blackhawk66 Reviews

Nova: Sinking the Supership (2005) Season 32, Episode 12

Not the same David Axelrod

[6/10 · 28 March 2013]

This is really a correction of a previous review. That reviewer chose to assume that there is only one David Axelrod in the universe and that the one that is a political consultant is the same one that wrote and directed this documentary. Without bothering to check to see if there might be another person with that name, he let his political biases taint what might otherwise have been a useful review. The Axelrod who is a political consultant was born in 1955. The Axelrod who wrote and directed this documentary, along with a long list of other TV shows (check his filmography) and was nominated for two Emmys, was born in 1937.

I should point out that IMDb is also confused about this and has stories about the political Axelrod linked back to the creative Axelrod.

The Mercury Men (2011)

In the spirit of classic serials and 50's sci-fi

[10/10 · 21 April 2012]

I just recently discovered this web series. I've watched it through along with most of the behind-the-scenes videos that can be found online. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The director/writer says that their intention was to make a story that felt like the serials of the 1930s and the sci-fi movies of the 1950s and 1960s. I think they succeeded admirably. The story is suspenseful where it should be, scary and exciting, and even gives the characters a bit of dimension; all of it squeezed into six to ten minute episodes. I very much liked that it was in black and white. It was perfect for this story. The VFX are not elaborate but still quite striking. The production, props, costumes, etc. are excellent for a low budget, independent film. I had not seen the actors before but they were very professional and fit their parts.

I highly recommend "The Mercury Men." My only complaint is that there is not more. Although this story is complete there is also a cliff hanger that sets us up for another. I'm ready to see that right now.

Red Tails (2012)

An Old-Fashioned War Movie

[8/10 · 21 January 2012]

RED TAILS, the movie about the Tuskegee Airmen that was produced by George Lucas, premiered today. My wife and I went to an afternoon matinée. We both enjoyed the movie. If the STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES movies were Lucas' attempts to recreate the serials of the 1930s and 1940s, then RED TAILS is his 1945 war movie. It has a very old fashioned feel about it, as if it had been made in 1945 and then stored away until now. I like that but not everyone does. The movie has received a lot of negative reviews from the professional critic class. Many of those reviews dislike RED TAILS because of that old fashioned sensibility. Apparently, war movies made now are only allowed to be cynical and anti-war. RED TAILS is neither anti-war nor pro-war, but it is definitely pro-heroes. There are no anti-heroes in this movie; the pilots and their ground crews are portrayed as real heroes. Some reviews opine that the characters are shallow and not well developed. Again, I did not feel that at all. The characters, including relatively minor supporting characters, seemed well rounded and each one unique enough that it was easy to tell them apart, even when they were in cockpits with helmets and oxygen masks covering much of their faces. Maybe some of the characters were stereotypes that we have seen in war movies many times before, but for me, that added to the period feel of the movie. Another common thread in the professional critics reviews is that they were unhappy that the movie did not devote more time to exploring the discrimination experienced by the Tuskegee pilots. I don't think this is justified, either. The movie does show the pilots experiencing discrimination, both institutionally in the way the Army assigned them missions and equipment, and individually in their interactions with other soldiers. However, it is also true that is not the main focus of the movie. The movie's focus is on the air battles and how that combat effects each of them in different ways. In interviews, Lucas has said that his intent was to show the Tuskegee Airmen as heroes, not victims. I think he succeeded.

Okay, that addresses some of the issues that are clouding this movie. For some of us, the question is; are the air battles done well? The answer, IMHO, is a resounding "yes." In making the movie, they had three P-51 Mustangs, one B-17 Flying Fortress and a C-47 available for filming. Everything else is CGI or full scale mock-ups. As is to be expected for a movie which had its visual effects supervised by Industrial Light and Magic, the CGI is outstanding. Squadrons of B-17s, P-51s, P-40s, Bf 109s and Me 262s fill the sky and look completely real. The dogfights are shot and edited so that it is not difficult to follow the action. There is none of the super fast cutting that is the bane of so many action movies these days. There is plenty of air action, too, though it was not enough to satisfy me. Of course, they could have made the movie nothing but air action and I still would have wanted more.

