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Wuchakk
My All-Time Favorite Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070122364/
Film Axioms:
- No genre is beyond redemption or above contempt.
- Just because a movie's good doesn't mean you'll like it; just because you like it doesn't mean it's good.
- Italians have been making the worst movies for a hundred years.
- Howard Hawks supplied the simplest definition of a good movie: "Three great scenes. No bad scenes."
- Nine out of ten times when there's a bar scene in a movie there's a fight.
- Every great auteur/actor has a bad or dubious film; but, remember, even God created the cockroach.
- People who go overboard with criticism -- e.g. "This is the worst film ever!" or "I'd give this 0/10 if I could!" -- lose credibility as reviewers. The same goes with overrating a movie.
- Honest reviewers must resist the influence of mass hype when a popular film debuts. Separating it from the initial epidemic fervor is mandatory in determining it's true worth. (Remember when Roger Ebert gave Peter Jackson's "King Kong" a perfect rating of 4/4 Stars? Why sure!).
- Movies are life with the boring bits taken out.
- A movie can be technically well-made, but void of depth. The reverse is also true: A movie can be technically deficient (usually due to low-budget), but thematically wealthy. Whereas the ideal is to have both, sometimes a movie's budget doesn't allow for top-notch filmmaking, but it can still soar in the realm of worthy mindfood. Some excellent examples from my reviews include "From Within," "Billy Jack" and "Tribes." Many episodes of the original Star Trek TV series are great examples as well, such as "Space Seed," "The Naked Time" or "The City on the Edge of Forever."
- Movies must be critiqued and graded according to what they are and aspire to achieve. For instance, 1998's "Godzilla" is a colossal-creature movie and should therefore be reviewed on that level. Compared to the original "Apocalypse Now" it's dreck, but how does it stack-up to other gigantic-monster movies?
- Reviewers who intentionally say false things about a film reveal a personal vendetta against it and lose all credibility as reviewers. Don't even give these types of "reviewers" and their "reviews" the time of day.
- Movies are the modern-day campfire tales of centuries past. They entertain, amuse, inspire and mentor. Generally speaking, they provide the mythology that helps the modern world cope with reality.
- I see a lot of reviewers giving movies 10/10 Stars or 1/10 Stars when, the reality is, most movies fall between 5/10 Stars and 7/10 Stars.
- Disregarding profits, the main purpose of a movie is to entertain; the secondary purpose is to convey a message. The better the entertainment and message, the better the movie. The reverse is also true.
- In 99 out of 100 movies, if something doesn't happen by the end of the first reel, nothing's gonna happen (at least nothing compelling, effective, original or inspiring).
- Popularity at the box office is very important for people who's opinion of an artistic work needs validated by others (rolling my eyes).
- A movie that doesn't do well at the box office isn't always an indicator that it's bad; it could mean something interesting is going on that's too far out of the norm for mass consumption. "Watchmen" and (believe it or not) "The Wizard of Oz" are good examples ("Wizard" bombed when it debuted in 1939).
- Watching a movie is like seeing someone else's hallucination. You have to be willing to enter into the film's 'world' to appreciate it. If you can't, you won't.
- The rating of a movie is irrelevant (G, PG, PG-13, R). Does more gore, more nudity, more cussing, more overt sexual situations determine the worthiness of a film? Maybe for 13 year-olds. Is "The Wizard of OZ" a lousy film because it's rated G? How about the original "Planet of the Apes"?
- While good movies can be made with big budgets, big names, big stunts and incredible F/X, they can also be made with small budgets, creative writers & directors and no-name-but-quality actors.
- No one sets out to make a bad movie.
- It's always preferable to watch an entertaining mess over a competent bore-fest.
- Art (including film) is not meant to be an imitation of reality, but rather an interpretation of it.
- Never watch a movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.
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RATING GUIDE:
10/10 Stars: A+ (Top-of-the-line)
9/10 Stars: A (Excellent)
8/10 Stars: A- (Breaks the threshold of greatness)
7/10 Stars: B+ or B (Very good or, at least, good)
6/10 Stars: B or B- (Marginal "thumbs up")
5/10 Stars: C+ or C (Too flawed to recommend, but some worthwhile aspects)
4/10 Stars: C or C- (Severely mediocre or flawed)
3/10 Stars: D+ or D (Cinematic flotsam)
2/10 Stars: D or D- ("Brain and brain, what is brain?")
1/10 Star: F (Worthless garbage for one important reason or another)
Note: Like everyone else, I tend to watch movies I think I might like, which explains my numerous positive ratings.
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Favorite Film of All Time:
Apocalypse Now
TV Axiom:
- Every ten years or so a TV show comes along that doesn't suck.
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
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Greatest Moments in Cinema
WARNING: Some of my comments contain SPOILERS.
(More to come)
The Most BEAUTIFUL Women on Screen (Present & Past)
Please note that this list refers to women "Present & Past," so there are several females who have passed away or are well beyond their physical prime. Carol Lynley is a good example. This is why I cite specific movies or TV shows in which to view these lovely ladies at their physical best.
Others have suggested several women that I should add to the list. I appreciate this and I may add them at some point when I eventually view them in a movie or show (Sofia Vergara and Sophia Loren are good examples); but some of them I'm well familiar with and -- even though they're beautiful women one way or another, perhaps even stunning -- they lack the qualities necessary to make my list (Raquel Welch, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Alba come to mind) (some of these almost made my list, like Jessica Biel).
It was also suggested that I should add several Victoria Secrets women, but this list is limited to women who appear in movies & TV shows, even if a few of them are more singers than actresses.
Someone else criticized the list for not including "women of color," but look closely and you'll observe a sprinkling of such lasses, like Vida Guerra, Bingbing Fan, Yolanda Pecoraro, Demi Lovato, Mariah Carey, Salma Hayek, Sonia Braga and more. The obvious reason there aren't more "women of color" is because I'm a white dude (with some Abenaki blood) and, gee, I guess I tend to prefer women with lighter skin. This has nothing to do with racism; it's just personal preference and, besides, this is a subjective list.
