- Published on
Once again, folks, I have to offer up a humble apology: Amazon Prime's 'The Wheel Of Time' adaptation just wasn't for me.
Frankly, I'm not quite sure how the program is doing. I haven't followed it in the slightest. I had read the first novel in the series, wasn't all that impressed, and never returned. At the urging of some online peeps, I did check out the first episode or two of the Prime Video series; but it, too, just didn't quite captivate me in any notable degree. Similarly, I tuned out. Who knows? Once it's all said and done, maybe I'll give it a whirl in a binge or maybe I'll try to go back and check it out as time permits. Being as old and as gray as I am, I do sparingly jump into new stuff -- can't cover it all, you know -- so the best I may be able to offer this franchise is to make you aware of the following.
Season 3 is debuting on Prime Video next month, and I'll happily post the press materials below for anyone interested.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Frankly, I'm not quite sure how the program is doing. I haven't followed it in the slightest. I had read the first novel in the series, wasn't all that impressed, and never returned. At the urging of some online peeps, I did check out the first episode or two of the Prime Video series; but it, too, just didn't quite captivate me in any notable degree. Similarly, I tuned out. Who knows? Once it's all said and done, maybe I'll give it a whirl in a binge or maybe I'll try to go back and check it out as time permits. Being as old and as gray as I am, I do sparingly jump into new stuff -- can't cover it all, you know -- so the best I may be able to offer this franchise is to make you aware of the following.
Season 3 is debuting on Prime Video next month, and I'll happily post the press materials below for anyone interested.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Based on the international best-selling book series by Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time is a visionary fantasy that tells the story of a man destined to face the Dark One and save the world - or destroy it. In Season 3, as threats against the Light are multiplying, Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike) and Rand al'Thor (Josha Stradowski) embark on a perilous journey to the Aiel Waste to uncover the true fate of the Dragon Reborn. With the Forsaken in hot pursuit and Rand’s corrupted power growing stronger, Moraine must prevent the Dragon from turning Dark… no matter the cost.
About The Wheel of Time:
The lives of five young villagers change forever when a strange and powerful woman arrives, claiming one of them is the child of an ancient prophecy with the power to tip the balance between Light and Dark forever. They must choose whether to trust this stranger – and each other – with the fate of the world before the Dark One breaks out of His prison, and the Last Battle begins.
About Prime Video:
Want to watch it now? We’ve got it. This week’s newest movies, last night’s TV shows, classic favorites, and more are available to stream instantly, plus all your videos are stored in Your Video Library. Prime Video offers a variety of unique and captivating entertainment, including original series “The Boys,” “Invincible,” “Hazbin Hotel,” “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” and more.
- Published on
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bloody Axe Wound Heads To SHudder
On March 21, 2025
Synopsis
Abbie Bladecut is a teenager torn between the macabre traditions of her family’s bloody trade and the tender stirrings of her first crush. In the small town of Clover Falls, Abbie’s father, Roger Bladecut, has built an infamous legacy by capturing real-life killings on tape and selling them to eager customers, but as Abbie delves deeper into the grisly family business, she begins to wonder if it’s time to take the family tradition in a new direction.
Director and Screenwriter: Matthew John Lawrence
Cast: Sari Arambulo, Molly Brown, Eddie Leavy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Billy Burke
Executive Producer: Meg Mortimer
Producers (for Mischief Farm): Hilarie Burton Morgan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Producers (for Off Label HV): Cassandra Del Viscio, Mary Stuart Masterson
Producers: Liz DeCesare, Jordan Manekin, Eric Knapp, Mackenzie Luzzi, Sarah Fairchild
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Language: English
Runtime: 83 min
Abbie Bladecut is a teenager torn between the macabre traditions of her family’s bloody trade and the tender stirrings of her first crush. In the small town of Clover Falls, Abbie’s father, Roger Bladecut, has built an infamous legacy by capturing real-life killings on tape and selling them to eager customers, but as Abbie delves deeper into the grisly family business, she begins to wonder if it’s time to take the family tradition in a new direction.
Director and Screenwriter: Matthew John Lawrence
Cast: Sari Arambulo, Molly Brown, Eddie Leavy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Billy Burke
Executive Producer: Meg Mortimer
Producers (for Mischief Farm): Hilarie Burton Morgan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Producers (for Off Label HV): Cassandra Del Viscio, Mary Stuart Masterson
Producers: Liz DeCesare, Jordan Manekin, Eric Knapp, Mackenzie Luzzi, Sarah Fairchild
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Language: English
Runtime: 83 min
- Published on
On this day back in the year 2013 (in the United States of America), 616: Paranormal Incident enjoyed it home video debut.
Directed by David Chirchirillo, the Horror/Fantasy shows written by Chirchirillo along with Ian Ascher, Chris W. Freeman, and Thomas Downey. The cast includes Downey alongside Jennefer Folsom, Rib Hillis, Eve Mauro, Adrian Kirk, Josef Cannon, Trent Haaga, Louis Mandylor, Autumn Federici, and others. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"When Special Agent Watts and his Investigation Unit are called to the derelict Woodburrow Prison he thinks it's business as usual. But there's nothing usual about Woodburrow. A mysterious woman is found attempting to flee the scene and things begin to spiral out of control as an evil force picks the team off one by one. Soon Agent Watts is left alone to face what might be the world's most powerful evil...The Devil."
Also according to the movie website, 616 shows as being produced by Marquis Productions. A quick scan of their catalogue shows just under twenty different releases with what looks to be a healthy assortment of such like-minded thriller chillers.
Alas, I really can't say anything more about the feature myself as I've not seen it. But as I've just added it to the Daily Archives for February 12th I wanted to squeeze out a brief announcement of the days' revisions for those of you who like this sort of content.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Directed by David Chirchirillo, the Horror/Fantasy shows written by Chirchirillo along with Ian Ascher, Chris W. Freeman, and Thomas Downey. The cast includes Downey alongside Jennefer Folsom, Rib Hillis, Eve Mauro, Adrian Kirk, Josef Cannon, Trent Haaga, Louis Mandylor, Autumn Federici, and others. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"When Special Agent Watts and his Investigation Unit are called to the derelict Woodburrow Prison he thinks it's business as usual. But there's nothing usual about Woodburrow. A mysterious woman is found attempting to flee the scene and things begin to spiral out of control as an evil force picks the team off one by one. Soon Agent Watts is left alone to face what might be the world's most powerful evil...The Devil."
Also according to the movie website, 616 shows as being produced by Marquis Productions. A quick scan of their catalogue shows just under twenty different releases with what looks to be a healthy assortment of such like-minded thriller chillers.
