Movie Reviews 522 – The Monster That Challenged the World (1957)

The onset of the atomic age had a number of immediate effects besides school age children being subjected to ludicrous “duck and cover” vignettes and households building bomb shelters in their back yards or basements. That zeitgeist also fed into a new genre for movie production houses to explore. Japan, the first victim of atomic bombs understandbly reponded with Godzilla as a warning against the use of nuclear weapons, but it was Hollywood who pounced on the idea of gargantuan animals and insects to fill the silver screens and coffers alike. The craze produced a number of genuinely entertaining features such as the formic foes in Them!, the arachnid menace in Tarantula! (inexplicably, adding an exclamation mark to the title seems to have resulted in better films) ,or the more loosely defined monster in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. But the onslaught of these fissionable freaks also produced some less than supreme B movies for Drive-in patrons to enjoy. For every commendable cinematic mutation there were a dozen Z grade groaners such as Tor Johnson parading as The Beast of Yucca Flats or Roger Corman’s Day the World Ended.

Now with such a lame title I would think that The Monster That Challenged the World would fall into the latter category. I mean, what kind of terror could a mere ‘Challenge’ present? The world is not threatened to be ‘Destroyed’ or ‘Decimated’, just … challenged. And by a generic Monster at that. 

As it turns out, this aquatic threat (which is a creature subgenre in its own) is not even a singular ‘monster’ at all but an entire colony of now exposed and released subterranean caterpillar-mollusk hybrids. Do I even need to tick off the plot points? OK, let’s go. 

Shortly after an earthquake a duo of parachutists in training go missing at their drop points in California’s Salton Sea. The authorities investigate and along with a puddle of sticky white ooze they recover a body which has been drained of all fluids. They soon find the radiating mutant, caterpillar-looking culprits and even collect one of the eggs (always a bad move). Just when they believe they have exterminated the threat the aforementioned egg hatches and puts the requisite damsel in distress.

You’ve got atomic blasts, Geiger counters, military rank and file (along with the secrecy and deception they bring), one befuddled doctor, bespectacled scientists, a lab with flasks and test tubes, actors filmed “underwater” behind an aquarium, a beautiful girl with a sob story and various forms of creatures. One surprise in this film was seeing actor Hans Conried (the doctor) playing a serious role which he would relinquish after this movie to become a successful comedy ‘character’ actor thereafter for years to come.

Sure this isn’t anywhere near the quality of The Creature from the Black Lagoon, but for a cheesy afternoon flic you could do certainly worse.

Movie Reviews 521 – Full Contact (1992)

Before gaining worldwide recognition for his role in the global smash hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Chow Yun-Fat was already a highly acclaimed veteran Asian actor, most notably for his action movies. Full Contact is just one of many such films where Yun-Fat made his mark but this film is not just a showcase for Chow, but one for director Ringo Lam as well wherein a great story, characters, and drama all combine to deliver a riveting experience.

A small band of hustlers and thieves led by Godfrey (Yun-Fat) gets in a sticky situation when Godfrey’s best friend Sam (Anthony Wong) gets in over his head with gambling debts to Hung, a local loan shark. After a brawl in which Godfrey rescues Sam, simply paying off Hung is no longer an option. Sam convinces Godfrey to join another gang of thieves led by Sam’s cousin nicknamed The Judge (Simon Yam) for a particularly daring armor heist, one that can make them enough money to move far away from Hung’s clutches.

Godfrey is reluctant to team up with the crazed Judge, his ‘muscle’ the aptly named Madman (Frankie Chan) and sex crazed Yin (Bonnie Fu) but does so having no other option. Before executing the operation Godfrey sends his wife Mona (Ann Bridgewater) to Hong Kong hoping she will be safer there and out of reach from Hung’s gang.

Godfrey’s suspicions turn out to be correct and the heist turns out to be a deadly bust but the perpetrators and degree of the double-cross is worse than even he anticipated. Godfrey survives but his vengeance is no longer focused on the Judge and his gang alone. Badly injured and having rescued a severely burned young girl, Godfrey must regain his health (literally repairing his body in places) and must also retrain himself to top form. 

