tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56418012486964120812024-03-02T01:05:30.149+00:00@synth_cinema@synth_cinemaMocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comBlogger589125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-6024377796095072902024-01-26T23:42:00.008+00:002024-01-28T00:04:33.912+00:00Review Roundup - After Life<p><b>THE BOY AND THE HERON (2023)</b></p><p>AKA <i>How Do You Live</i>, a title which in a way reflects the tone of a story centred around personal loss. It's also a film which brings a lot of the director's earlier projects together in one place. Between 1984 and 2001 Hayao Miyazaki has been involved in some of the greatest animated films of all time. Not everything was perfect but everyone will have a personal favourite. Some fans are even enamoured with his later projects after <i>Spirited Away</i>, which shows the appeal of his sensibilities. However, in a story which covers everything from wartime tragedy, time warping alternate dimensions, and a whole lot of talking animals, this is a movie that avoids being too lightweight but often feels too unwieldy; in both length and scope. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAK07qhKLMVDWt0V1rxlV3qb24T4Hu4IfFX-v7E0s4mlpBt6Jry7Jx9gpYTXr6IfSfHJoSx0zUydx464jUu5E-AFmkM3yca_lYXeSNTpj-dNY3OFeOcgbcO0sp6e5MI_VDxo3ly0YDcHjPwhoCsZ-b0VrxyIbf3x9E7NmqNMsFBDrNlQW2WVt5rUTu4VN_/s500/boy-heron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAK07qhKLMVDWt0V1rxlV3qb24T4Hu4IfFX-v7E0s4mlpBt6Jry7Jx9gpYTXr6IfSfHJoSx0zUydx464jUu5E-AFmkM3yca_lYXeSNTpj-dNY3OFeOcgbcO0sp6e5MI_VDxo3ly0YDcHjPwhoCsZ-b0VrxyIbf3x9E7NmqNMsFBDrNlQW2WVt5rUTu4VN_/w400-h225/boy-heron.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span></span><p></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>A striking prologue suggests that Miyazaki has decided to take on board some of the impressionistic flair used by his late colleague Isao Takahata. This harrowing vision shows Mahito (Soma Santoki) racing to try and reach his hospital ridden mother after a fire in the building. He's unable to do anything about the inferno which robs him of being able to say goodbye. The bystanders warp and blur as if seen through a child's nightmare, or a child's tears. There's a fresh energy to the whole set piece which feels like something new for the now eighty-three year old film-maker. But it's also the last sequence that has this kind of clearly defined style before the rest of the film starts to crib from far more familiar territory. <br /></p><p>Following the death of his mother, and the marriage of his father to her sister Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura) Mahito is moved to a rural estate. Here he has to deal with unfriendly school children, the overwhelming grief, and the arrival of a half-sibling. Which is before we're shown what his father Shoichi (Takuya Kimura) does for a living as a warplane factory owner. This early chapter is very slow and lacks a proper sense of pacing, but it's filled with images that push Mahito towards a growing despair. But as a protagonist he's often opaque beyond feeling sad and isolated. The interesting aspect of his personality arrives when he decides to skip school, suggesting that he's got a deceptive side and needs attention his family isn't providing.<br /></p><p>Or at least that's one reading of the situation. In reality this first act offers a lot of food for thought but few of these details ever come back around to feel fully formed in any kind of arc. The plane canopies being manufactured hold a certain allure to the young boy's mind, but this moment of naivety isn't expanded on. Troops leaving for war are seen once or twice but only early on. His classmates are never revisited and his actions don't have repercussions. Perhaps it's asking too much of a story in the vein of <i>The Wizard of Oz </i>(or perhaps <i>Labyrinth</i>) but it spends a lot of time before on these details before any major fantasy elements are introduced. Which means that it's up to a tale of talking birds and mysterious towers to deliver any kind of real depth via subtext alone.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uRpfjkxGrI3TpLsqYO6ACLj-0c8sEPfh1Fwk3LR_CXo9PiyZI5zLh9XKZyJzTYpDEeji-_A9RnDlH23Oe6NhQrFzVUAxq7Vfwn3cQqeO0CJwNHcm9aB6nQhTM3aLuDe4PiHU4Y0aIL4umGsNSrYsCntMuKogT-eWRBDU-k8E4Bmwi6g4-IiXbNtNGtZN/s500/boy-and-the-heron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="500" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uRpfjkxGrI3TpLsqYO6ACLj-0c8sEPfh1Fwk3LR_CXo9PiyZI5zLh9XKZyJzTYpDEeji-_A9RnDlH23Oe6NhQrFzVUAxq7Vfwn3cQqeO0CJwNHcm9aB6nQhTM3aLuDe4PiHU4Y0aIL4umGsNSrYsCntMuKogT-eWRBDU-k8E4Bmwi6g4-IiXbNtNGtZN/w400-h231/boy-and-the-heron.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Which, in a way, is perfectly fine. Mahito is frequently pestered by a grey heron (Masaki Suda) who claims that his mother is waiting in the land of the dead. Which doesn't make a lot of sense until Natsuko goes missing near the same derelict tower in the local forest. At first Mahito decides that it's easier to shoot the heron with a bow, but soon he becomes trapped in a fantasy world full of even more avian life. Perhaps the story isn't about family loss but is instead a tale of the cruelty of natural, or even the food chain. Ideas about unborn spirits, starving pelicans, and even savage bird themed civilisations are thrown in thick and fast. But along the way it starts to become more an exercise in visual madness instead of a character study.<br /></p><p>Which, again in a way, is perfectly fine. The whole yarn jumps gleefully from eerie cosmic horror to eccentric fantasia between set pieces filled with strange faceless figures and beautiful backdrops. The natural world is twisted as voices from the beyond say 'join us' and prehistoric fish are boiled to feed rather familiar looking critters. It's more <i>The Cat Returns </i>than <i>The Evil Dead</i>, but the shifting tone is notable. While surprises are lacking in a general sense it's interesting to see this kind of fare become darker, or even gruesome, when necessary. If what's being presented is partially a vision conjured up by a troubled boy it makes sense, just don't expect any sort of cohesive narrative.</p><p>The conclusion of the journey hinges on a pretty vague thesis about construction of the future while letting go of the past. Whimsy can only carry it so far before it stumbles to a rushed final note. In the end there are a lot of hints and subtle moments that may be more rewarding on repeat viewings. But as it stands it's rather meandering without ever saying that much one way or another. Notions about this whole journey being a way to escape war are danced around when the ending fails to revisit the family factory. Ideas about adoptive families and personal rejection are skimmed over in a similar fashion. Even the core theme of addressing death by accepting that life should be appreciated while it lasts is oddly unfocused by the time it reaches the two hour mark. </p><p>Ultimately the character designs and
creatures are very memorable, and the Joe Hisaishi music is as melancholy as ever. Purely as a colourful, and personal, project for the director and a way
of summarising a lot of his past movies there's a lot to like. Whether he considers himself the tragic protagonist or the secluded wizard trying to set up a foundation for future generations to build on is just one more aspect to consider. It's not in any way another bizarrely limp <i>Earthsea </i>kind of
effort, but it's very uneven and often cryptic. Perhaps this is all an inspirational way of trying to avoid another one of those releases, after all the past dictates the future. If this is his much talked about final movie (which given his
track record at this stage is very unlikely) it's an interesting coda.</p><p>3/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-23435629139876431952024-01-18T15:08:00.005+00:002024-01-18T15:09:35.824+00:00HCF Review - Jackpot<p><b>CASINO RAIDERS (1989)</b></p>A Wong Jing movie about gambling with Andy Lau that was released in 1989… that’s not God of Gamblers? Yes that’s right, the prolific film-maker loves this subject and these actors so much that he did it twice in one year. After all, why make one movie when you can make two for twice the price? However, far from the usual comedic farce that Wong is known for by some this is, in some ways, a more conventional crime thriller. Which is to say that it’s generally a more sombre affair, but at the same time it’s a film with a very odd structure. Perhaps this is simply the influence of have a second director-writer on board. So while the tonal shift is refreshing this is an experience that can often be unwieldy and unfocused.<div><div><div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubUk9BWxWssfuqO6F8_tKXHuZL2lgjbI7Pl4NE8lRIIxWPxPL4baRWgxKYyqlv2WXs8jlHSphLG5Rt3hZPW1Yph_A5eC6AjG0sfh7e7IQV1rReR-T3pqBzmHbYkJ3UcwhtkIa-THTzFbBgTnRor9PxbeYf3KkET0hyphenhyphenYhyphenhyphen2O3sO829CDZx5dUONAR2uJXE/s500/casino-raiders-1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubUk9BWxWssfuqO6F8_tKXHuZL2lgjbI7Pl4NE8lRIIxWPxPL4baRWgxKYyqlv2WXs8jlHSphLG5Rt3hZPW1Yph_A5eC6AjG0sfh7e7IQV1rReR-T3pqBzmHbYkJ3UcwhtkIa-THTzFbBgTnRor9PxbeYf3KkET0hyphenhyphenYhyphenhyphen2O3sO829CDZx5dUONAR2uJXE/w400-h225/casino-raiders-1.webp" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><div><p><a href="https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2023/12/casino-raiders-1989/">READ MORE>></a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-39017252985927861372024-01-17T20:46:00.007+00:002024-01-17T21:45:36.869+00:00Monster Bites - Space 1999<p><b>DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968)</b></p><p>Time for one last Battle Royale. Or at least that was the intention at the time of its release, before the producers at Toho decided that making more money and having the series last for another seven years was a better plan. Looking at it now there are moments in which it's clearly the last of its kind, but in other ways it's also another alien invasion story in which many familiar narrative moments appear. But purely as a large scale spectacle it's debatable whether this really is the biggest and best of the Showa era, as the marketing would have you believe. Claims that this is the brawl to end all brawls, featuring every classic monster, are certainly in doubt as things unfold.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiZfVgFE_dDoJZqn_kX4YlscMuo69AqdUvlRfSkrW8qphINU2Jg-veWbNsHRrJ6F86adRXKdjCgpia5WS1ILrIgeW61zR-dWm9Y-QUsY5IFSb4BQMipPNDrLoC8w_-ZcuRgG7z_rXbdPZFsW2yNLOczLD5iLYTGkpXx9tEvGO-K8-w7bQA5NVQYDRuhVk/s500/destroy-monsters-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="500" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiZfVgFE_dDoJZqn_kX4YlscMuo69AqdUvlRfSkrW8qphINU2Jg-veWbNsHRrJ6F86adRXKdjCgpia5WS1ILrIgeW61zR-dWm9Y-QUsY5IFSb4BQMipPNDrLoC8w_-ZcuRgG7z_rXbdPZFsW2yNLOczLD5iLYTGkpXx9tEvGO-K8-w7bQA5NVQYDRuhVk/w400-h173/destroy-monsters-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>At this stage in Toho and Ishiro Honda's foray into science fiction most ideas had been tried already. Monsters being controlled by aliens, aliens with plans to dominate Earth, humans in a near future using orbiting bases and space technology; you name it. So in some ways this is a 'best of' compilation of what had come before, although it's probably not the best of its kind. Earlier monster wrestling matches were more interesting and earlier films about rocket ships and UFOs were more colourful. Still, it was several years earlier when the likes of <i>The Mysterians </i>and <i>The Battle in Outer Space </i>were released, is there anything else to be mined from the genre? <br /></p><p>The aliens this time around, The 'Kilaaks', are not as interesting visually as the visor wearing bad guys from <i>Astro-Monster</i>. The apparently female villains just stand around wearing silver bathing caps and have little charisma. In the same way the human astronauts involved are certainly not as memorable as Glenn and Fuji. Akira Kubo plays Captain Yamabe, going against type as a more stoic figure this time around, but his relationship with his crewmates barely registers. The Xiliens had more style and the Mysterians had cooler robots. Oddly nobody thought to use one this time and even though <i>King Kong Escapes </i>had just been released; it would be a few years until MechaGodzilla arrived. <br /></p><p>Still, there's some charm to the story which depicts all monsters being housed in the Bonin Islands inside a sealed preserve called 'Monsterland'. Apparently this age of peace has meant that new ways of controlling the creatures have been developed, and in the meantime the nations of the world have prospered and started to build on the moon. Island zoos and lunar bases are admittedly very disparate ideas, but it's a necessary contrivance to allow another story about rocket bases and kaiju rampages to unfold. Unfortunately with all this technology the scientists in the UNSC haven't learned to build any defences to avoid another flying saucer attack, despite this being linked to those earlier films. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUI-ao43qzcySr1nk6mOCqqB_GmgqCwHeCzgVuApb9yDm73HpRsOjs3GtdTNuM3llcNigaq2WMSDpDdod677COi1mxVZHvPz_llofyIzd3Hwh7YZh1OClbQPwCc9PtFx653xGUt_bzs39eRiKsjwmKUPVt_9gzKJVxcvv19fKedlG08or4CqB_ZxnlQo9/s500/destroy-monsters-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="500" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUI-ao43qzcySr1nk6mOCqqB_GmgqCwHeCzgVuApb9yDm73HpRsOjs3GtdTNuM3llcNigaq2WMSDpDdod677COi1mxVZHvPz_llofyIzd3Hwh7YZh1OClbQPwCc9PtFx653xGUt_bzs39eRiKsjwmKUPVt_9gzKJVxcvv19fKedlG08or4CqB_ZxnlQo9/w400-h173/destroy-monsters-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>At least the film makers themselves learned to build an improved Godzilla costume this time around; the googly eyes might be a little big but the face of the Big-G is much better than in <i>Son of Godzilla</i>. Meanwhile some of his brainwashed buddies are looking rather mistreated. This is particularly true when looking at King Ghidorah, who gets yet another thrashing. Considering his losses in the previous films it's unclear why aliens ever think he can win. The finale is one of the funniest as he barely makes any ground before being stomped by half a dozen monsters. Gorosaurus (previously brutalised by King Kong) and Godzilla's son (now named as Minilla) even get to do their signature moves. <br /></p><p>Elsewhere the other creatures available fare less well; the likes of Baragon and Varan, linking the Godzilla series to their own movies, get laughable cameos resulting in zero monster action. A single Mothra larva and the spider Kumonga try and help with little effect. Manda from <i>Atragon </i>is sometimes present and sometimes vanishes. Why not have the Kilaaks do something more large scale in the finale to spread out the action among so many combatants? It's odd considering that the first half of the story seems intent on showing many world capitals and the moon itself, lending it a grander scope. The conclusion at Mount Fuji is fun but often baffling to watch as a result.<br /></p><p>Beyond the creature feature effects the rest of the movie has its ups and downs. Models are often detailed with miniature vehicles lending them scale. But the destruction of things like tanks and a monorail train lack human inserts, draining any sense of realism. I guess at this stage in the series the monsters were too heroic and human casualties were being shied away from, as was any sense of collateral damage. Some of the city effects just lack the grit of the original <i>Mothra </i>and <i>Rodan</i>. Which is odd when the results of alien mind control are not censored with sub-dermal implants and a
classic dummy fall linking this to Honda's prior espionage plots.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg814DA1JACnG_UZ3IVx8uncIu3gl_VeMWk8EIEtDsskXzTAEsQnveWr0RoCYbZyChlWPt_GWZCvWJSL3vwM3wAzNJNIqnTO4dXgvNnzTWu5PuUTX2gg3ZNyG2JpgD5WhA4dVDyErR6fvATz5R3wwhkLSab7UopDeoxvZm-7kZ6i-dT60SgUW0eu8zqiJtG/s500/destroy-monsters-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="500" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg814DA1JACnG_UZ3IVx8uncIu3gl_VeMWk8EIEtDsskXzTAEsQnveWr0RoCYbZyChlWPt_GWZCvWJSL3vwM3wAzNJNIqnTO4dXgvNnzTWu5PuUTX2gg3ZNyG2JpgD5WhA4dVDyErR6fvATz5R3wwhkLSab7UopDeoxvZm-7kZ6i-dT60SgUW0eu8zqiJtG/w400-h170/destroy-monsters-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The connecting tissue that really holds this together is of course another musical score by Akira Ifukube. His opening theme is another great brass tune that pushes the rocket action forward. Like many other elements it's immediately familiar as one of his typical military marches, but it's a memorable iteration. There's also an interesting piece of moon music to accompany the outer space sequences. The only odd part is the way that Rodan's theme is often used in place of music that would normally follow the regular kaiju appearances. It's one many strange choices in a story that could have been more cohesive with a few little touches.</p><p>It's a film that leaves and lot of questions unanswered. How is Anguirus alive? Why isn't Mothra an adult? Why not add Ebirah or the Gargantuas? Why is monster control so easy yet Earth hasn't figured it out until now? Why is it set in the future? It's fun while it lasts but saying it's the biggest monster battle ever is stretching the truth. However, even if it's weirdly paced, weirdly constructed, and often rather sloppy, this is still the end of an era. The alien lairs are cute, the <i>2001 </i>style video calls are charming, and the way it ends with a battle for Tokyo again is entertaining. It doesn't have anything new to say and the themes of atomic energy and international co-operation have been lost, but it's still engaging.</p><p>The end result is a story that would be repeated again several times in the years to come. In fact little here is new and most of the characters are robotic even without alien interference. Kyoko (Yukiko Kobayashi) is a very cold romantic interest before she gets brainwashed, while Dr. Otani (Yoshio Tsuchiya) is clearly going to do a heel turn thanks to type-casting that hasn't been changed. But it's still a very watchable final note for the classic Ishiro Honda period, even if his grander ideas had to be scaled down. There's still something appealing about the premise, the music, the 1960s style, and seeing this much Showa are suit-mation on screen all at once. <br /></p><p>3/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-35813222195537697622024-01-03T21:16:00.012+00:002024-01-03T21:30:46.888+00:00Monster Bites - Dino DNA<p><b>GODZILLA 2000: MILLENNIUM (1999)</b></p><p>So with the end of the Heisei era things were finally over for <i>Godzilla </i>series. The big guy took a nap after one last hurrah in 1995. For a short spell at least, since in the meantime the likes of Roland Emmerich and TriStar had their hands on the property. Did this attempt to Westernise the Godzilla brand call the Japanese film studio back into action as a course correction? Probably. Although it's notable that in the meantime there was a revived <i>Gamera </i>trilogy threatening to take the Kaiju crown while at Toho the <i>Rebirth of Mothra</i> series had brought things back to a child friendly tone. Perhaps they thought it was best to get their house back in order... even if it's not an ideal start.