Is it a perfect movie? No, of course not. It has a couple of subplots (a romance and a prison escape) that are well done but not really necessary to the movie (though my wife would disagree with me about the romance). Some of the dialogue is a bit clunky, but what kind of George Lucas movie would this be if that were not the case? It is filled with beautiful aircraft, though, and for me that makes up for any shortcomings. If you don't mind a war movie that is not cynical but instead is about courage under fire and patriotism, then I think you will enjoy this movie.

The Last Airbender (2010)

A Non-hating Review

[7/10 · 10 January 2011]

Maybe because I have never seen the animated series upon which this movie is based, it did not disappoint me as it apparently has so many of the series' fans. I watched it purely as a fantasy movie and found it to be enjoyable. Is it in the same class as Lord of the Rings? Of course not. Does it compare well with the Narnia movies? For me, yes it did. The characters were engaging enough if not very deep. I liked the visual effects. The sets and costumes were well done. The action scenes were different enough from other fantasy movies to keep me interested. The plot was easy to follow even if the motivation of some of the characters was a bit fuzzy. I liked it well enough that I would have watched a sequel if one were made. That seems unlikely based on how poorly the first movie performed after all it's scathing reviews.

Battle of the Japan Sea (1969)

Better subtitles are available

[7/10 · 23 June 2010]

First, I like this movie. The battle scenes are generally well done and the model work is very impressive. It is not entirely true to the actual events but how many war movies are? The acting is not great, except for Mifune, but it's not unwatchable either. And, as another reviewer mentioned, it is the only movie I know of that covers the Russo-Japanese War.

As one of the reviewers here commented, the movie subtitles are notably bad, so much so that there is a statement at the end of the movie apologizing for the misspelled Russian names and incorrect ranks. But it wasn't just the Russian ranks that were wrong, they were incorrect for most of the Japanese characters, too, and the whole translation was not good English. The subtitles were bad enough that they distracted me from the story. In some movies, bad subtitles can be enjoyed as humor, but this is not the kind of movie where that should happen. It bothered me enough that I decided to see if I could do something about it.

I don't speak Japanese so I took the existing translation and fixed the obvious problems of spelling, grammar and syntax. Poor use of idiom could usually be determined from context. And there were lots of errors or inconsistencies in translation of military ranks and Russian ship and personnel names. Some of it is differences in culture, however. For example, the "san" suffix on Japanese names is normally translated as "Mr." but that isn't really how western culture handles it. The Japanese are more formal than we so in most instances we would just leave off the "Mr." and call someone by their name. But in the case where the person has a title or rank, we would use that. For example, instead of "Mr. Ito" or "Mr. Togo" we would say "Prince Ito" or "Admiral Togo." The other thing was place names. The original subtitles used Japanese place names which are mostly meaningless to us, for example "Ryojun" instead of "Port Arthur." And then there were just the mistakes of words that look similar but mean very different things. There is a line that was translated as "I am doing my dumbest to insure victory" when, of course, it should be "I am doing my damnedest to insure victory." Finally, I took some liberty and made the narration of some of the battles more accurately reflect the actual historical events. For example, the movie has Togo "crossing the T" in the Battle of the Yellow Sea when actually he used that tactic (twice) in the Battle of Tsushima.

For anyone interested, I have posted the revised subtitles to several of the more useful subtitle sites on the web.

UPDATE: It seems there are at least two other movies about the Russo-Japanese War. Not surprisingly, both are also Japanese made.

X-15 (1961)

A Major Disappointment

[3/10 · 18 October 2009]

Unfortunately, what could have been a good movie is turned into a major disappointment by a decision to take all the aerial photography done in 4:3 format and stretch it to fit the 2.35:1 format used for the rest of the movie. This makes the aircraft look strange and unreal. It ruins the experience.

This should have been a "must see" movie for aviation buffs since it shows an important period in the development of aviation. But stretching the film to fit a widescreen format makes the scenes of the X-15, the B-52 mother-ship and the F-104 and F-100 chase planes look distorted and unrealistic. It is a real waste and a shame that the film producers were more concerned with using a widescreen than with a usable presentation.

Star Trek: Of Gods and Men (2007 Video)

Finally, the whole movie can be reviewed

[30 June 2008]

It has been a long time getting here, but at last the third and concluding chapter is available for viewing. I had made a deliberate choice to not view the parts released earlier until now so that I could see the whole movie at once. I'm glad I did.

This is a curious production that is very pleasing on the one hand and frustrating on the other. It is great to see all of these actors working in a Star Trek story, again. Many of them get to do more than they ever did in their original appearances, and they generally rise to the occasion with solid and even occasionally superior performances. I especially liked Alan Ruck, whose original appearance in Star Trek: Generations was not much more than a cameo. Here, he really seems to care about the character of Captain Harriman and makes him real. Nichelle Nichols overacts a bit but also gives believable emotion to her character. Walter Koenig had already shown what a talented actor he is on Babylon 5 but I enjoyed his performance here, too. There were plenty of other good and enjoyable performances from many familiar and a few unfamiliar faces.

The story works, though it is very derivative. For the hard-core Trek fan, and I am one, it was fun to see all the plot threads and elements from the earlier series tied together in a functioning story. There are not a lot of surprises, though. And I was a bit disappointed in the way that, at the end of the story, all has been reset. We do get one unexpected result from the actions of the story, though, that was an amusing twist.

The frustrating part of this movie is that for all the professionals involved, it is surprising inept in the technical production. The lighting and photography are uneven and often distracting. I was surprised at the amount of grain in some of the scenes. The audio is just off. Apparently, many scenes shot on the Enterprise sets required ADR to replace unusable audio, but it is not done well. As others have commented, the visual effects are adequate but not much more. I have seen considerably better in pure fan films like New Voyages, Starship Farragut and the Hidden Frontier spin-offs (yes, I've seen all these fan films which means I am a real trekkie). The battle scenes, in particular, were not well designed and seemed a bit haphazard.

Still, I do recommend this to any Star Trek fan. The faults are out weighed by the things done well and it is hard for me to see how any but the most cynical and jaded fan boy could not enjoy this. I don't think I can recommend it to non-Trek fans, however. It relies so heavily on the vast continuity established in prior Trek works that I'm not sure it would all make sense without some knowledge of the canon. But if you're not a Trek fan, you'll probably never hear of it, anyway.

Race to Mars (2007– )

Science fiction, not sci-fi

[9/10 · 10 January 2008]

I am surprised by the unfavorable comments for "Race to Mars." I found it plausible and enjoyable. I appreciated the attempt to present a realistic story of what the first human trip to Mars might be like. Yes, there were a few minor gaffs; objects floating around the spacecraft while it was under acceleration being one of the most obvious. But the vast majority of the sets, costumes, spacecraft design and performance, cgi created environments, action and behavior seemed, to me, to be very believable. The show convinced me that it could happen that way. The actors were unknown to me but I thought they did an outstanding job. Not having recognizable faces in the show was an asset in that it contributed to the realism. The problems and obstacles the characters had to overcome were mostly convincing and interesting (I expect it is true that the doctor should have detected the CO poisoning in blood tests but must admit that did not occur to me while I was watching the show).

Overall, I was very impressed and satisfied with "Race to Mars." I consider it one of the better things I've seen in this field in some time. It is certainly superior to most of the sci-fi/space opera that passes as science fiction.

A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Boring and Pretentious

[1/10 · 7 August 2006]

I found "A Scanner Darkly" to be boring, pretentious and unremarkable. Obviously, that is a minority opinion. I am not a fan of Phillip K. Dick, particularly, but I do appreciate some of his work. I have enjoyed some of the many movies based on his work. This is not one of them. I can't remember being as bored by any other movie as I was by this one. I disliked the characters, what they were doing, what they were saying, and how they were presented. The dialogue is pretty true to how drugged stoners talk, but unless you are a drugged stoner it is mostly boring to listen to (I admit there were a few actually humorous moments, but not enough to make watching the film bearable). The film has pretensions of making a "statement" about drug use, but the story is so convoluted and so full of plot holes that any meaning is completely lost. It is hard to tell if there are any actual performances in the movie. The animation is the only thing the movie has going for it and even that lost its novelty after the first ten minutes and simply became distracting. This is a relatively short movie but it felt much, much, much longer. It seemed like it would never end. I can see that this movie will appeal to druggies and to art film fans who prefer movies that are dark, depressing, poorly acted and don't make any sense (a comprehensible story is a negative for an art film). Why anyone else would want to see it is beyond me.

The Bounty (1984)

A Better Interpretation Based on Hough's Book

[9/10 · 29 March 2006]

Not only is the story of Bligh and Christian the most famous mutiny in history, it is also the most filmed. It started with an Australian silent movie in 1916. The Aussies took another shot at filming the Bounty mutiny in 1933, providing a young Errol Flynn (as Fletcher Christian) with his first movie role. That was followed only two years later by the first American try with Charles Laughton in a tour-de-force performance as a sadistic Captain Bligh. Nearly thirty years passed before another movie attempted the story. The 1962 production remains controversial, as does Marlon Brando's affected turn as Christian. These earlier movies were based on the books by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall that portrayed the Bounty's commander, William Bligh, as a brutal disciplinarian and the second in command, Fletcher Christian, as a hero. The actual story is not so black and white. In Captain Bligh and Mister Christian: The Men and the Mutiny (1972), Richard Hough presented a more balanced account of the famous mutiny that is meticulously researched and shows keen psychological insight into the characters of the men involved. It is on Hough's book that The Bounty is based.

The Bounty has a lot going for it. It is based on Hough's book, perhaps the best account of the mutiny. The screenplay was written by Robert Bolt, who also wrote such classics as Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, A Man for All Seasons, and Ryan's Daughter. His work shows in the complex, fully realized characters that are the center of this story. And those characters are brought to life by an amazingly strong cast - Anthony Hopkins (an Oscar for Silence of the Lambs) as William Bligh, Mel Gibson (an Oscar for directing Braveheart) as Fletcher Christian, Daniel Day-Lewis (an Oscar for My Left Foot) as John Fryer, and Liam Neeson (nominated for an Oscar for Schindler's List) as Churchill. Of course, none of these actors were famous yet when they performed in The Bounty. Two film giants, Laurence Olivier and James Fox, make cameo appearances as Admiral Hood and Captain Greenham, respectively, members of the Court Martial that tries Bligh on his return to Britain. The rest of the cast is not so well known, but they are all excellent.

Anthony Hopkins' Bligh is definitely not a villain, but he is at best a flawed hero. Hopkins, as he always does, makes the character of Bligh completely believable. He is a superb seaman and a man of unquestioned courage. He is also a very capable leader in the right circumstances, but he has a quick temper and a tendency to shift responsibility from himself to others. And he is an ambitious man with no connections or influence in a society where those weigh as heavily as skill and competency. When the chance to make a name for himself seems to be drifting from his grasp, his frustration and anger is turned on those around him. Hopkins never seems to be acting. He becomes Bligh.

Mel Gibson was a bigger name actor than Hopkins even when this movie was made, but it is obvious that he is not quite in the same league. His is the weakest performance of the primary actors, but that's still not bad considering the caliber of this cast. He does a nice job of letting Fletcher Christian evolve from a rather shallow, genial fop into a tortured leader of a mutiny. He seems to work a little too hard at being the tormented soul during the mutiny but it's a good overall performance and does not detract from the story.

The Bounty does an especially fine job of showing the Tahitians as real people. The costumes and behavior feel completely authentic. Wi Kuki Kaa as King Tynah, although not on screen for very long, manages to create a fully realized and sympathetic character. Tevaite Vernette as Mauatua, Christian's Tahitian wife, is lovely but a bit bland at first. Once the mutineers have left Tahiti on the Bounty, she develops into a stronger character who backs Christian when the other mutineers turn against him.

Roger Donaldson's direction is deliberate. He builds the story slowly and purposefully, piling small scenes one atop another to build a foundation for the intense, emotion-laden scenes of the mutiny and its consequences. The pace may be too slow for modern viewers grown accustomed to the quick-cut editing of contemporary action/adventure movies, but the pay-off is worth the effort for those with some patience.

The Bounty is a beautiful movie. Wonderful cinematography by Arthur Ibbetson makes full use of the sea and tropical islands. There's nothing quite like the appeal of a full rigged ship under sail and we get plenty of the Bounty - brilliant, sun-drenched shots, towering waves and howling winds around the Horn, silhouettes of the ship against color saturated evening skies, and more.

Of the three movies I've seen based on the story of the mutiny on the Bounty, this is my favorite. It is more historically accurate in its presentation of the events, the characters, the ship, and the Tahitian people and culture. A brilliant screen play and fine performances from an exceptional cast are the core of the movie. It is well crafted and beautifully filmed. The pacing may be slow for some, but for anyone interested in this famous mutiny or sea stories, in general, it is highly recommended.

Sea Warriors: The Royal Navy in the Age of Sail (2004)

Real Naval History

[8/10 · 16 March 2006]

This documentary is marketed as a video supplement to nautical fiction like the Hornblower series and its many successors (Bolitho, Drinkwater, Aubrey and Maturin, etc.). It certainly is that, and also a worthwhile supplement for nautical films like MASTER AND COMMANDER, DAMN THE DEFIANT, BILLY BUDD, and the HORNBLOWER movies. The documentary looks at many aspects of naval warfare in the age of sail, including the ships and weapons, tactics, and life aboard a sailing warship. With Captain Richard Woodman as narrator/host and also contributing to the writing, the viewer is assured of both historical accuracy and a lively presentation. This is solid history but it is not boring in the least. I highly recommend it to any fan of either written or filmed naval fiction.

Drake's Venture (1980 TV Movie)

Rare but worth seeing

[8/10 · 11 March 2006]

This made-for-TV movie is hard to find now. It was shown in the US on PBS in the early '80s. I've not seen it since nor found many references for it.

It has a fine cast drawn mostly from British television. John Thaw (Francis Drake) is probably best known for playing the lead in the INSPECTOR MORSE series. Paul Darrow (Thomas Doughty) will be remembered as Avon in BLAKE'S 7. They are especially effective but all the cast does well.

The script is engaging and fairly accurate. A real replica of Drake's ship, THE GOLDEN HINDE, is used which adds to the verisimilitude, as do the costumes and sets. All in all, this is an excellent historical drama and I wish it were available on DVD.

Hyperdrive (2006–2007)

Maybe it helps to not be British (or a Red Dwarf fan)

[4 March 2006]

I thoroughly enjoyed this show. The characters were engaging and likable, the situations were amusing, and the sets and effects were fine for what the show was trying to do.

I am interested in how much British viewers dislike it. Their main complaint seems to be that is not Red Dwarf. I have seen Red Dwarf and found it funny enough, but not something I really cared much about one way or the other. Not being a fan of Red Dwarf, I must say I don't see any similarities at all. The situations are very much different, as are the characters. I'd agree with someone here who ventured that Hyperdrive really is more a comedy version of Star Trek. I can understand that dedicated fans of Red Dwarf would like more, but shouldn't this show be judged for what it is, rather than for how it fails to meet your expectations?

I'd watch another season of it if it's made.

Treasure Island (1990 TV Movie)

Vote for a DVD release at TCM

[10/10 · 12 January 2006]

More superlatives from me are not necessary. I will only say that I agree with the other commenters who consider this the best version of Treasure Island made so far. What would make a difference is for it to be released on DVD. If you would like to see this version of Treasure Island released on DVD, as I do, then please go to this link:

http://tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?scarlettTitleId=14882

and vote for it (on the right hand side of the screen).

If the link does not work or you don't care to use it, then do a Google search for Turner Classic Movies, then search on the site for Treasure Island (1990). Maybe if enough people vote for it, it will actually be released on DVD. It can't hurt.