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REVIEW – The Price of Power

Christian Sellers — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:22:34 +0000

It had barely been six years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas and just one year since his brother, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, was also gunned down when Tonino Valerii’s spaghetti western Il prezzo del potere/The Price of Power was released in December 1969. Focusing on the murder of the president whilst touring through Dallas and the conspiracy that surrounded the assassination, the movie’s comparisons to the shooting of President Kennedy in November 1963 is undeniable, despite supposedly exploring the murder of President James Garfield in 1881. The events surrounding his death are not portrayed accurately in The Price of Power, with Valerii more focused on making a statement about the mystery surrounding the fate of Kennedy.

1881: President James Garfield (Van Johnson) has taken an unpopular political route since taking office by announcing his intention to abolish slavery. Whilst touring Texas gaining support from the voters he arrives in Dallas to promote his agenda. After his father was murdered because he had uncovered an assassination plot, Ben Willer (Giuliano Gemma) is determined to bring the killers to justice, having recently been released from prison for treason. Ben manages to kill the men who had planted dynamite under a bridge that Garfield’s train was due to cross, he meets the president face-to-face and becomes determined to save his life.

Corrupt sheriff Jefferson (Benito Stefanelli) is leading the assassination plot with the assistance of banker Pinkerton (Fernando Rey) and fears that Ben could become a problem, but as Garfield is set to leave town he is shot in his carriage by two gunmen. Ben’s best friend, negro Jack Donovan (Ray Saunders), is accused of the murder, having been found with a shotgun in his hand after trying to foil the assassination, and is arrested. When Jack is murdered before he is due to stand trial, Ben vows to uncover the truth behind Jefferson and his crimes.

The Price of Power is one of the lesser seen spaghetti westerns from the 1960s, although it starred genre regular Gemma (perhaps most known for horror fans as Detective Germani in Dario Argento’s Tenebrae). Whilst not the best movie of the cycle, there is much to appreciate in Valerii’s thriller and daring to explore the assassination of the president when the murder of Kennedy was still fresh in the minds of America was a bold move. Gemma is not the most charismatic of leads and fails to demonstrate the same kind of aggressive style of other Italian western stars, such as Franco Nero, but thankfully the focus of the story is not completely on his character.

Gemma receives adequate support from Stefanelli, who is suitably sleazy and obnoxious as the evil sheriff, whilst Saunders gives an impressive turn as the wrongfully accused patsy. Johnson makes Garfield a sympathetic character but is killed off early in the story, although his brief appearance proves likeable. The Price of Power is noticeably violent, although the bloodshed is minimal. By no means a classic, there is still plenty enough action and twists in the plot to keep the viewer’s attention for the majority of its running time.

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MUSIC VIDEO: Megadeth – No More Mr. Nice Guy

Christian Sellers — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:10:04 +0000

Having lost the rights to the Nightmare on Elm Street brand to New Line and struggled to find success with his subsequent pictures, Wes Craven would attempt to create a new horror boogeyman with Horace Pinker who, much like Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger, would be blessed with superhuman and supernatural powers.

1989’s Shocker would be his first straightforward horror movie since the aforementioned blockbuster five years earlier and, despite having little interest in the genre, Craven was desperate for a hit. Shocker would share certain similarities with The Horror Show (aka House III), which was released the same year and was produced by his former Last House on the Left collaborator Sean S. Cunningham (who was also desperately trying to create a new franchise of his own).

The soundtrack to Shocker would boast several long-forgotten ’80s hair metal groups (Bonfire, Dangerous Toys), as well as punk icon Iggy Pop. But it would be the cover of the Alice Cooper classic No More Mr. Nice Guy, performed by Megadeth, that would be released to publicise the movie.

Megadeth had been formed in 1983 by former Metallica guitarist-turned-frontman Dave Mustaine and had enjoyed success amongst the metal crowd with the acclaimed records Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!, Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying? and So Far, So Good… So What!, but No More Mr. Nice Guy would receive more airplay on music channels than any of their previous videos.

Watch the video below…

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NEWS – Piranha 3D Sequel to Include Online Voting Competition

Christian Sellers — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:12:04 +0000

The Weinstein Company were impressed enough by their box office returns with Alexandre Aja’s 3D remake of Piranha that, as previously reported, they have already announced their intentions to produce a sequel.

The movie, which was co-written by Sorority Row’s Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg (read our interview with the latter here) and starred Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O’Connell and Richard Dreyfuss, performed above expectations during its recent theatrical release and became the subject of minor controversy over a statement made by James Cameron in an interview last week.

