***The Following is a Review of the 223-minute Extended Version of the Film***
The film revolves around a fellowship that had been splintered by events and challenges where they all go on a quest to destroy Sauron’s ring at Mount Doom in Mordor. It is a film with three different storylines where Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) travel to Mordor by themselves where they meet the creature Gollum who agrees to take them to Mordor after Frodo takes pity on him. The other storyline has the ranger Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), the elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and the dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) travel to Rohan where they help King Theoden of Rohan (Bernard Hill) deal with Saruman (Christopher Lee) and his army who want to destroy Rohan. The other two hobbits in Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) escape the clutches of the Uruk-hai and go into Fangorn forest where they meet the Ent Treebeard (voice of John Rhys-Davies) to convince him and other Ents to wage war on Saruman for destroying parts of Fangorn forest.
The film’s screenplay by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Stephen Sinclair has a cross-cutting narrative that play into the different journeys the fellowship would go through. Especially after events forced the group to be splintered following tragedy and uncertainty that led to their separation where Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli decide to follow the Uruk-hai who had captured Merry and Pippin only to learn that the Uruk-hai had been killed by Eomer (Karl Urban), who is the leader of Rohan’s calvary in the Rohirrim, and his horsemen as they had been exiled by Theoden’s advisor in Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif). Going through Fangorn forest, they learn that the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) has been resurrected as Gandalf the White who had left Merry and Pippin to the Ents for safety while he joins the rest to Rohan to free Theoden from Saruman’s powers. The narrative involving Frodo and Sam as they struggle to find their way to Mordor until they meet the creature Gollum, who had once possessed the ring, who had been following them hoping to recapture the ring where he reluctantly to accompany them to Mordor. During their journey where Frodo learns that Gollum was once a hobbit named Smeagol, they also run into Gondor rangers led by Faramir (David Wenham) who is Boromir’s younger brother.
The script also play into character arcs where Merry and Pippin are forced to grow up as they deal with their own situations as they realize that the Shire would be in danger if they cannot convince the Ents to wage war on Saruman. Aragorn would go through his own arc as he becomes aware that he is a symbol of hope to Rohan including Theoden’s niece Eowyn (Miranda Otto) who becomes smitten by him even though he is in love with the elvish princess Arwen (Liv Tyler). The script also play into Arwen having to make the decision to leave with the elves who are all leaving Middle Earth as her father Elrond (Hugo Weaving) reveal her fate if she chooses to stay. Yet, Elrond would have his own conversation with the elvish queen Galadriel who is aware that Aragorn and Rohan are in danger of losing to both Sauron and Saruman.
Jackson’s direction is grand in terms of how big the visual presentation is at it is shot on various locations in New Zealand as well as studios in New Zealand. The film opens with events from the previous film where the fellowship run from Balrog where Gandalf would take a stand at the monster. What Jackson does is show what happened to Gandalf as the fellowship see him fall to his death only for Gandalf to fall while fighting Balrog. It then cuts to Frodo and Sam continuing to walk towards Mordor as they find themselves lost where Jackson’s approach to close-ups and medium shots play into the sense of the unknown in the locations they are in where they later meet Gollum who had been following them. Jackson would maintain this tense and eerie atmosphere for the scenes involving Frodo, Sam, and Gollum as they travel towards Mordor. Even as there are a bit of light-hearted moments in the tension between Sam and Gollum where the former comments about creating a stew with the need for some potatoes.
In the extended version of the film in its 223-minute running time, as opposed to the 179-minute running time in its theatrical release, where Jackson can do more with the story and flesh out the characters. One notable sequence involves a flashback scene with Boromir (Sean Bean) who had recaptured the port city of Osgiliath for Gondor as he would share his victory with Faramir. It plays into why Boromir was keen on having the ring as the scene also featured his father Denethor (John Noble) who believes that the meeting is about the ring as Boromir is reluctant to go. The sequence adds depth for Faramir’s own reasons in wanting the ring as it relates to his troubled relationship with his father. Jackson’s usage of the wide shots for the locations would add greater depth for the film’s climatic battle at Helm’s Deep. In its mixture of practical effects, miniatures, and computerized-visual effects, the battle of Helm’s Deep is truly a marvel in terms of how to create a battle with lots of extras and detail into every moment that is shown.
So much is happening during the battle as it would cross-cut on the narrative of Merry and Pippin convincing Treebeard and the Ents to go to war on Saruman as the extended version in the film reveal a lot of detail about Fangorn forest and its own magical powers. There is also more into what Frodo, Sam, and Gollum go through after being captured by Faramir where they encounter the Nazgul and orcs at Osgiliath as its aftermath would play into a key decision Faramir makes about the ring. The ending of the second film sets up what is to come ahead between the forces of Rohan and the fellowship while Frodo and Sam continue their trek towards Mordor with Gollum in tow. Overall, Jackson crafts a grand and gripping film about a group of individuals continuing their quest to destroy evil for good.
Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography with its approach to color grading for some of the interior/exterior settings at night as well as the look of the daytime exteriors for some shots in the valleys as well as scenes in the forests as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Michael Horton does brilliant work with the editing in the usage of jump-cuts for some montages as well as other stylish cuts to play into the action and suspense as it is another highlight of the film. Production designer Grant Major, with set decorator/supervising art director Dan Hennah, and set decorator Alan Lee, does incredible work with the look of Saruman’s tower at Isengard as well as the look of fortress of Helm’s Deep in its interiors and exteriors with additional work from conceptual designer John Howe. Costume designers Ngila Dickson and Richard Taylor do excellent work with the costumes in the look of King Theoden’s armor as well as the look of the Rohirrim and the soldiers of Gondor.
