Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) (1951)
UK --- fantasy

Dir: Brian Desmond-Hurst

Charles Dickens' beloved 1843 fantasy story originally titled 'A Christmas Carol in Prose: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas', has stood the test of time. Pretty good, seeing how Dickens didn't really get much money for it. He had to practically self-publish the book, seeing how he had to put up the money. The short story became a very popular and was prone to adaptation around the holidays, first on the stage and then to the screen. The supernatural tale of reflection, merriment, and redemption, had been filmed previously. The earliest filmed adaptation was in 1901 which saw the first British produced silent short film, followed by another American made silent short film in 1908, and yet another effort by Edison's company in 1910. In 1916 we got the first full-length feature called "The Right to Be Happy", but is now lost. The only version available to most was the not so accurate MGM version made in 1938; that is until this version came along.

Ebenezer Scrooge (played here by Alastair Sim) is the very personification of winter. He is symbolic of a time of year where it is often cold, and we reflect on the year and years past. Scrooge is a cynical old man of snow white hair and full of regret, devoid of compassion or love. Though his miserly demeanor shows he has an affection for monetary resources, there is little for humanity's strife and suffering, or the thankfulness of his own wealth.

The story opens at the funeral of Scrooge's business partner Jacob Marley, where he comes upon a debtor begging for more money and promptly dismisses him. Scrooge's best retort to the season of giving is "Bah! Humbug!". In this version we get a slight reference to Aesop's fable of "The Ant and the Grasshopper", which is telling of the character of Scrooge's miserly tendencies, and was a tale that told of the rewards of saving, saving, saving wealth for the winter. Keeping with the tale, we fast forward seven years later, and Scrooge is cruel to his clerk Bob Cratchit, to his nephew Fred, children carolling, and to representatives of the poor. Scrooge, however is still a haunted man. Haunted by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley, we soon learn there's more than meets the eye to Scrooge's lack of love. As we have all been shaped and molded by the choices we make, and the circumstances of our decisions. When Scrooge goes home Christmas eve night, he is confronted by the apparition of Jacob Marley who warns him that the lack of compassion in his heart will lead him in an eternity of torment by seeing the needy but never able to help. Marley tells Scrooge three spirits will follow visit him to hopefully help him to repent from his soulless contention.

The first spirit to visit Scrooge in his room, to the toll of clock bells ringign, is the ghost of Christmas past. Angelic and radiant in appearance, this spirit is Scrooge's visual interpretation of yesteryear. As it is for all of us, the best of times always seems behind us. He is lead out the window, and back in time where he sees himself at the age of a young boy. Scrooge delights in seeing his hometown and his younger sister, Fan (or Fannie) as she comes to tell him they're going home for the Christmas holiday. He then is brought a little later in time to a Christmas party held by his old employer, a portly "jolly" fella by the name of Fezziwig. Scrooge also sees himself in love with a girl named Alice (in the story her name is Belle, keeping with the theme of the tale being a carol), whom he's engaged to. We then move ahead to a scene that's not in the story, of Scrooge joining a new firm of corrupt employers, which ultimately sets the stage for Scrooge's fall. This, in addition to the death of his sister Fan during childbirth pushes Scrooge into a slow descent of spirit.

So the bells toll again, Scrooge awakens in his bed as a light emanates outside his door. A jubilant voice beckons him out of his bedroom to the sight of a large bearded man who announces himself as the Spirit of Christmas Present. He appears to be a kingly robed Santa Claus archetype, before Coca-Cola changed his appearance for us. This ghost takes Scrooge to the full home of Bob Crachit as they prepare a Christmas meal. The spirit informs him of the imminent death of the crippled boy "Tiny" Tim. They also visit the festivities of Scrooge's nephew Fred, as Scrooge hears them speak unfavorably of him, while Fred tries to defend him. Next he is brought to see his former love Alice working with the poor. The ghost soon shows Scrooge an omen in two quite gaunt and grossly deformed children under his coat; a boy and a girl which the ghost ascribes as the "ignorance" and "want" of mankind.