Entertainment Weekly have revealed that the studio are intending on launching a competition on the internet in which fans can vote which celebrities they would like to see devoured by the mutant fish: “According to a Weinstein Co. rep, execs are still finalizing plans for the contest, including designing the website for it, but hope to have an official announcement soon.”

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NEWS – John Woo Awarded Lifetime Achievement at Venice Film Festival

Christian Sellers — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:14:44 +0000

Just days after informing Variety that he hopes to direct a Hollywood remake of his 1989 cult classic Dip huet seung hung/The Killer, Chinese-born Hong Kong filmmaker John Voo has been awarded the Golden Lion award for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival. Having first entered the industry as an assistant director in the late 1960s, Woo finally made his feature debut as director with the 1974 action thriller Tie han rou qing/The Young Dragons.

Major success would not arrive until over a decade later, when Ying hung boon sik/A Better Tomorrow brought him international success during the mid-1980s. Woo continued to build his reputation as a stylish filmmaker of ultra-violent movies such A Better Tomorrow II, The Killer and Lat sau san taam/Hard Boiled, before making his Hollywood debut with the Jean-Claude Van Damme flick Hard Target in 1993.

Although Broken Arrow would prove to be more effective, it would be his 1997 feature Face/Off that would showcase his talents to the west. Whilst 2000’s Mission: Impossible II proved to be his most successful at the box office, Woo divided audiences with Windtalkers and the Philip K. Dick adaptation Paycheck. His return to China in 2008 with Chi bi/Red Cliff would see Woo once again enjoy critical acclaim, with The Los Angeles Times considering it a ‘a pleasantly traditional picture.’

According to The Associated Press, who reported on the festival in Italy today, Woo said “I would like to be a bridge between the good things of the West and the East, so we can further our mutual knowledge and build a strong friendship… I wouldn’t say that I have much contributed to film society, even though I made several good films.” Regarding whether or not he plans to return to Hollywood, Woo added “Right now, I am very happy to be making movies in China for various reasons, because we have a very old history and also a popular folklore that is different from what is known in abroad. I would like to work on films in the future that are more Chinese in nature, but without leaving Hollywood behind.”

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NEWS – Wes Craven Discusses Scream 4 Plot and Cast

Christian Sellers — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:19:14 +0000

It’s been a whole decade since the release of the disappointing finale to the Scream franchise and websites have been regularly reporting on the progress of the fourth movie, which once again sees director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson collaborating with stars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette. In an interview with MTV, Craven reveals a few small details about the plot: “It’s a clear and/or pretty well-known [fact] that it’s a return to Woodsboro for Sydney Prescott, who is Neve’s character,” Craven said. “Courteney and David have, as they did in real life, have gotten married and are living in Woodsboro, so it’s the story of Sid’s return to Woodsboro and the series of events that take place there where those three are thrown together in a wild and crazy way, and then a group of kids that get meshed in the plot.”

Regarding Scream 4’s young cast, which includes Emma Roberts (Nancy Drew), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) and Rory Culkin (Mean Creek), Craven adds: “A lot of these actors I didn’t know that well or have not worked with most of them, or any of them, as a matter of fact… They always say, ‘It’s great working with you. I’ve wanted to work with you for a long time,’ but it’s wonderful working with actors like this that are very young and have a large following already because of their talent, and just to spend one or two days with them to do these kind of set/bit pieces is a lot of fun.”

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NEWS – Inception Comes to UK Blu-ray in Briefcase Edition

Christian Sellers — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:43:46 +0000

Sceptics feared that Christopher Nolan would be unable to match the critical and commercial acclaim of his Batman sequel The Dark Knight, but this year’s thriller Inception seemed to prove everyone wrong. Boasting a cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Brick), Ellen Page (Juno) and Tom Hardy (the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road), the movie was described by The Hollywood Reporter as “A devilishly complicated, fiendishly enjoyable sci-fi voyage across a dreamscape that is thoroughly compelling.”

Nolan first gained recognition for his cult thriller Memento, before dividing audiences with the big budget remake Insomnia and The Prestige, but due to his revival of the fledging Batman franchise has become one of the most respected filmmakers in Hollywood.

According to Collider, Warner Bros. are set to release a triple pack Blu-ray on region 2 on December 6th, which will be presented inside a sleek briefcase. Recommened for release at £39.99, the set will include “the Blu-ray, DVD, digital copy, a disc of special features, theatrical dream machine leaflet, four art cards showing the main key art, and a spinning top.”

