Let's Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas!

I saw this posted by the folks at Satellite News a few years back, and I just make sure it makes the rounds again this year. Remember the little ditty that Joel and the Bots sing during the Santa Claus Conquers the Martians episode? Well someone decided to take that, arrange it for a choir and then record it. Check out the serious faces as they sing these wonderful festive lyrics. And keep an eye peeled for a nod to Pod People as well.

Just figured I'd spread some MST3K inspired holiday cheer! Hope you all have a great end of the year.

Score Sample: Scrooged (1988)

Time to listen to some more holiday movie music. But what to pick, what to pick? Could go with some classic stuff, or even with some John Williams. But I decided to go a little stranger. And even though I highlighted his work in October, I'm once again throwing Danny Elfman some love on this blog.

Elfman's film scoring career really took off in 1989 with Batman. But before that we got a bit of a warmup with his score to the Bill Murray Christmas comedy Scrooged. Elfman's distinctive style is present from the opening cue, and fans of his work from Edward Scissorhands will certainly recognize this era of Elfman's writing. Elfman has fun adapting some familiar Christmas carols to his unique orchestral voice, but it is the children chanting "la la la" in an eerie voice that just gives the score its darkly festive touch.

The fun start with the Main Titles/Terrorist Attack as Elfman gives us his main theme combining dark overtones and festive la las. Then it transitions to sparkling joy as we enter Santa's workshop. Things take a turn for the action packed as Elfman unleashes a strident propulsive action theme as terrorists attack Santa's workshop. The only man who can save them... Lee Majors. I'm not kidding.

So enjoy the opening track from Scrooged composed by Danny Elfman.

And Then This Happened... Samson vs. the Vampire Women

We all know who you need to call when there is something strange in the neighborhood. But who do you call when you have a silly looking bat floating outside your window? Who do you call when every time you look outside your daughter's window, there is a creepy woman staring at her? Well the answer is obvious, right?

I think you can also call the same number if your lasagna won't cook in your oven. You could also call him if you have issues with robots mocking every movie you put on your television. I think he also handles medical and legal advice, but I'll need to check out his website.

In any case, I think it is time to come up with a caption for this image from Samson vs. the Vampire Women (aka Santo Versus the Vampire Women).

And then this happened...

MST3K - Season 12 Overview

With the outstanding success of Season 11 of Mystery Science Theater 3000, most fans were hopeful that the series would continue. Sure enough Netflix ordered up another helping of episodes. Joel gathered together the crew and got back to work.

The good news is that Jonah would return as the host of the series, not to mention Patton and Felicia coming back as the mad scientists. Good to see the familiar faces in front of the camera.

But other changes were in the works. Season 12 would be shorter, with six films riffed. But in an attempt to make the series more "binge-able", Jonah and the bots had to riff all six movies in a row. Kinga (Felicia Day) declares it "The Gauntlet" and laughs madly... because she is a mad scientist after all.

What this means for the series, well, I'm sure I'll have something to say about it. But let's also take a look at the this line up of movies. The bad movie gods were smiling, because we have some great fodder here. Let's see how Jonah and the bots handle them.

• 1201 - Mac and Me
• 1202 - Atlantic Rim
• 1203 - Lords of the Deep
• 1204 - The Day Time Ended
• 1205 - Killer Fish
• 1206 - Ator: The Fighting Eagle

MST3K - The Gauntlet is Coming!

Well November has rolled around again, and that means it is time for more Mystery Science Theater 3000. Thanksgiving is turkey day and for the past few years Shout! Factory has been streaming a MST3K marathon on their channel. They serve up episodes from across the 10 seasons (Comedy Central and Sci-Fi years), and usually have bumpers with cast and crew from the series.

But 2018 is going to be a bit different because SEASON 12 (aka The Gauntlet) is premiering on Netflix on Thanksgiving. That's right six new episodes of the series featuring the cast of the previous season are back on the satellite. Some really perfect films for riffing are lined up, so this season looks like it could be a blast. The whole season drops onto Netflix on Thursday, November 22.

But wait, what about the Turkey Day marathon?

No worries Shout! has you covered. They will be running the marathon on Sunday, November 18th. It will include six episodes, intros from Joel and Jonah, some sneak peaks of Season 12 and a few surprises.

