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Cinema Sunday: Superman: The Movie (1978)

Posted on March 30, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Superman: The Movie

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers: Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, Robert Benton, Tom Mankiewicz (created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster)

Director: Richard Donner

Producers: Alexander Salkind, Ilya Salkind, Pierre Spengler

Starring: Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper

Released: December 10th, 1978

MPAA: PG

After recently seeing the sequel to this movie on television, I felt compelled to review this landmark film. First off, I have a question. How many great comic book films came before this one? How many came after until the fairly recent surge of movies? That’s one way to measure how great this movie is (and its sequel), but you can also just sit back and watch it, as well. There’s no denying the magnitude, the depth, and the overall quality put forth in Superman: The Movie!

The first time I saw this movie was when it debuted on network television (around 1981/82?), and I can remember being glued to the set. Christopher Reeve was larger than life, and made me want to be a superhero, and a better person. Were the scenes with Clark a bit hokey? For sure, but they also made you, as the viewer, feel the pain and agony Kal-El felt, as he trudges thru his everyday life as a reporter, and not just telling the world who he was, and reaping the benefits. This film made me want to be a better person and help others less fortunate , because that’s what Superman would do. Thank you, Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster, for making me want to be a better person.

As the film begins, we see the council on the planet Krypton, convening, as three criminals are on trial for treason. These three attempted to overthrow the council, and bring themselves to the throne of leadership. The council sentences them to banishment in the Phantom Zone, and then General Zod, Non, and Ursa, threaten Jor-El (Marlon Brando) as they are whisked away to a punishment fitting their actions. The next scene shows us that Jor-El also has some information, but not about criminals. He’s the leading scientific mind on the planet, and he tells the other council members that the planet is great danger, and could implode within a month. The others don’t believe him, and threaten to punish him, if he arouses the populace with his theories. He promises to keep quiet, and to not leave the planet.

Jor-El returns home, and tells his wife, Lara (Susannah York), that the council has forbidden them to leave, but that he’ll use an experimental rocket ship to send their son, Kal-El, to a far away planet, Earth, where he can be the savior for this weaker species. As they load baby Kal-El into the ship, the planet begins to break apart. Just as Jor-El predicted, the planet explodes into millions of pieces, as the ship rockets toward Earth. The ship eventually lands, and Kal-El is a toddler by now. A passing pickup truck sees the landing, and two elderly people get out to investigate. Jonathan and Martha Kent find the boy, and debate whether or not to take him in to their home. While this conversation is going on, Jonathan is changing a flat tire. Suddenly, the jack slips out from under the truck, and almost crushes him. They both are stunned to see that the reason it didn’t, is because this boy is holding up the back-end of the truck by himself.

Fast forward approximately fifteen years, and Clark (Kal-El), is cleaning up the football equipment after a game. He races home and talks with Pa Kent about his frustrations with school and life in general. As Clark is beginning to understand that his parents have raised him to be ready for some kind of sign that will show him why he was sent to this planet. The two share a laugh, and run up the driveway, but half way there, Jonathan collapses, and dies of a heart attack. The burial doesn’t make his death any easier, and he and Ma Kent are left feeling a huge void in their lives.

During the night, Clark wakes up to some unforeseen calling. He leaves the house, and goes into the barn. Under the ground, Ma & Pa Kent had hidden away his rocket ship, and the contents of it as well. Clark finds that a green crystal is the artifact that’s been calling to him, and he realizes he must leave the farm. The next morning, he tells Ma Kent that he’s leaving and heading North. We watch, as young Clark travels to the North (somewhere extremely cold), and uses the green crystal to build his new home or “Fortress of Solitude”. Once inside, there is a machine of alien origin, and using crystals, the device produces a hologram, of Jor-El, and he explains everything to Clark. Fast forward again a few years, and we see a caped figure fly out of the fortress, and to an unknown destination.

Cut to the city of Metropolis, and the Daily Planet. We see Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), Jimmy Olsen (Marc McClure), and Perry White (Jackie Cooper), as they are knee deep in their work day. Enter Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve), as he’s all grown up, and recently hired by Perry to work the city beat. This ticks off Lois, as that’s her beat to cover, but Perry explains to her that Clark is ready for the challenge. Lois and Clark couldn’t be more opposite, as far as…well, everything, but there is a definite connection from day one. After a long first day, the two leave together, but get mugged in an alleyway. The mugger actually shoots Clark in the confusion, but while Lois has her back turned, he catches the bullet. She’s stunned that he’s OK, but also let down when he tells her that he fainted.

Meanwhile, we get to see the local police, as they are in pursuit of a stooge, named Otis (Ned Beatty). It really isn’t the stooge they’re after though, but his boss, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). One of the cops follows Otis down a subway tunnel, but ends up getting pushed on to the tracks.

The next day, Lois and Clark are back at the Daily Planet, and later, as they finish the day’s work, Lois tells Clark that she’s got a busy night, as she’s going to be a passenger on Air Force One. Clark asks her out on a date, but she tells him she’s too busy. Clark heads home, and Lois heads to the rooftop to catch a ride to the airport on a chopper. As she boards the chopper, a cable gets wrapped around the landing gear of the chopper, and as it takes off, it gets hung up and crashes. Lois is dangling from the seat-belt of the chopper, but loses her grip, and plummets to the ground! Just as she’s about to hit the ground though, Superman swoops in and saves her. She’s stunned and then completely smitten with him, and he seems to like her as well.

Perry exclaims that someone needs to get an interview with him, and Lois is up for the task. Superman visits her apartment, and she conducts the interview. Not too far into it though, he offers to show her what it like when he flies through the air, and the two go on a semi-romantic flight above the city skies. He returns her home after while, and she’s so flustered, she gets her words mixed up when Clark shows up to take her out on a date.

Next, Luthor has figured out a way to stop Superman, and how to steal to missiles for his nefarious plans. During that same time, Lois is out west, by the Hoover Dam, investigating some real estate scam (Luthor, buying up desert near California). Clark is at the Daily Planet, listening to Perry talk about how to make it in the newspaper biz, and suddenly, a supersonic noise alerts Clark that something is wrong. He then hears the voice of Lex Luthor, and he explains that if he doesn’t meet him immediately, a poison gas will infect the entire city, killing millions.

Can Superman stop Luthor’s plans, and more importantly, can he save Lois and Jimmy from certain death out West? All of these questions can be answered by watching this incredible adaptation from DC Comics greatest superhero (OK, that’s really Batman, but lets not argue semantics)!