Best Dramas
My All-Time Favorite Movies
Since this list contains movies from all production levels, film snobs who only favor flicks with blockbuster-level budgets are encouraged to skip it.
For questions, comments or rebukes, write me at: dltoes@msn.com
Francis Ford Coppola's Movies Favorite-to-Least-Favorite
Best Westerns
Some heralded Westerns aren't on the list because either 1. I'm not a fan (e.g. "The Searchers") or 2. I generally like them, but not enough to make my favorites list (e.g. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" & "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"). In some cases, I might have yet to see the film (e.g. "The Great Silence").
There are other Westerns that I remember liking and they may make my list in the future, but I have to give 'em a fresh viewing because I haven't seen them for so long.
Feel free to give your feedback, thanks!
Favorite War Films
Cult Movies That Don't SUCK
Most cult movie lists curiously contain utterly horrid flicks, like "Pink Flamingos" (Seriously?) and "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (get real) or fruity wannabe hip crapolla like "Rocky Horror," which explains the title of my list. While numerous of the films on this list are loathed by the masses they're actually worthwhile movies for various significant reasons. My commentaries provide evidence.
I'm not including widely-known movies that you'll often see on cult movie lists, like "The Wizard of Oz," "King Kong," "Apocalypse Now" and "Pulp Fiction," because -- although I wholly agree that they deserve their devotees -- they're just so popular that they're not really cult films.
Some definitive cult flicks, like "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" and "Mad Max," aren't on this list simply because -- while certainly worth seeing -- they're just not entertaining enough to make my list; and entertainment (one way or another) is the name of the game.
Lastly, any cult movie list that includes every Tarantino flick -- or practically all of them -- should be rejected out of hand. (Pick one or two that best represent his repertoire and be done with it).
Overrated Movies
In no certain order.
For questions, comments or rebukes, write me at: dltoes@msn.com
Best Sword & Sandal Flicks
This list includes films from all three types of sword & sandal movies: 1. historical or realistic, 2. fantasy ones that typically have an element of magic/sorcery (i.e. "sword & sorcery") and 3. biblical, which is arguably one-and-the-same as the first type.
Reviews
The Dyatlov Pass Incident (2013)
Trying to discover the truth about the Dyatlov Pass Incident of 1959
Five students from the University of Oregon obtain a grant to conduct an expedition to the infamous pass in the northern Ural Mountains to try to figure out what happened to the nine Russian hikers who perished there 53 years earlier. While the excursion starts out promising, things go from bad to worse.
"Devil's Pass" (2013) is found footage adventure/horror/sci-fi that's way better than I thought it'd be, speaking as someone who's generally not big on found footage flicks, unless they're done right. What's great about this one is that the cast & crew literally went to the snowy mountains in Russia to shoot the film.
Yet it wasn't shot anywhere near the Dyatlov Pass, but rather in and around Kirovsk, which is in extreme northwest Russia not far south of eastern Sápmi, aka Lapland. This is roughly 3400 miles northwest of the infamous pass, by vehicle. They obviously shot here because it was more accessible and cheaper compared to filming near the remote pass, not to mention the Khibiny Mountains are generally more scenic in a rugged sense compared to the Urals.
I like how various theories are thrown around in the story with commentary on The Philadelphia Experiment circa 1943. However, that alleged event had zero to do with teleportation, but rather attempted to make the USS Eldridge 'invisible' to radar detection by manipulating magnetic fields.
As for what the students find at Kholat Syakhl, aka Dead Mountain, let's just say that the scriptwriter Frankenstein-ed the concept of Nightcrawler of the X-Men.
This movie is, of course, a fantastical account, but what really happened at Dyatlov Pass in 1959? The top theory is that 3 feet of shifting snow during the snowstorm suddenly fell on the tent at night, which panicked the nine inhabitants. Fearful of an actual avalanche, they cut themselves out of the tent and fled without proper attire. When they realized an avalanche wasn't going to happen, some tried to make it back to the tent but died of hypothermia in the -13 degrees Fahrenheit weather (it was no doubt difficult to find the camp in those conditions). What happened to the others is well explained in an 11-minute documentary called "Is Dyatlov Pass Mystery Finally Solved," available for free on Youtube (jump to 7:33 to skip the recap of the entire incident).
It runs 1 hour, 40 minutes. Additional scenes were shot in Krasnaya Polyana in Sochi, Russia, by the Caucasus Mountains, just northwest of Georgia.
GRADE: B.
Straw Dogs (1971)
How far can a civilized man be pushed?
A well-to-do couple from America (Dustin Hoffman and Susan George) move back to the wife's hometown near Land's End in western Cornwall, England, and settle into the vacant homestead. They enlist some roofers whom she knows from her school days, one of them being a former boyfriend (Del Henney). Rivalry is in the air as the laborers try to emasculate Amy's brainy husband and she questions his manhood. Havoc ensues.
Based on Gordon M. Williams's novel and helmed by Peckinpah, "Straw Dogs" (1971) is a psychological thriller and so there's a lot of drama and subtle suspense build-up; things don't blow-up until the final act, so to speak. Consequently, anyone looking for mindless action should stay away. There are bits reminiscent of "Of Mice and Men," like the mentally challenged guy (David Warner) who doesn't know his own strength.
The conflict here is basically brawn vs. Brain or Lynyrd Skynyrd vs. Bach. David (Hoffman) is a meek, civilized man of below average stature (almost 5'6") with an intellectual occupation who is forced to shed all his cultured conditioning and revert back to the barbarism of his ancestors.
The story spurs some questions: Why does a rape-victim keep silent? Why is the local teen hottie interested in the mentally-challenged hunk? But a little reflection will answer these and other questions. I like it when films don't spell everything out and make you think. Certain added bits are interesting, like the subtle rivalry between gang members Charlie (Henney) and Norman (Ken Hutchison).
