The Allmovie Blog

Why So Misogynistic?

Perry Seibert — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:20:29 +0000

Ever wonder what the Batman franchise might look like if Neil LaBute wrote and directed it? Comedy Central’s Matt Tobey did too.

DVD Review - The Forest

Jason Buchanan — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:01:29 +0000

Anyone raised when the VCR became a common household item and VHS was still king is sure to remember those long walks down the seemingly endless aisles of the local mom and pop video store – those clunky, oversized plastic treasures beckoning to be rented, taken home, and enjoyed in the comfort of one’s own living room. The striking artwork on a number of those clamshell cases was so luridly vivid that it seemed to dare the indecisive movie lover to pass it by, such was the case with the cover of Don Jones killer-in-the-woods frightener The Forest – the image of two crazed eyes peering wildly from behind prickly branches and hand firmly clutching hunting knife hinting at horrors that might make the average viewer give up camping for the foreseeable future. Now Code Red and BCI have teamed to bring this seldom seen tale of terror and cannibalism to DVD for the enjoyment of a whole new generation of retro loving horror hounds. The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen image certainly bears signs of wear and tear, though film looks decent for not having been digitally restored and the Dolby Digital Stereo soundtrack is clean and well-balanced. Cinema completists and fans of obscure slasher flicks will no-doubt be happy to hear that this release of The Forest offers not just one (as the packaging suggests) but two commentary tracks for the film. The first commentary track, featuring director Jones and star Gary Kent, sounds like it was captured on a tape recorder as the pair watched the film in an actual movie theater and touches on a number of interesting details regarding the production. The second track finds genre writer Greg Goodsell moderating a relaxed commentary track featuring director Jones and cinematographer Stewart Asbjornsen. The latter of the two may be a bit more technical in nature, but still makes for a fairly lively and entertaining listen. As if two commentary tracks weren’t enough, {@Code Red} has also seen fit to include a satisfying, thirteen-minute featurette featuring extensive on-camera interviews with Jones, Asbjornsen, and Kent. Among other things, the featurette finds director Jones revealing why he sees The Forest as more of a psychological shocker than a slasher film and discussing a botched early screening for a potential distributor. A photo gallery offers glimpses at some old VHS covers, production stills, and candid shots, and a promo trailer for the film gives viewers an idea of what kind of rural mayhem to expect in the flick. Trailer hounds will be happy to note the inclusion of seven Code Red previews including promo spots for Schoolgirls in Chains, Devil Times Five, and Secrets of Sweet Sixteen among others.

Final Jones 4 Poster!

Jeremy Wheeler — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:12:28 +0000

Ahh, nothing like some new Drew Struzan goodness to start off the week. Feast your eyes on the final Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull one sheet, brought to you by one of the industry’s best and brightest illustrators.

The artwork was unveiled at USA Today this morning and looks to be one of the hottest Internet news stories of the day.

As far as its quality goes, Struzan once again delivers a solid design, with major emphasis on the extraterrestrial influence as can be seen in the glowing crystal skull, though the illustration is a bit less graphic than expected — with less of the artist’s patented outlining on display. Other than that — love that Marion smile, as well as the return of the jungle theme once equated with the series’ art before the dusty settings of The Last Crusade.

After the jump, enjoy a bigger version of the new ad art, along with a refresh of the already released teaser poster.

What say you, dear readers? Have you caved into the cynicism yet or bought into the wild hype of good times yet to come?

Hell Above Water and in Trailers

Jason Buchanan — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:52:17 +0000

Got a high-octane action flick (perhaps of the comic book variety) that you’re looking to sell to a multiplex crowd and wondering what music to slap over that seizure-inducing, seven-frames-per-cut-maximum trailer… might we suggest the track “Hell Above Water” by the now-defunct UK electronica-goth legends Curve?

Perhaps one of the most under-appreciated and influential techno-based bands of the 1990s, Curve was the collaborative creation of guitarist Dean Garcia and Toni Halliday, and created atmospheric music that could be at once ferocious, vulnerable, sensual, and hypnotic. Don’t believe us? Take a listen to any Garbage album and try to deny that it’s a more mainstream reworking of the exact same musical model. As enjoyably poppy and radio-friendly as the music of Garbage may be, it sounds downright anemic compared to the overwhelming sonic assault of their primary influence.

