Tremors

Tags

1990's, Bobby Jacoby, Comedy, Finn Carter, Fred Ward, Horror, Kevin Bacon, Michael Gross, Reba McEntire, Ron Underwood, Tremors, Victor Wong

Film Title

Tremors

Director

Ron Underwood

Starring

• Kevin Bacon as Val McKee
• Fred Ward as Earl Bassett
• Finn Carter as Rhonda LeBeck
• Michael Gross as Burt Gummer
• Reba McEntire as Heather Gummer
• Bobby Jacoby as Melvin
• Victor Wong as Walter Chang

A fine horror comedy that lovingly sends up and celebrates 50’s monster movies, Tremors is a fun ride and a film that has you laughing just as much as biting your nails.

Handy men Val McKee and Earl Bassett are growing bored with their lives in the desert town of Perfection, Nevada. Val is the younger of the men and more than a bit jocular, Earl is the older and more pragmatic of the two. While neither are the sharpest or brightest, they know that they can’t just doing menial jobs for their lives. Deciding to pack up and leave, their short-lived exit from town is cut short by the discovery of a dead body. The man in question is found up a pylon, dehydrated after being too afraid to climb down. Shortly following this is more gruesome discoveries and the men encounter seismologist Rhonda LeBeck, who has been investigating unusual activity in the desert area. It transpires that worm like creatures have emerged from beneath the ground and been attacking the residents, taking them underground for sustenance. With help from Rhonda, it is deduced that vibration and noise is what attracts them, leading the survivors to think up ways to communicate without being caught and plot some form of break from the growing onslaught . Holed up back in the dusty town, Val and Earl take residence in the convenience store with some of the other residents. But these creatures are getting smarter and more vicious, leading more frequent attacks .It’s now up to the group to come up with some way to escape being the next meal of these ferocious creatures.

Ron Underwood has a knowing sheen to his direction; gladly combining the humorous and shocking into one big ride. His efficient pacing makes certain that no flab is found and we get straight into the action, while still allowing the characters to take centre stage. The small community all have their respective quirks and foibles, which is pretty fun to see as they slowly band together to survive and defend themselves against the creatures. It’s a simple story, but Tremors knows this and with a winking eye to the audience, acknowledges what you’d expect from a 50’s creature feature and adds its own brand of things to the mix. Things especially hit a high point when the residents are forced onto the roof, while still attempting to conjure a plan of escape as well as keeping noise to a minimum. Having to be extremely careful not to alert the creatures of their presence The design of the worm like critters is through practical effects, and it looks well-worn by now, yet this adds something else to Tremors. What Tremors most has going for it is the humour, which is delivered in spades. The running gag of Val and Earl being unable to leave town, at first because of trivial things and soon quite deadly events, is hilariously done and plays throughout the darkly comic heart of Tremors. Horror and comedy is sometimes a difficult tightrope to walk, but Tremors does it extremely well. It ensures that the laughs are very present, but that it can ratchet up suspense and deliver the horror goods when required. Through quick point of view shots, the nasty creatures attack and we are thrown into the fray as they wage war on the residents. It’s a slice of entertainment of the highest order, complimented by a tongue-in-cheek and jaunty score that fits just right with the tone of the movie.

Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward lead the way as the two unlikely heroes of the piece. They are likable guys who while not the smartest people ever, have enough gumption and attitude to take on the terror in front of them. They are bungling, prone to disaster ,funny yet nifty when it comes to being practical and using what they have at their disposal.  A lot of the effectiveness comes from the chemistry between both actors, who clearly are having a blast and enjoy working with each other as the amusing and heroic duo. It wouldn’t be the same without Bacon and Ward in these roles, adding a goofy and irresistible charm to it. Smarts are provided by Finn Carter’s scientist, who is the real brains of the piece and a woman who can take action effectively too when the occasion calls for it. Stealing a lot of the show however is Michael Gross; portraying the war-obsessed and tooled up Burt Gummer with a boisterous personality and wicked gleam in his eye. His attitude and presence are both funny and hopeful, because at first his paranoid antics regarding a new war are laughed at, before coming in extremely useful as the horror rises. Country music star Reba McEntire is his wife, who shares his obsession and love of firearms and she’s just as good as Gross; showing how multi-talented she is and his game she was to take this fun part. While there is Bobby Jacoby as the town brat and Victor Wong as the convenience store owner whose place becomes a shelter.

