70's.In a story based on true events, Hanks plays James Donovan (diverging somewhat from reality here) as an insurance lawyer dragged by his firm into defending Rudolf Abel, the accused Soviet spy played exquisitely by British stage acting legend Mark Rylance.
For me, nothing could be further from the truth and the packed Saturday night audience I saw this with seemed equally gripped from beginning to end, silent save for the odd laugh where some appropriate humor is weaved into the story.Tom Hanks is solid and believable as the fish-out-of-water lawyer, albeit that the role is played with a large spoonful of patriotic American sugar as Donovan trumpets about the importance of the constitution over the lynch-mob mentality of the general public.
Alan Alda – great to see again on the big screen – channels his best Hawkeye-style exasperation as Donovan's boss, looking for a clean and quick conviction.But it is Mark Rylance – an irregular player in movies, and due to appear again in next year's "BFG" – who shines out as the acting star of the film.
It makes the similar scenes, that I commented positively on in the recent "Man from U.N.C.L.E." seem like an amateur school production.The special effects team also contribute in making the shooting down of the U-2 a thrilling piece of cinema.Music is sparingly and effectively used by Thomas Newman, and it can be no greater complement to the composer than that I was wondering until the end titles as to whether it was another Spielberg/ John Williams collaboration or not.A great film, one of my favorites this year.
In its grown-up seriousness and basis in historical conflict, Steven Spielberg's first feature since Lincoln three years ago joins the list of the director's half-dozen previous "war" films, but in its honoring of an American civilian who pulled off a smooth prisoner exchange between the East and West during a very tense period, the film generates an unmistakable nostalgia for a time when global conflict seemed more clear-cut and manageable than it does now.
Bridge Of Spies is a historical drama film starring Tom Hanks, co-written by the Coen brothers, and directed by Steven Spielberg.
Donovan (Tom Hanks)In Bridge of Spies, Steven Spielberg once again masterfully goes to the historical drama with a righteous man's theme (think Schindler and Lincoln for starters).
As usual, Spielberg recreates the times with the atmosphere, cars, and film noir aspect of a spy thriller in the figurative and literal Cold War. He said, "I always wanted to tell the stories that really interested me in my personal life—which are stories about things that actually happened."Hanks is central to Spielberg's vision of the lone hero defying the odds and supporting the highest ideals of the American Constitution and the individually virtuous man.
One of the surprising things about Bridge of Spies is not really that Steven Spielberg directed this story, which tracks the trial and then trade of a Russian spy in 1957 (an exchange for an American pilot, and someone else who I'll get to shortly).
It's the kind of material that would attract Spielberg, especially with the hero of the story, Jim Donovan (Tom Hanks), who comes into a situation he shouldn't be involved with but not only can pull off talking and reasoning with people and finding the better side of a situation or person's nature.
This doesn't fly well in a society that is overrun with Red-Scare fever and end up doing the worst of things when in total fear of things (i.e. the A-bomb, which gets a kind of cameo in the film in a way that Spielberg I'm sure has a personal connection with, being a child of the 50's, but I digress).The Coens I think brought a sense of realism to things, but also stylization; the way characters talk at times there's a lot of things where people try to figure the other person out, which is fascinating to watch.
At the same time I feel like the message can, and probably will, resonate today; Spielberg knows that we're in times where it can be dubious whether people are put on trial and given proper legal counsel if they're suspected 'others' or combatants, and if they get the counsel who knows how the trial will go.Bridge of Spies may have Hanks being, shall we say, Jimmy Stewart-like (I know other critics will or have), and is the guy the audience likes - his endearing characteristic in the second half, of all things, is a cold.
Hanks comes in and is unequivocal in his earnest desire for justice ("Everyone deserves a defense, every life matters" echoes another Spielberg motto in Schindler's List), and it's refreshing in a way to see this in a movie right now.Two little issues: the film's ending is a little long, with a coda that feels like it stretches just a little longer than it should, albeit for a visual callback that does add a bittersweet tinge that is welcome and interesting; and the lack of a John Williams score (the first for Spielberg in 30 years) is startling.
Except for the end of Bridge of Spies (where we get a clip of Pierre Salinger informing the news of the spy swap) and an early scene of a teenage girl watching a late night story, there's not much to nibble on – Spielberg wastes a huge opportunity in a class room scene where kids are watching a nuclear bomb film strip.
Later in the movie Mr. Donovan is recruited by CIA to negotiate the release of captured American spies in exchange for Colonel Abel, including U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers who was captured by the Soviets after his spy plane was shot down in Soviet airspace.
I will simply tell the truth of the historical incident that this film is supposedly based on; and I will do it using the memoirs of the two primary American participants in these events - James Donovan and Francis Powers.Let's start by comparing the details and outcomes of the Abel trial in the US with that of Powers' trial in the Soviet Union.
Donovan (Tom Hanks) is assigned by the Bar association to defend in court the Soviet spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), who was captured by the FBI.
Will Donovan succeed in his intent?"Bridge of Spies" is a great spy thriller based on a true story in the period of the Cold War. The plot is engaging and the cinematography, costume design and art direction are amazing.
but not necessarily a very entertaining one.First -- and this is the key to my review --- semi-biographical films documenting real events do not have to be dull, or tedious, or dark, or lack connection with the viewer.Look at PAWN SACRIFICE, for example, recently reviewed by this reviewer and still very much top of mind.And then we have BRIDGE OF SPIES, a two-plus hour opus that one suspects never would have been greenlighted without you-know-who as the director and you-know-who playing the lead.Presumably we are meant to honor the main character's humanity as he struggles against a corrupt (or possibly insane) system to do the right thing...?
it's terrific craftsmanship, pure storytelling gusto and that Midas- touch ability to find grounds for optimism everywhere, Steven Spielberg has dramatised a true-life cold war spy-swap drama, starring Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance.
Bridge of Spies is the new Steven Spielberg directed film based on true events during the cold war.
As such, "Bridge of Spies" doesn't shed new light on Cold War history, but it does tell a small story with of inspirational characters with a lot of heart.Tom Hanks stars as James Donovan, an insurance attorney asked to represent a recently detained Soviet spy named Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance).
Bridge of Spies (2015) *** (out of 4)Attorney James Donovan (Tom Hanks) is given the thankless job of defending suspected Russian spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance).
Donovan accepts the job but soon finds himself defending his client a bit too good for some, which leads to him being the main negotiator between America and Russia when it comes time for a prisoner swap.Steven Spielberg's BRIDGE OF SPIES isn't one of the director's greatest works but it's certainly a very well-made film that manages to hold your attention throughout the rather long running time.
Spielberg perfectly handles the material and milks it for some nice drama as well as some political points that are certainly meant to be taken into consideration on some current issues.Hanks, as you'd expect, turns in an excellent performance and is certainly believable in the role of the attorney who finds his life spinning out of control from not only his wife but strangers who feels he is helping a spy.
As much as you'd expect Spielberg to follow that up with screw- tightening suspense, he confounds that expectation just as quickly with a droll introduction to his lead protagonist named James Donovan, a New York insurance claims attorney arguing why the accident in which the client he is currently representing had hit a car with five people should not be referred to as "five things" but just "one thing".Sure enough, Spielberg doesn't try to do a Tom Clancy with this real-life story of how Donovan came to be appointed by the Bar to represent Abel and subsequently negotiated a tricky exchange of Soviet and American spies; instead, working with a brilliantly written script by Joel and Ethan Coen with Matt Charman that adapts freely from the historical record, Spielberg mounts a handsomely old-fashioned story of righteous underdog triumph.
Long (141 mins) and boring spy thriller with the usual performance from Tom Hanks (James Donovan) who's face throughout the middle of the movie looks like a carrot due to the the bad makeup and in the other half has the usual-suspect- grimace if he is having a poo because of too much effort trying to convince us with his tricks in a particular scene.
One of the most prolific directors in the history of cinema, Steven Spielberg, returns to the silver screen with his new period thriller "Bridge of Spies" starring two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks.
What really manages to standout is the impeccable and sensational performance of Emmy Award nominee Mark Rylance, who steals and owns every scene he's present.The film tells the story of James Donovan (Hanks), an American lawyer that is recruited by the CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot (Austin Stowell) detained in the Soviet Union.
In the midst of the Cold War paranoia, Jim Donovan (Tom Hanks) a lawyer specialized in insurance settlement is assigned to defend KGB spy Rudolf Abel, Mark Rylance in a performance that will deserve a few words.
"Bridge of Spies" written by the Cohen Brothers with Matt Charman and directed by Steven Spielberg, chronicles one such as "game".Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance, in an Academy-Award caliber performance), a.k.a. Vilyam "Willie" Genrikhovich Fisher, was an older unassuming man in a small Brooklyn apartment appearing to engage in painting projects.
Both governments agree to an exchange, but not only does James actually have to go to East Germany to negotiate the deal, but when another American is jailed, he tries to get a two for one prisoner.Steven Spielberg has a track record that's easy to rely to when defending his movies, yet I wasn't sure how I'd respond to the political-legal thriller that Bridge of Spies is.
While the subject doesn't seem too remarkable, once you get to know both Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance's (who I hope gets an awards nomination for his portrayal) character, you get a good idea of what both sides are hoping to achieve, both as a stance on what it means to be loyal to your country and doing what's right.Aside from being a strong character piece, Bridge of Spies has a different look then you might expect from the more whimsical Spielberg.
Where Bridge of Spies might rank among the bearded hat wearing gurus career however can only be decided by time but there's little doubt this cold war thriller is an absolute treat of cinematic produce.Tense, taut and most tellingly, meticulously shot and edited, Spies is quite possibly Spielberg's finest film in a decade.Working with his usual and trusted production crew including D.O.P Janusz Kaminski and editor Michael Kahn (sadly John Williams doesn't score Spies, perhaps he was busy in a galaxy far far away?), Spies really does see Spielberg achieve fantastic overall results, especially from his team up with writers Joel and Ethan Coen who were bought in to touch up Matt Charman's original script.While it's not got the heart of Spielberg's most revered films like E.T, Schindler's List or Saving Private Ryan or the pure spectacle of ventures like Jaws or Minority Report, it's still clear Spielberg had a blast creating this thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat almost entirely through its scripting and construction.
Stephen Spielberg's riveting new film portrays the real-life events and personalities that led to a historic U.S.-Soviet-East German prisoner exchange in the frozen depths of the Cold War. In 1962, in a divided Berlin, an accused Soviet spy is to be traded for two Americans, if all goes well.
Aside from a few minor plot points and inconsistencies of the spies' time in captivity, Spielberg and the Coen brothers stay true to the intriguing story of how an insurance lawyer from Brooklyn saved the lives of two Americans and a Soviet spy.Novelty in today's cinema is a hallowed treasure.
Donovan) and Mark Rylance (Rudolf Abel) played there roles extremely well and they made the movie slightly watchable but I still struggled to keep my eyes open, through the negotiating scenes between Hanks, the Germans and the Russians.
This particular one is much more focused on persuasive and intense dialogues and not on big action scenes, but due to the beauty and consistency of the conversations, the film doesn't become boring.It has a captivating and inspiring plot and is based on a true story that took place during the Cold War. As presume, the direction is spectacular, Steven Spielberg once again proves to be one of the best.
A well-made and acted but understated cold-war drama about the exchange of prisoners between the USA and the USSR in Germany.Tom Hanks is reliably good as the insurance lawyer James Donovan, drawn into cold-war intrigue, representing a Soviet spy Rudolf Abel in court.
And sometimes, if you're lucky, you are able to "view a film".BRIDGE OF SPIES is a film in every sense of the word.Directed by the great Steven Spielberg, BRIDGE OF SPIES tells the story of the Cold War prisoner exchange in the early 1960's that was brokered by the character portrayed by Tom Hanks .
"Bridge of Spies" follows the true story of James Donovan (played by Tom Hanks), a life insurance lawyer who gets recruited by the government during the Cold War to defend Soviet spy Rudolf Abel (played by Mark Rylance) in court, and then later negotiate the exchange of the spy for one of America's own, Francis Gary Powers (played by Austin Stowell).
Such an event is the subject of director Steven Spielberg's 2015 Cold War suspense thriller BRIDGE OF SPIES, the 27th film in this legendary director's career.Tom Hanks, who has made it his business of playing an Everyman, portrays the role of James Donovan, a New York insurance lawyer who, in 1957, was thrown into the breach of the Cold War by being forced to defend a KGB agent named Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) on three counts related to espionage activity.
Sober and serious much of the time, but with the added wit and gravitas of Hanks' and Rylance's performances to keep the story from getting too grim, BRIDGE OF SPIES is another masterpiece in a long line of masterpieces for Spielberg, especially in his collaborations with Hanks; and it is a film that reminds us that the Cold War, though a part of history now, is also still an important part of that history..
Set in the Cold War era, in Brooklyn, Bridge of Spies is a story about a successful insurance prosecutor, James B Donovan (Tom Hanks) who is given a case to defend a Russian spy, Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance).
The acting is all predictable, with Tom Hanks being terribly engaging as James Donovan, but the more notable actor, Mark Rylance, brings a less showy performance, yet given something more to his moments.Bridge of Spies is stellar, simply by its craft and how it straightforwardly retells this story.
Director Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks collaborate once again this espionage thriller set in the 1950s in the height of the Cold War, a period of political tensions between many nations across the globe and a time when the United States facing threats of communism from the Soviet Union that ravaged on until the early 1990s following the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Based on the true events, Tom Hanks play James Donovan, an American lawyer who takes on a daunting court case to defend Rudolf Abel (played by Mark Rylance), who is suspected of being a Russian spy, much to the outrage of the public as well as his wife and children.
'Bridge of Spies' is a very well made, informative and entertaining spy movie inspired by true events during the Cold War. Arguably the most impressive part of this film is the brilliant cinematography and design, with some great attention to detail. |
tt0079813 | Rock 'n' Roll High School | The school board meets to welcome Miss Evelyn Togar (Mary Woronov), Vince Lombardi High School's new principal -- the old principal having been driven insane by the unruly students. Riff Randell (P.J. Soles) and her nerdy friend Kate Rambeau (Dey Young) hijack the PA system to play some music ("Sheena Is a Punk Rocker"). Miss Togar interupts the dance party and gives them both detention. Miss Togar then announces to the assembled students that Vince Lombardi High School has the worst academic standing in California. Three principals in a row have suffered nervous breakdowns because the student body cares about nothing but rock and roll music. Miss Togar vows to the students that she will clean up the school and make it a center of learning. Intimidated, the kids rush off to their classes.Kate has a crush on the quarterback, Tom Roberts (Vincent Van Patten), who has the hots for Riff. Tom is shy with girls -- all he can think of to talk about is the weather -- so rather than ask Riff out, he goes to see the school's fixer, Eaglebauer (Clint Howard), who has an office in the boys' restroom. Eaglebauer agrees to get Tom a date with Riff. His task becomes complicated the very next day when Kate asks him to get her a date with Tom.Riff, an aspiring singer and songwriter, has written a song called "Rock 'n' Roll High School" for her favorite band, the Ramones. Her heart belongs to lead singer Joey Ramone, and she hopes that one day she'll be able to give the song to Joey and that the band will record it.Miss Togar sends her two geek minions, hall monitors Fritz Hansel (Loren Lester) and Fritz Gretel (Daniel Davies), to summon Mr. McGree (Paul Bartel), the music teacher, and Coach Steroid (Alix Elias), the gym teacher, to the science lab. Togar has been researching the effects of rock music. She shares her findings with Mr. McGree and Coach Steroid, and performs a demonstration: Ramones music played at high decibel levels makes mice explode. Meanwhile the girls' gym class, left unsupervised, is rocking out to unauthorized music -- Riff singing along to her demo tape of "Rock 'n' Roll High School". Fritz Hansel and Fritz Gretel happen by and rat the girls out, but before Togar arrives, the class goes back to the boring calisthenics they were supposed to be doing.In the girls' locker room, Riff announces that the Ramones are coming to town to give a concert and she plans to go. The other girls, though enthusiastic, can't take time away from school to wait in the ticket line for three days. Riff resolves to get tickets for everyone.At the concert hall, Riff is first in line. She sets up a folding lounge chair and settles in to wait. Back at school, Kate gives Miss Togar notes with increasingly implausible excuses to cover for Riff's absence: the death of her mother, the death of her father, and the death of her goldfish. (Hansel and Gretel disprove this excuse by producing the goldfish, which seems perfectly healthy until one of them swallows it.) The ticket line gets longer and a groupie, Angel Dust (Lynn Farrell), cuts in front of Riff to claim the first place in line. Their argument is interrupted by the arrival of the Ramones in a big old convertible, singing "I Just Want to Have Something to Do." The band's manager recognizes Angel Dust and invites her to come in with the band, much to Riff's chagrin.When the ticket window finally opens, Riff buys 100 tickets and later distributes them at school. Miss Togar gets wind of the concert and demands that Riff and Kate surrender their tickets. When they refuse, Togar lets the hall monitors take the tickets by force ("body search!"). Disheveled and despondent at the prospect of missing the concert, the girls retreat to Riff's house to do homework.Meanwhile, Eaglebauer is with Tom in Tom's tricked-out van, coaching him on how to ask Riff for a date. Tom calls just as Kate confesses to Riff that she thinks Tom will soon ask her (Kate) out. Kate is furious when Riff agrees to go out with Tom, but Riff assures her that she only accepted so she can fix up Tom and Kate.In Riff's car, Kate and Riff hear a DJ giving away a pair of Ramones tickets on the radio. Frantic to win the tickets, Riff pulls the car over and they pull a man out of a phone booth (the poor guy's proposing to his girlfriend) so they can use the phone. When they hear they've won, Riff calls Tom to break their date and the girls rush back to Riff's place to dress for the show.That evening, concert-goers file into the club, which is growing crowded. The kindly Mr. McGree attends out of curiosity, but his outdated idea of cool clubwear (a '50s-era beret and a '60s-era scarf) elicits some snickers. A large white mouse is denied admission -- the staff is afraid the music will cause him to explode -- until he produces a pair of noise-canceling headphones. An Indian chief in full feathered headdress is also attending.Riff and Kate are introduced on stage by the DJ who ran the ticket contest, Screamin' Steve Stevens (Don Steele). Offered the chance to say a few words to the crowd and the radio audience (which includes Miss Togar), Riff says "On behalf of the students from Vince Lombardi High who are here tonight, I'd just like to say one thing: Screw you, Principal Togar, we made it to the concert anyway!"Screamin' Steve tries to get Riff and Kate backstage to meet the band, but the Ramones' manager isn't having any, and tells Angel Dust, the groupie, to see the girls back to their seats. The crowd is revved up and shouting "hey, ho! let's go!" when the band takes the stage to open with "Blitzkrieg Bop." Riff has to encourage Kate to get into it, but Kate begins to loosen up and enjoy herself during the next song, "Teenage Lobotomy." During the following number, "California Sun," Angel attempts to steal the song Riff wrote. Tom, who has come to the concert with Eaglebauer, chases her and gets hold of the package when Angel trips over a cokehead who's spilled his powder on the floor. Riff offhandedly thanks Tom for his help and runs back to the concert. Tom sees that only Kate really cares about him and they agree to be friends. Back on stage, Joey (reading a note from Riff) dedicates the next song, "She's the One," to Tom and Kate.At the same time Miss Togar's minions, Hansel and Gretel, crash the concert looking for Riff. Instead they find Angel Dust in the Ramones' dressing room. When Angel Dust mouths off to them, they yell "body search!" and attack her. Riff eventually gets backstage to give Joey her song.A few days later, Miss Togar and several concerned parents hold a rally where they try to burn a pile of Ramones records in front of the school. Riff and Tom throw a bowl of water at the bonfire and at Miss Togar. When most of the students begin to riot, the Ramones arrive and all the students cheer for them. Taking over the group, Riff, Tom, Kate, Eaglebauer and others storm the school and throw a large climactic party. Mr. McGree, finally seeing the ruthless and authoritarian figure that Miss Togar has become, defects and joins the students -- and the party -- in the school. Hansel and Gretel sneak in to stop the party, but when they're discovered hiding in a laundry cart, the Ramones themselves push the cart out of a third floor window. Miss Togar's henchmen end up in bandages and casts with multiple injuries.During the party, Riff announces that the Ramones are honorary members of the student body. The Ramones give Riff a Ramones jacket and makes her an honorary member of their band. The band plays "Do You Wanna Dance" while Kate and Tom dance together and make out, having found love at last. The students proceed to party and wreck most of the building with the loud music.But that evening, a furious Miss Togar calls the police and the building is surrounded by riot officers led by Chief Klein (Dick Miller). When Miss Togar, speaking through a bullhorn, demands that the students stop the festivities, Riff responds by destroying all the mid-term exams and all the student records with a chainsaw. More angry than ever, Miss Togar and Chief Klein threaten to storm the building with tear gas unless the students exit the premises within five minutes.With few options left, Kate and Eaglebauer devise a bomb in the laboratory. Aware that their party is finally over, the Ramones, Riff, Kate, Tom, Eaglebauer, Mr. McGree, and all the students quietly file out of the building where the riot police are poised to attack. Riff steps forward and tells Miss Togar that if she wants to have her school back, she can. When a surprised Togar asks Riff what she would have done with the school anyway, Riff says "Rock the roof off it! Hit it, Marky!" -- and the band launches into Riff's song, "Rock 'n' Roll High School." The students and Ramones resume their party and Riff detonates the bomb. The school explodes spectacularly.As Vince Lombardi High School burns, fire trucks arrive. The students are led away, still happy and partying, to police buses waiting to take them to jail, while Miss Togar is taken away in an ambulance in a straight-jacket mumbling "detention" over and over. She has become the latest principle to be carted away to a mental hospital. | absurd, cult | train | imdb | Great Ramones set and lots of other cool music featured (MC5, Devo, Eno, Todd and Eddie and the Hot Rods "Teenage Depression") puts this at the top of the Rock'n'Roll heap.Too cool for school!!.
