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Coventry
Main Entry: exclusion
Definition: expulsion; forbiddance
Synonyms: ban, bar, blackball, blockade, boycott, cut, debarment, debarring, discharge, dismissal, ejection, elimination, embargo, eviction, exception, excommunication, interdict, interdicting, interdiction, keeping out, lockout, nonadmission, occlusion, omission, ostracism, ousting, preclusion, prevention, prohibition, proscription, refusal, rejection, relegation, removal, repudiation, segregation, separation, suspension, veto
Antonyms: acceptance, addition, admittance, allowance, inclusion, incorporation, welcome
send to Coventry, to refuse to associate with; openly and pointedly ignore: His friends sent him to Coventry after he was court-martialed.
People from the music industry that I respect, idolize or just simply appreciate: Ennio Morricone, Amy McDonald, Daan, David Bowie, Therion, Pink Floyd, Leonard Cohen, Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Joy Division, Bobby Darin, the Everly Brothers, Bobby Vinton, Gene Pitney, Herman's Hermits, The Hollies, The Animals, The Byrds, Donovan, Vargoth, Drudkh, Behemoth, Triggerfinger, Falkenbach, Finntroll, Einherjer, The Smiths, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, BB King, Ministry, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rufus Wainwright, The Allman Brothers Band, Johnny Cash, Paul Simon, Raymond Lefèvre, Children of Bodom, Volbeat, Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Anathema, Velvet Underground, Norah Jones, Fatboy Slim, Moloko, Angelo Badalmenti, Sarah Brightman, Lady Antebellum, Enigma, Muse, Army of Lovers, Chris Isaak, Lesley Gore, Kasabian, Pearl Jam, dEUS, Mumford & Sons, The Subs, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Cuff the Duke, Pulp, Oscar and the Wolf,
People from the movie industry that I respect, idolize or just simply appreciate: John Saxon, Mario Bava, Joe D'Amato, George Eastman, Darren Lynn Bousman, Boris Karloff, Enzo G. Castellari, Bo Svenson, Fred Williamson, Antonio Margheriti, Klaus Kinski, Lloyd Kaufman, James Gunn, Rob Zombie, Sid Haig, Matthew McGrory, Karen Black, Dennis Fimple, Irwin Keyes, Tom Towles, Bill Moseley, Wolfgang Petersen, Nicol Williamson, Fairuza Balk, Piper Laurie, Philippe Mora, Tom Holland, Ronny Cox, Lucio Fulci, Christopher George, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Catriona MacColl, Fabio Frizzi, Nicolas Cage, Todd Farmer, Tom Atkins, Paul Verhoeven, Kurtwood Smith, Miguel Ferrer, Ray Wise, Stuart Gordon, H.P. Lovecraft, Jeffrey Combs, David Gale, Barbara Crampton, Fernando Di Leo, Joe Dallesandro, Terence Fisher, Anton Diffring, Hazel Court, Christopher Lee, Robert Stevenson, William Girdler, Rebecca De Mornay, Mako, Ti West, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, David Carradine, Roger Corman, Adrian Hoven, Monte Hellman, Warren Oates, Harry Dean Stanton, Steve Railsback, Ed Begley Jr., Peter Fonda, Nathan Juran, Lionel Jeffries, James Glickenhaus, Ken Wahl, Joaquim de Almeida, Sam Peckinpah, William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Ben Johnson, Edmond O'Brien, Kurt Raab, Helene Cattet & Bruno Forzani, Karl Freund, Peter Lorre, Colin Clive, William Lustig, Joe Spinell, Caroline Munro, Tom Savini, Charles B. Pierce, Robert Wise, Fred Dekker, Fritz Lang, David Hemmings, Michael Ironside, Jan-Michael Vincent, Bette Davis, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Victor Buono, George Kennedy, Charles Bronson, Richard Fleischer, Elmore Leonard, Paul Koslo, Michael Winner, Brian Garfield, Lee Marvin, J. Lee Thompson, Riz Ortolani, Yul Brunner, Eli Wallach, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn, Steve McQueen, Michael Crichton, James Brolin, Mel Brooks, arry Cohen, Michael Moriarty, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Robin Hardy, Edward Woodward, Britt Ekland, Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, Michael Gough, Herbert Lom, Udo Kier, Michael Reeves, Vincent Price, Ian Ogilvy, Dick Maas, Henri-Georges Clouzot, Paul Naschy, Paul Morrissey, Truman Capote, Peter Falk, Alec Guinness, David Niven, Elsa Lanchester, Peter Sellers, Gene Wilder, Patrick McGoohan, Herb Freed, Richard Kiel, John Landis, Tim Curry, Simon Pegg, Jenny Agutter, Frank Oz, Dario Argento, Quentin Tarantino, Everett De Roche, Stacy Keach, Russell Mulcahy, Brian Trenchard-Smith, Donald Pleasence, George Peppard, Simon Wincer, Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, Gary Sherman, Faith Domergue, Alexandre Aja, Ving Rhames, Christopher Lloyd, Eli Roth, Ishirô Honda, Greydon Clark, Cybill Shepherd, Neville Brand, Vincent Schiavelli, Martin Landau, Jack Palance, Alan Rudolph, Jonathan Demme, Pam Grier, Mark L. Lester, Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Kilpatrick, Don Dohler, Everett McGill, Corey Haim, Gary Busey, Jake Busey, Charlton Heston, Lorne Greene, Walter Matthau, Peter Bogdanovich, Woody Allen, John Milius, Franco Nero, Crispin Glover, Dennis Hopper, Dick Miller, Barbara Steele, Armando Crispino, Sergio Grieco, Helmut Berger, Lee Van Cleef, Robert Forster, John Huston, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., George Miller, Mel Gibson, Robert Rodriguez, George Hilton, Kane Hodder, Michael Madsen, Tony Todd, Nicolas Winding Refn, William Grefe, Cirio H. Santiago , Joe Dante, Don Coscarelli, Angus Schrimm, Tobe Hooper, Tiffany Shepis, Brad Dourif, George P. Cosmatos, John Boorman, Stephen Boyd, Tommy Lee Jones, Rod Steiger, Brian DePalma, Gunnar Hansen, George A. Romero, Simon Boyes, Adam Mason, Jack Arnold, M. Emmet Walsh, James Stewart, Darren McGavin, Kathleen Quinlan, Jack Lemmon, Robert Foxworth, Olivia De Havilland, Michael Pataki, Jerry Stiller, John Carradine, Julian Sands, Freddie Francis, Don Sharp, William Castle, Bill Rebane, John De Bello, Terry O'Quinn, Peter Sykes, Wes Craven, Michael Sarrazin, Lewis Teague, Yaphet Kotto, Sergio Stivaletti, John Phillip Law, Michele Soavi, Umberto Lenzi, Anna Falchi, Lon Chaney, Sergio Martino, Edwige Fenech, Ursula Andress, Michael Sopkiw, Edmund Purdom, Hal Yamanouchi, Barbara Bach, Cameron, Mitchell, Alberto De Martino, Ernesto Gastaldi, Maurizio Merli, John Steiner, Mel Ferrer, Barbara Bouchet, Marty Feldman, Tomas Milian, Bruno Mattei, Lamberto Bava, Luc Merenda, Anita Strindberg, Luigi Pistilli, Ivan Rassimov, Sergio Corbucci, Tito Carpi, David Warbeck, Luciano Pigozzi, Gianfranco Giagni, Florinda Balkan, Rosalba Neri, Mel Welles, Dagmar Lassander, Neil Jordan, Walter Huston, Ray Bradbury, Gregory Peck, Orson Welles, Bert I. Gordon, H.G. Wells, Ida Lupino, Kirk Douglas, David Lynch, Eddie Romero, Bela Lugosi, Al Adamson, Tor Johnson, Edward D. Wood Jr, David Cronenberg, Christopher Walken, Tom Skeritt, Martin Sheen, Dino De Laurentiis, James Wan, Anthonhy Perkins, Curtis Harrington, Julie Harris, Ornella Muti, Ray Lovelock
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Rise of the Gargoyles (2008)
Ah, Paris... Awful accents, dark catacombs, and Eiffel Tower stock-footage!