An excellent pastiche of B-movies mixed with more of contemporary sensibility, it’s hard not to enjoy Tremors for just how much of a blast it is. Never taking itself too seriously, Tremors is an all round good time for horror fans who like their movies with humour.

Dangerous Beauty

Tags

1990's, Based on a true story, Catherine McCormack, Dangerous Beauty, Drama, Fred Ward, Jacqueline Bisset, Marshall Herskovitz, Moira Kelly, Naomi Watts, Oliver Platt, Romance, Rufus Sewell

Film Title

Dangerous Beauty

Director

Marshall Herskovitz

Starring

• Catherine McCormack as Veronica Franco
• Rufus Sewell as Marco Venier
• Oliver Platt as Maffio Venier
• Jacqueline Bisset as Paolo Franco
• Fred Ward as Domenico Venier
• Moira Kelly as Beatrice Venier
• Naomi Watts as Giulia De Lezze

Taking basis from the true story of 16th Century courtesan and poet Veronica Franco, Dangerous Beauty is an underrated movie that finds a somewhat inspiring and passionate tale in the journey of a trailblazer who gained both respect and scorn.

16th Century Venice: women are seen as property and marriage has nothing to do with love, more for the sake of duty and money. Veronica Franco is a beautiful young girl with a passion for verse and desire for learning. She is of lowly birth, yet has a kittenish disposition that covers this. Young and passionate Veronica is in love with Senator’s son Marco Venier, and he returns that love. Yet due to the fact that she is of inferior birth and that her family can’t provide a dowry, the two can never marry. Devastated by this knowledge, she is consoled by her mother Paolo. Her mother then gives Veronica a talk on a path to that could liberate her to a comfortable existence. The profession in question is being a courtesan. Hearing this surprising advice from her mother, Veronica recoils at first at the idea of selling her body for profit. But once she hears that courtesans can have a sense of influence and rights to an education, she takes note. Forsaking her love for Marco, Veronica transforms due to her burgeoning intelligence and drive into a courtesan of which she becomes greatly renowned. Veronica finds her fortunes changing and her reputation growing, both for better and for worse in some quarters. She gains respect from a lot of people higher up the social ladder, yet earns the hate of ladies who see that their husbands could very well be Veronica’s clients. Her poetry flourishes and though the world that she inhabits is male-dominated, through her intellect and passion she gets a foothold in society. Yet Veronica, while gaining independence, craves the love of Marco secretly yet understands the precariousness of standing. Fate has other plans however as war brews, plague arrives and the Inquisition takes residence in Venice. Veronica is forced to testify in court about her life, to which she shows her mettle and takes aim at the hypocrisy of society in unconventional style.

A film like Dangerous Beauty had the potential to be overly sleazy and trashy, so it’s good that it steers clear of both by way of confident and understanding direction. Marshall Herskovitz has this innate ability to sympathise with the characters, mainly in the case of Veronica. He doesn’t pass judgement on her despite the profession she embarks on, portraying her more as a girl who takes the initiative in order to prosper in a world that is obsessed with social standing and class. A script filled with drama, romance and wittiness, stands Dangerous Beauty in good stead as it busts apart the hypocritical attitudes of the time and especially the burdens on women in general. The parts of humour, provided mostly by Veronica and her excellent way with words, moves the story along with a brisk pace that doesn’t scrimp on the deeper parts of the story either. Now with Dangerous Beauty being a film about a courtesan, there is a sexual tone to the movie. Yet as sensuality is presented, it is done in a way that isn’t just about naked bodies and sweating. Sex is a power play in a sort of way in Dangerous Beauty, exposing how women were looked at in the time but how Veronica switched it up with her untamed personality. There are some areas where the film can be a little uneven, but Dangerous Beauty is not harmed by this thankfully as its story and execution remain intact. Beauty is glimpsed through the vast array of colour that features heavily, the visual department really knock it out the park recreating 16th Century Venice. An expressive score encompasses the humour, drama and passion on display with beautiful shifts in emotional levels.

