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One of the recent releases on home video, Tales From the Hood, is a spoof, and in a strange way pays homage to Tales From the Crypt. The film revolves around a creepy mortician, (Mod Squad's Clarence Williams III), who tells four horror stories to a trio of gangsters, who come upon him while looking for lost drugs. The drugs in question are now in the mortician's possession. The first tale involves three racist cops, who are pursued by the vengeful ghost of a black civil rights activist, who they had killed. The second story has a subtile message about child abuse. A kid named Walter is being abused by a "monster" that can only be killed by drawing his picture and tearing it up.The third is one of the stupider ones. L.A. Law's Corbin Bernsen is a gubernatorial candidate and ex-Klansman (Bernsen's character was obviously patterned after David Duke), whose home is being invaded by killer dolls. Oh, what an original premise that is! Haven't we seen about a dozen movies made about killer dolls? The final one is the best. The premise is borrowed somewhat from A Clockwork Orange. A gangster is shot by a rival gang, after killing one of the gang's members. However, before they can finish him off, the cops come and kill the gang. The gangster survives to be sent to prison. Next, he is selected by a doctor (Rosalind Cash), who puts him through a special mind experiment to show all the wrongs he's done in his life and possibly try to convince him to change his ways.
Except for the third segment, this is a pretty good comedy in horror film clothing. Williams is perfectly weird as the mortician. Plus, the ending has a great twist. Though the film isn't perfect, it's good enough to go to the video store and rent it.
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Hey, what can I say? This is one of the best and most innovative films ever made. George Lucas created a masterpiece that single-handedly revolutionized the world of special effects and became part of our culture and folklore. Lucas' inspiration for the story came from a Kurosawa film called The Hidden Fortress, which is considered a masterpiece itself by many directors, including Lucas. The story (if you don't know it already) is about young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who is sent to save Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) from the cruel Grand Moff Tarkin (horror film star, Peter Cushing) and his ruthless second-in-command, Darth Vader (played by David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones). Joining him on his mission is the dashing Han Solo (Harrison Ford, in the role which made him a star), Solo's buddy Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), the wise old Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guiness) and two droids: C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), a communications droid and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), who is handy at breaking co
des and communicating with computers.From start to finish, this is a pure cinematic triumph. Excellent direction, wonderful screenplay, good acting and fantastic camera work make this one of movie history's most timeless classics. Not only is it good science fiction, but is also a fine updating of the swashbuckling entertainment of years gone by. I just hope that the new Star Wars trilogy Lucas has planned is as good as this one.
Note on the Special Edition (1997): Speaking of new, I just happened to catch the special edition of Star Wars. It was my first time seeing it up on the big screen, after years of watching it on the cramped little screen. I must say that it's one of those films you MUST see on the big screen, if you want to get the full effect. It has new footage, including a funny new scene involving a meeting between Han Solo and Jabba the Hut, as well as computer-generated creatures integrated into the old film. This neither hurts nor damages the effect the story has on the audiences. The movie is still as magnificent as ever, more so now that's back on the big screen. Speaking for a whole new generation of Star Wars fans, I say that you may not get another chance to see it again on the big screen. So for the sake of the next generation of people who'll be dazzled and delighted by the magic on the screen, don't pass that chance up.
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The second film in the trilogy practically tops the first one. It's very rare that a sequel is just as good as the original. This one proves different. The story picks up after the huge battle with the Death Star. The rebels are now on the icy planet of Hoth. The imperial forces, lead by Darth Vader, attack them and force them to flee. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) goes off in search of the mystical Yoda (voiced and performed by muppeteer, Frank Oz), while Han and Leia (Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher) are being pursued by the Empire.Though relatively more dark and bleak than the first film, this certainly generates the excitement of Star Wars. Plus, the story has better special effects, new characters (like Lando Calrissian, played by Billy Dee Williams) and great plot twists, including a surprising revelation from Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker. The ending might make people who have never seen it before feel bad, but all they have to do now is rent or buy all three films and watch them in one day.
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The third and final installment and this one's a whopper. The story is even better this time. It starts off with Luke (Mark Hamill) rescuing Han (Harrison Ford) from the clutches of the slug-like Jabba the Hutt. Then, Luke, Han Solo, Leia (Carrie Fisher) and the rest of the rebels prepare for a final battle with the empire. A small group of rebels, lead by Solo, are sent to the forest moon of Endor to knock out an imperial base, while the team lead by Lando (Billy Dee Williams) goes up against the new Death Star. Luke, meanwhile, must confront Darth Vader in order to fulfill his destiny as a true Jedi.Once again, even better effects, stronger characters (the teddy bear like Ewoks, Jabba and his castle full of interesting creatures) and non-stop action. Even though George Lucas didn't direct these last two films, you can sense his touch. The spirit of Star Wars will never die and no matter how many Jurassic Park or Terminator 2 like effects there will be, this series still tops them all.
Till next time, May the force be with you.
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