Change Your Image
tutt-roberts
Reviews
Shocking Asia (1974)
Ho-hum
Just short of boring. These days, there is (or should be) nothing especially novel about transsexuals, cremation, cult practices, or sexual esoterica, Asian or otherwise. I did find the footage of "the operation" interesting from a medical and forensic perspective, although anyone who has a problem with blood (their own or others) should not watch this part. This film, as an actual documentary of somewhat exotic foreign customs (at least from the perspective of one living in the United States) is far less "shocking" than, say, films which glorify crime or depict gratuitous violence. It seems clear to me that the producers did not have titillation in mind when they made this film, but rather intended a serious look at practices which, though alien to us, are commonplace elsewhere. The viewpoint is eclectic, but not especially offensive.
Trog (1970)
Trog dinosaur scene found in another film
In response to those who were wondering about the dinosaur sequence, it is from a 1956 Warner Brothers film called the Animal World. The animation was done by Willis O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen, and was originally 10 minutes long. Those who wish to see the entire sequence can buy or rent the Black Scorpion on DVD. The 10 minute segment is included as an extra. The animation took two weeks. Unfortunately, it was the last time that Ray Harryhausen worked with Willis O'Brien. In the 60's, the ViewMaster Company issued a three-reel set from the movie with the dinosaur sequence in 3-D. Otherwise, sitting through Trog just to see this sequence, which is pretty much the only thing worthwhile about the film, requires extreme patience.
Magdalen (1998)
A curious mixture of film noir and cinema verity.
Magdalen is a curious mixture of film noir and cinema verity, an effort which will probably be of interest to scholars, in the event that Andrew Repasky McElhinney becomes a cinematic force majeure. The problem with the film is that it never truly focuses on its profoundly intuitive theme--that life is largely illusory, a story made up out of whole cloth. The theme is best expostulated in the dialogue between Magdalen and Andrew, a dream encounter between the filmmaker (as God), and Magdalen (as His creature), in which God hands Magdalen the essence of Himself, to be altered, edited, adapted, or discarded as she sees fit. Beautifully shot in places, with a low bow in the direction of French existentialism and Eugene O'Neill, the film nevertheless lacks the skillful interweaving and truncation of thematic materials in A Chronicle of Corpses. Still, as the chanteuse says, "no regrets".
A Chronicle of Corpses (2000)
A brilliant effort by a young director and writer.
A brilliant effort by a young director and writer. The cinematography is superb, with each transitional scene reminiscent of a major painter, such as Vermeer, Caravaggio, Da Vinci, or Goya. While the story itself is relatively simple, the telling probes the psyches of its characters with a masterful insight into their collective anxieties about their pending fates, and a thematic breadth superb in its brevity. Even if one were to take issue with the writing, the visuals alone are worth the viewing. It was also refreshing to hear a well-selected choice of master composers accompanying each major scene. It is to be hoped that Mr. McElhinney will develop his style and become a major force in new cinema.