Bloomsbury Academic

April 2023

Paperback

Illustrations: 26 BW images

ISBN: 9781350265127

RRP: £28.99

Review by Adrian Smith

The 1980s was a fun time to be a child. The monster kids of the 1950s and 1960s may have had Forrest J. Ackerman and his Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, but we had full-blown horror content in films ostensibly made for a young audience, from the melting Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark or the terrifying library apparition in Ghostbusters, to a melting Stripe in Joe Dante’s equally hilarious and scary Gremlins. In this new book dedicated to horror films aimed at children, Catherine Lester begins by drawing on early examples such as Frankenstein’s murder of the little girl by its titular monster, along with other pre-code horrors that primarily drew a young crowd, through to its modern, reanimated version, Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie. The book then takes a deeper look at the ‘horrific’ childlike gremlins who both commit violent acts and then have violence acted upon them (along with the aforementioned Stripe, who can forget the gremlin in the microwave?). What happens to the representation of children in the horror film when children are the audience? Did the children in the audience take sympathy with the gremlins, who let’s not forget, just happily sit watching Disney films with childlike wonder when the adult world just leaves them alone? The violence combined with the Looney Tunes tone of Gremlins caused some issues for the MPAA, something which the book also goes into. Ultimately it led to the introduction of the PG-13, apparently suggested by Steven Spielberg, the film’s producer, who described the new rating as “PG with a little hot sauce on top.”

Lester also draws on another eighties staple, The Monster Squad, a sort of The Goonies meets The Lost Boys via Universal’s horror canon. By introducing the concept of the ‘Crazyspace’, a space in which child characters are able to be the prime agents in dispatching evil forces in the complete absence of adult supervision, the book explores the way in which many films present children as autonomous and often superior to even the most masculinised models of authority; in this case the kids defeat Dracula and his fellow monsters before the US Army arrive, something which would have been very different in the 1950s monster and science fiction movies, where it was usually the army who saved the day.

Bringing the discussion into the 21^st Century, Lester also looks at the animated children’s horrors ParaNorman (one of this reviewer’s favourites), Coraline and Monster House, along with Joe Dante’s return to the children’s horror genre with 2009’s live action The Hole. By covering almost a century of children's horror films, this book makes for an insightful and entertaining examination of the horrific child and the cathartic nature of the genre. For this reviewer, as a child horror was an escape from the terrors of the real world, and as such it is a rewarding experience to be able to read this major contribution to the study of these strange and wonderful films. Horror Films for Children is highly recommended, both the book and the films themselves!

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By Todd Garbarini

I hated William Friedkin’s 1985 police thriller, To Live and Die in L.A., when I first saw it. The mixture of Eighties-style pop music by Wang Chung and the disreputable characters were, I felt, meretricious and off-putting. Even the car chase seemed lackluster. I also hated Dario Argento’s Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1972), James Toback’s Fingers (1978) and David Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986) during my first viewings. Revisiting these titles soon afterwards made me realize that I failed to fully appreciate or understand them. My ignorance of film was evident!

To Live and Die in L.A., which opened nationwide on Friday, November 1, 1985 to lukewarm notices and underwhelming box office despite being championed by a four-star review by Roger Ebert, is a highly stylized, dark, and uncompromising crime thriller that boasts a then-unknown cast with a story and a pace that feels more suited to the 1970s. It also contains what I consider to be the greatest car chase ever filmed and edited for a major motion picture, which took no less than five weeks to plan and shoot.

