Topic: The little known movie review depot

[Achim]

Jimmy didn't mention that it was produced by Roger Corman... (of course the logo of the trailer gave it away). That would have set the quality mark before watching the video

I had hunted it down a few years ago and had it lying around on my hard disc (maybe it is still on it on my old PC), but I never came around to completely watch it.

Same here...

Some reviews I have read in the past, say, that they prefer the make-up job of "The Thing" in the 1994 version over the new one. Must be real good, as "The Thing" is one of the best things coming out of the new movies.

There is a new one? How dare they! Or did I misunderstand your post (as I can't find anything on IMDb)?

Seriously, the effects of the original hold up very well even today. And it's a classic! I may watch a remake for comparisons sake but wouldn't really have high hopes.

[Tom]

Some reviews I have read in the past, say, that they prefer the make-up job of "The Thing" in the 1994 version over the new one. Must be real good, as "The Thing" is one of the best things coming out of the new movies.

There is a new one? How dare they! Or did I misunderstand your post (as I can't find anything on IMDb)?

I think you misunderstood. We were talking about Fantastic Four and their character The Thing.

[Achim]

I think you misunderstood. We were talking about Fantastic Four and their character The Thing.

re-readng what you guys said, that indeed makes even more sense

Although, oh horror, I believe to have read somewhere, that somebody intends to make a remake of the Thing...?

[Jimmy]

Although, oh horror, I believe to have read somewhere, that somebody intends to make a remake of the Thing...?

There an entry on imdb for a movie call "The Thing" in development, but the info are only available if you have imdbPro and I don't have it. Since I can find nothing about that it could be :

1. A remake of the original movie : The thing from another world,
2. A remake of the 1982 movie,
3. A different adaptation of "Who Goes There?" the John W. Campbell's short story,
4. A movie base on the Fantastic Four character,
5. A movie that have absolutely nothing to do with anything mentions in the 4 others possibility.

All this to say that I've absolutely no idea on the remake subject 
But knowing how originality is not the big force of the american cinema, I can't reject the idea of another pointless remake. 

[Najemikon]

From what I've occasionally read on Empire news, it would be number 2. The fools.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Schramm (1993)

Genre: Drama
Director: Jörg Buttgereit           
Rating: Unrated (not familly friendly at all)
Length: 1h05
Video: Full Frame
Audio: German
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Florian Koerner von Gustorf   
Monika M.
Micha Brendel
Carolina Harnisch
Xaver Schwarzenberger

Plot:
Lothar Schramm (Florian Koerner von Gustorf) is dying, face down in a pool of his own blood. Behind his closed eyes, fractured memories repeat themselves again and again. He runs by the sea. He lusts after the whore (Monika M) across the hall. He staggers through life uncertainly. He kills.

'Schramm' is the story of the notorious "Lipstick Killer" Lothar Schramm's last days on earth. Revealed in a series of tightly constructed flashbacks, the film offers an unflinching look into the mind of a serial killer. Uncompromising in its depictions of violence and perversion, 'Schramm' is a poetic masterpiece guaranteed to make you squirm.

Available for the first time in the world on DVD, Barrel Entertainment has spared no expense in bringing Jörg Buttgereit's haunting study of frustration and violence to your home. Pleasant dreams...

My Thoughts:

It's been a while since I've watched this movie (almost 2 years) and tonight I was in the mood for something different, so I've decided to visit it again. The director name probably ring a bell for some members here since he had directed Nekromantik, Nekromantik 2 and Der Todesking (this one seems really interesting). I can say one thing, if you think that Nekromantik is weird be prepare for a weirdest viewing experience.

In this movie you are in the head of the killer at the moment of his death (in fact the movie start with his death scene) and this man's mind is really confuse. The film is hard to understand since it doesn't have a continuous storyline from A to B, so you get the story by mixed fragment with no logical timeline. But this is a good idea to get really in the film. Surprisingly you get much more male nudity in the film than women one (even frontal one), not something that really please me but perfectly understandable since the movie is about the killer and not his victims (don't expect a serial killer movie this is not that kind of movie). Speaking of nudity, this film had one of the most unpleasant scene to watch for a man that I've ever seen  ¹).

This is not a movie that I watch often, but if you want to watch something artistic and different give it a try.

Rating :

1. Just imagine that the head is another genre of more sensible one

[DJ Doena]

Title: Schramm (1993)

They named a movie after me! I'm famous!! 

[Achim]

They named a movie after me! I'm famous!! 

As long as this movie is just named after you, but not depicting your story, all is fine...


I have never seen a Buttgereit movie (they are hard to find in Germany..., besides me not caring all that much), but I believe that many ("genre"-)critics feel this is his best one.