Well, I have finally caught up with "Rock 'N' Roll High School," almost 30 years after it first became a midnight movie sensation in 1979.
It tells the story of Riff Randell, adorably played by P.J. Soles, and the battle that she and her fellow students at Vince Lombardi High wage against their new repressive principal, Miss Togar.
Riff is, of course, the #1 fan of that original punk band The Ramones, and that band dishes out a baker's dozen of its greatest songs during the course of the film, including five at a concert that is a total blast.
It's a lot of fun, especially for fans of Eating Raoul....(Paul Bartel as an uptight music teacher who really loosens up to the Ramones and Mary Woronov as an insane principal with a real vendetta against rock n' roll, and the Ramones in particular).
The Ramones themselves looked pretty bewildered most of the time (especially Joey) but somehow they fit in to the high energy level of the other actors (especially P.J. Soles, who really should have made more movies) and the various shenanigans, many of which are pretty bizarre..
Unlike those ridiculous B-Movies he made prior to this one, Rock 'n Roll High School is actually cool!
In this one, the protagonist is a teen girl who is a hard-core Ramones fan, and she and her fellow classmates are up against a dictator-like principal who wants to make the school a living hell.
Rock 'n Roll High School is a really fun, edgy, tongue-in-cheek, feel good kind of movie!
An extremely silly and overdone comedy, the film is nevertheless still reasonably entertaining, as the songs are good, the characters are relatively fun to watch, and there are some genuine laughs along the way.
Also, it would have been nice to get to know the characters a bit better, but then were the filmmakers really trying to do something better than a run-of-the-mill high school set film, or were they just out to have fun, like their characters are?
Throw in, too, all the elements of a Roger Corman-produced comedy-exploitation film, except for the two-day shooting schedule, some of the familiar Corman repertory players like Clint Howard, Mary Wournow and Dick Miller (there since "Bucket of Blood"), and you've got one of the great stoopid movies of the day.
I showed the new DVD to a friend who could only remember seeing parts of it through a stoner- induced haze at the drive-in, and he agreed that this is one of the great movies to be watching drunk, not the least for the lovely leading ladies and the great Ramones footage..
Rock 'n' Roll High School was one of the best movies ever made!
Rock 'n' Roll High School was one of the best movies ever made!
So everybody showed see Rock 'n' Roll High School if your a huge fan of real PUNK.
It's amazing that actress P.J. Soles didn't become a big star after playing Riff Randell, #1 fan of the punk rock group the Ramones, in "Rock 'n' Roll High School".
Mary Woronov, a kinky and funny presence as the Nazi-like principal, gets a great, one-of-a-kind bit at the beginning where Frisbees fly dangerously close to her head (how many takes did they use on that, or was it a fluke?) and Dey Young is very appealing as Randell's best friend, Kate Rambeau.
If you're not a fan of the post disco music scene that The Ramones represented you're probably not going to like Rock "N" Roll High School.
Stylistically Rock 'N' Roll High School borrows from A Hard Day's Night and from Grease and the mix is good.It ain't exactly my kind of music and it's not O'Neill or Shakespeare, but the film is amusing and harmless.And the ending is the dream of a lot of teenagers..
I attended MANY Ramones shows at CBGB's from 75 through 77, and I remember Joey telling me they wouldn't be around for a while because they were going to California to make a high school movie.
Putting the plot, setting, and production values aside, if you are interested in what a Ramones live performance was like in the semi-early days, you should fast-forward to the scenes in this movie in which the Ramones appear.
If that still doesn't do anything for you, then don't even bother finishing the movie; it's not for you.But if watching got you sweaty and excited, then rejoice that Film has accurately and eternally captured the unrelenting ultra-energy and comic-book sexuality of a typical Ramones performance.
Personally I think this kind of business is a cool idea, shame I didn't have this kind of business in my high school or collage for help.Mary Wornov as Miss Evelyn Togar is a fun villainous you love to hate, it's sort of ironic that she also got to play the main villainous in "Rock n Roll High School Forever" but that's a different story.
And of course once she presses that wrong button with Riff as well as ourselves, you know she's got to go down.The comedy I think is very good, the best and most hilarious of course is the high school takeover which despite occurring at the last minutes of the film are clearly the highlight and payoff of the film.
In a way this film is sort of a musical as we constantly hear rock songs, one musical sequence from P.J. Soles and the other students, but most of all songs from the band "The Ramones".
Their songs are just fantastic, they sing one of my favorite theme songs of all which of course is the title itself.I even like that in a way the film has a good message showing that music and anything else in entertainment are rights and aren't the cause of social problems.Rockin Roll High School hits all the right notes.Rating: 3 and a half stars.
Now rather than reveal any more of this film and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that watching this movie was like watching a train wreck in slow motion--I had to keep watching in spite of the fact that the humor was hit-or-miss, the music wasn't exactly my style and the end was totally predictable.
A group of rock-music-loving students, with the help of the Ramones, take over their school to combat its newly installed oppressive administration.There really is not much that can be said about this film -- the plot is nothing special and the acting is pretty average.
Even so, memories of your days in high school are relatable with some poignant reflections of what hell it was during that time (like a dorky kid being stuffed inside a locker.) The climax of the film benefits from real pyrotechnics and of course great music..
I've never been a fan of PJ Soles and it didn't help to hear that she didn't even know who the Ramones were until she filmed this movie, but I can ignore her snarly little face for the most part.
Riff Randell is a wildly, obsessed fan of the rock group; The Ramones and so are most of the students in the school.
But a new tyrant of a principal, Ms. Togar thinks rock 'n' roll is a bad influence on the students, especially the music from The Ramones.
While, this is happening Tom Roberts is totally love struck over Riff, but Riff's friend Kate Rambeau feels the same way about Tom. But Riff has her eyes set only on the lead singer Joe Ramone and hopefully in getting to that concert to get them to play her song.Fun!
The enthusiastic acting is pretty campy, but that goes down well with the material and there's a certain likability stemming from these characters, but we totally despise Ms. Togar and her hall monitor goons.There's no beating around the bush here when I say 'Rock 'n' Roll High School' is an intoxicating hoot, of a rad time!.
ROCK N ROLL HIGH SCHOOL holds a special place in my heart because it introduced me to the Ramones.
(Isn't it every high school kid's dream to trash his school and blow it up, all set to a rockin' soundtrack?) I recorded a subsequent airing of the film a year or two later and kept watching the Ramones concert sequences over and over again, thinking "Man, these guys kick ass!
High school comedies have really changed over the years, if you compare a movie like "American Pie" with this late 70's classic, where no tasteless sex jokes are made at all.
it's a great film with a little bit of bad acting, but great rock 'n' roll music.i give this movie 4 stars1.
A classic US versus THEM teen rager flik in a camped out tradition of Blackboard Jungle that gets the roles right.Consider this gumbo...70s stud Van Patten as hopeless jock, mixed with rock and roll saviours Ramones as geek chorus, Clint Howard (in his funniest role before EdTV) as the risky business young enterpriser, a Rock-Ometer that deftly measures who is the loudest band of em all, exploding white mice, and the cherry on top, PJSoles as protofeministpunkwannabe, complete with her bitchin' record collection and her Horatio Alger drive to be FIRST in line.The movie at the time of its release, often shown in a double bill with the Who's The Kids Are Allright, was a glistening cultural oasis, figuring once you got out of the theatre and into your car your dad had the disco on the radio.Apparently, Corman wanted disco music to be the lifeblood of the teens, until Arkush demanded punk; the TNT scene was really executed on a high school in Watts; and Dee Dee Ramone thought the movie took the band 'down a level to stupid, and the Ramones aren't a stoopid band.' Hey, we accept you, we accept you, one of US.A must see for any rack'n'roll fan that hates the Dave Mathews Band..
Fashions aside, this basic rock-n-roll, high school rebellion movie holds up nicely today.
Even if you're not a big Ramones fan, Rock 'N' Roll High School is *still* the greatest rock 'n' roll movie ever made.
Mary Woronov as evil principal Miss Togar and Paul Bartel as a wacky music teacher steal the movie and would later make the equally great "Eating Raoul." This is a great film that I think everyone should see!
Rock and Roll High School was centered around the Ramones.
If you don't like the Ramones then you don't know rock and roll and you don't deserve to watch a movie called ROCK AND ROLL High School..
"Rock 'N' Roll High School" is like, the veritable predecessor for other great films such as "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," and "Singles." It's right in that same vein...
(Incidentally, I heard that concert went on forever during the filming of the movie to get it "just right." This is kind of funny because if you know ANYTHING about the Ramones, you know their songs are on average, about sixty seconds long, each.) It's a classic case-study of the student body rebelling against the administrative dictatorship which is enforced by the principal, other school officials, and especially the hall monitors.
The student body, lead by punkadelic Riff Randall, portrayed by PJ Soles of "Halloween," (and a bunch of other movies I don't remember the names of right this instant), manages to come out on top after having been oppressed musically, and creatively by "the man," Miss Togar.
Roger Corman's New World Pictures released this clever & often hilarious musical comedy starring the punk rock band "The Ramones".
What kind of high school is this anyway?Unless you are a major Ramones fan, DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT waste your time like I did.
It's odd that twenty-three years later, their music sounds so much more mainstream than it did in 1979, but you have to remember that disco ruled the (AM) airwaves and the Ramones' brand of roots-punk rock & roll was a harsh contrast to the dance music that prevailed at the time.Bad points: the acting, the dialogue, and the plot.
I have been a Ramones fan since high school and somehow had never seen this movie.
And if you like laughing at poorly made movies, you'll get some good laughs out of Rock 'n Roll High School..
the high school is taken over by evil ms.togar that hates the one thing that all the students love, rock& roll.
Still I watched all 100 minutes of it, because it has "ENERGY." Story - parents and high school administration think Rock and Roll will be the downfall of their teenagers.
Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Entertaining, if extremely brain dead film set in a high school where a new principle has started and she refuses to let the kids dance, sing or have fun.
When The Ramones come to town, their #1 fan Riff Randell (P.J. Soles) will do whatever it takes to get tickets and to make sure the school is ready to rock.
PJ Soles stars as Riff Randle, the rebellious high school girl who lives and breathes rock 'n roll.
Clint Howard as the duplicitous Eaglebauer, has lots of fun with his role.The Ramones perform many of their hit songs in this film.
I liked this movie I remember there was one very well done scene in this movie where Riff Randell (played by P.J. Soles) is lying in her bed smoking pot and then she begins to visualize that the Ramones are in the room with her sing the song "I Want You Around" ...very very cool stuff.It was fun, energetic, quirky and cool.
I liked this movie I remember there was one very well done scene in this movie where Riff Randell (played by P.J. Soles) is lying in her bed smoking pot and then she begins to visualize that the Ramones are in the room with her sing the song "I Want You Around" ...very very cool stuff.It was fun, energetic, quirky and cool.
Portraying a bunch of high school students using the Ramones' music as inspiration to rise up against their despotic principal (Mary Woronov, of "Eating Raoul" fame), the whole movie is a mile a minute.
Too bad that director Allan Arkush later degenerated into fare such as "Caddyshack II".Also starring P.J. Soles, Vincent Van Patten, Clint Howard, Dey Young, Dick Miller (who has appeared in every one of Joe Dante's movies, and many of Roger Corman's), Don Steele, and of course the Ramones.
Vincent Van Patten is the only actor I'm familiar with as one of the kids, the pretty boy blonde football player determined to get laid and aiding aging high school rocker P.J. Soles (29 at the time of this film's release) to get rock band the Ramones to perform at the school.Going into my junior year of high school at the time this came out, this is not representative of the two high schools I attended, but I did indeed recognize many of the archetypes of the type of kids I'd been around, even though my own modern music taste at the time isn't reflected here either.
One of b- and c-movie producer Roger Corman's greatest cult classics was the Ramones vehicle (originally designated for Cheap Trick), Rock N' Roll High School.
It's just a simple, technically dated story (but would serve up extra doses of nostalgia humor considering these were the kind of things that made Napoleon Dynamite characters funny--see Eaglebauer's van) about teenagers who love rock n' roll.Students at Vince Lombardi High School are met with resistance by the evil principal, Miss Evelyn Togar (played by cult classic favorite, Mary Woronov) who fears that Rock N' Roll turns kids into uncontrollable, amoral deviants and vows to make a Rock N' Roll-free zone.
A Ramones fanatic, she has written some songs (including Rock N' Roll High School) that she wants to give to the Ramones, and in trying to do so, is rebuffed by Miss Togar who does all she can to keep her from going to see the Ramones play in town.
When ever you have a few buddies over for some beers and you guys want to watch a real hip flick for a good laugh, Rock 'n' Roll High School would be the perfect choice.
I was really amazed with Clint Howard's role as Eagle Bower and I just could not imagine any other rock 'n' roll band to star in this movie then the Ramones.
Look, this was not meant to be cinematic art, it was meant to be a rockin' and rollin' teen movie involving probably one of the most influential rock bands of all time.My personal favorite scene was when the main character, Riff Randall, is in her bedroom and is fantasizing about Joey Ramone singing "I Want You Around" to her.
Foremost among their number is rock and roller Riff Randell (has P.J Soles ever been lovelier?) who dreams of writing songs for the Ramones and meeting Joey Ramone.When new Principal Togar (has Mary Woronov ever not been great in a film?) takes her ticket to the concert away from her, she and her best friend Kate have to figure out how they'll get to meet their heroes, win true love and escape the drudgery of high school.There's a moment here where Riff imagines Joey in her bedroom singing "I Want You Around" to her.
ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL is a Roger Corman-produced mix of musical and high school comedy, mainly working as a showpiece for The Ramones, a popular punk band of the 1970s.
The school's most popular student Riff Randle (played with nonstop energy and sex appeal by late 70s/early 80s vixen P.J. Soles) is the #1 fan of the iconic 70s band the Ramones, who are in town for a concert.
The movie is just plain fun....maybe more fun for those of us who were kids and fans of "The Ramones" around the time the film was made. |
tt0076734 | Soldaat van Oranje | The film is about a group of students from Leiden, the Netherlands, amongst them Erik Lanshof (Rutger Hauer), Guus LeJeune (Jeroen Krabbé), Jan Weinberg (Huib Rooymans), and Alex (Derek de Lint). Robby Froost (Eddy Habbema) is a friend of Erik, and Esther (Belinda Meuldijk) is Robby's girlfriend. Each of them follow a different path and therefore have a different role in World War II, either as a collaborator or in the resistance. Part of the story is set in London, where Queen Wilhelmina (Andrea Domburg) has residence. The students Erik and Guus fight alongside Colonel Rafelli (Edward Fox) and soldier Susan (Susan Penhaligon) of the allied forces in London.
The film begins with a flashforward in the form of a newsreel with a voice-over. Queen Wilhelmina is accompanied by Erik arriving in the Netherlands from London shortly after World War II. After the newsreel, the film starts in the late 1930s in Leiden, where freshmen undergo the humiliation of the initiation rites of their fraternity. Erik is picked out by Guus, the chair of the fraternity, who throws a bowl of soup over his head and injures him with the bowl. After this accident, Guus apologises to Erik, the two become close friends, and Guus offers him a room in his private student house in the centre of Leiden. In this house, the students (Erik, Guus, Jacques, Jan, and Alex) have a drink which confirms their new friendships.
In September 1939, an English radio broadcasting interrupts the students in a tennis match and announces the declaration of war by the United Kingdom against Germany. In the beginning, the students seem to take things lightly believing that the Netherlands will probably remain neutral as in World War I. Jan, who is a Jew, and also Alex, who has a German mother, immediately join the Dutch army. In May 1940, Germany invades the Netherlands and Erik and Guus try to join the army, too, but they are not accepted by a traumatised army officer. Shortly thereafter, the Netherlands capitulates due to the Rotterdam Blitz. Erik has an affair with Esther.
