Movie review - "Heat" (1986) **

 I enjoyed William Goldman's novel and liked his script but this film doesn't work. It had a troubled production. There's good moments but not enough. Robert Altman who was going to direct would've been ideal. Not to be. Some of the support cast work (Howard Hesseman) others not up to it. Burt Reynolds should've been sensational. This needed a top top director.

Movie review - "Narrow Margin" (1990) ***

 No one seems to ever talk about this remake, with its unfashionable director and middle aged stars, but it's a decent thriller with some twists and turns, less glaring logic problems than other Peter Hyams movies, a very funny quip at a killer "you know what I like about you? your tall", beautiful photography, strong acting (James Sikking is good as always as a killer, Gene Hackman is always strong, Anne Archer gets a decent role). There's also his crisp whispering - it's a thing in Hyams films.

Borrows a bit from the original - bratty kid with a gun, tubby man on the train, assassins bribing the hero, hero's bestie is killed early - but it lacks the twist (it's an undercover gal). Nice scenery.

Movie review - "The Hunter" (1980) **

 I understand Steve McQueen wasn't diagnosed with cancer until after he'd finished this but in hindsight he doesn't look very well. He's got charisma, and can still move he just seems old especially as young pretty Kathryn Harrold is his pregnant girlfriend.

There's a bunch of plots going on here. McQueen worried about being a dad (there's lots of talks about lamaze classes), McQueen captures a crook (LeVar Burton) who then helps around the house, a cop friend is accused of corruption, a nastier criminal results this big action chase set piece shoved in at the end, a psycho torments Harrold (best scene in the film he whispers at her Midnight Lace style in a deserted classroom - but she doens't tell him about it). Almost a wacky comedy ending with McQueen talking Harrold to the hospital before birth followed by TV movie style credits.

Support cast includes Ben Johnson and Eli Wallach.

It's an odd combination of Hollywood feature and TV money, like it needed another $5 million or something.

Peter Hyams was going to make it at one stage and did a draft. McQueen should have worked with better directors at this stage of his career.

Movie review - "The Star Chamber" (1983) **1/2

 We've had a lot of films about cops going rogue to enforce justice so this has novelty being about judges doing it... who form their own star chamber. There's a reason it has novelty though - judges have a lot of discretion to allow things into evidence, Michael Douglas' character isn't as hamstrung as he is depicted. Or at least he shouldn't have been. It's like this film needed to be more political - emphasie there's a new progressive/left government introducing all these laws making it harder to find things admissible, sacking judges. Or maybe a super lawless state - like a few years in the future or South Africa. Or maybe it are judges being forced to pass bad laws and they have to get around it. There's a lot of potential in the concept that isn't really exploited.

The film looks terrific and is well acted. Douglas is very good - maybe not entirely well cast. In his defence he has to be passive a lot of the time.

There's a lot of smoking in the film. And too much whisper dialogue turned up.

Interesting parallels with The Firm including Hal Hollbrook as a dodgy legal mentor to a handsome young idealist. Sharon Gless' part is truly dreadful even by the standard of "wife" parts. Thing is it didn't have to be - they could have used it more. Like she was attacked once, or she's a villain character - or she's super idealistic. Just use her.

A very good chase sequence in a car park.

Peter Hyams Films

 * Old Hollywood throwbacks - he did patisches of old private eye films (Goodbye My Love, Peeper), war films (Hanover Street). He's also done a review sequels and remakes.

*Women's pictures - surprise from Hyams but goes to show you never know. He wrote one (TR Baskin), directed another (Our Time), wrote and directed another (Hanover Street). Rolling Man is a male equivalent.

*Conspiracy thrillers - faked space landings (Capricorn One), secret judge cabals (Star Chamber), corruption in business (Outland), corruption in space (2010)

*Buddy cop movies - (Busting, Running Scared, The Presidio)

*Space epics - Outland, 2010, Time Cop, Sound of Thunder, Enemies Closer.

*Action star vehicles - JCVD (Time Cop, Sudden Death), Arnie (End of Days)

*Remakes - Narrow Margin, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Outland (in a way - High Noon)

*Comedies - Stay Tuned, Running Scared, Busting.

*Die Hard in a something - museum (The Relic), sports stadium (Sudden Death) 

*Monster movies - Relic, Sound of Thunder

The films have tremendous action sequences, look great and are well acted. They frequently suffer from logic issues. Dialogue is zinger-y.

