Sunday, June 26, 2011

Revenge of the Creature (1955) – MST3K Review


Summary:

In this explosive sequel to The Creature from the Black Lagoon, a group of scientists returns to the Blue Lagoon and finds Milla Jovovich… oh wait a sec. Ignore that. A group of scientists return to the Black Lagoon and using a series of explosives is able to capture the hideous Gil Man creature. Their goal? To take him to a prototype of Sea World in Florida and study him in front of hundreds of tourists. Can’t see how that could go wrong.

One scientist, the incredibly smug and condescending Clete Ferguson (John Agar) takes the lead in working with the creature. This requires him to wear tiny tiny swim trunks and use an electrified pole to prod the Gil Man. As if this wasn’t bad enough, they bring in the lovely Helen Dobson (Lori Nelson) to help with the experiments, mostly so Clete can speak to her in a patronizing tone. But seeing her in a swimsuit drives the Gil Man wild and he soon falls head over flippers for her. This leads to his daring escape, the death of several milk men, watching John Agar get funky at a dance and a chase into the swamps of Florida.

Movie Review:

After the smashing success of The Creature from the Black Lagoon a sequel had to be made. At least, that’s what Universal thought. They had done well with the monster movies of the ‘30’s such as Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolf Man. But with the ‘50s in full bloom, aliens in saucers and giant mutated radioactive creatures were all the rage. I think it took everyone by surprise that the Gil Man, a more old-fashioned creature, was such a big hit. Of course the original film was in 3-D and so was the sequel. Which explains all the shots of the Gil Man coming right at the camera.

While the first film kept things small and enclosed in the lagoon, this movie grabs the monster and brings him into civilization. Sure King Kong did it first, but many monster movies including Jaws 3 and The Lost World (Spielberg’s follow up to Jurassic Park) went along the same path.

Like King Kong the end result is that we feel bad for the Gil Man. He’s just enjoying his time in the Black Lagoon and these morons show up and take him to Marineland! There he’s chained, taunted by John Agar (which would enrage anyone) and electrocuted. Then the lovely Miss Dobson is parading around in her swim suit – well it’s enough to want to call Amnesty International or PETA or someone… Anyway...

When the creature escapes, I ended up cheering for the poor guy. I think we were supposed to be terrified, but the numbskulls that captured him deserved the strangling and drowning they receive. In the end, the creature takes the low road of grabbing Dobson and dragging her up and down the coast, while being attacked.

I will give credit where it is due. The story itself is a clear sequel, following the original pretty well. The logic behind it is sound. Once people hear about the Gil Man I can’t see them leaving him alone. I can even see someone dumb enough to think Sea World will be nice and safe for him. So the plot actually makes some sense. I also think the Gil Man suit is a pretty cool looking outfit. In his element he is pretty creepy looking, and the fact that it works underwater and has moving gills is all very nifty.

Sadly, the movie is plagued but some slow moments and meandering, mostly during the scenes at the Marine Park. Most of this material isn’t terribly interesting and only enforces the point that these people are cruel as well as not too bright.

Then there’s John Agar. He’s a standard character actor who’s done a lot of work. I’ve seen him in a few films and his smugness is always annoying. Here he’s in smug overdrive. The way he interacts with Helen goes beyond the standard ‘50s “oh you’re only a woman, what do you know”. But I think the script for him and the other male scientist is equally to blame. As a hero he doesn’t do too much and really reminds me of Cal Meecham from This Island Earth. If he wasn’t such an annoying guy, I might not side so quickly with the Gil Man, but there it is.

When it comes down to it, Revenge of the Creature isn’t a bad movie. It’s got some good stuff in it. The opening scenes in the Lagoon are handled well, and the stuff after the creature escapes is fun. There is a brief cameo from Clint Eastwood in the film (one of his first roles), so that’s a bit of fun. The film is competent, but not the kind of thing you’ll remember a few months after you see it. Luckily there is enough material in it turn it into the first episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on it’s new Channel.

