What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Susan Foreman]

Originally Posted by Frankie Teardrop

NIGHT SCHOOL - Another slasher. This time the killer has a gimmick - they're into biker gear and collecting heads. If nothing else, you should stick it to the end to hear their motive, it's hilarious. 'Night School' takes a fairly by-the-numbers approach to what was a tired formula even by 1981, weaving a police procedural and a subplot about a lecturer's many affairs around a set of slightly anaemic kills. It has a few cards up its sleeve. The gore may be lacking, but there's a theatricality to the way some of the kills are set up that brings the occasional note of strangeness, with odd scenes such as the roundabout head chop, or the one where a severed head floats slowly to the bottom of the tank in a darkened aquarium. The presence of people like Rachel Ward lends an air of fake class, and there's something really nice about the overall look, wintry browns framing twisted trees and Hitchcockian staircases. If you want a full throttle slasher look somewhere else, but this is a competent murder mystery that hides its derivative nature and basic silliness behind a few tasteful moves.

It was directed bu Ken Hughes, who also helmed the 1967 version of 'Casino Royale', 'Chitty Chitty bang Bang' and... um... 'Sextette'!

[MrBarlow]

The Killing Fields. 1985.

Based on the Khmer Rouge revolution in Cambodia, and the memoirs of American journalist Sydney Schanberg trying to escape the war torn country which is easy for him but not for his companion Dith Pran.

Director Roland Joffe` did an wonderful job in exposing the detailed facts so simply in the film, with the U.S. Consul knowing about a bombing and trying to cover it up, Craig T. Nelson plays a very unsympathetic prick in this that he knows what is going on, how many have been killed and just takes a laud back role as if to say "let them kill each other" mood. John Malkovich plays photographer Al Rockoff who captures the victims of the war and accuses his companion of selfishness to win a award.

The film takes place over a period of six years and at times it can be tough to watch but you can never take your eyes off the screen.Sam Waterson and Haing S. Ngor (who won a award for his portaryal) take the main leads and all you can do is root for them to get to safety and find peace. Have the tissues ready for the ending.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Justin101

I loved After Hours but I was definitely feeling stressed out, poor guy just wants to get home haha.

I've never seen it. The Criterion is on my to-buy list. But not at ?22.

[Justin101]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I've never seen it. The Criterion is on my to-buy list. But not at ?22.

I'd never seen it either, I bought the Criterion disc blind, but glad I did I really enjoyed it.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Naked Weapon (2002)

A hugely enjoyable Hong Kong action movie in which young girls are kidnapped and taken to a hidden island run by the mysterious Madam M where they are brutally trained for six years. At the end of their training they fight off against each other with the best three - Charlene, Katt and Jing) selected for assassination missions on male targets. However the assassins soon get noticed by the CIA, including Daniel Wu's rookie, who falls for Charlene which only complicates matters.

Reminiscent of other movies like Besson's Nikita (1990) and schlockier affair such as Bava's Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1965) and 1968's The Blood of Fu Manchu where females are trained as killers for selected male victims. Naked Weapon feels familiar yet it's never tired,and probably comes somewhere in between the serious Nikita and more exploitative other two. In fact it's incredibly good fun with the story easy enough to follow and the leads engaging and interestingly written. The three girls, headed by Maggie Q, are gorgeous and seductive but merciless with it and the many action scenes are intense and beautifully choreographed.

I have the Korean dvd and the image quality looks great with the 5:1 track equally as impressive.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

It was directed bu Ken Hughes, who also helmed the 1967 version of 'Casino Royale', 'Chitty Chitty bang Bang' and... um... 'Sextette'!

[Susan Foreman]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

It's was a bit of trivia, that's all

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

It's was a bit of trivia, that's all

Your actual thoughts on the film or Frankie's views on it would have been more relevant than random trivia.

[Susan Foreman]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Your actual thoughts on the film or Frankie's views on it would have been more relevant than random trivia.

I thought it was a fun film and the concept of a video nasty from the director of such films as the 1967 version of 'Casino Royale', 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' and... um... 'Sextette' was not something I would ever have expected!!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

It's was a bit of trivia, that's all

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Your actual thoughts on the film or Frankie's views on it would have been more relevant than random trivia.

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

I thought it was a fun film and the concept of a video nasty from the director of such films as the 1967 version of 'Casino Royale', 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' and... um... 'Sextette' was not something I would ever have expected!!

Pointing that out with an opinion on Frankie's review and/or what you thought of Night School would be much more relevant to this thread than a short post with three of the 36 films directed by Ken Hughes, including one ? Casino Royale ? where he was one of five different directors, who only shot a few scenes.

Your comment was of little interest to me, hence my shrugging reaction.