Which, of course, means that the music of Curve perfectly compliments just about any trailer where lots of stuff blows up, superheroes duke it out with villains while dangling precariously from instantly-recognizable landmarks, and the camera glides smoothly around the protagonist in an impossible, CG-enhanced 360 degree shot. The first time I remember hearing “Hell Above Water” in a theater was when I saw the trailer for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, and it truly flipped me out; I couldn’t believe that someone had finally realized the cinematic potential of what just may be my favorite band. Over the course of the next few years, it seemed as if others had also become privy to this fact as the song turned up frequently in trailers for such films as X-Men, Miami Vice, and, most recently, both the teaser and full trailers for Iron Man.

But that’s only the beginning, because Curve’s music could frequently be heard as background buffer music on MTV, featured in a memorable scene on the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and even in a version of the ongoing FIFA Soccer series as well as the official trailer for the PS3 game Motorstorm.

Of course the double-edged sword to this is the fact that some of the best tracks by Curve aren’t the most frenetic ones, but the more pensive, dreamlike tracks that masterfully layer instruments, vocals, and ambient sounds in a way that completely envelopes the listener: tracks such as “Superblaster” and “Horror Head.”

Curious to hear more? No need to scour the web, as your ever-accommodating reporter here at the All Movie Blog has assembled a collection of trailers featuring the music of Curve, as well as links to some of the band’s best music videos. While I couldn’t locate the trailers for Miami Vice or the X-Men that used Curve’s music, I think the modest collection below is a decent introduction to both the band and their unique cinematic legacy. And though the band proper may be no more, I for one look forward to many years of watching trailers and being pleasantly, nostalgically surprised by those familiar ethereal sounds.

Enjoy!

Official:

Iron Man

Spider-Man

X-Men

Miami Vice

Video Games:

Fan Made Fun:

Curve Music Videos:

Horror Head
Clipped
Coast is Clear
Ten Little Girls
Fait Accompli
Superblaster

…and then, for the die-hard fans, there’s always this.

42nd Street Drive-In at the Novi Emagine!

Jason Buchanan — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:06:28 +0000

Inspired by the Kung Fu Flicks series I had previously posted about and still lamenting the lack of fun choices on Detroit area movie screens, yours truly has partnered with Synapse Films and the Emagine Theaters to cook up a mondo bizarro movie series that is absolutely guaranteed to overload your cerebral cortex with some of the most outrageous cult films ever produced!

Every Thursday evening in April, Detroit area moviegoers are invited to come out to the Novi Emagine and experience the seedier side of cinema as we present a series of $7 double features featuring everything from punk rock zombies and flesh-eating schoolgirls to alien parasites, demonic heavy metal bands, debauched detectives, and gore drenched winos!

This isn’t Rodriguez and Tarantino’s Grindhouse folks… this is the REAL DEAL!

The complete schedule follows the jump.

Thursday, April 3 @ 8pm:
Heavy Metal Horrors!
Rock and Roll Nightmare (83 min) and Black Roses (90 min.)

Thursday, April 10 @ 8pm:
Alien Terror and Horrific Hooch!
Deadly Spawn (78 min.) and Street Trash (91min.)

Thursday, April 17 @ 8pm:
Japanese Punk Rock Zombies and Killer Schoolgirls!
Wild Zero (98 min.) and Stacy (80 min.)

Thursday, April 24 @ 8pm:
Nightmare Noir Mayhem and Shotgun Revenge!
Thriller: They Call Her One Eye (Vengeance Edition) (89 min.) and Singapore Sling (115 min.)

There will be a ten-minute intermission between the films, during which we will screen various trailers from Synapse Films’ spectacularly entertaining 42nd Street Forever trailer compilation. Also, every movie screened during the “42nd Street Drive-In” series will be available for purchase on DVD, along with many other Synapse titles, at each screening.

We hope to see you there!

Indy IV Trailer!

