The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

Review #1843: The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

Cast: 

Jeff Goldblum (Dr. Ian Malcolm), Julianne Moore (Dr. Sarah Harding), Pete Postlethwaite (Roland Tembo), Arliss Howard (Peter Ludlow), Richard Attenborough (Dr. John Hammond), Vince Vaughn (Nick Van Owen), Vanessa Lee Chester (Kelly Curtis), Peter Stormare (Dieter Stark), Harvey Jason (Ajay Sidhu), Richard Schiff (Eddie Carr), and Thomas F. Duffy (Dr. Robert Burke) Directed by Steven Spielberg (#126 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, #168 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, #169 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, #170 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, #302 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, #351 - Schindler's List, #480 - Jaws, #563 - The Sugarland Express, #573 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, #642 - Jurassic Park, #958 - Always, #1068 - Ready Player One, #1305 - Catch Me If You Can, #1478 - The Color Purple, #1520 - Saving Private Ryan, and #1528 - A.I. Artificial Intelligence, #1560 - The Adventures of Tintin)

Review: 

"I beat myself up... growing more and more impatient with myself... It made me wistful about doing a talking picture, because sometimes I got the feeling I was just making this big silent-roar movie... I found myself saying, 'Is that all there is? It's not enough for me."

If one remembers correctly, Jurassic Park as both novel and film was major success. The book, published in 1990, was the seventeenth novel written by Michael Crichton, who also tried his hand at directing and writing films from time to time (most notably with Westworld (1973). He had developed the novel for a number of years from a graduate student recreating a dinosaur to wildlife park of extinct animals because of the expense of genetic research. Crichton, who had first met Spielberg when the latter was tasked to show him around the lot of Universal Studios in the late 1970s, would be the director for the film adaptation (at the time, it was the seventh adaptation of a Crichton novel), as Crichton told Spielberg about the novel a year before its publication. When it came time for the film adaptation, Crichton slimmed down the large contents of the novel to about a fraction for the script that he wrote for the film (with later writing by David Koepp). The book was such a success that fans asked Crichton to develop a sequel, which only ramped up with the success of the film. The Lost World (named after the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel of the same name) was released one year later by Crichton, and development for a film adaptation started not long after by Spielberg (Crichton did not have involvement with this or any other Jurassic Park movies). The plot between the book and film differs in some ways, as a cursory view of the summary states that the book features the character of Ian Malcolm going a rescue mission to retrieve a paleontologist in "Site B" with five others (that includes two stowaway children as research assistants), as opposed to being a reluctant participant to retrieve his significant other already on the island there to "document the dinosaurs" (the film Hammond is considerably different from the book anyway). It was the only sequel book that Crichton ever wrote, although it did not stop the eventual development of a third Jurassic Park film, which was released in 2001 with ideas and characters from the first novel incorporated into it. 

Technology is a curious thing, with Crichton once describing it as a "manifestation of how we think." Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Phil Tippett and Michael Lantieri had won Academy Awards for their work in visual effects for the first film, and all but Tippett returned to provide effects. Koepp would also write the screenplay for this film, which he did by himself. Adventures are really, really tough to do again and again. Hell, one should have seen this coming because of how it went for Spielberg the first time he did a sequel to one of his films: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). Think about it: both movies are darker than the original film while also having different cast members with the exception of one (no, Attenborough being there doesn't count since he basically cameos for two scenes). Spielberg himself felt that the reason sequels like the one he made here weren't as good was because of his overconfidence (where one feels since the original did so well, this would be a slam dunk), for which he decided to take his hands off ever doing another Jurassic Park film; at the last minute, he decided to change the ending to include a dinosaur rampage on San Diego, which he planned to save for a third film before realizing he would probably not do a third film. Of course, we are dealing with a movie that has characters that know they are going to an island of dinosaurs, so that also changes the tone a bit for a film long at 129 minutes that features "hunters and gatherers". Technically, it does excel well as a monster movie, since it rolls along with the cliches and execution of a horror movie, complete with characters that have the intelligence size of some random guy you see on the street trying to juggle blindfolded while crossing the street; in other words, it has the thought process of a B-movie that should know a bit better. At least one knows what they are getting into early, since the first scene features a little girl stumbling onto chicken-sized dinosaurs that like the taste of meat that attack her (off-screen). I didn't hate the movie, because I certainly tolerated the long and winding road (read: a road one inch thick) in trying to make adventure that at least gets to a fraction of The Lost World (1925), which it does after dawdling for a time. It's a nice-looking movie with a jagged edge of humor for setting up terror at times, but being an average Spielberg movie is probably more disappointing to view than just watching an average B-movie. 

