Sleepwalkers (1992)

Although slated by many, I found Stephen King’s Sleepwalkers to be quite entertaining. The film begins with a definition of “Sleepwalkers”. They are described as follows:

"Sleep'walk'er n. Nomadic shapeshifting creatures with human and feline origins. Vulnerable to the deadly scratch of the cat, the sleepwalker feeds upon the lifeforce of virginal human females. Probable source of the vampire legend." - Chillicoathe Encyclopedia of Arcane Knowledge, 1st edition, 1884”.

The story revolves around Sleepwalkers Charles Brady (Brian Krause) and his mother Mary (Alice Krige). They have recently moved from California to Indiana. They need to relocate often as they tend to be found out for what they really are. Mother and son are extremely close, much, much more than they should be! Charles is a very charismatic character, and soon attracts the attention of classmate Tanya Robertson (Mädchen Amick). The Sleepwalkers have a plan. Charles needs to seduce Tanya, and feed off her, in order to then feed his mother, who is in her words “famished”.

However, their plan begins to unravel very early on, as one of Charles’ schoolteachers has checked his background, and their cover is blown. They are also plagued with an army of cats (who seem to sense what they are), and they keep coming, despite the many deadly traps surrounding the house. When Tanya manages to fight back against Charles, their very existence is threatened, and the pair become desperate to survive with horrific consequences…

This movie can be quite gruesome in places, and although not Stephen King’s best work, still has the ability to shock. It boasts an impressive cast list, with the two lead actors going on to more high profile work following this film. Brian Krause later became well known as “Leo” in the series "Charmed”, whilst Alice Krige has probably become best known for her performance as the “Borg Queen” in “Star Trek: First Contact” and “Star Trek: Voyager" ”.

Whilst not exactly a “must see movie”, this is certainly an engaging hour and a half for any discerning horror movie fan, and worth a watch.

White Noise (2005)

White Noise is quite a creepy film, and takes a new twist on the traditional ghost story. The basis for this is EVP (electronic voice phenomenon), which is a commonly held belief that the living can make contact with the dead via static (or white noise) on electronic audio and visual devices. More simply put, by recording static on a radio or VCR for example, it is possible to play back your recording and hear the voices of the dead or see their faces on a television screen. I have personally heard many stories detailing this phenomenon, and a quick search on the internet will undoubtedly reveal many more.

In this particular story, Jonathon Rivers (Michael Keaton) lost his wife Anna (Chandra West) in a freak accident. While dealing with his grief, he is approached by Raymond Price (Ian McNeice) who tells Jonathon that he has been receiving messages from Anna from the other side. Jonathon is sceptical at first, but when he starts receiving calls from Anna’s mobile phone (which he has kept at home – turned off), he decides to find out more.

After hearing Anna’s voice on Raymond’s equipment, Jonathon begins to develop an obsession with EVP. He buys as many recording devices as he can accommodate, and begins staying up all night, desperate to hear more from Anna. He succeeds in recording both voices and images, from others as well as Anna, and realises that this could be his chance to help others as Raymond helped him. However, there are also evil spirits coming through…

Whilst not an accurate portrayal of EVP (as it appeared to be embellished for dramatic effect), I found this movie very intriguing to watch, and it certainly had the capacity to make me jump several times! My only real gripe with this film was that the climax was so dark, that I struggled to see what was going on! Unfortunately, this left me with the feeling that I’d somehow missed the point. However, saying that, I did enjoy (and get) the first 3/4 of the film! This is definitely one for those who love to watch films about things that go bump in the night!

Falling Down (1993)

This film has an interesting concept. It highlights the story of one frustrated man, Bill Foster (Michael Douglas) who is having the worst day of his life. When the story begins, he has already lost his job, and is stuck in a traffic jam, baking in intolerable heat. He leaves his car in the road and decides to walk. In his desperation to see his daughter on her birthday, he encounters one obstacle after another, and as his anger grows, he wages war with the world.

