mcdoodad49
Joined Nov 2003
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mcdoodad49's rating
Most want to bash this film, but I'll tell you why I liked it. Back in the 50's and early 60's, several films were made about the possible destruction of Earth by natural forces. I probably saw all of them and loved them. The first action was to assemble a group of crack scientists to solve the problem. The Core is this kind of film and I love it, too. And it has better special effects than its predecessors. To over-analyze this film is ludicrous and not worth the exertion. It was made for pure entertainment and I was very entertained; me and my 133 IQ. Throw out all you know about science and embrace the purpose of this movie.
I first saw this film at a theatre in 1978 and have only seen it on television once. I can't remember what attracted me to seeing it, but it was a surprisingly good movie. Eric Roberts showed the industry that he can act and be very convincing. The central actors must have studied gypsy life because they pulled it off very well. The film is mostly about the tension of the next successor to the throne (Judd Hirsch) and his son (Eric Roberts) whom the present King (Sterling Hayden) favors as his actual successor. Hirsch plays a cold, scheming character who finally does one of the most despicable acts a person can do, and shows no remorse for it. This, in turn, sparks retaliation from his son. If I ever find it on DVD, it will become part of my collection. I give this film an 8 out of 10.
One would think that with this excellent cast, a film maker could create somewhat of a classic. That didn't happen in this case. James Spader is a brilliant and natural actor, but he just can't pull off romantic comedy. This film reminded me of the plot of "Topper" where the poor bumbling fool is haunted by married ghosts in their former home. Spader looked totally lost when it came to delivering his lines, and the ghosts (Michael Caine and Maggie Smith) were an old couple who were typically snippy with each other during the duration of the film in a feeble attempt to create comedic situations. If you're planning to see this one because of the cast, please invest your time in some other movie.