Oct 26
Christine is a horror film about obsession, about letting that “thing” capture you to the extent that you put it before everything else. The 1983 picture is based on the 1983 Stephen King novel of the same name. It is directed by John Carpenter, one of the best directors of the horror genre, and it makes great use of that independent flavour that would serve the filmmaker so well throughout his career.
Apr 13
I can be a sucker for a drama. Even the most Lifetime of Lifetime dramas can jab me in the right spot sometimes, so I was a little excited to check out Terms of Endearment. This is a big, juicy drama of a drama. It’s a well-made Lifetime movie with stars, great acting, Oscars, and a theatrical release. But it’s also surprisingly soft and risk-free.
Apr 7
Woody Allen’s Zelig is a hilarious mockumentary from 1983. It is an allegory about conformity, too, and focuses in on the amusing idea that an individual should be so obsessed with conforming and not standing out that he should actually begin to physically transform into other people. The movie is constructed with old-fashioned footage and looks like a vintage documentary, complete with newsreel footage from the 20s and 30s. Allen inserted himself to the footage via blue screen technology and simulated damage to new footage, just like Robert Rodriguez did in Planet Terror last year, to give the film the out-of-date look.
Allen stars as Leonard Zelig, a man who has the ability to change his appearance to that of the people surrounding him. If Zelig is surrounded by overweight people, he will begin to become overweight. If he is amongst doctors, Zelig becomes a doctor. The transition causes him to lack any actual self-identity and, instead, he is dubbed the “human chameleon.” Much is made of this unique condition and he is eventually taken into a psychiatric institution for study. He is studied by Dr. Eudora Fletcher (Mia Farrow), who eventually begins to fall for Zelig.
David Cronenberg’s creepy 1983 effort Videodrome is an introspective horror flick with stunning effects and sharp wit. Cronenberg’s movie has cult status and is actually a popular sampling source for industrial music, with samplings from it used in at least 32 individual songs. The most prominently quoted line, “Long live the new flesh,” is used frequently in music and other influences are spread worldwide. The maker of the Japanese horror film Ringu said that he used inspiration from Videodrome to film one of Ringu‘s more frightening scenes. Videodrome has also become a popular name for various video stores specializing in cult horror films.
Videodrome is the film Andy Warhol referred to as the “A Clockwork Orange for the 1980s.” It is a highly surreal movie, packed with several allegorical visions of terror and absurd violence. Cronenberg’s movies all tend to venture into territory that few inhabited at the time and Videodrome was certainly no exception. He has constructed a story with depth and irony, creating a cautionary tale about influences, morals, and the tricks the mind can play. Cronenberg’s screenplay is tagged with witticisms and ironic punch-lines, setting the piece above the standard of typical horror fare.
Martin Scorsese brings us the delightfully dark and comic The King of Comedy from 1983. The film is a deep and dark journey through the mind of a fame-obsessed wannabe, using the entertainment business as a metaphor for the choices we make and pulling an awe-inspiring performance out of Robert De Niro. The film takes a close look at the entertainment industry and the obsession of crazed fans, too, drawing us in with rich characters and engaging dialogue.
Robert De Niro stars as Rupert Pupkin, a stage-door autograph hound and an aspiring stand-up comic. He has obsessive ambition in terms of wanting to be famous and doesn’t want to slog it out with the rest of the comics at comedy clubs or do things the hard way. No, dear Pupkin wants success and he wants it instantaneously by appearing on the popular late night talk show of his era, hosted by Jerry Langford (Jerry Lewis). Pupkin hangs out with the crowd behind the Jerry Langford Show and hopes for his chance to get to talk to Langford. Eventually, a chance meeting comes to pass and Pupkin believes that his career is really on its way because of some encouraging but generic words from Langford.
