Carlo Houtkamp Reviews

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

If This Is Merely Entertainment (Then Make It So!)

[1/10 · 5 May 2003]

"They don't make 'em like that anymore," friends of the horror genre often remark on their web sites in reference to killer films from the late 1970s and 1980s era. They are right.

It's not just that sentiments of nostalgia have turned those films into little treasures in our memories. It's because current horror films stink. Not all of them, but plenty or more anyway.

Ever since Dwight H. Little last captured the right Halloween spirit and atmosphere in 1988's Halloween 4, the series deteriorated into a ridiculous, messy and pathetic show. I don't care how many fans of the series curse part 3, it was a pleasant watch compared to what came after part 4. Halloween 5 was a complete prank and lacked any sense of storytelling (compliments to Danielle Harris, who managed to perform extremely well under the circumstances). Part 6, well, let's not waste any words on that one. H20 had its moments and decent acting by Jamie Lee Curtis, but a Southern California private school seemed like a poor replacement for Haddonfield. The producers dedicated it to Donald Pleasance, ignoring the fact that his last name was Pleasence (with an E) and had been spelled correctly on all earlier installments that involved his acting. So much for Moustapha Akkad's commitment to the project!

Halloween Resurrection had a nice opening scene. A 1960s home movie at the Myers house, with the sounds of Johnny Angel performed by Shelley Fabares. It was cut. Of course, the Akkads in their infinite wisdom must have thought, why bother young people with an old song from someone they have never even heard of! Let's keep the film simple (and let's take a popular hip hop artist as the lead actor).

But, thank God, Rick Rosenthal filmed one other decent scene. It involves Jamie Lee Curtis's character hospitalized in a mental institution. This actually is quite a nice scene, with the actress performing wonderfully. It provides a satisfactory and surprisingly original bridge between the events at the end of H20 and the current state of affairs in "Resurrection", with Laurie Strode at the end of her wits and a killer still on the loose.

And after this? We might as well have left. After the promising Jamie Lee Curtis opening scene there seemed no budget, and more important: no inspiration left to come up with something, anything. It's a bore. It's a drag. The prospect of a replica of the original Myers house showing up is a joke. We're allowed one glimpse, and even on that one occasion it is very unsatisfactory: a big car is parked in front and taking the view, as the camera briefly glances up from a low, moving position. It beats me why they even bothered rebuilding it. The interior scenes can be ignored in this sense: it may have been any old house that Busta Rhymes's character Freddie Harris decided to do his online reality show in. And about these characters: have they ever been this flat in ANY Halloween sequel? NO! The characters in Halloween 5 or 6 were drawn brilliantly compared to what is presented to us here! Okay I realize this is actually pretty much of an achievement. Credit to Larry Brand and Sean Hood. It's amazing. The unimpressive cast (I'm not counting Curtis) is highlighted by 'stars' Busta Rhymes (pop artist who is kindly given the chance to act) and Tyra Banks (model who is kindly given the chance to act). Let's suffice by saying that in this case the actors have been given the roles they deserve.

Enough said. Or... We often are told one should not apply the same criteria to a horror film as the ones that apply to drama or classics. But why on earth not? I admire more than one horror movie, but that does not mean I feel I should appreciate the crappy ones by the grace of the good ones. I can see when a film is made with no heart, no spirit and Resurrection is the key example of that. Furthermore, if these films -as we are told so often by people like Moustapha Akkad- are made for entertainment (read: cashing in) purposes only and not for quality acting, complex storytelling or great photography then why, why, why do they so vigorously renounce that one basic goal, the goal of being entertaining???

Maxima's Miracle (2003 TV Movie)

Moving and sincere

[17 April 2003]

Every once in a while a Dutch film comes along that proves it is still possible to create a relatively intelligent, entertaining, moving and visually soothing film right here on the grey, concrete soils of the beautiful place that Holland once was. De Poolse Bruid is one of them. Wonder van Maxima is another.

In Het Wonder van Maxima Paul Ruven makes good use of the city of Amsterdam, turning it into the setting for various complex and yet accessible story lines, inhabited by appealing characters. The actual wedding of Maxima of Argentina to Dutch prince Willem Alexander in 2002 forms the central element within the fiction, and real footage of the event has been marvelously and convincingly blended with new footage and staged scenery. Yet Maxima & Willem, no matter how nice a couple they make, are not what Ruven is concerned with. He focuses on an Argentinian mother and her young, mute daughter from a town that, with its people, has disappeared from Argentina's map: taken away, neatly disposed of and almost forgotten.

