The Secret of NIMH (1982) - FilmReview

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Just what is the secret of NIMH?

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"One animation that did capture my imagination back then..."

Oh, rats! It's the Secret of NIMH. And what a nice little secret it is, too. It's strange how my childhood was blessed with some animated feature films while others scarcely made an impact on me at all. For example, movies such as Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) failed to win a place in my heart; whereas Robin Hood (1973), The Black Cauldron (1985), The Fox and the Hound (1981), Yellow Submarine (1968) and Watership Down (1978) firmly planted themselves into my all time list of favourites. Oh yes, and Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) - no Christmas is complete without a viewing of this particular gem! I'm uncertain why some just didn't make the grade for me. One animation that did capture my imagination back then was a dark feature called The Secret of NIMH. Having a look at the cast list just now I'm surprised by some of the names attached: Derek Jacobi, Wil Wheaton and Shannen Doherty are three that jump out at me.

The film was adapted from a story by American author Robert C. O'Brien, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, first published in 1971. I've never read the book, and so this article focuses solely on the movie. I've also discovered that a follow up to the 1982 animation titled The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue had been released in 1998, but I'll likely ignore this fact; also seeing as original director Don Bluth wasn't even involved in this second project, it makes ignoring the sequel that much easier. So what was I talking about again?

Oh yes, The Secret of NIMH. Though a children's adventure, there is a far more serious subject matter in NIMH's DNA for grown ups: mental health. This is how I remember the movie as a kid: a little lady mouse meets a clumsy crow, her son is ill and so she needs medicine, and there are some mean rats; there was also a magical amulet.

Now from my adult perspective: A mouse called Mrs. Brisby needs medicine for her ill son (who has pneumonia) and so visits Mr. Ages, a friend of her now dead husband. During her return journey home, Brisby encounters a very clumsy but friendly crow named Jeremy, who is all tied up and in need of a little help to get untangled. This is the first time we encounter a cat named Dragon, which belongs to the owners of the farm, as he attempts to attack them both. We learn that Brisby and her family must leave their house before the farmer, Mr Fitzgibbon, starts plowing. With Timothy, her son, sick, he needs time to recover without being moved. The farmer, however, brings his plowing forward and so Brisby needs help. This is where the rats come into the picture.

Mental health and NIMH

Through a backstory we discover how both her husband and the rats became intelligent: they all live a relatively Human-like existence now, and steal much of what they need from the Humans. Electricity and other technology is becoming common place in their lives. Ever wondered what NIMH refers to? National Institute of Mental Health. It seems that the rodents were "lab rats" and that the experiments boosted their intelligence so greatly that they developed the ability to understand and reason. Following an escape from the laboratory, they built homes and a new way of life. As with any society, there is both good and bad, and one character who you'll love to despise is Jenner, a ruthless, power-hungry rat.

It's nice that The Secret of NIMH received widespread critical acclaim, and has remained in the hearts of many fans over the decades. It's been applauded as a wonderful adaptation of the original book. It even won a Saturn Award for Best Animated Film of 1982.

Keeping it in the family...

Though Robert C. O'Brien died in 1973, his daughter Jane Leslie Conly penned two sequel books: Racso and the Rats of NIMH (1986); and R-T, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH (1990). Thankfully, neither of these are connected to the 1998 The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue animation. Just me? Well I'm happy to say that the majority of critics and fans disliked director Dick Sebast's version; it's been described as missing its predecessor's "heart or craft". Another absence from NIMH 2: TTTR is the remarkable musical talent of Jerry Goldsmith. Let's face it, the man behind compositions for films such as Alien, Rambo, Star Trek, Explorers, Poltergeist, Gremlins, Capricorn One, Logan's Run and Planet of the Apes will always be a hard act to follow.

Heartwarming and magical, The Secret of NIMH not only had a talented director, composer and voice cast, but it is also timeless. I love it as much today as I ever did in 1982 and beyond.