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrCbML7ut5KW8wNbzo2ZvD7pcBQPiAZ02z3J0iJFq43Hs7k5q-0EcvX2px2oF3K-RovgcHQze8AUOEM1NpFU5ePZMvRIpeaaAYsTCHagFmx54DthGgbnWhwCQGBxq5Jc0We4AGonM76g_OpR1BnO124s-Yws386tZlK4GLbNxRm5srhyphenhyphenXGXehEwyKXHPW/s498/godzilla-1999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="498" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrCbML7ut5KW8wNbzo2ZvD7pcBQPiAZ02z3J0iJFq43Hs7k5q-0EcvX2px2oF3K-RovgcHQze8AUOEM1NpFU5ePZMvRIpeaaAYsTCHagFmx54DthGgbnWhwCQGBxq5Jc0We4AGonM76g_OpR1BnO124s-Yws386tZlK4GLbNxRm5srhyphenhyphenXGXehEwyKXHPW/w400-h229/godzilla-1999.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>The main issue here is the overall direction things are being taken in. Just look at the title; is it necessary to call it Godzilla '2000' and 'Millennium'? Somebody couldn't decide which sounded better so they just went with both at the same time. It's also clear that the film-makers weren't sure on whether to make things dark and moody, or whether some of the popcorn fun from the US version might actually be a good idea. Things are never that silly of course (if you avoid the dubbed version that is) but it's noticeable that it has a gritty tone in one scene and some kind of bonkers UFO scenario in the next. Even Godzilla himself is both hero and villain; force of nature and alien wrestling action star.<br /><p></p><p>The opening of the story sets the stage for this overall tone. There's a fun nod to the lighthouse scene from <i>The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms</i>, while any moments of destruction are relatively light-hearted. Nobody gets brutally killed (ala <i>GMK </i>two years later) until near the end of the story. It wastes no time as Dr. Shinoda (Takehiro Murata) and his daughter Io (Mayu Suzuki) are forced to work with hapless reporter Yuki (Naomi Nishida) and the trio have to escape death by monster in a highway tunnel. Bar patrons narrowly escape as the 'Godzilla Prediction Network' team (of one man and a child) comment on the nature of Godzilla as a force opposing mankind's power station technology.<br /></p><p>Still, it's a moody opening that showcases the newer more limber creature design. Was this intended as a younger version of Godzilla to continue the story from last time around? It's hard to say for sure but they've kept the orange heat beam instead of going back to the blue one. They've also kept the conflicting opinions on whether it's best to 'study or kill' the monster, in this case Shinoda and his rival Katagiri (Hiroshi Abe) at the Crisis Intelligence agency. The title characters flexible, occasionally cat-like, appearance is debatable as a change for better or worse, but the rest of these elements are about as boilerplate as it gets. Perhaps taking it back to basics was a necessity, but it's never totally engaging.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzGEF-Q0h25GWf7995P_4t-q9GsodOi0nzQJxigPbkwgt9L3HShBeAl1ZHsBAH_r4NbENZv2G2jsk_jgWJqsz4ugW-9ibwVSMg6xCeGB6jwQweK01uNFNfiln7oEh2fcuNEiGW4F2d8t0rteefC7fU2yX_MxUtfkQrPVWoHt8qMDbqu0eGpNbOLJnSsrh/s500/godzilla-inside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="500" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzGEF-Q0h25GWf7995P_4t-q9GsodOi0nzQJxigPbkwgt9L3HShBeAl1ZHsBAH_r4NbENZv2G2jsk_jgWJqsz4ugW-9ibwVSMg6xCeGB6jwQweK01uNFNfiln7oEh2fcuNEiGW4F2d8t0rteefC7fU2yX_MxUtfkQrPVWoHt8qMDbqu0eGpNbOLJnSsrh/w400-h170/godzilla-inside.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The newest inclusion is the villain Orga; (though it's never named on screen) a kind of formless alien inside a <i>Flight of the Navigator </i>style ship. But after a lot of intriguing moments involving computers being hacked (so a lot of clipart and the word Millennium can appear on them) it turns out to be a derivative of 1989's <i>Biollante</i>. It might have some nifty technology based tricks and a shape-shifting ability, but it's defeated fast when the time comes. The story should really have focused on the two organisations and the personal history of the men involved, but instead it's all pretty brief. Even obvious ideas like having Yuki become a surrogate mother or potential romantic interest are barely touched on.<br /></p><p>Still, while it's frustrating to see the idiotic central trio escape so many near-death experiences (because this isn't a harrowing thriller) the film is entertaining. While the underdogs treat Godzilla like an earthquake the military treat him like a threat to be eliminated. 'Full Metal Missiles' and other gadgets are used as things progress, although nothing that interesting is ever deployed. Luckily the suit-mation and miniature cities are good, although they're backed by a lot of questionable optical effects and some ropey CGI in many instances. Computers should have only been used for things like Godzilla's 'Regenerator-G1' cells and Orga's x-ray vision, but it was the late '90s after all.<br /></p><p>The results are pretty forgettable overall (I actually thought this film was already part of this review series but it was <i>Godzilla vs. Megaguirus </i>I was thinking of) but it's a course-correction that needed to happen to keep the series alive. In an ideal world the story would continue so that the camaraderie between Shinoda and company could be expanded, but this is the period where each sequel was a reboot (until 2003). There are some notable moments, most of them in the closing minutes, but in the end it's just a straightforward Godzilla story without too much depth. The alien battle is fun, the Ifukube tunes arrive at the right moments, and the broad strokes of the plot are intriguing if not overly compelling.<br /></p><p>3/5</p><p>BONUS REVIEW <br /><b>THE WAR IN SPACE (1977)</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6yDiE3VVyvgQM_R1UfPW4hyphenhyphenqy4-d_kScTN38Hh-OgfU6-1EkieRHys1gaXTb4-wkpiAtm8bsktaiaFnr_rxXOnytIpnDW0nspz18Me_0FnbMWxUbHW6JNv6UuVpyC7zw5BuAMfBmwloZ83vGL5Fo0o1oXFC4q7mZqFReqKIfGTyyRPCv6wU9cQWKlT7n/s500/war-space-1977.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="500" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6yDiE3VVyvgQM_R1UfPW4hyphenhyphenqy4-d_kScTN38Hh-OgfU6-1EkieRHys1gaXTb4-wkpiAtm8bsktaiaFnr_rxXOnytIpnDW0nspz18Me_0FnbMWxUbHW6JNv6UuVpyC7zw5BuAMfBmwloZ83vGL5Fo0o1oXFC4q7mZqFReqKIfGTyyRPCv6wU9cQWKlT7n/w400-h185/war-space-1977.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Meanwhile there are no new ideas at all to be found in this would-be <i>Star Wars </i>knock-off. Which is to say that the contents are in fact all from earlier Toho films like <i>Atragon </i>and various alien invader stories like <i>The Mysterians</i>. The flying ship Gotengo is replaced by the spaceship 'Gohten', but it still looks exactly like the earlier submarine. Even the giant drill on the front is still present and correct despite a lot of new laser cannons being added. Which wouldn't be so much of a problem if the rest of the story wasn't so lethargic, often feeling like the first act of a larger movie stretched over a very long ninety minutes. <br /></p><p>The so-called 'war in space' is in fact more of a skirmish between Earth and an alien base on Venus which launches a few flying saucers the attack in the opening. A space station is destroyed by something that looks like 'a Roman ship'. It's up to Professor Takigawa (Ryo Ikebe) to restart the Gohten program, something which was abandoned several years early... but sits waiting to be quickly finished on a hidden island. There are some good destruction scenes as saucers attack, and moments involving alien spies are pretty spooky. However, the bulk of the story is taken up by love triangles and threads about the tragic losses of fighter pilot Jimmy (David Palen) which is all soap opera level stuff.<br /></p><p>Some fun model sequences and action set pieces do eventually arrive when the Gohten gets to its destination, but again it feels like the first act of a larger story that never arrives. There are only so many laser gun battles and spaceship dogfights that are fun before it starts to become repetitive. Interesting alien designs (some part Roman Empire others part Wookie) and a great scene involving a ship infiltration aren't enough to keep it moving forward. <i>Atragon </i>worked because there was a more straightforward spy element, a lost kingdom, and a finale involving a dragon, but here it's all a bit too drab and un-involving. There are moments where it shows potential but it never quite gets there.<br /></p><p>2/5</p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-79746747052123851492024-01-01T15:39:00.004+00:002024-01-18T15:50:16.926+00:00Scorecard<p><b>DECEMBER</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQ92atfvxPWFf0B5SZh6gOmQH_8sL0AhGbYK5karP-folPCiTOzgA7l8DIWk_uUbFlGIjxhyphenhyphenrVp5xpD3zVfFzmzvGorMIgk_Im23JlF-kMui9YQ5Rs5jhDZjlIC5zKlOu1caxhn0yh-dfxejV1dgyvM5x8e6hlU11Acu_LCThEcX35UpKIcx2Z1fTk18X/s500/wallace-were-rabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="232" data-original-width="500" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQ92atfvxPWFf0B5SZh6gOmQH_8sL0AhGbYK5karP-folPCiTOzgA7l8DIWk_uUbFlGIjxhyphenhyphenrVp5xpD3zVfFzmzvGorMIgk_Im23JlF-kMui9YQ5Rs5jhDZjlIC5zKlOu1caxhn0yh-dfxejV1dgyvM5x8e6hlU11Acu_LCThEcX35UpKIcx2Z1fTk18X/w400-h185/wallace-were-rabbit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>FILM OF THE MONTH: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit ☆☆☆☆</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>The Nightmare Before Christmas ☆☆☆☆<br />A Christmas Carol (1984) ☆☆☆☆<br />Krampus ☆☆☆☆<br />The Muppet Christmas Carol ☆☆☆☆<br />Carry on Screaming! ☆☆☆☆<br />Rex: A Dinosaur's Story ☆☆☆☆<br />Rosemary's Baby ☆☆☆☆<br />Repo Man ☆☆☆☆<br />Cross of Iron ☆☆☆☆<br />Mad Max Fury Road ☆☆☆☆</p><p>Still Crazy ☆☆☆<br />Porridge ☆☆☆<br />The Lost Continent ☆☆☆<br />Love, Honor and Obey ☆☆☆<br />Shaun the Sheep: Flight Before Christmas ☆☆☆<br />Casino Raiders ☆☆☆</p><p>How the Grinch Stole Christmas ☆☆<br />The War in Space ☆☆<br />Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla ☆☆<br />Treasure Island (1972) ☆☆<br />To the Devil a Daughter ☆☆<br />Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon ☆☆</p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-85244736809475604022023-12-16T22:20:00.007+00:002023-12-19T10:22:11.926+00:00Monster Bites - Fallout<p><b>GODZILLA: MINUS ONE (2023)<br /></b></p><p>It feels like just a few months ago that the news of another film in Toho's <i>Godzilla </i>series broke. But it's here and has been given a theatrical release relatively quickly compared to something like <i>Shin Ultraman</i>. It's a brand recognition thing but I can hardly complain. While the Legendary Pictures iteration is pushing forward into an ever larger franchise, the original Big G has been dormant for a long time (not counting short films of course). Which means that they've had time to consider what the film has to say beyond the spectacle. Not that there aren't disaster scenes in this latest addition to the series, but what they've done with a considerably smaller budget has far more weight and nuance.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ju8otA4aa5f-31Xphi43OkFwNxFM7B9EnFBIZOxhwBkp3RXRXea4JoC6zqVB2-l8ooZYjczIiH3FTvH6MpqGUPNeNNGzsfdCj3JsEu1aBoO-sIC3y7054Ya0QSzI83cgCgY4lV8vCxGD9JzGfgbiiDQCRXliirLXW2ZvdIY6AteXeUrEStmzfhpZmnFh/s500/godzilla-minus-one.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ju8otA4aa5f-31Xphi43OkFwNxFM7B9EnFBIZOxhwBkp3RXRXea4JoC6zqVB2-l8ooZYjczIiH3FTvH6MpqGUPNeNNGzsfdCj3JsEu1aBoO-sIC3y7054Ya0QSzI83cgCgY4lV8vCxGD9JzGfgbiiDQCRXliirLXW2ZvdIY6AteXeUrEStmzfhpZmnFh/w400-h225/godzilla-minus-one.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>So let's talk about Godzilla as a creature. Generally speaking the big brute isn't often a villain in any direct sense. There are times when the stories treat him as an ecological disaster, a rampaging animal, or even as a hero (or a father). Beyond the 2001 version which went into a supernatural realm, Godzilla isn't mean spirited most of the time. Even with the angry eyebrows. But this time they've gone to some lengths to make sure it's clear that he's a malevolent force. As ever there's always room to argue that it's all an analogue for nuclear war, or even war itself, but the film-makers seem to have wanted to make one thing clear; here Godzilla is monstrous. He's a truly threatening figure rather than simply an antagonistic problem to be fought against.<br /><p></p><p>The real question is whether the victims of an atomic super-being deserve to be trapped in a post-war hell. Is this the fault of Koichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) for retreating from a suicide mission and panicking on Odo Island? Is there blame to be apportioned to the absent Japanese government, the Americans running nuclear weapons tests, or the veterans involved in the war? Thanks to a late 1940s setting all of these ideas can be considered in a tale of survivor's guilt, news blackouts, and poverty. It's a smaller story focusing on one main band of survivors, but direct references to Operation Castle and US-Soviet tensions give it a wider context, resulting in a confined dread filled atmosphere. The ordinary people are detached from these bigger events and powerless to avoid tragedy.<br /></p><p>Koichi has nobody left and nothing to live for after returning home, while Noriko (Minami Hamabe) is a thief unable to feed a child that she found. Many of the characters are orphaned and isolated, unable to become emotionally involved, or unwilling to see past ideas of death and glory. Ghosts from the war hang around Koichi's ruined home in the form of shrines to the dead and photos of those who didn't get a funeral. Eventually some semblance of a family is achieved through relationships with neighbours and colleagues, but there's also a feeling that some things can't be mended. Which is odd to admit in a Godzilla film; a series often criticised for having un-engaging human characters. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvlzutK7Qng0myRS_IVqIDrGtE90mgPD9LdQbQZs1QFbIdPbjQKD_lOFM0S19aNHvWFaKjr3yz2SDElBY7freUrVG2qPD8kPjY-iLbSLcd0kOaR3AZ9oTD3cIRnfT2HojpCDA2eHbqWJB5slS5AZDbnSbEZdKECH8PPQVFxMtV7U04Dmgh1Z31bgalnI_/s500/godzilla-minus-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="500" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvlzutK7Qng0myRS_IVqIDrGtE90mgPD9LdQbQZs1QFbIdPbjQKD_lOFM0S19aNHvWFaKjr3yz2SDElBY7freUrVG2qPD8kPjY-iLbSLcd0kOaR3AZ9oTD3cIRnfT2HojpCDA2eHbqWJB5slS5AZDbnSbEZdKECH8PPQVFxMtV7U04Dmgh1Z31bgalnI_/w400-h190/godzilla-minus-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As a result the whole story is often a rather fast paced and stressful experience. It has a tendency to veer into melodrama every so often, but sentimental moments are general squashed by cruel twists of fate and mental breakdowns. Camaraderie on a mine sweeping boat is disrupted by legitimately sinister monster attacks. New developments in the local economy are flattened in a similar fashion. Even the typically impotent counter-attacks are wiped out before any rousing military music can come along. Akira Ifukube's Godzilla themes (and oddly one from his 1960s King Kong) are contrasted with eerie minimalist tracks from Naoki Sato that amplify the haunting nature of these events. Nothing will ever be as distressing as certain scenes from 1954, but it's often shocking in its own way.<br /></p><p>On the other hand it has to be said the that monster sequences, while often dark (tonally that is), are all pretty engrossing. Miniatures have been abandoned entirely after <i>Shin Godzilla </i>but the action is very visceral and has a lot of weight. Godzilla feels very heavy and unstoppable, while the newest city blocks and the biggest naval vessels are fragile. Nods to Honda's original, involving a train a news crew, are mixed with searing new variations on the atomic heat ray. It's perhaps strange to see blockbuster set pieces, some influenced by Stephen Spielberg, amongst such large scale tragedy. But the results, even with a miniscule budget, will likely entertain and disturb general audiences.<br /></p><p>However, the major events and character arcs aren't all nihilistic, even if it lacks the frequent series theme of international co-operation. It's generally (if not always overtly) anti-authority and anti-war, but the resolution does end up being centred around the everyday people having to work together. It's an interesting mixture of simple human willpower and complicated plans against a seemingly invulnerable opponent. Since the top officials and scientific geniuses are absent it's up to average sailors and engineers, some who have seen enough horror already, to find a way forward. Is the overall message one of optimism or is it all a useless effort? That's just one last question the story will leave you to consider.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE75iH3Y9dUmLAMjTDFjbi-_Kr_BOME000JLdiweX1kjQGISiMn5c4hAnWRPOny2ENrZn9jTEH3LT9HPrrQFPcnaAV4mha_uAc55E9Jf9s2Ni3vDKkc8aPAGhIPo0Qyh8-0R6v_3RWbRiTi_-5p2m6b-ynzyc2et7KBIq4TKIQaT7kQ3fK-tbKij6-89NH/s500/godzilla-minus-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="500" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE75iH3Y9dUmLAMjTDFjbi-_Kr_BOME000JLdiweX1kjQGISiMn5c4hAnWRPOny2ENrZn9jTEH3LT9HPrrQFPcnaAV4mha_uAc55E9Jf9s2Ni3vDKkc8aPAGhIPo0Qyh8-0R6v_3RWbRiTi_-5p2m6b-ynzyc2et7KBIq4TKIQaT7kQ3fK-tbKij6-89NH/w400-h201/godzilla-minus-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Many would like to see a modern Toho produced version of <i>Destroy All Monsters</i>. But the reality is that when something this measured comes along it's hard to miss those classic brawls. They could go back to alien invaders and monster tag-teams but it would probably weaken the official version of Godzilla at this stage. There's no point turning it back into a parody or a schlock filled B-movie homage when another unique idea could be explored. Which isn't to say that there's anything particularly new here, but it's more than the sum of these parts. Besides, if each film is an individual story then they can be watched for what they are rather than merely as part of a never-ending sequel fest.