There are a lot of social points made in the film that touch the heart and make sense. Many symbolic and literal references are made to what was wrong in Argentina then and what's going wrong in the Netherlands now. Ruven has succeeded in every aspect to make a good film and tell a good story - albeit sometimes with the help of very melodramatic themes and even a forced and strange story line which involves a foreign girl literally on the run from the police who want to send her back to her hostile homeland. For some reason she thinks it of crucial importance -and somehow she finds the time- to convince a tough Madame in the red light district to meet with her son (the girl's boyfriend), who was given up for adoption as a baby. It only serves to pour more melodrama all over us: mother and son do meet, in the very hospital room where the stepmother has just passed on...

Yet, Wonder van Maxima works miraculously. I strongly recommend others to watch it, for it's not a film that can be captured in one review. Paul Ruven has done a great job, and on the whole he seems very sincere in his humanist message to the audience. The whole project is high quality stuff: screenplay, soundtrack, cinematography, editing, and on top of it all a strong, talented cast with stunning performances especially by Spanish actress Sylvia Munt and the beautiful girl who plays her daughter. Compliments for all involved!

Dirty Hands (1975)

Film Noir in Sunny Setting

[23 April 2001]

Claude Chabrol's Les Innocents aux Mains Sale sometimes runs the risk over becoming very, very slow-paced. Particularly the scene in the judge's office in which Julie's attorney cunningly pleads for her innocence is way, way too long. A little less dialogue, and a little more suspense would have helped this film, although it is really not bad.

But... The major attraction in this film is not the story, which, I must say, does have some highly unexpected twists and does indeed show Chabrol's creative skills and pleasure in directing. The star of Les Innocents is no one less than the wonderful Romy Schneider, whose acting performance, charm and beauty in this film are more stunning than ever before. I am very happy that Chabrol has chosen her character as the central one, for now we can admire gracious Scheider in almost every scene. I have the impression the camera man was in love with her, and who can blame him. Romy even looks amazing in the scene where she is putting curlers in her hair. She is the perfect cast for this complicated Femme Fatale role.

Although mainly the mediteranean filming locations in combination with the outstanding weather are to be credited for providing this Film Noir with a deceptively pleasant yellow, warm glow, it is Romy Scheider's radiance and talent that make Les Innocents aux Mains Sales a joy to watch.

Friday the 13th (1980)

Not half as graphic, but twice as good.

[28 March 2001]

If I am correct, some people practically wanted this film banned from the theaters back in 1980. Many film encyclopedias complain on the gruesome, explicit and sadistic nature of the killing scenes. Supposedly the plot would drag itself along from the one bloody execution scene to the other. It made me put off watching this film ever since I was nine.

True, the material is not suitable for the kind of nine-year-old I was. However, having now seen it at age 25 and reconsidering all the intensely negative responses to Friday the 13th, I feel as if I have just seen a different film.

Friday the 13th, or at least the version I viewed, is not the gore fest of mythical proportions that silly talk (not in the least by over enthusiastic fans) and bad reviewing have made it over the years. It is, for instance, no more explicit than that Death on the Nile film starring Peter Ustinov. There are more victims, they are being killed for no reason at all and in highly unpleasant ways, but still the scenes are not revolting or shot in an intolerable fashion. What's more: half of them are off screen.

Other comments have been that the actors are bad, the photography is lousy and, I already mentioned this, the plot drags itself along. This ‘criticism' only heightens the surprise when actually watching it yourself. Surprise, yes, because the acting is fine, the story is o.k. and the camera work is absolutely beyond reproach. It is clear Victor Miller can write a story, just as it is obvious that Sean S. Cunningham can direct. They have skillfully created this slow-pace thriller which makes proper use of the locations and breathes a natural atmosphere. The actor's performances only add to the charm of Friday the 13th. The teens are far less ‘plastic' than the ones we encounter in more recent horror films, and there is no over acting. What's more: they seem quite real and one can, I think, easily identify with them. Mr Cunningham has taken enough time to film the story realistically and this elevates him over the flashy and quick, quick, quick!!! horror directors of today. Interesting moment in this context is, for example, the one in which Adrienne king is barricading the door of her cabin. King, as well as the others by the way, is charismatic and makes for a good heroine (this being a good reason to forget about watching part 2).

