*Get "Up from the Depths" on Amazon here*
*Get How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime by Roger Corman with Jim Jerome on Amazon here*
*Get Roger Corman: Blood-Sucking Vampires, Flesh-Eating Cockroaches, and Driller Killers: An (updated) Unauthorized Life by Beverly Gray on Amazon here*
*Get Crab Monsters, Teenage Cavemen, and Candy Stripe Nurses: Roger Corman: King of the B Movie by Chris Nashawaty on Amazon here*
On the isolated Hawaiian island of Mahu, there are problems.
The only resort is busy as usual, run by the jerk manager Forbes (Kedric Wolfe). He must contend with Greg (Sam Bottoms) and Greg's uncle Earl (Virgil Frye). These two rascals like to bilk tourists by taking them out to an old wreck and making the dumb mainlanders believe treasure can be found there. Greg is also dating the resort's perky PR gal Rachel (Susanne Reed). Also prowling the waters is a Doctor Whiting (Charles Howerton), whose research assistant is eaten by an unseen underwater animal in the opening segment of the film. The jerk harbor master does not seem terribly worried about sudden bodies and grue floating in the surf, and still does not worry after Rachel sees a French writer get pulled under (to a ripoff of John Williams' "Jaws" theme). Earl and Greg, those rapscallions, take one couple, plus the eccentric Holland (Ken Metcalfe), out to a combed-over wreck, and find real treasure before the creature strikes again. We are eventually shown a giant monster fish is doing all the murdering, and the audience is taken aback by the sheer weakness of the effect. After the fish eats a topless model, Forbes offers a thousand dollars, a case of rum, and a week's stay at the hotel for anyone who kills the fish. The entire hotel clientele invade the convenient sporting goods store in the lobby, floats out into the lagoon, and tries to collect the prize- and I think you know how this turns out.
Sam Bottoms, wondering what happened to his career after "The Last Picture Show," is lost here. So is the rest of the cast. The reason? There are no characters. Sure, actors run around and are called by character names, but no one performs. No one changes over the course of the film. No one does anything that shows any resemblance to normal human behavior. These are caricatures from other movies, presented to make a quick buck and milk better films. Director Griffith cannot stage any sort of suspense. Scenes are thrown together without regard for pacing or coherence. His special effects fish is a joke, in some scenes you can see the string that opens its mouth and moves it through the water. Characters are introduced, then dropped. Watch for the reporter from Honolulu, who has no purpose in the film. Even the fish is unexplained. We assume it is ancient, and came "up from the depths," but the audience is given nothing else to go on. You can forget about seeing it swim, too. Holland talks about how clear the ocean is off of Mahu, yet the fish is filmed in a dark, murky swimming pool. Finally, a special word about the location sound department's recording- there isn't any. The film's dialogue is dubbed- all of it. Everyone talks or yells, even in the quietest of scenes. The words never synch with what the actors' mouths are doing, either. The whole auditory mess is headache inducing, and my ears are still ringing.
Let "Up from the Depths" go, and watch it sink like a stone. I do not recommend it.
Stats:
(1979) 85 min. (1/10)
-Directed by Charles B. Griffith
-Screenplay by Alfred M. Sweeney
-Cast: Sam Bottoms, Susanne Reed, Virgil Frye, Kedric Wolfe, Charles Howerton, Denise Hayes, Chuck Doherty, Helen McNeely, Ken Metcalfe, Randy Taylor, Dave D'Martyn, Clem Persons, Pete Cooper
(R)
Media Viewed: Home Video
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Dr. Giggles (1992)
*Get "Dr. Giggles" on Amazon here*
*Get "Dr. Giggles" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on Amazon here*
*Get "Dr. Giggles" wall decor on Amazon here*
*Get Dr. Giggles merchandise on Amazon here*
Manny Coto, the director, is let down in this wannabe slasher classic by Manny Coto, the cowriter.
Dr. Rendell (Larry Drake) is an escaped mental patient who returns to his old hometown to exact revenge. It seems years before, his dad killed seven patients while looking for a heart for his ailing wife. Being a good dad, he involved his young son in his diabolical scheme before being killed by angered townfolk. He did manage to save his son, however, by sewing him up in his dead wife's corpse so he could dramatically emerge later at the morgue...gosh, all my dad ever did was encourage me to do better in school. Rendell becomes fixated on Jennifer (Holly Marie Combs) who has mitral valve prolapse, a heart condition that could worsen. Jennifer is having boyfriend troubles, her dad (Cliff De Young) has shacked up with young Tamara (Michelle Johnson), and Jennifer's mom died after going in for a routine heart operation. The script throws in enough victims who get slashed and ripped before we have a chance to care about them. We also have the rookie cop who figures the whole thing out, despite the rest of the police department poo-pooing the teens' stories about a lunatic doctor with a bad bedside manner. You can script the ending.
The set-up for the film is introduced immediately, and then the cast really has nothing to do but wait for Rendell to come a-killin'. This makes for some pretty suspenseless scenes. We know who the killer is, we know why he kills, and we know who he is going to kill. Coto has great visuals here, but his script gets goofier and dumber as it goes along. The excellent funhouse mirror room scene is offset by an embarassed cast with embarassing lines. Poor Drake, normally a superb actor, is given a ton of bad doctor cliches to say. I have never been a fan of the "funny" killer in horror films, and this film proves my point. I could not warm up and laugh, especially at all the carnage going on here (reread those first four sentences of this review). If you want to laugh at buckets of blood, see "Body Melt" or "Killer Tongue." Coto also ignores rather an obvious plothole. Drake escapes from a mental institution, where he was listed as unidentified. Yet, the town where his father did all the killing, and where the young Drake disappeared from, is within fifty miles of the asylum. If a seven year old boy went missing from a local mass murderer's family estate at the same moment a seven year old boy was knocking on the asylum's front door, wouldn't suspicions be raised? I guess news does not travel fast in Movieland. Also, a lot of the action takes place in the old basement offices of the killer doctor. The film makers shot this in an obvious real hospital, which means the basement of this decrepit house is the size of a football field, complete with working fluorescent lights. Sloppy, sloppy. I am not kidding when I say every cliche a doctor has uttered is here. From "physician, heal thyself" to Drake turning to the audience when wounded and asking if there is a doctor in the house.
"Dr. Giggles" is not funny, and in need of an emergency suspense transplant. I call this one dead on arrival.
