Tag: Action

Women, Power, & Desire: “Impulse” (1990) & “Body of Evidence” (1992)

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Impact (1990) starring Theresa Russell, Jeff Fahey, & George Dzundza

She’s an undercover cop. Seduced by a fantasy. Trapped in a mystery. Led by a dangerous impulse. It’s easy to lose control. -Taglines for the film

This is a psychological thriller co-written by a woman (Leigh Chapman) and directed by a woman- Sondra Locke (who had a palimony suit against Clint Eastwood while making this film). I learned re: Locke’s and Eastwood’s (turbulent) relationship on a recent ep of the podcast You Must Remember This (hosted by Karina Longworth). Yikes, Eastwood does NOT come out looking good! It was V difficult for Locke (who worked as an actress on Eastwood’s projects) to get funding for this small-budget movie (distributed by Warner Bros). In some ways, it’s ahead of it’s time!

Lottie Mason (Russell) is an undercover cop in the LAPD; she’s tall, blonde, and tough (ONLY trusts in herself). Her boss, Lt. Joe Morgan (Dzundza), has been sexually harassing her; we learn this in an early scene. Her bills are piling up and she is TOO invested in her job. While Lottie is helping an ADA- Stan (Fahey)- set-up a drug buy w/ a witness he needs for a case, they become romantically involved. They have a love scene which is unusual for that era, as it’s mainly re: intense gazes (which build tension).

It’s rare (even today) to see a movie centered on a female cop; it has become common on TV/streaming shows. Impulse is gritty, moody, and Russell is believable as a street-smart/independent-minded woman (w/ a hidden soft side). Lottie’s nights of dealing w/ lowlifes has affected her personal life; her Vice assignments incl. impersonating streetwalkers and junkies. She has mandated therapy sessions w/ Dr. Gardner (Lynn Thigpen), where she admits to having a fantasy of losing control and acting on (darker) impulses. Though some viewers felt it was a BIT slow, I think fans of the noir genre or cop dramas may like it. Both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert called this “a V good thriller.” You can see it on Freevee.)

Body of Evidence (1992) starring Madonna & Willem Dafoe

An act of love, or an act of murder? -Tagline for the film

An elderly millionaire in Portland is found dead of heart failure handcuffed to his bed; a home video of him and a woman is running in the background. When cocaine is found in his system, and his will leaves $8 million to this woman (his lover)- Rebecca Carlson (Madonna)- police arrest her on suspicion of murder. Her lawyer, Frank Dulaney (Dafoe), succumbs to her charms and they start a (reckless) affair. As new evidence turns up during trial, Frank begins to wonder if he’s defending a murderer. (I saw the R-rated version on Freevee; many yrs. ago, I saw it on cable.)

Frank Dulaney: It’s not a crime to be a great lay!

Robert Garrett: Well, sure. l’d have to have myself indicted.

Body of Evidence is often (negatively) compared to Basic Instinct; shooting began only 2 weeks after that film was released, so the similarities are probably coincidental. However, the huge success of Paul Verhoeven’s film could still have influenced the direction and editing. Madonna met w/ a (real-life) dominatrix, who taught her how to tie someone’s arms behind their back using a belt. Dafoe attended a criminal trial; it was interrupted when several people (incl. the judge and many jurors) recognized him and wanted to talk. This is on Roger Ebert’s 2005 list of his most hated films. If you enjoy comedy podcasts, check out the ep reviewing this movie on How Did This Get Made?

Frank Dulaney: Counsel for the Prosecution has already used this witness to establish the state of mind of the deceased. He opened the can, Your Honor.

Judge Burnham: And I do see worms crawling all around you, Mr. Garrett.

Madonna was the 1st choice to play Rebecca; producer Dino De Laurentiis purchased the script b/c he believed it was the perfect role for her. She has short/platinum hair, V pale (unflattering) makeup, red lipstick, and designer clothes. Madonna personally selected Dafoe as her co-star, BUT they have no romantic chemistry together! As many filmmakers have noted over the yrs, casting is V important. Also, where is the development of the characters!? Frank seems eager (quite early on) to do what Rebecca prefers. In one of the (later) steamy scenes, Dafoe looks hesitant (as if performing a chore). Madonna’s acting coach quit just before production began, claiming that “she thinks she knows everything.” As this movie will show, she is a V limited actress. The dialogue given to her is NO help at all! The movie’s (German) director, Uli Edel, said Madonna refused to be directed in the sex scenes. She insisted on pouring (real/hot) wax on Dafoe’s chest in (perhaps the most controversial) scene- ouch! To y’all younger gen viewers, little of this content will look daring.