And then, of course, there is Betsy Palmer. It is great to see a film diva of the past playing a surprising part like this. Her part is small but crucial and I like the traumatic background and drive Victor Miller has provided this character with.

Without giving it away, I can say the final scenes with King floating on the lake and the police on the bank are filmed with a great sense of humor. Pay attention to the expression on King's face and the moves she makes just before the -either imagined or bizarre- plot twist ‘pops up'. Harry Manfredini's unreliable ‘this is a happy ending'-melody works perfectly with the images. What makes it even more interesting is that Victor Miller said in an interview that this was actually meant as a joke, a gimmick and not as an instigation to further episodes.

Friday the 13th is a decent film if you are into thrillers and horror, and not a video nasty that should be avoided at all costs, as I was encouraged to do for years. I am glad I finally got to see that for myself.

What Happened to Bobby Earl? (1997 TV Movie)

Not very good, but fair enough.

[20 March 2001]

Okay, this film is not very good. But, I happen to be a great fan of Kate Jackson. I always hope her next film will be an independent art house film directed by someone like Todd Solondz, or a European project. Somehow few people seem to realize what a great actress Kate Jackson is, who would do great in a film like Happiness, or Billy Elliot. At the same time I am surprised that block buster directors do not notice her. Show a little courage, casting directors!

On the other hand, it could be that Jackson always shows up in television films voluntarily. She is doing a good job and has been very productive over the years, so it is not really a loss. And these television films are sometimes not even that bad. Coming from the Netherlands I have seen a lot worse. I am genuinely impressed by her performances in The Stranger Within, Armed and Innocent and Empty Cradle.

As I said earlier, What Happened to Bobby Earl ( a typical t.v. movie title) is not a very good film. The characters are quite flat and the best example of this is the 'bad woman' who tempts Bobby to walk the criminal path. She is the stereotypical femme fatale, dressed in black and red designer clothes and living a meaningless, expensive life.

Teaming up Rose, Jackson's character, with the insurance agent who is after the bad ones is very unrealistic. His character, I don't care whether based on reality, should have been left out altogether and is just one of the numerous weaknesses in this film. Lack of events, bad plot structure, length, needless melodrama, uninteresting filming locations and bad actors in supporting roles are others.

However, I very much am in favor of the social point that is being made in this film. When Bobby is given a revolver for his graduation by his friend, his mother Rose (Jackson) is astonished and shocked and cries out "What the hell kind of a gift is that to give to a college graduate!" and "Criminals have guns. Criminals and the police..."

I don't think we would see Rick Schroder or Charleton Heston in a film that makes a social comment like that.

A Woman at War (1991 TV Movie)

In Praise of Martha (and the Film).

[20 March 2001]

Of the three war movies that have most impressed me so far, Hanna's War (1988), The Hiding Place (1975) and A Woman at War (1991), the last one is the most skillfully directed. But the film has another advantage: Martha Plimpton. She is one of the most charismatic and talented American actresses I know of and in my opinion those models with double names rather than actresses who are currently making a career in Hollywood should take a look at Martha and take her genuine radiance and convincing acting as an example.

Along with this, I have the impression A Woman at War is one of the last Hollywood films (filmed in Warsaw by the way) that was not hindered by the over-glamorous and slick looking Titanicesque photography which for me partly ruins otherwise nice films such as The Astronaut's Wife, The Sixth Sense and most of all American Beauty. Could it be Panavision changed its lenses or Kodak its film since then? Probably not, it is merely a result of today's producer, director and camera boss focusing on the overall 'clean' look of the film rather then on impact and naturalness and hence they instruct the lighting crew to make that light a little softer, a little warmer and tell the make up department to apply that make up a little thicker, a little harder. A Woman at War is 'pure' and timeless in its looks and is a joy to watch.

To come back to Martha Plimpton, I think her performance in this film is magnificent. Her character, Helene, really comes to life. However, I had expected -and I am aware this is rather a matter for scriptwriter and director- a somewhat more emotional response (sadness perhaps?) to the tragic things she experiences: losing relatives and being confronted with the corpses of murdered companions. Of course times are rough, and Helene must be tough in order to survive the war and fight in the resistance, but I now get the impression that it is a taboo thing for the heroic character, who is, if I am correct, not only a tough fighter but also a sensitive, social and young girl, to cry or be shocked and desperate.

