Spontaneous Combustion, le feu de l'au-delà

Not as bad, as it's credited to being (Hooper's done far worse)… more so disappointing for me. Such an imaginative concept, which is never really tapped in to by Hooper with his economical direction and even less so in the smoky (excuse the pun) writing. It goes so sinister and over-the-top in a dead serious tone, becoming ridiculous and unfocused letting the whole pessimistic mystery / conspiracy-laced narrative being easily telegraphed to end on something completely abrupt. Because of that, the pacing goes on to be rather sluggish and Brad Dourif (cool to see him in a leading role) seems to struggle with an off-balanced performance, despite etching out a bemusedly quirky intensity to his off-colour character. Even though it's cheaply done, there's a competent technical attitude to it. However it doesn't seem to go anywhere out of the ordinary with its idea and wants to plaster in nasty jolts (which some do work) and strikingly steaming special effects (flames, flames everywhere) instead. Hooper does display some stylishly frenetic imagery (more so towards the latter end), and the camera-work is swiftly manoeuvred and the beaming score is titillating. The performances are bit all over the shop with the appearances of William Prince, Cynthia Bain, Dey Young, Jon Cypher and Melinda Dillon. Also Geroge Buck Flower and John Landis have small, but amusing cameos… especially Landis. Nothing surprises, but it's passably engaging.

I really wanted to love Spontaneous Combustion: I like the basic idea, Brad Dourif is a cool actor, Tobe Hooper is the legendary director responsible for my favourite horror film, and some of the flame effects are pretty intense (I repeat: 'some'). Hell, there's even a fun cameo from John Landis. The problem is that the film just doesn't make a lot of sense.

Dourif plays Sam, a young man who discovers that the anti-radiation experiment which caused his parents to spontaneously combust in the 1950s is now responsible for some equally strange side effects in his own body. As Sam tries to prevent himself turning into a small pile of smouldering ash, he realises that his whole life has been a lie perpetrated by sinister industrialist Lew Orlander (William Prince).

With some incomprehensible cobblers about an evangelist who preaches to Sam over the radio, a puzzling sub-plot involving a nuclear power station, a killer who inexplicably uses glowing green goop in a syringe to bump people off, and the never-adequately explained presence of a continually growing birthmark on Sam's hand, I lost the plot about half-way through and had to content myself with the occasionally impressive body burn stunts and a modicum of manky make-up effects.

The first movie made by Hooper after his unsuccessful three film deal with Cannon, Spontaneous Combustion unsurprisingly didn't set the box-office on fire either, and the director's career has failed to reignite ever since.

I really don't understand why so many people hate this movie! I mean, I cry every time I see the end of it, I love the music that gets played over the end credits (the one I like to call the 'Sam & Lisa love theme',) I love the acting, and I love the *tragic* relationship between the two main characters.

Brad Dourif's always been one of my favourite actors, and I think it's really cool that he puts so much into his acting in 'Spontaneous Combustion' that he is actually sweating. (Remember that scene in the phone box when he's talking to Lisa and asking her 'what was in those pills you gave me?'

I think Tobe Hooper did really well making this one. (I'm looking forward to seeing his new film; 'Brew', which also stars Brad Dourif and Bill Moseley from 'House of 1000 Corpses.')

The picture based allegedly in a reality, concerns about a young man(Brad Dourif) aware his parents(Stacy Edwards and Brian Bremer)had been used in a nuclear experiment. Them, he inherits the power to inflict the title phenomenon on other people . He's recently separated his spouse(Blain)and again appear his ability -called pyrokinesis, though sometimes is incontrollable- to ignite objects and people around him. Then, blazing deaths occur, the result of another evil government experiment.

This is a suspenseful and frightening movie , though regularly paced. The movie contains some flaws and sometimes is silly and ludicrous, furthermore wasting the acting talent. Casting is quite well, Brad Dourif is nice, as usual, in one of his habitual roles as hapless. Magnificent plethora secondaries as Melinda Dillon, John Cypher , William Prince and Dale Dye. Special appearance of Hollywood directors as John Landis and Andre De Toth . The film is in the ink of¨ Firestarter¨(directed by Mark L Lester with Drew Barrymore and George C Scott) and ¨Firestarter 2¨(Robert Iscove with Marguerite Moreau and Malcolm McDowell). The motion picture is regularly directed by Tobe Hooper, who previously acquired success with ¨Texas chainsaw massacre, Salem's Lot,Funhouse,Invaders from Mars and Poltergeist¨, however with 'Spontaneous Combustion' got a failure. Rating : Mediocre though some moments is entertaining.

Righty right. Here's a bit about SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION: the government is trying to engineer the perfect weapon for war. It fails, and the project is supposedly buried. Years later, however, a young college student by the name of David (Sam), is finding out slowly that he is something more than human. So, he intends to find out just what he is, and a path of destruction and fire is left in his wake. Now, I can see why this has been called Tobe Hooper's only failure at a movie, but it is a gem. But, the only reason why this is a good flick is because of the presence of Brad Dourif. As always, he's excellent. Rent this flick, that is if you can find it. The beginning is slow, but it is very entertaining.