Nova "The Secret of the Wild Child" #22.2 (1994) (TV)

Heartbreaking Story, 21 November 2015

The neglect Genie suffered as a young child boggles the mind. Locked in a dark room, tied to a potty-chair, Genie never learned basic concepts like walking and talking. The shots of her walking through the grass immediately after being rescued are heartbreaking. Her walk reminds me of a new born dear getting its feet underneath. But this wasn't a newborn, Genie was more than 10 years-old before she took her "first" steps. Her story is amazing and riveting. I know that some of her caretakers were trying to do what they thought was best, but more than a few were in it for themselves. I'm not sure Genie could have ever been "saved", but I wish she had been given more of a chance.

Anyway, Genie's story is nicely presented. The film includes a number of interviews with many of the people actually in charge of Genie's care. The addition of the film clips showing Genie's progress nicely reinforces the interviews. The effect Genie had on everyone who came into contact with her is easy to see. Without the film clips, you don't have much of a show. The story of the French "wild child" from the early 19th Century, while interesting, often felt like padding (hence my 9/10 and not 10/10). I was also impressed by the film's pacing and timing. I remained glued to the screen throughout. It's a very nicely put together documentary.

9/10

Gow the Killer (1931)

Interesting on two fronts, 10 May 2009

Gow the Killer follows a team of explorers as they cruise the South Pacific Islands searching for cannibals and head-hunters. Remember, this film was made in the 1920s. Places like Fiji, New Guinea, and Samoa were far away, exotic places to be feared. And, remember that in the 1920s, there may have still been some remote islands where cannibalism was practiced. The Gow in the title is a chief whose search for his missing daughter is recounted in the film. But this story is hardly the reason to watch the movie. Instead, Gow the Killer does provide some interesting footage of primitive peoples that cannot be reproduced today. I'm sure they natives were told to "perform" for the camera, but still, there's a glimmer of truth that does come through. And it's for these reasons that Gow the Killer is worth sitting down and watching.

The other interesting facet of Gow the Killer is the attitudes of "civilized" (i.e. white) society toward the natives of the South Pacific. The narrator of the piece would be labeled a racist or worse in today's PC world. And while I'm no champion of political correctness, some of the things this guy says are embarrassing. To say that a native shaving with a clam shell must surely have a different nervous system from whites is one of the more ignorant things I've ever heard. So while I appreciated the scenes of the primitive natives, I was more shocked by the attitudes of the supposedly sophisticated explorers.

5/10

Impaler (2007)

So sad - and so compelling, 9 May 2009

What a sad, sad story. Impaler tells the story of Jonathan Sharkey. Sharkey, for those as in the dark as I was, ran for the governor of Minnesota a few years ago as a self professed vampire and Satanist. I was impressed with director W. Tray White's work on the film. He sets up the movie to initially draw the viewer's sympathy. I admit that at first I found myself caring for Sharkey even though he was obviously crazy as a loon. It's painfully obvious that Sharkey has no idea about politics (impaling criminals?), vampirism (a hickey on the arm is not feeding on blood), or Satanism. But White gives him the rope and Sharkey gleefully hangs himself with it.

However, once White's got you sucked in (pardon the pun), he switches tone to reveal what a scum his subject really is. And by the time I found out that Sharkey had kids from a previous marriage that he refuses to see or support or that he had outstanding arrest warrants in Indiana, I was ready to string him up myself. White's finale – allowing Sharkey a few minutes to sum up the movie and his life – is brilliant. It serves to drive home the insanity of what came before. In short, Sharkey was, is, and probably always will be nothing but a fraud who needs some serious help from the mental health community.

But the film goes beyond the campaign, vampirism, and Satanism. Much of Impaler is an indictment against American pop culture. The insanity uncovered in Impaler includes our celebrity driven society that will give someone like Sharkey a platform to demonstrate his insanity for the bemusement of the masses. It becomes painfully obvious quite early on that Sharkey's not operating with a full deck. The lengths this man will go for attention are staggering. And it's deplorable the way the American press feeds the egos of these people. I can easily see how Sharkey might get some time and attention from The National Enquirer or even The Daily Show, but Sharkey actually made it to Fox News and CNN. These are supposed to be legit news gathering organizations. Watching Tucker Carlson interview Sharkey was more like watching something I would have expected from Stephen Colbert. No one was taking Sharkey seriously except for Sharkey. It's all really sad.

