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Huo xing ren (1976)
Unknown cult
This completely unknown Asian monster/robot film is a gem for many Godzilla fans who need new feed of '70ies rubber monster flicks. Those nostalgic fans who were 10 in the '80es, being able to see this movie on some private TV channel, still remember the kid finding the small statue in a hidden catacomb, the statue growing under some x-rays, the huge unusual robot like giants and the cheesy long-haired enemy jumping around like wild, their extensive battles on the surface of the planet, and of course, the mesmerizing score by Pink Floyd (!!! – read below).
Indeed, its production history is rather curious, and has been reconstructed patiently by Roberto Zanni on his blog, from which I'm posting this excerpt.
Actually, I'm forced to post it on the Discussion Board since IMDb is marking too many foreign words as "error" and hence doesn't allow me to hit "submit"! So please go back one step and check out the Discussion Board. Sorry for this strange IMDb issue!
Zone of the Dead (2009)
white rabid clown with mask
There are so many other problems with this film. While making a zombie film shouldn't demand a huge budget, this film demonstrates that you need mostly a BRAIN rather than budget. Even the cheapest and silliest spaghetti-zombie is more interesting and entertaining... and they have been done 20 years ago. Even the shaky videocam Blair Witch is deeper than this flick. Here a new list of problems:
1. Character roles: stereotyped and oh so boring.
2. Acting: embarrassing.
3. Script and dialogues: terrible.
4. The plot: pointless and unoriginal.
5: the horror: which part exactly is meant to be frightening?
6: Photography and aesthetics: grey grey grey.
7: Zombies: rabid outcasts led by a white masked pierrot
8: Srating/ending titles: is it meant to be a sort of live action video game?
9: Music: was there any?
Better go see "VIRUS / Hell of the Living Dead" by Bruno Mattei.
Außerirdische (1993)
Aliens in Berlin - Aliens of Desire
There was a black and white Berlin with angels, now there is a black and white Berlin with aliens! Wim Wenders' angels come from far away, they are all around us, you don't see them, you feel them. Whereas the "aliens" addressed by Florian Gärtner are among us, and you ignore them, they are outcasts yet they live and love and suffer like any other human being around us. The young director (who plays also a major role in the film) learned from Wenders work and uses the same city, same camera-work, the poetry, the feelings, the sound-scape, the silences, even the color, to depict a tiny, simple yet powerful moment in the life of a young person in need of identity, of love. You will be able to read the film through different levels and find many points in common with your own life experiences. Your cozy home town somewhere in the distant country side, the alienating city, your prince of dreams, vanishing love, blinded hearts, glasses, disco pubs, student flats, the '90s or your 20s... This young director in his first work of nearly independent production reached outstanding levels of art and techniques. If you loved Wings of Desire (Der Himmel über Berlin) you will appreciate Ausserirdische (Aliens).
Far Cry (2008)
A disappointment for Far Cry fans
I'm just wondering what Boll's ideas were, when thinking of turning this mile stone video game into a film. If you do a film based on Far Cry, called Far Cry, I expect Far Cry! That is so simple. I want brilliant characters, great action, astonishing location with bright exotic colors, tropical islands, emerald palm forests, crystal clear water, white sand, shipwrecks, concrete ruins, abandoned labs, huge satellite dishes to be blown up, tons of enemies and of course monster soldiers. In this film there is LITTLE or NOTHING of all this. Not even the haunting trademark bell sound or the amazing musical atmosphere! Maybe the Hawaiian shirt is the only recognizable element of that masterwork of FPS game. Boll is disappointing openly every single Far Cry fan. It doesn't deserve the title FAR CRY. The same happened with DOOM! A shame! It makes me CRY out loud!! I wonder why some Hollywood studio does't take the chance and create a real well made video game adaption! Probably they are still busy with graphic novel adaptations!
Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
Disturbing Masterwork - NEW RELEASE on DVD!!!
Just to let you know, unlike typical Italian fashion Italy finally edited a NEW CLEAN DVD VERSION with original English dialogues and original Italian dubbing, director's comment, and interviews with director, set designer, dir. of photography, music composer and one of the actors. It also features a little joke at the start of the film, but won't spoil the surprise ;-))
What many noticed over and over IS TRUE: the film is still actual, far ahead, modern, and now that it has been cleaned up it really looks like done right NOW, not 20 years ago. Now you realize how innovative its filming and editing techniques were (the steady cam has yet to be invented). It is true, from Apocalipse Now to Blair Witch Project, all learned from it.
And NO, it is NOT a horror film as everybody is classifying it. It is a sort of dramatized documentary. Deodato is just showing real existing environment, real existing life(style), real killing (of animals, not humans) as it happens every day in those places. He is not simply exploiting, he is "demonstrating" (once and never again, hopefully!) what happens every day in other countries on the earth. Where do you think your grilled chicken or roasted lamb comes from? Our lobsters, rabbits, pigs served on a dish are treated in the same way as the monkeys or the turtles. So what is shocking: a single killing scene in this film or the thousand eternal killings going on forever behind the clean walls of industrial butchers and romantic farms in the beauty of your country? One plus point, to de-dramatize: these poor animals have been definitively used as food after the scenes, joyfully eaten by natives and crew. Also to mention: even if everything looks so real (who says the acting is bad? Is BWProject better?), both cast and crew filmed in a very familiar relaxed situation. They had fun doing the film (which doesn't mean they entertained themselves with torture or nudity) and they believed seriously in this project, with their heart. They took advantage of the set, the people, their traditions, the weather conditions. It's real handcraft made movie, with some naiveties and little mistakes, but powerful, like it doesn't exist anymore.
But why do not see it from another "positive" point of view: these animals (I tell you, I wouldn't even kill a fly!)have died for a moral ethical cause: to underline (together with the realistically recreated human tortures as counterpart and justice) the cruelty of the civilized world, to emphasize the message that the victimizers (we all) will suffer one day by the hand of our victims, and die in the same way, till justice and balance will be restored.
I must recognize: our Deodato is foreshadowing the tragic evolution of our civilization. All the killings we see in the news today, the war (WW2 is far away, but Vietnam is still hanging around, and other have yet to come!), the cruelty, hate, exploitation and cheap entertainment in our modern world is present in this film, accompanied by a bitter sad mourning musical comment you will never forget again.
A bitter genuine masterpiece.