Robby has a radio transmitter in his garden shed from where he contacts the Dutch resistance in London. He arranges for Erik to take a flight to London. The Jewish Jan, student and boxing champion, gets into trouble by fighting with two anti-Semitic collaborators, who were bullying a Jewish salesman. Because of this, Erik offers his place on the airplane to Jan. However, during the pickup they get into a fight with German soldiers, and Jan gets captured. Erik is able to escape.
When Erik meets Alex during a military parade, he finds out Alex is now fighting on the German side for the SS. Later, Erik is also captured. In prison, he hears from Jan that a man called Van der Zanden is the traitor in London. Jan is executed at the Waalsdorpervlakte dune area. Robby's radio installation is discovered, and he is blackmailed by the Gestapo to cooperate as a spy, because his fiancée Esther is a Jew.
Erik and Guus try to flee to London again, this time successfully on the Swiss cargo St. Cergue. In London, Erik meets Van der Zanden (modelled after general François van 't Sant) and tries to kill him, but he appears not to be a traitor but head of the Dutch Central Intelligence Service and a trustee of the Dutch Queen. Guus has an affair with a British soldier Susan. Erik and Guus agree with the Queen to pick up some resistance leaders who could play an important role in the Netherlands after the war. Guus is dropped on the beach and tricks himself into a party nearby. Now, Erik has an affair with Susan.
Erik comes back to the Netherlands to pick up Guus and the resistance leaders. However, Robby is with them on the beach and the Germans have followed the group who are about to escape by sea. Erik tries to warn them about Robby but cannot reach them. On his way to the beach, Erik runs into Alex at a Nazi party and dances ballroom tango with him. Erik is able to flee the party onto the beach and meets the others. When Robby realises that Erik knows about his collaboration, he fires a light signal and flees. The group tries to escape, but the resistance leaders are killed. Guus escapes swimming into the sea, but only Erik is able to reach the British ship and returns to London and to Susan.
Another day, Guus meets Robby and shoots him in the middle of the street. Guus gets caught and is executed by guillotine. In Russia, Alex is killed in a latrine by a hand grenade thrown by a boy whom he had insulted earlier when he begged him for food. Erik becomes an RAF pilot and drops bombs over Germany.
Later Erik is appointed assistant to the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina, and accompanies her back to the Netherlands after the war, as shown in the newsreel in the beginning of the film. In the end, Erik meets Esther and finds that Dutch citizens have cut her hair short in anger of her and Robby's collaboration with the Nazis. She says she bears no grudge against anyone for this. Finally, Erik celebrates the end of the war with one of his fellow students, Jacques ten Brinck, who also survived the war. | suspenseful, realism | train | wikipedia | Paul Verhoeven's Soldaat van Oranje (aka: Soldier Of Orange), the religious excesses of his Flesh + Blood (1985) not withstanding, is probably the closest the director has come to an epic.
There are some familiar faces in the large cast: Jeroen Krabbé (as Guus Le Jeune) who took the lead in De Vierde Man (aka: The Fourth Man) is a key protagonist, and the svelte and good-looking Rutger Hauer, as the central character Erik Lanshof.
The blond Hauer, who had until now been utilised by Verhoeven as a working class hero in such films as Turks Fruit (aka: Turkish Delight, 1973), and afterwards in Spetters (1980) is here transformed into a prosperous war hero, modelled on Erik Roelfzema, the author of the original dramatic memoir.
Made at a time when Netherlanders were starting to face the realities of their wartime existence, unpleasant facts about home collaboration and acquiescence to occupation, Verhoeven's film confronts these issues with a tale of student friends torn apart by war, having to face moral dilemmas and choices.
(A striking scene which makes one regret Verhoeven's recent descent into the special effects laden un-subtlety of the Hollow Man.) The episodic nature of the narrative is both a blessing and a curse: while the number of characters and subplots makes it possible to examine a society from a range of viewpoints, the lack of a single, strong momentum leads to occasional slacking of tension.The abiding impression gained at the end of this long (167 minutes) film is that nothing in this war has been black and white, and Verhoeven has faithfully suggested the historical revisionism of the time.
It's nice to know that, in this era of Hollywood churning out films that look more like video games or music videos, Verhoeven continues to make films that push envelopes and give the audience something to think about.Soldaat van Oranje, like its American counterpart twenty years later, is a film about war that takes its subject by the horns and doesn't let go at any moment.
As we are introduced to the group of Dutch students whose eyes we see World War II through, we see a reflection of one rarely acknowledged truth: that numerous ordinary, everyday people, ignorant of what was really going on in Nazi Germany, couldn't have cared less about what was going on.
Indeed, early on in the film, Hauer's character even says that a spot of war would be "exciting".Another reality that this film prefers to hit the viewer square in the face with is that while the war changed a lot of aspects of everyday life for everyone, there were some things that stayed the same regardless.
This is the self-penned true story of the Dutch war hero Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, and his college friends from Leiden who endured the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands and, who eventually, lived to see the Liberation.
Soldaat van Oranje is Paul Verhoeven's war movie, one that already shows his early leaning towards grungy realism - graphic torture, debased human nature and plenty of bare boobies - which is why it had a pretty mixed reception when it came out here in Holland.
Highlighting some now internationally famous Dutch actors - Rutger Hauer, Derek de Lint, Jeroen Krabbé as well as locally known actors like Belinda Meuldijk, Rijk de Gooyer and this is also a showcase of acting talent during the seventies and early eighties.
British seventies actors Susan Penhaligon and Edward Fox (A Bridge Too Far) also have interesting performances.Based on the memoirs of Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (Erik Lanshof in the movie), this is a reasonably realistic and truthful recounting of war and resistance during world war two.
We see that it takes serious, quick wit and nerves of steel to be a secret agent, and that one can rarely count on the plan (the phone that no longer took dimes was an exceptional and realistic surprise!) It is also one of the only films I have seen to take a look at the war from the Dutch perspective.
SOLDIER OF ORANGE is a film about a group of friends who encounter the occupation of Holland by the Germans in different ways.
True story of Erik Hazelhof, a young university lad who becomes involved in the Dutch resistance movement during WWII.
An eye-opening film about Dutch resistance against the Nazi German occupation..
Only reluctantly did she accept the advice of her ministers that she would be more effective as a symbol of resistance abroad persuaded her to accept the British offer to fly her out of her beloved country.And yet, despite the exciting episodes of Dutch resistance and espionage against the German occupiers, what proved more interesting to me was the depiction of student life at the universities.
The whole story is there: danger, how people were forced into collaborating, how others willingly collaborated, torture at the hands of the Gestapo, death the penalty for getting caught, how Erik survived.The best Verhoeven movie readily available in the USA, what a contrast to the trash he turned out in the 1990s.
For example, Erik Lanshof is actually Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema .This film depicts World War II through the eyes of six Dutch students (Rutger Hauer , Jeroen Krabbe , Derek De Lint , among others) .
It begins in Univerity Leiden ,the Netherlands , 1938 , with various young Dutch Students just before the outbreak of World War 2 and finishes with the liberation .
Later on , Erik Lanshof (Rutger Hauer) is assigned by an exiled Queen Wilhelmina (Andrea Domburg who used cotton paddings in her cheeks to better resemble Queen) and his helper colonel Rafelli (Edward Fox) to carry out a dangerous mission during Nazi downfall.This thrilling , cerebral WWII picture is plenty of suspense, emotion , action and is pretty entertaining .
Based on actual events about Queen Wilhelmina and her real aide-de-camp, Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, the author of the book on which the film is screen-written ; even appearing in the opening scene, a genuine newsreel footage .
Based on real happenings , though some names of historic persons are modified , one of the reasons for the change in names may be that, for clarity and simplicity, the number of characters from the original story were reduced, and as a consequence, some historic actions are ascribed to other people in the movie, so as to acknowledge this deviation from reality , some names may have been altered.
Good acting by Rutger Hauer who made him an international star , he plays as a valiant official named Erik , though Director Paul Verhoeven originally wanted Derek De Lint to play Erik Lanshof, the title character .
Nice special effects , as the explosions were provided not by technicians but by the Dutch Marines , as director Paul Verhoeven stated that the explosive charges were held in place with metal ; when one of the charges was set off, it blew the metal to bits , even one of the flying fragments nearly killed star Rutger Hauer .
But I later came to like that style, maybe because war, like life, is "just one damned thing after another".I'd love to read the memoir it's based on, but the last time I looked it hadn't been translated into English.I wonder if Verhoeven ever looks back and wishes he could have/would have made more like this instead of Showgirls, Robocop, and such..
In "Soldaat van Oranje" (called "Soldier of Orange" in English), Paul Verhoeven brilliantly tells the story of several Dutch students resisting the Nazi occupation.
But after the invasion, everyone sees their duty to defend the Netherlands.All in all, I think that most people would have to agree that Paul Verhoeven's movies in his native Holland were just better (he's made some good ones here, but they have all been popcorn movies).
a movie about world war II it seems to be the best dutch movie of all time.
The film Soldier of Orange is based on the book Soldaat van Oranje written by Erik Hazelhoff Roelzema which is an memoire.
Because of his activities in the second world war, Erik was awarded by the Queen to become her personal adjudant, a soldier of orange (orange being the house colour of the dutch royal family).The fact that this movie is so good is that it clearly shows how people (and in this movie: students) make choices in the war and how these choices made affect relationships between these people.
There are a few key-figures in this movie, Erik being the main character and the rest of his student friends (e.g. Alex, Guus).
The band of students which was so close at the start of the war falls apart during the war.Another thing that makes the movie that good is the fact that it shows that the collaboration in the Netherlands was massive during the Second World War and most of the resistance was amateurism.
For the same reason Erik could have joined the luftwaffe if the opportunity to do so was there.Summary, the movie gives a nice picture of the dutch people during the Second World War, some people joined the resistance, much people collaborated and alas the most of the dutch people kept quiet and hoped to live to see the end of the war (in the most possitive case they performed passive resistance against the Germans).
Both Rutger and Jeroen act very natural, an appealing story, well mastered by Paul and I like the different languages used in the movie making it more realistic.
SOLDIER OF ORANGE is a dutch film about 5 friends and the roads in life they choose after the nazi blitzkreig tears through holland in 1940.
The film is in dutch and german with subtitles yet for the sequences in ENGLAND where RUTGER HAUERS character gets his OSS training all dialogue is in english.
It is a spy thriller that begins and ends like a coming-of-age film about a circle of aloof, airy friends, some of whom make it to the end and some of whom don't.In some way, upon reflection, I can see how this early effort by Verhoeven, and his two regular pre-U.S. stars Hauer and Jeroen Krabbe, benefits from its incongruous lack of involvement.
In any case, I could still be wrong, as the cliché love triangles, token romantic interests and ignored moral dichotomies of seemingly incidental things certain characters do abound.Perhaps Verhoeven was not yet ready to make the Dutch Resistance film he knew he should make.
Although I am Dutch, I am not nationalistic when I say this is the very best of all war movies I have seen.
Though not packed with overwhelming in battle action like Saving Private Ryan movies of our time, the spirit of people in war is depicted better than in any other I have seen.
Sometimes I can agree with the somewhat cold Rutger Hauer character, to just survive, and I can understand the student in the end that did nothing in the war, but survived!
Especially Guus, one of the very best characters ever on the screen, brilliantly depicted by Jeroen Krabbe - I still hate Paul Verhoeven, and the War for not allowing him to make it to peace!
Subtitles will not make up for it either.The original Dutch version is arguably one of the best war movies ever made.
World War II changes the lives of six Dutch University students....
"Soldier of Orange" (1977) is a sentimental film about World War II and how it affects the lives of six university students in Holland.
They each are involved in the war in various ways and their lives separate and intertwine throughout the film, but in the end only two survive.It's a great movie and I think it's one of the best of the '70s.
I first saw this movie around 1980 and have seen it about two more times since.Rutger Hauer is very good in this movie and I like that aloof Susan Penhaligon.
For example, fate of the Baltic nations was even more tragic and disruptive...Anyway, the film in question is well written, directed and played; names like Paul Verhoeven, Rutger Hauer and Jeroen Krabbé are currently internationally known and appraised, before that they were active mostly in the local scene.
This is one of those amazing war/adventure movies like The Great Escape, or Bridge on The River Kwai, or Stalag 17, that knocks your socks off.I have re-watched it several times over the years, and it never gets old.The action is good.
The "Soldaat van Oranje" is at this point still the best Dutch-produced movie ever.
The combination of more or less true historical settings together with Verhoeven as director and the twosome Hauer/Krabbe makes this movie a classic.
Which leaves us with a clearer view on three histories: that of the merciless student world (a history that is still present today), that of the Dutch WW II resistance, and that of the naive nature of mankind, which is always looking for adventure, but is unable to understand adventure as anything other than a game and is always getting in trouble when the adventure gets real.Insightful and respectful to both the people that were in the war as to history itself, Soldaat van Oranje ranks among classic WW II pieces as A Bridge Too Far, L'Armee des Ombres and Schindler's List, and is far more entertaining..
Every year this movie is on Dutch TV at "Dodenherdenking" (Remembrance of the Fallen in WWII) on the fourth of May.Although the theme is typical Verhoeven, with a protagonist and an antagonist who both deserve our empathy, Soldier of Orange is actually based on the autobiographic book "Soldaat van Oranje" by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema.
Each student follows a different path and therefore has a different role in World War II, either as a collaborator or in the resistance.The film begins with an original newsreel about the return of Queen Wilhelmina accompanied by Erik, the protagonist of the movie played by Rutger Hauer (Nighthawks, Blade Runner).
After that the film starts in the late 1930s in Leiden, where freshmen undergo the humiliation of the initiation rites of their fraternity and the drama unfolds.Those who don't know the book will think that this movie is full of Verhoeven's trademarks: explicit violence and sex and social satire, but these scenes are personal memoirs of the writer.
It combines action, adventure and personal drama with the looks of a huge budget film like The Longest Day but even better, because it connects people to the real life characters.
Watch f.e. the weird Tango scene (Danse Macabre) with the protagonist and the antagonist who is played by Derek the Lint (The Unbearable Lightness of Being).This movie has a nostalgic feel, but if you don't like old movies or you can't get a copy of Soldier of Orange, I strongly recommend Verhoeven's "Black Book" (2007).
SOLDIER OF ORANGE is a nice, rarely known Paul Verhoeven movie, shot in his native Holland and starring his one-time favourite actor, Rutger Hauer.
Hauer and Jeroen Krabbe (THE FOURTH MAN) make for an excellent double act as the idealistic students who find themselves drawn into a war of resistance against the Nazis.The sense of place in SOLDIER OF ORANGE is excellent, and the realistic portrayal of events - there's no gung-ho stuff here - makes it feel almost documentary-like at times.
Paul Verhoeven and Rutger Hauer first joined forces when making 'Floris', a Dutch TV series for kids inspired by ITV's 'Ivanhoe', in the late 1960s.
While not remotely as well made as its British forerunner - a recent documentary shows that it was very much learning by doing - the episodes you can now watch on YouTube are quite amusing, given the right age and nationality.'Soldaat van Oranje' (Soldier of Orange) is based on the eponymous memoirs of Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, who received the highest Dutch military decoration for his actions during WW II.
Good war movies don't necessarily need a message, but they need a feeling: We want to sense what the war experience was like for a specific group of people at a particular time.
It traces the stories of six Dutch soldiers through the years before and during World War II, and at the movie's end we feel we know these people and have learned from their experiences.
I've seen a lot of good reviews from Dutch fans, and let me say as a viewer in the USA, I also thought this was one of the best portraits of people during war.
From director Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Showgirls), this Dutch film was one I found in the book of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, the title made it perfectly obvious what the genre, and I was surprised to see familiar names in the cast, so I was looking forward it.
Verhoeven directs this film splendidly, and with Dutch, German and English language it has good authenticity to it, it is based on the true story of the real escapades of Erik Lanshof and the invasion of Holland, it works well with both the character stories and adventures, and of course for the fantastic battle sequences filled with guns and explosions aplenty, it is definitely a Second World War drama to see.
Yes, Paul Verhoeven, before making Hollywood science fiction schlock (albeit entertaining) movies like Starship Troopers and Hollow Man, once made what are considered some of the Netherlands' classic films.
(What sells more tickets?) This is his first Dutch movie I've seen.Soldier of Orange is a story of university students caught in the wake of the Nazi invasion during World War II.
Verhoeven's Best Dutch Film.
This is Paul Verhoeven's best Dutch film.
Rutger Hauer stars in this film and the other Dutch films directed by Paul Verhoeven he starred in are Turkish Delight, Katie Tippal, and Spetters.
The first Dutch film by Paul Verhoeven I saw was Spetters. |
tt0068555 | Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask | The credits at the start and close of the film are played over a backdrop of a large mass of white rabbits, to the tune of "Let's Misbehave" by Cole Porter.The film is divided into seven vignettes, as follows:"Do Aphrodisiacs Work?"Set in the Middle Ages of England, a court jester (Woody Allen) gives a love potion to the Queen (Lynn Redgrave) but is foiled by her chastity belt. He tries to score with her, but gets discovered by the king (Anthony Quayle) and is sent to the execution block. (Note: There are references to Shakespeare's Hamlet throughout.)"What Is Sodomy?"
Dr. Ross (Gene Wilder) is an American medical doctor who falls in love with the partner of an Armenian patient, a sheep named Daisy. Then Ross' wife (Elaine Giftos) finds out and after a messy divorce, he ends up with nothing and the sheep is sent away back to Armenia, leaving Ross to end up a homeless derelict."Why Do Some Women Have Trouble Reaching an Orgasm?"Allen's homage to Italian film-making in general and Casanova 70, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Federico Fellini in particular (filmed in Italian), about Gina (Louise Lasser), a woman who can only reach orgasm in public which puts a strain on her husband Fabrizo (Woody Allen)."Are Transvestites Homosexuals?"Sam Musgrave (Lou Jacobi) is a middle-aged married man who experiments with women's clothes during a visit to his daughter's in-laws. But things go awry when he is stranded outside the house in full drag which draws a crowd after his purse is stolen."What Are Sex Perverts?"A parody of the television game show What's My Line? called What's My Perversion?, filmed in black and white kinescope-style and hosted by Jack Barry (playing himself). The four panelists (Regis Philbin, Robert Q. Lewis, Pamela Mason, and Toni Holt) attempt to guess the contestant's perversion. After they fail to guess that the contestant's perversion is "Likes to expose himself on subways," a second segment of the show is presented, in which a selected viewer (in this case a rabbi) gets to act out his bondage and humiliation fantasy while his wife eats pork."Are the Findings of Doctors and Clinics Who Do Sexual Research and Experiments Accurate?"Victor (Woody Allen), a researcher, and Helen Lacey (Heather MacRae), a journalist, visit a certain Dr. Bernardo (John Carradine), a researcher who formerly worked with Masters and Johnson but now has his own laboratory complete with a hunchback lab assistant named Igor (Ref Sanchez). After they see a series of bizarre sexual experiments underway at the lab and realize the researcher is insane, they escape before Helen becomes the subject of another of his experiments. The segment culminates with a scene in which the countryside is terrorized by a giant runaway breast created by the researcher. (Note: The first part of this segment is a parody of Ed Wood's Bride of the Monster, while the second part is a parody of The Blob.)"What Happens During Ejaculation?"The NASA-like mission control center in a man's brain (headed by Tony Randall and featuring Burt Reynolds as the lead switchboard operator) is seen, as he gets involved in a sexual clinch with an NYU graduate (Erin Fleming) (knowledge that she is a graduate of NYU assures coital success). As he achieves orgasm, the soldier-like, white-uniformed sperm creatures (one of them played by bespectacled Allen, coached by another sperm played by Robert Walden) are dispatched paratrooper-style into the great unknown to make babies. | pornographic, psychedelic, humor, satire | train | imdb | The film is entirely about sexual perversions, even though it is not technically erotic
Allen has taken some of the most popular clinical treatments of sexual fetishes and has placed them into very unusual situations
Gene Wilder, for example, falls in love with a sheep; Woody Allen plays a medieval court jester who gets his lance stuck in his lady's chastity belt while the king is off fighting in the Crusades; a giant breast is released upon the countryside; an Italian couple can only find happiness in public sex; and we are taken into the inner labors of a male human body as it tries to seduce a woman in a car
Each individual scene is quite well done
The tales are rapid filled with irony about the overly exaggerated importance of sex in our culture.