</p><p><i>Minus One </i>isn't perfect but it's certainly an effective take on the material, something that everyone, long term fans or not, should check out. The pacing in the third act when it starts to get into briefings and plans is a little off, and some of the late game twists are clearly telegraphed. But other moments are genuinely surprising whether they're character or action centric scenes. Simply as a colossal, often chilling, disaster movie it delivers. But as a story in which a giant monster could be viewed as a symbol of personal fears and self hatred, a film about the real meaning of sacrifice and bravery, or a tale of individuals being failed by faceless government bodies, it's got a lot going for it.<br /></p><p>4/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-57734123797275413252023-12-14T22:10:00.004+00:002023-12-14T22:25:40.646+00:00Monster Bites - Magic Crystals<p><b>GODZILLA VS. SPACEGODZILLA (1994)</b></p><p>While this isn't the last of the 1990s Godzilla series it's certainly the least, in a real scraping the barrel lack of creativity kind of way. Apparently Toho were resting on their laurels at this stage after the popularity of the prior instalments and decided that a 'same but different' approach was the best way forward. When the resulting film is so lethargic and the new additions are so trivial it's hard to say why they thought this was such a great idea. It's an oddity that feels sluggish at best and like a toy commercial at its worst. However, it's an essential stumbling block for the franchise which would at least go out with a bang. But before we get to the finale it's time for a monster-sized snooze-fest.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzg2Mz8IKX0Weglgj1ffVJ97Mdbd4KO0GtGLaKb_JuDqYKALnMOTSecUDDVAcIltImzpX1mqXk_km1XWm-LJHLOh1jcjKMuK25slZDKl7iMhXgGpoDfhayqvT-2jFRGmp8gQ_QBaeuG_XSPL0L96opLI7oi6M8Wq1A9QIDKhb3IFIouPCn8UjkyyjY_OZ/s500/spacegodzilla.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="500" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzg2Mz8IKX0Weglgj1ffVJ97Mdbd4KO0GtGLaKb_JuDqYKALnMOTSecUDDVAcIltImzpX1mqXk_km1XWm-LJHLOh1jcjKMuK25slZDKl7iMhXgGpoDfhayqvT-2jFRGmp8gQ_QBaeuG_XSPL0L96opLI7oi6M8Wq1A9QIDKhb3IFIouPCn8UjkyyjY_OZ/w400-h216/spacegodzilla.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>The catalyst for the story is Mothra who left the Earth two movies earlier, and who is now flying in outer space... for some reason. While it's true that they also say a possible origin for a 'SpaceGodzilla' could be Biollante, this theory is never elaborated on. Instead there's a bunch of Mothra stuff for general audience appeal, despite the giant bug making no real appearance in the story. It's a sign of the real weaknesses of this instalment, which often feels like a bunch of directionless filler. Recurring psychic Miki (Megumi Odaka) talks to the Mothra fairies in a series of visions. They offer no real information besides a repeated message that things will be okay after the latest crisis. Which kills the pacing and the suspense.<br /></p><p>People talk in vague terms about how Godzilla's cells got into space and how a black hole created a new monster from them. Which is pretty poor stuff even for this series during this decade. Meanwhile the usual military types discuss yet more plans on how to be rid of the giant monster problem. Some still think that telepathy could be useful and are pushing for 'Project-T' to begin as a result. It didn't really help that much before and it sure doesn't help this time, making Miki and her endless fawning over a creature that keeps causing disasters feel dumber than ever. The opposing plan is to use a new machine called Mogera (or MOGUERA if you prefer) to kill Godzilla.<br /></p><p>Which highlights another issue here: Mogera was a robot from Ishiro Honda's 1957 film <i>The Mysterians</i>. Why is it here and why haven't they rebuilt a bigger and better MechaGodzilla this time? Probably so that they can sell more merchandise. The machine itself even looks like a cheap plastic toy in many sequences. It's odd that they moved away from one established type of fan service and just added another. They probably should have just used Gigan instead of SpaceGodzilla, as the results would have been the same. At least that way there could have been some alien antics and some fun bad guys instead of a mindless creature with only a basic motive and no personality. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRINJUBNcmOarDye0_jW5_e7Vv-c9RBvir-e85WD5al9nL_506-xJeoUWtE539FFzw5Ram4jkuZjMWtYCdPNZ6fvZr1OqyUkoNfqqea59OYxJ_Mkw0KqTLiASTQ1JuJJ8gWq2WiexOyUuVNXtBds_CJY4ISeHUEPFvhp9OrOrG6tCk8a2byNax8gTsrKSp/s500/spacegodzilla-moguera.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="500" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRINJUBNcmOarDye0_jW5_e7Vv-c9RBvir-e85WD5al9nL_506-xJeoUWtE539FFzw5Ram4jkuZjMWtYCdPNZ6fvZr1OqyUkoNfqqea59OYxJ_Mkw0KqTLiASTQ1JuJJ8gWq2WiexOyUuVNXtBds_CJY4ISeHUEPFvhp9OrOrG6tCk8a2byNax8gTsrKSp/w400-h196/spacegodzilla-moguera.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Some actual plot eventually arrives in the form of a team of G-Force recruits on an island where Godzilla Junior is living. Who still looks too cute; again suggesting the figurine sales angle was a focus of the production. But the firepower versus telepathy debate barely takes off, with a plan to transmit thoughts via some new gadget and a plan to use a blood coagulant both leading nowhere. The whole thing is so meandering and slow with a subplot about a kidnapping and a revenge mission leading to more narrative dead-ends. Some of these ideas have merit but it's all so weirdly constructed. There's never any sense of momentum or drama so this all feels way longer than its contemporaries despite the same running time. <br /></p><p>When some action set pieces come around they're equally as dull, as the film-makers resort to a lot of laser beams and energy blasts. SpaceGodzilla has some sort of telekinetic powers but they're never used for anything interesting, or even discussed as something Miki shares. Instead there are a few scenes in which suit-mation actors float around on wires. The new villain also has some connection to crystals growing on the island, but the reason for these being on Earth ahead of time is never explored. There are some brief lines about its power being drawn from inside the planet (via the Fukuoka Tower for some reason) but a potential ecology theme is also never explored.<br /></p><p>The result is a bizarre slog and a series of missed opportunities. Despite this being several movies down the line Miki is more useless than ever and she has no chemistry with newcomer Koji (Jun Hashizume). It's unclear why they're still using the ESP storyline at this stage, or why they thought a tepid romance would be a good idea. In the end it all comes down to blowing up a few crystals, meaning that all that Mothra stuff and the (very brief) danger to Godzilla Junior is totally pointless. Even the city miniatures and the musical themes aren't up to the usual standard; the whole thing is tedious and lame. It comes across as padding before the main even, although it's clear that if it was received more favourably the series would have gone on longer. </p><p>2/5 <br /></p><p>BONUS REVIEW<br /><b>GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH (1995)</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjNCYMksYmuY4C9P1HQVoKOT4tbPbyNm_gwiFSOZTjdTF69p3UbIHcNgkj6AnRlM3ve2wXWWDgo8oMX6hnP3VQUd1fKmNA8czfGeVDl6_dbOKBxdlcRXT-rFt5W0JnAj3zhIHGhDxaGTApvx4PYCwafxljK134FDztnhZ-abJj_BLxHhg4_MhPfnT2CIN/s500/desotroyah.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="500" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjNCYMksYmuY4C9P1HQVoKOT4tbPbyNm_gwiFSOZTjdTF69p3UbIHcNgkj6AnRlM3ve2wXWWDgo8oMX6hnP3VQUd1fKmNA8czfGeVDl6_dbOKBxdlcRXT-rFt5W0JnAj3zhIHGhDxaGTApvx4PYCwafxljK134FDztnhZ-abJj_BLxHhg4_MhPfnT2CIN/w400-h211/desotroyah.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Fortunately the last entry in the Heisei Godzilla series picks up the pace in more ways than one. It's a brisker experience with some new elements, even if many of them are call-backs to <i>Godzilla </i>1954. Cuteness is thrown out right away as Godzilla Junior's island is found to be destroyed by an eruption. Meanwhile research into 'micro-oxygen' using soil samples from the original Oxygen Destroyer results in the discovery of a new life-form and a potential for new weapons. It's a darker story that includes debates about scientific progress while linking back to the origins of the titular creature. It's also a film that remembers monsters can be used for suspense and horror scenes. <br /></p><p>Godzilla might have been partial antagonist before in this era, but this time around the big guy's body itself is starting to meltdown in a very apocalyptic sense, as shown by more than one computer simulation. Impending doom is back after being overlooked for so long. While visions of an inferno are depicted researchers digging at the location of the 1954 film's ending discover a tiny creature. This 'abnormal mutation' and Godzilla's imminent nuclear demise form a dual ticking clock, offering both giant monster action and <i>Aliens </i>inspired shoot-outs. There are even flame-throwers and tracking devices. It doesn't shy away from death and destruction even as a new <i>Super-X</i> plane and new laser tanks are wheeled out. <br /></p><p>It still misses the mark when it comes to Miki Saegusa (her one scene contemplating a normal life is embarrassingly short) but elsewhere the melodrama is occasionally effective. Destroyer, (or Destoroyah) in its tiny, medium sized, or giant forms, is depicted as a real threat. It even gets a few special moves that aren't just energy beams. Despite the silliness of Godzilla Junior's underdog battle or the idea of Godzilla Senior 'exploding' the end result is often compelling. The fire and smoke effects are improved, the monster injuries are nicely realised, the sense of gravitas is engaging, and the Akira Ifukube score is great. In the end it serves as a good conclusion that goes beyond several middling entries to cap off what started in 1984.<br /></p><p>4/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-58606797899513476042023-12-09T20:43:00.002+00:002023-12-09T20:43:14.931+00:00HCF Review - Time Sink<p><b>THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME (1983)</b></p><p>Time travel stories involving high school students are not a new
concept; whether it’s something like the more well known animated
version of this same story released in 2006, or a certain 1985 Robert
Zemeckis movie. Katsuyuki Motohiro’s 2005 comedy <em>Summer Time Machine Blues</em>
is a great example of this concept; using something well known as the
basis for a largely frivolous tale in which paradoxes and clichés are
played for laughs. Of course this 1983 drama from Obayashi pre-dates all
of these takes on the idea that naive and short-sighted kids make for
poor time travellers. Does it take the whole thing to some unexpected
and original places, or is it simply a missed opportunity to do
something creative and exciting?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2023/12/girl-who-leapt-through-time-1983/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="500" height="217" src="https://horrorcultfilms.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/girl-leapt-time-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2023/12/girl-who-leapt-through-time-1983/">READ MORE>></a><br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-56876445190423698832023-12-04T18:45:00.001+00:002023-12-04T18:45:05.073+00:00HCF Review - Summer Holiday<p><b>THE ISLAND CLOSEST TO HEAVEN (1984)</b><br /></p><p>With its sweeping romantic music and seaside storybook atmosphere,
Obayashi’s adaptation of a ‘warm-hearted tale’ might seem a far cry from
some of his other projects, but it’s still a film about nostalgia in
its own way. For the most part the whole thing is a coming-of-age drama
without much of the director’s typical style and the few unreal moments
included are very subtle. It’s kind of a road trip and it’s kind of a
melodrama, with hints of fairytale and a whole lot of travelogue. But do
any of these individual parts make up a broader and more compelling
whole? It really depends on what you’re after in terms of world cinema
appeal; and your tolerance for meandering lackadaisical storylines about
naive teenagers.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://horrorcultfilms.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/island-closest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://horrorcultfilms.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/island-closest.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><a href="https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2023/11/island-closest-to-heaven/">READ MORE>></a><br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-87676674031147178222023-12-03T18:03:00.014+00:002023-12-04T19:48:41.282+00:00Horror Bites - Henry's Pact<p><b>TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER (1976)</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLs6qAdUsyoIMFhW-rMuiX7AYk6VpGVAZOhWp7jtGoDod0D54TA0sLaVeCLmOBmUbRuY12LU59wpXuJ-DV7V9CCGeG_-PY4hb-MwFFlqUy5uwMyFsmJmGoI9LdFx7rVBPpPtBJnQZEwwIRuSVG7TBRlg-6gP5q_vFrU4l-vZrDJSwsmwH05J2JaAmkq24J/s500/blogathon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="500" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLs6qAdUsyoIMFhW-rMuiX7AYk6VpGVAZOhWp7jtGoDod0D54TA0sLaVeCLmOBmUbRuY12LU59wpXuJ-DV7V9CCGeG_-PY4hb-MwFFlqUy5uwMyFsmJmGoI9LdFx7rVBPpPtBJnQZEwwIRuSVG7TBRlg-6gP5q_vFrU4l-vZrDJSwsmwH05J2JaAmkq24J/w400-h238/blogathon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So here were are, at the end. In many ways the later years of the Hammer Horror cycle are a fascinating time in the studio's history. On the one hand they clearly wanted to have fun and play it fast and loose with established ideas... so the results are things like <i>Captain Kronos</i>. If only there were more movies released in that vein. On the other hand the pressure was now on to compete with <i>The Exorcist</i> and everything that followed once genre expectations were forever changed... which meant no fun was allowed. Evil children were in and period pieces were out. Which would be less of a problem if this particular story of blood rituals and sinister cults made more sense.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvdkmja0zf_vpZ1bvUcwuefalX4308Ds32lRMqOms0hKYqjJpfrZAZ8FuesxkCqhgN_nPCxKciMGfxBIyI46PIB7UGWHetnu807LpkBi5lGu2h0h6JJ3pRDW2wFtoMRuk6BA_2svOL7xXiwgp79LRfK_cPvnhAeUEx7EH_x1UKFtxjX1Pf5JTBXbkIm4k/s500/devil-a-daughter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="500" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvdkmja0zf_vpZ1bvUcwuefalX4308Ds32lRMqOms0hKYqjJpfrZAZ8FuesxkCqhgN_nPCxKciMGfxBIyI46PIB7UGWHetnu807LpkBi5lGu2h0h6JJ3pRDW2wFtoMRuk6BA_2svOL7xXiwgp79LRfK_cPvnhAeUEx7EH_x1UKFtxjX1Pf5JTBXbkIm4k/w400-h250/devil-a-daughter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>In the first of several flashbacks Father Raynor (Christopher Lee) decides not to recant his heretical beliefs about the power of mankind. As the story jumps forward two decades he looks exactly the same for some reason; just the first of many unexplained powers that the priest seems to have acquired over the years. However, when things really get started his lack of ageing is the least of the film's issues. Since his expulsion from the Catholic Church he's set up his own religious group in Bavaria, which from the outside contains all the usual priests and nuns. Of course from the start it's clear that the 'Children of Our Lord' have some rather peculiar iconography at their altar.</p><p>Meanwhile sensationalist author John Verney (Richard Widmark) has, coincidentally, just released his latest book about Satanism. He seems to be in this all for the money rather than the prestige, or any higher cause. Still, he's someone that twitchy ex-devil worshipper Henry (Denholm Elliot) desperately wants to talk to. Although he's just a writer Henry seems to think that he should be the one to protect his daughter Catherine (Nastassja Kinski) from the plans of his old friends, including Raynor. But things are already in motion at a private clinic where a strange birth is taking place. John is clearly powerless to do anything about the scheme, or the apparent psychic link Catherine has with the pregnancy.<br /></p><p>It's the first of many rituals and bizarre moments that seem to involve Catherine seeing or doing things thanks to hypnosis or trance-like states. The problem is that many of these inclusions are explored through flashbacks and hallucinations that seem to be here for shock value alone. Catherine's bare chest and Raynor's bare posterior are among the many sinister visions on offer, thanks to sequences involving sexual black magic and monstrous C-sections. Golden idols and circles of blood are at least visually arresting and there are some good shot compositions. But a lot of the time it's just kind of awkward when blood and nudity are clearly here to try and make up for a lack of atmosphere and real chills. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHb__dwwBiCTYW-GM6JqyKIPHvgyzbkme7rtUq5YIt8hCkIHFVSQxpExd4xKi3qShFVJ0A1HEGHXmaP-nDA495IDZo-8Ne1bGQR6hqg9JPdqk1TFKGrWa6arfeOvac11x85Nn6EG1YVGf7TbZj3IIfa6yBONmWJyy2l64Fq43ejLA05q62OwOe1f11Bwa7/s498/devil-daughter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="498" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHb__dwwBiCTYW-GM6JqyKIPHvgyzbkme7rtUq5YIt8hCkIHFVSQxpExd4xKi3qShFVJ0A1HEGHXmaP-nDA495IDZo-8Ne1bGQR6hqg9JPdqk1TFKGrWa6arfeOvac11x85Nn6EG1YVGf7TbZj3IIfa6yBONmWJyy2l64Fq43ejLA05q62OwOe1f11Bwa7/w400-h241/devil-daughter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>That being said the first act does at least get off to a good start. The naturalistic photography and lack of music can sometimes be a little dry, but there's a sense that they're at least trying to take things seriously. The cast is also pretty solid with Lee and Elliot being backed by Honor Blackman and Michael Goodliffe, even if they don't get that much to do. There's even a small part for Derek Francis as a Catholic Bishop; tying this back to the earlier days of the Hammer canon. Cameos from Frances de la Tour (<i>Rising Damp</i>) and Brian Wild (<i>Porridge</i>) on the other hand are a little puzzling given their sitcom connections, but at least it lends certain scenes a sense of personality.<br /></p><p>Unfortunately the face of evil, or the personification of Astaroth if you prefer, is portrayed by some kind of muppet. A lot of odd moments could be overlooked if the special effects involved were more compelling, or if the creature itself was seen less. However, it's shown on screen in more than one of Catherine's visions, detracting from the sinister nature of the human beings involved. The best moments involve Henry losing his marbles or clinic staff doing unspeakable things - rather than anything outlandish. Although it has to be said that the one truly great scene in the story involves Raynor tricking Henry into seeing a snake through the power of Satanic suggestion, and thankfully it's a real reptile.