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 ryanbrennan |
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(05/04/08 8:55 PM) |
Of course, that brings up one of the many questions the show presents -- is it wrong to kill someone when they haven't even done anything yet? Talking about that OUTER LIMITS episode: I think it was explained away by the idea that she didn't travel back and execute the criminals until they had been through due process, convicted and duly executed by law. |
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Kaijubait |
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(05/05/08 12:22 AM) |
Ryan
Check out Stuart Galbraith's book (whom I've also seen parusing about here), JAPANESE SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY & HORROR MOVIES for more info on THE LAST DINOSAUR. I don't remember if this bit is mentioned in there or not, but Tsuburaya Productions reused the t-rex costume with red Xmas lights stuck in the eye sockets in a half anime/half live action TV show called AIZENBORG, which is too incredibly ludicrous for me to attempt describing in my current state... you can find the first four episodes compiled on VHS over here as ATTACK OF THE SUPERMONSTERS. |
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Count Gamula |
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(05/05/08 1:03 AM) Burgomaster |
I had a great time last night despite THE LAST DINOSAUR. Actually I enjoyed seeing it after all these years. As silly as the script, performances and effects
were, it was one of those movies you can talk and joke through and not miss anything. Boone was so baggy, blurry-eyed and out of shape and his voice so
gravely, he reminded my several times of Lon Chaney Jr. in his later years. Her was clearly past his leading man days but someone forgot to tell him and
everyone else in the movie.
Thanks to all the guys for the generous birthday gifts. I was a bit overwhelmed by all the neat stuff I came home with. I wish I could had held more of the great food and desert, but I had a late and hardy lunch with my family only a few hours earlier. I'm glad everyone liked A STITCH IN TIME. Amanda Plummer is just right as the quirky scientist who uses time travel to to back and kill legally convicted and executed rapist/killers before they have a chance to commit their crimes. Each new "execution" changes the present time by taking several murder victims off the police records and adding one more years-old, case of a seemingly innocent shooting victim to the files. Several clever touches and thought-provoking ideas. Wish I could have stayed for BROTHERHOOD OF SATAN. The beginning was really interesting. I'll have to borrow it sometime and watch the whole thing. |
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riotengine |
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(05/05/08 2:04 AM) |
ryanbrennan wrote: I believe sometime back, somebody on another site was talking about a WS (1:85.1) laserdisc copy of The Last Dinosaur that was being sold on eBay. Okay, I just checked and there's a guy on iOffer.com selling a DVD-R from the WS LD.
GREG ESPINOZA
I made it possible for you to come here! I welcomed you to this Earth, you made it a charnel house!
Last Edited By: riotengine
05/05/08 2:13 AM.
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Arch Stanton |
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(05/05/08 2:07 AM) |
Count Gamula wrote: The ending is also really interesting. Unfortunately, I think the filmmakers bit off a little more than they could chew in trying to combine so many bizarre ideas into a cohesive whole. Still, it's well worth the time. And I wanted to amend something I said about the De Laurentiis KING KONG. In no way did I intend to malign Rick Baker's ape suit as a bad ape suit. It's actually a really good ape suit. But it still looks like a suit, and thus takes away from the sense of wonder needed. And it certainly didn't help that it was photographed in normal speed from decidedly undynamic angles. These guys just did not have a clue how to do a giant monster on screen, making Baker's work basically worthless. And other than John Barry's music, the only other major aspect of the film worth mentioning are the Kong facial makeup/appliances, but I'm not sure who's responsible for what. Someone mentioned that it was Carlo Rambaldi who created some of the facial movements, including the great puffing cheeks when Kong blows Jessica Lange dry. But I'd be willing to make a substantial bet that it was Baker who created the most amazing makeup effect -- those incredible eyes. Absolutely the only truly remarkable aspect of this 'Kong.' |
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Jeffrey Allen Rydell |
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(05/05/08 2:15 AM) |
Arch Stanton wrote:Well, they're *his* eyes, behind contact lenses. |
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Rick |
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(05/05/08 2:27 AM) |
Weird actress Plummer (I always wonder whether Christopher was disappointed in how she turned out)Supposedly their relationship is extremely volatile. I heard Christopher say once in an interview that he loved his daughter but that he couldn't be around her for long because, "she makes me nervous." I think anyone who's ever seen ANY Amanda Plummer performance can understand that. |
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Arch Stanton |
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(05/05/08 2:32 AM) |
Jeffrey Allen Rydell wrote: I don't think so. I'm pretty sure they're full eye coverings of some kind, not just contact lenses, which would make Baker's real eyes negligible for the effect. Whatever they are, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like them. If I have, they certainly weren't used to as great an effect. They truly look like animal eyes. |
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Jeffrey Allen Rydell |
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(05/05/08 2:46 AM) |
Arch Stanton wrote: Well, I'm sure they were full-eye contacts, anyway. But no, they're not animatronic blinking sockets or something - that's Rick Baker squinting and stuff. You could try PM'ing him here on the board for confirmation, maybe. It was pointed out that the only parts of Rick Baker actually visible on film were his eyes -- and even those were gorilla-fied using contact lenses! (Rick Baker explained that the key to a good gorilla suit is in the eyes. If they look too human, the entire effect is lost.)
Last Edited By: Jeffrey Allen Rydell
05/05/08 2:55 AM.
