ashleyallinson Reviews

Hawaii Five-O: Full Fathom Five (1968) Season 1, Episode 1

The First Episode

[7/10 · 15 March 2007]

Growing up watching Hawaii Five-O as a kid, I now realize that I had never seen the first episode. Here, our plot is about as air-tight as the drum used as a watery coffin. Although not the tightest of episodes, it's obviously a must-see.

Kevin McCarthy's (UHF) angle here is savvy. He flies to the mainland, only the mack recently divorced ladies traveling by cruise-ship to Hawaii. Once Five-O catches word of this, Dan-O is dressed up in sailor garb and goes undercover in an attempt to nip the operation before any more women fall victim to the scam.

CBS has released the entire first season and have done a great job restoring colour.

Can't wait to see the rest.

#1 Single (2006)

Destined for the Dollar Bin

[1/10 · 23 January 2007]

Hit or miss? Well, I definitely wouldn't hit it.

Imagine being at the range, trying to hit golf balls, and some guy comes in and asks you if your single. Then, after the awkwardness disappears, an average-looking woman hits you up with some small talk, only to scoff and sound disappointed after you tell her your profession.

Meet Lisa Loeb and her posse of drooling "yes" women. They spend an entire season walking around New York in an attempt to find someone who can actually put up with her for more than a few minutes. How many times can these guys embarrass themselves with their immaturity before people are going to stop giving them the time of day?

Nice try here, but all the drivel is obviously staged.

Any self-respecting male mustn't watch this, no matter how many points it gets you in your woman's good-books.

Lucky Louie: Flowers for Kim (2006) Season 1, Episode 6

Louie!

[7/10 · 5 September 2006]

This is probably the weakest episode of what is otherwise the funniest show I have seen on TV in a long time. For those of you who haven't seen it, Lucky Louis is much like a real life Family Guy, saying what one really wants to say in television/real life situations without the hurdle of classification.

In this episode, Louie and his wife are to spend a romantic couple of days together while there daughter is away. After bringing his wife home flowers that she hates, Louie drops a "C" bomb and gets the silent treatment. After mulling it over with his cronies, he uses trial and error to eventually quell the problem.

Like most episodes, the coolness of wife gets him out of trouble.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

Three Burials

[9/10 · 16 June 2006]

No spoilers here. Go out and see it for yourself.

When it comes to directorial debuts, you often never know what to expect. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada went above and beyond expectation.

Perhaps the most fitting reason as to why this film is worth seeing is that it deconstructs the illegal immigration problem at just the right time. The juxtaposition between illegal immigrant and boarder patrolman sets the tone for the the conflict that meanders and moseys as every good western should.

The question that I;m left with has to do with all the preamble surrounding this film, more specifically its billing as a remake of "Bring me the Head of Alfedo Garcia." Is this because it was a bilingual film? Because of the Mexican element?

Three Burials is not driven by a bounty. Rather, its narrative moves forward out of the respect of one friend to another.

Internal Combustion (2005)

Internal Combustion

[10/10 · 15 June 2006]

The story of 2 brothers in the aftermath of a jail break of sorts. Rescuing Kristi from a religious cult seems to have had more negative ramifications than Seth and Jimmy first imagined.

Eric, I got the pleasure of captioning this, and I think it's fantastic. A great directorial debut. The animation to kick it off is outstanding. Truly a pleasure to view and caption.

You might not remember me, but I used to play hockey with you on the Whalers. I am glad to see that you have made such a great short; something that you/we were talking about some time ago.

Good luck with it on IFC, and keep up the good work.

North Shore (1987)

North Shore

[10/10 · 15 June 2006]

Perhaps one of the fondest memories of my childhood, North Shore is full of one-liners that stick with me to this day.

Winning a surfing tourney in a wave tank in Arizona, Rick takes his $500 prize and puts off going to art school to "ride the big waves of the north shore." Upon arrival, his buddy, a seedy strip bar owner, forgets that he told Rick he could stay with him. Luckily he meets up with a couple of Aussie surfers who take him to the north shore.

