Tarantino’s Lost Projects: ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’

Almost more interesting than the films Quentin Tarantino has chosen to do are the ones he has either been rumored to be behind or has stated himself that he would like to do. In honor of Quentin Tarantino week here on the site, we thought it was time to go back and look over some of these lost projects. Some of them never got past the concept stage. Some might even still be lingering somewhere in the back of QT’s mind.

Tarantino has stated he believes the Shaw Brothers’ ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin,’ directed by fight choreographer Lau Kar-leung, to be the “3rd greatest kung fu movie of all time.”

For those who do not know much about the film, here is the synopsis: The anti-Ching patriots, under the guidance of Ho Kuang-han, have secretly set up their base in Canton, disguised as school masters. During a brutal Manchu attack, Lui manages to escape and devotes himself to learning the martial arts in order to seek revenge. In a short period of time he masters the deadly use of his fists, feet and palms, along with such weapons as swords, sticks, and lances. With his learning complete, he takes on the Manchus.

In 2003, in an interview with Oriental Daily, the director even let slip that he might be interested in remaking the film. The paper stated that the Shaw Brothers had even asked Tarantino to direct the film but that production wouldn’t be underway until 2006 due to schedules.

This specific plan, however, was quickly proven to be erroneous, and it came out that there were no plans for Tarantino to produce an actual remake of ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.’ However, Tarantino, always the film student, was heavily influenced by the film. This can be seen in the training sequence seen in ‘Kill Bill Vol. 2.’ These are a direct reference to the classic, kung fu film. Tarantino even cast Chia Hui Liu/Gordon Liu, star of ‘The 36th Chamber,’ in two, separate roles for ‘Kill Bill.’

Despite the idea of him remaking ‘The 36th Chamber,’ being false, Tarantino has previously stated that he would like to do a Chinese kung fu movie at some point in his career.

I have that thought all the time, but not this one (’Kill Bill’). I think I will make one in the future. Certainly will be shot in China but in American way and with Chinese American as the leads. That’s because it’s impossible to blend Hong Kong actors and (mainland) Chinese actors into the whole movie. Chinese Americans are still Americans. By this way, all characters will speak the same language with the same accent. I want to shoot something of my own.

In an interview in April of 2007, Tarantino once again stated his desire to direct a Chinese kung fu story. It was reported on Sina.com that he had signed an agreement with the Shaw Brothers giving him carte blanche to direct remakes of some of their films. Among these films was ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.’ Along with that film, Tarantino said he plans to produce abstractions of the storylines from ‘One-Armed Swordsman’ and ‘Dubei Dao.’ Just as Takashi Miike did with Japanese actors for ‘Sukyaki Western Django,’ Tarantino would cast Chinese actors for his new film but have them all speak in English.

While a direct remake of ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ doesn’t look like it will ever come to fruition, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Tarantino ended up making his kung fu movie. In fact, just like ‘Inglourious Basterds,’ he may actually title the film ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin,’ but base the film around an original story.

Tomorrow’s Tarantino Lost Project: His remake of ‘Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!‘

Opinion In A Haystack: This Generation’s Robocop

22 YEARS LATER, THIS GENERATION GETS THEIR ROBOCOP!!!

In 1987 there was this movie with a silly name, odd premise, a main character that looked like something out of Metropolis, and a non-A-list-celebrity in the lead role. The movie opened in theaters and subsequently kicked down the front door of Hollywood, gave it an uppercut to the jaw, and started pissing in its coffee pot. This film was Robocop.

Two decades later Hollywood had lost its way again, it forgot its lesson. Luckily, on August 14^th 2009 director Neill Blomkamp decided to crawl into the bedroom window, while Hollywood was sleeping, and knock up its daughter. He did it with a film called District 9. It was exactly what we needed.

No big-name actors to weigh down the budget, no lame attempts at adapting already existing properties, no non-sense, no entanglements… District 9, much like Robocop, is just hardcore, passionate film making from a new voice. A voice not to dissimilar from a young Paul Verhoeven.

Now, first off, if you are looking for a straightforward review of the film may I direct your attention over to the talented writings of QuickStop’s own Christopher Stipp. Second, I am in no way saying that District 9 is a “rip off” of Robocop. While there are tonal, character, comedic and satirical similarities between the two films, my point is not to insult District 9 for rehashing, stealing, or ripping off of another movie. Let me repeat that: I’M NOT SAYING THEY ARE THE SAME MOVIE; I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT PLAGIARISM; THE PICTURES ARE NOT MEANT TO POINT OUT THEFT. However I could probably say that 50 times and still some body will come on here, look at the pictures without reading anything and call me an idiot. The internet is a beautiful thing. Still, my point is one of praise. This film is not only an artistic success, but a financial one as well, much like Robocop, it will leave Studio Execs scratching their craniums wondering how and why this film worked.