The intricacies of the relationships are just as entertaining as the action. There are two ‘triangles’ split between Godfrey’s supposedly sane team and Judge’s psychotic ensemble, which then interact. While some of the battles are cliché overblown (literally) sequences there are a number of surprising touches.

My 2003 Sony DVD (with the cover shown here) had more than the usual lousy Asian dubbing to contend with making watching the movie a bit of a chore. While it featured both Widescreen and Standard formats, it was unclear which selection was which and upon accidentally selecting Standard I found I could no longer get back to selecting Widescreen. Other buttons/options were not properly configured so that things like speed control would revert back to the main menu. 

Despite the maddening media issues, this is well worth seeking out for Yun-Fat fans or someone who just wants a little more in an action flick.

Movie Reviews 520 – The Lost Weekend (1945)

Those who are familiar with this blog are already well aware of the genius of director Billy Wilder having read my reviews of such films as Stalag 17, Sunset Boulevard, Ace in the Hole and Witness for the Prosecution, all highly acclaimed classics. Most of those I’ve watched multiple times over the years but one that has escaped me until now was The Lost Weekend.

What distinguishes The Lost Weekend from many other films especially from that era is that it is not merely a drama but one that specifically addresses the affliction of alcoholism and whose screenplay ticks off all of the symptoms, stigma, myths, and more importantly the harrowing impact on family and friends.

In what was to become his most prominent and Oscar winning role, Ray Milland plays down-and-out writer Don Birnam, already identified as a problem drinker with a dismal record of failed interventions, self imposed dry spells and futile detox sessions. Claiming to have finally beaten his demons and about to embark on a weekend getaway with his brother (Phillip Terry) he is unveiled when he tries squirreling a bottle for the trip. Dismissing the evidence he convinces his brother and fiancé Helen (Jane Wyman) to attend a Broadway show without him. But the few hours he is left alone is enough time for him to find a bit of money and once again go on a drinking spree.

His binge includes a visit to his local watering hole wherein he confides to the bartender that he intends to end his writing drought (and conquer his addiction) by writing about the one subject he knows about, a book aptly named “The Bottle“. This begins a flashback sequence capturing his history with Helen, the foils of sneaking drinks, evading exposure over the past few years and the resulting toil on himself. This includes the monetary consequences (theft, pawning assets, more lies), deceptions and ultimately the onset of delusions and insanity.

Sweeping the Oscars for that year the film can be enjoyed from a simple dramatic perspective and the fine performances or as a sobering view on alcoholism.

Blockade Billy – Stephen King (2010)

Given the number of Stephen King book and movie reviews I’ve posted in the last few years it’s understandable that some readers may have thought that I’m some fiery zealot of the writer and up on all his works. While it is true my appreciation has grown over time, that is hardly the case and as an example I never even heard about Blockade Billy until I ran across a hardcover at a local book sale a few months ago. With only two stories at a scant 132 pages of large, wide print the book is a quick read but the contents are befitting the author’s usual horror handiwork.

The titular Blockade Billy begins much like a classic Twilight Zone episode where a struggling major league baseball team enlists a relatively unknown young player merely to complete their roster rather than as a hopeful prospect. But the newcomer quickly becomes a star player while at the same time exhibiting a few distinct quirks both in the manner in which he plays and his character. Unlike the Twilight Zone episode the player is not a robot but something much more sinister. Baseball aficionados will welcome the mannerisms, jargon and tobacco chewing as much as the on-field plays.

The second story, Morality, also begins with another very Twilight Zone-esque premise of an eccentric old man making an odd proposition to a young lady. With a hefty sum of money on the line should she agree to perform a certain task, the woman and her husband wrestle with the morals aspect of the requested deed, something that the reader is kept in the dark from for most of the tale. Given that this is a King story you can dispense with any of the more lurid possibilities although the level of actual horror is arguably minor compared to the usual King offering.

I found both stories quite satisfying although I confess I question the need to have these published in such a compact edition rather than having them in a larger collection with more stories. I picked it up for a very cheap price, so I didn’t mind but I can see someone having paid $16.99 (CDN) feeling shortchanged.

Movie Reviews 519 – Needful Things (1993)

Based on the myriad of adaptations of his novels and short stories, Stephen King’s name is as synonymous for horror movies as much as for the books from which they were sourced. Of those we tend to remember the many fine classic films such as The Shining and Carrie, but there were more than a few rough patches over the years. Despite having a great cast, Needful Things is one of those efforts that just didn’t quite live up to the standard King fanfare.