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Arch Stanton |
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(05/05/08 3:24 AM) |
Jeffrey Allen Rydell wrote: Yes, I agree. What I meant was that we're not actually seeing any part of his real eyes -- the whites and pupils. I'd have to take a closer look, but I think those great eyes weren't used in anything but closeups, so Baker's real eyes are probably seen in medium and long shots. What's really great is how those eyes look so naturally set into the face. Even with most contact lenses, you have some sort of unnatural protusion (such as in THE OMEGA MAN) that is not at all evident here. I read the article you referenced, but it wasn't that specific on the matter. But it did seem to clear up the facial mechanics. Nice to know that Baker created the final look, regardless of the hydraulics and such. I should also mention that the mouth and teeth were very impressive, too. |
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Count Gamula |
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(05/05/08 9:46 AM) Burgomaster |
The eyes were just over-sized contact lenses. All the expression in the eyes was acting, not special effects. Rick told me once that the lenses gave him a lot
of trouble at first and he couldn't wear them for very long without his eyes getting very irritated. They finally drilled holes in the center of the lenses
allowing his eyes to "breathe" some an that solved the problem.
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Wich2 |
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(05/05/08 11:49 AM) |
Dear Arch-
"the most amazing makeup effect -- those incredible eyes" It's one of the oldest, most amazing effects that exists - Acting Ability. Though I don't think much of the film, Rick's just great, and the "windows of the soul" are part of it. "And it certainly didn't help that it was photographed in normal speed" Actually, I don't believe that's generally true? "These guys just did not have a clue how to do a giant monster on screen" For my eyes on the first-run screen, it beat any Japanese stuff I'd seen. "making Baker's work basically worthless" Respectful, but diametrical, disagreement here. Great week, -Craig W. |
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Kaijubait |
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(05/05/08 12:49 PM) |
"These guys just did not have a clue how to do a giant monster on screen" For my eyes on the first-run screen, it beat any Japanese stuff I'd seen....wheras I would say the exact opposite of that. Hell, even though the animontronics were less impressive, at least the Kong in KING KONG ESCAPES walked more like an ape. |
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JPChe |
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(05/05/08 2:45 PM) |
I've continued the Midnight Movies program I've been running at the college where I am employed. In addition to the films shown, there is a brief
lecture, a drawing for a DVD, and audience members receive small prizes usually linked to the films shown. Here are the titles I've shown for the past two
years:
2006-2007
The Sadist/The Candy Snatchers
2007-2008 Let's Scare Jessica to Death/Alucarda
Last Edited By: JPChe
05/05/08 2:49 PM.
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HalLane |
Denim Vs. Angora | ||
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(05/06/08 8:22 AM) |
Good for you, JPC. These twofers seem like a lotta fun. And educational too? I'm all over that.
Gotta say, though, I'm scrambling to fathom the thematic link between these two selections: Billy Jack/Glen of Glenda?Is it that they both preach 'tolerance'? Or maybe an early illustration of the Auteur Triple Punch of Writer/Director/Star? I'll bet the lecture was a pip. |
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JPChe |
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(05/06/08 1:23 PM) |
That's pretty much exactly right Hal on both counts. That particular double feature was shown on Parents' Weekend, which influenced the choice of
BILLY JACK. I also wanted to emphasize the unique voice of each director. Both also feature (as audience surrogates) kind-hearted yet ineffectual law officers
who stand back while the wheels of justice grind down those who refuse to conform, as well as long-suffering faithful blonde love interests.
One eye-opener I discovered while researching my lecture on BILLY JACK was Judith Crist's original review. She focused on how she had never before in a film witnessed a female character who is not a virgin respond to a rape with so much anguish. This was surprising to me not only in the sense that the film is innovative in a way I'd never expected, but also because her review demonstrates how even more off-kilter the cultural script was regarding rape just a few decades ago. The lecture for GLEN OR GLENDA focused on how the film was an anti-exploitation film in that it's purpose was to wind an audience down--to make a salacious subject appear more and more normal. It fails, of course, but in a spectacular fashion! BILLY JACK is similar in the way that it's a (less than) stealth advertisement for the Montessori method of education.
Last Edited By: JPChe
05/06/08 1:41 PM.
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ryanbrennan |
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(05/06/08 8:39 PM) |
Check out Stuart Galbraith's book (whom I've also seen parusing about here), JAPANESE SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY & HORROR MOVIES for more info on THE LAST DINOSAUR.Unfortunately, that's one that I don't have. Since, as you say, he's on the board, maybe he could chime in with some info about the movie. I don't remember if this bit is mentioned in there or not, but Tsuburaya Productions reused the t-rex costume with red Xmas lights stuck in the eye sockets in a half anime/half live action TV show called AIZENBORG, which is too incredibly ludicrous for me to attempt describing in my current state... you can find the first four episodes compiled on VHS over here as ATTACK OF THE SUPERMONSTERS.Sounds like it's worth a look. |
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HalLane |
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(05/06/08 8:59 PM) |
Thanx for the insight, JPChe -- sounds like a fascinating series to attend. Hope those kids know how good they've got it.
Tom Laughlin and Ed Wood, keepin' it real. |
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ryanbrennan |
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(05/06/08 10:00 PM) |
Here are my thoughts on the FX work in KING KONG (1976):
http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/15997/master/1/?page=1 |
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Stuart4th |
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(05/07/08 1:51 AM) |
About THE LAST DINOSAUR --
I haven't seen it for years though would like to; I wish it would come to DVD. It was released theatrically in Japan by Toho-Towa in September 1977 (as KYOKUTEI TANKENSEN PORA-BORA, or "Polar Probe Ship Polar Borer"), seven months after it first aired on ABC. Reportedly it was scheduled for a theatrical release in the U.S., too, but pulled at the last minute, possibly because sci-fi fantasy films were scoring big ratings in network airings, and probably Rankin-Bass realized there was more money to be made that way. (They were probably right.) I remember liking it a lot, and that the SPFX were about on-par with the Kevin Connor '70s fantasy titles. 
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