Written by Hombre Divertido
Like all boxing matches some solid shots are landed in Facing Ali, but more often than not, this documentary swings and misses.
The story of Muhammad Ali’s career has been told and documented many times in many forms, so finding a new slant was certainly a challenge. Nonetheless, producers Derik Murry and Paul Gertz, and director Pete McCormack found a way to tell Ali’s story and the stories of other legendary boxers that was unique and exciting. Unfortunately, somewhere in the process, it appears that they got a bit off track.
The packaging for the DVD states, “Ten of the sport's finest fighters tell what it is like to battle Muhammad Ali”. It also mentions, “This brutally honest documentary recounts Ali’s incomparable journey as seen through the eyes of those who stepped through the ropes and into history.” To some extent, the footage of Ali throughout his career both in the ring and out, and the interviews with George Chuvalo, Sir Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Ernie Shavers, Leon Spinks, and Ernie Terrell does accomplish what the documentarians set out to do, but ultimately the goals touted were not achieved.
It is always good to leave an audience wanting more, but, it is not good for a documentary to leave so many unanswered questions. Whether it is poor interviewing or poor editing is not clear, but more insight into what it was like to be in the ring with Muhammad Ali certainly was available, and yet, not found in Facing Ali.
In the opening segment of the film, Ernie Terrell recounts a story from 1958 where he tells of Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) walking into a room and saying “I want everybody who weighs 175 pounds to stand-up. I just want to let you know who is going to win this thing here tonight; it’s gonna be me.” What room? Where was this? What “thing” was he going to win? The questions remain, and this was just a glimpse of more incomplete interviews to follow.
The discussions with the fighters are candid and entertaining, but one could easily expect that a documentary titled Facing Ali would delve deeply into what it was like to prepare for and fight the legendary fighter. The actual accounts of what it was like to be in the ring with Ali are few and far between, and there is even less time dedicated to preparation. More frustrating is the obvious questions that are not answered. What would seem like a natural course to have taken would have been to discuss rematches with Ali. The rematches with Cooper (1), Chuvalo (1), and Norton (2), are not acknowledged, and only Ali vs. Frazier I and III are chronicled here. At only 100 minutes, time certainly could have and should have been spent on what it was like to go back into the ring and face Ali again.
The bonus material primarily focuses on the making of the documentary, and it is clear both from listening to the filmmakers and viewing the final product, that a great deal of time and energy was put into making the archival footage and the film as a whole look great. The final product does indeed look amazing; it is the content that is frustratingly lacking.
The “Animated Trivia Cards” of each of the ten fighters interviewed is a nice touch.
Recommendation: Though we are led to believe that we will see “ten of the sports finest fighters tell what it is like to battle Muhammad Ali” that is not actually what we get. Yes, the majority of the fighters interviewed are engaging and entertaining, and that does make the product enjoyable, but this film could have been and should have been better.
True fans of boxing are going to enjoy the time spent with the legendary fighters interviewed. Fans of Ali can find better accounts of the champ's career. Those looking for insight into what it was like Facing Ali will be frustrated with this incomplete product.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
UP IN THE AIR
Up in the Air with George Clooney is a thoroughly entertaining place to be.
Avatar may have state of the art special effects, and Sherlock Holmes may be action packed, but Up in the Air succeeds by keeping it simple, excellent storytelling through superb writing and solid performances.
In Up in the Air Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a corporate-downsizing gun-for-hire who is on the road more than 300 days a year firing employees for corporations, and lecturing on simplifying one's life by eliminating attachments to things and relationships. Though a life upon the road may seem like a miserable existence to most, it is exactly the existence Ryan cherishes and yearns to excel at.
When Ryan’s company hires fresh-out-of-college hotshot Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) who has plans to change the way the company operates by eliminating the need for travel, Ryan gets assigned to show her the ropes. While Ryan and Natalie are traveling throughout the U.S. firing people, Ryan is also trying to make time for a new interest in his life (Vera Farmiga) who describers herself as a female him and a pending family obligation.
Ryan’s cynical sense softens slightly throughout the film as he begins to see his life from the perspective of others, but the growth is stunted, and he is left to evaluate many choices he has made in life. Some of the plot turns are a bit obvious, but that is made up for by smart and witty dialog.
Based on the novel by Walter Kim, the screenplay by director Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner is paced perfectly, moving at a speed that is just quick enough to keep the dialogue-driven endeavor from bogging down without losing any of the subtle moments key to the success of the film as a whole.
The cinematography by Eric Steelberg is top notch as he truly manages to capture the U.S. locations in a rural and gray look that is engaging to the audience.
The performances in Up in the Air will warrant many award nominations. Unfortunately, Clooney makes this look too easy, and though that is a tribute to his skill and that of casting director Mindy Marin, it may hinder Clooney when the awards are distributed. It is the supporting players that make this film extremely fun. From the one-scene outings of J. K. Simmons and Sam Elliot, and those of even lesser-known actors playing the soon to be downsized, to the performance of Farmiga who manages to say so much without saying a word. Kendrick’s performance gets a bit too cartoony at times for this production, and Jason Bateman as Ryan and Natalie’s boss is too smug, but the impact is minor, and is made up for by those surrounding them.
Recommendation: Guaranteed to leave you wanting more. Skip the blockbusters and settle in for some old-school filmmaking.
Avatar may have state of the art special effects, and Sherlock Holmes may be action packed, but Up in the Air succeeds by keeping it simple, excellent storytelling through superb writing and solid performances.
In Up in the Air Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a corporate-downsizing gun-for-hire who is on the road more than 300 days a year firing employees for corporations, and lecturing on simplifying one's life by eliminating attachments to things and relationships. Though a life upon the road may seem like a miserable existence to most, it is exactly the existence Ryan cherishes and yearns to excel at.
When Ryan’s company hires fresh-out-of-college hotshot Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) who has plans to change the way the company operates by eliminating the need for travel, Ryan gets assigned to show her the ropes. While Ryan and Natalie are traveling throughout the U.S. firing people, Ryan is also trying to make time for a new interest in his life (Vera Farmiga) who describers herself as a female him and a pending family obligation.
Ryan’s cynical sense softens slightly throughout the film as he begins to see his life from the perspective of others, but the growth is stunted, and he is left to evaluate many choices he has made in life. Some of the plot turns are a bit obvious, but that is made up for by smart and witty dialog.
Based on the novel by Walter Kim, the screenplay by director Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner is paced perfectly, moving at a speed that is just quick enough to keep the dialogue-driven endeavor from bogging down without losing any of the subtle moments key to the success of the film as a whole.
The cinematography by Eric Steelberg is top notch as he truly manages to capture the U.S. locations in a rural and gray look that is engaging to the audience.
The performances in Up in the Air will warrant many award nominations. Unfortunately, Clooney makes this look too easy, and though that is a tribute to his skill and that of casting director Mindy Marin, it may hinder Clooney when the awards are distributed. It is the supporting players that make this film extremely fun. From the one-scene outings of J. K. Simmons and Sam Elliot, and those of even lesser-known actors playing the soon to be downsized, to the performance of Farmiga who manages to say so much without saying a word. Kendrick’s performance gets a bit too cartoony at times for this production, and Jason Bateman as Ryan and Natalie’s boss is too smug, but the impact is minor, and is made up for by those surrounding them.
Recommendation: Guaranteed to leave you wanting more. Skip the blockbusters and settle in for some old-school filmmaking.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie - Extended Edition
Written by Pirata Hermosa
The first feature-length made-for-TV movie based on the popular Disney channel show has been released for the first time on DVD.
When the Russo family goes on vacation, it is never a dull moment. While most kids can go to the Caribbean with their parents and have a fairly normal family vacation, it’s not so easy when the kids are three wannabe wizards. Knowing their children’s tendencies to cause mischief and mayhem, their parents, Jerry (David DeLuise) and Theresa (Maria Canals-Barrera), forbid them to bring along their wands or to use any magic while on the trip.
That plan lasts almost as long as a short commercial break. Daughter Alex (Selena Gomez) has discovered the family’s spell book and brought it along, but she’s not the only one to blame. Justin (David Henrie) packed his wand and Max (Jake T. Austin) immediately starts using spells on a local street magician to spice up his act.
But this street magician is more than he appears to be. Sensing the Russos are doing real magic, Archie (Steve Valentine) asks for them to help his parrot return to her human self, as she has been turned into a bird. He says that he has a map to the Stone of Dreams, an extremely powerful item that is rumored to grant wishes.
After initially dismissing his request and acting like they don’t know what he is talking about, the kids return to ask him for help in saving their parents. During a normal teen moment while Alex is arguing with her mom, she mistakenly wishes that her parents had never met. A common wish that many teenagers have had throughout history, but not while they are holding the powerful family spell book and Justin’s borrowed wand. When Alex realizes that her parents have no memory of anything that has happened after their initial meeting, she rushes to her siblings for help.
Alex and Justin enlist help from Archie, while Max stays behind to not only watch his parents, but also to find some way to help them fall in love again. You’d think Max would have the easier job, but keeping his parents out of trouble while both are on the prowl and his father can use magic again is far from being an easy task. The other two teenagers head off on a magical journey through the jungle to face a myriad of obstacles in the search for the stone.
Eventually all of this climaxes into a final battle reminiscent of a Harry Potter film. Alex and Justin must fight one another in order to pass the final wizard task where one will become a full wizard and the other loses their abilities forever.
At first it’s a little strange seeing the show in a feature-length format. The sets look a little different and there is no laugh track. After you settle into the first 10 minutes of the show and the family arrives at their vacation spot, it really begins to take off and becomes an independent film of its own. It has nice pacing and a good storyline that keeps your attention. You don’t even need to be a fan of the show to understand what is going on.
For fans of the show, I think they will be surprised at the changes. The special effects are far superior to what they do on the television show and there is a lot more character development. Alex finally shows a little emotion and becomes less of a brat and more of a responsible young woman. You can feel an actual relationship between Justin and Alex develop as the two join forces and find themselves struggling to save the family. Under normal circumstances they are rivals, but in the film you see that they do care for one another like most siblings do. Max isn’t just the stupid younger brother. He’s certainly not a genius, but he actually uses his brain a few times and is less of a one-dimensional character. Theresa actually shows some parenting skills and isn’t just part of the background like she normally is. And finally, Jerry isn’t just a foil for his kids to play off of, and shows how he wasn’t such a responsible person when he was a teenager either.
The DVD contains one making-of featurette where you go behind the scenes with the cast to see how the film was created, a digital copy, and a Wishing Stone key chain that changes color when you touch it.
The first feature-length made-for-TV movie based on the popular Disney channel show has been released for the first time on DVD.
When the Russo family goes on vacation, it is never a dull moment. While most kids can go to the Caribbean with their parents and have a fairly normal family vacation, it’s not so easy when the kids are three wannabe wizards. Knowing their children’s tendencies to cause mischief and mayhem, their parents, Jerry (David DeLuise) and Theresa (Maria Canals-Barrera), forbid them to bring along their wands or to use any magic while on the trip.
That plan lasts almost as long as a short commercial break. Daughter Alex (Selena Gomez) has discovered the family’s spell book and brought it along, but she’s not the only one to blame. Justin (David Henrie) packed his wand and Max (Jake T. Austin) immediately starts using spells on a local street magician to spice up his act.
But this street magician is more than he appears to be. Sensing the Russos are doing real magic, Archie (Steve Valentine) asks for them to help his parrot return to her human self, as she has been turned into a bird. He says that he has a map to the Stone of Dreams, an extremely powerful item that is rumored to grant wishes.
After initially dismissing his request and acting like they don’t know what he is talking about, the kids return to ask him for help in saving their parents. During a normal teen moment while Alex is arguing with her mom, she mistakenly wishes that her parents had never met. A common wish that many teenagers have had throughout history, but not while they are holding the powerful family spell book and Justin’s borrowed wand. When Alex realizes that her parents have no memory of anything that has happened after their initial meeting, she rushes to her siblings for help.
Alex and Justin enlist help from Archie, while Max stays behind to not only watch his parents, but also to find some way to help them fall in love again. You’d think Max would have the easier job, but keeping his parents out of trouble while both are on the prowl and his father can use magic again is far from being an easy task. The other two teenagers head off on a magical journey through the jungle to face a myriad of obstacles in the search for the stone.
Eventually all of this climaxes into a final battle reminiscent of a Harry Potter film. Alex and Justin must fight one another in order to pass the final wizard task where one will become a full wizard and the other loses their abilities forever.
At first it’s a little strange seeing the show in a feature-length format. The sets look a little different and there is no laugh track. After you settle into the first 10 minutes of the show and the family arrives at their vacation spot, it really begins to take off and becomes an independent film of its own. It has nice pacing and a good storyline that keeps your attention. You don’t even need to be a fan of the show to understand what is going on.
For fans of the show, I think they will be surprised at the changes. The special effects are far superior to what they do on the television show and there is a lot more character development. Alex finally shows a little emotion and becomes less of a brat and more of a responsible young woman. You can feel an actual relationship between Justin and Alex develop as the two join forces and find themselves struggling to save the family. Under normal circumstances they are rivals, but in the film you see that they do care for one another like most siblings do. Max isn’t just the stupid younger brother. He’s certainly not a genius, but he actually uses his brain a few times and is less of a one-dimensional character. Theresa actually shows some parenting skills and isn’t just part of the background like she normally is. And finally, Jerry isn’t just a foil for his kids to play off of, and shows how he wasn’t such a responsible person when he was a teenager either.
The DVD contains one making-of featurette where you go behind the scenes with the cast to see how the film was created, a digital copy, and a Wishing Stone key chain that changes color when you touch it.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
BROTHERS (2009)
Written by Hombre Divertido
It is not unusual at this time of year for one's thoughts to turn to the upcoming holiday, the New Year, and of course the best and worst movies of the current year. The respective lists can be tough as they are usually limited to ten entrants. One can certainly thank the writers, director, producers, and actors of Brothers for supplying all with a surefire entrant on to everyone’s "worst of 2009" list.
This plodding 110-minute yawn fest featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, and Tobey Maguire drags along toward a conclusion that every audience member sees coming, and yet, still manages to be more disappointing than anticipated. The commercials for Brothers would certainly lead one to believe that this is an intense thriller. In actuality, there is little intensity until the second hour, and by then most of the audience has checked out.
Though Maguire manages to look eerily like Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver that is certainly where the similarities cease. Maguire is simply in over his head as Capt. Sam Cahill, the emotionally unstable soldier returning to his family after being thought killed in Afghanistan. Mare Winningham is distractingly miscast as the Cahill's stepmother, but Maguire is the big problem as he is too young looking for his part and many of the emotional scenes are beyond his range. Most notable is Maguire's performance in the scene in which his character finally blows and begins to destroy his newly refurbished kitchen. Said performance will rival that of Sylvester Stallone in the conclusion of First Blood for one of the worst of all time. The rest of the cast is adequate. Unfortunately they are given little to do, and thus provide one-dimensional performances. Though Bailee Madison provides an engaging performance as Cahill's eldest daughter, the motivation for the character, and most of the others in the movie, is inconsistent and subsequently distracting.
The screenplay by David Benioff based on the motion picture Brødre, written by Susanne Beir and Anders Thomas Jensen, manages to surprise as it fails to go many places one might suspect. It fails to go anywhere that would generate any energy, tension, or excitement. Director Jim Sheridan reigns in his talented cast and wastes the skills of Gyllenhaal, Portman, and Sam Shepard. What should be emotion filled climactic confrontation scenes border on comical as they are too contrived.
Recommendation: It is rare to find a film that warrants no positive factors in a review. Perhaps if someone was to see Brothers more than once, they may find some redeeming qualities, but that would not be a task wished upon anyone during this joyous holiday season. If it hits DVD shelves before Christmas, which would be appropriate, it will make the perfect white elephant gift.