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Critters (1986) - FilmReview

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Brad (Scott Grimes) hiding from the terror

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Gremlins From Outer Space

You could easily accuse screenplay writer Domonic Muir of copying the success of another creature feature movie released in 1984: Gremlins! However, a screenplay for an early version of Critters had already been around a few years earlier than Joe Dante's own masterpiece. If anything, because Gremlins reached audiences first, the script for Critters had to undergo some changes to reduce similarities between the two movies. They are different enough to enjoy.

What I really liked about Critters is that it sets the scene perfectly by introducing an asteroid prison in deep space where the last eight of a vicious carnivorous species called Crites are waiting to be transferred. Unfortunately the mischievous monsters escape from the facility in a hijacked spacecraft and flee. Two shape-shifting bounty hunters are assigned to track them down. The destination: Earth!

I had watched this as a teenager, so decided a new viewing was needed. It made for a fantastic trip down memory lane. Firstly, I realised that actress Dee Wallace (Mary in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial) was playing the role of Helen Brown; wife to Jay (Billy "Green" Bush), and mother to Brad (Scott Grimes) and April (Nadine van der Velde). They're a normal family living on a Kansas farm. That is, until something lands nearby and Critters begin eating cattle and attacking local residents. For the rest of the time this becomes a siege movie, as the Brown family tries to keep the alien beings outside of the farmhouse. The father is badly bitten at the beginning but manages to stay alive. In addition to this, a second extraterrestrial ship arrives and two strangers search for the escaped Crites.


...one of my absolute favourite movie memories...

It's certainly a fun movie, with excellent practical effects and a team of puppeteers to bring the Critters to life. They also look different enough from Gremlins to work well. One critic at the time said of the film, "Critters isn't a memorable or even very slick movie, but it is good fun. What it lacks in substance it makes up for with a perverse kind of charm". I disagree. Critters remained one of my absolute favourite movie memories from years past, a delightful low-budget sci-fi and horror flick that shouldn't be taken too seriously but will leave a smile.

Another face that I recognised during my fresh viewing was that of actor Ethan Phillips, known to many as Neelix in Star Trek: Voyager, playing a police officer. His role in this was a short one, but still a very nice surprise.


Nothing-Face

Out of the two bounty hunters, actor Terrence Mann played the lead as Ug, the one who takes on the appearance of a rock star called Johnny Steele. During the space flight, Ug had studied television signals, latched onto a rock concert and copied the eighties singer to make mingling in with Human society a lot less suspicious. Too bad, then, that his companion, Lee, blew up everything in sight and caused panic in the town of Grover's Bend. After reading Critters Wiki I've learned that these bounty hunters are known as Nothing-Face until selecting a "species facial identification". While Ug had no problem in assimilating an appearance, fellow hunter Lee didn't seem to find anything suitable, thus copying three different Humans during the story.


"They eat so fast, you don't have time to scream"

The Critters themselves have a Porcupines look about them, with the ability to shoot poison barbs as projectile weapons that can stun a victim. They also have razor-sharp teeth, and enjoy munching into an arm or two - or worse! Like the Gremlins, they are intelligent, though the level of that intellect varies from creature to creature.

There are some lovely nods to other movies: in one scene a Critter encounters an E.T. vinyl plush toy (in acknowledgement of leading lady Dee Wallace's 1982 role), the logo on the back of bowling uniforms will clearly be noticed by fans of Ghostbusters, and a toilet scene is reminiscent of Ghoulies (1985).

Charlie McFadden, portrayed perfectly by Don Keith Opper, is the local joke, a mechanic and drunk who receives information of alien abductions through his fillings; he will eventually become a familiar character within the franchise. Critters also features an early appearance by Billy Zane as Steve Elliot, April's boyfriend, who will regret wanting to have sex with her in the barn.

Critters spawned a number of sequels, and a web television series called Critters: A New Binge. The latest movie, Critters Attacks! (2019) sees Dee Wallace return in a different role to the one she plays in the first chapter. We do have to wonder why they keep churning out new versions/sequels/reboots, but... if something can be milked dry...