The flick is sophisticated and sneers at binary good/bad characterizations, rubbing the viewer's face in humanity's animalistic (or fallen) nature, which lies just beneath the veneer of civilized proprieties. There's an effective 2011 remake, which switches the setting to the modern day of the Deep South, America. Anyone who appreciates Rural Gothic or Southern Gothic will likely appreciate either. I should add that there's an unpleasant rape sequence à la "The Wild Angels" and "Last Summer," not to mention the mayhem of the climax, but it's mostly an intelligent drama that slowly builds tension, obviously influenced by "The Shuttered Room" from four years prior.
It runs 1 hour, 58 minutes, and was shot in southwest England at St Buryan, near Penzance, with studio stuff done at Twickenham Studios in London.
GRADE: B.
The Barn (2016)
All-around entertaining trick or treat flick, but no meat on the bones
On Halloween, 1989, some teens in southwest Pennsylvania make the mistake of entering a forbidden barn, which unleashes three diabolical creatures: a miner boogeyman, a pumpkin man and a scarecrow.
"The Barn" (2016) only cost $80,000 and was a life-long dream project of producer/writer/director Justin M. Seaman. I've seen several such movies by Indie filmmakers shooting in their beloved local areas and you have to understandably brace yourself for the worst, like stilted acting, lousy sound, questionable editing, cheesy effects and unconvincing action sequences. Considering the limited budget, this scores proficiently in all the above with 'B' queen Linnea Quigley showing up for a one-day gig. It's colorful and has a great rockin' soundtrack by no-name artists. The key actors take a relatively serious approach while some of the peripherals ham it up in an amusing way, like Sam's dad.
Where it drops the ball is the writing. There's not enough depth beyond the descriptive blurb above and so I found myself bored with the story and characters in the second half. A similar Indie production, "Angel" (2018), featured stilted acting and lousy action scenes, but it at least had an interesting story (and great cinematography and locations), which made it more rewarding even though "The Barn" is technically superior and delivers the goods for fun Halloween ambiance.
Lexi Dripps (Michelle) and Nikki Howell (Nikki) are serviceable on the feminine front, but more shoulda been done with them. A body double was, incidentally, used for the latter's brief top-nude scene.
It runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in various areas of southwest Pennsylvania, including West Alexander (main location), Claysville (street scenes), Washington (roller rink) and Emsworth (Dr. Rock sequence).
GRADE: C+
An Unknown Compelling Force (2021)
What happened to nine Russian hikers on Dyatlov Pass in early February, 1959?
British-American documentarian Liam Le Guillou travels to the area in question in the northeast Ural Mountains to talk to the locals and examine the best theories as to why the nine athletic Russians (seven men and two women) left their tents in the freezing cold of the night without adequate attire, with most perishing of hypothermia far away and a few others revealing signs of blunt force trauma.
"An Unknown Compelling Force" (2021) is worthwhile for learning about the nine victims, as well as the inaccessible region in general. Yekaterinburg is the closest city, which is 340 miles to the south; and the closest town like 60 miles away. Seven of the nine hikers were college students with the other man a healthy veteran of WW2, fifteen years their senior. They left behind undeveloped film and diaries up until the day of their deaths for evidence of what went down, not to mention their grisly remains and the autopsies thereof.
While Le Guillou wisely leaves the mystery open at the end, he also doesn't fail to point out what he thinks likely went down with the help of various experts and investigators, Russian and American. Certain popular theories, including the outlandish ones, are ruled out for one good reason or another, which leaves the most obvious scenario, according to Liam and his experts. Simply put, they believe the hikers were murdered, possibly by a savage band of Khanty living in the area, who wouldn't take kindly to Soviet invaders, especially if they inadvertently marred one of their shrines.
While this theory is interesting, there wasn't any evidence at the scene of these supposed assailants, like footprints. The better theory is that 3 feet of shifting snow during the snowstorm suddenly fell on the tent at night, which panicked the nine inhabitants. Fearful of an actual avalanche, they cut themselves out of the tent and fled without proper attire. When they realized an avalanche wasn't going to happen, some tried to make it back to the tent but died of hypothermia in the -13 degrees Fahrenheit weather (it was no doubt difficult to find the camp in those conditions). What happened to the others is well explained in an 11-minute documentary called "Is Dyatlov Pass Mystery Finally Solved," available for free on Youtube.
This film runs 1 hour, 46 minutes.
GRADE: B-
There Was a Little Girl (1981)
Slow slasher set in Savannah pays off with the last act
A teacher of deaf kids is haunted by her upbringing with her crazy twin sister. When it's discovered that she's escaped the institution, people around her start dying. This builds up to the sisters' birthday.
While technically an Italian production, "Madhouse" (1981) was shot in America with American actors and is also known as "There Was a Little Girl." While the first hour is mostly unhurried drama, this is the foundation for the crazy last act. The producer/director/writer Ovidio G. Assonitis gives hints of what's really going on, but doesn't spell it out. He respected the viewer to put the pieces together.
The film should also be esteemed for featuring something that didn't become in vogue until fifteen years later with "Scream," although the contemporaneous "Just Before Dawn" did it as well. Meanwhile the ending borrows something from "The Night Strangler" from eight years prior.
This was protagonist Trish Everly's only proper film and starring role, which is strange since she's a convincing actress. She happened to be a member of Dean Martin's singing/dancing group the Golddiggers from 1969-1971 and had bit parts in several TV series and a few TV movies. Her real name is Patricia Mickey. Also worth mentioning on the beauty front is blonde Morgan Most as Helen.
Interestingly, James Cameron believed that Assonitis (listed as Oliver Hellman in the credits) would hire American directors to get funding from studios for his projects and then find an excuse to fire them and direct himself. The proof for this, it is claimed, is "Beyond the Door," this movie, and "Piranha 2: The Spawning."
It runs 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot in Savannah, Georgia.
GRADE: B-
School Spirit (1985)
Vacuous frat boy shenanigans with amusing ghosts and lots of T&A
A sex-obsessed college guy (Tom Nolan) suddenly has the ability to be an invisible spirit and so takes advantage of it on a SoCal campus, particularly pursuing a couple of romantic interests (Elizabeth Foxx and Danièle Arnaud).
