Tag Archives: Anne-Marie Martin

#135 Favorite Film, #23 Favorite Horror Film, 1981 Films, Ana Alicia, Anne-Marie Martin, Billy Warlock, Charles Cyphers, Dana Carvey, Dick Warlock, Donald Pleasance, Favorite Film of the Year, Gloria Gifford, Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jeffrey Kramer, John Carpenter, Lance Guest, Leo Rossi, Michael Meyers, Nancy Loomis, Nancy Stephens, Pamela Susan Shoop, Rick Rosenthal, Slasher, Tawny Moyer, Top 250 Films, Top 40 Horror Films

Halloween II-1981

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Halloween II-1981

Director Rick Rosenthal

Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence

Top 250 Films #135

Top 40 Horror Films #23

Scott’s Review #505

569099

Reviewed October 31, 2016

Grade: A

The follow-up to the surprise 1978 cult classic, independently made Halloween- directed by legend John Carpenter,  Halloween II (1981) was made in 1981.

In real life, it is three years later. Still, the film picks up immediately where the original left off in a chronological sense- the infamous night Michael Myers came home to brutalize the town where he killed his sister years earlier.

This is an excellent plot point that makes the film successful, as it immediately takes the viewer back to that infamous night.

Halloween II is one of my favorite film sequels.

Despite not directing Halloween II, John Carpenter, along with Debra Hill, both wrote the script, so they are, thankfully, heavily involved in the production, giving it authenticity and familiarity.

So much so that Halloween and Halloween II can be watched back-to-back, like one long film.

Michael Myers’s path of destruction continues in the sleepy, suburban town of Haddonfield, Illinois. This point looms large in this fantastic sequel, and we are treated to a direct transition from the original to the sequel.

The events switch from babysitter territory to the community hospital as new characters- mostly doctors, nurses, and ambulance people are introduced to the story, Laurie’s friends are sadly deceased.

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Doctor Loomis (Donald Pleasence) are the main stars of the film, and by the climax, they take center stage.

As a recap, the determined Loomis shot Michael Myers several times as he tumbled off a balcony to his presumed death. Spectacularly, the original Halloween brilliantly set the stage for a sequel, as Myers survives and disappears into the night, whereabouts unknown.

Now hours later, Laurie is transported to Haddonfield Hospital for treatment.  While there, the hospital staff do their best to protect her but are subsequently offed one by one by the crazed killer, who finds his way into the (conveniently!) deserted hospital.

The great quality of Halloween II is that it is gorier than its predecessor. More characters are sliced and diced in an unceremonious, brutal fashion.

One has her blood drained, and another is stabbed in the eye with a syringe. Yet another is repeatedly dunked into scalding water. And then there is the traditional knife in the back.

In contrast to many other slasher films, the supporting cast of characters is quite likable, and they are given little backstories of their own- a great touch.

Bud- the wise-cracking ambulance driver is dating Nurse Karen. Jimmy, a handsome orderly, takes a shine to Laurie.

Mixed in with the heavy horror are nice comic moments, such as when Nurse Janet ineptly tries to assist the hospital security guard, the bumbling Mr. Garrett, with a walkie-talkie, or when Head Nurse Mrs. Alves scolds the staff for being tardy.

We grow to care for these characters, in their little night-shift family, so that their inevitable demises hit home.

The chilling music- so instrumental to the success of the original- is slightly modernized into more of a keyboard-style sound. This gives a slicker, more commercial appeal.

Not to take away from the brilliance of the original score, but it is nice to hear a change, giving a fresher, more contemporary sound, rather than simply copying the same music.

Admittedly, Halloween II (1981) is not quite on par with Halloween, but that is asking the impossible. Halloween is a masterpiece, but Halloween II holds its own and is more than adequate as a sequel, having large shoes to fill.

Thanks to many of the same creators involved, it has not lost its edge or relevance all these years later.

