La Haine (1995)

"La Haine" is a political film. "La Haine" is a humanistic film about the realities of ghetto life. "La Haine" is a film about France, specifically the turmoil surrounding rebellion, honesty, and sacrifice. "La Haine" will anger you. It will make you cringe in your seat. It will make you question the values within your own community. That is why this film swept in 1995 when it was released, why other directors have attempted to recycle the story, and why even today - 14 years later - it still remains a relevant film, not just about French society, but a dedicated relevance towards American society as well. Director Mathieu Kassovitz has pulled this story directly from the headlines, taking the injustice of the police and the corruption of the streets and transforming it into the lives of three multi-national boys hell-bent on initiating revenge for the sake of their fallen friend. It is a dark story that uses drugs and violence off the scene to build the suspense within. Filmed in a stark black and white, Kassovitz takes away the glory, wealth, and American-ized culture of project life (see Baltimore's "The Wire") and allows us to experience one day in the life of these boys and their discovery of a gun.

Like von Trier's "Dear Wendy", "La Haine" focuses on the gun, a rarity within the youth of the French projects, and builds this momentum that the unknown will eventually happen. This onset of violence, which has been haunting us throughout the film, a la "Mean Streets", finally comes face forward in our third act in a shock provoking scene that will rattle you each time "La Haine" visits your DVD player. Yet, this is just a small indication of what "La Haine" has to offer. Yes, it is a film about violence, it is a political film, and you better believe that it is a youth film, but there is something universal about this mid-90s film that continues to resonate with each viewing. For me, it rests powerfully on the actors. Vincent Cassel absolutely steals this film. From his opening dance, until the unique dilemma surrounding the skinhead, he proves throughout this film that he was passionate about the material. For those doubting the power of his ability, see his body language, emotion, and intensity behind his words - what Cassel does in this film is rare in today's Oscar-caliber films. I recently had the opportunity to watch his film, "Eyes Wide Shut" - again, another independent film in which he gave over 100% of his ability to bring to the screen a genuinely unique character. That is the ability of Vincent Cassell. Yet, in "La Haine", we have two other players that bring even more of a dynamic to this group. Hubert Kounde's performance of Hubert is jaw-dropping. There is this subtle level of intelligence that rounds out our group consisting of himself, the wild-card, and the jokester. Hubert shows that life in the ghettos of France are not just a status symbol, but instead merely abilities to get by. When selling drugs, the money doesn't go towards jewelery or cars, it goes back to his mother to pay the gas bill. In this scene alone, Hubert shows his humanity, while Kassovitz demonstrates the truth behind the scene. Said was equally as good, keeping up with the other two, but for myself, Hubert and Vinz were our stand out roles. They played against themselves so much, that the two of them became closer as the film progressed.

Watching Criterion's release of this film, it is impressive how much they put together for this double-disc set. The interview with Jodie Foster is a bit long, but interesting. She talks about her first impressions of the film, and her excitement about bringing "La Haine" to the US of A. While it showed a different side to Paris, the universality of the message Kassovitz was trying to bring to the screen; youth's anger towards leaders, corruption within the police, and unnecessary casualties of protest is still relevant here today. Albeit, the language is different - the message is the same. Kassovitz's audio commentary is a political one, occasionally discussing how the scene was created and the shortfalls of creating a independent film, he talks in length to his experiences within the ghetto, and the truth behind the police in France (as well as its leaders). He also interestingly enough, talks about his influences on this film, and throughout his career. Obviously, you can see the Scorsese references throughout (see "Taxi Driver"), but he talks in length about "Mean Streets", and how that film spoke to him more than any other big-budget Hollywood film he had seen. Included on the second disc are plenty of behind the scene moments as well as extended and deleted scenes that further demonstrate Kassovitz's ability, and how he transformed this color film, into a cinematic triumph.

VIDEO: "La Haine" is an instant classic. I recently watched it with a group of people, and it was very unnerving to them. In fact, I spoke to one about a week later, and the film still resonated within her mind. That demonstrates the power of Kassovitz's film. The message is clear, the storytelling is unique, and our characters are defined. These are all great ingredients to create a powerful film. I am happy Criterion has added this to their collection, and I look forward to reviewing more of Kassovitz's work.

VISUAL: The stark black and white made this film. In color, I don't believe it would have had the same effect. Kassovitz's use of camera angles and close up shots (as well as a couple of non-interrupted shots) take "La Haine" from your normal narrative to a complex story about revenge and anger.

SOUND: In his audio commentary, he talks about how sound may have detracted from the message. I couldn't agree more. His tactful use of slight music (Bob Marley and local/Western rap music) only assisted in creating the visuals of the ghetto. It was crisp, audible, and powerful. Criterion has transferred well with this film.

EXTRAS: Criterion packs them in. As discussed above, the audio commentary, Jodie Foster interview, the deleted scenes, and discussion on why "La Haine" was made round this film into a cultural story, instead of just a Hollywood movie. There is quite a bit you can learn about this film, but also the social structure of France - which again, takes this film from being just a normal non-New Wave film to an opportunity to make a change in society.

Overall, I love "La Haine", but be forewarned. This is not a "sit-down-on-a-Saturday-with-some-friends-and-a-beer" film. This is a thought-provoking slice of international cinema that demonstrates amazing actors in their craft, a film with a message, and a director who had little to work with, but used what he had with artistic talent. "La Haine" will remain with you long after the short credits roll, the shock of the ending will make you jump again and again (no matter the amount of times seen), and the discussion to follow remains a pivotal part to this film. I cannot watch this film back to back, but when I come across a need to experience cinema as it should be created, "La Haine" will be the first to come to mind. Impressive.

