The Adventures of Baron Munchausen: Witty Wonders of the World

Image from Rhymes With Geek: Top 5 Underrated Robin Williams Movies

            Before I get into my usual style of summary and criticism, I’d like to take a moment to talk about the recent loss of the amazing actor, Robin Williams. I had no idea he was in this movie when I picked it, and it hit me like a truck when I saw he had passed away.  He was an actor and comedian of amazing talents, one that played a huge role in my childhood, and I’ll always remember him as one of the funniest men alive. It was such a horrible tragedy to see his life come to this, but I think it best we remember him not for what happened but for what he was: hilarious, talented, friendly and a true force of nature. Oh captain, my captain, we will miss you.

            This was one of his funnier movies, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. The movie brings to life the extravagant and exaggerated war-stories of Hieronymus Carl Friedrich Baron von Münchhausen (who in addition to having a ridiculously long name was a general in the Russian army against the Ottoman Turks). The story opens in a war-torn, unnamed European city, run by The Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson (He’s as exciting as he sounds, sadly). Suddenly the Turks break with Jackson’s schedule and attack the town, and it’s up to the newly arrived Baron to save them.  He travels from one fantastical place to another to collect his gang of misfits, each equipped with their own fantastical powers, and come back in time to save the city. It is, in one short sentence, Adult-Adventure-Nostalgia on steroids.

            This is High Adventure at the purest level. Sultans, gods, giants and all kinds of other elements all collide together in this fun little mesh-mash. Director Terry Gilliam presents us two separate worlds. One is drab and ‘Right Ordinary’, where wars are run on a schedule and soldiers are executed for being heroes. The other world is colorful and runs on the logic of a child, with long-haired goddesses (Uma Thurman), hilarious Italian moon people (Robin Williams & Valentina Cortese) and so much more. Even more curious, there’s this sad undertone to all this whimsy. The baron himself and his servants are all dying in this world of the logical and science. There isn’t any room to dream, thus, no room for them.

            A big point in this film’s favor is the humor. It’s gets downright raunchy at moments but comes at an angle of infantile cluelessness. It stems from our wonderful cast, who I am sure took some pointers from Monty Python (kinda have to since Eric Idle’s in the mix.) John Neville’s Baron Munchausen has a great way of portraying a hero of the older days: comically exuberant, always ready with a rose for fair-maiden, and sad to see the world leave him in the dust. Our supporting character, Sally Salt (Sarah Polley) is by far the best straight man I’ve seen in awhile.  It’s her desire to see the end of the story that proves that the world still cares for the baron’s kind of story, no matter how drenched in realism we found ourselves.

            Altogether, the skillful acting, amazing scenery, and nonsensical situations create a very wild ride that is worth a watch. Get your friend and grab some popcorn for what will be one of the more fantastical things you’ve seen, but be prepared to sit for awhile. This was along film, as it had several different situations to get through (but it flushed everything out, fancy that.) It was extremely funny, eye-popping, and great for someone looking for a casual watch.

            So, where to now? We covered slightly obscure, massive favorites and even something for the good ole’ UK. But I notice most of my picks have been stuck between the 80s and 90s.  We’re going to try something much more modern this time...and a helluva lot more confusing.

Next Film: Donnie Darko

Killer Klowns From Outer Space: Kost-effective Kure for Klown-a-Phobia

 

They have their own theme song...what are you waiting for?!

This is the second monster movie I’ve watched that took place in California. Is there something going on there that ole’ sunny Cali isn’t telling us?

            Specifically our little story takes place in Crescent Cove, California, where a suspicious shooting star interrupts what would otherwise be a goofy and awkward totally hot makeout between our main characters, Michael and Debbie. Mike and Debbie in typical horror-movie-induced stupidity go to investigate find that their town is now in danger from alien clowns Klowns. The Klowns are here to murder, collect, and snack on innocent civilians, so it’s up to Mike, Debbie, and Debbie’s ex-boyfriend/cop to stop them in what is one glorious horror-comedy.

            In movies like this the story is both non-important and a saving grace. I say non-important because looking for plot holes and logic in a movie about alien clowns would be missing the point.  However, it’s also a saving grace because it just continues to dive deeper and deeper into absurdism as it goes. We get lots of ‘you be dead’ scenes in which the Klowns kill and capture townsfolk in increasingly dark-comedic fashions, and I always give credit to a movie that rewards people who mark smart decisions in a crisis. And it’s somehow insanely fun to watch our main cast of characters scramble about like little ants.

