A movie I really wanted to like, Sam Raimi's Oz The Great and Powerful was rather disappointing and now I (as you will, soon) partially know why.
The original Evil Dead trilogy ended with 1992's Army of Darkness; which took the camp level up another 10 notches by making Ash (Bruce Campbell) a genius among idiots while forever cementing his status as a cult icon. And while I am a devout Raimi fan (hell, I love The Quick and the Dead), I must admit that Army of Darkness is my least favorite of the three. Unlike Evil Dead II's perfect blend of horror and slapstick, the third movie just tries a little bit too hard, if you know what I mean. Oh, don't get me wrong; it's hilarious and bizarre and horrific and evokes so many other genre films of the past, but of all of Raimi's earlier films, it is the most self-aware and consequently the least effective.
Regular readers know how much I adored Raimi's 2009 return to Horror, Drag Me to Hell. And while I was truly looking forward to seeing Raimi's visual stamp on the Oz franchise, I was truly disappointed to see the horribly over-produced mess that was Oz: The Great and... No, Not Really So 'Great,' More Like... 'Okay,' I Suppose.
Thankfully, the video embedded below helps explain at least part of what was wrong with the director's latest effort.
I somehow lost the link to the site where I found this. If you saw it somewhere else first, please let me know where. And please join me in hoping Raimi sticks to Horror from now on.
In 1981, director Sam Raimi and his brother Ted put together a very low budget horror movie called The Evil Dead. The movie caused a bit of a sensation, despite its terrible acting and laughable effects (it also scared the crap out of Uncle P's sister). 1987's Evil Dead II wasn't so much a sequel as a deliberately funny re-make (think The Three Stooges meet The Exorcist). Raimi's last movie in the trilogy, 1992's Army of Darkness, was a full-out horror comedy, combined with a medieval fantasy. The movies made Bruce Campbell a cult star, legitimized Raimi as a director and even spawned an hilarious stage musical. All this from the simple story of five college friends who unwittingly unleash an evil force by reading from a human skin-bound book of spells. Rumors of a fourth movie have taunted fans for decades, but Raimi was busy making the original Spider-Man trilogy, the very under-appreciated Drag Me to Hell and this year's disappointing Oz the Great and Powerful. When it was announced that he would be producing (along with Campbell) a reboot, written and directed by Uruguayan director Fede Alvarez, fans were up arms. Today, Dear D and I saw the new version, and I'm happy to report that Alvarez and company (with a few exceptions) got most of it right.
Mia ("Suburgatory" star Jane Levy) is a drug addict trying to go cold turkey with the help of her brother David and their friends, who have chosen Mia and David's family cabin in the woods to seclude themselves while she goes through withdrawal. What they don't know is that the cabin was recently the site of a ritual to... well, the less said about that, the better. The performers of said ritual have left behind a dozen or so dead cats and a book wrapped in plastic and barbed wire. Unable to contain his curiosity, Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci), the scholar among the group, unwraps the book and reads aloud from it, opening the door for a terrible demonic entity which invades Mia and basically dooms them all.
Approaching the story as a full-out Horror movie mostly pays off for Alvarez, working from a script he wrote along with Rodo Sayagues and an uncredited Diablo Cody (Jennifer's Body). The four friends have vowed to keep Mia at the cabin, no matter how much she begs to go home. When she starts behaving strangely, they attribute it to withdrawal and ignore her pleas to leave. Of course, things quickly escalate and it is soon apparent that something is very wrong. The violence and gore escalate, with plenty of stabbing; gouging; shredding; dismemberment and enough blood to fill an Olympic pool (this isn't a movie for the faint of heart, kids). There are demonic voices, slamming doors and exploding mirrors; raping trees, scalding showers and more than a few homages to the original (Mia is first discovered sitting atop Ash's dilapidated car, for one). I was fine with all of it, until the movie went and used two truly ridiculous cliches that drive me crazy - SPOILERS AHEAD: Skip to the next paragraph to avoid them. Cliche #1: Nail guns cannot fire nails like a firearm! There is a safety catch on every nail gun ever made which makes this impossible. Cliche #2: Shooting a plastic gas can will never cause an explosion! Gasoline itself is flammable, but not explosive. Gasoline fumes are explosive, but require a flame or a spark to ignite them and neither can be achieved by shooting through a plastic container. I don't know why Hollywood continues to perpetrate these fallacies. They are insults to the audience's intelligence and they should go away forever (though I'm sure they won't).
