Some Recommended Films on Video
8 mini-reviews by Ken Johnson
Copyright 1992 Ken Johnson
These are some films that I just recently checked out of my video store and really enjoyed. They are ones that I feel are probably commonly overlooked and I feel are definitely worth renting. The rating system is based on a zero to five scale.
PARIS, TEXAS
145 min., R, Drama, 1984
Director: Wim Wenders
Cast: Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell,
Aurore Clement, Hunter Carson, Bernard Wicki
Drifter Harry Dean Stanton gets reunited with his son Hunter Carson after a long time of wandering. His wife Nastassja Kinski had walked out on him years ago and Stanton feels guilty about it. He and Carson go out to try to find Kinski so Carson can be reunited with her.
Although this film is rather long, I found it to be attention grabbing. The film is rather sad in places and happy in others. The acting is very well done and the script is well written. I highly recommend this film to any fan of dramas.
Rated R for explicit language and adult situation. Rating: Five.
PRIVATE POPSICLE 100 min., not rated, Comedy, 1982, In Israli with English subtitles Director: Boaz Davidson Cast: Iftach Katzur, Zachi Noy, Jonathan Segal, Sonia Martin, Menache Warshawski, Bea Fiedler, Dietmar Siegert, Dvora Keidar, Joseph Shiloah
This film is part four of the European LEMON POPSICLE series. Katzur, Noy, and Segal all become part of the Israli army. They get put through a vigorous training course. The three try to get out of everything they were assigned. One of the boys sees Martin in the girls side of the camp. He dresses up as an officer to go over to see her
This film ended up being a lot like the American film STRIPES, except not quite as funny. The Lemon Popsicle team, Iftach Katzur, Zachi Noy, and Jonathan Segal, have done a great job with this film, and after seeing it, I now want to search out their first three works. The film is very funny, but only if you like slapstick comedy.
Not rated but contains adult situations, female nudity, explicit language, and adult humor. Rating: Four.
THE SPRING 102 min., R, Action, 1989 Director: John D. Patterson Cast: Dack Rambo, Shari Shattuck, Gedde Wantanabe, Steven Keats, Virginia Watson, Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, Robert V. Barron, Rick Olivio, Byron Webster
Rambo and Wantanabe are archeologists who get evidence that leads them to believe that Ponce De Leon's fountain of youth exists. They travel to Florida to try to find the fountain. Rambo meets artist Shattuck, who paints paintings of the fountain and may know its where abouts. They are followed by Keats, who wants to use the fountain for his own personal gain.
This film silently appeared on the video shelves of a video store in my area. Because of the cover, I had never bothered to check it out. One day I got curious what the film was like so I checked it out, and it is nothing like the cover implies. This film will probably only be liked by fans of B movies who will probably enjoy watching it. Others will probably find the story cheesy and the acting poor.
Rated R for violence, explicit language, adult situations, and female nudity. Rating: Four.
STAR 80 104 min., R, Drama/Biography, 1983 Director: Bob Fosse Cast: Mariel Hemingway, Eric Roberts, Cliff Robertson, Roger Rees, David Clennon, Carroll Baker, Keenen Ivory Wayans
The true story of Playboy centerfold Dorothy R. Stratten, played by Mariel Hemingway. She gets seen by Paul Snider, played by Eric Roberts, who convinces Stratten to pose nude for "Playboy." He and she get married and soon their relationship starts to go bad, so she tries to get out of it. Snider, in a mad rage, kills Hemingway. Dorothy R. Stratten's story is also told in the film DOROTHY STRATTEN: THE UNTOLD STORY, and the television film DEATH OF A CENTERFOLD: THE DOROTHY STRATTEN STORY.
The story line is often depressing, but the acting is great and the story is well-written. Hemingway does a great job as Dorothy and Roberts is perfect as the slimy Snider. I recommend this film only to people who are interested in Dorothy Stratten, or enjoy a good drama.
Rated R for female nudity, adult situations, explicit language, and graphic violence. Rating: Four.
STEWARDESS SCHOOL 93 min., R, Comedy, 1987 Director: Ken Blancato Cast: Brett Cullen, Mary Cadorette, Donald Most, Sandahl Bergman, Judy Landers, Wendie Jo Spencer, Julie Montgomery, Dennis Burkley, Corinne Bohrer, Sherman Hemsley, Vicki Frederick, Leslie Huntly, Brooke Bundy, Fran Ryan
A school for stewardesses lowers its standards and accepts anybody who will apply. The trainees that show up are anything but desirable, so one of the instructors tries to get the undesirable students to quit.
The basic story line is a complete rip-off of POLICE ACADEMY, but the film is fun to watch if you don't expect too much. I suggest this film for anyone who enjoyed the original POLICE ACADEMY film and other fans of slapstick type humor.
Rated R for explicit language, adult situations, female nudity, and adult humor. Rating: Four.
THE SUICIDE CLUB 90 min., R, Drama, 1988 Director: James Bruce Cast: Mariel Hemingway, Robert Joy, Madeline Potter, Michael O'Donoghue, Anne Lange, Sullivan Brown, Keith Berger, Tom Cayler, Lenny Henry, Anne Carlisle
Hemingway is feeling guilty over the suicide of her brother. She gets invited to a party where most of the guests play a card game with a twist, the winner loses. The one who wins, gets killed. Hemingway observes the first night, and against the suggestions of her boyfriend Joy, she goes back a second night to play the game.
This often depressing film is certainly not for everybody's tastes. I found this film good, but in a weird way. It is not one to just sit down to, you have to think while watching it. I recommend this film to people who like bizarre movies.
Rated R for explicit language and violence. Rating: Four.
TUFF TURF 112 min., R, Drama/Action, 1985 Director: Fritz Kiersch Cast: James Spader, Kim Richards, Paul Mones, Matt Clark, Claudette Nevins, Olivia Barash, Robert Downey, Jr., Ranchito Gomez, Michael Wyle, Kerry Brennon
Teen Spader moves to a new city. He sees beautiful Richards and wants her to be his girlfriend. She is already seeing punk Mones and he doesn't want to give her up. Mones and his gang start a war against Spader, and Spader fights to get Richards.
An above-average teen gang film which I feel will be liked by teenagers/college students, and open minded adults as well. The acting in the film is great and the story is rather interesting. Just don't expect a perfect film.
Rated R for explicit language, adult situations, brief female nudity, graphic violence. Rating: Five.
WILD ORCHID 111 min., not rated, Drama, 1990 Director: Zalman King Cast: Mickey Rourke, Jacqueline Bisset, Carre Otis, Assumpta Serna, Bruce Greenwood, Jens Peter Oleg Vidou
Naive American Otis joins a firm and gets sent to Rio De Janeiro to help Bisset with a real estate deal. Otis meets bizarre Rourke, who is interested in Otis. She goes out with Rourke and he opens her eyes to the sexual experiences of others. Rourke doesn't make moves on Otis and she is confused over it. Also available in a less explicit R rated version that runs for 103 minutes. Followed by WILD ORCHID 2: TWO SHADES OF BLUE, which just came to video.
I feel this is Zalman King's, director of TWO MOON JUNCTION, best film yet. The film is just an interesting film to sit down and watch. As far as I can tell there is no great significance to the film. I recommend this film to people who like provocative dramas.
Not rated but contains explicit language, adult situations, female nudity, and strong sexual content. Rating: Four.
Ken J. blj@mithrandir.cs.uhn.edu
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