Having seen Mr. Friedkin’s brilliant Oscar-winning East Coast police thriller The French Connection (1971), this West Coast-based yarn centers on a Secret Service agent, Richard Chance (William Petersen), whose best friend and partner Jim Hart (Michael Greene) has been murdered in cold blood by artist/currency counterfeiter Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe) just days prior to his retirement. This plot device occurred before it became a familiar film trope, and this is easily one of the best films of the 1980s. Chance has one goal: to put Masters away for life with no regard for how he has to do it. Truthfully, he would prefer to kill him. This causes many issues for his new partner John Vukovich (John Pankow) whose familial lineage of law enforcement officers and his “by the book” methodology conflicts with Chance’s no-bullshit headstrong attitude. Vukovich’s unwillingness to go outside the boundaries of acceptability is tested when: Chance surreptitiously removes crucial evidence from a crime scene in order to get to Masters; Chance, without Vukovich’s knowledge, springs a prisoner friend (John Turturro) of Masters to get him to testify; and most notably forces Vukovich to go along with a plan to obtain cash needed to get closer to Masters while nearly dying in what is arguably cinema’s most exciting getaway car chase sequence. What makes the chase work so well is that it’s physical, it’s possible (though highly improbable), and it’s not done in a Fast and the Furious, over-the-top sort of way. Nor is it perfunctory as it comes as a result of an important plot point, nearly besting the director’s own French Connection subway/car chase with a headlong ride straight up the 710 Long Beach Freeway while driving in the wrong direction against traffic.

Chance also beds a willing parolee (Darlanne Fluegel) who gives him information on current convicts in return for money to provide for herself and her son Christopher. Like the inexorable Popeye Doyle in The French Connection who will stop at nothing to put drug dealers and users away, Chance, like his surname, will stop at nothing to capture and punish Masters. The difference between the two films is that the former paints Brooklyn and New York City as gritty and almost despairing cities whereas the latter bathes the frame in a Los Angeles that we have not seen before or since. While also gritty, grimy and dark, this is a Lotus Land that is also highly glossy and enticing, with beautiful people who are about as real as the counterfeit bills that Masters manufactures. The overall theme and central conceit of To Live and Die in L.A. is fraudulence. People use each other for their own personal gains. Masters is an artist but hates what he paints and burns his work in frustration. Since he cannot find joy or satisfaction in his own originality, he resorts to copying others, in this case $20, $50, and $100 bills in a procedure that is painstaking, difficult, and now archaic.

Like The French Connection, To Live and Die in LA is also based on a book of the same name, this one a novel written by former Secret Service Agent Gerald Petievich. What makes the film remarkable is the opening sequence which features a martyr who shouts “Allahu Akbar” just before blowing himself up on the roof of a hotel where then-President Reagan is giving a speech. This scene made little sense to me upon my maiden viewing but is eerily prescient of the religious extremism that has made its way to America’s shores.

The performances are excellent all around. William Petersen, whose film debut was as a bar bouncer in Michael Mann’s Thief (1981), is terrific as Chance and plays him as a daredevil whose cowboy nature seals his fate and makes him a dangerous person to be around. This is established in an early sequence wherein Chance bungee jumps off the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, CA. In addition to the martyr sequence, this could also be one of the earliest instances of this now highly popular activity’s depiction in a film. John Pankow is also quite good as Chance’s conflicted partner. The stand-out is Willem Dafoe as Masters, fresh from Walter Hill’s 1984 outing Streets of Fire. His icy expressions and demeanor can change on a moment’s notice without warning. Darlanne Fluegel, who heartbreakingly left us far too soon following an early onset of Alzheimer’s Disease, is mysterious as Chance’s muse. I first saw her in Battle Beyond the Stars (1980). Debra Feuer is striking as Masters’ girlfriend and confidante. The late Dean Stockwell is great as Masters’ lawyer - you can almost see him prepping himself for the role of Ben in David Lynch’s aforementioned and masterful Blue Velvet the following year. Steve James is an actor I always liked ever since I first saw him in the “Night Vigil” episode of T.J. Hooker in 1984. He started in the industry as a stunt man in films as diverse as The Wiz (1978), The Wanderers (1979), The Warriors (1979), Dressed to Kill (1980), and He Knows You’re Alone (1980) prior to onscreen acting. Here he plays Jeff, one of Masters’ clients and his performance, though small, shines. He also appeared in the William Friedkin TV-movie C.A.T. Squad in 1986, which was also written by Mr. Petievich. His premature death in 1993 from what is rumored to be the medical treatment that he received after a cancer diagnosis is a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry.