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TRAILER TRASH – Dracula

Christian Sellers — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:18:17 +0000

Bram Stoker’s classic text Dracula had made such an impact on popular culture and had been adapted into numerous plays that it was inevitable that Hollywood would eventually sense its potential. Whilst F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent movie Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens had taken so much inspiration from the story that the author’s estate sued the filmmakers, Universal were eager to avoid any legal issues and managed to obtain the rights through the official channels. Bela Lugosi, who had already portrayed the title role in Horace Liveright’s 1927 play, was cast as the antagonist and the movie would become one of Universal’s most successful horrors from their golden era, which would also include Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man.

English solicitor Renfield (Dwight Fry) arrives in Transylvania in search of Castle Dracula. The locals in the nearby town are fearful of the castle and warn him to stay at the inn but Renfield, who has come on business, insists that he must continue his journey. Eventually making his way to the castle, he is greeted by Count Dracula (Lugosi), an elegant-yet-mysterious man who welcomes him into his home. Renfield has been summoned to the castle as the Count has intentions of travelling to England and requires Renfield to make certain arrangements. Later that night, Renfield is seduced by three women before being attacked by Dracula.

Having been driven insane by Dracula’s curse, Renfield sets sail for England, watching over the Count’s coffin on the ship. After Dracula has fed upon the crew, Renfield is taken into custody in England and placed in a sanatorium. Whilst at a theatre Dracula makes the acquaintance of Dr. Seward (Herbert Bunston) and is introduced to his daughter, Mina (Helen Chandler), and her best friend, Lucy (Frances Dade). Dracula attacks Lucy at her home and sinks his teeth into her neck. Her death arouses the curiosity of Professor Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan), who becomes convinced that a vampire was responsible.

Although often hailed a masterpiece there are many flaws with Dracula. Much of the original story has been changed, with the character of Jonathan Harker (David Manners) reduced to a minor role. Lugosi manages to convey an eerie stare but sadly that was the extent of his acting ability, as he has a poor delivery with his lines and gives a cardboard performance. He is constantly upstaged by Fry, who also appeared as Fritz in Frankenstein the same year. Van Sloan makes an interesting Van Helsing, but most of the supporting cast lack charisma.

Whilst Tod Browning’s Freaks would prove to be very effective, there is something lacking in his direction with Dracula, and he certainly fails to achieve the same kind of style that James Whale managed with Frankenstein. The movie set a lot of standards for the modern vampire movie but it outstays its welcome and Lugosi’s inability to show emotion makes his character rather one-note. Certainly not as effective as Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens, although few Dracula movies have managed to surpass it.

Watch the trailer below…

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REVIEW – Rio Bravo

Christian Sellers — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:40:34 +0000

John Wayne had fast become an icon in American popular culture for his various portrayals of cowboys over the years, with memorable roles in such classics as Hondo and The Searchers. Many consider his finest work to be Rio Bravo, in which he portrayed the sheriff of a small town fighting off a band of mercenaries. The movie was directed by Howard Hawks who, despite having worked in almost every genre throughout his career, had enjoyed the most success with comedies like Bringing Up Baby and His Girl Friday. The influence of Rio Bravo on modern cinema is undeniable, with director John Carpenter having referenced the movie in much of his own work, including Assault on Precinct 13 and his remake of The Thing.

Drunken deputy Dude (Dean Martin) has become the laughing stock of Rio Bravo, having thrown his life away for a woman and returned home a shell of his former self. Walking into his local saloon and recently on the wagon, Dude watches as local thug Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) sips his whiskey. Mocking the deputy, Joe throws a dollar into a spittoon so he can buy himself a drink but is interrupted when the sheriff, John T. Chance (Wayne), walks into the bar and kicks over the spittoon. Dude grabs a piece of wood and kicks out the sheriff and goes for Joe, but his accomplices grab a hold of him. As Joe begins to beat Dude, a patron tries to stop him but is shot. Joe heads to another saloon but the sheriff appears a moment later and arrests him for murder.

With Joe in jail, Chance knows that it is only a matter of time until his brother, the rich and deadly Nathan Burdette (John Russell), attempts a jailbreak, and so Chance is forced to defend the building with the help of Dude and Stumpy (Walter Brennan), an aging deputy. Chance unintentionally becomes entangled with Feathers (Angie Dickinson), a beautiful stranger who arrived in town on the last coach and falls for the sheriff. But when one of his friends, Pat Wheeler (Ward Bond), is gunned down in the street by one of Burdette’s hired gunmen, Chance is determined to hold the fort at all costs.

