tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87380252864831857512024-03-13T09:24:14.188-07:00The Nostalgic AtticThe 1980's retro film, music and video game blogJP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-34486737479382858552015-01-19T07:16:00.000-08:002015-01-19T08:18:41.230-08:00What's So Great About the Star Wars - The Force Awakens Trailer?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last month saw the release of the teaser trailer for the new <i>Star Wars</i> film - titled <i>Episode VII - The Force Awakens</i> - which is due to land in December of 2015. It's not too common that we'd get something so far in advance, but it really seemed like the perfect Christmas present for fans of the series. The problem is, we've been down this road before with the <b>Lucas</b>-directed prequels, which went quickly from fan-excitement to fan-rage, leaving us in a place where we only half-hoped any more films would get produced for fear of them being as sterile and lifeless as that trilogy was. So what exactly is it about the new teaser that has gotten fans excited about the franchise again?<br />
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It's important to remember how much George Lucas pissed off fans of the original films by simply just not <i>allowing</i> them to be available (in their correct aspect ratio, remastered) simply because he felt that; 'they are my films, I'll do what I want with them'. What we got instead were his 're-imagining' of them, complete with new special effects (which most people didn't mind <i>too</i> much) but in some instances, scenes were re-cut in a way that changed character dynamics completely (which most people minded <i>very</i> much). Now, Lucas may have been right in that, yes, they were his films (even though he only directed the first; I doubt<b> Kershner</b> and <b>Marquand</b> had much of a say in anything once the cameras stopped rolling), but the nature of art is this; once it's out there, among the audience, it no longer belongs to the artist, or in this case, the filmmaker. Sure, they still own the rights to it, but what audiences interpret, love and hate about the finished art is nothing that can be helped by the artist at that point. Lucas wanted to control how people saw that art, but it was too late, as fans had several decades to dwell on the films, and he seemed arrogant in his approach to what people should think of his re-releases.<br />
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This concept of preserving art was something that Lucas seemingly struggled with; following the release of the tinkered-with originals in cinemas in the mid 90's, it became increasingly hard to find the older, untouched films officially. He claimed that the original negatives were destroyed, leaving no alternative but to have these new cuts. Nobody really believed that excuse, and most still don't. What ensued was a never-ending Internet debate over the films and how Lucas was essentially shitting on film history, and the lacklustre 'prequels' only added fuel to the argument of how the Bearded One had lost the plot. Even a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1325014/reference" target="_blank">documentary</a> was made on the subject which really seemed to sum it up perfectly; George Lucas on one side of the wrestling ring, and the angry fans on the other.<br />
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When the Blu Ray's of the films were finally released, sadly with even more alterations, most fans had pretty much given up on ever seeing the originals untainted. But then, something very interesting happened; Lucas, after a massive flop in the shape of <i>Red Tails, </i>decided it was time to retire from film production altogether, and quickly sold on <b>Lucas Arts </b>to<b> Disney</b>. This was incredible news for fans of the series, as Disney promised to release not only new films in the continued saga, but stand alone, 'spin-off's' too. It didn't take long for<b> J.J. Abrams </b>to get attached as director, and a release date was set for the first film.<br />
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So here we are, and we've finally seen the first images from what Abrams has been slaving away on. Watching the teaser (and it is really just that; several images, no on-screen dialogue and no hint of story), it's not hard to see why people are getting excited. Firstly, the film <i>looks</i> great, and not just because it's new and shiny. Abrams has wisely chosen to 'declutter' it, allowing plenty of open space in the pretty looking real locations showcased in the footage seen. There seems to be a complete absence of the annoying, CGI distractions that plagued the prequels and the 'Special Editions'; no rodent-like aliens scurrying around through shots for comedy value, or giant creatures artificially added to scenes just, you know, <i>because they could</i> with computer technology. Even the little robot is apparently a real prop. This all goes to show that you can use the latest technology mixed with location shooting and practical effects, and <b>still </b>come out with something that's cutting edge.<br />
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The screen shots above look almost minimalistic in comparison to what Lucas was doing in his prequels, and the fact that they are all shot on location should definitely go some distance in removing it from the cold confinements of Lucas and his green-screens. The teaser also hints at a darker tone, both visually and in terms of story (again, there's really nothing in the teaser, but it's how the info is presented), which is something I'm definitely happy for. I know plenty of<i> Star Trek</i> fans who aren't happy with the Abrams films, which is absolutely fine, but the man can at least get solid performances from a cast (his work with the kids in <i>Super 8</i> is well worth noting) which should be a nice contrast with the stiff, coma-esque performances from the leads in the Prequels. No doubt we'll see some actual humour in the script, too, instead of the childish sight gags that were present in the likes of <i>The Phantom Menace</i>.<br />
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Ultimately, we don't have a lot to go on here, but the early signs are looking good. The important thing for the fans is: Lucas has gone away, and like some fallen monster, the art has been plucked from his grasp and is back into the hands of the fans again. We'll decide if Abrams does anything to improve on what has gone before, and who knows; he might release a clunker. But as a fan of<i> Star Wars</i>, it feels good to be hopeful again, and it's more than I thought I'd have before the teaser.<br />
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<br />JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-68376484724657050992015-01-13T09:06:00.001-08:002015-01-13T09:06:28.516-08:00The Garbage Pail Kids Turn 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, this is news that'll make you feel old quickly; the <b>Garbage Pail Kids</b> turn 30 this year. It really doesn't seem that long ago since I was collecting these, and to be honest, sticking them all over my headboard on my bed. I wasn't particularly good at keeping them pristine anyway (a skill I think I only developed when <b>The Simpsons</b> trading cards came out), but I had great fun trading these with friends in school; they seemed perfectly pitched for kids, despite the somewhat grotesque characters. It's something that seems to be missing for young 'un's these days; we loved the gross-out humour and awful puns, and no doubt children now would, too. So while taking in some of the gloriously revolting artwork, let's have a quick look back at the start of the collecting craze.<br />
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Initially coming across as a reaction to the squeaky-clean<b> Cabbage Patch Kids</b>, the <b>Garbage Pail Kids</b> were conceived by the incredibly talented <b>Art Spiegelman </b>(the pulitzer-prize winning cartoonist, responsible for <i>Maus</i>, among other works) who was acting as consultant for <b>Topps Company</b>, a manufacturer of chewing gum and collectibles. Spiegelman worked as Art Director on the project, and saw it launch to huge success in 1985. After this, many other artists and writers were brought in to work on the series, which saw the cards become a hit through the latter part of the 80's, resulting in a film and TV tie-in that had varying degrees of success.<br />
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The cards have seen several re-releases over the years, and have continued to have new series added every now and then. Sadly, it was one of those things I sort of 'grew out' of, by the time I was ten I had moved on to other collectible cards (<b>The Terminator 2: Judgement Day</b> ones were among my favourites) and I rarely ever thought about them again. The film was something we actually saw in school, believe it or not (Despite the controversy that has been recorded, our teachers never had a problem with it), and while I loved it when I was 8, it's a painful experience as an adult. But, more on that later in the week.<br />
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The cartoon, though, is something I have no memory of at all. Perhaps they just never crossed my path when I would have been channel surfing back then (well, as much as you can channel surf or four or five stations). There seems to be plenty of them on Youtube, so maybe I'll give them a spin at some point. If, like me, you don't fancy having to go collecting all the cards again (getting a bit long in the tooth for schoolyard trading... that just sounds plain<i> wrong</i>!) there's a nifty looking book collection released by Topps Company themselves, so I'll definitely be picking <b><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/141970270X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2MCMCYXCR67WX&coliid=IPKMYDU0HS2GW" target="_blank">this</a></b> up at some point this year. Meanwhile, I'll leave you with a few of my favourite cards I had when I was a kid; is there any <b>you </b>would add?<br />
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<br />JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-60964994385962327182014-12-29T06:58:00.002-08:002014-12-29T06:58:34.713-08:00Some memorable toys I got for Christmas when I was a kid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This time of year always makes me think about what it was like for me and my brothers growing up in the 80's. The excitement of putting up the tree and hanging decorations (usually done just after my birthday, which is in December), and then picking out what we wanted to get from Santa. Of course, by this point in the month we had long decided on what we wanted, usually helped along by staying up for the national Irish tradition of the <b>Late Late Toy Show</b> (the longest running chat show in Ireland that gets invaded by children for the 'toy show' the last weekend every November), and giving plenty of time for our parents to scramble to get those toys we wanted. Saying that, we were pretty simple in our tastes; usually some action figures, books or cars were what we got, with the more expensive <b>Star Wars</b> toys never seemingly on our radar (my mother had probably the good sense to direct us away from those, her poor wallet!). So, here's a small selection of a few of my favourite toys I received in the 80's; not necessarily the best, but ones that really stuck out in my mind, and I still remember them fondly today.<br />
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Dino-Riders, 'Tyrannosaurus Rex'</h4>
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I was a huge fan of <b>Dino-Riders</b> when it launched in '88, as it coincided with my absolute obsession with anything dinosaur-related. The cartoon was good fun (aliens taking control of dinosaurs and equipping them with lasers and bombs - whats not to like?) and the T-Rex set came with the promo VHS that included the exclusive, extended opening episode. Sadly, the cartoon didn't live beyond the initial 13 episodes, but the toys were definitely collectible. </div>
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He-Man and the Masters of the Universe; 'Snake Mountain'</h4>
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It would have been hard growing up in the '80's without being saturated by '<b>He-Man</b>' toys and marketing, but as a kid I couldn't get enough of it. Every year, me and my brother Phillip would get an action figure for a present, but one special year I got this lovely piece of memorabilia, and it is easily one of my favourite childhood toys. The box says the<i> "electronic microphone changes your voice into a scary voice of evil!"... </i>In reality, it just sounded distant and echo-ey, but hey, when you're a kid, it's the coolest thing ever! Skeletor kicked plenty of asses on this over the years, and I often wonder what happened to it...<br />
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Technic Lego 'Car'</h4>
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I was big on building things as a kid, so it was no surprise that the '<b>Technic Lego</b>' kits appealed to me. This one seemed so complicated - it had working gears, and all! - but I have great memories of taking time after Christmas Day to start working on it, and my dad helping me as I went along. Once it was complete, it saw plenty of action - and several modifications - and was definitely one of the best presents 'Santa' ever brought me. </div>
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So there you go - three great pieces from my childhood Christmas files. Did anyone get anything cool and collectible this year? Debbie hit a home run for me this year, and got me this as a surprise; I haven't had a chance to start building it yet, but I can't wait to get stuck in! Happy Christmas everyone!</div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-46903219614833120722014-12-24T06:31:00.000-08:002014-12-24T06:31:00.319-08:00National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Oh, the silent majesty of a winter's morn... the clean, cool chill of the holiday air... an asshole in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer..."</h4>
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It's sad to see what has become of the 'National Lampoon' name these days; it was sold off years ago and is now used pretty much as a 'cash in' only name on poor teen sex movies - a far cry from what was once a highly regarded moniker in American comedy. Having never read the magazine itself, I only have the films to go by, but my childhood wouldn't have been the same without the Griswold's hilariously sad attempts at going on holidays - be it Wallyworld, Europe or Christmas. There was always just something special about the films, the kind of comedy joy that made you tune in every time they were due to show on TV, no matter how often you had seen them. Even though time has dulled the edges on at least one of those films -<i> European Vacation</i> just doesn't hold up very well for me - <i> Christmas Vacation</i> still gets a screening in this house every year.</div>
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Clark Griswold (<b>Chevy Chase</b>; <i>Caddyshack, Vacation</i>) is a man who wants nothing more than to ensure his family has a great time together, and for him, that means doing <i>everything</i> together. As December rolls in, he decides to get into the festive spirit, much of which brings about disaster to him and his loved ones. Everything from selecting a tree for the living room through to the Christmas lights seems to go wrong, but Clark remains optimistic that all his Christmas wishes will come true; the bonus he is due is going to pay for the swimming pool in his yard that his family have been aching for. Things take a turn for the worse when both his and his wife, Ellen's (<b>Beverley D'Angelo</b>; <i>Vacation, European Vacation</i>) parents come to stay, along with his hick of a cousin, Eddie (<b>Randy Quaid</b>; <i>Caddyshack II, Vacation</i>). With the house crowded, and Eddie hellbent on being as disgusting as humanly possible, Clark is about to crack. But still, the thoughts of that Christmas bonus keep him going... his boss surely wouldn't cancel it, so close to Christmas, would he?</div>
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What works so well about <i>Christmas Vacation</i>, and many other great comedies from the era, is that the film is just really a lose series of sketches tied together around the theme, and it never allows itself get too bogged down in storylines and plotting. It allows us to jump around from a variety of slices of humour, be it slapstick (Clark and his troubles on the rough with a ladder and staple gun, or his attempts to sled) through to vulgar character dialogue and one liners. It keeps the film feeling fresh, and allows it to hold up well to multiple viewings, as there's quite often moments that slip past you the first few times you watch it. Hell, I'm still finding new bits to laugh at, and I've seen it dozens of times. It's a style of comedy that seems to have died out after the early 90's, though a few writers such as <b>Kevin Smith</b> and <b>Judd Apatow</b> were clearly influenced by this era of plot-free chuckles.</div>
