Change Your Image
Steven H. Price
Reviews
Gosford Park (2001)
A good variation of "Clue" from start to finish
Robert Altman himself summed it up best. This movie would be impossible to do in America. His reason? No American casting agent would ever allow his actor to remain in the backround for most of the picture. Case in point, Alan Bates. Could you imagine, say, Gene Hackman in the role? I didn't think so. His agent just wouldn't allow it.
I won't give a synopsis of the plot, there are more than enough reviews that will you that. A weekend party is thrown, someone is murdered, and a detective shows up to try to solve the mystery.
While the movie occasionally seems to drag, it's well worth it's two and a half hour length. It give us, unlike other murder mysteries, time to really get to know the victim.
As to the cast, all are terrific. All the actors and actresses fit their roles to the letter (even Phillipe, which surprised me). Some standouts are Helen Mirren as one of the lead servants, and Kristen Scott-Thomas as the lady of the house. I always enjoy Charles Dance, and it was nice to see him in the credits. I found myself dubbing his character, Colonel Mustard! Clive Owen puts plenty of Charm into his servant role, and I wouldn't be shocked to see him take over the role of James Bond when Brosnan decides to opt out. And it was no surprise to me that Maggie Smith scored an oscar nomination. She steals the show as one of the socialites. Also providing a lot of comic relief was Stephen Fry's Inspector Tom......
But my favorite actor, and character, in the movie was Richard E. Grant's George. he had several funny moments. Plus, he got to spill coffee in Ryan Phillipe's lap. A good portion of why I went to the movie was because Grant was in it. I found myself perking up whenever his character was on screen.
Altman delivers once again, and I hope he continues to put out hits.
*****/***** 10/10
Jurassic Park (1993)
A Rollercoaster ride from start to finish.
Caution: a few spoilers throughout.
The top film of 1993, Jurassic Park did a lot to pave the way for computer generated special effects. With a great premise and a top notch cast, Spielberg offers a special effects thrill ride that is impossible to forget.
The premise is simple enough. Billionaire John Hammond (Attenborough), has created a zoological theme park that is getting ready to open. His problem is that a group of lawyers who are participating in funding want three scientists to give their approval. He enlists Phaleontoligist Alan Grant (Neill), Phaleobotonist Ellie Sattler (Dern), and Mathematician Ian Malcolm (A hilarious Goldblum), to give their approval. Also among the visiting group is a representative of the park's backers, Lawyer Donald Gennaro (Ferrero). What Hammond doesn't tell the visitors is that the park is made up of cloned dinosaurs. Everyone is enamored with the dinos. Everyone except Malcolm, that is. He has warned Hammond that the park is destined to collapse, according to his mathematical predictions. Hammond doesn't agree and invites his grandchildren Tim and Lex Murphy (Mazzelo and Richards) to view the park. Also of note in the list of characters is the park's Game Warden, Robert Muldoon (A very good Peck). The tour begins and the park's security system fails, due to disgruntled park employee Dennis Nedry's (Knight) tampering with of the system. Needless to say, The dinos get out, people are injured (Including Malcolm) and Grant is forced to lead the kids through the park.
Speilberg pulls the same tricks here that he did with his first mega hit, Jaws, casting actors instead of superstars. While it's arguable which role would represten Quint (Either Neill's or Peck's) The Hooper character is definitely represented by Goldblum.
Now, on to the acting: Neill is ideal as the phaleontologist. Dern is very good as Ellie, Attenborough IS Hammond. And Bob Peck offers a very interesting portrayal as Muldoon. In the smaller roles, Samuel L. Jackson, Wayne Knight, B.D. Wong, and Martin Ferrero do very well with what they're given, and Joseph Mazzelo and Ariana Richards are a perfect pair for the two kids.
But the show is consistently stolen by Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm. The character has so many hilarious one-liners that you are laughing constantly. After a Jeep with him, Peck and Dern narrowly escapes being destroyed by the T-Rex, he nonchalantly remarks "Think they'll have that on the tour?" While I like everything that Neill does, his character doesn't have as much humor as Goldblum's character does. It's too bad that he doesn't have as much to do in the movie's last act. It's also too bad that Goldblum didn't have as good a showcase for the Malcolm role, in the vastly inferior The Lost World: Jurassic Park!
