Movie 3 - Dune

It is by will alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of Sapho that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, stains become a warning. It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.

Movie number three was  watched on a two movie day.  Number one was Dune (1984).

I read the books many, many years ago and enjoyed them, I never got around to watching the movie though.  It was strange seeing some familiar actors and also seeing how the characters were portrayed in the movie, along with how the descriptions of Caladan and Arakis translated into film in the 80's.  

I thought overall that the film has survived the test of time really well.  There and no huge computer scenes thanks to the fact that computers themselves don't really exist in the setting which I think makes a big difference to how well a sci fi movie dates. 

The special effects look really great even now, other than some slightly  more obvious blue screen work (thank what you would notice now with CGI / green screen), it looks good and the fact that it was 80's style doesn't effect the telling of the story overall it still works for me.

I really enjoyed the character portrayals, Baron Harkonnan, although not exactly as I pictured him I think the movie made a good representation, the same goes with the Mentats and how they looked.  The scenes on Arakis and in the desert looked good with the worms looking amazing.

Working on the new rating system:
Overall Rating - 
How did the movie date:  ***** 5 stars.  This movie is still just as watchable now as it was when made; the effects do the film justice and with the lack of actual computers I think it has dated less than it might have were included.

Story line: **** 4 stars.  Dune is a classic Sci Fi novel and the movie does a good job of capturing the essence.  No movie can portray all the subtleties of a book though. 

Movie 2 - Highlander

"There can only be One"

Or so I've been told after watching Highlander.  

My first thoughts:

• So much hair
• lol at the suspense filled car park
• freaked out cops are freaked out
• why is Sean Connery an Egyptian Spaniard with a Scottish accent?
• so much blue special effects

I have to say I enjoyed Highlander quite a bit.  

That the music was done by Queen added to the enjoyment of the movie, it was well timed and worked with the scenes as well as just being awesome.

Kurgen - super cool villain, love the overall terribleness of him, the hair, the scars and the totally irreverent behaviour.  He makes for a very good bad guy. 

On the subject of irreverent, I was slightly surprised at how not PC this movie is; I shouldn't be because it was filmed well before the day of political correctness, it made me think a bit about how film and tv writing has changed over time to keep up with general language and behaviours.  It was only today I was looking at a new printing of Enid Blytons Faraway Tree books and noticing that Fanny is no longer the name of the little girl, more PC changes which I think in some cases (like a name) is a little extreme but overall perhaps worth while to encourage that people show courtesy and respect to one another in general.  

Anyway, back to my movie reviewing.  The effects were very entertaining to watch now that CGI is de rigueur, lots of blue out lines and lightning bolts.  The movie oes feel somewhat dated, the fashion, hair and effects but the story doesn't really hurt for being shown old school.  

The flashing back and forth was somewhat strange to begin with although eventually made sense as the story progressed.  

I found the ending kind of anti climactic after the big lead up.  I guess that's why someone though making more would be a good idea although I've been told to skip stright to number 3 to save the pain of watching number 2 at all.  But once there is only one where do you really go?

I'm going to give this a 7/10.  I liked the storyline, the movie was good, the costumes were a bit naff in the "current" day sections (that jacket?) The fight scenes were kind of cool but seemed somewhat overly scripted and occasionally stilted.  Some excellent one liners and qutable sections though.

"Hi I'm Candy"

      "Of course you are"

Movie 1 - The Running Man

Who loves you and who do you love?

Movie number one down.  The Running Man (1987).  

This one was fun, interesting and I can see some of the story lines for more recent dystopian media mind control societies.  

Ben Richards the hero is painted as a bad guy and made to fight gladiator style for his and the lives of his friends whilst trying to take down the ICS media mogul and save the people in general.

I can't say that the movie has stood the test of time as it were, I can see how dated it is in some ways, the computers, the spandex, the hair and fashions.  However; the story itself is somewhat timeless (as seen by the recent rush of similar movies / stories) and the Arnie one liners are still just as good. .

Arnold Schwarzenegger does the one liners well, some which stand out:

"Killien, I'll be back" - Now where have I heard that before?

"What happened to Buzzsaw?" 

"He had to split" 

The comment about Subzero being a plain zero and Fireball arriving in the game zone, "jesus christ", "Guess again".  

Yeah you can tell that they made the lines nice and easy for him to work on.  Katniss Everdeen on 300 pounds of steroids.

