THE TERROR (1963) - Review

The Terror

Horror
1 hour and 21 minutes
Rated: PG

Written by: Leo Gordon & Jack Hill
Directed by: Roger Corman
Produced by: Roger Corman

Cast:
Boris Karloff
Jack Nicholson
Sandra Knight
Dick Miller
Jonathan Haze

There's No Rest For The Wicked ...

Jack Nicholson has retroactively referred to The Terror as being "hopeless". His frustrations were later shared by his costar Jonathan Haze who stated that there is no story to the film. Roger Corman himself has said the film had more directors than it boasted - including Jack Hill, Francis Ford Coppola, and even Jack Nicholson for some scenes - adding to the problem of the film's jumbled storyline.

The Terror came about while Corman was in the process of shooting his famous Edgar Allan Poe films. While shooting The Raven, Corman informed Nicholson that the sets would be lying around dormant for a weekend or so, and that he wanted to shoot something else on them while they were still available. Hence, The Terror.

The film has the same atmosphere as Corman's Poe films, or even Mario Bava's contemporary gothic horror chillers - but it lacks in quality in comparison to the two. For starters, the film is horrendously photographed. It could be that later copies are just in such poor shape, but it'd be a shocker to learn that the original negative isn't in as rough of shape as these modern day copies. Cinematographer John Mathew Nickolaus, Jr. is ultimately responsible for this major downfall of the film. There are moments where the color appears either over saturated or under saturated - never quite reaching the place where it needs to be. The f-stop settings are all off, not helping with this dilemma. In fairness, this distortion of the color and lighting - in an accidental way - helps to set the film's creepy atmosphere. The distortion compliments nicely the distortion of the story.

Editor Stuart O'Brien is wise in the ways of Corman, meaning that he pulled together some interesting moments on a next-to-nothing budget. There is one moment where Nicholson's character is caught in a landslide. Two different reaction shots are showcased multiple times against shots of boulders collapsing down the mountain. This happens just quick enough for most not to notice, but not quick enough for a cinephile to miss it. All the other action-oriented scenes are cut together well, it should be mentioned, including an opening sequence where Nicholson's character is attacked by an eagle.

The special effects are what can be expected out of this era in Corman's filmography. Due to the film's incredibly low budget, there's hardly any scenes that require effects. The first of two is actually relatively gory. When an eagle plucks out the eyes of Jonathan Haze's character, the blood effects are not disappointing. What is disappointing is later in the story when the witch is struck by a bolt of lightning. Not cheesy enough to bring the entire film down, but it is still enough to make a viewer's eyes role.

The story is an absolute jumbled mess. While saying it's nonexistent or "hopeless" is perhaps an exaggeration, it isn't a gross one. There is a solid story that can be pulled out of the film, but it has enough twists and turns to lose any distant viewer. Perhaps what is the cheesiest thing about the film is its own understanding of its jumbled story. Dick Miller's character is afforded a moment towards the end where he attempts to recap and explain everything that has happened. Something that a decent film would never consider doing.

This all having been said, the film isn't a complete catastrophe. The performances (not surprisingly) are quite good. Boris Karloff is as elegant as ever, and is right at home in this creepy gothic atmosphere. It's absolutely not his greatest performance, but it is undoubtedly far from being his worst. Nicholson - in his very early years - manages to hold his own, especially in scenes involving himself and Karloff. The only distraction being seeing him play a French lieutenant with an American accent. It's still not as distracting as Dick Miller's strong New York accent on his butler character. These mishaps are easily forgiven though, and neither Nicholson nor Miller manage to embarrass themselves.

The saving grace of the picture is its sets. Leftover from The Raven, the castle setting looks to be much more expensive and elaborate than it undoubtedly was. The exterior sets are also remarkably chosen, mainly the setting on the rocky coastline.

Even with top notch actors and beautiful set pieces, The Terror manages to be a rather uneventful gothic horror film that suffers from a confusing and hastily put together storyline, and poor cinematography.

4.5/10

NIGHTMARE CASTLE (1965) - Review

Nightmare Castle

Horror
1 hour and 30 minutes
Unrated

Written by: Mario Caiano & Fabio De Agostini
Directed by: Mario Caiano
Produced by: Carlo Caiano

Cast:
Barbara Steele
Paul Muller
Helga Liné

A mad, sadistic scientist on the loose!

In the annals of Italian horror cinema, there have undoubtedly been several films over the years that have fallen out of relevance and into obscurity. These films were the ones being pushed out quickly so that they could make a profit on the coattails of another more successful film. Mario Caiano's film Nightmare Castle, is a good example of all of this.

Nightmare Castle has "mocksploitation film" written all over it. The film follows templates put into place by two incredibly successful Italian horror films that came before it: Mario Bava's 1960 film Black Sunday, and Riccardo Freda's 1956 film I Vampiri. With Black Sunday, Mario Bava perfected the gothic horror film over thirty years after it having gone out of style - using the then unknown British actress Barbara Steele in two different roles. Nightmare Castle also boasts Steele in two separate roles in a gothic setting. Caiano unquestionably knew this would draw in fans of Bava's film and generate more revenue.

Freda's I Vampiri is one of the first films ever to place the idea of vampirism in a modern context. Indeed, the idea that young blood transfused into an older body could regenerate youth had been around before, but it was never connected with the traditions of horror. This storyline of a scientist pumping a young person's blood into an older woman to regenerate her youth is recycled by Caiano in Nightmare Castle. 

These elements of mocksploitation are not surprising in the least, especially considering Nightmare Castle's 1965 release date. The 1960s was a time where low-budget films were thriving on grind house and drive-in theater screens. Many of these low-budget films used these mocksploitation tactics to appeal to mainstream audiences in order to draw in more viewers. It worked less often than filmmakers would have hoped.

Despite the blatant similarities to Black Sunday and I Vampiri, Nightmare Castle contains some really incredible, and creative moments. For starters, the film is quite violent - even more so than anything Bava was producing at the time. Its still tame by today's standards, but viewers might be shocked to see just what is shown in this older gothic chiller. A brutal flogging scene, Steele's character subjected to acid being dripped on her body, a brutal blow to the head, and finally an intense electrocution. The effects are done quite masterfully, and are even more amazing to witness in the film's beautiful black & white framing.

