Oct '17
1) Watched The Giant Gila Monster (1959). A friend recommended this to me more than a year ago but I just now got to it. A fairly typical example of the low budget US monster genre of its time, with small town teens and the titular reptile. An amusing picture of the wholesome life of its era, the teens like their fast cars and swinging music but they don't drink or smoke or swear or screw or fight or disrespect their elders, the elders are mostly kindly and helpful and even the drunk drivers are charming. Hays Code fantasy obscuring what really seethed back then I'm sure, but it has its appeal as a relic. The monster itself is portrayed with the crafty and amusing but not especially convincing trick of shooting a real Gila monster (pronounced Hee-la, I only just learned) up close, and a big rubbery foot a couple of times. It's fun to see a real reptile reptiling about at least, and it gets in a bit of toy vehicle destruction and a modestly exciting climax. A no name b cast make respectable efforts and director Ray Kellogg competently holds it all together (from memory his earlier The Killer Shrews scores a little higher on the thrills front but has a rather less convincing menace). Nice Saturday matinee for fans of this sort of thing, but nothing too spectacular.
2) Watched Laboratory (1980). In which glitter suited, vocoder voiced aliens abduct a group of strangers using a fireball UFO and stash them in a cheap hotel for vague experimental purposes. There's a priest and a boozy heiress but otherwise the characters don't get beyond white guy, black guy, white lady and Asian lady, though they do all have names. This was my second encounter with the cinema of briefly prolific micro budget sci fi purveyors Allan Sandler and Robert Emenegger, who seem to have been involved in a real life UFO conspiracy in the 70's before they got in to fiction, made eight features in 1980-81 and then returned to their home planet. It just about gets by on mild intrigue, the expected character tensions, occasionally neat sci fi shenanigans (some just dumb though) and the fair presence of b veteran Martin Kove (boozy heiress gives it some gusto too. I also appreciated the electronic score, drones and pulse and bleeps and wheezes, mostly formless but taking on a bit of shape towards the end when things get "exciting". Ultimately its all a bit pointless though. Most can skip this, but cheap oddball sci fi junkies might get a kick or two.
3) Watched The Alien Factor (1977). In which three alien ne'er-do-wells menace a small rural town with loud synths, also violent death. One is an insectoid, one a Bigfoot (but with mandibles instead of regular Bigfoot teeth) and one is mostly invisible but a cool translucent stop motion goober at the end. Fortunately they have Sheriff Jack (Tom Griffith) and Deputy Pete (Richard Geiwitz) against them, with two of the most low key and affable performances ever seen from lawmen up against murderous beasts. Also there's Mayor Bert (Richard Dyszel), who has slicked black hair and is therefore crooked, and scientist Zachary (Don Leifert), who has a handlebar moustache and is brusque but seems to know what he's doing.
This was the first film from Wisconsin wizard Don Dohler and his crew. They may never had much in the way of funds but they never lacked gumption, and there's a lot of fun to be had throughout this one. The pace is fast, the acting and dialogue ever chuckle worthy. The actors seem... not entirely with it, slightly puzzled, slightly bemused, but pleasantly committed. One or two get a bit excitable at times, but not too much. Mostly they just seem like nice folks "giving it a go". The two main monsters are at least old Doctor Who quality and are always good on screen, even if they only timidly knock their victims about and there's no real violence. The last is quite impressive, though isn't on for too long. Lots of loud synths. Seriously, this is a great one for loud sci fi synth woobling fans. And there's a sad climactic twist. Also a bar band at one point, but they don't have loud synths so nuts to 'em. Basically just watch this movie.
4) Watched Wax, or the Discovery of Television Among the Bees (1991). The story of Jacob Maker, weapons system coder and beekeeper, grandson of James "Hive" Maker, bee scientist and spirit photographer. First Jacob experiences misgivings, then his bees begin to communicate with him. Then the bees open his skull and put a crystal television inside to teach him about how missiles are living things and bees speak with the language of the dead. And it just keeps going from there. The Garden of Eden, the Tower of Babel, hollow earth theory, linguistics, reincarnation, time travel, interdimensional travel, and it just keeps going.
Almost the only voice is narration from Jacob, writer/director and general wizard David Blair, telling all over stock footage of bees and bee keeping, machinery and missiles, Jacob walking in the desert and a cave, spirit photographs, other sundries and a bewildering (and frequently wonderful) panoply of visual editing effects and computer animation. William Burroughs appears as James, because of course he does. Doesn't speak though, which is a shame as he had a good voice and it would have made a nice change up. There are expected longueurs, but not too many. I was in the right mood at least. Some chuckles, some fascinating ideas (I wish I had more of a background in the relevant religions/mythologies), some striking poesy. Probably among the strangest things I've ever seen, not among the best but pretty compelling. I know some people find it one of the most tedious and stupid things they've ever struggled through though. Recommended to the very curious.
