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Some GHOSTS OF MARS reviews!!!
Hey folks, Harry here with a pair of GHOSTS OF MARS reviews. I've heard mixed things, but hey... that just about describes the reaction to nearly every film in theaters this summer... I have found out that my head is in the film, but only from behind... look for the mane of red hair... I suppose you do not show the face of the gorgon and expect the audience to survive... hehehe... I'm anxious to finally see this flick, Carpenter makes some of the most fun flicks around, I hope that holds true with this one....
Hiya Harry and friends,
Some Dude here with a brief and spoiler-free review of John Carpenter's
latest sci-fi/horror outing "Ghosts of Mars." I am a big fan of Carpenter's
entire body of work, even "Escape from LA" so I might not be as impartial as
one would like in a reviewer, but eff it, I saw the movie, you didn't. I
loved this flick. Essentially, "Mars" is a monster movie remake of "Assault
on Precinct 13" which in turn was a remake of "Rio Bravo." We've got some
cops and some criminals thrown in the shit and together they've got to get
out. What makes this a touch unusual is that it employs a "Rashomon"-lite
structure, and at times features a flash-back within a flash-back.
"Mars" looks really good. The bad guys remind me of something from "Mad Max"
meets "Return of the Living Dead 3." The set design is among the best in a
Carpenter film. The Martian landscapes and interiors look really grungy.
And it goes without saying that Carpenter's use of 2:35 is superb.
We've got some good performances from Ice Cube and a surprisingly tough
Natasha Henstridge. Clea Duvall is believable as the rookie. And its always
great to see Pam Grier and Robert Carradine aka Louis Skolnick.
Other cool things:
-This movie seems very gory compared to recent genre efforts. Hooray!
Unfortunately, there was no Harry-head-on-a-stick to be seen.
-The Carpenter score is a little heavier than usual and features some
electronic and metal influences.
-This must set a record for number of main characters who are lesbians in a
non-lesbian directed film. Certainly in an action film.
This screening took place at the DGA screening room in Manhattan and was
followed by a talk by the man himself, JC. Some highlights include:
-the revelation that Napoleon Wilson from "Assault" and Desolation Williams
from "Mars" are somewhat based on a troubled friend from Carpenter's youth.
-JC says that Henstridge is a lot like Kurt Russell, but with bigger breasts.
-Apparently Albuquerque has the best strip bars.
-There is no love lost between JC and Dan O'Bannon.
-His personal view of faith is "kinda dark, pretty dark, REALLY dark."
-He liked my t-shirt (really) which will be available next week from
SeveredThreads.Com
-Besides the old school, JC likes the films of Tarantino, Ritchie anf Fincher.
JC came across as a fun guy who seems very happy with his place in life. He
doesn't seem to take himself too seriously, which is very refreshing. Unlike
Billy Crystal, he is funny and fun.
Adios,
Some Dude.
PS- check out GameBabeTv if you haven't.
PPS- Attack of the Clones rules. Ha!
PPPS- Verhoeven is God. Here's a less enthusiastic review...
Hi Harry, I wrote before with my pics from the Rush Hour 2 shoot in Hong
Kong. Today I am writing because last night 8-9-01 I was lucky enough to
catch early looks at 2 upcoming films that may be of interest.
First I attended a screening of John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars with the man
himself in attendance. Let me say that a John Carpenter appearance is always
a pleasure, the man is so free of the self-importance and ego so common in
the industry. He is very open, honest, and at times blunt about his own
works' merits and faults, but he seems to be in the business for the right
reason, He likes to make movies, not to get rich, not to make his "mark" in
film, but because he enjoys doing it. The film itself is slighty
disappointing, basically a sci-fi remake/update of Assault on Precinct 13,
while the action set pieces are fun enough and the cast all give good
performances, the film is presented in a convoluted flashback structure with
flashbacks within flashbacks. Also a weakness is the basic anonymity of the
films villains, always presented as a menacing mob, they lack character
enough to make us cheer their destruction, even their leader "Big Daddy
Mars" is an unknown and his death therefore carries none of the impact it
should. I also have to report that your head is not in the final cut of the
film as was feared. This film feels like it might age well on video as a
"guilty pleasure" John Carpenter film like Price of Darkness or Vampires,
something to watch on a dull afternoon while we wait for his next The Thing
or Halloween.
Anyway thought I'd share my luck,
Daniel1138
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+ Expand All
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He's Doughboy and always will be...
-
Hey, I never even tried this stupid little contest. Maybe I'm lucky.
