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Tag Archives: Adrienne Barbeau

Escape from New York

23 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 37 Comments

Tags

1980's, Action, Adrienne Barbeau, Donald Pleasence, Ernest Borgnine, Escape from New York, Harry Dean Stanton, Isaac Hayes, John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, Lee Van Cleef, Science Fiction

The ever wonderful Gill invited me to take part in a blogathon to honour Kurt Russell and I simply couldn’t refuse.

Director

John Carpenter

Starring

  • Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken
  • Lee Van Cleef as Bob Hauk
  • Ernest Borgnine as Cabbie
  • Adrienne Barbeau as Maggie
  • Harry Dean Stanton as Brain
  • Isaac Hayes as The Duke
  • Donald Pleasence as the President

John Carpenter’s science-fiction action film Escape from New York is rightfully held in high regard for its vision and plot. And with atmosphere, imagination and a bad ass lead character to boot, it’s hard to disagree.

The year is a then futuristic 1997. Manhattan Island has been turned into a maximum security prison where once you go in, you never come out. In the main area that was once the central hub, anarchy reigns supreme with violence and destruction. When the President’s plane is hijacked and he crash lands in Manhattan, he is taken hostage by the local crime boss The Duke and his goons. He was supposed to be attending a peace summit with the Soviet Union, but that goes completely out the window with the events that unfurl. Sneaky and manipulative Commissioner Bob Hauk then strong arms the most unlikely person ever to rescue the President from an almost certain death. That person is Snake Plissken, a cynical ex soldier, serving time for theft. Snake is understandably not at all on board with this plan. But after being told that if he rescues the President within 24 hours he could be pardoned, he accepts reluctantly. Though Hauk makes sure he will do it as he has micro explosives implanted in Snake’s neck that will detonate if he doesn’t complete the mission. Hauk knows that Snake would use the opportunity to escape but has him by a tight leash now. With time ticking away, Snake enters the city where he encounters violence from various factions and some assistance by a rag tag group of renegades. They consist of a joking cab driver, hard edged lady and know all.

John Carpenter keeps events imaginative and engaging, with his ingenuity on clear display. I’ve always admired what he brings to a movie and he has the story be one that is very taut and entertaining. Some will say that the film has dated parts, which it does in areas, but the anachronistic touches really add to the oddball personality of the film that it isn’t easy to see why it’s a cult movie. Carpenter plays up the outlandish aspects of the story and the desecration of humanity, mainly in the case of Snake and his no cares attitude towards everything. On the visual front, the practical effects have aged well, with the shots of New York through a futuristic lens being particularly inspired. We get a grimy dystopia to witness and one that has certainly influenced many a film since. Escape from New York is often billed in some quarters as an action movie(which in many cases it is), but for me it’s more about the moody atmosphere than anything else. The cyberpunk echoes and vision of a world in free fall really make sure that Escape from New York is a film to remember. John Carpenter himself provides the pulsing electronic score that compliments the futuristic setting and has just the right notes of darkness there too.

Kurt Russell completely owns the screen as the growling, scowling yet sardonically witty bad ass that is Snake. Russell provides the cynicism and swagger of a man who doesn’t believe in anything and is proud of it. He is ironically the last person you’d think of to rescue a president and that is what ultimately drives the plot. Seriously, Snake ranks as one of the most charismatic and bad ass anti heroes there is. Lee Van Cleef is on nasty form as the scheming and controlling Comissioner who uses Snake to his own advantage. Ernest Borgnine, Adrienne Barbeau and Harry Dean Stanton flesh out the crew that Snake falls in with excellently.With some serious style, Isaac Hayes rocks it portraying the crime boss who stands in the way of Snake succeeding. And there’s Donald Pleasence appearing as the President, who it is revealed is not as squeaky clean as he seemed.

Exciting, inventive and engrossing, Escape from New York is John Carpenter at his imaginative and full blooded best, aided by a fine performance from Kurt Russell as one of cinema’s best anti-heroes.

The Fog

26 Wednesday Feb 2014

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 35 Comments

Tags

1980's, Adrienne Barbeau, Hal Holbrook, Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, John Carpenter, John Houseman, The Fog, Tom Atkins

Film Title

The Fog

Director

John Carpenter

Starring

  • Adrienne Barbeau as Stevie Wayne
  • Jamie Lee Curtis as Elizabeth Solley
  • Tom Atkins as Nick Castle
  • Janet Leigh as Kathy Williams
  • Hal Holbrook as Father Malone
  • John Houseman as Mr. Machen

The Fog is John Carpenter’s ghostly horror from the 80’s that focuses on a California fishing town celebrating its centenary, only for horror to engulf the festivities . Boasting suspense, a menacing score and chills, it is most certain to keep you scared throughout.

The Fog 1980The Californian town of Antonio Bay is just about to celebrate its centenary. Just before the clock strikes twelve, Mr. Machen, a salty old fisherman is telling a chilling story to young children around a campfire. It details the deaths of many men on a ship named the Elizabeth Dane, that was shipwrecked after seeing the light from a fire all those years ago as the fog rolled in. He tells the children that one day the ghosts of the men who died will rise from their watery grave and seek revenge. Strange phenomena start around the town with car alarms sounding for no reason and phones ringing with no reply. It is around this time that Father Malone, the local priest discovers an old journal in the walls of the church. To his horror he discovers how his grandfather was one of six conspirators who helped lure the ship to the rocks, as the people on board where lepers whose rich leader Blake wanted to establish a colony on Antonio Bay. Meanwhile various residents of the town become frightened by the glowing fog that keeps appearing from midnight to one. The residents consist of Stevie Wayne, the husky voiced, lighthouse bound DJ; town resident Nick Castle; runaway hitchhiker Elizabeth Solley and the organiser of the celebrations Kathy Williams. As events begin to take a sinister turn from jubilant celebration, the residents come to realise that the fog brings with it the spirits of the men who died and are now wanting justice for what happened to them by killing those in their path. Ghostly terror, suspenseful atmosphere and a competent cast make The Fog a creepy tale of nocturnal haunting.

John Carpenter creates a chilling atmosphere from the get go, with the prologue featuring Mr. Machen telling the ghost story around the fire as the children listen intently. It is a genuinely creepy and chilling scene that sets up the ghostly events that will soon follow. The setting makes for eerie viewing, especially the scenes of Stevie Wayne in the lighthouse as the day fades into night and the titular fog rolls in. As with most of his films, Carpenter creates a sonic embodiment of horror and bone chilling menace. From the sound of the fog horns droning to the pulsing electronic score, The Fog is fascinating and spine tingling to listen to. Some of the effects may be dated and some scenes may drag for longer than they need to, but these are minor flaws in this ghostly horror story.

The characters are played with ease by the cast. Adrienne Barbeau makes for a sexy yet warm scream queen who must do battle with the fog whilst in the lighthouse. Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Atkins are good as the hitchhiker and her new boyfriend. Jamie’s real life mother Janet Leigh is uptight and stoic as the town organiser who comes to see that the town is built on lies rather than goodness. Interestingly, they don’t share the screen until late into the movie. Hal Holbrook is effective in the small but pivotal role of Father Malone, the first person to uncover the unholy deed responsible for this terrifying haunting. The cameo of John Houseman as he tells the chilling origins of the town is supremely crafted and bound to linger in the mind.

For spine chilling and ghostly horror, The Fog is the go to movie.

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