It is not unusual at this time of year for one's thoughts to turn to the upcoming holiday, the New Year, and of course the best and worst movies of the current year. The respective lists can be tough as they are usually limited to ten entrants. One can certainly thank the writers, director, producers, and actors of Brothers for supplying all with a surefire entrant on to everyone’s "worst of 2009" list.
This plodding 110-minute yawn fest featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, and Tobey Maguire drags along toward a conclusion that every audience member sees coming, and yet, still manages to be more disappointing than anticipated. The commercials for Brothers would certainly lead one to believe that this is an intense thriller. In actuality, there is little intensity until the second hour, and by then most of the audience has checked out.
Though Maguire manages to look eerily like Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver that is certainly where the similarities cease. Maguire is simply in over his head as Capt. Sam Cahill, the emotionally unstable soldier returning to his family after being thought killed in Afghanistan. Mare Winningham is distractingly miscast as the Cahill's stepmother, but Maguire is the big problem as he is too young looking for his part and many of the emotional scenes are beyond his range. Most notable is Maguire's performance in the scene in which his character finally blows and begins to destroy his newly refurbished kitchen. Said performance will rival that of Sylvester Stallone in the conclusion of First Blood for one of the worst of all time. The rest of the cast is adequate. Unfortunately they are given little to do, and thus provide one-dimensional performances. Though Bailee Madison provides an engaging performance as Cahill's eldest daughter, the motivation for the character, and most of the others in the movie, is inconsistent and subsequently distracting.
The screenplay by David Benioff based on the motion picture Brødre, written by Susanne Beir and Anders Thomas Jensen, manages to surprise as it fails to go many places one might suspect. It fails to go anywhere that would generate any energy, tension, or excitement. Director Jim Sheridan reigns in his talented cast and wastes the skills of Gyllenhaal, Portman, and Sam Shepard. What should be emotion filled climactic confrontation scenes border on comical as they are too contrived.
Recommendation: It is rare to find a film that warrants no positive factors in a review. Perhaps if someone was to see Brothers more than once, they may find some redeeming qualities, but that would not be a task wished upon anyone during this joyous holiday season. If it hits DVD shelves before Christmas, which would be appropriate, it will make the perfect white elephant gift.
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian (Two-Disc Monkey Mischief Pack)
Written by Pirata Hermosa
It’s hard enough to believe that one film about a museum whose exhibits come to life during the night would be a fun exciting film, let alone two. But somehow director Shawn Levy managed to succeed.
The original film was about Larry (Ben Stiller), a guy down on his luck who gets a gig as the late night guard at the American Museum of Natural History. Unbeknownst to him, the exhibits actually come to life at night and there are a lot of tasks he has to do on a nightly basis just to keep them in line.
In the latest incarnation, Larry has moved on to bigger and better things. He’s an infomercial sensation selling all kinds of gimmicks that he has invented. His latest invention is the glow-in-the-dark flashlight. With his new-found fame and fortune, Larry no longer needs to be a night watchman. It’s been two years since he left the museum and only shows up every few months to check on his old friends.
During his latest visit, he discovers that the museum is being modernized with interactive exhibits. This means that all of the old exhibits are being sent into deep storage in the Federal Archives at the Smithsonian. Not only are they going to be shipped away, but the golden tablet of Akmenrah that brings them to life every night is not being sent along.
At first, Larry is slightly bothered by this news and eventually accepts the fate of his friends. His son doesn’t understand his father’s reaction, but when Larry suddenly receives an emergency call from Jedediah (Owen Wilson) the miniature cowboy, the former night watchman decides that he has to do something.
Once he manages to sneak into the underground archives he finds that Dexter, the Capuchin Monkey has stolen the plaque and brought it with him. Now everything in the Smithsonian’s multiple museums has been brought to life and is running amok. While most of the exhibits are friendly, Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), who is Akmenrah’s brother, has gathered some of the world’s most dangerous men to hunt down the life-giving tablet in order to bring his army back to life. It’s up to Larry to stop the pharaoh and save his friends.
The film is very entertaining, and it’s difficult not to be when you have such an all-star cast. Hank Azaria is a major reason for the success of this film. His portrayal of the Pharaoh and the bizarre voice he uses makes every minute he is on screen incredibly funny. The addition of Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart is also a brilliant casting decision. Not only is she stunning to look at, but her spirit and plucky attitude is what gives the film its heart.
This is a two-disc DVD set. Disc 1 contains the full-length feature, has a director’s commentary, a writer’s commentary, and the following special features:
“The Curators of Comedy: Behind the Scenes of Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian.”
Deleted Scenes: Mostly just a few extended scenes, but there are a couple with Al Capone (Jon Bemthal) that would have been a nice edition. Also, the alternate ending is interesting because the original villains from the first film show up. And those were played by Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke and Bill Cobbs, but unfortunately, their scene would have detracted from the film and were better left out.
Gag Reel: A fairly typical gag reel, but with much better actors unable to get their lines right.
“Phinding Pharaoh”: Having cast Hank Azaria in the role as the pharaoh, Levy turned him loose and let him come up with the voice. This is the video of Azaria in full costume playing around with different accents, such as British, Southern, Cockney, and finally settling on Boris Karloff.
“The Jonas Brothers in Cherub Boot Camp”: It’s pretty funny to watch Levy torturing the brothers by having them training to be cherubs. They must prance around wearing wings, play harps, and practice archery.
Disc 2 is Monkey Mischief and it is filled with monkey-related activities and featurettes.
“Monkey Business” tells how Crystal, the monkey who plays Dexter, was trained and how the cast interacts with her. It deals only with the first film.
“Primate Prima Donnas” is based on the second film. While Crystal played both Dexter and Able, she has a stand-in named Squirt who isn’t as talented that helps during the shooting of the second film when both monkeys must appear together in a scene.
“The Secret Life of a Monkey Movie Star: Life Off Camera”: Home videos strung together to show what the two monkeys do at home. Basically it’s an excuse to put them in different costumes and give them props to show that they play music or spend time in the pool.
Monkey Slap: a video game for Mac or PC. Play as Dexter or a guard and slap one another until your power bar is completely filled. You can slap high or low, dodge backwards or block. It’s rather slow and awkward to play. You’d need to be a very young child to enjoy this game.
“Able & Dexter’s Flights of Fancy” is a trivia game that is run by the two monkeys in the film. They give you a history lesson and then you get a pop quiz in regards to what you just learned. If you succeed you build a flying machine. The game is really simple and made for little kids. The fact that the monkeys just chitter while you read the subtitles is just annoying.
It’s hard enough to believe that one film about a museum whose exhibits come to life during the night would be a fun exciting film, let alone two. But somehow director Shawn Levy managed to succeed.
The original film was about Larry (Ben Stiller), a guy down on his luck who gets a gig as the late night guard at the American Museum of Natural History. Unbeknownst to him, the exhibits actually come to life at night and there are a lot of tasks he has to do on a nightly basis just to keep them in line.
In the latest incarnation, Larry has moved on to bigger and better things. He’s an infomercial sensation selling all kinds of gimmicks that he has invented. His latest invention is the glow-in-the-dark flashlight. With his new-found fame and fortune, Larry no longer needs to be a night watchman. It’s been two years since he left the museum and only shows up every few months to check on his old friends.
During his latest visit, he discovers that the museum is being modernized with interactive exhibits. This means that all of the old exhibits are being sent into deep storage in the Federal Archives at the Smithsonian. Not only are they going to be shipped away, but the golden tablet of Akmenrah that brings them to life every night is not being sent along.
At first, Larry is slightly bothered by this news and eventually accepts the fate of his friends. His son doesn’t understand his father’s reaction, but when Larry suddenly receives an emergency call from Jedediah (Owen Wilson) the miniature cowboy, the former night watchman decides that he has to do something.
Once he manages to sneak into the underground archives he finds that Dexter, the Capuchin Monkey has stolen the plaque and brought it with him. Now everything in the Smithsonian’s multiple museums has been brought to life and is running amok. While most of the exhibits are friendly, Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), who is Akmenrah’s brother, has gathered some of the world’s most dangerous men to hunt down the life-giving tablet in order to bring his army back to life. It’s up to Larry to stop the pharaoh and save his friends.
The film is very entertaining, and it’s difficult not to be when you have such an all-star cast. Hank Azaria is a major reason for the success of this film. His portrayal of the Pharaoh and the bizarre voice he uses makes every minute he is on screen incredibly funny. The addition of Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart is also a brilliant casting decision. Not only is she stunning to look at, but her spirit and plucky attitude is what gives the film its heart.
This is a two-disc DVD set. Disc 1 contains the full-length feature, has a director’s commentary, a writer’s commentary, and the following special features:
“The Curators of Comedy: Behind the Scenes of Night at the Museum - Battle of the Smithsonian.”
Deleted Scenes: Mostly just a few extended scenes, but there are a couple with Al Capone (Jon Bemthal) that would have been a nice edition. Also, the alternate ending is interesting because the original villains from the first film show up. And those were played by Mickey Rooney, Dick Van Dyke and Bill Cobbs, but unfortunately, their scene would have detracted from the film and were better left out.
Gag Reel: A fairly typical gag reel, but with much better actors unable to get their lines right.
“Phinding Pharaoh”: Having cast Hank Azaria in the role as the pharaoh, Levy turned him loose and let him come up with the voice. This is the video of Azaria in full costume playing around with different accents, such as British, Southern, Cockney, and finally settling on Boris Karloff.
“The Jonas Brothers in Cherub Boot Camp”: It’s pretty funny to watch Levy torturing the brothers by having them training to be cherubs. They must prance around wearing wings, play harps, and practice archery.
Disc 2 is Monkey Mischief and it is filled with monkey-related activities and featurettes.
“Monkey Business” tells how Crystal, the monkey who plays Dexter, was trained and how the cast interacts with her. It deals only with the first film.
“Primate Prima Donnas” is based on the second film. While Crystal played both Dexter and Able, she has a stand-in named Squirt who isn’t as talented that helps during the shooting of the second film when both monkeys must appear together in a scene.
“The Secret Life of a Monkey Movie Star: Life Off Camera”: Home videos strung together to show what the two monkeys do at home. Basically it’s an excuse to put them in different costumes and give them props to show that they play music or spend time in the pool.
Monkey Slap: a video game for Mac or PC. Play as Dexter or a guard and slap one another until your power bar is completely filled. You can slap high or low, dodge backwards or block. It’s rather slow and awkward to play. You’d need to be a very young child to enjoy this game.
“Able & Dexter’s Flights of Fancy” is a trivia game that is run by the two monkeys in the film. They give you a history lesson and then you get a pop quiz in regards to what you just learned. If you succeed you build a flying machine. The game is really simple and made for little kids. The fact that the monkeys just chitter while you read the subtitles is just annoying.
Friday, November 27, 2009
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - A Very Sunny Christmas
Written by Pollo Misterioso
I believe that it is finally all right to use the word “popular” when referring to the show Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This smash comic television show is in its fifth season and finally has the street cred and viewing numbers to prove its fame. In the spirit of the holidays, the gang decided to make a Christmas special for DVD entitled A Very Sunny Christmas that is filled with as many outrageous and crude jokes that they could think up in under an hour about their dysfunctional holiday—it will be popular among the fans, but for some reason it does not capture the heart of the holiday or the gang.
For those that do not know, the show centers on a group of friends that own a bar in Philadelphia. The gang, as they are often referred to as, includes brother and sister Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) Reynolds, their father Frank (Danny DeVito), Charlie (Charlie Day), and Mac (Rob McElhenney). There really isn’t that much more of a storyline to give, because it is all about the crazy scenarios and their disturbing ideas that make the show so appealing. They are known for their base humor and making the most uncomfortable situations funny. Watch them try to tackle the mortgage crisis—Dee rents out her uterus and Dennis and Mac become realtors. It’s funny.
The gang puts its own spin on Christmas this year with an extended episode on DVD. Dee and Dennis are sick of their father giving the worst gifts on Christmas. To teach him a lesson, they find his old business partner and try to haunt him with ghosts of his past. Meanwhile, Charlie and Mac try to get into the holiday spirit by participating in all of their favorite holiday traditions, including stealing presents from under different people’s trees and getting back at Santa for sleeping with Charlie’s mom. When they finally come together, with stolen toys and bloodied shirts, Frank learns that the real spirit of Christmas comes from giving. Unfortunately, in the end they are robbed.
What seems to hold true to an Always Sunny storyline does not provide the payoff that is expected. When Charlie beats up Santa Claus, he walks away covered in blood and that is it. As for Mac, we don’t even see him practice his tradition as an adult. Frank has a run-in with an animated elf, but the entire time he curses the f-word and the final gag is childish. See for yourself.
Some of the great moments include the sing-a-long, done in clay animation about Frank. A Christmas elf sings and graphically shows Frank what will happen if he does not give to those around him. Let’s just say there is a lot of animated blood and the whole gang is animated. The gang also pushes their boundaries when Frank crawls out of a sofa stark naked in the middle of a holiday party. All at once, you are laughing, grossed out, and still can’t pull your eyes away from what is happening on screen. Even with these great gags, the holiday special is amiss and falls flat when paired against other episodes.
Always Sunny is great at taking things that are awkward and socially wrong and making it work. For Christmas it is okay to be greedy and selfish, as long as it is understood. But amidst the themes that are often explored, the special allows for excessive curse words and nude elves. Unfortunately, this distracts from what potentially could be very funny. The gang is good at what they do. With five seasons, they do not look like they will be slowing down anytime soon. They should stick to what they know and not allow the endless possibilities of a “DVD Special” take away what they really wanted to say for Christmas.
As for the DVD extras there are three interesting segments to watch. The first are deleted scenes of young Charlie and young Mac just hanging out. The “Behind the Scenes” segment only shows the cast briefly and does not explain anything that they did in the episode, except briefly mention the clay animation used. As for the “Sing-a-long” it is a disturbing take on a few favorite carols. Complete with Mac computer graphics, I think someone had too much fun under the influence.
I believe that it is finally all right to use the word “popular” when referring to the show Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This smash comic television show is in its fifth season and finally has the street cred and viewing numbers to prove its fame. In the spirit of the holidays, the gang decided to make a Christmas special for DVD entitled A Very Sunny Christmas that is filled with as many outrageous and crude jokes that they could think up in under an hour about their dysfunctional holiday—it will be popular among the fans, but for some reason it does not capture the heart of the holiday or the gang.
For those that do not know, the show centers on a group of friends that own a bar in Philadelphia. The gang, as they are often referred to as, includes brother and sister Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) Reynolds, their father Frank (Danny DeVito), Charlie (Charlie Day), and Mac (Rob McElhenney). There really isn’t that much more of a storyline to give, because it is all about the crazy scenarios and their disturbing ideas that make the show so appealing. They are known for their base humor and making the most uncomfortable situations funny. Watch them try to tackle the mortgage crisis—Dee rents out her uterus and Dennis and Mac become realtors. It’s funny.
The gang puts its own spin on Christmas this year with an extended episode on DVD. Dee and Dennis are sick of their father giving the worst gifts on Christmas. To teach him a lesson, they find his old business partner and try to haunt him with ghosts of his past. Meanwhile, Charlie and Mac try to get into the holiday spirit by participating in all of their favorite holiday traditions, including stealing presents from under different people’s trees and getting back at Santa for sleeping with Charlie’s mom. When they finally come together, with stolen toys and bloodied shirts, Frank learns that the real spirit of Christmas comes from giving. Unfortunately, in the end they are robbed.
What seems to hold true to an Always Sunny storyline does not provide the payoff that is expected. When Charlie beats up Santa Claus, he walks away covered in blood and that is it. As for Mac, we don’t even see him practice his tradition as an adult. Frank has a run-in with an animated elf, but the entire time he curses the f-word and the final gag is childish. See for yourself.
