list http://www.spout.com/ Natsukashi recent group discussions Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/groups/Natsukashi/Episode_XXV_Twin_Peaks_pilot_and_Fire_Walk_Wit/592/40469/1/ShowPost.aspx Post Subject: Episode XXV: 'Twin Peaks' pilot and 'Fire Walk With Me'
Group Name: Natsukashi
Last Post By: usesoap
Post Date: 2/14/2009 8:47:21 PM
Body: Film: Twin Peaks (Pilot) (1990) and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)Rated: (Fire Walk with Me) RDirected by: David LynchWritten by: David Lynch and Mark Frost Starring: Kyle MacLachlin as Special Agent Dale Cooper Michael Ontkean as Sheriff Harry S. Truman Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna Hayward (played by Moira Kelly in FWWM) Madchen Amick as Shelly Johnson Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer/Madeline Ferguson Ray Wise as LeLand Palmer By Joe Campanella of Cinema-Fist Pre-screeening memories: Growing up I was exposed to many different kinds of films. You see, I had a brother who was 14 years older than me, so naturally I'd pick up on a few things most 10-year-olds didn't. While the kids at school were telling me how great Home Alone was, I was raving about Barton Fink. My God, I was pretentious even back then? As a kid I remember my brother being obsessed with this show because someone named David Lynch was at the helm. (Having grown up and seen most of Lynch's work I now know why.) Every week, my brother would put on the TV and watch another episode of this odd show about the murder of someone named Laura Palmer.
]]>Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:47:21 GMTEpisode XXV: 'Twin Peaks' pilot and 'Fire Walk With Me'NatsukashiFilm: Twin Peaks (Pilot) (1990) and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)Rated: (Fire Walk with Me) RDirected by: David LynchWritten by: David Lynch and Mark Frost Starring: Kyle MacLachlin as Special Agent Dale Cooper Michael Ontkean as Sheriff Harry S. Truman Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna Hayward (played by Moira Kelly in FWWM) Madchen Amick as Shelly Johnson Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer/Madeline Ferguson Ray Wise as LeLand Palmer By Joe Campanella of Cinema-Fist Pre-screeening memories: Growing up I was exposed to many different kinds of films. You see, I had a brother who was 14 years older than me, so naturally I'd pick up on a few things most 10-year-olds didn't. While the kids at school were telling me how great Home Alone was, I was raving about Barton Fink. My God, I was pretentious even back then? As a kid I remember my brother being obsessed with this show because someone named David Lynch was at the helm. (Having grown up and seen most of Lynch's work I now know why.) Every week, my brother would put on the TV and watch another episode of this odd show about the murder of someone named Laura Palmer.2/14/2009 8:47:21 PMFilm: Twin Peaks (Pilot) (1990) and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)Rated: (Fire Walk with Me) RDirected by: David LynchWritten by: David Lynch and Mark Frost Starring: Kyle MacLachlin as Special Agent Dale Cooper Michael Ontkean as Sheriff Harry S. Truman Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna Hayward (played by Moira Kelly in FWWM) Madchen Amick as Shelly Johnson Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer/Madeline Ferguson Ray Wise as LeLand Palmer By Joe Campanella of Cinema-Fist Pre-screeening memories: Growing up I was exposed to many different kinds of films. You see, I had a brother who was 14 years older than me, so naturally I'd pick up on a few things most 10-year-olds didn't. While the kids at school were telling me how great Home Alone was, I was raving about Barton Fink. My God, I was pretentious even back then? As a kid I remember my brother being obsessed with this show because someone named David Lynch was at the helm. (Having grown up and seen most of Lynch's work I now know why.) Every week, my brother would put on the TV and watch another episode of this odd show about the murder of someone named Laura Palmer. http://www.spout.com/groups/Natsukashi/Warlock_the_Armageddon_by_The_Foywonder_from_Drea/592/40468/1/ShowPost.aspx Post Subject: Warlock the Armageddon (by The Foywonder from Dread Central)
Group Name: Natsukashi
Last Post By: usesoap
Post Date: 2/14/2009 8:36:52 PM
Body: Title: 'Warlock: The Armageddon'Rated: RWritten by: David Twohy and Kevin RockDirector: Anthony HickoxStarring: Julian Sands as Warlock Chris Young as Kenny Travis Paula Marshall as Samantha Ellison Tagline: "When He Comes...All Hell Breaks Loose!" By Scott Foy aka The Foywonder (and also of Dread Central) Pre-screening memories: Scott bulletted some items that he recalled when he viewed Warlock: The Armageddon on its opening weekend in 1993 (and, subsequnetly, a second time in a bargain theater, where it presumably landed a week later): The film was put out by Trimark. I rather miss that company. For a short while there they seemed to be the heir apparents of Cannon. I recall kind of enjoying the film, even though I was fully aware it wasn't a very good film, certainly inferior to the original that I still think is a very underrated movie. The original had some dumb humor, but the sequel was just plain dumb all the way through. Still better than the third installment, Warlock III: The End of Innocence. The sequel adopted more of a Freddy Krueger-ish tone. Warlock became more of a mocking slasher who killed in twisted, often comically ironic fashion: turning the guy into a warped piece of art and making a Picasso joke, shooting people with his finger during a high noon-style showdown and saying "Happy trails, partner." Very much dates the movie. When someone flies you high up into the air in exchange for a particular object you possess never give that person the object until they've put your feet back on the ground. The whole concept of gathering these unholy runestones just seemed dumb and less imaginative than the previous film seeking the book containing the name of God which when spoken would undo creation. Also thought it was rather dopey how these runes were scattered all over yet not only did the Warlock get from place to place with such ease, most of those places were unlikely: a fashion show, a corporate office, a freaking funhouse for goodness sake. Psychic midget! Unconvincing concept of these modern druids living in the US and all played by recognizable character actors so cast against type in the role that they're impossible to believe. Leader of the group actor didn't sound at all convincing when he'd explain the magic to the teens. Seem to recall that they were awfully unprepared to deal with the Warlock considering preventing the Warlock from getting his hands on these stones was their sole purpose. The whole magical teen warriors concept also felt like a product of the time it was made. Seem to remember thinking I was willing to believe their powers being more likely than their romance. Her character was a bit too whiny. His character was an annoying dweeb. Not exactly what I imagined Satan would look like. Devil looked like a photo negative of the demon dogs from Ghostbusters. Seeing Satan crawling out of the pit left me wondering how exactly this quadraped demon was going to unleash Armageddon. There always has to be an eclipse involved in these things, doesn't there? Warlock's demise was awfully easy. Thank goodness for those all-purpose sacred daggers that can always be counted on to do in the forces of evil. Saw the film in a dollar theater that was packed. When the movie ended someone in the back yelled "SUCKED!" and everyone laughed heartily. Whatever happened to Julian Sands? Seems like he did this and then Boxing Helena and that pretty much killed his career until he showed up on "24" last season.
