robeykr Reviews

The Life Zone (2011)

"You're In Hell! Welcome To Your Eternity."

[2/10 · 31 March 2015]

I found this item by chance while looking up the films of Charles Durning. The plot appeared that it might be of some interest. This film was described as "a thriller with a message." Three women, who had been expecting to abort their babies, wake up to find that they -- along with a doctor -- have been kidnapped by what they believe to be a fanatical anti-abortion group. Their "jailer" addresses them from a closed-circuit television. It is his intention to compel them to go through with their unwanted pregnancies and deliver their babies. Instead of your usual horror fare, the women are dressed in nightgowns and fed decent food, while reading and watching propaganda on why abortion is bad.

They are shown purportedly video taped messages from their families and they settle into a routine. Inevitably, they go into labour -- simultaneously! The babies are delivered -- one woman (the most outspoken pro-abortionist of the three) gives birth to twins.

Afterwards, the one who had twins is sick and in pain. After examining her, the doctor is dumbfounded to discover something that she says "is impossible." She informs the woman she is still pregnant. The woman says "it can't be." Suddenly the two other women are gone; it turns out that the woman had died on the abortion table and the doctor had committed suicide -- they are, and always have been, in Hell.

The story for most of the film went along a clear and straight forward premise. It turned out to be a blasé story with little intrigue for the most part. But the twist at the end ruined it even on that level.

The whole premise that a grumpy old man kidnapped three pregnant women from abortion clinics to force them to give birth is plausible. The whole story presents that premise with the videos from the families and the interaction of the three women and doctor. The reveal at the end that only the one girl and the doctor are real and that they are in hell totally invalidated everything that happened throughout the movie. The entire story of the film is shown to have been a deception; there's just no reason for such a development. They are in Hell -- there's no reason for them to be told otherwise. And the faked videos from the families really is a stupid turn. They are dead so their families wouldn't be sending any such messages -- there's no reason for it.

The twist at the end only made a story that was lack-luster at best, a complete waste of time.

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

The first GREAT movie of 2010

[10/10 · 29 March 2010]

This story captivated me from the get-go. From the moment we see Hiccup take down Toothless, I was enthralled with the story. Characterization was excellent by all the voice-actors and animators. But it was and is the story that really makes this movie worth the price of a theater ticket. As the story moves forward, Hiccup's growing friendship with Toothless along with the expectations of his tribe known really keeps a viewer on the edge of their seat wondering what will happen next.

The revelations in the film about the dragons pull at one's emotions. One theme that runs throughout the story is the concept of overcoming prejudice. Hiccup is perceived by everyone as "the useless" and the dragons as vicious beasts that the vikings should always "kill on sight". As the story progresses those perceptions change -- first the villager's perception of Hiccup and then the error of everything the viking's supposedly "knew" about their supposed enemies -- making it all look like foolishness in the end. And the resolution definitely makes you smile. The STORY is what really makes this movie.

Diary of a Madman (1963)

A work of horror -- and one of Price's better performances

[6/10 · 9 January 2005]

We begin with the end -- the funeral of Magistrate Simon Cordier (Vincent Price). It was his wish that certain individuals gather after the funeral, for the opening of a small chest he had entrusted to Jeanne D'Arville (Elaine Devry). At the D'Arville Gallery, the chest is opened and they learn that he kept a diary of his last days.

Simon Cordier, was a judge who sentenced a murderer to death -- a man who claimed to have been possessed by the HORLA (an evil spirit) that had driven the man to commit murder. The HORLA then holds Cordier responsible for the death of his slave and reveals that he has chosen Cordier to take his place.

The creature constantly taunts Cordier, breaking him under it's will to kill and commit acts that he had always condemned.

Is he mad? Or is the HORLA real? These questions are the core of the story -- and we are left (along with the mourners at the end) to ponder and answer the question ourselves.

This film was written and produced by Robert E. Kent and adapted from the stories of Guy de Maupassant . This film was done with the same level of quality that Roger Corman would exercise with Price in his adaptations of the stories by Edgar Allen Poe.

I have always considered this to be one of Vincent Price's finest performances.

It is a classic.

Situation Hopeless -- But Not Serious (1965)

Situation Hopeless... But Pointless

[1/10 · 30 January 2004]

A lonely German civilian captures two American fliers in WW II and holds them prisoner in his basement. When the war is over, he can't bring himself to let them go so he continues to hold them prisoner and makes up stories he tells them about how the war would just keep going on and on and on...