What is the one thing featuring in movies that are set in Paris? The Eiffel Tower, of course! So, movies that are supposedly taking place in Paris but do not feature the Eiffel Tower prominently - or, like here, only feature it briefly in nightly pan shots of the city - are probably shot elsewhere to save money! In case of the "Rise of the Gargoyles" it's Romania, but the exterior shots are camouflaged with French-sounding street names and fake license plates. Sneaky!
In the country where I live, "Rise of the Gargoyles" was released as part of the "Maneater"-series. That is rather odd, because (almost) all the other titles in this series revolve around killer animals (like a tiger, a squid, a grizzly bear, ants, spiders...) and you can hardly refer to the gargoyle as an animal. Originally a grisly piece of architectural decoration, the gargoyle developed into a horror monster thanks to its monstrous looks, myths, and its resemblance to the Golem. In this film, there's a gargoyle on the loose after construction workers desecrate its resting place underneath the ruins of an old church. Our nasty critter enjoys lifting people into the air and dropping them hard on the concrete, and also chopping off heads with its wings.
The casting director certainly had a sense of humor, because he/she cast Eric Balfour as an archaeologist and novelist of science books! This must be the most implausible and most laughable casting choice since I watched James "Dawson's Creek" Van Der Beek as a marine biologist in "Eye of the Beast" (another "Maneater" classic). Balfour tries - but fails - to look mature and say intelligent things, and he's not exactly helped by the rest of the cast that speak English with atrocious French accents (especially the police detective) . In fact, there's nothing to recommend here, unless you like tacky special effects, mad-raving priests, or oddly glowing eggs.
Breaker! Breaker! (1977)
No-Moustache Norris vs Texas (the Hillbilly village, not the State...)
Chuck Norris didn't have a beard or moustache yet in the 70s (and thus no sex-appeal), but he already was a karate-expert. This led to him receiving his first small roles in the first half of the decade, but he slowly became an action hero icon in the second half. This film, together with "Good Guys wear Black" one year later, was the first movie that put Chuck Norris in the spotlights, and admittedly he still looks somewhat nerdy and insecure. In 1977, you wouldn't have guessed that 30-40 years later, this same man would represent pure toughness and macho behavior (or at least in the famous "Chuck Norris" jokes that can be found all over the internet).
In "Breaker! Breaker" Norris depicts an arm-wrestling truck driver searching for his kid brother who went missing with a cargo of frozen dinner meals. He ends up in a hillbilly village named Texas City (ironically located in California) where there apparently exists an entirely different law and justice system. The local judge - and self-declared emperor - Joshua Trimmings determines the laws, and orders his equally corrupt deputies to collect imaginary road taxes from passing truckers and to confiscate their cargos.
"Breaker! Breaker!" feels like a rip-off of Sam Peckinpah's "Convoy", but strangely enough it was released one year earlier. Together with that (overrated) semi-classic and a few others (like the awesome "White Line Fever"), this is part of a typically 70s hype nicknamed "Trucksploitation". Truckers revolting against the authorities, ignoring roadblocks, boosting each other via CB Radio, that sort of stuff. It's an action flick, but not at all violent. Chuck showcases his karate skills against a whole bunch of hillbillies (with pitchforks) and that's it. It's oddly structured with a climax that comes suddenly, and there isn't even a final battle between the hero and the lead villain (only between the hero and an insignificant deputy).
Firestarter (2022)
I think I roasted a puddy-cat...
Great! Thanks to this film, I'm probably missing out on yet another "father of the year" award! My beloved 8-year-old daughter, who's unhealthily obsessed with cute cats & kittens, walked in whilst I was watching "Firestarter" and - of course - exactly during that one scene where little Charlie McGee accidentally sets fire to an innocent ginger cat. Result: daughter cried for hours, laid awake all night, and didn't talk to me for 2 days.
And guess what? It wasn't even worth it. "Firestarter" is a lame, forgettable, and mostly dull thriller, and a totally redundant remake. The 1984 original was a fun flick, but the plot already was a bit of a rip-off. More specifically, Stephen King recycled his own story "Carrie" and borrowed some key elements from David Cronenberg's "Scanners" to come to the plot of a little girl who, due to her parents' participation in secretive government experiments, is born with pyrokinetic abilities.
The original had a phenomenal cast, with a sublime Drew Barrymore and - especially - glorious villains in the shape of Martin Sheen and George C. Scott. 2022 "Firestarter" only has mediocre actors and the action/horror moments, although plentiful, are passable. If you want to see how Zac Efron repeatedly bleeds from his eye-sockets, give it a look, but otherwise I wouldn't recommend this.