</p><p>But that brings us back to the weaker elements and Father Raynor himself. As I mentioned briefly before his powers, and weaknesses, are never explained and they're never consistent. Lee is a confident screen presence as usual but the writing is less convincing. Sometimes he appears as a blinding flash of light, sometimes he can make Catherine do his bidding through a pendant and a sinister altar. Sometimes he can just do it without these items. But he's often undone by odd things like broken mirrors, and at the end of the film his downfall is also weirdly vague. It's no surprise that the film-makers didn't stick to the source material and a revised ending was planned but never produced.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5JGolMSQxGwzO12GJwwjAQvObvPqZLAosTcjA2JCJcIoQi1_3ZtB76XgjyMFzxERXXFrctK5gSJXUsPfKQfwDNbvMfJ1WT_f_ytk6tMpsRj0ers0dEQDAoWZpTqak-dtMHPuWRkTwIoMAEnmMoHOXT6FE2kueVolifdCin8qaNOV2D-cUY2aTuY69sTb/s500/devil-daughter-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="500" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5JGolMSQxGwzO12GJwwjAQvObvPqZLAosTcjA2JCJcIoQi1_3ZtB76XgjyMFzxERXXFrctK5gSJXUsPfKQfwDNbvMfJ1WT_f_ytk6tMpsRj0ers0dEQDAoWZpTqak-dtMHPuWRkTwIoMAEnmMoHOXT6FE2kueVolifdCin8qaNOV2D-cUY2aTuY69sTb/w400-h241/devil-daughter-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The overall mystery is engrossing enough and the ensemble is good, so it's a shame that the script, the pacing, and the hand puppets are so lacklustre. In an ideal plot they would have focused on the two leads more; Raynor the man of real faith, a true believer in his work, against Verney the materialist. The latter is well read but is clearly not working for the good of mankind. Early on he thinks that looking after Catherine will be good for another best-selling story, but the idea is never explored. Meanwhile Father Raynor's break from Christianity could have been developed further, particularly with so many flashbacks to his past.</p><p>Ultimately the film looks pretty slick and some of the horror set pieces are interesting. But it's often just too vague and too dull, with occasional moments of murder or bare skin failing to make it exciting or spooky. And yes, the outcome is that evil was defeated by a rock; John Verney might explain it differently, but that's basically how it goes down. The style of the film and the cast suggests it could be something like <i>The Omen</i>, which of course came out the same year. But while that was a real suspense story with a lasting pop-culture impact this is all just strangely tepid; a real mixed bag of ideas noted for being the final film in the studio's main era.<br /></p><p>2/5</p><p>BONUS REVIEW<br /><b>THE LOST CONTINENT (1968) <br /></b></p><p>Meanwhile it seems apparent that the studio was interested in Dennis Wheatley's other work beyond the occult. This time around they even go as far a showing a copy of one of his books on screen, however, it's hard to say how faithful this adaptation is. The reason is that after the first act or so this turns into what is perhaps one of the weirdest, and certainly funniest of Hammer's adventure stories. The title might be reminiscent of the Amicus yarn <i>The Land that Time Forgot</i>, but if there's a lost island involved they barely show it. Instead it's about a group of Spanish zealots (glimpsed in a flash forward opening) living inside a wrecked fleet for centuries after becoming lost in a strange region filled with monsters.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-mEMmVgGYb2ZJkWU0UJ7AWjkS_bjR1MPA8fzOtiZAWzRUl6jFiwtekyFAL4wOpJZuxGGZFuXtWGtb4mT5ablKPxabe1Ra5QfEUbp8qWaP10VUz4DY6OJAUudO-xV6xYrOycNXL7WDOQHT5iLtc6xNPgFatvpJ1mPolcN7jKQwX0ncUdz1Z6ZrAIkfyyT/s500/lost-continent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="500" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-mEMmVgGYb2ZJkWU0UJ7AWjkS_bjR1MPA8fzOtiZAWzRUl6jFiwtekyFAL4wOpJZuxGGZFuXtWGtb4mT5ablKPxabe1Ra5QfEUbp8qWaP10VUz4DY6OJAUudO-xV6xYrOycNXL7WDOQHT5iLtc6xNPgFatvpJ1mPolcN7jKQwX0ncUdz1Z6ZrAIkfyyT/w400-h216/lost-continent.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>However, the fist half of the story concerns a present day transport ship filled with suspicious characters. There's a drunk, a fugitive, and a disgraced doctor aboard, while the captain himself (Eric Porter) is smuggling a cargo of volatile chemicals. This unsavoury band all have desperate reasons not to get off the ship or return to port, even when a storm is forecast. Eventually the crew (including a brief but typical role for Michael Ripper) mutiny because of the danger involved, leaving the rogues gallery of guests to fend for themselves. Which wouldn't be so bad if the pacing wasn't so odd, mainly thanks to the way they take so long to abandon ship... only to get back aboard after the hurricane. </p><p>Of course this is all just a prelude to the 'lost continent' chapter of the film. Here they wheel out a lot of outlandish period costumes and some of the most peculiar rubber monsters ever put on screen. Simple shark attacks give way things like killer seaweed (or are they tentacles?) and giant crabs (or are they nightmare fuel?). Elsewhere people in conquistador helmets use giant snow-shoes and personal balloons to navigate a swamp which is funny every time they appear. The actual colony is barely explored because the narrative takes so long to get to it, which is a big problem. But it's often just so bizarre in the third act that it's hard not to be entertained.</p><p>It's a strange affair that seems to have taken inspiration from multiple sources, feeling like more than one unfinished script. They spend so much time at sea as characters act like selfish jerks trying to avoid talking about their shady pasts, and some are clearly monster bait. Doctor's daughter Unity (Suzanna Leigh) seems obsessed with sleeping with people aboard just to spite her father, while troubled thief Eva (Hildegard Knef) is on the run from a dangerous marriage. It can be forgiven a little once the strange religious robes and rituals of boy king 'The Supremo' (Darryl Read) appear, but it takes way too long for the explosive cargo be used. Still, while it's by no means Hammer's best effort in the genre the results are pretty watchable.<br /></p><p>3/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-64169341804683327662023-12-01T09:29:00.004+00:002023-12-17T09:54:49.386+00:00Scorecard<p><b>NOVEMBER</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDa7lFC8cBOwbxI4Oss0J1s0eaPl0lfSS4wxDDh_tMxdIYfEXg_deMjSDVHjnRQUmYo1bKcl8pL_JTyk-0tT4ojTrIUFTjjLeXMjcFN29kcYRlYAqgnoit1Kj7mbJehqW3Ql_uqZ7jKywxu2qUpRbIloE9vyYSsNUwnPkk_PKpooccID4ttRTRRkZlSPG/s800/summer-machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDa7lFC8cBOwbxI4Oss0J1s0eaPl0lfSS4wxDDh_tMxdIYfEXg_deMjSDVHjnRQUmYo1bKcl8pL_JTyk-0tT4ojTrIUFTjjLeXMjcFN29kcYRlYAqgnoit1Kj7mbJehqW3Ql_uqZ7jKywxu2qUpRbIloE9vyYSsNUwnPkk_PKpooccID4ttRTRRkZlSPG/w400-h225/summer-machine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>FILM OF THE MONTH: Summer Time Machine Blues ☆☆☆☆<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>Whisky Galore! ☆☆☆☆<br />Kind Hearts and Coronets ☆☆☆☆<br />Ice Cold in Alex ☆☆☆☆<br />Carry on Constable ☆☆☆☆<br />The Day the Earth Caught Fire ☆☆☆☆<br />True Stories ☆☆☆☆<br />Father Brown ☆☆☆☆<br />Babette's Feast ☆☆☆☆<br />Leningrad Cowboys Go America ☆☆☆☆<br />Creed III ☆☆☆☆<br />American Movie ☆☆☆☆<br />Lost Soul: Richard Stanley's Dr. Moreau ☆☆☆☆ </p><p>Hard Target ☆☆☆<br />The Hunger ☆☆☆<br />Buffalo '6 ☆☆☆<br />Island Closest to Heaven ☆☆☆<br />Vanishing Point ☆☆☆<br />Blow Up ☆☆☆<br />Young Offenders ☆☆☆<br />Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One ☆☆☆<br />The Road to Wellville ☆☆☆<br />Riders of Justice ☆☆☆<br />High Noon ☆☆☆<br />Albert R.N. ☆☆☆<br />The Cruel Sea ☆☆☆</p><p>Double Dynamite ☆☆<br />Eyes of Laura Mars ☆☆☆<br />Willard ☆☆<br />Malice ☆☆<br />Footprints on the Moon ☆☆</p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-183862576025622482023-11-16T21:15:00.008+00:002023-11-16T21:30:17.176+00:00Review Roundup - Exposition of Doom<p><b>INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (2023)</b></p>It's hard to admit it but in life most things come and go, often never to return. The past will only ever be part of long term memories that should be reminisced about occasionally, but never obsessed over. Remember when Indiana Jones was in a rollicking adventure series during the heyday of Spielberg, Lucas, Williams, and Ford? It's still one of the best trilogies of all time, with perhaps some of the best action and music ever done for the big screen. But you can never go back to that era and re-experience it. Trying to live in the past will only make you miserable and bitter, which is why it's hard to be upset that this sequel exists. It's no good at all but in the end it was never going to be. <br /><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeETpCnEPyWC9ngEoWXuTX_YAdzW3C0M-8KRM3s8hoqVVjc697gpyFiIHh7FfJrnnbBNCl_je4mBWYJc2JKYCxKsuhPt1NahdKJkBNMfldSyVtlbhrv7hLQOJTUkAHN2QaLpViWx2qgNIZ-H8547WeYkMere2T08OaNkEgpLg0REeFJyZUabg3DuMG2mm/s500/dial-destiny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeETpCnEPyWC9ngEoWXuTX_YAdzW3C0M-8KRM3s8hoqVVjc697gpyFiIHh7FfJrnnbBNCl_je4mBWYJc2JKYCxKsuhPt1NahdKJkBNMfldSyVtlbhrv7hLQOJTUkAHN2QaLpViWx2qgNIZ-H8547WeYkMere2T08OaNkEgpLg0REeFJyZUabg3DuMG2mm/w400-h225/dial-destiny.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>'I don't believe in magic,' says Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in what is meant to be an emotional moment. But while it's a mystery how the man who drank from the Holy Grail could make such an odd statement, it's a bigger mystery why the film-makers seem to agree with him. This is a film missing any sense of magic whether it's things like actors with charisma and screen-presence, action adventure antics, or even a few memorable musical cues. Things like clever editing, good pacing, and even simple levity are often bizarrely absent. The previous sequel was never this much of a dry slog despite its own obvious problems. Why make another if everyone involved seems to be so detached? <br /></p><p>Ford himself seems annoyed throughout whether the plot demands it or not. He yells a lot and not in a fun <i>Temple of Doom </i>kind of way. He's annoyed by his neighbours in 1969 New York, he's apathetic to getting a retirement gift from his academic colleagues, and he's irritated by the underworld life his god-daughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) has chosen. When he's not being grumpy, which might have been amusing in the right hands, he's just kind of sad thanks the way his own life has turned out. Why is he living in Manhattan? It's not clear. His original cosy house from <i>Raiders</i>, and his position as Dean of the school in <i>Crystal Skull</i>, have vanished for some reason, along with his mojo.</p><p>That previous sequel was not a good movie but it did at least attempt to offer a good time. Here the jokes and silly moments have been replaced by bloody murder and depression. Someone must have thought that audiences wanted to see a clear course correction. But by doing so it robs the story of its identity as a <i>Raiders </i>follow-up despite some attempts to ape the original trilogy. The best they have to offer is a CGI laden prologue in which a de-aged Indy and his friend Basil (Toby Jones) try to rescue some artefacts from a military train. It verges on being an old school adventure but it's sunk by so many wonky visual effects shots and recycled ideas.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mCvrAhC_qnnFFJhbKpKBZGYhrssRHL6xKZYkWe84TNQ3GTMbNjL8_-oINWjAW9j1KAkGXWp3WCIG9zcPwDm_muoAfBD5gsfhWOkIAWY_kuFn0pT3fugalWgSYOD42_fX60zTLBaAqVEe9_xOhSQD-tLdgN6mtvhYu0DLLIMcfr1Apc68VtZMU0qdsSHM/s500/dial-destiny-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mCvrAhC_qnnFFJhbKpKBZGYhrssRHL6xKZYkWe84TNQ3GTMbNjL8_-oINWjAW9j1KAkGXWp3WCIG9zcPwDm_muoAfBD5gsfhWOkIAWY_kuFn0pT3fugalWgSYOD42_fX60zTLBaAqVEe9_xOhSQD-tLdgN6mtvhYu0DLLIMcfr1Apc68VtZMU0qdsSHM/w400-h225/dial-destiny-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>You can't just use music from <i>The Last Crusade </i>and expect it to be as good. You certainly can't use computerised characters and expect them to look and sound like real actors. Didn't anyone have the sense to say this during pre-production? It wouldn't be so bad if the story - Indy and Helena chase the Archimedes Dial across the globe - had any reason to exist. Will old Indy get his groove back? Will Helena forgive her father and learn some humility? No and no. Instead it just sort of rambles along through a mindless, and mind-numbing, two and a half hours. The likes of baddie Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) and young side-kick Teddy (Ethann Isidore) exist only as analogues of previous characters who were actually engaging.<br /></p><p>In terms of action there's the train scene, a tuk-tuk chase, a horse-back sequence, and even a diving set piece... but it's all very underwhelming. There are no time-extending Spielberg-ian moments in which suspense and spectacle come together in that classic way. There are no exciting traps or memorable fist fights. John Williams apparently worked on this but it's hard to be sure. There are also no signs of what they spent all the money on in a film with a considerable budget. All of these chases feel like padding in between scenes of people talking about the macguffin before the villains magically show up on cue to push things forward. Indy often has little to do during most of the scenes due to his age, making this all feel more pointless.</p><p>Which in the end is the major problem here; it often seems like a film that nobody asked for and a story in which the protagonist doesn't want to be involved. He never regains a spark of his old self and in fact during the obligatory third act special effects sequence he decides to give up fighting altogether. Basic character arcs are always a problem for action heroes who should remain unchanged by such events. But when it's a yarn like this it's bizarre that such obvious cues were overlooked. Was this made out of obligation? Did anyone want to see a desiccated epilogue like this play out in such a dour fashion? Its existence is a bigger mystery than anything left behind by a long-lost civilisation. But that's okay, it's time to remember the wise words of Henry Jones Sr. and let it go.<br /></p><p>1/5</p><p>BONUS REVIEW<br /><b>MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING PART ONE</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrSwxFo2asCCFJCHD51zSMv9ILzHBWKRte_J7cdyX95m4BNRl10SHgb8bnKmJF7ezQ5GKOhcKOtKGxK09Zc_XRUvIdUvYqGnwILqairQkLzNogM-eeFyf-HHPjjU72EeE_9rKhm4guPdfeDKQb-TG-dsU9U5WrCYVl1LqsUyYqSzf0iyEl3c_0nY8Krpk/s500/dead-reckoning.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="500" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrSwxFo2asCCFJCHD51zSMv9ILzHBWKRte_J7cdyX95m4BNRl10SHgb8bnKmJF7ezQ5GKOhcKOtKGxK09Zc_XRUvIdUvYqGnwILqairQkLzNogM-eeFyf-HHPjjU72EeE_9rKhm4guPdfeDKQb-TG-dsU9U5WrCYVl1LqsUyYqSzf0iyEl3c_0nY8Krpk/w400-h279/dead-reckoning.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><p></p><p>Speaking of films that are overstay their welcome, the latest <i>Mission: Impossible </i>movie is nearly an hour too long. Do you want to sit and hear a lot of dull exposition about artificial intelligence and magic keys? People talk a whole lot (without really saying anything that makes sense) in a baffling amount of scenes, it's not exactly gripping. Which is odd when it's all so simplistic: someone made a self-aware computer and there's a key to controlling it that everybody wants. Not a key-card or a passcode; an actual door key with ornate metal parts. Something with two halves that looks like it came from <i>Operation Condor</i>. But that's not the only odd detail lifted from another movie in a story that cribs from several <i>James Bond </i>films and even the <i>Uncharted </i>game series.<br /></p><p>It opens with Russians on a new submarine like the <i>Red October</i>. It continues with the handcuffs from <i>Tomorrow Never Dies </i>and the tiny car from <i>For Your Eyes Only</i>. Even Tom Cruise's much the talked about cliff-jumping stunts and train top combat will be very familiar to spy movie fans. Not everything is perfect, particularly during some obvious green-screen and CGI aided moments, but generally it's fast paced and fun; when things finally get a move on. Of course in the meantime it has all the usual face-swapping nonsense and high-tech banter thanks to a familiar ensemble, even if these kind of moments between the likes of Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames have been done many times already by now. <br /></p><p>New additions fare less well and unfortunately there's nothing to repeat the likes of Henry Cavill's performance last time around. Big bad Gabriel (Esai Morales) is supposed to be part of a Ethan Hunt's past but it's never convincing, in yet another attempt to
humanise the hero via a past tragedy. Which would be more forgivable if it wasn't all so baggy during so many
of the slower moments. It takes nearly thirty minutes to reach the
opening credits theme which is pretty odd to say the least. Still, hired thief Grace (Hayley Atwell) and assassin Paris (Pom Klementieff) are enjoying themselves, which makes it engaging elsewhere. It never reaches the (often literal) heights of the glass tower ascent or the aerial stunt work from previous instalments, but it will be interesting to see what part two has to offer.<br /></p><p>3/5 <br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-28803269025959775582023-11-04T19:40:00.000+00:002023-12-17T09:29:40.888+00:00Action Bits - Bullet Ballet<p><span><b>HARD BOILED (1992)</b></span><br />
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'John Woo is...'<br />
'...God.' <br />
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These outrageous words appear on a series of title cards shown in a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twJy_JvNAzI">trailer</a> for what is an all time Hong Kong cinema classic. The press quotes they've chosen to splice into the footage almost manage to sum up the madness that is <i>Hard Boiled</i>, a crime thriller created by a master at the zenith of his powers. It's also described as 'gob smacking mayhem' and 'more exciting than a dozen <i>Die Hards</i>'. This hyperbole seems ridiculous but it is in fact appropriate; it's an exaggerated and excessive exercise in explosive action.