7/10

Super Size Me (2004)

"There is a big, nappy hair in my sundae.", 10 April 2009

Super Size Me is the hugely successful documentary that follows Morgan Spurlock, a healthy 32 year-old filmmaker, as he goes on a month long diet consisting of nothing but food from McDonald's. If McDonald's doesn't sell it, he's not eating it. He's also set a goal of limiting his exercise to 5,000 steps per day. According to the movie this is the average amount walked by most Americans. The results: a 24.5 pound weight gain, increased cholesterol, liver damage, and, if you believe Spurlock and his girlfriend, depression and a decreased sex drive. If you believe the results the film presents, it's quite eye-opening.

After having watched Super Size Me for the first time, my initial reaction is that while it's a reasonably entertaining way to spend an hour and a half, the logic and methodology are so flawed that it's difficult for me to take it too seriously. To begin with, who eats at McDonald's three meals a day? And why go for the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese for your first meal? And do you really need to add a shake to every order? I'm not defending McDonald's at all – their food is some of the most unhealthy junk you can find. But if you're going to go into an experiment and eat like Spurlock does, the results are predictable. The most shocking thing to me about the outcome is how shocked his doctors appear. Spurlock set out to prove something and did everything in his power to make sure he got the outcome he desired. Otherwise his movie and efforts would have been a failure. In the end, I don't care what diet you're on or where you get your food, if you consume an average of 5,000 calories a day and limit your exercise, you're going to gain weight and do damage to your body. Is that really surprising?

As for Spurlock's claims of depression and a reduced sex drive, they're just that – claims. There's no empirical data to support these claims. They sound good, but can't be scientifically documented. Again, I'm no supporter of McDonald's, but if you're going to bash the company, you're going to need a little more "evidence' than this.

Even though I have problems with Super Size Me, it has made me re-think some of my own food choices – and not just for myself, but for my child as well. We still eat at McDonald's, but try to make smarter choices. So I suppose that on some level I have to admit that the movie worked on me. I guess a rating of 5/10 would be about right.

5/10

The Trouble with Harry Isn't Over (2001)

It left me wanting more, 28 March 2008

If you'll pardon the pun, the trouble with something like The Trouble with Harry Isn't Over is that there never seems to be enough. I appreciate these "making of" type features, but they always leave me wanting more. As much as I enjoyed the on camera interviews with star John Forsythe, producer Herbert Coleman, and Hitchcock's daughter Pat Hitchcock O'Connell, I can't help but wonder about some of the other people involved in the movie. Did they ask Shirley MacLaine to participate? Or what about Jerry Mathers? I would have loved to have heard from either of the two.

I guess I should just be happy with what's here because the stories about the making of The Trouble with Harry from the people that were interviewed are entertaining and interesting. Listening to John Forsythe do his Hitchcock impression was a real treat. Another treat was learning about the box loads of Vermont leaves that Hitchcock had shipped to California to be used as set dressing. How cool is that? So while I may have wanted more, what's here is mighty good.

6/10

The Legend of Bigfoot (1976)

Pathetic, 19 March 2008

If I were doing a one word review of The Legend of Bigfoot, it would be PATHETIC. This purported documentary is pathetic in every sense of the word and in every way imaginable. From the braggadocios but ultimately pointless narration to the exaggerated claims of presenting proof of the Bigfoot's existence, it's all just so pathetic. The movie tells the story of (and is unfortunately narrated by) Ivan Marx and his search for Bigfoot. For those unfamiliar with Marx, apparently he was an outdoorsman and tracker of some note (at least that's what he tells us over and over) who claims to have filmed Bigfoot. But to get to the 30 or so seconds of Bigfoot footage, The Legend of Bigfoot's 76 minute runtime is filled with over 75 minutes of padding. Shots of impressive looking moose, sad little ground squirrels being run over by cars, and tired looking Bigfoot tracks are just a few examples of what makes up the bulk of the movie. And when we finally do get to see the supposed Bigfoot footage, in contrast to much of the rest of the film, it's distorted, grainy, and of such a poor quality it proves nothing. In fact, the images look far more like someone in an ape suit than anything else (hmmmm, I wonder why?).

