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Wuchakk
My All-Time Favorite Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070122364/
Film Axioms:
- No genre is beyond redemption or above contempt.
- Just because a movie's good doesn't mean you'll like it; just because you like it doesn't mean it's good.
- Italians have been making the worst movies for a hundred years.
- Howard Hawks supplied the simplest definition of a good movie: "Three great scenes. No bad scenes."
- Nine out of ten times when there's a bar scene in a movie there's a fight.
- Every great auteur/actor has a bad or dubious film; but, remember, even God created the cockroach.
- People who go overboard with criticism -- e.g. "This is the worst film ever!" or "I'd give this 0/10 if I could!" -- lose credibility as reviewers. The same goes with overrating a movie.
- Honest reviewers must resist the influence of mass hype when a popular film debuts. Separating it from the initial epidemic fervor is mandatory in determining it's true worth. (Remember when Roger Ebert gave Peter Jackson's "King Kong" a perfect rating of 4/4 Stars? Why sure!).
- Movies are life with the boring bits taken out.
- A movie can be technically well-made, but void of depth. The reverse is also true: A movie can be technically deficient (usually due to low-budget), but thematically wealthy. Whereas the ideal is to have both, sometimes a movie's budget doesn't allow for top-notch filmmaking, but it can still soar in the realm of worthy mindfood. Some excellent examples from my reviews include "From Within," "Billy Jack" and "Tribes." Many episodes of the original Star Trek TV series are great examples as well, such as "Space Seed," "The Naked Time" or "The City on the Edge of Forever."
- Movies must be critiqued and graded according to what they are and aspire to achieve. For instance, 1998's "Godzilla" is a colossal-creature movie and should therefore be reviewed on that level. Compared to the original "Apocalypse Now" it's dreck, but how does it stack-up to other gigantic-monster movies?
- Reviewers who intentionally say false things about a film reveal a personal vendetta against it and lose all credibility as reviewers. Don't even give these types of "reviewers" and their "reviews" the time of day.
- Movies are the modern-day campfire tales of centuries past. They entertain, amuse, inspire and mentor. Generally speaking, they provide the mythology that helps the modern world cope with reality.
- I see a lot of reviewers giving movies 10/10 Stars or 1/10 Stars when, the reality is, most movies fall between 5/10 Stars and 7/10 Stars.
- Disregarding profits, the main purpose of a movie is to entertain; the secondary purpose is to convey a message. The better the entertainment and message, the better the movie. The reverse is also true.
- In 99 out of 100 movies, if something doesn't happen by the end of the first reel, nothing's gonna happen (at least nothing compelling, effective, original or inspiring).
- Popularity at the box office is very important for people who's opinion of an artistic work needs validated by others (rolling my eyes).
- A movie that doesn't do well at the box office isn't always an indicator that it's bad; it could mean something interesting is going on that's too far out of the norm for mass consumption. "Watchmen" and (believe it or not) "The Wizard of Oz" are good examples ("Wizard" bombed when it debuted in 1939).
- Watching a movie is like seeing someone else's hallucination. You have to be willing to enter into the film's 'world' to appreciate it. If you can't, you won't.
- The rating of a movie is irrelevant (G, PG, PG-13, R). Does more gore, more nudity, more cussing, more overt sexual situations determine the worthiness of a film? Maybe for 13 year-olds. Is "The Wizard of OZ" a lousy film because it's rated G? How about the original "Planet of the Apes"?
- While good movies can be made with big budgets, big names, big stunts and incredible F/X, they can also be made with small budgets, creative writers & directors and no-name-but-quality actors.
- No one sets out to make a bad movie.
- It's always preferable to watch an entertaining mess over a competent bore-fest.
- Art (including film) is not meant to be an imitation of reality, but rather an interpretation of it.
- Never watch a movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.
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RATING GUIDE:
10/10 Stars: A+ (Top-of-the-line)
9/10 Stars: A (Excellent)
8/10 Stars: A- (Breaks the threshold of greatness)
7/10 Stars: B+ or B (Very good or, at least, good)
6/10 Stars: B or B- (Marginal "thumbs up")
5/10 Stars: C+ or C (Too flawed to recommend, but some worthwhile aspects)
4/10 Stars: C or C- (Severely mediocre or flawed)
3/10 Stars: D+ or D (Cinematic flotsam)
2/10 Stars: D or D- ("Brain and brain, what is brain?")
1/10 Star: F (Worthless garbage for one important reason or another)
Note: Like everyone else, I tend to watch movies I think I might like, which explains my numerous positive ratings.
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Favorite Film of All Time:
Apocalypse Now
TV Axiom:
- Every ten years or so a TV show comes along that doesn't suck.
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againWARNING: Some of my comments contain SPOILERS.
(More to come)
Since this list contains movies from all production levels, film snobs who only favor flicks with blockbuster-level budgets are encouraged to skip it.
For questions, comments or rebukes, write me at: [email protected]
Most cult movie lists curiously contain utterly horrid flicks, like "Pink Flamingos" (Seriously?) and "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (get real) or fruity wannabe hip crapolla like "Rocky Horror," which explains the title of my list. While numerous of the films on this list are loathed by the masses they're actually worthwhile movies for various significant reasons. My commentaries provide evidence.
I'm not including widely-known movies that you'll often see on cult movie lists, like "The Wizard of Oz," "King Kong," "Apocalypse Now" and "Pulp Fiction," because -- although I wholly agree that they deserve their devotees -- they're just so popular that they're not really cult films.
Some definitive cult flicks, like "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" and "Mad Max," aren't on this list simply because -- while certainly worth seeing -- they're just not entertaining enough to make my list; and entertainment (one way or another) is the name of the game.
Lastly, any cult movie list that includes every Tarantino flick -- or practically all of them -- should be rejected out of hand. (Pick one or two that best represent his repertoire and be done with it).
This list includes films from all three types of sword & sandal movies: 1. historical or realistic, 2. fantasy ones that typically have an element of magic/sorcery (i.e. "sword & sorcery") and 3. biblical, which is arguably one-and-the-same as the first type.
Not included are movies he wrote, but didn't direct, such as the great "Patton."
Please note that this list refers to women "Present & Past," so there are several females who have passed away or are well beyond their physical prime. Carol Lynley is a good example. This is why I cite specific movies or TV shows in which to view these lovely ladies at their physical best.
Others have suggested several women that I should add to the list. I appreciate this and I may add them at some point when I eventually view them in a movie or show (Sofia Vergara and Sophia Loren are good examples); but some of them I'm well familiar with and -- even though they're beautiful women one way or another, perhaps even stunning -- they lack the qualities necessary to make my list (Raquel Welch, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Alba come to mind) (some of these almost made my list, like Jessica Biel).