Bottom line, sit down in a chair, forget the difficulties of cloning, and let yourself be amazed!
10/10 *****/*****
Modern Vampires (1998)
Bad. Very Bad. Only watchable for the delightful Performance of Rod Steiger, and the performances of Kier and Ferguson.
Let's face it. In this movie, Casper Van Dien sucked (No pun intended). Let's face it. Natasha Gregson Wagner sucked (Ditto). Let's face it. Rod Steiger Rocked! "Modern Vampires is an interesting attempt at horror/comedy bogged down by dismal performances from it's two leads. While Van Dien was pretty good in "Starship Troopers" he was abysmal in this film. Gregson Wagner couldn't act if her life depended on it. She's good eye candy, but her crying scene when she confronts her parents was terrible!
Udo Kier was great. Though he had little more than a cameo, it was wonderful to see him play another vampire role. He does it so well!
Also, I have to give kudos to Drew Carey star Craig Ferguson. He was very funny as the vampire comic relief. It was fun to see him outside of his Nigel Wick role on Drew Carey.
And Rod Steiger. If I had to give an award for the best actor in this film, Steiger wins hands down. Van Helsing has always been my favorite character in the Dracula films, and this version is no exception. Had the role not been included, I probably wouldn't have sat through this film at all. While I didn't like the fact that Van Helsing was turned into a former Nazi doctor, I have to admit that it fit into the time frame of the film, and, it was an interesting back story for the Van Helsing role. He did have some funny lines "Strike in the name of god and the Fuhrer!" And it was hilarious to see Van Helsing teamed up with a group of Gang Bangers. Plus, though I think you were supposed to feel otherwise, I was rooting for him to Kill off the Van Dien and Gregson Wagner characters and put me out of my misery. Does he? Well, you'll have to sit through it, like I did, to find out.
If I had to vote yes or no, should you see this movie, I would have to say yes. Though it is only do you can see the delightful performances of Rod Steiger, Craig Ferguson, and Udo Kier.
I give it a 3 out of ten. One point each for the aforementioned actors.
Dracula (1958)
Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. What a team.
This is the one that started the series, And gave Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee roles that they will forever be remembered for.
"Horror of Dracula" does not follow Bram Stoker's book as much as it could. It makes some of the big roles small (Jonathan Harker and Dr. John Seward) some of the small roles big (Arthur Holmwood) and makes Professor Abraham Van Helsing (My favorite character) the star. But, It captures Bram Stoker's mood perfectly. and it follows the story closely enough that the movie is neatly wrapped up in the hour and twenty minutes that it runs. Bram Stoker didn't write Dracula as a misunderstood romantic lead, he's a blood sucking fiend bent on revenge. And Stoker didn't write Van Helsing as a twisted screaming vampire hunter. He's a genuinely nice person trying to stop Dracula's evil. This is one of the few movie versions that illustrates this.(And does it effectively. If you want to see the Dracula and Van Helsing characters written the way Bram Stoker wrote them, this is the version to see.
As to the performers. Peter Cushing is ideal as Van Helsing. It was interesting to see him played as British. As Dracula, Christopher Lee leaves nothing to be desired. Yes, That is Alfred the faithful butler, Michael Gough as Holmwood, and he does a splendid job. As the female leads, Melissa Stribling is innocence itself, and she is a perfect choice for Mina. Carol Marsh is very effective as Lucy, and I have to give a shout out to John Van Eyssen as Harker. I've seen five different actors as Harker, and he is my favorite, Though I do wish his character could have been more prominent in the film.
Bottom line, "Horror of Dracula" though it has a few flaws, is definitely a must see.