The actors in the new version are certainly better than in Raimi's original, with Levy going all-out to make Mia as different as possible from the character she plays on "Suburgatory." Shiloh Fernandez (Deadgirl: Red Riding Hood) is fine as David, Mia's conflicted brother. Pucci (Carriers); Jessica Lucas (Coverfield) and newcomer Elizabeth Blackmore are all more than competent in what must have been physically demanding roles. Alvarez's direction takes several cues from Raimi's original, including running shots through the woods and close-ups of painful-looking slicing and dicing. D and I both winced more than a few times at the imagined pain the characters were put through (not that she would, but my dear Q should avoid this one at all costs). Alvarez thankfully eschews CG imagery and opts for physical FX which far outshine Raimi's original efforts. All in all, I had a great time, though D was disappointed at the lack of camp. *** (Three Out of Four Stars). And fans of the original should stay for a special Easter Egg after the credits.
On a personal note, I was horrified to see a family bring a young boy who couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 to see this movie. Inappropriate on so many levels for such a young kid, I hope they are kept awake all night by the boy's nightmares. Evil Dead is rated a hard "R" for language and extreme gore, violence and horror. Anyone who brings a child to see it should be reported for abuse.
Oh - One more thing... why do filmmakers allow trailers to contain material which doesn't actually appear in the final cut?
Mila Kunis, James Franco, Michelle Williams & Rachel Weisz
I almost titled this post "All of Them Witches," but I didn't want to associate Disney's Oz, the Great and Powerful with Roman Polanski's masterpiece, in any way. And make no mistake, OGP (as I will from now on refer to it) is certainly no masterpiece. But it isn't completely terrible, either. Well, almost...
You've read the reviews and know the plot and spoilers by now, so let's get down to the meat of the matter, shall we? Yes, yes, yes... oh man, yes... It is BEAUTIFUL! Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man; Drag Me to Hell) spends his entire budget on the 3D CGI and every penny spent is apparent on the screen. His Oz is super-saturated color and texture and homage, both visually and in tone. The Oz we know and love is clearly visible (or at least it's roots). There are plenty of in-jokes about (Oz is a carnival magician in the Baum Brothers circus; after scaring off a lion with a chemical trick, Oz shouts "You coward!" as it runs off) and even lines lifted right from the original (more on the script in a moment). I read all of the Oz books as a kid, and was glad to see China Town and the Quadlings & Tinkers included with the Munchkins and the Winkies. And of course, there was lots and lots and lots of cinephilic eye-candy. Unfortunately, That's almost all there is to recommend about OGP. I say almost, because there are a few performances worth praising.
Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz seem to be among the few who know they're in an Oz movie and come off like they are in the same movie as one another. Williams' Glinda has a determination we might not have expected from Billie Burke's version (though Glinda is 20 years younger in this story) and Weisz' has the chops to play a wicked witch without an ounce of cynicism. The amazing Bruce Campbell turns in another hilarious Raimi cameo as a Winkie gatekeeper and even Zach Braff has his moments as Finley, a nice flying monkey (the witches use flying baboons to reign terror down on Oz), though Q was distracted by Finley's resemblance to old-time comedian Red Buttons. Sadly, the worst performances are from the actors in the crucial roles: James Franco and Mila Kunis seem to be in a completely different movie from everyone else. Franco's contemporary style doesn't fair well in a turn-of-the-century tale of a ne'er-do-well making good and has none of the bombast required for the character. Yes, a good actor should bring his own take to any iconic character he or she is lucky enough to play... but there's something to be said for honoring what's come before. Franco's cowardly huckster doesn't ever seem quite resourceful enough to come up with the Big Plan (another cool homage to the original), let alone trick an entire country into thinking he was a wizard. But worst of all... What the hell is Mila Kunis even doing in this movie? I like Mila. She's pretty and funny and was so good in Black Swan. But I never once believed that she believed she was in Oz. During her transformation scene, Kunis is off screen while we see her CGI shadow on the wall as she speaks. All I could think was: 'Meg?' Even worse is 'evil' Theodora, looking something like a cross between an X-Men villainess; a dominatrix and a character out of Mad Max, Kunis fails miserably and more often than not, spends most of the movie looking silly and sticking out like a sore thumb.
