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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 8, 2008 11:08:04 GMT -5
The Pink Panther-1964
One of the few non-horror films I've wanted to see for a long time, due to my love of slapstick, this one didn't disapoint considerably. The brisk pace was a nice addition, making for a rather entertaining and enjoyable time without being bogged down waiting for something to happen. The jokes, while not as fast and furious as a lot of more modern stuff, was still at such a rate that I laughed more often than I didn't, and of course the moments of his clumsiness were utterly hilarious. The only thing that really hurt the film somewhat was a couple of times where, rather than laughing at something, I had a reaction of "Oh, so this is where it was taken from," as the later stuff spoofing this one did come in at a few moments, but not enough for me really care about it that much.
9/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 8, 2008 11:27:18 GMT -5
An update. The scores for this month so far. November: THE ORIGINALS Heineken Skywalker = 10 Slayrrr666 = 4 Um, wow, where is everybody? This place is dead....  |
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 10, 2008 11:13:11 GMT -5
The Fly-1958
It's a little odd to see Vincent Price around that time not in a horror entry, but once I got over that initial weirdness, this settled into a fine if not entirely spectacular story. Of course, that's due to the big push for it's special effects over anything else in here, and they are spectacular. The giant fly-head still gets a shock on it's initial revealing, the transportation machine isn't over-done and looks realistic for the time and the finale is great fun. The only problem, as mentioned, is that the push for the special effects takes centerstage over everything else so it isn't all that exciting when they aren't on-screen. It's still highly watchable though.
7/10
King Kong-1933
I still stand by my earlier statements: my favorite version is the 76 remake, which had my favorite Kong look, better action, and more interesting story arc than the others, yet with that said, this one is really fun. The battles are fine if a little short, the spectacle for the island scenes are still worthwhile after all these years and while I would've wanted more rampaging in New York, those are still great as well. Basically, it's more than likely just a personal preference why I prefer the other version, I haven't figured it out yet.
9.5/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 11, 2008 9:28:43 GMT -5
KING KONG (1933)
My take on the 3 versions of KING KONG.
The 2005 Kong has amazing effects, for the most part, but is way too long and bloated.
The 1976 Kong is too campy and the effects are actually a step backward from the 1933 original. (An actor in an ape suit and a lifesize model that really isn't anymore realistic than the original one.)
The original has dated acting styles and dialog, but has a charm that can't be topped. Fay Wray was really cute and sexy, and Kong and the other creatures are an amazing special effects accomplishment at a time when it wasn't the norm.
The Eighth Wonder of the World, indeed.
10/10
ALFIE (1966)
Alfie, a young man living in London, is a self-centered womanizer who lives for the chase and the conquest. Michael Caine became a star in the title role and his performance is good, especially enjoyed it whenever he broke "the fourth wall" and speaks directly to the camera, but the movie itself was not really my thing.
Remade in 2004 starring Jude Law.
5/10
THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (1974)
A small group of friends in a van on Texas backroads. News reports of desecrated graves. A crazy hillbilly hitchhiker. A gas station with no gas but plenty of tasty barbecue. A seemingly deserted house with bones and bodies as decor.
What could go wrong?
Oh yeah, how about the insane, chainsaw wielding psycho wearing the mask made up of stitched-together human flesh?
Low-budget, almost documentary style film by Tobe Hooper helps make this horror classic, creepy and unnerving, and it actually gets better with each viewing.
Marilyn Burns is everything you want in a "scream queen", sexy and convincingly terrified. By the end of the film she looks like she's gone completely insane.
Remade in 2003, starring Jessica Biel.
8/10
INFERNAL AFFAIRS (2002)
A police officer who is a mole in a Hong Kong gang and a gangster who is a mole within the police force try to expose each other to their superiors, while trying to maintain their own cover. Well made police thriller with lots of twists and turns.
Remade in 2006 as THE DEPARTED, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio.
7/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 12, 2008 9:50:15 GMT -5
3:10 TO YUMA (1957)
A rancher agrees to help transport an outlaw to a train station at a nearby town, all the while trying to avoid the prisoner's gang who are trying to rescue their boss.
Glenn Ford, who usually played good guys, is pretty good as Ben Wade the outlaw, movie's a little slow though.
Not bad, but didn't knock me out.
Remade in 2007, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.
6/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 14, 2008 9:36:52 GMT -5
DIABOLIQUE (1955)
Excellent mystery/thriller about the two women in a school headmaster's life, his wife and his mistress, who plot to kill him. After the deed is done, the body disappears and the real suspense begins.
Remade in 1996, starring Sharon Stone.
9/10
THE GETAWAY (1972)
Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw star as an ex-con and his wife, who have to go on the run from their partners after a bank heist goes wrong. Great movie.
Remade in 1994, starring Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger.
8/10
LORD OF THE FLIES (1963)
Pretty faithful adaptation of the William Golding novel about a large group of British schoolboys who become stranded on a deserted island. Without adult supervision, they start their own society, which eventually starts to break down as the two leading boys' priorities, hunting and having fun, or getting rescued, divide the boys into two "tribes". "Gilligan's Island" this ain't.
Remade in 1990, starring Balthazar Getty.