Head on over to MST3KTurkeyDay.com for more information on how to catch the marathon.

Need more, here are some trailers!

Yep, this Turkey Day looks like it might be a little more hilarious than normal.

Cast a Deadly Spell (1991)

Most of the fiction of H.P. Lovecraft takes place in the 1920s and 1930s. Most film adaptations decide to put the stories in the era they were filmed, but a few take the leap for period production elements. Then you have this film, which moves the action to the 40’s, has a character named Lovecraft, contains the Necronomicon and a huge monster rising up to destroy the earth. It is as if the pulp magazines of the war years exploded all over the screen.

Summary:

It is 1948 in Los Angeles, and everyone uses magic. Well, everyone except for private detective H.P. Lovecraft (Fred Ward). It makes his job a bit tougher, since the police are using spells to catch the rampaging criminal gangs summoning demons to whack targets. Let’s not mention the werewolves, vampires and unicorns wandering around. Things take a turn for the weird when Amos Hacksaw (David Warner) hires Lovecraft to retrieve a stolen tome: a little book called the Necronomicon. Before you can say Cthulhu, all kinds of craziness starts to happen.

Turns out that the local crime lord (and former pal to Lovecraft) Harry Bordon (Clancy Brown), may have sent his hulking zombie after it. Lovecraft’s old flame Connie Stone (Julianne Moore) has a few clues of her own to share, but is the price worth it? Let’s not forget the car full of gremlins, a creature bursting from a pot of oatmeal and the sacrifice of a lovely virgin. Lovecraft has his work cut out for him, especially since he won’t stoop to actually Cast a Deadly Spell.

Good Points:

• Fred Ward is a hoot as the hard boiled, square jawed detective
• The concept and production are handled really well
• Never takes itself too seriously, which helps with all the crazy creature effects

Bad Points:

• Some of the humor falls pretty flat
• None of the monsters are all that scary
• The tone of the film never quite gels

Overall:

Oh man, how badly do I want to love this movie? I really do. But in the end it just never quite comes together. The concept is fun, the actors are game and the visual effects are pretty darn impressive. But the humor doesn’t always land, and contrasts with some of the over the top gore that ends up splashing around. Instead of going for slapstick humor, the film should have embraced a drier and darker variety of comedy, that would have fused well with the horror and noire overtones. It is a fun film.  If you’re looking for something a little bit different, this sure fits the bill.

Scores(out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting:  4

Script:  3

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.

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Beyond the Gates (2016)

Introduction:

The first game/VHS combination I ever played was Clue VCR Mystery Gamefrom 1985. It was an odd thing with goofy acting and some new characters including Miss Peach. But board games featuring VHS prompts were a bit of a thing in the late 80s and early 90s. And one of those inspired a trip Beyond the Gates.

Summary:

Two brothers, Gordon (Graham Skipper) and John (Chase Williamson) are packing up the family video store after their father disappears. We learn that both brothers have some issues with each other, not to mention their dad. Maybe this little project will bring them closer together. 

Instead they find an old VHS board game called Beyond the Gates in their father’s office. The tape is just sitting in the VCR, as if it was the last thing their father watched before he vanished. The brothers start to play the tape as a bit of a lark – and find out that there is something very dangerous about this game. You see the lady in the television (played with verve by Barbara Crampton) seems like she can see them. Each move brings new dangers, and quite a bit of blood. Will the Hardesty brothers survive this trip Beyond the Gates?

Good Points:

• Crampton is having a good old time as the enthusiastic host of the game
• When the film focuses on fun, it handles itself well
• Some effective gore and horror moments

Bad Points:

• Spends a bit too much time with the family drama set up.
• Some of the acting is a bit questionable.
• The tone shifts wildly from deep family drama to over the top gore and laughs

Overall:

I really like what they were going for. Imagine if you asked Sam Raimi to write and direct it Jumanji. Parts of the film play out that way. But focus on the brother’s angst and drama takes over too many scenes. If they had focused a bit more on the fun concept, as hinted at in those oh so 80s opening credits, I think the whole movie would have worked better. It is an enjoyable time.

