Change Your Image
Daisy-16
Reviews
Talking Heads 2 (1998)
Brilliant and disturbing
My comment is restricted to the episode (one of six in the series) called "Waiting for the Telegram" with Thora Hird, as it is the only one I've seen. I had taped it and planned to watch it for ten minutes before going out. I couldn't turn it off, and by the end I was sobbing loudly enough to disturb the neighbours. After half an hour of listening to one actress speaking, I had new insight into WWI, the AIDS epidemic and its effect on young men today (paralleled tacitly, but unmistakeably, to the decimating effect of war on youth), and the effects of age, disability, and loneliness.
I have since bought and read the book of the series (worth it for the author's introduction alone), and was too disturbed to sleep afterwards, particularly by the episode with Julie Walters. I will be getting the complete series on video as soon as possible and recommending it to everyone in the entire world.
Watch this for profound insight into the human condition. Not easy, but worth it. Alan Bennett is a genius.
Adventures of a Taxi Driver (1976)
Typical 1970s British sex farce, with less spirit than most.
I could not recommend this film, unless you are a fan of similarly-themed films of this period, such as 'Percy's Progress' and 'No Sex Please, We're British', and of course the 'Carry On' films, although this is on a par with the worst of them, not the best. It consisted mainly of Barry Evans (who had previously starred in 'Doctor in the House' and 'Doctor at Large') having meaningless sexual encounters with a number of women, and walking around with his tackle out.
It is generally believed that Barry Evans appeared in this film to rid himself of his wholesome 'Doctor' image. He never really succeeded (he was later cast as the straight-laced English teacher in 'Mind Your Language'). This film would not appeal to his mainstream fans, and its appeal as a tits-and-bums English film (if you like that sort of thing) is pretty low. It was dismal.
Day of the Woman (1978)
False Advertising
This film has been marketed as some sort of feminist vengeance movie. It isn't. It is true that the victim murders her attackers after being raped, but only after becoming a brutalised madwoman (hardly a feminist role model). The rape scenes are so long and the revenge so short (and silly) that it is impossible to see this as the film's message.
Possibly the most offensive aspect of this film is that the victim willingly has sex with two of her attackers (after being raped and sexually tortured) and even pretends to enjoy it, as part of her retribution. This is psychologically bizarre, and made me (and every other woman I know who has seen this) actually feel ill.
It is difficult to know what the purpose of this film is. It would not be easy to find the rape scene titillating, unless perhaps you are a member of a particularly pathetic group of lads on a boys' night out. Even real losers would leave the cinema squirming rather than aroused - the penis-severing scene would make sure of that (see other comments).
My conclusion is that the most appreciative viewers of this film are probably real and potential sex criminals, who presumably watch the rape scenes (the majority of the film), and then press the stop button before the slaughter begins - unless of course they are also interested in torture and violent death (inflicted on either sex) which I suppose is unfortunately quite possible.
They Live (1988)
The fight scene was DREARY
I really can't believe the comments I have just read praising the fight scene for its interest and realism. It is possibly the most soporific scene I have ever fidgeted through. It goes on and on and on. And as for realism... a one-year old walloped me in the face last week and it did more damage than their full-on punches. If realism was present here, we would have spent the six months following the fight watching the two blokes have reconstructive surgery and speech therapy (or seen their funerals). The world would have been long conquered by the time they were sufficiently recovered to be of any use. Otherwise I quite enjoyed it but I hesitate to recommend it unless you are prepared to yawn your way through a lot of fisticuffs.
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Scary, spooky, creepy, eerie...etc
I saw this movie several years ago and can remember being jumpy for days. The concept of the hand behind the mirror was very creepy, I stood well back from the glass when using a mirror afterwards. I can't remember many of the things mentioned in other comments, such as the dreams - I think I have repressed them so that I can sleep at night. What I do remember is the eerie, dark atmosphere, the appropriate music, and the sense of dread and inevitability as everything started happening. I was far too on edge throughout to be troubled by dodgy physics or holes in the plot. I am never going to see this film again, it is not worth the wear and tear on my psyche. I am not a horror movie buff, and I scare fairly easily. Some people apparently didn't find this movie scary. All I can say is that I never want to see the films that frighten them
Hint: don't see this film if you are only going for Alice Cooper, he only has one very short moment of glory (if you could call it that)
Orlando (1992)
What a lovely film.
This film made me feel unreasonably happy. I skipped out of the theatre. Listening to the music for the scene in the garden makes you feel like you are being tickled. The plot change (from Woolf's book) at the end was very appropriate.
Very cathartic. I felt so brilliant after seeing this I went and gave my hopeless boyfriend the boot.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
Too much for me I'm afraid
I haven't seen this movie for years but I can remember it vividly. The scene where the lover is killed still makes me ILL even now. And the bit where the boy is attacked - UGH! This is a great movie if you have are not overly squeamish. I am, and I am never going to watch it again. That's my loss. I was (and still am) too overwhelmed by the yukky bits to say anything intelligent about it. Ick!
I'm sorry that bit with the books and stuff was really too much. I have just been thinking about it and I am not going to sleep tonight. I'm going to have a drink of water and a lie-down. Blech!
Wall Street (1987)
Boring!
I could not get into this movie. This was the most boring film I have ever seen. This was the only movie I have ever left halfway through. I could not identify with a single character. It was rotten.