sanjr1 Reviews

Nailbiter (2013)

Who are these people & what movie did they watch?

[8/10 · 11 January 2013]

I would never begrudge anyone's opinion but who are these people who didn't like this movie at all? For the record I'm not affiliated in any way to this movie or the company that produced it. I'm just a fan who knows a good movie when he sees one and "NAILBITER" is a damn good movie! The story is of a mom and her three daughters who are seeking shelter from a tornado that is bearing down on them. They are in their car headed to the airport to pick up dad from the airport (He's returning home from the war). Unfortunately the cellar they end up in is the worst possible place they could be because something unnatural is lurking above ground. Something that isn't human, and it's hungry...

"NAILBITER" doesn't pretend to be anything more than it is, a good thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout it's running time. I saw it last year at the NYC Horror Film Festival & I can attest to the very positive reaction it received from the crowd. What really sealed the deal for me was the vagueness of the creatures and their origin. Are they werewolves? Zombies? Vampires? Something never seen before in a film of this ilk? You'd have to watch for yourself and decide but they are effective & scary to boot! Director Patrick Rea has a way with the camera that lets the audience in but only so much...that way the film remains tense & eerie. The actors all did a fine job with the taut & mysterious aspects of the script and the look of the film belies in meager budget, it's a seriously good looking movie.

The title fits the film just right as I am currently growing myself some really long nails so I can chew em' to the nub when the promised "NAILBITER 2" reaches the screen! Again, if you didn't like it then you didn't like it but tell the truth...didja really see it?

Bereavement (2010)

The new gold standard....

[10/10 · 12 November 2010]

Simply put, Stevan Mena's "Bereavement" is the new gold standard for Psycho films & looks to stay on top of the heap for a long while. I saw it last night at the NYC Horror Film Festival & cannot be more excited about a young talent such as Mena's. The film is a lean engine primed to shock it's audience & it does so not with reckless abandon but with slow dread. An amazing cast helps put the film over the top but it's the script & direction of said cast that puts this film in a league of it's own. I know there are haters out there that didn't like "Malevolence" and you are entitled to your opinion but you have to see this film...give it a chance when it's released. You'll see what I mean when you do. But as of now The Black Saint says "Bereavement" is in a class of it's own & you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you're a fan of Horror in general & didn't see it.

Deadline (I) (2009)

Better than expected....

[5/10 · 5 February 2010]

The first thing I noticed about this movie was it's soundtrack. It's barely there. I mean it's there but it's so quiet you don't realize that you've been listening to it until it blasts out for a sec or two & then goes back to lurking just below the radar. It adds to the sense of dread that permeates this movie. Brittany Murphy doesn't look well at all in this movie & I hope that's because of the needs of the character & not because she was sick. She is effective though. So is Thora Birch in her part. I can't say much more about it without ruining it but I will say it might be a ghost story or a Psychological thriller. That is up to the viewer. I have my opinion but I'm not going to bore you with that. You know what they say about opinions don't you? Oh, by the way this is one of the quietest movies I've ever seen. Ever. It adds to the atmosphere greatly. Give it a shot, you might be surprised....

Battle for Terra (I) (2007)

A really surprising tale.....

[7/10 · 3 May 2009]

I took my son to see "Battle For Terra" on it's opening weekend here in NYC. I have to admit I didn't want to see it as much as I wanted to see "Wolverine" but I always defer to my 7 yr. old when there is animated fare to watch on the big screen.

Much to my surprise "Terra" is probably a much more mature, Involving & Emotional filmgoing experience than anything on the big screen right now. It might even bring a tear to some eyes out there.

The story as it is tells the tale of the inhabitants of the planet Terra (By the way, That's the name given to it by the humans. I don't think the actual name of the planet is mentioned). They are kinda like large upright tadpoles who swim through their atmosphere. The "Swimming" animation is really spot on & something different for a film of this type. The "Terrans" aren't your usual cutesy alien creatures. There are no stereotypical characters here. No "Goofy" alien, No "Evil" aliens, although the main alien protagonist "Mala" is very handy & invents things.

