Reviews
The Beach Boys: An American Family (2000)
Mike Love, not war
This mini-series seemed a bit defanged, especially compared to the 1990 telefilm (which is unfortunately unavailable and all but forgotten). This is largely due to John Stamos' involvement, a close friend of the boys as well as the touring drummer. This creates a slightly biased point of view. The favor leaning towards no-one. No-one is presented as a protagonist or antagonist, even the villainous Murray Wilson is redeemed (an infuriating touch). Mike Love is generally considered the idiot Beach Boy, deterring from Brian's genius. But, personally I liked his character best (Matt Lescher's performance oughtta garner an Emmy nom). Brian Wilson is far too neutral and less tragic here than he was. And finally the series ends during the mid-seventies come-back, which no-one remembers!!! The series takes no chances and tries to be all happy, which it is far from. However, the earnest performances make it worth while. It's the best treatment of the legend to date. So it will have to do.
Scream 3 (2000)
AAAAAAAARGH- and I mean that in a good way!
...Just let us outta the theatres. Have heard mostly negative things from the other patrons. The hell with them. Can't really comment on why they hated it. All I can say is at the very least it elevates the quality of the second "Scream" entry, even making it seem a bit kidred to "Empire Strikes Back" (since we are on the topic of trilogies). In addition it approximates the shortcomings of "Return of the Jedi" (Neve's sorta Sidney performance, bearing similiarities to Mark Hamill's sleepy Luke). Even Randy's materialization of sorts suggests an Obi-wan Kenobi motif (a very contrived motif at that). But Jamie Kennedy's cameo is a welcome one, especially since his witty banter and self-reflexive attitude gave the original and part of the sequal it's edge. This film manages to just barely avoid the after-the-fact irrelevancy of such films as "Beverly Hills Cop III" and "Child's Play 3". The plot is more involving this time around, less concerned with pop-culture commentary. There is repartee aplenty to boot, especially between Dewey and Gale (if you can avoid gaping at Mrs. Cox-Arquette's elfish bangs, bad hair movie). What makes "Scream 3" a solid entry is the fact that it solidifies the entire series. The second two will never top the original in ingenuity, yet give it a few years and fans will have their favorites. Parker Posey crops up and adds a few laughs. Genre vet Henrikson has an amusing role too. The denouement suffers in parts, but is far more convincing than "Scream 2"s, )with two irrelevant characters as the knife wielding cutco representatives). Guess it's time to start waiting for official "Scream" conventions. One thing we can be sure of is Neve's lack of participation (much like her performance here) in such gatherings. And let's see if David Arquette can outrun his role as Dewey. And where have Jamie and Skeet Ulrich gone? Even if their careers never pick up, the "Scream" trilogy, finely wrapped up here, will guarantee them a slot in cult flickdom, which in this viewer (and sometime director)'s opinion is more worthwhile than any oscar.
School Ties (1992)
Ripe for rediscovery
This is essentially "The Outsiders" for the 90s, not that the 80s needed an outsiders, but with so many future stars and hasbeens in it, it has secured it's place as a cult film, very small cult. Anyway, as "The Outsiders" had everyone from Tom Cruise to Patrick Swayze, "School Ties" showcases the budding young talent of Brendan Frasier "The Mummy" (1999), Chris O'Donnel, already a has-been, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck who seems to be faring okay, coasting on the success of "Good Will Hunting". In addition, this film contains a bit part from one of my professors at SU. He's billed as "boy in shower" and he most certainly is a hasbeen, seeing as how he's now teaching at Oswego State. Check it out on a slow afternoon.
Adult Video News Awards 1997 (1997)
Melissa Hill Finally Gets Something for all the giving
This is your token AVN award show. You can catch it on cable each year, get it in "Spice Vision" or with patchworked harcore clips. This one has obvious dubbed in canned laughter, blatant stand up comedy and a truly heart warming moment. In HS, I had a crush on this girl who looked exactly like Melissa Hill. I really can't remember who I liked first. And only recently did I stop making movies with the girl from home, but also recently figured out Melissa is no longer gracing the grainy screen. And here's why- after busting her ass, she recieves the best supporting actress award for "Bad Wives" which is a wonder, considering who the director wazzzzz. This is a cute moment in her acceptance speech in which she acknowledges those out there who believed in her... Sounds rediculous, but as a teenager, I did. And it's kinda groovy to see her get some credit in an indutry more materialistic than Hollywood.
Les nuits de la présidente (1997)
All hail Laure Sainclair
French porn, much like Hong Kong action films, blow (literally) what America has got to offer out of the water. "The First Lady" exemplifying how pathetic an Americana Porn staple like Vivid has become (Think Paul Thomas). Films (or videos if you like) of this pungent caliber will eventually render Bally-wood useless. I only caught the film in pieces at a party the other night, but with gorgeous starlets like Laure Sainclair, the battle's already been one. Check it out, if only for the cheesy dubbing.