Such a good cast and a plot so terrible, it was shear torture to watch. I was so sure that with such a set of good leads it had to have been a good film; sadly I was wrong -- this was years before Schwarzenegger made RED SONJA. What made it worse was that it still made me want to know how it would turn out in the end. All it was, was scene after scene of Guinness telling his 2 guests stories about how Germany was winning the war. How Guinness and Redford got snagged into this disaster is beyond my comprehension.

This film is a good example of why they created The Golden Raspberry Awards and this gets my nomination as worst of 1965.

Too bad the vote scale here left out zero.

Killdozer (1974 TV Movie)

32 people voted this a 1?

[6/10 · 24 November 2003]

When I saw the vote record for this title on this site, I was dumbfounded. 32 (the largest number) out of 198 people gave it only a 1!

I remember this film from when it first aired. It was one of the ABC MOVIE OF THE WEEK projects. These were short (2 hours with commercials) films produced with TV series level budgets. This film was based on Theodore Sturgeon's short story about a machine that becomes "possessed" by an electromagnetic alien life-form and turns on its operators.

Because of the budget restraints, these films had to rely more on story than showmanship.

Young Orson Wells would have been right at home working on a project like this. Filmed entirely on location. This film was a thriller where an ordinary object we can take for granted becomes an object of fear – a twist Edgar Allen Poe often used in his works. The film is heavily altered from TS's original because of the low budget. The background story of his version of the fall of Atlantis was unnecessary to the plot, so a different and simpler opening sequence was filmed: a meteor crashing into the Earth 100,000 years ago. John Carpenter would use a similar conceptual opening again years later in his remake of THE THING. This film is a story – not a masterpiece – just a story. And I felt it was a good one.

For that matter, so did most of my friends at the time felt the same way -- it was a popular movie.

How I wish wish wish this was released on DVD!

The World of Hans Christian Andersen (1968)

Are you sure this wasn't done by Disney?

[8/10 · 30 March 2003]

I saw this film on TV back in the early '80's. The fantasy-ography about the childhood of Hans Christian Anderson is a work done with the same level of attention that one would see in the works done by Walt Disney.

The adventures and stories of the young boy are the only things that transcend the animation in this work. The film blends some of the story elements of Anderson's works with his childhood -- specifically THE RED SHOES -- and the selfish daughter of the town mayor. The score of this film is wonderfully moving -- equal to that of a genuine opera. The boy's telling of the final sequence -- THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL -- was so emotionally moving, that it brought tears to my eyes. Of all the films about Hans Christian Anderson, this one is without question, one of the best. It puts the Danny Kay version to shame by comparison.

AT LAST! It's on DVD/video.

The Brass Bottle (1964)

Before Andrew Divoff, there was.... Burl Ives!?!?!?

[7/10 · 21 January 2003]

Magically powerful, the ancient entity known as the D'Jinn can grant a person's wildest dreams, but in this day and age, can your lifestyle stand up to it?

The flip side of THE WISHMASTER, this film is a delightful romp that is comical and heartwarming.

Burl Ives is the D'Jinn, freed from 'The Brass Bottle" by architect Harold Ventimore (Tony Randall) -- who was intent on making it into a lamp!

Based on the book by Thomas Anstey Guthrie, the story shows the chaos that engulfs Harold's life as "Mr. Fakrash" attempts time and again to reward him for freeing him from the bottle. Meaning to be kind, he systematically causes Harold to loose his job, his fiancé, and ultimately, his freedom -- as the world comes to see him as a lunatic. There is no room in this modern world for Hocus Pocus.

I will not spoil the ending -- see it; this is one of Burl Ives' finest performances!

At last --- it's on DVD!

The Dark Secret of Harvest Home (1978)

And then what?

[4/10 · 27 October 2002]

An interesting work from a man's point of view; the people of a remote, New England village rooted in pagan rites, are weak, in-bred, and in need of new blood. They find what they need in the protagonist's daughter. This film shows the obvious and the not-obvious at the same time. That the women of this pagan community could ensnare the man's young daughter is one thing -- but that they also ensnared his wife is a shock that stuns both him and the audience.