Getting beyond whether or not Marx is a scam artist (take a look around the internet and judge for yourself), the movie is still pathetic. It's as dull as can be and provides very little in the way of entertainment - intentional or otherwise. If you want to see a far better, more entertaining pseudo-documentary with a similar subject, check out The Legend of Boggy Creek. It comes off looking like Academy Award winning material in comparison to The Legend of Bigfoot.

2/10

Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' (2000)

A wonderful "making of" feature, 14 March 2008

Conan Unchained: The Making of Conan is an interesting look back, almost 20 years later, at probably the best Sword and Sorcerer movie ever made – Conan the Barbarian. Maybe it has something to do with my almost fanboy kind of love for the subject matter, but this is one of the more entertaining "making of" documentaries I've seen. It's filled with stories and memories of many of the cast and crew involved in the movie. A few of my favorite moments include Arnold talking about being chased by wolves, Sandahl Bergman's story of almost losing a finger, and Max Von Sydow reminiscing about his favorite scene (it was actually cut from the movie). But it's director John Miliius' enthusiasm for the movie – even some 20 years later – that makes this "making of" feature so special. He comes across as a real, down-to-earth sort of guy that you'd actually like to meet. His feelings for the movie are quite evident and infectious. After listening to him talk about "The Great Danes" or the wheel of pain or the giant snake the crew built, I can't wait to watch the movie again.

As much as I enjoyed Conan Unchained: The Making of Conan, I can't call it perfect. There are a few things I would have liked to have seen included. While most of the cast was interviewed for the documentary, I would have really enjoyed hearing form Mako, Ben Davidson, and/or Sven-Ole Thorsen. Also, I would have liked to see some discussion on the effect Conan the Barbarian had on the genre, the imitators, and its long lasting appeal. But you can't have everything. And as it is, Conan Unchained: The Making of Conan is still very entertaining.

8/10

Where Is Jane Doe? (1956)

The evils of make-up, 14 March 2008

I'm not an expert when it comes to these RKO-Pathe Screenliner shorts, but Where is Jane Doe? is one of the worst I've seen. I'm not even sure what message the film is trying to convey. Is it intended to be a warning about the problem of teen runaways or is it a congratulatory pat on the back of the police? You would think that with only 8 minutes to work with, director Larry O'Reilly and writer Francis Dinsmoor would be more direct in their purpose and get right to the point. It's an odd narrative that doesn't work.

One thing you can usually count on when watching one of these old shorts is an unintended laugh or two. I got a real chuckle out of Where is Jane Doe? when the police discover the missing girl kept a secret make-up kit at a friend's house. Oh the horror! Not make-up!

5/10

Deep Sea (2006)

If you get the chance, see it in 3D on an IMAX screen, 11 March 2008

This past weekend, the family and I went to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. While there, we caught Deep Sea 3D at the IMAX theater. My son has a copy of the movie on DVD, so I knew what to expect and knew the basic premise of the film. What I didn't expect were some truly amazing visuals. I was completely blown away by the images. There's a scene at the very beginning where the waves come rolling in toward the camera. The 3D effects actually made me jump. It looked like we were about to get soaked. The underwater scenes were just as cool with great colors, interesting and unusual animal life, and solid 3D visuals. Both Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet do an acceptable job with the narration. I've read where some complained that the script was geared toward smaller children. Well, I was with a small child so that didn't bother me. My only complaint with the experience is some of the added sound effects. The folly guys worked overtime and the end result is pretty bad. Scallops fleeing from a marauding sea star do not sound like school kids on the playground.

Having watched Deep Sea 3D on an IMAX screen in 3D, I don't know that my son will be able to watch his DVD on a regular TV anymore. The IMAX 3D was that amazing.