I think the review above already tells you what I am going to give this film. A green mark with blue stars, I will watch this film again - I will give it to friends as gifts, and show it whenever possible. This is a near-perfect film, that should never be forgotten or ignored. Found in my Halliwell's book, this is my final "H" and I am now forcing myself to watch an anime series that has been looming in the back of my shelf for too long. I can't wait until my next entry, and I look forward to what the next book brings! "H" has been good, let's see what happens next.

Hail the Conquering Hero (1944)

Preston Sturges' little film, "Sullivan's Travels" has been a favorite of mine for a very long time. Since my discover of it through the Criterion collection, I have been impressed with the comic mind of Sturges and his ability to use dark modern issues as a backdrop for something that audiences could laugh at. In "Sullivan's Travels" it was the story of a Hollywood director trying to become a hobo to learn about life. While it seems dismal, it provided quite a bit of laughs with an ending that not only solidifies Sturges' ability, but also creates brain candy for hours afterwards. Thus, it was no surprise that when "Hail the Conquering Hero" arrived to view - that same excitement for Sturges' overcame me. I was ready for laughter coupled with a sensitive discussion about an ageless topic. Alas, what was viewed, was a cute movie that felt longer than necessary, a comic film with repetitive jokes, and a satire on patriotism that merely scratched the surface to what could have been another ageless film. Instead, "Hail the Conquering Hero" felt dated, lacked the push to make it pioneering, and honestly, felt safe. This was a rushed Sturges film, despite the Oscar nomination, and like Eddie Braken's speech at the end, needed to have a stronger voice of truth. Too many missed elements coupled with repeat jokes caused "Hail the Conquering Hero" to miss it's mark and remain a "cute" movie.

The concept is an easy one. You probably have seen it a dozen times before in other films; the son of a war hero is discharged from the army for chronic hay fever, and refuses to go home to face his mother. Enter a band of surly, obvious Army-type figures who influence him into going home looking like a decorated war hero. Hilarity attempts to ensue as the town welcomes him with open arms with such grandiose statements as a parade in his honor, the burning of his mother's mortgage, and the eventual nomination for mayor. As much as Eddie Bracken tries to avoid the applause, he gets further thrust into it. This is a moment where Sturges doesn't quite live up to his comedic hype. There are moments where the scenes are very funny, but Sturges overuses the same jokes again and again that it eventually infects the rest of the film. What should have been witty jokes to move the pace, instead become so repetitive that the nearly hour and half feels like two-plus hours behind the wheel of this vehicle. Braken gives the stationary look of shock throughout, Sgt. Heppelfinger gives the same stern look, and moments of comedy are replaced with awkward settings that should have been funny, but instead failed. Scenes which are reminiscent of this failure are; Braken's arrival home - the entire set up for his grand arrival was funny at first, but as the scene pathetically continued - it just felt claustrophobic and stagnate. This could be said again for the scene where he is about to be nominated for mayor. What should have been funny wasn't - and I think it is because Sturges couldn't control the scenes. Too much in too little time provided minimal laughs.

While I claim that our characters were feeling a bit stale, I do argue that they were the strongest element in this film. There were secondary characters that Sturges gave a small string of screen time, and they stole each second. Look out for the priest who burns the mortgage, hilarious; look for the southern Mayor who owns the Chair factory; again - hilarious. I could even laugh again at the Army man who had this fascination with people's mothers. Yet, our major characters couldn't quite reach this level. While the characters were disappointing, the scene structure was obtrusive by Sturges, the actual story was relatively exciting. I loved this concept, the themes of battles not only happening on the front lines, but also at home was impressive. The constant reminders that WAR BONDS were for sale was a small jab at the Government by Sturges, and the universal mind of the soldier who also turned out to be the Braken's guardian angels was delicious. Sturges had a strong mapped film, one just wonders if he was happy with the final product. Again, there were smart elements and there were mediocre moments, all together just making a "cute" one-time viewing movie.

VIDEO: Released in the Preston Sturges box set, this was a mediocre outing for a man who can confidently create better. Our sub-characters are a great reason to watch this film, while Braken finds his stride within the first two-minutes and continues on that course throughout. The pacing and overall scene development within the town were meant to build laughter, but with me - it just built tension and claustrophobia. Not the elements needed for a Preston Sturges film.

VISUAL: The transfer seemed good, with little to no fuzzy elements or missing frames. Nothing elaborate to talk about here - it was your standard release of a smaller Sturges film.

SOUND: Matches well with the visuals. Again, the train scenes and music moments worked, when characters were outside you could hear them inside, which provided excellent depth. With a box set, it carried decent film as well as visuals.

EXTRAS: Just watching the individual disc, there was nothing except for an option for the language. The special features must have been on another disc - my loss.

Overall, Sturges again entertained, but he did not impress. This was a "cute" film that just felt too long at certain scenes and at others it felt like missed opportunity. This could have been a stronger satire on patriotism, but jokes fell flat. Sub-characters took control and created a strong town, but the ones that were leading us felt stale from the beginning. I was looking forward to this film due to my admiration towards Sturges, but "Hail the Conquering Hero" didn't live up to the hype. "Sullivan's Travels" continues to be my favorite as I continue to view more from this infamous director's cannon. I was happy to see that the screenplay was Oscar nominated, but not surprised that it didn't win. Good, not great - "cute" - not classic.

Found in my Halliwell's book, I am nearly coming to the end of another book. This was a great outing with the "H"s in this book, alot of unknown films found and watched, with plenty more to grow on. Alas, with this feature - I will not be watching it again. I liked the concept, but it failed on delivery. I am going to give this a pink mark. Decent, would mention it to friends, but I would not watch it again solo.

