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ONE MUST FALL (Dir: Antonio Pantoja, 2018).
ONE MUST FALL (Dir: Antonio Pantoja, 2018).
A low budget, independent horror-comedy, the feature length debut of writer/director Antonio Pantoja.
Unfairly dismissed from an office job by her creepy boss, single parent Sarah (Julie Streble) is forced to take a position as part of crime scene clean-up crew. When called to the site of a murder in abandoned warehouse, Sarah initially has concerns that the killer is still on the premises. Her fears are confirmed when, one by one, her colleagues start disappearing...
One Must Fall is quite gory but it is also very funny. For me, the funnies did go some way to offsetting the grizzlies, although there was the odd moment when I felt compelled to look away from the screen; notably during a clean-up sequence and in the excessively bloody and highly improbable but amusing conclusion.
Set in the 1980s, the era is reinforced by pop culture references such as vintage Pepsi cans, Walkmans and nods to Janet Jackson and ET. There is also a cheeky anachronistic reference to the Duffer Brothers blockbuster 1980s period Netflix series Stranger Things (2016 - present). Adding authenticity is a neat electronic soundtrack, which recalls John Carpenter's music for his iconic slasher movie Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978).
Director Antonio Pantoja is not afraid to indulge in horror clichés, sometimes ironically, but always effectively. In this he has crafted a loving tribute to the genre's legacy. It lacks the polish of a larger production, but this is no bad thing; the lack of studio sheen lends it an air of 80s slasher movie authenticity. The cast, all of whom were unfamiliar to me, make a game task at juggling the more horrific scenes with some moments of goofy humour. Julie Streble, in particular, is both sympathetic and believable as the kick-butt heroine.
With credible effects work and some genuine moments of tension One Must Fall should please ardent slasher aficionados. Ultimately, the black comedy aspect took the edge off of some of the nastiness and in the moments I wasn't averting my eyes from the screen, I was definitely entertained.
I was lucky enough to catch a screening of One Must Fall at Southend-on-Sea's Horror-on-Sea Festival 2020. It doesn't appear, as yet, to be widely available. If comedy-horror-slasher movies are your thing this is worth keeping an eye out for!
A longer, more in-depth review of ONE MUST FALL is available on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.
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IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (Jack Arnold, 1953).
Famous for their influential horror movies of the 1930, by the 1950s Universal Studios focus had shifted to a different kind of monster movie, informed by increasing fear of nuclear war and the threat of Communism. The template for these serious minded, paranoia soaked sci-fi features was set with the first and most influential of the series, It Came from Outer Space.
Amateur astronomer John Putnam (Richard Carlson) is the only witness to a spacecraft crash on the outskirts of the small desert town of Sand Rock, Arizona. When his fellow townsfolk start acting suspiciously he expects alien influence. Convincing his girl Ellen (Barbara Rush) and cynical local sheriff (Charles Drake), a posse is assembled to flush out the intruders. Certain that the intelligent aliens are benign and pose no threat, John must keep the angry mob at bay while essential repairs are made to the damaged craft. Failure to do so risks the life of his captured pals.
Based on an unpublished story by sci-fi maestro Ray Bradbury, It Came from Outer Space is, on the surface, a film about alien invasion. Yet, as with much of the sci-fi of its era, the movie serves as an analogy for the very real post-War fear of Communist infiltration.
Shot and originally exhibited in 3D, the movie is surprisingly light on things being lobbed at the screen, so works just fine when viewed flat. Clifford Stine's beautiful black and white cinematography perfectly captures the eerie isolation of the desert surrounds, giving the impression of a barren alien landscape.
Director Jack Arnold delivers an intelligent comment on the political and social mores of 1950's America; at its heart a plea for the acceptance of others. He elicits fine performances from a not exactly starry cast, as the drama unfolds with tension mounting pace, drenched in an innovative and influential theremin rich soundtrack.
If it seems a little cliched at time, this is only because it spawned so many imitations. In its own right It Came from Outer Space is a 50's monster masterpiece and a groundbreaking, original piece of popular cinema.
For a longer, more in-depth review of IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below:
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (Dir: Ernest B Schoedsack, 1949).
16 years after scoring a massive hit with fantasy epic King Kong (Merian C Cooper & Ernest B Schoedsack, 1933), RKO Radio Pictures resurrected the mega-ape genre with Mighty Joe Young. Returning are Kong producers and directors Ernest B Schoedsack and Merian C Cooper and star Robert Armstrong. However, this is not a sequel to King Kong and its follow-up Son of Kong (Ernest B Schoedsack, 1933).
Joe is a massive gorilla (not as big as Kong, but still pretty hefty) raised by young Jill Young (Terry Moore) in his African home since a baby. Persuaded by showman Max O’Hara (Robert Armstrong) and his buddy Gregg (Ben Johnson) to accompany them to the US, Max employs Jill and Joe as star attraction at his California nightclub. As is often the case with exhibiting giant gorillas (or, indeed, dinosaurs), things do not go to plan. Otherwise gentle Joe is taunted by drunks to the point where he wrecks the joint. With Joe subsequently imprisoned, Jill, Gregg and Max plot a daring rescue attempt to free the gorilla and return him to Africa.
Shot in black and white with dramatic use of colour filters, Mighty Joe Young is a visual treat. King Kong’s Willis O’Brien and assistant Ray Harryhausen handle the outstanding special effects which elaborate upon the techniques perfected in Kong. Joe is brought to life by beautiful stop motion animation and the interaction between him and his human counterparts is astonishing! A scene where Joe wrestles live action/animated lions is particularly impressive as is the dramatic climax in which Joe rescues children from a burning orphanage.