Many of the sketches are too long and "peter" out, but ALL of them have very funny jokes and insight, but two of the sketches are classics and are as funny as anything Allen ever wrote: Gene Wilder's bit where he plays a man who is destroyed after a certain "fetish" is introduced into his life and the last sketch, where they show the inside controls of a man's body as he gets ready to have sex with a date: Burt Reynolds and Tony Randall help run the master control room.
True, this 1972 collection of extremely lewd skits isn't quite as impressive and thought-provoking as some of Allen's best works, like 'Annie Hall', 'Manhattan' or for that matter even the follow-up 'Sleeper'; yet there's an energy to 'Everything You Always Wanted To Know' that Allen has not shown for at least a decade, and in that light it's still entirely classic.If anything, the film is closest in its spirit to early Allen films like 'Bananas' and 'Sleeper', but it actually feels more like a British comedy, and is clearly influenced by shows like 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' and 'The Benny Hill Show', in it's chaotic and rude humor.
Even more Pythonish is the fabricated game-show 'What's Your Perversion'.The best and most memorable is the last skit, entitled 'What Happens During Ejaculation', in which Allen does a wonderful portrayal of a sperm, and we catch a glimpse of the action in the control room of a man's body during sexual intercourse.
Still, it's not without it's unforgettable moments; other than Wilder, also worthy of special praise is John Carradine who is wonderful as the ultimate parody of a mad scientist, and let's not forget Woody Allen as a fool in the Middle Ages misquoting Hamlet and getting his hand stuck up the Queen's chastity belt, and his wonderful performance as an Italian Casanova.So no, it's not quite one of Allen's best films, but it's close.
While all the early Woody Allen films are funny and worthwhile, this is probably the most uneven to my taste.Allen took the famous, serious non-fiction book about sex, and turned it into a series of short comedy pieces.
A couple segments are pure genius (inside the male body during sex, Gene Wilder falling in love with a sheep), a couple are pretty good (Woody as a medieval court jester trying to have an affair with the queen, who is locked into a chastity belt, a mad scientist creates a giant milk squirting breast that goes on a rampage) and a few are real duds.
Representing something of an early high point in Woody Allen's career, this scattershot spoof of David Rueben's highly popular sex-manual has become somewhat sadly overlooked in favour of the more mature and whimsical charms of 'Annie Hall' and 'Manhattan', but 'Everything you always wanted to know about sex' is just as enjoyable as his later works, if not more so.Although the overt intellectualism that many of Allen's detractors criticize in his subsequent work is already beginning to take form here, not only in the concept (seriously, who'd adapt a sex-manual?) but also in execution, which owes more to the high-brow Fellini and Godard than the low-brow Mel Brooks or John Waters, includes a great deal of metaphysical surrealism, bizarre camera angles and deliberately self-indulgent dialog.
The reason it all comes together without succumbing to self-importance is down to the simplicity and stupidity of most of the set pieces.The more interesting segments come at the beginning of the film, and if seeing Woody trying hopelessly to unlock Lynn Redgrave's chastity belt and miss-quoting Shakespeare to form a condemnation of T.B. doesn't bring a smile to your face, then the sight of Gene Wilder in the throws of foreplay with a sheep will probably do little to convert you.
And even if he is less confident when trying to be socio-satirical, as in the molestation game show, Woody still manages to inject a wit and ingenuity to the proceedings, always carrying off the gags to his trademark self-deprecating style.However, despite technical assuredness, the finished product borders on the same hit and miss territory that befalls most anthology films, however, it has to be handed to Allen for making a genuinely intelligent movie that basically celebrates boob-gags and outbursts of rampant misogyny.
Amazing to think that in just two years time he was writing himself as a lothario who was exceptionally good in bed.In conclusion, then, a worthwhile view if you're a student of film or a fan of Woody's, but if you're watching this one for the comedy then it's purely hit-and-miss..
Dividing the movie in 7 different segments (with some not including himself in the leading role) was the best Woody Allen could do, and this movie works better than his previous attempt (Bananas) and his posterior `Sleeper'.In a way, it's less ambitious and targets all audiences.
But in terms of experimenting with form, it is one of the very best that Woody has come up with, at a time when he was making his "early, funny movies".The highlights for me include the climactic (err, maybe pun intended) end sequence showing the inner workings (with Tony Randall and Burt Reynolds present in the control room) of intercourse; the faux game show involving sexual questions (and yes, that is Regis Philbin) with a truly belly-laugh of a finale involving a Jewish mother; best is the Gene Wilder sheep scene, which was my favorite when I first saw the film as a kid.
Forever unwilling to go with the flow of conventional movie making, Woody Allen went to the "off limits" topic of sex with his 1972 feature Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask. Bringing together an all-star cast including Gene Wilder, Burt Reynolds, and Tony Randall, in a way only Woody Allen can, in a series of vignettes to explore the book by David Reuben of the same title.
Seven separate episodes make one movie, and the only thing they all have in common is their subject matter and the fact that they were excerpts from Reuben's book.In the first episode, Woody Allen acts as a jester trying to seduce the queen in an effort to find out if aphrodisiacs work.
This is quite funny, but far too brief, as the concept could have been stretched out a bit more."Are the Findings of Doctors and Clinics Who Do Sexual Research and Experiments Accurate?" is a Frankenstein parody where Allen and Heather MacRae play recently acquainted sex researchers who meet a great sexologist (John Carradine), only to discover that he's a diabolical madman.
All in all, however, I find this quite dated as well.While my overall impressions is that EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX is quite dated, it's funny enough, and the portions with Allen as an Italian lover and Wilder as a befuddled doctor make it worth seeing at least once..
What the book and the movie do have in common however is that they are products of their time (post-sexual revolution, pre-politically correctness) and as such their outlook on their common topic is a bit dated.SEX, the movie, is best thought of as being seven individual short films; a few that are hilarious or at least clever, and a couple that just fall flat.
Faces like Lynn Redgrave, Carradine, Tony Randall, Burt Reynolds, Barry etc are all good but only really serve to distract.Overall fans will enjoy this example of his `earlier funnier work' but for others they may find that too many of the jokes don't hit as hard as you'd want and some just plain misfire.
Whether it's the nerdy court jester (Allen) who wants to do it with the queen, Dr. Doug Ross (Gene Wilder) having an affair with a sheep, the most unusual game show, a man's experiences in transvestitism, the attack of the giant breast, or the epic tale of an ejaculation, the whole movie is a laugh riot.
As you might imagine, there are some great lines, particularly in the medieval sequence.One thing that I've always wondered about is what in Woody Allen's life prompted to make so many movies like this.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex, But Were Afraid to Ask is a sketch-based sex comedy from Woody Allen's so-called 'funny period'.
But when you watch a slut whipping a rabbi while his wife eats pork to fulfill one of his pervert fantasies, you know it's a Woody Allen film and the tone is less innocent than what it seems, 'rising above vulgarity' if I might use this quote from Mel Brooks.The movie is a kaleidoscopes of many issues involving sex: aphrodisiacs, transvestites, frigidity, one hilarious spoof of "What's my Line" transformed into "What's My Perversion", science, bestiality etc.
and the film reaches its paroxysm of hilarity through the final segment: a sexual act recounted from the perspective of a NASA mission where everything is operated from the brain, a la "Fantastic Voyage" with a nice teamwork between Tony Randall and Burt Reynolds, this is one of the highlights of Woody Allen's zany period and the sight of all the little sperms waiting like paratroopers for the orgasm and wondering what awaits him on the other side, makes me laugh just thinking about them.You got it; gags are the film's reason to be, while sex is only the set-up of Allen's sketches.
The part is a great homage to 50's B-movies, with a giant tit as a blob-like monster, like a clever satire on the feminist revolution in march swallowing everyone attempting to block its path.The segments aren't equally hilarious, a nice parody of Italian movies lacked a punch-line, but this never hurts the film as the main purpose is to us about the taboo-ness of sex through laughs.
It's not the best of Woody Allen, but it's fantastically creative and entertaining and constitutes a summit of his crazy period, and I'm pretty sure the last segment carries half the film's classic status.Now, do I know better or not about sex?
Woody Allen wrote, directed and co-stars in this groovy comedy, an in-name-only movie version of Dr. David Reuben's best-selling sex encyclopedia, with episodes spotlighting aphrodisiacs, sodomy (or rather, bestiality), orgasms, transvestism, et al.
This format's visual realization results in what could best be described as series of disparate comedy shorts that only are bound together by their subject matter (S-E-X!!) and the film's writer/director/performer, Woody Allen.BEING ONE OF Mr. Allen's true fans of his earlier work, we rank this very high on the list of his movies.
Not really.Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) from 1972 isn't exactly an educational film about sex.No, it shows seven zany stories about sex and matters related to that.The first sequence, where Woody the court jester wants to make love to the queen, is funny.In the second, another funny one we see a doctor, played by the hilarious Gene Wilder, falling in love with a sheep.A sexual relationship between a man and a sheep is a taboo that Woody Allen wasn't afraid to use in this movie.Also, seeing Lou Jacobi in drag is, not really a taboo but funny all the same.What's My Perversion, hosted by Jack Barry with panelists such as Regis Philbin, could find a wide audience today.Let's mention a few other actors I haven't mentioned in this review.There's John Carradine playing Dr. Bernardo (in the one with the giant tit).Louise Lasser is Gina, who can reach orgasm only in public places.Anthony Quayle is The King while Lynn Redgrave plays The Queen.Tony Randall and Burt Reynolds are The Operator and Switchboard inside a man's brain.Sidney Lumet's father, Baruch Lumet, plays Rabbi Baumel with a perversion.The movie starts and ends with Cole Porter's "Let's Misbehave".The movie is based on Dr. David Reuben's book of the same name (1969), that I have been afraid to read.This movie is often hilarious, sometimes mildly amusing, but nevertheless classic Woody Allen..
Because in this film Sodomy is synonymous with Beastiality and either Allen is telling some kind of joke about how people know nothing about sodomy and incorrectly identify it, or somebody needs to buy him an anatomy book...actually the scene in question with Gene Wilder (that's Willy Wonka to most) and the sheep he's come to love is priceless.
The director himself appears in four of the stories, allowing him to further develop the famous neurotic, ashamedly-Jewish persona that would bring him such success in later years.It goes without saying that, had a respected name like Woody Allen not been attached to the project, I would never have bothered watching 'Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex
(1972).' Comedies concerning such a topic often have a tendency to be vulgar and disgusting, and, though it has its occasional moments, Allen's film generally exhibits a respectability that tastefully explores material that would ordinarily be deemed distasteful.
However it is full of laugh out loud moments, especially What is Sodomy and the second last sketch, and stand out performances from Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Gene Wilder and John Carradine.
Four episodes out of the seven in this collections of skits stand out for me: Lynn Redgrave as a horny Queen with a chastity belt, and Woody Allen as the Fool trying to remove it; Gene Wilder and his affair with a sheep; the 'What's My Perversion?' TV programme; and, best of all, the final sketch where Woody is a sperm about to be fired into a woman on a first date.
That's what i felt about the first segment, where Woody plays a court jester who seduces a queen.2) Gene Wilder is great - but his segment, of a man in love with a sheep, was just too twisted for me.3) The segment sending up tacky italian movies is pretty good - maybe the best thing here.4) The segment with the giant boob is many people's favourite.
This struck me as a bit of a gimmick, although those who are more familiar than I with the back catalogues of Michelangelo Antonioni and Federico Fellini might find something to enjoy.And finally the bad:- "Are the Findings of Doctors and Clinics Who Do Sexual Research and Experiments Accurate?" This was obviously intended as a parody of cheap fifties horror films, but Woody clearly had difficulty integrating this particular concept into his overall scheme of making a series of sketches on the theme of sex.
EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX isn't really based upon the best selling book , the movie just uses the format for a series of sketches involving sex with captions like ...Do Aphrodisiacs Work ?
3 etc etc etc Some of the sketches work very well like the idea of a body being ruled by lots of other little beings , or the bad taste love story involving Gene Wilder's Doctor , some work okay like a mad scientist creating a giant breast or a court jester having an affair with a princess and only one really fails namely the Italian art house movie As a sex comedy it may seem rather tame now but by the same logic it's rather inoffensive which isn't actually a criticism The answers to he questions are 1 - Yes as long as the aphrodisiac is green and has a $ on it2 - It's when a living creature has a guilty conscience and their partner is unable to sit down because of it 3 - When's the last time you saw a road map with the town of Orgasm on it ?.
I particularly liked the episode with Gene Wilder and the sheep and the last one, where Woody Allen himself (who appears in four episodes in different roles) plays a neurotic sperm.
There is no question that when funny the film is at Allen's most memorably zany and inspired: his homage to Italian film-making, dealing with exhibitionism is hilarious and effortlessly stylish, a send up of campy science fiction showing a giant breast rampaging the countryside is gleefully hysterical madness, and his legendary final sketch, detailing the inner workings of the brain and sperm during sexual intercourse is a masterpiece of comedic cunning and genius.
The segment involving Gene Wilder falling in love with a sheep is one such miss - on one hand, it's surreal and the idea is sort of funny; but it's only an idea and the lack of gags means that it fails to generate any real laughs (and that's what the film is going for - laughs).
"Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex (But Were Afraid To Ask)" (is this a long title for a movie or is this a long title for a movie?) is the most ambitious and expensive film that Woody Allen had made up to that point (1972) in his career.
SPOILERS Before "Sleeper", long before "Annie Hall" and prior to any of his other major films, comedy genius Woody Allen adapted, directed and starred in this series of sketches about sexual taboos.
