Tuesday, April 30, 2013

TITLE SEQUENCE: The Man with the Iron Fists


The Man with the Iron Fists
Director: RZA
Year 2012




















REVIEW: Der Monch mit der Peitsche



Der Monch mit der Peitsche
Director: Alfred Vohrer
Year 1967

Der Monch mit der Peitsche, AKA The College Girl Murders, is an unabashedly fun Edgar Wallace inspired Krimi film that, like most Krimi efforts, has a tongue firmly placed in cheek attitude. Brimming with interesting characters and wildly atmospheric locations, this Alfred Vohrer directed gem packs in quite an intriguing mystery. With its abundance of exciting twists, strings of red herrings and tendency to dip into the macabre in excessive amounts, The College Girl Murders is an outstandingly funny and often engaging outing that is sure to satisfy anyone looking for murder, mystery, and of course, a plethora of manic moments.

The film centers on an all girls college where a series of grisly murders have been occurring in and around the grounds of the school. One by one, the students begin to drop like flies, by an assassin who uses various poisonous devices to accomplish his diabolical deeds. To make matters more complicated, a red hooded Monk, armed with a whip, is also on the prowl. With the bodies beginning to pile up, Scotland Yard is called in to investigate. Led by Inspector Higgins, a practical and charismatic examiner, and Sir John, the whimsical and farcical Chief Inspector, the dynamic duo must figure out a way to stop the killings while unmasking the fiend behind it all. Can the two get to the bottom of this sordid plot and foil the killer's plans, or are the remaining girls doomed to death like their fallen peers?


Joachim Fuchsberger takes on the role of Inspector Higgins while Siegfried Schurenberg plays Sir John. To those out there that are not strangers of the Krimi genre, both Fuchsberger and Schurenberg should be two familiar faces. The outstanding actors have shared the screen together in countless other Krimi films like, The Inn on the River, Room 13, and The Mysterious Magician, plus have individually attacked the genre with such outstanding entries as Dead Eyes of London, The Black Abbot, and The Indian Scarf. In the case of The College Girl Murders, Fuchsberger and Schurenberg do a fantastic job as they riff off of each other with the greatest of ease.

In the story, Schurenberg's character Sir John is the superior to Fuchsberger's character Higgins, but the true nature of their partnership would be that Higgins is the one more suitable for being in charge. Fuchsberger gives his Higgins role a sure fire cocky disposition that always seems to have each situation under control, while Fuchsberger's Sir John is left foolishly grasping at straws, ultimately providing a great deal of comedic moments that truly lift up the film into whimsical territory. The chemistry between the two is just phenomenal and it is in these wacky moments, when both characters are interacting, that the film genuinely leaps to life and brings on the fun.


As with any Krimi entry, the atmosphere and locations are a standout necessity and with The College Girl Murders we are given that in copious amounts. First and foremost, the actual college in which the film is genuinely centered around is a harbinger for outstandingly creepy visuals and iconic imagery. From the darkened corridors of the dormitories, to the strange venues of the school's swimming pool with underwater glass viewing window, to the fog shrouded grounds of the college's estate, the film has plenty of opportunity to wow its audience with something truly spectacular and fresh. This tradition also carries over into the main villain’s secret hideaway, where we are given some Bond-esque views of the madman's eccentric lair, complete with an alligator pit and an aquarium encased room.

The inventive aspects of the film's visual presentation and outlandish sets goes hand in hand with the movie's imaginative ways in which the killer dispenses with his victims. From a poison vapor spewing bible, to a silly ray gun that dispenses deadly webbing, to a few more unusually conceptualized murdering devices, the film spares no expense in entertaining the audience at every turn. There is also some ridiculous fun to be had with the red hooded Monk character, who kills his victims with a bull whip. If anything can be said about this movie, it would be that it definitely has a lot going for it. From the multiple twists and turns that the narrative takes, to the wildly over the top characters, to the visual imaginative nature of the entire production, you really can't deny that the movie keeps your attention to the very end. Ultimately, that's seemingly the main goal of this original and downright fun Krimi and in that perspective it is a job exceptionally done.


The College Girl Murders is a wild Krimi fueled ride which never hesitates in bringing out every trick in the book. Its fun filled attitude and whimsical style really adds to the enjoyability factor of the film. Joachim Fuchsberger and Siegfried Schurenberg do a bang up job as two unlikely partners caught up in the most intriguing of mysteries. As previously stated, their chemistry is top notch and the comedic timing between the two is impeccable, serving to be the main source of fun to be had from this wacky film.