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The script was written by<b> John Hughes</b>, who is best known for his excellent work with films such as <i>Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club</i> and <i>Uncle Buck</i>, to name but a few. The story was based off his own articles for National Lampoon magazine, and he really brings a great sense of character to the sketches, with both Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid getting the best moments. Quaid, in fact, threatens to steal every scene he's in; it was the same in the first Vacation, too, there's just something so utterly grotesque and blackly hilarious about the Eddie character that makes his revolting asides so quotable. Everything from the sight of Eddie in his pants and dressing gown, pumping shit into the sewer from his camper van, through to him kidnapping the boss in the finale... I often wondered if they'd give him his own film, but to be honest, I can't imagine it being as funny without Clark playing the straight man to his hick-schtick. </div>
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It's well worth noting that the rest of the cast is great, and one of the unsung heroes in the 'Vacation' series is Beverley D'Angelo, who does a great job as the supportive Ellen. She has great comedy timing, and it seems like a bit of a pity that she didn't feature in more high-profile comedy roles in her extensive career. The parents are made up of screen veterans such as<b> E.G Marshall, Diane Ladd</b> and <b>Doris Roberts</b>, and we get <b>Juliet Lewis</b> taking on the role of the young daughter, Audrey. Some great moments even go to bit players ("He was a beastly, bulging man!") so everyone gets a fair shot at the spotlight, here. Elsewhere, there's a lot to like; from the opening animated titles through to the solid direction by<b> Jeremiah S. Chechik</b>, the film has a stylish sheen that is in keeping with the rest of the series. It also has one of my favorite seasonal film posters, even if it was released under the altered title of '<i>Winter Holiday</i>' originally over here.</div>
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Clark might be short tempered with a somewhat sleazy mind, but he tries hard to keep everyone happy, and even when the shit is hitting the fan (or his storm drain) he tries to make the best of it. It's this sense of heart that has helped the character endure over all these years; someday I hope they can get back to making one more film in the series with Chevy, Beverley and Randy, but with the likes of John Hughes and <b>Harold Ramis</b> both deceased, it seems unlikely. Who knows, at one point Kevin Smith was trying to get Fletch 3 off the ground, but to little success. Maybe Chevy will one day come to his senses. Until then, just kick back, put the tree lights on, refill that glass of eggnog and enjoy another Christmas with the Griswold's.</div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-4958112907180698052014-12-17T10:16:00.002-08:002014-12-17T10:25:54.712-08:00Christmas Evil (1980)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"You'd better take care... Santa is coming to town!"</h4>
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For horror fans, having seasonal, 'go to' favourites is par for the course, and Christmas happens to have a host of films that fall nicely into the category. Be it genre classics like '<i>Black Christmas</i>' or <i>'Gremlins'</i>, there's usually something worth putting your hand to that isn't '<i>It's a Wonderful Life</i>' to get you through the holidays. One of the less sensational 'seasonal slashers' to come out in the early 80's, <b>Christmas Evil</b> hasn't had the best exposure since its release. Between distribution by <b>Troma </b>and falling into public domain, the film has been experienced by most viewers through terrible VHS-ripped box sets, and rarely given much of a chance to shine on its own. Now that it has gotten legit releases in the last few years, just how well does this blood-soaked Santa suit scrub up?</div>
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As a young boy, Harry (<b>Brandon Maggart</b>;<i> <a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2014/02/dressed-to-kill-1980.html" target="_blank">Dressed To Kill</a>, The World According to Garp</i>) witnesses Santa leaving presents under the tree in their home on Christmas eve. Later though, he sneaks back down the stairs and discovers his mother getting sexually pleasured by The Man in the Red Coat, and understandably gets very upset. Cut to Harry as an adult; he has become obsessed with Christmas and the idea of what it means to be a 'good boy or girl'. He works in a toy factory, but is constantly dismayed over the lack of care his co-workers have for making those toys special for the kids out there. When he isn't getting picked on by the toy factory staff, Harry spends much of his time watching the children in his neighbourhood to see if they are being good, even going so far as to keep 'naughty' and 'nice' lists. </div>
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When Harry is informed that, although the factory is donating toys to a children's hospital, the owners don't seem to care if every kid gets a present. Harry finally snaps, and steals a truckload of toys to bring to the hospital on Christmas Eve. Dressed in his own Santa suit, and bringing some of his own, home-made toys, his delivery is met with delight by the hospital staff. Harry wanders around the city, encountering all sorts of seasonal party revellers, and not all of them have been 'nice'. Harry starts to dish out his own sense of justice against those not keeping the Christmas spirit, but soon the police are onto him, and Harry may not live long enough to see the last of his toys delivered...</div>
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Despite being lumped in with the likes of '<i>Silent Night, Deadly Night</i>' and '<i>Don't Open 'Til Christmas</i>', <i><b>Christmas Evil </b></i>is a much more subtle film than the lurid title would suggest. In fact, it probably has more in common with the likes of <i>Taxi Driver</i> than it does with <i>Halloween</i>. We spend most of the screen time with Harry, and we genuinely do feel sorry for the guy. He is confused and saddened by the world around him, with expectations for others that are impossible to reach. This obsession with being good leads him to 'become' Santa; when he dons the suit he truly believes he is the righteous man who has the power to judge those who haven't been good. It's ludicrous, of course, but it's great to see this level of characterisation instead of the after-thought of explanation in most horror films from the period. </div>
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Despite arriving at the start of the slasher craze, <i>Christmas Evil</i> ultimately takes more cues from the likes of <i>Frankenstein</i> in how the film plays out. Despite dishing out some bloody violence on a cross section of people, our sympathy with Harry is maintained as we see him chased down dark alleys by mobs with flaming torches, looking to destroy the monster he has become. It leads to a bizarre ending, that I won't spoil here, but it is strangely effective and fairly depressing.</div>
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Despite the pathos, Christmas Evil is definitely a horror film. The body count is relatively low, but some scenes rate highly on the creepy scale, nonetheless. Harry has a particular disliking to a young boy across the street (the kid has a penchant for<b> Penthouse</b> magazine and foul language), and a great moment involves Harry hiding in the bushes, creeping him out. The same goes for the moment in which harry slays a group of men outside a church who were making fun of them. What's even more disturbing than the eyeball puncturing and hatchets-to-skulls is the fact that the men <i>don't really deserve</i> to die such violent deaths. This is pushed even further with the moment in which Harry enters one of his co-workers homes in the dead of night, and smothers the man while his wife watches, terrified. Moments later, fleeing the scene, Harry is spotted by the victims kids, who think he is the real Santa. This potentially funny moment is broken by the ear piercing screams of the mother, and the reality of what Harry is doing becomes all the more apparent. He is hellbent on punishing those for not being 'good', despite his own casual abandonment of his family and nephews at a time when family should come first.</div>
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These conflicting emotions run throughout<i> Christmas Evil</i>, and Brandon Maggart puts in a fine performance as Harry, lending it the appropriate levels of emotion required for such a complex character. The other performances are a mixed bag, with nobody really shining out among them. This is probably not helped by the script, which doesn't do much with anyone who isn't Harry. it almost falls apart in the climax when we start seeing what the cops are up to, but thankfully this wall-breaking doesn't derail things too much. Directed by<b> Lewis Jackson</b>, the film looks pretty solid, with decent use made of real locations and plenty of garish, seasonal lighting. The budget definitely shows here and there, but the newly remastered prints out there are light-years beyond the old versions most of us have seen.</div>
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If you are expecting a wall-to-wall slasher film like<i> Silent Night, Deadly Night</i>, then it's best you pass this one up. For the most part, it's a study of a man pushing himself to do bad things in the name of being good, and it's really quite effective. With a haunting score and excellent lead performance, give <i>Christmas Evil</i> the chance it deserves. </div>
JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-36243163764345896312014-12-12T09:42:00.001-08:002014-12-30T03:41:39.053-08:00Late Night Frights: Invaders From Mars (1953)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />"The heavens. Once an object of superstition, awe, and fear. Now a vast region for growing knowledge."</h4>
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Awakened by what is mistaken for a thunderstorm, young David (<b>Jimmy Hunt</b>) makes it to his bedroom window in time to see what looks like a spaceship landing on the hill behind his house. After telling his parents, his scientist father heads out to investigate, only to return the next morning somewhat altered. His personality has become cold and aggressive, and David notices a bloody puncture wound on the back of his neck.<br />
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Terrified that something sinister has happened to his father, David goes to the police, but notices the same puncture wound on the chief's neck. He is taken into custody by physician Dr. Blake (<b>Helena Carter</b>), and slowly but surely, she begins to believe his crazy story. Many of the townsfolk have begun to act strangely, and with the help of a local scientist, Dr Stuart Kelston (<b>Arthur Franz</b>) they convince the army that an invasion from Mars is happening on their doorstep. Will it be enough to stop these invaders? Or will they all become slaves to these terrifying creatures?<br />
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Coming out the same year as the much more highly regarded <i>War of the Worlds</i>,<i><b> Invaders From Mars</b></i> manages to hold its' own in the 50's invasion/paranoia genre, despite the less-than-stellar reputation. One of the highlights is that the story is told from the point-of-view of a child; quite common for both modern science fiction and horror, but not so in 1953. This helps create a real sense of terror in the film; for once it's not just scientists and military men who are the main focus (though there plenty of those, too) but an actual child, reflecting probably the vast majority of the film's viewers. This goes beyond just the story, as eagle-eyed viewers will notice that this point-of-view is translated into the production design and shot decisions also, with some sets seemingly taller than necessary, whilst there are much more shots from lower angles than usual for this sort of film. It really does help sell that unique sense of childhood fears, which were expanded upon nicely in the themes itself.<br />
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Coming across as a kids more action-packed version of<i> Invasion of the Body Snatchers</i> (despite coming out several years before the much-celebrated <b>Don Siegel</b> film), it makes great use of childish paranoia; is there anything worse than believing your parents have been replaced by something <i>alien</i>, or perhaps been brainwashed and stripped of their love and compassion? And while this idea was expanded upon to much greater effect in the <i>Body Snatcher</i> films, it is quite effective here, and adds especially to the nightmare-ish tone of the film. Add to this the sights of seeing both adults and children disappearing into the sandpit on the hill, and you'll have yourself some terrified kiddies in the audience.<br />
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Despite these great points, there are a few issues. Firstly, the film suffers from a minuscule budget, meaning the martians themselves are not only limited in screen time, but by special effects too. It's a pity, as the 'mutants' are clearly men wearing green clothes, though the leader is interesting looking enough, but compare that to the martians and award-winning effects in <i>War of the Worlds</i>. The film does feel like it runs out of steam at around the 60 minute mark, as we spend a lot of screen time with the plot to destroy the military plant. Some of it is exciting, but it feels like the pacing takes a wrong turn. Many also feel that the ending is laughable, and while I won't spoil it here specifically (most people who haven't seen it have heard of similar endings from many terrible storytellers in their lives), it is silly, but within the context of the film it seems to work quite perfectly, leading to a bleak finale that was enough to ruffle feathers in the UK at the time, forcing them to re-shoot footage and alter the climax.<br />
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The acting is reasonable across the board, with young Jimmy Hunt doing well despite his age. As mentioned above, the film does feel a bit more action orientated than other science fiction from the era, especially in the second half, but it builds to a fairly effective climax that really does bombard the viewer with explosions and martian death rays. What the film lacks in budget and effects it more than makes up for with atmosphere, and those shots of young David running in terror while bombs explode are some of the most memorable for me in the genre. Special mention should be made of the unusual score by <b>Raoul Kraushaar</b>; it is full of strange tones and vocal pieces; not quite what you'd expect, but once again, seems fitting for the 'bad dream' vibe the film is shooting for.<br />
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Effectively directed by <b>William Cameron Menzies</b>, who was an accomplished art director, the film has suffered from not-so-great prints over the years, and it hasn't really done the<b> Eastmancolor</b> negative much justice. The colour palette alone would look incredible if it was to be cleaned up, as it makes great use of greens and reds. I'm a huge fan of the <b>Tobe Hooper</b> remake from '86, but it would be great to see this one given the lavish restoration it deserves. Highly recommended for fans of 50's sci-fi.<br />
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-35689579389813673442014-12-07T03:10:00.000-08:002014-12-07T03:10:07.408-08:00The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Would you look at Lumpy! He's sure grown, huh? And I think his voice is changing."</h4>
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The buzz for <i>Star Wars</i> in '78 must have still been quite high; no doubt it was still showing in theatres, with kids desperate to catch another glimpse of that <b>George Lucas</b> magic in the days before VHS players allowed them to rent the film or own it for themselves. Then what better way to capitalise on the films success? A TV special, of course. Airing just in time for Thanksgiving, it seemed like not only the perfect way to sell TV advert space, but to reinforce the brand in the young viewers minds. Irregardless of intentions, something went drastically wrong somewhere, and the 'Holiday Special' has gone down in film history as one of the biggest missteps for a well-loved franchise. But is it really that bad? Does it deserve the endless ridicule it gets?</div>
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Things kick off in an exciting enough manner; we are greeted with the sight of Han Solo (<b>Harrison Ford</b>) and Chewbacca on board the Millenium Falcon, en route to Chewie's home planet for the annual celebration of 'Life Day'. they are attacked by some Star Destroyer's, and make a leap to hyperspace to avoid them. Meanwhile, on the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk, Chewie's wife, Malla, is worried the big hairy fella isn't going to come home on time. their son, Lumpy, is a bit concerned, especially when the Imperials show up looking for rebels. The Imperials harass everyone, including local trader, Saun Dann (<b>Art Carney</b>), who is actually a close friend with the wookies. They'll need to work together to warn the Falcon of the Imperial presence on the planet, but will it be enough to ensure Han and Chewie make it? Will Life Day be ruined completely?</div>