It was also suggested that I should add several Victoria Secrets women, but this list is limited to women who appear in movies & TV shows, even if a few of them are more singers than actresses.
Someone else criticized the list for not including "women of color," but look closely and you'll observe a sprinkling of such lasses, like Vida Guerra, Bingbing Fan, Yolanda Pecoraro, Demi Lovato, Mariah Carey, Salma Hayek, Sonia Braga and more. The obvious reason there aren't more "women of color" is because I'm a white dude (with some Abenaki blood) and, gee, I guess I tend to prefer women with lighter skin. This has nothing to do with racism; it's just personal preference and, besides, this is a subjective list.
Some heralded Westerns aren't on the list because either 1. I'm not a fan (e.g. "The Searchers") or 2. I generally like them, but not enough to make my favorites list (e.g. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" & "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"). In some cases, I might have yet to see the film (e.g. "The Great Silence").
There are other Westerns that I remember liking and they may make my list in the future, but I have to give 'em a fresh viewing because I haven't seen them for so long.
Feel free to give your feedback, thanks!
In no certain order.
For questions, comments or rebukes, write me at: [email protected]
Reviews
Heaven's War (2018)
A political thriller that offers a sobering peek into the spiritual war behind-the-scenes
A senator (Jason Gerhardt) wants to do the right thing in government and so presents a threat to the venal vax-obsessed DC establishment, which draws attack, both physical and spiritual. Donny Boaz is on hand as Gabriel.
"Heaven's War," aka "Beyond the Darkness," was shot in April-June, 2011, but not released until 2018. Why'd it take so long? Because roughly 46% of the shots in the film contain CGI effects, which are well-done considering this is the furthest thing from a blockbuster production.
The political intrigue of the opening act is convoluted, but everything is eventually explained. The writer/director respected the intelligence of the viewer to put the pieces together. Furthermore, it took gonads to base the political complications around raising taxes and mandatory "vaccines" (something for which satan's favorite party is known). Speaking of this aspect, the movie is amazingly prescient of what went down a full decade after it was written. I'm talking about the 2020-2022 plandemic that negatively affected the masses and destroyed many.
The depictions of the spiritual realm are on a comic book level, but effective. To illustrate, the sequence involving the lake of fire is genuinely harrowing whereas the colorful swashbuckling skirmishes smack of "Conan the Barbarian." The dark warrior with a huge hammer, for instance, is reminiscent of Thorgrim in the 1982 movie (Sven Ole Thorsen).
The human interest revolves around inspiring the viewer to examine himself/herself on several levels and (hopefully) apprehend wisdom, healing or even eternal redemption. I'll just comment on one unexpected area: We tend to judge & criticize how others have treated us in the past, like our parents, but don't realize how our own words/actions might be having a similar damaging effect on others, even those closest to us. If that's not human interest, I don't know what is.
There's one glaring theological error, which I'm not going to get into, but 2 Timothy 1:10, Romans 2:7, Romans 6:23 and Matthew 10:28 will elucidate; heck, just reread the Bible's most popular verse, John 3:16. However, the writer/director is (or was) a professor at Liberty University and so this religious perspective is to be expected to some degree; plus, it's so minor it doesn't ruin the film.
Joe Estevez is on hand as Senator Baker while Robert Walker Jr appears as Agent Mills. It was the latter's final film as he passed away in 2019. You might remember him as the titular character in the memorable Star Trek episode "Charlie X" from 1966.
The flick runs 1 hour, 35 minutes, and was shot in Austin and north of there in Round Rock, Texas, along with establishing shots of DC.
GRADE: B.
The Great Waldo Pepper (1975)
The daredevil barnstormers of the 1920s with Robert Redford and Bo Svenson
Two former pilots of WW1 team-up to entertain people in middle America with increasingly risky aerial maneuvers. Susan Sarandon plays a woman who joins the team while Margot Kidder appears as the protagonist's on-again, off-again girlfriend. Geoffrey Lewis is also on hand as an inspector of the newly formed Air Commerce.
"The Great Waldo Pepper" (1975) is a tribute to the men & women who risked their lives to entertain people in 'flying circuses' in the '20s through the early '30s. By the time of this particular story, competition amongst stunt fliers resulted in progressively dangerous tricks, as well as highly publicized accidents, which led to hampering safety regulations and the demise of barnstorming.
The tone mixes life-or-death drama with amusing bits. There are a couple of shocking sequences that some critics have interpreted as 'coldhearted,' but they just reflect those times. Even if you were a female who joined the team, you're one of the boys and they all knew the risks. Sudden deaths, while unfortunate, didn't change the fact that it was part of how these people made a living. And the show must go on, as they say.
Speaking of which, if you're familiar with movies like "The Blue Max," "Flyboys" and "The Red Baron," this is what some of the surviving flying aces were doing after the war.
It runs 1 hour, 47 minutes, and was mostly shot in and around Elgin, Texas (which is just east of Austin), and Piru, California (which is a 50-minute drive northwest of Los Angeles). Studio stuff was done at Universal Studios.
GRADE: B-/B.
The Getaway (1972)
Steve McQueen, Ali MacGraw and others chasing a bag of cash in Texas
A prisoner in Huntsville (McQueen) is released early due to his wife (MacGraw) making a deal with a corrupt official (Ben Johnson). The cost of his freedom is to head a bank heist in San Marcos with the officer's questionable henchmen (Al Lettieri and Bo Hopkins). O, what a tangled web we weave.
"The Getaway" (1972) is a crime thriller written by Walter Hill based on Jim Thompson's book and was director Sam Peckinpah's second most successful film at the box office, after "Convoy" six years later. It was remade in 1994 with Alec Baldwin and influenced soon-to-come movies like "The Outfit," "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry," "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" and "The Gauntlet," as well as later ones like "No Country for Old Men."
If you like those flicks, you'll appreciate this one, although it ranks with the least of 'em IMHO. Why? Because the bank job is unnecessarily convoluted, not to mention expensive, with the myriad pre-caper photographs, a cliched last-minute briefing session in a basement, severing electrical cables in the sewer tunnels and even diversionary explosions. Why Sure! Then there's the curious train station sequence with a convenient con man that's inserted into the midsection, which I admit is entertaining in a Hitchcockian way.
Lastly, despite some amusing bits, the proceedings are shrouded by a pessimistic and ugly perspective. I get that the protagonists are antiheroes, but the film needed more glimmerings of nobility and love, and less murderous venality. "Pulp Fiction" is a good example.
