- Published on
Dark Sky Film Presents
A Yellow Veil Pictures Original Production
A DESERT
A FILM BY JOSHUA ERKMAN
STARRING DAVID YOW, KAI LENNOX, SARAH LIND, ZACHARY RAY SHERMAN, ASHLEY B. SMITH & ROB ZABRECKY
SCORE BY TY SEGALL
IN THEATERS MAY 2nd
Official Selection - Tribeca Film Festival
Total Film Award Best Film at FrightFest
Best Actor for Zach Sherman at FrightFest
Best Feature - New Visions at Sitges
Official Selection - Beyond Fest
Official Selection - Rama Skrik
SYNOPSIS:
A past his prime photographer heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest to recapture the magic and success of his previous work. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the dark and chaotic underbelly of America and unwittingly drags his wife and a shady private detective down into this nightmare world with him.
A DESERT is a sun-bleached neo-noir horror film about time, the chaos of our world, and the relevance of images in the cultural desert we are faced with today.
With music by Ty Segall whose new album Possession comes out May 30th, A DESERT stars David Yow (Dinner in America, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl from Plainville), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn, Die, My Love), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven, The CW's 90210) and Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity).
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Joshua Erkman is a writer, director, and musician living and working in Los Angeles. A DESERT is his first feature film. He received his BA in Cinema-Television Production from USC.
His surreal and horror-tinged short films have played at multiple film festivals around the world and have been licensed by streaming platforms Shudder and Alter.
In 2016, he was selected to participate in AMC Network’s inaugural Shudder Labs filmmaker program. His short film HIDDEN MOTHER was one of eight short films produced by the Sundance Institute and Hulu as part of Huluween 2019. Additionally, his feature project THE ARSONISTS, was selected to participate in the 2021 Frontieres genre market, organized by the Fantasia International Film Festival in collaboration with Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes.
He has directed a number of music videos for various rock ‘n roll/punk groups, which have been featured in Rolling Stone, Spin, and Pitchfork.
A past his prime photographer heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest to recapture the magic and success of his previous work. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the dark and chaotic underbelly of America and unwittingly drags his wife and a shady private detective down into this nightmare world with him.
A DESERT is a sun-bleached neo-noir horror film about time, the chaos of our world, and the relevance of images in the cultural desert we are faced with today.
With music by Ty Segall whose new album Possession comes out May 30th, A DESERT stars David Yow (Dinner in America, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl from Plainville), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn, Die, My Love), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven, The CW's 90210) and Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity).
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Joshua Erkman is a writer, director, and musician living and working in Los Angeles. A DESERT is his first feature film. He received his BA in Cinema-Television Production from USC.
His surreal and horror-tinged short films have played at multiple film festivals around the world and have been licensed by streaming platforms Shudder and Alter.
In 2016, he was selected to participate in AMC Network’s inaugural Shudder Labs filmmaker program. His short film HIDDEN MOTHER was one of eight short films produced by the Sundance Institute and Hulu as part of Huluween 2019. Additionally, his feature project THE ARSONISTS, was selected to participate in the 2021 Frontieres genre market, organized by the Fantasia International Film Festival in collaboration with Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes.
He has directed a number of music videos for various rock ‘n roll/punk groups, which have been featured in Rolling Stone, Spin, and Pitchfork.
A DESERT
A Yellow Veil Pictures Original Production
Directed by: Joshua Erkman
Written by: Joshua Erkman & Bossi Baker
Produced by: Hugues Barbier, Joshua Erkman, Justin Timms, & Joe Yanick
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Run Time: 102 minutes
Cast: David Yow (Dinner in America, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl from Plainville), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn, Die, My Love), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven, The CW's 90210), Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity),
Rob Zabrecky (Lost River, A Ghost Story) & S.A Griffin (Free LSD, California Scheming)
A Yellow Veil Pictures Original Production
Directed by: Joshua Erkman
Written by: Joshua Erkman & Bossi Baker
Produced by: Hugues Barbier, Joshua Erkman, Justin Timms, & Joe Yanick
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Run Time: 102 minutes
Cast: David Yow (Dinner in America, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl from Plainville), Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn, Die, My Love), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven, The CW's 90210), Ashley B. Smith (Off Ramp, Extremity),
Rob Zabrecky (Lost River, A Ghost Story) & S.A Griffin (Free LSD, California Scheming)
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING...
"Had a great time with this one!" - INDIEWIRE
"It’s a nightmare that burrows under one’s skin like a virus (or a curse), and it heralds its creator as a bracing new genre-filmmaking voice." - DAILY BEAST
"Erkman has made a distinctly eerie and sinister debut that succeeds at sneaking into the depths of your subconscious." - COLLIDER
"Incredibly impressed!" - RUE MORGUE
"There’s no hand holding or easy answers in this genre-bender, but its richly textured world and morally complex characters ensure an unpredictable voyage worth taking." - BLOODY DISGUSTING
"Loved the film. Made me feel the worst in a long time - and that’s a compliment. The bastard love child of Psycho and Twentynine Palms. I liked that the film treats the viewer as grown ups, and is like a [messed] up choose your own adventures for sickos.” - AWFJ
"I really enjoyed. Joshua Erkman’s metacinematic feature debut is an elegiac neo-noir located where photography, pornography and geology cross paths." - PROJECTED FIGURES
"Had a great time with this one!" - INDIEWIRE
"It’s a nightmare that burrows under one’s skin like a virus (or a curse), and it heralds its creator as a bracing new genre-filmmaking voice." - DAILY BEAST
"Erkman has made a distinctly eerie and sinister debut that succeeds at sneaking into the depths of your subconscious." - COLLIDER
"Incredibly impressed!" - RUE MORGUE
"There’s no hand holding or easy answers in this genre-bender, but its richly textured world and morally complex characters ensure an unpredictable voyage worth taking." - BLOODY DISGUSTING
"Loved the film. Made me feel the worst in a long time - and that’s a compliment. The bastard love child of Psycho and Twentynine Palms. I liked that the film treats the viewer as grown ups, and is like a [messed] up choose your own adventures for sickos.” - AWFJ
"I really enjoyed. Joshua Erkman’s metacinematic feature debut is an elegiac neo-noir located where photography, pornography and geology cross paths." - PROJECTED FIGURES
- Published on
As one who appreciates an older flick or two, I grow increasingly saddened by the fact that today’s audiences will rarely – if ever – give any attention to the productions of the bygone era.
For example, the local theater chain in my state sponsors Tuesday Night Classics, an ongoing series that celebrates the productions of yesterday with bargain-priced screenings every – you guessed it – Tuesday eve. The curator of the series arranges this line-up reasonably well in advance; and the company does take patron suggestions via email. (I know this as I’ve submitted a good number of titles over the years.) The only problem I have with such events is that it’s pretty rare for any legitimately older films – except the truly well-known ones – to see the flickering light from the projectors. While it’s great for opportunities to see Citizen Kane (1941), Casablanca (1942), or Singing In The Rain (1952) annually, I’m still aghast that offerings like Legally Blonde (2001) or How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003) somehow have it easy taking an available slot in the rotation.
For this reason, I’m forever thankful that Turner Classic Movies continues broadcasting a vast catalogue to truly classic films, ones that probably deserve the occasional dusting off and restoration even though folks aren’t exactly clamoring for something tried-and-true. Once a week, I scroll through their guide and set recordings for those truly old pictures that tweak my interest, keeping the reliable DVR filled with an eclectic assortment of genre films for the occasional rainy day. I hope I’m not the only cable customer that still does this, and yet I long ago came to terms with the fact that I’m an ‘old dog’ to many. So be it … and get off my lawn.
Last night’s theatrical treat: 1934’s Tarzan And His Mate, the second cinematic production to feature Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller in the role that made him a household name.