What makes this movie so poignant is that many of the issues he comes across are easily recognisable to the viewer. For example, when he gets hungry, he walks into a burger chain and decides on an appetising example from a picture on the wall. When it arrives, the burger itself bears little resemblance to the one in the picture. This, the viewers can easily relate to, as we all know that they never look as good as advertised! However, what sets Bill aside from the general public is that he demonstrates his frustration over incidents like this with a loaded gun! In doing this, he becomes the anti-hero of the piece.

Bill’s story is contrasted by the second storyline, that of Detective Martin Prendergast (Robert Duvall). It’s his last day as a policeman before retiring, and it proves to be one to remember. He is also in the same traffic jam as Bill, and sees him walk away. Later on at work, he keeps coming across incidents being reported involving a man wearing a white shirt and tie. He deduces (correctly) that this must be the same man, although no one believes him. While he is supposed to be desk bound, he sets out to find and stop Bill, as everyone else is too busy to listen to him.

Overall, this movie is very intense, and exceeding well acted. It keeps you (the viewer) on the edge of your seat as you have to know if Bill makes it home. On the other side of the story, you also find yourself urging Detective Prendergast’s colleagues to listen to him, and take him seriously! Definitely worth a watch!

Bed of Roses (1996)

While not a genre I would naturally seek out to watch, I stumbled across this, and found it to be a very sweet movie. It is in many ways quite a standard romance between Lewis (a florist) and Lisa (a high powered executive). The story goes something like this…

Lisa Walker (Mary Stuart Masterson) is a woman totally devoted to her career. She has never experienced a normal family life, having been abandoned as a baby, and raised by her drunken adopted father. When he dies, she is somewhat upset, particularly when she returns from work to find her only companion (her goldfish) dead as well! She breaks down in front of her window, but doesn’t realise that someone is watching…

This is Lewis Farrell (Christian Slater) a shy florist, who had lived alone since his wife and child had died. He spends his evenings walking the streets and looking into windows, wondering how other people lived. He is immediately struck by Lisa, and decides to send her flowers (anonymously) to cheer her up.

However, Lisa is determined to find out who sent her the flowers, and Lewis reluctantly tells her. To Lisa, Lewis seems too good to be true, and although she starts to fall in love with him, the course of true love never quite runs smoothly, as her past starts to get in the way…

I found this movie to be generally quite cute and easy to watch, although the storyline itself seemed quite weak. What I was impressed by were the performances of the leading actors, as they made this love story very believable. The characters were well defined, from the shy Lewis who falls head over heels for Lisa, and almost scares her away, bombarding her with roses, to the totally career oriented Lisa, who is unable to find the time for love.

In short, if you like a good romantic film, this one’s for you, but don’t expect it to be a particularly dramatic or thought provoking film. Easy viewing all round.

A Tribute to John Hughes (February 18, 1950 – August 6, 2009)

John Hughes

This month (August 2009) the world lost one of the great movie directors, writers and producers, John Hughes. He was responsible for bringing some of the most successful movies of the 1980’s and 1990’s to the big screen, including The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Home Alone. Molly Ringwald and Jon Cryer in "Pretty in Pink"

John Hughes was born in Lansing Michigan in 1950, and graduated from Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook Illinois in 1968. He would later use the school’s surrounding area as locations for his movies. Whilst at high school, he met Nancy Ludwig, whom he married in 1970. They remained married until his death, and had two sons together.

After dropping out of university in Arizona, John Hughes began his career as an advertising copywriter. However, he soon discovered he had a talent for comedy writing, and started selling jokes to well established comedians, such as Joan Rivers. Then, inspired by his childhood trips with his family, he wrote a story entitled “Vacation ‘58”. This story later became the basis for the movie “National Lampoon’s Vacation”. While still with the magazine, John Hughes was first credited as a screenplay writer for “Class Reunion”.