*****/*****
On Deadly Ground (1994)
Total crap
Minor spoilers ahead
What a bad movie. I remember looking at the box. I remember thinking to myself, hey, Michael Caine and R. Lee Ermey in the same movie. I bet it will be good. Oh, if only I could have the six bucks I spent on this crap back. To Mr. Michael Caine, if you ever read this, You are one of my favorite actors. I am sure the paycheck was so big you couldn't say no. I forgive you. And To Mr. R. Lee Ermey, you are also one of my favorite actors. You are often underrated. I'm sure you needed the money. I forgive you too. The cast also includes character actor John C. McGinley as Caines head henchman, and Billy Bob Thornton as one of Ermey's assistants. I bet both look on this movie with fond memories. (Yeah right)
Director Seagal hits an all time low with this one. Like any James Bond movie, the good guys are good and the bad guys are VERY bad. there are, however, two differences between this and a Bond movie. Number one, the Bond movies are good. And number two, you don't root for the bad guys (I know I
did. If only Lee Ermey would have killed Seagal on that rig, and saved me from that Godawful three minute speech at the end. I heard it was originally TEN MINUTES!!!!)
Trust me, you will be doing the affore mentioned actors a great service by not seeing this film. Oscar winner Michael Caine, who has given us so many sterling preformances, deserves much, much more than this. I don't blame him, however. I blame Seagal's direction. R. Lee Ermey, who stole the show for the first 45 minutes of Full Metal Jacket, has shown us what he can do when the script is good. Unfortunately, He has no opportunity to show us that capability with the underdeveloped role he has to play here. What's really unbelieveable is his death. We are supposed to believe that Ermey's character, a trained mercenary, would get close enough for Seagal to do his "Spin the shotgun, kill the bad guy manuver". Bullsh*t. McGinley, though not a huge star, Has still given us decent performances in lots of movies. This one more than likely put a kink in his career. And finally, Billy Bob Thornton. What can I say. He was trying to start a career, and he needed the paycheck.
Bottom line, this is a bad film. The only reason I watched it to the end was because of the supporting cast of villains.
I give it 2 stars out of ten. half a star each for the four actors I mentioned. May they never make a movie as bad as this again!
Ten Little Indians (1989)
Doesn't succeed, but doesn't fail
You could spend hours thinking up reasons as to why Harry Alan Towers (or Peter Wellbeck, as he is sometimes credited) has stuck with "Ten Little Indians" through 3 remakes. It can't be the money. Maybe he wanted to travel, and decided what the heck, as long as I'm here, why don't I film another version of "Ten Little Indians". Or, maybe he feels a need to remake the movie once every 10 or so years. You could fault him for causing people to lose interest in the story, because most reviewers think the remakes were awful. I don't fault him. If it wasn't for Towers, I would not have been able to see my favorite murder mystery filmed with some of my favorite actors, including Herbert Lom, Richard Attenbourogh, Donald Pleasence, and Oliver Reed. Most people think this is the worst of the versions. Personally, I enjoyed it, and I will tell you why. It isn't the best. Rene Clair's "And Then There Were None" is the best. I won't for a minute say that it isn't. But I still found enjoyable things in this movie. I'll begin with the cast:
Donald Pleasence: Excellent casting. When I read the book(which I did before I saw the movie) He is Exactly what I pictured the Judge would look like. And I thought that Pleasence gave a strong performance. This boost my rating of this version.
Brenda Vaccaro: She was okay. I didn't like her or dislike her. she doesn't add or subtract anything form my rating.
Frank Stallone: I'm sorry, but Stallone was a bad choice. While I won't say that Stallone is a bad actor, since I haven't seen him in any other movies, I did not think he was good in this movie. He had no charisma. Louis Hayward gave a good performance. Hugh O'Brian(When the role was americanized) gave a good performance. Oliver Reed(though contrary to most reviews) gave a good preformance. Stallone does not. This does subtract from my rating.
Herbert Lom: Here's where my review becomes biased. I could never say anything bad about Herbert Lom. He has kept me more than entertained thoughout the Pink Panther series. And he is Great as the General. He looked, and portrayed the role exactly as it needed to be portrayed. However, he is not given enough to do. Lom has a great talent when he is allowed to showcase it, and Towers does not give him much of a chance. I wish that Towers would have cast him as Blore, or the Doctor(which he played in the 1975 version) or heck, even the Judge. I personally don't think his age would have been a problem(You should see him in "Son of the Pink Panther"). But sadly, Towers did not. however, his being cast in this version ups my rating.