Enzo Barboni was the film's director of photography and the film is beautifully captured. The black & white really creates gorgeous and haunting shadows within the film's castle setting, and is most effective during the dream sequences. Steele's character is over saturated with white - a white dress, her pale skin and bleach blonde hair. While it may not be as detail oriented as one of Bava's films, Barboni did a masterful job capturing the film in a beautiful manner.

The film's score was composed by the legendary Ennio Morricone, who is most famous for his work on Sergio Leone's Man with No Name spaghetti western trilogy. Morricone's talent shines through, even at such an early stage of his career. The delightful, and even cheerful, piano score works effectively in contrast with the scenes of horror. And a organ-based piece is present to the pleasure of all gothic horror fans everywhere.

Despite the dialogue being dubbed, the performances are all standard for a 1960s gothic film. Steele does a wonderful job - as is expected. Her talent really shines through with her performance of an innocent and tormented young girl - something vastly different from her usual typecast performances.  Paul Muller is also excellent as the sadistic scientist husband of both of Steele's characters.

The film's strongest asset is its tie in with the supernatural. While the I Vampiri-plotline plays a major part of the story, it is intertwined with an incredibly haunting ghost story. This subplot showcases Nightmare Castle's creativity within a mocksploitation context. And the climax - involving Steele donned in complete burn-make-up - is truly a standout moment in gothic horror and Italian horror cinema.

Even with its now forgotten status, and its elements of mocksploitation, Nightmare Castle is able to triumph over its flaws by boasting outstanding special effects, beautiful cinematography, an outstanding score, and performances by iconic actors all set within a creatively told ghost story.

6.5/10

FOUR ROOMS (1995) - Review

Four Rooms

Comedy
1 hour and 38 minutes
Rated: R

Written by: Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino
Directed by: Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino
Produced by: Lawrence Bender

Cast:
Tim Roth
Antonio Banderas
Jennifer Beals
Paul Calderon
Sammi Davis
Valeria Golino
Madonna
David Proval
Ione Skye
Lili Taylor
Kathy Griffin
Marisa Tomei
Tamlyn Tomita

Comedy, Confusion And Chaos... Compliments Of The House!

"What a cast! What a waste!" read film critic Leonard Maltin's initial review of this 1990s indie-comedy anthology. I hardly ever find myself agreeing with the "big" film critics, who make their living critiquing a medium of art which they themselves have never had the courage to participate in, but in this case - I'm willing to make an exception.

For most film junkies, especially those who are enticed by the indie-boom of the 1990s, Four Rooms may seem like the holy grail. The four filmmakers attached as well as the cast are a cinematic wet-dream. The film also marks the first collaboration (behind the camera, anyway) of filmmakers Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino - who went on to give us such gems as From Dusk Till Dawn, Sin City, and Grindhouse. Four Rooms, however, just simply cannot live up to the high expectations set by its talent.

Even though the film is meant to play out as the continuous story of Ted the Bellhop's (Tim Roth) New Year's events at the Hotel Mon Signor, each story (written and directed by one of the four filmmakers) is so vastly different from the other that the idea that the audience is watching one film instead of four is completely lost by the second story. This can be attributed to the talent of the four filmmakers in question. Each one is (or was if we want to be specific about Rockwell and Anders) so uniquely talented that their collaborating with others of the same caliber is undeniably out of the question. Whereas the whole film is supposed to be a comedy, one finds themselves only laughing at one (or maybe two, depending on one's humor) part of the story.

The first part, directed and written by Allison Anders, follows Ted the Bellhop as he is needed to partake in a coven of witches' ceremony to bring about a dead goddess. This first story should've set the tone that Four Rooms is a laugh-out-loud comedy, but instead we're given a bizarre scenario cut with plenty of film-school editing techniques. Tim Roth is shown to have all the charm and mannerisms of a silent movie star (this continues in Rockwell's segment, but thankfully disappears for Rodriguez' and Tarantino's segments), but in a motion-picture that has sound his over-the-top gestures and panicky, high-pitched voice are just annoying and get in the way of things. Madonna has a nice cameo as herself (and by herself I mean a middle-aged witch that's still trying to cling on to a shred of youth by having platinum blonde hair, and wearing a leather dress that's so tight she is given the physique of a blood-sausage).

The second segment, written and directed by Alexandre Rockwell, suffers from many of the same ailments as the first. Rockwell tries to go for a unique story that involves few new characters to be introduced, but once again all humor that should be present is totally lost. The saving grace of the scene is Jennifer Beals, who is unquestionably a greater actress than most of her films would suggest.

Part three, written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, is the only story that can truly be called a "comedy". Where Rockwell fell short, Rodriguez succeeds. Using few characters, and one location he is able to create some truly humorous situations. Antonio Banderas is in fine form, delivering Rodriguez' dialogue as if it were second nature. The child actors are truly gifted and Rodriguez' talent of working with child actors (with the later Spy Kids franchise) is clearly apparent. Even Tim Roth, who before was obnoxious, is brought back to a realistic performance that makes his delivery and timing of dialogue hysterical and believable. The only thing flawed with Rodriguez' segment of the film is its attempt to be tied with Rockwell's. The little girl calls Ted the Bellhop at the front desk and then immediately calls the room where he is being held at gunpoint in Rockwell's scene. How did Ted manage to be in two places at once? Especially when the phone call came halfway through Rockwell's story. It just doesn't work.

The final movement, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, is questionable. Fans of Tarantino will undeniably appreciate it for what it's worth. Tim Roth, Bruce Willis, Paul Calderon and Tarantino himself deliver lengthy monologues pertaining to 1920s silent films, 1960s television shows, the differences between champagne and cristal, and the simple things in life such as being drunk and making outrageous bets. What makes this scene questionable is also its lack of humor. For a comedy, this scene is too bloated with dialogue that sets up the characters and situation for it to be funny. While it works - enough suspense to keep us entertained until the quick and brutal climax - it's just not funny. 

