reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP (07/22/84)
The Los Angeles International Film Exhibition (Filmex) just ended. I
saw 15 or 20 of the 180 films shown. I will give a brief description/
review of each. Also, for what it's worth, a rating on a scale of 1-10.
"Seventeen" - A controversial cinema verite documentary about teenagers in
Muncie, Indiana. Full of insights into contemporary youth. It would be a
little better if it was fifteen minutes shorter and the sound was clearer.
Proves that real life really is more interesting than most movies. 8.5
"The Census Taker" - A black comedy of murder, made independently in America.
A good start, but the writer didn't seem to know where to take it. 4
"The Company of Wolves" - Stylish British fantasy/horror, a retelling of
Little Red Riding Hood with sexuality and psychology added. With Angela
Lansbury (very good as Grandma) and David Warner. 7.5
"The Gold Diggers" - A tedious, repetitious, pretentious British semi-
experimental film. With Julie Christie. 1.5
"Uforia" - American comedy about an opportunistic drifter, an avaricious
preacher, and an otherwise normal young woman who is convinced that she
is receiving messages from UFOs. Slight, but amusing.
With Cindy Williams, Fred Ward, and Harry Dean Stanton. 5.5
"Balkan Express" - Yugoslavian film set during WWII. A group of pickpockets
try to keep themselves out of trouble, but only get in deeper and deeper.
A conventional ending somewhat compromises a good film. 6.5
"Those Glory, Glory Days" - British film about a bunch of soccer-mad
girls who will do anything to get tickets to an important match. Not
much inspiration involved. 3
"The Hit" - Terrence Stamp is unusually calm when John Hurt, a hit man,
comes to make him pay for squealing on his associates years ago. This
film apparently was very popular at Cannes, but it didn't quite come off,
for me. Good performances. 6
"Ghost Dance" - Another bizarre, semi-experimental British film about
a whole lot of things, but I'm not sure quite what they are. Interesting
photography. 2.5
"Eyes of Fire" - Independently made American horror/fantasy set in 1750
on the American wilderness. A group of outcasts settle in a haunted
valley, to their regret. Fine photography and imaginative effects
belie the apx $1 million budget. Less gory than most recent horror films.
6.5
"Science Fiction Omnibus" - Five short sf/fantasy films.
1). "The Plant" - concerns a plant that takes over a man's house. A one joke
film, but the joke's well told. 6
2). "Quest" - Saul Bass film based on an original Ray Bradbury story, which
is rather thin. Visually stunning, though. 7
3). "Renascence" - Repulsive film about nasty fellow who keeps killing and
reviving a girl. It's not often you actually hear a film booed. 1
4) "Strange Tangents" - Incompetent writing, directing, and especially
acting mars the splendid homemade special effects. Really a demo reel for
the latter. 4
5). "The Final Hour" - Ho hum sf film which would like to emulate "The
Twilight Zone" without a good story or director. 3
"Pessi and Illusia" - Finnish fairy tale which juxtiposes Scandinavian
fantasy creatures with modern war. Pretty and entertaining, but it
doesn't pack much of a punch. Some will find it treacly. 6
"Beauty and the Beast" - Danish film from Nils Malmros about a father who
disapproves of his teenaged daughter's new boyfriend, and overreacts.
Really fantastic insights into parental and filial love, and love in
general. Not as good as Malmros' "Tree of Knowledge", but still the
best new film I've seen this year. 9
"The Plague Dogs" - An animated version of a Richard Adam's novel, concerning
two dogs who escape from an experimental facility. Quite grim, particularly
for animation. The animation quality is fairly good, and the film doesn't
back off from the unpleasant moments. The basic economic limits of animation
and fundamental weaknesses in the story mar it. 6
"Ring of Power" - Animated fantasy/sf/rock and roll story. Background and
effect animation are good, but nothing else is very strong. Mick Jagger
may have grounds to sue over the appearance of the main villain. 5
"Firebird" - Korean film about the debilitating effects of superstition.
Professionally made, but I've seen this kind of thing before, done much better.
No firebirds anywhere in site in the film. 5
Where to see them: "The Company of Wolves", "The Hit", and "Eyes of Fire"
can be expected to get general releases in the next few months to half year.
"The Plague Dogs" will appear on HBO and videocassette, probably not in
theaters. "Ring of Power", "The Census Taker", and "Uforia" look like good
bets for short, limited releases, then cable TV. "Beauty and the Beast"
deserves, but may not get, the kind of release the best foreign films see.
("Tree of Knowledge" still hasn't been released. If you see it advertised
at a revival house, university, or film festival, do your best to see it.)
"Balkan Express", "Pessi and Illusia", and "Firebird" will probably be
almost impossible to find. I can't picture anyone wanting to release
"The Gold Diggers", "Ghost Dance", or "These Glory, Glory Days".
"Seventeen" looks like it might become a staple of revival houses; it also
might be shown at the art theaters in large cities.
I have posted more detailed reviews of those of the above films with
sf/fantasy tie-ins to net.sf-lovers. If you have any questions about any
of the films or want further information, send me mail.
Peter Reiher
reiher@ucla-cs.arpa
{ihnp4,ucb}!ucla-cs!reiher
--
Peter Reiher
reiher@ucla-cs.arpa
{ihnp4,ucb}!ucla-cs!reiher
"Is the baby smiling, or is it just gas? Which do you want it to be?"