- Published on
Sorry, folks, but I was only a wee eight years old when The Exorcist (1973) left its imprint on the domestic box office.
Seriously, I knew nothing about it, nor would I likely have wanted to see something that terrifying on the silver screen. (C’mon, man! I was only eight!) I’ve since seen it twice; while I can appreciate the impact it had back then on the world-at-large, it’s a film that just doesn’t quite resonate with me the way others do. This is likely because I suffered through a plethora of (inferior) rip-offs that followed over the next several years – I was only just discovering a greater desire for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror in my entertainment diet – so the idea of demonic possession was probably a bit tame by that time. Typically, this is what happens when you’re not fortunate enough to experience a trend at its inception.
According to theatrical release information on IMDB.com (yes, I know it can be hit-or-miss), Alberto De Martino’s The Antichrist didn’t screen in the U.S. until 1978, so I likely wouldn’t even have gone to see it then. Honestly, it probably would’ve appeared a bit too artsy for my young tastes, stuck in the throws of a lingering Star Wars frenzy that I was. But I’ve had the good fortune of seeing it now – all in its 4K restored glory – and though I don’t find it all that ‘possessing’ I would argue that this nifty Satanic chiller found at least one creative way to spin heads.
That’s gotta count for something.
Seriously, I knew nothing about it, nor would I likely have wanted to see something that terrifying on the silver screen. (C’mon, man! I was only eight!) I’ve since seen it twice; while I can appreciate the impact it had back then on the world-at-large, it’s a film that just doesn’t quite resonate with me the way others do. This is likely because I suffered through a plethora of (inferior) rip-offs that followed over the next several years – I was only just discovering a greater desire for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror in my entertainment diet – so the idea of demonic possession was probably a bit tame by that time. Typically, this is what happens when you’re not fortunate enough to experience a trend at its inception.
According to theatrical release information on IMDB.com (yes, I know it can be hit-or-miss), Alberto De Martino’s The Antichrist didn’t screen in the U.S. until 1978, so I likely wouldn’t even have gone to see it then. Honestly, it probably would’ve appeared a bit too artsy for my young tastes, stuck in the throws of a lingering Star Wars frenzy that I was. But I’ve had the good fortune of seeing it now – all in its 4K restored glory – and though I don’t find it all that ‘possessing’ I would argue that this nifty Satanic chiller found at least one creative way to spin heads.
That’s gotta count for something.
(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 product packaging:
“In Rome, a beautiful young woman is left paralyzed by the trauma of a horrific childhood accident. But when placed under hypnosis, she is seized by visions of her past life as a heretic and becomes a foul-mouthed seductress with a taste for perversion that leads to her defilement by Satan himself. Now, mankind’s only hope for salvation is a harrowing exorcism that will either cast out the Devil forever or open the door for the unspeakable birth of the Antichrist!”
Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror have always tied in very near and dear with all of my hobbies; and one time I actually tried to engage some members of a Facebook group dedicated to all things paranormal. Specifically, I wanted to know their thoughts on the subject of demonic possession as I had just finished a non-fiction book that only loosely touched on a few ‘true life’ tales. To my surprise, I was roundly taken to task as anyone and everyone who came into the post assured me that there was no such thing; that our culture was horrifically out-of-step with mental illness; and that I’d be better off leaving such books to lesser souls.
Ouch.
Since that experience, I have looked at films tied to the subject matter as a bit more escapist fare than anything else; and – no doubt a work of fiction – The Antichrist definitely feels more concocted than it does traced back to any news accounts of spirit possession. In fact, the script attributed to the director and screenwriting partners Gianfranco Clerici and Vincenzo Mannino plays out a bit too formulaic for my tastes. (Audience meets girl. Girl has several problems. Girl succumbs to the Devil’s flirtations. Girl pukes green. Etc.) Though there’s an interesting side story that explores past life regression hypnosis, the remaining examination of a life lived under Satan’s manipulative power moves predictably from Point A to Point B to … well, I think you get the point.
Even the film’s big sequence – the reason anyone comes to watch films of this type – unspools with a tennis match’s cadence: the exorcism is little more than a patient back-and-forth between the forces of good and evil. The priest scores first, the Devil volleys, now the Devil scores, and the Priest serves for the match point, and so on. Each player deliberately ups the ante with the successive tete de tetes, and it becomes clear that this will continue until the desired outcome is achieved.
From the product packaging:
“In Rome, a beautiful young woman is left paralyzed by the trauma of a horrific childhood accident. But when placed under hypnosis, she is seized by visions of her past life as a heretic and becomes a foul-mouthed seductress with a taste for perversion that leads to her defilement by Satan himself. Now, mankind’s only hope for salvation is a harrowing exorcism that will either cast out the Devil forever or open the door for the unspeakable birth of the Antichrist!”
Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror have always tied in very near and dear with all of my hobbies; and one time I actually tried to engage some members of a Facebook group dedicated to all things paranormal. Specifically, I wanted to know their thoughts on the subject of demonic possession as I had just finished a non-fiction book that only loosely touched on a few ‘true life’ tales. To my surprise, I was roundly taken to task as anyone and everyone who came into the post assured me that there was no such thing; that our culture was horrifically out-of-step with mental illness; and that I’d be better off leaving such books to lesser souls.
Ouch.
Since that experience, I have looked at films tied to the subject matter as a bit more escapist fare than anything else; and – no doubt a work of fiction – The Antichrist definitely feels more concocted than it does traced back to any news accounts of spirit possession. In fact, the script attributed to the director and screenwriting partners Gianfranco Clerici and Vincenzo Mannino plays out a bit too formulaic for my tastes. (Audience meets girl. Girl has several problems. Girl succumbs to the Devil’s flirtations. Girl pukes green. Etc.) Though there’s an interesting side story that explores past life regression hypnosis, the remaining examination of a life lived under Satan’s manipulative power moves predictably from Point A to Point B to … well, I think you get the point.
Even the film’s big sequence – the reason anyone comes to watch films of this type – unspools with a tennis match’s cadence: the exorcism is little more than a patient back-and-forth between the forces of good and evil. The priest scores first, the Devil volleys, now the Devil scores, and the Priest serves for the match point, and so on. Each player deliberately ups the ante with the successive tete de tetes, and it becomes clear that this will continue until the desired outcome is achieved.
However – as I often emphasize – every film has its merits, and The Antichrist manages to squeeze in a few nice moments amongst the more routine events. Carla Gravina’s ‘Ippolita Oderisi’ makes for an attractive and relatable lead villainess. Introduced to viewers as physically frail and more than a bit timid, it isn’t long before her dark side stirs. We meet her in the film’s opening sequence standing in line inside a packed church. She’s waiting for a blessing she hopes might cure her affliction, a psychologically imposed inability to walk stemming from an accident of her youth. Though others appear to be cured, she eventually falls to the ground, only to be helped back to her feet by her father (Mel Ferrer) and others in line.
Believing she’s been spurned by both her father (he’s taken a new mistress against his daughter’s wishes) and the Holiest of Fathers (no miracle treatment), Ippolita’s conversion to evil – while a bit slow – is entirely believable within the context of her story as presented. Further awakened to a devious family history through hypnosis, she’s understandably smitten with finding a newfound strength through evil. Her impulses finally lead her to seducing and murdering a travelling young man , convincing the audience that she’s well on her way to becoming a force that needs to be reckoned with … before it’s too really late.
And her duplicity doesn’t stop there. As the story wears on, she attempts to get her ravenous hooks into any man in her life, from dear old dad down to the always-at-her-side brother. (Whether or not the siblings act upon her machinations is left a bit unclear, though I’m inclined to think they did the deed. Why else introduce it?) As you might expect, Ippolita even offers to mount any priest who darkens her door, tempting them with the flash of her open thighs. I’m guessing they weren’t exactly won over by her thinning hairline, her boil-covered face, and her vomit-stained lips.
Aesthetically, there’s a lushness to several of the shooting and/or set locations. For example, the Oderisi mansion has rooms with impressively high ceilings. Its walls are decked from floor-to-ceiling with expensive paintings. Its hallways are lined with statutes bearing somewhat grotesque expressions. Ippolita’s bedroom is adorned with some particularly lavish décor, situating her regal-looking bed beneath a colorful mural of a clouded sky. (Fresco style? Apologies, folks, but I’m not up on artistic techniques.) While such deliberate extravagance helps to lift the story from the mundane, this motif happens so consistently I’ve no doubt that these were creative choices made by the storytellers and not organic to this world, its characters, etc. Are we to believe such excess leads to possession? Well, it’s never quite clear, but the folks partaking of the film’s notorious Satanic ritual – complete with goat – might feel differently.
