POLTERGEIST
9/10
Been a few years -- this over-decade-old Blu-Ray could use a new 4K remaster but it still looks pretty good all things considered, and the soundtrack is phenomenal -- robustly mixed and engineered, with a prominent sound stage for Jerry's classic score.
This is a great movie, and of course, it's most definitely a Steven Spielberg joint through and through, punctuated by an amazing Goldsmith score that's unquestionably one of his best -- not just in the powerful moments, but especially in the quieter passages when the actors are speaking in hushed tones about the nature of the afterlife and what the ghosts want. Zelda Rubinstein's monologue is so brilliantly scored most especially -- it's just one of Jerry's shining moments, bearing his sensitivity and obviously Spielberg's artistic sensibilities as well...there's no way Tobe Hooper was responsible for those performances or the overall tone of the movie either.
The picture itself is entertaining from start to end and the cinematography and visual effects are all marvelous on top of it. It's not a gross-out horror show or a subtle tale of the paranormal, it's a supernatural fantasy, a haunted house theme park attraction in Spielberg's intended spirit -- but no less appealing for what it brings to the table.
rate the last movie you saw
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AndyDursin
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Re: rate the last movie you saw
FIST OF FURY - 7/10. Bruce Lee's second (and last film) with Lo Wei is an enjoyable film about two rival dojos in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. After discovering his master has died and suspecting foul play, Chen Zhen (Bruce Lee) takes it upon himself to discover the killers...who happen to be connected to a Japanese dojo led by the sinister Hiroshi Suzuki (Riki Hashimoto). Unlike Lee's previous film with Lo Wei (THE BIG BOSS), FOF amps up the martial arts fights culminating in a wonderful sequence in which Zhen infiltrates the enemy dojo level by level and takes care of business. There are some very memorable fight scenes in the movie - the ending fight with Bob Baker's Petrov is glorious; Lee wields the nunchucks like a beast, and his speed is mesmerizing. The film has a lot of humor in it courtesy of Lee, who shows a wide range of acting ability. The film also has political context to it. I was not a big fan of the commentary on the Blu-Ray from Mike Leeder because he spent too much time telling me what was going on in the film (I can understand what is happening...lol...) instead of giving me more historical context and behind the scenes stuff. At any rate this is a fun film. Lee was so charismatic as an actor and martial artist and it shows. It is no wonder why his influence stretched so far and wide.
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AndyDursin
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Re: rate the last movie you saw
FRIGHT NIGHT PART II
6.5/10
I've long been disappointed by this sequel but hadn't sat down and watched the German Blu-Ray I imported a few years back from start to end. I got a chance last week and was quasi-pleasantly surprised for the most part. If you can distance yourself from your memories of the original -- as in, I wouldn't watch this right afterwards because the formula is too familiar and the drawbacks are too obvious -- FRIGHT NIGHT PART II isn't a total disaster.
In fact, it's not a half-bad monster movie -- it's just lacking the witty intelligence of its predecessor. Director Tommy Lee Wallace ("Halloween III," the "It" mini-series) scripted the film with the "Revenge of the Nerds" guys and the script lacks the clever dialogue and thoughtfulness of Tom Holland's original, but at least it doesn't do a terrible job of tweaking its formula -- here, Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale again) is infected by Jerry Dandridge's sister (Julie Carmen) while attending college, leading his new girlfriend (Tracy Lind) to join up with Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall, top billed this time) to take her, and her entourage of creatures (including a werewolf), down.
Shot in widescreen and with effective makeup effects, FRIGHT NIGHT PART II ended up with original producer Herb Jaffe and his short-lived New Century/Vista releasing company after Columbia put it on the back burner. This lead to the film receiving scant distribution -- it never played theatrically in RI but I do remember passing by a theater in the Cayman Islands, while my parents and I were on vacation in Spring '89, where it was showing!
The cast is good -- McDowall and Ragsdale reprise their chemistry while Lind, who was playing a high schooler years later in "My Boyfriend's Back", is an attractive substitute for Amanda Bearse -- and Brad Fiedel's score includes a superior version of his "Come to Me" theme, here performed by a female vocalist, over the end credits.
