Davo-CC Reviews

Tales of the Unexpected: The Verger (1988) Season 9, Episode 4

Brilliant, subtle, reserved and so very very clever.

[10/10 · 5 July 2009]

I've always enjoyed a story with a clever twist – it doesn't have to be a shocking one, it just has to be clever.

When it's been there all along, looking you in the face – and you never even realized it – this is clever writing. The Verger is, for me, the most memorable episode of the entire series in this regard.

It's a quiet, subtle, almost slow pace of extreme simplicity and modesty; indeed it's not trying to be anything more. But if one can stick with it through to the end of the story the way the twist is handled so very very clever – indeed I've actually found myself showing it to people who I thought could benefit from the simple yet poignant philosophical message, to me it's a story with real meaning to it and makes so much sense.

The characters are thoroughly believable and likable, while the evil-doers in it may seem a little contrived I think this is intentional so as to simply illustrate who they are and what they represent and not to take form the main story – to simply paint the ice-bergs in the sea as it were.

I'd highly recommend this to anyone who wants a simple, poignant and brilliantly clever story in a short and concise package, indeed it's by far the most memorable episode of this entire series for me and perhaps of my top 10 anywhere.

Afterlife (I) (2005–2006)

Magnificent

[10/10 · 13 September 2005]

This is really outstanding - one could perhaps compare it somewhat to "Medium" however it's darker and perhaps with a sadder tone; very well put together with superb, believable performances that you probably feel more than just see.

The characters reach out to you rather than just appear on the screen; it explores the notion of the "unwanted special gift" well and explore ridicule, disbelief and skepticism without falling for the normal clichés that we so often expect in this kind of feature.

The stories have original structure and the ongoing component is wholly necessary and not trivial; I was impressed.

The worst part is that there are only five episodes – fortunately I feel the ending was wide enough open to easily permit a 2nd season to come along, I really hope they do this as it has at least the promise that Medium has and perhaps a bit more in some ways.

Easily 5 stars out of 5 for me – if you get the chance to see it do so, very rewarding viewing.

The Gathering (2002)

Interesting and entertaining, I always enjoy Christina Ricci

[9/10 · 4 March 2004]

Interesting film, I very much enjoyed the clever twist at the end (which I admit I wasn't expecting until close to the very end).

Relying on mysterious early-Christian mythology (a common theme in several recent films) it pulls the tie-in off fairly well and doesn't seem too outlandish or over the top in a supernatural sense.

Christina Ricci as always engenders feeling for her likable character and manner; as an American she seems a little strangely out of place in the English countryside setting but not overly so.

I'm quite Comfortable giving this film 8.5-9/10 and would consider it above films such as Lost Souls, etc. I've seen some compare it to the 6th Sense but I can't say I really agree with that comparative assessment myself.

Ghostwatch (1992 TV Movie)

Didn't move me as much as I'd have hoped

[7/10 · 3 November 2003]

The concept is a very good one, the pseudo-reality-TV aspect placing the viewer at the scene of supposedly supernatural events in a fairly convincing manner. This one-off show of course pre-dates The Blair Witch Project by seven years and is a very adventurous piece of television making indeed - I've read that viewers in their millions were suckered into believing it was true and that someone even committed suicide as a result of the program (though I would ask - how does one substantiate such a claim?).

While killing one's self to avoid seeing any more of a film like Rushmore is understandable, I can't really see what this would do to warrant that sort of reaction even in an unstable mind.

(warning: Spoilers ahead)

NOW if you don't want to be spoiled stop reading here!

(warning: Spoilers ahead)

The film's build is well done, although some segments struck me as a little contrived and insincere - it was a pretty good attempt at such a buildup with some good cut-over work and even questioning its own premise - a few of the performances were a let down and just didn't have the right focus - the indignation of the parapsychologist for instance was very good at first then dropped off a bit too much.

The studio interaction at the very end ruined the whole thing for me as it seemed even more contrived and it diluted the remarkably believable performance put in by Michael Parkinson who's weight of credibility was largely well used throughout the whole show. Indeed had they not allowed these blemishes through and hadn't gone overboard at the end of the show then the whole thing would have been much more believable indeed.

The Blair Witch Project was an example of restraint of information (I believe even the IMDB listed the cast as missing or dead for 6 months!), selective release, careful hype and the ability of someone to use it as a good old fashioned scary ghost story to really frighten people (as some reviewers delighted in doing by showing the film to friends before it was known to say `hey, look what I got to show you' and not showing them the opening or ending credits making them think it was genuine).

Ghostwatch could have had very much the same effect and indeed was most certainly going that way, it's just that they ran away with themselves and went too far with the contrived angles and aspects. The ultimate irony in this comparison is that the Americans got it right (on a tiny budget) and the BBC didn't (I have no idea how much this would have cost so.) when some who've seen other films of this genre from both countries would have expected it to be the other way around..