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That's the basic rundown on the story, or what little there is of it, anyway. The thin plot is broken up by variety show-style segments, in which we get some songs, an animated segment, and a glimpse into what is happening throughout the galaxy. There are several cameos by the likes of<b> Harvey Korman</b> (in three roles, no less) and <b>Bea Arthur</b> to pad things out, and of course, <b>Mark Hamill</b> and <b>Carrie Fisher</b> reprise their roles as Luke and Leia, even if they don't get much screen time. This lack of screen time is only one of the major issues with the Holiday Special; why would kids in '78 want to watch a Star Wars film that only had a few minutes worth of Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca? Who made the decision to focus on a bunch of malformed muppets in the guise of Chewie's family?</div>
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After that semi-exciting opening minute on board the Falcon, we are then treated to what feels like an eternity in the Wookiee house; creatures that shuffle around, grunting and bellowing at each other with no spoken dialogue to be heard. We see mama trying to cook (while watching one of Harvey Korman's dreadful cameos as a TV chef with four arms), we see Lumpy watching a dull performance-art hologram, and Itchy decides to strap himself into a 'Fantasy Machine' for a wank to the sounds of <b>Diahann Carroll </b>singing some space soul-disco. It's painful stuff, and the scenes with human characters such as Suan Dann seem padded to the point of collapse, offering nothing exciting or even funny for the kids (and their families) that chose to tune in on a Friday night.</div>
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Things do finally get a bit interesting when the Imperials invade Chewie's home and begin destroying Lumpy's toys (that cuddly Bantha teddy gets a real hiding), and then Lumpy watches a cartoon of his fathers adventures which is actually the highlight of the whole thing. In this animated segment we get to meet Boba Fett for the first time, and it's the only section that features anything that resembles the excitement that the kids would have been expecting. After that, it's back to the variety show settings again, and we see a <b>Jefferson Starship</b> performance (which is kinda cool) and then a dreadful extended scene in the cantina with Bea Arthur as a grumpy bartender, and Harvey Korman as an amorous alien who drinks through a hole in his head. The whole film is wrapped up with a song led by a dead-eyed Carrie Fisher before it gives an enthusiastic montage of footage from the actual film to remind kids why they actually liked <i>Star Wars</i> in the first place.</div>
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Apparently it was a struggle getting the original cast to participate in this, and you can tell. Screen time amounts to several minutes for each actor, with Carrie Fisher only showing up for the climax. The script is terrible, with some awful dialogue that even Harrison Ford struggles with it. Shots seem to linger far too long in every scene, making moments that are supposed to be sweet seem vaguely creepy (how long do Han and Chewbacca's wife, Malla, gaze at each other? Are they having an affair?) and the whole film seems to have lacked any sense of direction as scenes start out slowly and just sort of tail off with no real climax to them. Unsurprisingly, the director, <b>David Acomba</b>, left the project early on and was replaced by <b>Steve Binder</b>.</div>
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The film lacks any real action or special effects, which is a pity as Battlestar Galactica would show us soon after how good space opera could be on the small screen. The creature effects aren't nearly as detailed or lively as the film, which is no surprise, but why itchy looks so disturbing is just another item on the long list of decision-making errors made by the producers.</div>
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What sums up the Holiday Special best is the closing montage; not only does it serve to finally show footage of the film that kids were probably aching to see again, but it builds up excitement in the viewer before launching directly into an advert for the <i>Star Wars</i> toy range. The toys look incredibly detailed and vivid, and I was reaching for my wallet to buy them before reminding myself it was a toy advert from the 70's. It would have been a powerful marketing tool, and no doubt contributed to helping sell out the toys that Christmas. It's a pity the rest of the film wasn't given such careful thought; what you have here is a two-hour car crash that Lucas rightfully spent time and money trying to buy up the copies to ensure it never saw the light again. Who knows, maybe <b>Disney</b> will have a sense of humour and finally include it on a future release disc, but I doubt it's the kind of thing that will be looked back at fondly by those who saw it on the first run.</div>
JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-57028556491504978552014-12-05T06:40:00.003-08:002014-12-30T03:42:05.934-08:00Arcade classic: Robotron 2084<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While playing <b>The Binding of Isaac</b> in a friends recently, the topic quickly jumped to classic dual stick shooters, and how seldom we see them as a mainstream release these days. The concept is simple enough; the player uses one 'stick' to push the character around the screen, in whatever direction you chose, while the other stick is used to control the direction of your shooting. Sounds straight forward, but it required a surprising level of dexterity to control both sticks and stay alive. So let's take a stroll back to 1982, when <b>Williams</b> was still one of the reigning champions of arcade action and have a look at the classic <b>Robotron 2084</b>.<br />
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Fitting in perfectly with pulp sci-fi culture from the era, <b>Robotron </b>sees you defending the last remaining humans from the murderous robots we've created and allowed to take control of our world. All the action takes place on one screen (no scrolling, here) and each wave consists of huge amounts of enemies, all trying to kill you and the other humans. You'll have a tough time saving the others, but it's not necessary to do so to proceed; being the hero is merely an option if you want to obtain a high score, as you get points for each one rescued. No, the main goal is to kill the robotic bastards before they get to you first. Once you've killed them all, you'll jump to the next screen and face down another wave of aggressive metal monsters. The game apparently contains 255 waves, before resetting back to the first screen.<br />
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While it might not be much to look at, graphics wise, the developers (<b>Vid Kidz, </b>with lead designer being <b>Eugene Jarvis</b>, the man responsible for other classics such as <b>Defender</b> and <b>Smash TV</b>) wisely chose to put more focus into frenetic game play and waves of enemies instead of trying to 'pretty up' the game. It's not all just straight up shooting, either. There is definitely some sinister 'AI' going on in here. Some of the enemies are indestructible, so shooting them is pointless, but they specifically target the other humans, so when you hear the death sound, you know one of the good guys got trampled. Same goes for one of the other enemies you'll meet a few stages in; they take over the brains of the humans and send them after you, leaving you no choice but to blast them. The horror!<br />
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All of this results in an incredibly fast game that is still great to play. You can gain extra lives as you progress; you'll need em too. My own highest score is a couple hundred thousand; I won't embarrass myself too much with an actual figure. The game was a huge success at the time, and resulted in it being ported to most home computers and consoles at the time, notably the<b> Atari, Commodore</b> and<b> Spectrum</b>. It was also remade for the <b>N64 </b>and updated with 3D graphics, but I've never played that version, and can't imagine it being as fun as the original. The version I play is on the <b>Playstation 2</b>, on the<b> Midway Arcade Classics</b> disc. With vibrant colours and the classic Williams sound effects, this one is well worth digging out on whatever medium you can get it on.<br />
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<i>Playing Robotron 2084 in the Attic is always an option.</i></div>
JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-35132411185096632732014-12-03T09:12:00.002-08:002014-12-03T09:12:41.063-08:00Inseminoid (1981)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Somewhere in the Depth of Space ... A Horrific Nightmare is About to Become a Reality."</h4>
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In the wake of the smash hit, <i>Alien</i>, came a slew of imitators; all with low budgets, but all hoping to get their grubby fingers on some of that sweet, sweet coinage. Like most cash-ins, they mainly lacked the sheer style and imagination that Scott's film carried, and instead focused on the more exploitative aspects. <i>Inseminoid</i> was one of several films that came out during the early 80's that fell into the 'knock-off' category, but does it deserve its scuzzy reputation?</div>
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In the distant future, a group of scientists are busy excavating what appears to the the ruins of an ancient alien civilisation. Soon after discovering some crystals and inscriptions in a tunnel, one of the party is injured in an explosion. A few other crew members venture out to the tunnel, but things end badly when Ricky (<b>David Baxt</b>) goes crazy from a pulse from the crystals, and Gail (<b>Rosalind Boyd</b>) kills herself when her foot gets caught in a grill and her space suit malfunctions.</div>
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Despite these awful events, two more crew members head out to the tunnel - this time, some unseen creature dismembers one while the pretty Sandy (<b>Judy Gleeson</b>) is knocked out and raped by the alien. She awakens back in the base, where the medical examiner discovers she's pregnant. The alien intelligence takes control of Sandy, forcing her to go on a killing spree throughout the base, drinking the blood of her victims along the way. All of this leads to the monstrous birth of her 'children' - a murderous pair of critters - who want nothing but the survival of their own species, with humans being expendable...</div>
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If it's anything, <i>Inseminoid </i>is certainly ambitious. Shot for around £1 million, it attempts to do what most other Sci-fi/horrors do on 3 or 4 times that budget. Saying that, it isn't exactly successful, but it's worthy of praise for at least trying, no? Set mainly between the base and the excavated tunnels on the planet, the film suffers somewhat from a lack of interesting art direction, meaning that every set the actors run through looks the exact same as the last. The <b>Nostromo</b> or<b> LV-426</b> this ain't. This sense of repetition starts to take its toll early on, as the first act seems to involve a lot of time spent going back-and-forth to the tunnel, just with a different group of actors each time. Shooting in a real cave system on a limited budget can't have been pleasant, so kudos to the film makers for getting anything made at all. Luckily for us though, it's an exploitation film through-and-through, so it doesn't take too long to get lively...</div>
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The film definitely changes gear with the impregnation of Sandy. It's a particularly repulsive scene (reproduced nicely on the video sleeve - trying getting away with that today!), in which she is held down on a table, with an alien appearing between her open legs. As if that wasn't bad enough, we get treated to a lengthy shot of the alien actually 'inseminating' her, complete with disgusting looking eggs pumping into her. Yuck. From this point on, the film becomes nearly a slasher, with Sandy moving around the base, gutting and slicing her way through the crew. We get another lengthy birthing scene before the spawn of man and alien are unleashed on the desolate planet. The special effects and creatures are actually great, considering the low budget, and show a bit more imagination than the set design.</div>
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Despite there being little in the way of real 'terror', we get one or two tense moments, the best of which is the scene involving Gail and her malfunctioning suit. It's a pity they weren't able to continue this kind of space horror throughout, but we seldom can be lucky enough to get solid exploitation AND tense horror, all in the one film. The performances are generally weak across the board, with Gleeson probably coming out the best (her screams during the birthing scene are tough to listen to) even with all the mad-eyed gurning she does. The cast seems to be nearly too big, with none of the actors sticking out. Music wise, we get a decent enough electronic score by<b> John Scott</b>, which suits the cheap vision of the future pretty well.</div>
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I should probably stop complaining, as the film is actually quite good fun. Directed by exploitation veteran, <b>Norman J Warren</b> (Prey, Satan's Slave, Terror), the film definitely picks up pace after the first act, and he does his best within the budget restraints which are all too apparent. There are several obvious similarities to <i>Alien</i> (plenty more than those that are apparent from my description above) but I won't spoil them here, as most people coming to this will be watching due to its reputation as an <i>Alien</i> rip-off. What I think is the best selling point for the film (beyond the icky title and nasty imagery) is that this was made in the UK, and proves that the Brits could make a disgusting space horror to match even the likes of <b>Roger Corman</b>. Now, that's <i>something </i>to be proud of! </div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-83981153634533029212014-11-26T10:04:00.001-08:002014-12-02T09:18:50.393-08:00The Delta Force (1986)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"They don't negotiate with terrorists... they blow them away!"</h4>
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I spent a while discussing my lack of interest in <b>Chuck Norris</b> last year, when I watched <i><a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2013/05/missing-in-action-1984.html" target="_blank">Missing in Action</a> </i>and was less than enamoured with it. It wasn't just that film, I just hadn't really watched him in anything that made me understand why he was popular. Not to be put off by this, I decided it was time to give another one of his much-loved films a shot. Does <i>The Delta Force</i> hold up any better than <i>Missing in Action</i>?</div>
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A group of Lebanese terrorists decide to take over a plane that's leaving the USA, and demand that it be flown directly to Beirut. They inform the government that if their demands aren't met, they'll begin executing the passengers. Led by the merciless Abdul (<b>Robert Forster</b>; <i>The Black Hole, Alligator, Vigilante</i>) They separate all the Jewish passengers, and when they plane lands, they smuggle the Jews off while secretly allowing more terrorists to board.</div>
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The USA is left with little option but to call in the tough guys - the Delta Force. Led by Col. Nick Alexander (<b>Lee Marvin</b>;<i> Point Blank, Emperor of the North Pole, Gorky Park</i>) and wild card Major Scott McCoy (<b>Norris</b>), they head to Beirut, only to find that the remaining hostages have been flown to Algiers. After a botched extraction results in the death of a hostage, the force head to the depths of Beirut, hoping to take out the terrorists before the innocent Jews can be executed. Will McCoy be able to save the day? Does he have enough rockets to blow them all up?</div>
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<i>The Delta Force</i> is interesting enough, in that the first hour is more of a straight up hostage drama, with the action only kicking in for the final hour. In a way it's quite effective; we have plenty of time to get to know the hostages (there are loads of them) and also time to give even a little bit of humanity to the terrorists (it is minimal, but it's there). In fact, the characters that we get to know the least are the heroes; McCoy is the guy who plays by nobodies rules, and Col. Nick is tough but lovable, and that's it. Nothing more. In a way it doesn't really matter; the film is set up in a way to make you care somewhat about the victims and perpetrators, but ultimately we know it's going to end up with Marvin and Norris shooting and killing every one of those evil bastards before the credits roll - they are the heroes, what else do we need to know? </div>