The big problem with the movie is that the writing is such a comedown. Julie Carmen looks the part but the script never gives her the opportunity to have a dramatic monologue the way Chris Sarandon did in the original. The antics of Carmen's undead entourage were clearly meant to have the "Evil Ed" character involved, but the punchlines involving the movie's werewolf lead (who I'm guessing was written as Evil Ed originally) just fall flat. So do all of Peter Vincent's lines, as well as the half-baked story line wherein Carmen's Regine takes over hosting the "Fright Night" TV show. And what's with Ernie Sabella's weird death scene, or the fact he's a vampire in the first place?
The movie looks good and is reasonably entertaining for what it is -- which is an inferior sequel that could've been so much better with a solid rewrite and punchier dialogue.
This good looking German BD, by the way, is long out of print. I wish I knew the obvious legal problems that must be involved in getting this movie out on Blu-Ray again in an official form -- despite having a big fan base (look at how many releases of FRIGHT NIGHT itself we've had), PART II has struggled to generate meaningful home video releases and was last seen in the U.S. in a horrendously cropped DVD taken from an ancient VHS master. One would imagine this would've been high on Scream Factory's list of titles to release -- and probably still is -- but it's a mystery why it's always been so hard to see this film, be it in its original theatrical run (where it barely played) or on Blu-Ray.
6.5/10
I've long been disappointed by this sequel but hadn't sat down and watched the German Blu-Ray I imported a few years back from start to end. I got a chance last week and was quasi-pleasantly surprised for the most part. If you can distance yourself from your memories of the original -- as in, I wouldn't watch this right afterwards because the formula is too familiar and the drawbacks are too obvious -- FRIGHT NIGHT PART II isn't a total disaster.
In fact, it's not a half-bad monster movie -- it's just lacking the witty intelligence of its predecessor. Director Tommy Lee Wallace ("Halloween III," the "It" mini-series) scripted the film with the "Revenge of the Nerds" guys and the script lacks the clever dialogue and thoughtfulness of Tom Holland's original, but at least it doesn't do a terrible job of tweaking its formula -- here, Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale again) is infected by Jerry Dandridge's sister (Julie Carmen) while attending college, leading his new girlfriend (Tracy Lind) to join up with Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall, top billed this time) to take her, and her entourage of creatures (including a werewolf), down.
Shot in widescreen and with effective makeup effects, FRIGHT NIGHT PART II ended up with original producer Herb Jaffe and his short-lived New Century/Vista releasing company after Columbia put it on the back burner. This lead to the film receiving scant distribution -- it never played theatrically in RI but I do remember passing by a theater in the Cayman Islands, while my parents and I were on vacation in Spring '89, where it was showing!
The cast is good -- McDowall and Ragsdale reprise their chemistry while Lind, who was playing a high schooler years later in "My Boyfriend's Back", is an attractive substitute for Amanda Bearse -- and Brad Fiedel's score includes a superior version of his "Come to Me" theme, here performed by a female vocalist, over the end credits.
The big problem with the movie is that the writing is such a comedown. Julie Carmen looks the part but the script never gives her the opportunity to have a dramatic monologue the way Chris Sarandon did in the original. The antics of Carmen's undead entourage were clearly meant to have the "Evil Ed" character involved, but the punchlines involving the movie's werewolf lead (who I'm guessing was written as Evil Ed originally) just fall flat. So do all of Peter Vincent's lines, as well as the half-baked story line wherein Carmen's Regine takes over hosting the "Fright Night" TV show. And what's with Ernie Sabella's weird death scene, or the fact he's a vampire in the first place?
The movie looks good and is reasonably entertaining for what it is -- which is an inferior sequel that could've been so much better with a solid rewrite and punchier dialogue.
This good looking German BD, by the way, is long out of print. I wish I knew the obvious legal problems that must be involved in getting this movie out on Blu-Ray again in an official form -- despite having a big fan base (look at how many releases of FRIGHT NIGHT itself we've had), PART II has struggled to generate meaningful home video releases and was last seen in the U.S. in a horrendously cropped DVD taken from an ancient VHS master. One would imagine this would've been high on Scream Factory's list of titles to release -- and probably still is -- but it's a mystery why it's always been so hard to see this film, be it in its original theatrical run (where it barely played) or on Blu-Ray.
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Monterey Jack
- Posts: 10544
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- Location: Walpole, MA
Re: rate the last movie you saw
^ That's a great write-up on Fright Night II. As far as unnecessary "part two"s to horror films in the 80's go, it's better than most, with great makeup effects and some fun gimmickry, but it just lacks that "oomph" the original had. I'd still buy a Blu-Ray release of it, though, as it is entertaining for what it is (and Traci Lind... 
