pundit-1 Reviews

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Another film that failed to be better than it was.

[6/10 · 22 April 2014]

This movie is one of those films that could have been better than it was. Instead I felt the movie was ruined with too many special effects, which I think took away whatever atmosphere or Gothic creepy ambiance it could have had. Also overdone with the sex scenes which didn't help. Instead of a really good original horror movie what this turned out to be is just another typically bland Hollywood blockbuster. Full of flash and erotica but with little substance, that seems so typical of the usual Hollywood productions.

Also it has been advertised as being based accurately on Bram Stoker's novel which isn't completely true. In original story there was no romance between Mina Harker and Dracula. Also there was never any mention of Mina being a reincarnation of Dracula's dead wife. That and his wife committing suicide in the beginning of the film was simply added into the movie to turn this into a romance story.

It's one of those films that I found disappointing or a real letdown. I couldn't help but feel that it could have been way better than it was.

War of the Dead (I) (2011)

Could have been better

[4/10 · 9 July 2012]

This is a combination war story and horror film that could have been better than it was. The suspenseful and creepy atmosphere is there along with plenty of action to keep you from losing your attention. The acting was fair and perhaps it could have been better.

The story however doesn't explain or go into much detail about the secret sinister experiments that were conducted in the bunker. This I feel should have been elaborated more which would have improved the story quite a bit making it far more interesting than it was.

This is one movie that at first seems to be promising but later on lets you down with disappointment. One can only feel afterwards that this movie could have been better than it was. It had all the potential to be a 1st rate horror film.

The Thaw (2009)

Entertaining

[6/10 · 13 May 2012]

This story if fairly entertaining. Certainly not boring and perhaps had a potential to be something even better. The acting is mediocre and the characters in this film are all forgettable. Nothing outstanding about any of them.

If this film did raise one important and relevant point about ourselves it would be this. How willing would we be to sacrifice ourselves for the common good? For humanity,those we know, the environment,the earth etc. Or are we mostly too selfish to look beyond our own self-interests and our instinct for self-preservation? Or like one of the characters in this film would we be ruthless enough to sacrifice the lives of others in order to advance a cause we believe in?

Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974–1975)

Entertaining TV show

[5/10 · 4 June 2006]

I remember seeing this when it made it's appearance on TV. While not exactly the best show on television it is far from being one of the worst. Some of the episodes however were a waste of time producing and were rather flimsy in quality. One excellent example was the episode involving an Aztec cult that practiced human sacrifices and starring Erik Estrada. This one now seems too outdated and even laughable to say the least.

The show while good in some ways did not have the inherent potential of great longevity. The later episodes seem to show it as running out of creative ideas or good stories. The show it seems was doomed to be a short lived series because of this. It's as though they ran out of cases for Kolchak to pursue and cover because he had exhausted all of them.

The main character in the show Karl Kolchak reporter for the INS, was the main reason why the show is fun to watch. It's not the creatures he comes up against or the bizarre occurrences that he comes across that makes this series memorable but this protagonist. Karl Kolchak the fast talking reporter with his somewhat humorous comments who gets on everyone's nerves is hilarious. His attempts to cajole and appeal to other's egos while trying to get some info out of them is a lesson in public relations. Also memorable is his audacity or brazen way of pursuing a story. Like impersonating a doctor,a businessman,or one of the hotel staff just to get pass security and to an interview. He is perhaps the main reason why this show even lasted as long as it did.

The only other memorable character in the series would be his boss the uptight high-strung Tony Vincenzo, who seems like a classic case of a high blood pressure victim. While watching the series one sometimes wonders why he never got around to firing Kolchak and replacing him with someone else. But then with Kolchak out of the picture there isn't much of a picture to watch.

Leviathan (1989)

Good classic monster movie

[8/10 · 14 June 2005]

This science fiction horror film has what it takes to be a top notch monster movie. Like Frankenstein and Jurassic Park the moral of the story is that it's not nice to tamper with mother nature,and those who do so will have to face the terrible consequences. Not by any means an original story,but more like a takeoff on Alien or John Carpenter's The Thing. The big difference however being that it takes place below the ocean depths at a silver mine.

Still it has it everything to be a good thriller,suspenseful moments and good special effects along with some memorable characters. Highly recommended for late night entertainment with friends. Guaranteed to be scary enough for the kids. I give this film an 8.

The Unborn II (1994)

Not quite as good as the original one but just as disturbing

[4/10 · 7 June 2005]

This film is not quite as good as the original one but I found it just as disturbing. ONe may never look at someone else's infant in the same innocent manner as before. You will subconsciously wonder if it's not some little demonic creature waiting to wreak havoc if given the chance. The portrayal of young children as murderers is a disturbing subject and not one to inspire any paternal or maternal feelings at all. The monstrous baby of CAtherine Moore in the film reminded me of that evil doll Chuck from another film. Not quite convincing as a real creature but more like an animated doll which is what this monster comes across as. Michele Green pulls off a splendid performance as a lone crusader out to eliminate these monstrous children. It makes you cheer for her every time she kills one of the little bastards. Other than that there isn't much to say for the film except that it's a pale shadow of the original.

The Day the World Ended (2001 TV Movie)

Not to be confused with the original film of the same title

[5/10 · 3 June 2005]

Why the producers of this film chose to name this with the title they did is a mystery. This is not a post apocalyptic thriller nor is it about the end of the world in any way. A typical low budget low quality thriller about a young boy who comes to believe that he is the offspring of an alien creature that is terrorizing a small town in Nevada. He uncovers suppressed memories of his mother who was killed by the frightened townsfolk. She however turns out to be a rather pretty human female and not anything like the alien creature. Which raises some obvious questions. First how does this pretty human female end up meeting and making love to an alien being in order to produce a rather human looking kid,who has no resemblance at all to the extraterrestrial daddy? Also what is not explained is the real reason why the townsfolk killed the boy's mother. Supposedly the boy's mother like him had some psychic powers but that alone cannot explain why the narrow minded townsfolk went after and killed her. This is not exactly your intelligent cerebrally stimulating movie, but at least the acting of RAndy Quaid and the beautiful Natassia Kinski saves the film from being a total flop.

Fugitive Mind (1999 Video)

A pale imitation of The Manchurian Candidate

[4/10 · 2 June 2005]

The plot is a good one and the acting is good,but the movie does not quite live up to it's potential. The story is similar to another film entitled "The Manchurian Candidate". Which is about a man who is brainwashed or psychologically programmed into carrying out an assassination. My recommendation is to rent or watch "The Manchurian Candidate" instead of this one, which seems like a pale imitation. This movie seems like a production that was hastily put together without much thought or planning. The result is that the movie doesn't seem quite convincing and instead rather weak. Watch this only if you have nothing else better to do with your time.