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This leaves things in that murky area that most of these sort of films from the decade fall into, borderline racist, and fitting in with the mass media perceptions of the time. The fact that you have a blacked-up white American playing the lead terrorist should set off alarm bells, but I won't get too far into this (it's not that kind of blog, in fairness), and to be honest, it's a Chuck Norris movie, so you shouldn't expect too serious a treatment of these issues. Saying that, some of the dialogue from the terrorists is quite interesting, and seems almost more relevant today than it would have back then. No doubt it's something my American friends can relate to. </div>
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What most people will come to this film for is the action, and when it gets going, it's pretty solid. Plenty of shoot outs, explosions and general ass kicking is what you get, right down to Norris riding a bike with rocket launchers built into it. The action still holds up well today in that fun, '<i>Commando</i>' kinda way, if just not quite as violent. I felt that we could have done with more hand-to-hand combat here (an area that Norris excels at), but it mainly comes into play in the final fight at the end. Also, he doesn't get to do as many dangerous looking stunts as he did in <i>Missing in Action</i>, which I felt was a highlight there. Maybe the producers wouldn't let him, as he had become semi-bankable at this point.</div>
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The acting and cast are quite noteworthy, as there are plenty of familiar faces outside of the two leads. Forster, as mentioned, does a good job of playing a Lebanese terrorist (it took a few scenes for me to recognise him), and among the hostages are the likes of <b>Martin Balsam</b>, <b>George Kennedy, Robert Vaughn </b>and<b> Shelley Winters,</b> to name but a few. They all do reasonably well in their roles, but ultimately play second fiddle to the explosions and Chuck Norris' beard. Directed and produced by <b>Menahem Golan</b> (who directed <a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2013/07/over-top-1987.html" target="_blank"><i>Over the Top</i></a>, and produced dozens upon dozens of huge hits from the era), the film feels almost like a TV movie in the first hour (though the action is mainly restricted to the inside of an airplane) but things take a more visual turn once we get to Beirut. Much of the budget probably went into the huge cast and massive explosions in the climax, so I won't complain too much. Special mention should be made of the rousing theme music by <b>Alan Silvestri</b> - it's a great piece of fist-pumping nonsense that could only have been improved by a vocal cut of the track for the closing credits. A missed opportunity, there.</div>
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Overall, the film is definitely worth watching, and would go down a treat with a few beers. It has loads of action, some reasonable drama and was Marvin's final film, which is a pity. Despite his age here, he was a lively fella. Now, if all Norris films are as enjoyable as this, I might actually end up a fan of his... only time will tell.</div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-63626057538392080882014-10-31T10:38:00.001-07:002014-10-31T10:38:56.530-07:00Our traditional Hallowe'en Turnip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Most people these days go with the much handier (and prettier) pumpkin for their seasonal carving, but this year I thought I'd go old school and go with the turnip. Well, it was more to do with pumpkins being sold out already...but! A lot of people don't realise that the simple, ugly-looking turnip was the traditional vegetable of choice in Ye Olden Days in Ireland, when we didn't have things like pumpkins (pumpkins only became traditional when we fled to the states, and found something much less awkward to use). Sure, you'll rip your hands to shreds trying to hollow them out, but sure what's Hallowe'en without a little pain and bloodshed? me and my friends used to go straight for turnips for years, but I'd been getting soft in my old age, so was nice to go back to how it was originally done this year. Hope you all have a great Hallowe'en!JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-50198413858846406132014-10-29T07:50:00.000-07:002014-10-29T07:50:57.189-07:00Soundtrack Spotlight: Inferno - Keith Emerson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Argento</b>'s follow up to his near-instant classic, <i>Suspiria</i>, was never going to be easy, and like many viewers, it took me a long time to warm to<i> Inferno</i>. When I first saw it in the late 90's, it felt like a watered down version of the earlier film, lacking many of the spectacular set pieces, nasty violence and sheer bonkers nature that set the original apart from the rest of the crowd. I kept coming back to it though, and by around the 3rd viewing it finally clicked with me, and I saw the film for the flawed beauty that it was. It had an incredible visual style that was signature Argento, and the dream logic he was pushing hard in his films never seemed to work quite as well as it did here. Those set pieces were there; they just didn't revolve around bloody murders and instead worked to slowly chip away at the reality surrounding the characters.<br />
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One of the pieces of the<i> Inferno</i> puzzle that I found hardest to click with was the soundtrack. It's a strange thing to say, as usually when discussing Dario's films the music and imagery goes hand-in-hand, as if <b>Goblin</b> (who scored many of his pictures) was part of his directing style and process, one-and-the-same with Argento himself. This is most apparent on Suspiria, in which the score plays a vital role in the success of the film, and made Goblin a household name among horror fans. So why choose to get <b>Keith Emerson</b> in to score the sequel, <i>Inferno</i>? It might have been to do with Goblin themselves, who didn't appear under that name on his following film, <i>Tenebrae</i>, as one of the members had left. Maybe Dario and Claudio (his brother, who produced many of his films) wanted to broaden the appeal of their film by pulling in the prog rock fans familiar with <b>Emerson, Lake and Palmer</b>... who knows, really.<br />
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What initially struck me was how it felt more like a traditional score, full of reverb'd organs and horror stings, unlike the creepy prog-tinged works of Goblin. It works less as a stand alone record; but then again, does that matter? When watching it now, I can't imagine any other score on the film, and some sequences work perfectly with it. Tracks such as 'Rose's descent into the cellar' don't stick out so well on their own, but when combined with the images in the film, they gel nicely. Same goes for 'Bookbinder's delight' and 'A cat attic attack'. Vocals are used well on 'Rose gets it'; probably the closest to the madness of a Goblin track here, though Emerson does finally let loose on 'Mater Tenbrarum' and 'Inferno finale'. Overall, it's still probably my least favorite score on an Argento film from that period, but it is worth checking out. I have the <b>Cinevox</b> re-issue on CD from 7 or 8 years ago.<br />
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<br />JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-12513221438816827712014-10-21T08:33:00.000-07:002014-10-21T08:33:01.978-07:00Deadly Blessing (1981)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"In the rolling hills of a sinful farm community, untouched by time, a gruesome secret has been protected for generations."</h4>
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We've discussed <b>Craven</b>'s career a few times here at <i>The Nostalgic Attic</i> (recently enough actually, with <a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2014/05/swamp-thing-1982.html" target="_blank"><i>Swamp Thing</i></a>) and while many of his minor films have flown below the radar, one that seems to get forgotten about completely is <i>Deadly Blessing</i>. Falling into that grey period between <i>The Hills Have Eyes</i> and career re-launcher that was <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>, is it worth digging out of the vault for a re-evaluation?</div>
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Something sinister is afoot in the super religious community of the Hittites. A former member of the pseudo-Amish is crushed one night by his own tractor. His wife, Martha (<b>Maren Jensen</b>), an outsider to her husbands people, decides to stay on the farm to pick up the pieces of her life, despite the sheriffs warning to leave. She finds resistance from all those around her, including her husbands estranged father, Isaiah (<b>Ernest Borgnine</b>) who calls her the Incubus, and wants her to sell up the land and leave for good. The only friendly faces are those of her neighbour, Louisa, and her childish-but-nice daughter, Faith.</div>
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She is soon joined on the farm by her old friends, Lana (<b>Sharon Stone</b>; <i>Totall Recall, Action Jackson</i>) and Vicky (<b>Susan Buckner</b>), who want to comfort her, but also plan on bringing her home and away from the scene of her husbands death. The local youngsters can't stay away from what they perceive to be an 'evil place', and led by the simpleton William (<b>Michael Berryman</b>; <i>The Hills Have Eyes, Cut and Run</i>), they dare each other to go into the barn in which Martha's husband died. After he doesn't return home from his visit to the barn, William's father begs for help from Martha, and not long after, William's strangled body is discovered by the hysterical Lana. Just who is killing off the members of the community? Will Martha and her friends escape with their lives and sanity intact?</div>
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Coming across as a somewhat mature slasher, <i>Deadly Blessing </i>does more right than it does wrong. From the opening shots of the countryside and the community working the land, a real attempt is made to stand out from the more typical 'dead teenager' films from the era. Craven takes the straight approach with the material, creating an interesting conflict of religion and family as the backdrop to the tense stalk sequences. Time and care is taken to establish our large cast of characters, and even minor players such as John, the brother of the deceased, gets much more depth than most genre films would allow for such a character. Others, such as Lana, feel a bit one-note, but it's forgivable considering everything else the film nails.</div>
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What also sets it aside from other films from the period is the lack of graphic violence and gore. Most of the deaths are bloodless, but Craven seemed more interested in doing something else here; namely, making a horror film that was <i>actually scary</i>. Several sequences revolve around the barn, and the scenes build a genuine sense of terror as they play out. Other frightening moments play on our 'city slicker' fears of the wilderness, which was a recurring motif for the director. Spiders make frequent appearances (the best being Lana's dream) and one moment involving a snake in a bathtub is enough to warrant the film being remembered by genre fans alone. ANOES fans will recognise shots from this sequence, as many were used again when Nancy took a dip in the tub herself a few years later.</div>
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What makes it all work is the decent script that pulls all of this together, but it's also the thing that lets it down somewhat in the last act. Events transpire here that throws the plot almost off the rails (a similar twist is used in another slasher, but I won't spoil anything), and I can imagine many viewers just simply laughing instead of being horrified. It's a twist that doesn't have much signposting, and one wonders if it really adds much to the picture at all. Saying that though, it gave the lead character a chance to stop being the victim and to fight back, and I always welcome that. There was also a forced change made to the ending (which really jumps the shark), but to be honest, these issues didn't bother me at all; Craven was taking me for a ride and I was happy to be on board. The climax itself is thrilling enough for me to forgive these late-in-the-day problems.</div>
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The cast is solid, with Jensen great in the lead, and she handles the frequent nudity like a champ. It's a pity she didn't do anything else after this, and the same goes for her co-star, Buckner. Stone is passable in one of her earlier big screen roles, but she does get some of the best scenes to herself. Berryman is as maniacal as always, and it's a pity he exits early on, despite the 'red herring' video sleeve we had in the UK. Screen legend Borgnine lends the film some high class credibility, though you can tell he was only there for a few key scenes. Special mention should be made of the excellent score by <b>James Horner</b> - it also adds to the classy nature of the film.</div>
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Wes Craven did a great job here; you can tell he was showing restraint as he attempted to move away from the exploitation orientated pictures he had made up to that point, and had his eye firmly on bigger budgets. He deserved it too; the film displays that great promise we now know he delivered on just a few short years later. <i>Deadly Blessing</i> is a fine balancing act of drama, tension and horror. Sure, the ending is patchy, but who cares when the journey there is so well done?</div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-44007629708934644922014-10-17T07:21:00.000-07:002014-10-17T07:21:03.850-07:00Halloween - Vintage Holiday Graphics by Taschen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For those who don't know, the ideology behind Halloween (or Hallowe'en, if you want to be particular about it) is about the one night of the year when the souls of the dead can wander among us, and by dressing up as something ghoulish it would keep them from bothering you, as they believed you were one of them. Ok, I'm not sure if the last part was added in later, but it's an old pagan tradition that is still well loved and cherished in places like Ireland, bonfires and all (even if the old beliefs are no longer followed), and has largely become a fun festival around the world that most people enjoy these days.<br />
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I sometimes do get nostalgic for the thrill of it all when I was a kid. I always enjoyed dressing up as something<i> scary</i>, as opposed to say, a pirate or cowboy (hey, we did that on a regular basis anyway, so there was nothing special about it), and the same went for girls. It saddens me to see how it has become 'sexy' for women at Halloween at this point; what's wrong with a gal looking her evilest or scariest? If you feel the same way, and yearn for the days of ghosts, goblins, witches and black cats, then this book is for you. It's absolutely stuffed to the gills with great images from the vintage American holiday season. It has everything from old coke and sweet adverts in magazines through to some decidely creepy photographs of children and adults alike dressed up and ready to put the shivers in the walking dead themselves. It's a great place to start if you are looking for something different or retro for your seasonal decorations or costume ideas, and a book that belongs on the shelf of any Halloween nutter.<br />
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<i>Now <b>this</b> is how you do Halloween fancy dress.</i></div>
JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-59885854372374196712014-10-13T09:51:00.000-07:002014-10-13T09:51:49.607-07:00Within the Woods (1978)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There are some films we are so familiar with that it seems pointless even writing about them in any way at all. It's why I seldom cover bigger, well-loved genre films here, and tend to focus on the less championed entries. The likes of <i>The Evil Dead</i> has been spoken about so often on blogs, websites and books that you'd be hard pressed to say anything fresh about it, and if you can't do that, why bother? We know how influential it has been, and how great the sequels are, and how much fun <b>Bruce Campbell </b>is. But what we don't hear about too often is the film made to secure the funding for<i> The Evil Dead</i>, called <i>Within the Woods</i>.<br />
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Anyone who has read the excellent <i>The Evil Dead Companion</i> by <b>Bill Warren</b>, or who has listened to the countless audio commentaries by <b>Raimi</b> and co on the DVD releases will know the details on this one. After deciding to make a horror picture, Raimi, producer <b>Rob Tapert</b> and Campbell felt they needed to make a short film to use to raise the funds needed for a feature project. The result was <i>Within the Woods</i>, and the rest is history after that. What is unfortunate though is what has happened to the original short. Due to the lack of rights on the music tracks used (this was made to be screened locally, remember, and never intended for wide distribution) the film has lingered in the 'unreleased' files, despite several attempts to get it onto the DVD special editions of <i>The Evil Dead </i>over the years.<br />