"School Spirit" (1985) is a goofy campus comedy that obviously influenced "Ghost," but don't expect the greatness of that film. It starts off creatively enough, yet the story never really takes advantage of that promise, preferring to bog down in shallow antics, T&A and hedonism. There's a reason "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" is a renowned 80's coming-of-age flick while this one ended up in the bin of obscurity. It's called good writing, which is sure to include entertaining bits relevant to the genre, but shuns cheap exploitation.
On a side note, Marta Kober, who played petite Sandra in "Friday the 13th Part 2," has a pretty big side role as the daughter of the university president (Larry Linville).
It runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot at a campus in Brentwood, Los Angeles.
GRADE: D+/C-
Angel (2018)
No-budget flick set in Kentucky is watchable despite some dubious elements
When a girl goes missing near an infamous abandoned town, an investigative team is hired to search the dilapidated area to find her or, at least, what happened to her, as well as other missing people.
"Angel" (2018) only cost $12,118 and was helmed by a native Kentuckian. I've seen spare change budget Indies by aspiring moviemakers filming in their beloved regions that are so amateurish they're unwatchable. Thankfully, this one has enough positives to make it a fairly entertaining viewing experience; that is, as long as you can roll with some stilted acting and a few unconvincing (to be nice) action sequences.
What's good about it? The eldritch woods and rundown factory in the fall make for a great setting, reminiscent of "Death Tunnel," minus the snazzy editing (that many viewers found confusing and irritating). Furthermore, the cinematography, score and sound quality are all professional. On top of this, the stunning Talia Schade as Selina is almost worth the price of admission. Unfortunately, she's removed from the proceedings too soon; I would've preferred her being one of the final girls, like Piper or Mya. Speaking of Piper, blonde Cameryn Zupon is worth a mention in the feminine department, although her acting needs work.
Besides the questionable acting and lame fight scenes, critics might complain about some elements of the script, but the writer/director respected the intelligence of the viewer to put the pieces together. For instance, how does the serial killer, Vance, work into the proceedings? Why is so-and-so alive at the end? How does the antagonist have the strength to do what this person/thing does? Think "Memorial Valley Massacre."
Considering the non-budget, it's amazing "Angel" is a watchable as it is.
It runs 1 hour, 36 minutes, and was shot mostly in Louisville, Kentucky, but also rural areas southeast of Lexington, such as Irvine, Slade, Stanton and Richmond, as well as Frankfort, which is between those two cities.
GRADE: C-/C.
Unconquered (1947)
Indian wars in Western Pennsylvania, 1763, with Gary Cooper
A striking indentured servant from London arrives in America (Paulette Goddard) and ends up involved in the outbreak of Pontiac's War as a colonist captain and a shady trader vie over her (Cooper and Howard da Silva). The latter is in league with Chief of the Senecas (Boris Karloff) and married to his daughter (Katherine DeMille).
Helmed by Cecil B. DeMille, "Unconquered" (1947) involves the historical setting six years after the events in 1992's "The Last of the Mohicans." Coming out 45 years earlier, "Unconquered" is naturally quaint in some ways, think "Gone with the Wind" on the American frontier of the pre-Revolutionary War days. Yet if you can acclimate to the old-fashioned style and melodramatics, there's enough good here to enjoy. Plus, it inspires you to look up the real history.
The climatic attack on Fort Pitt was expensive with lots of dynamite, flash powder, flintlocks and fireballs. It was perhaps the most spectacular battle sequence shot up to that time with the intention of drawing people to the theater with its 'wow' power. Paulette, incidentally, refused to stand on the set while the fireballs were being hurled and this caused a rift between her and DeMille. He would not speak to her for years.
Speaking of Goddard, she was 36 during shooting and stunning. It's a very colorful production despite the hokey or corny elements. Unfortunately, there are too many unbelievable bits, such as the Indians not knowing what a compass was even though they had been trading with Europeans for over a century by that point. Earlier, Holden purchases an expensive bond slave and frees her, but totally disregards the all-important paperwork. Why Sure!
For a more realistic account of those times and the same area (Pennsylvania), check out the obscure "Alone Yet Not Alone" from 2013, based on a true story.
It runs 2 hours, 26 minutes, and was shot on Hollywood sound stages with some location shooting in Upstate New York and Western Pennsylvania, like Pittsburgh and Cook Forest State Park, as well as the river sequences done in Idaho on the Snake River or tributaries, such as Upper Mesa Falls on Henrys Fork in the east-central part of the state.
GRADE: B-
Pretty Poison (1968)
A psychopath is loose in western Massachusetts
When a young man is released from a mental institution for a crime committed when he was 15 (Anthony Perkins), he gets a mundane job at a chemical factory while drawn to a fetching high school cheerleader (Tuesday Weld).
"Pretty Poison" (1968) is a psychological drama with a couple crime-oriented thrills that some consider a subtle black comedy. It comes in the tradition of "Gun Crazy" from eighteen years prior. Debuting eight years after Perkin's breakout success with "Psycho," he's still relatively young at 35, but looks ten years younger. It came out between Weld's "Lord Love a Duck" and "I Walk the Line" (1970) and is sort of a meshing of those two films.
While it failed to acquire and audience at the box office, it went on to cult status and thus was remade in 1996 with Grant Show and Wendy Benson-Landes, albeit shot in Montreal. It was also the inspiration for Bart Simpson's girlfriend in an episode of The Simpsons, as well as influenced future flicks, like "Joyride" (1977).
There are some interesting psychological gems to mine and I liked the locations (listed below), but I found the drama relatively boring. Those enamored with Perkins and Weld should find it more rewarding.
It runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot in southwestern Massachusetts in the area of Great Barrington and Egremont, as well as North Adams, which is an hour's drive north of there.
