cinefool Reviews

The Incredible Hulk: Married (1978) Season 2, Episode 1

A solid episode that packs an emotional punch

[9/10 · 27 June 2008]

The second half of "Married" continues with David Banner and hypnotherapist Caroline Fields attempting to conquer the respective physical conditions that plague them. After a rather campy sequence in which Banner hulks out to rescue Caroline from a couple of swingers (wrecking their bachelor pad in the process), the two come to realize their growing feelings for each other and enjoy a night of love. The next morning, in a scene exquisitely played by Bill Bixby and Mariette Hartley, Banner proposes marriage to the ailing Fields, and in no time the couple are enjoying a garden nuptial (look closely and you'll see Banner signed his real name on the marriage license! -- Attention Jack McGee!) But, as happens so often to David Banner, a confluence of circumstances intrude on the newlyweds. Caroline's condition begins to deteriorate after she exerts herself saving a young boy from drowning; Caroline finds it may not be easy living with a man who can transform into an angry green beast in his sleep; worst of all, her illness reaches critical mass just as a hurricane slams into their Hawaiian island.

The second half of "Married" is buoyed tremendously by the fine writing and direction of Kenneth Johnson and the performances of his two stars. Hartley makes Caroline Fields into a complete person, noble in her warmth, rash in her impulsiveness, vulnerable in her anguish. This talented actress definitely deserved the Emmy Award she earned for this performance. For his part, Bixby knew he was working with a real pro, and he provides his best acting chops here as well, when he playfully flirts with Caroline, while delivering the memorable 'strawberry' soliloquy, and during the show's moving epilogue, as Banner sits alone on a debris strewn beach.

Lou Ferrigno's contribution as the Hulk deserves an affirmative comment as well; he always brought more depth and emotion to the Hulk character than he was given credit for, and his reaction when he unwittingly pulls the toupee off of one the attacking 'Disco Dans' is priceless. Was the humor in that scene a little silly or over-the-top? Maybe, but perhaps it was needed to balance the poignancy that was to come. All of the buildup pays off here, and this episode, part of a series dismissed by some as simple comic book melodrama, delivers a climax that still renders an emotional punch to the gut.

The Incredible Hulk: Married (1978) Season 2, Episode 1

Arguably the first 'Classic' episode

[9/10 · 23 June 2008]

The first season episodes of "The Incredible Hulk" survive as being more intriguing notions than quality drama. They may be, to one degree or another, fun to watch, but it was this second season opener that began to fully explore the sad consequences of David Banner's impulsive experiment upon himself, and the profound impact his dual identities have on others.

Banner's wanderings bring him to the doorstep of Dr. Caroline Fields, an equally gifted researcher who has broken new ground on using hypnotherapy to combat acute physical afflictions. But Fields has her own medical crisis; she is the victim of an aggressive, dangerous neurological disorder, and despite her best efforts of using her own treatment techniques upon herself, her condition has reached a terminal stage. David confides his true identity to Fields, and the two esteemed doctors agree to help each other.

This first part of "Married" builds very well, concentrating on the growing closeness between Banner and Fields; Bill Bixby and guest star Mariette Hartley contribute very strong performances and play off of each other beautifully. The dream sequences in which Banner confronts his alter ego amid rolling sand dunes have become iconic images from the series, and the moment when David, under hypnosis, hulks out in Dr. Field's presence is excellently directed, photographed, and edited.

There isn't a wasted moment in this splendid entry, and it leads very well into an equally well-made second half.

Manfish (1956)

worth watching for Chaney

[5/10 · 5 August 2006]

"Manfish" contains one of the most glaring continuity errors I've ever seen in a "professional" motion picture, where John Bromfield's shirt magically transforms from a dark t-shirt to a lighter button-down one during his battle with Victor Jory. That's hard to overcome, though I try to see the worth in every film I watch. Therefore, I try to forget that Bromfield is passable at best, and that Jory, a good actor, is inconsistent, and he, IMO, botches his scenes of becoming unhinged late in the film.

Two things save the movie; the authentic Jamacian locations, and the sappy but benevolent performance of Lon Chaney Jr. Chaney is forced, probably by director W. Lee Wilder, to trot out his 'Lenny' persona again, but in this case it's something of a relief, because almost everyone around him is treacherous, venal, hard-hearted, or a combination of the three. It feels nice to see Chaney, whose character is the only heart and soul this dreary tale can boast of, end the film in an uplifting way. It is Chaney who offers the most steadfast presence in this minor film, and he deserves accolades for it.

Many thanks to the previous poster who explained why this color film has been re-issued in black and white; I've seen this with other films before and always wondered why. I hope one day a color print emerges, because it could only enhance a borderline production like this one.

Dizzy Doctors (1937)

one of their best executed shorts

[9/10 · 26 June 2005]

As a red-blooded American male, I honor my heritage and fulfill my destiny by working hard, paying taxes, and loving the work of The Three Stooges. Especially the great body of work produced during their first seven years at Columbia, from 1934-40. Moe Howard would later claim it was tough sledding for the Stooges then, because the studio kept them in a constant state of apprehension as to their future employment; but the shorts they made prior to 1940 stand the test of time as the freshest, most vibrant, and most fall-down-funny stuff they recorded on film.

"Dizzy Doctors" is a great example of this trio's comedy in it's prime. So much incident is packed into such a short running time; the boy's getting the job selling Brighto, their encounters with the cop and the car owner, their "broadcast" on the hospital intercom, the wheelchair mishap in the hospital corridor...I could go on and on. This film is hysterical.

The boys are at their peak here, years away from Curly's decline, reduced budgets, 'remakes' loaded with old footage, and Joe Besser. From 1934 until 1940 Stooge Comedy was pristine, and "Dizzy Doctors" stands as one of the best examples.

