- Published on
in memoriam
You'll all have to trust me when I say that a great deal many other folks know far more about the work of Peter David than I do.
Chiefly, I came to know him many moons ago as one of the author who dabbled in some truly memorable Star Trek novels. I've said many times -- in this space, in fact -- that his "Imzadi" is -- hands down -- one of the very best Trek books, so good that it most definitely could've served as the fabric for a big budget motion picture or even a limited series (now that Trek seems to have gone the way of the pay-wall streaming outlet that is Paramount+). Granted, it may not exactly have had the central star-power focus of honing in on Captain Jean-Luc Picard or Commander Data, but it arguably gave Will Riker and Deanna Troi a love story that transcended universes. If you haven't read it, then I encourage all Trekkies, Trekkers, and general Trek enthusiasts to do so ... at once ... and I don't think any of you will be disappointed.
Still, the truth is that David was far more well known outside of Trek, I suspect, that he was within. As an author and comic books scribe, he built a faithful following across several big titles, including a rather epic run -- from what I've been told -- on Marvel's The Incredible Hulk.
In any event, I'll never be able to do his career justice, and that's why I'm encouraging everyone to head on over to his Wikipedia.org page -- right here -- to see just how impactful and expansive he truly was. Prepare to be amazed.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Peter David.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
Chiefly, I came to know him many moons ago as one of the author who dabbled in some truly memorable Star Trek novels. I've said many times -- in this space, in fact -- that his "Imzadi" is -- hands down -- one of the very best Trek books, so good that it most definitely could've served as the fabric for a big budget motion picture or even a limited series (now that Trek seems to have gone the way of the pay-wall streaming outlet that is Paramount+). Granted, it may not exactly have had the central star-power focus of honing in on Captain Jean-Luc Picard or Commander Data, but it arguably gave Will Riker and Deanna Troi a love story that transcended universes. If you haven't read it, then I encourage all Trekkies, Trekkers, and general Trek enthusiasts to do so ... at once ... and I don't think any of you will be disappointed.
Still, the truth is that David was far more well known outside of Trek, I suspect, that he was within. As an author and comic books scribe, he built a faithful following across several big titles, including a rather epic run -- from what I've been told -- on Marvel's The Incredible Hulk.
In any event, I'll never be able to do his career justice, and that's why I'm encouraging everyone to head on over to his Wikipedia.org page -- right here -- to see just how impactful and expansive he truly was. Prepare to be amazed.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Peter David.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
in memoriam
As I often remind readers, some of these passings hurt a bit more than others; and I think that's just the nature of living life. We don't get to know all of these men and women -- certainly not as much as we'd like -- and then there are these fateful few that we somehow find to have spent hours and hours of being entertained by them and their work. It may've seemed somewhat insignificant at the time, and then we find ourselves looking back -- often from these announcements -- and realizing that perhaps one tiny role -- measured against the cosmic scope of television or movies -- really made an impact.
Such is the case with the passing of George Wendt.
Without belaboring the point -- and truly only listing it for posterity's sake -- Wendt's work had a huge impact on the legacy of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek. For those of you who don't know, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had a bar -- it was called Quark's -- and Quark's had this one regular who never said a word, probably never paid his tab, but was there in an incredible number of scenes if for no other reason than to give authenticity to the tavern itself. Bars have regulars, and Quark's should be no different, despite the parade of alien species into the establishment. And Morn was this guy's name. Morn was based on 'Norm,' the popular barstool philosopher who was part of a winning ensemble featured on NBC's popular sitcom of its day, Cheers.
Undoubtedly that deserves mention in this space, so consider it mentioned.
Otherwise, the award-winning actor did have a few other roles in the realms of the Fantastic deserving of mention:
Though there are a few more -- TV appearances, as well -- I'll leave it at that. Wendt clearly wasn't a genre heavyhitter, but he was still the kind of talent who made himself known whenever he was onscreen; and that's something fans can always be thankful for when looking back and rediscovering what he's left us for study or just plain enjoyment.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of George Wendt.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
Such is the case with the passing of George Wendt.
Without belaboring the point -- and truly only listing it for posterity's sake -- Wendt's work had a huge impact on the legacy of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek. For those of you who don't know, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had a bar -- it was called Quark's -- and Quark's had this one regular who never said a word, probably never paid his tab, but was there in an incredible number of scenes if for no other reason than to give authenticity to the tavern itself. Bars have regulars, and Quark's should be no different, despite the parade of alien species into the establishment. And Morn was this guy's name. Morn was based on 'Norm,' the popular barstool philosopher who was part of a winning ensemble featured on NBC's popular sitcom of its day, Cheers.
Undoubtedly that deserves mention in this space, so consider it mentioned.
Otherwise, the award-winning actor did have a few other roles in the realms of the Fantastic deserving of mention:
- In 1982, he enjoyed a wee bit of screen time in the Horror/Comedy Jekyll And Hyde ... Together Again. That same year, he enjoyed an uncredited part in Airplane II: The Sequel.
- In 1984, he turned up aboard Dreamscape, one of the better Fantasies to grace silver screens that year.
- In 1985, Horror called again, and Wendt was cast in a supporting spot for House.
- In 1996, the actor squeezed himself into another bit-style part in Space Truckers. Later that year, he dipped into SciFi/Comedy with a leading role aboard Alien Avengers, a property that would get a sequel two years later.
Though there are a few more -- TV appearances, as well -- I'll leave it at that. Wendt clearly wasn't a genre heavyhitter, but he was still the kind of talent who made himself known whenever he was onscreen; and that's something fans can always be thankful for when looking back and rediscovering what he's left us for study or just plain enjoyment.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of George Wendt.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
(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:
“Magpie lives in an isolated church community ruled over by her father, The Pastor. When a man is murdered, paranoia sets in, and people start to whisper about a strange 'Beast' that lives in the forest.”
The downside to knowing the definition of Folk Horror is that once you’re truly aware of it and how it works then you begin to see its possibilities in practically every chiller.
Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to such things. For example, knowing that Folk Horrors tend to monopolize their focus on rural and/or backwoods settings incorporating a fair share of local superstitions and folklore kinda/sorta diminishes the eventual reveal of the story’s true Evil: there’s no way to not anticipate its arrival when the pieces are so cleanly laid out on the theatrical board. On the other hand, the more creative storytellers might be using this construct as a distraction, setting the viewers up for a sleight of hand by substituting B for A. Film as a medium tends to be imperfect anyway, so I suspect all of us should be thankful for small favors if and when we can find them … and, yet, there’s a solid undercurrent of predictableness that kills even the most efficient outing – like The Severed Sun (2024) – from truly boiling into a head of steam. It doesn’t fizzle, but it only percolates as needed.
At the insistence of her oppressive father (simply called ‘the Pastor’ as played by Toby Stephens), Magpie (Emma Appleton) finds herself in an abusive relationship married to Howard (Eoin Slattery). Mind you, the audience never sees what the young woman suffers – in fact, the flick opens with Magpie’s voiceover confession to both poisoning her husband so what he’s weak enough to be axed to death (in a staged accident) – and we’re actually given sufficient cause to doubt her character once its revealed that she’s secretly in love with her stepson David (Lewis Gribben). But if we take the lady at her word – or, at least, how she’s been penned for the screen by writer/director Dean Puckett – then it’s entirely plausible she possessed sufficient cause to perform the ghastly deed that she did.
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Magpie lives in an isolated church community ruled over by her father, The Pastor. When a man is murdered, paranoia sets in, and people start to whisper about a strange 'Beast' that lives in the forest.”
The downside to knowing the definition of Folk Horror is that once you’re truly aware of it and how it works then you begin to see its possibilities in practically every chiller.
Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to such things. For example, knowing that Folk Horrors tend to monopolize their focus on rural and/or backwoods settings incorporating a fair share of local superstitions and folklore kinda/sorta diminishes the eventual reveal of the story’s true Evil: there’s no way to not anticipate its arrival when the pieces are so cleanly laid out on the theatrical board. On the other hand, the more creative storytellers might be using this construct as a distraction, setting the viewers up for a sleight of hand by substituting B for A. Film as a medium tends to be imperfect anyway, so I suspect all of us should be thankful for small favors if and when we can find them … and, yet, there’s a solid undercurrent of predictableness that kills even the most efficient outing – like The Severed Sun (2024) – from truly boiling into a head of steam. It doesn’t fizzle, but it only percolates as needed.
At the insistence of her oppressive father (simply called ‘the Pastor’ as played by Toby Stephens), Magpie (Emma Appleton) finds herself in an abusive relationship married to Howard (Eoin Slattery). Mind you, the audience never sees what the young woman suffers – in fact, the flick opens with Magpie’s voiceover confession to both poisoning her husband so what he’s weak enough to be axed to death (in a staged accident) – and we’re actually given sufficient cause to doubt her character once its revealed that she’s secretly in love with her stepson David (Lewis Gribben). But if we take the lady at her word – or, at least, how she’s been penned for the screen by writer/director Dean Puckett – then it’s entirely plausible she possessed sufficient cause to perform the ghastly deed that she did.
As this Sun is set in the somewhat distant past within some agrarian, Amish-style commune or 18th century religious community, the slim band of locals quickly begin to doubt Magpie’s accounting of Howard’s bitter end. In an even stranger turn of events (or is it?), a few of the simpletons suspect the young woman has consorted with some spindly black demon in the privacy of the forest, with one particularly vengeful woman – Andrea Eastchurch (Jodhi May) – actually following Magpie into the woods and witnessing something sexually unnatural taking place on the ground in the wild. Again, though Plunkett provides some visuals of the stated affair, it’s important to keep in mind that what we’re shown is entirely from Andrea’s perspective via flashback, leaving open the chance that perhaps there could be a degree of exaggeration as the two women are entirely at odds throughout the picture.
Melodramas being what they are, Sun gets good use out of these various conflicted relationships, never sparing the chance to even introduce a bit more Drama into what is otherwise a fairly bare-bones existence. The Pastor maintains dictatorial control over his flock, demanding unquestioned obedience to his every ‘wish,’ and this gives Magpie’s rejection of his roles as both ‘father’ and ‘leader’ the kind of narrative focus required to give an otherwise thin affair its spine. Themes of sexual repression – closeted incestuousness rears its head in more ways than one (along with hints of heterosexuality) as well as examining an outdated mentality of wives rather blindly adhering to each and every one of their husbands’ demands – provide this handful of central characters the flavor needed to keep viewers interested when nothing’s going bump in the night. Although Puckett like thought he packed enough in this lean and mean 80-minutes running time, I think a bit more could’ve elevated this to more than just a standard fright.
Sadly, Sun never quite makes the best use of its settings, and I think that somewhat derails what could’ve been a more visually expressive Horror. Its creature is rendered about as plainly as possible – while it’s obviously a CGI critter, it’s mostly forgettable as a nightmare vision – and the frequent glimpses of empty countrywide were just too bare to do anything other than evoke a sense of ‘what am I looking at here?’ Surely, that couldn’t have been Puckett’s intention; and there’s even one scene wherein the Pastor’s house (I believe it was) had an external power line back when (ahem) candles were about all the folks had for a source of interior lighting.
Still, Appleton and Stephens make the most of their shared screen time. Their mismatched father/daughter vibe works exceptionally well – so much so that I’m wishing there were more of it – and there’s little room for doubt that whether one intended to doom the other or not it was bound to happen. That’s what I meant when I said that Folk Horrors a touch too predictable: it’s easy to see this one’s closing coming, and a bit more time spent with the two might’ve given even greater impact to the last scenes.