Molly Ringwald who starred in John Hughes's "Sixteen Candles", "Pretty in Pink" and "The Breakfast Club"

In 1984, John Hughes won praise for his directorial debut with the movie “Sixteen Candles”. This was the first of several movies realistically portraying high school life from the student’s point of view. These teen movies also launched the careers of many young actors and actresses who collectively became known as “The Brat Pack”. However, in order to distance himself from these teen comedies, John Hughes branched out and directed “Planes Trains and Automobiles” in 1987, which starred both Steve Martin and John Candy. Following this, his greatest box office success was the movie “Home Alone” which he both wrote and produced. This was the highest grossing film of 1990. The last movie he directed was “Curly Sue” in 1991, after which he retired from the industry.

Poster for "Home Alone"

On August 6th 2009, John Hughes suffered a fatal heart attack, and he leaves behind not only his wife and sons, but also four grandchildren. He was a hugely successful figure in Hollywood, and will be much missed.

Joh Hughes with the cast of "The Breakfast Club"

Filmography

Writer

Delta House (1979) (TV Series)
National Lampoon's Class Reunion (1982)
At Ease (TV Series) (1983) (TV Series)
Mr. Mom (1983)
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
Nate and Hayes (1983) (with David Odell)
Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Weird Science (1985)
Pretty in Pink (1986)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
She's Having a Baby (1988)
The Great Outdoors (1988)
Uncle Buck (1989)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Home Alone (1990)
Career Opportunities (1991)
Dutch (1991)
Curly Sue (1991)
Beethoven (1992) (as Edmond Dantes)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Dennis the Menace (1993)
Baby's Day Out (1994)
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
101 Dalmatians (1996)
Flubber (1997)
Home Alone 3 (1997)
Reach The Rock (1998)
Just Visiting (2001) (with Jean-Marie Poire & Christian Clavier)
Maid in Manhattan (2002; story) (originally titled The Chambermaid) (as Edmond Dantes)
Drillbit Taylor (2008; story) (as Edmond Dantes)

Director

Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Weird Science (1985)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
She's Having a Baby (1988)
Uncle Buck (1989)
Curly Sue (1991)

Producer

The Breakfast Club (1985)
Pretty in Pink (1986; executive producer)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
She's Having a Baby (1988)
The Great Outdoors (1988; executive producer)
Uncle Buck (1989)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Home Alone (1990)
Career Opportunities (1991)
Only the Lonely (1991)
Dutch (1991)
Curly Sue (1991)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Dennis the Menace (1993)
Baby's Day Out (1994)
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
101 Dalmatians (1996)
Flubber (1997)
Home Alone 3 (1997)
Reach the Rock (1998)
New Port South (2001; executive producer)

Unproduced screenplays

The History of Ohio From The Beginning Of Time To The End Of The Universe (with P.J. O'Rourke)
Jaws 3: People 0 – a parody sequel to the popular series.[10]
Bartholomew Vs. Neff – Sylvester Stallone and John Candy are pitted against each other as feuding neighbors.[11]
The Bee – a feature length Disney film.[12]
The Grisbeys – a wealthy family suddenly becomes destitute, forcing them to move to the other side of the tracks during Christmas.[13]

Books

The National Lampoon Sunday Newspaper Parody (1978) (with P.J. O'Rourke)

Life in the Spotlight: A Tribute to Actress Wendy Richard MBE (1943 - 2009)

Earlier this year, the nation mourned one of Britain’s favourite actresses. Now is the time to remember why she became so loved by the viewing public.

Born Wendy Emmerton on 20th July 1943 in Middlesborough, she was the daughter of publicans Beatrice and Henry. The family moved several times when she was very young, finally settling in London. Her childhood was idyllic until age eleven when she discovered her father’s body after he took his own life. Her mother then sent her to boarding school, after which she attended the Italia Conti Academy stage school in London. Even though she enjoyed her time at stage school, the only thing she disliked were the elocution lessons and she refused to let go of her strong cockney accent. This accent became Wendy’s trademark as an actress. She became Wendy Richard when she took up acting professionally.