Anyway, compared to other movies with higher pretensions this summer (e.g. Lara Croft and her poor dead daddy), this straight-forward bit of B-movie schlock might be closer to what a good movie should be. I'll check it on matinee. -
Damn, I took time to write an actual talkback rather than just clicking SEND as fast as possible. Oh well, guess I'll have to be a bigger dweeb next time to get the meaningless FIRST crown. :D
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Straight to video. This sounded like a fucking turkey from day 1. JC lost the plot somewhere after Prince of Darkness.
He should give it up, and do something that requires less talent... -
Was provided by the none other than the finest metal outfit on the freakin planet, ANTHRAX! I've heard some bits of it and I have to say its the shat! I'm looking forward to this flick, aside from bodybags, I've always been thoroughly pleased by John Carpenters work.
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Anthrax do perform on the soundtrack (no vocals) along with Buckethead, but JC wrote the music. Also, don't let the commercials fool you, there are no rap songs in the film, not even over the credits. Phew.
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Better Cube than that whack-ass LL Cool J.
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First off, anyone that says JC is free from ego has been blinking a lot during the opening credits where EVERY movie he makes has "John Carpenter's" tacked in front... he's worst than Spike Lee in that regard.
Secondly, the guy hasn't made a GOOD movie since The Thing. People can defend Escape from LA, but these same people usually say "I even liked Escape from LA" like they know it's unusual to do so.
As a former big fan of his, I eagerly await a film that does him credit. I won't trash Ghosts until AFTER I see it, but I have to say I have a bad feeling about it.
Sigh. -
GRRRRRREAT ASS! WHOO-HA!
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is that rumor true?
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I'm a huge John Carpenter fan. Assault on Precinct 13 is my second favorite Carpenter film next to Halloween. It's going to be great to see a rehash of Assault.
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How dare you take a shot at Billy!
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John Carpenter and Dan O'Bannon hate each other?
Didn't Dan O'Bannon write Alien with Ronald Shusett? -
Former partners, creative geniuses behind "Dark Star". What's got them pissed off at each other?
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Aug 10, 2001 11:01:02 PM CDT
"This must set a record for number of main characters who are le
by ruby_rod
You know, I feel confident there are at least several dozen movies out there, non-lesbian-directed, with more main characters who are lesbians. You'll find them in any porno store, titles like "No dicks allowed Volume XXVII" or "Girls Only Volume IV"
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Hey, let's all praise the shit out of movies that suck! And get real excited about movies that haven't been relesed yet but which will without a doubt suck! Let's all live our lives pathetically arguing about whether Carpenter or Lucas or Spielberg or whothefuckever only sucks a little or a lot! Let's all play right into the hands of pricks who want nothing more than to churn out the same old garbage and charge you ten bucks to see it! Hooray for Hollywood!
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I'm a big fan f JC from Portugal. I'm glad to say that it's not only in the USA that carpenter is recognized. Thank god there are other countries who respect Carpenter's work. USA is the same country o talk bad things about Alfred and hawks, nou they are regarded as classics, you guys never learn...
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...uh, excuse me, but weren't the 'baddies' in Rio Bravo and Assault On Precinct 13 faceless anomalous entitities? If what we're dealing with here is a sci-fi remake of that premise then shouldn't we expect that? That's all the more scary and ambiguous, doncha think? From what I can see of this so far, it strikes me that this is more a study in apprehension and paranioa than an excuse to show off a bunch of cool effects. I am sick and tired of seeing this in so many crap movies: the big showdown with the Giant Spider routine.
I think Carpenter adheres to the '10 foot bug approach' stipulated in King's Danse Macabre, and in an age of creature movies like ALIEN 4 and THE RELIC, is all the more scary for it. A shadow-play, where you don't properly glimpse the 'enemy'. In The Thing there wasn't a focal point, a character per se that the audience could 'hate'.
That said, I don't recall seeing Carpenter's PRICE of Darkness. Maybe this is a newie??
Heh-heh. -
heh-heh, you said 'entities'
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Mouth of Madness was the last great Carpenter film. Though it should have been more Lovecraft it had some very creepy cool shit in it. Is it me, or does this movie deserve more respect? Carpenter should really do the "Shadow over Innsmouth" his style would be perfect for that story. I think it's the scripts that are killing his movies. We all liked the thing right? It was less of a remake and more of the first loyal interpretation of "Who goes there?" I still can not get passed James Woods walking away from that exploading house, lighting the cig in Vampires. PROJECTILE VOMITING is the reaction I felt. Like where is the guy on the set that is suposed to tap Carpenter and say;
Dude, that sucks.
oh well, Tobe Hooper syndrome. Anyone rent the Crocodile(crocOshit?) movie he did? What,what? Jesus! Poltergeist is like on my top seven or something, what was that? I'll have to ask him wednsday at Lifeforce.
"It's all in the reflexes."
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