Hair and makeup designers Peter Swords King and Peter Owen do fantastic work with the look of the Uruk-hai orcs, the elvish army, and King Theoden in his decayed state under Saruman’s spell. Visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel does amazing work with the look of the Nazgul creatures as well as the look of the Ents and the motion-capture design of Gollum as it is a major highlight of the film. Sound designers David Farmer and Michael Semanick, along with sound editors Mike Hopkins and Ethan Van der Ryn, do superb work with the sound in the way the Nazgul sound and other sound effects that help play into the action and suspense. The film’s music by Howard Shore is great as its usage of heavy brass sections, soaring strings, heavy percussions, and somber woodwinds for some unique themes along with a few songs including a funeral song sung by Eowyn.
The casting by Victoria Burrows, Amy Hubbard, John Hubbard, Liz Mullane, and Ann Robinson is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Sam Comery and Olivia Tennet as a couple of young Rohan children who escape the Uruk-hai, Robyn Malcolm as their mother, Paris Howe Strewe as Theoden’s son Theodred who gets seriously wounded following an ambush by the Uruk-hai, Bruce Hopkins as one of Theoden’s military leaders in Gamling, the quartet of Robbie Magasiva, Jed Brophy, Nathaniel Lee, and Stephen Ure as Uruk-hai orcs, and Craig Parker as the elvish general Haldir. Christopher Lee and Brad Dourif are superb in their respective roles as the evil wizard Saruman and the spy Grima Wormtongue with the former being a once-respected wizard who has aligned himself with Sauron as he wants to destroy Rohan while the latter is a slimy figure who works for Saruman in poisoning King Theoden’s mind as he would also play a role in wounding Rohan.
In the extended version of the film, John Noble and Sean Bean are fantastic in their respective roles as Lord Denethor and Boromir with the former as Gondor’s steward who learns about the ring as he wants Boromir to Rivendell. Bean’s performance as Boromir is given more complexity as a man that is devoted to Gondor as well as trying to give his younger brother Faramir more credit. David Wenham’s performance as Faramir is excellent as a captain of Gondor who captures Frodo and Sam while he hopes to get the ring to win the approval of his father. Karl Urban is brilliant as Theoden’s nephew Eomer, who gets exiled by Wormtongue as he and the Rohirrim go on their own war against the Uruk-hai as he laments over his home and his uncle’s state of mind. Miranda Otto and Bernard Hill are amazing in their respective roles as Eomer’s sister Eowyn and King Theoden of Rohan with the former as a woman who wants to fight as she becomes smitten towards Aragorn as she also does what she can for the people of Rohan. Hill’s performance starts off as a man poisoned and disconnected from reality under Saruman’s spell and Wormtongue’s activities only to come out of it in trying to help his people as he laments over the power of the Uruk-hai in their hatred of everything and everyone.
The trio of Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, and Hugo Weaving are incredible in their respective roles as the elvish queen Galadriel, Arwen, and Lord Elrond with Blanchett’s brief appearance in her telekinetic conversation with Elrond about what is at stake with Weaving being someone unsure as he laments over the life his daughter Arwen would have if she chooses not to leave Middle Earth where Tyler brings a gracefulness of a woman who is aware of what she will lose. Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd are remarkable as the hobbits Merry and Pippin as the two hobbits who were briefly captured by the Uruk-hai until they are saved by the Ents where they deal with Saruman’s growing power and the need to convince the Ents to go to war against Saruman. John Rhys-Davies is marvelous in a dual role as the voice of the Ent Treebeard, who often talks in an unconventional fashion, and as the dwarf Gimli who does provide humor in some of the action as well as be someone who remains loyal to the fellowship where he does what he can to fight the Uruk-hai.
Orlando Bloom and Ian McKellan are great in their respective roles as the elvish warrior Legolas and the wizard Gandalf with the former being this skilled elvish warrior who deals with the severity of what Rohan is facing while doing what he can to fight off the Uruk-hai. McKellan’s performance as Gandalf is only on a few scenes as a wizard who gets resurrected where he also realizes that Rohan is in danger where he would go to find Eomer for help. Sean Astin and Viggo Mortensen are phenomenal in their respective roles as Sam and Aragorn with the former dealing with Gollum and Frodo’s declining emotional/mental state while the latter as a ranger who realizes that he must become a leader where he deals with many obstacles as well as a near-death experience during an ambush.
Elijah Wood is tremendous as Frodo Baggins as the hobbit carrying the ring where he deals with the severity of the quest as well as the ring’s power where he would start to lose himself. Finally, there is Andy Serkis in an outstanding supporting performance as the creature Gollum/Smeagol as a former hobbit who once held the ring where he guides Frodo and Sam to Mordor in the hope, he can reclaim the ring as there is a lot of complexity to his performance where he can the kind and light-hearted Smeagol or the meaner and manipulative Gollum.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a spectacular film by Peter Jackson. Featuring a great ensemble cast, vast set pieces including the Helm’s Deep battle sequence, intoxicating visuals, an exhilarating music score, and a story of good versus evil. It is a fantasy film that does a lot more in its exploration of what creatures face in the darkest of times as well as the need to find light in that darkness. In the end, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a tremendous film by Peter Jackson.
