Invisible Invaders -- Edward L. Cahn
George Romero rightfully gets credit for being the father of the modern zombie movie (as opposed to Voodoo zombies). I can't help but think that Invisible Invaders held some inspiration for him. Romero was 19 at the time of its release, a perfect age to notice a good concept in an imperfect movie and log it away for later use.
Invisible Invaders is about an invisible alien force who plan on taking over the world. Initially, one of these aliens inhabits a recently deceased corpse (played by the always awesome John Carradine) to communicate to one prominent scientist that he must spread the word of the impending invasion or face annihilation. This makes some sense as the alien as some visual aids and, being invisible, it would be hard to get the scientist's attention. But for whatever reason, the invading force keeps taking up residence in dead individuals and wandering the earth looking for humans (even more perplexing is why they stumble around mindlessly when the John Carradine alien was not only eloquent, but well-coordinated). If an invading force is going to attack, why give up your greatest asset? It allows our heroes to capture one and eventually figure out how to kill them and shows them where they are.
Invisible Invaders is a pretty poor entry in the nuclear horror genre, but it holds several elements for what would become Night of the Living Dead (a quick google search of "George Romero" and "Invisible Invaders" shows I'm not the only one who thinks this), so I won't knock it too hard.
Showing posts with label george a. romero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label george a. romero. Show all posts
Monday, October 28, 2013
Monday, January 10, 2011
My Week in Netflix
I'm going to test this out for a few weeks to see how it goes. It's not like I need to write about movies more and I've already got Weekly Film Rec/Wreck where some of the movies I write about here may pop up, but the fact is, most films fall in between. I'm not going to do big write-ups or even post trailers (unless I find that useful). I just happen to watch a lot of movies during the week and thought it might be fun to track them. And even though I've complained about Netflix a lot, I'm all talk it seems and am starting a feature around having it (and I didn't cut my subscription back, either). So off with the first My Week in Netflix!
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Young Sherlock Holmes is basically an origin story. Sherlock meets and befriends Watson (and another important figure in his life to come) and they have their first case together tracking down the cause of several mysterious deaths. The 1980's were big on adventures featuring children: The Monster Squad, The Goonies, Explorers, just to name a few. I'm of the mindset that The Goonies is typically the least of these films and Young Sherlock Holmes fits under The Monster Squad (the absolute best). It's fun and features everything we love about the character (even if the events that lead to him getting his trademark hat and pipe seem shoehorned in). It's directed by Barry Levinson and written by Chris Columbus, the latter striking me as more than a little bizarre, though there is a distinctly Harry Potter feel to it, so maybe his work on that franchise makes sense after all. And definitely watch through the end credits.
Waxwork 2: Lost in Time (1992)
I used Young Sherlock Holmes as an excuse to watch Waxwork 2 (the first of which will be getting Film Rec treatment) because Sophie Ward plays roles in each. Waxwork 2 also features an amazing performance (aren't the all?) by acting god, Bruce Campbell. The film picks off right where the first ends and is somehow even more bizarre. The two don't really make sense with each other, but this one is basically an excuse to parody different genres and films (The Haunting, Invasion of the Body Snatcher, Alien, among many others). Zach Galligan (Gremlins) reprises his role, but unfortunately Deborah Foreman doesn't. It's an immensely silly movie, but fun, especially The Haunting parody with Bruce Campbell. Don't see this without watching Waxwork (which is awesome) first. There is this amazing music video under the end credits, though.
Tideland (2005)
The critical response to Tideland was astoundingly negative. I don't think it's nearly as bad as that. The visuals alone are pretty amazing. It's not exactly a pleasant film though. There's lots of disturbing imagery and people are frequently shot in unpleasant wide angle lens close-ups. Gilliam's DVD intro is also a little off-putting. It's true, critics generally missed the point of the film, but there's no need to insult the intelligence of everyone watching. Still, you have to admire Gilliam. It's better to fail doing your own thing than to compromise your vision for "mass appeal." This is definitely not introductory Gilliam, though. Incidentally, star Jodelle Ferland (who is quite good) has had quite a career for a 16-year old.
Wendy and Lucy (2008)
I already expressed my feelings about this film.
