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| Packmule's Picks; Some reviews and revisits of my favorite films | |
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| Topic Started: Mar 23 2008, 05:59 PM (629 Views) | |
| packmule | Jun 1 2009, 08:40 PM Post #16 |
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Bad Vibes: From Beyond(1986) - Revisited Actor Jeffrey Combs became something of an iconic figure with his performance as "Dr. Herbert West" in the 1985 horror movie Re-Animator, this movie helmed by Stuart Gordon and a wild, zany affair replete with over the top violence, gore, lots of blood, deadpan one liners and terrific makeup effects. In 2003 Combs reprised the role in Beyond Re-Animator. While I like Combs in these films, based on an H.P. Lovecraft story, there's another horror movie, also based on an H.P.Lovecraft tale, that puts the skills of this actor on display: From Beyond, also directed by Stuart Gordon and starring Jeffrey Combs, Ted Sorel, Barbara Crampton and Ken Foree. The film's story: genius physicist Dr. Edward Pretorius(played by Ted Sorel), has built a machine to stimulate the pineal gland, believing that this bodily organ, when aroused, develops into an extra "sense". His loyal assistant, Dr. Crawford Tillingast(played by Jeffrey Combs), turns on the powerful device, called "The Resonator". The machine, turns out, does work. Tillingast, alarmed by the machine's effects on him, wants to turn it off. Not so for Dr. Pretorius. The "Resonator" generates a glowing magnetic field...and apparently something else: another dimension, filled with levitating, ravenous airborne worm like creatures and another worm like creature that dines on Dr. Pretorius' head, killing the physicist. Tillingast, understandably horrified at his mentor's death, flees the house and is arrested and promptly locked up for the murder of his employer and mentor, Pretorius. A beautiful psychiatrist comes along(played by Barbara Crampton), interviews Tillingast, believes his story and description of Pretorius' ultimate fate, and takes Tillingast back to the house and it's attic lab to turn the machine back on. A cop(played by Ken Foree) accompanies the two back to Dr. Pretorius' house and hangs around, much to his chagrin, for the shenanigans that follow. Predictably, the machine is turned back on and we see Dr. Pretorius now incarnate as this other dimension worm like monster, able to shape shift and displaying a decidedly sadistic streak in addition to its appetite for human heads. After a second round of horror at the house, Tillingast, now bald from nearly being devoured by the worm-Pretorius thing, is hospitalized and rapidly transforms into a potato headed looking freak, his ghoulish appearance aided by the pineal gland that now appears, snake like from his forehead. Both the psychiatrist and Tillingast go back to the house of horrors one last time for a final showdown with the monstrosity that was Dr. Pretorius. Observations: The makeup effects are stellar. The animatronic effects are serviceable. Clearly the person, or persons, tasked with designing the Pretorius-creature had a vivid imagination. I would suggest anyone who needs to periodically make themselves vomit with a finger down their throat simply watch certain sequences of this movie instead. I'm certain the bile will develop considerably more quickly watching select scenes from From Beyond, in particular one stomach turning sequence during Tillngast's second stay at the hospital when, wandering about, and apparently not satisfied with the hospital's food, Tillingast opted to incorporate human brain matter into his diet. Jeffrey Combs is IMO terrific as the sympathetic and victimized scientist. Barbara Crampton is solid and her "dominatrix" scene is memorable, well, it would be for any straight males, I would think. Ken Foree is, well Ken Foree, a big, rangy man who talks and shoots straight. The "Resonator" machine effects are not spectacular but contain just enough lights and menacing noises to ensure that the viewer gets the impression nothing good can possibly come from having this thing turned on. MGM released From Beyond(1986) as an unrated "Director's Cut" DVD back in September, 2007 and it's the definitive DVD release of this movie, stocked with many extras. This DVD presents the movie in it's original widescreen aspect ratio of 1:85.1. From Beyond(1986) is one of my favorite '80s horror movies: it both sickens and fascinates at the same time, not an altogether easy thing to do, back then...and now. The film's trailer: The "Unrated Director's Cut" DVD for sale at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Unrated-Directors-Cut/dp/B000RPCK2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1243900380&sr=1-1 |
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| packmule | Jun 22 2009, 03:51 AM Post #17 |