OK, here are my thoughts:

This movie took the superhero genre and vaulted it into outer space. The budget was $55 million, and it grossed over $300 million worldwide! And not because it was a bunch of fluff either, this movie was a top-notch film for all ages, and everyone can find something they love about it! Christopher Reeve was the absolute perfect actor to play Clark/Superman. Many actors tried out for the part, but were either turned away or had other commitments (Robert Redford, Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Paul Newman-just to name a few). From a directing standpoint, Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas, were all contacted but had other projects going on or turned it down.

When you sit back and watch this film, try to imagine these other directors, or actors involved. It wouldn’t have been this good. Not enough can be said about the acting of Reeve, Kidder, and Hackman. Those three were beyond great in their roles, and elevated this film from good to great. You can’t find a better fit for those roles, and why would you even want to try? From the music score, to the acting, the action scenes/special effects, this movie is a winner!

Click here for the trailer!

Cinema Sunday: Forbidden Planet (1956)

Posted on March 23, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Forbidden Planet

Distributor: MGM

Writer: Irving Block & Allen Adler (Screenplay by Cyril Hume)

Director: Fred M. Wilcox

Producer: Nicholas Nayfack

Starring: Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, Warren Stevens

Released: April 1st, 1956

MPAA: PG

I’d like to begin by setting the record straight. This is the best sci-fi film ever made, and the 1950’s is the best decade ever for the genre, and it’s not up for debate. OK, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get down to dissecting –Forbidden Planet! The actors and cool science fiction elements really jettison this film into the atmosphere! Walter Pidgeon and Leslie Nielsen are incredible, and the lovely Anne Francis really ignites the picture when she steps into the light!

In 1956, this film wasn’t a media darling, but it did make money. It wasn’t until later, when it was re-released in 1972, that it started to gain momentum, and eventually become a cult classic! DVD sales have been fantastic, and it will forever occupy space on my DVR! For those of you who haven’t seen this flick yet, stop reading this, and get out there and buy it before continuing! Now, let us journey to the 23rd Century…

The film opens with a space cruiser (United Planets C57-D), as it heads out into the far reaches of space. Once the ship nears it’s destination, it releases the explorers from “hyper-sleep”. They make contact with the planet below (Altair IV), and Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) tells them that everything is OK. Commander Adams (Leslie Nielsen), informs him that even though everything is fine, they must land and do an inspection. Morbius warns the commander that he won’t be held responsible for anything that happens from here on out. Commander Adams tells him to supply them with landing coordinates, so they can safely land the ship.

Once they land, Commander Adams, Lt. Jerry Farman (Jack Kelly), and Doc Ostrow (Warren Stevens), are greeted by a transport vehicle that appears to be going at an alarming rate of speed towards them. They soon realize that it’s a robot (Robby the Robot-pic below with Walter Pidgeoon), and he was sent by Dr. Morbius to bring them to his home. Once there, Morbius assures them that everything is fine, but when they ask about the other colonists, Morbius pauses, then tells them a fantastic tale. He recounts how the other colonists were killed by some unforeseen planetary force, and as the last few tried to take off in the ship to go back to Earth, the ship was vaporized. He cannot explain how or why this happened, only that he and his wife were spared, and they shared a love for this strange new world.

As they’re finishing up lunch, a beautiful woman appears, and Morbius then introduces his daughter (Anne Francis). Lt. Farman immediately tries to put the moves o her, but she’s too immature to figure it out. Morbius thinks everything is OK, but Commander Adams must contact Earth for further instructions because the other colonists being dead wasn’t in the plans. Morbius isn’t happy about that, but can’t do anything about it either.

The men return to the ship for the night, and as they slumber, some unknown entity enters the ship, and destroys their communication device. Commander Adams questions the guards the following morning, but they don’t give any insight about what happened. Doc Ostrow and Commander Adams question Morbius about it, and he reveals to them that he’s been studying an ancient civilization known as the “Krell”, that once occupied the planet, but were wiped out by some mysterious means. He also shows them some of the devices that they invented, one of those being an education device of some kind that can exponentially increase ones mental acumen (pic below). This is how he was intelligent enough to create “Robby”, and some of the advanced equipment around the house.

The men convince Morbius to lend a hand in constructing a new communication device,and Robby lends a hand as well. The following night brings even more chaos, as Commander Adams orders extra security, but the Chief Engineer is killed. A footprint is left this time though, and the Doc makes a cast of it to try to gauge what they’re dealing with. The cast is tremendous, and goes against any and all scientific knowledge. While all of this is going down, Commander Adams and Morbius’ daughter, Alta, are falling in love. We then see a scene, where this giant invisible beast (pic below) attacks the camp of the explorers, and simultaneously Morbius is having a violent nightmare. Alta wakes him up, and the beast mysteriously disappears. Commander Adams and the Doc realize that one of them must use the alien educator to heighten their mental power, and find a way to get off of the planet unharmed. They return to the home of Morbius to do that, but are stopped by Robby. Alta uses an override command to stop Robby, and Commander Adams and Alta talk about leaving the planet. While they talk, Doc goes into the lab, and takes the “brain boost”. Later, he stumbles out of the lab, and dies in Commander Adams arms. Just before he does, he reveals the secret of what killed the aliens and the colonists!

Will Commander Adams and his fellow explorers escape alive? Or will they succumb to the same planetary force that kills everything in its path? Find out, when you watch…Forbidden Planet!!!

OK, here are my thoughts:

This is the best sci-fi movie ever, no question. Yeah, it does have a couple of loopholes in it, but again, this was made in 1956! Think about it, that’s almost 60 years ago! The acting was quite good by all the people involved, but Leslie Nielsen and Walter Pidgeon deserve the lion share of the credit. All the others were solid too though, and even the “eye candy”, Anne Francis was more than serviceable. Heck, even Robby the Robot added some dialog! Not only that, but I’m sure back in the day, Robby was an astounding achievement on the big screen too!

The electronic music score was quite a change from any other movies of that generation. The set designs were absolutely astounding as well, but they were the most incredible during the special effects scene with the monster attacking through the force field. This classic film is a must watch for anyone that even has a mild interest in sci-fi or just classic cinema of yesteryear! Kudos to the men and women that brought us Forbidden Planet!

