There is a sub-history when it comes to Tobe Hooper films, the man had been famous for a few standouts that caught the public eye (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Poltergeist, Salem's Lot, etc...), but the best stuff, where he really got to run wild, the movies that often went unnoticed or fizzled out of existence, are some of the most shocking and unique films you could ever see. Now, I didn't check out Lifeforce because of his recent passing, it was more to do with me searching through 80's SciFi trailers online. But me watching it has lead me to a deeper appreciation of what he's done, and a desire to seek out some of those more obscure works of his, so expect to see more of that here on Forever Phantasy. Lifeforce is a explosive adaptation of Colin Wilson's The Space Vampires, full of brutality, sexuality, wild effects, and surprisingly good storytelling. Sadly, it never really captured the story of the book proper and so, was shunned by fans and the author himself. Media outlets saw it as little more than big-budget exploitation, as the movie is full of nudity (mainly the breasts and butt of Mathilda May), death, explosions aplenty, and a rather hilarious scene where Steve Railsback kisses Patrick Stewart - surely meant to be shocking, but it just made me laugh uncontrollably for a good two minutes. Essentially it is about Vampires from space, they've been to earth before, and this is why legends and myths of vampires exist. And, that is probably the simplest thing about the movie. Lifeforce almost a role-reversal on Dracula, whereas the male becomes hopelessly ensnared in the vampire female's grasp. A straight talking, overly serious SAS operative acts as the movie's Van Helsing. Seeing a man corrupted by a female, drawn into a maddening existence where one can see the darkest desires of those around them, is genuinely interesting. Sexuality and deviancy is used against every person, shown as a weakness, and even the audience is included in this equation. Mathilda May's full-on nude figure is used constantly shown throughout this movie, she is almost always naked. And a lot of the film draws attention to her very attractive form, clearly being used to drawn the attention of either those interested in seeing it, or offended by sheer amount of nudity - no matter what, people are watching her. However, because of this, the other vampires - nude males, are left to run free. Everyone's attention, characters and viewers, is drawn to May. And so, this leads to the vampires plan's coming to fruition and the world falling to pieces. The only character's truly able to combat the situation are those with the willpower to act beyond themselves, their base desires. How does it all end? A little goofy but effectively nonetheless. I can't help but wonder if Tobe Hooper's aim for this film was to expose the weakness in physical desire, and the destruction a lack of willpower can bring. His films have always used the baser aspects of humanity to shock the audience, be it hunger, curiosity, or ignorance. It isn't so hard to think so. Even if not, you've got a movie full of great practical effects, action scenes, and monsters. More than enough to keep a SciFi or horror buff occupied. -L. BROOKS
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As I peel back the pages of Frank Herbert's Dune, I can't help but think of how I came to read the magnificent story within. You see, Dune, when I was a young man spending my free time in libraries at lunchtimes rather then participating in the usual social activities, was little more then a interesting cover among hundreds. I had been to many schools, and they'd had little fear of stocking more adult titles (long before school libraries had strict rules on the content they provided), but the book had always appeared. Sadly, my focus was more on books that depicted monstrous creatures and massive battles, on the cover, because at that age I hadn't realized how clever book covers could be - rarely reflecting the content within. Therein, I'd completely missed out on Dune, and countless other amazing titles. It was SciFi's Dune that had captured my interest in the movies, even though I'd felt that the marketing for this particular entry was completely deceptive (William Hurt is barely in the mini-series, even though some versions call it 'William Hurt's Dune', what do you expect for a Scifi movie though? Am I right?). This had mostly been because I didn't understand what was going on, and I'd heard a bit about there being a Dune movie with tonnes of wild practical effects and grim atmosphere. Clearly, this wasn't the movie I'd heard about, but I did eventually discover Twin Peaks, and through that David Lynch - eventually leading me back to the 1984 version of Dune. I've got to say, though the SciFi adaption of Dune does have far less offensive discrepancies when it comes to the source material, this version is far more interesting, risky, and full of design choices I can't help but adore. David Lynch does present a far more structured story then most else he's made (aside from maybe The Straight Story), but he keeps all of the intrigue and grim implications, his staples, intact. Usually he finds horror in the mundane here, and he does it Dune as well, but it's more for the characters within the story then the viewer. Everything that happens is mundane to the people