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It's a pity, as all we have now are some truly terrible 5th or 6th generation VHS bootlegs, copies so murky and noisy that it's almost impossible to see what is happening in some scenes, never mind the tape jumps and warbles. What we can make out is great though; there is tension, seemingly decent Super 8 cinematography, great editing and some excellent jump scares and gore. Essentially it's a 30 minute 'quickie' version of the first Evil Dead film, with several moments making it over to the finished feature film, such as the hand being chewed off, or the great moment when Scott sits up in the foreground, delivering a polished scare. Also on display is one or two finely done comedic moments, and though they are light, they work well, and the rare chance to see Bruce Campbell playing the bad guy.<br />
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It's also interesting to see how it developed from 'Indian burial ground' to the Lovecraftian 'Book of the Dead', which was much more effective. Despite the age of Raimi, the film looks and feels more accomplished than the likes of <i>The Equinox,</i> which must have played a part in the inspiration for these films. Sure, it's only 30 minutes, and not something that horror fans would line up to hand over cash for, but I think it's an excellent entry in the <i>Evil Dead</i> saga, and must have been great to see it when it originally screened. I'm not sure how most people feel, but I for one would love to have this to go with my annual <i>Evil Dead</i> screening, as I think we are sorely lacking in any other material from Raimi that matches that bleak, no-nonsense, hardcore horror of the first film. It's unlikely that it'll see the light of day on any official release soon, but if you can find it, it's worth watching, just if it's even to see where the whole Deadite cult sprang from.JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-35014756618901916082014-10-06T09:09:00.000-07:002014-10-06T09:09:11.287-07:00Video Sleeves: Then and Now (part two)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kr9lWsmarvw/VDKzGWAOCEI/AAAAAAAAEL4/bLOlWUd0jI0/s1600/SILENT-NIGHT-DEADLY-NIGHT%2Btitle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kr9lWsmarvw/VDKzGWAOCEI/AAAAAAAAEL4/bLOlWUd0jI0/s1600/SILENT-NIGHT-DEADLY-NIGHT%2Btitle.jpg" height="282" width="640" /></a></div>
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It has been a few months since we last <a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2014/05/video-sleeves-then-and-now-part-one.html" target="_blank">looked </a>at the ever-changing face of video artwork, so seeing as it's October, lets do a full horror entry. Some of these are subtle, while some are downright appalling. I guess the art department has to justify their salaries too, but I just wish they could have been a bit more<i> creative</i> in what they do.<br />
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First up, a truly shocking piece of photoshop. The original <i>Rawhead Rex</i> VHS is hardly a masterpiece of graphic design, but it was atmospheric and eye-catching enough to make me and my friends constantly want to rent it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dm4Njy-q9EA/VDK04yc4F1I/AAAAAAAAEME/h9nJRVJ3ScA/s1600/rawhead%2Brex%2Bvhs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dm4Njy-q9EA/VDK04yc4F1I/AAAAAAAAEME/h9nJRVJ3ScA/s1600/rawhead%2Brex%2Bvhs.jpg" height="464" width="640" /></a></div>
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The monster was there, right on the front, and looks fairly terrifying. Sure, we felt jipped when we got home and watched the film, but at least we made it that far. Would you make it to the till with the DVD sleeve? The actual DVD on my shelf is as blurry and pixelated as this image I found on the web.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2vRbQ5hE7QA/VDK1ZmPrU0I/AAAAAAAAEMM/WSIJkY7LUGU/s1600/rawhead%2Brex%2Bdvd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2vRbQ5hE7QA/VDK1ZmPrU0I/AAAAAAAAEMM/WSIJkY7LUGU/s1600/rawhead%2Brex%2Bdvd.jpg" height="400" width="286" /></a></div>
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This next one really bugs me. Here's the original VHS for <i>Silent Night, Deadly Night</i>:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-52ppQSQbTno/VDK2U2N6q4I/AAAAAAAAEMY/rzp8-m_FvTY/s1600/SILENT-NIGHT-DEADLY-NIGHT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-52ppQSQbTno/VDK2U2N6q4I/AAAAAAAAEMY/rzp8-m_FvTY/s1600/SILENT-NIGHT-DEADLY-NIGHT.jpg" height="500" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's a striking image, a great juxtaposition of a familiar image of Santa going down the chimney, only this time with the violence and terror of the added axe in his hand. The film was controversial at the time due to the TV spots they ran which outraged parents across the states, resulting in pickets and protests at cinemas. The film was a big release on DVD for <b>Anchor Bay</b>, who usually do the right thing and get the original art or at least the original poster design for the sleeve. Like many of you, I've had loads of their discs over the years and they usually do just fine on the presentation. So I was disappointed when the DVD finally arrived in the post and I saw this:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--FKdIO22Qfs/VDK2_PAq_MI/AAAAAAAAEMg/aHp228kxI88/s1600/SilentNightDeadlyNight%2Bdvd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--FKdIO22Qfs/VDK2_PAq_MI/AAAAAAAAEMg/aHp228kxI88/s1600/SilentNightDeadlyNight%2Bdvd.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
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The obvious cropping in on the image doesn't bug me <i>too</i> much (though it is cropped too far, leaving the remaining image no room to breathe), what really ticks me off is the FONTS! SO MANY DIFFERENT FONTS! They made a real mess of this one with putting too much giant-sized writing all over it. Did we really need two terrible new tag lines on the front sleeve? Or two attempts to remind us that it's a controversial title, just in case you forgot as you panned your eyes down? they couldn't even leave the title font in tact, they went and added blood dripping from it too. The photoshop guy must have been really eager to impress his boss that day...<br />
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Up next, one that just baffles me as to why they went with it. Here's the original VHS for <b>Stuart Gordon</b>'s classic <i>From Beyond:</i><br />
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It's the sleeve most of us would have grown up with, and it does a good job of selling what kind of film it is (body horror with science fiction elements, I just love the gloopy images on the back). After years of thinking we were never going to see the unrated directors cut due to the original footage being lost, us horror fans got a treat when they announced that the footage had been discovered, and a special edition was on the way. I was somewhat surprised to see the artwork that followed on the final release:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--hJ4t_AdXfo/VDK5o0fbyjI/AAAAAAAAEM4/N9oij-SDVfk/s1600/from%2Bbeyond%2Bdvd2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--hJ4t_AdXfo/VDK5o0fbyjI/AAAAAAAAEM4/N9oij-SDVfk/s1600/from%2Bbeyond%2Bdvd2.jpg" height="436" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, it's not bad artwork, but it's artwork that was done for the films original soundtrack release. So, why put it on the DVD cover? Even then it has been altered (the blue-ish hue is new) and it looks more like a cyberpunk horror than what the original film was. baffling, really.<br />
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This final one is probably the strangest and worst since the <i>Near Dark</i> sleeves I included in <a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2014/05/video-sleeves-then-and-now-part-one.html" target="_blank">Part One</a>. The Gate is a great little film, with a fun soundtrack and good performances from the young leads, that include a teeny <b>Stephen Dorff</b> . The special effects are also excellent, and VHS really does a good job of showing what kind of film it is:<br />
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Sure, the film features kids, but it isn't necessarily a kids film, which is why I couldn't figure out what the hell this was supposed to be:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1Y4cv-ZDdc/VDK7TSUfj1I/AAAAAAAAENM/weAVXbPwiRg/s1600/gate_dvd_copy0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P1Y4cv-ZDdc/VDK7TSUfj1I/AAAAAAAAENM/weAVXbPwiRg/s1600/gate_dvd_copy0.jpg" height="400" width="292" /></a></div>
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This looks to be cashing on in pretty much any kids adventure film that came out in the last ten years. You would barely even notice the little creatures around the child (who definitely doesn't look like Stephen Dorff) and your little kid might be upset by the time he witnesses one of the lead characters dancing with his dead dog in the middle of the night. <i>Harry Potter</i>, it ain't!<br />
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As I said in closing last time, it's about preserving that culture and style from when the film got released. We don't need revisionism of obscure B movies, in the same way we don't want Greedo shooting first in Star Wars. No matter how small a niche these titles may fill in the 'bigger picture' of film history, they still belong there, and are part of that history. They are worth preserving. It would be just as sad for the artwork to disappear into the annals of time as it would for some of these films to be forgotten about completely, and with the costs of getting Blu ray discs onto the market, the likelihood of that happening to many titles that have never even made it to DVD doesn't seem too far fetched.JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-43836943899276762282014-10-04T05:36:00.000-07:002014-10-04T05:36:26.319-07:00Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGmsbMt8ynQ/VC_ZrivowyI/AAAAAAAAEK0/IJ9xVF_TFfY/s1600/Elvira%2BMistress%2Bof%2Bthe%2BDark%2BUK%2BVHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGmsbMt8ynQ/VC_ZrivowyI/AAAAAAAAEK0/IJ9xVF_TFfY/s1600/Elvira%2BMistress%2Bof%2Bthe%2BDark%2BUK%2BVHS.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></div>
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"Listen sister, if I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you."</h4>
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For myself growing up in secluded, 1980's Ireland, I never really understood what the whole 'Elvira' thing was about. We didn't have horror hosts on our native TV stations, and seeing her presenting her well-loved show certainly wasn't a possibility. I have vague recollections of noticing some sort of 'Elvira presents...' series on VHS, but the only real exposure I had to her cult phenomenon was from staring/drooling at the VHS sleeve above. Sadly, I knew, there was no way my mother was going to let me come home with that one. Even worse was the alternate sleeve (below) which really went for the more obvious sex appeal for the meat-head males out there. So, being deprived of her charms in my youth, just how well does her persona hold up today?</div>
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<i>alternate VHS sleeve in the UK. They knew how to market this flick.</i></div>
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Opening on the set of her TV show, Elvira (<b>Cassandra Peterson</b>) is given an ultimatum: sleep with the sleazy new station owner, or get the hell out. Being Elvira, she roughs him up a bit, before deciding to finally make a break for Vegas and her dance show she has dreamt about. Unfortunately, she needs to front up $50,000 herself or they won't allow her show to run. Whats a broke vamp girl to do? Out of the blue she receives notification that her distant aunt has passed away, and left her some goodies in her will. Hitting the road in her 'Macabremobile', she arrives in the hometown of her aunt just as her car breaks down. It doesn't take long for her to rub up the locals the wrong way; they're a bunch of backwards prudes who don't take kindly to women dressing like she does. In fact, they seem to be anti-everything - make up, public displays of affection, even <i>fun</i> in general. </div>
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She soon discovers she has been left her aunts house, a poodle and a very special item - a cook book. Disappointed that it wasn't a pile of money, she begins to fix the place up, little aware that her aunt still haunts the place. Her sinister uncle expresses interest in the cook book, and tries to buy it from her. It's soon revealed that it's a witches spell book, and her uncle wants it for his own evil reasons. In between giving the poodle a punk hairdo and befriending the local kids, she falls for the hunky Bob (<b>Daniel Greene</b>; <i>Hands of Steel</i>) who runs the local cinema. Unfortunately the clock is ticking, and soon the towns people plan on stringing her up and burning her at the stake. Will Elvira be able to keep the book from her uncles clutches? Will she ever bag the muscled dork of a cinema owner? Will she save herself from the pitchfork wielding locals? </div>
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From the start, <i>Elvira: Mistress of the Dark</i> lays on the camp jokes and innuendos heavily, so if you aren't a fan of this kind of comedy, it's best you look elsewhere. It's a brand of groan-worthy humour that doesn't usually do much for me (the likes of the <i>Carry On </i>series would send me running and screaming from a TV set), but in the hands of Cassandra Peterson and the two other script writers, <b>Sam Egan</b> and <b>John Paragon</b>, the film is sharp enough to keep you on the right side throughout. The gags come thick and fast, with genuine 'laugh out loud' moments popping up regularly. Most of the best lines go to Peterson, mixing the valley girl dumb-broad with a welcome sense of street smarts. Sure, there's plenty of gags around her ample chest (when she breaks the chains with her cleavage is one of the best, while the unexpected "Nice tits" remark from an elderly gentleman had me in stitches), but most of the best moments are all about timing and delivery. When asked "how's your head?" after an accident, she bemusedly responds with, "Well, I haven't had any complaints so far!". </div>
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While there are plenty of men in the film pawing after her, the character of Elvira is in total control. In fact, the love story aspect is turned on its head, with the man being the object of desire between two very strong minded, tough ladies as the male character becoming the timid, gentle sex. It feels refreshing to have such a strong female character to root for in a genre film. </div>
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While most of the elements are comedy here, lets not forget it also dips a toe (just the one!) in horror. There isn't much to go with, but it ramps up a bit more in the climax, and we get treated to a demonic stew monster (a lot cooler than it sounds), a lopped off hand and some enjoyable attempts by Elvira to take down her evil uncle, rocket launcher and all. There isn't much that would scare anyone, but there is a fun sense of 'halloween'-ish delight to it all; especially as we get some fun footage from the Corman flick, <i>It Conquered the World</i> and <i>Attack of the Killer Tomatoes</i>. It would definitely make a fun 'early on' film for a Halloween marathon, that's for sure. It's not all horror references though, as we get quips relating to everything from <i>The Wizard of Oz</i> through to <i>Flashdance</i>.</div>
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Performances are actually solid here, with Peterson leading the bunch. We get a small role for sleazebag extraordinaire <b>Kurt Fuller</b> (<i><a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2013/08/no-holds-barred-1989.html" target="_blank">No Holds Barred</a>,</i> <i>Waynes World</i>), while<b> Edie McClurg</b> (<i>Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Back to School</i>) is excellent as always as 'Chastity Pariah'. The film looks great, too, with most of that budget going up on the screen. It's nicely shot and the special effects are perfect for this sort of thing. Directed by <b>James Signorelli</b>, the film never really falters throughout, and the jokes are well timed. As they should be; his career is mainly with Saturday Night Live, and it's a pity he didn't do much more work for the big screen.</div>