Whether it's Woody himself as a sperm or as a court jester, or Gene Wilder falling in love with a sheep, "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex" takes it's characters on one long ride of jokes and humiliation. |
tt0054768 | Creature from the Haunted Sea | CIA agent XK-150 (Robert Towne) is working undercover in a Cuba-like small Caribbean island nation that is undergoing a revolution when he discovers that notorious international playboy, promoter and mobster Renzo Capeto (Anthony Carbone) is planning something with a group of military types loyal to the deposed regime. XK-150 learns that the loyalists leader Colonel Tostada (Edmundo Rivera Alvarez) has liberated the contents of the national treasury and plans to flee the country with the money so that he and his fellow loyalists can plan a counter revolution. Capeto is providing the boat with which the Colonel, his men and the money can leave the island. So, XK-150 posing as Sparks Moran, a notorious gum machine burglar from Chicago, infiltrates Capeto's gang as he manages to get a job on board the boat. The other gang members include Capeto's lover Mary-Belle Monahan (Betsy Jones-Moreland) - a notorious moll who used to push hard drugs to schoolchildren. Her brother Happy Jack Monahan (Robert Bean)- a tennis bum and hired killer who has developed a muscle spasm in his cheek from watching too many Humphrey Bogart movies and finally Pete Peterson Jr. (Beach Dickerson) - Capeto's top henchman who was discovered at Jones Beach where he worked as a pickpocket and has an incredible ability to mimic animal noises.The gold is loaded onto the boat along with the Colonel and his soldiers and they set off headed for the United States. However, Renzo Capeto and his gang have other ideas. Sparks discovers that they plan to make up a story about the fantastical Creature of the Haunted Sea in order to persuade the Colonel to allow them to divert the boat towards San Juan. The Capeto gang will then bump off the Colonel and his men so that they can steal the money for themselves. Agent XK-150 constructs a radio out of hot dog sausages and pickled gherkins in order to relay a message about their plans to the CIA, but sadly has to eat it in order to avoid detection. The Colonel is suitably frightened by their stories of a legendary sea monster and agrees to the ship changing course. The gang's plan seems to be working as they begin to eliminate the Colonel's men and blame their deaths on the creature.However, unbeknownst to anyone aboard the boat the Creature of the Haunted Sea is actually real and following them. When the boat moors off a small, remote tropical island called Isla de Barracho (Island of the Drunk) deaths start occurring that have not been carried out by any of Capeto's gang. Once he realises that the creature is real Capeto is forced into a sudden change of plan. He evacuates his crew to the island and sinks the boat in 30ft of water so that he and has gang can wait the creature has moved on then use scuba gear to go and retrieve the gold. Whilst on the island Pete Peterson meets and falls in love with a beautiful young woman Mango (Sonya Noemi Gonzalez) who can only communicate in sound effects. Sparks also discovers a phone booth on the deserted island that he can use to phone his reports back to HQ. The gang begin trying to retrieve the treasure from the boat but the creature picks them off one by one. Pete is introduced to Mango's mother Rosina Perez (Esther Sandoval) and asks for her daughter's hand in marriage. However, he and Mango are attacked and killed by the creature. Sparks meets and falls in love with the lovely Carmelita Rodriguez (Blanquita Romero) on the now uninhabited island. The film closes with the monster (Robert Bean) getting the gold as Sparks gets Carmelita. | bleak, cult, murder | train | imdb | null |
tt0104231 | Far and Away | Joseph Donelly (Tom Cruise),a young Irishman facing property eviction after his father's death, decides to take revenge on his landlord, Daniel Christie (Robert Prosky). In his attempt to kill him however, he is discovered by Daniel's daughter, Shannon Christie (Nicole Kidman) and is injured by her when he tries to escape. While injured he continues his plans to kill his landlord, but his weapon malfunctions and blows up in his face. Held captive while they treat his wounds (planning to subsequently have him hanged for attempted murder), Joseph tries to escape the house and is caught by Stephen Chase (Thomas Gibson), Daniel's arrogant manager. Joseph spits on Stephen in anger and, disgraced, Stephen challenges Joseph to a duel of pistols at dawn. Meanwhile, Shannon, also Stephen's love interest, is growing dissatisfied with the traditional views of her parents' generation and longs to be modern, even going as far as to disgust her mother and their friends by playing American music on the piano. She makes plans to leave for America to claim land that's being given away for free, and with her help, Joseph is able to escape. Shannon pays for Joseph's passage and he pretends to be her servant. This way, a single young woman is able to travel without question, and Joseph, now aware of the reality of the free land, can reach America to claim land. Shannon meets and talks to a kindly man on the ship about the promise of land and her money issues. He informs her that to claim the free land, she must travel to Oklahoma and race for it along with others. Concerned with the expense of travel, she explains to him that she has no money, only expensive silver spoons. He tells her he will help her find a shop to whom she can sell her silver to.Upon arriving in Boston, the man who provided advice steals her spoons and is shot by men who seem to have previous trouble with him. The spoons are scattered in the street and stolen by passersby. Calling for help, Shannon is rescued by Joseph, who manages to save her bag and get her out of the streets. Taking charge of their situation, Joseph is led to the community of Irish living in the area and speaks to the man in charge. Through him, they find a room to live in and jobs in a chicken processing plant. Due to Shannon's wealthy background, which is hated by the lower class Irish they find themselves surrounded by, Joseph lies and tells everyone that she is in fact his sister, to save her from being exiled or hurt. Time passes and it becomes obvious that Joseph and Shannon have become attracted to each other, but both keep up a front of hostility. One night, after peeking at Shannon undress, Joseph finds himself sexually frustrated and rushes out and joins in a barehanded boxing match. Winning the match provides Joseph with newfound wealth and becomes somewhat of a local celebrity. Meanwhile back in Ireland The Christie house is burned down by unhappy taxpayers, and they and Stephen announce that they will go to America to find their daughter.Temporarily, Joseph seems to forget about his goals of obtaining land and spends his money on suits and hats, in a thinly veiled attempt to impress Shannon. Shannon however, continues her work at the plant and mocks Joseph's prized hats. At one point, the pair have a spat and it becomes obvious that Joseph is extremely upset that he's not managed to gain Shannon's approval or admiration. Shannon begins to question Joseph about his plans to get land and his lack of money the night before the largest fight of his career. He replies angrily that he easily earns money and will continue to do so. He spitefully tells her that he earns more money than she could ever dream to. She retorts that she could earn just as much and disappears into their room. Later, right before the big fight, Joseph searches for Shannon, but is unable to find her. He's directed to his fight, told by others that she is there. Rushing to the site, he discovers she has become a dancer at the social club, demeaning herself to earn more money. He attempts to ignore the men pushing him towards the ring and covers Shannon with his jacket, demanding that she stop dancing. Before he can finish with her, the men around plea with him to fight. The Irish men backing Joseph offer him a small fortune ($200) for this one last, great fight. Shannon, who previously scorned boxing, urges him to do it, since it would be enough money to fulfill his wish of traveling to get land. Joseph agrees and begins to fight a large Italian fighter. All goes well until Joseph witnesses one of his backers (a member of the city council) forcing Shannon into his lap and groping her. Completely forgetting the fight, Joseph pushes his way through the crowd to free her. As he is pushed back into the ring his foot crosses the line, signalling he is ready to begin fighting, the Italian then beats Joseph. Because Joseph lost the fight he is then thrown out of the club. When Joseph wakes up he runs out of the alley he woke up in and runs into Stephen Chase asking drunkards if they've seen Shannon. Joseph then runs to his room to find the backers searching the room for their money. When they find it they take it, and throw Joseph and Shannon out into the snow covered street and tells the owner of the "whorehouse" that if she let them stay one night, it will be shut down.During a very cold night with no food, they become desperate enough to enter a seemingly abandoned house of luxury. Joseph shows signs of sadness at the beautiful things, knowing Shannon has suffered and deserves a better life than she currently has. He encourages her to pretend the house is hers, and offers to serve her. She's moved by this, but begs him to join her instead, and pretend with her, that they are married and the house is theirs. During the tender moment they declare that they 'pretend' to love each other and kiss. At that moment the owners of the house returns and chases them from the property, shooting Shannon in the process. Joseph brings Shannon to Christie's for help after she is shot. Stephen continuously scolds him and ridicules the state Shannon is in. Deciding Shannon will be better cared for here, with her family and wealth, Joseph leaves Shannon with her family, despite his obvious feelings for her.He then heads west to work on the Trans-Continental Railroad, seemingly abandoning his dream of owning land. After many months, Joseph is confronted by his father in a dream, and is reminded of his desire to own land. Joseph decides to join the wagon trains and arrives in Oklahoma Territory just in time for the Land Run of 1893, which will enable him finally reach his goal. Through chance he discovers Shannon, now healthy and obviously well taken care of, has also arrived. Confronting her, he discovers she arrived on train, riding the very rails he built. She offers him luck, but is rather cold and Joseph leaves disheartened. Stephen, who witnesses the exchange, warns Joseph that he will kill him if he goes near Shannon. Arriving late to the event, Joseph is forced to choose between two horses the unruly stallion or the broken slow horse. He choices the broken horse that gets killed that night he then is forced to ride the unruly horse. Shannon attempts to give him advice, but is quickly ushered away. During the race, Joseph chases after Shannon and Stephen, knowing that Stephen has broken the law and already found a very rich spot of land to claim. During the race, Shannon falls off her horse and Joseph rushes to her aid. Angered by this, Stephen races back towards them, instead of his goal, the land, and attempts to shoot him. They have a brief fight but Joseph manages to knock the gun from him. Shannon encourages Joseph to continue the race. He races Stephen to the land but then Stephen comes along and they have another fight in which Joseph falls to the ground, hitting his head on a rock, mortally wounding him. Shannon rushes to his side and finally rejects Stephen when he questions her actions. Stephen leaves and Shannon is left to try and keep Joseph alive. As he dies, Joseph finally confesses that he loves her, and without her, the land that was so important to him means nothing. He dies, and Shannon mourns, crying over his body. She tells him that she always loved him, from the first moment she saw him. This suddenly revives him, similar to an earlier scene involving his father, and together they happily drive their flag through the ground and claim their prized land. | romantic | train | imdb | This is a fairly long movie but one that keeps your interest - at least it did mine - all the way with an epic-type adventure tale of Irish immigrants back in the 1880s in the U.S.This movie is broken down into three distinct parts: 1 - Ireland (40 minutes, featuring some stunning scenery and good Irish music); 2 - Boston (one hour, featuring many brutal scenes of tough Irish immigrants and bare-knuckle fights); 3 - Oklahoma (the days on mining and the famous "land rush.")The story is very intense and involving.
Then again, I'm old-fashioned: I don't like to see the bad guys win over the good guys.Overall, a memorable movie and one that you truly will care about the characters and the final outcome..
This film is admirable in several respects: 1)it shows how a romance can develop over time, without the typical Hollywood touches of "whirlwind" happenings and people hopping in the sack after only a couple of days (a la "Titanic"), 2)Ron Howard captured the beauty of Ireland, the filth of a large city, and the expanse of the open prairie by resurrecting 70mm film - the colors in this film are absolutely incredible, 3)a simple, character-driven story is enhanced by the historical backdrop.
In fact, there are many similarities between the romance in "Titanic" and in "Far and Away." I feel that the depiction in this film works much better than the other, mainly because of the plausibility factor (how many times would you run into the same person on a huge ship?).
While the whole rich girl falls in love with the poor boy routine is a little over done, Far and Away is actually a very romantic and wonderful movie starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
Tom Cruise may have the "worst-looking" Irish accent on the face of the planet, but it is undeniable that he and Nicole Kidman are sizzling on the silver screen together.
The music (the best soundtrack of the year thanks to Horner) combined with Ron Howard's vision made the "land race" scene of Far and Away and classic within itself.
For Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman it's the land, their own bit of land to work as they please and answer to no one.The story of Far and Away takes place in a very specific time period in the history of both Ireland and America.
Turner's thesis is still a widely respected paradigm in the study of American history and I think if he could have seen Far and Away, he'd say Ron Howard proved his point.Speaking of Ron Howard, it's pretty obvious he was influenced by both versions of the Oklahoma land rush previously made in the two films of Edna Ferber's classic Cimarron.
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were both brilliant in their roles and the romance between Shannon and Joseph was very believable (most likely due to the fact that they were married anyway!).
It's wonderful to see Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in a good film.
Misfortune leads them both to a poor part of Boston and they both dream of someday owning their own land, separately of course as each denies their obvious attraction to the other.Blatantly obvious continuity errors make this 'film' look like a home movie shot by children and edited by a monkey.
Tom Cruise(God help us)is full of the kind of robust "Irish-ness" that immigrates only from good old Hollywood, U.S.A. As for then-wife Nicole Kidman, I found her surprisingly right in her role, and right at home(she was born to wear these period costumes).
I actually never saw the end as I could not - well not without cringing behind the couch - watch the rest of this film.I have been in the remotest part of Ireland and never heard anything this bad.Please Hollywood treat the Irish accent with respect and stop all this nonsense..
Some great work from Colm Meany in the mid-section (probably the better slice of the story).The whole thing falls apart gloriously in the last thirty minutes, where we understand nothing (why is Kidman's family vying for territory?), huge themes are destroyed (Joseph's prudishness?
In the midst of convoluted plot lines, was that really IT?The #1 worst excuse for a bad movie is "Great photography/costumes/action." Far and Away doesn't give us anything we haven't seen before, and sure Ireland's great but you can always rent a helicopter video.
the movie is about Josef(Cruise) a young Irishman facing property after his father's death .he decides to take his revenge on his landlord.Instead, he is sentenced to a duel with his landlord .His only way to escape is joining Shannon(Kidman)the landlord's daughter who wants a wider country for her wide dreams(America) but when they get there,they realize they are not welcome.the performances are phenomenal and so is the production .
I'm sure a movie featuring a Sunni Arab nationalist in Mesipotamia in 1920 fighting against British occupation wouldn't be doing very good box office in America today Apart from the objectionable point of Tom Cruise being a Fenian FAR AND AWAY is a rather amusing film , note that I'm not saying it's a good film but an amusing one .
The year is 1892 and Irish immigrants Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) and Shannon (Nicole Kidman) have arrived at a shipping port in Boston, greeted by enticing faces who offer them jobs and safety...for a price.Joseph has used Shannon to help cross the Atlantic; there's a long prologue in which their characters are set up.
Essentially they become a romantic couple as time progresses, even though they're very different from each other - Joseph being from a poor upbringing and Shannon from a prosperous one.Joseph gets a job as a boxer for the local Irish ghetto warden boss, while Shannon becomes a dancer/stripper at one of the warden's bars.The movie was directed by Ron Howard and was one of those post-marriage Cruise/Kidman movies.
Kidman is okay but I've seen her give far more convincing performances.Overall this love story set in immigration America had potential and is pretty to look at, but the tale is a bit alienating due to the poor performances from the lead actors..
This movie has a painfully asinine storyline, pitiful dialogue, hokey acting, the subtly of a comic book, and manages to insult the intelligence of the audience (and the Irish) in almost every scene.The photography is beautiful, though, including the opening sequence, filmed on the Dingle Peninsula."The Quiet Man," hokey as it is, is more satisfying than this tripe, and has the benefit of moving through its storyline at a quick clip.
The chemistry was wonderful and the development of the characters is something I wish they would do more of in movies nowadays.This is truly a classic and one of Cruise's and Kidman's best performances.
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are wonderful in this movie.
This movie makes you wish you could explore new lands (having Tom Cruise come along would be nice too!
Far and Away is a movie which you can watch again and again and again.Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman rocked the screen with their beautiful chemistry and fresh faces being married lately and looking awesome.The Okhlohoma land race was the best action sequence in a long long time.This is a movie you can watch with your family being no vulgarity in it and take home the DVD.The Irish accents seemed perfect and the makeup was awesome.The fight sequences between Tom Cruise and the others was overwhelming.Michelle Johnson did her part with beautiful perfection and touch.The performances have been just beautiful and awesome.I would like to give this movie 10/10..
there's no way someone would say something like that.Nicole Kidman does alright, and Tom Cruise does really well with the material ESPECIALLY when considered the bad direction.Overall not a film exactly WORTH seeing, it could have been so much better.Too much Cheese Ron Howard, all those slow motion "NOOOOOOOOOOO" moments..
But as one exasperated science fiction author stated, defending his use of metres and feet as measurements, he knows full well that a thousand years in the future people will have whacky units of measurement, but he's writing stories for 21st century English-speaking readers.In like fashion, Ron Howard was making a movie for 20th century viewers, and a bit less of a laughable accent would have made for a better movie.
Many people say that Tom Cruises Irish accent is a main draw back to the film but i don't think it is bad at all.
Hence the DVD looks better than most too.Overall i can recommend this film as great entertainment and its worth seeing for the end Land Race sequence, with the thousands of extras used for the one scene alone.Darren.
With its terrific cast and splendid production values, Howard's family saga looks like far and away the grandest new-old movie of 1992..
Continuing my plan to watch every Tom Cruise movie in order, I come to Far & Away (1992)Plot In A Paragraph: A young Irish couple (Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman) flee to the States, but subsequently struggle to obtain land and prosper freely.Cruise teamed up with director Ron Howard for what should be a slam dunk for the the pair of them, but it ends up being a total misfire.
It's not all bad, it was a personal project for Howard and nobody can fault Cruise for trying something different, it does look visually impressive, but the story is not that good of believable (so much comes down to chance and coincidence) and the dialogue is poor, as are the accents on display.It takes awhile to get used to the Irish accent coming from Cruise's mouth, who is totally miscast, he was far too old for the role at 30 (he is repeatedly called "boy") but at least he is understandable, which is more than can be for some of the other cast early on.
When this first came out I knew I had to see it, bad film or not, (I think it's good) because I'm half Irish and my ancestors basically did the same thing as Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise.
That is because of, along with the over romanticised view of Ireland, the fact that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman have the single worst Irish accents I've ever heard in my entire life.
"Far & Away" manages to do EXACTLY that by showcasing not only a compelling story, but also supplementing it with top-notch acting, high drama, and a soundtrack that is a perfect fit.For a basic plot summary, this movie tells the story of Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) & Shannon Christie (Nicole Kidman), who leave Ireland of the late 1800s with each other (though not necessarily "together") in order to find freedom.
The ultimate prize: a chance for a land-grab into the newly demarcated Oklahoma Territories.First off, "Far and Away" is a great movie because it allows you to truly care about the two lead characters.
Would you rather have some cut-rate actors that can't conjure a fraction of the on-screen chemistry shared by Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, just for the sake of a 'good' Irish accent?
It has a story, but it doesn't have guts to show it seriously - "Far and Away" is simply an eye candy.Stil, if you want to look at gorgeous N.Kidman, some beautiful shoots,good directing by a great R.Howard and a really interesting (not without a lots of clichés of course)ending, this adventure (and some romance, largely because of the chemistry between the leads) flick is for you - just don't take it to seriously, it's pure fun.
This is a movie that could cause a viewer to hate the Irish, hate Westerns, and hate Hollywood.Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidmann affect the all-time worst Irish accents ever.
If you love drama, romance, and Tom Cruise, I would recommend this movie..
Oh, and that person said if Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's marriage is anything like their relationship in the movie, it'll last a very long time.
The film's young protagonists, Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) and Shannon Christie (Nicole Kidman) have their first confrontation there.
(Cruise and Kidman were married when the film was made.) Shannon is a spoiled daughter of the family that owns the land that tenant farmers (such as the Donnellys) worked.
Far and Away is about Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman playing 2 Irish Immigrants who went to America to find a better living style.
I am also not a Tom Cruise hater and I think EYES WIDE SHUT is a great movie and he and Kidman are marvelous in it.But FAR AND AWAY is the kind of movie that brings out the film snob in me.
This is a long movie but keeps you hyped with the adventure tale of Irish immigrants back in the 1880s in the U.S. I liked how Tom Cruise played as Joseph.
They claim to be brother and sister to survive, but soon they can no longer resist each other's love, but their family may be too strong to let them be together when Shannon's family comes to get her in America.Far and Away is a very charming film that I'm sure you will be impressed with.
They claim to be brother and sister to survive, but soon they can no longer resist each other's love, but their family may be too strong to let them be together when Shannon's family comes to get her in America.Far and Away is a very charming film that I'm sure you will be impressed with.
Released in 1992 and directed by Ron Howard, "Far and Away" stars Tom Cruise as a young, grieving Irishman, full of spit and vinegar, who leaves for the new world with his landlord's daughter (Nicole Kidman).
Episodic in its western frontier telling, with many adventures, decent period details and some grand scenes i.e. the land rush which is shot on a huge scale with hundreds of extras, horses and wagons and stunts galore.Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman do a decent enough job with their roles, not much chemistry though for an (at the time) real life couple.
Eventually it ends in the great race to claim land in the Oklahoma Territories.The movie is beautifully shot by director Ron Howard.
After his father's funeral , the house which his father left to him, burned down by the landlord retaliation.For revenge to the landlord , Joseph tracking the landlord, and met his daughter,Shannon.Then they go to the united states.In United States,they experienced a lot of misery.But at last, Joseph use all of his money buy a horse,In the form of enclosure, went to the west to achieve a better long-cherished wish, and finally have a real fertile ground of their own, begin a happy life with Shannon.An Irish peasant, in order to escape the oppression of the landlord came to the U.S., he wants nothing more than a piece of their own land, a beloved woman, by working to earn money to eat, even though he had a handsome face like Tom Cruise, although he is love a girl like Nicole Kidman as , but what are the differences between them and ordinary people around the world Away from their homes, because no longer want to endure poverty, hunger, in order to no longer tolerate tyranny and cruel officials, in order to restore the dignity as a human being at least, the pursuit of human happiness and good.
Nicole Kidman is good and Tom Cruise's personality remains magnetic despite his dodgy accent.
This movie shows those conditions very well.This is worth watching, but you probably won't enjoy it if you don't like Tom Cruise..
You can't help fall in love with Tom Cruise with his tweed hat and little Irish accent, or get to know Nichole Kidman before she became skinny as a stick.
I first watched it in my U.S. History class a few months ago, and I loved the movie all I could think about was "I have to get myself a copy of this movie!"I loved it, but the first time I saw it was eight years after it was released in theaters, but then again I was nine when it was in theaters and when your that young your not really fond of romance movies, but I loved this one, the plot was great, the storyline was, the acting was superb, Tom and Nicole did an excellent job at faking their Irish accents especially Mr. Cruise and well I also think that Tom looked incredible hot in this movie he certainly was rather young when he did this movie.I can't help but compare this too Titanic because basically it was the same thing, but Titanic wasn't exactly realistic when it comes too love, but Far and Away is..
