THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 25, 1995 TAG: 9507250045
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: VIDEOMATIC
SOURCE: Craig Shapiro
LENGTH: Long : 135 lines
VIDEOMATIC NEVER has, nor ever will be guilty of being too good for a bad pun. So, with a skewed sense of honor, we say: A horror flick today is only as good as its bloodline.
Remember that because there hasn't been an original one made since the '50s, when the Bomb liberated ``Godzilla,'' the Red Scare kept us on guard for the ``Invasion of the Body Snatchers'' and the Cold War created ``The Thing.''
Which brings up this bloodline business, and two new videos that illustrate it.
John Carpenter's ``In the Mouth of Madness'' (New Line, 1995) can claim the more literary pedigree. When a best-selling horror author disappears, a writer whose books drive readers mad, an insurance investigator (Sam Neill) is hired to sniff out fraud. The trail leads him to Hobb's End, a town that exists only in the mind of the writer, Sutter Cane (Jurgen Prochnow).
While reality is effectively blurred, the psychological scares can be traced to H.P. Lovecraft, whose creepy tales of subterranean horrors are the film's foundation. At one point, Cane even refers to the return of the ``old ones.''
If the Lovecraft connection isn't a strong enough sell, not to worry. ``Madness'' (95 mins.) has some nifty FX and earns its R rating the new-fashioned way - for language and violence.
Seen the right way, ``Tales from the Crypt Presents Demon Knight'' (MCA/Universal, 1994) is OK. That would be in the twisted spirit of the original E.C. Comics on which the film, and the HBO series, are based.
But where HBO gets racy by cable standards, director Ernest Dickerson holds nothing back. ``Demon Knight'' (92 mins.) is gory, gruesome and - in that E.C. spirit - campy. Nudity is the other reason it's rated R.
The story is simple. William Sadler has to keep a cosmic key away from Billy Zane or evil will rule the world. Dickerson keeps it moving briskly, working in nods to ``Night of the Living Dead'' and ``Aliens.''
Videomatic says: ``In the Mouth of Madness,'' B; ``Tales from the Crypt Presents Demon Knight,'' C.
Flashback
Speaking of originality, Hollywood isn't cited for it too often, this time included. ``Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde,'' due in theaters next month, only sounds new: In it, Doc (Tim Daly) takes his medicine and turns into Sean Young.
Scary for sure, but odds are it won't have the camp appeal of ``Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde,'' produced by England's glorious Hammer Studio in 1971.
Instead of Peter Cushing, it stars Ralph Bates; the director is Roy Ward Baker, not Terence Fisher. But the other things that make Hammer films Hammer films - a little blood and skin, garish color - are in place. It was done with tongue in cheek; as such, it's right fun. It sells for $9.98.
FACETNATING: Looking for the great and near-great? The bizarre? Facets Cult Video Catalog could be the source. It features directors (Ed Wood, Italian horrormeister Mario Bava), obscurities (Peter Sellers' ``Goon Show''), exploitation films, silent films - the works. Free by calling (800) 331-6197 or writing Facets Video, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60614.
SUCH A DEAL: If Japanese sci-fi is your thing, Mondo Pop has cut ``Cyber Ninja,'' ``Zeram,'' ``Twilight of the Cockroaches'' and ``Iron Man'' to $19.98.
Ditto for Columbia TriStar, which has ``It Could Happen to You,'' ``Cops & Robbersons'' and ``Fast Getaway'' ($19.95). They aren't Japanese sci-fi.
``The Cliffhanger Serials'' collects those edge-of-the-seat series that were Saturday-matinee mainstays for Republic Pictures way back when: ``Dangers of the Canadian Mounted,'' ``Hawk of the Wilderness,'' ``King of the Carnival'' and ``Man With the Steel Whip.'' Each double-pack includes 12 to 15 episodes and goes for $19.98.
Turner's four-part series, ``Driving Passion,'' salutes America's lasting love for the automobile. $14.95 each, $49.98 for the lot.