The athlete headlined an astonishing twelve different pictures delivering the signature Edgar Rice Burroughs’ creation to the silver screen spread across sixteen years. While these motion pictures were still found reasonably well in television syndication of my youth, they’ve all but vanished today. A 2016 flick – The Legend Of Tarzan starring Alexander Skarsgard, Samuel L. Jackson, and Margot Robbie – performed admirably at the box office but failed to fuel any lasting resurgence for one of the stronger characters to emerge from the days of pulp novels; thus, anyone seeking a return-to-form really has to search hard into filmdom’s deep, deep past to see how influential a muscular man in little more than a loincloth could have been.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
For example, the local theater chain in my state sponsors Tuesday Night Classics, an ongoing series that celebrates the productions of yesterday with bargain-priced screenings every – you guessed it – Tuesday eve. The curator of the series arranges this line-up reasonably well in advance; and the company does take patron suggestions via email. (I know this as I’ve submitted a good number of titles over the years.) The only problem I have with such events is that it’s pretty rare for any legitimately older films – except the truly well-known ones – to see the flickering light from the projectors. While it’s great for opportunities to see Citizen Kane (1941), Casablanca (1942), or Singing In The Rain (1952) annually, I’m still aghast that offerings like Legally Blonde (2001) or How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003) somehow have it easy taking an available slot in the rotation.
For this reason, I’m forever thankful that Turner Classic Movies continues broadcasting a vast catalogue to truly classic films, ones that probably deserve the occasional dusting off and restoration even though folks aren’t exactly clamoring for something tried-and-true. Once a week, I scroll through their guide and set recordings for those truly old pictures that tweak my interest, keeping the reliable DVR filled with an eclectic assortment of genre films for the occasional rainy day. I hope I’m not the only cable customer that still does this, and yet I long ago came to terms with the fact that I’m an ‘old dog’ to many. So be it … and get off my lawn.
Last night’s theatrical treat: 1934’s Tarzan And His Mate, the second cinematic production to feature Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller in the role that made him a household name.
The athlete headlined an astonishing twelve different pictures delivering the signature Edgar Rice Burroughs’ creation to the silver screen spread across sixteen years. While these motion pictures were still found reasonably well in television syndication of my youth, they’ve all but vanished today. A 2016 flick – The Legend Of Tarzan starring Alexander Skarsgard, Samuel L. Jackson, and Margot Robbie – performed admirably at the box office but failed to fuel any lasting resurgence for one of the stronger characters to emerge from the days of pulp novels; thus, anyone seeking a return-to-form really has to search hard into filmdom’s deep, deep past to see how influential a muscular man in little more than a loincloth could have been.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“The idyllic life of Tarzan and Jane is challenged by men on safari who come seeking ivory and come seeking Jane as well.”
The truth is that Tarzan And His Mate opens, and the seminal swinger is nowhere to be seen. It really isn’t about until twenty-minutes in that actor Weissmuller and his Jane (played by the fetching Maureen O’Sullivan) make their entrance; and this is because the story as crafted by James Kevin McGuinness, Howard Emmett Rogers, Leon Gordon, and Bud Barsky set the stage by introducing two different teams of treasure seekers – one shown briefly while the other becomes the main focus – in pursuit of fortune and glory that ties inevitably to Tarzan, Jane, and the fabled Elephant’s Graveyard where an endless supply of ivory tusks awaits.
Harry Holt (Neil Hamilton, who would eventually famously play Commissioner Gordon in the late 1960’s Superhero series Batman) has come to Africa with hopes of convincing the lovely Jane Parker to abandon her fascination with swinging from vines and return to London. Though he realizes his chances are slim for winning her heart and hand from the Lord of the Apes, he’s come prepared to shower her with – get this – dresses and perfume, the likes of which she hasn’t seen since leaving civilization behind. Martin Arlington (Paul Cavanagh) has joined Holt on this adventure chiefly because he, too, has heard tales of the woman’s beauty as well as the promise of boundless ivory; so he’s willing to risk life and limb for a chance to touch Heaven on Earth and maybe even ‘bring it back alive.’
Once Holt and Arlington find themselves in somewhat dire straits in the dense jungle, Tarzan and Jane make their grand entrance, essentially saving the day and agreeing to serve as guides to the elusive and distant elephant burial grounds. Along the way, Holt begins to realize that he really hasn’t a chance to steal Jane’s heart, a development which only causes his somewhat dastardly partner to increase his own advances on the lady. After they reach the graveyard only to lose Tarzan’s support as the ape man realizes that the hunters are only after the ivory, Arlington double-crosses Tarzan privately, seemingly shooting and leaving him for dead.
Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize our hero is still alive. Why, his name is in the title, after all! And – last I checked – this is his franchise. Still, there’s a bit of misdirection, most of which is dramatically necessary for Jane to come to grips with losing the love of her life and realize there’s no life for her in the jungle sans her fallen hubby and protector. But trying to abscond with all that ivory draws the ire of natives who’ve long protected the mythical lands, leaving Holt, Arlington, Jane, and their remaining team in a predicament that only the original ‘Lord of the Apes’ can rescue them from if he can make it back in the nick of time.
So, yes, there’s a fair amount of predictability in the second half of Tarzan And His Mate, mostly because any franchise property has fairly established parameters around which probably every adventure operates. Tarzan emerges from every encounter not entirely unscathed – he tangles with lions, tigers crocodiles, as well as the occasional jungle native – and has the scratches to prove it. While modern audiences might take issue with such a pale skinned male emerging as almost the – ahem – white conqueror over such lawless lands, audiences of old (and those of us who remember this is meant to be entertainment, for Pete’s sake!) will still most likely accept this as the pure escapism it was meant to be. Speaking in broken English, Tarzan is portrayed as a muscular simpleton who represents mankind’s best primal instincts – if it belongs to the jungle, then he’ll see the jungle retains it – so I never put much stake in those ideas that suggested ideologically was intended to be some ‘white savior.’ He’s white. Sure, he saves the day. But that’s as far as that hogwash got with me.
“The idyllic life of Tarzan and Jane is challenged by men on safari who come seeking ivory and come seeking Jane as well.”
The truth is that Tarzan And His Mate opens, and the seminal swinger is nowhere to be seen. It really isn’t about until twenty-minutes in that actor Weissmuller and his Jane (played by the fetching Maureen O’Sullivan) make their entrance; and this is because the story as crafted by James Kevin McGuinness, Howard Emmett Rogers, Leon Gordon, and Bud Barsky set the stage by introducing two different teams of treasure seekers – one shown briefly while the other becomes the main focus – in pursuit of fortune and glory that ties inevitably to Tarzan, Jane, and the fabled Elephant’s Graveyard where an endless supply of ivory tusks awaits.
Harry Holt (Neil Hamilton, who would eventually famously play Commissioner Gordon in the late 1960’s Superhero series Batman) has come to Africa with hopes of convincing the lovely Jane Parker to abandon her fascination with swinging from vines and return to London. Though he realizes his chances are slim for winning her heart and hand from the Lord of the Apes, he’s come prepared to shower her with – get this – dresses and perfume, the likes of which she hasn’t seen since leaving civilization behind. Martin Arlington (Paul Cavanagh) has joined Holt on this adventure chiefly because he, too, has heard tales of the woman’s beauty as well as the promise of boundless ivory; so he’s willing to risk life and limb for a chance to touch Heaven on Earth and maybe even ‘bring it back alive.’
Once Holt and Arlington find themselves in somewhat dire straits in the dense jungle, Tarzan and Jane make their grand entrance, essentially saving the day and agreeing to serve as guides to the elusive and distant elephant burial grounds. Along the way, Holt begins to realize that he really hasn’t a chance to steal Jane’s heart, a development which only causes his somewhat dastardly partner to increase his own advances on the lady. After they reach the graveyard only to lose Tarzan’s support as the ape man realizes that the hunters are only after the ivory, Arlington double-crosses Tarzan privately, seemingly shooting and leaving him for dead.
Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize our hero is still alive. Why, his name is in the title, after all! And – last I checked – this is his franchise. Still, there’s a bit of misdirection, most of which is dramatically necessary for Jane to come to grips with losing the love of her life and realize there’s no life for her in the jungle sans her fallen hubby and protector. But trying to abscond with all that ivory draws the ire of natives who’ve long protected the mythical lands, leaving Holt, Arlington, Jane, and their remaining team in a predicament that only the original ‘Lord of the Apes’ can rescue them from if he can make it back in the nick of time.
So, yes, there’s a fair amount of predictability in the second half of Tarzan And His Mate, mostly because any franchise property has fairly established parameters around which probably every adventure operates. Tarzan emerges from every encounter not entirely unscathed – he tangles with lions, tigers crocodiles, as well as the occasional jungle native – and has the scratches to prove it. While modern audiences might take issue with such a pale skinned male emerging as almost the – ahem – white conqueror over such lawless lands, audiences of old (and those of us who remember this is meant to be entertainment, for Pete’s sake!) will still most likely accept this as the pure escapism it was meant to be. Speaking in broken English, Tarzan is portrayed as a muscular simpleton who represents mankind’s best primal instincts – if it belongs to the jungle, then he’ll see the jungle retains it – so I never put much stake in those ideas that suggested ideologically was intended to be some ‘white savior.’ He’s white. Sure, he saves the day. But that’s as far as that hogwash got with me.
In many ways, O’Sullivan’s Jane emerges as a surprising screen equal. Given the character's pedigree, she’s along for the ride to underscore the moral particulars of why Tarzan does what he does: without her interpretation and the occasional dissertation, the ape man would be little more than a jungle-aged Superman-lite. She loves him – and says so – not because he’s an athletic with the body to prove it but because his heart and motives remain pure to the law of the land. The fact that he’s in peak physical condition is just an added bonus. But it’s she who gives words to the growing fable surrounding the love of her life, and her scenes arguably are as important as any of his feats of strength.
Visually, Tarzan And His Mate is quite the spectacle, so much so that even decades later I’m not entirely sure how they accomplished everything they did here without significant loss of life and limb. Actors and vicious animals share several frames; and a few sequences hint as to how much risk there was and remains today when trying to shift several pieces of the food chain about in the same mix. Though a few bits are rather obvious screen trickery, its nothing that detracts significantly from the derring-do, something that was a necessity in screen adventures of this sort. Sadly, we don’t get thrills like this today without CGI; and, yes, it makes me feel old sometimes just watching it done old-style.
For those of you who relish flicks of this sort, Tarzan And His Mate was still pre-code Hollywood, meaning it was shot entirely before the Hays Code was instituted to prohibit certain – erm – more salacious images and dialogue. As such, there’s a wonderful underwater swimming sequence of private time shared between the jungle’s ‘husband and wife’ that’s sexier than many R-rated films achieve even today; and that’s definitely saying something for what storytellers could accomplish in days of old. While it may not be O’Sullivan’s feminine form on display (the film credits Olympic medalist Josephine McKim as the swimming double), it’s still a deliciously sensuous ballet that I’ve read understandably stoked a bit of controversy even back in the day.
It's also worth noting that in 2003 the film was inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry, the organization that seeks to preserve features that have demonstrated lasting aesthetic or cultural appeal to the medium.
Tarzan And His Mate (1934) was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
Yes, it makes me feel old knowing that Tarzan And His Mate (1934) still resonates as a worthy theatrical endeavor; and yet I don’t feel bad about it. The story is timeless in a way that only the best classics deliver. While the script kinda/sorta misses out on the opportunity for Tarzan to get vengeance against those who may’ve done him wrong, the character was never about seeking retribution: rather, he was about being a steward to the land and the creatures who inhabited it, so thematically all is well in the jungle. Excellent performances and some outstanding visuals make this one worth its running time in the price of gold … or make that ivory.
Highly Recommended.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that I’m beholden to no one for my thoughts on Tarzan And His Mate (1934) as I viewed it via television broadcast on Turner Classic Movies with my very own subscription.
-- EZ
Visually, Tarzan And His Mate is quite the spectacle, so much so that even decades later I’m not entirely sure how they accomplished everything they did here without significant loss of life and limb. Actors and vicious animals share several frames; and a few sequences hint as to how much risk there was and remains today when trying to shift several pieces of the food chain about in the same mix. Though a few bits are rather obvious screen trickery, its nothing that detracts significantly from the derring-do, something that was a necessity in screen adventures of this sort. Sadly, we don’t get thrills like this today without CGI; and, yes, it makes me feel old sometimes just watching it done old-style.
For those of you who relish flicks of this sort, Tarzan And His Mate was still pre-code Hollywood, meaning it was shot entirely before the Hays Code was instituted to prohibit certain – erm – more salacious images and dialogue. As such, there’s a wonderful underwater swimming sequence of private time shared between the jungle’s ‘husband and wife’ that’s sexier than many R-rated films achieve even today; and that’s definitely saying something for what storytellers could accomplish in days of old. While it may not be O’Sullivan’s feminine form on display (the film credits Olympic medalist Josephine McKim as the swimming double), it’s still a deliciously sensuous ballet that I’ve read understandably stoked a bit of controversy even back in the day.
It's also worth noting that in 2003 the film was inducted into the U.S. National Film Registry, the organization that seeks to preserve features that have demonstrated lasting aesthetic or cultural appeal to the medium.
Tarzan And His Mate (1934) was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
Yes, it makes me feel old knowing that Tarzan And His Mate (1934) still resonates as a worthy theatrical endeavor; and yet I don’t feel bad about it. The story is timeless in a way that only the best classics deliver. While the script kinda/sorta misses out on the opportunity for Tarzan to get vengeance against those who may’ve done him wrong, the character was never about seeking retribution: rather, he was about being a steward to the land and the creatures who inhabited it, so thematically all is well in the jungle. Excellent performances and some outstanding visuals make this one worth its running time in the price of gold … or make that ivory.
Highly Recommended.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that I’m beholden to no one for my thoughts on Tarzan And His Mate (1934) as I viewed it via television broadcast on Turner Classic Movies with my very own subscription.
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in 2024 in the Great White North that is the nation of Canada, Sentinel enjoyed its very first release to the masses via the Information Superhighway.
Directed by Stefano Milla from a story by Katherine Tomlinson, the SciFi/Fantasy starred Jason R. Moore, Michael Paré, Ellie Patrikios, Neil Cole, John Stewart Arnold, Denitza Diakovska, Marcus Nel-Jamal Hamm, Paolo Mazzini, Maurizio Corigliano, Christian Dentico, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Years after an alien invasion almost extinguished human mankind, refugee on a secret base on the Moon, three heroes decide to jump into a time travel in the desperate attempt to save the survivors but they don't know that the Sentinel is waiting for them."
-- EZ
On this day in 2024 in the Great White North that is the nation of Canada, Sentinel enjoyed its very first release to the masses via the Information Superhighway.
Directed by Stefano Milla from a story by Katherine Tomlinson, the SciFi/Fantasy starred Jason R. Moore, Michael Paré, Ellie Patrikios, Neil Cole, John Stewart Arnold, Denitza Diakovska, Marcus Nel-Jamal Hamm, Paolo Mazzini, Maurizio Corigliano, Christian Dentico, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Years after an alien invasion almost extinguished human mankind, refugee on a secret base on the Moon, three heroes decide to jump into a time travel in the desperate attempt to save the survivors but they don't know that the Sentinel is waiting for them."
-- EZ
- Published on
As I often remind readers to SciFiHistory.Net, there are a great many actors, actresses, writers, directors, and more who don't exactly live and breathe in the realms of the Fantastic. Rather, they might make a stop or two before moving along to whatever projects suits them next. As a consequence, their names might not be well known -- arguably not as well known as many -- but they deserve a bit of attention when Fate calls.