]]>Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:36:52 GMTWarlock the Armageddon (by The Foywonder from Dread Central)NatsukashiTitle: 'Warlock: The Armageddon'Rated: RWritten by: David Twohy and Kevin RockDirector: Anthony HickoxStarring: Julian Sands as Warlock Chris Young as Kenny Travis Paula Marshall as Samantha Ellison Tagline: "When He Comes...All Hell Breaks Loose!" By Scott Foy aka The Foywonder (and also of Dread Central) Pre-screening memories: Scott bulletted some items that he recalled when he viewed Warlock: The Armageddon on its opening weekend in 1993 (and, subsequnetly, a second time in a bargain theater, where it presumably landed a week later): The film was put out by Trimark. I rather miss that company. For a short while there they seemed to be the heir apparents of Cannon. I recall kind of enjoying the film, even though I was fully aware it wasn't a very good film, certainly inferior to the original that I still think is a very underrated movie. The original had some dumb humor, but the sequel was just plain dumb all the way through. Still better than the third installment, Warlock III: The End of Innocence. The sequel adopted more of a Freddy Krueger-ish tone. Warlock became more of a mocking slasher who killed in twisted, often comically ironic fashion: turning the guy into a warped piece of art and making a Picasso joke, shooting people with his finger during a high noon-style showdown and saying "Happy trails, partner." Very much dates the movie. When someone flies you high up into the air in exchange for a particular object you possess never give that person the object until they've put your feet back on the ground. The whole concept of gathering these unholy runestones just seemed dumb and less imaginative than the previous film seeking the book containing the name of God which when spoken would undo creation. Also thought it was rather dopey how these runes were scattered all over yet not only did the Warlock get from place to place with such ease, most of those places were unlikely: a fashion show, a corporate office, a freaking funhouse for goodness sake. Psychic midget! Unconvincing concept of these modern druids living in the US and all played by recognizable character actors so cast against type in the role that they're impossible to believe. Leader of the group actor didn't sound at all convincing when he'd explain the magic to the teens. Seem to recall that they were awfully unprepared to deal with the Warlock considering preventing the Warlock from getting his hands on these stones was their sole purpose. The whole magical teen warriors concept also felt like a product of the time it was made. Seem to remember thinking I was willing to believe their powers being more likely than their romance. Her character was a bit too whiny. His character was an annoying dweeb. Not exactly what I imagined Satan would look like. Devil looked like a photo negative of the demon dogs from Ghostbusters. Seeing Satan crawling out of the pit left me wondering how exactly this quadraped demon was going to unleash Armageddon. There always has to be an eclipse involved in these things, doesn't there? Warlock's demise was awfully easy. Thank goodness for those all-purpose sacred daggers that can always be counted on to do in the forces of evil. Saw the film in a dollar theater that was packed. When the movie ended someone in the back yelled "SUCKED!" and everyone laughed heartily. Whatever happened to Julian Sands? Seems like he did this and then Boxing Helena and that pretty much killed his career until he showed up on "24" last season. 2/14/2009 8:36:52 PMTitle: 'Warlock: The Armageddon'Rated: RWritten by: David Twohy and Kevin RockDirector: Anthony HickoxStarring: Julian Sands as Warlock Chris Young as Kenny Travis Paula Marshall as Samantha Ellison Tagline: "When He Comes...All Hell Breaks Loose!" By Scott Foy aka The Foywonder (and also of Dread Central) Pre-screening memories: Scott bulletted some items that he recalled when he viewed Warlock: The Armageddon on its opening weekend in 1993 (and, subsequnetly, a second time in a bargain theater, where it presumably landed a week later): The film was put out by Trimark. I rather miss that company. For a short while there they seemed to be the heir apparents of Cannon. I recall kind of enjoying the film, even though I was fully aware it wasn't a very good film, certainly inferior to the original that I still think is a very underrated movie. The original had some dumb humor, but the sequel was just plain dumb all the way through. Still better than the third installment, Warlock III: The End of Innocence. The sequel adopted more of a Freddy Krueger-ish tone. Warlock became more of a mocking slasher who killed in twisted, often comically ironic fashion: turning the guy into a warped piece of art and making a Picasso joke, shooting people with his finger during a high noon-style showdown and saying "Happy trails, partner." Very much dates the movie. When someone flies you high up into the air in exchange for a particular object you possess never give that person the object until they've put your feet back on the ground. The whole concept of gathering these unholy runestones just seemed dumb and less imaginative than the previous film seeking the book containing the name of God which when spoken would undo creation. Also thought it was rather dopey how these runes were scattered all over yet not only did the Warlock get from place to place with such ease, most of those places were unlikely: a fashion show, a corporate office, a freaking funhouse for goodness sake. Psychic midget! Unconvincing concept of these modern druids living in the US and all played by recognizable character actors so cast against type in the role that they're impossible to believe. Leader of the group actor didn't sound at all convincing when he'd explain the magic to the teens. Seem to recall that they were awfully unprepared to deal with the Warlock considering preventing the Warlock from getting his hands on these stones was their sole purpose. The whole magical teen warriors concept also felt like a product of the time it was made. Seem to remember thinking I was willing to believe their powers being more likely than their romance. Her character was a bit too whiny. His character was an annoying dweeb. Not exactly what I imagined Satan would look like. Devil looked like a photo negative of the demon dogs from Ghostbusters. Seeing Satan crawling out of the pit left me wondering how exactly this quadraped demon was going to unleash Armageddon. There always has to be an eclipse involved in these things, doesn't there? Warlock's demise was awfully easy. Thank goodness for those all-purpose sacred daggers that can always be counted on to do in the forces of evil. Saw the film in a dollar theater that was packed. When the movie ended someone in the back yelled "SUCKED!" and everyone laughed heartily. Whatever happened to Julian Sands? Seems like he did this and then Boxing Helena and that pretty much killed his career until he showed up on "24" last season. http://www.spout.com/groups/Natsukashi/Episode_XXIII_Nightmare_on_Elm_Street_3_Dream_Wa/592/36173/1/ShowPost.aspx Post Subject: Episode XXIII: Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Group Name: Natsukashi
Last Post By: usesoap
Post Date: 10/10/2008 7:38:04 PM
Body: Film: Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream WarriorsRated: R Directed by: Chuck Russell Written by: Wes Craven, Bruce Wagner, Chuck Russell, Frank Darabont Starring: Patricia Arquette as Kirsten Craig Wasson as Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson John Saxon as Larry Fishburne as Max Tagline: If You Think You'll Get Out Alive, You Must Be Dreaming. By: Bo from Last Blog on the Left Pre-screening memories: A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American horror classic. Wes Craven’s original chiller took horror into the dreams of teenagers, threatening audiences with a terrifying mantra: If you die in your sleep, you die for real. It was effective and genuinely disturbing. Unfortunately, there was a sequel. The follow-up, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge was done without the involvement of Craven, and boy does it ever show. Enter A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner were given a polish by Chuck Russell (who also directed) and Frank Darabont, and the result was a movie I must have seen a half dozen times during my youth. There were images that stuck in my mind, mostly that of a wonderfully gratuitous nude scene and the Harryhausen-esque battle with a skeletal Freddy Krueger at the film’s conclusion. By the time Dream Warriors came along, I was already a horror fan, but this was one that found a place on the video shelf, recorded from HBO back in the old VHS days, and watched on many a dark night. There was something appealing about it, and I had very fond memories of the inventive uses of Krueger as dream villain in the movie. In particular, Freddy as a giant snake stuck out as a particularly fun moment, including the creature almost swallowing a victim whole. I was apprehensive about seeing this again, mostly because I liked remembering this movie fondly. There is nothing more disheartening than returning to a movie that has so much nostalgia value, only to find that it has lost all its appeal, and you have lost a tiny piece of your childhood. New memories: As I watched it as an adult, with more than 15 years between viewings, I reminded myself that even if it lost its sheen, it still held a place of honor in my memory. What I realized halfway through the film was that I was having a good time. The plot is clever enough: Kirsten, played by Patricia Arquette in a very early role, if not her first, is having dreams of the burned and malicious Freddy. What’s worse, Freddy’s modus operandi is to kill children in such a way that the kids appear to have committed suicide. Kirsten is interrupted before Freddy succeeds, but she gets some wicked cuts on her wrists that lead to her institutionalization. There, she meets a group of fellow Freddy survivors who insist they are being hunted in their dreams, but the doctors overseeing them, led by Craig Wasson in the role of Dr. Neil Gordon, aren’t buying it. In steps Nancy Thompson, the survivor of Elm Street 1, now a therapist specializing in dream research. Assigned to the hospital, she takes up the kids’ cause in an attempt to save them. More interestingly, Dr. Gordon is having visions of a nun who reveals the secrets of Freddy’s past and the method of his destruction. As he pursues the remains of Freddy, the adolescent patients discover that Kristen can draw them together in Freddy’s dream world, and that they possess special powers there, powers that may save them. It’s actually a pretty compelling plot, not without some goofy turns, but it feels ambitious and complete. I’d be curious to know just how much Frank (The Shawshank Redemption, The Mist) Darabont contributed to the script, but it’s a decent effort and head and shoulders above the previous sequel. There are some downsides, of course. Heather Langenkamp just isn’t a great actress, and her turn here as Nancy is frequently awkward. Craig Wasson appears to be forever teetering on the brink of confusion. The kids, on the other hand, are pretty damn good. Patricia Arquette has a shrill scream that belongs in this sort of film, and an early performance by Jennifer Rubin as Taryn is also noteworthy. Throw in Laurence Fishburne as the kindly orderly Max, and the return of John Saxon as Nancy’s pop is a blast. The effects hold up well, too, especially the creative uses of Freddy in various forms, the first time in the series Freddy finds himself morphing into a variety of guises to stalk his victims. The whole movie plays down the straight horror of the original to tell a more fun adolescent adventure. The themes of youth versus authority and faith versus science pop up, but the movie never feels distracted from moving the plot along to the fairly satisfying ending. The revelations of Freddy’s parentage leads to the best line of the film (“The bastard son of a hundred maniacs.”) and don’t feel like a reach, and the moment when Freddy reveals the fates of his victims is sufficiently creepy. Also, there’s a hokey reunion between Nancy and her father that ends in a nice, dark surprise. I feel like Dream Warriors is one of the more successful sequels in the realm of horror, if flawed and a bit dated. The schlocky subtitle aside, the series could and should have ended here. It was a fitting resolution and offered real fun. This isn’t a movie I see myself returning to again and again, but every decade or so, it may just find its way into the DVD player to remind myself that not every film from childhood is worse than you remember, and that Dokken still rocks. Find out why Bo still suffers from night sweats after so many years after Dream Warriors by listening to the podcast by, downloading it here
