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Reviews
The Days of Our Years (1955)
Heavy-handed but useful message
It's hard to imagine railroad workers watching this short film without thinking that their company is trying to blame them for all the industrial accidents that occur. It correctly argues that workers should always keep safety in mind while working, but implies that the company would willingly allow people to take time off for simple dizziness or not penalize workers for falling behind in their work. It also insists that the company "does everything in its power to prevent accidents", which in my corporate experience is exactly as likely as *individuals* doing everything possible; that is to say, not at all likely. And by casting this as a kind of sermon by a company-town minister, Union Pacific turns human error into a sin against the company and one's loved ones. Safety, of course, should be regularly emphasized in dangerous industrial environments, but this message appears to be rather one-sided and heavy-handed.
The MST3K version of this short, shown in its "Amazing Transparent Man" episode and available on its "Shorts Volume 2" DVD, is filled with well-timed jokes and entertaining silliness. It's quite funny, unless you've encountered some of the tragic accidents that occur in the short, which would make it hard to be amused by the banter. But it's possible to laugh at the goofy MST3K lines while remembering the short's message: that safety must be consciously and continuously practiced in hazardous environments.
Human Growth: Second Edition (1962)
Not bad, though a bit dated.
The only thing more boring than watching a slide presentation is watching a movie of a slide presentation. This education short provides this amazingly dull (and mercifully brief) experience, but also has some redeeming qualities. The introductory segment is laughably stilted. In the 1950s standard-issue family of Father, Mother, Daughter, and Son, only the boy seems to be able to act. But once you get past the family and classroom slide show segments, the animated instructional film within this short movie is actually rather informative, although I suspect some of the details are a bit dated. It's also remarkably sanguine and reassuring about the torture that is adolescence, but perhaps that's a good thing for its audience. The print I saw (from "Educational Archives, Volume 1: Sex & Drugs" DVD) has some annoying film skips that leave holes in some of the information. The short finishes with a sizable set of excellent questions from the kids that the teacher then tosses out to the viewing audience for discussion. The Archives print suffers from considerable vertical squiggles, but you stop noticing them after a few moments' viewing. All in all, not a bad production, but I'd skip the introductory section, unless you want to have a few laughs and get acclimated to the squiggles.
The Bat People (1974)
Nice try, but...
*SPOILER WARNING*
The other reviews I've read of this movie miss some of what the director was trying to accomplish. One of the main plot points of this movie is that we don't really know whether Dr. John Beck is turning into a bat, or just imagining it. Thus the point-of-view attack shots, the fact that no one sees him in bat form, etc. Yes, it's awfully convenient that this strategy minimizes the costume and special effects budgets, but, hey, I thought it was clever.
On the other hand, when we finally see the transformed Beck, that minimal budget really shows. You don't even need Mystery Science Theater 3000 riffs to laugh at his appearance. (Caveat: I've only seen the MSTied version of this movie, but that doesn't change what *was* shown. Any scenes cut for time may have explained more, but they can't take away from any of the raw goofiness.)
It's a pretty good outing for the MST3K crew. My favorite MST3K line, as the very-human Bat-Beck lopes through the cave: "I'm flying away! Flap, flap, flap..."
Soultaker (1990)
It's a horror and a comedy -- two movies in one!
This movie really is a decent horror flick, especially given its low budget and some inexperienced players. I found it interesting in both its original and Mystery Science Theater 3000 versions, for different reasons. The original is good for suspense; the MST3K version is good for humor.
As a straight film, it has an intriguing premise and a good level of suspense. Vivian Schilling makes a good heroine (and is definitely easy on the eyes). Gregg Thomsen is a bit whiny as the reformed bad-boy. Joe Estevez is quite menacing as The Man, AKA the eponymous Soultaker. (The creepiest character, in my opinion, must remain unnamed to avoid spoilers.) There are a few plot oddities, but they're actually not as bad as most big-production horror movies I've seen. It does make more sense uncut, as suggested by other reviewers. Some scenes omitted from the MST3K version (before and during Summerfest, at the convenience store, and Zach, Natalie, and Mrs. McMillan at the McMillan home) are important to understand all that's going on. On the other hand, some of the foreshadowing (the news reports, the policemen's scenes) make it too easy to see where things are going, so I found them less interesting. (I don't like to be spoon-fed solutions to mysteries.) The "R" rating probably comes from the drug references, an important plot point in the relationship between Natalie and Zach that got short shrift in MST3K. The Summerfest band, which I really liked, gets a bit more time in the original, and the soundtrack put me in a good '80s nostalgic mood. All in all, the original "Soultaker" beats the heck out of many horror films I've seen in recent years. I give it ***1/2 for story and suspense.
The MST3K version is quite entertaining as comedy. The movie retains some of its suspense, but the excellent riffs really make it more funny than scary. The time cuts to fit the movie into a MST3K episode don't really add much to the main plot confusion (contrary to several other reviewers' statements), but do make the subplots less clear. (That's what motivated me to rent the original). The running jokes about Tonya Harding, Joe Estevez, and Vivian Schilling's dual role as writer and actress, along with many other clever quips, make for an excellent MST3K episode. I give it **** for the running jokes and many dead-on riffs.
I'd recommend both versions for viewing. It's better to see the uncut version first, so you can enjoy the original story and then the silly stuff without distraction, but the other way works too. By the way, the reviewers who rag on the MST3K version seem more interested in insulting MST3K fans than giving a credible review of either version of this worthy movie. See them both!