Thankfully, this first one is an absolute dream.

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Ewoks: Battle For Endor (1985) - FilmReview

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Terak, the Sanyassan warlord who seeks all power

As reviewed previously, 1984 Star Wars spin-off Caravan Of Courage: An Ewok Adventure left a vastly positive impression on my childhood. I was in love with Ewoks, owned most of the Kenner action figures in the 1980s and do consider Return of The Jedi to be my favourite of the original trilogy. The funny thing is I recall seeing Ewoks: The Battle For Endor, the 1985 television movie sequel to Courage, on VHS cassette in a video rental store back in the day. For some reason it wasn't picked up and taken home for a viewing. Perhaps my father refused to rent it out - I never received any pocket money so always had to rely on parental generosity on occasions such as these. In some ways I am now grateful the events of The Battle For Endor were unseen by my younger eyes. How heartbreaking would it have been to witness Cindel Towani, recently reunited with the parents she helped rescue from the Gorax lair in Courage, become an orphan and lose her older brother Mace (Eric Walker) in a Marauder attack on the Ewok village? Cruel, and so unnecessary, clearly bruising the happy ever after nature of the previous installment's conclusion, in my opinion. Still, I promised myself a fresh look at this fantasy sci-fi classic and so DVD disc at the ready...

Escaping the Sanyassan Marauders (who have already captured many Ewoks and are transporting them to their castle), Cindel and Wicket meet up with Teek, a tiny furry rodent-like, simian creature with a faster than light drive installed in his rear - in other words, he can move with incredible speed thanks to an accelerated metabolism. The friendly but mischievous creature leads them back to the hut he shares with Noa Briqualon (Wilford Brimley), a shipwrecked space trader. At first the old man refuses to let his new guests stay, but eventually shows a softer side. Think Heidi (another orphaned little girl created by Swiss author Johanna Spyri) and you get the idea. Besides, who could resist Cindel's porridge and muffins?

One morning the young girl hears a song, the very song her mother used to sing to her, coming from somewhere close by. Investigating, she encounters a beautiful young woman with a white horse. It is, of course, a trap - the woman transforms into Charal, a Nightsister and witch who serves as second-in-command to the Sanyassan warlord who ordered the attack on the Ewoks. Cindel is taken to the castle also as a prisoner. Once there, she learns that Terak (the warlord) wants her to activate a crystal oscillator from a wreckage, believing it will bring him great "power". His lack of knowledge regarding general technology proves him to be an ignorant savage. One wishes a Jedi Knight would rise to show him what true power looks like. Neither Cindel or Charel are able to meet his demands, and are both imprisoned with the Ewoks. Noa, Wicket, and Teek make a daring rescue by scaling the walls and infiltrating the heart of the Marauders.

Heidi and her grandfather. Sorry, Cindel (Aubree Miller) with Noa (Wilford Brimley)

The rescue storyline is comparable to its predecessor though clearly lacking in similar scale and ambition. The Marauders make a poor army and the overall direction feels clumsy. Directors Jim Wheat and Ken Wheat fail to really bring anything new to the table - at least Caravan had the Gorax, evoking thoughts of those early monster features that displayed Ray Harryhausen's work. Hard to believe that the Wheat brothers would go on to write the screenplay for Pitch Black (2000), one of my favourite movies starring Radha Mitchell. I am also a little surprised by Wilford Brimley, who I adore in Cocoon (1985) but fail to enjoy in the role of Noa, he just doesn't feel right in the part. Perhaps it has more to do with the feeling that the character isn't particularly significant, the film instead needing a much stronger Obi-Wan Kenobi-esque hero to lead. Imagine Alp-Öhi (Heidi's grandfather) with a lightsaber. In an interview with Eon Magazine, Ken Wheat said of the movie, "Lucas guided the creation of the story over the course of two four-hour sessions we had with him. He'd just watched Heidi with his daughter the weekend before these took place, and the story idea he pushed was having the little girl from the first Ewok TV movie become an orphan who ends up living with a
grumpy old hermit in the woods. We'd been thinking about the adventure films we'd liked as kids, like Swiss Family Robinson and The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, so we suggested having space marauders, which was fine with George - as long as they were 7 feet tall, of course! The rest of the brainstorming was done along those lines. Joe Johnston (the production designer and second unit director) and Phil Tippett (the creature supervisor) were involved in the second day's story session, and they contributed an assortment of bits and pieces".