Cinema Sunday: Night Creatures (A.K.A. Captain Clegg)

Posted on March 16, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Night Creatures (Captain Clegg)

Distributor: Universal Pictures

Writer: Anthony Hinds

Director: Peter Graham Scott

Producer: John Temple-Smith

Starring: Peter Cushing, Patrick Allen, Yvonne Romain, Michael Ripper, Oliver Reed

Released: June, 1962

MPAA: Unrated

I was going to stray away from Hammer Studios for this week, but then I thought…why? Their library is so extensive, and so awesome, why not keep going with another one! This week brings us, Captain Clegg, or Night Creatures, as it was known in the U.S. when it was released in 1962. This film has really stood the test of time, and I can’t see why it won’t for a very long time. Some of the story is loosely based off of Doctor Syn and the Romney Marsh Phantoms, but that material was owned by Disney back then, so some of the material and names were changed to avoid a lawsuit. Let us now forage to the coastline of rural England, and the 18th Century!

Our story begins on a ship at sea, with a man (pic below) being punished for assaulting the Captain’s wife. They slit his ears, and cut out his tongue, and tie him to a post on a deserted island for his crimes. We next see an old man, as he’s quickly trying to make his way through the marshes. Suddenly though, he’s accosted by several spectral beings riding horses that glow in the night. He’s so upset by these demons, that he throws a heart attack, and dies on the spot!

The following day, Reverend Bliss (Peter Cushing) is holding a church service, but it’s soon interrupted by Captain Collier (Patrick Allen- pic below, far right), and the kings soldiers. They’re on the hunt for smugglers that have been reportedly been illegally transporting wine and other alcohol out of the country. Captain Collier waits outside for Reverend Bliss, and the Squire (Derek Francis), while his men search the ale house. Initially they find nothing, but then they bring in the man who was tied to the post back on that deserted island. He’s their snoop and can sniff out booze, but when they think they’ve found something, it turns out the casks are only full of white varnish. The Captain then demands to see Mr. Ketch (his informer), and Mr. Mipps (Michael Ripper-pic below, middle) takes him to his workshop. He shows him the dead body, and the Captain is furious. He’s told the man died of fright, but doesn’t believe in the marsh phantoms he’s told about by Mipps.

Captain Collier looks for accommodations, but Bliss tells him there is nowhere for him and his men, but that doesn’t stop him from trying. We then see that Bliss, Mipps, and several others are in on a smuggling ring. The owner of the Inn, Mr. Rash, is the “guardian” of a waitress, Imogene (Yvonne Romain-pic below with Oliver Reed), and is also a part of the ring. He also often harasses Imogene as well. Captain Collier is then invited to dinner with Bliss, the Squire, and his son. As they are having their meal, the Squire tells Captain Collier that his men can stay in his barn, and Bliss gets annoyed and spills his drink. Bliss then goes out to the bar to get a towel, and the man whom he left for dead on the island sees him. Now, the man had his tongue cut out, so he cannot speak, but he does attack Bliss, and the Captain’s men pull him off before he strangles him.

After dinner, a man runs into town screaming, absolutely raving about the marsh phantoms. Captain Collier then demands that the man show him where he saw them, and he gathers his troops and the head out into the marshes. After walking for miles, we see that it was all a distraction so the smugglers can get their “product” out of the town without the soldiers finding out about the operation. Eventually, Captain Collier realizes he’s been tricked, so he threatens the man and gets him to divulge where the smugglers are hiding. As they make their way to the secret hiding spot, a scarecrow appears in a nearby field, and one of the soldiers remarks that he saw it move. Collier then draws his pistol, and fires at the scarecrow, hitting it in the arm. Once they get to the spot though, only rags remain, but there is blood on the sleeve!

The secrets of the town and of the Romney Marsh Phantoms will be revealed in the exciting conclusion to this epic movie! Rest assured that you will be on the edge of you seat for this one! Will Imogene and Harry (Oliver Reed) get to be together or will they die at the hands of Captain Collier!

OK, here are my thoughts:

Alright, this is one fantastic movie! Peter Cushing as basically a swashbuckling pirate is nothing short of incredible. He delivers a great performance, and the rest of the crew does as well. Michael Ripper is rock solid as usual, and he gets a more active role than most of his other films, for sure. You really get the sense that he cares about Bliss like a brother. There is another secret that gets revealed about Imogene, and most wont see this one coming.

The musical score is quite good too. Thunderous when it needed to be, but also ominous at times of desperation. The sets are exactly what you come to expect from a Hammer film, which is to say they are superb. The locations they used for filming were very cool, and added a feeling of the times when the film was to have taken place. Kudos for that and Peter Cushing, as he delivers another genuine performance that lights up the screen!

Cinema Sunday: The Reptile (1966)

Posted on March 9, 2014 by billyd75

Title: The Reptile

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Writer: Anthony Hinds

Director: John Gilling

Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys

Starring: Noel Willman, Jennifer Daniel, Ray Barrett, Michael Ripper

Released: April 6th, 1966

MPAA: Unrated

Hammer Studios is certainly most well-known for their interpretations of the Dracula, Frankenstein, and Werewolf franchises, but it would behoove you to also look deeper into their library for classics like this one! This film is one that I didn’t discover until a few years ago, but it quickly has become one of my favorites. Oh, it’s not the best of Hammer films, but it does have a couple of performances that really help it to rise above mediocrity. Lets get down to the plot!

The movie begins with a man, Charles Spalding, wandering around the countryside. He then retreats to his home only to find a note on the table. He then sets out to the residence across the moors. He knocks but no one answers, so he wanders inside. He walks down a hallway, and as he turns around, a man, Dr. Franklyn (Noel Willman) shouts to him, warning him to get away. All of a sudden, something leaps out of the shadows and attacks him savagely. He falls down the stairs, and begins to have a seizure of some kind. As the man who warned him looks on in horror, another man steps out of the shadows, and disposes of the body on the moors.

The next scene shows us Harry and Valerie Spalding (Ray Barrett & Jennifer Daniel), as they are talking to a lawyer about his dead brothers (the man who was attacked in the fist scene) holdings. He informs them that his brother died without much wealth, but he did have a house in a rural town. They then take a train ride, and then walk to the village. At the local pub, Tom Bailey (Michael Ripper) is tending bar, but when Harry walks in, the patrons leave immediately. Tom Tells Harry where the house is located, and then they head out to the residence. As they open the front door, they see that the house has been ransacked. Harry returns to the pub later that day, and questions the patrons about the house. Again, they all leave, and Harry talks to Tom about what’s going on in this small village. As Harry makes his way home, he’s attacked by Mad Peter (John Laurie). Harry quickly realizes that Mad Peter is more of a foolish man, than a dangerous one. After some confusion, Harry invites Peter over for dinner, and to get some answers from him about his brother’s death.