). Here's what I had to say in my Halloween Horror Marathon from 2017:
). Here's what I had to say in my Halloween Horror Marathon from 2017:“You’re so cool, Brewster…!”
-Fright Night (1985): 8.5/10
-Fright Night Part II (1989): 6.5/10
Fangs for the memories, 80’s style, with one of the better vampire flicks of the period and its not-bad follow-up. The 1985 original, written and directed by Tom Holland (Child’s Play), features William Ragsdale as Charlie Brewster, a normal suburban kid with a jones for old-school horror flicks who becomes convinced that his new neighbor, Jerry Dandridge (Chris Sarandon) is not only a killer (shades of Rear Window), but also a vampire, and that he’s the next target for his nocturnal pursuits. Unable to convince his girlfriend Amy (a pre-Married…With Children Amanda Bearse) and buddy “Evil” Ed (Stephen Geoffreys) of the danger, he turns in desperation to Peter Vincent (a wonderful Roddy McDowell), a washed-up former horror movie icon now frittering away his twilight years hosting the cheesy public-domain TV horror program “Fright Night”. Vincent goes along with what he believes to be Charlie’s adolescent delusions, but is nonplussed when Dandridge actually IS a vampire, and he and Charlie must join forces to put an end to his reign of bloody killings. It’s a great little horror movie, filled with affectionate nods to the genre, a good sense of humor, and top-notch makeup and visual effects turning the film into a showcase for the best in 80’s-era monster fare.
The belated, barely-released 1989 sequel, helmed by Tommy Lee Wallace (Halloween III: Season Of The Witch, the 1990 version of It), finds Charlie in college and undergoing therapy sessions to cure him of what he now believes are false memories of the previous movie, but when a new rash of killings occur, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a new vampire, Regine (Julie Carmen), who claims to be the sister of the late Jerry Dandridge (yes, it’s that kind of sequel), and who wants to turn Charlie into a vampire so she can enact her revenge on him over the course of decades if not centuries. So it’s up to Peter Vincent and Charlie’s new girlfriend, Alex (the incredibly lovely Traci Lind) to save Charlie and defeat Regine and her vamp minions. Fright Night Part II is perfectly acceptable as far as 80’s horror sequels go…it’s got most of the key original cast back, the production values are solid, and the makeup and creature effects are often very well-done. But what keeps it from equaling the first is the lack of a villain as juicy and theatrical and magnetic as Sarandon in the original. Carmen certainly looks alluring, and her mingled hench-vamps have some fun quirks (one glides along on roller skates), but she’s simply not a very interesting antagonist, and thus the film as a whole seems rote and perfunctory compared to the original. It’s perfectly serviceable, and has glimmers of wit, but even the surprisingly good 2011 remake of the original had a far more compelling villain in Colin Farrell, and that’s the real key in making the whole thing work.
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AndyDursin
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Re: rate the last movie you saw
That's funny, I was just about to look up one of your threads because I remember you reviewed it. Talk about identical thoughts, we even got the score nailed!
Lind was delightfully busty in THE ROAD TO WELLVILLE and then she seemed to call it a career (apparently she spoke of being abused by Dodi Fayed, Princes Diana's lover, at some point later in the '90s. Wonder if that had anything to do with it).
There's almost nothing about her online you can find except this interview which, well, speaks for itself --
https://www.noblemania.com/2013/07/the- ... -1987.html
Lind was delightfully busty in THE ROAD TO WELLVILLE and then she seemed to call it a career (apparently she spoke of being abused by Dodi Fayed, Princes Diana's lover, at some point later in the '90s. Wonder if that had anything to do with it).
There's almost nothing about her online you can find except this interview which, well, speaks for itself --
https://www.noblemania.com/2013/07/the- ... -1987.html
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Paul MacLean
- Posts: 7533
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:26 pm
- Location: New York
Re: rate the last movie you saw
Midsommer (4/10)
I give this film points for creating an effective atmosphere unease, paranoia and dread, and the picture does have moments that are genuinely horrific. Otherwise, Midsommer is little more than a remake of The Wicker Man -- the Nicholas Cage version -- but sadly minus any of that movie's unintentional laughs (Get Out is also an obvious influence). Beyond the ho-hum "been there, done that" aspect, Midsommer unfolds at, lets say a leisurely pace, with nearly every scene taking a good deal longer than necessary.