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Objects In Motion: Gorath(1962) - Revisited "End of the world" science fictions films are nothing new to Hollywood. A commonly used scenario in these movies has our planet placed in great peril by another celestial object that is on a collision course with Earth. The earliest entry in this kind of storyline is 1953's When Worlds Collide. More recent films that embrace this plot device include Meteor(1979), Deep Impact(1998) and Armageddon(1998). Among Toho's various science fiction films is a movie that also explores this particular "end of the world" motif: Gorath, produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, directed by Inoshiro Honda and originally released to theaters in Japan back in March, 1962. The film's story: a spaceship, the "JX-1", is destroyed by a runaway star's tremendous gravitational pull. Before the rocket is destroyed it's valiant and determined crew send back data to Earth on this rogue star, subsequently named "Gorath" by scientists. The data helps scientists quickly determine that Gorath, two thirds the size of Earth but with 6000 times greater mass(weight), is on a collision course with our planet. This news, predictably, causes great anxiety among the scientific community and world populace. A possible solution is presented to the United Nations by a group of scientists to save Earth from annihilation: move the planet out of Gorath's projected path with gigantic and super powerful atomic "jets" installed below the ground at the south pole, these jets providing enough propulsion power to move the entire planet out of Gorath's way! The proposed method for saving the Earth is approved and a massive construction project begins in Antarctica, while Gorath continues to move closer to Earth...(no other spoilers) Observations - Thumbs up: 1. the special effects overall, which are solid. The outer space sequences are quite good. The miniature effects in this film are IMO outstanding and arguably the best miniature work of any Toho film not named "Mothra". 2. the score, by Kan Ishii: very urgent, very deliberate, sometimes a bit conservative but heavy on the strings and horns and a score appropriate for the theme of the film. 3. the "bath tub" scene with "Takiko Nomura", who is played by the lovely Kumo Mizuno. For a moment we get a shot of Kumi Mizuno washing her leg in a bathtub... for fans of this beautiful actress this scene is indelible and virtually impossible to forget  4. the presence of so many familiar faces in this movie. Gorath abounds with a galaxy of Toho actors/actresses that we have become accustomed to seeing in other Toho movies: Kenji Sahara, Akira Kubo, Jun Takazi, Takashi Shimura, Kumi Mizuno, and Akihiko Hirata 5. comic relief, of sorts, provided by JX-2 rocket crewman "Hanai", played by Akira Kubo: his efforts to woo "Takiko Nomura" are somewhat bumbling, but he is persistent. Given the particular person who is the object of his advances, I can't say I blame him for keeping at it.  6. Magma, the giant walrus kaiju that appears in the movie. I can't say that the sequence involving this creature makes much difference in the film's storyline but I did like the rendering of the monster and the audio effects of it's roar. The creature is ably suited by Haruo Nakajima.  7. "Captain Raizo Sonoda", the CO of the JX-1 rocket, played by Jun Takazi: despite his and his crew's impending death by collision with "Gorath" he showed great leadership and bravery, demanding that his crew continue to do their jobs, right up until the end. Thumbs down: 1. JX-2 crewman Hanai's "amnesia" problem: I wasn't too enamored with this part of the film's storyline. This movie was released to American theaters in 1964 by Brenco Pictures and without the sequences of the monster "Magma". The movie has appeared on TV(in the 1960's and 1970's) and there are some copies of the Americanized version on the market at eBay and Amazon. I own the Region 2 DVD, the original Toho title "Yosei Gorasu", as well as an English subbed DVD-R of the movie in it's original 2:35.1 widescreen aspect ratio. The original Toho release has never been released on official Region 1 DVD. The trailer for the original Toho film: The Region 2 DVD of Gorath, for sale at CDJapan: http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=TDV-2769D |
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| packmule | Aug 18 2009, 04:06 PM Post #18 |
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White Out: Snowbeast(1977) - Revisited I've always been fascinated by the phenomena of these creatures and many of the movies about them creeped me out as a kid. One such feature is 1977's Snowbeast, a made for TV movie that originally aired on NBC. I remember, as a 15 year old, talking my mom into letting me watch it. She hated all horror and monster movies. For some reason I still can't remember, I got to watch this movie, and on a school night no less. The film's story: the mysterious and gory deaths of skiers at a Colorado ski resort prompt the resort manager and his friend, along with the local police chief, to investigate the cause. They definitely don't like what they discover: a hulking and menacing Yeti like creature is roaming the areas around the resort. One night the creature wanders down into the resort community, its appearance creating terror and chaos. In the end the movie's principal characters enter the creature's domain and hunt it down, the movie's climax a face off between the hostile monster and our protagonists. (no other spoilers) One of the things I like most about