Melodramas being what they are, Sun gets good use out of these various conflicted relationships, never sparing the chance to even introduce a bit more Drama into what is otherwise a fairly bare-bones existence. The Pastor maintains dictatorial control over his flock, demanding unquestioned obedience to his every ‘wish,’ and this gives Magpie’s rejection of his roles as both ‘father’ and ‘leader’ the kind of narrative focus required to give an otherwise thin affair its spine. Themes of sexual repression – closeted incestuousness rears its head in more ways than one (along with hints of heterosexuality) as well as examining an outdated mentality of wives rather blindly adhering to each and every one of their husbands’ demands – provide this handful of central characters the flavor needed to keep viewers interested when nothing’s going bump in the night. Although Puckett like thought he packed enough in this lean and mean 80-minutes running time, I think a bit more could’ve elevated this to more than just a standard fright.
Sadly, Sun never quite makes the best use of its settings, and I think that somewhat derails what could’ve been a more visually expressive Horror. Its creature is rendered about as plainly as possible – while it’s obviously a CGI critter, it’s mostly forgettable as a nightmare vision – and the frequent glimpses of empty countrywide were just too bare to do anything other than evoke a sense of ‘what am I looking at here?’ Surely, that couldn’t have been Puckett’s intention; and there’s even one scene wherein the Pastor’s house (I believe it was) had an external power line back when (ahem) candles were about all the folks had for a source of interior lighting.
Still, Appleton and Stephens make the most of their shared screen time. Their mismatched father/daughter vibe works exceptionally well – so much so that I’m wishing there were more of it – and there’s little room for doubt that whether one intended to doom the other or not it was bound to happen. That’s what I meant when I said that Folk Horrors a touch too predictable: it’s easy to see this one’s closing coming, and a bit more time spent with the two might’ve given even greater impact to the last scenes.
The Severed Sun (2024) was produced by BBC Film, Bankside Films, British Film Institute (BFI), Creative England, Falmouth University, and a few of participating partners. (A full accounting can be found on IMDB.com.) A quick Google.com search indicates that the picture is presently available on a variety of streaming platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure readers that the film looks and sounds fairly good: I’m just no fan of functional cinematography as opposed to more expressive, and this one is very tame. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed the picture via streaming, there were no special features to consider.
Recommended.
The Severed Sun (2024) certainly checks all of the appropriate boxes to be considered a Folk Horror, but Puckett plays this one a bit too safe when there were some clear avenues available to spice it up a bit stylistically. What works best were the moments of father/daughter tension – more than just the Pastor and Magpie’s, incidentally – and the delicacy and fragility of human faults should’ve been given a bit more screen time to help push this one to the top of the hill. Yes, it’s effective, but when the same could be said of hundreds if not thousands of like-minded fare, Sun stuck to cleanly to the middle of the dirt road for my tastes.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Sky Films provided me with complimentary streaming access to The Severed Sun (2024) 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
Recommended.
The Severed Sun (2024) certainly checks all of the appropriate boxes to be considered a Folk Horror, but Puckett plays this one a bit too safe when there were some clear avenues available to spice it up a bit stylistically. What works best were the moments of father/daughter tension – more than just the Pastor and Magpie’s, incidentally – and the delicacy and fragility of human faults should’ve been given a bit more screen time to help push this one to the top of the hill. Yes, it’s effective, but when the same could be said of hundreds if not thousands of like-minded fare, Sun stuck to cleanly to the middle of the dirt road for my tastes.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Sky Films provided me with complimentary streaming access to The Severed Sun (2024) 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
I do so very much love a good ghost story; and, yet, one of the things I loathe the most is lazy storytelling.
Though some might disagree, I think the ingredients for a good ghost story include an atmosphere that oozes creepiness (not necessarily blood); a reasonable degree of mystery and/or suspense (not necessarily overblown to the point of be exploitative); a central spooky entity that both establishes and plays by its own set of rules, including a backstory grounded in tragedy; and – perhaps most importantly – a cast I can care about. That last bit is where I do tend to diverge from mainstream audiences: typically, they get more excited about an endless parade of victims who might be superficially relatable, but I need to spend time with people who are doing more than waiting to be another notch on the ghost’s proverbial bedpost. I have to care about them – even if it’s in some small, negotiable way – or the gig is up. I might still enjoy the resulting procedural, but I’m very likely not going to enthusiastically sing its praises across the board.
A quick Google.com search indicates that 2002’s Ghost Ship – despite some fairly negative reviews – still emerged as a minor box office hit. On a reported budget of $20M, the flick went on to gross nearly $70M worldwide; and that’s certainly nothing to laugh at. Directed by Steve Beck (his last motion picture, if IMDB.com is to be trusted), the script was penned by Mark Hanlon and John Pogue. The cast included such familiar faces as Julianna Margulies, Gabriel Byrne, Isaish Washington, Ron Eldard, Karl Urban, Desmond Harrington, and others. Despite some rather impressive scenery bolstered by good production design, the story winds up being a somewhat waterlogged potboiler that, sadly, succumbs to predictability in its second half, never quite delivering a central ensemble that deserves some extra attention.
(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:
“A salvage crew discovers a long-lost 1962 passenger ship floating lifeless in a remote region of the Bering Sea and soon notices that its long-dead inhabitants may still be on board.”
Though some might disagree, I think the ingredients for a good ghost story include an atmosphere that oozes creepiness (not necessarily blood); a reasonable degree of mystery and/or suspense (not necessarily overblown to the point of be exploitative); a central spooky entity that both establishes and plays by its own set of rules, including a backstory grounded in tragedy; and – perhaps most importantly – a cast I can care about. That last bit is where I do tend to diverge from mainstream audiences: typically, they get more excited about an endless parade of victims who might be superficially relatable, but I need to spend time with people who are doing more than waiting to be another notch on the ghost’s proverbial bedpost. I have to care about them – even if it’s in some small, negotiable way – or the gig is up. I might still enjoy the resulting procedural, but I’m very likely not going to enthusiastically sing its praises across the board.
