Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 11, 1993 TAG: 9309140090
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
First up is "Lifepod," an above-average made-for-cable-TV movie.
The film is a loose adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's 1944 "Lifeboat" set in\ outer space. The story begins at a full run with the explosion of an\ interplanetary cruise ship. A few survivors manage to escape in a poorly\ equipped lifepod.
Among them are Mavine (C.C.H. Pounder), one of the ship's crew and the only\ one who can maneuver the craft, a corporate bigwig (Robert Loggia), a blind guy\ (director Ron Silver), a convict, a revolutionary, a newswoman and a\ resourceful dwarf. One of them is also a saboteur.
Pen Bensham's story is a fairly predictable series of disasters. As soon as\ one problem is solved - the holes in the hull, poisoned water, the extreme heat\ - another pops up. But Silver, making a credible debut behind the camera, keeps\ the action moving at a good clip. This isn't exactly a character-driven story,\ but the ensemble cast does solid professional work. The effects, while not up\ to "Star Wars" standards, are remarkably good for a modestly budgeted\ production made for the small screen.
For a stay-at-home evening's entertainment, "Lifepod" is a good bet.
"Dollman Vs. Demonic Toys" is another B-movie from Charles Band's Full\ Moon ministudio. Following in the time-honored tradition of the Universal\ studio in the 1930s and '40s where popular series devolved into titles like\ "Frankenstein Meets Dracula at the Wolfman's Mummy," Band has combined\ elements of three previous hits.
For the uninitiated, Dollman (Tim Thomerson) is a foot-tall tough detective\ from another world who's stranded on Earth. The Demonic Toys are possessed by\ an evil spirit. Also tossed into the mix is a sexy, diminutive nurse (Melissa\ Behr) who was shrunk in "Bad Channels," another Band production. For a plot,\ the good guys and the bad toys duke it out in a warehouse.
As usual for a Full Moon feature, the effects are the point and they're\ handled well enough. Also as usual, the film is followed by the Videozone\ magazine explaining how the effects were accomplished. Even though this one\ contains some violence and rough language, it's really aimed at younger\ videophiles and they'll like it.
"Interceptor" is an aerial thriller with s-f elements, notable for a slow\ pace and preposterous plot. It's about some terrorists, led by Jurgen Prochnow,\ who decide to steal two Stealth fighters from a C5-A transport plane while it's\ in flight. Andrew Divoff is the brave, cardboard fighter jock. Elizabeth\ Morehead is the transport pilot.
The most far-fetched moments are two murders by Perrier and toilet flush, and the hijacking itself. The flying scenes, which seem to have been done largely with models and computer effects, are much better. Still, though, they're not going to make anyone forget "Top Gun" or even "Iron Eagle III," for that matter.
Actually, fans of this particular brand of midlevel science fiction would be well-advised to head to the back of their favorite local video store and check the older movies. One of my favorites is the original 1982 "Swamp Thing." Director Wes Craven is best-known for his horror films, but in this one, he captures the curious life-affirming spirit of the original comic book without the graphic violence.
There's nothing too original about the premise: Scientist is covered with experimental goop and becomes a good-hearted, sympathetic monster. This one works with a lively sense of humor. Adrian Barbeau is a fetching tough-natured damsel-in-distress and Louis Jourdan's urbane villain is memorable. Avoid the inept sequel, "The Return of Swamp Thing," at all costs. For fans who might have missed it, though, searching out the original is worth a little extra effort.
New releases this week:
Children of the Corn II The Final Sacrifice *
Stars Terrence Knox, Rosalind Allen. Directed by David Price. Paramount. 93 min. Rated R for strong language and bloody but unpersuasive effects.
This hapless little snoozer appears to have been a local production made somewhere in the Midwest with a few professional actors in the leads and enthusiastic semi-pros filling out the cast. There are no surprises in the connect-the-dots script or the nonspecial effects. This is just a boring little horror sequel with nothing much going for it.
The Essentials:
Lifepod: *** Cabin Fever. 90 min. Unrated, contains some violence.
Dollman Vs. Demonic Toys: **1/2 84 min. Paramount. Rated R for violence, strong language.
Interceptor: * Vidmark. 92 min. Rated R for violence, strong language.
Swamp Thing: *** Columbia TriStar. 91 min. Rated PG for violence, brief nudity.
by CNB