Alas, I really can't say anything more about the feature myself as I've not seen it. But as I've just added it to the Daily Archives for February 12th I wanted to squeeze out a brief announcement of the days' revisions for those of you who like this sort of content.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
So little time ... so many movies ...
On this day in 2015 (in the great nation of Germany), Adventurados enjoyed its silver screen debut for audiences of the Berlin Independent Film Festival.
Written and directed for the screen by Berton Pierce, this film is billed as a SciFi/Adventure with a healthy dose of Comedy. The cast includes Olivia Barash, Stephen Patrick Hanna, Ryan James, Jerry Lentz, Denis Lyons, David Masterson, Gabrielle Miller, Brigid Pasco, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"An Irish road movie in space. Two down and out shuttle pilots take an important cargo from the Moon to Earth and all goes wrong. Along the way they discover they are not who they think they are forcing them to rethink their lives."
Alas, I don't see much other information about the flick online. Also according to the entertainment website, the feature only had a handful of releases -- not indicative of anything substantively -- and doesn't show currently available for streaming or purchase anywhere online. Sad. It sounds a bit interesting.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
On this day in 2015 (in the great nation of Germany), Adventurados enjoyed its silver screen debut for audiences of the Berlin Independent Film Festival.
Written and directed for the screen by Berton Pierce, this film is billed as a SciFi/Adventure with a healthy dose of Comedy. The cast includes Olivia Barash, Stephen Patrick Hanna, Ryan James, Jerry Lentz, Denis Lyons, David Masterson, Gabrielle Miller, Brigid Pasco, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"An Irish road movie in space. Two down and out shuttle pilots take an important cargo from the Moon to Earth and all goes wrong. Along the way they discover they are not who they think they are forcing them to rethink their lives."
Alas, I don't see much other information about the flick online. Also according to the entertainment website, the feature only had a handful of releases -- not indicative of anything substantively -- and doesn't show currently available for streaming or purchase anywhere online. Sad. It sounds a bit interesting.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
So little time ... so many movies ...
On this day in 2012 (in the great nation of Germany), The Wall (aka Die Wand) enjoyed its big screen debut when it was first screened for audiences of the Berlin International Film Festival. IMDB.com reports that the feature won that festival's coveted Prize Of The Ecumenical Jury Award.
Julian Pölsler both directed and adapted the source novel by Marlen Haufhoser published back in 1963. The film starred Martina Gedeck, Luchs von Kyffhäuserbach, Karlheinz Hackl, Ulrike Beimpold, Julia Gschnitzer, Hans-Michael Rehberg, and Wolfgang M. Bauer. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A woman inexplicably finds herself cut off from all human contact when an invisible, unyielding wall suddenly surrounds the countryside. Accompanied by her loyal dog Lynx, she becomes immersed in a world untouched by civilization and ruled by the laws of nature."
From what I can gather also from IMDB.com, the picture enjoyed a good amount of acclaim. Actress Gedeck earned a 2014 Saturn Awards nomination in the category of 'Best Actress,' and the film also enjoyed three nominations at the 2013 German Film Awards.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
On this day in 2012 (in the great nation of Germany), The Wall (aka Die Wand) enjoyed its big screen debut when it was first screened for audiences of the Berlin International Film Festival. IMDB.com reports that the feature won that festival's coveted Prize Of The Ecumenical Jury Award.
Julian Pölsler both directed and adapted the source novel by Marlen Haufhoser published back in 1963. The film starred Martina Gedeck, Luchs von Kyffhäuserbach, Karlheinz Hackl, Ulrike Beimpold, Julia Gschnitzer, Hans-Michael Rehberg, and Wolfgang M. Bauer. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A woman inexplicably finds herself cut off from all human contact when an invisible, unyielding wall suddenly surrounds the countryside. Accompanied by her loyal dog Lynx, she becomes immersed in a world untouched by civilization and ruled by the laws of nature."
From what I can gather also from IMDB.com, the picture enjoyed a good amount of acclaim. Actress Gedeck earned a 2014 Saturn Awards nomination in the category of 'Best Actress,' and the film also enjoyed three nominations at the 2013 German Film Awards.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Releasing on VOD on Tuesday, March 25th Premiering in LA on Saturday, March 22nd
*Official Selection - 2024 Dances With Films Festival*
Written & Directed by Liam Le Guillou Exectuitve Produced by Michael Steven Robbins Consultant Produced by Nigel Levy Cinematography by Blake Horn
Documentary filmmaker Liam Le Guillou enters the world of witchcraft: and the occult, searching for an answer to the question “is magic real?” Seeking out some of the world's most powerful dark magic practitioners, Le Guillou will ask the unthinkable - will they put a Curse on him. Meeting with Witches in California, Voodoo practitioners in New Orleans, Tantrics in India, and even a Satanist Shaman in Mexico, the filmmaker exposes himself to some of the world’s darkest magic. On his Journey, Le Guillou meets with psychologists, and scientists studying the real world effects of magic and the power of belief.
As the consequences of his request begin to hit home, Le Guillou seeks out help from the very
witches that warned him of his actions, forcing him to question the nature of reality in this
dangerous, never-before-seen, dark social experiment.
As the consequences of his request begin to hit home, Le Guillou seeks out help from the very
witches that warned him of his actions, forcing him to question the nature of reality in this
dangerous, never-before-seen, dark social experiment.
- Published on
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Blue Underground Announces the
World Premiere of a Brand New 4K Restoration of 'Venom'
A Deadly Thriller with an All-Star Cast
On March 25th, Blue Underground proudly presents the world premiere of the British horror-thriller classic Venom on 4K UHD + Blu-ray, in a brand-new 4K restoration packed with bonus content.
Venom stars Susan George (Straw Dogs) and Oliver Reed (The Devils) as a maid and chauffeur who conspire with international terrorist Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre) to kidnap the grandson of their rich boss Sterling Hayden (Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb). Their simple plan falls apart when the grandson brings home a snake that turns out to be a deadly Black Mamba. The aggressive reptile gets loose in the posh London apartment and the abduction turns into a fight for survival.
Venom was directed by Piers Haggard (The Blood on Satan's Claw) and is based on the novel by best-selling author Alan Scholefield (Great Elephant). The kidnapping drama/horror film features an all-star cast, including Nicol Williamson (Excalibur), Sarah Miles (Blow-Up), and Cornelia Sharpe (Serpico).
The 4K UHD + Blu-ray Edition’s special features include an archival audio commentary with Director Piers Haggard; new audio commentary with film historians Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson and Eugenio Ercolani; new video interviews with Editor/Second Unit Director Michael Bradsell, Makeup Artist Nick Dudman, Author & Critic Kim Newman, and The Dark Side’s Allan Bryce; Trailers; TV spots; and Still Gallery. First Pressing includes embossed slipcover and collectible booklet with essay by Michael Gingold.