As they finish dinner, Harry asks Peter but his brother. Peter explains that he really isn’t “mad”, just that he doesn’t live by the same rules that govern most men. As they talk more, Peter explains that this village is evil, and that terrible things happen here. He tells him that someone killed his brother, and not some mysterious hear failure, as he was led to believe. Peter then hears some music nearby, freaks out,t hen leaves in a hurry. During the night, Harry is awakened by some noises downstairs. When he investigates, he finds Peter at his doorstep, on death’s door. He mentions the name Franklyn, and Harry rushes across the moors to get the good doctor. Dr. Franklyn doesn’t seem to care about Peter, but Harry urges him to come and see him. Dr. Franklyn then tells Harry he’s a doctor of theology, not medicine, but agrees to come anyway. By the time they get there, Pater is already dead though (image above), and Dr. Franklyn tells them that he’ll handle the arrangements.

Valerie is visited the next day by Anna Franklyn, who seems a bit spooky, but nice all the same. Their little conversation is interrupted though, and Dr. Franklyn is furious at Anna for leaving the house. She did manage to invite the Spalding’s to dinner though, and later, we see that dinner date. Anna is not present, and Dr. Franklyn explains that she’s being punished for her earlier transgression. She joins them after dinner, and plays some music for them. The tune is almost hypnotic, and Anna seems to be getting into it, that is until her father erupts in anger, and smashes her instrument. Harry and Valerie leave in a rush, and head home.

Tom and Harry then formulate a plan to not only discover who or what is behind these killings, but also how to stop The Reptile!

OK, here are my thoughts:

Alright, I’ll be the first to admit that the lead roles in this film aren’t the strongest in Hammer’s catalog. They’re not bad mind you, just not up to the Cushing and Lee standard. There are still two bright spots. First, Jacqueline Pearce is fantastic, and not only does she make a convincing “troubled daughter” but she’s also a beautiful woman! She really lights up a room when she appears on-screen. The other great role is played by Hammer stalwart, Michael Ripper. He really gets to shine in this one, and has a huge role compared to his usual minor parts. He has a strong presence from start to finish. John Laurie (Mad Peter) was indeed a very good addition to this movie as well. His eccentric personality was absolutely superb!

The music score was pretty good, starting off with the opening scene/credits. A thunderous clashing of cymbals, and loud roaring wind section, lead us into this creepy classic. The sets, as with the overwhelming majority of Hammer films, were absolutely amazing. The house, the bubbling pit of oozing death in the basement, and the foggy moors, all set an incredible mood for this film. Definitely check this one out, it’s more than worth your time!

Cinema Sunday: The Beast Must Die (1974)

Posted on March 2, 2014 by billyd75

Title: The Beast Must Die

Distributor: Amicus Productions (British Lion Films)

Writers: James Blish (short story), Michael Winder (screenplay)

Director: Paul Annett

Producers: Max Rosenberg, John Dark, Robert Greenberg, Milton Subotsky

Starring: Peter Cushing, Calvin Lockhart, Marlene Clark, Charles Gray

Released: April 1974

MPAA: PG

OK, I know this isn’t a film most will recognize, but it was one (maybe THE one) that got me interested in werewolves! I remember seeing it on T.V. when I was a little kid, and it scared the crap out of me! Yeah, the “werewolf” doesn’t hold up really well as an adult viewing it, but it still has a good cast, including the horror icon, Peter Cushing, and a couple of unique things about it that no other werewolf movie has that I’ve personally ever seen! So, without further interruption, let’s get to it!

The opening scene shows a man, Tom Newcliffe (Calvin Lockhart), as he’s running through a wooded area, and being tracked by not only a helicopter, but also soldiers. They are all being directed by another man, Pavel, who is using advanced equipment to track Tom. Twice they catch him, but are directed to let him go. As Tom finally makes his way to an open area near a mansion, we see a few people sitting at a table outside, having a meal. As Tom gets closer to the people, the soldiers emerge from the woods, and shoot him in the back! A scream from one of the guests rings out, and they all come running to see if Tom can be saved. We quickly realize that the bullets were blanks, and Tom laughs at the situation. His wife, Caroline (Marlene Clark) is not amused.

Later that day, Tom is introducing everyone to each other, and we see his intentions on throwing this dinner party. He tells Arthur Bennington (Charles Gray), Jan and Davina Gilmore (Michael Gambon & Ciaran Madden), Paul Foote (Tom Chadbon), and Professor Lundgren (Peter Cushing), that death seems to follow all the guests, and that he believes one of them is a werewolf. He also states that the estate has been electronically bugged, so he can track and kill the animal for sport. Most of the guests don’t believe they even exist, but Professor Lundgren does, and has some expertise on the subject.

Tom then meets with Pavel, who, coincidentally doesn’t believe him either, and tells him that he needs him to watch the estate, while he sleeps. Not long into the night, the sensors fire off that there is activity on the estate. Pavel wakes Tom, and then directs him to the nearby wooded area to track it. Tom eventually gets a quick look at it, but it evades him, then heads back to the house. Tom urges Pavel to get something silver to fight off the creature, but Pavel grabs a pistol instead. Before you know what’s happening, a large wolf is on the rooftop by a skylight, and Pavel attempts to shoot the animal. It either evades the shots or they have no effect, and then it dives through the glass, and Tom hears Pavel scream. By the time Tom returns to the mansion, he finds Pavel dead in his chair (nice shot of that scene below).

The next day, Tom tells his chopper pilot that they’ll be on the hunt tonight, so be ready. He told the rest of the staff to go home for a few days, so that no one else will be in jeopardy. Tom then removes the rotary arm from each vehicle on the estate, so he wont have to worry about anyone leaving. As Tom is walking around the estate, he’s nearly shot with an arrow by Paul Foote. Foote tells him that he’s been “hunting the hunter”, and plays it off as a drunken joke. Tome berates him, and then shows him what he’s done to the cars. At dinner, Tom announces what he’s done, and that it’s twelve miles to the nearest neighbor. Bennington gets furious about this, but Tom doesn’t care. Foote also gets grumpy, and the rest of the crowd is growing aggravated as well. Caroline then grabs a candlestick and smashes a mirror with it, cutting herself.

In the evening, Tom and his chopper pilot find the werewolf running around the property. After trying to shoot it from the chopper doesn’t work, Tom decides he’s going to get up close and personal with the beast. He follows it into a dark barn, but unbeknownst to him, Davina, Caroline, and Professor Lundgren have also followed out to the barn. Caroline’s dog rushes in and begins to fight with the werewolf. It loses that battle, and the werewolf bolts out the door before Tom can do anything to stop the beast. It then mauls the chopper pilot, and heads back towards the mansion. Meanwhile, Caroline is distraught about her dog. Tom steps in, and tells Professor Lundgren to take the two ladies back to the mansion. Tom then euthanized the dog. Tom then comes back to the house, and all are accounted for except Bennington. As Tom enters the room, he sees blood everywhere, and Bennington on the floor, dead from various wounds.

