SHAZAM: HOLY MOLEY!

Warner Brothers has been behind the release of superhero movies based on DC Comics character. Since they also own DC this only makes sense. But while the DC Universe was hitting the big screen before the Marvel superhero films with Batman, those were the only films to rival what DC has released. For some reason the folks at Warner felt that every single superhero outing needed to be as dark and gritty as the Batman films were. The problem was and remains that not all characters in comics are dark and gritty. They make an attempt to steer away from that with SHAZAM with mixed results.

If unfamiliar with the character he was originally named Captain Marvel and ran in comics published by Fawcett. A lawsuit filed by DC claiming he was a rip-off of Superman resulted in his series ending until DC acquired the character in 1972. The character was more simplistic than most and geared more towards younger readers. Aiming for a larger audience and a PG-13 rating that changes a bit with the movie.

The film opens on a dark and stormy night in the 70s with young Thaddeus Sivana riding along to a Christmas outing with his father and older brother. Ridiculed by both he ends up being called to a hidden hall where the supreme Wizard (Djimon Hounsou) tests him to take on the mantel of new warrior, but he must be true of spirit and heart. When he almost takes the container that holds the seven deadly sins instead, the Wizard returns him to his car. His reaction causes a wreck that leaves his father damaged and his brother blaming him.

Young Billy Batson loses his mother at a fair and becomes an orphan when no one comes to claim him. Fast forward to today and we find Billy (Asher Angel) attempting to find the mother that abandoned him years ago. Having moved from foster home to foster home the agent in charge of his case decides on another tact. She places him in a home owned by a couple who were once foster children themselves and now run a home for orphans. Billy isn’t quick to make friends and that includes his roommate Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), a superhero geek. Still trying to find information on his mother he isn’t quite adapting to the family setting here.

Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) has grown up trying to rediscover the location of the hall he was removed from. His goal is to take the eye, the container that held the seven deadly sins, and to gain power with it. He eventually accomplishes this but to gain the ultimate power he must take it from the Wizard who is still seeking a warrior to possess his power.

The warrior chosen is none other than Billy. When he’s given the power and says the magic word “shazam” he turns into a muscle bound, tight and cape wearing superhero played by Zachary Levi. The thing is he’s still 14 in his head. He lets Freddy in on his secret and asks for advice as to what to do. They pair test out which powers he has and uses them for less than reputable reasons, like getting beer or visiting a strip joint.

Eventually Dr. Sivana comes looking for Billy as the hero we will eventually call Shazam. More skilled and older than his opponent Sivana has the upper hand. It isn’t long before Billy has to retreat, regroup and try and figure out what to do next. He’s been adjusting to the family that is now part of his life and a momentous incident happens that solidifies that. But with Sivana hot on his heels Billy must decide what the right thing is to do and summon all his strength and pureness of heart if he is to win the day.

Some of the basics from the comics are there but not all. The film doesn’t play off on the innocence that those who remember the comics will be looking for. The beer and strip joints are a big clue of that. But the heart of who and what Captain Marvel/Shazam is remains at the center of the film. His standing up for what’s right, what’s moral and for family serve the character well here.

At the same time the dark world of DC comes barreling in again though as the seven deadly sins are seen as dark and monstrous looking creatures. The addition of several characters being killed by Sivana also add a darker dimension to the film. It would be nice if Warner realized that the success of Marvel has been based on their acceptance and embracing of the source material rather than trying to change it.

The film looks good, the acting is good enough and the direction is fine. But the film still has a feeling of not quite being as good as it could be. A part of that lies also in the length of the film at over 2 hours. Twenty minutes of this film could easily have been trimmed and not missed. In the end it’s not a bad movie but it could have been so much better. Still, it’s worth a rent and a watch but perhaps not being added to your collection. 

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WEIRD SCIENCE: ADOLESCENT FANTASY

I can remember when WEIRD SCIENCE was first released seeing the film and thinking it was one of the funniest films I’d seen in some time. Watching it now some 30 odd years later I still thought moments were funny but was surprised at how juvenile it really was. Not in a bad way but it’s that difference in seeing things through the eyes of someone in their 20s versus someone in their 60s.