This film is horrifying in the way it takes the concept of feminism and turns it into something evil. The fate of the protagonist is most unsettling (this film still gives me nightmares, even 30 years later). The ending disappointed me. This so called SECRET is no secret -- and the men just let it go on and do nothing about it! The rage I felt in that final scene when we see that the protagonist is alive (both his eyes and tongue cut out) and fully degraded to this day still has me screaming: THIS FILM NEEDS A SEQUEL!

After all, they did make REVENGE OF THE STEPFORD WIVES.

The Bellboy (1960)

No Plot! Just Humor. ;)

[6/10 · 2 September 2002]

No Plot -- The film starts with this proclamation. This film is definitely one of Jerry Lewis' best of his carrier. Filmed during the height of his movie output in the 1960's, this film is comedy unto its own sake. The gags just don't stop -- you aren't given a moment to relax, because it's all so funny, you can't stop laughing. The NO PLOT aspect only helps, as the audience is free to concentrate on the moment. I still burst into laughter when the hotel manager is called by the airport to inform him 'HE WHAT!?' Yes, this film is dated by today's standard, but that should come as no surprise. This film was the product of a different era -- and a different society. The change in our society was what made him decide to briefly retire from film in the '70s. The standards of humor just changed. And performers had to change with it. But film is permanent. It is set in celluloid. It can be re-edited, but what would be the point? For anyone who can appreciate 'the artist' for his art, this film still can be enjoyed. For anyone who can look at past films for nostalgia, this film can be enjoyed. It's called comedy -- 'nuff said.

Night of the Lepus (1972)

B-Movie

[3/10 · 11 August 2002]

A little foot note film in the carriers of 2 well-knowns: Stuart Whitman and DeForest Kelly. This film is one of a number of 1970's Horror films that deal with the theme of nature gone mad.

A scientist researching an out-of-control rabbit population growth in a Midwest town is responsible for a nightmare. While experimenting on ways to sterilize the rabbits, his daughter decides to take one of his experiments as a pet. The rabbit gets away and joins the local rabbit population. In a matter of weeks, the result of the doctor's research manifests itself, as the next generation of rabbits grows to the size of elephants and goes on the rampage. The photography is simple and the special effects are nonexistent: shots of rabbits frolicking around toy-train-landscape-models.

One of these sequences briefly appears on TV in THE MATRIX. If you are a true ST fan of DeForest Kelly, this film is worth watching as a curiosity -- otherwise, don't bother.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972)

Interesting version.

[6/10 · 12 May 2002]

There have been many adaptations of Lewis carol's work. However, I believe this version is the most enjoyable of all. Both children and adults will find this film entertaining. This version has a unique opening/closing envelope. With the ending showing that her dream had actually changed Alice's persona: "from now on I'll be the me I never knew." Unlike Irwin Allen's 1985 version (which amalgamated "Wonderland" and "Looking Glass" together) or the special-effects over-ridden 1999 version, this film takes the best of the Wonderland story and displays it with a richness that is pleasant and memorable. The addition of John Barry's (better known for his score's to the early James Bond films) music only adds to the sense of wonder that we share with Alice in her adventure. The music indeed elevates this version to the status of art in the truest sense rather than just another movie. Heck, it was better than the one Disney came out with -- that should say a lot.

Interesting fact, this film features Micheal Crawford as the WHITE RABBIT. Better known for his roles, Frank Spencer in "Some Mothers do Ave Em" and the Phantom in the stage production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera." A curious footnote on his carrier.

High Midnight (1979 TV Movie)

The End Justifies The Means

[7/10 · 4 May 2002]

Based on a true incident, this story is a drama that is in reality horror. On July 4, 1976, the Denver police narcotics task force, lead by an officer named Captain Lou Mikalich, broke into the home of a family of law-abiding citizens. Under the NO-KNOCK-LAW they break in and attack the family without any warning. They just kick the door in and open fire -- killing a pregnant mother and her 4 year old daughter. In the kitchen, Mikalich tortures her husband and tears the place apart only to find nothing. When they realize what they have done, they set the place on fire and leave. But the man and his 3-year-old son survive.

What follows is a series of attempts by the police officers to cover up what they have done, culminating with Mikalich ordering his men to murder both the man and the boy: "Be sure to use something that can not be traced!"

This film is an indictment of the kind of shocking police misconduct that is still too commonplace even today.