Venom stars Susan George (Straw Dogs) and Oliver Reed (The Devils) as a maid and chauffeur who conspire with international terrorist Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre) to kidnap the grandson of their rich boss Sterling Hayden (Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb). Their simple plan falls apart when the grandson brings home a snake that turns out to be a deadly Black Mamba. The aggressive reptile gets loose in the posh London apartment and the abduction turns into a fight for survival.
Venom was directed by Piers Haggard (The Blood on Satan's Claw) and is based on the novel by best-selling author Alan Scholefield (Great Elephant). The kidnapping drama/horror film features an all-star cast, including Nicol Williamson (Excalibur), Sarah Miles (Blow-Up), and Cornelia Sharpe (Serpico).
The 4K UHD + Blu-ray Edition’s special features include an archival audio commentary with Director Piers Haggard; new audio commentary with film historians Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson and Eugenio Ercolani; new video interviews with Editor/Second Unit Director Michael Bradsell, Makeup Artist Nick Dudman, Author & Critic Kim Newman, and The Dark Side’s Allan Bryce; Trailers; TV spots; and Still Gallery. First Pressing includes embossed slipcover and collectible booklet with essay by Michael Gingold.
- Published on
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Troma Entertainment Invites You to an
All-You-Can-Eat Buffet with
Eating Miss Campbell
on Blu-ray in March
Troma Entertainment, the longest-running independent movie studio in North America, proudly celebrates the March 11th release of Eating Miss Campbell on Blu-ray.
For over a half a century, Troma has produced and distributed cinematic masterpieces such as The Toxic Avenger, Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D., Class of Nuke 'Em High, Cannibal! The Musical, and Tromeo and Juliet. Now Troma founders Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz have a new movie to add to this impressive list: Eating Miss Campbell is a high school horror/comedy with a ravenous appetite for the grotesque.
Beth Conner (Lyndsey Craine, Book of Monsters) is a vegan-goth introvert who attends an elite high school in England. She emerges from her shell when new teacher Miss Campbell (Lala Barlow) arrives on campus. Their affair triggers Beth to develop a new appetite. Let’s just say she’s definitely not a vegan anymore. The new Beth is eager to win the school’s celebrated “All You Can Eat Massacre” contest that has a very unique first prize. Can she devour everything to achieve her dream?
Eating Miss Campbell turns a dark comic light on posh academia, cannibalism, school violence, child predators, alternate realities, horror movies, and Alec Baldwin. The movie is director Liam Regan’s follow up to My Bloody Banjo, and he brings an English sensibility to the attitude birthed in Tromaville, New Jersey. While not a sequel, Vito Trigo (Return to Nuke 'Em High), Lloyd Kaufman (President of Troma Entertainment and the creator of The Toxic Avenger), Dani Thompson (Video Shop Tales of Terror), and Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede sequels) all reprise their roles from My Bloody Banjo.
The bonus features include an Introduction from Lloyd Kaufman, audio commentary, a Making Of documentary, deleted scenes, outtakes, a Gore Reel, raw B-Roll, cast interviews, Frightfest Premiere, behind the scenes footage, VFX reel and trailers.
“A hilarious, knives-out, balls-to-the-wall blood fest from beginning to end." - PopHorror
4 stars out of 5! "It might just be one of the best high school cannibal movies ever to have been produced." - David Gelmini/Dread Central
For over a half a century, Troma has produced and distributed cinematic masterpieces such as The Toxic Avenger, Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D., Class of Nuke 'Em High, Cannibal! The Musical, and Tromeo and Juliet. Now Troma founders Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz have a new movie to add to this impressive list: Eating Miss Campbell is a high school horror/comedy with a ravenous appetite for the grotesque.
Beth Conner (Lyndsey Craine, Book of Monsters) is a vegan-goth introvert who attends an elite high school in England. She emerges from her shell when new teacher Miss Campbell (Lala Barlow) arrives on campus. Their affair triggers Beth to develop a new appetite. Let’s just say she’s definitely not a vegan anymore. The new Beth is eager to win the school’s celebrated “All You Can Eat Massacre” contest that has a very unique first prize. Can she devour everything to achieve her dream?
Eating Miss Campbell turns a dark comic light on posh academia, cannibalism, school violence, child predators, alternate realities, horror movies, and Alec Baldwin. The movie is director Liam Regan’s follow up to My Bloody Banjo, and he brings an English sensibility to the attitude birthed in Tromaville, New Jersey. While not a sequel, Vito Trigo (Return to Nuke 'Em High), Lloyd Kaufman (President of Troma Entertainment and the creator of The Toxic Avenger), Dani Thompson (Video Shop Tales of Terror), and Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede sequels) all reprise their roles from My Bloody Banjo.
The bonus features include an Introduction from Lloyd Kaufman, audio commentary, a Making Of documentary, deleted scenes, outtakes, a Gore Reel, raw B-Roll, cast interviews, Frightfest Premiere, behind the scenes footage, VFX reel and trailers.
“A hilarious, knives-out, balls-to-the-wall blood fest from beginning to end." - PopHorror
4 stars out of 5! "It might just be one of the best high school cannibal movies ever to have been produced." - David Gelmini/Dread Central
- Published on
Back in the days of my distant youth, I once argued with a college professor over what ‘good film criticism’ looked like.
According to the academic, the very best critiques somewhat magically removed the thoughts and impressions of their writers and thinkers from the entire equation, instead relying on their command of facts, figures, and history upon which they based the sums of these evaluations. While I understood what the teacher was saying, I pointed out that regular folks didn’t tune in to watch ‘Siskel And Ebert’ (Google it, if you must) to hear about their command of facts, figures, and history: they did so because they wanted to know what Gene thought of a flick versus what Roger thought of the same flick, so opinions mattered. No mention of facts, figures, or history changed what the popular duo thought – well, they might be limited instances out there in cyberspace – and audiences often responded by seeing a motion picture based on these opinions instead of all the other arty gobbledygook. Though my instructor disagreed, he (thankfully) never held it against me.
Bolstering the professor’s position, however, I’ve always argued that the best people to evaluate an intellectual property like Frank Herbert’s Dune is – more often than not – best left to those folks who know it best. As a universe, the saga is grounded in an expansive mythology that winds up being confusing to regular folks, so the significance of certain scenes or sequences risk being entirely missed unless one understands contextually the deep ins and outs of Harkonnen culture, the talents of the Bene Gesserit, the politics of the Spacing Guild, and the benefits of Imperial House Atreides. This is why when I’ve occasionally been prodded to write more about Dune on SciFiHistory.Net I usually reply to such requests that I don’t feel schooled enough to do it with any degree of legitimacy. Sure, I might like to, but there are others out there much more enlightened than I am.