Other wasted performances include Kathy Griffin as Roth's boss. If you're going to showcase a standup comedienne in a cameo within a 1990s indie-comedy, wouldn't you want to give her some dialogue that's actually funny? Griffin has little more to do than tell Roth what it is he should be doing. Marisa Tomei (an Academy Award winner) pops up in the same scene as a stoner chick. Her performance serves as nothing more than a catalyst that allows our leading man to recount the events of the film thus far. Salma Hayek also appears in lingerie on a nudie-television channel in the background of Rodriguez' segment.

Four Rooms should have been a cinematic masterpiece of 1990s indie filmmaking, but ultimately it stands as a train wreck of a motion-picture with only a few redeemable moments. In the end, the film just couldn't handle the amount of unique talent which it boasts.

4/10

RESERVOIR DOGS (1992) - Review

Reservoir Dogs

Crime/Thriller
1 hour and 40 minutes
Rated: R

Written by: Quentin Tarantino
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Produced by: Lawrence Bender and Harvey Keitel

Cast:
Harvey Keitel
Tim Roth
Chris Penn
Steve Buscemi
Lawrence Tierney
Michael Madsen

Four perfect killers. One perfect crime. Now all they have to fear is each other.

The next generation of filmmakers is bound to have been influenced by Quentin Tarantino in some way or another. The man left his fingerprints all over 1990s-culture by writing and directing some of the most quotable films of all time. Love him or hate him, Tarantino remains a filmmaker who continues to make movies for other filmmakers.

Tarantino's debut motion-picture, Reservoir Dogs, is undeniably among his best. With sharp dialogue, amazing performances, and simplistic but effective cinematography, the film showcases Tarantino's immense talents behind the camera. 

The film is filled to the brim with other cinematic references - especially 1970s pop culture - including to Brian De Palma and Sergio Corbucci (the cutting of the ear is an homage to Corbucci's spaghetti western: Django). While these elements are arguably borrowed, they do not detract from the creativity behind the story, and further evidence Tarantino being a filmmaker for other filmmakers.

The performances in Reservoir Dogs remain staples within the actors' careers. What further evidences Tarantino's talent is his eye for talent. Many of the performers in Reservoir Dogs were considerably unknown at the time of production, and after the success of this film have gone on to have lengthy and profitable careers (especially Steve Buscemi). The only then-big-name star within the film is Harvey Keitel, whose work with Martin Scorsese unquestionably is what made Tarantino want him for the role of Mr. White. Lawrence Tierney had been steadily working in movies prior to Reservoir Dogs, and was no doubt a veteran to the craft, but he never showcased much in the way of a standout performance. It'd be tough to single out one performance within Reservoir Dogs as being the standout performance because, honestly, all of the performances in the film are standout performances. The film, which is hefty and bloated with dialogue, never once is boring due to the believability and delivery of its cast. Some standout scenes would included the dialogue between Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi concerning the robbery-gone-wrong.

The performances in Reservoir Dogs can only take it so far, though. The effective cinematography - photographed by Andrzej Sekula - showcases the brilliant performances. Tarantino uses mainly long shots with a wide-angle lens in order to give the actors enough room to deliver their lengthy speeches. This, along with the very few settings within the film, sets up the atmosphere of a theatrical performance. Close-ups are used, but really only where needed. If the audience needs to see the reaction of a character to a situation or a piece of dialogue, they see it. Dolly shots are interchanged with handheld tracking shots, but this switching is almost unnoticeable. The switching of shots and techniques, and using the appropriate one for the right setting again showcases Tarantino's immense talent as a filmmaker.

What is perhaps the only scene that arguably doesn't work is the flashback involving Mr. Blonde, Michael Madsen's character. It gives us some back story to the character - which everybody knows how much Tarantino loves his characters - but when given some thought, is it really necessary to know the backstory of Mr. Blonde? He is labeled as being a psychopath for his actions at the unseen bank robbery, and is confirmed as a psychopath by his torturing of the kidnapped cop. He may be more effective as a psychotic character if the audience didn't know anything about him. The scene ultimately serves as just being a chance for Lawrence Tierney to grab some more screen time.

The story is magnificent. Leave it to Tarantino to come up with an idea for a heist film where the actual heist is never seen. To be a fly on the wall when Tarantino was pitching that to studio executives would've been an absolute treat. Understandably, Tarantino realized as a writer that what is new and interesting in the way of thinking about a heist-thriller is not necessarily what goes down during the heist. As is the case with most of his characters, he makes them interesting and everyday in the things they enjoy (such as 1970s music), but everyone knows there's something badass lying just below the surface.

With a sharply-written screenplay that includes some of Tarantino's most effective and hilarious dialogue, brilliant performances by actors who have since risen to fame, and an interesting story framed with excellent cinematography, Reservoir Dogs is a near-perfect entry in the filmography of Quentin Tarantino.

9.5/10

HOT FUZZ (2007) - Review

Hot Fuzz

Comedy
2 hours and 1 minute
Rated: R

Written by: Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Produced by: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Nira Park

Cast:
Simon Pegg
Nick Frost

When the heat is on, you gotta call the fuzz.

Over the past decade, British filmmaker Edgar Wright has earned a considerably large fan base. Known specifically for comedies, it comes as no shock to learn that Wright's fan base includes similar filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Wright comes from the school of filmmaking that caters strictly to film fans - and by no means is it a bad school to come from.

Hot Fuzz, Wright's third feature film - came at a time when Wright had gained notoriety for his highly successful horror/comedy Shaun of the Dead, also starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Where Shaun of the Dead was Wright's love letter to American-made zombie films, Hot Fuzz on surface levels is his love letter to American-made action films. The film blatantly references the buddy-cop action thrillers of the 1990s, including Point Break and the Bad Boys franchise. But what is perhaps more subtle is Hot Fuzz' references to horror films set in rural England.

The film references Peckinpah's Straw Dogs throughout the story, stating that a background character played an extra in Straw Dogs - and its excessive violence showcased in a peaceful rural English countryside can be drawn as a parallel to Peckinpah's film. The connection of the N.W.A. working for "the greater good" of their community can be directly linked to the pagan Scottish cult in Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man - who give into human sacrifice in order to serve "the greater good" of their small village. Indeed, this is further solidified by the presence of actor Edward Woodward in both Hot Fuzz and The Wicker Man. And lastly, the film directly homages Richard Donner's The Omen with the reporter being impaled by a piece of a church's roof - the same fate suffered by Father Brennan in The Omen. 