Ali looks good on the feminine front and is, thankfully, way less annoying than her character in "Love Story." Blonde Sally Struthers eventually appears and never looked better at 23 during shooting, but her character is a ditzy turnoff.
McQueen would marry costar MacGraw seven months after the movie's release, but their marriage would only last five years.
It runs 2 hours, 2 minutes, and was shot entirely in Texas at Huntsville (prison), San Marcos (bank robbery), San Antonio (train station), Fabens (city street confrontation) and El Paso (Laughlin Hotel).
GRADE: B-/C+
Warlock Moon (1973)
Obscure slasher taking place in the treeless hills southeast of the Bay Area
A college girl from Berkely and her new beau (Laurie Walters and Joe Spano) take a trip for a picnic and wind up at a rundown spa resort. They meet the old biddy living there (Edna MacAfee), but something weird seems to be going on, possibly even sinister.
"Warlock Moon" (1973) starts out with bits reminiscent of "Night of the Living Dead" before eventually taking a path similar to "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" and "Necromancy," the latter with Pamela Franklin and Orson Welles, which was reissued as "The Witching" with extra (unneeded) sensationalistic footage in 1983. Tobe Hooper obviously borrowed from it for his "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," upping the ante in every department.
This is easily the least of these due to its sparse cast and tediously mundane happenings, not to mention the one-dimensional setting of the dilapidated spa resort. Yet there are enough highlights for those interested and it deserves credit as an early slasher before the craze kicked off five years later.
The working title was "Blood Spa" and it was released to TV & video as "Bloody Spa" in the USA & UK. While that's certainly a fitting name, "Warlock Moon" isn't exactly a misnomer, as some maintain. (Skip the rest of this paragraph if you haven't seen the movie, as there are slight spoilers). To explain, certain characters are definitely involved in ritualistic sorcery, including at least one male; and a warlock is a man who practices sorcery, aka witchcraft. As for "Moon," it's obviously nighttime when this ritual is performed, so there's certainly a moon in the sky (regardless of whether or not clouds cover it). 'Moon' in this context would simply refer to the dead of night (pun intended).
Likable Laurie Walters costarred in the amusingly risqué (but eye-rolling) "The Harrad Experiment" just before this and eventually went on to TV fame with Eight Is Enough from 1977-1981 (which I've never seen, but practically everyone has seen pics or clips from that show).
It runs 1 hour, 22 minutes, but there are several minutes of deleted scenes worth checking out on Youtube, particularly the cops pulling the couple over in the first act, which explains a couple of things later on. It was shot at the University of California in Berkeley, which is north of Oakland, and 37 miles southeast of there in Livermore (the spa resort), which is east of Dublin.
GRADE: C+
Von Ryan's Express (1965)
Escaping the Germans by train in Italy
A captured American colonel (Frank Sinatra) takes command of the POWs at an Italian camp in 1943. He conflicts with the rigid Brit major (Trevor Howard) as the Allies soon land in Selerno. The opportunity eventually surfaces to take command of a train and possibly escape north. Sergio Fantoni plays an Italian captain who teams up with them.
"Von Ryan's Express" (1965) was based on the book by David Westheimer, who himself was a navigator in a B-24 shot down over Italy at the end of 1942 wherein he ended up a prisoner in Stalag Luft III. While "The Bridge on the River Kwai" concerned a POW camp in Burma and "The Great Escape" concerned one in Poland, the camp here is in Italy. Thankfully, it only concerns the first act and the flick is wisely streamlined compared to those other two movies.
Amidst the adventure, there are interesting culture clashes between the Italians and Germans, the Allies and Italians, as well as the Brits and Americans. Sinatra insisted that the script deviate from the novel's ending and it worked out for a memorable climax.
Beautiful Raffaella Carrà is a highlight in her black skirt and white shirt. Unfortunately, the iconic Euro-entertainer devolved into a LIEberal in the following years, supporting Communism and so forth (Get real). But what else is new?
It runs 1 hour, 57 minutes, and was majorly shot in northern Italy in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Florence, although the ending was filmed in the limestone gorge of El Chorro and the nearby railway bridge, which is close to Málaga, Spain. Interiors were done at 20th Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles with the POW camp built in the front lot.
GRADE: B+
Equinox (1970)
The beginning of cabin-in-the-woods horror, sort of
Four college-aged youths go out to the woods north of Los Angeles to visit their professor's cabin and have a picnic, but they stumble upon a grimoire and several malevolent creatures are inadvertently unleashed.
"Equinox" mixes "Mysterious Island" (1961) with HP Lovecraft and the low-budget weirdness of, say, The Twilight Zone. It was originally made as "The Equinox... A Journey Into the Supernatural," a 71-minute flick made for $6500 by Dennis Muren and Mark Thomas McGee in 1967. However, after impressing a producer, a director was hired to shoot additional footage (11-12 minutes) and expand it into a more acceptable feature film with a shortened title. This took a couple of years and explains the 1970 release date. The director enlisted was Jack Woods, who happens to play the weirdo ranger.
The colorful special effects in the third act are surprisingly good, all things considered, with the stop-motion stuff reminiscent of "Planet of the Dinosaurs" (1977). Perhaps the best effect is a green giant impressively executed via forced perspective.
While the professor's cabin is barely a factor, this was the precursor to the cabin-in-the-woods trope, along with the contemporaneous "Night of the Living Dead." It can be traced back earlier, if you consider flicks like "The Killer Shrews" from 1959.
The exploration of good and evil is interesting and the flick obviously influenced Raimi's first two "Evil Dead" pictures from the 80s. Unfortunately, there's too much marking time in the midsection and, except for the ranger, the principal actors are dull with the two females being bland and unmemorable. One of the young guys, by the way, is Frank Bonner, who went on to play Herb Tarlek on WKRP.
It runs 1 hour, 22 minutes, and was principally shot in areas north of Hollywood, such as Tujunga Canyon, Bronson Caves in Griffith Park and La Cañada-Flintridge.
GRADE: C.
The Night That Panicked America (1975)
The Martians are coming, the Martians are coming!!!
On the night before Halloween, 1938, Orson Welles directs a radio adaptation of HG Wells' novel The War of the Worlds from forty years prior. The "breaking news" style of ominous storytelling convinced many listeners throughout America to take it seriously, causing a panic. The illusion of realism was reinforced by the lack of commercial interruptions, which meant that the first break didn't come until after all of the alarming "news" had been given.