If for some reason you never saw the film (welcome to the world after your release from the cave) it revolves around two geek teens named Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) and Gary (Anthony Michael Hall). Wyatt’s parents are out of town and while watching the classic FRANKENSTEIN Gary comes up with the idea of using Wyatt’s computer to create a woman of their own. Keep in mind this is the early days of home computers when a 6 inch floppy disc was the norm.

With bras strapped to their heads, feeding information to the computer and after easily tapping into the government missile based mainframe (notice how often that happened in 80s movies?) the pair soon find themselves confronted by a gorgeous woman (Kelly LeBrock) whose first words are “So...what would you little maniacs like to do first?” There first wish is to take a shower with her which they do while still dressed.

Decking them out in spiffy new duds she cooks up for them and hopping into her pink Cadillac the trio head out for some fun. Along the way they give their creation the name Lisa, the girl who shamed Gary the previous summer he still has a crush on. The location Lisa chooses for them is a black blues club where they end up drunk with Gary telling the group of friends they make there about the girl who crushed his heart and his testicles.

Getting home early the duo are confronted by Wyatt’s older brother and main antagonist Chet (Bill Paxton). Visiting from military school and responsible for watching over Wyatt he constantly threatens him, bullies him and extorts money from him to remain silent. Face it, Chet is a supreme jerk.

Lisa next takes the boys to the mall where Max (Robert Russler) and Ian (Robert Downey Jr.), the school bullies who pick them, dump a slushie on their heads. Feigning regret to their girlfriends Deb (Suzanne Snyder) and Hilly (Judie Aronson) the pair get away with their misdeed but soon dump the girls when they see Lisa. Following her outside they attempt to hit on her when she tells them her ride is there as Gary pulls up in a Porsche. She then invites the pair to a party at Wyatt’s house and tells them to let everyone know.

The party does take place and things immediately get out of control. Hundreds of kids show, food is eaten, alcohol is flowing freely and Gary and Wyatt are spending the party in the bathroom, afraid to come out. Lisa has to come up with a way to get them out of their shells, to put them in the eye sights of Deb and Hilly and to show the rest of the kids that they’re much cooler than even they realize.

While watching the film I had a combination pop into my head. If you took a blender, tossed in Mary Poppins, a few Playboy magazines, the mind of a pre-teen boy and added a dash of science fiction then turned it on you basically have the script for the movie. Again, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But watching it now it feels to thin and ready to jump into the fun filled frivolity without much depth to it. As some in the extras point out perhaps this was director/writer John Hughes decision just to have some fun after the back to back hits SIXTEEN CANDLES and THE BREAKFAST CLUB. At least it seems that way.

The two leads here show tremendous differences in their abilities. Hall is adept at playing the buffoon teen having done it before and shows his abilities as an actor. Smith on the other hand is particularly lame in his performance. It’s no surprise that his career was extremely limited. LeBrock does a fine job in only her second film. Her job is to look great which she does but she handles the comedic actress part required here quite well too. Standout among all though is Paxton as Chet. Once seen you cannot forget him in this role.

I doubt that a movie like this could be made today. The PC Police would have a field day with it, demanding that this, that or the other was offensive and would have to be eliminated leaving behind barely anything at all resembling a movie. Like BLAZING SADDLES you can either go along for the ride and have some fun realizing that it’s just a movie and made for laughs or you can be a miserable human being and take all the fun out of everything. Keep in mind this movie was made for teens and it shows. It’s still a fun movie.

Arrow Video outdoes themselves once more with a great presentation here. The film is being offered on blu-ray with a 4k scan from the original negative. Included are both the original and an extended version of the film. The extras are fun as well. They include a new interview with special effects makeup creator Craig Reardon, a new interview with composer Ira Newborn, a new interview with supporting actor John Kapelos, a new interview with casting director Jackie Burch,  “It’s Alive: Resurrecting Weird Science” an archive documentary on the film with interviews of the cast and crew, theatrical trailers, TV spots, an image gallery, a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Tracie Ching and with the first pressing only an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Amada Reyes.