The strangest thing is that the most interesting actor in the film is one who doesn't even show up for the beginning or its climax: Postlethwaite is the most convincing of the group because one really does believe he is just a guy who wants to be on an island with dinosaurs for the ultimate hunt, one with the most dignity and conviction without becoming a complete caricature in long-winded speeches, which means one kind of would have rather had him as a focus or at least stay a bit into the climax rather than shuttling off (hey, a movie about people trying to get their kicks by hunting dinosaurs can't be that silly). Don't get me wrong, Goldblum is an adequate lead, one who retains his cynicism from before that is interesting before he gets pegged into less chaotic fare with Moore and Chester that makes him not exactly as compelling to view from before, if only because he seems more seeped into the labeling crowd; in other words, he has become a bit ordinary. Moore can only go as far as the script goes with a character that seems scribbled together with minimal things to really do besides making one wonder why the "gatherer" characters seem less suitable than the "hunter" characters to root for. Vaughn is okay here, but the fact that the film helped gain him a bit more exposure on a path to more interesting projects is at least somewhat comforting. Honestly, it is surprising that Chester is the one "kid character" here, because the two kids from the original (Joseph Mazzello and Ariana Richards) appear in a cameo that seems to remind me that their adolescent story worked far better than sequences with Chester and Goldblum trying to play (family) house, which seems corny more than anything. Howard homes in the arrogance expected of the role with decent edge, but the only real selling point is obvious: seeing someone get their just desserts, because heaven knows he might be the only prominent cast member to face true danger. It might be a darker movie than the first film, but it doesn't quite capture much of the same magic that came before it, with its monster mash chase sequences only pushing the film barely over the finish line beyond just being a really expensive B-movie that has to fill some obligations. I did like what I saw from the San Diego scene at the end, even if it was more inevitable in execution more than anything. As a whole, if one wants a few nice effects and an okay story, this would be just fine in the cornucopia of movies that only reach its grasp 70% of the time, which is still better than reaching it only 60% of the time. As a movie that is now 25 years old, perhaps it will age gracefully for the curious who seek it.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Great Escape.

Review #1412: The Great Escape.

Cast: 
Steve McQueen (Captain Virgil Hilts), James Garner (Flight Lieutenant Robert Hendley), Richard Attenborough (Squadron Leader Roger Bartlett), Charles Bronson (Flight Lieutenant Danny Velinski), James Donald (Group Captain Ramsey), Donald Pleasence (Flight Lieutenant Colin Blythe), James Coburn (Flying Officer Louis Sedgwick), Hannes Messemer (Oberst von Luger), David McCallum (Lieutenant-Commander Eric Ashley-Pitt), Gordon Jackson (Flight Lieutenant Andrew MacDonald), John Leyton (Flight Lieutenant William "Willie" Dickes), Angus Lennie (Flying Officer Archibald "Archie" Ives), Nigel Stock (Flight Lieutenant Dennis Cavendish), Robert Graf (Werner), and Jud Taylor (Second Lieutenant Goff) Directed by John Sturges (#427 - The Magnificent Seven and #1395 - Gunfight at the O.K. Corral)

Review: 
"He had great faith in the actor. He would storyboard everything. He never talked to me about character or about anything. What was in the script was what was shot; what was on the storyboard was the way it was shot."