Finally, Scrooge faces the final ghostly visitor in the faceless and speechless Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come, which in every version is the visual allusion of Death. This is Scrooge's last chance to come to repentance as he sees the Cratchit family mourning the death of their young "Tiny" Tim. He then is brought to his own home as a bunch of vagrants continue to speak ill of Scrooge as they go over his belongings like chintzy consumers at a rummage sale. Scrooge questions the spirit if all this will truly come to pass, or if it is just one possibility of future events. Here he is brought to his own grave, where Scrooge breaks down and pleads his vow of repentance. He falls face first in the pit of his own grave, and while kicking and screaming quickly awakens to a new day - Christmas Day. He has been allowed a reprieve, and arises to see the sun again with a fresh joyous spirit. Scrooge makes amends with his nephew and his clerk Bob Cratchit and becomes a new man.

There are plenty of versions of this tale out there for comparison. This one, however, stands out as a popular favorite for many reasons. The first reason is, this stayed true to the source material more so than the previous MGM version which pretty much rushed the story along, foregoing somewhat essential elements of the tale. The only thing this film lacks is the extinguishing of the spirit of Christmas Past, due to budgetary reasons, the spirit is not so bright. The most important aspect of this version is the radical performance of Alastair Sim, who truly shows the believable transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge. It is arguably the most memorable reference point for anyone who has performed the character you've seen from then on.

The story of "A Christmas Carol" has been highly inspirational, having been the influence on films such as "It's A Wonderful Life", "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas", and to some degree even the "Back to the Future" trilogy. Yes, there is that time travel element, though the story can not be called one because it is unproven that Scrooge ever really travels through supernatural means as opposed to technological devices. It literally could be as he said, all in his head.

The classic Christmas tale does keep in the true reason for the season. It is not uncommon for good writers to plant hints at the theme within character names. The name Ebenezer comes directly from a story in the Hebrew Bible's old testament. In 1 Samuel 7, the prophet Samuel was instructed to pray for Israel during a battle against their arch enemies the Philistines. The prayer went through and they were victorious, and Samuel set a stone between the Mizpah and Shen, calling it Eben-ezer ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’. Translated, Ebenezer means 'stone of help'. In other words, Ebenezer Scrooge becomes a sort of messiah and only saving grace to the spiritual Jacob (Israel) Marley and other remorseful spirits. Though Charles Dickens wasn't as deep a spiritual writer as CS Lewis or John Bunyan, like most people in earlier centuries they were humble God-fearing Christian folk who believed in morals and values. Dickens' sentimental essay on the spirit of Christmas and redemption will never go out of style, so long as there is belief in goodwill to all men.

Alphaville , une étrange aventure de Lemmy Caution (1965)
FRANCE --- science fiction

Dir: Jean-Luc Godard

cy·ber·punk (sbr-pnk) n.
Fast-paced science fiction involving futuristic computer-based societies.
cyber·punk adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company

Jean-Luc Godard's now classic French new-wave film, "Alphaville", did not coin the phrase cyberpunk, but it certainly influenced the science fiction sub-genre. The film is one of the quintessential examples of science fiction that works as a social commentary of the zeitgeist, yet somehow influences or predicts the future. It's a can't lose proposition. The more things change, the more things stay the same, no matter what year it reads on the calendar.

In true-to-form film noir, a raspy voice narrates our lone gumshoe's black-and-white adventure into the neon drenched night; and yet it doesn't. American actor Eddie Constantine portrays Lemmy Caution, a character Godard appropriates from author Peter Cheyney. Also of note, Constantine is revisiting this character like a pair of old shoes, much like Sean Connery to 007 (as of date he's played the character well over ten times). We find Caution, under the guise of Ivan Johnson, entering a seedy hotel where he hopes to find one his marks, a man named agent X21. X21 seemingly goes into cardiac arrest whilst meeting with a less than enthusiastic prostitute. He tells Caution Alpha 60 will self destruct from tenderness. He soon meets with a Natasha Von Braun (played by Godard ex-wife and director pet Anna Karina).