Hackers (1995)

I remember watching Hackers on television and possibly on video when I was younger and being somewhat impressed. Not from the actual film itself, but from the fact that Hollywood would take the sidekicks of every other "action" film and give them their own film. It was refreshing, even if the overall feature did not settle well. It showed that Hollywood was willing to take a step forward in the world of creativity, and for a few films it brooded well. Now in 2005, I watch this film again, and am completely devastated by the results. Now, when I watch this film, I see clichéd characters, an uninvolved plot, complete disregard for the law, and extremely cheap computer graphics, which heavily stamped a date on this feature. Is this what hacking is all about? Is hacking about fighting evil hackers with virus', about growing out-dated over time, and about finding that one Goth girl that has a boyfriend and making her your own? That is what Hackers demonstrated to me, so why shouldn't I believe it?

Director Ian Softley really went outside of his tent when creating this film. Going from the feature Backbeat, about music's cultural icons, to this just doesn't … well … compute. He had this great opportunity to bring an unknown culture into a mainstream light, but instead he teeny-bopped it out of reality. He transforms these unsociable, outcast geniuses into superheroes, armed with nothing more than keyboards, high libidos, teen music, and an overabundance of clichés. If I were a member of the hacker community I would be outraged about this film. It is like making a movie about Superman wearing a Batman costume, two different cultures were intertwining incorrectly and nobody was there to stop it. We needed The Matrix, but all we got was American Pie. To help remedy this situation, we needed three distinct changes. We needed stronger actors to accompany their characters, a tighter story that dove deeper into the hacker culture, and we needed stronger CGI, which wouldn't date this early 90s film.

Jonny Lee Miller was decent, Angelina carried her own, Jesse Bradford was wasted, but overall the most hurtful part of these characters was that they never quite "gelled" together. I never quite saw these main characters working together after this. I never saw them remaining friends or pursuing their computer degrees further. We opened with only enough information for us to feel sympathy for Miller and literally left with no care in the world what would happen to these characters after the credit sequence. This is not strong film-making. I like to end films with a sensation that life outside the camera will continue in a linear course, but with Hackers that sensation never erupted. I think some of this has to do with Matthew Lillard who just floundered his performance (almost to the clichéd "T") and decayed nearly every scene he was involved with. The only attribute he was able to succeed with was annoying, and I don't think that is what Softley was shooting for. These characters were painful to watch and thankfully were able to rebound after this film, sans Matthew Lillard.

The story. Without detailing too much, the story was unoriginal. It felt as if we took a general action film, erased the main heroes, and instead substituted this band of hipster hackers as our heroines. Which means, a very clichéd story equipped with our very own over-acting villain, "The Plague". What was his role in this film outside of telling Penn Jillette what to do, and sleeping with Lorraine Bracco? His spoken words were hideous and painful to the ear, coupled with his one-dimensional character really left us with a villain that never quite covered the "evil" ground. Neither him nor Bracco felt "evil". Instead, from the moment we met them we knew what would be their fate. There was nothing that Softley could have done to avoid this … outside of making better casting decisions, a stronger story, and a decent climax.

Finally, I would like to say that this film felt like the mid-90s. No matter how you look at it, the choice for graphics in this film completely dates the picture. If you think you are going to gather up your computer friends for a rousing night of micro-brews and this feature, you will find yourself definitely alone by the end of the evening. Softley's use of random letters, images, and computer-enhanced something-or-others, didn't even feel like computers. I remember playing computer games back in the 80s that made more sense than this. I felt cheapened after seeing these terminally poor graphics and wondered if this film was used to push computer companies into a better era. Either way, Softley's CGI use in this film was hysterically bad, causing a ripple of cheapness to cascade through this film.

Overall, I wasn't happy with my future viewing of this film. Perhaps I should have left this film go in the 90s, but watching it today I felt cheap and robbed. Softley's inaccurate portrayal of this hacker culture only brewed a deeper dislike of Hollywood and their ability to capitalize on this unknown world. The cast was atrocious (Matthew Lillard), the story can be seen in dozens of other action-genre films, and the central focus of this film, the computer graphics, were apparently designed by Wal-Mart. Hackers is a disgraceful mess of a film that should be locked in the film vault never to be released again.

Found in my Halliwell's book, I originally watched this film on August 6th, 2005. I have no interest in watching this film again - as I remember, it has not stood up well against time. It has a yellow highlight with black mark - never to be watched again. Sorry, Nintendo Generation.

H.M. Pulham, Esq (1941)

Throughout this project of watching nearly every movie ever made, or at least in every attempt possible, I am beginning to discover which films speak to me. There are those that entertain, those that mentally challenge, and those that transform your cinematic experience all together, but for me, the type of film that excites me these days are the delicate semi-biographical pre-1950s story. With a cautious blend of “Citizen Kane” and “Magnificent Ambersons” with that of the modern “Mad Men”, the barely watched film, “H.M. Pulham, Esq.” finally arrived at the doorstep. Unbeknownst that this film would be reminiscent of such films, I began with the unknown. Available only via Warner’s print-on-demand DVD Vault, there was a level of uncertainty as to why this had never been released, or would the print be so destroyed the experience would be lost (see review of “The Lady and the Monster”). To my surprise, it wasn’t – and this two hour epic (“epic” is correct; due to the emotion, landscape, and themes of this film) quickly filled the cannon that was once overpopulated by Orson Welles. With dry characters like Harry Pulham and Kay Motford countered with the exciting Marvin Myles and Bill King as well as the quintessential sledding scene (needed in every semi-biographical film), “H.M. Pulham, Esq.” pulled ahead in the ranks as I settled down for an amazing feature. It was shocking, intelligent, slow, predictable, and a bit pioneering for the date – and I loved every minute of it.