A television production, "The Night that Panicked America" (1975) works well enough to help you see how Welles' show could deceive those who failed to hear the opening announcement indicating that the show was a work of fiction. Paul Shenar does a good job playing Welles and there are several familiar faces, like Vic Morrow, Eileen Brennan, Meredith Baxter, Will Geer, Tom Bosley and John Ritter just before his success with Three's Company.
The ending fittingly mentions the town of Concrete, Washington, which is located 96 miles northeast of Seattle. During the midpoint of the broadcast a coincidental power failure plunged the town of (then) one thousand people into darkness. Needless to say, they were probably the most terrified listeners in America.
It runs 1 hour, 32 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles.
GRADE: B.
Horror High (1973)
Teen Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at an American high school
A bullied science whiz at a high school in the Dallas area (Pat Cardi) develops a potion that darkly empowers him to get back at those who abuse him.
"Horror High" (1974) is also known as "Twisted Brain" and written by the writer of the later "Dark Night of the Scarecrow." The basic premise with its stock werewolf-formula hails back to 1958's "Monster on the Campus" just mixed with the bullied teen in high school angle, which inspired future flicks like "Carrie," "Christine" and "The Unhealer" (2021). "Primal Rage" (1988) was no doubt influenced by it.
The viewer's sympathies are with the commendable nerd. His relationships with a striking redhead (Rosie Holotik) and the lead detective (Austin Stoker) are well written/acted; the coach too, I suppose, although that 'actor' takes the hammy route.
It's blessed by an excellent theme song called "Vernon's Theme," which was written & performed by Jerry Coward. The eccentric score is early 70's percussion-oriented rock by Don Hulette. Some wont' like it, understandably, but it was avant-garde in 1973 (when produced).
The flick only cost $67,000, which would be equivalent to $475,000 today, and so the locations are dull, limited to the school and the kid's home & neighborhood streets. It literally could've been shot in any school/suburb in the USA or Canada.
Interestingly, the background policemen were played by players of the Dallas Cowboys, specifically Craig Morton, DD Lewis, Bill Truax and Calvin Hill.
I should add that "Return to Horror High" from 14 years later is not a sequel.
It runs about 1 hour, 23 minutes, and was shot at a high school in Irving, Texas (just northwest of Dallas), that was being used as a finishing school for pregnant girls at the time, as well a neighborhood in northeast Dallas.
GRADE: B-/C+
Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969)
The awe-inspiring wonders and possibilities of the vast seas (70% of the Earth)
During the Civil War, a Senator (Chuck Connors), three men, a young widow & her boy, are rescued after abandoning ship in the stormy north Atlantic. Their savior ironically turns out to be the misanthropic Captain Nemo (Robert Ryan), who happens to be the benevolent ruler of an amazing underwater city.
"Captain Nemo and the Underwater City" (1969) takes the titular Jules Verne character from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" (1954) and "Mysterious Island" (1961) and expands his potential to that of being the mastermind of an unbelievable subaquatic community.
The idea that this is only entertaining for kids is absurd since there's much here for adults to appreciate. Overlooking a few attempts at hokey humor (involving the gold-obsessed Bath brothers), there's the colorful sets and quality main actors, not to mention the beautiful women - Nanette Newman as Helena, Luciana Paluzzi as Mala and some peripherals. Speaking of Mala, she plays an instrument that's basically a Verne-esque version of the theremin, 65 years before it was patented by the Russian inventor Leon Theremin.
Then there's the fascinating character of Nemo himself. He's driven by hate, yes, but it's hatred of the evils of war and unjust government, as well as the corresponding suffocating laws. In the ocean, he & his people are free from all of this and, especially, humanity's penchant for self-destruction, at least to a greater degree.
Speaking of which, the ending brings up humankind's quest for Utopia and how to obtain it: Do we separate from humanity to achieve it in a secret enclave, like Nemo, or do we work with humanity to bring about positive change, like the Senator wants to do? This is an enduring theme since Coppola's new "Megalopolis" addresses the same kinds of questions.
It runs 1 hour, 45 minutes, and was shot at MGM British Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, which was just northwest of central London (demolished in 1970). The oceanic sequences were done off Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the Red Sea.
GRADE: B.
The Rain People (1969)
Coppola's mundane and melancholy late '60's arthouse road movie
A 30-ish wife on Long Island (Shirley Knight) needs to just get away and so enters her station wagon and drives west. To where? She doesn't know, but she picks up an ex-college football player (James Caan) and spends time in West Virgina before making it to Nebraska, where she meets a motorcycle cop (Robert Duvall).
"The Rain People" (1969) was made three years before Francis Ford Coppola became famous with "The Godfather." It was his first movie in which he had total creative control, writing and directing on the road without producers breathing down his neck. The story was inspired by Francis' mother curiously leaving home for a few days when he was a kid. It's about a woman's haphazard search for freedom from the manacles of domestic life. Unlike the domineering male protagonists of "Patton" (which he wrote), the Corleone patriarchs and Kurtz in "Apocalypse Now," Coppola shows us here several females manipulating men: Natalie with Kilgannon, Gordon and even Vinny; Ellen with Kilgannon and her father; and Rosalie with her dad.
Interestingly, it's the express opposite of Francis' previous movie, the fun "Finian's Rainbow," which was based on the 1947 Broadway hit. One is an energetic musical with a large cast while this has an everyday, depressing tone, made with a small cast & crew. While neither were successful at the box office, they both went on to garner cult followings after Coppola's great success in the 1970s-90s (of course he had a few movies that didn't do so well, but what else is new?).
I can see where many viewers would find "The Rain People" dull, but it features a daring premise and has historical significance, not to mention some notable cast members. Plus, it's a quality period piece for the late '60s. In regards to the commendable premise, Natalie loves her husband, but is uncertain about the responsibility of having his child and so instinctively flees the scene. Ironically, Killgannon becomes her surrogate 'child' on her road odyssey wherein she struggles with her obligations.
Concerning the 'historical significance,' the industry proudly cites "Stand Up and Be Counted" as the first flick to address women's liberation, which it overtly does. But this came out three years prior and few people noticed at the time because it's so covert. It was ahead of its time.
Francis originally intended to include a scene at the end to clear up what Natalie decides to do from there, but it wasn't needed because everything is explained in her monologue. Listen.
It runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot over the course of five months in several American states with a 10-person crew (along with a smattering of locals). The locations include: Garden City (opening shot), Manhattan (Lincoln Tunnel) & Hofstra University, New York; the Pennsylvania Interstate; Harrisonburg, Virginia (restaurant scene); Clarksburg (the drive-in theater) & Weston, West Virginia; Chattanooga, Tennessee (the parade); Brule (the burning house) & Ogallala (the reptile ranch), Nebraska; and other places for exterior shots.