However …
HBO’s Dune: Prophecy presents an opportunity. Unlike the films (which, frankly, I’ve all found exceptionally well-constructed but almost entirely unrelatable), Prophecy explores a previously untapped era that only circumstantially ties into the greater foundation. In fact, I’ve even read online that – ahem – quite a few Dune aficionados don’t recognize it as an official chapter because it takes some significant liberties with what’s been written and previously established as canon in that world. While I can’t even fathom making such an argument myself (I do know a Harkonnen from an Atreides, but so what?), I still have watched Prophecy, and I think I can safely say a few things about it that might be worth the price of admission.
(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 show’s IMDB.com page:
“Ten thousand years before Paul Atreides joined the Fremen to lead an uprising on Arrakis to take down House Harkonnen, two sisters (Valya and Tula Harkonnen) create the mysterious all-female order called the Bene Gesserit. In Dune Prophecy, the siblings combat forces that threaten the future of humankind.”
According to the academic, the very best critiques somewhat magically removed the thoughts and impressions of their writers and thinkers from the entire equation, instead relying on their command of facts, figures, and history upon which they based the sums of these evaluations. While I understood what the teacher was saying, I pointed out that regular folks didn’t tune in to watch ‘Siskel And Ebert’ (Google it, if you must) to hear about their command of facts, figures, and history: they did so because they wanted to know what Gene thought of a flick versus what Roger thought of the same flick, so opinions mattered. No mention of facts, figures, or history changed what the popular duo thought – well, they might be limited instances out there in cyberspace – and audiences often responded by seeing a motion picture based on these opinions instead of all the other arty gobbledygook. Though my instructor disagreed, he (thankfully) never held it against me.
Bolstering the professor’s position, however, I’ve always argued that the best people to evaluate an intellectual property like Frank Herbert’s Dune is – more often than not – best left to those folks who know it best. As a universe, the saga is grounded in an expansive mythology that winds up being confusing to regular folks, so the significance of certain scenes or sequences risk being entirely missed unless one understands contextually the deep ins and outs of Harkonnen culture, the talents of the Bene Gesserit, the politics of the Spacing Guild, and the benefits of Imperial House Atreides. This is why when I’ve occasionally been prodded to write more about Dune on SciFiHistory.Net I usually reply to such requests that I don’t feel schooled enough to do it with any degree of legitimacy. Sure, I might like to, but there are others out there much more enlightened than I am.
However …
HBO’s Dune: Prophecy presents an opportunity. Unlike the films (which, frankly, I’ve all found exceptionally well-constructed but almost entirely unrelatable), Prophecy explores a previously untapped era that only circumstantially ties into the greater foundation. In fact, I’ve even read online that – ahem – quite a few Dune aficionados don’t recognize it as an official chapter because it takes some significant liberties with what’s been written and previously established as canon in that world. While I can’t even fathom making such an argument myself (I do know a Harkonnen from an Atreides, but so what?), I still have watched Prophecy, and I think I can safely say a few things about it that might be worth the price of admission.
(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 show’s IMDB.com page:
“Ten thousand years before Paul Atreides joined the Fremen to lead an uprising on Arrakis to take down House Harkonnen, two sisters (Valya and Tula Harkonnen) create the mysterious all-female order called the Bene Gesserit. In Dune Prophecy, the siblings combat forces that threaten the future of humankind.”
Here’s the thing …
As good as a show looks … as good as a cast acts … as good as a script sounds … that doesn’t necessarily translate to a quality experience.
Oh, I can hear the naysayers now. Yes, a program like Dune: Prophecy has to go to some amazing lengths to craft a universe that is authentic to the source material. Yes, the producers should recruit some of the best talent the industry has to offer and put them through their requisite hoops. Of course, the scripts should all be written by screenwriters who can convey the weight of such political skullduggery – much more than the average television show – and it should all weave together with great artistic aplomb.
Indeed, Dune: Prophecy has all of that going for it … and, yet, it still rings a bit curiously hollow.
So ... here’s the thing about that …
Imagine that you’re an HBO or Cinemax executive, and you’re still coming down from this commercial, cultural, and critical fame that was Game Of Thrones. You know you’ve spend an astonishing amount of time, money, and reputation in building an audience for such fare; so now you decide you need to cast your net as wide as possible to find another diamond in the rough to keep those folks watching. You only make money when they show up, and you don’t want to risk losing them to something as superficial and spurious as Dancing With The Stars, so what do you do?
Well, you draft the Frank Herbert space saga and put them on deck … but with two blockbuster films already exploring it what can you do to jump aboard?
Setting Prophecy in the distant, distant past is a calculated risk. Sure, you can strap the ‘Dune’ name on it and fool, maybe, fifty percent of the people; but that Game Of Thrones audiences is really turning in for what I’ve always called the Fantasy / Soap Opera, so you’re going to need material that works in a similar fashion. And that’s largely what showrunners Diane Ademu-John and Alison Schapker have accomplished here: gone are the Seven Kingdoms, and – in their place – we’re extrapolating the highs and lows of these various ‘houses’ (i.e. dynasties) in outer space … but you’d hardly ever know it because space rarely rears its head in this saga.
Therein lies part of the problem in assessing this world: few if any of these characters are all that interesting.
Without segueing into a greater exploration of Dune’s plotlines (they’re a bit thin, frankly), I’ll try to stick with its faces.
As good as a show looks … as good as a cast acts … as good as a script sounds … that doesn’t necessarily translate to a quality experience.
Oh, I can hear the naysayers now. Yes, a program like Dune: Prophecy has to go to some amazing lengths to craft a universe that is authentic to the source material. Yes, the producers should recruit some of the best talent the industry has to offer and put them through their requisite hoops. Of course, the scripts should all be written by screenwriters who can convey the weight of such political skullduggery – much more than the average television show – and it should all weave together with great artistic aplomb.
Indeed, Dune: Prophecy has all of that going for it … and, yet, it still rings a bit curiously hollow.
So ... here’s the thing about that …
Imagine that you’re an HBO or Cinemax executive, and you’re still coming down from this commercial, cultural, and critical fame that was Game Of Thrones. You know you’ve spend an astonishing amount of time, money, and reputation in building an audience for such fare; so now you decide you need to cast your net as wide as possible to find another diamond in the rough to keep those folks watching. You only make money when they show up, and you don’t want to risk losing them to something as superficial and spurious as Dancing With The Stars, so what do you do?
Well, you draft the Frank Herbert space saga and put them on deck … but with two blockbuster films already exploring it what can you do to jump aboard?