“H.M. Pulham, Esq.” tells the story of a man, Harry Pulham (played simply by Robert Young) as he randomly gets a call from a Harvard friend requesting that he write a bit of a biography for the upcoming reunion. Coincidentally, he gets a call the same day from an old flame, and Harry uses the entire day to give us the “It’s a Wonderful Life” flashback scenario where we learn about his life, and current consequences. As we travel back and forth, we fall in love with a core of four characters, Harry (of course), Marvin Myles the sassy co-worker, Bill King the obnoxious lady-killer, and Kay everyone’s safe bet. It is these four characters that take us from New York to the country, from love to hate, and from passion to comfort. As Harry continues to look back onto his life, he begins to question his decisions, and the world of possibilities available.

“H.M. Pulham, Esq.” would not have worked had it not been for these four characters. It is a driven character drama, thus without our actors taking full opportunity, it would have transformed into this two-hour snooze-fest, but instead they embraced, and allowed us to get to know each one individually, as well as a whole. Robert Young’s Harry is probably the easiest to swallow, because is portrays him as this unguided everyman, lured by the life of NYC, but focused on family and dedication. His friends pull him in every direction, but he is grounded must make the decision between love and comfort. Each one of our characters builds upon this story, and where it succeeds the most is that director King Vidor (you know, the one that gave us the Kansas scenes in “Wizard of Oz” as well as “War and Peace”) isn't afraid to push the limits. Or, at least the limits allowed in 1941. Again, I cannot stress that this is a fictional biography story that melds well within the folds of society. Vidor has succeeded greatly in this little feature because he has taken the great elements of "Magnificent Ambersons" and "It's A Wonderful Life" and plopped them into this unknown feature. Yes, at times it is long - and you better believe that there are moments that date this film - but in the end, it will warm your heart, but also make you look within your own life.

"H.M. Pulham, Esq" feels like a universal film. It is one of those movies that goes great with snow outside and a warm glass of cider. It shows a side of cinema that we forget about when we think of classic cinema. During this project, I have watched two films that stood beyond the norm - that Hollywood seemed to snub - and fell in love with both of them. One was the film I have repeated throughout this review, "The Magnificent Ambersons", and the second is this little film. Again, it is a simple film that presses a message relevant in 1941 or 2009, the idea of choices and consequences.

VIDEO: With solid characters, a delicate story, and this emotion that just oozes throughout the scenes (my favorites were the subtle football story and the snowy banks rollick). I am surprised that this film doesn't have more of a following.

VISUALS: This is my first experience with the Warner print-on-demand Vault, and I must admit - I was impressed. Obviously, it is a created DVD, but the features and the transfer was amazing. It was no Criterion, but Warner impressed.

SOUND: Again, the transfer used was great. The language was audible, the effects were not lost, and the background noises were impressive. This was a strong DVD.

EXTRAS: Alas, the lacking part of this DVD. There was nothing except an extremely long preview for this film. It was good to have, and honestly I wasn't expecting anything with this release - so I can't fault Warner too hard.

Overall, I may sound repetitive with this, but I loved with this film had to offer. Perhaps it was my mood for the evening, or the sense of nostalgia for this style of film, but this film took me back to a simple cinematic experience. There was booze, talk of sex, and infidelity all within the two hours, which surprised me greatly. The actors did their parts with great effort, and each point went to the next. There was a purpose behind each person's actions, and it was developed. Not just dropped to the floor. King Vidor did a fantastic job behind the camera giving us lush landscapes and power driven characters. If you don't mind spending some money for this film, I would suggest a viewing. It was impressive.

I found this in my Halliwell's 2006 book under the "H" listings. So far, I have seen some great older films, which was a goal to this project. Laurel and Hardy, Pulham, Vinz, what is next? I am happily giving this film a green highlight with blue stars. I will watch this film again, I will show this film to friends, and be in an utter state of "awe" for the entire two hours. Three more "H"s - here I come!

Habeas Corpus (1928)

Tonight, it was proven – comedy never dies. Nearly 81 years ago a comedy duo by the name of Laurel and Hardy broke through the sound barrier (quite literally) to bring humor, a dazzling array of both slapstick and intelligent, to the masses. Could today’s audiences still laugh at what simple jokes these two men brought to the screen? With a group of friends we put that theory to the ground, and surprisingly our level of entertainment combined with humor was not disappointed. After aging gracefully over eight decades, Laurel and Hardy continue to combine random, interesting scenarios with engaging, well-planned humor. Add to this the fact that “Habeas Corpus” was their first sound film; i.e. sound effects not speaking – yet continued to make our audience laugh hysterically. Their ability to take small gestures, and expand them into laugh-out-loud situations, using merely their facial expressions and their body language would put some modern comedians to shame. Yet, their style didn’t seem dated. In one scene in “Habeas Corpus”, our duo watches as a man puts his ashes from his cigarette into his pocket. Each time he does this, the camera pans to Laurel and Hardy, as they make these exclusive expressions of confusion. Through just their eyes, they are able to convey this level of humor which had our virgin Laurel and Hardy group in stitches.