Undoing the good of the first instalment to fit Cindel into the Heidi role is very unfortunate, as they could have easily cast a new young actress for an altogether newer role. That said, Aubree Miller is a sweetheart and it is rather nice to see her again, especially as Cindel's friendship with Wicket the Ewok continues to grow. Wicket W. Warrick has been played (in costume) by Warwick Davis in all three Stars Wars movies to feature him, but did you know that it was Darryl Henriques who voiced Wicket in the two Ewok spin-off films? The actor is best known to sc-fi fans as the Romulan Ambassador Nanclus in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). Personally I'm still wondering why Lucas had Wicket talk at all, you don't have to understand a pet dog to be its friend and life companion.

There are many Star Wars fans who loathe Ewoks and their movies, who feel Return of The Jedi (1983) would have been a much better chapter without them. So perhaps I'm in a minority for liking the residents of the Moon of Endor? I just can't help embracing fond childhood memories. The fact that Battle For Endor was not part of that nostalgia might explain my dislike for the story, it's entirely possible.

Remember Daffy, the cross-eyed Gremlin from Gremlins 2? Well Teek quite reminds me of him. There's always one goofball who steals the show, though there isn't anything particularly stupid about him. He's clearly intelligent and loyal, playful and kind. Originally intended to be a puppet, the character was eventually portrayed by Niki Botelho. Actor Brimley had refused to work with a puppet and the quick decision was made to fit someone into costume - sixteen-year old Botelho was chosen from set.

Ewoks: The Battle for Endor premiered as a television special on 24th November 1985. It saw a limited UK theatrical release in the Spring of 1986. It was later released on home video in 1990, and on DVD in 2004 as a double feature paired with its predecessor Caravan of Courage. Neither film are considered canon since Disney's reorganisation of the franchise, I believe, which is a shame. Ewoks: A Star Wars Story would go so nicely with the company's current run of spin-off material. At the very least they should be given a re-release on bluray. I am sure many would rather see old copies burn alongside the body of Anakin Skywalker on his funeral pyre. That's the fun thing about fandom - we are all different...

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Alwyn Ash
Alwyn is a genius with the pen. Give him a keyboard and he's in heaven. He lives in Chester with his personal collection of books, movies and a pocket Universe.
Follow @AlwynAsh

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Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure (1984) - FilmReview

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Cindel and Wicket - the cutest couple in Hollywood.

Originally published on the /G-f website to celebrate Ernest Cline's Ready Player One.

I am one of the lucky ones, I fell in love with Ewoks from their first appearance in Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi, and owned most of the action figures - my collection needing only the Ewok village to complete an otherwise fun set. "You'll live the adventure... You'll love its heroes." The tagline for George Lucas’ 1984 spin-off made-for-TV film promised excitement and adventure, and it certainly delivered. I was ten years old, and Star Wars crazy. Honestly, I was likely crazy about a great many things being so full of wonder with that twinkle in my eye, but the space opera in a “galaxy far, far away...” was unlike anything I’d seen before, or since.

The Caravan of Courage took me further into a world I had briefly experienced through the eyes of rebel soldiers as a last stand against the Galactic Empire took hold. Now, in An Ewok Adventure, we got to explore the forest moon of Endor with two children, Mace and Cindel Towani, who are separated from their parents following a crash landing; unbeknown to them, their mom and dad (played by Fionnula Flanagan and Guy Boyd) have been taken by the Gorax, a giant of a beast that keeps them caged in its mountain lair. It is these very kids that are found by Ewoks and taken back to their village. Mace, being the protective older brother, is temporarily regarded as a threat and bound after he tries to overcome the furry warriors. Thankfully trust is gained and medicine is given to his young sister, who quickly develops a friendship with Wicket, the lively Ewok from Return of the Jedi.

