Movieline Online

THE FLICK: A lesser reviewer might not have had the courage to write about the misleadingly titled Deep Throat Special Edition. But I feel compelled to give this release from NY After Midnight (actually a division of cult faves Blue Underground) some face time for a couple of reasons. One, to clear up the misconception that this is actually a version of the Linda Lovelace pornographic landmark. It’s not. And two, because this is actually a fascinating time capsule of public-access history. Part of the Midnight Blue Collection (the cover claims this is volume one), the DVD includes several episodes from the public access program created by Screw magazine founder Al Goldstein, which aired on Manhattan Cable for several decades. Or at least most of it did. The content of each program pushed the vague limits of what the FCC allowed on cable TV, sometimes to the breaking point, forcing the program to delete the visual portions of the show that went too far. After you’ve watched the first 5-...

THE FLICK: They Came Back is a film of staggering emotional power built on the premise of a zombie film. And ironically it’s the “Z”-word that will most likely be both a blessing and a curse for French director Robin Campillo’s debut feature. A certain number of critics dismiss most of the horror genre (however tenuous the connection) outright. While a select group of cinephiles will watch anything that promises an appearance by the undead (preferably with ample amounts of gore). In that case, both camps will be disappointed. The zombies of They Came Back are not rotting corpses; in fact, they are the embodiment of perfect health besides being mentally slow and a few degrees cooler. And the only immediate threat they pose to the general populace is their reintegration into normal society. How are they reunited with loved ones? Who will provide them jobs? Can a zombie be a self-sufficient citizen? Even George Romero at his best (which was Dawn of the Dead) never imagined this sort of so...

STARCHASER – THE LEGEND OF ORIN: A curious relic of the ‘80s 3D fad which included new installments in the Jaws and Amityville franchises, at the very least Starchaser can claim bragging rights as the first animated 3D release. Everything else about the story of an escaped slave boy who hitches a ride with a smuggler to help the rebellion on his home planet with the help of an “invisible saber” is embarrassingly derivative. Still, it manages to more true to its pulp sci-fi inspirations than the self-important Star Wars prequels, and even comes with a Casio composed videogame soundtrack that will have you pulling out the Atari joystick from pure instinct. Trapped between the adult themes of Heavy Metal and the pure kid flicks from Disney, Starchaser manages to introduce some memorable images amidst the confusion – like a tribe of decomposing cyborgs hungry from human parts and a programmable “fembot” that really pushes the PG rating. No extras are included on MGM’s release but consider ...

THE FLICKS: Tonight two failing horror franchises go head to head (or horns to horns, as the case may be) in an attempt to resurrect themselves from a fate worse than death: direct-to-video obscurity! In this corner, The Prophecy: Uprising, the fourth chapter in the moderately successful franchise headlined by Christopher Walken...only Chris has left the building this time around. And in this corner, wearing the leather S & M outfit and headgear, we have Pinhead in his sixth outing, Hellraiser: Deader. Neither franchise is much of a pay-per-view event at this point, having been abandoned by their creators and bled dry in sequel after sequel. Particularly Hellraiser, whose originator Clive Barker invested the material with a uniquely twisted form of gothic necrophilia, only to see his demonic creation pimped out like a two-for-one-rental ‘ho. Such a waste of good suffering indeed! So it’s The Prophecy: Uprising that seems lightest on its feet, starting with a fresh set of characters...

THE SHOW: Sold to UPN as in attempt to win over young male viewers lost to the burgeoning video game phenomenon, the creative team behind Game Over obviously had more honorable ambitions. The six episodes presented here (one, Monkey Dearest, never made it on air) show a great deal of potential, most of which went unfulfilled when the expensive series wasn’t renewed. But the high-concept ideas, whip-smart humor and (mostly) endearing characters are memorialized for your enjoyment in Anchor Bay’s 2-disc set. Billed as a “behind-the-game” 3D animated sitcom, the series follows the Smashenburn family, led by Rip and Raquel, working parents who just happen to punch the clock for your favorite videogames. Rip is a perpetual loser on the Gran Turismo circuit while Raquel earns a living acquiring historical relics Tomb Raider-style. This lifestyle is hard on their kids, Alice and Billy, who, in between their own 64-bit adventures, desperately crave their parents’ attention. If you’re thinking ...