Jeremy Wheeler — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:25:10 +0000

Well here it is — the Jones trailer the world has been waiting for. And how hot is it? Smokin’ says us. As far as scorecards go, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’s action looks huge — with lots of Indy swinging, whipping, running and dishin’ out quips as only he can. Spielberg also serves up an iconic silhouette shot (which he references in the official site’s latest video on Jones’ trusted fedora) and goes lengths to remind audiences that this aging action star still has a whole lot of fight in him. Oh yes, and for all of you scared of a certain young actor screwing things up — the good news is that Shia LaBeouf is hardly in the 1:45-minute trailer, though curiously, so is Karen Allen. One thing is for sure, there are plenty more surprises left in this sucker. In a day and age when Hollywood spoils everything online before a film even is released, it’s good to know that one of the most anticipated flicks of all time still has some guarded tricks up its sleeve. The countdown has begun — let May 22nd not come fast enough!

Click here to see the tease in wondrous HD.

UPDATE 2/15/8: For anyone that was wondering just what the heck was going on with Ray Winstone’s CG waistline at the 57-second mark, Ain’t It Cool did some digging and stumbled upon some E.T. rerelease-styled computer trickery. It seems that the filmmakers might’ve been forced by the MPAA to erase out a group of soldiers that were pointing guns at our favorite fearless archeologist and his new British buddy. If that’s not bad enough, an American flag was also added into U.S. teaser as well. Photographic proof can be found at the link, along with a path leading to the International trailer.

Kung Fu Flicks: The Damage So Far

Jason Buchanan — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:49:27 +0000

The Kung Fu Flicks series at National Amusements theaters is well underway, and moviegoers are having a hell of a good time at the local multiplex. The projected video (occasionally VHS in origin) has been at best poor-to-adequate, the dubbing atrocious, and the action ridiculous… and the viewers can’t seem to get enough. On the heels of their successful “Attack of the B Movies” series in the summer of 2007, programmers at National Amusements were looking to keep the spirit of the drive-in alive on local screens by expanding the scope of their series’ to include some of the strangest kung-fu movies ever committed to celluloid. Whether you’re into kung-fu or not, one would be hard pressed to deny that they’ve accomplished their goal with this series featuring a truly gonzo programming schedule and a nifty little selling gimmick.

Upon purchasing their first ticket, moviegoers are given a special card that will be stamped at each screening. Should the cardholder manage the daunting task of collecting six stamps by the end of the series, they’ll be eligible to win a free trip for two to the Los Angeles premiere of The Forbidden Kingdom – the eagerly anticipated martial arts adventure that marks the first ever feature collaboration between screen legends Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

What about the flicks themselves, you may ask? Well, despite the fact that I’m an enormous fan of Asian cinema, I make no claims of being an authority in the area of martial arts films in particular, and can only offer an opinion that springs straight from my lifelong love of weirdo cinema.

That said, this is my take on the series so far…

Shaolin Temple:

The flick that started out the series features everything we love about old school kung-fu flicks: Hilarious dubbing, lightning fast fights, and a super simple plot that somehow gets completely garbled in translation. It’s loads of fun when viewed with the right crowd – just be careful not to get it mixed up with that other Shaolin Temple flick starring some guy named Jet Li.

Bronx Executioner:

This was the first indicator that the programmers over at National Amusements were willing to have a little fun with the series. Bronx Executioner has more in common with such cheesy post-apocalyptic actioners as Enzo G. Castellari’s 1990: The Bronx Warriors than such traditional kung fu fare as Shaolin Temple, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less entertaining. This flick is a mess of epic proportions, but it does feature a weathered Woody Strode throwing some powerhouse punches – which should at least count for something! Add to that a dim-witted, muscle-bound hero and sets that look like they may fall apart if shot a sideways glance and you’ve got all the fixings for a goofy good time.

Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave:

I’m not sure what – if anything – this particular flick had to do with Bruce Lee, but that doesn’t stop me from declaring it one of my favorite entries in the series thus far. Opening with a completely nonsensical shot of a Lee look-a-like erupting from his grave and featuring a motley crew of villains that feel as if they were pulled from the strangest comic book never published, this one sports weirdness by the ton. How can you not love a flick in which a thuggish taxi driver mugs his passenger at knifepoint, takes him out of the car, roughs him up, does a few donuts, gets kicked in the head right through the window, and then makes sure to drop him off safely at his intended destination. Not only that, but it has what have to be the strangest guttural kung-fu sounds ever uttered on film, and audience members at our particular screening compared it to both The Big Lebowski and No Country for Old Men.