Snowbeast, which is really just a basic monster movie at heart, is that the monster's appearance isn't revealed too soon in this feature. This allows for an ample amount of suspense to build about the monster, especially what it looks like. The roar of the creature is instead what we get early and often and it's effective. The creature's roar is loud and has an almost dinosaur like quality about it. Those characters in this movie who hear it are understandably spooked. There is little in the way of gore in this film. rather, the monster's carnage is strongly implied in many sequences and done fairly effectively. The overall appearance of the monster, after it's finally revealed, is what I expected and while I wasn't blown away I wasn't disappointed either. The creature's origins aren't really explained at all and are touched on only briefly by the various cast members of this movie. In other films I might be annoyed by this but not so in Snowbeast. The cast includes Bo Svenson, Yvette Mimieux and Clint Walker. The movie is available on various Region 1 multi-movie DVD sets and also as at least one "stand alone" title disc. Click the linkt to see a DVD of this feature for sale at Oldies.com or copy and paste this URL into your browser's address bar: http://www.oldies.com/product-view/0916FD.html A promo trailer for a DVD of Snowbeast(1977): |
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| packmule | Aug 29 2009, 11:13 AM Post #19 |
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Gang Green: The Green Slime(1968) - Revisited Producers: Walter Manley, Ivan Reiner Theatrical distributor: MGM(U.S.), Toei(Japan) Japanese title: Gamma 3: Operation Outer Space Run time(U.S. version): 90 minutes - (Japanese version): 77 minutes Aspect Ratio: 2:35.1 widescreen Japan theatrical release date: 12/19/1968 U.S. theatrical release date: 5/21/1969 Director: Kinji Fukasaku(1930-2003) Media releases: Region 2 DVD(Toei-Japanese language only/2:35.1 widescreen), VHS(MGM/UA Video) Primary cast: Robert Horton ......................... "CDR Jack Rankin" Richard Jaeckel......................."CDR Vince Elliot" Luciana Paluzzi........................"Dr. Lisa Benson" Robert Dunham......................."Captain Martin" Ted Gunther............................."Hans Halvorsen" Bud Widom..............................."General Jonathan Thompson" Linda Miller................................(nurse) There are obviously many sci-fi and horror movies that are, from a critical standpoint, poorly received because they're, well, not very well made. The Green Slime would no doubt be categorized as a bad film. Find a review of this movie on the internet and chances are the reviewer is lampooning the film. Maybe it's in my genes or maybe my periodic sympathetic nature is what draws me to campy, less than serious, and often outrageous movies in the science fiction and horror genres. It will be, as I get older, something to continue to ponder. In the meantime, there's The Green Slime, a film I watched yesterday after getting rained out from work. I watched the Region 2 DVD: it was the first Region 2 disc I bought after buying a Yamakawa multi-region DVD player four years ago. I bought this disc from Yesasia and paid nearly $60 for a film that's in Japanese audio only and with no English subtitles, and all to watch this movie in it's original 2:35.1 widescreen aspect ratio. I suppose this purchase would qualify me as a sci fi "fanboy'. Maybe it' was just temporary insanity. I watched my DVD-R of the American version(in English dubbed language) immediately after viewing the Region 2 DVD. My comments will be mostly about the American version. The film's story: a giant asteroid is on a collision course with Earth. This revelation understandably triggers a great deal of anxiety and panic. To deal with this threat to our planet a team of astronauts, lead by "go to" guy Commander Jack Rankin(Robert Horton) are dispatched to a nearby space station, the "Gamma 3", from which they'll transit to the asteroid, land on it and install a huge nuclear bomb to blow it up. The commanding officer of the space station is Commander Vince Elliot(Richard Jaeckel), a friend of Jack Rankin's and also the fiance of Rankin's former girlfriend, the Gamma 3's medical officer, Dr. Lisa Benson(Luciana Paluzzi). There's an immediate and palpable tension between Rankin, Elliot and the beautiful Dr. Benson. Amidst the simmering rivalry of this trio the mission to the asteroid is a success. The object is blasted into dust. The problem: a member of the team sent to the asteroid inadvertently brings back a green, gooey substance aboard the space station. In time the substance grows into a tentacled, hostile, one eyed monster that discharges lethal electric shocks. The monster multiplies, to the chagrin of the station members. Soon Gamma 3 is overrun by the tentacled monsters, the station members engaging the monsters in a chaotic fight for survival...(no other spoilers) Observations, some good and some not so good - Thumbs up: 1. Director Kinji Fukasaku, known mostly for his gangster films, manages to create a fairly well paced, action packed story. 