While it did not have the same impact as the original King Kong, Mighty Joe Young is an impressive movie in its own right with much to recommend it. It is undoubtedly more sentimental than Kong but it is still a thoroughly entertaining feature; well paced, with plenty of humour amidst the thrills and some of the most spectacular visual effects committed to celluloid. Fans of King Kong not familiar with Mighty Joe Young would do well to check out this fantasy classic!
Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME to read a longer, more in-depth review of Mighty Joe Young! Link below.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (Dir: J.J. Abrams, 2019).
I am writing this review assuming that anyone reading it will already know a little about the Star Wars universe. This latest movie The Rise of Skywalker is the final instalment of the nine movie strong (not including spin-offs) saga.
In this, Episode IX, the Resistance are, once again, up against the First Order. Rey, meanwhile has some serious soul searching to do and some pretty important decisions to make.
A bit more of a romp than the preceding two instalments, co-writer/director J.J. Abrams has fashioned a rollercoaster adventure that barely stops for breath. Its more poignant and emotional moments, of which there are many, are offset by the humour that was sadly missing in the prequels and by a general good natured atmosphere.
Special effects are, as you would expect, spectacular. There are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you on the edge of your seat, while longtime fans will appreciate the nods to previous movies including some welcome cameos of characters past.
Key to the movies enjoyment is the game playing of its likeable cast, most notably Oscar Isaacs’ Poe Dameron; his cheeky-chappie-Han-Solo-ish persona comes to the fore more here than in previous movies and for me, Isaacs is the real standout of the newer gang members. Perhaps as a consequence, Finn seems a little underwritten. While John Boyega has impressed in previous entries, here, through no fault of his own, is left with seemingly little to do. As Rey, Daisy Ridley spends much of the movie in a sort of heroic turmoil, but this she does excellently! While, over the course of three movies Adam Driver has pretty much perfected his mean and moody bit as bad’un Kylo Ren.
So we conclude the Star Wars nineology (or whatever) with a movie which, while perhaps not among the best of the series is still a mostly satisfying end to the franchise. Those fans who come to Star Wars first and foremost to be entertained should not be disappointed.
Visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME for a longer, more in-depth review of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker! Link below.
DR GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE (Dir: Norman Taurog, 1965).
A kooky 1960s teen-comedy-cum-spy-spoof from Hollywood’s greatest purveyors of exploitation, American International Pictures (AIP).
The titular Dr Goldfoot (Vincent Price) has invented a machine for turning out lethal bikini clad robots with which he plans to ensnare the world's wealthiest men, acquire their assets and bump them off, eventually seeking world domination. Stumbling upon the plan are bumbling undercover agent Craig Gamble (Frankie Avalon) and playboy Todd Armstrong (Dwayne Hickman), both unwittingly smitten with humanoid Diane (Susan Hart). The pair face some Edgar Allen Poe worthy tortures as they attempt to infiltrate Goldfoot's lair and bust up his operation.
While not an official entry in AIP's Beach Party series, the movie is something of an offshoot of, or cousin to, the beach movies; taking its cues from both the beach and Bond.
In a non-singing role the talented Frankie Avalon gives the impression of being a much better actor than Hollywood allowed. As his partner in crime-busting Dwayne Hickman, while lacking Frankie’s charisma, makes for a perfectly amiable leading man. The magnificent Vincent Price, meanwhile, happily leaves subtlety in his dressing room and hams it up a treat as the infamous Dr G.
It’s all very silly and the humour is very broad and incredibly juvenile. Yet, despite what its title may suggest, it’s all pretty innocent stuff. No movie entitled Dr Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine was ever going to be a plea for feminism but neither is it as rampant with outdated sexism as you might expect. Director Norman Taurog keeps things moving at a rapid pace, with enough whimsical humour and general good vibes as to make it entertaining eye candy, if little else.
At time when increasing civil unrest and the Vietnam War were encroaching on teenagers real lives, it is easy to see why escapist fluff such as this was popular. It is a fun time capsule of a more innocent era - at least in teen movies. Fans of beach movies, Bond and 1960s kitsch should find much to enjoy.
For a longer, more in-depth review of DR GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI MACHINE visit my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.
MIDWAY (Dir: Roland Emmerich, 2019).
The events of this true life WWII campaign were previously filmed as the similarly titled Midway aka Battle of Midway (Jack Smight, 1976). Not having seen the earlier account, I will not make comparisons between the two movies.
Midway begins with the events surrounding the attack on Pearl Harbor and chronicle the subsequent naval battle of the Pacific. Best known for directing big budget sci-fi blockbusters Stargate (1994) and Independence Day (1996), Roland Emmerich may seem an unlikely choice to helm a serious wartime drama. Midway, however, was pet project for Emmerich, one that he has fought to bring to the screen for many years.
Thankfully he tells the story straight. Certainly the special effects spectacle one expects from Emmerich is here to, as are the breathtaking action sequences. Yet these scenes are broken by the necessary detailing of the campaign. This pacing allows the action to breath and helps the movie be more than just an exercise in visual effects.
A fairly star-studded line-up was assembled for the movie, including Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid and Mandy Moore. As is often the case with these kind of movies, the actors are somewhat overshadowed by the spectacle. Although in fairness, the quality cast give solid performances throughout.
Midway is a decent movie, although one that, perhaps, brings nothing new to the war movie genre. A sense of the familiar is not necessarily a bad thing in a period movie but it’s underperformance at the box office suggests that old fashioned WWII features are a difficult sell to modern moviegoers, even with the presence of a Jonas Brother! That said, I did enjoy it. It is a worthy story, told in an impressively mounted and entertaining manner. If you want to watch it, it is worth catching it on the big screen where its spectacle can be fully appreciated.
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