Wings Hauser was likely known more for his forays into some unconventional and/or cutting edge crime and dramatic stuff. I certainly knew his name from some releases back in the late 1980's and early 1990's -- an era wherein I think he was incredibly busy going from one set to the next -- but then he turned in work in far more mainstream outings than anything else. Regardless, genre fans might recognize him from time served aboard such properties as Mutant (1984), Airwolf, The Highwayman, Nightmare At Noon (1988), The Carpenter (1988), Space Rangers, Freddy's Nightmares, Pale Blood (1990), Beastmaster 2: Through The Portal Of Time (1991), Watchers III (1994), and Tales From The Hood (1995).
Alas, none of us lasts forever, and word reached the World Wide Web late yesterday of the man's passing.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fan of Wings Hauser.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
Wings Hauser was likely known more for his forays into some unconventional and/or cutting edge crime and dramatic stuff. I certainly knew his name from some releases back in the late 1980's and early 1990's -- an era wherein I think he was incredibly busy going from one set to the next -- but then he turned in work in far more mainstream outings than anything else. Regardless, genre fans might recognize him from time served aboard such properties as Mutant (1984), Airwolf, The Highwayman, Nightmare At Noon (1988), The Carpenter (1988), Space Rangers, Freddy's Nightmares, Pale Blood (1990), Beastmaster 2: Through The Portal Of Time (1991), Watchers III (1994), and Tales From The Hood (1995).
Alas, none of us lasts forever, and word reached the World Wide Web late yesterday of the man's passing.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fan of Wings Hauser.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
As a genre unto itself, Horror not only has a lot to offer audiences but also incorporates an astonishing level of variety in delivering such flights and frights.
From traditional slasher flicks like Friday The 13th (1980) to Pearl (2022) … from paranormal romances like Ghost (1990) to The In Between (2022) … from vampire delights like Dracula (1931) to Twilight (2008) … and from demonic possession chills like The Exorcist (1973) to The Conjuring (2013) … there really is something for everyone. And, frankly, there really is a great deal more, as a quick glance at Google.com suggests that further categories exist – headings like Body Horror, Alien Lifeforms, Psychological Horror, Folk Horror, and Dark Fantasy only begin to hint at the vast surprises that await audiences will go travel paths less traveled, unafraid of things that most definitely will go bump in the night. Perhaps this is why Horror remains one of the oldest and most profitable types of productions to get greenlit no matter what’s going on out there amongst the rest of society: no matter what ails us culturally, we’re always willing to buy tickets and sit in the dark to be scared silly if that’s the only real escape we might enjoy in the hardest of times.
Of course, Horror – I think – truly owes its origins to the classic monster movie. Even within that single subset of the broader category there remains an infinite variety of choices. Not every Frankenstein gets cobbled together by some mad doctor living in some distant castle, you know. Sometimes, even madder scientists are working on the government dime, and they’re really only trying to make our world a better place by dabbling in experimental genetics, atomic radiation, or behavioral modification. They never really meant to make those frogs into bloodthirsty carnivores, nor did they mean for COVID to escape that lab (if it did) or infect that bat (if it did). Monsters can take any shape … but some of the deadliest were originally renowned as being ‘man’s best friend.’
It’s here that a film like Venom (1981) exists.
Its monster is none other than the dread Black Mamba, a species of highly venomous snakes indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. But in order to translate such a cold-blooded killer into something that might be feared by more than Africans, author Alan Scholefield – in his popular 1977 novel of the same name – emigrated a particular nasty specimen of the Dendroaspis Polylepis and deposits him in a somewhat posh British neighborhood when a young boy – thinking he had just picked up an exotic pet – brings it home from the corner pet store.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From traditional slasher flicks like Friday The 13th (1980) to Pearl (2022) … from paranormal romances like Ghost (1990) to The In Between (2022) … from vampire delights like Dracula (1931) to Twilight (2008) … and from demonic possession chills like The Exorcist (1973) to The Conjuring (2013) … there really is something for everyone. And, frankly, there really is a great deal more, as a quick glance at Google.com suggests that further categories exist – headings like Body Horror, Alien Lifeforms, Psychological Horror, Folk Horror, and Dark Fantasy only begin to hint at the vast surprises that await audiences will go travel paths less traveled, unafraid of things that most definitely will go bump in the night. Perhaps this is why Horror remains one of the oldest and most profitable types of productions to get greenlit no matter what’s going on out there amongst the rest of society: no matter what ails us culturally, we’re always willing to buy tickets and sit in the dark to be scared silly if that’s the only real escape we might enjoy in the hardest of times.
Of course, Horror – I think – truly owes its origins to the classic monster movie. Even within that single subset of the broader category there remains an infinite variety of choices. Not every Frankenstein gets cobbled together by some mad doctor living in some distant castle, you know. Sometimes, even madder scientists are working on the government dime, and they’re really only trying to make our world a better place by dabbling in experimental genetics, atomic radiation, or behavioral modification. They never really meant to make those frogs into bloodthirsty carnivores, nor did they mean for COVID to escape that lab (if it did) or infect that bat (if it did). Monsters can take any shape … but some of the deadliest were originally renowned as being ‘man’s best friend.’
It’s here that a film like Venom (1981) exists.
Its monster is none other than the dread Black Mamba, a species of highly venomous snakes indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. But in order to translate such a cold-blooded killer into something that might be feared by more than Africans, author Alan Scholefield – in his popular 1977 novel of the same name – emigrated a particular nasty specimen of the Dendroaspis Polylepis and deposits him in a somewhat posh British neighborhood when a young boy – thinking he had just picked up an exotic pet – brings it home from the corner pet store.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Terrorists in the process of kidnapping a child get trapped in a house with an extremely deadly snake.”
When I first saw Jaws back in 1975, I distinctly remember arguing with my classmates over whether or not it was all that scary a film. As even at that ripe young age I was well known for my controversial takes on just about anything, I insisted that it really wasn’t all that terrifying to me because – simply put – I lived in rural Illinois; and – as such – I didn’t have immediate access to any expansive body of water wherein sharks dwelled. Sure, it was a great bit of theatrical escape, but it just didn’t frighten me as I couldn’t relate. Sharks were a distant thing – nothing I could relate to – and that just didn’t rile me up the way something more accessible … like, maybe, snakes would.
Well … I got my wish a few years later when Venom enjoyed its big screen release. My familiarity with such ground-dwelling predators had my Spidey sense tingling; and I expected to be in for the thrill ride of my short (to that point) life.
Alas, it didn’t quite happen.
While Venom was good and definitely expertly made – director Piers Haggard took over the production after Tobe Hooper bowed out, and I think it all looks grand even with the somewhat silly use of the snake-cam (a birds-eye view from the perspective of the black mamba slithering about) – the film never quite makes great use of the seminal creature. Sure, it’s there more often as a threat than it is authentically – everyone in the hostage drama spends an inordinate amount of time looking for the escaped critter – and that just really weakens a great deal of the narrative suspense that should’ve been a bit more … erm … frenetic.
As an example, 1975’s Jaws made great use of employing the Great White Shark’s perspective in the lead-up to any big bloody sequence. Along with John Williams’ haunting score, the watchers were slowly drawn into the gnashing experience until everything crescendoed with body parts a’flying and a’flailing. By contract, Haggard’s snake-cam offers up essentially useless – or definitely not scary – footage of the serpent creeping and crawling through HVAC ducts as it tries to get closer to the ultimate source of heat; and – sorry, folks – that just ain’t frightening in the slightest. The director does give it some admirable flourish in the few actual snake attacks in what amounts otherwise to a rather conventional hostage drama; but in the end there just isn’t enough thrills, chills, and spills to make this one bigger than the sum of its snake parts.