]]>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:38:04 GMTEpisode XXIII: Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream WarriorsNatsukashiFilm: Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream WarriorsRated: R Directed by: Chuck Russell Written by: Wes Craven, Bruce Wagner, Chuck Russell, Frank Darabont Starring: Patricia Arquette as Kirsten Craig Wasson as Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson John Saxon as Larry Fishburne as Max Tagline: If You Think You'll Get Out Alive, You Must Be Dreaming. By: Bo from Last Blog on the Left Pre-screening memories: A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American horror classic. Wes Craven’s original chiller took horror into the dreams of teenagers, threatening audiences with a terrifying mantra: If you die in your sleep, you die for real. It was effective and genuinely disturbing. Unfortunately, there was a sequel. The follow-up, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge was done without the involvement of Craven, and boy does it ever show. Enter A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner were given a polish by Chuck Russell (who also directed) and Frank Darabont, and the result was a movie I must have seen a half dozen times during my youth. There were images that stuck in my mind, mostly that of a wonderfully gratuitous nude scene and the Harryhausen-esque battle with a skeletal Freddy Krueger at the film’s conclusion. By the time Dream Warriors came along, I was already a horror fan, but this was one that found a place on the video shelf, recorded from HBO back in the old VHS days, and watched on many a dark night. There was something appealing about it, and I had very fond memories of the inventive uses of Krueger as dream villain in the movie. In particular, Freddy as a giant snake stuck out as a particularly fun moment, including the creature almost swallowing a victim whole. I was apprehensive about seeing this again, mostly because I liked remembering this movie fondly. There is nothing more disheartening than returning to a movie that has so much nostalgia value, only to find that it has lost all its appeal, and you have lost a tiny piece of your childhood. New memories: As I watched it as an adult, with more than 15 years between viewings, I reminded myself that even if it lost its sheen, it still held a place of honor in my memory. What I realized halfway through the film was that I was having a good time. The plot is clever enough: Kirsten, played by Patricia Arquette in a very early role, if not her first, is having dreams of the burned and malicious Freddy. What’s worse, Freddy’s modus operandi is to kill children in such a way that the kids appear to have committed suicide. Kirsten is interrupted before Freddy succeeds, but she gets some wicked cuts on her wrists that lead to her institutionalization. There, she meets a group of fellow Freddy survivors who insist they are being hunted in their dreams, but the doctors overseeing them, led by Craig Wasson in the role of Dr. Neil Gordon, aren’t buying it. In steps Nancy Thompson, the survivor of Elm Street 1, now a therapist specializing in dream research. Assigned to the hospital, she takes up the kids’ cause in an attempt to save them. More interestingly, Dr. Gordon is having visions of a nun who reveals the secrets of Freddy’s past and the method of his destruction. As he pursues the remains of Freddy, the adolescent patients discover that Kristen can draw them together in Freddy’s dream world, and that they possess special powers there, powers that may save them. It’s actually a pretty compelling plot, not without some goofy turns, but it feels ambitious and complete. I’d be curious to know just how much Frank (The Shawshank Redemption, The Mist) Darabont contributed to the script, but it’s a decent effort and head and shoulders above the previous sequel. There are some downsides, of course. Heather Langenkamp just isn’t a great actress, and her turn here as Nancy is frequently awkward. Craig Wasson appears to be forever teetering on the brink of confusion. The kids, on the other hand, are pretty damn good. Patricia Arquette has a shrill scream that belongs in this sort of film, and an early performance by Jennifer Rubin as Taryn is also noteworthy. Throw in Laurence Fishburne as the kindly orderly Max, and the return of John Saxon as Nancy’s pop is a blast. The effects hold up well, too, especially the creative uses of Freddy in various forms, the first time in the series Freddy finds himself morphing into a variety of guises to stalk his victims. The whole movie plays down the straight horror of the original to tell a more fun adolescent adventure. The themes of youth versus authority and faith versus science pop up, but the movie never feels distracted from moving the plot along to the fairly satisfying ending. The revelations of Freddy’s parentage leads to the best line of the film (“The bastard son of a hundred maniacs.”) and don’t feel like a reach, and the moment when Freddy reveals the fates of his victims is sufficiently creepy. Also, there’s a hokey reunion between Nancy and her father that ends in a nice, dark surprise. I feel like Dream Warriors is one of the more successful sequels in the realm of horror, if flawed and a bit dated. The schlocky subtitle aside, the series could and should have ended here. It was a fitting resolution and offered real fun. This isn’t a movie I see myself returning to again and again, but every decade or so, it may just find its way into the DVD player to remind myself that not every film from childhood is worse than you remember, and that Dokken still rocks. Find out why Bo still suffers from night sweats after so many years after Dream Warriors by listening to the podcast by, downloading it here 10/10/2008 7:38:04 PMFilm: Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream WarriorsRated: R Directed by: Chuck Russell Written by: Wes Craven, Bruce Wagner, Chuck Russell, Frank Darabont Starring: Patricia Arquette as Kirsten Craig Wasson as Heather Langenkamp as Nancy Thompson John Saxon as Larry Fishburne as Max Tagline: If You Think You'll Get Out Alive, You Must Be Dreaming. By: Bo from Last Blog on the Left Pre-screening memories: A Nightmare on Elm Street is an American horror classic. Wes Craven’s original chiller took horror into the dreams of teenagers, threatening audiences with a terrifying mantra: If you die in your sleep, you die for real. It was effective and genuinely disturbing. Unfortunately, there was a sequel. The follow-up, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge was done without the involvement of Craven, and boy does it ever show. Enter A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner were given a polish by Chuck Russell (who also directed) and Frank Darabont, and the result was a movie I must have seen a half dozen times during my youth. There were images that stuck in my mind, mostly that of a wonderfully gratuitous nude scene and the Harryhausen-esque battle with a skeletal Freddy Krueger at the film’s conclusion. By the time Dream Warriors came along, I was already a horror fan, but this was one that found a place on the video shelf, recorded from HBO back in the old VHS days, and watched on many a dark night. There was something appealing about it, and I had very fond memories of the inventive uses of Krueger as dream villain in the movie. In particular, Freddy as a giant snake stuck out as a particularly fun moment, including the creature almost swallowing a victim whole. I was apprehensive about seeing this again, mostly because I liked remembering this movie fondly. There is nothing more disheartening than returning to a movie that has so much nostalgia value, only to find that it has lost all its appeal, and you have lost a tiny piece of your childhood. New memories: As I watched it as an adult, with more than 15 years between viewings, I reminded myself that even if it lost its sheen, it still held a place of honor in my memory. What I realized halfway through the film was that I was having a good time. The plot is clever enough: Kirsten, played by Patricia Arquette in a very early role, if not her first, is having dreams of the burned and malicious Freddy. What’s worse, Freddy’s modus operandi is to kill children in such a way that the kids appear to have committed suicide. Kirsten is interrupted before Freddy succeeds, but she gets some wicked cuts on her wrists that lead to her institutionalization. There, she meets a group of fellow Freddy survivors who insist they are being hunted in their dreams, but the doctors overseeing them, led by Craig Wasson in the role of Dr. Neil Gordon, aren’t buying it. In steps Nancy Thompson, the survivor of Elm Street 1, now a therapist specializing in dream research. Assigned to the hospital, she takes up the kids’ cause in an attempt to save them. More interestingly, Dr. Gordon is having visions of a nun who reveals the secrets of Freddy’s past and the method of his destruction. As he pursues the remains of Freddy, the adolescent patients discover that Kristen can draw them together in Freddy’s dream world, and that they possess special powers there, powers that may save them. It’s actually a pretty compelling plot, not without some goofy turns, but it feels ambitious and complete. I’d be curious to know just how much Frank (The Shawshank Redemption, The Mist) Darabont contributed to the script, but it’s a decent effort and head and shoulders above the previous sequel. There are some downsides, of course. Heather Langenkamp just isn’t a great actress, and her turn here as Nancy is frequently awkward. Craig Wasson appears to be forever teetering on the brink of confusion. The kids, on the other hand, are pretty damn good. Patricia Arquette has a shrill scream that belongs in this sort of film, and an early performance by Jennifer Rubin as Taryn is also noteworthy. Throw in Laurence Fishburne as the kindly orderly Max, and the return of John Saxon as Nancy’s pop is a blast. The effects hold up well, too, especially the creative uses of Freddy in various forms, the first time in the series Freddy finds himself morphing into a variety of guises to stalk his victims. The whole movie plays down the straight horror of the original to tell a more fun adolescent adventure. The themes of youth versus authority and faith versus science pop up, but the movie never feels distracted from moving the plot along to the fairly satisfying ending. The revelations of Freddy’s parentage leads to the best line of the film (“The bastard son of a hundred maniacs.”) and don’t feel like a reach, and the moment when Freddy reveals the fates of his victims is sufficiently creepy. Also, there’s a hokey reunion between Nancy and her father that ends in a nice, dark surprise. I feel like Dream Warriors is one of the more successful sequels in the realm of horror, if flawed and a bit dated. The schlocky subtitle aside, the series could and should have ended here. It was a fitting resolution and offered real fun. This isn’t a movie I see myself returning to again and again, but every decade or so, it may just find its way into the DVD player to remind myself that not every film from childhood is worse than you remember, and that Dokken still rocks. Find out why Bo still suffers from night sweats after so many years after Dream Warriors by listening to the podcast by, downloading it here http://www.spout.com/groups/Natsukashi/Episode_XXII_Hooper/592/36172/1/ShowPost.aspx Post Subject: Episode XXII: Hooper
