Scott-212 Reviews

Clean, Shaven (1993)

My take on Peter's guilt or innocence - SPOILER!!!

[9/10 · 11 December 2006]

It took me a few viewing to get into this movie, and my biggest gripe was that the film left the issue of Peter's involvement in a rather disturbing murder unanswered. *SPOILER! Don't read any further unless you've seen the movie* The little girl is murdered at some point when Peter is staying at the hotel. It shows him lying in bed looking up at the ceiling, abruptly cutting to a shot of an unseen assailant beating the girl to death. This seems to imply Peter was involved, however right after this there is a scene where Peter hears, outside his hotel room, the sound of people laughing. Since it is established that Peter constantly hears strange noises, you don't know if this is real or not.Prior to all this is a scene where an older woman (mother or sister) is cross with the girl, threatening to hurt her. Later, when McNally is questioning the maintenance guy over the phone, the guy is not the least bit disturbed he found the battered body of a child, but rather complains to McNally that she smelled so bad he couldn't continue working. In the last few minutes, McNally is seen on the phone saying "Inconclusive?". I took from this part he was talking to his department and they were telling him there was not enough evidence to connect Peter with the murder, thus his findings were inconclusive. In the next scene, McNally is back in the bar, and sitting nearby is a man and woman. The woman is upset, crying, and the man tells her she's like a broken record. I think these two are the angry woman and maintenance guy from the hotel, and that they were the killers, since earlier in the film it was established neither have any real regard for the dead girl. It is a quick shot, almost a throwaway, but look for it the next time you watch the film. Peter's possible guilt as a child killer / abuser is also implied when he beats the girl in the city for accidentally bumping his car. The beating is never seen, only heard, and right after Peter drives away from this there are people on the sidewalk who don't act like they've just seen a man beat up a small girl. This leads me to think this whole incident was in Peter's mind. Anyway, just my two cents. Thanks for reading. Hope I'm not just repeating stuff Lodge Kerrigan says in the commentary, I've not yet seen the DVD. Scott

King Kong (2005)

Question about the "Bone-Yard" - Possible spoiler

[4/10 · 23 June 2006]

The scene I'm asking about occurs shortly after Kong takes Ann from the altar. He takes her to a secluded hillside/ cliff, shakes her around, holds her up close to his face and roars at her, and in general acts in a very aggressive and threatening manner to Ann. She is able to stop him by hitting his hand, then winning Kong over with her dance routine. During this scene, when Kong is shaking Ann, she glimpses some rotting human skeletons on the ground. Later, the rescue team comes. When Lumpy sees the skeletons he says something like "It's a bloody bone-yard! They've been pulled apart!" Is this to imply the fate of Kong's previous brides? Was all the roaring and shaking that Ann had to endure something that also happened to the others? A prelude to a horrible agonizing death of being pulled apart while still alive, to satisfy some sadistic impulse in Kong. Clearly he was trying to terrify Ann, and her quick actions saved her life and changed Kong's feelings for her. This is my take on the scene, and it does show a darker side to Kong's personality, one that does take away some sympathy I might feel for him. Again, just my opinion. Anyone else see this scene the same way? Scott

Screams of a Winter Night (1979)

Scary!

[7/10 · 11 February 2006]

I was 14 in 1979, and my brother and I went to a twin theater in Bowie, Maryland. I don't remember what film we intended to see, a comedy I believe, but when I saw there was a horror movie playing in the other theater I decided to watch it while my brother saw the comedy. So there I was, sitting by myself in the near empty theater with about ten other people sporadically seated throughout. I figured a PG horror flick might be good for some cheap thrills, maybe a few laughs, but nothing I couldn't handle. Then the movie started, and from the scary opening which is comprised of sound effects over the credits through the second story, I was scared nearly to tears by this. It's hard to say exactly what it is, but this movie just has that special "something" that can't be planned, but must come through in the execution. I recently attained a copy of this and watched it again after all these years, and I still think it is quite effective. Reading the other reviews here, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with a soft spot in their heart for this little unknown movie. To the filmmakers who just might read this, I say ignore the negative critics. That little movie you made way back in the 1970's still holds up well, and has a good creepy atmosphere that many of today's big-budgeted have not a clue of how to accomplish. Oh well, thanks for reading!

