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Uncapie takes a look at Robert Wise's latest directorial effort... A STORM IN SUMMER!
He folks, Harry here. If you have no idea who Robert Wise is... please... leave now... go to a video store.... Rent DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, WEST SIDE STORY, THE HAUNTING, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, etc and LEARN. Now... unfortunately from the sound of Uncapie, his latest film isn't up to par... But I know I still want to watch it. Here's Uncapie...
Harry,
Uncapie here.
Just saw the Showtime Original Picture, "A Storm In Summer" directed by
Robert Wise.
Now, I think Robert Wise is a God among directors. Many will agree with me on
this, but you know, I was quite bored by this predictable, plodding movie.
The film stars Peter Falk as "Abel Shaddick", a sour, old man with
predictable characteristics, who is left to care for an eight year old inner
city youth, who he himself, is mad at the world. You want to like the kid,
but you can't. His character is just too down and he seems to be putting on a
forced smile everytime we see him. The two come off like scratching nails on
a chalkboard.
Natassja Kinski plays an upper crust social worker, but you can't quite place
her. Is she from the South with that accent or Germany? Her American accent
drifts in and out. She came off like a poor woman's Julia Roberts, especially
with that fake hair she wore. I've seen drag queens with better wigs that
that! Andrew McCarthy is seen briefly as Falk's nephew who sets the deal up
with the kid to visit the upstate New York country. He gets a gig working at
a nightclub in Atlantic City and dumps the whole problem into Falk's lap
before he leaves. Another unlikeable character.
Written by Rod Serling, the story takes place in 1969. I feel though, this
story's been told so many times before. Its really pedestrian. The scenery is
completely out of whack. Look in the opening sequence in the upper right hand
to and you'll see a satellite dish exposed on a rooftop. 1950s cars doubling
for 1969! This is supposed to be New York, but it still looks like Vancouver,
British Columbia. Maybe it was intended to be a lost "Twilight Zone" episode.
The camera work is shaky at times. I mean, what the hell is this, "Blair
Witch II?" Why do you think Stedicams were invented?!!!
Okay, now the bad part. As I said before, Robert Wise is a God among
directors, BUT....its like he could have phoned this movie in from his hotel
room. There are only two significant camera shots Wise uses in this to tell
the story. One is a great high angle dolly shot in the bus station with the
young boy and the second is a nice deep focus, two shot with Falk and the kid
again. But, that's about it. Everything else is stationary by-the-book, first
year film school. Granted, the Master is 86 years old and I don't expect him
to do a gang fight sequence from "West Side Story" with George Maharis and
Russ Tamblyn flying and leaping through the air John Woo style, but he really
could have done better. My guess the crew wasn't too enthusiastic about this
film either because it shows throughout the movie. Real run of the mill,
by-the-numbers story too. Wise will always be one of the greatest directors
in Hollywood. Remember him for his great films: "Day the Earth Stood Still",
"The Sand Pebbles", "Sound Of Music", "The Set Up", "The Body Snatcher"(With
Karloff!), "Odds Against Tomorrow", "I Want To Live", "The Haunting(There can
be only one!), "Blood On the Moon", "The Andromeda Strain" and many more!
Not this one or "Rooftops."
To me, this movie is nothing but one of those predictable, boring Hallmark
Hall Of Fame pics. It premieres Sunday night, February 6th on Showtime. If
you watch it, make sure you're sitting in a bathtub full of warm water
opening up your wrists.
Here enduth the lesson.
Chief Uncapie has spoken.
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+ Expand All
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If that's the film I'm thinking of (I used to work in a video store, and I think I can picture the box), allow me to squirm out of my seat, crawl over to the nearest water basin, and pitch puke. Well, at least he's still doing SOMETHING. I know, that's a pretty poor defense, but my man needs to get Payyyd. Harry neglected to mention "The Andromeda Strain" (Uncapie did the honor), which is about 50 times better than The Sound of Music. And Harry, you were complaining about bad musicals on the PTA article? Jeez...The Andromeda Strain is a very, very cool (if dated) film, and will probably be the only Michael Crichton adaption that comes close to honoring the themes and scientific speculation of the author. Andromeda was made at a time when films weren't underestimating the audience's intelligence, like the "Dino DNA" cartoon segment of Jurassic Park. People can understand science when it's written in clear language, they just can't muddle through an overload of jargon. The Andromeda Strain is visually inventive as well, using split screens and weird frame divisions in a way that is fresh (but admittedly would look tacky today). Anyway, it makes Outbreak look like....Outbreak.
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The aforementioned "The Haunting" is not the 1999 version. He directed the original back in the 60's which used mainly noises and voices and such, but is probably about a hundred times scarier than the one with Liam Neeson. Robert Wise was also the director of the most boring of the Star Trek movies Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
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the in-house editor at RKO studios at the end of the 1930's. Orson Welles saw his work on The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (Charles Laughton as Quasimodo) and asked him to do the editing for Citizen Kane. The working partnership worked well and Welles subsequently asked him to work on his next film, The Magnificent Ambersons... with slightly less than satisfactory results.
There... that finishes the history lesson.
Robert Wise also has the dubious distinction of being the first director of the Star Trek films.
His other films include The Andromeda Strain, Desert Rats (excellent 2nd World War film) and The Hindenberg.
Netzlin -
This is Prairie Buddha,
We know each other, friend. From long ago, yes, but we have remained spiritually close...at least I thought. How come you don't respond to my Instant Messages?
I'm aboot to blow me lid he'ya. I want your friendship more than anyting... -
Feb 05, 2000 7:11:27 AM CST
gee, I'm happy now. I'm about to put on my Carpenters CD and kil
by eddie munster
Did he really do Rooftops? That is without a doubt the worst movie ever made (give or take a few)
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the only way to do this is by looking at worst films by studios with fairly well known actors or directors, that one may have accidentally paid to see or rent...I'd like to also mention "The Squeeze" with Michael Keaton, and "Spacecamp" with a bunch of losers, possibly Lea Thompson.
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I'm a sad sad person. I kinda liked Space camp. I know, I'm a loser but hey don't blame me, blame my parents who (unsuccesfully) brought me up in the eighties. Another shitty movie with lot's of stars attached is Joe and the vulcano. What the hell was that all about. Tom Hank and exec. producer Spielberg realy sucked that year. If you haven't seen, please don't bother you'll only hurt your eyes. Cheers
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from "West Side Story" with George Maharis and Russ Tamblyn
flying and leaping through the air John Woo style,...
OOPS....
YOU got the name wrong...
That is....GEORGE CHAKIRIS...
Take it from someone who knowa the movie ... -
Actually, I for one happen to think that Star Trek: TMP was the best Star Trek film ever made. Why? Because it dealt with characters better than a lot of the other films. I don't think that First Contact is the best, mainly because a lot of it is action, although there is character development. Also, there is incredible imagination that goes into the alien of ST: The TMP that is interesting and detailed, rather than the computer animation that is being used these days. The only problem I had and I noticed this when I saw Star Trek: TMP two weeks ago, was that at the beginning, Captain Kirk and Scotty take the transport to the Enterprise. The problem was that the travel to the Enterprise was just so long. The editors could have cut that part down like 1 min or too, because it dragged on for like 5 mins, I think. It was like, "oh wow... the Enterprise! beautiful!". Big friggin deal! So, that was my biggest problem with the film. Otherwise, I really feel it has some great direction. And the pacing of the film, to me, is beautiful.
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