This is the counterpart to the DC comic book character Superman which was made into a string of movies starring the late Christopher Reeve. This time it is about his cousin who is also a Kryptonian character from the planet Krypton. She has no idea about her powers at first, and discovers them along the way, much like how Superman did in the original film release. The character Supergirl aka Linda Lee was played by actress Helen Slater who shined in the role. She was also known as Kara Zor-El her natural given name. Many fans were looking forward to a sequel, but one was never released unfortunately. The direction of the film was done by French director Jeannot Szwarc. The screenplay was written by David Odell. The film was based upon the comic book writings by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.
Many critics felt the film feel short, however some including myself thought it was a good film. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and you shouldn’t either while watching it. Helen Slater received praise however for her efforts with the character. The story opens with her on Krypton, and while there she is mentored by Peter O’Toole playing the role of Zaltar. He helps her along the way as she has to flee the planet from the brink of destruction.
Upon her arrival to earth, she meets up with her rival in this film played by Faye Dunaway as a character named Selena. She becomes smitten by a character named Ethan played by Canadian actor Hart Bochner. Mia Farrow appears in this as Alura. Brenda Vaccaro is Bianca, Peter Cook is Nigel, Simon Ward is Zor-El, Marc McClure appears in this as Jimmy Olsen he starred in the Superman series of films as well playing the same role. Maureen Teefy is Lucy Lane, David Healy is Mr. Danvers, Sandra Dickinson is the Pretty Young Lady, Robyn Mandell is Myra, Jenifer Landor is Muffy, and Diana Ricardo is Mrs. Murray.
The first comic appearance with Super-Girl was #123 the August issue of the Superman series 1958. Later, she appeared in Action Comics the May issue #252 in the year 1959.
This character is a great role model for young girls and women in general. I think most people will find this to be an entertaining picture regardless. There are some interesting scenes and the story although somewhat silly is still decent enough to keep you interested. I will recommend this to everyone and it is something you can enjoy with your family and friends some evening.
I felt like watching a classic with my wife, it was fun to revisit this wonderfully strange and exciting world where the dominate species were not humans but apes. The film was nominated for a few Oscars including Best Costume Design, Best Music Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical), and an Honorary Award was given to late make-up artist John Chambers. This film was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and the screenplay credits go to Michael Wilson and Rod Serling (best known from the Twilight Zone series). The film was based upon the novel by French writer Pierre Boulle.
The film is an absolute classic among many movie goers; it was hailed by many during its release. The film has a very interesting ending which will leave your mind wandering. The acting by the cast is magnificent and the special effects for its time were quite good.
The plot basically goes like this, a few selected astronauts from a special space exploration mission discover a new world as they land in the future, they have no idea what they are in for, as they find out on this planet things are very primate and primordial. The crew is lead by George Taylor played by screen legend Charlton Heston, he is accompanied by Robert Gunner as Landon, Jeff Burton as Dodge, and Dianne Stanley as Astronaut Stewart who was uncredited.
As they venture out into what is known as “The Forbidden Zone” they try to find traces of life. After the initial setup, things become much more interesting as they meet up with the apes. The leading ape characters are played by Roddy Mcdowall as Cornelius his wife Dr. Zira is played by Kim Hunter. Maurice Evans portrays Dr. Zaius, James Whitmore plays the President of the Assembly, James Daly is Dr. Honorius, Buck Kartalian is Julius, Lou Wagner is Lucious, Woodrow Parfrey is Dr. Maximus, Wright King is Dr. Galen, Paul Lambert is the Minister, and Norman Burton is the Hunt Leader.
Later on, Taylor befriends Nova who is among the human captives played by Linda Harrison.
The film would go on to spawn four more sequels Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), Battle of the Planet of the Apes (1973). There is however a remake using the same title Planet of the Apes (2001) directed by Tim Burton starring Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Estella Warren, and Paul Giamatti.
I think you will enjoy this, if you have never seen it before; this is a science fiction classic and will leave your mind thinking about the different possibilities.
Here is a blast from the past type film. It is pretty old now, but still enjoyable to see. I’m sure many people never watched or have even heard of this one. I watched it quite a few times years ago. I do believe it is one of the better quirky comedies from the 1980’s. The characters in this are all pretty original and played by a talent cast who fit each of the roles. It was directed by Savage Steve Holland. He has directed a few other films including Better Off Dead… (1985) and How I Got Into College (1989). Savage Steve Holland also wrote the screenplay for this as well. His other credits include a number of television series.
There is some creative use of animation that is used throughout the film which fittingly seems to add something overall. I think you will appreciate it to some degree. I’ve never seen a film quite like this one, it has its own kind of thing happening. The story setting is in Nantucket, Massachusetts which provides a good backdrop to everything that happens.
John Cusack stars in this tale as Hoops McCann, he had previously worked with Savage Steve Holland in Better Off Dead… (1985). It was kind of a cult hit as well. He is surrounded by an unusual group of characters which include his good friend George Calamari played by Joel Murray. Yes, he is one of Bill Murray’s brothers. If he looks familiar to you, it might be the number of appearances he has made in television series such as “Dharma & Greg” playing the character Pete Cavanaugh.