“Terrorists in the process of kidnapping a child get trapped in a house with an extremely deadly snake.”
When I first saw Jaws back in 1975, I distinctly remember arguing with my classmates over whether or not it was all that scary a film. As even at that ripe young age I was well known for my controversial takes on just about anything, I insisted that it really wasn’t all that terrifying to me because – simply put – I lived in rural Illinois; and – as such – I didn’t have immediate access to any expansive body of water wherein sharks dwelled. Sure, it was a great bit of theatrical escape, but it just didn’t frighten me as I couldn’t relate. Sharks were a distant thing – nothing I could relate to – and that just didn’t rile me up the way something more accessible … like, maybe, snakes would.
Well … I got my wish a few years later when Venom enjoyed its big screen release. My familiarity with such ground-dwelling predators had my Spidey sense tingling; and I expected to be in for the thrill ride of my short (to that point) life.
Alas, it didn’t quite happen.
While Venom was good and definitely expertly made – director Piers Haggard took over the production after Tobe Hooper bowed out, and I think it all looks grand even with the somewhat silly use of the snake-cam (a birds-eye view from the perspective of the black mamba slithering about) – the film never quite makes great use of the seminal creature. Sure, it’s there more often as a threat than it is authentically – everyone in the hostage drama spends an inordinate amount of time looking for the escaped critter – and that just really weakens a great deal of the narrative suspense that should’ve been a bit more … erm … frenetic.
As an example, 1975’s Jaws made great use of employing the Great White Shark’s perspective in the lead-up to any big bloody sequence. Along with John Williams’ haunting score, the watchers were slowly drawn into the gnashing experience until everything crescendoed with body parts a’flying and a’flailing. By contract, Haggard’s snake-cam offers up essentially useless – or definitely not scary – footage of the serpent creeping and crawling through HVAC ducts as it tries to get closer to the ultimate source of heat; and – sorry, folks – that just ain’t frightening in the slightest. The director does give it some admirable flourish in the few actual snake attacks in what amounts otherwise to a rather conventional hostage drama; but in the end there just isn’t enough thrills, chills, and spills to make this one bigger than the sum of its snake parts.
A trio of ne’er-do-wells – Louise Andrews (Susan George), Dave Averconnelly (Oliver Reed), and Jacques Müller (Klaus Kinski) – hatch an elaborate kidnapping scheme to abscond with young Philip Hopkins (Lance Holcomb), the son of an international real estate mogul, and hold him for ransom whilst the boy’s mother is away on holiday. Their plans go awry, however, when the young man unleashes a black mamba snake in his bedroom – thinking it is nothing more than a garden variety serpent he’s had on order from a nearby pet shop – and the beast bites Louise in the face. A local policeman had been alerted to the error by the black mamba’s original recipient – Dr. Marion Stowe (Sarah Miles) – and the poor chap unfortunately shows up at the height of the chaos at the Hopkins residence. In a wave of panic, Averconnelly shoots the cop, and now all involved have no choice but to batten down the hatches and hold up inside the mansion … with the deadly snake seemingly always on the prowl.
Instead of some elaborately staged carnival ride like other features using a horrific monster at its core, Venom works rather skillfully as a ‘locked box’ hostage drama: none of its players can quite get out – without risking capture or death from the surrounding police force – while the local constabulary are searching for a way to get in. The script from Robert Carrington has a few twists and turns – Dr. Stowe gets pulled into the whole affair by a quirk of fate – and there are some tense exchanges between the villainous Müller and police commander William Bulloch (a fabulous performance by the late Nicol Williamson). Also along for the ride is young Philip’s grandfather – Howard Anderson (Sterling Hayden) – a retired big-game hunter whose expertise comes in handy on more than a single occasion.
Nonetheless, there’s no escaping the fact that Venom – as a Horror – just never quite works all that well. Though Haggard intersperses the snake-cam sequences throughout his film, there’s just no teeth to most of them as the audience is basically treated to a tour of the home’s ductwork. (Was that honestly meant to be frightening?) Kinski and Reed are a volatile combination – listening to either commentary track is recommended as their behind-the-scenes sparring sounds vastly more legendary than anything they produce on screen – but their shared screen time here only hints at the screen magic that could’ve resulted in two Alpha Males shuttling to call the shots. Hayden brings a bit of gravitas to all of this – he both looks and sounds like he’s put mileage on his human wheels – but Miles gets wasted in a role that probably should’ve gone to someone else entirely.
Venom (1981) was produced by Morison Film Group and Venom Productions Limited. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Blue Underground. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the newly restored (in 4K) cut to be exceptional from start-to-finish. There’s a bit of grain in some of the snake-cam sequences, but it’s really negligible. Lastly, if you’re looking for Special Features? Once more: Wow! Blue Underground has seemingly sparred no expense to load up this two-disc set with an incredible assortment of whatnot. In order to be thorough, I’m doing the noble copy-and-paste from the company’s press release previously published on Blu-ray.com:
Instead of some elaborately staged carnival ride like other features using a horrific monster at its core, Venom works rather skillfully as a ‘locked box’ hostage drama: none of its players can quite get out – without risking capture or death from the surrounding police force – while the local constabulary are searching for a way to get in. The script from Robert Carrington has a few twists and turns – Dr. Stowe gets pulled into the whole affair by a quirk of fate – and there are some tense exchanges between the villainous Müller and police commander William Bulloch (a fabulous performance by the late Nicol Williamson). Also along for the ride is young Philip’s grandfather – Howard Anderson (Sterling Hayden) – a retired big-game hunter whose expertise comes in handy on more than a single occasion.
Nonetheless, there’s no escaping the fact that Venom – as a Horror – just never quite works all that well. Though Haggard intersperses the snake-cam sequences throughout his film, there’s just no teeth to most of them as the audience is basically treated to a tour of the home’s ductwork. (Was that honestly meant to be frightening?) Kinski and Reed are a volatile combination – listening to either commentary track is recommended as their behind-the-scenes sparring sounds vastly more legendary than anything they produce on screen – but their shared screen time here only hints at the screen magic that could’ve resulted in two Alpha Males shuttling to call the shots. Hayden brings a bit of gravitas to all of this – he both looks and sounds like he’s put mileage on his human wheels – but Miles gets wasted in a role that probably should’ve gone to someone else entirely.
Venom (1981) was produced by Morison Film Group and Venom Productions Limited. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Blue Underground. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the newly restored (in 4K) cut to be exceptional from start-to-finish. There’s a bit of grain in some of the snake-cam sequences, but it’s really negligible. Lastly, if you’re looking for Special Features? Once more: Wow! Blue Underground has seemingly sparred no expense to load up this two-disc set with an incredible assortment of whatnot. In order to be thorough, I’m doing the noble copy-and-paste from the company’s press release previously published on Blu-ray.com:
DISC ONE - 4K BLU-RAY
DISC TWO - BLU-RAY
Recommended.
Venom (1981) surprisingly maintains a storytelling efficiency across its 90-minutes running time that’ll likely pleased most folks who discover its (slim) frights and (claustrophic) frames. The chief problem, however, is that there really is very, very, very little Horror in here – the venomous black mamba really only does its thing sparingly and then probably phoned it in, going with what it only knew how to do – so hardcore genre enthusiasts might find themselves counting the minutes in between and wondering what all of the fuss was supposed to be about. The film works far more effectively as a conventional kidnapping thriller – set in a single location – and should be celebrated for what it does achieve instead of criticized for what it doesn’t.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Blue Underground provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Venom (1981) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- EXCLUSIVE NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM (2025)
- DOLBY VISION/HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
- NEW DOLBY ATMOS REMIX, plus DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 tracks
- NEW Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson and Eugenio Ercolani
- Audio Commentary with Director Piers Haggard
- Trailers
- Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
- Region Free
DISC TWO - BLU-RAY
- EXCLUSIVE NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM (2025)
- NEW Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson and Eugenio Ercolani
- NEW Fangs For The Memories – Interview with Editor/Second Unit Director Michael Bradsell
- NEW A Slithery Story – Interview with Makeup Artist Nick Dudman
- NEW Mamba Memories – Interview with Author & Critic Kim Newman
- NEW Pick Your Poison – Interview with The Dark Side's Allan Bryce
- NEWLY EXPANDED Poster & Still Gallery
- Audio Commentary with Director Piers Haggard
- Trailers
- TV Spots
- BONUS! Collectible Booklet with essay by Michael Gingold
- Limited Edition includes collectible booklet, embossed slipcover and reversible sleeve with alternate artwork (First Pressing Only)
- Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
- Region Free
Recommended.