GRADE: B-
Proud Men (1987)
Western set in the modern day with Charlton Heston and Peter Strauss
When it's learned that the patriarch of a ranch in the wilderness north of Los Angeles has about six months to live (Heston), his disowned son from Paris (Strauss) comes to visit at the mother's request (Nan Martin). The cause of the separation from fifteen years earlier had to do with the Vietnam War. Can they patch things up before it's too late? Alan Autry is on hand as the tough foreman of the ranch.
"Proud Men" (1987) has been described as "On Golden Pond at a Ranch," but it's more of a Western set at a Southwest ranch in modern times. Sure, it involves heavy family drama, but there's lots of cowboy-oriented stuff too, like riding and camping in the hills, great bronco action and even a saloon brouhaha. The combination of quality human interest and the Western milieu works, especially with the acting chops of Heston, Strauss and the other principles.
Belinda Balaski appears as the son's old girlfriend, working as a barmaid. You might remember her from "Piranha" and "The Howling." Both she and Strauss were 39 during shooting. Heston was 63, but acted older. He definitely wasn't his spry old self.
The aforementioned human interest is highlighted by the differing perspectives of America's involvement in the Vietnam situation. As noble as the patriarch's position is, the son certainly has a point in his. For instance, does swearing to defend your country make it okay to shoot unarmed female citizens and babies? Furthermore, how exactly does fighting for democracy and capitalism in a nation on the other side of the globe have anything to do with "defending your country"? I'm just giving you a taste.
It runs about 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot at Rancho Maria and Sable Ranch, which is just east of Santa Clarita, a 40-minute drive north of Hollywood.
GRADE: B+/A-
Drive-In (1976)
Drive-in shenanigans in the mid-70s
Several different sets of people, young and older, go to a drive-in outside of Dallas on Friday night. Some just want to enjoy a cheesy 70's disaster flick while others want to romance or rumble. A couple even want to rob.
"Drive-In" (1976) is basically "American Graffiti" set at a drive-in in Anytown, USA, except that it throws in some hammy humor, unlike that more popular coming-of-age flick. I had a 'meh' attitude for the first half hour, although it wasn't bad; I just had a bad attitude. However, when people started to arrive at the drive-in in their vehicles there are three laugh-out-loud jokes one after the other, which won me over. From there on, I just rolled with what the movie had to offer and had a good time.
The leader of the wannabe thieves is reminiscent of Brian Johnson, who would go on to helm AC/DC less than five years after this was shot in mid-October, 1975. Meanwhile Glenn Morshower emerges as the main protagonist, Orville. This was his first feature film and he went on to a prolific second-tier acting career.
Brunette Lisa Oz (Glowie) and redhead Michelle Franks (Omalee) stand out on the beauty front. Blonde Linda Larimer is also worth a mention as the cashier at the entrance to the drive-in.
At the end of the day, I'd watch this over the overrated "American Graffiti" any day.
It runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in Terrell, Texas, which is a half hour drive east of Dallas.
GRADE: B.
Pillars of the Sky (1956)
Cavalry vs Indians in 1868 by the Snake River with Jeff Chandler
Near the Oregon Trail in what is now southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon, tribal leaders are upset by the movements of a new cavalry officer and his troops, which break the treaty. An established First Sergeant whom the Indians trust (Chandler) tries to keep the peace, but war is inevitable. Lee Marvin is on hand as a young sergeant while Michael Ansara plays a hostile chief.
"Pillars of the Sky" (1956) came in the tradition of John Ford's Cavalry Trilogy from 1948-1950 and the ensuing "Warpath," as well "The Last Frontier" (aka "Savage Wilderness"). While it's arguably just as worthwhile as the Cavalry Trilogy in its own unique way, it's not as compelling as the other two.
Some of the key actors playing American Indians are Lebanese, Latino, Tennessean, and a New Yorker, but one is a Kickapoo and there are some other genuine Indian peripherals. Overall, their depiction is well done. Meanwhile Chandler's character is supposed to be an alcoholic, but he doesn't look or act like a typical functioning alcoholic, such as Ulysses S. Grant. Actually, Jeff is towering and god-like as the commanding noncommissioned officer, despite his drinking.
There's a love triangle thrown into the mix involving Chandler, Dorothy Malone and Keith Andes. While this might cause some eye-rolling, I'm pretty sure there were one or two love triangles during the decades of the Indian Wars. Speaking of rolling your eyes, there's some lame (and incongruous) comedy involving a raw recruit and his horse, but it's so minor it can be overlooked.
The best thing about this Western is the superb authentic locations and the muscular action. But I also liked the emphasis on Christianity with Ward Bond playing the missionary-physician. You'd never see this today, of course, as it's a great sin now to show Christianity in a positive light. Get real.
It runs 1 hour, 26 minutes (the version I watched), and was shot in northeast Oregon at Joseph and nearby Wallowa Lake, as well as LaGrande, which is to the west of there. Studio scenes were done at Universal Studios in the Los Angeles area.
GRADE: B-
The Gift (2000)
Whodunnit Southern Gothic with Cate Blanchett
In a town near coastal Georgia, a widow (Cate Blanchett) struggles to make ends meet with her three boys via her psychic abilities. When a young woman goes missing (Katie Holmes), the authorities ask her for assistance. Greg Kinnear, Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank, Giovanni Ribisi, Gary Cole and JK Simmons are all on hand.
"The Gift" (2001) meshes plot elements of "Resurrection" (1980) with the setting or tone of "Murder in Coweta County," "The General's Daughter" and a little "Cape Fear" (1991). You can't beat the cast and the Southern town ambiance is great, plus the flawed characters are nicely fleshed-out.
There are no less than five possibilities of who the culprit is and, with 20 minutes to go, it becomes clear who it is. Regrettably, it's just so cliched and contrived I rolled my eyes, not to mention it 'steals' the hope of the viewer. I don't want to say more because I don't want to give anything away.
Still, if you can roll with that banal element, it's a quality drama with a worthy point. Both Cate and Holmes are fetching in a girl-next-door kind of way.
It runs 1 hour, 51 minutes, and was shot in the Savannah area (Guyton, Thunderbolt and Springfield).
GRADE: B-/B.