TOP TAPES (in Billboard):
Sales: ``Forrest Gump,'' ``Playboy: The Best of Pamela Anderson,'' ``The Crow,'' ``The Lion King,'' ``Pink Floyd: Pulse''
Rentals: ``Disclosure,'' ``Dumb and Dumber,'' ``Interview With the Vampire,'' ``Legends of the Fall,'' ``Murder in the First''
The Couch Report
``The Brady Bunch Movie'' (Paramount, 1995). How ironic. Shelley Long, a flop as a movie star, is right at home as a TV character. The big-screen spin on the corny sitcom is a natural for video; it's also funnier than anyone expected, with the clan stuck in the '70s while the world's moved on. There's a subplot about saving the homestead from a greedy Realtor; mostly, though, the gags and cameos play to fans of the series. Director Betty Thomas keeps a tight rein so the one-joke premise doesn't get old. Videomatic says: C
(CAST: Shelley Long, Gary Cole, Michael McKean. RATED: PG-13 for mild language, innuendo; 88 mins.)
``Miami Rhapsody'' (Hollywood, 1995). Neurotic characters. One-liners. Jazzy score. If you're going to emulate anyone, why not Woody Allen? David Frankel does just that in a witty comedy about love and commitment. Sarah Jessica Parker ably carries the movie as Gwyn, who is engaged to a decent guy, but begins to re-evaluate her relationship as others around her crumble. Mia Farrow and Paul Mazursky lend solid support as her parents. Colorful and fun. Videomatic says: B
(CAST: Sarah Jessica Parker, Antonio Banderas, Mia Farrow, Paul Mazursky. RATED: R for language, situations, themes; 95 mins.)
``Vanya on 42nd Street'' (Columbia TriStar, 1994). Using a run-through of Chekhov's ``Uncle Vanya'' as his springboard, Louis Malle spins gold, drawing viewers into the drama with one shift of the camera. Far more than sleight-of-hand, it's daring, a bold leap of faith that makes this story of regret and longing contemporary. Wallace Shawn leads an outstanding ensemble cast. The adaptation is by David Mamet, the score by Joshua Redman. The experience is one of a kind. Videomatic says: A
(CAST: Wallace Shawn, Julianne Moore, Larry Pine, Brooke Smith. RATED: PG for themes; 119 mins.)
``Born to Be Wild'' (Warner, 1995). Here's a road flick with a twist: A lonely, misunderstood teen frees a gorilla and they head for Canada. Never mind the implausibilities, like Katie using sign language to testify in court; this sweet, simple tale plays to all ages. So does its twin message about being a friend and respecting all life. Wil Horneff is good in the lead, and give credit to the team behind Katie. You want to believe. Videomatic says: B-
(CAST: Wil Horneff, Helen Shaver, Peter Boyle, John McGinley. RATED: PG for mild language, intensity; 99 mins.)
Also: ``Shallow Grave,'' the Scottish film noir about murder, money and drugs (R); Claude Chabrol's drama, ``L'Enfer'' (unrated), and ``3 Ninjas Knuckle Up,'' another adventure about the high-kicking kids (PG-13)
NEXT TUESDAY: ``Just Cause,'' ``The Swan Princess,'' ``Higher Learning,'' ``Bye Bye, Love,'' ``In Pursuit of Honor,'' ``Storybook,'' ``Red Shoe Diaries 5'' ILLUSTRATION: "In the Mouth of Madness"
"Tales from the Crypt Presents Demon Knight"
ON THE SHELF
THIS WEEK'S VIDEO
[For a copy of the new releases, see microfilm for this date.]
Shelley Long and Gary Cole, above, happily reside in the '70s in
``The Brady Bunch Movie.'' Right, Sarah Jessica Parker and Antonio
Banderas star in a romantic comedy full of one-liners and neurotic
characters, ``Miami Rhapsody.''
by CNB