What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Rob4

I watched it a couple of months ago for the first time and immediately put it at the very bottom of Carpenter titles. He doesn't seem invested in it at all and appears that, as a Director, he's just marking time. To be fair, it's hampered by a script that slavishly follows the original with no invention of it's own. But you would think Carpenter would have realised this and added more of his own stamp. Maybe he just loved the original too much? Missed opportunity imho...

Although i'd class John Carpenter as my favourite genre director there are some definite misfires along the way. I don't know if it's because of the failure of The Thing but he seemed to become a director for hire for the major studios rather than a genuine creative talent on some of his output from 1983 to the end of the nineties. Some of the films are very much John Carpenter films but others like Village of the Damned, Starman (Not a misfire but definitely not a baby of Carpenters despite it's success) and Memoirs of an Invisible Man he seemingly just turned up to direct rather than have any great input into their creation.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Although i'd class John Carpenter as my favourite genre director there are some definite misfires along the way. I don't know if it's because of the failure of The Thing but he seemed to become a director for hire for the major studios rather than a genuine creative talent on some of his output from 1983 to the end of the nineties. Some of the films are very much John Carpenter films but others like Village of the Damned, Starman (Not a misfire but definitely not a baby of Carpenters despite it's success) and Memoirs of an Invisible Man he seemingly just turned up to direct rather than have any great input into their creation.

Starman is a great film but I forget its even made by John Carpenter. I picked up Memoirs a few months back but haven't got round to a viewing yet. My favourite of his is still The Fog I think.

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[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by J Harker

Starman is a great film but I forget its even made by John Carpenter. I picked up Memoirs a few months back but haven't got round to a viewing yet. My favourite of his is still The Fog I think.

The first time i saw Memoirs was on a plane flying to Los Angeles. The second time was when i bought the Fabulous Films Blu-ray. I like it but as with Starman it's not really a Carpenter film as such although it has it's moments.

I don't dislike any Carpenter film but controversially i think i like Big Trouble in Little China least of all.

[iank]

I can never take to Big Trouble either. Even as a kid I was underwhelmed.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by iank

I can never take to Big Trouble either. Even as a kid I was underwhelmed.

One of those i upgraded to Blu-ray for completist purposes only.

[Justin101]

Where as I have re-watched Big Trouble numerous times and have had both the original Fox US blu as well as the UK Arrow blu. Village of the Damned though, it's OK but not great and has no feeling of JC at all as others have said.

[nicholasrope]

Terrifier

A entity in a Clown outfit stalks and slaughters people in the bloodiest and goriest ways imaginable. Storyline wise it isn't great but it delivers on the F/X and gore. Damien Leone has made a name for himself and whilst Art The Clown doesn't speak, the facial expressions from David Howard Thornton are incredible and make's Art The Clown one of the most feared Villains out there today.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

A Bridge Too Far (1977)

As this weekend has been the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem it only seemed fitting to watch this epic retelling from director Richard Attenborough.

The last of the great all star ensemble epics, A Bridge Too Far tells the story of Operation Market Garden. The Allied forces plan to parachute thirty five thousand men into Holland and take the Rhine bridges of Nijmegan, Eindhoven and most famously Arnhem in a bid to move into Germany on two fronts.

Attenborough directs with an attention to detail that gives the film an almost documentary style which allows some moments of great tension to gradually build up and up until Saving private Ryan arrived on the scene in the late 90's was possibly the only film that gave a sense of what it was like actually being there.

Although i've seen this seemingly dozens of times over the years the film still has great re-watch value thanks to it's epic scale, cast of thousands and portrayal of a disastrous Allied initiative which saw around two thousand men killed and thousands more taken prisoner of war by the Germans.