You can't get much bigger in escapism in entertainment with war dramas like The Great Escape. It has certainly left a mark on popular culture with all of the homages that have been done in the near six decades since the film's release. It was loosely based on the 1944 mass escape of POWs from the German prison camp Stalag Luft III, which Paul Brickhill (who was in the camp but not allowed to be part of the escape due to claustrophobia) wrote an account of in 1950. NBC subsequently adapted it into a live drama episode of The Philco Television Playhouse the following year. Sturges had been interested in the book immediately after reading it, describing it as "the perfect embodiment of why our side won", a presentation of people from different countries with their own makeup that found a way to defeat the Germans with their own organization. It took a few years for Sturges to find producers interested in doing the film (with his attempts at selling it to MGM failing due to a lack of interest in material that would have a downbeat ending), but eventually he found interest with The Mirisch Company (comprised of three brothers in Walter, Marvin, Harold), who produced numerous hits in the late 1950s and 1960s such as Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Magnificent Seven (1960).

The film started production without a fully completed script. Obviously there are differences between the real-life account of the escape and the film, with requests to omit details about help from home countries of ex-prisoners of war about tools in gift packages being a noted example, with another being in making composites based on real people for the characters of the film (the number of escapees however is the same as the events in 1944 with three, which also includes the details of how they successfully made it home). Although James Clavell and W.R. Burnett are credited with writing the screenplay, numerous revisions were made throughout production (with Walter Newman asking to not have his name credited due to disputes with Sturges, which also occurred a few years prior with The Magnificent Seven). Even showing the daily rushes after a few weeks of filming didn't help much, since McQueen (who had made a request accepted by Sturges to feature him in an extended motorcycle chase) felt his character was underdeveloped. It mattered especially for McQueen, who had made a name for himself over the past few years after starting his career in 1953 that gradually led to starring roles like The Blob (1958) and Wanted Dead or Alive (1958–1961), and this sealed his reputation as a "King of Cool". Interestingly, he wanted his character to be the hero without doing anything overtly heroic that contradicted his detached demeanor.

The movie runs at 172 minutes with gradual pacing that builds its group of capable characters with fair precision that builds and builds towards its escape without becoming suffocated in any sort of way. There is plenty of starpower to see here, particularly since over half of them had at least some war experience (such as Bronson, who was also claustrophobic as his character, owing to working in coal mines as a child) and some even had experiences in a POW camp, such as Pleasance, who even produced and acted in plays for the entertainment of his fellow captives. Each of the main group excels in their own way, drawing presence and charm that inspires tension for what goes on. McQueen, whose screen-time increases as the film goes on, proves tremendous as a sardonic and charming presence, highlighted by the film's most celebrated sequence - a motorcycle chase over the countryside and one quick jump over a fence (done by McQueen's friend Bud Ekins) that is dazzling. At helm for the buildup to the escape is a talented collection of international presences such as TV star-turned star Garner and his honest resourcefulness or British star-director Attenborough and his steely commanding resolve or Bronson's resolved ambiguity or Pleasance's well-mannered dignity. Accompanying them with their own concentrated time is a reasoned Donald, a charming Coburn, and a resourceful Messemer and McCallum. There are plenty of interesting moments to highlight, such as a sequence involving homemade moonshine on the 4th of July (complete with drums), or its riveting sequence in the countryside with a view on various escapees trying to pull through by train, motorcycle and even planes that make its ultimate ending just as resounding. All of this makes for a capable entertaining film that invites one into adventure with plenty of interesting presences and intricate designs that stand as a classic to see at least once.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

A Matter of Life and Death.

Review #1367: A Matter of Life and Death.

Cast:
David Niven (Peter Carter), Kim Hunter (June), Roger Livesey (Dr. Frank Reeves), Raymond Massey (Abraham Farlan), Marius Goring (Conductor 71), Kathleen Byron (Angel), Joan Maude (Chief Recorder), Robert Coote (Bob Trubshawe), Robert Atkins (the Vicar), Abraham Sofaer (the Judge), Richard Attenborough (English Pilot), and Bonar Colleano (American Pilot) Written, Produced, and Directed by Michael Powell (#400 - The Thief of Bagdad) and Emeric Pressburger.

