What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[vincenzo]

Jack The Ripper (1988)

Widely regarded TV movie which tells the Ripper story with such wild inaccuracies (despite the opening statement) that you wonder why they bothered.

Good points: Michael Caine & Lewis Collins work well together. Strong supporting work from Hugh Fraser, and veterans Ray McAnally (underused) & Ronald Hines. Accurate recreations of Hanbury Street and the reverse of Miller's Court (though the street sign was above the entrance, not stuck on the side wall).

Bad points: Most of it. Horrendously overlong. Truly boring and nonsensical sidestories involving Jane Seymour (the usual bland performance), an annoying newspaper team (led by the even more annoying Jonathan Moore), and a dull Armand Assante as a Jekyll/Hyde stage actor (who somehow uses an air bladder effect on stage 100 years before it was invented). A miscast Susan George and Lysette Anthony (who attract no sympathy whatsoever). Riper than ripe performances from the usually reliable Michael Gothard & George Sweeney. Unaccurate recreations of Buck's Row (the murder site is on the wrong side of the street) and Dutfield's Yard (somehow spelt as Duffield's Yard here). The 'accurate research' also messes up the murders of Mary Ann Nichols (whose uterus wasn't removed) and Liz Stride (whose body itself wasn't mutilated). Even the infamous 'Juwes' spelling on the Goulston Street graffitti is never explained by the finale.

Don't bother. Watch Murder By Decree or even From Hell for a better reading of the Ripper story.

[antmumford]

@42ndStreetFreak - LOL!, you did make me giggle. Great review

[Phats]

I watched John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness last night. I enjoyed it but I wouldn't say it was my favourite Carpenter movie. If I had to make a list - out of those that I've seen - it would go as follows:

1) Halloween
2) They Live
3) The Thing
4) Escape From New York
5) Big Trouble in Little China
6) The Fog
7) Prince of Darkness
8) Dark Star
9) Village of the Damned
10) Ghosts of Mars

Only including movies he has directed.

[Sargento]

Originally Posted by oaxaca

Love Scream of Fear! its an excellent little thriller and not a very well known Hammer film. I've recently ordered the Blue Underground 'Nightmare City' disc, never having seen a Lenzi film before. I hear its a really fun zombie-fest. Have you seen that one?

Nightmare City isn't the goriest or the greatest zombie flick .. but it is more than watchable. My favourite scene has to be the zombie falling from the helicopter and bouncing off of the rollercoaster!! Trippy!

[oaxaca]

Originally Posted by Phats

I watched John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness last night. I enjoyed it but I wouldn't say it was my favourite Carpenter movie. If I had to make a list - out of those that I've seen - it would go as follows:

1) Halloween
2) They Live
3) The Thing
4) Escape From New York
5) Big Trouble in Little China
6) The Fog
7) Prince of Darkness
8) Dark Star
9) Village of the Damned
10) Ghosts of Mars

Only including movies he has directed.

Prince of Darkness is one of my favourite horrors of all time!

My list would be:

1) The Thing
2) Prince of Darkness
3) The Fog
4) Vampires
5) Escape from New York
6) They Live (Rowdy Roddy Piper!! haha)
7) In the Mouth of Madness (interesting take on lovecraft!)
8) Assault on Precinct 13
9) Halloween
10) Big Trouble in Little China
11) Escape from LA
12) Village of the Damned
13) Ghosts of Mars (I think Sean Connery's Outland was a better sci-fi - not that I've watched much sci fi)

[Gojirosan]

Ooooh! Interesting, not sure this is the right thread, but...Carpenter, Carpenter...

I think I'd have to go with:

1) Assault On Precinct 13
2) Escape From New York
3) The Thing
4) Halloween
5) Dark Star
6) The Fog
7) In The Mouth Of Madness
8) They Live
10) Someone's Watching Me!
11) Cigarette Burns
12) Prince Of Darkness
13) Big Trouble In Little China
14) Christine
15) Elvis
16) Starman
17) Vampires
18) Escape From LA
19) Ghosts Of Mars
20) Body Bags
21) Village Of The Damned


You can tell I'm stuck home ill, can't you!

Oh, and Memoirs Of An Invisible Man never happened, right?

[oaxaca]

I forgot about Christine! (doh, call myself a stephen king fan!?). I'm meant to be revising but the procrastination never ends...

[42ndStreetFreak]

Originally Posted by vincenzo

Jack The Ripper (1988)


Good points: Michael Caine & Lewis Collins work well together. Strong supporting work from Hugh Fraser, and veterans Ray McAnally (underused) & Ronald Hines. Accurate recreations of Hanbury Street and the reverse of Miller's Court (though the street sign was above the entrance, not stuck on the side wall).

Bad points: Most of it. Horrendously overlong. Truly boring and nonsensical sidestories involving Jane Seymour (the usual bland performance), an annoying newspaper team (led by the even more annoying Jonathan Moore), and a dull Armand Assante as a Jekyll/Hyde stage actor (who somehow uses an air bladder effect on stage 100 years before it was invented). A miscast Susan George and Lysette Anthony (who attract no sympathy whatsoever). Riper than ripe performances from the usually reliable Michael Gothard & George Sweeney. Unaccurate recreations of Buck's Row (the murder site is on the wrong side of the street) and Dutfield's Yard (somehow spelt as Duffield's Yard here). The 'accurate research' also messes up the murders of Mary Ann Nichols (whose uterus wasn't removed) and Liz Stride (whose body itself wasn't mutilated). Even the infamous 'Juwes' spelling on the Goulston Street graffitti is never explained by the finale.

Don't bother. Watch Murder By Decree or even From Hell for a better reading of the Ripper story.

Yep, agree with all that. It is pretty dire and yes those ****ing stupid bladder effects have been seared into my brain for years.
I also thought Caine (for whom I bow in honour) was also OTT here because he spent half the time crying!

Yeah...Tis a stinker.

antmumford
@42ndStreetFreak - LOL!, you did make me giggle. Great review

One aims to please! Tis indeed another stinker...but thankfully a very nude one.

[pedromonkey]

got me a copy of Bitchslap for my viewing pleasure tonight, gonna review it when im done...

[Sargento]

Ooooh my fave Carpenter:

1. The Thing
2. Halloween
3. BTinLC
4. The Fog
5. Christine
6. Prince of Darkness
7. Escape from New York
8. They Live
9. Dark Star
10. Starman