            Ah, but here comes the nit-picking I must do as practice. For while the movie flows seamlessly, it has two points that almost dragged it down. One of those was Chief Officer Mooney, whose blatant negligence towards emergency calls (did it not cross his mind that we could be dealing with serial killers dressed as circus clowns?)  and obvious brutality against the youngsters would have gotten him fired ages ago. But, thankfully, David being the smart and responsible cop in the movie balances that out and just makes Mooney murder-fodder for later on (and it’s especially hilarious, trust me).

            The other thing was, sad to say, Debbie. I had high hopes for blondie when I saw her, as she was smart enough to realize that a circus tent in the middle of nowhere (that happens to look like the skittle version of love-craft on the inside) is likely unsafe, especially when you see it just after you saw something weird in the sky. But her smart decisions were not due to last as she fell into the obligatory role of damsel in distress.  In the movie’s defense, this does add to the overall b-movie feel of everything, but I just felt disappointed. It would have been kick-ass for the girlfriend to be the smart one who takes the lead instead of her boyfriend.

            Overall it won’t ruin the experience, and I say you have to see this movie. This is the crazy-awesome at it’s finest, with some of the best comedic timing I ever seen in a film. It has better acting than a film called Killer Klowns deserves, decent special effects for its time, and stays internally consistent through most of the movie. Ignoring the fancy-critical approach, it’ just a damn funny movie that’s best enjoyed late at night with a buddy and a bowl of popcorn.

            Now then, let’s see. We went from the well known, to box-office, to teen, and to obscure. What next...how about something British?

Next Review: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Lost Boys: Live Long, Die Never

-From sodahead

Of course I was going to make a Twilight reference. What kind of Internet nerd would I be if I hadn’t?

            The Lost Boys is a teenage horror film from the 80s. It’s about Michael and Sam Emerson, who move to Santa Carla, California with their mother, Lucy. They move back into Grandpa’s house, but soon discover that his taxidermist tendencies are the least of their problems. Michael gets himself mixed up with a tribe of vampires in an attempt to impress a hot-hippie-chick, and discovers that he’s slowly turning into the same undead murderer his new buddies are. The only way to save himself, his new girlfriend, and their little friend Laddie, is to face off against his new found family; Van Hellsing style.  It’s cheesy, predictable, and wicked fun to watch; loved it from start to finish.

            Our plot is highly unoriginal for it’s time: New kid in town wants to impress pretty girl/ join the cool kids, new kid ends up joining gang, and gang turns out to be bad. It’s saved from feeling like an after-school special thanks to the lack of smart adults, and an incredibly dark, moody atmosphere(and, you know, the vampires.). The bad part is that our pace is incredibly fast. Conversations go at break-neck speed, and relationships aren’t really given the time they need to develop properly. The time it takes for Star and Michael to get to sexy-time breaks the record for the fifty-meter dash.

            Problems aside, the Lost Boys themselves are the saving grace of this entire film They look like Captain Hook on a goth trip, and sport an attitude that an older Peter Pan would have likely been proud of: Party all night, sleep all day, and never grow up.  But what makes them so fascinating is this mafia-like stoicism that underscores everything they do. Joining the family is a big deal, and being part of the gang trumps whatever else you had going on.

 There’s also something refreshing about watching vampires excitedly hunt, stalk, and kill their prey with the same childlike glee of Christmas Day. I have nothing against the romanticized vampire, and in fact quite like it, but it’s also nice to get back to the basics. Add to the fact that the book stores these days are saturated with fanged-pretty-boys that are more likely to be your prom-date than your nightmare. Needless to say, I was rather happy to put these vampires into the ‘bed afraid’ part of my brain.

            Sadly, our villains will forever be much more interesting than our leads. Michael and Sam aren't bad characters, but they fall into a predictable pattern pretty quick. Michael is the good kid who made a big mistake and Sam is the poor, nearly helpless younger brother who’s trying to keep the big secret from Mom. In fact, the mother is the only one who honestly surprised me. She wasn’t treated like the mindless authority figure that I expected her to be and was instead shown as a loving and attentive parent (while still oblivious to the plot.)  It’s my biggest pet peeve when adults act worse than the kids in these teen movies(or in a sitcom) or when attempts to be a parent are shown as ‘mean’ and ‘intrusive’. So this movie gets a big ole’ gold star for treating Lucy as an innocent bystander who actually knows how to be a good mom.