Some of the great moments include the sing-a-long, done in clay animation about Frank. A Christmas elf sings and graphically shows Frank what will happen if he does not give to those around him. Let’s just say there is a lot of animated blood and the whole gang is animated. The gang also pushes their boundaries when Frank crawls out of a sofa stark naked in the middle of a holiday party. All at once, you are laughing, grossed out, and still can’t pull your eyes away from what is happening on screen. Even with these great gags, the holiday special is amiss and falls flat when paired against other episodes.
Always Sunny is great at taking things that are awkward and socially wrong and making it work. For Christmas it is okay to be greedy and selfish, as long as it is understood. But amidst the themes that are often explored, the special allows for excessive curse words and nude elves. Unfortunately, this distracts from what potentially could be very funny. The gang is good at what they do. With five seasons, they do not look like they will be slowing down anytime soon. They should stick to what they know and not allow the endless possibilities of a “DVD Special” take away what they really wanted to say for Christmas.
As for the DVD extras there are three interesting segments to watch. The first are deleted scenes of young Charlie and young Mac just hanging out. The “Behind the Scenes” segment only shows the cast briefly and does not explain anything that they did in the episode, except briefly mention the clay animation used. As for the “Sing-a-long” it is a disturbing take on a few favorite carols. Complete with Mac computer graphics, I think someone had too much fun under the influence.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
March of the Penguins - Limited-Edition Giftset
Written by Hombre Divertido
On November 3rd, Warner Home Video released the 2006 Academy Award-winning documentary March of the Penguins in a limited-edition gift set.
Morgan Freeman narrates the documentary that chronicles the trek of the Emperor Penguin to its traditional breeding ground, and follows the plight of the parents as they continue to trek back and forth in order to provide for the newly hatched offspring.
March of the Penguins was not only a critical success, but a popular one as well, as the public flocked to the theatre to see a documentary as never before. Freeman’s vocal range and emotion adds to the impact of this documentary, but ultimately it is the direction of Luc Jacuet that turns what could have simply been an educational documentary, into a well-rounded story and movie.
This giftset also includes the lesser-known On the Wings of Penguins, a documentary focused on the African penguin. Though mildly interesting, it is disjointed in its storytelling and focuses too much on the penguins in captivity, which simply is not as interesting as footage of them in the wild.
The bonus material in the two-disc release actually exceeds the primary release in entertainment value in many cases. Those who enjoyed March of the Penguins, but wondered about the people filming the exploits of the engaging birds, will thoroughly enjoy Of Penguins and Men, which focuses of the adventures of the documentarians following the energetic Emperors. The dangers faced by these men are certainly intriguing, as are the relationships they develop with the amazing creatures they are studying.
Interesting but often repetitive is “National Geographic’s Crittercam: Emperor Penguins” which follows the NG team as they attach cameras and other equipment to our friends the Emperor Penguins. Unfortunately, little time is spent on the footage obtained by the cameras accompanying the penguins, and too much time is spent on a story that has already been told in March of the Penguins.
The classic Looney Tunes cartoon “8 Ball Bunny” featuring Bugs Bunny and a penguin is cute, and will appeal to children, but certainly is not one of the better Bugs Bunny adventures.
The theatrical trailer for March of the Penguins, a beautiful penguin plush toy, and a set of eight penguin postcards rounds out this gift set.
Recommendation: March of the Penguins is solid entertainment for the whole family, and this new giftset offers enough bonus material to make this a worthwhile purchase for those that already own the March of the Penguins DVD. Warner Home Video has put together a perfect gift-set just in time for the holidays.
2012
Written by Pirata Hermosa
Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) is an author, a very unsuccessful author who has written only one book that sold slightly more than 400 copies. His wife, Kate (Amanda Peet), grew tired of having her husband go through life with his head buried in his laptop, so she took the two children Lilly (Morgan Lily) and Noah (Liam James) and left him.
Still not having grasped the reality of the situation, Jackson carries on oblivious to his situation and ends up driving a limousine to support himself and his writing habit. When he is late picking up his kids for a camping trip to Yellowstone National Park, he has no clue of what incredible journey he is about to begin.
Three years previous, geologist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) brought forth some Earth-shattering news. The recent increase of solar flares has been bombarding the planet with a high concentration of Neutrino particles, and much like a microwave, those particles have been heating up the planet’s core. While this is a normal occurrence, the intensity and irregularity of the solar flares is going to heat up the core so much that the Earth’s mantle is going to liquefy, the continents will shift, and the world will be flooded.
With no other course of action, the leaders of the United Nations have enacted an emergency plan for survival centered around a hidden shipyard in China. However, this plan only incorporates the rich and the powerful while leaving the rest of the population completely in the dark about the upcoming tragedy.
When Parker arrives in Yellowstone he attempts to take his kids to one of his favorite spots. But the lake that he once knew is no longer there and rising steam and dead animal carcasses is all that remains. The U.S. government picks the three of them up and escorts them off the premises as they have declared it unstable.
Shortly afterwards he runs into crazy old Charlie (Woody Harrelson) who ends up being a conspiracy nut broadcasting over the airwaves about the upcoming catastrophe and the government cover up. At first Jackson dismisses the man, but the more he hears about his story, the more he begins to realize that he is speaking the truth.
The entire time that he is piecing things together, earthquakes have been hitting cities all around the globe. When a large crevasse opens up in L.A. and swallows his neighborhood grocery store, he realizes that he must react. Quickly chartering a plane and rushing to his wife’s home, he gathers up his family along with his wife’s new boyfriend Gordon (Tom McCarthy) and races back to the airport in the limo. During the entire trip back, the ground is disappearing behind them, gobbling up anything in sight. Buildings are crashing all around them and the ground is pitching and heaving.
Finally they reach the airstrip to find the pilot crushed by a gas pump. Thankfully, Gordon has taken a few flying lessons as he gets the plane off the ground, does a few aerial acrobatics and flies them off to Yellowstone. Jackson needs to contact Charlie because he has a map to where the government has been hiding the survival ships. For the rest of the film the family is working their way towards China by any means necessary in the hopes that somehow they will be able to get aboard and survive the apocalypse.
If you’re looking for a cerebral film, then you certainly aren’t going to enjoy this film. As a matter of fact, you need to check your brain at the door and take it for what it is. If you give too much thought about how a relatively inexperienced pilot can fly through a narrow space as buildings are crashing and falling down above him, how a man can drive a limousine through a building, or if you can really jump a motor home over a 20-foot chasm, you’ll be walking out soon after it starts.
The basic idea of a man trying to save both his family and reconcile his relationship with them at the same time has been done many times over. In fact, there really isn’t anything new about the story at all. It’s very predictable and they keep managing to escape from one preposterous situation into the next, kind of a like a never-ending chase scene where they’re being chased by natural disasters. If you had to classify it, it would be one of those mindless summertime popcorn films.
With that being said, if you can keep your mind focused on the visual aspects of the film, watching the Earth being destroyed by earthquakes and tsunamis, you can probably have a fun time. The action is continuous and it doesn’t really feel like it is 2-1/2 hours long.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Powerpuff Girls: The Complete Series - 10th Anniversary Collection
Written by Senora Bicho
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, The Powerpuff Girls - The Complete Series has been released on DVD. The 1998 television debut on Cartoon Network was the highest-rated premiere in the channel’s history and it was consistently highly rated during its six-season run. Boomerang began re-running episodes in 2008.
Professor Utonium (Tom Kane) mixed together sugar, spice and everything nice in an effort to create the perfect little girl. In the process, he accidentally added in an extra substance known as Chemical X. This mystery ingredient granted his three new creations super powers such as the ability to fly, super speed, and super strength.
Blossom (Cathy Cavadini), dresses in pink with long red hair, is the self-proclaimed leader and tends to be the most levelheaded and analytical one of the group. Bubbles (Tara Strong) is the cutest, wears a blue outfit and has blond pigtails. She acts younger than the other girls while being the most playful, considerate, loving, and at times naive. Buttercup (Elizabeth Daily) makes up for Bubbles’ gentle demeanor by being the toughest of the group with the shortest temper. Her short black hair and green outfit fits with her tomboy attitude. Together, these three make up The Powerpuff Girls dedicated to protecting the city of Townsville from its worst villains.
Over the years there were several recurring villains to mance the girls. The most well known and my personal favorite is Mojo Jojo (Roger L. Jackson), a brilliant yet mad scientist/chimp. Mojo Jojo was Professor Utonium’s assistant. When Chemical X was added to the mixture that created The Powerpuff Girls, the explosion also enlarged his brain. He felt left out once the Professor had the company of the girls, so he was ventured out on his own and became committed to destroying the girls who stole his home and the Professor’s affection. He even created an evil trio of little boys, The Rowdyruff Boys, by using snips, snails, a puppydog tail, and his own version of Chemical X to compete with the girls. Fuzzy Lumpkins (Jim Cummings) is a hillbilly bear-like monster who lives in the woods outside of Townsville. Him (Tom Kane) is a devil-like creature who feeds off of negative emotions and disguises himself to create catastrophes. Princess Morbucks (Jennifer Hale) is a spoiled little rich girl who turns to evil after the girls don’t allow her to join their group.
The DVD collection is chalk full of great extras. The original short films created by Craig McCracken entitled “The Whoop*ass Girls” are included to provide a glimpse at the origins of the crime-fighting trio. Music videos, interviews, live-action shorts, and short cartoons used through the years to promote the show are spread out on all of the discs. The most creative and entertaining extras include a Mayor blooper real on the Season Four disc and on the Season Two disc, there are audio commentaries by Mojo Jojo and the Mayor, both of which are hysterical. Two bonus episodes are also included, a holiday special “Twas the Flight Before Christmas” and “Powerpuff Girls Rule!!” the 2009 special in commemoration of the 10th anniversary. Each season has its own disc with an insert that offers the contents on one side and on the other side all of the inserts can be put together for a poster.
The only negatives are the discs contain episodes on both sides, requiring extra caution, and the 79th episode "See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey," which didn’t air in the U.S. is not included.
I hadn’t watched an episode of The Powerpuff Girls in a long time but used to watch it on a semi-regular basis years back and always really enjoyed it. This show is well written, clever and funny. It has the unique ability to appeal to children and adults alike with its simple yet witty action adventures. Highlights include the many Fab Four references in “Meet the Beat-Alls,” “Buttercrush” where Buttercup falls Ace of the Gangreen Gang, the Rashomon-influenced “The Bare Facts,” and the girls get the “Silent Treatment” and lose their powers when they enter a silent cartoon to save the Professor.
Now you have the chance to add all 78 episodes to your collection along with lots of fun extras or it will make a perfect Christmas gift for any long-time fans.
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, The Powerpuff Girls - The Complete Series has been released on DVD. The 1998 television debut on Cartoon Network was the highest-rated premiere in the channel’s history and it was consistently highly rated during its six-season run. Boomerang began re-running episodes in 2008.
Professor Utonium (Tom Kane) mixed together sugar, spice and everything nice in an effort to create the perfect little girl. In the process, he accidentally added in an extra substance known as Chemical X. This mystery ingredient granted his three new creations super powers such as the ability to fly, super speed, and super strength.
Blossom (Cathy Cavadini), dresses in pink with long red hair, is the self-proclaimed leader and tends to be the most levelheaded and analytical one of the group. Bubbles (Tara Strong) is the cutest, wears a blue outfit and has blond pigtails. She acts younger than the other girls while being the most playful, considerate, loving, and at times naive. Buttercup (Elizabeth Daily) makes up for Bubbles’ gentle demeanor by being the toughest of the group with the shortest temper. Her short black hair and green outfit fits with her tomboy attitude. Together, these three make up The Powerpuff Girls dedicated to protecting the city of Townsville from its worst villains.
Over the years there were several recurring villains to mance the girls. The most well known and my personal favorite is Mojo Jojo (Roger L. Jackson), a brilliant yet mad scientist/chimp. Mojo Jojo was Professor Utonium’s assistant. When Chemical X was added to the mixture that created The Powerpuff Girls, the explosion also enlarged his brain. He felt left out once the Professor had the company of the girls, so he was ventured out on his own and became committed to destroying the girls who stole his home and the Professor’s affection. He even created an evil trio of little boys, The Rowdyruff Boys, by using snips, snails, a puppydog tail, and his own version of Chemical X to compete with the girls. Fuzzy Lumpkins (Jim Cummings) is a hillbilly bear-like monster who lives in the woods outside of Townsville. Him (Tom Kane) is a devil-like creature who feeds off of negative emotions and disguises himself to create catastrophes. Princess Morbucks (Jennifer Hale) is a spoiled little rich girl who turns to evil after the girls don’t allow her to join their group.
The DVD collection is chalk full of great extras. The original short films created by Craig McCracken entitled “The Whoop*ass Girls” are included to provide a glimpse at the origins of the crime-fighting trio. Music videos, interviews, live-action shorts, and short cartoons used through the years to promote the show are spread out on all of the discs. The most creative and entertaining extras include a Mayor blooper real on the Season Four disc and on the Season Two disc, there are audio commentaries by Mojo Jojo and the Mayor, both of which are hysterical. Two bonus episodes are also included, a holiday special “Twas the Flight Before Christmas” and “Powerpuff Girls Rule!!” the 2009 special in commemoration of the 10th anniversary. Each season has its own disc with an insert that offers the contents on one side and on the other side all of the inserts can be put together for a poster.
The only negatives are the discs contain episodes on both sides, requiring extra caution, and the 79th episode "See Me, Feel Me, Gnomey," which didn’t air in the U.S. is not included.
I hadn’t watched an episode of The Powerpuff Girls in a long time but used to watch it on a semi-regular basis years back and always really enjoyed it. This show is well written, clever and funny. It has the unique ability to appeal to children and adults alike with its simple yet witty action adventures. Highlights include the many Fab Four references in “Meet the Beat-Alls,” “Buttercrush” where Buttercup falls Ace of the Gangreen Gang, the Rashomon-influenced “The Bare Facts,” and the girls get the “Silent Treatment” and lose their powers when they enter a silent cartoon to save the Professor.
Now you have the chance to add all 78 episodes to your collection along with lots of fun extras or it will make a perfect Christmas gift for any long-time fans.
Jason X
Written by Puño Estupendo
After the 1990s came to a close, the Friday The 13th franchise wanted to try to reinvigorate itself by giving evil an upgrade. After the crapfest of the last several F13 movies, Jason X comes off as quite a bit better even though it's not really all that great. It reminds me of that old Eddie Murphy routine about giving the starving man a cracker, almost anything seems better after watching the previous movies in the series.
The beginning of the movie has Jason in shackles at some sort of military/scientific research facility. A doctor/scientist/research lady is arguing with some Army types over the fact that they're going to move him from his current location and that that's not a very good idea. The researcher (Rowan) is played by Lexa Doig and she's about as believable a researcher as I've never seen, but she's cute enough eye candy, so there you go. Of course things don't go as planned, Jason starts a rampage and Rowan gets trapped in the cryogenic chamber with him, frozen in time, and just waiting to be discovered.
Cut to a gazillion years later and a salvage team (doing their best Alien impression) discovers the base on an Earth that is no longer inhabitable. Taking their prizes aboard their spacecraft, the technology of the future is able to patch up and revive Rowan (who was stabbed by Jason in the past). Turns out the ship is inhabited by a team of students and a team of soldiers, doubling the target count of Jason when he decides to wake up and start doing what he does. It's silly, yes, but it's a premise that has fun with itself nonetheless.
