Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

 

Based on the Marvel comics series by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the story of the titular sorcerer who finds himself dealing with new threats from different universes as well as an old ally prompting him to seek help from Wanda Maximoff as she would encounter her own troubles in the multiverse. Directed by Sam Raimi and screenplay by Michael Waldron, the film is an exploration into the different universes where Doctor Strange has to deal with versions of himself and those he knew as well as other threats as Benedict Cumberbatch reprises the role of Doctor Steven Strange with Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch. Also starring Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, Julian Hilliard, Jett Klyne, and Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is an enthralling and terrifying film from Sam Raimi.

Following events relating to Spider-Man, Doctor Steven Strange encounters something from another universe who chases a young woman in America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) who is also from another universe as Strange and Wong (Benedict Wong) learn that something is happening in the different multiverse relating to Chavez’s power where Strange asks Wanda Maximoff for help. It is a film that play into many multiple universes as it also relates to a book that is the opposite of a book that Maximoff has from her own previous adventure as it brings hope to the multiverse. Michael Waldron’s screenplay does manage to showcase what is at stake but doesn’t really do much in doing more with the motivation of some of the characters with Maximoff being a major reason as her possession of the Darkhold has her wanting to find her sons Billy and Tommy Maximoff (Julian Hillard and Jett Klyne, respectively) in the multiverse as she believes Chavez is key to finding them.

Maximoff becomes an obstacle for Strange, Wong, and Chavez where Strange and Chavez travel through the multiverse where they meet a variation of Strange’s former friend Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is part of a mysterious organization known as the Illuminati. Strange also meets a variation of his former flame in Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) who is a scientist who works for the Illuminati and isn’t fond of any version of Strange due to his own commitments to his work as a Master of the Mystic Arts. The different versions of characters is a key component of the film but it does get confusing and for audiences that aren’t aware of Maximoff’s own adventure in WandaVision do get lost. There’s a lot of exposition that Waldron creates that is overwhelming but also confusing when it comes to the concept of dream-walking where a character dreams about being in another world and uses that variation of that character to do things. It is among the elements of the film that does drag the story and make it nonsensical at times along with some stories relating to the multiverse including a version of Doctor Strange who was working with the Illuminati and what he did to kill their version of Thanos.

Sam Raimi’s direction definitely bear some of his own visual style in terms of the zooms he uses as well as these set pieces that are elaborate. Shot largely on location in Britain including the Longcross Studios at Longcross, Surrey, Raimi does create a film that showcases a world that has different versions as the version of New York City that Strange lives in is different from the New York City that he and Chavez would go to where they would learn that a variation of Strange had died. The world-building that Raimi does through the usage of wide and medium shots not only showcase the different universes the characters are in but also these worlds that are unique such as a montage where Strange and Chavez travel through different multiverses that include a 2D animation bit as it showcase these variations of worlds that are all unique. It is among these lavish sequences where Raimi does play into the adventure and action but also with elements of humor as it relates to Strange’s interaction with Chavez as well as the rules of the multiverse.

Then there’s Raimi’s approach to horror as it relates to Maximoff’s own desire to find her sons through the multiverse as she is intent on using the Darkhold book as it is a MacGuffin of sorts as well as the opposite book known as the Book of Vishanti that Chavez and a version of Doctor Strange are trying to get in the film’s first sequence that also involves a gigantic one-eyed monster known as Gargantos. Raimi also play into some of the gory elements in horror but not overtly gory as there are some major deaths as well as moments such as a scene where Strange, Chavez, and Palmer are running away from a version of Maximoff as it has all of these scary moments expected from horror. The film’s climax does involve Strange having to go into places that is against the rules imposed on other masters of the mystic arts yet it all has to do with Chavez and her own powers to travel through the universe even though she is unable to control it. Yet, it also shows exactly what Strange has learned and what he has to do to save the universe while also coming to terms with the sacrifices he’s made in his own life. Overall, Raimi crafts an exhilarating and chilling film about a sorcerer traveling through the multiverse to stop a threat from destroying his own universe.

Cinematographer John Mathieson does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the vibrancy of the alternate version of Earth as well as some stylish lighting for a few interiors including the usage of red for Maximoff’s own world, and the dark colors in the world that Strange would encounter. Editors Bob Murawski and Tia Nolan do excellent work with the editing with its stylish usage of montages, jump-cuts, and other cuts to play into the suspense and horror. Production designer Charles Wood, with set decorator John Bush and supervising art director Thomas Brown, does amazing work with the look of the Kamar-Taj base in Nepal where Strange and Wong do their training as well as the base of the Illuminati and a secret palace that holds a dark secret. Costume designer Graham Churchyard does fantastic work with the costumes from Wanda’s Scarlet Witch costume as well as the different costumes of the different variations of Strange including the Cloak of Levitation that has a mind of its own as well as the casual look of America Chavez with her denim jacket with a LGBTQ pride pin on it. Hair/makeup designer Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou, along with prosthetics makeup designer Barrie Gower, does terrific work with the look of the different variations of Doctor Strange as well as the two different looks of Maximoff in her different hairstyles as it all play into the many variations of the multiverse.

Special effects supervisor Alan Roberts and visual effects supervisor Janek Sirrs do incredible work with the visual effects from the design of Gargantos as well as other magical effects that Strange and Wong uses along with some of the massive set pieces as the effects work is a major highlight. Sound editors Addison Teague and Katy Wood do superb work with the sound in the way some of the creatures sound as well as the way objects sound including the atmosphere of a location. The film’s music by Danny Elfman is phenomenal for the bombastic music themes that are created with its usage of orchestral elements for its suspense and action along with themes that do intensify the sense of horror while music supervisor Dave Jordan cultivate a soundtrack that feature different themes from other films and TV shows from Marvel for some of the characters in their alternate variations.