1980 Films, Anne-Marie Martin, Antoinette Bower, Casey Stevens, Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Mary Beth Rubens, Michael Tough, Paul Lynch, Peter Simpson, Robert A. Silverman, Slasher

Prom Night-1980

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Prom Night-1980

Director Paul Lynch

Starring Leslie Nielsen, Jamie Lee Curtis

Scott’s Review #1,025

Reviewed May 21, 2020

Grade: B

Released in the summer of 1980, Prom Night feels much more like a late-1970s-style film than the plethora of carbon-copy products churned out in the early part of its decade.

The film is a conventional slasher whodunit and does not reinvent the wheel. Still, small tidbits of stylized cinematography are nestled within its formulaic confines during what could be considered throwaway scenes.

Prom Night might be forgotten if not for the casting of “Scream Queen” Jamie Lee Curtis, who leads the charge, carrying the story.

The film is heavily influenced by two very popular motion pictures that preceded it.

The most obvious comparison, also in the horror genre, is Carrie (1976), which has a gruesome finale set during the usually cheerful late-spring high school gymnasium event known as prom night.

Prom Night also capitalizes on the enormous success of Saturday Night Fever, a 1977 vehicle that made John Travolta and discotheque household names, to say nothing of making teenage girls swoon.

Prom Night even copies a cheesy disco dance sequence.

The story begins, as many horror films do, with an incident that occurred many years ago, paving the way for current events.

Youngsters, Wendy, Jude, Kelly, and Nick play hide-and-seek in an abandoned convent. When little Robin Hammond tries to join them, the group starts teasing her, repeating “Kill! Kill! Kill!” over and over again, frightening her and causing her to fall to her death through a second-story window accidentally.

The children make a pact not to tell anyone what happened and keep the incident a secret. The shadow of an unseen person who witnessed Robin’s death emerges.

Flash-forward to the present day, when the children are now in high school and eagerly await a night of dancing, drinking, and perhaps getting lucky, as they flirt and plan their partners for the night.

Robin’s family, led by the stoic Mr. Hammond (Leslie Nielsen), memorializes her on the anniversary of her death as sister Kim (Curtis) and brother Alex (Michael Tough) ready themselves for the prom that night.

Meanwhile, Kelly, Nick, Jude, and Wendy begin to receive menacing phone calls. Could Mr. Hammond, Kim, or Alex be behind the calls, perhaps seeking to avenge Robin’s death, or is this too obvious an approach?

As nightfall draws near, the teenagers and their friends begin to fall victim to throat-slitting, a decapitation, and a chase with an ax by a crazed killer wearing a ski mask and black clothing.

An ode to the Halloween franchise in the final act is delicious, but may or may not have been intentional.

The best part of Prom Night is the whodunit factor, and most of the fun is trying to figure out who is offing the kids. We know the motivation but not the who.

Red herrings are thrown directly to the audience like bones to a hungry dog.

The creepy, alcoholic janitor, Sykes, leers at the teens and even witnesses one of the murders (spoiler alert- he is not the killer!), but his claims are dismissed as drunken rants.

An escaped sex offender thought to be Robin’s killer, and an enemy of Kim’s, is also thrown in to distract the viewer.

There is little character development (surprise, surprise) as standard stock characters are on display. There is the jokester, the bitchy rich girl, the virginal girl, and the obnoxious boy, so diversity is not the ingredient of this film.

A formula is followed, and we know the final reveal will be the be-all, end-all of a film like this. Despite being formulaic, Prom Night is still enjoyable and never feels mediocre. Enough is going on to please horror fans seeking thrills.

Not a bad effort, Prom Night (1980) captures the viewer’s attention immediately and is never dull. The one-hour and twenty-nine-minute running time is a smart move, as the film can be described as quick and easy.

The surprise is genuine when the masked killer is revealed.

This is not Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), or Black Christmas (1974), the cream of the crop in slasher films, but it is worth watching.