The Maine town of Castle Rock (a locale familiar to King fans) is abuzz with the impending arrival of a mysterious new business on Main street. The denizens soon learn that the quaint storefront is an antique and curio shop operated by one Leland Gaunt (Max von Sydow) who somehow manages to have for sale exactly what individual patrons want, in most cases rare artifacts that have strong nostalgic memories tied to salient moments of their past. Perhaps not surprisingly the price of these baubles from the sinister merchant is not the buyer’s everlasting souls – the usual currency when dealing with the devil – but a particular deed to go along with a token cash exchange.

The local sheriff (Ed Harris) doesn’t particularly share the townsfolk enthusiasm for the new merchant but he already has his hands full dealing with a sudden spate of pranks and misdemeanors. Moreover, the victims of these high jinks are people who have clear longstanding enemies in town to whom they readily assume to be purveyors behind the capers. Before long just about everyone in town is at each other’s throats, including the preachers of the opposing religious denominations, all relished under Leland’s devilish eyes. Despite the sheriff’s suspicions and warning to everyone, even his fiance (Bonnie Bedelia) is not immune to Leland’s lure.

While strange people and events are the norm in a King story, the variety of the characters usually being the most enjoyable aspects, I found this one just didn’t quite gel and have enough of a ring of authenticity and plausibility even for a horror. Other characters, notably a waitress (Amanda Plummer) and a boat salesman (J. T. Walsh) albeit entertaining to a degree, transform from docile to demented too brusquely. Much as there is some empathy for the protagonists and a few other minor characters, the story somehow feels rushed and underdeveloped.

The film was directed by Fraser Heston (yes, Charleton Heston’s son) which surprised me in the opening credits and immediately gave me a sense of trepidation as I did not even know he worked in the industry aside from being the baby Moses at the beginning of The Ten Commandments. 

It’s not a terrible movie by any means and there are plenty of King tropes and even a nod or two to some of his other stories – one newspaper headline that we only get a glimpse of that I particularly enjoyed – to satisfy even the most devout King fan. However I would hardly regard it as strong horror, much less a King movie for those uninitiated. Contrary to the title itself, you don’t really need this one at all.

Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze – Kenneth Robeson (1933)

When celebrated artist James Bama passed away a few weeks ago I was reminded that aside from his astonishing paintings adorning the series of Aurora Monster models, his second claim to fame were the immaculate renderings for a series of pulp hero Doc Savage reprints in the 70’s. So I thought it was high time for me to finally dust off my copy of Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze and give it a read.

This first of two dozen novels attributed to Nom-de-plume Kenneth Robeson were in fact adaptations by an array of authors who’ve contributed to the lengthy series of pulp magazines going back to the 1930’s, the vast majority of which were penned by Lester Dent. My copy of the first book, Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, is in fact a tie-in to the cheesy 1975 film starring television’s Tarzan, Ron Ely.

Not surprisingly, the plot, pace and even characters herein follow the well-trodden formula of other such pulp heroes like The Shadow, Lee Falk’s The Phantom, Tarzan or another of Edgar Rice Burrows’ heroes (and my personal favorite), John Carter of Mars. The so-called Man of Bronze, Doc Savage is described as a near superhuman mortal, who excels at just about every human attribute including intellect, stamina, pain tolerance, physique, cunningness. In other words, just short of being a God in every aspect.

Son of an equally distinguished explorer and philanthropist, Doc has his personal squad of ‘merry men’, each excelling in one or more endeavors and all willing to follow Doc into whatever peril he demands of them. Indeed Doc and his men not only seek out adventure but relish the danger.

The plot of The Man of Bronze begins with Savage learning of his father’s mysterious death and converging with his men in the father’s New York apartment where they are targeted by an assassin after deciphering a partial hidden message left by the senior. The contents of the message leads the troop to a Central American country and a plot of land bequeathed to Doc. But the parcel is squirreled away in the deepest and remotest part of the country, practically inaccessible to man. Well mortal men anyway.