As the next day begins, the body count will rise even higher, and the question arises, can anyone stop the beast from killing again?

OK, here are my thoughts:

Are the “special effects” cheesy? Yes. Do some of the actors over act? Yes. BUT, listen to me when I tell you this the movie is still pretty good! If you can get past the wolf-dog, you can get through this movie, and enjoy it in the meantime too! Calvin Lockhart is a great protagonist, and when you throw in Peter Cushing (certainly a smaller role than we’re used to seeing him in), you get two solid actors that know how to play their parts. One of the things I alluded to earlier, is that this film has a couple of cool things that are a surprise. First off, with 3/4 of the movie in the can, you get the voice of the narrator telling you “it’s time for the werewolf break”. You get exactly thirty seconds to try to use the clues that were given to guess who you think is the culprit (pic above). Now, granted there are only five people left at this stage of the game, but it’s still a cool concept. Secondly, the story also has a unique twist ending, for Tom, and Caroline. I wont spoil it, but believe me, you wont see this one coming.

Overall, I’d give this movie a solid rating, because of Lockhart and Cushing, plus the twists I spoke of above. Again, the werewolf looks like a coked up dog running around, but it was 1974, and I’m sure half of the budget was blown on Peter Cushing and a few explosions. I’ll freely admit to giving this movie a higher score than most out of pure nostalgia as well. See you next Sunday for more movie madness!

Cinema Sunday: Blacula (1972)

Posted on February 23, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Blacula

Distributor: AIP/MGM

Writers: Raymond Koenig & Joan Torres

Director: William Crain

Producers: Samuel Z. Arkoff & Joseph T. Narr

Starring: William Marshall, Denise Nicholas, Vonetta McGee, Gordon Pinsent, Thalmus Rasulala

Released: August 25th, 1972

MPAA: PG

Greetings friends! This week is a special one indeed! I’ll be taking a look at the first blaxploitation film that ever piqued my interest, and has become a favorite of mine over the years. Listen, one Halloween, my family and I just stayed in rather than go out, we all sat on the couch together, and as I flipped through the channels, guess what was on? You bet, it was Blacula! Of course, no one else was as excited as I was, but hey, it was an experience! OK, enough reminiscing, let’s get to this awesome piece of 1970’s gold!

Our story begins in 1780, as we see Castle Dracula in the mountains. Inside, Count Dracula is entertaining two guest that are seeking his help. Prince Mamuwalde (William Marshall), and his bride, Luva (Vonetta McGee), have come to the home of Count Dracula to meet with other dignitaries, and try to persuade them to help stop the slave trade. Dracula doesn’t seem to think that’s a good idea, so he and Mamuwalde are at odds. Dracula does tell the prince that he would pay a good chunk of change for his “delicious” wife. Mamuwalde takes offense to this, and the next thing you know, Dracula’s lackeys are fighting with Mamuwalde. They use superior numbers to knock him out, and then Dracula bites him, and curse him to become, Blacula! He also locks Luva in the crypt with the coffin that holds Mamuwalde, so she’s helpless to save him, and he’s also helpless to save her.

Fast forward to modern times (1972), and we see two interior decorators in Transylvania, bidding on the contents of Castle Dracula. They buy everything, including the coffin. They then have everything transported back to Los Angeles. As they rummage through their buys, suddenly, the coffin opens, and out pops Blacula! He bites those two guys, and then heads back into the coffin. As the funeral for the two dead guys is taking place, Dr. Gordon Thomas (Thalmus Rasulala), Tina Williams (Vonetta McGee), and her sister, Michelle (Denise Nicholas), enter to pay their last respects to their friends. Lurking in the next room, is Blacula, and he sees Tina, and she’s an exact mirror image of his dead wife, Luva. He decides she must be his dead wife reincarnated, so he then sets out to win her over. They leave the funeral home, and Tina heads home. On her way, she’s approached by Mamuwalde, but gets frightened, and runs away. She drops her purse, and then bolts for her apartment.

The next scene shows up the local night club, and Tina, Michelle, and Gordon are having a good time. The next thing you know, Mamuwalde shows up, and brings Tina’s purse to her, and apologizes for startling her the prior day. He then joins their dinner party, but is quickly turned off by the flashes of a photographer, and one of the club’s regulars. The photographer tries to snap a pic of Blacula, but when she heads to her house to develop it, she sees Blacula is missing. Before she can even blink, she’s accosted by him, and left for dead.

As the body count rises, Tina falls in love with Mamuwalde. She even wont give him up after he kills a cop! As you can imagine, things escalate, and a crazy battle at a warehouse breaks out, followed by the final war between Blacula and the cops at a chemical plant! Death, destruction, and the greatest vampire to ever appear in a blaxploitation movie!

Alright here are my thoughts:

Listen, I know its sounds silly, but this movie really does have a decent story! Not only that, but the scenery, clothing, lingo, and all around atmosphere are groovy! William Marshall does a great job at playing a vampire. His incredible voice commands the set every time he speaks! And of course, Vonetta McGee (below) and Denise Nicholas are very easy on the eyes! The music score is good too, and definitely reflects the times. The title sequence has the best music for sure! The sequel, Scream, Blacula Scream, is a decent flick, but not quite as good as the original. We do get to see 70’s icon Pam Grier in that one, so it’s worth a look! Overall, if you’re a fan of anything 70’s, you need to see this one, and you can grab the double pack for around $5, so there’s no excuse! And remember, “His bite was outta sight”!

Cinema Sunday: Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)

Posted on February 16, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Creature From The Black Lagoon

Distributor: Universal Studios

Writer: Maurice Zimm (Screenplay by Harry Essex & Arthur A. Ross)

Director: Jack Arnold

Producer: William Alland

Starring: Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, Ricou Browning

Released: February 12th, 1954

MPAA: PG (NR)

First, let’s get something out of the way before we get to the synopsis, and then my thoughts. This film is one of those few, that are perfect. For its time, it was scary, intriguing, thought-provoking, and just an all around great experience. To movie lovers, it still is, and that will never change. This film stands the test of time. OK, now that we’ve got that aside, let’s get to it!