Review:
Sometimes it takes two to make a film go right. Whether it is a collaboration between a producer and a director or a star and director, the best films are the ones that make every aspect work cohesively. Powell and Pressburger are certainly one of the most notable film partnerships in history, and for good reason. The British-born Powell had come from studio hand to title-writer to director in six years, with his debut being Two Crowded Hours (1931) that were followed by quote quickies before a notable success with The Edge of the World (1937). After a few years of directing films, he was hired by Alexander Korda on a contract, and he was soon brought in to do The Spy in Black (1939), where he first met Pressburger, who wrote the screenplay. Pressburger (born in Austria-Hungary) had gone from journalism to screenwriting, starting in Germany and France before leaving for England in 1935 after the Nazis came to power. Pressburger found his footing with fellow Hungarian filmmakers such as Korda and his studio London Films. Powell and Pressburger would ultimately do 24 films together from 1939 to 1972, with most of the films being released under their production company of The Archers, which lasted from 1943 to 1957, with notable films being 49th Parallel (1941, earning Pressburger an Academy Award for Best Story), Black Narcissus (1947), and The Red Shoes (1948).

Undeniably, this is a highlight for 1946, one that prevails in charm through a wonderfully assembled cast that has a sharp script and plenty of visual imagination to go along with it. The most notable effects of the film is the usage of black-and-white for scenes in the Other World, accomplished through not adding color to the print that were filmed in three-strip Technicolor. Of course the other notable effect of the film (released in America as Stairway to Heaven) that dazzles the imagination is a huge escalator, which had 106 stops that were 20 feet wide each and had hanging miniatures to help achieve the final effect. One will find themselves in awe most of the time when it comes to what the film aspires to do with its wit, one that is readily active in stoking emotion and curiosity in both worlds to where you never really want to see it ends. At the command in the film is Niven, wrapped with charisma as the finest everyman one could ever hope for, particularly when it comes to chemistry with Hunter, who is equally as enjoyable when it comes to exuding grace. Livesey provides charm as well, a capable hand of reason that stands at his tallest when it comes to the trial sequence, where he holds his own with the dignified Massey. Goring provides levity in his moments on screen, with the easiest one to highlight being when he appears to Niven after his friends' tennis match is frozen (which in it of itself is quite clever). There exists numerous highlights one can talk about when it comes to the film (in distinct colors, no less), from the capable choreography by Jack Cardiff to the court sequence with its massive set (composed of a 350ft x 40ft high blackcloth) that strikes at the heart with sentiment and a poignant ending that makes it one of the worthiest 104 minutes one could spend with imagination that can amaze any crowd, young or old. It is a film that strikes tenderly in a way that endures after over seven decades because of how much it dazzles with heart that works as well with postwar audiences as it does today, where one could really believe that love can be the strongest thing in our world. It's an easy film to recommend, a gem for Powell and Pressburger that stands with triumph now more than ever.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Jurassic Park.

Review #642: Jurassic Park.

Cast
Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant), Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler), Jeff Goldblum (Dr. Ian Malcolm), Richard Attenborough (John Hammond), Ariana Richards (Alexis Murphy), Joseph Mazzello (Tim Murphy), Bob Peck (Robert Muldoon), Martin Ferrero (Donald Gennaro), Wayne Knight (Dennis Nedry), and Samuel L. Jackson (Ray Arnold) Directed by Steven Spielburg (#126 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, #168 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, #169 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, #170 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, #302 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, #351 - Schindler's List, #480 - Jaws, #563 - The Sugarland Express, and #573 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial)