While these horror references are too subtle to be noticed at first glance, they are blatant in their belonging to the film - showcasing Wright's heavy influence by American-made action films, as well as his influence in the less frequented genre of British-based horror films.

The editing (Chris Dickens) and cinematography (Jess Hall) work wonderfully, utilizing quick cuts and handheld shots for such trivial occurrences as the characters' purchasing an ice cream cone. It is apparent here that Wright is familiar with the technical aspects of what makes an action film work. 

The fight sequences are astoundingly set up, effectively exploiting their unbelievability in order to draw in more laughs. By the time the banter between the two main characters' has become excessive, the humor effectively switches gears. The plot is explained in a dumbed-down version of what was really going on in the village (speaking to the simple plots of films like The Wicker Man), and shoot-outs between fit young police officers and old civilians take up the last thirty minutes of the film.

The acting is wonderful, and the cast is more than capable. Frost and Pegg already proved their onscreen chemistry with Shaun of the Dead, and other standout performances from the supporting cast include: Stuart Wilson, Jim Broadbent, and Edward Woodward (who, as mentioned, played the lead character in The Wicker Man). But the greatest performance in the film is delivered by Shakespearean veteran Timothy Dalton. Dalton, who is undeniably best known for playing James Bond from 1987 to 1989, based on his credentials, is one of the greatest - if not the greatest - actor of his generation. His presence in the film evidently encouraged the other cast members to step up their games, bringing out the best in his costars. This is evidenced by the scenes featuring dialogue between Dalton and Pegg showcasing Pegg's talent in a serious role. Dalton also proves himself still a capable actor for action films, showcasing his talent at stunt work in the film's action-packed finale. It's incredible that Dalton hasn't received much mainstream work since his James Bond days, considering his undeniable talent.

Despite a few unbelievability issues to the plot, Hot Fuzz is a wonderful action/comedy that is able to triumph over its minor problems due to the incredible performances by its iconic supporting cast, as well as its references and allusions to American-made action films and British-based horror films.

8/10

CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA (1961) - Review

Creature from the Haunted Sea

Comedy/Horror
1 hour and 3 minutes
Unrated

Written by: Charles B. Griffith
Directed by: Roger Corman
Produced by: Roger Corman

Cast:
Antony Carbone
Betsy Jones-Moreland
Edward Wain

This Gangster's "Silent Partner" Isn't Even Human!

There's a reason why today Roger Corman is the man behind some of the greatest creature-features that the SyFy Channel has churned out. This man is undeniably the king of the genre, a reputation only solidified by the numerous entries that he executed in the late-1950s and the 1960s. 

Not to be ignored is Creature from the Haunted Sea. This pseudo-knockoff of 1954's Creature from the Black Lagoon is perhaps one of Corman's most recognizable films from his early filmography. Upon first glance, the film holds nothing special beyond being a low-budget, drive-in, B-movie, loaded with a ton of technical issues throughout its short duration. For one, the sound is muffled in most versions - and even with volume turned all the way up, it's difficult to understand many moments of dialogue. Also problematic is the occasional use of subtitles for Spanish characters. The subtitles are in white, which normally isn't a problem, but due to the film having been shot entirely in black & white, the subtitles are obscured from the brightly-lit daylight shots. Nevertheless, the unclear moments of dialogue and nearly invisible subtitles don't detract from the film's simplistic plot. 

The film's dialogue can be argued as being good or bad, either way. While most of it is hokey and unrealistic - one could argue that that is the point of it all. Regardless, some pieces of dialogue are just too hokey to believe. My personal favorite being: "It was dusk. I could tell 'cause the sun was going down."Alas, with it being a Roger Corman movie, one gets the sense that the dialogue wasn't the most important thing on the director/producer's mind.

The character's are all typical B-movie archetypes. The Italian gangster, the heroic undercover government agent, the beautiful blonde only interested in the film's bad-boy, and the buffoonish henchmen. Due to the film's comedic qualities, these typical characters don't detract heavily from the viewing experience - and in a lot of cases (especially with the buffoonish henchmen) they add to the (sometimes unintentional) humor.

Finally, there is the creature itself. Knowing Corman's reputation, I'm sure that most of the money was spent on locations, equipment, food, vehicles, and technical aspects. Whatever was left was spent on the creation of the creature, and it certainly shows. Made out of what appears to be ripped up scraps of fabric, strung together with pieces of seaweed, with tennis balls for eyes, pipe cleaners for claws, leather gloves for skin, and (my personal favorite) blatant scuba flippers for feet. This amphibious creation is a laughable nightmare. Perhaps Corman realized this as well, for the monster is really only clearly visible during the last fifteen minutes or so of the film.

Creature from the Haunted Sea is not totally without merit. It's often discussed and brought up when Roger Corman's career as a filmmaker is the topic of discussion. So, why is this? As one of Corman's earlier films, it does showcase a lot of his talents as a filmmaker. A lot of shots are captured terrifically, especially the underwater sequences. The film works on a lot of levels as a slapstick comedy that spoofs the idea of the drive-in B-movie creature-feature. I'd be willing to bet that Corman understood that had the film been made as a straightforward horror film, it would've been laughable anyway. The film instead embraces its cheesiness, and the end product is a mostly enjoyable comedy - that provokes a few good, and genuine, laughs.

With several technical problems and a creature who looks like he was put together for a preschooler's arts & crafts project, Creature from the Haunted Sea is a film that manages to showcase its own awfulness and rise above triumphantly as a decently put together comedy.

5.5/10

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966) - Review

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Adventure/Western
2 hours and 41 minutes
Approved

Written by: Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli, Sergio Leone, and Luciano Vincenzoni
Directed by: Sergio Leone
Produced by: Alberto Grimaldi

Cast:
Clint Eastwood
Lee Van Cleef
Eli Wallach

They formed an alliance of hate to steal a fortune in dead man's gold.