The casting by Sarah Haley Finn is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Bruce Campbell in a hilarious cameo as a pizza vendor from an alternate universe, Ross Marquand in a voice role as Ultron drones who work for the Illuminati, Ako Mitchell as Palmer’s new husband Charlie, screenwriter Michael Waldron as a guest at Palmer’s wedding, Momo Yeung and Daniel Swain as two masters who respectively run the Hong Kong and London sanctums, Ruth Livier and Chess Lopez as Chavez’s mothers from her memory as a child, Sheila Atm as a Mystic arts master who works closely with Wong at Kamar-Taj, Adam Hugill as the minotaur Mystic arts master Rintrah, and Michael Stuhlbarg in a terrific small role as Strange’s former surgeon rival Dr. Nic West who laments over being killed during the Blip and returning back only to deal with loss of his own as he and Strange both feel uncomfortable at Palmer’s wedding.

In the roles of the members of the Illuminati, Patrick Stewart’s performance as an alternate version of Charles Xavier/Professor X as well as Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter, John Krasinski as Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, Lashana Lynch as an alternate version of Maria Rambeau/Captain Marvel, and Anson Mount as Blackagar Boltagon/Black Bolt are fun to watch although it is largely fan-service as they play into people who decide Strange’s fate as they also carry a secret about their own version of Doctor Strange. Julian Hillard and Jett Klyne are superb in their respective roles as Billy and Tommy Maximoff as the sons of Wanda Maximoff whom Wanda believes are alive as they’re just kids who already have a mother and are unaware of what Wanda is doing. Chiwetel Ejiofor is fantastic as an alternate version of Karl Mordo as a former colleague/mentor of Strange who is the Sorcerer Supreme in an alternate universe who believes Strange is dangerous and is up to no good.

Rachel McAdams is excellent as Christine Palmer as Doctor Strange’s former flame who gets married to another man while an alternate version of Palmer is a more stern scientist who isn’t willing to put up with Strange’s bullshit though she becomes protective of Chavez when it comes to a major threat as she is also far more capable of taking care of herself. Benedict Wong is brilliant as Wong as the Sorcerer Supreme who helps Strange in dealing with some of the chaos involved as he also has to contend with some dark forces as well as what Strange had to do to save everyone. Xochitl Gomez is amazing as America Chavez as a young teenage girl who has the power to travel through different multiverses but doesn’t know how to control her powers as she deals with being a source of power that people want as she is also someone who has a hard time trusting people for valid reasons.

Elizabeth Olsen is outstanding as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch as a woman with her own powers as she is convinced that her sons are in another universe while realizing another version of her is with her sons where Olsen brings a dark sense of humor and terror to her performance of a woman ravaged by loss and the need to control things. Finally, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch in a sensational performance as the titular character as a former surgeon turned sorcerer who is dealing with images from an alternate universe as he struggles with these revelations but also versions of himself and their faults with the need to not just save the world but also to help this young girl he’s grown to care for despite his own arrogance at times.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a marvelous film from Sam Raimi that features great performances from Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, and a break-out performance from Xochitl Gomez. Despite the messy elements in the film’s screenplay and its emphasis on exposition that does drag the story, the film does succeed in its stake as well as the work from its supporting cast as well as its visuals, emphasis on suspense and horror, exploration of the multiverse, and Danny Elfman’s thrilling score. In the end, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a remarkable film from Sam Raimi.

Sam Raimi Films: (It’s Murder!) – (Clockwork) – (Within the Woods) – The Evil Dead - (Crimewave) – Evil Dead II - (Darkman) – Army of Darkness - (The Quick and the Dead) – (A Simple Plan) – (For the Love of the Game) – (The Gift (2000 film)) – Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 (Drag Me to Hell) – (Oz, the Great and Powerful)

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Phase Two: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man

Phase Three: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man and the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Eternals - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool 3) - (Captain America: Brave New World)

Phase 6: (Thunderbolts) – (Blade (2024 film)) - (Fantastic Four (2024 film)) – (Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) – (Avengers: Secret Wars)

© thevoid99 2022

Army of Darkness

Directed and co-edited by Sam Raimi and written by Sam and Ivan Raimi, Army of Darkness is the third and final film of the Evil Dead trilogy in which Ash Williams has found himself in the Middle Ages where he helps a kingdom fight the undead. The film showcases a man from the 20th Century dealing with different surroundings as he does whatever it takes to return home as well as kill the undead anyway he can. Also starring Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie, Ted Raimi, and Richard Grove. Army of Darkness is a sprawling yet whimsical film from Sam Raimi.

Set in 1300 A.D. in medieval England, the film revolves around a man in Ash Williams who had been sent to that world through a time portal as he faces off against the evil dead and helps King Arthur (Marcus Gilbert) fight in the hopes he can go home. It’s a film with a simple premise where it picks up where events from the previous leaves off as Ash is considered a prophet that can save the kingdom from the evil dead. The film’s screenplay by Sam and Ivan Raimi play into Ash’s bafflement in his surroundings but is also aware of what is happening where he is tasked by the wise man (Ian Abercrombie) to get the Book of the Dead yet Ash would deal with all sorts of craziness where the leader of the evil dead would form as an evil version of Ash.

Sam Raimi’s direction is definitely ambitious in terms of the period he chooses to set the film as it’s bigger and has a lot more happening in terms of what Ash is dealing with. Shot in soundstages in Hollywood with some scenes shot in the Californian deserts and mountain, the film plays into a sense of a period where Ash is out of place but also a world that is quite primitive and full of conflict. Raimi’s usage of the wide and medium shots establish a lot of the locations in Ash’s surroundings but also in some of the visuals where Ash would often get himself into trouble either by his own means or things beyond his control. The usage of close-ups would play into some of the humor that include a hilarious sequence in which Ash battles the mini-Ashes who try to kill him as it would then lead to a moment where a second Ash would grow into his body to become his nemesis.

The film also has Raimi play into the world of medieval times where it is played for laughs in some respects while it would have this climax that mixes old-school medieval battles with some 20th Century aesthetics courtesy of Ash. There are these moments that are quite comical but also very dark as it play to what is at stake. Even as Ash has to contend with the demons and those that have become possessed where he is aware of the importance of this book that could bring hope to this land and maybe he wouldn’t have to deal with all of that shit ever again. Overall, Raimi creates a thrilling and wild film about a 20th Century man fighting the evil dead in medieval times.

