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Reviews
Screen Directors Playhouse: White Corridors (1956)
'The Lady Vanished' but in a Hospital
The overall premise is that an American tourist brings a sick friend to a British hospital in the middle-of-the-night where she witnesses something that she cannot prove to the point that makes her seem delusional.
This is an interesting 30 minute film with terrific cast and performances with a limited budget. Fast moving to say the least, the protagonist really gets you into this murder-mystery. Giving the amount of action and twists involved in this short, well done indeed. Only real groan comes in the next-to-last scene when a doctor's action are too implausible to get through a reasonable 'suspension of disbelief.'
The Others (2001)
Nice, but deliberately deceptive to put the audience off
Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler
So close to being something special .... super camera work, terrific performances etc. ..... needed to be a bit scarier .... but my main problem was ....
We, all need to accept some things in a horror movie .. such as ghosts exist. That is part of the premise much like 10 foot jumps in a karate movie.
What we don't expect is deliberate lies or illogical actions that throw the viewer off the scent. For example, that the family has had visits or a relationship with the clergy in town is false -- if you chose to blame it on the mother being delusional then why did the other ghost perpetrate that falsehood when she did everything else to show the mother reality....?
The premise that there would be established roles of superior to working stiff in a ghost relationship is quite a stretch -- is it not? They are working because ... ??
Finally, bullets go through these ghosts but they can't seem to go through closed doors and they feel the cold ... how convenient .. to making them seem human!!
Hannibal (2001)
Something that will grow ... and feed
Delicious sequel to Silence of the Lambs. First, I'm not going to compare the movies because many others will and I think movies should be judged on their own merits.
That said, I truly enjoyed the movie and believe that it will become more popular over time. I don't think that it is (immediately) a movie that one falls in love with. Ridley Scott style is front and center and engulfs the movie in dark shades of blue and black. Hans Zimmer does a great job setting the tone without getting in the way.
The acting, Anthony Hopkins was Anthony Hopkins - a true craftman, Julianne Moore - well this lady is a star (and we truly need more woman who can do a performance like this... bravo). Giancerlo Giannini plays the first antagonist to perfection ... I am unfamiliar with him but would like to see more of his work.
This is a movie to see and enjoy. Where it fits into movieland will take many years to sort out but I can certain recommend it.