World Trade Center (2006)
I never really had much interest in watching this film. I thought it would just make me sad and didn't know what new it could tell me (and until recently, I didn't care much for Nic Cage), but Josh Becker (who seemingly hates every new movie) said he enjoyed it on his Ask the Director page, so I thought I'd give it a chance. I could have done without the emotions of the family stuff because that falls under the "what new are you telling me" topic, but the scenes of the PAPD getting prepared to help, the buildings collapsing, and subsequently getting trapped are incredibly well done. One kind of expects director Oliver Stone to be a bit too blunt with the subject, but it's all handles very elegantly. The viewer really understands the confusion and fear these men must have felt.
Frozen (2010)
I unequivocally love Adam Green's Hatchet. It's everything a slasher movie should be. So I was pretty excited for Frozen. I'm not sure why, since Green's other films I've seen, Spiral, was mediocre at best. Frozen essentially falls directly in-between those films. Three friends get trapped on a ski lift after the mountain is closed down until the next weekend. It's one of the movies where you watch the characters and can't help but comment on how stupid they are being. There's a lot to like and the tension is high, but there is just as much that feels contrived. Still, it's a pretty effective film using only one location.
Zelig (1983)
Woody Allen can take his place along side Godard and one other filmmaker on this list of highly regarded directors whose films I just don't care for. I'm not giving up hope on any of them, but nothing has struck me yet. I do like Allen when he's wackier (Sleeper, Bananas), but Zelig was simply short of laughs. It's a mockumentary about a man who shapeshifts to match his company (black man, fat men, Chinese men, doctors, Nazis, etc). It sounds like a great concept, but I feel it's ultimately hurt by the documentary format.
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
I love John Cassevetes as an actor. As a director, he gets some amazing performances out of his repertory. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is no different. Ben Gazzara is astounding. I had high hopes for this film because multiple friends told me how great it is. While this is my favorite Cassevetes film so far, Cassevetes the director is the third filmmaker I just don't care for. I'm not a huge fan of intense personal dramas (psychoanalyze as you will) and his films have this deliberate pace that I simply don't have the patience for. They also tend on the long side (which is why I didn't even attempt to make it through all of Opening Night). I fully acknowledge the man is doing something different. That thing just isn't for me (my former professor would roll over in his grave, were he dead, should he ever read this)
The Crazies (2010)
In my Romero piece, I stated that I'd probably never see this film. Well, thanks to the recommendation of my former roommate, I did. I'm glad he changed my mind. The remake goes its own way and better yet, isn't overly flashy the way the Dawn of the Dead remake is. The characters are strong and it doesn't veer far from believability. Best of all, it doesn't rely on cheap scares. It's legitimately tense. It may not be better than the original, but it gives one hope that all remakes aren't just a quick cash in on a name property (then again, the original The Crazies is hardly well-known).
The Hawk Is Dying (2006)
My interest in this film stems from a time when I was really into Paul Giamatti. That time has since past and my interest waned. When The Hawk Is Dying showed up at my house, my enthusiasm was pretty low. I watched it anyway and it's exactly what I thought it would be: a story of a depressed man (Giamatti's niche) and the world shitting on him. Even though my interest was lacking, the film did strike an emotional chord at the end, so I can't tell you to stay away. If you're into this type of film, you'll probably like it a lot. I'm mostly taking away that my taste in films and Michelle Williams' taste in scripts are apparently diametrically opposed (with Dick as an exception).
Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Young Sherlock Holmes is basically an origin story. Sherlock meets and befriends Watson (and another important figure in his life to come) and they have their first case together tracking down the cause of several mysterious deaths. The 1980's were big on adventures featuring children: The Monster Squad, The Goonies, Explorers, just to name a few. I'm of the mindset that The Goonies is typically the least of these films and Young Sherlock Holmes fits under The Monster Squad (the absolute best). It's fun and features everything we love about the character (even if the events that lead to him getting his trademark hat and pipe seem shoehorned in). It's directed by Barry Levinson and written by Chris Columbus, the latter striking me as more than a little bizarre, though there is a distinctly Harry Potter feel to it, so maybe his work on that franchise makes sense after all. And definitely watch through the end credits.
Waxwork 2: Lost in Time (1992)
I used Young Sherlock Holmes as an excuse to watch Waxwork 2 (the first of which will be getting Film Rec treatment) because Sophie Ward plays roles in each. Waxwork 2 also features an amazing performance (aren't the all?) by acting god, Bruce Campbell. The film picks off right where the first ends and is somehow even more bizarre. The two don't really make sense with each other, but this one is basically an excuse to parody different genres and films (The Haunting, Invasion of the Body Snatcher, Alien, among many others). Zach Galligan (Gremlins) reprises his role, but unfortunately Deborah Foreman doesn't. It's an immensely silly movie, but fun, especially The Haunting parody with Bruce Campbell. Don't see this without watching Waxwork (which is awesome) first. There is this amazing music video under the end credits, though.