5) Watched Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) last night. A first time viewing which lives up to its reputation to me and reminds that I really must watch more classic Czech cinema. The story of young Valerie, thirteen years old, becoming a woman. Which means of course blood on a daffodil, bees in wooden bellies, a vampire at a wedding procession, doves, cocks, a pious but dubious grandmother, puckish young charmer named Eagle and much more. Images fill the eyes, symbols fill the mind, the experience is thrillingly heady at times. Yet anchored by fairly traditional (at least Middle European traditional) fantasy horror plotting, uncomplicated depth and tendency more towards Freud than outright surrealism. Also, the way whatever the turns of plot or character or meaning, the images sing with sheer joy from the screen. This may well be with only one viewing among the most striking genre pictures I've ever seen. And while some times these sorts of films seem to me undercharacterised or underperformed, here the acting, if not too fine (in the sense of detail) is in perfect alignment, driving or pulling back wherever such is needed. One of the creepier films I've seen for a while too, with its focus on the strangelands of burgeoning young sexuality. To my mind done with appropriate thought and class, though I know some have found it the wrong kind of creepy, simply inappropriate. I don't suppose there's really any solution to the debate. Anyhoo, I would really quite strongly recommend this and I'm going to stop wittering now.
6) Watched Cast A Deadly Spell (1991) last night. Set in an alternate LA in 1948, in which everyone uses magic except our hero, private detective Philip Lovecraft (Fred Ward). Low on funds, he takes on the task of recovering a stolen book for wealthy eccentric Amos Hackshaw (David Warner), and gets caught up with former partner gone crooked Harry Borden (Clancy Brown) and femme fatale Connie Stone (Julianne Moore). The book? The Necronomicon of course! First things first, this isn't really a Lovecraftian film. Sure, it throws some names around and the climactic creature looks a little that way, but the names could just as well be totally different. Really it's its own beast, an old school detective pastiche with a fantasy twist and the humour dialled up. It jumps right in with minimal fuss or explanation (a little text, then a rooftop ritual, blue moon in green sky), and little serious exploration of its profoundly altered world, even though magic is noted as being the future, not some old fact of life. For pacing and budgetary reasons, probably the best way to go.
There's some great stuff here, writing that wittily mixes sharp back and forth with deadpan absurdity, fine effects work (including an excellent early death), limited but exciting action and performances that are totally in the zone, just the briefest of pauses in dialogue exchanges about the only indication that anything is other than normal. I particularly liked Clancy Brown (Kurgan!!!), so smooth and affable you could swear he's a goodie. Alas, this doesn't quite deliver on all its promise at the end, the end is good but a little pat, lacks a certain something. A couple of bits of broader humour stick out, and there's awkward homophobia and unexamined racism. These may have been appropriate to the period but they jar with the general light, unreal feel of the film. I also could have gone for a bit more of the macabre and fantastical, a bit more weirdness and wooliness apart from the main plot. And more gore. The gnarliest scene is early on. so the most horror minded may be let down. But still, there's great stuff here. Recommended
2) Watched Laboratory (1980). In which glitter suited, vocoder voiced aliens abduct a group of strangers using a fireball UFO and stash them in a cheap hotel for vague experimental purposes. There's a priest and a boozy heiress but otherwise the characters don't get beyond white guy, black guy, white lady and Asian lady, though they do all have names. This was my second encounter with the cinema of briefly prolific micro budget sci fi purveyors Allan Sandler and Robert Emenegger, who seem to have been involved in a real life UFO conspiracy in the 70's before they got in to fiction, made eight features in 1980-81 and then returned to their home planet. It just about gets by on mild intrigue, the expected character tensions, occasionally neat sci fi shenanigans (some just dumb though) and the fair presence of b veteran Martin Kove (boozy heiress gives it some gusto too. I also appreciated the electronic score, drones and pulse and bleeps and wheezes, mostly formless but taking on a bit of shape towards the end when things get "exciting". Ultimately its all a bit pointless though. Most can skip this, but cheap oddball sci fi junkies might get a kick or two.
3) Watched The Alien Factor (1977). In which three alien ne'er-do-wells menace a small rural town with loud synths, also violent death. One is an insectoid, one a Bigfoot (but with mandibles instead of regular Bigfoot teeth) and one is mostly invisible but a cool translucent stop motion goober at the end. Fortunately they have Sheriff Jack (Tom Griffith) and Deputy Pete (Richard Geiwitz) against them, with two of the most low key and affable performances ever seen from lawmen up against murderous beasts. Also there's Mayor Bert (Richard Dyszel), who has slicked black hair and is therefore crooked, and scientist Zachary (Don Leifert), who has a handlebar moustache and is brusque but seems to know what he's doing.
This was the first film from Wisconsin wizard Don Dohler and his crew. They may never had much in the way of funds but they never lacked gumption, and there's a lot of fun to be had throughout this one. The pace is fast, the acting and dialogue ever chuckle worthy. The actors seem... not entirely with it, slightly puzzled, slightly bemused, but pleasantly committed. One or two get a bit excitable at times, but not too much. Mostly they just seem like nice folks "giving it a go". The two main monsters are at least old Doctor Who quality and are always good on screen, even if they only timidly knock their victims about and there's no real violence. The last is quite impressive, though isn't on for too long. Lots of loud synths. Seriously, this is a great one for loud sci fi synth woobling fans. And there's a sad climactic twist. Also a bar band at one point, but they don't have loud synths so nuts to 'em. Basically just watch this movie.
