Saboteur (1942) Addendum

Had a chance to re-watch this.

A few interesting trivia.

When they started production for Saboteur, Japan just bombed Hawaii... (for reals)

Because of the war, the whole film was made in the studio's back lot!

Alfred Hitchcock puts alot of thought into his cameos. Apparently in this one, he and his secretary at the time we both suppose to make a cameo as a deaf and dumb person walking on the street. Hitchcock would then communicate with his secretary using sign language and she was suppose to slap him as if he had mad an "indecent proposal"!! But alas, the power that be decided that it would not properly portray dumb and deaf people so, they ended up standing in front of a drug store... (Boring)

Not one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie, because of the abrupt ending.... Maybe because the script writers were away to fight WWII (they left immediately after finishing the script for Alfred, so he had to hire a lady for the re-write).... I don't mean it as a bad thing, but the story feels disjointed to me

Norman Lloyd played Fry. Interestingly, I did not recognized him. I'm more familiar with his works in Murder, She Wrote and The Practice!!

Normandy sank during the filming of Saboteur. Alfred Hitchcock asked the news agency in Universal to get all the footage of the scuttled Normandy and purposefully cut a footage of the said scuttled ship into the movie, to make it more real!!

For anyone who had actually watched this, I have only one for thing to say "he should have a better tailor...."

My ADDED two sen.

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 6 2013, 10:04 PM

The Draughtsman's Contract (1982)

This movie has a script that is praise by critics!!

It is suppose to be brilliant, witty and well crafted.

Full of symbolism, intrigues, innuendos and suspense...

I watched in the first time on Australian TV...

It was... way above my pay grade.

Now, it is still... WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE!!!!

It is about a murder and at the end... I think I solve the murder, but am not sure, and also witness... wait I better not give that away...

This is one of the weirdest movie I have every seen.

To prove a point, have you even seen Eyes Wide Shut (1999)??

It is WAY stranger then THAT!!

It is English and it talks about... from what I can gather, the decadence of the upper class!!

Let's leave it as THAT!!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 5 2013, 02:45 AM

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

Now for something completely different.

Li Ang's Eat Drink Man Woman.

Great script. Great acting. Great direction.

Drama and it is mesmerizing!!

I cannot take my eyes of it.

About a 5 stars restaurant chef and his relationship with his daughters.

Li Ang successfully portray the communication or lack there of in a Chinese family.

The way this family is able to talk to each other is through food!!

Just the way the food is prepared here!!

If you like a well crafted drama, look no farther.

Video transfer is on/off. I suspect the source material was NEVER fantastic. And have to add, it is much better then the DVD.

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 6 2013, 09:30 AM

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)

Of all the life action Tarzan movie, I have to say this is my favorite.

Even today it is actually... relevant.

Christopher Lambert is spot on as Tarzan. Not a muscle bound man that grunts. I agree with the director Hugh Hudson. They had alot of trouble casting Tarzan and was actually in a hotel lobby in Paris at wits end... An in walks in Christopher Lambert. A lanky man...

What attracted the director to Christopher Lambert was... his eyes... There are "beast-like" quality to them!!!

They spent 3 month training this lanky lad into what you see on screen!!!

Ian Holm is also here!!

Interestingly, when Disney made an animated feature, there are scenes from this movie that are "transferred" over (shall we say).

What this movie did very successfully for me is, if Tarzan exist, what realistically can happen!!

Good stuff.

Please do not compare this to Tarzan and the Lost City (1998 *Groan*)

There is a CGI version of Tarzan being release this year. I understand they are also trying to revive a live action movie of Tarzan with Alexander Skarsgård (of true Blood fame)...

... All I can say is, let me enjoy this for now...

My Two Sen.

Godzilla 4K Remaster Edition (1998)

Roland Emmerich & Dean Devlin!!

They rock the 90s.

What they did for the 90s in Hollywood, was what Paul Verhoeven did for Hollywood in the 80s!!!

Stargate, Independence Day etc!!

