Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
Runtime: 92 minutes
Directed by: Tim Hill
Starring: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch, and various voices
From: Fox 2000
This was the one movie I saw while on vacation; I returned yesterday afternoon back home and it's nice to be back. This movie... not so nice. I give some short thoughts about it below:
I did not see this by choice. It was put on TV for the sake of my twin 4 year old nephews. As a little kid I watched the 80's cartoon version of the Chipmunks. Last December while on vacation w/ the family, I saw the new CGI show on Nickelodeon; it was pretty bad. It tried to be “hip” and “cool” and it was not the old cartoon I remembered. I won't complain too loudly as it's always nice to see family; I just know that I am not the type to have kids of my own. Raising one (or more) would be quite stressful in general and in particular, I wouldn't want to see such programming on a frequent basis.
After having to see this movie, it's just as bad when it comes to the “hip” and “cool” aspect. This is an origin story where Alvin, Simon and Theodore first meet Dave Seville, and how they become singing stars. Sad to say, there are some problems... it is married to what is now 10 year old pop culture so at times it seems incredibly dated. Then there's the little thing of the Chipmunks being real terrors. For the first half of the movie, I felt really bad for Dave Seville... they got him fired from his job and screwed things up with a woman he was interested in.
David Cross (he literally took this role for a paycheck) as the evil record company executive villain was a saving grace. I mean, Jason Lee was He was such an A-hole that you did feel bad for the protagonists. But there's references to The Pussycat Dolls and toilet humor, so I sighed at that as while I doubt I have seen any episodes of the 80's cartoon since it went off the air in 1990, I know they didn't reference crass 80's songs or have such things as burping & farting. The wisecracks about marketing and product tie-ins seem rather disingenuous here. I do know that all four movies in the franchise made a boatload of cash no matter what me and actual critics think. What do we know? Them becoming a big deal again was a surprise to me and I do have fond memories of the cartoon. I just wish it'd be more timeless and not so unrefined. I could really carp and nitpick about particular scenes & moments, but I'll let the rating say a lot here.
Still, my now annual Christmas trips are nice and I hope everyone has a Happy Holidays this year.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Runtime: 107 minutes
Directed by: William Shatner
Starring: The Shat and the rest of the expected crew. There's also the likes of David Warner and Laurence Luckinbill
From: Paramount
This is up a little late, but I was literally getting ready for my vacation, which will begin in a few hours. This is actually what I watched last night. It's not atrocious and yet it's so slight and inconsequential, it's not something that really needs to even be seen. I talk all about it below:
In a few hours, I'll be off on vacation for Christmas, as has been customary the past few years. I've been busy with getting ready for the trip; thus, that is why this review is going up at such an odd hour, at least for me. I'll wish everyone a Happy Holidays. I might post a review of something while I'm gone, but it literally depends on what the family wants to watch. Things will be back to normal for me in about a week's time.
I know, what a film to see before you leave. I did watch this once before, but that was shortly after it came out on VHS. Yes, it was many years ago. Even as a 10 year old or so, I know I did not enjoy this as much as the first four movies in the franchise, although I couldn't have articulated why at the time. I was dreading seeing this again; I put it off for awhile. Finally, I decided to bite the bullet. This isn't unwatchable; it's just dull and totally forgettable.
While the movie is about more than just literally trying to “find God”, bringing up religion like that in a bold manner in the Star Trek universe just seems like a bad idea. So is having the villain be a Vulcan New Age hippy who can read minds and tries to help people ease the pain in their lives. I understand that Shatner wanted the villain to be a televangelist type character, and that idea isn't awful. Things changed by the time they started filming. Another problem is trying to be as glib and amusing as The Voyage Home while telling a story where-among other things-Bones deals with his grief over his father passing away... it doesn't work. You have that while you have Scotty do a pratfall and mid 50's Uhura does a “sexy dance” as a distraction; what a mess. The movie isn't that funny and it does stupid things such as sending a barely working Enterprise to deal with an important situation because of Captain Kirk; they couldn't have had the Enterprise crew get on a ship that was fully operational...???
What didn't help matters was that Paramount left first time movie director Shatner (of course William would have Captain Kirk literally climb a mountain with no harnesses or support) out to dry. They did not give the movie much money so it always looks cheap and the special effects... ooh boy. Some of them look really bad in HD. The Shat wished to go back and properly fix those effects in a new edition of the movie but as I imagine Paramount would like to forget everything revolving around this movie, they declined.