Stats:
(1992) 95 min. (2/10)
-Directed by Manny Coto
-Written by Manny Coto and Graeme Whifler
-Cast: Larry Drake, Holly Marie Combs, Cliff De Young, Michelle Johnson, Glenn Quinn, Keith Diamond, Richard Bradford, John Vickery, Nancy Fish, Sara Melson, Zoe Trilling, Darin Heames, Doug E. Doug
(R)
Media Viewed: Home Video
*Get "Dr. Giggles" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on Amazon here*
*Get "Dr. Giggles" wall decor on Amazon here*
*Get Dr. Giggles merchandise on Amazon here*
Manny Coto, the director, is let down in this wannabe slasher classic by Manny Coto, the cowriter.
Dr. Rendell (Larry Drake) is an escaped mental patient who returns to his old hometown to exact revenge. It seems years before, his dad killed seven patients while looking for a heart for his ailing wife. Being a good dad, he involved his young son in his diabolical scheme before being killed by angered townfolk. He did manage to save his son, however, by sewing him up in his dead wife's corpse so he could dramatically emerge later at the morgue...gosh, all my dad ever did was encourage me to do better in school. Rendell becomes fixated on Jennifer (Holly Marie Combs) who has mitral valve prolapse, a heart condition that could worsen. Jennifer is having boyfriend troubles, her dad (Cliff De Young) has shacked up with young Tamara (Michelle Johnson), and Jennifer's mom died after going in for a routine heart operation. The script throws in enough victims who get slashed and ripped before we have a chance to care about them. We also have the rookie cop who figures the whole thing out, despite the rest of the police department poo-pooing the teens' stories about a lunatic doctor with a bad bedside manner. You can script the ending.
The set-up for the film is introduced immediately, and then the cast really has nothing to do but wait for Rendell to come a-killin'. This makes for some pretty suspenseless scenes. We know who the killer is, we know why he kills, and we know who he is going to kill. Coto has great visuals here, but his script gets goofier and dumber as it goes along. The excellent funhouse mirror room scene is offset by an embarassed cast with embarassing lines. Poor Drake, normally a superb actor, is given a ton of bad doctor cliches to say. I have never been a fan of the "funny" killer in horror films, and this film proves my point. I could not warm up and laugh, especially at all the carnage going on here (reread those first four sentences of this review). If you want to laugh at buckets of blood, see "Body Melt" or "Killer Tongue." Coto also ignores rather an obvious plothole. Drake escapes from a mental institution, where he was listed as unidentified. Yet, the town where his father did all the killing, and where the young Drake disappeared from, is within fifty miles of the asylum. If a seven year old boy went missing from a local mass murderer's family estate at the same moment a seven year old boy was knocking on the asylum's front door, wouldn't suspicions be raised? I guess news does not travel fast in Movieland. Also, a lot of the action takes place in the old basement offices of the killer doctor. The film makers shot this in an obvious real hospital, which means the basement of this decrepit house is the size of a football field, complete with working fluorescent lights. Sloppy, sloppy. I am not kidding when I say every cliche a doctor has uttered is here. From "physician, heal thyself" to Drake turning to the audience when wounded and asking if there is a doctor in the house.
"Dr. Giggles" is not funny, and in need of an emergency suspense transplant. I call this one dead on arrival.
Stats:
(1992) 95 min. (2/10)
-Directed by Manny Coto
-Written by Manny Coto and Graeme Whifler
-Cast: Larry Drake, Holly Marie Combs, Cliff De Young, Michelle Johnson, Glenn Quinn, Keith Diamond, Richard Bradford, John Vickery, Nancy Fish, Sara Melson, Zoe Trilling, Darin Heames, Doug E. Doug
(R)
Media Viewed: Home Video
The Game of Death (2000)
*Get "The Game of Death" on Amazon here*
*Get The Greatest Stories of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson on Amazon here*
*Get "The Chevy Mystery Show: The Suicide Club" (1960) on Amazon here*
*Get "The Suicide Club" (1987) VHS on Amazon here*
It's a shame this film, based on a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, didn't do better than it did.
Victorian Henry Joyce (David Morrissey) is despondent. His wife died from consumption six months before, and he has closed himself up in his home to mourn. His friend Captain May (Neil Stuke) coaxes him out to a pub, and they meet a drunk Shaw (Paul Bettany). Shaw is broke and ruined after squandering his inheritance, and Henry feels a kinship with him. Shaw takes the duo to a private home, where he assures Henry he will find relief from his current state. At the home, May and Henry sign oaths and gain entrance to The Suicide Club, run by Bourne (Jonathan Pryce). People who want to die, but can't do themselves in, draw cards. The cards decide who gets the honor of dying, and who will be the one to murder the person. When a person dies, their estates go to Bourne, who finds plenty of people to keep the club going. During the first meeting, May flees the home, this was all a lark anyway, and is killed by Bourne's men. Henry keeps attending meetings, but soon gets involved with the club's only female, Sarah (Catherine Siggins), who is mourning her own lost love. Henry and Sarah grow closer, and Bourne's tidy club and its morbid game, as well as Bourne's livelihood, are threatened.
The film was produced by Roger Corman, but this is not exploitation or a black comedy, although a dark comic take on the material might have been interesting. Because it is based on a short story, the film only runs about ninety minutes, and often has a padded feeling to it. Screenwriter Spiro has crafted a very dreary plot from Stevenson's story, and allows one too many leaps in logic (Henry and May go along with Shaw way too quickly). Director Samuels can film a parlor sequence with the best of them, turning conversations into wonderful moments. Her action sequences, on the other hand- the pursuit of May is an absolute mess. The biggest strength found here is the cinematography by Chris Manley- it is nothing short of stunning, with rich hues and beautiful shadowing. His shots remind us that Victorian England wasn't all black and gray, but without giving in to an inappropriate psychedelic color palette. Kudos to the casting team, as well, recognizing Morrissey and Bettany in early roles. The entire cast is pretty fantastic, Siggins' Sarah's pain comes off very well, and it was nice not to have her change overnight thanks to a roll in the hay with Henry. The musical score sounded canned, and did nothing for the proceedings. This was released in a film festival or two, then found its way to video. It is also known under three or four different titles, and I don't know who is to blame, but despite its positives the film seems to have been unceremoniously dumped. Even the DVD cover is a mess of Photoshop, and prominently features a character who is in the film for about a minute.
It's not great, but "The Game of Death" should have been given a fighting chance based on its cinematography and casting. Oh, well, that's the luck of the draw. Also known as "The Suicide Club."