Back to Godzilla.

King Kong (1933) was a big deal. It was at the height of the Depression, and as poor as people was, they paid the nickel at the cinema to watch The Eighth Wonder of the World, if anything to escape their real lives...

And they actually rooted for King Kong when he rampage through New York city, because they feel his is destroying society that had trodden on them...

So when King Kong was on the Empire States building (the tallest building in the world at the time) and was shot down by the bi-plane, the people actually felt for the big ape...

Like King Kong, Godzilla is a monster movie. The irony is that the original King Kong inspired Toho to make Godzilla. And Toho did actually make a Godzilla vs King Kong movie after their owner of the King Kong rights keep failing to make another sequel to King Kong after The Son Of Kong!!

And in 1998, Toho license Godzilla to TriStar Pictures (a subsidiary of Sony) to make a big budget movie.

And the result is... mixed...

The critics were not particularly kind to it. I believe it made $136,023,813 (USA) although it cost TriStar $130,000,000 (USA) to make. Worldwide it made $221,600,000 (USD) and apparently that is still a disappointment to TriStar (if it is NOT a hit in the States... It is NOT A HIT!!!)

And like King Kong, we are suppose to feel for Godzilla and I do!!

Personally I enjoy this movie.

It is camp, but I like it.

It did spawn a Animated Series, and there was suppose to be a sequel but that never materialise...

Now they are planning a remake for 2014...

The Picture and Sound quality on the 4K Remaster is abundantly better then it's original Bluray release.

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 9 2013, 09:54 PM

RoboCop (1987)

Ah Paul Verhoeven...

Why did he decide to stop making movies in Hollywood...

Peter Weller got "the robot" down peg!!

Also very interesting what Kurtwood Smith (he is Clarence J. Boddicker the cop killer in this). Because when even I see him now, I keep imagining him as Red from That 70s Show!!! (My foot up your ass)

From a picture quality point of view, this movie is not pretty.

With Orion's bankruptcy, and then being sold to MGM and now MGM is mainly owned by Sony... I really wonder how well the masters for the film is being kept, let alone digitally remaster/restored (this looks more like a remaster rather then a remaster)...

Having gotten that out of the way, the movie itself (story line) is good and still stands the test of time!!

Like all Paul Verhoeven movie's this is very violent!!

So viewers beware.

My Two Sen.

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 9 2013, 10:16 PM

Dante's Peak (1997)

When this movie was release, it was a big deal.

The visual feast and sound was spectacular!!

Now, re-visited on Bluray, visually and sonically... it is still GOOD!!

There are some inconsistencies though...

1) There are Vulcanologist who looks like Peirce Brosnan!!
2) The volcano at Dante Peak has multiple personalities.... There are three types of volcanoes. Composite, Cinder Cone and Shield Volcano. A volcano can either be one or the other and each have different characteristics!! At different point in time, Dante Peak display different types of characteristics relating to different type of volcano!?! Very puzzling. Apart from that, from a scientific point of view, when ever something happens to the volcano (apart from the multi personality), it is actually accurate.

But if you can get pass the above, it is an enjoyable disaster movie!!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 10 2013, 07:38 PM

I have THAT!

I just haven't gotten around to it...

Independence Day (1996)

This movie made careers!

Roland Emmerich a sort after director.

Dean Devlin & Roland Emmerich a sort after script writing team.

And Will Smith a sort after leading man!!

After the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, lost his fortunes...

Apparently, he squandered it ALL!!

Then this movie came along, and he showed the world that he has leading man quality!!

This movie was one of the first big budget movie which uses alot of CGI for special effects!!

Most of the F16 on screens were computer generated!!

There is a novel of this just before the movie was launch. I was in the period where I had to get my grubby little hands on everything about a movie before it was launch. I actually like the novel compared to the movie.

Some portions of the novel works alot better!!



If you like Scifi and Alien invasion and had not watched this (don't laugh, many a people on here is born after 1996) give this a try

Oh, some people like this, the transfer to BD for this movie is decent.