Sarah Maur Thorp: She was good. I think she gave a stronger performance than Brenda Vaccaro did to!
Warren Berlinger: I thought he was nicely cast as well. He gives a strong performance, and I enjoyed him in this film.
Yehuda Efroni: He wasn't bad, but he wasn't good. I have mixed feelings. It would have been interesting to see what Lom would have done with the character if he had been in the role.
Neil McCarthy: I liked him. For having a small role, I thought McCarthy's performance was one of the best of the bunch. Due to that fact, I enjoyed the character.
Moria Lister: She was average. She said her lines and got out of there. (And I was glad when she did!)
Paul L. Smith: Overall, He was okay. He did have a tendancy to overact though.
Overall, despite some less than spectacular performances, I enjoyed the film. I didn't mind the setting being Africa either. If you like the story, you should see this version.
I give it a 8 out of ten
Casino Royale (1967)
Bizarre, but very funny.
Yes, this movie has almost no plot. yes, it does drag at times. but I enjoyed it anyway. The movie features some inspired casting, most notably David Niven as an older James Bond. I also enjoyed Orson Welles as the showy Le Chiffre. Peter Sellers' character Evelyn Tremble/James Bond 007 doesn't have a lot to do, but I highly enjoyed the parts he was in. and Bit player Geoffrey Bayldon was a nice cast as the Spoof's Q. Another interesting thing is that along with Niven, the movie also features Pink Panther co-stars Burt Kwouk(Cato) and Graham Stark(Hercule) in bit roles in this film. I kept expecting to see Herbert Lom(one of my favorite actors) hiding in an alley with a bazooka, laughing crazily and twitching his eye, and shooting at Sellers' character. However this never happened.
Overall, I really enjoyed this film I am 19 years old, and in an era of Austin Powers, keeping a 19 year old entertained is quite a feat. the movie is dated, but still watchable. Give it a look.
9/10
Ten Little Indians (1959)
And Then There Were None.......
This is a rare, live television Presentation of one of Agatha Christie's most famous mysteries. First aired on NBC on January 18th, 1959. Quite well done, with great performances from it's cast, Most notably Jones as the Judge and Brent as the Doctor. The movie only runs about an hour, which makes some of the plot appear rushed, but it doesn't make the movie any less enjoyable. This version actually follows the story more closely than you would expect. It is the only other version, (besides 1945's And Then There Were None) to keep the location at the secluded Indian Island Mansion. And it is in glorious black and white, which also makes viewing entertaining.
Those who don't know the story,(and those who do) will probably not be let down. The plot is: ten people are invited to a remote mansion on an island. When they arrive their missing host (via phonograph) accuses them of crimes he believes they have gotten away with. Soon the group begins to grow smaller, as their "Host" begins to kill them off one by one, according to the TEN LITTLE INDIANS (of course) nursery rhyme. Soon they realize their "Host" is among them, and they have to figure out who it is.
This is a highly entertaining flick. I have seen every version of this movie That I can find, the only version I haven't seen is the russian version, Desyat Negrityat, And this is one of my favorites. It doesn't surpass Rene Clair's "And Then There Were None" but for that matter, none of the remakes have. But the performance of the killer (I won't say who) is quite good. And for those who don't know the story, you will probably not be able to figure out who the killer is until he reveals himself (or herself) at the end. The only two places that I have seen it available are Videoflicks (Where I got my copy) and EBAY. If you like the story(Or just a good mystery) view it if you get a chance.
*****/*****
Jaws (1975)
"Here's to swimmin' with bow legged women."
