darth76 Reviews

The Tough Guy with the Tricycle (1972)

Of the worst Dalianidis comedies

[2/10 · 2 June 2006]

A bad movie, an attempt to imitate "To Koroidaki Tis Prigipessas", but without fantasy. The script is full of dead-ends (e.g. what happens with Mr. Papanastasiou), the gangs are hysterical and, mostly, without reason (like the fall of Tonis in Tonia's water pool), and the overall humor clumsy (e.g. the scene with the non-existent sweets). Hyper-kinetic Stavros Paravas does not make you laugh at all (except on the scene with the football discussion), while Tonia Kaziani counts only in her beauty and not in her acting. The rest of the actors try hard, especially Costas Rigopoulos, but their roles and the script does not allow them much freedom.

Do Bigha Zamin (1953)

Disappointment

[4/10 · 13 October 2003]

I had heard a lot for this film, which is considered a classic for the Indian cinema. It is true that, in comparison with other Bollywood films of the period, is far better, as it brings a fresh look coming straight from the Italian neo-realist school. But Bimal Roy is a bad imitator. He gives the portrait of the peasants and of their life in Colcatta in a persuasive way, but his story is full of unnecessary melodrama, as all life's misfortunes seem to have conspired in order to fall on Shambhu's head. Additionally, the plot is naive, the (largely) amateur actors do their best but without significant results, and the songs sound very dated. Overall, what remains after the end is a feeling of disappointment. I have rated with 4 out 10.

L'histoire du samedi: Pasteur, cinq années de rage (1995) Season Unknown, Episode Unknown

Do not waist your time

[4/10 · 24 October 2002]

Dramatised biography of Louis Pasteur's later years (after 1881), when he had devoted his life into the research of rage. The movie contains itself inside Pasteur's lab and prefers to waist its time on endless medical discussions, instead of develop the characters and their psychology. Also, most of the chosen actors are really mediocre and fail to give flesh and blood to their roles. I have given it 4 out of 10, mainly because I have seen much worst biography movies.

Inferno (1995)

Awful

[1/10 · 24 October 2002]

Awful blend of James Bond's spy movies and martial arts, with childish script, where a good Asian-American secret agent beats and kills the bad criminals and lures all the beautiful girls. It is really stupid and the actors are amazingly bad. See it only if you want to experience a film that deserves 0 out of 10. I wonder if IMDB should reconsider its policy to have 1 as the lowest vote one can give to a film, because 1 is a really good mark for this one.

Pas de répit pour Mélanie (1990)

I was not impressed

[4/10 · 24 October 2002]

Youth adventure filmed in the countryside of the French-speaking part of Canada. The script formula is rather predictable, based on a bit of humor, a bit of mystery and a bit of flirt, and there is nothing really noteworthy in either the direction or the actors/actresses' performance. I think that there are hundreds of movies similar to Pas De Repit Pour Melanie, and, thus, I cannot find any important reason for its existence.

Passage West (1951)

Bad western

[3/10 · 24 October 2002]

Although this Western starts with some good ideas, based on a not particularly important book by Alvah Bessie & Nedrick Young (who were both at the Hollywood's black list, having been accused for Communist sympathies), the script fails to develop them further. The production is cheap, the directory typical for the genre and without signs of imagination, while the actors and actresses are incapable to blow life in the characters. I have given it 3 out of 10.

They Who Dare (1954)

Nothing fancy

[4/10 · 13 October 2002]

World War II movie, of British production, which does not have anything that justifies the time one could possibly spare to see it, other than the great Dirk Bogarde starring, with the good British actor Denholm Elliott in a second role. The scenario is rather conventional (we have seen this stuff many times) and does not develop the characters and their relations as it could. It has also attempted to give a Greek aroma, in a very clumsy way: as there is not even one Greek actor among the cast the spoken Greek sound very strange (at least to someone who knows the language like me). Additionally, the portrait of the Greeks falls into a lot of stereotypes, which sometimes are offensive to these people, revealing more things about the script writer himself than the actual Greeks. I have given to this movie 4 out of 10.

Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion (1991 TV Movie)

Boring

[4/10 · 14 September 2002]

Despite the fact that the plot follows the well-known recipe of "who did it", which has characterised all the Perry Mason movies so far, the characters of the present film are not so well-developed and the selected cast fails to give them flesh and blood. Of course, in general, the Perry Mason movies are not significant, but, even for their low standards, this one is weak.

The Road to Denver (1955)

Don't waste your time with this western

[4/10 · 31 March 2002]

Although this western is an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours, everything in it is so predictable and the acting so mediocre that does not really worth anybody's time. True, it has some ideas, but it prefers the easy solutions right from the beginning. I have given it 4 out of 10.

The Big Black Pill (1981 TV Movie)

Really awful

[1/10 · 7 December 2001]

At first I thought that I was watching a parody of a police movie, as neither the actor could be taken seriously as a tough private investigator, nor the dialogues were natural (often, there were quite illogical, as well). If you see the scene with the nun praying to God to save the good detective from drowning and him replying "Don't thank God, thank the water that was not cold and these old bones", you certainly believe that you are dealing with a parody. Then I realised that this movie was serious and that was based in a TV series. Everything here is incredibly pathetic: low-budget directory without fantasy, a script that brings into mind a soap opera and, last but not least, bad acting.