Episode Review:

1997 was the year when Mystery Science Theater 3000 came back from the dead on the Sci-fi Channel. Most of us fans had figured the series was history and some of us (mostly me and circle of friends) missed out on the elusive Season 7 episodes that only aired once on Comedy Central. So it was a big deal to have our favorite movie riffers back in action.

Of course there were a few changes. The sets were all new, a bit darker and more detailed. Gone was Trace Beaulieu who played Dr. Forrester and Crow T. Robot. New to the on screen team was Bill Corbett who took over riffing duties for Crow, and would become one of the villains, Brain Guy. The other big change was the attitude. The Comedy Central seasons always kept a light hearted fun feeling with the riffing, especially during the years when Joel Hodgson was hosting. When Mike Nelson took over duties as the main experiment, things got a little edgier and moved a lot faster. Well the gloves came off once the show hit the Sci-fi Channel. Mike and the bots attacked the films instead of simply riffing on them. This gives the final three seasons a different feel from the first seven, and can actually serve the show well, especially with some of the more dismal films they encountered.

In a way, Revenge of the Creature doesn’t deserve a nasty mean riff. It’s not that bad of a film. It’s certainly entertaining and has a goofy sense of fun to it. Lucky for us, I think the crew agreed. They don’t go too hard on it, saving most of the spiteful comments for John Agar and his character. Frankly I can’t blame them. But most of the time the comments are really reminiscent of Season six style riffing, quick, a little barbed and well timed.

Bill Corbett steps right into the riffing front lines and does a great job. He started out as a writer on the show, so I don’t think it was too hard for him to make the leap. His puppeteering is really rough in this episode, but he did improve as the series progressed. He did lack a lot of the subtle work that Trace managed with Crow, and while it’s missed, I do love Bill’s take on the character.

There’s a great series of riffs that starts right off the bat. When a title card appears saying A Tributary of the Upper Amazon, the boys mis-read it as: a Tributary to the Upper Amazon. They then provide a list of stars featured in the tribute ranging from Madonna to Helen Keller. Just when you think the joke is dead, Crow will chime in with a few more famous names, and then a few more. Bill’s timing is perfect and I love Mike and Tom’s reaction to the joke Crow just won’t let die.

The boys have a great time with Clint Eastwood’s cameo, with Tom even saying , “Oh he was terrible. His career is over.” They take on the bad use of music in the film, especially since it was borrowed almost entirely from This Island Earth! They also provide a bunch of prison jokes as the Gil Man is moved from the boat into the tank at Sea World. All the fish have some choice advise for the new inmate.

I’ll end with two of my favorite quotes from the film. One is during a scene where dolphins are featured. During a close up of the dolphin watching Tom says in the rough animal voice “We ARE smarter than you. If we had opposable thumbs we’d kick your ass!” Then there is the moment where John Agar and another male scientist are standing proud in their tiny little trunks and Mike says “At this point the swimsuits are really a formality”.

This season contained the host segments that were all one continuous story. In a way, I do enjoy the creativity involved in these, and all the sci-fi movie and television tropes the crew tackled. But when you watch the episodes out of order they lose a lot of the humor and fun. I know the crew at Best Brains hated writing these host segments and was forced to do so by the channel (as well as other odd stipulations like no short films and only films that fell in the horror, fantasy and sci-fi genre).

This episode has a lot to get done story-wise. It has to get Mike and the bots back on the Satellite of Love (they turned into pure energy at the end of Laserblast). It has to explain why Crow sounds different. It has to provide a reason why Mike and bots are still watching bad movies. And finally it has to introduce the new villain, Pearl Forrester (Clayton’s mom). On top of all of this, the crew was able to make fun of Plant of the Apes too.

As usual the host segments are silly fun. I enjoyed how Crow just didn’t remember Mike at all (although they milked the concept pretty dry in later episodes). This episode also introduces one of the side villains, the hilarious Dr. Bobo, an ape scientist played with a great deal of energy by Kevin Murphy. Bobo became one of the best characters in the Sci-fi years, and his introduction here is pretty hilarious. He tries his best to be a pompous scientist, but his ape nature keeps getting in the way. Eventually he evolved into a doofus, but here he’s more competent than the other apes.