Maetel Legend (2000 Video)

The Rise Of The Machines

[7/10 · 20 April 2002]

A planet adrift in interstellar space -- dying. This is the story of technological and social evolution gone wrong. With her world no longer able to sustain life, the Queen of the planet LA MAETAL turns to the technician named Hardgear for a way for her people to survive. His solution is a procedure that comes right out of Clarke's novel 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY -- to transform the people of the planet into machines. The Queen, believing this to be the only way, foolishly submits to the procedure and commands all her people to submit to it as well. But it is not as beneficial as she was lead to believe. His techno-conversion technique has driven Hardgear insane. He intends to use the conversion of the people to conquer the Queen and her planet. Soon, the Queen realizes (too late) the horror of what she has done. As the machinery spreads through her (tele-screens popping out all over her like cancers) she feels herself (like her people) slowly loosing her soul and her sanity; even death is no longer an option for a machine. All that remains of her people in the end are her daughters Emeraldis and Maetel. They must escape the technological hell that has become their world -- and the monster that was their mother. They must escape, and warn the other worlds about the machines -- and one-day return.

Planet of the Apes (2001)

Rated H for HORROR -- and for horrible.

[1/10 · 25 November 2001]

OK - They definitely tried to make this one different from the first film -- hence the term re-imaging. Of course, like the first film, it was only BASED on Pierre Boulle's novel. Like the 1968 film -- the only thing this film has to connect it to Pierre Boulle's work is the title (and a single plot twist). This film does deal with the same moral issues as the original (bigotry) and has some interesting angles of political ambition thrown in to the mix. However, the film ultimately failed to capture my interest as the original did. The characterizations were just flat and 2-dimensional. The ending was the only thing that was shocking. THADE had been beaten, yet his defeat ultimately won him the world he had sought to make.

This twist ending was straight out of the book, but I wasted my time for all intents and purposes. If they wanted to resurrect the franchise, they should have done a continuation from where the originals left off. I rate this film H for HORROR and horrible.

Convicted (1986 TV Movie)

If this is not evil, nothing is.

[4/10 · 16 November 2001]

I felt nothing but loathing for the rape victim in this film. Just because a crime was committed against her, cannot justify her act of deliberate false accusation of an innocent man. And the fact that the prosecutor (clearly) knowingly went along with it is worse. The evidence was all there right from the beginning -- everyone KNEW that they had an innocent man. All of the evidence and witnesses refuted the victim's claims (lies) the he was her attacker. When 1 person says to me "this is so" and a dozen people say "this is NOT so" it is clear who is lying and who is telling the truth. What is really sickening is that everybody clearly knew they had an innocent man. But they didn't care -- they just wanted their pound of flesh -- and didn't care who's hide it came out of. The prosecutor, the police, the judge; EVEN THE COLD-BLOODED JURY THAT CONVICTED HIM! It was only after the real rapist voluntarily turned himself in that the truth came out. The prosecutor, when confronted with the irrefutable, said, "I am not an evil man." If this is not evil, nothing ever was. What is sad is that this is a fact-based story. It really happened and does happen. I had the utmost respect for our nation's system of justice. Never in my life, until after having seen the chronicle of events told in this film, would I have believed our county's justice system to actually be capable of UGLINESS.

The Neptune Factor (1973)

May Not Have Been A Blockbuster, But Not Bad

[6/10 · 3 September 2001]

A B+ movie that was a very good attempt to do in the ocean what Kubrick did for space. The filming on location and in the well-designed Ocean Lab underwater set reminded me of Jacques-Yves Cousteau's "World Without Sun" (1964). The plot may have been thin, but was clearly well intended and thought out in a somewhat scientific chain of thought that would be worthy of Walt Disney's concept of the "Plausible IMPOSSIBLE". The special effects were non-existent in this film (20th merely distributed it) but with the resources they did use, the film was enjoyable as a little excursion. Special Effects don't make a film; an interesting plot does. The plot here is an old and tried one in the movies: the disaster flick. When I saw this film on the big screen, the story did succeed in capturing my interest. Will they find the missing scientists? Did anyone survive? Do they all make it back? When the story entices the viewer to ask these questions and wondering at what will happen in the next 60 seconds -- as this film actually DOES do! -- then the producer and director succeeded at what they were trying to do. I enjoyed this film so much; I stayed in the theater and sat through it a second time! A good film -- if they ever decide to do a remake, I hope they give it a budget that will include good special effects. After all, when they re-made "IT! The Terror From Beyond Space," they had a hefty budget and retitled it ALIEN. Two and half stars out of five ain't bad.