Sadly, the rest of The Antichrist’s visuals are all well dated by today’s standards. The effects sequences especially – those of furniture flying about the room or murals coming off the walls – are obvious effects trickery, much of which were superimposed in post well after the live shoot. While some of the orchestrated chaos looks effective, all of this is the kind of stuff found at any major theme park attraction these days. Consequently, the frights are more ‘charming-scary’ than they are ‘scary-scary.’ Though I’ve no problem with it for the purposes of critiquing the action, I suspect it might be hard for a film like this to find anything more than a cult audience today.
Believing she’s been spurned by both her father (he’s taken a new mistress against his daughter’s wishes) and the Holiest of Fathers (no miracle treatment), Ippolita’s conversion to evil – while a bit slow – is entirely believable within the context of her story as presented. Further awakened to a devious family history through hypnosis, she’s understandably smitten with finding a newfound strength through evil. Her impulses finally lead her to seducing and murdering a travelling young man , convincing the audience that she’s well on her way to becoming a force that needs to be reckoned with … before it’s too really late.
And her duplicity doesn’t stop there. As the story wears on, she attempts to get her ravenous hooks into any man in her life, from dear old dad down to the always-at-her-side brother. (Whether or not the siblings act upon her machinations is left a bit unclear, though I’m inclined to think they did the deed. Why else introduce it?) As you might expect, Ippolita even offers to mount any priest who darkens her door, tempting them with the flash of her open thighs. I’m guessing they weren’t exactly won over by her thinning hairline, her boil-covered face, and her vomit-stained lips.
Aesthetically, there’s a lushness to several of the shooting and/or set locations. For example, the Oderisi mansion has rooms with impressively high ceilings. Its walls are decked from floor-to-ceiling with expensive paintings. Its hallways are lined with statutes bearing somewhat grotesque expressions. Ippolita’s bedroom is adorned with some particularly lavish décor, situating her regal-looking bed beneath a colorful mural of a clouded sky. (Fresco style? Apologies, folks, but I’m not up on artistic techniques.) While such deliberate extravagance helps to lift the story from the mundane, this motif happens so consistently I’ve no doubt that these were creative choices made by the storytellers and not organic to this world, its characters, etc. Are we to believe such excess leads to possession? Well, it’s never quite clear, but the folks partaking of the film’s notorious Satanic ritual – complete with goat – might feel differently.
Sadly, the rest of The Antichrist’s visuals are all well dated by today’s standards. The effects sequences especially – those of furniture flying about the room or murals coming off the walls – are obvious effects trickery, much of which were superimposed in post well after the live shoot. While some of the orchestrated chaos looks effective, all of this is the kind of stuff found at any major theme park attraction these days. Consequently, the frights are more ‘charming-scary’ than they are ‘scary-scary.’ Though I’ve no problem with it for the purposes of critiquing the action, I suspect it might be hard for a film like this to find anything more than a cult audience today.
The Antichrist (1974) is produced by Capitolina Produzioni Cinematografiche. DVD distribution (for this particular release) is being coordinated by the reliable Kino Lorber. As for the technical specifications? Wow. This is a brand new 4K restoration, and the film looks and sounds very good … almost to a fault in some sequences wherein the special effects are decidedly dated. As for the special features? Again, Kino Lorber doesn’t disappoint as they’ve loaded up the disk with the following:
Mildly recommended. The biggest drawback I had with The Antichrist is that it feels a bit derivative at times; and my research indicates that the film did pull more than a bit of inspiration from William Friedkin’s The Exorcist released the previous year. (Hello, green vomit!) Still, director De Martino’s picture makes good use of some interesting production detail, some interesting exteriors, and a creative yet spitting performance from the fetching Gravina. I suspect there’s a trimmer cut of the film out there somewhere that might play a bit better on pace as well … but you gotta give the Devil his due.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Kino Lorber provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Antichrist (1974) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Raising Hell – featurette with Director and Co-writer Alberto De Martino and Composer Ennio Morricone
- Audio Commentary by Author and Film Historian Lee Gambin and Film Critic Sally Christie
- TV spot
- The Tempter (alternate film title) Opening Credits
- And English or Italian 2.0 Audio tracks
Mildly recommended. The biggest drawback I had with The Antichrist is that it feels a bit derivative at times; and my research indicates that the film did pull more than a bit of inspiration from William Friedkin’s The Exorcist released the previous year. (Hello, green vomit!) Still, director De Martino’s picture makes good use of some interesting production detail, some interesting exteriors, and a creative yet spitting performance from the fetching Gravina. I suspect there’s a trimmer cut of the film out there somewhere that might play a bit better on pace as well … but you gotta give the Devil his due.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Kino Lorber provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Antichrist (1974) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Published on
Huh. Well, will you lookie there?
In my recent interview for the Kino Lorber home video release of Albert De Martino's The Antichrist (1974), I shared how I had been assured by folks in a Facebook paranormal group that there's no such thing as either demonic or Satanic possession. These movers and shakers told me that, culturally, we're all a bit out-of-touch with mental illness; and the continued failed diagnosis puts sufferers truly at risk by religious zealots who unleash the 'mystical power of Heaven' on folks essentially messed up in the head. I've absolutely no way to know whether this position is the truth or not -- never been possessed, wouldn't look forward to it -- but I can certainly sympathize with those believing victims claiming possession might be in serious need of long term psychotherapy.
Still, cases possession makes for good movies, no?
In that respect, I present you with a little something something I learned about just this morning: writer/director Alejandro Hidalgo's The Exorcism Of God looks forward to scaring folks silly when it debuts both in theaters and digitally for interested consumers this March 11th.
Here's the film's plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Peter Williams, an American priest working in Mexico, is possessed by a demon he was trying to expel and ends up committing the most terrible sacrilege. Eighteen years later, the consequences of his sin come back to haunt him, unleashing the greatest battle within."
I can't tell you all that much about the film, and what little I can basically comes from a thorough rundown of what's reported on IMDB.com. In 2021, it was nominated for the 'Best Picture (Horror Feature)' at Fantastic Fest. In the same year, it was also nominated for 'Best Picture' at the Catalonian International Film Festival. Its stars include María Gabriela de Faría, Joseph Marcell, Will Beinbrink, and and Alfredo Herrera.
As is my custom, the trailer will be posted below. Those of you interested, you know what to do.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
In my recent interview for the Kino Lorber home video release of Albert De Martino's The Antichrist (1974), I shared how I had been assured by folks in a Facebook paranormal group that there's no such thing as either demonic or Satanic possession. These movers and shakers told me that, culturally, we're all a bit out-of-touch with mental illness; and the continued failed diagnosis puts sufferers truly at risk by religious zealots who unleash the 'mystical power of Heaven' on folks essentially messed up in the head. I've absolutely no way to know whether this position is the truth or not -- never been possessed, wouldn't look forward to it -- but I can certainly sympathize with those believing victims claiming possession might be in serious need of long term psychotherapy.
Still, cases possession makes for good movies, no?
In that respect, I present you with a little something something I learned about just this morning: writer/director Alejandro Hidalgo's The Exorcism Of God looks forward to scaring folks silly when it debuts both in theaters and digitally for interested consumers this March 11th.
Here's the film's plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Peter Williams, an American priest working in Mexico, is possessed by a demon he was trying to expel and ends up committing the most terrible sacrilege. Eighteen years later, the consequences of his sin come back to haunt him, unleashing the greatest battle within."
I can't tell you all that much about the film, and what little I can basically comes from a thorough rundown of what's reported on IMDB.com. In 2021, it was nominated for the 'Best Picture (Horror Feature)' at Fantastic Fest. In the same year, it was also nominated for 'Best Picture' at the Catalonian International Film Festival. Its stars include María Gabriela de Faría, Joseph Marcell, Will Beinbrink, and and Alfredo Herrera.
As is my custom, the trailer will be posted below. Those of you interested, you know what to do.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
The beauty of exploring new films is that -- like Forrest Gump said about life -- you never know what you're going to get.