As for the script by Mitchell Kapner (Romeo Must Die) and David Lindsey-Abaire (Rabbit Hole; the upcoming Poltergeist re-boot) has a few clever moments, especially when paying homage to Victor Fleming's classic (Oz's ride through the tornado is particularly fun and I loved that Theodora's tears left her with scars). But a few clever moments are hardly enough to carry an entire film and the story these two have concocted is hardly compelling. We already know he is going to be crowned Wizard of Oz, so there's nothing really at stake. Of course Glinda isn't going to be killed. How could she help Dorothy, 20 years later? Why should we be concerned about the outcome?
Raimi, a master of visuals since he burst onto the indie scene with the original The Evil Dead in 1981, does the best he can with what he's been given, though I must say that every film he's ever made before is better. Danny Elfman's score is reminiscent of the work he recently did for Cirque du Soleil but isn't anything special.
Gregory Maguire's novel (and its subsequent musical adaptation) 'Wicked' is certainly a more interesting and well-thought out prequel to the first story, though neither it nor its sequels address how the Wizard came into power. And of course, this isn't Disney's first trip to Oz. 1985's Return to Oz introduced the world to indie darling Fairuza Balk as Dorothy in a movie featuring electroshock therapy; a talking chicken; living rocks with egg allergies; a witch who can change heads; a key-wound army; a flying sofa with a stuffed moose-head and every person in Oz turned to stone. Dark, dark, dark. And a much better and much more interesting film than OGP. *1/2 (One and a Half Out of Four Stars).
And here's a fan-made trailer for Return to Oz:
I was hoping for so much more from Raimi. I can only hope the upcoming Evil Dead* remake (which he produced) is everything its trailers promise it will be. You know I won't be waiting a week to see that.
More, anon.
Prospero
*I showed this trailer to T and he said, "You actually want to see this movie?" Oh, dear. I guess he's in for an education.
After five and a half years, regular readers know how much I love Horror Movies and how much I loathe hypocritical homophobes. Yet, they have something very much in common: they're both scary, though in very different ways.
Horror Movies are escapist nonsense, tapping into fear of not just death, but losing control of the circumstances surrounding our lives. Fighting against forces from beyond; escaping and/or killing the homicidal maniac; sending the demon(s) back to hell or beating the devil at his own game allows us a vicarious sense of empowerment. And even when a Horror Movie ends with the villain(s) victorious, we know that when the lights come up in the auditorium at the end we have survived and our own lives are better than the victims of the maniac/demon/ghost/monster that killed all those horny teenagers.
The same can't be said for the hypocritical homophobe. These people are far more insidious than any film monster, gnawing away at the truth like sewer vermin and spewing their own self-loathing in an attempt to feel better about themselves, regardless of the pain and suffering of their targets. Such behavior couldn't be more apparent than what 'Reverand' Joseph Sciambra (who claims to not only be an 'ex-gay' but a former gay 'porn star) has to say in the repellant video (via) posted below (probably NSFW):
Yes, most professional sex-trade workers probably suffer from low self-esteem -- though I personally know of at least one retired adult performer who loved what he did while he was doing it. Still, without the right mindset, porn actors rarely end up as successes in their later lives. But that certainly doesn't mean any one of them gave 'anal birth' to demons. Sciambra (obviously still gay, despite his claims of 'redemption') proves my point with his looney claims. The dangerous notion that one can change sexuality through prayer continues to be one of the leading causes of suicide among young LGBT people who feel guilt at having failed to live up to the ridiculous religious standards set by their families and churches. I can't imagine anything scarier than hating myself just for being who I am.
Personally, I prefer my horror to be gory, gruesome and fictional. I was living in CA when Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead was released in 1981 and my (very liberal) Christian sister called to tell me about the 'scariest movie' she'd ever seen. Of course, I had to go. Imagine my surprise and disappointment at seeing a rather silly, low-budget movie that hardly made any sense at all. It wasn't until Raimi's 1987 satirical sequel that I truly appreciated what he and his brothers were trying to say about the genre. And while I do have a special place in my heart for Army of Darkness, the concept had pretty much been reduced to the equivalent of a Three Stooges haunted house short by the time it was released. Indeed, that was long before "This is my boomstick!" became an internet meme.
