bob wolf Reviews

Leave Her to Heaven (1945)

Gene Tierney is great in this film noir thriller

[13 April 2001]

Photographed in a beautiful technicolor format, Leave Her To Heaven, will be regarded as a film noir that strayed away from the formula of the genre. Heaven strays away from the dark alleys, dimly-lit backrooms and shadowy run-down buildings, opting instead to present a story against the most aesthetically beautiful milieu one is likely to find in any film made in 1945.

Scenic visuals aside, Leave Her To Heaven is the definitive film noir in every other way. Rife with deception, murder and the omnipresent femme fatale. The film opens in a tone reminiscent of Hitchcock's Strangers On A Train, as Richard Harland(Wilde) is introduced to his soon-to-be wife Ellen Berent(Tierney) on a speeding train. Early on in the picture, the audience is made aware of Berent's duplicitous nature. Hiding beneath a thin veil of kindness lurks the heart of a cruel, manipulative and ultimately, evil woman. An insanely jealous female, Berent would rather kill than share her husband's love. She proves this by drowning her brother-in-law and later, by throwing herself down a flight of stairs, thus killing her own unborn child. When Harland finally realizes that he might have married a monster it is just a little too late. Even in death, Berent attempts to ruin the lives of those who loved her. The ending is particularly interesting and a total surprise.

Gene Tierney seems to be having a great time in her role. She uses her unique facial features, a catlike bone structure and narrow gaze to her advantage. Notice the tight, squinty-eyed stare during Danny's death scene. Cornel Wilde might not have been the best choice for the role of Richard Harland. He is stiff and aloof in his performance. It is imperative to the story that the audience feel sympathy for his character, but due to his weak showing, it is hard to feel anything, let alone sympathy. Much has been made of Vincent Price's campy performance as the love-struck attorney. He is completely over the top and delivers his lines with the hastiness of auctioneer on a time limit. I have to admit, I loved it.

Special accolades go to director John M. Stahl who uses the lavish setting and the beautiful colors the way Aldrich might use a dark alley as a device to hide an unknown assassin. This is exemplified best in one specific sequence where the audience watches as blue-colored water undulates savagely as Darryl Hickman's character struggles to catch his breath. It is matched proficiently against the calm icy-blue gaze of Tierney as she watches in an unresponsive pose as Hickman dies a horrible death. The use of colors and the tranquil setting only worked to enhance the sheer direness of the whole moment and the despicable villainess of Tierney's character. It is a testament to Stahl who knew that sometimes change could be a good thing even in such a defined and formulaic genre.

Many have noted that film is, at times, highly unrealistic. Indeed, the plot does have an ample amount of noticeable holes. Some of the situations, including the final courtroom duel between two former acquaintances, tend to be a tad implausible. That aside, Leave Her To Heaven is a great installment in a long-line of trashy, seductive titles in the film noir genre. I highly recommend it despite its various flaws.

Crowhaven Farm (1970 TV Movie)

A great, creepy classic from the seventies

[9/10 · 12 April 2001]

Early on in Crowhaven Farm, Maggie Porter is awakened from a deep sleep by the sounds of a little girl crying. The eerie sounds are coming from off in the forest somewhere. Concerned that someone, namely a child, might be hurt, Maggie makes her way out into the night in the direction of the sound. As she treks into the dark forest, the crying suddenly turns into a demonic cackle. The haunting laughter engulfs Maggie and she collapses in fright.

Working with a limited budget and the content-expurgate restrictions placed on made-for-television fare, director Walter Grauman is still able to construct a frightening movie in Crowhaven Farm. He does it by simply letting the viewers imagination fill in the blanks. The strange noises in the forest, the blurred images of pilgrims torturing a mother-to-be off in a nearby clearing. What do they mean? Grauman shows the audience something, fleetingly, and then forces them to use their own imagination to fill in what is missing. That is where the true horror lies within Crowhaven Farm.

When the original inheritor dies in a strange car accident, a young couple, Maggie(Lange) and Ben(Burke) inherit a large farm and hundreds of acres of forest land. Dogged by marital problems the couple are determined to make a fresh start in the new setting. Maggie senses something odd early on and her first inclination is to leave but Ben talks her out of it. The inclination turns out to be correct as Maggie begins hearing strange noises and seeing odd visions of people dressed in Seventeenth-century garb. When a young girl(Eilbacher) drifts into their life things quickly move from bizarre to down right terrifying. Maggie soon discovers a parallel between her problem and a two-hundred year old coven of witches who may have committed sacrifices on the very farm land she inhabits.