Group Name: Natsukashi
Last Post By: usesoap
Post Date: 10/10/2008 7:29:51 PM
Body: Film: Hooper (1978)Rated: PGDirected by: Hal NeedhamWritten by: Walt Green and Walter HerdonStarring: Burt Reynolds as Sonny Hooper Sally Field as Gwen Doyle James Best as Cully Jan-Michael Vincent as 'Ski' Chinski Brian Keith as Jocko DoyleTagline: "Ain't nobody can fly a car like Hooper!" By George Kaplan Roger Thornhill Pre-screening memories: If the '70s had a Johnny Knoxville, his name was Evel Knievel. His death-defying acts inspired millions of young kneee-scrapers to shatter bones they had not even learned about yet in science class. Of course, his stunts were much more of a spectacle than the rag-tag Jackass gang -- flaming hoops, rocket-powered cars, etc. But it spawned a cottage industry of carelessness as we took to our BMX bikes, attempting to duplicate such feats of derring-do. He also helped shine a temporary light on the unsung hero of the film and television industry -- the stuntman. Hal Needham, a former stuntman himself, seized on this opportunity as a director, and played to the good ol' boy masses that like to see things get blowed up read good. Filling his films with gears and beers, his films were like porn to this 9 year old. I wanted to be Sonny Hooper. Forget the fact that it was still another severn years until I was to get my driver's license, I could still emulate all the stunts with my Mongoose BMX bike and a few piles of strategically placed dirt. To me, Sonny Hooper was the real deal. Even if all of his stunts were actually done by someone else. Was George Kaplan Roger Thornhill still doing wheelies on his repeat viewing of Hooper? Check out the podcast here,
]]>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:29:51 GMTEpisode XXII: HooperNatsukashiFilm: Hooper (1978)Rated: PGDirected by: Hal NeedhamWritten by: Walt Green and Walter HerdonStarring: Burt Reynolds as Sonny Hooper Sally Field as Gwen Doyle James Best as Cully Jan-Michael Vincent as 'Ski' Chinski Brian Keith as Jocko DoyleTagline: "Ain't nobody can fly a car like Hooper!" By George Kaplan Roger Thornhill Pre-screening memories: If the '70s had a Johnny Knoxville, his name was Evel Knievel. His death-defying acts inspired millions of young kneee-scrapers to shatter bones they had not even learned about yet in science class. Of course, his stunts were much more of a spectacle than the rag-tag Jackass gang -- flaming hoops, rocket-powered cars, etc. But it spawned a cottage industry of carelessness as we took to our BMX bikes, attempting to duplicate such feats of derring-do. He also helped shine a temporary light on the unsung hero of the film and television industry -- the stuntman. Hal Needham, a former stuntman himself, seized on this opportunity as a director, and played to the good ol' boy masses that like to see things get blowed up read good. Filling his films with gears and beers, his films were like porn to this 9 year old. I wanted to be Sonny Hooper. Forget the fact that it was still another severn years until I was to get my driver's license, I could still emulate all the stunts with my Mongoose BMX bike and a few piles of strategically placed dirt. To me, Sonny Hooper was the real deal. Even if all of his stunts were actually done by someone else. Was George Kaplan Roger Thornhill still doing wheelies on his repeat viewing of Hooper? Check out the podcast here, 10/10/2008 7:29:51 PMFilm: Hooper (1978)Rated: PGDirected by: Hal NeedhamWritten by: Walt Green and Walter HerdonStarring: Burt Reynolds as Sonny Hooper Sally Field as Gwen Doyle James Best as Cully Jan-Michael Vincent as 'Ski' Chinski Brian Keith as Jocko DoyleTagline: "Ain't nobody can fly a car like Hooper!" By George Kaplan Roger Thornhill Pre-screening memories: If the '70s had a Johnny Knoxville, his name was Evel Knievel. His death-defying acts inspired millions of young kneee-scrapers to shatter bones they had not even learned about yet in science class. Of course, his stunts were much more of a spectacle than the rag-tag Jackass gang -- flaming hoops, rocket-powered cars, etc. But it spawned a cottage industry of carelessness as we took to our BMX bikes, attempting to duplicate such feats of derring-do. He also helped shine a temporary light on the unsung hero of the film and television industry -- the stuntman. Hal Needham, a former stuntman himself, seized on this opportunity as a director, and played to the good ol' boy masses that like to see things get blowed up read good. Filling his films with gears and beers, his films were like porn to this 9 year old. I wanted to be Sonny Hooper. Forget the fact that it was still another severn years until I was to get my driver's license, I could still emulate all the stunts with my Mongoose BMX bike and a few piles of strategically placed dirt. To me, Sonny Hooper was the real deal. Even if all of his stunts were actually done by someone else. Was George Kaplan Roger Thornhill still doing wheelies on his repeat viewing of Hooper? Check out the podcast here, http://www.spout.com/groups/Natsukashi/Episode_XXI_Night_of_the_Demons/592/36170/1/ShowPost.aspx Post Subject: Episode XXI: Night of the Demons
Group Name: Natsukashi
Last Post By: usesoap
Post Date: 10/10/2008 7:27:45 PM
Body: Title: Night of the Demons (1988)Rated: RDirected by: Kevin TenneyStarring: Linnea Quigley as Suzanne Amelia Kinkaid as Angela Billy Gallo as SalTagline: "Angela is having a party...Freddy and Jason are too scared to come. But you'll have a hell of a time." By Shelley Stillo Pre-screening memories: When people ask me to recommend a legitimately scary movie, I'll usually say Nightmare on Elm Street or Night of the Demons. Trouble is, I don't remember the first thing about Night of the Demons. Sitting down to write these pre-screening memories has revealed to me that I can honestly only conjure up one scene from the entire movie. And what I remember isn't really scary. So why has this film stuck with me all of these years? It may be because I also remember it as one of the naughtiest films I've ever seen. I don't remember why, but I do know that my prudish 12-year-old self was shocked by this film. And if there is any stage when fear and sex combined are going to make their strongest impression, it would be the preteen years. I'm not sure, given the fact that I've oft thought about this film, why I haven't taken the opportunity to revisit it before. One reason might be that, as I got older and started enjoying my horror with company, I was afraid the film would be even naughtier than I remembered, and lead to an embarrassing group viewing experience. (This has really happened to me--more than once--with the odd anime screening). The one scene I do remember from the film does nothing to underscore either the films' scariness nor its naughtiness. It is a "Twilight Zone"-style morality moment that occurs at the end of the film. At some point in the movie, we are introduced to an elderly man who plans to put razor blades in his apples on Halloween night. In the final moments of the film, his wife decides to bake him an apple pie. He realizes, with shock, horror, and dismay, that the pie has been made of left over apples just as several razor blades cut through his throat. How he managed to chew and swallow the razor blades without noticing them, and while leaving them intact enough to cut through his flesh, is anyone's guess. When his wife smiles at the end of the film, we realize that she has killed him on purpose, likely as revenge for his feeding razor blades to the kids in the first place. I'm sure, as an avid watcher of weekly television horror and sci-fi programs, I didn't find this moment in the least scary, but I was satisfied with the joke. New memories: Immediately after I re-viewed this film, I was fairly stunned that I'd remembered it at all. It was still plenty naughty, maybe a little more than other '80s horrors (though certainly no more naughty than Revenge of the Nerds), but it wasn't scary, or even that interesting. It has a very standard plot: a group of teens, featuring all the typical players -- the good girl, the 'greaser,' the token black guy, the goth girl, the slut, the party couple, etc. -- break into an abandoned funeral parlor to throw a Halloween party. They decide to hold a seance and unknowingly unleash a demonic force that commences to possess the party guests one by one. Who will survive to party another day? I kept thinking about the movie though. It would have been easy to say "well, what a 12 year old found appealing in 1988 just isn't appealing anymore." But I couldn't just leave it at that because this movie continues to have a very solid reputation among horror fans; yes, even those who have seen it recently as adults. I kept trying to think what could make this movie "hold up" for so many people. One reason is certainly the appearance of horror goddess Linnea Quigley in the film, who teases here certainly capitalize on her tombstone striptease from Return of the Living Dead. But I think the real appeal of this film is how it simply embraces the genre, its heights and its foibles. It never moves into the realm of horror comedy, but it doesn't take itself seriously. Without pretension, it uses the tools -- self consciously, I'm beginning to suspect -- the genre provides and runs riot with them. So, unless you're trying to recapture an experience that is 15 years gone, and mostly forgotten, it is easy to get into the spirit of the film and go revel in the fun. It's not a film that exceeds genre expectations, but its not a soulless regurgitation of them either. Would Shelley still accept the invitation to the party? Find out here