There's something magical about the spaghetti westerns of the 1960s - particularly, the ones made by Sergio Leone. Sure Corbucci and Petroni had some fantastic entries in the genre, but no filmmaker ever came quite close to the sheer perfection that Leone was able to touch upon several times within the genre, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is arguably Leone's greatest film of all.

The film begins with the standard Leone direction, closeup cinematography of nameless killers attempting a coup on one of the story's main characters. This same direction in camerawork is a common reoccurrence in Leone's work - and it was handled well by director of photography Tonino Delli Colli. These closeups are inserted in scenes to build tension and add claustrophobia to moments that warrant such a build. The perfect example of this (besides the film's epic climax) is the opening scene where the audience is introduced to the character of Angel Eyes, portrayed by Lee Van Cleef. Van Cleef's character enters the home of a man who is about to eat breakfast with his family. His presence in the house is undeniably unsettling. This is conveyed to the audience through Leone's perfect use of closeups, as well as the sheer and utter silence that dominates the first half of the scene. Van Cleef is able to express his sinister intentions before he even utters his first line of dialogue, a testament to what was his fantastic acting capabilities. Indeed, it is this opening scene with Van Cleef that remains possibly the most memorable moment in the entire motion-picture.

Ennio Morricone's score is perfect for every moment within the film. I'm not entirely sure that the man is capable of producing bad music, and I'd argue history will look favorably upon him as being one of the greatest (if not the greatest) composer of his time. It's obvious why such filmmakers as Leone, John Carpenter, and Brian De Palma would want to work with him.

A unique quality to this film that sets it apart from not just other spaghetti westerns, but period pieces set during the American Civil War, is its setting. While most films with scenes set during the Civil War tend to glorify the bravery of the soldiers, or express how devastating the losses were on the battlefield (which Leone does here as well), The Good, the Bad and the Ugly examines - albeit somewhat briefly - the cruelty and conditions bared by prisoners of war. It's interesting that such a topic is discussed in the plot of an Italian-made western, considering how minuscule in importance the American Civil War was to the rest of the world's history in comparison to America's. Perhaps it took the eye of an outsider to examine such a disturbing topic. Surely there was cruelty and torture committed against Civil War POWs, but it's easy for Americans to choose not to discuss such an ugly topic - especially considering how ugly the Civil War was overall. It's incredibly refreshing to see that ugliness brought to light, even if it does only act as a backdrop for a section of the story.

The actors within the film are all perfect for their roles. Eastwood handles "the Man with No Name" with such ease at this point, one has to wonder if he even had to memorize his lines or if they just came naturally. Wallach is entertaining, and acts terrifically as a much needed comic relief from the darker, more serious tones conveyed through the rules of the genre. The dialogue between Wallach and Eastwood stands as some of the best written in a spaghetti western. The most fun is watching Van Cleef portray such a sinister character - something he had been typecast to do since the beginning of his career. His portrayal of such an intelligently evil villain is remarkable, mainly due to how simple it appears for him to do so.

Whenever I have the opportunity to revisit this motion-picture, I always attempt to find some flaw with it. After who knows how many screenings, the conclusion has always remained the same - it is flawless. It remains the pinnacle of success and standards for what a spaghetti western should look like - and indeed, it was the success of this film that led to the "Italianization" of American westerns, or their becoming more gritty and scandalous in their content.

An outstanding motion-picture, that could quite possibly be Sergio Leone's masterpiece, which boasts amazing settings, beautiful cinematography, breathtaking performances, and has the bravery to handle darker, uglier backdrops in US history - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly remains a perfect film to this very day and, as long as people are interested in movies, will continue to remain so.

10/10

THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978) - Review

The Boys from Brazil

Drama/Sci-Fi/Thriller
2 hours and 5 minutes
Rated: R

Written by: Heywood Gould
Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner
Produced by: Stanley O'Toole and Martin Richards

Cast:
Gregory Peck
Laurence Olivier
James Mason

If they survive ... will we?

The 1970s brought audiences into an apex of Nazi related films. This mainly was due to the underground success of the Nazisploitation genre. Films like The Night Porter (1974), The Gestapo's Last Orgy (1978), and of course the incredibly influential Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1974), became overnight guilty pleasures for audiences to indulge in. Films that showcased the ruthless ugliness of the Nazis, in a pseudo-cartoonish fashion, but still ensured audiences that good will prevail by any and all Nazi antagonists' brutal deaths. In a way, The Boys from Brazil doesn't stray too far from this exploitation formula.

Essentially a large budget exploitation (more specifically, a Nazisploitation) film, The Boys from Brazil remains to this day an impressive piece of cinema in general. Based on the novel by Ira Levin, who authored Rosemary's Baby, the film promises to be a highly intelligent story right off the bat. The story itself may seem confusing for the first hour and a half or so, but this is to put the audience in the place of the protagonist. Nothing is given to us until it is given to him. This works tremendously, keeping the film's suspense levels on high at all times - ultimately leading to the film's nail-biting conclusion.

The film boasts some fantastic locations all over the globe. South America, Austria, London, New England, and Pennsylvania are all captured terrifically. They are photographed enough to identify where the location is, but they never boast a "tourist-esque" quality that most big-budget films with multiple locations suffer from. Equally impressive are the film's close-ups. Used only to capture the intense emotions of the film's tremendous cast, and to disorient the audience when slight clues are given before the mystery is solved. Henri Decaë is responsible for this magnificent cinematography.

Just as magnificent is the film's editing, done by Robert Swink. Swink seems to know and understand what makes the many genres that Boys is grounded in work. The dialogue heavy, dramatic sequences are filled with few cuts, made at appropriate intervals. During the film's climax, and scenes of sensationalism or violence, quick cuts are used to raise the tension of the film even further.

But it is not the editing, nor the cinematography, that are The Boys from Brazil's tour de force. It is the acting. As if it weren't enough to have a protagonist played by Laurence Olivier and an antagonist played by Gregory Peck, the film is loaded with even more impressive actors, including: James Mason, Denholm Elliot, Rosemary Harris, and Walter Gotell. Gotell actually has a terrific scene in the film, one of only three that he's in, that - if it wasn't for the climax - would be the most terrifying and suspenseful moment within the movie. 