Catherine McCormack delivers a splendid performance here as the soul of the film. Imbuing Veronica with a keen intention to learn, seductiveness and later outspoken feeling, she truly is a marvel. Boasting a beauty yet a heart and desire, you can’t quite take your eyes off her. Plus, her interpretation of the often witty and poetic words Veronica speaks are both fun and refreshing. McCormack is simply like a breath of fresh air, boasting the right temperament and conviction for the part of a woman who refused to be compromised by chains and retained dignity. The character of Veronica Franco is supposed to stand out and man does Catherine McCormack do just that. Rufus Sewell exhibits a sensitivity and sense of conflict within nobleman Marco, who knows that he loves Veronica but is obliged by duty to marry someone else. We witness the stiffening of his backbone as Dangerous Beauty commences and he begins to change. One of the biggest stand outs after McCormack is Oliver Platt. He essays the role of Marco’s cousin who isn’t as well off as he and whose jealousy burns that Veronica’s poetry flourishes with a chance of money while his dwindles. Although the character is a wastrel, there are many notes of tragedy to him. Jacqueline Bisset is simply terrific as the extremely wise mother who instructs her daughter into the ways of a courtesan under her watchful eye. She boasts a delightfully observant cynicism that has been shaped through her years as a young woman in a male-dominated world and the way in which she can educate her daughter in how to gain something. Then we have Fred Ward who clearly has a ball with the role of Marco’s uncle, playing him with a wily understanding of his nephew’s needs and a genuine respect for Veronica, where others scorn her. Though largely in the background for a lot of Dangerous Beauty, Moira Kelly comes into her own later on with a scathing attack on the unfair treatment of women in society. And look out for an early role from Naomi Watts as the timid and dutiful wife chosen for Marco.

A satisfying and beautifully rendered drama of one woman and her integrity, Dangerous Beauty is sumptuous, fresh and at times quite funny. I greatly advise people to see this film as it is a pretty underappreciated one in my eyes.

Henry and June

Tags

1990's, Biographical Drama, Erotic Drama, Fred Ward, Henry and June, Kevin Spacey, Maria de Medeiros, Philip Kaufman, Richard E. Grant, Uma Thurman

Film Title

Henry and June

Director

Philip Kaufman

Starring

• Maria de Medeiros as Anaïs Nin
• Fred Ward as Henry Miller
• Uma Thurman as June Miller
• Richard E. Grant as Hugo
• Kevin Spacey as Osborn

Inspired by the diaries of Anaïs Nin, who documented in them her strange and intriguing relationships with author Henry Miller and his wife June, Henry and June’s casts a haunting spell and details the intense sexual encounters and impact all three had on each other.

Paris, in 1931. Anaïs Nin is an aspiring writer looking for something else. She is married to the good but somewhat dull and unenthusiastic Hugo, Anaïs craves excitement and adventure. These come knocking at her door in the form of writer Henry Miller, who is in Paris working on what would later become his first novel. Anaïs is intrigued by Henry and relates to his discussions of literacy and art. She begins to develop feelings for the boorish Henry and soon enough passion is ablaze. Also introduced into this is Henry’s bisexual wife June; a most alluring woman who begins to entrance Anaïs as well, despite her mercurial tendencies. Anaïs witnesses the temperamental relationship between the two and while she still loves her husband, the promise of a bohemian lifestyle with Henry and June is too tempting to resist. Her eyes are opened to sexual experience and her longings become very erotic as a result, culminating in an unusual love triangle with Henry and June. When the capricious June returns to America, she gives permission for the sexually blooming Anaïs to continue an affair with Henry. Anaïs continues to evolve and becomes immersed in a world of bohemian and sexual abandon with Henry, as she becomes one of the inspirations for his book(the other being June) and Anaïs does something similar with her writings. But Anaïs and Henry often disagree as the mix of sexual adventure and they critique each other’s work; much  in a similar way to how June used to criticise Henry’s work and how one of the characters is an unflattering portrait of her. Yet when June returns to Paris in typically difficult style, passions boil over as Anaïs and Henry must both contend with the fact that she forms the last point of the sexual triangle that could easily break due to the desires and passions everyone has that become complex.