Bone Daddy (1998)

Boring

[4/10 · 25 June 2001]

Some good ideas were existed, but their treatment was not good. Tailor-made for the 'tuff guy' image of Rutger Hauer (who has the talent for better things), routine, with no atmosphere and a very predictable end (I figured out who was the killer from the middle of the movie). I give to this movie a 4.

The Secret She Carried (1996 TV Movie)

Bad drama

[3/10 · 25 June 2001]

I did not find anything that worths mention in this movie. Cheap production, no fantasy, routine script, bad acting and bad treatment of the stereotype of the outsider, 'the freak', who is threatening the security of the middle-class American family.

Wichita (1955)

Decent Western

[6/10 · 25 June 2001]

The strong personality of Wyatt Earp has inspired many western so far. This one is quite old, 45 years old, but is quite decent and concrete.It focuses in the time when Wyatt Earp was a sheriff in Wichita, Kansas, before his trip to Dodge City.Starring Joel McCrea, who was a big star of western movies during the 1950s.

Donato and Daughter (1993 TV Movie)

'When I get older I wanna be a cop, not a...piano player!'

[3/10 · 22 June 2001]

The title of my comments is a phrase that I have heard in the movie, coming from the mouth of little Cal. And I think that is an awful phrase to come from a little kid... It reflects perfectly the quality of the present movie, which can not decide if it wants to be a police adventure or a family drama. The fact is that it does not work as either of them. I have not read the book, but the script is really terrible, full of stereotypes and vacuums. In my opinion Charles Bronson's movies are getting worse and worse as he gets older.

Sweet Poison (1991 TV Movie)

Not so bad...

[4/10 · 15 June 2001]

Arguably, this movie has nothing that you have not seen many times and in much better versions, with much better actors. But the script is descent, concrete and without major leaps or vacuums. It is a non-offensive company, if you have 2 times to kill. If you have not, however, you can bypass it without fear that you are loosing something important.

Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love (1987 TV Movie)

Nothing fancy

[4/10 · 11 June 2001]

Although this movie manages to hold the interest up to the -unexpected, it is the truth-finale, I would not recommend it. The reason is that it is a 'conservative' and very typical film, made for the taste of the ordinary American TV spectator, which presents an unimportant mixture between police adventures and court dramas.

The Circle (2000)

A sad reality

[22 January 2001]

This film is about women and their place in nowadays Iran. As very vividly is pictured in the movie, their fate is sad and we all should be alarmed about it, as Iran (where the movie has banned)is a business partner for a lot of countries which form what we call 'the Western Civilization'.We're not talking about different cultural values here, but for basic human rights. However, the film as a film isn't so strong. Despite the very good acting of the three protagonists, the script has weak points and you may feel a bit boring watching the story. But this doesn't mean that it's not worthing your attention.

The Day Christ Died (1980 TV Movie)

Failed attempt

[4/10 · 17 January 2000]

Although the director tried(the filming was made in Tynisia and Morocco),this attempt to transport the New Testament in the screen failed.The script has serious inaccuracies and fantasies,while the duration is very long.But the most tragic is the protagonist Chris Sarandon,who doesn't seem to understand the demands of his role.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997 TV Movie)

A classic book as a cheap romance

[1/10 · 16 January 2000]

Here we have a complete perversion of Jules Vern. Instant of Conseil we find professor's Arronax ...daughter(!),who is the apple of discord between a terribly bad captain Nemo and Nent Land. The only thing worthing attention here are the fishes.Trully.

12 Monkeys (1995)

A new science fiction generation

[16 January 2000]

One of the most enchanting movies of the "afteralien" generation, with skillfulness direction and marvellous script,where a clever game with the idea of time holds the leading role. Bruce Willis proves that he hasn't only style, but talent also, while Brad Pitt selects another good role, which brought him a candidature for Oscar.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Vietnam's war and difficult questions

[16 January 2000]

This is one of the best anti-war films,however it's not easy to be watched,as it needs carefull observation.Coppola is interesting to show how this war could penetrate your existance and that's why the messages aren't lay in the first level.It's not the cruel killing of the Vietnamese family that shows the horror of the war,but things like the combilation of the napalm bombs with Bach,the persistence of a soldier for a dog etc.The final question is sweeping:was Walter E.Kurtz a dangerous adorer of violence,or a sad victim of this dirty war?

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

The fairytale of a generation

[9/10 · 1 October 1999]

For everyone who was a child or an adolescent at the time the film was made,George Lucas offered a fairytale-masterpiece.All the traditional parts of a fairytale(e.g.the good against the evil,the use of magic etc)were transported in space and became "real" with the excellent (for the time)technology. It will became past only when humanity evolves in the stadium of the movie.'Til then it will always be fascinating.