After consulting Logray, the wisest Ewok, Mace and Cindel go on the very adventure promised in the film’s title. They are joined by Wicket and other Ewoks who wish to help reunite the Towani family and defeat the monstrous Gorax. What follows reminds me of Dr Who & The Daleks, the feature length movie that had Peter Cushing’s Dr Who join a group of Thals to infiltrate the Dalek city; both even share a deadly lake. Then again, same could be said about Krull. No wonder I geek out on these films!

The Towani family and Ewoks. They're all furry (very) photogenic.

Caravan of Courage was filmed on a much smaller budget than that available to the original Star Wars trilogy, and it shows. It’s safe to say that the effects haven’t aged well. That aside, it remains a beautiful piece of television history that is just as warm and cuddly as the Ewok animated series that aired the following year. Director John Korty works well with a screenplay by George Lucas and Bob Carrau, and the inserted narrative featuring the voice of Burl Ives gives the film a nice storybook quality perfect for children. Without doubt the true stars of this feature are Eric Walker as Mace, Aubree Miller as Cindel, and Warwick Davis as Wicket. Though Walker and Miller aren’t perfect child actors they do get the job done and manage to deliver touching performances nonetheless.

It is nice to finally explore more of the world’s terrain than just forest, as we get to experience a desert of acid pools and dry lakes, and the treacherous mountainous regions.

Lucas understandably had full control over each step of production, not wishing this to become a second Star wars Holiday Special, which has never been positively received by critics, Star Wars fans, or Lucas himself. Even a TV ad featuring Walker in character to promote the movie was prevented from airing because Lucas disliked it so. There is also the question of the films continuity within the franchise, it has been said that An Ewok Adventure takes place between events depicted in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but that plausibility doesn’t quite add up – as time progresses, Wicket learns to speak some English thanks to his blossoming friendship with Cindel (as we see in Ewok sequel The Battle For Endor), and yet his encounter with Princess Leia in Jedi clearly projects him as a creature without that ability. It is more than likely that the Ewok movies follow events in the original trilogy, it would also explain why there are so few Ewoks present in Caravan. No? Well, it’s always fun to speculate, and it doesn’t truly matter either way, I’m just glad to experience its light-hearted magic.

What I do find discouraging is the way in which the film has been treated in recent years regarding international release: though a double feature DVD was greenlit to include the sequel, there has been no attempt since at restoring either movie for blu-ray. Whether regarded as canon or not, it would be a shame to overlook the beauty and simplicity of Caravan of Courage – the Star Wars universe is full of wonder, and some of it can be found on the forest moon of Endor.

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Alwyn Ash
Alwyn is a genius with the pen. Give him a keyboard and he's in heaven. He lives in Chester with his personal collection of books, movies and a pocket Universe.
Follow @AlwynAsh

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Robocop (1987) - FilmReview

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Article author: Alwyn Ash
"At the right time, in the right light, everything is extraordinary"

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After viewing the most recent 2014 remake by director José Padilha, I knew it was time to revisit Paul Verhoeven's classic affair.

The horrific memory of seeing a deadly ED-209 (Enforcement Droid Series 209) gunning down an innocent OCP (Omni Consumer Products) employee still lingers; a legendary moment in cinematic history that deserves status alongside the likes of the famous shower scene in Psycho (1960), the revelation that was "I am your father" in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), or the first Sarah Connor kill in 1984's The Terminator (poor Marianne Muellerleile). There is so much more to Robocop. First off, the casting of Peter Weller and Nancy Allen is just too perfect, a pairing that works well. Though my knowledge of Weller's career is limited, Allen has been a favourite of mine with a catalogue of movies such as Carrie (1976), The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), The Gladiator (1986), and Poltergeist III (1988). In Robocop she plays Officer Anne Lewis, opposite Weller's Officer Alex Murphy (aka Robocop).