Movie review - "Captain America: Civil War" (2016) ***1/2

 The Marvel gang can be annoying with their hair transplants, pilates physiques and perfect teeth but this is a super slick very well done movie, admirable in its action scenes and way it juggles so many characters. Dull villain, manufactured heart (Stark's parents were murdered, etc), brilliant airport fight sequence.

Tom Holland steals the show as Spiderman.

Book review - "Flashman on the March" by George MacDonald Fraser

 The last in the series and the dullest. You get a bad feeling reading in the introduction when Fraser praises Napier's mission to Abyssinia "in contrast to today"... it's like, uh-oh, Fraser's politics are spilling into his book. Flashman books are at their best on disasters and yet again Fraser teases us by having Flashman mention more interesting stories that were disasters, the US Civil War, Emperor Maximilian and Khartoum... instead there's this successful trudge through Abyssinia.

It's a different locale - probably why Fraser wrote this one - and Fraser can still describe pictures. He'd lost his ability with narrative and suspense. It perks up occasionally - hanging by a cage, the flreshy and horny queen, most of all the character of Theodore - but feels too repetitive: running, near death, rescued. Flashman gets out of trouble by luck than his wits.

There's no tension at the end. I get in real life it would've been scary for Flashman to be kidnapped by Theodore, but since we know he's going to live it's not scary especially as this section is "something might happen". 

It's just dull. Hard to get through. I hope it's not just because I didn't read it as a kid.

Movie review - "Peeper" (1975) **

 There were a lot of pastiches of old time Hollywood in the 70s - Peter Hyams did one for TV and now did this. The script is full of quips but rarely funny there's plenty of story but it's not interesting, no one really plays an interesting character it's all rehashed Big Sleep only without as much life.

Michael Caine is professional and always likeable but it's weird to see him as a British PI in 1947 Hollywood (which might've made a more interesting movie than this if explored). Nice to see Natalie Wood in her least interesting cinematic decade but her character isn't much - none of it is much. It isn't bad just dull. Actually that probably makes it bad. Technical credits fine, as Variety would say. Lacks a jazzy support cast.

Movie review - "2010: The Year We Make Contact" (1984) ***

 Such a thankless assignment but they had a go, and a sequel was logical, and Arthur C. Clarke had written one, so... This does not disgrace itself. It looks terrific, lovely sets. Roy Scheider brings warmth lacking in the original. It's a shame genuine Russian actors couldn't have played the Russians.

Madolyn Smith is eye catching in a small part as Scheider's wife. I always loved the scene where the scared Russian woman hops in to hug Schneider while going around the planet, and John Lithgow's heavy breathing travelling. Bob Balaban is excellent has the computer guy even though it's a pity he couldn't have been Indian like in the book.

Hyams might have leaned into the spookiness of the ship more - it could've been really creepy. Maybe it's less so now I know what happened.

It's smart. Looks gorgeous. Lovely to be reunited with Keir Dullea and HAL.

Movie review - "Free Willy" (1993) ***1/2

 Very well done boy and whale movie, expertly directed by Australia's own Simon Wincer. Some exploitation stars have a change of pace - Michael Madsen as a foster dad, Michael Ironside as a baddy. Actually Ironside doesn't change pace - and Madsen doesn't really adjust his acting style from sub James Dean (wrinkly forehead, downward eyes, etc). 

Jason James Richter is the foster kid who bonds with Willy, Lori Petty is a trainer. I'm surprised they didn't make Madsen single and have him romance Petty. I'm sure it was discussed. Entertaining. William Goldman would call the section from when they go "we gotta free Willy" narrative cinema at its finest.  Satisfying jump.

Movie review - "Thor: Love and Thunder" (2022) **

 Chris Hemsworth is animated. Natalie Portman seems bored, even dying, Russell Crowe has fun with a Greek accent. Christian Bale is professional. Matt Damon has a pointless cameo. There's lots of cameos. Tessa Thompson is wasted. I liked the Bale-daughter stuff. That was about it. Thor and Jane aren't really a great couple if they'd wanted to make it work they would've made it work.

Movie review - "The Greatest Showman" (2017) ***1/2

 All set to be a big turkey - an original musical! - but it was, delightfully, a hit. It has one big established star, Hugh, a newer star, Zac, and exciting newbie, Zendaya, some wonderfully stirring songs, Michelle Williams being good in a nothing part, and I liked the theme. Why not make money out of it?

