Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 4, 1992 TAG: 9203030255
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Mike Mayo
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
My own favorite of this bunch is "Night Eyes 2." For those who came in late\ and missed the original, it was all about a home security expert (Andrew\ Stevens) who installed a video surveillance system in a house and then got\ involved in a steamy affair with the owner's wife. It was a B-movie that turned\ out to be a video hit, hence this sequel. Stevens, who also came up with the\ story and produced it, is back in the same situation; this time opposite\ Shannon Tweed.
The plot is a simplified version of the original. Overall, the film has fair production values, and it's not without humor, much of it intentional. The action scenes are clumsy, but they're unimportant. Tweed does not giggle in the overwrought love scenes - not even the one where Stevens rubs raspberries all over her - which is the mark of a true professional.
Running a close second is "Target: Favorite Son," due in stores March 31. It's a feature-length version of the mini-series starring Harry Hamlin, Linda Kozlowski and Robert Loggia that aired several years ago. If you thought it was lewd, lurid, trashy and salacious in its first incarnation, wait till you get a look at this one. It's condensed cream of sleaze.
The plot revolves around a byzantine conspiracy that makes little sense during the truncated exposition. That's understandable; they cut six hours to two, and they weren't about to lose any of the steamy stuff. It all has to do with a corrupt senator, Washington nastiness and kinky sex. No, this is not a documentary or a campaign ad. The bizarre humor is intact, particularly when the script delves into false sanctimony. Interestingly, there's nothing in this tape that wasn't broadcast on network television, but the MPAA felt that it deserved an R rating.
Sex and politics are also the subjects of "Mirror Image." It's a wacky tale of twin sisters, one the repressed wife of a politician, the other a stripper. Guess which one decided to live the other's life? Again, the production values are better than the script or the acting, and judged as a guilty pleasure, "Mirror Image" isn't quite tawdry enough. Imagine a video mix of the racier parts of "The New Republic" and the editorial content of "Penthouse."
\ "Kiss Me a Killer" is another suspense tale, with an unknown cast. Basically, it's a contemporary Hispanic retelling of "The Postman Always Rings Twice." The key elements are an older guy who owns a bar, his younger (and ambitious) wife, and the musician who plays there and brings them more business. Do you need to know more?
The Title of the Month award goes to "Chopper Chicks in Zombietown." This is another micro-budget epic from Troma Inc., the cheesiest studio in New Jersey and proud of it. The plot lives up to the title (or down to it, depending on your point of view). It's all about a female motorcycle gang that stops in a little town being overrun by the living dead.
The general level of humor is established by jokes involving a dwarf and a busload of blind orphans. To be fair, they're not as offensive as they might have been. Even the gory special effects are fairly tame. This kind of flesh-eating zombie stuff has been done so often that it's not even disgusting any more, though this movie may set a record for living-dead decapitations.
In a similar vein, "Sundown" is another low-budget contemporary vampire western comedy action flick. It seems that the inhabitants of the little town of Purgatory are trying to overcome their handicap, vampirism, with UVAB sunglasses, industrial strength sunblock and synthetic blood. But there are still those who prefer the old ways.
The negligible plot is brightened by a few good effects, and the cast is filled with veteran character actors whose faces are more familiar than their names. The comic side of the story is almost as strong as the horror. When things start to drag, feel free to use the fast-forward button. Like "Chopper Chicks," "Sundown" will appeal to older teens and those who appreciate subgenius humor.
New release this week:
Barton Fink: *** Starring John Turturro, John Goodman. Directed by Joel\ Coen. (Foxvideo) Rated R; 118 min.
"Barton Fink" is as quirky and visually sophisticated as they come. That's not to say that this isn't seamless moviemaking. The Coen brothers (both write with Joel directing and Ethan producing this time) have trouble blending the elements of satire, horror, mystery and comedy into a cohesive whole. Even more problematic, "Barton Fink" doesn't deliver the surprises it promises. But the Coens deserve high marks for originality, taking audiences down eccentric, dark and unsettling corridors.
THE ESSENTIALS\ Night Eyes 2 **1/2 Prism. Unrated and R-rated for nudity, sexual content, violence, strong language. 97 min.\
Target: Favorite Son **1/2 Vidmark. Rated R for violence, implied sexual content, general principle. 115 min.\ \ Mirror Image ** Academy. Unrated and R-rated nudity, sexual content, violence, strong language. 94 min.\ \ Kiss Me a Killer ** RCA/Columbia. Rated R for subject matter, brief nudity. 87 min.\ \ Chopper Chicks in Zombietown ** New Line. Rated R for violence, language. 84 min.\ \ Sundown ** Vestron. Rated R for violence, language. 104 min.
by CNB