Reviews

Directors should not write their own screenplays. Bad idea. It rarely works. Woody Allen can pull it off only about half of the time. The reason is that writers become so enamoured of their script, they can't see its flaws. A scene must move the story forward, else it should be deleted. Writers just can't kill their own darlings. The director must. When director and writer is the same person, it's like judge and defendant are the same person.

The first third of this movie (the restaurant/taxi/bedroom sequences) drags on forever. Really, what is the point? To peek into the female psyche? A legitimate purpose, no doubt, albeit it could be served in much less cinematic time.

The rest of the movie is a cross between Fellini's "And the Ship Sails On" and "Lord of the Flies." The intention is honest, the performances are good, however the script really needs tightening. How much fake vomit can we take? Endless vomiting shots do not add any entertainment value. The silly antics of the Russian magnate over the Public Address System is another plot device we could do without.

It's a pity because the premise of this movie is valid, the story arc is well developed, the acting talent is there. Perhaps it needs re-editing in the hands of an expert editor.

Period detective movie with outstanding craft and style. Albert Fish was one of the first serial killers to live and die in America in the early part of the last century. Although he committed crimes beyond comprehension, his tale was relatively unknown, until now.

The story is based on a solid script with emphasis on plot and character rather than gore and violence. This is not to say that this is a family movie. It just avoids the temptation of gratuitous violence and instead focuses on the human dimensions of the protagonists. The story follows Detective King on his obsessive manhunt as he assembles the clues to establish the killer's identity. At the same time, it attempts to read into the mind of the killer, even portraying a bit of his human side.

There are great performances by Patrick Bauchau (Fish) and Jack Conley (Detective King). In addition, the stars of the movie was the stellar photography by Dave Rudd, and the production design by Jennifer Gentile. Given the modest budget, the film convincingly captures the feel of New York in the 1920s and 1930s. The art department went to great lengths to recreate the slightest period details. And yes, it was shot on actual 35 mm film, in unsurpassed color. A visual feast.

Harley is a reclusive mall security guard whose life's obsession is to apprehend potential shoplifters through a state-of-the-art electronic surveillance network. Trouble is, the would-be shoplifters mysteriously disappear. Dennis, Harley's young apprentice, starts to dig into the shady past of his introvert boss. What he discovers is not very pleasant.

The concept behind "Surveillance" escapes the stereotypical clichés of the genre. The movie is solidly built around a robust script with emphasis on plot and character development rather than special effects. Armand Assante delivers a convincing performance as the enigmatic Harley. Direction is by legendary director Fritz Kiersch, whose credits include the cult horror classic "Children of the Corn." The producers include none other than Academy Award winner Gray Frederickson, whose resume boasts "Apocalypse Now" and the "Godfather" series. The production was filmed for very little money in Oklahoma City. Especially notable is the production design by Rebekah Bell and the art department who managed to pull off a credible job on a shoestring budget.

My edition is "Authored and remastered by DDC Labs - Made in Canada," packaged as a double feature with "Dangerous Relations." There is no other edition information on jacket. The DVD transfer is so bad, it is nearly unwatchable. The low price (USD 2 + tax) is no excuse for a sloppy job. This is very unfortunate because the movie is excellent, as far as murder mysteries go. I give it highest grade for story and acting. I am sure that there were other production values such as photography, sound, and production design, however I cannot evaluate those because of the poor video and audio quality. I would like to know what editions the other reviewers were evaluating.

A zero-budget Finnish spinoff of "Memento." The basic premise is interesting, and the main actors are OK, but the acting of the minor characters is either abysmal or just too Finnish. They look like they are reading their lines off cue cards. "Reaction" shots of the policeman at the detention center show absolutely no reaction to the defense attorney's statements. The policeman looks like he is staring into a blank abyss. The big bad security guard who rents the trailers is not scary at all, if that is the intention of the director (maybe it is not). Also I suspect that I missed hundreds of delicate Finnish jokes. Maybe I have a cultural barrier that prevents me from getting the movie. Otherwise, it is a cheap production and it shows.