Piranha (1995)
He's Roger Corman. He can do whatever he wants!
Around the mid-1990s, the mighty Roger Corman produced some made-for-TV remakes of his own biggest historical successes. Why? No one knows. Maybe he wanted to (re-)launch the careers of some of the actors or directors involved. Maybe out of sheer nostalgia. Or maybe he needed to spend extra money to avoid higher taxes. Fact remains that only a handful of people have ever watched these. Or do you know perhaps many people who have seen the 90s versions of "Humanoids from the Deep", "A Bucket of Blood", "The Wasp Woman", "Piranha", or the non-sleaze version (so NOT the one starring Traci Lords) of "Not of this Earth"?
Anyway, who cares why he made them? Roger Corman can do whatever he wants with his money, and the ones I saw were quite enjoyable! Take "Piranha", for instance. The plot and characters are practically identical to Joe Dante's 1978 B-movie masterwork, but this has a charming 90s vibe, and that alone is enough reason to watch it! Genetically mutated and saltwater-resistant piranhas are accidentally released from their secret basin and bloodily munch their way to the ocean via a kids' summer camp and a newly opened fancy water resort. Guaranteed fun in the 70s, guaranteed fun in the mid-90s, and guaranteed fun in the 2010s when there came another (much more commercialized) remake.
Back in 1978, "Piranha" was - hands down - the best rip-off of Steven Spielberg's ultimate summer blockbuster "Jaws". The sub plot of greedy mayors and arrogant business project managers is still present here, but a lot less relevant. The make-up and special effects are incredibly cheap and tacky, in line with the budget. William Katt ("Carrie", "House") and Alexandra Paul ("Baywatch") do their best, but Monte Markham steals the show. Delicious bare flesh is provided by 90s beauties Kehli O'Byrne and playmate Lorissa McComas, and I'm sure Mila Kunis cherishes fond memories of her first real actress' role as well.
Not of This World (1991)
We gonna meteor down to Electric Avenue, and then we'll kill some humans...
This modest but practically forgotten made-for-TV Sci-Fi/horror flick from the early 90s can be categorized under "small-town USA alien invasions", but with a few notable peculiarities! The hostile alien life form arrives on earth via a meteor shower, which is initially seen as a breathtaking spectacle, and grows stronger by feeding itself on electricity! When it's still relatively small and weak, the creature attacks medium-sized animals like pigs and dogs, but when it becomes more developed, the entire population of the sleepy town is in danger. The alien also crash-landed in the right geographical location because the construction of a nuclear power plant is nearly finalized!
"Not of this World" is not highly memorable or particularly special, but entertaining enough while it lasts. The script is full of clichés and follows the typical structure of old-fashioned alien-invasion movies from the 1950s. There was a revival of those during the mid-80s (with "Strange Invaders", "Lifeforce", "Invaders from Mars" ...) and I guess "Not of this World" joined the retro-party a little bit too late. Since it's a television flick, the gore and disturbing images are not too excessive, but there are nevertheless a couple of nicely gruesome moments and a neato monster-design. Most of the lead characters are endurable, except for the whiny kid and his grampa, and perhaps also the stereotypical Asian business executive.
PS - if you confuse this with the similarly titled but much naughtier "Not of this Earth", starring Traci Lords in various states of undress, you risk being sorely disappointed.
Road Games (2015)
Mrs. Crampton fails her French summer class....
Since a few decades, you can rely on the French if you seek brutal, perverted, and excessively violent backwoods horror! Of course, they're nearly not all as good as "Haute Tension", "Frontière(s)", and "Martyrs", but most still have that same raw & disturbing atmosphere and shocking gore. "Road Games" has a bit of intense atmosphere, but sorely disappoints when it comes to gore. Writer/director Pastoll goes for mystery and surprise twists instead, but his script isn't as unpredictable as he thinks.
The story opens with the young and British Jack hitchhiking on a remote backwoods French road on which there are signs warning drivers not to pick up hitchhikers. He meets the beautiful and adventurous Véronique, and they continue their trip together, until they are picked up by a friendly chap in an old junk car and taken to an isolated countryside mansion. The elderly host Grizar and his British-American wife Mary (Barbara Crampton) are suspiciously friendly and creepily hospitable, so experienced horror fanatics know what to expect. The next morning, Véronique has vanished, and Jack is treated a lot less warm and welcoming!
The twist at the end is clever, for sure, but not unique or super-intelligent, and it certainly doesn't justify the lack of action earlier in the film. If you pay attention to details and little human behaviors & interactions, you can anticipate the climax or at least feel less surprised when it comes. The weirdest thing about "Road Games" is the constant switching between the French and English language by three out of four of the lead characters. I speak French, so it didn't bother me too much, but I reckon it must be confusing and irritating when you don't. Barbara Crampton, the favorite starlet of every horror-loving male born between 1970 and 1990, also recites half of her lines in French, but she's completely incomprehensible. I don't know if she took French classes or learned her lines phonetically, but the pronunciation is abysmal.
Planet of the Apes (2001)
Monkey See, Monkey Remake?
Suppose somebody would force me - at gunpoint - to choose just one director whose films are the only ones I am permitted to see for the rest of my life. Well, then there's a reasonably high possibility I'd go for Tim Burton. So, yes, even despite a couple of (alleged) misfires like this "Planet of the Apes", I do think he remains one of the most visionary and versatile directors in history.
And do I daresay it... his remake (or "re-imagining" as he prefers) honestly isn't that bad if you approach it with the right mindset. Another reason why I admire Tim Burton so much is because he's such a giant fan of Sci-Fi, Cult, and horror classics himself, and primarily intends to pay tribute to them. He made "Edward Scissorhands" out of love for Vincent Price. "Sleepy Hollow" as a tribute to Hammer Studios. "Dark Shadows" and "Planet of the Apes" are straightforward love-letters to the original oldies.
Besides, how can a film with such an impressive cast and crew be entirely bad? And then I'm not even mentioning the downright fabulous make-up art by Rick Baker! The apes are unbelievable life-like, and the actors/actresses underneath these thick layers of pure make-up art must have devoted a lot of time to researching ape-behavior! Add to this a few impressive spaceship designs and ape-civilization sets, and you simply cannot refer to "Planet of the Apes" as a bad film.
