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Some more thoughts about the most-recent films.
I don't know about DePalma's Scarface. I mean, it's passed itself down into movie legacy, but in so doing it, it's eradicated the concept of Howard Hawks'/Paul Muni's original film, and I see that as a shame. Scarface was always about something primitive and brutal, but this "newer, high-tech" version seems to be all about the electronic score, the "coolness" factor, Pacino's "over-the-topness" and the idea that kids love movies about drugs. I don't actually hate DePalma's Scarface, like others such as Holden do, but I hate the way it's perceived, especially as a teacher. Sorry. I mean, Scarface was always a cautionary tale, but I don't know a single teenager who just doesn't think it's the coolest thing around, even if it IS, God forbid, an "OLD Movie".
The Breakfast Club (John Hughes, 1985) - OK, I'll admit this could be just the slightest overrating, but for the most part, it delivers plenty of drama and comedy, even if the presentation (for example, the musical montages) is occasionally facile. Its heart is in the right place and the transition of the "club" members from aloof "enemies" to good friends is believable, especially since they have to unite against the totalitarian tactics of the teacher (Paul Gleason) who's responsible for their "Saturday school". You probably all know who the students are, but just for the heckuvait, we have the Princess (Molly Ringwald), the Athlete (Emilio Estevez), the Brain (Anthony Michael Hall), the Basket Case (Ally Sheedy) and the Criminal (Judd Nelson).
The Thing (John Carpenter, 1982)
The Thing is a wild reimaging of the Hawks/Nyby 1951 flick and closer in tone to the original John W. Campbell Jr story which is apparently one of the first sci-fi stories about shape-shifters from outer space. At the time of its release, The Thing wasn't really greeted with good reviews, but I've always loved it, and I find it to be Carpenter's masterpiece. It's a lean, mean, fighting machine with almost nothing in the way of wasted scenes and a strong sense of its own capability of holding your interest while taking it's sweet time in building things up. Now, Carpenter has always tried to build his films in a similar fashion, but to me, this is the one where he's far more successful than ever before or since. Maybe it's the exotic location of Antarctica. Who can name more than five films, not including documentaries and cartoons, which take place on that continent? Maybe it's the mind-boggling special and makeup effects which to this day are some of the most-disgusting-yet-witty displays of violent destruction of life ever depicted on film. Maybe it's the combo of the men's camraderie and their contempt of each other because once it becomes clear what the hell this thing is and what it wants to do, it makes the all-male cast want to keep to themselves even though they all would probably like to have someone cover their back if they could only trust them. Both Twelve O'Clock High and The Thing are about men facing impossible odds in an attempt to survive and theoretically help save humankind. In The Thing, there's a computer calculation which states that if the ONE Thing were left to its own devices, it would take over every single living thing on earth in about three years. So yeah, that showdown at the end of The Thing, which reminds me more of John Huston's The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Dobbs and Curtin betting on who's going to fall asleep first) than it does anything in Hawks' Red River or the original The Thing (Hawks being Carpenter's fave director), is basically about the survival of the human race. Cool.
The Thing is a wild reimaging of the Hawks/Nyby 1951 flick and closer in tone to the original John W. Campbell Jr story which is apparently one of the first sci-fi stories about shape-shifters from outer space. At the time of its release, The Thing wasn't really greeted with good reviews, but I've always loved it, and I find it to be Carpenter's masterpiece. It's a lean, mean, fighting machine with almost nothing in the way of wasted scenes and a strong sense of its own capability of holding your interest while taking it's sweet time in building things up. Now, Carpenter has always tried to build his films in a similar fashion, but to me, this is the one where he's far more successful than ever before or since. Maybe it's the exotic location of Antarctica. Who can name more than five films, not including documentaries and cartoons, which take place on that continent? Maybe it's the mind-boggling special and makeup effects which to this day are some of the most-disgusting-yet-witty displays of violent destruction of life ever depicted on film. Maybe it's the combo of the men's camraderie and their contempt of each other because once it becomes clear what the hell this thing is and what it wants to do, it makes the all-male cast want to keep to themselves even though they all would probably like to have someone cover their back if they could only trust them. Both Twelve O'Clock High and The Thing are about men facing impossible odds in an attempt to survive and theoretically help save humankind. In The Thing, there's a computer calculation which states that if the ONE Thing were left to its own devices, it would take over every single living thing on earth in about three years. So yeah, that showdown at the end of The Thing, which reminds me more of John Huston's The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Dobbs and Curtin betting on who's going to fall asleep first) than it does anything in Hawks' Red River or the original The Thing (Hawks being Carpenter's fave director), is basically about the survival of the human race. Cool.
Alien isn't the most original film in the canon, borrowing from both It! The Terror From Beyond Space and Planet of the Vampires, but with H.R. Giger along for the ride, and Ridley Scott using a painterly eye, it's one of the most handsome sci-fi flicks ever, and it also certainly qualifies as HORROR with capital letters.
Aliens is more of a high-tech action adventure set in space, but it's probably one of the very best sequels ever made, and it may well rival French Connection II as a terrific sequel which completely rewrites the themes and motives of the original film. Sigourney Weaver definitely gives a stronger performance in the sequel, especially if you discuss the director's cut. Oh yeah, it's also scary as Hell!
Even if I enjoy Fincher's and Jeunet's films, they just don't rate.
Aliens is more of a high-tech action adventure set in space, but it's probably one of the very best sequels ever made, and it may well rival French Connection II as a terrific sequel which completely rewrites the themes and motives of the original film. Sigourney Weaver definitely gives a stronger performance in the sequel, especially if you discuss the director's cut. Oh yeah, it's also scary as Hell!
Even if I enjoy Fincher's and Jeunet's films, they just don't rate.
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It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page