GRADE: B/B-
Finian's Rainbow (1968)
Amusing late 60's musical with dynamic performances by the cast
An Irish father and daughter come to America and settle a couple of miles from Fort Knox in Kentucky. As Sharon (Petula Clark) falls for the community's returning prodigal son (Don Francks), Finian (Fred Astaire) deals with a leprechaun (Tommy Steele) that desperately needs the pot of gold he "borrowed" while a mute dancing girl catches the leprechaun's eye (Barbara Hancock).
"Finian's Rainbow" (1968) is a fun musical based on the 1947 Broadway play, helmed by Francis Ford Coppola after proving his mettle with "You're a Big Boy Now." Although overlong, it's an energetic mix of Elvis' "Follow that Dream," Astaire musicals and "The Wizard of Oz." The above-noted cast members are all highlights, along with Keenan Wynn as the racist Senator and Al Freeman Jr as the research botanist. Astaire was 68 during shooting while Petula was 34; Franks was 35 (but looked older) while dancer Barbara Hancock was only 17. Speaking of the latter, she shines as she frolics about doing flips and what have you.
Someone criticized that the movie borrowed too many Hippie elements from the musical "Hair," but this is totally bogus seeing as how the film started shooting (with a finished script) in late June, 1967, and "Hair" didn't debut off-Broadway until four months later. It didn't make it to Broadway until 1968 while the movie version came out in 1979. No doubt the scriptwriters & Coppola naturally tried to make the 1947 musical more relevant to the mid-60s, but this had zero to do with ripping off "Hair." Personally, I didn't perceive much if any "Hair"-like elements and, honestly, it could easily fit the time-frame of the late '40s.
Wynn's character was inspired by real-life Senator Theodore Bilbo of Mississippi, a Democrat, who died seven months after the musical debuted. Film studios wouldn't touch it due to the satirical bits pertaining to racism (like the Senator amusingly morphing into a black man); that is, unless they could change the script, which the writers wouldn't allow. By the mid-60s, however, the time was right.
Coppola had nothing to do with the cutting off of Astaire's feet during his dancing scenes. After shooting had been done in 35mm, Warner Brothers chose to convert the movie to the wider 70mm and sell it as a "preserved-ticket roadshow attraction," which was achieved by cropping off the tops and bottoms of the picture frame. Unfortunately, this included some shots of Astaire's footwork, which I didn't even notice while watching (in other words, it's a nothing burger).
This was Astaire's last musical.
It runs 2 hours, 25 minutes, and was shot on studio sound-stages and the back lot at Warner Brothers Burbank Studios and Walt Disney's Golden Oak Ranch, as well as Potrero Valley, Thousand Oaks, although one sequence was shot in Napa Valley near Coppola's home, north of Oakland, as well another west of there in Bodega Bay. The opening includes scenic shots of iconic spots in the USA (with stand-ins for Astaire and Clark).
GRADE: B.
The Night of the Generals (1967)
Intrigue in the heart of Europe during World War 2
In German-occupied Warsaw in late 1942, a major of the Abwehr (Omar Sharif) conducts an investigation concerning the grisly murder of a German agent working as a prostitute. All he knows is that the culprit is a German general and this narrows it down to Gabler (Charles Gray), Kahlenberge (Donald Pleasence) and Tanz (Peter O'Toole). Nineteen months later they all happen to be in Paris when several senior Wehrmacht officers conspire to assassinate der Führer.
"The Night of the Generals" (1967) is a worthwhile pick if you're in the mood for the décor and intrigues of WW2 minus the battles, similar to "Triple Cross" from the year prior. Christopher Plummer starred in that earlier film and has a cameo here as Field Marshal Rommel. Both movies include the July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Hitler in the last act, which is what Cruise's "Valkyrie" was based on four decades later.
There's a subplot concerning the beautiful daughter of General Gabler (Joanna Pettet) and her romantic relationship with a lance corporal (Tom Courtenay). The latter becomes General Tanz's driver and tour guide in Paris.
For another WW2 drama that focuses on parallel behind-the-scenes events of the German high command (minus the fictitious murder mystery), check out "Rommel" (2012).
The film runs 2 hour, 27 minutes, with the first act shot behind the Iron Curtain in Warsaw (a rarity for Western films at the time); the second act was filmed in Paris; and the final sequence in Munich, Bavaria, southeast Germany.
GRADE: B.
The River Murders (2011)
The precious and the profane in Spokane with Ray Liotta
A brutal serial killer is on the loose and it's discovered that all the victims were former lovers of one of the city's detectives (Liotta). Who's the killer and why is he targeting these particular women? Ving Rhames plays the police captain while Christian Slater is on hand as the FBI agent.
"The River Murders" (2011) comes in the tradition of sordid murder thrillers like "The General's Daughter" and "Kiss the Girls." It's not as commendable as the former, but it's better than the latter IMHO. The obscure "Cold Blooded" is another comparison. The best things about it are the brooding-yet-spiritual mood, the quality score and the notable Spokane locations, not to mention the cast.
To appreciate it, you have to be prepared for a flick that's frank about things better left unsaid, like what the killer does with the victims' rings or the skeletons of one's past sexual relations. We're talking some serious TMI here. Concerning the latter, would you want to know such details about your coworker or spouse? Probably not. Then there's the over-the-top rudeness of the no-nonsense FBI agent. I'd criticize it, but we've all met these kinds of abrasive types.
If you can roll with the crudeness and ugliness, there are quite a few positives beyond those already noted, such as confrontation, forgiveness, new life, a reverent ambiance amidst the unpleasantness and some interesting commentaries on Old Testament Scripture.
Someone criticized that the movie's too hard on Christians, but the psycho in question isn't actually a believer in light of how the Bible points out that "no (impenitent) murderer has eternal life residing in him" (1 John 3:15). Was Jim Jones a Christian, for example? Obviously not. Besides, this particular character is counterbalanced by Harlan (Patrick Treadway), who's a sound and benevolent minister.
Sarah Ann Schultz stands out on the feminine front as the protagonist's detective partner.
It runs 1 hour, 32 minutes.
GRADE: B-
Ticket Out (2012)
Ray Liotta helps a beautiful blonde escape her ex-husband in wintery landscapes
An American mother (Alexandra Breckenridge) takes her young son & daughter and flees her abusive ex, who has visitation rights (Billy Burke). As she travels from east to west in January, she is helped by a mysterious man involved in some kind of escape network (Liotta).