As he is very much an iconoclastic director, Philip Kaufman is right at home directing something provocative and controversial like Henry and June. Kaufman clearly enjoys showcasing these complex characters and wastes no time in getting this across through expressionistic close-ups and silent era fade outs to signify the longings each of the three characters bears. While his direction is intelligent and well done, a minor flaw emerges when it comes to pace that can get grindingly slow. But with this being the only thing I can nitpick at, it’s more than safe to say that Henry and June is a success in its presentation of a dark and intense love triangle between three intriguing people. From doing research about the movie, it appears to have a big impact on the ratings system upon release as it became the first film to be certified NC-17. The rating signified that the film would have sexual content for adults only but was not given an X certificate that could have damaged people flocking to see it in theatres. And I can’t review Henry and June without talking about the sexual scenes as they are what makes up the core of the film. The scenes of a sexual nature are explicit to be sure, but they are not the stuff of skin flicks. Rather, these scenes are artfully shot and because they take basis from Anaïs’ diaries and expressions, have an intellectual, serious and observant quality to them that helps them stand out from mainstream sex scenes. I can see why they invented a new rating for this kind of film as it does deal heavily with sex, but is an artistic exploration of the three-way relationship, rather than a titillating one.By far one of the biggest draws that can be taken from Henry and June is the splendidly evocative cinematography. Bathing scenes in a sensual glow and tinged with a moody and melancholy feeling, it’s a truly marvellous visual style that really brings the passionate and most unusual story to stylish life. Coupled with the cinematography is the marvellous editing and jazz soundtrack, that helps the film gain something of a dreamlike and hypnotic impact that presses itself into the memory.

With her round eyes and elfin features that suggest a girlish innocence, Maria de Medeiros is extremely good at playing Anaïs Nin, who emerges as a passionate adventurer in all things erotic thanks to Henry and June. Maria de Medeiros is one of those people that the camera loves, but can also emote with a depth and subtlety, crafting Anaïs into a complex woman who has a core of observational passion and curiosity that consumes her little by little. I can’t picture anyone else playing Anaïs quite like de Medeiros, as she is simply marvellous in the role. Essaying the part of the controversial Henry Miller, Fred Ward plays him like a bear, full of vigour and unmissable shows of anger. Walking and talking like an old-fashioned gangster minus the Tommy gun, Ward invests Henry with a lust for life and an inability to sever himself from inevitable trouble, as it is too good to walk away from. Yet it is Uma Thurman who makes possibly the biggest and most memorable contribution to the film as one half of the titular couple. Playing so many different sides to June, from sensual and engaging, angry and bitter, tragic and unforgiving, Thurman doesn’t miss a beat and it says a lot when you miss her when she isn’t on screen. That’s a lot of clout to have and Uma Thurman makes her presence felt throughout, with her haunting presence and accent employed. Although he has probably the most thankless role of the film, Richard E. Grant does his best as the husband of Anaïs, who is safe and pleasing yet can’t quite provide the excitement that Anaïs craves. Also viewers should watch out for Kevin Spacey in a supporting role as the louche man who introduces Anaïs to Miller.