When the surfing finally commences, we see how much of a barney rick really is. "Twinnie? No one rides twinnie in Hawaii. He must think he's still on the mainland or something." So, his skills sucks and a local gang, the hui, robs him. With no place to stay and little else to speak of, Rick befriends a local, Turtle, who introduces him to his boss, Chandler, an old school soul surfer.

Offering Rick his hospitality, Chandler teaches Rick how to surf for the soul, downplaying the younger attitude of competition. Rick's skills progress in and out of the water and the hilarity ensues.

The Thirteen Most Beautiful Boys (1964)

Early Warhol

[5/10 · 5 April 2006]

Although next to impossible to find, unless you find some early Warhol excerpt clips, see stock footage in Superstar, or are researching Warhol cinema, The 13 Most Beautiful Boys in the World is a testament to the experiments Andy was trying.

A product of The Factory, Andy intimates in many interviews that the reason he started making films of this nature was that they were "easier than painting. The camera has a motor. You just turn it on and walk away."

Here, Andy Warhol does just that, telling his actors the title of the film, frames a close up head shot, turns on the camera. and then walks away. This is Dennis Hopper's first film.

Prime Cut (1972)

Prime Cut!

[10/10 · 7 June 2005]

Here we have Gene Hackman as the head of the Kansas City mafia. Leaving the city behind, Hackman makes his money on pork and prostitution.

We quickly find out that Hackman is indebted to the Chicago mob for 500 large. They send one of their hoods down there to collect, but Hackman literally turns him into hotdog meat and mails the "franks" back to Chicago.

Ready to play hardball, the Chicago mob retort by sending Lee Marvin down there to take out the trash, saving a young Sissy Spacek along the way. The ruckus that ensues is worth the price of the DVD alone, or at least a rental.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Too Much to Say, Too Little Time

[8/10 · 21 May 2005]

There is no doubt that Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith is the best film of the new trilogy. In fact, it far outweighs both Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones (Clones) in many ways. However, even groundbreaking CGI could not permit the third installment of the Star Wars saga to reach the heights of the original trilogy, due, in part to some fundamental changes in narrative.

The opening scene of Episode 3 begins with an unbelievably detailed and exciting dogfight. The special effects could actually give someone motions sickness as optical points of view from the pilots, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), take us through countless twists and turns. However exciting this might be, it falls flat in terms of building suspense and then delivering, for at no point in Episode 3 does George Lucas allow the audience any sort of tension.

Take for example Return of the Jedi. There is a great built up of tension as the audience watches the corralling of Imperial spacecraft waiting to fight off the rebel fleet's attack on the Deathstar. By jumping right into the middle of fight scenes, an Episode 3 staple, the engagement of the audience is isolated to payoff, transcending any notion of build up. Perhaps this has to do with the incredible amount of time, space and story Lucas had to make up to bring the plot up to speed with that of A New Hope. Regardless, this bereft delivery of action is less effective than in the past films.

Another example of this lack of tension is the first lightsabre battle between Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) - the Sith Lord who fought-off both Obi-Wan and Anakin in Clones. He is now worked-over by Anakin within seconds of the opening credits. Anakin says his powers have improved since their last meeting, but this fight was a joke. The ever-ominous Dokku that we saw in Clones turned out to be a total pushover.

And what about Anakin's step over to the Darkside? And if what I just said was a spoiler then you really need to catch up on your Star Wars. I mean, Anakin was forced to choose between Palpatine, the benevolent, dictatorial and power-thirsty leader of the feared Galactic Empire, and the Senate, who granted him a seat but not Master status.

Palpatine wants to show Anakin the balance of both good and evil, subtextually working in tandem with the movie itself as a means of balancing the entire saga. Had Anakin's love, Padame (Natlie Portman) been killed, I could see his decent into darkness. However the brevity of his decision-making, staged like a sales meeting, was not believable. Again we must settle with the fact that Lucas had to bridge time and space to the detriment of story.