After <i>A Better Tomorrow</i> and <i>The Killer</i>, John Woo returned to a genre he helped create to give us his magnum opus. It would be the distillation of everything that had come before, showcasing his fascination with meticulously staged gun battles and brotherhood themed tales. Ideas of loyalty and corruption would be explored one more time, while giving the forces of law and order a chance to be the heroes.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><p>After starring in those two previous movies, Chow Yun Fat was brought on board to team up with Tony Leung, having worked with Woo on his Vietnam war drama <i>Bullet In The Head</i>. In an ideal world they would have been in a real version of <i>A Better Tomorrow III</i>, instead of the version we got after Tsui Hark and Woo had a falling out, so it's nice to see the two stars crossing paths here. Of course in some ways this isn't as dark or as melodramatic as anything that he'd directed earlier with these actors. The end result is a comic book style action adventure, filled with cop movie tropes and Triad mole subplots. The influences of <i>Le Samourai</i> maybe present once again, with another lone outsider fighting his own nature, but the story has its own distinctly pulpy feel. <br /></p><p>Which isn't to say that the tone isn't still bleak at times. However, while the action remains visceral, the central characters feel less realistic. There's a broader sense of humour and it feels more colourful. But this works with the material which includes both a police drama about secret weapons caches, and battles against eye-patch wearing henchmen. If John Woo's approach was to create a <i>Dirty Harry</i> style plot, after all the gangster stories, he goes well beyond this goal. The character names give you an idea of what to expect: they're all very simple and direct. Tony Leung's troubled undercover officer 'Leung' takes on Chow Yun Fat's detective 'Tequila' as they battle for the position of most charismatic lead. Meanwhile Anthony Wong's ruthless arms dealer... 'Wong' chews the scenery at every opportunity, planning a mob takeover involving a huge arsenal. <br />
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The characters may be less than realistic, this is a film known domestically as <i>Hot Handed God of Cops</i> after all, but they're always engaging. A standard tale of revenge, loyalty, and justice plays out, but the whole ensemble provide a memorable core of heroes and villains. The two leads in particular do a great job portraying conflicted personalities as they struggle through the same events from opposite angles. It may be a little trite with a loose cannon out for vengeance and a good man agonising over the morality of his actions, but it's still a movie full of personality. As a result they never get drowned out by all the pyrotechnics. The plot itself doesn't hold up to much scrutiny in some places but the overall tone carries it. Nobody seems to mind that Tequila took out a warehouse full of gangsters after being ordered off the case... maybe he just charmed them into forgetting the weapons he took from the police armoury.</div>
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The soundtrack by Michael Gibbs helps all of this come together. His jazz history provides a few sombre tunes to compliment the darker moments, while he uses the tick-tock rhythm of percussion to build towards all the inevitable shoot outs. There are a few moments that feel out of place because of the instruments used but generally it works. Particularly against images of sinister motorcycle gang formations and paper cranes hanging ominously. It connects the human elements at the Jazz Club with the more outlandish sequences. Entire factories are set alight and endless waves of goons are despatched. Several thousand squibs are used, a lot of slow motion is employed, and
plenty of smooth sax plays. As this all combines to form an unapologetically
gratuitous classic.</div>
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Of course those are the moments everyone is waiting for, and they certainly don't disappoint. During the first few minutes you'd be forgiven for thinking that the action had peaked early. The opening sequence involving a tea house stake-out gone wrong is incredible - but this is just a taste of things to come. Later set pieces involving exploding motor bikes, exploding cars, and exploding hospitals, all building on the previous sequences, each time increasing the excitement factor and the spectacle. The huge finale in particular pulls out all the stops as SWAT team breaches and hostage taking scenes are thrown in - the scale and complexity of the action is always impressive. This is certainly true during an uncut tracking shot in the third act, it's unusual to see in an action film but they stage it perfectly, upping the ante in terms of pure action and tension building. </div>
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It's a shame that in many ways this swansong overshadows Woo's previous efforts. Nothing is quite as potent and explosive after so much destruction. It's also a shame that he would later leave Hong Kong and try his hand at doing things the Hollywood way. But at least this is the perfect exit; a true end of an era scenario. It's an exercise in action magic - the best kind of sensory overload where things are done with precision and mastery. It's a true bullet ballet in which shotguns cause explosions and every piece of furniture is laced with pyrotechnics. The labels for some home releases list it under the 'extreme' category, so it may not be for everyone. It's something that could leave people shell-shocked and perhaps even disturbed. But for Hong Kong cinema fans that need a gun-play fix this is the gold standard and a crowing achievement in a series of already great directorial efforts.</div>
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5/5</div>
Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-53540362347279671872023-11-02T21:09:00.000+00:002023-11-16T18:58:59.344+00:00Horror Bites - Final Nails<p><b>LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES (1974)</b></p><p>For a series that eventually became rather long in the tooth the Hammer vampire series is strangely adverse to giving a character like Count Dracula something to do. He's a fascinating villain that has remained popular for a reason after all. As Christopher Lee himself said why not use the source material? And I don't mean in bizarre half measures like the Jess Franco version. But for whatever reason the lure of using new gimmicks and storylines unrelated to Bram Stoker was always more appealing to the studio producers. So let's take a look at their further attempts to freshen up the whole thing... through the magic of traditional Kung Fu and contemporary kitsch. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3lgSP8wf9zn2Uh3upggscmpDcgaHhD7DxNkPnaVNrDGNfkgVku0osm4w1GfKjnOR4OFIJFLXtXKOXCFWQNdFZ9fY8ohwoqDuyuG6dKR_yczxGI5gCDjY1XofHyFc69KnskGBTifqXv5jiGjzIfUnyNm9kRWPqhM3D4Obk8JdLUhok5dzYZrvq8vKs-DC/s500/golden-vampires-cushing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="500" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3lgSP8wf9zn2Uh3upggscmpDcgaHhD7DxNkPnaVNrDGNfkgVku0osm4w1GfKjnOR4OFIJFLXtXKOXCFWQNdFZ9fY8ohwoqDuyuG6dKR_yczxGI5gCDjY1XofHyFc69KnskGBTifqXv5jiGjzIfUnyNm9kRWPqhM3D4Obk8JdLUhok5dzYZrvq8vKs-DC/w400-h176/golden-vampires-cushing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p></p><p>Evil priest Kah (Chang Shen) travels to Transylvania on a mission to recruit Dracula, who apparently has the power to strengthen his eponymous vampire cult. Some classic James Bernard music lends this all some continuity, and some gravitas, and the castle is spooky enough. The matte painting exterior leaves a lot to be desired, but it's not the worst. However, things immediately start to become questionable when the Count rises from his coffin. How does the vampire understand Cantonese? Why does he suddenly look like Cesar Romero's Joker? I've got nothing against John Forbes-Robertson but he's no replacement for Christopher Lee; the results are funny instead of spooky.<br /></p><p>The dialogue, and the dubbing, are not good, which begs the question; why Dracula? He's not part of the narrative in any real sense. These sorts of questions come thick and fast in a story that offers few answers. How exactly can a group of seven vampires be weaker than one? How do this many bloodsuckers survive by persecuting a tiny village in rural China? Surely in a blend of Shaw Scope action and Hammer Glamour it would be best to have a regal villain? It would be fun to see Dracula take over an Eastern style palace that actually uses the regional setting. Instead it's a film in which neither of the two studios are ever firing on all cylinders. <br /></p><p>It's still fun to see Peter Cushing's Van Helsing on screen with familiar faces like Lau Kar-Wing, but it's all very underwhelming. The action is very basic thanks to Roy Ward Baker deciding to shoot the whole thing, rather than having a Hong Kong movie veteran do the framing. Things improve as the film gains momentum but it never reaches the kind of genre melding excitement anyone would expect. The golden masks and silver spears all scream classic Shaw Brothers, the lurid primary colours are fun, and the vampire effects are entertaining. There are also some interesting moments showing the villains summoning an army of corpses. Thanks to recycled shots it seems like they re-bury themselves every night, sometimes inside new urns, but its still atmospheric.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgCTbqYjYFEdusrMI-vAtwSLyIL-8u5oGjd_Tr1V0QjL28eqOY8HdP0a92etvTI3pjjyVc6Cx181qzjKAISyccS-5cid9hNOMOoonb9tINtjkHHqs5PioJg065DEWGUVQqlgh0Ab7RBMwgBkDSj7b6yurvz51t0WT60NdPdyHpqY2Nvgq0PCZBU_jrM7N/s500/golden-vampires.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="500" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgCTbqYjYFEdusrMI-vAtwSLyIL-8u5oGjd_Tr1V0QjL28eqOY8HdP0a92etvTI3pjjyVc6Cx181qzjKAISyccS-5cid9hNOMOoonb9tINtjkHHqs5PioJg065DEWGUVQqlgh0Ab7RBMwgBkDSj7b6yurvz51t0WT60NdPdyHpqY2Nvgq0PCZBU_jrM7N/w400-h168/golden-vampires.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The story itself is solid enough, even without Dracula, as Van Helsing lectures a group of academics in Chungking on his specialist subject; the undead. He's hoping that Eastern history will expand his knowledge but after talking about the supernatural his audience scoffs at the whole idea. Only one man is interested in the tale of Seven Vampires because it's the story of his home town. Hsi Ching (David Chiang) is interested in taking an expert back to the region so that he can destroy the evil that threatens it. His family consists of various siblings, all of course adept in fighting with different styles and weapons, setting the stage for several battles and set pieces. However, it's unfortunate that the professor isn't travelling alone.<br /></p><p>Along for the ride are his clueless son Leyland (Robin Stewart) and no-nonsense widow Vanessa Buren (Julie Ege). One is obligated to follow his father across the country, one is funding the trip out of a sense of adventure. In theory these supporting characters can lend some fish out of water elements, or some contrasting East meets West ideals. But most of the time they're just dead weight; useless in the fight against the forces of darkness. To make things worse it's obvious that Leyland's love interest Mai Kwei (Shih Szu) will be a damsel in distress despite her martial arts prowess. It should be the ultimate vampire killing force but some of them are utterly wasted. <br /></p><p>Of course it's still entertaining to watch as this unlikely band encounter local crime bosses and withered zombies. There are some oddly sleazy moments as Hammer descends into their final years, but the production isn't too bad. Fire stunts and rubber bats are all about as effective as you would expect. Peter Cushing as Van Helsing is always good and his friendship with Hsi
Ching is effective, so it's a shame that his brothers don't have much
characterisation. Dracula being here doesn't ever make sense, and his final scene is even funnier than his first one, with a pathetic demise only marginally better than <i>The Satanic Rites of Dracula</i>. But this is the end of the cycle; a missed opportunity even if it's enjoyable nonsense overall.<br /></p><p>3/5</p><p>BONUS REVIEW<br /><b>DRACULA: A.D. 1972 (1972)</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha315A8qQb8GH6YSwGpdQq1tin4sYoeTt9Gr0CqXSbwzF-CRBPd-ByiOgZG3mB43DAp2vsoeJBXv925NZxwEZjNuDzqCT4mEEVGLzhPESYd8DultUliJ6RZQN1hQmbde9Fii34HozGvsYw5MN3FyMEcMQ9-daCD1qrQD7-e8DdDgN1rHYtZsBArX2nH7_v/s500/dracula-ad-1972.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha315A8qQb8GH6YSwGpdQq1tin4sYoeTt9Gr0CqXSbwzF-CRBPd-ByiOgZG3mB43DAp2vsoeJBXv925NZxwEZjNuDzqCT4mEEVGLzhPESYd8DultUliJ6RZQN1hQmbde9Fii34HozGvsYw5MN3FyMEcMQ9-daCD1qrQD7-e8DdDgN1rHYtZsBArX2nH7_v/w400-h225/dracula-ad-1972.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><p></p><p>Meanwhile in another dimension Dracula arrives in the present day after being killed in a far more exciting fashion. The opening sequence involving Van Helsing (still Peter Cushing) and the Count on a speeding carriage is very good, even if the exact nature of the battle isn't clear. The two rivals kill one another in the fight but of course this isn't the final duel. It is unfortunately the best scene in the film. However, thanks to some shady goings on Dracula will rise a century later in the 1970s, as the title suggests. Why a hundred years later? It's never clear, and despite the villain insisting that this is by 'his will' it's very similar to the other times he was resurrected, just a whole lot slower.<br /></p><p>The reason for this is wormy acolyte Johnny Alucard (Christopher Neame) whose last name is of course a familiar acronym. Still, it's never not funny to see Van Helsing (his descendant that is) crack the case and discover what the name spells. Initially Johnny seems like a fairly imposing, or at least well spoken, figure, luring the likes of Caroline Munro to their doom during a 'Black Mass'. The only thing is that the 'bored friends looking for new thrills' plot was already done in <i>Taste the Blood of Dracula</i>, and this isn't much better. Despite the new coat of paint it's another tired Satanism story that leads to characters being picked off one by one.</p><p>Apparently dumb teens and dumb Victorian gentlemen are very similar to the writers. But I suppose this was their idea of adding youthful faces to the series, along period drug use and partying. Another problem is that Johnny becomes a snivelling idiot when his master is revived. Even if the police don't believe in the undead the trail leads to his pad since the victims are his friends. Meanwhile Dracula himself never steps into 1970s London, so his inclusion is still a waste. Why not show his reaction? Of course it's not his film, which is the biggest problem of all. Christopher Lee gets in one line of Stoker before the end, but it's a last ditch effort that lacks any context. It's not terrible (unlike the direct sequel) but it's got the same issues that plagued the prior films.<br /></p><p>2/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-36573464228839366072023-11-01T18:50:00.002+00:002023-11-16T21:31:05.749+00:00Scorecard<p><b>OCTOBER</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHorGmfTbWVnWC-GEsUdA4Zb-ieKtJMTBsKJVTKDAd8y2M8_UDUywygotMGOytI_fFMklsI-Chrcu6E9_tVlzFYWFvMCVGoOwuFBlC-esPiwvatuUqv_WI5a3y6KDFkTFG5oVNILxM6Nz/s400/horror-express-lee.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="400" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHorGmfTbWVnWC-GEsUdA4Zb-ieKtJMTBsKJVTKDAd8y2M8_UDUywygotMGOytI_fFMklsI-Chrcu6E9_tVlzFYWFvMCVGoOwuFBlC-esPiwvatuUqv_WI5a3y6KDFkTFG5oVNILxM6Nz/w400-h241/horror-express-lee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>FILM OF THE MONTH: Horror Express ☆☆☆☆</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>His Motorbike, Her Island ☆☆☆☆<br />The Phantom of the Opera ☆☆☆☆<br />School in the Crosshairs ☆☆☆☆<br />Alien ☆☆☆☆<br />A Better Tomorrow II ☆☆☆☆<br />Kung Fu Panda 2 ☆☆☆☆<br />The Mask of Red Death ☆☆☆☆</p><p>Waterloo ☆☆☆<br />The Haunted Palace ☆☆☆<br />Sea of Sand ☆☆☆<br />The Towering Inferno ☆☆☆<br />The Vampire Lovers ☆☆☆<br />Universal Soldier ☆☆☆<br />Frankenstein Created Woman ☆☆☆<br />Midnight Run ☆☆☆<br />Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires ☆☆☆<br />Malignant ☆☆☆<br />Crazy Thunder Road ☆☆☆<br />Pink String and Sealing Wax ☆☆☆<br />Play Dirty ☆☆☆<br />Double Impact ☆☆☆<br />Lair of the White Worm ☆☆☆</p><p>Robinson Crusoe ☆☆<br />Dracula (1974) ☆☆<br />Dracula A.D. 1972 ☆☆<br />The Blood Beast Terror ☆☆</p><p>text<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-8897317801143074012023-10-20T09:31:00.002+01:002023-10-20T09:31:55.459+01:00HCF Review - Summer Days<p><b>HIS MOTORBIKE, HER ISLAND (1986)</b></p><p>While Obayashi may be known for his eccentric, and often rather psychedelic, flights of fancy, it’s time to take a relaxing road trip to the countryside. A breezy summer holiday kind of ride where a group of friends are addicted to Kawasaki engine sizes instead of having to fight a supernatural threat. Which isn’t to say that it lacks a particular film-making style this time around, but it’s generally a different kind of experience. Motorcycle culture and karaoke moments come together in a simple, and occasionally musical, tale of duelling egos and youthful obsessions. Perhaps the overall effect will be too melodramatic or clichéd for those looking for something more outrageous, but it offers an easy going story about clashing personalities.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCawFoOqvpki1KndFI9BRz7CMrxM3NmaaltMAp8iUa3SLAqttBGQVn4qgAqZZqzZshd78_7xvYGHT4htQX8nPdkoXldKvNZ_nzrUEy1B3lkgB3WbBfnvcoLrTWYXzf88gU5Un3PGgSLPbVDyHXMqDwO9fT1hlPv-9k3eMAEcWTdpf7_bDbXf2VqqvHXHC/s500/her-island.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="500" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCawFoOqvpki1KndFI9BRz7CMrxM3NmaaltMAp8iUa3SLAqttBGQVn4qgAqZZqzZshd78_7xvYGHT4htQX8nPdkoXldKvNZ_nzrUEy1B3lkgB3WbBfnvcoLrTWYXzf88gU5Un3PGgSLPbVDyHXMqDwO9fT1hlPv-9k3eMAEcWTdpf7_bDbXf2VqqvHXHC/w400-h208/her-island.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p><a href="https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2023/10/his-motorbike-her-island/">READ MORE >></a></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-32011399281987075742023-10-15T17:47:00.000+01:002023-10-15T17:47:29.281+01:00Horror Bites - Fear in the Night<b>THE NIGHT WALKER (1964)</b><br />
