THE MUTILATOR (1984)

 

Directed By: Buddy Cooper & John Douglass Written By: Buddy Cooper  Cinematography: Peter Schnall Editor: Stephen Mack

Cast: Matt Mitler, Ruth Martinez, Bill Hitchcock, Connie Rogers, Frances Raines, Morey Lamplay, Jack Chatham 

A college student, who accidentally killed his mother as a child, decides to take his friends to his father's fishing cabin during fall break, not knowing that his crazed father is stalking the place.

TEACHERS (1984)

 

Directed By: Arthur Hiller Written By: W.R. McKinney Cinematography: David M. Walsh  Editor: Don Zimmerman 

Cast: Nick Nolte, Jobeth Williams, Judd Hirsch, Ralph Macchio, Allen Garfield, Lee Grant, Richard Mulligan, Laura Dern, Crispin Glover, Morgan Freeman, Steven Hill, William Schallert, Mary Alice, Anthony Heald Virginia Capers, Royal Dani, Art Metrano 

A teacher overcomes his frustration in a high-school full of flunkies. As he attempts to educate his students, he attempts to help them gets him into trouble with the school board, which only adds to his problems. With the support of his students, he beats the school board and his frustration.

EXTERMINATOR 2 (1984)

 

Directed by: Mark Buntzman  Written By: Mark Buntzman & William Sachs  Cinematography: Bob Baldwin & Joseph Mangine  Editor: Marcos Manton, George Norris & Florent Retz 

Cast: Robert Ginty, Mario Van Peebles, Frankie Faison, Deborah Geffner, Scott Randolf, Ayre Gross, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Bruce Smolanoff, Irwin Keyes 

The flamethrower-wielding vigilante John Eastland returns to rid New York City of a drug lord and his gang.

The exterminator returns. This is basically a revenge movie and vigilante movie rolled into one.  Not that the film is supposed to be taken all that seriously. As it seems more an action film of the times that tries to be exploitive but forgets in all ways. That seems to want to try to be more mainstream. Which then takes out most of what made the first film stand out in the first place. 

ALPHABET CITY (1984)

 

Directed By: Amos Poe Written By: Amos Poe & Gregory K. Heller Story By: Gregory K. Heller Cinematography: Oliver Wood  Editor: Grahame Weinbran 

Cast: Vincent Spano, Kate Vernon, Michael Winslow, Jami Gertz, Clifton Powell, Ray Serra, Daniel Jordano, Zohra Lempert, Tom Mardirosian, Tom Wright 

A New York City drug dealer decides to get out of the business, but has to flee from mobsters.

THREADS (1984)

Directed By: Mick Jackson 
Written By: Barry Hines 
Cinematography: Andrew Dunn & Paul Morris 
Editor: Donna Bickerstaff & Jim Latham

Cast: Karen Meagher, Reece Dinsdale, David Brierley, Rita May, Nicholas Lane, Jane Hazlegrove, Harry Beety 


Documentary style account of a nuclear holocaust and its effect on the working class city of Sheffield, England; and the eventual long running effects of nuclear war on civilization.

THE WOMAN IN RED (1984)

Written & Directed By: Gene Wilder 
Based on the screenplay “Un Elephant ca Trompe Enormement” By: Yves Robert & Jean-loup Dababie 
Cinematography By: Fred Schuler 
Editor: Christopher Greenbury 


Cast: Gene Wilder, Kelly LeBrock, Charles Grodin, Gilda Radner, Judith Ivey, Joseph Balogna, Michael Zorek 


Teddy is a middle-aged man who has a good wife, kids, friends and a fine job. You could say that he has everything he wants; but he doesn't. One day he sees a gorgeous woman in a red dress, and goes crazy! He must have her...

SECOND TIME LUCKY (1984)

Directed By: Michael Anderson 
Written By: Allan Burns, Ron Challoner, Ross Dimsey, D. Howard Grigsby & David Sigmund Story By: Allan Burns 
Cinematography By: John R. McLean 
Editor: Tony Paterson 


Cast: Diane Franklin, Roger Wilson, Robert Morley, Robert Helpmann, Jon Gadsby 


There's a new wager between Heaven and Hell. Devil bets God that if God were to pick two young people to be the new Adam and Eve, they'd sin again. God accepts and sends a college couple to various eras, starting with the Garden of Eden.

JEFF OF THE CINEFILES & UNFINISHED BUSINESS: HALL OF FAME: FILE #0036: BROADWAY DANNY ROSE (1984) (1000'TH POST)

Written & Directed By: Woody Allen 
Cinematography By: Gordon Willis 
Editor: Susan E. Morse 

Cast: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte, Jackie Gayle, Milton Berle, Paul Greco, Michael Badalucco

THE HIT (1984)

Directed By: Stephen Frears
Written By: Peter Prince
Cinematography By: Mike Molloy
Editor: Mick Audsley

Cast: John Hurt, Tim Roth, Terrence Stamp, Fernando Rey, Laura Del Sol, Bill Hunter, Jim Broadbent

BACHELOR PARTY (1984)

Directed By: Neal Israel
Story By: Bob Israel
Written By: Neal Israel & Pat Proft
Cinematography By: Hal Trussell
Editor: Tom Walls