The Terrans are a peaceful race & seem to spend their days learning & studying their heritage. Their world is a wonderful amalgam of large mushroom like trees that they live in & they even have gliders that they travel around in. There are even large Whale like creatures that live in their atmosphere. Much like Blue whales cruise thru our oceans. All of them live in harmony.

That is until Earthlings arrive announcing that since they have devastated the resources on 3 planets & destroyed them in the process they have no choice but to "Terraform" the planet & change the atmosphere to suit what's left of mankind. The fact that this would kill the peaceful Terrans is of little concern to the humans.

I cannot go into the rest of the film without spoiling it but suffice it to say there is little to no humor in this film. That's not to say that kids won't enjoy it. They will. But this is not your typical kiddie flick. It is a sort of allegory about war & peace, Racism, Militarism & most of all love & harmony between those who might look at each other differently.

The animation is mostly superb & there are scenes where you actually feel like you're there on the planet thanks to some good 3-D visualization. By the way, The 3-D is more of the depth perception kind of 3-D not the pop out of the screen type although there are a couple of scenes of snow falling that make you just want to stick your tongue out & catch a snowflake.

All of the voice performances are good to great & the film never lags. As a matter of fact the battle scenes are quite rousing (Insert homage to George Lucas here) & while not graphic...characters do die in battle so you might want to keep an eye on the little ones if you're with one of them.

The saddest part of the experience to me is that when we arrived at the theatre (a 5-600 seater) there were exactly 4 people in there besides my son & myself. "Wolverine" & "Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past" steamrolled over this little gem & it pains me to think that people are missing out on a truly moving experience. It'll be gone from theatres in a week & that'll be it. I hope it finds it's audience on home video. It's a good movie that deserves to be seen.

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

Pretty entertaining little movie.....

[7/10 · 21 February 2009]

Oh come on people....

If you haven't read the short story the movie is based on you shouldn't malign the ending the way you did. The ending of the movie is true to it's literary source & that's the way it should be.

Now as to the movie itself...It wasn't too bad. I thought it was well performed & well written. Excellent direction by Kitamura as well. He displays a smooth hand in his execution of the scenes that take place in the actual subway car. There is a great scene in which the camera spins around the car while the main protagonists duke it out that while I'm sure was augmented by some sort of CGI was still exciting to watch. It's a fine setpiece that made me appreciate what Kitamura was trying to achieve. Bravura film-making to be sure......

Now as to the CGI bloodshed...That I was not crazy about. I was actually a little disappointed by it. I don't like CGI blood, It's too shiny.. Too neat. That being said I guess it made it a little easier to make the movie using it because the blood flows freely in this flick...The cleanup costs would have been daunting.

I also wasn't crazy about Vinnie Jones in the role of Mahogany. He was very menacing & all but he does not fit the description of the character in the short story who was described as a much smaller, Less menacing individual. A mensch if you will. By the way is it just me or does Jones look a lot like Derek Jeter in this movie?? I didn't like Leslie Bibb too much either. She was a little too whiny for me & her actions in the film weren't too convincing either. But I guess that's a little nit picky of me. If people acted rationally in these films they would be over in 20 min....

It's too bad Lions Gate didn't have enough faith in the film to give it a wide release. With a little promotion it would have a made a tidy profit easily. The Barker/Kitamura fanbase have alone would have assured a decent opening weekend I believe.

All in all, It's a decent horror flick that delivers the goods in a satisfyingly gory fashion & it is worthy of purchase if this is your kind of flick. If it isn't it's still a good example of solid, medium budget fright films.

It's the best interpretation of a Barker since the original "Hellraiser" & Barker directed that one himself......

Seed (2006)

Hardly Oscar worthy but.........

