Movieline Online

THE FLICK: As the rather shoddy cover art on the new collector’s edition DVD implies, George Pal’s The War of the Worlds was the Independence Day of its time. All action, spectacle, blinding light and booming sound, it was the invasion film that subsequent B-movie producers aspired to create but never achieved. Working from H.G. Welles novel (which set the action in Victorian London and accessorized the alien ships with tentacle-like legs), Pal expertly transposed the story into ‘50s American culture and emulated the newsreel docudrama success of Orson Welles 1938 radio broadcast. And while Pal, the producer who made sci-fi respectable with When Worlds Collide and The Time Machine, gets most of the accolades, he shares credit here with director Byron Haskin and a team of effects technicians that deliver otherworldly destruction on a grand scale. From the first appearance of the alien ship, a snake-like appendage poking out of a glowing meteor, War of the Worlds creates a tangible menac...

DOMINION: PREQUEL TO THE EXORCIST – The Hollywood equivalent of a “do-over,” director Paul Schrader’s version is the one that was shelved and re-shot by director Renny Harlin as Exorcist: The Beginning. Now premiering on DVD, it’s an interesting film that emphasizes character over scares, but not nearly enough to compete with the ’73 original. Father Merrin (Stellen Skarsgard), haunted by a WWII tragedy and suffering a crisis of faith, discovers a buried church in the wilds of Africa, the unearthing of which unleashes a wave of evil that pits the native population against the visiting British troops. Schrader’s film focuses much more on Merrin’s personal demons, as opposed to the flashier, up-tempo version turned in by Harlin that streamlined the story almost to the point of incomprehension (although it still looked beautifully eerie). It’s a noble effort, but the Merrin character is so bland that secondary players steal most of the scenes. The finale – featuring an asexual demon float...

THE FLICK: George Romero has dodged the “horror director” label for most of his career, as have many other industry folks behind and in front of the camera. Likely because it’s not a genre that commands the sort of professional respect (or golden statuettes) that come to those working in costume dramas, exposes on the mentally ill or even the odd romantic comedy. When you work in horror (even accidentally, as is the case with Romero), your work is rewarded only by the fans and as far as the industry is concerned you’re only good for one thing...making more horror films. But there’s an upside. Horror fans are some of the most enthusiastic folks you’ll ever meet. I mean, when was the last time you saw a Pretty Woman convention? And as connoisseurs of the macabre, these same fans will watch almost anything by their favorite contributors to the genre. Hence, Season of the Witch, which contains only marginal supernatural elements and very few scares, still earns itself a full-fledged collec...

TARZAN: Special Edition – Although only a moderate hit with the kiddie crowd at the time of its release, this Disney adaptation may adhere closest to the spirit of Edgar Rice Burrough’s original ape man novels...if you forget about the touchy-feely Phil Collins songs, that is. Visually, Tarzan is one of the studio’s most lush and organic efforts of the modern era, set against a jungle backdrop that is almost prehistorically beautiful. Tarzan himself moves with an athletic grace that could never be realized outside of animation, while the action scenes are nothing short of astounding! One can’t help but wonder what kind of masterpiece might have developed had the marketing folks not required Rosie O’Donnell’s voice as his wisecracking monkey sidekick. Oh well, it’s still a sight to behold and Minnie Driver does a bang up job with portrayal of Jane as the exuberantly naïve love interest. This new edition includes a remixed soundtrack, music videos, point-n-click games, plus deleted scene...

THE FLICK: After Joel Schumacher drove the franchise into the ground (but, let’s be honest, there’s were a lot of Warner execs helping him pound the stakes), Batman seemed like a property that was bound to gather dust. That is until Marvel, the rival to DC’s pantheon of do-gooder superheroes, made a decided impact on the box-office with X-Men and Spiderman. Suddenly, Warner seemed to be sitting on a pot ‘o gold (two pots if you include the upcoming Superman Returns). The only problem was how to rectify the previous installments’ nipple fetish, neon-glow aftertaste. The decision seemed to be a fresh start...really fresh. Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins is an origin story, which is ironic considering much of Bruce Wayne’s childhood angst was already covered by the 1989 installment by Tim Burton and whatever was left certainly was touched on by the three sequels. But co-screenwriter David Goyer (a comic book specialist, having helped bring Blade successfully to the screen) chooses to sp...

THE FLICK: The Freakmaker (or The Mutations as it was widely released) is an anomaly in the career of its director Jack Cardiff, better known as the award-winning cinematographer for Michael Powell’s Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes. That such a renowned filmmaker would even consider dabbling on a project that included genetically-altered man-eating plants, a parade of circus freaks, and copious amounts of swinging ‘70s female nudity is mystifying, to put it mildly. But dabble he did. And what may be even more surprising, Cardiff’s cinematic skill didn’t exactly carry over to The Freakmaker’s bottom line. The film, which was also lucky enough to score actors Donald Pleasance and Tom “Doctor Who” Baker, falls squarely in the realm of other cheapie monster flicks of the time such as The Creeping Flesh and Scream and Scream Again; equal amounts guilty pleasure and outdated tedium. Yet the association with Tod Browning’s Freaks, which the script references most directly by recreating the ...

THE FLICK: Unlike his recent remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, producer Michael Bay isn’t treading on holy ground by updating The Amityville Horror. Yes, it was THE haunted house flick of its generation; a pop-culture popcorn flick pre-sold to audiences on the success of a best-selling book based on the “true” experiences of the Lutz family. But we’re not talking about a masterpiece here. The original was about as edgy as a TV “Movie-of-the-Week.” But certain moments (namely the swarms of flies and a demonic smoker’s voice that commanded, “Get Out!”) stuck in the subconscious, combined with that often duplicated but never replicated 70’s film stock style. Even after 3 or 4 piss-poor sequels, the slate was basically clean for Bay to do whatever the hell he wanted. What’s surprising is that he didn’t change much. George and Kathy Lutz find what they think is the bargain of the century, a three-story colonial mansion priced well-below market value. Of course, there’s always a catch. ...