Natasha escorts Caution through the soulless city that is Alphaville. Under strict control of a super-computer designated Alpha 60, the denizens are devoid of tenderness and take no qualms in executing people with love and compassion. Caution is just in time for a formal gala at an Olympic-sized swimming pool that celebrates the execution of those who resist. Here, Caution sees his next mark, the sunglasses-clad Professor Vonbraun, (possibly a reference to renown rocket scientist Wernher von Braun) Alpha 60's creator. His interest attracts suspicion, and he's subsequently captured by Alpha 60's engineers and interrogated by the super-computer. The interrogation is unsuccessful as Caution dodges its questions with poetic answers that ultimately can not be interpreted by Alpha 60.

Being from the Outlands, Caution despises Alphaville with each passing discovery of its subjugation of basic human feelings. He grows fonder for Natasha as she begins to develop a forbidden relationship with him. Natasha rediscovers that the Bible (which is a name used for the dictionary), has much truth in it. She slowly learns things from the Caution like poetry and words that are outlawed that she once had much affection for. She begs for Caution to get out of Alphaville, and he does, but not before he completes his mission, and destroys the super-computer responsible for the mass repression of Alphaville.

"Alphaville" isn't a masterpiece of sci-fi cinema by any means. The French New Wave aesthetics were strictly flexible enough to invite the filmmakers to experiment outside of their comfort zone. Both Godard and Truffaut (who helmed the great Bradbury adaptation "Fahrenheit 451") tried their hand in the science fiction genre, but Godard didn't feel the pressure to erect expensive sets and production design to get a message across. This reason gives viewers of "Alphaville" a choice, as it can very easily come off as cheap parody. Godard deliberately used contemporary France in his futuristic essay, and concentrated less on the film noir tropes such as chiaroscuro cinematography or fast-paced witty dialogue. Opting for a minimalist style of static close-ups of faces, neon lights, familiar electronic noises, and shifting back-and-forth to a moving camera of human interaction, Godard successfully evokes an unnerving feel throughout the piece. Putting us in Caution's pov as he snaps portraits of emotionless women with serial-number tatoos. On top of this, conveying the central message of the film in showing us Alpha 60's binary logic driven society, and Caution's unpredictable behavior.

The character Lemmy Caution comes out of the hard-boiled pulp fiction novels of the past, but he's investigating a future imperfect. It is often funny to see the futuristic imaginations of fantasists back in the day. Some came shockingly close to accurate predictions, most did not. Robby the Robot is the best example of the latter. For what it's worth, this is an interesting if archaic look into man's fears of technology and the digital age we find ourselves in. Long before the works of William Gibson or films like "The Matrix", there's no denying the ever-changing relationship between man and machine, paper versus plastic, and the constant struggle we confront embracing the future over the past. The film outright message against communism and censorship through the use of machines was only a half truth. No one could have predicted the digital age and its allowance of freedom to be yet another frontier to tame. This film, however, stands as one of the early, silent screams before the storm of technological anxiety.

Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell (1974)
UK --- horror/ science fiction

Dir: Terence Fisher

It's curtains for the Hammer Frankenstein series. Peter Cushing returns to the titular role in this somber elegiac final episode. If "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed" was this series' "White Album", then this film is definitely their "Abbey Road". The previous entry in the Hammer Frankenstein series was meant to be a reboot of the franchise by starting afresh with a younger Baron Frankenstein. That venture was not successful, and as we see Hammer Studios realized the team of Peter Cushing and Terrence Fisher needed to put closure to the era of true Gothic horror they started.

Our film opens once again in a graveyard, where a robber (played by Patrick Troughton, the second Dr. Who) is stealing a fresh corpse. The unknown bandit is not alone, as a police man is onto him. The grave robber is next seen at the doorstep of a young man (Shane Briant) with the dead body in tow. This is, I think a way of teasing the audience into thinking this film is continuation of "Horror" with perhaps another recast. The young man is outed by his assistant grave robber at a local pub. We see that this man has the same banal hobby as Frankenstein, as he's cutting into the corpse for his collection of eyeballs.

