The Lords of Salem

Written and directed by Rob Zombie, The Lords of Salem is the story of a radio disc jockey whose life changes after listening to a strange recording relating to a coven of witches in her hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. The film is an exploration into the many historical aspects about Salem and its witches where a radio DJ becomes entranced by this dark culture of Satanic witches. Starring Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Judy Geeson, Patricia Quinn, Maria Conchita Alonso, Dee Wallace, Jeff Daniel Phillips, and Meg Foster. The Lords of Salem is an eerie and chilling film from Rob Zombie.

The film follows the week in the life of a radio disc jockey who is given a mysterious record by a group called the Lords as it feature strange recordings as it involve an infamous coven of witches from Salem dating back to the 17th Century. Set in Salem, Massachusetts, the film revolves around the myth about this coven of Satanic-worshipping witches where this disc jockey becomes entranced by its recording as she starts to see strange things around her. Especially as a writer about the Salem witch trials makes a discovery about the recording that was played as well as the family that the disc jockey is from. Rob Zombie’s screenplay definitely play into these legendary stories about the Salem witch trials of the 17th Century but also how it would remerge in modern-day Salem where it would haunt this woman who is also a recovering drug addict. The images she sees definitely blur the line into what is real but also what is surreal as the character of Heidi La Rock (Sheri Moon Zombie) would anguish over these hallucinations as well as the contents of these mysterious recordings.

Zombie’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of the compositions and moods that he creates. Shot on location in Salem, Massachusetts with some scenes shot in California, Zombie maintains an air of simplicity to many of the exteriors set in Salem as if it is this quaint little town with this dark history. While there are playful elements in the film such as the scenes of Heidi working with her other disc jockeys playing music. Zombie maintains something that is very eerie in his approach to the compositions as it include these intimate moments at the apartment that Heidi lives at which includes a room that no one lives at where it is at the heart of the mystery in the film. Once Heidi discovers what is in there, Zombie adds elements of dazzling surrealism into the film as well as maintain a slow but eerie momentum into the horror and suspense.

Especially in the third act where her character descends into darkness while the writer Francis Matthias (Bruce Davison) would make a chilling discovery about Heidi and what is happening in Salem. Zombie would also put in these moments that play into what is coming where the third act is key to what is happening to Heidi and what is coming for the women in Salem who are the descendants involved in the burning of those witches. Zombie’s eerie compositions with the usage of the wide and medium shots capture a lot of coverage to what is happening as well as create something that is scary but also beautiful. Overall, Zombie creates a haunting yet evocative film about a woman’s encounter with the witches of Salem in the modern world.

Cinematographer Brandon Trost does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography as it has a graininess that is just fitting for the film while it has some gorgeous lighting for some of the interior scenes at night as well as maintain something straightforward for the daytime scenes. Editor Glenn Garland does excellent work with the editing as it‘s usage of jump-cuts, stylish montages, and some unique rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense is a highlight of the film. Production designer Jennifer Spence and set decorator Lori Mazuer do amazing work with the look of the theatre halls and rooms for some of the ceremonies as well as creating something straightforward and stylish in Heidi‘s apartment room and the radio booth she works at. Costume designer Leah Butler does nice work with the costumes from the ragged yet stylish look of Heidi as well as the very creepy look of the witches in the flashback scenes.

Special makeup effects artist Brian Rae does fantastic work with the look of the witches for the 17th Century sequences as well as some of the creepy makeup Heidi would wear in the surrealistic moments. Visual effects supervisor Craig A. Mumma does terrific work with the film‘s minimal visual effects as it play into some of the scary and surreal sequences as it has this air of realism in its look. Sound editor Eric Lalicata does superb work with the sound as it has these unique textures to play into the suspense in some of the sparse and low mixes as well in some of the intense moments of terror. The film’s music by John 5 and Griffin Boice is incredible for its mixture of ambient and blues-based guitar to these haunting moments of music that is key to the discovery of what Heidi would encounter while music supervisor Tom Rowland creates a soundtrack of different kinds of music from artists/acts like Rick James, Rush, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, and the Velvet Underground as well as classical pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The casting by Monika Mikkelsen is marvelous as it feature some appearances and small roles from Udo Kier as a witch hunter, Torsten Voges as a death-metal singer, Richard Fancy as an expert of the Salem witch hunt that Francis turns to, and Andrew Prine as Reverend Jonathan Hawthorne as the man who would take down the coven back in the 17th Century and leave behind recollection of these events. Other notable small roles include Ken Foree as the smooth disc jockey Herman “Munster” Jackson and Maria Conchita Alonso as Francis’ wife Alice who would play the piece on piano that is similar to the recording that is haunting the town of Salem. Dee Wallace and Patricia Quinn are fantastic in their respective roles as Lacy’s sisters Sonny and Megan with Wallace as lively sister who makes great tea and Quinn as the quirky British sister who can do palm reading. Meg Foster is excellent in the role of the coven leader Margaret Morgan as this mysterious yet feral woman who exudes all of the aspects of evil as it is just this very scary role.