**Possible Spoilers** In 1892 Ireland, the son of a poor farmer forms an unlikely alliance with the daughter of a wealthy landowner, in `Far and Away,' a romantic adventure directed by Ron Howard, and starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
`Far and Away' is well made and delivered, and, most importantly, it's an entertaining movie; perhaps not one of the most memorable Howard has made, but it's an enjoyable film, and well worth seeing.
It's the straightforward tale of two Irish folks -- Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) and Shannon Christie (Nicole Kidman).
Land Makes The Man. The historic Oklahoma land rush of the 1890s serves as the focal point for director Ron Howard's "Far and Away," an ambitious, sprawling, romantic adventure epic co-starring Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman.
Of course, nobody goes to a Tom Cruise movie to watch him act, much less evolve as a character.
It is a good movie to watch if there is nothing else but please do not judge the Irish by the accents of Tom and Nicole.. |
tt0102782 | Return to the Blue Lagoon | Set in the South Pacific Ocean in the year 1897, beginning right where the original film left off, a larger ship finds a little dinghy with three passengers. They quickly find out that the two adults are dead, but the infant snuggled between them lives- a little two-year-old boy who they assume is named "Richard" since that's the only name he knows. They take the baby aboard and he is given over to the care of the young widow who already has a young daughter named Lilli.An outbreak of cholera on board pushes the captain to set the widow, two children, and one strong crew member on a smaller boat to save them from the disease. The crew member threatens the children because he thinks they'll endanger the whole group by drinking all the water, and he finds their crying annoying besides. The widow, Sarah, is outraged- she beats the crew member to death and casts his body overboard.The boat continues to drift until it returns to the island where Richard was born. Huge cresting waves nearly upset the little boat as they come closer to shore, but they arrive safely on the beach. Sarah sets up a little camp against a huge log of driftwood and then the group set off looking for supplies. They find fresh water, fruits and roots while little Richard explores his old stomping grounds. A tropical storm hits, and the three huddle- wet and misrable- in their inadequate shelter. When it abates, Sarah decided to hunt for a more sheltered place to live. They find the little house that Emmeline and Richard (senior) built, and the baby boy runs up the steps looking for his parents. When he finds them missing, Sarah assures him that she will be his mother now.Life continues, normalcy building as the little family learns to survive. Sarah discovers that every three months, at the full moon, 'heathens' from the north side of the island row in long canoes past the lagoon, and she takes extra precautions to avoid them. Over the next few years, the children grow older, and less clothed, and seem to spend their time exploring the island. Sarah has only two rules: Be home before sunset, and never visit the north side of the island.She also continually tries to push civilized behaviors on them, teaching them religion, schooling and propiety. While she maintains a 'proper' lifestyle, the children explore themselves and each other, and ask for the facts of life. Sarah dutifully explains the concepts of anatomy, puberty, and marriage.Later, the children are caught out on the reef while hunting fish, with a huge shark circling the lagoon. It grows dark and Richard eventually throws out the fish they caught to distract the shark and they swim to their drifting boat. Sarah, worried sick, goes out searching for them and finds them just as they drift ashore.One day a storm blows in part of the roof of the house. After repairing it, Sarah falls deathly ill. She explains to them where and how she is to be buried, and gives them a prayer and script for her tombstone. Sarah then dies and she is buried on an overlook, so that she might see the house and serve as the children's guardian angel. She asks that Richard include his name on her tombstone, even though she is not his 'real' mother. To the end, Sarah wishes that the children remain civilized, and ready for the ship and rescue.The children are left alone, and the film skips forward several more years. It's Easter, and the teenage Richard (Brian Krause) insists on hunting for eggs, even though teenage Lilli (Milla Jovovich) isn't keen on the idea. Richard promises a prize for the winner, and reminds her that their mother would have wanted them to hunt for eggs. Lilli agrees to play. They both hide ten eggs on different areas of the island, and both find nine. Richard hides one, and lets Lilli win. Her prize is a pearl that she put in her hair with feathers and a twig.Richard has a continual contention with the shark in the lagoon, the same one that stalked him and Lilli as young children. He brags about his contests against the shark, which Lilli disapproves of. She mocks him, and he mocks her back, because of her fascination with her changing body. They argue, and acknowledge that life if different now that they're older. After a brief friendly interlude, Lilli asks if she could move her bed to another part of the house, instead of sleeping with Richard. "If you weren't going to do it, I was," says RichardSoon after, Lilli discovers she has gotten her period, and is now a woman. She's thrilled. She's like-wise thrilled when she find out about the fabulous trick Richard can do with his downstairs parts, though he is embarrassed. They bicker, and Richard storms to the other side of the island where he meets the heathens during their ritual. They have a bonfire, and are covered with white paint. Richard slathers himself with black mud to hide, but ends up in a stand off with a heathen. Richard backs off, as does the native, and they go their separate ways- but not before Richard finds blood-soaked leaves on a stone in a clearing. When he finds Lilli again, she is so distraught by his absence that she begs him to never leave her again. Soon after, they exchange primitive rings and pronounce themselves married.A ship arrives soon after this, their kegs spoiled, in search of fresh water. The couple greets them topless, which is shocking to the captain and crew. "They seem to be an odd mixture of knowledge and ignorance," explains the captain to his pretty daughter Sylvia. "Oh, and their attire is a bit... well, it's quite... sparse." They are also shocked and confused when Lilli cheerfully tells them that Richard isn't her brother, he's her husband.The captain and his daughter outfit Lilli and Richard in civilized clothing, and the couple makes the crew comfortable on the island. (Well... mostly comfortable). The young pair are used to dining on eel broth and running about naked, but one particular member of the crew doesn't find that quite as shocking. Nor does Sylvia disapprove of anything that Richard decides to do.Lilli tries to win back Richard from Sylvia (as she sees it) by dressing up and wearing makeup like Sylvia does, and Richard tells her she's being silly. Then Richard leaves to spend time with Sylvia and Lilli goes to wash off the smeared rouge she's applied.Richard soon learns that Sylvia isn't interested in a platonic friendship, and tells Richard his marriage isn't real and doesn't mean anything. "It does to me," answers Richard. He realizes what Lilli means to him and races off to find her, leaving an outraged Sylvia behind. He arrives in time to find Lilli being accosted by the interested crew member who found her bathing at the pool, and is now hunting for her pearl. A fight ensues, and the man shoots at Richard with his rifle, grazing his arm. The rest of the crew hurries to their aid, but the two men take off sprinting down the beach, the crew member determined to hunt Richard down. They race across the reef and Richard dives into the lagoon. The shark is waiting, as always. Richard out-swims the creature from his years of contests, but the crew member- a poor swimmer- is dragged beneath the water.When Richard returns, Lilli breaks the news that she won't be returning to civilization on the ship because she is pregnant and doesn't want her baby born into a world with guns. Richard is thrilled, and agrees. The ship sails away at dawn, and the young couple frolics like nothing ever happened to interrupt their blissful existence. Their baby is born, presumably a little girl by the look of the credits. | boring | train | imdb | The movie really changes into high gear when the children are re-introduced to civilization.It really explored the question--who is more civilized?Obvious comparisons: Brooke Shields/Milla Jovovich--looks: dead heat, although Milla showed more skin (she may have had more upstairs to show).
acting: Brooke seemed to capture the innocence of unexpected woman hood (she was brought up by a male, not a female so she may have had less schooling)Christopher Atkins/Brian Krouse--looks: Chris hands down, Brian looked like a Pillsbury Dough Boy by comparison; acting: Brian had a slight edge, in that he had to act more "grown up".Amazingly both original and sequel are worth a watch: The first for the story and acting; the second for Milla and a more interesting ending..
i think the people who created this movie were able to capture that part of life and so i have to approve.i watched The Blue Lagoon before this one and have to say, even though this one is less explicit, it's even more enjoyable.
RETURN TO THE BLUE LAGOON, made 11 years after the successful first film, is one of those movies that's happy to reprise the plot of the original while adding a few twists and tweaks of its own.
It's an entirely superfluous kind of film that sees yet another couple of kids washed up on a desert island and having to fend for themselves against nature and their fellow man.There are a few differences here - the adult with them is a woman, the boy is the son of the couple from THE BLUE LAGOON, they're staying in the same place so make use of the already-there house, etc.
Once again the film is all about puberty, isolation, love and family, except as it's not original it feels like a lukewarm rehash of the first movie.The acting doesn't really sit right either.
Graham made a career of TV movies and although RETURN TO THE BLUE LAGOON had a theatrical release, it feels very much like a second-rate outing in every respect..
So, I guess the director just wanted to have the same amount of success, so he used the same story, just different characters.Unlike the way the first one ended, Richard and Emily are dead when they are found, but their son, Patty soon renamed Richard after his father is adopted by the only mother on the ship, Sarah who has another child, a daughter, Lily played by a new successful actress, Milla Jovovich.
The house has change a bit, but I guess it can't always stay the same, but Sarah raises the children more different than in the first film, Lily and Richard know the ways of nature and let their love blossom after Sarah passes from being ill.
When civilized men finally come to save Lily and Richard they begin to question the meaning of what is truly civilized and what is not.Over all, I wouldn't say it's a bad movie, but it was just an unnecessary sequel.
This movie is definitely for Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause fans.
Brian Krause does an average job, but again when you watch the movie the last thing you think about is how the actors act.
What gets you the most about this movie is its beautiful message about how a human being should be, beautiful and pure in all ways.I definitely recommend this film..
The Good: - Scenery - Soundtrack - CinematographyThe Bad: - Disregards the plot from The Blue Lagoon - Sexual "overtones" rather than "undertones" - More an attempt at capitalizing on the popularity of the original than an extension of the latter's storyComments:There aren't many situations that manage to capture the imagination as does watching two children blossom into young adults isolated from civilization on a dessert island.
It was the forgotten image of what children are all doomed to lose as they experience life based on societal dictates rather than the nature we are all born with.Return to the Blue Lagoon re-examines these themes, if under the somewhat greater taint of society's teachings.
I think that this movie shows people that nature and civilization are too completely different ways to live.
I think that the film makers did a splendid job, and I thank them for releasing such a good movie.
Return to the Blue Lagoon -- Bad films coming full circle.
Normally directors try to rip off good movies, like the guy who directed "The Italian Connection" based on the "The French Connection" (good thinking because sometimes Americans confuse the French and the Italians), or the other fellow who directed the porno "American Booty" based on Sam Mendes' "American Beauty." And if all else fails, do a sequel like "Jaws II" based on the good "Jaws" or "Exorcist II" based on the great "Exorcist." I could go on, except I will be going off track and forgetting to tell you about the time when they decided to make the terrible "Return of the Blue Lagoon" based on the terrible "Blue Lagoon" which must have had the makers of sequels and rip offs scratching their heads.The problem with "Return to the Blue Lagoon" is the same as the last film.
It seems that the filmmakers felt, in spite of the bad critical reception of the first Blue Lagoon, that an exotic island and two teenagers discovering sex and then fornicating (though we see none of that) was enough to create an entertaining film.
But other than that, Lilli (Milla Jovovich) and Richard (Brian Krause) go through the same motions as Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins as though they were destined to live the exact same lives as the previous couple on the island.
What "Return to the Blue Lagoon" really is, if you think about it, is an unsexy pornographic movie for kids; a stage for kids to go through before they see the softcore and hardcore porn films.
"Return to the Blue Lagoon" does nothing because it has all the bad acting you would expect from a porno without any of any of the great sex (not least because the actors are underage).
So if you are interested in a movie where a couple have lots of great sex on a deserted tropical island, watch Lina Wertmueller's "Swept Away by a Mysterious Destiny in the Blue Sea of August" instead.
It has gorgeous pictures of a tropical paradise, far better acting, and you won't feel dirty and guilty by the end of the film because the actors, Giancarlo Giannini and Mariangela Melato, were both in their thirties (though they look like in the their twenties) at the time of filming..
After Sarah's death, Lilli (Milla Jovovich) and Richard (Brian Krause) are left to themselves.The story gymnastics are annoying as heck to make the sequel basically a repeat of the original.
But comparing to the 1980 one, the Brooke Shields Blue Lagoon, this movie is nothing.
How good could a sequel to a Brooke Shields movie be?
The original was no classic but it was bad enough to be enjoyable, had beautiful photography and plenty of sex and nudity.This sequel isn't bad/good...just BAD!!!
The plot is so ridiculous I won't even get into it--you can read the plot synopsis on the title page of this "movie".Brian Krause and Milla Jojovich are good-looking and have nice firm bodies but are even worse actors than Shields and Christopher Atkins in the original!
I know that's hard to believe, but it's true.The low points of the film: the movie trying to teach the kids about sex; the kids discovering a native tribe on their island after SEVENTEEN years (!!!); the attempts at acting; the script.The high points: there aren't any.Avoid at ALL costs!!!.
I don't remember much about this film, other than the fact that Milla Jovovich tries her best to form an early career, and that it's an exact repeat--in all literal sense--of the superior original.Don't waste your time.
I think Return to the Blue Lagoon is the greatest love story ever made..
I didn't think this movie was too bad.I didn't necessarily like that Richard and Em from the first movie wound up being found dead by different people when they were found "just sleeping" at the end of the first one by Richard's father.
Kinda takes away from the first movie, but I guess it was necessary to set up the angle of their son in the sequel.I think the fact that they were more educated than the couple in the first movie was good, because it gave it it's own element.
In the second movie, The mother and the kids get dropped off the main boat, so it was probably the closest land there was.And for the people that wondered where the tribe came from when they didn't see them for years, they came every 3 months when it was a full moon outside.
lol and when they did sneak over there, there was no full moon, so the tribe wasn't there.I liked that they brought in "civilized" people towards the end of the movie.
They always knew that they were supposed to ask to be taken back to civilization if a ship ever came, but if the only interaction they had with "civilized" people was being shot at and attempted rape, I'd want to stay on the island too.Overall, it wasn't that bad of a movie.
In 'Blue Lagoon' the movie ends with the young couple and their baby adrift at sea as a boat approaches.
This movie, "Return", takes up where that one ended, somewhere in the Pacific, in the late 1800s.As a small party from the ship board the small boat, they find the parents no longer alive, but the baby boy is fine.
But on board the crew soon begin to come down with an illness, Cholera, so the woman and the two small children are put out on a lifeboat, it is their only chance to survive.The story that results is very similar to the first movie, in that an adult and 2 small children are stranded on an uncharted island, in fact the same uncharted island, and there the children grow into young adulthood.Milla Jovovich, who was only 14 or 15 during filming, is very suitable as Lilli, the girl the baby grew into on the island.
A ship shows up and a small crew comes ashore looking for fresh water, and the captain's daughter, Sylvia, tempts Richard, tries to seduce him but he spurns her advances to stay true to Lilli.
After all these experiences Lilli and Richard decide to stay on the island and have their baby there, instead of going back to "civilization.".
The Plot; (see the Good) A basic rehash of the BL as our Paddy gets rescued from the small craft the original BL couple Richard Snr and Emmeline were cast adrift in.
Renamed Richard, his rescuing ship is now rife with cholera and his adoptive mother and her daughter, Lilli, find their way back to the original island.
Plot devices repeated from the first film as his new guardian teaches the young children the facts of life and conveniently expires so that the young couple can go through adolescence, the discovery of love, sex etc etc much like the BL, except this time they are more knowing than the original couple.
About a month or so after watching the original blue lagoon I found out that there was a sequel and that this one had mila jovovich in it, another actress of whom I knew from the resident evil series.
I personally cannot see how people can say that this movie or it's original with shields in it are in any way borderline child pornography.
Putting that aside both the original and it's sequel were great movies and their story lines were well thought out.
WARNING: I advise anyone who has not seen the film yet to not read this comment.Okay, let me start off by saying that I absolutely loved The Blue Lagoon and the only reason I gave this the rating I gave it is for their effort.
I like how they showed them finding the home Em and Richard inhabitant from the first film, though if I recall the house was on the beach not half-way into the woods and the inside looked (using this word again) completely different, but still, I loved how the movie actually gave an effort.
Also, I liked how they gave an effort to make Sarah a more compelling parent figure as Paddy was in the first and they actually accomplished that, I felt a little sad when she died and I did not care one bit when Paddy did.Well, then the rest of the film goes on and we see Lilli and Richard grow up.
The last 20 or so minutes as I said, they tried something new, and gave an effort by adding to the movie that people actually found the castaways on the island this time.
The idea that a very lady-like and civilized daughter would fall in love with this guy she just saw for the very first time on an island who has no interest in her at all and is uncivilized is very stupid and the idea that one of the crew members will deliberately chase Richard across the island to try and kill him just because they were what, in a fight, is stupid.At the very end, there is a baby born which you do not care about at all in any way because the film spent absolutely no time at all on showing it grow up whatsoever, which they did in the first, and then it goes off.
I watched this movie for the first time last year because I loved the first one.
The first Blue Lagoon was one of the worst movies of all time, and I actually liked this one better.
Things complicate as a young woman is on board that takes a liking in Richard (Brian Krause), and a pirate-like guy who takes after Lilli (Jovovich) and her pearls.Although the movie is kinda losing it at this point (with gunshots and a shark-attack), I preferred it over part 1 (which was a bore).
At the end of the blue lagoon, the first movie made in 1980, when the ship crew find Richard, Emmaline, and paddy, they are asked by Richards father if they were dead, where the crew announces 'NO, NONE OF THEM ARE DEAD.
THEY ARE JUST SLEEPING.' And in the beginning of the second movie, return to the blue lagoon in 1991, different people find them and announce them dead in the boat in different positions.
I saw this movie before I saw The Blue Lagoon and loved it.
Soon after a woman is sent away from it with her infant daughter and the son that did survive sequelitis, and the three end up on an island paradise(and yes, we do get nice photography of the exotic setting, and it's one of the few pluses in this).
Anyway the island is as lush as ever, and Jovovich and Krause rival Shields and Atkins in their physical beauty, so in this sense, "return..." is a highly enjoyable film, especially to someone who is not familiar with the original.
"Return to the Blue Lagoon" is pure escapist cinema, that is in some ways, more sexually aggressive and graphic than the original, and does contain a bit more violence as well.
Return of blue lagoon tries to act like a sequel, but is nothing more then an ill attempt at a remake with a misleading title.Richard and Em are finally found by his uncle but not in time to save them from heat stroke?
A reason isn't given and pushes aside the fact they were mentioned only to be asleep at the end of the first film.Soon after the ship is hit with a plague that forces a caretaker to leave with Party (Richard renamed) and Lily to end up back to where we started.Now grown the kids lose their caretaker, learn to survive and discover sexuality.What makes this sequel finally different from the original is when the teenagers actually find their way back to what seems a civilized world yet first impressions can be deceiving.They are nothing but pirates who want to ransack the ship and take advance of our favorite couple.It raises questions on who is more civilized?
The story starts out with fifteen years passing between the rescue of Richard, Emmeline, and Paddy in their row boat(end of the first film all three were found alive and sleeping not dead).