Unlike the tongue-in-cheek of previous installments, Jason X doesn't skimp out on the gore like previous F13s ended up doing. At least when this one makes fun of the sex and violence, it actually gives you sex and violence! In its strive to kick things up a notch, Jason is blown to all kinds of hell through the gratuitous use of firepower and the ship's malfunctioning medical system rebuilds him. Bonding the metal of his machete in with his flesh, his trademark hockey mask is now metal as are parts of his chest and shoulder. Jason in armor is at once ridiculous but also creates all sorts of mayhem for what's left of the cast at this point.
Jason X is a great popcorn-eating, "root for the shamelessness" kind of flick. It's a bit of dated in the fact that it's very obvious this was made when CGI effects were running rampant with all sorts of movies. Once computers became open to those filmmakers that weren't connected with the budgets of Jurassic Park, everyone gratuitously threw in CGI. From the opening credits to the split-bodied gore, the look is saturated by computers. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just a little too in your face at times. I will say that the fun factor kind of nulls that out though, and I enjoyed this one. It's a nice capper to the series as a whole (yes, I know about Freddy vs. Jason, but I have always thought of Jason X as the last of the franchise's incarnation), one that started out phenomenally, sucked bad for the majority of its run, and then found a way to end on a fun note overall.
I'm glad it's over though and the re-imagining has started with the 2009 Friday the 13th (which I loved).
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
Written by Sombra Blanca
I understand and fully support the need to suspend disbelief when it comes to movies. Doing so allows the viewer to take part, or at least become an engaged observer, in the world rolling through the screen. Said suspension is especially necessary when it comes to the horror genre. We know it’s not real and for many that’s the whole reason to watch. And much like a soap opera, with a horror franchise like Friday the 13th, the viewer is required to forgive certain inconsistencies with previous attempts in the series in order to enjoy the current one.
I wish that were the case with Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, the ninth installment in the series, released in 1993. Obviously it was not the last Friday the 13th movie, but it makes sense to put “final” in the title because who would watch Jason Goes to Hell: Until We Think Of A Cockamamie Way To Bring Him Back.
It’s been 16 years since I saw this movie in the theater, and maybe it’s the fact that this time around I was forced to take a more analytical approach rather than forgetting everything I know and enjoy the ride. But it’s one ride I vow never to take again, even if I work my way through a marathon of the series. The film was produced by Sean S. Cunningham, who also produced and directed the first Friday the 13th and produced the next two, Jason X and Freddy vs. Jason. With Cunningham on board for Goes to Hell, fans of the series might expect some throwbacks to the original. At least I was.
You get some of that through a fake news show called American Case Files and its host, Robert Campbell (Steven Culp), who provides a quick history of Jason and introduces us to the only man claiming to know how to kill him, bounty hunter Creighton Duke (Steven Williams).
A bit of the sex and violence fans expect from slasher movies comes from three pieces of eye candy who hitch a ride with the protagonist, Steven (John D. LeMay) to Crystal Lake in order to “smoke a little dope, have some premarital sex, and not worry about getting slaughtered.” But the inconsistencies were just too egregious to forgive.
In Goes to Hell, we learn that our masked anti-hero has a sister, Diana Kimble (played by Erin Gray of Silver Spoons fame). While it soon becomes clear Diana’s presence is necessary for the premise, this reviewer could find no reference whatsoever in any of the previous eight movies about Jason having a sister. (If I’m wrong, please correct me and set my dork mind at ease.)
Okay, fine. You invent not only a sister, but a niece, Jessica (Kari Keegan, looking like a young Jessica Lange) and give Jessica a baby daughter. It’s necessary for the premise because we learn from Duke that even though Jason was blown to pieces in the opening scene by more than 100 bullets and two precision-guided bombs that leave the surrounding SWAT team unscathed (the first one missed), he is of course not really dead. Only Duke and Kimble know that, as Duke puts it, “from a Voorhees is he born, from a Voorhees may he be reborn, and from a Voorhees must he die.”
The fact that Duke can’t kill Jason does not stop him from offering his services for a $500,000 bounty. He also offers his worst Quint impression, explaining that for his fee “you get the mask, the machete, the whole damn thing.” It’s one of several horror references, along with an appearance from Evil Dead’s actual Book of the Dead — and appearance only, since they don’t take the time to explain its connection to Goes to Hell — and one of the crates from “The Crate” in Creepshow.
Since a Voorhees must kill Jason, and since he suffered from what a coroner describes as “explosive trauma” and being “deader than shit,” how can the contradictions be rectified? Keeping with the theme of disbelief suspension, it’s magic: Jason has the evil power to hop from body to body and continue his murderous reign. The first leap comes when the coroner examining Jason bites into Jason’s heart, which wasn’t beating for a while, but begins beating again when no one else is around. After that, Jason’s “spirit” is manifested by a long, black tongue that squirms from the host body to the next body, and looks way too similar to the tongue that snakes out of Freddy Krueger in the second Nightmare on Elm Street.
Oh yeah, even though Jason’s evil takes over the bodies of others, the “real” Jason can still be seen mirrors. Just so you won’t forget who it really is. Ugh.
After one of Jason’s minions kills sister Diana, he won’t stop until the other two “relatives” are dead. The next inconsistency: with Diana dead, Duke tells the protagonist, that leaves two remaining Voorhees to either kill him or through whom he can be reborn. Nope, scratch that. Turns out Jason can also reincarnate himself through the dead Diana, which he does when his evil spirit — which in physical form looks like a skinned Gila monster with fangs — crawls between her legs.
Cutting to the final scene (Spoiler Alert if you’ve waited 16 years to see this), we have Duke, Jessica, Steven (the protagonist and father of Jessica’s baby) and Jason. In a confrontation with Jason, Duke asks, “Remember me?” If the viewer doesn’t remember why he would say that, apparently the part about Jason killing Duke’s girlfriend was cut from the script because, well, that might “explain” something. Jason’s “niece” kills him with some magic dagger that causes Tron-like flares to fly into his body and send him to hell.
In setting up what was supposed to be the next installment, the last shot shows Freddy Krueger’s arm launching out of the ground and pulling Jason’s mask down into hell. But Freddy vs. Jason would have to wait for various reasons, and fans were treated, or subjected, to Jason X in the meantime.
If I’m short on details of the killings, it’s because only one is worth it, and that’s when the three younger travelers spend the night at Crystal Lake. It’s actually the only scene of the whole movie worth watching because it has both the best murder and the only sex scene. During the amorous event, the first Jason reincarnation drives a road marker through the tent wall, through the woman on top, and rips her in half. But to see it, you have to choose the unrated version on the DVD, which is the only way to go if you want to watch this movie.
Besides offering the unrated version, the DVD does allow the viewer to jump to each death scene and skip the “plot” in between. There’s also the standard trailer and, for die-hard fans or anyone who wants to hear those responsible explain this stink bomb, there’s commentary by the director Adam Marcus and writer Jay Huguely.
If I could send this movie to hell, I would. But I’ve never been so happy to send a movie back to Netflix.
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Written by Fantasma el Rey
I haven’t seen Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan in years and there is a reason. As a kid I used to fear these movies and their monster maniac killers but seen as a full-grown adult these things bring mostly laughs. Today the true horror they bring is in the fact that I spend so much time still watching them.
The plot goes thusly: a high-school senior class of late 1980s, cool kids hop on a ship christened, of all things, Lazarus and head for the glory that is New York City. Trouble starts soon as the unsuspecting ship picks up the recently resurrected from the grave Jason Voorhees, who resumes his eradication of stupid/naughty/horny teenagers and those who accompany them as they chance to pass the site of his childhood death. While on board he wastes no time in getting down to business and the hacking and slashing take on many new/fun forms.
Our two latest “good” kids are Rennie and her boyfriend Sean, a neat and clean couple who are pure of heart, which is always the key to success; I mean really, how else can they defeat an insane, superhuman killer, right? Oops, gave away the ending there. The hell with it, let’s continue. After picking off the majority of young hipsters aboard ship, the remainders decide to fight back and take the killing to the killer. Well, the kiddies get an “A” for effort but they fail for the fact that on board they can only manage to flee the now-burning ship with an angered Jason left behind and their numbers further dwindled down. Bad move, never piss off the dead ugly kid. As the last Lazarus survivors row their dingy on open water little do they know that big J has jumped in the water behind them.
After a good all-night row the beautiful Statue of Liberty is spotted and safety is presumably reached but it wouldn’t be Jason Takes Manhattan if they all lived happily ever after. Now the funny starts as we get to watch Jason run amuck on the vicious streets of the big city, killing some folks along the way who try to interfere with his sea-born hunt. Jason stalks the port docks, subway cars and tunnels, city streets, back alleys, and finally the toxic waste-soaked sewer of the city tracking down the remaining ship-goers.
But alas, poor Jason, it is not to be. As the city that houses so many sinful beings apparently feels bad for our heroes and as the sewer fills with toxic waste (as it does every night at midnight, who knew?) Jason is overwhelmed and meets his doom in a crashing, swirling rush of lethal, hazardous waste. Not only is his face melted away but his “body” is also stripped away leaving exposed the helpless child that drowned all those years ago at the bottom of Crystal Lake.
So there it is. Most of the movie and killing happen aboard ship and we get disappointingly little of New York and its native inhabitants. We do get some junkie thieves and a snap look at some “punker” kids that Jason scares off by lifting his mask and showing his face. Funny scene, perhaps the high point of this entire movie. The flick even tries to give us a bit of the beat culture N.Y. was known for; as the movie opens, we hear a DJ wax poetic in his best Allen Ginsberg about the mean streets he loves over some not-so-good ‘80s-movie pop/rock.
Taking Jason out of his element was a good idea that wasn’t fully capitalized upon but we do get some creative and laughable kills along the way. Highlights aboard ship include: fishing spear gun, hot sauna rock setting its victim on fire, harpoon, death by electric panel that also causes fire not only to victim but entire ship, and the second best kill in the movie is some stupid wannabe rocker chick getting whacked by her own guitar! Get it? Guitar = Axe. Huh, huh, clever, no? While in the city we have death by hypodermic needle, steam pipe, pipe wrench, and the best-ever Jason kill is a right hook that knocks a guy’s head clean off. Yeah, that last one is preceded by said dumb ass trying to box out Jason who has already been shot numerous times and will go on to be run over by a police car, electrified by the third rail on the subway, and gets a can of toxic waste in the face before being consumed by it.
Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is a true comedy of horror. Seen twice in a lifetime is really too much unless you’re plastered and need a good laugh.
I haven’t seen Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan in years and there is a reason. As a kid I used to fear these movies and their monster maniac killers but seen as a full-grown adult these things bring mostly laughs. Today the true horror they bring is in the fact that I spend so much time still watching them.
The plot goes thusly: a high-school senior class of late 1980s, cool kids hop on a ship christened, of all things, Lazarus and head for the glory that is New York City. Trouble starts soon as the unsuspecting ship picks up the recently resurrected from the grave Jason Voorhees, who resumes his eradication of stupid/naughty/horny teenagers and those who accompany them as they chance to pass the site of his childhood death. While on board he wastes no time in getting down to business and the hacking and slashing take on many new/fun forms.
Our two latest “good” kids are Rennie and her boyfriend Sean, a neat and clean couple who are pure of heart, which is always the key to success; I mean really, how else can they defeat an insane, superhuman killer, right? Oops, gave away the ending there. The hell with it, let’s continue. After picking off the majority of young hipsters aboard ship, the remainders decide to fight back and take the killing to the killer. Well, the kiddies get an “A” for effort but they fail for the fact that on board they can only manage to flee the now-burning ship with an angered Jason left behind and their numbers further dwindled down. Bad move, never piss off the dead ugly kid. As the last Lazarus survivors row their dingy on open water little do they know that big J has jumped in the water behind them.
After a good all-night row the beautiful Statue of Liberty is spotted and safety is presumably reached but it wouldn’t be Jason Takes Manhattan if they all lived happily ever after. Now the funny starts as we get to watch Jason run amuck on the vicious streets of the big city, killing some folks along the way who try to interfere with his sea-born hunt. Jason stalks the port docks, subway cars and tunnels, city streets, back alleys, and finally the toxic waste-soaked sewer of the city tracking down the remaining ship-goers.
But alas, poor Jason, it is not to be. As the city that houses so many sinful beings apparently feels bad for our heroes and as the sewer fills with toxic waste (as it does every night at midnight, who knew?) Jason is overwhelmed and meets his doom in a crashing, swirling rush of lethal, hazardous waste. Not only is his face melted away but his “body” is also stripped away leaving exposed the helpless child that drowned all those years ago at the bottom of Crystal Lake.
So there it is. Most of the movie and killing happen aboard ship and we get disappointingly little of New York and its native inhabitants. We do get some junkie thieves and a snap look at some “punker” kids that Jason scares off by lifting his mask and showing his face. Funny scene, perhaps the high point of this entire movie. The flick even tries to give us a bit of the beat culture N.Y. was known for; as the movie opens, we hear a DJ wax poetic in his best Allen Ginsberg about the mean streets he loves over some not-so-good ‘80s-movie pop/rock.
Taking Jason out of his element was a good idea that wasn’t fully capitalized upon but we do get some creative and laughable kills along the way. Highlights aboard ship include: fishing spear gun, hot sauna rock setting its victim on fire, harpoon, death by electric panel that also causes fire not only to victim but entire ship, and the second best kill in the movie is some stupid wannabe rocker chick getting whacked by her own guitar! Get it? Guitar = Axe. Huh, huh, clever, no? While in the city we have death by hypodermic needle, steam pipe, pipe wrench, and the best-ever Jason kill is a right hook that knocks a guy’s head clean off. Yeah, that last one is preceded by said dumb ass trying to box out Jason who has already been shot numerous times and will go on to be run over by a police car, electrified by the third rail on the subway, and gets a can of toxic waste in the face before being consumed by it.
Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is a true comedy of horror. Seen twice in a lifetime is really too much unless you’re plastered and need a good laugh.
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Written by Puño Estupendo
It may be overstating the obvious, but by part seven of the Friday The 13th franchise, this series' glory days were long gone. The formula that the first couple of films had helped to establish was already tired by 1988. There was only one sure way to go to reinvigorate the series: get yourself a telekinetic girl.
This Firestarter/Jason mash-up is just so godawful that I would feel completely confident in calling bullshit on anyone that tries to defend it. I do have friends that say (with a kitschy grin) that they "like that one," but I have to think that it's nostalgia from their youth painting that picture for them. If you ask these people when was the last time they actually watched it, the answer is usually "not in years". If you're a fan of The New Blood but haven't seen it in a decade or so, do yourself a favor and keep it that way. There's nothing worse than having great memories of something only to have it ruined by your current sensibilities. Seriously though, I don't even think this one makes it into the "so bad that it's good" category.
After the events of the film before it, Jason lies under the waters of Crystal Lake once again, this time with a chain around his neck, anchoring him to the bottom. Coincidentally enough, a flashback sequence shows a little girl fleeing her house, her parents arguing, and the father physically abusing the mother off camera. The girl, Tina, is crying and ends up jumping into a small boat and floats outward from their dock on...wait for it...Crystal Lake.
Y'know, it's amazing how many people actually ended up living or having vacation spots on that lake over the years.
Anyway, so Tina's dad comes out to try to tell her that everything is okay. He stands on the dock, pleading for his little girl to come back to shore. She is so upset and angry at her father that it triggers her telekinetic powers, unleashing a force that destroys the dock and kills her father in one tantrum induced swoop. Cut to years later and Tina, her mother, and her doctor are returning to the house on Crystal Lake as part of Tina's recovery. She now looks to be in the 17-22 age bracket, perfect for this franchise. What luck! She's spent years in a hospital trying to deal with her crazy powers and cope with the guilt of having bumped off her dad.
