Back in 1971 when Peter Bogdonavich released The Last Picture Show it received mostly rave reviews. One of the few dissenting opinions was the late critic John SImon who said it was a patchwork of other directors shots-a Hitchcock shot here and a Ford scene there, etc. I am reminded of this when I first watched Stranger Things seasons 1-3. The obvious influence is Stephen King whose fingerprints would seem to be all over it, though I know he was not involved. The boys banding together, the evil government agency holding a little girl because of her "powers", an absentee Dad and even the nose bleeds El has when she uses her power are right out of Firestarter. There are also allusions to John Carpenter (especially his film "The Thing") and Steven Spielberg. In the season 2 there has also been scenes lifted right out of The Exorcist and in season 3 The Terminator.
This not to say that the show isn't entertaining. It's a lot of fun and keeps your attention going from episode to episode. The acting is uniformly good-nice to see Winona Ryder back , same with Paul Reiser. Special effects are very good too. I watched it as a guilty pleasure and just to see how many movie influences I could name.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Willard
(1971)
Acting Saves the Day!
18 March 2003
This film was a huge hit in the summer of 1971,mostly through a smart, savvy advertising campaign that played up the horrific elements of the film. I will admit that as a young man I enjoyed the film, but seeing it today I find it deeply flawed. In the hands of a Brian DePalma or John Carpenter this could have been great stuff-Daniel Manns'direction is so pedestrian that it dulls the senses; there is no sense of atmosphere at all. Another minus is, the usually reliable, Alex Norths' musical score is terrible! Luckily the actors come through with flying colors. The cast is composed of some old time character actors,(J.Pat O'Malley etc.), colorful veterans (Elsa Lanchester,Ernest Borgnine) and 2 terrific newcomers(Sondra Locke and Bruce Davison). The cast saves this movie. Borgnine can always be counted on to deliver a good performance and he delivers here. Sondra Locke is very good as Williards' lone friend (aside from the rats) and Bruce Davison is terrific as Willard. He has all the nervous tics of Anthony Perkins in "Pyscho" and yet has a strange, almost likable air about him the earns our symphathy-a great performance that, in my opinion, saves the film. The story is about how Willard, a frustrated, immature, mother dominated young man, comes to find a meaning in his life caring for the rats that infest his old broken down home. Naturally the rat multiply and Willard soon finds himself leading an army of the critters, that do his bidding. At first its' small mischief(ruining the bosses party) and then later much more malignant deeds. The whole story leads where you expect it to but its fun watching Davisons' character grow as the film goes on. On the whole you can do worse with your time, but watch "Willard" just for a terrific debut performance by a fine actor.
One of Disneys Best
17 March 2003
I first saw this film when I was 6 years old (I'm 49 now) and it stayed with me since then. The special effects are so good that I REALLY believed that the "little people" existed.(I also love Walt Disneys acknowledgement in the credits, thanking the "wee folk" for their cooperation in making the film). I still watch the film (usually around St.Patricks day) and after 43 years it still delights me. The story is short sweet and to the point, the acting wonderful, especially Albert Sharpe, Janet Munro and a very young Sean Connery(who sings very nicely), and Robert Stevensons' direction is right on the money. The later scenes, with the death carriage and the banshees scared me silly as a child and are still quite creepy. This is a film that holds up extraordinarily well and is terrific for family viewing. I have a copy on laser disc but look foward to its eventual release on DVD.
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