(completely different boat look closely) Sarah (Liilian's mother) and Lillian are one their way home (Sarah's husband passes before the start of the movie) Sarah takes the orphaned boy who they name Richard under her wing.
She is OK, but not a total fit for the role.This movie is still nice and beautiful, and it becomes it's own once a big twist is revealed , when a boat of people actually find them there and they start to interact.We almost get into a love triangle , with the newly arrived girl, and there is some drama with a pirate dude who wants to steal their jewels and kill Richard.All in all, it's OK.
The first Blue Lagoon ended with Richard and Em being found by his father alive where as in this 1 they're found by someone else and only Paddy survives and that bothered me just a little bit.
This romance and adventure film stars Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause.It is produced and directed by William A.
Marriage and a pregnancy follow, but Richard and Lilli's union is threatened by the arrival of a ship carrying a lovely captain's daughter with eyes for the loincloth-clad Richard.The Fijian background looks pretty, but there's no escaping the fact that the tropical flowers and trees seem smarter and more appealing than the people.The visuals are the only good thing about this movie. |
tt0329485 | Le papillon | In this family-friendly movie, Julien (Michel Serrault), a collector of butterflies, seeks to find the rare Isabelle Butterfly at the request of his now deceased brother. Before he begins his journey to the Alps for this year's search, he meets 8 year old Elsa (Claire Bouanich), a girl with a very unattending mother. Julien agrees to bring Elsa along on his search, not knowing that Elsa's mother never approved or knew about this. As they hike through the mountains and hills of the Alps, we learn more about both characters, their personalities, and their lives. Meanwhile, Elsa's mother (Nade Dieu) notices that her daughter is missing, and calls the police to begin searching for her missing daughter. Julien and Elsa scale the mountains, avoiding the police without even knowing that they were being searched for. As the reach a suitable place to find the sought after butterfly, they set up camp and wait. We discover that the Isabella only lives for 3 days, and 3 nights, and only shows up during a very short period of time, if it appears at all. One fateful night, the rare insect appears. Julien instantly notices, and goes over to admire it. He calls Elsa over, but as she approaches, she stumbles and topples the set-up to attract butterflies. The Isabella is then lost. Julien, furious over his great loss, drives Elsa away, not caring where she goes. The girl then proceeds to leave, and fall in a deep hole in the ground. Julien eventually, overcome with guilt, searches for the girl and finds her in the hole. At that time, the police catch up withthe two in their search. The girl is removed from the hole she fell in, and reunited with her distraught mother. Julien is arrested, as it is assumed he kidnapped the girl. Later Julien is released, and he becomes good friends with both the girl and her mother. Near the end, Julien then shows the excited little girl the hatching of a Chrysalis. Finally, at the end of this great family film, we discover Elsa's mother, Isabelle, reveals that she had her daughter at 16, and that she's had trouble feeling close connection to the girl. The film then ends at this note. This movie is only available in French, but there are English subtitles. | humor | train | imdb | null |
tt0077942 | Moment by Moment | This synopsis is too short and may not include the required detailed description of the entire plot. We normally require that synopses be at least 10 lines long.
If you have seen this title, please help us by improving and expanding this synopsis.
John Travolta plays Strip Sunset, the ultimate female man-toy! If you are a fan of sexy fun on the beach, May-December romance, foot worship, muddy dogs, and awkward, boner-killing PG-13 psuedo-sex scenes, look no further. This is the brownest film ever made. This is the 70's, with a large side of 70's. Contemplating suicide? Do it. Contemplating John Travolta's sexuality? I'M NOT. He got 2 (count em, TWO) HJ's from Lily Tomlin. HE'S STRAIGHT AS FUCK DOG. Go kill yourself. But watch MbM first! | romantic | train | imdb | null |
tt0263757 | Uptown Girls | Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy) is a carefree and fun-spirited girl, living off the ample trust fund of her late rock legend father, Tommy Gunn. Molly falls for singer Neal Fox (Jesse Spencer) when he plays at her birthday party thrown by her best friends, Huey (Donald Faison) and Ingrid (Marley Shelton). They have a night of passion but he leaves in the morning, saying that he can't stay in Molly's carefree life. Adding to Molly's misfortune, she finds out that her father's accountant embezzled her money, so she is left penniless and homeless. She moves in with her best friend, Ingrid who tells her that in order to stay with her, she must find a job.
Molly begins work as a nanny of an eight-year-old hypochondriac and neat freak named Laraine "Ray" Schleine (Dakota Fanning) who is the daughter of Roma Schleine (Heather Locklear), a music executive who is too busy to notice Ray. Ray's father is in a coma and is being treated at home by a private nurse which causes Ray to stifle her emotions to maintain order. Although she enjoys ballet, she refuses to freestyle and often quotes Mikhail Baryshnikov: "Fundamentals are the building blocks of fun." Molly attempts to show her how to have fun, which at first causes much conflict between them, but eventually Ray opens up to let Molly in.
Molly continues to pursue Neal and holds onto his lucky jacket in hopes of seeing him again. After a baking accident, Molly causes a fire that damages Neal's jacket. She redesigns it to fix the damage but Neal breaks up with Molly when he sees it, claiming he has to pursue his music career and does not have time for her flightiness. Soon after, he gets a record deal with Roma and has a hit music video with a song that Molly inspired him to write, all while wearing the jacket Molly made. Disgusted, Molly agrees to Ingrid's suggestions to sell off her possessions so she can prove that she is growing up. However, after a fight, Ingrid kicks Molly out to live with Huey.
The budding friendship between Molly and Ray continues to develop when Molly takes Ray to Coney Island and explains that when her parents died, she ran away to Coney Island and rode the tea cups. She encourages Ray to talk to her comatose father, and promises that it will help him improve. However, Ray's father dies the next day, and Ray tells Roma to fire Molly. In Roma's office, Molly calls Roma out for never paying attention to her daughter. As she leaves, Molly bumps into Neal, who begs to get back together as she was his whole inspiration. Molly turns him down and coldly tells him that he is selfish and only cares about her when she can give him something. Ray runs away from home and Roma begs Molly to find her. Molly finds Ray at Coney Island, riding in the tea cups. At first, Ray tries to be angry with Molly for raising her hopes but then she collapses into Molly's arms, crying, finally coming to terms with her grief.
Molly, deciding to take charge of her own life, takes Ray's advice to auction off her late father's guitar collection to an unknown buyer; this enables her to afford her own place. At the wake for Ray's father, Molly meets other musicians who ask her to design their clothes after seeing Neal's jacket in his video. She and Ingrid also make up and Molly finds Ray to apologize as well. She promises to stay friends with Ray and enrolls in design school after realizing her talent for fashion.
Molly arrives at Ray's recital late and is pleased to see Ray is wearing the tutu Molly designed for her earlier. She is surprised when Ray dances freestyle to Neal singing "Molly Smiles", a song written for her by her father when she was a child. He plays using Tommy Gunn's acoustic guitar, while the remaining ballerinas dance with the other guitars from her father's collection, revealing that he was the anonymous buyer. In a voice over, Ray says that the end was a new beginning for all of them. | cute, flashback | train | wikipedia | As other reviewers have suggested, "Uptown Girls" is a hard film to classify: it's not a "comedy," per se, because it isn't funny (and barely even seems to try), but it also isn't particularly dramatic (though there are dramatic elements).
Despite my better judgement, Brittany Murphy does a good job at playing the "confused" grown-up, while Dakota is a charming, if not absolutely fantastic grown-up "in the making".
I think this movie is worth watching, at least, if not exclusively, for the terrific relationship between Ray and Molly.
Also, it stars Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning, two wonderful actresses that dazzle the screen with their very presence.
I guess we can forgive her for this past winter's `Just Married,' as her track record generally shows her showing off real talent in films like `8 Mile,' and `Girl, Interrupted.' Her portrayal of Molly makes the audience feel sadness for her character, but at the same time, we can't help but feel that she is incredibly pathetic, and not in the comic sense.
I, on the other hand, watched this movie for the first time expecting the worst and most guilty kind of entertainment, and was more than pleasantly surprised by the dark tones and impeccable performances.
Murphy and Fanning are a refreshing duo in a buddy film and like many female buddy films, Uptown Girls is unfairly abused and underrated.
Murphy should be commended for choosing roles like Molly and her character in Little Black Book, because in a sea of fantasy and escapism there is an aspect of actual female representation written by women and made for women.
Rich girl loses all her money and has to be a nanny for an uptight brat; it certainly sounds like a bad movie in the making.
On her birthday party in a nightclub, she meets Lorraine "Ray" Schleine (Dakota Fanning), a nasty young girl with attitudes of adult , living with her careless mother and a terminal father in a fancy uptown apartment.
She is hired to be Ray's babysitter, and their close contact makes Molly reach the maturity and Ray act like as a child of her age."Uptown Girls" has just a reasonable and predictable screenplay, being corny and boring sometimes, but supported by two of my favorite actresses: Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning.
There are a few worthwhile moments along the story, the script has many flaws and this movie is only recommended to fans like me of these two great actresses.
Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy) is the rich, immature, hard-partying daughter of a deceased rock star, but when she loses all her money and belongings, she has to take a job as the nanny to a rich little girl named Ray (Dakota Fanning).
So the story is very predictable, the dialogue often weak, and I hated the character of Molly's on-again, off-again "rock star" boyfriend (who inexplicably makes it big with a horrifyingly bad song about Egyptian cotton), but the characters played by Murphy and Fanning are a pleasure to spend time with, and that's what sold it to me..
This film is about an uptight child who wants to play everything by the rules, and her interaction with her young caretaker who is playfully childish.Dakota Fanning is an amazing child actress.
Brittany Murphy is an irresponsible girl who suddenly has to face up to reality when she's evicted from her home, has to get a job babysitting a pampered rich girl (Dakota Fanning) who also has to face up to reality, and by the end Murphy becomes a responsible, mature person and Fanning loosens up and acts more like her age.
There are in fact a lot of spoiled girls like Fanning's character, who get whatever they want simply because the mothers or fathers don't want to deal with them.
I always hated watching that moment in all the previews where she'd say "News-fe-lash!" All in all, "Uptown Girls" is a fluffy, superficial feel-good comedy that doesn't fail to entertain, and I will recommend it for a rental.
Despite how much I like Brittany Murphy, I just can't recommend this film but it its better then Just Married.
In the end, this is another chick flick that's only worth watching if you are a die-hard fan of Dakota or Brittany.
But when her manager runs away and nobody is able to pay her bills, Molly is forced to get a job which turns out to be a babysitter to the very mature and jaded Ray(Dakota Fanning).
Brittany Murphy is a also a great actress but I think she should stop making sugary sweet comedies, they aren't really her thing.
I'm not really into Britney Murphy or Dakota Fanning, but this film is actually worth a watch.
i was mesmerized by the strong performances by Dakota Fanning and Brittany Murphy.the close up of "Ray's" hand when she hugs "Molly" is one of the finer touches that Director Boaz Yakin brings to the film.i don't know why people categorize films by genre.
None of his subsequent projects have had the power of that movie but I'm an unbelievably loyal Leo, and I will keep seeing anything the man writes and/or directs.This one, Uptown Girls, is directed by Yakin, and it does display his knack for getting decent interaction from his performers; there are some extremely believable scenes between Murphy and Fanning, in particular, who both manage, under his direction and thanks to their innate talent (especially the soon-to-be-legendary Fanning's), to breathe genuine life into their potentially one-dimensional characters.I hadn't read anything about the movie beforehand, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it play out not as a farce but rather as a skewed and quirky buddy movie, with both characters learning from each other what it means to be human, at any age.
I was a little worried they might have given Murphy brain damage before the scene, and that's why she was acting like a bit of a partard.Long story short, this movie is utter crud, and really, you should be buying me awesome presents for letting you know and saving you the torture of sitting through it.Oh yeah, and don't even get me STARTED on that damn song that Jesse Spencer sings....
beautiful.this important quote in the beginning-middle of the movie ends up more important than you would think::Ray: Every grown-up is good at something.
Boaz Yakin's "Uptown Girls" doesn't have anything new to say, but it offers us the perfect excuse to spend a mindless hour and a half in the company of Dakota Fanning, one of the best child actresses to come out of Hollywood in quite a while.
If the viewer is looking for a light comedy, this film will do the trick.Molly Gunn, a spoiled young woman, finds out in the worst way she has been rendered destitute because of the man in charge of her trust fund has swindled it and ran away with all her money.
She makes Molly's life a living hell until Molly realizes that the little girl is to be pitied because she hasn't known any happiness in her short little life.The combination of Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning is what makes this film work.
Although I enjoyed watching two very talented young actresses (Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning) perform with what would be only a half decent script with any other actresses.
Murphy and Fanning really lend credibility to the roles, and a viewer may hardly realize these are just characters in a movie, not people in real life.
I've always maintained that real life is far less exciting than movies, and it's difficult to portray realistic (in a way) characters.Time passed, and I viewed Uptown Girls again.
My point being, Uptown Girls is still an enjoyable movie, with two very talented actresses in the main roles.I'll watch Uptown Girls many times in the future, it grew on me..
This is not a movie i usually would have seen, but after seeing Dakota Fanning in the Sci-Fi Channel miniseries Taken, i decided to see her in Uptown Girls.
Brittany Murphy was pretty good in it, but Dakota Fanning was the best.
The plot to "Uptown Girls" is that it centers on Molly Gunn (Brittany Murphy), who is the spoiled, 22-year old daughter of a deceased rock legend.
The two naturally start off not liking each other but as the film continues, they grow closer and closer together.I'm a guy and I don't normally like these kinds of movies (girlie-girl films), but "Uptown Girls" seems to be an exception, largely because of star Brittany Murphy.
She soon gets a job has a nanny for Ray(Dakota Fanning)an 8 year old girl, who tries to grow up to fast.
I love Dakota Fanning and she was the reason I went to see the movie and I was not disappointed.
This is actually a nine or eight star film if you are open to it.The critics have lost their capacity to enjoy films, much like the Fanning character in the movie.
Murphy is very good, and as one IMDb user has written, "adults probably wrote it off as a 'kids movie' and the kids didn't understand the emotional plot line"....interesting explanation as to why the film did only 37 million domestically.Who is the audience for this film?
The film for me is very realistic and practical, it's funny but what made me like the movie is that i cried almost 10 times while watching this film.I hope that someday i could meet Brittany and Dakotta so that i could congratulate them and also to congratulate the director cause he managed to make a film of great portrayal!
Brittany Murphy comes out of this with no credit whatsover, and Dakota Fanning is capable of so much better, as shown by her excellent performances in I Am Sam and Taken.The story is contrived and shamelessly manipulative.
Dakota's character may as well be one, with her father a 'vegetable' and her mother a high-powered business woman with no time for her child.You can guess the rest.Everything about this film screamed comedy.
Brittany Witherspoon's, er Reese Murphy's new film, Uptown Girls fits this standard story but with one important distinction: her character is so horrible that the film is unwatchable.
In my opinion, UPTOWN GIRLS is an excellent, hilarious, and witty film that will make you feel good.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this excellent, hilarious, and witty film that will make you feel good to all you Brittany Murphy fans who have not seen it.
Even as I look through the titles like Sin City, Little Black Book, and Girl, Interrupted, I cannot help but think that perhaps it wasn't her roles in these films that caught my attention, but instead the story, style, and power of the other, stronger, characters.
Thankfully, we are not forced to drag our feet through the film with only the likes of Murphy to carry us, thankfully, we have a young, and highly inspirational Dakota Fanning, to add some levity to the project.Uptown Girls is not a good film in any way shape or form.
Usually, Brittany Murphy gives a strong performance, but in Uptown Girls, she was nothing but obnoxious (throughout the film it seemed like she was trying really hard to be sweet and pretty, but failing miserably at it).
Dakota Fanning is just so sweet, going to be a really cool actress!Fun movie not deep, but good message, and a dreamy senario, Glamor, money, love and sad sad little girls!
RELEASED IN 2003 and directed by Boaz Yakin, "Uptown Girls" is a dramedy with a little romance about Molly (Brittany Murphy), a fun-loving 22 year-old who suddenly loses her inherited riches and is forced to become a nanny to a stoical neat-freak girl, Ray (Dakota Fanning).
I saw this movie because I was quite bored and because I liked Dakota Fanning.
However, Dakota Fanning was wonderful, she was about eight years old when she did this movie and she performed perfectly.
Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning are a dynamo team in this film about growing up.
It has so much content that can be accepted as REAL LIFE, situations.We both like Dakota Fanning have seen her in a few movies including one with Denzil Washington when he plays her "Nanny" in Mexico.
Second of all, Britney Murphy and Dakota Fanning were fantastic.I liked the story because while it was funny at times, it was also very moving.
If you want to see a really good movie, go see Uptown Girls!.
"Uptown Girls" has the very same plot-- girlish young woman (Murphy) and grown-up child (Fanning) teach each other on love and life, right down to the tear-jerking British guitar solo.
The relationship she develops with the child is far more convincing and identifiable than the one she builds with Neal.Therefore, the film luckily focuses on the relationship between Molly and Lorraine ("Ray"), a precocious 8-year-old played wonderfully by Dakota Fanning.
She's taken on so many challenging personas and broken type for the Hollywood movie star so many times, you must believe she just loves the acting craft and the opportunity to explore characters to her fullest potential."Uptown Girls" might not have worked in less capable hands, but Ms. Murphy exudes such energy and emotion, you can't take your eyes off of her.
Brittany Murphy tries way too hard to act ditzy in the first half of "Uptown Girls." Her pet pig is far more endearing than she is.
UPTOWN GIRLS(2003)Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning.
Time will tell you will Dakota Fanning become a famous ,and ,or good,well know actress,but i think Brittany Murphy plays well she's role,but do not show more than earlier.Script:weak,some life smell ,but sunshine situation.
She really played the role of the grown up acting girl Ray. Her opposite, Brittany Murphy played a very cool role, Molly.
But I had heard from numerous people that it was a good movie, and I love Dakota Fanning, so when I saw "Uptown Girls" for sale, I decided to buy it.At first, I was kind of bored with this movie, because it really doesn't get interesting until Molly (Brittany Murphy) gets the job as a nanny for eight year old Laraine, (Ray.) (Dakota Fanning.) This is the first movie I have seen where Dakota plays a rich, snobby, stuck-up character, but even so, I think she did a great job.
It was funny when she was beating up that girl for calling Molly a slut-bag whore =) I have never heard her talk like that before...(or put up her middle finger) she is usually so polite and friendly...even in real life.I thought Brittany Murphy did an awesome job in this movie too.
After she loses all her money she is forced to get a job as a nanny to a little rich girl named Ray, who is only 8, but acts like a 35 year old.
So Molly refuses to give up on Ray, and by the end of the movie, the two are the best of friends.Well I guess all in all "Uptown Girls" is a pretty good movie.
"Uptown Girls" starring Brittany Murphy & Dakota Fanning.