To Live and Die in L.A. has been released on home video many times in the United States and is now available on 4K UHD Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The extras, which are ported over from the 2016 SHOUT! Factory Special Edition Blu-ray and the 2003 MGM/UA Home Video DVD, are all included and are as follows:

Disc One:

- 4K UHD Blu-ray remastered from the original camera negative.

- Audio Commentary by Director William Friedkin from 2003 – this runs the full length of the film and is the only bonus to be included on both the 4K UHD disc and the standard 1080p Blu-ray.

Disc Two:

- Standard 1080p Blu-ray down-converted from a 4K remastering from the original camera negative.

- Audio Commentary by Director William Friedkin from 2003.

- Taking a Chance: Interview with Actor William Petersen (20:42, in high definition, from 2016) – Gary Sinise read for the role of Richard Chance with the casting director, but the role instead went to William Petersen after he read for it at William Friedkin’s New York City apartment. A second reading with actor friend John Pankow solidified their roles.

- Renaissance Woman in L.A. Interview with Actress Debra Feuer (14:56, in high definition, from 2016) – Ms. Feuer reminisces about how wonderful the experience was for her. Despite the sexual angle of the film which made her uncomfortable, the cast and crew made her receptive and accepted on the set. Her role is small but important and I would love to see her in more films.

- Doctor for a Day: Interview with Actor Dwier Brown (08:53, in high definition, from 2016) – Dwier Brown talks about his excitement over reading for the film. He would later go on to appear as Phil Sterling in Mr. Friedkin’s 1989 druid-horror film The Guardian, and humorously recalls how the director forgot that he was in To Live and Die in L.A.

- So in Phase - Scoring To Live and Die in L.A. Interview with Composers Wang Chung (12:44, in high definition, from 2016) – It’s amazing that Mr. Friedkin heard Wang Chung’s 1984 album Points on the Curve, in particular the song “Wait,” and explained that that was the vibe that he wanted from the album for the film score. While there is a soundtrack album available for this film, it’s incomplete, and I hope that one day a full soundtrack album, remastered from the original master tracks, will be issued. Wang Chung recalls some interesting anecdotes in this onscreen interview.

- Wrong Way - The Stunts of To Live and Die in L.A. Interview with Stunt Coordinator Buddy Joe Hooker (35:39, in high definition, from 2016) – The famous stunt man discusses the intricacies and challenges of filming one of the most dangerous car chases ever mounted for a film. The director was all about disorienting the audience, and that notion comes into play here in how the chase was staged and ultimately executed.

- Counterfeit World - The Making of To Live and Die in L.A. Documentary (29:52, in standard definition, from 2003) – This is a fun look behind the scenes with mini interviews from many of the cast and crew involved, with discussions regarding the characterizations as portrayed by the actors and actresses to filming the famed car chase.

- Deleted Scene and Alternate Ending with Introductions (13:07) – this is the ridiculous ending that the director shot to please the studio executives and thankfully was never used. You won’t believe it when you see it.

- Radio Spot (01:04)

- Trailer (2:08)

All in all, a great package of a great movie.

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By Ernie Magnotta

In 1984, James Cameron’s immortal classic The Terminator—a film about an almost unstoppable killer cyborg—was unleashed upon an unsuspecting public and it quickly became a critical and commercial success. Three years later, Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop—which told the story of a seriously wounded police officer being put back together with robotic parts and brought back to active duty—flooded theater screens and, just like The Terminator, became a phenomenal success. That same year saw the release of a low budget, sci-fi actioner titled Programmed to Kill which not only borrowed heavily from both films, but also pre-dated 1992’s Universal Soldier; a movie with a similar plot.