Horror features tend to be the most successful in delivering big things for those who come exploring, especially if all you're looking for is to be scared silly. As I've always said, Horror flicks tend to be reasonably affordable ventures; and because there's always an audience willing to plunk down a few bucks in exchange for 90+ minutes the prospect for a solid return on investment (for filmmakers, anyway) remains high. God bless us, our haunts!
Doing a bit of research this morning, I stumbled across a little something something titled So Cold The River, and, yeah, the title alone caught my eye. Checking into it a bit further, it certainly seems to be one of Horror's cautionay tales: our protagonist doesn't realize what danger she's unlocked after she goes hunting for answers. I do so love those stories.
Here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A documentary filmmaker's research on a town's mysterious benefactor unearths an unexplained evil while staying at a local resort."
Written and directed by Paul Shoulberg, the film stars Bethany Loy Lenz, Alysia Reiner, and Katie Sarife. It looks to premiere theatrically and digitally on March 25.
Trailer is below. You folks know what to do about that.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Horror features tend to be the most successful in delivering big things for those who come exploring, especially if all you're looking for is to be scared silly. As I've always said, Horror flicks tend to be reasonably affordable ventures; and because there's always an audience willing to plunk down a few bucks in exchange for 90+ minutes the prospect for a solid return on investment (for filmmakers, anyway) remains high. God bless us, our haunts!
Doing a bit of research this morning, I stumbled across a little something something titled So Cold The River, and, yeah, the title alone caught my eye. Checking into it a bit further, it certainly seems to be one of Horror's cautionay tales: our protagonist doesn't realize what danger she's unlocked after she goes hunting for answers. I do so love those stories.
Here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A documentary filmmaker's research on a town's mysterious benefactor unearths an unexplained evil while staying at a local resort."
Written and directed by Paul Shoulberg, the film stars Bethany Loy Lenz, Alysia Reiner, and Katie Sarife. It looks to premiere theatrically and digitally on March 25.
Trailer is below. You folks know what to do about that.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Erm ...
Well, I do try very hard to keep politics out of SciFiHistory.Net, but in order to share a little something something I watched this morning I do want to give a qualification: I'm no fan of communist China. I won't go into any particulars because I really don't feel any freedom-loving person should justify that position. Take it for what you will, and we'll leave it at that.
But I do think this is some very clever product marketing for this summer's forthcoming Dinosaur flick, Jurassic Park: Dominion, which looks to put the big creatures on the loose alongside mankind. The Winter Olympics got off to a bit start by shucking for the movie studio in a big way, and it's a clever enough advert that it deserves to be shared ... all politics aside for the moment.
Video is below.
I also have to ask: wouldn't it be so totally cool for someone to pick up on the idea of man vs. monster in the biggest venue possible -- the silver screen? I mean, I'd pay money to see the T-Rex eat Matt Damon and spit out his bones. Just sayin'.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Well, I do try very hard to keep politics out of SciFiHistory.Net, but in order to share a little something something I watched this morning I do want to give a qualification: I'm no fan of communist China. I won't go into any particulars because I really don't feel any freedom-loving person should justify that position. Take it for what you will, and we'll leave it at that.
But I do think this is some very clever product marketing for this summer's forthcoming Dinosaur flick, Jurassic Park: Dominion, which looks to put the big creatures on the loose alongside mankind. The Winter Olympics got off to a bit start by shucking for the movie studio in a big way, and it's a clever enough advert that it deserves to be shared ... all politics aside for the moment.
Video is below.
I also have to ask: wouldn't it be so totally cool for someone to pick up on the idea of man vs. monster in the biggest venue possible -- the silver screen? I mean, I'd pay money to see the T-Rex eat Matt Damon and spit out his bones. Just sayin'.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
I've written before about the fact that the best thing about growing up when I did was the fact that I was introduced to say many very good (and some bad) monster movies.
For those who've missed it, I grew up in the great American Midwest in a small factory town that really only had a handful of television channels. Back in that day, the bulk of my entertainment choices were small stations that stuffed their broadcast line-up with syndicated fare: Japanese anime or live-action stuff along with many of the low budget films lampooned by the merry yucksters on MST3K. WGN -- a station out of Chicago -- also played some Friday night Creature Features that were grand; but most of what I watched was a step or two better than pure schlock ... so I learned to love it.
Though I'm not lamenting this upbringing, I will say categorically that folks these days just don't understand that kind of entertainment diet. Today, practically anything and everything is prepared for a point-and-click consumer-on-demand viewer; but back then things like grown actors lumbering around in huge rubber suits was the best we could get. And we couldn't get it when we wanted: we had to take it when it was on-air. When this is all you have and there's literally no alternative, you can learn to love something other folks might turn their nose up from.
So I gained immeasurable respect for the monster movies. The good ones. And the bad ones. Even to this day, the wifey doesn't quite understand why I watch half of what I do; all I can do is assure her that it has everything to do with my upbringing.
You can imagine my delight when this morning I came across the trailer for a little something something titled Hatching (2022). Based on what I'm reading from the film's IMDB.com citation, it looks like this comes from a production house in Finland. Though I'm unfamiliar with her work, Hanna Bergholm directs, and it looks like she's an award-nominated professional. The script comes from Ilja Rautsi, a scribe who has trafficked a bit in genre stuff. The cast are obviously a handful of folks from over there, so I couldn't say much of anything about what they might bring to the table.
What can I say?
Well, that's a very disturbing trailer.
The story clearly revolves around a young girl's desire to redeem her family after mom performs a mercy killing on a bird injured from flying into their home; and it would look like it all eventually spirals into a grotesque and bloody Hellscape from there.
Just the kind of thing I was raised on!
Trailer is below. It doesn't release for consumption (too soon?) until late April, so this gives each of us plenty of time to save our pennies.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
For those who've missed it, I grew up in the great American Midwest in a small factory town that really only had a handful of television channels. Back in that day, the bulk of my entertainment choices were small stations that stuffed their broadcast line-up with syndicated fare: Japanese anime or live-action stuff along with many of the low budget films lampooned by the merry yucksters on MST3K. WGN -- a station out of Chicago -- also played some Friday night Creature Features that were grand; but most of what I watched was a step or two better than pure schlock ... so I learned to love it.
Though I'm not lamenting this upbringing, I will say categorically that folks these days just don't understand that kind of entertainment diet. Today, practically anything and everything is prepared for a point-and-click consumer-on-demand viewer; but back then things like grown actors lumbering around in huge rubber suits was the best we could get. And we couldn't get it when we wanted: we had to take it when it was on-air. When this is all you have and there's literally no alternative, you can learn to love something other folks might turn their nose up from.
So I gained immeasurable respect for the monster movies. The good ones. And the bad ones. Even to this day, the wifey doesn't quite understand why I watch half of what I do; all I can do is assure her that it has everything to do with my upbringing.
You can imagine my delight when this morning I came across the trailer for a little something something titled Hatching (2022). Based on what I'm reading from the film's IMDB.com citation, it looks like this comes from a production house in Finland. Though I'm unfamiliar with her work, Hanna Bergholm directs, and it looks like she's an award-nominated professional. The script comes from Ilja Rautsi, a scribe who has trafficked a bit in genre stuff. The cast are obviously a handful of folks from over there, so I couldn't say much of anything about what they might bring to the table.
What can I say?
Well, that's a very disturbing trailer.
The story clearly revolves around a young girl's desire to redeem her family after mom performs a mercy killing on a bird injured from flying into their home; and it would look like it all eventually spirals into a grotesque and bloody Hellscape from there.
Just the kind of thing I was raised on!
Trailer is below. It doesn't release for consumption (too soon?) until late April, so this gives each of us plenty of time to save our pennies.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Why, oh why are we so attracted to things that go bump in the night?
It's a question I've asked and explored in any number of the film and DVD reviews in this space. Clearly, there's something resting inside the deep dark of each of us that truly thrives on being driven to the edges of our safe space (Millennials not included); and so long as they've been capturing things on film there's been storytellers all too happy to scare us silly. Since there's always an audience for it, I guess production companies are only all too happy to keep the thrills, chills, and spills coming.