Yet, the film stands solidly and what is quite pleasant and exceptional is that the story is not melodramatic and does not rely on easy sentimental scoring. Some story lines are left open and there are many interesting but believable plot twists. For instance, in the end we are still not certain, like Helene, whether Eric Stoltz's character was basically good or has betrayed his friends. Great in this light is the scene in which Helene runs from a streetcar because she runs the risk of being caught carrying weapons and as a result is faced with a dilemma, and the one in which Franz comes in to identify her as a criminal and shows nothing but his own real(?) face.

A great story, greatly told. With a wonderful lead actress, which I hope will soon start in another lead role: Martha Plimpton.

Hanna's War (1988)

Impressive and Shocking

[10/10 · 20 March 2001]

It sounds a bit awkward to call a film about war and holocaust shocking since many of us will know only too well of the horrors that war and violence brings. By using the adjective 'shocking' I do not intend to imply that I am surprised about the things told about in this film or that I was formerly unaware of them, it is just that I am very much impressed by the way in which this film shows how crazy and incomprehensibly horrific it is to kill each other off, either with or without a 'reason'.

The first part of the film focuses on Hanna's successful participation in the Hungarian resistance. Maruschka Detmers would never have won an Oscar for this performance, due to inconsistent directing, but still her acting is solid enough and she has enormous charisma. She is cast very well as Hanna and immediately has our sympathy. Her very beautiful looks help, of course, but that has nothing to do with her being simply a good actress, playing a good part.

Certain inconsistencies keep occurring in Hanna's War. I sometimes get the idea director Menahem Golan (often despised for The Gianni Versace Murder) was in a rush and should actually have allowed a few more takes per scene. On the other hand, I am very thankful he made this impressive and thought-provoking film and as I am very positive about it, I think he did a good job.

The second half of the film is the most interesting and tragic one. It focuses on Hanna's suffering (beware of Donald Pleasence's scary portrayal of the cruel and sardonic captain Rosza) and intensely shows the injustice and horror that comes with hate and violence and war. I receive Hanna's War, especially the second half, as a strong anti-war film and for that alone Golan deserves credit. It is also this second half in which Maruschka Detmer's talent comes out, creating a character which goes into film history as one of the most speaking, strong and tragic ever portrayed. It is also great to see Ellen Burstyn, whose appearance and acting style always remind me of Romy Schneider, who -had she been alive and cast- would have made a similar effective contribution to Hanna's War.

The tragic impact of the second half and the desperate tension which is sometimes replaced by hopeful prospects and good news lead to a number of final scenes which show something so unexpected, so moving and poetic in its tragedy that it hit me like a bomb and left me in tears. And when I realized once more it wasn't even fiction, it all actually happened, I found myself in even more tears. The image of Hanna portrayed by Maruschka Detmers will be in my mind forever.

Perdita Durango (1997)

Spoiling the Fun.

[5 February 2001]

Since practically all reviews here are positive, it feels like spoiling the fun writing negatively about Perdita Durango. I must be one of the few people who does not like this film one bit. Violent and morbid in a senseless and provocative way, Perdita Durango is hardly an original in the flow of 1990s movies that lack any form of subtlety and atmosphere, and go overboard on abuse, cursing and violence because the artistic minds that spawn this nonsense all agree that 'this is how life really is'. How tough and rugged and at the same time sincere the people who made this film must be and yes, we should all be on our knees thanking them for making these realistic and honestly daring films which are supposedly so terrific that they are beyond criticism. Just write a mind-numbing and aggressive screenplay, bring money in the til and you become a cinematic genius (like Barry Gifford) and will receive carte blanche treatment all over the place.

Between Heaven and Earth (1992)

Gripping, thought-provoking and entertaining too.

[2 February 2001]

Sur la Terre comme au Ciel is a very gripping film. Marion Hansel and the script writers have taken a surrealist point of departure in order to tell a thought-provoking and moving story which is not void of social criticism.

A single woman named Maria, played wonderfully by Carmen Maura, is happy to be pregnant. One day, when she is at the doctor's, she talks to an inconsolable young woman whose unborn baby has told her he does not want to be born. Nobody believes her. Only a while later, Maria hears her own baby in the womb uttering the same refusal, and this is the beginning of a chain of haunting events. As she starts to realize that all babies in the world object to being born because the world has become commonplace for violence, hate and cruelty, she meets with a wall of disbelief and disrespect. Most people regard her as a paranoid schizophrenic, a raving emotional wreck. Very strong in this context is the scene where Maria, by surprise, is placed in a discussion forum on a televised talk show and makes no disguise of her fears.