Written by Robert Short and directed by Allan Holzman, Programmed to Kill tells the tale of ruthless Middle Eastern terrorist Samira (Sandahl Bergman) who, after completing a horrible mass shooting at a marketplace in Greece, is stopped and seriously injured by former CIA agent Eric Matthews (Robert Ginty). Samira is then taken to the United States where she is transformed into an obedient cyborg killing machine. Programmed to wipe out her elite team, she is then sent back to the Middle East. However, after completing her mission, Samira regains her memory and begins violently assassinating her CIA enemies. Is there anyone who can stop her out-of-control bionic rampage?

Also known as The Retaliator, Programmed to Kill is a fun, low-budget 80s action film with a gripping, if derivative, story; a solid cast and exciting action sequences (well-handled by director Holzman). At a brief 91minutes, the movie never overstays its welcome. If, like me, you’re a fan of 80s action flicks, Robert Ginty, Sandahl Bergman or all three, you won’t be disappointed.

Programmed to Kill has been released on a Region One Blu-ray and is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The film’s brand new HD master from a 2K scan of the 35MM interpositive looks fantastic. The special features include an informative audio commentary by director Allan Holzman (moderated by filmmaker Douglas Hosdale); an interview with screenwriter Robert Short; an alternate opening credit, and the theatrical trailer. The Blu-ray also comes with a very cool-looking slipcover, and reversible artwork featuring the movie’s alternate title The Retaliator. Fun stuff. Check it out.

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By Ernie Magnotta

To hardcore horror fans, the filmmaking team of Jeffrey Obrow and Stephen Carpenter is well known. The dynamic duo first appeared on the horror scene in 1982 when they directed the cult slasher film The Dorm That Dripped Blood aka Pranks, a movie that featured the big screen debut of actress Daphne Zuniga and, thanks to a murder scene involving a drill, was put on the UK’s infamous “Video Nasty” list. Obrow and Carpenter’s sophomore effort would be 1984’s The Power, a supernatural tale about a man who becomes possessed by an evil Aztec doll. Recently, the creative team’s third film, a creature feature titled The Kindred, was released on Blu-ray.

The Kindred (1987)concerns scientist John Hollins (David Allen Brooks) who, at the behest of his dying mother—a molecular scientist played by Kim Hunter—returns to her home with Melissa Leftridge (Amanda Pays) and several of his friends in order to destroy the “Anthony Journals”; his mother’s notes detailing her genetic experiments. However, evil scientist Phillip Lloyd (Rod Steiger) desperately wants the journals so that he can continue the unholy experiments himself. But there’s another problem—John’s murderous “brother”, Anthony, a horrible-looking, tentacled creature born from genetic experimentation, is lurking somewhere in their mother’s old house and he’s not a happy camper.

Besides once again directing, Obrow and Carpenter also co-wrote The Kindred (along with John Penney, Earl Ghaffari and the legendary Joseph Stefano) while Obrow produced and Carpenter handled the cinematography. Shot in California, this is a well-made and enjoyable 80s horror flick with lots of amazing, gooey special effects (one of the main reasons to watch the movie) by Academy Award winner Matthew Mungle, and a decent-looking creature. The film’s talented cast also includes Talia Balsam, Peter Frechette and Julia Montgomery, and there’s a memorable musical score by Oscar nominated composer David Newman.

The Kindred has been released on a region 1, 2 and 3 Blu-ray by Synapse Films and it is presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The 4K HD remaster of the unrated version is flawless and it has a new 5.1 English stereo surround remix as well. (The original 2.0 mono theatrical mix is also included along with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.) The disc not only contains an informative audio commentary by directors Obrow and Carpenter (moderated by horror journalist Steve Barton), but it also features a terrific, all-new 52 minute documentary titled Inhuman Experiments-The Making of “The Kindred”; an interesting 18 minute featurette showing effects artist Michael McCracken Jr.’s never-before-seen on-set footage, as well as a still gallery, storyboards, trailers and TV spots. Pure 80s fun. Recommended.