Both of these movies, above all things, are social commentary. They are bloody, gritty, dirty, futuristic satires. District 9 is obviously about apartheid, political corruption and corporate greed, where as Robocop is about fascism, political corruption and corporate greed. And for people that have a hard time thinking outside the box, and tying their shoes, I suppose they are about aliens and robots as well. They are good companion pieces in that they use these rather deep socio-political frameworks to ask questions, not answer them, and to ultimately facilitate the action, special effects, gore, and humor.

The tonal similarities they share are pretty significant, to the point of being complimentary. You have two cities in dire straights, Johannesburg and Detroit. A corporation offers to swoop in, get involved politically, and take care of the problems at hand. District 9’s MNU (Multi-National United) is painfully similar to Robocop’s corrupt behemoth of industry called OCP (Omni Consumer Products). This is not theft; this similarity is simply a by-product of the fact that a giant, evil corporation with a cold-industrial moniker is the only way to skin that particular satiric-cat. When films like this are done properly, they are bound to share elements. I know I sound defensive against my own assertion that these movies are similar but, sue me, I like to argue with myself.

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Wikus, District 9’s “hero” is not unlike Officer Alex Murphy. The two men both start out the respective films as part of the machine that is trying to fix the problem. In the process of such, they both get injured, disfigured, loose their humanity, their ties with their family, are betrayed by their corporate superiors and are forced to use their new found situation to fight for what they see as right, all under the back drop of a much larger dystopian future. Wikus’ situation isn’t as finite as Murphy’s (as Murphy never had the option of going back to what he was, he died,) nor is Wikus a purely “good” soul as Murphy is, yet the similarities of their loss are apparent. Both futures, I might add, are very dank, dirty and covered in decade old grime. They both sport monuments of former glory, statues that depict utopia are engulfed in excrement and failure. Johannesburg is shown to be over run by a slum motif, covered in 20 years of stagnation, much like Detroit in Robocop; it is a city that looks like it has been without maintenance for several years.

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District 9 starts out in a documentary style, which, I would argue is the equivalent of Robocop’s several commercials and news programs. In the 80’s that is simply the way they decided to break the fourth wall, today audiences are more open to characters just talking to the camera. This device in both films, leads to, or creates most of the humor. The humor being very important, cause if you’re not laughing from time to time, you will forget what the filmmakers want you to remember… this is entertainment, it should be fun. However, it’s not mindless fun, there is depth, and sometimes it’s damn funny.

Neither film bothers to deal with the grandeur of the devices at hand. Robocop’s narrative isn’t about the technical developments of robotic technology; District 9 isn’t about the complex nature of the alien’s world, society, and knowledge. In fact, District 9 shows audiences something very new to this decade, aliens that aren’t all that remarkable. They are about as smart and physically vulnerable as us, they just happen to have lived long enough to develope space travel and superior munitions technology… other then that, they are just humans that look different. A fresh, gut-punch approach to such sci-fi material is what made Robocop so biting in the 80’s. Same goes for District 9.

If you look at a lot of the criticism of District 9, you will see a pattern. My opinion is not fact, nor is anyone’s, but it seems to me that those that have put the movie in a negative light are not seeing the movie for what it is, they are simply seeing the premise. The premise sounds stupid, much like Robocop (which also has the added opposition of have a name that sounds ridiculous.) However, there is still people to this day that don’t “get” or “understand” the love for Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi-horror-action classic… they are so dense that all they see is a stupid violent movie about a robot cop. The same goes for District 9, which is confusing, since even critics that are fully aware of the African Apartheid plot device still seem as though they aren’t in on the “joke.”

If everything I just said about the comparison between the two films seems like just a meandering mess… then at I’ll give you a good, clean, surface comparison. District 9 had its own ED-209:

That proves nothing, and goes against the angle of approach I was taking, but why fight it, let the internet have its fun.

The biggest similarity that the films share is in what they represent for mainstream entertainment at the time of their release. These are real films, not adaptations, written and directed solely for the screen and the screen alone. Big-budget science fiction films, with substance, made with passion instead of a goal (i.e. “We want a movie based on this toy line… do it, do it right, and do it so everybody can understand it!”) They are huge, filled with counter-culture ideas, abnormal themes, for a select audience, and most of all heavy with questions. That is what you get when studios get behind things other then the bottom line. So thank you to Neill Blomkamp, Paul Verhoeven, and even Peter Jackson for “mavericking” the hell out of cinema. Let’s hope that Hollywood doesn’t try to emulate-rape the premise… the last thing we need is the Robocop 3 version of District 9, I wouldn’t buy that for a dollar.

SORORITY ROW

Really? So did we just have a script lying around from the lame horror trend of the 90’s that a studio thought they might as well sink a couple millions into it just for laughs? This movie is 10 years past its prime. The sub-genre ignited by Scream and killed by every subsequent Scream rip-off, then chopped up by no less then 76 Scary Movie spoofs is coming to a theater near you!!! Isn’t it too early to do throwback to bad movies of last decade? Well at least Carrie Fisher is in it.

“50 Best Catholic films of all time”

William Park (InsideCatholic.com) lists, in his judgement, “the fifty best Catholic movies of all time”.