Scores(out of 5)

Visuals:  3

Sound: 3

Acting:  3

Script:  3

Music: 3

Direction: 3

Entertainment: 3

Total:  3

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

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The Disaster Artist (2017)

Introduction:

Oh hai readers. I have to confess that I am a fan of The Room. The film is one of my favorite “beautifully bad” movies to enjoy when I’m in the right mood. I found out about The Room when the team at Rifftrax tackled it, and of course when Alison Preglar did her review of it as Obscuras Lupa back in 2010 (man she looks young in that video!). If you haven’t seen it and you don’t mind being traumatized by bad movies, then check it out first. Because the Disaster Artistis all about the making of The Room.

Summary:

Greg (Dave Franco) is a struggling actor in San Francisco who dreams of making it to Hollywood some day. At an acting class he meets Tommy (James Franco) an passionate performer who inspires Greg with his enthusiasm for the craft. But Tommy has some oddities about him, he claims he is from New Orleans, when his accent is clearly eastern European. He won’t talk about his past. He won’t say how old he is. He obviously has a lot of money… and he want to spontaneously go to Los Angeles with Greg to jumpstart their careers. Greg is young and ready for a challenge so they go.

Things don’t go so well at first. Greg and Tommy both struggle to find work in the film industry. Tommy is having a very tough time landing the part of the hero when everyone keeps telling him he looks and sounds like a villain. When a producer tells Tommy that the only way he would ever be cast in a film is if Tommy made the film himself: Tommy is inspired. He hammers out a script, casts Greg as “the best friend Mark” and Tommy plays the all American hero “Johnny”. The movie will be a modern Tennessee Williams drama, about a man trying to rise up in the world, only to be brought down by a conniving girlfriend and duplicitous best friend. It will also have terrible dialogue, acting, music, sex scenes and sets. Tommy is convinced he has created a masterpiece, but Greg realizes that he is witnessing the creation of The Disaster Artist.

Good Points:

• Excellent acting brings the characters to life
• Masterfully recreates scenes from The Room using the new cast
• Feels like a tribute as well as a bit of a parody 

Bad Points:

• Some of the best parts of the book are left out of the film
• Tommy (and Franco’s performance) may annoy some viewers
• Don’t like glorification of a bad movie, you might not like this

Overall:

This movie would make a fun companion piece with Tim Burton’s Ed Wood. Both are lovingly crafted films about an ambitious filmmaker who is out of their league. And both present the filmmaker as the optimist in spite of all the challenges they face. An entertaining film, with really great performances, and a solid adaptation to the book (which is well worth checking out if you enjoy either film)

Scores(out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 4

Acting:  4

Script:  4

Music: 3

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

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

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The Babysitter (2017)

Introduction:

And then you see the name McG as the director of the film and a shiver runs down your spine. Not because he directed the two Charlie’s Angels films, but because he is still going around by the name McG. Still, you’ve got a horror comedy film about a babysitter who may or may not be involved in the dark arts. Well that just sounds like a fun Sunday movie to me.

Summary:

Cole (Judah Lewis) is not your typical 12-year-old boy. He has overprotective parents, gets picked on at school and even has neighborhood bullies that make his life miserable. But he is able to make it through the day, and that might be because he still has a babysitter. Bee (Samara Weaving) is super sexy, has a keen knowledge of geek culture and she treats Cole like a peer. Cole thinks she is swell.

Until one night he sneaks downstairs to see what the babysitter does when he is supposed to be asleep. Turns out that Bee may be the leader of a cult! Joined by the wisecracking John (Andrew Bachelor), the perky Allison (Bella Thorne), the hulking Max (Robbie Arnell) and the mysterious Sonya (Hana Mae Lee), the five commit what looks like a full on blood sacrifice right in Cole’s home. Now it is up to Cole to escape the house of horrors, and enlist the help of the girl next door, Melanie (Emily Alyn Lind) to stop Bee and her minions. Because Cole is starting to think that Bee is more than just The Babysitter.

Good Points:

• Combines in your face outrageous style with an over the top premise to great effect
• Some excellent chemistry between Cole and Bee makes their relationship work
• The entire cast in on board for style of the film 

Bad Points:

• Goes very over the top, getting a little too crude at times
• Some of the stylistic choices may annoy some viewers
• Never really gets scary, so horror fans may be disappointed

Overall:

Did I mention this was over the top? Well that is going to make or break the movie for you. The film takes a Tarantino style and ratchets it up to 11. The gore is gratuitous, there is some very crude humor thrown in that doesn’t always land. But the heart of the film Cole and Bee’s relationship is what makes it all work. The two actors really pull it off and give the movie a bit of heart at the center of all the ridiculous hijinks.  The movie knows what it is and goes right for it. I had a great time with it. 