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
Don't disrespect an old Gypsy woman who begs for mercy
An ambitious loan officer at a bank in Los Angeles (Alison Lohman) wants an imminent promotion above her rival and so makes the "tough decisions" by refusing compassion to a desperate aged borrower. Big mistake. Justin Long is on hand as the young woman's beau.
"Drag Me to Hell" (2009) marked Raimi's return to the overdone comic book horror of his "Evil Dead" flicks after achieving blockbuster success with the "Spider-Man" trilogy. While unpleasant in ways since it deals with the assault of an evil spirit, the lamia, it's all-around superior to the first two "Evil Dead" movies (I've never seen "Army of Darkness").
A critic who hated it claimed that it had no message. Whether people appreciate what the flick has to offer or not, it does have a message amidst its exaggerated comic booky thrills. A pretty glaring one on the surface along with interesting details if you go a little deeper.
Lohman is winsome on the feminine front while Bojana Novakovic has a brief but notable role as the old crone's granddaughter.
It runs 1 hour, 39 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles & areas nearby.
GRADE: B+
The Lurker (2019)
Scout Taylor-Compton in a slasher akin to "Scream," albeit low-budget
During the production of a play at a high school in the Chicago area, theater students and members of the faculty are preyed upon by a mysterious lurker in a bird's beak plague mask.
"The Lurker" (2019) was described by producers as "an ode to 80's slashers," which is true, but it has more in common with "Scream" from the mid-90s, walking the balance beam between serious slasher and semi-parody. Remember Henry Winkler's weird principal? You'll get the same curiously hammy performances with the drama club teacher and the father at the party house. You also get the unnecessarily mean-spirited characters with a few exceptions, like the interesting long-haired janitor.
Scout is, of course, a highlight as the protagonist. She was soon-to-turn 30 during shooting and barely acceptable as a 17-18 years-old student, but this isn't exactly uncommon in filmmaking seeing as how Roddy McDowall played a high school student when he was 36 in "Lord, Love a Duck." Petite Kali Skatchke is another standout in the feminine department as Emma. There are a couple of other notables, but the director unfortunately didn't know how to shoot women (no pun intended) in the manner of, say, the original "Friday the 13th" or "Slumber Party Massacre II."
The story is a whodunnit and the revelation at the end is good; proficient writing on that front. The gore's well-done as well, for those who care. Unfortunately, there are some technical issues, like questionable dubbing and editing, which offers a kind of off-kilter viewing experience and smacks of inept or low-rent filmmaking.
Despite my criticisms, it's entertaining enough to make it worth checking out for fans of the genre.
The movie is short 'n' sweet at 1 hour, 14 minutes. It was shot in Chicago.
GRADE: C-/C.
Snow Falls (2023)
As Norman Bates said, "We all go a little mad sometimes"
Five college-age youths go to a luxury 'cabin' in the wilderness northeast of Salt Lake City to celebrate New Years Eve, but a snowstorm and power outage threaten their good time.
"Snow Falls" (2023) is a cabin-in-the-woods flick in the manner of the micro-budget "Silent Retreat" (2016) just with the better production values of "Donner Pass" (2011) and, unfortunately, a too lowkey approach. Don't get me wrong, this works as a slow burn mood piece and a warning about what happens when people suffer serious deprivations in a closed environment. But it should've capitalized on its resources for a less humdrum viewing experience, which is what "Donner Pass" and "Silent Retreat" were able to do. "Mine Games" (2012) is another example, albeit lesser.
I'm talking about including a few entertaining staples of the genre to perk up the viewer's attention now and then. There's a wee amount of this, such as the sinister hand in the closet, but not enough. Consider blonde Anna Grace Barlow who plays Eden. She could've been utilized in a more entertaining way, such as was done with Desiree Hall (Kayley) and Adelaide Kane (Nicole) in "Donner Pass" or, more widely known, Jeannine Taylor (Marcie) in the original "Friday the 13th." I'm not even talkin' 'bout nudity or sleaze, just using the feminine resources wisely in a visual medium.
Or how about throwing in a moving song sequence, as was done in "A Bothered Conscience" (2006), which only cost $2300 to make back then. The song is "When I Awake" by Hollow Earth Conspiracy, which you can hear on Youtube.
That said, I respect a filmmaker sneering at expected staples and refusing to include 'em, but anyone who does this is going to have to make up for it by being superlative in other ways. "Snow Falls" has a great isolated location, a fitting score, proficient cinematography/editing and convincing no-name actors (regardless of what armchair critics claim), so what's it missing beyond the staples noted? I would say more fleshed-out characters and better dialogues, such as what Tarantino does in his flicks. There's some of this, admittedly, like the discussions on mass hysteria and that Russian experiment on sleep deprivation; it just needed more.
So, this is a little too dull as a viewing experience, but there's enough good in it IF you're up for a moody psychological drama set in a snowbound 'cabin' with scanty horror elements.
It runs 1 hour, 19 minutes, and was shot in Morgan, Utah, which is a 45-minute drive northeast of Salt Lake City, on the other side of the Wasatch Mountains.
GRADE: C+/B-
Pursued (1947)
Mitchum carries this moody Film Noir Western set in turn-of-the-century New Mexico
An adopted son at a ranch (Robert Mitchum) is haunted by something that happened in his childhood as he goes off to fight in the Spanish-American War. Upon his return, he romances Thorley (Teresa Wright) while dealing with the love-hate relationship of his brother (John Rodney). Meanwhile there's the specter of a one-armed man in the background (Dean Jagger).
"Pursued" (1947) is a well-produced B&W Western with a huge reputation and infamously known for being the film Jim Morrison watched the night he perished on July 3, 1971. Mitchum was 29 during shooting and his towering, brooding presence makes the flick worthwhile, along with Raoul Walsh's Orson Welles-influenced direction.
Unfortunately, there's some bad writing, such as the poorly developed character of Adam, not to mention Thorley's sudden emotional pendulum swings (Why Sure!). But I like the sad theme of adopted children never being as loved and trusted as biological ones.
It runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in northwest New Mexico at Gallup and nearby Red Rock Park in Church Rock (the ranch), as well as Warner Bros. Ranch in Calabasas, which is 10 miles west of the Hollywood Sign, plus stuff done at the Burbank studio.
GRADE: C+/B-
The Hanging Tree (1959)
Ahead-of-its-time Western with Gary Cooper, set in the Great Northwest
In 1873, an embittered doctor (Cooper) sets up practice in a small gold mining town along The Montana Trail. After acquiring a dubious bondservant (Ben Piazza), he tries to help a wounded Swiss immigrant (Maria Schell). But this stirs up the town's moral police biddies and the jealousy of a lecherous prospector (Karl Malden), not to mention his successful practice threatens the livelihood of a faith healer (George C. Scott).
"The Hanging Tree" (1959) was Cooper's second to last Western. He passed away due to prostate cancer less than three years after it was shot in the summer of '58. He was 57 during shooting and carries the film with his towering presence, which doesn't feel like a 50's Western, but rather one from the mid-60s. The colorful locations and town set are as good as you'll see in any Western, very realistic, while angelic Maria Schell is a highlight, the older sister of Maximilian (by four years).
Not everything in the story is spelled out. The intelligence of the viewer is respected and thus expected to put the pieces together based on clues offered. It's good, just kind of ambiguous, which explains its failure at the box office and eventual sleeper status. It no doubt plays better on repeat viewings.
This was George C. Scott's breakout into feature films, but his character isn't given much screentime and he hams it up a bit too much as the wild-eyed preacher, a one-note loony tune. More dimension was needed in order to ring true.
The film runs 1 hour, 47 minutes, and was shot in the general area of Yakima, Washington, including Nile (the mining town) and Goose Prairie (the opening scene). This region is located about a 2.5-hour drive southeast of Seattle.
GRADE: B.
Ride the Man Down (1952)
A complicated story, but this Western finds its footing and touches greatness
In 1892, a foreman of a huge ranch in southern Utah (Rod Cameron) tries to stave off land grabbers (Brian Donlevy) and rustlers (Jim Davis) after the death of the patriarch. Curiously, the fiancé (Forrest Tucker) of the heir of the ranch (Ella Raines) seems to oppose the foreman's efforts.
Based on the Luke Short novel, "Ride the Man Down" (1952) starts out convoluted with a dozen key characters introduced in the first act. They tend to speak in that rat-a-tat-tat way which was in vogue back then. The flick needed another 30 more minutes of runtime to breath. If you pay attention, however, you'll eventually figure out who's who and the details thereof.
More than that, you'll discover a great little old Western that's undeservedly obscure. You can't beat the awesome Southwest locations in living color and Cameron makes for a stalwart, noble protagonist. Raines works well as the heroine and I enjoyed the human interest of the romantic possibilities with quality dialogues/acting.
If you appreciate old Westerns like "Albuquerque," "Whispering Smith," The Sundowners" (1950), "Shane" and "The Hangman," this is just as worthwhile in its unique way.
It runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot in Kanab, Utah, which is in the southwest region of the state by the border of Arizona.
GRADE: B+/A-
Four Faces West (1948)
Warmhearted Western in the Southwest marred by contrivances and dubious acting
An aged Marshal Pat Garrett (Charles Bickford) chases a questionable robber (Joel McCrea) through long stretches of New Mexico. On the way, the latter meets a lovely nurse (Frances Dee) and befriends a sympathetic innkeeper (Joseph Calleia). William Conrad is on hand as a sheriff that joins the marshal's pursuit.
"Four Faces West" (1948), also known as "They Passed This Way," is a decent Western with stretches of lyrical beauty, hindered by the B&W photography (the magnificent locations mean very little in flat B&W). The warmheartedness is refreshing and Dee is winsome, but McCrea doesn't know how to play an overly sympathetic protagonist, the proverbial good bad guy.
Meanwhile Calleia lays it on a little too thick and his character comes across unbelievable. Speaking of unbelievable, the way the protagonist escapes capture on the train is "Why Sure!" territory. Yet the train sequence is otherwise well done. Another "Yeah, right" episode takes place in the last act involving a Mexican family.
It runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot entirely in New Mexico, except for interiors done in Hollywood. The locations include: San Rafael, Alamogordo, El Morro National Monument near Ramah (Inscription Rock), Gallup, Red Rock Canyon State Park and White Sands National Monument.
GRADE: C+
Taxi Driver (1976)
Hellish urban decay and one man's step-by-step fall into Big City madness
In the mid-70s, an ex-marine insomniac in New York works the graveyard shift as a cab driver (De Niro) while trying to develop a relationship with a beautiful campaign volunteer for a presidential candidate (Cybill Shepherd and Leonard Harris). He experiences White Knight Syndrome as he seeks to rescue a 12½ years-old prostitute (Jodie Foster).
Written by Paul Schrader and directed by Scorsese, "Taxi Driver" (1976) is an interesting character study of a misfit and his descent into radicalness after the day-to-day grind of living amidst the grungy, unsanitary places of an infernal Gotham, especially the grindhouse district. The protagonist is a 'contradiction,' loathing the decadence he observes but frequenting porn theaters in his spare time. Then there's the irony of a potential assassin perceived as a vigilante hero.
The notable cast also includes a young Harvey Keitel as the girl's pimp and Peter Boyle as Travis' mentor-like fellow cabbie. Albert Brooks in on hand as a protective colleague of the campaign volunteer. Scorsese shows up in a bit part as an unhinged cab passenger.
It's a good companion-piece to similar Schrader flicks, like "Hardcore," "Cat People," "Auto Focus" and "Dog Eat Dog."
The film runs 1 hour, 54 minutes, and was shot in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
GRADE: B+/A-
Master of the World (1961)
Ranks with the least of the classic Jules Verne flicks
In 1868, a scientist and his team are exploring a volcanic crater in the Appalachians when their hot air ballon is shot down and they become "guests" on an amazing airship, part zeppelin and part helicopter. The captain of the vessel (Vincent Price) is at war with war and intends to obtain peace on Earth by destroying military targets.