Very successfully Hansel has interwoven social comment through this drama/thriller. Without patronizing or pouring out gallons of gloom over the viewer she makes one good point after the other. There is comic relief too from time to time, and there is a sense of hope for the future. Next to Maura's character and her young friend Tom, there is depth even to the minor characters. A great moment in the film is where Maria meets with a former physicist who has parted with his profession because he has seen with his own eyes that scientists are going way too far when it comes to genetic research and - engineering.

Marion Hansel's strong directing is reinforced by good writing, a strong cast, a good steady camera crew and a haunting soundtrack that sets the mood right from the opening titles. If there is ever going to be an American remake of this film, M. Night Shyamalan or Robert Zemeckis would be appropriate directors for the project, but Marion Hansel herself is the one to call on first.

Contact (1997)

Robert Zemeckis' best film so far

[1 February 2001]

Contact is Robert Zemeckis' best film so far. In this film about a driven scientist -played by a driven Jodie Foster- every scene is interesting and the story manages to thrill all the way through. There are so many characters, locations, events and situations in it that are captivating and worked out splendidly that watching this film is a very pleasant experience from start to finish. Sure, there are some weaknesses, like having Jodie Foster drink beer straight from a bottle at the beginning to tell us she may be a scientist but is also a working girl, and having her character make love to Matthew McConaughey's character to tell us she is not male-shy or lesbian. Another flaw is the stereotypical representation of the religious fanatic who, of course, has long white hair. But at the same time it is a nice caricature and it works in the film. And the fact that it is not very realistic sometimes (John Hurt's character is utopian) only adds to the strength of Contact.

The film is not just a science fiction fantasy, it also satirises religion, the academic world, the military and media hysteria. A crucial element in this light is Tom Skerritt's character of an ambitious, sanctimonious and arrogant academic who likes to show off with other people's achievements as if they were his own. I was never much of a fan of Skerritt, but in Contact he is well-cast and he does a good job.

Most of the credit goes to Foster, writer Carl Sagan and Robert Zemeckis. With this film Mr. Zemeckis has convinced me that blockbuster directors can be talented, creative and original directors. I can't bear to think of the results if they had called in someone like James Cameron to direct this film.

Secrets of the Heart (1997)

Beautiful

[30 January 2001]

A beautiful film this little Spanish masterpiece from writer/director Montxo Armendàriz. He shows magnificent skill, subtlety and integrity when it comes to portraying the small town 1950's characters and their daily problems and pleasures. Seen through the eyes of young Javi, wonderfully played by Andoni Erburu who is in practically every scene.

A masterpiece this is. It is a great relief to know that films like this are made among the excessive violence of ultimately worthless films. I cannot discover any weaknesses in Secretos del Corazón. I simply love it. Credit to all who were involved in the creation of this beautiful work.

DeepStar Six (1989)

Swell enough...

[17 August 2000]

When John Carpenter makes a low budget sci-fi thriller it becomes cult, when Sean S. Cunningham does the same practically everyone calls it cheap. I don't get it. Okay, DeepStar Six is a little dull, but once the monster pops up it isn't that bad. Visually I think it's fine, and although the special effects look slightly pre-mature and clearly a lot of small-scale models have been used I actually prefer this over the clinical and steely looking computer tricks pulled by canonized Industrial Light and Magic.

To compare this film to Fantastic Voyage (1966) may be way out of line, but still DeepStar Six reminded me of that somewhat ridiculous film in which a scientific crew and their vehicle are shrunk in order to explore the human body. Little human bodies are saved in DeepStar Six and that is a bit of a waste since the cast is good and especially the female contributions (by Nia Peeples, Nancy Everhard and Cindy Pickett) are swell. Greg Evigan makes a nice lead and he has the right looks for his heroic part. Thank God (or Cunningham) they did not cast a bull like Steven Segal or Chuck Norris for this part, for that would have spoiled everything. A pleasant surprise is the presence of Marius Weyers (who played in the wonderful classic The Gods Must Be Crazy). Not at his best here, but I don't mind.

Camera and lighting are done in such a way that the interior of the ship as well as the atmosphere look pretty authentic and Sean S. Cunningham has done a fine job in making his actors move around in it naturally and convincingly. Not a masterpiece, but I am pleased to see a film like this from a man who has done much worse.