The plot is different to the 1968-original, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and scripted by Rod Serling, but actually more faithful to novel by Pierre Boulle on which all the apes' movies are based! Many story elements in this version are irrational and quite random, including the ending and the evolution of apes, but at least it keeps you entertained. However, we'll never know how those war horses ended up there.
F/X2 (1991)
The boys are back in business
Back by popular demand, but this time as a genuine and inseparable duo of crime-busting buddies! In the pleasant surprise that was "F/X" (1986), the two lead heroes - special effects wizard Rollie Taylor (Brown) and maverick copper Leo McCarthy (Dennehy) - only met each other in person during the climax, but they immediately formed a dynamic duo. Five years later, a few things have changed. Rollie retired from the film industry and is now a hi-tech toymaker (working on a telemetric robot suit with a creepy clown face), and Leo became the type of private detective you love to hate (still dependent on police information but sneakier). When Rollie - reluctantly, again - provides a service for the police to help set a trap for a serial killer, he's dragged - again - into a deadly conspiracy involving the mob, the court, and even the Vatican.
More of the same, but welcome. It's the best way to describe "F/X 2". The surprise effect coming from all of Rollie's fancy tricks and gimmicks are gone, but this has been replaced with the marvelous chemistry between Brown and Dennehy in their fun roles. Everything else remained: corruption everywhere, loved ones in mortal danger, fake blood and bullet holes, advanced sound & vision technology, and wit humor. Richard Franklin ("Psycho II", "Patrick") took over the director seat.
F/X (1986)
Not by Illusion! ... By craftmanship
Although I like to believe I know quite a bit about films, especially films from the 1980s, "F/X" was entirely unknown to me. That felt rather shocking, and although primarily an error on my behalf, I also can't help thinking the perception, the marketing, and the communication around this film (and its sequel) are not as effective as could be.
The titles are (and, again, as self-declared film fan you should look beyond that) are misleading. "F/X" remains vague slang, and the alternate title "Murder by Illusion" refers too much (to me, at least) to magical tricks. Lead protagonist Rollie Tyler may perfectly well be considered as a magician, but not through optical illusions but through sheer craftmanship in the domain of special effects and make-up art.
Bottom line is that I, and presumably many others with me, have missed out for too long on a refreshingly original, well-made, and very entertaining action/thriller. But, better late than never, I suppose.
Rollie Tyler (Bryan Brown) is an acclaimed special-effects creator in the movie industry, who's approached by the secret service to stage the murder of a crucial ex-mobster turned police informant. He's reluctant at first, and rightly so, but nevertheless decides to accept the assignment because he doesn't want to see it go to a rival of his. Rollie will quickly regret his ego-driven choice, as he himself (and his loved ones) becomes the prey of corrupt police systems, betrayal and relentlessly chasing agents. His only hopes are his professional skills and one honest - but quite unorthodox - cop (Brian Dennehy in an awesome role).
"F/X" is not a very profound or thought-provoking thriller, of course. Everyone whom you suspect to be corrupt also turns out to be corrupt, and the brutal deaths that are needed to ensure Rollie stays alive are also present. This doesn't ruin the fun, though, as the gimmicks and disguises that Rollie carries around in his truck are fantastic.
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
Macho, macho men! We are cinema's biggest macho men
On June 20th of 2024, the great actor Donald Sutherland passed away, and I have a tradition to pay tribute to a deceased cinema deity by watching/reviewing two or three of their lesser-known movies. Of course, "The Dirty Dozen" is hardly what you can call an unknown movie, but the selection is based on how important this role was for the young and heavily struggling actor back then. Until the mid-sixties, Sutherland only played minor roles in a handful of obscure European horror flicks ("Die, Die My Darling", "Castle of the Living Dead") but his iconic role of the slightly moronic soldier Pinkley in "The Dirty Dozen" put him on the map for good. Rest in peace, Mr. Sutherland, and thanks for the many great movies.
It also painfully shows how old classics like "The Dirty Dozen" are becoming. Mr. Sutherland now passed away at age 88, but he was one of the youngest cast members here, next to an army - pun intended - of monumental machos. The cast of this cinematic landmark is beyond impressive: Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, Ernest Borgnine, John Cassavetes, Robert Ryan, George Kennedy, Jim Brown, Richard Jaeckel, Clint Walker... With the exception, perhaps, of some of the more unknown actors in the squad, Sutherland maybe even was the last living cast member.
"The Dirty Dozen" is a war movie classic, but obviously you can't compare it with the most astounding titles of that genre, like "Apocalypse Now" or "Saving Private Ryan". The best movie to compare this with is probably "The Magnificent Seven". It's a blockbuster purely meant to provide entertainment; - not historical accuracy or deeply moralizing thoughts about the meaninglessness of war. None of the lead characters have a past or an emotional background story worth sharing, and they certainly don't have a future. You know most of them - if not all - will die, but hopefully they'll take as many rotten and evil Nazis with them as possible. For director Aldrich, everything in the film, like the recruitment of the death row prisoners, their training, their final test, and even the suicide mission, is one big game.
If you're mindset is the same as Aldrich's, "The Dirty Dozen" cannot disappoint. It's fast-paced, extremely violent, full of tongue-in-cheek humor, explosive actions & dazzling stunt work, and practically anti-everything! My personal favorite character among the bunch is Telly Savalas as the utterly psychotic and uncontrollable religious freak A. J. Maggott. What can I say? I love the sick puppies.
Annihilator (1986)
The Truth is STILL out there!
"Annihilator" is an unsold TV-pilot, meaning it was made and meant to pitch the concept idea for a longer running television series, in the hope some network would pick it up for further elaboration and distribution. The "unsold" refers to the fact it wasn't apparently able to persuade anyone.
Somebody please explain... With all the rubbish we see on television these days, but also during the 1980s and 1990s as well, why didn't a surprisingly good and more than competently made Sci-Fi/action pilot like "Annihilator" make it to cable?!? Admittedly, it steals a few elements from "The Terminator" (but not nearly as blatantly as other contemporary B-movies) and the middle-section somewhat drags boringly, but so what? The premise is effectively intriguing and there are several great sequences full of intense action and impressive special effects.