Cinematographer Bill Pope does excellent work with the film‘s colorful cinematography with the usage of natural and bright colors for the scenes set in the day to the usage of fire and other stylish lights for the scenes set at night. Editors Bob Murawski and Sam Raimi do amazing work with the editing with its usage of stylish montages, jump-cuts, and other stylish cuts to play into the suspense and humor as well as in some of the moments of terror. Production designer Anton Tremblay, with set decorator Michele Poulik and art director Aram Allan, does fantastic work with the look of the castle as well as a few of its interiors as well as the look of the graveyard where the book is found. Costume designer Ida Gearon does nice work with the look of the armor many of the knights wear as well as the clothes that the women wear.

The makeup work of Howard Berger, Camille Calvet, Tony Gardner, Robert Kurtzman, and Gregory Nicotero is great as it doesn‘t just play more into the look of the skeleton army but also the look of the evil dead as well as the evil Ash in his decayed form. Visual effects supervisor William Mesa does brilliant work with the visual effects from the usage of stop-motion animation for the skeletons as well as the way the ghosts and creatures look like during the battle scene. Sound designers Lance Brown and Alan Howarth do superb work with the sound from the way the demons sound as they‘re about to possess someone to the layers of sound mixes in the battle scenes. The film’s music by Joseph LoDuca, with themes by Danny Elfman, is terrific for its orchestral bombast that is filled with sumptuous string and percussion arrangements with Elfman providing the music for the battle march.

The casting by Ira Belgrade is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Angela Featherstone as a woman Ash meets at the place he works at in the 20th Century, Patricia Tallman as the possessed witch, Timothy Patrick Quill as a blacksmith that likes Ash, Bridget Fonda in a cameo appearance as Ash’s old girlfriend Linda, and Ted Raimi in a trio of performances as a cowardly knight, a villager, and a co-worker of Ash in the 20th Century. Richard Grove is terrific as Duke Henry the Red as an adversary of Lord Arthur who is accused of causing trouble only to be aided by Ash. Ian Abercrombie is superb as the wise man as a variation of Merlin who sees as Ash as the prophet that would help him while giving Ash specific instructions of how to stop the evil dead.

Marcus Gilbert is excellent as Lord Arthur as a variation of King Arthur who is unsure about Ash until he realizes that Ash is the one that he needs to battle the evil dead. Embeth Davidtz is amazing as Sheila as the sister of a deceased knight who isn’t keen on Ash at first but falls for him where she is baffled by his own custom as Davidtz gets a chance to be very funny when her character becomes possessed. Finally, there’s Bruce Campbell in an incredible performance as Ash Williams and the evil version of Ash where Campbell brings that smarmy sense of fun into his role in the former as well as a weight of melancholy while also camping it up a bit as the evil Ash that includes some moments where he gets to chew the scene for all it’s worth.

Army of Darkness is a remarkable film from Sam Raimi that features a sensational performance from Bruce Campbell. Featuring some dazzling visual effects, a killer climax, and lots of humor, it’s a film that manages to be more than just a horror-comedy but also a film where it’s about killing the evil dead. In the end, Army of Darkness is a marvelous film from Sam Raimi.

Sam Raimi Films: (It’s Murder!) - (Clockwork) - (Within the Woods) - The Evil Dead - (Crimewave) - Evil Dead II - (Darkman) - (The Quick and the Dead) - (A Simple Plan) - (For Love of the Game) - (The Gift (2000 film)) - Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 - (Drag Me to Hell) - (Oz the Great and Powerful) - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

© thevoid99 2016

Evil Dead II

Directed by Sam Raimi and written by Raimi and Sam Spiegel, Evil Dead II is a remake/sequel to the 1981 film The Evil Dead which was about a group of college kids going into a cabin in the woods where they find a mysterious book that unleashes demons from beyond the grave. The film is a parody of sorts of the horror film where it picks up where the last film left off as well as recreate events from the first for a more humorous approach. Starring Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley, and Richard Domeier. Evil Dead II is a crazy yet exhilarating film from Sam Raimi.

The film is the story of a man trying to deal with the demons he had survived against where a group of people enter this cabin only to cause more chaos where a woman has the key that might stop these demons. It’s a film that sort of picks up where its predecessor left off yet it also delves more into the mysteries that is this mysterious book known as Book of the Dead. Notably as the people who had uncovered its text and the trouble it causes where its protagonist Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) has to deal with these mysterious demons as well as the living dead.

The film’s screenplay by Sam Raimi and Sam Spiegel starts off with a short remake of the events in the first film where Ash is with his girlfriend Linda (Denise Bixler) only for things to go wrong and he survives as well as reveal what happened to him at the end of the first film. Then the narrative changes where Ash is trying to survive and deal with the demons while the daughter of the professor who was the one that uncovered the text of the book arrives with more pages that could be the key to end it all. Ash and the woman Annie (Sarah Berry) work together to deal with the demons as well as the chaos that surrounds them.

Raimi’s direction definitely maintains the same visual style and manic energy of its predecessor but he is also give a slightly bigger budget where he allows to do a whole lot more. In some aspects, the look and feel of the film is more polished but it’s also quite comical at times. Notably in the fact that there’s an element of camp in some of the performances but also in the way the horror is portrayed where it is over-the-top in terms of its gore where gallons of blood and such would spray onto Ash whenever he defeats or defies the demons. Shot on location in North Carolina, the film has this naturalistic yet chilling feel in the way it is presented where Raimi’s usage of wide and medium shots play into the locations. There is also an intimacy in the usage of the latter along with some close-ups that add to some of the dark yet comical approach of the film. Especially in a sequence where Ash fights against his own demonic hand which he had cut off as it has this nice mixture of horror and comedy.

The direction also plays with the rhythm of suspense in how the moments of terror is built as well as the fact that many of the conventions of the genre are used where it knows where it is going. Some of it is played for laughs while some of it is for shock yet Raimi understands that there are these moments where the characters in the film know what to do but also what not to do as some just don’t follow the rules. The film’s climax that is set inside the cabin is definitely gruesome but it also plays into the mystical aspects of resurrection where it does have its downside. It also play into the idea of legends and the need for redemption in the hands of Annie whose father was the one that uncovered the messages from the book that eventually led to his own death. That role of redemption is also something Ash has to play as well as something bigger where he would accept his own destiny. Overall, Raimi creates a thrilling yet whimsical film about a guy fighting off demons with a chainsaw and a shotgun.