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If it has been a long time since you checked this one out, or never seen it at all, get on it. The soundtrack is full of fun rock tunes and the occasional bit of 'Elvira rap' (I kid you not), and the jokes work for the most part. Do yourself a favour and add it to your Halloween viewing this year. While it might not be high on the scare stakes, it brings plenty of charm and ghoulish fun with it. </div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-88440749086800868812014-10-02T10:27:00.000-07:002014-10-02T10:27:34.814-07:00My Top Ten slasher films (that aren't Halloween or Friday the 13th)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's that time of the year again: the weather has taken a turn for the colder, the evenings are getting shorter and the trees are looking that little bit barer. Yup, October has finally rolled around, and so our horror-hungry eyes look towards Halloween. I'm a big slasher fan, and this is usually my favourite month to re-visit some classic (and lesser appreciated) titles. So in putting together this list, I decided to leave out the usual heavy-hitters; no <b>Carpenter</b>'s <i>Halloween</i> or the much loved <i>Friday the 13th</i> series, I'll even go as far as omitting <i>The Texas Chainsaw Massacre</i> and <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i> films. Why? Well, I kinda figured that nearly<i> everyone</i> (casual and hardcore horror fans alike) has seen these titles already; we all know they're awesome, and are the obvious choices for not just slasher lists, but 'Top Ten' horrors in general. I've also left off the more serial killer-orientated entries (such as <i>Maniac</i>, <i>Nightmare in a Damaged Brain</i>, etc) just to keep things a little bit more traditional. So, lets get stuck in!<br />
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10 - Madman (1982)</h3>
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Following in the footsteps of the 'summer camp slasher' template set out by <i>Friday the 13th</i>, <i>Madman</i> sees us at the end of the summer season, with camp winding down for another year. After recounting the spooky tale of the madman in the woods, unsurprisingly, camp counsellors start to get picked off one-by-one in bloody fashion. It's up to Betsy (<b>Gaylen Ross</b>) to save the few remaining kids and herself before the sun comes up and the maniac finishes them all off...</div>
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When I first saw <i>Madman</i>, I hated it. It felt cheap, poorly staged and poorly acted. For some reason I seem to have mellowed on this title over the years, and things that used to annoy me are things that I now find enjoyable. The casio-keyboard synths, the less-than-stellar performances and the low lighting give it a bit more charm than many might expect from such a low budget film. What it does have is a truckload of atmosphere, and the night time photography lends it a gritty and gloomy vibe that is missing from most brightly-lit modern horror films. It also has a great lead villain - Madman Marz - gruesome deaths and a wonderfully downbeat ending. </div>
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9 - The Prowler (1981)</h3>
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A killer seems hellbent on reliving the murders committed 35 years ago during the annual spring dance. Pretty young Pam (Vicky Dawson) finds her friends and dance dates getting sliced up one-by-one, and the race is on to figure out who the killer is before it's too late...<br />
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Director <b>Joseph Zito</b>'s second best slasher film (the title of best goes to <i>Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter</i>) usually features up quite high on many horror fans lists, and with good reason. Firstly, it has a certain <b>Tom Savini</b> in charge of blasting heads off and shoving knives through skulls - so you know it's going to be bloody. The kills are truly excellent, with some of the best from the classic slasher era featured here. They have a brutality to them that is often missing from the cheaper entries, such as when the lady gets her throat cut in the swimming pool - you really can 'feel' the blade sawing through her flesh. Secondly, the film looks great; they really did a great job with filming it, and the cast is solid too. It's not without its flaws, however: I feel the editor could have shaved ten minutes out of it (there's just one-too-many scenes of the lead actress wandering around empty hallways, and the scene involving the hotel clerk on the phone is excruciating), but it isn't enough to detract from an overall great experience.<br />
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8 - Alone in the Dark (1982)</h3>
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During a power blackout, 4 murderous psychopaths escape from the mental hospital and lay seige on their doctors house, terrorising him and his family. Lead by the charismatic Frank (<b>Jack Palance</b>) and the creepy Precher (<b>Martin Landau</b>), they want nothing but to see him and his family dead...</div>
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<i>Alone in the Dark</i> might feel a bit tame compared to the other blood-soaked entries in the sub genre, but what it lacks in grue it more than makes up with great filmaking. Directed by the talented<b> Jack Sholder</b>, the film is stylish and has excellent pacing, with a genuinely intense climax and a few great jump scares littered throughout. As you can see from above, the cast is also great, with Palance and Landau joining slasher veteran Donald Pleasance to bring a touch of class to the film. If you need something that breaks away from the typical 'summer camp' slasher and has a bit more polish, then this one'll do nicely. </div>
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7 - Sleepaway Camp (1983)</h3>
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Eight years after a freak boating accident leaves young Angela without a father and brother, she finds herself in the summer camp from hell. Bullies and paedophiles lurk behind every corner, and that's before the killer even shows up... Just who is knocking off the kids and counsellors of <i>Sleepaway Camp</i>?</div>
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I reviewed this one just a few months back (<a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2014/08/sleepaway-camp-1983.html" target="_blank">here</a>), so I'll be brief - <i>Sleepaway</i> <i>Camp</i> is often looked at as goofy trash, but I feel it's undeserving of this reputation. Sure, some of the acting isn't excellent, but the performances from a genuinely young cast are reasonable for the most part. The kills are quite different too, we don't get the usual knifes and other stabby things; instead most deaths are shown to be 'almost' accidental. The ending is a knock out, but I won't spoil anything here, as many still haven't seen this one. Do yourself a favour and watch it on your own, without the drunk crowd adding their own commentary to it. </div>
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6 - Happy Birthday to Me (1981)</h3>
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After surviving an accident and brain surgery, Virginia (<b>Melissa Sue Anderson</b>) returns to a private school where she belongs to the 'Top Ten' - a clique of wealthy, smart students - but finds that her friends are being picked off in bloody ways by an unseen killer. Will she or any of her friends make it to her 18th birthday?</div>
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<i>Happy Birthday to Me</i> is actually quite a well made film, and was produced by Columbia in the wake of the slasher craze. It has quite a few things going for it, including the recognisable name of <b>J. Lee Thompson </b>on the director chair. The kills are all quite inventive (hence the tag line, "Six of the most bizarre murders you will ever see") though some of the more gruesome moments were trimmed in the editing suite. As it is though, you probably won't feel like you are missing <i>too</i> much, as the deaths are still quite effective. Less effective perhaps is the truly bonkers/silly finale, in which the killer is revealed. It's the kind of thing that will set most audiences to laughter, but it feels like a fitting end for such a fun film.</div>
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5 - Hell Night (1981)</h3>
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During pledge night, four students (including the delightful <b>Linda Blair</b>) are forced to spend a night in an old mansion. With the gates locked behind them, they soon find themselves victim to a killer who seems to be the sole survivor of a massacre that happened decades before. Will anyone survive the horror of Hell Night?</div>
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Probably best remembered as the slasher featuring Linda Blair in a corset for its running time,<i> Hell Night </i>is actually quite an atmospheric little film. Lit by plenty of moonlight and candles, the film hasn't looked all that great on home video, and really could do with a decent scan and Blu Ray release. I've a feeling there could be a gorgeous film under those murky blacks. Either way, the film still has oodles of fun to sell it, and it really is one of those great 'October' films for me. It may be lacking in gore, but it has enough assets to keep slasher fans happy.</div>
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4 - The Burning (1981)</h3>
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Looking for revenge on the camp kids who nearly burned him to death in a prank gone wrong years ago, Cropsey heads back to to the summer camp, garden shears in hand, looking for bloody payback. Will any of the kids make it home to mama?</div>
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<i>The Burning</i> was part of the explosion of 'summer camp' slashers that popped up in the wake of <i>Friday the 13th</i> cutting its way to the top of the box office. <b>Tom Savini</b> turned down <i>Friday the 13th: Part 2</i> to work on this, and I'm glad he did. Savini brings his trademark brutality to the film, with the kills being heavily censored in most prints for decades. In its uncut glory, though, the film is bloody great. Directed by<b> Tony Maylem</b> and based on a story by <b>Harvey Weinstein</b>, it was the first time independent distributors <b>Miramax</b> logo appeared on a film. We also get some recognisable faces in front of the camera: <b>Fisher Stevens, Jason Alexander </b>and <b>Holly Hunter</b> all make appearances, and the score is provided by<b> Rick Wakeman</b>. At this point, the film has a pretty solid slasher reputation, and it is deserving of it - it has some genuinely tense moments, heaps of nudity and an unusual final 'guy' instead of a girl. What more could you want?</div>
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3 - Terror Train (1980)</h3>
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After a prank goes horribly wrong, three years later the students responsible are attending a New years eve party on board a moving train. As it's a costume party, the killer is able to move through the guests un-noticed, picking off his victims at his leisure. But just who is the killer? And will anyone make it off the train alive?</div>
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<i>Terror Train</i> feels closer in spirit to <i>Halloween</i> than the nastier edged slashers that followed after <i>Friday the 13th</i>. Firstly, it also stars<b> Jamie Lee Curtis</b>, who gives another excellent performance here in the lead role. It has a unique enough concept in terms of the train and the killer switching masks, meaning the audience is constantly kept on the edge throughout. The kills are effective though not overly gory, but they still pack a punch. The final showdown between the killer and the final girl is great, with the character really getting some punishing violence thrown at her. Though the reveal feels a tad silly, the reasons for the killers motive is probably the best in any slasher - I would probably do the same! For me, the only weak aspect is the bizarre inclusion of illusionist<b> David Copperfield</b>, though it is good for a laugh in an otherwise serious film. </div>
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2 - House on Sorority Row (1983)</h3>
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After a prank against their strict house mother goes horribly wrong, the sorority sisters find themselves getting murdered one-by-one as they attempt to have a final graduation party. But just who is killing them? And how is the killer getting away with it?</div>
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Despite the bizarre poster artwork (look at it, it looks and reads more like a rape/revenge film than a slasher), <i>The House on Sorority Row</i> is a tense and brutal film, with a seriously creepy climax. I first saw this in one of those cheap 'Hollywood DVD' releases, and they never did the film any justice in just how great it looks. The kills are effective, though not overly gruesome, and the leading ladies are great, with plenty of moments involving underwear. It's my second favourite sorority slasher (only behind <i>Black Christmas</i>, which I felt was too classy for this list) and one you should definitely seek out if you haven't seen it already.</div>
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1 - My Bloody Valentine (1981)</h3>
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In a small mining town haunted by a 'Valentines Day massacre', things take a turn for the bloody when the young folk decide it's time to have a traditional Valentines Day dance. Unsurprisingly, the killer makes good use of his mining pick, taking the teenagers out piece by piece...</div>
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It's never easy picking a top film for these lists, but I just had to go with My Bloody Valentine. Up until the mid 2000's I only ever found the film so-so; it did a lot of things right, like having some good scares and good characters, but the film had been hacked up so badly for censorship reasons that it really made the film hard to watch in parts. Thankfully the film got an uncut restoration in 2009, and since then, it has become one of my favourites. The added footage definitely makes a huge difference to the violent tone of the film; the kills no longer feel muted, and one of the most graphic moments (involving a rope and a head) now <i>actually makes sense</i>. Apart from the kills, the film has terrific atmosphere, and has some scenes of genuine fright (such as the one involving the empty miner suits) to go with the violence. The remake for this one was a lot of fun, but I still go to the original every time. Highly recommended. </div>
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So there you go! Anything you feel I should have added or left off? And yup, having <i>Prom Night </i>poster art in the opening paragraph was there to throw you off my trail, muhahahaha! </div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-7069040609706245302014-09-29T09:51:00.001-07:002014-09-29T10:05:44.173-07:00A nice little present from my wife...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, we are currently in Paris (Montmartre specifically) enjoying a quick weekend away for our wedding anniversary. While strolling through a flea market yesterday, we spotted a store specialising in vintage toys; tin cars, Tonka toys, etc. On a shelf was a selection of these guys. They are nicely reproduced in the style of toys made in the 50's and 60's, and the clockwork mechanism is quite nice! When he gets going, the movement is lovely, with the eyes sparking up and all. I think I've found something new to collect!<br />
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<br />JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-24964663802813774662014-09-24T02:50:00.001-07:002014-09-24T03:33:19.035-07:00Soundtrack Spotlight: To Live and Die in LA - Wang Chung<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"What they recorded has not only enhanced the film - it has given it a deeper, more powerful dimension." - William Friedkin</h4>
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By the time I had gotten around to watching <b>Friedkin</b>'s '<i>To Live and Die in LA</i>', it was probably some time around the late 90's or early 2000's, at a time when <i>The Exorcist</i> was having a serious dose of re-assessment due to it finally getting a release in the UK on home video. My initial feeling was one of being less than impressed - it just all seemed a bit 'pedestrian' for Friedkin, the man had, after all, directed one of the best 'rogue cop' movies ever, in the shape of <i>The French Connection</i> - and the film faded from my memory. </div>
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But for some reason, a few years later, I had the sudden urge to see it again, and swiftly picked up the DVD release. What I had initially dismissed as a half-hearted cash in on the already stale '<i>Dirty Harry</i>' sub genre seemed so much wilder, fresher and exhilarating on that second viewing. So much worked about the film - the acting, the glorious LA cinematography, the wild violence and action - but what really helped glue the film together and give it plenty of personality was the excellent soundtrack by <b>Wang Chung</b>.</div>