Poltergeist III (1988)

I am so scared!

[8 August 2000]

The greatest achievement in this ‘film' is not just that it may well be one of the worst ever spawned by a major film company, but basically that it is so successful in making the viewer fall asleep. The only thing more praiseworthy than writing such a dull and thin plot is actually sitting through it. No scares, no thrills, no fun. Lousy setting, lousy actors playing teenagers, lousy actors playing adults and worst of all: talentless Nancy Allen, complete with run-through make-up, sobbing her way through instead of acting, only finding her equal in that lame excuse for a husband -or actor- Tom Skerritt. I am sorry for Heather O'Rourke and Zelda Rubenstein and yes, actors have to pay their bills too, but what were they doing in this stupid sequel?

Scream (1996)

On Second Thought

[17 July 2000]

In an earlier comment on Scream I was way too negative about this Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson joint venture. After seeing Scream 2, which I found very entertaining, I went to the store to buy Scream. I had to if I wanted to see it again, for I had erased my first copy.

Seeing it for the second time I appreciated it much more. Although the opening scenes with Drew Barrymore are not really my kind of potato, for -call me old-fashioned- I don't like long-stretched brutality and yes I do think this qualifies as such, the film on the whole is good. Not nice, but good. I am particularly impressed by Neve Campbell's charismatic acting. Jamie Kennedy's humorous role is essential to this film. The story is not constructed in a bad way, as I claimed in my first comment, but in fact it really stimulates viewers to eagerly try and find out the killer's identity. In this sense Williamson has done a great job and the way he almost lets his story run out of control only to make it all fit in the end in a remarkable and highly entertaining way is praiseworthy.

The scenes I like most is where Campbell hears two girls talking about her in school; the one where Kennedy becomes ecstatic in the video store; the principal (Henry Winkler, uncredited for some reason) apologizing to the janitor; and Campbell impersonating the voice on the phone ("Wanna play a game? It's called: Guess Who Called the Police..."). So on second thought, Scream is not that bad at all and Wes Craven deserves a little more credit than I first gave him.

Village of the Damned (1995)

Well done...

[15 July 2000]

I am beginning to wonder whether John Carpenter's Halloween, indeed a rather good film, was merely a lucky shot. In my modest opinion, no trick he pulled after that ever worked or proved much talent. Well, I haven't seen two or three of his films, and In The Mouth of Madness is not that bad, but Escape from New York, The Fog and Prince of Darkness are key examples of how to turn an interesting idea into a dull finger exercise. I never understand why Carpenter says he would have performed best in the old studio system, for it is unlikely a company like RKO Pictures or MGM could have used one like him.

Village of The Damned is in this sense a typical Carpenter film: boring, predictable, useless. Characters are incredibly flat, no suspense is built up whatsoever, the effects are insulting -yet not in a funny way- and so is the silly climax.

There is no use at all in Kirstie Alley's character. What is she doing there? She plays very badly anyway, and who can blame her? I bet she was not too happy with that final shot of her lying on a table, which is only one sample of the photographer's lousy work. Linda Kozlowski is sympathetic, and some scenes with her little boy are nice, but that cannot safe Village of The Damned from well-deserved oblivion.

Maybe Carpenter and his crew suffered from a giant blackout while doing this remake. But then, that must have been the case with most of his films.

The Stranger Within (1990 TV Movie)

I love this film...

[10/10 · 29 March 2000]

The Stranger Within is a film I think I am in love with. It does have more than one flaw (we all do) but I keep watching it over and over again. The film's quality outweighs the minor flaunts (which include some cliches, like a heroic cop trying to come to the rescue) by far. For one, there is Kate Jackson's as well as Rick Schroder's terrific acting. These two actors seem to be made for each other and the way they score in The Stranger Within just screams for more joint ventures. Tom Holland did a wonderful job directing them and I hope the three of them will work together once more. The story by John Pielmeier is stirring, gripping, suspenseful and even credible (although he really should have abandoned that cop story line). He uses everyday situations and events, and what I like most about his narrative is the emphasis on emotions and humanity. The script does not judge any of the characters and we really sympathize with all of them. It makes The Stranger Within a tragedy as much as a mystery. The sudden violence is not subtle, but it nevertheless results in some clever and fascinating scenes and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Violence and tragedy keep taking turns appealing to the viewer's imagination and compassion and especially the scenes of Schroder and Jackson in the kitchen, where naturalness as well as impact of the dialogues reach the highest levels, are stunning. The music by Vladimir Horunzhy is sober and electronic and that suits this film remarkably well.