Finally, there is Anakin's rise to power. It is surely an homage to Al Pacino's rise to power at the end of The Godfather, intercutting between mob hits as each nemesis is checked off the hit list. Anakin marks every Senate member of death as he ascends to power, leaving the craftiness of the masters to fend for themselves. Is the Darkside a critique of organized crime? More positive notes include the final duel between Yoda and Darth Sidious, by far the best lightsaber battles of any of the films. Intercutting between this fight and Anakin and Obi-Wan's final battle is one for the ages, lasting over 20 minutes. Truly amazing.

Essentially, you will not be disappointed with Episode 3, not in the least. Just prepare yourself for the fact that you will be thrown right into the action as George Lucas must fit a whole lot of story into a short frame of time.

The Killer Elite (1975)

Boom then Bust

[4/10 · 8 March 2005]

It was almost unfathomable to me that this film would be a bust but I was indeed disappointed. Having been a connoisseur of Pekinpah cinema for years, I found this DVD, drastically reduced, for sale and thought it was worth a shot. The opening few credits, iconic to Pekinpah fans, has the inter-cutting between man and animal, but here we have non-diegetic ambient noise of children playing in a schoolyard while a bomb is being planted. Fantastic suspense. Then, when the perps, Caan and Duval, travel to their next mission, Duval drops the bomb on Cann that his date last night had an STD, found only by snooping through her purse while Cann was being intimate with her. The ensuing laughter is fantastic, and is clearly paid homage to in Brian Depalma's Dressed to Kill, at the short-lived expense of Angle Dickenson. The problem with The Killer Elite is that after the opening credits, the film falls flat. Even Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia has stronger production value, a bold call for anyone who knows what I'm talking about. I use Pekinpah's credits as supplementary lecture material, but once they are finished, turn The Killer Elite off.

Charley Varrick (1973)

The Last of the Independents

[10/10 · 7 March 2005]

Matthau steals a huge load of money from a rural New Mexico bank only to find out it was mob money. The ensuing chase from mafia tough guy John Doe Baker is amazing and makes for a great game of cat and mouse that finally allows crime to pay. This literary adaptation is fantastic, and although not readily available, Charley Varrick is a must see as it deals with a Matthau character that is level headed, sober and cut-throat. His criminal savvy matches that of John Doe Bakers'and is a film that would never be made today due to its handling of race and sex. The classic Don Seigal violence is captured here, set against the back drop of the southwest, in a chase movie that uses numerous methods of transport to outwit and outlast. 1970's Survivor.

Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

Never Took A Lesson

[10/10 · 7 March 2005]

When a bunch of famous comics sit around a deli and tell stories of the infamous Broadway Danny Rose, Woody Allen acts out the vignettes and visually delivers their punchlines. Mia Farrow literally wears him out so Allen has to stay sharper than usual making this Allen's best performance. The banter between the two begins as Allen is forced to pick her up and "deliver" her to a live concert her boyfriend is performing. Being the legendary agent he is, Allen meanders through numerous misunderstandings, including a mob wedding, as means of living up to his promise, as his client will not perform without having his girlfriend in the audience. Here, the public and private lives of an industry legend and narrated by some of the industry's biggest legends.

Amarcord (1973)

And I Thought My Uncle Was Nuts

[10/10 · 7 March 2005]

this is a great cast of characters that intertwine with one another to tell the story of boys growing up. great anti-fascist satire, and visual comedy. perhaps the best coming-of-age film ever, Amarcord gets a standing ovation at precisely the 100:00 minute mark (check it yourself) as every young mans dream comes true, in this case, 100 times over. This is Fellini at his best as he works not isolate the audience, but rather, develops a personal story that is riddled with the usual mythological deconstruction. By widening his audience, Amarcord works to have the audience reflect on their own childhood. There is literally at least one character in this film that is the quintessential representation of someone we have known or still know. The DVD provides a fantastic transfer that shames my old VHS copy. check it out