I really enjoyed the 80's revival in this movie, the music worked well with the scenes and it was a good watch from start to finish.  The cheesy lines added to the overall effect and I kind of expect them in an Arnie movie.  I noticed like lots of his films other than him and maybe one other person that was in the movie no one else seems to have made more movies, not big ones I've seen at any rate. 

I'm not sure how I'm going to rate them, I might need to come back and rejig the ratings as I watch more of the movies on the list but for number one I'm going to give this a 7/10.  Worth watching and a good start for my cult classics catch up. 

A list for a movie education.

So I remember growing up watching TV with my Dad, we watched Yes Minister, Rumpole of the Bailey and Dr Who.  I don't remember ever really getting into movies until later, and although I loved sci fi and fantasy books my movie watching didn't keep up.  

A random breakfast discussion this morning about the potential use for more than one set of cutlery lead on to Edward Scissorhands (which I've not seen) which the lead to the discussion and creation of a list of Classic Sci Fi and other movies I've not seen.  

  

Now after 30+ years seems as good a time as any to rectify the situation.  I have a (little) list, there is more going on the list and suggestions are always welcome. (although I don't have any love for mega suspense or horror flicks so they will probably not make the list)

I'm going to try and watch the movies on my list and then put up a review once I've seen them. 

The list so far:

(Those in bold, I am certain I have seen, those in italics I think I may have seen at some point)

2001: A Space Odyssey Ace Ventura(1),

Adaptation,

Addams Family (both),  Aeon Flux

Airplane Akira

Alien(s) - Not sure if I want to watch this I dislike horror / suspense.

Allegro Non Troppo, Andromeda Strain  Apocalypse Now

Arachnophobia

Arlington Road

Back to the future (all) - I have seen bits and pieces, never in one go though

Barbarella Batman

Beetlejuice,

Being John Malkovich,

Beverly Hills Cop

Big trouble in Little China, - Think I have seen this one?

Bill and Ted (both), - Don't know if I can sit through it, not a lover of stupid humour

Blade runner - I think 've seen it but not sure if I saw all of it at once Blind fury

Boondock saints Brazil

Buckaroo Banzai.

Buffy  the vampire Slayer Conan Clerks, Clue

Cyborg

Dark City

Darkman

Das Boot

Death becomes her,

Demolition Man,

Die Hard (all) - I think I've seen some of them?

Dig!,  Donnie darko

Duel - 1971 - I have now worked out which movie this is and I have in fact seen it.

Dune

E.T.

Eat the Rich,

Edward scissorhands

El Mariachi,

Enemy Mine

Erik the Viking,

Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind

Ferris Buellers Day Off

Fight Club

Flash Gordon

Flight of the Navigator

Gattaca,

Ghostbusters Ghost in the Shell

Gremlins, - Saw it I think a very long time ago.

Hairspray (original version),

Hercules Returns - Love it; have the DVD!

History of the World Part I Highlander (all)

Hudson Hawk,

I Heart Huckabees,

Indiana Jones - I've seen some or all of them but not in one sitting

Innerspace Italian job

Jabberwocky,

Krull,

Labyrinth,

Ladyhawke,

Legend,

Leon The Professional

Life of Brian,

Logan's Run,  Lucky number Sleven

Mad Max - Sure I've seen the third one, not sure about the others. Metropolis

Moon

My Cousin Vinny,  Name of the Rose

Never Ending Story, - Even owned it in German...

Office Space

Orgazmo,

Pirates of Silicon Valley

Predator

Primer

Repo Man,

Revenge of the Nerds

Robocop

Rollerball (original version),

Se7en - Considering I don't like horror / Suspense I don't know why this is on the list of films I've seen but it was actually alright.

Shaun of the Dead,  Soylent Green Spawn

Star trek movies (The originals) - Sure I've seen some but not all

Star wars (the "first" three) - I have seen them in parts but never in one go

Stargate movie (the Original)

T2 Tank girl,

Terminator

The Abyss

The Big Blue

The burbs

The Cars that ate Paris,

The Dark Crystal,

The Fifth Element

The Fisher King,

The Fly

The Game

The Goonies

The Karate Kid

The omega man The Last Starfighter

The Matrix

The Princess Bride,

The Quiet Earth,

The Rocketeer

The Running Man - 13/09/2014

The Toxic Avenger The usual Suspects

The Wraith

THX1138,

Time Bandits,

Top Secret!

Total Recall

Tron

Twelve Monkeys

Walker,

WarGames

Wayne's World (1), -Don't know if I can sit through it, not a lover of stupid humour

Weird Science