Creature from the Black Lagoon was released in 1954, amidst the big sci-fi boom of the 1950’s. Many studios were putting out films with space exploration, otherworldly creatures, alien invasions, giant radiation mutated bugs, etc. It was definitely the best decade for new films of that genre. With household names like Richard Carlson, and the gorgeous Julie Adams! This movie was also very cool because it was filmed in 3-D! Alright, enough of the posturing, let’s get to the movie!

The film begins with a research party looking for fossils in the Amazon Basin. Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno), finds a fossil of a webbed hand, that appears to be part human, part amphibian. He rushes back to the institute where he works, and finds Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson -far right, image above), and his assistant/lover, Kay Lawrence (Julie Adams), as they are doing research at the institute on marine life. He shows them and two other doctors the fossil, and they all conclude that this might be an evolutionary missing link, and it must be found. They get Dr. Mark Williams (Richard Denning -far left, image above) to finance the trip, and head down to the Amazon Basin. While they’re away, two of Dr. Maia’s laborers are brutally attacked by some strange and mysterious creature!

As the expedition arrives, they seek out the laborers, but find their bodies have been torn apart by something unseen. They dig for eight days, but find absolutely nothing. Mark is getting frustrated, but then David theorizes that some of this basin must have been washed away at some point, so they travel a little more down the river, to a lagoon. The boat (Rita), is captained by a man named Lucas, who seems to be a bit unscrupulous, but knows the waters very well. Mark and David head into the murky waters to check things out, and soon realize, that they are not alone. As they explore the depths of this mighty river, they find a fascinating creature, that looks half human and half amphibian. Mark shoots it with his harpoon gun, but it doesn’t even seem to faze the creature. It swims away, and the two men head back to the boat. They tell the others of this incredible creature, and they formulate a plan to capture it.

They fashion a cage from bamboo, and then use a drug that the captain uses to catch fish when the nets aren’t working to well. It’s a kind of powder that they spread through the water, and it will hopefully slow the creature down enough to be captured. Mark still wants to kill it, but David is adamantly against that action. As they put the plan into motion, the creature attempts to enter the boat, but is driven off by fire. It dives back into the river, and they follow it to its lair. It attacks Kay, but then falls to the ground, passing out from the drug. AS it regains consciousness in the cage aboard the ship, it sees Kay talking to one of the other scientists. The creatures strength returns, and it busts out of the cage easily. It savagely attacks the scientist, but gets lit on fire by a lamp. It retreats into the river, and the team is left in shock.

Mark wants desperately to go after the creature, but David tells him that it’s too dangerous, and that they are leaving. As they proceed back up river, they see that their exit is blocked by a fallen tree. David thinks that it was the creatures doing, and he and Mark argue over a plan of action. As David tells him that he’s going to go into the water to tie a rope around the tree, so they can pull it out of the way with the ship’s wench, Mark attacks David, but ends up getting punched out by David. David then goes into the water, but is attacked by the creature. Luckily for him, Mark has decided to come into the water, and help. He uses his harpoon gun to fight off the creature’s attack, but eventually gets killed by it in the end. This leaves David and the others to find a way to stop the creature, and try get out alive!

OK, here are my thoughts on the film:

As I said in the beginning, this film is perfect. The story is fantastic, but unlike a lot of horror, sci-fi movies, it doesn’t leave you guessing about what the creature looks like very long. Sometimes that can take all the suspense out of a movie, but it certainly does not in this one. The tension between Richard Carlson’s character and Richard Denning’s character is great! Throw in the gorgeous Julie Adams, and you have a really solid chemistry. Even Antonio Moreno and the others lend their strengths to the dialogue.

A great soundtrack, with an overall thunderous tone, gives a suspenseful feeling to this movie. I can’t imagine this one in color either, the black and white print is outstanding, and the 3-D “effects” were good for their time, no doubt. Honestly though, it could have easily done without that tag, but it was a sign of the times, so who cares. The underwater scenes in particular were really incredible. You can find this movie just about anywhere and for a decent price as well, so there’s no excuse to not own this classic Universal flick! With guys like Jack Arnold and William Alland!

Click here for the trailer!

Cinema Sunday: Clash of The Titans (1981)

Posted on February 9, 2014 by billyd75

Title: Clash of The Titans

Distributor: MGM

Writer: Beverley Cross

Director: Desmond Davis

Producer: Ray Harryhausen & Charles H. Schneer

Starring: Harry Hamlin, Lawrence Olivier, Judie Bowker, Maggie Smith, Burgess Meredith

Released: June 12th, 1981

MPAA: PG

In this edition of Cinema Sunday, I’ll be spotlighting a movie that means more to me than any other. Why, you ask? Well, simply put, this is the first movie that I saw in the theater, that left me feeling anything was possible. It was the first movie that made me seek out the creators (later in life), and discover a man named Ray Harryhausen. This one man, has revolutionized film making, and especially, special effects. At this point in my life, I’d seen Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and a number of other films that were considered to be a big deal. But, this film, Clash of The Titans, is the one the resounds in my mind, and always will. A strong hero, a damsel in distress, the evil Calibos, the vengeful goddess Thetis, and who can forget, The Kraken! In this swan song for Ray Harryhausen, there was magic, might, and creatures that we will never forget!

The film opens with a young woman, as she and her newborn son, Perseus are being punished, by her own father, King Acrisius of Argos. He orders his soldiers to place them in a casket, and toss them into the sea. He does this, to appease the gods, but doesn’t realize that he’s actually doomed his city, because the child of his daughter, is the son of Zeus (Lawrence Olivier). The next scene shows the gods, Zeus, Thetis (Maggie Smith), Poseidon, Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera, as they converse about these happenings. Zeus then commands Poseidon to raise the winds and rains, and to release the most terrifying of all the Titans, the Kraken, to destroy Argos. The city is decimated by the beast, and weather, but Perseus (image below) and his mother Danaë, are brought safely to the shores of Seriphos.

We watch, as Perseus (Harry Hamlin) grows to be a young man, and the gods watch him, especially Zeus and Thetis. Thetis also has a son, Calibos, and he was spoiled by her, and was prince of the city of Joppa. Zeus was angry about this, as Calibos used his advantages to seek out and kill Zeus’s winged horses, and only one, Pegasus, remains. Zeus then uses his godly powers to deform Calibos, and banish him to the swamps. Thetis grows jealous of Zeus’ treatment of Perseus, so she punishes all of Joppa, with a plague of flies, and a curse on the Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker). The princess must not marry until a suitor can solve a riddle, and if he doesn’t, he’s burned alive at the stake.