Soon enough, the policeman comes knocking to investigate the young man's home. Upon looking around the young man's laboratory, he proclaims it , and arrests him. The young man is revealed to be Simon Helder, and his next stop is in a court proceeding where he tries to plead his case, but is still found guilty and sentenced to time in a local asylum for the criminally insane. On arrival, Simon demands audience with the director, where he attempts to find information on another patient named Baron Frankenstein. Unfortunately, the bumbling alcoholic director finds out soon enough Simon is only an inmate, and is spirited away by the two guards. They cruelly wash him down with a fire hose in front of the other inmates, but the man in charge comes to the rescue; Baron Frankenstein, back in black with a blond wig and a stovepipe hat. Frankenstein has Simon cleaned up by a mute onlooker named Sarah, and the guards are reprimanded by the hapless director. Simon meets with Frankenstein and reveals to him that he knows exactly who he is and that he has been committed for the same reason as the Baron was. The Baron, in turn, reveals that he now goes under the name Dr. Carl Victor.

The once adventurous yet diligent Baron Frankenstein, has now grown quite gaunt and while still even-tempered has become much more sinister and insane. Now that Frankenstein has found a new assistant in Dr. Helder, and shows him around the vicinities and introduces him to some key patients he is to care for. The Baron then introduces Simon to the inmates in a special wing of the asylum, that houses, of course those he has use of. The first is missing, a vicious patient named Schneider who is missing because he's buried. Another named professor Durendel, who's a genius at arithmetic and can hold a tune on the violin, and has an affinity for Sarah. Yet another inmate in a man named Tarmut, who is a sculptor of wooden figurines, and also has an innocent crush on Sarah.

Simon, however, begins to suspect the Baron isn't being forthcoming with him. In the morning, he sees them burying Tarmut, whom Frankenstein remarked had great hands. Upon investigation of a wailing in the night, Simon finds Sarah tending to a patient in a hidden room; the secret laboratory of Frankenstein and a frightening new monster.

This new monster (played by "Horror"s David Prowse), looks like George "The Animal" Steele with a Halloween mask of Abe Vigoda and walks with a hunchback, but has succeeded in being the most grotesque version of the series. Frankenstein's project this time is a far step down from anything remotely looking human, in a truly hideous, almost neanderthal-esque body. . . and he faults his burnt hands. He asks of Simon his opinion and assistance, and as evidenced from the opening, his specialty is eyes. They deposit a new pair of eyes, and soon after the professor conveniently hangs himself, providing a donation of a brilliant brain.

Simon, realizing the Baron may have murdered an innocent man for his experiment criticizes his methods. Unfortunately, like all of Frankenstein's prior creations, he cannot control the monster. The inherent mental or psychological tendencies of the victims always return. The professor awakens first in the monster, then the homicidal patient, Schneider, is not far behind. The Baron begins to realize his latest creature may be just another bad creation. The monster has failed to exhibit that the body was rejecting the brain. Later, when Simon goes to check on Sarah, who's been watching the creature, he finds her asleep. He awakens her with a peck on the forehead, apologizes and sends her on her way, but the jealous monster saw it. He attacks Simon, but the Baron comes to his rescue (Cushing in full his Van Helsing mode); knocking it out and returning it to its cage, Frankenstein realizes his fears were all too correct. The monster is out of control. Frankenstein then formulates his most horrific idea of the series, when he suggests that he plans to mate the monster with Sarah. Finally coming to the conclusion that Frankenstein has gone mad, Simon tries to put the monster out of its misery.

"Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell" is very much noteworthy for it's final tribute to Gothic horror of the past. It isn't the best of the series, but certainly is in the top three. Like most of the Hammer Horror pieces, they've built a repertory. I have also noticed that somethings carry over from one film to another, either intentionally or not:

- The films often opens with a thief, usually stealing a corpse.

- The actors are one thing as Thorley Walters (Frankenstein Created Woman and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed), Veronica Carlson (Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed and The Horror of Frankenstein) and David Prowse (The Horror of Frankenstein and this film) returned in subsequent films.

- Notice that an asylum figured prominently in both this film and "Destroyed".

- Two films featured a mute girl as an assistant, "Evil of Frankenstein" and this one.

- A dirty old man is interrupted in "Horror" and this film.

