tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70592933868816232592024-03-07T05:37:41.699-05:00CommentaramaFilmsAndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger889125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-45428979906647504902021-10-29T18:35:00.007-04:002021-10-29T18:42:23.602-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: The Creature from the Black Lagoon <div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
<br />
Yes! Oh, yes! We’re back! They said I was crazy! They said I was mad! Well, regardless of how right they absolutely were, it’s finally happened! We’ve reached the conclusion of our Universal Monster Mash!<span id="fullpost"><br />
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Now, before we (literally) dive into the most original chapter of Universal’s class monsters, I want to share two things with you regarding the subject of today’s article. First, when I originally proposed this series to Andrew back in 2018, I suggested not including the Gillman (the Creature from the Black Lagoon’s common nickname), as his sci-fi nature didn’t seem to fit with the Gothic/supernatural feel of his Universal brethren. I can only conclude that Andrew must have thought I was nuts. He replied, declaring that this was- and I quote- “THE classic monster film,” adding that, “the film was so smart and well done compared to so many others where the monster was just a rubber suit with no motivation.” I believe this is where members of the legal profession then say: “lawyered.” <br />
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Now picture, if you will, nine-year-old Rustbelt, who, upon having reached the school’s second floor and the ‘big kids’ library, has come across a set of ‘monster books’ on a shelf in the back. Gleefully, he grabs one about Godzilla, and, just for curiosity, one about the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Of course, he reads and looks at them voraciously in the library, during lunch, and on the bus ride home. Now, imagine that, after being told to finish his homework (ugh) and then go to bed early since it’s a school night (also ugh), in a trick of fate, the heavens open outside and turn a calm evening into a genuine dark and stormy night. Imagine. There’s nine-year-old Rustbelt lying on the upper of the room’s two bunk beds (his brother sleeping soundly below), the room is dark, some light from the hallway seeps in under the door and creates otherworldly shadows on the walls, and thunder and lightning put on an unwanted show outside. Rustbelt pulls the covers up, nervously looks behind around, and jumps at every thunderbolt, rumble, and shadow because all he can think about is the head of the Gillman popping up at the top of the ladder to the bed and his clawed hand coming down from above! <br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHzwUnR_SDO1UEQI1pspqEP0aujLvAil4Afv6e0T59DzATdg6o7yIjo8Jxl65MAgwLGIuMWfKJrefRDR4Qrn_CSnET_LwnQCKv8tHdYHit-ebvpS17kOetmEGkqhaIiEB0euhszWIUPcN/s546/04.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHzwUnR_SDO1UEQI1pspqEP0aujLvAil4Afv6e0T59DzATdg6o7yIjo8Jxl65MAgwLGIuMWfKJrefRDR4Qrn_CSnET_LwnQCKv8tHdYHit-ebvpS17kOetmEGkqhaIiEB0euhszWIUPcN/s320/04.jpg"/></a></div>The Creature from the Black Lagoon (Universal, 1954) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svyPswixryM>Trailer</a> <br />
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Plot: Deep in the heart of the Amazon primaeval, Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno) makes a discovery that could turn the world of science upside-down: a fossilized forearm with webbed fingers and dagger-like claws. Leaving his two Expendable Assistants to mind the camp, Maia heads to a marine life institute on the Brazilian coast to gather more help. After reuniting with his former student, ichthyologist* Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson), and David’s girlfriend, Kay (Julie Adams), he reveals the fossil to his colleagues. Institute head and Ambitious Authority Figure Dr. Mark Williams (Richard Denning) agrees to lead an expedition back into the jungle. <br />
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As this happens, Maia’s two Expendable Assistants are awakened from their beauty sleep by SOMETHING! that enters their tent, causes them to scream like a pair of South American soccer announcers, and one of them throws a lantern at it in desperate attempt to save himself. (Since the last shot is of him screaming through the SOMETHING’s POV, we can assume it didn’t work.) <br />
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A few days later, the group of scientists arrive in the boat ‘Rita’- a.k.a. “the vessel that time forgot.” After finding the carnage and no fossil, they head further downstream to see if more fossils were washed that way. This, despite the ship’s grizzled proto-Quint Captain Lucas (Nestor Paiva) warning them not to. At the end of the river, they reach the Black Lagoon. <br />
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Their first underwater searches are fruitless, except for a claw in the net and Kay feeling something against her leg while swimming. The Gillman is finally revealed underwater when the scientists pursue it and attack with a spear. <br />
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What follows is a game of cat-and-mouse. The group try to stun the Gillman with chemicals and then follow it, but it kills a crewman before captured. Later, the Creature escapes and wounds another member of the crew. The decision is made to leave- well, Dr. Williams objected until Lucas pulled a knife that would make Crocodile Dundee <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSnosk4tWrg">proud</a>. However, the Gillman blocks the river with logs, kills Williams, and then abducts Kay that night. The rest of the group follows the Gillman into his lair in a Mist-Enshrouded Underwater Cave. Reed rescues Kay and the others open fire on the Gillman, who walks laboriously to the water, slides in, and sinks to the bottom. <br />
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Thoughts and Background: Oh, my. Had to hold back on some details to prevent that part from going on too long. But this is such an important film in the history of silver screen monsters that I felt it warranted a little more attention.<br /> <br />
‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’s’ origin started as far back as 1941 when producer William Alland attended a party held by Orson Welles while the latter was filming ‘Citizen Kane.’ (Alland played a faceless reporter in that film.) At some point, Alland met Gabriel Figueroa, a Mexican-born cinematographer who told him about a south-of-the-border legend concerning a race of half-men, half-fish creatures. Alland then wrote a story called ‘the Sea Creature’ that was eventually picked up by filmmakers at Universal. The rest, as they say, is history.<br /><br />
It can be hard for this film to be seen as the groundbreaking movie it was back in 1954. This is mainly due to its plot template being copied so many times over the years. We’ve come to expect naive scientists bent on discovery putting themselves in an obviously dangerous situation- despite eerie omens and warnings from locals- that is going to end in disaster. But unlike all that B-movie fodder, CFTBL, even after all these years, doesn’t feel like schlock at all.<br />
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Everything that happens in this film feels organic, logical, and natural. The scientists, of course have no reason to believe that a living version of the fossil they found would be encountered. There are plenty of things in the jungle that could’ve killed the Expendable Assistants. And you can hardly fault them for trying to find the Gillman once they know he’s there. The very heart of science is the search for knowledge, after all. But their eagerness also reveals that they’re flawed human beings. They throw caution to the wind in their zealous efforts to catch the Gillman, only realizing the danger he can present when it’s a little to late. And speaking of which… Ben Chapman/Ricou Browning as the Gillman: Easily one of the most recognizable monsters of all time. The design itself was created by former Disney animator Millicent Patrick. However, in a classic act of backstabbing Hollywood politics, she was fired from Universal after the release of the film when Bud Westmore, the head of the studio’s makeup department, became jealous of Patrick’s success with the Gillman design. It literally took decades for Patrick to receive widespread credit for her work on the costume.<br />
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The Gillman was portrayed on land by professional dancer Ben Chapman and by professional swimmer Ricou Browning in underwater scenes. Normally, I would discuss how the actors played the role, but there was little Chapman or Browning could do. Aside from the gills, the costume’s face didn’t move. Instead, the Gillman’s strength comes form the story. <br />
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Alland had based his original idea on ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ and that part survived into the final script. The filmmakers portrayed the Gillman as lonely and curious. He observes the humans with as much interest as they observe him. When he sees Kay swimming, the creature becomes enraptured and mistakes her for a creature like himself (since she swims without diving equipment). At the start, at least, the Gillman’s motives are completely benign. It’s only when he’s threatened that the Gillman becomes violent. He attacks the Expendable Assistants only after they attack him when he came to see what was going on. He only went after the crew after being attacked with a spear. All of his actions, from defending himself to his desperate desire to have Kay for a mate, are both understandable and relatable. This makes the Gillman more than just a rubber suit; he’s an actual character with motives, personality, and soul. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pZh8Nlb7FADwFIhPMxHbq6MNJAg6rSp0HHmiCImvvWWjVQWnVkLp1fd0jRgIxOcgKkhNZPtwmP_0qiFpOaSV5poHXrecSwa_Tv0xlPn8SzqwK61Xycwjc8aaaPq8iiK3EhmkbPq9G8wp/s732/15.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="732" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pZh8Nlb7FADwFIhPMxHbq6MNJAg6rSp0HHmiCImvvWWjVQWnVkLp1fd0jRgIxOcgKkhNZPtwmP_0qiFpOaSV5poHXrecSwa_Tv0xlPn8SzqwK61Xycwjc8aaaPq8iiK3EhmkbPq9G8wp/s320/15.jpg"/></a></div>BONUS COVERAGE! <br />
Octaman (Heritage Enterprises, 1971) <br />
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Have you ever thought that if an idea for a story was good enough that even bad filmmakers couldn’t possibly ruin it? If you did, then you’re WRONG! This little number from the 70’s (which also appears briefly during the first <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNd0uXO5CSo">‘Grampa Fred’ scene in ‘Gremlins 2’</a>, shows just how badly a good concept can be mangled. It’s not worth a full review. Suffice to say, except for forced 70’s ecology messaging, it’s a direct remake of CFTBL. Hell, it was written by Harry Essex- the co-scriptwriter of CFTBL! Consider:<br />
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-CFTBL: Two Expendable Assistants are killed when left behind / Octaman: One Expendable Assistant is killed while examining the title creature’s offspring. <br />
-CFTBL: The Gillman is captured after being stunned and injures a crewmember while escaping / O: Octaman is captured by passing out in a ring of fire(?) and kills while escaping. <br />
-CFTBL: The Gillman blocks the river with debris / O: Octaman blocks a road with debris. <br />
-CFTBL: The Gillman is shot and sinks after trying to abduct Kay / O: The Octaman is shot and sinks after trying to abduct the female lead. <br />
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Okay, that was more than enough. Moving on… <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nvyKC7A_PEBJwk7BHk6vtuUgHAAuSujPSGbfdJSRKWMkyXfl_9c8Ffdpqski2jN-KOLGoCwGEdQd08HBU9P3Hy-BCTHpHJpptrvrRQ3xxGxjjCY0-jThfPDyRInsB5QmXWTWTFV0lQZn/s543/18.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nvyKC7A_PEBJwk7BHk6vtuUgHAAuSujPSGbfdJSRKWMkyXfl_9c8Ffdpqski2jN-KOLGoCwGEdQd08HBU9P3Hy-BCTHpHJpptrvrRQ3xxGxjjCY0-jThfPDyRInsB5QmXWTWTFV0lQZn/s320/18.jpg"/></a></div>Revenge of the Creature (Universal, 1955) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qsn8294YFU">Trailer</a><br /><br />
“Between the times when the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?=L-gLcRw5h5E">water swallowed Rondo</a>, and the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFriRcIwqNU">rise of the sons of Rami</a>, there was an age undreamed of. (Drive-Ins, mostly.) And unto this, Agar, destined to wear the moniker of Ex- Mr. Shirley Temple upon a caveman’s brow. It is I, this blogger, who- at the moment- can alone can regurgitate his saga. Let me tell you of the days of truly awful sequels!” <br />
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Plot: A year after the previous expedition, another group of scientists arrives at the Black Lagoon, brought again by Captain Lucas who tells them they should also turn back. (So, why exactly did he return? Food for thought.) These guys waste no time using dynamite to blow up the lagoon from beneath and stun the Gillman into submission. It works, BTW, and the Gillman is quickly taken to an aquarium theme park in Florida for study. <br />
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What follows is about 40-45 minutes of padding as super-smug Professor Clete Ferguson (serial B-movie offender John Agar) and ichthyology student Helen Dobson (Lori Nelson) perform chemical-bubbling experiments in a lab and subject the Gillman to obedience school training. <br />
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This fails, of course, when the Gillman breaks out, terrorizes the park, and heads for the beach. But instead of swimming back to Brazil and ending the movie, he hangs around to stalk and ensnare Helen…despite her being well inland somewhere on the Eastern Seaboard and there being plenty of other blondes to choose from and… oh, forget it! Gillman captures Helen and moves her up and down the beaches. Eventually, a Pitchforks-and-Tor…er, uh…Rifles and Flashlights Mob corners him, rescues Helen, and shoots the Gillman, who stumbles into the water and sinks. <br />
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Thought and Background: What is there to say? This is one of the worst sequels I’ve ever seen. First, this film makes the characters form the first film look like fools by having the next team capture the Gillman with little to no effort. Then, we’re subjected to merciless padding. Just long and drawn-out scenes of the Gillman being moved from boat to truck to receiving tank and then newsman-delivered exposition while the Gillman is slowly revived in the tank. Then comes all the underwater tests where the scientists teach it to avoid electric prongs and to only accept gym balls with food. The final twenty minutes- where things actually start to happen- feel like someone hit the fast forward button. It only reveals how little plot this film had from the start. <br />
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And, of course, there’s John Agar, the Bruce Campbell of the 1950’s. Only without the charm. And comic timing. And charisma. And roguish likability. And boomstick. As people who have seen too many bad films know, Agar has only two modes: mugging and dull surprise. And he uses both to no effect here. Plus, his character develops an overnight relationship with Lori Nelson’s character, (despite a complete lack of chemistry), which is quite uncomfortable. Agar is 34 years old and looks about ten years older. Nelson is 21 and looks like a little girl who broke into her mom’s makeup drawer. Personally, I think the censors felt the same way. During expository radio broadcast near the end- which was almost certainly filmed in post-production- Nelson is referred to as Agar’s fiancée, despite the two never taking their relationship to any believable level. Tim Hennesy/Ricou Browning as the Gillman: I can’t really evaluate the stuntmens’ performance here for the same reason as above: the costume only allowed to move from point A to point B. And due to both the boring nature of the script and the shameless recycling of the ‘Kay storyline’ from the original, there’s nothing that could be done with the character. Seriously, the Gillman feels like a supporting character in his own revenge film. And just to show how lazy the production was, try this: In CFTBL, Ricou Browning had to hold his breath for up to four minutes so that no bubbles would show and break the illusion of the Gillman breathing water. In this film, nobody cared and you can Browning’s breath streaming out of the top of the Gillman’s head. <br />
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This film is a waste. No legacy. Nothing. Well, except for some guy starring in his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIz_rqEz2fA">first on-screen role</a>… <br />
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Mystery Science Theater 3000: Revenge of the Ceature (Sci-Fi Channel, Episode 801, 1997) <br />
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Okay, I’m gonna get something good out of this! In 1997, movie-mocking show ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ moved from its old home at Comedy Central to the Sci-Fi Channel (before it was the SyFy Channel). Mike Nelson and his robots, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot, again found themselves trapped aboard the Satellite Of Love and being forced to watch bad movies. And what was their first film of Season 8, you ask? Why, it was ‘Revenge of the Creature,’ of course!
This episode holds a special place in my heart because it was the first episode of MST3K I ever saw. My introduction to the series, in other words. (And also why I prefer Mike over Joel.) For our purposes, there’s no need to review the episode. Instead, I’m just gonna list some of my favorite riffs from it. And here we go! <br />
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Plot: An unspecified time after the end of the previous film, another expedition is put together to find and capture the Gillman. Dr. Thomas Morgan (Rex Reason) believes the purpose is simply to study the creature. However, resident Mad Scientist Dr. William Barton (Jeff Morrow) reveals an ulterior motive: he walks to experiment on the Gillman to improve upon its strength and other natural abilities; ultimately, he claims, this will lead to research to make men capable of entering space! (Don’t ask how; it’s never really explained.) <br />
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After finding and tracking the creature, the expedition corners the creature in a (not Black) lagoon. After the group lights their skiff’s torches with gasoline(!), the Gillman attacks, accidentally pours gas on himself, and set ablaze when attacked with a torch. He passes out on a log, covered in third-degree burns. In an operating room on the boat, Morgan, Barton, and ship’s physician Dr. Borg (Maurice Manson) discover that the Gillman has hidden lungs and they operate to make them dominant. (The fire burned off the creature’s gills.) Barton declares they will now “turn a sea creature into a land creature.” The extent of this transformation is revealed when, later during a party, the Gillman tries to escape by jumping into the water and nearly drowns before being rescued. <br />
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The expedition arrives in California and the Gillman is placed in an enclosure. At this point, Grant (Gregg Palmer), who has been hitting on Barton’s wife, Marcia (Leigh Snowden), amidst the couple’s disintegrating marriage, decides to make a move on Marcia while she swims at night. Grant is interrupted when a mountain lion climbs a tree over the Gillman’s enclosure, attacks sheep inside (put there as the Gillman’s food), and is killed by the Gillman. Everyone runs out to see what happened. Barton, who has had enough after catching Grant going after Marcia, forces Grant out of the building and then kills him in a jealous rage. Realizing what he’s done, Barton tries to put the body in the Gillman’s enclosure and blame the creature for the murder. However, the Gillman breaks out, kills Barton, and escapes. <br />
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Later, the group gets together and waxes philosophical at Barton’s funeral. Shortly afterward, the Gillman reaches his beloved sea. The camera fades to black as walks toward it, presumably to his death. <br />
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Thoughts and Background: After the garbage fire that was ‘Revenge of the Creature,’ I have to admit that this film was a much better follow-up. It seems to be more of philosophical, Golden Age of SciFi style film, as opposed to an action or horror film. Rather than trying to make a mindless rubber-suit-monster movie, this film tries to pose questions concerning mental, emotional, and moral evolution as opposed to just physical evolution. (Reminds me of Ray Bradbury’s old saying, “science faction is about advances in science and how we react to them.) This is borne out by the discussions between Morgan and Barton. <br />
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(The Golden Age connection is made even stronger by the reunion of Reason and Morrow, who both starred in the classic “This Island Earth’ the previous year.) <br />
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Morgan, the more cautious one, is against Barton’s plans. As noted, Barton starts wanting to adapt human bodies for space travel, but soon thinks that through scientific manipulation of biology including controlling the Gillman’s metabolism and brain functions, he can literally turn the creature into a human being. <br /><br />
A subplot I only barely touched on is the marital issues between Barton and Marcia. Though it seems like a soap-opera-ish cliché, I see it as a good extension of Barton’s professional behavior. He seeks to control life at all costs. As a person, he’s controlling over his wife and often paranoid when she talks to other men, resorting to attacking her when drunk. His em-shambled personal life is thus a reflection of his twisted morals as scientist. It allows him to be more than a typical mad scientist. As Morgan observes, Barton is ‘disturbed.’ Makes me wonder if a degree of madness is thus necessary to advance scientific knowledge in such a way. And if madness is required, how can the outcome beneficial? <br /><br />
The movie’s answer is that it isn’t. Barton may have changed the creature’s physical features, but he failed to alter the Gillman’s mind. It still behaves in the fight-or-flight style it did back in the original film. In the end, he changed little and brought destruction on himself for his failure. It’s actually quite poetic, IMHO. It’s one answer to what would happen in such a situation. But is it the only one? We just don’t know. <br /><br />
Don Megowan/Ricou Browning as the Gillman: The final act in the Gillman’s tale is a genuine tragedy. As the suit doesn’t allow the actors to do very much, the strength of the Gillman’s story once again rests on the script. After losing his gills and other fishy features in the fire, the creature’s head is moved slowly on the operating and we see actor Don Megowan’s real eyes. It’s like the Gillman is saying “why?” <br />
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The rest of the film shows the Gillman walking slowly, as if subdued or morose. And he often gazes longingly at the sea. While his body has changed, his soul hasn’t. He’s still same animal he always was, with his instructive desire to return to the water. The final scene, with him walking laboriously over some rocks and his mouth hanging open as if he was about to cry, (a nice touch on the mask!), his body ruined by the fantasies of a lunatic, and about to go kill himself even though he doesn’t realize it, is actually quite heartbreaking when you think about it. <br />
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Well, after four years and six categories (Silent Era, Dracula/Frankenstein Sequels, Invisible Man, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, and the Gillman), we’ve made it to the end of our Universal Monster Mash.
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-24912478861698162582020-10-25T21:32:00.003-04:002020-10-25T21:35:18.247-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Universal Monster Mash- The Mummy<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDARIUH-CGLY9XIle10h06lwiLfsr4gSUltpW7dKlKGlb0f8xzJpidjedIXr9SUjGbEd1oDbSLvcSZu19UFdllMbKfeyp_noAmCyuQnC7I_qlpU_yes2fx0wfUPfzLZmgmIeCLB807Jey/s540/01.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDARIUH-CGLY9XIle10h06lwiLfsr4gSUltpW7dKlKGlb0f8xzJpidjedIXr9SUjGbEd1oDbSLvcSZu19UFdllMbKfeyp_noAmCyuQnC7I_qlpU_yes2fx0wfUPfzLZmgmIeCLB807Jey/s200/01.jpg"/></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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And we’re back! After a yearlong delay, (for a variety of reasons), our October block party, otherwise known as the <a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxcM3nCsglA”>Universal Monster Mash</a>, is back on! The good news is that there’s plenty for us to cover this month, including some films that are just a bit off the radar. The bad news is that we’re starting with the Mummy... the red-headed stepchild/black sheep of the Universal Monster Canon. The former member of the Egyptian household reduced to the aftermath of modern-day frat hazing. The walking, untalking advertisement for the identity-concealing powers of Ace bandages. Yeah, it’s the Mummy.<span id="fullpost">
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Two years ago, we discussed some Monsters who started off strong, only to lose their staying power as the sequels piled on. The Mummy, by contrast start off…okay. And then fell off a cliff steeper than the façade at the temple of Abu Simbel. (And for a reason that will show you that Hollywood was just as insane then as it is today.) So, with all that in mind and without ado, I give you Universal’s first attempt at a featured creature not based on a work of literature. (The Wolf Man came nine years later.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis3Zy7uxbhAVFfGFHwu5ap24S1uvEQ_KW7ejRTBXzFH6Kka-NwBX_oBxV3uDqdHVHm8ijUgshz-r3So2Bj-9uGd2XH7yShLuZ2khP1tjPNwrGc84xpZPAwycYRP2bO0XyvT-Q0PvZkh1O/s543/03.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis3Zy7uxbhAVFfGFHwu5ap24S1uvEQ_KW7ejRTBXzFH6Kka-NwBX_oBxV3uDqdHVHm8ijUgshz-r3So2Bj-9uGd2XH7yShLuZ2khP1tjPNwrGc84xpZPAwycYRP2bO0XyvT-Q0PvZkh1O/s320/03.jpg"/></a></div><b>The Mummy (Universal, 1932)</b> (<a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i6xNScZRP4”>Trailer</a>)<br />
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<b>Plot:</b> It’s 1921 and British archaeologist Sir Joseph Wemple (Arthur Byron) is examining an unusual mummy, that of a high priest named Imhotep. His colleague, Dr. Muller (Edward van Sloan), arrives and deduces that the mummy- whose coffin was damaged and had been buried with a manuscript called the Scroll of Thoth- is cursed and should be avoided. However, Wemple’s foolish young assistant Ralph (Bramwell Fletcher) opens the scroll and reads a life-giving incantation which causes the mummy to awaken, take the scroll, and leave. The Doc and the Sir arrive to find the mummy gone and <a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAp8WVZm3cc”>Ralph laughing himself into insanity</a>.
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Fast forward ten years to 1931 in Cairo, where the younger Wemple, Frank (David Manners), and his boss, Professor Pearson (Leonard Mudie) are about to wrap up an unsuccessful dig. Just then, an Arab-ish-looking man with a skull-like face, broad shoulders and a Fez! named Ardath Bey arrives and directs them to find the tomb of Princess Anuk-es-en-Amon. The discovery makes them famous. But Bey has other plans.<br />
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Muller arrives and soon discovers Bey’s secret- that he is actually Imhotep. Wemple also reveals that the museum now has the Scroll of Thoth, which Muller demands be destroyed. Imhotep uses his powers of mind control to make Wemple’s Nubian servant his own, and then kill Wemple before he can destroy the scroll. As this happens, Imhotep begins pursuing a woman named Helen (Zita Johann), whom Frank has taken a liking to.
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Imhotep finally takes the scroll back from the Wemple residence and brings Helen to the museum. He reveals that Helen is the reincarnation of Anuk-es-en-Amon, and that <a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2A4tcaMl9c”>when he tried to bring her back to life with the school of Thoth</a>, <a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikWTYTomQI4”>he was caught and sentenced to being buried alive as a cursed being</a> ). Imhotep then tries to kill Helen and revive her as a living mummy like himself. While holding off Frank and Muller, Helen (her Egyptian memories reawakened), prays to Isis to save her. <a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j40IcG_BZuc”>A statue of the goddess suddenly points at Imhotep and his body crumbles into dust</a>
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<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> After all the name-calling I did a few paragraphs ago, you might think that I believe all these movies stink out loud. Well, to be honest, this first entry in the line of mummy movies isn’t that bad. It’s limited but it has an atmosphere reminiscent of ‘Dracula’ and ‘Frankenstein’ common to Universal’s early 1930’s horror movies. Maybe if I add some info I can explain.<br />
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‘The Mummy’ was originally going to be a film about an immortal, revenge-seeking magician until screenwriter John Balderston was assigned to it. As a reporter, Balderston had covered the opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Canarvon in 1925 and had a genuine love and knowledge of Egyptology. So, he kept the outline of the story, but changed the setting. Karl Freund- the man who saved ‘Dracula’ just two years earlier- was made director. But the project was given just a three-week shoot. As the saying goes, “’The Mummy’ was green-lit on a Saturday, casted on a Sunday, and began filming on a Monday.” This, I think accounts for the film’s shortcomings. Almost all the scenes feel like tight, confined sets. The lack of extras for most of the feature reveals the empty space, stage-like feeling. You can tell this was a rushed film that Universal execs weren’t putting a lot of effort into. But it still works.<br />
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Freund uses many of the same German Expressionist techniques that he used on ‘Dracula,’ particularly with Karloff’s face and the lighting in the tomb and the museum. But that’s not the only Transylvanian connection here. Screenwriter Balderston had previously co-written the Dracula stage play that served as a basis for that film. (You can see a lot of that movie’s film structure in ‘the Mummy.’) And van Sloan does a near carbon copy of his Van Helsing character for Muller. The rest is pretty good, though not that memorable. Many people praise Zita Johann for her as Helen, but I think she was par the course for 1930’s actresses. And speaking of actors…
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<b>Karloff (the Uncanny) as the Imhotep/Adath/Bey:</b> Boris’s one and only appearance as the Bandaged One might surprise people. Particularly since he only wears the bandages for a few brief moments in the opening scene. That was probably to his relief, as it took Jack Pierce eight hours to apply the cotton, clay, spirit gum, and linen wrappings to create the look. Then seven hours to shoot the scenes. And another two hours to remove the stuff. And what did Karloff have to say about to Pierce about the look? “Good job, Jack. But you forgot to give me a fly.”<br />
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He spends the rest of the film either in either Arab garb- with a Fez!- with tissue paper in his face (to create he dried-out appearance) or in ancient Egyptian clothes for the flashback to Imhotep’s cursed punishment. But believe me, this is a good thing.
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Karloff uses his facial expressions and mere presence like few actors can. (Although Christopher Lee comes to mind.) Using a brooding manner, Karloff draws in the viewers’ attention. Imhotep thus has an almost ethereal presence, hanging over the other characters and using his magic as a puppet master and creating a formidable opponent for the heroes. If only this was how the series continued…
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<b>The Mummy’s Hand (Universal, 1942)</b> (<a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blRrTnq6TBg”>Trailer</a>)<br />
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<b>Plot:</b> It’s time for a changing of the guard at the local Egyptian Cult Club. Andoheb (George Zucco), who wears a Fez! while traveling by camel across hilly, grass-and-forest encrusted hills of Californee, uh, Egypt, arrives to meet with the cult’s dying high priest. It seems the cult guards the tomb of Princess Ananka. The main guardian is Kharis, a former high priest of Egypt who was in love with Ananka and tried to use sacred tana leaves to bring her back to life, but was caught and sentenced to be buried alive and cursed and…you just rebooted the series!
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Soon, we’re introduced to a pair of ne’er-do-well “archaeologists,” Banning (Dick Foran) and Jensen (Wallace Ford) come across a broken vase in Cairo which they think will lead them to Ananka’s tomb. To finance a dig, they convince a down-on-his-luck magician (Cecil Kellaway) to fund them. The magician’s daughter, Marta (Peggy Moran), thinks they’re unreliable (smart lady) and tries to get the money back by confronting the duo in their hotel and firing twenty shots from a six-chambered revolver. Banning charms her and convinces her to join them. (stupid lady)
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I should also mention that Andoheb keeps Kharis alive with a mixture of three tana leaves a day. Nine leaves on a night of the Full Moon make him walk again. Also, Andoheb works at a museum and tried to keep Banning and Jensen from…no, no. I have to say it. The filmmakers are trying to pass these two off as a comedy duo. A terrible comedy duo. So, from now on, they will be known as NotAbbott and NotCostello.<br />
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The team arrives at Ananka’s tomb, where Andoheb has Kharis kill the only competent scientist in the group. In fact, he’s strangled with the Mummy’s hand! We have a title! And in a further plot twist, Andoheb has decided he’s in love with Marta and will use tana leaves to give them both immortality. Calm down…calm down… But lucky for us(?), NotCostello shoots and kills Andoheb and NotAbbott destroys Kharis’ tana fluid. Then he sets him on fire. The team loots the tomb and heads home filthy, stinking rich.
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<b>Background and Thoughts:</b> What is there to add? I mean, really? The Mummy was a one-trick bad guy and they probably did the best they could with the Karloff movie. Now, to make up for the lack of substance, they add bad humor (“we got nothing!”) and a cult (the last resort of all featureless horror films). In fact, this movie suffers from multiple personality disorder. It doesn’t know if it’s supposed to be a comedy (with NotAbbott and NotCostello) or an honest attempt at a horror flick (with Andoheb and the cult). And it fails at both. Not to mention this is the first of THREE- not one, not two, but THREE reboots of Universal’s Mummy character. Truth be said, I liked Brendan Fraser’s 1999 film. And while you couldn’t bribe me to see the Tom Cruise version, I’d bet it’s still better than this one!
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<b>Tom Tyler as Kharis:</b> And for the cherry on top, the Monster of the title is reduced to being a henchman. Does this make this the first movie named after a henchman? And, of course, we finally get the mummy you’ve all been expecting: wrapped up in bandages, plodding, dragging its feet, and going for the throat (with hands). Kharis is an unworthy successor to Imhotep. Imhotep ran the show; Kharis is Fritz to Abdoheb’s Doc Frankenstein. So, in both literal and slang terms, the Mummy has become a tool.
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<b>The Mummy’s Tomb (Universal, 1942) </b> (<a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5NRPPDxZA4”>Trailer</a>)<br />
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<b>Plot:</b> As much as I don’t want to, out next story picks thirty years later after the last movie. And at his home in Massachusetts, NotAbbott (Dick Foran) spends- I think- about ten minutes recounting the last movie for his sister, son, and future daughter-in-law. One thing: I just reviewed this movie! I DON’T NEED TO SEE IT AGAIN! Meanwhile, in Egypt, Andoheb (George Zucco), having survived what I’m guessing was a just a flesh wound inflicted by NotCostello thirty years ago, passes on his high priest title to Mehemet Bey (Turhan Bey). Of course, he also explains how to remote control Kharis (who, it seems, didn’t burn up after all). Bey then packs Kharis into a crate and heads to the States for a little revenge- reanimated mummy style- against those and the descendants of those who desecrated Ananka’s tomb.
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Bey gets a job as cemetery caretaker (<a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQHpCBEIFMA”>because only Scotsmen are allowed the title of ‘groundkeepers’</a>), and sets up shop. He orders Kharis (Lon Chaney, Jr.) to kill NotAbbott. And he succeeds! Attaboy, Kharis! Oh, and Marta died between movies, BTW. NotCostello arrives in town to pay his respects and when he hears of the manner of NotAbbott’s death, and especially after the death of NotAbbott’s sister, he is convinced it’s Kharis. No one believes him, naturally. Thus allowing Kharis to kill him, too. Here go, Kharis! Here we go! Whoo! Hoo!<br />
<br />
Mummy-esque mold form the victims’ necks is all it takes to convince local officials that a reanimated mummy is on the loose and, killing at will in New England. (Perhaps since Stephen King hasn’t written ‘It’ at this time, it’s only the most logical conclusion in this part of E Pluribus Unum.) Bey has- what else?- taken a fancy to Isobel (Elyse Knox), fiancée of NotAbbott’s son, John (John Hubbard). Of course, he wants to marry her and use tana leaves to make them immortal.
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To wrap things up- see what I did there?!- John, the sheriff, and a Pitchforks-and-Torches Mob arrives at the cemetery. Bey confronts them and is quickly shot by the sheriff. (But not the deputy.) Kharis is spotted with Isobel at the house. So, of course, the Mob sets it on fire. I mean, why see to the lady’s safety first? John rescues Isobel and Kharis seems to perish…though we don’t actually see this happen! Of course, that can only mean one thing… And in the denouement, John and Isobel marry before John, a doctor who’s been drafted to serve in the Army medical corps against the Nazis, leaves to join his unit.
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<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> …have just a few questions here. You mean World War II is going on in this movie? That means ‘Mummy’s Hand’ took place in 1912! Well, I must say, Egypt has got to bet he most technologically advanced country on Earth, what with having 1940’s technology and clothing before the sinking of the Titanic and all. So, we went from a reboot to a sequel that’s just a remake of the reboot? You know, I’m going to stop being so hard on these filmmakers. They knew how to make money. How? Simple. They invented the ‘Friday the 13th’ formula years before the invention of the hockey mask. With only minor tweeks, just keep making the same film over and over again. Genius!
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<b>Lon Chaney (, Jr.) as Kharis:</b> Nothing much to say here. Due to the restrictive nature of the Mummy costume, there wasn’t much Chaney could do other than use motions similar to the ones Tyler used in the film before this one. I will give kudos to the costume and makeup department, though. In keeping with the last film, Kharis appears burned and is missing his right hand. So, the last film wasn’t completely ignored. Okay. Not bad. Also, did you notice that this makes Chaney the only actor to play four classic Universal Monsters? Yep. He was the Count in ‘Son of Dracula,’ the Monster in ‘Ghost of Frankenstein,’ the Wolf Man in ‘the Wolf Man,’ and now he’s the Mummy. (At a close second is Christopher Lee, who played the Count, the Monster, and the Mummy for Hammer Studios.) Oh, about the parentheses in Chaney’s name? That was a studio decision. Chaney had reluctantly changed his name from Creighton to Lon, Jr. at the endless requests of studio bosses in order to benefit from the reputation of his late, great father. Now, for this film, they took away the ‘Jr.’ to capitalize on the father’s fame even more. It was something the younger Chaney deeply resented.
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And about Karloff’s credit further up…Boris became an instant superstar after ‘Frankenstein.’ In fact, he became so big that Universal simply billed him by his last name only. Either that, or ‘Karloff the Uncanny,’ due to his roles in horror films. What studio execs will do for a few extra bucks, I tell you.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggg2fyqXnRhDyIoQGwTG-Viu4vCNf-ItA7puWISBWU1BfFDZWH52DIN9QAdq9wx8oL3CsGQWyq2X9G_YEWRjDwXveoqTEArjP6cPS6mk47mrL7uovorGzoBgai7hkjt0iK3dZhePiMnF11/s540/23.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggg2fyqXnRhDyIoQGwTG-Viu4vCNf-ItA7puWISBWU1BfFDZWH52DIN9QAdq9wx8oL3CsGQWyq2X9G_YEWRjDwXveoqTEArjP6cPS6mk47mrL7uovorGzoBgai7hkjt0iK3dZhePiMnF11/s320/23.jpg"/></a><br /></div><b>The Mummy’s Ghost (Universal, 1944) </b> (<a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpJlqCN7_zY”>Trailer</a>)<br />
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<b>Plot:</b> In Eternal Aegypt, High Priest Andoheb passes on the duties and title of high to Yousef Bey (John Carradine) and gives him the task of inflicting revenge on [fill in the balk] with Kharis and…oh, here we go again. Didn’t we just do this?! I…I... All right. All right. To give this film the benefit of the doubt, Mehemet Bey was killed in the previous film, so a new high priest is obviously needed. (Though how Andoheb knew this is anyone’s guess.) But what’s with the nepotism here? Can only members of the Bey family succeed to the title of high priest in the 20th century?<br />
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Back in New England, Professor Norman (Frank Reicher), who helped defeat Kharis in the last film, finally figures out how the tana leaves are used to summon. And showing all the logic we’ve come to expect from this series, he lights the leaves and brings back Kharis, who strangles him. You know, that’s the second time this series has killed off characters from the previous film. And I thought the MCU was bloodthirsty…
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Unlike other films, the good guys immediately realize a monster is on the loose and spare us the usual collecting-evidence- to-convince-the-officials subplot. What is new is that Amina (Ramsay Ames), a student at the college, is having strange dreams about Egypt. She even finds herself following Kharis when Professor Norman first wakes him up. At the same time, Bey- did I mention he wears a Fez!?- takes Kharis to the museum to view Ananka’s body- only to see it disappear under the wrappings! Kharis throws a fit while Bey deduces that Ananka’s spirit must have just been reincarnated in another body. Of course, it turns out to be Amina, who Kharis promptly kidnaps her and takes her to the mill where Bey will complete Ananka resurrection. Except…dissention!
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Bey decides to use the tana leaves to instead preserve Amina’s beauty and then wed her. Naturally, Kharis doesn’t take his forced breakup well and kills the Fez!-wearer by throwing out a window. A Pitchforks-and-Torches Mob arrives, but it’s too late. Kharis carries Amina to a Swamp, where she promptly dries out and ages one hundred years into a mummy(?). <a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWDhs1nVaEw”>They then sink into the swamp and that’s it</a>.
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<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> Again, we’re hit with Kharis finding a version of his long-lost love. However, having a body disappear and the spirit jumping into another living person…I’m no Buddhist, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how reincarnation works. Everything is, well, pretty much a rehash of the previous film. The only notable thing I can take away is that it’s the only film in this series that seems to not have a full generation gap in between, as several characters return and are ready for Kharis’ return. Not much else to say here.
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<b>Lon Chaney, Jr. as Kharis:</b> Pretty much the same as his last appearance as the Mummy. I wasn’t able to confirm this, but I’m pretty sure this is where Chaney started to get P.O.’d with the makeup department. Due to the nature of the makeup/costume (which still took eight hours to apply in full), he despised this character. But he did it because he was a contract player. I’ve heard that makeup boss Jack Pierce and director Reginald Le Borg developed a system so that only the parts of Chaney’s body that would be seen in any given shot would have to wrapped up for that days’ shooting. I suppose that might have made things easier. But despite that, Chaney was a trooper. In the scene where Ananka’s body is found to be missing, Kharis destroys the room in a fit of rage. Apparently, one of the case props for the room was made with real glass. And Chaney, not realizing this, smashed it anyway and sliced his hand. Ouch! But being a pro, (and knowing he only had one shot for the scene), he continued and finished going all Tommy Wiseau on the set.
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<b>The Mummy’s Curse (Universal, 1944)</b> (<a href=“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P42bdvHQ0_M”>Trailer</a>)<br />
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<b>Plot:</b> Did you know mummies have the power of teleportation? Well, this movie will convince you that they do! You see, it starts in a Swamp that is being drained, but the workers are weary for fear of the two mummies that disappeared in it a generation ago. (Well, I’m guessing it was a generation ago.) All good and dandy, so far. Except that everything- the weather, the accents, and the company name, ‘Southern Engineering Company’- point to it taking place in Louisiana! Yes, it seems Kharis and Ananka sank in a New England swamp in the late 1940’s/early 1950’s and are about to emerge in the Louisiana bayou in in the late 1970’s/early 1980’s. The presence of the mummies is confirmed by a pair of experts who arrive from the local museum where the mummies were previously kept. (Just roll with it. We’re almost done.) However, late that night, one of the experts, accompanied by a creep-looking guy (Martin Kosleck), climbs a hill to an abandoned monastery. Could he…is he…could this guy possibly be wearing the Mark of Evil itself? -a Fez!?
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Yes! Yes, he is! He then gores into the monastery. And what do we get to see in there? <br />
-Scooby-Doo and the gang running between a series of randomly opening doors along with the most famous ghouls they’ve ever faced?<br />
-Pete Best- having already captured and now torturing the souls of John and George- now summoning Cthulhu and Nyarlathotep in order to carry out a final revenge against Paul and Ringo?<br />
-The missing artworks stolen from the Dutch Room of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston?<br />
No, of course not. We get a friggin’ flashback! Yes, it seems our villain and new high priest, Ilzor Zandaab (Peter Coe), feels people watching this movie may not have seen the earlier Mummy movies. Though he may be right, I am in no mood at this point to suffer through all again. Die in a fire, all of you!
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Okay, this going on too long. Let’s do this: Ananka (Virginia Chrsitine) rises out of the swamp and becomes young and becomes an assistant to the scientists due to her uncanny knowledge of Egyptian artifacts found in Louisiana but not before Kharis comes for her, killing workers and scientists alike before taking the seemingly amnesic Ananka to the abandoned monastery where the creepy-looking guy turns on Zandaab in order to get close to a lady whom Ananka befriended at the scientists’ camp, thus prompting Kahris to trap him in a room that collapses on both of them while the rest of the group finds Ananka’s newly-remummified re mains nearby.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_niaWvXcn9D3jVAMYwzZUuZSANheBIrH2Re6yxA97gmoWi3Thbi3rxj9cwubjDavjmzFaCFHPYFoFNDsEwJFKZM6mfUd4g0KWY1J-EXxQFELoZaNPvH6K0n8LO02egtCH3W5npSEJorzb/s958/32.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="958" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_niaWvXcn9D3jVAMYwzZUuZSANheBIrH2Re6yxA97gmoWi3Thbi3rxj9cwubjDavjmzFaCFHPYFoFNDsEwJFKZM6mfUd4g0KWY1J-EXxQFELoZaNPvH6K0n8LO02egtCH3W5npSEJorzb/s400/32.jpg"/></a></div>
<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> This is the epitome of laziness. Just another B-movie sequel squirted out to get the wartime audience to part with a couple of coins. No explanation for the inane change of location while watching yet another set of characters try to figure out what we, the audience, have already known for four movies now. (Suddenly, the previous film seems almost better for having done away with that.) About the only real difference here- other than the southern location- is that we don’t have a passing-the-high-priest-title scene in Egypt.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAOa_k25HXVTuwwvHGKPfBaJlQxyCv4kj7JhrzD8Mnmmw7bG72zKEsEF30tfJBLUEjnvx2MzF0QaOAuUfQK7Yzuu3umfuN6xVKCmVfQDLKk1ylcoee7THiMDXKjidkz6mH40MN4BvgkCk/s541/33.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAOa_k25HXVTuwwvHGKPfBaJlQxyCv4kj7JhrzD8Mnmmw7bG72zKEsEF30tfJBLUEjnvx2MzF0QaOAuUfQK7Yzuu3umfuN6xVKCmVfQDLKk1ylcoee7THiMDXKjidkz6mH40MN4BvgkCk/s400/33.jpg"/></a></div>
<b>Lon Chaney, Jr. as Kharis:</b> It’s pretty clear that Chaney’s career is already showing signs of his multi-decade decline. From everything I’ve learned about him, Chaney’s alcoholism was beginning to take center stage at this point, with him showing up drunk to work on the set. (There are even some stories that he could only remain sober until noon. Then, he would begin taking shots he’d already up on the shelves of his dressing room.) Critiques of Chaney’ acting skill are all over the place, with some calling him limited, others believing he was an under-used genius. Either way, a sad end for a once-promising career.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcrwLLtanY9_yk8ANxKY3eltYtKlEbAH_69UNDFaXv75aRfzrd4Pobf_DznqS9gFm5elyBeXm-0w2mGiKzCoHXJ3oKj1LOfo6rtxi-smGKGe_7HS38MyXKfxWPyF6nl48xja_w0lIdsVE/s940/35.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="940" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcrwLLtanY9_yk8ANxKY3eltYtKlEbAH_69UNDFaXv75aRfzrd4Pobf_DznqS9gFm5elyBeXm-0w2mGiKzCoHXJ3oKj1LOfo6rtxi-smGKGe_7HS38MyXKfxWPyF6nl48xja_w0lIdsVE/s400/35.jpg"/></a></div>
But instead of that downer, let’s end the Mummy’s run on a more positive note of trivia. <br />
<br />
<b>Did You Know?</b> the poster for the original 1932 ‘The Mummy’ was once the most valuable movie poster in history? It’s true. In early ‘90’s, an original poster from the film’s release sold at auction for a then-record $453,500. This was only surpassed in 2014 when a poster for the 1931 ‘Dracula’ film sold for $525,800. Another Mummy poster was found and put up for auction at Sotheby’s in London in 2018 and was expected to set a new record. (Some predicted it would fetch as much as $1.5 million.) However, the minimum asking bid of $950,000 wasn’t met and the poster went unsold.
</span>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-16823647278857643442019-10-08T22:02:00.000-04:002019-10-08T22:02:51.679-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Carnival of Souls (1962)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCh6gr_wJXoI01x1NlhyjajtGPUYnjw1PqECz2v-r8dR07wiQUbpOirN4RDMnDzmE8wAwPj5eiMs0t_TekCCdrRePQIa6a5gIO8XA7-a9YBaZeFB7EYYvAuWNULCqT_BcAz7BztQFMCuC/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCh6gr_wJXoI01x1NlhyjajtGPUYnjw1PqECz2v-r8dR07wiQUbpOirN4RDMnDzmE8wAwPj5eiMs0t_TekCCdrRePQIa6a5gIO8XA7-a9YBaZeFB7EYYvAuWNULCqT_BcAz7BztQFMCuC/s200/01.jpg" width="134" height="200" data-original-width="364" data-original-height="543" /></a></div>Before we get started…I just wanted to say that this year, we will be continuing with the Universal Monster Mash reviews. <span id="fullpost"> There are a few left to cover, (including one that Andrew absolutely insisted I review as part of the series). The problem is that my schedule didn’t give me the time I needed to watch all the necessary films for the next Monster. Fortunately, last year I had jotted down an outline for a review that I never got around to. So, if you’ll permit me, I’m going to go briefly off topic and discuss an independent cult classic from the early 1960’s. <br />
<br />
A Rather Odd Introduction<br />
<br />
Okay, for a guy who enjoys writing film reviews as much as I do, it’s time I made an unusual confession: I rarely, if ever, go to movie theaters anymore. (I almost gave them up after seeing <a href="https://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2016/06/film-friday-captain-america-civil-war.html">Captain America: Civil War</a>.) In fact, the only thing I go to see regularly on the big screen is the Rifftrax group. A successor comedy troupe to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_Science_Theater_3000">Mystery Science Theater</a>, (made of the show’s former writers/performers), Mike, Kevin, and Bill are still at work making fun of Hollywood releases and B-grade shlock. And their live shows are about all I go to see on the big screen nowadays.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMpdtuWFyNJnMGtPFWa49MO0ohmkbF-l5H_WdiqOBnkz6k1EPNvK0XO4dZtJJC1PYP8LqotkZ7ppSHnvec8VDOqVU12KhpYq9tkiEqLvxhRQ_LvC4Yd-TtlXwQ5gfQY-bCD8ZqbUdtXuf/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMpdtuWFyNJnMGtPFWa49MO0ohmkbF-l5H_WdiqOBnkz6k1EPNvK0XO4dZtJJC1PYP8LqotkZ7ppSHnvec8VDOqVU12KhpYq9tkiEqLvxhRQ_LvC4Yd-TtlXwQ5gfQY-bCD8ZqbUdtXuf/s320/02.jpg" width="320" height="161" data-original-width="876" data-original-height="441" /></a></div>So, it was at a Rifftrax Live Halloween show three years ago that I was introduced to ‘Carnival of Souls’ – well, a colorized version of ‘Carnival of Souls’ with a constant barrage of jokes aimed at the film’s low budget and flaws. And yet, despite the comedic setting, odd color, and, at times, near <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tja9cTzgq5k">Manos</a>- level budget, there was something about his film that didn’t let me forget about it. <br />
<br />
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD<br />
<br />
The Story<br />
<br />
Things begin somewhat abruptly when Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) and her two friends run some red lights and race another car toward a bridge in Kansas. The two autos bump and Mary’s car falls off the bridge and CRASHES into the river. Dredging crews fail to find the car, but Mary is rescued when she appears almost out of nowhere on the river’s muddy bank.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXanLxFCNVlPl984X79TU3x3Uy_8YQ8rQj-1HRof6j_Wdpf1dcYEZqfbi-QTwS5px0GZr373qqh4S6KzarN6f-fufpbeEQbuneLUDNcoAcRVUU6KdIyoF_JYY0lLoWKRbpV9aaiblpV-5x/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXanLxFCNVlPl984X79TU3x3Uy_8YQ8rQj-1HRof6j_Wdpf1dcYEZqfbi-QTwS5px0GZr373qqh4S6KzarN6f-fufpbeEQbuneLUDNcoAcRVUU6KdIyoF_JYY0lLoWKRbpV9aaiblpV-5x/s320/03.jpg" width="286" height="320" data-original-width="491" data-original-height="550" /></a></div>Two days later, Mary leaves for a new job in Saint Lake City as a church organist. However, along the way, her attention is drawn to an abandoned pavilion/amusement park along the darkening road. She then CRASHES into a ditch when a ghoulish-looking figure (director Herk Harvey, known only as the Man), appears on the road. Mary manages to get back on the road and, unable to find the class-five full-roaming vapor, makes it into town and tries to start a new life. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwjGAQjFx-RZ5X6gJxjorprhVt3QqbtE60ESz9-urPkWb_L7oKxPlPVWMqO0_D2hVaLS434kVHWtLeRQ_icWuin770l1QTAj4ayN8771fKhpg_JcF2XSJc_WqBBPqCooiDGkjcvc1iBC8/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwjGAQjFx-RZ5X6gJxjorprhVt3QqbtE60ESz9-urPkWb_L7oKxPlPVWMqO0_D2hVaLS434kVHWtLeRQ_icWuin770l1QTAj4ayN8771fKhpg_JcF2XSJc_WqBBPqCooiDGkjcvc1iBC8/s320/04.jpg" width="320" height="201" data-original-width="863" data-original-height="541" /></a></div>However, the Man keeps appearing every now and then. There are also times where Mary finds herself unable to communicate with people, as though she were invisible. And finally, Mary also feels drawn to the abandoned pavilion, which she visits first with her boss, the pastor (who refuses to set foot on the property), and then again, against the advice of a doctor trying to help understand what’s going on. (But, to be honest, he does hurt his credibility by admitting he’s not a psychiatrist. That’s where a lack of PhD’s in parapsychology and psychology will get you.)<br />
<br />
Things reach a head when, while envisioning ghouls dancing in the pavilion’s ballroom, Mary plays a macabre song on the church organ in a trance-like state. The pastor finds the music ‘sacrilegious’ and informs her that the board of choirs has terminated her employment and she must vacate the organ bench immediately. Mary tries to forget what happened by going on a date with her obviously rape-intentioned neighbor, Mr. Linden (professional scene-chewer Sidney Berger). However, another hysterical sighting of the Man in her room causes even this guy to freak out and run away. Mary decides it’s time to try and escape.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi3Qt3UNUss6yKAGsDXhDb4nIGGXpsPBIqJdUcjhcXDateYABfMSI2ADQ2fN-2OtESGcjesIlRV5vySAezca6Bp0DlOQzwrdeJgfKE3pdg2OxxulL9M2nZhlkBAmvzpdW2igXmbxKYssF/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi3Qt3UNUss6yKAGsDXhDb4nIGGXpsPBIqJdUcjhcXDateYABfMSI2ADQ2fN-2OtESGcjesIlRV5vySAezca6Bp0DlOQzwrdeJgfKE3pdg2OxxulL9M2nZhlkBAmvzpdW2igXmbxKYssF/s320/05.jpg" width="320" height="180" data-original-width="871" data-original-height="490" /></a></div>The next day, while waiting for car repairs, Mary again finds herself unable to communicate with anyone. After running across town, (and encountering more ghouls), she heads for the therapist’s office- only to find the Man sitting in the chair. Mary wakes up in her car and after NEARLY CRASHING, drives back to the pavilion. There, she watches as the ghouls rise out of the water of Great Salt Lake, and begin to dance. Say what you want about these spooks. They have no trouble crossing the streams. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIpN4onFRbg6TrpS_BvLUJWn1JesXWdFkF_aGxS3b5C61ycpCTMzk_qNQZQIVPzJLH7a0i_IhZYiQCzkIuhg4mJEzvxbDEH-ghdgQo3b0UD8wEzPtx0jOCaWq_UOphmHZCP5YIajarhUD/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIpN4onFRbg6TrpS_BvLUJWn1JesXWdFkF_aGxS3b5C61ycpCTMzk_qNQZQIVPzJLH7a0i_IhZYiQCzkIuhg4mJEzvxbDEH-ghdgQo3b0UD8wEzPtx0jOCaWq_UOphmHZCP5YIajarhUD/s320/06.jpg" width="320" height="242" data-original-width="723" data-original-height="546" /></a></div>Mary then sees an undead version of herself dancing with the Man, which leads to only one possible action…<br />
Mary: “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!”<br />
Ghouls: “GET HER!!”<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpb7U-aWb9-Jg2RvVPMo1JWq6CUFEj4n_nvj1XxHARSesQqeNzonN-P3mlPBvbLQ9CbP6u6jgYrbqqva_5Svy7rhwa1q-Q3kaRleSLINdJhRNgb7nlJQFauLus9E9Zn1BekOV9_cOLLQ2/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpb7U-aWb9-Jg2RvVPMo1JWq6CUFEj4n_nvj1XxHARSesQqeNzonN-P3mlPBvbLQ9CbP6u6jgYrbqqva_5Svy7rhwa1q-Q3kaRleSLINdJhRNgb7nlJQFauLus9E9Zn1BekOV9_cOLLQ2/s320/07.jpg" width="320" height="239" data-original-width="732" data-original-height="547" /></a></div>The ghosts chase Mary out of the pavilion, through the dried-up docks, and, as she screams hysterically, across the sand. And can you blame her? I mean, it’s coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Oh, and she falls and the ghouls finally get her. Later, a team of police, the pastor, and the doctor find Mary’s footprints- and only Mary’s footprints- on the beach toward the lake, but no trace of her, or of tracks back to the pavilion. Back in Kansas, a car is dredged up, containing the bodies of three girls. One of them is Mary. Thus, proving there’s no place like home- even when you’re dead.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrRSP4as7zJYgFbfM_lrFigcM9uaD5o5ifjDN1zpG5NRVXtghQvGxfYZMV_yB_m63OiaAkkASMIb39gc2UCs1Ea_lAY6CjO8637PehsJ8l87gH5bOfQAelrODYm8Xat3VE3mooUwlmfIv/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrRSP4as7zJYgFbfM_lrFigcM9uaD5o5ifjDN1zpG5NRVXtghQvGxfYZMV_yB_m63OiaAkkASMIb39gc2UCs1Ea_lAY6CjO8637PehsJ8l87gH5bOfQAelrODYm8Xat3VE3mooUwlmfIv/s320/08.jpg" width="320" height="244" data-original-width="720" data-original-height="549" /></a></div>‘I Want to Make a Movie this Time’<br />
<br />
‘CoS’ (if you’ll pardon my use of abbreviations), was made by Herk Harvey and other employees of Centron in Lawrence, Kansas. Like ACI and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRT4zWrALEo">Coronet</a>, Centron’s bread and butter was churning out educational short films. You know, the often ten-minute-long things Baby Boomers and Gen Xers had to watch at school about various professions, problem -solving situations, ethics, foreign countries, etc. Harvey’s own resume included such classics as ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUPXVtFcl5U">Why Study Industrial Arts?</a>’ and ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BxD66YRpVw">Shake Hands with Danger</a>.’ Eventually, however, he got the bug to make a movie.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZst-Xt_X3W6Ly0mU2ylxpx31ZoBpRziyQcO8dUos24dFT_X7WHPQW9Qpfu-inzchrgI_QAUCoIOhwhkI8rRwlwl2ByXITAYIOGonslIqnJIRG5phQg6HY2U15sRxgC_9qfvy_9_tUeCl/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZst-Xt_X3W6Ly0mU2ylxpx31ZoBpRziyQcO8dUos24dFT_X7WHPQW9Qpfu-inzchrgI_QAUCoIOhwhkI8rRwlwl2ByXITAYIOGonslIqnJIRG5phQg6HY2U15sRxgC_9qfvy_9_tUeCl/s320/09.jpg" width="320" height="239" data-original-width="739" data-original-height="552" /></a></div>The inspiration for his magnus opum came, as Harvey put it, when he drove past the ruined Saltair Pavilion/Amusement Park outside Salt Lake City and imagined a parade of ghouls rising out of Great Salt Lake where they proceeded to dance in the pavilion’s main ballroom. He told his friend and screenwriter, John Clifford to write a script any way he wanted, as long as it ended with that scene. The production that followed was almost a clinic on how to make a movie on a minuscule budget. The filmmakers had to go around town in Lawrence asking businessmen to donate to their cause. However, despite the generosity of the locals, the crew had almost no money for special effects or post-production, forcing them to use news-style cameras and guerrilla-filming techniques. (This included paying off- or ‘bribing’- locals in Salt Lake City to let them film in and around certain buildings instead of getting official permits.) Mary’s job as an organist -and the film’s original score, which is entirely organ music- was determined by Clifford’s relationship with executives at an organ-making factory in Lawrence. Harvey- who was also an actor- even played the lead ghoul (‘the Man’) himself to save on the cost of hiring another actor. But despite the gruesome, eye-opening experiences of making a feature for the first time, the biggest- and most unfortunate- shocks were yet to come.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FttWR2xWdWFFsT7yP7zIlcVj9y4y2Qzi1TtvuqZVsTbOcJfVF5x0KaI5UZ9SLuyedZDS86btPiyYUfMIrx4fhN1JevAYZxwVvnrJkg_XAVzmfkTrFqIRSBCFmuKTh0ZrpOCgiR6TGa21/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FttWR2xWdWFFsT7yP7zIlcVj9y4y2Qzi1TtvuqZVsTbOcJfVF5x0KaI5UZ9SLuyedZDS86btPiyYUfMIrx4fhN1JevAYZxwVvnrJkg_XAVzmfkTrFqIRSBCFmuKTh0ZrpOCgiR6TGa21/s320/10.jpg" width="320" height="230" data-original-width="773" data-original-height="555" /></a></div>In post-production, some footage of the ghouls approaching the pavilion from the lake was overexposed and lost. Nothing serious. Except…it was only the scene that showed the ghouls walking from Great Salt Lake to the pavilion!!! In other words, the first scene director Harvey thought of and got the whole production off and running was lost, never to see the inside of a cinema. *Sigh* Life isn’t fair. And if you need further proof, try this: the company that Harvey sold the distribution rights to turned out to be a scam job, resulting in a complete loss of all earnings. (Harvey got word while on assignment for Centron in South America.) And just as bad, if not worse, the filmmakers forgot to copyright the original print, making the film public domain from the start and never earning a penny in royalties for its creators. <br />
<br />
Now there’s a postscript that’ll leave you terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_aUN6lqNWKseCJfRfZFetQ2yzHgEAyDnmiTvsG_wTXnEQLN06IuEU-V5vFnH6LBMpSy_dyIfqGao7-r1NouWZpBqFE7oiKOVrVBr6ty84_hdollPyqJ-CMsmcSqFYyAj3hHOdPyZj-ne/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_aUN6lqNWKseCJfRfZFetQ2yzHgEAyDnmiTvsG_wTXnEQLN06IuEU-V5vFnH6LBMpSy_dyIfqGao7-r1NouWZpBqFE7oiKOVrVBr6ty84_hdollPyqJ-CMsmcSqFYyAj3hHOdPyZj-ne/s320/11.jpg" width="320" height="241" data-original-width="727" data-original-height="548" /></a></div>The Good…<br />
<br />