As Perseus slumbers on the shores one evening, Thetis, places him in the amphitheater of Joppa, and defies Zeus. Perseus awakens, and is greeted by Ammon (Burgess Meredith). They surmise that the gods have done this, and the next day, Zeus commands that his fellow gods endow his son with weapons to protect himself. He’s given a sword (that can slice through anything), a shield, and a helmet (which renders the wearer invisible). He journeys to Joppa, and learns of the beautiful princess, and the curse on her and the city. He visits her one night, and she’s having a nightmare. He witnesses a giant vulture, as it brings a cage, and her spirit rises, and enters the cage. The vulture picks it up, and takes Andromeda to the swamps of Calibos. There, he gives her another riddle to torment her, and Joppa. The next scene brings another trip to the swamps, but this time, Perseus follows riding a recently acquired Pegasus! In the swamps, Calibos gives Andromeda another riddle, but notices footprints being pressed into the sand. He follows the steps back into the depths of the swamp, and attacks Perseus. The two struggle, but Perseus escapes.

The following day, the Queen is holding court, and asking if any man has the courage to ask for her daughter’s hand in marriage. The doors burst open, and Perseus steps through. He accepts the challenge, and Andromeda asks her riddle. Perseus solves it easily, and shows the people of Joppa that he has defeated Calibos, and cut off his hand. As the two prepare to wed, Calibos (image below) appears to the statue of his mother, Thetis, and begs for her to help him get revenge. She appears to the people during the wedding ceremony, and tells them that in thirty days, Andromeda must be sacrificed to the Kraken, or the beast will kill everyone in the city. So, it’s up to Perseus, and the elite guard of Joppa, to find a way to stop the Kraken, and save the life of Andromeda!

My thoughts on the movie:

As I said earlier, this movie has left more of an impression on me than any other in my lifetime. It made me seek out the special effects creator, Ray Harryhausen, and become a life long fan of his tremendous work. Most don’t consider this film to be his finest, but I disagree. This was Ray’s swan song, and I believe it’s one of his best works. The Kraken was incredible even if it did borrow some features from one of his earlier works (20 Million Miles to Earth). Medusa, the Gorgon, was absolutely terrifying, especially to a young child as I was when I saw this film (6 years old). The mythical two-headed dog, Dioskilos, giant scorpions, and the winged horse, Pegasus, were also quite magnificent. You’ll not find a finer film of this time in history that had as many cool creatures.

An ages old story of love, adventure, and everything else you can imagine from a fantasy aspect, are in this movie. Burgess Meredith does a good job at being a mentor to Perseus, and Sir Lawrence Olivier is without a doubt, the best Zeus I’ve ever seen! Click on this link (Clash of the Titans), which is the official website for the movie. It’s now out on Blu-ray, so get out there and grab this movie, you wont be disappointed. Thank you, Mr. Ray Harryhausen (promo pic below with Ray and the head of Medusa)!

Cinema Sunday: House of Wax (1953)

Posted on February 2, 2014 by billyd75

Title: House of Wax

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Writer: Charles S. Belden (play), Crane Wilbur (screenwriter)

Director: André de Toth

Producer: Bryan Foy

Starring: Vincent Price, Frank Lovejoy, Charles Bronson, Carolyn Jones, Phyllis Kirk

Released: April 10th, 1953

MPAA: NR

To say that Vincent Price is an icon, is a bit of an understatement. The guy has been in more great horror movies than I can count. All of the great Edgar A. Poe adaptations, The House on Haunted Hill, The Last Man on Earth, The Fly, and all the others that will just creep you out. Of course, everyone has their favorite, and House of Wax, is mine. I love a story that revolves around a good guy done wrong, then turns evil. When you have a character that goes off the deep end mentally from some sort of trauma, it isn’t too far away from reality, so that is a fascination. This film was part of the 3-D craze of the decade, and like most others, wasn’t defined by it, and the effects were mostly forgettable, but the film is not. So, from 1953, I give you, House of Wax…

The movie begins with a scene from inside a wax museum, and Professor Jarrod (Vincent Price) is working on one of his figures. His partner, Matthew Burke drops by to take a look at the financial records. He isn’t pleased with the moderate business they’ve done, so he suggests to Jarrod that they set fire to the building and collect the insurance money. This infuriates Jarrod, who looks at his figures as if they are real people. Burke scoffs at his partners feelings, and lights the building on fire anyway. He and Jarrod get into a fist fight, and Jarrod ends up on the wrong end of that scuffle. He’s presumed dead, although we never actually see it happen.

The next thing we see, is Burke, as he’s romancing a girl (Carolyn Jones) that looks young enough to be his daughter. She’s a gold digger though, and doesn’t care about his age. He tells her about the twenty-five thousand dollar insurance money that he received, and they make plans to go to Niagara Falls, and get married. They both go home, and Burke immediately goes to his safe, and grabs a wad of cash. He doesn’t realize that there is someone else in the room with him, and this creepy looking, cape wearing dude, throws a rope around his neck, and strangles him to death. Next, the creepy guy drags the body out into the hallway, places a rope around Burke’s neck, and tosses him into the elevator shaft, making it look like suicide.

The next day, Cathy Gray (Carolyn Jones), is talking with her roommate, Sue Allen (Phyllis Kirk), as she prepares to go out on another date…with another older man with money. She does, and Sue heads out to find a job. Sue comes in later at night, and after she gets harassed by her landlord, she heads upstairs to ask Cathy if she can borrow some money for rent. She discovers that Cathy has been murdered, and not only that, but the killer is still in the room! She jumps out of the window to the roof, and using a fire escape, gets to street level. The killer follows her, and a chase scene follows. Sue manages to get to a friend’s house, and she’s hysterical about the nights events. The next day, Sue tells the police what’s happened, and they’re skeptical about her story. As this is going on, the killer steals the body of Cathy Gray from the morgue.

We then see that Professor Jarrod survived the fire, and he meets with a rich finance man about opening a new museum. The man agrees, and Jarrod tells him that this museum will be different from the last, because he’ll be showcasing more macabre displays and not historical events. Jarrod also has two henchmen at his side, and they assist him because he’s now crippled and in a wheelchair.Sue and her boyfriend, Scott Andrews, (a talented sculptor) head to the new museum to check out what all the excitement is about in the city. They’re astonished at the reality of the wax figures, and especially, the Joan of Arc display. Sue is freaked out by the display, because it’s a dead ringer for her friend, Cathy Gray. Jarrod tells her that he uses photographs from the newspaper to use as reference for his wax figures. Jarrod then invites Scott to come over and sculpt at his museum, and he agrees. Scott then takes Cathy to a show to get her mind off of the murder, but she can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong about the museum.