of this futuristic universe, it's all about deserts and mining, and the life of nobility. Behind it all, like in the books, there are prophecies at work and the nature of everything is less a product of humanities struggle and more to do with outside forces setting things on a certain path. Big things happen but occur slowly, incrementally, and inevitably. However... This movie is highly truncated, a product of wallets dictating the final product, rather then the visionary. Because of this, the movie had been cut to pieces - losing nearly a entire film's worth of content. Wherever Lynch had tried to tell the story as it happened, the studios had felt it to be highly confusing and too long, so they forced content to be cut and voice overs and narration to be put in place. Because of this, the movie is told a little too bluntly at times, and while battles are happening, you are told of the implications and effects rather then being shown. It feels like a abridged form of Dune, however, due to certain things being changed, it fails on that level and provides a questionable experience. At times, three or four chapters of the book are compressed into one scene - such as Paul's training, which crams the brief teachings of his mentors into one scene. At these times, the movie seems to move in far too fast a motion. To this day, fans of the film are dying for a full cut of the movie and, sadly, it most likely won't happen. There is, however, a extremely rare Extended Edition, which, if I can obtain it, I'll do a second review for. As damning as those flaws seem, Dune is a highly entertaining movie and the vision presented here, of Frank Herbert's unique universe, is like no other. Every actor takes their roles seriously, and the effects are tremendous. To this day I cannot think of a film that captures the terror and scale of a creature such as the Sandworms, or the provides such tense and interesting battle scenes. In fact, the entire strength of the movie is its presentation, the performances, set design, and effects. The story is interesting enough to keep you invested, interested, and waiting to see what comes next. Kyle Maclachlan as Paul Atredies was a excellent choice, and he outshines even the talents of Patrick Stewart, Brad Dourif, and Jose Ferrer. As with most of these book-to-movie films, especially those that couldn't possibly fit within a 2 hour run time, I can't help but think of what could have been. But, there wasn't any way Dune could have been portrayed in film form correctly, books are a difficult thing to translate as they rely on vast descriptions, character thoughts, memories, dreams, and so much more. For what it is, this 1984 adaption is probably the best anyone can hope for. Better yet, its not even close to as bad as some people claim. You either like it, or you don't. -L. BROOKS NOTE: This is the second part of a large review, you can view the second part by clicking here. It took me a long time, when I was younger, to catch this second part of Merlin. This was mostly due to cable being wildly expensive, and a thing that my family couldn't afford. At the time, however, I distinctly remember the praise the first part received and how this second part was so highly anticipated that it had been on magazine covers, though I don't think TV guide was one of them. Thankfully, a teacher had been so impressed by this series that, in high-school, I was able to watch it in whole. Because of this, I was able to experience the entire mini-series, and eventually bought the DVD myself. The second part of Merlin immediately presents watcher's with far more complicated dilemma's then the first. Now, Merlin is paired with Arthur (The King Arthur of Legend), a young boy he raised to become King and immediately cements the boy as such. Though he is raised to be good man, he inevitably falters at times, though one has to wonder - is the bulk of Arthur's problems simply because of Mab and Merlin's, increasingly petty, feud? I think so. A good deal of loose ends left in the first part come together here: Arthur's true mother had a sister, she returns here and develops an interesting relationship with Frik (who is no longer merely comic relief), Nimue's mental state slowly deteriorates as she rarely sees Merlin anymore, as he is off doing things without her, minor characters from the first part stick around, and either become obstacles to Arthur or new allies. Almost nothing is left out aside from a few things, such as the fate of the soothsayer, or the reason behind Mab placing a stone in Arthur's crib when he was a child. The latter, to me, seems like the element of a plot that might've been left on the cutting room floor - no doubt kept in because it begins Mab and Frik's relationship with Morgana. If you were to think that the inclusion of rape in the first part was shocking, this time we get incest. Yes, Morgana's ugly sister is given beauty by Mab and Frik - only to go absolutely insane immediately, and agree to take part in a plot that involves her being impregnated by Arthur. Uniquely, the writers didn't just gloss by the monstrosity of Mab's actions (or how, maybe, she'd done this in response to Merlin's part in Arthur's conception), when Arthur finds out he is genuinely disgusted, distraught, and, in my opinion, begins to understand the terrible nature of this universe's magic. Merlin, however, seems to treat