lovenstein-82224 Reviews

Eyes of Fire (1983)

One of a kind

[10/10 · 21 February 2024]

I'm glad some posters like this movie but it really is hard to describe or summarize. It's as much an ART film as a horror film, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. I think the movie is great.

If you like it at all you might want to go for the set that has the longer version, the one on Blu Ray.

Yes, I see the influence on "The Blair Witch Project" but also on David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" reboot.

I think it's best to come to this cold, really spoiler free.

I do think the filmmaker was using American History as part of the background for his tale. I hope you like it because I think it's an American Classic.

The Wonderful Land of Oz (1969)

A bad childhood memory.....

[1/10 · 19 June 2023]

As with the now famous "Santa Claus" they would wallpaper advertising for these things and show them as kiddie matinees for unsuspecting customers. I remember this was done with "Tom Thumb" as well.

I was one such victim at the Wilmette theater as a ten year old. I recall a parent a child where sitting in front of us, the Mom maybe expecting something like the original famous Oz film. The child became upset as there is something creepy about these films that is hard to put your finger on. They quickly left.

The unsettling ending, which now relates to current political controversies, comes from the original book by Baum. I was surprised to learn this many years after seeing the film.

For fans of very strange garbage only.

Kingdom of Shadows (1998 Video)

Complicated Shadows

[10/10 · 23 February 2023]

I'm going to go ahead and give this the perfect score in part because I think the other posters really give it the short shift. Anyone curious about the subject matter will find this a great place to start.

I remember this being good and I gave it a second look when I was checking out something else in the Kino Collection boxed set. Indeed this might have been created in association with Kino as it hits on a lot of the films in their collection. It hits on a lot of stuff that isn't though.

Brent Wood's script is intriguing and intelligent. I know some of the.films very well, some not at all. His ideas are touched on just long enough not to bore, indeed, he probably had limited time to work with, those interested can do there own research.

I am going to see if a few of these films mentioned are online. In any event, I think they did a very good job with this. I wish more computer technology was used in restoring this stuff. They could make it all look like new, but I guess they won't until the expense is matched by a return.

Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell (2016)

Back on the street

[9/10 · 19 June 2022]

I'm surprised this movie drew so few fans given the popularity of "Streetwise."

I watched it for the second time the other night and found it better than I remembered. It's really, actually, in a class with the first film. Fascinating people share their experiences with Erin from the first film.

Make no mistake, this is heartbreaking stuff, again, much like the first film. We sense at the end, after survival and occasional triumphs, the past is coming back for Erin's family. We can only hope they are somehow moving on in love. See Rat's story on the Criterion extras for a bit more hopeful story.

If you liked the first film, you should defiantly see this, as I say, included with the first film in the Criterion Set.

The Mighty Gorga (1969)

Muppet Kong

[6/10 · 25 April 2021]

First, the plus side: The film is well lit and the print from Something Weird is just finee. I love Circuses and Zoos and would love to know where some of this was shot.... the old LA Zoo perhaps? The actors are poorly directed but do OK wirth what they have to work with. His

Donald Hewitt only made ten films but he is an interesting figure in bargain basement films of his era. Anthony Eisley did these junk films while working steadily on TV. I guess he just liked to work. The Ape and other monsters are so bad as to be endearing. If you have any taste for this sort of grade Z movies, I think you will enjoy this movie.