Visually splendid, well acted and benefiting from the intelligent direction of Philip Kaufman, as well as more than overcoming the sometimes overly languid pace, Henry and June is daringly adult cinema that knows how to be provocative and artistic in equal measures.

Short Cuts

Tags

1990's, Andie MacDowell, Anne Archer, Annie Ross, Bruce Davison, Buck Henry, Chris Penn, Drama, Ensemble Cast, Frances McDormand, Fred Ward, Huey Lewis, Jack Lemmon, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julianne Moore, Lili Taylor, Lily Tomlin, Lori Singer, Los Angeles, Lyle Lovett, Madeleine Stowe, Matthew Modine, Peter Gallagher, Raymond Carver, Robert Altman, Robert Downey Jr, Short Cuts, Tim Robbins, Tom Waits

Film Title

Short Cuts

Director

Robert Altman

Starring :

• Andie MacDowell as Ann Finnigan
• Bruce Davison as Howard Finnigan
• Jack Lemmon as Paul Finnigan
• Julianne Moore as Marian Wyman
• Matthew Modine as Dr. Ralph Wyman
• Anne Archer as Claire Kane
• Fred Ward as Stuart Kane
• Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lois Kaiser
• Chris Penn as Jerry Kaiser
• Robert Downey, Jr. as Bill Bush
• Madeleine Stowe as Sherri Shepard
• Tim Robbins as Gene Shepard
• Lily Tomlin as Doreen Piggot
• Tom Waits as Earl Piggot
• Frances McDormand as Betty Weathers
• Peter Gallagher as Stormy Weathers
• Annie Ross as Tess Trainer
• Lori Singer as Zoe Trainer
• Lyle Lovett as Andy Bitkower
• Huey Lewis as Vern Miller
• Buck Henry as Gordon Johnson
• Lili Taylor as Honey Piggot Bush

Based on several stories by Raymond Carver, Short Cuts is Robert Altman’s intense, sprawling and minutely observed look into the eventful lives of 22 residents of L.A over a couple of days. Featuring a talented cast( as you may have guessed from the cast list above) that all contribute something to the story, Short Cuts works as an examination on the frailties of human behaviour, how people don’t realise how close we are to each other and how the smallest incident can have big consequences.

Without giving too much away and because I would probably need a lot of pages to write about all the stories, here is the brief outline of some of the stories. Doreen, a waitress struggles with her alcoholic husband Earl. To add to this she accidentally runs over the young son of news anchor Howard Finnigan. The boy’s mother Ann panics while her son slips into a coma, and she is harassed by the local baker Andy, as she has forgotten to pick up the boy’s birthday cake. Zoe, a talented yet depressed cello player lives next door and has a strained relationship with her musical mother, Tess. Gene Shepard, a single-minded policeman is playing away with Betty Weathers. This incurs the wrath of her estranged husband Stormy, who finds an interesting way to claim back what belongs to him in the house. Claire Kane works as a clown, while her husband Stuart goes on a fishing trip with his friends. On the trip, the men discover the corpse of a young woman in the river and debate what to do with it. Marian, an artist and her doctor husband Ralph have the couple over for dinner, venting their marital frustrations after one too many drinks. And the stories just keep on coming, fleshing out an interesting mosaic like microcosm of lives running congruent with each other.

Although the film runs for a long time, you probably won’t notice because of the intricate way the characters enter and leave each other’s lives. Altman, who often worked effectively with ensemble casts, further shows his craftsmanship with engaging us to the strange and unpredictable characters. Although the characters differ from each other, there is one thread that links many of them. The thread is hiding behind a facade; Marian paints to suppress her unhappiness, Zoe plays mournful music on her cello, Claire works as a clown to make money for herself and her husband. The film may not be to everyone’s taste, but one can’t help but marvel at the way Altman connects the many players of the cast and fashions a suburban tale of frustration, mental angst and dissatisfaction.

An intimate character study of a diverse group of people, Short Cuts is excellent and recommended viewing for the art of interconnecting stories and focusing on the effects of our choices in life.