            To draw into my final thought, I ask you to think about where the vampire has gone these past years. To echo my statement about ‘fanged-pretty boys’, I enjoyed this movie because its different from what I’m used to. The idea of “Vampire Bad” has been lost in the flow of popular media and I'm always grateful to get back to the classics. And, as a classic, I highly recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good Vampire movie. It’s cool, dark, fun in it’s nostalgia and awesome in it’s old-school action.

P.S: I hope you like G. Tom Mac’s song “Cry Little Sister”, as you’ll be hearing it a lot. Kisses!

Next Film: Killer Klowns From Outer Space (yes, that’s how they spell it).

Labyrinth; Music, Makeup and More.

 “A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, an elaborate subculture that engage in repeated viewings, quoting dialogue, and audience participation. Inclusive definitions allow for major studio productions, especially box office bombs, while exclusive definitions focus more on obscure, transgressive films shunned by the mainstream.”

-Wikipedia Definition, “Cult Films.”

            Fifteen year-old Sarah Williams has the same problems any teenager of the 80s has; her stepmother is incapable of affection, her father is henpecked, and her step-brother is pulling all the attention away from her. Fed up with her perceived problems, the childish teen wistfully wishes that Goblins would take her baby brother away. A sparkly, leather-clad Goblin King answers her call and tells the distraught girl that she can have her brother back if she solves a labyrinth that acts like the lovechild of The Phantom Tollbooth and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Along the way, she’ll run into all kinds of interesting creatures while the audience is treated to some 80’s-tastic music. It’s cheesy, predictable, and one of my all time favorite movies.

            Now, the story isn’t anything too special, and lacks any sense of complexity. What it does bring to the table is this strange mix of ”totally serious fantasy movie” and “tongue-in-cheek humor” that has a hit-or-miss streak to it. There is also an overflux of content at a breakneck speed, not allowing for anything to be really flushed out. The ideas are interesting but in sore need of some pruning shears.

One could almost argue that the story is here simply to allow our main characters to shine. Sarah Williams, played by then-newcomer Jennifer Connelly, connects nicely with the teenage audience while also being just mature enough that I don’t want to yank my hair out in frustration. Jareth, portrayed by the ever eccentric David Bowie, has some very obvious glam rock influences while coming across as the juvenile leader of some street gang. It’s quirky, but he makes it work in a way he only could.

            But it’s impossible to talk about a Jim Henson film without talking about the puppets. This is some of the most creative use of puppets and animatronics I have ever seen from Henson studios; Hoggle, the cranky dwarf that aids Sarah, gets to have very expressive facial features thanks to some heavy work in animatronics; The giant robot that protects the Goblin City, the biggest puppet they ever made, absolutely towers over our human actors; and the fact that someone can actually wear and move in Ludo’s costume is insane. People and puppet blend well in this film, creating a very visually interesting space to move about it.

            Speaking of being visually interesting, this film isn’t afraid of getting creative with it’s camera.  While a few close-ups and POV shots have a tendency to be disorienting and/or claustrophobic, most of the shots are actually quite nice. Wide angles to make our labyrinth look expansive, flipping the camera to make Jareth defy the laws of gravity, and many others.  While not extraordinary in its cinematography (that’s fancy film talk for actual use of the camera), the movie does get a gold star for effort.

            Lastly, I cannot, CANNOT, talk about this movie without bringing up the music . You could argue that the entire cult around this movie came from Bowie’s soundtrack considering most of us will eagerly parrot out the lyrics when cued (“You remind me of the babe”). I admit with complete honesty that the music usually doesn’t move the plot forward in any way. In fact,the music utterly stops the plot in its tracks most of the time. But can you really get angry at stopping for a dance break?The music is diabolically catchy, and very easy to sing back to fellow admirers. Whether it’s Bowie belting out a love song or a group of dancing fire demons having a good time, you’ll enjoy yourself.

            So, in summary, I believe you should see this movie because it’s easy to watch and enjoy. It’s a fun little 80s fantasy movie with good music, a good setting and fairly decent story. While lacking in complexity, and probably needing an editor for the overflow of content, none of that detracts from having a good time with it.

Next Review: The Big Chill