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Reviews
Dark Shadows (1966)
Dark Shadows
I am old enough to be one of the kids who dashed home every afternoon to watch my favorite vampire. I am still just as much in love with it. In watching it again, I realize just how gloriously awful it was - over the top acting, really strained dialogue, cheesy sets, flubbed lines and yes the occasional boom mike in the shot. It is just wonderful, and each scene done in one take. The difference between the series and "the movie" - the series took itself very seriously. It wasn't intentionally campy - they played it straight and full throttle. If Ed Wood had done a soap opera it would have looked a lot like Dark Shadows, although the original DS did have talent. I don't understand how Burton/Depp missed the mark on this, especially since they claim to be fans. The "horror" of Frid's Barnabas was that he looked just like anyone else - you couldn't see the monster inside until it was too late.
Dancing Barefoot (1995)
Riding Patti's coattails
From the description, I expected to see a lot of documentary footage about Patti Smith, especially since the title was taken from one of Patti's most popular songs. (Ivan did co-write the tune). I was very disappointed to find that it was mostly a poorly produced documentary about Ivan, with a few moments from his days with the Patti Smith Group. Perhaps if it had been made a little more clear that this was the case, I would have enjoyed it more, but mostly it was some sort of "Ivan is the second coming of Christ" message, primarily put out by Ivan. Self-worship is rarely attractive. Ivan is a very talented musician, but apparently no one thinks he is as talented as he does.
The Pee-Wee Herman Show (1981)
Pee Wee is a genius
I remember seeing this on HBO when it first came out, and it hasn't lost anything in the 22 years since. It is still hysterical.
I wish Paul Reubens would bring Pee Wee back, even though I really like him in his non-Pee Wee roles. I just need Pee Wee.
Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade (1994)
Excellent movie
Previous reviewers have commented (negatively) on Molly Ringwald's interpretation of the reporter. I have to disagree. I enjoyed it much more than the reporter in the full-length version (which is one of the greatest films of all times.) I didn't realize that the reporter was so weak in "Sling Blade" until I saw "Some Folk....". By the end of the interview with Karl, she (Ringwald) 'gets it' - she understands the horrific conditions that Karl endured, and why he did what he did, and she shows it, simply by the expressions on her face. I did not find this Karl any more menacing than the Karl of "Sling Blade" - I think it does show more the fear he has of leaving the safety and relative comfort of the hospital. Imagine how it would be if being in a hospital is a better situation than your only memories of life "outside". Long time prison inmates describe it all the time. This is a magnificent piece - where less is definitely more. I loved it.
The Color Purple (1985)
An amazing work
This film has been running on HBO lately. I have watched it almost everytime. It is as moving and as breathtaking as it was the very first time I saw it. I cannot to this day believe that it was shut out at the Oscars. I just looked at the list of nominated films for that year, and none of them hold up as well as this one. There are none on that list that I would want to watch again - except, for The Color Purple. The movie is perfect - from the opening strains of Quincy Jones' exquisite score, to the end credits, it is perfect. Even if any of the people involved in the film had never made another one, their places in cinematic history would be forever cemented at the very top. Although the film does not present every aspect of Alice Walker's incredible novel (most notably, Spielberg downplays the sexual relationship between Celie and Shug), it captures the heart and the soul of Celie's journey to becoming her own person. It is riveting. You don't want the film to end - what happens next? You come away from this film refilled, replenished. There are no 'filler' characters, and each actor's performance is monumental. You will come away from this film a changed person, and if you don't, God help you.
The Black Stallion (1979)
Amazing movie
I was so afraid to see this movie. The Black Stallion books defined my life until I was about 14 years old, if not longer (they have always continued in my memory). I read every single book that Mr. Farley wrote, most of them many times over, and I knew every character intimately - how they looked, how they talked, everything about them. And The Black - I know exactly how The Black looked and acted. So - when this movie was announced, 23 years ago, I refused to see it. I could not risk having all of my childhood memories shattered in the course of a 2 hour movie. But recently, in a discussion of favorite movies, a friend mentioned this movie as her favorite. Immediately, I was interested. So, nervously, I rented the movie, and settled in to watch it. My heart started pounding as the opening credits rolled - I was almost breathless waiting for it to start. All I can say is, now that I have seen it, I hate myself for waiting so long. Every detail of the book is captured perfectly, as if Mr. Copolla, Ms. Mathason, et al managed to film all of the images in my head and pour them onto the screen. The cinematography is astonishing, the score is beyond compare as to how well it fits with what is happening on screen. These are the technical details of the film - what is impossible to describe is just how closely this work captures the original book. There is no whiz-bang gadgetry, or special effects, although some young ones may find the shipwreck sequence to be frightening. It is a beautiful story, told masterfully.
Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)
Must See
This IS my favorite Christmas movie. It is funny, in a totally ridiculous, moronic, Ernest sort of way - it has all of his best schtick and then some. I really like the message, too - that Christmas is in the heart. Unlike some of the typical Christmas movies there is no major transformation where the mean man becomes the nice guy -the nice guy stays the nice guy and becomes even better. Suspend your need to see Citizen Kane and just watch it for the total silliness. You will enjoy it.