Movie Renter's
Guide
Current Movies - Part 3 - November, 1995
By John E. Johnson, Jr.
Ratings: | ||
Extraordinary | ||
Good | ||
Acceptable | ||
Mediocre | ||
Poor |
"Pulp Fiction", Miramax Films,
1994, Color, Filmed in Panavision, Measured aspect ratio
(laserdisc) 2.27:1, Surround Sound, 2 Hr 34 min, Rated R; John
Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel Jackson, Bruce Willis; Drug dealing
and fight fixing Marsellus Wallace provides the anchor for this
powerful film, while Travolta, Thurman, Jackson, and Willis
provide the action. In the midst of having to "hit" a
bunch of street dealers who try to run off with the goods (a
briefcase that lights up the face of any who look inside),
Travolta is assigned the task of entertaining Mia Wallace
(Thurman) while Marsellus is on a trip. There are some great
scenes of Travolta resisting temptation here. Meanwhile, Willlis,
who plays a boxer paid to take a dive in the fifth round, but
doesn't, tries to escape the vengeful Marsellus, and the lurid
outcome fits the movie title very well. I did not think I was
going to like this motion picture, but it is fantastic. Some feel
it is a "sick" movie, but that is the point of pulp
fiction. It is supposed to be.
Entertainment: Video Quality: Audio: Photography: (Absolutely astonishing - great use of moving camera following the action) Violence: yes, however, not as much as I thought there was going to be Sex: yes and occasionally savage - definitely not a film for children to see on the home video Language: the "f" and "s" words, and other course vulgarities
"Kiss of Death", Twentieth Century
Fox, 1995, Color, Filmed spherical and matted to measured aspect
ratio (laserdisc) 1.77:1, Surround Sound, 1 Hr 41 min, Rated R;
Nicholas Cage, Samuel Jackson, Helen Hunt, David Caruso; Cage is
terrific as "Junior" in th is remake of the 1947 film
of the same title (updated to 1995 and minus certain scenes and
the brutal way of voicing this character that made Richard
Widmark a star). His sadistic power in killing with his bare
hands, in spite of asthmatic attacks, is astounding. Caruso is a
con who is forced by the police into an attempt to trap Junior
into admitting his murdering ways (Caruso wears a microphone -
"wire" - under his shirt). The tension resulting from
being caught between the proverbial rock (police) and a hard
place (Junior), which was one of the trademarks of the Film
Noire, keeps this picture moving at a fast pace.
Entertainment: Video Quality: Audio: (There is not much of a soundstage here, let alone use of the rear surround) Photography: Violence: sadistic Sex: partial nudity Language: the "f" and "s" words
"Rapa Nui", Warner Brothers, 1994,
Color, Filmed in Panavision, Measured aspect ratio (laserdisc)
2.27:1, Surround Sound, 1 Hr 47 Min, Rated R; Jason Scott Lee,
Sandrine Holt, Esai Morales; The setting is the island of Rapa
Nui (later named Easter Island) some 300 years ago. Six clans of
"long ears" (shells placed in the earlobes to make the
ears longer) have a yearly contest to see who will be the chosen
"birdman" (leader) of all clans during the following
year. A seventh clan, called the "short ears" slave
away at building the mysterious stone carvings (the ones we can
still see today). Short eared girl (Holt) and long eared boy
(Lee) want to marry, which is not acceptable to the present bird
man. Short eared boy (Morales) also loves the same girl, and
happens to be best friends with Lee. The long ears agree to allow
the short ears a slot in the annual competition if they will stop
grumbling about having to build the statues. Rapa Nui provides a
beautiful backdrop for this interesting film that chronicles the
legend of tribal history.
Entertainment: Video Quality: Audio: (Score is electronic music, but it is a good one with excellent subwoofer sounds) Photography: (You should see the widescreen version if you can) Violence: yes, tribal battles Sex: partial nudity Language: harmless
"Village
of the Damned", MCA Universal, 1995, Color, Filmed in
Panavision, Measured aspect ratio (laserdisc) 2.27:1, Matrixed
surround, 1 Hr 39 min, Rated R; Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley;
A small New England town (Midwich) goes to sleep for a few hours
on a lazy afternoon, and they awaken to find that ten womenfolk
are pregnant. They are in a Victorian uproar until they realize
that the pregnancies are an unexplainable phenomenon. The infants
are all born on the same day, and as they grow, the townspeople
discover to their horror, that the children possess terrible
powers. What to do about some brilliant kids who can read the
minds of adults wanting to get rid of them, is the theme that
takes us to a chilling conclusion. The original movie (highly
recommended) starred George Sanders, who was a marvelous actor.
Reeve plays the role in a laid back sort of way, but the story is
so riveting, that I could not take any notes until it was over.
Entertainment: Video Quality: Audio: (Not much use of surround) Photography: (You should see the widescreen version if you can) Violence: yes, John Carpenter (director) style Sex: no Language: no
"Only
You", Columbia TriStar, 1994, Color, Filmed spherical
and matted to measured aspect ratio (laserdisc) 1.77:1, Surround
Sound, 1 Hr 49 min, Rated PG; Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey, Jr.;
Faith Corvatch (Tomei) is engaged to be married in about a week.
Suddenly, she takes a phone message from her fiance's colleague,
who happens to have the name Damon Bradley. The coincidence is
that, when she was 10, a fortune teller predicted she would marry
someone with this name. So, off to Venice and Rome (in her
wedding dress), with her best friend, to find Damon. Some
hilarious moments, and great Italian countryside scenery, take up
the remainder of the story. This is a girl's movie, so hey guys,
she sat with you to watch Demolition Man, and you should get this
one for her. A nice change from looking at exit wounds.
Entertainment: Video Quality: Audio: Photography: (You should see the widescreen version if you can) Violence: no Sex: no Language: no
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Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity
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