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 11 2013, 08:27 PM

RoboCop 2 (1990)

Irvin Kershner ( of Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back fame) director & Frank Miller (he wrote The Dark Knight Return, and Dark Knight) on story!!

What a combo!!

Sequels do not get better then this!!

And being rated R, there are ALL KINDS OF violence in this one as well. WAY more then Robocop!!

Anything that is good about the 1st movie is augmented here!!

And it is great.

I believe this this trilogy is probably the last few big budget movie using the Stop Motion (Made famous by King Kong and Ray Harryhausen).

Also the video transfer for this movie is much much stronger compared to the 1st one.

If you like Scifi and violence, go for this.

(Again don't laugh many a people here are born after 1990)

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 11 2013, 10:52 PM

RoboCop 3 (1993)

Here is a movie on how-to.

How to NOT make a sequel!!

First, they made it more appealing to kids (more like appealing to kids parents) by making it PG13...

Then they hired a TV director to direct this movie!!

Do not get me wrong, alot of TV directors when on and made good movies (eg. Joss Whedon anyone?) and have to add, this movie is SO BAD and basically killed the Robocop franchise, that the director, Fred Dekker had to stop directing... On that note, this feels alot more like a TV movie rather then a feature film...

Then when Peter Weller did not comeback as Robocop, they hired Robert John Burke as Robocop, and I can tell you, he does not know "the robot" as well as Peter...

Even with Frank Miller behind the script...

I have watched this before, and I knew it is a bad movie.

I forgot how bad it is until now... It is gonna take me a good decade before I can forgot how bad this movie is...

Hopefully with it recorded here, I do not have to make this mistake every again...

For the love of everything that is good, AVOID THIS LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!

Even if you have ABSOLUTELY nothing to do, AVOID THIS!!

I have watched this CRAP so you don't have to...

My Two Sen...

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

This is Alfred Hitchcock's favorite movie.

He has a formula. His leading man is always brunette and his leading lady is blond. If you watch his movie, you will notice is is always true, there are exceptions... Namely Rope (1948) and this!!

This movie is one of the movies that Hitchcock film on location. He is not happy with going on location, because he has no control over lighting...

Interestingly, I believe I've only watched this once before, on Australia TV...

The story is unique, in a sense that the leading man plays the uncle to the leading lady...



Interesting movie and the ending...

Unusual even for a Hitchcock movie

Lover of Hitchcock movie, you know what you should do.

My Two Sen

ZU Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983) (not the be confused with [Zu Warriors (2001)]

This is a blast from the past!!

Probably Tsui Hark BIGGEST project after film school (he supposedly went to the same film school as Lucas, and they know each other).

They are some practical shots here that I still wonder how they did it!!

They also hired the special effects guy from Star Wars to help out with effect (later part of the movie)

And Frankly I like what the did in the first half rather then the second half

This is a far cry from the 60s Black and White Buddha's Palm serials!!

Flying sword and cymbals (I kid you not). Laser beams, flying beings!! FUN!!

(ZU period in Chinese history supposedly occurred a couple of thousand years before Qin Dynasty)

The video transfer is not up to par with what Shaw Brothers did for their library...

Frankly I have not seen anything outside of Shaw Library that impresses me and alot of it boils down to how well the master have been kept, and I don't think they are WELL kept at ALL.

Still a hoot to watch after all these years...

Warning many of you will laugh at the production value.

It is more of a nostalgia for me!!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 21 2013, 03:58 AM

Dark Angel (1990)

Ah... Dolph Lundgren. After playing the bad guy in Rocky IV (1985), everyone expected him to be a BIG star!!

He was first pick for the role of He-Man in Masters of the Universe (1987) and were in several high profile projects namely The Punisher (1989) and Universal Soldier (1992), with equally unlucky Jean-Claude Van Damme) and have to add, true movie star status had always alluded him.