The police go to the museum to check things out (since Jarrod was supposed to be dead), and one of the officers remembers the face of the on assistant. He’s suspicious, so they bring in his assistant for questioning. They find a gold watch in his possession, and it has an inscription on it. It has the name of one of the murdered people on it, so they know he has something to do with the foul play. They question him, and he cracks and tells them everything. While this is going on, Sue went tot he museum to meet Scott, but he’d already left. Jarrod and his assistant grab Sue, and take her to the waxwork downstairs. Jarrod wants to use her to recreate his Marie Antoinette, and he’ll stop at nothing to do it.

Scott returns to the museum to check and see if Cathy is there, and he hears her scream. As he attempts to get down to her, he’s stopped by Igor, the other assistant. Igor knocks out Scott, and puts his head in the guillotine. Just as he’s about to decapitate him, the police arrive and stop him. They bust in downstairs, and a fight breaks out. Jarrod seems to have superhuman strength, as he fights off half a dozen officers. Eventually though, the knock him off of a staircase, and he falls into his own boiling barrel of wax. The police rescue Sue from her chains, and Scott and her are reunited.

Here’s my take on the movie:

This is undoubtedly one of the best horror movies of all time. It holds up over time, and Vincent Price performs wonderfully. He executes the wild imagination of an artist perfectly, and then in the same movie changes into a mentally deranged fiend. The policemen were both good actors (Frank Lovejoy, Dabbs Greer), and you’ll recognize both of them if you’re a fan of old T.V. and cinema. Phyllis Kirk is a good “damsel in distress”, and even though he didn’t speak (his character was deaf & mute), Charles Bronson was pretty good too, as the evil henchman! It was one of his earliest roles on the big screen. The music score was also very good, so I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the name David Buttolph.

Cinema Sunday: The Fog (1980)

Posted on January 26, 2014 by billyd75

Title: The Fog

Distributor: AVCO Embassy Pictures

Writer: John Carpenter & Debra Hill

Director: John Carpenter

Producer: Debra Hill

Starring: Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Janet Leigh, Hal Holbrook

Released: February 1st, 1980

MPAA: R

It’s confession time, ladies and gents. When I was a kid, I used to wait until my Mom (or Grandmother) would go to bed, then go watch movies that I wasn’t allowed to under normal circumstances. One of the earliest horror movies I can remember watching and being completely frightened of, is the John Carpenter classic, The Fog. Lets be honest for a second, shall we. What boy wouldn’t want to watch a scary movie with Adrienne Barbeau (her big screen debut) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween) in it? Exactly my point. I was always fascinated by being scared, and movies by guys like Carpenter were just perfect. The film received mixed reviews, but did quite good at the box office. On a budget of around one million dollars, it brought in over twenty million. You’ll notice some familiar faces in this film from earlier Carpenter movies, and the mother of Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, as well!

The movie begins with an old sailor, as he tells a ghost story to a bunch of kids while camping on the beach (Boy Scouts?). He tells them of a ship that crashed on the shores of this very coastline, one-hundred years ago. He tells how they were killed because on an unearthly fog, that confused them on their location. Across town, Father Malone (Hal Holbrook), is startled when a stone from the wall pops out, crashing to the floor. Inside the wall he finds a journal, and begins to read. Over at the lighthouse, DJ Stevie Wayne (Adrienne Barbeau), is doing her nightly show, and settling in just before midnight. At that exact moment, the entire town goes absolutely bonkers. A small tremor hits the town, pay phones ring, car horns begin honking, dogs bark wildly, etc.

Next, we see Nick Castle, as he’s driving home. He sees a hitchhiker (Jamie Lee Curtis), so he picks her up. There’s also a small ship out at sea, and after getting drunk, the crew decide to head back home. Before they can though, they hear Stevie Wayne’s weather report, and she reports a fog bank coming this way. They see it, and before they know it, a ship is right next to them. As they proceed to the upper deck, two of them meet some ghastly figures in the dark. As they stand in fear, unable to move, both men are cut down by the zombie-like men. Below decks, the one man left is skewered by another of the ghostly figures. Over at Nick’s place, he’s already talked Elizabeth (Jamie Lee Curtis) into jumping in the sack with him. As they’re having some pillow talk, a knock at the door interrupts them. Nick gets up to answer it, but the clock face shatters, and strikes 1AM. As he answers the door, no one is there, just fog.

The next day, Nick and Elizabeth charter a boat to go out and find his buddies that never came back the night before. They find the ship, but it seems that nobody is left aboard. As they go to the lower decks, they find that the ship was freezing cold, and also it’s taken on water. Nick knows this can’t be possible, but the evidence tells him otherwise. Back in town, Father Malone gets a visit from Kathy (Janet Leigh) and Sandy (Nancy Loomis), about the celebration tonight for the town anniversary. Father Malone, has basically had a breakdown over the journal from his grandfather. It told a story of how his grandfather, and five other founders of the town betrayed a ship full of lepers that wanted to buy land near Antonio Bay. The settlers built a fire near some huge rocks near the shoreline, and lured the ship full of lepers there, where they crashed and died, one hundred years ago.

As night falls, Stevie heads to the radio station, and the fog slowly rolls in to town. Her son is at home with his geriatric babysitter, Mrs. Kobritz, who gets put out of her misery, but that leaves Stevie’s son alone against the horror in the fog. The power goes out in the town, the phone lines are down, and the fog begins to envelop Antonio Bay. It’s up to Stevie, Nick, Elizabeth, and a small group of townspeople, to find a way to stop the sinister beings in the fog!

Alright, here we go with my thoughts:

Initially, people might dismiss this film for a myriad of reasons, but I choose to look at the positives. Adrienne Barbeau actually does a great job in this flick. She’s very convincing, especially at the part where her son is in jeopardy. She only speaks in person once on the film, and that’s with her son. Other than that, she talks on the radio and with the weatherman on the phone. Still, a great performance on her part, especially when you consider it was her first movie. Tom Atkins is a good “man of action” type, and even the small parts Janet Leigh, and Hal Holbrook played are done well. The real stars of the movie though are John Carpenter & Debra Hill. If you look at not only this film, but all of their collaborations, you really get a sense that they were made to work together. This film certainly exemplifies that statement. Some very intense scenes, and the music score (Carpenter as well), really added to the mood, and will give you shivers up your spine! It’s now also available on Blu-ray, so if you wan to go that route, you have that option.

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