Scores(out of 5)

Visuals:  4

Sound: 4

Acting:  4

Script:  4

Music: 4

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

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

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Spice and Wolf – Season One (2008)

Introduction:

When it comes to fantasy anime, you have a set of tropes that usually come into play. Sure the setting may be medieval inspired (European or Japanese) but at some point laser guns and robots will appear. Someone will end up wielding a sword at least as big as they are (usually larger). And if there are elves in the story they will have super long pointed ears. But this anime goes in a much different direction.

Summary:

Kraft Lawrence (Jun Fukuyama) is a smalltime peddler in this medieval land. He usually barters his goods for ones with greater value and then obtains surprising amounts of profit for his long travels. One day he stops in a familiar village as they are wrapping up their harvest festival. Before the church really spread this village worshiped a wolf goddess who would favor them with wondrous harvests. These days the folks of the town go through the motions, not really believing, but not willing to anger the goddess.

Good idea, because Holo (Ami Koshimizu) is still around. This long-lived wolf goddess has gotten bored with the little town and decides to take up the peddler’s life. She transforms into the guise of a young woman and teams up with Lawrence, much to his chagrin. But the two work well together. Lawrence is business savvy and knows how to spot a good opportunity. Holo can read people (including Lawrence) very well and uses this to their advantage. Along the way they will encounter a currency manipulation plot, a bad deal for armor, and Holo’s nemesis – a shepherd. In the end will Lawrence and Holo make a profit, fall in love or maybe both?

Good Points:

• Holo and Lawrence are great characters that work well together
• The laid back pacing makes for an easy viewing experience
• The conflicts that revolve around being a merchant make for a refreshing change

Bad Points:

• Some of the financial scheming is explained very quickly and may lose some viewers
• Very little action in the series at all
• Doesn’t really have an overarching narrative, but weaves from adventure to adventure

Overall:

This series was a great change of pace. Holo is a fun character and her interaction and banter with Lawrence are what keep you coming back to see what happens next. Conflicts are never very intense, but they are atypical of what you find in most fantasy anime. The animation is quite lovely and really gives the world a unique pastoral feel. Looking forward to returning to these characters in the second season.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Music: 4

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

In Depth Review

On the road for fun and profit.

I heard about Spice and Wolf when it first made it to DVD nearly ten years ago. It sounded like a unique and lighthearted tale that was different from much of the fantasy anime I’d experienced. I’ve had it on my radar since then and was pleased to see it appear on Hulu (both seasons). I finally dove in, hoping it was able to live up to the hype.

Hype is really too strong a word for Spice and Wolf. The series is mellow, easy going and for the most part a story about a growing friendship that covers 13 episodes. Yes there are some intense moments in the story, and the world the characters inhabit can be dangerous. But for the most part this series travels along the road slowly but letting the viewer take in the atmosphere and the relationship it is building.

The focus to the series is the two main characters. Lawrence is a pragmatic man with a keen eye for details and the ability to see how these details can be exploited to his financial advantage. But he is not without feelings. In fact his empathy get the pair in trouble, and Holo accuses him of being too kind hearted. Lawrence is obviously taken with Holo, but knows full well that this is some kind of immortal being he is dealing with. The way he attempts to navigate their growing relationship is charming and amusing. He makes the perfect straight man for the more mercurial goddess.

Don't try pulling a fast one on Holo, she got ears like
a wolf... literally.

But the wolf of Spice and Wolf, isn’t your typical over the top anime girlfriend. This is a creature that is hundreds (or thousands) of years old. While she looks like a young woman her experience and keen senses give her advantages over the “youngsters” around her. But she is still the spirit of a wolf, and as such sometimes those instincts overpower her more human aspects. So when she finds something she enjoys eating, apples for example, she will just keep eating and eating them until she makes herself sick. She can be greedy. Other times she can take offense to seemingly minor issues. But she will often toy with Lawrence, teasing him with performances as an ideal partner, before mocking how gullible he is. But through it all, we see how lonely she has become and how much she appreciates Lawrence. By the time we hit episode 13 the two really understand each other and it is great to have that kind of character evolution.