Some readers, myself included, were very surprised by the absence of The Mission. A magnificent cast (including Robert DeNiro, Jeremy Irons and Liam Neeson); a play by Robert Bolt (A Man for All Seasons) — it has, in my estimation, one of the most powerful illustrations of penance and forgiveness in cinema.

The Mission deservedly won seven Academy Awards, and made the top 15 films under ‘Religion’ selected by the Vatican, commemorating 100 years of cinema.

So why didn’t it make the list? — the author doesn’t offer much of an explanation, save that “Bolt’s screenplay for The Mission looks at the Church from the point of view of Dostoevsky’s “Grand Inquisitor.” Steven D. Greydanus, however, explores the complexities and ambiguities of The Mission for DecentFilms.com.

Question for our readers: do you agree with the list? — Do you agree with Warren’s list? Any notable omissions? What would you have selected?

Elvis Presley Is Our King of Song

Music changes every six months, you gotta change with it. " Elvis in Jailhouse Rock

Man, I need a number one hit, want a number one record *(article)! So I thought The King would be my good luck charm on the 32^nd anniversary of his death, August 16^th, 1977. His muse is with me as I peck the clunky keys towards solid gold. I avoid discussing all the idiosyncratic *(freakish) qualities of The King, and focus on what he could do best, make beaucoup beautiful music, in quantity and quality, and as diverse in its idioms as the "Pop-Up Presley Dolls` that populate souvenir stands about Memphis or near the grounds of Graceland.

I created my own personal playlist of highly select cuts that span the whole of Elvis` career. Most of the songs come from the CD Elvis 30 # One Hits, " but I added a few from the later period, like Moody Blue " and An American Trilogy, " because I felt as if the "Star of Elvis` was shining brightly towards the end. Another thing that I did was pick out tunes that were not that familiar to me, but which particularly struck a nerve as far as the performance or song structure is concerned. Crying In the Chapel " gives me chills and Surrender " slays me; it would be a good one to give to a prospective romantic paramour, should one come along.

Once I created the playlist, I burned a CD and listened to the songs repeatedly, did some necessary research on them, then jotted down some notes as to how they made me feel, or what special quality did Elvis bring to the song, that would tend to differentiate it from the pack, and make it a high point in his career. The last thing that I did was keep the number at the sacred count of sixteen, since today is the date of his death in August. So I hope you enjoy or even toil with my reflections on this most precious artist of all time. Let`s get down to business!

Well, when Monday comes she`s Tuesday, when Tuesday comes she`s Wednesday, into another day again. Her personality unwinds just like a ball of twine, on a spool that never ends. Just when I think I know her well her emotions reveal, she`s not the person that I thought I knew, she`s a complicated lady so color my baby, Moody Blue. " This is from his last recording session in 1976, and Moody Blue, " released as a single, reached number one on the Billboard Country charts. I love its continuous twangy guitar part and the lyrics that seem to be thinly-disguised gossip for one of Elvis` many lady loves from the late, "decayed` period.

A body could easily argue that the gifted songwriter Jerome Doc " Pomus was the real king of rock `n` roll, but that is a sound stage for a completely different production. Little Sister, " penned by Doc Pomus and his partner, Mort Shuman, was released by Elvis in August of 1961 as a single, reaching # 5 on the Billboard charts. I`m more familiar with Ry Cooder`s version, but now am coming `round to Elvis` terrific vocal here and to a smokin` rockabilly guitar part, that shadows the vocal.

Little sister don`t you, little sister don`t you, (repeat) kiss me once or twice and say it`s very nice, and then you run. Little sister don`t you do what your big sister done. " Elvis is emotive on the vocal, sounds like he means it, and a baritone backup vocal has a comic effect on the last line of the chorus. Little Sister " shows that Elvis was still issuing rock `n` roll songs, even after he left the army.

(Marie`s the Name) His Latest Flame, " another Pomus and Shuman composition, is my absolute favorite Elvis Presley song. I use to hear it all the time on the jukebox at the Bar of Soap when I was performing with The Potatoes, and it inspired me to do my very best. The lyrics evoke a jealous situation, I believe, and Elvis is superior in his ability to evoke this particular nitty-gritty, emotional demeanor .

He talked and talked, and I heard him say, that she had the longest blackest hair, prettiest green eyes anywhere, and Marie`s the name of his latest flame. " It uses a Bo Diddley vamp, as in Who Do You Love? " The middle eight has riveting arpeggio piano riff that I adore and The King`s vocal is one of the best ones ever in pop or rock! I can play this over and over and I never tire of it.

Whenever I hear All Shook Up " I think of a teenybopper spinning this black vinyl 45 RCA Victor single on their primitive record player and struttin` their stuff in front of a mirror. My older cousin "Butch` use to have stacks of these RCA 45s spread out on the carpet, for he was going after it, as I can vaguely remember from when I would be visiting my aunt in the late 1950s. All Shook Up was released in March of 1957, and was written by Otis Blackwell, and Elvis has a writing credit too. The Colonel finagled an excellent publishing deal for Presley, but that`s an entire article unto itself, that I don`t care to tackle.