Crowhaven Farm elicits some great performances from its cast. Hope Lange is especially great. She offers a performance very reminiscent of Mia Farrow's panicky turn in Rosemary's Baby, as the woman who discovers all is not what it may seem. Cindy Eilbacher, Paul Burke and TV-movie regular Loyd Bochner are also very good in their roles. I particularly enjoyed John Carradine as the handyman.

Crowhaven Farm has the distinction of being one of those made-for-television films that stay with you long after you've seen it. Like Duel and Dark Night Of The Scarecrow, Farm represents what can be achieved with a little budget and a whole lot of imagination. I highly recommend this film, if you can find it. As of yet, the film has never been released to video.

Inside the Osmonds (2001 TV Movie)

Portrait Of An American Success Story

[5 March 2001]

Sprinkled with a fine soundtrack and some very good acting, 'Inside The Osmonds' is a bio-pic that documents the meteoric rise and subsequent fiscal downfall of the Osmond family.

The story's main focus is on the family as they attempt to maintain their popularity while staying committed to each other throughout the turbulent seventies and early eighties.

Each family member is given time to develop, but the film focuses mainly on Donny and Marie. Especially, Donny (Patrick Levis) as he must endure his forced transition from praised musician to a veritable laughing stock on his daily variety show.

Many things are touched upon throughout the film, including the family's devotion to religion and Marie's weight problem which is merely glanced but not truly elaborated upon. One element that was allowed to flourish was the family's manipulation at the hands of television and recording executives.

The family remains consistently close until final scene when they lose all of their savings. Unlike other movies where this might have been a huge tragedy, in this film, the impact is sort of anti-climactic. They haven't really lost anything, they still have each other and to them, at least, that is truly all that matters.

Look for fine performances by Bruce McGill, as the over-protective but loving father George, and Veronica Cartwright, as the comforting Olive. The film will leave a sweet taste in your mouth, especially the final frame where the real Osmonds take center stage, where they belong, singing 'He aint' heavy, He's my brother'. Look for this one!

How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale (2000 TV Movie)

Hip And Funny Update Of How To Marry A Millionaire

[21 December 2000]

Remaking old classic movies seems to be a trend the last few years. Whether it's on the big screen or on the small screen, audiences have been inundated with remakes. How To Marry A Billionaire is a hip, up-to-date take on Jean Negulesco's How To Marry A Millionaire. The story of three money-seeking women who set out to marry three millionaires. As anyone who has seen the film remembers the story concluded with the ladies redeeming themselves when they choose love over money and then getting both.

In How To Marry A Billionaire, the concept is similar but the tables are turned, as this time, it's three men looking for rich women. The characters are similar with John Stamos, as Tom, heading up the charge playing Bacall's intelligent, scheming character. Shemar Moore, as Jason, is the dim-witted, but kind-hearted ladies man/want-to-be-actor, he is obviously doing Monroe's character. Joshua Malina, as Mark, plays the deep-thinking, conservative character that Grable nailed down in the original.

The three poor bachelors pass themselves off a mega-rich movie producers in an attempt to land an equally rich partner and get married. The three soon find that the idea is much harder to pull off as they had originally thought, whenever emotions are involved, it usually is.

A truly sweet love story arises when Tom befriends a lonely painter on the beach, played by Gabrielle Anwar. She isn't rich but she has a kind heart and before long Tom is falling in love with her.

Will Tom choose love over money? Will Jason gets his big role? Will Mark realize something about himself that he had been suppressing all his life? Something that Grable was never allowed to reveal back in the 50's. You have to watch to find out. I'll let you in on a secret, the film is a remake remember.

Rod Daniel (Alley Cats Strike) is such a talented director that it boggles the mind to know that he is making TV-movies while guys like Danny Cannon are being allowed to direct big-budget Hollywood features. Anyways, try and check this movie out next time it comes on!

Nightbeast (1982)

Mayberry vs The Predator?

[11 December 2000]

Nightbeast, although never able to rise above it's limited budget, still manages to leave a sweet taste in your mouth.

Reeling from a collision with a meteor, a spaceship crashes in the forest of a small town. The alien (which strangely resembles the 'Predator') comes stumbling out, angry and lost. He goes on a killing spree which includes some campers. The sheriff decides to ask the locals to help him go after the creature. The towns-people, mostly farmers, hunters and loggers, reluctantly agree. A violent, gory battle quickly ensues.

As I was watching Nightbeast I kept thinking to myself 'this is Mayberry vs The Predator'. Even the sheriff, reminded of Andy Griffith. I hated to admit it but I kind of enjoyed this film. There are some great moments, for example, there is a scene where an elderly hunter, who manages to shoot a weapon out of the creatures hand, falls to his knees and begins to weep. Plus, the creature is often shown fleetingly, like an apparition, and it is apparent that Dohler was hinting at something here but I couldn't figure it out.