Setting Prophecy in the distant, distant past is a calculated risk. Sure, you can strap the ‘Dune’ name on it and fool, maybe, fifty percent of the people; but that Game Of Thrones audiences is really turning in for what I’ve always called the Fantasy / Soap Opera, so you’re going to need material that works in a similar fashion. And that’s largely what showrunners Diane Ademu-John and Alison Schapker have accomplished here: gone are the Seven Kingdoms, and – in their place – we’re extrapolating the highs and lows of these various ‘houses’ (i.e. dynasties) in outer space … but you’d hardly ever know it because space rarely rears its head in this saga.
Therein lies part of the problem in assessing this world: few if any of these characters are all that interesting.
Without segueing into a greater exploration of Dune’s plotlines (they’re a bit thin, frankly), I’ll try to stick with its faces.
- Emperor Javicco Corrino (played by Mark Strong) is such a poorly drawn leader one wonders how he ever came to power in the first place. He possesses no great nobility, and he can’t seem to make a decision entirely on his own that smacks of any measure of authority much less certainly. He’s a rather obvious puppet, and if the galaxy is this stupid to not see through his time on the throne then maybe they’re not worth being ruled anyway.
- Javicco’s wife – Empress Natalya (Jodhi May) – is the typical highbrow shrew drawn from any one of Shakespeare’s greater explorations of the ruling class. Though she professes to loving her husband, it becomes very clear early on that she craves power far more than affection. By the end of this first season, she’s exposed (to audiences) as willing to do anything – yes, ANYTHING – to maintain her seat of prominence, so no development along the way is anything but entirely predictable.
- Similarly, Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) is the show’s big villain, the female leader of the Bene Gesserit with Harkonnen blood running through her dastardly veins. Like the Empress, she’s an entirely selfish individual whose hunger for influence over the galaxy-at-large will most likely lead to her downfall, though audiences will properly relish her various falls from grace in the process. There’s no allegiance she won’t exploit along the way; and – sure – it’s nice to see someone as accomplished as Watson sink her teeth into pure villainy. It should be the stuff of great television …
… but, as I said, it all still feels a bit … hollow.
Prophecy’s greatest failing is that – alas – we’ve seen all of this before. From the popular TV primetime soaps of the 1980’s through their evolution in the 1990’s to the worlds of money and politics, this kind of thing has been done to death. Setting it within the Herbert saga – so freshly on the heels of Game Of Thrones and its spin-off House Of The Dragon – diminishes the effort to the point of asking, “Why didn’t we just call this Dune Of Thrones?” If that’s all you’re essentially succeeded, then why hide it within an IP that maybe deserves something a bit better, a bit more refined?
Please, trust me when I suggest that I could go on and on with this singular point. There isn’t a measure of freshness or originality anywhere in its six episodes; and – by the big finish which may set up audiences for something potentially more interesting next season (I won’t spoil it) – the spice and its fandom deserved something vastly more intellectually complex than – ahem – ‘Mean Girls In Space.’
Now … here’s the thing …
I’ve always said that there is often times a really great story somewhere within bad storytelling. The best writers can not only sniff it out but also help bring it to life whilst allowing enough room for supporting plotlines to garner a bit of secondary coverage. Famously, Akiva Goldman did this with Fox TV’s Fringe when he joined the writers’ room: for those who don’t know it, he told the resident scribes that they were ignoring the gem of the long form mythology – the parallel world storyline that elevated the show to wide acclaim – by choosing to dish up the usual parade of stand-alone episodes more akin to what we’d already see with The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and The X-Files. Such a revelation, I think, is needed for Prophecy, or it’ll turn out as more of the same.
So while it’s great (as I said above) to see Watson do something special, her time onscreen pales in comparison to what actress Jessica Barden is doing – in flashbacks – as the younger version of Valya Harkonnen. A good deal of her effectiveness is owed to the fact that – as a young’un – the audience actually gets to see the beginnings of something dark and mysterious in such a way that we’re drawn in and we want to know more. Though we’ve not been given all of the answers, we’re perched on the edge of our seats hoping that some of these secrets are forthcoming. That, my friends, is good drama. It’s good mystery. It’s compelling storytelling. Sadly, once we return to the present-day time of the show, the writers are only giving us (as I said) the kind of thing we’ve seen ad nausea, anchoring the pace in more of the same.
Somewhere about the time that TV’s Lost became a sensation, all of the writers angling for a prime gig in Hollywood (and around the world) decided procedurals were best framed in flashbacks. As a consequence, that’s all the current crop of web-spinners seem to be capable of producing – something that only makes sense when we reveal it to you as having some narrative predicate in the near or distant past – and their continued reliance on such trickery has quite possibly killed a generation of storytellers. Start telling a story wherein there’s actually a story worth being told, and maybe – just maybe – so many series wouldn’t be in this predicament. Certainly, your audiences might be bigger.
Like so many other programs I’ve digested, Dune: Prophecy doesn’t quite work as a series. Instead, it might’ve been a great stand-alone telefilm (or two) that could’ve been a welcome addition to Herbert’s wider story if you’d actually explained your purpose for being … and if that purpose was something more than a cash grab. As it stands now, that’s my bottom line on Prophecy: it’s trying to leapfrog its way into validity on the back of what Denis Villeneuve accomplished on the big screen. While it looks stunning, it means nothing … and that’s a big, big, big miss.
Dune: Prophecy – The First Season (2024-2025) was produced by Cunning Hand, HBO Max, Legendary Television, Pioneer Stillking Films, Villeneuve Films, and Warner Bros. Television. The series is presently available for streaming via MAX.
Recommended, but …
Essentially, I’m finding it hard to find anything substantive to say about Dune: Prophecy.
It isn’t that it’s a bad story, but that doesn’t dismiss the fact that – ahem – so very little truly happens that I just didn’t feel all that engaged. It isn’t that the performances are bad, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that most of the vast assortment of characters are given so little screen time it’s hard to feel motivated to care about them greater than the plight of their respective individual circumstances. It isn’t that the show has no wider tie-in to the vastness of Dune as a franchise (or, at least, what I know of it), but it’s that this is so far removed from the theatrical outings that one might wonder if it even takes place in the same universe. Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for something different, but Prophecy looks, sounds, and feels much more like a watered-down incarnation of Game Of Thrones than it does an authentic prequel to the Villeneuve flicks.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that I’m beholden to no one for my review of Dune: Prophecy – First Season as I viewed the program via my very own subscript to MAX.
-- EZ
Like so many other programs I’ve digested, Dune: Prophecy doesn’t quite work as a series. Instead, it might’ve been a great stand-alone telefilm (or two) that could’ve been a welcome addition to Herbert’s wider story if you’d actually explained your purpose for being … and if that purpose was something more than a cash grab. As it stands now, that’s my bottom line on Prophecy: it’s trying to leapfrog its way into validity on the back of what Denis Villeneuve accomplished on the big screen. While it looks stunning, it means nothing … and that’s a big, big, big miss.