Curtis Armstrong appears in this as Ack Ack Raymond, he is best known as Dudley ‘Booger’ Dawson from the Revenge of the Nerds (1984) franchise films. Jennifer Yahoodik appears in this as Andrea (she is the little girl) it was her only ever known appearance. Demi Moore plays the struggling artist named Cassandra who becomes the love interest of Cusack’s character Hoops. Bobcat Goldthwait delivers a remember able performance as Egg Stork, his brother Clay Stork is played by Tom Villard. There are more appearances in this such as Linda Warren playing Mrs. McCann, Rachel C. Telegen as Brunhelda, John Matuszak as Stain, Matt Mulhern as Teddy Beckersted, Kimberly Foster as Cookie Cambell, Jeremy Piven as Ty, Billie Bird as Grandma, Bruce Wagner as Uncle Frank, Joe Flaherty as General Raymond, Mark Metcalf as Aguilla Beckersted, the late William Hickey appears as Old Man Beckersted, Taylor Negron as Taylor, Rich Hall as Wilbur and Rich Little makes a brief appearance as a Disc Jockey.
The storyline is fairly simple, but it still brings a number of funny scenes which will put a smile on your face. I think most people will find this unique comedy entertaining to watch at least once.
If you are a historical Hollywood fan, you will certainly appreciate the fine filmmaking by director Richard Attenborough, as he tells the tale about screen legend Charlie Chaplin a standout actor among the golden Hollywood age. The film is filled with dazzling scenery, it captures the lifestyle of Charlie Chaplin and brings you an inside look about his life. The screenplay was based upon the book “Chaplin His Life and Art” by David Robinson and Charles Chaplin “My Autobiography”. The story was written by Diana Hawkins with the collaborative efforts of the screenplay written by William Boyd, Bryan Forbes, and William Goldman.
The story is told in such a way that you can follow along in a series of flashbacks with some narration overlays here and there. Attenborough who hails from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England has directed a number of other films including Gandhi (1982), In Love and War (1996) and has acted in such films as Jurassic Park (1993).
In this film, he directs Robert Downey Jr. who clearly stands out with his Oscar nominated performance as Charles Spencer Chaplin. In my opinion, this is his greatest role to date. The film follows Chaplin through his failures and successes as well as his brushes with the government and law enforcement.
The film is more of a biographical picture overall, and I don’t think many so-called critics understood what Attenborough was trying to accomplish with his film. It isn’t an easy task to highlight Chaplin’s life and try to condense it into 144 minutes. There are many acclaimed actors who appear in various roles throughout this intriguing story which I think you will find interesting.
We get a chance to see the romantic interests of Chaplin through a series of flashback sequences and how he met each of the ladies in his life. The film also shows his early years in life. His mother Hannah Chaplin is played by Geraldine Chaplin. Moira Kelly appears in this as Hetty Kelly (Oona O’Neill Chaplin), Marisa Tomei is Mabel Normand, Penelope Ann Miller is Edna Purviance, Maria Pitillo plays Mary Pickford, Milla Jovovich is Mildred Harris, Deborah Moore is Lita Grey, Nancy Travis as Joan Barry and Diane Lane is Paulette Goddard.
There are more appearances in this by Paul Rhys as Sydney Chaplin, John Thaw as Fred Karno, Anthony Hopkins as George Hayden, Dan Aykroyd as Mack Sennett, Kevin Kline as Douglas Fairbanks, Kevin Dunn as J. Edgar Hoover, James Woods as Joseph Scott, and David Duchovny as Rollie Totheroh.
I think you can enjoy this film with your friends, as it gives you a real sense about the early Hollywood days and the story of a truly unique individual.
If you have never seen this film, do yourself a favor and get it. You will enjoy this as an adult and your children will love it also. It has become an absolute classic over the years. The film was directed by Mel Stuart and the screenplay was written by Roald Dahl based upon his book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” David Seltzer was uncredited for his collaboration on the screenplay. There is another version of this film that was released titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) starring Johnny Depp which was directed by Tim Burton. I however think the films do not compare, and Burton’s version isn’t anywhere near as good as the original.
This film was released June 30 in 1971 and had a budget of $2.9 million grossing $4 million overall. It however gained more notoriety as time went by. It was praised by many children around the world. The cast is simply outstanding and very remember able.
The story is basically about a poor boy that gets a golden ticket to a wondrous world of chocolate dreams and fantastic fantasy among four other children from different parts of the world. You will discover what Oompa Loompas are from seeing this. There are rivers of chocolate, candy trees and enough sweets for everyone. Your sweet tooth will surely appreciate this.
Will Charlie played by Peter Ostrum be tempted to share Wonka’s secrets to Arthur Slugworth played by Günter Meisner?