Stats:
(2000) 89 min. (6/10)
-Directed by Rachel Samuels
-Screenplay by Lev L. Spiro based on the short story by Robert Louis Stevenson
-Cast: Jonathan Pryce, David Morrissey, Paul Bettany, Neil Stuke, Catherine Siggins, Andrew Powell, Terry McMahon, Regan Hutchinson, Eamon Glancy, Frank Melia, Eamonn Draper, Pete Ryan, Seamus Feerick
(R)
Media Viewed: DVD
*Get The Greatest Stories of Robert Louis Stevenson by Robert Louis Stevenson on Amazon here*
*Get "The Chevy Mystery Show: The Suicide Club" (1960) on Amazon here*
*Get "The Suicide Club" (1987) VHS on Amazon here*
It's a shame this film, based on a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson, didn't do better than it did.
Victorian Henry Joyce (David Morrissey) is despondent. His wife died from consumption six months before, and he has closed himself up in his home to mourn. His friend Captain May (Neil Stuke) coaxes him out to a pub, and they meet a drunk Shaw (Paul Bettany). Shaw is broke and ruined after squandering his inheritance, and Henry feels a kinship with him. Shaw takes the duo to a private home, where he assures Henry he will find relief from his current state. At the home, May and Henry sign oaths and gain entrance to The Suicide Club, run by Bourne (Jonathan Pryce). People who want to die, but can't do themselves in, draw cards. The cards decide who gets the honor of dying, and who will be the one to murder the person. When a person dies, their estates go to Bourne, who finds plenty of people to keep the club going. During the first meeting, May flees the home, this was all a lark anyway, and is killed by Bourne's men. Henry keeps attending meetings, but soon gets involved with the club's only female, Sarah (Catherine Siggins), who is mourning her own lost love. Henry and Sarah grow closer, and Bourne's tidy club and its morbid game, as well as Bourne's livelihood, are threatened.
The film was produced by Roger Corman, but this is not exploitation or a black comedy, although a dark comic take on the material might have been interesting. Because it is based on a short story, the film only runs about ninety minutes, and often has a padded feeling to it. Screenwriter Spiro has crafted a very dreary plot from Stevenson's story, and allows one too many leaps in logic (Henry and May go along with Shaw way too quickly). Director Samuels can film a parlor sequence with the best of them, turning conversations into wonderful moments. Her action sequences, on the other hand- the pursuit of May is an absolute mess. The biggest strength found here is the cinematography by Chris Manley- it is nothing short of stunning, with rich hues and beautiful shadowing. His shots remind us that Victorian England wasn't all black and gray, but without giving in to an inappropriate psychedelic color palette. Kudos to the casting team, as well, recognizing Morrissey and Bettany in early roles. The entire cast is pretty fantastic, Siggins' Sarah's pain comes off very well, and it was nice not to have her change overnight thanks to a roll in the hay with Henry. The musical score sounded canned, and did nothing for the proceedings. This was released in a film festival or two, then found its way to video. It is also known under three or four different titles, and I don't know who is to blame, but despite its positives the film seems to have been unceremoniously dumped. Even the DVD cover is a mess of Photoshop, and prominently features a character who is in the film for about a minute.
It's not great, but "The Game of Death" should have been given a fighting chance based on its cinematography and casting. Oh, well, that's the luck of the draw. Also known as "The Suicide Club."
Stats:
(2000) 89 min. (6/10)
-Directed by Rachel Samuels
-Screenplay by Lev L. Spiro based on the short story by Robert Louis Stevenson
-Cast: Jonathan Pryce, David Morrissey, Paul Bettany, Neil Stuke, Catherine Siggins, Andrew Powell, Terry McMahon, Regan Hutchinson, Eamon Glancy, Frank Melia, Eamonn Draper, Pete Ryan, Seamus Feerick
(R)
Media Viewed: DVD
Good Morning Karachi (2013)
*Watch "Good Morning Karachi" on Amazon Prime Video here*
*Get Rafina by Shandana Minhas on Amazon here*
*Watch "Saving Face" on Amazon Prime Video here*
*Get Human Rights Watch: The Human Rights Watch DVD Collection on Amazon here*
Known more for her documentaries about women in the Muslim world, film maker Sabiha Sumar presents an interesting fictional film concerning a young model torn between her dreams, and society's expectations.
The beautiful Rafina (Amna Ilyas) lives in a small apartment in Karachi, Pakistan, with her widowed mother and little brother. She is having a chaste courtship with Arif (Yasir Aqueel), a supporter of Benazir Bhutto. Arif's mother is Rosie (a wonderful Beo Raana Zafar), who travels around providing beauty salon services for women. Rosie takes Rafina on as an assistant, and they go to work for Radiance, a modeling agency. Rafina is obsessed with a large glamorous billboard outside of her apartment showing a Pakistani woman without a veil, and starts to distance herself from Arif, as the family begins planning their wedding (they are scandalized that Rafina wants to work instead of keeping house for her new husband). Rafina eventually gets noticed at the modeling agency, and as her career takes off, her home life unravels.
The film's title refers to a morning radio show overheard during Sumar's shots of Karachi's endless cityscapes and chaotic street scenes. Set around Bhutto's attempted return to power before her death, Sumar does not preach, using her simple story to make her point- there are no "I am woman, here me roar" scenes. The revelatory moments here are quieter, like when Rafina discovers an old photograph of a younger Rosie. The story is empowering, but familiar. I am not saying this is a bad film, just one that I recognized from years of film watching. A lot of the cultural ingredients are interesting- one character's funeral, the class system inside the agency- and Sumar handles her story with confidence. Ilyas is beautiful, and a natural actress. Her character is not handed instant fame right away, and her stealth-like "audition" at one point is caught onto by some of the other characters. These are not stupid people, the screenwriters do not make fashion an easy target to mock. Modeling is a way for Rafina to escape her assumed role in life.
"Good Morning Karachi" doesn't wear out its welcome despite its predictability, clocking in at under an hour and a half. This is a nicely played, written, and directed film. Also known as "Rafina."
Stats:
(2013) 80 min. (8/10)
-Directed by Sabiha Sumar
-Screenplay by Malia Scotch Marmo and Sabiha Sumar and Samhita Ali based on the novella by Shandana Minhas
-Cast: Amna Ilyas, Yasir Aqueel, Beo Raana Zafar, Atta Yaqub, Saba Wasim Abbas, Afaq Nasir, Khalid Malik, Farhan Ali Agha, Savera Nadeem, Shaheen Khan, Faiza Syed, Faysal Qureshi, Aamina Sheikh
(Not Rated)
Media Viewed: DVD screener
*Get Rafina by Shandana Minhas on Amazon here*
*Watch "Saving Face" on Amazon Prime Video here*
*Get Human Rights Watch: The Human Rights Watch DVD Collection on Amazon here*
Known more for her documentaries about women in the Muslim world, film maker Sabiha Sumar presents an interesting fictional film concerning a young model torn between her dreams, and society's expectations.
