*Warning: Contains Spoilers about Remake and Original Films*
Are there any Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans out there? If there are, then you should know Cinemax is remaking four movies (one of them that was shown on the MST3K Home Game) that were produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff, and with new special effects by Stan Winston. The first of these remakes if "She-Creature".
The original "Sea-Creature" was a tale of the hypnotist Dr. Carlo Lombardi, who, as, at first, a meager sideshow act, would hypnotize the woman he loved, Andrea, and send her into life regression, until she brought forth an ancient "She-Creature" monster to do his bidding (kill anyone he hated, or kill randomly). They later became a country-wide sensation, and all goes well for Lombardi until hero Ted Erikson (Lance Fuller) falls for Andrea, and helps her resist Lombardi.
Thats as far as i can remember the incoherent plotline. Somehow Lombardi gets killed, and everything turns out all right. Notice I did not include any sarcastic comments about the original film, as this is not a review of the original, and plenty of comments can be found on MST3K.
As for this remake, it is easily above the original. But seeing as how that isn't saying much, I'll go a bit farther.
Its the early 1900's, and Angus Shaw (the underrated Rufus Sewell) runs a sideshow with his wife, Lilian (Carla Gugino), who plays a mermaid in their show. They live contently until one day, they and their carnival partner have meet a mysterious old man with a real, live, beautiful mermaid (Rya Kihlstedt, whom he says killed his wife. After trying to acquire the creature from the old man, the carnies are kicked out of his house. Sewell, his partner, and a third man later steal the mermaid, but the shock of their entrance gives the old man a heart attack, of which he dies.
Thus, they take the mermaid, and all board a ship headed for America and the Big Time!
Unfortunately, the mermaid turns out to be a beautiful being that kills any stereotyped characters who come within one hundred feet or fifteen minutes of her. And, she has developed a psychic link with Lilian!
The film, with an obviously bigger budget, better script, and greater cast than the original, make this movie creepy and well made. You actually care for the characters, due to their somewhat sympathetic writing (for a B movie anyway), and good acting, particularly from Sewell and Gugino. However, there are the stereotypes, such as the drunken sailor, the foreign black guy, and the nice guy sidekick. The sailor, who makes passes at Lilian, is a type of character so sure to die in this kind of movie, the film makers just put his death in as an afterthought to another scene altogether,a sign of that they know what kind of movie they're making, and a good sign of subtle movie making.
The true She Creature is a very cool, lifelike, and scary monster from Stan Winston, although it does look a bit like the Queen Alien from "Aliens"(which is actually very fitting for her).
However different it may seem, this movie is very much like the original. The Sewell and Gugino sideshow couple are much like the Lombardi and Andrea sideshow couple from the original. The movie also takes some of the originals better ideas, like developing a psychological link between the main actress and the monster, although it definately works better here than in the original. Add to that a better change of setting, and it just adds another layer of improvement.
However, as an MSTie, I have one major pro and one major con to add. Pro: this movie does NOT feature the evil, loathsome Dr. Carlo Lombardi. Con: this movie DOES NOT FEATURE THE EVIL, LOATHSOME DR. CARLO LOMBARDI! Man, the guy made the original the film it was! However, I respect and enjoy the remake on its own merits.
All in all, this is a well made, well acted, thrilling, and cool film that easily outdoes the original, and succeeds on its own terms as a good A, and great B, Movie.
Are there any Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans out there? If there are, then you should know Cinemax is remaking four movies (one of them that was shown on the MST3K Home Game) that were produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff, and with new special effects by Stan Winston. The first of these remakes if "She-Creature".
The original "Sea-Creature" was a tale of the hypnotist Dr. Carlo Lombardi, who, as, at first, a meager sideshow act, would hypnotize the woman he loved, Andrea, and send her into life regression, until she brought forth an ancient "She-Creature" monster to do his bidding (kill anyone he hated, or kill randomly). They later became a country-wide sensation, and all goes well for Lombardi until hero Ted Erikson (Lance Fuller) falls for Andrea, and helps her resist Lombardi.
Thats as far as i can remember the incoherent plotline. Somehow Lombardi gets killed, and everything turns out all right. Notice I did not include any sarcastic comments about the original film, as this is not a review of the original, and plenty of comments can be found on MST3K.
As for this remake, it is easily above the original. But seeing as how that isn't saying much, I'll go a bit farther.
Its the early 1900's, and Angus Shaw (the underrated Rufus Sewell) runs a sideshow with his wife, Lilian (Carla Gugino), who plays a mermaid in their show. They live contently until one day, they and their carnival partner have meet a mysterious old man with a real, live, beautiful mermaid (Rya Kihlstedt, whom he says killed his wife. After trying to acquire the creature from the old man, the carnies are kicked out of his house. Sewell, his partner, and a third man later steal the mermaid, but the shock of their entrance gives the old man a heart attack, of which he dies.
Thus, they take the mermaid, and all board a ship headed for America and the Big Time!
Unfortunately, the mermaid turns out to be a beautiful being that kills any stereotyped characters who come within one hundred feet or fifteen minutes of her. And, she has developed a psychic link with Lilian!
The film, with an obviously bigger budget, better script, and greater cast than the original, make this movie creepy and well made. You actually care for the characters, due to their somewhat sympathetic writing (for a B movie anyway), and good acting, particularly from Sewell and Gugino. However, there are the stereotypes, such as the drunken sailor, the foreign black guy, and the nice guy sidekick. The sailor, who makes passes at Lilian, is a type of character so sure to die in this kind of movie, the film makers just put his death in as an afterthought to another scene altogether,a sign of that they know what kind of movie they're making, and a good sign of subtle movie making.
The true She Creature is a very cool, lifelike, and scary monster from Stan Winston, although it does look a bit like the Queen Alien from "Aliens"(which is actually very fitting for her).
However different it may seem, this movie is very much like the original. The Sewell and Gugino sideshow couple are much like the Lombardi and Andrea sideshow couple from the original. The movie also takes some of the originals better ideas, like developing a psychological link between the main actress and the monster, although it definately works better here than in the original. Add to that a better change of setting, and it just adds another layer of improvement.
However, as an MSTie, I have one major pro and one major con to add. Pro: this movie does NOT feature the evil, loathsome Dr. Carlo Lombardi. Con: this movie DOES NOT FEATURE THE EVIL, LOATHSOME DR. CARLO LOMBARDI! Man, the guy made the original the film it was! However, I respect and enjoy the remake on its own merits.
All in all, this is a well made, well acted, thrilling, and cool film that easily outdoes the original, and succeeds on its own terms as a good A, and great B, Movie.