The film opens with a more than five minutes lasting car chase through city streets. Granted, it will not be the most exhilarating chase you'll ever witness, but it's a promising start nonetheless. The police chases newspaper editor Richard Armour, who narrowly escapes with the help of a friendly woman who not only rescues him, but also provides shelter in her apartment without asking any questions. To her, Richard explains that he's wanted for killing his fiancé Angela, but the justified reason why is incredibly. Angela went on a short trip to Hawaii but, somehow, returned as an entirely different person. In fact, she wasn't even a person anymore but a cold, emotionless and robotic being. What happened in Hawaii? Why did Angela need the plane's passengers list? Are there many more "machines" like her? Is mankind in danger?
Minor improbabilities aside, "Annihilator" is a good Sci-Fi thriller that kept me focused and intrigued. There are a few twists that seasoned genre fanatics and/or logically reasoning viewers will easily predict, but they're not bothersome. There's also a very long and totally unnecessary halfway interlude/montage that summarizes what happened so far and emphasizes how desperate our protagonist is. Considering it was intended as a TV-show pilot, I can accept this (and the musical tunes of David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" surely help). Adequate performances are given by Mark Lindsay Chapman and Susan Blakely, and definitely keep an eye open for brief appearances by a young Nicole Eggert, Brion James, and Earl Boen (who clearly has a thing for cyborg-Terminators!)
The film ends very open, with zero questions answered and all kinds of theories possible. Since the follow-up series never came, it'll also remain that way. The truth is still out there! Evil cyborgs may still be among us, and we don't know why, where they came from, or what their plans are. Think about that!
The Rosary Murders (1987)
Father Donald, I confess you're an amazing actor and that your "Rosary Murders" is vastly underrated.
On June 20th of 2024, the great actor Donald Sutherland passed away, and I have a tradition to pay tribute to a deceased cinema deity by watching/reviewing two or three of their lesser known (but hopefully worthwhile) movies. Rest in peace, Mr. Sutherland, and thanks for the many great movies.
Somewhere in between the stylish suspense of Alfred Hitchcock's "I Confess" and the perverse exploitation of Pete Walker's "The Confessional Murders", we find this similarly themed but sadly obscure thriller directed by Fred Walton ("When a Stranger Calls") and co-written by Elmore Leonard ("Jackie Brown"). It's an overall very impressive film, with a compelling plot and many marvelous suspense-highlights, but it always remained underrated for some reason. Perhaps because of its skepticism towards the Catholic Church? Or because it's an intelligent serial killer thriller that came out a decade overflooding with brainless teen slashers? Or maybe because it's a 1987 film that looks and feels like a 1977 film due to gloomy picture quality and old-fashioned decors? Whatever the reason, "The Rosary Murders" deserves to be better known and loved, even if it were only for the great role and ditto performance of Donald Sutherland.
He stars as Father Bob Koesler, a priest who is well-loved and highly respected in the social middle-to-lower class of Detroit, thanks to his open-mindedness and contributions to the community. There's a serial killer active in the area who exclusively targets priest and nuns and leaves a rosary wrapped around the wrist of the victims as a trademark. When the killer comes to Koesler's church booth to confess, our priest is bound to the sacred oath of confession and sees no other option than to trace down the killer himself, based on the little bits of information that he has.
Both the script and Sutherland are downright fantastic in depicting the moral struggle of a priest versus the sanctity of confession. Does (potentially) saving the lives of colleagues justify the breaking of the most sacred oath of his religion? The killer also hinted that he holds the Catholic Church responsible for a personal trauma and therefore extracts his vengeance against priests and nuns. Should a priest interfere with that, since he is neither God, neither the police? Koesler is also a "modern" type of priest, who dares to openly question and criticize the foundations of Catholicism, unlike his strictly conservative colleague Father Nabors (Charles Durning). Will this help or block his quest to stop the murders?
The engaging script and the stellar performances, together with the depressing atmosphere and the soberly bloodless (but nevertheless macabre) kills, make "The Rosary Murders" a powerful thriller instead of a gory horror flick. That is a positive observation, mind you! Several of the suspense moments, like when Koesler breaks into the house of murderer or during his nightly visit to the cemetery, are more intense and memorable than any gory massacre could ever be.
The Disappearance (1977)
Donald Sutherland won't be forgotten easily. Unlike this film of his...
On June 20th of 2024, the great actor Donald Sutherland passed away, and I have a tradition to pay tribute to a deceased cinema deity by watching/reviewing two or three of their lesser known (but hopefully worthwhile) movies. Rest in peace, Mr. Sutherland, and thanks for the many great movies.
Finding a rough diamond in Sutherland's long, rich, and versatile career shouldn't be too difficult. "The Disappearance" isn't it, though. Despite his great performance, as well as a handful of excellent supportive roles and marvelous use of locations, this is a painfully slow-paced and dull combo between drama, thriller, and film-noir.
Sutherland stars as enigmatic hired killer Jay Mallory who, upon his returns from an assignment returns home to snowy Canada, finds his wife Celandine missing. Via flashbacks we learn that the couple had a bizarre relationship and she often threatened to leave, but Mallory still suspects foul play. He's then forced to accept another assignment in England, and he feels a link with his disappeared wife.
"The Disappearance" is too short on action, there's too much mumbling and often the dialogues cannot be understood, and I (personally) didn't like the role of Francine Racette. She's Donald Sutherland's actual wife, and I'm not sure if that's a benefit. I also don't feel very comfortable when my wife accompanies me on office parties or assignments, and I had the impression Sutherland felt the same way.
Buried Alive (2007)
These gold diggers are messing with the wrong battle-axe!
What you'll think of "Buried Alive" will strongly depend on what you expected up front. If your mind is set for an insignificant but at least non-boring slasher full of gratuitous nudity, gore, and clichéd situations with dumb teenagers, well then you certainly won't feel cheated. If you were hoping to see an above-average and innovative horror movie, then - and I'm sorry to say - you're are just not good at managing expectations; - and it doesn't matter if you based your judgement on promising names on the film poster like Robert Kurtzman ("Wishmaster") or Tobin Bell ("Saw").
Sometimes the plot pretends to be reasonably ambitious (with native American family curses) and crazily perverted (with hints at incestuous desires), but it's fundamentally a banal slasher with sexy sorority coeds parading around barely dressed, loud-mouthed but cowardly jocks smoking soft-drugs, and a geek with glasses providing you with all the required information. Together, they all go to a godforsaken cabin in the desert where it takes an awful long time to get hacked up by a zombie hag who's the first wife of two of the party members' great-great grandfather. Oh, Tobin Bell also stumbles around as unhygienic gold digger who refers to himself in 3rd person.