I was too young to know better. It was the first time I’d been asked to get naked and it turned out to be completely extraneous and gratuitous. Ugh. It was a terrible film and a terrible performance by me. It was about nothing, and I didn’t need to be doing it. -Julianne Moore

Joe Mantegna (who plays prosecutor Robert Garrett) said filming the courtroom scenes was so tedious that 2 extras (jurors) fell asleep during Dafoe’s closing statement. Mantegna (always reliable) yelled at them to wake them up- LOL! The director doesn’t know how to make the trial visually interesting. The judge has lines which (in retrospect) are sassy/funny. Anne Archer does OK what little she is given. A young Julianne Moore plays Sharon (Frank’s wife); she runs a successful restaurant and is mom to a preteen son (seen in just one scene). Moore (who can tackle any role) later said she regretted taking this on; she was then new to movies. Frank Langella has a small/pivotal role as a man from Rebecca’s past. One of Madonna’s besties (actress Sandra Bernhard) was heard laughing at the premiere, commenting: “This is not a serious movie!”

[1] It is both as bad as you remember it, but somehow endlessly entertaining.

[2] The movie goes from the ridiculous to the sublime and every thing else in between, and by the time the movie is over, you feel like you went over Niagara Falls on a surf board.

[3] The courtroom and crime scenes is just background to what the movie is, Madonna in the bedroom.

[4] …might have been much more fun had it the slightest sense of humor. Alas, all the laughs here are unintentional, and the straight-faced actors just end up looking foolish. […] For camp-addicts, a hoot; all others beware.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“The Outsider” (2002) starring Naomi Watts & Tim Daly

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Have y’all seen anything on Freevee? A few weekends ago, I came across this movie (which originally aired on Showtime). The Outsider (based on the novel by Penelope Williamson) is a Western/drama/romance set in the late 1880s; it was filmed in Australia. It is centered on the (forbidden) love btwn a widowed mother, Rebecca Yoder (Naomi Watts), from a (Mennonite-like) group and a gunslinger, Johnny Gault (Tim Daly), who she takes into her house after he is shot. Noah (Keth Carradine) is Rebecca’s friend/neighbor; he is a widower w/ a teen son. The community’s doctor is played by his (real-life) older brother, David Carradine. Fans of the LOTR trilogy will recognize the main villain, Mr. Hunter (John Noble- a veteran Aussie actor). The director (Randa Haines) has worked on several critically-acclaimed films.

This is NOT the typical (shoot ’em up) Western, though there are scenes of action. The scenery is V nice, though the sets, costumes, etc. are simple. Rebecca’s community members are called “the plain people” and they avoid confrontation and violence. In an early scene, we see what lead to the death of her husband. The townspeople try to take advantage of this peaceful community sometimes. The worst one of all is Mr. Hunter, a powerful/feared man who wants to expand his land holdings. About a year later, a man dressed in dusty/dark clothes stumbles onto her land w/ a bullet lodged in his gut. Quickly, Rebecca and her young son (Benjo) take him into their log cabin. Rebecca is shocked when she unwraps the guns, knives, and bullets that this man carried on his person. We wonder if this is a good man or one that is a criminal (who could cause her harm)! The doctor removes the bullet and predicts that the outsider will die soon. However, Rebecca is NOT convinced; she prays for his life and helps him recover (going out of her way).

Why would anyone want to cover up something so beautiful? -Johnny asks Rebecca (who covers her hair)

After a rocky start, Rebecca and Johnny get to know each other as he heals. She’s pleasantly surprised to know that he knows the Bible. Johnny appreciates her humor and humanity. Rebecca is more of a spiritual person; her view of religion consists of everything around her. When Johnny is chastised for playing music, he is playful/teasing w/ Rebecca, not angry. It turns out that Rebecca loves music, BUT it’s not allowed by her people. Rebecca is attracted to Johnny b/c he appreciates who she is. Yes, there are (typical) tropes you find in romance novels, BUT there are scenes that feel fresh and non-cliched. Even today, there are NOT many movies that focus on women’s desire! Watts (who is an Aussie) would go on to some big roles; she always gives a fine performance. Daly (an American; then known for light/comedic roles) gets to show his versatility. They have great chemistry together!