Watching this film for the first time at a comedy event and in color probably wasn’t the best way to evaluate it. The comedians kept drawing attention to the film’s slowness and repetitiveness. Plus, the colorization (as I later found out), seriously damaged the film’s onscreen appearance. So, I did the right thing: I watched the original black-and-white. It turns out, in some respects, the film is stronger than I anticipated.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoH4qVXxh3JsPc_irVpRcbltL36gr0EVhzkCKf98Bv8ZHnDSkoxMjcRpNvUaAC5I3fCHpLOI6JEy-zDlvUFIHFs5P29CHfimOMVnaIsHWDor_bObKasgGVmBUDSVf9lYkTFn67vmMPvtV3/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoH4qVXxh3JsPc_irVpRcbltL36gr0EVhzkCKf98Bv8ZHnDSkoxMjcRpNvUaAC5I3fCHpLOI6JEy-zDlvUFIHFs5P29CHfimOMVnaIsHWDor_bObKasgGVmBUDSVf9lYkTFn67vmMPvtV3/s320/12.jpg" width="320" height="179" data-original-width="863" data-original-height="483" /></a></div>Like a classic film noir, ‘CoS’ skillfully uses back and white. The shots of Saltair in the dark are truly menacing. Opened in the 1890’s, the former amusement park had closed several years prior due to a combination of competition and the receding of Great Lake due to droughts. (Hence the chase under the dried-out dock at the end.) The decrepit state of the place, its long, unlit tunnels and rooms, and its massive, shadow-enshrouded main pavilion are the epitome of a former place of fun and happiness having been corrupted and turned evil. At other times, Mary’s face is the only illuminated part of the scene, making it feel as if the darkness is creeping closer and closer towards her. Like her, we want to focus on the light and not see what the darkness may be hiding. (The scene filmed from a roof where Mary looks up from an empty alley between the tall buildings of Salt Lake City and screams, “Why won’t anybody hear MEEE???” is quite unnerving with its shadows and buildup.) Plus, when Mary is invisible to other people, the film seems to blur a little. Later on, I learned that Harvey had tinted the film with a cyan (greenish-blue) color to give the scene a dreamy, ethereal feeling. It’s as though Mary is fading away into her surroundings when this happens, the spirit world pulling her closer and against her will.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Qbw9S03CruEZa167hU86Ke-4awMc9ljbaviF_gRybmD31g-qX6U_SkjNpMFpnQFpoYXUmoE5tPzRhcvGwoDAXaqyGnAAHlUkjXSxPKRlee47LVhxqXoGxq75BXc8tMeVCY8s6RzaZxEa/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Qbw9S03CruEZa167hU86Ke-4awMc9ljbaviF_gRybmD31g-qX6U_SkjNpMFpnQFpoYXUmoE5tPzRhcvGwoDAXaqyGnAAHlUkjXSxPKRlee47LVhxqXoGxq75BXc8tMeVCY8s6RzaZxEa/s320/13.jpg" width="320" height="225" data-original-width="778" data-original-height="546" /></a></div>And it goes without saying, the white makeup used for the ghouls’ faces is much more effective and death-like in black-and-white. <br />
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…and the Bad (There is no Ugly)<br />
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However, despite the moody atmosphere the film creates, the plot and characters are quite a letdown. I watched this film with a family member and he figured out the twist before the halfway point. He said it was like a long episode of the ‘Twilight Zone.’ I can see why he thinks that. The filmmakers don’t create enough drama between the characters to hide Mary’s fate. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg1HCRMyAZdRFQ4b1QhV7B5q3a0XpQjNYoklN9WOegjc2ME2D2WAXzZt12PhrzKLKv5-CtW2LOQBcaicS9fhL80FxFQp_szpQJ8VlugZmff2FnJgTsM7kEuCHQY3rQKrHjM4d5OZKu3_M/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg1HCRMyAZdRFQ4b1QhV7B5q3a0XpQjNYoklN9WOegjc2ME2D2WAXzZt12PhrzKLKv5-CtW2LOQBcaicS9fhL80FxFQp_szpQJ8VlugZmff2FnJgTsM7kEuCHQY3rQKrHjM4d5OZKu3_M/s320/14.jpg" width="320" height="242" data-original-width="730" data-original-height="551" /></a></div>In fact, the acting is so flat that I completely misinterpreted the movie the first time I saw it. Granted, this was largely because of a joke in the Rifftrax version: when the car is dredged up at the end, comedian Kevin Murphy said, “What? Was this whole thing just one big misdirection?” Well, it fooled me. Instead of being in the real world, I thought the entire story had taken place either in limbo or in Mary’s head before her soul is sucked into the Great Beyond. And, odd as this may seem, this led to me pondering how the story could have been made stronger.<br />
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‘Carnival of Souls’ – Rustbelt’s Special Edition<br />
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As noted above, the characters are a weak spot for the film. The actors barely emote, often appearing flat on screen and only going through the motions. Many a YouTube critic has undoubtedly chalked this up to filmmakers who specialized in industrial films making a movie that feels like an industrial film. In other words, slavishly following the script, going literally from point to point with little, if any, creativity. But such thoughts are rather insulting to a film that achieves a great amount of atmosphere. And I think I’ve found out the reasons for these shortcomings.<br />
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While researching this movie a year ago, I watched an interview with Herk Harvey that explained his original intention: that Mary was a woman who never really ‘lived’ and wasn’t ready to die; thus, after the crash, she fought back against death to try and enjoy life, only to find she no longer could and that her time was up. Kind of like a near-death experience with actual death. Harvey regretted not showing Mary’s life prior to the crash, as the contrast would’ve helped the original story idea.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDaHRzvG7BQtYvSvXAMaW3c2kQsaxtWr4Oe-nQ1Al9LOlmQN3YFkNaXiHNyvNsVuy9H7YqurYADJkeYAJvGlLOa4ZGyBkFO4XTQNOMf-QdoDSB5gwMrpzv4lW5Wl45pr7iPlcrRNOZhbg/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDaHRzvG7BQtYvSvXAMaW3c2kQsaxtWr4Oe-nQ1Al9LOlmQN3YFkNaXiHNyvNsVuy9H7YqurYADJkeYAJvGlLOa4ZGyBkFO4XTQNOMf-QdoDSB5gwMrpzv4lW5Wl45pr7iPlcrRNOZhbg/s320/15.jpg" width="320" height="224" data-original-width="781" data-original-height="547" /></a></div>Another clue came from a print interview with screenwriter John Clifford, who explained his “secret” in writing ‘CoS.’ He said that he deliberately wrote the supporting characters to show no sympathy for Mary, suggesting that they cannot connect to her because she’s no longer part of this world and is an unaware ghost, (or poltergeist, as Harvey called her). Hilligoss’s flat portrayal was supposed to show her newfound inability to connect with a world she no longer belongs in, despite her desires to the contrary. While I admire the intention, I think the effect backfired. It created a host of stale performances that have little to no effect on Mary or the story.<br />
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So, I pondered and wondered… “what if?”<br />
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What if the pastor and the doctor tried harder to reach Mary? This might go with my original idea that Mary was in limbo. The Man could be the Devil, while the other two could be more angelic, if flawed, figures, trying to pull her back into the light. The pastor could appeal to her spiritually, while the doctor tries to interpret her situation. This might even put Mary in a almost Scrooge-like position. In other words, she would have one last chance to avoid eternal punishment and try for Heaven. Perhaps she not only led an unfulfilled life, she led a self-centered, mean-spirited one which will lead her to the dark corners of the afterlife. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nNEeFi66PpRfT01liUqCaTuw43cyImEWs9X_BUlY9Sceex2DATXyv1wIwBK4H-mUmAPQx0wTmD6hKlQEuGH_lWXBAovFsD0ehgGGgR4ZnQIDEnQOT22uJmpBfR9E5kE1QWuDNEIye7GG/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nNEeFi66PpRfT01liUqCaTuw43cyImEWs9X_BUlY9Sceex2DATXyv1wIwBK4H-mUmAPQx0wTmD6hKlQEuGH_lWXBAovFsD0ehgGGgR4ZnQIDEnQOT22uJmpBfR9E5kE1QWuDNEIye7GG/s320/16.jpg" width="320" height="239" data-original-width="723" data-original-height="541" /></a></div>And here’s another wrinkle: I‘ve barely mentioned Linden, the sleazy neighbor. I don’t know why, but when I think of him, I think of Lampwick from ‘Pinocchio.’ Here me out on this. Both are characters who are mired in vices. Obviously, Lampwick <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgmfV5VLHvs">meets a terrible punishment</a> for living a life of laziness, lawlessness, and pursuing only hollow pleasures. We can assume, if this were limbo, that Linden is set to meet a similar fate. Both characters also have another thing in common: both are trying to corrupt an innocent, (well, an alleged innocent in Mary’s case). Since both situations could be metaphors for the path to Hell, Linden and Lampwick are essentially damning another while damning themselves. Personally, I think it’s an angle that could’ve worked, with Linden as an unknowing devil’s advocate. What do you think?<br />
(Little Known Fact: Did you know that in the scene in ‘Pinocchio’ where the boat is approaching Pleasure Island, that the island is drawn to resemble the entrance to Hell? Oh, it’s true. It’s based on illustrations from a late 19th/early 20th century copy of the ‘Divine Comedy’ in Walt Disney’s personal artbook collection.)<br />
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So, overall…<br />
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What is ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bUePiQJJCI">Carnival of Souls</a>?’ A fine example of indie filmmakers making the best use of their limited resources to craft an effective film? An overly-long knockoff episode of the ‘Twilight Zone’, shamelessly padded in lieu of enough script to reach feature film length? A parable about not letting women drive?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz-eaZIYlFc5ECYp7GYB_8hYFg0MrrbUU8nDfjg5fsAD3FFTkNEP0fSVnk0FxYT91EIZGsk5pauc8e4e36Ml5QS_FOt71leib0S8oZvacbPQwaVIoc9eIzhc4oI6q-Ft2m6JdZcL0_Bwb/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTz-eaZIYlFc5ECYp7GYB_8hYFg0MrrbUU8nDfjg5fsAD3FFTkNEP0fSVnk0FxYT91EIZGsk5pauc8e4e36Ml5QS_FOt71leib0S8oZvacbPQwaVIoc9eIzhc4oI6q-Ft2m6JdZcL0_Bwb/s320/17.jpg" width="320" height="183" data-original-width="867" data-original-height="495" /></a></div>I’ll leave you with two takeaways from this film. ‘Carnivals of Souls’, much like the current political scene, deals only in extremes. There is no middle ground. (Hence no ‘Ugly.) What it does right (atmosphere), it does very well. Where it falters (characters), it falls hard. It seems almost all viewers either love it or hate it. And it’s easy to see why this film is both praised and dismissed. Therefore, the best way to decide to just take a look a look at it and decide for yourself. Just head on over to Youtube.<br />
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‘Carnival of Souls’<br />
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The second is more of an announcement. Next week, we return to our Universal Monster Mash, which means it’s gonna take more than pasty-faced ghouls in funerary prom outfits to scare me. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe93CLbHjxQ">Cause I ain’t afraid of no ghosts</a>. <br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-49269794622887043612018-10-27T21:34:00.000-04:002018-10-27T21:34:37.390-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Universal Monster Mash- The Wolf Man<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dXhRfVf7XDQP8dULuG1EujVVpFc9WL0z3y-Ajggw_R9TUrumetLkUfG4bioHJE-epWV0uwdr09sHgH6U_58rDQGSv0TJrfGwRKqb_YFrPa7ZfgnW2YZgv9ZfvNZV_mKhfQvGaDS5ZPxy/s1600/01-+The+Wolf+Man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dXhRfVf7XDQP8dULuG1EujVVpFc9WL0z3y-Ajggw_R9TUrumetLkUfG4bioHJE-epWV0uwdr09sHgH6U_58rDQGSv0TJrfGwRKqb_YFrPa7ZfgnW2YZgv9ZfvNZV_mKhfQvGaDS5ZPxy/s200/01-+The+Wolf+Man.jpg" width="170" height="200" data-original-width="564" data-original-height="664" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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Well, according to the calendar, there was a full moon this week. I couldn’t verify this as it’s been rather cloudy around here. But I’m told the moon was full, which might explain all the howling from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDpYBT0XyvA">here to London.</a>. Also, said moonrise preceded a lot of cold, wet weather around my neck of the woods. So, maybe it was a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUQiUFZ5RDw">bad moon rising</a>, after all! <span id="fullpost"> <br />
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Okay, enough bad moon jokes solely for the sake of song links. We’re here to talk about Universal’s take on werewolves. And given that Larry Talbot isn’t alone in any of his sequels, (unlike his Monster contemporaries), we’re sure to have ourselves a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2PoSljk8cE">graveyard smash</a> just in time for Halloween! (All right, all right. I’ll stop there.)<br />
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Wolves have been humanity’s face of evil since Antiquity. The Greek writer Aesop always used the wolf as the symbol of cruelty. In ‘The Inferno,’ Dante finds his way initially blocked by a fearsome she-wolf. And, of course, it’s a wolf that wants to eat Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. Wolves symbolize the inner animal nature that still dwells within us and occasionally surfaces. In the modern world, we see this nature take the form of street violence, serial killers, cannibalism, and other terrible crimes. The transformation into a werewolf represents a reversion to primitive times; the loss of civilization and progress that we humans have long defined ourselves by.<br />
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In classic folklore, people often become werewolves- the word seems to be Germanic in origin, referring to a “Wolf-Man,” or “Man-Wolf”- voluntarily. This often meant putting on an enchanted wolf hide, drinking water from a wolf’s footprint, or rubbing magical lotion on one’s skin. Little wonder why those who became wolves were often hunted and quickly executed.<br />
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With that in mind, probably no monster has been influenced by Hollywood other than the werewolf. I mean, almost everything we associate with this horrific creature of the night comes to us from movies. Think about it: the full moon, bites, pentagrams, the use of silver, trying to kill a most-loved one…all these are Hollywood inventions, often for storytelling purposes. Some stuck, some didn’t. The central role of wolves representing humanity at its worst hasn’t changed, though. And that’s where the terror comes from.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hBNiAcLiys1ZiHwzDVIfB1Uu4nmacz1yN8tqJwoUaFKsmb8t9QytrPW0rHdR4-VFWTHJ7k9Q-8XCm_5laucixGhE0JEA73j6MmaM20JxDNJZocBqYbIXbMmkYJwv8xgxWaG0xLryvgrK/s1600/03-+Werewolf+of+London+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hBNiAcLiys1ZiHwzDVIfB1Uu4nmacz1yN8tqJwoUaFKsmb8t9QytrPW0rHdR4-VFWTHJ7k9Q-8XCm_5laucixGhE0JEA73j6MmaM20JxDNJZocBqYbIXbMmkYJwv8xgxWaG0xLryvgrK/s200/03-+Werewolf+of+London+Poster.jpg" width="134" height="200" data-original-width="422" data-original-height="630" /></a></div><b>Werewolf of London (Universal, 1935)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swDiECXLX8o">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: In faraway Tibet, Dr. Wilfred Glendon (Henry Hull) leads a search for the mariphasa, a rare flower that only blooms in moonlight. Shortly after finding one, he is attacked by a feral-like creature. He survives, but is bitten in the process. Back in London, during a society meeting, Glendon is warned by a colleague, Dr. Yogami (Warner Oland) of the University of Carpathia(?!), that he was bitten by a werewolf and will become one himself unless he uses the blossoms of the mariphasa to counteract the effects. Glendon, naturally, ignores the warnings until his moonlight lamp causes hair to grow on his hand and, later, the full moon causes him to completely transform. Also, the blossoms of the mariphasa mysteriously vanish. Glendon also learns that wolf cannot be satiated each night until it kills and that it will inevitably try to kill its most loved one. He tries locking himself inside a room at an inn and, later, inside a cellar. Both attempts fail.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvderSCvEMZpaoeyNtDlow72B704hZDuMj_nn7T_eNuULAaHbKk4Y1gNRJ03N6BC2JEIQEG8JOALH8VBp5GecfEjuCDHcR4kNyH6aT2MLlM4r2PAVd2Iz3VL-Cpuh30jFmSg6iT6iUjWos/s1600/Pic04-+Wilfred+and+Lisa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvderSCvEMZpaoeyNtDlow72B704hZDuMj_nn7T_eNuULAaHbKk4Y1gNRJ03N6BC2JEIQEG8JOALH8VBp5GecfEjuCDHcR4kNyH6aT2MLlM4r2PAVd2Iz3VL-Cpuh30jFmSg6iT6iUjWos/s400/Pic04-+Wilfred+and+Lisa.jpg" width="400" height="296" data-original-width="864" data-original-height="640" /></a></div>Finally, with all of London’s finest searching for a murderer, Glendon returns to his lab just as the full moon rises, only to find Dr. Yogami stealing the final mariphasa flower. Glendon realizes that Yogami was the werewolf that attacked him in Tibet; he was searching for the mariphasa specifically to control his lycanthropy. Werewolf-Glendon attacks and kills Yogami before looking his wife, Lisa (Valerie Hobson), ostensibly to kill her, too. But Glendon is shot by the police and dies, though not before uttering some final words of thanks to the cops and comfort to his wife. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEign7TLYu3XT64dUQBsKx1iwNM8wBkfOlfLSi5kglCtCeDg9MmhqN322RkSMOCR1nc61Fz3WeMoKgRHh5PtLKS1LZPv2RkVMX9i4zECNhj3RVR1nprk8t6Q_drMC3Dkm1b1tsxzCgOAuVAA/s1600/Pic05-+Werewolf+in+the+Lab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEign7TLYu3XT64dUQBsKx1iwNM8wBkfOlfLSi5kglCtCeDg9MmhqN322RkSMOCR1nc61Fz3WeMoKgRHh5PtLKS1LZPv2RkVMX9i4zECNhj3RVR1nprk8t6Q_drMC3Dkm1b1tsxzCgOAuVAA/s400/Pic05-+Werewolf+in+the+Lab.jpg" width="400" height="315" data-original-width="828" data-original-height="652" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: This, not the more famous film starring Lon Chaney, Jr., is Universal’s first foray into the world of werewolves. It portrays lycanthropy as exotic, with the “disease” implied to come from the East (in this case, Tibet). Hm, this isn’t unlike ‘Dracula,’ where another contagion- vampirism- is also brought from the East- Transylvania- to invade England.<br />
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The werewolf in this film isn’t as beast-like as other incarnations. The full moon, infection by biting, and human-like creatures (folklore always has werewolves being fully-shaped wolves), all make their pop culture debut here. Interestingly, when Dr. Glendon dies, although still in wolf form, he’s able to speak and talk with his human for a few moments. And earlier, after transforming and his ‘wolf mind’ taking over, he still manages to grab a coat, scarf, and top hat before prowling! That leads to a connection for this film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiumm1eXxJSxhcDiHkj6fQqrXrvKTjJri_VU46e0YTOgEcFIoDred6cKmbLBG9it_1CjIoNK3IS_TLiTNI0BboWzYfSmt1pwI9Xz8IhHqL_u77rNo9Nyh11rVstYGdTSYbbGEO0sPVAwR9d/s1600/Pic06-+Hyde-like+Werewolf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiumm1eXxJSxhcDiHkj6fQqrXrvKTjJri_VU46e0YTOgEcFIoDred6cKmbLBG9it_1CjIoNK3IS_TLiTNI0BboWzYfSmt1pwI9Xz8IhHqL_u77rNo9Nyh11rVstYGdTSYbbGEO0sPVAwR9d/s400/Pic06-+Hyde-like+Werewolf.jpg" width="400" height="304" data-original-width="839" data-original-height="638" /></a></div>Dr. Glendon and his wolf alter-ego are clearly portrayed as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Jekyll’s the easy one: Glendon is a solitary scientist who neglects society to pursue his vocation. But with the above-noted wardrobe, he actually looks like classic portrayals of Mr. Hyde while preying in the back alleys of London. Cape and everything! I guess this means if Hyde represents our vile ‘shadow self,’ then Hyde, for some people, is clearly a furry.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBVFQHQX6LvffOZqvot5DwcHuyxhd8ciquCJsKqaTXTon9nN_IRHqbAc74WsqT_b31-mjmtct29tEQ0A1v9c9xh1JN5ZHhovbuMU2u2BLO5qBokupyWlvPKz3Snh2AI0dxT_-KDF_V3cB/s1600/Pic07-+Werewolf+and+Yogami.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBVFQHQX6LvffOZqvot5DwcHuyxhd8ciquCJsKqaTXTon9nN_IRHqbAc74WsqT_b31-mjmtct29tEQ0A1v9c9xh1JN5ZHhovbuMU2u2BLO5qBokupyWlvPKz3Snh2AI0dxT_-KDF_V3cB/s400/Pic07-+Werewolf+and+Yogami.jpg" width="400" height="251" data-original-width="839" data-original-height="527" /></a></div>Henry Hull as Dr. Wilfred Glendon (the Werewolf): Hull really does a good job here. He naturally plays a self-assured scientist who gradually falls apart. However, he also excels at showing the madness his character feels as the animal side takes over, showing the line between man and beast to be extremely thin here. It’s a nice idea that I think should be examined more often.<br />
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But let me tell you a tale of the make-up before moving on. According to popular legend, the minimalist look for this werewolf was the result of Hull not wanting to spend much time in the makeup chair. Last year, however, I watched a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZFf6RK9Aok">Svengoolie segment</a> when the titular host revealed what Hull’s great-nephew told him. It seems Jack Pierce had created a more wolf-like appearance for this film. However, Hull objected on the grounds that the script required the other characters to slightly recognize Glendon, even in wolf-form. Hull apparently took his case to studio boss Carl Laemmle Jr., who agreed with him. A furious Pierce had no choice but comply. (He would later use his discarded design 6 years later.) Nevertheless, this film’s werewolf, with its malevolent widow’s peak and massive fangs, has been extremely influential and still inspires horror fans today.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzXV5f_qTkhA5esIzMTHbhviRgD8AH74fc4-b52h8V6at32SxEgV3_vcuALAFpgmGLAq0mH8GpPWOqxen6R3GhAc2M79ImHHtbR9qmra1JRMYkBw4aRuLqv0ZukNWS75lGcRDWxz2CZZX/s1600/Pic09+-The+Wolf+Man+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzXV5f_qTkhA5esIzMTHbhviRgD8AH74fc4-b52h8V6at32SxEgV3_vcuALAFpgmGLAq0mH8GpPWOqxen6R3GhAc2M79ImHHtbR9qmra1JRMYkBw4aRuLqv0ZukNWS75lGcRDWxz2CZZX/s200/Pic09+-The+Wolf+Man+Poster.jpg" width="134" height="200" data-original-width="414" data-original-height="620" /></a></div><b>The Wolf Man (Universal, 1941)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_k5TyfHMQw">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: After learning of the death of his brother, Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.) returns to his family home in (what I’ve read) is Wales. He’s been away in the States for eighteen years after an unexplained falling out with the family, but quickly reconciles with his father, Sir John (Claude Rains). He then traverses the town, trying to make a date with a German-accented(?) woman, Gwen (Evelyn Ankers)- only after he spied on her through a telescope first! After purchasing a walking stick with a silver head of a wolf on it, Larry finally goes go out with Gwen and her friend, Jenny (Fay Helm) on a trip to a camp of Gypsy fortune tellers with Transylvanian accents (hang in there). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqn1lovQdzZe2Gf0v2R3BtKfoAiCO_JhMa9rCzR2vpGvoLZjkrJ6VDB1tJmeLCT9mna1j24BpDnhPC-Ma85NMX_cjxMW2D4z8x77rQnSbVDK-zzl3-HM2lT-QByfHaSDiaT_6EPvfT1Vdj/s1600/Pic10-+Jenny+and+Bela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqn1lovQdzZe2Gf0v2R3BtKfoAiCO_JhMa9rCzR2vpGvoLZjkrJ6VDB1tJmeLCT9mna1j24BpDnhPC-Ma85NMX_cjxMW2D4z8x77rQnSbVDK-zzl3-HM2lT-QByfHaSDiaT_6EPvfT1Vdj/s400/Pic10-+Jenny+and+Bela.jpg" width="400" height="303" data-original-width="842" data-original-height="638" /></a></div>Disaster strikes when a Gypsy named Bela (Bela Lugosi) sees a pentagram on Jenny’s hand and she is soon attacked and killed by a wolf. Larry kills the wolf, but not before being bitten. He wakes up to learn that a man’s body- the gypsy Bela- was found at the site. After a series of strange events, Larry visits Bela’s mother, Maleva (Maria Ouspenskaya), who says Bela was a werewolf and warns Larry of his fate. With the gypsy camp suddenly in chaos from fear of another werewolf attack, Larry rushes home, transforms, and wakes up outside the next day.<br />
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The next day, Larry learns a gravedigger was killed. Unable to attend church as the villagers now view him with suspicion, (he’s being investigated for Bela’s death), he finds Gwen and sees the pentagram- symbol of the wolf’s next victim- on her hand. He tries to lock himself up, but the moon rises and it’s no use. He briefly becomes human again long enough for Sir John to lock Larry in his room, but the transformation happens again and the wolf finds Gwen in a Fog-Enshrouded Forest. Finally, Sir John uses Larry’s silver cane to repeatedly strike the wolf. The film ends as Larry changes back and Maleva chants over him, declaring him free.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1-t2QwDpc4NidrQYNJ5XwuULc84li6hDOi7_UP9ubzkLQUzD8tRKyPsurFLFqUC0TJmaQzPGhQ7q8M9ABQ7UJ__DTXIeJ_rnm229CQyeRf7NjB2X2Ye0pkaa8lh572fa_zFVHnBWqWgX/s1600/Pic11-+Larry+and+Maleva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1-t2QwDpc4NidrQYNJ5XwuULc84li6hDOi7_UP9ubzkLQUzD8tRKyPsurFLFqUC0TJmaQzPGhQ7q8M9ABQ7UJ__DTXIeJ_rnm229CQyeRf7NjB2X2Ye0pkaa8lh572fa_zFVHnBWqWgX/s400/Pic11-+Larry+and+Maleva.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="850" data-original-height="637" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: Honestly, this is one of those times where I think to myself, “What more is there to say?” Few films in horror are this iconic- from Lon Chaney’s werewolf makeup to the famous rhyme, “Even a man who is pure at heart, and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” And of course, there’s Malvera’s funerial admonishment, “The way you walked was thorny though no fault of your own, but as the rain enters the soil, the river enters the sea, so tears run to a predestined end. Now you will have peace for eternity.” This is also the film that introduced the idea of silver being the only thing that can kill a werewolf. What more is there to say? Well, a few things.<br />
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For one, this film lays on the wolf imagery heavy-handed from the start and everyone’s up front about it. Gwen wears half-moon earrings; she discusses the legend with Larry in the shop; Larry buys a cane with a silver wolf’s head; Sir John discusses werewolves with Larry; Jenny and Gwen discuss the werewolf legend with Larry; and all three characters have said the rhyme by the film’s 20-minute mark; and, also, Larry, while shooting at a rifle range at a fair later on, refuses to shoot a wooden wolf on the target range. Well, it was post-1939 (i.e. after ‘Son of Frankenstein’), and Universal wasn’t so keen on subtlety anymore. Personally, I feel the first part is almost thick enough to be comedic. However, this film, like ‘Dracula,’ has a secret weapon- a cast that overcomes he script.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbwhgfDf5igEZC6W9SqtGMtgFXxDnmFimNVvZqd1XQWV9YGpKarjLDlK2N6UW1hvW3w-brkHqg06iwjzo5qyLNwHGODgnIyuc9UhkRcFkaTjnUFHWm4F7TtkrjJ1LID1CzWa-okwKlVNG/s1600/Pic12-+The+Showdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbwhgfDf5igEZC6W9SqtGMtgFXxDnmFimNVvZqd1XQWV9YGpKarjLDlK2N6UW1hvW3w-brkHqg06iwjzo5qyLNwHGODgnIyuc9UhkRcFkaTjnUFHWm4F7TtkrjJ1LID1CzWa-okwKlVNG/s400/Pic12-+The+Showdown.jpg" width="400" height="322" data-original-width="807" data-original-height="650" /></a></div>Claude Rains, naturally, does a fine job as Sir John. He calls Larry “my boy,” and is very paternal, going from supportive to slightly cross when he feels Larry is becoming paranoid. Evelyn Ankers uses an accent that I’m not sure if it’s Welsh or not, but plays hard-to-get with Chaney and drives her scenes. (Though, honestly, Chaney makes me uncomfortable when he flirts.) Maria Ouspenskaya gives one of the most memorable and imitated performances in the history of horror as the gypsy who guides Larry. She really does draw all the viewers’ attention with her voice and stare when she’s onscreen. And, of course, we can’t forget Bela Lugosi as…Bela? Ok. Whatever. His appearance is brief, but his shock at seeing the pentagram on Jenny’s hand is powerful and sets the film off on its frenzied pace.<br />
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And perhaps the most primal element that makes this film work is fear. The scenes move fast before the full moon rises, especially when Larry races home from the terrified gypsy camp and past Gwen. There are also the scenes of gossiping villagers who go from kind townsfolk to untrusting accusers after the first werewolf attack. It helps to keep the lead character uncomfortable, leading, ultimately, to the film’s climax. (Writer Curt Siodmak, another Jewish-German ex-patriot, based the scenes on Nazi Germany, where he saw his kindly neighbors become raving national socialists.) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveRMclvkXkmVHdLX6TLC21p8U_D21Nij7RPAiE-4anw_zjEhT5DcSfjJ26P2e4cThiyV84nxvhAh-qOBeOpu9K-FfqNCveIgmpGcUXD0aU0QelbQI2ABq8BE7ORW81c5frOgb7PoxIE9N/s1600/Pic13-+Chaney+and+Jack+Pierce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveRMclvkXkmVHdLX6TLC21p8U_D21Nij7RPAiE-4anw_zjEhT5DcSfjJ26P2e4cThiyV84nxvhAh-qOBeOpu9K-FfqNCveIgmpGcUXD0aU0QelbQI2ABq8BE7ORW81c5frOgb7PoxIE9N/s400/Pic13-+Chaney+and+Jack+Pierce.jpg" width="400" height="307" data-original-width="849" data-original-height="652" /></a></div>Lon Chaney, Jr. as Larry Talbot (the Wolf Man): Finally, Chaney in his iconic role. Did you know it took Jack Pierce up to four hours a day to apply the rubber nose and curled yak hair needed to complete the werewolf look? (And yes, this is what he originally crated for Henry Hull to wear in WoL.) You know, I’ve been really hard on Chaney so far. But to be fair, the Count and the Monster really didn’t leave much room to work with. Here, Chaney’s in his element: that of the tragic character brooding over his fate.<br />
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What makes this performance work- from the actor’s side- is the human element. Chaney starts off as a happy-go-lucky prodigal son just excited to be home. Then he switches to foreboding in the shop and camp before plunging into outright fear for the remainder of the movie. His despair at the first approaching transformation dominates the scene, even with the special effects. (Given that he’s wearing a tank top, he looks like someone who’s had too much to drink and is breaking down.) It’s this side that makes us feel for Larry, know that he’s not in control of his own actions, and ultimately feel sorry for him, despite his death being necessary to stop his evil alter ego. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCK3xYQlEizxUqlzAetVarqmHSmSPrwidL4bbYoBiiDRJNZEM9ZcMyQqmIjzs3siJVlAwk9r7Z1MIQ_QLOgcidCZ4xKMLFLwYrkP6BDM4rZ3Y_obzg48djuv_oElLeELmdQ54tmSARduo/s1600/Pic14-+Frankenstein+Meets+the+Wolf+Man+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCK3xYQlEizxUqlzAetVarqmHSmSPrwidL4bbYoBiiDRJNZEM9ZcMyQqmIjzs3siJVlAwk9r7Z1MIQ_QLOgcidCZ4xKMLFLwYrkP6BDM4rZ3Y_obzg48djuv_oElLeELmdQ54tmSARduo/s200/Pic14-+Frankenstein+Meets+the+Wolf+Man+Poster.jpg" width="133" height="200" data-original-width="416" data-original-height="627" /></a></div>Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man (Universal, 1943) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kaa88LIwJo">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: We open to a title screen of Bubbling Chemicals! (Good or bad sign? You make the call.) Cut to the Talbot family grave, four years after Larry Talbot’s (Lon Chaney Jr.) death. A pair of graverobbers break in to steal jewels buried with Larry in his casket. They also remove all the wolfbane buried with him. As you might expect by now, it’s a full moon. The light hits Larry’s corpse, and, well, the other guy runs off in the realization that he needs to interview for a new partner.<br />
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The next morning, Larry wakes up in a hospital, his head bandaged (from being struck by his dad with the cane; nice touch). He unsuccessfully tries to convince the doctors he’s a werewolf by showing them his bite scar. Wait…didn’t that thing heal instantly? After the Incompetent Cop, (Dennis Hoey) who wanted to put Larry in jail on suspicion of murder (committed by Wolf-Larry, though there’s no legal proof), checks Larry’s background, Larry breaks out to seek the gypsy Maleva (f Maria Ouspenskaya) for help in finding a way to die for good. Together, they go to Vasaria for help.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOunnQFVtAIQAdvlumsoPNevuEQuuvLNPVFWO-kZnOUSwNXbpgxUUxiUJ_DE5D1KCq0VRLDIo_P68LkTeIWJRoPZplm_s39kSQbA2rsP23g7YZaXdchXD9HVRd67AlxXyyS-NdSGjKVT3o/s1600/Pic15-+Larry+Finds+Frozen+Monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOunnQFVtAIQAdvlumsoPNevuEQuuvLNPVFWO-kZnOUSwNXbpgxUUxiUJ_DE5D1KCq0VRLDIo_P68LkTeIWJRoPZplm_s39kSQbA2rsP23g7YZaXdchXD9HVRd67AlxXyyS-NdSGjKVT3o/s400/Pic15-+Larry+Finds+Frozen+Monster.jpg" width="400" height="298" data-original-width="867" data-original-height="645" /></a></div>Once there, Maleva asks to see Dr. Ludwig Frankenstein. Wait? Ludwig? He was a psychiatrist. Except when he was also a surgeon. He also had nearly nothing to do with the Monster. Ah, well. The two receive a traditional Vasarian greeting of “GET THE **** OUT!” after learning Ludwig is dead and being directed to the ruins of Castle Frankenstein on top of a hill next a dam and hydroelectric plant. And, wait…hold on. Is this Henry’s observation-tower-in-the middle-of-nowhere-but-later-becomes-a-castle-in-the-town-of-Frankenstein that was torn down at the start of GoF? Or is it Ludwig’s mansion/asylum/surgical ward that burned down at the end of ‘Ghost?” -the one located behind a gate in the middle of a forest? I don’t know.<br />
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After Maleva is taken to be tortured by the villagers, (who’s the real monster again?), Larry finds the Monster (Bela Lugosi) frozen in ice(!) under the ruins. To make a long story short, he runs into Ilsa Frankenstein (Ilona Massey, taking over for Evelyn Ankers) and Dr. Mannering (Peter Knowles), the asylum doctor he met at the start of the film. They find Ludwig’s notebooks (which sound a LOT more like they were written by Henry; they’re also cleverly labeled “The Secret of Life and Death”), they find the machines may be able to permanently drain bodies of energy. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUiv7zG4oistgpyGj-NRNgAFfXuJUPF10CwKpyAE-jOhDiz6bmtB3DQSCZ91Rc35zGA20zZbDXsLIj1e3MW7ooPUgJm3kBVf-M51Q7qEe6dKMBbY7SBF9FUMDC6PwoqO7VjDQdMMKfvnnp/s1600/Pic16-+Larry+and+Monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUiv7zG4oistgpyGj-NRNgAFfXuJUPF10CwKpyAE-jOhDiz6bmtB3DQSCZ91Rc35zGA20zZbDXsLIj1e3MW7ooPUgJm3kBVf-M51Q7qEe6dKMBbY7SBF9FUMDC6PwoqO7VjDQdMMKfvnnp/s400/Pic16-+Larry+and+Monster.jpg" width="400" height="264" data-original-width="885" data-original-height="585" /></a></div>Mannering prepares the experiment and, at the last minute, decides to reverse things since, as a Man of Science, he can’t just kill the Monster, but wants it alive to be researched. (You know, every year billions and billions of mistakes are made by Mad Scientists in this universe. If you know one, please, tell them to sit back, relax, drink a COSMOpolitan, and not screw up reality by being an idiot.) At the same time- yeah, you guessed it- a Pitchfork-and-Torch Mob have arrived to destroy the damn and the castle along with it. The experiment backfires (of course), the Monster and Wolf Man fight (actually one of the best scenes in the movie), the damn blows up, and the castle is destroyed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgx7dNluU6sC9verLPSGJ7vuSefSDn1vWO7wIjXERbinTm7SfDonpbEYkfLygqj8XVJqsfzOqlKNZi1a7he2PFbb-X8X41GT8hvrnlel7hncwUzNxIQs-Hg8ehRZyylus2AUGpb4qFSxm/s1600/Pic17-+The+Experiment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgx7dNluU6sC9verLPSGJ7vuSefSDn1vWO7wIjXERbinTm7SfDonpbEYkfLygqj8XVJqsfzOqlKNZi1a7he2PFbb-X8X41GT8hvrnlel7hncwUzNxIQs-Hg8ehRZyylus2AUGpb4qFSxm/s400/Pic17-+The+Experiment.jpg" width="400" height="310" data-original-width="840" data-original-height="650" /></a></div>Thought and Background: Very little to add. I think my synopsis made my thoughts pretty clear. It’s an odd example of a double-sequel (in this case, to ‘the Wolf Man’ and ‘Ghost of Frankenstein’). There’s some semblance of continuity, especially in the part of the Wolf Man. Vasaria (the word ‘Germany’ was removed as it was 1943), on the other hand, is a mishmash of every ‘Frankenstein’ movie Universal had produced by then. Yeah, this was made for cash.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q6c20gFhFxr7StQFxg5hEtz3hNld_7awo1lVz7znNwt9O7sXhf8VTtW693bdvLgrzqNgB3qfr7FFX2MOZnDd7su6xtdIYh3zTFi_ufJDBwU7QL2lbmGUIDlD2opZ_jc4jq_5L0whvnd3/s1600/Pic18-+The+Fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Q6c20gFhFxr7StQFxg5hEtz3hNld_7awo1lVz7znNwt9O7sXhf8VTtW693bdvLgrzqNgB3qfr7FFX2MOZnDd7su6xtdIYh3zTFi_ufJDBwU7QL2lbmGUIDlD2opZ_jc4jq_5L0whvnd3/s400/Pic18-+The+Fight.jpg" width="400" height="299" data-original-width="863" data-original-height="645" /></a></div>Bela Lugosi as the Frankenstein Monster: Poor Bela. Depending on who you believe, he either turned down the role of the Monster in the original film or was replaced outright when James Whale was named director. Now playing the role 12 years later, he’s hardly in the movie. Why? Well, the original plan was for the Monster to be blind (as he was at the end of GoF) and to speak with Ygor’s voice! (“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59B3zFaf6Dc">I, Ygor</a>”? Maybe.) And the Monster would regain sight in the final experiment. The scenes were even shot, but then cut. I’ve found some reasons: one was that audiences found Ygor-Monster’s talk of taking over the world too similar to Hitler. (It was World War II.) But the more accepted reason is that audiences thought the Monster speaking with Lugosi’s Hungarian accent was ridiculous and all dialogue shots were removed. That leaves only one legacy for this version of the Monster: walking stiffly in the now-well-known ‘monster walk’- which was originally to be explained as the result of his blindness. Sigh.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIv2J4_OURdlbqmFaWuyo9k5RDplRhQWC6tqH3kifETdFnQO7wDSw5GMX4pvx2BYyCzN5qszjKQwtcJuwm7ZCL-o6WoBl379gLyjw1IygrQ7WlYwSorzPA75_IWNSxq6WQLyE0TuCFtFar/s1600/Pic19-+Bela+as+the+Monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIv2J4_OURdlbqmFaWuyo9k5RDplRhQWC6tqH3kifETdFnQO7wDSw5GMX4pvx2BYyCzN5qszjKQwtcJuwm7ZCL-o6WoBl379gLyjw1IygrQ7WlYwSorzPA75_IWNSxq6WQLyE0TuCFtFar/s400/Pic19-+Bela+as+the+Monster.jpg" width="400" height="311" data-original-width="844" data-original-height="656" /></a></div>Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot (the Wolf Man): Chaney steps right back into the role without missing a beat. Again, Larry is a sad-sack, tragic figure. Now, revived by the full moon, he only wants to die once and for all. The character is fine, but it’s missing the impact found in ‘The Wolf Man.’ I think this is due to him not having sympathetic characters to play off of and the question of insanity not addressed as much. It’s a good performance, but the script lets Chaney down.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHS3z7I0YJ9tFDORIkS4gAohFGxnY6HsdFOktcs2jNq-D9hqGnZoMkadB_Aw4B1LXrMDLk0ZxdT3BkbYQ__0LAXxuchfDk_Eik8U5c6omWpYbNyXqMnFIpQN2XSxfuqG2o4XdFoVukGzg/s1600/Pic20-+House+of+Frankenstein+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHS3z7I0YJ9tFDORIkS4gAohFGxnY6HsdFOktcs2jNq-D9hqGnZoMkadB_Aw4B1LXrMDLk0ZxdT3BkbYQ__0LAXxuchfDk_Eik8U5c6omWpYbNyXqMnFIpQN2XSxfuqG2o4XdFoVukGzg/s200/Pic20-+House+of+Frankenstein+Poster.jpg" width="82" height="200" data-original-width="269" data-original-height="656" /></a></div><b>House of Frankenstein (Universal, 1944)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I90bPakb1zs">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: The vile Mad Scientist Dr. Gustav Niemann (Boris Karloff), locked away in a medieval dungeon, spends his time scrawling complex, made-up equations on the walls, sketching diagrams of the human brain for Mrs. Webber’s Fourth Grade class, and worshipping Dr. Frankenstein, as his brother worked for Dr. F. Wait, brother? Who was that? Waldman? Uh, not likely. Fritz? No, he was a dumb hunchback. Pretorius? I doubt it. Guess we gotta just accept. <br />
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Just then a bolt of lightning strikes destroys the prison, allowing Niemann and his assistant, ‘friend’ Daniel- another hunchback- to escape without the use of a sewage pipe or paper mâché mannequin. Once out, they come upon a traveling freak show run by Dr. Lampini, whose main attraction is the skeleton of Count Dracula, which he found in its resting place in the Carpathian Mountains. (Pay no attention to the fact that the last time we saw Drac he was being ashen-ated by the sun in a swamp outside New Orleans.) And, of course, Niemann has Daniel kill Lampini so the duo can take over.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJMrRTEjijxV4pRUsZBRKwXIt-PusIioleYrTzPy27rkGYxnIkFNp7cdrQbRadeWP-gClpxZRTADwwiequ9oIIU8g0ObcTW3ScYP-MytluOj3z53ff491slN2aP9nImVoxSOUqSQoi1Bs/s1600/Pic21-+Niemann+and+Daniel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJMrRTEjijxV4pRUsZBRKwXIt-PusIioleYrTzPy27rkGYxnIkFNp7cdrQbRadeWP-gClpxZRTADwwiequ9oIIU8g0ObcTW3ScYP-MytluOj3z53ff491slN2aP9nImVoxSOUqSQoi1Bs/s400/Pic21-+Niemann+and+Daniel.jpg" width="400" height="250" data-original-width="862" data-original-height="539" /></a></div>On their way to Viseria (again?! and what’s with the new spelling?), they stop to revive Drac and exact revenge on the Burgomeister who helped put Niemann in prison. Well, actually Dracula does everything on his own. And he only does it get the old man out of the way, attempt to vampirize the guy’s daughter, and head off in a carriage. Niemann and Daniel follow as Drac is pursued. They ditch Drac’s coffin on the side of the road, and leave him to the sun. End Act 1.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDo7Alr5DSL0FACFDRIEu14CvEY4_vYAYAWpecTdYf_vwGa9BoAYpHc1Xc9_MM3MdjLsI_dP3dUmEETrqgn87LWdF1NtnjDkuYOFtcnnEpSAQKrDpmltA44rG9ZMvRD7lwcNoP1CkpNvT/s1600/Pic22-+Niemann+and+Dracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDo7Alr5DSL0FACFDRIEu14CvEY4_vYAYAWpecTdYf_vwGa9BoAYpHc1Xc9_MM3MdjLsI_dP3dUmEETrqgn87LWdF1NtnjDkuYOFtcnnEpSAQKrDpmltA44rG9ZMvRD7lwcNoP1CkpNvT/s400/Pic22-+Niemann+and+Dracula.jpg" width="400" height="296" data-original-width="871" data-original-height="645" /></a></div>Once in Viseria (or is it the town of Frankenstein? This is hard to follow.), the two are joined by a gypsy woman Daniel rescues. Under the ruins of Castle Frankenstein (oh, good Lord), they find the Monster and the Wolf Man, who is restored to good old Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.). Niemann promises to cure Larry with a brain transplant if he helps out. Hold the phone…when did this come about? And when was a brain transplant the cure for a curse? And how does Niemann know all about Larry’s history if he’s been locked up for fifteen years? I need to stop thinking.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aPPW6q7rZx_Q4Ioj-f0S-xqrvuk39VNhomoKNxXUoHlHSKxmq_J30GcwWXWdfXKnGfCFEMRxjuFs1vipFICLVbyRSuZDKwIVSoyVUIm7yN1g-AvEX_yubMLMLdMqDadvs63oTOeAV4wC/s1600/Pic23-+Findinf+the+Monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0aPPW6q7rZx_Q4Ioj-f0S-xqrvuk39VNhomoKNxXUoHlHSKxmq_J30GcwWXWdfXKnGfCFEMRxjuFs1vipFICLVbyRSuZDKwIVSoyVUIm7yN1g-AvEX_yubMLMLdMqDadvs63oTOeAV4wC/s400/Pic23-+Findinf+the+Monster.jpg" width="400" height="307" data-original-width="853" data-original-height="655" /></a></div>They finally reach Viseria and Niemann’s castle complete with The Lab. (We know this because at the front gate reads “Forbidden Grounds.”) Niemann then kidnaps two other locals who helped put him in prison, promising to put their brains in other bodies and make them suffer. <br />
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At this point, I should mention that a love triangle has developed: gypsy girl Ilonka (Elena Verdugo) has a crush on Larry. (Really? Did women really like Lon Chaney Jr. that much?) At the same time, Daniel has unrequited love for Ilonka. (He also realizes that Niemann won’t keep his promise to give Daniel a better body.) All this happens after another werewolf kill results in the villagers of Viseria enacting brownshirt justice and reaching for their farm implements. (And yes, I am aware of the irony of saying that about a movie whose story was written by Curt Siodmak). You know, in this film, the villagers’ barbarian sense of justice and mob-ish bloodlust has reached a new level. I honestly would have loved to see Dr. Niemann make the Monster all-powerful and set it loose on them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-pfwSQED_n0GUXpXE_DILUrdP7SzuUDRSjzVd4I8urkayz4Ro3Xm0Bav1N_ylcM17uMcE3-mS8b8HVUrwhl0CD_tqTL2XdW7dJjasDU18s28t78IQJIX0XgNUBs64ZD4-n2f1cO4rQGC/s1600/Pic24-+Wolf+Man+and+Ilonka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-pfwSQED_n0GUXpXE_DILUrdP7SzuUDRSjzVd4I8urkayz4Ro3Xm0Bav1N_ylcM17uMcE3-mS8b8HVUrwhl0CD_tqTL2XdW7dJjasDU18s28t78IQJIX0XgNUBs64ZD4-n2f1cO4rQGC/s400/Pic24-+Wolf+Man+and+Ilonka.jpg" width="400" height="225" data-original-width="875" data-original-height="492" /></a></div>The climax arrives as Wolf-Larry attacks Ilonka in a Fog-Enshrouded Forest, but is shot by her with a silver bullet. They both die of their wounds. Daniel drags Ilonka’s body back to the lab (Monster experiment ongoing), and tries to kill the backstabbing Niemann. The Monster (Glenn Strange) awakens and kills Daniel just as the Torches-and-Pitchforks Mob enters the castle, having decided for the fourth film now that SJW violence is the highest state of society. The Monster carries Niemann out of the castle, only to wade into some quicksand, where the two appear to drown.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRvM_A7FEVAC3dMsai1VHP7kNNYiBHm5B8y2712rA55apLNqYFJ-T0hpeiiV2Pwk628CNIw46-SEaocGOpIcGu1bHiOMQYNYbV6RJlop5-BmrCt91JzA2yenG-DGcMeQx2yKDinjeUmnZ/s1600/Pic25-+The+Monster+and+Niemann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRvM_A7FEVAC3dMsai1VHP7kNNYiBHm5B8y2712rA55apLNqYFJ-T0hpeiiV2Pwk628CNIw46-SEaocGOpIcGu1bHiOMQYNYbV6RJlop5-BmrCt91JzA2yenG-DGcMeQx2yKDinjeUmnZ/s400/Pic25-+The+Monster+and+Niemann.jpg" width="321" height="400" data-original-width="510" data-original-height="636" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: Overall, I’d have to call this film entertaining, but disappointing. Most of the Monsters’ appearances- particularly Dracula and the Monster- are just cameos. It almost feels there are too many characters for any of them to have a decent scene or story arc yet most of the focus is on a character made up solely for the film in question. This film is an OK watch, mostly because of Karloff. I’d recommend a casual viewing with friends at night.<br />
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Boris Karloff as Dr. Gustav Niemann: It’s Boris’ swan song; his final chronological appearance in a Universal horror film. Niemann isn’t a deep character, but Karloff accentuates all of his traits. Niemann is deceitful, manipulative, somewhat charming at times, and driven, though focused and mostly aware of his surroundings. This movie sinks or swims with Niemann, and Karloff provides just the anchor needed for the vignettes to circle around.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhGXRkM0z6xrj25ba5uLpO-5bUQ0uPdD90XJXZtNK8U6jsZDhve8f8jTlpNr295KTF_VBjyUqrJjxRD1Fjyhv91xzYuKnil1nKymjFazudss3jhKATNMoaBxVomVU-5to-OxVgCgkcLMf/s1600/Pic26-+Sinister+Karloff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhGXRkM0z6xrj25ba5uLpO-5bUQ0uPdD90XJXZtNK8U6jsZDhve8f8jTlpNr295KTF_VBjyUqrJjxRD1Fjyhv91xzYuKnil1nKymjFazudss3jhKATNMoaBxVomVU-5to-OxVgCgkcLMf/s400/Pic26-+Sinister+Karloff.jpg" width="400" height="210" data-original-width="867" data-original-height="455" /></a></div>J. Carrol Nash as Daniel (the Hunchback): The latest cripple lackey in the tradition of Fritz in ‘Frankenstein’ and Karl in ‘Bride of Frankenstein’. (Ygor was never a lackey.) Daniel has a slight story arc as he pines for the gypsy woman Ilonka, who doesn’t bear such feelings for him. He blames his looks; she calls out his jealousy over Larry. Gullible and small-minded, I really don’t feel anything for him.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIfE9OfIVdEvQeoG0w5kfcKnTTENS7TIc3Nun1m6sIRMDI4o427CsfwA9SXzyp9DieTNhq2nzfTyswSt8vWKFieJcpcQczntAHaYOKmiwQOwl5VWPL3n6A4a3aiNFPv6zcRLwxbmDDASn/s1600/Pic27-+Carradine+as+Dracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIfE9OfIVdEvQeoG0w5kfcKnTTENS7TIc3Nun1m6sIRMDI4o427CsfwA9SXzyp9DieTNhq2nzfTyswSt8vWKFieJcpcQczntAHaYOKmiwQOwl5VWPL3n6A4a3aiNFPv6zcRLwxbmDDASn/s400/Pic27-+Carradine+as+Dracula.jpg" width="400" height="293" data-original-width="870" data-original-height="637" /></a></div>John Carradine as Count Dracula: Finally, the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YzbINJMDyQ&t=14s">most cadaverous actor of all time gets</a> to play an animated cadaver. Too bad it’s the wimpiest version of Dracula there is. Drac pledges his services to Niemann in return for Niemann guarding his coffin and not staking. Master of All Evil, ladies and gentlemen! BTW, when they’re at the inn where Drac tries to seduce the Burgomesier’s daughter, he offers a toast. A toast?! I thought he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMBdUzv_yjk">“never drank…wine.”</a> Ah, Drac. You and Bond. Women will be your undoing.<br />
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Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot (the Wolf Man): Weepy, whiney Larry is back. And, yes, he desperately wants either to die or at least be operated on. You know, I really liked the character the first time I saw him. But there’s only so much moping I can take. Still, he is one of only two well-rounded characters in this movie. Oh, and the reason for the Forced Romance? Well, they worked in the reverse idea from WoL: that only a person who loves a werewolf, knowing their suffering, can actually kill them. Too bad they couldn’t develop this story line a little more.<br />
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Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein Monster: Motionless for most of the movie, he only moves for a few minutes at the very end of the film after being revived in The Lab. Though Chaney and Lugosi started the trend of the Monster’s stiff movements,(on account of it being blind), it’s Strange’s portrayal of the Monster that created the slow, bumbling, mute, and unintelligent modern caricature of the Monster. Gone are the days of Karloff’s fast, nimble, thoughtful and curious portrayal. And both the character and the audience are poorer for that loss.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkyUXrkAZXBS3KcX0bqNG3P4af83LVQamwCgonSRvNWLzK1hicx8xsKvNmy1PQ7AYJjYgAFpW2w8O0Rd-H8eqxh0grJ2fvRoIc8QHdvOQRH0hAHCRxk80UxAz-zK3tWy8Pjd_gbstEiSv/s1600/Pic28-+House+of+Dracula+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkyUXrkAZXBS3KcX0bqNG3P4af83LVQamwCgonSRvNWLzK1hicx8xsKvNmy1PQ7AYJjYgAFpW2w8O0Rd-H8eqxh0grJ2fvRoIc8QHdvOQRH0hAHCRxk80UxAz-zK3tWy8Pjd_gbstEiSv/s200/Pic28-+House+of+Dracula+Poster.jpg" width="132" height="200" data-original-width="435" data-original-height="661" /></a></div><b>House of Dracula (Universal, 1945)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KLf-PjcxQg">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: Once again, we return to Visaria, where a tall, pale, consumptive figure calling himself “Count Latos” meets with Dr. Franz Edlemann (Onslow Stevens) at the latter’s modernized castle home. The figure quickly reveals that he’s really Count Dracula (John Carradine) and, almost on the verge of tears, asks Edlemann to help cure his vampirism. Not only is Edlemann astonishingly accepting of all this, but I never thought Drac could ever be played as such a wimp. Oh, boy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItXM74E9O14Ox4CZrKjEzUb8o7aD8gXKSBl9coGoNpih86VrLEpqI4b8sn3mlp6jpMNeCYxaJTmQRNkS-L-rXCoJlUR6Qp-y9421QtM4-zkiApPJy5MSISoiLm1maMYQQK6D-hJdDkOJB/s1600/Pic29-+Hunchbacked+Nina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItXM74E9O14Ox4CZrKjEzUb8o7aD8gXKSBl9coGoNpih86VrLEpqI4b8sn3mlp6jpMNeCYxaJTmQRNkS-L-rXCoJlUR6Qp-y9421QtM4-zkiApPJy5MSISoiLm1maMYQQK6D-hJdDkOJB/s400/Pic29-+Hunchbacked+Nina.jpg" width="400" height="313" data-original-width="830" data-original-height="650" /></a></div>The revolving door for supernatural creatures suffering from MDD opens as Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) arrives, begging for the Doc to cure him as well. (The basis for all of this is Edlemann’s research into anatomy and the effects of clavaria, a plant the Doc is cultivating that alters human bone growth.) When the Doc can’t act as fast as Larry wants, the latter gets himself thrown in jail for safety purposes and transforms into his alter ego in front of everyone. <br />
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Larry attempts suicide the next day by throwing himself off a cliff. The Doc finds him in a cave where they discover the Frankenstein Monster with Dr. Niemann’s skeleton. (That’s as close to continuity as we’re getting to continuity between these films, I guess.) Because of the humidity, the Doc realizes he can more of the much-needed clavaria in the cave. He also, naturally, brings the Monster back to The Lab to revive it and then…stops. He says it would be too dangerous. Wait. A logical decision? No disregarding safety? What’s going on here?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc80mPC_hbxot5tT19w-q5uAsNB4qr4Wyylx6GhJvJWUKKraaChMZ2h218zPRh9tLbPNFPjX9mjGbfg5m8CrrVrJWzOKW0aV0yVTcqqwtiHLG3eA8i1MZoAKH3JfEYVWop01YEFrlTT8uu/s1600/Pic30-+The+Castle+Cliff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc80mPC_hbxot5tT19w-q5uAsNB4qr4Wyylx6GhJvJWUKKraaChMZ2h218zPRh9tLbPNFPjX9mjGbfg5m8CrrVrJWzOKW0aV0yVTcqqwtiHLG3eA8i1MZoAKH3JfEYVWop01YEFrlTT8uu/s400/Pic30-+The+Castle+Cliff.jpg" width="400" height="301" data-original-width="866" data-original-height="651" /></a></div>Meanwhile, Dracula sets his eyes on Milizia (Martha O’Driscoll), one of the Doc’s assistants. (Forgot to mention: Edlemann is treating Dracula with blood transfusions- using his own blood- that may end the vampirism. Also, Drac is keeping his coffin with Transylvanian earth in the basement to stay close to the castle.) He tries to seduce her just before the Doc and his other assistant, the hunchbacked Nina (Jane Adams), intervene. The Doc decides to get rid of Dracula. Another rational decision?!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTY6nBXoLcodny_aIt3L8efaT_Ob1xNTtFJSzK2_xID8JXcV6yfbPWrJpjGR1rtqYIOaCrTP6rLY319fR7dvNIq45LKdE5BzFWYl8XT2S5u2Gcf7Z6iObgNTTqHscC9IPq-5BRpc0uR-8N/s1600/Pic31-+Dracula+and+Milizia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTY6nBXoLcodny_aIt3L8efaT_Ob1xNTtFJSzK2_xID8JXcV6yfbPWrJpjGR1rtqYIOaCrTP6rLY319fR7dvNIq45LKdE5BzFWYl8XT2S5u2Gcf7Z6iObgNTTqHscC9IPq-5BRpc0uR-8N/s400/Pic31-+Dracula+and+Milizia.jpg" width="400" height="247" data-original-width="884" data-original-height="546" /></a></div>Edlemann sets Drac up for another transfusion, which he secretly rigs to kill the Count. But Drac figures out the plan and reverses the process- putting his blood into the Doc. A chase ensues, with the Doc taking a different course of action- dragging the Count’s coffin into the sun and skeletonizing him. But not long after, the Doc sees his reflection disappear and he gains a malevolent appearance. (This evil side comes and goes randomly.) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCj-ceIr0MY9lJPL4BFn7gXcfU0YLfmFMLbLsO5IZcINx5PwYm0VWyh6ROoZFvHfaNR8yPhnX4cKU7iILRJHVCmQxMlRJtvUt4fl5V-1nnMpP445LbP6cfSL5EAVvqzspLPzARLJlsNGjP/s1600/Pic32-+Dracula+Takes+Over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCj-ceIr0MY9lJPL4BFn7gXcfU0YLfmFMLbLsO5IZcINx5PwYm0VWyh6ROoZFvHfaNR8yPhnX4cKU7iILRJHVCmQxMlRJtvUt4fl5V-1nnMpP445LbP6cfSL5EAVvqzspLPzARLJlsNGjP/s400/Pic32-+Dracula+Takes+Over.jpg" width="400" height="322" data-original-width="825" data-original-height="664" /></a></div>Finally, Edlemann gives Larry a cranial operation that should relieve pressure on the brain (which the Doc thinks is the true cause of Larry’s lycanthropy). And guess what? It works! However, Dracula’s blood eventually overcomes Edlemann. He kills a gardener, getting the attention of the (actually competent) police and, of course, the villagers. At the end, Evil Edlemann kills Nina and revives the Monster. Larry shoots Edlemann and sets fire to the Lab. He and the others waive off the Pitchforks-and-Torches Mob in time to trap the Monster in the fire just before the Abrupt Ending.<br />
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Thoughts and Background: What can I say? I really like this film! The last few movies saw the characters simply going through the motions. Here, each character (or archetype) is given something different to do or work with (which I’ll explain). Also, the characters act smart for a change. Doctor Edlemann ignores scientific curiosity and refuses to bring the Monster back to life. The police initially suspect Larry as the gardener’s killer, since he’s a werewolf. But it’s pointed out the moon wasn’t full and Larry was in no shape to tun after his operation. The policeman (Lionel Atwill) even rebukes the idiot villager for jumping to conclusions! Yay! New ideas are injected into this film’s story and they are greatly appreciated.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkk5Qr5LxuilHvb5js-jMgIppDu7W4GQXnKMpJh5aPD9M1JtElUKGPBGv6cVYt8zibM5BLljcTYh2HlAiHcB7tpEgb2_TGiSvy_bZIRsKkaLrhndixRxvxpDdeSCnGy04PcRq8a0KIq1_6/s1600/Pic33-+Policeman+Electrocuted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkk5Qr5LxuilHvb5js-jMgIppDu7W4GQXnKMpJh5aPD9M1JtElUKGPBGv6cVYt8zibM5BLljcTYh2HlAiHcB7tpEgb2_TGiSvy_bZIRsKkaLrhndixRxvxpDdeSCnGy04PcRq8a0KIq1_6/s400/Pic33-+Policeman+Electrocuted.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="865" data-original-height="649" /></a></div>John Carradine as Count Dracula: I was ready to write this off as the wimpiest Dracula ever. (Hammer Stu-dee-O’s, where are you?) His seduction of Milizia was par the course and could be dismissed as typical Hollywood Dracula. However, the Count sets things in motion when he reverses the transfusion and gives Edlemann an evil side. Then I remembered that Dracula said he met Milizia in another city. That made me think. Did Drac poison the Doc because his plan was revealed, or was he only doing this to get close to Milizia and make her his latest bride? That’s the level of characterization I want.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2StAGd1FmjDnrYh0dZkvBpHF7UcIjGBQxWDAYIXQLu9Yb-1MXiIuN2qGeO-vL81_ez9zCIKFXwKInxrnVmmtwgRBja9lmOVIOKHClF18ta6f7y2FTMdhbFh6wQ3sqsmrWbqCWwzEFt2q7/s1600/Pic34-+Evil+Doc+and+the+Monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2StAGd1FmjDnrYh0dZkvBpHF7UcIjGBQxWDAYIXQLu9Yb-1MXiIuN2qGeO-vL81_ez9zCIKFXwKInxrnVmmtwgRBja9lmOVIOKHClF18ta6f7y2FTMdhbFh6wQ3sqsmrWbqCWwzEFt2q7/s400/Pic34-+Evil+Doc+and+the+Monster.jpg" width="400" height="310" data-original-width="846" data-original-height="656" /></a></div>Onslow Stevens as Dr. Franz Edlemann: Not a mad scientist. An honest one. The script reveals the truth about the Count and Larry quickly, sparing us the whole “unbelieving scientist” cliche. Edlemann is also smart and not foolish, as noted above. However, the unforeseen actions of Dracula leaves him in a Jekyll-and-Hyde condition. Nice. It’s his unrestrained evil that ultimately causes the final showdown, not the stupidity as seen in other scientists in this series. In this case, change is good.<br />
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Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot (the Wolf Man): Larry starts off as his standard mopey, suicidal self. (And with a mustache this time.) But once the Doc comes up with a diagnosis and cures Larry, everything changes. Larry gets to show loyalty and even heroism as he stands by the Doc’s side. (He can feel Edlemann’s pain of having a vile alter ego.) He promises, at Edlemann’s request, to kill the Doc if all other attempts at a cure fail. He then warns the villagers and appears to sacrifice himself at the end to stop the Monster. It’s a side of Larry I would’ve liked to have seen earlier.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUr2kVV4b6nN3ne3xu8XFas5J_7b7g5rqeHR_4VwM5Wj28bl2QT7uq-4XIj5HTBKWtcu0kGlp6zkSbIz82YG5CGhF4M0zdPtvZaVyISgPxy4Y48j-DRd9MdDx1WlhLxBhhm7MlFgLx4oso/s1600/Pic35-+Reluctant+Larry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUr2kVV4b6nN3ne3xu8XFas5J_7b7g5rqeHR_4VwM5Wj28bl2QT7uq-4XIj5HTBKWtcu0kGlp6zkSbIz82YG5CGhF4M0zdPtvZaVyISgPxy4Y48j-DRd9MdDx1WlhLxBhhm7MlFgLx4oso/s400/Pic35-+Reluctant+Larry.jpg" width="400" height="302" data-original-width="871" data-original-height="657" /></a></div>Jane Adams as Nina (the Hunchback): A different take on the hunchback (or just deformed) character as well. The previous such characters- Fritz, Karl, Ygor, and Daniel- were all either stupid or selfish characters. In this story, Edlemann is about to operate on Nina and make her normal. She puts off her operation so Edlemann can operate on Larry instead. It’s a complete reverse of the other figures. And it makes Edlemann’s evil side all the more detestable when he kills her.<br />
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Glenn Strange as the Frankenstein Monster: The only figure here who gets nothing new to do. Well, four out of five ain’t bad. Here, the Monster only shows up at the end and creates havoc and chaos. Not much here. However, you could say that the Monster acts as a plot point- showcasing the different reactions of Edelmann’s good and evil sides. The Monster’s presence is also what allows Larry to show off his newfound courage. So, in a way, despite not getting any new characteristics or stories himself, the Monster allows the other characters to grow. And the result is a movie superior to its predecessors. <br />
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This is also the last article we’re going to squeak in before the kids hit the streets in their new outfits, demanding treats from their neighbors or else. So, on that note…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTF9MkTn8DAT0UGUPY48UHa8cwEGQH5kp2oY3DaJeJPAAjxZxfpikraLyJcrJGbHeNxIDoAnLCDuQCi7He13kzUXOi5jz_fK52jeoe5K3V8bx4VN8oqZkVuhp2p-Evmg8xriI7WRFwm8S/s1600/Pic36-+Happy+Halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTF9MkTn8DAT0UGUPY48UHa8cwEGQH5kp2oY3DaJeJPAAjxZxfpikraLyJcrJGbHeNxIDoAnLCDuQCi7He13kzUXOi5jz_fK52jeoe5K3V8bx4VN8oqZkVuhp2p-Evmg8xriI7WRFwm8S/s400/Pic36-+Happy+Halloween.jpg" width="400" height="244" data-original-width="885" data-original-height="539" /></a></div></span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-2544442778622777962018-10-19T18:30:00.000-04:002018-10-19T18:30:11.029-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Universal Monster Mash- The Invisible Man<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_PCn7DHsy81ICk4GDB6Red4pvwIJjRdJ5rhtQ4SDxPKG0lNGyGYZCMru1DjsSxy8IOaF3mElljlGWICbSxQ9L-6MD0Cno8uNVtB2emPZ2CKlQfrAGYdt7O-pG7QpplBevRktiQCohx9M/s1600/Pic01-+The+Invisible+Man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_PCn7DHsy81ICk4GDB6Red4pvwIJjRdJ5rhtQ4SDxPKG0lNGyGYZCMru1DjsSxy8IOaF3mElljlGWICbSxQ9L-6MD0Cno8uNVtB2emPZ2CKlQfrAGYdt7O-pG7QpplBevRktiQCohx9M/s200/Pic01-+The+Invisible+Man.jpg" width="200" height="146" data-original-width="873" data-original-height="638" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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Well, I said this week would be all about the bandages, didn’t I? I just didn’t say which en-bandaged one it would be! Mwah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha haaaa!!!! (Lightning strikes) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuy2fA6alfE&t=163s">You’re turn, Vince!</a><span id="fullpost"><br />
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Now, there have been a lot of invisible characters in TV and film. Outside of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pYyGeRSkWOim5dXMvGhtdFMnya3qq6DpxSdU8Q3D7XFV6DDo3XiKxaQt3IDYTm-r7aTkyJ0bkjSrlqhYrQh5fqcNYiicvspZEAx5jnZmVewi04KXW2wE1cNk8boglmkh2aIUtBmjNsg/s1600/501342-invisible_woman_mike_mayhew05.jpg">Marvel</a> and <a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/55/a2/f3/55a2f394638ee554579ca80591f5396f.jpg">Pixar</a>, there have been versions on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPRBsAZB4SY">SciFi Channel</a>, dreadful adaptations of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCFBkXA374Y">self-important comic books</a>, and even those that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTW-mSEKC-s">just want us to be mellow</a>. But all stem from this one; which, I should add, is the only true science fiction character to reach great heights during Universal’s ‘gothic’ period of the 1930’s and 40’s. It’s also the only to eschew straight-up horror in favor of multiple film genres, as we’ll see.<br />
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The films we’re to examine this time begin with an adaptation of H.G. Wells’ 1897 novel, ‘The Invisible Man.’ It’s the story of a brilliant scientist who, out of curiosity, self-experiments and turns himself invisible. Enthralled with a new sense of power, he then sets out to terrorize the English countryside and bend the country to his will through fear. Now, unlike previous series I’ve done, I have to confess that I haven’t read the original novel. I’ve read that in that book, the scientist behaves more like a socialist revolutionary than a researcher. This would make sense, as Wells was more of a social critic than a straight-up sci-fi author. (‘Invisible Man’- title character as empowered proletariat; ‘Island of Doctor Moreau’- thin line between human and animal/power of propaganda; ‘War of the Worlds’- vulnerability of human civilization) <br />
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So, I can’t say just how accurate the first film is. I can say that Wells himself, who was still alive and kicking when the first movie came out, demanded final script approval before selling the rights to Universal. This was over his displeasure with some earlier silent adaptations of his works. Nevertheless, Universal did get the rights and released one best entries in its classic Monster canon.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsjiCbCLGsNRITjoNwrboHq-PslXwPixy5wpuHQPBFzq7JfQWF7y01JJ6Py3O0v7mZUF88zTdoPA_M3-XMJuMxicMxwhNnaBC73Lf_Et5p-ZOWDypjm2G_Oq2cUahyphenhyphenAjyN1J6p2klWone/s1600/Pic02-+Invisible+Man+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsjiCbCLGsNRITjoNwrboHq-PslXwPixy5wpuHQPBFzq7JfQWF7y01JJ6Py3O0v7mZUF88zTdoPA_M3-XMJuMxicMxwhNnaBC73Lf_Et5p-ZOWDypjm2G_Oq2cUahyphenhyphenAjyN1J6p2klWone/s200/Pic02-+Invisible+Man+Poster.jpg" width="95" height="200" data-original-width="288" data-original-height="605" /></a></div><b>The Invisible Man (Universal, 1933)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFtbiFgaAiM">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: A mysterious man later revealed to be Mad Scientist Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) wanders into the ancient English town of Iping where he walks into an inn and demands room and board. His head wrapped in bandages and always wearing gloves with his suit, his soon attracts unwanted attention from the villagers. Finally, after a few weeks and his rent due, he flies into a rage and reveals himself to be invisible. He undresses and proceeds to terrorize the village before all trace of him is lost.<br />