At least the famous cast of characters is there and the new people are fine. Thank goodness Sean Connery wasn't Sybok as originally planned, as he couldn't have helped make this any better. But it's obvious at times that this was heavily edited down and you should probably be like Paramount and pretend this doesn't exist. Sure, you don't get to find out why God needs a starship, but you also don't get to see some beloved pop culture figures sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat, nor see a hellhole ironically called Paradise City, where the grass isn't green and the girls aren't always pretty...
Runtime: 107 minutes
Directed by: William Shatner
Starring: The Shat and the rest of the expected crew. There's also the likes of David Warner and Laurence Luckinbill
From: Paramount
This is up a little late, but I was literally getting ready for my vacation, which will begin in a few hours. This is actually what I watched last night. It's not atrocious and yet it's so slight and inconsequential, it's not something that really needs to even be seen. I talk all about it below:
In a few hours, I'll be off on vacation for Christmas, as has been customary the past few years. I've been busy with getting ready for the trip; thus, that is why this review is going up at such an odd hour, at least for me. I'll wish everyone a Happy Holidays. I might post a review of something while I'm gone, but it literally depends on what the family wants to watch. Things will be back to normal for me in about a week's time.
I know, what a film to see before you leave. I did watch this once before, but that was shortly after it came out on VHS. Yes, it was many years ago. Even as a 10 year old or so, I know I did not enjoy this as much as the first four movies in the franchise, although I couldn't have articulated why at the time. I was dreading seeing this again; I put it off for awhile. Finally, I decided to bite the bullet. This isn't unwatchable; it's just dull and totally forgettable.
While the movie is about more than just literally trying to “find God”, bringing up religion like that in a bold manner in the Star Trek universe just seems like a bad idea. So is having the villain be a Vulcan New Age hippy who can read minds and tries to help people ease the pain in their lives. I understand that Shatner wanted the villain to be a televangelist type character, and that idea isn't awful. Things changed by the time they started filming. Another problem is trying to be as glib and amusing as The Voyage Home while telling a story where-among other things-Bones deals with his grief over his father passing away... it doesn't work. You have that while you have Scotty do a pratfall and mid 50's Uhura does a “sexy dance” as a distraction; what a mess. The movie isn't that funny and it does stupid things such as sending a barely working Enterprise to deal with an important situation because of Captain Kirk; they couldn't have had the Enterprise crew get on a ship that was fully operational...???
What didn't help matters was that Paramount left first time movie director Shatner (of course William would have Captain Kirk literally climb a mountain with no harnesses or support) out to dry. They did not give the movie much money so it always looks cheap and the special effects... ooh boy. Some of them look really bad in HD. The Shat wished to go back and properly fix those effects in a new edition of the movie but as I imagine Paramount would like to forget everything revolving around this movie, they declined.
At least the famous cast of characters is there and the new people are fine. Thank goodness Sean Connery wasn't Sybok as originally planned, as he couldn't have helped make this any better. But it's obvious at times that this was heavily edited down and you should probably be like Paramount and pretend this doesn't exist. Sure, you don't get to find out why God needs a starship, but you also don't get to see some beloved pop culture figures sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat, nor see a hellhole ironically called Paradise City, where the grass isn't green and the girls aren't always pretty...
Monday, December 19, 2016
Home Alone Is Still Fun
That is all. I'll see the second one again tonight and tomorrow night I might see Rogue One again... so I'll see y'all in a few days.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
84% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 264 reviews)
Runtime: 134 minutes
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn... and yes, Peter Cushing
From: Disney
I'll admit this is not my best review. I've been preoccupied with things as of late and that won't be over with until late tomorrow night. Thus, don't expect any reviews until Monday night. Sorry about that. In short, I thought this movie was awesome, despite its flaws. I have some non-spoiler thoughts below:
As I've mentioned in other Star Wars reviews, I've watched and loved the original three movies since I was a little kid. Thus, I know this won't be the most unbiased opinion you'll find on Letterboxd concerning this motion picture. That said, hopefully my review will still have some merit to everyone.