A quick Google.com search indicates that 2002’s Ghost Ship – despite some fairly negative reviews – still emerged as a minor box office hit. On a reported budget of $20M, the flick went on to gross nearly $70M worldwide; and that’s certainly nothing to laugh at. Directed by Steve Beck (his last motion picture, if IMDB.com is to be trusted), the script was penned by Mark Hanlon and John Pogue. The cast included such familiar faces as Julianna Margulies, Gabriel Byrne, Isaish Washington, Ron Eldard, Karl Urban, Desmond Harrington, and others. Despite some rather impressive scenery bolstered by good production design, the story winds up being a somewhat waterlogged potboiler that, sadly, succumbs to predictability in its second half, never quite delivering a central ensemble that deserves some extra attention.
(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:
“A salvage crew discovers a long-lost 1962 passenger ship floating lifeless in a remote region of the Bering Sea and soon notices that its long-dead inhabitants may still be on board.”
A fact regarding 2002’s Ghost Ship that may’ve escaped casual watchers is that there was a surprising powerhouse of names involved in bringing this curious fright to the silver screen. The much-praised Robert Zemeckis (1985’s Back To The Future and 1994’s Forrest Gump), was on board as producer, as was Hollywood heavyweight Joel Silver (1988’s Die Hard and 1999’s The Matrix), Bruce Berman (1999’s Analyze This and 2007’s I Am Legend), and Susan Downey (the wife of Robert Downey Jr. and producer of 2005’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and 2010’s Iron Man 2). I bring this up only to establish that Ship had a plenty of talent behind-the-scenes as well as it did up there in the spotlights; and yet what emerges is a rather tepid paint-by-numbers fright that never quite exceeds the sum of these pieces.
Murphy (played by Gabriel Byrne) and Epps (Julianna Margulies) operate an ocean salvage team consisting of the motley crew of irregulars, each and every one pretty much fulfilling some single aspect of the male psyche. There’s the mechanic – Santos (Alex Dimitriades) – and the pragmatist – Greer (Isaiah Washington) – along with the constantly dueling ‘brothers from other mothers’ – Dodge (Ron Eldard) and Munder (Karl Urban) – who all combine to make about as dysfunctional a family dynamic that’s ever been conceived by Hollywood scribes. Individually, they’re misfits. As a group, however, they owe their success to bucking safety, flying (or sailing) by the seat of their pants as they chase what little fortune and glory they can find on the high seas. So, it’s only natural that when a total stranger – Ferriman (Desmond Harrington) – comes calling with a find too good to be true that they’ll risk all and go for broke. He believes he’s found the Antonio Graza – an ocean liner that disappeared forty years ago – floating derelict in open waters; and claiming it before anyone else does could be the answer to all of their prayers in more ways than one could possibly imagine.
Murphy (played by Gabriel Byrne) and Epps (Julianna Margulies) operate an ocean salvage team consisting of the motley crew of irregulars, each and every one pretty much fulfilling some single aspect of the male psyche. There’s the mechanic – Santos (Alex Dimitriades) – and the pragmatist – Greer (Isaiah Washington) – along with the constantly dueling ‘brothers from other mothers’ – Dodge (Ron Eldard) and Munder (Karl Urban) – who all combine to make about as dysfunctional a family dynamic that’s ever been conceived by Hollywood scribes. Individually, they’re misfits. As a group, however, they owe their success to bucking safety, flying (or sailing) by the seat of their pants as they chase what little fortune and glory they can find on the high seas. So, it’s only natural that when a total stranger – Ferriman (Desmond Harrington) – comes calling with a find too good to be true that they’ll risk all and go for broke. He believes he’s found the Antonio Graza – an ocean liner that disappeared forty years ago – floating derelict in open waters; and claiming it before anyone else does could be the answer to all of their prayers in more ways than one could possibly imagine.
What they don’t know but the audience does – thanks to the film’s opening reel – is that something went so horribly, horribly wrong aboard the Graza before it went missing, leaving the ship infested with dead souls all caught between Heaven and Hell thanks to a curse enacted by … well, I won’t spoil it. Let’s just say that the entire film – much like a good number of serviceable chillers – operates largely one secret identity fueling a great deal of the successively bloody, bloodier, and bloodiest exploits awaiting Murphy, Epps, and the whole gang; so, kudos to the scripters for – at the very least – knowing exactly what they wanted. Basically, the Antonio Graza is a central haunted house transplanted from land onto the sea; and – on that level alone – Ship works in spite of the fact that most in the audience will know what’s coming before these single-dimensional characters ever do.
This is what I meant above when I stated that I tend to disagree with mainstream audiences: while they likely scarf up Ship because they find its taste suitable, it just never quite whet my appetite. Its ensemble – while undeniably talented – aren’t really given enough substance here, instead playing out their respective characterizations as stereotypes and never given any measurable depth. The only interesting relationship that kinda/sorta defies conventions and deserved a bit of extra screen time was that of Murphy and Epps, an unlikely father/daughter pairing that “just is” because the script said so and not because it was ever demonstrated on screen. While there were hints about where they both came from and how they turned out together, it was all too ‘cut and dried,’ with Epps even turning against her mentor for paltry reasons in the second half. The actors deserved better, as did their inevitably shallow characters.
In true ghost story fashion, the Graza does effectively become something worth watching. Its dingy corridors are occasionally lit up via flashbacks to show just how far from grace the big boat has fallen; and the production details are smart enough to life up even the slowest sequences by giving audiences something to look at. Such attention to detail could’ve and should’ve been applied to the individuals, and I might’ve found more delight in watching them fall 10 Little Indians-style as the screws get turned against them. Alas, that wasn’t the case, and even the final scene twist – when all is fundamentally revealed and might even have viewers scratching their heads – sinks when it should’ve swum.
Or is that “swimming?”
