Futureworld.

Review #1170: Futureworld.

Cast: 
Peter Fonda (Chuck Browning), Blythe Danner (Tracy Ballard), Arthur Hill (Dr. Duffy), Yul Brynner (The Gunslinger), John Ryan (Dr. Morton Schneider), Stuart Margolin (Harry Croft), James M. Connor (Clark the robot), Allen Ludden (Game show host), and Robert Cornthwaite (Mr. Reed) Directed by Richard T. Heffron.

Review: 
Westworld (1973) was a fine and enjoyable experience, having a fine cast alongside an interesting premise and execution that has quite a bit of fun with thrilling elements alongside sci-fi and western aspects. Paul N. Lazarus III, producer of the previous film, returned to help produce alongside James T. Aubrey while having financing from American International Pictures. Michael Crichton did not have any direct involvement in this film, with the task of writing the film going to Mayo Simon and George Schenck, with the former having experience in writing films such as Marooned (1969). In any case, the only person to return for the sequel is Brynner, making his penultimate film appearance. Perhaps it is his appearance that helps best describe the whole film experience: embarrassing and not having much point, as he appears in a dream sequence midway through the movie, where he at one point twirls a character around with a scarf after saving her from some nameless villains. The rest of the film is pretty bland and ultimately serves as a disappointment in part because it never really kicks itself into high gear in terms of story or acting. The fact that the corporation in the film spent over a billion dollars in safety to re-open the park is probably the only real surprise, since I would have assumed they would have been sued out of existence, what with the whole thing about the robots malfunctioning and killing people in the park. I suppose a little bit of polish (along with having a control center with all robots) and a bit of good PR will help fix everything - and that is where Fonda and Danner come into the picture. It's amazing how two characters (one being the skeptic and the other being less cynical) who seem to fit right into a conspiracy thriller film are played so blandly; they also having the added downside of having little to no chemistry with each other, and they aren't too interesting to follow along with. Hill is okay, but the film doesn't really have any real sort of villainous presence, and the lack of any real tension makes this for a bland experience. The film has some notable effects at times, notably for the use of 3D computer-generated imagery (CGI), being the first major feature to do so, with the effects being an animated hand and face. Clips from the short film A Computer Animated Hand (1972) were used, which is an early example of computer animation that was directed by Edwin Catmull and Fred Parke, with the former later co-founding Pixar. By the time the film reveals its card involving the nefarious scheme by the people running the park, it already feels like it should have been revealed sooner, and it doesn't really have too much impact. I really thought there would be a bit more to the fact that robots run the park, but you really get more interest in Margolin and his robot buddy in the time they get on screen. The climax comes and goes without any big punches or surprises, with an ending that doesn't feel too particularly satisfactory (unless you like someone running away from the park after giving a scientist one particular gesture). Ultimately, Futureworld manages to come off as a chore to sit through at times, not having any real suspense or spectacle aside from a few interesting effects that make for a movie that just doesn't have what it takes to make for good entertainment, being a middle-of-the-road kind of feature.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Westworld.

Review #988: Westworld.

Cast: 
Yul Brynner (The Gunslinger), Richard Benjamin (Peter Martin), James Brolin (John Blane), Norman Bartold (the Medieval Knight), Alan Oppenheimer (the Chief Supervisor), Victoria Shaw (the Medieval Queen), Dick Van Patten (the Banker), Linda Scott (Arlette), Steve Franken (Technician), Michael Mikler (Black Knight), Terry Wilson (Sheriff), and Majel Barrett (Miss Carrie) Directed by Michael Crichton.

Review: 
Westworld is certainly an interesting film, in part because of how clever it feels in terms of its construction of plot and style. It's interesting how it can be classified as a "science fiction Western thriller", but it is even more interesting that this was the directorial debut of Michael Crichton, a novelist who prior to this film had four of his novels adapted into films (most notably The Andromeda Strain), while also directing a television film (Pursuit) and writing for another film (Extreme Close-Up). In any case, this is a fun movie that establishes an interesting premise and atmosphere while not bogging itself down with its characters. It's easy to immerse in the fantasies that the character go through in part because of how familiar they seem (namely the shoot-out in the saloon or the sword fight in the hall), but they are being played out in a world all about reenacting things like the Old West or medieval Europe or even Rome. The film is not merely "robots gone amok", feeling like a fable about the danger of corporate greed, but in any case the film still feels pretty relevant today.

Benjamin and Brolin are certainly an interesting pair of protagonists, partly because of how much charisma they give off despite not much being revealed about their characters (aside from one brief conversation); one of my favorite scenes is them being involved in a brawl, in part because you can see the amount of fun they seem to have (even at something like fighting), prior to the climax. Oddly, one other favorite scene of mine doesn't involve the main cast; it is the opening scene, advertising the park (named Delos), complete with a showcase of satisfied customers. Perhaps it's their enthusiasm over what they experienced from the world they visited, but it certainly helps establish the film's credibility without needless exposition. Brynner does a fine job that serves as the highlight of the film, certainly making for a good foe for both the world he inhibits along with in the climax (especially with those piercing eyes), with the look of the Gunslinger being similar to the character that he played in The Magnificent Seven (#427). It was the first film to use digital image processing, done so in order to simulate the Gunslinger's point of view, which was done by pixellated photography by John Whitney, Jr, and Gary Demos at Information International, Inc). I think the view ages pretty well for what it is used for, and the effects with the robots are also certainly quite effective. It's interesting to note how the run-time is 88 minutes, because the film certainly never feels lacking in any kind of quality. A follow up called Futureworld would be released three years later, and there have been two television shows broadcast (Beyond Westworld and Westworld, with the latter premiering in 2016). This is an enjoyable film that certainly lends itself to enjoyment even after over four decades since its release.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Magnificent Seven (1960).

Review #427: The Magnificent Seven.

Cast
Yul Brynner (Chris Adams), Eli Wallach (Calvera), Steve McQueen (Vin), Horst Buchholz (Chico), Charles Bronson (Bernardo O'Reilly), Robert Vaughn (Lee), James Coburn (Britt), Brad Dexter (Harry Luck), Vladimir Sokoloff (The Old Man), Jorge Martínez de Hoyos (Hilario), and Rosenda Monteros (Petra) Directed by John Sturges.

Review
The Magnificent Seven is a western style remake of the 1954 film Seven Samurai, which was directed by Akira Kurosawa, a legendary director who had directed 30 films in over 50 years of work. As for this film, the rights were bought for Seven Samurai, and Sturges was brought in to direct, with filming occurring in Mexico, and Elmer Bernstein composing the music score. As for my opinion on the film, it's a well made production. Brynner is effective, doing a fine job in one of the main roles. Eli Wallach is an effective villain, and when he and his bandits meet the Seven about an hour in, the scene is tense, but effective. But Steve McQueen nearly steals the show and while he does have too many lines, he is memorable in his role. The rest of the actors do very well, such as Charles Bronson, but especially James Coburn, who may not say much, but keeps a stone cold image that works well. The scenery is effective, given the tone of the film. This film is entertaining, with good directing by Sturges, and the music score by Elmer Bernstein is one of the best music scores made for film. It's a bittersweet film, and it is an excellent western.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.