[1] Every so often, a movie comes along with an inspiring cast, a beautiful setting, dialogue that sounds like people talking, foreshadow that makes sense and characters that emote deep sympathy.

[2] For anyone that loves reading a good romance novel, this is the movie for you. […] Sexy, intelligent, believable characters, and a smoldering chemistry…

Tim Daly is fantastic in this film. …his character has a variety of facets which are explored in a realistic way.

[3] Tim Daly – who I had always considered as an actor in light comedy – was extremely impressive as a dark, possibly evil, character. In a movie that could have been just a mixture of Shane/Witness, it brought something new and impelling. It made you care…

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Gunshy” (1998) starring William Petersen, Michael Wincott, & Diane Lane

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Jake Bridges: [narrating] I always wanted to be close to dangerous guys. Even wanted to be a dangerous guy. Truth is, didn’t know what I wanted.

After losing his job at a NYC magazine and finding his gf in bed w/ a younger man, a depressed writer named Jake Bridges (William Petersen) goes on a drinking spree in Atlantic City, NJ. At a seedy-looking bar, Jake gets argumentative w/ a tough/beefy patron (played by singer Meat Loaf). The fight turns violent fast and continues out on the street. Suddenly, a stranger comes to Jake’s rescue! This man is an enforcer named Frankie (Michael Wincott); he takes Jake to his house. Luckily for Jake, Frankie’s gf Melissa (Diane Lane) is a nurse. Frankie wants to become book-smart; in return, he’ll teach Jake how to be street-smart. Jake even gets a bit of a makeover (w/ a tailored suit). Soon, Jake feels himself drawn into Frankie’s (criminal) world and falls in love w/ Melissa. Jake also gets inspo to write- again!

Frankie: A man once told me that the only thing you really own is a piece of ground the size of your shoes.

Perhaps you are fans of the 3 leads, who were NOT then big stars at that time. Petersen (best known as the lead on the CBS drama CSI) had appeared in 2 big films- To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) and Manhunter (1986). Those of you (near my age) may know him from Young Guns II or as Reese Witherspoon’s dad in the teen drama/thriller Fear (1996). Lane was having a lull in her career (which I don’t understand); I think she does a good job w/ what she is given here. She’d soon receive critical acclaim for roles in A Walk on the Moon (1999) and Unfaithful (2002). A character actor (playing tough guys/villains), Wincott had a key supporting role in Jordan Peele’s latest movie- Nope (2022). Wincott plays a cinematographer obsessed w/ getting the perfect shot.

Melissa: What can I tell you about men? They want you to be their daughter, their mother, their addiction. They want you to want them, and then they don’t want you anymore.

This is for those of y’all who want to dive deep into the film noir genre. You can see this low-budget indie for free (Crackle or Plex). The video was pausing for me on those apps, so I rented it (Amazon). There are tropes found in noirs of the ’40s and ’50s, BUT w/ ’90s attitudes and modern language. The locations/sets are (usually) bleak and darkly lit. Some of the dialogue is predictable, BUT some of it still comes off as fresh. From what I read/heard, viewers esp. liked the scenes btwn. Petersen and Wincott (where they read/discuss the classic book- Moby Dick). We see that Frankie possesses some good qualities that Jake lacks. The movie blurs the distinction btwn hero and villain. There is also a plot twist after the hour mark.

[1] Well acted and with solid dialogue, the film has a few cliched moments, but they are ultimately forgivable in the end.

[2] The plot, too seems somewhat contrived in bringing together Petersen and Wincott as friends, but somehow the whole is better than the sum of it’s parts. Once Wincott enters, it is an engaging though flawed piece with good action sequences. With more care in the scripting, this could have been a really good film but as it is, well worth a watch.

[3] The film may seem dated at the beginning, but follow the story and you’ll be surprised, and pleased. The editing is clearly 1998; if it were shot and edited today, it would probably be smoother, and a bit more coherent. There are pieces of the soundtrack that are very pleasing, but mostly too 90’s in style. The movie probably would be a terrific re-make…

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Harriet” (2019) starring Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr, & Janelle Monae

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The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. -Synopsis

Be free or die. -A tagline for the film

This is the 1st feature film to be made about the life of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman (birth name: Arabella Minto); you can watch it on HBO Max. Producer Debra Martin Chase chose Cynthia Erivo for the lead b/c of her impressive career so far: Tony, Grammy and Emmy for The Color Purple musical on Broadway. There was controversy in casting a British woman for such an iconic American role; director/co-writer Kasi Lemmons (a Black American woman/former actress) explained that the film represented African-Americans: writers, production designer, composer, and hair/makeup.

