Summer Film Fest 2017 – Day Five
Prisoners
Director: Denis Villeneuve 
Screenplay: Aaron Guzikowski
Minutes: 153
Year: 2013
Score: 7.60
Release: Plain Archive
This film is incredible. I remember seeing a trailer for it when it was coming out originally and I think there is an issue with the marketing because I quickly forgot about the film. For this, I am grateful to the Plain Archive. I am very glad to have seen this film. It does get a bit extreme but I think that everyone, on some level or another, can relate to the Hugh Jackman’s character.
Now, I want to put this out here for a moment, because there is a massive elephant in the room, I think Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the finest actors working today. This performance in this film is dynamite and this got me thinking about the other films I have watched him and I great performances flashed before my eyes.
Truly all the acting in Prisoners is top notch and the cast if out of this world. You should definitely check this film out.
Director: 10 – Cinematography: 10 – Edit: 7 – Parity: 5 – Main performance: 10 – Else performance: 6 – Score: 6 – Sound: 5 – Story: 9 – Script: 8 – Effects: 6 – Design: 6 – Costumes: 6 – Keeps interest: 10 – Lasting: 10
Dolls
Director: Stuart Gordon
Screenplay: Ed Naha
Minutes: 77
Year: 1987
Score: 5.53
Release: Scream Factory
It would be fair to say that I am in the middle of a film renaissance in which I revisit films I feel like I should have seen but for one reason or another did not. I recently watched Re-Animator and remembered how much I enjoyed the film earlier in my life. As an older fellow, I have started to see directors more than their end-products so I looked at Gordon’s back catalog and decided to give Dolls a go. With my past appreciation for the Puppet Master series it seemed like a no brainer.
Sadly, the film is fine. A bit corny, but that is fair for many of the films of this generation. I would list this more as a curiosity than a necessity. Still it looked great and definitely has its audience.
Director: 6 – Cinematography: 5 – Edit: 5 – Parity: 1 – Main performance: 5 – Else performance: 3 – Score: 5 – Sound: 4 – Story: 6 – Script: 4 – Effects: 7 – Design: 9 – Costumes: 5 – Keeps interest: 8 – Lasting: 10
Black Christmas
Director: Bob Clark 
Screenplay: A. Roy Moore
Minutes: 98
Year: 1974
Score: 6.33
Release: Scream Factory
It should come as no surprise to anyone of my age but I have been in an on again off again emotional affair with Margot Kidder. She is Lois Lane after all but she was not the reason I spun this disc up. She is, however, the main reason for me watching it again.
The film is crude but well-made and I enjoyed it and would recommend it to slasher fans. It is not the best but I can see it entering my rotation.
Director: 6 – Cinematography: 8 – Edit: 5 – Parity: 3 – Main performance: 6 – Else performance: 5 – Score: 7 – Sound: 5 – Story: 6 – Script: 7 – Effects: 6 – Design: 7 – Costumes: 6 – Keeps interest: 8 – Lasting: 10
Nurse Sherri
Director: Al Adamson
Screenplay: Greg Tittinger and Michael Bockman
Minutes: 88
Year: 1978
Score: 4.73
Release: Vinegar Syndrome
Well this is a steamy lump of garbage. I mean I have seen bad movies but this was a different level. But, the film is an exploitation film and that is clear. If you were going to watch this film you already know about it and I think that is as vague a point as I can make.
Director: 4 – Cinematography: 6 – Edit: 3 – Parity: 4 – Main performance: 4 – Else performance: 1 – Score: 5 – Sound: 6 – Story: 6 – Script: 5 – Effects: 8 – Design: 5 – Costumes: 3 – Keeps interest: 6 – Lasting: 5
Zombi: Dawn of the Dead
Director: George A. Romero 
Screenplay: George A. Romero
Minutes: 119
Year: 1978
Score: 7.00
Release: Midnight Factory
A few weeks ago I was told that there was a 4k restoration of Dawn of the Dead I knew that I had to track it down. The score? Pretty good. Visually it is mostly great, there are a few cloudy scenes but I must assume that is either the best they could do, or a visual choice by Romero and Argento.
This set, from Italian distributor Midnight Factory, includes the European cut by Dario Argento, which I watched, the US theatrical cut and the Extended edition from its original Cannes presentation.
I am pretty sure that this was the first time I had seen the Argento cut and it almost seems a different film. There is an odd echo in the 5.1 surround presentation but I would want to hold that against the release, it is also available with the older stereo releases.
As much as I want to tell fans to rush out and order this it is region locked so unless you have a region free player you are out of luck. I hope that there is a new US release soon. I did not play the other cuts in the release but it is my understanding that they are the same restorations from the previous releases, which, of course, are out of print.
Director: 10 – Cinematography: 7 – Edit: 6 – Parity: 4 – Main performance: 6 – Else performance: 4 – Score: 10 – Sound: 3 – Story: 8 – Script: 8 – Effects: 9 – Design: 6 – Costumes: 4 – Keeps interest: 10 – Lasting: 10