But in the end, nothing can surpass the talent of the film's two leading men. Olivier does an amazing job, making the audience sympathize with his portrayal of an aging Nazi-hunter. His frustrations are felt, and his sense of good and evil is what drives the audience to power through the film's length, never feeling a dull moment. The character is the most believable and interesting within the entire story. Peck's performance as Dr. Josef Mengele, starts off appearing as if it's going to be a Nazi caricature, something directly out of Nazisploitation cinema. This over-the-top quality may at first glance appear that it is going to wear thin - but by the end of the film, one comes to understand Peck's brilliance. Mengele is notably remembered for his hot to cold temper. Screaming, shouting, and acting out of passion and anger one minute, and then appearing cool, calm, and collected the next. In a way, Mengele is history's Nazi-caricature. Peck, the character actor that he was, portrays him so excellently, that the science-fiction/Nazisploitation elements that surround his character are melted away into reality. This is also helped in part by the realness of Olivier's character. When the two characters come together in the film's intense climax, we are shown what happens in a fight between reality and sanity versus fantasy and insanity. Maybe a metaphor for the events of World War II or the Holocaust?

Perhaps the only flaw in The Boys from Brazil is the performance (or multiple performances, rather) of the then newcomer Jeremy Black. Black's performances aren't crucial to the film's plot, even though the characters themselves are incredibly important to the story. His limited screen-time may have been for a reason, but even still, his moments on screen seem much too long, and we have to wonder why the producers would have cast such an untalented child actor to hold the screen with Laurence Olivier and Gregory Peck. Maybe it's just Peck's and Olivier's talent that is able to make a so-so actor appear terrible.

With only minor flaws that ultimately don't affect the film as a whole, The Boys from Brazil is an outstanding motion-picture that includes stand-out performances from its leading men, and will remain a prime example of exploitable elements working perfectly in a mainstream film.

9.5/10

TORMENTED (1960) - Review

Tormented

Horror/Thriller
1 hour and 15 minutes
Unrated

Written by: George Worthing Yates
Directed by: Bert I. Gordon
Produced by: Bert I. Gordon and Joe Steinberg

Cast:
Richard Carlson
Susan Gordon
Lugene Sanders 

A ghost-woman owned him body and soul!

Here we have one of the many B-horror-movies to come out in the late-1950s/early-1960s. Tormented most likely ran as a second feature for drive-in horror double-features. Essentially, it is a film with very few merits.

The film, almost right off the bat, begins with some relatively good special effects work - the contribution of Herman E. Townsley. Townsley pulls off some remarkable moments, considering the film's low budget. In particular, there's a ghoulish, Addams Family moment, involving the ghost of the dead lover's hand appearing, crawling on the floor wearing the new lover's wedding ring. Another sequence involves a pair of ghostly footprints in the sand, and another flowers wilting at the presence of a ghostly specter. These moments are paired with some rather dull special effects as well - including the image of a flying dead-ex-lover, the severed, talking head of the ex-lover's ghost, and a corpse disintegrating into the form of a blob of seaweed.

The film's production design isn't much to discuss, considering that the film really only boasts two locations: a lighthouse (the scene of the crime) and our hero's home. Because of this back and forth between the two settings, one almost gets the feeling that we're watching a theatrical performance rather than a feature-film. 

The cinematography gets along fine with having to work with only the two main locations - but it is the early scenes of the film, located on the shoreline, that are really beautiful. The wide open shots filmed in black & white are the film's tour de force.

Tormented boasts some standard B-movie performances. The players are all there, but they lack any sort of convincing quality that a high level performer might have. Because of this, we're left with a rather flat, or dull, ghost story - that certainly could have had a more shocking climax had the actors been better.

What's most disappointing with this film is how dull and infrequent its scares are. The film is more of a love story than a ghost story. The majority of the scenes focus on the hero's internal struggle between his new lover and the memory of his dead ex-lover, and the fact that he could have saved her from her death. The scares are so scattered throughout these long sequences of discussion and self-reflection, that at times it's entirely possible to forget that what you're watching is a horror film. Because of this "sprinkling" of scares throughout a dialogue heavy, what-should-have-been-performance-driven, storyline - Tormented ends up feeling much longer than its actual running time of 75 minutes.

Boasting little more than some standard, but impressive, special effects work, Tormented is one of those forgotten B-horror films from the drive-in heyday that probably has remained forgotten for an appropriate reason.

4/10

THE YOUNG RACERS (1963) - Review

The Young Racers

Action/Drama
1 hour and 21 minutes
Not Rated

Written by: R. Wright Campbell
Directed by: Roger Corman
Produced by: Roger Corman

Cast:
Mark Damon
William Campbell
Luana Anders
Patrick Magee

They Treated Beautiful Women as If They Were Fast Cars ... ROUGH!

Here we come upon one of the rarest of films ... the boring Roger Corman film. Sure, Corman has had some "cheap" productions - but by no means are any of his previous works as boring and non-compelling as The Young Racers.

In the early and mid 1960s, there was a major influx of melodramas. Films like The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Shoot the Piano Player, and Marnie had set the trend of Hollywood produced melodramas. Why on earth anyone thought these films were entertaining is beyond me.

The Young Racers suffers from what burdens most melodramas: a predictable, soap-opera, storyline. Talk-talk-talk, love. Talk-talk-talk, betrayal. Talk-talk-talk, anger. Talk-talk-talk, emotions. Essentially, every moment of dialogue is so overblown with emotions, it becomes boring. The film never goes anywhere, it simply lingers on the plateau of extreme emotions.

The storyline itself is predictable. A young ex-grand prix racer attempts to get close to another racer who ruined his engagement, by pretending to be interested in writing his biography - only to expose him as a womanizing, speed-freak, sociopath - forever tarnishing his image. What's predictable is that the two men actually start caring for one another, and by the end of the film, all is forgiven and everyone is good friends. How this script ever got someone like Roger Corman behind it is beyond me. The man's previous, and later, works all have some level of excitement, exploitable elements, and intelligence behind them. The Young Racers has none of those three qualities.