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Bland, James Bland
Now there were bland entrees in the James Bond series. Take "View to a Kill" for instanzzzzzz. Yeah, but you had 57 year old Roger Moore hooking up with Grace Jones and Duran Duran dating the whole affair... Nothing screams out mid-eighties like Duran Duran. Than you had "You Only Live Twice" back in 67, but you had novelties attached to that oafish vehicle, such as Roald Dahl's screenplay and Donald Pleasence Blofeld and the least grating of all Bond tunes. So Connery and Moore both had their dog days, but none were as shamefully anti- attention span as "The World is Not Enough". As a struggling film student I cannot even fathom how studio execs allowed this off the assembly line. Uninspired regurgitated cliches of the worst Bond films. This film will make Anti-Roger Moores rethink "MoonRaker" as a joke. More like the creme de la creme compared to Brosnan's shameful nothingness. Come to think of it, there isn't much to comment on since this is a gaping void of creativity. It was like a two hour commercial, (advertising Denise Richards' assets mostly). Brosnan was once quoted as noting how long it took some of the older entries to get off the ground. This one gets a little air than rapidly crashes. I am an avid Bond fan (with Lazenby being my all time favorite Bond) and his death is in good order. Actually I wouldn't mind seeing Lazenby come and put him out of his misery. He's got more paniche in one long tooth than Brosnan does on his whole person. Sub-rating of negative four stars.
Jubilee (1978)
Adam Ant's Finest Hour
Thinking about this film reminds me of how I wound up purchasing the entire Adam Ant catalogue of cds (I mean everything from rollicking "Kings of the Wild Frontier" to the inexplicable "Wonderful"). This film was my introduction to the musician and at the time what I would romanticise in my head as- the punk "revolution". Most aspects of the film were too murky and outright arty for my 15 year old attention span to endure, though I have since gone on to realize... well certain deeper meanings in retrospect (don't ask me to elaborate). But it's a definate curiousity with Nell Campbell from "Rocky Horror" as a nymphomaniac who seduces young struggling musician Adam Ant. Ant's character is also seduced by the corporate monolithic something or other and there's a pretty relevant speech given about selling out. The appearence of Richard Jordon drew parallels to "Rocky Horror" at the time as in, if you liked this ditty... But it's wholey unigue, if not outright bizarre. Adam Ant's character performs a song "Plastic Surgery" which would lead to my eventual Sex Pistols phase and the purchase of several of his cds... incidentally most of "that" music was a lot of burundi beats and yodeling (damn fine stuff, make no mistake). But if "Goody Two Shoes" is all you remember about Adam Ant, take a gander at the scene in which he is viciously beaten by facist COPs. Curious. Brian Eno also pops up on the Soundtrack, which I eventually tracked down some four years after seeing the film finally snagging a copy of "Plastic Surgery", pretty much a Sex Pistols bite, but pungent none-the less.
Inside the Third Reich (1982)
Hauer: Anti-hero by nature...
And this time, the all-time Nazi sympathizer. All potential historical inaccuracies aside, this is quite an unsettling film. Young, opportunist architect Albert Speer (Hauer) finds himself caught up in the Nazi party, maintaining an air of ignorance of Hitler's insanity and monstrosity. Instead Speer becomes his best friend and a bit of a tragic hero in the long run, as he makes an ernest stab at trying to clean up his mess towards the close of the war. Hauer is suave and determined to the last. A worthwhile mini-series pic, with a great supporting cast and plenty of Hauer to go around. Some may have a hard time with the self-congratulatory tone.
Eureka (1983)
Roeg's lost meisterwerk
Nicholas Roeg's career, which spanned the seventies with one fascinating moody, atmospheric eye-opener after another (ie "Performance", "The Man who Fell to Earth" and "Don't Look Now"), seemed to be annihilated with this release. It is such an oddity, distributers didn't release it until 1986, once Hauer and Rourke were stars. This symbollic film about what drives a man finds Hackman reaching his lifelong goal too early in life- locating a motherload of gold. 30 years later in the Miami of the fifties, he's a bored millionaire, waiting to die. Following his brutal, no nauseating murder, the focus switches over to his son-in-law (Hauer) whose state of being is reminiscent of his younger self. Hauer's plight during the home stretch is pretty intense, even though it becomes a courtroom drama. A flawed, but unforgettable film with a great cast and token Roeg-esgue sex scenes.
Nighthawks (1981)
Rutger Hauer hits the States.. hard
With "Night Hawks", Hauer finally left his successful, though unbeknownst to US, European career behind. The word was out and Hollywood had their eye on this multi-lingual actor's talents. Type cast from the start, he debuts here as a raging psychopathic killer, who is cool and exacting with each act of evil. This frustrates the unlikely buddy team of Stallone and Billy Dee Williams, resulting in the inevitable reckoning. Khmabatta (with hair) is reunited with Hauer ("The Wilby Conspiracy"). This is the first time audiences found themselves loving to hate the handsome Hauer. Even as a villain, he's somehow appealing.