The beautiful Rafina (Amna Ilyas) lives in a small apartment in Karachi, Pakistan, with her widowed mother and little brother. She is having a chaste courtship with Arif (Yasir Aqueel), a supporter of Benazir Bhutto. Arif's mother is Rosie (a wonderful Beo Raana Zafar), who travels around providing beauty salon services for women. Rosie takes Rafina on as an assistant, and they go to work for Radiance, a modeling agency. Rafina is obsessed with a large glamorous billboard outside of her apartment showing a Pakistani woman without a veil, and starts to distance herself from Arif, as the family begins planning their wedding (they are scandalized that Rafina wants to work instead of keeping house for her new husband). Rafina eventually gets noticed at the modeling agency, and as her career takes off, her home life unravels.
The film's title refers to a morning radio show overheard during Sumar's shots of Karachi's endless cityscapes and chaotic street scenes. Set around Bhutto's attempted return to power before her death, Sumar does not preach, using her simple story to make her point- there are no "I am woman, here me roar" scenes. The revelatory moments here are quieter, like when Rafina discovers an old photograph of a younger Rosie. The story is empowering, but familiar. I am not saying this is a bad film, just one that I recognized from years of film watching. A lot of the cultural ingredients are interesting- one character's funeral, the class system inside the agency- and Sumar handles her story with confidence. Ilyas is beautiful, and a natural actress. Her character is not handed instant fame right away, and her stealth-like "audition" at one point is caught onto by some of the other characters. These are not stupid people, the screenwriters do not make fashion an easy target to mock. Modeling is a way for Rafina to escape her assumed role in life.
"Good Morning Karachi" doesn't wear out its welcome despite its predictability, clocking in at under an hour and a half. This is a nicely played, written, and directed film. Also known as "Rafina."
Stats:
(2013) 80 min. (8/10)
-Directed by Sabiha Sumar
-Screenplay by Malia Scotch Marmo and Sabiha Sumar and Samhita Ali based on the novella by Shandana Minhas
-Cast: Amna Ilyas, Yasir Aqueel, Beo Raana Zafar, Atta Yaqub, Saba Wasim Abbas, Afaq Nasir, Khalid Malik, Farhan Ali Agha, Savera Nadeem, Shaheen Khan, Faiza Syed, Faysal Qureshi, Aamina Sheikh
(Not Rated)
Media Viewed: DVD screener
Friday, August 1, 2025
Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story (2022)
*Get In Plain Sight: The Life and Lies of Jimmy Savile by Dan Davies on Amazon here*
*Get Victim Zero by Kat Ward on Amazon here*
*Get Untouchable Jimmy Savile by Shawn Attwood on Amazon here*
*Get How's About That Then?: Jimmy Savile: The Authorised Biography by Alison Bellamy on Amazon here*
Jimmy Savile was a television personality in Great Britain who seemed to be part of the public's collective lives for decades. Behind the camera, he assaulted young and old, and the extent of his crimes only came to light after his death. Basically, he got away with it.
Savile was a strange, eccentric presence. He was a disc jockey in the 1950's, and then branched into television for decades until his death in 2011, two days before his 85th birthday. He also raised millions of pounds for charities and hospitals, and was a confidante to the elite of royalty and politicians. His private life was very private. He never married or had children, and his sexuality seemed to be nonexistent- he existed to entertain, like a robot, and didn't seem to have a social life when out of the limelight. Rumors about his "liking young girls" were just rumors, part of his act was playing up his "dirty old man" shtick, puffing on giant cigars and joking about his sexual proclivities. He was so liked by the media, authorities, and public, that when formal complaints about him were made, they were quickly quashed- after all, he was rubbing elbows with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and the royal couple Prince Charles and Diana. As Savile's luck would have it, he died alone in his penthouse flat and was given a hero's send-off in his beloved Leeds, United Kingdom, just as the accusations and stories broke. His victims ranged from the young to the elderly, males and females, with some being incapacitated patients in the very same hospitals he was raising money for. In the days before he died, rumblings of wrong-doing were growing stronger, and he denied his crimes until the end. Some of Savile's victims didn't come forward because no one was going to believe them. He ravaged a now-closed school for wayward girls. He violated patients at a hospital for spinal cord injuries. He was abusing people for so long, some of them eventually died of old age (or suicide in one case), never telling their story to anyone but perhaps a close family member. Who would take their word that this charitable, beloved fixture was capable of any of this?
As for the film itself, it's being unnecessarily streamed in two parts as a "limited series." The total running time is just under three hours, and no, this is not a limited series. It could use some editing, however. Too much time is spent on showing the viewer how Savile rose through the ranks of British media, befriending the all the right people, as if they were justifying why the public fell in love with him. I only heard about Savile after the accusations started, and watching old footage of him is skeevy and fascinating. I honestly don't see the appeal, he's strange looking and not very funny, but I also realize that there isn't much footage of him available, and who wants to say nowadays that we was fantastic? An entire "episode" in this limited series could have been done about the victims, but they are only briefly reviewed. This is a mistake in many a true crime documentary on streaming services. Some of the more salacious aspects of Savile's crimes are also ignored, which only serves to ignore the trauma his victims and families went through. Some of Savile's victims were helpless because they didn't have proof of their crimes, as if they spent that traumatic event collecting CSI-inspired evidence. Another aspect of the film that didn't work was the "how did you not know what he was doing?" questioning to former acquaintances of Savile's. I worked retail from the age of eighteen through my early fifties. I worked with, and was supervised by, literally hundreds of people in those decades- I even met my wife through work. I've also seen coworkers and former coworkers run afoul of the law (minor infractions- no serial killers, that I know of), or go through painful divorces or breakups because of their behavior or the behavior of a significant other. I've even had a coworker who appeared in a pornographic movie that they told me about. I had a college instructor, and a high school guidance counselor, jailed on sexual crimes against children (so much for that reference letter) but I have never been employed with someone who committed the crimes on the level of Savile's, much less shared their problems at work (again, that I know of). Savile was brilliant in keeping his anonymity, research into his private life consistently turned up nothing, so I can't imagine he would be sharing what he was doing, and if he did slip up- he was just being Jimmy Savile, the scamp. Like I said, I was unfamiliar with the Savile case, and I don't remember watching any of his shows in the early 1990's when I was briefly living in the United Kingdom.
This is a good starting point, and a very good, but not a great, documentary.