Sadly, Nightbeast suffers from it's all too small budget. The special effects appear amateurish and the gore scenes look fake. The film also has problems with the plot, there are too many sub-plots. There is like three separate stories going on all at once and you are constantly jumping back and forth amongst them. Also, there is a rather weird sex scene between the sheriff and his deputy, that seems totally out of place here, as if it was inserted afterwards.

Outside of all these minuses, there is something I liked about Nightbeast. Maybe it is because of all the minuses that I keep coming back for more, the same reason I keep coming back for Plan Nine From Outer Space.

One Special Night (1999 TV Movie)

One Special Night Revisits The Screwball Comedies Of Yesteryear

[8 December 2000]

James Garner and Julie Andrews unite for 'One Special Night' in this awkward, yet funny, romantic tale.

James Garner finds himself stranded at a hospital after a visit with his Alzheimer-stricken wife runs kind of late. Julie Andrews is a kindly but tough nurse who offers to give him a ride. The snowstorm raging outside isn't so kind. The two trek out into the storm and soon find that Andrews' Jaguar isn't quite made for the deep snow. Soon, the two are stranded in a forest in the middle of nowhere. The two eventually make their way through the bitter white landscape to a small empty cabin. They break in, spark up the fireplace and spend the night drinking coffee and talking.

There is a sub-plot involving Garner's family, that does take away from the film, as one other commenter mentioned. What does 'work' is the relationship that develops between Garner and Andrews. It reminded me of those great screwball comedies of the past. There is even a moment that involved sleeping arrangements. It reminded me of that great scene in It Happened One Night.

A cold raging snowstorm, a cabin. a nice, cozy fireplace and two interesting people. What a great way to spend a night. This is one of those holiday specials I hope they play every year. Garner and Andrews prove that just because your in your 60's doesn't mean you can't make a fun, sexy, romantic comedy.

Forget Gwyneth and Ben (they seem more in love with themselves rather than each other, anyways) and spend 'One Special Night' with Julie and James. You can't go wrong.

Campfire Tales (1997)

The Most Poignant And Moving Cinematic Endings In A Long Time

[10/10 · 4 November 2000]

One cold night, four teenagers, coming back from a concert, find themselves stranded in the woods after their car collides with a tree. They decide to set up camp near the road so as to keep an eye out for passing cars. As a way to kill time, and since the setting is right, they decide to share some horror stories.

There are three stories in total. The first story is about lost love, the second story concerns lost innocence and the third involves the consequences of a tragic mistake and an eternal longing for forgiveness. Each story is an important element to the ending of the film. Reflecting what Jay Ferguson's character must be feeling as he sits on the presurface of an eternity of regret, lost love and lost innocence and, of course, forgiveness.

I can't believe that Campfire Tales hasn't garnered the cult status it deserves. It is loaded with elements that would keep a serious film fan tuned in for repeated viewings plus an ending that still packs an emotional punch each time you watch it.

I noticed traces of various other films in this Cooper outing including; Are You Afraid Of The Dark?, Jacob's Ladder, An Occurrence At Owl Creek, Strangeland, Groundhog Day and Friday The 13th. Sadly, though, this film is most often compared to Urban Legend, a film so lame it doesn't deserve the comparison. Where Legend meandered off into a silly campus-slasher flick, Cooper, misleads the audience into believing this will become another slasher outing but, eventually, as we learn, he has had more in mind all along. He even manages to insert an anti-DUI message in amongst the story.

Things to look for; the owl call just after the car careens off the road. Just a coincidence or a not-so-subtle reference to the above mentioned film? Who knows? Campfire Tales is one of my most endearing movie treasures and I hope, someday, it receives the attention it deserves.

Addicted to Murder: Tainted Blood (1998)

Addicted To Murder 2 is, simply, addictive!

[10/10 · 14 October 2000]

Kevin Lindenmuth is a truly talented filmmaker who can do more with a smaller budget than Joel Schumacher could do with all the money in the world. The Addicted To Murder series proves this beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Addicted To Murder: Tainted Blood finds serial killer turned vampire slayer, Joel Winter, hunting the streets in search of his lost love Rachel. Huh? You make ask. Didn't Joel kill Rachel in part one.

When the film opens it seems confusing to anyone who may have seen the original film. At the end of that Addicted To Murder, if you recall, Joel has killed Angie and goes on to kill Rachel in an attempt to redeem his damned soul. So when the second one picks up, it doesn't make any sense. However, if you recall in the original, it jumps ahead from the point where Joel realizes that he is a vampire to the point where he has appointed himself a slayer. Tainted Blood attempts to fill in the blanks.