I just wonder why Tom Holland made this film for television and not for theater release. It would have been a hit in European film houses, and wide screen format would have done more justice to the solid camera work by James Hayman and crew. Therefore I suggest The film will be remastered and provided with full opening and end credits in order to prepare it for international theater release. Maybe Holland still has some cut scenes which should be in it and could be inserted. I don't think the film will ever become a hype (thank god) but it does not deserve to be lost in oblivion

The Eyes of the Amaryllis (1982)

A Bergman film Bergman didn't make

[10/10 · 29 March 2000]

The Eyes of the Amaryllis is a truly magnificent film. Director King Keller must have seen a lot of Ingmar Bergman films before he started on it. Or maybe Bergman was present on the set, looking over Keller's shoulder. That's not likely, but still more likely than Wes Craven's Last House on the Left (note: this is not a recommendation) being inspired by Bergman's The Virgin Spring.

The Story, about a young girl staying with her eccentric and traumatised grandmother in an old house at a coast that's littered with tragic mysteries and painful memories, makes you feel warm and comfortable and alienated and shivery at the same time. The Eyes of the Amaryllis is not a thriller, or anything like that, but imagery and plot are haunting. Ruth Ford and Martha Byrne are charismatic and well-cast. There is an undeniable chemistry between these two ladies.

Although the story is set in the late 19th century, the soundtrack consists mainly of weird electronic sounds and that really works well.

You'll enjoy watching this film best when you take the time for it, for instance when you are home alone on a dark and stormy, late October evening.

The Good Son (1993)

Predictable and silly.

[20 March 2000]

The Good Son was a big disappointment to me when I saw it in 1994. I had the idea I was watching a thriller for 8-year olds. The whole film is too slick and too easy. Camera work and scenery are fine, but Elmer Bernstein's theme music is really overdone, seems endless and is too prominent all the way through, especially when you take into account that hardly anything happens. A 1950's horror movie is scarier than this! And if anything happens, we can see it coming from miles afar. It's amazing how the characters can't. These characters, by the way, are dreadful stereotypes, lead by Wood, who is highly annoying as the heroic and thoroughly good cousin. He finds himself all alone in believing Culkin forms a threat to his loving, warm family. Let's just hope Ruben is not displaying his own visions on good and bad here, for if so, The Good Son has some rather extreme implications: people are simply born 'good' or 'bad'. No wonder Ian McEwan wanted his name removed from the credits.

Even if we are to look upon this film as merely entertaining, Ruben did not succeed. The Good Son has little value other than that it features Macaulay Culkin, who -as opposed to the charisma and radiance he displayed in John Hughes' films- does not seem to be enjoying himself at all. If you are going to watch this film, though, do so until it's finished. In the end you may have some good old laughs! (...that is, of course, if the dialogues did not yet cause you to die laughing).

Dolls (1986)

It's a parody!

[7 February 2000]

Dolls should not be taken too serious, although Stuart Gordon has got some really great actors trying to make it to the end credits alive. Guy Rolfe, Carrie Lorraine, Hilary Mason and the two British girls should have been nominated for their performances. Dolls is a horror film, shot in the famous Italian Empire Studios, but it is also a comedy. There's so much subtle and less subtle comic relief in this film that no one will be really shocked by the killing scenes (one of which shows a fantasy involving a giant teddy bear taking revenge on Lorraine's wicked stepmother and father). Some blood flows, but luckily for the victims they will ultimately turn into antique dolls, to be cherished by the loving Rolfe and Mason. Notice how the wonderful music to the opening titles gets you in the mood!!!

Death Watch (1980)

One of Romy Schneider's greatest films.

[7 February 2000]

When I first saw this film at the age of seven, I was left highly impressed. From that moment on, Death Watch (La Mort en Direct) has been one of my favourite films. Although there are some weaker moments (a dull voice-over from a supporting actress, a climax that does not really hit the spot, French opening titles) the acting, the dialogues, haunting soundtrack and the charisma of Schneider and Keitel make watching this film a very good experience. Credit also to the director of photography and his camera crew, whose wonderful style may remind you of Dean Cundey's work on Halloween (1978).