The Search for One-eye Jimmy (1994)

Brush Your Teeth Bro

[9/10 · 8 February 2005]

If the cast doesn't warrant giving this one a look, the laughs surely will. My theory is that the Simpson's "disco stu" was created thanks to this one. Basically some knuckleheads help a worried mother find her alcoholic son with some slick detective work. The amateur sleuths basically waste time until they all end up at the same place where they continue to diss each other. Topped off by, perhaps, one of the best fight scenes ever caught on tape outside of a deli and a supporting cast now so familiar, Steve Buschemi and Samuel L. Jackson playing leads roles, this one is a must see. A True knee-slapper that should have you laughing out loud, even if watching it alone.

Money Movers (1978)

Money Movers

[7/10 · 8 February 2005]

As an armored car rolls over the iconic Sydney harbor bridge Bruce Beresford establishes the location for what is otherwise a non site-specific heist story that attempts to quell the omnipresence of urban malaise. Quickly paced cross cutting alludes to the monetary volume of the armored car's destination, a security firm owned by Lionel Darcy (Frank Wilson). Who doesn't want a piece of that action? Immediately, the viewer is oriented with the network involved in the movement of Australian currency and, subsequently, the number of hands the bills pass through. Laundering beckons. A screenplay loosely based on the 1972 work of Donald Minchin, Beresford blends the framework with a true crime story, credited in the opening sequence. The camera meanders through the blue-collar operation floor and driver's depot to settle behind the closed doors of the technocrats. After being shaken down by local crooked cop Sammy Rose (Alan Cassell), Lionel Darcy receives an anonymous tip from his object of a secretary, a warning that his firm is soon to be hit, worrying more than just the boss.

Eric Jackson (Terence Donovon) his brother Brian (Brian Brown) and a mate (who could be mistaken as their father) Ed Gallagher (Ray Marshall) have been planning an inside job for almost five years. These Ockers aren't going allow some "poof" to rock up asking where his piece is? They have their own suspicions regarding the culprit, new employee Leo Bassett (Tony Bonner). The amateur sleuths plan to initiate the rookie as means to their own ends, a true mask for self-interest. Other than Beresford's introduction to operations and interest groups, there exists no further marring of public and private, each character riddled with the presence of corruption. Any further duality is developed through action, the result governing over whether he becomes victimized or acts as victimizer.

The first "action" is a mob hit on a Darcy's armored car, fisticuffs ending in a shotgun blast so visceral, it alone warrants the 18+ rating. Was it the mob that sent the letter? When the press gets word of the heist, the ensuing public relations blunders solidify the ineptness of corporate crisis management, foreshadowing further assaults on the company. Local crime boss Jack Henderson (Charles 'Bud' Tingwell) obviously wants a piece of the action. The Ockers have spent so much time planning that they rebuilt a custom armored car for heist day. What about they new guy? The fraternity amongst interest groups ranges from professional to amateur, each camp knowing full well that "if someone was to rip the joint off if would be done from the inside."

Beresford deconstruct the effects of money and subsequence on business, personal and family relations and presents it in a classic plot design that makes the stigma of the "who done it" malleable. Money Movers asks who's going to do it? "I remember that one," says Brian Brown. "I had done a couple of movies, and got to read the part for the cop, but knew I wasn't anything like him." Asking which part he preferred Brian told Bruce that he "...could play the brother, but I knew it had been cast. It had been cast." Two hours later Brian got his wish, cast as Brian Jackson, along side Terence Donovan, the brother to the leading role. "I was young, too much of a kid play the gritty cop, but the brother," remembers Brian, "I could do that."

