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CAPRICORN ONE (1978) Last week was the anniversary of the first Moon landing in July 1969. Almost from the very touchdown of Apollo 11 conspiracy theories have emerged which claim that it was all faked in a studio (the most elaborate involves Stanley Kubrick supposedly shooting it while making 2001: A Space Odyssey). Director Peter Hyams was inspired by those theories along with his observation that people only believed an event took place if they saw it on TV.

Hyams' tale moves forward a decade or so to a manned landing on Mars. When something goes wrong with the spacecraft, the astronauts (James Brolin, Sam Waterston and...uh...O. J.) are brought to a studio to fake the mission! Ironically, a few years later, Hyams would follow-up Kubrick's 2001 with 2010 - hmmm? More fuel for the conspiracy fire!!!??

CAPRICORN ONE was just one of several 70s conspiracy films (PARALLAX VIEW, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR, ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN etc. - aficionados of the genre will not some visual quotes ), but Hyams tried to make this one a more enjoyable thriller with a big cast that also included Elliott Gould, Hal Holbrook, Brenda Vaccaro, David Doyle, Karen Black, Robert Walden, James Karen and Telly Savalas. Jerry Goldsmith provides the rousing score. The first half setting up the conspiracy is a bit pokey and slow, but things pick up considerably once the Astronauts are on the run (insert OJ joke here).

It gets silly and melodramatic, but it's a decent afternoon popcorn thriller. Don't forget the Tang!

BIG NIGHT ( 1996) Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci's nourishing touching film about two immigrants who run an Italian restaurant in the 1950s on the Jersey Shore. The brothers (who hail from Calabria), Primo (Tony Shaloub) and Secondo (Tucci) share the love of food, but like most siblings have....let's say...differences. Primo is a perfectionist while Secondo just wants to please their few customers.

The terrific cast also includes Ian Holm, Minnie Driver, Allison Janney and Isabella Rossellini. Tucci's script with Joseph Tropiano, has comedy, drama, romance and, of course, attention to good food including the piece de resitance - Timpano. It's part of a grand, multi-course feast the gives the film its name.

The single shot finale featuring nothing more than a humble omelette is exquisite. The only words that are spoken is simply - and, appropriately enough: "Are you hungry?"

Chef's kiss.

Buon Appetito!

SPECIES (1995) Another in a long line of films "inspired" by ALIEN, this was a successful production helmed by Roger Donaldson and written by Dennis Feldman. The basic idea here is that scientists receive a signal from space on how to create a DNA hybrid in a lab. The team is headed by Xavier (Ben Kingsley) who hires a team including an empath (Forest Whitaker) and an enforcer (Michael Madsen). Also in the cast are Alfred Molina, Marg Helgenberger and a young Michelle Williams as an early stage of the creature. When Xavier mentions that he created the humanoid as a female because it would make it more 'docile', Madsen has the best line in the film: "More docile and controllable, eh? You guys don't get out much." When the monster, Sil, breaks out it fully matures into the form of Natasha Henstridge in her film debut. The special effects are solid and the talented cast give the movie some credibility. The plot also has elements of THE HIDDEN and LIFEFORCE that appealed to genre fans who made it into a hit. It spawned a sequel (also with Madsen and Henstridge) and two TV movies. I was invited to a preview screening, and afterwards a Producer quipped: "Natasha Henstridge will have NO problems getting work." She's formed a good career, and not just because of her looks.

R. I. P. Michael Madsen.