- The guillotine figures in the first three films

- Everything usually goes up in flames as in "Evil", "Destroyed",

This version clearly derives its inspiration from the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" and Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" as the creatures love of Sarah is a heartbreaking shadow of those tales. A melancholy swan song of of one of British horror's mainstays, "Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell" ties everything up nicely. If you haven't already followed the Frankenstein series, it is worth a try. It made a star of Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and David Prowse, who all later on went on to star in George Lucas' Star Wars saga. One bit of dialogue is an interesting commentary on the Frankenstein character, when he refers to an inmate who believes that they are god, Frankenstein comments "He is not the first, nor will be the last". A perfect summation of what the Frankenstein series was all about, one man's quest to be a god in his own right.

La Fatiche di Ercole (Hercules aka The Labours of Hercules) (1958)
ITALY --- fantasy

Dir: Pietro Francisci

Mythological superhero, Hercules (or in Greek known as Heracles), has been around for centuries. Though he's had many contemporaries such as Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and even the Scandanavian Thor, none of their exploits have been as famous as Hercules. The son of Jupiter (or Zeus) and the mortal woman Alcmene, by his very birth, he was an enemy of Hera. Cinema has attempted to capture Hercules' superhuman adventures since the silent film era. He appeared in a 1914 film titled "Cabiria", under the name of Maciste. He also had a completely different appearance, sometimes dressed in contemporary clothing and other times in the typical loin cloth and sandals. Going by Maciste, the character and films slowly but surely began to transform into the sword and sandal Hercules films we know of. In the 60's, to cash in on the success of this very film, Italian filmmakers reused Maciste as well as other characters such as Samson, Goliath, etc. There was really only one Hercules and this film set the standard.

"La Fatiche di Ercole" (aka The Labors of Hercules) stars American bodybuilder beefcake Steve Reeves as the titular demigod in an episodic adventure. When he rescues princess Iole from a runaway chariot, Hercules promises to escort her back to her village of Jolco, if only for her own protection. In a flashback sequence, she retells the events that have turned her village into a place of betrayal and intrigue. Her father, Pelias, and uncle (once King of Jolco) met a platoon on the road including a soldier named Eurysteus, and it is inferred that they know each other. Jolco is home to the golden fleece, which Iole once showed her cousin Jason. Soon the king turns up dead, both Jason and Eurysteus is missing, and her own father claims the throne. Though many believe it was Jason who was responsible since was the direct heir to the throne, some believe differently.

Hercules of Thebes tells her the rumors are that her own father murdered the king to usurp the throne, and that he feels he needs to be with her in Jolco. Meanwhile, an oracle warns king Pelias a stranger with one sandal, just as Hercules enters the scene. Seeing Herc is not the man he was forewarned about, the king invites him in. Hercules offers his help as master-at-arms, and the king needs him to assist and tutor his son, Prince Iphitus.

Eurysteus turns up again in royal clothing talking with King Pelias. We find out they did indeed plot the murder of Pelias' brother for the throne. The bone-headed Prince, however, grows envious and continually rebellious against Hercules as he trains Ulysses and a band of men. Eventually, Iphitus' attitude and stupidity results in his own demise when he's killed by the Nemean Lion. Hercules kills the lion, and when the Jolco soldiers find them, they return to the city to give the king the unfortunate tidings. but the event results in Hercules' banishing by the suggestion of Eurysteus. Hercules then goes off to the oracle and demands the gods he become mortal for the sake of his love for Iole. The gods allow it and soon Hercules goes off on a quest for the Golden Fleece with Jason and the Argonauts as events set into play for Jason to rightfully claim the throne.

This film derives its story on the classic Greek epic poem "Argonautica" by Apollonius Rhodius as well as the myths of Hercules including his infamous twelve labors. Though, it of course, does not stick to the source material much at all due to time constraints. Characters are missing like Hercules' friend Hylas, we see a couple of actual labors, such as the slaying of the Nemean Lion and the capture of the Cretan Bull, and there isn't much emphasis on the Argonauts. It also features some interesting sequences such as a battle with a dinosaur (that sounds all too conspicuously like our Japanese friend Godzilla), a race of vicious monkey men, and a visit with beautiful amazon warrior women.