Of course, the musical stage version of Evil Dead was nothing short of brilliant and remains on my short list of shows I desperately want to direct:
When it was announced that a reboot was on the way, I joined the haters in denouncing the need for it. But having now seen the red-band trailer for director Fede Alverez's film, I think I have to take back everything I said about it, previously. Given the advances in SFX technology and the support of Raimi and original star (and genre legend) Bruce Campbell, I honestly cannot wait to see the new version of the story. The trailer, in all it's gory glory, is below, though I must caution those who are the least bit squeamish.
I've already scheduled a long-awaited man-date with my friend James, to see the new version. I can't wait!
USA Network, these days known mostly for its original comedic procedurals like "Monk;" "Psych" and their latest, "Common Law" is breaking new ground this summer with "Political Animals," a 'limited series event' about a former First Lady and now Secretary of State (Sigourney Weaver) who makes a bid for the Presidency. Weaver is flanked by Carla Gugino as a print reporter shadowing her while trying to keep her job relevant and Chris MacNeil herself, Ellen Burstyn as Siggy's out-spoken, tart-tongued mother. Siggy and the POTUS emeritus (and soon-to-be ex-husband) have two sons, one of whom came out as teen while living in the White House. In the clip below (via), the son has apparently hired a rent boy, or as Chelsea Handler night say: "Oopsie!"
And then right after I watched that clip, I saw the jaw-dropping trailer for Sam Raimi's WOZ prequel, Oz: The Great and Powerful, starring James Franco; Mila Kunis; Rachel Wiesz; Michelle Williams and Zach Braff. Raimi's last film was the critically adored but audience ignored Drag Me to Hell, which I just out and out loved. This teaser trailer from Disney literally made my jaw drop. Watch this Shiz* in full screen and HD, if you can (also via):
I've watched it three times already and seen something new each time.Wow! Really can't wait for this one!
*Yes, that was both a Snoop Dog and Wicked reference, which JA over at MyNewPlaidPants says is now a go with Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry at the helm. Anyone care to place bets on the casting of "Glee" diva Lea Michele as Elphaba? But who then as Glinda? Amanda Seyfried? Can she even sing? Who would you cast as Elphie and Glinda?
I have three words for you: "Ho Lee Crap!" Sam Raimi (and co-writer, brother Ivan) is at the pinnacle of his game with his triumphant return to horror, Drag Me to Hell. I kid you not when I say Drag Me to Hell is certainly the best horror movie of the last 20 years, and quite possibly the best since The Exorcist. And all of it without a single profanity or exposed nipple.
In case you haven't already read anything about it, Alison Lohman(Big Fish) plays Christine Brown, a sweet, farm-raised gal working as a loan officer in a big city bank. Looking to win a promotion - against an egotistic tool named Stu (Star Trek's Reggie Lee) - Christine decides that playing hardball is the way to go and denies a mortgage extension to a creepy old gypsy woman (wide-ranged character actress Lorna Raver). The inevitable curse ensues and Christine has three days before she is dragged away to eternal damnation by a goatish demon named Lamia. Apple commercials' cutie Justin Long (Jeepers Creepers; Live Free, Die Hard) is Clay, Christine's skeptical, albeit adoring and supportive boyfriend, who thinks she's suffering from post-traumatic stress. Newcomer DileepRao plays the seer Christine consults for help and Spanish Language TV veteranAdrianna Barrazaplays the medium who has faced the demon before, and lost.
Within the first five minutes of the film, Raimi grabs you by the balls and never lets go. Loaded with Raimi's eye-popping visuals, extreme gross-outs and cartoonish violence, Drag Me to Hell is what Evil Dead IIwould have been with a Hollywood budget. Raimi's infamous and fantastically weird tracking shots and trademark outlandish physical effects (Christine takes as bad a beating as Ash ever got) all help make Drag Me... quite possibly a perfect horror movie. Hilariously funny, exceptionally gross and over-loaded with shocks which, even though you know they are coming, are still really shocking; Drag Me to Hell isthe work of a master artist, rediscovering what made him love what he does in the first place. Raimi's eye for detail and ability to build tension have never been on better display, and his cast of mostly unknowns are more than willing to go along for an amazing rollercoaster dark-ride. The score by Christopher Young (Hellraiser) is brilliantly deceptive and adds tension in unexpected places. The effects are top notch and I was pleased to see a small homage to Poltergeist, near the end (hint: "The swimming pool! The swimming pool!!!!").