She toucha my hand what a chill I got, her lips are like-a volcano that`s hot, I`m proud to say she`s my buttercup, I`m in love, I`m all shook up. " The King`s vocal chords gyrate like a Mexican jumping bean on a red-hot skillet! The arrangement is simple with a lone boogie piano and a metronome, leaving room for the best simulation of erotic symbiosis ever modeled in rock `n` roll. One has to reach for the stars to fathom how revolutionary this was for the 1950s!

Don`t, " released in 1958, but recorded in September of 1957 is a composition of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, that winning songwriting team that penned so many early rock `n` roll classics. This is a slower romantic crooner number that makes you feel as if you are covertly peeping into Elvis` bedroom while he is appeasing *(polishin` an apple) for his damsel in distress. Obviously, he captured an intimate moment in the studio with an over-the-top vocal that oozes with feely/touchy warmth, if not a damp-a-nin` of his monogrammed silk handkerchief, that was probably in his pocket. The natural vibrato of his voice, along with masterly dynamics, both vertigo and canyon bottom, pushes us to a precipice edge on Don`t. "

Surrender, " more of a rearrangement by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman of an old Neapolitan tune, Torna A Surriento, " is a newly discovered treasure for me. As a 1960 release it has Elvis` vocals in tact and trembling rapturously as I have ever encountered. Surrender has an uptempo bossa nova beat with shimmering mandolin, a romantic ballad that puts you on gondola ride in the canals of Venice.

When I kiss my heart`s on fire, burnin` with a strange desire "so my darling please surrender, all your love so warm and tender. " Excellent lyrics and he just wails out his guts, didn`t know The King had been to Italy? All the stars will tell the story, of our love and all its glory. " You and I join hands together in heaven on the last two lines: Be mine forever, be mine tonight! " See the pearly gates hither?

(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear, " from the movie Loving You, " was one of four songs that went to number one for Elvis in 1957. I find myself singing it in the shower, and this is because of its simplicity (only 1:46) and its catchy lyrics. Teddy Bear was written by Kal Mann (he wrote Limbo Rock ") and Bernie Lowe with clever animal-play lines such as: I don`t want to be your tiger, cuz tigers play too rough. I don`t want to be your lion, cuz lions aint the kind you love enough. " Elvis throws his voice like a ventriloquist and his throat warbles ecstatically, such as in he digs being the sex object of millions of adoring teenage girls. I believe that`s The Jordanaires providing the spiffy doo-wop backup vocals that clinches it, along with the short whirl of a piano cascade intro.

An American Trilogy " is a relic of a bygone era, a custom arrangement for our pleasing plump "grey boy,` a moving medley of three Confederate anthems of yesteryear, and our perfect rebel son does the honors for us. When he belts out Glory Glory halleluiah " on the last refrain I can see "bombs bursting in air` and the sparklers of a Fourth of July firecracker-stand come alive, all in the same frame. The South rises up from the ashes, Gone With the Wind " flickers in faded Technicolor on the plaster ceiling, as he belches his truth comes marchin` on " " and the chill of the rebel yell at Picket`s Last Stand at Gettysburg drapes over me in wanton souls.

Yesterday, just to tap into the karma of the king, I made a hefty meal that nearly floored me with fat gram count, a cholesterol blitzkrieg that so stuffed me, I was whiffed away by the Sandman at 7:30 PM. The King would usually have two huge cheeseburgers before snoozing, but I created a heapin` helpin` that I believe Elvis himself would nod from heaven as I wolfed down zillions of calories of grub that transform any fit fellow into a blubberslush of a blubbering Elvis imitator.

I had four hatch chili-pepper sausages with honey mustard, mountains of mashed potatoes, white cheddar cheese slices, cucumber slices with ranch dressing, tons of tomato slices, black eye peas with ample bacon bits, piles of spicy sauerkraut, a gigantic slab of hatch cornbread, & pineapple chunks. I felt just him, but fortunately didn`t croak right there on the couch.

I watched Frankie and Johnnie " while I ate, and went back for seconds. By the way, I found out one time *(when I visited some famous kinfolk of mine in Hollywood) that Donna Douglas (Ellie Mae in The Beverly Hillbillies ") had an affair and was madly in love with Elvis. For desert I had three pieces of coconut custard cream pie, & watched Woodstock " for the one millionth and one time; I still got off!

John Lennon thought Elvis was slipping, when appearing on the BBC`s Juke Box Jury in 1963, in reference to the song (You`re The) Devil In Disguise, " equating him with Bing Crosby. Actually, this one really rips where a slow part is fastened a rollickin` romp, almost an R & B trot for the finish line. The lyrics about a perfectly angelic girl, who may be really a devil, could equally be applied to Elvis, being autobiographical to me, in the sharp delivery of lines.