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Meanwhile, Griffin’s boss, Dr. Cranley (Henry Travers), colleague Dr. Kemp (William Harrigan), and fiancée Flora (Gloria Stuart) discuss the situation. After searching Griffin’s lab, Cranley realizes that Griffin was experimenting with monocaine, a drug known to cause insanity, among other side effects. That night, Griffin arrives at Kemp’s house and forces the lesser doc to assist him in retrieving the books he left at the inn. While there, Griffin takes the time to kill an inspector who is about to declare the disturbance a hoax. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC5FQnYcAe1S2Szauxz-9qRJG4GPEQxft81Cf0WkbB1TX2G6QXN8U_Q461Bv14cbjtwyB3zKt6AQcUXhe14r7Tm6x6N3rINnohTIbESoBJm1NbkLxqjpGf-hNmBtsi9d8RUkUfUW_xZyy/s1600/Pic03-+Headless+Griffin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC5FQnYcAe1S2Szauxz-9qRJG4GPEQxft81Cf0WkbB1TX2G6QXN8U_Q461Bv14cbjtwyB3zKt6AQcUXhe14r7Tm6x6N3rINnohTIbESoBJm1NbkLxqjpGf-hNmBtsi9d8RUkUfUW_xZyy/s400/Pic03-+Headless+Griffin.jpg" width="400" height="247" data-original-width="871" data-original-height="538" /></a></div>Everyone then races to Kemp’s house to beg Griffin to listen to reason, but Kemp double-crosses Griffin and calls the police. Griffin escapes and goes on a mass murder spree, which includes derailing a train. He also breaks through police security and kills Kemp by locking him a car that crashes. Griffin is finally caught when a farmer spots him taking refuge in a barn during a snowstorm. Forced out when the cops set fire to the barn, Griffin is shot and later dies in a hospital. Once dead, his body re-materializes.<br />
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Thoughts and Background: First, I think I should mention that this is my favorite of the Universal Monster canon. I can’t put it into words directly, but everything just seems to work in this one. Director James Whale- of ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Bride of Frankenstein’ fame- was given as much freedom as Wells’ agreement would allow. He specifically chose Claude Rains for the lead because of his ‘intellectual voice.’ (The studio initially wanted Boris Karloff, but Whale called him a ‘truck driver’ and went with Rains instead.) Using Rains’ voice, Whale makes the character sound as if he could be coming from anywhere. It really heightens the tension as the other actors scramble to find out where Griffin is. A favorite scene of mine is when the police broadcast is made and Whale shows a montage of people calling in tips, running inside, and barricading their door and windows. This isn’t easy to pull off and it feels like the type of hysteria such a situation would cause. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wBH25W967SUbFUUm_p_UEMiaAz7IOsrhyphenhyphenqmFNCSMSdNeWlFyDT9iRDijQJh9CXTN8J-4ngT9eDdeWQgqoicGrTf-CmU_jZp0B-vWcBQVDZPcEtijF5euPBGiXhnMo8s-zfgP_ohlf1kR/s1600/Pic04-+Constable+and+Proprietor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wBH25W967SUbFUUm_p_UEMiaAz7IOsrhyphenhyphenqmFNCSMSdNeWlFyDT9iRDijQJh9CXTN8J-4ngT9eDdeWQgqoicGrTf-CmU_jZp0B-vWcBQVDZPcEtijF5euPBGiXhnMo8s-zfgP_ohlf1kR/s400/Pic04-+Constable+and+Proprietor.jpg" width="400" height="306" data-original-width="833" data-original-height="637" /></a></div>Whale was also known for attention to detail with minor characters. The best known is Una O’Connor, who plays the hysterical inn proprietor at the beginning. Of course, there’s also E.E. Clive as the shocked constable who tries to arrest Griffin at the Inn, and Holmes Herbert as the disbelieving chief of police. Each character is unique and, though limited in screen time, enhances the scene they’re in. <br />
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This film also contains an incredible amount of on-screen talent. In addition to this being Rains’ debut in a leading role, it also features Henry Travers, better known as Clarence the angel in “It’s a Wonderful Life,”; John Carrdine’s first on-screen appearance as one of the tipsters in the aforementioned montage; and then-23-year-old Gloria Stuart, who audiences know today as ‘Old’ Rose in ‘Titanic’ (1997). <br />
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I think a key reason this film works is because it’s one of the earliest true depictions of a serial killer (about 30 years before the term is thought to have been created). Think about it. Griffin kills strangers for reasons that are only his own. He enjoys the publicity his terror creates. He is intelligent, mad, and able to cover his tracks. The crowds’ response to his deeds (hiding, tipping, and living in fear), are not unlike those caused by Jack the Ripper in 1888, the Zodiac Killer in the 1960’s and 70’s, and the Green River Killer in the 1980’s. Maybe one reason this film stands out is because, in a canon full of inhuman monsters, the most terrifying beast is one of our own, who is a monster on the inside.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRK2rX6rBI66FPjhzo74FVQYqdNWIgWjU_CnUOViX2skIfdo66QCwIssIi90pmWkupiMMNGRZ6N6ICXzttu8UOkBO3YfNEylRc9Xrboss-uslYmDLtLuMRprYSMHlq7Iwl2mu9uJfrQ3k/s1600/Pic05-+Griffin+and+Flora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRK2rX6rBI66FPjhzo74FVQYqdNWIgWjU_CnUOViX2skIfdo66QCwIssIi90pmWkupiMMNGRZ6N6ICXzttu8UOkBO3YfNEylRc9Xrboss-uslYmDLtLuMRprYSMHlq7Iwl2mu9uJfrQ3k/s400/Pic05-+Griffin+and+Flora.jpg" width="400" height="301" data-original-width="870" data-original-height="654" /></a></div>Claude Rains as Griffin (the Invisible Man): There’s not much more I can add to what I said above. This is mostly a voice-acting performance. His powerful, authoritative voice easily gets the attention of the other characters. He seems to be overacting a bit, but it works so well that I think he gets away with it. In particular, he does a great job of conveying the character’s rage as the insanity takes over. Even when wearing the coat and bandages, he tenses his arms and moves around deliberately enough to show Griffin’s anger at his situation. Not an easy thing to do. And what a trooper: the effects, which were achieved through backscreen (as opposed to modern blue or greenscreen), had to be shot with perfect repetition four times, for front and back shots and in high and low light before being composited together.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaSoZlURoz9mjoV_Z1IEPeiKGPZqxAnKz9lQQ4pHXe71e7fdmUMNTTdAuAeqYSOK8gxmmNgZYDWxzdm8iCqwHbaC7lh0GpyzRHIZ7xk5NrMXoJ-dQje-_vwIT5duFN_760wRcbqXjjwxK/s1600/Pic06-+Invisible+Man+Returns+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaSoZlURoz9mjoV_Z1IEPeiKGPZqxAnKz9lQQ4pHXe71e7fdmUMNTTdAuAeqYSOK8gxmmNgZYDWxzdm8iCqwHbaC7lh0GpyzRHIZ7xk5NrMXoJ-dQje-_vwIT5duFN_760wRcbqXjjwxK/s200/Pic06-+Invisible+Man+Returns+Poster.jpg" width="135" height="200" data-original-width="432" data-original-height="642" /></a></div><b>The Invisible Man Returns (Universal, 1940)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HENb4zmuyGw">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: Awaiting execution for the murder of his brother Michael, Sir Geoffrey Radcliffe (Vincent Price) is visited by Dr. Frank Griffin (John Sutton). Immediately afterwards, Radcliffe vanishes and a dragnet is set up. It is soon revealed that Griffin is the brother of Mad Scientist Jack Griffin and has injected Radcliffe with a version of the earlier invisibility chemical, which is now called ‘duracaine(?).’<br />
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Aided by Griffin and his fiancée, Helen (Nan Grey), Geoffrey searches for the real killer while narrowly avoiding Law-Ignoring Police. He finally forces a man named Spears (Alan Napier) to confess the truth. You see, Geofffrey’s family owns a mining operation. Spears says that Geoffrey’s cousin- and alleged friend- Richard Cobb (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) killed Michael with Spears present. Spears was then promoted to mine superintendent for helping to frame Geoffrey for the murder.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mtRYX6LUrH1JXTGEEcHv7cCNHvKsW8bK6i36AOJYE1TtILrWvWUjfUegBa7DDENPKu_nkd1vDyMhI5fJcLG7SUR18lhqYrNn5DuxBxE7KdJPjpPwW617e6LDYIJnJnOEPkcDFrJ2W2Km/s1600/Pic07-+At+Dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mtRYX6LUrH1JXTGEEcHv7cCNHvKsW8bK6i36AOJYE1TtILrWvWUjfUegBa7DDENPKu_nkd1vDyMhI5fJcLG7SUR18lhqYrNn5DuxBxE7KdJPjpPwW617e6LDYIJnJnOEPkcDFrJ2W2Km/s400/Pic07-+At+Dinner.jpg" width="400" height="226" data-original-width="840" data-original-height="474" /></a></div>After several narrow escapes from the bobbies, Geoffrey confronts Cobb at the mine, with the two having a final fight on a mine car. Geoffrey is shot and runs off. Cobb confesses his crime just before dying. Near death himself, Geoffrey returns to Griffin’s lab (at the mine hospital), and is saved through blood transfusions that also restore his visibility.<br />
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Thought and Background: The series takes its first detour from true horror with this film, heading in the direction of a revenge/jailbreak film. Not much to add here. The effects take a step up, with Price’s Geoffrey being revealed slightly by rain and cigar smoke. Overall, this is a very worthy sequel and I do recommend it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisH49Fsy5PmoCSF6qf0WI2233V87R9KyTOsAI-YiVYJnzWP8EkxgiL0A0Zb36Xvo6NjAEOZkWVzgI1YOHN0HwW4dyA-1HK5X2vvZVE1D2jPpFUP_ZR_cqTwI0f9Ud5Sr-1G77bZhqddgK/s1600/Pic08-+Cop+and+Scientist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisH49Fsy5PmoCSF6qf0WI2233V87R9KyTOsAI-YiVYJnzWP8EkxgiL0A0Zb36Xvo6NjAEOZkWVzgI1YOHN0HwW4dyA-1HK5X2vvZVE1D2jPpFUP_ZR_cqTwI0f9Ud5Sr-1G77bZhqddgK/s400/Pic08-+Cop+and+Scientist.jpg" width="400" height="286" data-original-width="854" data-original-height="610" /></a></div>The thing I need to gripe about is the police. It seems they’re allowed to go anywhere they want and take the law into their own hands while ignoring any privacy laws. Now, I’m not an expert on the British justice system, and <a href="https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/the-latest-in-uk-political-correctness-non-crime-hate-incidents/">while its gone a little crazy lately</a>, I’m pretty sure coppers in the UK have not had this level of warrantless investigation since the days of the Star Chamber. (One cop ignores a home owner, says he doesn’t need a warrant, and inspects a house solely on the evidence of a dog barking!) The lead inspector is particularly insufferable. Already a graduate of the School of Nuckle-headed Fat Southern Sheriffs in Birmingham, he also has that B-movie prescience that enables him to guess the entire plot through nonsense or guilt by association. And, of course, he uses this knowledge to threaten other characters, just ‘hoping they would cooperate.’ It’s almost enough to make me root for the bad guys, but I could never side against Vince.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFnRFh_FdJTzOUY1QcqDqGH4jfRn4CaSITs1CjguaLVYOgARCXQTaroIONUaNT1T0hYLwNXUclGcaUp4Y_wFrGVylBV6Tsrf66ZaGc9_Wy1iV5GXY_EObCqJxjkaiWrjbCao2F4mLprBv/s1600/Pic09-+Mine+Fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUFnRFh_FdJTzOUY1QcqDqGH4jfRn4CaSITs1CjguaLVYOgARCXQTaroIONUaNT1T0hYLwNXUclGcaUp4Y_wFrGVylBV6Tsrf66ZaGc9_Wy1iV5GXY_EObCqJxjkaiWrjbCao2F4mLprBv/s400/Pic09-+Mine+Fight.jpg" width="400" height="296" data-original-width="887" data-original-height="656" /></a></div>Vincent Price as Sir Geoffrey Hardwicke (the Invisible Man): And here, in his first leading role in a horror film- if there is an Omega, there must be an Alpha- is the Price-inator himself! Like Rains before him, Price has to do a mostly voice-acting performance, though he appears in clothes a little more than his predecessor. His voice is mostly recognizable, though it’s early in his career and he doesn’t have all of his famous inflections down yet. Price goes through a gambit of emotions, from fearful of the possible insanity should he stay invisible too long, to maniacal when he has the real criminals in his grasp. (He only goes crazy after escaping a trap set by the police.) Price really seems to enjoy this role as the writers also found there’s humor in becoming invisible.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRWUwN6A7JRHrmld9iW6Oa8-9mj5d7zErOf9CsP1c5a-7OYxRE2RQ4DdNYnSK1_YCM0ZpfgJDpsIbfwG1HblSSM1eCoiNszbumtL9eWAx5csUKJEEoE5r4Z0Lj6Px696tqV411VzayfWz/s1600/Pic10-+Visible+Vince.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRWUwN6A7JRHrmld9iW6Oa8-9mj5d7zErOf9CsP1c5a-7OYxRE2RQ4DdNYnSK1_YCM0ZpfgJDpsIbfwG1HblSSM1eCoiNszbumtL9eWAx5csUKJEEoE5r4Z0Lj6Px696tqV411VzayfWz/s400/Pic10-+Visible+Vince.jpg" width="400" height="304" data-original-width="818" data-original-height="621" /></a></div>When Geoffrey taunts Spears, he claims to his own ghost and that he’s come to haunt the guy! (Price gets to do his first creepy “whoooo!!!!” effect.) I guess you could say he gets to stretch his comedic muscles here, though you wouldn’t be able to see that from this movie!! See that? Invisibility joke! Ha ha ha! (There’s also a nice line where a cop gripes, “Shoot on site? What am I shooting at if he’s invisible?”) The only true moment of terror comes at the end where, once visible, we see that Vincent HAS NO MUSTACHE! No, no, please, Lord, no! It can’t be! Vince without the ‘stache is like Abe without the hat or George without the teeth! What’s next? Columbo <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kxYApOPnW8">without a trench coat</a>? Colonel Potter <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCRsUeJm_UA">without a war</a>? Or some other Dude Among Men without his own <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCWNOLXOgP4">without his own Mustache of Power</a>?! That’s a world I don’t want to live in.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowuiDHGtMrtLj4Pca3obDBthu1fAx_CPKnBXWLZEf4aotWL9P6X9eUMDvP4h_rLi3-v3WeMP_MoJ4wak12xMpC7LXrN8ELuXc5yFsycF_HNaqDr3cvfa3IS4AoZ5Sq4FQWtd8Vo9H1a9v/s1600/Pic11-+Invisible+Woman+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowuiDHGtMrtLj4Pca3obDBthu1fAx_CPKnBXWLZEf4aotWL9P6X9eUMDvP4h_rLi3-v3WeMP_MoJ4wak12xMpC7LXrN8ELuXc5yFsycF_HNaqDr3cvfa3IS4AoZ5Sq4FQWtd8Vo9H1a9v/s200/Pic11-+Invisible+Woman+Poster.jpg" width="107" height="200" data-original-width="332" data-original-height="620" /></a></div><b>Invisible Woman (Universal, 1940)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiPqzcLgjs0">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: Professor Gibbs, (John Barrymore) Mad Scientist of no repute whatsoever, is in trouble: his benefactor, a newly-broke playboy (read: lady problems), cannot no longer fund his research into invisibility. So, he takes out an ad. Answering said ad is Kitty Carroll (Virginia Bruce), an overworked fashion model who hopes the results of the device will allow her to get revenge on her cruel, ultra-misogynist boss (Charles Lane). It works and she heads off, much to Gibbs’ chagrin.<br />
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Kitty trashes her boss’s office, avenging her fellow sisters by claiming to be his conscience (or a pre-birth Gloria Steinem specter, I don’t know) and ransacking the place before putting Crowley’s head in the window guillotine-style (huh?) and kicking him in the butt- all while invisibly naked. Calling the Production Code people... Kitty heads back to the lab to find an irate professor. It seems Kitty’s excursion caused them to miss the professor’s benefactor, who headed out on a weekend trip. They have to repeat the experiment on the now-visible Kitty and meet with the playboy in the hopes of renewed funding.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGd9tibz8qz0HG9H1d01rHV4gON9jlE89e9TwKCoJAWZJBNRlFBKhJZ9u57cNkW-Zh7SZ0q8-cGvq9f8wmZ2GTMU1abC67K0E5XckW3ozk9ybU02IgB8wgcTPblZX1-AiZeu-TnBQzO_XN/s1600/Pic12-+Hamilton+and+Barrymore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGd9tibz8qz0HG9H1d01rHV4gON9jlE89e9TwKCoJAWZJBNRlFBKhJZ9u57cNkW-Zh7SZ0q8-cGvq9f8wmZ2GTMU1abC67K0E5XckW3ozk9ybU02IgB8wgcTPblZX1-AiZeu-TnBQzO_XN/s400/Pic12-+Hamilton+and+Barrymore.jpg" width="400" height="280" data-original-width="851" data-original-height="596" /></a></div>While they’re gone, a group of thugs steal the device for a Mexican crime boss (Oscar Homolka) who needs it to sneak back into the U.S. after being exiled for... reasons. It seems to be the only way he can sneak past the well-fortified, heavily-guarded U.S.-Mexico border. [insert your own comment here] Kitty and the Professor show the benefactor, one Richard Russell (John Howard) the results and, naturally, Kitty and Richard begin the cycle of bickering and flirting in what becomes a Forced Romance. Kitty also learns, to her shock, that alcohol prolongs her invisibility.<br />
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Back at Richard’s mansion (we’re skipping ahead), Kitty is kidnapped by the thugs as ransom to force the professor to fix the stolen machine. (Seems the Keystone Criminals couldn’t make it work.) One of them betrays the group and leads Richard and his butler to the hideout. (The crime boss tested the machine on said thug; it made his voice go falsetto and his wants to get even.) At the hideout, Kitty drinks some booze, goes invisible, and takes out the thugs herself. When Richard arrives- I kid you not- she pretends to still be in danger and make Richard fight for her by firing the gang’s machine gun(!) at him! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STeVTzWelns">Even coyotes would find this behavior over the top</a>. Long story short, the two reunite and get hitched. Ta-da! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwSmVYU-uaQzTD-r_huAX090KJ56ytiE81DdwgvaJ0HWv54SbpjsdzjBbWYCVFltZ75YBJUoae8ztx5m7p1YKj4H3IlEBHoJRGDVUuZHPs8Ls3gEZCM9_f67N7x1cwOQAtU36beU_Ab_r/s1600/Pic13-+The+Thugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwSmVYU-uaQzTD-r_huAX090KJ56ytiE81DdwgvaJ0HWv54SbpjsdzjBbWYCVFltZ75YBJUoae8ztx5m7p1YKj4H3IlEBHoJRGDVUuZHPs8Ls3gEZCM9_f67N7x1cwOQAtU36beU_Ab_r/s400/Pic13-+The+Thugs.jpg" width="400" height="325" data-original-width="806" data-original-height="654" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: From horror to jailbreak/revenge to comedy. Variety! I guess the writers here saw a few scenes from the previous film and decided to run with it. But instead of cleverness and subtlety, they opted for almost entirely slapstick comedy, which is easily hit-or-miss. Now, after checking user reviews, I see that a lot of people like this film and that’s perfectly FINE. After all, it IS light-hearted and meant to be silly. For me, it just didn’t click. It seems the actors don’t have good enough comedic timing IMHO and most of the jokes feel forced. It is playful like its predecessor when the script plays around with the fact the invisible character is actually naked, so it has that. The worst of the overacting goes to John Barrymore, which, sadly, is probably due to his alcoholism. (Irony is that he’s the one to tell Kitty not to drink too much.) And, yes, this is the first film in the series not connected to the original film.<br />
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But with all that, think about this: this movie features Margaret <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W23FRsHnegE">“I’ll get you, my pretty!”</a> Hamilton and Shemp Howard- and gives them almost nothing to do! Hamilton plays the Professor’s cranky housekeeper and is almost the only one who understands comic timing. Shemp is cast as a buffoon thug who just screws up. He’s given so little to do, I didn’t realize which one he was at first. (I admit I’m in no way an expert on the Stooges.) Good grief, what kind of movie casts this kind of talent and doesn’t use it?!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcM51OUl2G9M-Ag5_HXnedybgH6KN6Yw7dwiqXbyUyjxPSJayF3i6wiorp5f3GpZF_tOXrSql3DM8zoFD_8g4JlQWqpEI0wjsJHmxIpwLhF8uNkejMHLzh4YrSDNNGpwB_UHx1lKXsLXZT/s1600/Pic14-+Invisible+Layy-Dee%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcM51OUl2G9M-Ag5_HXnedybgH6KN6Yw7dwiqXbyUyjxPSJayF3i6wiorp5f3GpZF_tOXrSql3DM8zoFD_8g4JlQWqpEI0wjsJHmxIpwLhF8uNkejMHLzh4YrSDNNGpwB_UHx1lKXsLXZT/s400/Pic14-+Invisible+Layy-Dee%2521.jpg" width="400" height="318" data-original-width="823" data-original-height="654" /></a></div>Virginia Bruce as Kitty Carroll (the Invisible Woman): Not much to say here. Bruce is easy on the eyes, but her voice (so important in an Invisible Movie), is so squeaky and high-pitched it gets annoying. She does what she has to and I guess it’s enough.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCI_Cc9rJ439eXyK1gfFOftS_tqEEcrj7nrFkUQQ7EyuZY845jJybbyPbocQklgRN-oA0rwoLGEWLXRZMlc0de96R3nI-roYAG6fgarSkk_PvxAznPyRZRc4WXQnCNe49Jp4D_km_1G-Y/s1600/Pic15-+Invisible+Agent+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCI_Cc9rJ439eXyK1gfFOftS_tqEEcrj7nrFkUQQ7EyuZY845jJybbyPbocQklgRN-oA0rwoLGEWLXRZMlc0de96R3nI-roYAG6fgarSkk_PvxAznPyRZRc4WXQnCNe49Jp4D_km_1G-Y/s200/Pic15-+Invisible+Agent+Poster.jpg" width="131" height="200" data-original-width="424" data-original-height="649" /></a></div><b>Invisible Agent (Universal, 1942)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZN37AH1LNg">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: Print shop proprietor Frank Raymond (Jon Hall) gets an unwanted visit when SS commander Stauffer (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) and Japanese agent Baron Ikito (Peter Lorre- yes, you read that right), reveal that they know he is the grandson of Jack Griffin and demand the late scientist’s formula. Griffin (his cover name being blown), fights them and their goons off and makes a break for it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSEpmRrJvtiFOePspeRc0c1vwnYOUmTYIgYmORtUOVirQIIzelvUzYTvjyh-MdG_ARJJAxMgNrXfDhEYZQ77dtfyA3dkAKXL_gaFnrqTNdmcYP4JLV9KT8pqqrhPiennufShLJbuC79N5/s1600/Pic16-+Confrontation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSEpmRrJvtiFOePspeRc0c1vwnYOUmTYIgYmORtUOVirQIIzelvUzYTvjyh-MdG_ARJJAxMgNrXfDhEYZQ77dtfyA3dkAKXL_gaFnrqTNdmcYP4JLV9KT8pqqrhPiennufShLJbuC79N5/s400/Pic16-+Confrontation.jpg" width="400" height="301" data-original-width="855" data-original-height="643" /></a></div>Not long after Pearl Harbor, Griffin volunteers to use his family formula on a spy mission. His does so while parachuting into Germany. Once there, he meets with members of the anti-Nazi resistance, mainly Maria Sorensen (Ilona Massey), who guide him to Stauffer’s office, where he steals a list of Axis agents in the U.S. <br />
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Learning there is more going on, Griffin confronts the imprisoned SS officer Heiser. (Griffin had earlier played invisible tricks on Heiser at Maria’s home; Stauffer later arrested him.) Griffin offers to free Heiser, who is scheduled for execution, in exchange for the information he wants. After Heiser reveals a plan to bomb New York is about to be set in motion, the two flee the prison. However, Griffin is captured by Ikito with a fish-hook-lined net. Ouch! Griffin is taken to the Japanese Embassy in Berlin where Ikito plans to learn the invisibility secret. However, Stauffer arrives, demands Griffin, and a fight breaks out where Griffin and Maria escape. Ikito kills Stauffer and then himself for the failure of the mission. Griffin and Maria steal a bomber(!) and bomb a Luftwaffe base before crossing the Channel and parachuting over England. The film ends with Maria visiting the now-visible Griffin in the hospital.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqoanLZHgesEJvizeFEkYMymvf9prvgy9j02QETwPG1PHi-fYWjGlAIlpIyrhXF8ui6fErnpM3ZkXfYZhTee2X3_JkKMn_Fkj06sFFNnjnc-x9Frfm5MdNZr0CxVLXosUm0j3zB58Zmix/s1600/Pic17-+%2527Mask%2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqoanLZHgesEJvizeFEkYMymvf9prvgy9j02QETwPG1PHi-fYWjGlAIlpIyrhXF8ui6fErnpM3ZkXfYZhTee2X3_JkKMn_Fkj06sFFNnjnc-x9Frfm5MdNZr0CxVLXosUm0j3zB58Zmix/s400/Pic17-+%2527Mask%2527.jpg" width="400" height="308" data-original-width="872" data-original-height="672" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: We go another direction with this series and into wartime propaganda. You know, I hate that word, ‘propaganda.’ Maybe I’ve studied World War II too much. It’ll always have a Nazi/Soviet connotation for me. Just throwing that out there.<br />
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This film is a decent enough spy caper. I didn’t go into too much detail above, but this Griffin’s first invisible scenes in Maria’s home involve him acting like a buffoon and humiliating Heiser when the latter has dinner with Maria. I hate to be nit-picky, but even invisible, sneaking around in enemy territory in the FuhrerReich is hardly the time to be a clown. The special effects, however, are a big upgrade. At Maria’s home, Griffin slathers makeup on his face to reveal himself. No more constricting bandages. Oddly, there’s no mention of the insanity the chemical can lead to. At worst, it makes Griffin... sleepy! And this only happens once in order to set up a tense scene with Stauffer. There’s even a timely reference in the first scene to Oregon State playing Duke in the Rose Bowl, which was announced before Pearl Harbor. Ikito tells Stauffer it’s a “national event.” (That game, BTW, was played in North Carolina for security purposes- the only time the Rose Bowl Game hasn’t been played in Pasadena.) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-sGiU3m9N4nZLmgqhU5SK7CulEP_BoIvcDTBA4f0SH2zagmgYu6o5lZdwDztAmFWprahyphenhyphenYReAxvpFCDSqPrFo2PQj__3W7qJ0X-xl0yOsCbvUuJDIZA0E0OzP0PhLQum92EGbRBBPuQk/s1600/Pic18-+Lorre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-sGiU3m9N4nZLmgqhU5SK7CulEP_BoIvcDTBA4f0SH2zagmgYu6o5lZdwDztAmFWprahyphenhyphenYReAxvpFCDSqPrFo2PQj__3W7qJ0X-xl0yOsCbvUuJDIZA0E0OzP0PhLQum92EGbRBBPuQk/s400/Pic18-+Lorre.jpg" width="317" height="400" data-original-width="532" data-original-height="671" /></a></div>You know, a lot of people would call this film stereotypical, but I think the characterizations are mostly quite good. At the shop, Stauffer calls Griffin’s refusal to give them the formula “soft thinking” caused by “democracies.” Heiser later adds, “The Fuhrer doesn’t like people who think their own thoughts.” True. Nazi ideology considered democracy to be degenerate, and Hitler pathologically demanded full control over everyone around him. (Hence the numerous Nazi programs designed to control all aspects of German life.) However, Heiser refers to having a three-hour meeting with the Fuhrer. What a laugh. During the war, Hitler was infamously lazy among the German High Command and spent most of his time at the Burghof in Bavaria. (There’s even a favorable reference to Reich Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop. Would never have happened. Virtually everyone in the Nazi government hated that guy.) Also, the Axis alliance is portrayed as one of convenience, with neither side trusting each other. Ultimately, the Germans and Japanese fight each other for Griffin’s secret. Not to mention the Germans also fight each for in-party position (This is also a theme in ‘the Man in the High Castle,’ where, after winning the war, the Axis relationship devolves into their own cold war.) I would say that, ultimately, when you create governments based on destruction, violence, and favors from within a cult of personality, what you get, inevitably, are human beings turning on each other like the rats they are.<br />
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As for Lorre, well, let’s just say this: he accepted any role in any movie that he thought would undermine the Axis. An Austrian Jew forced to flee the Reich, he saw it as his way of fighting back.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LEmKR53ZQGoixvP9aBgyOTO5RaiZApMcoRPJomJV8y1oiYTUoQwfOujDoSCigi4onG7hA7C07n8e9CNIeWyd7owG0wCjHfLuNQVuLsJw-f60JL4DZhFrZ9cZTWs-QICTRsBTHgyji3MP/s1600/Pic19-+Griffin+and+Heiser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LEmKR53ZQGoixvP9aBgyOTO5RaiZApMcoRPJomJV8y1oiYTUoQwfOujDoSCigi4onG7hA7C07n8e9CNIeWyd7owG0wCjHfLuNQVuLsJw-f60JL4DZhFrZ9cZTWs-QICTRsBTHgyji3MP/s400/Pic19-+Griffin+and+Heiser.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="870" data-original-height="653" /></a></div>Jon Hall as Frank Raymond/Griffin (the Invisible Agent): I was prepared to hate this guy for the afore-mentioned comedy scene above. Also, I had to facepalm myself when he injected the serum into his arm before jumping out over Germany and then stripping in mid-air while somehow not unstrapping his parachute! Not bad visuals, but... WHAT?! However, I began to like him when he started doing his job and defied the German officers, especially when he ridicules fascist doctrine to Heiser’s face. That line, “You Nazis. I pity the Devil when you start arriving in bunches,” is a new favorite of mine. His distrust of Maria- whom he wrongly supposes is a double agent near the end- is a character flaw that adds just tension to the ending and keeps things exciting. While not as memorable as Rains or Price, Hall does a surprisingly good job here. I recommend this one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0xFpASHZ3snxSFEBgjS2wKzFAAxd-yGmetUfn9ZR2jje3dZfGEHc6edEmmrQnQzp3BiaK7maiWtIN59BHW9vF_5m-ljMkSVgLYv1q2TW3Nga2rawczrfRzPoJwWfWHGNEsJJo10VWF_l/s1600/Pic20-+Invisible+Mans+Revenge+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0xFpASHZ3snxSFEBgjS2wKzFAAxd-yGmetUfn9ZR2jje3dZfGEHc6edEmmrQnQzp3BiaK7maiWtIN59BHW9vF_5m-ljMkSVgLYv1q2TW3Nga2rawczrfRzPoJwWfWHGNEsJJo10VWF_l/s200/Pic20-+Invisible+Mans+Revenge+Poster.jpg" width="134" height="200" data-original-width="434" data-original-height="650" /></a></div><b>The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944)</b><br />
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Plot: A dangerous, psychopathic scoundrel has escaped from a looney bin in Cape Town, bent on claiming a claim from people he’s thinks have wronged him. (Yeah, back to revenge/jailbreak. Also, this one is likewise unrelated to the first film.) How do we know he’s a scoundrel? Well, when he buys a suit, he leaves behind his prison jacket and the salesman discovers a conveniently-placed newspaper clipping in the pocket detailing how a maniac just escaped from said looney bin, killing several people in the process. Any follow-up questions?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkfuYzpFUXZNAOqzCLTlhtddPbDNzdiivRpJ2EP9lHWcUaTqVlD6xnJIK9_uzaaLx4uKkC9DfkaATM123MoudN-0jGNx4zwik-D2XfUn0W1R7Fa4N_yzRcLfiR_7GhTfaDzxNKtSJAIG9/s1600/Pic21-+Griffin+and+Carradine+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmkfuYzpFUXZNAOqzCLTlhtddPbDNzdiivRpJ2EP9lHWcUaTqVlD6xnJIK9_uzaaLx4uKkC9DfkaATM123MoudN-0jGNx4zwik-D2XfUn0W1R7Fa4N_yzRcLfiR_7GhTfaDzxNKtSJAIG9/s400/Pic21-+Griffin+and+Carradine+1.jpg" width="400" height="310" data-original-width="847" data-original-height="657" /></a></div>Anyhoo, (complex storyline; I’ll try to make it brief), bad guy Griffin (no relation to any previous character or movie in the series, BTW), visits Sir Jasper (Lester Matthews) and Irene Herrick (Gale Sondergaard), demanding his claim. It seems during a safari years ago, they agreed to split any profits from diamond deposits they found. Griffin was injured, only the group was misinformed that he was dead. Sir Jasper tells Griffin (Jon Hall- he’s back! -as a different Griffin!), that all the profits were lost in bad investments and they have little to give him. Already going mad, Griffin refuses to believe them and demands both his share and their daughter’s hand. They properly show him out- after giving him a spiked drink, knocking him out, taking his written copy of the claim agreement, and vowing to repay him once he’s no longer insane.<br />
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Griffin first attempts to blackmail the Herricks using a lawyer, but the barrister cowers off with his tail between his legs when THE CONSTABLE (Billy Bevan) arrives. Then Griffin does what all guys in his position inevitably do: he visits a Mad Scientist (John Carradine), undergoes an invisibility experiment, (as one does), and then strikes out for revenge! In classic Gestapo fashion, he forces Sir Jasper to write a note ‘admitting’ to trying to kill Griffin twice and that he’s now giving him all his worldly possessions. It must also be mentioned that the cure for invisibly this time around is another blood transfusion- as in all the blood from the donor. And when the Mad Scientist refuses to commit murder, Griffin uses the Mad Scientist for the transfusion instead before burning the guy’s house down. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0f0-6dFx-0">And, yes, Crow T, Robot, there WAS a time when John Carradine wasn’t 100 years old. (‘Night Train to Mundo Fine’ from ‘Red Zone Cuba’)</a>.)<br />
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Once again visible. Griffin adopts a new name and begins his push to move to take over Sir Jasper’s home and force his daughter, Julie (Evelyn Ankers) into marriage. Things get complicated when Julie’s boyfriend, Mark (Alan Curtis), a reporter, tells them at breakfast that an invisible man killed the Mad Scientist and is causing havoc. He adds that it seems a body-full of blood transfusion is necessary to undo invisibility. (Mark helped the police find the doc’s body.) Griffin praises the invisible man and his power just before his hands begin to fade. Mark follows him upstairs and only finds a note, telling him to come to the wine cellar where Griffin has info on the invisible man. Uh, let’s see. This mysterious new guy just praised the invisible man for his power, acted suspiciously after running out of the room for a minor cut with a breakfast knife, and now wants to meet him in a place with only one door in or out. So, of course Mark goes to the wine cellar, gets knocked out, and is nearly drained when THE CONSTABLE arrives to save the day. Oh, and the doc’s dog also gets in the house and mauls Griffin to death. Fin.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQ1T4LWTuP4XJo8dZ9cc1_dtppTm1QMwEFcP7dCxn7WDSjzF7PgaG0fkVdn3VQIab7yPXZx5zSTP8NIXnc2Dj-lSf0js3vGZ-ADOwR4aEME46qssApvgAiEbls3huBrViGfZxPb3qVnPF/s1600/Pic22-+Griffin+and+Carradine+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQ1T4LWTuP4XJo8dZ9cc1_dtppTm1QMwEFcP7dCxn7WDSjzF7PgaG0fkVdn3VQIab7yPXZx5zSTP8NIXnc2Dj-lSf0js3vGZ-ADOwR4aEME46qssApvgAiEbls3huBrViGfZxPb3qVnPF/s400/Pic22-+Griffin+and+Carradine+2.jpg" width="400" height="226" data-original-width="876" data-original-height="494" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: The Good: The effects are pretty decent, especially where Griffin is shown fading away while running. Unfortunately, they had to ruin it with putting white chalk paint on Griffin’s face to show the start of the fading. Sorry, but the <a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/003/022/740/20130305_Bearer_LARGE_R_crop_650x440.jpg?1362547635">Paul Bearer look (pic of Paul Bearer)</a> only works as a comical villain.<br />
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The Bad: I’ll just say it. I hate this movie. This is one of those films with an unlikable character in the lead. He then proceeds to attempt or commit robbery, murder, human trafficking, enslavement, blackmail, arson, and property damage. I hate setups like this. I literally spent the whole movie just hoping someone would kick Griffin’s ass. That’s not fun. Unlikable characters can work- like Scarlett O’Hara, Andy Sipowitz, or Walter White. But those people always give a hint that they can reform. That’s not possible here. And I hate it.<br />
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I also hate how people are so stupid in this movie. Yes, this is a film where the plot moves only because people act like idiots. Consider:<br />
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-After drugging Griffin, the Herricks should call THE CONSTABLE and burn Griffin’s copy of the agreement. Reasonable. But they have to be angelic and decide to settle this once he’s normal. Of course, we know Griffin’s mad now from prison time and will never recover. The road to Hell truly is paved with good intentions.<br />
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-The Mad Scientist just randomly experiments on any guy he finds. Look, I know fugitives are ideal because no one will miss them if the science backfires and they die or worse. But if it works, well, the consequences speak for themselves. Screen your test subjects, already!<br />
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-Griffin constantly tells Jasper he can destroy him with an unauthorized, unsealed, unnotarized note, etc. that admits to 2 counts of attempted murder and then just giving away all his worldly possessions to the alleged murder target. Look, I’m not a lawyer like Andrew and this is the post <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/09/sports/baseball-ted-williams-s-son-no-stranger-to-controversy.html">John-Henry Williams world</a>, but Griffin has to make his takeover official at some point and I like to think even the shadiest lawyer might get a little suspicious of a note like that.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTVtJ6mYa39jj-9IX5qnT_6NZrs1DZfq8G8Kehr36rz8RzvzQ7WgqH3IENAjbRaSuq0TrbzI9pPRjeGkohjSUTuUVsuLo2G086M9p6ASfrIK7ciZof0NA5z90bbnjhakv9jn9-4I_4c54/s1600/Pic23-+Disembodied+Head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTVtJ6mYa39jj-9IX5qnT_6NZrs1DZfq8G8Kehr36rz8RzvzQ7WgqH3IENAjbRaSuq0TrbzI9pPRjeGkohjSUTuUVsuLo2G086M9p6ASfrIK7ciZof0NA5z90bbnjhakv9jn9-4I_4c54/s400/Pic23-+Disembodied+Head.jpg" width="400" height="237" data-original-width="883" data-original-height="524" /></a></div>-Why doesn’t Jasper call THE CONSTABLE when Griffin is visible? It’s his best chance. Instead he goes outside to smoke. And, of course THE CONSTABLE shows up out of nowhere to wrap up the film. Yay.<br />
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-Mark, the intrepid investigative reporter. See above in ‘Plot.’<br />
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Jon Hall as Robert Griffin (the latest Invisible Man): I can’t blame Mr. Hall for this. He’s got range, as the previous film shows. Here, he’s in a B-film doing only what the screenwriter and director tell him to do and picking up his check on Friday. The actor gets a pass. The character does not.<br />
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I hate, hate, hate this Griffin. He has no redeeming qualities and I just want him to die. In pro wrestling, this would be called ‘bad heat’- where the crowd, instead of getting into the storyline, just want the annoying villain wrestler to be beaten to a pulp and out of their lives forever. And in an amazing coincidence, this Griffin reminds me of yet another Griffin- the Griffin from ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YzbINJMDyQ">Red Zone Cuba</a>,’ a putrid mess of a film connected to this one by also starring John Carradine. (And in this one, he does look 100 years old.) This <a href="http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Griffin_(Red_Zone_Cuba)">Other Griffin</a> also escapes from prison to roam the countryside, stealing, abusing his colleagues, murdering, raping, and attempting mine plundering. The resemblance is uncanny. Perhaps the only difference is that <a href="http://mst3k.wikia.com/wiki/MST3K_619_-_Red_Zone_Cuba">RZC</a> was a no budget P.O.S. that leaves you hollow and steals most of your soul during viewing. At least IMR was made by professionals. It will only make you mad at life and want to punch a hole in your wall. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8FV3To27z3-4405pcLvLeoKQ82QjdFXDxjHp1-ad3wENaGYpHoze24i-HqvXoVVwMrPiG_bPquQEeketcMW0bFa6xKQ8_XVrYmOL51emMT4wuKi2GCISluN0cYIzb6R76Qh5IVeZEgKS/s1600/Pic24-+Breakfast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8FV3To27z3-4405pcLvLeoKQ82QjdFXDxjHp1-ad3wENaGYpHoze24i-HqvXoVVwMrPiG_bPquQEeketcMW0bFa6xKQ8_XVrYmOL51emMT4wuKi2GCISluN0cYIzb6R76Qh5IVeZEgKS/s400/Pic24-+Breakfast.jpg" width="400" height="270" data-original-width="869" data-original-height="587" /></a></div>And on that cheery note, here’s a cure for the common Universal turdburger: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79wm06j3_gM">improv lord and legend Colin Mochrie!</a><br />
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BTW, did anyone notice there’s a full moon next week?<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-83038750731529196102018-10-12T22:22:00.000-04:002018-10-12T22:22:53.284-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Universal Monster Mash- The Dracula/Frankenstein Sequels<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZpGxN8pNHTFaUmJknWLRL-fsrFE5pzd6GdR1mPacoN9AWWk-gI26mea3fqCDiGvpBQtA5RkTIks21PvQ3LwtNplj0e1oAG42iY_OuEu0XFd_Qlzke37z2BQcT7NYCcP2wjqIwJn_S_N9/s1600/01-+Drac+and+Frank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZpGxN8pNHTFaUmJknWLRL-fsrFE5pzd6GdR1mPacoN9AWWk-gI26mea3fqCDiGvpBQtA5RkTIks21PvQ3LwtNplj0e1oAG42iY_OuEu0XFd_Qlzke37z2BQcT7NYCcP2wjqIwJn_S_N9/s200/01-+Drac+and+Frank.jpg" width="200" height="117" data-original-width="835" data-original-height="488" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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OK, time to move to a new world of movies: the world of ‘talkies.’ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNuVifA7DSU">(Take it away, Bobby!)</a> A truly scientific innovation that expanded the medium. (And no, I don’t care if Thomas Edison said sound ruined movies by allowing actors to get lazy and depend only on their voices. He was an inventor, not artist. So, what did he know?)<span id="fullpost"><br />
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Specifically, we’re going to enter the Sound Era of Universal’s Monsters with sequels- a heavy dose of them. Most follow the classic formula of the “[Something] of [insert Monster’s Name here]” format. (The Something Of’s cousins, the Possessive Sequels, are, of course, sprinkled in here and there.) This style is an easy way to bring a beloved ghoul back after a previous director/writer/producer foolishly killed them off. I mean, these sequels can be anything- Bride, Son, Cousin, Beautician, CPA, Witch Doctor, Spin Doctor, Console-Modder, Tax Collector... wait, hold on. Hm... Tax Collector of Dracula? Hold on.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0sH_UBbSfial5KkAxl0_pWttEgBg0rYgbRmRkYLwq1GDxhXVcphEts1Ta-IiwEC-lfpTdkebeyniQ1Sbo86oegKyo7w0z71I1OgZEyeVo8vKznZfLnctTqrBL4YLpPdKBmVwDY8Yla9e/s1600/02-+Obligatory+Lugosi+Dracula+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0sH_UBbSfial5KkAxl0_pWttEgBg0rYgbRmRkYLwq1GDxhXVcphEts1Ta-IiwEC-lfpTdkebeyniQ1Sbo86oegKyo7w0z71I1OgZEyeVo8vKznZfLnctTqrBL4YLpPdKBmVwDY8Yla9e/s400/02-+Obligatory+Lugosi+Dracula+Pic.jpg" width="400" height="371" data-original-width="682" data-original-height="632" /></a></div>Note: I’ve already written a rather extensive article on the original Universal <i>Dracula</i> as part of my Dracula series from two years ago. If you missed it, you can check it out here: <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2016/10/monsterpiece-theater-dracula.html">LINK</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVSqZf2YrGatxLlII80UZBEb3NiwW_cJOmfgvH-YZtwvtiU6CsjHv81Eqa30KUcKPkpnBtOYGSuFn7-c4HKF1EwZatOSiY1rXfUeFw9eSIa3quobZi6hfNp504IsmwTqCdH1SexNmrH74/s1600/03-+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVSqZf2YrGatxLlII80UZBEb3NiwW_cJOmfgvH-YZtwvtiU6CsjHv81Eqa30KUcKPkpnBtOYGSuFn7-c4HKF1EwZatOSiY1rXfUeFw9eSIa3quobZi6hfNp504IsmwTqCdH1SexNmrH74/s200/03-+Poster.jpg" width="131" height="200" data-original-width="418" data-original-height="640" /></a></div><b>Dracula’s Daughter (Universal, 1936)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa0jV3wsgZs">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: Things pick up immediately after the end of the events of Dracula as a pair of policemen arrive at Carfax Abbey, finding Renfield’s body, Count Dracula’s staked corpse, and Dr. Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan), who confesses to killing the Count and is arrested. The bodies are taken to a morgue, where the Count’s corpse is stolen by a woman who hypnotizes the guard. Once outside in a Fog-Shrouded Forest, the woman, Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden), who calls herself Dracula’s daughter, and her servant/familiar, Sandor (Irving Pichel), cremate it, hoping the ceremony will make her human again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_cmVA2z_Yhf727Jm2HfXbcURkRrnRUsSGapG_s6Tpm9Zlv4RKGdKaohY0CDFBK4UY5HNSqnBTsQl-kEebPUsCASFw5s9W7YoW86KHYPs5YbE46cWHI8O7AXnjlg2dYySR-1Q0zM_CFry/s1600/04-+Dracula+Cremation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_cmVA2z_Yhf727Jm2HfXbcURkRrnRUsSGapG_s6Tpm9Zlv4RKGdKaohY0CDFBK4UY5HNSqnBTsQl-kEebPUsCASFw5s9W7YoW86KHYPs5YbE46cWHI8O7AXnjlg2dYySR-1Q0zM_CFry/s400/04-+Dracula+Cremation.jpg" width="400" height="305" data-original-width="811" data-original-height="618" /></a></div><br />
Van Helsing, meanwhile, is being held at Scotland Yard. He pleas with noted psychiatrist and former student Dr. Jeffrey Garth (Otto Kruger) to believe and defend him. (Van Helsing’s defense is that it can’t be a case of murder when the stiff has already been dead for over 500 years.) Garth himself is soon approached by Countess Zaleska, who, having failed to become human after the destruction of Dracula’s body, thinks his expertise in hypnosis might cure her bloodlust. In the meantime, she tries to pursue painting. In this case, she tries painting a portrait of a prostitute brought in by Sandor, but instead gives in to her cravings and bites he girl instead.<br />
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When Garth questions the girl under hypnosis, she reveals the truth about Zaleska before dying of a heart attack. Zaleska kidnaps Garth’s secretary/wannabe-girlfriend and heads for Transylvania, pursued by Garth, Van Helsing, and the sheriff. Garth makes it to Castle Dracula, where Zaleska reveals it was a trap to bring him there so she could make him a vampire and they could live together for eternity. However, a jealous Sandor- who Zaleska, it seems, made the same promise to him- shoots Zaleksa with a bow and arrow. Zaleska dies as Van Helsing relates a sliver of her history just in time before the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvkvOfm5Vo0">Abrupt Ending</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TAoBA4J8C3rMy2VE9bX2ZhQCLqCXD_bjHZA74blaRKgVAKfrevTSesinH0jEy_GDgUe28C8tnuMiz6bCczE5nq1ZNV0HiaBGk-mJ8YGQnjzZQWLZ5gxCSCe_SzA_NlOpLFHm1rdzrcCz/s1600/05-+Zaleska+and+Garth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TAoBA4J8C3rMy2VE9bX2ZhQCLqCXD_bjHZA74blaRKgVAKfrevTSesinH0jEy_GDgUe28C8tnuMiz6bCczE5nq1ZNV0HiaBGk-mJ8YGQnjzZQWLZ5gxCSCe_SzA_NlOpLFHm1rdzrcCz/s400/05-+Zaleska+and+Garth.jpg" width="400" height="283" data-original-width="863" data-original-height="611" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: This isn’t a bad follow-up, as far as sequels go. Multiple Internet sources claim it was based on ‘Dracula’s Guest,’ the excised first chapter of the novel Dracula. (The chapter in question has Jonathan Harker encountering supernatural goings-on around Munich. It seems it ruined the pace and suspense later on. Stoker’s widow, Florence, later published it as a short story.) But I don’t see it. Mainly, this is the original movie in reverse. It starts in England and goes back to Transylvania. Here, the vampire wants to end her vampirism instead of spreading it. But like the original, the vampire is trying mostly to find true, undead love.<br />
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Like its predecessor, this film was supposed to be a massive undertaking, with most of the original cast- along with other veteran Universal actors- coming back. However, my guess is costs got out of hand and things were scaled back. Nevertheless, this was the last horror film Universal would release for three years. It seems the Laemmles had overspent on numerous, inferior productions that failed to make their money back, forcing them to take out a massive loan. When the Laemmles failed to repay, the creditors took over, kicked the Laemmles out, and ordered a halt on horror films because they simply didn’t like them. (This all happened only fours days after Dracula’s Daughter wrapped.) Still, it’s a decent film, worth looking at, but I don’t it’s worth many repeat viewings.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-TBCAdqIqvB4kDcZGk31w7PkIhVcSlScEwjOwngRjgJ7TslvywShUix0RVT1lhSAKAUBPK7jDEct-i3kFwUMR9GSriGHyC8syJz6dpXgw1pfX77EsrR1GGQq4B64SAdtBBvOa1e1eJbD/s1600/06-+Zaleska.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-TBCAdqIqvB4kDcZGk31w7PkIhVcSlScEwjOwngRjgJ7TslvywShUix0RVT1lhSAKAUBPK7jDEct-i3kFwUMR9GSriGHyC8syJz6dpXgw1pfX77EsrR1GGQq4B64SAdtBBvOa1e1eJbD/s400/06-+Zaleska.jpg" width="400" height="307" data-original-width="819" data-original-height="629" /></a></div>Gloria Holden as Countess Marya Zaleska: All right, it’s time to talk about what everyone talks about when this movie is brought up: lesbianism! As noted above, Countess Zaleska attacks a prostitute after bringing her to a studio on the premise of painting a picture of her. Well, during the scene, Zaleska instructs the lady of the evening to gently strip down to her bare shoulders and back. The way the scene goes, Zaleska becomes visibly more attracted the more the girl strips until she can’t help herself. (The addition of a reflection from her ‘hypnotic’ ring hitting the girl’s eyes- reminiscent of the same technique used for Lugosi’s close-ups in the original film- is a nice touch.) This is followed by a scene at the end of the film, where she almost attacks Garth’s secretary in a similar setup (and would’ve lost the bargaining chip essential to her scheme). Now, I’ve read that a lot of the crew who made these movies were gay, but as a straight guy, I can’t tell if it’s meant to be gay or not. Seeing humans as meals, Zaleska could just be giving into her bloodlust. (She kills a man for his blood early in the film.) Perhaps they were just teasing the audience as much as they could under the Production Code. Still, that didn’t keep Universal from using taglines like, “Are the Women of London Safe?”<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfJeDx1R8hYPPtyiaw6wWwtpYjcxZqbYAE1lp-KhOj5N-yvA8Dz1EaJdOstVXBVBqpSOC0gEcGrddj_3vLhr580YWI5xIegqrQ7AS_WmYoy48T5Ct-vTU_fI05cqQo6bCLOQduVUhsYv0/s1600/07-+Zaleska+and+prostitute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfJeDx1R8hYPPtyiaw6wWwtpYjcxZqbYAE1lp-KhOj5N-yvA8Dz1EaJdOstVXBVBqpSOC0gEcGrddj_3vLhr580YWI5xIegqrQ7AS_WmYoy48T5Ct-vTU_fI05cqQo6bCLOQduVUhsYv0/s400/07-+Zaleska+and+prostitute.jpg" width="400" height="307" data-original-width="837" data-original-height="642" /></a></div>Gender implications aside, Zaleska herself is completely different from Dracula. She bemoans how ugly it can be to be a vampire. She longs for daylight, food, human music, and beauty, but is always pulled back into the darkness. It makes her more sympathetic, even after she gives up all hope for a cure and tries to live with Garth forever as vampires. As for her connection to the Count, she claims to be his daughter but, at the end, Van Helsing says she died 100 years ago. Dracula, he says, died 500 years ago. Maybe she was a favored bride who he made his heir? Tough to say.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqcy0TY5R63shLIMZ5bSmXLNgucrkD0pGX_GtvyvB-nGMRnXNNlJjkpgB3DR0AGsokfMSkd9l-8bd16POPsNm8ucGzYjR9KpgYEcW9TtyquS0UV8IIM4a9uo6nwlRdKKkKBpeyQBX7jjp/s1600/Pic08-+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqcy0TY5R63shLIMZ5bSmXLNgucrkD0pGX_GtvyvB-nGMRnXNNlJjkpgB3DR0AGsokfMSkd9l-8bd16POPsNm8ucGzYjR9KpgYEcW9TtyquS0UV8IIM4a9uo6nwlRdKKkKBpeyQBX7jjp/s200/Pic08-+Poster.jpg" width="128" height="200" data-original-width="414" data-original-height="646" /></a></div><b>Son of Dracula (Universal, 1943)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0rPaeTHJmY">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: In the bayou of Louisiana, a strange, European-y character named Count Alucard (try not to laugh), arrives with a few crates and a coffin with his name on it. He travels to a plantation called ‘Dark Oaks,’ where the owner lives with his two daughters. That night, the owner dies mysteriously. One of his daughters. Katherine, (Louise Albritton) inherits the estate while her sister Claire (Evelyn Ankers) gets the money. Within a few days, Katherine- a stoic, wooden-ish, world-weary occult enthusiast- courts the Count and marries. This doesn’t sit well with her longtime boyfriend, Frank (Robert Paige). To make his point, Frank does what any level-headed guy in his position would do: he shoots the Count with a revolver, only for the bullets to strike Katherine standing behind the Count. Distraught at his overwhelming failure, Frank surrenders to authorities for Katherine’s murder.<br />
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Meanwhile, Dr. Bewster (Frank Craven), who had been suspicious of the Count, searches Dark Oaks and confronts the Count (Lon Chaney, Jr.). He’s taken to see Katherine in her room, where she is alive and well... er, uh, she’s animated and well... she’s moving and taking in a slow, Kathleen Turner-ish voice and looking like death and, oh, she’s a vampire, already! They couple even tell the doc they won’t be around in the daylight. Hint, hint! The doc accepts everything and leaves without question. Oh, come on! The audience knows what’s going on! Ray Charles and Mr. Magoo can see what’s going on! Why must we do this “are vampires real” song and dance in every movie the respective audience knows is featuring vampires?! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fEDxk-PtYf685ANfxgvXgbzlPDCiCd0SHofaJrRsmQX7TKjZbiZAnO9A0uXf9rwrQLsOSiXCMl4YjABv_1dRIAQM_4jHOsjQsMkuV2svo_SARc9eCJmDY1SanOMykO9noGNO2d4XDQsX/s1600/Pic09-+Katherine+in+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fEDxk-PtYf685ANfxgvXgbzlPDCiCd0SHofaJrRsmQX7TKjZbiZAnO9A0uXf9rwrQLsOSiXCMl4YjABv_1dRIAQM_4jHOsjQsMkuV2svo_SARc9eCJmDY1SanOMykO9noGNO2d4XDQsX/s400/Pic09-+Katherine+in+Bed.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="860" data-original-height="646" /></a></div>Back to Frank, who’s in jail. Katherine suddenly appears before him after traveling as both mist and a bat. She reveals that Alucard isn’t just a Hungarian nobleman- he’s Dracula himself. (No, way! You’ve GOT to be kidding!) You speak with a forked tongue, lady. She adds that she only married Dracula so that he would make her a vampire and she could live forever. Gold digger! Shameless social climber! And now she wants Frank to kill Dracula so the two of them can live together forever as vampires. On top of all that, a manipulative femme fatale, too?! Devil, thy name is woman.<br />
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Frank breaks out of prison with Katherine’s help and heads to a swamp. There, in a Fog-Shrouded Forest, he finds Dracula’s coffins and proceeds to burn it, living him no refuge. The Count tries to stop him, but the sun rises and Drac is reduced to bones. Frank then goes to the mansion where Bella Swa- Katherine sleeps in her coffin. Brewster, the sheriff, and a Hungarian scholar whom Brewster contacted earlier break in just in time to see Katherine’s body being burned by Frank. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG79Kl6f1oNLPyOzMBsJW1IF6byyWkD2QVmlk-GoiBxJZl1CFYO0DyPUS0p7O_C3L-aJWI2yv5_4fV7_6QY2RRwL_9xQKqaAunwUIRGROABx1KGIzMWxKFMBZjvzPy1mg-oBgXRLWGbtE7/s1600/Pic10-+Alucard+and+Katherine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG79Kl6f1oNLPyOzMBsJW1IF6byyWkD2QVmlk-GoiBxJZl1CFYO0DyPUS0p7O_C3L-aJWI2yv5_4fV7_6QY2RRwL_9xQKqaAunwUIRGROABx1KGIzMWxKFMBZjvzPy1mg-oBgXRLWGbtE7/s400/Pic10-+Alucard+and+Katherine.jpg" width="400" height="284" data-original-width="888" data-original-height="631" /></a></div>Close, but no cigar, witchy woman. So close.<br />
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Thoughts and Background: This film was made in the latter phase of Universal horror during the 1940’s. It’s generally regarded as inferior to the 1930’s. As noted above, the plot isn’t very original. Even less is you assume that the screenwriter used Doc Brown’s DeLorean to travel to the 21st century and read <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZleC_rLJdY">a certain book</a> before coming back and writing the script. Yeah. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3WG5kUksrc">Think about it.</a> Bland female protagonist <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0DPtUG2hg0">uses vampire to become immortal</a> and live with her boyfriend for all eternity <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctCOLBM5s1g">while spurning and being unlikable to everyone else</a>. Katherine is a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGV15kXY43U">You-Know-Who</a> for a previous generation and if you disagree, well, you’re wrong. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3_EDvvaMSTvVWAorzDMi35obvJX0rrvXXStorNm-VUuODTZfm9PC1tgbmS9oazE4W-zKEGZYttwC3Zu7SX35gsGNh9EA6AwzrWSh89LXS-QCDcg8aze9dYqqcNtD8siT5HpmHhuH9IcE/s1600/Pic11-+Katherine+and+Frank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3_EDvvaMSTvVWAorzDMi35obvJX0rrvXXStorNm-VUuODTZfm9PC1tgbmS9oazE4W-zKEGZYttwC3Zu7SX35gsGNh9EA6AwzrWSh89LXS-QCDcg8aze9dYqqcNtD8siT5HpmHhuH9IcE/s400/Pic11-+Katherine+and+Frank.jpg" width="400" height="302" data-original-width="848" data-original-height="640" /></a></div>Still, this movie has its moments. For all the flack I’ve given it, the actors playing Katherine and Frank play their roles well enough to keep things interesting and prevent it from being boring. (I do like how Katherine’s makeup and costume change to pale white and dark/worn respectively after she becomes a vampire. She even moves and speaks more slowly to complete the effect, which is a good decision by the actress and crew.) The New Orleans setting is nice, except that many of the sets were clearly used in other Universal horror films. Also, this the first Universal film to animate the bat-to-‘human’ transformations for the vampires. (As well as the only one to show them changing into mist.) Now, if only there wasn’t that one scene where you could see Alucard in the mirror... oops! And speak of the Devil...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFji_gStkjpbReMdbW6X02EsmPpD4bgxBV-rk4zwu-LNrHKvQ0dXgZHNW84X-MNfc37zhDVTwgukLP3Z4_9Orax2UmdsKKIndM_FbxckJWElJJxQMbPPS9R79Zt9aZkCB4Yn_hZJTuBd3J/s1600/Pic12-+Count+Alucard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFji_gStkjpbReMdbW6X02EsmPpD4bgxBV-rk4zwu-LNrHKvQ0dXgZHNW84X-MNfc37zhDVTwgukLP3Z4_9Orax2UmdsKKIndM_FbxckJWElJJxQMbPPS9R79Zt9aZkCB4Yn_hZJTuBd3J/s400/Pic12-+Count+Alucard.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="874" data-original-height="656" /></a></div>Lon Chaney, Jr. as Count Alucard/Dracula: Remember two years ago when I thought <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2016/10/monsterpiece-theater-dracula-films-that.html">Jack Palance was miscast as Dracula</a>? We have a new champion. The younger Chaney is completely out of his element here. Lacking his father’s range, this Chaney specialized in playing sad sack, brooding, often tragic characters. To play Dracula requires a level of confidence, which Chaney doesn’t show. At best he’s stiff, delivers his lines in what I can only describe as mumbled staccato, and occasionally shakes things up by doing an almost comical ‘tense growl’ with his face. To say Lugosi’s elegant danger and charming menace are sorely missed would be a phenomenal understatement.<br />
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Also, not to complain too much, but we last saw Dracula being cremated in England. This film says Katherine met him in Budapest. Uh... how? And another thing, this flick references Dracula as having been killed in the 19th century. <i>Dracula’s Daughter</i> takes places- allegedly- at the same time, but with radios, electric lighting, and Rolls Royces, it is clearly set in the 1930’s. For a cinematic universe that prided itself (occasionally) on continuity, this is really leaving me confused.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fbit3sVZx-6ukJqHydL6yfjay8HjR8auWZi-SEAQl5tT9fUGRE7mMwqtL8EfOzbbf3X6l7JSIc5VDNhaInySDTlflR_CJZCnj3kWdqHqVloiXJ8Q3BNokdS6iyMjnxq_xqPrLiOt4YRJ/s1600/Pic13-+Vampire+Katherine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fbit3sVZx-6ukJqHydL6yfjay8HjR8auWZi-SEAQl5tT9fUGRE7mMwqtL8EfOzbbf3X6l7JSIc5VDNhaInySDTlflR_CJZCnj3kWdqHqVloiXJ8Q3BNokdS6iyMjnxq_xqPrLiOt4YRJ/s400/Pic13-+Vampire+Katherine.jpg" width="318" height="400" data-original-width="505" data-original-height="636" /></a></div>Note: As with <i>Dracula</i>, I’ve already covered the original <i>Frankenstein</i> and its first sequel, <i>The Bride of Frankenstein</i>, in a previous article. You can read it here: <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2015/11/monsterpiece-theater-frankenstein-or.html">LINK</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaxuyP8-R16leOPI1m60pqFUoVmcveexg5Muu9prIKRs9SNmyvCs0ZvLCJYatN6KI-sUnUtetp5pQ3QbqDRGC8jbh8_AUGaX7fxyEkn58kSL0_G99jlrZQ-imZjvYxhqroSijWgr9iD5o/s1600/Pic15-+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIaxuyP8-R16leOPI1m60pqFUoVmcveexg5Muu9prIKRs9SNmyvCs0ZvLCJYatN6KI-sUnUtetp5pQ3QbqDRGC8jbh8_AUGaX7fxyEkn58kSL0_G99jlrZQ-imZjvYxhqroSijWgr9iD5o/s200/Pic15-+Poster.jpg" width="140" height="200" data-original-width="451" data-original-height="646" /></a></div><b>Son of Frankenstein (Universal, 1939)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WEU89n1NAI">Trailer</a><br />
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Plot: It’s a not-so-happy time in the town of…Frankenstein? Oh, okay. We’ll go with it. Anyway, the new baron, Wolf von Frankenstein (Basil Rathbone) has brought his American wife and young son to receive the family inheritance and live at the Frankenstein family castle. Following a cold reception from the village folk, Wolf examines the castle and its laboratory, determined to redeem the family’s reputation. He finds more than he bargained for when he runs into a creepy, deformed blacksmith named Ygor (Bela Lugosi) who has been hiding out in the castle. Ygor brings Wolf to the crypt of his disgraced father and grandfather. And only a few feet away, lying in a coma since being struck by a bolt of lightning, is the Monster (Boris Karloff) himself.<br />
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Wolf then conducts a series of experiments that ultimately revive the Monster. Wolf wants to share his triumph with the world, proving that his father was right. But Ygor has other plans. It seems the decrepit man was hanged by the villagers after being found guilty of graverobbing. Somehow, despite the noose breaking his neck, the strange man survived. And before Wolf arrived, Ygor managed to hypnotize the Monster, getting it to respond to his commands and kill the townspeople who served on the jury and sentenced him to hang. Now that Wolf has revived the Monster, Ygor sets out to complete his revenge.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflQOfDebZHTe_CbOxMJh47NBhTfGYMBJlLHOpuIMrdk6jHCas7gvCzsHa1beOSoEO_YHr1PZBUJe35qEBDG4aKO5bWyNJddpPuAbIVGUvOCcOpoT008RsTGG6nHNLzHh2Z7g5OJPGFmbr/s1600/Pic16-+Wolf+and+Ygor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflQOfDebZHTe_CbOxMJh47NBhTfGYMBJlLHOpuIMrdk6jHCas7gvCzsHa1beOSoEO_YHr1PZBUJe35qEBDG4aKO5bWyNJddpPuAbIVGUvOCcOpoT008RsTGG6nHNLzHh2Z7g5OJPGFmbr/s400/Pic16-+Wolf+and+Ygor.jpg" width="400" height="297" data-original-width="859" data-original-height="637" /></a></div>The killings rile up the villagers, and a Pitchfork-and-Torches Mob storms the castle. Inside, Inspector Krogh (Lionel Atwill), who had been trying to defend the Frankenstein family from the overly-excited villagers, now suspects something sinister and symbolically places Wolf under arrest. Pushed to his limits by all around him, Wolf seeks out Ygor in the lab and shoots him dead. The devastated Monster, furious at losing his only friend, kidnaps Wolf’s young son and is pursued by the Baron and Krogh. In a final showdown, Wolf channels the spirit of Tarzan by swinging on a rope and knocking the Monster over a ledge and into a sulfur pit. The film Abruptly Ends with Wolf handing the castle over to the mayor and jumping on the first train out of town.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiKZr3EuPDRsDQNLNOCOQYPyS6BCn8GJmoxVWu_bG0ByWzjaIbe45A8_5nwtANLMbtkglIdHHkgu9cJGPikv1zHnEPTyqq6s53z-OQ4WIdC7koBqhD8E9Ri39x9QtmisJ9WedosS7uX6Q/s1600/Pic17-+In+the+Lab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiKZr3EuPDRsDQNLNOCOQYPyS6BCn8GJmoxVWu_bG0ByWzjaIbe45A8_5nwtANLMbtkglIdHHkgu9cJGPikv1zHnEPTyqq6s53z-OQ4WIdC7koBqhD8E9Ri39x9QtmisJ9WedosS7uX6Q/s400/Pic17-+In+the+Lab.jpg" width="400" height="303" data-original-width="857" data-original-height="650" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: This is a very worthy follow-up the original film and <i>Bride</i>. A good way for Universal to re-start their horror franchise after lifting their (aforementioned) three-year ban! (Why? Well, a re-release double-bill of Dracula and Frankenstein made a huge profit. And since film execs like green, the ban was lifted.) It has all the massive sets and gloomy feel that one would want in a Frankenstein film. The castle feels empty and foreboding throughout. There’s never-ending tension between the Frankenstein family and the Angry Villagers who were terrorized by the Monster’s prior appearances. The plot is also unique, with the Monster not being the focus of the entire film, but rather the Baron, Ygor, and Inspector Krogh. (More on the first two in a second.) Lionel Atwill does a nice turn as Krogh, a policeman who lost his right to the Monster when he was a boy. He endures both the villagers’ demands for revenge and Wolf’s arrogance with grace, only losing his calm when Hell freezes over at the end. This character was later immortalized when Kenneth Mars spoofed/homaged him as Inspector Kemp in <i>Young Frankenstein</i> (1974). (I mean, they got all the details correct. While playing darts, Mars even sticks the darts in his wooden arm just like Atwill does in this film!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3odOZtchhuH-6RN6UgcEflL4-OwQAnowo1S6XI0Py3PxIp6DkvmeXU1SLb_9pPqr3Qcay3K4I_FSaAoK4JbojI6E9rlQjYfYMeuFYxMVS3so_cnNiKo5XLNFVsVB-aGNm_cytdzPY25WX/s1600/Pic18-+Atwill+and+Mars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3odOZtchhuH-6RN6UgcEflL4-OwQAnowo1S6XI0Py3PxIp6DkvmeXU1SLb_9pPqr3Qcay3K4I_FSaAoK4JbojI6E9rlQjYfYMeuFYxMVS3so_cnNiKo5XLNFVsVB-aGNm_cytdzPY25WX/s400/Pic18-+Atwill+and+Mars.jpg" width="400" height="159" data-original-width="898" data-original-height="356" /></a></div>My only gripes are well, first of all, why is the town named Frankenstein? It’s Goldstadt in the first two films. And second, where did this castle come from? The original films show the Frankenstein family with a mansion while Henry conducts his experiments in an abandoned watch tower which is destroyed at the end of Bride. Was the tower an ancestral castle? I don’t know.<br />