THE FLICK: Werner Herzog is a man whose personality is as overtly dramatic as his films. Stubborn, inspired, prone to flourishes of verbose exaggeration and outrageous generalities, the director cut quite a swath through the ‘70s with films like Aquirre, The Wrath of God and Nosferatu. But Fitzcarraldo remains the seminal expression of Herzog’s cinematic tenacity and also serves as an infamous legacy of on-set arguments, production overruns, political tension and disasters both natural and man-made – all of it captured in Les Blank’s Burden of Dreams. A documentary filmmaker in the truest sense, Blank is by no means the progenitor of the current rash of marketing department fluff. In fact, as Herzog points out in a new interview, many of the most interesting aspects of Burden of Dreams have nothing to do with the making of Fitzcarraldo. But it was under those auspices that Blank traveled to Peru to document the challenges faced by Herzog’s crew, not the least of which involved dragging...

THE FLICK: Although it could be interpreted as feminist propaganda, this adaptation of Miles Franklin’s semi-autobiographical novel set in turn of the century Australia is above all else a romance...only its central character, Sybylla Melvyn, is in love with life rather than any one man in particular. An early prototype for the Merchant-Ivory films that would clog arthouses a few years later with the adventures of upper-crust Brits abroad, director Gillian Armstrong gives her story more room to breathe, using the wide open landscape as a counterpoint to her central character’s social and creative oppression. A plain-faced teen with grand artistic ambitions, Sybylla (Judy Davis) is stifled on her parent’s dirt farm until her wealthy grandmother whisks her off to a life of upward mobility by way of marriage. After turning down one proposal, Sybylla finds herself torn between her unexpected feelings for childhood chum Harry (Sam Neill) and her dreams of experiencing the world on her own t...

THE FLICK: can almost guarantee that every review for Wes Anderson’s latest film will include a description such as “quirky,” “off-beat” or even “not for all tastes.” And with good reason, because despite starring Bill Murray – whose work prior to his flirtation with Oscar gold in Lost in Translation was mostly predictable goofball comedies – The Life Aquatic is lost in a world of its own invention. And, frankly, Wes Anderson could care less if you hang around or not. At least that’s the vibe the movie puts out, cast with a eclectic array of acting talent, (Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, Willem Dafoe and Jeff Goldblum) who ride the tides of black comedy, heartfelt fantasy and general silliness. Steve Zissou (Murray) is a has-been underwater adventurer who vows revenge against a rare shark that ate his mentor and best friend. Joining his usual crew of misfits is Ned (Wilson) – who may be Zissou’s son from a previous relationship – and a pregnant journalist (Blanchett) who creates a romant...

THE FLICK: The residents of an isolated village live under an uneasy arrangement with strange creatures that roam the surrounding forest. When an emergency forces Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard) to break the truce and enter the realm of “those we do not speak of,” the entire village must come face to face with their worst fears. The tsunami of criticism that washed over M. Knight Shyamalan’s The Village started with ripples of egotistical showmanship inherent in the director’s work from the very beginning. Touted as the next Spielberg after his deft touch with The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan instead molded his career as a latter-day Hitchcock, using his unusual moniker to signify the next big event in cinema. His name – strange, exotic and mysterious – became synonymous with the “master of suspense.” And the guy had only three major movies under his belt. Most people have to go through at least seven years of college to be considered at “master” at anything; Knight crowned himself after only six....

After an angry break-up, Joel and Clementine (Jim Carrey & Kate Winslet) take advantage of a procedure that eliminates every unwanted memory of each other from their brains. But when Joel has second thoughts during the procedure he must find some way to cling to the pieces of a relationship he so desperately wanted to be rid of. THE FLICK: Memory is a theme that lends itself very well to the process of moviemaking. What is film if not the virtual downloading of another experience into our willing cranium? And Eternal Sunshine uses this knowledge to its advantage; wrapping itself in non-linear knots around your brain stem with such asphyxiating pleasure it leaves you breathless. But there’s no denying this is a movie that makes you work for it. Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) specializes in concepts that shouldn’t be successful in any medium...but somehow are. Here, he introduces a stable of generally unlikable characters – flawed, annoying, loud and ...

