sjcal75 Reviews

Frankenstein (1931)

One Of The Original Horror Greats!

[7/10 · 31 October 2005]

Frankenstein from 1931 is definitely one of the great original horror films. Though not exactly considered to be real scary by today's standards, it was probably the first talkie to be considered a very scary picture during the time of The Great Depression.

Even though movies didn't have soundtracks back in the early '30's, this was still a well made film, with very fabulous acting. Boris Karloff was and will always be the definitive Frankenstein Monster. It's a shame he only portrayed the monster in only 3 films. Colin Clive's is truly sensational as the brilliant, but obviously obsessed scientist Dr. Frankenstein. Another standout actor that we have is Edward Van Sloan, who portrayed Van Helsing in Dracula which came out the same year as Frankenstein. Here here also plays a scientist who was Henry's mentor at one time. However, Dr Waldman would not defeat the Frankenstein monster as he did with Dracula. He unfortunately would be one of the monster's victims.

The main story revolves around Dr. Frankenstein's determination to create a human being from dead corpses, but for good causes. However, while constructing his new creation he is completely unaware that the brain he inserted is a criminal brain that his deformed assistant Fritz seemed to take by mistake. Fritz is portrayed by character actor Dwight Frye who like Van Sloan, also appeared in Dracula. Once the doctor realizes his creation is a monstrous fiend he asks his mentor to try and destroy it. However, the monster murders him and then escapes the laboratory and starts to run amok around the village.

After his escape we come upon perhaps the most famous of the Frankenstein scenes where the monster comes across a little girl tossing flower petals in the lake, and watching them float. The monsterthinking she will float, too decides to throw her in the lake, but has no idea that she drowns to death. The whole village which includes Henry decides to form a mob to hunt down the creature before he kills more innocent people.

Then we come to the climax where it's creator vs. creation, as the doctor meets the monster face to face. The monster will carry the unfortunate scientist into a windmill pursued by the entire village. Henry attempting to escape the clutches of his creation, is thrown from the top of the windmill and almost meets his demise. Then all of the angry villagers burn down the mill with their torches assuming they actually destroyed him.

However, long before Michael, Jason, and Freddy were even thought of Frankenstein is probably the first horror anit-hero the audience realizes doesn't die very easy.

We will eventually discover that in the Bride of Frankenstein.

Halloween (1978)

A True Slasher Flick!

[9/10 · 25 October 2005]

The original Halloween is definitely a true slasher flick, as well as a horror classic. Even though this is an independent feature and at the time had a relatively unknown cast, it became one of the surprise hits of the late '70's. Halloween more than most modern horror movies relied more on scares and suspense than extreme gore to help make it a success.

Here scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis has her real first big screen role. At the time her mother the late Janet Leigh was also known as a screen queen as the doomed motel tenant in Psycho another landmark horror movie. Like mother like daughter!

When Halloween was first released Donald Pleasance was probably the only star of the film that was already a household name. Most moviegoers best knew him as one of the all time James Bond villains, Blofeld from You Only Live Twice. This time around Pleasance plays one of his few good guy roles in that of the obsessed, but determined Dr. Loomis. However, Dr. Loomis's adversary would not be a super spy who has at least two lives, but a supernatural serial killer who the doctor will eventually discover has anywhere between 2 and 2 million lives.

The well known serial killer is known as Michael Myers, who was also the doctor's patient for 15 years. Even though Michael was a major headache for Loomis, he mostly likely helped launch the careers of Jason and Freddy. Michael is first introduced to us a 6 year old, who on Halloween night in 1963, brutally butchers his half naked sister to death. Then the evil child will spend the rest of his life in an insane asylum. However, Michaeal would not have it that way.

Fast forward 15 years later, Dr. Loomis and one of the hospital nurses are under orders of the law to bring Michael Myers to court to stand trial for his sister's murder. The doctor and nurse shockingly discover that Michael has made an elaborate escape plan, and decides to come home to Haddonfield, Illionis.

Now that Michael Myers has returned to his hometown, we are first introduced t Jamie Lee Curtis's character, Laurie Strode who is a rather shy high school student. Once Michael first lays his eyes on her, he begins to stalk her and her two girlfriends Annie and Lynda. All three notice the masked figure, but have no idea who he really his. As Laurie and Annie are both off to their baby sitting duties, Dr. Loomis finally arrives in Haddonfield. When he finally make his presence back in Michael's hometown, he requests the town's sheriff who is also Annie's father to aid him in tracking down his patient before he commits a major murder spree.