For 20 minutes, this short film kept us entertained. The level of the humor, the fact that what they were doing seemed original for the time made us question what modern comedians are doing today. Laurel and Hardy are still present in today’s group of comedians. See John Candy or Chris Farley within Hardy, or even Rowan Atkinson’s work influenced from Laurel. These guys were at the top of their game in the late 20s and beyond, and what makes this impressive is that they have not fallen from their trade. “Habeas Corpus” is a prime example of this. Their first sound film, it pits the two as guys who need to dig up a body for a scientist for money. As they attempt to get the body, everything imaginable occurs. The body is second nature to actually getting to the grave site. Everything they do, from jumping up poles, to continually trying to get over a troublesome wall, to fighting Laurel’s fears of turtles. Everything will make you laugh out loud, like it was 1928.

FILM: After 80+ years this film still stands on its two feet. These two were the Kings of Comedy for the time, and after watching this – one could question if they truly were ever dethroned.

VISUAL: This was a VHS transfer. It seemed cleaner in the filmed parts than the word-cards that came up, which were at times unaligned. Albeit a VHS, it still looked good for the age.

SOUND: Rumor has it that the actual sound for this film ultimately lost via the studio many many years ago, but whatever they chose to put on this VHS worked. Sure, it didn’t quite sound authentic (not sure the “boing” noise when they were trying to jump over the wall was time-sensitive), but I could hear the music behind and it set the tone for each scene.

EXTRAS: Film, and nothing but the film – so help me VHS.

Overall, I loved this short. This reviewer could have watched another hour and half of Laurel and Hardy’s shenanigans with this mad scientist, but twenty minutes was perfect. It left you wanting more and a strong desire to have multiple repeat viewings. It ended on such a high note that the laughter filled the room with a group of friends. This was a delight – a pure joy to experience. A modern day “Tom and Jerry” for a more intelligent and mature audience.

Found in my "Halliwells" book, this was an impressive film. I don't think I have been this excited about a movie for a long time. I am glad to offer this film in my VHS collection, and cannot wait to show others the sheer force of what this comedy duo can do. It is no question, it is getting a green mark with blue stars. I will watch this again - with Jen, with my neices, and with everyone who cares about cinema.

H.M.S. Defiant (1962)

As a bookseller, there are always customers that are on the hunt for the newest (or oldest) nautical adventures. In a world dominated by Jack Aubrey and Horatio Hornblower, it is easy to forget the others that forge the same path. Luckily, there is a little film out there entitled "H.M.S. Defiant" (or "Damn the Defiant" for those non-Brits out there) which dismally explores the world of pre-union sea faring days. With horrid living standards, spoiled food, and tensions leading to rebellious shipmates, "H.M.S. Defiant" is not only a film that de-sugars the myth of living on a naval ship, but also keeps the audience in such close quarters that the claustrophobia oozes right from the screen into your living room. It is a powerful film that takes you below deck and plants you deep within the world, giving you the details of a mutiny, the engaging warfare that takes place, and the destructive nature of both a good captain and a violent one. This isn't a film for everyone, the underdeveloped pre-story forces you to try to understand why these men were being rounded up and why this mutiny would need to happen - but it doesn't take long. Outside of Alec Guinness and Dirk Bogarde (who both are fabulous respectively), the rest of our cast is rather thin and at times, too cliche. Yet, "H.M.S. Defiant" stands proud, it isn't the most remarkable sea-faring film out there - but it keeps pace well, giving us a equal helping of action and emotion.

To this viewer, "H.M.S. Defiant" worked because of Guinness and Bogarde's repertoire towards each other as well as to the other crew. The counter nature of both of these men, one the reliant, steadfast, determined iconic Captain, the other a violent-ridden, order defiant, angry Lieutenant keeps you glued to the screen, pending whatever their next move may be. Director Lewis Gilbert realizes the power of these actors and chooses to use everything on the ship as his cache of weapons between them; from Guinness' child, to French ships, to the constant unknown threat of a mutiny, nothing is spared as either Guinness or Bogarde debate nautical semantics. Every action pushes these two characters apart, from disagreeing on destination to how to discipline the crew. Which further demonstrates Gilbert's ability behind the camera, not only do you have these two strong actors creating their own tension above and below the ship, but then he builds sympathy for the crew. He does this by providing us with little information, by making us impartial to the actions - but away of the consequences. Take for example that first scene where the shipmate holds his fists up to the Lieutenant, an action that would typically require six-dozen lashes. In that one scene alone, we are witness to the evil of Bogarde, the strong yet sympathetic Guinness, and the mere chaos of the crew. Within this scene, the taste of this ship is experienced, and yet we are only slightly prepared for what is going to occur in the upcoming scenes.

While I applaud Gilbert's use of all of these elements to give us a stronger, more human element to this craft - the "H.M.S. Defiant" isn't a perfect film. There are trouble spots. One happens to be the lack of development between these smaller shipmate characters. Yes, the Bogarde's violence does allow us to build sympathy towards them - but that is all. The random aside about the doctor being a drunk is evidence that not much thought went into creating whole characters. The anger towards Bogarde by a singular shipmate, blinded by anything else, was not only thick foreshadowing (who didn't see that coming), but again, was this man's only characteristic. The faux-gentleman lawyer, who suddenly had a plethora of knowledge about the law, was another stunning example. Characters, instead of given names, were handed abilities to carry the story. It was as if Gilbert was determined to have Guinness and Bogarde as our only defined characters, yet still have emotion behind this inevitable mutiny. There was no need to pull the story into more than two hours, but definitions were needed to solidify the "Defiant". Also, while the battle scenes were intense, the editing of each battle was sloppy. During the battles, one couldn't help but rewind to see who was where and fighting whom. Was Gilbert testing the nature of chaos battles on the sea, or just haphazard with his direction. Gilbert could manage some moments admirably, others - seemed to falter to the wayside.