Stats:
(2022) 170 min. (7/10)
-Directed by Rowan Deacon
-Featuring: Jimmy Savile, Roger Ordish, Mark Lawson, Meirion Jones, Alison Bellamy, Dominic Carman, Sylvia Nicol, Christine Checkley, Ian Hislop, Marjorie Wallace, Tina Davey, Martin Young, Carine Minne
(TV-MA)- Some sexual violence, some profanity, strong sexual references, very strong sexual violence references, strong adult situations, tobacco use
Media Viewed: Streaming
*BAFTA*
-TV- Original Music, Factual (won)
-TV- Editing, Factual (lost to "Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes")
*Get Victim Zero by Kat Ward on Amazon here*
*Get Untouchable Jimmy Savile by Shawn Attwood on Amazon here*
*Get How's About That Then?: Jimmy Savile: The Authorised Biography by Alison Bellamy on Amazon here*
Jimmy Savile was a television personality in Great Britain who seemed to be part of the public's collective lives for decades. Behind the camera, he assaulted young and old, and the extent of his crimes only came to light after his death. Basically, he got away with it.
Savile was a strange, eccentric presence. He was a disc jockey in the 1950's, and then branched into television for decades until his death in 2011, two days before his 85th birthday. He also raised millions of pounds for charities and hospitals, and was a confidante to the elite of royalty and politicians. His private life was very private. He never married or had children, and his sexuality seemed to be nonexistent- he existed to entertain, like a robot, and didn't seem to have a social life when out of the limelight. Rumors about his "liking young girls" were just rumors, part of his act was playing up his "dirty old man" shtick, puffing on giant cigars and joking about his sexual proclivities. He was so liked by the media, authorities, and public, that when formal complaints about him were made, they were quickly quashed- after all, he was rubbing elbows with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and the royal couple Prince Charles and Diana. As Savile's luck would have it, he died alone in his penthouse flat and was given a hero's send-off in his beloved Leeds, United Kingdom, just as the accusations and stories broke. His victims ranged from the young to the elderly, males and females, with some being incapacitated patients in the very same hospitals he was raising money for. In the days before he died, rumblings of wrong-doing were growing stronger, and he denied his crimes until the end. Some of Savile's victims didn't come forward because no one was going to believe them. He ravaged a now-closed school for wayward girls. He violated patients at a hospital for spinal cord injuries. He was abusing people for so long, some of them eventually died of old age (or suicide in one case), never telling their story to anyone but perhaps a close family member. Who would take their word that this charitable, beloved fixture was capable of any of this?
As for the film itself, it's being unnecessarily streamed in two parts as a "limited series." The total running time is just under three hours, and no, this is not a limited series. It could use some editing, however. Too much time is spent on showing the viewer how Savile rose through the ranks of British media, befriending the all the right people, as if they were justifying why the public fell in love with him. I only heard about Savile after the accusations started, and watching old footage of him is skeevy and fascinating. I honestly don't see the appeal, he's strange looking and not very funny, but I also realize that there isn't much footage of him available, and who wants to say nowadays that we was fantastic? An entire "episode" in this limited series could have been done about the victims, but they are only briefly reviewed. This is a mistake in many a true crime documentary on streaming services. Some of the more salacious aspects of Savile's crimes are also ignored, which only serves to ignore the trauma his victims and families went through. Some of Savile's victims were helpless because they didn't have proof of their crimes, as if they spent that traumatic event collecting CSI-inspired evidence. Another aspect of the film that didn't work was the "how did you not know what he was doing?" questioning to former acquaintances of Savile's. I worked retail from the age of eighteen through my early fifties. I worked with, and was supervised by, literally hundreds of people in those decades- I even met my wife through work. I've also seen coworkers and former coworkers run afoul of the law (minor infractions- no serial killers, that I know of), or go through painful divorces or breakups because of their behavior or the behavior of a significant other. I've even had a coworker who appeared in a pornographic movie that they told me about. I had a college instructor, and a high school guidance counselor, jailed on sexual crimes against children (so much for that reference letter) but I have never been employed with someone who committed the crimes on the level of Savile's, much less shared their problems at work (again, that I know of). Savile was brilliant in keeping his anonymity, research into his private life consistently turned up nothing, so I can't imagine he would be sharing what he was doing, and if he did slip up- he was just being Jimmy Savile, the scamp. Like I said, I was unfamiliar with the Savile case, and I don't remember watching any of his shows in the early 1990's when I was briefly living in the United Kingdom.
This is a good starting point, and a very good, but not a great, documentary.
Stats:
(2022) 170 min. (7/10)
-Directed by Rowan Deacon
-Featuring: Jimmy Savile, Roger Ordish, Mark Lawson, Meirion Jones, Alison Bellamy, Dominic Carman, Sylvia Nicol, Christine Checkley, Ian Hislop, Marjorie Wallace, Tina Davey, Martin Young, Carine Minne
(TV-MA)- Some sexual violence, some profanity, strong sexual references, very strong sexual violence references, strong adult situations, tobacco use
Media Viewed: Streaming
*BAFTA*
-TV- Original Music, Factual (won)
-TV- Editing, Factual (lost to "Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes")
My Best Friend's Wife (2001)
*Get "My Best Friend's Wife" on Amazon here*
*Get If You Would Have Told Me: A Memoir by John Stamos on Amazon here*
*Get John Stamos merchandise on Amazon here*
*Get Meredith Salenger merchandise on Amazon here*
Best friends- ad man Steve (John Stamos) and attorney Eric (Daniel London)- resort to the same situation the characters in "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" did, with shallow and predictable results.
Shallow and predictable can describe our "heroes" as well as this film. There is an element of sleaze that permeates every scene, an "eww" quotient that makes you want to shower after every plot turn. Eric constantly jokes about swapping wives with Steve, but the joke is never funny to the characters, or the viewer. Eric is married to Ami (Meredith Salenger), who wants to start a family. Steve is married to Claire (Tara Westwood), an underwritten character who works with Eric. After losing out on a dream job, Steve decides Eric's dumb idea deserves practice as the men already seem to be in the throes of a mid-life crisis while only in their early 30's. The wives act appropriately outraged, but eventually come around based on the flimsiest of reasoning (this was written by two men). After the couples swap, there is naturally fallout despite the best laid plans, and the decades-old friendships begin to suffer.