Cinematographer Peter Deming does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography in creating some unique lighting schemes and moods to play into the chilling scenes set at night for its interior and exterior scenes with some naturalistic usage of light for the few scenes set in the day. Editor Kaye Davis does amazing work with the editing with its usage of stylish rhythmic cuts to play into the horror and comedy as well as a few transitional dissolves to introduce new characters. Art directors Randy Bennett and Philip Duffin, with set decorator Elizabeth Moore, do fantastic work with the look of the cabin that look a bit bigger as well as the look of Ash‘s Oldsmobile car.

Special makeup designer Mark Shostrum does brilliant work with the look of the demons and the people who become possessed as it has this look of decay and terror. Sound editor David West does nice work with the sound as it play into that air of terror and suspense as well as some of the film‘s dark humor. The film’s music by Joseph LuDuca is superb for its orchestral based score as it play into the suspense and horror that is prevalent throughout the film as well as few pieces for its comedy.

The film’s incredible cast feature some notable small roles from Lou Hancock as Annie’s mother, Ted Raimi as the demonic version of Annie’s mother, John Peaks as Annie’s father who would uncover the text that would cause a lot of trouble, Richard Domeier as Annie’s boyfriend Ed Getley as this associate professor who accompanies Annie with the found text that can stop the chaos, and Denise Bixler as Ash’s girlfriend Linda who would become possessed early in the film as she becomes the thing that would humanize him in case he becomes possessed. Kassie DePaiva is wonderful as Bobby Joe as a local woman who would have a chilling encounter with the demons while Dan Hicks is terrific as Bobby Joe’s boyfriend Jake who freaks out and tries to take matter into his own hands.

Sarah Berry is excellent as Annie Knowby as a professor’s daughter who tries to fix the chaos that her father did as well as make sense of all of the craziness that is happening. Finally, there’s Bruce Campbell in a tremendous performance as Ash Williams as an ordinary man whose encounters with demons forces him to take action with a shotgun and a chainsaw while providing that element of camp into his performance that makes it so fun to watch.

Evil Dead II is a magnificent film from Sam Raimi that features a sensational performance from Bruce Campbell. It’s a film that manages to blend horror, suspense, and comedy into something very special and fun as it isn’t afraid to be campy nor refusing to take itself so seriously. It’s got a nice soundtrack, an amazing supporting cast, dazzling visuals, and lots of gore. In the end, Evil Dead II is a spectacular film from Sam Raimi.

Sam Raimi Films: (It’s Murder!) - (Clockwork) - (Within the Woods) - The Evil Dead - (Crimewave) - (Darkman) - Army of Darkness - (The Quick and the Dead) - (A Simple Plan) - (For Love of the Game) - (The Gift (2000 film)) - Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 - (Drag Me to Hell) - (Oz the Great and Powerful) - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

© thevoid99 2016

The Evil Dead

Written and directed by Sam Raimi, The Evil Dead is the story of five college friends who spend the night at a cabin in the middle of the woods where they find a mysterious audio tape filled with supernatural elements. The film is a horror movie set in the woods as it play into that air of mystery where five people make an unsettling discovery. Starring Bruce Campbell, Betsy Baker, Ellen Sandweiss, Hal Delrich, and Sarah York. The Evil Dead is a thrilling and grisly film from Sam Raimi.

Set in the mountains in Tennessee, the film is the simple story of five college friends deciding to spend the night at a cabin in the middle of the woods where all sorts of crazy shit happen once they find a mysterious book and an audio tape filled with strange chants that bring back the dead. That is pretty much the story where it is about a night at a cabin in the woods gone wrong all because of some evil book with this audio tape that features strange voices of chants and such from someone who had been in the cabin trying to do an experiment that went horribly wrong. Eventually, those in the cabin would be possessed by demons and all sorts of shit happen as some had to survive for the night and worried about not being possessed. Sam Raimi’s script doesn’t have much of a plot yet it is about the need to survive as well as figure out what is in this book and why it’s causing all of this trouble?

Raimi’s direction is definitely stylish from the usage of its weaving tracking shots that often move around to play into that sense of terror to some of the dazzling visuals to help build up the suspense. Shot on location in Tennessee, the film does play as this very remote world where everyone wants a break from reality but they go to a place they never should’ve gone to. Raimi’s usage of medium shots and close-ups help play into the intimacy and the interaction of the characters while he uses some wide shots for the location as well as in some of the eerie moments of terror. One notable sequence involves the character Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss) who runs into the wood where she is attacked and raped by tree branches as it marks a key turning point in the film where it is clear something bad will happen as it sets the tone for the rest of the film.

There are elements of gore in the film where it is obvious that there’s some low-budget aesthetics that are used but that is what makes it so fun to watch. Even as there are these very graphic depiction of violence in what some of the characters do to survive. Raimi knows how to play with the rhythms of suspense where it is about that air of slow build and see if he will bring a scare or something false yet when it comes to the big scares. They are quite intense as it leads to the climax where someone has to survive and fight off these demons as well as do whatever it takes to get rid of this evil book that is found in the cabin. Overall, Raimi creates a mesmerizing yet gripping film about a bad night at a cabin in the woods involving the dead.

Cinematographer Tim Philo does excellent work with the film‘s grainy 16mm cinematography to play into some of the unique lighting in the scenes set at night as well as creating some moods for some of more terror-driven scenes as well as some natural lighting for the scenes in the day. Editor Edna Ruth Paul does brilliant work with the editing in creating some unique rhythms to play with the suspense as well as some stylish cuts to play into some of its dark humor. Special makeup effects by Tom Sullivan, with additional work by Bruce Campbell, is great for the way the demons look as well as all of the gore that is created. Sound editor Joe Masefield does superb work with the sound to play into some of the way the woods sound as well as the audio tape and other effects that play into the horror. The film’s music by Joseph LoDuca is fantastic for its mixture of eerie electronics and somber orchestral score with the latter playing into some of the drama and the former into its suspense and horror.