Dr. Loomis decides to hang out in Michael's childhood home, believing he will actually decide to return. Sheffir Brackett somewhat skeptical about the doc's theories, agrees to patrol the streets of Haddonfield in an attempt to find the escaped patient before it's too late. However, both men have no idea that Michael is stalking the two girls who babysitting two different kids. Michael makes Annie his first victim of the night, then murders Lynda and her boyfriend in the same house where Annie was babysitting.

This is where the major scares really start to pick up. Laurie who is babysitting across the street, believes that her friends are playing a Halloween prank. So she decides to walk across the street to where her friends are hanging out. Unfortunately, Laurie discovers that's it's no Halloween prank and three of her friends have been murdered. Laurie herself miraculously escapes from the house and heads back over to the house she was originally babysitting in to hide from her attacker.

As Michael is about to claim Laurie as his next victim, Dr. Loomis sees two screaming children running out of a the house that Michael is now in. The doctor decides to go into the house and finds his patient at last trying to murder Laurie. The doctor saves Laurie by shooting ol Mike approx. 6 times before falling out of the window to the ground. As Loomis looks out the window he like everybody else discovers that you can't kill the bogeyman.

Now we know there will be numerous sequels, as well as similar style slasher films.

Halloween II (1981)

Very Respectable Sequel But Unrealistic!

[8/10 · 20 October 2005]

Well Halloween II is a very respectable sequel to its classic predecessor, and probably the scariest horror sequel ever produced. However this has to be the most unrealistic film of the Halloween series. Halloween II seems to have had a major number of flaws.

To start out the window that Michael falls out of in the pre credits is different from the one he fell out of at the end of the first film. Afew minutes later Dr. Loomis claims that he shot Michael six times when it was actually a total of seven. Later on Michael makes his way to the hospital where Laurie is in her convalescence from her previous encounter from the masked fiend.

The hospital is where most of the goof ups are obviously noticed. Haddonfield Memorial must be the most laid back hospital in the world. What do we notice about this hospital. Well here are a few examples: There seems to be only one doctor and he performs his duties while under the influence. Laurie might as well of had Michael work on her. There are only 4 nurses and 1 security guard. It also seems to be legal for paramedics to smoke some weed in the break room. It's no wonder why Michael was able to sneak in undetected and dispatch nearly everyone in the hospital.

The hospital seems to be so quiet that two staff members get a chance to fraternize with each other in the facility's therapy tub. Well the hot tub scene may be the most memorable scene of the entire Halloween series. Yes, the actress who portrayed nurse Karen sure had a fine body for the early '80's. I wish I could work at a hospital with such a lovely nurse. It's a shame her demise had to be so gruesome and agonizing. After all her it wasn't her idea to go mess around in the hot tub. Maybe she got it that way for picking such a crude and obnoxious jerk for a boyfriend. She should've chosen Jimmy instead.

While Michael is having his way at the hospital, the police and Dr. Loomis are trying to figure out where exactly Michael Myers may be. Here is where we have some more flaws. The Haddonfield Police seem to be just as inept as the medical staff at the hospital. Not only did they not question Laurie about what happened, they didn't even think about Myers being in the hospital at all. If a suspect has been shot the hospital would be an obvious choice to look, or at least inform the hospital to put out an APB as well as other locations.

As we near the climax of the film Dr. Loomis is on his way back to Smith Grove due to orders from the governor. While he is in the marshal's car the nurse tells him the shocking news that Laurie Strode is Michael's sister and that's why he came home to Haddonfield. Loomis forces the Marshal to return to Haddonfield in an attempt save Laurie and stop Michael.

Well this is where most of us thought the series at least with Michael Myers was officially over. Dr. Loomis decides to blow up the room that he and Laurie are hiding in due to fact the Loomis opened up the the oxygen tanks. This is when we assume that both the doctor and his seemingly supernatural patient burn to death.

Obviously, when Halloween 4 comes out we learn that both of them have miraculously survived the inferno. If anybody is wondering about the third installment, it's a completely different story from the other films in the Halloween franchise.

Despite the film taking place on the same night from the original film, Halloween II had it's fair share scares and suspense to make it a very respectable slasher film. For anybody who is into the old school horror icons such as Michael and Jason from the Friday the 13th films, I'd definitely recommend watching this one if you haven't seen this one yet.

The Wolf Man (1941)

A Werewolf Classic!

[31 October 2004]

The Wolfman is a true werewolf classic. Lon Chaney may have been the finest actor to ever portray a werewolf. It's a shame he didn't make any major hits besides the monster

movies he was in. He was sure one of the most underrated actors for his time. The main downside was probably having Bela Lugosi as an ill-fated gypsy/werewolf. That was not the role for him. However, the rest of the cast members turned in stellar performances, such as Claude Rain, and Evelyn Ankers. The big highlight of this classic was probably the make up effects which was outstanding for

its time. The new DVD version is definitely worth a look at whether you've seen this film or not. Good extras!