Tideland (2005)
The critical response to Tideland was astoundingly negative. I don't think it's nearly as bad as that. The visuals alone are pretty amazing. It's not exactly a pleasant film though. There's lots of disturbing imagery and people are frequently shot in unpleasant wide angle lens close-ups. Gilliam's DVD intro is also a little off-putting. It's true, critics generally missed the point of the film, but there's no need to insult the intelligence of everyone watching. Still, you have to admire Gilliam. It's better to fail doing your own thing than to compromise your vision for "mass appeal." This is definitely not introductory Gilliam, though. Incidentally, star Jodelle Ferland (who is quite good) has had quite a career for a 16-year old.
Wendy and Lucy (2008)
I already expressed my feelings about this film.
World Trade Center (2006)
I never really had much interest in watching this film. I thought it would just make me sad and didn't know what new it could tell me (and until recently, I didn't care much for Nic Cage), but Josh Becker (who seemingly hates every new movie) said he enjoyed it on his Ask the Director page, so I thought I'd give it a chance. I could have done without the emotions of the family stuff because that falls under the "what new are you telling me" topic, but the scenes of the PAPD getting prepared to help, the buildings collapsing, and subsequently getting trapped are incredibly well done. One kind of expects director Oliver Stone to be a bit too blunt with the subject, but it's all handles very elegantly. The viewer really understands the confusion and fear these men must have felt.
Frozen (2010)
I unequivocally love Adam Green's Hatchet. It's everything a slasher movie should be. So I was pretty excited for Frozen. I'm not sure why, since Green's other films I've seen, Spiral, was mediocre at best. Frozen essentially falls directly in-between those films. Three friends get trapped on a ski lift after the mountain is closed down until the next weekend. It's one of the movies where you watch the characters and can't help but comment on how stupid they are being. There's a lot to like and the tension is high, but there is just as much that feels contrived. Still, it's a pretty effective film using only one location.
Zelig (1983)
Woody Allen can take his place along side Godard and one other filmmaker on this list of highly regarded directors whose films I just don't care for. I'm not giving up hope on any of them, but nothing has struck me yet. I do like Allen when he's wackier (Sleeper, Bananas), but Zelig was simply short of laughs. It's a mockumentary about a man who shapeshifts to match his company (black man, fat men, Chinese men, doctors, Nazis, etc). It sounds like a great concept, but I feel it's ultimately hurt by the documentary format.
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
I love John Cassevetes as an actor. As a director, he gets some amazing performances out of his repertory. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is no different. Ben Gazzara is astounding. I had high hopes for this film because multiple friends told me how great it is. While this is my favorite Cassevetes film so far, Cassevetes the director is the third filmmaker I just don't care for. I'm not a huge fan of intense personal dramas (psychoanalyze as you will) and his films have this deliberate pace that I simply don't have the patience for. They also tend on the long side (which is why I didn't even attempt to make it through all of Opening Night). I fully acknowledge the man is doing something different. That thing just isn't for me (my former professor would roll over in his grave, were he dead, should he ever read this)
The Crazies (2010)
In my Romero piece, I stated that I'd probably never see this film. Well, thanks to the recommendation of my former roommate, I did. I'm glad he changed my mind. The remake goes its own way and better yet, isn't overly flashy the way the Dawn of the Dead remake is. The characters are strong and it doesn't veer far from believability. Best of all, it doesn't rely on cheap scares. It's legitimately tense. It may not be better than the original, but it gives one hope that all remakes aren't just a quick cash in on a name property (then again, the original The Crazies is hardly well-known).
The Hawk Is Dying (2006)
My interest in this film stems from a time when I was really into Paul Giamatti. That time has since past and my interest waned. When The Hawk Is Dying showed up at my house, my enthusiasm was pretty low. I watched it anyway and it's exactly what I thought it would be: a story of a depressed man (Giamatti's niche) and the world shitting on him. Even though my interest was lacking, the film did strike an emotional chord at the end, so I can't tell you to stay away. If you're into this type of film, you'll probably like it a lot. I'm mostly taking away that my taste in films and Michelle Williams' taste in scripts are apparently diametrically opposed (with Dick as an exception).
