I wish more people would come on to this message board and discuss this movie, the opening sequence is haunting and tragic and only lasts about two minutes but it left an image in my head. The violinist playing his melody in the restaurant before and after a shootout. Roy Scheider's turn as the Government Agent was great. It SHOULD be out on DVD. NOW!!!
shareI agree.
Although heavily indebted to Hitchcock, I find this film better than the director's mainstream successes, Silence of the lambs and Philadelphia.
However, I did think the first two minutes were kinda schlock...sorry!
No bother, but i would rather watch a film with two minutes of schlock than two hours. Look at the so called 'love dialogue' scenes in the latest Star Wars movie they are the worst in the entire film.
shareYou're not wrong there. I was under express orders not to heckle during The Revenge of the *beep* and was forced to bite my jumper instead. Still had to let out a giggle during the birth scenes.
shareYeah, hardly any blood at all. There was potential to make something of the chemistry between Anakin and Amidala going down a tragic path but they did'nt put enough effort into it. Still i thought the scene where the Emperor crouches next to Anakin's disembered body on Mustafa was like a painting out of Hell, and John Williams score made it all the more darker.
shareThe film did look gorgeous and wasn't quite as bad as I expected. It's just that for all the attention to visual detail, there was a big hole at the centre of the film where a gripping and emotive story should have been.
The actor playing the emperor was really good and saved every scene he was in, especially the ones with Anakin. I was half-way through the film before I reallised that Anakin Skywalker wasn't a particularly wooden cgi construct.
There were moments like the one you mentioned where the film hinted at something darker and more despairing, but just couldn't find the suitable gravitas. I wonder if the need to fill multiplexes with the under 10s but the blockers on this?
The last line you said there about the under 10s is completely right. THAT is what was wrong with the 'Prequels'. Im in my late twenties and i loved the original trilogy. The 'Prequel' Trilogy was all about pertaining to the kids, i think Lucas forgot about the generation of children in the late seventies and early eighties, that we wanted to see more designed and built setpieces (like the lifesize Falcon in the Death Star hangar in Ep IV) Ive always said that Darth Maul should have been in Dooku's shoes in Ep II and III (the idea of Maul getting his head chopped off by Anakin would have been interesting and a far more exciting fight) all in all i think after some of the initial letdowns of the Phantom Menace, people who love Star Wars WANTED to love and embrace the prequels. Phantom Menace was good. (WITH TONS OF *beep* Attack Of The Clones was better (WITH TONS OF *beep* And Revenge Of The Sith was terrific (WITH TONS OF *beep* You see my point by WANTING to love the Prequels?
shareI think Lucas underestimates kids. The Empire Strikes Back was a "children's" film that remained both intelligent and dark.
The prequals are essentially glorified cartoons. I have no problem with this, but compared with DISNEY(!) films like Snow White and (even) Bambi, they lack tension, excitement and shocks.
Revenge of the Sith is violent - perhaps too graphically and unsubtlely violent for very young children - but it is not as scary or as affecting as the cartoons I have mentioned.
Many adults say, decades later, that Bambi's mother being shot is the most scary filmic (seen as a child) experience of their life. The popularity of Harry Potter books and films demonstrates that (whatever we may consider the artistic quality of these works) children do like have their imaginations stretched.
The prequals don't really do this, they just advertise new toys.
Darth Maul was ace! He was too good a character to waste in one movie. It was still worthwhile having Christopher Lee, as he has the capacity to raise the worst of films - check out his work with late period Hammer Films... actually best not to, just watch his classics like The Wicker Man.
I have a real soft spot for Christopher Lee. He's often just a support slot, but dominates scenes; for example in The Lord of the Rings films (a truly great trilology - were you watching Mr Lucas?), Gremlins 2 and Sleepy Hollow. He seems like a nice guy as well! In a strange way, I can't help finding that important.
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A few things just occured to me while looking back at your last message.
1. The plot to the Phantom Menace was all about TAXATION for christ's sake!! I used to work for the Inland Revenue - I don't want to watch a film based around my previous and much hated profession!!
2. The plots to the computer games of the prequals are generally superior to the films.
The Trailer for the Phantom Menace makes it look like an ace thriller, but when you see the whole deal there are huge boring bits (which i just try and tolerate) inbetween.
You mention 'The Empire Strikes Back' Christ, theres nothing NOT to like about that movie. I always remember the first time i saw it when i was about six years old. The funny thing was, i saw it on a double bill with A New Hope and they showed The Empire Strikes Back FIRST. I think it was an 1982 re-release. I'll remember that day forever. The scene where Luke and Vader fight on that Bespin Gantry just before Luke loses his hand had me stunned. Then seeing the 20th anniversary in 1997 was even better.
You are of course aware of the fact that the movie is already out on DVD, yes? It has been for quite some time. I got it a few weeks ago, really cheap as well (about $8).
Kickass cover!
"My girlfriend always laughs during sex-no matter what she's reading."
I bought the movie from Ebay on DVD! The cover has Harry Hannan holding on to Elle Fabian at Niagara Falls. Yet the IMDB says you can only get it in canada on VHS. Whats your opinion on the film? I thought it was mysterious from start to finish and the ending is really kind of tragic and satisfying at the same time.
shareThe ending is sad. Two damaged people hiding things from each other. It’s such a swerve ball of a movie, and the ending is so surprising, you almost forget the personal suffering of Scheider.
An echo of the beginning of the movie, at the dénouement Scheider is left alone and forlorn - unable to save the life of his woman. I do believe that Harry loves Ellie - well as much as a broken, mistaken, paranoid man can.
Totally agree with you on those points. Thats why he nearly crashes the car while approaching Niagara Falls because he can't believe the woman hes newly in love with is a murderer and is after him as well. This is an undiscovered gem if ever there was one.
shareAlready out on DVD? I've been unable to find it,does anyone know where to get it? I keep on having to watch my video TV copy with lots of ads!
Quality film,one of the best Hitckcock-inspired films I've seen. Very suspenseful and quite eerie. The only flaw I found was that the subplot of Chirstopher Walken's outfit trying to kill Scheider was sort of left hanging after the bell tower scene. Still good,beautiful score too.
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Yes, the film is available on DVD, in Spain. Anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen. The DVD features the original english dialogue and also a spanish dub. The spanish subtitles cannot be removed via your handset, but try switching subtitles off within your DVD player's setup menu.
Order here: http://www.xploitedcinema.com/dvds/dvds.asp?title=970, $22.95
This is a US-based site.
"We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people." - Arthur Schopenhauer
Yes this is a damn fine movie. The seduction scene at Niagara falls where Janet kills one of the men is very saucy. And Scheider does very well as the paranoid. Beats the sh*t out of most of Hitchcock, i just watched Topaz, phew, open a window.
shareI also agree that this movie should be brought out on Region 1 DVD.
share[deleted]
Kino Lorber are releasing this film on both formats on October 14.
I'm a totally bitchin' bio writer from Mars!