I suppose the argument could be made that the film is in fact a carsploitation film. This is an argument, however, that I do not agree with. Sure, the film's got plenty of fast cars, racing one another throughout what precious few grand prix sequences there are, but ultimately these take a back seat to the film's melodramatic plot. Thus, because the cars are not part of the central focus of the film's story, The Young Racers cannot be labeled as an exploitation film, let alone as a carsploitation film.

The acting is atrocious. One would expect more from Corman regulars like Luana Anders and Patrick Magee, who both did a tremendous job in the Francis Ford Coppola/Roger Corman film: Dementia 13. Here, it appears that all the actors must have been told by Corman to act as "over-the-top emotionally" as possible. When in love, be as in love as you can. When angry, be as angry as you can. This continuous over-playing of emotions only hurts the movie, and makes it feel flat - the exact opposite of what it should be doing. 

The film is not all terrible. It boasts some marvelous settings - Paris, England, Belgium - but these settings don't do enough to pull the film out of its tiresome story. The cinematography in the film is astounding. Director of photography Floyd Crosby is responsible for this. Crosby captures beautiful wide shots of the European cities, and throughout the racing sequences gets some remarkable shots as well.

The racing sequences should have been the film's saving grace, but unfortunately these fail to give the film a sense of excitement that was so needed. Watching these sequences is almost as entertaining as watching a nascar event. The audience is watching these fast cars racing and passing one another, ultimately hoping that a crash, accident, or act of God will happen just to spice things up. Unfortunately, none of these things happen - until the very end of the film, and even here the crash is so unremarkable that it's as easily dismissible as the rest of the film.

The Young Racers suffers from an over-display of emotions, that makes most 1960s melodramas boring beyond any point of being a good motion-picture. Its cinematography is remarkable, but it's not enough to help recommend the film as a whole. Whether this was Roger Corman's attempt to cash in on the growing success of melodramas in the early 1960s is debatable, but the point still stands that this is below the standard of quality that Corman is usually associated with.

2/10

FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (1971) - Review

Four Flies on Grey Velvet

Mystery/Thriller
1 hour and 39 minutes
Rated PG

Written by: Dario Argento
Directed by: Dario Argento
Produced by: Salvatore Argento

Cast:
Michael Brandon
Mimsy Farmer

When the flies start to crawl, so will your flesh...

Italian master of horror Dario Argento has been dubbed many things, most notably "the Italian Hitchcock". He was appropriately given that title, considering how intelligent and suspenseful his entries in the giallo subgenre are. Four Flies on Grey Velvet is no exception.

The third and final film in Argento's "Animal" trilogy of gialli films, Four Flies on Grey Velvet follows all the genre rules appropriately: faceless killer antagonizes our protagonist, and forces him (in this case, it's a him) into finding out the killer's identity - which in true giallo fashion - is revealed to be a character well known to both the hero and the audience.

So what makes Four Flies stand out? For one thing, it's a Dario Argento film. Argento's attention to detail is what sets him so brilliantly apart from other giallo filmmakers including Lucio Fulci and Mario Bava. His cinematography - in this case photographed by Franco Di Giacomo - is so thought out, that every shot, and every camera angle, is used in an almost scientific manner to convey a sense of terror and suspense. Argento has a way of making horrific sequences of violence and death so beautiful. This talent is so uniquely his as an auteur, and was maybe only ever matched by the late, great godfather of Italian horror: Mario Bava. The car crash at the end of the film, the scene that kills the antagonist, is one of Argento's most beautifully directed moments. Shot entirely in slow-motion, the epic death of the killer moves as slowly and gracefully as an artist painting a landscape.

Also commendable is the film's musical score. As was the case with the first two films in Argento's "Animal" trilogy, the score was composed by the great Ennio Morricone - who's work stretches back to  Nightmare Castle and A Fistful of Dollars. Here, Morricone goes for a more modern feel. Heavy, jazz drums over bass lines give the film a much more 1970s feel. Not to be left out, is the melodic piece within the score. Light vocals over what sounds like a harpsichord are also an impeccable addition to the film's soundtrack. Morricone's scores work appropriately where they are needed.

The film's acting is quite impressive, although perhaps not as good as in previous Argento films - there are still plenty of standout performances. Michael Brandon does a convincing job as the protagonist, making us feel as confused and paranoid as he is. Jean-Pierre Marielle gives an amazing performance as a flamboyant, homosexual private investigator. Marielle's character is the only one within the film that's truly one hundred percent likable, making his death scene (which is also beautifully shot) all the more devastating. But it is genre legend Mimsy Farmer, who would go on to star in other Italian horror films, that truly gives the standout performance of the film. Throughout the film's first and second acts, Farmer has little more to do than voice her disapproval of Brandon's handling of the situation. But in the film's rather remarkable twist ending - in a period of maybe ten minutes at most - Farmer is capable of delivering a performance lightyears ahead of anyone else's within the film.

A lot of the scenes in Four Flies occur in almost complete darkness. This makes much of the goings-on in several scenes hard to see. While it could be argued to be a technical problem, I strongly believe the near blackness was intentional. Argento is too good of a filmmaker to let a technical problem like that occur multiple times. I believe, the near blackness was intentional. Argento was most likely trying to play off of the common fear of the dark. It's easy to relate to the hero when he awakens to an unfamiliar sound in the night. He searches what should be his cozy familiar home, only to find it to be terrifying in the blackness. We've all had the nightmare of not being alone in our darkened homes, and I feel Argento wanted to exploit that to the film's benefit.

Not to the film's benefit is the ridiculous retina scene. While the pulp magazines that gialli films were derived from often used the idea that the victim's last vision is embedded on their retina, and that this vision could be retrieved - seemed plausible for the dark fiction stories, it is ludicrous when shown on the screen. It is really the only unbelievable moment within the film, and it borders on the line of science-fiction. Perhaps if it was discussed throughout the entire film it could've worked, but it's quick introduction and exiting within the story just seems over-the-top and too blatant to work.

While it may not be Dario Argento's greatest film, Four Flies on Grey Velvet is an outstanding giallo film, filled with beautiful cinematography, gorgeous death sequences, a mostly believable plot, a terrific score, and above average performances.