"Hercules" can make a good companion piece to the '60's Hollywood "Jason and the Argonauts" featuring the sfx work of legendary Ray Harryhausen. Though the perspectives are of course switched out as Hercules takes a back seat as simply a supporting player. It is interesting that many of these Grecian mythological stories seem to have their root in the Hebrew bible. Both Hercules and Jason have their biblical counterparts in Samson and Gideon. It's not so far-fetched, as we well know Jerusalem was under Grecian authority for some time.


"Le Fatiche Di Ercole" was really the first of the 'sword-and-sandal' movies to garner world-wide attention. As for these badly post-dubbed low-budget pepla films, filmmakers like Mario Bava and Sergio Leone cut their teeth on the tales of the brawny oil-soaked heroes of the ancient world. You can almost feel Bava's presence in this film with the staging of the oracle's speech and the Skittle-flavored cinematography. The costuming and art direction is also impressive and looks historically accurate. What's really odd is how much they've lost their appeal these days. I could imagine this genre would be particularly of interest to young ladies, as nearly every film looks like lost footage from a Chippendale club or bachlorette party. Though they are campy fun, I much prefer the Hollywood versions such as "Jason and the Argonauts" if only for Harryhausen's special effects.

Gojira (Godzilla) (1954)
JAPAN --- science fiction/ horror

Dir: Ishirō Honda

When it comes to the "King of All Monsters", it would seem someone wanted to usurp the throne of old "King Kong". Well, after fifty years and a franchise with a robust twenty-plus films, it's safe to say Godzilla has earned the title. My personal earliest memories of Godzilla films were usually the cheesy ones my family watched on or around the Thanksgiving holiday. Besides being famous for weatherman Lloyd Lindsay Young, New York's Tri-State area WWOR channel 9, featured Thanksgiving marathons of King Kong and our imported giant amphibian. Toho Studios' gigantic 150-foot tall mutated reptile has battled other giant creatures, aliens, and all other sorts of menace with Japan trodden under foot regardless of intentions to harm or not. His initial film had a much more somber message.

"Gojira" begins with a reference to The Lucky Dragon No. 5. This was, in reality, a tuna trawler that got so close to a Hydrogen bomb test near the Marshall Islands in 1954, that the crew returned to Japan with radiation poisoning. In the film proper, a fishing vessel bursts into flames after a blinding white light, and more boats sent out soon follow the same fate. A local shipping office grows panicky, as this alerts the local press and the entire nation. Soon, however, the local island of Odo discover that the cause of the ships destruction (at least according to the elders) was a legendary beast called "Gojira", and as we shortly see for ourselves, those legends are all too true.

The authorities gather to discuss the recent nightmarish events. Paleontologist Dr. Kyohei Yamane (played by Akira Kurosawa director pet Takashi Shimura) leads the discussion, questioning exactly why this creature would awaken from its slumber. He conducts a team of investigators to the island. As they depart on their voyage, we get all our principal characters together including Yamane's daughter Emiko, her beau Ogata (who works for the shipping office), and the eye-patch clad Dr. Serizawa. A love triangle amidst the horrific events, something Jim Cameron utilized decades later. The natives show them the gigantic foot prints, and Dr. Yamane's tests uncover the fact that this creatures appearance was caused by nuclear radiation. Yamane tells government officials that the creature is a dinosaur unearthed by the H-bomb. It is clear however that Yamane becomes conflicted as a miraculous discovery of science must be destroyed.

Emiko visits Dr. Serizawa as he soon shows her his secret experiment, an Oxygen-Destroyer. In a very much Frankenstein-esque tradition, the science of how it works exactly is not revealed. It hereby kinda becomes the deus ex machina. As Gojira's wave of destruction continues, and the military efforts prove futile, Emiko will betray Serizawa's trust by revealing to others its power as a solution. It does figure in the climax as the only means to destroy the monster. Unfortunately, Dr. Serizawa, who comes to the epiphany he has nothing left to live for since he has lost Emiko to Ogata, sacrifices his life to detonate the Oxygen-Destroyer underwater himself.