What can I say. This is one of the finest horror movies ever made. You will never look at your goldfish the same way again. And out of 187 reviews (188 after this one is put on) only four are bad (Shame on you four)I first saw it on TBS and even the edited version scared the crap out of me. Schieder is terrific as the water fearing Chief of Police. Dreyfuss is at his best as the the young shark expert. Hamilton and Gary are excellent in their supporting roles. However, I think Shaw (an often underrated actor)was the best. He actually becomes Quint. The chilling Indianapolis speech (Which he had a hand in writing) is one of the best scenes in cinematic history. Not only does it transport you to the chilly waters of 1945, it seems he isn't reading lines from a script. He narrates it like he was there. That is the gift of a true actor. What's particularly hard to believe is that he was the THIRD choice for the role of Quint. Lee Marvin was the first, and Sterling Hayden was the second. It's hard to imagine them giving the type of performance that Shaw did.
This is the film that put Spielberg on the map. And gave him the most headaches. One of the main reasons the shark is only seen towards the end of the film was the fact that the shark rarely worked. However, the lack of the shark is what really gives it suspense. It gives you the chance to build up the horror for yourself before you actually see it. Another great touch is the fact that there is a humourous line just before the shark appears. And who cares if the shark is rubber? what's scarier, a rubber shark or a computer generated shark? Neither, if that's all you're worried about. Personally, I didn't think the shark looked phony. One of the more interesting things is that when it came to casting JAWS, the shark was considered the star of the show. They didn't concentrate on getting huge stars. They got ACTORS. That's what pays off. Due to the sucess, Spielberg, Scheider, Shaw, and Dreyfuss became major stars(though sadly, Shaw died not long after in 1978).
All in all, this is definitely a must see. However, it's better to get the unedited version that to watch it on TBS or TNT. Check it out, you will not be dissapointed.
10/10
*****/*****
Howling: New Moon Rising (1995)
This deserves to be in the bottom 100
This.......Movie....... was part of a marathon of the Howling movies shown On TNT's Monstervision. I started watching it because I had watched most of the others and decided to give it a shot. The only reason I continued to watch was to listen to Monstervision's host, Joe Bob Briggs, berate it. This is absolutely the worst movie I have ever seen. Maybe, 2 minutes, TOPS is devoted to scenes featuring the Werewolf. The rest of the movie is watching a group of people with the IQ of Forrest Gump get drunk, dance, eat chili, and fart. If I want to see someone drinking I'll watch The Shining. At least That movie has a plot and good acting. I was even stupid enough to watch this movie AGAIN, when it was shown a few months later, just to see if there was something ANYTHING that I missed. WRONG! I honestly felt dumber when the credits rolled. There is no plot. There is no acting. There are no special effects. I would rather be shot than see this movie ever again. I don't know who the Hell put Clive Turner in charge of this flick but I hope they learned from their mistake. Lord knows they should still be having nightmares. If I save even one person from watching this I'll feel better. If only it wasn't too late for me. PLEASE, if you are a fan of the Howling series and want to see all the movies, or if you just want to see how bad it is, PLEASE do it when you can see it for free. You will be better off spending the money for video rental on Gas, Cigarettes, Fast Food, or a Postage Stamp. I am going to rate this movie a zero after I finish writing this. If I could vote lower than zero I would!
0/10
NO stars
AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!!
House on Haunted Hill (1999)
"Sure is a funky old house, ain't it?"
Says Steven H. Price in the House on Haunted Hill. This is one of the best horror movies I have seen in awhile. One of the complaints is that the ending is abrupt-and it is, somewhat, but I enjoyed the picture anyway. besides, the original version of this move (Starring Vincent Price) only ran about an hour and fifteen minutes. This version shares little more than the name and bare bones plot of the original. Some of the characters are similar, such as the bickering Host and Hostess (Played here by Rush and Janssen) the doctor(Gallager) and the nervous owner(Kattan) I have seen both versions, and I love them both.
