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The Naked Monster (2005)
"Attack Of The B-Movie Monster"
I remember in 1985, at a Science Fiction convention at a hotel in Fullerton, California (back when "V" was the "big thing" at the convention). I was 17 at the time, and found that it was hilarious. I have been waiting for it to come out on video (and now DVD), and have hunted for "Attack Of The B-Movie Monster" for years. Now it has gone beyond the 60 something minute film spoof, that it was back then. I can not wait to see this version as soon as it comes out on DVD and add it to my collection (great movie, but since it is pretty much an "art film", as much as a parody can be, I doubt it will have wide release in theaters). My favorite scene was one that the director of the film explained at the convention that was made "illegally" (they did not have a filming permit to film at the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California).... there were a group of Japanese tourists there in front of the Observatory... they knew NOTHING about the filming and were not "in on the joke"... they quickly set up a camera, the actors run in, point to the sky, and scream "Godzilla"... and the reaction from the Japanese Tourists was just "classic". This was an example of "Gonzo Film-making" at its best. It has been 20 years, but I remember the film as if I saw it just yesterday. Be it under its original name as the "short film" of 60 something minutes of "Attack of the B-Movie Monster" or be it under its new name of its feature length name of "The Naked Monster", I can not wait to see how it has come out as a finished film. It truly was some of the best acting of the "B-Movie" actors who did some of their last acting in this film. If you love the old "creature features" or "B-Movies", this is a movie you will enjoy. If you are a fan of parodies, you will love it even if you are not a "B-Movie" fan. I would give the original a 10, and I am sure this version is that and more.
Society's Child (2002)
True Story Of The Murder Of A Child - By Dick Sobsey
Last night Canada's CBC television network aired Society's Child. Although names were changed, the film, originally released in 2002, takes pains to let the audience know that it is based on a true story of Katie Lynn Baker who had Rett syndrome and was starved to death by her mother in 1996.
It's difficult to know why the CBC chose to re-air the film now. Perhaps during the tense weeks of Terry Schiavo's starvation, CBC execs got the idea to insert Canada's very on "feeding-tube-and-starvation" melodrama into the line-up.
This film provides the most biased and unapologetic endorsement for killing children with disabilities of any ever produced.It should not and cannot be appropriately be compared with the so-called Nazi euthanasia films of the 1930s, such as Wolfgang Liebeneiner's Ich klage an (I accuse) (1941), which was shown at the War Crimes Trials after World War II. As Liebeniner points out, his film was "rejected as evidence because it had 'nothing to do with the crimes (euthanasia program) on the indictment... The film's purpose was to test whether public opinion would approve of a law sanctioning death on demand with certain medical and legal safeguards." (quote from Liebeniner letter, 1965). This film cannot be compared with Liebeneiner's work because it goes much further openly endorsing the actions of the mother who killed her child, and suggesting that she was merely carrying out the clearly communicated wishes of her daughter, while condemning all those who questioned the right of a mother to kill her child.
Make no mistake, the killing of Katie Lynn Baker was an important episode in Canadian History. If Canada goes down the road to euthanasia, the Katie Lynn Baker case may rightly been considered as an important step in decriminalizing homicide of children with disabilities. It is important to remember that the inquest after Katie Lynn Baker's death ruled that she died as a result of homicide but that the BC crown simply decided not to prosecute because "there is no likelihood of conviction" (BC Ministry of the Attorney General, 2 December 1999). This was not based on a lack of evidence of the cause of death or who was responsible, but rather the notion that Canada as a society felt okay about mothers killing their 10-year-old daughters, under the right circumstances. In this case the right circumstances mean "when the child has a severe disability." Of course the made-for-TV drama conveniently leaves out that the death was ruled a homicide. Not surprisingly, they leave out most of the facts that did not fit with their unabashed celebration of the killing of a ten- year-old child. In general, this movie is based on the real case in the same way that a film about America's victory in Viet Nam is based in reality.
However, if they have left out the facts they have added lots of delusions to take their place. They take pains to make it clear that this child had a severe physical disability but no cognitive disability and to show her clearly and independently communicating her choice to be starved to death. In fact, no one but her mother claimed that Katie made such a communication. Most experts claimed she was physically and probably mentally unable to make such an independent communication and her primary caregiver claimed that that Katie was communicating and pleading to live, not be killed. Most disturbingly, the film uses a cheap voice over narration device to tell the story from the perspective of the child who is killed. This allows the story to be told celebrating killing as the right thing to do.
