Above Ground Tour

  This film panders to a 70 year old Noir tradition in a tale of murder, sex and loot yet instead of dark shadows were set down smack in the middle of Death Valley in full living color with a triumvirate of modern day losers. As an efficient pseudo-noir “Delusion” qualifies in that it sucks you down into its plot. We soon find ourselves rooting for an embezzling executive trapped by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hoodlum who borrowed his Volvo with him and his half million dollars in tow. The anxiety level hits high gear as Mr. Exec absconds with the Volvo only to be headed off by Mr. Hoodlum and an accomplice who is later trotted out and executed by order of Mr. Big for the sum of 50 large. Summarily Mr. Exec is left for dead in the desert only to be saved by a Harley riding Mrs. Wrong who roams the earth in search of her significant other. Back from the dead Mr. Exec. creeps into a spellbinding final showdown reminiscent of “High Noon” except with 9mm semi autos this time around. A somewhat di...

  THE GHOST IN THE DARKNESS Steven Hopkins scenic adventure thriller is strangely reminiscent of the familiar Western plot pitting man vs nature, in the act of building a railroad bridge in Eastern Africa 1896, while simultaneously staving off three man-eating Bengal Tigers. Val Kilmer plays an Army Officer who realizes his dream of seeing Africa only to be saddled with a gargantuan task. Kilmer is supported by a Wild Bill apparition in the form of Michael Douglas’ role as the great white hunter Remington. Together the two stalk the evil beasts who chomp through over a hundred workers in graphic bloodletting scene after scene.      William Golden dredges up a true piece of history with his narrative tale only to have enough blood and gore thrown in to qualify for Halloween honors. “Ghost” has its moments which are overshadowed by the location itself, the great green continent of Africa. If you must now at Oak Tree, Uptown and Alderwood cinemas. Rated R ** 1996

  THE IMMORTAL BATTALION This run of the mill combat film from Carol Reed tells the story of eight men going through a rite of manhood as they are molded into British Tommies and set loose against Rommel in North Africa (circa 1942).The story delivers two small doses of combat action but none of the gritty blood and gore realism that Hollywood dishes up. Lt. Jim Perry (David Niven) is the unit’s leader and believable in the role of a good soldier contrasted by the demanding drill Sgt. Fletcher (Billy Hartwell) has his troops wishing for the days back on home sod. First in line on the whining squad is the egalitarian Davenport (Raymond Huntley) who finally toes the line and becomes a “good soldier”. The film was released in Britain on D day and served to invoke the heroic image of the Nazi-repelling Tommies with a forward by Quentin Reynolds. Lack of sufficient guts and glory leave the viewer with an empty first 60 minutes of the film until the North African campaign is engaged in h...

  EASY RIDERS Hallucinogenic ride on the wild side, set in the 60s rural America functions as a mirror of the times and a cult classic. We join Peter Fonda (Wyatt) and Dennis Hopper (Billy) after a profitable drug deal; they trade up to shiny new choppers and embark on an epic journey across America. The viewer is treated to a  visual feast as this rolling montage goes from LA to New Orleans. Jack Nicholson makes his screen debut as an alcoholic attorney who joins in and grounds the trio in reality for a short while.      The dialogue is powerful for its sparseness and directness when Wyatt states: “We blew it”. The dramatic unities collide in a big way at a New Orlean’s cemetery when a double date takes on a new cinematic twist. This is a must see cult classic. Rated R **** 1969 The film that almost destroyed Hollywood

  FEDORA sheds light on a pivotal point in Hollywood’s past. Can Hollywood accurately portray itself and the problems behind the silver screen? A star-studded cast in Helmutt Idell’s Fedora seeks to answer this quest. Lead by William Holden playing an aging producer: Dutch who travels to Corfu to coax the legendary Fedora, cast as Marthe Keller, out of retirement. After several attempts Dutch gains an audience first with the aged Countess, played by Hildegard Knef and in a reminiscence on the golden era of Hollywood remarks, “they sold off the back lot” and “it’s not the same, kids with beards are running it all now”. His audience with Fedora ends in an emotional breakdown, which we learn was caused by an obsession for Michael York, who played a cameo role as himself in Fedora’s last comeback film. Dutch’s repeated attempts to court Fedora back into the business cause her to be whisked off to Paris where she commits suicide by throwing herself in front of a speeding train, which i...