Mary Jo Pehl had been a part of the writing crew for years and had played numerous small roles during the older run of the show. In Season Seven she played Pearl Forrester as a cantankerous old woman who had her son under her thumb. But the Sci-fi years turned Pearl Forrester into an insane, power mad force of her own, and she did a great job. Her introduction here as “The lawgiver” is amusing as she monologues about why she hates Mike and the bots so much, and ends in an insane laugh.

All in all, it’s a fun start to a new version of the show. The film is entertaining and the riffing makes it better. The host segments are a bit plot heavy, but are fun. The only sad thing is that the likelihood of this episode being released officially on DVD is slim. Universal is being stingy with their films. Unfortunately nearly half of season eight is comprised of Universal monster movies. But if you manage to get your hand on this episode via DAP, I think you’ll find it worth your time.

I give it four tiny swim trunks out of five.

This episode is available on DAP

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Introduction
After managing the tough task of introducing a new actor as James Bond to the movie audience in 1995 with Goldeneye, it was business as usual for the next Bond film. Well almost. Turns out some viewers were not completely satisfied with the film. The creators went out of their way to correct these annoyances. Including ramping up the action. The result is Tomorrow Never Dies, a movie that promises to deliver your daily dose of explosions and gunfire for an entire movie in the pre-credit sequence!


Summary
A British warship is sunk in the South China Sea and a Chinese plane is shot down. Suddenly World War III seems imminent as the British and the Chinese suspect each other of foul play. M (Judi Dench) head of the British Secret Service sends her best agent, James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) to investigate. It seems that media mogul; Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) may have something to do with the plot. Bond meets up with Carver’s wife Paris (Teri Hatcher) and rekindles an old fling they had. At the same time a woman who claims to work for a Chinese paper named Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) seems to be conducting her own investigation of Carver. Things get dangerous very quickly as Bond finds out that insanity, money, power and satellites do not mix.

Good Points:
  • Pierce Brosnan is in full James Bond mode.
  • An excellent first half.
  • One of the most entertaining car chases in the Bond cannon.
Bad Points:
  • The villain’s plot is not very interesting
  • The action scenes tend to outstay their welcome
  • The bond gals don’t make much of an impression in this one
Overall:
For a full throttle action film, Tomorrow Never Dies delivers. For anyone expecting a film that balances thrills and atmosphere with that action, you’ll be disappointed. The result is entertaining, but lacking the character of the previous film.

Score (out of 5)
Visual Aspects – 3
Sound Aspects – 5
Acting – 3
Music – 3
Script – 2
Direction – 3
Entertainment – 3
Final Grade: 3

Film Review

What I find strange is the fact that Goldeneye was hailed as a fine return to form for James Bond and an excellent introduction for Pierce Brosnan. In the same breath fans of the series will site numerous issues they have with the film. Included was the lack of gadgets (especially using the new BMW), a wretched score (which I actually enjoy) and surprisingly not enough action for a Bond film. With these elements in mind Tomorrow Never Dies attempts to one-up its predecessor.

From a visual standpoint, this Bond film delivers. We get great locations including Germany, Vietnam, England, and a pre-credit sequence in the mountains of Russia. The work on the sound stages is a mixed affair: some look realistic, others are obviously sets. Costumes and make-up are up to typical Bond standards. I do have to mention that this film uses lots and lots of product placement. It gets pretty distracting at times, but only gets worse in Die Another Day.

All four of the Pierce Brosnan films have had good sound work on them. Tomorrow Never Dies being the most action packed of the four has some of the best use of sound and sound motion of the four. Explosions resonate well, and bullets fly around your head.

Pierce Brosnan does a great job as James Bond. He gets to play more than one dimension, especially when dealing Paris Carver. He seems more comfortable here. It’s a shame that the script doesn’t let James Bond breathe. Instead Brosnan fans have to wait for The World Is Not Enough to see the actor in top form as James Bond.


