The Secret Scene

I know you love my Screen Time column; believe it or not, some people don't. One of my pals took me to task for, basically, giving my opinion about movies I've never seen. That's a matter of logistic necessity, along with the results of my annals of movie watching experience. I got a sixth sense about these things.

But, to prove I'm honest, and to eat up more column space, I'm starting a new feature. Of course, I'm not just reviewing any set of movies; I'm digging through the shelves of the local video stores, looking for long-lost treasures worth a rent. I'll be spotlighting rare and cult movies worth the extra footwork.

I started down the street, over at Cape Video. Mike took over the shop during the new year, and he's already got a 'cult wall' set up. It's a sanctuary as VHS takes its last gasp. While digging through the 70's sex comedies, the Italian horror films, and the Kurt Russell Disney comedies, I found a couple of flicks with contemporary resonance:

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, released in 1972, is an early film by director Wes Craven. Depending on your age, you movie fans may think of either the SCREAM movies or the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET series, both of which he created. "The Last House on the Left" is Craven's first horror film, a very anti-supernatural horror film. The film's actually an adaptation of a Swedish art movie, the Ingmar Bergman classic THE VIRGIN SPRING, but it seems to be more inspired by the news of the times. The story's about two doomed country girls that go to the city, and get captured by a vicious, Manson-like 'family' of criminals.

"Last House" is a low-budget film, and it shows. The performances are adequate, but the biggest star to come out of this film was Martin Kove (Sensai John Kreese, y'know?) as a bumbling deputy. The music and wardrobe, vintage '70s, can be distracting to the unitiated. The dialogue, especially in the first third, is mostly cheese.

It's the middle third of the film, when the girls are trapped in the woods with the crooks, that the movie broke ground. What had felt like an afterschool special turns into a true crime film, and then earns its distinction as a horror film, in the psychological sense. The scene by the lake still has a stunning effect: in the aftermath of one despicable moment, Craven registers everyone's reactions. We see the hollowness in everyone's eyes; the uncomfortable silence as they wait for some external retribution that doesn't come. Retribution comes much later, in the final third of the film. The criminals, stranded in the woods, end up taking shelter at a nearby house. Their hosts unwittingly turn out to be the parents of one of the girls. Even if you haven't seen A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, you know this can't end well...

If you weren't a fan of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, you won't be impressed with this film. But, like "Blair Witch", "Last House" taps into the latent danger that we pose to ourselves and others, when we lose touch with our civility.

"Last House" is rated R (from back in the 70's, when an R rating meant something.) "Last House" is also the film that had the infamous tagline, "Keep telling yourself, 'it's only a movie, it's only a movie...'" Another breakthrough for this film: "Last House" did the 'death by chainsaw' bit two years before the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. How's that for groundbreaking?

Peter Jackson brought 'The Lord of the Rings' to the screen, and has become one of the world's most respected film auteurs. His first taste of international attention was with the 1993 splatterfest DEAD ALIVE. Also known in some countries as "Brain Dead," "Dead Alive" is set in a coastal New Zealand town (is there any other kind?) where a rabid 'rat monkey' bites a shrewish old lady and turns her into a ravenous zombie with an infectious bite.

"Dead Alive" is the kind of horror movie you play at parties; gore-hounds already know about this film, with its ludicrous amounts of blood and cheeky sense of humor. The story's set in the 50's, so you got zombie greasers and a sock hop bloodbath. You also got enough Oedipal issues to write a term paper about, wrapped up in a gross and giddy package.

There's several versions available: the 'safer' version is about 85 minutes long, mostly intact with only a few noticeable cuts. That's the copy I found for review, and it was still a bizarre viewing experience. There's the director's version, with an extra 12 minutes; that's available on DVD. The truly tenacious may want to find the Australian 'Brain Dead' version (not to be confused with the Bill Paxton film,) clocking in at 103 minutes. I don't even know what's in that one. Whatever version you get, 'Dead Alive' is just the thing if you're in the mood for kung-fu priests, blood-sucking babies, and things that make you go "Ewww..."

Fun fact: Peter Jackson's next film project will be a remake of KING KONG, but it's something that's been on his mind for a long time. The first scene of 'Dead Alive' takes place on Skull Island, which was the home for the super-sized simian in the 1933 original.

MAN ON FIRE is the new Denzel Washington movie finishing its run in theaters. If you missed it, just go to the video store and ask for the 1987 film "Man on Fire", starring Scott Glenn. It's the same movie.

Director Tony Scott had his first chance to adapt the AJ Quinnell novel "Man on Fire"; he chose to direct "Top Gun" instead. French director Elie Chouraqui took over the revenge tale, about a ex-soldier-turned-bodyguard who goes on a rampage in search of the criminals that kidnapped his little-girl client. A decade and a half later, Tony Scott got another chance, and cast Denzel in the role.

Differences? The 80's version is set in Italy, and feels like an Italian movie, or an episode of Miami Vice without the music. The 90's version is set in Mexico, and Tony Scott gives the script the same polish and muscle he gave ENEMY OF THE STATE and TRUE ROMANCE.

The 80's version features Joe Pesci, Johnathan Pryce, and Brooke Adams (anybody remember the mini-series "Lace"?) in the roles that Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke, and Radha Mitchell (PITCH BLACK) would occupy.

Of course, the 21st century version's slicker, begging for the DVD release; the 1987 release would be perfect for the late late movie on Fox 23.

The new version also has a meaner streak, as if that was possible. Scott Glenn's Creasy is relentless when the little girl under his charge is kidnapped. He digs deep into the underground (and his past training) to hunt down and out-bad the bad guys. Denzel's Creazy is all that, cranked to 11. In fact, he might be too cruel, especially if you see the 1987 version. The newer version has several extra twists and turns (it's a half-hour longer, so it has to be), and several opportunities to show just how much farther the new Creasy's willing to go. But the 80's version did the job for me, quicker and more heroically.

In summation: If you want bigger explosions and the bigger body count, try the new version. If you prefer a shorter and more believable story (and a happier ending), try the video store.

That's the cult movies for this month; I'm just getting started. If you find a wild, weird, or wonderful movie that's off the beaten path, drop me a note and tell me where you found it, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column. Meanwhile, I'll keep looking for all your favorites that you haven't seen yet.