2. The audio effects of the one-eyed, tentacled creatures: the sound made by these hostile monsters is original and not copied from anything else as far as I can tell. 3. Some of the miniature effects are quite good. 4. Luciana Paluzzi, who looks, as always, absolutely gorgeous. Thumbs down: 1. The effects shots of the asteroid(from a distance) left a great deal to be desired. 2. the "thumbs up" hand gesture by CDR Jack Rankin to his boss General Thompson: it struck me as very tacky. 3. the entire Rankin-Elliot-Benson love "triangle": at the end of the day I could still do without this sub plot in the American version(it's absent in the Japanese version, which is 13 minutes shorter) The trailer for The Green Slime(1968): The MGM/UA Video VHS tape of the American version for sale at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Green-Slime-VHS-Robert-Horton/dp/6302181755 The Region 2 DVD for sale at Yesasia: http://www.yesasia.com/us/the-green-slime-japan-version/1003607292-0-0-0-en/info.html The entire movie(the American version) can be watched as a streaming video by clicking this link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6706178308693392486&ei=LzqZSqKNNJTiqgKak9ynDQ&q=The+Green+Slime&hl=en&client=firefox-a |
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| packmule | Sep 18 2009, 10:33 PM Post #20 |
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In Through The Out Door: The Funhouse(1981) Tobe Hooper has long been one of my favorite horror movie directors. He endeared himself to me with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre(1974) and then later Poltergeist(1982). In between these two horror classics Hooper also directed another horror film that I believe has ably stood the test of time. It lacks the shockingly depraved characters of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and the overall stand out special effects of "Poltergeist" but this movie still manages to hold its own quite well. I'm referring to The Funhouse, produced by Derek Power & Steven Bernhardt and directed by Tobe Hooper, the movie originally released to theaters in March of 1981. The film's story: four young people(two males and two females) pay a visit to a local carnival, taking in all the entertaining and often bizarre acts and shows. The two couples, after smoking some weed behind one of the carnival tents, decide to enter "The Funhouse", one of the carnival's exhibits, and spend the night in the structure. The idea of spending the night inside the "Funhouse" seems innocent enough. The problem: there's a real monster inside the exhibit, a masked fellow who is kept of out sight most of the time by his father. After the two couples witness the monster murder another carnival performer in a fit of rage and are subsequently detected by the creature's father, the abomination begins to stalk the four young people inside the "Funhouse". Predictably, the monster, a truly grotesque, white haired humanoid in serious need of some cosmetic dentistry(and surgery), kills the members of the group until only one, a lone female, is left. The climax of the film is basically this young lady, "Amy" in a fight for survival against the monster. (no other spoilers) Observations: the sets of the film are terrific. An actual carnival was literally moved to the shooting location of the film(in north Miami, Fl). The carnival is a visual bonanza of motley and often bizarre characters, as well as a disturbing image of what appears to be a severely disfigured fetus preserved in a large glass container. The "Funhouse" itself comes alive for our group of protagonists and the viewer of this movie: the facility, courtesy of some extensive animatronics, features skeletons, other monsters and a variety of loud audio effects including monster growls, roars and more human like shrieks and screams. This animated structure ably serves as a creepy backdrop for the struggles of the pair of young couples as they try to escape while being stalked by the monster. The monster is played by Wayne Doba, who was employed as a professional mime when approached by the film's producer about being in "The Funhouse". The monster make up effects are courtesy of Rick Baker, who has gone on to become one of Hollywood's legendary makeup artists. Doba does a good job of adding a sympathetic element to the monster through his variety of body postures and hand movements. The sounds made by the monster range from banshee like shrieks to pig like snorts and overall are consistent with the creature's horrendous appearance. The abomination in The Funhouse reminds me a great deal of the Frankenstein monster: it's a hideous creature to be feared but also a monster that I feel some sympathy for as well as it's spend the vast majority of its life hidden away from society, and totally dependent on a single person, in this case its father(played by veteran actor Kevin Conway). I haven't seen The Funhouse on television for as long as I can remember. I'd sure like to see this film make the rounds at AMC or on "SyFy" but that might be wishful thinking, especially regarding AMC, whose horror movie programming and its film lineup for "Fearfest"(formerly called "Monsterfest") in late October has become very predictable and redundant. The DVD of The Funhouse(1981) is available on Region 1 DVD, the releases presenting this movie in its original 2:35.1 widescreen aspect ratio. To see the DVD of this movie for sale at Amazon click the DVD covert image above. Here's the Region 1 DVD of this film for sale at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Funhouse-Elizabeth-Berridge/dp/B00023P4SS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253321481&sr=1-1 The trailer: |