Interestingly, American actress Stephanie Zimbalist was originally intended for the role but a commitment to television series Remington Steele meant that she had to opt out, instead allowing Allen to take the part. It is now difficult to imagine that Arnold Schwarzenegger, too, was believed to be in line for the lead role - how different this vehicle would have been with Schwarzenegger and Zimbalist firmly in the hot seat.

We now live in an era of over-the-top CGI, so it is good to look back at the stop motion visual effects of yesterday. The ED-209 was designed and built by Craig Davies, whose other work includes Willow (1988) and Jurassic Park (1993). The themes of Robocop are as significant today as they were in 1987. Though set "In the near future", the movie explores crime, privatisation and capitalism, and its use of media manipulation is to be applauded - we exist in a world of greed and exploitation. As for the former, plans are afoot to bring control back to the streets in the form of a cyborg. "Serve the public trust, protect the innocent, uphold the law". If the scene with ED-209 malfunctioning and slaughtering an OCP board member was terrifying, then how about the death of Alex Murphy? One can only watch, open-mouthed, as criminal Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) and his sociopathic gang callously blast the officer multiple times, severing limbs and leaving him for dead. Partner Anne can do nothing but secretly watch this heartbreaking assassination, or risk being murdered! Later, Murphy is rushed to hospital; he is later pronounced dead.

"He doesn't have a name. He's got a program. He's product". And so the dead officer is selected for the Robocop programme. A new law enforcer is in town. It is clear, however, that Robocop is far more than a "machine". That is another of the themes I find fascinating: identity of self... should a cyborg that contains Murphy's brain, and memories, consider itself to BE Murphy? Or, is everything that made the man now just a stream of data? What exactly makes us who we are? The conflict is obvious.

During the course of the movie we learn that Boddicker (the man involved in Murphy's "killing") has connections to OCP senior president Dick Jones, who is knee-deep in corruption and murder. And so, passionately, we rally for Robocop to bring justice against those whose own lives have brought terror and death to others. Anne Lewis, discovering that her partner is "alive", seeks to help him, even if it means risking her own life and career. This is where the bond between Weller and Allen develops, two buddy cops whose sense of right from wrong are maintained - it is perhaps a miracle, in such an unscrupulous world, that anyone is still capable of preserving a code of honour. The film might be called "Robocop", but it is as much about comradeship and duty; and Anne plays an active role in securing the outcome - let's face it, Murphy's sidekick could have been another male protagonist. I'm so glad it wasn't!

Did you know that Robocop was part inspired by Ridley Scott's Blade Runner? Well, it's certainly a nice idea. Writer Edward Neumeier, who also wrote the screenplay for 1997's Starship Troopers, stated that it was Blade Runner's concept that sparked his thinking of developing a robot cop; Scott's plot involved a cop hunting bioengineered androids referred to as "replicants". Another influence, for Robocop, was Mega-City One's Judge Dredd. And so, with writing partner Michael Miner, Neumeier developed the screenplay.

Robocop was a success, receiving positive reviews and is considered to be one of the best movies of 1987. Feminist author and journalist Susan Faludi went on record saying that in many war and action films of the 1980s "...women are reduced to mute and incidental characters or banished altogether". Personally, I cannot agree. Allen's character was far from incidental, in my opinion; Anne remains an important foil to Weller's character, the one human link that can be relied upon when the whole world turns against him. Without Allen there would have been far less heart in the film. Undoubtedly, Weller, too, should be admired for his portrayal of Robocop. Finding the best balance is not easy, and a lesser actor would have come across as far too... well... robotic. Weller, however, portrays both programme and emotion with such focus and depth that one feels drawn to Robocop's plight. One scene where he revisits his family home to find it empty, both wife and child moved away believing him to be dead, brings anger for a life lost. If this is, indeed, Murphy and not just a database of programming, then his new existence feels very cruel - how better to have just died at the hands of Boddicker?