Harriet is shown more as a “superhero,” than a real woman; this was the choice of the filmmakers. This movie is sadly disappointing (given the V important subject), though Erivo does a fine job w/ what she as given. The dialogue doesn’t really pop and the delivery (at times) is heavy-handed. Yes, Harriet really did experience visions, as a result of a childhood head injury. Many historians claim that this is likely due to a head injury she received in her youth. It is nice to look at, though there was NOT a big budget. There is some tension/suspense in Tubman’s escape (from a plantation in Dorchester Co, MD) and various rescue missions. There is a narrow range of Tubman’s life shown and there are several jumps in years at a time. One astute viewer noted that “Tubman’s work on women’s suffrage was only a footnote and arguments around what actions the abolitionist movement should take were greatly reduced.” There is no mention of John Brown, BUT Fredrick Douglass has a brief cameo. For the sensitive viewers out there, this is a much less violent portrayal than seen in 12 Years a Slave.

Some actors are highlighted, though others (incl. veterans w/ gravitas) don’t get much screen time. I wanted to see more of Clarke Peters and Vanessa Bell Calloway; they play the Ross’ (Harriet’s parents). A few of Harriet’s family members were free, BUT most others are enslaved. Harriet’s 1st husband, John (Zachary Momo), was a free Black man. Vondie Curtis-Hall (also Lemmons’ husband) does a good job as Rev. Green. Leslie Odom Jr. is bright/charming as William Still, though I doubt this role was a challenge for him. Marie Buchanon (played by singer/actress Janelle Monae) was created for the movie; she is a sympathetic friend to Harrier, but quite modern. I don’t know how plausible it’d have been for a young/Black/unmarried woman to own a boarding house in Philly.

Harriet: [to Gideon, at gunpoint] You’ll die right here. On a frozen, blood-soaked battlefield, the moans of a generation of young men in your ears, dying in agony around you, for a lost cause. For a vile and wicked idea! For the sin of slavery! Can you hear them? God don’t mean people to own people, Gideon! Our time is near!

Unfortunately, we also see the in-over-his-head “actor” Joe Alwyn (also a Brit); I don’t know how he keeps getting roles! He plays Gideon Brodess, the slaveowner who grew up w/ (and maybe has a sort of obsession) w/ Harriet. Is it just about money (slaves were property), or is there something else going on? Perhaps worst of all (noted by several critics/casual viewers), is the cartoonish (Black) slavecatcher w/ the unfortunate name of Bigger Long (Omar Dorsey)- yikes!

[1] I attend a HBCU and have read, and studied, Harriet Tubman’s life. I don’t even know where to begin. There is no account of her ever standing with Union soldiers and pointing a gun. There are so many errors and what I saw on the screen was complete fiction.

[2] The scripting is insultingly lowbrow, almost patronizing. The acting talent has a good record in other productions, but in this film is unrealized due to the other problems. There are quite a few ahistoric, frankly false, events in this film which are not needed and make the film more a less than credible hagiography, as opposed to the plenty sufficient bravery, courage and strength of Tubman herself.

The film is not a total loss, but Tubman deserves better, much better, as do contemporary audiences.

[3] This is a standard biopic of anti-slavery heroine Harriet Tubman. It’s a serious take. The tone is singular which leaves the movie rather flat. I’m not calling for some broad jokes to inject silly humor or grotesque violence to horrify. The constant uninspired narrative can take a toll on the tension. The movie could push the intensity of the escapes. There are emotional power points, but they always seem a little melodramatic.

[4] If you want to see a REAL MOVIE on Harriet Tubman, look at the Cicely Tyson version: A Woman Called Moses.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Someone to Watch Over Me” (1987) starring Tom Berenger, Mimi Rogers, & Lorraine Bracco

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He’s a streetwise cop who just made detective. She’s a stunning sophisticate who just saw a murder. A killer is the only thing they had in common. Until tonight. -Tagline

The film takes its title from the 1926 Gershwin song of the same name- Someone to Watch Over Me– which is heard in 3 separate renditions. They are by Sting (start of film), Roberta Flack (over the end credits), and Gene Simmons w/ Richard Wyands, Doug Watkins and J.C. Heard (from original 1961 version). This movie was often compared (during its initial release) w/ Fatal Attraction (1987), the then recent Adrian Lyne thriller. On Amazon Prime, I happened upon this movie categorized w/ erotic thrillers; as one astute viewer noted, this is more of a romantic thriller and throwback to classic noirs. This is director Ridley Scott’s 3rd feature (after Blade Runner and Legend) and the 1st one set in the modern period w/ contemporary characters. This movie deals w/ the issue of social class. I think class differences are V noticeable when one lives/works in NYC.