In that respect, I've received some of the pre-release publicity information regarding a little something something out of Canada from behind the Maple Curtain: Flee The Light is positioned for a major streaming release on February 19th. I've yet had the good fortune of partaking of this cinematic ware, but it's on my list to preview in the coming days. Once I do, you can rest assured that I'll be penning some thoughts on just how frightened it left me. In the meantime, I'm going to do the public service bit of copying and pasting below -- along with linking up with the trailer -- for all of you folks to enjoy.
This looks to be a bit of indie filmmaking. I know some of you are put off by the lower-budget wares I do feature in this space. I've often found better material amongst those pictures than I have the studio stuff, and all I ask is that you keep that in mind when reaching outside your comfort zone.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
It's a question I've asked and explored in any number of the film and DVD reviews in this space. Clearly, there's something resting inside the deep dark of each of us that truly thrives on being driven to the edges of our safe space (Millennials not included); and so long as they've been capturing things on film there's been storytellers all too happy to scare us silly. Since there's always an audience for it, I guess production companies are only all too happy to keep the thrills, chills, and spills coming.
In that respect, I've received some of the pre-release publicity information regarding a little something something out of Canada from behind the Maple Curtain: Flee The Light is positioned for a major streaming release on February 19th. I've yet had the good fortune of partaking of this cinematic ware, but it's on my list to preview in the coming days. Once I do, you can rest assured that I'll be penning some thoughts on just how frightened it left me. In the meantime, I'm going to do the public service bit of copying and pasting below -- along with linking up with the trailer -- for all of you folks to enjoy.
This looks to be a bit of indie filmmaking. I know some of you are put off by the lower-budget wares I do feature in this space. I've often found better material amongst those pictures than I have the studio stuff, and all I ask is that you keep that in mind when reaching outside your comfort zone.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
BREAKING GLASS
EMBRACES THE DARKNESS IN NEW WITCHCRAFT HORROR FEATURE
FLEE THE LIGHT
"Succeeds where other witchy folk horror films failed by engaging the viewer from the start." - Voices from the Balcony
"Relies on the ambience of Northern Ontario, creating dark, moody, atmospheric scenes" - Grimoire of Horror
"Flee The Light has an evolution that you won’t see coming. The Wicca research is clear, beautifully shot, and carefully intertwined." - Reel News Daily
"Relies on the ambience of Northern Ontario, creating dark, moody, atmospheric scenes" - Grimoire of Horror
"Flee The Light has an evolution that you won’t see coming. The Wicca research is clear, beautifully shot, and carefully intertwined." - Reel News Daily
Philadelphia, PA (January 25, 2022) -- Breaking Glass Pictures is set to release FLEE THE LIGHT, the female-fronted witchcraft-infused horror feature from writer Jennifer Mancini, on February 19.
Flee the Light held its World Premiere at the Great Canadian Horror Film Festival, winning Best Feature, and proceeded to successful screenings at the Toronto Indie Horror Festival, The Blood in the Snow Film Festival, and the Hamilton Film Festival, where it won Best Original Music. The film stars Annie Tuma, Ariana Marquis, Canadian singer/songwriter Jane Siberry, Jamar Adams Thompson, Caroline Raynaud and Leanne Ofori-Atta.
“Breaking Glass Pictures and Wazabi Films, our International partners, have been supporting this film since before we got our first piece of financing,” said writer and producer Jennifer Mancini of Mythic Trips Entertainment. “We’re elated to have come this far, and to continue working together, bringing Flee The Light to the widest possible audience.”
The film follows sisters Andra and Delfi, who travel to a remote town after Delfi insists she was once a witch and they must visit the sacred place of her coven. While there, Andra's infected with an evil force and now it’s up to Delfi to save her sister from a fate worse than death.
“Flee The Light is a harrowing story about two sisters plagued by a sinister force and really highlights the power of women filmmakers in the horror space”, said Rich Wolff, CEO of Breaking Glass Pictures. “We are thrilled to add this film to our catalogue and bring such a powerful emerging talent to audiences.”
Flee the Light will be released February 19 on iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Vimeo, and through local cable & satellite providers.
Flee the Light held its World Premiere at the Great Canadian Horror Film Festival, winning Best Feature, and proceeded to successful screenings at the Toronto Indie Horror Festival, The Blood in the Snow Film Festival, and the Hamilton Film Festival, where it won Best Original Music. The film stars Annie Tuma, Ariana Marquis, Canadian singer/songwriter Jane Siberry, Jamar Adams Thompson, Caroline Raynaud and Leanne Ofori-Atta.
“Breaking Glass Pictures and Wazabi Films, our International partners, have been supporting this film since before we got our first piece of financing,” said writer and producer Jennifer Mancini of Mythic Trips Entertainment. “We’re elated to have come this far, and to continue working together, bringing Flee The Light to the widest possible audience.”
The film follows sisters Andra and Delfi, who travel to a remote town after Delfi insists she was once a witch and they must visit the sacred place of her coven. While there, Andra's infected with an evil force and now it’s up to Delfi to save her sister from a fate worse than death.
“Flee The Light is a harrowing story about two sisters plagued by a sinister force and really highlights the power of women filmmakers in the horror space”, said Rich Wolff, CEO of Breaking Glass Pictures. “We are thrilled to add this film to our catalogue and bring such a powerful emerging talent to audiences.”
Flee the Light will be released February 19 on iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Vimeo, and through local cable & satellite providers.
- Published on
One of the greatest joys in following the retail movie business as closely as I do is that I'm always surprised to find a title I've yet to explore.
See, I'm on an awful lot of mailing lists for an awful lot of marketing and distribution movers and shakers. (FYI: I'm not bragging; to the contrary, this has taken years of hard work.) So I'm getting information on a regular basis about items set to release in the weeks and months ahead. With as much reading as I've done in my life, I'm surprised that there are still smaller flicks that I've never come across before. Granted, I don't know everything (nor is that my desire), but it's just a phenomenon that tickles me on occasion.
Like this morning, for example, I received a press release for a 2008 Horror entry I know absolutely nothing about: Bryan Loves You springs from the mind of writer/director Seth Landau. As IMDB.com cites, this would appear to be his only big entry into filmdom (there are a few other items, but clearly this looks to be his 'big dog'). Horror veteran Tony Todd serves as narrator for the piece that looks to be the cinematic examination of a cult infected a small Arizona town back in 1993. Though the film's audience ratings aren't all that high (presently 2.3 on a 10.0 scale), that's still a benchmark reached with a fairly small sampling (well less than 500 viewers).
MVD Entertainment Group is looking to right that ship as they've slated the title for a March 22nd home video release with a bevy of extras. I'll be copying and pasting their provided data below, and I'm happy to link to the trailer available online. As is always the case, you folks know what to do.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
See, I'm on an awful lot of mailing lists for an awful lot of marketing and distribution movers and shakers. (FYI: I'm not bragging; to the contrary, this has taken years of hard work.) So I'm getting information on a regular basis about items set to release in the weeks and months ahead. With as much reading as I've done in my life, I'm surprised that there are still smaller flicks that I've never come across before. Granted, I don't know everything (nor is that my desire), but it's just a phenomenon that tickles me on occasion.
Like this morning, for example, I received a press release for a 2008 Horror entry I know absolutely nothing about: Bryan Loves You springs from the mind of writer/director Seth Landau. As IMDB.com cites, this would appear to be his only big entry into filmdom (there are a few other items, but clearly this looks to be his 'big dog'). Horror veteran Tony Todd serves as narrator for the piece that looks to be the cinematic examination of a cult infected a small Arizona town back in 1993. Though the film's audience ratings aren't all that high (presently 2.3 on a 10.0 scale), that's still a benchmark reached with a fairly small sampling (well less than 500 viewers).
MVD Entertainment Group is looking to right that ship as they've slated the title for a March 22nd home video release with a bevy of extras. I'll be copying and pasting their provided data below, and I'm happy to link to the trailer available online. As is always the case, you folks know what to do.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
SETH LANDAU’S CULT “FOUND FOOTAGE” HORROR MOVIE
‘BRYAN LOVES YOU’MAKES ITS LONG-AWAITED DEBUT ON BLU-RAY
FROM JAL SMITHTOWN VIA MVD ENTERTAINMENT GROUP.
POTTSTOWN, PA – February 3, 2022 – MVD ENTERTAINMENT GROUP IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE DEBUT OF THE CONTROVERSIAL 2008 CULT CLASSIC “BRYAN LOVES YOU” ON BLU-RAY COMING MARCH 2022.