Lawrence is just a nice guy in a love triangle
with a wolf and capitalism.

The other interesting element of the series is the world created in Spice and Wolf. Modeled after medieval Europe before gunpowder was introduced, we have a society in the grip of a powerful monotheistic church. There are trade guilds that wield power over merchants. We see how different kingdoms use different coins (with varying weights) and how this impacts trade as well as currency schemes when one king tries to obtain financial power over others. The world feels like a real place because of these details. But I also enjoy the art style, especially in the open road where we see the lovely countryside or the ominous mountains that loom above the characters. While this isn’t top tier animation, it works very well in the context of the show.

He should have known that a shepherd would cause a
problem for his wolf.

I watched the series in Japanese and most of the cast was very good. Koshimizu makes Holo very appealing and does a great job with a character with so many facets. Fukuyama matches her with his even approach to Lawrence. You can’t help but smile when he gets annoyed or befuddled by Holo’s latest scheme.

I enjoyed the score to the series. It keeps mostly in a medieval style with some lovely a cappella vocals taking over at key moments. It works well in context and adds to the atmosphere of the show. I also like both the songs used in the credits. Tabi no Tochu performed by Natsumi Kiyoura is a melodic piece that sets the opening mood. The Wolf Whistling Song is a cute jaunty tune performed by Rocky Chack. It has charming lyrics and works well with the end credit animation.

"Does this bother you? I'm totally touching you."

On some level I can’t imagine Spice and Wolf working. It seems at times too simplistic in concept or too obscure in execution to really gel. But it does. Part of it is the way the relationship builds over the course of the episodes. The series was constructed with a keen eye to making it all flow together, even if there isn’t a real antagonist for the whole series. Instead you get mini-adventures that last a few episodes. This gives us enough time to hang out with Holo and Lawrence. The characters are the focus and because they are so well realized it brings you back for more.

An atypical anime for me, and miles away from something like Log Horizon or Attack on Titan, but shows that fantasy stories can take many shapes and be uniquely entertaining. In some circles Spice and Wolf is considered a classic, I can see why. I’m looking forward to the second season and where it takes our two entrepreneurs.

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"Here's to good friends. Tonight is kinda special!"

Colossal (2016)

Introduction:

This film popped up on a few lists for forgotten films from the past couple years. It is usually pitched as a comedy featuring giant monsters. But the movie is actually a bit deeper than that. Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis give us some really damaged characters and put them in an extraordinary situations, one that fuels a solid share of drama and morbid humor.

Summary:

Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is stuck in a rut. She goes out partying each night, doesn’t bother with finding a job (using her talents as a writer) and is annoying her boyfriend Tim (Dan Stevensl) to no end. So he kicks her out of their New York apartment. Gloria returns to her rural hometown to try and get her life back together.

She runs into her childhood friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) who offers her a job in his bar. Grasping at straws she takes it up, even though it is an excuse to drink even more with Oscar and his buddies Joel (Austin Stowell) and Garth (Tim Blake Nelson). But a strange things happens on the night Gloria stumbles her way home, a gigantic monster appears in Seoul, South Korea. Like everyone else, Gloria is fascinated by the news reports – but then notices something alarming. The monster has the same nervous head scratch that she does. It becomes apparent that the monster is tied to Gloria’s actions and mind in some strange way. Will Gloria indulge in her new Colossal power, or is there something even more sinister at play?

Good Points:

• An interesting take on the concept of inner demons
• Excellent performances by the cast
• A unique premise that keeps you interested

Bad Points:

• Attempts to balance drama and dark comedy, not always pulling it off
• Those expecting tons of laughs or monster action will be disappointed
• Some viewers may find the lack of a likeable protagonist a detriment

Overall:

This movie sounds like it is going to be a fun twist on the giant monster film. But it is a little more than that. The movie focuses on the characters who are all damaged in some way. By building their issues in a believable way, we come up with some uncomfortable laughs and some interesting giant monster thrills. Well worth checking out if you are in the mood for something a little different, and some excellent performances to boot (and a fun score by Bear McCreary).

