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Cheerful_Dragon
Reviews
Space Race (2005)
The engineers who had 'The Right Stuff'
This series tells the story of the space race from the point of view of the engineers who headed the USSR's and USA's rocket teams. It shows the triumphs and the tragedies without taking sides. I was delighted when Korolev, the USSR's long-unnamed 'Chief Designer', launched his first rocket, and also when Sputnik and then Gagarin made it into space. I shared Von Braun's frustration when the US military passed the satellite project to the Navy, a frustration doubled by the fact that he could have had a satellite into space a year before the Soviets.
In 'The Right Stuff', the astronauts and test pilots held centre stage, and rightly so. That was their film. But however good that film was, it turned Von Braun into a caricature of a German scientist. This series tells his side of the story. It also shows the human side of the Soviet race for space and makes the viewer care about them as much as about the Americans. There is no 'us and them' in this series, just people doing something they care about. The performances are spot on and Robert Lindsay's quiet narration is perfect for giving background information and linking segments. Definitely deserves 10/10
Frankenstein (2004)
Excellent adaptation
This is the story of Frankenstein the way Mary Shelley wrote it. A running time of nearly 3 hours gives the story time to develop. Use of less well-known actors allows you to see the characters (although a good actor should allow that anyway). Luke Goss was good as the monster, better than I expected from an ex-rock star. He really made me feel sympathy for the Creature. Only two things grated a little: William Hurt's German accent was corny, and they insisted on using electricity to reanimate the Creature (Mary Shelley doesn't say how it was done).
Other than that, it's the best adaptation I've ever seen. In fact, at the end my husband said, "I never realised that 'Frankenstein' isn't a horror story. It's a tragedy." So well done to the film-makers for breaking the mould.
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Disappointing
Before I saw this film, I thought it would be good because of the cast - James Caviezel and Guy Pearce are both good actors. The film had barely started before I knew it would be a waste of time. I'm not going to post spoilers, I'll just say that the relationships between a number of characters have been changed way beyond the usual trimming that goes on with film adaptations. Characters have been added or changed for no apparent reason. The book contains numerous sub-plots and it would take a mini-series, like the one starring Gerard Depardieu, to fit them all in. This film doesn't even try. All the subtleties are ripped out of the story, and they even give it a happy ending.
If you want to watch a film of The Count of Monte Cristo and don't want to sit through a mini-series, hunt down the Richard Chamberlain version. It's much better.
Ocean's Eleven (2001)
A 'Remake' That Works
Unlike some recent 'remakes', this one improves on the original on every level. The script, acting and direction are perfect. The music harks backs to the old days of 'caper' movies, but with a modern touch. It's a lot of fun, yet also has some edge-of-the-seat moments. Just one thing jarred - the dreadful 'mockney' from Don Cheadle (Basher). It wasn't just the accent, it was the dialogue. If they want a Cockney, we have plenty over here. They could even give advise on making the rhyming slang sound natural. 9/10
The Italian Job (2003)
An insult to the title "The Italian Job"
Using the title "The Italian Job" suggests that this film is, in some way, a remake of the original film. It isn't. The only similarities are gold, Minis (and even then it's the new Mini) and the name of one character (Charlie Croker). The screenplay doesn't have the quality of the original and the acting is lack-lustre to say the least. The film lacks the sparkle of the original, which is a classic. This film just about scrapes 'OK' as a stand-alone caper. By trading on the title, it sinks about as low as it can get.
The Mummy Returns (2001)
Not very original!
I'm always wary of films where I can pick holes early on, and I was right to be wary of this one. I saw 'The Mummy' and enjoyed it, even though it was horribly inaccurate about Egypt (ancient and modern). This film just took 'The Mummy' and did it over again. Many of the special effects, although exciting, had been used in the first film. It's as if the production team decided to use them over again to save money. The dialogue was sometimes unintentionally funny, the acting was mediocre at best and there didn't seem to be an original idea in the whole film. Not a film I'll be adding to my video collection when it comes out!
The Right Stuff (1983)
These men had the 'Right Stuff', in more ways than one
I saw 'The Right Stuff' after having seen 'Apollo 13' and, having read Jim Lovell's book, I knew the men had to go through a lot just to be chosen as astronauts. This film shows you how much. However, although it is a serious film, there are enough light-hearted moments to stop it getting tedious.
I class certain films as 'old friends'. These are films I can watch at any time, without getting tired of them. They hold my attention all the way through. 'The Right Stuff' joined the list of 'old friends' the first time I saw it. I recommend this film to everybody.