Seven Days: Pilot: Part 1 (1998)
Fascinating, like a train wreck
This has got to be one of the worst-written sci-fi series ever made. And yet you can't help watching it, like a train wreck happening right in front of you. Its concept is clever and the episode ideas are frequently intriguing, but it suffers from poor execution and from literally being a vehicle for its star. I find myself watching it just to see how they screw up great themes.
EXECUTION: The series characters are more like caricatures. The security chief of this super-secret US project is barely competent and frequently childish. (More caricatures below.) The show is filled with unexplained "conundrums". For instance, what happens to the seven-days-ago Parker when the current one "backsteps"? I've seen perhaps 20 episodes, and I don't recall any attempt to explain this. The explanations they do give really make you appreciate Star Trek writers' efforts to make sense (or at least to be self-consistent in their nonsense). And many episodes require absurd events in order to reach their inevitable resolutions. The Secret Service accidentally leaves behind the man with the President's nuclear "football". Parker impresses Vancouver citizens and police with his *American* NSA badge. (The X-Files-like location overlay says Vancouver is in "British, Columbia", as if it were an area called "British" in the state of "Columbia", rather than the Canadian province "British Columbia".) And that same episode gets the "Battlestar Galactica" award for copying the movie "Run, Lola, Run", right down to the techno songs!
STAR POWER: LaPaglia out-Shatners Shatner. This billion-dollar project permanently sidelines its original "pilot" because Frank has to do *all* the backsteps. Dr. Olga Vukavitch constantly bounces between cold-shouldering Parker's advances and demonstrating unreasonable and unprofessional jealousy. (Justina Veil must have cringed her way through the series with the erratic and silly behavior her storylines required.) Every woman Parker encounters is madly attracted to him. And Parker *always* solves the problems; no other character is permitted to make a meaningful contribution. (One exception: when Donovan quits Backstep and Parker retroactively tries to convince him that's he's important. But it was hard to pay attention to the Donovan character in this episode -- I kept seeing actor Don Franklin instead, trying to make something of the pitiful bone the writers tossed him, probably to keep *him* from quitting.)
In all, it's fascinating but painful to watch this show flush away the good ideas with such poor writing and directing. I wish Mystery Science Theater 3000 had gotten their hands on this show. They would have made it hysterical instead of pathetic.
Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)
Painfully funny and heart-breakingly sweet
Amelie Poutain finds her calling in life, cleverly arranging events so that the people around her find the missing pieces in their own lives. But Amelie can't bring herself to take the same steps to break free of her own unhappy solitude. Even as her plans for everyone else bear fruit (occasionally in unexpected ways), she struggles to overcome her paralyzing fears. But she would do well to consider that she has no monopoly on scheming for the benefit of others!
Even ignoring the French dialog and English subtitles, this is obviously not an American movie. Its quirky characters are often simultaneously boorish and charming. Its storyline jumps from whimsical to depressing to silly to wrenchingly sad, with occasional heartwarming flourishes. But this American viewer found it quite entertaining, even while he was squirming as he identified a bit too closely with the lonely heroine.
One of my favorite elements was how Amelie's overactive imagination finds expression in the course of her ordinary daily life. (It's similar to the trippiness of "Ally McBeal", but with less slapstick and more heart.) I was also amused when Amelie found herself watching an English video clip which was, of course, subtitled in French, and I momentarily lost track of what language I was actually following!
All in all, it's a wonderful movie, and well worth the accolades lauded upon it.
Werewolf (1995)
Don't watch this were-dog without Mike and the 'Bots!
Thrill to the harpsichord music in the pool hall scene! Wonder at our heroine's ability to abuse English syntax and pronunciation! Tremble as the "wuur-wilves" grow wispy hair extensions and don animal puppet heads before striking! Shudder from exposure to the looney militant caretaker! Cackle as the greedy and inexplicably violent archaeologist's hair style and color spontaneously change from scene to scene! And don't miss Charlie Sheen's uncle's critical role as an itinerant site-digger.
Let's face it -- the only way to watch this dud is with the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew lambasting it. Richard Lynch, ordinarily a good character actor, must have really been hurting financially to allow himself to be seen (and wasted) in this were-dog of a movie. Other favorite parts of mine include the hero turning off a radio, abruptly ending the annoying spooky soundtrack, and (in the MST3K version) Mike and the 'Bots' sing-along variations on the end theme.
Enterprise: Broken Bow, Part 1 (2001)
A new hope for the Star Trek saga
So far, new Star Trek series take a season or two to get interesting. This one promises to be interesting already. Bakula makes a great Captain. I like the oddball doctor and look forward to fascinating revelations about him. It's great that there's at least one (human) crewmember who isn't sanguine about the dangerous situations; it'll be cool to see her develop a thick skin. Not crazy about the "babe" factor, with Jolene Blalock in a "cat suit" like Seven of Nine from Voyager; it's insulting to ST and SF fans, unnecessary to get attention for a potentially great show, and very much out-of-character for Vulcans. The Suliban and their associates are extremely intriguing -- what do they want? Looking forward to seeing how Berman et al insert stories into the ST saga that tie in but don't mess up the ST universe. (Will Capt. Archer wind up leaving really weird events out of his log? What happens to new aliens that don't seem to be around in Kirk's time? So many interesting questions.)
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)
My favorite DVD!
I saw this movie at least six times in the hard-to-find venues when it was released, and enjoyed every viewing. One of the best efforts of the Best Brains crew, the jokes and sly remarks are dead-on and frequent. I watched in on video so many times I wore it out, so I bought the DVD. It's a blast!