the situation as if it's a nuisance rather then something that could harm his cause later on. In fact, Merlin pretty much treats all further issues in this series as if they are merely annoyances, rather then genuine threats. I'm not sure if this shows how tired the character has grown with everything, or that the other characters, and their subplots, are more interesting. A lot does happen, the rise and fall of Lancelot, the repercussions of Arthur's obsession with the Holy grail leads to his Queen (played by a young Lena Headey long before Game Of Thrones) falling for the supposedly gallant Knight, Merlin learns that he's gotten a little bitter about everything and is, indeed, a man who can make mistakes, Frik falls in love with Morgana, confronts Mab when she kills her, and becomes mortal because of it. However, the main plot here is Mab's final bid, Mordred, a insufferable super-powered nutcase who exists strictly to undermine and annoy his father. What is interesting is that Mab does develop a connection with this miserable manufactured man, and grows to love him - making his eventual and expected Death a somewhat sad moment. Merlin ends on a rather bitter-sweet note, as main characters die, and the nature of good and bad, as well as the power of belief is fully explored. Merlin himself does get a good ending with Nimue, and we end on a high note for Frik. But, a person can't help but feel that maybe nothing would've happened if Merlin simply left things be, or moved past his pride, and vengeful goals. This series brings up issues that were far ahead of it's time for fantasy films, and far outshines the storytelling of most, if not all, of them (including Peter Jackson's LoTR and the Hobbit). I'm not talking about adventure and spectacle, I'm talking about the overall questions that could be asked - what is truly good or evil? What is right and wrong? Are these characters truly just, or merely doing these things to achieve their own goals? And, what does desperation truly bring? It is these questions that Merlin leaves me with every time I watch it, and its because of this that I highly recommend you watch it. It is a highly complicated masterpiece that is, sadly, overlooked nowadays and one that desperately needs attention (and an eventual BluRay release). -L. BROOKS WARNING: There are just so many spoilers here. If you haven't seen this, stop reading, hop in your time machine and go back to 1998 when it was new and airing on Television. No, all plot details are not described here, only a few key moments I fell are essential to deeming the quality of Merlin. Back in the day, before internet culture had absolutely dominated the planet, when the opinionated masses didn't feel as if everything had to be torn apart for not taking their views into consideration, torn apart just because something was old or silly, there was a period of television dominance. Wherein, if a movie was good enough to be on a major television network - it was therefore deemed a success, that was it. FOX, ABC, NBS, CBC, etc had the sway of things back then (even in Canada), they determined what media you consumed, and late night movies were major events for families who tuned in. Eventually, companies caught on - separating major movies, like Robocop 2, into two separate nights, and eventually making massive star-studded spectacles strictly for television, rather then just airing low budget junk that was cheap and easy to fill in the spaces between all the high-ranked television sitcoms and dramas that were airing at the time. So rolled out the miniseries, a not-quite-movie-not-quite-television-program hybrid - it bore the likes of Salem's Lot, IT, Rose Red, The Stand (that is a lot of Stephen King), The Magical Land of Leprechauns, The 10th Kingdom, Gulliver Travels, and went on to pave the way for more massive venture such as The White Queen, Band of Brothers, Pillars of the Earth, and so many other obvious titles. Somewhere, somehow, in the middle of all that was Merlin - a star-studded Arthurian epic about the struggle between master and creator, new and old, right and wrong. I could, certainly, go on all day about the actors in this movie - all the big names, all the care they took with their roles (aside from Rutger Hauer, who mostly just plays himself). Yes, this movie was treated like a major film, despite it being of a slightly lower quality, and even the smaller, almost unknown to this day, actors mingle with the high-profile performers flawlessly. But, this is a blog about stories and I'm not exactly great at judging the caliber of an actor. So I'll save it for those more qualified. I do have to note, however, that I absolutely love Miranda Richardson in her dual role as both Queen Mab and her sister, The Lady of the Lake. Getting right into it, Merlin begins somewhat slow and simple. For a long time magic has been the way of things, and Queen Mab has presided over most everything for a good long while, both human and magical. This is all threatened, however, as the Christian faith has brought the creator god into existence, and day by day the old ways, of magical abilities and creatures, are pushed out of the minds of mortals. In desperation, Queen Mab brings the wizard Merlin (Sam Neil) into existence, in a bid to make mortals continue their belief in magic - therefore, keeping it alive. This setup is magnificent, as it