The novels of writer Jack Ketchum have thus far been given justice The Lost, The Girl Next Door, Offspring, and now Red, which is by far the best of the lot. Although the film has had a troubled past (with original director Lucky McKee being replaced by Trygve A. Diessen), the end result has not been affected. Red is a captivating and engaging film from beginning to end due in no small part by the commanding performance of star Brian Cox.
Cox is Avery Ludlow, a general store owner who likes to spend his days fishing with his trusted companion Red, which is the last remnant of his dear departed wife. On one seemingly uneventful day Ludlow is enjoying a good day of fishing with Red when three teens come upon them. The teens intend to rob Ludlow but he has no money on him and they in turn shoot and kill Red out of spite. Ludlow goes to the authorities but there is little justice to be had when an animal is killed no matter how beloved the animal is. Ludlow then sets upon getting justice from the parents of the teens but the parents are oblivious of their children’s activities and Ludlow soon realizes that because one of the teens is the son of a wealthy business that money can buy anything. Ludlow then goes to desperate measures in order to get justice for the death of Red which will lead to actions that he won’t soon be able to take back.
Unlike the previous films adapted from Ketchum’s work this film is not violent as all the violence is off screen or in the shadows. Instead, this film plays upon the emotional violence inflicted on Ludlow and how that violence can make a peaceful man into a violent one.
Red is an excellent example of how an actor can drive a film despite everything else that may happen with the film. After McKee was let go so too was Angela Bettis and Diessen does bring with it the cache of McKee but despite this the film is headlined by Cox but has genre favorites Tom Sizemore, Asley Laurence, Robert England, and Amanda Plummer among its amazing cast. This is one of those films that if you’re a pet owner that once you see the film you won’t soon forget it.
CITY GARDEN - "The Old Woman & The Park"
On the set of the short film "A Gift"
Showing posts with label Robert England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert England. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET: The Franchise!
With the latest addition in American remakes of classic horror cinema – A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), just hitting theaters, I thought now would be a good time to take a look back at the entire franchise and see how well it stands up today.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984)
Still a quintessential horror film by one of today’s most successful horror directors Wes Craven. This is the film that “built” New Line Cinema as it was the company’s first major substantial success story. This film holds up very well even by today’s standards due to its innovative story and cinematography. It also holds up well due to its lack of humor (which would over shadow much of the rest of the series) and its many elements of suspense. One of the things that make this film so successful is Craven’s use of suspense to terrify the audience rather than pure gore (although the film does boast some very bloody scenes).
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE (1985)
Not the most liked of the series but it is one of the few that holds up well because it’s main purpose is still to frighten and scare the audience so the imagery is still very powerful despite the departures in story that may hamper the film. The film also lacks the humor of subsequent films allowing this film to remain in the category of horror. Although some of the acting is borderline adequate (most of the young stars never go on to do anything else substantial), the film is filled with atmosphere and a great production design and style that can be traced in many of the subsequent sequels.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: THE DREAM WARRIORS (1987)
One of the strongest of the sequels not just in terms of story and theme, but production design, cinematography, special fx, and casting. This is by far one of the best of the sequels. Despite the fact that all elements of horror and suspense to the character of Freddy is gone, the film makes up for it in strides in so many other ways. This is good and bad as the humor displayed in this film from the Freddy character would demystify the character in future installments. This film would also force subsequent films to rely on the “dream death” as a means to tell the story rather than come up with an actual story to hinge each of the films on.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER (1988)
Trying to take the franchise into a new era, this film first kills off the remaining “Elm Street children” before expanding Freddy’s playground. With the exception of the character who transforms into a cockroach this film is pretty forgettable. It has its moments of entertainment but the film tries too hard to add more insight on the dream world and how it is controlled and how it functions. This is a major flaw of not only this film but later films as well.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD (1989)
The series was running out of ideas by the time this film came around. With only a few Freddy kills (none of which are interesting) this is the most timid of the franchise. The one thing that this film does get right is the production design, tone, and atmosphere. Despite the lame death scenes this film is dark not only in atmosphere but story as well which is the film’s only saving grace. The franchise is at a low point but it gets even lower with –
FREDDY’S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE (`1991)
By far the worst film in the series. By the time this film was released there was only one place left for the series to go and that was 100% “camp.” Besides the Wizard of Oz and Nintendo riffs this is the most unwatchable of the series (unless of course you like camp). This film isn’t even worth watching for the 3-D ending. I love Yaphet Kotto and Lisa Zane but neither of these two actors could save this mess. This is one film that should have gone straight to video.