In the early 1990s, a 32-year-old psychotherapist (Seth Landau, Take Out) began to suspect that his small Arizona community was being taken over by a homicidal religious cult known as "The Bryans". His entire ordeal was captured on camcorder footage and security tapes. This is what was recovered.
George Wendt ("Cheers", House), Tony Todd (Candyman), Tiffany Shepis (Abominable) and Daniel Roebuck (The Fugitive) co-star along with cameos by Lloyd Kaufman (Guardians of the Galaxy), Chuck Williams (Bubba Ho-Tep), Bobby Slayton (Bandits) and scream queen Brinke Stevens (The Slumber Party Massacre) in this disturbing chiller based on the 1993 true story that shocked America.
Director Seth Landau says "Bryan Loves You is my take on the dangers of homogenous thinking, and also a very personal story about my experience growing up in rural America and being forcibly admitted to a mental hospital as a child. I think the movie is more relevant today than ever before, as our lives are increasingly tracked, recorded and monitored. If you resist what the big machine wants, it can be quite dangerous. I'm thrilled to be working with Eric D. Wilkinson and MVD Entertainment on the Special Edition Blu-ray and digital re-release of my film. There aren't many companies nurturing and caring for cutting-edge independent film. I'm lucky and fortunate grassroots guerrilla cinema can still exist in 2022 through MVD."
Bonus Materials
Sales Points
Press Quotes
...shades of 'A Clockwork Orange...'
--James Oster, JoBlo.com
A haunting thriller... Part Blair Witch and Part Invasion of the Body Snatchers!
--Arrow In the Head.com
A masterfully creepy ride through religious fundamentalism gone horribly awry.
--MovieWeb.com
An eerie, unnerving experience... Impossibly paranoid and enormously entertaining!
--BlogCritics.org
In the early 1990s, a 32-year-old psychotherapist (Seth Landau, Take Out) began to suspect that his small Arizona community was being taken over by a homicidal religious cult known as "The Bryans". His entire ordeal was captured on camcorder footage and security tapes. This is what was recovered.
George Wendt ("Cheers", House), Tony Todd (Candyman), Tiffany Shepis (Abominable) and Daniel Roebuck (The Fugitive) co-star along with cameos by Lloyd Kaufman (Guardians of the Galaxy), Chuck Williams (Bubba Ho-Tep), Bobby Slayton (Bandits) and scream queen Brinke Stevens (The Slumber Party Massacre) in this disturbing chiller based on the 1993 true story that shocked America.
Director Seth Landau says "Bryan Loves You is my take on the dangers of homogenous thinking, and also a very personal story about my experience growing up in rural America and being forcibly admitted to a mental hospital as a child. I think the movie is more relevant today than ever before, as our lives are increasingly tracked, recorded and monitored. If you resist what the big machine wants, it can be quite dangerous. I'm thrilled to be working with Eric D. Wilkinson and MVD Entertainment on the Special Edition Blu-ray and digital re-release of my film. There aren't many companies nurturing and caring for cutting-edge independent film. I'm lucky and fortunate grassroots guerrilla cinema can still exist in 2022 through MVD."
Bonus Materials
- NEW! 2022 Audio Commentary with Writer / Producer / Director Seth Landau
- 2008 Commentary with Writer / Producer / Director Seth Landau, cast and crew along with JoBlo Writer/Critic James Oster, Elissa Dowling and Professor / Religious Expert Dr. Phillip Baker
- NEW! Interview with star George Wendt (HD, 44:50)
- NEW! Interview with star Tiffany Shepis (HD, 50:49)
- NEW! Interview with star Daniel Roebuck (HD, 59.35)
- NEW! Interview with star Brinke Stevens (HD, 31:46)
- NEW! 2022 Theatrical Trailer (HD)
Sales Points
- Written, Produced and directed by Seth Landau (Take Out)
- Originally distributed by Starz / Anchor Bay, “Bryan Loves You” sold an estimated 40,000 units on DVD!
- All-star cast that will appeal to horror fans includes Tony Todd (Candyman), George Wendt ('Cheers', House), Tiffany Shepis (Abominable), Daniel Roebuck (The Devil's Rejects), Lloyd Kaufman (Guardians of the Galaxy), Brinke Stevens (Slumberparty Massacre)
- “Bryan Loves You” is inspired by the supposed true story of the ‘Cult of the Bryans’ who took over a small Arizona town in 1993.
- Cult classic horror thriller available for the first time in HD and on Blu-ray!
Press Quotes
...shades of 'A Clockwork Orange...'
--James Oster, JoBlo.com
A haunting thriller... Part Blair Witch and Part Invasion of the Body Snatchers!
--Arrow In the Head.com
A masterfully creepy ride through religious fundamentalism gone horribly awry.
--MovieWeb.com
An eerie, unnerving experience... Impossibly paranoid and enormously entertaining!
--BlogCritics.org
- Published on
Well, for anyone who took the time to read my review of The Book Of Boba Fett’s last installment – “Chapter 5: Return Of The Mandalorian” – you’ll know that I kinda/sorta called it.
Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult a prediction to make: the return of Din Djarin to Disney+’s broadcast schedule was bound to last more than a single episode. Since Chapter 5 ended with the bounty hunter saying he needed to see ‘a little friend’ (or thereabouts), it was pretty clear where the audience was headed. And as I tried to be perfectly clear in that review, I have no essential problem with Djarin’s storyline except for the fact that this isn’t his show. This was supposed to be about Boba Fett, and very little of what transpired in “Chapter 6: From The Desert Comes A Stranger” tied back thematically to the galaxy far, far away’s original hunter … with some minor exceptions that I’ll get to in a moment.
Now, I get that Din Djarin’s popularity for the Star Wars franchise is quite literally through the roof, and perhaps on a marketing and/or logistics level it makes perfect sense to tie in this new fan favorite into Boba Fett’s serialized introduction. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni tied them together nicely in The Mandalorian’s second season, and the Robert Rodriguez directed episode introducing their kinda/sorta partnership remains one of the franchise’s most satisfying entries. This was the Boba Fett fans wanted to see because it underscored pitch perfectly what we’d always suspected: the deadliest hired gun in the galaxy – so far as the Original Trilogy was concerned – was Fett. It was dynamic. It was intoxicating. The action was fast, the payoff was exceptional, and fandom was pleased.
Flash forward to The Book Of Boba Fett: Djarin shows up in what’s now Fett’s palace on Tatooine, and the two share only a single nod.
A single nod?
Seriously?
Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult a prediction to make: the return of Din Djarin to Disney+’s broadcast schedule was bound to last more than a single episode. Since Chapter 5 ended with the bounty hunter saying he needed to see ‘a little friend’ (or thereabouts), it was pretty clear where the audience was headed. And as I tried to be perfectly clear in that review, I have no essential problem with Djarin’s storyline except for the fact that this isn’t his show. This was supposed to be about Boba Fett, and very little of what transpired in “Chapter 6: From The Desert Comes A Stranger” tied back thematically to the galaxy far, far away’s original hunter … with some minor exceptions that I’ll get to in a moment.
Now, I get that Din Djarin’s popularity for the Star Wars franchise is quite literally through the roof, and perhaps on a marketing and/or logistics level it makes perfect sense to tie in this new fan favorite into Boba Fett’s serialized introduction. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni tied them together nicely in The Mandalorian’s second season, and the Robert Rodriguez directed episode introducing their kinda/sorta partnership remains one of the franchise’s most satisfying entries. This was the Boba Fett fans wanted to see because it underscored pitch perfectly what we’d always suspected: the deadliest hired gun in the galaxy – so far as the Original Trilogy was concerned – was Fett. It was dynamic. It was intoxicating. The action was fast, the payoff was exceptional, and fandom was pleased.
Flash forward to The Book Of Boba Fett: Djarin shows up in what’s now Fett’s palace on Tatooine, and the two share only a single nod.
A single nod?
Seriously?
Of course, I risk a bit of credibility with readers by emphasizing my position. I’m old enough to know how the Information Superhighway works. By this time tomorrow, you’ll brand me a hater or – worse – a fanboy crybaby; and you’re all entitled to your opinions. Such is life. Mind you, I’m not gonna lose any sleep over it because my take on The Book Of Boba Fett stands: it really should’ve been more about Fett and less about the cast of characters. Mando has his own show: let him monopolize the narrative on it. That’s just how I personally believe these things should work.