The battle-axe action is decent, the girls look delicious, and the ending is nicely twisted. The only thing left to say is that the blonde actress negotiated the terms of her contract quite badly. She must take her clothes off all the time, show everything, and die a painful death, whereas the brunette only puts her rear end on display and gets off lightly.
Romy et Alain, les éternels fiancés (2022)
Beautiful people. Fascinating lives.
I don't usually watch (let alone review) documentaries of famous people, and especially not actors or actresses, for the plain and simple reason they are just human beings that do their jobs like we do ours. Documentaries about people's troubled and turbulent love lives are particularly tricky because they somewhat feel like voyeurism and nosing into private affairs. The amazing Romy Schneider deserves an exception, though.
No so much her love life interests me (even though this is what the film is primarily about) but I want to pay tribute to the courageous, intelligent, ambitious, and unfortunate woman she was. Courageous because she could have had an easy and comfortable career if she continued making "Sissi" movies in her home country. But Romy lost her in dull and daft costume dramas rather quickly, unlike her mother and grandmother before her. Romy was drawn to Paris and an uncertain career path. She was also courageous because she was the one who picked Alain Delon as her co-actor for "Christine" (1958) even though he was still unknown and contemporary famous names were available as alternatives. Intelligent because she learned the difficult language of French in barely 1-2 years, and impeccable I may add. Ambitious because she appeared in convoluted theater plays, as well as in a wide variety of film roles, but practically never in the same type of role twice. She depicted strong women as well as sensitive women, prostitutes as well as timid housewives. Finally, alas, unfortunate because she encountered a lot of pain and sorrow, notably the tragic accident of her teenage son that indirectly led to her own untimely death.
Regarding Alain Delon, I can be briefer. He's just one of the coolest, most charismatic, and top-talented actors ever to come out of Europe. I have seen many of his films, and he never disappoints, and the most fascinating thing to witness in this documentary is how his life somehow always remained interwoven with Romy Schneider's until even after her death. In case you haven't seen much of either Romy's or Alain's work, it's advisable to keep pen & paper nearby when you watch the documentary. Many, many movies come highly recommended; - particularly "La Piscine", "The Assassination of Trotsky", "Le Clan des Siciliens", "Le Procès", "Le Cercle Rouge", and "Mort d'un Pourri".
Assassin (1986)
Sarah Connor? No? Sorry, my mistake...
Making TV-movies in the 1980s wasn't all that difficult, in fact. The only thing you needed was enough guts to shamefully rip off an R-rated blockbuster and re-enact it straight-faced, as if you invented everything yourself! It's what writer/director Sandor Stern did, at least, and it worked surprisingly well. "Assassin" is a blatant copy of James Cameron's "The Terminator", although obviously a lot milder in terms of violence and less disturbing when it comes to atmosphere. For example, the cyborg here is also a gentle lover and he (or "it") allows for the innocent Sarah Connors to escape.
Former secret agent Henry Stanton is called out of retirement to stop and destroy a hi-tech but loose cyborg, programmed to kill off a bunch of prominent people that were on the hate list of its deceased creator. The mean machine, wittily named after the folklore creature Golem, is as strong and indestructible as T-800, but he dresses fancily and interrupts his mission to bunk up with a woman who's a dead ringer for Linda Hamilton. Nice! Oh, he must also recharge his batteries after 72 hours of action and adventure, so he's basically the prototype of Elon Musk's Tesla EV-model.
The first hour of "Assassin" is quite enjoyable, thanks to a couple of neat stunts and reasonably suspenseful moments. It is cool how we, together with the amazed and reluctant agent Stanton, discover just how superior and sophisticated the cyborg is. The plot loses its energy and wit, rather ironically, after Golem finishes his battery charging session in the hotel room. After that, the film turns into a mundane and derivative cat-and-mouse thriller, with cliched revelations and a standard finale.
Worth mentioning: the rather unknown and unsung writer/director Sandor Stern did return greatly once, two years after this, with the unique 80s horror gem "Pin".
The Fugitive (1993)
Man, I love Tommy Lee Jones in this!
It's Hollywood's favorite plot ever since the mighty Alfred Hitchcock emigrated to the US! A charismatic and intelligent man, wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife, narrowly escapes death row, and sets out to prove his innocence whilst trying to evade the massive manhunt that deploys around him. The question here is not so much if Dr. Richard Kimble will unmask the real culprit, but how is it possible that he doesn't get caught? Apparently, shaving off your beard and dyeing your hair in a slightly darker shade of dark is sufficient to walk in and out of hospitals, take the metro, and rent basement lodges in the very same city where you got convicted.
"The Fugitive" is one of the biggest action blockbusters of the 1990s, but it's basically a formulaic thriller. There are a handful of legendary scenes and stunts (made even more immortal thanks to numerous spoofs), and you can identify the villains as soon as their prototype faces appear. The undeniable show stealer here is the awesome Tommy Lee Jones, probably because he's the only person who doesn't take the film too seriously, what with his arrogant attitude and wisecracking remarks.
Scanners 3: The Takeover (1991)
Possible side-effects may include complete personality makeover and a delicious sense of megalomania!
Perhaps a rather blunt statement to start off with, but I think "Scanners" is one of the most underrated horror franchises in history! The mighty David Cronenberg original (1981) occasionally appears in some 'best of' lists, but nobody ever mentions the two direct sequels or the two "Scanner Cop" spinoffs, while they are fantastically entertaining as well.
Shot back-to-back with "Scanners II" by the same director, Christian Duguay, part three is sillier and a lot less disturbing or intense than the previous films, but it has plenty of gore and over-the-top crazed characters to offer. The plot revolves around two Scanner siblings, Helen and Alex Monet, who deal with their ability quite differently. While Alex is in the East to learn how to control his deadly powers through Buddha spiritualism (following a freak accident that killed his friend), his timid sister Helen discovers the brand new but still untested scanner medicine EPH-3, developed by her adoption father.
EPH-3 is no longer a pill or a syringe, but a patch to stick behind one's ear. It may perhaps immediately take away Helen's unbearable migraine, but it also has a couple dangerous side effect. Helen promptly changes from a gentle and sensitive wallflower into a relentless shrew who eliminates the competition without hesitation and raises an army of psychotic Scanners. Brother Alex might be the only person left to stop her.