John T. Chance is arguably one of Wayne’s finest roles, allowing the actor to demonstrate subtle humour, as well as proving to be something of a tragic character. He is surrounded by people he feels he may not be able to depend on (a drunk, an old man and a woman) but each eventually manage to prove themselves to him. The only one he has confidence in is Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson), a young gunslinger who arrived in town with Wheeler and who Chance sees great potential in. despite his doubts over Dude’s competence, Chance gives his every opportunity to redeem himself, thus making Wayne the father figure of the movie.

The isolated setting, in which only a handful of characters are relevant to the plot, and the one simple goal of the film – protect the jail – allows Hawks to toy with the characters and include moments of comedy and romance. Perhaps the movie is a little too long and those eager for plenty of gunfights may be disappointed, as besides the final shootout there is not much conflict, with most of the tension coming from Chance waiting for the attack. Martin especially shines in his role, playing Dude as a hopeless-yet-loyal character who was once Chance’s most trusted friend but had since ruined his life with alcohol. Likewise, Nelson is impressive as Colorado, giving a likeable turn as the young cowboy.

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NEWS – Tarantino Considering Timberlake as Hitman

Christian Sellers — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:35:06 +0000

Quentin Tarantino has resurrected countless careers and has given plenty of careers credibility by casting actors in memorable roles.

According to Showbiz Spy, Tarantino is considering none other than pop singer-turned actor Justin Timberlake for one of his future projects regarding an up-and-coming hitman and insiders have hinted that Tarantino feels Timberlake would be ideal for the role.

Timberlake first began to gain recognition for his acting with 2006’s Alpha Dog, which was then followed by Southland Tales, Black Snake Moan and Shrek the Third. He will next be seen in David Fincher’s Facebook movie The Social Network.

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TRAILER TRASH – The Dead Pit

Christian Sellers — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:35:49 +0000

The late 1980s saw an epidemic of low budget zombie movies that were riding on the success of both The Return of the Living Dead and Re-Animator in 1985. Schlock such as The Dead Next Door succeeded in finding an audience on home video and gaining a cult following, despite its poor production value and derivative content. Another cheap effort was The Dead Pit, the official feature debut of filmmaker Brett Leonard. Having been brought on board as a replacement of original director James Dodson for the horror flick Deadlock, Leonard was offered the chance to make his own movie and, with a mental hospital at his disposal after the previous film, set about creating the story for The Dead Pit.

Determined to stop his deranged colleague, Dr. Colin Ramzi (Danny Gochnauer), from experimenting on his patients, Dr Gerald Swan (Jeremy Slate) finally manages to trap his colleague inside a pit where he has been disposing his bodies. Twenty years later, a patient listed as Jane Doe (Cheryl Lawson) arrives at the facility, suffering from amnesia and placed under the care of Dr. Swan. Almost immediately, the young woman begins to suffer from recurring nightmares of a surgeon and the undead. Jane strikes up a friendship with fellow patient Christian Meyers (Stephen Gregory Foster), who seems skeptical about her visions.

When an earthquake disturbs the pit inside the basement, the remains of Ramzi and his victims are released and the living dead return to the surface. Convinced that her visions are real, Jane manages to pursued Christian that something bad is going to happen in the hospital, particularly when one of the staff, Nurse Robbins (Mara Everett), mysteriously disappears. As the truth behind the hospital begins to unfold, Jane recalls her lost memories and who she really is. When Dr. Swan is finally convinced that Ramzi has returned, he is forced to face his past once again.

Whilst the early 1980s had seen a slew of zombie movies released, from the graphic Italian cycle to the likes of Dead & Buried, the latter half of the decade had seen several low budget offerings released, including Don Swan’s Goremet, Zombie Chef from Hell and J.R. Bookwalter’s The Dead Next Door. One such movie was Brett Leonard’s directorial debut The Dead Pit, which had been shot with the left-overs from the production of a straight-to-video horror entitled Deadlock. Shot on location at The Agnews Developmental Center in San Jose, California, the movie would become something of a cult on home video.

‘The mind, a place of infinite mystery. When the mind strays, it can become a place of fear,’ says the voiceover for the theatrical trailer, which attempts to fool the viewer into believing that the movie is a deep and intelligent exploration into the horrors of mental illness. ‘Now, something powerful and terrifying will be released from the dead. When the mind of Jane Doe is opened, a terror long buried rises to life and only the ones called insane are able to see the truth.’

Watch the trailer below…

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