GREG: You can badmouth Season Three all you want, but I’d follow Kirk, Spock and McCoy anywhere. In fact, I’m not ashamed to admit that when “Turnabout Intruder” (the final episode on the seven disc set) spun itself out I felt an empty pit in my stomach. How could NBC cancel this show? Sure it became goofy. What do you expect when your executive producer leaves, your budget is cut in half, and Leonard Nimoy is bitchin’ up a storm! RANDY: Watching the extras it becomes clear that cast and crew alike knew Season Three was going to be the “final frontier” for Trek. The year kicked off with “Spock’s Brain” in which the science officer’s logic center is kidnapped by child-like aliens in need of a new “controller” for their underground playland. This episode is the focal point for most fans’ vitriolic hatred and a signpost of further goofiness ahead. And it’s true, Roddenberry would have never let a story go quiet so far off the deep end. GREG: But that’s exactly what makes Season Three so m...

GREG: You need to take a step back to appreciate what Disney accomplished with Mary Poppins. Forget about the rather callous marketing machine the studio has become and let yourself be enveloped by the innocent genius of it all. As far as non-animated films go, this is far and away Walt’s best work. RANDY: Little wonder, since he pursued the project for decades to secure the rights. This movie just feels like it has that little extra “oomph” – the perfect casting with Dick VanDyke and Julie Andrews (in her first film role), pioneering combination of live-action and animation, and songs so catchy they wrap themselves around your brain stem ‘til you beg for mercy. GREG: That’s not a very Poppins-esque expression, but it’s dead on. The plot has Poppins (a magical figure who, as her calling card states, is “practically perfect in every way”) answering the call of two precocious kids under the thumb of their distracted parents. From there we bounce from one misadventure to the next picking ...

THE FLICKS: Universal seems to be suffering from a case of schizophrenia. Take the new release of Van Helsing, a methamphedamine-paced monster mash which goes out of it’s way to reject everything that made the classic films so wonderful. Even with all the pre-Memorial Day hype that made The Mummy such a success, director Stephen Sommer’s film died the quiet death so many soulless big-budget extravaganzas do, breaking $100 million mark on opening weekend and slipping quietly overseas to eek out a profit. Now premiering on DVD, the film still has no excuses. But it’s released concurrently with another wave of the Universal Monsters Legacy Collection, which makes for a Halloween trick and treat for fans. Do yourself a favor, skip the Hugh Jackman CGI flavor of the month adventure and pick up these packed to the gills sets featuring Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man, and The Mummy. Originally released in 3D, The Creature is one of those rare features that succeeds even with...

THE FLICKS: No one is going to mistake them for classics, even within the unheralded horror genre, but the Friday films have had an undeniably huge effect on modern cinema. The successful formula of “oversexed teenagers” + “masked serial killer” was like a big cream pie in the face of critics everywhere who cringed at Jason Voorhees hockey-masked shenanigans, while less artistically-minded teens just chalked it up as cathartic Friday night foreplay. Despite their lack of real artistic merit (you can make a weak case for parts one and six), the Friday films do differ from one film to another. But like buying name brand vs. generic, you’ll really don’t notice until you try them all. Luckily, Paramount’s Friday the 13th: Ultimate DVD Collection gives you the opportunity to sample the first eight bloody escapades of Jason, his mom, and a whole chum line of camp counselors. Subtitled From Crystal Lake to Manhattan, this set does not include the more recent New Line Cinema pictures for obvio...

THE FLICK: Who could blame people for avoiding The Alamo? After a decade-long burnout of historical epics with two-bit romances crammed uncomfortably into their plot (Titanic and Peal Harbor being the most noteworthy), the very idea of another famous American tragedy being adapted to film is suspect at best – twice-tragic at worst. But this production (which bears the Imagine label but was passed over by director Ron Howard) comes through with a respectful and straightforward retelling of the last desperate hours of a few hundred trapped American soldiers, militia, civilians and two living legends (Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie) at the mercy of Mexican dictator Santa Anna and his army of thousands. Much like the holy trinity of Kirk, Spock and McCoy, the film’s spirit is divided between its three heroes – each of them flawed, but somehow complementing the other thirds. Billy Bob Thornton’s performance is equal to the best work he’s ever done, including Sling Blade. His Davy Crockett is a...

THE FLICK: It’s tough to convince “non-believers” that Dawn of the Dead is anything more than an amateurish splatter film. Of course, these are the same people that won’t watch black and white movies or anything presented with subtitles. In short, they’re morons. But if you’d like to point out the depth of their stupidity, flash a copy of Anchor Bay’s new Ultimate Edition as proof that there are people in the world who “get it.” Enough to enjoy three versions of the film (theatrical, extended and European), two whopping documentaries, three full-length commentaries, and oh-so much more behind-the-scenes info about what is universally regarding as the best zombie movie ever made. Before we go any further, the excerpt below is from the review of the previous Anchor Bay release of the theatrical edition for those not in the know. More than any of his other 1970’s behind-the-camera contemporaries, George Romero resented the label “horror film director.” And while many might find this attit...