Maybe I didn`t treat you, quite as good as I should have. Maybe I didn`t love you quite as often as I could of. " There`s a tender spot in The King`s voice on Always On My Mind, " a quiver of hurt, sorrow, and remorse; precious sincerity is present here, and I imagine this was a showstopper at one of his Las Vegas performances in the 1970s. While I can appreciate Willie`s version, this one from 1972 is more tender and poignant. I get the impression that is especially tailored for Priscilla and his troubled marriage to her. I don`t detect any contrivance or artfulness on the part of The King here; I could just collapse and cry right here, make a mess of myself right cha-here on my trusty Gateway keyboard, but I`ve gotta "keep on truckin`` `til the end of this piece!

Crying In The Chapel " is the only gospel song that I included on my itunes playlist, that I created for the purposes of this article. It was written by Artie Glenn, and Presley recorded it in 1960 for His Hand In Mine, " but RCA held it back until 1965 as an Easter single. It`s touching for me, as I lack familiarity with his gospel material. This has both religious feeling and sensual feeling (for me). Take your troubles to the chapel, sit down on your knees, and your burden will be lighter, and you`ll surely find your way. " I never have really seen him in this light? But after hearing Crying In The Chapel, " I`d certainly do whatever he tells me to do, like make a beeline to the closet church!

In the Ghetto, " written by Mac Davis, comes during a creative renewal phase (1969) for Elvis, and was recorded at the American Sound Studio in Memphis. It is a song about poverty and the hardships of growing up underprivileged, and how that might lead you to do desperate things. Well the world turns "and a hungry little boy with a runny nose, plays in the street as the cold wind blows, in the ghetto. " When the kid seems to die in the end, after a showdown with the police, I always break out crying. Elvis has a serious tone in his voice, so you know that this is his socially conscious song. It`s a real tear jerker, and I recall my Dad use to sing it in a mimicking fashion when our family was on a road-trip vacation; it sounded very nice through a car radio as you watched America stream by your car window.

Suspicious Minds, " released in August of 1969 and written by Mark James, was a comeback number one song for The King, his first hit in six years. So, if an old friend I know, drops by to say hello, would I still see suspicion in your eyes? Here we go again, asking where I`ve been, you can`t see these tears are real, I`m crying. " Once again, there`s a certain element of realism, something autobiographical to these lyrics, and when addressing the subject of jealousy, he`s very much in his element. I love the talking part, like in It`s Now Or Never, and there`s a fade out, then back in that seems high tech for those times.

Burning Love " was recorded in March of 1972 and made it to # 2 on the Billboard charts. The King is a consummate LOVE MACHINE on this one: Your kisses lift me higher, like the sweet song of a choir, you light my mornin` sky, with burning love. " This one must really work in a live setting. Lord Almighty, I`m burnin` a hole where I lay. " On another level than romance, it`s also about being burned out, something this man surely knew a lot about. On even a further level, it`s a predictor of The King`s own timely demise, and it`s on this level that my ears hear the tragedy unfold of `is DOOMSHIP!

A Little Less Conversation, " written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange, is a funky one for The King with a cow bell clanking throughout and lots of special effects mixed in, such as keyboard sampling and a whole chorus of background vocals fattenin` the sound. It was originally recorded for `68 Comeback Special, " but was never used. It was remixed and included on the successful compilation CD: Elvis 30 # 1 Hits, " released in 2002. The line a little less conversation, a little more action " speaks volume for Elvis` dynamic way of doing things, especially in his later badge-toting, kung-fu slicing period. It sounds like a 70s game arcade is wafting from some speakers on here, and this is why I dig it!

Hound Dog " is the greatest of all of the purely rock `n` roll songs, and confronts the testy issue of social class. In knowing for sure that Elvis comes from humble origins, there is a detectably confronting and angry intonation in his voice when he says: you said you were high class, well that was just a lie. (repeat) You never chase a rabbit, you aint no friend of mine. " Scotty Moore`s rockabilly guitar leads is out of this world! The most famous song he ever did, for sure!

In many ways Elvis was merely a manufactured commodity by Colonel Tom Parker, a "Ken Doll` whose only purpose in life was to fulfill his hungry public. Tempered by his days with the circus, The Colonel mapped out every career move for Elvis like it was from the playbook of the Super Bowl, nothing was left to chance. Ultimately, his cut was fifty-fifty with Elvis, the most outrageous percent take in showbiz history.

It`s obvious that "fat profit` was his primary motive; thus a string of mediocre movies, if not down-right piss poor, were produced in the studios in the1960s. Because of The Colonel`s huckster shenanigans, The King`s music took a back seat to circus gimmickry. But once The King saw the truest beams of light, the naked truth that the stage and his music were his final beacons *(not bacon) of hope, Elvis embraced a comeback the world has never again seen, on any mortal stage.