The story concerns a young woman who has recently gone through a personal tragedy, and accompanies her boyfriend and three of his friends to a commune in Sweden, where one of the friends was raised. It soon becomes apparent however this remote community is more cult than commune.
Director Ari Aster appears to be trying to copy the precise, deliberate pacing of The Shining and the slow burn of Ingmar Bergman's pictures -- but this only results in a film that, despite moments of genuine dramatic tension, is simply boring most of the time. Moreover, the long, tedious stretches enable the viewer to start pondering the script's copious implausibilities.
Midsommer also has one of the worst sound mixes ever, with ludicrously wide dynamics. Dialog is mixed at very low level, but the score is ostentatiously loud at times. I'm not kidding, the low wails (yeah, it's another one of those scores) were so loud in the passenger jet scene, I was concerned it might have ruined my speakers!
I do give kudos to Aster for casting two leads who are a bit portly, and look like real, everyday people as opposed to toned Californians who hit the gym four days a week. I will add that Midsommer is also very well-acted, but otherwise it is derivative, slow-moving and a bit pretentious. Aster also seems to be one of those horror directors who wishes to "challenge" (i.e. assault) the audience rather than just give them a good, thrilling yarn. This movie might have worked better were it trimmed by at least thirty minutes.
Aster recently announced his next film will be a four-hour "nightmare comedy". Can't wait!
I give this film points for creating an effective atmosphere unease, paranoia and dread, and the picture does have moments that are genuinely horrific. Otherwise, Midsommer is little more than a remake of The Wicker Man -- the Nicholas Cage version -- but sadly minus any of that movie's unintentional laughs (Get Out is also an obvious influence). Beyond the ho-hum "been there, done that" aspect, Midsommer unfolds at, lets say a leisurely pace, with nearly every scene taking a good deal longer than necessary.
The story concerns a young woman who has recently gone through a personal tragedy, and accompanies her boyfriend and three of his friends to a commune in Sweden, where one of the friends was raised. It soon becomes apparent however this remote community is more cult than commune.
Director Ari Aster appears to be trying to copy the precise, deliberate pacing of The Shining and the slow burn of Ingmar Bergman's pictures -- but this only results in a film that, despite moments of genuine dramatic tension, is simply boring most of the time. Moreover, the long, tedious stretches enable the viewer to start pondering the script's copious implausibilities.
Midsommer also has one of the worst sound mixes ever, with ludicrously wide dynamics. Dialog is mixed at very low level, but the score is ostentatiously loud at times. I'm not kidding, the low wails (yeah, it's another one of those scores) were so loud in the passenger jet scene, I was concerned it might have ruined my speakers!
I do give kudos to Aster for casting two leads who are a bit portly, and look like real, everyday people as opposed to toned Californians who hit the gym four days a week. I will add that Midsommer is also very well-acted, but otherwise it is derivative, slow-moving and a bit pretentious. Aster also seems to be one of those horror directors who wishes to "challenge" (i.e. assault) the audience rather than just give them a good, thrilling yarn. This movie might have worked better were it trimmed by at least thirty minutes.
Aster recently announced his next film will be a four-hour "nightmare comedy". Can't wait!
Re: rate the last movie you saw
LADY SNOWBLOOD (1973). 8/10. Based on a Japanese manga, this film about a child raised up as an assassin to seek vengeance against her mother's enemies is a really fun film. Full of bright colors, over-the-top blood sprays and gore, and one heck of a beautiful but dangerous lead actress, LSB is visually poetic in a weird way. The blood sprays are obnoxious, but after the shock of seeing her first victims get slayed the bright red blood has a certain visual quality to it that almost makes it a character in the story. Yuki (Kaji Meiko) is a strong visual presence - I love the colors and outfits she wore in the film. The acting is okay, and there are a couple of twists, but I was totally drawn into the story. I have yet to watch the sequel, but I am glad I finally saw this film.
Last edited by mkaroly on Tue Nov 17, 2020 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Monterey Jack
- Posts: 10544
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 12:14 am
- Location: Walpole, MA
Re: rate the last movie you saw
Glad you liked Snowblood! The sequel is good, but very different, with LB drawn into the middle of a political power struggle(!). Still worth a watch, though.