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Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein Monster: It’s Boris’ third and final outing in his iconic role. And despite the addition of a bear outfit, he picks up right where left off. The only problem is that he isn’t given much to do, other than mourn Ygor at the end. Did you know this film was originally meant to be in color? Well, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3f-zm2jyFo">screen tests were done</a> (he’s strangling makeup artist Jack Pierce in this clip), but the production remained black and white. Popular theory is that execs thought the makeup looked bad in color; although, it’s equally possible that color filming might have been deemed too expensive. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDwxdT929ottui5LzH5UdML4fBtqwtuiK0GzQPWqIq2LBZaCXhbDvUdAzXgXmAjWNCWjb0-caK4_jODOKCc8zLnKsE1oE0dWjJVRKyHtlEzpa74Pp5JciUKB9tMTZlwtQvMyEGqJ6TuXT/s1600/Pic19-+The+monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDwxdT929ottui5LzH5UdML4fBtqwtuiK0GzQPWqIq2LBZaCXhbDvUdAzXgXmAjWNCWjb0-caK4_jODOKCc8zLnKsE1oE0dWjJVRKyHtlEzpa74Pp5JciUKB9tMTZlwtQvMyEGqJ6TuXT/s400/Pic19-+The+monster.jpg" width="400" height="302" data-original-width="821" data-original-height="620" /></a></div>And one more thing on Boris. I’m always amazed at how he brings his “A” game to every role. Contrast that with Rathbone in this picture. Rathbone reportedly disliked horror films and passive-aggressively showed his dislike by completely overacting his part (which he does). And this wasn’t an isolated incident: they were both like this throughout their careers! I’ll give you one more example. Both had parts in the AIP ‘beach party’ flick, <i>The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini</i>. Okay, it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNim5b96qFE">IS what you’re thinking</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGqXNekSVnU">it’s NOT</a> (OR MAYBE IS) what you’re thinking. (You readers and your filthy minds.) Anyway, Karloff plays a newly-deceased ghost who must do a good deed- making sure his heirs inherit his estate- to get into Heaven (stay with me). Rathbone plays his lawyer, who tries to take the estate for himself. Seeing this film as beneath him, Rathbone goes through the motions to get his paycheck. But despite only a few minutes of screen time, Karloff gives it his all and still makes his part memorable. I guess that’s why Rathbone’s such a grump and Karloff belongs in a class with actors like Vincent Price, Raul Julia, and Gary Oldman, who, out of respect for their craft and audiences, could never give a bad performance.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jFqaoZA08Jgt8AH10NM_MyG0QE0qSecSqnvAAPstq_UaHId7mn1oimDLnE1bmRepY81_EXXOxqOHOOS_Uhg574JQNJzH5wKWaveiiFF37B9T7dEKMTLzHVdygYOL4QYe3LtexodOgIUX/s1600/Pic20-+Ygor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jFqaoZA08Jgt8AH10NM_MyG0QE0qSecSqnvAAPstq_UaHId7mn1oimDLnE1bmRepY81_EXXOxqOHOOS_Uhg574JQNJzH5wKWaveiiFF37B9T7dEKMTLzHVdygYOL4QYe3LtexodOgIUX/s400/Pic20-+Ygor.jpg" width="400" height="300" data-original-width="853" data-original-height="639" /></a></div>Bela Lugosi as Ygor: Lugosi makes a triumphal return to the Universal mainstream as a shadowy, seedy, unreliable, vengeful, manipulative scoundrel who survived a hanging and wants his enemies to pay by using the Monster as his tool of vengeance. This film had little to no script, leaving Lugosi to improvise most of his lines. This was reportedly a directorial decision to give Lugosi more screen time, increase his, and make him more central to the movie. And the legend makes the most of it. Ygor can be charming, possessive, and even threatening when necessary. To put it simply, Lugosi shows he’s more than just Count Dracula. (Exactly how “Ygor”, “Igor”, “Eye-gor?”- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxxSIX3fmmo">they do get it wrong</a>, now don’t they- become the standard name for slavish, hunch-backed lab assistants confounds me. Ygor isn’t a hunchback and is his own man. I suppose “Fritz” wasn’t European-y enough.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkIy4jKef05mmCO6WvxfVAm-WZDSVAJdxYjySLsTDYGzgRfDfIzHzPrfe6cKhA4GY0f6bvPn0J_kgZBPymCkAc03vjPvjmNXDiCctdBSGVB9yulEzGOKWU-ld36bMz36fArhPw7yd88f4/s1600/Pic22-+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkIy4jKef05mmCO6WvxfVAm-WZDSVAJdxYjySLsTDYGzgRfDfIzHzPrfe6cKhA4GY0f6bvPn0J_kgZBPymCkAc03vjPvjmNXDiCctdBSGVB9yulEzGOKWU-ld36bMz36fArhPw7yd88f4/s200/Pic22-+Poster.jpg" width="99" height="200" data-original-width="315" data-original-height="636" /></a></div><b>Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxtn5mwnMiM">Trailer</a><br />
<br />
Plot: Well, it appears running Wolf out of town and being bribed with his birthright estate wasn’t enough for the Angry Villagers of the village of... Frankenstein. Apparently, they think that family name of Frankenstein is still bad for the village of... Frankenstein. Could they just change the name? No. So, with mayoral blessing, they form a Pitchforks-and-Torches Mob and just rip the thing apart. Ygor (Bela Lugosi) escapes, but not before rescuing the Monster (Lon Chaney, Jr.), who’s been freed from the sulfur pit by the crumbling walls. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DTrhLde8ulXD6CPPYSTU_ar-qgVk7yqM72L55z-fk9HXv-LnWhlyYYJQuaDlfmf5nDSEcRrds2rgUIY_gTPXz-weYNS9_b54tboWfLVI8zj7KKQwrA9yEReyssNSI3afxHW1kx8tikDE/s1600/Pic23-+Sulfur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DTrhLde8ulXD6CPPYSTU_ar-qgVk7yqM72L55z-fk9HXv-LnWhlyYYJQuaDlfmf5nDSEcRrds2rgUIY_gTPXz-weYNS9_b54tboWfLVI8zj7KKQwrA9yEReyssNSI3afxHW1kx8tikDE/s400/Pic23-+Sulfur.jpg" width="400" height="299" data-original-width="865" data-original-height="647" /></a></div>The two make for the village of Vaseria where, after carrying a little girl on a roof(!) to get her ball, the Monster is captured. Ygor rushes to a nearby castle-mansion-sanitorium(?) to find Ludwig Frankenstein (Sir Cedric Hardwicke), the doc’s other son. (I put a question mark there because Ludwig is set up as a psychiatrist, but is immediately shown performing surgery. Seems everyone with a ‘Doctor’ title is automatically a surgeon around here.) Ygor blackmails the good doc, threatening to reveal his family history to the potential Angry Villagers of Vaseria unless he helps his dad’s creation. Ludwig convinces the city elders to move the Monster to his hospital(?), despite the objections of the film’s second Pitchfork-and-Torches Mob. Ludwig considers destroying the Monster by dissection, but a spectral visit from his father’s spirit (the ghost of the title), convinces him to ‘fix’ by giving the Monster a better (read: non-abnormal) brain.<br />
<br />
Ludwig decides to place the brain of Dr. Kettering (a minor character and colleague of Ludwig killed earlier in the film by the Monster), in the Monster’s body. Angered at possibly losing his control over the Monster, Ygor convinces Dr. Bohmer, Ludwig’s former-mentor-turned-junior-assistant, (Lionel Atwill- hey, from beat cop to brain surgeon in just one sequel. Not bad), to place Ygor’s brain in the Monster, claiming it will help him regain his lost fame. Bohmer does so, sabotaging the operation. Ludwig realizes what’s happened afterward when the Monster speaks with Ygor’s voice!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFHVgrxKKmrvyTONa_sadMv4vXfslR_yMcCqTrgW3reQcxWGhnYjml8nwIjrbN6L1gKGis5wI4wsrQUdVSCSmOqn9iFORfWvSJyvJCrymwNOWRNhJ_QzeVRLwHfGRC_vecsr2shiopNfY/s1600/Pic24-+The+Ygor-Monster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFHVgrxKKmrvyTONa_sadMv4vXfslR_yMcCqTrgW3reQcxWGhnYjml8nwIjrbN6L1gKGis5wI4wsrQUdVSCSmOqn9iFORfWvSJyvJCrymwNOWRNhJ_QzeVRLwHfGRC_vecsr2shiopNfY/s400/Pic24-+The+Ygor-Monster.jpg" width="400" height="302" data-original-width="875" data-original-height="661" /></a></div>To make matters worse, the villagers have arrived through the Fog-Shrouded Forest in full Pitchfork-and-Torches Mob mode to burn down the building. Hey, our third in one movie. Hat trick! Ludwig’s son-in-law-to-be, Erik (Ralph Bellamy), tries to hold them off by demanding due process and allowing him to talk with Ludwig first. The villagers- having the minds of your average swine- give him two minutes before deciding Erik’s cause is hopeless and storming the building anyway. Bohmer and Ygor/Monster release toxic gas(?) into the building to hold off the villagers. (You know, as an avowed of opponent of mob/SJW tactics and firm believer in the Fourth Amendment and private property, I really can’t disagree with this course of action.) Just then, the Monster goes blind! Why? Because Ygor’s blood type didn’t match the Monster’s! In a rage, the Monster kills Bohmer and fatally wounds Ludwig. Erik and Ludwig’s daughter, Elsa (Evelyn Ankers), escape as the Monster falls through the castle-mansion’s burning wreckage.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Oqilp-zykoxlm0Q35tTda-wXN1WyyJrTFIbJWB1uU2VrZEmI0K6H5YKV-VCmOciopX_YPP_Jo3zHE4MJ8sF38ff8BuR_EGsEWGSDobiaK-bSaN5oYC0sBj8Y8RQBVn2k2Bt5JY4wDzVS/s1600/Pic25-+Pitches+and+Torches%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Oqilp-zykoxlm0Q35tTda-wXN1WyyJrTFIbJWB1uU2VrZEmI0K6H5YKV-VCmOciopX_YPP_Jo3zHE4MJ8sF38ff8BuR_EGsEWGSDobiaK-bSaN5oYC0sBj8Y8RQBVn2k2Bt5JY4wDzVS/s400/Pic25-+Pitches+and+Torches%2521.jpg" width="400" height="294" data-original-width="850" data-original-height="624" /></a></div>Thoughts and Background: You might have noticed my change of tone for the second sequel for both <i>Frankenstein</i> and <i>Dracula</i>. As noted above, my research shows that a lot of this has to do with the drop in quality of Universal’s monster films after 1939. Most fans believe Son of Frankenstein was the studio’s last true attempt at horror (save for the Wolf Man). After that, everything was just another sequel churned out to make money. Boy, am I relieved <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLMib7lDzpM">that trend faded away!</a> In all honesty, there’s not more to add to my snarky remarks above. Let’s go to the Monsters.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAKYNQdzGYZhCCP5gvbCNYqHzPxiuDTXzVNMOM3tNDrfgQK7iorEiVsc-bGN4aBWO8XkoTYhn1mQefF8vuuVuBJVg0tjSms4fvpbAFPQiBcPWeVfYz9G04HcDdx71cxoamEfP2yHq0Imy/s1600/Pic26-+Monster+with+a+Child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAKYNQdzGYZhCCP5gvbCNYqHzPxiuDTXzVNMOM3tNDrfgQK7iorEiVsc-bGN4aBWO8XkoTYhn1mQefF8vuuVuBJVg0tjSms4fvpbAFPQiBcPWeVfYz9G04HcDdx71cxoamEfP2yHq0Imy/s400/Pic26-+Monster+with+a+Child.jpg" width="317" height="400" data-original-width="516" data-original-height="652" /></a></div>Lon Chaney, Jr. as Frankenstein’s Monster: When you’re a rising star, you get all the lead parts, I suppose. And like his aforementioned take on the Count, the younger Chaney adds very little to this role. He spends the entire movie with one facial expression- sleepwalking- and moves like a robot. All the careful characterization Boris Karloff created to make the character so memorable is as dead and buried as the body the Monster was originally made from. I’d almost call Chaney a zombie here, but even Romero’s zombies <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=komxaWgJ8O4">had more character than this</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXSNV0zliIqdTLkVawUkmITt5-39ou-U807dL1Qw_9X3xleFHpcy6PpmIVwAAW_BqCpD3U0RbiiXrDGianQaZbykn-a1kBC8t3f_vQVhsw9Bjn_RKefjKMvc60nkKHmcm-_OTcZDcGjBj/s1600/Pic27-+Ygor+with+Pipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXSNV0zliIqdTLkVawUkmITt5-39ou-U807dL1Qw_9X3xleFHpcy6PpmIVwAAW_BqCpD3U0RbiiXrDGianQaZbykn-a1kBC8t3f_vQVhsw9Bjn_RKefjKMvc60nkKHmcm-_OTcZDcGjBj/s400/Pic27-+Ygor+with+Pipe.jpg" width="400" height="295" data-original-width="879" data-original-height="648" /></a></div>Bela Lugosi as Ygor: Ah, redemption. Lugosi slides right back into character here without missing a beat. All of Ygor’s trademark cunning, deception, and manipulation are still here. He’s easily the most interesting character in the film and saves it from being a dud. His desire to control and then become his ‘friend’ drive the entire story. (OK, he wasn’t responsible for the Angry Villagers, but that’s not the point.) His punishment at the end feels just and fitting. Rightfully standing alongside Count Dracula, this is easily one of Lugosi’s brightest moments on the screen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRermJnqI1Acnl7WPJHcjJ9vhQE5BCRdFFuiWLD1l8-RclNNshEpLYD-ScRy7tETDss4mMaOTIdmGBZ9TL0pX70u1gp9Pr8_SChREiwAjb5PfHrSP1jQwTOO2UcI7gAqBFaZA-5P6bRn-0/s1600/Pic28-+Monster+Falls+in+Fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRermJnqI1Acnl7WPJHcjJ9vhQE5BCRdFFuiWLD1l8-RclNNshEpLYD-ScRy7tETDss4mMaOTIdmGBZ9TL0pX70u1gp9Pr8_SChREiwAjb5PfHrSP1jQwTOO2UcI7gAqBFaZA-5P6bRn-0/s400/Pic28-+Monster+Falls+in+Fire.jpg" width="400" height="327" data-original-width="729" data-original-height="596" /></a></div><br />
Next week, it’s all about the bandages...<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-5548726474564240352018-10-04T19:48:00.000-04:002018-10-04T19:48:02.906-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Universal Monster Mash- The Silent Era<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-ur-fOjJTHi0SxUC5l9r0QZT2Hg4S0fFMnCI_dNLgX3HdlehVJoTSrsqgV4N8N98QH69RpVtdnl-elxo1cPl3tbOEpu310wxvgL454vR3DgD9UB7BivmSzesA-YvR9h5_rf42cUTxe_w/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-ur-fOjJTHi0SxUC5l9r0QZT2Hg4S0fFMnCI_dNLgX3HdlehVJoTSrsqgV4N8N98QH69RpVtdnl-elxo1cPl3tbOEpu310wxvgL454vR3DgD9UB7BivmSzesA-YvR9h5_rf42cUTxe_w/s200/01.jpg" width="200" height="126" data-original-width="870" data-original-height="549" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
<br />
I was working at my computer, late one night...<br />
Searching for a theme that seemed just about right.<br />
Hammer, slasher, modern, nothing was a rise...<br />
Then, suddenly, I remembered and quickly realized...<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
To do the mash<br />
Let’s do the monster mash<br />
The monster mash<br />
It’ll be a graveyard smash<br />
Let’s do the mash<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAmB_qURxqo">The Universal Monster Mash!</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGP2pWeICjUjBDaeR_zG4MFOLJinUdKCQcN-QEw9CZuAvUXSr33DgTOq-Q_0gHPRS70IxX88T7HBs5dRducplO1nXI9S7gHANW3lCTAIc1OI3pKPQb7Vd16rCZ9HBHrGksDo3H6_Xy9cDd/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGP2pWeICjUjBDaeR_zG4MFOLJinUdKCQcN-QEw9CZuAvUXSr33DgTOq-Q_0gHPRS70IxX88T7HBs5dRducplO1nXI9S7gHANW3lCTAIc1OI3pKPQb7Vd16rCZ9HBHrGksDo3H6_Xy9cDd/s320/02.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="866" data-original-height="649" /></a></div>All right everyone, it’s the Haunting Season again! And that means another season of Monsterpiece Theater! Now, I know last year’s theme (Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee movies), was a little bit niche. In this business, you gotta take risks. Some work out, some don’t. So, this year I decided to go with a better-known theme: The Monsters of Universal Studios! Dracula, Frankenstein (and his Monster), Mummies, Wolf Men, the Phantom... let's begin!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrT8Xe_NN0n-Uebk2A1daDPaAWJNNKvrojACxtlmZVCX2HZ3JNwYpKpA5ZP85Y3KUD18er9r9SXClCkmJ5667k2_FC_qW2NbBztBJhcIKI4_harN1XBAzwoqI1_2VMgg99uPniALTeW28/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrT8Xe_NN0n-Uebk2A1daDPaAWJNNKvrojACxtlmZVCX2HZ3JNwYpKpA5ZP85Y3KUD18er9r9SXClCkmJ5667k2_FC_qW2NbBztBJhcIKI4_harN1XBAzwoqI1_2VMgg99uPniALTeW28/s320/03.jpg" width="236" height="320" data-original-width="460" data-original-height="624" /></a></div><br />
A Brief History of Universal Studios<br />
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Universal’s origin starts not in California, but in Chicago. It was in the Windy City where, in 1906, German immigrant Carl Laemmle quit his job as a bookkeeper for a clothing company and opened one of the city’s first movie theaters, (better known as ‘nickelodeons,’ because tickets only cost five cents). He soon ran afoul of the Motion Picture Patents Company, Thomas Edison’s trust that controlled the distribution of films and manufacture of film equipment. It seems Carl was showing films made by independent filmmakers and advertising the films’ main actors, gaining their support and single-handedly inventing the ‘movie star.’ A few years later, he moved to the New York area, intending to make his own movies.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTV7nvmUTfW_ZUM1Vx_Bp05OnykdSwd8SiUbimTau2kXJb15w6_zyYVKXcPHnTvDp3hG6bDpLpdeagWYc_WEJIywimdpqOyySU5bd3j2dzqM6aoOBDO_VQ3QExj0A036gUfm29tw5KJTk/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTV7nvmUTfW_ZUM1Vx_Bp05OnykdSwd8SiUbimTau2kXJb15w6_zyYVKXcPHnTvDp3hG6bDpLpdeagWYc_WEJIywimdpqOyySU5bd3j2dzqM6aoOBDO_VQ3QExj0A036gUfm29tw5KJTk/s320/04.jpg" width="213" height="320" data-original-width="400" data-original-height="601" /></a></div><br />
Once in New York, Laemmle and other renegade theater owners formed the Independent Moving Pictures Company. Eventually, this team and other eager filmmakers got together and formally founded Universal Studios on April 30, 1912 in New York City. Laemmle was named president. Eager to keep his monopoly, Edison fought back. Having invented or bought the patents to all equipment needed to make or project movies, he filed endless lawsuits to shut down his competitors. This resulted in Universal following other film companies and moving to the Los Angeles area. Not only did the communication methods of the time- letters, telegraph, train, etc.- make it hard for Edison to coordinate his lawsuits, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, (which covers L.A.), was known for not adhering to patent laws as rigidly as the courts in the East. Regardless, Edison’s scheming came to an end in 1915 when the Supreme Court found MPPC to be in violation of both the Sherman and Clayton Anti-Trust Acts. Film studios were now free to make movies at will.<br />
<br />
But something was missing at Universal. Though Laemmle had his filmmaking freedom, his studio was in chaos. Enter the boy genius. Irving Thalberg was just barely over twenty when he became Laemmle’s personal secretary at Universal’s New York office. Laemmle then took Thalberg to the Hollywood campus and, after listening to Thalberg’s appraisal of the place, made him studio manager on the spot. Thalberg quickly remade the filmmaking process. He instituted the pre-screening of scripts, itemized budgets before filming, shooting schedules, and test audiences, among other things. (Though sometimes criticized for stifling creativity today, these processes truly helped improve the quality and profitability of films.) He even took Laemmle’s promotion of ‘stars’ to new levels, having them look classy, glamorous, and heavily promoted in public. His incredible understanding of both the business and artistic sides of film helped Universal reach new heights in the early silent era. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjDI5QzNUQs5sA3hRhaPOt7QfRBjqDs39FWF3CiSqPZ185oj2GtKVbZyFSErs9kn47Da4F97vWXBcubatkEDWNKoqEom9fKt44OtScvb3MCuJ-zOuNTC2UNBONU0bZFgEbrMsBYZNotQV/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjDI5QzNUQs5sA3hRhaPOt7QfRBjqDs39FWF3CiSqPZ185oj2GtKVbZyFSErs9kn47Da4F97vWXBcubatkEDWNKoqEom9fKt44OtScvb3MCuJ-zOuNTC2UNBONU0bZFgEbrMsBYZNotQV/s320/05.jpg" width="251" height="320" data-original-width="471" data-original-height="600" /></a></div>Another of Thalberg’s innovations was to make grand films based on classic literature. And that’s where this weeks’ films begin!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcZn72TPD7tXRz0LSDAAdgBslHNQsBnxxjEhYHpRMdivAf3R5yuS379fbbfXrOWSc_IYygym-vedSp819o4CiAC6AQJD3HnUAxfyLgU_5Ij45txMmt4HfgQRdkOUQbmEZeGr0MfY1rZGi/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcZn72TPD7tXRz0LSDAAdgBslHNQsBnxxjEhYHpRMdivAf3R5yuS379fbbfXrOWSc_IYygym-vedSp819o4CiAC6AQJD3HnUAxfyLgU_5Ij45txMmt4HfgQRdkOUQbmEZeGr0MfY1rZGi/s200/06.jpg" width="115" height="200" data-original-width="352" data-original-height="610" /></a></div><i><b>The Hunchback of Notre Dame</i></b> (Universal, 1923)<br />
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Plot: (Briefly summarize a freakin’ Victor Hugo story? Well, I’ll try.) In 1482, a love triangle develops during the Festival of Fools, as both the virtuous Captain of the Guards Phoebus (Norman Kerry) and the vile Jehan (brother of Dom Claude, the kind arch-deacon of Notre Dame Cathedral) pine for the gypsy girl Esmeralda (Patsy Ruth Miller). Jehan tries to kidnap her with the help of the hunchbacked Quasimodo (Lon Chaney), but fails when Phoebus himself catches them in the act. Jehan (Brandon Hurst) escapes, but Quasimodo is captured. Quasimodo, (who is deaf and half-blind), is tried and ordered to be tortured for his behavior before the court. At the scene of his lashing, Esmeralda brings him water to ease the pain before Dom Claude arrives and brings him down. Meanwhile, Phoebus woos Esmeralda, bringing her to a noble gala that is broken up when her stepfather Clopin- the leader of the Paris underworld- crashes the party. The lovers meet again at Notre Dame where Jehan sneaks in and stabs Phoebus. Esmeralda is caught at the scene and tried for Phoebus’ apparent murder. (He actually survives.)<br />
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Not long after, on the day of Esmerald’s scheduled execution in front of the cathedral, she is rescued by Quasimodo and given sanctuary within Notre Dame. Clopin then leads his army- a Torches-and-Pitchfork mob of thieves- into Paris, to bring down the aristocracy and retrieve his step-daughter from the cathedral. Quasimodo holds them off by tossing construction material on the mob before Phoebus and his soldiers arrive. Inside, Jehan tries to catch Esmeralda, but is stopped by Quasimodo, who is stabbed. After Esmeralda and Phoebus walk off safely, Quasimodo rings the bells once last time as he dies in front of Dom Claude.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6c9FhorwvqB0Vx2syFYvMuOQRi1brSOf5_B0a20rxj61yDxzuG-S3OIuS4v-3vNVbBeA26xZmlnLygaGYxHAXEhd2743B2Vc_nxX-8-JwN0Rn0GfjHA9w5niNtbcZMhWlE5V5oGNy7rTd/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6c9FhorwvqB0Vx2syFYvMuOQRi1brSOf5_B0a20rxj61yDxzuG-S3OIuS4v-3vNVbBeA26xZmlnLygaGYxHAXEhd2743B2Vc_nxX-8-JwN0Rn0GfjHA9w5niNtbcZMhWlE5V5oGNy7rTd/s320/08.jpg" width="320" height="242" data-original-width="846" data-original-height="641" /></a></div><br />
Thoughts and Background: When I made a list of the films for this article, this was the film I was least familiar with. Needless to say, I went in expecting just another silent film and ran headlong into a true classic. Honestly, this film left me at a loss for words. Everything about this movie is on a truly epic scale. (I honestly didn’t think films were made like this for at least another decade.) The sets are massive, built to the actual scale of 15th-century Paris. The film also used literally hundreds of extras for the massive crowd scenes. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the costuming and other period props. <br />
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There also seems to be controversy over how this film came about. The long-held story is that Thalberg convinced Laemmle to make the film by promising to script it as a love story. The other is that Lon Chaney himself bought up the rights and gave himself almost total control as an uncredited producer over the film. Regardless, this film is truly amazing. The characters are all well-acted, actually overcoming the production values. (Not an easy feat for this film.) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhkdn3me-pRFTRASGM6YsevtktADkmIaSvD_ALSR82VJoefDImXqNYUtBcIPqNVikffWoqOVmz9S82-j1LEhDkektuuTeCrRSj1n-2xyD1D94BYFvvuqlzLiq5S8kd5RZPrvd6WTJ4UmA/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAhkdn3me-pRFTRASGM6YsevtktADkmIaSvD_ALSR82VJoefDImXqNYUtBcIPqNVikffWoqOVmz9S82-j1LEhDkektuuTeCrRSj1n-2xyD1D94BYFvvuqlzLiq5S8kd5RZPrvd6WTJ4UmA/s320/09.jpg" width="320" height="260" data-original-width="836" data-original-height="680" /></a></div><br />
Lon Chaney as Quasimodo: Chaney, one of Hollywood’s original megastars, was also an incredible makeup artist in addition to being a gifted actor. For Quasimodo, he used a knotted wig, facial putty, a contact lens, false teeth, a leg brace, and a plaster hump that weight somewhere between 10 and 15 pounds. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7BBR8N4-kT0Av1dubdxxKg7yVh5rgzjsIDDem06Gv2B1Yqr4x7W_z-y2_CkRZJgBb6yqp8Px-2dtyUQU5s6XDUbb_QirVQdq3PsCEGpioRkRfv21pD8gxM5PWJqMnMkAvjns6Hge9CNp/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR7BBR8N4-kT0Av1dubdxxKg7yVh5rgzjsIDDem06Gv2B1Yqr4x7W_z-y2_CkRZJgBb6yqp8Px-2dtyUQU5s6XDUbb_QirVQdq3PsCEGpioRkRfv21pD8gxM5PWJqMnMkAvjns6Hge9CNp/s320/10.jpg" width="229" height="320" data-original-width="466" data-original-height="650" /></a></div>But this was just the costume. Chaney’s true gift wasn’t in ‘looking’ like the character, but in allowing his acting to shine through the costume. With only a few facial movements, he’s able to portray curiosity, betrayal, pain, anguish, shock, hope, and caring. The film’s most famous scene, where Quasimodo is lashed on the scaffold, is a hard scene to watch. Chaney’s reactions as his character is shackled and then stripped- thus baring his deformities and humiliating him before the heart of Paris- are gut-wrenching until Esmeralda arrives to offer him kindness and his reaction is of shock and gratitude. His later devotion also makes his death scene difficult. As he’s dying, he’s forced to watch the only woman he cared for walk off with another man and he almost dies alone. Yet, the expression on his face as the arch deacon arrives is one of peace. We feel for him. We feel we knew him. At least I did. It took a while to type this because Chaney’s performance haunted me for several days. I just couldn’t get it our of my head. Maybe it’s because it was so well-written. Well, yes. But perhaps, maybe, that of all the characters Chaney played throughout his career, Quasimodo was the most human. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o792vRfkKu0">FULL MOVIE</a>)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxXmvAo_rzz13-6i0AvC55KhiP_FvY1A4T6CFUMtAQQbtijdX12bMHttO4on90NIszr0g1__sklxGDHFdEjbdbFjpsTtHDHH65dduDP6y-qry_a6MTkBZurOgidpFCO8rs31dW6R8UGlY/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxXmvAo_rzz13-6i0AvC55KhiP_FvY1A4T6CFUMtAQQbtijdX12bMHttO4on90NIszr0g1__sklxGDHFdEjbdbFjpsTtHDHH65dduDP6y-qry_a6MTkBZurOgidpFCO8rs31dW6R8UGlY/s200/11.jpg" width="130" height="200" data-original-width="391" data-original-height="602" /></a></div><i><b>The Phantom of the Opera</i></b> (Universal, 1925)<br />
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Plot: As a new production of Faust is set to open at the Paris Opera House, the new managers are informed of a strange figure (Lon Chaney) who has been making demands of the production and resides in Box #5 during productions. Rumors of the stranger- known as ‘the Phantom’- run rampant through the opera cast and staff. Apparently, the stranger is demanding that a young performer named Christine Daaé (Mary Philbin) take the main role. Unknown to the managers and Raoul- Christine’s boyfriend- the stranger has been mentoring Christine by speaking through the wall of her dressing room. The managers refuse the Phantom’s demands. He responds by dropping a chandelier on the audience during the next performance and kidnapping Christine. He takes her to his underground lair, revealing that he feels love for her and that she makes him feel complete. He asks her to stay, but warns her not touch his mask. Christine eventually disobeys, pulling off his mask and revealing his skull-like face. To quell his wrath, she promises to dump Raoul and become his forever.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZYN8Xmv0q1oANFuTOXExaucL24NQvdEt6zPzzNhIBDIkz0hCGPOvr0bG-E12C4_4fCZ7sZYIBWRmEEmR2bZ4xyqScK4g24S0CSbcWPtF0amYnjkLYlsEZi_YUo7FzixyCHGmHoGvD5wJ/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZYN8Xmv0q1oANFuTOXExaucL24NQvdEt6zPzzNhIBDIkz0hCGPOvr0bG-E12C4_4fCZ7sZYIBWRmEEmR2bZ4xyqScK4g24S0CSbcWPtF0amYnjkLYlsEZi_YUo7FzixyCHGmHoGvD5wJ/s320/12.jpg" width="320" height="235" data-original-width="693" data-original-height="509" /></a></div><br />
The next night, Christine and Raoul (Norman Kerry, he’s back!) make plans to escape for England, but the Phantom- who the managers learn is an escaped criminal from ‘Devil’s Island’ with genius level intelligence- overhears them. During the next performance, the Phantom kidnaps Christine, with Raoul and Ledoux (Arthur Edmund Carewe)- a French secret policeman- in pursuit. The Phantom traps them in his dungeon and tries to force Christine to play a game of Russian Roulette involving two levers- one that will save Raoul and the other that will blow up the Opera House. Christine convinces the Phantom to spare them, and he relents. At that point, a Torches-and-Pitchforks Mob breaks into the Phantom’s lair and chases him through Paris, where he is cornered at the Seine, thrown in, and drowned. <br />
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Thought and Background: This film had a troubled production. The idea started when Csrl Laemmle met author Gaston Leroux, who convinced him to consider his novel for a major film. Laemmle agreed. Once production got underway, Lon Chaney promptly went on an ego trip and clashed endlessly with director Rupert Julian. Poor reviews caused a reshoot. Edward Sedgwick was brought on and remade the film as a sort-of slapstick romantic comedy. This had a terrible test screening. (The audience booed loudly.) Finally, Maurice Pivar and Lois Weber were brought in to make a third cut, which used mostly footage from Julian version. (And you thought <i>Star Wars</i> was saved in editing!) Finally, a decent cut was completed and released.<br />
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This film has all the grandeur and epic-ness of <i>Hunchback</i>, but something feels like it’s missing. A lot of the information is conveyed not through title cards, but through letters the characters send to each other. (The surviving prints of this film aren’t very good. This can make the letters hard to read.) The film also suffers from uneven pacing. It feels like it’s taken a Red Bull at the start but slows down considerably after Christine takes off the mask and doesn’t pick up again until the torture scene. I also think I noticed a slight feel of German Expressionism with the use of shadows. This is particularly noticeable when the Phantom- before he’s unmasked- is shown talking to Christine with only his shadow on the wall. (Now, if only the shot didn’t <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmeb-f4pthA">bear a slight resemblance</a> to a certain someone...) It’s still a decent movie, but the production problems really hinder the production.<br />
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Lon Chaney as the Phantom: Or...“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa3bHKWZoJg">IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED TO SEE??!</a>” Without a doubt, this is definitely Chaney’s most famous appearance. Unlike later productions of Phantom, which portray Erik (the Phantom’s name) as scarred, here the character keeps his printed page appearance and his face looks like a skull. To achieve this, Chaney pulled his nose back with fish skin, (or a hook apparatus, which apparently caused him severe nosebleeds that delayed production), painted his nostrils and eye sockets black, built up his cheeks with cotton and collodion, glued his ears back, and put on a bald wig. (He added egg membrane on his eyes so they would look ‘cloudy.’) He ‘tested’ the look on cameraman on Charles Van Enger by summoning him to his dressing room and turning around without warning. When Van Enger nearly wet himself (by his admission), tripped over a stool, and fell on his back, Chaney knew the look would work. (Van Enger also said that Mary Philbin was unaware of his appearance and her on-camera shock at seeing him in character- for the actual first time- was genuine.<br />
It’s also worth noting that no pictures, posters, or stills of Chaney were released prior to the film’s premiere. This was to terrify the audiences as much as possible. (Kind of like how <i>Psycho</i> had lobby signs asking moviegoers not to reveal the ending as they left.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiiztqEcKb79ZJBskedKNvyKMyAwF56wDSoKqNTsOVhZ15re2q0p3EQ8pfhSaNiIvVFPySXgRsoMn1xYM06O_MbQyqpIpfXzGOjBdJI34y5RGFGvMhpwj5ocuMvb_gwNOvQh52VwowPvq/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiiztqEcKb79ZJBskedKNvyKMyAwF56wDSoKqNTsOVhZ15re2q0p3EQ8pfhSaNiIvVFPySXgRsoMn1xYM06O_MbQyqpIpfXzGOjBdJI34y5RGFGvMhpwj5ocuMvb_gwNOvQh52VwowPvq/s320/15.jpg" width="320" height="251" data-original-width="650" data-original-height="509" /></a></div>Chaney’s performance is, again, quite good. He’s playing a character similar to Quasimodo- a deformed, misunderstood man. The Phantom, however, disdains the presence of others and lives in a subterranean world. Though refined, he is finished with people in general. And I must confess, it is really hard to like the Phantom in the same way that I felt for Quasimodo. I didn’t mention it in the plot summary, but the Phantom kills several people who get too close to his lair. This combined with the chandelier scene and his treatment of Christine, Raoul, and Ledoux, makes it harder to sympathize with him. I was left with a feeling that he deserved to meet his end in the River Seine. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI0tWZc8gP4&t=1s">FULL MOVIE</a>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQXe9Wq8HDbkG4nkiSW0XWbO2LFhcIyfqxMjXgXUEWei3Lp00c6TGJrXydtgT09z_4CV_p35QJafxDQiSr7g-NV4bZGf7fdNTIwq4XU0bxOUWtMeuQx-097lGnR47GiwZe2PNRgMDtrGP/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQXe9Wq8HDbkG4nkiSW0XWbO2LFhcIyfqxMjXgXUEWei3Lp00c6TGJrXydtgT09z_4CV_p35QJafxDQiSr7g-NV4bZGf7fdNTIwq4XU0bxOUWtMeuQx-097lGnR47GiwZe2PNRgMDtrGP/s320/16.jpg" width="320" height="249" data-original-width="823" data-original-height="641" /></a></div><br />
And because we <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nDw2Fk8tuY">just discussed the Phantom</a> and you want to hear it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVottiv_UhynA6IAU9epanLpsuINQvUJNhqmTW7BqTLu4W0ROY1rOX81ll4EfRNNfWeW9d_xbLx_i4Fnfjf2Qlt0CKmPtaMcDCmi6KlSeITzbsjLzosPfOEsWXiGM2YF916hB756UByByz/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVottiv_UhynA6IAU9epanLpsuINQvUJNhqmTW7BqTLu4W0ROY1rOX81ll4EfRNNfWeW9d_xbLx_i4Fnfjf2Qlt0CKmPtaMcDCmi6KlSeITzbsjLzosPfOEsWXiGM2YF916hB756UByByz/s200/17.jpg" width="125" height="200" data-original-width="409" data-original-height="654" /></a></div><i><b>The Man Who Laughs</i></b> (Universal, 1928)<br />
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Plot: (Victor Hugo, again?!?! Gimme a break!) In 1680’s England, King James II gets an unexpected gift: his enemy, Lord Clancharlie has been captured. The King has his enemy killed in the Iron Maiden (called “the Iron Lady” in the film), only after telling the unfortunate ex-Lord that his son was sent to a gypsy surgeon who carved a permanent grin on his face so he could forever laugh at his fool of a father. The boy, Gwynplaine, is abandoned by the gypsies when the king exiles them and is taken in- along with a baby he found in the snow- by the trickster Ursus (Cesare Gravina). The film jumps ahead years later, where Gwynplaine (Conrad Veidt) is all grown up and he, Ursus, and the blind Dea (the baby he rescued earlier), have created a successful traveling carnival show- The Laughing man- based on his face. Here, things get complicated. Bear with me. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyf8UMRjBHhTHTdbu3TZnHx7QwNwOlvmI0Iy7LFRm28KAnfRPQgajsWJ0UeJwscbccJahwxueweXZD2S0CR0D_rUH6jIHPP2js46v7Qf9bLYdgSbhVy0e3llGonYZ_z98gsq2dUumOJvX7/s1600/18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyf8UMRjBHhTHTdbu3TZnHx7QwNwOlvmI0Iy7LFRm28KAnfRPQgajsWJ0UeJwscbccJahwxueweXZD2S0CR0D_rUH6jIHPP2js46v7Qf9bLYdgSbhVy0e3llGonYZ_z98gsq2dUumOJvX7/s320/18.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="768" data-original-height="576" /></a></div><br />
Through a series of events, Barkilphedro- James II’s former jester who schemed his way into power under Queen Anne- discovers Gwynplaine’s heritage and plots to use it to humiliate Duchess Josiana, who originally received Clancharlie’s wealth and position. Gwynplaine continues to perform while trying to reconcile his face and his love for Dea.<br />
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Later, (after Gwynplaine meets Josiana due to the latter’s curiosity in him), sentries from the Queen take Gwynplaine to make him into a Peer, as per his birthright. Gwynplaine’s companions, wrongly believing he was executed, fall into despair and are ordered to leave England. Once in the House of Lords, Gwynplaine rebukes them when they laugh at him. He escapes and is followed by a Torches-and-Pitchforks mob to the docks where he meets the others and they sail away for the safety of Parts Unknown (France?).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwuaboEHCLhxjKpp4fpOGihmcXBxwcz2FJ4106YnhIEjc3SR2vUiKSWhaPruoNMCGqC4GnHXmVn-63JxooxfKQiujj4_SnD0Nc_wwxXqZJTd1DV-B_teAwMdYi5uldS1GXm93bNGVIVgJ/s1600/19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwuaboEHCLhxjKpp4fpOGihmcXBxwcz2FJ4106YnhIEjc3SR2vUiKSWhaPruoNMCGqC4GnHXmVn-63JxooxfKQiujj4_SnD0Nc_wwxXqZJTd1DV-B_teAwMdYi5uldS1GXm93bNGVIVgJ/s320/19.jpg" width="320" height="239" data-original-width="805" data-original-height="602" /></a></div><br />
Thoughts and Background: As you can probably tell from the summary, I wasn’t as enthralled by this film as I was by the prior two. Granted, the production values are still quite high. The period costumes are quite good. And…wait. I need to mention something. Everyone is in period dress except Duchess Josiana. Her outfits are a Renaissance/1920’s hybrid. Not only that, there’s a scene where Barkilphedro (God, I beg Thee, please don’t make me write this name too much), entices a messenger to peer through a keyhole at her and we get a full bareback shot of her in a tub! Yowza! I guess we can conclude the Production Code is still a few years off! Another thing I noticed is how all the sets look like sound stages. Elaborate, but lacking the epic-ness of <i>Hunchback</i> or <i>Phantom</i>. It’s prescient of the look that will come to define Universal’s ‘Monster Look’ in years to come. Heck, we even get our first look at the iconic Universal plane-flying-around-globe intro screen that will the studio’s trademark for decades. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5E9e8JuLNWmwpxVstvriC1rX-YzgrbwOtQ8ssWtr7l-Vi22AJufa9d-qr5VSYiukUjcy8i6RjeJtEPn2EiygJ63_LMu1n6nTV6ZxIVgfpQrErXJDi8dEVhOlAY_asc76KDwu8sO2ajXR/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5E9e8JuLNWmwpxVstvriC1rX-YzgrbwOtQ8ssWtr7l-Vi22AJufa9d-qr5VSYiukUjcy8i6RjeJtEPn2EiygJ63_LMu1n6nTV6ZxIVgfpQrErXJDi8dEVhOlAY_asc76KDwu8sO2ajXR/s320/20.jpg" width="320" height="174" data-original-width="821" data-original-height="446" /></a></div>But my real gripes here are with the story. Was it the screenplay? Or was all this just courtesy of the original social justice warrior himself, Victor Hugo? (What, didn’t you think the ending of <i>Hunchback</i> was actually the French Revolution trans-placed 300 years earlier?) Yes, I know he was trying to champion the plight of the poorer classes and outcasts of society. But I have a few questions. Namely, what did Barko... Baril... Barkimus... the Evil Jester hope to gain out of seeing Gwynplaine receive his rightful inheritance as a Lord? What was the purpose of Gwynplaine’s companions being exiled? Why did Gwynplaine become a fugitive for refusing his seat in the Lords? Why was the Torches-and-Pitchforks Club here working on the side of the aristocracy? And... I’ll just stop here. <br />
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Watching this film was a trial. At 1 hour, 51 minutes, it was too long. It felt slow and padded and was a chore to sit through. Meh.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGj46bXYrDk4wZ2ivkqvUXVft2frvcaWX_p_9ATVqkTW8HfjTsa4aRWz5xH1jkTjHRjAKo8C9i9dajlEGDWwklTPEMGr5WNlRfZkYEC4mPkXbrC_7VjRVvKxEKnymgQLTWQc4UP9MxD1yS/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGj46bXYrDk4wZ2ivkqvUXVft2frvcaWX_p_9ATVqkTW8HfjTsa4aRWz5xH1jkTjHRjAKo8C9i9dajlEGDWwklTPEMGr5WNlRfZkYEC4mPkXbrC_7VjRVvKxEKnymgQLTWQc4UP9MxD1yS/s320/21.jpg" width="320" height="235" data-original-width="771" data-original-height="567" /></a></div>Conrad Veidt as The Man Who Laughs (Gwynplaine): The procedure for Veidt’s look in this film might have drawn the attention of the Geneva Convention today. Basically, newly-minted Universal makeup boss Jack Pierce (a former dentist!) fitted Veidt with dentures containing hooks that pulled his face back and into the correct position. I can only imagine that Veidt could only act for short periods before the pain became unbearable. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_XabfZSsMLRTBuxD7Cs8RwyWNfBAQBqRaJFfavKFE_a4Yn3wZe2wt7ERIB6Dkn7g17HhGKV6wxcB0VA7fstOX_Co9mqkLAYaLf0rwt_KLiMbYJKyqnCoq0i4XjuZhDZF8s_nR76q8d3R/s1600/22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_XabfZSsMLRTBuxD7Cs8RwyWNfBAQBqRaJFfavKFE_a4Yn3wZe2wt7ERIB6Dkn7g17HhGKV6wxcB0VA7fstOX_Co9mqkLAYaLf0rwt_KLiMbYJKyqnCoq0i4XjuZhDZF8s_nR76q8d3R/s320/22.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="826" data-original-height="619" /></a></div><br />
Again, this character is similar to Quasimodo. But something is missing. Whereas Quasimodo is seen in several states- a lackey, a torture victim, praying, heroic, tragic, victorious (in his own way)- we only see Gwynplaine whine about his condition. Seriously, he does it in his first scene and in every scene thereafter. He often says- through the title cards- how he longs for people to see past his face and glimpse who he really is. (I guess that makes it the first movie to actually spell out its message for the audience.) This still might work if only he didn’t do it every single scene. Show. Don’t Tell. <br />
Don’t get me wrong. Veidt tries really hard, showing tears, agony, and even joy with his eyes. But unlike Chaney in <i>Hunchback</i>, it’s really not enough to overcome the makeup the movie is hedging its bets on. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxZYwVeAyik">FULL MOVIE</a>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2q_iDlL2dFrzGyu68cnQZtey9ivxq50UzD51y8IiluUWm2nTLfG-clknf4NAsQ4tb-YODgyMpX6Pc8AWtGJLlZKSsqHg6BgXXgD3wtwCw-CxGRAX8OYein_ot5L-zdvpp9fEuHmIJsU96/s1600/23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2q_iDlL2dFrzGyu68cnQZtey9ivxq50UzD51y8IiluUWm2nTLfG-clknf4NAsQ4tb-YODgyMpX6Pc8AWtGJLlZKSsqHg6BgXXgD3wtwCw-CxGRAX8OYein_ot5L-zdvpp9fEuHmIJsU96/s320/23.jpg" width="320" height="239" data-original-width="734" data-original-height="549" /></a></div><br />
Wait a Minute: There’s something else I should mention about <i>The Man Who Laughs</i>. It seems that (roughly) when this film came out, a young lad- we’ll call him Robert K- was in an audience watching the show. Years later, Robert K had become an artist working on stuff in the cartoon section of the Sunday paper. He and his coworker- we’ll call him William F- needed to come up with a new no-good-nick for their hero to face. Suddenly, Robert K remembered watching Gwynplaine in the theater back when he was a kid. The two conceived of the idea of a creepy clown and the rest, as they say, is history.<br />
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Hm, let’s see... pale complexion; expressive eyes; clown theme; hideous, permanent grin. Now, who could that be? Could it be…?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH81ZwqNL8HuCNKUKtKvJ7R7Mx57gRA1FecaYr8finud523boXPLlBqVWoueCU-plxWGc8cNOQNBaysgBTLt2gJPcShqw4KYZLsU44LgCBCKTle3Id2MazuOfKEkkckR-wfLtepQDpv98C/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH81ZwqNL8HuCNKUKtKvJ7R7Mx57gRA1FecaYr8finud523boXPLlBqVWoueCU-plxWGc8cNOQNBaysgBTLt2gJPcShqw4KYZLsU44LgCBCKTle3Id2MazuOfKEkkckR-wfLtepQDpv98C/s320/24.jpg" width="242" height="320" data-original-width="494" data-original-height="652" /></a></div><br />
Note: Yes, nerds. I am well aware of Jerry Robinson’s claim that he invented/co-invented the Ace of Knaves. That’s a different subject for a different article. For now, we’re sticking with Bob Kane’s official version of events AND THAT’S FINAL!<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-25150645268436971232018-09-20T23:28:00.000-04:002018-09-20T23:28:45.899-04:00Guest Review: Selma<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CBfXPtuWenIZ2knEM2UUvdeVbHAmqen2LPr_kdfks3AcWqVFdmNIISA_Hm62HHKsGi24sPlvtOBn0hdzvTH_c_21G7qinIkS-dLJJQK7jzPYOjz526Li1kjiyZ7P_ldlcfqiKTbECTjH/s1600/selmaposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CBfXPtuWenIZ2knEM2UUvdeVbHAmqen2LPr_kdfks3AcWqVFdmNIISA_Hm62HHKsGi24sPlvtOBn0hdzvTH_c_21G7qinIkS-dLJJQK7jzPYOjz526Li1kjiyZ7P_ldlcfqiKTbECTjH/s200/selmaposter.jpg" width="142" height="200" data-original-width="454" data-original-height="640" /></a></div><b>by tryanmax</b><br />
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<i>Selma</i> is a Very Important Movie about Black History. You can tell because Oprah is in it. Also, because it stars a lot of other Serious Black Actors and a popular Rapper, and it is set in the Old South. <span id="fullpost"><br />
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The main star is an English actor who portrays an Important Civil Rights Leader named “Doc.” His wife is also portrayed by an English actress. How this is not problematic is unclear. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNFDiGdLzmxzW-9OVvUy6cJ2qeHZ1pwEnYZmwinTPsao7ZN850tTpu8xF5pzhEwhAP2xw6JmKNfcfh6b7ge6d6GjvU9oTZvqKLjkRkWbDFK5F4AEcfTK8TAWGX9pjN0k3PjuIhK-9fSIg/s1600/Selma%252BNAACP%252BImage%252BAwards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNFDiGdLzmxzW-9OVvUy6cJ2qeHZ1pwEnYZmwinTPsao7ZN850tTpu8xF5pzhEwhAP2xw6JmKNfcfh6b7ge6d6GjvU9oTZvqKLjkRkWbDFK5F4AEcfTK8TAWGX9pjN0k3PjuIhK-9fSIg/s400/Selma%252BNAACP%252BImage%252BAwards.jpg" width="400" height="286" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="429" /></a></div>You can tell the movie is set in the Old South because all the white people use the form of the N word that contains both an “a” and an “r.” Only the Bad White People use that word. The Good White People never use that word, but they are small and frail and easily defeated by the Bad White People. All the Black People are Good.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhWA0B2YXLeb5F4LvI9xbt8LYx7_Gzjid_0KDrP-xuxPgE4SQn1IldSyz-7mM0-E1Qsr-VRmsAhpgcTH-PIzlHmaazw_Rhr3k6StkmgRvwgGBbz36mz5MnnBt_sqBa_X3cZHUKS3zi2Qj/s1600/selma-Best-Director-Ava-DuVernay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhWA0B2YXLeb5F4LvI9xbt8LYx7_Gzjid_0KDrP-xuxPgE4SQn1IldSyz-7mM0-E1Qsr-VRmsAhpgcTH-PIzlHmaazw_Rhr3k6StkmgRvwgGBbz36mz5MnnBt_sqBa_X3cZHUKS3zi2Qj/s400/selma-Best-Director-Ava-DuVernay.jpg" width="267" height="400" data-original-width="533" data-original-height="800" /></a></div>Sometimes, the Important Civil Rights Leader has Doubts. His wife is concerned. But the Fiery Youths convince Doc to keep going. There is a Fight on a Bridge that the Good Guys lose. Then, there is a Courtroom Scene. The Bad Guys bring lots of Anger and Yelling, but the Good Guys are calm and they win.<br />
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In the Climactic Scene, the movie took the Novel Approach of relating action from the perspective of The Media. In fact, one could say that The Media was the Real Hero of the story, as it was The Media that made the President change his mind and Do The Right Thing. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN3y6PiK7TjUOjAFqVpV6Rz7gQul5gcM5PBXhbOKuniHvNxMPGincRGZdLyNuGyYHZloAeN7uqNY0M2qByb25G9pOD0vIPtrZrjfu6TJGMKiYz7rc1iRiZ6iuwNu_Jfsq-5GBmlsMXTH1/s1600/selma-best-song.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN3y6PiK7TjUOjAFqVpV6Rz7gQul5gcM5PBXhbOKuniHvNxMPGincRGZdLyNuGyYHZloAeN7uqNY0M2qByb25G9pOD0vIPtrZrjfu6TJGMKiYz7rc1iRiZ6iuwNu_Jfsq-5GBmlsMXTH1/s400/selma-best-song.jpg" width="400" height="287" data-original-width="624" data-original-height="447" /></a></div>Where <i>Selma</i> really excels is in taking one of the most tumultuous moments of history and depicting it with all the intensity of an undergrad seminar. The dialogue really captured the passion of a 46 year old adjunct lecturing on the Civil Rights Movement. Watching it, I could almost feel the thrill of trying not to doze off in the lecture hall. (I snore really loud.)<br />
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One thing that made the movie fun was all of the “what’s his name” cameos that kept me checking IMDb throughout. There was Queen Vee, Dept. Raineesha, Henry Deaver, Radio, Mr. Orange, that guy from <i>The Wire</i>, that guy who looks like Steve Buscemi but isn’t, and Giovanni Ribisi. <br />
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The best part of the movie for me was seeing Tom Wilkinson do an impression of Lyndon Johnson doing an impression of Richard Nixon. <br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-58017324487622098562018-03-02T01:58:00.000-05:002018-03-02T01:58:38.448-05:00Guest Review: The Osiris Child (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgGUshq3TFwZi_jir-qi85a_cliTrUyjLU6b45u1LdTldYVfG-heDUlJH1IKQ8-gzyvWcKbOGlulqMswz2mIRVRcWKSV_X0wXlgzm_Q3sq2kKTVP-N5mknJf-nuVEGU5f5zvotrYqnqM1/s1600/osiris+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgGUshq3TFwZi_jir-qi85a_cliTrUyjLU6b45u1LdTldYVfG-heDUlJH1IKQ8-gzyvWcKbOGlulqMswz2mIRVRcWKSV_X0wXlgzm_Q3sq2kKTVP-N5mknJf-nuVEGU5f5zvotrYqnqM1/s320/osiris+1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>by tryanmax</b><br />
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This is less of a review than it is a recommendation. <i>The Osiris Child</i> (a.k.a. <i>Science Fiction Volume One</i>) is the rare indie sci-fi project that can stand among the special effects blockbusters but still delivers on the human-level drama of a low-budget flick.<span id="fullpost"><br />
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The story pulls together a lot of common tropes: a planet on the verge of destruction, a mega corporation with a hidden agenda, an officer who goes rogue to save his child, a team up with an escaped convict, a stop-off at a wretched hive of scum and villainy, and everyone has a complicated past. None of this undercuts the movie’s appeal. <br />
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To be sure, <i>Osiris</i> has some rough edges, but the pacing is brisk, so you never get to dwell on it. Some intense stuff happens out of frame (which may be good or bad, depending on your tastes) but there is still plenty of on-screen action including a couple great chase sequences and a prison riot. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHWlfQilyM_TP8BX90vD4Y84xspp-ZG6o_5krs-9DGV0qVbGWaFsgaTZMbPPjQnIJOv2_0So9F9q6rZiti5zlEqZgouMQlE1y5MvengxZ_X_wcTHwFvlFvDzyzR4PId-iamGZQfhuZ7SI/s1600/osiris+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHWlfQilyM_TP8BX90vD4Y84xspp-ZG6o_5krs-9DGV0qVbGWaFsgaTZMbPPjQnIJOv2_0So9F9q6rZiti5zlEqZgouMQlE1y5MvengxZ_X_wcTHwFvlFvDzyzR4PId-iamGZQfhuZ7SI/s400/osiris+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The narrative unfolds in a very non-linear fashion. In a few places, this is frustrating, but overall, it’s a smart choice that both creates and solves mystery and propels the story. Chapter title cards help keep things clear while adding a bit of a graphic novel feel. <br />
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But the best part from a sci-fi perspective is how convincingly futuristic this film is. As in other films, the Australian Outback stands in for a sparse alien world. Special effects are used sparingly, so the ones they have are done well. Holographic displays may be ubiquitous even on cheap TV shows nowadays, along with spaceships and cityscapes, but those in <i>Osiris</i> are high-quality. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGfnDoW_OCyAqcoWo0HEbXf87V3E6Q6cULA4S_iLsJS8fowR6Bs9qKJ_w6Au-kqn-LtOBKZdX0xhPTFRqubKG1sMRg3poiLfQsTuqDn-YOoUZL-fhyQH2LTUVSschyphenhyphenMEriwZ7BPQCWePn/s1600/osiris3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1152" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGfnDoW_OCyAqcoWo0HEbXf87V3E6Q6cULA4S_iLsJS8fowR6Bs9qKJ_w6Au-kqn-LtOBKZdX0xhPTFRqubKG1sMRg3poiLfQsTuqDn-YOoUZL-fhyQH2LTUVSschyphenhyphenMEriwZ7BPQCWePn/s400/osiris3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>There are all sorts of little touches that sell the idea of being in the future. Everyone has a little device that they bump to transfer money, much like photo sharing on cell phones. A coffeemaker adds cream and sugar by voice command while an AI researches the main character’s ex-wife’s new boyfriend. Smart, subtle aesthetic choices hold the sci-fi feel without needing to have a hovercraft float by every few minutes. Fans of practical effects will be pleased, too, by the film’s creatures. (There are creatures!)<br />
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From a scripting perspective, the thing that really sets <i>Osiris</i> apart is how cooperative most everyone is. Unlike other action films that try to increase the tension through pointless bickering, everyone in <i>Osiris</i> seems to appreciate the larger stakes. Characters may start out suspicious of one another, but once motives are sussed out and found to reasonably align, everyone comes together rather easily. Even the meth-head gun dealers are basically decent fellas. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIYjk6QvCdDUTBQ5JUtBC5UkaJfE5-zzsxQ8Z6O5YONMso7tSWO149J06OgLuvJsx28740ouwmvwoG-chVQoam9UQA8FQNIIk9Jxa2NuSkHGC004XdXlyc7WdHX_SHAo2dlEx2Dxiwlcz/s1600/osiris4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1152" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIYjk6QvCdDUTBQ5JUtBC5UkaJfE5-zzsxQ8Z6O5YONMso7tSWO149J06OgLuvJsx28740ouwmvwoG-chVQoam9UQA8FQNIIk9Jxa2NuSkHGC004XdXlyc7WdHX_SHAo2dlEx2Dxiwlcz/s400/osiris4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>The Osiris Child</i> is geared solidly at genre-lovers. Fans of Riddick, Mad Max, and Ridley Scott will definitely get the most out of this, but anyone who loves sci-fi action will warm to this. By the way, the ending is one of the best surprises I’ve encountered in a while. <br />
</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-83268474483115770382018-02-22T23:00:00.000-05:002018-02-23T13:06:03.646-05:00Guest Review: Black Panther (2018)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZNWTmgG-kSYZYOZvKb4yqDFyATDgUXwj9VycxQuupq6YI5VDS6BRfG5T8EknqoJOtqIT8u-84tRKngDzuqFBPUI59c_PWFLzLQ6NFZqciJ4k4gks8-2RMQC1KvE_tbgII92DjHl3kP-R/s1600/1+Black+Panther+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="730" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZNWTmgG-kSYZYOZvKb4yqDFyATDgUXwj9VycxQuupq6YI5VDS6BRfG5T8EknqoJOtqIT8u-84tRKngDzuqFBPUI59c_PWFLzLQ6NFZqciJ4k4gks8-2RMQC1KvE_tbgII92DjHl3kP-R/s200/1+Black+Panther+poster.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>by tryanmax</b><br />
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The latest installment in the MCU franchise arrived amid massive hype and expectations. It handily exceeded box office projections and breathless believers are convinced that it represents a watershed moment in black cinema. In truth, <i>Black Panther</i> doesn’t tread much new ground in terms of the Marvel Universe or cinema in general. Where the film does succeed, it is by telling an origin story that doesn’t feel stale within a franchise that has already pumped out a bevy of origin stories and doing a large amount of world-building in a way that doesn’t leave the end product feeling over-stuffed. All told, <i>Black Panther</i> gets the job done.<span id="fullpost"><br />
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The script follows a classic sins-of-the-father narrative. We are reminded briefly of the events of <i>Captain America: Civil War</i>, wherein King T’Chaka of Wakanda is killed, causing his throne and the mantle of the Black Panther to pass to his son T’Challa. As the story progresses, we learn that the dead king had a brother, N'Jobu, who went to Oakland, CA as a Wakandan spy and become obsessed with ‘liberating’ black people the world over using advanced Wakandan weaponry. A confrontation between the T’Chaka and N’Jobu leads to the latter’s death, leaving behind a son. The son grows up to become Killmonger, who seeks to fulfill his father’s ambitions and capture the Wakandan throne.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fVXkKOGPWaYT2VkxL_zZYAzCEzM5JkCLp7dnWjJfY8jdsSD3EX4HQFCDh_kwdrdmH9brnj1tCZgDGBVf7t7sObgYEZtq5IKWNzraUEKBjJAo0e8DPi9QrT7yR0e4b4v3BYh8BQJsu9DA/s1600/2.+Shuri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fVXkKOGPWaYT2VkxL_zZYAzCEzM5JkCLp7dnWjJfY8jdsSD3EX4HQFCDh_kwdrdmH9brnj1tCZgDGBVf7t7sObgYEZtq5IKWNzraUEKBjJAo0e8DPi9QrT7yR0e4b4v3BYh8BQJsu9DA/s400/2.+Shuri.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A few James Bond-esque sequences get the story rolling: a heist in London, a casino and car-chase in South Korea, joined in the middle by a trip to Q’s, er, Shuri’s workshop/lab. Shuri is T’Challa’s sister and the latest addition to the super-genius club that includes Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Hank Pym, Rocket Raccoon, and Peter Parker. Shuri designs all of Wakanda’s technology and infrastructure using the near-magical substance vibranium. Thought to be extremely rare—with the bulk being tied up in Captain America’s shield—Wakanda just so happens to sit atop a mountain of the stuff. Thanks to Shuri and vibranium, Wakanda looks like a stop-off for the Guardians of the Galaxy if they encountered a planet with a thing for Afrofuturism. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wQUHcXBbxQRQxty6VWADDxbPUO-usOqqPSmjBZMRN17VeFtUaMQ1b4bpmD7IjAkVAsvRvqD29KtVmELyCz6FyR6ebyIG9rtFevBAjFGmdPh74qul_Up8NVdcdNsFHD34v5hl0Bkp_qCf/s1600/3+Afrofuturism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="960" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wQUHcXBbxQRQxty6VWADDxbPUO-usOqqPSmjBZMRN17VeFtUaMQ1b4bpmD7IjAkVAsvRvqD29KtVmELyCz6FyR6ebyIG9rtFevBAjFGmdPh74qul_Up8NVdcdNsFHD34v5hl0Bkp_qCf/s400/3+Afrofuturism.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In terms of breaking cultural ground, it has been amusing to watch the true believers scrabble about for a “first” that <i>Black Panther</i> qualifies for. Ultimately, it is merely the first black superhero movie of the MCU franchise. [Sidenote: <i>Blade</i>, starring Wesley Snipes, was the first box office success for Marvel, spawning a trilogy and paving the way for the comic company’s own studio and the MCU.] <br />
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However, just because <i>Black Panther</i> doesn’t live up to the excessive hype doesn’t mean it is a bad movie. As noted, the MCU is awash in origin stories and the addition of Black Panther calls for yet another one. Writer and director Ryan Coogler tackles this challenge by tying the character closely to the world that must also be built around him. T’Challa is a product of his upbringing and culture, and so the audience is able to learn who he is as they discover the myths, rituals, genealogies, history, and politics of Wakanda.<br />
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This is no straightforward task. Wakanda is awash in contradictions. It is the most technologically advanced society on the planet, yet it maintains ancient customs and rituals. They are united as a nation, but remain divided into tribes. They are isolated, yet the concerns of the outside world press upon them. T’Challa must navigate these and other contradictions if he is to succeed as the new king.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8kiAlugA3TuOy_VbrWFszX2esDC43DaptWS6ZIzaIuqwobGkIiOB9uFFY7DiYXRfxnMZ4k4yNfpceZpE34DgJ1nELD_18BGbaoqwH4L3waa5lNHJzQF0ToR7u4MC-tRZkPzGPgvv1WMa/s1600/4+ritual+combat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8kiAlugA3TuOy_VbrWFszX2esDC43DaptWS6ZIzaIuqwobGkIiOB9uFFY7DiYXRfxnMZ4k4yNfpceZpE34DgJ1nELD_18BGbaoqwH4L3waa5lNHJzQF0ToR7u4MC-tRZkPzGPgvv1WMa/s400/4+ritual+combat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Additionally, Coogler uses the villain Killmonger as an appropriate foil to showcase what a Wakandan prince separated from his heritage might become. Both men are proud, but Killmonger’s pride is distorted by resentment. While this contrast could have been explored more deeply, Coogler isn’t philosophizing; it is an action movie, after all.<br />
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Despite not upping the special effects bar, there are some ingenious differences in the effects we see. For example, rather than your standard-issue hologram, Wakanda has a technology that renders a miniature 3D bust out of black (presumably vibranium) sand. There are some armored rhinos, which is fun. The overall look of the movie is really cool. African influences on the techno-designs render a look that diverges pleasantly from the Apple/Microsoft look we’ve become accustomed to. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOH9ENSNTaSpKZ_QUUosZ71SR2wG6HkAqsGDtECa4ib0U_1zTPbabI2gJykYnZpsM61uob56SMntZ1YRM72BdQtCQl4-vRn0SxcnKy1UxmSiTlrNJo6-F_PRnXXDHcUoOWmhEpCRQ1tfh/s1600/5.-black-panther-hologram.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="640" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOH9ENSNTaSpKZ_QUUosZ71SR2wG6HkAqsGDtECa4ib0U_1zTPbabI2gJykYnZpsM61uob56SMntZ1YRM72BdQtCQl4-vRn0SxcnKy1UxmSiTlrNJo6-F_PRnXXDHcUoOWmhEpCRQ1tfh/s400/5.-black-panther-hologram.gif" width="400" /></a></div><i>Black Panther</i> also avoids many potential pitfalls of both the genre and external pressures. For one, the film is in no way a political soapbox. When it comes to political themes, it is easily surpassed by <i>Civil War</i>. At the same time, <i>Black Panther</i> isn’t an endless slugfest, either. Plenty happens apart from the action to drive the story, and much of the action is story in itself. Meanwhile, the smaller scale story keeps all the world-building manageable; the script doesn’t feel overstuffed or rushed. If anything, the pace was a tad slow, but never close to dragging. And there aren’t any byzantine plot devices that fail to make sense by the time the credits roll.<br />
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In short, if you put aside the hype, <i>Black Panther</i> is a decent film that entertains, but probably won’t blow you away.<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-34586871036625534602017-10-29T12:41:00.000-04:002017-10-29T12:41:34.831-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Cushing and Lee- Just Random Stuff<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wrOhPJGRGws_fq5iG5MXGnWugU44wj0twj-zQTgGv-wvDbDzSpYuggDF9xAARoF60szCnlN0UbIphyphenhyphenh2rlTIafMSKX90KMWXfLKbUPKfmYIZ336qR5ys7x11D1fy_Btg8RmwFI9qQf4F/s1600/Pic01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="930" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wrOhPJGRGws_fq5iG5MXGnWugU44wj0twj-zQTgGv-wvDbDzSpYuggDF9xAARoF60szCnlN0UbIphyphenhyphenh2rlTIafMSKX90KMWXfLKbUPKfmYIZ336qR5ys7x11D1fy_Btg8RmwFI9qQf4F/s200/Pic01.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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So, what’s the Cushing and Lee theme this week? Well, there really isn’t one. I just decided to pick some random films they starred in and review them on their own. Finding these two in films isn’t hard. During the course of his career Lee alone starred in more than 300 films - as either a lead, a supporting role, or just a cameo (or so I’ve read). The hard part is picking which films to review. However, it seems my schedule made the decisions for me.<span id="fullpost"> <br />
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Due to my lack of time, I’ve had to fall back on some films that I’ve already seen- including one whose every copy should be burned at the stake and wiped from the invisible bits of cyberspace. Mankind would do itself quite well to rid itself of this abomination. But we’ll save that for a few paragraphs on. For now, let’s start with one studio I’ve been teasing for the past three weeks and, amazingly, haven’t talked about in a single review until now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiPSl8Zdwa4Y98T_xgu1FqR5cMXYe2FJpLDFJ6HoFseMphc151mhD5h4arRhLT5UKCFrXiqp_brTvQASjkqOafMqkwUg4Tn1AgGWMAwPX0gWciARdWkPFq6U7b-flkpm03h2aCJkbY-yX/s1600/Pic02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="570" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOiPSl8Zdwa4Y98T_xgu1FqR5cMXYe2FJpLDFJ6HoFseMphc151mhD5h4arRhLT5UKCFrXiqp_brTvQASjkqOafMqkwUg4Tn1AgGWMAwPX0gWciARdWkPFq6U7b-flkpm03h2aCJkbY-yX/s400/Pic02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><i>The Mummy</i> (Hammer, 1959)</b><br />
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They just had to do it, didn’t they? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTbY0BgIRMk">The Count</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxNVNGydx5U">the Monster</a>, a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u28lgfZiGw">Werewolf</a> two years later, and, now, a Mummy. As memorable as their work was, those Hammer people really liked following in Universal’s footsteps, didn’t they? Well, we’ll get to that in a second. First, the film.<br />
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<b>Plot:</b> In 1895, British Egyptologists Stephen Banning (Felix Aylmer) and Joseph Whemple (Raymond Huntley) are hard at work searching for the tomb of princess Ananka. With them and stuck in bed due to a broken leg is John Banning (Cushing), Stephen’s son and Joseph’s nephew. Not long after, the archaeologists find the tomb and enter, but not before an Egyptian named Mehmet Bey (George Patell) gives them the requisite warning not to enter the tomb. Of course, they do anyway and one of them- the elder Banning- is attacked after finding a hidden scroll.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gnb80WWLckmZ2Fo2Kt2x0og_td0th-Tjm5cxVRu5dnaCYk2dYxFZogSgSl1mYIJuIVwvT4bEYEx9dS3C9ONoSWZ1Zz56oD2SFQ9H1XLXXef5PI4WYm7WfzvfpQPZuEe6mhAg01_ddW24/s1600/Pic03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="852" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gnb80WWLckmZ2Fo2Kt2x0og_td0th-Tjm5cxVRu5dnaCYk2dYxFZogSgSl1mYIJuIVwvT4bEYEx9dS3C9ONoSWZ1Zz56oD2SFQ9H1XLXXef5PI4WYm7WfzvfpQPZuEe6mhAg01_ddW24/s400/Pic03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Fast forward three years and to the U.K., when John Banning is called to his father who has been living in an asylum. The older man claims he was attacked by a mummy in the tomb. Naturally, John refuses to believe and soon enough, his dad is killed.<br />
It turns out that Mehmet Bey has, in fact, brought a long-dormant mummy to England to kill those who plundered Ananka’s tomb. While going through his father’s papers, John treats the audience to exposition that takes up most of the film’s second act. In relating what his father told him, the younger Banning explains how Princess Ananka’s funeral was carefully overseen by the high priest Kharis (Lee). Kharis was later caught trying to blasphemously bring Ananka back to life and, as punishment, was buried alive and cursed to be her eternal protector. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pmoJvkGbfaDgD5qiP9mRuWb3TxpOk_S_yjmHZ4j8PEMg9k862ne2yPSuimX_0Z94owjWIXR94M5NAG9CUW2y5z0Er3FwMJWYD8nxO4JxLp5vTu48aGIPUmvRUoZ4kK598ghRIiiX7Xjo/s1600/Pic04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="775" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pmoJvkGbfaDgD5qiP9mRuWb3TxpOk_S_yjmHZ4j8PEMg9k862ne2yPSuimX_0Z94owjWIXR94M5NAG9CUW2y5z0Er3FwMJWYD8nxO4JxLp5vTu48aGIPUmvRUoZ4kK598ghRIiiX7Xjo/s400/Pic04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Later, Whemple is killed by Kharis and Inspector Mulrooney (Eddie Byrne) calls on John at his home where Banning fails to convince the inspector of what is happening. Kharis tries to kill John, but John’s wife Isobel- a dead-ringer for Ananka- comes in and causes Kharis- upon seeing her- to disobey Bey’s orders to kill. (Yvonne Furneaux, BTW, plays both Ananka and Isobel.)<br />