I always remembered Robocop being extremely violent, mirrored by its adult rating. Perhaps I was shocked back then. But there was also fascination, for a future in which someone still believed in law and order. After all, why build Robocop unless you are seeking to change the way of things? How naive I was back then. Must we forget that a man who should have been given respectful burial was, instead, violated and recycled just like the OCP "product" they believed him to be... Never trust the corporations! If you have never seen the original Robocop, then now is the time to do so.

"Excuse me. I have to go. Somewhere there is a crime happening."

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Follow @AlwynAsh on Twitter. Image source courtesy of www.imdb.com. Article © Alwyn Ash 2015. Quotes (if applicable) used for publicity purposes only; no infringement of copyright is intended.

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Night of the Comet (1984) - FilmReview

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Article author: Alwyn Ash

"It was the last thing on Earth they ever expected."

Imagine a movie, one watched so many years ago now that the title had become temporarily forgotten, a gem of a sci-fi tale featuring sisters Regina "Reggie" (Catherine Mary Stewart) and Samantha "Sam" (Kelli Maroney), who wake one morning to discover that the Human race has vanished, replaced by red dust and a scattering of clothes. Written and directed by Thom Eberhardt, "Night of the Comet" focuses on an apocalyptic event caused by the passing of Earth through a comet's tail. Crowds gather in districts all over the world to watch this unusual event. The problem is, the comet's previous encounter with the blue planet took place 65 million years ago, coinciding with a similar event that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Of course, what follows isn't exactly logical, but the fun to be had allows for the script to take liberties. The night of the comet, an electrical storm, and then sunrise...

Having spent the night with her boyfriend Larry (Michael Bowen) in the projection booth of a local movie theatre where she works, Reggie is unaware that anything strange has occurred outside. However, when separated, Larry is killed by a zombie-like Human affected by the comet's presence and Reggie flees, returning home to find her young sister alive and ignorant to what has occurred in the past few hours. As realisation dawns, the two women hear the voice of a DJ and head for the radio station, believing there to be other survivors. The disc jockey's voice, as it turns out, is a recorded message, the whole radio production automated. Just when all seems lost, Hector Gomez (Robert Beltran) makes an appearance, gun in hand. Sci-fi fans will no doubt remember Beltran for his portrayal of Commander Chakotay on "Star Trek: Voyager".

Seeing how the "storm" worked so incredibly well, one does wonder why the Martians didn't launch such an attack in HG Wells' classic 1898 novel - fighting-machines just seem so inadequate by comparison now... It is also interesting to compare Eberhardt's story with both George Romero's "Day of the Dead" and Boris Sagal's "The Omega Man". Of course, there is a little of "Maniac Cop" thrown in for good measure during a nightmare sequence involving the pretty Samantha (Maroney) in a rest room.

"Night of the Comet" takes no foot wrong as it mixes sci-fi with horror and comedy in a perfect blend, and the pairing of Stewart and Maroney nothing less than superb casting, both actors relishing in the parts given. Even among realisation that the world has suffered terrible loss, the spirited young ladies manage to enjoy "shopping" at a local mall to the bouncy sound of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", during which they are being watched and ultimately attacked by stockboys infected by the virus that transforms survivors into zombies, although their present state is less advanced than the one who had killed Larry earlier on in the movie. An amusing line in the shopping mall, as the leader says, "Just a few days ago we were only stockboys, now we own the store".

Though Reggie and Sam are the true stars, let us not forget the importance of scientist Audrey White (Mary Woronov) and her team, who are seeking out other survivors and taking them back to their desert underground installation, though their motives may not be entirely good natured. When the girls meet this dedicated team of "experts", there is much trust and the sisters are separated, Reggie transported by air to the base and Sam being told she is infected but a simple injection will cure her.