In the story, Geoffrey Rush plays hammy amusement park owner Steven Price, with Janssen as his beautiful, but deadly wife Evelyn. I say deadly because the missus has tried to bump Steven off a few times (but he is unable to prove it). Evelyn wants her birthday party to be held in an abandoned asylum, and despite Price's objections, she does so. She leaves her guest list with Price, who shreds it in favor of his own. However, when the guests show up, both Steven and Evelyn deny knowing them (But are they telling the truth?). They include former Baseball pro Eddie(Diggs), Dr. Blackburn(Gallager) T.V. Personality Melissa(Wilson) and the current owner(Kattan, who is petrified Of the house, and just wants to collect his money and leave). As the evening continues, Strange things start to happen, people start to disappear, and Price and Evelyn Each believe the other is responsible for it. Overall, I loved this movie. Rush is fantastic as Price. Lots of people have said that they felt his performance was hammy, but his CHARACTER is hammy. Steven Price is obviously a showman (His first scene in the movie shows us that),He's totally in his thrills and chills element, and he's trying to scare the hell out of his fellow guests. I also liked his somewhat sleazy interpretation of the role of Price. Instead of the Suave Frederick Loren(The character Vincent Price played in the original, ) We get a sinister, and somewhat twisted, interpretation of the role. But can we really blame Steven Price for being twisted? After all, he's married to a woman who would love to see him dead. And, as I said earlier, has TRIED to see him dead. Anyway, I say bravo to Geoffrey Rush, the movie would not have been the same without him.
Okay, I've patted Geoffrey Rush on the back enough for one night. I also have to give kudos to Famke Janssen. She was also fantastic as Evelyn, giving just the right amount of nastiness to the role. And gives the perfect portrayal of a woman married to a man for his money. Also, Chris Kattan is terrific as Pritchett, a man terrified of a house. Pritchett's grandfather and father have both died after gaining ownership of the institute, his grandfather in his sleep, and his father in a construction accident. Pritchett believes the "House" is responsible. He just wants to collect his money and get out. He has no interest in the million dollars Price is offering the other guests, he doesn't really care what they do, as long as he can leave. Kattan gives a more neurotic preformance of the role(Elisha Cook Jr. Played him in the original)and Kattan is very good. Gallager also does a good job, He doesn't have a lot to do until towards the end, but he does it effectively. and Diggs does a great job as the hero, Larter also does great as his love intrest, and Wilson, kind of in a throwaway role, is great as Melissa. Also, to a lesser extent, Perlich and Combs both give a great performance.
House on Haunted hill is exactly what it's supposed to be, a scary, but fun, movie. There are lots of scary moments in it. Another reviewer compared the Asylum in this movie to the Overlook Hotel in the movie "The Shining"(Also one of my favorite horror movies)I think that is a good comparison. It's not a flawless film like "Citizen Kane", but it's highly entertaining and I found myself genuinely scared. Give it a look. I don't think you'll be disapointed. Also, give the original a look. You won't be disappointed with it either. Decide which one you like better. (Or, if your like me, don't try to choose, like them both!)
10/10 or ***** out of *****
Ein Unbekannter rechnet ab (1974)
Very enjoyable mystery
This is the fourth remake of "Ten Little Indians" (There is a live television version of the story that aired in 1959.)I actually found this version of the story quite good.(even buying it against the advice of the previous reviews to avoid it like the plague!) The performances of the main actors in the cast could be stronger, but they were good enough that the unmasking of the murderer is a surprise(Although I knew which character it was from the start, having previously seen the 1989 version with Donald Pleasence and Herbert Lom-who is also in the 1989 version as a different character!) The setting has moved from an island mansion to an Iranian hotel. (Which isn't a bad idea at all) and the time frame has been moved to the 1970s. Oliver Reed leads the cast as the suspicious Lombard, Elke Sommer is his love interest, And Richard Attenbourough is inspired casting as the hanging Judge.Attenbourough,however, is not the only great casting idea. Herbert Lom is also a great choice as the formerly alcoholic Doctor Armstrong. The movie also features previous James Bond villains Gert Frobe as Blore, and Adolfo Celi as the General. The basic plot (for those who aren't familiar with it) Is this: Ten people, who are strangers to each other, are invited to a "Party" for different reasons. They are later accused (from a tape voiced by Orson Welles) of crimes that they have committed that they have (according to their "Host")gotten away with. After a few of them are picked off, according to the nursery rhyme "Ten Little Indians" the remaining survivors realize that the killer is one of them. Faced with that fact, the remaining number must try to figure out which of them is the guilty one, before the killer can say......."And then There Were None"
Definitely worth a look.
8/10 or *** out of ****