The official line on Money Movers has tended to focus the fraternity between male characters and "their" women; secondary objects who legitimize their function by getting coffee or being a lamb and leaving the room when business is on the table. It appears as if little within the genre, certainly in terms of gender relations, has been revised in the last twenty years. David Caesar recalls that like most heist or crime genre films, "...it's important not to pretend otherwise, it's a guys film. Money Movers is a good film, an underrated film that not enough Australian's have seen." The fraternity in Money Movers, the "boys club" mentality, has acted as a catalyst for many of the generic successes that are popular today.

Watching Money Movers is only possible on VHS at this point. Its structure popularized the Australian crime film with undertones present in Hollywood films such as Michael Mann's Thief, 1981. Money Movers houses a subtext that most viewers can relate to, which is why a reprise warrants further research. Wouldn't it be nice to have all that money? How would my life be different...surely for the better? Bruce Beresford showed, with eloquence, how this idealism could backfire, without the cynicism often associated with the down and out, or the stereotypes of big business or organized crime. As such the film is an important landmark on Australian cinematic spectrum for, as Brian Brown concludes "it was a fun movie to do, and now that we are doing quite a few crime genre movies like Chopper and Dirty Deeds, it was really Money Movers that first put us into that sort of territory."

Brian Brown and David Caesar interview by Ashley Allinson on September 11, 2002 in Toronto.

Running Time: 94 minutes Video Release: July 2, 1991 Distributed by: Roadshow, Imperial Entertainment Corporation

Cast: Terence Donovon: Eric Jackson Ed Devereaux: Dick Martin Tony Bonner: Leo Bassett Lucky Grills: Robert Conway Alan Cassell: Sammy Ross Frank Wilson: Lionel Darcy Candy Raymod: Mindel Seagers Bryan Brown: Brain Jackson

Crew: Bruce Beresford: Director Matthew Carrol: Producer Donald McAlpine: Director of Photography David Copping: Art Editor William Anderson: Editor

Body Double (1984)

Depalma's Vertigo

[8/10 · 8 February 2005]

"Body Double" is, in every way shape and form, a modern masterpiece, the same way "Vertigo" was and is. Our lead man suffers a similar phobia and is enveloped by the same paranoia of a murder conspiracy involving the victim switch. Point of view shots are used in a similar vein and our leading man constantly speaks in his best James Stewart drawl. Other than lacking the customary Deplama split screen (which would have made the most sense in this of all Depalma films) "Body Double" is spectacular. Low budget elements are a deliberate mesh with the story of making a low budget horror, dated music is well represented. The plot, on the other hand, is filmed with the brilliant conventions we come to expect from depalma. dennis franz is not as raw as he was in "Dressed to Kill". Any NYPD Blue fan has got to check out "Dressed To Kill" to see the real detective at work. Here, you actually never know what is real and what is set-up making "Body Double" a quintessential thriller for all lovers of the genre.

The Laughing Policeman (1973)

The Laughing Policeman

[8/10 · 8 February 2005]

This sullen, violent police drama is as detailed an investigation as you will find on film. The opening scene of The Laughing Policeman is extremely tense and sets the tone for a Dirty-Harry-style flick that delivers one of Matthau's moodiest performances. Basically, a mass murder takes place on a San Francisco bus, and we find out that a policeman was one of the victims. He turns out to be Matthau's late partner. Bruce Dern is assigned to be his new partner, working with Matthau, a conflict of interest, to find out why this SFPD detective was on the bus in the first place. Their subsequent relationship is a play the standard, portrayed in the Laughing Policeman as "mute cop/bad cop". So, teams of gritty cops (a young Lou Gossett) meander through the roughest neighborhoods of San Francisco bullying pimps, pushers, hip drag queens and sidewalking street-wheelers in an attempt uncover what turns out to be a very complex underworld fraternity. The purpose (seeing as this plays as a Matthau character study), to quell Matthau's melancholic contribution to this Dirty Harry spin-off. It is more violent and much more precise than Dirty Hary but not as entertaining. A must see, however, for all Matthau fans.