The film’s amazing cast feature Hal Delrich as Scotty who is kind of an asshole who tries to cause mayhem only to panic when things go bad. Sarah York is wonderful as Scotty’s girlfriend Shelly who tries to comprehend what is going on while trying to have fun. Betsy Baker is excellent as Ash’s girlfriend Linda who would be stabbed in the foot by a demon as she has trouble trying to survive. Ellen Sandweiss is brilliant as Ash’s sister Cheryl as the young woman who would be the first to get possessed and attacked as she thinks something about the place isn’t right only to lose it completely. Finally, there’s Bruce Campbell in a phenomenal performance as Ash Williams as this college guy who is trying to make sense of everything as well as understand what is in the mysterious book where he tries to do whatever he can to survive and kill all of these demons.

The Evil Dead is a sensational film from Sam Raimi that features an incredible performance from Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams. It’s a horror-suspense film that is full of chills, stylish camerawork, and some gory special effects that makes it a whole lot of fun to watch. In the end, The Evil Dead is a tremendous film from Sam Raimi.

Sam Raimi Films: (It’s Murder!) - (Clockwork) - (Within the Woods) - (Crimewave) - Evil Dead II - (Darkman) - Army of Darkness - (The Quick and the Dead) - (A Simple Plan) - (For Love of the Game) - (The Gift (2000 film)) - Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 - (Drag Me to Hell) - (Oz the Great and Powerful) - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

© thevoid99 2016

Escape from L.A.

Directed by John Carpenter and screenplay by Carpenter, Debra Hill, and Kurt Russell from characters by Carpenter and Nick Castle, Escape from L.A. is a sequel to the 1981 film Escape from New York in which Snake Plissken is asked by the President and the U.S. government to save the President’s daughter who had hijacked a plane to Los Angeles as she gives a weapon to a rebel leader. The film is another exploration into dystopian America where Los Angeles is separated by the U.S. due to an earthquake as Kurt Russell reprises his role as Snake Plissken. Also starring Steve Buscemi, Stacy Keach, Cliff Robertson, Georges Corraface, Michelle Forbes, Valeria Golino, Bruce Campbell, A.J. Langer, Pam Grier, and Peter Fonda. Escape from L.A. for all of its action and thrills is really just a lazy and uninspiring film from John Carpenter.

Set in 2013 just 13 years after an earthquake had destroyed much of Los Angeles and separated itself from the U.S., the film revolves around Snake Plissken being asked by the President (Cliff Robertson) to retrieve a black box carrying a weapon that can save the country from evil forces as the box had been taken by his daughter Utopia (A.J. Langer). Plissken reluctantly takes the mission due to a virus he is carrying as he has less than 10 hours to retrieve the black box as well as deal with a rebel leader who wants to take down the U.S. and its President. In some ways, it’s really the same narrative of the first film made 15 years earlier but with a different set of rules, villains, and people as the only thing that hasn’t changed is Snake Plissken himself. It’s just that the world Snake Plissken is in is a very weird one and affirmation that he really has no place in the future whether it’s in America or the rest of the world.

The film’s screenplay does play into a traditional structure where much of the first act is exposition in which plays into what happened to America since the events of the previous and what Plissken needs to do. The second act is about Plissken arriving in Los Angeles as he meets an assortment of crazed characters including a tour guide named Eddie (Steve Buscemi), a woman named Taslima (Valeria Golino) who was deported to L.A. because she was a Muslim, a transgender outlaw named Hershe (Pam Grier), and an aging surfer named Pipeline (Peter Fonda). Some of which are either affiliated with the terrorist leader Cuervo Jones (George Corraface) or against him. Yet, many of these characters really just caricatures where some just offer exposition or others are just there for laughs as it never really meshes or do anything to drive the story. Even as everyone knows that the President and his cronies are also villains because of what he wants to do and the bullshit morality that he stands for which doesn’t really make the story very engaging.

John Carpenter’s direction does have its moments in some of the action scenes and how he re-creates Los Angeles as paradise in Hell. Even as it does have some satire in the way the world is along with bits of commentary about a third-world revolution going up against the superpower that is America. Unfortunately, the script’s unwillingness to really do so much more really bogs the film down as Carpenter had to rely on humor to get some things going where it doesn’t really mesh with who Snake Plissken is. Even as there’s a lot of reliance on visual effects that don’t look great or finished as well as moments where it tries to be outrageous but ends up being very dumb. Carpenter’s approach to compositions are still potent in his approach to close-ups and medium shots but there’s scenes that don’t look good such as seeing Plissken surfing nearby or a scene where Plissken has to play basketball to survive. It’s not what he’s about as it doesn’t have the element of suspense nor any stakes that are bigger as it’s ending sort of mirrors the one in the previous film. Overall, Carpenter makes a very messy and dull film about a guy trying to retrieve a black box for some asshole dictator he doesn’t even like.

Cinematographer Gary B. Kibbe does nice work with the cinematography as much of the film was set at night where it features some unique lighting for some of the action scenes as well as play up to the look of Los Angeles. Editor Edward A. Warschilka does some fine work with the editing though it deviates from many of the conventional fast-paced cutting style that is derivative of most action films. Production designer Lawrence G. Paull, with set decorator Kathe Klopp and art director Bruce Crone, does superb work with the set design from the look of the city as well as some of the landmarks of the cities in their post-earthquake look. Costume designer Robin Michel Blush does excellent work with the costumes from the Che Guevara-inspired look of Cuervo Jones to look of the many characters that Plissken encounters in the film.

Special effects makeup designer Rick Baker does some brilliant work with the design of some of the freaks that appear in Los Angeles including those who took too much plastic surgery. Visual effects supervisors Michael Lessa and Kimberly Nelson LoCasio do terrible work with the visual effects where it looks like early 90s computer animation where things look wobbly and some of it looked unfinished as it is among one of the lowlights of the film. Sound editor John Dunn and sound designer John Pospisil do fantastic work with the sound to play up some of the sound effects and layers of sound in some of the action scenes. The film’s music by John Carpenter and Shirley Walker is alright for its mixture of electronics and rock with bits of blues to play into that sense of the old-school that Plissken is fond for while its soundtrack is a mixture of metal, alt-rock, and industrial from acts like Gravity Kills, Tool, White Zombie, Tori Amos, Sugar Ray, the Toadies, Ministry, Butthole Surfers, Stabbing Westward, Clutch, and the Deftones.