]]>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:27:45 GMTEpisode XXI: Night of the DemonsNatsukashiTitle: Night of the Demons (1988)Rated: RDirected by: Kevin TenneyStarring: Linnea Quigley as Suzanne Amelia Kinkaid as Angela Billy Gallo as SalTagline: "Angela is having a party...Freddy and Jason are too scared to come. But you'll have a hell of a time." By Shelley Stillo Pre-screening memories: When people ask me to recommend a legitimately scary movie, I'll usually say Nightmare on Elm Street or Night of the Demons. Trouble is, I don't remember the first thing about Night of the Demons. Sitting down to write these pre-screening memories has revealed to me that I can honestly only conjure up one scene from the entire movie. And what I remember isn't really scary. So why has this film stuck with me all of these years? It may be because I also remember it as one of the naughtiest films I've ever seen. I don't remember why, but I do know that my prudish 12-year-old self was shocked by this film. And if there is any stage when fear and sex combined are going to make their strongest impression, it would be the preteen years. I'm not sure, given the fact that I've oft thought about this film, why I haven't taken the opportunity to revisit it before. One reason might be that, as I got older and started enjoying my horror with company, I was afraid the film would be even naughtier than I remembered, and lead to an embarrassing group viewing experience. (This has really happened to me--more than once--with the odd anime screening). The one scene I do remember from the film does nothing to underscore either the films' scariness nor its naughtiness. It is a "Twilight Zone"-style morality moment that occurs at the end of the film. At some point in the movie, we are introduced to an elderly man who plans to put razor blades in his apples on Halloween night. In the final moments of the film, his wife decides to bake him an apple pie. He realizes, with shock, horror, and dismay, that the pie has been made of left over apples just as several razor blades cut through his throat. How he managed to chew and swallow the razor blades without noticing them, and while leaving them intact enough to cut through his flesh, is anyone's guess. When his wife smiles at the end of the film, we realize that she has killed him on purpose, likely as revenge for his feeding razor blades to the kids in the first place. I'm sure, as an avid watcher of weekly television horror and sci-fi programs, I didn't find this moment in the least scary, but I was satisfied with the joke. New memories: Immediately after I re-viewed this film, I was fairly stunned that I'd remembered it at all. It was still plenty naughty, maybe a little more than other '80s horrors (though certainly no more naughty than Revenge of the Nerds), but it wasn't scary, or even that interesting. It has a very standard plot: a group of teens, featuring all the typical players -- the good girl, the 'greaser,' the token black guy, the goth girl, the slut, the party couple, etc. -- break into an abandoned funeral parlor to throw a Halloween party. They decide to hold a seance and unknowingly unleash a demonic force that commences to possess the party guests one by one. Who will survive to party another day? I kept thinking about the movie though. It would have been easy to say "well, what a 12 year old found appealing in 1988 just isn't appealing anymore." But I couldn't just leave it at that because this movie continues to have a very solid reputation among horror fans; yes, even those who have seen it recently as adults. I kept trying to think what could make this movie "hold up" for so many people. One reason is certainly the appearance of horror goddess Linnea Quigley in the film, who teases here certainly capitalize on her tombstone striptease from Return of the Living Dead. But I think the real appeal of this film is how it simply embraces the genre, its heights and its foibles. It never moves into the realm of horror comedy, but it doesn't take itself seriously. Without pretension, it uses the tools -- self consciously, I'm beginning to suspect -- the genre provides and runs riot with them. So, unless you're trying to recapture an experience that is 15 years gone, and mostly forgotten, it is easy to get into the spirit of the film and go revel in the fun. It's not a film that exceeds genre expectations, but its not a soulless regurgitation of them either. Would Shelley still accept the invitation to the party? Find out here 10/10/2008 7:27:45 PMTitle: Night of the Demons (1988)Rated: RDirected by: Kevin TenneyStarring: Linnea Quigley as Suzanne Amelia Kinkaid as Angela Billy Gallo as SalTagline: "Angela is having a party...Freddy and Jason are too scared to come. But you'll have a hell of a time." By Shelley Stillo Pre-screening memories: When people ask me to recommend a legitimately scary movie, I'll usually say Nightmare on Elm Street or Night of the Demons. Trouble is, I don't remember the first thing about Night of the Demons. Sitting down to write these pre-screening memories has revealed to me that I can honestly only conjure up one scene from the entire movie. And what I remember isn't really scary. So why has this film stuck with me all of these years? It may be because I also remember it as one of the naughtiest films I've ever seen. I don't remember why, but I do know that my prudish 12-year-old self was shocked by this film. And if there is any stage when fear and sex combined are going to make their strongest impression, it would be the preteen years. I'm not sure, given the fact that I've oft thought about this film, why I haven't taken the opportunity to revisit it before. One reason might be that, as I got older and started enjoying my horror with company, I was afraid the film would be even naughtier than I remembered, and lead to an embarrassing group viewing experience. (This has really happened to me--more than once--with the odd anime screening). The one scene I do remember from the film does nothing to underscore either the films' scariness nor its naughtiness. It is a "Twilight Zone"-style morality moment that occurs at the end of the film. At some point in the movie, we are introduced to an elderly man who plans to put razor blades in his apples on Halloween night. In the final moments of the film, his wife decides to bake him an apple pie. He realizes, with shock, horror, and dismay, that the pie has been made of left over apples just as several razor blades cut through his throat. How he managed to chew and swallow the razor blades without noticing them, and while leaving them intact enough to cut through his flesh, is anyone's guess. When his wife smiles at the end of the film, we realize that she has killed him on purpose, likely as revenge for his feeding razor blades to the kids in the first place. I'm sure, as an avid watcher of weekly television horror and sci-fi programs, I didn't find this moment in the least scary, but I was satisfied with the joke. New memories: Immediately after I re-viewed this film, I was fairly stunned that I'd remembered it at all. It was still plenty naughty, maybe a little more than other '80s horrors (though certainly no more naughty than Revenge of the Nerds), but it wasn't scary, or even that interesting. It has a very standard plot: a group of teens, featuring all the typical players -- the good girl, the 'greaser,' the token black guy, the goth girl, the slut, the party couple, etc. -- break into an abandoned funeral parlor to throw a Halloween party. They decide to hold a seance and unknowingly unleash a demonic force that commences to possess the party guests one by one. Who will survive to party another day? I kept thinking about the movie though. It would have been easy to say "well, what a 12 year old found appealing in 1988 just isn't appealing anymore." But I couldn't just leave it at that because this movie continues to have a very solid reputation among horror fans; yes, even those who have seen it recently as adults. I kept trying to think what could make this movie "hold up" for so many people. One reason is certainly the appearance of horror goddess Linnea Quigley in the film, who teases here certainly capitalize on her tombstone striptease from Return of the Living Dead. But I think the real appeal of this film is how it simply embraces the genre, its heights and its foibles. It never moves into the realm of horror comedy, but it doesn't take itself seriously. Without pretension, it uses the tools -- self consciously, I'm beginning to suspect -- the genre provides and runs riot with them. So, unless you're trying to recapture an experience that is 15 years gone, and mostly forgotten, it is easy to get into the spirit of the film and go revel in the fun. It's not a film that exceeds genre expectations, but its not a soulless regurgitation of them either. Would Shelley still accept the invitation to the party? Find out here http://www.spout.com/groups/Natsukashi/Episode_XX_Ernest_Scared_Stupid/592/36104/1/ShowPost.aspx Post Subject: Episode XX: 'Ernest Scared Stupid'
Group Name: Natsukashi
Last Post By: usesoap
Post Date: 10/9/2008 2:48:14 PM
Body: Title: Ernest Scared Stupid (1990)Rated: PGDirected by: John Cherry IIIStarring: Jim Varney as Ernest P. Warrell Eartha Kitt as Old Lady Hackmore Austin Nagler as Kenny Barkley as Rimshot By Whitney from dear jesus Pre-Screening Memories: People can go on and on about the as much as they want, but as far as I'm concerned, Ernest Scared Stupid is the scariest movie ever made. My memories of Ernest Scared Stupid are highly anecdotal. I remember the experience much more than the film itself, which seems only natural seeing as I was 7 and it was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. First and foremost, there was my cousin's bangs. Utah is known - in some, probably jealous, circles - for its very distinctive, early 90s hairstyles. My cousin sported what was called the “Utah Claw.” You curl the top half up, the bottom half down, and ratt ratt ratt. Beautiful. Anyway, she couldn't get it quite right and my entire family was late to the movie because of it. I remember a lot of crying, a lot of screaming, and a lot of hairspray. My mom didn't go with us, so my dad - being the less frugal of my parents - went ahead and bought us popcorn, which I thought was just the shit. As a seriously poor, dumpster-diving young family, this was one of maybe four times I remember getting popcorn in a movie theatre. On later dates we ate microwave popcorn and Tootsie Rolls out of my mom's purse. But in the case of Ernest, we gorged! And as far as the movie was concerned? Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. Let's just forget the fact that the whole plot is centered on trolls that steal children and turn them into wooden dolls, it also features the seriously scary faces of Ernest and Eartha Kitt interacting as though they were human. I wish my cousin's bangs had made us later, because if I remember correctly the beginning of the film takes place under a tree stump full of little children dolls. Being a child, and not wanting to be a doll, this was not a pleasant experience. I spent the middle section of the film on the floor, eating popcorn and hiding from the trolls. I remember the ending lightening up a bit and a mention of “Miak,” but that about sums up my memories of what I'm sure is a film classic called Ernest Scared Stupid. How stupid was Whitney scared on her repeat viewing? You can download the podcast here.