Cast: Tom Hanks, Tawny Kitaen, Adrien Zmed, Michael Dudikoff, Wendie Jo Sperber, Deborah Harmon, Barry Diamond, Gary Grossman

FRIDAY THE 13th: Part 4 - THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984)

Cast: Kimberly Beck, Lawrence Monoson, Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover, Barbara Howard, Camilla Moore, Carey Moore, Lisa Freeman, Bonnie Hellman

Directed By: Joseph Zito
Story By: Bruce Hidemi Sakow
Written By: Barry Cohen
Cinematography By: Joao Fernandes
Editor: Joel Goodman

2010: THE YEAR WE MAKE CONTACT (1984)

Cast: Roy Scheider, Helen Mirren, John Lithgow, Bob Balaban, Kier Dullea, Douglas Rain, Elya baskin, Mary Jo Deschanel

Written & Directed & Cinematography By: Peter Hyams
Based On Characters & The Novel By: Arthur C. Clarke
Edited By: Mia Goldman & James Mitchell
Set Decoration By: Rick Simpson

This is a strange hybrid as a sequel it seems to try to take the mind blowing philosophy and art of the first film and try to make a more convenient audience friendly sequel to try and make the story fit more into a neat package. This seems to be more about peace between the two superpowers that was raging during the mid 80’s but it is set in 2010 so it instantly dates the film.

The film seems more like a spiritual movie about finding peace in the afterlife. As a science fiction film it works if it was just a random story this movie would be a lot more interesting but as a sequel all you can do is compare it to the original. It’s pretty compelling considering when it was made sure the special effects are dated but it holds your interest. The film has plenty of heart stopping thrills and amazing special effects shots. And who isn’t a fan of the return of HAL-9000
The coldest most innocent and misunderstood villain of all time.

Making a sequel to 2001 was a pretty brave and bold task and I can honestly say peter hyams did not fail or embarrass himself this is when he was still able to make good coherent movies (The less said about The Muskateer and A Sound Of Thunder the better)

Dr. Heywood Floyd helms a joint U.S.-Soviet mission of scientists trying to rendezvous with the abandoned Discovery spacecraft, reactivate the homicidal computer HAL-9000 and finally learn the truth. About what happened aboard the ship and what happened to the crew

The film also gets points for the interesting eclectic cast that it had that weren’t quite stars at the time but eventually went onto become popular names in the acting world. Roy schieder adds another impressive performance to his resume This film jaws, the French connection he appeared in so many classics yet never seem to get the respect of his peers. It also has elya Baskin one of the actors I like to see whenever he gets parts I still remember him from Moscow on the Hudson he has a on screen innocence usually in his films that make you believe he is a caring and decent nice guy. Then you feel sorry when his characters are usually betrayed or killed. The film also uses interesting cameos the original novel’s author Arthur C. Clarke as a man sitting on a bench feeding the pigeons on earth and Candice Bergen as the voice of SAL-9000 even though it is not credited to her but a pseudonym.

This is definitely a film you should check out and rent but only if you can be open minded but don’t expect the magic of 2001: A Space Odessey


GRADE: C+

SECRET HONOR (1984)

CAST: Philip Baker Hall

Directed By: Robert Altman
Written By: Donald Freed & Arnold M.Stone
Cinematography By: Pierre Mignot
Editor: Juliet Weber
Production Design By: Stephen Altman

Really a one man show there is no other cast member then Philip baker hall as disgraced Richard Nixon giving a stream of consciousness reflection of his life and career while getting drunk and drunker. Basically having a breakdown.

This is really a filmed play and astonishing first of all since Robert Altman usually used such huge ensemble casts it is a wonder that shows his talent that he uses only one actor in this film the phenomenal Philip baker hall. This is the film that director Paul Thomas Anderson who was a big fan of Robert Altman anyway discovered Mr. Hall and decided that he was so amazing that since he never got a starring role like this again he was going to make one for him.

This was filmed while Robert Altman was a professor at the University of Michigan and most of the crew are his students. It has the usual Robert Altman touches the clever use of cinematography that uses a lot of close up’s but also seems to drift away to other objects in the room yet never leaving Mr. Hall so that we can see his performance in all of it’s glory. The Scary part is that half the time in his quiet moments Richard Nixon just seems like a haunting specter on a video screen

While I can see why this got a special edition from the criterion company. It is a undiscovered film from the past that needed to be shown. It has dazzling camera work and in a way seems experimental for what is basically a filmed uninterrupted monologue. It is a bit slow especially if you are not interested by the first 15 minutes you are probably not going to like the rest of the film. It is a film I am honored to watch but will probably not ever watch again.

The Acting is top notch and if this had been on Broadway this would have been legendary and mr. hall would have been able to write his own ticket in the acting community. In fact I am shocked after this film it took someone in Hollywood so long to discover him and give him a good lead role. This is a tour de force and he never got nominated for a single award for it. It’s a shame he had to fall through the cracks like that for so long.

The script is clever with it’s constant use of language especially the word cock-sucker which was a Nixon favorite and his non pc use of language, his constant paranoia and at the end of the day why he is alone with no defenders or friends to listen to this just him a tape recorder and a camera. He blames everyone including his friends for everything and really believes he was always right and that there was just a conspiracy against hi by everyone.

Watch only if you are interested in Richard Nixon and seeing minimalism at work.

GRADE: B-