I wasn't sure about the movie until I saw it last night. The general idea sounded awesome... a grittier look at the universe and seeing how things were set up for the '77 beginning of the franchise. Then there were the re-shoots and the composer changing. I was hoping that “the corporate idiots” I sometimes talk about here and talk about a lot outside of Letterboxd, that they'd ruin things by meddling when their presence was not needed at all.
Well, while I think there were a few too many one-liners and I don't think some of them were really needed, otherwise I loved this movie. I'll admit that I am also biased in enjoying the type of story where various and disparate characters come together to fight against overwhelming odds and use their various skills to win the battle or the war. It's one of the many reasons why I love the Mass Effect series of games. Here we get that as Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, and a few others have to come together and try to steal the plans for the Death Star. While we know the end result from having seen Star Wars, that doesn't make this any less exciting.
This was indeed a grittier look at the universe, more like a war film than a space opera. I was happy to see something different that nonetheless was obviously part of the same overall story. The Empire looked like serious threats (while it was obvious how and the action scenes (whether aerial or on the ground) are all great and they are all shot great and you can always figure out what's going on. The final act is tremendous. There is still plenty of fan service, for better or for worse. I wish we could have gotten to know some of the characters better but what we get, they are still quite entertaining. As many others have noted, the droid K-2SO was a big highlight. I presume the novel based on the movie will address that issue. The effects... the practical stuff was rad and most of the computer stuff was good, but still... I'll just say that certain things have not gotten past the Uncanny Valley aspect, although for me it wasn't a deal-breaker. The various ethical questions of this idea possibly becoming more popular, that is something else entirely. I hope it doesn't become a trend, as movie-making doesn't need more artificiality and phoniness, you know
I definitely understand why there are plenty of people who won't really care for the film. The focus on action and spectacle rather than making outstanding characters is a valid complaint. Yet even with its flaws, this worked like gangbusters for me. Then again, I enjoyed the director's Godzilla, which is even more a divisive movie. The scale, the score, the general war theme, Darth Vader being a badass, the lush beautiful new worlds, and some bold choices that were made with the story that you wouldn't expect considering this is a Disney production... I am thankful my initial concerns were unwarranted.
84% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 264 reviews)
Runtime: 134 minutes
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn... and yes, Peter Cushing
From: Disney
I'll admit this is not my best review. I've been preoccupied with things as of late and that won't be over with until late tomorrow night. Thus, don't expect any reviews until Monday night. Sorry about that. In short, I thought this movie was awesome, despite its flaws. I have some non-spoiler thoughts below:
As I've mentioned in other Star Wars reviews, I've watched and loved the original three movies since I was a little kid. Thus, I know this won't be the most unbiased opinion you'll find on Letterboxd concerning this motion picture. That said, hopefully my review will still have some merit to everyone.
I wasn't sure about the movie until I saw it last night. The general idea sounded awesome... a grittier look at the universe and seeing how things were set up for the '77 beginning of the franchise. Then there were the re-shoots and the composer changing. I was hoping that “the corporate idiots” I sometimes talk about here and talk about a lot outside of Letterboxd, that they'd ruin things by meddling when their presence was not needed at all.
Well, while I think there were a few too many one-liners and I don't think some of them were really needed, otherwise I loved this movie. I'll admit that I am also biased in enjoying the type of story where various and disparate characters come together to fight against overwhelming odds and use their various skills to win the battle or the war. It's one of the many reasons why I love the Mass Effect series of games. Here we get that as Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, and a few others have to come together and try to steal the plans for the Death Star. While we know the end result from having seen Star Wars, that doesn't make this any less exciting.