[6/10 · 12 December 2008]

OK, OK Everybody hates Uwe Boll & his movies. That much has been established. Before I continue with this quick review I must confess I met Uwe at a screening for "Postal" last year & found him to be quite intelligent & engaging even though "Postal" wasn't. But that has nothing to do with the rating I gave "Seed".

The plot is pretty standard. Serial killer gets captured, Electrocuted (3 times)& doesn't die. At this point he is buried alive to insure his death & rid the world of his menace. He (Of course) digs himself up & proceeds to go after the people responsible for his "Execution".

Nothing special script-wise right?? But Boll wasn't interested in writing a good script (Is he ever)? What he was interested in was making a disturbing film that will stick with the few of you who will watch it for a long time.

The opening credits alone made me want to turn off the TV. It features video of animal cruelty (Thats real) & extremely disturbing. Apparently this is what the character gets off on. That & kidnapping people & locking them in a dungeon like cell & watch them via closed circuit camera slowly starve to death. Among them is a baby no older than 9-12 months old.

Is this entertainment? Nope...not at all. As a matter of fact it's appalling. But I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It is probably the most disturbing film I've ever seen & I've seen more than a few of those. I say there is a skill in having the balls to make a film that no one can possibly enjoy & still have people watch it thru to the end.

There is another murder scene that involves a woman tied to a chair in her kitchen & Seed slowly, Calculatingly, almost curiously bludgeoning her to death with a claw hammer. The scene is excruciating not only for it's violence but it's length. It seems to go on for 5 minutes at least (I didn't time it though). The effects in this scene are also most unsettling & the sound effects only add to the horror of what's transpiring in front of you.

All of the performers turn in a workman's job. No one really stands out in that sense. But I don't think they're supposed to. "Seed" is all foreboding & dread. The cinematography is muted & dull. There aren't many daylight scenes & the ones that exist are also kind of...Not bright. The movie is designed to put you in a state of tension & nervousness from the beginning & (For me) it succeeded. It's just an ugly film all the way around. But one that's meant to be ugly, It didn't just end up this way. There is a skill at work here like it or not.

So I'm going on record as giving the film a 6 overall. This due to a pretty average script & adequate acting. But If I was rating it for it's effect on my psyche...I'd give it a 10 (Honestly). I was that disturbed by it. It even has one of the grimmest endings I've seen in a long while. Mr. Boll does have something in him...somewhere that will give us a great film one day I think. This just isn't it. This is a exercise in discomfort. A very good one, But It's just too much of a downer......

By the way, I didn't check but I think the film runs less than 80 min or so. To disturb me so much in so little time (& I am a VETERAN horror film fan) is impressive.

Fly Me to the Moon 3D (2007)

Ughhh.....

[2/10 · 15 August 2008]

"Fly Me To The Moon" has to be the worst animated film I've seen in a LONG TIME. That's saying something since I have taken my son to see every animated release for the last 4 years now. The story is to be generous...trite. The voice acting is atrocious, Too cute sounding. The humor is of the Romper Room variety. The animation is passable for a Nickolodeon type of cartoon but this is being released on the big screen not cable television.

It gets a 2 only because of it's OK 3-D visuals. Some of the scenes had a mildly stimulating image but We've seen much better in the past. I also question the insistence of the filmmakers to have characters fly away from the screen rather than into it in most of the scenes. While that is interesting at first it became tiresome after the 3rd or 4th time. It seemed to smack of indifference to me on the part of the creators.

I will say this though, It had a pretty cool soundtrack. And for the record my son wasn't too crazy about it either. Bad movie.

The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack (2008–2010)

So bizarre.....It's compelling.

[8/10 · 14 August 2008]

All I can say about "Flapjack" is that it is one of the most bizarre animated show ever produced. Sometimes we watch it & when the episode is over we look at each other & say "Huh"? But we're always entertained & always laugh out loud at something. As a matter of fact "Magic Genie Island" is perhaps the strangest cartoon episode I've ever seen & I've seen a lot of em'. Suffice it to say that you've gotta see it at least once & experience the oddness for yourself. The animation is striking & in some cases a bit nightmarish but always interesting to the eyes. The voices are spot on as well. A great cartoon is what it is so give it a shot.