Fearless Hyena:
I gotta admit, this late-1970s Jackie Chan flick just didn’t do very much for me. Perhaps it was due to the fact that I was still coming down off of the goofy high of Bruce Lee Fights Back from The Grave, but by fifteen minutes in I was already growing weary of that old Jacky shtick. By the time it ended, I was completely exhausted – and not as much out of exuberance as for the fact that it was all so repetitive it felt like one giant gag fight stretched out to 400 minutes. Don’t get me wrong, I like Jackie quite a bit – and when it’s “on” he’s truly a sight to behold – but this time around I just wasn’t feeling it.

Fantasy Mission Force:
Wheeler had warned me that this was one of the strangest kung fu flicks ever made, but even that wasn’t enough to prepare me for the madness of this bizarro take on The Dirty Dozen. From the appearance of Abraham Lincoln as a World War II general to a gang of Mad Max-inspired Nazis and musical cues stolen from It’s Alive, Tourist Trap (complete with mannequin sighs!), and Once Upon a Time in the West, this jaw dropping stew of insanity must be seen to be believed. Almost a week later I’m still not sure what to make of it, but the fact that Wheeler has been watching it for a decade and is still just as confused as I at least tells me it’s not for lack of trying.

The Chinatown Kid:
I’m sorry to say that I had to duck out on the Chinatown Kid so I can’t offer a full report, but I plan on making up for that by hitting all ten of the remaining flicks - wish me luck!

More to follow as the series progresses…
Until then, be sure to hop on the official National Amusements website to find out if the King Fu Flicks series is playing at a theater near you!

The Passing of a Prolific Poster Artist — John Alvin: 1948-2008

Jeremy Wheeler — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:39:30 +0000

Few in the movie industry have had quite as big of an impact as John Alvin, renowned poster designer, whose death at the age of 60 has once again sent us down nostalgia lane as we look back on glorious ad art gone by. The Internet Movie Poster Awards have a statement from his family, with other sites chiming in with their own memorials. Here at AMG, we’d like to commemorate Alvin’s life with this collection of his work, spanning such films as Cape Fear, Gremlins, E.T. as well as a host of others. His legacy will live on in his superb illustrations and deft design schemes that made him a go-to guy for the likes of Steven Spielberg, Mel Brooks and Walt Disney Animation during its successful run in the ’90s.

Most recently Alvin was featured in the Blade Runner Collector’s and Ultimate DVD editions, both of which dedicated a feature to the iconic ad art of the groundbreaking film. Click through the jump to see what made Alvin one of the most highly regarded draftsmen in the business.

For more examples of Alvin’s art, feel free to visit this fan site, filled with alternate designs as well as artwork never carried over for home entertainment releases.

Son of Rambow trailer shoots a flaming arrow of nostalgia straight into the hearts of Gen-Xers everywhere

Jason Buchanan — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:34:27 +0000

Now that we’ve all been eviscerated, decapitated, chopped, filleted, flayed, and riddled with bullets by Rambo, battle-weary moviegoers may be in desperate need for something a little more uplifting. While some may see the title “Son of Rambow” and immediately assume that Asylum is once again seeking to cash-in on the box-office of a major theatrical release, a closer look reveals that this film isn’t just another cheap knock-off, but a nostalgic coming of age comedy drama that actually uses the original Sylvester Stallone action classic First Blood as a springboard to explore such themes as faith, imagination, and friendship. Granted this concept may sound a bit too heady in black and white, but a closer look at the recently released trailer for Son of Rambow reveals that writer/director Garth Jennings may have in fact assembled all the ingredients necessary to whip up one of the year’s most quirky and endearing indie films.

Shyamalan’s The Happening Gets Teased

Jeremy Wheeler — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:29:19 +0000

Just last week I stared at a standee for M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming thriller The Happening and wondered just when the heck 20th Century Fox was going to unleash a sneak peek at this bad boy — well, wonder no more, for the teaser has finally hit and it is good. The flick follows a father (Mark Wahlberg) and son that embark on a frantic journey to outrun a mysterious airborn virus. This is the first time that Shyamalan has dipped his foot into the R-rated game, so expect some dark material both thematically as well as viscerally. The Happening opens on June 13th and co-stars Zooey Deschanel and John Leguizamo.