This was indeed a grittier look at the universe, more like a war film than a space opera. I was happy to see something different that nonetheless was obviously part of the same overall story. The Empire looked like serious threats (while it was obvious how and the action scenes (whether aerial or on the ground) are all great and they are all shot great and you can always figure out what's going on. The final act is tremendous. There is still plenty of fan service, for better or for worse. I wish we could have gotten to know some of the characters better but what we get, they are still quite entertaining. As many others have noted, the droid K-2SO was a big highlight. I presume the novel based on the movie will address that issue. The effects... the practical stuff was rad and most of the computer stuff was good, but still... I'll just say that certain things have not gotten past the Uncanny Valley aspect, although for me it wasn't a deal-breaker. The various ethical questions of this idea possibly becoming more popular, that is something else entirely. I hope it doesn't become a trend, as movie-making doesn't need more artificiality and phoniness, you know
I definitely understand why there are plenty of people who won't really care for the film. The focus on action and spectacle rather than making outstanding characters is a valid complaint. Yet even with its flaws, this worked like gangbusters for me. Then again, I enjoyed the director's Godzilla, which is even more a divisive movie. The scale, the score, the general war theme, Darth Vader being a badass, the lush beautiful new worlds, and some bold choices that were made with the story that you wouldn't expect considering this is a Disney production... I am thankful my initial concerns were unwarranted.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
King of the Zombies
King of the Zombies (1941)
Runtime: 67 minutes
Directed by: Jean Yarbrough
Starring: Dick Purcell, John Archer, Mantan Moreland, Joan Woodbury, Henry Victor
From: Monogram
Here is a random movie I saw earlier tonight. I literally did not know of its existence until about 10 minutes before it showed on TCM. It's not a must-see but it is a curio. I mean, where else will you see a "zombie" have an existential crisis? I talk all about it below:
I was able to squeeze in a viewing of this film when it played on TCM earlier tonight. It was something I hadn't heard of before I noticed it on the TCM schedule with the plot description: “A mad scientist raises the dead to fight for Hitler in World War II.” Now how can I NOT see a movie with such a scenario? Regrettably, that was not what actually happened. This horror/comedy is at least watchable, although I do have to give the warning that the three leads are two pilots... and one of the pilots' servants... who is black, and he speaks in what I'll call “the stereotypical Negro dialect” and he's comic relief.
The thing is, it was not as offensive as I first feared. You have to put up with the way he speaks (not to mention the other black people that are present speak the same way) but this servant is actually more of a hero than the two lunkhead white people, who are made to be buffoons. A nice bit of subversion, at least if that was done on purpose. It's also almost constantly amusing and sometimes pretty funny. I should explain that the actual plot is an airplane with our three leads crashes on a random Caribbean island, where they encounter this mad scientist (who is more than he first seems), a spooky old mansion, and various & sundry characters that are around.
Like I said, this wasn't as cringe-worthy as I first thought it was going to be. It's more funny than scary but that is alright. Mantan Moreland-as Jefferson, the servant-was the definite highlight, being entertaining despite all the handicaps of the character and of Hollywood at the time. I know that Moreland was an actor for a few decades and I'll presume that he rarely got the chance to be a big part of a movie like he was here. If given a chance, I am sure more people would know of his talents. Alas... this movie is public domain meaning it can easily be found online and it's only 67 minutes long, meaning it's not something that requires a lot of time if you so desire to check this out.
Runtime: 67 minutes
Directed by: Jean Yarbrough
Starring: Dick Purcell, John Archer, Mantan Moreland, Joan Woodbury, Henry Victor
From: Monogram
Here is a random movie I saw earlier tonight. I literally did not know of its existence until about 10 minutes before it showed on TCM. It's not a must-see but it is a curio. I mean, where else will you see a "zombie" have an existential crisis? I talk all about it below:
I was able to squeeze in a viewing of this film when it played on TCM earlier tonight. It was something I hadn't heard of before I noticed it on the TCM schedule with the plot description: “A mad scientist raises the dead to fight for Hitler in World War II.” Now how can I NOT see a movie with such a scenario? Regrettably, that was not what actually happened. This horror/comedy is at least watchable, although I do have to give the warning that the three leads are two pilots... and one of the pilots' servants... who is black, and he speaks in what I'll call “the stereotypical Negro dialect” and he's comic relief.
The thing is, it was not as offensive as I first feared. You have to put up with the way he speaks (not to mention the other black people that are present speak the same way) but this servant is actually more of a hero than the two lunkhead white people, who are made to be buffoons. A nice bit of subversion, at least if that was done on purpose. It's also almost constantly amusing and sometimes pretty funny. I should explain that the actual plot is an airplane with our three leads crashes on a random Caribbean island, where they encounter this mad scientist (who is more than he first seems), a spooky old mansion, and various & sundry characters that are around.