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals:  4

Sound: 3

Acting:  4

Script:  4

Music: 4

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

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

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Movie Musings: The Strange Journey of the Star Trek Films - Part 1

Part One - The Original Series Cast

"So a Klingon, a Romulan and a Vulcan walk into
a bar..."

It is hard to argue Star Trek's legacy within pop culture. It’s characters and universe have endured almost as long as James Bond.  Every time I think we can count the franchise as down and out, along comes a new incarnation to bring it back to whole new group of fans yearning to explore strange new worlds.

One of the interesting things about the franchise is that its longevity is due in large part to the success of the feature films that were released starting in 1979 with StarTrek: The Motion Picture. While the television series is where the franchise started, if the films were not as successful as they were, Star Trek would be a fondly remembered relic of the 1960s.  In addition, we can see how Paramount, the studio that owns Star Trek, feels about the series depending on how they approach the films.

I think Decker wants his chair back.

In this two part blog, I’ll take a look at the ways the films were impacted by and impacted the franchise, and why they are important to its legacy. I won’t be going into too much detail on my thoughts on the films, but I will discuss critical reception (and perception of that reception) and how that affected the films.

The original series ended in 1969 after three seasons. While it was popular among science fiction fans, it never really exploded in popularity during its run. Instead Star Trek got syndicated and that is where the fanbase really started to grow. During the 1970s it was hard to avoid a rerun of Star Trek and even growing up in the 1980s, it felt like the series was always around.

Wait! There was a cat girl in Star Trek the Animated
Series! Sign me up!

An animated series followed in 1973 and 1974 that expanded the voyages a little bit, and allowed the writers to take the series in directions that would have been impossible with live action.  All this exposure of Star Trek in the 70s inspired Paramount to look into creating a new series of adventures with the same crew for Phase II. Production started and then a little movie called Star Wars erupted onto the screens, and suddenly Paramount shifted gears to turn Star Trek into a film franchise.

The increased the budget to a whopping 35 million dollars (of 1970s money). They pulled in acclaimed director Robert Wise and got their marketing into high gear. This was the turning point. If Star Trek: The Motion Picture was a failure, than the franchise was dead.

The moons of Vulcan are affecting her mind!

Critical and general response was average. But the combined fanbase of the 60s and 70s had been thirsting for new Star Trek adventures, and they went back to the theaters over and over again to see the film. For all it’s faults The Motion Picture has a huge visual scope, impressive visual effects and a wonderful soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith. Seeing it in the theater is a real experience (one I actually had the pleasure of revisiting in 2012). There was also a frenzy of interest in space adventures because of Star Wars, so I bet a lot of little kids dragged their parents to see the film. In the end, the Motion Picture was a financial success.

Paramount felt confident in continuing the series as a film franchise, and moved forward producing Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But they reduced the budget to a little over 11 million, and asked director Nicholas Meyer to make sure there was more action in the film (a criticsm of the previous film they wanted to avoid). Meyere delivered a film that is more visceral, goes back to the roots of the original series, and cranks up the action with some excellent visual effects and high stakes. The Wrath of Khan was an immediate hit, with excellent critical response and fan approval. It also did very well on VHS, a new medium that studios were just beginning to explore in 1982.

"Is that a giant worm in your hand, or are you just
happy to see me?"

So Paramount kept the same focus when it came to The Search for Spock in 1984. Once again the budget was increased to 17 million. But the focus on characters and the quest to bring Spock back to life helped pull viewers in the theaters to find out how it was all going to shake out. Director Leonard Nimoy obviously knew the series inside and out, and crafted a solid follow up to the previous movie. The film got average critical response and most people enjoyed it well enough. But the film had a dark undertone that surprised many viewers.

Do you think he's using colorful metaphors here?

Gears were shifted in the storytelling for the next film, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Nimoy was back at the helm and the budget was given a bit of a boost (to 25 million) for some really impressive visual effects by Industrial Light and Magic. But the script involving time travel, saving the whales, and the crew interacting with the denizens of San Francisco circa 1986 was a blast. It was a fun movie with plenty of laughs and adventure all mixed together. Critical response was full of praise. But it was the success of the film with a wider audience that gave Paramount a view of what a successful Star Trek franchise could be. This was the most financial successful Star Trek film until the reboot in 2009.