Deterring an incessant barrage of attacks and barriers by their mystery shrouded foe the men make their way the the Valley of the Vanished, discovering a long lost civilization of Mayans and a pact made long ago between the reigning King Chaac and Doc’s father. There Doc Savage will undergo a literal test, discover who is masquerading as the Son of Kukulkan and a secret that lies below a sacred pyramid.

The pulpish action includes WWI era aerial combats, sharks, snakes, a bottomless pit, explosives, an autogyro, a red finger-tipped warrior sect, false deities and a Red Death serum for Doc and the boys to contend with. There is of course a beautiful fawning princess (what pulp kingdom doesn’t have one?) and even a few gags thrown in for good measure. The age of the manuscript unsurprisingly also includes a few outdated words, technology, and (alas) a few racial stereotypes.

It took me a while to ‘get into’ this one as it seemed a bit over-the-top even for a pulp. Doc’s near superhuman abilities are repeatedly emphasized as is his strict regimen of arduous exercises which extends to daily smell and hearing exercises. I did enjoy the latter part after the clan joins the Mayans more, although the true identity of their foe was hardly a mystery. One thing that did surprise me was Doc’s depiction as being truly bronze in color and the moniker not just being a nickname.

While I cannot attest to how faithful the movie was to the original penned story, I do hope to watch it some day. Based on the trailer, the movie seems even cheesier than the serial and novel which in this case that may be a good thing.

Movie Reviews 518 – This is Spin̈al Tap (1984)

While not technically the first, This is Spin̈al Tap is arguably the granddaddy of all mockumentaries, or rockumentary in this case to be more precise.Easily taking the top spot in rankings, the ensemble cast have gone on to feature in many other renown mockumentaries such as Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration. It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly 40 years since documentarian Marty Di Bergi (Rob Reiner) captured the American tour of Spin̈al Tap, the faux British-Invasion trio of rockers David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer). The film remains as hilarious today as it ever was.

Despite how old and now iconic the many gags have since become, I’m not going to spoil them here. What I can say is that the group’s antics include a visit to Graceland that would have Elvis turning over in his grave, drummer occupational hazards, a less than well received album debut and promotion rally, last minute changes for concert venues (each more depressing than the last), stage prop disasters, a navigational quandary getting from dressing room to stage and a highly embarrassing airport security incident. These are just a few of the things the boys have to put up with along with the all too common group dynamic issues such as breakups and reconciliations, spousal interference and management woes.

THIS IS SPINAL TAP US 1984 HARRY SHEARER, CHRISTOPHER GUEST, MICHAEL McKEAN, ROB REINER, Date 1984, Photo by: Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection(10344154)**US SALES ONLY**

The film alternates between the boys actually being interviewed by Marty and footage captured of them going about their business. To say that the tour was not quite successful is an understatement as everything that could go wrong not only does so, but establishes new lows of shame and ineptitude for the band, their entourage and incompetent management. Even back then the group presented themselves as throwbacks to the psychedelic era with wigs, Derek ‘s “Porn-stache“ and matching sadomasochist leathers. Pounding out melodies and spouting whimsical lyrics (both written entirely by the cast) the boys motion through every cliché metal rocker move imaginable and a few never seen before.

The creators, director Reiner along with McKean, Shearer and Guest, have gone on record that most of the film was shot unscripted and off-the-cuff, but with character backgrounds well established in order to maintain continuity, a fact that makes the end result all the more remarkable. Their partners in crime in cameos and bit parts include notable comics Fred Willard, Billy Crystal , Paul Shaffer, Fran “The Nanny” Drescher, Howard “Johnny Fever” Hesseman, Patrick Macnee, Dana Carvey, Ed Begley Jr., and my personal favorite, Bruno Kirby.

If all this weren’t enough my MGM 2000 Special Edition DVD had a few surprises starting with voiceover banter by the group as soon as the selection menu appeared that was well worth a listen (so don’t hit Play right away!). The extra features includes over an hour of outtakes of segments that did not make the final cut but are nearly as funny as the main feature.

To take a riff on one of the movie gags, on a scale of one to ten I rate this movie is an eleven.

Movie Reviews 517 – Cinema Paradiso (1988)

As a cinephile I love movies about movies or those for which movies themselves play a central role. While I recall Cinema Paradiso (Original Italian title Nuovo Cinema Paradiso) making a big splash back in the day, even taking in the Best Foreign Film Oscar that year,  I never got around to watching it until now, which I now realize is a shame having deprived myself all these years.