When it comes to the Bond girls, it’s a mixed bag. Michelle Yeoh does a good job with the part of Wai Lin. She’s played the tough spy character before (only as a detective with Jackie Chan in Police Story 3 aka Supercop). She is believable when she plays tough, and believable when she’s undercover as well. Her only weak moments are when she’s supposed to be falling for Bond. I didn’t get much chemistry between the two, but that might have more to do with the script. Teri Hatcher does a average job as Paris Carver. Her part is rather small considering the big play up she gets. She does deliver key information, but ends up killed by the bizarre Dr. Kaufman (Vincent Schiavelli).


I remember how excited I was that Jonathan Pryce was going to play Elliot Carver. It seemed perfect. But what ends up happening is that he starts going overboard with his evil/insane/mogul routine. He doesn’t come across as a genuine threat. He’s more outlandish and goofy than anything else. Not to mention his villainous plot is pretty lame. It's essentially the same plot as You Only Live Twice and The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker. So its a bit stale on top of it. This is probably because the original script was scuttled pretty close to the start of filming, and this had to be whipped up on the fly. The original script was going to revolve around the transfer of Hong Kong to the Chinese, but the producers got cold feet about who it may offend.

Supporting cast is solid. Back for another round of fun is Judi Dench as M, Samantha Bond as Moneypenny and Desmond Llewelyn as Q. M seems to have mellowed a bit in this film. Her admiration for Bond is more apparent than in the other Brosnan films. Samantha Bond is my favorite Moneypenny. There, I said it and I won’t take it back. She is so playful and cute she just crackles when she’s sharing the screen with Brosnan. Desmond Llewlyn as Q is one of the highlights of the film. His banter with Bond is classic stuff. I just wish he didn’t have to wear that stupid Avis outfit.

On the villainous side we get Gotz Otto as Stamper, Carver’s muscle. Stamper plays the part more along the line of Necros from The Living Daylights, except that Necros got more screen time and came across as more dangerous. Stamper seems to be big strong hired muscle with enough brains to get things done and unquestioning loyalty to Carver. We also get Dr. Kaufman, a character that is menacing and humorous. He felt like a character from one of the Roger Moore films and was enjoyable, but bumped off too quickly.


Eric Serra has been demonized for his score to Goldeneye. Fans of John Barry’s jazzy brassy music hate it with a passion. So David Arnold was brought in to remedy the situation. David Arnold took the electronic rhythms that Serra experimented with and mixed them with a very brassy score. The result was the next step in the evolution of the Bond score, especially compared to Barry’s final score for a James Bond film, The Living Daylights. That said, Arnold overuses the James Bond theme. Bond escapes from an explosion, cue the theme. Bond drives his car around, cue the theme. Bond kills a bad guy, cue the theme. Bond opens a door, cue the theme.

I can’t mention the music without mentioning the two songs that accompany the film. “Surrender (Tomorrow Never Dies)” is a great tune. It mixes the brassy sound with the powerful vocals of k.d. Lang. David Arnold helped write the tune, and worked it into the score for several key moments. Unfortunately, someone, somewhere decided k.d. Lang wasn’t popular enough with the kids. Enter Sheryl Crow. Enter a song that is one of the worst in the whole James Bond series. Actually the lyrics and music aren’t bad, but Crow’s voice just doesn’t carry anything with it.


The reason this movie doesn’t work for me is the script. I’ve heard numerous things about this production, and while I’m not sure what is true and what’s a rumor I do have to wonder about the script. Bond films are action films first and foremost. But most of the Bond films follow a direct line of story and fit the action scenes into the plot. This film seems to have gone about it backwards. Cool sequences were dreamed up and the plot was fitted around them. The action takes over. The script does have good moments, especially those that happen in Hamburg. But once we get to Bond’s HALO jump, things plummet just as fast. In addition to the weak script, we get the beginning of the hideously bad one-liners that the writers pummeled Brosnan with. In the end it feels like the script was reworked so many times that it was killed.