Movie review - "Malcolm and Marie" (2021) **

 Ah, indie movie. Female lead on toilet for realism? Check. Every second word "fuck" for realism? Check. Feels like a first draft? Check. Indulgent monologues? Check. Badly veiled autobiography? Check. Living in Oblivion.

Still, why shouldn't black actors get the chance to appear in these sort of indulgent films and at least it has two film stars, especially Zendaya. Beautifully shot. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought it would.

Movie review - "Tai Pan" (1986) *

 Looks gorgeous. Beautiful photography. Never seems real. Misses the point of the book - the battle for Hong Kong to be taken seriously. We never access Struan's dream, or get his love for May May or his rivalry with Brock. Bits from the book are there but they feel like filmed bits rather than something coherent. Bryan Brown is miscast as a Scot - physically he's fine, he's got the intelligence, just is silly with that accent. John Stanton isn't good. Janice Turner is lovely. Kyra Sedgwick is Brock's daughter. Joan Chen is gorgeous but dubbed - why? Promising young faces. The older actors aren't good eg the guy who plays Quance. George MacDonald Fraser's script was a lot better.

Book review - "No Beast So Fierce" by Eddie Bunker

 Brilliant. Had heard good things - lived up to the hype. Awesome realism mixed in with flowery prose - but maybe that's how they think. Part one is a crook trying to go straight. The constant tension of a relapse. He relapses then part two is crime. This is all good but paddling. Then a robbery goes horrendously wrong and it's part three life or death fleeing. This is amazing. Can see why it's been so influential on Tarantino, Mann, etc.

Movie review - "A Cinderella Story" (2004) **1/2

 Absolutely fine. Made with life and some fun support performances. Though I'm not sure Cinderella is really poor here - she has a car. Pads out running time with straight geeky best friend. -I guess Ducky from Pretty in Pink was an influence though he doesn't seem into Hilary Duff. Male lead required by plot to be really stupid but Chad Michael Murray pulls it off. Regina King is in this, and Jennifer Coolidge, and Madeleine Zima and Simon Helberg.

Movie review - "Little Women" (2019) ****

 Bright version of the oft film tale. Benefits from strong production values and cast. Soraise Ronan is ideal as Jo, though the show is stolen by Florence Pugh as Amy, an under-rated role. Emma Watson is fine as Meg, though Meg is a terrible part (she's pretty and gets married). An Aussie played Beth. There's Laura Dern, Saul Goodman and Meryl Streep, and two floppy black haired guys who look like Noah Baumbach.

Script review - "The Yakuza" by Paul Schrader (warning: spoilers)

 Based on a novel by Leonard Schrader, says the cover page - I thought both were to work together. A great yarn. Interesting set up. Good star part for the old American soldier called back to Japan; flashy support roles for Dusty, the young Yank who goes with him, Tanner, the guy who calls in Tanner. Terrific co starring part for Tanaka Ken, the bass ass lone wolf who gets involved to his regret. 

There's a pace slump after the girl is rescued but it recovers. Lots of expositiony dialogue and interesting asides - easy to edit.

Movie review - "Our Time" (1974) **1/2

 A female go at Summer of 42 with Pamela Sue Martin and Betsy Slade as two friends in a 1950s boarding school hung up on sex. It was directed by Peter Hyams who wrote a woman's picture, TR Baskin but not this one - it was penned by Jane Stanton.  The gals really talk about sex a lot and are boy crazy. Parker Stevenson is Martin's bloke.

Martin's character actually has a pretty cruisy time - Stevenson loves her, they have nice sex. The bulk of the drama is carried by Slade, not pretty enough, who has impulsive sex, gets pregnant, has an abortion, dies. The best sequence is visiting the abortionist - it's scary, the helpers are mean, the abortionist turns out to be quite nice... but Slade still dies.

The film kind of vanished, I think in part because it has no love story (Martin and Stevenson come in as basically an established couple). But it is interesting.

Movie review - "The Musketeer" (2001) **1/2

 Look, not bad. It pulls back on the three musketeers to focus on D'artagnan - which mightn't be such an issue if Justin Chambers hadn't been such a Ken Doll. Mena Suvari is the love interest (not Constance) and she's quite ideal; they would've been better off casting Chris Klein - or to be honest Suvari (you could've had a female D'artagnan) - or a Hong Kong star.

