doug-may Reviews

Creature from the Haunted Sea (1961)

Not his best but very good...

[19 February 2004]

There seems to be a lot of confusion about this film, judging by the reviews and the low rating. As should be obvious to any halfwit, "Creature from the Haunted Sea" isn't meant to be taken seriously and it isn't trying to be gripping or suspenseful or scary. It is in fact a completely unhinged example of filmic surrealism and is closer to Alfred Jarry than to William Castle or any of Corman's other horror films. Personally I loved every character in this mess. I loved Carbone doing Bogie in The African Queen and the deckhand with his feral yelps and Mama (who looked like a cross between Della Reese and Juanita Hall) in her flowered tutu and the girl named Mango...it goes on and on. I liked especially the way the strange off-kilter and mostly bad acting kept undermining any sense of stability in the formation of the characters' personnae.

Too bad that the Latin stereotypes serve to date the film. But still, the Cuban military men are undeniably funny in the way that all bureaucrats, of whatever color or persuasion, are funny.

The sound quality is unfortunately very poor, and this film is in serious need of restoration. But for those who don't take these things seriously, you will encounter something remarkably original and yes, funny. Also check out "The Last Woman on Earth" which uses the same shooting locale and some of the same actors but overlays a basically simple post-apocalypse plot with ponderous existential musings.

Maniac (1934)

a one-of-a-kind wonder...

[12 February 2004]

I just watched this last night and I may never be the same. It is absolutely sui generis and almost beyond analysis, let alone criticism. Yes, the "acting" was awful, although it's hard to believe that such deliberate scenery chewing was ever intended to be taken seriously. At one point in the beginning of the movie, the mad scientist says to his apprentice: "Once a ham, always a ham...." And that pretty much sums up the "dramatic" aspirations of this film.

Beyond that, though (and overlooking the cliched and ridiculous plot), the discerning trash aficionado will find a treasure trove of delights. There are wonderful, classic throw-away lines ("What DID you put in that hypo, doctor?" and the aforementioned conversation vis-a-vis rats and cats)as well as delectably Rubensesque B-girls with their breasts exposed, hilarious special effects, and crudely effective photo superimpositions taken from sources such as Christensen's Classic History of Witchcraft and Fritz Lang's Siegfried. Not to mention the public health messages that constantly interrupt the plot to amusing effect. The whole effect is strangely disorienting--like watching Dreyer's Vampyr on a mescal hangover.

Recommended to fans of "Plan Nine" and "Mesa of Lost Women" If you like this, you should also check out "Daughter of Horror" (aka "Dementia").

The Bed You Sleep In (1993)

A flawed masterpiece...

[27 February 2003]

Don't give any credence to the other reviewer's comments. This film obviously overloaded his circuitry and left him with no recourse save the usual filmschool, cliched putdowns. He is correct about the film being puzzling, though. How could a director create such a gorgeous work of art and kill it with such a hamfisted ending? I suppose that in 1993 no one could have anticipated 10 years of prosecutorial misfeasance, brainwashed witnesses, the whole McMartin syndrome. So the Emerson quote, juxtaposed with the image of raped timberlands, must have seemed transparently cathartic and indictive of a paternalistic, failed American hegemony. Now, in 2003, when we know that children often tell lies, especially under the

prompting of "impartial" advocates with their own political agendas to advance, it seems merely unintentionally ironic. No matter. This movie is not about anything so obviously melodramatic as family secrets. It is, in fact, a grand symphonic ode to the American landscape and to the challenged lives of those who live mostly out-of-balance with nature. The long, magnificent static shots of urban and rural mis-en-scene are as perfectly integrated into the narrative as Ozu's earlier still-life compositions, and the human inhabitants of the Oregon town have as much dignity and grace as the Russian explorers in Dersu Uzala. Jost is the only American to have appropriated the meditative techniques of Tarkovsky, Angelopoulos and Bela Tarr and come close to succeeding on their level. So ignore the director's simple-minded, hippy-cum-leftist philosophy and just enjoy this film for its marvelous acting, technical panache and noble attempt to impose a formal filmic structure through long takes and ingenious editing.

The Life of David Gale (2003)

a good movie that could have been great

[22 January 2003]

(warning: spoilers ahead) There was much to admire in this film. The many beautiful, monochromatic shots of overcast Texas landscapes, both rural and urban; Kevin Spacey's usual bravura acting; Laura Linney's versatility; a fine, atmospheric score that combined pop-ambient electronics with moody strings. Unfortunately, there was one fatal flaw--the completely unbelievable character, Dusty. No real opponent of the death penalty would have participated in such a ludicrous plan. While fanatics of every stripe may be all too willing to sacrifice their lives and the lives of others for a "just" cause, death penalty opponents see human lives as ends in themselves, not means to an end. In addition, Dusty took on the semblance of a deus ex machina, while remaining a complete cipher. If suspense was required, Dusty was trotted out, if an explanation was required, Dusty was trotted out, etc. And never once was Dusty allowed to speak, or reveal his motives. And what about that final bit of obvious symbolism, Linney or some Linney double singing the part of Liu in Turandot? What was that all about? Come to think of it, what was the meaning of the whole opera thing? And why didn't he fire the incompetent Texas lawyer? All in all, a good movie that could have been a very good or even great meditation on crime and punishment, given a better script.