With a weak script it must have been very difficult for director, Roger Spottiswoode to make it work. The two key action scenes in Hamburg are the best. Bond does some old fashioned espionage in Carver’s corporate headquarters and is discovered. He makes his escape with only a pistol and a minimum of gadgets. This scene played with plenty of excitement. But the car chase in the parking garage trumps it. Pierce plays the scene like a kid in a candy store.

Later scenes are not as well executed. Most of them go on way too long, or have some kind of strange ending to them. The motorcycle chase sequence is a good example of this. It starts off well enough (especially with Wai Lin and Bond handcuffed together), but after the motorcycle jumps the helicopter, the chase should have ended. Instead you get a goofy scene of the helicopter chasing Bond and threatening to chop them up with the propeller. The final battle aboard Carver’s stealth boat has no tension and goes on for so long that I end up tuning out.

It reflects in my final entertainment grade. I end up tuning out of this movie when it moves to the Vietnam scenes. With this last viewing I approached the film as an action extravaganza instead of an espionage film and I enjoyed it a bit more. For a piece of fluffy summer entertainment it fits the bill. I just wish they had added a bit more brains to the script. This could have easily been a classic, instead of an also ran.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Tarzan Escapes (1936)


Introduction:

Things take a turn for the stupid in Tarzan Escapes. If only I could escape from watching this one. This movie has a serious case of sequel-itis. This occurs when the creators take the same basic story from an earlier film and recycle it with a few small changes.

Summary:

Rita (Benita Hume) and Eric (William Henry) arrive in Africa to find their cousin Jane and take her back to civilization. They join forces with a cad named Captain Fry (John Buckler) who leads them on the quest.

Fry has an ulterior motive of course, he wants to capture Tarzan and use him as some kind of attractions in London. It's all very vague, and of course Fry completely underestimates our hero.

Once Jane meets up with her cousins she decides to go back with them to help clear up an inheritance issue. She explains it to Tarzan in what is actually the best scene in the movie. Then heads off. Then Fry springs his trap, or tries to. But it all goes horribly wrong. The final chase involves men being torn apart by trees, a stampede of elephants, a journey into dark caves and carnivorous iguanas dressed up to look like… um something really odd.

Good Points:

  • The tree house is pretty cool
  • Jane and Tarzan share some great scenes together
  • The iguana monsters are hilarious

Bad Points:

  • The story is a stale rehash
  • Goes overboard with the reuse of stock footage
  • The comic relief is painful

Overall:

If you choose to ignore one Tarzan movie, pick this one. Aside from a few nice moments between Jane and Tarzan this movie is dull and lifeless.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 2

Sound: 3

Acting: 3

Script: 1

Music: n/a

Direction: 2

Entertainment: 2

Total: 2


In Depth Review

The huge, huge problem with Tarzan Escapes is that it is so familiar. The cousins take the place of Harry from the Tarzan and his Mate. But these two are not likable at all, and come across as a couple of pompous gits. You don't care if lions do eat them. Fry takes the character of Martin from previous movie and makes him more devious and mustache twirling. But all his plotting and conniving doesn’t do anything to add any tension to the paper-thin plot. When he gets taken out of the iguana monsters in the finale, you are too busy laughing at his silly demise to cheer.

Then there's Rawlins (Herbert Mundin) this movie's Jar Jar Binks. He's a cockney idiot that does prat falls, makes stupid observations and faints at the drop of a hat. He's supposed to be endearing but I spent the whole movie wishing for Tarzan to break his spine. Luckily he does get killed, and that helps the movie immensely.

Also contributing to the familiar feel of the film is the reuse of footage from the earlier movies. It almost feels like the script was written around the footage, and probably typed out in a couple days to boot. All the big set pieces you've seen before. What is bizarre is how they try to cram footage from Tarzan the Ape Man, which was using a very different camera (one closer to what you see in silent films). It and the very theatrical makeup on Tarzan stand out so much it's comical.

I know back when these films were released, years had passed, and unless the theater near you was rerunning them, you weren’t apt to remember too clearly how much of this movie was made up of older films. But watching them in close proximity it becomes painfully obvious that only 40% of the film is new.