Venom (1981) surprisingly maintains a storytelling efficiency across its 90-minutes running time that’ll likely pleased most folks who discover its (slim) frights and (claustrophic) frames. The chief problem, however, is that there really is very, very, very little Horror in here – the venomous black mamba really only does its thing sparingly and then probably phoned it in, going with what it only knew how to do – so hardcore genre enthusiasts might find themselves counting the minutes in between and wondering what all of the fuss was supposed to be about. The film works far more effectively as a conventional kidnapping thriller – set in a single location – and should be celebrated for what it does achieve instead of criticized for what it doesn’t.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Blue Underground provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Venom (1981) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in 2016 in Japan, Bokudake ga inai machi (aka Erased) enjoyed its very first theatrical release.
Directed by Yûichirô Hirakawa from a story by Kei Sambe and Noriko Gotô, the SciFi/Fantasy feature starred Tamae Andô, Kasumi Arimura, Yasushi Fuchikami, Kôta Fudauchi, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Seiji Fukushi, Kento Hayashi, Yuriko Ishida, Keiko Morikawa, Kanna Moriya, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Struggling manga author Satoru Fujinuma is beset by his fear to express himself. However, he has a supernatural ability of being forced to prevent deaths and catastrophes by being sent back in time before the incident occurred, repeating time until the accident is prevented. One day, he gets involved in an accident that has him framed as a murderer. Desperate to save the victim, he sends himself back in time only to find himself as a grade-schooler one month before fellow classmate Kayo Hinazuki went missing. Satoru now embarks on a new quest: to save Kayo and solve the mystery behind her disappearance."
-- EZ
On this day in 2016 in Japan, Bokudake ga inai machi (aka Erased) enjoyed its very first theatrical release.
Directed by Yûichirô Hirakawa from a story by Kei Sambe and Noriko Gotô, the SciFi/Fantasy feature starred Tamae Andô, Kasumi Arimura, Yasushi Fuchikami, Kôta Fudauchi, Tatsuya Fujiwara, Seiji Fukushi, Kento Hayashi, Yuriko Ishida, Keiko Morikawa, Kanna Moriya, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Struggling manga author Satoru Fujinuma is beset by his fear to express himself. However, he has a supernatural ability of being forced to prevent deaths and catastrophes by being sent back in time before the incident occurred, repeating time until the accident is prevented. One day, he gets involved in an accident that has him framed as a murderer. Desperate to save the victim, he sends himself back in time only to find himself as a grade-schooler one month before fellow classmate Kayo Hinazuki went missing. Satoru now embarks on a new quest: to save Kayo and solve the mystery behind her disappearance."
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in 2005 in the United States of America (USA, USA, USA!), the film Choker -- aka Disturbance -- was first screened for audiences of the Other Venice Film Festival held in Venice, California ... hence the 'other Venice,' I suspect.
Written and directed for the screen by Nick Vallelonga, the SciFi/Thriller starred such names as Paul Sloan, Colleen Porch, Hayley DuMond, Tony Denison, Susse Budde, Robert R. Shafer, Katrina Law, Ella Thomas, James Quattrochi, Paula Miranda, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"The serial-killer Hud Masters and his partner Logan have been recruited by a governmental agency to hunt down aliens that can survive for a period inhabiting human bodies. Logan reports their murders to her boss Frank Russo, a family man married with Stacy Russo with a daughter, who has a team to remove the bodies and any evidence. When an alien switch bodies to escape from Hud, Lt. Murcer, Lt. Clark and the coroner Santo are forced to return the bodies and Hud, who had been captured by the detectives, to Frank that explains that one hundred aliens from an evolved race had moved to Earth since their planet is doomed. Now Hud has to chase the dangerous Leader, who has adapted to the atmosphere of our planet and wants to breed."
-- EZ
On this day in 2005 in the United States of America (USA, USA, USA!), the film Choker -- aka Disturbance -- was first screened for audiences of the Other Venice Film Festival held in Venice, California ... hence the 'other Venice,' I suspect.
Written and directed for the screen by Nick Vallelonga, the SciFi/Thriller starred such names as Paul Sloan, Colleen Porch, Hayley DuMond, Tony Denison, Susse Budde, Robert R. Shafer, Katrina Law, Ella Thomas, James Quattrochi, Paula Miranda, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"The serial-killer Hud Masters and his partner Logan have been recruited by a governmental agency to hunt down aliens that can survive for a period inhabiting human bodies. Logan reports their murders to her boss Frank Russo, a family man married with Stacy Russo with a daughter, who has a team to remove the bodies and any evidence. When an alien switch bodies to escape from Hud, Lt. Murcer, Lt. Clark and the coroner Santo are forced to return the bodies and Hud, who had been captured by the detectives, to Frank that explains that one hundred aliens from an evolved race had moved to Earth since their planet is doomed. Now Hud has to chase the dangerous Leader, who has adapted to the atmosphere of our planet and wants to breed."
-- EZ
- Published on
Let me tell you a brief story about actor Lee Sun-Kyun, the lead star of the picture Project Silence (2023).
Now, I don’t follow foreign cinema – especially Korean exports – as closely as I used to, but there was a day when I felt a great many features were coming from the nation. Storytelling being what it is, it’s hard to come up with tales that are truly both compelling and original; but South Korean was arguably pushing the boundaries of what was possible in Dramas, Comedies, and Action releases. Some of the nation’s talent truly rode that wave of success, and Lee was among those whose work garnered a great deal of attention and praise from those whose opinions matter far more than most.
Somewhere in and around late 2023, the actor was questioned regarding the use of illegal drugs; and – as a consequence – he began somewhat disappearing from the stage. As best as I can recount the details that emerged slowly over a few weeks, Lee admitted that he may have been drugged by a woman he’d met as she was actively trying to extort money out of him since their curious encounter. As press outlets tend to do, these magazines, newspapers, and television shows went to great lengths to recount some of the most salacious details as they could … and – as happens all too often – the once acclaimed star wound up committing suicide over the damage to his family and reputation.
From what I do recall, the guilty parties – two women who had laced Lee’s bar purchases with drugs and extorted a hefty sum in exchange – were inevitably caught, convicted, and sentenced chiefly as the judge believed it was their efforts which had led the actor to take his own life. I believe there was also an outcry from industry people demanding that the media, too, suffer some penalty for the way they so quickly and voraciously attempted to sully the man’s reputation. Tragically, a shining light was snuffed out far sooner than ever should have happened.
In the wake of Lee’s death, a few projects he had completed previously experienced delays; and Project Silence was among them. I’m glad to have now seen it so that I can comment on what I think is a solid little SciFi/Thriller that kinda/sorta shows just how far Korean cinema has come … for better or for worse.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“On the bridge that connects an island and its major airport with the Korean peninsula, weather conditions suddenly become so bad one can't distinguish anything right in front of them. But there is a far more concerning threat: ‘Echoes’, creatures born from a military experiment called ‘Project Silence’, and being transferred in the utmost secrecy, are let loose, wreaking havoc.”