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By Todd Garbarini

Something happened to me while watching John Cassavetes’s film Gloria that, to my knowledge, has never, ever happened before and probably will never, ever happen again. Towards the end of the film, the titular heroine exits a cab and asks the cabbie for the time, and she replies, “It’s 9:20.” Unbelievably, this was the exact time of day that it was on my clock as I watched the film in the evening. In films, people give the time to others when asked (Charles Martin Smith is told that it’s “a quarter to twelve” when attempting to purchase alcohol in George Lucas’s 1973 film American Graffiti), but the phenomenon of the onscreen reel time being in synch with the offscreen real time is something that I have not experienced before, and it got me to thinking about how certain things happen by mere happenstance.

The cinema of John Cassavetes is an acquired taste as he was a maverick who made many films on his own terms. If the general audience loved his work, it would infuriate him and he would recut the film, as was the case with 1970’s Husbands, a film that was released, critically acclaimed, pulled out of release and re-cut into a completely different film, culled from roughly 240 hours of raw footage. Co-star Ben Gazzara stated that his favorite version of the film ran four-and-a-half hours. The director often employed members of a small but loyal acting troupe headed by his wife, Gena Rowlands, who portrays the titular heroine in this film, shot between July and September 1979 and released in New York on Wednesday, October 1, 1980. She received her second Oscar nomination for her performance here, the first being for A Woman Under the Influence in 1974, also under the direction her husband.

Gloria is a film mired in Manhattan, Harlem and the Bronx in New York. The film opens with nighttime establishing shots of the New York skyline to the music of Bill Conti best known for the theme to Rocky (1976). The Statue of Liberty and several bridges are luminescent and invoke Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie filmed there two years earlier. The daylight exposes the filthy streets and the people who inhabit them. A six-year-old Puerto Rican boy, Phil Dawn (John Adames), narrowly escapes being killed by the Mafia following his mob accountant father’s (Buck Henry of all people) involvement with them turned sour. Phil is saddled with a copy of the Bible, which in reality is incriminating evidence that the Mafia wants back in their hands. His parents and siblings all become collateral damage as he and the family friend, Gloria, bolt and attempt to get away. Gloria is part of the Mafia. She possesses street smarts and packs heat, unflinchingly firing upon her enemies in broad daylight, though no cops appear to be anywhere in sight. Like the interior of Marcellus Wallace’s suitcase in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994), this Bible proves to be a MacGuffin to keep Gloria and Phil on the run.

Initially, Gloria and Phil cannot stand one another, and the former appears to be reluctant to be saddled with the latter despite her promise to Phil’s parents to take care of him. Eventually, they grow on one another and, dare I say it, even develop a mutual affection. John Adames proves himself to be a capable actor though, to my knowledge, this is his sole screen credit. The film, despite reportedly being disparaged by its director (who probably would have been happy to completely recut it), is a showcase for its leading actress, who is always fascinating to watch.

Gloria was released on Blu-ray in August 2018 by Twilight Time and that pressing contained an isolated musical score. There is a new pressing of the film, this time by Kino Lorber, and the results are unspectacular. This is not a carp about Kino,since they always do a bang-up job on their Blu-ray releases. The film image is dark at times, especially in the beginning scenes in the apartment building (look fast for Tom Noonan as a Mafia soldier), and it looks as though it was transferred from a theatrical print, minus the reel-change cue marks. I am only assuming this to be the case (though I am probably incorrect), or perhaps this was how it was either photographed or developed as the liner notes are absent of the usual declaration boasting a high-definition transfer from the film’s original camera negative.

The only extras to speak of on this pressing are theatrical trailers for Gloria, Sidney Lumet’s Gloria remake from 1999, Gorky Park (1983), 52 Pick-Up (1986), Code of Silence (1985), Number One with a Bullet (1987), and Lonely are the Brave (1962).

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