Le Bateau de la mort

When I was a kid I hated this movie. But, after additional viewings and understanding that there is a creepiness to the film and some good ideas. Yet it is not a good horror film in my mind and those good ideas become wasted due to what I find are scenes that are too drawn out, stupid characters and it does become tiring watching the characters bumble around an empty ship.

The story is about a cruise ship with ultra-stuffy Captain Ashland (George Kennedy) on his final voyage. They crash into this mysterious ship and are sunk. The few shipwrecked survivours are in a lifeboat and come across that very ship that sunk them. Inside they begin to find horrific secrets and must escape before their very lives are taken.

Film also has a pretty darn good cast that also includes Richard Crenna, Nick Mancuso, Kate Reid and Saul Rubinek. Yet, in the end it just misses the mark.

Ok, we've already stated the fact that I LOVE b-movies. A lot of them are cheesy, badly acted, and have horrible plots. But that's what I love about them. And surely this film has all those right elements for a b-movie. But what this film does better than those other films, is that I manages to maintain atmospheric. Some of the scenes in this film were absolutely frightening! It kept me spellbound and wondering what was going to happen next. Even though, it was blatantly obvious and predictable. It still kept me guessing at certain parts. I give it a 9. Watch it if you are a die-hard horror fan or b-movie fan. Oh yeah, George Kennedy actually gave an award winning, creepy performance as the captain who wanted to take over the Nazi Freighter.

Plot

A mysterious ghostly freighter rams and sinks a modern day cruise ship whose survivors climb aboard the freighter and discover that it is a World War II Nazi torture vessel.

Cast

George Kennedy, Richard Crenna and a brief contribution from Saul Rubinek.

Verdict

I've always loved the cover art for Death Ship, trouble is for whatever reason it took me over three decades after initially seeing it to get round to watching it.

Truth be told I was quite excited booting it up, great cover art, a very interesting sounding premise and it's always great seeing George Kennedy. Did it live up to my 30+ year expectations? No, sadly very much not.

You see though it manages to be suitably creepy with its ghost ship setting it never really feels like it goes anywhere and when it does it's a tad non-sensical and very underwhelming. I wanted it to be more visceral, instead it adopts a very disappointing approach and also provides us with walk to walk lackluster deaths and a finale that feels rushed and apathetic.

Death Ship is one of those few movies I think could do with a remake to reach the potential is badly squandered here.

Rants

I was going to do a rant about the people who original ran the ship this movie is about, speak of how I'm in awe that they're so prevalent at time of writing and ask how such a thing is even possible. That however would likely prevent this from getting published so I'll resist the urge.

The Good

George Kennedy is excellent here Fantastic concept Solid setting Brilliant cover art

The Bad

Annoying kids Awful deaths Concept is wasted Too many plot holes.

"Death Ship" was obviously produced on a flimsy budget, as the cost-conscious opening shipwreck demonstrates - we're not talking James Cameron here! There are other flaws - plot loopholes, dodgy acting and one extraordinary moment of bad editing/continuity. Nevertheless, I think it's an effective film because the basic idea is strong and there are some good creepy moments. Alvin Rakoff's direction makes the most of the location and the climax is well-managed.

Professionally wanting as this may be, film-makers have re-worked the concept twice now. VIRUS in 1999 (rogue ship seemingly abandoned, which when boarded proves to be an unpleasant experience) and this year's GHOST SHIP, an even closer related caper, which has even ripped-off the original POSTER with only subtle alterations. Matter of fact the entire FILM has been ripped off with only subtle alterations....less Nazis, more ghosts!

You just know with Richard Crenna up front in the credits you're looking at a B-Grade production from the outset. Live with it! For my money too, give me a REAL ship with REAL people anytime...leaves the digitised variety for dead. The brooding leviathan that (I have to admit laughably) sneaks up on Crenna and the few survivors of the opening rammed-ship sequence (yeah, that wasn't great either!) is all menace from the opening scenes. Big brute too! one would wonder how 35-40,000 tons of ship can sneak up on four people floating in the Atlantic without a sound! Anyway, lets not get into semantics..it DOES and our intrepid bunch board the seemingly deserted vessel and make a most unpleasant if not illogical discovery. (Don't ask how the vessel has been cruising around for forty odd years without a grease and oil-change, never mind a re-fuelling!)

Some intense and really quite chilling scenes manage to lift the film way above the dialog which rarely gets past high school work-experience level. Some quite effective camera work too supports the view that the film has its moments and does not deserve to be consigned to the junk bin. Actually it plays way better these days if you go watch GHOST SHIP first. Not one in 2000 of today's viewers has ever heard of DEATH SHIP so the makers need never have been concerned with viewer comparison.

George Kennedy playing right against type is a hoot as Captain Ashland, who by degrees loses it, as he is "possessed" by the ship's original Germanic complement of officers. Trust me, it gets better after multiple viewings over twenty years.....and I paid $5 for it!