Videodrome (1983)

Why Would Anyone Watch a Scum Show Like Videodrome?

[10/10 · 8 February 2005]

Because it's on and is certainly more entertaining than The Beachcombers, Magnum P.E.I. or any other Canadian television programming circa 1982. Riding on the wave of his previous box-office success, Videodrome (1982) marks the first time that Cronenberg creates a story revolving around a single character. Like Donleavy's Singular Man (1964), introduction to conflict appears in the first person, point of view narrative acting as the catalyst within which Max Renn (James Woods) is to exist. There is a distinct break between what is supposed to be reality and that of hallucination (revisited later in Naked Lunch [1991]), the point to which is open for debate, a trajectory to which the film never resurfaces from. Certainly, the audience sees what Woods perceives, first person. Establishing Max Renn as head of Channel 83, the opportunist runs a Toronto-based television station geared at projecting the sensational. After picking up a renegade channel from the otherness of the third world, Max becomes the product of McLuhanesque experimentation, pulses from television signals controlling his thought processes and subsequent actions. The character of Max Renn, it is said, was modeled on Moses Znaimer, head of CITY TV, Toronto's equivalent to Channel 83: Brian Oblivion's monologues a la Speakers Corner.

Our hero's artillery consists of a phallic-like extension housed in a vaginal opening. Nikki Brand (Deborah Harry) represents the desirable introduction to a product that he himself markets, perhaps an obviation that until this point was unattainable? Max's transgressive tendencies are projected through the videodrome, liberating him from the stigmatic purveyor of physical explicitness.

In a sense, Cronenberg has created his notion of Videodrome both as way of weeding out and destroying cells aroused by such activity, and as a way of gauging public sentiment toward this subject matter. The film itself was exposed to the judgmental ardor: its text encompassed, picketed by female members of parliament and removed from public screening, the subtext of subtext. Cut into three versions, the television cut is laughable; the VHS version appears as mise en scène in Atom Egoyan's Speaking Parts (1989), and the old DVD contains an original theatrical trailer that is a fitting pre-curser to this masterpiece.

The Criterion Collection's DVD has the following extra features:

-Two audio commentaries: David Cronenberg and director of photography Mark Irwin, and actors James Woods and Deborah Harry

-Camera (2000), a short film starring Videodrome's Les Carlson, written and directed by Cronenberg

-Forging the New Flesh, a new half-hour documentary featurette by filmmaker Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome's video and prosthetic makeup effects

-Effects Men, a new audio interview with special makeup effects creator Baker and video effects supervisor Lennick

-Bootleg Video: the complete footage of Samurai Dreams and seven minutes of transmissions from "Videodrome," presented in their original, unedited form with filmmaker commentary

-Fear on Film, a 26-minute round table discussion from 1982 between filmmakers Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris

-Original theatrical trailers and promotional featurette

-Stills galleries featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired

-Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition

Zombie (1979)

Zombi 2

[8/10 · 8 February 2005]

The most visceral of all late seventies horrors. This is an ode to all aspiring filmmakers because its concept was, and still is, so easy to realize. For any video game lover, Zombie is a must see. James Bond never dealt with such filth on his tropical vacations. the voodoo element adds to the fear factor, not to mention the live worms crawling out of the zombie's eyes as they torment the camera. We get some good optical P.O.V. shots of targets that have become iconic in the gaming world of today. There are some very disgusting motifs dealing with eyes. If you are able to keep yours open for long enough you will be able to see the zombies take over NYC.

Man Bites Dog (1992)

Cinema

[10/10 · 8 February 2005]

Cinema! The documentary of a sadistic killer trying out new methods, sharing his secrets with the camera crew and then going to celebrate by the seaside with a plate mussels. Our killer's absolute disregard for human life, other than a thick crew of visually stunning characters, is nothing short of a masterpiece. Just be warned that it is the most violent movies of all time and you will be fine. You won't believe our killers reaction when you find out that someone had the gall to attempt a similar project. "First you need a tear, just a tear of gin......and then a river of tonic". The mock camera crew show a great deal of patience putting up with this guy, but they probably hadn't figured on what they were getting themselves into.

