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Reviews
The Hidden Hand (1942)
OK if you can get past the racism
This could have been a fun little twisty comic thriller if it weren't for the horrible racism-tinged treatment of the servants, Black and Japanese "houseboys." They are treated with such contempt by the main characters, even the "good" ones, it is hard to stomach.
Otherwise, the ever ghoulist. Milton Parsons is fun to watch. One almost wishes he would get away with it all. There is a high body count and little suspence since we know from the beginning what the plan was. I give it five stars for the performance of Parsons and for the house itself, full of secret passageways, nooks, and crannies. All the other characters are bland and interchangable.
Nothing But the Night (1973)
Shades of Get Out.
I agree with the reviewer who sees a foreshadowing of the recent film Get Out. Also reminds me of Wicker Man and Children of the Corn. A bit slow, but the final two minutes are a huge pay-off! One irritating point: why can't these oh so learned men take a minute to listen to a woman who may have valuable information?
Eureka (2006)
Good premise, little creativity
This show has a great premise: a town full of geniuses and quirky characters. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it sacrifices good storytelling in favor of trying to be cute, flirty and sassy. (The snappy comebacks start to fray the nerves). Instead of a great storyline, with lots of twists and turns, each episode poses a problem which the hero promptly goes out and solves. There's no twist at the end; nothing to wait for; no edge of the seat. In addition, the show can't decide if it's comedy or drama. Most of it plays lighter than most sci-fi, which is fine, but then it throws some unexpected pathos in your face, such as the death of a major character.
Also, several interesting characters seem to get dropped after one or two episodes: oh, for example, ALL the children. What, are children just too boring for a show that's trying to appeal to adults? Some of us still find them a refreshing counterpoint to all the adult game playing.
It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)
Great monster; ridiculous romance!
The monster was a lot of fun, but it was really insufferable to have to wade through the NAUSEATING romance sequences! The movie pays lip service to feminism in the embodiment of a beautiful female scientist. Sure our heroine complains when a man attempts to order her dinner for her, but then melts when he mentions lobster. She resorts to cheap feminine wiles to get the information she wants from a sailor, and succumbs easily to the charms of the Neanderthal who when asked "What does she think (about going along on a mission)," answers "What does it matter what she thinks..." Thank god for fast forward. I also can't believe one viewer considered the actress too old for the part of a world-renowned scientist at the age of 31! Hey, as long as she looks good in a sweater...