Like I said, this wasn't as cringe-worthy as I first thought it was going to be. It's more funny than scary but that is alright. Mantan Moreland-as Jefferson, the servant-was the definite highlight, being entertaining despite all the handicaps of the character and of Hollywood at the time. I know that Moreland was an actor for a few decades and I'll presume that he rarely got the chance to be a big part of a movie like he was here. If given a chance, I am sure more people would know of his talents. Alas... this movie is public domain meaning it can easily be found online and it's only 67 minutes long, meaning it's not something that requires a lot of time if you so desire to check this out.
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
It's A Wonderful Life
It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
Runtime: 130 minutes
Directed by: Frank Capra
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers
From: Liberty Films
Yep, this is something I have seen before, but the last time was many years ago. A familiar refrain from me, I know. Thankfully I got to see this last night. It's still great. I talk all about it below:
Yet again this is a case where I had seen a movie before but the last viewing was a long time ago. To show how old I am (35 years old as of now) I watched this on TV more than once back when the film was still in public domain and thus it was on TV all the time during the holiday season, in various edits and either in black and white or colorized. I imagine I saw it on VHS in the day and yet I am not sure of the last time I checked it out from beginning to end, except it was figuratively when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
Everyone knows the plot by now so I won't dwell on mentioning the specifics. Things aren't complex and yet it's perfect for this movie and its message. George Bailey is a likable “everyman” who has big dreams (he figuratively wishes he could lasso the moon) but because of circumstances and a really horrible skinflint penny-pinching rich antagonist named Mr. Potter (I had forgotten just how awful this dude was. Sad to say, I realize that there's always been rotten persons like this around so he isn't too much of a caricature), he's had to give up his dreams to try and help everyone else in his pastoral town of Bedford Falls. Everyone can feel overwhelmed by circumstances or feel down in the dumps because they think that they are facing insurmountable odds or think that no one cares about them. If only everyone had a simple yet kind-hearted guardian angel named Clarence.
Even 70 years later the main message of the film is important and something that we should all remember. Sure, it's been parodied to death by now but that doesn't lessen its impact. No matter what you may think or realize, everyone has a connection with numerous people throughout their lives and they would all be crushed if you decided to take your own life. That is a critical thing to remember during this holiday season, when many are feeling more depressed anyhow. I am thankful that this movie can charm and inspire even all these years later. A captivating story plus great performances from everyone (especially Jimmy Stewart), and a real tearjerker ending... if someone you have never seen this before, this is a mistake I say you need to fix right away. Even the biggest grinch should enjoy this.
I have been busy as of late and thus this is the first review I've posted in a few days. It may not be until Friday evening that I review another film. But this was something I felt like I had to see last night and I am definitely glad I did.
Runtime: 130 minutes
Directed by: Frank Capra
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers
From: Liberty Films
Yep, this is something I have seen before, but the last time was many years ago. A familiar refrain from me, I know. Thankfully I got to see this last night. It's still great. I talk all about it below:
Yet again this is a case where I had seen a movie before but the last viewing was a long time ago. To show how old I am (35 years old as of now) I watched this on TV more than once back when the film was still in public domain and thus it was on TV all the time during the holiday season, in various edits and either in black and white or colorized. I imagine I saw it on VHS in the day and yet I am not sure of the last time I checked it out from beginning to end, except it was figuratively when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
Everyone knows the plot by now so I won't dwell on mentioning the specifics. Things aren't complex and yet it's perfect for this movie and its message. George Bailey is a likable “everyman” who has big dreams (he figuratively wishes he could lasso the moon) but because of circumstances and a really horrible skinflint penny-pinching rich antagonist named Mr. Potter (I had forgotten just how awful this dude was. Sad to say, I realize that there's always been rotten persons like this around so he isn't too much of a caricature), he's had to give up his dreams to try and help everyone else in his pastoral town of Bedford Falls. Everyone can feel overwhelmed by circumstances or feel down in the dumps because they think that they are facing insurmountable odds or think that no one cares about them. If only everyone had a simple yet kind-hearted guardian angel named Clarence.
Even 70 years later the main message of the film is important and something that we should all remember. Sure, it's been parodied to death by now but that doesn't lessen its impact. No matter what you may think or realize, everyone has a connection with numerous people throughout their lives and they would all be crushed if you decided to take your own life. That is a critical thing to remember during this holiday season, when many are feeling more depressed anyhow. I am thankful that this movie can charm and inspire even all these years later. A captivating story plus great performances from everyone (especially Jimmy Stewart), and a real tearjerker ending... if someone you have never seen this before, this is a mistake I say you need to fix right away. Even the biggest grinch should enjoy this.