Yeah, it doesn't make sense that you would take her back to the scene of the crime until you find out that her doctor is trying to provoke her powers (which come out when she's stressed like the Hulk) for his own career. He films her with his camcorder in one scene, trying to get her to move a matchbook across the table. She can't do it until he properly upsets her, not only moving the matches, but causing them to BURST IN TO FLAME! Tina ends up finding herself out on a dock to the lake, lamenting over her dead father, when she senses a presence in the lake. Assuming it's dear ol' dad (because obviously nobody ever remembers the body count associated with this lake) she tries to resurrect him, but guess what? Guess who she resurrects instead?
Oof.
Did I really need to see a confrontation between Jason Voorhees and a telekinetic?! I know it reads like it would be shamefully stupid and yet fun, but it's not. The only thing I actually enjoyed in this was the appearance of Terry Kiser as Tina's doctor, Dr. Crews. You know Terry even if you don't think you do. He was Bernie in Weekend at Bernie's and he's appeared in so much stuff that he has the face that makes you say "Oh, that guy"! He plays an asshole so well that it kind of cracked me up.
Overall, I say skip this movie. If you're a legit horror fan, this movie has nothing for you. If you like the gore and death scenes, not much there for you either. Sure, people get killed, but it's not impressive, creative, or even particularly bloody. As for the people that like the awful movies because for some reason they think it's still funny, you're gonna strike out as well. It's bad in a bad way, nothing really funny to it other than Terry Kiser, but that's stretching it fairly thin. This is an abysmal wreck of a film from the late '80s and is best left undisturbed.
It's okay for completists to want to watch it because they want to see the entire series, but unless you fit that bill, you should just watch something else instead.
Ruby-Spears SUPERMAN
Written by Pirata Hermosa
In 1988 Ruby-Spears productions in combination with Warner Brothers released a Saturday morning cartoon to correspond with the 50th anniversary of DC Comics’ Superman character. The major difference in the series in regards to previous offerings is Superman’s arch nemesis, Lex Luthor, is no longer just a mad scientist, but instead a corrupt billionaire who held great power and influence.
The show lasted only thirteen episodes on CBS. Each episode is twenty minutes long and contains a five-minute short from the “Superman Family Album” showing small clips from Clark Kent’s life starting at his arrival on Earth to the moment he finally becomes Superman.
After viewing, it’s pretty obvious why the series only lasted for one season. It was 1988 and it felt like it was done in the ‘70s at the same time as the Super Friends. A lot of the sound effects sounded the same and they even used the same narrator.
Even the voice casting seemed particularly poor. Superman’s (Beau Weaver), voice was a little too thin but at least it was tolerable, Lois Lane (Ginny McSwain) was a little whiney, Jimmy Olsen (Mark L. Taylor) was overly childish as was his behavior throughout, and Lex Luthor (Michael Bell) was just a sniveling wimp. In the first episode “Destroy the Defendroids,” the combination of all those voices at once made it nearly unwatchable. Thankfully, the voices of Lois and Jimmy improve once the series gets going.
The good thing about the show is that the storylines are fairly decent. Granted there are a few ridiculous moments like when Lois and Jimmy are trapped in an open-air cage on a giant robot that flies up into space, yet they can breathe the entire time and somehow manage to survive re-entry as the cage becomes red hot.
It’s pretty obvious that the plots have become a little more involved than in previous incarnations, but unfortunately the “Superman Family Album” at the end of each episode really sets any progress backwards. These stories are snapshots of Clark’s past up until he becomes Superman. When they start he has just arrived and is a baby. Even then he has super powers: can fly, use heat vision and has incredible strength. You can imagine how difficult a regular baby can be, but one with super-human abilities is even worse as Clark flies around getting into all sorts of trouble at the orphanage, the grocery store, on his first day of school, and with his new baby sitter. As he grows up he learns to use his powers less and less and while still somewhat corny, they aren’t nearly as bad as when they started.
The DVD includes the original thirteen episodes and corresponding “Superman Family Album” shorts.
The lone Special Feature is “Corporation of the Corrupt: The Rise of Lexcorp,” a discussion about the new re-launch of the Superman story by John Byrne in 1986 and how Lex Luthor is now a businessman instead of a scientist because money and business became the true power in the world during the 1980s.
If you’re a huge Superman fan, you might feel like picking this up for your collection, but it most people probably won’t find it necessary.
In 1988 Ruby-Spears productions in combination with Warner Brothers released a Saturday morning cartoon to correspond with the 50th anniversary of DC Comics’ Superman character. The major difference in the series in regards to previous offerings is Superman’s arch nemesis, Lex Luthor, is no longer just a mad scientist, but instead a corrupt billionaire who held great power and influence.
The show lasted only thirteen episodes on CBS. Each episode is twenty minutes long and contains a five-minute short from the “Superman Family Album” showing small clips from Clark Kent’s life starting at his arrival on Earth to the moment he finally becomes Superman.
After viewing, it’s pretty obvious why the series only lasted for one season. It was 1988 and it felt like it was done in the ‘70s at the same time as the Super Friends. A lot of the sound effects sounded the same and they even used the same narrator.
Even the voice casting seemed particularly poor. Superman’s (Beau Weaver), voice was a little too thin but at least it was tolerable, Lois Lane (Ginny McSwain) was a little whiney, Jimmy Olsen (Mark L. Taylor) was overly childish as was his behavior throughout, and Lex Luthor (Michael Bell) was just a sniveling wimp. In the first episode “Destroy the Defendroids,” the combination of all those voices at once made it nearly unwatchable. Thankfully, the voices of Lois and Jimmy improve once the series gets going.
The good thing about the show is that the storylines are fairly decent. Granted there are a few ridiculous moments like when Lois and Jimmy are trapped in an open-air cage on a giant robot that flies up into space, yet they can breathe the entire time and somehow manage to survive re-entry as the cage becomes red hot.
It’s pretty obvious that the plots have become a little more involved than in previous incarnations, but unfortunately the “Superman Family Album” at the end of each episode really sets any progress backwards. These stories are snapshots of Clark’s past up until he becomes Superman. When they start he has just arrived and is a baby. Even then he has super powers: can fly, use heat vision and has incredible strength. You can imagine how difficult a regular baby can be, but one with super-human abilities is even worse as Clark flies around getting into all sorts of trouble at the orphanage, the grocery store, on his first day of school, and with his new baby sitter. As he grows up he learns to use his powers less and less and while still somewhat corny, they aren’t nearly as bad as when they started.
The DVD includes the original thirteen episodes and corresponding “Superman Family Album” shorts.
The lone Special Feature is “Corporation of the Corrupt: The Rise of Lexcorp,” a discussion about the new re-launch of the Superman story by John Byrne in 1986 and how Lex Luthor is now a businessman instead of a scientist because money and business became the true power in the world during the 1980s.
If you’re a huge Superman fan, you might feel like picking this up for your collection, but it most people probably won’t find it necessary.
NORTH BY NORTHWEST - 50th Anniversary Edition
Written by Musgo del Jefe
Musgo here again with his proverbial hat in his hand. Recently I attempted to put down a review for the Anniversary release of The Wizard Of Oz, one of my favorite films of all-time. Today, I’m faced with the 50th Anniversary of North by Northwest. It’s easily one of the top five films from my favorite director of all-time. Director Alfred Hitchcock’s films litter my Top 100 like signposts marking the way. Like The Wizard Of Oz, I’m challenged to say something about a film that others have written complete books and thesis over, and I have to review two-disc set that builds upon previous releases of the film.
North by Northwest came rather late to me in my Hitchcock journey. I started on this path with Psycho, Vertigo, and Rear Window during my high school years in the mid-'80s. It was a few years later that I first caught North by Northwest. In a year span, I saw it for the first time on the huge screen of the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, watched in on VHS, and then studied it in-depth in a Hitchcock class I took that summer.
It’s amazing to watch the title sequence of the film today and think that this is considered the first use of moving type in titles. The Saul Bass opening sequence is memorable and feels like the technique must have been around for years. Even on a smaller screen, the kinetic movement of the type and the staccato score by Bernard Herrmann hint at the restlessness that will follow the viewer throughout the film.
The film was released in 1959 through MGM, and it sits squarely between Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960). These three films form an apex that the remaining six films of his career just wouldn’t reach. As the middle of those three, it’s interesting that North by Northwest (despite being a direction slightly off-center) serves as a culmination of many of Hitchcock’s common themes dating back to the 1930s with The Man Who Knew Too Much, The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes.
This film marks the fourth and last time that Hitchcock would work with Cary Grant as his “every man”. On the Special Features disc, there is a new documentary entitled Cary Grant: A Class Apart that gives an in-depth career profile of the actor. Comparing his work with Hitchcock against Jimmy Stewart’s is an interesting contrast. Cary and Jimmy are used in similar fashion to represent the “common man”. But Cary is a much classier version. In North by Northwest he is a Manhattan adman that must navigate through an adventure that covers many states and famous attractions. Jimmy Stewart was often a simpler man who dealt with the stress of being trapped and not able to maneuver through society. In Rear Window and Rope he doesn’t leave a single room in either film.
The plot of the film is relatively thin in depth but it’s long on action. The movie wastes no time introducing the viewer to Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) (the “O” stands for nothing) an ad exec who is mistaken for a Mr. George Kaplan and is kidnapped and questioned by some nefarious fellows. Since he cannot give them the information they think he has, the bad guys attempt to stage an accident to kill Thornhill. The failure of this act sets in motion the remaining two hours of the film. It puts the police after Thornhill and puts Thornhill on the trail of the people who did this to him. Along the way, he is thrown into a situation where it appears to the public that he has committed a murder, upping the stakes even more.
While fleeing from New York to Chicago on a train, Thornhill meets the beautiful Eve Kendall (the gorgeous Eva Marie Saint). Her ability to balance the ambiguity of her character strikes me as one of the brilliances of Hitchcock’s casting. If she is played any other way, the plot would ultimately start to fall apart at this point in the film. But while she is guiding Grant’s character along, we, as viewers, are now squarely invested in our hero and see something that he doesn’t in her. Or we think we do.
At this point, Hitchcock rightly starts to speed the events forward as if we are rushing towards a conclusion. The story that started in New York City and rushed towards Chicago rushes headlong into the countryside of Illinois. This iconic scene is just the twist that the film needs when the viewer feels like they are becoming accustomed to the pace of the film. All of a sudden, we’re in the middle of nowhere, in the open and surrounded by corn and quiet. It’s disconcerting. Even more so than it would be normally. I realized that few directors today play with pacing as much as Hitchcock. There is a tenseness in the distant sound of the crop duster that you can’t pull off if we hadn’t just come off the confining, loud train.
This journey North and Westward across America is detailed in the great documentary Destination Hitchcock left over from a 2000 DVD release. This extended making-of includes many interesting sidebars of thrown out ideas for the plot including ending in Alaska – a true North by Northwest journey.
The ending at Mount Rushmore is still fun and unexpected. The chase has a true James Bond feel to it with the ability to use recognizable locations to add legitimacy to the plot. The iconic nature of the location makes this truly an American film and adds “historical importance” to the espionage of the plot. I don’t get the same feeling at the end of Saboteur on the Statue Of Liberty.
Watching from the perspective of 50 years, the film is only dated in the Cold War undertones of the main plot. But the humor and arc of the story are still fresh and don’t feel as derivative as so many similar movies today. Few directors know how to control the pace of their films – much like a roller coaster, the viewer should feel pushed and pulled by unseen forces – unable to control what is happening, only being in control of one’s reactions.
The 50th Anniversary release looks amazing. It is the only MGM film for Hitchcock and one of their few Vistavision releases. In addition to the previously mentioned Special Features, there is a commentary with the screenwriter Ernest Lehman, a new documentary entitled The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style. This documentary provides some fresh perspective on the film from current directors including Guillermo Del Toro. There’s another new documentary entitled North by Northwest: One For The Ages that takes a look at the important innovations in the production of the film and its influences.
While many studios are cutting back on their restoration of classic films, Warner Bros. are to be commended on this release and The Wizard Of Oz release. These films are important works that still have impact on the works we see onscreen today.
North by Northwest is so much a culmination of themes and ideas of Hitchcock’s previous films but it goes beyond just being a jumble of scenes. It’s a blueprint that takes lessons learned in previous films and shows us how to use the film medium to tell a compelling story. And it’s quite a ride. It was for young Musgo sitting in the Michigan Theater in 1986 and it is today for old Musgo sitting in front of his computer.
Musgo here again with his proverbial hat in his hand. Recently I attempted to put down a review for the Anniversary release of The Wizard Of Oz, one of my favorite films of all-time. Today, I’m faced with the 50th Anniversary of North by Northwest. It’s easily one of the top five films from my favorite director of all-time. Director Alfred Hitchcock’s films litter my Top 100 like signposts marking the way. Like The Wizard Of Oz, I’m challenged to say something about a film that others have written complete books and thesis over, and I have to review two-disc set that builds upon previous releases of the film.
North by Northwest came rather late to me in my Hitchcock journey. I started on this path with Psycho, Vertigo, and Rear Window during my high school years in the mid-'80s. It was a few years later that I first caught North by Northwest. In a year span, I saw it for the first time on the huge screen of the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, watched in on VHS, and then studied it in-depth in a Hitchcock class I took that summer.
It’s amazing to watch the title sequence of the film today and think that this is considered the first use of moving type in titles. The Saul Bass opening sequence is memorable and feels like the technique must have been around for years. Even on a smaller screen, the kinetic movement of the type and the staccato score by Bernard Herrmann hint at the restlessness that will follow the viewer throughout the film.
The film was released in 1959 through MGM, and it sits squarely between Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960). These three films form an apex that the remaining six films of his career just wouldn’t reach. As the middle of those three, it’s interesting that North by Northwest (despite being a direction slightly off-center) serves as a culmination of many of Hitchcock’s common themes dating back to the 1930s with The Man Who Knew Too Much, The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes.
This film marks the fourth and last time that Hitchcock would work with Cary Grant as his “every man”. On the Special Features disc, there is a new documentary entitled Cary Grant: A Class Apart that gives an in-depth career profile of the actor. Comparing his work with Hitchcock against Jimmy Stewart’s is an interesting contrast. Cary and Jimmy are used in similar fashion to represent the “common man”. But Cary is a much classier version. In North by Northwest he is a Manhattan adman that must navigate through an adventure that covers many states and famous attractions. Jimmy Stewart was often a simpler man who dealt with the stress of being trapped and not able to maneuver through society. In Rear Window and Rope he doesn’t leave a single room in either film.
The plot of the film is relatively thin in depth but it’s long on action. The movie wastes no time introducing the viewer to Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) (the “O” stands for nothing) an ad exec who is mistaken for a Mr. George Kaplan and is kidnapped and questioned by some nefarious fellows. Since he cannot give them the information they think he has, the bad guys attempt to stage an accident to kill Thornhill. The failure of this act sets in motion the remaining two hours of the film. It puts the police after Thornhill and puts Thornhill on the trail of the people who did this to him. Along the way, he is thrown into a situation where it appears to the public that he has committed a murder, upping the stakes even more.
While fleeing from New York to Chicago on a train, Thornhill meets the beautiful Eve Kendall (the gorgeous Eva Marie Saint). Her ability to balance the ambiguity of her character strikes me as one of the brilliances of Hitchcock’s casting. If she is played any other way, the plot would ultimately start to fall apart at this point in the film. But while she is guiding Grant’s character along, we, as viewers, are now squarely invested in our hero and see something that he doesn’t in her. Or we think we do.
At this point, Hitchcock rightly starts to speed the events forward as if we are rushing towards a conclusion. The story that started in New York City and rushed towards Chicago rushes headlong into the countryside of Illinois. This iconic scene is just the twist that the film needs when the viewer feels like they are becoming accustomed to the pace of the film. All of a sudden, we’re in the middle of nowhere, in the open and surrounded by corn and quiet. It’s disconcerting. Even more so than it would be normally. I realized that few directors today play with pacing as much as Hitchcock. There is a tenseness in the distant sound of the crop duster that you can’t pull off if we hadn’t just come off the confining, loud train.