]]>Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:48:14 GMTEpisode XX: 'Ernest Scared Stupid'NatsukashiTitle: Ernest Scared Stupid (1990)Rated: PGDirected by: John Cherry IIIStarring: Jim Varney as Ernest P. Warrell Eartha Kitt as Old Lady Hackmore Austin Nagler as Kenny Barkley as Rimshot By Whitney from dear jesus Pre-Screening Memories: People can go on and on about the as much as they want, but as far as I'm concerned, Ernest Scared Stupid is the scariest movie ever made. My memories of Ernest Scared Stupid are highly anecdotal. I remember the experience much more than the film itself, which seems only natural seeing as I was 7 and it was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. First and foremost, there was my cousin's bangs. Utah is known - in some, probably jealous, circles - for its very distinctive, early 90s hairstyles. My cousin sported what was called the “Utah Claw.” You curl the top half up, the bottom half down, and ratt ratt ratt. Beautiful. Anyway, she couldn't get it quite right and my entire family was late to the movie because of it. I remember a lot of crying, a lot of screaming, and a lot of hairspray. My mom didn't go with us, so my dad - being the less frugal of my parents - went ahead and bought us popcorn, which I thought was just the shit. As a seriously poor, dumpster-diving young family, this was one of maybe four times I remember getting popcorn in a movie theatre. On later dates we ate microwave popcorn and Tootsie Rolls out of my mom's purse. But in the case of Ernest, we gorged! And as far as the movie was concerned? Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. Let's just forget the fact that the whole plot is centered on trolls that steal children and turn them into wooden dolls, it also features the seriously scary faces of Ernest and Eartha Kitt interacting as though they were human. I wish my cousin's bangs had made us later, because if I remember correctly the beginning of the film takes place under a tree stump full of little children dolls. Being a child, and not wanting to be a doll, this was not a pleasant experience. I spent the middle section of the film on the floor, eating popcorn and hiding from the trolls. I remember the ending lightening up a bit and a mention of “Miak,” but that about sums up my memories of what I'm sure is a film classic called Ernest Scared Stupid. How stupid was Whitney scared on her repeat viewing? You can download the podcast here. 10/9/2008 2:48:14 PMTitle: Ernest Scared Stupid (1990)Rated: PGDirected by: John Cherry IIIStarring: Jim Varney as Ernest P. Warrell Eartha Kitt as Old Lady Hackmore Austin Nagler as Kenny Barkley as Rimshot By Whitney from dear jesus Pre-Screening Memories: People can go on and on about the as much as they want, but as far as I'm concerned, Ernest Scared Stupid is the scariest movie ever made. My memories of Ernest Scared Stupid are highly anecdotal. I remember the experience much more than the film itself, which seems only natural seeing as I was 7 and it was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. First and foremost, there was my cousin's bangs. Utah is known - in some, probably jealous, circles - for its very distinctive, early 90s hairstyles. My cousin sported what was called the “Utah Claw.” You curl the top half up, the bottom half down, and ratt ratt ratt. Beautiful. Anyway, she couldn't get it quite right and my entire family was late to the movie because of it. I remember a lot of crying, a lot of screaming, and a lot of hairspray. My mom didn't go with us, so my dad - being the less frugal of my parents - went ahead and bought us popcorn, which I thought was just the shit. As a seriously poor, dumpster-diving young family, this was one of maybe four times I remember getting popcorn in a movie theatre. On later dates we ate microwave popcorn and Tootsie Rolls out of my mom's purse. But in the case of Ernest, we gorged! And as far as the movie was concerned? Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying. Let's just forget the fact that the whole plot is centered on trolls that steal children and turn them into wooden dolls, it also features the seriously scary faces of Ernest and Eartha Kitt interacting as though they were human. I wish my cousin's bangs had made us later, because if I remember correctly the beginning of the film takes place under a tree stump full of little children dolls. Being a child, and not wanting to be a doll, this was not a pleasant experience. I spent the middle section of the film on the floor, eating popcorn and hiding from the trolls. I remember the ending lightening up a bit and a mention of “Miak,” but that about sums up my memories of what I'm sure is a film classic called Ernest Scared Stupid. How stupid was Whitney scared on her repeat viewing? You can download the podcast here. http://www.spout.com/groups/Natsukashi/Episode_XIX_Explorers/592/36102/1/ShowPost.aspx Post Subject: Episode XIX: 'Explorers'
Group Name: Natsukashi
Last Post By: usesoap
Post Date: 10/9/2008 2:45:19 PM
Body: Title: Explorers (1985)Rated: PGDirected by: Joe DanteStarring: Ethan Hawke as Ben Crandall River Phoenix as Wolfgang Muller Jason Presson as Darren WoodsTagline: "You don't need a driver's license to reach the stars!" By: Bo from Last Blog on the Left Pre-screening memories: Ah, Explorers, I hardly remember ye. When a buddy mentioned the movie, I had to freeze in place a moment as synapses not fired in years began to reconnect and offer up flashes of spaceships and a young River Phoenix. And, then, more came. I remembered the spaceship, looking much like the riders’ car from a Tilt-a-Whirl at a local fair, and the thing that drew me to the movie in the first place: adventure. Ever a fan of the kids-on-their-own adventures like The Goonies (who are, indeed, good enough for me), and of the sci-fi flicks of my earlier years, such as Star Wars, this seemed like two great tastes that taste great together. So why has Explorers fallen off the pop culture radar while others achieved ubiquitous reverence? Who knows? Prior to viewing again, I thought perhaps it was too fluffy, the Spacecamp-like entertainment that is immediately engaging, but has no lasting value; the cinematic equivalent of the Milky Way bar. And those films have their place, the Saturday afternoon movies that you don’t feel guilty for falling asleep on, and no lingering urge to seek them out, to see what it is you missed while drooling on the arm of the couch. Explorers is the tale of three kids who start having dreams of circuit boards, which they actually build. Needless to say, it’s a fantasy. The circuit boards turn out to be a method of traveling to the stars via some sort of electric bubble. When they begin to receive strange messages while journeying in their makeshift spacecraft, they follow the signal into the stars and meet irritating aliens. This is a movie that is more heart than brain by a long shot. The spirit is so willing, too. The themes of the outcast kids banding together to do something unexpected and wonderful hits all the right notes. The first act of the movie hums along, introducing its characters well, and even treating the viewer to some post-Tron graphics that have managed to become quaint by today’s standards. The whole thing goes off the rails, though, once the trio makes it to the aliens’ ship. There are several too-long sequences that bog down the film as the kids investigate the strange alien vessel, but that’s nothing compared to the out-and-out trippiness of the aliens themselves. Apparently, they’ve had access to Earth television, which has, in fact, rotted their brains. They are schizophrenic and the scene overstays its welcome with a weird intergalactic talent show that’s about as entertaining as you remember every talent show you’ve ever seen. New memories I was happy to learn that I was correct on the Tilt-a-Whirl memory, but that was about the only solace I gained from this mess of a third act. There are hints of frivolity, such as the school named after Charles M. Jones (or good old Chuck Jones of Looney Tunes fame to you and me). There’s even a “Hey, wait, where’s the ground?!” Tunes-style joke here, but it feels so ridiculously out of place. And what about the somber kid, Darren, whose father is apparently occasionally abusive? What happened with him? Eh, I just wanted it to be over. There’s an hour’s worth of fun in Explorers, but the slop that ends the film makes it hard to suggest revisiting it. This is probably one better left in the memory banks, where time has erased the irritation. Listen to Bo's recollection of his re-entry into space with 'Explorers' here.