Review
Jurassic Park is probably one of the most defining movies of the 1990s, and the special effects are the forefront of why this movie is what it is, which is awesome. The effects for the movie are so fantastic to look at, it has managed to not look dated after over 20 years, but it really comes down to the fact that the effects just look great. And yes, computer generated imagery can look good for a film, provided that it doesn't get abused and is used effectively, which this film does (of course it helps that they also used life sized animatronics). The film itself is also pretty good. While the effects may sometimes overshadow the story, it does actually have its moments of scares, making for a decent thriller. I especially like the kitchen scene near the end, it makes for a good way to end the movie, The characters are at least enjoyable, each having at least one memorable scene, especially Neill and Goldblum (Life does indeed find a way). For some reason, it is refreshing to see Wayne Knight (Hello, Newman) in this movie. I guess it's because he is probably the best person to portray a smarmy character and yet still be funny. The science behind the movie is probably questionable (So...flies can just suck blood from a dinosaur and then just happen to get stuck in amber and later just happen to be found preserved millions of years later? The exposition explaining this is actually nifty though.), but the movie manages to shine over it with some fun action and excellent special effects. Take the movie for what it is, and it is one pile of fun.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Doctor Dolittle.

Review #460: Doctor Dolittle.

Cast

Rex Harrison (Doctor John Dolittle), Samantha Eggar (Emma Fairfax), Anthony Newley (Matthew Mugg), Richard Attenborough (Albert Blossom), Peter Bull (General Bellowes), Muriel Landers (Mrs. Blossom), William Dix (Tommy Stubbins), Ginny Tyler (Polynesia) and Geoffrey Holder (William Shakespeare X) Directed by Richard Fleischer.

Review

Even though this is meant to be a horror based month, I decided to add this relic, due to it fulfilling the horror part...because it certainly is horror-ible. I'd mention the book that this was adapted from, but I have never, not once ever found Doctor Dolittle on a book shelf, so that renders my mention moot. The production troubles are certainly interesting, what with a bloated budget, combined with troubles with Harrison and other various such things. Unfortunately, the film itself isn't good. The actors are okay, but the main problem is the failed attempt at making a whimsical setting. Instead of being amazed at the effects (or not), I just kept hoping the actors weren't going to sing another song, since apparently there are 14 songs in the whole film. The film drags at nearly 2 and a half hours long, and combined with the boredom of the sets, makes for a sleep-binding experience. Then...there's the Giant Pink Sea Snail. My goodness, it looks bad, and combined with my irrational hatred of snails, makes for either a truly laughable showcase or...sleep. Honestly though, if I could talk to my birds, I'd ask why they chirp so much, but I guess Dolittle has better things to do, such as...singing. But I do wonder if that remake made (obviously) in the 90's is any better, but oh well. There are films that sound better to watch than this, like the next one coming up, a little film called Carnival of Souls. Tune in next time.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars. 

Movie Night: Miracle on 34th Street (1994).

Review #314: Miracle on 34th Street (1994).

Cast
Richard Attenborough (Kris Kringle), Elizabeth Perkins (Dorey Walker), Dylan McDermott (Bryan Bedford), Mara Wilson (Susan Walker), J. T. Walsh (Ed Collins), Simon Jones (Donald Shellhammer), James Remar (Jack Duff), Jane Leeves (Alberta Leonard), and Robert Prosky (Henry Harper) Directed by Les Mayfield.

Review

I wonder if there's a rule. A rule that if a film is from the 30's to even the 90's, it automatically gets remade entirely, even if there was nothing wrong with the original. I wonder who wrote this? Some no-John Hughes? The track record with him varies (In the six I've reviewed with him involved in some way with three directed (also written) by him and three written by him.), from fun to slightly too far. This sounds like one of those films people make when either they are bored or think "We need a new touch on a story that's been made for television and even a musical, no one will complain!", but is this really bad? Have I rambled on way too much? (Maybe) In some ways it looks different, but no exactly for the best. But what about Santa? Attenborough is allright, but I just can't stop thinking of comparing him with Gwenn's Santa. The other parts of the main cast (Originally played by Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, and Natalie Wood) are...okay. Wilson and McDermott do a reasonable job together though, kind of like with Payne and Wood in the original. This film decides to take a different approach with the ending, and it is one of those love it or groan it moments. For me, it's mild groan. It just feels out of place. While this film is not a horrible remake, it is keeps making you ask the same question: Why did this need to be made? But that happens for some remakes as well.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.