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Wang Chung were an English new-wave group consisting of <b>Jack Hues</b> and <b>Nick Feldman</b>. They had a string of hits throughout the 80's, and had songs appear on several high profile films, including <i>The Breakfast Club</i> and <i>Innerspace</i>. The soundtrack itself is split in two, with side one taking up the vocal tracks, and the instrumental pieces going to the second side. The vocal tracks are excellent, with highlights including the surprisingly subdued title track - 'To Live and Die in LA', the darker, dance floor-ish 'Wake up, Stop Dreaming', and the excellent, moody pop of 'Wait'. Flipping over to side two gives us the energetic 'City of Angels' (remember that title sequence involving unusual art, money, street dealers and moody looking New Wave chicks?) that really sets the tone for the whole film. The remaining tracks are excellent synth-based scoring pieces that suited the film perfectly. </div>
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The soundtrack was eventually released as the official third album for Wang Chung, and met with moderate success. Overall, the film is quite underrated in the excellent body of Friedkin's work. If you have yet to re-discover this one for yourself, get stuck in as quickly as you can. As the man himself said of the score in the album notes;</div>
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<i>"While mixing the soundtrack I was struck by the inseparable flow of one musical piece into another. Listening to the album, just now I discovered, to my surprise, that each track also stands out on its own - and delivers its own statement. For me this is not just an exciting film score, but a fine album of modern music." </i></div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-8182634454528486512014-09-22T07:05:00.002-07:002014-09-22T07:16:22.347-07:00Club Paradise (1986)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"I could have done that dive if I didn't have the diarrhea.<span style="background-color: #fcfae7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">"</span></h4>
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<i>Club Paradise</i> is proof of that age-old Hollywood saying; "You're only as good as your last movie". The film was such a commercial and critical failure that it effectively killed of <b>Harold Ramis</b>' career as a director for nearly ten years, despite the string of hits he had attached to his belt prior to this. Despite the high profile cast, the film was still garnered with Razzies, and floundered onto VHS - it has still yet to receive a DVD release in the UK. Now that the dust has settled nearly 30 years later, does it still live up to its reputation? or has time healed all wounds?<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div>
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<b>Robin Williams</b> (<i>Dead Poets Society, Good Morning Vietnam, The Fisher King</i>) stars as retired fireman Jack Moniker, who, after receiving a payout from the State, decides to re-locate to the peaceful, Caribbean Island of Saint Nicholas. He seems to be living the dream - he has a comfortable shack/house, bags himself a yuppie girlfriend in the shape of Phillipa (<b>Twiggy</b>), and spends his days arsing about in boats, listening to reggae music and exchanging quips with the appointed British governor, Hayes ( <b>Peter O'Toole</b>; <i>Caligula, </i><a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2013/07/supergirl-1984.html"><i>Supergir</i>l</a>). He also befriends struggling musician and 'hotel' owner, Ernest Reed (real life reggae star, <b>Jimmy Cliff</b>), whose scenic-yet-rustic waterfront business is failing to draw the tourists. <span style="background-color: #fcfae7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br /></span>
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Jack decides to help out Ernest, as he knows the island Mayor has plans for developing on Ernest's beach. Soon they've turned the rundown beach shacks into something that can be advertised - "Club Paradise". Shortly after, the island is flooded with tourists, all with much higher expectations than can be delivered by Jack and Ernest. These wild guests run amok on the island, and seeing as the Mayor isn't having much joy with his development plans, decides a military coup is needed. Will Jack and Ernest be able to keep the bad guys from taking over and destroying the idyllic location? Will Hayes finally do the right thing instead of drinking his life away? Will the guests make it back from their vacation alive? Who knows what could happen in<i> 'Club Paradise'</i>...<span style="background-color: #fcfae7; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br /></span>
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<br /><br />The problem with <i>Club Paradise </i>is that the tone is so uneven throughout, it almost feels like several different scripts got jumbled together pre-shooting. The first act mainly concentrates on Jack, Phillipa and the other islanders, which is fairly light and breezy, with an odd political undercurrent to it. When the second act kicks in with the launch of the 'Club Paradise' vacation which draws in the wacky guests, the film shifts into <i>Caddyshack </i>territory, with the main plot dropping firmly into the background while the guests get up to their wild shenanigans in what amounts to an hours worth of sketches, essentially. This is where the bulk of the comedy comes from, and it is pretty damned funny. However, things take another strange turn in the final act, with the military stepping in to the plot, as the politics and slapstick humour try hard to gel together, and sadly they never really do. What this really means is that we lose our leading man early on in the film, and by the time we need him to carry us through the finale, it's too late. You walk away feeling like you had fun, but know deep down there could have been something great there.<br /><br /><br /> Now, saying that, the film is actually full of great gags, if you can get past the script problems. As mentioned, the bulk of the humour is found with the guests, and it's not hard to see why. Among them we get: Barry and Barry (<b>Rick Moranis </b>and <b>Eugene Levy</b>) - two city boys looking to pull ladies any way they can, married couple Linda and Randy (<b>Andrea Martin</b> and <b>Steven Kampmann</b>), and several other recognisable faces, including the likes of <b>Joanna Cassidy</b> and <b>Brian Doyle-Murray</b>. Andrea Martin actually steals most scenes she's in, with highlights including the limbo competition and the cliff diving lessons. Speaking of scene stealing, <b>Joe Flaherty</b> is a blast as the mental pilot for the island - even if he only gets a small handful of scenes. The two Barry's get most of the funny lines, with their attempts to pick up chicks on the beach during the day and at the bars at night. It's great seeing both Moranis and Levy playing against type (sure, they're still nerds, but they don't seem to know it) and they both are hilarious, but that's no surprise.<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #fcfae7; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span>
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What is a surprise is how sedate Williams feels in this. Apparently he came in late to the project, and replaced <b>Bill Murray</b> in the lead role. As much as I love Williams, I think Murray would have been a better choice, as he was definitely more suited to the style of humour in the script. There's almost too much emotion in Williams' eyes in some of the scenes, which feels at odds with the happy-go-lucky vibe of the film. It probably isn't helped by the fact that, as mentioned earlier, most of the best lines go to the supporting cast. Still, the film was a change of pace for him, and it's good to see him in it regardless. Twiggy is Twiggy - she has a limited acting range but her character probably has the least to do in the film anyway. I'm not sure Peter O'Toole deserved to be called out for a Razzie for his performance, but they usually pick on a well known star and he just happened to be there, I guess. Worth mentioning is the laid back, Caribbean flavoured soundtrack, much of which is provided by the star, Jimmy Cliff. He definitely does better with the score than he does with acting, with the music really suiting the slapstick humour and beach setting. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #fcfae7; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span>
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Ramis undoubtedly came out the worst, here. It took until <i>Groundhog Day</i> in 1993 for him to return to directing again (but hey, what a comeback!) and I'm unsure if the brunt of it should have fallen on his shoulders. At the time he was best suited to the anarchic, anti-establishment humour that he had built upon in all his projects since <i>Animal House,</i> and after the success of <i>National Lampoons Vacation</i>, he should have been set for gold with <i>Club Paradise</i>. He was definitely let down by the script and loss of leading man, but still, he managed to cobble together something quite watchable in the end. Deserving of the terrible reputation? Definitely not. If you fancy something light with a familiar madness to the comedy, then you could do far worse. Apart from the laughs, you'll be having a great time spotting all of the famous faces. Crack open a bottle of Bacardi, slide into a pair of speedos and dive into this one.<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: #fcfae7; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><br /></span></span>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-17603909113763908172014-08-13T02:43:00.001-07:002014-08-13T14:49:30.769-07:00Sleepaway Camp (1983)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"She's a real carpenter's dream: flat as a board and needs a screw!"</h4>
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By the time <i>Sleepaway Camp</i> was released, the slasher genre was entering a funk, with major backlash from critics and viewers alike. A lot of it was understandable; the mechanics of <i>Halloween</i> and<i> Friday the 13th </i>had been bastardised and pillaged so much that little seemed fresh in the sub-genre, and the budgets had shrunk so low that every small-time company was getting in on the action. Still, there was life in the bloodied beast even by 1983, and sure <i>A Nightmare on Elm Street </i>was only just around the corner. So just how well does <i>Sleepaway Camp</i> hold up in comparison to its bigger budgeted brothers?<br />
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Opening with a freak boating accident that leaves young Angela (<b>Felissa Rose</b>) without a father and brother, she is sent to live with her overbearing aunt and cousin, Ricky (<b>Jonathan Tiersten</b>). Jump to eight years later, and the two are being sent to Summer Camp for the holidays. Angela has developed into an extremely shy teen; a girl who feels out of place with everyone. It doesn't take long for the bitchy, older girls to start picking on her, and the only one who'll defend her is Ricky. As if the bullies weren't bad enough, there is also the sleazy, paedophile cook on the camp who has his eye on Angela. He soon has a terrible accident... or did he? Bodies soon begin to pile up in the camp; many of them are those that have picked on Angela. Though most of them look like accidents, it doesn't take long before sharp, pointed objects are piercing flesh. But just who is the killer? Is it Ricky, trying to defend his cousin? Or perhaps the boy who fancies her? it couldn't be Angela, could it? Surely not, she's just a girl?<br />
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On paper, <i>Sleepaway Camp</i> sounds typical of a slasher film from the era. Summer camp? Check. Unknown killer? Check. Gory deaths? Check. Shock ending? Check. But it's <i>how</i> the film uses these genre staples and twists them slightly is what makes<i> Sleepaway Camp </i>so memorable. The summer camp is actually populated by what do look like children and early teens, for a change. There's no empty camp being prepped by 20-year-olds here. Which makes the idea of a killer stalking children or teens that little bit more disturbing, and makes all the odd, sexual comments and sleaziness seem more<i> real</i>, too. Kids swear at each other, and say horrible things about each other. They talk about sex in a way early teens talk about it. But you also get other elements such as the cook. He is probably one of the sleaziest characters in a slasher film (when viewing the kids running from the bus, he exclaims;<i> "Look at all that young fresh chicken! Where I come from, we call em 'baldies'!"</i>) and his death is truly justified. This oddness and impurity of the older characters spreads like a disease throughout the film; the truly bizarre aunt with her strange ideas on raising children, through to the camp owner who is only interested in saving his ass and potentially getting laid from one of the teenage girls. Do these kids really stand a chance against a killer with these kind of adults to protect them?<br />
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The deaths are quite unusual, too. Most of them don't involve knives or axes, instead we get 'accidents'; the cook is nearly boiled alive when a vat of hot water is tipped over him, a boy seemingly drowns during a late night swim (the shot of the snake moving out his dead mouth is a particularly gruesome moment), and another boy is stung to death by bees when a nest is dropped into the toilet cubicle with him. Sure, by the time the third act is rolling around, girls are being stabbed in showers and another unfortunate lady meets her end via curling tongs, but the film does a fine job with subverting expectations throughout. This of course, leads us to the climax, and the shock ending. It's one of the main reasons the film is so well remembered. I won't spoil it here just in case you haven't seen it, but the first time I saw the film, it completely caught me off guard. It was a disturbing, gruesome ending to a strange film, and it stuck in my head for days.<br />
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The film was written and directed by<b> Robert Hiltzik</b>, whose only other directing credit is the belated 4th entry in the series, <i>The Return to Sleepaway Camp</i> in 2008. I think it's a pity, as he does a great job here with creating tension, suspense and horror. He keeps the largely inexperienced cast in check, and manages to get reasonable-to-good performances from them all. The film also looks great in terms of presentation, and the effects are fantastic.<br />
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Sadly, many horror fans (or even just casual horror viewers) tend to look at the film as campy trash. any group screenings I've been to for it usually have people cackling along to the oddly-delivered lines, or giving it the general 'MST3K' treatment. In ways, it makes sense - the film is odd and filled with strange performances with dialogue that will likely get laughs from people (other moments, like the beefy camp counsellor with the shorts <i>that are just too tight</i> will leave you scratching your head). But re-watching it recently on my own brought back that first time I happened upon it, when the horror and tension really shone through the rough spots, and the ending still worked a treat. If this is one you've been on the fence about watching, or haven't seen it in decades, give it a chance. Hopefully you'll find that there's a great little horror film buried under the 'campy' reputation.<br />
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-1670067329277946842014-08-03T04:27:00.000-07:002014-08-03T04:30:16.269-07:00A Farewell to Dick Smith; A Legendary Make Up and Special Effects Artist.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Actors have to feel like they are the person they are portraying. I think my work has helped many to achieve that"</h4>
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During the week, the world of film and entertainment said farewell to a true artist: <b>Dick Smith</b>. Passing away at 92, Smith was an active figure until very recently, though focusing on training and education rather than appearing on film sets. Despite his legacy, it's hard to truly appreciate the mans contribution to the world of film and television without going back to where it all began.</div>
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A self-taught make-up artist; Smith decided to pursue a career full-time in film, though initially found it difficult to gain entry in the notoriously closed-off Hollywood. He was advised to try his hand at television, and found himself a role as the first make-up director for WNBC, a position he held for 14 years. He had a lot of love for creating special effects appliances, and became a pioneer in how these were created and then applied to actors. Where his competitors created 'one piece' appliances that covered the actors face completely, Dick found that by creating multiple pieces that could be applied separately, it allowed the actor much more freedom to use their own facial expressions and realistic movement, breathing much more life into the performance itself. Despite initial criticism for this method, it was eventually adopted by the industry, and is the standard method taught even to this day.</div>