Peter Jackson Films: (Bad Taste) – (Meet the Feebles) – (Braindead) – (Heavenly Creatures) – (Forgotten Silver) – (The Frighteners) – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – (King Kong (2005 film)) – (The Lovely Bones) – (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) – (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) – (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies) – (They Shall Grow Old Together) – The Beatles: Get Back
© thevoid99 2026
***The Following is a Review of the 208-minute Extended Version of the Film***
Set in a fictional ancient world known as Middle Earth, the film revolves around a young hobbit who inherits a ring from his uncle where a wizard realizes it is the ring created by the dark demon known as Sauron. There, the wizard, a hobbit along with three other hobbits, a dwarf, an elf, and two men go on a journey to Sauron’s homeland of Mordor to bring the ring to its land and destroy it. It is a story that is part of an immense epic that follows different creatures who venture on a quest to vanquish evil finally just as Sauron is set to return and destroy everything that is good. The first story is about a hobbit who is given this ring as he would accidentally wear the ring as he realizes its power and why so many want it. Yet, there are those who would become part of the fellowship who have their own reasons for not wanting to carry this ring as well as his own reasons for why he has abandoned his role in becoming king for one of the last free countries of Middle Earth.
The film’s screenplay by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens opens with a prologue about life in Middle Earth where rings of power were given to the races of men, elves, and dwarves only to realize that the dark lord Sauron (Sala Baker) has created one ring to rule over everyone in Middle Earth. It would lead into a war where men and elves formed an alliance to fight Sauron and his forces where a prince in Isildur (Harry Sinclair) severs Sauron’s hand but chooses to keep Sauron’s ring until it would be lost following an ambush years after the battle. Then it would be in the hands of a creature known as Gollum (Andy Serkis) who would keep it for centuries until it abandoned him where it would be in the hands of a hobbit in Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). The prologue sets up the stakes as well as what Bilbo’s nephew Frodo (Elijah Wood) must destroy by going to Mordor and its volcano in Mount Doom where the ring was created. The first act is set 60 years after the events in which Bilbo found the ring as there is a birthday celebration for him where the wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellan) visits him. The celebration would be notable for Bilbo disappearing where Gandalf discovered that Bilbo has a ring that Bilbo found many years ago where Bilbo reluctantly gives the ring to Frodo. Gandalf would then discover that the ring is the one ring created by Sauron after Frodo reads the inscriptions after it was on fire.
Part of the first act has Frodo being accompanied by his best friend Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) and later joined by hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) as they to evade Sauron’s rangers in the Nazgul. After meeting a ranger named Strider (Viggo Mortensen) who takes them to Rivendell where the fellowship is formed that would include Gandalf, the elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom), the dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and Boromir (Sean Bean) of Gondor to go to Mordor and destroy the ring. The fellowship would be challenged by many forces including a new army of orcs in the Uruk-hai created by the wizard Saruman who had turned on Gandalf and aligned himself with Sauron. Even as Frodo becomes tempted by the power of the ring as is Boromir who wants the ring for his home of Gondor that is threatened by Mordor. Yet, the fellowship would go through obstacles with Strider revealed to be Aragorn who is a descendant of Isildur and the rightful heir to Gondor’s throne.
Jackson’s direction is grand as it is shot on location in New Zealand along with some scenes shot in studios in New Zealand. Jackson goes for a varying degree of styles in the direction through some wide and medium shots for a scope of the locations. Notably in scenes involving the mountains, rivers, and valleys as they function as characters into the film where it plays into the richness of Middle Earth with the Shire as this peaceful and isolated world of hobbits that very few outsiders visit. It is a direct contrast to other parts of Middle Earth such as the world of the elves in the forest where the elf-queen Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) lives in a Mordor where orcs and other dark creatures settle in as they get ready for war. The usage of aerial shots of the locations along with some intimate moments where Gandalf interacts with hobbits are unique as the usage of trick photography and visual effects do add a sense of wonderment into the film. Jackson also puts in some humor as it relates to the adventure that balances the suspense and drama throughout the film.
Jackson’s approach to some of the intimate moments such as a sequence where the fellowship of the ring are in the Mines of Moria as Frodo copes with being the one to carry the ring as the dialogue plays into Tolkien’s words about the choices everyone must make. Even choices that are the most difficult to endure as it would lead to some intense fight and action scenes. The usage of wide and crane shots are immense in its scale that includes the fellowship running from a demonic monster in Balrog. The third act in which the fellowship go to the elvish land of Lothlorien as they deal with their own struggles and encounters with the orcs. In the extended version of the film, in its 208-minute running time that expands 30 additional minutes from the theatrical release, where characters are fleshed out more such as Boromir who struggles with wanting to fulfill the wishes of his father as well as the need for something better where he sees Aragorn as the leader Gondor needs. Overall, Jackson crafts an astonishing and riveting film about a group of different creatures going on a quest to destroy a ring of evil to its land of darkness.
Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its unique color grading and look for some of the exterior scenes at the Shire and Lothlorien as well as some of the usage of light for the scenes in the mines and caves as well as the usage of blue light for scenes set at night. Editor John Gilbert does excellent work with the editing in the usage of slow-motion cuts as well as fast-cuts for some of the action along with moments in the drama and suspense where shots are allowed to last more than a minute. Production designer Grant Major, with set decorator/supervising art director Dan Hennah and set decorator/conceptual designer Alan Lee, does amazing work with the look of the sets, with additional help from co-conceptual designer John Howe, in how the homes at the Shire are presented as well as the world of the elves and Mordor including Saurman’s tower at Isengard. Costume designers Ngila Dickson and Richard Taylor do brilliant work with the costumes in the clothes the elves wear as well as the armor that Aragorn, Boromir, and Gimli wear, and the look of the armor that the orcs wear.