Of the four main performers, Salenger comes off best because Ami is the last to cave and the most well-rounded character. She is given two clicheed, overbearing parents in the form of Jessica Walter and Tony Roberts, but finally agreeing to the swap so she can start having babies and show her parents up makes little sense.These characters are supposed to be urbane, and the plot "zany," but bits like Steve doing an ad agency-style pitch to his wife about why they should do this falls flat. Director Finelli's use of fadeouts in some scenes made me think I was watching a dirty network television movie with the commercials edited out. The odd loud musical score is all wrong, and I wished for more scenes with Steve and Eric's college roommate Chuck (Bill Sage), a bachelor who sleeps with younger women based on whether they know who the Fonz is.
"My Best Friend's Wife" is a small film, and a small-minded one. It's characters annoy from the first few scenes, and major marital issues like infidelity are played for awkward laughs. I did not like these people, and now if you will excuse me, it's time for that shower. Also unironically known as "Grownups."
Stats:
(2001) 85 min. (1/10)
-Directed by Doug Finelli
-Written by Doug Finelli, Mitch Galane
-Cast: John Stamos, Daniel London, Meredith Salenger, Tara Westwood, Jessica Walter, Tony Roberts, Bill Sage, Carol Alt, Paul Michael Valley, Anthony LaMagna, Carlo Castronovo, Miss Bunny, Robert Vito
(R)
Media Viewed: DVD
*Get If You Would Have Told Me: A Memoir by John Stamos on Amazon here*
*Get John Stamos merchandise on Amazon here*
*Get Meredith Salenger merchandise on Amazon here*
Best friends- ad man Steve (John Stamos) and attorney Eric (Daniel London)- resort to the same situation the characters in "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" did, with shallow and predictable results.
Shallow and predictable can describe our "heroes" as well as this film. There is an element of sleaze that permeates every scene, an "eww" quotient that makes you want to shower after every plot turn. Eric constantly jokes about swapping wives with Steve, but the joke is never funny to the characters, or the viewer. Eric is married to Ami (Meredith Salenger), who wants to start a family. Steve is married to Claire (Tara Westwood), an underwritten character who works with Eric. After losing out on a dream job, Steve decides Eric's dumb idea deserves practice as the men already seem to be in the throes of a mid-life crisis while only in their early 30's. The wives act appropriately outraged, but eventually come around based on the flimsiest of reasoning (this was written by two men). After the couples swap, there is naturally fallout despite the best laid plans, and the decades-old friendships begin to suffer.
Of the four main performers, Salenger comes off best because Ami is the last to cave and the most well-rounded character. She is given two clicheed, overbearing parents in the form of Jessica Walter and Tony Roberts, but finally agreeing to the swap so she can start having babies and show her parents up makes little sense.These characters are supposed to be urbane, and the plot "zany," but bits like Steve doing an ad agency-style pitch to his wife about why they should do this falls flat. Director Finelli's use of fadeouts in some scenes made me think I was watching a dirty network television movie with the commercials edited out. The odd loud musical score is all wrong, and I wished for more scenes with Steve and Eric's college roommate Chuck (Bill Sage), a bachelor who sleeps with younger women based on whether they know who the Fonz is.
"My Best Friend's Wife" is a small film, and a small-minded one. It's characters annoy from the first few scenes, and major marital issues like infidelity are played for awkward laughs. I did not like these people, and now if you will excuse me, it's time for that shower. Also unironically known as "Grownups."
Stats:
(2001) 85 min. (1/10)
-Directed by Doug Finelli
-Written by Doug Finelli, Mitch Galane
-Cast: John Stamos, Daniel London, Meredith Salenger, Tara Westwood, Jessica Walter, Tony Roberts, Bill Sage, Carol Alt, Paul Michael Valley, Anthony LaMagna, Carlo Castronovo, Miss Bunny, Robert Vito
(R)
Media Viewed: DVD
Haunt (2013)
*Watch "Haunt" on Amazon Prime Video here*
*Get "Haunt" on Amazon here*
*Get Say Everything by Ione Skye on Amazon here*
*Get Much Love, Jac by Jacki Weaver on Amazon here*
It's another turn at the age-old haunted house story, but "Haunt" does answer a very pressing question- whatever happened to Ione Skye?
The Morello family has seen it's share of tragedy. Three of their children die, and when the husband is finally killed by a strange paranormal being, Janet Morello (Jacki Weaver) leaves her giant isolated mansion. The Asher family moves in (Ione Skye in the Mom role), and 18 year old Evan (Harrison Sloan Gilbertson) claims the cavernous attic bedroom once occupied by now dead teen Matthew Morello (Sebastian Barr). Evan and his two sisters begin noticing odd things in the house right away. Evan stumbles upon a beaten Sam (Liana Leberato), who is inexplicably drawn to the house, and the two begin a romantic and sexual relationship right under Evan's overly permissive parents' noses. There is a small room just off Evan's bedroom that seems to be the center of creepy activity, although Evan's younger sister Anita (Ella Harris) also finds time to snag an "imaginary friend." Evan and Sam conveniently discover an Electronic Voice Phenomenon machine in the small room, a machine that the original owner of the house was using when he was killed, and the two try it out. Soon, we discover the source of the paranormal activity in the house, and despite a surprising ending, the film makers leave us with many questions unanswered.
They also leave us with a mediocre horror film that does have some good moments. The cold Utah location is outstanding, however, Andrew Barrer's screenplay is padded with some deathly dull dialogue between Evan and Sam about the hauntings. I don't know if he was trying to recreate what was going through the viewers' minds, but much of it leads nowhere. Director Carter makes good use of the jump scare, and adding little pieces of terror in amongst the big house set. The film is already brief, and I wish more work had been done on the screenplay. I can't help but come back to what a mess it is, and wonder why no one questioned the leaps in logic, obvious plot turns, and an ending that makes you start your reactionary questions with a "yeah, but...".
"Haunt" is purely average, but with enough atmosphere to slightly recommend it.
Stats:
(2013) 86 min. (6/10)
-Directed by Mac Carter
-Written by Andrew Barrer
-Cast: Jacki Weaver, Harrison Sloan Gilbertson, Liana Liberato, Ione Skye, Brian Wimmer, Danielle C. Ryan, Ella Harris, Sebastian Barr, Carl Hadra, Brooke Kelly, Maggie Scott, Jan Broberg, Aline Andrade
(R)
Media Viewed: Home Video
*Get "Haunt" on Amazon here*
*Get Say Everything by Ione Skye on Amazon here*
*Get Much Love, Jac by Jacki Weaver on Amazon here*
It's another turn at the age-old haunted house story, but "Haunt" does answer a very pressing question- whatever happened to Ione Skye?
