THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE IFFY (3)
The GOOD: "THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS." Every now and then, a film surpasses it's root source, in this case an off-Broadway musical. Directed lovingly by Frank Oz (the Muppets creator) who uses his skill to instill charm as well as terror into the "star" of the film, a man-eating plant named Audrey II. The human actors included Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene (reprising her stage role) and Vincent Gardenia as Mr. Mushnik, the Skid Row flower shop owner. Hysterical support comes from Steve Martin as a sadistic dentist and Bill Murray as his masochistic patient. Others lending a hand to this madness are John Candy, Jim Belushi and Christopher Guest. But Audrey II is the star and what fun it is watching her grow from a nursing seedling (drinking blood from the pin pricked finger of Seymore (Moranis) to a full blown "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space." And the songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman are a delight. In plain English, this is a feast for the eyes and the ears and Audrey II's tastebuds.
The BAD: "TARZAN, THE APE MAN." Directed as a vehicle to showcase his wife Bo Derek's "talents," and it succeeds on that level. She and co-star Miles O'Keefe ooze sex appeal from every pore and Richard Harris does his best to lend some dignity to the proceeding. But, oh, that script!
I wonder if all the nudity exhibited by Ms. D was pre-planned or spur of the moment. Methinks, the former. And frankly that's about all that the movie has going for it....pretty people in various states of undress and covered in white mud at times. Sort of makes you feel dirty.
The IFFY: "BATMAN AND ROBIN." With George Clooney and Chris O'Donnell in the title roles, and two villians, i.e. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze and Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy, then add in a third hero (heroine in this case) Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl, get the highly competent Joel Schumacher to direct and it sounds like a recipe for success. Wrong. Whereas superheroes were taken rather seriously up to this point, this "Camp" version all but destroyed the franchise. It just had too many tongues in too many cheeks. (The Batman costume had nipples and an exaggerated crotch which should have been a clue from the get-go, that this was on the wrong track.) But, be that as it may, it has some fun moments (Mr. Freeze: "Lets kick some ice.") So it is enjoyable here and there but a little iffy in the art department.
The BAD: "TARZAN, THE APE MAN." Directed as a vehicle to showcase his wife Bo Derek's "talents," and it succeeds on that level. She and co-star Miles O'Keefe ooze sex appeal from every pore and Richard Harris does his best to lend some dignity to the proceeding. But, oh, that script!
I wonder if all the nudity exhibited by Ms. D was pre-planned or spur of the moment. Methinks, the former. And frankly that's about all that the movie has going for it....pretty people in various states of undress and covered in white mud at times. Sort of makes you feel dirty.
The IFFY: "BATMAN AND ROBIN." With George Clooney and Chris O'Donnell in the title roles, and two villians, i.e. Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze and Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy, then add in a third hero (heroine in this case) Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl, get the highly competent Joel Schumacher to direct and it sounds like a recipe for success. Wrong. Whereas superheroes were taken rather seriously up to this point, this "Camp" version all but destroyed the franchise. It just had too many tongues in too many cheeks. (The Batman costume had nipples and an exaggerated crotch which should have been a clue from the get-go, that this was on the wrong track.) But, be that as it may, it has some fun moments (Mr. Freeze: "Lets kick some ice.") So it is enjoyable here and there but a little iffy in the art department.
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