So overall I'll give it a 7/10 for a truly great idea that was largely well executed but with some serious flaws and a runaway aspect that just dented it for me; it doesn't seem to have polarised views like The Blair Witch Project (from what I've seen people usually love it or hate it) but then again I doubt that many people have actually SEEN Ghostwatch given the BBC's banning of its re-broadcast.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Simplicty, brillance, effectiveness - a deadly combination

[10/10 · 3 November 2003]

The Blair Witch Project is, in my humble opinion, a masterpiece of clever use of minimal resources, hype, selective leakage of information and superb disinformation that made a film that cost a pittance into a spectacular success. It did this not by trying to defy its humble origins but indeed it played on them in the most effective way; it used its amateur feel and low budget appearance to make it look all the more real and this was backed up by hyping people into believing that it was indeed real (at least for a time).

Even when they realised that they had been `duped' so to speak they were intrigued (as was I) to find how this had been done to so many people so effectively. The film came out very late in Australia (so we could cop the 2nd hand prints from the US) but I had purchased it on DVD from the US about two months before its theatrical release and had read a great deal about it and the hype surrounding it before even I saw it.

It was intriguing to note the trickle of broken information that made it even here, others had heard this or that about this new film and many even believed it to be real - the thing was everyone wanted to see it very badly.

Not everyone who saw it was effected by it - some didn't get it, some didn't like it, some weren't scared by it (one friend of mine borrowed the DVD and she watched it at midday with the lights all on and the windows open cuddled up with her border collie on the sofa; she deliberately tried to minimise the scare impact, I tend to show it with all the lights off and around midnight!).

Others had heard too much real information for the hype to have worked properly - but that's ok, I watched the film to see what they had tried to do and how they had tried to do it and I was enormously impressed by how someone took what they had and used simplicity and ingenuity to make something work so well.

This is a film that is special in many ways, like Orson Wells' radio play of `War of the Worlds' and even Ghostwatch (1992) on the BBC, this film can lull the viewer into a sense of what they are seeing is real and even if you know it isn't in the proper environment it can still send chills down one's spine and leave the shattered illusions in their mind for days afterwards. It works on a minimalist approach not widely seen for a long time and they do it very very well; indeed this was the first DVD I ever purchased and it is still one of my favourites.

Not only is it a different type of horror film - it's a different type of film all together (from almost everything else I've seen) and in this day and age of repetition that's quite an achievement.

It's a shame the sequel was just so bloody awful, it had none of the feeling or atmosphere of the original.

The Dead Zone (1983)

Excellent film

[9/10 · 6 January 2001]

Having often been told that this is the best of all the film adaptations of Stephen King's novels, I can see why – this is a well presented, well acted production and makes for a good example of its genre even if you aren't intimately familiar with Stephen King's written work (as I am not).

Not relying no excessive special effects or undue levels of horror, it presents a satisfying blend of a supernatural theme and thoroughly believable performances. I highly recommend this as a good addition to any collection, or a rewarding night's viewing if you can obtain a copy.

Early Edition (1996–2000)

Unpretentious and simple yet complex and powerful; Early Edition achieves a balance few can approach.

[8 April 2000]

There's something wonderfully unpretentious about this show; I'm not sure what it is exactly, it's one of those intangible things which makes a show memorable and leaves a smile on your face when you realise that in the past hour you've been really entertained.

With a combination of good acting, good writing and strong production it seems that it manages to convey its intentions without preaching, without being `in your face' and without screaming out loud. I always think of it as an `unpretentious little show' and find myself going to great lengths to see it; our dreadful local stations see fit to put it on at 3am on a Sunday morning (God only knows why when vastly inferior shows crowd more reasonable times, I wish we had a station like CBS here in Australia that puts these shows on at reasonable times as happens in the US).

The premise of the show (a man who receives tomorrow's newspaper today and has to do what he can to set things right that appear in the paper) is very easy to get into. This alone makes the show that much more accessible, I think that anyone who takes the time will be more than justly rewarded. I am very glad to see that the show is still running on CBS and I sincerely hope that it is with us for a long time to come. It's been going since 1996 and they don't seem to be running out of ideas which is always a good sign…

All in all one of my top ten in the last decade or so, so good to see a show which doesn't rely on pretentiousness and glitter but on its own values and sheer quality of its writing, production and acting. Not only a must see but a must-return-to as well!

Schindler's List (1993)

The finest film ever made. Period.

[10/10 · 9 February 2000]

Quite simply the finest film ever made.

Nothing even comes close to this film. It ascends to a new level; it so poignantly and delicately conveys its message that you are left breathless, speechless and completely in awe of what you have just seen.

Mr Spielberg so often shows his talent in a very forward and visible way; his restraint and control in this film adds so greatly to its power because it IS restrained and you are left with the memory of what the film is about, not just any specific effect, sequence, style or even performance.

Indeed these performances were second to none, Ralph Fiennes comes particularly to mind – you feel such hatred towards him and yet there are flaws in the evil of his character, indeed this would have been a very hard part to play.