The Morello family has seen it's share of tragedy. Three of their children die, and when the husband is finally killed by a strange paranormal being, Janet Morello (Jacki Weaver) leaves her giant isolated mansion. The Asher family moves in (Ione Skye in the Mom role), and 18 year old Evan (Harrison Sloan Gilbertson) claims the cavernous attic bedroom once occupied by now dead teen Matthew Morello (Sebastian Barr). Evan and his two sisters begin noticing odd things in the house right away. Evan stumbles upon a beaten Sam (Liana Leberato), who is inexplicably drawn to the house, and the two begin a romantic and sexual relationship right under Evan's overly permissive parents' noses. There is a small room just off Evan's bedroom that seems to be the center of creepy activity, although Evan's younger sister Anita (Ella Harris) also finds time to snag an "imaginary friend." Evan and Sam conveniently discover an Electronic Voice Phenomenon machine in the small room, a machine that the original owner of the house was using when he was killed, and the two try it out. Soon, we discover the source of the paranormal activity in the house, and despite a surprising ending, the film makers leave us with many questions unanswered.
They also leave us with a mediocre horror film that does have some good moments. The cold Utah location is outstanding, however, Andrew Barrer's screenplay is padded with some deathly dull dialogue between Evan and Sam about the hauntings. I don't know if he was trying to recreate what was going through the viewers' minds, but much of it leads nowhere. Director Carter makes good use of the jump scare, and adding little pieces of terror in amongst the big house set. The film is already brief, and I wish more work had been done on the screenplay. I can't help but come back to what a mess it is, and wonder why no one questioned the leaps in logic, obvious plot turns, and an ending that makes you start your reactionary questions with a "yeah, but...".
"Haunt" is purely average, but with enough atmosphere to slightly recommend it.
Stats:
(2013) 86 min. (6/10)
-Directed by Mac Carter
-Written by Andrew Barrer
-Cast: Jacki Weaver, Harrison Sloan Gilbertson, Liana Liberato, Ione Skye, Brian Wimmer, Danielle C. Ryan, Ella Harris, Sebastian Barr, Carl Hadra, Brooke Kelly, Maggie Scott, Jan Broberg, Aline Andrade
(R)
Media Viewed: Home Video
The Star Packer (1934)
*Get "The Star Packer" on Amazon here*
*Get Story of John Wayne: The Ultimate Collector's Guide on Amazon here*
*Get Stunt Man: The Autobiography of Yakima Canutt by Yakima Canutt with Oliver Drake on Amazon here*
*Get My Rodeo Years: Memoir of a Bronc Rider's Path to Hollywood Fame by Yakima Canutt with John Crawford on Amazon here*
The Duke is U.S. Marshal John Travers in this odd western written by director Robert N. Bradbury.
Travers (John Wayne) travels to a small town in order to investigate a crime wave instigated by "The Shadow," an easily identified villain. With his trusty sidekick Yak (Yakima Canutt), Travers also finds himself smitten with Anita (Verna Hillie), the niece of town elder/ranch baron Matlock (George 'Gabby' Hayes, before he became so ornery and Gabby-ish). Travers works his way into the job of sheriff after his predecessor serves the shortest term in U.S. law enforcement history, and eventually saves the day.
While the plot is standard B-movie fare, Bradbury commits two giant leaps of bad screenwriting in the film. In some of the opening scenes, for some unknown reason, Travers robs a stagecoach before the real villains get a chance at it. When the villains do come along and find out someone beat them to it, they end up shooting the driver and his shotgun-toting companion, killing one of them. This little plot point is not brought up for the rest of the film, making you wonder if Travers knew what he was doing when he held the thing up? Also, The Shadow's identity is pretty well-known to the viewer, but the cook at the Matlock ranch holds onto some pretty important information, letting Anita in on the secret in one scene. The problem is, why did the cook never speak up before, considering his role on the ranch?
The messy screenplay aside, "The Star Packer" serves as a showcase for Yakima Canutt's amazing stuntwork, although his portrayal of Native American Yak is a little embarrassing. This is a poverty row pic, but Canutt makes it watchable, as does Wayne's earnest performance.
Stats:
(1957) 53 min. (6/10)
-Written and Directed by Robert N. Bradbury
-Cast: John Wayne, Verna Hillie, Yakima Canutt, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Billy Franey, Eddie Parker, Earl Dwire, Thomas G. Lingham, Glenn Strange, Frank Ball, George Cleveland, Arthur Millett, Artie Ortego
(Not Rated)
Media Viewed: VHS
*Get Story of John Wayne: The Ultimate Collector's Guide on Amazon here*
*Get Stunt Man: The Autobiography of Yakima Canutt by Yakima Canutt with Oliver Drake on Amazon here*
*Get My Rodeo Years: Memoir of a Bronc Rider's Path to Hollywood Fame by Yakima Canutt with John Crawford on Amazon here*
The Duke is U.S. Marshal John Travers in this odd western written by director Robert N. Bradbury.
Travers (John Wayne) travels to a small town in order to investigate a crime wave instigated by "The Shadow," an easily identified villain. With his trusty sidekick Yak (Yakima Canutt), Travers also finds himself smitten with Anita (Verna Hillie), the niece of town elder/ranch baron Matlock (George 'Gabby' Hayes, before he became so ornery and Gabby-ish). Travers works his way into the job of sheriff after his predecessor serves the shortest term in U.S. law enforcement history, and eventually saves the day.
While the plot is standard B-movie fare, Bradbury commits two giant leaps of bad screenwriting in the film. In some of the opening scenes, for some unknown reason, Travers robs a stagecoach before the real villains get a chance at it. When the villains do come along and find out someone beat them to it, they end up shooting the driver and his shotgun-toting companion, killing one of them. This little plot point is not brought up for the rest of the film, making you wonder if Travers knew what he was doing when he held the thing up? Also, The Shadow's identity is pretty well-known to the viewer, but the cook at the Matlock ranch holds onto some pretty important information, letting Anita in on the secret in one scene. The problem is, why did the cook never speak up before, considering his role on the ranch?
The messy screenplay aside, "The Star Packer" serves as a showcase for Yakima Canutt's amazing stuntwork, although his portrayal of Native American Yak is a little embarrassing. This is a poverty row pic, but Canutt makes it watchable, as does Wayne's earnest performance.