]]>Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:45:19 GMTEpisode XIX: 'Explorers'NatsukashiTitle: Explorers (1985)Rated: PGDirected by: Joe DanteStarring: Ethan Hawke as Ben Crandall River Phoenix as Wolfgang Muller Jason Presson as Darren WoodsTagline: "You don't need a driver's license to reach the stars!" By: Bo from Last Blog on the Left Pre-screening memories: Ah, Explorers, I hardly remember ye. When a buddy mentioned the movie, I had to freeze in place a moment as synapses not fired in years began to reconnect and offer up flashes of spaceships and a young River Phoenix. And, then, more came. I remembered the spaceship, looking much like the riders’ car from a Tilt-a-Whirl at a local fair, and the thing that drew me to the movie in the first place: adventure. Ever a fan of the kids-on-their-own adventures like The Goonies (who are, indeed, good enough for me), and of the sci-fi flicks of my earlier years, such as Star Wars, this seemed like two great tastes that taste great together. So why has Explorers fallen off the pop culture radar while others achieved ubiquitous reverence? Who knows? Prior to viewing again, I thought perhaps it was too fluffy, the Spacecamp-like entertainment that is immediately engaging, but has no lasting value; the cinematic equivalent of the Milky Way bar. And those films have their place, the Saturday afternoon movies that you don’t feel guilty for falling asleep on, and no lingering urge to seek them out, to see what it is you missed while drooling on the arm of the couch. Explorers is the tale of three kids who start having dreams of circuit boards, which they actually build. Needless to say, it’s a fantasy. The circuit boards turn out to be a method of traveling to the stars via some sort of electric bubble. When they begin to receive strange messages while journeying in their makeshift spacecraft, they follow the signal into the stars and meet irritating aliens. This is a movie that is more heart than brain by a long shot. The spirit is so willing, too. The themes of the outcast kids banding together to do something unexpected and wonderful hits all the right notes. The first act of the movie hums along, introducing its characters well, and even treating the viewer to some post-Tron graphics that have managed to become quaint by today’s standards. The whole thing goes off the rails, though, once the trio makes it to the aliens’ ship. There are several too-long sequences that bog down the film as the kids investigate the strange alien vessel, but that’s nothing compared to the out-and-out trippiness of the aliens themselves. Apparently, they’ve had access to Earth television, which has, in fact, rotted their brains. They are schizophrenic and the scene overstays its welcome with a weird intergalactic talent show that’s about as entertaining as you remember every talent show you’ve ever seen. New memories I was happy to learn that I was correct on the Tilt-a-Whirl memory, but that was about the only solace I gained from this mess of a third act. There are hints of frivolity, such as the school named after Charles M. Jones (or good old Chuck Jones of Looney Tunes fame to you and me). There’s even a “Hey, wait, where’s the ground?!” Tunes-style joke here, but it feels so ridiculously out of place. And what about the somber kid, Darren, whose father is apparently occasionally abusive? What happened with him? Eh, I just wanted it to be over. There’s an hour’s worth of fun in Explorers, but the slop that ends the film makes it hard to suggest revisiting it. This is probably one better left in the memory banks, where time has erased the irritation. Listen to Bo's recollection of his re-entry into space with 'Explorers' here. 10/9/2008 2:45:19 PMTitle: Explorers (1985)Rated: PGDirected by: Joe DanteStarring: Ethan Hawke as Ben Crandall River Phoenix as Wolfgang Muller Jason Presson as Darren WoodsTagline: "You don't need a driver's license to reach the stars!" By: Bo from Last Blog on the Left Pre-screening memories: Ah, Explorers, I hardly remember ye. When a buddy mentioned the movie, I had to freeze in place a moment as synapses not fired in years began to reconnect and offer up flashes of spaceships and a young River Phoenix. And, then, more came. I remembered the spaceship, looking much like the riders’ car from a Tilt-a-Whirl at a local fair, and the thing that drew me to the movie in the first place: adventure. Ever a fan of the kids-on-their-own adventures like The Goonies (who are, indeed, good enough for me), and of the sci-fi flicks of my earlier years, such as Star Wars, this seemed like two great tastes that taste great together. So why has Explorers fallen off the pop culture radar while others achieved ubiquitous reverence? Who knows? Prior to viewing again, I thought perhaps it was too fluffy, the Spacecamp-like entertainment that is immediately engaging, but has no lasting value; the cinematic equivalent of the Milky Way bar. And those films have their place, the Saturday afternoon movies that you don’t feel guilty for falling asleep on, and no lingering urge to seek them out, to see what it is you missed while drooling on the arm of the couch. Explorers is the tale of three kids who start having dreams of circuit boards, which they actually build. Needless to say, it’s a fantasy. The circuit boards turn out to be a method of traveling to the stars via some sort of electric bubble. When they begin to receive strange messages while journeying in their makeshift spacecraft, they follow the signal into the stars and meet irritating aliens. This is a movie that is more heart than brain by a long shot. The spirit is so willing, too. The themes of the outcast kids banding together to do something unexpected and wonderful hits all the right notes. The first act of the movie hums along, introducing its characters well, and even treating the viewer to some post-Tron graphics that have managed to become quaint by today’s standards. The whole thing goes off the rails, though, once the trio makes it to the aliens’ ship. There are several too-long sequences that bog down the film as the kids investigate the strange alien vessel, but that’s nothing compared to the out-and-out trippiness of the aliens themselves. Apparently, they’ve had access to Earth television, which has, in fact, rotted their brains. They are schizophrenic and the scene overstays its welcome with a weird intergalactic talent show that’s about as entertaining as you remember every talent show you’ve ever seen. New memories I was happy to learn that I was correct on the Tilt-a-Whirl memory, but that was about the only solace I gained from this mess of a third act. There are hints of frivolity, such as the school named after Charles M. Jones (or good old Chuck Jones of Looney Tunes fame to you and me). There’s even a “Hey, wait, where’s the ground?!” Tunes-style joke here, but it feels so ridiculously out of place. And what about the somber kid, Darren, whose father is apparently occasionally abusive? What happened with him? Eh, I just wanted it to be over. There’s an hour’s worth of fun in Explorers, but the slop that ends the film makes it hard to suggest revisiting it. This is probably one better left in the memory banks, where time has erased the irritation. Listen to Bo's recollection of his re-entry into space with 'Explorers' here. http://www.spout.com/groups/Natsukashi/Episode_XVI_The_Giant_of_Marathon/592/34791/1/ShowPost.aspx Post Subject: Episode XVI: The Giant of Marathon
Group Name: Natsukashi
Last Post By: usesoap
Post Date: 9/5/2008 11:43:01 AM
Body: Film: The Giant of Marathon (La Battaglia di Maratona, 1959) Rated: No ratingDirected by: Jacques TourneurStarring: Steve Reeves as Philippides Mylène Demongeot as Andromeda Daniela Rocca as Karis Sergio Fantoni as TheocritusTagline: A Giant Among Men in a Gigantic Spectacle! By Marilyn Ferdinand from Ferdy on Films, etc. Pre-screening memories: I managed to dredge up one film that planted three scenes indelibly in my mind: The Giant of Marathon. Because the film came out in 1959, when I was 4 years old, and it’s not the kind of film that would have been revived only a few years from its premiere, I’m sure I didn’t see it at a theatre. I’m almost positive I saw it on TV because I generally I spent my Saturday afternoons in front of our TV in the basement. A very popular type of film for the networks to show in those days were Italian sword-and-sandal epics. I watched Greek mythology and history paraded in front of me week after week and took great delight in trying to see how well the English dubbing matched the lips of the mainly Italian performers. It was during these afternoons that I became intimately acquainted with the special effects of Ray Harryhausen , whose films I still take pleasure in viewing today. Somehow, the only one of those films that really stuck with me, other than the Harryhausen films, was The Giant of Marathon. Even though I hadn’t seen it since the 1960s, I remembered its name and these images: 1. The tiny figure of a man lifting a giant boulder and throwing it onto the Persian army fighting below on an open plain. 2. A dark-haired woman running from some burning bodies and being struck in the back with an arrow. Her blue, chiffon dress turned purple as a perfect circle of blood oozed from her back. 3. Men underwater being struck through and through with arrows fired by men in a boat above them. I placed the DVD of this movie in my player and rewatched The Giant of Marathon to see if the rest of it looked familiar and whether my memories were accurate. To the first part of that sentence, the answer is “no.” To the second part, I can say “yes,” but the first two scenes didn’t happen the way I remembered them. The story basically tells about the history of the marathon foot race as it recounts the battle between Greek city-states, united in opposition to a common enemy, the Persians. Philippines is the “giant” of the title, overall winner of the ancient Olympic Games and a peasant from near Athens, who runs to Sparta from Athens when he loses his horse to ask them to join arms with their historical enemy, Athens, for the sake of all Greece. There are love stories and treachery, thrilling action sequences and ingeniously staged battles. The quintessential Hercules of films, Steve Reeves, plays Philippides. New memories: Now that I’m older and a pretty dedicated cinephile, I can appreciate that Jacques Tourneur and Mario Bava (as DP and uncredited director) were involved in this film, making it something that film buffs might be interested in. Tourneur’s influence is nowhere visible, but Mario Bava in this, his third feature film, has imprinted it with ingenious violence that would be even more elaborate over time. Could I tell that someone of quality was involved in the film’s production when I was young? Is that why it stuck out? I’d have to say that I didn’t know it at the time, but the scenes that impressed me were from Bava’s hand. So I must have had some reaction to its quality. Nothing about the love story and court intrigue stuck with me, nor is that an impressive part of the film to me now. I’ve become familiar with Daniela Rocca, who played Karis, through her brilliant work in Divorce, Italian Style. It was great to see an actress of her caliber in this film. She did lend a certain dignity to this pulpy film that I can appreciate now. I also liked the Athenians treating her as an equal in war; it was a classy scene that is in keeping with a certain equality Greeks gave to women as goddesses. I find I’m still a sword-and-sandal fan, and this film is one of the reasons why.