As for the sets and locations of the movie, they are on par with most genuinely well done Edgar Wallace productions, but this time with an added and more visually vivid approach thanks to the use of color and panache infused style. The settings of the all girls school, the fog shrouded woods, and the villain's lair are all tremendously succinct aspects of the production that really shine on the screen. The mixture of moody locations, whimsical banter, macabre humor, inventive horror, and odd ball characters is a perfect blend, and in this motley assortment of film flavors, The College Girl Murders provides a delightful example of what this interesting genre can conjure up. If you're looking for an entertaining mystery that spares no expense in the fun department, then give this one a go. The College Girl Murders is one Krimi that is.....


The moment two scientists fall in love. Awwwww!

The new Klu Klux Klan summer fashion line. FABULOUS!

That dude behind me is really starting to creep me out.

Come Here!!!!

Pull my finger Higgins..... PULL IT!

So you old bat.... You feel like a roll in the hay?

Well that settles it girls. It's spanking train time!

You damn kids and your water pistols!

Oh shit! It's time for bedtime stories with Sir John again.

You got a staring problem buddy?

Sir John, I'd ask you kindly not to stare at me like that.

Get Over Here! Finish Him!

There's something fishy about you lady.

Why you cheeky little pervert!

A blind man could see the signals this chick is sending. Wake up Higgins!

The red cloak and matching gloves were not the best choice for date night.

Go ahead and jump you chicken shit!

What manner of wild animal is that?

Thursday, April 4, 2013

REVIEW: Stargate



Stargate
Director: Roland Emmerich
Year 1994

Stargate is a wonderfully imaginative science fiction film that is brimming with adventure and packed with awe-inspiring moments. Featuring a heavy dose of genre mixing, this wild romp blends the mind-bending aspects of a sci-fi film with the grandiose tendencies of a full blown ancient biblical epic. Relishing in its boldness, the film thrusts the viewer into a world that is beyond comprehension, where humankind's past catches up to its present, and in the most outstanding of ways. Lost in an entrancing display of Egyptian ancient culture, Stargate manages to bridge the gap between fact and fiction in its cinematic world, allowing for the far-fetched proceedings to envelope the viewer, while producing an adventure film that is truly remarkable and overtly thrilling in every way possible. With its spectacular cast, lavish production value and vivid world, Stargate is a must for any science fiction fan.

In the year 1928 in Giza, Egypt, a team of archeologists, led by Professor Langford, uncover an ancient device that is beyond human knowledge and skill. Flash-forward 66 years later, and Langford's daughter Catherine is still struggling to discover the secrets behind this ancient and illusive relic. Enter Dr. Daniel Jackson, an Egyptologist who is ridiculed for believing that there is more to the ancient Egyptian civilization than meets the eye. Jackson is invited to a secret underground research facility, by the request of Catherine Langford, in hopes that his knowledge on the subject of Egyptian Hieroglyphics could possibly help solve this almost ten thousand year old mystery. After some studying of the device, Jackson and crew come to the startling realization that this machine, named the Stargate, is actually an interstellar transporter able to project beings across the cosmos to unknown distant planets. Though frightened and intrigued at the prospect of traveling to another world, a team is gathered comprised of a military squad led by hard-nosed Col. Jonathan O'Neil and the discoverer of the ancient device's use, Dr. Daniel Jackson. What they find on the other side of the Stargate is beyond comprehension and infinitely astounding.


James Spader takes on the role of Dr. Daniel Jackson, the inquisitive and often awkward Egyptologist. Spader's take on the character is wholly endearing as he injects a great deal of likeability into the off-kilter bookworm role. Often type-cast as an asshole throughout his career, which he pulls off so well, it's nice to see him play a sympathetic role, one which allows him to show a more playful and innocent side. In Stargate, he is one of the central elements of this film that makes it so damn enjoyable. His quick witted comments and observations are hilarious, and even though the movie tends to stay on a serious track, Spader is allowed the space and time to interject some rather entertaining and funny moments into the mix. As a leading man, Spader does a damn fine job and his unorthodox approach to acting is what makes him so engaging and fun to watch.