Hair and makeup designers Peter Swords King and Peter Owen do fantastic work with the look of the characters, with additional help from John Howe and Alan Lee, as well as the design and look of the orcs including the Uruk-hai. Visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel does great work with the visual effects in the mixture of practical effects in the look of the orcs as well as the look of the demonic figure Balrog and the motion-capture look of Gollum. Sound designers David Farmer, Michael Semanick, and Ethan Van der Ryn, along with sound editor Michael Hopkins, do superb work in the sound as the way swords and flying arrows sound as well as the way monsters sound as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Howard Shore is phenomenal for its orchestral score that is filled with unique themes through woodwinds as well as bombastic orchestral themes for some of the action and suspense as it is an absolute highlight of the film.
The casting by Victoria Burrows, Amy Hubbard, John Hubbard, Liz Mullane, and Ann Robinson is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Sarah McLeod as a hobbit barmaid in Rosie Cotton whom Sam has a crush on, Bret McKenzie as an elf escort in Figwit, Marton Csokas as an elvish elder in Celebron, Craig Parker as an elvish military leader in Haldir, Sala Baker as the dark lord Sauron, Alan Howard as the voice of the ring and Sauron, Bret McIntyre as the head Nazgul leader in the Witch King of Angmar, Harry Sinclair as Isildur, Lawrence Makoare as the Uruk-hai leader Lurtz, and Andy Serkis in a brief appearance as the creature Gollum and the voice of the Witch King of Angmar. Ian Holm is terrific as Frodo’s uncle Bilbo Baggins who had possession of the ring as he dealt with wanting a chance to leave the Shire for an adventure and complete his book while expressing regret about what Frodo must endure in destroying the ring. Liv Tyler is fantastic as Elrond’s daughter Arwen, who is Aragorn’s lover, as she would help Frodo go to Rivendell following his encounter with the Nazgul as she also gives Aragorn a gift for the journey he will take.
Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett are excellent in their respective roles as the elvish leaders Elrond and Galadriel as the former is an elf leader who saw what Isildur did in keeping the ring while he laments over Aragorn and Arwen’s relationship. Blanchett’s performance as Galadriel is graceful as a woman who admits to be tempted by the ring during her conversation with Frodo as she is aware of its powers and would give Frodo a gift for the journey. Christopher Lee is brilliant as the wizard Saruman who has turned evil and aligned himself with Sauron where he would create a new race of orcs that are more powerful than the orcs at Mordor. Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd are amazing in their respective roles as Merry and Pippin as two mischievous hobbits who join Frodo and Sam in the quest as they deal with the danger of the quest while learning how to fight with swords. John Rhys-Davies and Orlando Bloom are incredible in their respective roles as the dwarf Gimli and the elf Legolas as two mismatched members of the fellowship with Rhys-Davies providing a lot of wit as a dwarf who is strong and cunning while Bloom brings a level of finesse and expert marksmanship as an elf who is the straight man of the two.
Sean Bean is marvelous as Boromir as the son of Gondor’s steward who joins the fellowship where he is tempted by the ring where he struggles to do what is right while becoming protective of Merry and Pippin whom he would befriend as well as Aragorn whom he hopes would take on the role as King of Gondor. Sean Astin is remarkable as Samwise Gamgee, who is Frodo’s best friend and the film’s conscience, where Gandalf asks him not to leave Frodo where he helps Frodo on the journey while providing some witty comments during the film. Ian McKellan is great as the wizard Gandalf the Grey who learns about the ring Bilbo had been carrying for years as he also joins the fellowship as a magical figure who can deal with Saruman from afar. Viggo Mortensen is phenomenal as Strider/Aragorn as a ranger, who is also Isildur’s heir, who helps the hobbits in dealing with the Nazgul as he would join the fellowship where he also deals with the temptation of the ring that plays into his own reluctance to be King of Gondor. Finally, there’s Elijah Wood in a sensational performance as Frodo Baggins as a hobbit who is given the ring where he would accidentally wear the ring as he struggles with its powers and the task he must play.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a spectacular film by Peter Jackson. Featuring a great ensemble cast, rich visuals, a gripping story of temptation and the need to bring good into the world, Howard Shore’s majestic music score, and top-notch technical work. It is a film that is not just this exhilarating fantasy-adventure film but also a film that explores different people going on a quest to vanquish evil and bring good to the world. In the end, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a tremendous film by Peter Jackson.
Peter Jackson Films: (Bad Taste) – (Meet the Feebles) – (Braindead) – (Heavenly Creatures) – (Forgotten Silver) – (The Frighteners) – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – (King Kong (2005 film)) – (The Lovely Bones) – (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) – (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) – (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies) – (They Shall Grow Old Together) – The Beatles: Get Back
© thevoid99 2026
Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky and written by Berta Dominguez D., The Rainbow Thief is the story of a crook who befriends the heir to a fortune in the hopes he can score the fortune. The film is a whimsical tale of friendship told in a stylistic manner as it relates to desires of the richest kind that money can and can‘t buy. Starring Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif, and Christopher Lee. The Rainbow Thief is an interesting but lackluster film from Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Set in an unnamed European city, the film is about this beggar thief who meets the nephew of an eccentric millionaire as they spend five years living in the sewer awaiting word about the inheritance that this man is to get. It’s a film with a simple plot that explores the idea of survival and expectations of great rewards yet the film’s script by Berta Dominguez D. is very by-the-books in the way it establishes its main characters such as the thief Dima (Omar Sharif), the offbeat heir Meleagre (Peter O’Toole), and the eccentric millionaire Rudolf Van Tannen (Christopher Lee). The last of which is just a plot device where he goes into a five-year coma while relatives bicker over who gets the inheritance while thinking of putting Meleagre into a psychiatric hospital and leave him out of the will. Upon meeting Dima and seek refuge in the sewers, Meleagre decides to live a life without complications yet he treats Dima like a servant. While it’s meant to be a story of friendship, the script often has the two men bickering while Dima goes out and steal to survive while hoping he would get some money from Meleagre’s inheritance.