Hopscotch (1980)

"Hopscotch...Good Title"

[8/10 · 8 February 2005]

I think many of us were really surprised to see Criterion release Hopscotch, but glad, were all glad they did. Here Walter Matthau is reprimanded for allowing a wanted KGB agent to walk. Matthau's integrity is too precious to take guff from even the CIA. Subsequently, he does not take the news of being reassigned to the job of file clerk very well so he begins to write his memories, leaking secret information to the opposition. The ensuing chase is slapstick, a Spy vs. Spy comedy with great international locations. Frankly, using the cold war as a catalyst for comedy was long overdue by 1980. A great travel piece.

Ms .45 (1981)

Ms. 45

[10/10 · 8 February 2005]

I am glad "Ms. 45" is back on the shelf, because for a long time it was hard to find, certainly up here in Canada. This film is superior to "Driller Killer" in every way except for the lead track. Nothing touches the live performance of Tony Coca Cola and the Roosters playing The Grand Street Stomp. It is quite obvious in "Ms. 45" that that is not the sound of a trumpet. Anyway, for those who don't dig this, you can't tell me you can diss it. This, his second film, is night and day between "Driller Killer". What an obvious improvement. I was hoping that the DVD wouldn't be Vanilla and have at least a directors commentary. "Driller Killer's" commentary is legendary. And while you could chalk this up as being the female version of "Death Wish" there are some elements here that make it a true horror flick. For all those who liked "Eating Raoul", this is a must see. Suspension of disbelief is an obvious exercise here, but you won't be disappointed with it if this is your thing. See if you can spot Michael Richards as one of the extras at the Halloween party.

The Driller Killer (1979)

Driller Killer

[9/10 · 8 February 2005]

Driller Killer has, without question, the best director's commentary of any DVD i have ever seen. Although Driller Killer is a far cry from his second film "Ms. 45" it is a classic. Reno can't seem to buy a thrill. Despite the fact that he lives with two bombshells he can't get his painting finished to collect for the rent. His agent's reaction to his finished painting is absolutely priceless. What's worse is that his landlord has allowed a punk band to move in upstairs, adding insult to injury. The band, Tony Coca Cola and the Roosters, play "The Grand Street Stomp" a guitar riff that has a great driving force. This film really documents the village punk circuit at the end of the 1970's. Conventions are borrowed from Polanski's "Repulsion" and Cassavetes' "Shadows". The hand-held mingling with the street people of the period shows how filthy NYC was at the time. Lots of fun. Driller Killer was meant to be listened to loud!

Sisters (1972)

Nancy Drew on Acid

[10/10 · 8 February 2005]

Nancy Drew (Jennifer Salt) would kill to get off of Staten Island and become the maverick of NYC journalism. The only problem is that all she has done to this point with her 'little job" is write about rampant police corruption, isolating herself even further from the big city. What she needs is a break, and witnessing a murder, (especially a DePalma split-screen murder) appears to be her ticket, if she can get anyone to listen. The journey she takes as means of recognition meanders through the horrors of medical science gone awry, culminating in a payoff that puts this film atop DePalma's list of credits. Nancy Drew on Acid!

The Tenant (1976)

If you can't beat 'em, be 'em

[8/10 · 8 February 2005]

Polanski films should be watched chronologically. "The Tenant" stars Polanski and documents his descent into madness. After taking the flat of a girl who committed suicide, Polanski, due to his own isolation and psychosis, begins to question his own sanity and blames it on everyone else. He begins to be haunted by the previous flat owner which forces him to assume her identity. The beauty here is that the film never allows the audience know what is real and what is concocted until its climax that, at first, resembles a comedy of errors, but develops into an incredibly eerie disposition. I will have the Galouises please, i don't care for Marlboro either.