Of course a great deal of Spader's success at entertaining the audience is the fact that the chemistry between himself and his co-star Kurt Russell is exceptional and genuine. In very basic terms, their relationship is something of an odd couple scenario, where Spader is goofy, uncoordinated, and an intellectual, while Kurt Russell's character, Col. Jonathan O'Neil, is something of a hard-ass. He's jaded from the death of his son and because of that he is grim, determined, and overall rather suicidal. Pitting these two contrasting characters together is bound to make for some interesting results, but Spader and Russell really go above and beyond the norm in flushing out their roles and collaborating with each other in the most genuine and watchable of ways. In the end, what Stargate gives us is a film with two outstanding lead roles who equally carry the weight of the story on their shoulders, resulting in a cinematic duo that without a doubt make this movie thoroughly enjoyable.


As stories go, Stargate is pretty far out there, yet when viewed in the context and rules that this cinematic vision sets up, it feels natural and believable. I especially enjoyed the correlations between ancient Egypt and Erich von Daniken's work in his book Chariots of the Gods. I've always been fascinated by both Egyptian culture and Daniken's theories, and to see both being represented in this compelling and entertaining blockbuster of a flick is simply pure joy for this cinema lover. In case you are unaware of Chariots of the Gods, it basically summarizes that our ancient ancestors were visited by aliens, dubbed ancient astronauts, in the long forgotten past and that they had a hand in developing our society. This concept ways heavily on the proceedings in Stargate, as we are thrust onto another world, much like Earth, and given the facts that indeed a mysterious race visited our planet ages ago and had a presence in ancient Egypt. The connections are uncommonly profound, but these ideas never bog down the pace and fun of the film, rather it enhances the world that these character live in, making for a solid action film that has something more meaningful to say behind its grandeur and spectacle.

Speaking of grandiose spectacles, this film has a tremendously ambitious visual design that threads its way through every aspect of its production. From the fabulous and sprawling locations to the larger than life man-made sets that were constructed to bring this movie to life, you really get a sense that these ancient civilizations are real and functional. The temple pyramid structure and the walled city are especially impressive as both locations use an ingenious mixture of constructed sets and computer graphics to make them a cinematic reality. The same wizardry was done to realize the alien spaceship as both practical and computer generated effects were morphed to provide the ships most unusual pyramidal style and futuristic mechanisms. To top it off, the film's set design, wardrobe, and attention to detail is impeccable, giving the production a rich visual flare that sets it apart from other science fiction outings of its time. It's the blending of Egyptian architecture and culture with that of alien tech that really make this film a feast for the eyes and mind. With such an elaborate world to depict, Roland Emmerich and company did a spectacular job in bringing it all together and making it coexist so beautifully, while still managing to allow the fun and epic adventure tone to shine through in abundance.


Stargate is without a doubt an underrated gem, whose ambitious nature and profound ideas seemed to pass over the public with little to no fanfare. The combination of ancient Egyptian culture and ancient alien astronauts is definitely something that I'm always interested to see portrayed in films, but sadly it didn't seem to hook too many people when it came out. It's a shame too because the scale of this film is enormous and the intimate levels that it is able to delve into while still maintaining its larger than life atmosphere is genuinely astounding and ultimately thrilling.

James Spader and Kurt Russell, along with the rest of this diverse and exceptionally acted cast, do a tremendous job in bringing the validity to the world, which is essential to an epic like this. The scale and construction that was needed in order to tell this tale in such a grand manner must have been a huge undertaking, and thankfully their hard work can be seen in every frame of this film. From the dense and ancient walled city of the slaves, to the iconic pyramid temple, to the impressive presence of the alien craft, the production value of this film is off the charts and really should be celebrated. If you are in need of a film that is entertaining, funny, passionate, thrilling, romantic, action packed, and a whole hell of a lot of fun, then look no further than Stargate. This is one.....


Hi everyone! Enjoy the show!

Spader you beautiful bastard!

I don't think it knows how to hi-five buddy.

This is how Kurt Russell rolls.

All this land used to be owned by Old Man Peabody.

Nice fucking model/cgi hybrid! Really, I love it!

Tastes like chicken, but looks like shit.

Shit! Here come those alien creeps!

Spader has one weakness.... Boobs.

Pretty sweet art man.

Stop or my Spader will shoot.

I hate Egyptian aliens. Shit... there's one right behind me isn't there?

I'm taking my best-friend necklace back! That's cold Ra... that's cold.

Your going down birdman!

What's up my slave bitches!

Ra, you stylish bastard you!

Spader... action star! Who knew?

Prepare to shit your pants!

What the hell are you all looking at?