Judy Geeson is brilliant as Lacy as Heidi’s landlord who is concerned for her but also carries a mysterious secret that is very intriguing. Jeff Daniel Phillips is superb as Herman “Whitey” Salvador as radio disc jockey who works with Heidi as he becomes increasingly concerned for her well-being. Bruce Davison is amazing as Francis Matthias as this writer about Salem witches who makes a key discovery based on a record that was played during a radio interview as he goes more into depth over the witch hunt and trial. Finally, there’s Sheri Moon Zombie in a phenomenal performance as Heidi La Rock as a radio disc jockey and recovering drug addict that is haunted by a recording she has listened to as she becomes anguished into the things she sees while being on edge into what is happening to her.

The Lords of Salem is a remarkable film from Rob Zombie. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, provocative themes on witches and evil, and a killer music soundtrack. The film is definitely Zombie’s most accomplished film to date as it has an atmosphere and air of darkness that is common with horror films but also not afraid to not take itself seriously. In the end, The Lords of Salem is a sensational film from Rob Zombie.

Rob Zombie Films: (House of 1000 Corpses) - (The Devil’s Reject) - Grindhouse-Werewolf Women of the S.S. - (Halloween (2007 film)) - (Halloween II (2009 film)) - (The Haunted World of El Superbeasto) - (31 (2016 film))

© thevoid99 2016

Hidden in America (TV Movie)

Directed by Martin Bell and written by Peter Silverman and Michael de Guzma, Hidden in America is the story of a working-class father trying to find work to help feed his two young children. Meanwhile, a doctor offers to help the man as he also notices that the man’s daughter is becoming ill. Starring Beau Bridges, Bruce Davison, Jena Malone, Alice Krige, Shelton Dane, and special appearances from Frances McDormand and Jeff Bridges. Hidden in America is a compelling although very sentimental TV-movie from Martin Bell.

After losing his wife and his job at an auto plant in Michigan, Bill Januson (Beau Bridges) moves to Seattle with his two children as he’s struggling to pay the bills and keep his children from being hungry. While his 11-year old son Robbie (Shelton Dane) is concerned while hoping that things don’t get worse, Bill’s young daughter Willa (Jena Malone) is falling ill due to malnutrition. When the father of Willa’s friend in Dr. Michael Millerton (Bruce Davison) checks up on her when he volunteers for a clinic. He’s concerned as he hears about Bill’s struggle to keep things afloat as Dr. Millerton offers to help though Bill politely turns down his offer in hopes to find a steady job.

With things not improving, Robbie skips school to help a mechanic named Gus (Frances McDormand) to help restore a car in hopes that he can get money to help out. Bill meanwhile, gets a job to work as a busboy for a posh restaurant but loses it due to the owner hiring his nephew as Bill struggles to get by. Though Dr. Millerton and his wife (Alice Krige) invite Bill and the kids to a barbeque as Dr. Millerton continues to want to help Bill by trying to get him a job. Bill considers it although things aren’t getting easier as he reluctantly decides to apply for food stamps. With Robbie feeling disappointed towards his father and hoping to do things himself, something doesn’t go according to plan as more troubles occur for the Januson family.

The TV movie is about a working-class man that is trying to help his two children as he tries to find them a job and prevent them from going hungry as his daughter is falling ill. When a doctor wants to help him, the man politely declines in order to maintain a sense of pride that he has though things eventually become tougher as his young son skips school to work as a mechanic. Throughout the film, there is a sense of conflict in both the working-class man and a rich doctor as the former just wants to prove that he’s still a man by providing for his family. The latter meanwhile, just wants to help out for the sake of his concern for a young girl who is his daughter’s best friend.

