Reviews

As an original viewer when this series first aired I was thrilled to have another quality show with science fiction and fantasy as its premise. They utilized the best writers, actors, and production staff that their budgets could afford. Unfortunately, unlike "The Twilight Zone", "The Outer Limits" has not fared as well in the last sixty years for one simple reason: the episodes are too long. In order to fill all that time they became too talky, way too talky. Modern audiences want special effects and visual excitement in their fantasy films. Thirty minutes was the ideal format for television fantasy, which "The Twilight Zone" still benefits from. "The Outer Limits" now comes off as mostly ponderous.

Although it's been popular to relegate this film to the bottom of the science-fiction movie heap, I would argue that, confined within the juvenile-monster-movie genre, it's actually above average. It ought to be considered an iconic example of the "drive-in-monster-movie". The acting is generally better than other films of it's type, and there is a lot of brooding atmosphere in the first half: the tortured flesh of the lizard on the oil drill; the props of the pre-rejuvenated Reptilicus may be cheap, but they're also creepy and unnerving, and the night scene when Reptilicus comes to life in the lab is above average in atmosphere and tension. Yes, the puppetry and miniatures are obviously fake, but that's actually part of the fun. The film should simply be re-catagorized as a matinee classic, and not a failed sci-fi attempt.

Unfortunately the best thing about the series was the opening credits and theme song; sort of a cross between "Taxi Driver" and "As the World Turns". Being a Lynch/Frost production a lot of expectation was in the air. But humor on their part should have been left to the implied sort. The initial concept was a great one and perhaps someday someone will take a less farcical approach.

Lynch/Frost did produce a beautiful docu-series around this time called American Chronicles, which was an impressionistic look at unusual subjects, using a minimum of narration, and emphasizing intriguing images and music. Worth finding the rare episodes around.

Verbose, forced, impossible dialogue; contrived plot points; actors crowding each other's lines; blown lines allowed to survive an easy edit, and barely a believable moment in the film. It becomes obvious very quickly that David is a hollow replacement for Woody himself. Possibly his worst work. Even as a satire of a satire it's cringingly bad.

How many movies does Solarbabies steal from? Let me count them: Rollerball, The Road Warrior, Starlight Express, The Dark Crystal, Planet of the Apes, The Lost Boys, The Outsiders, 1984, even Raiders of the Lost Ark. Criminal charges should be called for.

Leisurely character study, bathed in the milky sunlight of the southwest, that despite its lack of a plot, has an odd resonance which can keep the more patient viewer engaged. It's no "Butch Cassidy", but then who wants two of them?

The conventional looking, but nightmarish environment; the raging, possibly alien little boy; the animation in the grass and on the television screen; the dirt piling up in the backyard; the music-less audio track; the nihilistic story without rhyme or reason; all earmarks of a David-Lynch student film, but with a budget. Would it have been better if it was?

Ultimately an average film from the early 70s with the feel of a TV movie, and a musical score seemingly stolen from The Waltons, but in Aldrich's hands it tries to rise above. Probably the most evil character Borgnine ever played, eclipsing Fatso "From Here to Eternity", and Coley Trimble in "Bad Day at Black Rock". He'd come a long way since playing Marty Piletti in 1955.

Coming off like an extremely long Nickelodeon flick the film has to be endured to experience the few charming and moving moments. Too simplistic, too cutesy, too predictable, it often comes off as if it had been written by the teenage character herself. Oh, it was.

Coming off more like a stage play, the film does nothing to suggest the magnificence of the Aztec empire. What little exteriors of Tenochtitlan seen are modern ruins, overgrown and dilapidated. A "cast of several" suggests nothing of the hundreds of invaders, nor the population of the empire.