Wes Craven’s NEW NIGHTMARE (1994)
By far the best sequel in the franchise. Original creator Wes Craven returns to bring an all new nightmare to the screen by mixing film fiction with reality and myth & folklore. It’s one of the most creative films not only of the franchise but of Craven’s career. Despite the many suspenseful aspects of the film, the film’s only flaw lies in the fact that it tries to erase the memory of all the other sequels that came before it (but can’t).
FREDDY VS. JASON (2003)
Who knew that a match up between two of the greatest icons of horror cinema would be this much fun! Despite the borderline camp elements of the film, there is enough violence and good humor to make this one of the best films in the series based on the entertainment value alone. I was actually hoping for a sequel but this would never be (unless of course you read the graphic novel Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash, which adds the Evil Dead franchise to the mix).
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010)
This timid remake has a pacing problem and no style of its own as it takes a page from the book of remakes The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and Friday the 13th (2009). The film never finds its own heartbeat and seems like too much of a retread of the original. The origin of Freddy (although very interesting) bogs down the film with unnecessary info and none of the characters are all that interesting making for a very dull film.
Despite my misgivings for the A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), there are many whom this film was their first exposure to the franchise and thus is something of a highlight to the genre. This film is no Freddy’s Dead, so there are several good qualities to recommend (none seem to come to mind just yet) and first timers to the franchise will relish J. Earl’s performance as the iconic Fred Kruger (one of the film’s only high points).
Despite your opinion of the new film or any of the previous films the Nightmare franchise has had an immense effect on the horror genre past, present, and now into the future.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984)
Still a quintessential horror film by one of today’s most successful horror directors Wes Craven. This is the film that “built” New Line Cinema as it was the company’s first major substantial success story. This film holds up very well even by today’s standards due to its innovative story and cinematography. It also holds up well due to its lack of humor (which would over shadow much of the rest of the series) and its many elements of suspense. One of the things that make this film so successful is Craven’s use of suspense to terrify the audience rather than pure gore (although the film does boast some very bloody scenes).
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE (1985)
Not the most liked of the series but it is one of the few that holds up well because it’s main purpose is still to frighten and scare the audience so the imagery is still very powerful despite the departures in story that may hamper the film. The film also lacks the humor of subsequent films allowing this film to remain in the category of horror. Although some of the acting is borderline adequate (most of the young stars never go on to do anything else substantial), the film is filled with atmosphere and a great production design and style that can be traced in many of the subsequent sequels.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: THE DREAM WARRIORS (1987)
One of the strongest of the sequels not just in terms of story and theme, but production design, cinematography, special fx, and casting. This is by far one of the best of the sequels. Despite the fact that all elements of horror and suspense to the character of Freddy is gone, the film makes up for it in strides in so many other ways. This is good and bad as the humor displayed in this film from the Freddy character would demystify the character in future installments. This film would also force subsequent films to rely on the “dream death” as a means to tell the story rather than come up with an actual story to hinge each of the films on.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER (1988)
Trying to take the franchise into a new era, this film first kills off the remaining “Elm Street children” before expanding Freddy’s playground. With the exception of the character who transforms into a cockroach this film is pretty forgettable. It has its moments of entertainment but the film tries too hard to add more insight on the dream world and how it is controlled and how it functions. This is a major flaw of not only this film but later films as well.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD (1989)
The series was running out of ideas by the time this film came around. With only a few Freddy kills (none of which are interesting) this is the most timid of the franchise. The one thing that this film does get right is the production design, tone, and atmosphere. Despite the lame death scenes this film is dark not only in atmosphere but story as well which is the film’s only saving grace. The franchise is at a low point but it gets even lower with –
FREDDY’S DEAD: THE FINAL NIGHTMARE (`1991)
By far the worst film in the series. By the time this film was released there was only one place left for the series to go and that was 100% “camp.” Besides the Wizard of Oz and Nintendo riffs this is the most unwatchable of the series (unless of course you like camp). This film isn’t even worth watching for the 3-D ending. I love Yaphet Kotto and Lisa Zane but neither of these two actors could save this mess. This is one film that should have gone straight to video.
