Oh so good! I'm fascinated by and adore the bottle film. Those compact and concise corners of greatness throughout the annals of cinema. The days of film yore brought about a healthy number. Having to look no further then this tidbit of awesomeness for a prime example. 'Jet Storm', for me, immediately prompted thoughts of 'Red Eye', 'Phone Booth' and the like. Worthy brethren to a movie that knows how to best utilize its time and minimal locations. Not so much trimmed of fat as built fit and full. Our engaging coterie of characters given the optimal amount of time and space to progress, with not a one left wanting. Each forced to adopt their place in a story riddled with fear, anxiety, regret and untreated pain. It's a thing of beauty when done this well. Brought to life by the sterling work of the actors; their respective authenticity. Cy Endfield's writing and direction, although the latter being fairly workmanlike, succeeds foremost at supporting the players therein. Along with some terrific miniatures and cherry-on-top SFX. And finally, Richard Attenborough knows exactly when to slowly descend, level off and climb to a bit bombast with his performance. His Ernest Tilley is a tortured soul with tunnel vision, and his tragedy is out entertainment. 'Jet Storm' all-round sticks the landing as an engrossing little thriller with wings.
Reviews
8 Reviews
Jigsaw
(1962)
'The Pieces Fit'
21 September 2023
After finishing 'Jigsaw' I watched 5 minutes of a CSI episode. I did this just out of curiosity for comparison's sake. 'Crime Scene Investigation' is a show loved by many, with massive staying power and several spin-offs. Yet I could feel my brain going numb with how bland, overcooked and plain bad it truly was. This is not a slight against "newer", louder entertainment. I'm a major superhero, comic-film geek for example; and would consider the 'Resident Evil' series (up to Final Chapter at least) high art. I love 'em. But, I'm sorry to any fans, CSI is hot garbage. Especially after my first viewing of 'Jigsaw'. A police procedural murder mystery, that allows you to follow along with the investigation in a way that feels complete and satisfying. Characters that have something other than a cursory motive and space to take in new information as it comes. You know, a well written film. I so miss this style of writing in modern cinema and TV. The overly cynical and sarcastic bombardment of later media feels hollow when stood against it. Never underestimate a good whodunnit.
'Quintessential Deduction and Trigonometry'
4 September 2023
It's been said a million times before and I'll point it out again, Jeremy Brett was born to play the great detective. He not only breathed new and invigorating life into the well-worn character, but became the blueprint for those that came after him. The mannerisms, movements, cadence and quirks. The organic humor. You name it, he had it in spades. 'The Musgrave Ritual' is one of my personal favorites; not only within the Granada series, but of the whole Sherlock Holmes canon. The story as told here has a couple of clever work-arounds, while remaining faithful to the original text. The addition of Watson in this episode, as well as moving the happenings forward a few years, makes complete sense; and it's handled very well. The acting is top notch and Brett is the ON. The subtle humor in the first act is worth mentioning, because it gets the ball rolling before the tale takes a darker turn. I hope more people unfamiliar with the series find it. It truly is fantastic.
'A Night at Eagle's Hill'
21 August 2023
(Context: I started this series from episode 200, with plans to go back and watch the first 200 episodes as a prequel.) I love this show so much, and this is by far my favorite episode yet! The nightmarish atmosphere of the series is flat out amazing. The bleak darkness and misty atmosphere give one the feeling that they're walking around in someone's head, while they lay dreaming about the goings-on. I've never watched anything like it. Since it's technically a soap opera, each episode gives the characters/story time and room to breathe and grow. It's "slow" points don't detract from the quality. If anything it adds to the charm. For the length of time the viewer is in Collinsport, you feel as if you are living with residents. An immersive experience that I'm glad to have finally found. This suspenseful episode gives us the run of the cemetery of Eagle's Hill, while our vampiric victim is about to fall pray to these "dark shadows". I had a blast watching it, and I cannot wait to see where else the story leads.
[Sidenote: being a cinephile and horror fan, I don't mean this as overtly negative; but I believe a big part of my excitement for the show also stems from the fact that it contains something greatly missing in modern media. An immersion that doesn't feel tacked-on or synthetic. Rather organic unbelievable. By 'Dark Shadows' very nature, it's something special.]
[Sidenote: being a cinephile and horror fan, I don't mean this as overtly negative; but I believe a big part of my excitement for the show also stems from the fact that it contains something greatly missing in modern media. An immersion that doesn't feel tacked-on or synthetic. Rather organic unbelievable. By 'Dark Shadows' very nature, it's something special.]
Red Scare Continued...
7 July 2023
A fun, if ridiculous plot is brought down completely by an overtly ahistorical representation of Soviet agents. I get it to a point. The Cold War and "commie" hate was still in full swing. So the show makes these agents look like mustache twirling villains, as well as begging cowards. A have your cake and eat it to presentation of events. I can usually overlook the propagandized entertainment of the past, (I love the 'mission impossible' series); but this was just flat out ludicrous. Even down to the Soviet government making cyanide tablets purposefully painful. You know... because "communists are beasts!". So take this episode with an enormous grain of iodized salt. Where shows such as M:I handled the subject matter with just a little more finesse, this episode of 'Hawaii Five-0' in particular is nauseatingly flag-waving.
'Hot and Gold'
3 May 2023
(Reviewing both parts together) this is without doubt one of the best stories to come out of the later seasons. Strother Martin, normally playing demure, meek characters when guest staring on Gunsmoke, here embodies the role of a desperate and lonely man with PTSD. This man who's mind leaves him a little more each day, due to his terrible predicament. An actors showcase of a part;
"partnered" up with Ken Curtis's Festus, as they both go-about trying to solve their conflicting problems. The script and direction are on point, handling the story's scope and more intimate moments with ease. Well paced, while allowing some needed breathing room for the character beats. Adding up to a thoughtful, empathetically human and tense adventure in the Bad Lands.
"Twelve dollars!!"
6 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I wasn't expecting such a great episode after reading the other reviews. While, yes, there is a collective "stew" of Gunsmoke elements and tropes, it mixes them with panache. A well paced 'track and chase'; leading to a farmhouse full of racists, redemption, revolvers and a birth. The third act exploding in a quick, off-the-wall, fun showdown via home invasion. Loved it. We also get some good character beats. Including an annoyingly award-worthy performance put in by Victor French as the titular Waco. The farmhouse family's behavioral motives are laid bear, without making excuses for their sickening, immoral beliefs. If I WERE to make a complaint, it would be the lack of characterization for the Native American woman. She deserved a more fulfilling and defined backstory of her own.
Starsky is forced to "crank" it up, as he dies down.
11 January 2023
This is the first episode of S&H I've ever seen. I've been a fan of the movie since I was a teen. Although the tone is obviously different, the character chemistry and camaraderie is very similar. (Especially since the film is meant to be a prequel). Anyway this is a fantastic entry point to the series. A perfect episode and highly entertaining piece of old-school television in general. A clear play on Rudolph Maté's D. O. A (1950). A film that would go on to have it's own two reboots with D. O. A (1988) and Crank (2006). The structure here is breezy and on point, with nary a wasted beat. You get a real sense of the friendship and trust between our two leads; while Paul Michael Glaser sells the scenario of a quickly dying man, working off any and all bits of (just as quickly dwindling) information to save his own life. The ending managing to avoid cliché, even within the niche of 70's cop show. This experience has definitely made me an automatic fan of the series. I look forward to digging through more adventures from these two.
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