Stephen Rea is Richeliu and Tim Roth is a made up villain who kills D'artagnan's parents. Roth is excellent, Half way the plot becomes about the Queen, Catherine Denveuve, and she gets all this screen time.

Chambers is a real debit. So too are the undercast musketeers. When they all arrive at the end it should be rousing but it isn't. Still, fine villains and excellent Hong Kong style action sequences - not as good as Hong Kong films themselves but effective.

Movie review - "The Narrow Margin" (1952) **** (warning: spoilers)

 Excellent noir, beautifully shot and crisply written. Charles Macgraw has the role of a lifetime as the tough cop escorting gangster's wife Marie Windsor. Windsor is terrific. The main flaw of the film is she's so good you feel gypped that the last third shifts to this blander other actress - it's a neat twist that she's the actual wife and Windsor is a cop but I miss Macgraw-Windsor scenes and felt Windsor deserved more of an exit. Her death is shocking - I just wish she'd taken out at least one baddie. Very good baddies.

Book review - "Tell me how you love the picture : a Hollywood life" by Edward Feldman

 Entertaining memoir from Feldman, who had a strong Hollywood career, including Peter Weir's Witness. We hear of triumphs like that as well as humour detours making Hot Dog the Movie.

Some great stories: Michael Ritchie being lazy on The Golden Child, Alex Segal being fired from a TV movie for abusing the mothers of child actors, dealing with the ego of Joe Levine (who he had to publicise as much as Embassy's films), Mervyn Le Roy did uncredited directing on The Green Berets,

Feldman talks a lot about Aussies Peter Weir and Mel Gibson, though not so much about others he worked with - Louis Nowra on K19 for instance. There's a chapter on Ray Stark and one on Levine.

Movie review - "Rolling Man" (1972) **1/2

 TV movie that I only watched because it was directed by Peter Hyams. I'm surprised how unconventional and character study-ish it was - I thought TV movies were more formulaic. But maybe they were reassured by the presence of Dennis Weaver- presumably this was done as a deal. 

It's an episodic tale of a mechanic whose wife dies and who goes to prison for attempted murder (of her lover Don Stroud). He gets out, his kids have been taken away so he tries to get him back. Weaver is a stud muffin in this one - he gets off with one gal, Donna Mills, then another, the waitress.

There's lots of southern accents. Not bad. Interesting vanity project/vehicle.

Book review - "Heat 2" by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner (2022)

 Interesting. Some great scenes. Reads like a Michael Mann script at time - in terms of big print. Characterbios. Not a lot of interior monologue. We don't get to know much about any of the others in the gang - the driver, Tom Sizemore, the other guy... just Val Kilmer and some de Niro and Pacino.

There's a convenient horrible villain who spans time and characters a version of Waingro. Some thrilling sequences - tracking him down in Chicago, and then in Mexico, and then in LA. Actually that is very repetitive. No bank robbing.

Chris/Kilmer goes to Paraguay. That's cool. Lots of research about electronics - a hangover from another script?

It clearly uses research from other Mann scripts (esp 2006 Miami Vice, Blackhat).. without going into spoilers I'd say it's entertaining and worth a read, I'm not sure it would make a great movie (how would you cast it? de-aging tech?) esp as it lacks a core central relationship like the one between Pacino and de Niro in the 1995 film (Pacino/Hanna and de Niro/McCauley were in love with each other, Pacino/Hanna and Kilmer/Chris doesn't have the same resonance) and the plotting over-relies on a super duper convenient Waingro-type character, but there's some very exciting sequences and I would totally be interested in reading novels of Thief, The Keep, Jericho Mile and yep I'll say it Blackhat...

Movie review - "Busting" (1974) **

 Peter Hyams first feature as director. Elliot Gould and Robert Blake are ideal as vice cops. The film has them busting a lot of people who shouldn't be in trouble with cops - prostitutes, gays. Maybe this was titillating in 1974. Or maybe it wasn't which is why this didn't do that well at the box office.

Excellent action sequences - in a market, cars. The violence is handled well. The acting is good - Gould is always good going undercover. It's episodic. But I found myself more on the side of Allen Garfield, the villain.

National General Pictures/Cinema Centre Films

 Short lived production company of the late 60s and early 70s like Cinema Centre.