Wes Craven’s NEW NIGHTMARE (1994)
By far the best sequel in the franchise. Original creator Wes Craven returns to bring an all new nightmare to the screen by mixing film fiction with reality and myth & folklore. It’s one of the most creative films not only of the franchise but of Craven’s career. Despite the many suspenseful aspects of the film, the film’s only flaw lies in the fact that it tries to erase the memory of all the other sequels that came before it (but can’t).
FREDDY VS. JASON (2003)
Who knew that a match up between two of the greatest icons of horror cinema would be this much fun! Despite the borderline camp elements of the film, there is enough violence and good humor to make this one of the best films in the series based on the entertainment value alone. I was actually hoping for a sequel but this would never be (unless of course you read the graphic novel Freddy Vs. Jason Vs. Ash, which adds the Evil Dead franchise to the mix).
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (2010)
This timid remake has a pacing problem and no style of its own as it takes a page from the book of remakes The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and Friday the 13th (2009). The film never finds its own heartbeat and seems like too much of a retread of the original. The origin of Freddy (although very interesting) bogs down the film with unnecessary info and none of the characters are all that interesting making for a very dull film.
Despite my misgivings for the A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), there are many whom this film was their first exposure to the franchise and thus is something of a highlight to the genre. This film is no Freddy’s Dead, so there are several good qualities to recommend (none seem to come to mind just yet) and first timers to the franchise will relish J. Earl’s performance as the iconic Fred Kruger (one of the film’s only high points).
Despite your opinion of the new film or any of the previous films the Nightmare franchise has had an immense effect on the horror genre past, present, and now into the future.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Robert England returns to Horror With JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER
Jack Brooks (Trevor Matthews) suffers from anger management that stems from when he was a child on a camping trip with his family and he watched a monster appear out of no where and kill them all except for him who hid away unable to do anything. Now grown up Jack is a plumber and sometimes student of Professor Gordon Crowley (Robert England) who one day asks Jack to help unclog the pipes in his old house.
What Jack unclogs at Prof. Crowley’s house is an age-old evil that takes possession of Crowley. During one night at class the monster within Crowley unleashes itself and decides to take control of everyone in Jack’s class by turning them into monsters. Narrowly escaping the first attack, Jack decides that enough is enough and that he can no longer run from the monsters. When Jack takes a stand it’s not only to help his fellow classmates, but to restore his faith in himself for having let his parents die. Its also the only way in which Jack believes he can control his anger management issues.
JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER is a fun filled action-comedy-horror film in the vein of EVIL DEAD II. Even though there is less horror and more action-comedy the film is a treat for all genre filmgoers. England gives a formidable performance that’s as fun as Freddy Kruger, if not more so. Matthews is uneven in parts but it adds to the chaotic nature of Jack’s manic nature.
Written by Jon Knautz (who also directed) and John Ainslie the film is a mixture of pulp monster fun and action-comedy lunacy that just makes for the perfect cult film. Although there are no (as yet) plans for a sequel this is one franchise I would love to see continue.
What Jack unclogs at Prof. Crowley’s house is an age-old evil that takes possession of Crowley. During one night at class the monster within Crowley unleashes itself and decides to take control of everyone in Jack’s class by turning them into monsters. Narrowly escaping the first attack, Jack decides that enough is enough and that he can no longer run from the monsters. When Jack takes a stand it’s not only to help his fellow classmates, but to restore his faith in himself for having let his parents die. Its also the only way in which Jack believes he can control his anger management issues.
JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER is a fun filled action-comedy-horror film in the vein of EVIL DEAD II. Even though there is less horror and more action-comedy the film is a treat for all genre filmgoers. England gives a formidable performance that’s as fun as Freddy Kruger, if not more so. Matthews is uneven in parts but it adds to the chaotic nature of Jack’s manic nature.
Written by Jon Knautz (who also directed) and John Ainslie the film is a mixture of pulp monster fun and action-comedy lunacy that just makes for the perfect cult film. Although there are no (as yet) plans for a sequel this is one franchise I would love to see continue.
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