The script does succeed in exploring what Dr. Millerton wants to do and what Bill Januson is going through. Both are flawed as Dr. Millerton doesn’t really know what Bill has gone through despite Millerton’s insistence on helping out while Bill’s flaw is that he’s stubborn to let people help him. Yet, they’re both are concerned for Bill’s kids as Willa is having headaches and is coughing a lot due to her illness while Robbie is desperate to get things better by skipping school to help a mechanic. The script is definitely strong for the way it dwells into the world of hunger and a man trying to survive to help his children. It also works for what one wants to do to help but also not want to do the wrong thing as the script definitely succeeds in playing up the conflict and struggle though does dwell into sentimentality late in the film.

Martin Bell’s direction is very good for the way he captures a lot of the dramatic moments while not making it heavy-handed. While the compositions for the TV movie are pretty straightforward, Bell does know how to shoot actors and make the audience be engaged by what is going on. One of Bell’s directing highlights is the barbeque scene where Bill and Dr. Millerton’s family are eating where no one really has anything in common other than Willa and Dr. Millerton’s daughter Caroline (Allegra Denton). It is to contrast the different worlds though Dr. Millerton and his wife try to make Bill seem comfortable. Bell does manage to make some great moments that are light-hearted to not dwell into melodrama. The only major flaw he does as a director is create this very overwrought montage of Bill’s old life that really felt unnecessary to what is happening. Despite that montage, Bell does manage to create a solid yet touching drama.

Cinematographer James R. Bagdonas does a nice job with the photography to exemplify the differing worlds of the two men from the brighter and more colorful world of Dr. Millerton to the more low-key look of Bill‘s home while the exterior shots are very straightforward. Editor Nancy Baker does a pretty good job with the editing as there’s nothing really outstanding since there’s not a lot of stylistic flairs though it does maintain a nice, leisured pace for what is expected in a TV movie.

Production designer Ed Hanna, along with set decorator Doug McCullough and art director Terry Wareham, does some excellent work with the set pieces such as the posh home that Dr. Millerton and his family live in to the more simple but dreary apartment Bill and his children live. Costume designer Martha Mann does a fine job with the costumes to exemplify the differences of a lot of the characters as it’s mostly casual kind of clothing. Sound editor Marc Vancour does an excellent job with the sound work to capture the location of the cities and places that Willa and Caroline play to the raucous world of the employment lines that Bill has to go into. The score by Mason Daring is wonderful for its low-key yet melodic-driven score as it is carried mostly by marimbas and low orchestral pieces to play up some of the dramatic and light-hearted moments of the film.

The film’s cast is definitely superb as it features some notable appearances from Josef Sommer and Pixie Bigelow as Dr. Millerton’s parents, Liisa Repo-Martell as an assistant of Gus, Judy Enns as Bill’s late wife in pictures and a flashback scene, Dan Petronijevic as Dr. Millerton’s teenage son, and Jeff Bridges in a small but memorable performance as an associate of Dr. Millerton. Other small roles from Allegra Denton as Dr. Millerton’s daughter Caroline and Alice Krige as Millerton’s wife Dee are very good while Frances McDormand is excellent as the wise yet no-nonsense mechanic Gus. Shelton Dane is superb as Robbie, a young kid that becomes desperate to help out when he feels let down by his dad while hoping that his scheme to skip school and work as a mechanic would work.

Jena Malone is wonderful in a crucial yet low-key performance as Willa, a young girl who is feeling ill while trying to understand the situation her father is going through with a silent observance. Malone also exudes an innocence and melancholia to the role that feels real as it’s one of her most remarkable roles in her early career as a child actress. Bruce Davison is great as Dr. Millerton, a doctor who befriends Willa and Bill as he hopes to help Bill out while trying to figure out why Bill isn’t able to accept his offer as it’s a very sensitive yet warm performance from Davison. Beau Bridges is amazing as Bill Januson, a proud widower and father that is trying to do what is right while dealing with harsh realities that makes him feel inadequate as it’s very raw yet mesmerizing performance from Bridges.