I have been busy as of late and thus this is the first review I've posted in a few days. It may not be until Friday evening that I review another film. But this was something I felt like I had to see last night and I am definitely glad I did.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Black Christmas (Don't Worry, I Saw The Original)
Black Christmas (1974)
Runtime: 98 minutes
Directed by: Bob Clark
Starring: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon, Marian Waldman
From: Several low-budget Canadian companies
I realized it was about time I checked this out again so that I could have a proper review online; thankfully it's still a classic horror film and one of the first slashers. I dish about it below:
As I tend to say, this is a film I had seen before but the last viewing was years ago. I couldn't think of a better time to give this a review than now. Thankfully it is still a quality horror picture that was one of the first slashers and thus was incredibly influential. Between the chilling nature overall, the kills that were memorable even if there was hardly any gore, and the POV shots of the killer... Halloween was clearly inspired by this.
This tale is deceptively simple: a mysterious figure hides in the attic of a sorority house, makes obscene calls on another line to the house, and they start killing the sorority sisters. During all that, Jess (Olivia Hussey) has to deal with serious relationship problems when it comes to her boyfriend Peter (Keir Dullea). I had forgotten how funny the movie was at times, between a bumbling cop, the amazing 70's fashion/decor and both Barb (Margot Kidder) and house leader Mrs. Mac (Marian Waldman) are clear alcoholics, with the latter drinking sherry almost nonstop.
Even with the humorous bits, much of the movie is pretty frightening and it builds dread. After all, some disturbed individual living right in the attic of your home is enough to send chills up your spine. Then it's the nature of those phone calls which are also terrifying. It is shot quite well by Bob Clark and when it's augmented by an always creepy score with low tones by Carl Zittrer, it goes a long way to making this an always thrilling watch. A talented cast also helps in that regard... you typically can't go wrong with John Saxon.
Plus, the ending is tremendous and I loved how the story resolved itself; talk about a punch to the gut. I know from hearsay that even in the unrated form the director preferred, the remake of this film is a pale imitation which unfortunately does many things different and thus the story is a lot worse off. In addition, I wish that more slashers would have been like this or Halloween rather than the goofy cliché nonsense we got instead.
Runtime: 98 minutes
Directed by: Bob Clark
Starring: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon, Marian Waldman
From: Several low-budget Canadian companies
I realized it was about time I checked this out again so that I could have a proper review online; thankfully it's still a classic horror film and one of the first slashers. I dish about it below:
As I tend to say, this is a film I had seen before but the last viewing was years ago. I couldn't think of a better time to give this a review than now. Thankfully it is still a quality horror picture that was one of the first slashers and thus was incredibly influential. Between the chilling nature overall, the kills that were memorable even if there was hardly any gore, and the POV shots of the killer... Halloween was clearly inspired by this.
This tale is deceptively simple: a mysterious figure hides in the attic of a sorority house, makes obscene calls on another line to the house, and they start killing the sorority sisters. During all that, Jess (Olivia Hussey) has to deal with serious relationship problems when it comes to her boyfriend Peter (Keir Dullea). I had forgotten how funny the movie was at times, between a bumbling cop, the amazing 70's fashion/decor and both Barb (Margot Kidder) and house leader Mrs. Mac (Marian Waldman) are clear alcoholics, with the latter drinking sherry almost nonstop.
Even with the humorous bits, much of the movie is pretty frightening and it builds dread. After all, some disturbed individual living right in the attic of your home is enough to send chills up your spine. Then it's the nature of those phone calls which are also terrifying. It is shot quite well by Bob Clark and when it's augmented by an always creepy score with low tones by Carl Zittrer, it goes a long way to making this an always thrilling watch. A talented cast also helps in that regard... you typically can't go wrong with John Saxon.
Plus, the ending is tremendous and I loved how the story resolved itself; talk about a punch to the gut. I know from hearsay that even in the unrated form the director preferred, the remake of this film is a pale imitation which unfortunately does many things different and thus the story is a lot worse off. In addition, I wish that more slashers would have been like this or Halloween rather than the goofy cliché nonsense we got instead.
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