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William Castle is often remembered for directing spooky films like <i>House on Haunted Hill</i>, in which stars such as Vincent Price were paired with movie theatre gimmicks. Simply wearing 3-D glasses wasn't enough, he went the extra mile to get the audience excited. But less is said about this release, an attempt at a more straightforward thriller, made a script by <i>Psycho </i>author Robert Bloch. It's a story full of atmosphere but features Barbara Stanwyck from <i>Double Indemnity</i> rather than a horror film regular. Of course it's still pretty hokey as a product of its time, but as a mystery tale there are some fairly striking moments that stand out even by today's standards. Let's take a closer look at this venture into fantastical dreams and waking nightmares.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><p>The film starts as it means to go on with an appealingly abstract sequence that marries a lot of eyeballs and falling silhouettes with a great voice over narrative. What does this <i>Twilight Zone </i>style sequence all have to do with the actual plot? Well not all that much beyond the idea of dreams, but it's a great hook and a memorable introduction. The weird music on the other hand is less effective; it starts up any time something even remotely strange occurs in the film. Still, while it's not up to the standards of Saul Bass it's an appealing way of setting the tone; sinister and somewhat macabre and yet with a light touch. It does at least cover some groundwork by explaining a few central parts of the narrative.</p><p>Irene Trent (Barbara Stanwyck) lives under the tyranny of her blind husband Howard (Hayden Rourke) who keeps her trapped in his spooky mansion. She's only able to escape his obsessive personality in her dreams, where she finds herself in a fantasy romance with another man. But Howard feels deception from everyone around him and is determined to uncover what he thinks is the truth - after recording what she says in her sleep about this enigmatic lover. He may have lost his sight, but this only makes him compulsive in his search of the facts. As his lawyer Barry (Robert Taylor) explains; Irene never goes anywhere or sees anyone. How can such an affair exist? But Howard is having none of this and only becomes more determined.</p><p>His next step is to wire the whole place with microphones, but he's suddenly killed by an explosion in a strange laboratory he keeps in the attic. Is Irene free at last or is something strange going on? The police decide it was an accident, and one of the officers locks the room because it's apparently unsafe. An outsider deciding to close off a room in Irene's private home is one of many odd occurrences. Why is it still unsafe after the accident? What was Howard doing with all that equipment? Where is the body? Why does Irene own a hair salon with a fully furnished apartment in the back if she never goes anywhere? Not all of these elements get satisfactory answers which is unfortunate, but there are at least some fun scenes along the way as the mystery is untangled. <br />
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Barry soon gets together with Irene discuss all of this, as he suspects that she could have killed Howard herself. Perhaps he beat her with his walking stick once too often. But of course things are not as they seem, and soon her dream romance begins to transform into something more bizarre. For one thing her mystery man makes an appearance for the audience to see, and his idea of date night is more than a little odd. Sneaking out to enjoy a bottle of champagne is one thing, but suddenly arranging a wedding is more unusual. This extended dream sequence is the stand-out moment in the second act, in which Irene and Mr. Right are trapped in a chapel full of mannequins, before a rather crispy looking Howard decides to gatecrash the big occasion.</p><p>Purely as a mystery plot in which the rules of reality are suddenly pulled out from the leading lady between each scene, this has a lot of appeal. But under scrutiny things are less compelling, and like <i>Psycho</i>, there's a big annoying exposition dump in the last five minutes. The big mystery gets explained away in the end, but it's done without any kind of dramatic tact. A lot of things are brushed over far too quickly and the result is just another B-movie whodunnit rather than anything truly shocking. Which is a shame when the rest of the story was handled with such creativity, from the slow burn of the intrigue to the sudden leaps into dream land. If only the lab accident was a stronger part of the big reveal.</p><p>Irene is a good lead and Howard is a great antagonist, both in his regular abusive husband role and as an otherworldly presence later on. It would have been more interesting for their relationship to align in a way that meant the dream imagery had a deeper meaning. Instead the finale feels kind of rushed as Irene finds all the right clues and the other characters give out all the right information. Outside of the logistics involved in some of the unrealistic conspiracy elements I just expected more from the meat of the story. Perhaps this is an unfair appraisal and I'm the one that's being unrealistic, since this delivers in many other ways. Ultimately it's a moody and surprisingly unsettling tale of the unexpected. For anyone looking for a slightly offbeat chiller with some moments that will stick in your mind it's well worth a look.<br />
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3/5 </p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-70672706758655859512023-10-14T22:19:00.001+01:002023-10-14T22:19:11.907+01:00HCF Review - The Aimed School<p><b>SCHOOL IN THE CROSSHAIRS (1981)</b></p><p>Time for a story about extra-sensory perception and alien beings from
Venus. Which, if these kind of movies are to be believed, are the sort
of things that happen at schools in Japan all the time. But beyond the
surreal waking dreams and nightmares of Obayashi’s work, famously seen
in 1977’s <em>House</em>, what about real life study? Interestingly in
this case he takes a lot of time to explore the idea of academic work
versus sports clubs, and conformity against individual freedom. Should
psychic powers be used to cheat in Kendo matches? Should roller-skating
kids be stripped of their willpower by patrols of brainwashed committee
members? Perhaps these questions answer themselves but it’s still an
entertaining, if mostly light-hearted, examination of these kinds of
issues.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQnmcsOuiv6mbsIEnnAdhArG5P-2Dx_8BZMEsRgutdSbgiCRNjL8Rsjf-te_fmP0o0GWlwaPxJisVEyyvcO7ayaaRFPfM9MZPRcHYzKPSQRGGkwgOxkPrnUHXj-MHWZHyBZ6iox_DCv03kyEumUbQ6LHygHDLXqXmmBVQEO6KniwInmmh2KmnXsa0cCdP/s500/school-crosshairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="500" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQnmcsOuiv6mbsIEnnAdhArG5P-2Dx_8BZMEsRgutdSbgiCRNjL8Rsjf-te_fmP0o0GWlwaPxJisVEyyvcO7ayaaRFPfM9MZPRcHYzKPSQRGGkwgOxkPrnUHXj-MHWZHyBZ6iox_DCv03kyEumUbQ6LHygHDLXqXmmBVQEO6KniwInmmh2KmnXsa0cCdP/w400-h216/school-crosshairs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://horrorcultfilms.co.uk/2023/10/school-in-the-crosshairs/">READ MORE>></a><br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-23275745002425554682023-10-09T21:10:00.012+01:002023-10-10T12:55:18.430+01:00Horror Bites - Brain Damage<div style="text-align: left;"><b>HAMMER FRANK-O-THON</b><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's time for a quick Hammer Horror feature, in a series that is strangely varied and often lacking the usual sequel focused connective tissue. As a result it's also not one that has an obvious rise and fall in terms of quality and diminishing returns. First up it's their original foray into colour horror movies with <i>The Curse of Frankenstein</i> but it's also worth comparing it to the later remake slash parody, <i>The Evil of Frankenstein</i>.
The former is of course the first of the studio's forays into taking on the classic
Universal monsters, maligned by contemporary critics but adored by general audiences. Peter Cushing and
Christopher Lee would quickly become genre icons of course, so it's good
to take a look back at where it all started.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcgfmsekvb8D6HWU4rBH-iKb8xGWj-k6-azJGlAaxJ_bKXWfR08XHtza02qV1EtzJ9PZJUfiFJ25kxbWy_2ABUeZTrHlkIPW7YxRdQn4o8KquHyjOFnAaSsAdiDRwVO88lXviobIkYf8W/s400/cursefrank.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<a name='more'></a><p>Victor, Baron by blood and Doctor by career choice, is certainly not a sympathetic character here. Perhaps even less so than his original incarnation in the source material. He shows very little compassion when it comes to furthering his projects. The same can be said when it comes to the housekeeper he's having an affair with. Despite an introduction where the young Victor meets with his tutor, showing them growing older together, this friendship is secondary to his desire for knowledge and advancement. Cushing does a good job at being callous and charming in equal measures where the plot demands it, and overall it's an entertaining if uninspiring take on the story.</p><p>The sets are bursting with colour as the lab equipment generates power and pumps sinister red liquids through glass instruments, but generally the atmosphere is negligible and it doesn't have the kind of dramatic lighting you might expect. It's often a bit flat despite the obvious attempts to make everything a bit more lurid and a bit more sexy. The same kind of approach would work better in the more supernatural and more Gothic world of Dracula, in which Lee and Cushing would often share similar on screen rivalry. It would also provide a more appropriate back-drop for those sensual aspects of a story like this. Frankenstein may be a source of power, and creative urges, but the vampires are always far more more alluring.<br />
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It's said that Lee got the role over a matter of minor wages against the
another casting option; how different things could have been if they'd
been more generous. As the creature he's interesting enough, although his make-up leaves a lot to be desired and looks overly waxy. Still, the cuts and scars provide some texture and one dead eye provides a creepy look. His performance is more appealing though it's intentionally stiff and mannequin like. This lends the creation an air of sadness... but most of the time he just grabs people and strangles them. Its nature is violent rather than child-like, meaning the results are always overshadowed by the 1930s rendition.</p><p>Frankenstein even uses it as a murder weapon, sapping any sense of pathos from both characters. The old 'perfect brain in a perfect body' plot is still here, with the same outcome despite different starting points. In terms of the general storytelling it's clear to see why Terence Fisher was associated with the genre. His direction adds a few memorable touches such as the reveal of the creation; where a bandaged figure reveals a disfigured face and there's a great under-cranked zoom effect towards the creature. The old style Hammer Glamour is present and correct in terms of scenery and costume, but it's nothing special. Both of this film's stars would go on to feature in better productions as things became more creative. </p><p>3/5<br />
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If the added sex and violence in Hammer's first version wasn't to some people's liking, then they'd certainly have a problem with <i>The Horror of Frankenstein</i>. Personally I'd say it makes for a fun double feature with it's original release partner <i>Scars of Dracula</i>. The Baron this time around is younger, more calculating, and more oversexed than before, with Ralph Bates taking the lead. It's a far sillier take on the story as young Victor kills his father instead of just inheriting his title, and then proceeds to sleep with everyone possible instead of just his housekeeper. The affair plot and some of the other elements remain from their first rendition, but with alterations along the way. His friend is now a fellow University student, but they have the same reservations about what's going on.</p><p>The brain damaged by glass still causes the problem with the creature, rather than it being misunderstood. It's still a monster instead of an outcast being forced into living; damaged by poor parenting and a cruel world. Which is a missed opportunity once again. However, this time it gets coerced into committing more than one sinister deed. It's often a farcical series of events as Bates sneers at those getting in the way of his work, and his bedroom antics; rolling his eyes when the creature runs amok. It's this overall tone that makes it entertaining. When everything comes together the script is often pithy and dry, and the horror is darkly comedic. There are some good moments including Victor noting the brain he
needs on a chart, and later visualising it on the donor's
face.</p><p>Rather than seeking out the 'finest' parts for his experiment, like Cushing's version, here Frankenstein hires a grave digging couple to simply get him the 'freshest' bodies. This pair get several amusing scenes and there are plenty of other side characters along the way. Instead of resurrecting a puppy, he now steals a pet tortoise from Elizabeth's father during a social visit. However, he has no interest in marrying her this time. The whole thing is ridiculous, but at times it's better for it. The creature (Dave Prowse) is now all muscle and just has an enlarged cranium rather than any real post-mortem disfigurement. The effect is... not eerie in the slightest. There's some good lighting and the sets are still a lot of fun, so it's a shame the make-up wasn't given any attention. But it doesn't take itself seriously and neither should anyone else.</p><p>3/5<br />
<br />
<b>(Continued in <a href="http://synth-cinema.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/horror-bites-brain-damage-part-2.html">Part Two</a>) </b><br />
<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-74591541110093905812023-10-01T10:44:00.029+01:002023-10-08T11:02:59.351+01:00Scorecard<p><b>SEPTEMBER</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht234opuZDPnZ_igrC9QUXQk841u8o_zaRHXyUnuFhw616AObA9obaGzf3AuC9X4LobXxmuLPvu3qNlYom2utIuS2ABcxTYhiNH9LX69TH4wmjPVpqqzYW-V0MiVw518XaGXMnW8yfbkOAeVMYwO66AYPaITRUrLb_oY1VqQplK-4kaMVDDGRRPAOkpWaf/s500/adrift-tokyo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="500" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht234opuZDPnZ_igrC9QUXQk841u8o_zaRHXyUnuFhw616AObA9obaGzf3AuC9X4LobXxmuLPvu3qNlYom2utIuS2ABcxTYhiNH9LX69TH4wmjPVpqqzYW-V0MiVw518XaGXMnW8yfbkOAeVMYwO66AYPaITRUrLb_oY1VqQplK-4kaMVDDGRRPAOkpWaf/w400-h259/adrift-tokyo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>FILM OF THE MONTH: Adrift in Tokyo ☆☆☆☆</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Sisu ☆☆☆☆<br />Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves ☆☆☆☆<br />License to Kill ☆☆☆☆<br />Goldfinger ☆☆☆☆<br />The Favourite ☆☆☆☆<br />Rasputin the Mad Monk ☆☆☆☆<br />Theatre of Blood ☆☆☆☆<br />The Assassination Bureau ☆☆☆☆</p><p>Mad Max ☆☆☆<br />Late Spring ☆☆☆<br />Capricorn One ☆☆☆<br />Gamera vs. Barugon ☆☆☆<br />Bird on a Wire ☆☆☆</p><p>Cyborg ☆☆<br />Elemental ☆☆<br />Gamera vs. Gyaos ☆☆<br />Funeral in Berlin ☆☆<br />Operation Fortune ☆☆</p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-23389745461339585572023-09-29T20:54:00.034+01:002023-10-03T22:32:21.454+01:00Action Bits - Twin Effect<p><b>A BETTER TOMORROW II (1987)</b></p><p>Making a sequel to <i>A Better Tomorrow </i>was a bad idea. After all, it ended with a tragic final note that underlined its moral themes; crime doesn't pay and revenge will bury everyone involved. Where else was there to go when all the main heroes were either dead or in prison? Of course following up a hit movie like this with an under-developed and convoluted sequel is what Hong Kong cinema does best. John Woo's idea of what to do next seems to have been push deeper into melodrama, make the action more outrageous, and simply re-name any characters he wanted to bring back. As a result the final product is a ridiculous movie in more ways than one.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NLJ0SrJXBFtPN5_MapZ4KqiIJheiH7fXOm65jtifkbaz0hQGaAnbC8RrLp3vUh4ZVanmdI02AJ878NgcQNJlTn3TtcqUZtyrPersAuP2qrRWqjq0le_f8-3zIYdVGfbNg0cFdhbi4_vqMhwDuP2l1Zj3cSTUM3lSMccLaXUJZbO3oHVzk7jVneYGj0Gc/s500/better-tomorrow-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="500" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NLJ0SrJXBFtPN5_MapZ4KqiIJheiH7fXOm65jtifkbaz0hQGaAnbC8RrLp3vUh4ZVanmdI02AJ878NgcQNJlTn3TtcqUZtyrPersAuP2qrRWqjq0le_f8-3zIYdVGfbNg0cFdhbi4_vqMhwDuP2l1Zj3cSTUM3lSMccLaXUJZbO3oHVzk7jVneYGj0Gc/w400-h215/better-tomorrow-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Spoilers for part one follow; so go and check it out. Following the previous triad adventure former boss Ho (Ti Lung) is still in prison, and his gang brother Mark (Chow Yun Fat) is still dead. His actual brother Kit (Leslie Cheung) is still trying to get evidence about counterfeit money operations, but has begun working undercover to do so. Ho and Kit eventually end up on the same side as they try to gather information about a shipyard owned by Lung, (Dean Shek) another old triad head who wants to go straight. Shek's name alone is enough to make old-school action fans grimace, but fortunately he's not here to do any prat-falls or mugging. Well not until the second act anyway.