THE SHOW: With no disrespect to the gay community, admitting one is a “Trekkie” is as close as a straight person can get to coming out of the closet. There’s the shock and denial from various family members, the break-up of any “normal” romantic relationships, and the complete immersion into a subculture of society fighting for acceptance despite being dressed in really flamboyant polyester clothes. OK, gay people have better fashion sense. But the principal is the same. And with the release of the long-awaited box set of Star Trek: The Original Series (Season One) on DVD, fans of Kirk, Spock and McCoy will be forced to endure even more discrimination at the hands of bigoted sales clerks who mock them even as they zap their customized Trek Mastercards. But, oh my brothers and sisters, is it ever worth it! True, all the episodes were available previously on individual discs with much the same video quality. But Paramount has gathered up all 29 of them, slapped on a respectful 5.1 remix,...

THE FLICKS: The British film industry has always faced an uphill battle. With not enough money or marquee stars to seriously compete with Hollywood, television seemed like a more natural outlet for a country rich in theatrical tradition (remember, some guy named Shakespeare lived there?). Hence the teleplay, which had its fair share of popularity in the States as well, offered a more intimate dialogue driven medium that produced a number of breakout writers, directors and actors, who went on to international big screen success. Director Alan Clarke was not among them. That is to say, Clarke’s most influential and notable work remained on the small screen where he developed a reputation as an “actor’s director,” taking chances with inexperienced, unknown thespians and pursuing common themes of social ills and injustice. The Alan Clarke Collection is a full-blown departure for Blue Underground, a company best known for its cult horror/sci-fi/fantasy DVD releases, perhaps signaling an int...

THE FLICK: Call it the Dude, Where’s My Car effect: that curious sense of surprise that comes from watching a movie you expected to make you gag...only to find it surprisingly palatable. The Girl Next Door fits the profile to a tee, down to the internet ad campaign that interspersed Elisha Cuthbert’s photo with the words, “Dude, she’s a porn star!” Unless you were an underage pubescent with no access to cable-friendly porn, how aroused could your expectations be? But the film manages to build something genuinely sweet out of the masturbatory set-up, just like the recent juvenile jokesters of American Pie (and the even more similar Tom Cruise classic, Risky Business). Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsh) is a straight-“A” student working toward an all-important college scholarship until it all goes out the window...literally...when he catches a glimpse of the new neighbor, Danielle (Cuthbert), stripping down to her skivvies. After a brief courtship, Matthew finds out the girl of his dreams is a...

THE FLICKS: Some movie premises are almost foolproof. As in, it would take a real wanker to screw them up. And John Wyndham’s story, “The Midwich Cuckoos,” is one of those perfect building blocks executed with equal aplomb in cinematic form by director Wolf Rilla as Village of the Damned. A classy sci-fi thriller, the film adeptly weaves a real-world feel around its single fantasy element of mysterious children born to a quaint country village all on the same day. After the population of Midwich blacks out for several hours (in a fabulously photographed introduction), all women of child-bearing age are found to be pregnant. After birth, the blonde-haired brood develop at three times the rate of a human child and quickly impose their will against anyone who oppose them (as evidenced by their glowing-grey eyes). Their mental powers are such that no one dares speak out for fear of a horrible retribution. Only professor Gordon Zellaby (George Sanders), himself the “father” of one of the ch...

THE FLICK: Frank Hopkins and his horse, Hidalgo, are a dying breed. So is their movie. An old-fashioned adventure story without any monsters, foul-language or showy special effects (well, maybe one or two), there was a time Hidalgo would have made every kid’s top-ten list. Now it stands out simply because of its simplicity. A past-his-prime cowboy slumming in a Wild West show, Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen of LOTR) accepts an invitation to an endurance race across the Middle East on the back of his famous painted Mustang, Hidalgo. The competition resents his infidel horse’s impure blood and look for every opportunity to put him out of the race. But Hopkins trudges on through sandstorms, locust swarms and a family feud between warring nobles. A bit too epic for its own good (I could have done without Hopkins Indian identity crisis), Hidalgo picks up at about the 45-minute mark with the start of the race. The film makes full use of the stunning locale – rolling dunes and worn riders silhouett...