FILM: This was a great movie to watch late at night and to demonstrate the power of both Guinness and Bogarde. This wasn't a big movie, but they both put so much emotion into their roles, that it became this classic tale of good versus evil. Gilbert told his story well, despite some major flaws.

VISUAL: The battle scenes were blurry, but I think that was due to budgetary restraints. The transfer to this DVD was surprisingly well. The colors (in short supply) did come through and those long shots of the ships were impressive to see. The built claustrophobia was an added benefit to this film.

SOUND: Decent. Nothing to write home about. The cannons were loud, but not quite surround. The battle scenes were lacking in the swashbuckling.

EXTRAS: Again, nothing much - but for a DVD of this era, what could you do? Some nostalgic previews (retro one could say) with some actor bios in the page format, and rounding it out the ever popular trailer. Again, nothing much - but better than most.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience of "H.M.S. Defiant" though I doubt I would watch again. If I had anyone ask me what film (outside of "Star Wars") they could watch Guinness perform, I would say either "Great Expectations" or this. He, coupled with Bogarde was intensely satisfying. While I hated the missed opportunity to develop the minor characters, these two primed actors carried this film. The action was strong, the emotion was high, and those darn whippings were tough - but it just wasn't enough to make this anything but a standard film. I liked what I saw, but I don't think I could enjoy it again.

My first in my Halliwell's book for the "H" category. I know that this wasn't my regular length. But with a sub-average film, there wasn't much to complain about. I wish there were more special features in some of these films to add to a discussion. Alas, I don't think I will be adding this to my collection, good, but not great. I am giving this a pink mark for bringing more Guinness to the screen - but that was all! Here come two more "H" tonight!

Ladykillers (1988)

Imagine what TV was like back in the late 80s. Can you? My mind races to horrid sets, bad acting, and amateur dialogue ... yet, there was always a level of creativity. Television, especially made-for-television films pushed the envelope for what they could do, what they could say, and while the stories were full of one-line cliches and overproduced images, the stories had some heart to them. In today's cinema, this is what is lacking. We have great special effects, tremendous actors delivering great lines, but the stories feel and are quite bland. Not the case for the 80s. Recently, I had the opportunity to watch a forgotten 80s gem (which is only discovered on VHS or late night TV) that demonstrates this great dynamic shift. It has some great creativity, but utterly lacks in all other categories. "Ladykillers" uses the talent of Marilu Henner (from TVs "Evening Shade") as a cop determined to find the killer of male strippers as well as make sure that her secret relationship stays together. Can you have said that with a straight face? Not me, and that is my entire argument there - creativity! Combining male strippers, cop love, a cool weapon, and a villain that uses merely 70s glasses and a bad wig - and you have all the elements of "Ladykillers" that makes it memorable, despite the obvious lacking sets, acting, and dialogue. Can you look past the bad to see where the good blossoms?

Let me restate that this isn't a film that needs to be watched over and over again - the story could become tedious, the acting is so bad, and the music obviously dates this film, but for the 91-minutes that I watched of this film, I have to admit - I was pulled in. To begin, Marilu Henner sinfully pulls off the difficult cop determined to solve the case as well as keep her relationship together. Her flip-flop nature of trying to be this sex-symbol and a hard-nosed cop, just doesn't work - but in several scenes, you believe her. She makes this role simply unbelievable that you are tricked into believing that she could fill this part. Coupled with the fact that her relationship is with the quintessential newbie cop, Cavanaugh (no first name), aptly played by Thomas Calabro from "Melrose Place" fame, you know within the first minutes this is going to be a full-fledged layer cake. Cavanaugh, who is known for his muscles more than his brain, uses this male stripper case to boost his career within the force, which he oddly finds out is his passion in life, to be a male dancer. Again, I can't state this enough, where else are you going to find stories like this? Our actors are bad, but they keep you glued to the screen because you have no idea what is going to happen next. This isn't your A to B to C story, it has absurdest depth, which can confuse even the novice of film watchers. Adding to this already deflowered chemistry, is a band of 80s-hair male strippers, crazy women (literally), and a rag-tag group of police (quite literally the entire squad) whose sole case is to solve this one. These are the layers, and they only get better from minute to minute.

"Ladykillers" is also memorable for the killer and weapon. A unique choice which we are introduced to in the second scene, the weapon seems like it would only scratch your skin, but be forewarned, these razors are lethal. The weapon is interesting, and genuinely spooky, but what takes the cake it the killer. Using merely a wig and a pair of glasses, our cinematography for this film used every bit of light imaginable to freak out the audience. While there was not real threat, there were some well staged scenes throughout with this killer. Whether it was in the clubs or just looking behind our police friends, there was quite a bit of thought that went into this anti-hero. Not to sound like a "Ladykillers"-nerd, there was another great layer to this film. "Ladykillers" introduces this premise of a prostitute turned housewife late in the game, but it adds this undercoat of dirt that a typical made-for-TV film wouldn't even touch. The grand finale is a darkened ride into a world that wasn't otherwise that spooky. "Ladykillers" obviously gained momentum as the minutes passed, and for that I applaud this film.

FILM: Not great, but not bad. I was happy with the finished product, and with the level of creativity - but it oozes 80s, be forewarned.

VISUAL: 80s, VHS, but great cinematography when it came to the villain. There was just something extra creepy about their portrayal of this killer that remains with you long after this film ends.

SOUND: Classic 80s boom-box dancing and singing. Synthesizers galore.

EXTRAS: There was a preview for a hilarious looking Loni Anderson made-for-TV after-school-special-like program. Something about how Loni was a prostitute, but didn't want her daughter to be one, yet the inevitable occurs. I do remember seeing a Paul Sorvino - could it be that bad?