Now, I don’t follow foreign cinema – especially Korean exports – as closely as I used to, but there was a day when I felt a great many features were coming from the nation. Storytelling being what it is, it’s hard to come up with tales that are truly both compelling and original; but South Korean was arguably pushing the boundaries of what was possible in Dramas, Comedies, and Action releases. Some of the nation’s talent truly rode that wave of success, and Lee was among those whose work garnered a great deal of attention and praise from those whose opinions matter far more than most.
Somewhere in and around late 2023, the actor was questioned regarding the use of illegal drugs; and – as a consequence – he began somewhat disappearing from the stage. As best as I can recount the details that emerged slowly over a few weeks, Lee admitted that he may have been drugged by a woman he’d met as she was actively trying to extort money out of him since their curious encounter. As press outlets tend to do, these magazines, newspapers, and television shows went to great lengths to recount some of the most salacious details as they could … and – as happens all too often – the once acclaimed star wound up committing suicide over the damage to his family and reputation.
From what I do recall, the guilty parties – two women who had laced Lee’s bar purchases with drugs and extorted a hefty sum in exchange – were inevitably caught, convicted, and sentenced chiefly as the judge believed it was their efforts which had led the actor to take his own life. I believe there was also an outcry from industry people demanding that the media, too, suffer some penalty for the way they so quickly and voraciously attempted to sully the man’s reputation. Tragically, a shining light was snuffed out far sooner than ever should have happened.
In the wake of Lee’s death, a few projects he had completed previously experienced delays; and Project Silence was among them. I’m glad to have now seen it so that I can comment on what I think is a solid little SciFi/Thriller that kinda/sorta shows just how far Korean cinema has come … for better or for worse.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“On the bridge that connects an island and its major airport with the Korean peninsula, weather conditions suddenly become so bad one can't distinguish anything right in front of them. But there is a far more concerning threat: ‘Echoes’, creatures born from a military experiment called ‘Project Silence’, and being transferred in the utmost secrecy, are let loose, wreaking havoc.”
In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, I had the good fortune of being one of Amazon.com’s Top 1,000 Reviewers. That changed not all that long ago once the online retail behemoth abruptly pulled out the rug with huge rules revision; but for a good number of years I had a respectable platform from which to preach about entertainment and other things.
One of the biggest fascinations I had during all of that tenure was the foreign movie scene. In particular, I had grown very fond of the output from South Korea for one significant reason: they were spinning some absolutely fabulous yarns – bloody, funny, thrilling, etc. – in what looked like an environment entirely outside of the Hollywood studio system. Though I have learned since that time that some argue a nation like Korea has its own systemic quirks, I still contend that the kind of films I was seeing debatably looked vastly unlike the all-too-formulaic American fare; and – today – I still stand by that assessment.
Alas, Project Silence makes me think that the Korean film industry might very well have completed a full 180-degree turnaround.
Succinctly, Silence is about as close to the big, loud, dumb, and fun tentpole-style features that Tinseltown loves to churn out as popcorn entertainment. Why, one can almost watch the flick and see precisely how Characters A+B+C are textually meant to come together so that their inevitable collaboration might pave the way toward Epiphanies D+E+F; and only then can we chart a course for the big budget effects-laden last reel that should leave audiences breathless from the anticipation. Yes, we’ve seen it before; and, yes, we can all most likely predict exactly how it’s going to end … and, of course, that even means inserting a little carrot toward the end to offer hope of a sequel if the original chapter is as successful as studio heads hope.
OK. There you have it. There’s my complaint.
But you know what?
I had a helluva lotta fun with this one.
Cha Jeong-won (played by the late Lee Sun-kyun) is that government employed public relations specialist whose has grown used to pulling the collective asses of the ranking party out of the proverbial fire. Though he’s sometimes blunt to a fault, he’ll stop at nothing to guarantee that he offers only the best advice – good or dire – to the head of the current regime even at the risk of damaging his own future and reputation. But now that his wife has passed, he’s had to turn some of his attention away from official matters of state in order to prepare his teenage daughter Cha Kyeong-min (Kim Su-an) for her time that’s going to be spent studying abroad.
On his way to drop her off at the airport, Jeong-won finds himself driving through an uncharacteristically treacherous fog that leads to a multi-car pile-up on a massive suspension bridge. While both he and Kyeong-min are trying to help stabilize the environment, another small military convey joins in the accident; and the clandestine group accidentally releases a pack of wild dogs who’ve been genetically enhanced to hunt and kill suspected terrorists. When the technology controlling the animals fail and the beasts begin turning on civilians, Jeong-won finds himself tasked with leading his daughter and their fellow survivors to safety before the bridge collapses all around them.
In many ways, Silence is nothing more than a formula picture from inception through its creation.
As I suggested above, it has its requisite pieces – along with a supply of stock characters – and it can undoubtedly only be assembled in one specific package. From the outset, it grows fairly clear that watchers have seen this before – most especially on the American scene – when one massively successful adventure inspires countless imitators. Remember 1988’s Die Hard? Remember how Die Hard brought us 1992’s Under Siege, aka ‘Die Hard On A Boat?’ Or 1994’s Speed, aka ‘Die Hard On A Bus?’ Or 1997’s Air Force One, aka ‘Die Hard On A Plane?’ For all intents and purposes, one might better understand what’s in store when boarding Project Silence by thinking of it as ‘Die Hard On A Bridge.’
Now … surprisingly, that isn’t intended as a complaint.
One of the biggest fascinations I had during all of that tenure was the foreign movie scene. In particular, I had grown very fond of the output from South Korea for one significant reason: they were spinning some absolutely fabulous yarns – bloody, funny, thrilling, etc. – in what looked like an environment entirely outside of the Hollywood studio system. Though I have learned since that time that some argue a nation like Korea has its own systemic quirks, I still contend that the kind of films I was seeing debatably looked vastly unlike the all-too-formulaic American fare; and – today – I still stand by that assessment.
Alas, Project Silence makes me think that the Korean film industry might very well have completed a full 180-degree turnaround.
Succinctly, Silence is about as close to the big, loud, dumb, and fun tentpole-style features that Tinseltown loves to churn out as popcorn entertainment. Why, one can almost watch the flick and see precisely how Characters A+B+C are textually meant to come together so that their inevitable collaboration might pave the way toward Epiphanies D+E+F; and only then can we chart a course for the big budget effects-laden last reel that should leave audiences breathless from the anticipation. Yes, we’ve seen it before; and, yes, we can all most likely predict exactly how it’s going to end … and, of course, that even means inserting a little carrot toward the end to offer hope of a sequel if the original chapter is as successful as studio heads hope.
OK. There you have it. There’s my complaint.
But you know what?
I had a helluva lotta fun with this one.
Cha Jeong-won (played by the late Lee Sun-kyun) is that government employed public relations specialist whose has grown used to pulling the collective asses of the ranking party out of the proverbial fire. Though he’s sometimes blunt to a fault, he’ll stop at nothing to guarantee that he offers only the best advice – good or dire – to the head of the current regime even at the risk of damaging his own future and reputation. But now that his wife has passed, he’s had to turn some of his attention away from official matters of state in order to prepare his teenage daughter Cha Kyeong-min (Kim Su-an) for her time that’s going to be spent studying abroad.
On his way to drop her off at the airport, Jeong-won finds himself driving through an uncharacteristically treacherous fog that leads to a multi-car pile-up on a massive suspension bridge. While both he and Kyeong-min are trying to help stabilize the environment, another small military convey joins in the accident; and the clandestine group accidentally releases a pack of wild dogs who’ve been genetically enhanced to hunt and kill suspected terrorists. When the technology controlling the animals fail and the beasts begin turning on civilians, Jeong-won finds himself tasked with leading his daughter and their fellow survivors to safety before the bridge collapses all around them.
In many ways, Silence is nothing more than a formula picture from inception through its creation.