Trapped Ashes (2006)

Thank god for Netflix.....

[2/10 · 2 August 2008]

All I can say is THANK GOD FOR NETFLIX!!! I'm the type of cinephile who will buy a movie sight unseen if the filmmakers interest me or if it's a horror film that sounds interesting. In that sense "Trapped Ashes" fulfilled the criteria perfectly....

I realized recently though that I really am wasting money buying movies unseen so I signed up with Netflix figuring that I could rent new releases that appealed to me & if I liked em' I would purchase em'. "Trapped Ashes" was a movie I was dying to see. How could it go wrong?? Russell, Cunninngham, Dante, Hellman & Gaeta (The rookie of the 5) each directing a segment of a horror film?? It's gotta rock...Doesn't it?? It doesn't rock. It's actually pretty much a complete failure. It plays like one of those softcore "Horror" movies that used to play on Showtime in the late 80's thru the mid 90's. Aside from some so-so effects in the first segment there is nothing to recommend this disaster at all.

I returned it to Netflix on the same day I received it, Thankful for the money I saved by not purchasing it. Be warned...It sucks!!

The Orphanage (2007)

You guys must be kidding.....or intoxicated.

[2/10 · 26 April 2008]

I watched "The Orphanage" on the recommendation of my daughter. She thought it was a masterpiece. I didn't. As a matter of fact I'm gonna take her recommendations with a grain of salt from now on. I read all of the glowing reviews & thought to myself "What movie did they watch"? "The Orphanage" is a boring, stupid excuse for a ghost story that I watched in disbelief. Granted....It does have atmosphere(Hence the 2 star rating)But it has nothing else to recommend it. The actors were overwrought, The story was insipid & the ending was ridiculous. Who are these people who praised this film?? I had to watch "The Others" directly after this debacle just to get it's memory wiped from my brain. Don't be fooled by all the praise it's gotten, "The Orphanage" sucks. Plain & simple.

Night Train to Terror (1985)

Quite possibly the GREATEST movie ever......

[9/10 · 31 March 2008]

OK, Before I go any further I just want to state that I am of sound mind & I don't drink(much) or do drugs. Why am I stating this to you?? Because I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! I'm not even going to summarize what it's about, That's been done by quite a few people on this page. Just let me say that this flick(It's not a film people...it's a flick. Trust me on this one)is the most hilariously bad compendium of what you would need in a bad mov....oops, I mean flick

Bad story(ies)? Check. Bad acting? Check. Bad cinematography? Check. Bad special effects? Check. But lots of movies have all 3 of these checks. So what makes this one so special?? You have GOT to see it to believe it. It is so incredibly, Astoundingly bad that your jaw will drop as you try to comprehend what's going on. But afterwards you too will just nod in agreement with me that you were entertained far more than you realized.

Did I mention the theme song? I mean I guess it's the theme song since it's played pretty much throughout the flick. Once you hear it you will dig at your eyeballs with a icepick to try & make you forget it. It's that catchy people. I wish I could find it on an MP3.

I actually saw this on 42nd street back in the late 80's on a triple bill with a couple of chop socky flicks & it has never really left my mind since. I purchased the DVD 6-7 years ago from a discount outlet for $5.00. I don't know if it's still available but if you see it anywhere BUY IT! You will be entertained beyond all belief.

But you ask...If this flick is so great why a 9 & not a 10?? What movie is really a 10 anyways?? No film is perfect people, You know that. But I love this flick guys. I really love it. I have made it my mission to force everyone I know to watch it & marvel at the goodness that is "NIGHT TRAIN TO TERROR".

You Have Been Warned........

Underdog (2007)

For The Kids & Only For The Kids.........