This is what I meant above when I stated that I tend to disagree with mainstream audiences: while they likely scarf up Ship because they find its taste suitable, it just never quite whet my appetite. Its ensemble – while undeniably talented – aren’t really given enough substance here, instead playing out their respective characterizations as stereotypes and never given any measurable depth. The only interesting relationship that kinda/sorta defies conventions and deserved a bit of extra screen time was that of Murphy and Epps, an unlikely father/daughter pairing that “just is” because the script said so and not because it was ever demonstrated on screen. While there were hints about where they both came from and how they turned out together, it was all too ‘cut and dried,’ with Epps even turning against her mentor for paltry reasons in the second half. The actors deserved better, as did their inevitably shallow characters.
In true ghost story fashion, the Graza does effectively become something worth watching. Its dingy corridors are occasionally lit up via flashbacks to show just how far from grace the big boat has fallen; and the production details are smart enough to life up even the slowest sequences by giving audiences something to look at. Such attention to detail could’ve and should’ve been applied to the individuals, and I might’ve found more delight in watching them fall 10 Little Indians-style as the screws get turned against them. Alas, that wasn’t the case, and even the final scene twist – when all is fundamentally revealed and might even have viewers scratching their heads – sinks when it should’ve swum.
Or is that “swimming?”
Ghost Ship (2002) was produced by Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, Dark Castle Entertainment, Ghost Ship Films Pty. Ltd. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Warner Bros. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found most of the provided sights and sounds to be quite good: there’s a bit of visual – some in-camera, some post-production stuff – that helps the flick even in its darkest spots. Spooky, spooky, spooky. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc is loaded with some short featurettes that explore both the cast and the production, but I found most of it negligible at best. A bit disappointing.
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
Truly, the best thing about Ghost Ship (2002) for me was the actual Ghost Ship itself. The cast – while impressive – never gets used to the level of their capabilities, mostly owed to the fact that the writing relied too much on a curious twist about what was truly transpiring when far simply ideas have produced much more rewarding films elsewhere. The most unforgivable sin is wasting Margulies and Byrne – two talents who’ve likely forgotten more about crafting memorable characters than most actors ever learn – and I wanted to care more about their bond than I was ever asked to do. Tonally, the film’s opening even loosely suggests this one might be a Comedy, a sentiment that disappears as soon as the first head hits the ground … thankfully.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Warner Archive (via Allied Vaughn) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Ghost Ship (2002) 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
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
Truly, the best thing about Ghost Ship (2002) for me was the actual Ghost Ship itself. The cast – while impressive – never gets used to the level of their capabilities, mostly owed to the fact that the writing relied too much on a curious twist about what was truly transpiring when far simply ideas have produced much more rewarding films elsewhere. The most unforgivable sin is wasting Margulies and Byrne – two talents who’ve likely forgotten more about crafting memorable characters than most actors ever learn – and I wanted to care more about their bond than I was ever asked to do. Tonally, the film’s opening even loosely suggests this one might be a Comedy, a sentiment that disappears as soon as the first head hits the ground … thankfully.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Warner Archive (via Allied Vaughn) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Ghost Ship (2002) 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
in memoriam
Folks, I've never -- NEVER -- understood all of the hate directed by Tim Burton's Mars Attacks (1996).
Now, I get that humor is a difficult concept. What I find funny isn't exactly meant to be what you'll find funny, so there's a good deal of subjectivity when it comes to crafting a good laugher. But Mars Attacks was so broad in the way it approached characters and situations that I really found it a winner on all counts. A fabulous cast. Some fabulously campy effects sequences. A really good riot of a concept. Yet -- for whatever reasons -- it's one of the flicks that's just loathed by so many that I've given up trying to convince folks of its inherent genius.
Joe Don Baker had a role in it. It wasn't a big bit of screen time, but it was manageable enough. As the father of a fallen soldier, he directed his sheer anger at those dreaded Martians when given the chance. Though he didn't emerge triumphant (did anyone in it? really?), he gave it an admirable attempt. I respect that. I hope you do to.
Also around the same time, the actor was making a solid entry into the world of espionage when he brought to life the character of 'Jack Wade' -- CIA officer -- during Pierce Brosnan's run as the unflappable James Bond. Baker definitely brought a vastly more blue collar sensibility to the franchise -- an aura that really worked well opposite Brosnan's stiff upper British lip -- and the two played off one another in a way that made even the lesser pictures better. True 'dat.
Was there more?
Well, there always is. Taking a quick glance at the reliable IMDB.com, it would seem that Baker actually got his professional start in genre entertainment what with a guest spot aboard the fondly remembered Honey West, so the sky was the limit. Other visits into the realms of the Fantastic include work aboard Mission: Impossible, The Shadow Of Chikara (1977), The Pack (1977), Wacko (1982), The Living Daylights (1987), Leonard Part 6 (1987), Cape Fear (1991), Congo (1995), GoldenEye (1995), and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).
Our prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Joe Don Baker.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
Now, I get that humor is a difficult concept. What I find funny isn't exactly meant to be what you'll find funny, so there's a good deal of subjectivity when it comes to crafting a good laugher. But Mars Attacks was so broad in the way it approached characters and situations that I really found it a winner on all counts. A fabulous cast. Some fabulously campy effects sequences. A really good riot of a concept. Yet -- for whatever reasons -- it's one of the flicks that's just loathed by so many that I've given up trying to convince folks of its inherent genius.
Joe Don Baker had a role in it. It wasn't a big bit of screen time, but it was manageable enough. As the father of a fallen soldier, he directed his sheer anger at those dreaded Martians when given the chance. Though he didn't emerge triumphant (did anyone in it? really?), he gave it an admirable attempt. I respect that. I hope you do to.
Also around the same time, the actor was making a solid entry into the world of espionage when he brought to life the character of 'Jack Wade' -- CIA officer -- during Pierce Brosnan's run as the unflappable James Bond. Baker definitely brought a vastly more blue collar sensibility to the franchise -- an aura that really worked well opposite Brosnan's stiff upper British lip -- and the two played off one another in a way that made even the lesser pictures better. True 'dat.