The biggest weakness of "Scanners III" is undeniably that it is more comical and absurd than the others. Helen is like a villain out of a Batman-cartoon or comic book. With her superior scanning-powers, she forces her preys to perform silly dances or strip acts in public, detonates pigeons, mass-hypnotizes via TV-broadcasts, and catapults people across rooms. The special and make-up effects still look exquisite, though. The mandatory exploding head(s) footage are highlights, and so are the showdowns between Scanners mutually.
Recommended if you are a person with high tolerance for sequels declining in quality, or if you are a fan of healing Buddha powers, or if you have a weakness for super-evil power women.
Confessione di un commissario di polizia al procuratore della repubblica (1971)
The very best of Italy!
Within the, quite frankly, sublime cult/exploitation subgenre of the Italian "Poliziotesschi" there are - broadly speaking - two main clans. On the one side, there are the non-stop action-packed and extremely violent thrillers that are about one (or at most a few) unorthodox coppers that don't interpret the law book too strictly and execute vicious bad guys during wild car chases and furious shootings in the midst of innocent civilians. It's the playground of directors such as Umberto Lenzi, Stelvio Massi, and Fernando Di Leo and in more than half of the titles, the charismatic Maurizio Merli plays the role of an unhinged (but noble) police hero. Watch these movies when you're looking for guaranteed fun, adrenaline kicks, and delightfully politically incorrect entertainment.
On the other side, there are the very serious, complex, and intellectually challenging films that deal with political corruption, malpractice within the police department and the Italian justice system, and honorary wars between mafia families. Despite the very raw atmosphere, these films contain much less graphic violence (apart from usually a handful of extreme moments), but it's compensated for by brilliant dialogues, amazing performances, and a few unexpected twists in the story that leave you speechless. This is the field of expertise of only a few and massively talented directors such as Elio Petri and Damiano Damiani.
As for Damiani, please don't judge him on his bad - and only - mainstream horror film "Amityville II: The Possession". This ugly sequel (which is actually better than the overrated and lame original from 1979) was too far out of the comfort zone of Damiani, who is primarily a master of clever crime dramas. "Confessions of a Police Captain" is, along with the equally sublime "I Am Afraid" the ultimate proof of that.
In a very compelling way, Damiani constantly keeps the viewer in doubt about everything that is going on here. Are the two protagonists (more on them later) corrupt or honorable? Are they mainly trying to gain fame and promotion, or are they out for personal revenge? Can they trust each other? Will they protect each other? A dangerous killer is inexplicably released from a mental asylum, and immediately plans a bloody attack on the elusive local mafia boss Dubrosio. Commissioner Bonavia sees it all happening and leaves it be. The attack fails because Dubrosio's accomplices were tipped off about what would happen and were waiting for the perpetrator to strike. Despite the bloodbath, District Attorney Traini is not impressed, and remains icy calm. Who knows more about this case than he tells? Is Bonavia responsible for the killer's release? Or for tipping Dubrosio? Does DA Traini want to work by the book to arrest Dubrosio, or does it not matter that much to him? These, and other questions and unexpected twists, guarantee for almost two hours of suspense.
Martin Balsam (as Commissioner Bonavia) and Franco Nero (as DA Traini) are indescribably strong in their roles. The only pity is that, in the version I saw, Nero's voice was dubbed by someone else, but even then you can see the intensity and dedication of his performance. It is thanks to these two icons that the story remains exciting without much action or stunts.
Crawlspace (2012)
Send in the military cannon fodder; - Aussie style!
Whenever we exchange films with each other, my movie pal sneaks in a so-called "send in the military cannon fodder" flick. These are horror/Sci-Fi movies dealing with random military men (and women) being sent into a top-secret and geographically remote government research facility or underground lab to eliminate some sort of experiment that went horribly wrong. As a matter of course, these people haven't got a clue what they will be battling against and, regardless of their intense training and superior skills, they get mercilessly ripped to pieces by something (usually an alien or a genetic experiment) much stronger and slimier than them.
You cannot imagine how many movies exist like this! And they continue to be made, since "Crawlspace" is a relatively recent effort from 2012 and it marks the debut of writer/director (but - most of all - special effects wizard) Justin Dix. "Crawlspace" has the advantage that it doesn't waste any time and has a strong beginning. There is immediately plenty of action when a troop of soldiers is being dumped into Pine Gap; - a facility hidden deep in the Australian desert. Their orders are to eliminate everything they encounter, but what they encounter is squad leader Romeo's missing and presumed dead wife! Is she a prisoner or a dangerous species? Or both? Or neither?
Dix lovingly imitates the pioneer and forefather of all "send in the military cannon fodder" movies, namely the almighty James Cameron's "Aliens", with copious amounts of narrow passageways, lurking monsters behind possibly every corner, loud & arrogant soldiers, and big artillery. It's thoroughly unoriginal but entertaining, until Justin Dix suddenly decides to also turn the film into a "Scanners" knockoff. Rather than with aliens of monstrous experiments, the danger in the Pine Gap facility is coming from psychic powers and ultra-strong minds. The plot twist is creative and unexpected, I admit, but also unconvincing and adding a whole lot of unnecessary confusion. By the third and final act, I was less than interested about who (if anyone...) would survive, and particularly the umpteenth "Scanners" homage with the exploding head was the cliché too many.
After the Shock (1990)
San Francisco. You'll meet some heroic people there.
In my non-stop search for disaster movies (a favorite subgenre of mine) I stumbled upon this obscure and virtually unknown TV movie from 1990, but "After the Shock" is not a typical or standard disaster movie with sensational special effects and fake characters, like we saw a bunch of them in the 70s and early 80s.
"After the Shock" is a very sober film, and almost a documentary/reconstruction about the tragic aftermath of Loma Prieta earthquake that occurred on October 17, 1989, in the wider San Francisco region. Less than a year after the facts, writer/director Gary Sherman came with this unremarkable film, which is mainly a tribute to the ordinary people who, immediately after the quake and at the risk of their own lives, spontaneously started to help victims they did not know and never met before. The actions of these people unfolded naturally, and much faster and more numerous than the emergency services. They saved several lives. The story focuses on three precarious situations, namely the collapsed Cypress Street Viaduct, a raging fire in an apartment building, and another apartment building across the street that was on the verge of collapsing. There are a few familiar faces in "After the Shock" (like Yaphet Kotto from "Alien" and "Live and Let Die"), but that's not the point here. It's about the people they depict; - unknown and unsung heroes.