[4/10 · 13 August 2007]

When I first heard of the "Underdog" movie being made as a live action feature I cried to the heavens "WHY?????". Why on god's green earth would someone sully the reputation that the original 60's toon has gathered over the years?? Why even do this without Wally Cox' voice?? WHY OH WHY??? Granted, I did fall asleep for about 20 minutes of it but what I did see was OK, Not great...but OK. I'm not even gonna get to the plot details or the featured actors. All that info is on the top of the page. Suffice it to say that the kids in the theater LOVED every minute of it. My little guy talked about it all the way home and that's good enough for me. It's not too painful & your kids will love it so if you go take a kid, You'll make them happy, Promise.

Black Sheep (2006)

The most fun I've had at the movies this year.

[9/10 · 28 April 2007]

I went to see a screening of "Black Sheep" last night at Tribeca and I have to say I was immensely impressed!! The film gets right to the point after a bit of exposition & once it revs up it's engines & hits the gas it really moves!. The subject matter?? Zombie Sheep of course! What did you think it was about eh?? The usual rigamarole about genetic testing with sheep DNA & human DNA & what do you get?? A horde of flesh eating sheep that would tear thru Romero's zombies anywhere...anytime. The performances are top rate & the script and direction are more than satisfactory. Let's get one thing straight here, This film isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, It's just looking to take a ludicrous premise & have a gory good time with it. It does this most efficiently. My only quibble with it is some of the accents took a little bit of time getting used to. You have to kind of pick up the cadence & the rhythm of it. It took a little bit of time for me but I picked it up. Luckily this is the type of film that doesn't need a lot of dialogue to get into. The story is simple and plays very easily on screen. The gore is top notch also. Do not think that they skimp on it...They don't. The blood & viscera fly freely, Along with the limbs. I groaned in disgust more than a few times while watching this movie. All in all, A great time at the movies. As a matter of fact it's the most fun I've had at the movies this year, Supplanting "GrindHouse" which was a blast...But a long blast. "Black Sheep" gets it right & does it in the right amount of time. Go see it...It's a hoot!!

300 (2006)

The best ever???

[10/10 · 10 March 2007]

I'm still deciding whether or not "300" is the best movie I've ever seen. There are some experiences that are truly hard to explain to others...Witnessing childbirth, A lunar eclipse, Your first(good)sexual experience. Some things have to be EXPERIENCED to really appreciate them. "300" is one of those things. "Things" is the wrong word though, Marvels is the proper word. "300" is truly a cinematic marvel & the best American film of the last 10 years at least. There are literally no flaws in the film aside from a slightly slow opening 20 minutes & I loved them as well. They set up the mythos of Sparta & allow you to see what it means to be a Spartan. I'm not going to belabor this comment with actors names..etc...etc. They can be seen up on top of the screen. Suffice it to say that the film is PERFECTLY CAST & I cry over the fact that it wasn't released earlier last year so that it could have gotten some award recognition. There is some artistic license taken (Giant mutated warriors, Large beasts, Seraphs, Oracles) that seem to be taken straight out of "Lord Of The Rings" but this is not meant to be an accurate historical representation of the event. It is the comic put to film. There are scenes that will flat out leave your jaw agape & tearing up at the same time. Zach Snyder (in my mind) has proved himself to be a cinematic genius. Between this & his "Dawn Of The Dead" (Which also kicked ass) he has made quite a dent on the cinematic landscape. I understand he is doing "Watchmen" next, Which has been in limbo for 10 years at least. I still think it is unfilmable without a 300 million dollar budget but if anyone can do it I believe Snyder is the one. "300" is one of the greatest films ever put to celluloid. Period.

The Invincible Iron Man (2007 Video)

hardly terrible...but not very good either.