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| packmule | Oct 24 2009, 11:26 AM Post #21 |
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They Might Be Giants - The Lost World(1960) - Revisited I started this topic thread because I wanted to promote sci-fi and/or horror films that are universally slammed or otherwise deemed mediocre but that I find fun to watch and a fairly entertaining escape from reality. Few movies do that for me better than The Lost World, which originally opened in theaters back in 1960, written and directed by Irwin Allen. Irwin Allen was, for lack of better words, "the man" when it came to sci-fi adventure on TV in the 1960's, producing the ABC TV 60's TV series Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea, Lost In Space, The Time Tunnel and Land Of The Giants. Allen would also direct the sci fi film Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea(1961) and later produce/co-direct the spectacular disaster films The Towering Inferno(1974) and The Poseidon Adventure(1972), both films featuring impressive special effects and star studded casts of "name" actors. The first of Irwin Allen's directorial efforts is The Lost World, a movie based on the book of the same name written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle's book first came to cinema in 1925 with the silent film The Lost World, which featured then state of the art special effects used to render the movements of the dinosaurs. Thirty five years later Doyle's book would come to life on the big screen again. The film's story:: professor George Challenger returns to England from an expedition to South America with big news: he's seen dinosaurs roaming on and around a towering plateau in a remote area of the Amazon river. Challenger's colleagues, and the media, are understandably skeptical of the fiery, bearded professor's claims. In reply to his skeptics Challenger proposes that another expedition be assembled for the purpose of studying the area. With the financing of the expedition secured, Challenger and a group that includes his academic rival, an adventurer, a reporter and the daughter of the media mogul who financed the expedition, embark to South America. Arriving in the humid, tropical Amazon basin it isn't long before Challenger and the group encounter the local animal population which includes, you guessed it, large and hungry dinosaurs. The remainder of the film chronicles the groups' struggle as they try to deal with the dinos and a group of hostile cannibals all while trying to find a way out of the remote and dangerous region. (no other spoilers) Observations, both positive and negative - Thumbs up: 1. the cast, all of who play off each other quite well. The differing personalities and pet peeves of the cast often provide for some humorous moments, including: -Professor Challenger(Claude Rains) clobbering reporter Ed Malone(David Hedison) upside the head with his umbrella as the professor tried to make his way from the airplane to the airport terminal -  -the fight between the adventurer Lord John Roxton(Michael Rennie) and reporter Ed Malone(David Hedison) 2. the sense of spectacle in the movie 3. the audio of the dinos is solid and the huge creatures roar often and with great effect 4. Jill St John, who looked gorgeous in this film as "Jennifer Holmes" and came off as a diva, albeit a likable diva - Thumbs down: 1. the special effects used to render the two primary reptilian dinos. It's fairly obvious that two large lizards were fitted with props(resembling back dorsals) and it looked absurd. 2. the effects used to render the giant spider. It appeared to be matte shots and not very good ones. The film used to make the rounds on AMC(American Movie Classics). It was released to quality Region 1 DVD not too long ago, presented in its 2:35.1 widescreen aspect ratio, the DVD also including some extras and the 1925 film as an added bonus. No one will ever mistake The Lost World(1960) for being an Oscar worthy science fiction film but if you're looking for a way to be entertained for ninety minutes, about once a year, then I would recommend that sci-fi film fans buy the DVD of this movie. The film's trailer: To see The Lost World(1960) special edition DVD for sale at Amazon click the link: http://www.amazon.com/Lost-World-Special-1960-versions/dp/B000SAGGL4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1256395276&sr=1-1 Bonus -click the link to watch a streaming video, at Google, of The Lost World(1925): http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-919112558735308840&ei=ThHjSrK6J5LiqgKOxfUd&q=The+Lost+World%281925%29&hl=en&client=firefox-a# One of Packmule's favorite hotties from the 60's(and 70's), and a star of The Lost World(1960), Jill St. John:  |
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9:22 AM Nov 8