There are also reminders of the human tragedy of the holocaust that tie the entire event to one person, the use of the red coat on the little girl is a simple and brilliant way of doing this; it serves to shatter any desensitisation that we may build up to protect ourselves from horrors that we are seeing, it brings the entire thing back home; in such a simple and effective way and makes it personal – VERY personal.

I think that this will serve to educate us and remind us of what happened for many centuries to come, it is a work that will stand the test of time like no other; I firmly believe that it will go far in serving its ultimate cause, that such events may never happen again.

In short I do not think that it is possible to speak too highly of Schindler's List. I fear that we may never see another film of this calibre but if we do it would have to be something truly remarkable and be of someone of at least Mr Spielberg's brilliance; a very, very hard act to follow.

American Beauty (1999)

Worth everything you give it - and then some.

[10/10 · 30 January 2000]

Sometimes you can tell how well a film is effecting its audience by the way that people respond in the theatre. Moments of depth and meaning sometimes transcend the ability of those who lead a more pointless and shallow existence or who simply aren't paying attention. You can tell these people easily sometimes; they laugh when they are not supposed to laugh because they are totally missing the point of what they are seeing; and in this case a film so accessible and so understandable as this one further highlights the fact that they are sadly looking right past what they are seeing.

The packed cinema in which I saw this flim was such a place, there were pockets of these pointless individuals here and there; people who totally missed the point of what they were seeing and saw only the surface of the fact. That this happened in American Beauty really hammers home just quite how deprived these people were. This is neither a difficult nor an obscure film, nor is it detached from its audience; in fact it's a long time since I've seen something that was so immersive, so involving and so compelling. Indeed The Sixth Sense was a film of such quality but in a totally different way so perhaps comparisons are a tad unfair in this case.

This is a film of great depth, character and meaning which elegantly conveys its depth and communicates with its audience in a careful, considered and very thoughtful manner. This sense of depth is felt throughout the entire film and is cemented in the last few scenes, the point of the entire story is given with such clarity that it is hard to misunderstand what you are seeing.

I think everyone will perhaps pick up something different from this film based on how it relates to them and their own experience. It will speak volumes to some, quiet whispers to others; it will nudge and prod and suggest to some people who have been there, done that, others will just find it an interesting and deep story that stays with you long after you've left the cinema. I think that the elegance of this film is in its simplicity and the way that a profoundly simple concept is explored and concentrated into the final point in the film, something that not only requires truly great writing but equally strong production, direction and last but not least, very strong performances.

I found all these things in this film and I was swept up in its brilliance, its simplicity and indeed its complexity. Not only is it so clever as to be very intellectually impressive but it also achieves a level of accessibility that it may be understood by almost everyone. I now pity those who miss this film or those who see it but still miss all that is in it; those who want to look at pretty pictures and disengage their brain for a while had best not see this film. They indeed have my pity.

All I can recommend to you is two things. Firstly go and see this film. And secondly ==pay attention==. You'll be grateful that you did; it's worth every moment that you give it.

The Iron Mistress (1952)

One of my favourites...

[9/10 · 19 July 1999]

I've never really been a fan of westerns, I didn't grow up with them and I always thought the genre was overrated personally.

Occasionally however a film comes along which has distinct appeal despite its genre, this is such a film. I'm not 100% sure why I liked it or why it stood out from the pack, there is a certain intangible aspect to it which really appeals; the closest thing that I can think of is `The Mountain' (1956, Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner), it is a film which I believe has that same intangible quality.

I'd recommend this one for both western fan and non western fan (like myself) alike.

Rushmore (1998)

Rushbore - an hour and a half of my life that I'll never get back

[1/10 · 26 January 1999]

The most remarkable thing about this film is that there were people actually liked it.

Dear God, WHY!?!?

It was so dreadful that it defied description. I never found it even remotely witty or humorous; in short it was a dreary egotistical piece of drivel which was all about some twit's nostalgic wet dream and trying to justify the lifestyle of some git who's very existence could convince the Pope that abortion really is a good idea after all.

Pretentious and downright horrible, I did something that I haven't done in years during a film; I dozed off half way through. I guess that little part of the brain which tries to protect you from horrible events (car crashes, being held at gunpoint etc.) by making you pass out was trying to protect me from an experience almost as painful.

It's worth neither the time, the money nor the unnecessary wear on the retina of your eye; indeed I will try to remember this film when next I'm having any trouble sleeping. This is the first film I've ever seen that made me think `maybe I'd rather be seeing Godzilla…'.

The loudest cheer I think I've ever heard from a cinema audience was the one heard when the film finally ended, I've never heard so much joy from an audience; that they sat through it is a testament to either their exceptional tolerance or their desire to find a dark, comfortable chair to catch some sleep prior to the commencement of the next feature.

In short I resented most of all that I just gave away an hour and a half of my life which I will never get back – to anyone considering seeing this film you are suitably warned...