Dune: Prophecy – The First Season (2024-2025) was produced by Cunning Hand, HBO Max, Legendary Television, Pioneer Stillking Films, Villeneuve Films, and Warner Bros. Television. The series is presently available for streaming via MAX.
Recommended, but …
Essentially, I’m finding it hard to find anything substantive to say about Dune: Prophecy.
It isn’t that it’s a bad story, but that doesn’t dismiss the fact that – ahem – so very little truly happens that I just didn’t feel all that engaged. It isn’t that the performances are bad, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that most of the vast assortment of characters are given so little screen time it’s hard to feel motivated to care about them greater than the plight of their respective individual circumstances. It isn’t that the show has no wider tie-in to the vastness of Dune as a franchise (or, at least, what I know of it), but it’s that this is so far removed from the theatrical outings that one might wonder if it even takes place in the same universe. Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for something different, but Prophecy looks, sounds, and feels much more like a watered-down incarnation of Game Of Thrones than it does an authentic prequel to the Villeneuve flicks.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that I’m beholden to no one for my review of Dune: Prophecy – First Season as I viewed the program via my very own subscript to MAX.
-- EZ
- Published on
Good God, I do so love a good Western.
And that’s the thing? Westerns don’t have to be epic in scale to, simply, be good.
Not each and every film of this uniquely American genre need approach the greatness of Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (1966) to merely be watchable. Not every flick needs to have the crowd-pleasing goodness of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959) to be entertaining. Not every experience must seek out and deliver old-school, white-knuckle justice (and vengeance) in the manner that Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven (1992) did to be embraced by audiences around the world. Because these productions can be understandably formulaic in design and execution, all they need to accomplish in order to be good is to show up, have respectable production values, hit their marks, and ride off into the sunset. Of course, it would be a grand, grand world if every attempt to explore these wild days gone by could be exceptional at each opportunity; but – in the scheme of things – I’ve always found that even the category’s color-by-numbers attempts have something to offer in just being G-O-O-D.
With that preamble out of the way, I’m thrilled to mention that the good people at Warner Archive recently re-released 1997’s Last Stand At Saber River and provided me a copy. Drawn from the novel of the same name written by Elmore Leonard, the script was adapted by Ronald M. Cohen and directed by Dick Lowry. The cast includes Tom Selleck, Suzy Amis, Keith Carradine, David Carradine, and a very young actor named Haley Joel Osment who star power would climb to impressive heights only two years later when he joined Bruce Willis in M. Night Shyamalan’s impressive The Sixth Sense.
Like any good Western, Saber River has more than its share of predictable set-ups with more than a few anticipated payoffs. But – as I said above – that’s the indelible beauty of films of this type. Viewers show up expecting it, and they’re not going to be disappointed. It’s fairly easy to tell the good guys from the bad, and there’s nothing particularly egregious about that reality. As for its actors and actresses? Well, they may not offer up any groundbreaking scene chewing – with exception of a scene here and there; and yet collectively they all still manage to bring to life some of what made that bygone era of the Civil War – when brother fought brother – something for the history books.
(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:
“After the Civil War, a returning Confederate veteran must reclaim his Arizona land and homestead from the Yankee carpetbaggers who illegally occupy it.”
And that’s the thing? Westerns don’t have to be epic in scale to, simply, be good.
Not each and every film of this uniquely American genre need approach the greatness of Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (1966) to merely be watchable. Not every flick needs to have the crowd-pleasing goodness of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959) to be entertaining. Not every experience must seek out and deliver old-school, white-knuckle justice (and vengeance) in the manner that Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven (1992) did to be embraced by audiences around the world. Because these productions can be understandably formulaic in design and execution, all they need to accomplish in order to be good is to show up, have respectable production values, hit their marks, and ride off into the sunset. Of course, it would be a grand, grand world if every attempt to explore these wild days gone by could be exceptional at each opportunity; but – in the scheme of things – I’ve always found that even the category’s color-by-numbers attempts have something to offer in just being G-O-O-D.
With that preamble out of the way, I’m thrilled to mention that the good people at Warner Archive recently re-released 1997’s Last Stand At Saber River and provided me a copy. Drawn from the novel of the same name written by Elmore Leonard, the script was adapted by Ronald M. Cohen and directed by Dick Lowry. The cast includes Tom Selleck, Suzy Amis, Keith Carradine, David Carradine, and a very young actor named Haley Joel Osment who star power would climb to impressive heights only two years later when he joined Bruce Willis in M. Night Shyamalan’s impressive The Sixth Sense.
Like any good Western, Saber River has more than its share of predictable set-ups with more than a few anticipated payoffs. But – as I said above – that’s the indelible beauty of films of this type. Viewers show up expecting it, and they’re not going to be disappointed. It’s fairly easy to tell the good guys from the bad, and there’s nothing particularly egregious about that reality. As for its actors and actresses? Well, they may not offer up any groundbreaking scene chewing – with exception of a scene here and there; and yet collectively they all still manage to bring to life some of what made that bygone era of the Civil War – when brother fought brother – something for the history books.
(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:
“After the Civil War, a returning Confederate veteran must reclaim his Arizona land and homestead from the Yankee carpetbaggers who illegally occupy it.”
John Carpenter’s Escape From New York (1981) got great mileage out of a single narrative trick involving the continuing presentation of his seminal anti-hero, Snake Plissken.
Without going to great lengths on the plot, Plissken – a veteran of some global conflict that’s only hinted at briefly in the script – turned to a life of crime after his return to the United States left him more than a bit disenfranchised at how his military service truly only derailed an otherwise peaceful existence. As the film opens, audiences see that he’s finally been apprehended, but a catastrophic plane crash inside the nation’s only remaining maximum security facility – Manhattan Island Prison – presents him with a chance to earn amnesty: go inside, rescue the downed American President, and bring him back alive. If he can do it within 24 hours, then Plissken earns a full pardon.
The genius of both establishing and getting to know Snake – as a character – is that practically everyone he meets along his treacherous journey always greets him with the same line: “Snake Plissken? I’d heard you were dead.”
Now, that might not mean much to some, but for those of us in the audience it served as a constant reminder of the fact that we functionally knew very little about Plissken’s life and yet were willing to see him as our lead. Granted, it might also have kept us privately guessing over the particulars to just how, where, and why the soldier earned such a reputation. Was it while serving his country, or did it have something tied closely to his life of crime? Though we never learned the truth, the fact that director Carpenter felt the need to turn us from passive to active watchers with this little storytelling trick gives both his lead character and the film as a whole a life beyond just what we see; and that’s pure cinematic genius.