Hidden in America is a stellar and heart wrenching TV movie from Martin Bell. Featuring a wonderful cast that includes the likes of Beau Bridges, Bruce Davison, Jena Malone, and Frances McDormand, it’s a TV movie that works in emphasizing what people try to go through along with those that just want to help out. While the TV film does dwell into bits of sentimentality towards the end, it does manage to keep things simple without being too heavy-handed with a lot of what TV movies do. In the end, Hidden in America is a very solid TV movie from Martin Bell.

© thevoid99 2011

X-Men

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/19/06 w/ Extensive Revisions.

The comic book from Marvel about a group of mutants who become superheroes known as X-Men arrived to the comic book world from the mind of Marvel's comic book main man Stan Lee (who also created Spider-Man) and Jack Kirby in 1963. The X-Men comic book became very popular among its fans with its array of characters in a battle between good and bad mutants over their survival as the good are known as X-Men who believe that humans and mutants can work together while running a school teaching young mutants. Throughout the years, the comic's popularity spawned cartoons and comic book spin-offs where finally in 2000, a movie about the X-Men was finally ready to be made.

To create the first X-Men film, producers and Stan Lee turned to screenwriter David Hayter to write a script with additional help from fan and Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon. For their choice to direct the film, the turned to Bryan Singer who already created some buzz with his debut feature, 1995's The Usual Suspects and 1998's Apt Pupil which starred Ian McKellen. In the first X-Men movie, the plot revolves around a mutant named Magneto and his hatred for humans as he is in conflict with former friend named Charles Xavier. In the middle of this conflict, a young girl named Marie who has runaway from home and found refuge in a mysterious mutant named Logan (aka Wolverine) where they find themselves in the middle of a war. With a cast that included McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, Hugh Jackman, Anna Paquin, James Marsden, Ray Park, Tyler Mane, Rebecca Romijn, Bruce Davison, and Shawn Ashmore. The X-Men movie is a fun, entertaining film that is a bit faithful to the comic book.

Fear emerges with humans over the growth of mutant population as Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) tries to assure the U.S. government that mutants are a threat much to the chagrin of Senator Robert Kelly (Bruce Davison). One mutant who doesn't like humans is Erik Leshnsherr/Magneto (Ian McKellan) who used to be a friend of Grey's mentor Charles Xavier/Professor X (Patrick Stewart). Meanwhile, a young girl named Marie/Rogue (Anna Paquin) has ran away from home after accidentally kissing a boy that drains his powers where she ends up in Alaska meeting a strange man named Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Logan fights humans for a living as an attempted attack has him taking Marie with her only to be attacked by huge mutant beast named Sabretooth (Tyler Mane) as they're saved by a couple of mutants named Scott Summers/Cyclops (James Marden) and Ororo Munroe/Storm (Halle Berry).

Logan and Marie arrive at Xavier's school for young mutants where Logan meets Jean who is revealed to be telepathic along with the more powerful yet wheelchair-bound Xavier who offers to help Logan recover lost memories. Meanwhile, Magneto makes plans of his own with his frog-like mutant Toad (Ray Park), Sabretooth, and the ever-changing Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) as she abducts Senator Kelly for an experiment. Back at Xavier's school, Logan learns about Marie's powers after a nightmare he has where she leaves as Xavier finds her through his Cerebro machine where Logan tries to convince her to go back to Xavier's as they're attacked by Magneto and his henchman with Scott and Ororo trying to help Logan.

Realizing what Magneto wants all along as well as information from an ill Senator Kelly, Xavier tries to figure out what Magneto is up to only to be poisoned by a trap set up by Mystique. With Jean using Cerebro to find Magneto's henchman, Logan teams up with the X-Men to battle Magneto and his team.

While the film does provide a lot of entertainment in terms of action, humor, and drama, it also carries some flaws. While David Hayter's script, that also featured work from Tom DeSanto and Singer, has problems in weaving out the development of some of the characters while hashing out lines that end up being uninspiring at times. Director Bryan Singer does manage to bring in a film that keeps the audience interested. Despite the flaws in its plot and presentation, Singer does create moments where everything does excite the audiences including the battle between the X-Men and Magneto's Brotherhood where it reveals the reluctance of the X-Men in playing the superhero character. They're not perfect yet they all have cool powers and wanting to do the right thing. While Singer does excel in telling the story, he still couldn't develop some of the characters due to the script's shortcomings. While there's full development from Logan, Magneto, Xavier, Jean Grey, and on a lesser extent, Rogue. The rest though are played as second fiddle where from the standpoint of purists, it's pretty upsetting despite the fact that they have some great moments.

