Evilspeak (R)
"When Howy met Carrie"
Take DePalma's hit movie Carrie, copy it but make the lead a misunderstood computer guy nerd, and instead of the waifish Sissy Spacek hire the other Howard brother (that would be Clint), and make the setting a strict military school that has a basement filled with arcane satanic artifacts that can provide your bullied teen with his needed supernatural revenge, and you have Evilspeak. A low budget cash-in on the 80s mania for cheap horror films, the movie levitates just above the pack with some good visuals, well made violence and retro computer usage. Just like Stephen King's wet dreams, the movie is judged by the climax, and Evilspeak delivers as Howard goes over to the darkside and is possessed by the spirit of satanic Esteban (Richard Moll in one of his many Bmovie villain roles) and brings the house down (or chapel in this case). Fun, weird and whole-heartedly blasphemous (hey, Exorcist was pretty successful too!), Evilspeak isn't a great film but is a good knock-off.
6 Clint Howard doesn't really need a mask out of 10 (GOOD)
Showing posts with label 1982. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1982. Show all posts
Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Fitzcarraldo (PG)
"Up shit creek with a hell of a paddle"
Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski (Aguirre, The Wrath of God) team again to tell the tale of an eccentric entrepreneur living in the Peruvian jungle who is obsessed with becoming a Rubber-Baron to fund the creation of an Opera house for his own amusement. What follows is a long, drawn out cruise upriver to untapped rubber tree locations, portage his enormous steam ship over a mountain, harvest and reap the rewards? What can (and does) go wrong fills the run time, and as we get to know Firzcarraldo better we see this is just his newest attempt at riches and failure.
Somehow treading the same ground as the mad tale of Aguirre and yet comes up emotionally detached and hollow, the film still must be applauded for its audacity at recreating period struggles of man vs nature. Herzog actually does drag the boat up and down a mud infested hill using local inhabitants, and is one of those few occasions where film maker and subject align perfectly: Fitzcaralldo's mania is also Wener's, but the main character himself is not as electrifying as other performances by Klaus and the whole affair can be best described as a tiring slog.
4.5 White Men with Plans out of 10 (BAD)
"Up shit creek with a hell of a paddle"
Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski (Aguirre, The Wrath of God) team again to tell the tale of an eccentric entrepreneur living in the Peruvian jungle who is obsessed with becoming a Rubber-Baron to fund the creation of an Opera house for his own amusement. What follows is a long, drawn out cruise upriver to untapped rubber tree locations, portage his enormous steam ship over a mountain, harvest and reap the rewards? What can (and does) go wrong fills the run time, and as we get to know Firzcarraldo better we see this is just his newest attempt at riches and failure.
Somehow treading the same ground as the mad tale of Aguirre and yet comes up emotionally detached and hollow, the film still must be applauded for its audacity at recreating period struggles of man vs nature. Herzog actually does drag the boat up and down a mud infested hill using local inhabitants, and is one of those few occasions where film maker and subject align perfectly: Fitzcaralldo's mania is also Wener's, but the main character himself is not as electrifying as other performances by Klaus and the whole affair can be best described as a tiring slog.
4.5 White Men with Plans out of 10 (BAD)
Cannery Row (1982)
Cannery Row (PG) - Review
"The only thing we have in common is that we're both wrong for each other."
Cannery Row is one of Steinbeck's finest (and funniest) works, and the film adaptation is pitch perfect. A mash-up of both Row and Sweet Thursday, Cannery Row is the grand tale of Doc (played with gruff loveability by a young Nick Nolte) a lowly marine biologist who has lost his gumption. The town they live in is Monterey, populated by bums, prostitutes and shady characters (a staple of a Steinbeck comedy). It's a ramshackle burg for those barely getting by and who barely care to; but when the town folk takes an interest in Doc's troubles in life and love about Susy (Debra Winger), all their attempts only make matters worse. The great M. Emmet Walsh (Blood Simple) leads Doc's stalwart (and homeless) pals through zany fist-fights and triumphant frog hunts to try and get life back to normal, but its sweet dumb Hazel (Frank McRae) who does what must be done. Despite a distracting tacked-on subplot with the Seer and a couple of important jokes left by the wayside, Cannery Row is both a light and warm hearted romp through the semi autobiographical world of Steinbeck's Central California coast, the charm, humor and nostalgia is wonderfully cracked yet sea worthy.
8 Beer Milkshakes out of 10 (GREAT)
"The only thing we have in common is that we're both wrong for each other."
Cannery Row is one of Steinbeck's finest (and funniest) works, and the film adaptation is pitch perfect. A mash-up of both Row and Sweet Thursday, Cannery Row is the grand tale of Doc (played with gruff loveability by a young Nick Nolte) a lowly marine biologist who has lost his gumption. The town they live in is Monterey, populated by bums, prostitutes and shady characters (a staple of a Steinbeck comedy). It's a ramshackle burg for those barely getting by and who barely care to; but when the town folk takes an interest in Doc's troubles in life and love about Susy (Debra Winger), all their attempts only make matters worse. The great M. Emmet Walsh (Blood Simple) leads Doc's stalwart (and homeless) pals through zany fist-fights and triumphant frog hunts to try and get life back to normal, but its sweet dumb Hazel (Frank McRae) who does what must be done. Despite a distracting tacked-on subplot with the Seer and a couple of important jokes left by the wayside, Cannery Row is both a light and warm hearted romp through the semi autobiographical world of Steinbeck's Central California coast, the charm, humor and nostalgia is wonderfully cracked yet sea worthy.
8 Beer Milkshakes out of 10 (GREAT)
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About Me
- Kevin Gasaway via HardDrawn
- Turlock, California, United States
- Media and Reviews by Kevin Gasaway