Two Tars (1928)

a well constructed and satisfying comedy

[8/10 · 15 June 2005]

Part of the beauty of this perfectly paced classic comedy is not just it's gradual compounding of incident but how resonant it's plotting is today. Who likes traffic jams? Nobody! Stan and Ollie seem almost prescient to have tapped into a vexation that plagues us even now; maybe more than ever on today's superhighways that still cannot accommodate the flow of modern commuting. It is not so much the individual performances that matter here, but the over-all building of pace and piling on of incident. I think of this film every time I'm tangled in bad traffic; so will you, but please resist the temptation to rip the fender off of the car alongside you -- it may be mine.

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968)

the ultimate amalgamation of Hammer Film's conventions

[8/10 · 13 June 2005]

If a quintessential example of a Hammer Studio's exercise in Gothic Horror exists, it is probably this film. Not because it is a flawless piece of film-making, far from it. Rather because this film manages to squeeze just about all of Hammer's horror-show templates into it's 92 minute running time.

Here we have the unmistakeably distinctive set design and music score by Hammer mainstays Benard Robinson and James Benard; romantic leads transposing post Summer-of-Love sexual mores (and hairstyles!) to the film's indeterminate post Victorian location; two pub locales, one peopled with wary, hostile, superstitious East-Ender types, the other rollicking with high-spirited youthful inebriates; a pious religious figure (and a much less pious one); a cameo by Michael Ripper; day-for-night location shots; attractive women in low-cut bodices and nightgowns; yet another outlandish method of using trickling blood to revive the antagonist; an eventful screenplay that doesn't measure up to critical evaluation --- whew! I could go on and on.

But please understand, I do not necessarily regard all of the above negatively, just realistically. "D.H.R.F.T.G." is a fun watch if you leave your thinking cap off. Several of the most memorable set-pieces in the Hammer canon are here; the discovery of the girl in the belfry, the attempted staking of Dracula, the Count's seduction of Veronica Carlson, and his over-the-top demise (I won't reveal it here). These scenes lingered for decades in my mind after I saw the film in the early seventies. I was joyful to find the videotape in the '90's and yes, I now happily own the DVD.

One of the harshest critics of this film, incidentally, was it's star. Christopher Lee, who entered the project enduring serious back pain (stuntman Eddie Powell handled the more strenuous action), disliked the script intensely, especially the attempted staking of the Count. His performance, however, betrays none of his vexation; this is one of his best outings as Dracula. Director Freddie Francis coaxes serviceable performances from the rest of the cast. Rupert Davies and Barbara Ewing stand out, as a noble cleric and lusty barmaid respectively.

At the end of the day, I really like this movie, despite it's shortcomings. Heck, I feel like putting on right now. So should you.

Gents Without Cents (1944)

worth a look for "Slowly I Turned"

[6/10 · 10 June 2005]

One of the better stooge shorts from a period when the quality and budget of their films was declining, "Gents without Cents" will forever be immortalized for the boy's rendition of the old vaudeville staple "Slowly I Turned" (a.k.a. "Niagra Falls"). Here they collectively essay a role that most reflects what they really were -- seasoned comic players who managed somehow to bring verve and added dimension to timeworn and/or second-rate material. Their performance of this old skit is definitive.

Incidentally, I have always wondered if it was strictly coincidental that Abbott and Costello revived "Slowly I Turned" in the same year, 1944, for their MGM romp "Lost in a Harum". I don't know the answer, but it would certainly please Moe Howard (who intensely disliked Abbott and Costello) to know that the version in "Gents without Cents" is considerably better than Bud and Lou's.

Psycho-Circus (1966)

too cheap, too grainy, and too forgettable

[3/10 · 8 June 2005]

While I'm heartened that Christopher Lee is currently enjoying something of a career renaissance (thanks to his imposing presence in the "Lord of the Rings" and "Star Wars" films), the truth is this talented performer has lent himself to an astounding number of unworthy projects over the course of his fifty-eight years on screen. How does one explain participating in wretched films like "The Devil's Agent", "Curse of the Crimson Alter" and "Safari 3000"? Is it all about the money? Perhaps, but not in the way you might think; I tend to believe Mr. Lee has lost too many bets to too many bad filmmakers.

"Circus of Fear" is typical of the projects Lee involved himself in during the early to mid '60's when not working on English horror films; drearily shot on bad film stock, sloppily dubbed (even when performed in English!), poorly financed and apparently edited with a chainsaw. The opening heist scene has potential but is so poorly photographed it's hard to tell at first if the film is in color or black and white. The film plods along choppily until we are introduced to the circus folk, including Lee, and the proceedings grow increasingly murky and complicated as their backstories develop. As Lee has often done, he has accepted a role that is more an extended cameo than a lead part; he plays a disfigured lion tamer who hides his face beneath a heavy black hood (which clashes with the beige tweed jacket he wears throughout the film). Lee's lion-taming scene is embarrassing; shots of the actor wielding a whip interspersed with even grainier shots of anemic looking lions lifted from another film. To make matters worse, the fact that Lee performs from behind the aforementioned hood draws attention to his rich, sonorous baritone. This would be okay if he didn't affect an unconvincing German accent; he also tends to bellow his lines, as if he were addressing someone an acre away.

Despite this seeming diatribe, I respect Mr. Lee and I'm glad he survives as the last of horror film's Old Guard. I grew up enjoying the fine work he did at Hammer and Amicus studios. I marvel at his personal and professional longevity, and wish for him more of the same. And I sincerely hope that in his sunset years he is fortunate enough to associate himself with distinguished productions worthy of his considerable talent.