Yeah, the couch scene got a big laugh last night.
It was also about 90% full, so drew a decent crowd.
It was also about 90% full, so drew a decent crowd.
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Barbarian
Solid film, not really a horror as it reveals its hand about half way through and then expands the story with more explaination etc to fill out its run time.Comment
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For some reason I'd never properly watched Mad Max ... until the other night. It wasn't quite as I was expecting and actually better for it. I thought it was going to be full-on revenge from the get-go but it's not at all. That's like the final act. Instead it takes its time, allowing the world to breathe, and what a strange world it is too. Not a lot of in-yer-face violence but there's plenty that's implied and it's pretty dark (it's deffo got the feels of a classic 70s exploitation film). When I think of Mad Max I default to the world of the second film, which I'll be watching for the first time in ages very soon. That's a world off in the distant future, the first film is very much near future. Really enjoyed it.Comment
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I watched Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins aka Remo: Unarmed and Dangerous.
This was an interesting watch, but the backstory is probably just as interesting. I remember seeing this as a kid and loving it.
Basically a cop (Fred Ward) is rescued from drowning by a shadowy group that operates above the law give him a new face and name and a talking car. He is then told to assassinate a target, but it turns out the target is a martial arts master that is able to dodge bullets and is actually to start training Remo.
You then get a series of training scenes where we see Remo learn to poke a finger through glass, run on sand without sinking, walk on a high-wire and also dodge bullets. All of these seemingly pointless skills are uniquely used later on in the film.
It's a very silly film based on some pulp novels, but there's no denying Ward's charm and the playful relationship between him and his master, Chiun, and some fun action sequences, especially the fight at the Statue of Liberty.
This was supposed to be the first film in a series, with a "blue-collar James Bond". Ward was cast as an everyman thrown into the world of espionage. They hired Guy Hamilton to direct ("Goldfinger", "Live and Let Die" etc.) and was screenwritten by Christopher Wood ("Moonraker", "The Spy who Loved Me"). However, it didn't do well critically or financially and this was the only film in the series.
The plot is pretty bobbins and it's not made clear who Remo's handlers, CURE, are. It looks like it's just 3 of them, including Wilfred Brimley ("The Thing", "Cocoon"). There's a weird scene where they all say they need to commit suicide if they get caught and Brimley's character calls Chiun his "slanty-eyed friend", which seems to come from nowhere as they've never interacted on-screen or got any beef.
Which leads neatly onto the subject of Chiun. As a kid I was totally unaware that he was played by a white guy wearing make-up! Joel Grey spent hours in the makeup chair to be transformed into an elderly Korean man. The make-up was even Oscar-nominated, losing out to "Mask". There's an interview with the make-up effects artist, but nobody really mentions how it's now not acceptable. Grey was a dancer and brought that light-footedness to the role and can see why he was hired, but it's really from another age where this was OK.
I got the Arrow BR, which has a nice crisp print and a bunch of extras and a commentary track that I'd like to hear at some point, but Woovember is demanding more films to be watched!
The Statue of Liberty sequence was filmed on-location during its renovation, so had scaffolding on it, and a life-size model was built in Mexico for the scenes on the actual statue. It's always reminded me of MD Shadow Dancer, but that's a pretty niche reference that only you lot would get!
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The Thing
The 2011 prequel. It's not as good but it's serviceable. Part of the issue is CG, the other part of the issue is knowing the outcome in advance and how it leans more toward pacey action than slow burn suspense. But given there's only so much you can do in retelling the same scenario it's alright enough an extra to the Carpenter entry.Comment
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Hellraiser
The new one. To be honest, it was deeply average and yet probably the best entry I've seen mostly because it condensed all the ideas into a simple contained film. It ultimately couldn't overcome the core issue of Hellraiser - that it's just not scary in the slightest, more like being Saw without the intention to have brains behind it.Comment
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Death Wish 4
Most Dangerous Game
Game of Death 2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
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Nemesis (1992 via Prime).
One of those early 90s films that I saw in the video store, but never watched.
The ambition exceeds the budget with some impressive shootouts and special effects.
Cyborgs had bits blown off awl o'er and there's always some circuitry on show.
Plot is a bit floaty and wasn't 100% sure on what was going on, but it was fun getting there as our hero is chased by cyborg terrorists, who are invariably are gorgeous women or wide guys with wraparound shades.