The film is of course much more than a love fest celebrating the cinematic arts, but a multi-layered movie that focuses on the lifelong relationship between a fatherless young boy and an elderly projectionist in a post-war Sicilian small town. Little Salvatore “Toto” takes an immediate shine to everything about the movies as soon as he meets Alfredo (veteran French film actor Philippe Noiret) in a tiny projectionist booth, pestering him to no end for snippets of celluloid film clips. The two form a bond over the years as each undergoes their own hardships and achievements, including changes to other family members, the townsfolk and the very town itself. 

After a devastating theater fire that blinds the old man, Toto who rescued and saved Alfredo’s takes on the role of projectionist in the newly built Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (incidentally the original Italian title) but always maintaining his friendship with his mentor. The kinship extends to Toto maturing, finding love, joining the army and coming back home only to find that ‘home’ is not what it was before. Alfredo then convinces Toto that he must make a clean break from the town, leave and not look back no matter what. But that includes separating from Alfredo himself, the ultimate sacrifice that Toto promises to do.

Related as one big flashback with occasional jumps to the present, the film begins with Toto hearing of the passing of Alfredo after having been separated from his old friend and even his own family for the last thirty years. Toto must decide whether to go back on the last promise he made to Alfredo, but also come to terms about his reasons for departing and whether it was the right thing to do given the life he had.

Toto pestering Alfredo

Toto is played by three actors, Jacques Perrin as the elder and Marco Leonardi as a teen, but the clear standout and heartbreaker is Salvatore Cascio as the young boy. The chemistry between Toto and Alfredo is more than friendship and even love as the relationship has many facets. The film touches upon the townspeople, their link to the world based on the movies being shown and the effects of the fascism pervading politics at the time, the latter being a subject sadly being dealt with to this day.

Director Giuseppe Tornatore‘s film garnered awards accolades across the world, all well deserved and piquing my interest in watching other films of his. The icing on the cake is maestro is Ennio Morricone’s score for the film, oddly a score which was known to me as I have enjoyed his entire discography including this music despite not having seen the film. 

Cinephile’s like myself will also enjoy watching the ‘screen behind the screen’ so to speak as the projections of Hollywood stalwarts like John Wayne and Charlie Chaplin illuminate the tarps along with European thespian treasures like Jean Gabin and Marcello Mastroianni joining them.

Movie Reviews 516 – Hausu (1977)

Any mention of the Japanese cinema company Toho usually elicits cries of Godzilla the company’s global kaiju star, the many oeuvres of Akira Kurosawa, and if not those then one of the many chanbara (samurai) films made over their illustrious near century of filmmaking. But Toho sometimes dipped their toes into the horror genre and without a doubt Hausu (House) tops that list.

Although most variants of the original poster art identifies the film as ‘House’ rather than ‘Hausu’ it should not be confused with the 1985 American film House. Blending an odd mixture of slapstick comedy, H.R Pufnstuf fantasy, even musical song and dance routines at some points, the film takes a while before it settles on the more horrific elements. But when it does, it delivers the fun and gore on the level of Evil Dead and Dead Alive, and while I cannot ascertain the fact I suspect it was an inspiration for those movies.

The story is about a young girl who seeks refuge at the secluded house of a long out of touch aunt upon learning that her widowed father recently wed another. Not only does the aunt favorably reply to Angel’s (Kimiko Ikegami) request to visit her, but she also welcomes six other friends to join her for the countryside summer retreat. Even before the girls set out on the train trip weird things start to happen, the most notable being a white cat showing up at Angel’s house and upon being adopted somehow manages to get on the train for the ride.

The girls are welcomed by frail and wheelchair bound Auntie (Yōko Minamida) whose lonely household is due to her lover having left for war long ago and who never returned despite having promised to do so, her saga revealed in mock sepia flashbacks. Inevitably, one by one, the girls start disappearing and with each departure there is a notable change in Auntie’s disposition.