Chanel Solitaire (1981)
Dalton and Hauer take turns with Pisier
This is Hauer's first 100% English language film, following "Wilby" and "Soldier of Orange", so viewers are spared the generally atrocious dubbing. And what screen time Hauer has, mostly during the first half is amiable. Unfortunately, once Hauer's character walks the doldrums set in pretty quick. Although easily mistaken as a romance, it is a tale about loneliness. Chanel just made the wrong decision when it came to Dalton and Hauer.
Grijpstra & De Gier (1979)
Hauer hits his stride: Don thy trenchcoat gentle warrior
Of all the obscure titles that popped up with RUTGER HAUER smeared all over it, usually released to cash in on his recent success, this is the diamond in the ruff you've been searching for. Here, he is one half of an Amsterdam cop/buddy team. The values of the culture alone make this film worthwhile. Watching Hauer's partner smoke a joint and cough, muttering "good hash" is priceless. When he's not wooing the ladies, he's exchanging banter with his partner and chasing other ladies. By no means a great film, the dubbing sees to that. But the Hauer vocal from "Dandelions is back in full effect. Made on the eve of Hauer's successful crossover to major stardom (with "NightHawks" and "Blade Runner"), this film is quite telling of things to come. Hauer's whole career is mapped out here and he is in fine form.
Bone Daddy (1998)
Dutchman w/ a Trenchcoat
As the latest direct-to-video Rutger Hauer vehicle, most people will overlook this taut thriller and go for the flick that made it to theatres with a younger star they've heard of. This is an awful shame, because this is Hauer's most solid picture in a while. And it's been a long time coming. Hauer always delivers the goods, even when the rest of the film can't. Finally this film's plot and performances compliment Hauer's inimitable presence. He's second to none when it comes to portraying maverick, middle aged, burnt out/morally impaired, TRENCHCOAT wearing anti-heroes. And he's in fine form here as he triggers a psychopath with his book about a psychopath (the title character). The plot twists just keep coming, things never let up, unlike most DTV fodder.
Mysteries (1978)
The plot remains a mystery!
This is one of several early Hauer flicks which wound up on video in the mid eighties (1984, here) stateside. This one is near impossible to locate and it is not worth the effort. The bassy almost incomprehensible dubbing accounts for much of this. But the plot is murky too. Hauer seems to be moping over a lost lover. If this film was meant to exploiut Hauer's fame, it failed miserably. Whatever the film makers intent, it doesn't translate well stateside (regrettably). A lot of sex and flashbacks afoot.
Soldaat van Oranje (1977)
Rutger Hauer snubbed by the Oscars in '78
After seeing this film, anyone who has seen anyting Rutger Hauer has done over the past decade are bound to be scratching their heads. His versatility and charisma carries the film, as does Verhoeven's pointed direction. Watching him go from speaking Dutch, to English, to French, to German and back to Dutch again is quite compelling. He never misses a beat and is quite a dashing hero as he single handedly becomes a hero of hte Resistence in WWII. Perhpas id Verhoeven and Hauer had stuck together once they hit the states, their careers would be in better shape. "Soldier of Orange" is the testimony of what was and could be again. Look for Hauer donning a trenchcoat, soon to become a habit.
The Wilby Conspiracy (1975)
Quality Caine and young Rutger Hauer
Overlooked, althought not underrated, if you are a Michael Caine fan, don't miss this chase/early buddy film. Caine and Portier are framed and on the run from the corrupt South American gov't. The pace never lets up. Perhaps what held my interest the most was the supporting cast. Nicol (Merlin in "Excalibur") Williamson's turns in a deliciously villainous role. A real surprise was when a young (30ish) Rutger Hauer shows up to anagonize our heroes. It is his first English Speaking role, long before he wound up states side. The late Peris Khambatta makes an appearance too. The cast and socially pertinent plot will hold your attention right up to the powerful conclusion.
Pusteblume (1974)
Hardcore Hauer
When Hauer made it as an international star (yes, even in the US of A), many of his lesser known and lesser in general films began to surface to cash in on his star. This is one of the most memorable. Even at a young age, Hauer had the burnt-out anti-hero down pat. Here he boozes heavily, abuses women (he was betrayed by one) and rides around on a motorcycle. It's tasteless and trashy, but it has some moments, like the never-ending sadistic sex scene which have to be seen to be believed. It's not that hard to find. The dubbing is the best part.
Das Amulett des Todes (1975)
Another hard to find, hard to watch Hauer flick
One of several early European films US distributers released in order to exploit Hauer's stardom during the eighties. This one is especially hard to find, but could pop up anywhere at random. If it does don't bother, despite your curiosity of seeing a young dashing Hauer. The plot has the standard morally impaired Hauer ripping off his employers, only to be tracked down by them. He falls in love with a rural beauty and wears a trenchcoat (eventually a trademark.) Ambiguity in the performances (Hauer seems bored when he should be getting intense) plot, ending all make this a waste of time and effort. The muddy dubbing certainly doesn't help.