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s direction is very straightforward which is shocking considering that the filmmaker is known for creating visuals that are confrontational and majestic. With this film, it’s an attempt to maintain some of the whimsical elements he’s known for yet it feels forced and never really does anything to stand out visually. Shot largely on location in Gdansk, Poland where it plays as this European port city, Jodorowsky does take great advantage of the location with its usage of wide and medium shots while he does also create moments in the compositions that are interesting that includes the scenes between Dima and Meleagre. While Jodorowsky tries to maintain some sense of energy and charm into the film, it’s not enough to cover many of the shortcomings of the script as Jodorowsky is just creating something that just feels very ordinary. Overall, Jodorowsky creates a very bland film about a thief and an heir to a fortune trying to await the news of a man’s death for great riches.
Cinematographer Ronnie Taylor does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s quite colorful for some of the scenes involving the circus acts as well as some unique interior lighting in the scenes set in the sewers. Editor Mauro Bonnani does nice work with the editing as it‘s largely straightforward to play into some of the whimsical elements in the film. Production designers Didier Naert and Alexandre Trauner, with set decorators Simon Wakefield and Peter Young and art directors Fred Hole and Janusz Sosnowski, do fantastic work with the look of Rudolf‘s home as well as some of the interiors of the sewers and the places around the docks. Costume designers Barbara Kidd and Ewa Krauze do terrific work with the costumes from the lavish clothes of Meleagre as well as the look of the other hobos and people living around the docks. Sound editors Mireille Leroy and Corrine Rozenberg do superb work with the sound as it plays into the sound of the waters flowing through the sewers as well as the whimsy of the circus world. The film’s music by Jean Musy is wonderful for its orchestral-based score as it play to the world of the circus and the sense of hope and whimsy that looms for its key characters.
The casting by Jeremy Zimmerman is pretty good as it features appearances from punk rock legend Ian Dury as a bartender Dima owes money to, screenwriter Berta Dominguez D. as a beggar named Tiger Lily, Joanna Dickens as a woman Dima uses for money in Ambrosia, and Christopher Lee in a fantastic performance as the eccentric Rudolf Von Tannen as this eccentric millionaire who cares more about his dogs and bevy of whores than his family where it’s an appearance that is just too brief where he eventually becomes a plot device. Finally, there’s the excellent performances of Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif in their respective roles as Meleagre and Dima. Despite the shortcomings of the script, the two do give committed performances that allow them to have fun with Sharif being the more physical in his approach to play a thief while O’Toole camps up the eccentricities of his character where he is often accompanied by a dead dog.
Despite the performances of Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif as well as some solid technical work, The Rainbow Thief is a very mediocre film from Alejandro Jodorowsky. It’s a film that wants to be a lot of things only to fall very short due in part to its lackluster script and Jodorowsky being constrained to create something that is very straightforward which is something that Jodorowsky isn’t known for. In the end, The Rainbow Thief is just an uninspired film from Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Alejandro Jodorowsky Films: La Cravate - Teatro sin fin - Fando y Lis - El Topo - The Holy Mountain - Tusk (1980 film) - Santa Sangre - The Dance of Reality - Endless Poetry - Psychomagic: a Healing Art
Related: Jodorowsky's Dune - The Auteurs #59: Alejandro Jodorowsky
© thevoid99 2016
Based on the book by W. Stanley Moss, Ill Met by Moonlight (Night Ambush in the U.S.) is the story of a couple of British officers who arrive in Nazi-occupied Crete where they abduct the island’s commander. Written for the screen, produced, and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, the film is a dramatic account of Moss’ actual real-life work as a British agent who does whatever he can to win the war as he is played by David Oxley. Also starring Dirk Bogarde, Marius Goring, and Cyril Cusack. Ill Met by Moonlight is a gripping and engaging film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Set in April of 1944 during Nazi’s occupation of Greece, the film revolves around two British officers who are tasked with a mission to kidnap a Nazi general at the island of Crete and bring him to Cairo so that the Nazis would be forced out of the island. It’s a film with a simple plot as it plays to two men planning a mission but also deal with what lays ahead as they’re aided by Greek resistance forces at the island who are fighting a guerilla war with the Nazis. The film’s script play into the mission that Major Fermor (Dirk Bogarde) and Captain Moss would go as they had to make sure things go right and no one gets killed. Even as they have to deal with their hostage in Major General Heinrich Kreipe (Marius Goring) who is a man of great intelligence as he knows what he has to endure. Yet, there is a sense of respect between the general and his captors as it relates to strategy as well as making sure the general isn’t killed.