"Ticket Out" (2012) is an entertaining inter-state chase flick with top-of-the-line locations and quality winter ambiance, not to mention a couple of unexpected (but welcome) shoot-outs. Alexandra is a winsome protagonist and Burke makes for a quality villain while Ray's character is charismatic, but enigmatic.
The flick explores the complexities of parental rights and what's good for the children, as well as the moral conflict between doing what your profession or the legal system demands and what you know is right in your heart.
Despite its release date, the film was shot from December 14, 2008, to March 14, 2009.
It runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot in Iowa (Des Moines, Newton, Indianola, Prairie City and Adel); Badlands, South Dakota; Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Grand Tetons, Wyoming.
GRADE: B.
Les innocentes (2016)
When the soldiers of the Red Army are just as bad as the German occupiers
Seven months after the end of the European theater of WW2, a nun from a convent in Poland seeks the aid of a French Red Cross worker, who's helping French survivors of the concentration camps (Lou de Laâge). It turns out that some Russian soldiers paid a barbaric visit to the convent when they were taking over the territory months earlier.
"The Innocents" (2016) is based on the true story of Madeleine Pauliac when she was working as a doctor in Poland, renamed Mathilde Beaulieu for the movie (Lou). It has a similar milieu to "Black Narcissus" and "Agnes of God," except that it's rooted in a real-life account. It's not as good the former IMHO, but it's superior to the later.
You could call this a WW2 drama and it works as a realistic period piece. I'm glad the scriptwriters added the relationship of the Hebrew doctor with the protagonist, which works up both historical and human interest amidst the glum proceedings. Lou de Laâge is one of the highlights. She's a pleasure to behold and her lips are exquisite.
The film runs 1 hour, 55 minutes, and was shot in northeastern Poland at Morag, Krosno and Orneta.
GRADE: B.
Triple Cross (1966)
James Bond lite during WW2
When the Germans occupy the island of Jersey where a glib Brit safecracker is incarcerated (Christopher Plummer), they enlist him as an agent because of his shrewdness and lack of loyalty. After being tested by his handler in France (Yul Brynner), he becomes their top spy, assigned the mission of blowing up an aircraft factory in England. But what happens if MI5 enlists him as a double agent?
"Triple Cross" (1966) is loosely based on the true-story of Eddie Chapman, who was to be the technical advisor, but French authorities wouldn't let him in the country due to his alleged involvement in a plot to kidnap the Sultan of Morocco. Director Terence Young knew Chapman before the war, as a roommate, and also spent time with him on his first mission in Britain, which was set up by MI5 because the spy needed cheering up as he was training for his return to occupied Europe.
I call it "James Bond lite" because Terence Young directed three of the early 007 movies with Sean Connery before helming this one, and three iconic Bond actors are featured in the cast: Gert Fröbe played the titular character in "Goldfinger," Claudine Auger played Domino in "Thunderball" and Francis De Wolff played Valva in "From Russia with Love."
This is a good movie if you're in the mood for the décor and intrigues of WW2 minus the battles, similar to "The Night of the Generals," which came out the next year. A youthful Plummer is surprisingly good as the nonchalant protagonist and I like how the July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler is included in the last act (Cruise's "Valkyrie" was based on that event). It's along the lines of "The Heroes of Telemark" from the prior year, just not as good IMHO. The great "Where Eagles Dare" came out two years later.
It's a little overlong at about 2 hours, 15-20 minutes (although there's also a 126-minute American version); and was shot in France with some stuff done in England.
GRADE: B-/C+
Wish You Were Here (1987)
Emily Lloyd coming-of-age in early 50's Britain
A precocious teen in a seaside town of southern England becomes aware of her power over males while flouting conventions, which doesn't help her relationship with her rigid father (Geoffrey Hutchings) and keeps getting her in trouble, which she finds amusing.
"Wish You Were Here" (1987) is a period piece and coming-of-age flick. It's been listed as a comedy, but it's not. It's a drama with humorous touches counterbalanced by the hard facts of life. The meshing of lighthearted bits with sober elements is interesting and true-to-life.
Emily was only 16 years-old during shooting while one of the guys she is drawn to, Tom Bell (Eric), was 53. It's no surprise that she's drawn to someone her dad's age because she's desperately seeking a father's love, despite her outward spunk.
I don't take the movie as supporting any particular issue, but rather as a character study of a certain type of person, in this case a female. It's also a commentary on society's curious mores at that particular time and place. What's an individualistic person to do, especially when s/he sees glaring hypocrisies and injustices?
Don't despise the girl for the questionable things she does. Remember, she's only like 16-17. We've all done rash, foolish or disrespectful things in our teens. Then we grew up. I'm pretty sure that Lynda will be growing up real quick by the end of the film.
The title seems odd and probably kept it from greater success. It refers to the protagonist missing her mother, who died when she was 11. She was close to her mom, but obviously not her dad.
It runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in Worthing and nearby Bognor Regis (to the west), which are about an 85-minute drive due south of London.
GRADE: B-
Cop Land (1997)
Tough Cops of NYC living in a town across the Hudson River in Jersey...
...where the half-deaf Sheriff (Sylvester Stallone) is basically a nice-guy tool of their arrogant leader (Harvey Keitel). When the angry cops engage in corruption concerning a cover-up, it attracts the attention of an Internal Affairs investigator (Robert De Niro), who tries to enlist the help of the Sheriff. Ray Liotta and Robert Patrick are also on hand.
"Cop Land" (1997) is a crime drama with an ensemble cast, the second film of writer/director James Mangold. There are a lot of characters and so it's wise to use the subtitles to keep track of who's who. It's one of those films where you have to pay close attention or you won't be able to follow what's going on and get frustrated. Siskel & Ebert's review (available on Youtube) does a good job of pointing out the movie's strengths and weaknesses: Siskel carefully followed what was happening and so praised the flick whereas Ebert got irritated by the overstuffed production.
The first time I saw it, I felt the way Ebert did but, seeing it again recently, I lean more toward Siskel's position. There's a Director's Cut, released in 2008, that adds about 14 minutes of extra footage and makes what's happening more sensible. While this is great and I want to see it, the Theatrical version is fine if you pay attention and keep track.
It comes in the noir-ish tradition of "On the Waterfront" and is similar to Bruce Willis' "Striking Distance," just less comic booky and grittier, not to mention more convoluted. Yet it's superior to both of these IMHO. The future "Crash" (2004) was obviously influenced by it.