The film climaxes when Bey personally brings Kharis to kill John. The bandaged one almost succeeds when Isobel again arrives, albeit in proper period dress. John then tells her to do the most scandalous, unladylike, anti-Victorian deed of the late 19th-century British Realm- she lets her hair down, causing Kharis to again recognize her. Kharis instead kills Bey and carries off Isobel into a swamp, until she orders him to let her go and the police open fire.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRire-iLTCSkEO8z3aIU3HiGXYITdSxjw1PCfuabY5N6Sx7eT_-HMQhcSQfthybpgbxqjPzf8Byn4VE_xfngySz-zVsR9QC2r0T0l5HpeEuWrPm9kyHG8hBdKE0u2vHruh2Ldwxps7ewa/s1600/Pic05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="758" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRire-iLTCSkEO8z3aIU3HiGXYITdSxjw1PCfuabY5N6Sx7eT_-HMQhcSQfthybpgbxqjPzf8Byn4VE_xfngySz-zVsR9QC2r0T0l5HpeEuWrPm9kyHG8hBdKE0u2vHruh2Ldwxps7ewa/s400/Pic05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Thought and Background:</b> If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Hammer was kowtowing at the altar of Universal when scripting this one. Almost everything is borrowed/stolen from a Universal movie: a high priest trying to bring his dead lover back to life and spotting her modern doppelganger (<i>The Mummy</i>, 1932); a modern Egyptian priest worshipping a dead mummy and characters named Kharis and Banning (<i>The Mummy’s Hand</i>, 1940); characters named Mehmet Bey and Isobel and the former taking Kharis overseas to exact revenge (<i>The Mummy’s Tomb</i>, 1942); and the entire ending featuring a mummy and his lady love in a swamp (<i>the Mummy’s Ghost</i>, 1944). Good grief.<br />
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Sure, this film has its flaws. The scene of Lee as Kharis in ancient Egypt is very long and extensively detailed. There’s also a flashback to the beginning of the film that adds little more than Lee’s brief appearance. It almost feels like padding. And unlike <a href="https://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2015/10/monsterpiece-theater-hound-of.html">other films where I’ve noted that Hammer added material and made it work</a>, his film doesn’t add too much. Still, it’s well-shot, brightly colored, and all characters- including the comic drunks hired by Bey to transport Kharis- come off quite well. It’s a good addition to the Hammer canon, though not quite one of the best. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWW0m4134fKiQtnDMUXxv_0R2kx6Poz5fGDMbIpwhywZhHywrXJaX4F3PAMV5k4k2gk5V4_rOIcMzTb6unCg8twgaNOtt85Maz-GiCeI-7rUdIwhAJoUsWUsrz-8kYugZjCrsSZOvzcb6/s1600/Pic06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="740" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWW0m4134fKiQtnDMUXxv_0R2kx6Poz5fGDMbIpwhywZhHywrXJaX4F3PAMV5k4k2gk5V4_rOIcMzTb6unCg8twgaNOtt85Maz-GiCeI-7rUdIwhAJoUsWUsrz-8kYugZjCrsSZOvzcb6/s400/Pic06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Cushing (as John Banning):</b> It’s truly odd to see Cushing in a rather happy-go-lucky type of role. Usually, he’s either villainous, melancholy, or a loner. And since he’s playing a younger member of a family, he adds a zeal that makes him feel much younger than his years. It really is an enjoyable part to watch him play. And although he does eventually settle into a more ‘professor’ role near the end, you can tell he really enjoyed making this movie.<br />
<br />
<b>Lee (as Kharis):</b> Once again, Lee finds himself playing a mute, heavily-costumed creature. But unlike Frankenstein’s monster, Kharis is not a pitiful, pathetic slouch. In the ancient Egypt scenes, Lee portrays Kharis as first dominant and dignified; then bewildered and terrified as his character is mummified alive for his sins. Later, as a mummy, Lee goes anti-Universal. Kharis is powerful and unyielding- none of Universal’s dragging of the bandages here. Lee also adds a nice touch with his eyes when Kharis looks at Isobel; he visibly softens with a look of longing that causes him to spare Banning. You really need a professional like Lee to pull this off. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNJj8vIIUaa8Si6syUJuSQ394NBidvcTG31LzVjEigAFfpneS5ATztJz2bCBjscJTkFIiAuF16vrsZIdCgDU0if0eisLbSkMuz8HcTe4KOiNhWdsKG2mL2yq4y_1gRLkzBSmd8wxzG6Ys/s1600/Pic07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNJj8vIIUaa8Si6syUJuSQ394NBidvcTG31LzVjEigAFfpneS5ATztJz2bCBjscJTkFIiAuF16vrsZIdCgDU0if0eisLbSkMuz8HcTe4KOiNhWdsKG2mL2yq4y_1gRLkzBSmd8wxzG6Ys/s400/Pic07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Also, Lee hit a real benchmark here: he became only the second actor to play Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and the Mummy for a major studio. The only other guy to do that is Lon Chaney, Jr. (<i>Son of Dracula, Ghost of Frankenstein</i>, and <i>The Mummy’s Tomb</i>.) Chaney, I should note, still kept an edge: the title role in <i>The Wolf Man</i>. Lee never played a werewolf.<br />
<br />
(I couldn’t find a free link for this one. So, here’s a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTnkLTRR6v8">trailer</a>.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiRA1KP2z_xYudMEjtZf61-pG4GxaKvJgdVUYrMP7dlUHjQDmL9-pKqJfkjdresiLK5l7j4aM4lQILHbQaRNDlj210oHR3cVzZ9Q7LcOweaIWbZJilyQh0nXSq7mouvqwl_YFukSvxsZb/s1600/Pic08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="580" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiRA1KP2z_xYudMEjtZf61-pG4GxaKvJgdVUYrMP7dlUHjQDmL9-pKqJfkjdresiLK5l7j4aM4lQILHbQaRNDlj210oHR3cVzZ9Q7LcOweaIWbZJilyQh0nXSq7mouvqwl_YFukSvxsZb/s200/Pic08.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><b><i>The Beast Must Die</i> (Amicus, 1974)</b><br />
<br />
Question: what happens when Hammer’s top rival throws Agatha Christie, <a href="https://fiction.eserver.org/short/the_most_dangerous_game">The Most Dangerous Game</a>, and 70’s Blaxploitation into a blender? Let’s find out.<br />
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<b>Plot:</b> The film starts off commonly enough, with a random black guy running through a forest being trailed by an apparently evil-looking security force of white guys getting their orders through headsets and from an evil-looking man sitting at an evil-looking control panel. Several times, the evil-looking guards close in, only for the evil-looking man to tell them to ease off. Finally, the black guy reaches a clearing where well-dressed people are eating lunch, er, taking tea. (Blast! I knew I’d screw up eventually.) But before he can ask for help, several of the evil-looking guards come out of the woods and open fire. He falls! Movie over! <br />
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But of course not. You knew it wouldn’t be that short.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksFEOeYim7tFQpNT4VfYs0KYdsyTparVSTwOM-iuHjmZabhiPiK_bs-spI4ePeYxt9njVDGiS9X1TIUtCq2c7OxBMEfvi3aixPBHR3nc2RbAjtPHKCSxJ4Nv_TTFzIaO6RqIQhAvd8Rhm/s1600/Pic09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="669" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksFEOeYim7tFQpNT4VfYs0KYdsyTparVSTwOM-iuHjmZabhiPiK_bs-spI4ePeYxt9njVDGiS9X1TIUtCq2c7OxBMEfvi3aixPBHR3nc2RbAjtPHKCSxJ4Nv_TTFzIaO6RqIQhAvd8Rhm/s400/Pic09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The guy just laughs. You see, it WAS ALL A RUSE! The black guy, Tom, (Bahamian actor Calvin Lockhart), is, in fact, a filthy rich big game hunter. He was simply testing his newly-installed security system. The evil-looking guy in the evil-looking control booth, it turns out, is Pavel, a Polish(?) guy who installed the mass system of sensors, bugs, and cameras. Later, at a lunch party, Tom explains his motives to his guests, who include Jan (Michael Gambon), a pianist; his wife, Davina; Super Eurotrash artist Paul (Tom Chadbon); former diplomat Arthur (Charles Gray, a.k.a Henderson in <i>You Only Live Twice</i> and Blofeld in <i>Diamonds Are Forever</i>); and archaeologist Lundgren (Cushing). Because people have died around them, Tom believes one of them is a werewolf and wants to hunt them. I guess big cats are no longer a challenge.<br />
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(<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4N9OA6MYYM">Robin Leach</a> voiceover) “Welcome to Tom’s palatial estate in Fool-on-Foot-shire where the guests are treated to exotic foods, expansive entertainments and being hunted down by their host on suspicion of being dogs in another life!”<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYbjnQsTqMInIhsRNgGWhyuTmUq7D5e4EJlwhb7io8-NwRpTiH00-c7NPTM8vYn6YG5r1K6aIf4a-uIhmtR6jbDV7MwJMh435rEOgHdSizr08xeBTQ672nhdAKwxNeYwJWDuXG9fll5Sy/s1600/Pic10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="820" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYbjnQsTqMInIhsRNgGWhyuTmUq7D5e4EJlwhb7io8-NwRpTiH00-c7NPTM8vYn6YG5r1K6aIf4a-uIhmtR6jbDV7MwJMh435rEOgHdSizr08xeBTQ672nhdAKwxNeYwJWDuXG9fll5Sy/s400/Pic10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Tom tries to test his guests with a silver candlestick, but Lundgren explains that won’t work because there’s no wolfbane in the air. Tom, of course, then supplies it. That night, a large ‘dog’ is sighted that chases Tom and then plows into the control room, killing Pavel right after he says he doesn’t believe in werewolves. Isn’t that how it always happens? (That massive security system is also destroyed in the process. Money to burn, I suppose.)<br />
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The next day, Tom sabotages everyone’s cars and cuts all telephone lines, determined to flush out the killer puppy. His wife Caroline (perennial overactor Marlene Clark), begs him to stop, thinking he’s finally gone overboard. But Tom wants to prove he’s right. He does so by boarding a helicopter that night and chasing a wolf while shooting at it with an automatic rifle loaded with silver bullets. He succeeds in saving Caroline from the animal in a shed, but accidentally blows up the helicopter and kills strafes his pilot in the process. What could be more sane?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mv9neH1wLyEVhuD8tQE_8TVzUtfIMsWLexHavWUXsQJR0VXfS_PaZfQBxuc2jAs9YsptBKITdScth28LCauVghdwRsGyy94bKwz_OPmYgViDth2RwyalRPqGXsijsKJI9KcyVqWXizA8/s1600/Pic11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="780" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mv9neH1wLyEVhuD8tQE_8TVzUtfIMsWLexHavWUXsQJR0VXfS_PaZfQBxuc2jAs9YsptBKITdScth28LCauVghdwRsGyy94bKwz_OPmYgViDth2RwyalRPqGXsijsKJI9KcyVqWXizA8/s400/Pic11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The final night, Tom sets his sights on jerkoff Paul, who’s a loner, a weirdo, has hairy hands, and was missing when the wolf attacked. Paul is especially ticked off over the death of his pilot. (Yeah, First World problems.) He then orders everyone to taste a silver bullet- causing Caroline to transform and be killed by Tom. Lundgren then realizes that she must been infected during the werewolf the previous night. With Paul and Arthur now murdered, the beast is revealed to be…Jan! Tom then kills him in the woods, but not before being bitten.<br />
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Finally, in a total You Get What You Deserve Moment, Tom goes inside and blows his brains out before the curse can affect him. Only Lundgren and Davina survive.<br />
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<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> Okay, maybe that was a little harsh, but I’m just having fun. Truth be said, this movie isn’t that bad. Most of the characters are pretty well done. Some get more attention than others and the screen time is proportional to their roles. We don’t have <i>Star Trek</i>-esque moments of giving characters scenes solely for the sake of giving them something to do. Calvin Lockhart really nails his character; a charismatic guy, driven guy whose ego is teetering on the thin line between reality and insanity before going completely mental as the movie goes on. There are also enough twists and turns to keep viewers guessing who the werewolf is. (The film includes an infamous 30-second “Werewolf Break;” a pause for the audience to guess who the beast is.) The only problem, as I mentioned, is the actress playing Caroline. She’s one of those types who thinks that overdoing her inflections and gestures counts as acting. It doesn’t. And that’s why it’s too bad her character doesn’t disappear earlier.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBw9fbVHGk_L6PPaMgaTk82P7pv6iINZA1Pw1p14fd_yO5t1ZebjOw6xgYXTZz3OirpUehRs7flDPBahVMWf_wwcEbKS06EixMdDXYYuvQJKAV5OpWL6qBhjaHuSpA17B4C1aTKb2n5Otn/s1600/Pic12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="580" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBw9fbVHGk_L6PPaMgaTk82P7pv6iINZA1Pw1p14fd_yO5t1ZebjOw6xgYXTZz3OirpUehRs7flDPBahVMWf_wwcEbKS06EixMdDXYYuvQJKAV5OpWL6qBhjaHuSpA17B4C1aTKb2n5Otn/s400/Pic12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Cushing (as Dr. Lundgren):</b> Cushing has very little to do here. He puts on a German-ish accent (shades of Dr. Schreck?), and fills the role of Exposition Expert. He explains the (movie) science behind lycanthropy, as his character has been studying the werewolf phenomenon all his life. After that, like Charles Gray, he’s really in the background. Maybe that was to keep his character mysterious. Or maybe the filmmakers just forgot to make use of the talent they had in the cast. Who knows?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gYSLimDqrqqj79cZB_H0izZcfevMc-MAaq7Gw17Pc8FDGo6XU5K9WlycZdi5aB4WlbOp0AVIy80RI7X0XW8-14NfmCV2IsA4dYR8DLAVOF6hIbc6avzICKKaJZHmiupuQNyxEOBgHf_e/s1600/Pic13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1438" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gYSLimDqrqqj79cZB_H0izZcfevMc-MAaq7Gw17Pc8FDGo6XU5K9WlycZdi5aB4WlbOp0AVIy80RI7X0XW8-14NfmCV2IsA4dYR8DLAVOF6hIbc6avzICKKaJZHmiupuQNyxEOBgHf_e/s400/Pic13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EchbodiHUUw&t=2642s">MOVIE LINK</a><br />
And to be fair, Christopher Lee took some odd roles, too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjurN6QauMpZFYUKg8PAvHWqJ50K-3CdBDPH6xsQZNqQlW3NM1LF-w-OZhWb3sU0zmEI5R6DJ9PQxKSbwvcW8_jAqWcF1f8dwRVBkN5D-1xPL_lrVsPps3OmB1sY0XLKMLsOeJUcy_b42s/s1600/Pic14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="898" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjurN6QauMpZFYUKg8PAvHWqJ50K-3CdBDPH6xsQZNqQlW3NM1LF-w-OZhWb3sU0zmEI5R6DJ9PQxKSbwvcW8_jAqWcF1f8dwRVBkN5D-1xPL_lrVsPps3OmB1sY0XLKMLsOeJUcy_b42s/s400/Pic14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Maybe he’ll fare with a more visible- and better- role here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2VEDDv4gRrSEXePKq0wcndugmO043nIhNJHCMP3GxFTxNcNnHWkj5efWskXCq5TRXRNTJbm5io53t-EO8uttkrHoZSJL5m2CcEfJFzX5x5tqivB12YCvZl349rn3sXhLM1RvaOQAjBig/s1600/Pic15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2VEDDv4gRrSEXePKq0wcndugmO043nIhNJHCMP3GxFTxNcNnHWkj5efWskXCq5TRXRNTJbm5io53t-EO8uttkrHoZSJL5m2CcEfJFzX5x5tqivB12YCvZl349rn3sXhLM1RvaOQAjBig/s200/Pic15.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><b><i>The Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf</i>, (Hemdale Film Corporation, 1985)</b><br />
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Oh, God in Heaven. I spoke too soon. Pray for me on this one, folks.<br />
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<b>Plot?:</b> Set right after the ending events of the first film (wherein anchorwoman-turned-werewolf Karen White exposed her bestial side on the late news before being shot with a silver bullet), Karen is being laid to rest- and then wakes up in her coffin. Meanwhile, her friend Jenny and brother Ben (the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tVxYs3vEXE">pre-Chris Evans Captain America</a> Reb Brown) run into mystery man Stefan (Lee). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sSt-WQxXxhuzS_pVoYm7GQ-iiv-ZqO_MTiv88WHTwvEOBJRZUNXc84QT5BC0n82KYzfGMt2x-oXccfu8ED8-YKeBpiDQgxtRFj48MvAFswtVpBkZZTs1Sus-GDjTZy1P1VbPFWm5_jfu/s1600/Pic16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="1280" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sSt-WQxXxhuzS_pVoYm7GQ-iiv-ZqO_MTiv88WHTwvEOBJRZUNXc84QT5BC0n82KYzfGMt2x-oXccfu8ED8-YKeBpiDQgxtRFj48MvAFswtVpBkZZTs1Sus-GDjTZy1P1VbPFWm5_jfu/s400/Pic16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>(Note: From this point on, Ben will be referred to by one of the many <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5xhfCGcAYw">nicknames given to Mr. Brown by Mike and the Bots via his appearance in the sci-fi disaster, <i>Space Mutiny</i>.</a><br />
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And yes, that is Mr. Lee in the C.A. clip with Rip Hardpeck. I don’t know too much about it. What say we keep things at one disaster at time, OK?)<br />
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Stefan tells them that Karen was a werewolf and shows videotape evidence. (Wait? Wasn’t that broadcast all over L.A. at the end of the last movie? Oh, well.) He adds that the bullet was removed during Karen’s autopsy and that she will be stolen from the church and brought back to life because werewolves aren’t supposed to be buried in consecrated ground. Naturally, Butch Deadlift refuses to believe any of this and vows to kill Stefan instead(?). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pq0czwKD29hGv5sutHwn2FgN1wGozoiTosCgYblUtRvqhrWq7EEs-Hx8GinvL56pGMwLuSGJ4_Yp1EAUX-E01oR7fCvQmY4TkrJd7cvhaJXll1Naq2l05yRy5HsdMCZVVilf_zAf2-iU/s1600/Pic17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="812" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pq0czwKD29hGv5sutHwn2FgN1wGozoiTosCgYblUtRvqhrWq7EEs-Hx8GinvL56pGMwLuSGJ4_Yp1EAUX-E01oR7fCvQmY4TkrJd7cvhaJXll1Naq2l05yRy5HsdMCZVVilf_zAf2-iU/s400/Pic17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>That night, before saving Karen’s soul, Stefan goes to the seedy scene of L.A. for a punk rock concert where some powerful werewolves are hanging out. After some convoluted editing where, I think, the wolves attack while raving 80’s style..? I’m not sure. At least Stefan gets some cool shades for his efforts.<br />
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Back at the church, Stefan prepares to stab Karen with a titanium stake, er, spike. Whatever. Jenny and Bulk Van Der Huge arrive to stop him, allowing Karen to come to life as a wolf and try to attack Stefan. Nice going, Gristle McThornbody. Anyhoo, a few more werewolves attack and the group capture one of them. As Jenney and Slab SquatThrust watch, Stefan interrogates the wolfman, asking where Stirba (Sybil Danning)- Queen of the Werewolves- is located. Finally, the old wolf guy gives in and says she’s in Transylvania. (But of course! Ceausescu won’t let <i>Dracula</i> be published, so we gotta find a substitute!) Stefan kills the wolfman with his titanium and (presumably) does the same to Karen’s corpse. He says that he must destroy Stirba to save the world. Jenny and Big McLargeHuge vow to help him. He adds that some werewolves are too strong for silver and must be finished off by titanium. I forget. Is that the result of getting a Tanooki Suit or a Fire Flower? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXq_duQty3y71iD_IToMlmiM7mtvmeOXfIVa1L6nAQY3R9Laxj-ej674T14subjBahMuAPzTV3b3RIHfJaAa4fsliwl6wtQ95RGn4oWwqSLgab-N5p8qV9bzO4QQOP3GzL3if2jBd923Bl/s1600/Pic18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXq_duQty3y71iD_IToMlmiM7mtvmeOXfIVa1L6nAQY3R9Laxj-ej674T14subjBahMuAPzTV3b3RIHfJaAa4fsliwl6wtQ95RGn4oWwqSLgab-N5p8qV9bzO4QQOP3GzL3if2jBd923Bl/s400/Pic18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Anyway, they’re preceded to Transylvania by werewolf Erle, who is taken to Stirba in time for a ceremony where a virgin is sacrificed and her youth is transferred to the elderly Stirba. Stirba then strips, as does the whole group, and an orgy breaks out. Then…then…OH, SCREW IT!!!<br />
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Ladies and gentlemen, this is what happens when you don’t plan ahead. I should’ve more wisely adjusted my time and reviewed some worthy film- like the original <i>Wicker Man</i>. No bees, there. But I ran out of time and fell back on this. I confess. I didn’t re-watch it. I can’t do it. This is all from memory.<br />
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Suffice to say, they go to a very, very eastern European town in Transylvania. They find some allies, who all get killed one by one. There’s another werewolf orgy scene with the actors covered in thin ‘wolf- hair and growling the whole time. <i>Matrix: Reloaded</i> ain’t got nothing on this. Eventually, Jenny gets captured and Thick McRunFast has to rescue her. They head back to town and abandon Stefan as confronts and kills his sister(?!) Stirba at the cost of his own life. Meanwhile, Jenny and Lump Beefbroth go back to L.A. and seem concerned when a kid comes to their door on Halloween night in a werewolf costume. Then the credits roll to 80’s underground rock.<br />
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Please! Somebody, help me!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LwYWQvZsGf541KkLCWJz-jf0gBGwHRBwa3jwOtuoJQmP_OJ9AE0Lixwl7hAi2D71XSVhfal6JzaOPg8W7wv-FOCzdi9wGJ5EW3nMD1Im1-o-Du4SIgxAFRxYvQVhOSNG0xo37W9PjfW4/s1600/Pic19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="827" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LwYWQvZsGf541KkLCWJz-jf0gBGwHRBwa3jwOtuoJQmP_OJ9AE0Lixwl7hAi2D71XSVhfal6JzaOPg8W7wv-FOCzdi9wGJ5EW3nMD1Im1-o-Du4SIgxAFRxYvQVhOSNG0xo37W9PjfW4/s400/Pic19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Thoughts and Background:</b> Am I still alive? Well, I’m typing, therefore I must be. I think I’ve already answered this section, but I’ll add a few things. This film is a mess. Not only is the story a disaster, but I remain convinced it was edited by aliens who thought all humans have ADD. (In other words, a generation ahead of their time.) It keeps flipping back to unrelated POVs, stock images of buildings and Europe-y clocks, recycled footage, and odd dream sequences. (The first werewolf ceremony includes a ‘visionary’ shot of a wax head melting off of a fake skull!) I never thought filmmakers could aspire to be a poor man’s David Lynch, but these guys sure tried. And did I mention the acting? I’m not going to bother with the tree-stump wooden acting of the actress playing Jenny. And Buff DrinkLots? While it may not be his fault that he’s a chunkhead, the fact that he could have anything resembling an acting career is proof that Hollywood is evil and hates America. As for Sybil Danning, well, to the sad chagrin of any adolescents reading this, stripping- no matter how many times you do it- is not a substitute for acting skills. As a mature adult, I approve this message.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_G58hdIGigKDbB1Ee77Jw0YCjHIwDt7qtKdH475efIm9EVz5YOtI-GDxxzYO200S8y1bqSOefIF9rGk7pvBZCiIVvCV3ylNOF8PUKsz4WxIkBUDylzXNqqkhngQzZS9C2eNjt5ay9k_XU/s1600/Pic20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_G58hdIGigKDbB1Ee77Jw0YCjHIwDt7qtKdH475efIm9EVz5YOtI-GDxxzYO200S8y1bqSOefIF9rGk7pvBZCiIVvCV3ylNOF8PUKsz4WxIkBUDylzXNqqkhngQzZS9C2eNjt5ay9k_XU/s400/Pic20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Lee (as Stefan):</b> Oh, Chris…who did you owe money to? Even mafia debtors aren’t cruel enough to make you star in something like this to pay them off. (I think.) <br />
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Simply put, Lee hated this film. The director later stated that Lee kept to himself, frustrated by the disastrous acting of his co-stars. Yeah, Crunch Bonemeal can have that effect on you.<br />
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But it seems Chris got the last word. Years later, he was cast in <i>Gremlins 2: The New Batch</i>. The story goes that, as soon as he arrived, Lee sought out director Joe Dante. Dante was also the director of the original <i>The Howling</i>. Upon finding the guy, Lee apologized profusely for having starred in a sequel that so marred a movie that he (Lee) had incredible respect for.<br />
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But if it’s a trailer for this one you need…<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1HtcpWGf9M">it’s your funeral</a>. (NSFW)<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-46081345466411535812017-10-17T22:43:00.000-04:002017-10-17T22:43:55.274-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Cushing and Lee- Amicus Anthologies<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm91NMjCtBjkRA-YKkduecYRzSXVRgdryAO0kKKSJDlwXAA3r-DTMa0ML4A_-Xh_3U47HjqeNSg23YUvqy4yijEDkpe9heeG18ry_pRuYZRwNDiXFDGW3bS9f8K4BORZXuGgaqVnBle4iL/s1600/Pic01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="564" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm91NMjCtBjkRA-YKkduecYRzSXVRgdryAO0kKKSJDlwXAA3r-DTMa0ML4A_-Xh_3U47HjqeNSg23YUvqy4yijEDkpe9heeG18ry_pRuYZRwNDiXFDGW3bS9f8K4BORZXuGgaqVnBle4iL/s200/Pic01.jpg" width="166" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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Quick question: What do <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y"><i>The Twilight Zone</i></a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mioevxb2CfA"><i>Tales From the Dark Side</i></a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBY2d2qa4Mk"><i>Night Gallery</i></a> all have in common?<span id="fullpost"><br />
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Answer: As the title of this article implies, they were all anthology shows! OK, maybe not the best start. But, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UffSg8qJ5nk">oh, it’s true</a>. Guest stars. Different worlds. No running plotline. Two had Rod Serling. One had George Romero (as top producer). Every week was a new scare story. It’s a great format. But, alas, it seems anthologies tend to work best on TV. <br />
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For good reasons, movies tend to prefer a single, main storyline. With only an hour-and-a-half of running time, it’s hard to squeeze multiple short stories into the format. Because of that, most studios shy away from the style. However, one British studio dared not only dabble in the format; they nearly made it their own. Enter Amicus Studios.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBv4Z_iQpaYqDq8V3kl5GNRCf1Y25dl0E0yAvui9A2ElG6rtettzwP6vAn0LtHJDV0JDX8lvQ_u0If4qiBpylXQvm7Nx4mhsXs7Uv1YXpb7d9lLBGbGNmi3a4TLVK1F453hkVJY6R2Z1Z/s1600/Pic02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBv4Z_iQpaYqDq8V3kl5GNRCf1Y25dl0E0yAvui9A2ElG6rtettzwP6vAn0LtHJDV0JDX8lvQ_u0If4qiBpylXQvm7Nx4mhsXs7Uv1YXpb7d9lLBGbGNmi3a4TLVK1F453hkVJY6R2Z1Z/s400/Pic02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As noted by both myself and Backthrow last week, (I NEVER forget when someone tries to out-geek me!), Amicus was Hammer’s main rival for the horror market in both the British Realm and beyond. Hammer- if you’ll forgive the pun- hit the audiences with clever stories, bright colors, great acting, and plenty of female cleavage. Amicus had most of this, too. However, they decided to counter Hammer’s re-inventing of classics like Dracula and Frankenstein with anthology-style storytelling. And guess what? Several of them featured this month’s stars: Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee!<br />
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So, let’s take a look at how Amicus’s Paramount tried to take on Hammer’s Universal.<br />
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Note: To keep this article to a decent length, I’m going to have to skim these summaries. Don’t worry, though. I’ll provide links to the films where I can find them<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFDxr2LX6K6ehsFDwtmsm6ZHQmr3ZlbLkf-cDvZmmgPXR5L_r5DrKgExybAfLNXKPFyO-pfU-YAMtS0AgM5gR2TG38J_xJ73cD1_xK5SAB9mP4gFCJ3op6u6ku0VngT5t2weleQpE2t3A/s1600/Pic03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="881" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFDxr2LX6K6ehsFDwtmsm6ZHQmr3ZlbLkf-cDvZmmgPXR5L_r5DrKgExybAfLNXKPFyO-pfU-YAMtS0AgM5gR2TG38J_xJ73cD1_xK5SAB9mP4gFCJ3op6u6ku0VngT5t2weleQpE2t3A/s200/Pic03.jpg" width="110" /></a></div><b>Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (Amicus, 1965)</b><br />
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<b>Frame Story:</b> Five men pile into a train car on the London-to-Bradley line. They sit quietly and ignore each other until a sixth man, Dr. Schreck (Cushing) gets on, passes out, and drops his case. After collecting his things, Schreck reveals himself to be a professional on occult practices and an expert Tarot Card reader. At this, all the men except an annoying art critic ask to have their fortunes told.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxG8zliH2LoFa3JomZW9rtfd3R0Zlz_GQeHP2eNk4KYtvn1dt11ZI75Z3F3aScpkCk41EeX4ZAdPW5lgi02j0VXm1ryemGYUyCz9e_HQo5EIZ4gTa9vJ_fKpsvgw72mGa69PRyTHjpHm7/s1600/Pic04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxG8zliH2LoFa3JomZW9rtfd3R0Zlz_GQeHP2eNk4KYtvn1dt11ZI75Z3F3aScpkCk41EeX4ZAdPW5lgi02j0VXm1ryemGYUyCz9e_HQo5EIZ4gTa9vJ_fKpsvgw72mGa69PRyTHjpHm7/s400/Pic04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Part 1- ‘Werewolf’:</b> An architect (Neil McCallum) returns to his ancestral home where the new owner is asking him to make some alterations. Unfortunately, he uncovers the grave of a werewolf allegedly cursed to return and kill the owner of the house. However, he may have overlooked some details- including the details of the legend.<br />
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<b>Part 2- ‘Creeping Vine’:</b> A family has just returned from vacation, er, um…I mean, they’ve just returned from <i>holiday</i>, and have found a strange vine growing around their house that can’t be cut down. A science team led by Dr. Hopkins (Bernard Lee, who played James Bond’s boss ‘M’ from <i>Dr. No</i> in 1962 through <i>Moonraker</i> in 1979), discovers that the plant is evolved and has a brain- and has figured out how to defend itself.<br />
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<b>Part 3- ‘Voodoo’:</b> While on tour in the West Indies, a trumpet player for a jazz band (Roy Castle) sneaks into a voodoo ceremony, copies the music, and tries to make it his next big hit. Complications ensue.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRxvqkc09pzRVj8HYNolhccCzO-zQzRsfFo824smc06E5rriGsyOSm-IFJv2dXTovTGWmXb6M5uxnY-AY3BFRI8Cj0Kae6SMKkPACuTpQ_yqZqGbxYZgzOp3Tjf-dqDXvdJ5i73YNjF7L/s1600/Pic05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRxvqkc09pzRVj8HYNolhccCzO-zQzRsfFo824smc06E5rriGsyOSm-IFJv2dXTovTGWmXb6M5uxnY-AY3BFRI8Cj0Kae6SMKkPACuTpQ_yqZqGbxYZgzOp3Tjf-dqDXvdJ5i73YNjF7L/s400/Pic05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Part 4- ‘Disembodied Hand’:</b> After years of abuse, an artist (Michael Gough) gets even with a scumbag art critic (Christopher Lee). The critic is a sore loser- and runs over the artist with his car, severing the man’s hand. The artist promptly commits suicide, and his hand decides to regularly ‘visit’ the critic.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwTYbxOknw3bN0cdVylYd0wu_Y7Fdcz4MUe542GH4IYz0oPIElcwxeddy7kSICpPraUj3gRhvT3IAM4Q3O3I1MRRB7m23FVj0MgQPZrfKnqin1aldFoKBTkQb_GNuDY6vigeo6exaLH_-/s1600/Pic06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwTYbxOknw3bN0cdVylYd0wu_Y7Fdcz4MUe542GH4IYz0oPIElcwxeddy7kSICpPraUj3gRhvT3IAM4Q3O3I1MRRB7m23FVj0MgQPZrfKnqin1aldFoKBTkQb_GNuDY6vigeo6exaLH_-/s400/Pic06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Part 5- ‘Vampire’:</b> The first year of marriage proves to be rough when an American doctor (Donald Sutherland) learns his French wife is a bloodsucker. Hold on…isn’t this supposed to be fantasy? Whatever. Anyway, a fellow doctor recognizes what’s going on and tells the younger doc what to do. Only…how will he explain it to the police?<br />
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<b>Epilogue:</b> Forgot to mention something, at the end of each reading, Dr. Schreck pulls a fifth ‘get-out-of-jail’ Tarot card, explaining how the readee can avoid his fate. However, each time, he pulls the Tarot equivalent of the Ace of Spades. It seems there’s only one way out and they’re all in the same car on a train…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwcXLq9KPiYe148EnxtW-AAoMe5hXkiUF7ALTP4v4iXafU_gIJqvAltxjqUYBVMmpGjPBCUDqcYRayXaybEvtFsUw5riMbz3njKBZx12Ynxvo2F4o_2Jhr7jvlMA2h5CcluO87xR1ID7I/s1600/Pic07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="747" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKwcXLq9KPiYe148EnxtW-AAoMe5hXkiUF7ALTP4v4iXafU_gIJqvAltxjqUYBVMmpGjPBCUDqcYRayXaybEvtFsUw5riMbz3njKBZx12Ynxvo2F4o_2Jhr7jvlMA2h5CcluO87xR1ID7I/s400/Pic07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Thoughts and Background:</b> This was actually the first anthology film to be made by Amicus. The segments are decent enough. Honestly, I thought ‘Werewolf’ was a little confusing. Had to watch that a few times before I got it. Writers got ahead of themselves, I suppose. This film is also lambasted by online snowflakes for the ‘Voodoo’ segment. Apparently, portraying Haitian voodoo worshippers as black and putting the stupid white guy in danger for violating their beliefs is somehow racist. You know, I’ll stop there. This kind of crap is for the political site. And speaking of snowflakes, Donald Sutherland only got £1,000 for appearing in this. Between that and taking a flat amount instead of a percentage for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ciw1os85nz0"> Animal House</a>, his agent sucks. Or maybe he does. You decide.<br />
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Technically, the hardest part of this film for director Freddie Francis (yep, him again), was the train car scenes. Francis does a decent enough job of getting as many men in the shots as possible and using close-ups where appropriate. However, cinematography can only do so much. That’s where acting comes in…<br />
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WARNING: SPOILERS (warning will remain in effect for the rest of this article)<br />
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<b>Cushing (as Dr. Schreck):</b> He really shows how to put on the creepy and foreboding in this one. He also goes against type by growing a full beard and adopting a German accent. (A homage to his character’s actor namesake- <a href="https://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2016/10/monsterpiece-theater-dracula.html">Max Schreck</a>?) Throughout the episode he’s equally entertaining and threatening to his fellow passengers in his segments. His bizarre, otherworldly voice also perfectly compliments the lighting Francis brings in at the climax and we learn that Schreck is actually Death himself, apparently amusing himself by scaring the five men before they die and leading them to the Underworld. Alongside his role as Baron Frankenstein, this is widely considered the role that made Cushing a bona fide horror star. And as for stars…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqL7tUBCOg4NpnOskdMXpofFkEsYCmIAN58j_WoOB_mXYbzBEH8unC1VAVO6Q43EA63Zban0NS1TQ0wLumQPBebSTzbmkuSg3y8maIDmP5av71Dl2yV6dUh2qcT_a1esa9RcCxSVoUOhx/s1600/Pic08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="877" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbqL7tUBCOg4NpnOskdMXpofFkEsYCmIAN58j_WoOB_mXYbzBEH8unC1VAVO6Q43EA63Zban0NS1TQ0wLumQPBebSTzbmkuSg3y8maIDmP5av71Dl2yV6dUh2qcT_a1esa9RcCxSVoUOhx/s400/Pic08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Lee (Franklin Marsh):</b> Lee’s character goes through an emotional roller coaster in this one. He starts off as a super-snob, first berating Schreck’s ‘profession’ and then- in his segment- making Michael Gough’s life miserable. That, of course, turns to rage when he attacks Gough, (who turns in his own wonderfully emotional performance, falling to pieces after the attack and making us eager for Marsh to get his comeuppance). But, finally, Lee shows why he is who he is by pulling off one scene after another full of apprehension and fright. This is hard to pull off, especially when the thing he’s afraid of is a small, animatronic hand likely paid for with rolls of pennies (shillings?). Still, Lee’s reactions make the hand appear threatening enough and register several jump scares. Interestingly, Lee is the one character implied to live at the end of his segment. A reward for a good performance? Well, his character is an art critic and, at the end, he’s in a car crash and blinded for life. So…no.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3FW1oTu2ic">MOVIE LINK</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUCdtC6Sfo38vytJvMrQs5eEiooF_UiZTLUSeoVFslhuSwEXFTZ_Ru7wJQne9BEJhFf51ELZt7BGRA4T8GcStmwdaGgMua3AtWbOnBcsPmDVDqFdjmuatG5TaR6DffzvY5a_0y8hSMGD6/s1600/Pic09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="850" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUCdtC6Sfo38vytJvMrQs5eEiooF_UiZTLUSeoVFslhuSwEXFTZ_Ru7wJQne9BEJhFf51ELZt7BGRA4T8GcStmwdaGgMua3AtWbOnBcsPmDVDqFdjmuatG5TaR6DffzvY5a_0y8hSMGD6/s200/Pic09.jpg" width="157" /></a></div><b><i>The House That Dripped Blood</i> (Amicus, 1971)</b><br />
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<b>Frame Story:</b> An incredibly annoyed inspector from Scotland Yard arrives in the countryside to find out what happened to a missing film star. He’s then told that the wayward thespian isn’t the only person to go missing in the house in question.<br />
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<b>Part 1- ‘Method for Murder’:</b> A pre-Stephen King-esque horror/mystery writer (Denholm Elliott, a.k.a. Marcus Brody himself) rents the house so he can get over his writer’s block and meet his publisher’s deadline. But getting his book done on time- or finding his way out of his own museum, for that matter- quickly becomes less of an issue when the killer he’s created comes to life and begins stalking him, though no one else can see the maniac.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ__Lfd7DkhQRlUXdTqWMsFokW6lRCZ9tHEIKeDGqxlYXIip2vfPqWkizqMWsdhq1D_0qbHnxUOhdOhq3aa1ZjjDLcUn6pulN1OlxtbWHwHDeWC7H0KJ1MfNl__6252BX4SQ9kWRaLw0Z0/s1600/Pic10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="579" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ__Lfd7DkhQRlUXdTqWMsFokW6lRCZ9tHEIKeDGqxlYXIip2vfPqWkizqMWsdhq1D_0qbHnxUOhdOhq3aa1ZjjDLcUn6pulN1OlxtbWHwHDeWC7H0KJ1MfNl__6252BX4SQ9kWRaLw0Z0/s400/Pic10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Part 2- ‘Waxworks’:</b> A retired banker (Cushing) rents the house, and is soon joined by an old friend (Joss Ackland, the bad guy from <i>Lethal Weapon 2</i>) who visits the house- I mean, <i>calls on him</i>. The two jointly and separately visit a wax museum that features a mannequin which resembles a woman they both knew in their youth. Feeling something is very wrong, the former banker tries to keep his friend from going back; but the lure is too strong.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLv648mEqY1_SNnn9wMWzQX8PAH3sioJbGsxswbQSHqORe3tfGRuWjT-O-CxFFPZ-ISBEQZHyhJcFbMDQWOZ6B7DV894nG0Eto1qmBncya_FP92HXVdW15S0_WlYTSglEIKe8vrE6JIdop/s1600/Pic11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="780" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLv648mEqY1_SNnn9wMWzQX8PAH3sioJbGsxswbQSHqORe3tfGRuWjT-O-CxFFPZ-ISBEQZHyhJcFbMDQWOZ6B7DV894nG0Eto1qmBncya_FP92HXVdW15S0_WlYTSglEIKe8vrE6JIdop/s400/Pic11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Part 3- ‘Sweets to the Sweet’:</b> John Reid (Christopher Lee) now rents the house and has brought his young daughter, Jane (Chloe Franks), with him. To keep her out of the local schools, he hires a private tutor, Ann (Nyree Dawn Porter), to teach her. Ann is appalled at Lee’s brutal discipline of his daughter and refusal to allow her to have toys. However, after Jane shows some odd behavior, Lee reveals the madness to his methods- his late wife was a witch and he’s afraid that Jane may follow in her footsteps. (Note: The Realtor is now relating this to the inspector.)<br />
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<b>Part 4- ‘The Cloak’:</b> Perennial pain-in-the-@$$ horror film star- and subject of the inspector’s visit- Paul Henderson (Jon Pertwee, taking a break from being the Third Doctor), is irate at the production values on his latest film. Controlling what he can, he buys a very authentic vampire-ish cloak from a very demonic-ish costume shop. The cloak turns out to be too authentic, as Henderson begins acting and behaving like a vampire for real- even biting his co-star Carla (Ingrid Pitt) during filming! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKjijY1U65JhTVItvVuZLPl48Idm5qmCTWy1qDxrJbr6v8B_7wpvgoB2qinBUnmb5MGxI7md9iP7R6s93Dk8e6SmQ0S9q7RD4VB0Z2Dr6oHWzotG51Z5FZkNBQpcLD2-G2lYjx1CmUwjk/s1600/Pic12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKjijY1U65JhTVItvVuZLPl48Idm5qmCTWy1qDxrJbr6v8B_7wpvgoB2qinBUnmb5MGxI7md9iP7R6s93Dk8e6SmQ0S9q7RD4VB0Z2Dr6oHWzotG51Z5FZkNBQpcLD2-G2lYjx1CmUwjk/s400/Pic12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Epilogue:</b> Moaning and groaning, the inspector ignores the realtor’s advice to wait until morning to inspect the house after the electricity can be turned on. He lights a candle and heads to the basement. There, he’s confronted by Henderson- as a full vampire! (It turns out Henderson was set up; some real vampires liked his horror films so much they made him ‘one of the club.’) The inspector kills Henderson with a broken chair leg, and then meets his own end when Carla wakes up.<br />
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<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> There’s not too much available on this film, except that Pertwee was a last-second addition. (Vincent Price was originally asked to play Henderson, but couldn’t because of contractual reasons.) <i>Psycho</i>’s Robert Bloch returns as the screenwriter. This time, all four segments also hold up rather well. It was also nice to see Elliot and Pertwee outside of their more famous roles. To be honest, I only saw some of Pertwee’s <i>Doctor Who</i> work for the first time when I recently saw <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWwJLqjoCfc">Rifftrax’s parody of <i>The Five Doctors</i></a> back in August. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyjIAKj7-ODgW5n9FFaDXeSYwjhpMVVYSg9LZiFjYvI0b41gXKMtMn2uV9marESzViLzNK0St6Eto6D8BTnp96qGy84QoKQV9ccueVySAB9BnKE8YY9T_bw7CKYvwkOQSl_t_sIAgSazs/s1600/Pic13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="707" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyjIAKj7-ODgW5n9FFaDXeSYwjhpMVVYSg9LZiFjYvI0b41gXKMtMn2uV9marESzViLzNK0St6Eto6D8BTnp96qGy84QoKQV9ccueVySAB9BnKE8YY9T_bw7CKYvwkOQSl_t_sIAgSazs/s400/Pic13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The only truly weak part, IMHO, is the framing story. Each segment is the same: the officer (or realtor) tries to make the inspector believe their story, only to be rebuffed as he acts annoyed. While his fate does redeem the story somewhat, the ending narration is rather lame. Right before the credits, the realtor (appropriately named ‘Stoker,’ a fact Henderson takes note of), says that the house reflects the personality of the whoever lives in it and that, hopefully, it will find a good owner. Uh, if it reflects he deepest demons of whoever lives in it, I don’t think anyone would end up being a decently prospective owner. The whole wraparound story really feels tacked on.<br />
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<b>Cushing (Philip Grayson, the ex-banker):</b> Freddie Francis (who did NOT direct this film), once said that Cushing got him out of one problem after another. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cushing did the same for this film. Long portions of his segment are silent. Cushing had to do a lot of non-verbal acting, displaying world-weariness and boredom after renting the house; yearning and longing during a dream sequence in the wax museum; and finally fear and concern as the museum consumes his friend. <br />
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Also of note is the subject matter. The theme of this segment is regret. Both Cushing and Ackland’s characters wonder what life would have been like if either had pursued their dream girl when they were young men. It’s a feeling only lonely men of advancing age can feel. (Or so I’m told.) That leaves them vulnerable to the museum’s (the house’s?) power. In the film’s only segment where the actual villain plays only a tiny role, the men’s vulnerability drives the story in a particularly unique way.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOIFkfjklBj_6t4kBA_sRhhrb5rbrCGxcqtOmWgrcu7wKazv26SiCXImBzrujTjd2Ft5PQNAiM2mokXMlKNm6L5AfFiJHL7nbSMccZu_Fb5_nHAJ40MhMGsyQAlTrhsMk_BUCcgqtSlhY/s1600/Pic14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="720" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOIFkfjklBj_6t4kBA_sRhhrb5rbrCGxcqtOmWgrcu7wKazv26SiCXImBzrujTjd2Ft5PQNAiM2mokXMlKNm6L5AfFiJHL7nbSMccZu_Fb5_nHAJ40MhMGsyQAlTrhsMk_BUCcgqtSlhY/s400/Pic14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Lee (as John Reid):</b> Lee turns in another of his trademark domineering performances. What makes this different, I think, is that so much of his rage is aimed at his little girl. Before we learn the reasons behind his actions, Lee comes off as the father from Hell. I mean, seeing actors unleash rage on their peers is one thing, but a child? It’s very unsettling. Of course, when the truth is revealed about Jane, we get a very good- and quick- reason why she needed to be left in the dark.<br />
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Fun fact: In the final segment, Henderson moans over how modern horror movies aren’t as good as the old ones like <i>Dracula</i>, “the one with Bela Lugosi, not this new fellow.” The ‘new fellow,’ is, of course, Lee! Also, the wax museum- which shows off mannequins of famous evil figures- has one of Lee as Dracula that Cushing walks past.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9ccocvlYF4&t=3698s">MOVIE LINK</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqLJGkWOnAsCyAvU8ecNItUNndYZ-Kv8E49lc9Bufgkl3-yx7HAgBEWPeUa0uhbcYX1auYE111iskmoFzUprMhaiXwAN-jhY_t0mRcO_uyANya2QGMoK8Hr6OxtuJa73uwUXcch6HCQqs/s1600/Pic15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqLJGkWOnAsCyAvU8ecNItUNndYZ-Kv8E49lc9Bufgkl3-yx7HAgBEWPeUa0uhbcYX1auYE111iskmoFzUprMhaiXwAN-jhY_t0mRcO_uyANya2QGMoK8Hr6OxtuJa73uwUXcch6HCQqs/s400/Pic15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRyenNZc_p0JUJStX2_sDtgj6Sa6Y2Bvctmv5rE4dJJKyD_OkqHRvpsYAcqJ3ojnyXteS2rlFMzzMCBfpMghpuoZuZMOy4qkSxBazqzMl6s7XeleRdF08pux4IVz-XBVxBa0ppJ_rTbM1/s1600/Pic16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRyenNZc_p0JUJStX2_sDtgj6Sa6Y2Bvctmv5rE4dJJKyD_OkqHRvpsYAcqJ3ojnyXteS2rlFMzzMCBfpMghpuoZuZMOy4qkSxBazqzMl6s7XeleRdF08pux4IVz-XBVxBa0ppJ_rTbM1/s200/Pic16.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b><i>Tales From the Crypt</i> (Amicus, 1972)</b><br />
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<b>Frame Story:</b> Five people wonder through Highgate Cemetery in London. Gradually, they’re drawn to the old underground tombs. Eventually, they end up in a large room with a man dressed in a dark robe- no, not Palatine; the Crypt Keeper. He then begins to discuss their fates.<br />
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<b>Part 1- ‘…And All Through the House’:</b> A woman (Joan Collins) kills her husband on Christmas Eve. (Joyous start.) While trying to hide the body, a radio report reveals that a killer dressed as Santa Claus is one the loose- and, it turns out, outside the house. <br />
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<b>Part 2- ‘Reflection of Death’:</b> A man (Ian Hendry) drives off with another woman and their car crashes. He eventually makes it back, only to learn that he’s a corpse and has been dead many years. Of course, he then wakes up and finds himself behind the wheel…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr79gtyEN8ygCabCeJsJAPTyKDKq4sT-Q5Q9HrEAkocmqoiQvkKalfiiwV8no2EE6RUqWljbuIaTOjS8jU6OTEgRJtvFtZ8RMyjE8QpnFFSarsTZoXHCLOf5CNkZE8X2mDDs8vj8Xz84bC/s1600/Pic17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="1024" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr79gtyEN8ygCabCeJsJAPTyKDKq4sT-Q5Q9HrEAkocmqoiQvkKalfiiwV8no2EE6RUqWljbuIaTOjS8jU6OTEgRJtvFtZ8RMyjE8QpnFFSarsTZoXHCLOf5CNkZE8X2mDDs8vj8Xz84bC/s400/Pic17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Part 3- ‘Poetic Justice’:</b> A father and son pair (David Markham and Robin Phillips) decide they’ve had enough of an old man, Arthur Grimsdyke (Cushing), who keeps too many animals at his home. They think he’s a stain on the community’s reputation and decide to drive him out by having his animals removed, getting him fired from his job, and spreading rumors that he’s a child molester. (Grimsdyke has deeply enjoyed making toys for children and entertaining them.) The <i>coup de grace</i> comes when they send him hateful Valentine cards on Valentine’s Day and he hangs himself. One year later, he pays them a visit, albeit from beyond the grave.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV7-jvlPgkdjRWmS9kEvL4ZMs9uixCPaATancMv42Behdqhna1d3oAB9fC7yVCD5p-ALAbk61eH3gy9FLEgWy9oJJGowCttj2f4EKkQtFt-3ts35K-dvM69ud6C5a3Tw9elF1CndgJKnO/s1600/Pic18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="852" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidV7-jvlPgkdjRWmS9kEvL4ZMs9uixCPaATancMv42Behdqhna1d3oAB9fC7yVCD5p-ALAbk61eH3gy9FLEgWy9oJJGowCttj2f4EKkQtFt-3ts35K-dvM69ud6C5a3Tw9elF1CndgJKnO/s400/Pic18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Part 4- ‘Wish You Were Here’:</b> In the umpteenth variation on W.W. Jacobs’ short story <a href="https://americanliterature.com/author/w-w-jacobs/short-story/the-monkeys-paw">“The Monkey’s Paw”</a>, a financially-stressed couple find a Chinese statue that grants three wishes and they ask for a fortune. However, as in the short story, it comes in the form of compensation/insurance when a family member dies. (In this case, the husband behind the wheel.) The wife wishes him back the way he was before the crash, but he’s still dead- he had a heart attack and died just before the collision. Finally, she wishes him alive again, not realizing his body was embalmed. (Lots of painful screaming follows.)<br />
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<b>Part 5- ‘Blind Alleys’:</b> A man arrives as the new director of a home for blind men. He promptly makes a jerk out of himself, withholding food, warmth, and medical care so he can live a life of luxury. Finally, the men have had enough and use their resources to trap the director and his dog while building a booby-trapped maze for them. The director is then sent into the maze with his madly-starving dog.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKnem1qNQRoM2fcs6N3k895JjV_PjetOQ8fFK7qNHS2-SJvL5tI4nGNm4Va_Y18AOr-dLLGzLmZ2YFhxRszIPc703Jx4YnGz73cWJXMruy0q2jwtoBD83eiFxsdTpZnN-gdtonJ3zSqB2/s1600/Pic19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKnem1qNQRoM2fcs6N3k895JjV_PjetOQ8fFK7qNHS2-SJvL5tI4nGNm4Va_Y18AOr-dLLGzLmZ2YFhxRszIPc703Jx4YnGz73cWJXMruy0q2jwtoBD83eiFxsdTpZnN-gdtonJ3zSqB2/s400/Pic19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Epilogue:</b> The Crypt Keeper finishes and delivers some devastating news: all of them are already dead. Apparently, they suffered memory loss as spectres and he decided to toy with them by recounting their deaths to their faces. He then leads them into Hell for eternal torment.<br />
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<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> As you might guess from this summary, I really didn’t think too much of this one. In the previous two movies, the situations were often creative and where there were villains, they remained in the background long enough for the stories to develop. Here, the villains are all straightforward and one-dimensional. I spent four out of the five segments just waiting for the bad guys to get what the deserved. The only interesting story is the fourth one, and that, as mentioned, is based on an existing (and somewhat overused) short story.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOA-lZQ-AFqi89fRX_IXStwFjcpXdoDaz8SHQB-B0DwSWVMgoROKPiK8YyNqPiUPO-Ko2GdPhpcthcq5FkTMwBR_JhM5e2kHgU8DYfg-KNp97ukpHgKCEwKPk76Wqq2I2qhKOuWH0wb_VK/s1600/Pic20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOA-lZQ-AFqi89fRX_IXStwFjcpXdoDaz8SHQB-B0DwSWVMgoROKPiK8YyNqPiUPO-Ko2GdPhpcthcq5FkTMwBR_JhM5e2kHgU8DYfg-KNp97ukpHgKCEwKPk76Wqq2I2qhKOuWH0wb_VK/s400/Pic20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And I’d certainly be remiss if I didn’t mention that this film was based on the macabre 1950’s comic book of the same name. (It was published from 1950 through 1955 and has had a few 21st- century revivals.) Most of what’s here is based on stories from the comic. And, yes, HBO’s 1990s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae5XwkSguNI">TV series ‘Tales From the Crypt’)</a> was also based on the comic. (It was much better than this film.) It’s just too bad the filmmakers couldn’t do more with the material at hand. This one is worth a passing glance, but not much else.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiPfwrMfyLCtFQOcFR5M2IMwSA4K_awOx5Q45V_A4s7hzBup7fDeF7dpun5wvCPZJVCzSVJfOaRFX7IOQ1Ya4ugg3ZMvv5yz8I88DheXMdkaeJr-P8f9YIlV2Hb4sBCleFBQzri2I56Ik/s1600/Pic21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="852" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiPfwrMfyLCtFQOcFR5M2IMwSA4K_awOx5Q45V_A4s7hzBup7fDeF7dpun5wvCPZJVCzSVJfOaRFX7IOQ1Ya4ugg3ZMvv5yz8I88DheXMdkaeJr-P8f9YIlV2Hb4sBCleFBQzri2I56Ik/s400/Pic21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Cushing (as Arthur Grimsdyke):</b> Cushing is really one of the only reasons to watch this movie. As I mentioned last week, following his wife’s death, Cushing began to play some roles where he lived out his grief on screen. In this film, his character is a widower and tries to communicate with his dead wife via a Ouija board. The grief he feels as everything he has left is taken away from him is quite powerful. (He even dedicated this performance to his late wife.) However, I just don’t think it’s enough to save this story as the villains are as bland as can be. Even the ending, with Cushing coming back from the dead and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4KhU-GIPJY">totally kano-ing the evil son</a> by ripping his heart out one year later on Valentine’s Day doesn’t seem fulfilling enough.<br />
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Maybe Christopher Lee did the right thing by not starring in this one.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO1O8qlmzVI">MOVIE LINK</a><br />
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OK, to make up for the lack of enthusiasm for that last film, for all my fellow dudes, he’s a pic of vampire Ingrid Pitt. Enjoy!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuapQWxtcYEhXsmqyTP5CW7jKDdzSGbGrhrJXn7OP99z50ZoRhuDqgFwr8cgs2D-XsEh_NNuDVCYHaKVbwHf-vWvp7kQwxR-iqEmlwHk7QJG5NSVTuzEZ7uO0Unzuxj37at-0Y9xC1JlyO/s1600/Pic22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="780" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuapQWxtcYEhXsmqyTP5CW7jKDdzSGbGrhrJXn7OP99z50ZoRhuDqgFwr8cgs2D-XsEh_NNuDVCYHaKVbwHf-vWvp7kQwxR-iqEmlwHk7QJG5NSVTuzEZ7uO0Unzuxj37at-0Y9xC1JlyO/s400/Pic22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-43287471137616537202017-10-10T22:32:00.000-04:002017-10-10T22:32:56.616-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee- Beyond Hammer<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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When someone mentions Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, two words often come to mind: “Tarkin” and “Dooku.” Ah, Millennials…I’d weep for them, but I choose not to. The other two words commonly associated with this famous duo are “Hammer Studios.”<span id="fullpost"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfXv8E1_rEO4qPrg1LQyXrs3s91qDF9I3J0Ny2lvByzXRSerGMpfRbusPMY7_7PAuBvRqSByIuvYRcm7Xr92vMgT7NaOa0IpwNqjfNLloIysnu_v9f-h2FSxjyW1HLH8yP5KPuDnyxWzq/s1600/Pic01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfXv8E1_rEO4qPrg1LQyXrs3s91qDF9I3J0Ny2lvByzXRSerGMpfRbusPMY7_7PAuBvRqSByIuvYRcm7Xr92vMgT7NaOa0IpwNqjfNLloIysnu_v9f-h2FSxjyW1HLH8yP5KPuDnyxWzq/s400/Pic01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Indeed, they were the original stars that put Hammer on the map. Or did Hammer offer them the breaks they needed by playing, respectively, Baron Frankenstein and Count Dracula? Here are my reviews from previous years covering <a href="https://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2015/11/monsterpiece-theater-frankenstein-or.html">Frankenstein</a> and <a href="https://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2016/10/monsterpiece-theater-sir-christopher.html">Dracula</a>. I’ll let you decide. But in addition to sequels of those particular films, the two also starred in Hammer’s versions of <a href="https://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2015/10/monsterpiece-theater-hound-of.html"><i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i></a> and <i>The Mummy</i>, among many others. But neither actor limited themselves to just Hammer. They branched out into movies for other studios as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4JYUSCoOgYOFdamV5_iiPWxKd3u0ZGEq9aCkR_SfHesURiAsTlIhb3_amIu-AOPwkpoiDUOuhHvpF2MtkMzk2EynA3Y0QoT8-CuPFEjlDNlo8my-DCA7jswHe6Y9bzJ8GGth79F2jMf9/s1600/Pic02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="441" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4JYUSCoOgYOFdamV5_iiPWxKd3u0ZGEq9aCkR_SfHesURiAsTlIhb3_amIu-AOPwkpoiDUOuhHvpF2MtkMzk2EynA3Y0QoT8-CuPFEjlDNlo8my-DCA7jswHe6Y9bzJ8GGth79F2jMf9/s320/Pic02.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><b><i>The Skull</i> (Amicus, 1965)</b><br />
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<b>Plot:</b> In 1814, on the grounds of the Charenton Lunatic Asylum in France, a group of men dig up a grave and decapitate the corpse within. The leader (Maurice Good) takes the head home and encounters his girlfriend (April Olrich), who is conveniently taking a bath and showing as much skin as the British Board of Censors will allow. (Oh, Amicus! You REALLY want to be Hammer, didn’t you?) The man rebuffs her, takes the head into another room, and gives it a chemical bath that leaves only the skull. Noticing strange vapors, the girlfriend breaks in and finds the man dead.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPFEHv_kMHujtYK6gETBdX6UOS_19f6D6dqyhFm24PQ4bDXUyAqUCkr7sCI1ZmvO0BPTVwaUIBoDw4HgJQeSSeYxsShBXu1Ilk-kxGOpd-mdUa2DZqz1dp1Tjf6DU-dTlSXkXiR8G0F0T/s1600/Pic04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="1286" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPFEHv_kMHujtYK6gETBdX6UOS_19f6D6dqyhFm24PQ4bDXUyAqUCkr7sCI1ZmvO0BPTVwaUIBoDw4HgJQeSSeYxsShBXu1Ilk-kxGOpd-mdUa2DZqz1dp1Tjf6DU-dTlSXkXiR8G0F0T/s400/Pic04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We then jump ahead to present-day 1960’s at an auction house in London presided over by Michael Gough. Rival, though friendly, occult item collectors Dr. Christopher Maitland (Cushing) and Sir Matthew Phillips (Lee) vie for a collection of demonic statues, with Phillips winning by heavily overpaying.<br />
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That night, Maitland is visited by shady occult items dealer Marco (Patrick Wymark), who sells him a book about the Marquis de Sade which has binding made of human flesh. The next night Marco returns with a skull to sell. When the asking price is deemed too high, he explains that it is the skull of de Sade. He then tells us that de Sade’s skull was stolen by a phrenologist for examination, but he and his girlfriend died soon after. Maitland still refuses because of the price. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjN2n4MyIHK260SbZ3_qmCrUwI7K0yQRFwGaIKlFivS5bjhFiMz8aREnFTfgdaM4EwDykI72Ch4VH_h1cBHM1Iw3osomVEkLbm-SUMH2ddjlKjxMzrw5pD1rD4LJPeygFmjJyBSAjGEiW/s1600/Pic06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="737" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjN2n4MyIHK260SbZ3_qmCrUwI7K0yQRFwGaIKlFivS5bjhFiMz8aREnFTfgdaM4EwDykI72Ch4VH_h1cBHM1Iw3osomVEkLbm-SUMH2ddjlKjxMzrw5pD1rD4LJPeygFmjJyBSAjGEiW/s400/Pic06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Later, while playing pool with Phillips, Phillips tells Maitland that the skull is real and that it was stolen from him. He’s also glad that it’s gone. He says it’s possessed by an evil spirit that made him buy the statues. (It specifically needed the figure of Balberith- the demon who tempts men to commit murder.) He warns Maitland to avoid the skull at all costs, especially during the new moon- the night of Devil worship when the skulls spirits gather around it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireXmxFKNplPdnX51jwwcfoNtYKPnzJjMIGBarNxZ0v6nPlrH915gUhIZIWStPWHV6MG5BdSnoP-9Xe1Wj1jTACQn6uMv0UEd5kRfZRrK5wcAN4KhuI5QhXlbdUgN8zIWILU8MOSE7akFY/s1600/Pic07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="907" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireXmxFKNplPdnX51jwwcfoNtYKPnzJjMIGBarNxZ0v6nPlrH915gUhIZIWStPWHV6MG5BdSnoP-9Xe1Wj1jTACQn6uMv0UEd5kRfZRrK5wcAN4KhuI5QhXlbdUgN8zIWILU8MOSE7akFY/s400/Pic07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Maitland, however, soon finds his mind invaded. He has a nightmare where policemen arrest him, a judge forces him to play Russion roulette, and he encounters the skull. Ignoring Phillips’ advice, he goes to Marco’s apartment…er, um. Sorry. British film. His flat, with plans to steal the skull, but also finds Marco mysteriously dead. After avoiding the police, Maitland steals the skull, but kills the landlord (Peter Woodthorpe) in the process. Later, the skull ‘commands’ Maitland to steal the Balberith statue, and Phillips is killed as well. Finally, the skull compels Maitland to kill his wife (Jill Bennett), but he resists and stabs the skull instead. As punishment, the skull floats through Mailand’s house, cornering and killing him as well. The film ends as the skull ‘watches’ the befuddled policemen who investigate the latest murder.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3YMwGF0J-XlK0z7-_qq_zocRBYgdJrj88xeCWGtlzGrLV_3AlNVOOa_HXcDd5fYvQr_19cBFE2DkGMJ474BRIQKsf0I_FHTafUt6MqH7J9AV3PbfKUrRKpEXa_D-r3w1y3CgH5dUpU-8/s1600/Pic08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="907" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS3YMwGF0J-XlK0z7-_qq_zocRBYgdJrj88xeCWGtlzGrLV_3AlNVOOa_HXcDd5fYvQr_19cBFE2DkGMJ474BRIQKsf0I_FHTafUt6MqH7J9AV3PbfKUrRKpEXa_D-r3w1y3CgH5dUpU-8/s400/Pic08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Thoughts and Background:</b> I’m a little biased because this is the one earliest non-<i>Star Wars</i> films I ever saw starring Cushing and Lee. Therefore, it’s full of ghoulish nostalgia for me. Interestingly, this is based on the short story, <i>The Skull of the Marquis de Sade</i>, by Robert Bloch, author of <i>Psycho</i>. And in a strange twist, there ARE some facts at work here. The skull of the Marquis de Sade was, according to several accounts, exhumed at the loony bin where he’d been locked up for the last decades of his life for phrenological study. (For those not in the know, he was an 18th-century French aristocrat known known for torturing friends and servants for pleasure and then writing about the joys of sexual perversions. His name is where we get the word ‘sadism.’) The skull was later lost.<br />
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The film is quite enjoyable. The only drawback is how long some of the sequences are. Director Freddie Francis claimed that the screenwriter only gave him an outline and much of the dialogue had to be made up on the spot. Francis was a former cinematographer and it seems he tried to make up lack of a script with long, carefully-filmed sequences. Still, the film is well-paced and provides enough material for the actors to work with. A good watch for late on Friday or Saturday night.<br />
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<b>Cushing (as Dr. Christopher Maitland):</b> This is definitely Cushing’s film. His character studies the occult while believing in none of it. This skepticism makes him vulnerable to ignoring advice. Later, when the skull takes over, Cushing shows his acting chops by alternately displaying blank possession, rage, conflict (when he refuses to kill his wife), and, finally, abject terror when the skull attacks. It really makes you feel for a man who, though a foolish academic, is clearly trying to fight the demonic forces taking him over.<br />
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<b>Lee (as Sir Matthew Phillips):</b> More of a cameo role in this one. Lee’s scenes are few, but effective. He also gets to display something rarely seen from him on film: concern and empathy. It’s a rare non-villainous role for him. Following his own experiences with the skull, he begs Cushing’s character to get rid of the skull and save himself. Of course, Cushing’s character ignores him. (Personally, if Christopher Lee told me not to do something, I’d obey pretty quickly.)<br />
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<b>Did You Notice…?</b> The last 25 minutes of this film are mostly silent. It’s easy to overlook. I only really took this to heart after reading an interview with the screenwriter of <i>Carnival of Souls</i>. That film is also mostly silent, but, like <i>The Skull</i>, it can be hard to tell because of the effective soundtrack. Whereas <i>Carnival</i> relied mostly on atmosphere, <i>Skull</i> relied on Cushing’s expressions to convey the action without dialogue. Thank goodness British actors are taught to ‘act with the face.’<br />
<a href="https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+skull&&view=detail&mid=E644C37F89E5523C3E35E644C37F89E5523C3E35&FORM=VRDGAR">MOVIE LINK</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhZw7Gbl-dGVI95Qw25ZFuAPYksRLZokt51SKp7No8AJxjPdjurJUpevEDdy1Lvt611Jzv-1f1wkNEcqFd1jukZj019t_2ekZYBaCu5qyu0a8EjEwKoG_XwsA0g7mPHCoZwqN-q8iyBlK/s1600/Pic12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="782" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhZw7Gbl-dGVI95Qw25ZFuAPYksRLZokt51SKp7No8AJxjPdjurJUpevEDdy1Lvt611Jzv-1f1wkNEcqFd1jukZj019t_2ekZYBaCu5qyu0a8EjEwKoG_XwsA0g7mPHCoZwqN-q8iyBlK/s320/Pic12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b><i>Horror Express</i> (Granada Films, 1972)</b><br />