This journey North and Westward across America is detailed in the great documentary Destination Hitchcock left over from a 2000 DVD release. This extended making-of includes many interesting sidebars of thrown out ideas for the plot including ending in Alaska – a true North by Northwest journey.
The ending at Mount Rushmore is still fun and unexpected. The chase has a true James Bond feel to it with the ability to use recognizable locations to add legitimacy to the plot. The iconic nature of the location makes this truly an American film and adds “historical importance” to the espionage of the plot. I don’t get the same feeling at the end of Saboteur on the Statue Of Liberty.
Watching from the perspective of 50 years, the film is only dated in the Cold War undertones of the main plot. But the humor and arc of the story are still fresh and don’t feel as derivative as so many similar movies today. Few directors know how to control the pace of their films – much like a roller coaster, the viewer should feel pushed and pulled by unseen forces – unable to control what is happening, only being in control of one’s reactions.
The 50th Anniversary release looks amazing. It is the only MGM film for Hitchcock and one of their few Vistavision releases. In addition to the previously mentioned Special Features, there is a commentary with the screenwriter Ernest Lehman, a new documentary entitled The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style. This documentary provides some fresh perspective on the film from current directors including Guillermo Del Toro. There’s another new documentary entitled North by Northwest: One For The Ages that takes a look at the important innovations in the production of the film and its influences.
While many studios are cutting back on their restoration of classic films, Warner Bros. are to be commended on this release and The Wizard Of Oz release. These films are important works that still have impact on the works we see onscreen today.
North by Northwest is so much a culmination of themes and ideas of Hitchcock’s previous films but it goes beyond just being a jumble of scenes. It’s a blueprint that takes lessons learned in previous films and shows us how to use the film medium to tell a compelling story. And it’s quite a ride. It was for young Musgo sitting in the Michigan Theater in 1986 and it is today for old Musgo sitting in front of his computer.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s Vol. 2
Written by Hombre Divertido
On October 27th Warner Brothers released 316 minutes of cartoon memories from the seventies, though, not all of it is animated nor from the seventies. This new release not only contains some classics, but some you may not remember as well. It is important to remember the collection makes no reference to being the best of the seventies, and it certainly isn’t. Nonetheless, there is some interesting history here, as well as some voices to listen for.
The release contains 12 shows on two discs, but you won’t find the list of shows anywhere on the packaging. The main menu on the disk does supply the list, but can be frustrating to operate as selecting some episodes will return you to the menu unnecessarily, and selecting “Play all” excludes one episode.
The twelve shows included are: Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch, the story of three mischievous bears who live in a zoo and manipulate the zoo keeper; New Adventures of Gilligan, which continues the adventures of the castaways from the sitcom of the sixties; Sea Lab 2020, a futuristic series based on an underwater community; Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, which follows the exploits of the famous detective and his children who happen to be a rock group; Shazzan, the story of two teens who travel around on a flying camel during the time of the Arabian Knights and call upon a sixty-foot Genie when they get into trouble; Yogi's Gang, which follows the classic members of the Hanna Barbera library as they travel in a flying ark and meet people who teach them important lessons; Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, which consists of stories from the two classic Warner Brothers characters; Valley of the Dinosaurs, which tells the story of a family that travels back in time and is befriended by a Neanderthal family;
Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape Show, which consists of stories with the classic cat and mouse and stories with the 40-foot purple ape and his canine best friend; The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, a live-action series with four costumed characters who would introduce animated series and live-action serials; Inch High Private Eye, which followed the adventures of the diminutive detective and his assistants; and The New Adventures of Batman, which continues the adventures of the caped crusader. There is certainly something in this eclectic mix for everyone, but likely they all won't be satisfying.
From a story perspective, many are quite weak, such as the Inch High Private Eye episodes where the solution to the mysteries rarely made sense to anyone other than Inch High. The animation is poor in several of the shows, most noticeably in The New Adventures of Batman. Filmation had produced superior superhero cartoons in the sixties, and though these episodes have a smoother flow to the movement, it is easy to see the lack of attention to detail in this episode as the Bat Logo on the hood of the Batmobile changes color and disappears all together.
It is the historical aspects that make this release most interesting. Batman reunites the talents of Adam West and Burt Ward for the first time since the original series. Unfortunately the series also introduces the Bat Mite character, which was nothing more than annoying. Filmation’s New Adventures of Batman aired during the same season as Hanna Barbera’s Super Friends which marked a rare occasion in television history where the adventures of the same character were being chronicled on two different networks.
The Banana Splits Adventure Hour was created by Sid and Marty Kroft, and produced by Hanna Barbera. This is most interesting since this release includes Valley of the Dinosaurs, an animated series produced by Hanna Barbera that tells the story of a family on a rafting trip that gets swept into a prehistoric world. Valley premiered on the same day as Sid and Marty Kroft’s live-action series Land of the Lost, which coincidentally follows a similar story line.
The New Adventures of Gilligan reunites the original cast with the exception of Dawn Wells and Tina Louise. Jane Web would voice both the Mary Ann and Ginger characters. Sealab 2020 would be remixed to produce Sealab 2021, part of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan marked the first time that the character of Charlie Chan was portrayed by an actor of Chinese decent, Key Luke.
Jodie Foster can also be heard on episodes of Amazing Chan. Along with Foster, other notable actor’s voices in this collection are Jackie Earle Haley, Ross Martin, Ann Jillian, Jay North, and classic cartoon vocal talents including Paul Winchell, Joe E. Ross, Daws Butler, John Sephenson, and Don Messick.
Not a lot of bonus material here. “The Power of Shazzan” tells the back-story of this classic cartoon. What it fails to reveal is that this series ended its original run in 1969, and thus does not belong in this collection. “Saturday Morning Wake-Up Calls” provides a brief preview of the contents of the DVD. Though it is somewhat of a waste, as it appears to be a commercial for a product already purchased, it is voiced by Casey Kasem, who was also the voice of Shaggy on Scooby Doo and Robin the Boy Wonder in the first animated Batman series and a legendary radio personality.
Bottom Line: The historical significance may be more than those who are looking for memories to sit back and enjoy with a bowl of cereal care about, and there are certainly better series from the decade, but Warner Brothers has put together a collection worth owning. Watching these series in small portions is just right. Having all the episodes of any of these series would only serve to remind us that all the stories of the shows we loved as kids were basically the same.
Valley of the Dinosaurs Clip From the DVD: “Such Luck”
On October 27th Warner Brothers released 316 minutes of cartoon memories from the seventies, though, not all of it is animated nor from the seventies. This new release not only contains some classics, but some you may not remember as well. It is important to remember the collection makes no reference to being the best of the seventies, and it certainly isn’t. Nonetheless, there is some interesting history here, as well as some voices to listen for.
The release contains 12 shows on two discs, but you won’t find the list of shows anywhere on the packaging. The main menu on the disk does supply the list, but can be frustrating to operate as selecting some episodes will return you to the menu unnecessarily, and selecting “Play all” excludes one episode.
The twelve shows included are: Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch, the story of three mischievous bears who live in a zoo and manipulate the zoo keeper; New Adventures of Gilligan, which continues the adventures of the castaways from the sitcom of the sixties; Sea Lab 2020, a futuristic series based on an underwater community; Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, which follows the exploits of the famous detective and his children who happen to be a rock group; Shazzan, the story of two teens who travel around on a flying camel during the time of the Arabian Knights and call upon a sixty-foot Genie when they get into trouble; Yogi's Gang, which follows the classic members of the Hanna Barbera library as they travel in a flying ark and meet people who teach them important lessons; Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, which consists of stories from the two classic Warner Brothers characters; Valley of the Dinosaurs, which tells the story of a family that travels back in time and is befriended by a Neanderthal family;
Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape Show, which consists of stories with the classic cat and mouse and stories with the 40-foot purple ape and his canine best friend; The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, a live-action series with four costumed characters who would introduce animated series and live-action serials; Inch High Private Eye, which followed the adventures of the diminutive detective and his assistants; and The New Adventures of Batman, which continues the adventures of the caped crusader. There is certainly something in this eclectic mix for everyone, but likely they all won't be satisfying.
From a story perspective, many are quite weak, such as the Inch High Private Eye episodes where the solution to the mysteries rarely made sense to anyone other than Inch High. The animation is poor in several of the shows, most noticeably in The New Adventures of Batman. Filmation had produced superior superhero cartoons in the sixties, and though these episodes have a smoother flow to the movement, it is easy to see the lack of attention to detail in this episode as the Bat Logo on the hood of the Batmobile changes color and disappears all together.
It is the historical aspects that make this release most interesting. Batman reunites the talents of Adam West and Burt Ward for the first time since the original series. Unfortunately the series also introduces the Bat Mite character, which was nothing more than annoying. Filmation’s New Adventures of Batman aired during the same season as Hanna Barbera’s Super Friends which marked a rare occasion in television history where the adventures of the same character were being chronicled on two different networks.
The Banana Splits Adventure Hour was created by Sid and Marty Kroft, and produced by Hanna Barbera. This is most interesting since this release includes Valley of the Dinosaurs, an animated series produced by Hanna Barbera that tells the story of a family on a rafting trip that gets swept into a prehistoric world. Valley premiered on the same day as Sid and Marty Kroft’s live-action series Land of the Lost, which coincidentally follows a similar story line.
The New Adventures of Gilligan reunites the original cast with the exception of Dawn Wells and Tina Louise. Jane Web would voice both the Mary Ann and Ginger characters. Sealab 2020 would be remixed to produce Sealab 2021, part of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan marked the first time that the character of Charlie Chan was portrayed by an actor of Chinese decent, Key Luke.
Jodie Foster can also be heard on episodes of Amazing Chan. Along with Foster, other notable actor’s voices in this collection are Jackie Earle Haley, Ross Martin, Ann Jillian, Jay North, and classic cartoon vocal talents including Paul Winchell, Joe E. Ross, Daws Butler, John Sephenson, and Don Messick.
Not a lot of bonus material here. “The Power of Shazzan” tells the back-story of this classic cartoon. What it fails to reveal is that this series ended its original run in 1969, and thus does not belong in this collection. “Saturday Morning Wake-Up Calls” provides a brief preview of the contents of the DVD. Though it is somewhat of a waste, as it appears to be a commercial for a product already purchased, it is voiced by Casey Kasem, who was also the voice of Shaggy on Scooby Doo and Robin the Boy Wonder in the first animated Batman series and a legendary radio personality.
Bottom Line: The historical significance may be more than those who are looking for memories to sit back and enjoy with a bowl of cereal care about, and there are certainly better series from the decade, but Warner Brothers has put together a collection worth owning. Watching these series in small portions is just right. Having all the episodes of any of these series would only serve to remind us that all the stories of the shows we loved as kids were basically the same.
Valley of the Dinosaurs Clip From the DVD: “Such Luck”
Monday, November 09, 2009
MONSTERS, INC. (Blu-ray)
Written by Senora Bicho
Released in November 2001, Monsters, Inc. was the fourth feature-length feature film by Pixar Animation Studios. While it was a commercial and critical success, I didn’t think it was as entertaining for adults when compared to the previous films. I haven’t seen it since the theatrical release and was curious to see if I might enjoy it more this time around with the Blu-ray release.
The inhabitants of the city Monstropolis rely on the screams of children as its source of power. Monsters, Inc. provides the city’s energy through its scream-processing factory. James P. “Sully” Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at the factory. Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi) is Sully’s rival determined to take over the top position. In order to obtain the screams, the monsters enter into teleportation doors that lead into a child’s bedroom. One night after business hours, Sully stumbles upon a door that hasn’t been properly stored away. While investigating the door, he inadvertently brings a child into the monster world. Children are considered toxic to monsters so as soon as the breach is discovered the city goes on high alert. Sully and Mike soon discover that the child is not toxic after all and realize it is up to them to protect her while attempting to get her home.
Both the video and audio presentations are amazing. Presented in 1080p and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the film is awash in brilliant, vibrant colors from the trees’ autumn colors to the entire spectrum of rainbow represented by the cast of characters. It’s very impressive the creative team went to the trouble of adding patches of purple on his bluish-turquoise hair, which is flawlessly rendered, as are all the textures in the film. From common walls to the monsters’ various skin types, they are all clear and realistic.
The jazz score under the opening credits immediately prepares the viewer for how good the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 experience will be. Each instrument (clarinet, trumpet, piano, drums) is distinct and the bass thumps out the subwoofer. The directionality well positions the characters and items as they move about the scene. The dialogue is understandable no matter how wild the action gets, and the climatic door-storage chase sequence gets very wild.
The Blu-ray release includes all-new bonus material. “Filmmakers’ Round Table” provides behind-the-scenes information and anecdotes from some of the filmmakers. “Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan” offers a look at the new attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. “Roz 100-Door Challenge” is a triva game aimed at younger viewers who wish to try and apply for a job at Monsters, Inc. There is also an audio commentary by director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, screenwriter Andrew Stanton and executive producer John Lasseter. However, these features alone do not create a compelling reason to buy the Blu-ray combo pack.
The original bonus material contained in the first DVD release is also provided. “For the Birds” is an Academy Award-winning short. “Mike’s New Car” is an Academy Award-nominated short. “Humans Only” contains information on Pixar and highlights the process of making the film from concept to completion. “Monsters Only” focuses on the company Monsters, Inc. and its staff. The set also comes with a standard DVD that includes the film and the original bonus material while a fourth disc provides a digital copy of the film.
As it turned out I happened to watch Pixar’s newest release Up over the same weekend as watching Monsters, Inc. There was no comparison on my mind; Up is a much more sophisticated, interesting, and thoughtful film designed for the entire family to enjoy. Monsters, Inc. is intended for a younger viewer with a simpler, shallower story based more on action. There is an attempt to address the real world issue of energy but it only touches the surface. While the characters are fun to watch and the its look is as good as any other Pixar film, it leaves something to be desired when compared to the other great films the studio has produced.
Released in November 2001, Monsters, Inc. was the fourth feature-length feature film by Pixar Animation Studios. While it was a commercial and critical success, I didn’t think it was as entertaining for adults when compared to the previous films. I haven’t seen it since the theatrical release and was curious to see if I might enjoy it more this time around with the Blu-ray release.
The inhabitants of the city Monstropolis rely on the screams of children as its source of power. Monsters, Inc. provides the city’s energy through its scream-processing factory. James P. “Sully” Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at the factory. Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi) is Sully’s rival determined to take over the top position. In order to obtain the screams, the monsters enter into teleportation doors that lead into a child’s bedroom. One night after business hours, Sully stumbles upon a door that hasn’t been properly stored away. While investigating the door, he inadvertently brings a child into the monster world. Children are considered toxic to monsters so as soon as the breach is discovered the city goes on high alert. Sully and Mike soon discover that the child is not toxic after all and realize it is up to them to protect her while attempting to get her home.
Both the video and audio presentations are amazing. Presented in 1080p and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the film is awash in brilliant, vibrant colors from the trees’ autumn colors to the entire spectrum of rainbow represented by the cast of characters. It’s very impressive the creative team went to the trouble of adding patches of purple on his bluish-turquoise hair, which is flawlessly rendered, as are all the textures in the film. From common walls to the monsters’ various skin types, they are all clear and realistic.
The jazz score under the opening credits immediately prepares the viewer for how good the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 experience will be. Each instrument (clarinet, trumpet, piano, drums) is distinct and the bass thumps out the subwoofer. The directionality well positions the characters and items as they move about the scene. The dialogue is understandable no matter how wild the action gets, and the climatic door-storage chase sequence gets very wild.