THE FLICK: This is the part where I normally explain the appeal of director Lucio Fulci, a filmmaker of rather dubious qualifications but nevertheless adored by fans across the world. Why? Because the man knows how to pop eyeballs, crush craniums and shred flesh like nobody’s business. But if you’re even a casual fan of horror, I won’t waste time on what you already know. Suffice to say Blue Underground has treated Fulci’s films far better than they deserve on DVD. And the trend continues with Zombie, which, if not the director’s most accomplished film, is certainly his most bankable thanks to the pseudo-sequel tie-in with Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. Fulci, though, doesn’t waste his time with social satire or dark comedy (intentional comedy, anyway) but gets right down the bloody business of loosing his zombie horde on the world (or at least, the parts he can afford the location costs). The film opens with a very effective Nosferatu image of an abandoned sailboat drifting into New York ...

THE FLICK: As Hollywood digs further in the pantheon of comic-book heroes mining for cinematic success, Hellboy seem the most unlikely of choices. Not for lack of creativity, mind you. The eccentrically inventive story combines Nazis, demons, secret government agencies and doomed love triangles to great effect. But it’s precisely this hodge-podge of ingredients that should have made any adaptation of Mike Mignola’s witty sardonic hero nigh impossible. Should have. But I don’t think anyone was counting on director Guillermo Del Toro’s masterful balancing act of humor, horror, action and actual character development...especially when your character is a 9-foot tall red-skinned devil-child with sawed off horns and a pointed tail. When all is said and done, Hellboy makes for an invigorating experience – unpredictable, unusual and all the more exceptional because none of this cult comic book BS should work on the big screen...but it does. Kicking off during WWII with a raid on demon-conjuri...

THE FLICK: Only Mel Brooks could break cinematic ground by breaking wind! Or so he claims in the extras in Warner Bros. 30th Anniversary Special Edition DVD of Blazing Saddles, the director’s send-up of classic Hollywood westerns and 1974 racial stereotypes. Cleavon Little has the title role of Bart, a smart-mouthed railroad worker who is railroaded into becoming the first black Sheriff in the West, moseying into Rock Ridge much to the dismay of the local redneck populace. It’s all part of crooked politician Headley Lamar’s (Harvey Korman) plan to scare off the property owners and make way for untold profits as the railroad comes to town. But when Bart and his alcoholic sidekick, the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder), get wind of the plan, the entire town comes to its senses and stands up to Slim Pickens and his gang of rough-riding bad guys. Blazing Saddles gets away with more racial epithets and politically incorrect humor than any film in the history of cinema. The reason being, they’re all eq...

THE FLICK: Robert Ludlum will be the first to admit he’s simply a storyteller. The late author says as much in the extras on Universal’s new Explosive Extended Edition DVD of THE BOURNE IDENTITY. But if you’ve ever picked up one of the Bourne novels and suffered through the piss-poor descriptive passages and thick-tongued dialogue, you might need some more convincing. Thankfully, the cinematic incarnation of amnesiac super-spy Jason Bourne (played by the unlikely choice of Matt Damon) emphasizes the strengths of Ludlum’s story, a noir-ish road trip of cobblestone street car chases and post-Cold War government conspiracies. Although some of the simple-minded plot holes come along for the ride, too. In a genre that traditionally values explosions over exposition, it’s nice to see director Doug Liman bring his free-wheeling, improv-style of filmmaking (see his infectiously fun debut “Go”). THE BOURNE IDENTITY still finds time for quick-cut hand-to-hand combat and gunplay, but the film use...

THE SHOW: TV on DVD is now officially the hottest thing since Britney french-kissed Madonna (actually, that’s old news too, but it’s the thought that counts). But after you’ve written about one season of Charlie’s Angels, The A-Team or Starsky and Hutch, haven’t you pretty much said all there is to say? With most series, that’s true, but South Park Season Four demands some special attention. Not only does it represent the pinnacle of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s taboo shattering comedic schtick it also features a number of “firsts” that simply must be recognized. The first appearance of Timmy and the Lords of the Underworld. The reunited team of Cheech and Chong (even if it’s only in animated form). The debut of Stan, Kyle, Cartman & Kenny’s boy band, Fingerbang. And the introduction of new fourth-grade teacher, Ms. Choksondik. You’ll find a full listing below, but what it won’t tell you is how $&#damn funny each and every one of these episodes is. Really, there’s not a loser i...