I’ve never played a cop before. I liked the character because even though he is the hero of the story, he has negative qualities and makes some big mistakes. I always find that interesting, a character with a dilemma to face, confronting his personal morality. -Berenger on his role

I wanted somebody who was fiercely independent and an interesting humorous character. It had to be someone who was the antithesis of Claire and yet someone who was equivalent to her. I think Lorraine fulfills those requirements very well. -Scott on casting Bracco

I didn’t want the character to be unreachable or so separated from reality because she lives in a $3 million apartment in New York. That in itself can be thought of as being pretty unsympathetic. It’s a very delicate role to play. The character has everything. Yet she has to show vulnerability and at the same time demonstrate sensibility and normalcy within her rarefied environment. I found that in Mimi. -Scott on casting Rogers

Tom Berenger (who’d appeared in 2 fine films- Platoon and The Big Chill) plays Mike Keegan, a 30-something cop/family man just promoted to detective. Sharon Stone screen tested for the role of socialite/write, Claire Gregory, which went to Mimi Rogers. Years later, Rogers auditioned for psychologist/murder suspect, Catherine Tramell, in Basic Instinct (1992), which went to Stone. The breakout star of this movie is 33 y.o. Lorraine Bracco (who has a real NYC accent); wife/mom Ellie Keegan is one of her earliest roles. She brings something authentic and fresh in her work, so that you don’t see the acting. Veteran theater/TV actor Jerry Orbach (a few yrs before his iconic Law & Order detective role) plays Mike’s boss, Lt. Garber. Mike’s (recently divorced) best pal is played by Daniel Hugh Kelly; he’s a cop enjoying his return to singlehood. Andreas Katsulas plays Joey Venza, a powerful/physically intimidating gangster.

There’s a very delicate balance of sympathy between the society woman and the wife. If [Tom] Berenger’s character is simply attracted to a beautiful woman, sympathy starts to weigh against him. I wanted to create that dilemma in the central character’s mind by giving him a very strong home life and a very strong wife. I wanted his attraction to Claire to be more than sexual. I wanted it to be cerebral to be everything. [Mike] Keegan is facing a very difficult question that has nothing to do with bank balance or other external forces. It’s a choice between women. Proper casting was crucial to creating this balance and making it work. -Scott on the love triangle

Ridley Scott is the most visual director I’ve ever worked with. He doesn’t neglect the actors, in fact, we’re very well taken care of. But he is fascinating to watch. He actually paints with light and with lenses and with angles, and it’s a very unique process. It becomes an element of the story because Ridley creates such a strong mood with his visuals. -Rogers on working w/ Scott

I always like seeing NYC in the movies. However, the nightclub scenes (opening) were shot aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA; the murder scene was filmed in the ship’s pool area. We see famed NYC places, such as Bergdorf Goodman (dept. store) and the Guggenheim Museum. Exteriors for Mike and Ellie’s house were shot in Long Island City (LIC) in Queens. Other locations incl. the Harbor View Restaurant on Old Fulton St, Central Park, the former police HQ on Centre Street, the subway, and the streets of the Upper East Side (UES).

[1] A highly stylized crime thriller that also manages to work as a tale of adulterous romance in addition to an effective parable of the culture clashes that are apparent between the upper and lower classes.

[2] …it is Lorraine Bracco who steals the picture as Berenger’s feisty wife. Long before she was best known as Tony Soprano’s psychiatrist, Bracco brought to the screen the ultimate portrayal of the modern wife and mother – loving but fierce, tough but compassionate, and not afraid to slap some sense into the man who has done her wrong.

[3] The direction of Ridley Scott is tight and perfect, as usual, using different angles camera and magnificent photography and shadows in the night, to express the differences between the two worlds. There is one specific scene that I love, when Mike is sat with his face half illuminated in the hall of Claire’s apartment, totally confused and with his feelings divided.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews