THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN ( 1957 )
Scott Carey ( Grant Williams ) falls victim to a cloud of radioactive gas which causes him to gradually shrink in size.
Although the acting is unfortanately wooden this is a fine blend of science fiction and horror which one will for sure remember after the first viewing.
What begins as a figure of academic medical interest in Scotts predicament soon gives way to ridicule as he becomes more of an object of fascination , which cuts all the more deeper as Scott is just an ordinary Joe and doesn't understand at all what's happening him as he becomes smaller and smaller. Objects and pets such as his friendly cat soon become things of terror as he becomes no more to the cat than a mouse to be played with. More frightening still is the spider in the cellar as he becomes trapped there . Searching for food he finds a piece of cheese and winds up prey of the spider as he tries to attain a meal.
Director Jack Arnold made many fine films in this genre and this is one of his best.Excellent special effects throughout and the giant sets are really good. Incidentally the spider which is supposedly a trained one also appeared in Arnolds ' Tarantula '
Some may find the ending i a little cornball but all in all TISM a very highly recommended movie. Arachnophobes beware!!
CRYSTAL EGG
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Sunday, August 05, 2007
PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES ( 1965 )
Planet of The Vampires or TERRORE NELLO SPAZIO was made in 1965 by revered italian film director Mario Bava. A director whose love for visuals were a major aspect of all his films. No less so here which is a splendid mix of science fiction and horror.
First off for or a more detailed synopsis of the storyline please go to http://members.tripod.com/mariobava/planet.htm Briefly though this is about two space ships in deep uncharted space who respond to a distress call from an uncharted planet.Upon landing there ship the Argos is damaged and the crew succumb to being posessed by strange phenomenon and wind up for no apparant reason attacking one another. They soon find out that during these spells of madness they are to keep guard over each other.They soon find the wreck of the other ship Gaillo and the dead occupants who died violent deaths.Later they are found to be alive! Mario Bava paints a vivid picture here of a malevolent planet with its swirling cloud mass and ominous atmosphere which is the key to the whole film.
Dramatically Planet Of The Vampires will not have you on the edge of your seat and th
e dialogue ( dubbed ) is very monosyllabic. However what it lacks in this department is more than made up for with the splendid visuals throughout.Amazingly there's even a sequence which recalls Alien where they stumble across an alien ship and its huge gruesome occupants. Again excellent visuals here as they enter a cylindrical passageway to the control room.
To watch a preview of this film click play button on top right Veoh video . To download this film for free go to : http://www.veoh.com/channels/solaris
HARD BOILED
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
THE KILLING ( 1956 )
I've always been a huge fan of film noir and those great black and white detective films of the 40's. I havn,t reviewed many of these on my pages so here goes with one of the best! ' The Killing ' is an exceptional earlier film from Stanley Kubrick and is certainly not one of your usual run of the mill caper films. It involves the robbery at a horse racetrack. Superbly photographed in B/W with a dovetailed scrambling of time sequences..........plot , planning and robbery ;which works surprisingly well throughout. Like anything Kubrick did......very masterfulll!! ....Some of it is done in semi documentary style. The technical aspects of the film too are outstanding with many very memorable exterior shots , close ups, and angles.
The Killing was a major success for Kubrick in the film industry even though it was produced for as little as 320,000 dollars....which does reveal itself in some of the cardboard
looking sets. Sterling Hayden is once again excellent as' Johny Clay ' .....the tough but intelligent ring leader. Those who enjoyed him in Huston;s ' The asphalt Jungle ' will surely enjoy him here too. He is admirably supported by a host of character actors..........of particular note here is ' Elisha cook jnr ' as ' George Peatty ' the ticket seller at the racetrack who finally agrees to help out in the robbery ........A quiet man who loves his wife dearly and will do aything to please her ( played by Mary Windsor ) who is nothing more than a liar , cheat and go getter who eventually upsets the whole of the plans when letting on to her lover ( played by Vince Edwards )....... These have to be my favourite scenes ......the dialogue really crackles between these two. Then there's ' Ted de Corsia ' as the rather corrupt policeman who owes money. and ' Joe Sawyer , whose wife is sick and needs special attention. The backstage scenes of the robbery are expertly handled. We really become involved with all of the characters ......who for want or reason need money fast.........great pace from start to finish with plenty of excitement and thrills along the way........ i won't let on about the ending in case you havn't seen it........if you havn't you MUST!!!! ......Highly recommended as they say!!!
CRYSTAL EGG
I've always been a huge fan of film noir and those great black and white detective films of the 40's. I havn,t reviewed many of these on my pages so here goes with one of the best! ' The Killing ' is an exceptional earlier film from Stanley Kubrick and is certainly not one of your usual run of the mill caper films. It involves the robbery at a horse racetrack. Superbly photographed in B/W with a dovetailed scrambling of time sequences..........plot , planning and robbery ;which works surprisingly well throughout. Like anything Kubrick did......very masterfulll!! ....Some of it is done in semi documentary style. The technical aspects of the film too are outstanding with many very memorable exterior shots , close ups, and angles.
The Killing was a major success for Kubrick in the film industry even though it was produced for as little as 320,000 dollars....which does reveal itself in some of the cardboard
looking sets. Sterling Hayden is once again excellent as' Johny Clay ' .....the tough but intelligent ring leader. Those who enjoyed him in Huston;s ' The asphalt Jungle ' will surely enjoy him here too. He is admirably supported by a host of character actors..........of particular note here is ' Elisha cook jnr ' as ' George Peatty ' the ticket seller at the racetrack who finally agrees to help out in the robbery ........A quiet man who loves his wife dearly and will do aything to please her ( played by Mary Windsor ) who is nothing more than a liar , cheat and go getter who eventually upsets the whole of the plans when letting on to her lover ( played by Vince Edwards )....... These have to be my favourite scenes ......the dialogue really crackles between these two. Then there's ' Ted de Corsia ' as the rather corrupt policeman who owes money. and ' Joe Sawyer , whose wife is sick and needs special attention. The backstage scenes of the robbery are expertly handled. We really become involved with all of the characters ......who for want or reason need money fast.........great pace from start to finish with plenty of excitement and thrills along the way........ i won't let on about the ending in case you havn't seen it........if you havn't you MUST!!!! ......Highly recommended as they say!!!CRYSTAL EGG
Sunday, July 01, 2007
PSYCHO ( 1998 )
One undoubtedly has to compare Gus Van Sant's version with Hitchcocks orignal and as such falls flat on it's face. Maybe this would have been a far better movie if wasn't so hell bent on copying the original shot for shot, which ultimately makes for a decidedly less interesting viewing experience. Shot in colour it is much less atmospheric too and only lessens the visual impact, including the famous shower scene.
Anne Heche fairs pretty well in place of Janet Leigh but is really no substitute. As i found almost every other actor to be. The exception on the other hand would be Viggo Mortenson as Sam Loomis , who in the original was played by John Gavin who i believe Hitchcock branded stiff. He was! He is far better characterised here by the lord of the rings man himself .........who is much more animated and believable, if a little less unlikeable!
The beginning i found pretty good, but once Anne Heche arrived at the motel and Vince Vaughn appeared on the scene it all seemed to fall apart even more. Nothing new here . A retread which plodded along until the conclusion.
Just like music .....live performances which try to recreate the studo recording are seldom of interest!
PAR BOLIED
One undoubtedly has to compare Gus Van Sant's version with Hitchcocks orignal and as such falls flat on it's face. Maybe this would have been a far better movie if wasn't so hell bent on copying the original shot for shot, which ultimately makes for a decidedly less interesting viewing experience. Shot in colour it is much less atmospheric too and only lessens the visual impact, including the famous shower scene.
Anne Heche fairs pretty well in place of Janet Leigh but is really no substitute. As i found almost every other actor to be. The exception on the other hand would be Viggo Mortenson as Sam Loomis , who in the original was played by John Gavin who i believe Hitchcock branded stiff. He was! He is far better characterised here by the lord of the rings man himself .........who is much more animated and believable, if a little less unlikeable!
The beginning i found pretty good, but once Anne Heche arrived at the motel and Vince Vaughn appeared on the scene it all seemed to fall apart even more. Nothing new here . A retread which plodded along until the conclusion.
Just like music .....live performances which try to recreate the studo recording are seldom of interest!
PAR BOLIED
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Gambling Movies
Here's a few of my favourite gambling movies which feature Casinos and other forms of gambling. Obvious films which spring to mind are ' Casino Royale' ( 1967) ' The Sting '( 1973 ) and ' The Hustler' which is not a gambling movie in the purest sense but definetly one of the greatest and far superior to Scorsese's remake ' The Color Of Money '
(1986) .
A personal favourite of mine would be ' The Cincinatti Kid ' starring Steve Mcqueen and the ever great Edward G Robinson. If you enjoy poker this will be right up your alley for sure. Mcqueen is splendidly cast as the ' Kid ' fresh to the game and over eager to battle it out with old wizened pro Robinson.The climactic scenes are great and you'll be delighted with the twist in the tail.Well worth checking out though sadly seldom screened these days !
Footnote: For Mac users check out the following great sites to play on-line poker which have an established and trusted reputation.
http://www.macpokeronline.com/mac/online/poker/ Pacific Poker http://www.macpokeronline.com/review/online/poker/pacificpoker/ http://www.macpokeronline.com/bonus/casino/
(1986) .
A personal favourite of mine would be ' The Cincinatti Kid ' starring Steve Mcqueen and the ever great Edward G Robinson. If you enjoy poker this will be right up your alley for sure. Mcqueen is splendidly cast as the ' Kid ' fresh to the game and over eager to battle it out with old wizened pro Robinson.The climactic scenes are great and you'll be delighted with the twist in the tail.Well worth checking out though sadly seldom screened these days !
Footnote: For Mac users check out the following great sites to play on-line poker which have an established and trusted reputation.
http://www.macpokeronline.com/mac/online/poker/ Pacific Poker http://www.macpokeronline.com/review/online/poker/pacificpoker/ http://www.macpokeronline.com/bonus/casino/
Thursday, June 07, 2007
HAWAII
Hawaii - Americas original tropical paradise. With its six major islands and wide range of activities to enjoy, people who stay in Hawaii condo rentals will never be at a loss to see or experience new things. Rent a car while your there too!
Maui offers secluded beaches and breathtaking views—from Haleakala National Park to one of the most beautiful drives in the world on the road to Hana.
Surfers can enjoy all that Oahu offers, a slice of heaven at its world famous North Shore.Nightlife and party atmosphere draws guests of Hawaii Condo who enjoy an exciting night on the town.
If you’re a guest of Hawaii beach condo and enjoy nature, you’ll want to return time and again to Kauai—the eldest island— for its lush and unrivaled botanic beauty. And for those seeking to truly escape the stresses of modern life the islands of Molokai and Lanai offer a peaceful, easy-going vacation without the highways, stoplights and trappings of city life.
Hawaii - Americas original tropical paradise. With its six major islands and wide range of activities to enjoy, people who stay in Hawaii condo rentals will never be at a loss to see or experience new things. Rent a car while your there too!
Maui offers secluded beaches and breathtaking views—from Haleakala National Park to one of the most beautiful drives in the world on the road to Hana.
Surfers can enjoy all that Oahu offers, a slice of heaven at its world famous North Shore.Nightlife and party atmosphere draws guests of Hawaii Condo who enjoy an exciting night on the town.
If you’re a guest of Hawaii beach condo and enjoy nature, you’ll want to return time and again to Kauai—the eldest island— for its lush and unrivaled botanic beauty. And for those seeking to truly escape the stresses of modern life the islands of Molokai and Lanai offer a peaceful, easy-going vacation without the highways, stoplights and trappings of city life.
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