It succeeds, incredibly, in doing something that I wonder has ever been done before in film history. I've seen prequels and sequels, but never a film that fills in the years between one point and another, in a completely different film. Usually filmmakers place this extra footage at the end of a DVD or video in a sick attempt to tease the audience. But this is original and it works.

The ending has already been shown to the audience in the original film, it's just a matter of going along for the ride and watching our makeshift hero's transition from prey to hunter.

What a grand ride it is, indeed! Kevin Lindenmuth I salute you!

Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan (1997 TV Movie)

Lori Ann Triolo Offers An Inspiring Performance In A Mediocre Film

[19 August 2000]

Brian Dennehy has proven himself a capable director who knows how to build suspense better than most directors working today. Shadow Of A Doubt and Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan are perfect examples of that.

A gruff, commanding attorney, Edward Brannigan(Dennehy) is forced to defend himself against a charge of rape after an awkward dinner meeting with associate, Rebecca Daly(Krige). The charge begins to take a toll on Brannigan and Daly's circle of friends who are forced to take a side.

The film uses every trick in the book to sway the audience back and forth in a struggle of truths. Is Brannigan a slimy, misogynist who can't comprehend that `no' means `no' or is Daly a neurotic, opportunist looking to bring down a legendary attorney? The suspense continues to build at a breakneck pace and even when things begin to unravel, you find yourself questioning things even more.

The talented ensemble of actors include; Lynn Redgrave, Reed Diamond, Benjamin Ratner and, last but not least, Lori Ann Triolo. The young, up and coming actress, absolutely steals the picture out from under her more famous castmates. Triolo, is like a breath of fresh air in a sometimes smoggy story. I never for once doubted her as a sexually charged dynamo, extremely intelligent lawyer and concerned friend who is forced to chose between colleagues and lovers. Rarely, am I awestruck by a performance the way I was with Triolo's. She owns the camera the same way Bette Davis did in her prime.

The subject matter of Indefensible: The Truth About Edward Brannigan might not appeal to most, especially since the subject seems to take a backseat to various plot devices. The one thing you can rely on is Lori Triolo and her brilliant performance. Check it out!

Visitors of the Night (1995 TV Movie)

A Frightening Look At The Alien Abduction Phenomenon Through The Eyes Of Two Women

[28 May 2000]

When her daughter mysteriously disappears for a few hours, Judith English(Post) decides to confront her greatest fears and investigate what is happening. She realizes that her daughter is experiencing the same thing that she experienced as a little girl, abduction by aliens.

While watching Visitors of the Night, I found myself thinking how the film was like an extension of another film, Intruders. Both films take a serious look at the topic of alien abductions and both films concern a main character who believes she may or may not have been impregnated with an alien/human hybrid.

Although, unlike Intruders, the film takes a detour into the implausible near the end when Post's character begins to suspect that her daughter might not be what she seems. Without giving anything away, the ending doesn't tend to ruin the whole film.

Director, Jorge Montesi offers up another creepy outing that ufo enthusiasts will appreciate. Trivia buffs will note that Montesi would follow up this film with another ufo-related film a year later, Night Visitors.

Alley Cats Strike (2000 TV Movie)

A Swinging Good Time

[27 May 2000]

Alley Cats Strike, a film that mixes hip swing music with bowling, concerns the athletic rivalry between two highschools and a group of retro outcasts who love to bowl.

East and West Appleton have an intense sports rivalry. They've gone head to head against each other in just about every sport imaginable until East Appleton proposes bowling. Of course, none of the jocks can bowl. "Only losers bowl," claims the West Appleton mayor.

The West Appleton athletic council confronts the outcasts about bowling for the school. The kids don't really care about the school or winning but since no one else can bowl as good as them they do step up to the plate. As they film winds down, the group who were once the brunt of jokes, gain the respect of the school and the "real" jocks.

The film, although simple and predictable, is very good. The young cast including Schmid, Ri'chard and Cuoco, are excellent. The director, Rod Daniel's seems to have been influenced by Scorsese. At times throughout the film, the action pauses while the narrator(Scmid) explains to the audience what is really happening. I loved that!

I didn't expect much from the film going in but I was surprised. Check it out!

Alley Cats Strike (2000 TV Movie)

A Swinging Good Time

[27 May 2000]

Alley Cats Strike, a film that mixes hip swing music with bowling, concerns the athletic rivalry between two highschools and a group of retro outcasts who love to bowl.