This movie is about a woman named Molly(Brittany Murphy) who still thinks she's a child and is to lazy to do anything and lost all her money so she has to move out of her house and sell all her stuff and find a job.
Film historians will look back on "Uptown Girls" as the feature where Brittany Murphy (Molly Gunn) really began to define the perceptive airhead persona she first developed in "Drop Dead Gorgeous".
She and Dakota Fanning (Ray) play off each other very well.Music is central to the story since Molly's father was a rock legend who died in a plane crash when she was a young girl and Ray's mom runs a record label.
This sets up a somewhat predictable but otherwise perfect ending as you finally get to get to hear "Molly Smiles" at Ray's dance recital; the film is worth watching just for this scene (as good an ending as "School of Rock's").
If you can suspend belief and just accept the contrived basic story, then it won't be hard to really enjoy Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning as two broken kids who help each other learn how to live, 25 years after "Times Square"..
Brittany Murphy has always been a firm favourite of mine since she acted Alicia Silverstone off the screen in Clueless so, I was looking forward to seeing Uptown Girls even though it had received less-than-stellar reviews.Murphy delivers the goods; showing that she has great comic timing and paired with the (surprisingly) brilliant Dakota Fanning, the 'reluctant buddy' chemistry is apparent.
Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning are great together..
Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning are great together..
She ends up being a nanny for Ray (Fanning), a clean freak little girl, whose mother owns the bar that Molly had her birthday in.
This is a wonderful film, full of fun and even wisdom, and the chemistry between its two stars -- Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning -- is saucy, sweet and endearing.
The acting in this movie was not very good especially that little girl ray.I think brittanys character at the start was horrible, not on her part but on the movies part.
Dakota Fanning is an excellent actress , her and Brittany Murphy have great chemistry..
Dakota Fanning and Brittany Murphy did an excellent job, one acting like a kid and the other, the grownup.
I am a fan of Brittany Murphy so i enjoyed this movie a lot.
This movie shows off Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning's talent at its best.
Brittany Murphy became a caring role model as Dakota Fanning became more of a kid.It's a nice enough story that gives you a little, warm feeling inside, but it takes too long to get to that point.
Somewhere along the way the lead character Molly played by Brittany Murphy is forced to be responsible. |
tt0025200 | The Grasshopper and the Ants | The grasshopper is playing his fiddle, dancing and eating leaves. He notices some ants working hard collecting food. He laughs and calls an ant to him. He tells the ant that there is food on every tree and he sees no reason to work. He dances and sings The world owes us a living. The ant begins to dance too. The queen ant arrives, carried in a sedan chair, and sees the ant playing instead of working. The ant notices the queen and immediately goes back to work. The angry queen warns the grasshopper that he will change his tune when winter comes. The grasshopper blithely dismisses the queen's warning, saying that winter is a long way off.
Autumn passes and winter arrives. The grasshopper trudges through the snow, cold and hungry. He finds one withered leaf, but it blows away before he can eat it. Meanwhile, the ants are feasting on their stored food. The grasshopper knocks on their door and collapses. The ants carry him inside and warm and feed him. The queen ant approaches him. He begs to be allowed to stay. She tells him that only those who work may stay, and tells him to take his fiddle. Thinking that he is being dismissed, he starts to leave, but the queen tells him to play the fiddle. While the ants dance, he happily plays and sings I owe the world a living! | psychedelic | train | wikipedia | Disney Borrows From Aesop.
A Walt Disney SILLY SYMPHONY Cartoon Short.Winter is coming, but the GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANTS have very different ways of preparing for it.
While the ants are diligently storing food, the Grasshopper is only dancing around & playing his fiddle.
When the snows come, perhaps he'll play a different tune...Aesop's Fables provided the source for this very enjoyable cartoon.
The intricate labors of the ants give lots of interest for the eye.
`Oh, The World Owes Us A Living', the Grasshopper's song, would eventually become, with a slight revision, the theme for Goofy; Pinto Colvig voiced both characters.The SILLY SYMPHONIES, which Walt Disney produced for a ten year period beginning in 1929, are among the most fascinating of all animated series.
Unlike the Mickey Mouse cartoons in which action was paramount, with the Symphonies the action was made to fit the music.
There was little plot in the early Symphonies, which featured lively inanimate objects and anthropomorphic plants & animals, all moving frantically to the soundtrack.
Gradually, however, the Symphonies became the school where Walt's animators learned to work with color and began to experiment with plot, characterization & photographic special effects.
The pages of Fable & Fairy Tale, Myth & Mother Goose were all mined to provide story lines and even Hollywood's musicals & celebrities were effectively spoofed.
It was from this rich soil that Disney's feature-length animation was to spring.
In 1939, with SNOW WHITE successfully behind him and PINOCCHIO & FANTASIA on the near horizon, Walt phased out the SILLY SYMPHONIES; they had run their course & served their purpose..
Very enjoyable silly symphony that is lots of fun!.
The Grasshopper and the Ants is a very enjoyable Silly Symphony, about a fiddle playing grasshopper and a group of ants.
The animation is beautiful, and so is the music.
The characters are really likable, especially the grasshopper.
Also watch out for the original voice of Goofy, the one and only Pinto Colvig.
Adapted from Aesop, this silly symphony has some funny moments with a simple story and a nice moral, and a couple of poignant ones- the part when the grasshopper is pleading to the queen is bound to break someone's heart, again it could be to do with how Colvig delivered the line.
And the part when the Ant Queen says "Go on with your fiddle...
and play" was just perfect.
My final verdict is a fun and very enjoyable silly symphony.
A definite 10/10.
Bethany Cox. The Grasshopper and the Ants was a fine Disney Silly Symphony that starred the voice of Goofy: Pinto Colvig.
Just watched this Disney Silly Symphony on YouTube.
In this one, a grasshopper fiddles away singing, "The World Owes Us a Living" while the worker ants prepare for the winter storage.
The queen of them warns the grasshopper of what will happen if the grasshopper doesn't prepare himself but he pays her no mind.
Then the blizzard comes...If the voice of the grasshopper sounds familiar, that's because it's the same one that will voice the eventually popular Goofy: Pinto Colvig.
He provides ample charm here despite his character being somewhat lazy in nature.
And when he does learn his lesson, he changes the words to reflect that learning.
I'm sure the Depression audience that watched this in theatres came away with that attitude as well and possibly whistled that tune going out.
Uncle Walt himself probably liked it as well since it became-with a few note changes-Goofy's theme as well.
So on that note, I highly recommend The Grasshopper and the Ants..
Excellent Short.
The Grasshopper and the Ants (1934) **** (out of 4)Excellent animated short from Disney has a grasshopper dancing around playing his fiddle while a bunch of ants are hard at work since winter is coming.
The ants continue to work as the grasshopper continues to play and before long it's winter and someone is left with no food or shelter.
This type of story certainly wasn't anything new or original and it's certainly been borrowed from over the decades but this here is still a lot of fun to watch.
For starters, as you'd expect, the animation is of very high quality and it's certainly great fun just to see the beautiful colors and drawings.
Another major plus is that the music score is actually quite good and the songs being done by the grasshopper are catchy.
Of course, there's a big moral to the story, which comes across perfectly well..
A very nice cartoon about working hard and second chances..
This Silly Symphony is based on Aesop's Fable, The Ant and the Grasshopper.
While the Grasshopper is all play and no work, an army of ants harvest food for the winter.
And, when the freezing whether arrives, the ants enjoy a warm feast while the grasshopper goes hungry.
Disney added nice touches of animation, music, and voice acting (one whom you may recognize as later voicing Goofy), which all blended well with a good message of hard work, diligence, and second chances.
Grade A.
Despite missing the point of the original tale, it is enjoyable and fun..
When this cartoon begins, you'll no doubt notice that it's the voice of Goofy (Pinto Colvig) playing the grasshopper.
It's pretty hard not to notice that distinctive voice!
As far as the cartoon goes, it has the usual exceptional color animation you'd expect from a Disney cartoon of the era and there is no comparison between the Disney shorts and those of the nearest competition.
Also, unlike some of their Silly Symphonies, this one benefits from having a lot less singing--a definite bonus.
What did surprise me, however, is that despite all this wonderfulness and a great timeless story, the script actually changed the ending--and completely changed the moral lesson.
Instead of an admonition to work hard lest you die of starvation in hard times, it shows the ants taking pity on the stupid grasshopper and sharing their food.
This seems to give the moral lesson that you should reach out to help the lazy!
An odd ending indeed.
Without this happily ever after sort of ending, it might have earned a 10--it was that good.
But the morally questionable ending detracted from what should have been a timeless lesson..
I give this animated short a 10/10.
It's just so charming.
I guess something about a grasshopper prancing around playing good fiddle music just warms the heart.Despite the queen's warning, the ants accept the grasshopper out of the cold, showing their kind nature, something we should all strive for.
The grasshopper also admits he is wrong, which is another important lesson.
And when the queen says, "Now take your fiddle...
and play!" that moment is perfect:"I owe the world a living!
I've been a fool all year long.
Now I'm singing a different song!
You were right; I was wrong!"That just gets me all choked up.Ya gotta love Disney..
Working for a living is for fools.
A happy grasshopper dances into town (or undergrowth) playing his happy fiddle.
A bunch of ants living in a nearby tree colony are busy syphoning off the treasures of a recently pilfered picnic as the grasshopper takes one of them aside to groom.
The ant queen turns up and warns him not be such a carefree renegade as winter is coming soon.Sure enough, winter does come very quickly and the happy grasshopper is freezing and starving in the snow before he comes knocking on the door of the warm, well-fed ant colony where they nurse him back to health.Underlying message of the cartoon: if you fail at life just wait until someone gives you a handout..
Aesop Fable: No Longer Applies...........
.............WELL, AT LEAST not in the USA, anyway!
THAT THIS TULY ancient story would be adapted to the screen by Mr. Walt Disney & Company.
Assigned to being an installment in Disney's SILLY SYMPHONIES, the production of this animated short subject was assured to being rendered first rate.ALTHOUGH THE STORY is really more than quite familiar to everyone, it received a new and upbeat "facelift".
As only a studio such as that which was and is Disney could pull something like this off.IN ADDITION TO the basic premise of carefree & really lazy grasshopper's being contrasted to the highly industrious ant colony.
Everything was fine for the grasshopper while the Summer Sun sines.
He scoffs at the ants working so hard in stock-piling for the Winter's tough times.
Winter comes and the foolish grasshopper is literally left out in the cold; while the "Chumpy" ants are safe, warm and well fed down in their below ground level home.THIS Disney VERSION takes pity on the tobacco spitter and has him being treated as a guest by the magnanimous generosity of the ants.
The point is still made, albeit with a happy and not so fatal an ending.NEXT TO THE usual brilliant animation and beautiful Technicolor visuals, the greatest asset of this film is its employment of voice actor Pinto Colvig.
The man who was best known for his giving speech to characters such as Disney's GOOFY and Max Fleischer's GABBY, gave real "life" to THE GRASSHOPPER & THE ANTS.
Particularly memorable is his solo singing of the very lively and meaningful tune: "The World Owes Me A Living!" BOY SCHULTZ, THAT ought to be a real hit today!.
"I see no reason to worry and work.
No, sir, not me.".
Disney version of the timeless fable about a grasshopper who mocks the ants for working hard to ready themselves for the coming winter instead of playing, only to turn to those same ants for food and shelter when the winter hits.
It's a gorgeous cartoon with rich, vibrant colors that just pop out at you.
It's Disney and, in the 1930s, there was no one coming close to Disney in the animation field.
The music is fun, including the song "The World Owes Me a Living," which would later become Goofy's theme song.
Coincidentally, the grasshopper is voiced by Goofy himself, Pinto Colvig.
As another reviewer noted, this short changes the ending to the original story, where the grasshopper is turned away by the ants and has to lie in a bed of his own making.
Basically he is left to starve to death!
Well times change and by the 1930s there were a lot of Americans starving and looking for a helping hand, so it's not surprising the ending was changed to the ants helping the grasshopper.
Hopefully he learned his lesson and worked harder the next summer.
Doubtful, of course, but we can hope..
"With ants, just those who work may stay.".
A message so simple even a seven year old would understand it, which she did - my granddaughter that is, after we finished watching the story.
The moral is a simple one that registers even with youngsters, but somehow along the way it gets twisted, flaked and formed for those on an ideological mission to subvert the obvious, which is, you get out of life what you put into it.I have no idea how much restoration might have gone into this 1934 Silly Symphony, but watching today it's simply glorious.
The colors are outstanding and the animation first rate.
If you turn your head when the grasshopper first speaks one might easily think it's Disney character Goofy talking, another voice created by the warm hearted Pinto Colvig.Eighty plus years doesn't diminish the message of this classic Aesop fable, but besides that it's fun and amusing.
It packs more punch than Spongebob Squarepants and you'll have a grand old time watching it.
Especially if you have a seven year old companion by your side..
The Grasshopper's Reprieve.
I've seen this numerous times.
I can't help but be torn between the joy and freedom that the grasshopper has in the early moments of this cartoon.
He spits and plays his fiddle while the ants trudge along and store food.
They are working for a queen and she must be satisfied.
Granted, the big guys is continually warned.
As we adults continue to fail our children with low expectations from them, so does the grasshopper find himself in desperate straits, only to be rescued from his indiscretions by benevolence he does not deserve.
Of course, in the original, he pays the price.
But he is such an engaging fellow that he lands on all six of his feet..
The Aesop fable given the Disney treatment.
This is a color Silly Symphonies short produced by Disney studio.
There will be spoilers ahead:This is an absolutely beautiful short, with great animation, backgrounds and design.
The characterization is excellent and it's quite engaging.
Given that this is Disney, the ending is a bit different from the original fable.If you know the Aesop's fable from which this springs, you know the story.
While the ants toil, a grasshopper plays his fiddle and laughs at the ants for working.
When it's pointed out to him that winter is coming, he laughs that off as well, saying winter is a long way off.Cue winter.
The transition between seasons is handled marvelously, which is to be expected.
The ants are warm and cozy, the grasshopper is in a world of hurt and goes to the ants hoping for help.
The ants, being decent sorts, help the grasshopper avoid freezing and starving, while the grasshopper sings a different song, saying he's learned his lesson and that working is actually a good idea.
When you think about it, that's actually a better lesson than having the ants turn callous, turn the grasshopper away and have him die.
A "road to Damascus" moment has more teaching value than a "serves you right" moment.This short is available on the Disney Treasures Silly Symphonies DVD set and it and the set are great.
Most highly recommended..
Artists vs artisans.
"The Grasshopper and the Ants" is an 8-minute cartoon by Disney and this one came out back in 1934, so it is already way over 80 years old.
But it is in color already and has sound and is from that time where Disney still focuses on the characters that weren't Mickey, Donald and Goofy.
But this does not mean that the voice actors weren't there already.
For example, the legendary Pinto Colvig (Goofy) voices the grasshopper in this little fable we have here about a grasshopper who prefers to make music while the hard-working ants prefer for winter.
So eventually, the hopper is out in the cold and has to beg for mercy to the ants, but there is a happy ending here as in so many Disney films and I guess artists will also be fairly happy with it.
No denying animation in 1934 was miles and miles ahead of live action, at least when it comes to the United States.
Of course, saying the animation is also much better than anywhere in the world at that time is certainly an accurate statement.
I enjoyed the watch here.
Not one of my very favorite Disney cartoons, but still a pretty good watch with decent music, solid comedy and, most of all, beautiful animation..
Typical Disney.
Beautifully animated for the time, and pointlessly changes the entire story meaning.
In the fable the grasshopper pays for his irresponsibility and laziness.
Here he gets a free pass because it feels good.
No lesson learned.
No responsibility taken.
Pretty much perfect for our times when you think about it..
"I owe the world a living".
"I owe the world a living".
The most important innovation that accompanied Disney's switch to Technicolor was the animators' ability to communicate mood through their contrasting use of colour.
'The Grasshopper and the Ants (1934)' is a particularly good example of this.
Note the bright and glorious reds, blues and green as the Grasshopper dances through his spring wonderland, playing his fiddle and exclaiming "the world owes us a living." As the season approaches its end, a dull overcast sky and the brown and grey hues of dying autumn leaves signal the end of the year's rich months; I particularly loved these shots, as they convey so effectively the ever-increasing sadness as dusk approaches, when your previously joyous recreations take on a subdued and distant air.
The arrival of winter is forecast primarily by the white snow, and the Grasshopper's previously-green body becomes a sickly blue from frostbite.
Meanwhile, in a surprising contrast, the mood inside the ants nest remains bright and festive, predominantly utilising deep reds to symbolise warmth, comfort and security.Like several Silly Symphonies, 'The Grasshopper and the Ants' was adapted from an Aesop's Fable, and so tells an important story with a good moral.
The Grasshopper, who is idly whittling away his spring, laughs off the ant-queen's suggestions that he prepare for the cold season, and soon finds himself frozen and hungry in the winter snow.
Aesop's original tale had the Grasshopper being mercilessly turned away from the ant nest and perishing, but Walt Disney had a warmer heart than this; he offers the Grasshopper a winter-time refuge, on the single condition that he rightly earn his living by playing his fiddle for the colony.
The Grasshopper was notably voiced by Pinto Colvig, who also voiced Goofy, and the song introduced here ("The World Owes Me a Living") would subsequently become Goofy's theme.
Overall, this cartoon, directed by Wilfred Jackson, is nicely-animated, very entertaining and suitably touching.
Similar Symphonies, telling a simple story with a nice moral, include 'The Ugly Duckling (1931 and 1939)' and 'The Tortoise and the Hare (1935)' |
tt0413895 | Charlotte's Web | One spring, on a farm in Somerset County, Maine, Fern Arable (Dakota Fanning) finds her father about to kill the runt of a litter of newborn pigs. She successfully begs him to spare its life. He gives it to her, who names him Wilbur and raises him as her pet. To her regret, when he grows into an adult pig, she is forced to take him to the Zuckerman farm, where he is to be prepared as dinner in due time.
Charlotte A. Cavatica (Julia Roberts), a spider, lives in the space above Wilbur's sty in the Zuckermans' barn; she befriends him and decides to help prevent him from being eaten. With the help of the other barn animals, including a comedic rat named Templeton (Steve Buscemi), she convinces the Zuckerman family that Wilbur is actually quite special, by spelling out descriptions of him in her web: "Some pig", "Terrific", "Radiant", and "Humble". She gives her full name, revealing her as a barn spider, an orb-weaver spider with the scientific name Araneus cavaticus.
The Arables, Zuckermans, Wilbur, Charlotte, and Templeton go to a fair, where Wilbur is entered in a contest. While there, Charlotte produces an egg sac. She cannot return home because she is dying. Wilbur and Templeton bid emotional goodbyes to her but manage to take her egg sac home, where hundreds of offspring emerge. Most of the young spiders soon leave, but three, named Joy, Aranea, and Nellie, stay and become Wilbur's friends. | romantic | train | wikipedia | null |
Subsets and Splits