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AndyDursin
- Posts: 35761
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 8:45 pm
- Location: RI
Re: rate the last movie you saw
A couple of "challenging" UK releases I picked up through the Indicator sale --
THE RECKONING
8/10
This is a really enjoyable 1970 character study of a ruthless businessman who rekindles his working-class Irish roots after his father passes away and he travels back to the old neighborhood. From the end of the "Angry Young Man" cycle comes this great vehicle for Nicol Williamson, unhappily married and stabbing everyone at his workplace in the back -- yet he becomes unexpectedly sympathetic after he reconnects with his now-widowed mother and even when goes looking for the hooligan whose assault took his elderly father's life.
"The Reckoning" defies easy categorization in its complex portrait of Williamson's protagonist, who would certainly be viewed as un-PC by today's standards. In fact it's hard to envision how this movie even gets made today at all -- which is a bad thing, because "The Reckoning" is unpredictable and constantly enthralling, especially because of Williamson's performance. Malcolm Arnold's score is eclectic and off the beaten path at times (functioning most effectively when it utilizes Irish folk tones), but it works too, and Geoffrey Unsworth's cinematography captures time and place -- as well as the disparity between the movie's London and Liverpool locations. It's a movie mostly populated with unlikeable characters, yet I was extremely entertained by it.
THE LONELY PASSION OF JUDITH HEARNE
5/10
Jack Clayton's final theatrical feature reteamed him with Georges Delerue after the debacle on "Something Wicked This Way Comes" -- yet this period piece about a devout, sad spinster (Maggie Smith) who hits the bottle after she becomes infatuated with the philandering, troubled American brother (Bob Hoskins) of her new landlord is awkward and unconvincing. A Handmade Films production, this adaptation of a depressing book took decades for Clayton to bring to the screen -- and quite obviously with good reason, since the story is thoroughly downbeat (from our heroine's self-immolation to Hoskins' character raping their home's young maid) and only throws in a redemptive element in a coda transparently concocted for the film.
Smith is, admittedly, marvelous here, displaying few of her typical mannerisms, but the drama is half-baked and poorly executed, and Delerue's lovely score -- which is undoubtedly beautiful on its own terms -- only highlights what's missing from the film. Meanwhile, a flamboyant Ian McNiece is, well, "interesting" as the landlady's louse of a son, with dyed blonde hair that makes him resemble Kenneth McMillan in "Dune"!
THE RECKONING
8/10
This is a really enjoyable 1970 character study of a ruthless businessman who rekindles his working-class Irish roots after his father passes away and he travels back to the old neighborhood. From the end of the "Angry Young Man" cycle comes this great vehicle for Nicol Williamson, unhappily married and stabbing everyone at his workplace in the back -- yet he becomes unexpectedly sympathetic after he reconnects with his now-widowed mother and even when goes looking for the hooligan whose assault took his elderly father's life.
"The Reckoning" defies easy categorization in its complex portrait of Williamson's protagonist, who would certainly be viewed as un-PC by today's standards. In fact it's hard to envision how this movie even gets made today at all -- which is a bad thing, because "The Reckoning" is unpredictable and constantly enthralling, especially because of Williamson's performance. Malcolm Arnold's score is eclectic and off the beaten path at times (functioning most effectively when it utilizes Irish folk tones), but it works too, and Geoffrey Unsworth's cinematography captures time and place -- as well as the disparity between the movie's London and Liverpool locations. It's a movie mostly populated with unlikeable characters, yet I was extremely entertained by it.
THE LONELY PASSION OF JUDITH HEARNE
5/10
Jack Clayton's final theatrical feature reteamed him with Georges Delerue after the debacle on "Something Wicked This Way Comes" -- yet this period piece about a devout, sad spinster (Maggie Smith) who hits the bottle after she becomes infatuated with the philandering, troubled American brother (Bob Hoskins) of her new landlord is awkward and unconvincing. A Handmade Films production, this adaptation of a depressing book took decades for Clayton to bring to the screen -- and quite obviously with good reason, since the story is thoroughly downbeat (from our heroine's self-immolation to Hoskins' character raping their home's young maid) and only throws in a redemptive element in a coda transparently concocted for the film.
Smith is, admittedly, marvelous here, displaying few of her typical mannerisms, but the drama is half-baked and poorly executed, and Delerue's lovely score -- which is undoubtedly beautiful on its own terms -- only highlights what's missing from the film. Meanwhile, a flamboyant Ian McNiece is, well, "interesting" as the landlady's louse of a son, with dyed blonde hair that makes him resemble Kenneth McMillan in "Dune"!