Peter Ostrum (Charlie) is now a veterinarian of large farm animals in upstate New York; he has a family and never returned to acting after his initial role as Charlie. He wanted to remain a regular child and strayed away from the spotlight. He was offered a three picture deal, but turned it down after Willie Wonka. Gene Wilder plays Willy Wonka and is a Hollywood icon in this role among others. I can’t say enough good things about his Golden Globe nominated performance as Willy Wonka. There are some people who stand out among others and Gene certainly does.
The incredible cast however doesn’t stop with Peter Ostrum and Gene Wilder, the late Jack Albertson portrays Grandpa Joe who comes along with Charlie to the Chocolate factory. He has appeared in classics such as The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and numerous television series. The late Roy Kinnear plays Mr. Salt, his daughter Veruca Salt is played by Julie Dawn Cole, Leonard Stone plays Mr. Beauregarde, Denise Nickerson is his daughter Violet Beauregarde, Nora Denney is Mrs. Teevee, her son Mike Teevee is played by Paris Themmen, Ursula Reit plays Mrs. Gloop, and her son Augustus Gloop is played by Michael Bollner, Diana Sowle plays Charlie’s mother Mrs. Bucket, Aubrey Woods plays Bill, David Battley plays Mr. Turkentine, and Günter Meisner is Mr. Slugworth.
The film was nominated for an Oscar. It is a blend of Comedy, Fantasy and has some Musical qualities as well. There are a number of songs in this film that are catchy and creative. They will leave you humming along by the time the film is over. This is a must see film, and is quite entertaining as it is charming. I highly recommend seeing this.
I was thinking back to a horror type film that would now be considered a classic. This is actually a horror anthology of different tales. If you liked the television series “Tales from the Crypt” which aired on the HBO network, which was based upon the comic books published by EC Comics in the 1950’s. Then you will more than likely enjoy this film. Creepshow was considered a sleeper hit film earning 21 million overall domestically. The film was directed by horror man George A. Romero who is best known for Night of the Living Dead (1968). There also was remake of the film which Romero helped write the screenplay for with the same working title Night of the Living Dead (1990).
Creepshow (1982) was written by author Stephen King who also stars as one of the characters in one of the segments titled “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill”. There are a number of appearances of upcoming actors during this time with a mix of established actors as well in each of these segments. I think you will enjoy seeing them in these particular roles.
The film opens with a young boy named Billy played by Joe King who is the real life son of Stephen King, he is scolded by his father Stan played by Tom Atkins for reading the horror comic “Creepshow”. Afterwards, the film cuts to the first sequence titled “Father’s Day” which is a disturbing tale of a disgruntled family. The cast of “Father’s Day” includes: Carrie Nye as Sylvia Grantham, Viveca Lindfors as Aunt Bedelia, Ed Harris as Hank Blaine, Warner Shook as Richard Grantham, Elizabeth Regan as Cass Blaine, Jon Lormer as Nathan Grantham, Nann Mogg as Mrs. Danvers, Peter Messer as Yarbro, and John Amplas as Nathan’s Corpse.
The second sequence is titled “The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill” originally titled “Weeds” was written specifically for this film. The story involves a simple minded foolish farmer played by Stephen King, named Jordy Verrill who gets more than he bargains for while trying to sell a meteorite which lands nearby at his home (farm) to get enough money for a college bank loan.
The third sequence is titled “Something to Tide You Over” which features as younger Leslie Nielsen as Richard Vickers, his wife Becky played by Gaylen Ross and a younger Ted Danson as Harry Wentworth. They end up in a love triangle gone wrong which you might find disturbingly creepy.
The fourth sequence is titled “The Crate” that stars Hal Holbrook as a college professor named Henry Northrup, scream queen Adrienne Barbeau appears as Wilma Northrup, Fritz Weaver is Dexter Stanley, Robert Harper is Charlie Gereson, Don Keefer appears as Mike the Janitor, Christine Forrest is Tabitha Raymond, Chuck Aber is Richard Raymond, Cletus Anderson is the Host, and Katie Karlovitz is the Maid.
The final fifth sequence titled “They’re Creeping Up On You!” was written by Stephen King specifically for the film ending. The main character suffers from Mysophobia a phobia about dirt and germs, soon enough he finds out just how far things can go. The character Upson Pratt is played by E.G. Marshall. David Early also appears in this as the character “White”.
There are a few other appearances throughout the film by actors who were uncredited for their work these include: Tom Atkins as Stan (segments “Prologue” / “Epilogue”), John Colicos as Doctor (segment “The Lonely Death of Jordy Verrill”), Darryl Ferrucci as Fluffy (segment “The Crate”), David Garrison as College Party Host (segment “The Crate”), Ann Muffly as Lenora Castonmeyer (segment “They’re Creeping Up On You”) (voice) and Charles Van Eman as Bartender (segment “The Crate”)
If you are interested in reading the graphic novel there was one printed after the release of the film published by Penguin. Overall, I think you will find this to be a creepy viewing experience and worthwhile to see.