Because I’m unfamiliar with the source novel for Saber River, I can’t say whether or not Leonard was channeling Carpenter’s trickery, but it is definitely a technique Cohen incorporated into the script. Paul Cable (played by Tom Selleck) is a Confederate soldier whose return home is shrouded in a similar mystery as folks back there also heard he had been killed in the Civil War. What could have happened? Was he thought to have perished on the battlefield in combat, or could his demise have been linked to something a bit more nefarious? The only thing for certain is that the tired and haggard man has no intention on discussing what led to his separation from the Confederate Army – the war still rages – so there’s a bit of mystery shrouding precisely who he is and what he might have done.
As the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that he’s not quite the man that his wife Martha (Suzy Amis) knew when he left her to take up arms against the North. Now, he’s a bit sullen, a bit distant, and it’s clear that he only wants to get on with the business of healing himself and what remains of his family. With a hope of returning to normalcy, the two decide that a return to their original homestead in Arizona is the next logical step; and so they pack up all of their belongings and leave the safety of the great state of Texas behind them.
Without going to great lengths on the plot, Plissken – a veteran of some global conflict that’s only hinted at briefly in the script – turned to a life of crime after his return to the United States left him more than a bit disenfranchised at how his military service truly only derailed an otherwise peaceful existence. As the film opens, audiences see that he’s finally been apprehended, but a catastrophic plane crash inside the nation’s only remaining maximum security facility – Manhattan Island Prison – presents him with a chance to earn amnesty: go inside, rescue the downed American President, and bring him back alive. If he can do it within 24 hours, then Plissken earns a full pardon.
The genius of both establishing and getting to know Snake – as a character – is that practically everyone he meets along his treacherous journey always greets him with the same line: “Snake Plissken? I’d heard you were dead.”
Now, that might not mean much to some, but for those of us in the audience it served as a constant reminder of the fact that we functionally knew very little about Plissken’s life and yet were willing to see him as our lead. Granted, it might also have kept us privately guessing over the particulars to just how, where, and why the soldier earned such a reputation. Was it while serving his country, or did it have something tied closely to his life of crime? Though we never learned the truth, the fact that director Carpenter felt the need to turn us from passive to active watchers with this little storytelling trick gives both his lead character and the film as a whole a life beyond just what we see; and that’s pure cinematic genius.
Because I’m unfamiliar with the source novel for Saber River, I can’t say whether or not Leonard was channeling Carpenter’s trickery, but it is definitely a technique Cohen incorporated into the script. Paul Cable (played by Tom Selleck) is a Confederate soldier whose return home is shrouded in a similar mystery as folks back there also heard he had been killed in the Civil War. What could have happened? Was he thought to have perished on the battlefield in combat, or could his demise have been linked to something a bit more nefarious? The only thing for certain is that the tired and haggard man has no intention on discussing what led to his separation from the Confederate Army – the war still rages – so there’s a bit of mystery shrouding precisely who he is and what he might have done.
As the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that he’s not quite the man that his wife Martha (Suzy Amis) knew when he left her to take up arms against the North. Now, he’s a bit sullen, a bit distant, and it’s clear that he only wants to get on with the business of healing himself and what remains of his family. With a hope of returning to normalcy, the two decide that a return to their original homestead in Arizona is the next logical step; and so they pack up all of their belongings and leave the safety of the great state of Texas behind them.
Still, trouble continues to plague Paul Cable.
Once they arrive in back Arizona, he learns that the Kidston Brothers – Vern (Keith Carradine) and Duane (David Carradine) – have claims on the Cable property, meaning that taking it back requires a bit of violence that results in the deaths of two of the Kidston’s hired hands. While the elder Duane wants to immediately repay the Cables in kind, Vern – the seasoned thinker of the two – knows that they can simply bide their time, go about business as usual, and the opportunity for payback will naturally present itself. Such a chance does eventually arise, but it happens at the devious machinations of the local merchant – Edward Janroe (David Dukes) – who is secretly keeping the battle of the North and the South raging by supplying guns to Confederates. Janroe hopes to put Cable directly at odds with the Kidstons, hoping that their probable demise – their Northerners, you see – will put Arizona squarely back into play with the Confederacy.
As one can see, there’s a great deal of drama unfolding on the shores of Saber River. Paul is trying to bury something in his recent past. Martha seeks a return to the man he once was. The Kidstons and the locals don’t see eye-to-eye. Janroe can’t stop his darker impulses from stirring up mortal dangers. Even the Indians appear to be in cahoots with Mexicans opting to see the United States of America fall into further disarray with the war.
But the title alone clarifies that a ‘last stand’ is on the horizon, and it arrives with the word of Robert E. Lee’s surrender of the South to the North. Now – and perhaps only now – can a nation and its people get on with the business of healing; and this catalyst works its way across Saber River’s various plotlines and relationships in surprising ways. Before it’s all over, allies will become enemies, and adversaries will become compatriots. Love even makes a welcome return in the final scene wherein a man and woman can finally come to terms with what the challenges of enduring such hardships has still left under their care. Reconciliation won’t be easy, but no one ever said it would be.
As an oater, the telefilm works very well. Lowry and cinematographer Ric Waite use their locations wisely, staging Selleck and the rest of the cast in locations that highlight an expanse that promised riches but often dealt dangers to pioneers hoping to stake a claim on their small piece of it. David Shire’s score is properly reminiscent of what music typically sounds like in Westerns of this type – fanfare backing the danger and adventure while more subdued tracks tug at the audience’s heartstrings in the quieter, emotional moments. Though there’s really no ‘High Noon’ style showdown anywhere in here, Lowry’s finale does highlight a runaway stagecoach; so let’s all agree once more than these features beg, borrow, and steal only the best of what’s been done before when they need to use it once again.
Once they arrive in back Arizona, he learns that the Kidston Brothers – Vern (Keith Carradine) and Duane (David Carradine) – have claims on the Cable property, meaning that taking it back requires a bit of violence that results in the deaths of two of the Kidston’s hired hands. While the elder Duane wants to immediately repay the Cables in kind, Vern – the seasoned thinker of the two – knows that they can simply bide their time, go about business as usual, and the opportunity for payback will naturally present itself. Such a chance does eventually arise, but it happens at the devious machinations of the local merchant – Edward Janroe (David Dukes) – who is secretly keeping the battle of the North and the South raging by supplying guns to Confederates. Janroe hopes to put Cable directly at odds with the Kidstons, hoping that their probable demise – their Northerners, you see – will put Arizona squarely back into play with the Confederacy.