CCF

A company of CBS to make theatrical films. Would rent facilities. Aimed for cost of $3 million a film. Started in March 1967.

* With Six You Get Eggroll (1968)

*A Fine Pair (1968)

*The April Fools (1969)

*Me Natalie (1969)

*The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969)

*Hail Hero (1969) - Michael Douglas drama

*A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969)

*The Reivers (1969)

*The Boys in the Band (1969)

*A Man Called Horse (1970) - Western with Richard Harris

*Something for Everyone (1970) - Harold Prince directed, Michael York

*Darker Than Amber (1970) - Rod Taylor as Travis McGee

*Adam at 6AM (1970) - more Michael Douglas

*Figures in a Landcsape (1970) - Joseph Losey

*Monte Walsh (1970) - Lee Marvin western

*Scrooge (1970) - British musical with Albert Finney

*Homer (1970) - Vietnam War homefront drama with Don Scardino

*Little Big Man (1970) - Dustin Hodfman/Arthur Penn Indian drama

*Rio Lobo (1970) - John Wayne western directed by Howard Hawks

*Black Water White Drath (1971)

*Big Jake (1971) - John Wayne western, a big hit

*Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying All These Things About Me? (1971) - Dustin Hoffman flop

*Le Mans (1971) -car racing film for Steve McQueen

*The African Elephant (1971) - documentary

*Something Big (1971) - Dean Martin western directed by Andrew McLaglen

*Christian Licorice Store (1971)

*The Little Ark (1972) - children's film

*The Revengers (1972) - Holden-Borgnine western

*The War Between Men and Women (1972) - Jack Lemmon film

*Prime Cut (1972) - Michael Ritchie film with Gene Hackman, Lee Marvin and Sissy Spacek

*Snoopy Come Home (1972)

Sept 1971 Gordon Stulberg joined Fox as preident, replaced by Milton Goldstein.

NGP (them as a production company - they also distributed some films)

* Robert kennedy Remembered (1968)

*The Stalking Moon (1968)

*Charro! (1969) - Elvis Presley Western

*A Dream of Kings (1969)

*Daddy's Gone a Hunting (1969) - Mark Robson, Lorenzo Semple

*Lattitude Zero (1969) - Japanese film with Joe Cotten

*The Grasshopper (1970) - melodrama with Jacie Bisset and Jim Brown

*The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) - with Stewart and Fonda

*El Condor (1970) - Western with Jim Brown and Lee Van Cleef

*The Baby Maker (1970) - James Bridges film

*The Todd Killings (1971) - serial kilelr movie

June 1969 - Charles Boasberg its new president

Late 1972 American Financial Corp starts buying stock and taking over

NGP released First Artists films like Judge Roy Bean, Pocket Money, Up the Sandbox

Elliot Gould Buddy Movies

 Just going over them there were a few

* Bob and Ted and Carol and Alice (1969) - with Robert Culp

*MASH (1970) - with Donald Sutherland

*Busting (1974) - with Robert Blake

* SPYS (1974) - with Donald Sutherland

*California Split (1975) - with George Segal

*Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976) - with James Caan

Doesn't quite make a top ten, I admit...

Movie review - "Planet of the Vampires" (1965) ***1/2 (re-watching)

 Fun. Gorgeous. Doesn't sustain tension oddly. Solid script. Luciana Palluzi is in a lot of fun movies. Barry Sullivan is fine.

Movie review - "Sound of Thunder" (2005) **

 Ray Bradbury's classic short story was turned into a notorious bomb - notorious mostly because it cost $80 million and the special effects are cheap. Peter Hyams has a strong track record - things happen. The frustrating aspect of that is the movie is such that they would've been better off faking the future. Three are lots of scenes you don't need to see like walking along with zapping cars. They could have just walked. Kept it minimal.

Ed Burns isn't entirely convincing as a scientist/hunter - they probably should have given this role to Ben Kingsley who hams it up enjoyably as a tycoon. Catherine McCormick is okay in a dull role - dogged scientist. There's a decent support cast but they struggle against unconvincing effects and some clunky dialogue.

I didn't mind the effects so much on my laptop where I watched it. And the basic story is fine. It could have had more finesse the way Bradbury's story did.

There was actually no need for this to be set in the future actually - it could've been set in the future or very near future, with corporations doing it on the sly. Would've been cheaper, sold the story more.