does show that Mab was once a little more benevolent before the advent of the Christian faith, and that it's rise had clearly taken many of the things she held close away (Ambrosia, Merlin's caretaker, even states that she once had love, but it was no more). Almost everything she does is the product of manipulation, and she uses her dwindling power only when she thinks it will absolutely aid her and her people. Everything she does could be considered evil to the Christians, but good to the magical world. Not only that, Mab is the only character willing to fight for her people - as her sister, the Lady of the Lake, simply accepts that she'll fade into nothingness, and the Rock of Ages believes he can never be subject to death. It's important to take note of this, as this situation is what drives Mab's every action. My only gripe with the opening bit is that the man playing young Merlin is just a little too old-looking for me to believe he is a teenager, and the creators saw it fit to stick Nimue (Isabella Rossellini), the daughter of a powerful lord, into probably the dumbest situation possible: sinking into a bog of quicksand. Worse yet, her servants and handmaids just let her walk off - it doesn't make much sense. Merlin, of course, saves her - but that is just about where his overall heroics end for the movie. Surprisingly, this is for the better. When the series finally gets Merlin off the ground, shedding weak attempts at comedy through characters like Frik (Martin Short), he is immediately flawed and the concept of magic, the nature of his creation, and Mab herself have left a bitter taste in his mouth. Despite him being the product of the old ways, he wants the Christians to win strictly because he wants that world to fade away - feeling that magic has a price and the power it brings imbues people and things with a careless nature towards others. And, damn, this series uses every opportunity to show that the price of magic is high. Anyone that uses it or has it is is a tool for something greater, ultimately Mab, and in the end they are discarded. Ultimately, Merlin sees the need for certain kingdom's to fall, as they align with Mab, and he sets about trying to aid the men who can do it. The Lady of the Lake gives him Excalibur, and he uses it to take down a man he feels is evil with those he feels are good. However, it's not that simple. At this point, Merlin uses the sword to kill a King, but in turn he gives power to a man who can't control himself; who lusts for another man's wife. Sure, the Christians are a little more powerful and Mab is a little weaker, but Merlin has inadvertently given power to a deviant. It really makes you wonder, when Merlin was given a vision earlier int he series, was it his own, or a subtle ploy put in place by Mab to torment him? Now, readers, if you think that Game of Thrones is a originator of complicated dramatic situations in a fantasy environment - prepare to be blown away. Merlin puts Excalibur in stone, asking the Rock of Ages to deem the man who pulls it as worthy. He, however, turns to Ulther, the new King, and agrees to go forward with a plot involving rape. He will transform Ulther, for a night, into the lord of Cornwall for a time, so that he can have the lord's wife. A child will be born from this, and Merlin wants it, he wants to groom this child into a good man. It really was at this point that I questioned Merlin himself. Through all the years he spent trying to do the good thing, failing at times, as any man would, he is clearly willing to do the wrong thing in order to get at Mab. To me, the first part of Merlin ended as a mono-myth. Merlin set out to stop Mab, he suffers greatly, so did those around him (such as Nimue, who is badly scarred due to his refusal to use magic) was a hero to some, but in the end he became just as desperate and flawed as Mab herself. Merlin, at this point, is willing to use people as devices to achieve his goals and push the Christian faith. He and Mab, have become the same. (Stay tuned for the second part) -L. BROOKS It seems like a million years ago, that I came across the Twilight novels being displayed at a library in North Chili, NY. I remember being curious, though young and far too prideful to admit my curiosity, so I went about searching for anything but books in that place, instead rummaging through the libraries selection of rock albums and DVDs. Down the road, when I finally realized how odd it was of me to be picking up music and horror films at a local library, I convince my, now ex, fiancee to pick them up for herself to read. Me, I held to my prideful ways, but read the entirety of the first two novels over her shoulder. No, they weren't too bad, but to say that I'd predict an oncoming movie, one that would launch a franchise and push novel-based movies back into the public eye... well... who could predict that? I remember hating Twilight, despite it being a rather faithful adaption, and I, to this day, can't exactly tell you why. Perhaps it was just the marketing, the pseudo-somber tone that had the movies creators had made, or, could it be, the horrible pacing and abrupt ending? No, it happened that way in the book. And, the movie went into the public eye and then out, and not a person thought that Twilight would be anything more then a flashy burn-out fad movie (during that time, almost every movie was like that; never having enough staying power to become a series). It wouldn't be long before the second movie rolled out, despite the lukewarm reception of the first, and, somehow, the series powered through a bout of hate and garnered a fan-base like few others. This strange fan-base would thrust both the books and the movies into stardom, pushing the latter's actors into a semi-international spotlight. {I must mention that it was strange that this fan-base would choose 'teams' to select which man Bella Swan, the main character of the series, should end up with - despite the fact that the books had already revealed who she was going to end up with.