existential Reviews

Dark Water (2002)

Not up to par

[3/10 · 5 August 2004]

Despite the acclaims and positive response, this is a very slow moving film that has built a sense of dread on dripping water. I don't like to get wet either, but this is just silly. There are some nice atmospheric moments and the obligatory long hair, unseen faced ghosts, but this just doesn't come together.

There are scenes that do work, but the elevator bit was "borrowed" from The Eye, and the silent, quick moving ghosts are an Asian ghost story staple. All in all, an unsatisfying experience.

For better spookiness and shock, try The Eye or Tale of Two Sisters.

Confidential Report (1955)

CONFIDENTIAL REPORT IS BETTER!

[8/10 · 4 August 2004]

I admit I did not enjoy this film as I had a cheap DVD called "Mr. Arkadin." There were hints at various forums that a better "Confidential Report" existed and I tracked it down as a Region 2 import from the UK.

While the film is still not unmarred, the copy I have is cleaner; the sound is more even with less hiss. The editing is WAY superior and the tale moves forward in a more linear direction, framed by Van Stratten's meeting with Zouk and his explanation of the creation of his own "confidential report" on Arkadin.

I'm not sure that Welles had his say over this editing, but I think it is superior in every way. We get the mystery killing, the whispered names, the introduction to Arkadin, his explanation of who he is, his revelation of "missing" parts of his life through amnesia, others' opinions of who he is now. We expect and contrast between his old and new "character" and we wonder what he is hiding, and why. The ending is nearly perfect in wrapping it all together.

CR seems to hold together better, the frog and scorpion tale appears mid-film where it does the most good. I now hold this film in very high regard as it repeats the philosophies of Welles and gives us a great Fellini look at major cities around the globe. This is one of his best, and I can only urge you to try to get the Region 2 disc (and a region free player) to see this as it should be seen.

West New York (1996)

Yikes!

[1/10 · 8 April 2004]

Grew up and lived in West New York, NJ, and bought this DVD in hopes of finding a pretty good film with personal historical references for me. Not so. Seems they filmed from Weehawken (not West New York), showing the pre-9/11 NY skyline, but that was the high point.

I'm sorry, but the acting, aside from Vincent Pastore, was wooden or unconvincing. The dialogue is rife with the usual "F" expletives, the relationships are all over-wrought, the plot circuitous and irrational, the characters inconsistent ( what's with Frank Vincent cowering, his hands held up in acquiescence as 2 light weight thugs try to scare him? Wasn't this guy an ex-cop?) The "spirituality" of the guitar playing customer is insubstantial and seems more based in the man's past drug abuse than supernatural insight ("be careful!") OMG this is a real stinker!

Moment to remain agog at: the fight scene with Brian Burke and the 4-ton Italian mobster/gorilla is nuts, with a death match ensuing a "don't you touch me," ' "Oh yeah?!" quarrel. Gimmee a Break! As we Jersey-ans say, "fuh-gedd-aboud-dit!" Stick with "Union City," one town south of West New York. At least you get Debbie Harry! Or get down to the Jersey shore with "Atlantic City," as interpretted by Louis Malle.

Ah'm oudda hee-ah. See yuh.

Angel Heart (1987)

Not what it could have been

[15 May 2002]

Pedestrian, confused and stilted, this is a mish mash of genres: film noir, avant-garde, and grade B horror film that, by trying to be many things, becomes none of them. I was amazed that anyone, seeing this same movie, could call it a "film" and urge you to run out and buy it. I rented it and had to force myself to watch it to the end.

Maybe not abysmal, but neither is it a shining example of cinema.

Rent it first!

The Fly (1958)

Scenes engraved on the mind

[28 August 2000]

It's been said again and again that this is a good horror film. A Very Good film. But it is more than that.

I can still hear with my mind's ear (is that right?) the sound of the hydraulic press "WHUMP" and the echo. Then again that "WHUMP" ... is there another sound experience that reverberates through a movie like that?

Sure, surround sound, THX, all that tech stuff, but the sound as the manifestation of the crime that encircles this story, the horror as the mind tries to put together the images that (finally) is seen in a flashback as this scene bookends the start and "finish" of the plot.

The inner struggle of the scientist as he fights with his human hand to control the spasms of his "fly" arm is both horrible and heart-wrenching.

The shock as the cloth is torn away from the scientist's head... the fly's POV shot with facets and mirrors of the the screaming face of the scientist's poor wife! The scene at the spider's web as the shrill voice begs "help me... help me"

The horror of murder of a man/thing and a thing/man being shown and even compared in sharp (but obvious) dialogue.

You MUST see this and experience the earlier days of horror -when classics like this, like "The Thing From Another World," like "It, the Terror From Beyond Space" (the original model of Alien) exhibit a freshness and a palpable terror that remakes cannot capture, whatever wonderful special effects are thrown in to add to the creepiness. Sure these later gorefest horror films are good. I buy them all the time. But they are a different genre. The Fly with Vincent Price is NOT the same story as The Fly with Jeff Goldblum. It's not really a remake as a retelling.

See the original. It is rich with emotion and intelligence, not to mention some pretty fine acting for what was really a "B" movie.