<br /></p><p>Lung is a well respected figure in the underworld, and an old friend of various characters in the story, even though he never appeared last time around. But a lot of odd things that didn't get mentioned before are about to show up. However, during the opening things are fairly restrained as Lung's business is threatened by less honourable triad members. Meanwhile Ho finds out about Kit's work and takes up an offer to leave prison to help with the case. Which has put a strain on Kit's marriage to a now pregnant Jackie (Emily Chu). The legit enterprise versus gangster business plot is fairly boiler-plate stuff, but soon everything falls apart and this serious tone goes out of the window.<br /></p><p>Lung suffers a major setback and he's forced to leave for New York City where more problems cause him to have a complete mental breakdown. Like many elements of this story the whole thing is completely unconvincing as he immediately loses his mind and is taken way for electro-shock therapy. Luckily there's help from Mark's identical twin Ken (Chow Yun-Fat) who just happens to be working nearby. It's hard to say which part is funnier; the way they gloss over this sibling story like it's nothing, or most of his scenes. The whole affair becomes ludicrous as he faces off against a local protection racket and rages over a plate of rice they won't eat. Later his idea of therapy for Lung involves yet more plates of food as it devolves into ultra-melodrama. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZSnmYU_d4QTshaGjt7KDtzhS5mtPMANJW_IRFJBI7TCG50zLlOiNcl_Zk4ZND9l0-aQ5ob0hto8bs6XoYbrQ0SykV-wRsvZ-aM-qc71G_J-4lcwUSuFVNooi14T6PUzJTGSiwR0wF3HgUWWXuMOBxEnaLIg-yRy_A6_7ZgP7zENjhi5JgxVhzorfCHWQ/s500/better-tomorrow-dean.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="500" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZSnmYU_d4QTshaGjt7KDtzhS5mtPMANJW_IRFJBI7TCG50zLlOiNcl_Zk4ZND9l0-aQ5ob0hto8bs6XoYbrQ0SykV-wRsvZ-aM-qc71G_J-4lcwUSuFVNooi14T6PUzJTGSiwR0wF3HgUWWXuMOBxEnaLIg-yRy_A6_7ZgP7zENjhi5JgxVhzorfCHWQ/w400-h208/better-tomorrow-dean.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Why is Ken's house so huge? Why are there so many oranges? Why can Lung's state only be solved by more bloodshed? It seems to be the joy of bullets that leads to his awakening, but there are few real answers as dozens of hired goons appear to destroy churches, homes, and hotels. The reason for all of this isn't important, what's important is that it's packed with as much overwrought conflict as possible. 'It's not like the movies, where even the dead rise again,' remarks Ken, despite his character's blatant origin. Meanwhile a series of contrivances leads Ho to Lung's enemies, who want him to prove his loyalty... by killing Kit. To be fair Kit seems like an idiot, leaving his wife at every chance to put himself in danger. But it's not a realistic movie.<br /></p><p>Even the special effects are less convincing this time around with various bad opticals, including bombs and gunshot hits. There's more noticeable wire-work, the editing is occasionally rough, and certain music cues feel thrown together. Perhaps it's because it was made to release only a year after the original film. Still, Woo wanted to go on location in New York, and he wanted a huge amount of action scenes, which is what he got. By the time Kit is mortally wounded for a second time it's easiest to just go with the flow of the melodrama, because the action payoffs are worth it. Terms like 'larger than life' and 'heightened reality' don't fully describe how things unravel by the end. But then the absurd scene in which someone has documented Ho and Ken's exploits in comic panel art is a sign of things to come.<br /></p><p>The finale, put succinctly, is total pandemonium. Lung was going straight, but it's now time for action. Uncle Ging (Kenneth Tsang) was just an ex-con running cab company in part one, and barely features here, but at the last minute he's prepared for war. Ken was scalding teenagers for trying to look cool earlier in the story, but now he's using the bullet holes in Mark's coat to carry grenades. As everything descends into an inferno it seems like every low level hood in city is in one mansion; and they're all dressed for their own funeral. As Ti Lung picks up a sword calling back to his Shaw Brothers days the whole thing becomes a massacre, but it's all perfectly shot with black suits and red blood against white marble.</p><p>If the original story was a straightforward tale of clashing ideals and underworld backstabbing, occasionally intercut with gun battles, then this is a monstrous effort in which everything has been dialled up to levels that verge on parody. In that way it's perhaps unique, although some of the script issues are the same kind that plague many Hong Kong action sequels. It's messy, it's over-the-top, and it's got too many things going on at once. But while it can't decide on being a warning against this way of life, or a story about how hot lead solves all problems, it's just too entertaining and bizarre to be anything but an action staple. John Woo may go on to direct more refined films in the following years, but they'd never as wild. <br /></p><p>4/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-13624965508353713882023-09-25T23:07:00.007+01:002023-10-02T18:47:24.133+01:00Review Roundup - Ecstacy of Gold<p><b>SISU (2022)</b></p><p>Many years ago, almost nine at the time of writing, I recall covering a film called <i>Big Game</i>. Perhaps under-rated and probably under-seen, it was a mixture of Jalmaris Helander's European sensibilities and a lot of Hollywood action movie tropes. It was an odd change of direction for a film-maker that had previous made the eccentric holiday horror movie <i>Rare Exports</i>. But his fondness for the genre was evident in a story where a Finnish youth and an American politician had to join forces. It's this kind of mix-up which returns here in an English language war film set in war-torn Finland, which focuses more on outrageous spectacle than real world detail. It's a grim backdrop with a lot of gruesome moments, but it's a story told with a firmly dark sense of humour.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bdq0o4SsQDlaaKRmtq2Zcapm8fOdRLNmbiuygTCp_Qz43T4W6UJ6K4fAU04VUDpLpZDujnnlhRROqJwMTUO9CSaf4EDPbaqFkOBvtmFoUaStz5Inv3JeD5-vIC6hGRLtdf9gcdR1Xa4Da9RdYryT_EnJw5erNIXizwhdwb-UJXMKzH8bT2ysY30mPATl/s500/sisu-gold.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="500" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bdq0o4SsQDlaaKRmtq2Zcapm8fOdRLNmbiuygTCp_Qz43T4W6UJ6K4fAU04VUDpLpZDujnnlhRROqJwMTUO9CSaf4EDPbaqFkOBvtmFoUaStz5Inv3JeD5-vIC6hGRLtdf9gcdR1Xa4Da9RdYryT_EnJw5erNIXizwhdwb-UJXMKzH8bT2ysY30mPATl/w400-h230/sisu-gold.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>It's a simple tale of one man, former soldier Aatami Korpi, (Jorma Tommila) and his quest for gold. Times are desperate as he tries to leave the conflict behind by searching for his fortune. He's seen a lot of bloodshed and the countryside is a barren wasteland. It could be a sombre tale of one man's solitary journey in the wake of so much death and destruction. It could also be an exploration of the effects of greed in a time of ruthless acts. But from the way the treasure shines a yellow light on his face to the title cards of each chapter, it's clear that the some influence from Quentin Tarantino has made its way into the film. It's also clear that the focus of the film is this simple search for loot, rather than any deep character study. Which is perfectly fine as a stage for various action set-pieces.<br /></p><p>Various roadblocks, in some cases literal, slow Aatami's journey across a blasted landscape. Soon after loading his horse with (cartoon sized) pieces of glittering treasure, he inevitably comes across a German outfit trying to leave the country, leading to many violent exchanges. Beyond its tone the style of the story also lends it all a sense of being larger than life, despite the smaller scale of everything that unfolds. Finland itself, for most of the running time, is an sparse alien world, some areas ravaged by battle and others untouched by civilisation. Beyond a handful of female prisoners being held by the antagonists this is a featureless place without other inhabitants. The only other local face is Aatami himself who seems to be more ghoul than man as things progress.<br /></p><p>It's this growing sense of unease that propels the narrative, as he transforms from a lonely old prospector into a grizzled commando out for revenge. Perhaps he's a typical one-man army in the vein of past action heroes, or perhaps he's more of a supernatural figure. Either would make sense given the director's earlier projects. Folk tales of a man who refuses to die are spread around as the situation escalates and the SS platoon suffers heavy losses. It's not a true mixture of horror and action in the vein of say <i>Predator</i>, but there are some notably brutal moments in which Aatami's survival feels like some only a movie monster would be capable of. His escapes from drowning and hanging in particular feed into this overall vibe.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbhrvikCg_NnuiDZ4ixRPxjyvYbz8Dm_y7Ze1of3R5bots1CK9f5ZOuJ-AJz6_sW1ML22bjKI_MhDv3FYfYHFJp1vAgbiE9BY_QKSV_QR2RfxOBoA8QPCfwLdKRgl7CJZDNjQID9KG5rhGYkiORkFTCteX0CEYBNHemLpvai0YfIdRBOjX14mSCdSi2Oo/s500/sisu-2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbhrvikCg_NnuiDZ4ixRPxjyvYbz8Dm_y7Ze1of3R5bots1CK9f5ZOuJ-AJz6_sW1ML22bjKI_MhDv3FYfYHFJp1vAgbiE9BY_QKSV_QR2RfxOBoA8QPCfwLdKRgl7CJZDNjQID9KG5rhGYkiORkFTCteX0CEYBNHemLpvai0YfIdRBOjX14mSCdSi2Oo/w400-h225/sisu-2022.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But in terms of the the action sequences themselves the film is frequently gratuitous and outlandish. A lot of the usual wartime elements are here, from the trucks and tanks to the attack dogs and landmines. Some of the overall grit is lost in the third act when the makers go beyond their budget into a world of green-screens, however in general each chapter holds something fun or interesting. It's never entirely serious which means that the accuracy of certain inclusions like the tank design or a bomb in the finale can be overlooked. Some of it echoes the suspense of a Western while other moments are more in line with <i>The Terminator</i>. As Aatami becomes 'Koschei' or 'the immortal' it's easier just to go along with the ride. </p><p>Unfortunately someone has to talk about him in this way which leads to a small problem. The more grounded inclusions, or basically the rest of the cast, suffer in comparison to Aatami simply because they are given dialogue. This could be a perfect film if it was allowed to play out as a silent movie told through visuals and action. Instead various cast members have to deliver exposition in English, some while doing German accents. It often grinds to a halt so that company leader Helldorf (Aksel Hennie) and prisoner Aino (Mimosa Willamo) can talk about what is already obvious. Some of it is necessary to provide details about the journey, but the whole thing could probably lose five or ten minutes.<br /></p><p>Still, overall it's still an entertaining ride that feels more post-apocalyptic than historic. The quest for revenge, or the quest for wealth, is a simple story after all. As road trips go it covers plenty of bumpy ground that results in various shocks, splats, and gibs, even if not everything is perfectly executed. Some tweaks could make it a lot smoother but it doesn't outstay its welcome or go beyond the opening premise. In terms of films about one man (and a dog) not to be messed with it's a brisk affair instead of anything that ever meanders or becomes bloated. Hopefully next time when the director cooks up a wild mixture of different genre influences he doesn't take so long, it will certainly be interesting to see what comes next.<br /></p><p>4/5</p><p>BONUS REVIEW<br /><b>DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (2023)</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mcw5USCxbLiSEAG5Q06AMvLYhOjyeWS4aAEXwAzamqYBQZhZCIKfAdjz1RNQt0DEwBwjZ4LTlbaqLcxRi93ACoNgY2XWGXe11Nv-ydh-OIslsJqB_WAbukp9XdFklQqrk8nsqAKqzKDBEqKgq45kF9Is3VEltKmyUbr9HZj4onQyNqwOujvegK-fCzxm/s500/dungeons-dragons.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="500" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mcw5USCxbLiSEAG5Q06AMvLYhOjyeWS4aAEXwAzamqYBQZhZCIKfAdjz1RNQt0DEwBwjZ4LTlbaqLcxRi93ACoNgY2XWGXe11Nv-ydh-OIslsJqB_WAbukp9XdFklQqrk8nsqAKqzKDBEqKgq45kF9Is3VEltKmyUbr9HZj4onQyNqwOujvegK-fCzxm/w400-h201/dungeons-dragons.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><p></p><p>While <i>Sisu </i>was something I had been anticipating it's also nice to see something fun at the opposite end of the spectrum, from the realm of films nobody anticipated. Or actually saw, given the box office returns... Perhaps because of the much maligned earlier adaptation from more than two decades ago. Or perhaps because it's just not a property general audiences are interested in. It's a film where there are dozens of visual effects sequences and creatures, where people talk perhaps too much, and in which a smaller scale has been abandoned in favour of fantasy spectacle. However, while this <i>Guardians of the Galaxy </i>style team up has plenty of opportunity to become overbearing or bloated it's an oddly charming affair, thanks to understandable stakes and a cute cast.<br /></p><p>Thief and bard Darvin (Chris Pine) is a Chris Pine type, and his barbarian associate Holga (Michelle Rodriguez) is cast for the same reasons, as is the rest of the ensemble. Hugh Grant is here in yet another villain role like all the others he's done recently, but it's still an entertaining part. While the story as a whole revolves around continent sized invasions by evil wizards, the basic elements are things like heist scenes and family drama. Which means that dry monologues and portents of doom are often sidelined as the band falls from one misadventure into the next. It's packed with individual scenes involving narrow escapes, zombies, shape-shifters, and stolen loot. It's never self-serious and while some gags might feel flat the pacing keeps it all together.<br /></p><p>Perhaps it's because the human elements are all pretty good, or perhaps it's because the weaker visual effects are held up by some good practical ones. The overall tone won't be for everyone but it's probably something those who know where Icewind Dale is and those who've never thrown dice can enjoy. This probably shouldn't work at all given the niche it's been developed for, but it helps that the whole thing feels like a (mostly) self contained journey. Some sequel teases are included, but again those poor ticket sales mean that this ever seeing a follow-up is pretty unlikely. In the end is just a light-hearted and imaginative affair with enough heart to make everything come together. <br /></p><p>4/5 <br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-35067381414870524572023-09-09T20:57:00.004+01:002023-09-10T12:09:28.382+01:00Monster Bites - The Duel<p><b>GAMERA VS BARUGON (1966)</b></p><p>While the Gamera films are generally considered fare made for children it's interesting to look back and see exactly when that transition came around. The original film mixed up the typical kind of city-wide death and destruction with some elements of this, but overall it's a pretty straightforward monster movie. The next two sequels on the other hand? Well it's interesting that the first entry I'm looking at here doesn't include a child actor at all. In fact it's more in line with the kind of stories that spawned from <i>King Kong</i>, in which creatures are brought back to the modern world from the unknown parts of the map. The next instalment on the other hand... well I will get to that in good time.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kxiAMfOhW8KtHPsqipXVoRh4DfXMhzRqN5ZO5s9o-OOsjdXzjmkcEQ9CJWYd74QPWZ4rufoNdoWEtw4r5qop_GeDBrEp2qWDOvjC5uZViXI_l3r-fft3iwySlyUOSRvumdZ8iffRU4_8DqFrtpkf2ood1pKVnUEQBkpEZHsZbmF5YsNRHyo_nz4NFOQ6/s500/gamera-barugon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="500" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kxiAMfOhW8KtHPsqipXVoRh4DfXMhzRqN5ZO5s9o-OOsjdXzjmkcEQ9CJWYd74QPWZ4rufoNdoWEtw4r5qop_GeDBrEp2qWDOvjC5uZViXI_l3r-fft3iwySlyUOSRvumdZ8iffRU4_8DqFrtpkf2ood1pKVnUEQBkpEZHsZbmF5YsNRHyo_nz4NFOQ6/w400-h195/gamera-barugon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>The first monster clash in the series is handled with a lot of interesting touches. Gamera was expelled from planet Earth last time around but it's obvious this trip into the solar system can't last. Or at least it's apparent that any travel to other worlds won't be taking place, at least not yet, because the film-makers haven't reached the bottom of the barrel. Instead, to mark the change from black and white to colour, the craft containing the giant turtle hits a meteor and somehow makes it back to Japan. It's a great visual moment that shows things are being taken seriously with some kind of a budget; which is also true when a power station and a dam are destroyed. It's also clear that the big guy is still a villain of sorts in this stage of the franchise.