Friday, October 8, 2010
Weekly Film Rec: Romero Non-Zombie Films
Seeing as how I missed last week due to a Florida excursion, I wanted to make it up to you all somehow. And given that it's October (my favorite month, incidentally, and should be the real name of August [and I know the history as to why, or at least the apocryphal story]), I want to stick with horror films.
I never really watched much of Romero's films outside of the Living Dead stuff until recently. My earliest excursion was Martin about two years ago and I remember being terrified by images of Creepshow when I was really young, but I never watched them the whole way through (or even through one segment). Having explored his work deeper, it saddens me that he seems to feel that he can only make zombie movies anymore (his last three films have been Land, Diary, and Survival of the Dead). Apparently, he's working on a remake of Argento's Deep Red, so it's good that he's moving away from the zombies, but he's heading into remakes (to be fair, much like most of Argento's work, Deep Red deeply flawed even if it has moments of gruesome elegance).
I'm just going to tackle this in chronological order from earliest to most recent. Obviously, I can't recommend stuff I haven't seen, so there will be a few gaps in the chronology, though not too many. Plus, I've seen most of his "big" works. On with it!
The Crazies (1973)
The Crazies was recently remade into a film that I will probably never see. It's actually very similar to zombie films, just with less viscera. I'd call it a precursor to 28 Days Later (which throws the viscera back in, thus making people think it is a zombie film). A town where people have been going crazy becomes the subject of a quarantine and a small group of people are trying to escape. Men in HAZMAT suits with guns are around every corner and a cure is quickly trying to be found before the entire town has to be eliminated (kind of like what the government wanted to do in The Simpsons Movie: the New Grand Canyon). Of course, people in the small group on the run become infected and troubles brew inside and out. There's a overwhelming sense of hopelessness, much like the end of Night of the Living Dead.
Martin (1977)
Apparently, this is George Romero's favorite film of his and marks the first collaboration of Romero and special effects icon, Tom Savini. It's a vampire story unlike any other because it's so rooted in reality. There's no turning into bats, no sprouting fangs, daylight doesn't kill Martin. Pretty much, the film does away with all of the classic vampire lore except the one thing that matters: Martin drinks blood. The pacing is pretty deliberate, but then, so are many horror films of the '70s (and before). Unlike with most vampire films, the stakes (I assure you, pun not intended) feel much greater for Martin since he doesn't have the benefit of being supernatural.
Knightriders (1981)
This is one of the more bizarre films I've ever seen and, no, not a horror movie. I'm not exactly sure how Romero came up with the concept. It's like he mashed up the Hell's Angels and Renaissance Faires. A group of artists ride around the country staging motorcycle jousts for country folk. They are poor, but largely happy. That is until they realize that there's money to be made. The group divides and there is a power struggle. The only thing that prevents Knightriders from being truly great is its length. It's 2.5 hours long, but in that time, there is a great journey. Ed Harris and Tom Savini are the main headbutters, with Harris the "king" of the troup and Savini desirous of the throne. Nearly the entire community is well-drawn and have there own story arcs, which is one benefit of the running time, I suppose. This helps the movie come to an inevitably melancholy, but joyous end. Definitely a movie that gets better the more I think about it.
Creepshow (1982)
Born out of a love of EC Comics and written by Stephen King, Creepshow is five tales of the macabre. While not every vignette is created equally, Creepshow is tons of fun. Everytime I go to the beach, I can't help but think, "I can hold my breath for a loooooooong time!" Incidentally, the tale that quote comes from is also the one responsible for some of my nightmares as a kid. Damn the presence of Leslie Nielson snookering me into thinking it might be funny (the young me was too overwhelmed by the horror to notice the funny)! Also appearing are Ted Danson, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris, Tom Atkins, and Adrienne Barbeau. There's also a Creepshow 2 written by Romero (again based on King stories), but it's not nearly as good, aside from the excellent The Raft segment. I'm including the trailer simply because it's awesome.
Monkey Shines (1988)
After my recent "monkey with a knife vs. octopus" discussions, I'm more convinced than ever that an octopus would win after seeing Monkey Shines. A quadriplegic, Alan Mann, gets a helper monkey that was donated to be trained by his scientist brother. What starts off as a cute, handy little house helper starts getting into Mann's mind and runs about killing people. It seems there are only two ways to go with helper monkeys: murderous rampage or this...