Was there more?
Well, there always is. Taking a quick glance at the reliable IMDB.com, it would seem that Baker actually got his professional start in genre entertainment what with a guest spot aboard the fondly remembered Honey West, so the sky was the limit. Other visits into the realms of the Fantastic include work aboard Mission: Impossible, The Shadow Of Chikara (1977), The Pack (1977), Wacko (1982), The Living Daylights (1987), Leonard Part 6 (1987), Cape Fear (1991), Congo (1995), GoldenEye (1995), and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).
Our prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Joe Don Baker.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
(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:
“Astronauts, and their robotic dog AMEE (Autonomous Mapping Evaluation and Evasion), search for solutions to save a dying Earth by searching on Mars, only to have the mission go terribly awry.”
Going entirely from memory (which can be flawed), I seem to recall a good handful of films exploring ideas set on Mars – the Red Planet of the 2000 flick – so that could be why a little ‘something-something’ like this feature may’ve gone unnoticed by so many back in its day. We’re human, after all, and – given those constraints – it does sometimes require a bit of extra effort on the part of storytellers to pull us out of our collective stupor long enough to purchase a ticket. Indeed, Planet’s cast alone – Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tom Sizemore, Terence Stamp – might’ve been enough for those of us not asleep at the wheel; but a quick Google.com search indicates that the feature grossed a paltry $33M off a reported $80M budget, so I’m thinking this one played to small crowds, indeed.
Sadly, the script attributed to Chuck Pfarrer and Jonathan Lemkin seemed entirely invested in the idea of Global Climate Change destroying our world and requiring that – in the near future – we’d be looking to relocate elsewhere as soon as possible. Now, Planet was released in 2000 – meaning that it was made probably a year or so before with post production requirements filling in the gap – and Al Gore’s seminal An Inconvenient Truth – the ultimate doom-and-gloom picture if ever there were – was still a few years away (released in 2006). Given that the naysayers really hadn’t come into their own, some might suggest that Planet was a bit too ‘ahead of its time,’ implying that audiences couldn’t quite grasp its importance. Pfarrer’s resume isn’t all that renowned – Darkman (1990), Hard Target (1993), Barb Wire (1996) – so perhaps he should’ve gone after simpler ideas. Lemkin’s isn’t much better – The Devil’s Advocate (1997), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) – so I’m thinking this one never really had much of a chance right out of the gate.
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Astronauts, and their robotic dog AMEE (Autonomous Mapping Evaluation and Evasion), search for solutions to save a dying Earth by searching on Mars, only to have the mission go terribly awry.”
Going entirely from memory (which can be flawed), I seem to recall a good handful of films exploring ideas set on Mars – the Red Planet of the 2000 flick – so that could be why a little ‘something-something’ like this feature may’ve gone unnoticed by so many back in its day. We’re human, after all, and – given those constraints – it does sometimes require a bit of extra effort on the part of storytellers to pull us out of our collective stupor long enough to purchase a ticket. Indeed, Planet’s cast alone – Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tom Sizemore, Terence Stamp – might’ve been enough for those of us not asleep at the wheel; but a quick Google.com search indicates that the feature grossed a paltry $33M off a reported $80M budget, so I’m thinking this one played to small crowds, indeed.
Sadly, the script attributed to Chuck Pfarrer and Jonathan Lemkin seemed entirely invested in the idea of Global Climate Change destroying our world and requiring that – in the near future – we’d be looking to relocate elsewhere as soon as possible. Now, Planet was released in 2000 – meaning that it was made probably a year or so before with post production requirements filling in the gap – and Al Gore’s seminal An Inconvenient Truth – the ultimate doom-and-gloom picture if ever there were – was still a few years away (released in 2006). Given that the naysayers really hadn’t come into their own, some might suggest that Planet was a bit too ‘ahead of its time,’ implying that audiences couldn’t quite grasp its importance. Pfarrer’s resume isn’t all that renowned – Darkman (1990), Hard Target (1993), Barb Wire (1996) – so perhaps he should’ve gone after simpler ideas. Lemkin’s isn’t much better – The Devil’s Advocate (1997), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) – so I’m thinking this one never really had much of a chance right out of the gate.
With Earth dying a slow death, NASA decides to send our best and brightest to kickstart our Martian terraforming efforts which seems to have been taking steps backward for mysterious reasons. (Apparently, we were successfully creating oxygen there, but something has gone awry.) Captain Bowman (played by Carrie-Anne Moss) loosely narrates the picture but providing something less than James T. Kirk’s fabled ‘captain’s log’ audiences were instead treated to voiceover that sounded more akin to Bridget Jones’ Diary, what with her describing her male counterparts and their respective skills and idiosyncrasies. About the time that Mission Specialist Gallagher (Val Kilmer) – ship’s janitor – walks in on her taking a shower, it comes pretty clear that Planet isn’t so much about the pursuit of science as it is scriptwriting convention. It was a great device to introduce Moss’ side-boobs, so maybe let’s be thankful for small favors.
Before you can say ‘failure,’ everything that could go wrong does so, complete with a blast of solar radiation crippling the primary vehicle, requiring Bowman to kinda/sorta ‘go down with the ship’ while sending the rest of the crew down to the Martian surface. Thankfully, she’s spared by her quick thinking, and yet the men experience one setback after another: their landing leaves one critically injured, their crash has the aforementioned robot permanently stuck in ‘combat mode,’ and their lack of oxygen means no one is likely lasting long enough to both solve the Martian problem and communicate a possible game plan back to the brainiacs on Earth. Who’d’ve thunk going where no man has gone before would be so damn difficult?