Still, it was great to finally see Fett again as he was curiously absent from Chapter 5.
As for the rest of Chapter 6?
Those who are calling the hour ‘an awful lot of fan service’ certainly are raising a good point. The just-short-of-50-minutes packed in a wealth of guest star appearances, a return to locations already featured in both Fett and Mando’s shows, and the introduction of a big, big, big baddie in a big, big, big way.
For those unaware, Cad Bane is another of the galaxy’s deadliest ilk. Wikipedia.org credits Bane’s creation to Filoni, Star Wars’ original mastermind George Lucas, and screenwriter Henry Gilroy. I’m pretty certain his first appearance was in a continuing arc of the stellar Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series; and since then he’s suited up once more in Star Wars: The Bad Batch (another fabulous addition). I believe it was Filoni (in an interview) who stated Bane was inspired by screen actor Lee Van Cleef’s character from Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (a 1966 Spaghetti Western epic), so it was entirely fitting the way this blue-skinned Duros strode across Tatooine sands into a showdown with marshal Cobb Vanth. That alone was genius storytelling, my friends.
Still, it was great to finally see Fett again as he was curiously absent from Chapter 5.
As for the rest of Chapter 6?
Those who are calling the hour ‘an awful lot of fan service’ certainly are raising a good point. The just-short-of-50-minutes packed in a wealth of guest star appearances, a return to locations already featured in both Fett and Mando’s shows, and the introduction of a big, big, big baddie in a big, big, big way.
For those unaware, Cad Bane is another of the galaxy’s deadliest ilk. Wikipedia.org credits Bane’s creation to Filoni, Star Wars’ original mastermind George Lucas, and screenwriter Henry Gilroy. I’m pretty certain his first appearance was in a continuing arc of the stellar Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series; and since then he’s suited up once more in Star Wars: The Bad Batch (another fabulous addition). I believe it was Filoni (in an interview) who stated Bane was inspired by screen actor Lee Van Cleef’s character from Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (a 1966 Spaghetti Western epic), so it was entirely fitting the way this blue-skinned Duros strode across Tatooine sands into a showdown with marshal Cobb Vanth. That alone was genius storytelling, my friends.
Though it was a great introduction, wouldn’t it have been vastly more meaningful if Bane had gone into a standoff with Fett himself? After all, it is his show; and pitting these two allegedly relentless hunters against one another would’ve been a confrontation of legend. Maybe that’s where this is heading?
Again, it’s hard not to pick a few bones when one’s trying to critically dissect what works and what may not have worked as well in episodic television. Motion pictures tend to spend a bit more time and a bit more money in crafting their blazing highwater marks; and I’m inclined to yet again point out that The Book Of Boba Fett remains shy of a few. This isn’t a gripe about Fett’s storyline of the first three or four episodes because anyone challenging me now is free to go back and see what I penned then: I’ve been perfectly fine with the pace of bringing Fett to life in this show. I’m just discouraged he feels like a second-tier character in a program bearing his name.
While it’s grand to see what Luke Skywalker has been up to, I found it more than a bit disheartening that he’s seemingly accomplished next to nothing with Grogu in the two to three months interim between the end of The Mandalorian’s second season and his appearance in Chapter 6. Seriously? From what I recall, Skywalker himself was doing Jedi exercises competently after only a few days in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back; but, as an instructor, he’s barely even begun scratching the surface with his new student here. No, no, no, I’m not talking about a little comic relief: Grogu’s clearly got a taste for frogs … but apparently the little bugger has little to no interest in the Force.
Thematically, this development with Grogu makes sense: fans know all too well that Jedis are encouraged to avoid ‘entanglements,’ and the time this Foundling and Djarin have spent together was about building a father/son dynamic between two wayward souls trying to make their way across the universe. I found their separation at the end of Mando’s second season a bit weird in that regard, but it was clear that the bounty hunter made the decision for his surrogate child in what he believed was everyone’s best interest. Now we see that Grogu’s future depends upon making his own decision about where he wishes to put his faith; Luke was faced with the same dilemma in The Empire Strikes Back – stay and complete the training or leave to save your friends. (As George Lucas likes to say, “It’s like poetry, and it rhymes.”) Grogu should face no less.
Again, it’s hard not to pick a few bones when one’s trying to critically dissect what works and what may not have worked as well in episodic television. Motion pictures tend to spend a bit more time and a bit more money in crafting their blazing highwater marks; and I’m inclined to yet again point out that The Book Of Boba Fett remains shy of a few. This isn’t a gripe about Fett’s storyline of the first three or four episodes because anyone challenging me now is free to go back and see what I penned then: I’ve been perfectly fine with the pace of bringing Fett to life in this show. I’m just discouraged he feels like a second-tier character in a program bearing his name.
While it’s grand to see what Luke Skywalker has been up to, I found it more than a bit disheartening that he’s seemingly accomplished next to nothing with Grogu in the two to three months interim between the end of The Mandalorian’s second season and his appearance in Chapter 6. Seriously? From what I recall, Skywalker himself was doing Jedi exercises competently after only a few days in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back; but, as an instructor, he’s barely even begun scratching the surface with his new student here. No, no, no, I’m not talking about a little comic relief: Grogu’s clearly got a taste for frogs … but apparently the little bugger has little to no interest in the Force.
Thematically, this development with Grogu makes sense: fans know all too well that Jedis are encouraged to avoid ‘entanglements,’ and the time this Foundling and Djarin have spent together was about building a father/son dynamic between two wayward souls trying to make their way across the universe. I found their separation at the end of Mando’s second season a bit weird in that regard, but it was clear that the bounty hunter made the decision for his surrogate child in what he believed was everyone’s best interest. Now we see that Grogu’s future depends upon making his own decision about where he wishes to put his faith; Luke was faced with the same dilemma in The Empire Strikes Back – stay and complete the training or leave to save your friends. (As George Lucas likes to say, “It’s like poetry, and it rhymes.”) Grogu should face no less.
Still, in this modern era of Star Wars, we’re increasingly seeing heroes walk away from their duties as Jedis. Ahsoka Tano did it, kinda/sorta realizing the whole Jedi thing really wasn’t her calling. Heck, one could even argue that Skywalker did it himself as fandom was confused why he turned his back on the universe in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi. (Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know he came back, but that was to ‘save his friends.’) There are a few more instances I could point out, but the point remains the same: Jedis are proving – in some ways – a bit unreliable in the long term so far as their stewardship of justice is concerned.
As this season of Fett’s is advertised to be a scant seven episodes long, it looks like there’s an awful lot of mileage that needs to be covered in the last ordeal. There are a lot of loose ends needing to be tied up, and – dare I say? – I wasn’t expecting all of this to be hammered out in a single installment. That appears to be where we’re heading … and I’ve no idea how that’ll all roll out. Who knows? Favreau and Filoni might be playing their trump cards close to their chests, waiting to really surprise watchers with a big, bold, brash finale.
Whatever the case, I’ll be there. Watching.
Probably cheering, too.
-- EZ
As this season of Fett’s is advertised to be a scant seven episodes long, it looks like there’s an awful lot of mileage that needs to be covered in the last ordeal. There are a lot of loose ends needing to be tied up, and – dare I say? – I wasn’t expecting all of this to be hammered out in a single installment. That appears to be where we’re heading … and I’ve no idea how that’ll all roll out. Who knows? Favreau and Filoni might be playing their trump cards close to their chests, waiting to really surprise watchers with a big, bold, brash finale.
Whatever the case, I’ll be there. Watching.
Probably cheering, too.
-- EZ
- Published on
(NOTE: Apologies, folks, as this one apparently slipped right past me in the news.)
Those of us who've been around a few years (and then some) will always remember the lovely Yvette Mimieux as one of the 'First Ladies' of Science Fiction thanks to her work in George Pal's adaptation of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine (1960) for Metro-Goldwyn_Mayer. Though the appearance wasn't her debut, it was definitely near the dawn of her professional career as 1960 saw her given the Golden Globe for 'Most Promising Newcomer - Female.' Alas, this wasn't for her acting in the Science Fiction classic but for a little conventional drama called Platinum High School. Though I've never seen this one, I suspect it might be a largely forgettable affair ... well, 'forgettable' except for being this lady's big screen debut.