As one can see, there’s a great deal of drama unfolding on the shores of Saber River. Paul is trying to bury something in his recent past. Martha seeks a return to the man he once was. The Kidstons and the locals don’t see eye-to-eye. Janroe can’t stop his darker impulses from stirring up mortal dangers. Even the Indians appear to be in cahoots with Mexicans opting to see the United States of America fall into further disarray with the war.
But the title alone clarifies that a ‘last stand’ is on the horizon, and it arrives with the word of Robert E. Lee’s surrender of the South to the North. Now – and perhaps only now – can a nation and its people get on with the business of healing; and this catalyst works its way across Saber River’s various plotlines and relationships in surprising ways. Before it’s all over, allies will become enemies, and adversaries will become compatriots. Love even makes a welcome return in the final scene wherein a man and woman can finally come to terms with what the challenges of enduring such hardships has still left under their care. Reconciliation won’t be easy, but no one ever said it would be.
As an oater, the telefilm works very well. Lowry and cinematographer Ric Waite use their locations wisely, staging Selleck and the rest of the cast in locations that highlight an expanse that promised riches but often dealt dangers to pioneers hoping to stake a claim on their small piece of it. David Shire’s score is properly reminiscent of what music typically sounds like in Westerns of this type – fanfare backing the danger and adventure while more subdued tracks tug at the audience’s heartstrings in the quieter, emotional moments. Though there’s really no ‘High Noon’ style showdown anywhere in here, Lowry’s finale does highlight a runaway stagecoach; so let’s all agree once more than these features beg, borrow, and steal only the best of what’s been done before when they need to use it once again.
As an actor, Selleck is about as good as it gets here. He simmers when required, and – as a husband – he tries to balance his words with his actions despite being prompted to do something more drastic by his wife. Few actors in the modern era – Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall, Clint Eastwood, etc. – truly look ‘at ease’ in such period pieces, and Selleck looks to be in his element. While Amis – as the conflicted squeeze who is also surprisingly happy with gun in hand – is good, it’s still sad that the script really only gives her two modes: she vacillates between the vengeful retaliator and the somewhat doe-eyed damsel conflicted with standing by her man, never quite given anything of any greater nuance to portray. Their reconciliation works but only so much as that’s the way it was scripted: thematically, it really could’ve gone either way. There may not be a great deal of chemistry between the two, but then again they spend the bulk of the picture at odds with one another, so I’m not certain any was necessary.
On one level, there’s an allegory running through Saber River that suggests we can only return to normal if our individual terms are met.
The Cables cling to a hope that going back to where it all began – their courting youth, their Arizona home, etc. – is a necessary step in putting all of these various issues to bed. The truth, however, is that we take our baggage with us as is more aptly demonstrated by their pack wagon journey from Texas westward: everything they own – including their remaining children along with their shared fears and frustrations – is on board, and it isn’t until they arrive that they realize the folly of such ways. (Mind you: that was a long, long, long way to come back then to learn something both should’ve known.) The husband and the wife eventually reach some alliance in the finale, but – disappointingly – they could’ve done the same in Texas had they put both of their heart and minds to it. In the end, they apparently believe it was all worth it, though I’m not so sure I’d agree.
Lastly, I’d be remiss in chatting about the greatness of the project if I failed to mention that in 1998 the telefilm took home top honors at the Western Heritage Awards by winning the organization’s Bronze Wrangler for Best Television Feature Film. For those unaware with the honors, the Western Heritage Awards were created to celebrate highwater marks in music, television, film, and literature which honor the spirit and vision of the American West. Such recognition may not mean much to some, but I think it speaks volumes for when experts weigh in on the merits of art that properly reflects our shared history.
Last Stand At Saber River (1997) was produced by TNT and TWS Productions II. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Allied Vaughn and Warner Archive. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be exceptional from start-to-finish: the telefilm definitely incorporates some excellent cinematography which helps to bring the vastness of that wild frontier to life on the small screen. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, pard’ner, you’ve saddled up for next to nothing … and, yes, that’s a big miss if you ask me.
Recommended.
While there may be little new under the setting Western sun, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Last Stand At Saber River (1997) underwhelms. It has the measure of predictability that Westerns have long relied on to call their bluff; and I think it might be made a bit more palatable by having the gravitas of Selleck and the Carradines doing what men do best: hunt, ride, and shoot. Amis is good, though the script gives her too little to do. Ultimately, the message here of finding peace and comfort got a bit lost in the shuffle, and yet it’s still about as reasonable and reliable an oater you’re likely to find made in the 1990’s for network television.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Allied Vaughn provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Last Stand At Saber River 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
On one level, there’s an allegory running through Saber River that suggests we can only return to normal if our individual terms are met.
The Cables cling to a hope that going back to where it all began – their courting youth, their Arizona home, etc. – is a necessary step in putting all of these various issues to bed. The truth, however, is that we take our baggage with us as is more aptly demonstrated by their pack wagon journey from Texas westward: everything they own – including their remaining children along with their shared fears and frustrations – is on board, and it isn’t until they arrive that they realize the folly of such ways. (Mind you: that was a long, long, long way to come back then to learn something both should’ve known.) The husband and the wife eventually reach some alliance in the finale, but – disappointingly – they could’ve done the same in Texas had they put both of their heart and minds to it. In the end, they apparently believe it was all worth it, though I’m not so sure I’d agree.
Lastly, I’d be remiss in chatting about the greatness of the project if I failed to mention that in 1998 the telefilm took home top honors at the Western Heritage Awards by winning the organization’s Bronze Wrangler for Best Television Feature Film. For those unaware with the honors, the Western Heritage Awards were created to celebrate highwater marks in music, television, film, and literature which honor the spirit and vision of the American West. Such recognition may not mean much to some, but I think it speaks volumes for when experts weigh in on the merits of art that properly reflects our shared history.
Last Stand At Saber River (1997) was produced by TNT and TWS Productions II. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Allied Vaughn and Warner Archive. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the provided sights-and-sounds to be exceptional from start-to-finish: the telefilm definitely incorporates some excellent cinematography which helps to bring the vastness of that wild frontier to life on the small screen. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, pard’ner, you’ve saddled up for next to nothing … and, yes, that’s a big miss if you ask me.
Recommended.
While there may be little new under the setting Western sun, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Last Stand At Saber River (1997) underwhelms. It has the measure of predictability that Westerns have long relied on to call their bluff; and I think it might be made a bit more palatable by having the gravitas of Selleck and the Carradines doing what men do best: hunt, ride, and shoot. Amis is good, though the script gives her too little to do. Ultimately, the message here of finding peace and comfort got a bit lost in the shuffle, and yet it’s still about as reasonable and reliable an oater you’re likely to find made in the 1990’s for network television.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Allied Vaughn provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Last Stand At Saber River 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