Well, apparently those measurements about there being no oxygen on Mars were incorrect because – in the fit of death throes – Gallagher rips open his mask only to discover he can breathe. (It ain’t perfect, but it’s still air, meaning NASA doesn’t know what it’s doing.) It would seem that there is a greater mystery needing these survivors’ immediate attention; and this basically sets the stage for what follows. Gallagher, Burchenal (Tom Sizemore), and Pettengil (Simon Baker) remain in a race for survival against the Martian elements while Bowman – high above – goes about the business of repairing the ship while exploring the limited options for getting what remains of her crew back on board.
Before you can say ‘failure,’ everything that could go wrong does so, complete with a blast of solar radiation crippling the primary vehicle, requiring Bowman to kinda/sorta ‘go down with the ship’ while sending the rest of the crew down to the Martian surface. Thankfully, she’s spared by her quick thinking, and yet the men experience one setback after another: their landing leaves one critically injured, their crash has the aforementioned robot permanently stuck in ‘combat mode,’ and their lack of oxygen means no one is likely lasting long enough to both solve the Martian problem and communicate a possible game plan back to the brainiacs on Earth. Who’d’ve thunk going where no man has gone before would be so damn difficult?
Well, apparently those measurements about there being no oxygen on Mars were incorrect because – in the fit of death throes – Gallagher rips open his mask only to discover he can breathe. (It ain’t perfect, but it’s still air, meaning NASA doesn’t know what it’s doing.) It would seem that there is a greater mystery needing these survivors’ immediate attention; and this basically sets the stage for what follows. Gallagher, Burchenal (Tom Sizemore), and Pettengil (Simon Baker) remain in a race for survival against the Martian elements while Bowman – high above – goes about the business of repairing the ship while exploring the limited options for getting what remains of her crew back on board.
Now, I’m no rocket scientist, and I’m far too old to pretend I can answer every question raised by the curious developments in Red Planet. The script suggests that we’ve been importing algae to the distant planet; and – at one point – it’s pretty clear that none survived. There are late-breaking twists in the second half which show that apparently a great deal of it was still there even though the astronauts never question just how and why it got to an all-new location. Furthermore, the film makes it look like Mars isn’t entirely lifeless – a kind of cockroach somehow exists in abundance – but there’s no talk about when and where they came from or how they could possibly have evolved on a barren world. There are even suggestions that these bugs can feast on anything – plants, flesh, and metal – and, again, I’m at a loss to understand exactly how a critter like that could work … well, except to say that it all chalks up quite nicely to being little more than the exploitation of the usual Science Fiction trope. They needed the bugs to make the script whole, so they’re there.
Sigh.
Otherwise, there just isn’t any narrative substance to this Planet.
The characters are so bland that they’re even whittled down to just one single defining characteristic each: Gallagher is mechanically-inclined, Santen (Benjamin Bratt) is all macho, Chantilas (Terence Stamp) is spiritually whimsical, Pettengil is persistently paranoid, and Burchenal is entirely science-minded. There’s little room for crossover – not in the way that effective and moving writing works – so each player is only allowed to hit certain beats in his respective scenes. Antony Hoffman’s direction never even tries to pull at the seams visually for something different, though there is a bit of cinematography that certainly helps to elevate the tension when AMEE decides killing is the only solution to this existential crisis.
To their credit, Moss and Kilmer do make for an interesting pair. While the writing never quite explores the potential complexity of inappropriate relationships between the commander and a member of her crew, the two still have the gravitas to play off one another with just the proper measure of flirtatious suggestion. This was the same thing that a good many 1950’s Science Fiction films did (and did better with less) so many years before, back in the days when studio executives insisted that there be some romance in a flick in order to give the possible ladies in the audience something to celebrate. Given that Planet was produced a few decades later, one would think the powers that be would’ve asked for a bit more substance to such intergalactic affairs. Still, love it what it is … even in space.
Sigh.
Otherwise, there just isn’t any narrative substance to this Planet.
The characters are so bland that they’re even whittled down to just one single defining characteristic each: Gallagher is mechanically-inclined, Santen (Benjamin Bratt) is all macho, Chantilas (Terence Stamp) is spiritually whimsical, Pettengil is persistently paranoid, and Burchenal is entirely science-minded. There’s little room for crossover – not in the way that effective and moving writing works – so each player is only allowed to hit certain beats in his respective scenes. Antony Hoffman’s direction never even tries to pull at the seams visually for something different, though there is a bit of cinematography that certainly helps to elevate the tension when AMEE decides killing is the only solution to this existential crisis.
To their credit, Moss and Kilmer do make for an interesting pair. While the writing never quite explores the potential complexity of inappropriate relationships between the commander and a member of her crew, the two still have the gravitas to play off one another with just the proper measure of flirtatious suggestion. This was the same thing that a good many 1950’s Science Fiction films did (and did better with less) so many years before, back in the days when studio executives insisted that there be some romance in a flick in order to give the possible ladies in the audience something to celebrate. Given that Planet was produced a few decades later, one would think the powers that be would’ve asked for a bit more substance to such intergalactic affairs. Still, love it what it is … even in space.
Red Planet (2000) was produced by Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, The Canton Company, Mars Production Pty. Ltd., and Zaman Productions. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Warner Bros. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still attest that the provided sights and sounds are pretty solid: even some of the dated effects work holds up fairly well, though history will likely be unkind in another ten years or so. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? The disc boasts some deleted scenes along with a few extras, but it’s a fairly thin collection so I suspect some will be disappointed.
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
It isn’t Red Planet (2000) is a bad movie. It’s just an entirely forgettable experience as assembled. That didn’t need to be the case: had the producers opted to shake up this story in such a way as to propel it a few centuries into the future and have the crew simply terraforming some distant world, then it might’ve had the right stuff to maybe build a cult appeal … but Mars? Global warming? Extraterrestrial cockroaches? Not a captain’s log by a ‘captain’s diary?’ This just feels all off – like the kind of project that was hijacked by those who didn’t have storytelling’s best interests at heart; and it fails pretty miserably.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Allied Vaughn provided me with a complimentary DVD of Red Planet (2000) 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
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
It isn’t Red Planet (2000) is a bad movie. It’s just an entirely forgettable experience as assembled. That didn’t need to be the case: had the producers opted to shake up this story in such a way as to propel it a few centuries into the future and have the crew simply terraforming some distant world, then it might’ve had the right stuff to maybe build a cult appeal … but Mars? Global warming? Extraterrestrial cockroaches? Not a captain’s log by a ‘captain’s diary?’ This just feels all off – like the kind of project that was hijacked by those who didn’t have storytelling’s best interests at heart; and it fails pretty miserably.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Allied Vaughn provided me with a complimentary DVD of Red Planet (2000) 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
new release
Good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to New Releases Tuesday!