6.5/10
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 14, 2008 11:13:20 GMT -5
Bangkok Dangerous-2000
The Thaiwanese action film, remade this year starring Nicholas Cage, was the film I was watching when my earlier-announced TV mishap occurred, as I was about an hour into it when it happened. Good stuff so far, typical revenge action film that was nothing I hadn't seen a hundred times before but was done with enough enjoyment to be successful at entertaining what had been shown. None of the big showdowns had occurred yet, so I'm a little bummed, but it's one I'm looking forward to completing once I get back into my normal habits.
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 16, 2008 1:45:07 GMT -5
Are you able to watch DVDs on your computer, Slayrrr? Just wondering.
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959)
A professor leads an expedition inside a volcano and to, well, the center of the earth. Once there, they encounter various dangers and prehistoric monsters.
I know this one's considered a classic, but man, was I bored. The movie's about two and a half hours long and there's a whole lot of talking, about 45 minutes worth, before they even get to the volcano. And once there, they walk and talk some more. And the, ahem, dinosaurs were a real disappointment too. I was at least expecting some cool stop-motion animation. What we get are closeups of real lizards with rubber fins attached to their backs and shot to appear gigantic.
And did I mention that co-star Pat Boone, sings several times? Meh.
Remade a whole bunch of times, but most recently, in 2008, starring Brendan Fraser.
2/10
GET CARTER (1971)
Michael Caine plays Jack Carter, a London gangster who investigates the suspicious death of his brother and takes revenge on those responsible.
Kind of cool to see Caine play a character like this, and, in true 70's fashion, the movie doesn't shy away from the sex and violence. A little slow between the action bits though.
Remade in 2000 with Sylvester Stallone.
6.5/10
THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968)
Steve McQueen is a wealthy playboy who plans and pulls off the perfect heist, just for the hell of it, and Faye Dunaway is the insurance investigator trying to find evidence that he did it and recover the stolen money. But to complicate matters, they're immediately attracted to each other.
Decent cat and mouse thriller with a fun heist scene early in the film.
Remade in 1999, starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo.
6.5/10
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 16, 2008 11:16:22 GMT -5
Are you able to watch DVDs on your computer, Slayrrr? Just wondering. Yeah, I have Windows Media Player, but two small problems: 1. I've already seen all the films I have on DVD already, so there's nothing new to watch. 2. Nothing would count for the month: I don't have the originals on DVD, just the remake. Most of the originals are stuck taped off cable on VHS tapes. |
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 16, 2008 20:38:52 GMT -5
No chance of just renting some movies, huh? No Blockbuster near you? What about Netflix?
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 17, 2008 9:29:14 GMT -5
THE ITALIAN JOB (1969)
Michael Caine leads a gang who plan to steal $4m of gold and make their getaway, in Mini-Coopers, through the streets of Italy. As usual, Caine is great and the heist, and subsequent chase, are very entertaining. I didn't find the first half as entertaining as the second half, but luckily, the movie's only 90 minutes long.
Remade in 2003, starring Mark Wahlberg.
6.5/10
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Post by slayrrr666 on Nov 17, 2008 11:04:45 GMT -5
No chance of just renting some movies, huh? No Blockbuster near you? What about Netflix? The Blockbuster near me closed down earlier this year, I used to work there during my high school years so I was a little sad about it. Netflix would work if I didn't think it was a waste to sign up for two weeks and then quit the service. Besides, if my TV shopping works out, I may not need it after all. |
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 18, 2008 8:47:30 GMT -5
101 DALMATIANS (1961)
Two dalmatians go on a rescue mission to try to retrieve their stolen litter from the evil Cruella De Vil, who is planning to turn the puppies into a new coat.
Really good animated Disney classic. Nice jazzy score, doesn't get bogged down in too many songs and features one of the all-time great Disney villains in Cruella.
Remade in 1996 as a live-action feature starring Glenn Close.
8/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 18, 2008 9:04:42 GMT -5
An update. The scores for this month so far.
November: THE ORIGINALS
Heineken Skywalker = 23
Slayrrr666 = 7
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Nov 19, 2008 10:23:48 GMT -5
MAN ON FIRE (1987) Scott Glenn plays John Creasy, an ex-CIA agent, who is hired by a wealthy American family living in Italy to be a bodyguard for their 12 year old daughter (Jade Malle). After she is kidnapped, Creasy vows her rescue and vengeance on her kidnappers. As played in this movie, Creasy is like the worst bodyguard ever. With all his extensive military and CIA training, common thugs still get the drop on him several times throughout the film. And I just didn't believe their relationship. Creasy goes from being pretty apathetic and just plain mean to the girl, to suddenly becoming a mentor and almost father-figure to her. Glenn's a good actor, but he seemed to sleepwalk through this movie. Malle reminded me a little of the young Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL, but her career doesn't seem to have really taken off. Overall, I thought the whole film was played too low-key and even the action scenes were on the dull side. Remade in 2004, starring Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning. 5/10 PSYCHO (1960) Hitchcock's classic about a young woman (Janet Leigh) who steals $40,000 from her boss, goes on the run, checks into a roadside motel where she meets Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), and takes a shower.... EEE-EEE-EEE!!!!!  Just gets better each time I watch it. Remade in 1998 starring Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche. 9/10
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