The direction of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger is actually simple as it’s more grounded despite that it’s largely shot at Pinewood Studios with some location shooting in the French-Italian alps and at the Cote de Azur in France. The usage of wide and medium shots play into the vast locations while the latter would also be used for these scenes in campfires and inside the homes of the locals at Crete to showcase a world that Major Fermer and Captain Moss are in. The approach to suspense is slow-building as much of the action in the second half is set in the mountains where the British and Greek resistance fighters are trying to hide from the Nazis as well as hide General Kreipe who will try to get their attention. Yet, there are these moments where Major Fermer and Captain Moss are trying to see what to do as it relates to its climax where General Kreipe would know they would have something up their sleeve as he tries to bribe a young Greek boy to ruin things as it has this battle of wits in some respects but one based on respect. Overall, Powell and Pressburger create a riveting yet compelling film about an abduction mission in World War II.
Cinematographer Christopher Challis does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to capture the naturalistic look for many of the film‘s daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as some lighting for some of the nighttime interior/exterior scenes. Editor Arthur Stevens does nice work with the editing as it is mostly straightforward to play up the suspense as well as some of the action in the film. Art director Alex Vetchinsky does terrific work with some of the set pieces such as the homes of the locals in Crete as well as the look of the warships the British officers would depart from. Sound editor Arthur Ludski does superb work with the sound to capture some of the action involving a few gun battles as well as the sounds of planes and cars surrounding the mountains. The film’s music by Mikis Theodorakis is fantastic for its music score that mixes some orchestral bombast with traditional Greek music including its percussions to help play into the suspense and action.
The film’s amazing cast include some notable small roles from Michael Gough as a Crete local, Christopher Lee as a Nazi officer attacked at a dentist, Dimitri Andreas as a Crete boy who would help the officers while befriending General Kreipe, and as a trio of Greek resistance fighters helping the British officers in Brian Worth, Paul Stassino, and Rowland Bartrop. Cyril Cusack is terrific in his small role as Captain Sandy Rendel who would also aid the officers in planning the capture as he would later take part in the film’s climax. David Oxley is fantastic as Captain W. Stanley “Billy” Moss as Major Fermor’s partner who would come up with ideas and do whatever he can to make sure no one gets killed.
Marius Goring is excellent as Major General Heinrich Kreipe as the island’s commander who is kidnapped as he realizes what he goes on where would try to resist only to realize the men he is dealing are just as smart as he is where he has a bit of respect for them. Finally, there’s Dirk Bogarde in a brilliant performance as Major Patrick “Paddy” Leigh Fermor as the leader of this operation who tries to ensure everything goes right while dealing with General Kreipe as he knows that he is an amateur in situations like this but does whatever he can to ensure the general’s survival.
Ill Met by Moonlight is a marvelous film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. While it is a different war film of sorts where there isn’t a lot of violence in favor of planning, character study, and a battle of wits. It is a film that still manages to offer a lot in terms of suspense as well as be a war film that doesn’t exactly play by the rules. In the end, Ill Met by Moonlight is a remarkable film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Powell/Pressburger Films: The Spy in Black - Contraband - (The Lion Has Wings) - (An Airman’s Letter to His Mother) - 49th Parallel - One of Our Aircraft is Missing - The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - (The Volunteer) - A Canterbury Tale - I Know Where I'm Going! - A Matter of Life and Death - Black Narcissus - The Red Shoes - The Small Black Room - (Gone to Earth) - The Tales of Hoffmann - (Oh… Rosalinda!!!) - (The Battle of the River Plate) - Peeping Tom - (They’re a Weird Mob) - (Age of Consent) - (The Boy Who Turned Yellow)
© thevoid99 2016
Directed by Dave Filoni and written by Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching, and Scott Murphy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars revolves a conflict between the Galactic Republic and a Separatist movement where the Jedi aid the Republic unaware of who is behind everything. Told in 3-D computer animation, the film plays into Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi leading a troop of clone Stormtroopers to fight against an army of robots as the former has to retrieve the son of Jabba the Hutt from the clutches of the Seperatists. Featuring the voices of Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Tom Kane, Dee Bradley Baker, Christopher Lee, and Samuel L. Jackson. Star Wars: The Clones Wars is just a very badly-animated and clunky film from Dave Filoni.
Set between the events in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, the film revolves around the conflict between the Galactic Republic and a Separatist faction as the latter led by Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) has conspired to capture the infant son of Jabba the Hutt (Kevin Michael Richardson) in an attempt to make a deal with the Hutts over the usage of space routes that the Republic wants. Upon learning what had happened, the Jedi council appoints Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) to retrieve Jabba’s son with the aid of his new Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) as Anakin is reluctant to take her in for the mission. While it has a simple story, it’s a film that has a lot that is going as the result is very messy as there’s a subplot that relates to Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold Taylor) trying to deal with Jabba and fight off some robots with his clone army.
The screenplay tries to do so much as the main story involving Anakin, Ahsoka, and this baby Hutt gets lost in favor of these conflicts that are happening all over the film. Even as it features some very atrocious dialogue which often has Ahsoka annoying the crap out of Anakin. Other aspects of the script that is very confusing is the conspiracy tactics of Count Dooku and his apprentice Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman) where they will do this and then change things where it would be confusing for younger viewers. At the same time, there are these other subplots which relates to Padme Amidala (Catherine Taber) who would later learn what is happening as she would try to appeal to Jabba’s uncle Ziro (Corey Burton) where she would be the one to uncover the conspiracy.
Dave Filoni’s direction does have a few interesting moments in the way he composes some of the battle scenes and lightsaber duels but the presentation as a whole is just horrible. With the aid of animation directors Kevin Jong and Jesse Yeh and visual effects supervisor Matthew Gidney, the look of the characters and spaceships all look wooden and very clunky where it does become a major distraction. With the messy script, Filoni isn’t able to keep things steady as the direction is often bogged down by a lot that happens and whenever there is time to slow things down. It only happens very briefly so it can go for another major sequence with conflicts and such where it becomes repetitive and loses steam. Especially as Filoni is obviously a work-for-hire guy who is doing what producer George Lucas wants as it is more about bringing something for kids to sell merchandise rather than make something decent. Overall, Filoni creates a very chaotic and un-engaging film about a Jedi warrior and his Padawan trying to save a baby Hutt in a bargain during a war.