[5/10 · 19 February 2007]

The script was actually kind of interesting in a leave your common sense at the door kinda way. It had potential. But the first 20 minutes are kind of boring & the ending was kind of telegraphed 40 minutes into the pic. Some of the animation was pretty good, the rest of it rather rote. The armor suits were pretty cool though you only saw 3 of them in action. In my mind the biggest flaw with the story is that there is no real confrontation between Tony & The Mandarin. When they finally meet up Tony is dispatched rather quickly & the stereotype Asian chick "Sacrifices" herself to save the white man she's fallen in love with. Pretty corny. But the voice acting is good, The story does pick up steam after a while & all in all it's not a bad movie, It's just not a very good one.

The Roost (2005)

It's not all that bad.......

[7/10 · 15 October 2006]

"The Roost" is a movie that was most assuredly made by lovers of "B" movies for lovers of "B" movies. Nothing more, Nothing less. And as a lover of this particular type of film I was stoked to see it. I have to admit though...It was a while before I could get into the movie. It starts out slooowly, With a intro/outro featuring a horror host that I found to be fairly interminable. As a matter of fact I didn't know what was going on for more than a few minutes of the film. Once the feature actually started I managed to get a hold of the concept & enjoy the film a little bit more. A lot of the film is grainy & dark. Not a good combo if you ask me but it 's not enough to hinder watching the film on your TV. It must have been rough to watch on a big screen though. The plot? Well let's just say that 4 People are stranded on an old country road in the middle of the night & seek shelter/help at an barn that they stumble upon. Unfortunately for them the barn is infested with killer bats that have the ability to turn you into a zombie if you are bitten by them. WTF? Yeah, It's a bit odd. As a matter of fact it doesn't make any sense at all. But I don't think they were looking to make a logical movie when they were filming this. Just a movie that makes you jump a few times & cover your eyes a bit. And in that sense they succeeded.....Barely. It's got plenty of atmosphere & the performances were pretty tight(When you can hear them, The sound is fairly bad. Subtitles help a lot). The ending was also pretty eerie. All in all a pretty good little movie to get you through a dark & stormy night with your significant other. And I believe that's what the filmmakers set out to do. They succeeded.

Paradise Alley (1978)

A great frickin' movie is what this is......

[9/10 · 28 September 2006]

People get a hold of yourselves. Let's not fight about this. Plain & simple this movie rules!! It is so innocent & sincere that people who don't like it aren't really watching the movie...they're thinking' to themselves "Stallone got too popular too quick & He's got a fat head since the Oscars, I don't like the mumble mouthed prick at all" This movie is a throwback to films of the 40's when you went to the movies for a great story with characters you can care about. No car chases, no mutants lookin' to propagate & most importantly no unnecessary violence. It's just a good movie with great performances & a lotta heart. Stallone wrote & directed & even sang the theme song & he did a fine job with all three....even the theme song (Although I still can't understand all the lyrics)!! Just do yourself a favor and buy it. You can get it for $6-9 dollars at wal-mart or best buy. Go home & enjoy it. It really is a whole lotta fun.

Masters of Horror: Imprint (2006) Season 1, Episode 13

Truly unforgettable. And a bit reprehensible too.

[8/10 · 28 September 2006]

This is gonna be real quick. Takashi Mikke's "Imprint" is the my second favorite episode of "Masters Of Horror" so far (Lucky Mcgee's "Sick Girl" is still my fave so far). But it is most assuredly the only episode that I couldn't shake for days afterward. The acting is pretty much average although Billy Drago's perf could have used a little moderation. His histrionics were a little over the top. But what really kicks this one into overdrive is the way over the top script & the special effects. Abortions, Savage torture & a nod to an old HBO "Tales From The Crypt" episode add up to a stunning potpourri of mayhem & bloodshed. Mikke simply will not let his vision be compromised no matter the cost. I would really hate to have a look into his psyche. Scary stuff going on in there for sure. Let me also warn you....the torture scenes are excruciating. By far the most unsettling ones I have ever seen. They also seem to go on forever. By design I would imagine. That's the part I found a bit reprehensible. That and the abortions taking place every few minutes or so. Maybe Mikke could have flashed on em' for a sec or two and then gone back to the narrative but nope, He lingers on these scenes until you have to look away. I just didn't see the need for that although I would never condemn the man for it. His vision is his vision. I just got a little unnerved by seeing scene after scene of fetuses floating down the river that's all. I can understand Showtimes reluctance to show this episode, Although I don't agree with it. It's pay cable people!! We are paying to see this & we should decide whether or not it's for us to watch. That being said...They would have caught a LOT of flack for this episode, It's that unsettling. I rated it 8 only because I found the acting subpar & the ending a bit ridiculous but make no mistake, You will be disturbed. If you aren't, Then you're a better viewer than I am. And I love this stuff.