8.5/10

DEMENTIA 13 (1963) - Review

Dementia 13

Horror/Thriller
1 hour and 15 minutes
Rated UR

Written by: Francis Ford Coppola
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Produced by: Roger Corman

Cast:
William Campbell
Luana Anders
Patrick Magee

You Must Pass the "D-13" Test to Prepare You for the Horrifying Experience of Dementia 13. If You Fail the Test ... You Will Be Asked to Leave the Theater!

Roger Corman and Francis Ford Coppola are two names that will live on forever in discussions between cinephiles concerning the greatest filmmakers of all time. If their pairing for a single motion-picture doesn't excite you - chances are you don't know enough about film to be labeled a true cinephile.

Dementia 13 is one of Coppola's earliest films. Corman, by this time, had several movies under his belt - and was an absolute force to be reckoned with in the horror/exploitation genres. It's no surprise that Corman found such a talented filmmaker before his rise to fame (he would do so for various other filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard).

The film itself is surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because based Corman's earlier works, things can come across as being somewhat .... well, cheap. That being said, there isn't really a cheap moment throughout Dementia 13. In fact, it's hard to believe the film was made on a budget of around $30,000.

It's a very well written motion-picture, and Coppola's talent shines through in many of the film's creepiest dialogue sequences. The first of which being a moment where one of the main characters is recalling the contents of his nightmares. Another, when the family doctor confronts the same character about the missing sister-in-law. Equally impressive is the film's cinematography. Close-ups are used throughout to capture the actors' reactions to one another, and long shots are used just as effectively to create a cavernous quality to the castle where most of the story takes place.

The film's greatest asset, however, is the lighting. It wouldn't be an amazing black & white horror film if the lighting were sloppy. And in Dementia 13, the lighting is everything but sloppy. The opening scene especially, that finds our main character and her husband out on a boat ride in the middle of the night, is lit perfectly. Characters are framed when needed, and shadows are in all the right places.

Dementia 13 even manages to conjure up a few good scares. The first of which involving several mechanical toys, which - due to the film's lighting - appear so sinister, their images remain with you after viewing the film. Other scares include a dead child's playhouse, and a runaway baby carriage.

I can't say Dementia 13 is a flawless film. Despite all this praise, it does have its problems. For one, the film has some apparent "similarities" to Psycho. The most blatant being the lead female character brutally murdered halfway through the film by a killer in the shadows. A demented character talking to a deceased relative is another standout Psycho-ripoff in the film. Most likely, Corman was trying to cash in on the success that Psycho had sparked within the slasher genre. Not a bad thing, but perhaps if these similarities weren't so blatant, the film could've been better.

Another issue is the film does become predictable about three quarters of the way through. If you can't figure out who the killer is by that point, chances are you weren't paying attention to the story. This ruins any sort of shock factor when the killer is supposed to be revealed at the end.

The only moment that truly drew me out of the viewing experience was when a boom entered the top of the frame. It was then apparent that its shadow was clearly visible as well. A technical mishap that was so brief, it really didn't affect the film too much.

With incredible direction, a wonderful screenplay, and an almost unbelievable production quality (considering its budget) - Dementia 13 is a film that is exploding with true cinematic talent, and contains more memorable moments than disappointing ones.

7.5/10

RACE WITH THE DEVIL (1975) - Review

Race with the Devil

Action/Horror/Thriller
1 hour and 28 minutes
Rated PG

Written by: Lee Frost and Wes Bishop
Directed by: Jack Starrett
Produced by: Paul Maslansky and Wes Bishop

Cast:
Peter Fonda
Warren Oates
Loretta Swit
Lara Parker
R. G. Armstrong

They witnessed an unspeakable act! It may cost them their lives!

Drive-in movie fanatics all over America have most likely forgotten about this horror/carsploitation match-up, starring genre actors Peter Fonda and Warren Oates. The film has all but faded into obscurity. That being said, Race with the Devil is not a forgettable motion-picture.

The cinematography, by Robert Jessop, is actually quite professional for a low-budget flick. Jessop does a wonderful job in making the RV, where most of the film is set, appear big and comfortable during exposition sequences, and small, chaotic, and cramped during action sequences. Jessop's use of wide/long shots during the satanic ritual scene add questioning to our protagonists' story, and when R. G. Armstrong's sheriff character expresses his doubts, we too as an audience are uncertain as to what we saw.

The stunts in this film are its tour de force. Indeed, it wouldn't be an impressive entry in the carsploitation genre without a few shattered vehicles. Most impressive are two car chase sequences back-to-back. One even goes far enough to roll a tractor trailer several times, explode a vehicle off of a bridge, and flip another off the side of the road. The stuntmen must have had a field day with this picture. Most of the fight sequences take place on the road, but the few moments of hand-to-hand battle are equally as impressive.

The performances in the film are slightly above what one would expect given the material at hand. Fonda and Oates are a convincing pair, and indeed their friendship in real life helped persuade us viewers into believing their relationship on the screen. Swit and Parker are decent enough, but as our heroes' wives, they have little more to do than scream frantically while under attack. They do, however, prove themselves worthy to the plot by investigating a satanic curse that was left for them. The real standout performance is R. G. Armstrong as a small town sheriff. Armstrong's performance, as stated before, expresses a grain of doubt on what it is our heroes saw. However, it is soon learned that Armstrong was in on the evil at hand, as our heroes are brutally attacked and their RV is vandalized further in the story.

The film itself isn't flawless. Like any exploitation film, it has its problems. While the genre blending works well enough, the film somewhat suffers from an identity crisis. There are moments of pure 1970s horror, that could stand alone as being rather frightening. Then, added to that, are the car chase sequences. One would've been fine, but the addition of another immediately after the first makes me wonder if halfway through filming Jack Starrett changed his mind about the film's genre entirely. All this being said, it could've been much, much worse. (Can you imagine if they added comedic elements to the film? Hello plot of Drive Angry).

Race with the Devil is an entertaining horror/exploitation film, that deserves neither to have faded into obscurity, nor the praise of every filmgoer in America. With impressive stunt work, and cinematography, it is an excellent film to cure anyone's feelings of drive-in nostalgia, and it is a non-embarassing entry into the filmographies of underrated actors like Peter Fonda and Warren Oates.

7/10