[Jimmy]

From what I've read the censorship autority doesn't like his movies too much in Germany, Nekromantik for one is banned. Sure his movies are shocking, but I see much more than that in them : they are artistic movie (not pretentious one) and we feel that he love his creation, something that is really rare now. you're right many critics consider that Schramm is his best work, Der Todesking that I will order soon gets some good critics too but if you check on imdb for the synopsis this is certainly not a movie that you want to watch often.

This is only the second film of Buttgereit that I've listened with Nekromantik and it's always an adventure to dive in his mind (even if the subject of those films aren't pleasant). But not every movie must be a fountain of pleasure, just like the real life isn't just fun and games (but that would be great).

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Year of the Yahoo! (1972)

Genre: Drama
Director: Herschell Gordon Lewis           
Rating: R
Length: 1h29
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Claude King 
Ray Sager
Ronna Riddle
Robert Swain
Jeffrey Allen

Plot:
Politics go corn pone when three "Technical Advisors" choose country-western crooner Hank Jackson (singer Claude King) as their Senate candidate. What follows during this Year of the Yahoo is a campaign of clever commercials and scripted "spontaneity" but utterly no substance. But when Hank’s girlfriend accurately accuses him of selling out, his backers shut her up by having her attacked...

My Thoughts:

The last movie directed by HGL (I don't consider Blood Feast 2 made in 2002 as one of his movie, the producer had used his name) before he decided to take a break from the film industry. If you are familliar with his production you will recognize instantly 2 actors in this one : Ray Sager (he is the Wizard of Gore for all the fans, now he is a producer and he had won a Genie Award¹ for The Eleventh Hour) and Jeffrey Allen (he is the mayor in Two Thousand Maniacs!). The rest of the cast is composed mostly of one timer (pretty usual in the Lewis movies) and Claude King who is not really an actor does a good in his role (but in a way he play himself, since he is a country singer). The story is interesting and show how a politician his created by the image makers (I really hope that everyone know that everything our politicians do or say is scripted), something not known well in 72. This is a different movie than what Lewis do usually but it's a good one (I can't say the same thing for This Stuff'll Kill Ya that is the second features on the dvd, this movie is boring).

Rating :

1. The Genie Awards or Gemini Awards in english are given by the Canadian television industry.

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Pretty Peaches 3: The Quest (1989)

Genre: Adult
Director: Alex De Renzy           
Rating: xxx
Length: 1h34
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Keisha 
Tracey Adams
Rachel Ryan
Eric Price
Jamie Gillis

Plot:
Meet Peaches. She's left home on a quest for spiritual enlightenment. What she finds on her journey isn't exactly spiritual, but it's definitely enlightening. The best yet from the award-wining creator of Pretty Peaches 1 and 2.

My Thoughts:

Certainly one of the last adult movie made that we can call a film without laughing. The people who know me know that I made no distinction between any genre of film (the best movie that I've seen is an adult one), if I enjoy a movie this is fine with me and I don't really care if Meryl Streep or Long Jeanne Silver is the star of it.

The first distintictive point of this movie is the fact that it wasn't filmed with a video camera (one of the big reason why almost nothing good was made since the mid-eighties by the adult industry), but on film stock like a movie is suppose to be. Because of this the cinematography is great : the scene were the preacher building is attacked by the police force is astounding with the use of fog, sound and light effects. The story is not too complicated to follow this is evidently not as good than a Golden Age movies, but if we compare it with anything done in the last 10 years this scenario is Oscar material. The cast acting isn't too bad (I've seen worse in some mainstream film) and Keisha does a very nice job with the script (in fact she is a much better actress than Ginger Lynn). There are some interesting scene like the one with Rachel Ryan and an inflatable guy doll or the one between Keisha and Mike Horner as an Indian guru. I really like the performance of Jamie Gillis as a roguish preacher. One last thing, even if you have never watch an adult movie you will recognize one of the actor : John Anthony Bailey who was in The Kentucky Fried Movie, Wonderbug, Love at First Bite and in a lot of tv series. He doesn't have any sex scene, but as usual he play a funny black pimp stereotype.

A very good movie, but it's a film directed by Alex De Renzy so this isn't a surprise.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Messiah of Evil (1972)

Genre: Horror
Director: Willard Huyck           
Rating: R
Length: 1h29
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Michael Greer
Marianna Hill
Joy Bang
Anitra Ford
Royal Dano

Plot:
A young woman travels to a small California seaside town to visit her father, an artist. When she arrives at his home, she finds him missing and his home filled with numerous paintings of his creation. The woman decides to explore the town to find out what happened to her father and discovers some strange happenings involving the local populous.