Stallone gained 40 lbs for his role and is convincing as the pushover Sheriff, who's basically backed into a corner where he has little choice but to consider a radical turn. Meanwhile Liotta, Keitel, De Niro and T-1000 all bring their A-game with intense performances.
In the feminine department, Annabella Sciorra plays the wife of one of the cops (Peter Berg), a woman who the Sheriff evidently still loves. Meanwhile Cathy Moriarty is on hand as Uncle Ray's cheatin' wife while Janeane Garofalo plays the Sheriff's increasingly frustrated deputy.
The film runs 1 hour, 45 minutes, and was shot in Edgewater, New Jersey, and the nearby George Washington Bridge, with some scenes done across the river in Manhattan.
GRADE: B+
Peace River (2022)
Wooden acting in the first half, but stay around for the powerhouse second
A boy on a big ranch in the Southwest is guided by his wise grandfather (Benjamin M. Jones). As a young man (Chase Garland), he makes a foolish mistake and, later, suffers tragedy in the Service. Can he put the pieces back together? Jessica Nunez-Wood is on hand as the woman he loves.
"Peace River" (2022) is a sentimental and reverent drama that's all-American with rodeo action and military-based aspects. The main characters are believers and so there's a little spirituality of that nature. As noted in my title blurb, the acting in the first half is relatively deadpan, but serviceable enough to roll with, keeping in mind that this is a modest-budget production and not a blockbuster with actors who are paid millions.
Despite some second-rate performances, the first half features nice cinematography in the big sky country of northern New Mexico, not to mention quite a bit of horse-related activities. Even better, there are quality bits of wisdom here or there. It's the latter portion where the movie really shines, though, as it doesn't fail to honestly address the intrinsic problems of life in a fudged-up world, yet doesn't leave you empty and hopeless.
Life's most important things are stressed: Friendship with God, family, friends, meaningful work and the loyalty of your animal, whether a horse or otherwise. Everything leads to a potent sequence that conveys simple truths that are essential to all-around health. See Psalm 55:22 and 1 Peter 5:7 to get my drift.
One time I was venting to the Creator and it got pretty primal with spit flying and tears flowing. My cat wasn't afraid, but rather came close to comfort me in a scary time of desperation.
It runs 2 hours, 15 minutes, and was shot in northeast New Mexico in the Cimarron area at the Philmont Scout Ranches, etc.
GRADE: B+/A-
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Life on the run from the FBI
From 1964-1969, a teen from New York (Leonardo DiCaprio) turns to confidence scams to survive, including posing as a Pan Am copilot, a doctor and a lawyer while raking in huge amounts of money via check fraud. Tom Hanks plays the FBI agent intent on nabbing the con artist.
"Catch Me If You Can" (2002) was inspired by Frank Abagnale Jr's tales about his life. It comes in the tradition of films like "To Catch a Thief" and "The Great Impostor," albeit with the more modern tone of "The Fugitive" (1993), minus the great action sequences of that film.
You can watch the real-life Abagnale in his appearance on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show in 1978 on Youtube; he shared several of the stories that made it into the movie. Whether or not they're true is another story (he was a conman, after all), but they make for an entertaining movie set in the '60s.
The script was based on Abagnale's autobiography, which is more of a biography since he sat down with Stan Redding for a few interviews. Then Redding wrote the actual book, tweaking it for the purposes of entertainment. Abagnale said about 80% of it was accurate. As for the movie, he said some things are off, like the fact that he didn't keep in touch with his dad after running away, not to mention he had two siblings and his mother never remarried. Also, the plane escape took place through the kitchen galley, not the toilet in the rest room. Lastly, the character of Hanratty (Hanks) is a composite of several FBI agents who pursued him.
Amy Adams appears in a secondary role; she was 26 during shooting, but looked like a teenager. Jennifer Garner, Elizabeth Banks and Ellen Pompeo have smaller roles.
It runs 2 hours, 21 minutes, and was shot in several locations, including Burbank, Downey, New York City (and nearby Orange, New Jersey), LA International Airport, Ontario International Airport, Quebec City and Montreal.
GRADE: B.
Starry Eyes (2014)
Into the diabolical abyss of Hollywood
A young woman in Los Angeles works at Big Taters (Alexandra Essoe) while trying to land a role in a cutting edge film. Is she willing to pay the unspoken price for fame and wealth?
For the first hour, "Starry Eyes" (2014) is a drama with droll humor, but it slowly morphs into psychological horror in the manner of "Rosemary's Baby" before taking a body horror turn with slasher elements. So, the set-up mixes "Hollywood Boulevard" and "Rosemary's Baby," but the flick evolves into something along the lines of "Lillith" (2019).
Unlike "Lillith," which had technical deficiencies, this one's proficiently made, just marred by a muted palette (which was also the case with "Lillith"). Fabianne Therese stands out on the female front as brunette Erin.
Someone criticized that the film glorifies devil worship and selling one's soul to the dark side. Why Sure!
It runs 1 hour, 36 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles and La Cañada Flintridge, the latter of which is a 30-minute drive northeast of Hollywood.
GRADE: B-/C+
The Legend of 5 Mile Cave (2019)
Good Western with human interest based around the Colossal Cave Legend
In 1929, a man shows up at a farm in Kentucky that's facing foreclosure (Adam Baldwin). The widow allows him to stay in the barn in exchange for work (Jill Wagner) while her boy bonds with the mysterious man. The kid is especially interested in his true-story about outlaw gunslinger Shooter Green (Jeremy Sumpter) from 1887 Arizona.
"The Legend of 5 Mile Cave" (2019) mixes "Secondhand Lions" and "Places in the Heart" with the Colossal Cave Legend of the Old West. The latter revolves around the caves located 30 miles southwest of Tucson being used as a hideout for outlaws in the mid-1880s wherein they hid loot stolen from Southern Pacific Express on two different occasions. William Castle's 1951 Western "Cave of Outlaws" was also based on these ambiguous historical events.
There are variations of the tale, naturally, and I like the creative twist here. The film scores high with human interest and Allie DeBerry as Josie Hayes is a highlight in the female department while Jill Wagner ain't no slouch as Susan.
Critics complain about the clothes and general hygiene looking too good for the time periods featured, but multitudes of traditional Westerns were guilty of this, so what else is new? And, besides, wouldn't the average person care about how s/he looked, even back then, whether at a farmhouse in the East or a town in the Old West? Of course they would, unless they were dirtbags. One legitimate flaw, however, is a scene that shows vinyl siding behind the characters in 1929, but this material didn't come into use until the 1950s. Yet this flaw is so fleeting, who cares?
