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Reviews
Alfred Packer: The Musical (1993)
Brilliant! Defies explanation
This is a classic of the low-budget comedy genre. The guys made this film while many of them were still studying (and a large number of the team failed and had to repeat!). But their dedication has certainly paid off in this wonderful movie. To try and review it critically would destroy its splendour, so instead, just some highlights:
>The Japanese actors claiming to be American Indians because they have warpaint and teepees ("Look at all these teepees we have. Because we are.... INDIANS!")
>The Trapper Song (a must-see - "Wait, are you guys singing myxolidian scales or something?")
>"Time-Out", "You're doomed", "Fudge, Packer?", "Are you looking at my eye?", "That's very interesting", "The Lord works in mysterious ways" and hundreds of other great quotes.
This movie is one memorable moment after another, with tons of great lines. The foul language comes out a fair bit, so not a great movie for the kiddies, and the opening sequence and confrontation with Bell are verging on the gruesome side. But if these things don't put you off, rush out and find a copy of this film - if you haven't seen it, you are missing out!!
(Oh yes, the writers and key actors in this film are the same guys who make the cartoon series "South Park". There are only a few similarities in the styles of the cartoon and this film - "Cannibal: The Musical" was written when everything was still fresh, and in my opinion, the story and dialogue is far superior to any of their South Park work.)
Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (1996)
A thumbs-up from me!
I can understand how many people would find this movie a waste of 97 minutes of their lives, but I loved it. It didn't try to be a Hollywood blockbuster, which is certainly a good thing; low-budget films that aim too high only embarrass themselves. However, Pterodactyl Woman From Beverly Hills (PWFBH) laughed at itself for being a B-Movie (or perhaps a C-movie??). Whilst the storyline is quite lame, it is gentle and amusing; an archaeologist disturbs some bones, and is cursed by a voodoo man calling himself Salvador Dali ("What can I say? I like his work"). This curse causes his wife to turn into a pterodactyl every now and then (the transformations come at night, but the mannerisms remain through the daylight hours - eg. Swallowing live carp in a supermarket). If you are a die-hard, high-budget movie fan who likes big computer-generated explosions from Star Wars or tense, engaging chase films like The Fugitive, then chances are that you won't like PWFBH. On the other hand, if you like movies for the entertainment value, and are not scared to try something different, have a look at this film. Don't take it too seriously (which isn't hard with characters called Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso), but sit back and enjoy. My personal favourite character was Sam ("Have you come....for a cocktail....with Sam?"), and favourite scene was the surreal but wonderful Blue Martini song. If I were to rate this film with a critic's eye, it would not come up too highly, but from a viewer P.O.V., it was enjoyable and, at times, hilarious, gaining about 8 or 9 out of 10. Keep an eye out for Barry Humphries as the supermarket salesman, and his famous character Dame Edna Everage in the background of the same scene.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Masterful Adaption
This film is one of the few based-on-book movies that actually manages to bring forth an accurate and true picture of the original story (To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee). Too often, the adaption to film throws story elements far off track, loses touch with the author's deeper intimacy or skips key details. Not here. Because of the era this film was made in, there was no temptation to substitute story for technical wizardry.
The child actors do well to hold up the bulk of such a strong film, and Gregory Peck's "Atticus" is amazingly genuine. The complex emotions and responses of the children are brought forth very well, considering that they could not be "described" as they were in the novel. The court scenes are also very powerful.
If you enjoyed the book, don't be afraid that the film will not live up to your expectations - whilst this concept is usually true, here we have one of the exceptions.
The film deals a lot with old American racism and prejudice. It is interesting to compare the methods used in this film to those of Mel Brook's "Blazing Saddles". Watch TKAMB, and expect to be challenged.