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<b>Plot:</b> Our story begins in China in 1906. Professor Sir Alexander Saxton (Lee) has just completed an expedition in the mountains where he found a fossil that could be the famed ‘missing link.’ When he arrives at the train station to board the Trans-Siberian Express, a thief is killed trying to break into the crate containing the statue. His eyes are left white and bleeding. A Rasputin-esque monk named Pujardov (Alberto de Mendoza) declares the crate evil, as he can’t draw a cross on it with chalk. Saxton still orders the crate be taken on board.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4dCMQAmgSVZsmlcIG3GGq-lKJn166odbmQWPJWDo30HTuh4Ji2479EXbUOvXXazHwikHNqI7zEd_u53ULX4SF_s5Ore82R-Vqwg2OVesSBk8x5MppbyQ8MDuzSgl18OIHvHjtf7pYxGJ/s1600/Pic13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="1374" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4dCMQAmgSVZsmlcIG3GGq-lKJn166odbmQWPJWDo30HTuh4Ji2479EXbUOvXXazHwikHNqI7zEd_u53ULX4SF_s5Ore82R-Vqwg2OVesSBk8x5MppbyQ8MDuzSgl18OIHvHjtf7pYxGJ/s400/Pic13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Not long after departure, Saxton’s rival, Dr. Wells (Cushing), after hearing what he thought to be something alive in the crate, bribes a baggage man to look inside. The baggage man disappears, and is later found inside the crate with the same bleeding, white eyes. <br />
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Soon, the creature kills a spy and is gunned down, but not before possessing Inspector Mirov (Julio Peña). In the meantime, Saxton and Wells examine the dead bodies and the eyes of the creature. They conclude that it drained its victims’ brains of knowledge through its eyes, and that it could even transport its consciousness through this method, which they later learn can only be done in the dark. (The ape creature was just a host.) Soon after, several more people die and the train telegrapher alerts the Russian authorities. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRfsllKU47mAYi6GQT5bJnq2MFaTMINcAY29co9z3fNK-loTvUoQv_IU_RWwkLuN5i0ifg8CHd5HGo2-7PTiQNT8oNkuPBaC3nHf-wH1XxYVi10GBmnv3LPa4PK-EezmNaeC0pgnC_3gL/s1600/Pic15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1200" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRfsllKU47mAYi6GQT5bJnq2MFaTMINcAY29co9z3fNK-loTvUoQv_IU_RWwkLuN5i0ifg8CHd5HGo2-7PTiQNT8oNkuPBaC3nHf-wH1XxYVi10GBmnv3LPa4PK-EezmNaeC0pgnC_3gL/s400/Pic15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The train is eventually stopped and boarded by a company of Cossack soldiers led by Captain Kazan (Telly Salvalas). Before you can say “who loves you, baby?” (Oh, come on! How could I resist?), he turns his attention to the suspicious Mirov, who is confirmed to be the creature when his eyes glow red in the dark. The creature transfers himself into the weak-willed and cowardly Pujarnov, who has switched his alliance from God to the Devil. <br />
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The Pujarnov-creature is then confronted by Saxton in the front of the train and begs to be let go, declaring itself to be a being of pure energy from beyond the world. He also forces Saxton’s hand by raising all of the people he killed. Saxton and Wells move everyone into a rear car while avoiding the zombies and then release the car’s latch. The engine steams onto a dead-end track (re-touted by Tsarist authorities afraid the train was taken over by revolutionaries) and crashes, killing the creature.<br />
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<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> That was a tough plot to summarize. At its heart, this film is based on the 1938 short story <i>Who Goes There?</i> By John W. Campbell; the same source material for John Carpenter’s <a href="https://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2012/07/film-friday-thing-1982-2011.html"><i>The Thing</i></a>, so any similarities of an alien assuming other peoples’ identities for survival is not coincidental. <br />
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This is a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keGqh99XlFw">very enjoyable film</a> with a unique setting. It makes me wonder how people with far more limited scientific knowledge and technology (compared to today), would fare against a creature like this. Speaking of the setting, there’s a long-standing rumor that this film was made with sets left over from either <i>Doctor Zhivago</i> or <i>Nicholas and Alexandra</i>. Producer Bernard Gordon denied this, saying that while items from <i>Pancho Villa</i> were used, only stage was available, so each car set had to be built and all scenes shot before they could move onto the next part of the train, rather than the script.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PbowJEA7sWsl25cgkgXyAQX1zfOwDVD5Zf5sl5aYuWTN1hDHu4tN30gpf2Br4rPS8tTBJBLY7VHnO82r0cbct0_HoE0zMb9whMfCUtI6-bUP5oTekTF-s34V0ltE9nU3Kz-jzOmZiM_K/s1600/Pic17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="768" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PbowJEA7sWsl25cgkgXyAQX1zfOwDVD5Zf5sl5aYuWTN1hDHu4tN30gpf2Br4rPS8tTBJBLY7VHnO82r0cbct0_HoE0zMb9whMfCUtI6-bUP5oTekTF-s34V0ltE9nU3Kz-jzOmZiM_K/s400/Pic17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The film is also quite unsettling and philosophical. It features several grisly autopsy scenes and the scenes of the white, bleeding eyes are disturbingly effective. The film also has characters debating science and faith while trying to determine the creature’s origin. (See below.)<br />
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I should also mention the performance by Savalas. He doesn’t try to sound Russian at all, but comes off sounding and acting like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSPcSFSpkmU">Kojak</a>. (Odd, since <i>Kojak</i> was still a year away.) Yet, he dominates the screen when he’s on it and actually has the two lead actors vying for our attention with him. That’s not easy to do.<br />
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<b>Cushing (as Dr. Wells):</b> Cushing has a somewhat happy-go-lucky role, at least at first. He merrily greets Saxton at the train station and even comforts a beautiful lady who needs a room on the train. (She later turns out to be a spy). All in all, it looks like Cushing got to have a lot of fun here. Except he probably didn’t. Cushing almost didn’t make this movie. His wife, Helen, died a few months before filming and left him devastated. When he arrived in Madrid, he almost quit, feeling it was too soon to resume acting. Only the encouragement of his BFF Christopher Lee got him to stay and do the film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqFAUQQxVN_pDlOmL7lOXfHwMjyVHQTKWvS5-WbDv2OIprq_hgJIPMQpCPw3kUeCFTFmAYRBEZjRI5gWRPo2j0_kzxj4fW3T_Rn6kHIlGXJnNCMxSh70g_FvK8mdV4Zyld6RpejtFPRCz/s1600/Pic18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="910" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqFAUQQxVN_pDlOmL7lOXfHwMjyVHQTKWvS5-WbDv2OIprq_hgJIPMQpCPw3kUeCFTFmAYRBEZjRI5gWRPo2j0_kzxj4fW3T_Rn6kHIlGXJnNCMxSh70g_FvK8mdV4Zyld6RpejtFPRCz/s400/Pic18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Lee (as Professor Sir Alexander Saxton):</b> Lee is more back to form in this film as a dominating character who demands that he be obeyed no matter what. However, he actually makes the transition from slightly villainous to determined protagonist after the creature escapes and he and Wells need to team up to stop the creature. You kind of get the feeling that his character got humbled after creature’s breakout and that he was, in fact, capable of putting his ego aside when the situation required.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiokDBgLheC3iTTCsrIO0yXBjp0-nW0SZfG5GqERWSVbBOe41pWW1zBYMyfxUOL7JsobMJ2XTc_uTuU7MCsi-d-hTU-OWywk2fwd1EYfeWHSHEkL3eEBy_U0by8vLHn9j5iX5tRzUZohhR/s1600/Pic19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="924" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiokDBgLheC3iTTCsrIO0yXBjp0-nW0SZfG5GqERWSVbBOe41pWW1zBYMyfxUOL7JsobMJ2XTc_uTuU7MCsi-d-hTU-OWywk2fwd1EYfeWHSHEkL3eEBy_U0by8vLHn9j5iX5tRzUZohhR/s400/Pic19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>What was the creature, anyway?</b> On the surface, I suppose it is meant to be an alien. This is mostly a sci-fi film, after all. There are several things to support this. For one thing, the creature is confirmed to be an energy being, a different form of life. It also claims to have come with others millions of years ago and- a la E.T.- was accidentally left behind. It even seeks out to drain scientists and engineers on the train whose knowledge could be used to allow it to travel back to space.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLdjCPKDxHe9V0-wAuKm6CLh5u2brFlHVUFUzleeGFkS-gdfxQRMFdEq93cwp6XgX6KPHmTrjClI_eO0-8qR4CPE8GH-Wff6yMHLiFlpzXu5qYAeM0FAGfHNLxhJAquN-ZtDu1TWmFyWw/s1600/Pic20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="780" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLdjCPKDxHe9V0-wAuKm6CLh5u2brFlHVUFUzleeGFkS-gdfxQRMFdEq93cwp6XgX6KPHmTrjClI_eO0-8qR4CPE8GH-Wff6yMHLiFlpzXu5qYAeM0FAGfHNLxhJAquN-ZtDu1TWmFyWw/s400/Pic20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>However, it could also be supernatural, even demonic. As mentioned, the monk fails to draw a cross on the crate containing the creature. Later, a crucifix falls from a wall when the possessed Mirov walks near it. Finally, the creature tells Saxton that if he lets it go, it’ll give him all the knowledge it has collected over the years- a true Faustian pact. Also, the scene where the dead are raised as zombies could be either an unknown scientific process, or the creature’s command over the souls it has killed. Tough question to answer, IMO.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT04w7_d9Vk">MOVIE LINK</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76a8C3tPbx4ktQyeo-T3CQtdDN6trd7k_a9jMqn-jZws2SRREmEpi2Qy0gLjR7eTCqMt8HUPjRSAzLuW6DxY3mxRFZAIIqqvEqal8dvYGeA5GHOUfX9EWW64IdpuK6hiTK54clqqIGf-0/s1600/Pic21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1055" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76a8C3tPbx4ktQyeo-T3CQtdDN6trd7k_a9jMqn-jZws2SRREmEpi2Qy0gLjR7eTCqMt8HUPjRSAzLuW6DxY3mxRFZAIIqqvEqal8dvYGeA5GHOUfX9EWW64IdpuK6hiTK54clqqIGf-0/s320/Pic21.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><b><i>The Creeping Flesh</i> (World Film Service, 1973)</b><br />
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<b>Plot:</b> The film starts with shots of a demonic abstract painting. The camera then pans out to show a scientist is painting it in his lab. He then informs a visiting scientist that he needs help in stopping an evil he accidentally unleashed on the world and begins his story. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFuMQylhs9dmX_k_cc1NIG2HMDSgtdou5Qu__pnc-zwwDX5-CR0bCYeKF4hGnoJCeCBpDxL7ZssuMrPd0LNdNldl6RJ4LZMJHOpsig46IVuTG_dUmHuAsjPIsEOAdiKtGSwme9JOynO9D/s1600/Pic22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="907" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFuMQylhs9dmX_k_cc1NIG2HMDSgtdou5Qu__pnc-zwwDX5-CR0bCYeKF4hGnoJCeCBpDxL7ZssuMrPd0LNdNldl6RJ4LZMJHOpsig46IVuTG_dUmHuAsjPIsEOAdiKtGSwme9JOynO9D/s400/Pic22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The year is 1894, and professor Emmanuel Hildern (Cushing) has just returned from New Guinea with a skeleton that he believes will help him solve the riddles of evolution. Even better, the results from this discovery should help him win the Richter Prize, whose £10,000 will also solve his financial problems. <br />
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But bad news intervenes: Emmanuel learns his wife, long imprisoned for mental illness, died while he was away. Also, his angrily frustrated half-brother James Hildern (Lee)- who runs the asylum where Emmanuel’s wife was locked up- plans to try for the Richter Prize himself and will no longer fund his half-brother’s expeditions.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLxGCNPs_SHILxTXtQey5lfNtl7U9rMrR-t8uIYJxn68Os8jwopJr_fcf8CmdF-AdhEeOk-pD_3T1GuPeWcIHhOmvMeyBJDP9szqQ-BmhPSa7AlxvLlUwflBK5WOFT80zqPhny6S74uh-/s1600/Pic24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1000" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLxGCNPs_SHILxTXtQey5lfNtl7U9rMrR-t8uIYJxn68Os8jwopJr_fcf8CmdF-AdhEeOk-pD_3T1GuPeWcIHhOmvMeyBJDP9szqQ-BmhPSa7AlxvLlUwflBK5WOFT80zqPhny6S74uh-/s400/Pic24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Emmanuel returns home and accidentally discovers that pouring water on the skeleton’s finger causes it regrow flesh. He cuts off the finger and, after examining its blood, determines the creature to contain evil in viral form, thus proving a theory he’d been working on. He and his assistant then try to create a vaccine to protect people from evil. However, personal life intervenes when Emmanuel’s daughter Penelope (Lorna Heilbron) breaks into her mother’s room and learns that her mother was a beer hall dancer. (Emmanuel had lied to her that her mother died years ago and told her nothing of her mother.) Remembering his wife’s mental downfall and fearing that Penelope may come down her mother’s hereditary insanity, Emmanuel injects her with the unperfected vaccine.<br />
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At this point, all Hell breaks loose. The monkey Emmanuel tested the vaccine on in the lab goes crazy and kills itself. Penelope steals her mother’s clothes and heads for London’s East End. Mistaken for a prostitute, she attacks several men and kills a lunatic (Kenneth Warren) who escaped from James’ asylum. <br />
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Penelope is taken to James’ asylum and James blackmails Emmanuel. In return for all of Emmanuel’s research, he promises not to reveal Penelope’s guilt to the authorities. But it’s not enough. James hires a thief to steal the skeleton. In the process, rain falls and the creature gains flesh and lives. It eventually tracks down Emmanuel and breaks off his finger- the same one he removed from it. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkwe_VXn9Ec7PW5eeD51Cy5q4vMZtAoi_t5LYGw7CQZSZpxap7yLUMPpsgQpWcZrQ6JI0VPWHjVeNH8n0ZWkLi6GTm9exbEbxr6bY0XTAzInSujdyzirshynkOFxqNL7ztFSCAMkMD4FT/s1600/Pic27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="933" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkwe_VXn9Ec7PW5eeD51Cy5q4vMZtAoi_t5LYGw7CQZSZpxap7yLUMPpsgQpWcZrQ6JI0VPWHjVeNH8n0ZWkLi6GTm9exbEbxr6bY0XTAzInSujdyzirshynkOFxqNL7ztFSCAMkMD4FT/s400/Pic27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The scene returns to the lab from the start. Only, the younger scientist leaves and locks Emmanuel inside. James tells the young man that Emmanuel is crazy and claims they’re related. The final shot shows Emmanuel in a typical cell, begging for help and missing a finger.<br />
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<b>Thoughts and Background:</b> Whew! That summary was a doozy. Of all the films in this article, this was easily the creepiest. Freddie Francis is back in the director’s chair and he’s greatly improved since <i>The Skull</i>. Though some scenes- like Penelope running through Whitechapel, the ending carriage scene, etc.- seem a little long, he puts his cinematography skills to good use here. It’s a forgone conclusion that the film didn’t have the budget to fully show the monster here. Francis solves that by cloaking the creature in a shroud and shooting it from a distance that makes it look like the Grim Reaper- a fitting allusion. He also uses shots of the creature’s shadow outside Emmanuel’s mansion, growing larger as it approaches. This mirrors the gradual loss of light noticeable throughout the course of the film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPA08ItnOL-PmX-2kV0NN22bS-vBGqjVTgYtOpUi3igD4e6J8BQO0761setOjTJDNCGookRr9zDFRJvFxI47P01Dr_r-sIkzQz_vbstEAW_9zRZ2SEfDyQ1P6HjutbiWnam9-wH2rvHdq/s1600/Pic28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="853" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPA08ItnOL-PmX-2kV0NN22bS-vBGqjVTgYtOpUi3igD4e6J8BQO0761setOjTJDNCGookRr9zDFRJvFxI47P01Dr_r-sIkzQz_vbstEAW_9zRZ2SEfDyQ1P6HjutbiWnam9-wH2rvHdq/s400/Pic28.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Moreover, the film goes from idyllic home settings to the filth of Whitechapel and the draconian experiments being carried out by James (probably based on real-life experiments of the time). It gives the movie the feeling of a world collapsing in on itself. It’s all very unsettling and an excellent example of a low-budget crew coming up with creative ways to create an atmosphere where talented actors can complete the creepy tale.<br />
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<b>Cushing (as Emmanuel Hildern):</b> Here, Cushing’s job is to play a control freak whose life is falling apart just as he may have found the solution to his problems. Though he has lied to his daughter about her mother and milked his half-brother for funds, you can’t help but feel for him. You feel that he had good (though misguided) reasons for his actions, and it truly hurts as the film goes on. He loses his daughter to insanity, loses his discovery to his immoral half-brother, his assistant is killed, and he’s attacked by the creature at the end. Cushing is so good at evoking sympathy that I couldn’t help but groan, “Come on! Give this poor guy a break!” It all adds a tragic element that can keep viewers much longer than most films of this time would be able to.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEiTuc9RL_mu52cyzGIXkSH-lq4iGoLvHaO6DdKwQ3sPXdKluwxbjaeuUf9qkzhwJlEAnC3lwKrb7NwxP82WVaY2F_UWMnsoLjvCDna0FPyfnO6v49eutkamMZULa_uQwJ0k8DxVxZ4Al/s1600/Pic29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="1000" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEiTuc9RL_mu52cyzGIXkSH-lq4iGoLvHaO6DdKwQ3sPXdKluwxbjaeuUf9qkzhwJlEAnC3lwKrb7NwxP82WVaY2F_UWMnsoLjvCDna0FPyfnO6v49eutkamMZULa_uQwJ0k8DxVxZ4Al/s400/Pic29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Note: The subplot involving Cushing’s character mourning his dead wife became a common theme for Cushing. A widower after 1971, he said he simply understood the grief and had no problem showing it as part of the plots in his films. In fact, he often dedicated such performances to his late wife.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVCCT1H0i9k56W5axvJyUNmhV-QRpSmWelCe9t-K8SIFi3_e5ToQTDIuGUZ2l8AEadRllKtrS8dEkYBP9mWXLGgmniGxnImZFPDf9CqFkBkf028KTGblxJaXRuaS5gJMvGpnSDC5JAzpb/s1600/Pic30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="933" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVCCT1H0i9k56W5axvJyUNmhV-QRpSmWelCe9t-K8SIFi3_e5ToQTDIuGUZ2l8AEadRllKtrS8dEkYBP9mWXLGgmniGxnImZFPDf9CqFkBkf028KTGblxJaXRuaS5gJMvGpnSDC5JAzpb/s400/Pic30.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Lee (as James Hildern):</b> Lee now takes on a fully villainous role. At first, when he informs Emmanuel that he intends to take the Richter prize for himself, he seems like just another typical Ebenezer Scrooge-type character. But when he blackmails Emmanuel over Penelope’s sudden insanity, he reaches a new level. Reputation was everything in Victorian society, so James is punching Emmanuel right in the stomach. Seriously, I hated this character and wanted him to get what he deserved. But this is one of those cruel horror movies that gives you a logical, though gut-wrenching conclusion. Speaking of which…<br />
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<b>About that Ending…</b> Is that really how it ended? OK, truth be told, I actually read a synopsis of this film before getting around to it and thought to myself, “the ending is straight out of <i>The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari!</i>” In that film, (see above ‘Dracula’ link), the main character is revealed to be an asylum inmate and his nemesis, Dr. Caligari, to be the man running the asylum. Here, we have almost the same ending. But was it real? Or was it all Emmanuel’s madness?<br />
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Well, it could be real. Emmanuel and Penelope were clearly nuts at the end and would’ve been locked up. He’s also missing his finger. Furthermore, James says that Emmanuel has been there for three years, and was locked up when he (James) won the Richter Prize. Perhaps James did steal Emmanuel’s research and win. As for his denial of his family (he claims that Emmanuel foolishly believes that he is his half-brother and Penelope is his daughter), that could just be him cruelly covering up a potential scandal- an already-established theme of the film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qNQdswJaYKbY34zCe7fvE6TZJY-eJEjXJ3WThEh9_UPVReI3YZ71IdSibrKnf1LPmqoTeuA9_J5OGPIHwPtBbKdQGMei4zHb8XgDAgy_u5d4QFfxqv6_rIhjlb6AkmqG-Vj6oyFvzfD2/s1600/Pic32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="892" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qNQdswJaYKbY34zCe7fvE6TZJY-eJEjXJ3WThEh9_UPVReI3YZ71IdSibrKnf1LPmqoTeuA9_J5OGPIHwPtBbKdQGMei4zHb8XgDAgy_u5d4QFfxqv6_rIhjlb6AkmqG-Vj6oyFvzfD2/s400/Pic32.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>But could it be madness. The whole story, we’re told, is recounted by Emmanuel. He could easily have added everyone he sees daily- including James and Penelope- along with his mutilated hand into his tale. In his hostility to his jailor, he may also have invented the idea of James stealing the research needed to win the Richter Prize. Plus, remember the <i>Dr. Caligari</i> thing I noticed? Well, the painting in the cell is in an abstract style that seems similar to the German Expressionism used in <i>Caligari</i>. Subliminal hint? Maybe.<br />
<a href="https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+creeping+flesh+1973&&view=detail&mid=B6BBF62393388860CF18B6BBF62393388860CF18&FORM=VRDGAR">MOVIE LINK</a><br />
</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-70756268298537361342017-10-03T01:40:00.001-04:002017-10-03T01:41:12.390-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: From Across the Pond!<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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My friends, the Haunting Season is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tHyRQOdqf0">upon us again!</a><span id="fullpost"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB96UGJ7Up1aqxrLN4xfRoU06ZO01gakbOetF0hcRnle2npwSEdJcnTYuNu6m0yzRa9pJ8zvt4gX8tWAKNmZV14Dzp7by3c_iJDrxNDlSuIzb3z5BKPJzRlnnhv00xHmjwebunLNqc16Vc/s1600/01-+Haunted+Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB96UGJ7Up1aqxrLN4xfRoU06ZO01gakbOetF0hcRnle2npwSEdJcnTYuNu6m0yzRa9pJ8zvt4gX8tWAKNmZV14Dzp7by3c_iJDrxNDlSuIzb3z5BKPJzRlnnhv00xHmjwebunLNqc16Vc/s400/01-+Haunted+Castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And this year we will be covering, um…um…<br />
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Oh, blast. It seems I’ve written myself into a corner over the last two years. I really liked how we spent an entire season on one book last year. Problem is, I covered four classic books the year before! I think I’ve run out of classics! (At least what I consider classics.) Oh, the lack of foresight. What to do? What to do? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuO6JL2GxjU">Hold on a moment…</a><br />
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Well, I still want to keep the theme-style format going. I suppose this year we’ll have to leave the printed page and go with a different kind of theme. Maybe a focus on actors. Sound good? Oh, not quite enough. I see. Well, how about a famous duo? Ah, good. <br />
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Hm. Who could we choose? You know, I have an idea. It just popped in there. First of all, these two would need to have range…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMKFWsYvbXzrVN1H84mkeIEs8aq3A97CgQFNynqGB-xg2Cu_pkqTw0Y20m960Qxsz7MiIM7yGVJoL997in6nTQ5aUYKNh9iyX_Q4DLDt0mZofiLLNyrREG3BZUs_tH7Skn1_J4ylNbvax/s1600/02-+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMKFWsYvbXzrVN1H84mkeIEs8aq3A97CgQFNynqGB-xg2Cu_pkqTw0Y20m960Qxsz7MiIM7yGVJoL997in6nTQ5aUYKNh9iyX_Q4DLDt0mZofiLLNyrREG3BZUs_tH7Skn1_J4ylNbvax/s400/02-+Collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Gotta have style…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwb5HQiT3RnA4l2pNu7kArKP7T7r-YMJfS8cBGlJbJCtuQ2DtAqa3H_GNHpRXkaQrzfVq6ICgOYuaLg-wRwYgZ97DhamKBXmwiSCAYJHw6RLM92l8J14GkOQhkfOCBL9se496TNnpBGku/s1600/03-+Holmes+and+Howling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="800" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwb5HQiT3RnA4l2pNu7kArKP7T7r-YMJfS8cBGlJbJCtuQ2DtAqa3H_GNHpRXkaQrzfVq6ICgOYuaLg-wRwYgZ97DhamKBXmwiSCAYJHw6RLM92l8J14GkOQhkfOCBL9se496TNnpBGku/s400/03-+Holmes+and+Howling.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Should be fairly well known…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnoaprONzpEXx1Mdak_6rs3bu26Tm6rDIUPhLofVIlU5raA2zsU8t9PEBzf8WVwIGs8-0Djqxx_qUvvbD9d9_7ZOy0S-tnO7YUr7afOp2OM2Indkww3JYot8aGD6igIiFN2aGuPGX7UrP/s1600/04-+Tarkin+and+Dooku.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="1191" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnoaprONzpEXx1Mdak_6rs3bu26Tm6rDIUPhLofVIlU5raA2zsU8t9PEBzf8WVwIGs8-0Djqxx_qUvvbD9d9_7ZOy0S-tnO7YUr7afOp2OM2Indkww3JYot8aGD6igIiFN2aGuPGX7UrP/s400/04-+Tarkin+and+Dooku.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And have genuine horror experience…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-g1Pl7y5NGJ0M6TrRSmmuORCn91LtGa-P0MbSW_kf0UScIBBiFcQ8ImNjYxIqGYDUm7aMfYDJgHyDPo2XRYT28CUPEisxE_1GO-KpXsUOctVF03hCkdY0LlOWb84Sv52QGgMBKncrLzvo/s1600/05-+Count+and+Baron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="1508" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-g1Pl7y5NGJ0M6TrRSmmuORCn91LtGa-P0MbSW_kf0UScIBBiFcQ8ImNjYxIqGYDUm7aMfYDJgHyDPo2XRYT28CUPEisxE_1GO-KpXsUOctVF03hCkdY0LlOWb84Sv52QGgMBKncrLzvo/s400/05-+Count+and+Baron.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The choice is made!<br />
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The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2_BEwShzok&list=PLF147DD0E71144AC6&index=10">Traveler has come!</a><br />
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Oh, and this year’s edition will feature films starring the man made famous on screen by <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2016/10/monsterpiece-theater-sir-christopher.html">turning people into corpses by draining their blood</a>, and his BFF, the man horror fans know best for <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2015/11/monsterpiece-theater-frankenstein-or.html">bringing said corpses back to ghastly, hideous life</a> whether they wanted it or not.<br />
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So, let’s have a jolly- and creepy- good time with the October of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-pWVUnAc9wpbgaW1JbY3NGWwuxvyVXb4dcddkDfkks8yUGfBTablfU1CnhNpUIny6HSIsDFzQ-tLiSwMbK3sEs2vmfXCbH2asx3wIUx3ck-zeKSsJKKVrMZoWjPF2tXnyOdH1J0S1QqH/s1600/06-+Cushing+and+Lee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="500" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-pWVUnAc9wpbgaW1JbY3NGWwuxvyVXb4dcddkDfkks8yUGfBTablfU1CnhNpUIny6HSIsDFzQ-tLiSwMbK3sEs2vmfXCbH2asx3wIUx3ck-zeKSsJKKVrMZoWjPF2tXnyOdH1J0S1QqH/s400/06-+Cushing+and+Lee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span> </div><br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-35580018668341980452017-08-03T23:00:00.000-04:002017-08-03T23:00:04.331-04:00Film Friday: Ghostbusters: Answer The Call (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4766pFHc5Nf1MqsyWi6r6Kh3nDKobAlhXHJ9KI7EylfkPt4zKOPsctlomc_pZa1N0V17gKkAsBKJkez2eUrbCFcexMgH_vh6lQyF_AmIzsdlaXizVKTZG6CgYlsOiV5eLc1gR6I6EGlA/s1600/ghostbusters2016cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4766pFHc5Nf1MqsyWi6r6Kh3nDKobAlhXHJ9KI7EylfkPt4zKOPsctlomc_pZa1N0V17gKkAsBKJkez2eUrbCFcexMgH_vh6lQyF_AmIzsdlaXizVKTZG6CgYlsOiV5eLc1gR6I6EGlA/s200/ghostbusters2016cover.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>I'm always leery of watching a parody of a classic film because there is always the danger that the parody will expose that one problem you always overlooked and suddenly you can't see the original without seeing the parody. There's no danger of that here, however. This film steals every single idea from <i>Ghostbusters</i> and a few from <i>Men in Black</i>, but handles them so poorly you'll never connect it with the originals. What? This wasn't a parody? Huh. Ok. What was it then?<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
It was a cash grab.<br />
<br />
<b>Plot</b><br />
<br />
The story starts with a chick professor not getting tenure at her college because she wrote a book about ghosts a decade ago. This is not even close to believable. To fix this, she goes to the fat chick to make her stop selling the book at Amazon. Fat jokes ensue as Fat Girl argues with the Chinese delivery man. A minute or so into this, we have our first fart joke, which Judd Apatow's ghost turns into a female-front-side "fart" joke. And we're off on our magical journey.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHBnmQ1DJAk_jYmnOW2Cxq0lhtSnT_hVMwR9VePIMvvn2TEqcgzizvGYsAQY_iWiEh4xYkKFN_dBEOeK_M-YCcOJ2PxlQ1IHcWBRhKlRj32ZcmKyK7r-dARfkeCE39ds4uHZOPopj658B/s1600/ghostbusters2016stand01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1018" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHBnmQ1DJAk_jYmnOW2Cxq0lhtSnT_hVMwR9VePIMvvn2TEqcgzizvGYsAQY_iWiEh4xYkKFN_dBEOeK_M-YCcOJ2PxlQ1IHcWBRhKlRj32ZcmKyK7r-dARfkeCE39ds4uHZOPopj658B/s400/ghostbusters2016stand01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>From this point, we meet the lesbian chick and the black chick and we go through every single plot point from the original <i>Ghostbusters</i> film only done far less interestingly and far less competently. In a series of scenes, the girls get fired from their college, move into a new building, get a car, round up a ghost, do a much-used crowd surfing joke, hire a stupid secretary, meet the mayor, and fight the villain. As they do this, we are <strike>bored with</strike> treated to an origin story of every piece of hardware, every bit of music, every character, and every original image from the original <i>Ghostbusters</i>. We are also <strike>abused with</strike> treated to cameos from each of the original characters in the first film. In fact, there are so many it starts to feel like that is why they made the film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84QQTWbgC8G3Sw5I658l7ZXPFnzDr5Z8BuI73Ijg5Kobdw1GbaufRgVcoRZQ0d8PAWYMXpoOYgZH_g7WuPS1P-zRNnHWmuDsSeFiyQxS7wPvebX7MPU9BFph8Py3PkMe47Nsu2LdYq_jG/s1600/ghostbusters2016stand3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84QQTWbgC8G3Sw5I658l7ZXPFnzDr5Z8BuI73Ijg5Kobdw1GbaufRgVcoRZQ0d8PAWYMXpoOYgZH_g7WuPS1P-zRNnHWmuDsSeFiyQxS7wPvebX7MPU9BFph8Py3PkMe47Nsu2LdYq_jG/s400/ghostbusters2016stand3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Eventually, they beat the villain while blowing up a building in New York City and then the film ends with them as ambiguous heroes while Eyecandy Boy eats a sandwich and you wonder how to get the time you lost back.<br />
<br />
<b>Shameless</b><br />
<br />
So where do we start to discuss this turd? Well, let's start with this. If you thought <i>Bridesmaids</i> was great, then this is probably the film for you. It's vapid, childish, tired and completely stolen. No new ground will be trod. The scenes bump together reasonable well, and they do so without asking you to use your brain. They just lurch from fat jokes to black jokes to fart jokes to sexism jokes to "I's so stupid" jokes. Good times. There is no dramatic tension to ruin any of it for you, and no demanding plot you need to keep track of. This is a film for retards.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobgFrExMqxovcSd5rSDBf5_sipDwUeGC85APN9GgM0VQ1CrtOgYeSAWxOyrhmtedYkDOBgMRRVgs5C55JAo9VMSCadqjk8BeUsd9fPJdjZzCSR6HDrAxwCEVcXn4CBTSRNIt3RjOknc2x/s1600/ghostbusters2016stand1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="960" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobgFrExMqxovcSd5rSDBf5_sipDwUeGC85APN9GgM0VQ1CrtOgYeSAWxOyrhmtedYkDOBgMRRVgs5C55JAo9VMSCadqjk8BeUsd9fPJdjZzCSR6HDrAxwCEVcXn4CBTSRNIt3RjOknc2x/s400/ghostbusters2016stand1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>For the rest of you, here's the deal. The film is watchable in the sense that most mindless ripoffs are. The scenes make sense in the order in which they are shot. The characters act like they are in the movie. The story moves from start to finish and wraps up without any huge mistakes. The effects are a step above what you see in the made-for-Sci-Fi-Channel films. And to keep you entertained the director steals every singe idea or image from <i>Ghostbusters</i> and a couple from <i>Men in Black</i> and dangles them in front of you to keep you from walking out. Oh look, shiny.<br />
<br />
That said, the film is desperately not funny. Like most of the other films these losers have done, it is ad-libbed for the most part and none of them really have the skill to pull that off. I truly don't remember a single laugh. The jokes are awful and have no relation to the story: the fat girl is fat! the gay girl is gay! the black girl speaks ethnic gibberish! he's wearing glasses without glass... OMG?! He does logos, but they stink... <i>they stink!</i> The Chinese food arrives fast because they work above the restaurant! OMG that's funny! A minute long moronic argument about whether you can put a cat back in a bag after it is out of the bag. Ouch my sides! Please stop!<br />
<br />
The villain is so forgettable you keep forgetting who he is until he appears on screen again... and even then you don't care. The characters are non-existent. The plot is for nought. You start to feel dirty about how much they steal, and ironically they are being nasty to most of it. They have real anger for the original film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52LENPo6CpnT4xTs9_N-FUvErfJ31jPy6NpbgFZbazmtZOurzTs7Uy6t5Uqeur4B1y3K3O8MEncdlVFDN77iMQa-1lWvOMa2GOkLURL8_DW7qyaeom9bH-YafBfmW-vXBwVMSzt9JEvD0/s1600/ghostbusters2016stand2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52LENPo6CpnT4xTs9_N-FUvErfJ31jPy6NpbgFZbazmtZOurzTs7Uy6t5Uqeur4B1y3K3O8MEncdlVFDN77iMQa-1lWvOMa2GOkLURL8_DW7qyaeom9bH-YafBfmW-vXBwVMSzt9JEvD0/s400/ghostbusters2016stand2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>So what about the politics? This film is pretty despicable in that regard. It shits all over the original with tremendous anger and it does so in the name of a sort of vague "gurl power" theme. The girl power thing is a fraud though. These women are not competent. They don't prove that they can do anything. They don't start a business. They have no camaraderie. They don't invent anything. They don't prove anyone wrong. They don't even catch a ghost. There is not a single clever moment that makes a legitimate social commentary point. Instead, there are female genitalia "queef" jokes, males being hit in the dick, and a group of neurotic women claiming they can do "it", whatever "it" actually is. If this were the model of how women want young girls to act, how they want males to act, or what they think women can do, then women are in much worse shape than anyone knew. It's a bit like defining masculinity through <i>Paul Blart Mall Cop</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5b5KOkwYJreKmFI_DdgDCsXn09BBbWD_Tsh97ISEk2E3ru6DW5qRW4ozWKZDMW0RjDpoR7TIGRr_FzNN1JC_-gapWgLWWRUutBYKWeoY3TsX1D1SHQWLyGiLVBOYa_jvUGgV5r_bM-8Ug/s1600/ghostbusterscrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="618" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5b5KOkwYJreKmFI_DdgDCsXn09BBbWD_Tsh97ISEk2E3ru6DW5qRW4ozWKZDMW0RjDpoR7TIGRr_FzNN1JC_-gapWgLWWRUutBYKWeoY3TsX1D1SHQWLyGiLVBOYa_jvUGgV5r_bM-8Ug/s400/ghostbusterscrap.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The marketing of this thing was deeply deceptive as well, but we don't need to go into that. Suffice it to say that Paul Feig is a lying sack of shit who thought that agitating feminists, gays and blacks with an invented assault by haters was the best way to market his hack film. Hey black people, Gillette wants to restart slavery... buy Schick.<br />
<br />
To put a fine point on this, this film is everything they said it was and worse. It is offensively political, but stupidly so. It is stolen. It is awful, almost beyond description. It is the raping of an existing property purely for profit with no care whatsoever about the people who will be suckered into seeing this film.<br />
<br />
Skip this one.<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-12481079363166838842017-07-13T23:31:00.002-04:002017-07-13T23:31:56.981-04:00Ten Reasons ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ Just Ticks Me Off<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RfO2j8lUwkY0Obz-v6qKl_dy9AFbPmfOshrObTe_QIec-nn_MWxl-qHBFC5Pi24XaUTy6QuqVJCDR95E-RJmFN3XFyjdMB3mpfGx3DiRHNI4w7qZwwNuipB9owkTuhyyPWd35I7t4NLv/s1600/Pic+01-+Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RfO2j8lUwkY0Obz-v6qKl_dy9AFbPmfOshrObTe_QIec-nn_MWxl-qHBFC5Pi24XaUTy6QuqVJCDR95E-RJmFN3XFyjdMB3mpfGx3DiRHNI4w7qZwwNuipB9owkTuhyyPWd35I7t4NLv/s200/Pic+01-+Poster.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
<br />
Ah, remakes. Who doesn’t love ‘em? Wait. I’m sorry. That’s a typo. Let me start again… Ah, remakes. Who isn’t sick to death of ‘em?<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
Over the last few years, we’ve had quite a few discussions over the plethora of remakes churned out of Hollywood in the hopes of cashing in on the public’s love of the originals. Many of said chats have been negative. But at least those remakes are sensible enough to admit they’re remakes. What about films sold as legit sequels that are, themselves, just remakes? I give you my latest light-night rant: “10 Reasons Why <i>Terminator 2</i> Just Ticks Me Off.”<br />
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(Warning: 30+-Year-Olds may find their childhoods hurting over the next few paragraphs. You’re been warned.)<br />
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<b>Number 10: Inappropriate Catchphrases</b><br />
<br />
In the original <i>Terminator</i>, (‘T1’), Arnie’s scant lines were used by a killer robot trying to pass for a human. These auditory attempts at banter often come off as awkward because robots don’t understand human behavior. For the humans who interact with the T-800, conversation could either be understated (when the Terminator just repeats what the punks say), over-the-top (when it swears through the door at the janitor), or even when the legendary <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-9dthiJw-Q">“I’ll be back”</a> comes off as more mechanical than threatening. However, the humans’ reactions make the scenes work. The punks ridicule the machine, before he brutally attacks them; the janitor decides it isn’t worth it to mess with a guy who sounds like he’s p****d off; and the cops are blown away when Arnold drives a car through the door to gain entry. Ah, Ray Bradbury, you were right: “Science fiction is about advances in science and technology and our human reactions to those advances.”<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, in T2, everything is forced in order to come off like a typical action movie. That brat John Connor teaches the bad-ass machine to say “no problemo,” “chill out, d***w**,” and… “Hasta la vista, baby?” It’s one thing when John McClain says that, because <i>Die Hard</i> films are set up to feature his light-hearted quipping against a dangerous situation. But as a follow-up to the sci-fi horror of T1, T2’s misunderstanding of tone looks like a case of ADHD. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzeJEeuZI-ice_vp6mHPnbqrNuJyJBmG0AeS5aUhsr8Mu6bWuZUycGH3UUqqadyE-ci3S-kbbKJ1vpUFgM38Hi8M_HUcwaP4NC02yANJx8SNFh1VIMcN_JfJ5u6afrFldnGum8dDs6GDE6/s1600/Pic+03-+Sunglasses-Smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="1199" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzeJEeuZI-ice_vp6mHPnbqrNuJyJBmG0AeS5aUhsr8Mu6bWuZUycGH3UUqqadyE-ci3S-kbbKJ1vpUFgM38Hi8M_HUcwaP4NC02yANJx8SNFh1VIMcN_JfJ5u6afrFldnGum8dDs6GDE6/s400/Pic+03-+Sunglasses-Smile.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Did Cameron think this would be a good way of lightening things up? Did he not realize that trying to make the audience laugh during scenes meant to be tense can actually ruin the tone? Or does he understand this concept about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaXgK5HRBjk">as well as George Lucas?</a> <br />
<br />
Look, the Germans do not say, “Guess vhat? You’re all going to DIE! Zay nacht-nacht!” before machine-gunning the prisoners in <i>The Great Escape</i>. The Predator didn’t mutter, “Set me free, why don’t you, babe?” before self-destructing. Such catchphrases might have earned a chuckle in the writing room or marketing meetings. But for a movie selling itself as deep and tense, they come off as an unwanted Adam Sandler belch or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRFWb4Ia3r0">Looney Tunes quote by a wrestler</a> that wrecks a promising premise.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4mOKQdabwEdhr8iT-TubFJEdrw14-tMIhO061v0SstLyImLsGdjZ2C6IqAHPuN-DUTuOERJXnMMyinM41N9guzbD810C49qiirRBpAi6v-XLPeqDW5923g_dDv_JAoa9aKr14yt8hYng/s1600/Pic+04-+Reese-T-800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="1191" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4mOKQdabwEdhr8iT-TubFJEdrw14-tMIhO061v0SstLyImLsGdjZ2C6IqAHPuN-DUTuOERJXnMMyinM41N9guzbD810C49qiirRBpAi6v-XLPeqDW5923g_dDv_JAoa9aKr14yt8hYng/s400/Pic+04-+Reese-T-800.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Number 9: This Time, It’s Impossible to Connect with Sarah</b><br />
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In T1, Sarah Connor is a classic protagonist. She’s a waitress- a typical job for a woman in her 20’s still trying to start a career. We see her at work, at her apartment, and hanging out at night. Then she learns that women with her name are being killed. This is followed by attempts on her life and learning her would-be killer is an uncompromising, indestructible automaton. And how does she react to all of this? She panics! –just like most of us would probably do. Throughout the film, we feel for her, root for her, and cheer for her because we can see ourselves behaving similarly.<br />
<br />
This is impossible in T2. In this film, we learn that Sarah has gone vigilante (which most of us would never do), has had training from rogue green berets (again, which most of would never do), and is living the survivalist lifestyle (like the maniacs on the political fringes). She might as well now be an alien.<br />
<br />
Clearly, Cameron was playing to the feminazi crowd by replacing T1’s Regular Jill Sarah with T2’s Psycho Sarah. (A.K.A. the “impossibly strong, skinny girl” cliché, as KRS liked to call it.) He wants us to see the loony bin staff as bad for calling Sarah a menace to society and locking her up while rooting for Sarah because we’re told in advance that she’ll be proven right all along. And we’re supposed to stop thinking at “Look! She kicks butt!” while ignoring how she attacks every innocent person she sees. There’s nothing wrong with strong women in movies. There is a problem when the character we’re told to root for is a genuine psychotic and the people who locked her up were clearly right all along. And while I’m on this subject…<br />
<br />
<b>Number 8: The (Lack of) Morality in Cameronverse</b><br />
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James Cameron has a low, Marxist threshold for morality. In his movies, billionaires must always be evil and die because they’re too rich. People with nothing are always heroes because poor equals righteous. And methods be damned because the ends ALWAYS justify the means. <br />
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His lawyer, I’m guessing, would like you not to counter this with how Cameron is, himself, a billionaire. (Calling Operation Wall Street!) In public appearances, Cameron is a big, ocean-loving environmentalist who promotes peace and vegan lifestyles. Ah, how precious. On the side, he also supports eco-terrorism and his estate leaves a carbon footprint the size of Antarctica. And as he’s done to so many people, he’ll rip you a new one if you mention these contradictions to his face. <i>Ends justify the means! Silence, pleb!</i><br />
<br />
In T2, these attitudes are on full display. The characters are, of course, trying to save the human race from a future takeover by evil robots. That’s it. Stop right there. Don’t ask for any more justifications because that’s all you need. Because in James Cameron’s little mind, good intentions are all that’s necessary. His characters are allowed to rob, burgle, hijack, wound, maim, destroy property, assault, lie, threaten at the point of a gun, etc. as long as it’s in the name of accomplishing the goal. In T2, the ‘good guys’ do pretty much all of this and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7a0IkBVZdo">it’s okay because Cameron said so.</a><br />
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Strangely, there is one thing they’re not allowed to do… <br />
<br />
<b>Number 7: Sarah Connor is a Terrorist</b><br />
<br />
In keeping with T2’s, ahem, ‘morality,’ you might have noticed the heavy-handed “do not kill” theme. Apparently, that’s the one crime good guys cannot commit because not doing so is what defines them as good guys. Committing every crime on the rap sheet of the Gambino Crime Family is fine as long as it’s in service of the goal of saving humanity from the machines’ prophesized takeover- even if it means burning down the village to do it.<br />
<br />
Speaking of which, Sarah Connor is a mass-murderer and a terrorist. Yeah, I said it. Sarah should be locked up in the dungeons of Alcatraz with the key thrown away. The asylum doctors say that she tried to bomb a computer factory that she thought might eventually help create Skynet. You know, I can’t prove this, but I’d bet in the original script that Sarah blew up the factory and killed everyone inside of it. <br />
<br />
Note: Of course, in the final film, they say no one was inside when the bomb was set to go off. This is absurd. No building like that will ever be devoid of people. The majority of employees might leave at night, but there will always be security, cleaning, maintenance, and delivery staff on hand to prepare for the next work day. Any successful structural bombing would automatically result in human casualties. <br />
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Furthermore, I’d bet that in the original draft that Sarah and the reformed Terminator killed several more people along the rest of the way. This is what terrorists do. And the public hates them for it, regardless of their stated reasons.<br />
<br />
At that point in the pre-production process, I’d be willing to bet that someone speaking on the side of sanity told Cameron that if the ‘heroes’ had a higher body count than Jonestown, no one in the audience would care if they won or lost. And it seems Cameron took this advice to an extreme, pushing the ‘no killing’ theme to be dominant and get viewers to overlook all the other characters’ crimes- because they’re only trying to stop Skynet and Cameron said “that’s that. Stop asking questions. No one can be a terrorist as long as their intentions are good and match my views.”<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhWVyqxVseAcPwJUUlXUyAOhVxSOxYmoMDnUS3twL_GbMp03ksmAorH9ceBplYr9qizfyzSHGzXW63jHK8Yeuyjrujv9Mn4Rzoq3wQZq0yVmN-3bY-r6JE1IAtyAmz7IaW9s4ONDBKOJq/s1600/Pic+05-+Future+Destruction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="1199" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhWVyqxVseAcPwJUUlXUyAOhVxSOxYmoMDnUS3twL_GbMp03ksmAorH9ceBplYr9qizfyzSHGzXW63jHK8Yeuyjrujv9Mn4Rzoq3wQZq0yVmN-3bY-r6JE1IAtyAmz7IaW9s4ONDBKOJq/s400/Pic+05-+Future+Destruction.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Number 6: Sarah is the Cause of all of John Connor’s Problems</b><br />
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Okay. Last gripe about Sarah. I promise. Um, despite being the strong, knows-better-than-you-do superwoman that Cameron pushes her as, did anyone else notice that Sarah is, herself, the greatest threat to her stated goal of protecting John so that he can lead the human resistance in the future? Consider…<br />
<br />
-She isolates him from society as he grows up, which would leave him socially maladjusted and indifferent to humanity. This upbringing is more likely to leave him despising society and not caring at all when Skynet attacks. So, instead of leading the uprising, odds are he’ll build his own fort in the mountains and look out for old number one à la Robert Neville in <i>I Am Legend</i>. (Robert Matheson’s novel, I mean. Not Will Smith’s <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2009/08/film-friday-i-am-legend-2007_3629.html">awful movie</a>.)<br />
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-She shields him from others and centers his life on hers. When she chastises John for rushing to the mental hospital and saving her from the T-1000, her stupidity is on full display. You’ve made him completely dependent on you, Sarah! You’re the center of his universe! That’s why he came. He’s behaving in a perfectly logical manner according to the way you raised him!<br />
<br />
-Finally, after escaping the T-1000 by leaving his tiny search area (oh, don’t worry, we’ll get to that!), and taking refuge in Mexico, she drags the whole group right back into the danger zone of Los Angeles. If Sarah and Co. stay in Mexico, they’ll be safe. Movie over. But, no. The action film plot must be served! She heads to L.A., John follows her (again, behaving logically), and T-1000 gets an undeserved bonus chance to kill them. You go, girl. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3mNt9X-IWvQ2fxPxYfFxDW2cCQQqKONKByVzpwyFamAMM-hadEYYzcpbZx7kiKdMjoZ_HYbcHHdMpxPYxa8HdPQGel__RziJKL6L2PwXxbyo7pqfej9Au-o-aSXW3fMhUnTJT-jl1Zq4/s1600/Pic+06-+Get+Out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="1200" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3mNt9X-IWvQ2fxPxYfFxDW2cCQQqKONKByVzpwyFamAMM-hadEYYzcpbZx7kiKdMjoZ_HYbcHHdMpxPYxa8HdPQGel__RziJKL6L2PwXxbyo7pqfej9Au-o-aSXW3fMhUnTJT-jl1Zq4/s400/Pic+06-+Get+Out.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Number 5: BTW, I Hate John Connor</b><br />
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And no, I’m NOT letting John Connor off the hook. It seems a certain Internet critic claims that T2 is better than T1 because the concept of a robot killing a child is more frightening than killing a grown woman before she can give birth to said child. That might sound okay on paper. But he’s wrong. Just like in <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2016/04/film-friday-boys-from-brazil-1978.html"><i>The Boys from Brazil</i></a>, this is the fallacy of saying the concept should be interesting enough. Well, it isn’t. And Cameron not only uses it as a crutch, but as a safeguard as he plunges the characters back into the Cameron School of Morality.<br />
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Remember when I said that T1 Sarah was actually relatable? It seems Cameron wants us to have similar feelings for John in T2. Only, there’s multiple problems. As I said, in T1 Sarah is Jill Q. Public. We identify with her. In T2, we see John skipping school, stealing from a bank, being a brat to his stepmother, (who, of course, is a typical West Virginia hick living in LA., so his treatment of her is all good and fine), and behaving like trash to everyone he meets. Uh, why am I rooting for this kid again? Well, according to Uncle James, “it’s because he’s the future leader of the resistance. Shut up.” But if I’m looking at this from a blank slate, he’s a criminal and if I spotted him committing these crimes, I’d want him thrown in the slammer.<br />
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It also doesn’t help that John emasculates the Terminator by teaching him the aforementioned asinine catchphrases and encouraging him to cry. Plus, he pouts and whines through the whole film like a grunge-era Bella Swan. Our future hero, ladies and gentlemen! Maybe I should just root for the T-1000.<br />
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<b>Number 4: T-1000: Least Effective Killer Robot Ever</b><br />
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I just can’t catch a break here. I keep thinking about how in T1 Arnie’s T-800 had to search for information, ultimately using a phone book to look for ‘Sarah Connor.’ (This is due to, according to Kyle Reese, Skynet’s loss of 20th century records during the war.) This leads to the Terminator killing all the women he can find named ‘Sarah Connor’ (just whacking them all and hoping that eventually the actual target will be among the dead), while tracking down their addresses and collecting personal information. This makes the T-800 look smart, resilient, resourceful, and, above all, a nearly omnipotent predator who <i>will</i> find its prey, come Hell or high water.<br />
<br />
In T2, the T-1000 simply commandeers a cop car, looks up John’s file on the vehicle’s Commodore 64, and ta-daaa!!! Talk about a copout (pun absolutely intended). Isn’t it fortunate that John already has a rap sheet? –complete with personal information? –and that T-1000 seemingly knew this and already knew were to look despite the loss of 20th century data and files in the future and…wait, that doesn’t make sense.<br />
<br />
I can only imagine what might have happened if John didn’t have a record. Speaking of which, if Sarah and her friends knew of all possible ways to stay off the grid, why didn’t they just erase his file in the event of this very situation? Or, in the event of Sarah’s incarceration, couldn’t she- miss Ultra Resourceful- have found someone as willing and crazy as her to see to the job? Or why didn’t she teach John how to do this himself along with all the other self-resiliency classes? Maybe she forgot that lesson - or John inherited his mom’s judgment.<br />
<br />
Anyway, what could T-1000’s backup plan have been? Standing on the side of a highway, holding a picture, and asking drivers if they’ve “seen this boy?” Of course, we’d have to question how he’d get the picture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Aexf4us3If8e4x78sdgSWFpRCD1tkuMMd1nf75C_H_n7yjAP9xQQPmvKl4O_u1ukd8xoVSvdvG2jLB6tecct227qbXHxLYZmHHvxaCgIQORBAcvzkBE6tgK2fx-3V7TZ6TAbl_5ENd22/s1600/Pic+07-+Phone+Book-Computer+Screen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="1194" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Aexf4us3If8e4x78sdgSWFpRCD1tkuMMd1nf75C_H_n7yjAP9xQQPmvKl4O_u1ukd8xoVSvdvG2jLB6tecct227qbXHxLYZmHHvxaCgIQORBAcvzkBE6tgK2fx-3V7TZ6TAbl_5ENd22/s400/Pic+07-+Phone+Book-Computer+Screen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Number 3: And Just When You Thought T-1000 Couldn’t Be More Ineffective…</b><br />
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Not entirely Off Topic…but did you ever see that <i>Star Trek: TNG</i> episode where Picard is engaged in the deadliest battle of wits: a treaty dispute? Okay, I’ll explain. The Federation is handing some planet over to an alien race, but they first need to remove their own citizens who were never informed, apparently had no say in this, and are ready to fight for what’s rightfully theirs. The aliens want the planet and intend to immediately massacre said citizens, all the while beating the Enterprise crew over the head into diplomatically-enforced impotence with respective treaty. <br />
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In the end, Picard finds a loophole. Because they’re at an impasse (well, not really; the idiot negotiators never considered that these citizens would defend their property and defy their EU-style government), he nominates a neutral party to intercede. (Uh, wouldn’t that be the first thing you do in a diplomatic impasse?) However, he selects the Grizzelas, who are currently hibernating. (As in grizzly bears! Get it? Clever! Funny! Not.) Completely outmaneuvered, (though actually not acting rationally and demanding a third party who might actually be awake and available), the aliens give the Enterprise time to enact galactic eminent domain and forcefully move the citizens from their rightful homes and into solar section 8 housing, probably on Planet TheBronx.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicG0UXiEfySl1R_l6AqbN63z5NuHHGf1O-2atN112H5CWr_xkzVpmTsosvbfaOrcY-tDxHYLMZIZtwtsnQfqBN-dqgOl9uAhvOe3bIavIVe3RHncKfz1-WkEveXkKuiTTzNMm0W2_7DRHZ/s1600/Pic+08-+MST3K+%2527Escape+2000%2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicG0UXiEfySl1R_l6AqbN63z5NuHHGf1O-2atN112H5CWr_xkzVpmTsosvbfaOrcY-tDxHYLMZIZtwtsnQfqBN-dqgOl9uAhvOe3bIavIVe3RHncKfz1-WkEveXkKuiTTzNMm0W2_7DRHZ/s400/Pic+08-+MST3K+%2527Escape+2000%2527.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Now, what I want you to take away from this is how dependent Picard is on the TNG writing staff. If the citizens aren’t written as (eventually) submissive and the aliens as lacking in logic, he has no leg to stand on (as is the case for most of <i>Next Generation</i>). Also, it’s clear he didn’t read the treaty beforehand- en route to a dispute about said treaty. Or bring a negotiator who knows the treaty. Or a negotiator who helped <i>write</i> the treaty. How in the Hell is this guy an accomplished, revered, and celebrated flagship captain again? OK, OK, back to the subject at hand…<br />
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In T2, T-1000 shows just as much creativity as Captain Unenlightened. Consider that, after losing his prey following the incident at the mental ward, he basically vanishes from the film for a while. He just seems to drive around disguised as a motorcycle cop and listening to the police bandwidth. Uh, was that his plan? Was he just going to drive around in circles around Los Angeles, wait for the moronic heroes to commit a crime, hear about it over the radio, and then pounce? And yes, just L.A. Remember! He’s tuned into the LAPD bandwidth and is only hearing about events within that jurisdiction. Theoretically, he could just end up in a literal loop, driving in circles around the City of Angels until Judgment Day (ha! ha!) while the heroes live it up in Tijuana. So, just how is he going to accomplish his mission and, for that matter, get back into this movie? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-Z4OLygtB3JAwFt6iRrG4jcnjRGFKFaa2V075fp3IYU2vdSkNVCfkNI91UQTRAp0sqsG1I5LPj1mvghjBwG3VpBE5YOosEqm-980g_M88l_jsFYitA3hmQl8u74MTp1Td19cAN4UE6yA/s1600/Pic+09-+Mike+Quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-Z4OLygtB3JAwFt6iRrG4jcnjRGFKFaa2V075fp3IYU2vdSkNVCfkNI91UQTRAp0sqsG1I5LPj1mvghjBwG3VpBE5YOosEqm-980g_M88l_jsFYitA3hmQl8u74MTp1Td19cAN4UE6yA/s400/Pic+09-+Mike+Quote.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>OK. That makes sense. Hand of Cameron. Got it. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRVe_zYsXcZDz_BqPydq_ZeuOiD20VL1jneWPHtQ4sxYJNXj8OfDcuTQ2xt1Ki3hRx2QWAUWR7tnbzVr2VaG6HuFZf52roFmxtI0tyK6JCe6QFykaRGkzA78TUQjeFKjn5tYjgAzXpOVv/s1600/Pic+10-+Angry+Picard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="502" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRVe_zYsXcZDz_BqPydq_ZeuOiD20VL1jneWPHtQ4sxYJNXj8OfDcuTQ2xt1Ki3hRx2QWAUWR7tnbzVr2VaG6HuFZf52roFmxtI0tyK6JCe6QFykaRGkzA78TUQjeFKjn5tYjgAzXpOVv/s400/Pic+10-+Angry+Picard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>Number 2: More Missed Chances and Plot Holes than a Side Street in East St. Louis</b><br />
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Now, we come to the scene where Sarah invades Miles Dyson’s house, blowing it to bits and nearly killing everyone because she thinks that killing computer genius Dyson will prevent Skynet from existing. She only stops because John arrives (?) and reminds her that killing is the only crime that can revoke her good guy status in the Cameronverse. And, yeah, they blow up Cyberdyne to stop Skynet and end up in a high-budget CGI remake of the chase scene from T1, in which, just like before, they wind up at a factory for the climactic showdown.<br />
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Although, the idea of Sarah killing someone to change the direction of the future sounds promising. I mean, she’s so driven. It’s like she can’t be compromised or bargained with. And with the gun pointed at Dyson’s head, it’s like she can’t feel pain, or pity, or remorse. It’s almost as if she absolutely won’t stop, <i>ever</i>, until Dyson’s dead. Sounding familiar?! It’s as though her obsession has gone full circle and she’s becoming what she hates and…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_XOSP2ea8LcTiMGeuRWQGLLmGh3-N6ddiZm_smrInLmHgjkHeSSudC4aXyVBDdDj0LaJc91dVrwg2I5mDY6TFM41hx-OFwIbq5UpmGPffkmFfhrv7YEa3LZvS_axhNYqHjAPAx_CV9DM/s1600/Pic+11-+Plot+Terminated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="1200" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_XOSP2ea8LcTiMGeuRWQGLLmGh3-N6ddiZm_smrInLmHgjkHeSSudC4aXyVBDdDj0LaJc91dVrwg2I5mDY6TFM41hx-OFwIbq5UpmGPffkmFfhrv7YEa3LZvS_axhNYqHjAPAx_CV9DM/s400/Pic+11-+Plot+Terminated.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>All right, enough with decent storytelling. Now, despite the protests of a certain, allegedly self-omniscient director, I have just a few questions about all of this. Without further ado…<br />
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-How did Sarah, while shooting spray through darkened windows and walls, destroy everything in Dyson’s house but not wound anyone?<br />
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-How is it that no neighbors heard a fully automatic weapon being fired and immediately called 911? (I mean, I know this is L.A., but that <i>would</i> be louder than most weapons normally used there.) <br />
<br />
-So, assuming the attack isn’t reported and given the above, where could an excluded home, far from any neighbors who could potentially hear the gunfire, be found in L.A. proper? (This is important! See below.)<br />
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-When the T-1000 arrives later on, it can be inferred that he heard of the situation over the LAPD police band. But if that’s the case, it means that the shooting was reported. So, why are there not dozens of cops and detectives putting up yellow tape and investigating the scene?<br />
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-OK. I’m guessing this wasn’t reported. I guess the house must be isolated in the hills and far away from any neighbors. But since no such isolated home likely exists anywhere within the jurisdictional boundaries of Los Angeles, where in the name of Cecil B. DeMille is this house?! How would the T-1000 be aware of this when the helmet and motorcycle he stole is tuned into the LAPD?<br />
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(And, no! Saying he knows to change from one police band to another is a fallacy. Remember, Skynet lost all files on human life and functions during the war. With that setup, T-1000 wouldn’t know what to do- i.e. switch frequencies.) <br />
<br />
-But- solely for the sake of argument- if T-1000 is, in fact, outside LAPD jurisdiction and has switched to an outside frequency, why, when examining the house, does he get a report of a terrorist attack- at Cyberdyne- within said aforementioned LAPD jurisdiction?<br />
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-And just for the nerds…if T-1000 is heading to Miles Dyson’s house because he calculated that Sarah would most likely try to destroy Cyberdyne and Skynet via Dyson and so headed for Dyson’s house to finish her and the others, how did he know how long to wait for Sarah to be back in that part of California before heading there? Shouldn’t he - like the T-800 reaching a similar conclusion about Sarah’s mom in T1 and heading to that location immediately - have gone there right away and just waited for Sarah to arrive? It’s not like not like he got any other clues during said time period. Even Mitchell knew to park outside Cummins’ home and stake him out. (Good God! Did I just use <i>that</i> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c0A_dJBVu0">slovenly pig</a> as a positive example?! I need help.)<br />
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Uh…Hand of Cameron? Laws of the Mechanics of the Timing of Action Movies? Wand of Gamelon? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVYUPmjJ9bU">Sol pulz</a>? Food for thought.<br />
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<b>Number 1: From Where Did the Terminator Universe Truly Spring?</b><br />
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You know what? I’m not really sure any more if James Cameron truly was the force behind the original <i>Terminator</i> film. What if he just gets down-the-road credit? What if there was another force- Light or Dark Side, your choice- behind this tale?<br />
(No, I’m not talking about his feud with super-litigious author Harlan Ellison. It’s Cameron’s fault for drunkenly stating that he “ripped off Ellison” and giving the cantankerous jerk all he needed for a successful lawsuit.)<br />
<br />
So, perhaps it’s just the Four Loko talking, but I’m heading down into the black abyss of the human mind inhabited by freaks, fanatics, and illuminati-induced insanity. So, if you’ll indulge me, I intend to seep into my Alex Jones/Oliver Stone/Robert Slatzer shadow self and find the true conspiratorial forces behind the original <i>Terminator</i> movie!<br />
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What? You think I’m crazy? Well, in most cases, you’d be right. But hear me out. I know that, according to Cameron, the genysis of this franchise came to him in the form of a dream featuring an evil robot walking out of flames while he had a headache. But what if that’s just cover? What if the differences between the horror/sci-fi <i>Terminator</i> and the action/sci-fi <i>Terminator 2</i> are too vast for them to be the work of the same director?<br />
<blockquote><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpMg1upld0w">T1 Opening Theme</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNSLaYJboPE">Some Other Opening Theme</a><br />
</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFsVQcN1lNO3Y3uFrspduZk8KdlLbg0ccJHA2CKkSDctu4ImRxnYVno4lXgOj3xA5tD8YfMLWP-9UXR9hOsmSYHz2yuUocfNEUcfHZhxlmd9N617Ut6SXZDehcxz4F60bbJUBs1Kq78Cm/s1600/Pic+12-+T-800-Blake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="1199" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFsVQcN1lNO3Y3uFrspduZk8KdlLbg0ccJHA2CKkSDctu4ImRxnYVno4lXgOj3xA5tD8YfMLWP-9UXR9hOsmSYHz2yuUocfNEUcfHZhxlmd9N617Ut6SXZDehcxz4F60bbJUBs1Kq78Cm/s400/Pic+12-+T-800-Blake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A parallel can be found in Cameron’s officially documented career. The original <i>Alien</i> was directed by Ridley Scott and is a horror/sci-fi flick centered around a haunted-house-in-outer-space plot. The tension comes from intelligent characters unsure of what to do as they’re hunted by a monster with no way to escape. In Cameron’s sequel, <i>Aliens</i>, tension is replaced by drawn-out action sequences as characters act stupidly in order to lengthen the plot and keep the movie from ending prematurely. <br />
<blockquote><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfZnNzrwtNg">Another T1 Theme</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhmciEDdN5k">Another Theme</a><br />