According to producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, the original "Gojira/Godzilla" film was designed to be a cautionary tale about, not only the horrors of nuclear war (which Japan learned first hand), but about the long term ramifications of how nature would retaliate. Hiroshima was one thing, but years later we had many examples of how nukes were not good for humanity, period. Other 50's and 60's science fiction films followed in line in the dangers and fears of messing with nuclear radiation. They went from films such as "Them" and over time graduated to post-apocalyptic nightmares. "Gojira" created a new hit genre for Japanese film called "Kajiu" (meaning giant monster) and became an international sensation. It was eventually imported to the States with new scenes shot for American audiences and retitled "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!". The 1956 film starred Raymond Burr as a reporter chronicling the rampage of the giant monster loose in Tokyo.

The Horror of Frankenstein (1970)

UK --- science fiction/ horror

Dir: Jimmy Sangster

Hollywood may have reinvented the word reboot for their declaritive use of tireless remakes, but they didn't invent the idea. Remakes is one thing, but a reboot is basically doing exactly what good old Dr. Frankenstein would do; reanimate the dead. Even going so far as to murder someone to accomplish it. Here was Hammer Studio's answer to the remake, when they felt the needed to get in touch with a new generation of filmgoers, they remade their 1957 classic "The Curse of Frankenstein" with decidedly unfound results. There is, however, one thing they did that would anger original Hammer Horror fans of the films, they made this entry with intended comedic elements. Personally if their was intended humor in this one, I didn't see much of it. Saw it in Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein", but not here.

Helmed by multiple Hammer feature (including "The Curse of Frankenstein") screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, "The Horror of Frankenstein" stars Hammer alum Ralph Bates assuming the role of the mad aB. Honestly, his performance isn't bad in this film. I think with a better script, he could have wrestled the honor from the excellent Peter Cushing. His Victor Frankenstein also seems to come off as slighty more intelligent, and while he's less malicious, he's also more promiscuous. The film begins in Frankenstein's youthful days with a group of school friends Henry, Elizabeth, Stephan, and Maggie. Frankenstein yearns for more as he plans to attend the university to further his studies in anatomy; a hint at Baron's genius and desire for banal scientific experimentation.

When he gets home to his castle, he catches his father finishing up with a young housekeeper named Alys. He begs his father to finance his studies at the university, but his father is against it. Thus, we get our first victim of the film, as Victor rigs his father's shotgun to backfire. While at the university, Victor meets a fellow eager student in Wilhelm, whom he invites back to his castle to work in his personal laboratory.

While en route Victor and Wilhelm rescue Elizabeth and her father from bandits. Then they get home where Victor reacquaints with Alys. They soon prepare the lab for work, but unbeknownst to Wilhelm the Baron begins his horrific adventures into mad science. The first is the headless corpse of the highwayman he killed earlier to save Elizabeth. A police officer visits Frankenstein, and it is his childhood chums Henry and Maggie who is now his wife. After a visit to Elizabeth he soon plots to steal Elizabeth's fathers tortoise for his experiments. Then soon, with a large electrical generator, a massive vat of acid, and the bribery of an undertaker for fresh bodies, Frankenstein begins his infamous travails.

"The Horror of Frankenstein" definitely falls far below in quality than any entry in the series. Hammer's attempt to usher in a new generation failed, as evidenced by the return of our man Peter Cushing in the next film of the series. Featuring too many bad gags that fall short even for British humour, a monster that looks all too human, with a silly look on his face, to be believeable, and too many bad cleavage shots and sexual content took away from the gothic atmosphere that Hammer what it was. The great cinematography that was always a staple in the series is also non-existent in this one. Though it has an interesting ending a destruction of the monster.

As mentioned, the plot is basically a reworking of "Curse". Similarities abound such as having a mistress in Justine and Alys, having an old friend that is in love with him, but not in return, both oddly enough named Elizabeth. The character Wilhelm, in this film, serves the same purpose as Paul Krempe did in Curse as well as all the multiple Hans incarnations. I have always thought it would be interesting if Hammer made a film where Frankenstein met Dracula. How would Frankenstein react to a supernatural umdead plague going against all scientific reason? Not sure, but it's a shame they never took up the challenge.