I've read, however, that it was The Time Machine that truly launched her career as the picture went on to be one of the studio's better performing films for 1960. In the guise of 'Weena,' audiences fell in love with her, and she no doubt used that goodwill to build a career across a variety of genres.
As genre properties go, she leaves behind a resume with some interesting diversions. In 1960, she also managed to squeeze in a visit to TV's One Step Beyond ("The Clown"). In 1962, she played royalty aboard The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm also for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Work in a host of more conventional fare followed, but in 1973 she dipped back onto Fantasy's radar with a role aboard Twentieth Century Fox's The Neptune Factor. 1977 saw her in a made for television Horror/Thriller, Snowbeast, which had the lady and her costars on the lookout for an Abominable Snowman-style creature.
Still, it wasn't until 1979 when Walt Disney gave her the chance to truly explore the Final Frontier aboard director Gary Nelson's The Black Hole. Her 'Dr. Kate McCrae' was part of a crew who stumble across the USS Cygnus believed to have been lost years earlier. McCrae's father served aboard the ship, so the search to find some answers gave her a personal interest, not just professional; and the actress earned a whole new generation of fans that will always remember her in one of the signature Science Fiction films of its era.
Acting wasn't her only calling. I've read that she was an anthropologist, a businesswoman, and a very successful real estate professional. Let that be a lesson for all of us when it comes to having second careers.
Prayers to all family, friends, and all who knew her well.
-- EZ
Those of us who've been around a few years (and then some) will always remember the lovely Yvette Mimieux as one of the 'First Ladies' of Science Fiction thanks to her work in George Pal's adaptation of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine (1960) for Metro-Goldwyn_Mayer. Though the appearance wasn't her debut, it was definitely near the dawn of her professional career as 1960 saw her given the Golden Globe for 'Most Promising Newcomer - Female.' Alas, this wasn't for her acting in the Science Fiction classic but for a little conventional drama called Platinum High School. Though I've never seen this one, I suspect it might be a largely forgettable affair ... well, 'forgettable' except for being this lady's big screen debut.
I've read, however, that it was The Time Machine that truly launched her career as the picture went on to be one of the studio's better performing films for 1960. In the guise of 'Weena,' audiences fell in love with her, and she no doubt used that goodwill to build a career across a variety of genres.
As genre properties go, she leaves behind a resume with some interesting diversions. In 1960, she also managed to squeeze in a visit to TV's One Step Beyond ("The Clown"). In 1962, she played royalty aboard The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm also for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Work in a host of more conventional fare followed, but in 1973 she dipped back onto Fantasy's radar with a role aboard Twentieth Century Fox's The Neptune Factor. 1977 saw her in a made for television Horror/Thriller, Snowbeast, which had the lady and her costars on the lookout for an Abominable Snowman-style creature.
Still, it wasn't until 1979 when Walt Disney gave her the chance to truly explore the Final Frontier aboard director Gary Nelson's The Black Hole. Her 'Dr. Kate McCrae' was part of a crew who stumble across the USS Cygnus believed to have been lost years earlier. McCrae's father served aboard the ship, so the search to find some answers gave her a personal interest, not just professional; and the actress earned a whole new generation of fans that will always remember her in one of the signature Science Fiction films of its era.
Acting wasn't her only calling. I've read that she was an anthropologist, a businesswoman, and a very successful real estate professional. Let that be a lesson for all of us when it comes to having second careers.
Prayers to all family, friends, and all who knew her well.
-- EZ
- Published on
Going all the way back to the days of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes or even the works of Agatha Christie, audiences have been fascinated with ‘locked box’ mysteries.
For those unaware, the ‘locked box’ represents a subset of the general mystery genre, one wherein the protagonist and others are incarcerated (of sorts) in a single setting. Then, a murder takes place ... or the suspects have been gathered for eventually questioning, confrontation, and exposure. Because of the popularity of this subset, its framework was eventually borrowed by storytellers of other genres who saw the construct as being entirely exploitable in their fields. Though some might disagree, the Saw franchise spilled an awful lot of blood putting similar plotting to good (yet torturous) use in Horror; and – in the realm of Science Fiction – the various flicks in the Cube enterprise bear strong similarities.
Having seen all of the pictures that make up the Cube universe, I’d have to say my greatest disappointment in their collective endeavor is that characters were, mostly, secondary considerations: what gave the various films their collective pulse is the Cube – its mechanical iterations, the way the architecture moved, morphed, and expanded in the pursuit of challenging those trapped within. Sure, audiences learned a bit here and there about the players in the grand game; but, for me, personal drama always felt secondary to the robotic construct of their prisons. At best, I was given someone to root for; at worst, they were bodies just waiting for the kill shot. We’d part company when the credits rolled.
To its credit, 2022’s The Abandon lifts up the ‘locked box’ premise and populates the screen with (vastly) fewer characters, giving viewers the chance to not only get to know them in an increasingly intimate way but also to better understand how both they and the ‘box’ tick. While I’ll concede the film still left me with questions in its last reel, I cared enough about its main players that I’m hopeful for a follow-up. That’s a marked improvement over Cube, but I can’t help wondering if others were disappointed by the low body count.
For those unaware, the ‘locked box’ represents a subset of the general mystery genre, one wherein the protagonist and others are incarcerated (of sorts) in a single setting. Then, a murder takes place ... or the suspects have been gathered for eventually questioning, confrontation, and exposure. Because of the popularity of this subset, its framework was eventually borrowed by storytellers of other genres who saw the construct as being entirely exploitable in their fields. Though some might disagree, the Saw franchise spilled an awful lot of blood putting similar plotting to good (yet torturous) use in Horror; and – in the realm of Science Fiction – the various flicks in the Cube enterprise bear strong similarities.
Having seen all of the pictures that make up the Cube universe, I’d have to say my greatest disappointment in their collective endeavor is that characters were, mostly, secondary considerations: what gave the various films their collective pulse is the Cube – its mechanical iterations, the way the architecture moved, morphed, and expanded in the pursuit of challenging those trapped within. Sure, audiences learned a bit here and there about the players in the grand game; but, for me, personal drama always felt secondary to the robotic construct of their prisons. At best, I was given someone to root for; at worst, they were bodies just waiting for the kill shot. We’d part company when the credits rolled.
To its credit, 2022’s The Abandon lifts up the ‘locked box’ premise and populates the screen with (vastly) fewer characters, giving viewers the chance to not only get to know them in an increasingly intimate way but also to better understand how both they and the ‘box’ tick. While I’ll concede the film still left me with questions in its last reel, I cared enough about its main players that I’m hopeful for a follow-up. That’s a marked improvement over Cube, but I can’t help wondering if others were disappointed by the low body count.
(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 citation:
“A wounded soldier awakens in a strange cube that tests his physical and mental limits as he attempts to find a way to escape against a ticking clock.”
I think one way of approaching what to make of the SciFi-themed release, The Abandon, is to consider it a metaphor for our modern times.
With all of the space we have on this big blue marble called Earth, we still find a way to silo ourselves off in a very limited view of the world around us; and then we spend the better part of the time given to us trying to figure out what each of the little signs we encounter along the way could possibly mean. It’s very human to notice things that have changed and to ascribe greater meaning to them than perhaps what the universe intends, and I’ve read that we psychologically do this to better understand the complexities of what we endure. After all, we’re intelligent creatures, so shouldn’t we be able to figure this all out in the end?
As our days wear on, this silo typically grows smaller and smaller. (Rarely does it grow larger.) Friends and family pass away. Favorite businesses close down. Memories fade, and perhaps we begin to experience some disillusion with this thing called life. Connections are lost; and – if we don’t fill up these voids with new ones – our mental faculties begin to degrade to the point where we’re not so much living as we are existing.
Symbolically, this is where Miles Willis (played by Jonathan Rosenthal) and Damsey Robins (Tamara Perry) find themselves, both trapped in their respective cubes. They’ve found themselves not only isolated from the world-at-large but sequestered in a space that is curiously shrinking as the hours tick by. Communicating only over Willis’ satellite radio, they’re forced to push past whatever separates them – background, upbringing, ideology, gender, etc. – and find a point wherein they can establish trust. If they don’t grow individually, then they’re sure to perish together. It’s the classic and cinematic race-against-time wherein the villain never shows his (or her) face.