</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9VgHHp2D1qQfM22zu8MEx8otAlcsl981msyov_SKUDkAz0XwHA7ARyd9FSba3XRYk1Rw8qT3WW7f_oas5BmhrhzIWK3DK7WOZyXtnCXeLaToPkmtdl0hJcPL6hyphenhypheno0FHtYvG8L4tiQRBf/s1600/Pic+13-+Sarah-Moochie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="1186" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9VgHHp2D1qQfM22zu8MEx8otAlcsl981msyov_SKUDkAz0XwHA7ARyd9FSba3XRYk1Rw8qT3WW7f_oas5BmhrhzIWK3DK7WOZyXtnCXeLaToPkmtdl0hJcPL6hyphenhypheno0FHtYvG8L4tiQRBf/s400/Pic+13-+Sarah-Moochie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Oh, Cameron characters. As I’ve said already, T1 has relatable, fleshed-out characters whose actions we can see ourselves taking. I’ve talked enough about Sarah. So, let’s not forget about Kyle Reese. In a basic Cameron film, he’d be a stereotypical soldier. (cough, cough <i>Avatar</i>, cough, cough) But in T1, he jumps when he hears machines working, (a nod to his own time); appears remorseful when he looks at L.A. and comprehends its impending destruction; and genuinely looks like a man who, after a lifetime of war, finds true peace for the first time ever during his one night with Sarah. I ask you, is Cameron really capable of creating a character this complex? I think not.<br />
<blockquote><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihvi_PajiGc">Some Other T1 Theme</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tll8ioM4rY">Some Other Theme</a><br />
</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEY9-yp3kFHITLno2gcBGHQEfWpBh55UjGlNkKraj3cUmgqh2XFz51bWNs5-N8CWBmpzeDhWI92loehEmhyHZx_1ITwcWUkkLRLuamiwi4T_5pVQD-klDv044KJTjOqnuF0a2PoZVR7Mhq/s1600/Pic+14-+Reese-Plissken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="1194" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEY9-yp3kFHITLno2gcBGHQEfWpBh55UjGlNkKraj3cUmgqh2XFz51bWNs5-N8CWBmpzeDhWI92loehEmhyHZx_1ITwcWUkkLRLuamiwi4T_5pVQD-klDv044KJTjOqnuF0a2PoZVR7Mhq/s400/Pic+14-+Reese-Plissken.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I mean, the styles of the two films contrast completely. T1 is dark and brooding, creating a subdued atmosphere of foreboding doom. The minimalist score perfectly complements this by evoking the correct emotions for each scene. T2 takes place in either broad daylight or over-lit nightlight. Having a T-800 as a bodyguard takes away any chance the T-1000 has of being a looming menace. And the music is largely overdone and misplaced. (“Bad to the Bone” certainly did its job of making the T-800 a joke and lessening its bad-assery.)<br />
<blockquote><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9JiuLRg1vk">Yet Another T1 Theme</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLFx30Ijiq0">Yet Another Theme</a><br />
</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqYNo2kuAa6Qs82BLBh_W5i3rrG2kb9-1y32JV0bOz_PglWxmwaXhGJR4ECDQmim4_uAm-m6G7YnvvXyz_rAun5dN8-mQJjaeIHsPtgW-4Gajh74JUxWykqvohxoFBR7eIvvTlnvdHPqG/s1600/Pic+15-+Sarah-Laurie+Strode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="1198" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqYNo2kuAa6Qs82BLBh_W5i3rrG2kb9-1y32JV0bOz_PglWxmwaXhGJR4ECDQmim4_uAm-m6G7YnvvXyz_rAun5dN8-mQJjaeIHsPtgW-4Gajh74JUxWykqvohxoFBR7eIvvTlnvdHPqG/s400/Pic+15-+Sarah-Laurie+Strode.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Yeah, I know. This all sounds far-fetched. But how could two movies- T1 and T2- be so different- a sci-fi horror film and a sci-fi action flick- and be the product of the same guy? Much less the same franchise? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNg02c5LNjdaMXqGKoAbIG49p0kWET7H8WU4hyFIzNZQUctEHUmp6BvFu2-aF99xGtif4Ttfqo4PxieT3y95CDFy5yn0n9o20gsE2vg6mv8ThyphenhyphenzY1RCAdfBLFPZNDzzjEQv9cl95sl7VHW/s1600/Pic+16-+Cameron-Carpenter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="1076" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNg02c5LNjdaMXqGKoAbIG49p0kWET7H8WU4hyFIzNZQUctEHUmp6BvFu2-aF99xGtif4Ttfqo4PxieT3y95CDFy5yn0n9o20gsE2vg6mv8ThyphenhyphenzY1RCAdfBLFPZNDzzjEQv9cl95sl7VHW/s400/Pic+16-+Cameron-Carpenter.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Go ahead. Call me crazy. You might say a director’s style changed as he chose to focus on shoving his politics down the audience’s throat as opposed to decent storytelling. You might say a director chose to rely on CGI, childish plots, and pathetic dialogue as he focused on manipulating audiences as opposed to entertaining them. You might even say he lost his artistic soul and eventually only cared about making more money than J.P. Morgan, John Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie (pronounced Car-NAY-gee), and Charles Foster Kane combined. Well, you know what?! I say YOU’RE all crazy! No director would do such things! This IS a conspiracy, I tell you! The public must know! It’s time for-----<br />
<br />
NOTE FROM COMMENTARAMA FILMS EXECUTIVE STAFF:<br />
<br />
RUSTBELT HAS BEEN ASKED TO TAKE A TIME OUT FOR THE MOMENT. HIS SABBATICAL WAS APPARENTLY TOO LONG AND WE FEAR HE’S A LITTLE OFF RIGHT NOW. HE’LL BE BACK SHORTLY TO CONVERSE IN THE COMMENTS SECTION AFTER HE GETS ALL THE HELP HE NEEDS.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Hb2UajN5gqQNg7wBiA_poql_52GrGxQ00k7lzzYRwpmZrwUkaqNnSxXgDcJ6flts4hxXoXodTjk0graiXdqJX0SplxckKSGq1Pijy0xMzJXgYDAdvmngAQZE3_EN9rmpDN48yEZYrzPX/s1600/Pic+17-+Bender+in+Hospital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="715" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Hb2UajN5gqQNg7wBiA_poql_52GrGxQ00k7lzzYRwpmZrwUkaqNnSxXgDcJ6flts4hxXoXodTjk0graiXdqJX0SplxckKSGq1Pijy0xMzJXgYDAdvmngAQZE3_EN9rmpDN48yEZYrzPX/s400/Pic+17-+Bender+in+Hospital.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT THIS ARTICLE IS PURELY R.B.’S RAVINGS AND IS NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY (ESPECIALLY POINT NUMBER 10). THIS ARTICLE IS ENTIRELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN IN ANY OTHER MANNER. THANK YOU. <br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-437242385689718692017-05-11T23:00:00.000-04:002017-05-12T12:52:04.008-04:00Guest Review: Manchester by the Sea (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQzcAZt5I4kC5qeVP6cDZT4rzSbSb0sjK_AmdQql2eq0Q44ff3S735wes63PjU8uwaIeANPPeaBNsy3u8DKtRTRMONp4_N5ROzkV4xKWhIoEkJhBaewy3tEypvFuiU8gmmRp6FteKsb-E/s1600/manseacover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibQzcAZt5I4kC5qeVP6cDZT4rzSbSb0sjK_AmdQql2eq0Q44ff3S735wes63PjU8uwaIeANPPeaBNsy3u8DKtRTRMONp4_N5ROzkV4xKWhIoEkJhBaewy3tEypvFuiU8gmmRp6FteKsb-E/s200/manseacover.jpg" width="135" height="200" /></a></div><b>by Koshcat</b><br />
<br />
I recently watched <i>Manchester by the Sea</i>, which won the award for Best Screenplay, starring Casey Affleck, which he won a Best Actor Academy Award. It was written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan who also wrote <i>Gangs of New York</i>.<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
The plot is fairly straight forward. (Spoiler Alerts) Lee Chandler (Affleck) has experienced a horrible tragedy losing his family. He is more than depressed and has completely checked out of life. He now works as a janitor for minimum wage and living quarters which is a small, one-room, basement apartment in Boston. The only time he feels anything is when he drinks too much and then picks unnecessary fights with strangers. Prior to this he was life-loving, loved his wife and kids, and spent glorious times with his brother, Joe, and nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges), on their fishing boat. Since the tragedy, he has cut off just about everything and everyone from his previous life. The only tether is to his brother, Joe, who won’t allow Lee to totally cut him off. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbjjZFi9qWq-9Y3Lazs9fsHtdTaRKMvG-cFkDHV2IEmGnR7AvOoT9Nf-O7fIpd8G8AT_uL3pcjc54GkvTIMB7IcUTtmngqQO1YaVCu9WL6RnFPpbeQ1l8R2jkevSu6i-9vHhTrcED16V3/s1600/manseacast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbjjZFi9qWq-9Y3Lazs9fsHtdTaRKMvG-cFkDHV2IEmGnR7AvOoT9Nf-O7fIpd8G8AT_uL3pcjc54GkvTIMB7IcUTtmngqQO1YaVCu9WL6RnFPpbeQ1l8R2jkevSu6i-9vHhTrcED16V3/s400/manseacast.jpg" width="400" height="225" /></a></div>His brother has been diagnosed with a heart condition where he is occasionally hospitalized and, when that happens, Lee will return to temporarily take care of Patrick. Patrick’s mother is an alcoholic and unreliable as a parent. The movie starts with Lee getting a call that his brother, Joe, is in the hospital with a myocardial infarction. He quickly leaves to see his brother but it takes him about 90 minutes to get from his home to the hospital. Unfortunately, he doesn’t arrive in time and his brother has died. It is now his responsibility to deal with his brother’s estate and discovers that his brother has made him Patrick’s guardian. <br />
<br />
When Lee had left town, Patrick was a young boy. Now he is a 16 and firmly entrenched in the Manchester community with multiple friends and activities. His dream is to take over his dad’s boat. Lee has trouble with the responsibility thrust upon him but more importantly he struggles with the pain and memories of his past, told through flashbacks. Patrick refuses to leave Manchester and move to Boston to live with his uncle. Patrick is also in contact with his estranged mother, who has dried out, and arranges a meeting with her. However, it doesn’t go well. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFXHW97p7zBySbV3iBio64cIkYTOKWbWjHm5Qy8y7rlGs8SyKum8kHz3j2JhdlRGCJrIpD8UAHWrckeh4p_SN5iD3L_YxHNXm-h7nv1ATupMph-tgq9_ONPdpnfZxdtRa_te5iy1P_arm/s1600/manseacast2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFXHW97p7zBySbV3iBio64cIkYTOKWbWjHm5Qy8y7rlGs8SyKum8kHz3j2JhdlRGCJrIpD8UAHWrckeh4p_SN5iD3L_YxHNXm-h7nv1ATupMph-tgq9_ONPdpnfZxdtRa_te5iy1P_arm/s400/manseacast2.jpg" width="400" height="260" /></a></div>Lee is trying to find a way to stay in Manchester. It was his mistake that led to his children’s death. While many, including his ex-wife and mother of his children, have forgiven him, there are others, including himself, who cannot. In the end, he has found a way to allow Patrick to stay in Manchester. Lee can’t move back but has found a job much closer and is looking for an apartment with an extra bedroom so Patrick can visit. The end shows Lee and Patrick on now his boat fishing much like they did when Patrick was a boy. <br />
<br />
I thought this movie was very well written, directed, shot, and acted. It is not an uplifting story but more similar to the movie <i>Ordinary People</i>. While the ending doesn’t have some incredible redemption or uplifting message, it does give just a glimmer of hope. Lee is heart-broken and in pain. Everyone he has loved has either left or been taken from him. He loved Patrick as a son but fears more pain if he allows himself to get too close. Why should he? He will just suffer more pain and it is easier to be numb. Dealing with numb people is very frustrating because you feel like just shaking them really hard with a couple of good slaps to wake them from their stupor. However, it is a very effective defense mechanism. What makes this movie uplifting is Lee is going to try. It isn’t much but it is a sliver of an opening. He tells Patrick that he can’t move back. That is different from won’t. He wants to be there for Patrick but it is too painful. However, he wants to be in Patrick’s life. Initially, Patrick doesn’t understand primarily because he is self-centered teenager but at the end he matures a little and accepts what Lee will give him. More than accepts-he embraces it. This is growth, maturity, and reality. Healing from a tragedy like they have endured is in small steps. And as each small step is met with a positive outcome, it makes it easier to make the next one. Also, if the small step doesn’t work it is small enough that you can try again. Patrick is forced to grow up too fast but has people in his life who want to help and support him. Lee made sure the foundations are in place. Patrick’s wants are egocentric but not unreasonable. Lee cannot take on the responsibility and possible pain of being Patrick’s father. However, he can be his friend and eventually perhaps his uncle again. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mD8ahLEoHmrnkkW2snoUe5FYjXJmKFVWLkIN4h8EITuURqKf8-Z_2oLX0YckFyfe051wyxDpb3ymjjivnhIc3RodtYTRbyTrYUIRFdnOG4r_lAXuEBCLhcmwa4y1jex1_ocYHPT_me48/s1600/manseaboat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mD8ahLEoHmrnkkW2snoUe5FYjXJmKFVWLkIN4h8EITuURqKf8-Z_2oLX0YckFyfe051wyxDpb3ymjjivnhIc3RodtYTRbyTrYUIRFdnOG4r_lAXuEBCLhcmwa4y1jex1_ocYHPT_me48/s400/manseaboat.jpg" width="400" height="217" /></a></div>Reading reviews on Amazon, people are all over the place on how they felt about the movie. A third thought is was one of the best movies ever and a third thought is was one of the worst. If you liked movies such as <i>Ordinary People</i>, you will like this movie. I do agree with one reviewer who mentioned that you have to have the right frame of mind to watch it. He had watched it twice and hated it the first time. The second time he was more open about the movie and loved it. There have been articles written as to why some people like movies that make them feel sad and it has to do with being compassionate. Movies like these seem to make people feel more compassionate about others around them who are in pain. It is thought that this compassion helps make a stronger sense of society by bringing us closer to one another. <br />
<br />
I haven’t seen the other movies where actors were also up for an award, but Casey does a great job going back and forth between the two different lives. Personally, I think Casey is a better actor than his brother and he continues to improve. In addition, he generally favors smaller, more intimate movies rather than big block busters. This may have to do with personality differences between the two brothers. Before Matt Damon went off the deep end, he gave an interesting interview. He stated that after he and Ben became famous, Matt had trouble dealing with the fame. He married a non-celebrity woman and they have 3 children. They tend to keep their private life out of the lime-light. According to Matt, Ben is just the opposite. He thrives in the public eye and doesn’t seem to let negative press about his private life bother him. We may be trying to judge Casey against his brother, which probably isn’t fair to either.<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-29066593073286325042017-03-11T18:41:00.000-05:002017-03-11T18:41:08.724-05:00Film Friday: Sausage Party (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBFcoJ5kN-Z49AnwEhTnp8mvWlTNCnTptrU8_7LXx7yr2-Vw33CAxxGsvxz29U93qGVks8snjANVPNKs8ZnqM7GfCdU4JWYDOsk0CA-dBoLtiekOa4r8spEKZeaeH9JQ5C_sSl2ohEEEc/s1600/sausagepartyposter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBFcoJ5kN-Z49AnwEhTnp8mvWlTNCnTptrU8_7LXx7yr2-Vw33CAxxGsvxz29U93qGVks8snjANVPNKs8ZnqM7GfCdU4JWYDOsk0CA-dBoLtiekOa4r8spEKZeaeH9JQ5C_sSl2ohEEEc/s200/sausagepartyposter.png" width="135" height="200" /></a></div>This is going to be short. That is all this movie deserves. I was looking forward to this one. The commercials were brilliant at making this look like a clever and funny film. It’s not.<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
The idea behind this film is quite promising. All the things you buy in the grocer store are conscious. They think people are gods and that Heaven is where you go when people buy you. They are about to find out, however, that life with humans is a hellish horror movie as they will find themselves cut up, baked alive, used to wipe butts, etc. A great idea.<br />
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It’s too bad nobody competent worked on the film.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3qMjsa6DgFd3RGptOwEXd2AIQC_muatmYVyvnw8jKafH_9wJvNkSSz9jdbeAUgn6UqQnmsct8Azws3KIStgDaFKD5N-jhnt6lAeLcfmcU2xuDOF5nWhVxD7L4QzJs9rnm_5eIgwyMczX/s1600/sausagepartycast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3qMjsa6DgFd3RGptOwEXd2AIQC_muatmYVyvnw8jKafH_9wJvNkSSz9jdbeAUgn6UqQnmsct8Azws3KIStgDaFKD5N-jhnt6lAeLcfmcU2xuDOF5nWhVxD7L4QzJs9rnm_5eIgwyMczX/s400/sausagepartycast.jpg" width="400" height="225" /></a></div>Do you want to know what this film is like? Imagine six of the douchebag-iest teenagers you’ve ever met. These are the kind of retards for whom low-hanging fruit is unobtainable Shakespearian brilliance. Now imagine said douchebags deciding to take this idea and work it into the raunchiest thing they can come up with. Yep. Every sentence is flooded with hate-filled cusswords. Every “idea” – I hesitate even to use the word here – is about sex... but not sex in the sense that normal people know it. Imagine a gang of uneducated Mexicans standing on the street corner shouting obscenities at hookers.<br />
<br />
There you have it. This was <i>Sausage Party</i>.<br />
<br />
Oh look, he’s a hotdog. Did you know that means he’s shaped like a penis? Ha ha ha! Fuck dude, that’s fan-fucking-awesome-tastic. Fuck. Hey, she’s a bun. “Get it? And she’s sooooo fucking tight.” Fuck that's brilliant, you c*nt bitches! That’s fucking hilarious, motherfucker. Fuck, dude. That’s fucking comedy gold, fuckers.<br />
<br />
We turned it off after five minutes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquVzunAWKLwS6nkrrk0MNfHiYr_yvTKfOkYfv1xwnTS0eCt_z4msnfXssB1RvDd5pCV9cbpSL-ZPrGVEuUg3lgP7xyqS32iWv1FJ8XscP8JfcnB0-vZ8Z6b3BXSF0uWHpVSmEDx0EQggb/s1600/SouthParkbiggerlongeruncut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquVzunAWKLwS6nkrrk0MNfHiYr_yvTKfOkYfv1xwnTS0eCt_z4msnfXssB1RvDd5pCV9cbpSL-ZPrGVEuUg3lgP7xyqS32iWv1FJ8XscP8JfcnB0-vZ8Z6b3BXSF0uWHpVSmEDx0EQggb/s400/SouthParkbiggerlongeruncut.jpg" width="270" height="400" /></a></div>You know, I can’t help but compare this to <i>South Park</i>. <i>South Park</i> the movie was genius. They were known for pushing the envelop on television. And when they got to do the movie (<i>Bigger Longer and Uncut</i>... a circumcision joke in the title that most people miss), everyone expected they would swear <b>a lot</b>. So they did. But they didn’t just swear. No, they turned the idea of swearing into a social statement. Their characters swore with purpose and with panache. It was clever. It was funny. You couldn’t help but laugh when they swore. Heck, you went home singing the “Uncle Fucker” song. Every swear word in <i>South Park</i> was chosen for a particular purpose.<br />
<br />
<i>Sausage Party</i> is just a bunch of retard douchebags trying to say something their little minds think is cool. It is Mexican day labor swearing at you on the street. Pathetic.<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-47642604158304860392017-02-03T14:18:00.001-05:002017-02-03T15:08:03.756-05:00Film Friday: Superman v. Batman: Dawn of Justice (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcOJKhsE-DNycSThUqDu4nb0QO_bbMAAKL1gmkYUbSAQ4HEWi63HQceUY2WekAtDJ1U0W10KiOKNjX9qX_9-vhmt1gUdJ4dOwrKlPHKLQ3PzQLh7fUrPDLwrz9YFSFn75RIYZOsR23nXY/s1600/batmanvsupermanposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcOJKhsE-DNycSThUqDu4nb0QO_bbMAAKL1gmkYUbSAQ4HEWi63HQceUY2WekAtDJ1U0W10KiOKNjX9qX_9-vhmt1gUdJ4dOwrKlPHKLQ3PzQLh7fUrPDLwrz9YFSFn75RIYZOsR23nXY/s200/batmanvsupermanposter.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>I finally got the chance to see <i>Superman v. Batman</i>. Yee haw. What a ride... to nowhere.<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
<b>“Plot”</b><br />
<br />
Ok. This has some twists and turns, so take notes if you need to. The guy who founded Facebook wants to kill Superman because <i>somethingsomething</i> God. Wonder Woman is in the movie. Facebook tricks Ben Affleck into fighting Superman but he loses, so Facebook sends a generic blobby muscle creature to do it. Superman, Affleck and Wonder Woman kill it, and Superman fakes his death.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCY6Ms0g0Fj5pLorMSlBrcsc4k3BkLX4o3ue7Z5z3Mfa-gjwQEWLMgj81qgQ9EBPvi-UavHhRP0X0utHggNAgs7E3JiJVLRc4GQ9qh5-ka7kg61ISawyqBtVGmZnDeKjyVsDFk_bnbsXs/s1600/batmanvsupermanmonster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCY6Ms0g0Fj5pLorMSlBrcsc4k3BkLX4o3ue7Z5z3Mfa-gjwQEWLMgj81qgQ9EBPvi-UavHhRP0X0utHggNAgs7E3JiJVLRc4GQ9qh5-ka7kg61ISawyqBtVGmZnDeKjyVsDFk_bnbsXs/s400/batmanvsupermanmonster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Got it? Don’t worry if you don’t, you’ll have about an hour long pointless fight scene you can use as time to think about it. You might want to bring a book.<br />
<br />
<b>Who's A Bad Boy?</b><br />
<br />
So what can I say? DC sure knows how not to put together a movie. To sum up this stink-burger, it is fake liberal “drama” randomly sprinkled between tremendous sound and fury signifying nothing.<br />
<br />
Here’s the thing. The back half of the movie is designed for idiots who like shiny lights. The front half of the movie needs to offer some explanation for the back half, or people complain. So the front half needed to figure out why Batman and Superman would fight. The answer, originally offered, comes from modern liberalism. Modern liberals are conflicted cowards (except when attacking people “who deserve it”), ergo they think that all heroes must be conflicted types who see the faces of the people “they killed” when they sleep. And naturally, "they killed" anyone they didn't save.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNOxLb_6nvLRwb0VWG6rUEd88FM5KYw4ZEb7fnFcgi8ijdKRNqR3R12P0xPQY4vRZ0I2oIJtHSXKXl733FliVoV9qKbNsezrxCFykYTbqT9oitNZH4QQDB0HIkGEK2zE8RHmpaWcEH-lS/s1600/batmanvsupermancongress.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNOxLb_6nvLRwb0VWG6rUEd88FM5KYw4ZEb7fnFcgi8ijdKRNqR3R12P0xPQY4vRZ0I2oIJtHSXKXl733FliVoV9qKbNsezrxCFykYTbqT9oitNZH4QQDB0HIkGEK2zE8RHmpaWcEH-lS/s400/batmanvsupermancongress.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Indeed, the story starts with the public turning against Superman because people died whenever he tried to save the planet. Ergo, Superman is the menace... not the thing that would have killed everyone. That makes no sense except to snowflakes, but Hollywood is packed with snowflakes and “strong” women... the greatest snowflakes of them all.<br />
<br />
So Superman is bad.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7DF9W9D6DVDGh_Bp1fIYzgn_K9tVHSBYJt1qSRkfJRJYQvO4SUqAGsZBq-v8JBVqIS9RdAiDkSmOOmJwCEKzoe-E1BUuL1K73E4CyldfhhfCjyXqWbG0wagwcUpaZ1a1_CYXINKTUGUA/s1600/batmanvsupermanaffleck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF7DF9W9D6DVDGh_Bp1fIYzgn_K9tVHSBYJt1qSRkfJRJYQvO4SUqAGsZBq-v8JBVqIS9RdAiDkSmOOmJwCEKzoe-E1BUuL1K73E4CyldfhhfCjyXqWbG0wagwcUpaZ1a1_CYXINKTUGUA/s400/batmanvsupermanaffleck.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Now we need to hate Batman, so he brands a couple child molesters and rapists and that shows that vigilantes are just sadistic criminals who target other criminals, making them worse than the people they stop... the standard Hollywood view. “No one is above the law, unless it’s for the right reasons, and stopping criminals is not the right reason!”<br />
<br />
So Batman is bad.<br />
<br />
Now we just... huh. Crap. This explanation didn’t get us to where we need to be. <i>//scratches head</i> Wait! I know! Lex Facebook send nastygrams to Batman and Superman making them think... You know what? Let’s just cut to the fighting.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqQrd3JFAkOZZTmHZUZh_linm8soVXYZnZWcWlHjNtOFs9km8FE5DlNVbhEPZAZIpt8Sde8I9RDzTg_sgE_gB8HvjUi_ESKMt_mhyphenhyphenG38zrcHI9Bp-KIVeTZTNcZE-1MbXm3jCBKkoBoyz/s1600/batmanvsupermanlex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqQrd3JFAkOZZTmHZUZh_linm8soVXYZnZWcWlHjNtOFs9km8FE5DlNVbhEPZAZIpt8Sde8I9RDzTg_sgE_gB8HvjUi_ESKMt_mhyphenhyphenG38zrcHI9Bp-KIVeTZTNcZE-1MbXm3jCBKkoBoyz/s400/batmanvsupermanlex.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>There were only two things that interested me in this film. The first was that the bad Senator who tries to make Superman a villain is a Democrat from Kentucky. Why a Democrat? Democrats are never bad. Hmm. Then it hit me. This was Affleck’s dig at his estranged wife, Jennifer Garner, a Democrat from Kentucky. LOL! Niiiiiice!<br />
<br />
The other thing is this. The initial discussion of how the public could come to hate Superman offered a promising social commentary on modern cynicism. The problem was, it never fleshed it out. To do this, the film should have been smaller with Superman and Batman in closer contact and coming to dislike the other. The story should be told through assistants who represent the two positions. The cynicism needs to grow: cynical logic being used... increasingly self-aggrandizing armchair quarterbacking... the rise of conspiracy theories believed through confirmation bias and growing paranoia... a growing acceptance of extreme solutions and positions, leading to violence... and then the arrival of opportunism – journalists first, then academics, comedians and finally politicians. Team Batman falls for this, as does the vocal public. Team Superman understands genuine goodness, real logic, actual facts, and the importance of good faith. The fight starts until they remind Batman that the majority of the public isn't this stupid and doesn't deserve to be lumped with the sh*tbirds.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, that would make for a strong, emotional film... not a shiny stupid one. Hollywood also doesn't understand what Superman needs to understand; good faith, logic and lack of cynicism are like a foreign language to them. So Facebook’s plan it is!<br />
<br />
Thoughts?<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-5213724943286486282017-01-05T22:00:00.000-05:002017-01-05T22:00:38.271-05:00Film Friday: Rogue One (2016)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-ANhrZcsMkQzjMUTz7t48SU8ATzpJweWdmRRuz7pDqKqLSrbbr5L_XyZ2Nrq35-PF1jydDUo0bC3x5JgW2olZGiTGvGWBlPIY3I4UjNri1kKm5qDEtvW5jr0-cj4JscaJHKt8IGwbznm/s1600/rogueoneposter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-ANhrZcsMkQzjMUTz7t48SU8ATzpJweWdmRRuz7pDqKqLSrbbr5L_XyZ2Nrq35-PF1jydDUo0bC3x5JgW2olZGiTGvGWBlPIY3I4UjNri1kKm5qDEtvW5jr0-cj4JscaJHKt8IGwbznm/s200/rogueoneposter.png" width="134" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Rogue One</i> is a flawed, shallow movie with indifferent characters and barely the semblance of a plot. This movie is the <i>See Spot Run</i> of science-fiction. It makes <i>The Force Awakens</i> look like <i>Moby Dick</i>. But it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it a lot while watching it, though I don’t really want to see it again. Ultimately, it doesn’t bode well for future <i>Star Wars</i> movies, however.<span id="fullpost"> <br />
<br />
<b>The Plot</b><br />
<br />
The story opens with Imperial Weapon Designer Orson Krennic arriving in Scotland with a squad of troops to force genius scientist Galen Erso to come design the Death Star. Erso is played by Le Chiff from <i>Casino Royale</i>. Le Chiff buys time for his daughter Gin, er Jyn, to escape into the hands of Rebel “extremist” Forest Whitaker. Let’s call her GirlPower.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0DTeLGxPXXqNn29u0LPqlOKr1ET2rKEnbEQ46066lMNINnCz5MkFpZ1R2trYgGQmEHcPMi_26AJMn58V_PHw3f15joOohDaZ3vkduRH7dB1jnvPjmIIQWFscva7vNwjQmvDnYmLcaiwe/s1600/rogueoneforest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0DTeLGxPXXqNn29u0LPqlOKr1ET2rKEnbEQ46066lMNINnCz5MkFpZ1R2trYgGQmEHcPMi_26AJMn58V_PHw3f15joOohDaZ3vkduRH7dB1jnvPjmIIQWFscva7vNwjQmvDnYmLcaiwe/s400/rogueoneforest.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Fifteen years later, Rebel spy Cassian Andor, frees the now grown up GirlPower from prison on the desert moon Jedha when he’s searching for an escaped Imperial pilot who knows something about Le Chiff. Andor has a sarcastic Imperial droid he’s reprogrammed to help him. This is K-2SO, who says whatever he’s thinking and is quite fun, but doesn’t matter to the plot.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2D_TQALXSuAjT07bUSzdQWSa-pDIFDTmhH6e6XAdLfdPB6oyldvpdnTutUd8gGThGKXvSd2aGfAnNnFN89648ZYO_Z6HoklsCw5OQTj1fiNWG_eMIzS3Bb3TFn2k5JHDuKLQNK9m5fCC/s1600/rogueonedeathstar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC2D_TQALXSuAjT07bUSzdQWSa-pDIFDTmhH6e6XAdLfdPB6oyldvpdnTutUd8gGThGKXvSd2aGfAnNnFN89648ZYO_Z6HoklsCw5OQTj1fiNWG_eMIzS3Bb3TFn2k5JHDuKLQNK9m5fCC/s400/rogueonedeathstar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As Andor and GirlPower argue with Whitaker, the Empire test fires the Death Star at Jedha and blows up the planet in slow motion. Andor and GirlPower escape with the pilot along with this blind Chinese monk who is a total rip-off of Seraph from <i>The Matrix II</i>. Rebel command gives them the assignment to go “rescue” Le Chiff, which really means Andor is supposed to kill him. Le Chiff gets killed, but not by Andor, but he tells GirlPower where to find the plans to the Death Star first... Jamaica. They decide to attack the beach, against orders. There’s a battle. The story ends and they <i>heavily</i> sell the idea that this is seconds before the opening scene of <i>Star Wars</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtG0g2kZrg0GKfUm2GvKxnHabrIRCCn9LeUNYP0WtJcZWWZ4UKaRZNN1m2u8lxER4CliZvUrnkA9d-gIn-P9cNYL6H_X_HToCE8AkCt-F6pNYm5x6nlVBXwVEf-0BweqGIIC2FmEM08_Q/s1600/rogueonebattle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtG0g2kZrg0GKfUm2GvKxnHabrIRCCn9LeUNYP0WtJcZWWZ4UKaRZNN1m2u8lxER4CliZvUrnkA9d-gIn-P9cNYL6H_X_HToCE8AkCt-F6pNYm5x6nlVBXwVEf-0BweqGIIC2FmEM08_Q/s400/rogueonebattle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Gee, I hope you could follow all those twists and turns.<br />
<br />
<b>The Two Sides of This Film</b><br />
<br />
Let’s start with the good. The film is fun the first time through. It is also visually stunning. It is a little dark and smudged at times, but overall it is very pretty when it gets going. The scenes on Scarif, on Jedha and anything Imperial are beautiful. The Rebel base on Yavin was exactly what it should have been. The CGI world of Eadu was kind of crappy <i>Clone Wars-y</i>, but it was forgivable because it was short.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFW_i6a6zwH2uIzNWWofRimOKhdsexy_PmdLT-nlYIJO0sSfz52r4P9fP4RyxL53h7tMV2U7nRhF03guUz082dqxhP0BoFn6NzrCH_QDjHpCHurzVPQkqZ24bimDHrUZUIIIHMZBLRycTZ/s1600/rogueonecharacters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFW_i6a6zwH2uIzNWWofRimOKhdsexy_PmdLT-nlYIJO0sSfz52r4P9fP4RyxL53h7tMV2U7nRhF03guUz082dqxhP0BoFn6NzrCH_QDjHpCHurzVPQkqZ24bimDHrUZUIIIHMZBLRycTZ/s400/rogueonecharacters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The acting was passable. Though the fact I couldn’t remember anybody’s name was a bad sign. GirlPower was indifferent, but Andor was quite good. Krennic was good and had the only depth. Le Chiff was good, but was underused. It was nice in theory to see some of the <i>Star Wars</i> actors appear again in the combat scenes, but having a brain I knew exactly where they had taken these lines from the <i>Star Wars</i> attack on the Death Star and that felt cheap to me – they claim the lines are unused, but they are only unused in the Lucas butchered versions. The Vader scene lacked punch. The Leah scene was nicely done. The Grand Moff Tarkin stuff got his character wrong.<br />
<br />
SarcBot was pretty awesome. He was probably my favorite character. Once again, Alan Tudyk did a phenomenal job of giving the perfect voice to a character; he’s perhaps the greatest voice actor of all time. The character itself was fun too. They did a great job of mixing machine and comic relief and little bits of awesome with him. It’s too bad his role was so small.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpyRYuObUbjwNUsvZxkyhbvkucuoa7hXcyHLilkuqAlyu2peqLE5Jpivu7bv1ROS77cy0n8P5yFYSERtyrTIzPKxBeYzW28ypY37Hf-siJV9I9v0yv2PX-g18W7zEuRQUQYOmPvLvHjFU/s1600/rogueoneseraph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpyRYuObUbjwNUsvZxkyhbvkucuoa7hXcyHLilkuqAlyu2peqLE5Jpivu7bv1ROS77cy0n8P5yFYSERtyrTIzPKxBeYzW28ypY37Hf-siJV9I9v0yv2PX-g18W7zEuRQUQYOmPvLvHjFU/s400/rogueoneseraph.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I really liked Seraph too, though he was in the wrong film. In fact, Seraph was a problem. Not only was Seraph stolen from <i>The Matrix II</i>, but he didn’t fit in this film’s world. Seraph had powers unseen before in <i>Star Wars</i> which nearly matched those of the Force. The felt wrong in this universe, which has always been presented as a realistic world except for the Force. This felt like a violation of the rules. Still, he was one of the most likeable characters and I liked watching him. Though, when the guy who shouldn’t be in your movie is the highlight, then you’ve done something wrong.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jFMPuIKGJrr_hjFtq1g7OskB8bWumWCI4hZ0_ygXTYJF_VqQ6TvJOLYdFeXwcwZnM7Fj9Cv8XQ2SYgWQD4cW0FO5dzxZI-YCO6NutECeLsK6eQsRLVe_zJrx1d2DUNw_GayION-CJ6Xx/s1600/rogueonevillain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jFMPuIKGJrr_hjFtq1g7OskB8bWumWCI4hZ0_ygXTYJF_VqQ6TvJOLYdFeXwcwZnM7Fj9Cv8XQ2SYgWQD4cW0FO5dzxZI-YCO6NutECeLsK6eQsRLVe_zJrx1d2DUNw_GayION-CJ6Xx/s400/rogueonevillain.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The plot existed. It was enough to make the film work given the special circumstances here, which is that we know the <i>Star Wars</i> world already and we know where this one would end, so it just needed to achieve a couple plot points. It could have used more plot, but it didn't technically <i>need</i> it. Still, it boggles the mind that a movie claimed to be “written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta” could be so underpowered. How do four people write a story and yet manage to come up with less plot than an initial impression? There is no character drama in this film. No character development. There are no twists, no turns, no clever or unexpected moments. The plot is literally a straight line: learn about plans and go get them. There are no subplots, no twists, no growth, no ebb and flow, and no hurdles.<br />
<br />
This is what worries me most. Disney is planning to spin <i>Star Wars</i> into a million new films and this is a very bad start. This film has no plot, no depth and no characters you give a crap about. It makes the <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i> franchise seem like high drama. There was nothing original or innovative or even clever in this film. It was pretty pabulum.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1JfWShy7p0WtkRnySipQjcI7CwVNVt3INtbE5_eHV_7I3WoVoQmr6uPl5khAoPfofojERulU_Nn_ln9tBFdXA6cqRqOy5wE_Q1HArU-9ftyxhWcHoDLcQ3jC20WIfaCrK3K0Td3Vv2FU/s1600/rogueonecast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1JfWShy7p0WtkRnySipQjcI7CwVNVt3INtbE5_eHV_7I3WoVoQmr6uPl5khAoPfofojERulU_Nn_ln9tBFdXA6cqRqOy5wE_Q1HArU-9ftyxhWcHoDLcQ3jC20WIfaCrK3K0Td3Vv2FU/s400/rogueonecast.jpg" width="400" height="200" /></a></div>Even the attempts to give it meaning were crap. You had the father-daughter relationship that generated about three lines of pretend motivation and otherwise generated nothing in the way of emotion or interest. If you weren’t paying attention in the first five minutes, I doubt you would even have known that Le Chiff was GirlPower’s father. You had this fake new cliché moment where everyone suddenly whines at Andor for whatever bad things he’s done on behalf of the resistance, only to have him give a passionless speech about how he lives with that everyday. Wahhh. For a guy whose character shows no emotions whatsoever, this was really an out-of-place speech. What’s more, why the other people he’s just saved and who have volunteered to go on this mission would lament the “bad things” he’s done is utter nonsense. This is New Liberalism not being able to grasp that heroes aren’t tortured souls.<br />
<br />
If this becomes the formula then we are looking at some crap films ahead. We are looking at straight-line plots with indifferent heroes meant to echo the original <i>Star Wars</i> cast and who feel the need to give character-development speeches right before they blow something up for some reason you don’t care about. Not good.<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-80461153450943418212016-12-29T22:19:00.000-05:002016-12-29T23:04:33.578-05:00Where Were You in ’87?<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWFuPJ8T27Z1cedd46rO4hEsA-1cq4SPO-V3-psmUq4R7rPHhDMxyq6aWHy1wi3u7iqDwMeDtk1blJJe2SFeC6YPmJCIRchcjCyjhcQaMeCF8-XJdz5Il9KwaKu0id-fyInTAs8L_lwe1/s1600/Poster1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWFuPJ8T27Z1cedd46rO4hEsA-1cq4SPO-V3-psmUq4R7rPHhDMxyq6aWHy1wi3u7iqDwMeDtk1blJJe2SFeC6YPmJCIRchcjCyjhcQaMeCF8-XJdz5Il9KwaKu0id-fyInTAs8L_lwe1/s200/Poster1.jpg" width="133" height="200" /></a></div><b>by ScottDS</b><br />
<br />
Last year I jumped back 20 years but this time I’m doing 30 years again. I had forgotten how many classic movies were released in 1987. Of course, I was four years old and not aware of any of them, though several later became favorites, starting with the first two.<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
<b><i>RoboCop</i></b> – I still can’t believe Andrew prefers the second film to this one! For my money, Paul Verhoeven’s blood-soaked satire is a near-perfect movie. Volumes have been written about the film’s satire of 80s America and Verhoeven’s outsider perspective (not to mention the Jesus metaphors) but the film really works both as a corporate satire, but also as an old-fashioned western. What is RoboCop, if not a sheriff who’s come in to clean up the town? They don’t make them like this anymore: memorable characters, quotable dialogue, a heroic musical score, and at the heart of the film, a genuinely human story. The film was followed by two sequels, a cartoon, a low-budget TV series, a series of Canadian TV movies, and a forgettable remake. “I’d buy that for a dollar!”<br />
<br />
<b><i>Predator</i></b> – One of the best “guy movies” ever made, <i>Predator</i> tells the story of Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer who leads a Special Forces team into the jungle on a rescue mission, only to find out their enemy is not of this Earth. The Predator (designed by the late Stan Winston) has become one of our iconic screen monsters. The cast, including Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, and future filmmaker Shane Black, is an absolute blast. McTiernan would follow this up with <i>Die Hard</i> and <i>The Hunt for Red October</i> and Shane Black is currently working on a new <i>Predator</i> film with his <i>Monster Squad</i> collaborator Fred Dekker. “I ain't got time to bleed.” This leads me to…<br />
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<b><i>The Monster Squad</i></b> – A box-office failure upon its release, this charming film has since become a cult classic. Fred Dekker, who was later sent to director jail after <i>RoboCop 3</i>, co-wrote and directed this story of a group of young nerds who have to battle the old Universal monsters. A wonderful “backyard adventure” in the Spielberg style (but without the success!) and the origin of the fan favorite line “Wolfman’s got nards!” I haven’t seen it in years but it’s just a fun movie. It’s also pretty un-PC: at one point, Dracula is threatening a young girl and screams “You bitch!!” to her face. Go figure…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuASXq_JNkPJvK35O5cXFO4uaxUVw-kXLyc-1yq7A6VvGqvCts8D1EWPqObN8yalbCwP-jhmoGC7Zz3XACZQdZ1O2kVp1LK_S0pZ3yLUPYInvngbWz6Ans7vnyr7pW7qszsYRUjUSp7G-Z/s1600/Poster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuASXq_JNkPJvK35O5cXFO4uaxUVw-kXLyc-1yq7A6VvGqvCts8D1EWPqObN8yalbCwP-jhmoGC7Zz3XACZQdZ1O2kVp1LK_S0pZ3yLUPYInvngbWz6Ans7vnyr7pW7qszsYRUjUSp7G-Z/s320/Poster2.jpg" width="216" height="320" /></a></div><b><i>Fatal Attraction</i></b> – A classic I watched for the first time just recently. What amazed me was how casual Michael Douglas and Glenn Close are about the whole thing, at least at the start. They’re both adults, his wife and daughter are out of town, so why not have some fun? Of course, it’s not as simple as that. Some, including Glenn Close, have speculated that her character suffered from borderline personality disorder (BPD). Aside from the lack of cell phones, this movie is also dated in another way: it was released back when Hollywood made actual adult dramas, for adults, with adults acting like adults and not overgrown children. This film was the second highest-grossing film of 1987. Can you imagine that now? “I’m not going to be ignored!”<br />
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<b><i>Moonstruck</i></b> – Another perfectly pleasant film. Cher stars as a Brooklyn accountant who falls for the brother of the guy to whom she’s engaged. Norman Jewison directs a script by acclaimed playwright John Patrick Shanley (best known to me for <i>Joe vs. the Volcano</i> and, of course, <i>Congo</i>). Yet another classic I watched relatively recently for the first time. I’ve noticed that the best romantic comedies make it look easy. It’s difficult to make any movie, but romantic comedies… I mean, it’s just people. And we can all relate to these stories, whether it’s crazy relatives or getting over a bad breakup, or simply falling for someone who will never feel the same way. This is another genre that Hollywood doesn’t do much nowadays and I think it’s a shame. “Snap out of it!”<br />
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<b><i>Broadcast News</i></b> – I haven’t seen all of James L. Brooks’ movies, but I found <i>As Good As it Gets</i> to be a bit overrated. Needless to say, <i>Broadcast News</i> is considered to be not only a classic romantic comedy but also an excellent look at the news gathering process. Holly Hunter is Jane, a news producer with no personal life. Albert Brooks is Aaron, a long-time friend of Jane’s and a reporter who sweats profusely on camera, and William Hurt is Tom, a tall and handsome reporter who may have some problems in the ethics department. Another movie just about people trying to have a normal life in a workplace that’s anything but that. “Wouldn't this be a great world if insecurity and desperation made us more attractive?”<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkdIfkLitAiSyTVPV9CJwgFAq1b65p2onkRfpRvBPL6GBlwcXEpasHWItFYrVR8LkjzfcbWOWT4ThVMXYvyNh-99CoGN3Mnr52S39iZE0haXsZXh9CSkh8bzvx0CTgPMhjBSxSwdZ5_7Y/s1600/Poster3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkdIfkLitAiSyTVPV9CJwgFAq1b65p2onkRfpRvBPL6GBlwcXEpasHWItFYrVR8LkjzfcbWOWT4ThVMXYvyNh-99CoGN3Mnr52S39iZE0haXsZXh9CSkh8bzvx0CTgPMhjBSxSwdZ5_7Y/s320/Poster3.jpg" width="216" height="320" /></a></div><b><i>The Untouchables</i></b> – One of Brian De Palma’s most successful movies, this is one I have to keep on when it shows up on TV. Kevin Costner is Elliot Ness, a Prohibition agent who goes after Chicago gangster Al Capone, played by Robert De Niro. Yes, the filmmakers (including screenwriter David Mamet) played around with history a little bit but the final product is just so much fun. Sean Connery won an Oscar for playing Malone, an old Irish cop who partners with Ness. Not only do Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith get in on the fun, be on the lookout for Patricia Clarkson in one of her earliest roles as Ness’ wife. The highlight is probably the Union Station sequence, De Palma’s homage to Eisenstein. “They pull a knife, you pull a gun!” <br />
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<b><i>Dragnet</i></b> – This is a total guilty pleasure! A comedic remake of/sequel to the original TV series, Dan Aykroyd was born to play Joe Friday, who loves to explain police rules and regulations in his trademark staccato. Tom Hanks, back when he was a “comedic actor,” plays his mismatched partner, the oddly-named Pep Streebeck. They’re tasked with investigating a series of arson fires and it all ties in to a Los Angeles porno king (a lisping Dabney Coleman) and a phony preacher (a wonderfully-sneering Christopher Plummer). There is actually an interesting idea here: when it comes to public outrage, one side can’t exist without the other. But it doesn’t matter – this movie is just bizarre, with cult rituals, a virgin heroine, and some pretty funny gags. “Pagans!”<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguodWpuwNaX-hM6s15oeL1F0Jyrsr5UZO7UpC_Loc6_acSnk9GVoxE-ADxjFL4QaMC5aPKI9-Fq-kKXDmFoRkYU9orjC_QEaQfcAVwUtn2Nvv1ZO0UXBVKnkURLZ_OptzFpWmDVNvKUYXl/s1600/Poster4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguodWpuwNaX-hM6s15oeL1F0Jyrsr5UZO7UpC_Loc6_acSnk9GVoxE-ADxjFL4QaMC5aPKI9-Fq-kKXDmFoRkYU9orjC_QEaQfcAVwUtn2Nvv1ZO0UXBVKnkURLZ_OptzFpWmDVNvKUYXl/s320/Poster4.jpg" width="213" height="320" /></a></div><b><i>Superman IV: The Quest for Peace</i></b> – Oh boy. Two words for you: Cannon Films, who purchased the <i>Superman</i> cinematic rights from the Salkinds, and then proceeded to slash the film’s budget at the last minute. In this one, Superman decides to rid the world of all nuclear weapons (breaking Tom Mankiewicz’ rule that Superman shouldn’t get involved in real-world events). Lex Luthor seeks to profit from this and ends up creating one of the worst screen villains ever: Nuclear Man. Most of the effects are laughable and the plot itself is borderline nonsensical (45 minutes were cut)… but Reeve gives it his all, Hackman is always fun to watch, and the music score – what survived, anyway – is pretty great. “Destroy Superman!”<br />
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<b><i>Spaceballs</i></b> – Not nearly as witty as <i>The Producers</i> or as political as <i>Blazing Saddles</i>, this movie is still hilarious. Even people who haven’t seen this film are probably familiar with “Use the Schwartz!” Sadly, this film is sort of a time capsule. John Candy and Rick Moranis were staples of my childhood and while Moranis has been retired from Hollywood for years and currently lives in New York City, Candy left us much too early. Making sequels after a long period of time rarely works but this is one instance where I’d be interested to see what they do, especially with <i>Star Wars</i> back in theaters for all eternity. “So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.”<br />
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<b><i>Planes, Trains & Automobiles</i></b> – Speaking of John Candy, another staple of my childhood who left us much too soon was filmmaker John Hughes. <i>Sixteen Candles</i> might be my favorite Brat Pack film but this is my favorite Hughes film period. Steve Martin is just trying to make it home for Thanksgiving when he befriends a loudmouth shower curtain ring salesman (John Candy) and shenanigans ensue. When my brother and I were younger, we re-enacted the “You're going the wrong way!” scene for dad's new camcorder. (At the time, my brother was short enough to stand on the driver's seat without hitting the roof!) A sweet movie and a holiday classic. “Those aren’t pillows!”<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcTD4cvf3UFzpEUCcl1THmQVpcPU_Z-ftv3KmF-azlq1QKwu3IDvRjYvwlLyeBg5Nk4ZHLEBOCdDHCE-KEI8UuLZX3NmkcqtlyhiXmhtLgztiaG4cmlFavppbw8oJ1g7gxsQJ3lLMQ26j/s1600/Poster5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcTD4cvf3UFzpEUCcl1THmQVpcPU_Z-ftv3KmF-azlq1QKwu3IDvRjYvwlLyeBg5Nk4ZHLEBOCdDHCE-KEI8UuLZX3NmkcqtlyhiXmhtLgztiaG4cmlFavppbw8oJ1g7gxsQJ3lLMQ26j/s320/Poster5.jpg" width="214" height="320" /></a></div><b><i>Empire of the Sun</i></b> – Steven Spielberg’s dramatization of J.G. Ballard’s autobiographical novel features a young Christian Bale as a boy separated from his parents after the Japanese invade Shanghai at the start of World War II. This is one of Spielberg’s masterpieces and it’s a shame it’s not as well-known as <i>Schindler’s List</i> or <i>Saving Private Ryan</i>. Oddly, I tend to consider it alongside <i>A.I. </i> in that both films deal with parental separation and both leave me feeling uneasy by the end. (Is there a shrink in the house?!) Production values are top-notch, John Williams’ score is excellent, and look for John Malkovich, Joe Pantoliano, and a young Ben Stiller. “P-51! Cadillac of the sky!”<br />
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<b><i>September</i></b> – One of Woody Allen’s humorless melodramas – coming after 1978’s <i>Interiors</i> and followed by 1988’s <i>Another Woman</i> (the best of the three), <i>September</i> is a chamber piece and the plot is the usual Woody: upper-crust New Yorkers dealing with relationship drama and trying to make sense of a chaotic universe. The production history is more interesting: Woody cast the film, re-cast one role just a few weeks into production, finished the film, decided it didn’t work… then re-cast it and filmed it again! “It's hell getting’ older. Especially when you feel 21 inside.”<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA2d9X6S6ivnn-XiKvkPZsXjBpDLEk-PeWDiy_3t-FCDrIhsfzNn_MUuLv9VrBhmt7kgksUqRecr_MtT5lF1fvsnwaovHnd-TD1RMc4ywCr1bPX5Ka-pWG_EiYrVB2BvggullCOJNw5XS/s1600/Poster6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPA2d9X6S6ivnn-XiKvkPZsXjBpDLEk-PeWDiy_3t-FCDrIhsfzNn_MUuLv9VrBhmt7kgksUqRecr_MtT5lF1fvsnwaovHnd-TD1RMc4ywCr1bPX5Ka-pWG_EiYrVB2BvggullCOJNw5XS/s320/Poster6.jpg" width="215" height="320" /></a></div><b><i>Lethal Weapon</i></b> – Richard Donner’s film more or less reinvented the buddy cop movie. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover have excellent chemistry as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh: Riggs is depressed and suicidal while Murtaugh is a normal family man dealing with turning 50. While investigating the death of a young woman, they discover a heroine smuggling ring run by Vietnam War-era mercenaries. The movie could’ve been a forgettable potboiler but Gibson and Glover elevate the material, the villains are genuinely menacing, and Donner’s at the height of his directorial powers. This film was followed by three sequels, a spoof (<i>Loaded Weapon</i>, which is actually pretty funny), and is currently a TV series on Fox. “I’m too old for this shit!”<br />
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Also: <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2011/06/film-friday-adventures-in-babysitting.html"><i>Adventures in Babysitting</i></a>, <i>Beverly Hills Cop II</i>, <i>The Big Easy</i>, <i>Can’t Buy Me Love</i>, <i>Death Wish 4</i>, <i>Dirty Dancing</i>, <i>Evil Dead II</i>, <i>Good Morning, Vietnam</i>, <i>Hamburger Hill</i>, <i>Hellraiser</i>, <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2012/03/guest-review-innerspace-1987.html"><i>Innerspace</i></a>, <i>Ishtar</i>, <i>Jaws: The Revenge</i>, <i>The Last Emperor</i>, <i>Less Than Zero</i>, <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2013/04/bond-arama-no-0019-living-daylights-1987.html"><i>The Living Daylights</i></a>, <i>The Lost Boys</i>, <i>Masters of the Universe</i>, <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2014/03/guest-review-miami-connection-1988.html"><i>The Miami Connection</i></a>, <i>Near Dark</i>, <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2011/10/film-friday-no-way-out-1987.html"><i>No Way Out</i></a>, <i>The Princess Bride</i>, <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2009/10/film-friday-prince-of-darkness-1987_09.html"><i>Prince of Darkness</i></a>, <i>Raising Arizona</i>, <i>Revenge of the Nerds II</i>, <i>The Running Man</i>, <i>The Secret of My Success</i>, <i>Stakeout</i>, <i>Three Men and a Baby</i>, <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2013/12/film-friday-three-oclock-high.html"><i>Three O’Clock High</i></a>, <i>Throw Mama from the Train</i>, <i>Tin Men</i>, <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2010/12/film-friday-wall-street-1987_4151.html"><i>Wall Street</i></a>, and <i>The Witches of Eastwick</i>.<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-82165702574578697002016-11-01T01:03:00.000-04:002016-11-01T01:03:01.644-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: The Count Goes Just Plain Weird<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvtolOu0qhRSD_MkAAfQjkL6CilFr37PbrFl_pxeaK9zJ9RhpaSZkkYp1wkUN5Y3KpK88bFckbzBktqevOZNU1uHSjBQiKMsFjnnB1maj8f1SGaLm35WsK4EM3RkV9TXhxewpU3BegAVt/s1600/Pic01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvtolOu0qhRSD_MkAAfQjkL6CilFr37PbrFl_pxeaK9zJ9RhpaSZkkYp1wkUN5Y3KpK88bFckbzBktqevOZNU1uHSjBQiKMsFjnnB1maj8f1SGaLm35WsK4EM3RkV9TXhxewpU3BegAVt/s200/Pic01.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
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By the 1990’s, bad was cool. (See e.g. nWo, ECW, Austin 3:16) Anything that wasn’t extreme was dull. (See e.g. any Mountain Dew commercial) The Macarena ruled and stoners determined culture. How did this affect vampires? Well, just when it seemed as though filmmakers had finally realized that Dracula is meant to be scary, they go pants-crapping crazy and make the story utterly unrecognizable. Blood-drinking became cool. Any connection between Christian faith warding off vampires was deemed unhip. And unless you were an uber-sexy teenager/twentysomething, it was wrong to fight vampires because you were ruining all the fun. I blame this all on Jess Whedon.<span id="fullpost"><br />
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But before that annoying hipster got his turn, it was a member of the Movie Brats who turned vampire lore on its head. To get to the root of this, we’re going to have to go back a few decades.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxc75htxu1zYKVNY-BuI_E_EOFpIeVhomH4ZgsZpBkgE7kaMe7H-GEo5qccfXDlwNLQ5d8rg8X_2ZMsq60DNm_BxpuWunZHADispmEe5X3LZvnCDLGl2cBqya25_7v48zuZcltNrl2Xt7z/s1600/Pic02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxc75htxu1zYKVNY-BuI_E_EOFpIeVhomH4ZgsZpBkgE7kaMe7H-GEo5qccfXDlwNLQ5d8rg8X_2ZMsq60DNm_BxpuWunZHADispmEe5X3LZvnCDLGl2cBqya25_7v48zuZcltNrl2Xt7z/s200/Pic02.jpg" width="138" /></a></div><b><i>Bram Stoker’s Dracula</i> (American Zoetrope, 1992)</b><br />
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Probably the most famous play version of Dracula is the 1924 Hamilton Deane-John L. Balderson adaptation. Tod Browning relied heavily on it when filing his classic version starring Bela Lugosi for Universal in 1931. Over forty-five years later, the play reopened on Broadway with Frank Langella in the lead. This, of course led to the 1979 film starring Langella. However, the producers weren’t the only ones inspired by the play to make a bizarre new film version.<br />
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During the show’s run, screenwriter James V. Hart decided to take in the performance. Hart later recalled that on the night he was in the audience, (and apparently during the scene where the Count bites Lucy), he heard a woman in front of him mutter that, “she’d rather spend one night with Dracula dead than the rest of her life with her husband alive.” Hart went back and read the book. Interpreting virtually everything in the novel as a sexual metaphor for something, he eventually wrote a rough screenplay for his own adaptation. Years later, in 1989, budding Hollywood starlet Winona Ryder got a copy of the script and took it to Francis Ford Coppola -- the story goes that she was shocked that he listened to her since she had pulled out of the <i>The Godfather Part III</i>. Coppola liked what he read and decided to make his take on Dracula with one particular word in mind: weird.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBU9J4lDd7nhh8XRST6gEuPXkvFB2J_I2vP15OSzmwClJ8qN7RHTiVAMN4Qrm2lPtcypEylaSE8mjOb8A4bmN2KsKe4MbYkBlrd6XOwCWGM4k1jsTFVg34GN_lnE5WP_22Ce75d0nJZwO/s1600/Pic03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBU9J4lDd7nhh8XRST6gEuPXkvFB2J_I2vP15OSzmwClJ8qN7RHTiVAMN4Qrm2lPtcypEylaSE8mjOb8A4bmN2KsKe4MbYkBlrd6XOwCWGM4k1jsTFVg34GN_lnE5WP_22Ce75d0nJZwO/s320/Pic03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Horror or Romance, You Make the Call</b><br />
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<i>Bram Stoker’s Dracula</i> starts off with something that never happens in the book: Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) claiming that he is Vlad the Impaler. He is shown fighting the Turks in…muscle armor? Then, after <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl_x-CgJMug">impaling his foes</a> (recalling the Impaler’s real-life ‘forest of the impaled’), he learns the terrible news that his wife committed suicide when she was tricked into thinking he died in battle. In a chapel, he is told that her soul is damned for committing suicide and in a rage <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onbiOVpX0_w">renounces God</a> and declares himself blood thirsty, setting him on the path to becoming a vampire.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Bc_cNJAOQMlBSjjDbASppYd2jGYOTQ3a_fIeL7asLBtPEjrwBO54JRd21PTEWWFzmya5uJ3MO_mpdpku-vZVSzYEmU0PFXBUjQZSLQzOWdafv5xQOcu550_vhBuoUQGiMLhmCFVyuZQG/s1600/Pic04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Bc_cNJAOQMlBSjjDbASppYd2jGYOTQ3a_fIeL7asLBtPEjrwBO54JRd21PTEWWFzmya5uJ3MO_mpdpku-vZVSzYEmU0PFXBUjQZSLQzOWdafv5xQOcu550_vhBuoUQGiMLhmCFVyuZQG/s320/Pic04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Note: Vlad the Impaler’s first wife did, in fact, throw herself from the battlements of Castle Poenari. The reason is unknown, but it’s inferred that because the castle was being besieged by the Turks, she killed herself out of despair.<br />
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The film then follows a similar plot to the Universal version, with Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reaves) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojgy7kyNp5g">traveling to Transylvania</a>... and the weird is on. Everything is done to excess (<i>cough, cough</i> Peter Jackson). The ‘peasants’ in the coach seem dressed for Mardi Gras; the armor-clad coach driver looks like an enemy out of the Castlevania franchise; and when Harker encounters the Brides - one of whom has Medusa’s head snakes - it quickly becomes a scene out of <i>Caligula</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHE8tpvUOpgYHEmPUBhT2nxJXRmWBTqYjr9ihRx_x0Ubfho9Q-wGkFqhA2a4ZF3_nX5H2uFDJVSqtTx7vjZT6sr7XxQDm0w0pGThuwc9AZOwLORIxs2gDc2M3x_OL_S27jFGlynaAU7m-n/s1600/Pic05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHE8tpvUOpgYHEmPUBhT2nxJXRmWBTqYjr9ihRx_x0Ubfho9Q-wGkFqhA2a4ZF3_nX5H2uFDJVSqtTx7vjZT6sr7XxQDm0w0pGThuwc9AZOwLORIxs2gDc2M3x_OL_S27jFGlynaAU7m-n/s320/Pic05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Count arrives in England and the script morphs from an LSD-fueled version of the Universal movie, to a hybrid of the Palance and Langella versions done in the Kabuki style. (Seriously! That’s what half the costumes in this movie were based on!) Dracula recognizes Mina (Winona Ryder) as his wife <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrLVuKks6lE">Elizabeta reincarnated</a> and begins courting while feeding on her friend, Lucy. A near-insane Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins) and the uptight vampire hunters begin to investigate. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGWWXhEKHcZRfUDQnFL4GkfwP3SuyNjHav6JacmAUjep-wEXMsPWooHuFD-TM5JwT9vrIVrQ-7Wlk6IrNxTslQGxLpuSY3NNaxtRIqkGHwPxtG87tY4FStMnAjxE9sLxREW-HeapdLZ3t/s1600/Pic06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGWWXhEKHcZRfUDQnFL4GkfwP3SuyNjHav6JacmAUjep-wEXMsPWooHuFD-TM5JwT9vrIVrQ-7Wlk6IrNxTslQGxLpuSY3NNaxtRIqkGHwPxtG87tY4FStMnAjxE9sLxREW-HeapdLZ3t/s320/Pic06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Finally, after Lucy (Sadie Frost) and Mina have deep sexual awakenings after being bitten by the Count, the hunters chase Dracula to his castle where Mina turns on the group and nearly helps the Count escape. She only stabs and decapitates him as an act of mercy. Whew!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0r2ITIfL1R0PivsvRhaPso-T7CsXGbB0oZCn_0ujzQLzQCQgRTkknllBYz9DyxYNE8MuSYIRgI_r0lkPNAkGtXBulLRUHfXMFaxDrGSWo9WmASckvMtQUKVoHpZetgi_JoNfQ9lxeC7q/s1600/Pic07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0r2ITIfL1R0PivsvRhaPso-T7CsXGbB0oZCn_0ujzQLzQCQgRTkknllBYz9DyxYNE8MuSYIRgI_r0lkPNAkGtXBulLRUHfXMFaxDrGSWo9WmASckvMtQUKVoHpZetgi_JoNfQ9lxeC7q/s320/Pic07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Dracula: Gary Oldman</b><br />
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I have a lot of issues with this version of the Count, though they really can’t be blamed on the actor. Coppola wanted everything to be as over-the-top as possible. This included giving Dracula a red evening gown complete with twenty-foot train and a Krusty the Klown style hairdo. The appearance is more laughable than frightening. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQWeFi9RRQ7uLptgR-1Q9F6TVX0Va2Gnbf0MwLJe7SpmZSywZ7fzPJMmHiy_EXQHDA-6qLIIC8rRfPAfIsmDscBzJ_NpOgt2B5Q1kl_1wW1HiaZvHVh5yYMrHTkMFr3o6YYRP2RAbz53e/s1600/Pic+08+v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQWeFi9RRQ7uLptgR-1Q9F6TVX0Va2Gnbf0MwLJe7SpmZSywZ7fzPJMmHiy_EXQHDA-6qLIIC8rRfPAfIsmDscBzJ_NpOgt2B5Q1kl_1wW1HiaZvHVh5yYMrHTkMFr3o6YYRP2RAbz53e/s320/Pic+08+v2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It improves somewhat in London, as the Count dresses like a nobleman. However, he wears blue-tinted John Lennon-esque glasses and cries purple tears. [insert your Prince joke here] I can’t help but wonder if Coppola was actually making fun of the character by this point.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5XkNE8mcoQXeKr_6dY7XgAVuyRskkisQdRjfUHr_o0pTm_3AqRCjRbQJs0aHMEjU9Ky8At-h7MBLabO4w9pczhLokokjSUCfowTAHLNBUQ9vfvHhIEt_jdjiJhHPS_VMNkccF5d2rsj3/s1600/Pic09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5XkNE8mcoQXeKr_6dY7XgAVuyRskkisQdRjfUHr_o0pTm_3AqRCjRbQJs0aHMEjU9Ky8At-h7MBLabO4w9pczhLokokjSUCfowTAHLNBUQ9vfvHhIEt_jdjiJhHPS_VMNkccF5d2rsj3/s320/Pic09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Anyway, Gary Oldman is one of those rare actors who can almost seamlessly become different characters and make them believable. Here, he does what is asked of him: he uses a deep Romanian accent and acts creepy as the old Count in the castle. After drinking the blood of the crew on the <i>Demeter</i> makes him younger, he switches gears to sex-starved stalker, albeit one with a heart. I say this because as much as he wants to make Mina a vampire to be with him forever, he doesn’t want to damn her. However, she falls in love with him because…?<br />
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<b>Oh, Let’s Just Say It: <i>Twilight for Adults</i></b><br />
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Why <i>does</i> Mina love Dracula? Because he took her out? Because he’s a gentleman and won’t bite her? Does he sparkle in sunlight? Will he introduce her to the family? Will he take her to the prom? (Well they <i>do</i> dance.) Oh, let’s just say it: this is <i>Twilight for Adults</i>!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibx4lgFXJRGibaCOxx5bq35-YrdDHOO5RrVNvEu42L4uKp_1U-wpuTOinsmHjtnbL9BL_dJhLPWUbZcOQRjklasDcs1GvvXQ9IYzpufyrLzfzzDekb9RNBHpn2F2Wwh0n1wO9X7kTAp71W/s1600/Pic10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibx4lgFXJRGibaCOxx5bq35-YrdDHOO5RrVNvEu42L4uKp_1U-wpuTOinsmHjtnbL9BL_dJhLPWUbZcOQRjklasDcs1GvvXQ9IYzpufyrLzfzzDekb9RNBHpn2F2Wwh0n1wO9X7kTAp71W/s320/Pic10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This just hit me in the course of writing this article: the Count and Mina in this movie are Edward and Bella! He loves her, but won’t bite her because it’s terrible to be a vampire. She loves him and wants him to bite her so they can be together forever. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZleC_rLJdY">How precious.</a> Maybe he’ll also compose a lullaby on the piano for her. <br />
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Even more amazing, Mina is actually more obnoxious than Bella. As I mentioned above, she turns on the group in the end. She warns the Count of their plans, tries to bite Van Helsing, uses vampire powers to help Dracula get to the safety of the castle, and then pulls a gun on her husband to keep him from killing the Count. Turncoat, I say! Traitor! Witch! Benedict Arnold! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1p9Nqfgw3Os07xiZvEsIekdv4w1NUigoUkcpYP4m6hyphenhyphenE2AzIgoLzLtF_9bJeeV_QIyYYLJqCYTU3Vy0WvSJncNe51tk4LxmtsGzLfsjJOIPADgufcEtPFSyk5J6F0qCkKk6Z9KeEZZPir/s1600/Pic11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1p9Nqfgw3Os07xiZvEsIekdv4w1NUigoUkcpYP4m6hyphenhyphenE2AzIgoLzLtF_9bJeeV_QIyYYLJqCYTU3Vy0WvSJncNe51tk4LxmtsGzLfsjJOIPADgufcEtPFSyk5J6F0qCkKk6Z9KeEZZPir/s320/Pic11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>How to Make Bram Stoker Roll Over in the Grave (Which Would be a Feat, Since he was Cremated)</b><br />
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Once again, Dracula is portrayed as a sexual liberator from traditional mores. I could rehash all of that, but I covered what I have to say on that subject in my article on the Palance and Langella versions. So let me detail other things I couldn’t stand:<br />
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- Even Coppola has admitted he doesn’t like the decision to cast Keanu Reeves. He claims the studio forced it on him. (He wanted Johnny Depp.) Reeves is wooden, uninteresting, and turns in one of the worst English accents of all time. Only three years removed from <i>Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure</i>, you can’t help but wonder when he’ll say ‘whoa.’ BTW, Ryder is almost as bad with her accent. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpfiRLBaxaOzkqDtUW1YNqUAQZL5ovpztjmUu3Fd8CrbvroxF3_yQo8Mm62pts-HT2ONeuLFu1C7RQiotfH72t_tSfj_1pM0TJPwQJpXYDnkWmQkltCTN8-o_-aYrQeKPmj7lTlS4VkbT/s1600/Pic12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpfiRLBaxaOzkqDtUW1YNqUAQZL5ovpztjmUu3Fd8CrbvroxF3_yQo8Mm62pts-HT2ONeuLFu1C7RQiotfH72t_tSfj_1pM0TJPwQJpXYDnkWmQkltCTN8-o_-aYrQeKPmj7lTlS4VkbT/s320/Pic12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>- Feminism or non-feminism? Coppola deliberately focused the script on Mina and Lucy. Both constantly undermine the male characters. Mina even berates Dracula for thinking the cinematograph is a scientific achievement, and claims Marie Curie would scoff at it. (Screw you, Edison!) Plus, both spend a good deal of the film sizing up the men as per their sexual abilities. (Does Lucy have any lines that can’t be interpreted as innuendo?) And, of course, both choose Drac as their ultimate dude because he shows them a good roll in ze hay. Is that really feminism? You know, I can’t tell anymore.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFCauYIq12vO1RoQu-U5eYt2hxvnRlpotmbY1b2M01M7ThdEqoXBG7g2rHoz1bOk9bNftqgJk-5S6orY_SYemB0DCyQCgqrZmNqyr95xic4nS4oKCmZVBoKrVc2nyuVijee67BlWywVef/s1600/Pic13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFCauYIq12vO1RoQu-U5eYt2hxvnRlpotmbY1b2M01M7ThdEqoXBG7g2rHoz1bOk9bNftqgJk-5S6orY_SYemB0DCyQCgqrZmNqyr95xic4nS4oKCmZVBoKrVc2nyuVijee67BlWywVef/s320/Pic13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>- Finally come the costumes. Yes, I know this movie won Oscars for costume and makeup, but the Academy also gave ‘Best Picture’ one year to ‘Shakespeare in Love.’ So much for credibility. It’s all so over-the-top, it’s ridiculous. I honestly couldn’t believe what I was watching. Like I said above, most of the costumes are based on Kabuki dresses. Everything else seems to be Victorian garb on steroids. (The ‘muscle armor,’ BTW, is completely made up.) Exactly how you make a horror movie where everyone dresses like clowns and ringmasters is beyond me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-2p0rvCB01aZPP11ElZBnHKRg7HCLJasD6tNYUShL_8pDSDAj_wzxVmav9ir7bblEwG5bdk1TnHadOCe99brnFaiSKihCFZYPjaVbTHUN8bl7Mb8lAP1wka0IRr-of5mR7Tte-FWOmMv/s1600/Pic14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-2p0rvCB01aZPP11ElZBnHKRg7HCLJasD6tNYUShL_8pDSDAj_wzxVmav9ir7bblEwG5bdk1TnHadOCe99brnFaiSKihCFZYPjaVbTHUN8bl7Mb8lAP1wka0IRr-of5mR7Tte-FWOmMv/s320/Pic14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Obligatory Find the Good</b><br />