But there are a few bright spots. O'Sullivan and Weissmuller have some very good scenes together; especially as Jane struggles to tell Tarzan she is leaving. These two understand the characters and we see that spark that made their relationship in the first two films so appealing.

But by this time the Hays Code as in full force, and all the steamy interplay between Jane and Tarzan was toned way down. Just look at the outfit Jane is wearing in this compared to the one form Tarzan and His Mate. The actors are still able to convey a youthful romance that carries their scenes, and MGM was probably thankful to have such solid leads at the heart of the film.

I also enjoyed the silly tree house that they lived in. Swiss Family Robinson eat your heart out. This has a working elevator powered by an elephant, running water, powered by Tarzan, and a ceiling fan powered by Cheetah. Yeah it looks like Ewok Village 2000, but it is a fun concept.

As for the action and adventure, so much of it is old footage there isn’t much to get excited about. The big set piece now revolves around Tarzan captured in a steel cage and thrown off a cliff. The movie then spends nearly ten minutes showing us Cheetah running around (and shrieking naturally) gathering animal friends to help. Then the elephants come and with plenty of shouting, shrieking and grunting, Tarzan finally in the most painfully slow way possible escapes. Whatever momentum the film may have had at that point is pretty much killed.

To come down so hard after the epic jungle adventure of Tarzan and his Mate was a real disappointment. Of the eight Tarzan adventures I viewed this was by far the worst. So I recommend that you leave this one trapped in the steel cage and hope it never escapes again.

Read about the other lessons I learned from Tarzan the Ape Man at my review of the first collection of the films over at DVD Verdict.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Speed Racer (2008)

Introduction:

Based off of an anime from the 1960s that had simplistic stories, simplistic animation you really had to question the sanity of the Wachowski Brothers. I mean I know they love anime. Their work in The Matrix trilogy more than proves that. But when it comes right down to this, who was clamoring for a Speed Racer movie?

Summary:

Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is one of the best racecar drivers in the business. His whole family is into racing with his father Pops Racer (John Goodman) building cars for his son to race. Things seem to be going along just peachy for Speed and his family until bazillionare Royalton (Roger Allam) shows up with an offer to sponsor Speed in the upcoming racing circuit. Speed it tempted by the amazing offer, but wishes to stay independent. This chaps Royalton’s coiffed hair and so he vows vengeance.

But things take a turn for the shady when Inspector Detector (Benno Furmann) shows up with an offer for Speed. Seems like there is a criminal conspiracy at the heart of the racing circuit and Detector wants to bust it. With the help of Trixie (Christina Ricci), Spritle (Paulie Litt) and Chim Chim the chip, Speed finds himself in a series of deadly races, with Royalton’s cronies and a mob boss gunning for him. But at his back is the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) who may or may not be Speeds long lost brother Rex. It all boils down to a hyper color adventure that fires on all cylinders.

Good Points:

  • Amazing visuals capture the feel of a live action cartoon
  • An energetic and lively score by Michael Giacchino
  • Keeps true to the spirit of the ‘60s cartoon

Bad Points:

  • Runs a bit too long and over complicates what should be a simple story
  • Pushes everything over the top – visuals, acting, story, music
  • As far from The Matrix as you can get

Overall:

Even if the creation of the movie is suspect, the final result is really one of the most visually impressive I’ve seen. Every element is designed to create the atmosphere of a cartoon and it works wonderfully. Had the running time been streamlined and the story less complicated this could have been a winner. As it stands, it’s worth seeking out for fans of animation and visual pop.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 5

Sound: 5

Acting: 3

Script: 3

Music: 5

Direction: 3

Entertainment: 4

Total: 4



In Depth Review

Oddly had this movie been released in the mid 1990s it would have been better received. For some reason, MTV started showing episodes of the Speed Racer cartoon, bad dub and all, as a kind of ironic bit of programming. This was back when they used to show Liquid Television: a mix of unusual and experimental animation that brought us Aeon Flux. At this time, some techno group going by the name Alpha Team used the Speed Racer theme song, lines from the dub and a bit of dance fueled beats to create a Speed Racer single. The radio edit was a bit of ‘90s fun, but the unrated sexy edit was a bit of comic genius. Using the many assorted back breaths, gasps and groans straight from the ‘60s dub, Speed Racer put the X back in Racer X.