Der Himmel über Berlin (Wings of Desire) (1987)
GERMANY --- fantasy

Dir: Wim Wenders

What do we know of angels? Studies say most of the human population, no matter what their religion believe in some form of angelic beings. The Hebrew Bible has numerous appearances of angels, but with the exclusion of Death, only names three of them: Lucifer (aka Satan), Michael, and Gabriel. They are speckled throughout the Bible. Whether tasked with guarding the Garden of Eden, the rescue of Lot from Sodom & Gomorrah, or visiting Mary to inform her she will give birth to the messiah. The mysterious beings have obviously been a part of most ( if not all ) cultural societies, and all we can do is question the parts they play in the scheme of our lives.

The German director Wim Wenders takes a visionary notion of how angels might operate if our eyes were open to their plane of existence. In the film "Der Himmel über Berlin (aka Wings of Desire)", he attempts to humanize these beings going even further than most older fare such as "It's A Wonderful Life" or "Death Takes A Holiday". We see a couple of angels observe, report, and discuss the daily activities of humanity in West Berlin. Our story focuses on two angels. One is named Damiel (played by Bruno Ganz) who follows along humanity with an expression of curiosity, sadness, and longing. The other angel is Cassiel, who is more stern, serious, and exacting. In an early scene, the two meet in a bmw dealership and discuss their observances of the day. It is a scene filled with light banter of the idiosyncrasies of mankind, something that Kevin Smith will kind of repeat in his film "Dogma".

As the two float among the city streets of Cold War era Berlin, we see an almost documentary style collection of people accompanied by their random voice-over track thoughts. Children are the only ones our angels are visible to. All is so routine to Damiel, as he longs to forsake his spirit form, and spend time to be corporeal. This is even further supported by his falling in love with Marion (played by the late Solveig Dommartin), a lithe female trapeze artist working at a circus.

While Damiel seems enamored with the joy and love of people and children, Cassiel seems more involved in those darker aspects of humankind. In particular, a geriatric gentleman by the name of Homer, who waxes poetic about the old Berlin. Though this character isn't a curmudgeon. Nor is the other older character, played by Peter Falk as himself. In the universe of this film, he is also an ex-angel named Compañero. Throughout the film we see Damiel slowly become seduced by Marion the trapeze artist and the colorful energy of humanity. Cassiel, however, sees the remorseful introspective poet Homer and the nightmarish horrors of humanity. Wenders often throws in the occassional documentary footage to ground us in this reality. The second half of the film follows Damiel and his journey in the flesh as he seeks his lovely flying trapeze artist.

"Wings of Desire" does indeed seem a microcosm of time passing before us. Converging on the middle ground of what was a divided wall separating East from West, color and black-and-white, love and death, etc. Overall, it retains a childlike perspective, but is most certainly of its time, as the graffiti-adorned Berlin wall would fall just two years after the release of this film.

As far as angels goes, as a Christian, my personal belief is that most angels have very specific instructions. There must be a militaristic hierarchy of some order, and the orders come only from the Lord. This movie curiously has an absentee God. I also believe at some point angels had or have a free will. Depending on your view of context of time, Revelation 12:4 states that Lucifer took a third of the angels with him when he was cast out of heaven. So if these beings were under some form of involuntary slave-control of the Lord, why or how could Lucifer himself defy God and how could the others follow? The answer is free will.

So it would seem "Wings of Desire" is not completely off the beaten track. Whether we like it or not the film takes a romantic look at what would otherwise be deemed horrific. Damiel is essentially a fallen angel, and we've seen films take a darker approach at that idea; "The Prophecy" being one. Wim Wenders' fantasy, of course, is far better than the Hollywood remake "City of Angels". The film's black-and-white cinematography is top notch, in the hands of Henri Alekan, who also shot Jean Cocteau's "La Belle et la Bête". It is directed with a finely tuned eye for composition and form. Taking advantage of Berlin's unique artistic aesthetic and creating poignant shots for visual consumption. In an early scene, you can see Damiel standing in front of plants, but in the shot it looks like his wings. All in all, one of the better films exploring what angels must think of humanity, even though it has the forced romantic trope.