]]>Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:43:01 GMTEpisode XVI: The Giant of MarathonNatsukashi Film: The Giant of Marathon (La Battaglia di Maratona, 1959) Rated: No ratingDirected by: Jacques TourneurStarring: Steve Reeves as Philippides Mylène Demongeot as Andromeda Daniela Rocca as Karis Sergio Fantoni as TheocritusTagline: A Giant Among Men in a Gigantic Spectacle! By Marilyn Ferdinand from Ferdy on Films, etc. Pre-screening memories: I managed to dredge up one film that planted three scenes indelibly in my mind: The Giant of Marathon. Because the film came out in 1959, when I was 4 years old, and it’s not the kind of film that would have been revived only a few years from its premiere, I’m sure I didn’t see it at a theatre. I’m almost positive I saw it on TV because I generally I spent my Saturday afternoons in front of our TV in the basement. A very popular type of film for the networks to show in those days were Italian sword-and-sandal epics. I watched Greek mythology and history paraded in front of me week after week and took great delight in trying to see how well the English dubbing matched the lips of the mainly Italian performers. It was during these afternoons that I became intimately acquainted with the special effects of Ray Harryhausen , whose films I still take pleasure in viewing today. Somehow, the only one of those films that really stuck with me, other than the Harryhausen films, was The Giant of Marathon. Even though I hadn’t seen it since the 1960s, I remembered its name and these images: 1. The tiny figure of a man lifting a giant boulder and throwing it onto the Persian army fighting below on an open plain. 2. A dark-haired woman running from some burning bodies and being struck in the back with an arrow. Her blue, chiffon dress turned purple as a perfect circle of blood oozed from her back. 3. Men underwater being struck through and through with arrows fired by men in a boat above them. I placed the DVD of this movie in my player and rewatched The Giant of Marathon to see if the rest of it looked familiar and whether my memories were accurate. To the first part of that sentence, the answer is “no.” To the second part, I can say “yes,” but the first two scenes didn’t happen the way I remembered them. The story basically tells about the history of the marathon foot race as it recounts the battle between Greek city-states, united in opposition to a common enemy, the Persians. Philippines is the “giant” of the title, overall winner of the ancient Olympic Games and a peasant from near Athens, who runs to Sparta from Athens when he loses his horse to ask them to join arms with their historical enemy, Athens, for the sake of all Greece. There are love stories and treachery, thrilling action sequences and ingeniously staged battles. The quintessential Hercules of films, Steve Reeves, plays Philippides. New memories: Now that I’m older and a pretty dedicated cinephile, I can appreciate that Jacques Tourneur and Mario Bava (as DP and uncredited director) were involved in this film, making it something that film buffs might be interested in. Tourneur’s influence is nowhere visible, but Mario Bava in this, his third feature film, has imprinted it with ingenious violence that would be even more elaborate over time. Could I tell that someone of quality was involved in the film’s production when I was young? Is that why it stuck out? I’d have to say that I didn’t know it at the time, but the scenes that impressed me were from Bava’s hand. So I must have had some reaction to its quality. Nothing about the love story and court intrigue stuck with me, nor is that an impressive part of the film to me now. I’ve become familiar with Daniela Rocca, who played Karis, through her brilliant work in Divorce, Italian Style. It was great to see an actress of her caliber in this film. She did lend a certain dignity to this pulpy film that I can appreciate now. I also liked the Athenians treating her as an equal in war; it was a classy scene that is in keeping with a certain equality Greeks gave to women as goddesses. I find I’m still a sword-and-sandal fan, and this film is one of the reasons why. 9/5/2008 11:43:01 AM Film: The Giant of Marathon (La Battaglia di Maratona, 1959) Rated: No ratingDirected by: Jacques TourneurStarring: Steve Reeves as Philippides Mylène Demongeot as Andromeda Daniela Rocca as Karis Sergio Fantoni as TheocritusTagline: A Giant Among Men in a Gigantic Spectacle! By Marilyn Ferdinand from Ferdy on Films, etc. Pre-screening memories: I managed to dredge up one film that planted three scenes indelibly in my mind: The Giant of Marathon. Because the film came out in 1959, when I was 4 years old, and it’s not the kind of film that would have been revived only a few years from its premiere, I’m sure I didn’t see it at a theatre. I’m almost positive I saw it on TV because I generally I spent my Saturday afternoons in front of our TV in the basement. A very popular type of film for the networks to show in those days were Italian sword-and-sandal epics. I watched Greek mythology and history paraded in front of me week after week and took great delight in trying to see how well the English dubbing matched the lips of the mainly Italian performers. It was during these afternoons that I became intimately acquainted with the special effects of Ray Harryhausen , whose films I still take pleasure in viewing today. Somehow, the only one of those films that really stuck with me, other than the Harryhausen films, was The Giant of Marathon. Even though I hadn’t seen it since the 1960s, I remembered its name and these images: 1. The tiny figure of a man lifting a giant boulder and throwing it onto the Persian army fighting below on an open plain. 2. A dark-haired woman running from some burning bodies and being struck in the back with an arrow. Her blue, chiffon dress turned purple as a perfect circle of blood oozed from her back. 3. Men underwater being struck through and through with arrows fired by men in a boat above them. I placed the DVD of this movie in my player and rewatched The Giant of Marathon to see if the rest of it looked familiar and whether my memories were accurate. To the first part of that sentence, the answer is “no.” To the second part, I can say “yes,” but the first two scenes didn’t happen the way I remembered them. The story basically tells about the history of the marathon foot race as it recounts the battle between Greek city-states, united in opposition to a common enemy, the Persians. Philippines is the “giant” of the title, overall winner of the ancient Olympic Games and a peasant from near Athens, who runs to Sparta from Athens when he loses his horse to ask them to join arms with their historical enemy, Athens, for the sake of all Greece. There are love stories and treachery, thrilling action sequences and ingeniously staged battles. The quintessential Hercules of films, Steve Reeves, plays Philippides. New memories: Now that I’m older and a pretty dedicated cinephile, I can appreciate that Jacques Tourneur and Mario Bava (as DP and uncredited director) were involved in this film, making it something that film buffs might be interested in. Tourneur’s influence is nowhere visible, but Mario Bava in this, his third feature film, has imprinted it with ingenious violence that would be even more elaborate over time. Could I tell that someone of quality was involved in the film’s production when I was young? Is that why it stuck out? I’d have to say that I didn’t know it at the time, but the scenes that impressed me were from Bava’s hand. So I must have had some reaction to its quality. Nothing about the love story and court intrigue stuck with me, nor is that an impressive part of the film to me now. I’ve become familiar with Daniela Rocca, who played Karis, through her brilliant work in Divorce, Italian Style. It was great to see an actress of her caliber in this film. She did lend a certain dignity to this pulpy film that I can appreciate now. I also liked the Athenians treating her as an equal in war; it was a classy scene that is in keeping with a certain equality Greeks gave to women as goddesses. I find I’m still a sword-and-sandal fan, and this film is one of the reasons why.