Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine Kappa Kid's Dungeon of Schlock

There was an awesome episode of the Newsroom (The original one by Ken Finkleman), where Cronenberg was on a junket promoting Crash and all anyone wanted to talk about was the exploding head scene from Scanners.

The head exploding scene is truly a masterpiece of practical effects. It's too bad it's the best part of the movie and it's within the first 15 minutes.

The lead actor in Scanners (Look It Up Lad says it's Stephen Lack) is widely slated for being wooden.

And there's a definite lack of connection. But much later on, I realised that he's playing a derelict man who is emotionally repressed, unable to function in society and who has just found a way of dampening down those conditions even further through drug use.

So, I've no idea if it was intentional, but the utter lack of empathy he produces is ideal for the character.

Ironside is actually the more human of the two. His lust for power has urges that are all too familiar, but we are also reminded that they are based on insanity.

There aren't many good guys in this one. McGoohan's character continued experimenting on his own children when he saw the early results. Ironside's world would be one of scanner power, but with structures we'd understand. Lack's character would have oppression in a different form as his kind take humanity into uncharted territory.

Handily, as this is a comics forum, it was good to see a scenario where powers came with a terrible price and the real(ish) world reaction to exploit those with such abilities. Zero spandex here.

Picking up on his earlier Stereo we have the trepanation scene and the idea of a gestalt of minds as being the way forward. Where experiences are shared through the mind, language becomes redundant and truths are laid completely bare.

It also gets points for highlighting the all too horrific drugs peddled in the 1950s as pregnancy aids.

So, it's one I see every now and again as I find more interesting themes in it. Partly due to Cronenberg's work around similar areas over a long period.

That's an interesting analysis. thot'. While it may not change my lack of enjoyment for the movie, it is an interesting way to view what Cronenberg was trying to achieve with the film.

It can be a cold, bleak sort of movie, both in location and emotionally. So feel good enjoyment it's not.

Just looking at the cover, reminds me that the finale was pretty good on the effects side too.

That finale was very well shot, as is usually the case with Cronenberg flicks. The effect of the veins popping was really cool.

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE...Highlander movie. Of all the Highlander movies, tv-series, and straight to DVD releases out there, only the first movie stands out as something special. Last night, I watched the movie and it still is as great as always. I love the duality of conflict that Conner Macleod faces as the flashbacks develop his backstory while still seeming like they serve to push the present day plot forward instead of the interjectory crap that we see in other movies (*cough Man of Steel cough*). The Kurgan is a very creepy villain and even when Clancy Brown is hamming it up to 11 in the role the viewer still fears for Conner. Sean Connery's role as Ramirez is defintely great too, even if his character's arc is very Obi-Wan Kenobi-esque in retrospect. Top it off with a bombastically glorious Queen score and you have one of the best, most original fantasy movies of the 80's.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I've watched the Thing and Scanners again in the last fortnight thanks to this thread.

The Thing is always a great watch. It's easily the best monster movie ever made in my opinion.

Highlander is head and shoulders above the rest of the series that followed, no doubt, but the TV show actually had stuff to recommend it. Having a bigger sandbox to play in lead to some interesting explorations with mythology and world-building, and as my wife never tired of reminding me, Adrian Paul is a good leading man.

I actually liked the rest of the Highlander film series. But the first one was an instant classic.

The tv show kinda lost me after Tess died. "dust in the wind ..."

Just quoting to say, QUEEN!

You even liked Highlander 2: The Quickening?

Is that the weird ass sic fi one? Then yes. I still liked it.

That movie had some of the most bizarre retconning I've ever seen in a film. It put DC's crisis events to shame!

I think by now the Aliens franchise has been retconned back and forth.

Although sometimes it's just shoulders above in Highlander

It's been a while since I did a review, but I'm feeling motivated today so here goes...

FLASH.....AHHHHH!!!! SAVIOR OF THE UNIVERSE! The 1980's Flash Gordon movie is one of those movies that is a work of genius that many don't notice on their first viewing. It's perhaps one of the finest examples of cinematic camp out there, yet it doesn't descend into self aware winking to the audience or parody at any point. It's so honest about what it is and relishes in the world it creates. Sam Jones as Flash is great and he brings that old school pulp hero looks and charsima to the table needed for a film like this. Max von Sydow is perhaps one of the greatest assets to this film. He plays the role completely straight and almost feels like he's stumbled out of a much darker movie, yet keeps the hamminess the perfect level to still be a fun villain. This visuals are a feast for the eyes and the bright colors not only are treat for kids, but can be appreciated by older eyes. Each world under Ming's domain has an individual look and personality and the court scene at the beginning has some great costume design that can still be appreciated today.

Rating: 3/5

Brian Blessed is awesome.

I find it apt that famed sci-fi reviewer, SF Debris, compared Blessed's portrayal of Vultan to Lando in The Empire Strikes Back. Both characters were initially going to sell out the hero to the bad guy, but ultimately have a change of heart later on, though a bit too late in Lando's case.

Meanwhile on Bespin, our heroes have just discovered that Darth Vader and his stormtroopers arrived before they did and control the cloud city. Han draws his blaster and fires...

Han: Hey! I shot him through the head. He didn't even react.
Leia: Something else else's wrong. Your aim isn't that good.
Han: Hey!
Leia: Perhaps our host could tell us?
Vultan: HA HA HA! IT'S BECAUSE I EVISCERATED HIM AFTER STUNNING HIM WITH MY SHOUTY VOICE! HA HA HA!
Han: Thanks Vultan. Now about those repairs to the Falcon...

Here's where I lose a few fans: I watched Return of the Living Dead last night and didn't care for it. The main problem with the film is the characters. Every, and I do mean EVERY, character in the movie is unlikable, from the sleazy warehouse owner to the obnoxious punks that are supposed to be the zombie fodder. I know it's often cliche to have unlikable characters in a horror movie for the audience to experience satisfaction when the monster finally gets them, but what this movie fails to do is give us one central character to follow or sympathize with. Add in the fact that every scene involves every character screaming at the top of their lungs and I had a headache nearly half way into the movie. As far as the positives, the effects are top notch and zombies look fantastic. The score is haunting and perfectly compliments the ghoulish atmosphere. It's a shame that the characters weren't better or I may have counted this among my all time favorite zombie films.

Rating: 2/5 stars

It's Alive! It's Alive! The thread I mean.

I think I saw the first spin off before I saw this one. I think it had a couple of the same actors. But the original is much better.

Random memories:-

The very downbeat ending has stayed with me to this day. It's quite a change from so many films, even horror ones. It has that Cold War cultural chill to it too.

The zombies are very well done, and added something more Creepshow/ EC than Romero's shambling corpses. My memory tells me it was pretty well shot too.

There's a lot of dark comedy. The fates of the warehouse employees being memorable.

It is plot driven and coupled with the vein of humour means there's not much characterisation (or empathy) going on. I think the young warehouse person's girlfriend was supposed to be the one to empathise with? From your description, she may have screamed so much you wanted her zombied instead.

The disposable punks were pretty much a mainstay of loads of horror movies at the time. Seen here in graveyards or driving aimlessly around cities in various Italian horror movies.

It's one I've not seen for quite a few years, but I did quite like it.