When I think back to films that captured my heart from long ago, this is most definitely one of them - another being the romantic sci-fi "Starcrossed" (1985). "Night of the Comet" gives you girls with Uzi's, zombies with ambition, and enough red dust to twin the Earth with Mars... The movie is so engaging you will not want it to end. In a time when films are now far too reliant on CGI, it is a pleasure to take a look back at something that had minimum special effects but shined with such character. The ending, too, doesn't fail in delivering the fun - Sam is somewhat agitated by her sister warning her not to cross the road before waiting for the lights to change. The young girl looks about her at the ghost town, bemused. Ignoring the advice, she moves to make a demonstration in the road that there is no one else around, just as a car comes into view and screeches to a halt, to Sam's amazement. The young man in the driver's seat instantly takes her eye. She thanks her lucky stars...

Being reminded of just how amusing the 1980s could be really brings a smile. I am so looking forward to revisiting further classic cinema and television from this and other decades. Perhaps "Nighthawks", a 1981 movie featuring Catherine Mary Stewart? That said, how dare Dutch actor Rutger Hauer commit such a horrific act of terrorism and murder her during an attack on a London department store!

Purchase Night of the Comet from the Store:
Blu-ray + DVD - Running time: 95 minutes

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StarCrossed (1985) - FilmReview

Article author: Alwyn Ash


"Once your presence is acknowledged, can you imagine how difficult it will be?"

Starring James Spader (Sex, Lies, and Videotape; Stargate) and Australian actress Belinda Bauer (not the British crime writer!), this is one of those movies you will see little about on the Net, sadly. Perhaps it is the Made-for-TV label, but Starcrossed had such an impact on this reviewer that, all these years later, it was time to revisit the story and see whether it still flowed with the magic I remembered...

Written and directed by Jeffrey Bloom (produced by Robert Lovenheim), we find a young woman fleeing from two strangers. "Mary" (Bauer) is to be captured, dead or alive. However her encounter with mechanic Joey Callaghan (Spader) brings fortune, for he makes it his mission to protect her. Though low budget in nature, this little gem of a sci-fi tale holds wonders and delights; the main performances are simply touching, Joey's interest and reaction to "Mary" so genuine that it is easy to imagine yourself taking her into your heart, too.

If you don't know Bauer, perhaps you might have seen her in Robocop 2 (1990) or Airwolf: The Movie (1984)? She also appeared in the 1983 romantic drama Flashdance.

Periodically we are introduced to twin brothers Ed and Roland Groenenberg, who play the two leather-clad alien mercenaries whose task it is to capture "Mary". Though non-speaking parts, they do manage to convey enough alien-menace to make their scenes work. Filming locations took place in Ontario, Canada.

It really is a shame that this film doesn't receive the recognition it deserves and is yet to be commercially released on DVD or Blu-ray. Just out of interest, "Starcrossed" is a phrase that describes a pair of lovers whose relationship often faces outside interference, and that is precisely what happens here, with both alien and Human intervention...

We discover that "Mary" is on the run, escaping her world following an invasion. But, as the movie progresses, she yearns to return and teach her people to repel the deadly invaders. However, the subtlety of the plot allows for character interaction and development - something that is rare for a sci-fi film these days, which adheres to over-the-top CGI and action sequences than pure plot and character focus. Belinda Bauer is perfect as the beautiful alien female who trusts her new-found Human friend (Spader) without suspicion; the people on her world have evolved into a non-hostile society of tolerance and acceptance.

Interestingly, this film has much in common with Starman, another 1980s sci-fi feature, though the latter had a far larger budget and is instantly recognizable.

Sometimes you revisit a fond memory, only to discover that time has lessened its value. I am grateful, however, that Starcrossed remains a firm favorite, even after all these years. There is much to admire. Yes, the movie is cheesy, and the spacecraft at the end of the feature might not win awards for design, but overall there is enough to enjoy.

I also adore the two simple scenes in which "Mary" must prove herself as an alien, firstly to Joey as her telekinetic abilities are used to manipulate pool balls (yes, really) and later to Dr. Hobbes (Jacqueline Brookes), this time telepathy allowing her to "read" playing cards, her back to both Hobbes and the cards on the table.

The 1980s gave us some of the best out-of-this world special effect films (E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind), and though Starcrossed isn't one of them, it still manages to deliver a well-crafted and heartfelt story...

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