<br /></p><p>Meanwhile the main plot of the film revolves around pilot Hirata (Kojiro Hongo) quitting his job for a travel company. It's a pretty straight laced effort in terms of a story about ambition and greed for the most part, with Hirata's brother sending him and two other men to a jungle in which he was trapped during the Second World War. Somewhere in New Guinea is a cave containing a giant opal that will make them all rich; all they have to do is work together. Which of course is unlikely. Maybe it's just a predictable situation, or maybe it's that team member Ondera (Koji Fujiyama) is clearly the other villain here. Maybe it's his attitude, or perhaps it's just the way he's unshaven and wears sunglasses all the time. <br /></p><p>Still, the journey to a mysterious island and a forbidden valley is done with a consistent amount of detail. The matte paintings look good and the pacing is well measured. Character deaths along the way are notably sombre even if the effects depicting deadly scorpions and quicksand are less impressive. After meeting a conveniently placed foreign doctor and his native assistant Karen, (Kyoko Enami) both who speak Japanese, there are a lot of vague warnings about evil spirits. Which of course the visitors take as nonsense to keep them from the treasure. Why Ondera thinks he can keep it for himself when Hirata's brother is waiting is a mystery. Then again so is how he gets back to the ship when Hirata was brought along solely to fly their helicopter.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidMQ0OWpUcWHYGA7W-Ox9cGK88odczNvL1VqizS826BRFcxRcX3OdSwRkswgv7mfiz4WRous1q4MJcO8vC_CW13E3F44SEWH5TMdGWaayT-_xme0QYYtKeogt7ZNS-9nD9tXs5noiCVC-HqGVQTtxAoibjiVC5ecuMSrkj9msrqsaLQmf7-0AvyuE_-vg/s500/gamera-barugon-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="500" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidMQ0OWpUcWHYGA7W-Ox9cGK88odczNvL1VqizS826BRFcxRcX3OdSwRkswgv7mfiz4WRous1q4MJcO8vC_CW13E3F44SEWH5TMdGWaayT-_xme0QYYtKeogt7ZNS-9nD9tXs5noiCVC-HqGVQTtxAoibjiVC5ecuMSrkj9msrqsaLQmf7-0AvyuE_-vg/w400-h184/gamera-barugon-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />There's no time to worry about this kind of thing when the jewel is clearly a monster egg. After some pretty neat hatching effects the ship lands in Kobe, where it suddenly explodes and sinks in the harbour. Here things are pretty compelling as Barugon, some kind of dinosaur with a chameleon tongue, wreaks havoc. The pyrotechnics are good and the creature is shot at night with a lot of dramatic lighting. Its frost and energy emitting powers are completely bizarre, but there's a grim sense of realism to the evacuation scenes. When Gamera eventually shows up, apparently drawn to the same energy, it's a fun brawl with a surprising amount of green and purple blood. Unfortunately the rest of the story is less engaging.<br /><p></p><p>Ondera's money fuelled rampage is just a violent, and he occasionally shows up to get in the way of the efforts to stop Barugon. However, the film gets bogged down once too often in monster lore and sci-fi weapon plans. Hirata brings Karen back to Japan just so she can talk about how diamonds can stop the newly born creature. Which leads to things like a 'ruby death ray' and a giant mirror being built. There's also a narrator talking over many sequences to delivery yet more exposition. Gamera is out of action thanks to an injury for a long stretch of the running time (something which happens a lot in later sequels) which means that the human cast are left to talk about Barugon... who is often asleep.<br /></p><p>It's an interesting mixture of ideas that perhaps should have been a stand-alone monster movie instead of part of this franchise. Then again seeing how Hirata and Karen's sappy and forced romance comes around maybe bigger changes should have been made. The kaiju set pieces are fun and the miniatures are well made, but all the melodrama and military dialogue in the third act gets in the way of the fun. Still, while it's uneven it's got a certain amount of charm. It's often contrived and clichéd but when things are actually moving forward this is a surprisingly dark creature feature. Perhaps the last of its kind during the Showa era of <i>Gamera</i>.<br /></p><p>3/5</p><p>BONUS REVIEW<br /><b>GAMERA VS GYAOS (1967)</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAUik-f7tgyVKPd3Gf53WJ9zPDoVE8U9HkG2WsaEYMo0eoRPgiWStmhWgqXpaqETG56bd-BAXxg_5ImcI4XFL0TJj0wf-h-8iuK7yoSnkMOLLBF-5eA-P0MgquLgtM1hc9Q42azSyAQqyW8kZDFrVez0wHHrGRpYw9kNBuN9AR_xMNwCJHbtszy0Ep114/s500/gamera-gyaos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="500" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAUik-f7tgyVKPd3Gf53WJ9zPDoVE8U9HkG2WsaEYMo0eoRPgiWStmhWgqXpaqETG56bd-BAXxg_5ImcI4XFL0TJj0wf-h-8iuK7yoSnkMOLLBF-5eA-P0MgquLgtM1hc9Q42azSyAQqyW8kZDFrVez0wHHrGRpYw9kNBuN9AR_xMNwCJHbtszy0Ep114/w400-h174/gamera-gyaos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Volcano stock footage signals a change in the series in what is a notably less impressive affair. Gamera (he loves lava) and Gyaos (named by a tiny child) look pretty crummy in terms of design and detailing. Gyaos might have a slick profile, with the same simple shapes of many later monsters, but Gamera just looks kind of bad. It wasn't a great suit to begin with, particularly when it had to walk, but the angry face has been replaced by a wide-eyed vacant stare. The teeth look like something from a plastic toy and they haven't even given the model any nostrils. It was probably inevitable when they started to make this series an annual affair, but the downgrades are obviously right away. Which goes for the human cast too.<br /></p><p>There's another plot about greed but it's just a bunch of villagers who want cash for a land deal. A road is being planned, but they aren't opposing it, they want more money. Which is an odd way to skip over any potent ecological themes. Less interesting is the inclusion of local boy Eiichi (Naoyuki Abe). He wears a baseball hat and knows all about what's going on; it's a sign of things to come. They nearly got away from this after the first sequel avoided it, but it's here to stay. Probably due to research on their target audience. This could have been a film about avarice stirring up the wrath of supernatural beings. Or a tale of ruthless journalists doing anything to get a story. While it's true that these elements are present they're not the focus.<br /></p><p>Instead it jumps from ridiculous moments in which Eiichi flies on Gamera's back, to absurd set pieces in which Gyaos is lured to some kind of spinning hotel. A sinister plot about feeding Gyaos synthetic blood is totally glossed over, and nobody ever comments on the vampire bat-like nature of the villain. After a large amount of time is spent a daylight based strategy. Someone does say that the frothy pink substance is exactly like real blood, which is at least very funny. As is the x-ray diagram of the monster they drew after barely seeing it. Their plan to burn the forest, instead of just following a clue that Gyaos can't turn its neck, also sets a certain tone.</p><p>There are fun moments involving the villain firing out laser beams (or apparently sonic beams) and fire retardant gas, but once again Gamera is wounded and sits out half of the film. It's occasionally colourful and occasional brutal, with missing cattle and missing people clashing with the child-friendly tone. It's clearly a test bed for the kind of antics that would be coming up in the subsequent releases. The neck biting finishing moves and a volcano finale clash with things like Eiichi surviving his monster encounters. There's even a sing-a-long theme tune at the end, although it's not the same one that would be re-used many times later on. It's often entertaining, and it has a certain charm, but it's a mess.<br /></p><p>2/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-30170064681913823632023-09-03T21:41:00.000+01:002023-09-03T21:41:07.306+01:00Scorecard<p><b>AUGUST</b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYh-TzxPopwFikjaz4mBaKDGu251DqfTjqZo6pvXQUc9sV9aJvmxrxxhFK9Ianyvcc7Nxp_w87vTSQ383rBkfacsMXZl1Uyc6qWFsrqPVxTWcTHRbDinrTWSa27Ip7GHHFEYHVK6bCeSUg8XwjA8OxGs-L3VOBbBJlk2br38qK4PNNVA8nMP6Ws3cYKqN/s640/pelham-one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="640" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYh-TzxPopwFikjaz4mBaKDGu251DqfTjqZo6pvXQUc9sV9aJvmxrxxhFK9Ianyvcc7Nxp_w87vTSQ383rBkfacsMXZl1Uyc6qWFsrqPVxTWcTHRbDinrTWSa27Ip7GHHFEYHVK6bCeSUg8XwjA8OxGs-L3VOBbBJlk2br38qK4PNNVA8nMP6Ws3cYKqN/w400-h170/pelham-one.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><p></p><p>FILM OF THE MONTH: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three ☆☆☆☆</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><p>Fargo ☆☆☆☆<br />Léon ☆☆☆☆<br />Sweet Smell of Success ☆☆☆☆<br />Scarlett Street ☆☆☆☆<br />Ace in the Hole ☆☆☆☆<br />Apocalypto ☆☆☆☆</p><p>Kamen Rider vs. Shocker ☆☆☆<br />John Wick: Chapter 4 ☆☆☆<br />Spy Game ☆☆☆<br />Rollerball ☆☆☆<br />The Lady From Shanghai ☆☆☆<br />Passage to India ☆☆☆<br />The Spy Who Loved Me ☆☆☆</p><p>65 ☆☆<br />Blood and Wine ☆☆<br />Ultraman Story ☆☆<br />The Party ☆☆</p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5641801248696412081.post-83244770928962787062023-08-31T18:58:00.005+01:002023-08-31T19:14:56.423+01:00 Action Bits - Masked Riders<p><b>KAMEN RIDER 1972 / 1992 / 1994</b></p><p>With a decades long series made up of dozens of shows and movies sometimes it's best to start at the beginning. But it's also fun to use this as a jumping-off point to look ahead at how things evolved in later years. With the recent release of <i>Shin Kamen Rider </i>it's worth revisiting the earlier film releases, even if they're not actually feature length. But this brisk nature is an advantage for newcomers and old fans alike, allowing for a few cyborg stories in a relatively short space of time. Where else can you find a blend of superhero action, body horror, and alien invasion under one banner? Of course the answer is in any number of Japanese special effects franchises. But for now let's focus on the motorcycles and grasshopper masks.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOzj3Ps1MvuMGN-UGrGXX8ejGBYOQ0ANLo1BK40hO7_eGVwmYKSVVAvMCVcaUvMa9FGcasu_Tah8uObeMLEKXufUPK1-OJLqtBZ_gHwEiGk8ryVAzE2N3o_HdoD2hx7OXMis8itMI-ZLuGCMC9lT6QSSEi1a7rT949bO3Wrm2o5hEtjy8X6Vfm_1nYvCI/s500/kamen-vs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="500" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOzj3Ps1MvuMGN-UGrGXX8ejGBYOQ0ANLo1BK40hO7_eGVwmYKSVVAvMCVcaUvMa9FGcasu_Tah8uObeMLEKXufUPK1-OJLqtBZ_gHwEiGk8ryVAzE2N3o_HdoD2hx7OXMis8itMI-ZLuGCMC9lT6QSSEi1a7rT949bO3Wrm2o5hEtjy8X6Vfm_1nYvCI/w400-h174/kamen-vs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><i>Kamen Rider vs. Shocker </i>(1972) is a great place to start, as it essentially takes the show formula and puts it into a new aspect ratio. It's not really much longer than the episodes but uses the wider film format in various ways. The Shocker bad guys, nearly thirty of them, all show up at the local quarry in one scene just to line up and give their names in widescreen. Of course most of them vanish without a fight when threatened by the heroes, but it's a fun moment. The plot surrounds one villain as per usual, in this case a fire-breathing salamander monster called Zanjio. His plan is to steal the secrets of a gravity bending device from a scientist by threatening a small child. Before falling off a cliff and exploding, as is tradition.<br /></p><p>While Takeshi Hongo (Hiroshi Fujioka) returns to strike a pose the original horror vibes of the show are still absent. They do at least give Shocker commander Dr. Death (Hideyo Amamoto) a dramatic introduction with some sinister shadows, setting the stage for more kidnap attempts and world domination plans. There's even a strangely moody scene at a children's party where a birthday cake catches on fire. Another moment as a car passes through a tunnel is bathed in lurid green light. But when the formula everyone wants is hidden inside a stuffed toy things get silly pretty fast. Which is perfectly fine; this kind of low budget weirdness and eccentric moments are to be expected.</p><p>Monsters (and heroes) disguise themselves as other people in ways that seem impossible, scientists are dissolved by soap bubbles, and characters fight over a fluffy doll. There's a fun (and fiery) bike set piece and some double-rider action with Hayato Ichimonji (Takeshi Sasaki) which is good if unremarkable entertainment. Beyond the wider aspect ration there's little to distinguish this from the random creature features of the main series, but it's all fairly solid. It's a least fairly dynamic when compared to the follow-up movie <i>Kamen Rider vs. Ambassador Hell</i>, which feels far more sluggish and lacks this kind team-up or this straightforward plot. <br /></p><p>3/5</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmd8rW8LCaZW50bbKgHmIaVuX_pHFKBu5x_x9hiwQ0Ic24PDWUl7mD7vQoON0HN57He-Wk8cKOLvrbJnPHPl23GWrnvPQxBMaATw3kTCme7ike1ItfFZBNUOWOJaebTUxU-UoM0LqrlDmZUVkGPIeW2qJxwONAdLkXUn4VXY9OUdDV4p2hwnFSMvtJYW4V/s500/kamen-prologue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="500" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmd8rW8LCaZW50bbKgHmIaVuX_pHFKBu5x_x9hiwQ0Ic24PDWUl7mD7vQoON0HN57He-Wk8cKOLvrbJnPHPl23GWrnvPQxBMaATw3kTCme7ike1ItfFZBNUOWOJaebTUxU-UoM0LqrlDmZUVkGPIeW2qJxwONAdLkXUn4VXY9OUdDV4p2hwnFSMvtJYW4V/w400-h275/kamen-prologue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Meanwhile in 1992 someone asked, what if Kamen Rider wasn't fun at all? Of course the plan for <i>Shin Kamen Rider: Prologue </i>was to add elements of human experimentation and body horror to the series. After all, Shocker were all about taking ordinary people and turning them into monsters. Most of the time no-one was worried about who these people were (unless they became heroes) or what the process was. However... while this all seems like an interesting premise the execution really lets the side down. At under ninety minutes it's the longest of the films featured here, but the pacing makes it feels even longer. The whole thing is often just a slog as it gets bogged down in misery and melodrama.<br /></p><p>Someone also asked, what if Kamen Rider was a serial killer? Our hero (Kohisa Ishikawa) is supposedly part of a genetics project to help fight against human disease. But he's been having mysterious dreams about random people being murdered. Of course there's no real mystery and everyone just pretends like it didn't happen, which kind of makes it tedious. Eventually there are plot twists about insect telepathy, grasshopper gods, and other ridiculous ideas, but it's all played far too seriously. It's trying too hard to be edgy and even the name of Shocker has been replaced by dull monikers like called 'The Syndicate' and 'The Institute'.<br /></p><p>Everyone is morally grey and the bulk of the story is tied up with unconvincing medical debates about ethics, while a central romance lacks any kind of chemistry. Cronenberg's <i>The Fly </i>this is not, despite their best efforts. It lacks the old-school charms despite having better effects. Of course there are plenty of transformation sequences and practical monster costumes along the way, which save this from being a total misfire. But there's a lack of action that matches the overall lack of energy holding everything back. As a result it's no surprise that the planned follow up series was never brought to production and instead a separate feature, <i>Kamen Rider ZO</i>, was released to bring everything back to familiar ground.<br /></p><p>2/5</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ccgWQQlzFlR3plMPv5QsoZShPjNjvAfdWVj-RwKe38fTAz1-cNCrRaIAsbqMlvANMMQKfbi20BJZz34jhu84rljXeaxxoKGa-PMlqR-0yiQzXypsoWPiq3VL1e4qDoUTl_Lu9FSPjTwenHChoJmSxy_n6bZyNmTW1FkWMJervPCbDWPM93amrSPgNfr9/s500/kamen-rider-j.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="500" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ccgWQQlzFlR3plMPv5QsoZShPjNjvAfdWVj-RwKe38fTAz1-cNCrRaIAsbqMlvANMMQKfbi20BJZz34jhu84rljXeaxxoKGa-PMlqR-0yiQzXypsoWPiq3VL1e4qDoUTl_Lu9FSPjTwenHChoJmSxy_n6bZyNmTW1FkWMJervPCbDWPM93amrSPgNfr9/w400-h228/kamen-rider-j.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>ZO </i>and the subsequent movie <i>Kamen Rider J </i>share some similarities, including children needing to be rescued and some great monster designs. But while the former follows a similar structure to the original plot about a reluctant scientist, before leaning into some cyberpunk madness, 'J' ejects this all in favour of a fantasy plot about the environment. Both have their moments and are readily available online thanks to Toei, but it's the latter mixture of alien invasion (in the H.R. Giger fashion) and the spirits within Mother Earth (in JRPG fashion) that have the edge. In one sequence it even delves into the giant heroes genre as Kamen Rider's 'jumbo rider' kick burns through the atmosphere to deliver a blow to the alien craft. <br /></p><p>The absurdity doesn't end there in a story that involves insect sidekicks and a villain who caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Koji Segawa (Yuuta Mochizuki) is a reporter investigating pollution who finds himself in the path of an alien visitor, who defeats him and kidnaps his sister Kana (Yuka Nomura). The living spaceship 'Fog Mother' and her brood want to sacrifice Kana, apparently in order the begin harvesting the planet. Luckily for Koji the spirits of the Earth lend him what is called their 'J Power' so that he can turn into a superhero and save the day. What exactly is this power, and why does it enable him to form a glowing letter with his hands? It's not exactly clear. Why do supernatural spirits who serve nature provide a new motorbike along with these abilities? It's probably best not to worry about it.<br /></p><p>The overall plot and some of its themes may be muddled, but it's a highly entertaining film. They include some of the usual battle locations (a quarry, a riverbed) but also have some great fantasy sets along the way. Unlike <i>ZO </i>there are unfortunately no stop-motion effects but the monster designs, particularly an alien alligator and a wasp woman, are nicely detailed. It's also a slimy, occasionally gruesome affair, in which punches go through body parts and alien larvae lie waiting to hatch. There's a laser sword and some of the music is clearly ripped from James Horner, (and sometimes Alan Silvestri) emphasizing the Western sci-fi connections. It's derivative... but in the best way. There are worse things you could spend forty-five minutes doing if you're a fan of any of these elements.<br /></p><p>4/5<br /></p>Mocatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07446325403272592165noreply@blogger.com