The Story of Us (1999)

Nope, sorry, didn't buy it.

[29 October 1999]

I really wanted to like this film and thought that the story had potential. The biggest problem is in the screenplay. Seriously, folks, real human beings do not talk this way. This is sitcom writing at best. I had some reservations when I heard that the same people who did the screenplay for "Stepmom" had a hand in this, but thought I'd give it a shot anyway. Guess I should have listened to my gut. The worst was the married couple that Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer meet in Europe. These people acted like a pair of blithering idiots for no other reason than to hang the plot up on another possible resolution between the bickering protagonists. They were not even remotely real as human beings. I can't imagine anyone acting the way these did, and I have met a great many people in my life.

A good premise wasted by cheap gags, and even the scenes that are somewhat effective are ultimately sunk by the lousy dialogue. It's hard to care much about people who routinely go into screaming fits in public places, or openly talk about sex and spout the F-word in restaurants. I'm not a prude who is offended by language, but in real life if a group of men or women went to a restaurant and started talking the way these people did, they'd probably be asked to leave. The characters in this film were so shallow and self-absorbed that it was difficult to connect with any of them. It seems that this is what passes for humor and dialogue in movies these days. Doesn't anyone remember the good old days, when humor in a film came from the situation, and how people reacted to it? You could laugh at it because it rang true to life. No, these days screenwriters are content to take the easy way out, with quick one-liners and lazy writing. This wraps up awfully quick, too. Seems like years of resentment and anger melt away in the blink of an eye with Pfeiffer's final speech. Doesn't work that way. Sorry, but I did not like these people.

Evil Spawn (1987)

Well, it's bad, but I like it!

[15 September 1999]

I rented this with a friend about 10 years ago. True, it is awful and cheesy, but in a strange way I kinda like it! Bobbie Bresee plays has-been actress Lynn Roman, who finds herself too old to be cast in the starlet roles of her past. In order to regain her youth, she begins taking injections given to her by Evelyn Avery, the mad assistant to the equally mad doctor played by John Carradine (Sad to see how bad he looks in this one.) Well, the injections restore Lynn's youthful appearance, but as an unfortunate side effect they also transform her into a giant rubbery insect which proceeds to suck the blood out of anyone unfortunate enough to cross its path! Before each transformation scene Lynn also spits out an enormous quantity of white fluid which kinda looks like... uh, anyway, you get the idea! The second half of the movie is basically devoted to Lynn, as the insect, taking revenge on every one who ever crossed her. About the worse thing any of these people did to Lynn was cast someone else in the roles she wanted, but that doesn't stop her from the low budget, and often quite funny, killing spree that follows. At one point she kills her shapely, youthful assistant for having long dark hair and the physique that Lynn is lacking. In the token gratuitous nudity scene, the assistant takes a nude swim that goes on for about five minutes before being killed. Funny how this giant rubbery thing, about twice as big as Lynn is, can come up behind someone and not be seen or heard until it is too late, despite the weird sounds it makes. In another scene, Lynn transforms and kills her agent. Moments later she is human again, and clothed, despite the fact that she ripped out of her clothes only seconds before. These are just a few of the many flaws that gives this film a warm place in my heart. Most of the gore is of the dimestore variety, indeed most of the budget appears to have gone into the monster effects. there is one very nasty scene in the beginning where a typical 80's yuppie has his arm torn out of the socket! Ugh! Still, if you like "so bad they're good" movies, you could do worse. This has become almost impossible to find, by the way. I had to do a great deal of searching before finally finding a website that had this for sale. Apparently there's another version of this called "The Alien Within", and I wouldn't mind seeing it either! Worth a look if you can ever find it. I'd love to see this on Joe Bob Briggs Monstervision show.