Go ahead and scour the World Wide Web, and you'll eventually find that there's no bigger advocate for continuing to purchase physical media than we here at SciFiHistory.Net. And why not? You get better picture. You get better sound. And the great many of these subsequent releases contain special features -- some new, some old -- which continue to show exactly why the art of motion pictures remains pivotal in both educating and entertaining audiences around the world.
In keeping with our tradition of promoting these sterling wares, here's our announcement celebrating an all-new home video release of 2025's Mickey 17.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"During a human expedition to colonize space, Mickey 17, a so-called "expendable" employee, is sent to explore an ice planet."
Go ahead and scour the World Wide Web, and you'll eventually find that there's no bigger advocate for continuing to purchase physical media than we here at SciFiHistory.Net. And why not? You get better picture. You get better sound. And the great many of these subsequent releases contain special features -- some new, some old -- which continue to show exactly why the art of motion pictures remains pivotal in both educating and entertaining audiences around the world.
In keeping with our tradition of promoting these sterling wares, here's our announcement celebrating an all-new home video release of 2025's Mickey 17.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"During a human expedition to colonize space, Mickey 17, a so-called "expendable" employee, is sent to explore an ice planet."
- Published on
new release
Good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to New Releases Tuesday!
Go ahead and scour the World Wide Web, and you'll eventually find that there's no bigger advocate for continuing to purchase physical media than we here at SciFiHistory.Net. And why not? You get better picture. You get better sound. And the great many of these subsequent releases contain special features -- some new, some old -- which continue to show exactly why the art of motion pictures remains pivotal in both educating and entertaining audiences around the world.
In keeping with our tradition of promoting these sterling wares, here's our announcement celebrating an all-new home video release of 1971's groundbreaking Science Fiction film, The Andromeda Strain.
According to our friend's at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Top scientists work feverishly in a secret, state-of-the-art laboratory to discover what killed the citizens of a small town and how the deadly contagion can be stopped."
Go ahead and scour the World Wide Web, and you'll eventually find that there's no bigger advocate for continuing to purchase physical media than we here at SciFiHistory.Net. And why not? You get better picture. You get better sound. And the great many of these subsequent releases contain special features -- some new, some old -- which continue to show exactly why the art of motion pictures remains pivotal in both educating and entertaining audiences around the world.
In keeping with our tradition of promoting these sterling wares, here's our announcement celebrating an all-new home video release of 1971's groundbreaking Science Fiction film, The Andromeda Strain.
According to our friend's at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Top scientists work feverishly in a secret, state-of-the-art laboratory to discover what killed the citizens of a small town and how the deadly contagion can be stopped."
If that isn't enough motivation to get you interested, then I'm also happy to share that I've seen this release and give it a pretty enthusiastic review. Anyone interested in knowing my thoughts on both the film and its collection of extras can check out my two cents right here.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
new release
Good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to New Releases Tuesday!
Go ahead and scour the World Wide Web, and you'll eventually find that there's no bigger advocate for continuing to purchase physical media than we here at SciFiHistory.Net. And why not? You get better picture. You get better sound. And the great many of these subsequent releases contain special features -- some new, some old -- which continue to show exactly why the art of motion pictures remains pivotal in both educating and entertaining audiences around the world.
In keeping with our tradition of promoting these sterling wares, here's our announcement celebrating an all-new home video release of 1989's The Sweet House Of Horrors.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A murdered couple return from the beyond to care for their two young children, as well as seek revenge against their killer, accept their children's step parents, and try to prevent their house from being sold."
Go ahead and scour the World Wide Web, and you'll eventually find that there's no bigger advocate for continuing to purchase physical media than we here at SciFiHistory.Net. And why not? You get better picture. You get better sound. And the great many of these subsequent releases contain special features -- some new, some old -- which continue to show exactly why the art of motion pictures remains pivotal in both educating and entertaining audiences around the world.
In keeping with our tradition of promoting these sterling wares, here's our announcement celebrating an all-new home video release of 1989's The Sweet House Of Horrors.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A murdered couple return from the beyond to care for their two young children, as well as seek revenge against their killer, accept their children's step parents, and try to prevent their house from being sold."
- Published on
site update
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in 1984 (in France), audiences of the Cannes Film Festival were treated to the theatrical debut of Dreamscape. Written (in part) and directed by Joseph Ruben, the SciFi/Fantasy starred Dennis Quaid, Eddie Albert, Max von Sydow, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A man who can enter and manipulate people's dreams is recruited by a government agency to help cure the President of the United States of his nightmares about nuclear war but stumbles upon an assassination plot."
For the record:
Along with some positive praise earned from screenings on the film festival circuit, Dreamscape received a 1985 Saturn Awards nomination in the category of 'Best Horror Film.'
On this day in 1984 (in France), audiences of the Cannes Film Festival were treated to the theatrical debut of Dreamscape. Written (in part) and directed by Joseph Ruben, the SciFi/Fantasy starred Dennis Quaid, Eddie Albert, Max von Sydow, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"A man who can enter and manipulate people's dreams is recruited by a government agency to help cure the President of the United States of his nightmares about nuclear war but stumbles upon an assassination plot."
For the record:
Along with some positive praise earned from screenings on the film festival circuit, Dreamscape received a 1985 Saturn Awards nomination in the category of 'Best Horror Film.'