Posted by Notcot on Jun 12, 2010 in
Cult Film
Average Rating: 4.5 / 5 (11 Reviews)
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Abominable Dr Phibes is an unusually beautiful horror classic in which Vincent Price stars as the titular genius who specialises in organ music, theology and concocting bizarre deaths for anyone who wrongs him. Discovering why is half the fun, so for now let’s just say that Phibes is a little mad and very, very angry. Aided by his assistant, the lovely, silent Vulnavia, Phibes begins cutting a gory swathe through London’s medical community, with the dogged Inspector Trout hot on his tail. The film contains many pleasures–exquisite art direction and a dark sense of humour among them–but the real treat is in watching an old pro such as Price at work. Whether he’s playing his organ, staring down a victim or drinking through his neck, Price is at the top of his game. He mixes dark menace with wry comic touches, revealing both Phibes’ maniacal obsession and offhanded confidence in his own genius. Settle in for an evening of elegant gore–and if an attractive, mute deliverywoman comes to the door, whatever you do, don’t answer! –Ali Davis
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
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Tags: Abominable, amazon co uk, art direction, assistant, Average, dark menace, dark sense, direction, Discovering, Door, dr phibes, Drinking, evening, exquisite art, gory, half the fun, horror classic, humour, medical community, Music, Neck, obsession, organ music, sense of humour, swathe, theology, titular, Top, vincent price
Posted by Notcot on May 9, 2010 in
Cult Film
Average Rating: 4.0 / 5 (1 Reviews)
Amazon.co.uk Review
The “lost” sleeper hit of 1980 has since become one of the most revered cult movies of all time, largely due to its bawdy, irreverent story about the art and artifice of filmmaking and an outrageously clever performance by Peter O’Toole. As megalomaniacal film director Eli Cross, O’Toole plays a larger-than-life figure whose ability to manipulate reality is like a power-trip narcotic. The focus of his latest mind game is a fugitive (Steve Railsback) recruited to replace a stuntman killed during a recent on-set accident. In return for protective sanctuary, the fugitive takes a crash course in stunt work but soon discovers that he’s the paranoid player in a game he can’t control, with the dictatorial director making up the rules. Or is he? The Stunt Man is a game of its own, played through the fantasy of filmmaking, and half the fun of watching the movie comes from sharing the stuntman’s paranoid confusion. Barbara Hershey has a smart, sexy supporting role as a lead actress who won’t submit to her director’s seemingly devious behaviour; but it’s clearly O’Toole who steals the show. Director Richard Rush adds to the movie’s maverick appeal–in a career plagued by struggles against the mainstream studio system, Rush hasn’t made a better movie before or since. The Stunt Man clearly represents the potential of his neglected talent. –Jeff Shannon
Stunt Man
Buy Now for £71.95
Tags: amazon, amazon co uk, Average, Barbara Hershey, bawdy, crash course, Cross, Cult, cult movies, director, director richard, Director Richard Rush, film director, game, half the fun, Jeff Shannon, Man, mind game, Movie, O, peter o toole, Peter O'Toole, power trip, rating, Reviews, ReviewThe, richard rush, sleeper, Steve Railsback, Stunt, stunt man, stunt work, stuntman, time
Posted by Notcot on Apr 27, 2010 in
Cult Film
Average Rating: 4.0 / 5 (1 Reviews)
Amazon.co.uk Review
The “lost” sleeper hit of 1980 has since become one of the most revered cult movies of all time, largely due to its bawdy, irreverent story about the art and artifice of filmmaking and an outrageously clever performance by Peter O’Toole. As megalomaniacal film director Eli Cross, O’Toole plays a larger-than-life figure whose ability to manipulate reality is like a power-trip narcotic. The focus of his latest mind game is a fugitive (Steve Railsback) recruited to replace a stuntman killed during a recent on-set accident. In return for protective sanctuary, the fugitive takes a crash course in stunt work but soon discovers that he’s the paranoid player in a game he can’t control, with the dictatorial director making up the rules. Or is he? The Stunt Man is a game of its own, played through the fantasy of filmmaking, and half the fun of watching the movie comes from sharing the stuntman’s paranoid confusion. Barbara Hershey has a smart, sexy supporting role as a lead actress who won’t submit to her director’s seemingly devious behaviour; but it’s clearly O’Toole who steals the show. Director Richard Rush adds to the movie’s maverick appeal–in a career plagued by struggles against the mainstream studio system, Rush hasn’t made a better movie before or since. The Stunt Man clearly represents the potential of his neglected talent. –Jeff Shannon
The Stunt Man
Buy Now for
Tags: amazon, amazon co uk, Average, Barbara Hershey, bawdy, crash course, Cross, Cult, cult movies, director, director richard, Director Richard Rush, film director, game, half the fun, Jeff Shannon, Man, mind game, Movie, O, peter o toole, Peter O'Toole, power trip, rating, Reviews, ReviewThe, richard rush, sleeper, Steve Railsback, Stunt, stunt man, stunt work, stuntman, time