The casting by Carrie Frazier is amazing though many of the appearances of such noted cult actors like Pam Grier as an old friend of Plissken in a transgender fighter named Hershe, Bruce Campbell as a weird-looking plastic surgeon from Beverly Hills, Jeff Imada as a gang member, Robert Carradine as a skinhead, Paul Bartel as a congressman, and Leland Orser as an associate of Cuervo as they’re kind of given nothing to do as does Valeria Golino as a woman who helps Plissken to find locations in Los Angeles, Breckin Meyer as a young surfer, Michelle Forbes as an assistant chief to the police force, Stacy Keach as Commander Malloy, and Peter Fonda as the aging surfer Pipeline as they’re just used to appear and don’t do much. A.J. Langer is horrible as the President’s daughter Utopia as she doesn’t really do much for the story nor give any reason to save her as the President himself is indifferent about her. Georges Corraface is alright as Cuervo Jones as this rebel leader who wants to destroy the American dictatorship yet is also just as bad as the President.

Cliff Robertson is pretty good as the President as a man of morality who wants to clean up the country but is also quite ruthless in maintaining his rule as he is given a lifetime term. Steve Buscemi is fantastic as a tour guide named Eddie who is kind of a sleazy guy that is in it for himself and whoever that can give him money where he is the only guy that is able to bring some humor to the film. Finally, there’s Kurt Russell in a brilliant performance as Snake Plissken as this renegade soldier who is forced to take part in a mission to retrieve a weapon in a black box as he copes with illness and other things in a world he doesn’t relate to as Russell is the only thing in the film that works.

While it features a strong performance from Kurt Russell and some exciting action scenes, Escape from L.A. is just a very disappointing and lazy film from John Carpenter. It’s a film that tries to update its predecessor for the 90s but doesn’t do enough to stand out from the original while it is hampered by some bad humor and awful visual effects. In the end, Escape from L.A. is just a bad film from John Carpenter.

John Carpenter Films: Dark Star - Assault on Precinct 13 - Halloween - Someone’s Watching Me! - Elvis - The Fog - Escape from New York - The Thing - Christine - Starman - Big Trouble in Little China - Prince of Darkness - They Live - Memoirs of an Invisible Man - Body Bags - In the Mouth of Madness - Village of the Damned - Vampires - Ghosts of Mars - The Ward

The Auteurs #60: John Carpenter Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2015

The Ladykillers (2004 film)

Based on the 1955 film directed by Alexander Mackendrick and written by William Rose, The Ladykillers is the story about a gang of hooligans who move into a old woman’s home in hopes to plan a heist only for things go wrong when the old woman learns about their scheme. Written for the screen and directed by Joel & Ethan Coen, the film is a remake is set in the American South as it involves a more diverse gang dealing with an elderly woman who proves to be much tougher than the gang. Starring Tom Hanks, Marlon Wayans, Tzi Ma, J.K. Simmons, Ryan Hurst, and Irma P. Hall. The Ladykillers is an entertaining black-comedy from the Coen Brothers.

Marva Munson (Irma P. Hall) is an elderly widow who goes to church on Sundays as she loves alone with her cat Pickles until a man named Professor Goldthwaite Higginson Dorr, Ph.D (Tom Hanks) asks for the room that is available for rent. After charming her and saving her cat, Munson allows Dorr to have the room while he also asks if he could borrow her basement so he and some friends could use the place to rehearse as their a music group that plays old-time classical music. Munson also allows as it as she meets Lump (Ryan Hurst), Gawain (Marlon Wayans), Garth Pancake (J.K. Simmons), and the General (Tzi Ma). Unbeknownst to Munson, the five men are planning to rob a nearby casino hall that Gawain is working at.

Despite dealing with Munson, the men play to their plan despite a few complications where Gawain was briefly fired and a hole had to be blasted in the tunnel they had dug through. The men eventually succeed in the heist until another mishap leads to Munson discovering what is really going on. With Dorr trying to smooth things over, Munson reveals what should be done with the money. Dorr realizes that something had to be done as he and the gang would do whatever it takes to get rid of Munson only for greed and fear to complicate things.

The film is essentially a black comedy about five criminals using an old lady’s home to dig a hole so they can rob a casino only to deal with the old lady herself. While the film is a faithful re-telling of William Rose’s original screenplay that delves into the themes of greed and doing what is right. Joel and Ethan Coen do manage to infuse some of their own ideas into the story such as setting it in the American South circa mid-2000s and changing some of the ideas by making the criminals rob a casino and explore the world of Southern faith. These ideas work although some scenes in the casino and the hi-jinks that occur doesn’t feel as natural as it could’ve been. Also hampering the screenplay are a few additional characters that don’t work things out while the Gawain character is the worst of them all as he’s just a typical gangster-wannabe with a bad attitude.

The direction of the Coen Brothers is very stylish but also engaging in the way they frame their shots. Shot largely in Mississippi along with some interior settings in California, the film is about this world of this old lady who has a hard time dealing with the changes that surrounds people including hip-hop as she would often complain to a local sheriff that opens the film. While there’s a lot of great moments in the direction, there’s a few moments in the film that doesn’t work such as the montage of how each criminal is introduced. There’s some nice humor to a few of those scenes with some inspiring shots but it feels unnecessary. Other scenes such as Gawain’s scenes in the casino, despite some stylish shots, feels like it comes from another film as if they’re trying to appeal to a younger audience.

