1) Chariots of Fire (1981)
2) Escape from New York (1981)
3) Local Hero (1983)
4) Another Country (1984)
5) The Killing Fields (1984)
6) White Mischief (1987)
7) Dance with a Stranger (1985)
8) Absolute Beginners (1987)
9) Cal (1984)
10) The Ploughman's Lunch (1982)
On one hand I can see how this got greenlit - classy writer, interesting book, promising director. Julie Christie signed on.
But it's so dull. England in economic collapse but everything is messy and shabby rather than dramatic. Christie watches things. A young girl roots a guy. There's visions of a Victorian era house.
The movie went on and on. At first I was forgiving but then I became annoyed because it's so doggedly un commercial.
This should've been done for TV if that. I felt like I was in a festival audience watching it. Trying to stay awake.
George MacDonald Fraser gave this a dismissive review in his book on historical movies. It's got the costumes and sets but isn't very good - Matheson Lang is too old and laid back for Drake. The drama isn't personalised, not really.
Nice photography. Impressive production values. But dull.
It's based on a historical pageant play and feels like it. There's scenes were people march though and music plays. It doesn't dramatise what's going on.
Lost money and no wonder. Dull. Goes through the greatest hits.
This would've had its place in 1987 with TV and Hollywood more conservative, so two acts of chat maybe weren't as draining. The chat is fine but the second act doesn't add to the first. Also he won't leave her house when she asks, and I know that was the time, but it's a drag.
A fine showpiece for actors.
I was in the mood for this. It's not very good but it's a big crap musical with Neil Diamond a warm presence with a wonderful voice who deserved a better film. Starts with a thumping song, shots of NYC and Diamond and Laurence Olivier being Jewish and you wonder what went wrong. Then Diamond's in blackface with some black musicians.
Franklin Ajaye and Luci Arnaz are perfect support. Script makes dumb decisions like not killing off Olivier (isn't that the point?). Apparently they were going to kill off Arnaz too that would've been ideal. And dumb to make him married that makes him an arsehole. Lean into the melodrama.
Great songs. Diamond doesn't disgrace himself. Olivier has a high old time. Campy fun when Diamond goes on the road.
Movie should have been book ended by a huge concert.
Phil Avalon surf melodrama with weirdly not that much surfing. Ryan Kwanten good value as a star. Simone Kessell uses a French accent. A lot going on. Drug smuggling. Woman struck by lightning. Brother overdosing with drugs. Kwanten going to prison. Embracing island style. Some Kessell nudity. Quite watchable.
Nothing wrong with elevated horror but sometimes it's so elevated you don't have the required sex, suspense, violence. This is a version of Bram Stoker's Jewel of the Seven Stars. It takes too long to get going - should have started with the birth, Stephanie Zimablist is too nice and polite in a role that needs someone exotic and strange (and her character is introduced far too late - the story should be about her being possessed). Charlton Heston is fine. Susannah York isn't bad just feels under-utilised.
The story hints at themes not developed - incest, death, so on. I can see why Orion asked for it to be recut. The writers Chris Bryant and Allan Scott adapted Don't Look Now and what this needed was Nic Roeg not Mike Newell at the start of his career.
Oh and you can tell moments where they've gone "make it more like The Omen."