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

The Best Bond With Roger Moore!

[11 July 2004]

For Your Eyes Only is the best Bond film with Roger Moore as agent 007. It had the best story of all the Moore Bond's, as well as the best action sequences. These sequences include a thrilling ski chase, as well as an edge of your seat mountain climb.

Carole Bouquet portrays one of the most serious minded Bond girls in the serious. We also have the late Cassandra Harris as a Bond girl who at the time was married to future Bond Pierce Brosnan.

Even for everyone who didn't like Moore's portrayal of Bond, you still gotta claim this one as his best even though he was in his mid 50's. Sheena Easton sang probably the best theme song of all the Bond films.

Goldfinger (1964)

Goldfinger is 100% Pure Gold!

[9 July 2004]

Goldfinger has the to be best Bond film ever. The story was great as well as the spectacular acting. Sean Connery shows why he'll always be the best Bond. Gert Frobe portrays one of the all time Bond villains. Shirley Eaton and Honor Blackman both play fine Bond girls, both of whom are blondes.

This is also the first Bond to feature one of Q's numerous high tech cars, which in this case was the Aston Martin. It was very well made for it's time, especially for the stunts which included Goldfinger being sucked out of an airplane at end.

If AFI ever does a ranking of the best Bond movies, this one would definetly be in the top 5. It's a shame Connery didn't get an Oscar for this one or any other Bond movie. Goldfinger is a 100% pure gold classic.

Goodfellas (1990)

Outstanding Mafia Flick!

[7 July 2004]

Goodfellas without a doubt is an outstanding mafia flick. Maybe the best ever! It's a shame it didn't get the Oscar for best

picture, thanks in large part to Dances With Wolves. This movie definetly had a great storyline as well as superb acting. Who could ever forget Pesci's performance, along with screen legend Robert DeNiro. It's too bad Ray Liotta didn't a nomination for his portrayal of real life gangster Henry Hill. That was probably his finest performance. Martin Scorsese may be the best director to never win an Oscar. Goodfellas will always be a classic, just as

The Godfather will always be.

Dracula (1931)

Very Good Despite The Age!

[2 July 2004]

This Dracula film is still very good, even though it's near it's silver anniversary and older than most of our parents. It had the right elements to be a classic, which included a great story, as well as tremendous acting. Just as Sean Connery was the definitive James Bond Bela Lugosi was and will always be the definitive

Dracula. Although this version did not have the outstanding special effects and violence that todays movies have, it is still the very best of the Dracula movies or any other vampire flicks. None of the later actors who would portray the legendary vampire could even be compared the late great Lugosi, even though he was in his middle ages by the time he took over the role. How could you deny that magnificent Hungarian accent. I can't wait to purchase the brand new DVD version of this classic!

Hulk (2003)

Bill Bixby Would Be Appalled!

[30 June 2004]

Bill Bixby would be appalled if he were alive to see this disaster of the big screen version of The Hulk. The film almost had nothing to do with the TV version. Everything seemed to be way off, which includes a horrible storyline, lame acting with a slight exception to Jennifer Connelly who plays a similar role to that of the Oscar winning A Beautiful Mind which she also won best actress, and worst of all a CGI Hulk. I mean come on what is that! Not having Lou Ferrigno portray the titular role is one thing, but having it portrayed by CGI. Imagine having Superman designed that way! Even if they felt Ferrigno was too old, I'm sure they're were other bodybuilders that could've taken over. This is without a doubt the worst film adaption of a comic book hero. I sure hope Mr. Bixby is resting in peace!

Black Sunday (1977)

Classic Edge Of Your Seat!

[10 October 2003]

While Black Sunday may not be considered an actual classic, it's still the most edge of your seat movie I've ever seen! I was definetly glued to the TV the first time that I saw this film. It's a shame this movie didn't turn out to be a huge success, because I think it's very underrated. Next to Jaws and From Russia With Love, this is one of Robert Shaw's finest performances. It's too bad he passed away while he was probably in the heyday of his film career. Bruce Dern also gives a great performance as a disturbed Vietnam Vet turned blimp pilot who becomes an aid for the terrorist plot on the Super Bowl. The film should be considered very well-maid for it's time when they didn't have the special effects like they do today. The aerial shots were fantastic as was the ability to combine the football scenes in the movie. I recommend this thriller even though the first hour had it's share of dull moments, but you can't deny that the climax was a nailbiter.