Overall, I was happy with the final product. I wish there was a DVD, but the VHS transfer did make it seem more ... authentic? Though, I should warn, not everything was a glorious as I portray it. There were horrible elements to this film. Cavanaugh being one of them. The lady that owned the strip club being another. The running scene with Marilu Henner was painstakingly bad, but it was the basis for this story - how the creativity flowed when the story needed to come together. The producers knew that they wouldn't have tons of money for everything, so they put their money where it counted, and it worked. The bad guy was spooky, the weapon (despite the science) was frightening, and the actors did fit their parts. Know what you are getting into when you watch this, but I was expecting the worse, and found something watchable. Be prepared - but enjoy!

The last "L" in my "Creature Features" book. This has been an interesting ride - one that I could do again...slowly. I am jumping into a Halliwell's book next - so wish me luck. Shorts, old movies, ones I had to get from the Warner Vault. I am ready! For "Ladykillers", I am going to give it a respectable pink mark. I won't watch it again if I get to it in a book - maybe - it is a tough call. I liked what I saw, but could I watch it again and again. That, is going to take more time than I have tonight to consider.

The Lady and the Monster (1944)

After four nights of trying to decipher a transfer from actual film to a home-made DVD, with dark lighting and noir-styled settings, my adventure into the world of “The Lady and the Monster” was finally complete. This suddenly became a very difficult film to discuss. With nearly 20% of the film being lost to a dismal transfer (actually a decent transfer for what was available, but difficult to experience the film as a whole), would I be able to fully understand the filmmaker’s tones, themes, and characters to the fullest extent? Continuing my horror/mystery binge, the basis of this 1944 sleeper begins very simply with a mad scientist and a plan, but then, as the paranormal begins our story goes from the strange to the confusing. As our characters are asked to do more than just turn knobs and scream, their strengths and weaknesses become more prevalent on the screen. As our story becomes more sinister, the ability to contain opportunity slowly gets devoured. “The Lady and the Monster” then transforms from an original sci-fi storyline, to a chaotic mess, leaving you eager to see how the 1953 remake “Donovan’s Brain” may have learned from these mistakes.

Perhaps it was the way films in the 40s were made, or maybe it was just the filmmaker’s way of attempting to move the plot forward, but instances occurred in this film that seemed to carry no consequences. Easily our limpy mad scientist and his assistance were able to find a brain, confuse the local medical practitioner, keep the brain alive, hear thoughts, and perhaps solve a five year crime. Consequences were handed down at the end, but instead of reason it felt rushed and foolish. What begins as a film based on science fiction and horror, easily changes to this CSI-style of storytelling. “The Lady and the Monster” teeters on the border of noir and B-grade filmmaking. It felt like a hybrid, or a mistake by science gone horribly wrong. To begin, the hints given by Donovan’s brain to help Patrick Cory (played devilishly by Richard Arlen) are executed well, making the viewer strain to hear what or where these planted words may take Cory. The switch from right to left handing writing seemed kitschy, but ultimately effective in witnessing the transformation. Alas, these were the only two “special effects” within the whole story, so they were used over and over and over again, making it fun to guess which of the two tricks would be used in each scene. It became tedious and boring to see any plot hurdles crossed by merely these two tricks. If it weren’t for Arlen, his menacing face, this would have taken another four days to plow through. Secondly, the addition of Vera Ralston as not only the love interest, but also the damsel in distress was out of place. Perhaps Ralston couldn’t control her character, discover her true-self, or maybe she just didn’t feel like memorizing her lines, but each scene she walked into was dry and emotionless. Even as the tension builds, she is unable to give us a glimpse as to who Janice Farrell was; how she fell into this world, and why love conquered all. Finally, the ending was absurd. Stringing together several different ideas, none of which were developed at all, to give us a climax that was more based on the first half of the film than the second seemed random.

Despite my gruff nature towards Ralston and the repetitive nature of the film, the science behind this feature was actually…quite fun. The idea that a brain could be kept alive has been used in dozens of sci-fi films over the ages, and this was a uniquely new way to see it. Thinking of the infamous “The Brain that Wouldn’t Die” made in 1968, one should question the originality of that story penned with the concept behind this one. The notion that, with a blank slate (aka mind), that the brain could control another person was exhilarating. While the execution wasn’t up to par, it was enjoyable to see the science behind it. I also liked the cliché mad scientist known as Franz Mueller (played diabolically by Erich Von Stroheim), who fit into every mold created since this film. There were fun parts to this film, elements that were conceived as a good idea, but failed because ill-development and lack of detailed story forced it to go south. Parts were enjoyable, but “The Lady and the Monster” as a whole seemed to fail.

FILM: Not the greatest transfer. Missed parts were due to darkness overtaking the whole, but those that could be seen implemented a stylish mix of noir and B-grade sci-fi. Not a bad combination, if the transfer was stronger.

VISUAL: Definite noir lighting, but again – transfer from the original film lessened the effect.

SOUND: Scratchy. Again, transfer was the biggest issue. While I should look at this film as a whole, this did effect the experience. Overall, you could hear it, but it was like you were watching a bad transfer in a darkened theater.

EXTRAS: This is the fun part, whomever released this disc put a couple of trailers for upcoming Swamp monster movies as well as classic foods that you can find at the concession stand. This was hilarious and enjoyable. It felt as if it were a DVD released in the 50s. Hot dogs with nutrition, hamburgers instead of popcorn, and Eskimo Pies …. Oh my!