The Blu-ray release includes all-new bonus material. “Filmmakers’ Round Table” provides behind-the-scenes information and anecdotes from some of the filmmakers. “Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan” offers a look at the new attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. “Roz 100-Door Challenge” is a triva game aimed at younger viewers who wish to try and apply for a job at Monsters, Inc. There is also an audio commentary by director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, screenwriter Andrew Stanton and executive producer John Lasseter. However, these features alone do not create a compelling reason to buy the Blu-ray combo pack.
The original bonus material contained in the first DVD release is also provided. “For the Birds” is an Academy Award-winning short. “Mike’s New Car” is an Academy Award-nominated short. “Humans Only” contains information on Pixar and highlights the process of making the film from concept to completion. “Monsters Only” focuses on the company Monsters, Inc. and its staff. The set also comes with a standard DVD that includes the film and the original bonus material while a fourth disc provides a digital copy of the film.
As it turned out I happened to watch Pixar’s newest release Up over the same weekend as watching Monsters, Inc. There was no comparison on my mind; Up is a much more sophisticated, interesting, and thoughtful film designed for the entire family to enjoy. Monsters, Inc. is intended for a younger viewer with a simpler, shallower story based more on action. There is an attempt to address the real world issue of energy but it only touches the surface. While the characters are fun to watch and the its look is as good as any other Pixar film, it leaves something to be desired when compared to the other great films the studio has produced.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Monty Python - Almost The Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut)
Written by Pirata Hermosa
Forty years ago five highly educated Brits and an American lampoon artist came together to form one of the world’s funniest comedy troops. And to commemorate that union, a three-DVD set was released containing a six-part documentary ranging from their meager beginnings through their height of popularity up until present day.
Monty Python is such a huge name in comedy that everybody has already formed an opinion on their comedy. They either get it, or they don’t. If you’re one of those who get it, then you will enjoy this piece of Python history.
Being that it’s six hours worth of material, you really get a sense of what it was like behind the scenes. With all of the silliness going on, it’s a true learning experience as you discover that they are all college educated and honed their comedic skills at places such as Oxford.
There are also many pieces of interesting trivia that would satisfy and Python fan. John Cleese was embarrassed by his celebrity. Graham Chapman was an alcoholic who could barely remember his lines and nobody realized it. And some huge names in rock ‘n' roll (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, George Harrison) helped finance The Holy Grail and The Life of Brian.
The documentary is very interesting, but at the same time it comes across very sterile. Each person is interviewed against a black background and by themselves. There is never a moment when they are all together, which leaves a huge nagging question in the back of your mind. Why aren’t they together? They talk fondly of one another but not being in the same room makes you wonder if there are some issues keeping them apart.
Even so, there is enough sketch material scattered throughout the interviews that it keeps your attention and breaks up what could have developed into monotony. There is also a smattering of celebrity commentary throughout as such people like Seth Green, Bruce Dickinson, Dan Aykroyd, Simon Pegg, and several others comment on how important and influential their comedy was.
Disc 1 is divided into three parts.
- “The Not-So-Interesting Beginnings” which explores how they started off as young men in college, started working for the BBC, and eventually managed to start Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
- “The Much Funnier Second Episode” discusses the first season and brings in other current comedians to discuss the impact the show had on them and society as a whole.
- “And Now, The Personal Sordid Bits” shows how their success also brought down upon them the intervention of the BBC censors and how after their second season John Cleese wanted to leave.
Disc 2 is also divided into three parts
- “The Ultimate Holy Grail Episode” is a complete overview of how they wrote, directed and funded the film
- “Lust For Glory!” was the original name for the film that became The Life of Brian, and in this segment you see how the film was made.
- “Finally! The Last Episode (Ever) (for Now…)” as Monty Python gets ready to film The Meaning of Life, they are splintering apart and going their separate ways. The final segment also deals with the loss of Graham Chapman and his death from cancer at the age of 48.
Disc 3 contains a number of their classic sketches: “The Dead Parrot,” “The Spanish Inquisition,” “Fish Slapping Dance,” “Ministry of Silly Walks,” “The Lumberjack Song,” “The Cheese Shop,” and “SPAM.” It also includes extended interviews from the five surviving members and all the extras that were cut out of the documentary.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Hammer Glamour by Marcus Hearn
Written by Fantasma el Rey
Based in the United Kingdom, Hammer Film Productions has long been known for their Gothic horror movies, often re-imagining the 1930s Universal Monsters to much success. Movie fans in general will be familiar with Hammer for some reason, be it through their brand of horror, film noir, sci-fi or Raquel Welch’s pre-historic bikini. Throughout their long history Hammer has been known for their lovely women stars and co-stars, affectionately known as the Hammer Glamour. Now author Marcus Hearn has put together one hell of an introduction to the hotties of the Hammer world and titled his book simply Hammer Glamour.
This hardcover coffee-table book is packed with 160 pages of gorgeous women in provocative poses on great movie sets as they invite fans from all over the world into the Hammer house of horrors. Hearn does a magnificent job in his brief introduction giving a quick history of Hammer Film Productions. The book provides good overviews of the ladies’ careers before and after their Hammer days. The stars are alphabetized and given a page, sometimes two, of info to go along with their awesome photos.
The beauties are given a full page of one of their best shots as well as two or three smaller pics that fill out the info page. The bright color and stunning black and white photos allow the ladies and their wonderful costumes to live again. Most photos were taken on location or on the wonderful sets Hammer created. Also included is a list of the Hammer films they appeared in, making for another great reference for Hammer films to see.
The beauties that Hammer Films used throughout the years are all here including the above-mentioned Raquel Welch along with Ursula Andress, Eva Bartok, Vera Day, Suzan Farmer, Barbara Payton, Stefanie Powers, Janette Scott, Barbara Shelly, and a very young Nastassja Kinski to name but a few of the over fifty profiles featured. Besides Welch’s steaming shot on hot rocks there are absolutely fabulous photos of Yutte Stensgaard in a very Marilyn Monroe-like pose on red satin sheets (here shot on a vampire’s bed), Caroline Munro in thigh-high black boots as a vampire vixen, and Valerie Leon in a black bikini/lingerie piece that’s just incredible. There’s a lot of that by the way: bikini, lingerie, low cut, cleavage shots, and tons of high boots and hemlines. Some of these starlet’s names are simply alluring as is the case with Olinka Berova, Carita, Ingrid Pitt, Catherine Von Schell, and Victoria Vetri; these names have flair and roll of the tongue.
Marcus Hearn delivers a fascinating look through his photo selections and interesting sketches of the women and people tangled in the Hammer web. Hammer Glamour is a must for Hammer film fans as well those interested in beauties of the silver screen, pin-up girls, and overall knock-out photos of hot women in timeless poses. Never mind the $29.95 price tag. Pick it up for the hotties and cherish it for the bits of movie history and gossip it provides.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
THE WILLIAM CASTLE FILM COLLECTION
Written by Fantasma el Rey
William Castle, "the master of ballyhoo" knew what people wanted and how to hook them into buying a ticket. A wizard sideshow barker from the old school that filled seats and made a profit from his low budget horror films. He had a knack for finding the gimmick and pitching the hell out of it. This new five-DVD set offers eight gems, originally released by Columbia Pictures in the late '50s and early '60s, each running at a "fun" time of about 90 minutes. So join me, if you dare, as I take a peek at The William Castle Film Collection.
Castle's films didn't make a fortune but they made enough that the studio kept bringing him back to do more of what he did best: low-budget, gimmicky, spook movies. Hitting with Macabre and House On Haunted Hill in '58 and '59 Columbia brought him in to produce and direct. The films here aren't in chronological order but their placement does make sense in an odd way.
Disc one pairs 13 Frightened Girls (1963) and 13 Ghost (1960). Girls is a laughable look at the spy world as a young daughter of an international diplomat secretly, and unbeknown to daddy, gets involved with his intricate affairs. While getting chased by "Reds", she narrowly avoids death, capture, and becoming too entangled in the web of deceit that is being a secret agent. She also has 12 friends that attend the same Swiss boarding school to help her along the way, thus the title.
13 Ghost is a standard haunted house story, inherited by an unknowing family somehow related to the recently deceased that promised "13 times the thrills! 13 times the chills! 13 times the fun!" The gimmick here, 'cause Castle nearly always had one, was his use of "Illusion-O," a handheld piece of cardboard that had two transparent colored strips that would be used at the proper time. One was blue, to see the ghosts, the other red if you didn't want to see the ghosts, mostly pointless as the ghost would appear no matter what.
Disc two's Homicidal (1961) and Strait-Jacket (1964) are dominated by strong stories and the glue that is gore. Homicidal is an obvious "homage" to Hitchcock's Psycho with certain scenes filmed very much the same way. Our lead gal is a hot blond and our creepy male lead is an oddball with something not quite right about him. The twist at the end and the actual showing of stabbings put this one just over the Psycho edge. The gimmick is the "fright break" 45 seconds before the climax of the film which allowed folks to leave and get their money back but they had to hangout in the "coward's corner" for the remainder of the picture.
Apparently told to hold the gimmicks for Strait-Jacket, Castle went out and found something even better, Joan Crawford. After seeing What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? Castle had to create his own and hired Psycho author Robert Bloch to cook up a story that featured the aging Crawford. She plays an older women returning home to her daughter after being locked up for 20 years in an asylum for hacking up her husband and his lover with an axe. Upon her return, more folks begin to get whacked and who is to blame? That's right ol' Miss Crawford or is she? This one is enjoyable all the way to its twisted, axe-swinging end.
On disc three we venture into The Old Dark House (1963) and meet Mr. Sardonicus (1961). As the title implies, The Old Dark House is about just that and not much else. An American car salesman in England gets involved with a family of kooks in an old, rundown mansion and is almost killed as he investigates who is bumping off the others. Tom Poston (from TV's Newhart) makes this spooky comedy enjoyable but overall this one is passable.
Mr. Sardonicus takes us back to England, this time in a gothic tale set in 1880s London and is the story of a once decent fellow, Baron Sardonicus, forced to do ghoulish deeds. His face hideously frozen in a bizarre smile (very reminiscent of The Man Who Laughs), he attempts to pressure a talented doctor into restoring his good looks or suffer the consequences. Meanwhile, Sardonicus tortures young girls from the village with leeches and other devices as he gets his jollies and hides his true face behind a mask. A good film that finds Castle reaching back to the past and putting us in a setting much like the Universal monsters roamed. The gimmick here is The Punishment Poll, a card given to the crowd with thumbs up or down to decide the fate of Mr. Sardonicus. Castle appears and makes the tally himself.
Disc four is all comedy, intended or not, with The Tingler and Zotz! Tingler is a dumb movie with an outrageous plot that somehow Vincent Price gets to work. A lobster-like creature lives in the human spinal cord and is only active during fright but by screaming it's stopped and can no longer do harm. Price, a doctor, captures one. It gets lose in a theater and runs amuck leading to the gimmick of Percepto. Some seats where rigged to vibrate at a key moment in the film and gave the audience a "scream" or a giggle. Price and the really bad creature make this dumb flick fun.
Zotz! tells of an absentminded professor (Tom Poston) who comes across an ancient coin with magical powers. He tries to tell his fellow staff members, who laugh at him, and the government, who laugh as well. But they stop laughing when the "reds" show up and kidnap our hero who uses the power of the coin to thwart their efforts. He and the coin return safe and sound. It's an all-right comedy with some funny moments when watched at social gathering. Those who went to see this got a "magic" coin; tales tell it did nothing.
Finally there is a bonus disc with the documentary Spin Tingler! The William Castle Story featuring interviews from many people who knew or where influenced by Castle, including his daughter Terry, John Waters, Roger Corman, John Landis, and Joe Dante. We get a further look at Castle's adventures in life, movies, and what made him tick, his wife and family. The special feature on the documentary is a cool audio commentary by producer/director Jeffrey Schwarz and Terry. It's a great look at the life of a man who directed many films of all genres and could turn nothing into something.
The featurettes on the four other discs are pulled directly from this documentary and edited to focus on a specific film and/or gimmick. Along with those featurettes are other making-of pieces, vintage promo shorts, alternate opening sequences, and a bunch of original trailers. The set also includes two good episodes from the Castle-produced TV series Ghost Story (1972-73). So hurry, hurry, step on out and get your copy to enjoy and witness the ghoulish glory that is The William Castle Film Collection.
William Castle, "the master of ballyhoo" knew what people wanted and how to hook them into buying a ticket. A wizard sideshow barker from the old school that filled seats and made a profit from his low budget horror films. He had a knack for finding the gimmick and pitching the hell out of it. This new five-DVD set offers eight gems, originally released by Columbia Pictures in the late '50s and early '60s, each running at a "fun" time of about 90 minutes. So join me, if you dare, as I take a peek at The William Castle Film Collection.
Castle's films didn't make a fortune but they made enough that the studio kept bringing him back to do more of what he did best: low-budget, gimmicky, spook movies. Hitting with Macabre and House On Haunted Hill in '58 and '59 Columbia brought him in to produce and direct. The films here aren't in chronological order but their placement does make sense in an odd way.
Disc one pairs 13 Frightened Girls (1963) and 13 Ghost (1960). Girls is a laughable look at the spy world as a young daughter of an international diplomat secretly, and unbeknown to daddy, gets involved with his intricate affairs. While getting chased by "Reds", she narrowly avoids death, capture, and becoming too entangled in the web of deceit that is being a secret agent. She also has 12 friends that attend the same Swiss boarding school to help her along the way, thus the title.
13 Ghost is a standard haunted house story, inherited by an unknowing family somehow related to the recently deceased that promised "13 times the thrills! 13 times the chills! 13 times the fun!" The gimmick here, 'cause Castle nearly always had one, was his use of "Illusion-O," a handheld piece of cardboard that had two transparent colored strips that would be used at the proper time. One was blue, to see the ghosts, the other red if you didn't want to see the ghosts, mostly pointless as the ghost would appear no matter what.
Disc two's Homicidal (1961) and Strait-Jacket (1964) are dominated by strong stories and the glue that is gore. Homicidal is an obvious "homage" to Hitchcock's Psycho with certain scenes filmed very much the same way. Our lead gal is a hot blond and our creepy male lead is an oddball with something not quite right about him. The twist at the end and the actual showing of stabbings put this one just over the Psycho edge. The gimmick is the "fright break" 45 seconds before the climax of the film which allowed folks to leave and get their money back but they had to hangout in the "coward's corner" for the remainder of the picture.
Apparently told to hold the gimmicks for Strait-Jacket, Castle went out and found something even better, Joan Crawford. After seeing What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? Castle had to create his own and hired Psycho author Robert Bloch to cook up a story that featured the aging Crawford. She plays an older women returning home to her daughter after being locked up for 20 years in an asylum for hacking up her husband and his lover with an axe. Upon her return, more folks begin to get whacked and who is to blame? That's right ol' Miss Crawford or is she? This one is enjoyable all the way to its twisted, axe-swinging end.
On disc three we venture into The Old Dark House (1963) and meet Mr. Sardonicus (1961). As the title implies, The Old Dark House is about just that and not much else. An American car salesman in England gets involved with a family of kooks in an old, rundown mansion and is almost killed as he investigates who is bumping off the others. Tom Poston (from TV's Newhart) makes this spooky comedy enjoyable but overall this one is passable.
Mr. Sardonicus takes us back to England, this time in a gothic tale set in 1880s London and is the story of a once decent fellow, Baron Sardonicus, forced to do ghoulish deeds. His face hideously frozen in a bizarre smile (very reminiscent of The Man Who Laughs), he attempts to pressure a talented doctor into restoring his good looks or suffer the consequences. Meanwhile, Sardonicus tortures young girls from the village with leeches and other devices as he gets his jollies and hides his true face behind a mask. A good film that finds Castle reaching back to the past and putting us in a setting much like the Universal monsters roamed. The gimmick here is The Punishment Poll, a card given to the crowd with thumbs up or down to decide the fate of Mr. Sardonicus. Castle appears and makes the tally himself.
