Reviews

Hammer took a different direction with this piece of Gothic cinema and broke some rules. Vampires walking about in daylight? For all its good points the biggest let down is the lack of references to the original Sheridan Le Fanu on which this supposed to be based. Hammer took a different direction with this piece of Gothic cinema and broke some rules. Vampires walking about in daylight? For all its good points the biggest let down is the lack of references to the original Sheridan Le Fanu on which this supposed to be based. Its predecessor 'Vampire Lovers' contained more references but I was hoping for a full and proper transcription of the book into celluloid. Tudor Gates appears undecided which direction to take the script. Yutte Stensgaard was cast at the time as she was famous on UK TV as Bob Monkhouse's co star in a game show. There she was required to look pretty and not say much as she showed objects to the audience. Think of the 'The Price is Right' hostesses. She went on to make a couple of film s which were more credible dramas. I first knew of her via a short story on the web which had a couple of photos attached to it. You can see why everyone thinks she gorgeous. A painting that was around at the same time was by the story's writer: an actor called Stephen Armourae who has reappeared in connection with ESP research and I know he's done more of other horror actresses including one about Barbara Stelle called 'Catherine' and another AJF. There was a rumour about an interview between him and Yutte if anyone knows more? I like this Hammer film as there is something quirky about it. Raven trying to be Lee. The change of casting to Ralph Bates is refreshing and more convincing. I can't see Cushing playing that lusting role. Bates is more suited. Also the eroticism could have been more, I agree with Armourae's review on this point; he has been trying to get film made loosely based on these Hammer themes but with greater erotic content whilst remaining tasteful. Watch this film as for all its flaws its still classic of its time.

A wonderful movie to watch with the family at Chirstmas. Mickey Rooney plays a retired cop who takes his grandson across America back to New York to show him white Christmas. Thats the setup to get you into the festive spirit. But he has a heart attack. In heaven he makes a deal with an angel to return there in a weeks tine after showing his grandson New York at Christmas and the sense of Christmas that pervades the city. Scott Grimes is great as the grandson and those who think they have heard it all before from decades of coming back to earth movies will see that this is different as its a family film for Christmas. Loving, sweet and excellent all round. It captures the Christmans spirit which you will not see in other Christmas films. The reason you don't see it on TV anymore is that it was so successful that it was repeated year after year and now they trying to vary the schedule. But this is a must see.

People don't associate Hungary with rock music, less with rock musicals but this is great. Who'll have trouble finding it though as music promotion is confined to Anglophile and the MTV generation. An impressive musical score by a talented rock composer. There was a Canadian program which was hated by the critics but exposed this kind of obscure European music. The passion comes from the peoples' desire to overthrow the restrictions of communist dictatorship. But with this freedom comes the need to adapt to the unfamiliar and new demands and responsibilities. This musical examines that problem. The central characters are Koppány, who hangs on to the traditions and István who wants freedom through reforms and combination to an earlier Christian values and morality. Unlike some clumsy commercial musical which would present the conflict as a fight for power, here the enemies have a conscientious intention to ensure the future. You will also get a course in Hungarian history whilst singing along to all th every memorable songs

Here's a cast some would have waited a long time to see: Ryan O'Neal,Shelley Long ,Drew Barrymore, Sam Wanamaker. Big Hollywood star, Cheers actress whose never found a film to match the series, Drew Barrymore (any more need to be said) and th great Sam Wanamaker. That alone is enough to watch this film. A lawyer is telling his client the details of the law on divorce. Then the big surprise. Its a young Drew Barrymoere. Her intentions is to divorce her parents. They have become apart due to the pressures of successful careers. Here is a useful warning to all families and this should be required viewing of all newly weds who have high career ambitions. TO make things worse for the parents, Drew wants to leave them both and live with the mind. An empty headed Sharon Stone maid. A real piece of unusual casting and seeing it casts aside the shadow of Stone as nothing else other than Basic Instinct. Here's a TV film with a real and well handled script. Trouble is they take this light comedy into heavier drama and that's its let down. Directors need to be persuaded to leave things as entertainment instead of trying to force blatant social commentary onto the script when the comedy is doing it already. Watch the first half and if you get irritated by the court room drama find something else

Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy. Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. You may not have heard of them as a double act and that's your loss. No its unforgivable. This film is hilarious. The two meet up by chance after they come to New York having been offered money to go there by two crooked millionaires. Both too stupid or greedy not to sniff that something is very wrong with such a generous offer.

Even more dumb when they asked to pose as them, big bucks prevent their brains from locking into thought mode. The openly time a stranger offers you a lot of money is because something precious to them is at risk and you are going to cover for them. Here its the millionaires lives. The comedy goes into overdrive as they are unaware of the various attempts on their lives, thinking it is only accidents that are surrounding them. There's also the clash of social status. People confusing them for the millionaires who have expensive tastes and know quality and decorum, whereas the look alike are oafish and unsophisticated

Lindsey Lohan has made lots of good films so I wanted to see this one. I'm an actress still stuck in small pieces and she act, dance and sing, so green with envy. Its a light and fluffy affair like a soufflé and with about as much sugar. The story of a girl relocated to the new city of New Jersey and finding her New York attitude out of place gives this some cultural weight however this is a common theme of films aimed at teenage girls. Has every American teenager moved to a new state and fond herself competing for attention as the most popular girl? Or is it only the glamorous, pretty ones who have to go through this ritual and everyone in the cinema is screaming "I did that, that's me!" The directing is a let down. The script to isn't good. Lola and her friend end up at a party to annoy the most popular girl at the school because she sees Lola as a rival and an outsider. Lindsey does what is required of her as pretty, glossy and inoffensive. Among the cast who should be kept an eye on, is Megan Fox. I first heard about her in connection to 'Two and half Men' via an actor in the UK called Stephen Armourae who meets lots of people as he is a theatre journalist and an artist-designer. He wrote about her in a review ignoring most of the rest of the program, so I knew there must be something a bit special about her. Usually when he sees someone he likes they reappear in a portrait at sometime. Often from scenes they have been in. The best part of the film is Lola's exaggerated response to circumstances which many teenagers can identify with. Try to overlook Sarah Sugarman's bad directing which is like a pop video director did it. Badly constructed series of scenes with no thread. Then you may enjoy this. Unless you hate Lohan.