This device of putting words in the mouth of the victim to celebrate the perpetrator is pretty cheap and might be applied to any homicide victim to provide ringing endorsements of their killers. Perhaps sometime in the future, the CBC will bring us stories narrated by Andera Yates', Clfford Olson's or Paul Bernardo's victims celebrating the people who killed them and revealing that these child killers were really determined and altruistic advocates for children. I hope not. Of course, the CBC could say they are not really endorsing this or they could say that the opinions of Dennis Foon, who wrote this, Buffalo Gal Productions, and Sienna Pictures are not necessarily their opinions just because they ran the film, but that would not be consistent with their program description on their website. They characterize the film as "a story of unconditional love."
Chaindance (1991)
Best Brad Dourif Film Since "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"
This is a film that truly shows that Brad Dourif can act. This also shows that Michael Ironside, could have a character that truly could be "loveable".
Brad Dourif's performance as a man with Cerebral Palsy was flawless, and it was equal to Daniel Day-Lewis' Cerebral Palsy performance in "My Left Foot" released the year before. Truly this was showing a true insight into the character, since neither actor (Dourif or Day-Lewis) had the other performer's work to look upon given the production schedules and release schedules of both films.
This is high praise for me, because, I have not really been a Brad Dourif fan. I appreciated his 'Billy Bibbit' role in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" (1975), and his role as 'Piter De Vries' in David Lynch's version of "Dune" (1984) which was made with the on set assistance of the author Frank Herbert so it has a special place in my heart.
If this film EVER comes out on DVD, I will Definitely add it to my collection. I keep searching for it to come out... but like most quality "art house" Canadian films, I am not holding my breath for it to come out anytime soon.
This was a low budget film, and Aylward & Ironside as rather new writers came up with a quality script all things considered. If you compare it with a "Big Budget Hollywood Film", then you will be disappointed. But if you want a film that shows human drama from the points of view of someone with severe Cerebral Palsy (Dourif) and a Convict on work release (Ironside), with heart, and looking at it from a "Foreign Film" point of view, rather than a "Hollywood" point of view, you may find this a very touching and lovely little film to come out from our Neighbors to the North in Canada.
God Said, 'Ha!' (1998)
Great Film In The Spirit Of Paul Linke's "Time Flies When You're Alive"
This is a very cathartic film allowing someone who lost a loved one (her brother, Mike, who passed away from brain cancer), as well as her own Uterine Cancer that occurred as her brother was dying. She filmed four hours of film, and just let out all of her feelings with real heart and humor, and it was edited down to this loving tribute to her brother. I am not a Julia Sweeney fan, but when I first saw this film when it first came out it really meant a lot to me and it also helped me with losses in my life. This is a film in the same vein as Paul Linke's (Officer Arthur Grossman, from the TV Series "CHiPS"), tribute to his late wife, Francesca Draper, in his similar film "Time Flies When You're Alive" that appeared on HBO. Both films are very warm and loving reflections on loss of a dear loved one, both reflect the pain, the loss, and tasteful humor in dealing with such pain and loss. Both of these films I have recommended for years for those who are dealing with the dying or loss of a loved one. Even as a Chaplain, it is hard to deal with such loss myself... and both of these films have helped me personally.
Our Town (2003)
One of the best versions of Our Town
As someone who loved the William Holden version, and I have also acted in a community theatre version of this (as the "Stage Manager" character)... so I think I can give a valid point of view on this film. It is one of the best stage versions that I have ever seen. A very interesting way to do it with minimalist props and scenery compared to the traditional "dark stage and spotlight version". I can not wait for it to be released on DVD, and since it is a Showtime Networks and PBS Masterpiece Theatre co-production, I know it is only a matter of time before it is released. This is one DVD that will have a prized position in my DVD collection.
CBS Children's Mystery Theatre: The Zertigo Diamond Caper (1982)
The best work Adam Rich ever did!!!
This very short (only 50 minutes) "made-for-television" movie (it was one of the first "Showtime Originals" if I remember correctly), is the story of a young blind boy (played by Adam Rich) who sets out to clear his mother (a museum executive) who is accused of stealing the world's largest diamond (the Zertigo Diamond). As someone who is disabled, and who has many friends who are either "legally blind" or "totally blind"... I can attest that Adam Rich's protrayal of a blind boy is "absolutely flawless". Whoever trained him and taught him his "mobility training" did a wonderful job. For someone whose acting career was way too short (by the time he learns to act, he gets himself in trouble with drugs and alcohol, thus destroying his growing career), who could have gone on from "juvinile actor" to "adult actor"... this is the best work he has ever done. It shows that he can truly act (not just look cute and recite lines like he did on "Eight is Enough" and "Code Red").
RKO 281 (1999)
WONDERFUL
This was a great film. It really seemed to be realistic and told of the history behind the AFI's "greatest film of all time". This shows why "Citizen Kane" is considered the "Greatest American Film Ever Made". For any fan of "Citizen Kane", you have to see "RKO 281". If this ever comes out on DVD... it will go right next to my DVD copy of "Citizen Kane".