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Paul MacLean
- Posts: 7533
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:26 pm
- Location: New York
Re: rate the last movie you saw
The King (5/10)
Tedious Netflix production that offers a "new look" at the early reign of of Henry V (as opposed to Shakespeare's "idealized" play). An alternate look at this historic figure is not invalid, but this film also plays fast and loose with history, and is far-too contemporary in tone. Characters anachronistically spout f-bombs, while Henry himself -- like so many male leads today -- is an oversensitive emo. The buffoonish Jack Falstaff (a Shakespearean invention, who is banished by the king in Shakespeare's play), is here -- bizarrely -- elevated to the role of advisor and tactician who plays a pivotal role Henry's campaign.
Despite being a widescreen film, and access to spiffy CGI technology, the scope of The King still feels small, with a "made for TV" quality. The Battle of Agincourt is populated by hoards of (presumably CGI) knights and footsoldiers, but isn't well-staged, nor satisfactorily captured by the camera. To be perfectly honest, the Agincourt sequence in Kenneth Branagh's 1989 Henry V was infinitely more visually-striking -- and convincing -- despite a lower budget, fewer extras and none of the post-production tricks available today.
Performances are good however. Timothée Chalamet excels in the lead role (though admittedly he doesn't look the least bit English). Robert Pattinson is also very good as the French Douphin, though the most impressive performance is that of Joel Edgerton as Falstaff. Photography and art direction however are identical to every other period piece from the past decade -- shadowy, dreary, drab and colorless. The score is as usual just "mood chords", with no discernible theme, nor any reference to music styles of the period.
On top of all this, The King is also just a dour, overlong bore, and not worth the time.
Tedious Netflix production that offers a "new look" at the early reign of of Henry V (as opposed to Shakespeare's "idealized" play). An alternate look at this historic figure is not invalid, but this film also plays fast and loose with history, and is far-too contemporary in tone. Characters anachronistically spout f-bombs, while Henry himself -- like so many male leads today -- is an oversensitive emo. The buffoonish Jack Falstaff (a Shakespearean invention, who is banished by the king in Shakespeare's play), is here -- bizarrely -- elevated to the role of advisor and tactician who plays a pivotal role Henry's campaign.
Despite being a widescreen film, and access to spiffy CGI technology, the scope of The King still feels small, with a "made for TV" quality. The Battle of Agincourt is populated by hoards of (presumably CGI) knights and footsoldiers, but isn't well-staged, nor satisfactorily captured by the camera. To be perfectly honest, the Agincourt sequence in Kenneth Branagh's 1989 Henry V was infinitely more visually-striking -- and convincing -- despite a lower budget, fewer extras and none of the post-production tricks available today.
Performances are good however. Timothée Chalamet excels in the lead role (though admittedly he doesn't look the least bit English). Robert Pattinson is also very good as the French Douphin, though the most impressive performance is that of Joel Edgerton as Falstaff. Photography and art direction however are identical to every other period piece from the past decade -- shadowy, dreary, drab and colorless. The score is as usual just "mood chords", with no discernible theme, nor any reference to music styles of the period.
On top of all this, The King is also just a dour, overlong bore, and not worth the time.
Re: rate the last movie you saw
LONE WOLF AND CUB:
SWORD OF VENGEANCE
BABY CART AT THE RIVER STYX
BABY CART TO HADES
Based on a manga series, LWAC tells the story of Ogami Itto, the Shogunate Executioner who is framed by the power hungry Yagyu clan. Ogami's wife is killed and he is forced to leave his home with his infant son and wander the land as an assassin for hire (500 ryo per assassination). Many find out that Ogami is more than dangerous, for he and his son have chosen the Demon's Way, so both have no fear and are ready to die in the name of vengeance. Each assassination seems to being him one step closer to settling his score with the Yagyu clan.
Bottom line...these films remind me of spaghetti westerns. They are very graphic, usually have a rape scene, and the hero is very stoic/Zen...a mysterious character that has a mystique about him. I am not a fan at all of the rape stuff which makes me really uncomfortable, but otherwise I find these films extremely entertaining. The films are a serial story; I am not familiar with the Japanese manga on which they are based, but I love all the creative ways Ogami defeats his enemies. I wonder is Stallone took inspiration from these films for his Rambo character...Ogami Itto is easy to root for, and I can't wait to see the next three films in the series. There isn't really one that's better than the other to me, so I will give them all 8/10.