Hard Candy (2005)

A little talky....But well worth the 90 minutes.

[7/10 · 26 September 2006]

I'm not gonna get into the fine details about the movie, Just let it be said that "HC" is a very well done & tightly plotted psychological morality play. All performances (5 of em') are excellent. And although it's a little bit talky it's still never boring. Glad I bought it. I'm also gonna admit that Ellen Page's face is haunting my mind as of late. She's really great in "X-Men 3" & there's just something about her that's just....well it's just haunting. I'm positive she's older than the character she plays in the movie. She'd make a great ghost in a movie. See the movie....You will leave with some questions about morality & the price of rage. You will surely think about the film for days afterward.

Private Parts (1972)

one of the best of it's genre...

[10/10 · 7 October 2005]

I don't want to spoil this film for anyone so I'm just gonna state that it does everything right. From the script to the direction to the acting & especially the production design it is pretty damn perfect. A low budget gem with a wicked double twist ending that still knocks my socks off today. Be reminded there is very little nudity, bloodshed or harsh language here but you'll think it was full of it when the movie is over. That to me is the mark of a great thriller & that's what this is. It was ignored upon it's original release & is just being released this week on DVD. Do not miss this opportunity to watch a genre classic. I don't think it's gonna be available too long & those who know about it have more than likely pre-ordered it already. Don't wait!! This movie rocks....HARD!!!

Shanks (1974)

A very strange experience....

[6/10 · 7 October 2005]

When one thinks of Marcel Marceau they think of the world's most famous mime. A performer who has entertained millions of people throughout the years with his mastery of pantomime. You certainly don't think of him as a manipulator of dead bodies!! But that's what he is here in this very strange film. He plays Malcolm Shanks, a mime who loves to entertain the neighborhood children. He lives with his sister & brother-in-law who are a shrew & a drunk & abuse him constantly. He is hired by a scientist who has perfected the art of reanimating the dead. I must stop for a second and let anyone who is reading this know that the film, while it sounds intriguing, doesn't play out the way you would think. It is at heart a fairy tale. A morality story perhaps. But most definitely NOT a horror story. To continue, The scientist dies & having learned his secrets while working with him, Malcolm reanimates his corpse & becomes very proficient at it. I'm not gonna get any deeper into it at this point. Suffice it to say that more than a few people get their corpses reanimated by Malcolm and no good can come from that.....

Marceau plays both Malcolm & The Scientist(Walker) & performs admirably in both roles. There is a scene where Malcolm learns to animate Walker's facial muscles that is very effective. He goes from slack-jawed to smiling so slowly & eerily that at first you think the film is frozen. Almost like time lapse photography. It really shows off Marceau's expertise. There is very little dialogue in the film. It plays like a silent film(It even has title cards)because it is 90% silent. The score by Alex North is therefore very important to the tone of the film, & it is very effective in conveying the mood that the filmmakers were trying to achieve. It was so effective it was nominated for an academy award.

I enjoyed the film but there are VERY SLOW PASSAGES in it. So slow that it will turn many people off. It also ends very curiously. It is a very odd but lyrical film that is a great attempt at a Grim fairy tale. But ultimately it fails because of it's terrible pacing & low budget. You might dig it if you're willing to accept it's idiosyncracies. If not...well give it a try anyway. Who knows??