I quite like Amazon Prime for having a load of those 80s/90s films you'd see as a kid at the video rental place but were too young to rent. There's a reason most of them are forgotten, but I love finding those obscure gems that deserve a look.
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Watched Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior at the weekend. Again, the road stuff is really just the climax. But the build-up is great. The world doesn't feel quite as grim as in the first film. Partly due to the more theatrical costumes and stuff ... partly due to the awesomeness of the Gyro Captain. Great fun all the way. Thunderdome next.
I also had a re-watch of 12 Monkeys. It hold up pretty well thanks so some great writing but Brad Pitt's ott performance doesn't do it any favours at times. Still, those moments when the now segues with the past and the future are brilliant. As is the Vertigo moment between Cole and Kathryn.Comment
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That's an interesting observation. MM1 always feels like it's happening in the very near future, creeping ever closer each time the price at the pumps go up or we have panic-buying that ironically makes it run out.Originally posted by Atticus View Post
MM2 always feels like it's the same world, but there's no way back.
I didn't think anything could top the finale of MM2, then Fury Road smashed into cinemas!
I want to like Thunderdome, but I can't get on with it.Comment
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Yeah, I suppose the world of MM1 is a bit more relatable. Whereas MM2 has fully embraced the festival-like aesthetic that has become the trademark look. I remember going to see Thunderdome with a mate when it first came out. I remember very little of it. Not expecting much from it
At least I know the final part kicks ass (going to watch the B&C ver of Fury Road to close the series).
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Has anyone else been listening to The Video Archives Podcast?
It's Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avery digging through the VHS collection of the video rental shop they used to work at together, watching the tapes, and discussing the films. I've listened to a couple so far and they've been a lot of fun.
Last night I listened to the first part of their two parter on American giallo, where they discussed Dressed to Kill. It reminded me what an absolutely brilliant film that is, so I ended up sticking it on last night for a late night viewing.
I love everything about this film. It's incredibly stylish and just fun to watch. I think there are two things that really stand out to me on this viewing though. One is the film's leanness. Every scene is packed with rising tension and conflict. It has this incredible flow where you're always building to a climax, then falling a little back to equilibrium, then building upwards again immediately.
Secondly I love the character of the cynical, cigar chomping cop, Marino. He doesn't have that many scenes but he has some lines which genuinely make me laugh out loud. Just awesome. In fact I really like the characters in general. One of the things Tarantino and Avery highlight, which I agree with, is how much they enjoy the relationship between Nancy Allen and Keith Gordon's characters, as the hooker with a heart of gold and the nerdy whizz kid. It's really cool how they team up together, they're a great pairing.
This film is one that's always knocking around in the back of my mind. When I was in my teens there was a good amount of stuff I saw serendipitously because it was shown late night on TV, and I would watch it in my bedroom having no real idea what it was. That's how I saw Dressed to Kill for the first time, and it blew me away as a kid. It was very unlike anything else I had probably ever watched, and the final reveal will always be stuck in my head. It really surprised me at the time. Love it.Comment
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Yeah, I've listened to a couple of eps. I thought they were going to gush about Michael Mann's The Keep but they were pretty scathingOriginally posted by wakka View Post
Yeah, Dressed to Kill is a great film. Sometimes it feels like Brian De Palma is the only filmmaker who remembers not to be boring. Every moment is engaging and fun. I haven't seen it for a couple of years and you've just put me right in the mood.Comment
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I haven't listened to The Keep one yet! Honestly they're probably on the mark with that one
They're clearly incredibly knowledgeable about films but they're not amazing broadcasters. Which makes sense as it's a new thing for them and they've only been doing it a few months. Also Tarantino's voice can get annoying. But generally, I'm enjoying it. I like their selections a lot.Comment
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Insidious: Chapter 3
Being a prequel set a couple of years before the first film, this one works better than it has any right to. There's just enough creep to it and it sits alongside the other two well enough whilst expanding on the mythology a little.
Insidious: Chapter 4 - The Last Key
Pointless and in the end meaningless subtitle aside, this film sits between Chapter 3 and Chapter 1 and it's fine as something franchise followers can watch to expand on the mythology but as a horror film it's the weakest entry thanks to an over focus on the returning characters that are plot armored.Comment
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