Editor Jason Tucker does OK work with the editing in terms of the transition wipes but succumbs to the fast-cutting style that makes the film very incoherent to watch at times. Sound designer David Acord and sound editor Matthew Wood do some fine work with the sound in the sound effects of the droids and in the action scenes. The film’s music by Kevin Kiner has its moments in terms of its string-based orchestra and bombastic themes though it’s really just generic variations of what John Williams has done.
The film’s voice cast does have their moments with Matthew Wood providing many of the voices of the droids as there’s some small contributions from Kevin Michael Richardson as Jabba the Hutt, Corey Burton as Jabba’s uncle Ziro, Ian Abercrombie as Chancellor Palpatine, Dee Bradley Baker in multiple voice roles as clone soldiers, Tom Kane as Yoda and narrates early sections of the film, and Catherine Taber as Padme Amidala. Other notable voice roles include Christopher Lee as Count Dooku, Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu, and Anthony Daniels as C-3PO as they’re merely just cameo appearances.
Nika Futterman is alright as Dooku’s apprentice Asajj Ventress who tries to battle the Jedi in the plan for the Separatists while James Arnold Taylor has his moments as Obi-Wan Kenobi though both of them are hampered by the horrific dialogue they’re given. Finally, there’s the duo of Matt Lanter and Ashley Eckstein in their respective roles as Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano as neither of them really do anything to flesh out their characters as they spend half of the time bickering or showing off to each other.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a terrible film from Dave Filoni and Lucasfilms. It’s an animated film that had the chance to be something as an accompanying piece for Star Wars fans but it is extremely messy and has some horrible animation that kids wouldn’t even enjoy. In the end, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a shitty film from Dave Filoni.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker
Related: The Star Wars Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage
- The Battle for Endor - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas
Star Wars Anthology Films: Rogue One - Solo: A Star Wars Story - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)
© thevoid99 2015
Written and directed by George Lucas, Revenge of the Sith (Star Wars: Episode III) is the third and final film of the prequels trilogy in which Anakin Skywalker is tasked to watch over Chancellor Palpatine during the final days of the Clone Wars where he would descend further into the dark side of the Force. The film plays into the events where the Jedi would finally learn the identity of the Sith Lord but also cope with his new apprentice which would change everything including the galaxy. Starring Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Jimmy Smits, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, and the voice of Frank Oz. Revenge of the Sith is a stellar yet flawed film from George Lucas.
Set during the final days of the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and a separatist movement where the Republic is on its way to victory. The film revolves around Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and his growth as a respected Jedi but certain events relating to his own personal life, his sense of fear, and not being granted the rank of Jedi master would force him into a descent of darkness. Adding to this growing list of problems is when he is assigned by the Jedi council to watch over Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) who has raised suspicion of the Jedi for his growing power. Once Anakin learns who Palpatine really is, he becomes conflicted until Palpatine claims that he can be the one to give him the powers to prevent death where things would unravel. It’s a film that does play to a classic rise-and-fall scenario but it is more about a young man whose good intentions to save those he loves from death only to descend further into fear and anguish.
George Lucas’ screenplay does start out on high note where Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) go on a mission to save Palpatine from Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) in a confrontation that would have a lot of foreshadowing while its aftermath would reveal some big news for Anakin and his secret wife Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) which would only drive Anakin’s fear of Padme dying. While the script does have a more linear storyline with a few subplots that relates to Kenobi chasing after one of the separatists’ generals in a droid named Grievous (the voice of Matthew Wood) while Yoda (the voice of Frank Oz) goes to another planet to aid the Wookies in a battle. Yet, the focus is on Anakin’s descent towards the dark side of the Force where it is his friendship with Palpatine that would become the catalyst into the decisions he made. All of which were driven by fear and desperation to save those he loves as its third act would force Anakin to be confronted by those who care for him.
Lucas’ direction is quite vast from the opening sequence where it features this unbroken shot that goes on for a few minutes to play into a battle in space where a lot is happening as the camera would follow two little spaceships flying through the battle. It’s a moment that does kick the film off in a high note where Lucas’ approach to wide and medium shots are thrilling as well some of the close-ups. There are also moments where the action and adventure are always engaging and thrilling though much of it is presented through visual effects which is overwhelming at times. Still, Lucas is able to keep things in focus while adding some suspense and intrigue as it relates to Anakin’s friendship with Palpatine with its usage of wide and medium shots to play into Anakin’s descent. Many of the scenes are very exciting and engaging which is a total contrast to the scenes involving Anakin and Padme as it’s not just that the love story between the two is bad but its horrific dialogue just makes it very uninteresting.
The direction would also include a lot of political commentary where some of it is handled very heavy-handedly such as a piece of dialogue that Padme says in response to the end of the Galactic Republic during a Senate meeting. It’s another of the flaws that is laid upon the film along with Anakin and Obi-Wan’s eventual confrontation as it is also hampered by some of its dialogue. Though it’s ending is sort of grim, it is filled with a bit of hope where Lucas is able to create something that is ambiguous that would set up the stories for the original trilogy. Overall, Lucas creates a thrilling though very messy film about a young man’s descent into darkness.