East and West Appleton have an intense sports rivalry. They've gone head to head against each other in just about every sport imaginable until East Appleton proposes bowling. Of course, none of the jocks can bowl. "Only losers bowl," claims the West Appleton mayor.

The West Appleton athletic council confronts the outcasts about bowling for the school. The kids don't really care about the school or winning but since no one else can bowl as good as them they do step up to the plate. As they film winds down, the group who were once the brunt of jokes, gain the respect of the school and the "real" jocks.

The film, although simple and predictable, is very good. The young cast including Schmid, Ri'chard and Cuoco, are excellent. The director, Rod Daniel's seems to have been influenced by Scorsese. At times throughout the film, the action pauses while the narrator(Schmid) explains to the audience what is really happening. I loved that!

I didn't expect much from the film going in but I was surprised. Check it out!

The Chekist (1992)

Deeply Disturbing And Impossible To Forget Film

[27 May 2000]

A small Russian town in the early 1900's is the backdrop for this deeply disturbing film about a group of communist revolutionaries called the cheka-men who spend their days rounding up their political rivals for execution.

The majority of the film takes place inside the basement of a charnel house. We are witnesses to execution after execution as people are killed with rapid expediency and professionalism. Men, women and children are forced to strip, stand against a wall, and then are shot. When the dead are removed, five more are brought in and the atrocity is committed again.

There is not a moments reprieve from the brutality as director Rogozhkin plants the camera and the story inside that basement. I found his examination of the assassin's mindset most interesting. Early on, the cheka-men seem indifferent to their jobs, but as the film winds down, we see that all the killing has slowly begun to erode their very souls.

Igor Sergeyev is amazing as the ambitious chekist who finds himself caught up in a machine of death that he helped to create and slowly losing his mind.

The film is like passing a car accident on a highway, it's horrible and you might not like what you see but you can't take your eyes off of it. A disturbing film that is hard to forget.

Fever Lake (1997 Video)

Early Eighties Slasher Films Revisited

[9/10 · 13 May 2000]

After reading the user comments for Fever Lake I had to ask myself why do people hate this movie so much? It's really not that bad. If you were as much of a sucker for those early eighties slasher films like Friday The 13th or Sleepaway Camp, as I was, then you will probably adore this movie.

Director Portillo, borrows from countless horror films to construct a very good, unpredictable and atmospheric little film. The plot starts out like so many of those other slasher flicks, you know, a group of young twenty-something's head up to an abandoned cabin in the woods. The cabin sits on the outskirts of the lake of the title. As the film progresses we learn more about the strange history of the cabin and the lake. The suspense builds slowly and just when you think you've figured out who the killer is, or might be, nope, you're wrong.

The only problem with the film that I saw was a technical one. The editing could have been better but it does improve as the film goes on.

Corey Haim is excellent, offering a brilliant, slightly on-edge character who comes across as shy and dangerous at the same time. Watch for the ending where Haim goes through an entire range of emotions in a single scene. He goes from violent and angry to scared and child-like in one shot. Bo Hopkins is also good, playing a sheriff... again. Mario Lopez(Saved By The Bell) appears but doesn't have much to say.

Don't over analyze this film and you might enjoy it.

Caresses (1998)

Interlocking Stories Of Pain And Anger

[11 May 2000]

It has always struck me as odd why certain films are deemed worthy of praise while others are considered dreck not worthy of even a review. Carícies ranks as one of those "praise-worthy" arthouse films that gets airtime on such high calibre stations as Bravo and Showcase. But why?

A group of interlocking stories, connected by a character who interacts with a character from a previous story, fill out this two hour ramble of human misery.

Unless you've seen Carícies you would not begin to believe how low, morally, a film can sink. The film, quite literally, opens with a man violently assaulting his wife, then incredibly, it gets worse. Each little story is filled with one character physically or emotionally assaulting another character. And for no reason. The only real moment of reprieve from all this pain and anger comes when a man attempts to tell his ex-girlfriend about her hygiene problem. I admit I laughed but even that didn't feel right, it was at the characters expense. I felt like a bully after the scene had played itself out.

Carícies might be considered intelligent, artful cinema or whatever, but I'd rather watch Up The Creek any day. I'd much rather spend two hours in a sea of bad dialogue and silly humor rather than wallowing around in two hours of characters hurting each other for the sake of art.

Fiona (1998)

Levine And Kollek Delve Deep Into Shady Underworld Of Big-City Prostitution

[16 April 2000]

Director Amos Kollek's jittery, hand-held camera acts as a window into a world of despair and hopelessness and for nearly 90 minutes we get to peer in. Oh joy!

The film opens with a prostitute discarding her crying baby in an alleyway. It is the life of that orphaned girl, Fiona (Levine), that is chronicled in this Amos Kollek film.