Actors Rosenthal and Perry are gifted with a clever script from Dwain Worrell, whose other screenwriting credits include episodes from Marvel’s Iron Fist serial (Netflix) and CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted. Worrell put in great effort in crafting characters relatable both to one another and their audience while putting these players through some extraordinary circumstances. Theirs is not an easy journey, but they inevitably reach the necessary conclusion: survival is never guaranteed, but one’s chances are exponentially greater when joining forces instead of opposing at all costs.
From the film’s IMDB.com citation:
“A wounded soldier awakens in a strange cube that tests his physical and mental limits as he attempts to find a way to escape against a ticking clock.”
I think one way of approaching what to make of the SciFi-themed release, The Abandon, is to consider it a metaphor for our modern times.
With all of the space we have on this big blue marble called Earth, we still find a way to silo ourselves off in a very limited view of the world around us; and then we spend the better part of the time given to us trying to figure out what each of the little signs we encounter along the way could possibly mean. It’s very human to notice things that have changed and to ascribe greater meaning to them than perhaps what the universe intends, and I’ve read that we psychologically do this to better understand the complexities of what we endure. After all, we’re intelligent creatures, so shouldn’t we be able to figure this all out in the end?
As our days wear on, this silo typically grows smaller and smaller. (Rarely does it grow larger.) Friends and family pass away. Favorite businesses close down. Memories fade, and perhaps we begin to experience some disillusion with this thing called life. Connections are lost; and – if we don’t fill up these voids with new ones – our mental faculties begin to degrade to the point where we’re not so much living as we are existing.
Symbolically, this is where Miles Willis (played by Jonathan Rosenthal) and Damsey Robins (Tamara Perry) find themselves, both trapped in their respective cubes. They’ve found themselves not only isolated from the world-at-large but sequestered in a space that is curiously shrinking as the hours tick by. Communicating only over Willis’ satellite radio, they’re forced to push past whatever separates them – background, upbringing, ideology, gender, etc. – and find a point wherein they can establish trust. If they don’t grow individually, then they’re sure to perish together. It’s the classic and cinematic race-against-time wherein the villain never shows his (or her) face.
Actors Rosenthal and Perry are gifted with a clever script from Dwain Worrell, whose other screenwriting credits include episodes from Marvel’s Iron Fist serial (Netflix) and CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted. Worrell put in great effort in crafting characters relatable both to one another and their audience while putting these players through some extraordinary circumstances. Theirs is not an easy journey, but they inevitably reach the necessary conclusion: survival is never guaranteed, but one’s chances are exponentially greater when joining forces instead of opposing at all costs.
Award-winning director Jason Satterlund directs the effort. A review of his IMDB.com profile shows a storyteller whose worked in multiple genres, though I’d be remiss if I failed to point out a few of his SciFi and Fantasy credentials. In 2014, he wrote (with others) and directed The Record Keeper, a film that spawned a series exploring human history as told by angels. In 2017, he crafted a short film set in that popular galaxy far, far away titled Star Wars: The Force And The Fury. Then, in 2019, the Force was indeed strong with him as he delivered another short – Kenobi: A Star Wars Story – that caught the attention of director Steven Soderbergh and scored an incredible 1 million views within 24 hours. Certainly, this film is in good hands.
If I have any quibbles with The Abandon, it will have to be that it joins an increasing number of Science Fiction entries that seem to be ending when the real story is just beginning.
2014’s The Signal (written in part and directed by William Eubank) dealt with friends trapped in some government facility due to their increasingly treacherous hold on reality. Without spoiling the ending (for those who may not have seen it), the trio are confined, but the audience has no concept of just how confined their entire world is in the film’s final reveal. Clearly, they’re somewhere else; and – while the script makes some suggestions – it’s never definitely answered. Their fates? Well, we’ll likely never know.
2018’s Freaks (co-written and co-directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein) is a great superhero-style drama that taps such star power as Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, and Grace Park. The script explores a young girl, Chloe, who discovers there’s a big world outside her front door once she escapes the confinement forced upon her by dear old dad. Eventually, she learns that her imprisonment had a greater purpose; but, similar to The Signal, it all comes to an end when audiences are just coming to appreciate Chloe’s gifts.
In the same way (but, again, I won’t spoil it), The Abandon closes with a big reveal, one that hides more than a single secret (if you’ve been watching closely); and then it all fades to black. Worrell’s script has a suggestion based on the outcome of Willis and Robins’ solution, but I’m still left with questions based entirely on what’s filmed. Did the duo truly solve the puzzle, save themselves, and save the world … or was all of this just a set-up for something a bit more nefarious?
Again, we may never know.
Having watched more than my share of films and read more than my share of interviews, I realize that occasionally this is where storytellers prefer leaving an audience. They spin tales that’ll only take you so far, and then what happens next is entirely up to the individual. Though I appreciate the effort, I’m not one who dabbles all that much in speculation; and I prefer to have the story particulars fully spelled out for me.
Still, if this is all I get with Willis and Robins, at least I can find some peace in knowing that they parted company the best of friends. They’re once again connected – no longer trapped in their respective silos – and out amongst the movers and shakers once more.
If I have any quibbles with The Abandon, it will have to be that it joins an increasing number of Science Fiction entries that seem to be ending when the real story is just beginning.
2014’s The Signal (written in part and directed by William Eubank) dealt with friends trapped in some government facility due to their increasingly treacherous hold on reality. Without spoiling the ending (for those who may not have seen it), the trio are confined, but the audience has no concept of just how confined their entire world is in the film’s final reveal. Clearly, they’re somewhere else; and – while the script makes some suggestions – it’s never definitely answered. Their fates? Well, we’ll likely never know.
2018’s Freaks (co-written and co-directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein) is a great superhero-style drama that taps such star power as Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, and Grace Park. The script explores a young girl, Chloe, who discovers there’s a big world outside her front door once she escapes the confinement forced upon her by dear old dad. Eventually, she learns that her imprisonment had a greater purpose; but, similar to The Signal, it all comes to an end when audiences are just coming to appreciate Chloe’s gifts.
In the same way (but, again, I won’t spoil it), The Abandon closes with a big reveal, one that hides more than a single secret (if you’ve been watching closely); and then it all fades to black. Worrell’s script has a suggestion based on the outcome of Willis and Robins’ solution, but I’m still left with questions based entirely on what’s filmed. Did the duo truly solve the puzzle, save themselves, and save the world … or was all of this just a set-up for something a bit more nefarious?
Again, we may never know.
Having watched more than my share of films and read more than my share of interviews, I realize that occasionally this is where storytellers prefer leaving an audience. They spin tales that’ll only take you so far, and then what happens next is entirely up to the individual. Though I appreciate the effort, I’m not one who dabbles all that much in speculation; and I prefer to have the story particulars fully spelled out for me.
Still, if this is all I get with Willis and Robins, at least I can find some peace in knowing that they parted company the best of friends. They’re once again connected – no longer trapped in their respective silos – and out amongst the movers and shakers once more.
The Abandon (2022) was produced by Mill House Motion Pictures.
Recommended.
The Abandon bares more than a passing resemblance to any one of the popular direct-to-DVD Cube movies, but the methodology of solving the central puzzle – as well as the film’s faceless villain – diverges enough so that it doesn’t feel as derivative as I initially suspected. What works best is the film’s increasing claustrophobia – doom always feels oppressive in close quarters – as well as the rapport between the leads (Rosenthal and Perry). Alas, this story ends just as it’s really beginning; unless there’s a significant follow-up, I’m left with no way of knowing what truly is next for this Earthly universe.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Millennial Public Relations provided me with a complimentary streaming link of The Abandon (2022) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Recommended.
The Abandon bares more than a passing resemblance to any one of the popular direct-to-DVD Cube movies, but the methodology of solving the central puzzle – as well as the film’s faceless villain – diverges enough so that it doesn’t feel as derivative as I initially suspected. What works best is the film’s increasing claustrophobia – doom always feels oppressive in close quarters – as well as the rapport between the leads (Rosenthal and Perry). Alas, this story ends just as it’s really beginning; unless there’s a significant follow-up, I’m left with no way of knowing what truly is next for this Earthly universe.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Millennial Public Relations provided me with a complimentary streaming link of The Abandon (2022) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