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His famed works on television included turning<b> Laurence Olivier</b> into a leprosy victim for<i> The Moon and Sixpence (1959)</i> and the 14 episodes of the short lived<b>, Roald Dahl</b>-hosted <i>Way Out (1961). </i>Applying an old age make-up for the vampire show, <i>Dark Shadows</i>, gave Smith the preparation needed to take on the task of turning<b> Dustin Hoffman</b> (then in his 30's) into a 120 year old native American for the 1970 film, <i>Little Big Man</i>; a make-up job that is still regarded as one of the finest ever applied. Shortly after this, he was called upon to transform<b> Marlon Brando</b> into what was to become one of cinemas most iconic characters - Don Corleone for the 1972 filming of <i>The Godfather</i>. Apparently Brando refused to wear appliances to age him, so Dick had to come up with other methods to get the desired effect. It wasn't long before he was handed his biggest challenge; that of turning a young, pretty girl into a child possessed by a demon in <b>William Friedkin</b>'s <i>The Exorcist</i>...</div>
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His work on <i>The Exorcist</i> is often thought to have revolutionised how effects were created, as Smith had to employ several different techniques, quite often within the same sequence of shots. Everything from having Reagan's head spin around to the writing appearing on her stomach, down to hiding the tubes that would project the vomit from her mouth... watching it now, it's hard to see anything truly fresh or original, but that's because his work here became assimilated into the industry, and are techniques that were used on every major horror film from this point on.</div>
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Smith's name appeared on many major films from this point, including <i>Taxi Driver, The Stepford Wives, The Godfather Part II, The Deer Hunter, Altered States, Scanners, Amadeus, Starman</i>... the list goes on and on. whether it was creating jaw-dropping realistic violence, accentuating a performance via old age make up or dazzling with something truly out of this world, Smith was able for it, delivering goods in moments that we nearly forget are created by a 'make-up guy' behind the scenes. </div>
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What truly sticks out about Smith though, is that, unlike his competitors, he was willing to share his ideas and techniques. He was a man willing to re-invest in the industry, by providing guidance to new comers (both <b>Rick Baker</b> and<b> Stan Winston </b>were huge fans of his work and were open about his contributions to their careers) and it was something he continued to do right up until his death. He may have left this world behind him, but his ideas, craft and genuine love for creating will live on in those he continues to inspire.</div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-38369459673508840392014-07-30T09:39:00.000-07:002014-07-30T09:39:45.809-07:005 Things I'd like to see in the new 'Skull Island' film.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At Comic Con over the weekend,<b> Legendary Pictures</b> (<i>Pacific Rim, Godzilla</i>) announced <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/skull-island-movie/" target="_blank">they were making a new <i>King Kong </i>film.</a> Now, Legendary have a pretty good reputation for keeping fans happy with their iterations of iconic material they've handled so far (they were behind both the <i>Batman</i> and <i>Watchmen</i> films, to name but a few), so seeing them get involved in re-booting/reinventing King Kong seems like a pretty good idea at this point. It's early days yet for the project (no director, etc, announced), but seeing as I coming down after a hard few days of<i> <a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2014/07/king-kong-1976.html" target="_blank">King Kong</a></i> myself, I figure I may as well give my hopes for it, as it stands right now.<br />
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1 - A running time under 3 hours.</h3>
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One thing that you can say about <b>Peter Jackson</b>; he sure loves making films with an arse-numbing running time. Be it his<i> Lord of the Rings</i> trilogy or his yet-to-be-finished <i>The Hobbit </i>trilogy, there is no escaping to the toilets when the titles roll. And while it can be argued that<i> Tolkien'</i>s world lends itself to a languid pace and 180 minutes to ponder on the material, I don't agree with dragging out <i>King Kong (2005)</i> to the 3 hour mark. The film became tiresome around the 2 hour point, with a lot of time spent with characters that barely featured in the third act. The two hour point is usually great for the action and adventure genre (set out by the likes of <i>JAWS</i> and carried over into genre-defining films like<i> Raiders of the Lost Ark</i>) and so far, by using <i>Godzilla </i>and <i>Pacific Rim</i> as examples, Legendary have nailed it pacing wise. Lets hope they keep the head on this next venture; being <i>epic</i> doesn't have to mean a 3 hour film.<br />
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2 - No love interest for Kong</h3>
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Seeing as this isn't another dreaded remake of the<i> King Kong</i> story, they need to abandon the 'Kong gets the horn for the babe' aspect that everyone knows at this point. It's been done to death, and nothing new can be said about humanity via a giant ape falling in love with a lady anymore. The drama really dragged down Jackson's version, as enjoyable as it was, but it went too far towards tugging at the heart strings, as far as I'm concerned. In fact, seeing as they are calling it 'Skull Island' leads me to believe they'll want to have something that might not be quite as 'Kong-centric', meaning he might not get to make kissy faces at the lead actress.</div>
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3 - Do not take him back to New York (or anywhere for that matter).</h3>
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Bringing Kong (or any other giant monster, for that matter) back to civilisation is as familiar and over played as the love story angle mentioned above. The original film is too iconic at this point for this to be exciting anymore. Once again, this being a stand alone film and not a remake gives me hope we can get away from these aspects of the story that have been overplayed with the material. Besides, when even bringing a T-Rex back to the States doesn't elicit many thrills in <i>The Lost World</i>, you know the story angle is finished. I think as far as blockbusters go, we've seen enough cities destroyed in the last 3 or 4 years to last us a while. Let's give it a rest.</div>
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4 - Bring back the good-old sense of adventure.</h3>
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One thing that Jackson did get right for his remake was the sense of scope and adventure on the island itself. I'm a sucker for anything with that<i> Land that Time Forgot</i> vibe; plenty of prehistoric creatures battling it out, while the puny humans run around in a frenzy, hoping not to get trampled by these leviathans. Anything that reminds of the great<b> Harryhausen </b>pictures we used to watch, in which imagination was the only barrier, is a good thing. Sadly, I felt this aspect was missing a little from the 1976 Kong, and was completely absent in the <a href="http://thenostalgicattic.blogspot.ie/2014/07/king-kong-lives-1986.html" target="_blank">1986 sequel.</a> </div>
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5 - A director on board who doesn't just do action.</h3>
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Despite a few points I've made above, I do really want to see some great human drama and conflict in this. Whatever about the monsters, these films need interesting characters and compelling drama, and something a bit fresher than what we got in the 2005 film would be nice. It'll all boil down to the writer and director, though, and apparently, <i>Godzilla </i>writer <b>Max Borenstein</b> is writing the picture, with Legendary looking to get the likes of<b> Joe Cornish</b> (who directed the excellent <i>Attack the Block</i>) behind the camera. This is definitely a step in the right direction, and getting the 'not obvious choice' has worked well for <b>Marvel</b> over the last decade with their picks for projects. Time will tell though, but with a release date of 2016 already pegged in for Skull Island, I expect we'll hear about this one sooner rather than later.</div>
JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8738025286483185751.post-59675015479318323552014-07-28T11:48:00.001-07:002014-07-28T11:48:30.648-07:00King Kong Lives (1986)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"What the hell is this? 'Deliverance'?"</h4>
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For years I had forgotten that this film even existed. I had clearly seen it a few times as a kid, probably when it landed on VHS, but then it somehow got pushed away into the dusty parts of the <i>Attic</i>, bar a few scenes that stuck with me that I somehow attributed to the 1976 remake. So by the time I got around to re-visiting <b>Dino De Laurentiis</b>' re-imagining of the 1933 classic, I was surprised to see the film didn't involve Kong having open heart surgery at some point. After digging around, I was surprised to see that there was indeed a sequel to that film, as final as it seemed in its conclusion, and I had in fact seen it. Time does funny things with memories, but are these films sometimes best left forgotten?</div>
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<i>King Kong Lives</i> opens with a re-cap of the finale from the 1976 film; Kong on top of the tower, swatting at helicopters as they blast him to pieces with bullets. It's an emotional scene, and one worth remembering, as soon he plummets to his death on the pavement below, with half of New York gawking on as he draws his final breath. Or so the story used to go. We then jump ten years, and it seems that Kong was whizzed away to a high tech hospital, where he has been kept on life support for a decade. Looked after by the caring and cute Amy Franklin (<b>Linda Hamilton</b>; <i>The Terminator, Children of the Corn</i>), she knows that Kong is on his last legs; he has been in a coma for too long, and his blood and heart are nearly done for. Cut to Borneo as adventurer Hank Mitchell (<b>Brian Kerwin</b>; <i>Getting Wasted</i>) makes a discovery that could change his fortune; a giant female 'Lady' Kong! The natives handily knock her out, leaving him just to bag her up and ship her home.</div>
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He is soon met by the carers of Kong, who hope to use a blood transfusion from Lady Kong to allow them to give the Big Hairy Fella a heart transplant. The operation is a success, and soon Kong's heart is at full strength. The only thing is, he senses a change in the world out there. Can he tell there is a female nearby? It doesn't take long for him to bust out of his recovery ward and make a beeline for his potential love interest. The two do indeed hit it off straight away, and head to the hills for some alone time. The army are soon on their heals, though, lead by the despicable Lieutenant Nevitt (<b>John Ashton</b>;<i> Last Resort, Beverley Hills Cop, Some Kind of Wonderful</i>), who wants nothing more than to see the two apes destroyed. Amy and Hank team up to track Kong, using Amy's device that can keep tabs on his new electronic heart. They discover the two hairy love birds, and soon find they are falling for each other themselves. It doesn't take long for the army to ruin things, though, and after blasting Kong into what looks like a watery grave, they gas his Lady and fly her away. Soon she is locked up again, and refusing food. Could it be that she's pregnant? and can Kong really be dead? Will Amy and hank be able to help the two primates to freedom before the army can put a stop to them for good?</div>
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Despite the mixed reviews that the re-boot of <i>King Kong</i> received, the film still killed the box office, raking in huge money for Dino De Laurentiis from both cinema receipts and TV sales, which no doubt helped ease the pain of the few naysayers. It seemed strange though that he waited ten years to cash in on the success of the film, but he finally put the pieces in place to make it happen. With a greatly reduced budget, he re-assembled as much of the original talent as he could (both director <b>John Guillermin</b> and special effects man <b>Carlo Rambaldi</b> are back, but <b>Jeff Bridges</b> and <b>Jessica Lange </b>appear only in the opening flashback), and unfortunately, the results are underwhelming. For me, the film suffers from a problem that dogs many sequels: it just isn't<i> interesting enough</i> to follow on from the original film. Many of the problems with it boil down to the script. Instead of the rollicking adventure story we got with the original, we are given a rather episodic mess here; tonally the film is bit all over the place, with near slapstick humour one moment, corny ape romance the next, followed by violent deaths and shooting shortly after. There never feels like a natural flow to the film at all, as we chop and change from following the army, our doctor and adventurer hero, to the giant apes and their romance, with things never moving beyond the countryside and the labs where they are being held. It results in a film that (ironically as it's about giant apes) feels very small and un-cinematic, and I dare say, rather TV movie-ish. </div>
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This smallness extends to the characters, as we are given the more traditional 'good versus bad' here, which was something I was thankful that the original avoided. Lt. Nevitt is only interested in destroying Kong, and as enjoyable as John Ashton is as an actor, it feels like such a one dimensional stock character that by the time he does get killed, it just doesn't seem like enough. Same goes for the rednecks and the rest of the army guys, they are there just in the hopes that we'll eventually cheer when they get killed, and at least we do get the satisfaction of having Kong finally going on the rampage at the end. But I wish they had of gone with a more lighter tone throughout the film, perhaps upping the comedy aspects, as these moments seem to work better than any of the serious drama does. Moments like the above 'Deliverance' joke and the rednecks response, along with the visual gags of Kong stepping on the Lamborghini ('My dad's gonna kill me!) got laughs out of me for the right reasons, but they seem to jar with the rest of the film. It means that by the time the inevitable does happen (.ie, Kong finally gets taken down), even the cast seem unresponsive or moved by his death. Compared to the original, the drama seems empty.</div>
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Saying that, I think Linda Hamilton and Brian Kerwin do fine in their roles. It's good to see Hamilton got a decent shot at a lead after <b>The Terminator</b>, but it's unfortunate it was in a film that was so poorly received. People tend to maul the effects work in this one too, but I don't think it was quite as bad as it gets made out to be. I think it just feels weird to see Kong looking all loved up, and the moments with him and his 'Lady' just feel a bit awkward. No doubt most of the audience would be howling at the sit of Kong trying to get it on with his missus. The early scenes in which a full sized Kong are used works better than it did in the original, though (I'm wondering was it the same 'robot' used?), but as these moments are when Kong is unconscious, it's hard to tell if it was just a lifeless sculpt or not. The one moment that really doesn't work for me is the climax, involving the 'Son of Kong'. Even though they use a guy in an ape suit, the proportions in contrast to the parents is so far off it seems comical. It's the equivalent of a woman giving birth to a Barbie Doll, and takes away any emotion that could have been had in the finale.</div>
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Sadly, it was to be John Guillermin's last theatrical effort as a director. He really doesn't get a chance to shine here in the way he did in earlier films. Gone is that big scope of the first film, and it just feels like he didn't have much room to move here. The film does finally kick into gear with some of the later action scenes, with a very angry Kong stomping and ripping his way through rednecks and the army, but one can't help but wish the film had more of this throughout. There is still fun to be had in this - as I said, we get plenty of humour that is actually funny, along with getting to see Hamilton in a lead role. The action in the finale is well shot, with plenty of bloodshed and explosions, so that's worth sticking around for too, as are the ape suits.If you aren't too demanding of what you want from the film, you may actually enjoy this one (Hey, I had a reasonably good time with it). But as the final credits role, you can't help but feel that they managed to make a film about King Kong feel quite <i>unadventurous</i>, and that's something you never want to experience with this material.</div>
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JP Mulvanettihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05381363705787780363noreply@blogger.com5