What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Mad Max. 1979.

A policeman seeks revenge on a motorcycle gang that killed his family and attacked his friend.

Set in a dystopian future where the police Halls of Justice look bare and a small town makes this film feel total post-apocalyptic, George Miller had little budget and apparently edited the film in his own bedroom yet he managed to create a cult classic film with then unknown actor Mel Gibson. From start to finish this has always been a great science fiction film, with the stunts and car chases are done decently and probably done in one take, there is still some noticeable dubbing on it thanks to the American distributors so that will never change with every upgrade.

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If you have the same blu-ray set as me then you can watch the un-dubbed original Aussie version.

[MrBarlow]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

If you have the same blu-ray set as me then you can watch the un-dubbed original Aussie version.

I really should look at the special features and set up before before pressing play, will know next time I go to watch it

[Demoncrat]

Still have the "Wide Screen" vhs of MM. That had the original dialogue track cough. Mate hated it as he'd grown up with the vapid US dub.


Rewatched ]The Black Hole, as I discovered a friend hadn't seen it. His reaction was rather priceless. He was rather taken with that ending ahem.
We then watched Little Heroes, which turned out to be a Canuck Home Alone ..... with dogs. A hoot. A first for us, as we usually end up watching Things when we get together

Tonight ..... Army Of The Dead. Bet you all can't wait to see what I think of that now

I also perused the new Guy Ritchie flick, which is a remake apparently of a French film. Some fun here, though it didn't amount to much in the end ahem.

[MrBarlow]

The Raod Warrior. 1981.

Max wonders the desert of the post-apocalyptic world, scavenging for food and gasoline, he helps a band of people fend off the last of the gasoline from a horde of bandits.

This one seems to get mentioned a lot and gets high praises, growing up I never knew why and re-watching it I can understand why. George Miller's follow up to Mad Max and delivers one heck of a great science fiction action film that never gets boring just better and better as it goes on.

Film critic Leonard Maltin gave a nice introduction to the film and gave it all the praises, I think Miller's favourite/lucky number was 65, as 65 vehicles were used and a stunt sending a character 65 feet along a road, or something like that. The finale car/lorry chase scene was amazing to watch with the cinematography was done brilliantly by Dean Semier who never misses a moment, there is some comedy element in it from Bruce Spence and Mel Gibson knows how to be a hero and make a decent bargain with the survivors.

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[MrBarlow]

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. 1985.

Max, alone and drifting is exiled from a town run by a ruthless queen, with the help of children and rebels against her.

I have always been in the middle with this entry of the Mad Max films, yes its decent but sometimes I felt it was drifting off the rails a bit and goes in a different way that seems to drag on. Tina Turner does play a decent part as the ruthless leader Aunty Entity who didn't mind showing off her chest almost. This does seem more apocalyptic with the desert scenes but I felt the chase at the end never really matched up to the previous film.

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[MrBarlow]

Rollercoaster. 1977.

A man threatens to blow up various theme park attractions if he isn't paid $1 million dollars.

A nice decent suspenseful 70s disater movie with some good acting from George Segal as park safety inspector who's theme park was targeted and sets out to stop anything further happening to other parks and is drawn into a cat and mouse game with a young man played by Timothy Bottoms. From start to finish there is some tense scenes that may not make you sit in the edge of your seat but are certainly entertaining.

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[davcol]

My Grandad had an ex rental copy of Mad Max in the mid 80s and I used to pop it on regularly. I do remember Mad Max 3 being rented in our house and no one thought much of it apart from me.
I took it upon myself to rent a battered looking copy of Mad Max 2 in about 87 from the local video shop. The owner had a devil may care attitude towards age ratings and would gladly rent out anything from porn to horror to anyone with a quid.
I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a film more than that first viewing of Mad Max 2. Even now after seeing it many times if i see it advertised on ITV I will either watch it in full of at least catch the final act with the chase through the desert. Masterpiece of action and film making with sparse dialogue unlike today's garbage.

[gag]

Originally Posted by MrBarlow

Rollercoaster. 1977.

A man threatens to blow up various theme park attractions if he isn't paid $1 million dollars.

A nice decent suspenseful 70s disater movie with some good acting from George Segal as park safety inspector who's theme park was targeted and sets out to stop anything further happening to other parks and is drawn into a cat and mouse game with a young man played by Timothy Bottoms. From start to finish there is some tense scenes that may not make you sit in the edge of your seat but are certainly entertaining.

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Poseidon adventure
Towering inferno
This
Earthquake
Airport and many others are a fine eg of why I prefer most disaster movies over today’s.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

The Phantom Light (1935)

Michael Powell's The Phantom Light isn't so much a horror film as a crime thriller with spooky elements. Starring Gordon Harker as a new Lighthouse keeper at the lonely North Stack lighthouse on the Welsh Coast. Upon arrival he discovers the last keeper was murdered and the lighthouse is supposedly haunted. He isn't alone however as the lovely Binnie Hale (Legs up to her neck) wants to visit the lighthouse as she's from a psychic society.

Not surprisingly for a Powell film it's beautifully photographed and he achieves the paranoid claustrophobic atmosphere with ease but it soon comes to light the film is about wreckers rather than spooks. Still the film proves a nice blend of suspense and comedy with the delightful ms Hale ready to disrobe at the drop of a hat. I was quite surprised to see her wearing nothing but a slip then a towel amid a crew of hairy Welsh lighthouse keepers.

The final third is a tense ride as Harker and Hale have to go all out to stop a ship being dragged onto the rocks by the phantom light. There are better examples of thrillers from the time, yet all the same The Phantom Light is a worthy addition to any collection of British films.

[MrBarlow]

Jackie Brown. 1997.

Air stewardess Jackie Brown is arrested with money and cocaine, she is released on a bail bond By Max Cherry who is paid by Ordell Robbie, Jackie plans on setting up Ordell to the police in exchange for her freedom.

I'm not a huge fan of Quentin Taratino except for Kill Bill movies and Pulp Fiction but this one I thoroughly enjoyed with the way he is able to make a homage to the film noir genre without any one doing the voice over as the movie generally speaks for itself with a great assortment of actors and how a double cross is paced out three different view points with some dark humour mixed in and plenty of Samuel L. Jackson swearing and Pam Grier playing homage to her exploitation movie years.

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