The film jumps ahead a number of years and we see Fiona as she is now. A deep thinking, psychotic, drug addicted, prostitute who spends the majority of her time shooting heroin and hanging around with her lesbian lover. Then, in a completely contrived sequence, obviously inserted to advance the plot, Fiona shoots and kills three police officers in a diner. She takes refuge in a crackhouse and continues her downward spiral into hell.

I'm not sure what Kollek was trying to say with this film. It was as if he was trying to shock the audience with the spectacle of street life and those who dwell there. Visually, the film is jarring, it has a very authentic look and feel to it and Anna Levine offers an inspiring performance. But the film as a whole the film has very little redeeming qualities, including the character of Fiona who at first is likeable and sympathetic until she kills three police officers and brushes it off with a shrug of her shoulders. After that, I couldn't have cared less about her, her problems and the problems of those around her. Along with all the disconcerting images that the film throws at the viewer, the sequence where the mother and daughter reunite has to be the most awkward and disturbing of the film.

Watch it for the spectacle. You may come away from the film better educated about the lives of street people or maybe you'll just come away feeling empty. I did!

Santo vs. Doctor Death (1973)

Unintentionally Funny Adventure Pits Dr. Death Against Mexican Super Zero Santo

[4/10 · 16 April 2000]

Masked Mexican wrestler and superhero, Santo (aka Saint) is a part-time wrestler/part-time private investigator who is called in by government officials to investigate the mysterious vandalism of a high profile painting. With the help of his two counterparts, he uncovers the truth behind an art collector/chemist who maybe murdering female models.

The film is a mess! Badly choreographed wrestling footage is inserted throughout as Santo flies from city to city wrestling while his partners, more or less, solve the crime. Remember Inspector Gadget? Penny and her dog would solve all the cases while Gadget really did nothing, well that is what happens here.

This is the kind of film where the bad guys are more interesting than the good guys, they are definitely more intelligent. What is truly hilarious about this film is the reactions of the other actors as they perform dialogue with Santo. He is a grown man who runs around with a silver ski mask on his head. He wears it everywhere he goes; the bathroom, the airport and the wrestling ring. Maybe I'm not familiar with the customs of Spanish wrestling icons, but to me, it just seems ridiculous. Just once, I wanted someone to rip the mask off of Santo and tell him to grow up! Alas, it never happens. Anyway, the film culminates in true serial-matinee style, with a stand-off between Dr. Death and Santo on a speeding boat as it races for a wall of rock.

After watching this film I found myself wondering who the target audience was. It certainly couldn't be children. Half naked women are everywhere, when they aren't prowling around Death's palace, they are being tortured or dumped into pits of acid. On the other side of the age spectrum, adults will find the film utterly ridiculous and childish.

Hell of the Living Dead (1980)

Mattei Puts Forth An Honest Effort With Zombies

[21 March 2000]

Night Of The Zombies is Bruno Mattei's dreary homage to director's Fulci, Lenzi and Romero, creators who originated and nurtured the zombie/horror genre. Like the other films in this field, Night Of The Zombies stays true to the "rules" laid out by its predecessors. The zombies must eat human brains to survive and the only way to immobilize a zombie is to fire a bullet into its cranium. The atmosphere of the film is bleak and gloomy and there is this threatening ambiance draped over the movie, sitting like a cloud of black smoke over everything including the characters and the story. The film's original title was Inferno dei Morti Viventi which, when translated, means, Hell Of The Dead Man Living.

Based on a screenplay written by J.M. Cunilles and Claudio Fragrasso, the story concerns four members of an anti-terrorism unit and two reporters who are forced to become unwilling allies as they trek across the jungle landscape of Papa, New Guinea to find a mysterious government facility. As they journey closer to the facility they realize that the strange events going on around them may be directly linked to the center called 'Hope'.

The ending, which is a throwback to Night Of The Living Dead, is excellent despite its nihilistic overtones. In an effort to remain honest to his highly-criticized craft, Mattei offers up his characters, whom we've grown to care for, as a sacrifice.

Symbolism, foreshadowing and jokes that only true Mattei-lovers will pick up on are in abundance throughout the film. The rat is symbolic of a divination of terrible things to come. It's usage in the film eventually would bring on the ‘apocolypse'. Mattei also directed a film called Rats. Was the use of the rat just an inside joke on Mattei's part. Who knows?

Operation Sandman (2000 TV Movie)

Incredibly Disturbing Film About The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On A Group Of American Soldiers

[15 February 2000]

I absolutely did not want to watch this movie!