A few years later, the fledgling Cartoon Network would show reruns of Speed Racer in all its glory. Usually right before or after Space Ghost Coast to Coast. I mean if there was a time for a Speed Racer revival this was it.

Instead the Wachowski brothers waited until 2008 to unleash the film. I do remember hearing about it being in development for a few years before that (with Johnny Depp attached at some point). Upon its release the film bombed hard and any goodwill the Wachowski brothers had remaining after the less then warm reception the Matrix sequels received all but vanished.

I guess if your expectations were for something along the lines of The Matrix I can see how this movie with its candy colors and cartoon dialogue could disappoint you. But I can’t see how anyone who knows anything about Speed Racer and enjoyed the show a little beyond its ironic merits could not find something fun about this film.

It’s hard to describe the film’s visual approach other than to say it was true to the bright colors, outrageous angles and rapid approach of the cartoon. The races defy the laws of physics and hurtle by with insane speed. But the Wachoski brothers keep the action understandable and clear with plenty of long shots to establish who is who and where they are on the course.

The acting follows suit. No one here is going for subtle. Its all big and over the top acting that’s bound to grate on some people, especially when you have a cast featuring Susan Sarandon and Roger Allam who are typically seen in dramatic fare. And some of the casting is inspired. John Goodman is perfect both in visual appearance and attitude as Pops Racer. Mathew Fox has the dashing good looks and mystery of Racer X down. Christina Ricci makes the character of Trixie that perfect mix of cute, spunky and cool that you rarely see outside of a Japanese cartoon. Frankly Hirsch has the most dull part as Speed Racer, who is just a good guy with a heart of gold. At the same time I enjoyed the change of having a hero who does the right thing because he believes it, and doesn’t have to be full of angst and darkness (unlike Batman or Perseus of the remade Clash of the Titans).

Then there’s Spritle and Chim Chim, two characters who are obviously catering to the single digit age crowd. Yes, they are annoying and superfluous, but guess what – they were annoying and superfluous in the original anime too! I did enjoy the scene where they envisioned themselves in their own anime complete with bad dubbing and hilarious camera angles.

The music by Michael Giacchio is something else. Giacchino is rapidly becoming one of my favorite composers for this age. He can inject energy into all of his work and when it comes to something like Speed Racer he just nails it. Giacchino not only uses the original theme from the 1960s series as his base for the music, but he injects a 1960s style into the whole score. Sometimes it gets a little bit like John Barry’s work in James Bond, sometimes it sounds like something you’d hear in I Spy or The Avengers but it always fits. Sadly some of his score is lost in the sound effects, but I got a huge kick out of hearing the Speed Racer theme performed by a full chorus in a triumphant style at the end of the film. 60s cheese never sounded so noble.

The movie clocks in at 135 minutes, and really there is no need for that. Sadly the Wachowski brothers attempt to add more depth than necessary to an idea that should be a simple blast of summer fun. Instead of one amazing race, we get three. Instead of one subplot, we get five. Instead of one main villain we get four. It just feels bloated, and when you have such an over the top visual aesthetic, it becomes overwhelming and overbearing. It’s just too much of a good thing.

While Speed’s story arc does require a race in each of its three acts, the fact that they are all so huge and over the top makes the audience punch drunk by the end. As amazing as the final Grand Prix is, you’re just tired of the whole thing by that point. And that’s mostly because the Casa Cristo road rally is so much fun, it really feels like it should be the climax of the film. It’s got the most racers, the most variation in settings, the most amazing driving and the added twist of a full on fistfight in the middle. Really there is nowhere to go after that race, and the rest of the film turns into a bit of a slog. With a leaner meaner script the fun would have been the perfect length instead of a bloated but pretty mess.