Then there’s the climatic third act which would involve the five criminals attempt to get rid of Munson where the whole section of that film feels rushed. Despite some great shots and humorous moments that is in tribute to the original film’s third act. There was so much more that could’ve been drawn out more though one key moment where a character had his chance to get rid of Munson that would involve a flashback scene doesn’t work. Despite a lot of these bad decisions for the film’s dark humor and drama, the Coen Brothers does manage to pull off a pretty engaging film that is enjoyable.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins does an excellent job with the film‘s very colorful and bright cinematography for a lot of the film‘s exterior settings that includes gorgeous daytime scenes of the small Mississippi town along with some very stylish interior shots for the scenes in the casinos and at Munson‘s home. Under the Roderick Jaynes alias, the Coen Brothers’ approach to the editing is quite methodical in terms of how they approach each frame and make a smooth transition that frame as it’s pretty solid work by the duo. Production designer Dennis Gassner, along with set decorator Nancy Haigh and art director Richard L. Johnson, does fantastic work with the home of Munson as well as the casino and the church that Munson attends.

Costume designer Mary Zophres does a superb job with the costumes from the casual dresses of Munson to the white suit of Dorr as well as the wonderful gowns the gospel choir wear. Visual effects supervisor Janek Sirrs does some nice work the film‘s lone visual effects sequence that involves a garbage boat and an island that serves as a great tribute setting to the original 1955 film. Sound editor Skip Lievsay and sound designer Eugene Gearty do terrific work with the sound to capture the intimacy of the church service to the sounds of explosions and ship horns to play up the atmosphere that is prominent throughout the film.

The film’s music is a wonderful mix of hip-hop, blues, folk, and gospel that is assembled by T-Bone Burnett that plays up to the world that is the American South. The hip-hop music by Nappy Roots and Little Brother is pretty good while it’s the blues and gospel music of Blind Willie Johnson, the Soul Stirrers, Swan Silvertones, and many others that is the real highlight. Along with a classical piece from Luigi Boccherini that is in tribute to the original film, music composer Carter Burwell does bring in a fine score that is orchestral to play up some of the film’s suspense and dark humor that occurs in the film.

The casting by Ellen Chenoweth is pretty good for the cast that is assembled as it features appearances from Jason Weaver as a casino worker, Stephen Root as the casino boss, George Wallace as the town’s lazy sheriff, Diane Delano as Pancake’s partner Mountain Girl, Greg Grunberg as a TV commercial director, and Bruce Campbell in a cameo appearance as a Humane Society worker in a TV commercial. Ryan Hurst is pretty good as the dim-witted muscle-man Lump while Tzi Ma is excellent as the quiet but very deadly smoker known as the General. J.K. Simmons is wonderful as the very resourceful explosives expert Garth Pancake who tries to involve his girlfriend for the plan while dealing with the more brash Gawain.

Marlon Wayan’s performance as Gawain is definitely the worst thing in the film as Wayans tries too hard to be all thuggish and spout lots of profanities as his character ends up playing to the gangsta stereotype. Tom Hanks is very funny as the devilish Professor Dorr who tries to charm his way to situations while often reciting the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe as it’s Hanks at his most entertaining. Finally, there’s Irma P. Hall in a phenomenal performance as the good-hearted yet conservative Marva Munson. Hall displays a lot of energy to her character while often getting the chance to steal scenes from her other actors proving to be a very tough old broad as she is definitely the film’s highlight.

The Coen Brothers’ remake of The Ladykillers is a good film from the Coen Brothers that features excellent performances from Tom Hanks and Irma P. Hall. While it doesn’t have the more devious tone of the original 1955 film, the Coen Brothers do try to update it with style where the overall result is quite mixed. Particularly as this is the Coen Brothers’ weakest film of their entire career though it is better than a lot of other comedic remakes out there. In the end, the Coen Brothers’ take on The Ladykillers is a fun comedy that does a serviceable job to get its audience to laugh and have a good time.

Coen Brothers Films: Blood Simple - Raising Arizona - Miller's Crossing - Barton Fink - The Hudsucker Proxy - Fargo - The Big Lebowski - O Brother, Where Art Thou? - The Man Who Wasn't There - Intolerable Cruelty - Paris Je T'aime-Tuileries - To Each His Own Cinema-World Cinema - No Country for Old Men - Burn After Reading - A Serious Man - True Grit (2010 film) - Inside Llewyn Davis - Hail, Caesar! - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Related: The Ladykillers (1955 film) - The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers Pt. 1 - The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2012

The Hudsucker Proxy

Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen and written by the Coen Brothers and Sam Raimi, The Hudsucker Proxy is the story of a business graduate who starts out as a mailroom clerk and then creates an idea that makes him the president of the company. Meanwhile, a company director decides to create a scam where the young president will take the fall. The film explores the world of ambition as it combines many of the Coen Brothers unique humor and quirks. Starring Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Newman, Bill Cobbs, Bruce Campbell, John Mahoney, and Charles Durning along with appearances from Coen Brothers regulars John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, and Jon Polito. The Hudsucker Proxy is a sprawling yet witty film from the Coen Brothers.

It’s 1958 as Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins) arrives to New York from Indiana looking for a top job with his business degree. The only problem is that the jobs need experience as he ends up working on the mailroom as a clerk for Hudsucker Industries. On the day he arrives into the building, the company’s founder Waring Hudsucker (Charles Durning) jumps out of a building where the board wonders what to do as directing manager Sidney J. Mussburger (Paul Newman) devises a scheme to implant a moron as company president for the stock to go down so he can buy its controlling interest. When Norville is asked to deliver the infamous blue letter to Mussburger, things go bad as Mussburger uses Norville to become president as stocks start to go down.

With news over Norville’s new role as president of Hudsucker Industries, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Amy Archer (Jennifer Jason Leigh) of the Manhattan Argus is assigned to write about Norville as she pretends to be his secretary to find out more about him. During her work posing as Norville’s secretary, she discovers about Mussburger’s plot from the scoop of the building’s clock operator Moses (Bill Cobbs). After a disastrous party with investors, Norville unveils his new idea in the hula-hoop as Mussburger believes it will be the product that will put Hudsucker stock further down. Instead, Mussburger’s scheme backfires when the hula-hoop becomes a smash hit with Norville being the toast of the town much to Mussburger’s dismay.