Disc four is all comedy, intended or not, with The Tingler and Zotz! Tingler is a dumb movie with an outrageous plot that somehow Vincent Price gets to work. A lobster-like creature lives in the human spinal cord and is only active during fright but by screaming it's stopped and can no longer do harm. Price, a doctor, captures one. It gets lose in a theater and runs amuck leading to the gimmick of Percepto. Some seats where rigged to vibrate at a key moment in the film and gave the audience a "scream" or a giggle. Price and the really bad creature make this dumb flick fun.
Zotz! tells of an absentminded professor (Tom Poston) who comes across an ancient coin with magical powers. He tries to tell his fellow staff members, who laugh at him, and the government, who laugh as well. But they stop laughing when the "reds" show up and kidnap our hero who uses the power of the coin to thwart their efforts. He and the coin return safe and sound. It's an all-right comedy with some funny moments when watched at social gathering. Those who went to see this got a "magic" coin; tales tell it did nothing.
Finally there is a bonus disc with the documentary Spin Tingler! The William Castle Story featuring interviews from many people who knew or where influenced by Castle, including his daughter Terry, John Waters, Roger Corman, John Landis, and Joe Dante. We get a further look at Castle's adventures in life, movies, and what made him tick, his wife and family. The special feature on the documentary is a cool audio commentary by producer/director Jeffrey Schwarz and Terry. It's a great look at the life of a man who directed many films of all genres and could turn nothing into something.
The featurettes on the four other discs are pulled directly from this documentary and edited to focus on a specific film and/or gimmick. Along with those featurettes are other making-of pieces, vintage promo shorts, alternate opening sequences, and a bunch of original trailers. The set also includes two good episodes from the Castle-produced TV series Ghost Story (1972-73). So hurry, hurry, step on out and get your copy to enjoy and witness the ghoulish glory that is The William Castle Film Collection.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
GENESIS II
Written by Pirata Hermosa
In 1973 writer/producer Gene Roddenberry with the help of director John Llewellyn Moxey introduced another view of the future to the public in the shape of a made-for-TV movie. In 2009, Warner Brothers has made it available as part of their Archive Collection, and as common with the collection there are no special features.
People familiar with Roddenberry through his famous creation Star Trek know that he has a very optimistic look into the future of mankind. In Genesis II you can see sparks of that hope for the future, but it’s quite a bit darker.
The year is 1979 and NASA scientist, Dylan Hunt (Alex Cord), has come across a major breakthrough. Long-distance space travel has always been a hurdle for astronauts. In order for them to explore the vast expanse of space they needed a way to keep from dying of old age before they reached their destination. But Dylan has found the answer and has been able to successfully place lab rats in suspended animation for 10 years while the rats age only one day.
Once a discovery has been thoroughly tested, the next step is to test it on a human subject. That volunteer is none other than Dylan himself. Just moments after entering suspended animation, an earthquake strikes the underground facility in Carlsbad Canyon, burying the entire facility and leaving him trapped inside the pressure chamber.
Expecting to only be asleep for a few days, Dylan awakens in the year 2133 when a group of people called the PAX discover the hidden chamber and revive him from his long sleep. While he slowly recovers from the effects of his 154-year slumber, Dylan learns that there have been a lot of changes to the world. The planet has been devastated by nuclear war and only a handful of human settlements remain.
In order to help with his rehabilitation and teach him about the ways of the new world, the PAX make a huge mistake by assigning Lyra-a (Mariette Hartley) to be his caretaker. She may have voluntarily joined the PAX, but she is actually a spy sent by the Tyranians, a group of mutated humans that live near the ancient city of Phoenix.
After poisoning Dylan’s mind against the PAX, Lyra-a takes him to meet her people. At first the Tyranian society seems to be one of culture, comfort and luxury, but it doesn’t take long for Dylan to see that they rule with an iron fist and have subjugated regular humans to work as slaves. And when he finds out that the true reason he was brought there is to fix their failing nuclear reactor he organizes a slave rebellion.
The premise of the story is an interesting concept, but it really fails due to the limited format of a 74-minute TV movie. There is not nearly enough time for the audience to become acquainted with the new world and connect with all of the different characters to form any type of attachment. The most obvious example of the rushed plotline comes at the end when Dylan stays behind to save his friends from capture, but then manages to escape, return to the PAX, and destroy the reactor in about a minute. Even a strategically placed commercial break wouldn’t be able to slow down the pacing. It feels like an entire chapter is missing.
For Roddenberry fans it’s a nice addition to your collection. Not only does it give you a glimpse into other concepts the creator of Star Trek had, but there are a number of interesting production techniques they both share. The font used on the cover and in the credits is exactly the same, automatic doors make a familiar whooshing sound, the Tyranian stim weapons sound like a phaser on overload, and the background music has that same futuristic tone that leaves you feeling like Captain Kirk could stroll in at any moment.
In 1973 writer/producer Gene Roddenberry with the help of director John Llewellyn Moxey introduced another view of the future to the public in the shape of a made-for-TV movie. In 2009, Warner Brothers has made it available as part of their Archive Collection, and as common with the collection there are no special features.
People familiar with Roddenberry through his famous creation Star Trek know that he has a very optimistic look into the future of mankind. In Genesis II you can see sparks of that hope for the future, but it’s quite a bit darker.
The year is 1979 and NASA scientist, Dylan Hunt (Alex Cord), has come across a major breakthrough. Long-distance space travel has always been a hurdle for astronauts. In order for them to explore the vast expanse of space they needed a way to keep from dying of old age before they reached their destination. But Dylan has found the answer and has been able to successfully place lab rats in suspended animation for 10 years while the rats age only one day.
Once a discovery has been thoroughly tested, the next step is to test it on a human subject. That volunteer is none other than Dylan himself. Just moments after entering suspended animation, an earthquake strikes the underground facility in Carlsbad Canyon, burying the entire facility and leaving him trapped inside the pressure chamber.
Expecting to only be asleep for a few days, Dylan awakens in the year 2133 when a group of people called the PAX discover the hidden chamber and revive him from his long sleep. While he slowly recovers from the effects of his 154-year slumber, Dylan learns that there have been a lot of changes to the world. The planet has been devastated by nuclear war and only a handful of human settlements remain.
In order to help with his rehabilitation and teach him about the ways of the new world, the PAX make a huge mistake by assigning Lyra-a (Mariette Hartley) to be his caretaker. She may have voluntarily joined the PAX, but she is actually a spy sent by the Tyranians, a group of mutated humans that live near the ancient city of Phoenix.
After poisoning Dylan’s mind against the PAX, Lyra-a takes him to meet her people. At first the Tyranian society seems to be one of culture, comfort and luxury, but it doesn’t take long for Dylan to see that they rule with an iron fist and have subjugated regular humans to work as slaves. And when he finds out that the true reason he was brought there is to fix their failing nuclear reactor he organizes a slave rebellion.
The premise of the story is an interesting concept, but it really fails due to the limited format of a 74-minute TV movie. There is not nearly enough time for the audience to become acquainted with the new world and connect with all of the different characters to form any type of attachment. The most obvious example of the rushed plotline comes at the end when Dylan stays behind to save his friends from capture, but then manages to escape, return to the PAX, and destroy the reactor in about a minute. Even a strategically placed commercial break wouldn’t be able to slow down the pacing. It feels like an entire chapter is missing.
For Roddenberry fans it’s a nice addition to your collection. Not only does it give you a glimpse into other concepts the creator of Star Trek had, but there are a number of interesting production techniques they both share. The font used on the cover and in the credits is exactly the same, automatic doors make a familiar whooshing sound, the Tyranian stim weapons sound like a phaser on overload, and the background music has that same futuristic tone that leaves you feeling like Captain Kirk could stroll in at any moment.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (10th Anniversary Edition DVD Gift Set)
A cat will spend time playing with a ball made of string, but that doesn’t make it quality entertainment. A child may watch Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (10th Anniversary Edition), which hit shelves on September 29th, but it is not quality entertainment simply because it is as poorly constructed as a ball made of string.
Taking stories, some of which that were poor on their own, and combining them into one film when they obviously don’t go together can only result in poor storytelling. Unfortunately that is the case here as “Ground Piglet Day,””A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving,” and “Find Her, Keep Her,” are combined to form Seasons of Giving.
Disney has taken this convoluted story and packaged it perfectly for the very young. The Anniversary release includes a small Christmas stocking with Pooh and Tigger on it, and the single-disk includes as Bonus Features two episodes of the television show The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and two games in which the viewer can decorate a Christmas tree and color a picture. So, there is plenty here for the kids to play with, and the really young certainly won’t ask the obvious questions. Why does the animation look different from story to story? Why are some of the voices different? Why does Christopher Robin have an accent in one story and no accent in another? Where are Kanga and Roo for most of the film?
Jim Cummings as the voice of Pooh is fine, though more enjoyable in the feature than in the television show, as the latter gives Pooh too much dialog, and the delivery is inconsistent. This release gives the viewer both Cummings and the legendary Paul Winchell as Tigger, and though Cumming’s performance is adequate, escaping the shadow of Winchell will be a challenge. Similarly, John Fiedler has been the voice of Piglet for decades, so having Steve Schatzberg as Piglet in part of the production is distracting.
Though some adults may overlook these obvious flaws of technical continuity, the poor storytelling will make most unhappy. Storytelling has always been a strong point for adventures featuring the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods, but that is not the case here, as the opening story of lost calendar days, makes little sense, and sets the tone for the rest of the Seasons of Giving.
Recommendation: Obviously it is hard to steer parents away from getting this for their kids. The stocking is quite cute, and it is an inexpensive gift that will provide a few hours of viewing, but the family deserves better from Disney, and there are better Winnie the Pooh stories out there. Don’t let the addition of the collectible stocking lure you into buying a product not good enough to stand on its own. Some anniversaries should not be acknowledged.
Taking stories, some of which that were poor on their own, and combining them into one film when they obviously don’t go together can only result in poor storytelling. Unfortunately that is the case here as “Ground Piglet Day,””A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving,” and “Find Her, Keep Her,” are combined to form Seasons of Giving.
Disney has taken this convoluted story and packaged it perfectly for the very young. The Anniversary release includes a small Christmas stocking with Pooh and Tigger on it, and the single-disk includes as Bonus Features two episodes of the television show The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and two games in which the viewer can decorate a Christmas tree and color a picture. So, there is plenty here for the kids to play with, and the really young certainly won’t ask the obvious questions. Why does the animation look different from story to story? Why are some of the voices different? Why does Christopher Robin have an accent in one story and no accent in another? Where are Kanga and Roo for most of the film?
Jim Cummings as the voice of Pooh is fine, though more enjoyable in the feature than in the television show, as the latter gives Pooh too much dialog, and the delivery is inconsistent. This release gives the viewer both Cummings and the legendary Paul Winchell as Tigger, and though Cumming’s performance is adequate, escaping the shadow of Winchell will be a challenge. Similarly, John Fiedler has been the voice of Piglet for decades, so having Steve Schatzberg as Piglet in part of the production is distracting.
Though some adults may overlook these obvious flaws of technical continuity, the poor storytelling will make most unhappy. Storytelling has always been a strong point for adventures featuring the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods, but that is not the case here, as the opening story of lost calendar days, makes little sense, and sets the tone for the rest of the Seasons of Giving.
Recommendation: Obviously it is hard to steer parents away from getting this for their kids. The stocking is quite cute, and it is an inexpensive gift that will provide a few hours of viewing, but the family deserves better from Disney, and there are better Winnie the Pooh stories out there. Don’t let the addition of the collectible stocking lure you into buying a product not good enough to stand on its own. Some anniversaries should not be acknowledged.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
THE STEPFATHER (1987)
Written by Senora Bicho
The Stepfather is a thriller loosely based on the real case of John List. I was a 14-year-old when it was released and remember it being pretty creepy. I haven’t seen it in many years and was curious if it would still be as spine-chilling as I remembered.
It opens with a blood-covered man who has apparently just murdered his family. He cleans himself up, takes his bloody clothes, and leaves town. One year later, he appears as Jerry Blake (Terry O’Quinn) and is recently married to widow Susan Main (Shelley Hack). Susan’s 16-year-old daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen) dislikes Jerry and blames him for creating distance in the relationship with her mom. When Stephanie gets expelled from school, she suggests going to boarding school in an attempt to get away from Jerry, but he won’t allow it. Jerry continues to try and win Stephanie over, but she continues to keep his at a distance.
The brother of Jerry’s last wife, Jim Ogilvie (Stephen Shellen), convinces a reporter to run an article on the slaying of his sister, which surfaces at a neighborhood BBQ. Jerry becomes enraged, and Stephanie witnesses a tantrum in the basement. She becomes suspicious and writes to the newspaper asking for a picture of the suspected murderer. Jerry intercepts the photo when it arrives and reacts with another violent outburst.
Ogilvie continues to investigate his sister’s killer and Stephanie confesses to her psychiatrist that she is frightened of Jerry, who continues to unravel as the film moves towards its climatic conclusion.
A couple of special features are included on the DVD. There is an audio commentary with director Joseph Ruben who later went on to direct Sleeping with the Enemy, The Good Son and The Forgotten, three intense thrillers worth seeing. “The Stepfather Chronicles” is a new featurette with interviews and behind-the-scenes information on the film.
O’Quinn is absolutely frightening as a man teetering on the edge. The film gets its first-ever DVD release on October 13th. There is also a remake being released in theaters October 16th with Dylan Walsh in the lead role. Walsh has large shoes to fill as O’Quinn’s performance is the reason the original works so well.
The Stepfather is a thriller loosely based on the real case of John List. I was a 14-year-old when it was released and remember it being pretty creepy. I haven’t seen it in many years and was curious if it would still be as spine-chilling as I remembered.
It opens with a blood-covered man who has apparently just murdered his family. He cleans himself up, takes his bloody clothes, and leaves town. One year later, he appears as Jerry Blake (Terry O’Quinn) and is recently married to widow Susan Main (Shelley Hack). Susan’s 16-year-old daughter Stephanie (Jill Schoelen) dislikes Jerry and blames him for creating distance in the relationship with her mom. When Stephanie gets expelled from school, she suggests going to boarding school in an attempt to get away from Jerry, but he won’t allow it. Jerry continues to try and win Stephanie over, but she continues to keep his at a distance.
The brother of Jerry’s last wife, Jim Ogilvie (Stephen Shellen), convinces a reporter to run an article on the slaying of his sister, which surfaces at a neighborhood BBQ. Jerry becomes enraged, and Stephanie witnesses a tantrum in the basement. She becomes suspicious and writes to the newspaper asking for a picture of the suspected murderer. Jerry intercepts the photo when it arrives and reacts with another violent outburst.
Ogilvie continues to investigate his sister’s killer and Stephanie confesses to her psychiatrist that she is frightened of Jerry, who continues to unravel as the film moves towards its climatic conclusion.
A couple of special features are included on the DVD. There is an audio commentary with director Joseph Ruben who later went on to direct Sleeping with the Enemy, The Good Son and The Forgotten, three intense thrillers worth seeing. “The Stepfather Chronicles” is a new featurette with interviews and behind-the-scenes information on the film.
O’Quinn is absolutely frightening as a man teetering on the edge. The film gets its first-ever DVD release on October 13th. There is also a remake being released in theaters October 16th with Dylan Walsh in the lead role. Walsh has large shoes to fill as O’Quinn’s performance is the reason the original works so well.
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