Jack Be Nimble

I just finished this film. Bought it at eBay. I collect obscure movies. This one is a jewel. A very dark jewel in its very own genre. I'm not one to reveal plots, but I can describe the movie. Director Garth Maxwell takes you on a bit of an unexpected trip. It smacks of classic horror, but, it's new horror and you never know where it's going. Maxwell's use of light and color is simply astounding and unforgettable. I'm sure I'll sleep with some of these images tonight. It's not for those of you who like typical movies. It's very different. I have but two technical problems and they're small: 1) Maxwell let's Dora say, "Marigolds." and they're not. 2) One line slips out while no lips move. Otherwise, the film is certainly going to chill some blood cells and keep your brain ticking. Sorry, but Alexis Arquette couldn't be more good-looking, either. It's not big Hollywood (and I like that), but it's very, very provocative film-making. I like that, too.

Bizarre but serious horror film that piques your interest from the opening scene. Maintains a unique and colorful atmosphere throughout. The depths of human evil are depicted here as if one were watching a fairy tale with witches and goblins (thus the Jack of nursery rhyme is chosen here). Great score, by the way, that helps to create the atmosphere throughout.

I recommend it as a good Halloween treat, but definitely not for children.

Part fairy tale part violent retribution cruelty rears its ugly head here from the start and doesn't let up it's unrelenting death grip until the final frame. Jack and Nora are two siblings who become separated due to the negligence of their parents and discover they both possess psychic skills which they proceed to apply to their situations. How they put their abilities to the test is connected to their home environments and each other in complete contrast. Poetically filmed in new Zealand this is a very interesting and dark little tale where everything goes desperately wrong. It's gruesome but beautiful all at once, highly recommended!.

i like Australian and newzeeland film making in general,but this one is at least as outstanding as "once we were warriors"(not that you could compare these two goodies...) sound,light and camera are really stunning and well balanced.

i really like the performances of all the actors,too! arquette is more than convincing in giving an carping asshole-until it comes out WHY he's acting like this all the time and won't be let alone! this film is a sensual experience,don't miss it!! a shame,that this director did not produce one "real",feauture-length movie since than. this was are more than promising afford, but today, i think he only directs c-class TV-crap like "xenia"(?) and similar low-quality stuff.

(1993) Jack Be Nimble PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPERNATURAL HORROR

Co-written and directed by Garth Maxwell making what could've been a fascinating horror movie from New Zealand which starts out with two very connected children ending up into the orphanage as a result of some dysfunctional family circumstance with good parents adopting the sister, Dora while bad parents adopting the brother, Jack. They're then become interconnected once the sister inhabits some telepathic powers as a result of knocking herself unconscious to the ground who then possess the ability to not only converse with other people by using her mind and without speaking to them, but also has the ability to listen to the undead similar to the kid in "The Sixth Sense". While she's living in a normal environment, the same thing can't be said for Jack for he gets abused repeatedly by the all the women in the household which includes four bushy haired sisters and an abnormal mother and father who consistently beat him. The brother and sister are eventually going to reunite but as a result of people getting killed in the process whereas Jack always uses a contraption that can hypnotize people. And there's not a single law enforcement officer throughout the entire movie where adults can pretty much assault people without any consequences. The movie is very spontaneously made with the 'rules' don't even apply to the people in the area, for it must have taken place on some deserted remote town that's somehow isolated from the others.