} You would have posters, albums, books, comics, stationary, documentaries, and just about anything you could think of plastered with nigh every characters face. Most of it was eaten up quickly by rabid fans, whilst the rest would eventually hit bargain bins and liquidation departments some years after. By the time New Moon's popularity had fizzled out, Twilight was in the face of every person, if they liked it or not. Of course, the whole thing would build up in waves with every movie and eventually end with an abrupt flop - any attempts to revive the series dashed by hatred and a general sense of boredom the previous fans had felt over the final two movies. But that isn't any surprise. By the time the series ended the author had made a fool of herself in interviews and even the likes of Stephen King had taken jabs at the poor woman (despite the fact that, for a long time, Stephen King had been somewhat of a joke himself), as if her work had been some bane on the writing world itself. Both forms of the story, books and movies, were also held down by a bevy of knock-offs trying to emulate its fame, miserably failing and continuously leading people to blame Twilight for the supersaturation. Viewing the shambles, it isn't hard to see why most everyone ironically calls the Twilight rise a phenomenon. But, there has to be some reason why the series persisted so long; why people stayed as long as they did, despite how ridiculous it all seemed. My theory? The ideas were bold. It really is that simple. You see, Twilight presented ideals that were not popular, and still aren't, but they helped established a unique identity for the series. It tackled the difficulties of abstinence, the want to be intimate but the need for a healthy and true relationship, to see if this couple could persist through difficulties and come out on top. In the end, Bella and Edward's sexual relationship would be validated. She fought the temptation that comes from being committed to a person and feeling that momentary want for something else (it does happen), and he persisted through the loneliness and desperation that can come from being separated from the person you love. They survived the irrationality that comes from the idea of love, to discover they did love each other for what they were as a couple even during issues. Sometimes, even if a problem seems stupid, irrational, and easy to fix for a person looking in, it doesn't always seem that way to a couple. To me, this really is the heart of what both the movies and books were. And, for people wanting relationships, or who had been through them, these ideas were easily understood and appreciated. Meyer's unique take on vampires seems silly when the questionable nature of diamond skin is brought up, but it makes sense when you pay attention to the details rather then taking it for surface value. Her vampires are reptilian almost, spreading their disease through venom. When you get that, the whole thing comes together rather easily. Not to mention, most new ideas seem strange to the audiences of their times, it often takes quite a while for people to appreciate what they are being presented. The idea of vampires turning to stone when killed was simply a device presented later in the film series to dampen the violence and maintain a lower rating for audiences. I'm not saying it's all peachy, no. But I'm saying that there was a backbone to it all, there were straight forward reasons for people liking this series. Sadly, not a lot of people would come to its defense near the end, perhaps due to a failure to mature the series properly - as series like Harry Potter were presenting more complicated tones and ideas with every release. Soon after its end, more complicated novel-based movies, such as Hunger Games and Divergent, would come to be, and make the more tame and quiet nature of the Twilight Saga seem far more immature then it really was. It wasn't my thing, it might not be your thing. However, there is no denying that Twilight, in the book world, paved the way for the YA fiction boom, and within the domain of film, it gave film companies the confidence to invest in the series that came after. Twilight is, and will always be, a silly but important staple in the media world. A lot of bad things came from it, mostly in the form of actor's career and personal life choices, sometimes more dedicated fans would make things difficult for the more sensible members of Twilght's fandom, but those were momentary. Take this series as you may, but do not forget its impact, and the fact that, that YA series your reading was most likely brought into fruition through the confidence given by Twilight's success. -L. BROOKS |
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