1996 Films, Adventure, Anne-Marie Martin, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Disaster, Helen Hunt, Jami Gertz, Jeremy Davies, Lois Smith, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Scott Thomson, Todd Field

Twister-1996

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Twister-1996

Director Jan de Bont

Starring Bill Pullman, Helen Hunt

Scott’s Review #763

Reviewed May 25, 2018

Grade: B+

Twister (1996) is a film that contains amazing and groundbreaking special effects- that blew people away (pun intended!) when released to the masses over twenty years ago.

Moviegoers flocked to theaters everywhere to partake in the escapist summer feel-good hit starring popular movie stars of the time.

The film spawned amusement park rides and lots of other fun things during its run.

The visuals are what truly are to be enjoyed here and not the generic, tried, and true subplots of romance, childhood trauma, and corporate greed that are mixed in.

The film does not hold up well in present times as the dazzling effects now look rather dated when lined up against modern blockbusters. This results in Twister being reduced to “one of those 1990’s films”.

Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt star as American storm chasers, Bill and Jo, obsessed with their craft of tracking tornadoes throughout the United States mid-western region. Adding drama to the plot is that Bill and Jo are an estranged married couple amid a divorce.

Bill brings his new fiancee Melissa (Jami Gertz) along as numerous meteorologists converge to track storms using newly invented devices.

Predictably, a series of vicious storms commence while Bill, Jo, and Melissa play out a love triangle.

Twister gets off to a fantastic start as a wicked storm kills the five-year-old Jo’s father, prompting her to pursue her career of choice. Jo has never gotten over her father’s death becoming fascinated by deadly storms.

The effects of this initial storm are very well done as Jo’s father’s death scene is riveting- the poor man being sucked into the deadly cyclone is memorable. Regardless, this scene sets the tone for the ample effects to follow- most notably the terrifying sound of the swirling storm as farm tools and animals fly around onscreen.

After the initial introduction, the rest of the film is mainly of the group driving around and encountering storms, with Bill and Jo taking center stage.

As a child having spent many summers in the mid-west, sans tornadoes thankfully, I felt a sense of nostalgia watching the film.

Assumptions are being made that Twister was indeed filmed on location (with studio help), but the authenticity is apparent. From the vastness of the plains to the dusty roads, cornfields, and the small-town U.S.A. I enjoyed the down-home, slice-of-life feel.

The action and effects are lightning-quick and quite realistic. As mentioned the sound effects are as strong as the visual effects and I never doubted for a second that the twisters had a realism to them.

This successfully merges into the summer blockbuster that Twister’s producers undoubtedly were going for. Making a ton of money, the result was successful and inspired by Hollywood.

Despite the superlative special effects, though, this is the only reason to watch Twister, and seeing the film once is enough excitement.

The writers (Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin) attempt to incorporate a romance into the story and this does nobody any good. This negative aspect is even more apparent since the chemistry between Paxton and Hunt is non-existent and Gertz’s Melissa is meant to be the odd woman out all along.

A large amount of suspension of disbelief is necessary to “buy” various scenes. Ludicrous are countless scenes where characters either outrun the monstrous twisters or somehow the storms encircle them, but miraculously never touch them.

When Jo, Bill, and Melissa’s truck are captured inside the funnel cloud the vehicle and its passengers somehow remain unharmed.  Tornadoes do not simply come out of nowhere to attack without any indication on the radar.

But alas this is a disaster film and liberties must be taken.

The famous “cow scene”, notoriously used twice in the film seemed groundbreaking and cutting edge in 1996, but in 2018 now seems hokey and unnecessary.

Times sure do change in cinema, especially with technical effects and CGI growing each year.

Admittedly, the film does contain a good, all-American rockin’ summer tune by Van Halen named “Humans Being”, which always makes me think of summertime when I hear it. The entire Twister soundtrack was an enormous success with radio airplay given and led to further successes for the film.

Perhaps now watched as a blast from the past or a revisit to some sort of nostalgic time for folks, Twister (1996) is a great example of a once-popular popcorn movie falling into semi-obscurity. Given another twenty years, the film will undoubtedly fall all the way.

A nice film for the time it was, but not much more.

Oscar Nominations: Best Sound, Best Visual Effects