Most of the fun and campiness in the film comes from the distinct characteristics (and befitting nicknames) of each of Angel’s friends. The attributes for Fantasy, Kung-Fu, Melody, Mac (inappropriately short for stomach), Professor and Sweetie are leveraged for zany plot devices and often proportionally associated with their respective demises. The crazy antics which employ a multitude of body parts, skeletons, rivers of flowing blood and inexplicably watermelons are brought to us using an array of atypical filming techniques and special effects such as double exposures and deep color filters that add to the quirkiness of this cult classic. Genre fans will also enjoy a few homages to horror (my favorite being a train passenger reading Denis Giffford’s A Pictorial History of Horror Movies) and even subtle nods to the aforementioned Kurosawa.

The central message of the film is that love is eternal which is explained at the end and I would add that love for the film is just as lasting.

Movie Reviews 515 – The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)

While I first heard about the movie adaptation of The Man Who Fell to Earth before the original novel by Walter Tevis, I honestly can’t recall if I first read it or whether I managed to catch the film at a repertory cinema back in the day. What I can say is that I loved both. I’ll  talk a bit more about Tevis further down.

The story of a technologically advanced alien who left his home planet suffering a cataclysmic global drought, much of the hype from the film was due to its star, namely rocker David Bowie. At the height of his glam rock popularity – a career ironically launched by Space Oddity, itself a song about a doomed astronaut, albeit a human one – Bowie with his anisocoria eyes and ashen complexion were an idyllic fit for the role.

My copy of the novel

Landing his spacecraft close to an innocuous small desert town and adapting the name “Newton”, the interstellar traveler trades gold rings he has brought with him for some petty cash to get him going. With Newton’s knowledge of advanced science he quickly embarks on an ambitious plan to amass a fortune big enough for him to build a large spaceship that he can use to rescue the wife and children he left behind on his native dying planet.

Requiring the help of someone who understands the legalese and patent wherewithal to pull off his scheme Newton approaches Oliver Farnsworth (Buck Henry) with design drawings. Astounded by what Newton has presented him in terms of novel ideas and inventions the two form a partnership and incorporate “World Enterprises” to build and sell an array of revolutionary products. While Farnsworth becomes the mouthpiece for the company Newton becomes the reclusive multi-millionaire behind the scenes, but does capture the intrigue of a rebel, skirt-chasing professor, Dr. Bryce (Rip Torn). Eventually Bryce is hired by Farnsworth and manages to piece together Newton’s true identity, befriending him and becoming his confidante. Meanwhile Newton holes up in another small town hotel room and takes in waitress Mary-Lou (Candy Clark) as a quasi-lover.

But living on Earth presents Newton with some unanticipated challenges not the least of which is a growing suspicion among the authorities. As Newton is presented with delays, time is running out on saving his family despite the fact that his lifespan it turns out is much longer than that of his aging human companions. Newton’s journey is in fact a very human experience in the end, fragile and susceptible to vices. 

Director Nicholas Roeg utilized a somewhat stilted approach to filming but the few annoying tendencies are easily forgiven. One thing Roeg did not shy away from was loads of liberal sex scenes to a degree that was daring even for a 70s film. On the other hand the special effects, sets and props, with the exception of a few scenes, are a bit threadbare and muted, presumably due to budgetary constraints. While there is a ‘water’ subtext throughout and hints of religious allegory that elicit further reflection there are also a few perplexing scenes, notably Newton having an inexplicable vision of a pioneer village.

For a film featuring Bowie one would expect that the star would have a part when it came to the music and score but surprisingly that fell into the hands of John Philips of The Mamas and the Papas fame.

I was so enamoured with Tevis’ book that I searched high and low for other science fiction novels of his only to find one, Mockingbird, an underrated post apocalyptic tale which I loved even more. Tevis passed away at a relatively young age and only wrote a few novels, but those few have garnered more than their share of acclaim. Aside from The Man Who Fell to Earth whose notoriety comes from the film, Tevis was probably best known for penning both The Hustler and its sequel The Color of Money each of which were highly acclaimed billiards films 25 years apart. More recently the chess prodigy mini series The Queen’s Gambit based on his novel once again resurrected Tevis’ profile. 

Last but not least, as I write this I learned that there is now a TV series based on the novel  that just made its debut mere days ago. I haven’t heard or read any commentary or reviews yet so I can’t say anything about it. Hopefully it will be good, but for myself there will always be a special place for the original novel and this movie.