A recent rash of extremely nauseating "wrestler" movies like Shutterspeed and First Daughter have left such a bad taste in my mouth that the thought of another "wrestler" vehicle just caused me to cringe. So you can probably understand my feelings when I heard about Operation Sandman. The, UPN produced, movie was being marketed as a vehicle for wrestler, Bob "Hardcore" Holly. Without having seen the film, I passed it off as so much junk.

I was wrong! Boy, was I wrong! This might be one of the most disturbing made-for-television films that I have seen. It concerns a group of American soldiers who submit to sleep deprivation experiments with horrible consequences.

When the killing starts, you'll be asking yourself who? And why? When everything is resolved, get ready to shudder.

Don't look for a laughable, Nightmare On Elm Street-style ending, with soldiers battling boogeymen. Instead, prepare yourself for a dark, serious, Jacobs Ladder-style ending that leaves you guessing, as well as, frightened by its honesty.

A disturbing thrillride that makes you think. Too bad all "wrestler" vehicles weren't this good.

Tough to Kill (1979)

Testosterone-Laden D'Amato Film Is More Than Just Another War Movie

[19 December 1999]

Duri a morire (a.k.a. Tough To Kill) is a movie with a set of balls so large that they drag on the ground. Sam Peckinpah probably would have left the theater with a tear in his eye if he had ever had the chance to see this D'Amato outing.

The story, a simple one, concerns Martin, a small-time mafia hitman, who receives word on where he can locate a high-profile political assassin. The bounty on the man is up to one million dollars. The assassin has been doing mercenary work in the jungles of Africa to earn some extra cash. With very little effort, Martin manages to infiltrate the merc squad and gains access to the assassin.

Martin, and four others, use a routine attack on a bridge to take the assassin hostage. They set off into the jungle for their rendezvous in Georgeville. They won't all make it. Along for the journey is a congenial villager who seems to act as the group's guardian angel.. or is he?

Excellent cinematography helps to pump this film up a little but the bad dialogue manages to deflate it again. What I really enjoyed about Duri a morire was the way D'Amato introduced each of the mercenaries, gave them each a distinct personality, then played with them. He never allows the audience to form a solid opinion of them. I also enjoyed the ending which took me completely by surprise, even despite DAmato's various hints throughout the movie.

In closing, Duri a morire is a gritty, low-budget film about brooding men with enough machismo, chest-beating and testosterone for any two Nick Gomez movies. If you you can get around all the violence and silly, tough-guy, one-liners you might actually get a kick out of this film. I sure did!

Hijacked: Flight 285 (1996 TV Movie)

Excellent Performance By An Ensemble Cast Saves This Hijack Film From Being Just Another Made For Television Dud

[23 November 1999]

When I initially sat down to watch Hijacked: Flight 285, I figured it would be just another boring Hijack movie with the usual predictable ending. Instead I found myself completely enthralled with both the story and the characters.

Hall is a prisoner being transported by the FBI on a passenger airline much to the dissatisfaction of pilot, Brolin. Of course, Hall breaks free of his restraints with the help of two of his cronies and manages to hijack the plane. Ally Sheedy is the detective familiar with Hall and his activities, from the ground she attempts to reason with Hall to free the passengers.

What I adored most about this film is the characters, the good and especially the bad. Anthony Michael Hall offers a multi-layered bad guy whose struggle with his inner principles presents itself when he is forced to kill one of the passengers. It is a powerful moment that I have never forgotten nor probably ever will.

The other actors are also good including a wheelchair bound, Michael Gross, James Brolin in a bit part, Ally Sheedy, as the cop and Casey Sander (Grace Under Fire) as the hero. David Graf, who made a career out of playing the tough-guy, Tackleberry, in the Police Academy movies does an excellent job playing the coward who puts himself and the other passengers at risk.

Captivating performances that won't let you down. A must see!

Meatcleaver Massacre (1976)

Supernatural Thriller Not As Gory As The Title Implies

[10/10 · 22 November 1999]

Meatcleaver Massacre is a slow moving, extremely dark, supernatural revenge tale.

The story concerns a college professor named Cantrell (James Habif), a leading researcher in the mystical field of the occult and supernatural phenomenon. A devoted family man, in his spare time, he teaches a course at Valley College in Hollywood. One day, following a class, Cantrell confronts a student who is mocking his most recent lecture. He manages to embarrass the student in front of his friends and thus seals his own death warrant.

The student is a dangerous and psychotic thug named Mason Harrue (Larry Justin) who, with his cronies, visits the professor at his home. The initial plan is to scare Cantrell and his family but things go bad and the thugs wind up slaughtering Cantrell's wife and two children. Cantrell remains alive but in a coma.