Stats:
(1957) 53 min. (6/10)
-Written and Directed by Robert N. Bradbury
-Cast: John Wayne, Verna Hillie, Yakima Canutt, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Billy Franey, Eddie Parker, Earl Dwire, Thomas G. Lingham, Glenn Strange, Frank Ball, George Cleveland, Arthur Millett, Artie Ortego
(Not Rated)
Media Viewed: VHS
The Andy Warhol Diaries (2022)
*Get The Andy Warhol Diaries, edited by Pat Hackett on Amazon here*
*Get Andy Warhol, Polaroids 1958-1987 on Amazon here*
*Get Warhol (Basic Art) by Klaus Honnef on Amazon here*
*Get "I Shot Andy Warhol" on Amazon here*
This six and a half hour documentary mini-series succeeds in humanizing the mysterious media force of nature known as Andy Warhol, covering his shooting in 1968 until his early death in 1987. I didn't know much about Warhol before I started watching this documentary. I was eighteen years old when he died, and I was more familiar with his film work and the Factory days of the 1960's than his bizarre career in the 1980's.
Director Rossi divides the six episodes by the major relationships Warhol was having after his near-death at the hands of Valerie Solanas: interior decorator Jed Johnson, film executive Jon Gould, and wunderkind artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, plus Warhol's reaction to the AIDS panic of the 1980's. Bill Irwin provides narration via an AI program to make him sound more like Warhol, and the recreations enhance the tons of actual footage that the producers had access to. The story centers around the book The Andy Warhol Diaries, which was edited by Pat Hackett. Warhol would call Hackett every morning and tell her what he had done during that period, and Hackett would transcribe the phone calls.
I also appreciated that this is not a glowing celebration of the artist. Warhol is presented, warts and all. His possible racism is excused away, though, which completely flies in the face of today's presentism, and his reaction to the AIDS crisis seems over-the-top until we consider the planet's reaction to the Covid pandemic. Both Johnson and Gould were part of two sets of identical twins, so seeing their brothers and how they may have looked today is very emotional. The film makers ask the interview subjects some uncomfortable questions, and someone says it best: you can write a million books or make a million movies, but no one will ever "know" Andy Warhol. Even people who knew him his entire life have different interpretations of his artwork, or were unaware of his romantic relationships or religious beliefs. After Nancy Reagan was featured on the cover of Warhol's Interview magazine to much protest, someone brings up that "even Republicans buy artwork." Warhol seems to have been torn between his carefully crafted public persona and his private life. His reactions to some of the lowpoints of his career are insightful, when he was wronged or slighted, he usually told Hackett about it. I've seen his episode of "The Love Boat," and his performance is only beat out in its awfulness by Halston's guest turn.
This is a strong documentary, I spaced the six episodes over a few nights once the kiddies went to bed. I don't usually do this, but I would recommend the following films if you want to learn more about Warhol's Factory years: "Beautiful Darling," "Superstar in a Housedress," "A Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory," "Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story," plus the myriad of films that were done by Warhol and others in that period. Also check out "Basquiat" and "I Shot Andy Warhol."
"The Andy Warhol Diaries" delves deeper into the artist's life more than any other documentary I have seen. It would serve as a good introduction, or a strong review of his life.
Stats:
(2022) 390 min. (8/10)
-Written and Directed by Andrew Rossi
-Featuring Andy Warhol, Bill Irwin, Pat Hackett, Brian Kelly, Holly R Gould, Bob Colacello, Jay Johnson, John Waters, Brandon Kalm, John Kroft, Jeffrey Omura, Stephanie Gibson, Debbie Harry
(TV-MA)- Mild physical violence, mild gun violence, profanity, strong nudity, explicit sexual content, strong sexual references, very strong adult situations, strong drug abuse references, drug abuse, alcohol and tobacco use
Media Viewed: Streaming
*Get Andy Warhol, Polaroids 1958-1987 on Amazon here*
*Get Warhol (Basic Art) by Klaus Honnef on Amazon here*
*Get "I Shot Andy Warhol" on Amazon here*
This six and a half hour documentary mini-series succeeds in humanizing the mysterious media force of nature known as Andy Warhol, covering his shooting in 1968 until his early death in 1987. I didn't know much about Warhol before I started watching this documentary. I was eighteen years old when he died, and I was more familiar with his film work and the Factory days of the 1960's than his bizarre career in the 1980's.
Director Rossi divides the six episodes by the major relationships Warhol was having after his near-death at the hands of Valerie Solanas: interior decorator Jed Johnson, film executive Jon Gould, and wunderkind artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, plus Warhol's reaction to the AIDS panic of the 1980's. Bill Irwin provides narration via an AI program to make him sound more like Warhol, and the recreations enhance the tons of actual footage that the producers had access to. The story centers around the book The Andy Warhol Diaries, which was edited by Pat Hackett. Warhol would call Hackett every morning and tell her what he had done during that period, and Hackett would transcribe the phone calls.
I also appreciated that this is not a glowing celebration of the artist. Warhol is presented, warts and all. His possible racism is excused away, though, which completely flies in the face of today's presentism, and his reaction to the AIDS crisis seems over-the-top until we consider the planet's reaction to the Covid pandemic. Both Johnson and Gould were part of two sets of identical twins, so seeing their brothers and how they may have looked today is very emotional. The film makers ask the interview subjects some uncomfortable questions, and someone says it best: you can write a million books or make a million movies, but no one will ever "know" Andy Warhol. Even people who knew him his entire life have different interpretations of his artwork, or were unaware of his romantic relationships or religious beliefs. After Nancy Reagan was featured on the cover of Warhol's Interview magazine to much protest, someone brings up that "even Republicans buy artwork." Warhol seems to have been torn between his carefully crafted public persona and his private life. His reactions to some of the lowpoints of his career are insightful, when he was wronged or slighted, he usually told Hackett about it. I've seen his episode of "The Love Boat," and his performance is only beat out in its awfulness by Halston's guest turn.
This is a strong documentary, I spaced the six episodes over a few nights once the kiddies went to bed. I don't usually do this, but I would recommend the following films if you want to learn more about Warhol's Factory years: "Beautiful Darling," "Superstar in a Housedress," "A Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory," "Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story," plus the myriad of films that were done by Warhol and others in that period. Also check out "Basquiat" and "I Shot Andy Warhol."
"The Andy Warhol Diaries" delves deeper into the artist's life more than any other documentary I have seen. It would serve as a good introduction, or a strong review of his life.
Stats:
(2022) 390 min. (8/10)
-Written and Directed by Andrew Rossi
-Featuring Andy Warhol, Bill Irwin, Pat Hackett, Brian Kelly, Holly R Gould, Bob Colacello, Jay Johnson, John Waters, Brandon Kalm, John Kroft, Jeffrey Omura, Stephanie Gibson, Debbie Harry
(TV-MA)- Mild physical violence, mild gun violence, profanity, strong nudity, explicit sexual content, strong sexual references, very strong adult situations, strong drug abuse references, drug abuse, alcohol and tobacco use
Media Viewed: Streaming
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