I saw it with my my cast, all of whom loved it as much as I did. We screamed, cringed, laughed and carried on the way every good horror movie should make it's audience do. I think it is important to note that like every terrific movie, no matter what the genre, Drag Me to Hell is meant to be seen on a big screen with a great sound system and an audience filled with screamers, cringers and laughers. Do NOT wait for Blu-ray. Get your butt (and a load of your friends' butts) down to the local Cineplex and see this movie! See it now! See it, see it, see it! And take someone you want to jump into your arms. They will! The most fun I've had at the movies in a ages. This is the movie Horror fans have been waiting for, for a very long time. Thank you, Mr. Raimi, for finally giving it to us. The only thing I missed? The obligatory cameo from the legendary Bruce Campbell (unless some slyer fox than I caught a glimpse of him, somewhere).
***** (Five Stars). Rated PG-13 for 'Intense Horror.'
Director Sam Raimi has always had a distinctive style. For those of you only familiar with his Spider-Man films, I suggest you might want to check out his upcoming return to horror, the genre that made his career, Drag me to Hell. Allison Lohman (Big Fish; Beowulf) stars as Christine, a young loan officer who is bucking for a promotion and in the process, denies a mortgage extension to an old woman who turns out to be a lamia, a female demon who curses Christine to be literally dragged to hell for all eternity. Her boyfriend (Mac commercials cutie and Live Free or Die Hard co-star Justin Long), doesn't believe in curses, though he may be on his way to changing his mind. Check out the trailer:
I'm most excited to see this film because it heralds Raimi's return to his horror roots. He first made a splash with the indie horror film The Evil Dead n 1981. But it was the sequel (actually, more of a comedic re-make), Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawnthat garnered him a cult following (along with its star, Bruce Campbell). Some critics have described Evil Dead II as "The Exorcist meets The Three Stooges"
Raimi's first foray into the superhero genre, 1990's Darkmanstarred Liam Neesom as a disfigured scientist who creates artificial skin, allowing him to assume any identity he wants and Raimi learned many of the tricks he would employ in Spider-Man while making it. Next came the third in the Evil Dead series, Army of Darkness. Personally, I think Raimi pushed the comedic envelope a little too far here. It's an amusing film, but disappointing on many levels. I think they all just tried too hard to be funny, and forgot the horror.
After Army..., Raimi switched genres and made The Quick and the Dead, a western starring Sharon Stone; Russel Crowe; Leonardo DiCaprio; Gary Sinise and a fellow we would eventually come to know as "Jigsaw," Tobin Bell. Critically derided, it featured Raimi's signature travelling POV shots and plenty of dark humor. And I'm probably one of maybe 10 people who actually like it. He followed up with A Simple Plan, based on Scott Smith's (The Ruins) novel, which is just a terrific movie about greed and how it can destroy us. Then in 2000, Raimi made a quiet little horror movie, The Gift, starring Cate Blanchett as a small town Southern psychic caught up in a murder plot. Giovanni Ribisi, Greg Kinnear, Keanu Reeves and Katie Holmes are among the supporting cast and it's the first time Raimi cast the excellent character actor J.K. Simmons, who would go on to play J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man franchise. Raimi is set to next write and direct a big-budget a re-make of The Evil Dead, according to IMDb, to be followed by Spider-Man 4. And in case his work as a writer/director wasn't enough, you should also know that Mr. Raimi is also responsible for bringing us Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless as Hercules and Xena, respectively, to the small screen (c'mon boys and girls, you they're hot!)
I have to also admit, Raimi is responsible for inspiring my most recent favorite musical "Evil Dead: The Musical." You'll find two clips below. The first is an hilarious commercial for the Toronto revival (watch the arm on the lower left of the screen). And the second is a bunch of scenes set to the show's opening number, "Cabin in the Woods."
If you only know Raimi's work on the Spider-Man franchise, I seriously suggest you get caught up on his full body of work. Sam Raimi may well be the best unknown director working today. I know I'll be first in line on May 29th for Drag Me to Hell. Wild horses couldn't drag me away (sorry, couldn't help myself there).