Fans of the film who think they’ve had the best version on disc before will find that this one is far superior. If you are one of those fans make a point of replacing that old copy with this new one from Arrow. You won’t regret it. 

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THE BIG CLOCK: FORGOTTEN CLASSIC NOIR

The film noir genre is not near as simple as some might think it is. While the standard held true for the most part (the femme fatale, the cynical attitude, the sexual motivations, the stark black and white cinematography) the films in the genre were not always so cut and dried. THE BIG CLOCK is a perfect example of that.

The film opens with George Stroud (Ray Milland) hiding in a building with a big clock in its tower. He’s on the run and in voice over narration he goes back in time to tell us what it taking place. As the editor of CRIMEWAVES magazine published by Janoth Publications in New York City, Stroud has turned the fortunes of the magazine around making it a success. But working for Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton) has negatives as well.

Stroud is about to go on a long delayed honeymoon with his wife Georgette (Maureen O'Sullivan) and son when a scoop comes his way. Janoth wants him to stay and handle the details of the story but this honeymoon has been put on hold too many times. Stroud insists on going even when Janoth threatens to fire him and blacklist him from working anywhere else.

Upset at the turn of events Stroud stops in the bar downstairs for a drink where he meets Pauline York (Rita Johnson). He’s completely unaware that Pauline is Janoth’s mistress, a woman unhappy with her situation and looking for someone to help her tell her story which would result in damage to Janoth. As the two talk and drink Stroud misses the train he was supposed to take with his wife and son. Finding out she left without him he and Pauline go out on the town, drinking, buying a painting and seeking a sundial.

Stroud wakes at Pauline’s place and she soon rushes him out as Janoth is on his way up to her apartment. Stroud makes his way out but sees Janoth going in. When Pauline tells Janoth what her plans are he strangles her. Seeking the help of trusted aide Hagen (George Macready), Hagen alters evidence and provides him with an alibi.

In the meantime Stroud has gone on to West Virginia where his wife is to let her know he’s quit his job. But a phone call comes through. The magazine is starting a manhunt and Janoth calls him asking him to come back and head the search. Stroud realizes the man they are seeking is himself in an attempt to frame the “suspect” with Janoth and Hagen unaware he is the man they’re searching for. He returns to New York working to find the evidence he needs to not only clear himself but to convict the mean really responsible for Pauline’s murder.

The film works on a number of levels and is one of those classic Hollywood films where everything is done to perfection. The set designs of the Janoth building fit the mood of the period as well as the film. The flow of the story is excellent and the pieces of the puzzle fit nicely, never forced. The acting from every person seen on screen is superb with Milland completely believable as the man mistaken for a killer and Laughton as the overbearing elitist who thinks he can find his way out of any situation.

While watching this film I was reminded of the films of Hitchcock where he placed an innocent man in danger. The film has ties with films like NORTH BY NORTHWEST and THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH but is solid enough to stand on its own. Why it was forgotten by so many only to now be rediscovered is a mystery. That being said it deserves to be found by mystery and noir fans once more and thanks should be offered to Arrow Video for doing so.

Not only has Arrow resurrected the film from the dusty vaults it was left in they’ve done so with an exceptional version. The film is offered in 1080p from original film elements. And as is usually the case with Arrow there are plenty of extras on hand. Those include a new audio commentary track by film scholar Adrian Martin, “Turning Back the Clock” a newly filmed analysis of the film by critic and chief executive of Film London Adrian Wootton, “A Difficult Actor” a newly filmed appreciation of Charles Laughton by theater director Simon Callow, a rare hour long 1948 radio dramatization of THE BIG CLOCK by the Lux Radio Theater starring Milland, the original theatrical trailer, a gallery of stills and promotional materials, a reversible sleeve with two original artwork options and for the first pressing only an illustrated collector’s booklet with new writing on the film by Christina Newland. That’s quite a bit for a movie made in 1948.

If you’ve never seen the film it is one worth seeking out. It’s an entertaining mystery that is sure to keep fans holding on until the final moments of the film. And there isn’t a better way of viewing the film than this version from Arrow who prove once again why they are the best at what they do.

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