4) Watched Wax, or the Discovery of Television Among the Bees (1991). The story of Jacob Maker, weapons system coder and beekeeper, grandson of James "Hive" Maker, bee scientist and spirit photographer. First Jacob experiences misgivings, then his bees begin to communicate with him. Then the bees open his skull and put a crystal television inside to teach him about how missiles are living things and bees speak with the language of the dead. And it just keeps going from there. The Garden of Eden, the Tower of Babel, hollow earth theory, linguistics, reincarnation, time travel, interdimensional travel, and it just keeps going.
Almost the only voice is narration from Jacob, writer/director and general wizard David Blair, telling all over stock footage of bees and bee keeping, machinery and missiles, Jacob walking in the desert and a cave, spirit photographs, other sundries and a bewildering (and frequently wonderful) panoply of visual editing effects and computer animation. William Burroughs appears as James, because of course he does. Doesn't speak though, which is a shame as he had a good voice and it would have made a nice change up. There are expected longueurs, but not too many. I was in the right mood at least. Some chuckles, some fascinating ideas (I wish I had more of a background in the relevant religions/mythologies), some striking poesy. Probably among the strangest things I've ever seen, not among the best but pretty compelling. I know some people find it one of the most tedious and stupid things they've ever struggled through though. Recommended to the very curious.
5) Watched Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) last night. A first time viewing which lives up to its reputation to me and reminds that I really must watch more classic Czech cinema. The story of young Valerie, thirteen years old, becoming a woman. Which means of course blood on a daffodil, bees in wooden bellies, a vampire at a wedding procession, doves, cocks, a pious but dubious grandmother, puckish young charmer named Eagle and much more. Images fill the eyes, symbols fill the mind, the experience is thrillingly heady at times. Yet anchored by fairly traditional (at least Middle European traditional) fantasy horror plotting, uncomplicated depth and tendency more towards Freud than outright surrealism. Also, the way whatever the turns of plot or character or meaning, the images sing with sheer joy from the screen. This may well be with only one viewing among the most striking genre pictures I've ever seen. And while some times these sorts of films seem to me undercharacterised or underperformed, here the acting, if not too fine (in the sense of detail) is in perfect alignment, driving or pulling back wherever such is needed. One of the creepier films I've seen for a while too, with its focus on the strangelands of burgeoning young sexuality. To my mind done with appropriate thought and class, though I know some have found it the wrong kind of creepy, simply inappropriate. I don't suppose there's really any solution to the debate. Anyhoo, I would really quite strongly recommend this and I'm going to stop wittering now.
6) Watched Cast A Deadly Spell (1991) last night. Set in an alternate LA in 1948, in which everyone uses magic except our hero, private detective Philip Lovecraft (Fred Ward). Low on funds, he takes on the task of recovering a stolen book for wealthy eccentric Amos Hackshaw (David Warner), and gets caught up with former partner gone crooked Harry Borden (Clancy Brown) and femme fatale Connie Stone (Julianne Moore). The book? The Necronomicon of course! First things first, this isn't really a Lovecraftian film. Sure, it throws some names around and the climactic creature looks a little that way, but the names could just as well be totally different. Really it's its own beast, an old school detective pastiche with a fantasy twist and the humour dialled up. It jumps right in with minimal fuss or explanation (a little text, then a rooftop ritual, blue moon in green sky), and little serious exploration of its profoundly altered world, even though magic is noted as being the future, not some old fact of life. For pacing and budgetary reasons, probably the best way to go.
There's some great stuff here, writing that wittily mixes sharp back and forth with deadpan absurdity, fine effects work (including an excellent early death), limited but exciting action and performances that are totally in the zone, just the briefest of pauses in dialogue exchanges about the only indication that anything is other than normal. I particularly liked Clancy Brown (Kurgan!!!), so smooth and affable you could swear he's a goodie. Alas, this doesn't quite deliver on all its promise at the end, the end is good but a little pat, lacks a certain something. A couple of bits of broader humour stick out, and there's awkward homophobia and unexamined racism. These may have been appropriate to the period but they jar with the general light, unreal feel of the film. I also could have gone for a bit more of the macabre and fantastical, a bit more weirdness and wooliness apart from the main plot. And more gore. The gnarliest scene is early on. so the most horror minded may be let down. But still, there's great stuff here. Recommended
Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders didn't really do it for me when I saw it for the Oct. Challenge a couple years ago. Might give it another chance one of these days. Gila Monster is great. Been meaning to check out the colorized version I got on dvd a while back.Oh, and I also watched Alien Factor, last month, and several more of Dohler's Alien cheesefests. Fun stuff! Great write up!