Then there's the clueless armchair critics who pan the move for supposedly being 'faith-based.' Are they serious? There's literally one scene where the three main characters pray at the table and that's it. This might come as a shock to Lefties, but people prayed at the table back then and many do to this day, including in public. Don't get me wrong, I suppose the flick is 'family friendly,' but so is "Secondhand Lions," "Places in the Heart," "Shane," "3:10 to Yuma," "True Grit" and so on.
It doesn't overstay its welcome at a lean 1 hour, 30 minutes. It was shot in Georgia (for the 1929 scenes) and the Greater Tucson area of Arizona (for the 1887 flashbacks). The latter locations include Old Tucson, Colossal Cave Mountain Park, Sonoran Desert, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Tucson Mountains, Sierrita Mountains, Superstition Mountains, and so forth.
GRADE: B+/A-
Trancers (1984)
Fun time-travel sci-fi thriller with a young Helen Hunt
A no-nonsense detective in 2247 (Tim Thomerson) has to go back in time to stop a cult leader who has the power to mesmerize people into a zombie-like state. He enlists a likable blonde to assist him, an assistant for Santa at the local mall (Helen Hunt).
"Trancers" (1984) has similarities to "The Terminator" mixed with a little "Blade Runner" and Humphrey Bogart, but that more popular James Cameron film is vastly superior because it had 14 times the budget; it also beat it to theaters. This one has a wink of amusement, like they weren't taking it too seriously. Still, if you can roll with that, it's entertaining enough and has some interesting ideas, like the unique method of time travel with people going back by injecting a drug that enables them to take over the body of an ancestor.
It obviously influenced "Warlock," which came out five years later, and was popular enough to produce six sequels between 1988-2002. I'm including the 20-minute 1988 short "Trancers: City of Lost Angels," which wasn't actually released until 2013 because it was originally set to appear on a shelved anthology called "Pulse Pounders." The proper full-length sequel, "Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth," debuted in 1991 with Thomerson, Hunt and Biff Manard returning from this one.
Helen was 21 during shooting and never looked better. Exhibit A is her opening scene in a green leotard.
The flick's short 'n' sweet at 1 hour, 16 minutes. It was shot in Los Angeles, except for the beach scene in nearby Malibu. The mall sequence was filmed at Panorama Mall.
GRADE: B-
Forbidden World (1982)
Another Corman-produced knockoff of "Alien," with softcore
In the distant future, a troubleshooting flying ace (Jesse Vint) is redirected to a remote desert planet in order to help a bio-engineering team deal with a mutating organism.
"Forbidden World" (1982) is the second "Alien" knockoff produced by Roger Corman and even uses some of the sets of the previous one from the year prior, "Galaxy of Terror" (as well as some space F/X from "Battle Beyond the Stars"). Other than that, the films aren't connected.
While my title blurb is condescending, Ridley Scott's iconic movie itself ripped-off every main aspect of the first half of "Planet of the Vampires" from 1965, aka "Terror in Space." So it wasn't exactly original, although it was well-done and superior.
Like "Galaxy of Terror," there's a comic book flair to the proceedings that "Alien" lacked (because of its blockbuster budget). Still, if you like the grim adult-oriented science fiction of that film, you should appreciate this one (and "Galaxy"). The problem is that the monster in the last act looks cheesy in the manner of something borrowed from "Little Shop of Horrors," although up to that point the various mutations are effective, particularly for a Corman-budgeted flick.
"Alien" featured statuesque but too-thin Sigourney Weaver in her underwear in the last act and so Corman upped the ante with the two females here, shown pretty much fully nude in some scenes, with 1-2 sex-oriented sequences. The joke is that the tagline was "In space no one can hear you get naked." Obviously, you should stay away if that's disagreeable to you. The aforementioned two females happen to be Dawn Dunlap (Tracy), who was only 17 during shooting in October, 1981, while blonde June Chadwick (Barbara) was a month shy of 30.
The nudity can be criticized as exploitive, of course, but there's another way of looking at it. It drives home how people stuck on a remote station in the galaxy would still function like everyday people on Earth: sleeping in light clothing, walking around in their underwear or a robe, bathing, using a sauna, having sex and so forth. In other word, people are people, even 100-200 years in the future in outer space with the great technology thereof.
The movie runs 1 hour, 17 minutes, and was shot at Corman's studio in Venice, California, his "renowned lumberyard facility," as well as Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce for the outside scenes.
GRADE: B-/C+
Galaxy of Terror (1981)
Corman-produced sci-fi in the wake of "Alien"
In the future when humanity is involved in space travel and governed by "The Master," a rescue spacecraft is sent to a remote planet to investigate a crashed vessel. Things go from bad to worse.
People tend to write off "Galaxy of Terror" (1981) as an "Alien" knockoff," which it is, but that iconic Ridley Scott film itself ripped-off every main aspect of the first half of "Planet of the Vampires," aka "Terror in Space" (1965). So it wasn't exactly original, although it was well-done and superior. This is basically a combination of those two films with bits borrowed from "Forbidden Planet" and, of course, Star Trek (both the Original Series and the first movie).
Unlike Roger Corman's "Battle Beyond the Stars" from the year prior, there's no Star Wars-like cuteness. This is dead-serious adult-oriented sci-fi in the manner of the aforementioned works, perhaps best known for a giant slimy maggot sequence involving statuesque blonde Taaffe O'Connell (Dameia),
It's also known as the movie that paved the way for James Cameron's breakthrough. He was the art director and talked Corman into being the second unit director. He wrote & shot the arm-severing sequence wherein two producers happened to be in the studio. They were so impressed that they hired James to direct his first movie "Piranha II: The Spawning." After that, he was ready for "The Terminator" and the rest is history.
Aside from Taaffe in the feminine department, there's Erin Moran as a crewmember with psychic powers. Meanwhile Grace Zabriskie is surprisingly appealing (and convincing) as fit Captain Trantor. I say "surprisingly" because I only know her from roles when she was older, such as Susan's mother, Mrs. Ross, in several episodes of Seinfeld.
Notables Ray Walston, Robert Englund and Sid Haig are also on hand.
Like "Planet of the Vampires," this starts to get dull in the mid-section with crewmembers scampering around dark sci-fi sets, usually in terror, but the grim atmosphere is palpable and the ending is fairly interesting. It influenced "Aliens" (Cameron went on to direct that famous film five years later), as well as "Event Horizon" and "Sphere."
It runs 1 hour, 21 minutes, and was shot at Corman's studio in Venice, California, his "renowned lumberyard facility," as well as Santa Monica.
GRADE: B-