8/10

Junior Rodeo Daredevils (1949)

Child abuse as entertainment, 6 July 2007

Man, how times have changed! If you believe what you see in Junior Rodeo Daredevils, it seems that in the 1940s, any crazy stranger could take your kid, strap him/her to some sort of livestock, and watch them get thrown to the hard ground. Oh what fun - child abuse as entertainment! What parent wouldn't want a broken neck or a ruptured spleen for their child? Instead of being brought up on charges, Old-Timer Billy Slater gets to sit back and enjoy the sight of children having their necks snapped. It did my heart good to see this crazy old coot laugh like a hyena as one child after the next received severe head trauma. Yes, Junior Rodeo Daredevils is certainly one of the most demented sights I've ever seen.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 did a wonderful job with this short. The riffing possibilities were abundant and the guys took full advantage. Much of it is laugh-out-loud funny. On my MST3K rating scale, Junior Rodeo Daredevils gets a 4/5.

2/10

Rings (2005) (V)

This should have been The Ring Two, 21 December 2005

This is the movie that The Ring Two should have been. It's the story of a group of young people playing a dangerous game with the videotape from The Ring. Each takes a turn watching the tape knowing that another member of the group will bail them out before their seven days are over. But no one appears willing to help out Jake when his experiences prove too frightening for the other members of the group. Jake has to find someone quickly, or he'll die.

Although this short is less than 17 minutes long, it's packed with entertainment and more than a few scares. The whole concept of a group of young people essentially playing Russian Roulette with Samara and tempting their fates seems like a natural progression. A fleshed out feature length movie would have been great. More time could have been spent on Jake's experiences and his frantic efforts to find his savior.

Instead, we got the mess that is The Ring Two.

6/10

Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror (1994) (TV)

I miss Hammer's style of movie making, 4 December 2005

This is a wonderful documentary for any fan of Hammer. It's all here – from the rise of Hammer as the King of Gothic Horror with The Curse of Frankenstein to the tragic downfall in the mid-70s. I have seen dozens of Hammer films over the years and to hear the stories about these films from the people who were there is an absolute joy. Even though the film is narrated by Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, the best stories are from Hammer directors like Roy Ward Baker and Val Guest and by Hammer writers like Jimmy Sangster and by Hammer producers like Michael Carreras. And they don't hold back. I appreciated their honesty, especially that of Carreras, concerning the demise of Hammer.

My only complaint would be with the film clips selected for use in Flesh and Blood. Little effort appears to have been made to clean-up or restore the clips. The quality is lacking at best.

8/10

Behind the Planet of the Apes (1998) (TV)

Informative and Entertaining, 18 November 2005

The original Planet of the Apes has always been one of my favorite movies. This two-hour making-of, behind-the-scenes documentary is a must for any fan of the movie. I've seen it three times now and I never get tired of the stories of the make-up, casting decisions, and screenplay rewrites. It's truly fascinating. Considering that Planet of the Apes was made in 1968, I'm always amazed that there was so much film footage available in 1998 for this documentary. My favorite clips have to be those of the make-up transformations of the cast.

Say what you will about the man, but Roddy McDowall has always been one of my favorite actors. He was a solid and natural choice to narrate this film and I'm glad he agreed to do it. Other than Beneath the Planet of the Apes, he was there and offers good insights into how these movies were made.

8/10

The Stepford Life (2001) (V)

The Stepford Wives deserves more than this, 13 November 2005

I just love DVDs with these mini-documentaries. The Stepford Life, however, isn't one of the best. There's just not enough interesting information or stories about the making of the movie and/or the people involved. All three of the actresses spend their interview time saying nothing but glowing things about each other. It's like one giant love-fest. They relate nothing of interest about working with one another. The director, Bryan Forbes, spends most of his screen time slamming the writer, William Goldman. He seems bitter about the whole thing. And the producer, Edgar Scherick, adds even less to the proceedings. A movie as good as The Stepford Wives deserves better than this.

