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THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW-1999-Another imaginative, off center effort by Tim Burton. Unlike his two previous films (ED WOOD and MARS ATTACKS, which are both great) this one was a hit. It’s a bizarre reworking of the famous Washington Irving tale set in upstate NY. In this update, Johnny Depp stars as Icabod Crane, a police medical examiner send to Sleepy Hollow by Judge Christopher Lee (in a superb cameo) to investigate a series of gory beheadings. Christina Ricci provides the romantic interest. Suspicious townsfolk include Michael Gambon, Miranda Richardson, Jeffery Jones and Michael Gough. Christopher Walken (who kind of looks like an evil jack ‘o lantern anyway) plays the evil Hessian horseman responsible for the best beheadings ever seen on film. Also with Casper Van Dien (from STARSHIP TROOPERS) and Martin Landau (in a pre-credit cameo) as the first victim. The SFX and story are good but I had a little problem with Depp’s character who couldn’t seem to decide whether to be a hero (with nerves of steel who boldly performs autopsies) or a coward (who faints at the sight of blood!).
QUEEN EMERALDAS-1999-This is a spinoff of the popular Capt. Harlock anime series featuring his pirate ally Emeraldas who's more a wondering do-gooder than an actual pirate. She helps Hiroshi, a young boy who has lost his faith in humanity. If it sounds a little like GALAXY 999 it's because it all takes place in the some universe created by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto and Emeraldas is the sister of GALAXY's lead female character Maetel. This is a 60 min. OVA in two parts and very enjoyable.
KICKBOXER'S TEARS-1992-This starts out as a typical drama with some kickboxing matches thrown in. When a boxer is killed in a match rigged by gangsters his sister (Moon Lee from KILLER ANGELS) seeks revenge and when she gets atarted...look out! Her fight scenes are excellent. She eventually gets even with the killer and even destroys the wife of the mob boss in a match. The climax features her and her two friends having a wild brutual match with the head guy. Justice seems to triumph until the police arrive in an abrupt fade out final. This may be due to the fact that I saw a US dubbed version. Otherwise KICKBOXER'S TEARS delivers the goods!!
GREEN MANSIONS-1959-Unusual love story set in The Amazon Jungle with Audrey Hephurn as the orphaned Rima who lives an isolated life in a "cursed jungle" with her grandfather (Lee J. Cobb) who holds a horrible secret. Anthony Perkins portrays a kind of explorer who falls in love with her. A nearby native tribe believes she is a demon and want her destroyed.
Japanese actor Sessue Hayakawa portrays the chief and Henry Silva (from Brooklyn) is his son! Although the acting and direction are good Hepburn is slightly mis-cast. Just a tad too old to be playing a "jungle girl". But this was typical in movies before the sixties.
GM was directed by Hepburn's then husband actor Mel Ferrer (who would later produce WAIT UNTIL DARK). After they divorced he directed for TV and made appearances in many explotation movies including EATEN ALIVE BY CANNIBALS and CITY OF THE WALKING DEAD.
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Posted by CavedogRob on 2008-01-03 21:12:00 | Rating: | Views: 66
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