Helping Singer with the visual department is cinematographer Newton Thomas Siegel for bringing some wonderful lighting, especially with the blue look for the film's early scenes in Alaska as well as the some of the battle for the atmosphere of the film's look. Production designer John Myhre and art directors Paul D. Austerberry and Tamara Deverell also do great work in creating the metallic look of the underground part of the school. The costumes by Louise Mingenbach also does great work in creating the costumes including the leather suits for the X-Men team. Visual effects supervisors Michael L. Fink and Theresa Ellis do great work in creating the film's visual effects. Steve Boeddeker also does great work on the sound design while editors Steven Rosenblum, Kevin Stitt, and John Wright do great work in capturing the action and intensity of the film. The film's music also plays to the intensity from the late Michael Kamen with his rich, bombast orchestral score with additional work from Matthew Ferraro and Klaus Badelt.

Finally, there's the film's cast where in many ways, it's just a starting point. While Tyler Mane is pretty cool as Sabretooth and Ray Park is funny as Toad, neither actor really have much to work with in their performances. Even then-newcomer Shawn Ashmore's part as Bobby Drake/Iceman doesn't have much but since it's a minor character, Ashmore got to bring a lot of charm where his role was expanded to greater use in the next feature. Rebecca Romijn brings a lot of interesting qualities and a unique presence to her role as Mystique with her wonderfully, curvy body while proving to be a real menace in an excellent performance. Bruce Davidson is great as Senator Kelly whose conservative, cynical take on mutants takes on a great development when he becomes mutated as he learns about their plight. James Marsden is fine in the role of Scott Summers though the subplot about his relationship with Jean Grey is weak as Marsden acts a bit whiny while his scenes with Hugh Jackman are filled with great tension and humor.

Halle Berry is a fine actress in her own right but whenever she’s not doing cool powers or any kind of fighting, her dramatic approach doesn't seem to work, especially with a very bad African accent. It seems throughout some of those moments, Berry seems uncomfortable in that accent where it really suffers in her performance. Anna Paquin also suffers from working with accent as she employs a Southern accent that doesn't help matters, even in some intense dramatic moments despite some nice chemistry with Hugh Jackman. Though Paquin is a very important character, it's pretty badly written in the way she's emphasized, especially among comic books purists who see Rogue as something much stronger. Famke Janssen is the best female performance of the entire cast as she reveals her own insecurities with the potential of her powers and her reluctance to be a field leader as Janssen has wonderful scenes with Stewart and Jackman.

Ian McKellen gives a great performance in the role of Magneto as a villain whose hatred against humans is understandable while his desire to rid of them is good enough to even kind of root for him. McKellen brings a complexity and superiority to his performance that stands out in every way. Patrick Stewart is also great in another complex, superior role as McKellen's opposite, Professor X. Though Stewart is more understated and optimistic, he brings a calmness and almost mentor-like quality to his role as he becomes the one person who can calm the often aggressive Wolverine. The film's real breakout performance is then-newcomer Hugh Jackman. The Australian actor brings a lot of qualities that makes the Wolverine character cool as hell. Jackman brings a wonderfully brooding yet aggressive approach to the character of Wolverine along with a sensitivity and humor to the role as he has great chemistry with his cast. In many ways, the film really belongs to Hugh Jackman.

X-Men is a very good from Bryan Singer that does create an engaging origin story despite some flaws in the script. While comic books will enjoy seeing these characters come to life including Wolverine. The film also serves as a real breakthrough for then-newcomer Hugh Jackman who makes Wolverine into his own as he's supported by a great supporting cast including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan. In the end, X-Men is a fun, entertaining film from Bryan Singer and company.

Bryan Singer Films: (The Usual Suspects) - (Apt Pupil) - X2: X-Men United - (Superman Returns) - (Valkyrie)

X-Men Films: X-Men III: The Last Stand - X-Men Origins: Wolverine - X-Men: First Class - The Wolverine - X-Men: Apocalypse - Logan (2017 film) - Deadpool 2 – (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) - (New Mutants)

© thevoid99 2011