Which is an enigma, he is tall, good looking, athletic and smart (he has a master's degree in chemical engineering, which he got through a scholarship)

Looking at this movie, from a script point of view, it is actually decent. Almost at par with the original Terminator (1984). Even the production value is almost that of Terminator!!?!

The difference is Craig R. Baxley (the director) with an estimated budget of $7,000,000 is a much better Stunt Coordinator (although he had since done TV Series which I like, like Human Target) could not do what James Cameron achieved with an estimated budget of $6,400,000 in Terminator. The difference, the passion for making movie. I believe James Cameron poured body and soul into the making of Terminator, while Craig R. Baxley wanted good stunts in this movie, and it shows...

Dolph Lundgren is actually decent here and spoke with a convincing American accent!!

The Good Alien and Bad Alien (I kid you not, that is how they are referred to in the end credits) could have been much MUCH better...

The premised for the whole movie is also quite decent, and when you are watching the movie, you just feel that it is... lacking...

Shame, this was suppose to be the movie which would launch Dolph Lundgren into stardom... Now, he is designated to plays the "Hey I Know That Face" thug roles in movies...

Video and Audio is decent and are nothing to shout about...

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 15 2013, 04:43 PM

Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright (2013)

Now for something completely different!

I watch alot of Scooby Doo.

I actually think the live action movies are actually decent.

This year Warner Brothers seems to have a couple of direct to video Scooby Doo animation planned.

A few bits of trivia that some of you might not know are, Frank Welker the voice actor, voices both Scooby Doo and Fred Jones, Casey Kasem from American Top 40 is the original voice behind Shaggy and now Matthew Lillard (from the Scooby Doo live action movie has taken over the role) and Mindy Cohn from The Facts of Live (1979 - 1988) is the voice behind Velma!!

This direct to video animation is actually pretty good!!

Scooby Doo meets American Idol + Phantom of the Opera!?!!!

Does this intrigue you??

My Two Sen

Teen Beach Movie (2013)

Now from something really REALLY completely different.

What is this REALLY old uncle watching this!!!

Well... I was sitting infront of the TV watching *GASP* Assteruk... and the ad came on for THIS!!!

And I went, okay... maybe I'll watch it.

And I did!!

This is what is interesting about this

1) Like High School Musical (2006), which retells the story of Grease (1978) [which in it self is a musical adaption of Romeo and Juliet, but with a happy ending], this is a modern retelling of West Side Story (1961)!

2) The script for this TV Movie is actually stronger then some of the big budget movies!!! What gives??????

This movie does not pretend to be anything then what it is. And actually makes fun if itself... That is actually quite brilliant...

It pays homage to alot of the Saturday matinee beach movie from the sixties with Ms. Annette Funicello (from the Mickey Mouse Club... er the original Mickey Mouse Club... No, no not when Ryan Gosling, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake... Before that, more like Kevin Corcoran and Annette Funicello....? Oh never mind!!

Lots of music, lots of fun and woman empowering.

The message to little girls in this movie, is much MUCH healthier than the one in Twilight, that's for sure....

If you want a fun movie to watch with your little kids... Go for it!!

My Two Sen

Did I not mention dancing??

Yes there is lots of dancing too!!

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 16 2013, 10:09 AM

Hey... I like Grindhouse... Saw that in Singapore, a special Back to Back...

Pain & Gain (2013)

With Michael Bay as director, Mark Wahlberg & Dwayne Johnson as leads, should be an okay film RIGHT!!?

WRONG!!

I thought Mark Wahlberg had gone on the record and said he would not be in a movie he would not be proud to show to his kids... Well, he would probably keep this from them for a long... LONG time.

It is bad.

Michael bay directing a COMEDY... Granted a Dark comedy, but a COMEDY????

There is absolutely, positively nothing that is redeeming about this movie.

Even with the great Tony Shalhoub, this movie is a DUD!!!

There is NOT one likeable character in this movie. NOT ONE!!!?!

Consider yourself warned kiddies!! CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED!!!!!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Aug 20 2013, 10:57 PM