So toss the laurel wreaths on his sepulcher. Listen to his perfect songs again, forget about all of his sins and forgive him for all of his travesties, no matter how grandiose. All your trials, soon lord be over. " You don`t have to join an Elvis secret group if you don`t want to, but you might consider it if you already worship The King. He gave of himself, sang his heart out for his fans, and this is why he died at such an early age. He could throw his voice, make it quiver, and jive on stage like he was Dionysius himself. Maybe he was. He wasn`t of earthly descent, I know that. There are still many new songs to discover, so let`s go on treasure excursion through the catalogs of Our King! Come on, let`s go girl, Fun In Acapulco, " Clambake, " & Girl Happy " all bundled up into one, but don`t forget to bring your federal law enforcement agent badges!

The Last Starfighter Blu-ray

A fantastic movie and a slice of Hollywood history arrives on Blu-ray with disappointing results. Reviewed by Martin Liebman, August 17, 2009 When it comes you gotta grab it with both hands and hold on tight. One of the most unassuming but also most important films in the history of motion pictures, The Last Starfighter signaled the beginning of a new era of Hollywood filmmaking much in the same way that The Jazz Singer or The Robe revolutionized the industry. A wholesome and exciting little tale of a nobody trailer park resident finding himself whisked away to fight a battle for an ally in desperate need of his skills and against an aggressive and dangerous enemy he never even knew existed, The Last Starfighter mixes humor, action, romance, and an underlying sweetness to the entire experience that makes it one of the more pitch-perfect movies to come along in some years. Still, it's The Last Starfighter's groundbreaking use of digital special effects that have come to define it. There's no denying the film's importance to the history books, but it's a shame that the great movie behind the effects seems lost in the pomp and circumstance of the more evident -- but not necessarily more impressive -- achievement that has allowed The Last Starfighter to withstand the test of time. Alex Rogan dreams of something more for his life. Alex Rogan (Lance Guest), handyman extraordinaire, dreams of doing more with his life than repairing broken down appliances in the Starlite, Starbrite trailer park. He hopes to go to college; hang on to his longtime girlfriend, Maggie (Catherine Mary Stewart); and escape the doldrums of small-town life. Though he's well-liked around town for the good he does, he finds both reprieve from the daily grind and minor celebrity status amongst his neighbors for his expertise at the "Starfighter" video game that has found its way into town. Alex, surrounded by a throng of townsfolk, one night breaks the game's all-time high score, earning not only the adoration of his friends but the attention of the game's developer, Centauri (Robert Preston). Alex soon learns that neither Centuari nor the game are of this world; the game was designed as a test of skill for the purpose of recruiting the best potential starfighters in the galaxy to join the war efforts of the Star League to defend the Frontier against the rebellious Xur (Norman Snow) and the venerable Ko-Dan Armada. Alex rejects the offer to become one of the Star League's warriors, but circumstances lead him to reconsider his options and take on a desperate fight in the gunner's seat of a prototype starfighter alongside his alien navigator, Grig (Dan O'Herlihy). There are plenty great things to say about The Last Starfighter even before getting around to a discussion of the film's then-groundbreaking and, more importantly, trendsetting, special effects. Considering the film's lack of a true star performer in the lead role, the acting in The Last Starfighter is uniformly excellent. Lance Guest delivers a fun but also enthralling and somewhat moving effort as a teenager in search of his place in the world; one key sequence sees him in a dream-like trance of sorts as he marvels at a model solar system hanging from his bedroom ceiling. There's a palpable sense of not necessarily awe at the model itself, but rather at what it represents -- the unknown, adventure, purpose, destiny -- and the moment is brilliantly captured by Director Nick Castle (Major Payne) whose quality of leadership is evident throughout as he brings together both the primary components necessary to make any film a success but also completely succeeds at incorporating smaller details that make a good film great. He lends a tenderness to the picture in the midst of all the large-scale goings-on; from the peril-strewn universe to the incorporation of the special effects, there's always a sense of passion to the characters that lends to the audience a desire to cheer wholeheartedly for them even though the outcome of the film is never at all in question. The Last Starfighter's characters make the film; they are to a person lively and lifelike, each one with a unique heart and soul that brings their small community to vibrant life. The film paints its characters with a tender compassion; they each have real agendas, real hopes, real dreams, and real loves, with each performer capitalizing on the well-written script. Tying it all together is one of the finer scores in the history of cinema; Craig Safan's (Stand and Deliver) music is uplifting, robust, and slightly militaristic while at the same time playing as friendly and inviting. It's a near pitch-perfect Science Fiction score, and one that's wholly appropriate and perfectly tuned for The Last Starfighter. Despite the many positive attributes that make The Last Starfighter a well-above-average film, such observations obviously play second fiddle to its groundbreaking, trendsetting, and even still today entertaining and visually appealing digital effects. Though 1982's Tron is packed with computer-generated visuals mixed with live action footage, The Last Starfighter took what Tron accomplished and greatly improved upon it by creating a series of photorealistic effects that seamlessly integrated into the real-world action around it. Its series of visuals -- the Gunstar, the Starcar, the enemy armada, and several interior and exterior shots of Rylos, for instance -- give to the objects a sense of dimension, weight, and realism that was never before so expertly and broadly integrated into a motion picture. Though the effects now appear as primitive at best by today's lofty standards, they retain