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All right, except for Gary Oldman, I’ve been really hard on this film. (And honestly, I think he saves it from being a total wash.) However, this film has many defenders and I can see why. The sets are highly detailed, crafted, and well-lit. But art alone can’t make a movie. You still need story and character. Christopher Lee pointed out the scene where Oldman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzxXCjeMV2A">licks the blood off Harker’s razor</a> and has a moment of ecstasy as he swallows it. He called that a nice addition and I agree. To that end, here are some good things I found in the script. <br />
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- The hunters are all here. This is the first movie to show all of the vampire hunters- Dr. Seward (Richard E. Grant), who proposed to Lucy, but was turned down, Arthur Holmwood (Cary Elwes), Lucy’s fiancé, and Arthur’s Texan adventurer friend, Qunicey P. Morris (Billy Campbell). Most movies reduce the group to one or two. It’s nice to see them all together, even if they are portrayed as inferior males. On that note, Anthony Hopkins is no Peter Cushing as Van Helsing. He was deliberately channeling his Hannibal Lector character for the role.<br />
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- There’s homage to the author. While walking through London, Mina passes an ad on a placard for the Lyceum Theater, where Bram Stoker worked as business manager. The placard further advertises Sir Henry Irving in <i>Hamlet</i> can also be seen. Irving made his reputation playing the Prince of Denmark.<br />
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- There’s plenty of actual dialogue in the film. Dracula, Harker, and Van Helsing use many lines from the novel in the film, particularly in the scenes leading up to, and taking place in, Castle Dracula. Harker quotes from the journal entries in the novel several times. It’s only when the plot changes into <i>Twilight</i> and Lucy’s nymphomania appears that Stoker’s words become lost. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzHxjbxnioWVNyOPWmG6PCS2NIERjw8eM_DYJNBQg1QrTFnRhBu9sHzqsrddmOQA3GfHKsdbktuIpTjnwT2NN8IW9ZH4QxQ7jTe9dHaOiIkWTw_k0PuQsSOz7QhLcZ7XWwsnJ-xWrejdc/s1600/Pic15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzHxjbxnioWVNyOPWmG6PCS2NIERjw8eM_DYJNBQg1QrTFnRhBu9sHzqsrddmOQA3GfHKsdbktuIpTjnwT2NN8IW9ZH4QxQ7jTe9dHaOiIkWTw_k0PuQsSOz7QhLcZ7XWwsnJ-xWrejdc/s320/Pic15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>- Tom Waits does the most outrageous performance as Renfield since Dwight Frye in 1931. He’s eccentric, unpredictable, and just plain crazy; a good friend one moment; a homicidal maniac the next. Let me amend what I said before: Oldman and Waits save the movie from being a total wash. <br />
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- And, yeah, I’ll admit: I like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfZXBN7O2sU">“Love Song for a Vampire.”</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B0zY5msux7EaoKtZq9ypV7DjPaibmsg6dyFGROfrdLzAwOvpvZf4pBonga47qVGQkL6PMJcGQPuEufL5BCkpAzTuLX5ZmIdQpjcgwDGUbYBDPXyhUw9ZsKeGG9S-Ht2DB1SwUPtoPvqH/s1600/Pic16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2B0zY5msux7EaoKtZq9ypV7DjPaibmsg6dyFGROfrdLzAwOvpvZf4pBonga47qVGQkL6PMJcGQPuEufL5BCkpAzTuLX5ZmIdQpjcgwDGUbYBDPXyhUw9ZsKeGG9S-Ht2DB1SwUPtoPvqH/s320/Pic16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>The Difference Between a Lost Chapter and a Lost Cause</b><br />
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In 1914, two years after Bram’s death, Florence Stoker published something odd: a book of short stories called <i>Dracula’s Guest and Other Weird Stories</i>. It’s widely believed that the title story is an excised chapter of <i>Dracula</i>. It goes like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMM1Pxn8fZNTupAEW_gwCGt2xiwrUswQYDF94JDjwIWNi8xVJRjjU06qMSg83W8-Lq8z9dfjB1NeEbveAXpC01TviXDEMAV5RTVxH2VH-9tV89qa1HS8FTdCxDbeFNN4bvpjoXMhBigc_/s1600/Pic17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMM1Pxn8fZNTupAEW_gwCGt2xiwrUswQYDF94JDjwIWNi8xVJRjjU06qMSg83W8-Lq8z9dfjB1NeEbveAXpC01TviXDEMAV5RTVxH2VH-9tV89qa1HS8FTdCxDbeFNN4bvpjoXMhBigc_/s200/Pic17.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>An unnamed Englishman (presumably Harker), arrives in Munich on Walpurgis Night. Although warned not to go out, the Englishman walks out to an abandoned ‘unholy village.’ He finds a massive tomb with an iron stake driven through it. An inscription reads, “The Dead Travel Fast.” A hailstorm forces him into the tomb’s doorway and he accidentally opens it. Lightning reveals a beautiful sleeping woman inside. Just then, thunder frightens him away and another bolt hits the spike, destroying the tomb as the woman screams. Hours later, the man wakes with a ferocious-looking wolf licking his neck. A group of soldiers arrive, shoo off the wolf, and take the Englishman back to the inn. It’s later revealed that the man’s eventual host, Dracula, sent a warning to the inn to look after the man.<br />
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No one really knows why the story was removed from the novel. Theories range from the style (it’s not certain who the narrator is), to the length of the novel, to the scene just not fitting into the narrative. The evidence that it may be a removed first chapter comes from the original manuscript now held at the Rosenbach Library in Philadelphia. Lines scratched out in the manuscript seem to refer to events in <i>Dracula’s Guest</i>. Also, nearly all the chapters numbers are scratched out and subtracted by one. The lack of information about this piece only adds to its mystery.<br />
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I think it was a good choice to remove it. First, it allows Harker’s experiences to build as we follow his journey across Eastern Europe. And second, it can be inferred that the experience should better prepare Harker for his experiences in Transylvania. If he went through that and behaves the way he does in the novel, he’d actually look rather stupid dismissing every superstition instead of carefully investigating them. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HsFqt30_yMU24kg3EPRvtViiry-mLjv5b7TsEXzKGyvY0kEgyOO2II81eRPuRR-YjS4agskE7tzD3LxsYRvvoyIrZ8jb00NaocPTiFVOWV9viAY1QoDK9KLYR-BDcE4qQE8T0YzxqtNg/s1600/Pic18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HsFqt30_yMU24kg3EPRvtViiry-mLjv5b7TsEXzKGyvY0kEgyOO2II81eRPuRR-YjS4agskE7tzD3LxsYRvvoyIrZ8jb00NaocPTiFVOWV9viAY1QoDK9KLYR-BDcE4qQE8T0YzxqtNg/s320/Pic18.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>But sometimes family isn’t your friend. In 2009, Dacre Stoker, professional gym teacher and great-grand-nephew of Bram, co-authored a book called <i>Dracula the Un-Dead</i>. In a case like this, you’d hope that talent might be passed through a family bloodline. Alas, this is not the case.<br />
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I won’t bother with a full synopsis. Suffice to say, the original group of vampire hunters has drifted apart by 1912. They’re all recluses or addicts of some kind. Anyway, the vampire Elizabeth Bathory (a real-life Hungarian countess who had village girls killed so she could bathe in their blood, which she believed would cause her to retain her youth), has arrived in London and is causing trouble. Quincey Harker (Jonathan and Mina’s son), gets help from a famous actor named Basarab (Dracula in disguise), and they attempt to find Bathory and destroy her.<br />
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This isn’t written as a novel; it’s written as an attempted screenplay pitch. The book’s last chapters move and climax like a <i>Die Hard</i> film. Dracula takes over the role of superhero as he and Bathory fight <i>X-Men</i>-style. It’s also revealed that the Count and Mina were great lovers and that the group misidentified the Count as the bad guy the first time around. And, oh, yeah: everyone gets killed along the way. <br />
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Dacre Stoker has claimed the book was an attempt for the Stoker estate to reclaim the property. I, for one, hope they’re kept as far away from it as possible.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gkO3cul1Nnfewx7nkxjyxiBX5mm78sCZ7Ij72yPA2u2wagdi1LZ0Ri2rX3UronhF1mi-cm7gE3xNk0KpIAAJHFshoAvm37y8ns5J9U47iN_tyujmKWONVvYNUqUO-iajsUqk_Lwz058u/s1600/Pic19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gkO3cul1Nnfewx7nkxjyxiBX5mm78sCZ7Ij72yPA2u2wagdi1LZ0Ri2rX3UronhF1mi-cm7gE3xNk0KpIAAJHFshoAvm37y8ns5J9U47iN_tyujmKWONVvYNUqUO-iajsUqk_Lwz058u/s320/Pic19.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>It Seems the Dawn has Arrived</b><br />
<br />
How time flies. Well, everyone, it’s been a nice few weeks this October. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed discussing the many faces of the vampire king with you. And like Gene Wilder told Mel Brooks on the set of <i>Young Frankenstein</i> just after the last day of filming wrapped, “I’m so happy. I don’t want to leave Transylvania.” Unfortunately, the time has come. When this is posted, Halloween will be over. Remember how the ghosts and ghouls in the <i>Night on Bald Mountain</i> piece from <i>Fantasia</i> return to their graves as sunlight shines through the clouds to the ringing of the angelus bell? Well, now, the vampires, too, must return to their tombs. <br />
<br />
This year’s series of Monsterpiece Theater is complete. But it’s just a chapter. There’s always room for more. <br />
<br />
<i>“I trust your journey has been a happy one…and that you [enjoyed] your stay in my beautiful land. Your Friend, D.”</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnGilZzvkva7zWBcAAbV5DpI0XNxdOXFeLRN8oMRwk0HKnGkNGC14s8BuxIw8g86eXP6IAER8V0nBKw5EHPBJFw85LPvG4TjQEVvUmnIYkJwD-8WiDwfifOnz4aWfaxdn5BneO8HtlgFu/s1600/pic20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnGilZzvkva7zWBcAAbV5DpI0XNxdOXFeLRN8oMRwk0HKnGkNGC14s8BuxIw8g86eXP6IAER8V0nBKw5EHPBJFw85LPvG4TjQEVvUmnIYkJwD-8WiDwfifOnz4aWfaxdn5BneO8HtlgFu/s320/pic20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Bonus!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88edGlW3DT4">Sir Christopher Frayling’s “Nightmare! The Birth of Victorian Horror: Dracula”</a><br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-73543592535782609012016-10-27T23:00:00.000-04:002016-10-28T21:45:49.229-04:00Guest Review: Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQZ_YhUT-4Akk0LOxxQFY4Szn2xzSWRE_r8wRquspvCr7h5RVQS7bOF9gyIUrDVgRPqKNe6Hc-yDpyN8EeQiOWWmWBSoXxspKTDwlO8xhiDEfSzUziFqkz4uTWiinRAjLo6Palxa69Rsu/s1600/independenceday2poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQZ_YhUT-4Akk0LOxxQFY4Szn2xzSWRE_r8wRquspvCr7h5RVQS7bOF9gyIUrDVgRPqKNe6Hc-yDpyN8EeQiOWWmWBSoXxspKTDwlO8xhiDEfSzUziFqkz4uTWiinRAjLo6Palxa69Rsu/s200/independenceday2poster.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><b>by Jason</b><br />
<br />
Roland Emmerich, just give it up. You’re done. D-O-N-E. You’ve strip-mined disaster movies of everything they’ve got. You literally have nowhere else to go unless you blow up a whole galaxy. Then again, that might have been a better idea for a film than what we ultimately ended up with.<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
<b>The Plot</b><br />
<br />
It’s <i>Independence Day</i> all over again. Another alien ship shows up, lots of cities go boom, we fight back but our military is no match for them, we go to Area 51, we hatch a plan to get through the aliens’ defenses, an important character sacrifices himself to help beat the aliens, we win, main characters gather in the desert to celebrate the victory, roll credits. Now imagine all that done half-assed, and you have <i>Independence Day: Resurgence</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqD44YR1izCga6TVX25Xp32gFxXe5sF8Gh-HkGFCRWVsg8_lE06uB8eo4abzlJD0r-0p3hTJ_ZNVHrXAGFnk6eF5lQp8gFxbnzlh51QEyOYSn3es58WJoT7bHzdP1k3kktC1EvNbuqwroW/s1600/independenceday2data.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqD44YR1izCga6TVX25Xp32gFxXe5sF8Gh-HkGFCRWVsg8_lE06uB8eo4abzlJD0r-0p3hTJ_ZNVHrXAGFnk6eF5lQp8gFxbnzlh51QEyOYSn3es58WJoT7bHzdP1k3kktC1EvNbuqwroW/s400/independenceday2data.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>The Good</b><br />
<br />
Okay, snark aside, there are some good ideas in this movie. The film’s first act reveals that the war against the aliens started in the first film actually continued for a while in certain areas such as Africa, with a warlord who waged a guerilla war against some of them for a long time. We also learn that David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) has been working with the world’s governments to use alien technology captured from the first invasion to help strengthen the planet’s defenses to the point where they can build a functioning moonbase and fighter planes that can fly in space. Meanwhile, former President Whitmore (Bill Pullman), long bearded and apparently ailing, senses a new ship of aliens is approaching as a side effect of having telepathically linked to them in the first movie. The telepathic warning also reaches a comatose Dr. Okun (Brent Spiner), who wakes up from twenty years after his encounter with the alien in the Area 51 lab and starts writing weird alien symbols all over the wall.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_5dvL_ojCp28NxL6lLqeUWExYw5jpZy807pX8GErgp-M9uUBtbBJyzapcB7sflfmED5oXtYYoBwTED1xH0BZPuWcjs_ozRv5raPgdcBRmaa82I3KAV1yI7I2svQqoV70ABEiLPw62sxR/s1600/independenceday2dude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_5dvL_ojCp28NxL6lLqeUWExYw5jpZy807pX8GErgp-M9uUBtbBJyzapcB7sflfmED5oXtYYoBwTED1xH0BZPuWcjs_ozRv5raPgdcBRmaa82I3KAV1yI7I2svQqoV70ABEiLPw62sxR/s400/independenceday2dude.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>The Bad</b><br />
<br />
Unfortunately, Emmerich doesn’t develop these ideas into anything compelling, mostly because the movie gets swallowed up in rehashing the first movie, only <i>Resurgence</i> doesn’t even do that well. In the first film, we got treated to big city-sized flying saucers shooting down beams that blow away whole cities. Here, we just get another mothership that only wrecks havoc because it’s surrounded by a gravity field that lifts up whole cities as it descends to the planet and then drops them back across the planet. I couldn’t tell whether the aliens were doing this on purpose or if it was just a byproduct of their ship’s arrival. And humanity’s air counterattack against the aliens? Boring and a mess. It’s like Emmerich forgot how to shoot an aerial dogfight scene. I could follow the air battles in the first movie much better.<br />
<br />
The movie does introduce some new characters plus new actors that play grown-up roles of two kids from the first movie, but with the exception of Whitmore’s daughter, they’re all bores. Most of the original cast does return, even an ailing Robert Loggia (R.I.P.) who gets a quick cameo at a presidential ceremony in his old role as General Grey, and they pretty much outshine the newbies. There’s a female president played by Sela Ward who makes one big dumb mistake in the course of the film and is later killed by the aliens. That’s pretty much her contribution. Jeff Goldblum is still Jeff Goldblum, just a little older and grayer. If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen all the “Goldblumisms” that are worth seeing. Meanwhile, Judd Hirsch as Goldblum’s dad is back and he ends up with a subplot so irrelevant it’s shocking that it got past Emmerich. After he survives a tidal wave brought on by the alien ship’s arrival, he dusts himself off, escorts a bus of children through the aftermath of the alien invasion to Area 51…and that’s it! On the other hand, this movie loves Brent Spiner’s Dr. Okun, so if you liked his short role in the first flick, be prepared to have lots more Okun served up in the sequel!<br />
<br />
As an aside, the movie dumped Margaret Colin’s Constance Spano (David Levinson’s ex) even though the actress is still very much active and seemed from what I can tell ready to reprise the role. Why? Let’s see. Colin is currently 58 years old, while the actress that plays the new female character that partners with David is 45. Yeah, I think we can draw the expected conclusion here and move on.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLsp2sJ9WYWmfD0YdvlmCL5XBmEvlwJUjLhpAYs7Q8aMgJrxUGhiRv0ygJQb42zr62_qFDaw33Zsys75Sb2DnD5YQDs7ewdcWldI5CNyy65x3j4SWFvUk3L7b8vjeHLBGzsvul4twrq5C/s1600/independenceday2fighters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLsp2sJ9WYWmfD0YdvlmCL5XBmEvlwJUjLhpAYs7Q8aMgJrxUGhiRv0ygJQb42zr62_qFDaw33Zsys75Sb2DnD5YQDs7ewdcWldI5CNyy65x3j4SWFvUk3L7b8vjeHLBGzsvul4twrq5C/s400/independenceday2fighters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b>How the Aliens Lose</b><br />
<br />
I have to reserve some special scorn for how the human race fights the aliens in this movie. In the first, Goldblum and Smith fly up to the mothership and upload a virus that shuts down the deflector shields on the alien craft and allow the military to take them down. Simple, easy to follow, even if the fact that Goldblum’s laptop can successfully interface with an alien computer left more than a few moviegoers rolling their eyes.<br />
<br />
In <i>Resurgence</i>, the strategy is to lure the aliens’ queen out of the mothership so they can kill it, and without the queen, the mothership will stop its attack on Earth and just leave. That’s it. The climax is basically a battle between a giant alien queen who’s the size of a Transformer plus some of her escort fighters. Once she’s dead, the aliens suddenly stop as if they get a mental blue screen of death, pick up, and go. Never mind that their mothership is still fully functional, they just can’t do the job any more. Queen dead, they go bye-bye. I don’t know if I have the words to communicate how both stupid and underwhelming this is.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRgpxxA4N5WeoCskSkkeTYND-kTSagrU7TxbFqfJk2e6gFoaeIfoHMrnYrwNB7AyyU7HrEzOejK_thoJi9ZzGRdJao9lcFutDGJ_PF8wa9ejZnl-JOuoEzzaxzqfjj-z1ByrcJmK5PtRx/s1600/independenceday2destruction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRgpxxA4N5WeoCskSkkeTYND-kTSagrU7TxbFqfJk2e6gFoaeIfoHMrnYrwNB7AyyU7HrEzOejK_thoJi9ZzGRdJao9lcFutDGJ_PF8wa9ejZnl-JOuoEzzaxzqfjj-z1ByrcJmK5PtRx/s400/independenceday2destruction.jpg" width="400" height="165" /></a></div><b>Time to Hang It Up, Roland</b><br />
<br />
Whatever filmmaking talent Roland Emmerich still possesses ought to go to other kinds of films, because this movie shows he’s completely out of gas when it comes to disaster and mayhem. Actually, I’d say this movie’s failure is a greater symptom of audience fatigue for these kinds of movies as a whole.<br />
<br />
When the first <i>Independence Day</i> came out, movie audiences of the time had not seen special effects movies that depicted mass destruction of landmarks and cities, certainly not so realistically. You’d have to go back decades to flicks like <i>War of the Worlds</i> and <i>Earth Versus the Flying Saucers</i>. Usually, mass destruction was a threat that movie heroes could stop in the nick of the time. So when <i>Independence Day</i> depicted an epic war between humanity and an invading alien race, it wasn’t a shock that people flocked to see it.<br />
<br />
Now Emmerich has essentially given us the same movie twenty years later and it’s a snoozer. Why? Because mass destruction has been done to death. The <i>Transformers</i> movies have done it. The Marvel movies have done it. The DC movies have done it. Emmerich <i>himself</i> has done it twice, in <i>The Day After Tomorrow</i> and <i>2012</i>. There’s only so many ways you blow up city streets, buildings and skyscrapers. I’d be shocked if by now Industrial Light and Magic doesn’t have a “blow up a city” computer program to click on demand. <br />
<br />
<b>Final Verdict</b><br />
<br />
The first <i>Independence Day</i> was lightning in a bottle. It was a huge success because of its basic alien invasion plot, effects that (largely) still hold up, and a cast that included a few ab-libbers to add some chuckles to the film (notably Hirsch, Smith and Goldblum). But it’s clear all the inspiration was used up for the first film. It’s like in that 20 year gap between films, Emmerich forgot how to put together a cohesive story, so he just rehashed the first one but made it less fun, less understandable and much more underwhelming. If Emmerich truly wanted to make a sequel, he should have done it years ago, and if the sequel hook from this film suggests the kind of film he wanted to build up to, a “let’s go into space and take the fight to the aliens,” thing, there was no reason he couldn’t have done that story then or even now. <br />
<br />
Celebrate your Independence Day from this film!<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-16657170984403411322016-10-24T23:00:00.000-04:002016-10-24T23:14:37.035-04:00Monsterpiece Theater: Dracula Films That Keep You Up and Listening to the Children of the Night<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ztwY0hNh223sVvGRt2mEQ7up54avKFU8HkSMayCnhQVL2vVFpDncq-2Xj-smmwiZJl2RC6AOe1yltycerSLmhcehSQ0yvAbiL2trkR48yZE1toRGi-aflZ1xTLAw8UPM-1AD8HcWB2UF/s1600/Pic01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ztwY0hNh223sVvGRt2mEQ7up54avKFU8HkSMayCnhQVL2vVFpDncq-2Xj-smmwiZJl2RC6AOe1yltycerSLmhcehSQ0yvAbiL2trkR48yZE1toRGi-aflZ1xTLAw8UPM-1AD8HcWB2UF/s200/Pic01.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><b>by Rustbelt</b><br />
<br />
For most of the 1970’s, vampires were associated with (consequence-) free love and counterculture lifestyles. Count Dracula was turned upside-down and remade into a sexual liberator- a sort of vampiric Timothy Leary, if you will. It seemed as if Bram Stoker’s intention to create a monster symbolizing the pure evil side of human nature had been completely forgotten.<span id="fullpost"> This wasn’t helped by a flurry of B-grade horror films in the spirit of Roger Corman that reduced the Count to a campy figure bent on world domination, creating a race of mutant supermen, or... whatever. Of course, the creation of cereal seller Count Chocula, Britain’s animated ‘fowl fiend’ Count Duckula, and Sesame Street’s resident math teacher from the dark side Count von Count didn't help either. As the 1980’s dawned, Count Dracula seemed more at home with King Tut and Egghead from Adam West’s <i>Batman</i> show than the coming likes of Jason Vorhees and Freddy Kreuger.<br />
<br />
But, apparently, a few filmmakers decided to read the book and realized the popular story being sold wasn’t what the author had written. With the release of two films, the story of Dracula was about to return to its chilling roots.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWjxSQD01FFJf9cSfZm-_TjJBG4YcNSZZgMAWMbr-byKoDiKwzCFmd2rdzV7XtKu40i3We0uJrU_dgT61c0PJxaNcSiqO0dKSBQT76gSoj7DEwklJjPeIMED0e_Zsz_LUg0W1BRhBSDam/s1600/Pic02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWjxSQD01FFJf9cSfZm-_TjJBG4YcNSZZgMAWMbr-byKoDiKwzCFmd2rdzV7XtKu40i3We0uJrU_dgT61c0PJxaNcSiqO0dKSBQT76gSoj7DEwklJjPeIMED0e_Zsz_LUg0W1BRhBSDam/s200/Pic02.jpg" width="139" /></a></div><b><i>Count Dracula</i> (BBC, 1977)</b><br />
<br />
We start with a good one. This version is a mini-series, not a movie <i>per se</i>, so it has the time to show more than the average production and allows things to build. Unfortunately, I can hardly find any background information for it. Even when it was finally released on DVD in 2007, it had no bonus features. So, we’re going to have to jump right into the synopsis.<br />
<br />
Unlike most adaptations, this version follows the story very closely. However, it takes advantage of being a miniseries and moves at a much more careful pace. For instance, a great of time is spent in Transylvania. This allows the naïve Jonathan Harker (Bosco Hogan) to walk into the castle of Count Dracula (Louis Jourdan) as an innocent. However, he gradually becomes aware of the Count’s true nature (and his status as a prisoner). His admiration for the Count believably transforms into fear and then into hate. Thus, his overwhelming desire to destroy the Count feels more natural, rather than forced. This miniseries also has the most effective use of the scene where the Brides eat the baby Dracula gives them- a complete inversion of motherhood that lurks behind pretty faces. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fWNYzHKsMhEkg3yBcch4bHOjkjO1qmuO9M2oIyGxf446Sh305fca5WGSfymlsEU4erVzsuEpgswT2Y71skMWJRuzO-F0kXQ9_M3jH-ANPiFlaUafu-mnSh9T3PpzOjYdsq_s9fvRsEQr/s1600/Pic04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fWNYzHKsMhEkg3yBcch4bHOjkjO1qmuO9M2oIyGxf446Sh305fca5WGSfymlsEU4erVzsuEpgswT2Y71skMWJRuzO-F0kXQ9_M3jH-ANPiFlaUafu-mnSh9T3PpzOjYdsq_s9fvRsEQr/s320/Pic04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The scene then shifts back to England, where many of the subplots of the story are largely left intact. These include Renfield’s (Jack Shepherd) bargain with Dracula, which he eventually renounces. Lucy (Susan Penhaligon) has time for her relationship with Quincy Holmwood to grow; making it hurt even more when Dracula kills her. The filmmakers also keep Harker and Van Helsing’s (Frank Finlay) quest to find Dracula’s boxes of Transylvanian earth, which I think demonstrates Van Helsing’s detective skills to a greater degree.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_PZ5dmbsW__BahL8eRv2_voDpyffA2mj49CKuDZm4tSboAhO7EHhLbyL1iMb_bQ5PO7ohd7iJtc9j6cbiFMnmQXcoY6LZcbX5mo_qA8nYb-4jrsxCgWT3yRDgNDu802ngCnSw1ctiUcJ/s1600/Pic05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_PZ5dmbsW__BahL8eRv2_voDpyffA2mj49CKuDZm4tSboAhO7EHhLbyL1iMb_bQ5PO7ohd7iJtc9j6cbiFMnmQXcoY6LZcbX5mo_qA8nYb-4jrsxCgWT3yRDgNDu802ngCnSw1ctiUcJ/s320/Pic05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>There are other nice touches, such as the coachman at the Borgo Pass (actually the Count in disguise), handing Harker a flask of slivovitz (plum brandy) to hold off chills from the cold night. Castle Dracula is also almost exactly how I pictured it from the book: thick, Roman-esque walls, tiny hallways, and a dirty, unkempt, decayed, claustrophobic appearance. Renfield is also shown gathering his flies and spiders to fill his <i>zoophagous</i> (that is, life-devouring) habit. Nothing really too rushed or drawn out. That being said, there are a few issues. The first is Susan Penhaligon’s vampire screeching, which could has the potential to break a mirror. And there’s the horrific character of Qunicy Holmwood (Richard Barnes). We’ll get to him in a second.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYd0d4UIYUNqFqrt0G0uFR2EkUgEihc0jHcAaK3dFfTClfSaMP82P7xWnVi1Nm8Dpe2qQeYPZwxBecICIQn1x1iksWVbMlKBqYahq8CsZ3Xy4chT7eyZ8QUqNvPWxfhVi4AI_wiJo1RIMb/s1600/Pic03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYd0d4UIYUNqFqrt0G0uFR2EkUgEihc0jHcAaK3dFfTClfSaMP82P7xWnVi1Nm8Dpe2qQeYPZwxBecICIQn1x1iksWVbMlKBqYahq8CsZ3Xy4chT7eyZ8QUqNvPWxfhVi4AI_wiJo1RIMb/s320/Pic03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Dracula: Louis Jourdan</b><br />
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Film fans (and, certainly, Commentarama fans), probably know Jourdan best as the slimy, yet refined Bond villain Kamal Khan from <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/2013/08/bond-arama-no-0016-octopussy-1983.html"><i>Octopussy</i></a>. Here, Jourdan puts his classy demeanor to work for great effect. Jourdan’s Count is brooding and calculating. He never loses his temper, always knowing that he has the upper hand. (One Internet article called him the ‘thinking man’s Dracula.’) This time, there is no effort to make the Count romantic. His cruelty is on full display as he taunts Harker and nearly lets him be devoured by wolves when Harker tries to leave the castle through the main door. He also ridicules Van Hesling’s use of the crucifix, accusing the professor of hiding behind a tool of humiliation and execution (recalling the Roman’s use of the cross). It really takes all of Van Helsing’s faith to hold his poise and declare that Christ had made the cross a symbol of triumph; as a lesser man may have lost some nerve. <br />
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The script also allows for Jourdan to justify Dracula’s existence, saying he does nothing more than feed and create needed servants, which is simply as natural to his nature as a person eating an animal. Here, I would say Dracula truly takes on a satanic mode. His attempts to justify his own evil mirror that of the devil trying to justify sin through either natural desires or jealousy of God. This is a Dracula who always seems to be prepared for his foes. The only thing missing- as noted by Internet reviewer <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfpk78DkbLw">Obsessed Movie Man</a>- is the Count’s trademark rage towards humanity that often shows when he sees blood. However, I don’t think it hurts the performance. Jourdan portrays an immortal vampire who doesn’t care about frivolous human things wants and desires and instead pursues his own agenda.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKAZ3n4DRLoswGz_baVXWFM4mMvsU7h4tZYT7xbTgd3yu4w3VgXEnzH7BassXGvCQ3ui1a7uKeDAJ4KzPY8awc8qS251tRZZ9w47MGkFTn2-iXImKa6iQ06Rzehy_pLOG99lqwlrEHrDX/s1600/Pic08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKAZ3n4DRLoswGz_baVXWFM4mMvsU7h4tZYT7xbTgd3yu4w3VgXEnzH7BassXGvCQ3ui1a7uKeDAJ4KzPY8awc8qS251tRZZ9w47MGkFTn2-iXImKa6iQ06Rzehy_pLOG99lqwlrEHrDX/s320/Pic08.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>A (Mostly) Strong Cast</b><br />
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Frank Finlay is one of the strongest Van Helsings ever. He balances the character’s eccentricity and professional approach with grace. He approaches things as a scientist, but isn’t afraid to reach a conclusion of supernatural activity. However, his empathy and deep-rooted Christian faith is also on full display, making him the perfect foil for Jourdan’s Dracula. His presence and courage come through and make the viewer understand why he leads charge against the Count. Other notables include Hogan as Harker. He truly captures the cowardly character forced to find his own courage and defend the woman he loves. Jack Shepherd is also good as Renfield. He is quite believable as an asylum inmate, and his eventual renunciation of Dracula is deeply satisfying. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9uFkcsRgBq8cZbyMdYfW5h1e72lkqFT7mXR46AJb4jwRguHBTEghiooKZK4R8HqT9vPuyJH_mLL_zYFXVBcPh5q0_-A0NqXtHobHfbTqkOCLJv4Njd9FyEV_L64odamxh6j6Atn9H63B/s1600/Pic09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9uFkcsRgBq8cZbyMdYfW5h1e72lkqFT7mXR46AJb4jwRguHBTEghiooKZK4R8HqT9vPuyJH_mLL_zYFXVBcPh5q0_-A0NqXtHobHfbTqkOCLJv4Njd9FyEV_L64odamxh6j6Atn9H63B/s320/Pic09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Some liberties had to be taken, mainly making Mina (Judi Bowker) and Lucy sisters instead of best friends. But the bottom of the barrel is Quincy Holmwood. Richard plays a combination of Arthur Holmwood the Texan Quincy P. Morris, who works at the American consulate. Barnes gives one of the worst Texan accents ever recorded and it nearly ruins several scenes. Britain’s revenge for Dick van Dyke as Burt in Mary Poppins?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_OUJDwPtb0KCrn_4UyBoJqC2YaP2DZBgqUiqWp743sG4_ID_Fdksc_yOFsnR0m9J0ohFHeE1JGMRVCUDAVUxalWWHdGbqBzNQh9EU1pMAXMeQe8Tu6oLTBtzjepC7q0mZjILUwVkFblO/s1600/Pic11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_OUJDwPtb0KCrn_4UyBoJqC2YaP2DZBgqUiqWp743sG4_ID_Fdksc_yOFsnR0m9J0ohFHeE1JGMRVCUDAVUxalWWHdGbqBzNQh9EU1pMAXMeQe8Tu6oLTBtzjepC7q0mZjILUwVkFblO/s320/Pic11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>The Count’s True Nature</b><br />
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Despite Jourdan’s Count trying to justify himself, this miniseries shows the Count for what he is. Just to drive the point that Dracula is not a romantic character, Dracula is shown using hypnosis- a date rape drug, in other words- to get Lucy’s attention after using his wolf form to shock her mother, killing her via heart attack. He then has his way with Lucy. Later, he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dracula+1977">uses hypnosis on Mina</a> to get her to drink his blood and begin turning her into a vampire. In the book, Dracula does this to create a mental connection with Mina (so he knows what the men will try to do to kill him), and to destroy her in order to personally hurt the men hunting him. Not exactly romantic. In fact, when the Count leaves and Mina snaps out of her trance, she screams in agony at what she’s done and what’s been done to her. If this isn’t vampire rape, I don’t what is. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXEigKudDU4fq_045DPKzOxgcGzwI7ePueL6bLEP8kdg1YEoioo3lhdtQzXg1IBgQVWtTTBVc0w_9ZjRMJ9DudZu5r6XYJXUrJgYvA3-bOOyWjvHpm0-H0Ph12xTYWX0vz8ULi-VBrcbJ/s1600/Pic12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXEigKudDU4fq_045DPKzOxgcGzwI7ePueL6bLEP8kdg1YEoioo3lhdtQzXg1IBgQVWtTTBVc0w_9ZjRMJ9DudZu5r6XYJXUrJgYvA3-bOOyWjvHpm0-H0Ph12xTYWX0vz8ULi-VBrcbJ/s320/Pic12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is the Count’s true nature. Evil and diabolical. (At least here, Jonathan was asleep under the Count’s control. In the book, it’s inferred he might have been awake and forced to watch Dracula molest his wife.)<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_JK8uIywJM&t=7169s">Full Movie</a> (please forgive the Portuguese subtitles; it’s the best one I could find)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFeW2hJ7zx-Q2-j2lbptY52n4DUvAbqMRmhRsd4iWfLWKSskih_PftxyVi3f_UIorBsxqW1ZwMz9BqhYeFvcMyeVkpxfoY8cI5dam7hpOl8GQczCj8k912TIquYyHW5en4_0A0aEYkRvLB/s1600/Pic13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFeW2hJ7zx-Q2-j2lbptY52n4DUvAbqMRmhRsd4iWfLWKSskih_PftxyVi3f_UIorBsxqW1ZwMz9BqhYeFvcMyeVkpxfoY8cI5dam7hpOl8GQczCj8k912TIquYyHW5en4_0A0aEYkRvLB/s200/Pic13.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><b><i>Nosferatu, Phantom der Nacht (Phantom of the Night), a.k.a. Nosferatu the Vampyre</i> (Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, München, 1979)</b><br />
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Now, when I say ‘art movie,’ what jumps into your head? Over-the-top symbolism? Prodding pretentiousness? A script designed so that only the director can understand it?- and then taunt you for not being smart enough to understand it? Well, I don’t know about you, but that’s what I think of. Fortunately, here we have an art movie that you can- have I used this line yet? I forget- sink your teeth into.<br />
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<b>Bidding Homage to a True Classic</b><br />
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This movie is the result of director Werner Herzog’s desire to re-make and perform reverence to the F.W. Murnau’s 1922 Dracula adaptation, <i>Nosferatu</i>. In order to make everything as authentic as possible, Herzog wanted to film on the same locations, but the East German government wouldn’t let him cross the border and make the film in Wismar. Stupid communists. Herzog proceeded anyway with a few obvious changes. First, he shot the film in color as opposed to black and white. Second, with <i>Dracula</i> now in public domain, Herzog used the characters’ original names as opposed to those from the 1922 plagiarized version. And third, at the request of American distributor 20th Century Fox, the film was shot in both German and English. No Toho-style dubbing here.<br />
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I had hoped to view the German version with subtitles (my German’s really rusty) as the filmmakers consider that to be the more <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVTNFUfogTY">“authentic” version</a>. (They just put more effort into that one, I suppose.) However, lack of a copy and time left me reviewing the English version. Well, here we go.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2fPsg5EHqjb6JbvKKqLQvD7szSsItByTJTkh_mYyisG32a7YdozWz_qvccvDOo6tojCYLMdd0Tsj7eTcnCu7W-FxLpJUm9xZj6BRf1-S6h85BNmu99mcfpT8LKrGSyzFmNx79RzA-Qc1/s1600/Pic14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2fPsg5EHqjb6JbvKKqLQvD7szSsItByTJTkh_mYyisG32a7YdozWz_qvccvDOo6tojCYLMdd0Tsj7eTcnCu7W-FxLpJUm9xZj6BRf1-S6h85BNmu99mcfpT8LKrGSyzFmNx79RzA-Qc1/s320/Pic14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Returning to Wismar</b><br />
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The plot keeps most of the deviations the original 1922 film made. The real changes are what director Herzog added to enhance the feel of the story. This starts with a blood-curdling shot of decaying bodies in states of torment as the opening titles flash and an eerie, unsettling choir plays in the background. (For the sake of your stomach, I won’t post any pictures of this.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-X1Q2MFKGgqk4hv6tAL5yy9FUQ1OSgNwN9GeNzMUrn-EtUEjnw7pG6X6OK-PNrrNMd3PPlNMFVuyJ_o58YuCjWabG_UOriCUH19-w5-jz1n2VVjY77LfNli4LHdozhdjndet56jJzpuT/s1600/Pic15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-X1Q2MFKGgqk4hv6tAL5yy9FUQ1OSgNwN9GeNzMUrn-EtUEjnw7pG6X6OK-PNrrNMd3PPlNMFVuyJ_o58YuCjWabG_UOriCUH19-w5-jz1n2VVjY77LfNli4LHdozhdjndet56jJzpuT/s320/Pic15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>From there, Harker (Bruno Ganz) travels to Transylvania. This time, the innkeepers don’t just try to keep him from going to the castle, they take him to a band of gypsies who have been ‘on the other side’ of the Pass in the hopes that their stories will keep Harker away. Then Harker and Dracula (Klaus Kinski) play out many of the same scenes originally shown between Hutter and Count Orlok. In both the castle and the ship, Herzog recreates several classic images of the vampire, but doesn’t go too far. Later, the Count arrives on the boat in Wismar and releases thousands of rats in the city. Just as in the previous film, the plague is blamed for the sudden increase in deaths. Unlike the first film, the city is shown decaying as the population dies off. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uUKeU7gq-ohl7zQN5EYjj2giu02M9Sj3iLnyuqnJWV0wnkC2uC45u2XsCPDUWHVZXvAjr3__zucvPBr5RANnuAaXc3TniZr7wtjGYNILc6oDTpzVQaAJXn6uITNgZlrD4Jp0I3r7zPh9/s1600/Pic16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uUKeU7gq-ohl7zQN5EYjj2giu02M9Sj3iLnyuqnJWV0wnkC2uC45u2XsCPDUWHVZXvAjr3__zucvPBr5RANnuAaXc3TniZr7wtjGYNILc6oDTpzVQaAJXn6uITNgZlrD4Jp0I3r7zPh9/s320/Pic16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>SPOILERS:</i> The final addition comes at the end. After Harker’s wife, Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) sacrifices herself to trick Dracula into exposing himself to sunlight, Van Helsing (Walter Ladengast) stakes him. The vampire’s body doesn’t disintegrate this time. However, Harker, who returned from Transylvania, accuses Van Helsing of murder. The professor is arrested by the lone surviving city official. Then, Harker, now sporting Dracula’s rat-like teeth and bulging eyes, says he has “much to do” and heads off to the Count’s castle.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6szT-HDz01VFrRwabYRGLZtp1cg9LEtlnXRsAALlD4gDFemFigVm8rp1DbL6VMObG-rcmDzVSzgJjPBKaKn9J8Jgj1UvCs1cp7YcT150KeuuQXI19ROBVQfd-uOejRo6qOsMu6u7yrejI/s1600/Pic18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6szT-HDz01VFrRwabYRGLZtp1cg9LEtlnXRsAALlD4gDFemFigVm8rp1DbL6VMObG-rcmDzVSzgJjPBKaKn9J8Jgj1UvCs1cp7YcT150KeuuQXI19ROBVQfd-uOejRo6qOsMu6u7yrejI/s320/Pic18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Dracula: Klaus Kinski</b><br />
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We last saw Herr Klinski as Renfield in the Franco version of Dracula. Here, he’s been promoted from the Count’s slave to the Count himself. And he does a near perfect imitation of Max Shreck while sporting the original actor’s makeup. For the most part, Kinski moves slowly and deliberately, which is fitting for the film’s pace. For most movies, this could easily become a campy way to act. However, here it works. For instance, when Dracula bites Harker for the second time, he descends on Harker slowly, knowing there is no way for Harker to escape. Of course, the audience knows this, too. It makes the attack all the more unsettling. Kinski’s moaning and breathing (yes, the vampire breathes here, but it actually adds to the atmosphere so it gets a pass), make Dracula more animalistic, as though he can’t control himself. There’s also an attempt to portray the loneliness that an immortal, yet disgusting, creature must endure. In Wismar, the Count tries to demand that Lucy love him the way she loves Jonathan. When she rebukes him, the subplot seems to fall off. I think it was a nice idea, but unnecessary. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FUN16B7hkBM2wpuLAKkj7h6CG_kwLm82aEGVNUiwqvmER5QAA_N1_J7i5yzr48vghAUpO2YXuXvlwK-POarOgQLRuRGUTCmjCwTIsEqkEPnMMX0vMX4xxmkQE1Uhd5quU7RWCCa9fNEp/s1600/Pic19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FUN16B7hkBM2wpuLAKkj7h6CG_kwLm82aEGVNUiwqvmER5QAA_N1_J7i5yzr48vghAUpO2YXuXvlwK-POarOgQLRuRGUTCmjCwTIsEqkEPnMMX0vMX4xxmkQE1Uhd5quU7RWCCa9fNEp/s320/Pic19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Of Mummies and Music</b><br />
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The opening shots of this movie feature the infamous mummies of Guanajuato, Mexico. These are the remains of victims of a massive cholera outbreak in 1833. Many of the bodies, which mummified naturally due to the climate, were disinterred and stored elsewhere over disputes involving burial taxes between 1870 and 1958. Many of the mummies- macabre and seemingly frozen in a state of torment- are now on display in a museum, and caused none less a visiting luminary than Ray Bradbury to want to get out of Mexico as fast as possible. During the opening shot, a haunting chorus groans softly in the background. The chorus is played several times in the film, always when the Count, or his effects, is on the move. It’s a good non-verbal cue that indicates death and destruction are coming. Herzog adds to the operatic feeling with several Richard Wagner pieces which perfectly compliment the chorus.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GfioqUUa4ZglKgFZXSfOhT_lyzvH6f9_EUk3pLXF_XcXCWs0qAdp7iRmqxJu3FRci-yxCSgMh309o6_y82dtHQKivEzamqFaOJnn4hCHLgWebNJRVoRmU-d97cro891M_KLZcTM9pjud/s1600/Pic20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GfioqUUa4ZglKgFZXSfOhT_lyzvH6f9_EUk3pLXF_XcXCWs0qAdp7iRmqxJu3FRci-yxCSgMh309o6_y82dtHQKivEzamqFaOJnn4hCHLgWebNJRVoRmU-d97cro891M_KLZcTM9pjud/s320/Pic20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>The Plague</b><br />
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Vampires are harbingers of death and often associated with outbreaks. No movie stresses that more then this one. Thousands of rats leave the ship after Dracula arrives. Within days, Wismar is awash in death due to the presence of the Count. Coffins pile up in the town square, the entire government and police are killed, anarchy reigns, rats cover the city like rain, and people try to revel one last time before their time comes, too. The whole thing reminded me of medieval drawings of the Black Death, which is fitting since the city itself seems to be dying. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdLZIfNGCRONIu1ZYE0hESEfxaeDUi4I2VzrHwVmrT6YlSxcbmZMBdwTwwxToQG1PVBQPhYpOVTA8WBOePFLD3KS39Xo5vwP405smxYBlwNhyphenhyphenP5fIx2pPa2c4VfSHqzN8att8CONINm0I/s1600/Pic21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdLZIfNGCRONIu1ZYE0hESEfxaeDUi4I2VzrHwVmrT6YlSxcbmZMBdwTwwxToQG1PVBQPhYpOVTA8WBOePFLD3KS39Xo5vwP405smxYBlwNhyphenhyphenP5fIx2pPa2c4VfSHqzN8att8CONINm0I/s320/Pic21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>Lucy the Heroine</b><br />
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Whether Harker’s wife is Lucy or Mina, depending on the adaptation, the character has never had more to do than in this film. Like the 1922, original, Lucy sleepwalks and feels terror as her husband is assaulted by the vampire several countries away. And here she again sacrifices herself to stop the Count. Only this time, in between those scenes, she leads a one-woman charge to convince her fellow city folk that a vampire, not the plague, is responsible for what’s happening. Her efforts are, of course, in vain, though she does manage to convince Van Helsing of what’s really happening. And it’s through her eyes that we see the decay of Wismar in its streets and city center. We feel her frustration and realize she may be the only hope for stopping the monster. You could also say she manipulates Dracula, since <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-I8mIljF6I&t=11s">after rebuffing his advances</a>, she knows he lusts for her and then uses that against him to draw him out into the sunlight. It’s an interesting enhancement of the original film and a fascinating, yet relatable take on a character that normally stays in the background. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CwMnuj48ioSf5gMmI7Pg10CstQnbM8OyE7ODHq3swxHoRmvXcnbhyVBGhxRLLC-QTCj1ThsiTzeB5Q5xVw2iYbIpBzVs8c7W2fM2OJ94Eq0iS6b2Wqp4HUiqWMXGgeNeTwZhDQxvNJw0/s1600/Pic22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8CwMnuj48ioSf5gMmI7Pg10CstQnbM8OyE7ODHq3swxHoRmvXcnbhyVBGhxRLLC-QTCj1ThsiTzeB5Q5xVw2iYbIpBzVs8c7W2fM2OJ94Eq0iS6b2Wqp4HUiqWMXGgeNeTwZhDQxvNJw0/s320/Pic22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VXBZOaz7Ts&t=1655s">Full Movie</a> (English version)<br />
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<b>Vampires: So What Are They and How Do You Kill Them?</b><br />
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Today, vampires are often depicted as sexy in a ghoulish way. And if the last 20 years are any indication, they split their time between drinking, rolling in ze hay because their immortality leaves them in a beautiful, coitus-prone state forever, and playing awful tricks on us uncool mortals. At least, that’s how Hollywood’s sex-and-youth-obsessed writers and directors would have us believe. (And, yes, I blame this entirely on Joss Whedon.) The reality is much, much different. Death is the one thing all men and women fear and all of us are fated to eventually face. As such, nearly all cultures have tried to put a face on death, creating a litany of legends about monsters that come back from the dead to prey on and torture the living:<br />
<blockquote><i>Upier/Wampyr</i> (Poland), <i>Izcacus</i> (Hungary), <i>Vrykolakas</i> (Greece), <i>Strigoi mort</i> (Romania, male) <i>Strigoaică</i> (Romania, female), <i>Nosferatu</i> (unknown) <br />
</blockquote>For this article’s purposes, we’ll focus on the myths originating from (mostly eastern) Europe. And I must warn you now, dear reader, that many of these details are not for the timid. Continue at your own discretion and peril. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6Qq9AiwfIB6FKxKAMPvFO1HaFX53gYzmC9yIyQdJDwUK6iFpynyktEMcIMqMdsSMKZGfsjwI6V8pJb4motQ7j1Fof818QsnUfmk8i31MfD4PuGoAb6lq3pB3b2d5lSOnh8Kb27tQ0nQ-/s1600/Pic23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6Qq9AiwfIB6FKxKAMPvFO1HaFX53gYzmC9yIyQdJDwUK6iFpynyktEMcIMqMdsSMKZGfsjwI6V8pJb4motQ7j1Fof818QsnUfmk8i31MfD4PuGoAb6lq3pB3b2d5lSOnh8Kb27tQ0nQ-/s320/Pic23.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>In classical folklore, vampires are corpses that have come back to bring pain, suffering, and death upon their friends and relatives. And when I say ‘corpses,’ I don’t mean beautiful people with pale complexions. Vampires of folklore are emaciated beings. They have darker skin, long, protruding teeth and fingernails, bulbous eyes, little (if any) hair, a bloated body shape, and blood oozing from the mouth, nose, and eyes. Simply put, they are the very embodiment of death.<br />
<br />
So, where does this appearance come from? It comes from the natural appearance of a corpse. Today, we live in a world where we seek to put the best face on- and distance ourselves from- death. Embalming and modern burial standards have removed many of the more gruesome aspects of death. Unembalmed, the outer skin of a corpse disintegrates, leaving the thicker, darker (dermal) layer exposed. This, combined with recession of the muscles, causes the teeth and nails to appear longer. And as the organs decay, gases build up in the body, causing it bulge out. Eventually, these gases force their way through any available orifice- mouth, eyes, etc. It’s not hard to see medieval people without modern knowledge opening coffins and believing their loved ones had become monsters.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwb9Vp8wrxtQiUdwOjb2NDM8_5f4ZMg675WCRWHKiJlZG2R2TTfnQpyJwbFxXJPN7nTKPK7-sHUb8Xxu6DW-p1nnebYHX_5RaQjE7FoeUp781cG0Vat_dCwRX9sG4n9VYeaz6a3lMPh7w/s1600/Pic24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwb9Vp8wrxtQiUdwOjb2NDM8_5f4ZMg675WCRWHKiJlZG2R2TTfnQpyJwbFxXJPN7nTKPK7-sHUb8Xxu6DW-p1nnebYHX_5RaQjE7FoeUp781cG0Vat_dCwRX9sG4n9VYeaz6a3lMPh7w/s320/Pic24.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>Now, we must ask where these beliefs came from. As mentioned, such legends are common across the globe. But there can be more specific origins for the vampire in Europe. Much of the folklore has been traced to the Middle Ages. Vampires were often blamed when people began dying <i>en masse</i>; particularly during the onset of the Black Death (bubonic and pneumonic plague), in the 14th century. Surviving records tell us that it would always start with one person becoming sick with the dreaded black splotches on their skin. Then, gradually, more and more would fall ill, as though a specter of evil had fallen on the town like a mist. Chroniclers in cities like Venice, Paris, Rome, Cologne, and others tell of the dead and dying piling up in the streets; of the stench of decay that permeated everything; and the struggle to bury the hundreds of bodies as quickly as they could. It’s possible that some of these unfortunate victims, not being clinically dead, tried to escape their coffins just before burial- increasing belief in the undead.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyHXULEGFXWe9rJwbOTLDIKX5VASPe0gkZcsI4Lm4yagQ0U-UGwmyBhtU6N4RP9MyTqDeXI20t-yJYWGfdEDQ1p_r1NuMH5FU6kDmjU8DisqB8qgzGv3PM5D80hABIEUdTd4d84MANnZS/s1600/Pic25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyHXULEGFXWe9rJwbOTLDIKX5VASPe0gkZcsI4Lm4yagQ0U-UGwmyBhtU6N4RP9MyTqDeXI20t-yJYWGfdEDQ1p_r1NuMH5FU6kDmjU8DisqB8qgzGv3PM5D80hABIEUdTd4d84MANnZS/s320/Pic25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Identifying and destroying vampires was a careful practice in folklore. Digging up graves was tiresome, not to mention psychologically and spiritually demoralizing as well. In the case of plague, the first victims would be the first corpses to be examined. More specifically, people who had been murdered, committed suicide, or died violent deaths were likely candidates. Those believed to be vampire victims were also suspect, as their deaths had left them in a restless state as well. There are, of course, more obscure ways to become the undead- such as being the seventh child of the same sex in a family, die without being married, or be executed for perjury. (Romania) Or one could become a wraith-like beast that, unable to part with its worldly goods, attacks anyone who comes close to its burial mound. (Iceland) Sometimes a lack of <i>rigor mortis</i> in a corpse was a sign of impending vampirism.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn68spAOXhC_HDPrF-I9tQ6VTwWgrbL1u_IY_IjjGJq5SqE9qScygDnszr8dbxpc6z7zPHcNVfIDzGyptEjq_OwT1ZRtWxWwM_vyle_orVF2BC2hu3Iq7dSRw_pLsO6qhympdX5Q711zP/s1600/Pic26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn68spAOXhC_HDPrF-I9tQ6VTwWgrbL1u_IY_IjjGJq5SqE9qScygDnszr8dbxpc6z7zPHcNVfIDzGyptEjq_OwT1ZRtWxWwM_vyle_orVF2BC2hu3Iq7dSRw_pLsO6qhympdX5Q711zP/s320/Pic26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This leads to the need to destroy vampires. And just like the movies, various regions of folklore have many ways to accomplish this. The traditional stake in the heart (Slavic Europe), works only with the vampire in the grave. (It pins the creature to the ground.) Other methods include decapitation, cutting out the heart and burning it, burning the body, and burying the corpse upside-down (so it will forever dig out in the wrong direction). Protection from vampires also varied. Since vampires were associated with Satan, symbols of Christ- crucifixes, rosaries, holy water- were used to ward them off. Garlic was widely used, often hung or rubbed on windows and entryways. Its usefulness comes from the Latin phrase <i>simila similibus curantur</i> (“similar things are cured by similar things”). The rationale was that, since vampires are corpses covered in the strong stench of decay, the strong-smelling herb could cancel them out. Sharp things, such as knives and roses (for their thorns), have been used to drive off vampires. In fact, sickles were sometimes buried with suspected vampires to decapitate them in their graves when they tried to sit up.<br />
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The folklore fight against the undead wasn’t just about destroying suspected monsters. It was about keeping death at bay so that the living could enjoy life and live their lives to the fullest, with death coming only in advanced age and the soul moving on into the afterlife. Vampires were a perversion of this process, spreading death as by a plague to destroy humanity before it could grow and prosper, with victims barred from eternal rest and forced to spread the misery. No pleasures of life. No fulfillment. Not a condition we humans would ever envy.<br />
<br />
A Few Bonuses!<br />
<br />
-The BBC Documentary I mentioned a few articles back:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deuE5DI5vOE">Part 1</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6DX4OHn8uw">Part 2</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XLJmnUze6Q">Part 3</a><br />
<br />
-<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smjhea3oDaE">Vincent Price’s Dracula!</a> (You can’t go wrong with a host like this.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDw5Lr_0owqCCsONs8bbgehne8t-pZfYtwT1er7qCrA2Lw2hyphenhyphenC2zUBkJURmXFfoAQ-wGMzEgmQnbGqKFLVn224en8UoeR-gIY_GxNTHVEVA41M-pTP2pCUKPx06C60aRlJqIkkl7IwrgCK/s1600/Pic28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDw5Lr_0owqCCsONs8bbgehne8t-pZfYtwT1er7qCrA2Lw2hyphenhyphenC2zUBkJURmXFfoAQ-wGMzEgmQnbGqKFLVn224en8UoeR-gIY_GxNTHVEVA41M-pTP2pCUKPx06C60aRlJqIkkl7IwrgCK/s1600/Pic28.jpg" /></a></div>-<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPtaH0z_3Aw">The many first meetings of Dracula</a>. (See how the clips compare.)<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-26551029856252807692016-10-21T13:57:00.000-04:002017-01-25T22:13:04.289-05:00Guest Review: Ghostbusters (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfT8-3YChn0TGOE8KB-hUWv1tEnB6mZkgTTUGFy0gsOlK7Q8jZDbinSHr4CjBOXKHGtu2gQhuLtbMhIKNbDaE8yy-pLPLCf0wAHlz_876sKQN0bJ5VhonualejarbZ3xAiL1ZZ2X-EZpLZ/s1600/GB_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfT8-3YChn0TGOE8KB-hUWv1tEnB6mZkgTTUGFy0gsOlK7Q8jZDbinSHr4CjBOXKHGtu2gQhuLtbMhIKNbDaE8yy-pLPLCf0wAHlz_876sKQN0bJ5VhonualejarbZ3xAiL1ZZ2X-EZpLZ/s200/GB_poster.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><b>by ScottDS</b><br />
<br />
[sigh] Okay, here it is. Was it worth all the trouble and the hate and the exabytes of thinkpieces and blog comments? To put it bluntly: NO!! I chuckled a couple times and I laughed out loud once near the end. That’s about it. So let’s take a look at the Biggest Political Football of 2016, aka a movie that was liked by few and disliked by many.<span id="fullpost"><br />
<br />
Please note: there will be spoilers, and a few uncensored curse words. Starting now. The misogynists and the trolls can go fuck themselves. Not just because they suck (they do), but because they make regular geeks like me look bad! Those of us who didn’t like the film deserve better than to be lumped in with these losers.<br />
<br />
And the studio PR people and the filmmakers can go fuck themselves for courting the controversy instead of taking the high road. Those of us who didn’t like the film have legitimate reasons for doing so and deserve better than to be lumped in with the aforementioned losers. Between this and screwing up <i>Spider-Man</i> (twice!), Columbia Pictures deserves whatever happens to it. (Uh, unless that “whatever” is good, in which case it doesn’t.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9hkdQqpuV-hzqmUc9xW7H1lyd1N1pBclC_WLHU2z1rqxlCx_UYzEEMdHSpNkuJTsMKN75BWHj1scFM52bB_C4WiV9HxVU9Hk_CZ2QwuVMpmRfmYtBkSmn7mHgH61lwc73dAKNPNJQANg/s1600/GB1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9hkdQqpuV-hzqmUc9xW7H1lyd1N1pBclC_WLHU2z1rqxlCx_UYzEEMdHSpNkuJTsMKN75BWHj1scFM52bB_C4WiV9HxVU9Hk_CZ2QwuVMpmRfmYtBkSmn7mHgH61lwc73dAKNPNJQANg/s400/GB1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) is up for tenure at Columbia University. Her childhood friend Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) has re-published a book they wrote – and Gilbert disowned – years earlier on the paranormal. Gilbert visits Yates and her eccentric co-worker Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) and the three of them soon find themselves encountering a ghost at an old mansion. Embarrassing footage of the event ends up online, Gilbert is fired, and Yates and Holtzmann are thrown out of their institution as well. They decide to start their own agency: they rent an office above a Chinese restaurant, they hire a moronic assistant (Kevin, played by Chris Hemsworth), and they call themselves Conductors of the Metaphysical Examination. They’re soon joined by MTA worker/amateur historian Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) who has recently encountered a ghost herself.<br />
<br />
The ghosts are being summoned by a… weirdo named Rowan (Neil Casey). He’s been bullied his whole life and wants to see the world end. The climax takes place in and around Times Square. After possessing Kevin, Rowan takes the form of the Ghostbusters’ logo (which is originally seen as graffiti in the subway). The ladies use the nuclear reactor aboard the Ecto-1 to close Rowan’s dimensional portal. A defeated Rowan manages to drag Abby with him but Erin jumps in and comes to the rescue. So all’s well that ends well. The mayor’s office decides to privately support and fund the team even though they have to disdain their work in public to avoid a panic. And I stopped caring an hour ago.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRnOE7p8TCg2ysPjAXiYW461Z4RfH97iMLwrRgMB1TM6vZ0J8_n8i7Pdl21X4_OgNhrttkNX61FAkCgkBnhYrVHqatcDlIiY2b_2Wz4GP0rtv1euGwncZn5McX4kxW__MXu5DuwX5WWBw/s1600/GB2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRnOE7p8TCg2ysPjAXiYW461Z4RfH97iMLwrRgMB1TM6vZ0J8_n8i7Pdl21X4_OgNhrttkNX61FAkCgkBnhYrVHqatcDlIiY2b_2Wz4GP0rtv1euGwncZn5McX4kxW__MXu5DuwX5WWBw/s400/GB2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The movie could’ve been titled something else and the whole thing would’ve been forgotten about. Like most comedies made today, it’s way too bright and sterile, the jokes are either too long or poorly shot or over-explained (or some combination of the three), there’s so much meaningless technobabble that I thought I was watching a bad <i>Trek</i> episode, and the backstory is boring and useless. There’s nothing “New York” about the movie, possibly because most of it was shot in Boston. The whole thing walks a fine line between half-baked homage and full-on parody. I’ll try not to compare it too much to the original but when the filmmakers go out of their way to include references and cameos, well, I guess I can’t help but compare.<br />
<br />
So… the backstory. Who cares? Ray and Egon were interested in the paranormal, Peter was a fraud but Dana gave him a reason to care, and Winston was your average no-nonsense everyman who wanted a paycheck. That’s all we needed to know. And while Bill Murray was great at the whole ironic self-aware thing, he could also play sincere and we believed him. He sold it. Wiig and McCarthy can’t sell it. I’m sorry to say this, especially since Wiig can be a very good actress (see <i>The Skeleton Twins</i> or <i>Welcome to Me</i>). I bought the friendship but I couldn’t buy them as serious scientists nor could I buy them as scared. The whole time I kept asking, “Who gives a shit?!”<br />
<br />
The original is such a unique blend of humor and horror that if a studio exec asked me to remake <i>Ghostbusters</i>, as much as I want to play in that playground, I’d say no. In fact, the former head of Sony Pictures reportedly asked several filmmakers, “Why do all of you keep turning this down?” To them, it was sacred ground. Paul Feig’s opinion was basically, “They’re gonna remake it. It might as well be remade by someone who cares.” But I’m not so sure he did. And since I’m not a fan of his films anyway (his TV work was excellent, though), it’s a moot point.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEqzQEFqkfmILFJ-z8HYyIuOegkxJtj25Rr8QsLlW8o1wDQe_s50qaUQ7dJ-UW6NUz-145_FfOI40V77MWvCrz2ky03-RG7m9MDV3YrER4V4JVw5eQ2gTHavJLNztePc1c3FzZGppdCRO/s1600/GB3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEqzQEFqkfmILFJ-z8HYyIuOegkxJtj25Rr8QsLlW8o1wDQe_s50qaUQ7dJ-UW6NUz-145_FfOI40V77MWvCrz2ky03-RG7m9MDV3YrER4V4JVw5eQ2gTHavJLNztePc1c3FzZGppdCRO/s400/GB3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Anyway, the two better actresses are McKinnon and Jones. Jones comes off very well as your average no-nonsense everywoman. Yes, all the stupid jokes from the trailer are in the movie, but she’s actually convincing when faced with a ghost. And I feel terrible for all the shit she’s been through in the Twitterverse. McKinnon, as mentioned in other reviews, is in her own universe… and I want to live there. The one laugh-out-loud moment I had was one of her lines and she does a better job with the babble, but it’s still mostly useless. I love her look and you know what? This movie would’ve been so much better as a 90-minute buddy comedy with Jones and McKinnon. By the way, I watched the extended cut of this film: the original 1984 film managed to be a hundred times more coherent and entertaining while also being 30 minutes shorter!!<br />
<br />
The rest of the cast is way too over-qualified or doesn’t belong at all. Andy Garcia plays the mayor and his presence proves the idea that dramatic actors are oftentimes better at comedy than comedians. But he’s only in it for five minutes. Charles Dance is Wiig’s superior and he’s way too good for this movie. But this leads me to another problem: nearly everyone has schtick, they’re all going for the punchline… it would be like populating the original’s supporting cast with the likes of Harvey Korman and Dom DeLuise. (Actually, that might be kinda awesome!)<br />
<br />
We see familiar faces like <i>Silicon Valley</i>’s Zach Woods and <i>MADtv</i>’s Michael McDonald (to be fair, <i>Veep</i>’s Matt Walsh got a chuckle out of me) and it made me think of the original where the guys were the only ones allowed to be funny, plus Rick Moranis. Not everyone needs to be “the funny one.” There’s no Dana character to ground this movie – everyone’s a comedian! It gets old and it’s why there’s a lack of authenticity to anything. And once again, I can tell when the actors are improvising because it’s the material that could easily be cut without affecting the rest of the story. Look, I sympathize – I wrote part of a screenplay in high school and ended up with a 200-page first act! But when did filmmakers, especially comedy filmmakers, forget how to edit?!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcd8KVZ5KppdQMjI6mi9CH5xiQemNwUzunQU8NrMKgJnuEtmXtWbmPcym1ESnt_TQTd9DsyvFC99WJi3RHmLUM0uEV6TvVkDEHQreTt9m3qiywdfj0CUlP0LrehP_HNRTQ1K1hPxnbzSj/s1600/GB5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcd8KVZ5KppdQMjI6mi9CH5xiQemNwUzunQU8NrMKgJnuEtmXtWbmPcym1ESnt_TQTd9DsyvFC99WJi3RHmLUM0uEV6TvVkDEHQreTt9m3qiywdfj0CUlP0LrehP_HNRTQ1K1hPxnbzSj/s400/GB5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Rowan the villain is pretty ill-defined. So he wants to watch the world burn. Fine. Go with it. Make him like the Joker… but he was a victim of bullying and he’s into the occult… and that’s really it. The use of “ley lines” was appreciated but I missed the original’s use of real history to tie things together. Not to mention the rules of this world are pretty inconsistent: some ghosts let people pass through them while others are… solid?<br />
<br />
And yes, there are a few anti-male jokes… look, I wasn’t offended BUT it was enough to make me notice, and enough to make my friend give up after 15 minutes. (And my friend is no activist – politically, he’s basically in the “Fuck ‘Em All Party.”) Now was this material added after the controversy? In the script or ad-libbed on set? I don’t know. But I do know you don’t have to make your heroes look good by badmouthing someone else. And in this case, that someone else is me!<br />
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Of course, I don’t have to vent my frustration on Twitter like some assholes. [wink]<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJUtEd0P3DpPBH461phjq9maKqBp6uQzfnDrZIa2coMkaP3CT7WEusTUwvFdt_071bovroSVfH8vkpWPLIUJdMQCd8RFoxepUkzMAKFwzJTx4DYf9naRh2KmuPrZTYVhufKVeFfhyEcE5/s1600/GB4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJUtEd0P3DpPBH461phjq9maKqBp6uQzfnDrZIa2coMkaP3CT7WEusTUwvFdt_071bovroSVfH8vkpWPLIUJdMQCd8RFoxepUkzMAKFwzJTx4DYf9naRh2KmuPrZTYVhufKVeFfhyEcE5/s400/GB4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And finally, the cameos. A bored Bill Murray shows up as a skeptic and is done after one scene. Dan Aykroyd is a cab driver who gets an iconic tagline, but it’s more sad than anything else. Ernie Hudson (ageless!) shows up at the end as Jones’ uncle. Annie Potts is a hotel clerk who gets to reprise one of her iconic lines. Sigourney Weaver shows up as Holtzmannn’s mentor and it’s worth it just for her bizarro look, but her dialogue is awful. And Harold Ramis appears as a bust sitting on a shelf. Speaking of Murray, we see a clip of a <i>Ghost Hunters</i>-type show at the beginning and you think it might pay off later. Nope. In the trailer, we see Times Square revert to its gritty 1970s form. Does this pay off? Nope! And Rowan asks the Ghostbusters to choose a form for him, à la Gozer in the original. Except there’s no motivation for it at all.<br />
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This is where I get off. I know I can’t convince you of anything and I didn’t like it enough to even give it a half-assed recommendation like I did with <i>Battleship</i> a few years ago! Better to put this all behind us. They most likely won’t make a sequel but if they do, they could use Max Landis’ <a href="http://www.maxlandiswrites.com/ghostbusters-iii">treatment</a> which involves a multi-gendered team (real equality!) and other Ghostbusters franchises from across the country. Better yet, they could hire Leslye Headland to write and direct the film. She did an indie comedy I like titled <a href="http://youtu.be/LIRe-sAoY7E"><i>Bachelorette</i></a> (better than <i>Bridesmaids</i> imho) and she can write and direct a good joke! Is that too much to ask of a comedy?<br />
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P.S. The film’s most egregious sin? Thanks to a product placement deal, the ladies eat Papa John’s pizza. In New York City!<br />
</span> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://commentaramafilms.blogspot.com/">Commentarama On Films</a></div>AndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com19