From his hospital bed, Cantrell calls up an ancient demon named Morak The Avenger, to take violent revenge on those who murdered his family. The hunt is on.

Meatcleaver Massacre is sort of a Deathwish meets The Supernatural type revenge outing. Sadly, the title seems to imply a meatcleaver wielding killer hunting the streets in search of blood, instead we get very little blood and only one scene involving a meatcleaver. The film is relatively tame, even a little boring.

This film has a lot of things wrong with it, including the lame script and slow moving pace. The film is dark, as if the lighting man quit the film after the first day. The acting is amateur at best. The film's major selling point is the appearence of horror legend Christopher Lee. Lee is the dead-pan host who has nothing to do with the film in any way. He merely mentions some events from the past where supernatural events occured. He mentions nothing of the characters or events in the film. The other actors in the cast aren't very good and Larry Justin hams it up just way too much to come off a murderous thug. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when Ed Wood appeared, he was the king of bad movies was he not? Well this is one of the worst. Miss it.

In the Woods (1999)

Lynn Drizick's Film Debut Borrows Heavily From Blair Witch Project and Backdraft

[9/10 · 12 November 1999]

In The Woods appeared at the East Lansing Film Festival and to much surprise many seemed to enjoy it. The film concerns two hunters, who find and then are terrorized by, an evil entity. The film's cinematographer makes great use of contrast staging the first half of the film in a rural forest setting and the second half in an urban landscape.

The film stars DJ Perry and Stuart MacDonald in a mostly amateurish production that never rises above it's similarities to two other films.

The film's director, Lynn Drizick, borrows heavily from The Blair Witch Project and Backdraft. He even places mention of B.W. on the film's poster.

Perry stands out as the man forced to do battle with ominous demonic forces from hell including a specific devil dog. He offers up a comedic/action-hero performance not seen since Bruce Campbell in the Evil Dead trilogy.

Intruders (1992)

Interesting Adaptation Of The Budd Hopkins Novel

[3 November 1999]

Intruders, an over-long made for television movie, ranks as my third favorite film made on the topic of ufo's and alien abduction. Only Communion and The Interrupted Journey ranks ahead of it.

Richard Crenna, the film's protagonist, is a therapist who must deal with the reality of ufo's when one of his patients thrusts an "alien abduction" account onto his plate. His initial reaction is to brush her off as a nutcase. Soon, when other people with similar accounts journey into his life, he begins to take a serious look at the possibility of ufo's actually abducting people.

His investigation begins to uncover a certain amount of evidence and a government involvement(pre-X-Files) that forces him to take a 180 degree turn in his feelings about the subject.

Richard Crenna, as pointed out by another commenter, does seem to be a composite of artist and author Budd Hopkins and Harvard professor John Mack. Crenna is very good in his role. I especially enjoyed watching his characters transition from non-believer into believer.

The film is frightening in its depictions of abductions and encounters with aliens. There are several sequences featuring abductions and several scenes on board ufo's. Where Fire In The Sky seemed to tease the audience, Intruders wants to bombard it.

Very, very frightening! A must see!

Fire in the Sky (1993)

Frightening True Account Of An Encounter With A UFO In The Forests Of The Pacific Northwest

[2 November 1999]

Fire In The Sky ranks up there alongside Intruders and Communion as three of the greatest films ever made on the topic of ufology. Strangely, all three films are based on actual incidents.

One dark night six loggers make their way back through the endless expanse of winding forest. Suddenly they notice a giant light which seems to illuminate the entire forest ahead of them. They try to make sense out of the light by claiming that it is merely a crashed plane or a fire. When they finally draw close enough to it, and they make out what it is, things go from a little weird to down right terrifying. A giant craft hovers menacingly above them. One of the loggers, Travis Walton, suddenly exits the vehicle to get a better look and is... taken. For myself this scene frightened more than the entire "on board" episode.

The story decides to ponder the disappearance of Travis Walton rather than show us what is happening with Walton on board the craft. James Garner is brought in as the film's antagonist. A big redneck, he doesn't believe for a minute in ufo's or alien abductions. From here the film gets bogged down in a character study of those with Walton the night he disappeared. It tends to take away from the film. We do finally get to see what happened to Walton on board the craft, but sadly it is too little too late.

I was a little surprised to find out just how much dramatic license Leiberman took when creating the imagery on board the craft in Walton's flashback sequence. It was as if the director was intent on shocking the audience with visual images of chaos and monsters. Walton's story did involve some of these things but not in the way it is shown in the film. Sadly, anyone truly interested in the story might find some time in their schedule to read Walton's book. It's actually pretty scary.

Worth a look!