Her first TV appearances included small roles in “Dads Army”, “Up Pompeii!” and “The Likely Lads”. She also played a regular character in the BBC’s 1960’s soap opera “The Newcomers”, and performed twice with the “Carry On” team in “Carry On Matron” and “Carry On Girls”. In 1962, she featured on the no. 1 single “Come Outside” by Mike Sarne. She also appeared in the Beatles film “Help”, although was very disappointed when her only scene ended up on the cutting room floor.

However, she will be best known for two completely contrasting roles. Firstly as Miss Shirley Brahms in “Are You Being Served” which ran for 12 years, from 1972 to 1984. Wendy Richard’s character was that of a cheeky confident cockney, whilst both feisty and flirtatious, she was also quite naïve in some respects. In this role, Wendy Richard became a household name, and her character was much loved. Wendy also reprised the role in the sequel “Grace and Favour” in 1992 and 1993.

Wendy Richard as Miss Brahms in "Are You Being Served?"

“Are You Being Served” was followed soon afterwards by her portrayal of the downtrodden Pauline Fowler in “Eastenders”. She played this role for almost 22 years, from the very first episode in 1985 until she made the decision to leave the programme. Pauline famously died in Albert Square on Christmas Day 2006.

Wendy Richard as Pauline Fowler in "Eastenders"

As Pauline Fowler in “Eastenders”, Wendy Richard was at the heart of many of the programme’s most dramatic storylines. Notable examples of this being dealing with her husband’s nervous breakdown and later his affair, her daughter’s teenage pregnancy and also her son contracting the HIV virus.

Wendy Richard was a natural actress, and won much acclaim for her work. She was presented with the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 2000. Also in 2007 she won the award for Lifetime Achievement at the British Soap Award Ceremony.

Wendy Richard with husband John Burns

Wendy married and divorced three times before finally finding happiness with John Burns, who was twenty years her junior. They lived together for twelve years before marrying on 10th October 2008.

In 1996 Wendy Richard was diagnosed with breast cancer, and although she recovered, it returned in 2002. Even though she managed to beat this a second time, the cancer returned in a more aggressive form in October 2008. Tragically this time she was unable to fight it again, and she died on the morning of 26th February 2009 at the Harley Street Clinic in London.

Wendy will be much missed for her talent and wit, along with her sense of humour, which she retained until the end.

Heathers (1988)

This film has become a teenage cult classic for good reason. It’s a great film! The story is a very black comedy about the pressures of being popular at high school. The story goes something like this…

The most popular clique at Westerberg High school consists of three girls named Heather (hence the title) and their hanger-on Veronica (Winona Ryder). Despite being popular, the three Heathers are bitchy, mean and nasty, even to Veronica. They are Heather Chandler, the leader (Kim Walker), Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty) and Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk). Veronica realises that her best friends are also her worst enemies.

Things soon change for her when she meets up with another student, Jason Dean, a.k.a. JD (Christian Slater). JD is psychotic to say the least, and conspires with Veronica to kill first Heather Chandler, and then others who JD feels deserve to die. JD appears to have no conscience when it comes to murder, unlike Veronica, who tries to break their relationship off. However, JD is unstoppable…

I must admit, I wasn’t expecting great things from this movie, but found it to be quite addictive – you just have to find out what happens next! The performances from all of the leading actors were stunning, and this draws you into the story. The storyline itself is very quirky and unpredictable, and I found it to be reminiscent of one of Christian Slater’s later movies “Very Bad Things”, which I also loved.

There was only one flaw in this film for me. Without giving too much away, one of the main characters to be murdered, turns up later in the film alive and well for some unexplained reason! I didn’t quite understand how this error could have been missed by everyone involved!

In conclusion though, Heathers is a very enjoyable movie and certainly worth a watch (at least once). I challenge anyone to watch this and be bored!