a charm that fits wonderfully with the film's themes and setting and, far more importantly, remain memorable for what they represent. Perhaps just as fascinating is not only the visuals themselves, but the continuously evolving and innovating computer work employed to make them a reality at a time where there was no template on which to lay the groundwork. Lastly, The Last Starfighter's impact on the world of motion pictures both in the previous decade of the 1990s, in the first years of the 21st century, and no doubt well into the future, cannot be denied. The untold billions of dollars that have been generated thanks to the radical advances in computing and moviemaking technologies have redefined the business while simultaneously thrilling the moviegoing public like never before. Mega-blockbusters like Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, Toy Story, The Lord of the Rings, Transformers, and Star Trek owe their success in part to the innovators and groundbreakers that made The Last Starfighter possible. Talk about stimulus. Video The Last Starfighter debuts on Blu-ray with a disappointing 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. A mediocre-at-best presentation, The Last Starfighter appears to be the victim of rigorous digital scrubbing; plenty of fine details appear to have been washed away. The transfer lacks a sense of vibrancy and appears rather flat and drab throughout. Trees and bushes around the trailer park look like blobs of green mass with absolutely no definition to be found. There's little-to-no grain to be seen throughout, though spots and other debris do pop up from time to time over the image, and not just over the most extreme effects shots such as Xur's holographic appearance at Star League command. Detail appears appreciably higher in space than it does on Earth; the lines, ridges, and other features that make up the many alien faces, for instance, look fairly good, as do the varied alien uniforms that feature a high level of texture. It's a mixed bag to be sure, but The Last Starfighter never takes on a true film-like appearance, instead looking overly manipulated and artificial. Black levels are inconsistent at best, but flesh tones appear rather stable. In a way, the lack of absolute definition reflects the minimal graphical nature of the video game and, later in the film, the special effects, but it's still a rather disappointing visual experience. Audio Unfortunately, The Last Starfighter's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack doesn't fare much better than the video presentation. The clear-cut highlight here is Craig Safan's amazing score; fortunately, it sounds rather good all things considered, each glorious note pouring into the soundstage with a fair level of definition and clarity. Sound effects throughout the film do scatter about the soundstage nicely with the front right and left speakers carrying the load of center-channel support. On the downside, there's absolutely no sense of immersion into the experience. The lack of a strong rear-channel presence -- for instance during Alex's initial flight to Rylos with Centauri -- leaves the listener feeling cold and detached from the film. Explosions and general action scene mayhem don't pack much of a punch, the track delivering the basic necessities to move the film along but never truly engaging the listener and placing him or her in the midst of the excitement. Dialogue ranges from acceptable to muddled and harsh. The Last Starfighter's lossless soundtrack isn't a total loss, but it's far from exemplary at the same time. Supplements The Last Starfighter lands on Blu-ray with several bonus features, headlined by a commentary track with Director Nick Castle and Production Designer Ron Cobb. An interesting and well-spoken track, the duo discusses how the film was influenced by the video game craze of the mid-1980s, the easily identifiable nature of the characters and story, shooting locations and the trailer park in particular, the cast, the design of the game and the starfighter, making use of three-dimensional rather than two-dimensional space, the film's groundbreaking effects, and much more. Both fans of the film and anyone interested in learning more about an important slice of motion picture history should definitely give this one a listen from beginning to end. Heroes of the Screen (1080i, 24:19) is a solid retrospective piece that looks back on the standard the film set for the future of motion pictures in its special effects. The feature also looks at the movie's sweet and emotional core in which the action and effects are built, the construction of the script, setting the standard for acting against objects that aren't on-set, the budget, and more. Crossing the Frontier: Making 'The Last Starfighter' (480p) is a four-part documentary that delves even further than the previous piece into the film's place in history. Segments include Introduction (1:27), Filming the Movie (10:33), A New Era of Visual Effects (18:08), and Reflections (1:52). Also included is the film's teaser trailer (480p, 1:33) and theatrical trailer (480p, 2:47) and nine image galleries presented in 480p standard definition: The Cast, 'Starfighter' Arcade Game, Starfighter Command, The Starcar, The Gunstar, Ko-Dan Armada, Alternate Ending, Anatomy of a Starfighter Computer-Generated Image, and Promotion and Merchandise. This disc is also BD-Live (Blu-ray profile 2.0) enabled and D-Box equipped. Final words What's truly amazing about The Last Starfighter is that it's not just a test vehicle for a radical new breed of visual effects that would transform Hollywood forever. The filmmakers smartly told a story well worth telling and worked their magic into the story, rather than simply tacking a story onto the effects as a mere afterthought. The Last Starfighter is a great movie, and would have been equally great had it used models and miniatures or had it been made in the past several years where near-seamless effects now find their way into most any Science Fiction picture. Exciting, emotional, well-written, wonderfully acted, and boasting one of the finest scores of the past several decades, The Last Starfighter is simply one of the best of its kind. Universal's Blu-ray release, unfortunately, doesn't quite do the film justice. Boasting a problematic 1080p transfer, a mundane lossless soundtrack, but a solid collection of extras, The Last Starfighter nevertheless comes with a recommendation solely on the strength and historical importance of the film.

