Dead Fall: Les Pros de l'arnaque

I can't believe I've never seen this gem of a bad movie. For starters, it's the most over the top Nicholas Cage role Nicholas Cage has ever played. If he was at 11 in Wicker Man, he's at like a 23 in this, yet somehow it never made any of the "best of Cage" videos on YouTube. It's also got James Coburn, Peter Fonda, Charles Wainright III ("Linc" from Mod Squad), Michael Constantine, Talia Shire, and even a small part by Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees.

Then just when you think it can't get any weirder, they hit you with Charlie Sheen and - wait for it - Angus Scrimm. who actually has a bigger part here than in Phantasm.

They were going for noir, but ended up making an unintentional parody of noir. Very entertaining if you like that sort of thing.

Decent plot. James coburn is often a ham and over acts but not here - might have been his finest work (not that this says much). Biehm was decent and Sarah tripper was surprisingly good - I wonder why she left films - it is a tough industry for women to get deep roles especially then.

Cage terribly overacted and am not sure how much of that was directing or him having the Coppola name at that time. But his role nearly had me turn off the movie early on. Good cast and seeing Charlie sheen act was also a joy. Seeing part of the mod squad / monkees was a trip down memory lane - even if they did not add anything to the film.

It would be 5 stars if not for cage.

DEADFALL (R) - Vidmark Video (Original 1994 VHS distributor):

You'd think a cast of pro actors (Michael Biehn, Nicholas Cage, Sarah Trigger, Peter Fonda, James Coburn, Mickey Dolenz, Clarence Williams III, Charlie Sheen, Rene Estevez and PHANTASM heavy Angus Scrimm), and a famous daddy to guide him, Christopher Coppola (sone of Francis and director of the better-forgotten 1985 opus DRACULA'S WIDOW) would have no trouble pulling off a neat little GRIFTERS-style caper flick. Instead, he's pulled abominably inconsistent performances out of many in the cast (Cage is cosmically unrestrained) and proven himself one of the most talentless, non-descript son-of-a-directors ever to sit behind a camera. I give it a 1.

This movie sashays between an attempt at modern noir, an homage to film noir, and a parody of film noir.

I like Michael Biehn, but unfortunately his voice-over narration comes off rather flat. Some of the noir dialogue just falls on the floor and lies there -- I had to rewind to believe that I actually heard the line: "That was the thing that would send me into the darkness, squinting at clues."

Nick Cage's character is certainly a standout. I think the excesses of the character are supposed to be funny. However, Cage not only takes Eddie over the top but down the other side -- he chews up the scenery, digests it, and poops it out right there in front of you. For some reason he seems to think the character should always be on the edge of having a seizure. The cumulative effect for me is to flinch from the thought of ever again seeing him in a film. Really. Like aversion therapy. Say "Nick Cage" and I will think of him drooling and choose another film.

And the film suddenly veers off into an Italian James Bond rip-off! I thought for a moment they had gotten reels mixed up with another movie... In a stylish secret lair (behind a billiard parlor) we meet Angus Scrimm (the Tall Man from "Phantasm") as "Dr. Lyme", the man obsessed with diamonds. Crystals are everywhere, his female henchmen are decked out in big blobby crystal jewelry, the furniture is designed with crystalline angles. He comes complete with a Dr. No suit, a Sidney Greenstreet growl, and -- get this! -- a metal arm with a sharp shiny lobster-claw hand! No fooling. My jaw dropped. At least he wasn't stroking a cat.

Throw in Charlie Sheen as a suave pool hustler, and Mickey Dolenz and Clarence Williams III (!) as sidekicks, and you have quite a stew. Peter Fonda looks like he is thinking about his shopping list. James Coburn (the primary reason I picked up the film) definitely classes things up, but we don't see enough of him.

This film isn't quite a train wreck, but it is something of a demolition derby. Between a bus, a sportscar, a taxi, and a motorcycle. And a kid on a tricycle.

I'm going to hang onto it for a while, just to share Angus Scrimm's scene with people. And to prove I didn't dream it.

Michael Biehn was the only saving grace in this movie. I don't know how Cage got anymore jobs after his performance, of course he only had to work with what the writers gave him. Maybe if the writers had taken the time to write a better script, then maybe the movie would have been better.

I've seen most of the actors and actresses in other films, and I was surprised by all of their performances. I don't think any of them had much to work with. Again, the fault lays with the writers. I really felt sorry for the actors. And I wanted to cry for Michael Biehn. He is such a great actor, under rated, but great. He, as well as the other actors, didn't stand a chance with this film.