My Thoughts:

I've decided to watch the rest of the movie that are in the 50 movie pack that I've bought in october for the horror marathon, so here we go with the first one. This movie is really confusing at the end I was not sure if it was a cannibal movie or a zombie movie or a possesion movie or a werewolf movie (without the werewolf) or a weird wtf movie. Not that I've not appreciated it, but this is really a strange adventure to follow. The acting is so-so, but many of the actors are familliar  even if the name doesn't ring a bell : Marianna Hill (The Baby), Anitra Ford (Invasion of the Bee Girls), Royal Dano (Killer Klowns from Outer Space), Elisha Cook Jr. (Salem's Lot) and Charles Dierkop (Silent Night, Deadly Night). One albinos actor playing a corpse collector is really frightening, I have no idea of who he is but he had certainly appeared in some other horror movies. One of the killing scene that happens in a movie theatre is perfect : very suspensefull and creepy, in fact this is the best moment in the movie.

Not a great movie (maybe because of the not so great print that I own), but if you don't try to understand what happens you will like it. Finally, don't count on the end to understand what you have just watched this is even more confusing.

Rating :

edit : Does the director name sound familliar to you? He is the director of the infamous "Howard the Duck" 

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Blancheville Monster (1964)

Genre: Horror
Director: Alberto De Martino           
Rating: Unrated
Length: 1h28
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Gerard Tichy
Leo Anchoriz
Ombretta Colli
Helga Liné
Iran Eory

Plot:
A young woman returns to her family estate from finishing school to find her brother in charge, a new staff in place and her father horribly disfigured and living in one of the castle towers. The father believes that the family curse will be taken away if the daughter dies before her 21st birthday, just a few days away. The eerie feelings around the castle continue to build as the fateful day comes closer until they reach a climax when the father escapes from the tower.

My Thoughts:

Not really my genre of movie, the action is really slow and nothing really happens. You have almost the impression to watch a silent movie : the actors expressions are exagerated, the music is almost constant and the reactions shot are always long. Usually I don't like the movies inspired by the stories of Edgar Allan Poe for the reasons already cited and this one is not an exception. But the movie had some positive point : it didn't end the way I was thinking and there are some nudity (not too much this is 1964) when Ombretta Colli get up one night with a see-through night gowns.

Certainly not something that I will rewatch again.

Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: Cathy's Curse (1977)

Genre: Horror
Director: Eddy Matalon           
Rating: R
Length: 1h21
Video: Widescreen
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Alan Scarfe
Beverley Murray
Randi Allen
Dorothy Davis
Mary Morter

Plot:
After a terrible car accident twenty years ago killed his father and sister, a man returns to his family home with his wife and daughter. The daughter takes up residence in her deceased aunt's room and, after finding some of her possessions, becomes possessed by her spirit. Soon strange happenings and mysteriouss deaths begin to occur in the household as the possessed girl lashes out at those around her.

My Thoughts:

A very forgetable horror movie made with French Canadian money, yes it's a movie from my province but don't search for a French Canadian actor in it. The acting is really poor, one of the actor (Alan Scarfe) had a lot of credit after this and I really hope that his acting goes better. The sad thing is that with a better script this movie could have been better, I don't say original since it's a cheap Exorcist ripoff but better. The director will make a year later the movie "Blackout" who is a better exemple of a good Canadian product. Finally this print is certainly one of the worst I've seen : this is a false widescreen (the top and the bottom of the film are cut), the colours are fade, a lot of ghost image are present and the soundtrack is really noisy (a strange distorsion is always present). I've taken a screen capture to show you how the picture is bad.


       the majority of the time this is worse than that

Rating :

[Jimmy]

MOVIE / DVD INFO:

Title: The Alpha Incident (1977)

Genre: Science-Fiction
Director: Bill Rebane           
Rating: PG
Length: 1h35
Video: Full Frame
Audio: English
Subtitles: None

Stars:
Ralph Meeker
Stafford Morgan
John Goff
Carol Irene Newell
George "Buck" Flower

Plot:
A Mars space probe returns to Earth and brings with it a micro-organism from the red planet. While transporting the microscopic alien life form by train, there is an accident and the micro-organism is unleashed. Exposure to the alien virus forces four strangers into quarantine while government scientists rush to find a cure.

My Thoughts:

This one is a low budget, but since the majority of the film happen in a train station this is not a problem. It's always good to see character actors in bigger parts, since they can act when they get the chance. But even if I really like Buck Flowers I was happy to see him die (his acting in that is really annoying). Another great surprise for me was to see that John Alderman as a big role in this since he is one of my favourite actor. The story is an interesting one, but the characters are a little bit to caricatural and unidimensional.

Rating :