I’ve seen some folks complain that none of the racing in the film done with any reality at all. They are missing the point. Speed Racer is not about real driving action. Heck, even Pixar’s Cars is more realistic than this. But this movie is embracing its cartoon roots, and that means that you get crazy car action wacky racer style. There was no way this was going to be done with real cars (especially when they stayed so true to the car design used in the series). Yes its all green screen, but that was done to give maximum control to the Wachoski Brothers and their special effects team. The final results look too amazing to complain about.

Speed Racer has its faults, but I also think people were expecting a very different movie than what the Wachowski brothers set out to make. This is all about making a live action cartoon with a whiz bang feeling of fun behind it. It’s bright, and loud and smiling the whole way. If you can, give it a spin and just enjoy it for what it is. And if you have a Blu-ray player, the film looks even more impressive in high definition. Go Speed Racer! Go!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Forbidden Planet (1956)

Introduction:

This is one of those classic sci-fi films that you always hear mentioned (like Planet of the Apes or The Day the Earth Stood Still). I figured it was finaly time I sat down and watched it, especially since a ton of sci-fi flicks seemed to have been heavily inspired by this one.

Summary:

Commander J. J. Adams (Leslie Nielsen) are on a mission to find out what happened to a missing star ship lost over an unexplored planet. When they arrive they are warned by Dr. Edward Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) to leave or risk destruction. Being the stalwart team they are, the crew lands on the planet and runs into the lovely Altaira (Anne Francis), daughter of Morbius and the all purpose Robby the Robot (Himself!). Morbius is a gracious host, but is obviously hiding something. Once the ship is disabled by a mysterious force, it becomes clear that Morbius and Altaira are part of the secret that may destroy everyone on the Forbidden Planet.

Good Points:

  • Visual effects and production design still hold up well today
  • The plot and themes are engaging
  • Ann Francis is quite alluring

Bad Points:

  • So familiar because so many films are influenced by it
  • Very earnest in a ‘50s kinda way
  • The innovative music/soundtrack will rub some folks the wrong way

Overall:

Had a great time with this one. It had a great balance of adventure, visual effects and a spirit of adventure. I enjoyed seeing all the little elements that later sci-fi films picked up on. Worth seeking out for all fans of classic sci-fi and classic cinema.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 5

Sound: 5

Acting: 3

Script: 4

Music: 4

Direction: 3

Entertainment: 4

Total: 4

Curious about a full review, sent me an email and I’ll make additional thoughts to this review.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Clue (1985)

Introduction:

Nostalgia can be a funny thing when it comes to comedies. What was hilarious twenty years ago ends up sounding dated or irrelevant now. So I’m always a bit afraid to check out some of my favorite laughs from '80s. Lets see how this one stacks up.

Summary:

It’s a dark and stormy night as Butler Wadsworth (Tim Curry) greets his guests at Hill House. It becomes apparent that Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn), Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull), Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan) and Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren) may not know each other, but have something in common. They are all being blackmailed by Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving). After a tense “discussion” Boddy ends up dead and everyone is suspect. As the night wears on, bodies start piling up and each guest looks more and more guilty. What Clue will reveal who killed Mr. Boddy, with what and where?

Good Points:

  • Some great word play and puns
  • Tim Curry nearly steals the movie… again
  • The multiple endings are actually fun

Bad Points:

  • Some of the word play and puns are groan inducing
  • Theatrical style acting rubs some viewers the wrong way
  • Some feel the mystery element is one big cheat

Overall:

Clue is a good time. It was made for laughs, with a bit of dark humor and lots of word play. It feels a lot like a stage play, and that might be because director Jonathan Lynn has a stage background. But with such a solid group of comedians having a good time, its hard not to get caught up in it. And any movie that gives you so many quotable lines is worth watching. “No meaning yes?”

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Music: 3

Direction: 3

Entertainment: 4

Total: 4

Curious about a full review, sent me an email and I’ll make additional thoughts to this review.