I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990)
Red Dress Spells Danger
Billy Ocean sung "Red Light Spells Danger" in the late 70s already, but if he had seen this movie in 1990, I'm sure he would have altered the title slightly and re-released his catchy dance hit!
"I'm Dangerous Tonight" unites four of my favorite people in the horror/cult industry. We have director Tobe Hooper (although this is one of his more inconspicuous efforts), the iconic Anthony 'Norman Bates' Perkins (but regrettably in a rather small role), Dee Wallace-Stone (in a marvelously psychotic role), and the astoundingly beautiful Mädchen Amick (at the peak of her success in between the two seasons of "Twin Peaks").
The film can be considered unremarkable and mediocre overall, but nevertheless it's engaging and fun from start to end thanks to the great cast, simple but effective plot, and a few grisly moments. The plot revolves around an ancient red cloak that was worn by evil Aztec Priests during their sacrifice rituals. Psychology student Amy O'Neill processes the cloak into a sexy prom dress that everyone in her surrounding wants to wear. The dress, however, brings the vilest and most sadistic fantasies of its carrier to the surface.
Definitely a decent late 80s/early 90s made-for-television thriller, made slightly more intriguing by the insertion of two unusual time lapses. After a nasty car accident, the dress mysteriously vanishes but reappears on the lovely shoulders of Dee Wallace-Stone, and it takes a while before we figure out how it got from A to B. During the finale as well, there's a bizarre moment when Amy seems defeated but then she comfortably wakes up in her bed with the dress. The explanation for that is also rather cuckoo. I don't know if these lapses were intentional or due to sequences getting cut, but it helps to keep you alert in a film that is unfortunately (because a TV-movie) rather low on graphic violence and bloody make-up effects.
Tammy and the T-Rex (1994)
Take a look at my boyfriend, he is quite the carnivore!
"Tammy and the T-Rex" is a completely insane (and inane) but strangely lovable hybrid that only could have been made during the early 90s. It's a combo of teen-comedy and low-budget splatter/horror, and even though I'm not sure if there's even an audience for a mixture like this, clearly nobody cared back in 1993. Thanks to the almighty genius Steven Spielberg, dinosaurs (and the T-Rex in particular) were HOT in that period, and director/co-writer Stewart Raffill took this a bit too literally with his plot of a hunky high-school quarterback's brain getting implanted in a giant lifelike but animatronic Tyrannosaur!
Elaborating on the plot is pointless, as it is sheer goofball, but I certainly do admire the enthusiasm and dedication of the ensemble cast & crew who were involved in this production! Every youthful player acts as if this would become his or her massive Hollywood breakthrough (and for Denise Richards and Paul Walker it perhaps even was) and notably the special effects team must have had a mighty good time. Although not at all shocking of convincing, the kills are gore and plentiful, with heads bitten off, bodies trampled, intestines gushing out, and limbs getting mauled everywhere you look. Watching the fully uncut version is a must! Oh, and picture-perfect Denise Richards' naughtily enticing striptease at the end of the movie makes the experience complete.
The Forever Purge (2021)
Oh wow, who could have seen that plot coming?
The pitch of "The Purge" is that, in a not-so-distant future, the new US government that call themselves the New Founding Fathers of America - NFFA - allow, once per year and for a duration of 12 hours, that all crimes including murder are permissible and remain unpunished. This to prevent overcrowded prisons and to give ordinary citizens the opportunity to vent all their anger and frustrations.
Straight from the original "The Purge" in 2013, you knew this slightly dystopian and paranoid concept would be successful and spawn a lot of sequels. My immediate reflection also was that it wouldn't take very long before there comes a plot in which the people will disobey the 12-hour rule and just continue purging. In fact, it took longer than I thought, since there already were two sequels, a prequel, and a TV-series. So, to answer the cynical question of the user-comment's title is probably everyone!
"The Forever Purge" cleverly responds to some painfully relevant themes of this day and age. The increasingly racist middle class, the hatred sown by President Trump toward Mexican immigrants, and the nonstop increase of violence on the streets because it is too easy to buy guns. Hollywood, of course, will always remain a very left-winged community, with as result that all the villains are portrayed as dim-witted rednecks and dangerous lunatics. To emphasize the peace-symbolism and the message for tolerance even more, it is Mexico that opens its borders at the end of the story and gives frightened Americans the chance to flee from their dangerous country. It's all very cliched and predictable, but it serves to achieve the objectives of the film, which is to show graphic violence and brutal retaliation, and to give a little bit of hope for the future.
I never was a big fan of "The Purge" and its sequels, but they are good enough to watch for free when they air on television. That theory also goes for "The Forever Purge", since there are a handful of suspenseful moments, disturbing looking purge-disguises, and some nasty murders. Everything else is quite forgettable.
Sometimes They Come Back (1991)
Poor Stephen King must have been bullied at a lot as a teenager.
His is one of the movies based on a Stephen King (short) story that I deliberately skipped when it first came out, and never bothered to seek out in the following 30 years. This for the plain and simple reason there was a massive oversupply of King adaptations in the mid-80s to mid-90s period (still today, in fact) and - honestly - they all feel quite similar.
Can't help thinking Stephen King must have had a difficult teenager trajectory and was the victim of many high-school bullies and painful pranks. If you compare films like "It", "Stand by Me", "Sleepwalkers", "Silver Bullet", and "Sometimes they come back", they all feature wimpy kids as protagonists and mean jocks bullying them somewhere in a sleepy town in the wider New England region.
Being a) the adaptation of an unremarkable short story that never would have been filmed if it hadn't the author's name attached to it, and b) a tame made-for-television production, "Sometimes they come back" is an unoriginal and thoroughly forgettable film. Every next move or scene is predictable, every situation is clichéd, every character is a stereotype, and - worst of all - the script makes the terrible mistake of mixing supernatural with super-sentimental. Some of the make-up effects are cool, and occasionally you can see that Tom McLoughlin used to be a reasonably gifted horror director in the previous decade (with "Friday the 13th VI: Jason Lives" and "One Dark Night") on his repertoire, but overall it's a waste of time.