divineangel
Joined Mar 2000
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Reviews18
divineangel's rating
Shocked that there's only three pages of comments for the film widely considered to be one of the fathers of the modern indie film movement. John Saylees used his b-movie money from Roger Corman (the best scripts written for him) and financed this weekend home movie that became a hit and launched Sayle's film career.
Some of the bad reviews are really unfounded. This has some of the best dialog in American film, and though the performances are not all polished, it adds to the reality. There's a sense of genuine community not like the Hollywoodized "Big Chill."
If you stick with the film you'll be rewarded by many nifty scenes and conversations. Gordon Clapp is fun and there are beautifully observed moments of wit and drama. Mark Arnett is particularly good and the moment he recites his litany of protest arrests is great. The film-making is raw, but that's not the point.
However, the DVD version is actually missing a scene on the VHS of the hamburgers being grilled to some sort of rhythmic montage. Why?
Anyway, if you're a fan of great dialog, political commitment, and what can be done for 40 grand and terrific writing, check this classic out.
Some of the bad reviews are really unfounded. This has some of the best dialog in American film, and though the performances are not all polished, it adds to the reality. There's a sense of genuine community not like the Hollywoodized "Big Chill."
If you stick with the film you'll be rewarded by many nifty scenes and conversations. Gordon Clapp is fun and there are beautifully observed moments of wit and drama. Mark Arnett is particularly good and the moment he recites his litany of protest arrests is great. The film-making is raw, but that's not the point.
However, the DVD version is actually missing a scene on the VHS of the hamburgers being grilled to some sort of rhythmic montage. Why?
Anyway, if you're a fan of great dialog, political commitment, and what can be done for 40 grand and terrific writing, check this classic out.
It took me over 20 years (!) to finally watch this even tho it's my favorite Bradbury novel. The uber-researched cover story in Cinefantastique from 1983 told me too much about why the film would not work -- an amazing piece of movie journalism by the way, including shots of many discarded scenes, notably the computer animation segment with Dark's carnival arriving that was cut weeks before opening.
So I approached the DVD with head and heart open, hoping I would find a gem of 80's sinister cinema. There are some jewels here but far too much coal. Ultimately, the film never "flows" or hooks you into its narrative. While Jack Clayton is a fine director he was truly the wrong person for this film. His anti-literal horror sensibility does not mesh with a period piece of Halloween Americana that begs for visceral scares, just like in the novel.
However, Clayton excels in a few quiet scenes such as the sad distant attempt by Jason Robards to connect with his son on the steps. Filmed in a long master take, it's an almost Antonioni moment of filial separation. Shawn Carson is quite good here too, his cherubic face perfectly expressing his disinterest in his father's attempt at communication. Altho some here say Robards is only adequate, he's much more, filling his character with the longing of youth and regret.
Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Dark is the film's highlight, altho he should have been even more malevolent. Him and Robards both shine together in their only two scenes and when Robards stands up to Dark while his son hides beneath the sewer below, Clayton's direction is truly fine and harrowing.
As others have noted, the library confrontation is the film's dramatic high point as Dark tears away the pages of time, mocking Robards with angry flare. Had the narrative matched this moment, the film would have been all the better.
The side characters of the townspeople doesn't really work as they'r just sketched in. Compare them to the town folk in George Pal's wonderful Seven Faces of Dr. Lao to see how much better integrated they are. As for the circus folk, Pam Grier is a beautiful and effective Dust Witch, albeit underused.
It would be great if we could see Clayton's original cut, which was apparently too soft for the preview audience and Disney. This led to a 7 million dollar spfx make-over, which remains the worst element of the film. In place of a giant hand attacking the boys, we get spiders. Far too many shots are drowned in unconvincing optical effects. The computer train arrival was a brilliant conceit and tho it clearly would not have matched the live action, it could have been used as a shared nightmare of the boys. The green ectoplasm that follows them later is too cartoonish as is.
James Horner's music is not effective at all, not ominous enough and too bombastic. I would love to hear the discarded Deluere score.
Overall, a film worth watching but not remembering. Except for what might have been...
So I approached the DVD with head and heart open, hoping I would find a gem of 80's sinister cinema. There are some jewels here but far too much coal. Ultimately, the film never "flows" or hooks you into its narrative. While Jack Clayton is a fine director he was truly the wrong person for this film. His anti-literal horror sensibility does not mesh with a period piece of Halloween Americana that begs for visceral scares, just like in the novel.
However, Clayton excels in a few quiet scenes such as the sad distant attempt by Jason Robards to connect with his son on the steps. Filmed in a long master take, it's an almost Antonioni moment of filial separation. Shawn Carson is quite good here too, his cherubic face perfectly expressing his disinterest in his father's attempt at communication. Altho some here say Robards is only adequate, he's much more, filling his character with the longing of youth and regret.
Jonathan Pryce as Mr. Dark is the film's highlight, altho he should have been even more malevolent. Him and Robards both shine together in their only two scenes and when Robards stands up to Dark while his son hides beneath the sewer below, Clayton's direction is truly fine and harrowing.
As others have noted, the library confrontation is the film's dramatic high point as Dark tears away the pages of time, mocking Robards with angry flare. Had the narrative matched this moment, the film would have been all the better.
The side characters of the townspeople doesn't really work as they'r just sketched in. Compare them to the town folk in George Pal's wonderful Seven Faces of Dr. Lao to see how much better integrated they are. As for the circus folk, Pam Grier is a beautiful and effective Dust Witch, albeit underused.
It would be great if we could see Clayton's original cut, which was apparently too soft for the preview audience and Disney. This led to a 7 million dollar spfx make-over, which remains the worst element of the film. In place of a giant hand attacking the boys, we get spiders. Far too many shots are drowned in unconvincing optical effects. The computer train arrival was a brilliant conceit and tho it clearly would not have matched the live action, it could have been used as a shared nightmare of the boys. The green ectoplasm that follows them later is too cartoonish as is.
James Horner's music is not effective at all, not ominous enough and too bombastic. I would love to hear the discarded Deluere score.
Overall, a film worth watching but not remembering. Except for what might have been...