Chain of Command (2000)

An implausible story

[1/10 · 31 August 2001]

I at first thought this little fantasy excursion would be a little entertaining. I was wrong.

A good cast (Roy Scheider as the president) didn't help it any. The story had every conceivable possible worst-case scenario that could take place in a terrorist nuclear disaster. And none of it could PLAUSIBLY happen!

True -- the kidnapping of the President could only be accomplished with the inside help of a traitor in the Secret Service (ala Air Force One), but everything they depicted regarding the FOOTBALL and the helplessness of our country if were to fall into enemy hands is ludicrous to the Nth degree. Seriously, not even the President can fully over-ride our missile control. The case is only used to relay orders. In this situation, our system would have completely deleted the codes and the whole thing would go nowhere. The destruction of Beijing couldn't happen -- there would not have been a missile launch because the silo-crews would have been instructed not to (communications include a hardwired system). There are just too many safe-guards to prevent such a thing from happening.

True, film's like FAIL-SAFE and STRANGELOVE gave some credibility to the concept of us losing control of THE SYSTEM. But this film goes too far and fails to suspend my concept of the unbelievable. And that makes the experience a waste of the viewer's time. This film is a failure.

Giant Mine (1996 TV Movie)

Union Horror

[5/10 · 25 March 2001]

In 1992 a striker illegally entered the Giant Mine in Yellowknife, Canada, and set a booby trap using mining explosives. 9 men were murdered. I don't know which disturbs me more: the events depicted in the film or the fact that it really happened. I don't know who of the two sides in this matter disappoints me more; The Mine Company for being so snobbish or the Union officials who could have stopped this from happening if they had stayed at the bargaining table even after they went on strike. If they had continued bargaining -- If they (both sides) hadn't been so stubborn, the whole disaster could have been avoided. The murder of 9 miners! The man who planted the bomb -- what did he hope to accomplish? I am a member in a Union. And though I feel very strongly -- as any other Union member would -- about scabs, this act of terror only resulted in hurting the miners, not helping. What was that man thinking?

Battlefield Earth (2000)

The AWARDS of 2000

[5/10 · 24 March 2001]

I don't get it. Like TITANIC at last years Academy Awards, this movie swept through the top categories this year -- THE 2000 RASBERRY AWARDS!!!!!!! This film has (for reasons beyond my comprehension) been given the official distinction of being THE WORST FILM of 2000! Also John Travolta has been given the WORST ACTOR award, Barry Pepper the WORST SUPPORTING-ACTOR, and Roger Christian for WORST DIRECTOR, etc. etc. etc. I just don't get it! This film was very well intended and executed. The last time any SF work of equal stature had been tackled like this for the big-screen was DUNE (1984), which was truly terrible. But Battlefield Earth (given the limitations of the Big Screen time-constrains) did come off as a very good effort. The film may not have incorporated as much of Hubbard's SUPPER-TECHNOLOGY as most would want, but there is only so much that they could do in 2 hours! The technology was just the icing on the cake. The main thing was the story -- and it was okay. 2 stars out of 5! So why has it been called WORST of 2000 and placed on IMDb's bottom 100? It could have been worse.

Hunger (1974)

A surreal commentary about over-eating.

[10/10 · 14 May 2000]

A man seeks to satisfy his every desire until his self indulgence gets the better of him. At a restaurant, he eats and eats and eats and eats and eats... methodically evolving into a multi-mouthed eating machine that consumes everything in sight (example -- one mouth gobbled a pig, whole). In the end this all leaves him a contented obese blubbery mess. But then.....

Considered one of the earliest works of computer animation, I originally saw this film on PBS in 1976. It was/ is a unique commentary about gluttony. Is this showing that this is all right or wrong? My initial response as I watched the character's gluttony progressively strip away his humanity without him even caring seemed to indicate yes. But the ending was chilling; showing the contrast between our world and that of the world of HUNGER (hence the title). The characters fate especially was unsettling. The producer clearly based the film's chilling conclusion on one of the predictions of NOSTRODAMUS:

ON THE PIPE OF THE AIR-VENT FLOOR: SO HIGH WILL THE BUSHEL OF WHEAT RISE, THAT MAN WILL BE EATING HIS FELLOW MAN.