(500) Days of Summer

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel in (500) Days of Summer

The film (500) Days of Summer is proof that everybody borrows, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. It's nearly impossible to create something original from start to finish, what can be different is the approach. This film seems as if it plucked the object of desire out of Jules et Jim and blended it with the inventiveness of Annie Hall. The New Wave comparison is not out of left field as demonstrated later on.

This is a film that refuses to bow to conventions of narrative and structure from the start. The first image of the film is a title which appears to be a standard "this is fiction" disclaimer then it is flipped and rendered comical.

There is self-conscious narration, documentary-style cutaways (interviews, pictures and newsreel like footage). It is a film that honors, pokes fun at and references films of the past in a dream sequence parodying the French New Wave and Bergman in two different skits, one Bergman homage was similar to a Woody Allen gag in Love and Death and the latter the best Seventh Seal parody I've seen. These gags are completely justified as Levitt's character has a delusional fantasy while watching an arcane foreign film.

What's most interesting in the film is that it refuses to go in chronological order and pretty much never needs to. This frees the film to have very interesting moments like a "Why I Love Summer" and "Why I Hate Summer" montage which have nearly identical footage. The stream of consciousness, memory-like edit also allowed the relationship to be reviewed both in an idealized version and how it really happened.

Though it was good to finally have some understanding of how Summer thinks at the end it still felt like the kind of movie that would've been better served by an open ending. Not that the end was bad, perhaps just too tidy. That doesn't detract from the whole. Levitt reasserts himself as the preeminent figure of independent cinema. Deschanel plays her part probably as well as any in her generation can filling in the blanks in her character's thought process which are inherent based upon the film's perspective.

Most pleasing and notably of all Mark Webb is a director to be reckoned with because he injected life and creativity into a rather stagnant genre and despite not masquerading the inevitability of the relationship failing he made the ride quite fun.

8/10

For more info: (500) Days of Summer is still playing this weekend amidst a barrage of new releases, for tickets and showtimes check Fandango. For plot information visit their official site. If you're looking for an action film check out my friend Michael DePalma's review of G.I. Joe.

Favorite Miyazaki Film

I gave a very positive review to the new Hayao Miyazaki film, "Ponyo," in today's Chronicle. Anyone who followed our "The Poop Presents" movie series at the Cerrito Theater knows I like Miyazaki a lot -- we programmed "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Spirited Away" when this blog was co-hosting family movies there.

Disney

The sea is angry -- but the movie's not.

But I definitely wasn't predestined to like the director's latest movie. I thought that a reinterpretation of "The Little Mermaid" was a curious choice for Miyazaki, who is at his best when writing original material. And I thought the trailer and especially the commercials for the film were underwhelming. I was bracing myself for the Miyazaki version of "Eyes Wide Shut."

So I was pleasantly surprised to get sucked into this movie, especially the second half, when the narrative pretty much goes out the window and a Miyazaki film once again offers a portal into the animator's incredible imagination. The movie is G-rated, but I suspect adults in particular will find it a little scary or at least unnerving. From the moment a typhoon hits, every character in the movie seems to be at the complete mercy of mother nature.

As for where it fits on the all-time Miyazaki list, I would put it in the middle somewhere. It's not close to his best film, but I think it will be well-regarded -- especially coming so late in the 68-year-old's career. I'd say it's the Miyazaki version of Scorsese's "The Departed."

Below is my favorite Miyazaki movie of all time. Yours in the comments ...

I realize that "Spirited Away" is Miyazaki's masterpiece, and technically his best film. It's definitely the movie where he opens himself up the most artistically, both with the visuals and the surreal yet powerful story. "Princess Mononoke," his first movie to get mainstream distribution in the U.S., was the film that introduced me to the animator, and I think it contains his strongest and most memorable political message.

c1988 Nibariki - G

An incomparable experience.

But my favorite Miyazaki movie is still "My Neighbor Totoro." I love how it plays so well with young children, yet is extremely layered in terms of its characters and meanings. Depending on my mood and the audience I'm watching it with, I can enjoy the 1988 movie on completely different levels. I remember being moved and a little melancholy the first time I saw it alone -- and feeling completely joyful the first time I watched it with my then 3-year-old son. It's such an original, that you can't even name the genre it's in. Nor could another filmmaker ever successfully recreate it, without somehow journeying into Miyazaki's brain. (And would you even want to go there, without a guarantee that you'll come out without turning into a pig or something?) I'm still not emotionally ready to watch "Spirited Away" again. I could probably view "Totoro" every week for the rest of my life.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/detail?entry_id=45568#ixzz0OSilQuMI