In 1987, Star Trek: The Next Generation arrived on television screens. It was a new cast, new starship, hell it was a new century! Paramount understood that in order for the franchise to continue it would need to evolve. To do this, they needed to inject it with new blood creatively. Obviously the film franchise was still profitable, but a new television series could create new fans and lead to a new series of films.

It is like that Depeche Mode song, reach out and touch
face.

1989 brought the first good season of The Next Generation after its rocky start over the first two seasons. Meanwhile Paramount attempted to strike gold in the theaters again with William Shatner directing Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Unfortunately the film was plagued with production issues, and arguments over the direction and tone of the script. Shatner wanted to go darker and more intense. Paramount wanted to keep it light and fun. The end result was a film that was critical and financial failure. Fans disliked the film for a whole host of reasons and rumor is that even Gene Roddenberry felt the film was not part of the official cannon. The movie also had the unfortunate release during one of the most crowded years in movie history. Batman, Ghostbusters 2, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Back to the Future Part 2 were all battling for seats in the multiplexes. Someone had to lose and Star Trek “won” that honor. While it did eventually recoup it's 28 million dollar budget, no one was really pleased with the final film.

"No, it's not Tribbles. The joke only works if
the Klingon asks the bartender first."

This did set off alarms at Paramount. They wondered if the aging cast was losing their audience appeal. But they also learned some lessons. Budget cutting your special effects heavy films is not a good option. So they turned back to Nicholas Meyer who did so well with The Wrath of Khan to helm Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. In a cunning bit of synergy, the plot for the film directly impacted events in The Next Generation episodes Unification with Nimoy making a special appareance as Spock in the two-part adventure. Meyer brought back high stakes, tension and excitement to the series. The plot was inspired by world events, and with the increased budget (to 30 million) the movie looked great. Meyer’s script balances humor and tension better than the previous film did. Even with all that, the movie was also declared the final voyage of the full cast from The Original Series. All those elements stirred together made The Undiscovered Country a critical and financial success in 1991.  It was a win for Paramount and the franchise. But everyone knew it was time to switch gears.

In part two of this post, I take a look at the trails and Tribble-ations of the films featuring the case of The Next Generation and Beyond...

"Just imagine it. We are all animated, and there's
a cat girl in a red uniform! That is my vision."

Chopping Mall (1986)

Introduction:

Ok, it is called Chopping Mall, it was made in the 80s and the VHS box cover art had a severed head in a shopping bag. How the heck was I supposed to resist that? Well, I never did get around to watching it back in the day. But when I saw it available for streaming I knew my quest for a cheesy movie to watch that weekend was at an end. But was I going to regret this little trip to the mall?

Summary:

Mall security could use an upgrade and why not look to some A.I. to help out. Sounds good until a freak storm causes the programming for the three robotic mall cops to go on a killing spree. These guys are bullet proof, have the ability to electrocute victims and shoot sleeping darts. Oh, and since this is the 80s they can also shoot multi-colored energy beams from their eyes. If you happen to be a topless teen this will make your head explode. No, I’m not kidding.

Speaking of teens, some employees at a furniture store decide to stay after hours and have a sex party. There are the goody goody ones that don’t even kiss, so you know they will live. But the rest are all fodder for the rampaging robots. Keep your eyes open for scream queen Barbara Crampton and everyman Dick Miller as they try to survive a night in the Chopping Mall.

Good Points:

• Packed the brim with 80s clothing, lingo, hair and robots – 80s ROBOTS!
• Starts with an interesting premise and some hints at amusing parody
• Some of the kills are pretty graphic and entertaining

Bad Points:

• Never commits to scares or laughs and ends up doing neither
• Runs out of steam about halfway through due to the uninteresting characters
• Didn’t use the mall to the full advantage (probably for budget reasons)

Overall:

This could have been better all the way around. It isn’t scary. It isn’t all that funny. But it hints at trying to do both. The characters are paper-thin and do some really stupid things (par the course for this type of movie). And while it was neat to see the same mall from Commando again, they just didn’t do too much with it, probably for fear of property damage. That said the 80s robots are fun in a retro way, and some of the kills and strategies to stop the robots are clever. Fans of cheesy films will get a kick out of the all out 80s onslaught. But this is more of a rental than a hidden gem.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 3

Acting: 3

Script: 2

Music: 3

Direction: 2

Entertainment: 3

Total:  3

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

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