Overall, I liked certain elements to this film, but others just failed completely. The repetition of one idea failed, and the introduction to the millionaire’s world as a “who-dun-it” instead of a straight forward sci-fi felt cheap. There were also huge bombs of twists dropped on us near the end without any warning to excitement. There were two moments I had to rewind to make sure that I didn’t miss something earlier, because these plot twists came out of nowhere. “The Lady and the Monster” was enjoyable to watch once, but a second viewing would be overkill.

Found in my "Creature Features" book, this is my second to last "L" before I move on. I am eager to see where the final steps take me, but anything would be a step up from this. Perhaps I am being too harsh, but the concepts were good, it was the execution that failed miserably. I could not watch this film again - and due to that alone, I am giving it a yellow highlight with black mark. Never to be seen again...

Lady Terminator (1988)

Comedy is a difficult task to pull off. The best sort of comedies are ones that don’t try, they are funny, original, and entertaining throughout. Modern audiences can smell a fake comedy miles away – it is those that do not try that somehow make the biggest splash. “Lady Terminator” is one of those films. Absolutely it is not supposed to be a comedy; its intention is to be a full fledged action film packed with sex, violence, and of course, the teaspoon of the mystical. It is a complete and utter, nearly frame by frame, retelling of the original American film, “The Terminator”, equipped with repeatable lines, iconic images, and tons of tons of explosions. Oh, did I mention that a Panzer tank comes out of nowhere? If this doesn’t already tickle your taste buds or prove that the Wayans’ humor can be better found elsewhere, well, then … I just don’t know what you may find entertaining or humorous any longer. Let me repeat, a Panzer tank comes when called! “Lady Terminator” offers nothing the conventional film could guarantee. There is horrid acting, misplaced dubs, and a story that seemed like it was written scene by scene – so why did I laugh and enjoy this piece of garbage? “Lady Terminator” was grade-A B-entertainment. The shots were cheap, the scenes were convoluted, and nothing connected (really), but this little film never tried to be something it wasn’t. From the first scene until the last, “Lady Terminator” remained gory, violent, and full of “Terminator” iconography. My next question is … what more do we need?

The story is a rehash of the South Sea Queen mythos, where a demon (or God) of the sea cannot quench her physical satisfaction, so she kills all her potential lovers. One man is able to satisfy, and she instantly places a curse on his great-great granddaughter. Jump to the future, and an anthropologist is on the hunt for the South Sea Queen’s castle under the sea and ironically transforms into a Terminator creature determined to kill, kill, and finally kill the person who carries what the great-great grandfather stole from her many years ago. It is part sci-fi (though I couldn’t tell you which part), it is part fantasy, and it pure uncut hilarious. “Lady Terminator” is one of those great films that you find, sit down with a group of friends, have some beers, and laugh endlessly. Then, the film carries – it goes from one friend to another until cult status is reached. Despite perhaps not knowing anything about it, upon watching you will see the cult ability all over it. The “Terminator” references, the fantastic final battle, and everything in between. Made in 1988, “Lady Terminator” again carries nothing for the average film snob to discover. There is bad acting from the beginning. The lack of continuity between the shots is disruptive at first, but as the film continues to escalate from one battle to the next, it seems to make sense. This is an ultra-low budget film that was created out of Indonesia to help a booming film market. There is an interesting documentary within this film that discusses how and why films of this nature were created. Sure, there is no budget, no great actors, and sloppy editing (the list could go on), but this film has heart. It tries and it succeeds as a film like “Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter” did. It is one of those undiscovered cult films that needs to be pulled out of the dark.

Unlike most US Hollywood films, there is little to say about this film. The structure was faulty and the concept was riddled with holes, but unlike American films, it pushes through. It continues to add onto itself by creating one skewed iconic references after another. Mando Macabro has done a fabulous job of releasing this DVD. While the transfer suffers (only because it is probably the only transfer available), what it makes up in are special features and previews of upcoming releases. If “Lady Terminator” doesn’t inspire you to watch more from the Indonesian catalogue – well, one should reconsider themselves a worldwide cinephile.

FILM: Nothing to report to your mother about, it was cheap – but again, unlike bigger Hollywood cult films, it deserved it. It enhanced the viewing enjoyment and forced MST3K-ish moments from your very seat. It was an applauded moment.

VISUAL: Nothing like that VHS feeling on your DVD player. Even the up-conversion didn’t help. Again, I didn’t need it to. It was great to see this film in its rawest form.

SOUND: Outside the overuse of gun sound effects, was there any sound? Oh, there was a song at the disco that could easily become a Halloween costume.

EXTRAS: With the quintessential trailer for “Lady Terminator”, there is also the unpopular page scroll of small trivia that you can read about this production (and about production in Indonesia as well), the big slabs of meat come from the small documentary that discusses this and other films of this decade, as well as the upcoming Mando Macabro releases. I am excited for what there is to come.

Overall, I loved this film. It isn’t a film for anyone, if you loved “LA Confidential” or can’t get enough “Gladiator”, than I don’t suggest putting this film in your player – but if you are a fan of explosions and nudity, random Panzer tanks, and cheap James Cameron – than watch this film. There is a thought I had; perhaps this redefine of the “Terminator” film is trying to show us what the core of the original “Terminator” was all about. Was it a sad story about the future, or merely a gun friendly film? The world may never know. Watch this movie. Try to find it or pay the $20+ to get it. You will not be disappointed. Better than any “Transformers 2” could ever wish to be!

Found in John Stanley's "Creature Features", this is my second to last "L" - one more and it is off to another book. This has been a mixed letter/book combination, and I look forward to what the finale will bring. For this film, "Lady Terminator" it is getting a green mark with blue stars. I cannot wait to add this film to my collection and show friends the power of this singluar effort. What a painful - but utterly enjoyable film. Bravo!