Norville’s sudden arrogance leads to Amy’s resignation as secretary as he struggles to find new ideas where the building’s elevator operator Buzz (Jim True-Frost) is fired for creating the flexi-straw as Norville claims it’s a stupid idea. Meanwhile, Mussburger makes a discovery through his henchman Aloysius (Harry Bugin) as he uses the secret to overthrow Norville who is condemned as a fraud until he discovers a much bigger secret.

The film is about a naïve business graduate who unknowingly becomes part of a directing manager’s scheme for a business to fail only to backfire when an idea becomes hugely successful. It’s a film that explores the world of corporations and schemes where a board director tries to take control of a company’s stock as he implants this very nice but dim-witted man to become company president so everything would fail. Yet, there’s strange forces such as a fast-talking news reporter and a clock operator who would play with the fates of this young man as the former eventually falls for him.

The script by the Coen Brothers and Sam Raimi does have a bit of formulaic air to the story such as Norville Barnes’ evolution from naïve mail clerk to a smug president who starts to act like the man who is trying to make him look like a fool. Yet, it does manage to work in the way that Norville is portrayed as a guy who just wants to help a company after the death of its founder as he would create an idea that would eventually help the company out much to the dismay of the board and its antagonist Sidney J. Mussburger. Mussburger isn’t a typical villain due to the fact that he’s very smart while slyly plays mentor to the well-meaning Norville and build him up only to tear him down.

Then there’s Amy Archer who starts out as a spy trying to figure out if Norville is the imbecile that people claim to be but she realizes he’s just a pawn for something bigger as she tries to help him become the president the company needed. Though the part about her falling for him is sort of clichéd, it’s what the Coens and Raimi go for since it’s a film that is a tribute to these slapstick comedies as Archer is a character who is quite complex as she sort of acts like a tough broad in the newsroom only to realize that she acts too masculine to fit in with the boys. Despite a few issues with the story, the Coen Brothers and Sam Raimi do create a very entertaining and clever script.

The direction of the Coen Brothers is definitely stylish from the way the board room meetings are shot to the way the mailroom is presented with tracking camera shots to exemplify its chaotic atmosphere. Style is definitely prevalent in the way the Coen Brothers chose to present the film as it features fake newsreel clips along with headlines and all sorts of things to play up Norville’s rise. With Sam Raimi providing some second unit direction for some exterior shots as the film includes a lot of set pieces and an opening crane shot that features New York City presented as miniature sets. The overall work that the Coen Brothers create is truly fascinating as they create a truly superb and engaging film.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins does a brilliant job with the film‘s photography from the way the offices are lit for day and nighttime exteriors to set the mood to the more lavish array of lighting for the snowy climatic scenes in the city. Editor Thom Noble does a nice job with the editing to play up the sense of style while creating dazzling montages of Norville’s rise to success. Production designer Dennis Gassner, with set decorator Nancy Haigh and art director Leslie McDonald, does a fantastic job with the set pieces created such as the offices of Norville and Mussburger to the room in between where the building’s clock is being operated.

Costume designer Richard Hornung does fabulous work with the costumes from the suits that the men wear to the stylish dresses that Amy wears to play up her tough personality. Visual effects supervisor Michael J. McAllister and miniatures supervisor Mark Stetson do amazing work with the visual effects creating including the film‘s opening shot and the scene involving Waring Hudsucker‘s suicide fall. Sound editor Skip Lievsay does terrific work with the sound from the way the clocks sound inside to the chaos of the party, mailroom, and newsroom scenes.

The film’s score by Carter Burwell is excellent for its playful pieces for the film’s humor to more soaring orchestral arrangements that play up Norville’s triumphs and other suspenseful, dramatic moments in the film. The film’s soundtrack also includes an array of standards from Duke Ellington and Grace Bumby to classical music from Georges Bizet, Frederic Chopin, Luigi Boccherini, Peter Tchaikovsky, and Aram Khachaturian.

The casting by Donna Isaacson and John S. Lyons is great for the ensemble that is created as it includes cameos from Coen Brothers regulars like Steve Buscemi as a beatnik bartender, Jon Polito as a businessman-in-waiting, and John Goodman as the voice of a newsreel man. Other notable appearances include Peter Gallagher as a lounge singer, Mike Starr as a news reporter, Patrick Cranshaw as an aging mail sorter, Bruce Campbell as a news reporter Amy likes to slap around, and notorious Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith as a bombshell Norville was linked to. Standout small but noteworthy supporting parts include John Mahoney’s as Amy’s news-grabbing editor, Harry Bugin as Mussburger’s silent henchman Aloysius, Bill Cobbs as the wise and informative clock operator Moses, Jim True-Frost as the fast-talking elevator operator Buzz, and Charles Durning in a small but very memorable part as Warring Hudsucker.

Jennifer Jason Leigh is great as the fast-talking and snooping reporter Amy Archer who sports a very exaggerated accent as Leigh brings great humor and charisma as the woman who unlikely falls for Norville. Paul Newman is outstanding as the smarmy Sidney J. Mussburger who tries to scheme his way into taking over Hudsucker Industries as he brings a wonderful sense of charm and bravado to the character. Finally, there’s Tim Robbins in a wonderful performance as Norville Barnes as he brings a boyish persona to a guy that hopes to do great only to be a pawn in a scheme as Robbins exudes some humor and humility into the role.

The Hudsucker Proxy is an extraordinary film from Joel and Ethan Coen. Featuring marvelous performances from Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Paul Newman, it’s a film that is very entertaining despite the fact that there’s more style than substance. Still, it is a joy to watch and never has a dull moment while not pretending to be this very extravagant period piece. In the end, The Hudsucker Proxy is an enjoyable film from the Coen Brothers.

Coen Brothers Films: Blood Simple - Raising Arizona - Miller's Crossing - Barton Fink - Fargo - The Big Lebowski - O Brother, Where Art Thou? - The Man Who Wasn’t There - Intolerable Cruelty - The Ladykillers (2004 film) - Paris Je T'aime-Tuileries - To Each His Own Cinema-World Cinema - No Country for Old Men - Burn After Reading - A Serious Man - True Grit (2010 film) - Inside Llewyn Davis - Hail, Caesar! - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers Pt. 1 - The Auteurs #9: The Coen Brothers Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2012