4/10

Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy (2005) (V)

Fascinating, 18 October 2005

When there's something I enjoy as much as the Val Lewton movies, I simply cannot get enough information. Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy is a fascinating look at the man and his work. The documentary covers everything from Lewton's arrival in America as a child to his early work for David O. Selznick to the nine horror films he made for RKO. The stories and details of Lewton's life and films are presented through a series of interviews with experts on cinema, directors and screenwriters working today, and Lewton's son. The documentary obviously focuses and spends most of its runtime on the RKO period. The film makes it clear that what I've come to know as the "Lewton Look" was as much a budgetary issue as a conscious decision on his part. The only complaint I have is that it wasn't longer.

9/10

Fresh Meat: The Wounds of 'Wrong Turn' (2003) (V)

Okay, but needs more, 25 August 2005

While every attempt was made to pack this nine minute documentary on the movie Wrong Turn with a lot of different and varied information, it's just too short to be very effective. This type of "behind the scenes" documentary works best with at least a thirty minute run time. Otherwise, too many interesting and informative bits are cut too short. Don't watch this if your expecting an in-depth study of any area of Wrong Turn.

However, what is presented is generally well done. The stories of selecting the director, the inbred hillbilly make-up, and other parts do provide the viewer with a taste of how the movie came to be. The make-up portions were easily my favorite. It was very interesting to see the mountain men without their make-up.

5/10

Suspiria 25th Anniversary (2001) (V)

Very Interesting, 18 August 2005

If you are a fan of the movie Suspiria, you absolutely owe it to yourself to get hold of AB's three disc limited edition. Not only does it include the movie (I believe it's the same transfer used on the single disc edition), the soundtrack and this documentary are part of the package. The documentary is wonderful. Many of those who had a significant role in the making of the movie provide interesting stories about their memories of Suspiria and how it was put together. My favorite parts were the interviews with Cinematographor Luciano Tovoli and star Jessica Harper. Tovoli provides some great background into how the movie was filmed, including the use of Technicolor to get those incredibly vibrant colors for which Suspiria is so famous. As Harper is the only American to appear in the documentary, I found it particularly insightful to hear her impressions of working with Argento and in Italy at such a young age.

If I have one complaint, it's that Suspiria 25th Anniversary is too short. Suspiria is the kind of movie that I could listen to stories about the making of for hours. Instead of 52 minutes, I wish it could have been 152 minutes.

9/10

Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed (1999) (V)

Interesting, 7 August 2005

Universal gave the classic horror fan a real treat with their series of short documentaries. While I don't necessarily think that Mummy Dearest is the best of the bunch, it's informative and entertaining. My only complaint is that not enough time was spent on the sequels to The Mummy. I would have loved to see more on these lesser known films.

Through interviews with film experts and surviving relatives, Mummy Dearest presents some fascinating insights into the making of The Mummy. One of my favorites was the story of the feud between star Zita Johann and director Karl Freund. Good stuff. Another highlight is the interview segments with special effects wizard Rick Baker. His insights into what Karloff went through to be made-up as the mummy are very interesting.

Mummy Dearest, and the other documentaries in the series, are some of the best DVD extras I've seen. Good work Universal!

7/10

Liberia: An Uncivil War (2004) (TV)

Interesting, but flawed, 22 May 2005

Liberia: An Uncivil War is a sometimes interesting, sometimes shocking, but sometimes flawed look at the last days of the Civil War in Liberia in 1993. One of the directors was embedded with the rebel group LURD, while the other spent his time in the capital city with the government and the people. The portions of the movie that focuses on the rebels is fascinating. More than of few of the rebels appear to be little more than boys. Their training appeared to be all but non-existent. Yet, the commitment to the rebel cause was obvious.

The portion focusing on the government was just as interesting. The images of civilians being slaughtered were horrific. It was amazing to watch some of these people attempt to go through life as if a battle wasn't taking place a few miles away. The one glaring weakness with this portion of the movie was the lack of in-depth coverage of the government's forces. Whether the filmmakers weren't afforded access or they just failed to report on the army was not made clear. What was clear was the fact that the army wasn't any more prepared or organized than the rebels.

My biggest complaint with the film (and I'm sure I'll get negative votes for this) was what I perceived to be an anti-American bias on the part of the filmmakers. At every possible opportunity, America was shown in as negative a light as possible. I understand that these may only be perceptions on my part, but that's the way I saw it.

5/10