"Master of the World" (1961) was based on two books by Verne, Robur the Conqueror from 1886 and its sequel from 1904, the latter of which shares the name of this film. The character of Robur is basically Captain Nemo in the skies, but Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" had ten times the budget while the contemporaneous "Mysterious Island" had twice the budget. Except for the model used for the airship, the special effects are dubious and so are the sets, costumes and score.
The writing is on the wall in the opening scene, after an entertaining prologue featuring historical attempts at functioning aircraft: The mountains in the background of the fictional town in Pennsylvania look fake and nothing like the Appalachians, particular the volcano. Then Price's voice is heard via an early loudspeaker, which is just as cringeworthy.
Vincent is his usual entertaining self and it's interesting to see Charles Bronson when he was so young (38 during shooting). Speaking of which, Price was known to make friends with his costars, but he said it was impossible to do so with Bronson. On the feminine side of things, there's winsome Mary Webster.
A similar film is "Captain Nemo and the Underwater City" from seven years later. It had a slightly bigger budget (yet not that much bigger, considering inflation) and takes the same basic concepts for an all-around superior viewing experience, very colorful and awe-inspiring. It just exchanges Robur with Nemo, the skies with the depths of the ocean, and the airship with a magnificent underwater city. On top of all this, it has Luciana Paluzzi and Nanette Newman.
The movie runs 1 hour, 42 minutes, with location work (outside the studio sets) shot in Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, in east-central California. Archival footage from "The Four Feathers" (1939) was extensively used.
GRADE: C-
Fun Size (2012)
Fun trick or treat flick marred by eye-rolling "Lib" bits
A couple of teen girls in the Cleveland area go out trick-or-treating (Victoria Justice and Jane Levy), but have to take the former's little brother, who doesn't talk, because her mother decided to go to a party involving "party animals" in their 20s (Chelsea Handler).
"Fun Size" is a PG-13 Nickelodeon production with bits made for kids, and then for teens, and then adults, and then kids again. While this didn't bother me, it might concern some parents. I enjoyed the Halloween milieu that focused on trick or treating minus the horror that usually goes with it in movies. In addition, Petite redhead Jane Levy is a highlight as is tall redhead Riki Lindhome as the Galaxy Scout.
The problem is, it was shot in June, 2011, which takes away from the (supposedly) late October ambiance. I can handle that since it's nothing new ("Halloween," for instance, was filmed in May). Unfortunately, not only does the viewer have to put up with the teen guy's sapphic mothers (yes, plural), there's a scene where the two ex-hippies are making some kind of NObama mural. Get real.
It runs 1 hour, 26 minutes, and was mostly shot in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, which is just east of Cleveland. Wren's house interiors were filmed in Lakewood, which is on the other side of the big city while the "Captain Chicken" sequences were done on Euclid Ave in the city.
GRADE: C/C-
Survivor (2014)
A beautiful blonde and scenic Utah locations, but bad writing and contrived dynamics
After crashlanding on a planet, a young woman (Danielle C. Ryan) has to face two forms of humanoid threats to make it to her injured captain (Kevin Sorbo) and possible escape.
"Survivor" (2014) mixes the first act of the original "Planet of the Apes" with The Land of the Lost TV series (the Sleestak and caves), plus maybe a little "The Descent." The rocky desert locations are outstanding (cited below) and Danielle is stunning with her long mane and fit body, but too much of the runtime focuses on her running around the landscapes while Sorbo's role is basically limited to lying around with a broken leg.
Worse, there are too many glaringly posed shots and contrived choreographies. Plus, the 'girl power' element is laid on too thick, like when the heroine easily beats six athletic male antagonists. Why Sure! On top of all this is lousy writing, such as when the truth about the planet is revealed. I can't blame the actors for the questionable acting, even the blubbering Weston (Blake Webb); the problem is the bad script.
If you want to see this type of Sci-Fi adventure done right on a TV budget, check out "The Lost Future" from 2010. It's great; this one's just eye-rolling.
It runs 1 hour, 33 minutes, and was shot in two areas of Utah. In the southeast: St. George, Sand Hollow Reservoir and Snow Canyon State Park; in the north: Starvation State Park and Provo to the west of there, along with South Fork Park, which is north of Provo.
GRADE: C-/D+
Freakshow (2007)
Unofficial remake of 1932's "Freaks" with too much wannabe edge
In late 1931, four dirtbag thugs and their female associate join a carnival of freaks in SoCal with the intention of making a huge score. They should be concerned about going over the line because the freaks are outcasts who might not have any qualms about apprehending their own justice.
"Freakshow" (2007) cost $1 million to make and was shot on the same sets used for the HBO series Carnivàle with the vintage carnival accouterments (rides, tents, wardrobe, etc.) provided by the LA Circus. As with the classic "Freaks" from 75 years earlier, actual sideshow performers and disabled actors were used in the production. However, you won't see any extras in the background, like audience members, due to the movie's small budget. This results in a sort of hollow, behind-the-scenes ambiance.
Nevertheless, it successfully puts you into the world of the depression-era circus like "Water for Elephants," which came out four years later. Another unforgettable example is DC Comics' The Shadow #2 from 1973, drawn by the great Mike Kaluta. Yet those pieces had sympathetic characters, not to mention "Water for Elephants" had a blockbuster budget, whereas "Freakshow" is a low-budget flick that wallows in ugliness and depravity. The climax even throws in a long torture sequence obviously inspired by the torture porn craze at the time born from flicks like "Saw" and "Hostel."
Petite Amanda Ward stands out on the feminine front as Margaret, the Cannibal Girl, while Rebekah Kochan as Lucy is worth a mention, but her character is so repugnant she's a turn-off. There's a little bit of nudity and quite a bit of sleaze, so stay away if that offends you.
So, "Freakshow" is too disagreeable to recommend even though I appreciated the milieu and the authentic look amidst the low-rent artistry.
It runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot east of Los Angeles in Pedley, which is 7 miles before Riverside.
GRADE: C+