SWORD OF VENGEANCE
BABY CART AT THE RIVER STYX
BABY CART TO HADES
Based on a manga series, LWAC tells the story of Ogami Itto, the Shogunate Executioner who is framed by the power hungry Yagyu clan. Ogami's wife is killed and he is forced to leave his home with his infant son and wander the land as an assassin for hire (500 ryo per assassination). Many find out that Ogami is more than dangerous, for he and his son have chosen the Demon's Way, so both have no fear and are ready to die in the name of vengeance. Each assassination seems to being him one step closer to settling his score with the Yagyu clan.
Bottom line...these films remind me of spaghetti westerns. They are very graphic, usually have a rape scene, and the hero is very stoic/Zen...a mysterious character that has a mystique about him. I am not a fan at all of the rape stuff which makes me really uncomfortable, but otherwise I find these films extremely entertaining. The films are a serial story; I am not familiar with the Japanese manga on which they are based, but I love all the creative ways Ogami defeats his enemies. I wonder is Stallone took inspiration from these films for his Rambo character...Ogami Itto is easy to root for, and I can't wait to see the next three films in the series. There isn't really one that's better than the other to me, so I will give them all 8/10.
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Paul MacLean
- Posts: 7533
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:26 pm
- Location: New York
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Eric Paddon
- Posts: 9036
- Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2005 5:49 pm
Re: rate the last movie you saw
Cabinet Of Caligari (1962) 6.5 of 10
-One of the earliest scores put out by FSM was this one on the Gerald Fried two CD set. I think I just set a record for most years I had a CD on my shelf without playing it until now since I never got hold of this film until now (there'd been a widescreen anamorphic DVD in 2005 I'd never known about). It's not a true remake of the silent classic. But it has some interesting touches and a great performance by the much underrated Glynis Johns as a woman who is seemingly trapped in the home of the mysterious Caligari following her car's breakdown and the other mysterious guests who occupy it, but of course things are ulitmately not what they seem at first glance. In fact, this film needs to be watched twice once you know the "twist" so you can pay attention more closely to the dialogue exchanges from earlier in the film and see them in a new light.
-Watching the film allowed me to appreciate Fried's score and there was one moment that definitely presaged one of his Trek scores though I have to get myself straight on whether it was a moment from "Shore Leave" or one of his later scores.
-The totality of the film is not a complete success since it gets too verbose at the climax and doesn't give us quite the shock the hyped advertising promises but the performances, camera work and other things manage to make it worth the necessary two viewings to really appreciate it.
-One of the earliest scores put out by FSM was this one on the Gerald Fried two CD set. I think I just set a record for most years I had a CD on my shelf without playing it until now since I never got hold of this film until now (there'd been a widescreen anamorphic DVD in 2005 I'd never known about). It's not a true remake of the silent classic. But it has some interesting touches and a great performance by the much underrated Glynis Johns as a woman who is seemingly trapped in the home of the mysterious Caligari following her car's breakdown and the other mysterious guests who occupy it, but of course things are ulitmately not what they seem at first glance. In fact, this film needs to be watched twice once you know the "twist" so you can pay attention more closely to the dialogue exchanges from earlier in the film and see them in a new light.
-Watching the film allowed me to appreciate Fried's score and there was one moment that definitely presaged one of his Trek scores though I have to get myself straight on whether it was a moment from "Shore Leave" or one of his later scores.
-The totality of the film is not a complete success since it gets too verbose at the climax and doesn't give us quite the shock the hyped advertising promises but the performances, camera work and other things manage to make it worth the necessary two viewings to really appreciate it.
Re: rate the last movie you saw
I bought the Blu-Rays so I don't know if they are on the Criterion channel. Overall the movies have a goofy charm to them to me...aside from bits here and there, I have been absorbed in each story so far.Paul MacLean wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 11:54 amBased on your review, maybe I will give these another chance!
Do you know if they are on the Criterion channel?
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AndyDursin
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Re: rate the last movie you saw
Did you watch the American "highlight reel' SHOGUN ASSASSIN? All the "good parts" rolled into.one 90 minute feature. 
Seriously it was a big cult hit at the time. Music by the IN SEARCH OF... guys.
I believe it's a special feature on the last disc in that Criterion set.
Seriously it was a big cult hit at the time. Music by the IN SEARCH OF... guys.
I believe it's a special feature on the last disc in that Criterion set.