What could be a completely silly concept is actually incredibly tense. It helps that the main character is nearly incapable of defending himself. It's kind of like the end of Rear Window when the killer comes over to L.B. Jeffries' apartment. A final note on the film: the monkey sounds were provided by none other than Frank Welker, the go to man for all your animal noise needs
I never really watched much of Romero's films outside of the Living Dead stuff until recently. My earliest excursion was Martin about two years ago and I remember being terrified by images of Creepshow when I was really young, but I never watched them the whole way through (or even through one segment). Having explored his work deeper, it saddens me that he seems to feel that he can only make zombie movies anymore (his last three films have been Land, Diary, and Survival of the Dead). Apparently, he's working on a remake of Argento's Deep Red, so it's good that he's moving away from the zombies, but he's heading into remakes (to be fair, much like most of Argento's work, Deep Red deeply flawed even if it has moments of gruesome elegance).
I'm just going to tackle this in chronological order from earliest to most recent. Obviously, I can't recommend stuff I haven't seen, so there will be a few gaps in the chronology, though not too many. Plus, I've seen most of his "big" works. On with it!
The Crazies (1973)
The Crazies was recently remade into a film that I will probably never see. It's actually very similar to zombie films, just with less viscera. I'd call it a precursor to 28 Days Later (which throws the viscera back in, thus making people think it is a zombie film). A town where people have been going crazy becomes the subject of a quarantine and a small group of people are trying to escape. Men in HAZMAT suits with guns are around every corner and a cure is quickly trying to be found before the entire town has to be eliminated (kind of like what the government wanted to do in The Simpsons Movie: the New Grand Canyon). Of course, people in the small group on the run become infected and troubles brew inside and out. There's a overwhelming sense of hopelessness, much like the end of Night of the Living Dead.
Martin (1977)
Apparently, this is George Romero's favorite film of his and marks the first collaboration of Romero and special effects icon, Tom Savini. It's a vampire story unlike any other because it's so rooted in reality. There's no turning into bats, no sprouting fangs, daylight doesn't kill Martin. Pretty much, the film does away with all of the classic vampire lore except the one thing that matters: Martin drinks blood. The pacing is pretty deliberate, but then, so are many horror films of the '70s (and before). Unlike with most vampire films, the stakes (I assure you, pun not intended) feel much greater for Martin since he doesn't have the benefit of being supernatural.
Knightriders (1981)
This is one of the more bizarre films I've ever seen and, no, not a horror movie. I'm not exactly sure how Romero came up with the concept. It's like he mashed up the Hell's Angels and Renaissance Faires. A group of artists ride around the country staging motorcycle jousts for country folk. They are poor, but largely happy. That is until they realize that there's money to be made. The group divides and there is a power struggle. The only thing that prevents Knightriders from being truly great is its length. It's 2.5 hours long, but in that time, there is a great journey. Ed Harris and Tom Savini are the main headbutters, with Harris the "king" of the troup and Savini desirous of the throne. Nearly the entire community is well-drawn and have there own story arcs, which is one benefit of the running time, I suppose. This helps the movie come to an inevitably melancholy, but joyous end. Definitely a movie that gets better the more I think about it.
Creepshow (1982)
Born out of a love of EC Comics and written by Stephen King, Creepshow is five tales of the macabre. While not every vignette is created equally, Creepshow is tons of fun. Everytime I go to the beach, I can't help but think, "I can hold my breath for a loooooooong time!" Incidentally, the tale that quote comes from is also the one responsible for some of my nightmares as a kid. Damn the presence of Leslie Nielson snookering me into thinking it might be funny (the young me was too overwhelmed by the horror to notice the funny)! Also appearing are Ted Danson, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris, Tom Atkins, and Adrienne Barbeau. There's also a Creepshow 2 written by Romero (again based on King stories), but it's not nearly as good, aside from the excellent The Raft segment. I'm including the trailer simply because it's awesome.
Monkey Shines (1988)
After my recent "monkey with a knife vs. octopus" discussions, I'm more convinced than ever that an octopus would win after seeing Monkey Shines. A quadriplegic, Alan Mann, gets a helper monkey that was donated to be trained by his scientist brother. What starts off as a cute, handy little house helper starts getting into Mann's mind and runs about killing people. It seems there are only two ways to go with helper monkeys: murderous rampage or this...
What could be a completely silly concept is actually incredibly tense. It helps that the main character is nearly incapable of defending himself. It's kind of like the end of Rear Window when the killer comes over to L.B. Jeffries' apartment. A final note on the film: the monkey sounds were provided by none other than Frank Welker, the go to man for all your animal noise needs
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