As I suggested above, it has its requisite pieces – along with a supply of stock characters – and it can undoubtedly only be assembled in one specific package. From the outset, it grows fairly clear that watchers have seen this before – most especially on the American scene – when one massively successful adventure inspires countless imitators. Remember 1988’s Die Hard? Remember how Die Hard brought us 1992’s Under Siege, aka ‘Die Hard On A Boat?’ Or 1994’s Speed, aka ‘Die Hard On A Bus?’ Or 1997’s Air Force One, aka ‘Die Hard On A Plane?’ For all intents and purposes, one might better understand what’s in store when boarding Project Silence by thinking of it as ‘Die Hard On A Bridge.’
Now … surprisingly, that isn’t intended as a complaint.
As a thriller – of which Silence most definitely is – the film is damn near perfectly assembled. Oh, I’ll concede that there’s a great amount of CGI effects work in here that isn’t quite up-to-par. Though I’ve seen better, I can assure you I’ve also seen far worse. The various action sequences range from average to better-than-average in a few spots. Yes, there’s a bit of laughable substandard genetic science and the typical hard-headed governmental stupidity that might cause a groan here or there. But when it sticks to the formula in the best ways, Silence makes plenty of noise, the kind of which most audiences find acceptable with buckets of popcorn to fill their mouths whilst enjoying.
If you had asked me twenty years ago that I’d see the devolution of Korean cinema into its paint-by-numbers American counterpart in my lifetime, then I’d have told you that you were crazy. Economies being what they are, I wouldn’t have argued it couldn’t happen: rather, I saw their storytellers were simply going boldly in different directions so frequently that I wouldn’t have predicted it probable. Still, a lot can happen in twenty years; and, hey, if that nation now wants a chunk of the business that the rest of the world used to do well in its sleep, then so be it. Who am I to complain? Ultimately, I’m a consumer who consumes, and that means I’m still coming out ahead in the deal.
Silence feels like a grand Saturday Night at the movies, and this outing had me realizing how much I’d miss that.
Project Silence (2023) was produced by Blaad Studios, CJ ENM Co., CJ ENM Studios, CJ Entertainment, and Dexter Studios. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Capelight Pictures. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be respectable from start-to-finish: there’s some rather obvious computer graphics in here, but – taken with a grain of salt – it works just fine for how it was intended. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas … you’re out of luck. Not a one.
Recommended.
Here’s the thing, folks: I’m not going to try to convince any of you that you haven’t seen Project Silence (2023) before. The whole schtick of government-sponsored science gone awry is old hat; and yet what I saw with this was a perfectly predictable, perfectly tolerable, and near-perfectly entertaining ninety minutes feature that – in another timeline – might be playing Saturday night on South Korea’s equivalent to the SciFi (Syfy) Channel. Is that bad? Well, it might not be great, but I still can appreciate the old-fashioned popcorn movie because I was raised on them. That’s what this is. If that tickles your fancy as much as it does mine, then buckle up.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Capelight Pictures provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Project Silence (2023) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
If you had asked me twenty years ago that I’d see the devolution of Korean cinema into its paint-by-numbers American counterpart in my lifetime, then I’d have told you that you were crazy. Economies being what they are, I wouldn’t have argued it couldn’t happen: rather, I saw their storytellers were simply going boldly in different directions so frequently that I wouldn’t have predicted it probable. Still, a lot can happen in twenty years; and, hey, if that nation now wants a chunk of the business that the rest of the world used to do well in its sleep, then so be it. Who am I to complain? Ultimately, I’m a consumer who consumes, and that means I’m still coming out ahead in the deal.
Silence feels like a grand Saturday Night at the movies, and this outing had me realizing how much I’d miss that.
Project Silence (2023) was produced by Blaad Studios, CJ ENM Co., CJ ENM Studios, CJ Entertainment, and Dexter Studios. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Capelight Pictures. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be respectable from start-to-finish: there’s some rather obvious computer graphics in here, but – taken with a grain of salt – it works just fine for how it was intended. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas … you’re out of luck. Not a one.
Recommended.
Here’s the thing, folks: I’m not going to try to convince any of you that you haven’t seen Project Silence (2023) before. The whole schtick of government-sponsored science gone awry is old hat; and yet what I saw with this was a perfectly predictable, perfectly tolerable, and near-perfectly entertaining ninety minutes feature that – in another timeline – might be playing Saturday night on South Korea’s equivalent to the SciFi (Syfy) Channel. Is that bad? Well, it might not be great, but I still can appreciate the old-fashioned popcorn movie because I was raised on them. That’s what this is. If that tickles your fancy as much as it does mine, then buckle up.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Capelight Pictures provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Project Silence (2023) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in 1991 (in Japan), the growing Dragon Ball Z saga grew by yet one more when audiences first came face to face with Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug!
Directed by Mitsuo Hashimoto from a story by Akira Toriyama, Takao Koyama, and Neil Bligh, the popular Anime featured the voices of Masako Nozawa, Toshio Furukawa, Mayumi Tanaka, Hiromi Tsuru, Naoko Watanabe, Naoki Tatsuta, Kôhei Miyauchi, Kenji Utsumi, Keiichi Nanba, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"When an asteroid nearly destroys Planet Earth, a space ship emerges from the asteroid and lands on Earth. The new terror is Lord Slug, a nomadic alien who plans to destroy all life on Earth, and the only one who can stop him is Goku!"
-- EZ
On this day in 1991 (in Japan), the growing Dragon Ball Z saga grew by yet one more when audiences first came face to face with Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug!
Directed by Mitsuo Hashimoto from a story by Akira Toriyama, Takao Koyama, and Neil Bligh, the popular Anime featured the voices of Masako Nozawa, Toshio Furukawa, Mayumi Tanaka, Hiromi Tsuru, Naoko Watanabe, Naoki Tatsuta, Kôhei Miyauchi, Kenji Utsumi, Keiichi Nanba, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"When an asteroid nearly destroys Planet Earth, a space ship emerges from the asteroid and lands on Earth. The new terror is Lord Slug, a nomadic alien who plans to destroy all life on Earth, and the only one who can stop him is Goku!"
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
According to record, it was on this day in the United States of America (USA, USA, USA!) in the year 1992 that home audiences first 'saw double' with the broadcast television premiere of Duplicates.
Written by the team of Sandor Stern and Andrew Neiderman, Stern would go on to direct the SciFi/Thriller telefilm. Among its storied cast were such names as Gregory Harrison, Kim Greist, Cicely Tyson, Lane Smith, William Lucking, Scott Hoxby, Kevin McCarthy, John DeLay, Matt Williams, Timi Prulhiere, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"When a woman sees her brother who was supposed to have with died along with her son, she naturally becomes suspicious. When he claims to be someone else, she isn't convinced. After tracing the home of the 'brother', she and her husband stumble upon a top secret project. They get too close to the truth and are therefore intercepted..."
Interestingly enough, it looks like the movie in its entirety is up for your viewing pleasure on YouTube.com. I'm posting it below should anyone be interested ...
-- EZ
According to record, it was on this day in the United States of America (USA, USA, USA!) in the year 1992 that home audiences first 'saw double' with the broadcast television premiere of Duplicates.
Written by the team of Sandor Stern and Andrew Neiderman, Stern would go on to direct the SciFi/Thriller telefilm. Among its storied cast were such names as Gregory Harrison, Kim Greist, Cicely Tyson, Lane Smith, William Lucking, Scott Hoxby, Kevin McCarthy, John DeLay, Matt Williams, Timi Prulhiere, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"When a woman sees her brother who was supposed to have with died along with her son, she naturally becomes suspicious. When he claims to be someone else, she isn't convinced. After tracing the home of the 'brother', she and her husband stumble upon a top secret project. They get too close to the truth and are therefore intercepted..."
Interestingly enough, it looks like the movie in its entirety is up for your viewing pleasure on YouTube.com. I'm posting it below should anyone be interested ...
-- EZ