Cinematographer David Tattersal does excellent work with the cinematography to play into the looks of the different places along with some unique lighting schemes and moods to play into those worlds. Editors Ben Burtt and Roger Barton do brilliant work with the editing to capture the sense of energy in the action scenes while providing some stylish transition wipes that are actually fun to watch. Production designer Gavin Bocquet, with supervising art director Peter Russell and set decorators Piero Di Giovanni and Richard Roberts, does fantastic work with the design of some of the sets including Palpatine‘s office and the room where he was in during being captured by Count Dooku. Costume designer Trisha Biggar does nice work with the costumes from the lavish clothes of Padme to the robes of the men.
Makeup designers Dave Elsey and Nikki Gooley do superb work with the look of some of the alien characters as well as Palpatine in the film‘s second half. Visual effects supervisors Roger Guyett and John Knoll does incredible work with the visual effects to play into the look of the planets and its different locations along with the design of the creatures and droids. Sound designer Ben Burtt and sound editor Matthew Wood do superb work with the sound from the sound effects the droids make to the layer of sounds in the battle scenes along with eerie moments in other intense moments of conflict. The film’s music by John Williams is wonderful for not just its orchestral score with soaring strings and operatic choir arrangements but also in low-key moments to play into the drama and bombast of the story.
The casting by Christine King is very good as it features notable small roles from Silas Carson in a dual role as the voice of separatist leader Nute Gunray and Jedi master Ki-Adi-Mundi, Temuera Morrison as Clone leader Commander Cody and various clones, Matthew Wood as the voice of General Grievous, Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse in their respective roles as Owen and Beru Lars, Christopher Lee as the Sith lord Count Dooku, Peter Mayhew as the Wookie Chewbacca whom Yoda is friendly with, and Jimmy Smits as Senator Bail Organa as a friend of the Jedi who would witness the death of a young Padawan as he would rescue Yoda and Obi-Wan. Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker are fantastic in their respective roles as the droids C-3P0 and R2-D2 with the former providing some funny lines while the latter gets to do some scenes where he manages to take care of a few droids. Frank Oz is superb as the voice of Yoda as a Jedi master who is concerned with Palpatine’s growing power as well as its eventual outcome where he would eventually confront the man who is the leader of the Sith.
Samuel L. Jackson is excellent as Jedi master Mace Windu who becomes uneasy about the role Anakin is in with Palpatine where he would have a confrontation with Palpatine. Ian McDiarmid is brilliant as Palpatine as the Galactic Republic’s chancellor who is given more power as his meetings with Anakin show a much darker side to the man as it relates to his real identity. Natalie Portman is wonderful as Padme Amidala as Naboo’s representative who deals with her pregnancy as well as Anakin’s strange moods as she realizes what is happening to him. Hayden Christensen has some decent and good moments as Anakin Skywalker whenever the character is restrained but becomes very annoying and overwrought once he emotes as it’s a very messy performance. Finally, there’s Ewan McGregor in an amazing as Obi-Wan Kenobi who would be assigned to target General Grievous as he tries to help Anakin with issues over the Jedi council while later having to confront him for his actions.
Revenge of the Sith is a very good yet flawed film from George Lucas. While it does feature an excellent cast and some amazing visual effects, it’s a film that has a lot of moments that are good but elements that keep it from being great. Most notably in its writing as it is clear that Lucas should never involve himself with romance or politics. In the end, Revenge of the Sith is a terrific film from George Lucas.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker
Related: Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas
Star Wars Anthology Films: Rogue One - Solo - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hale, Attack of the Clones (Star Wars: Episode II) is the story of a growing dissension between many galaxies breaking away from the Galactic Republic as the Jedis cope with a growing conflict as it marks the beginning of the Clone Wars. The film would also explore Anakin Skywalker’s growth as a Jedi knight as well as the beginning of his own descent where he copes with his emotions and duty. Starring Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Temura Morrison, Ian McDiarmid, and the voice of Frank Oz as Yoda. Attack of the Clones is an enthralling but very sappy and bloated film from George Lucas.
A decade after a dispute between the trade federation and the planet of Naboo, the Galactic Republic learns that members of the trade federation and other star systems are seceding from the Republic. The government asks the Jedi to step in following an assassination attempt on Naboo’s former queen Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) where Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) are given the job where Kenobi would follow the trail of a mysterious assassin while Skywalker accompanies Padme home where the two fall for each other. Just as the Galactic Senate is to vote on whether or not it should build an army to respond to this separatist movement, Skywalker would also begin his own descent as he starts to have nightmares about his own mother Shmi (Pernilla August) who is captured in Tatooine by Tusken raiders.
While the premise is intriguing, the problem is that George Lucas and Jonathan Hale have no idea what story it wants to tell as there’s this sense of mystery into the identity of the assassins trying to kill Amidala and who they’re working for but there’s also this story of political turmoil and a love story. It is clear that Lucas and Hale want to put in so much there’s no consistency into what it wants to do which would eventually culminate into this battle between separatist robot forces and an army full of clones. The narrative would often move back and forth for much of its second half that plays into Obi-Wan’s discovery of a bounty hunter named Jango Fett (Temura Morrison) and who is he working for while the other narrative would follow Anakin and Padme in their relationship while they travel to Tatooine to find Anakin’s mother.
Though its third act would have a strong outcome which would start the Clone Wars, there are still some issues as it relates to some of the dialogue as it is often very poor. The characterization of Anakin is intended as someone who is quite arrogant and immature in his own powers but some of the issues with that isn’t just due to the dialogue but also in the development of who he is and his struggle to find good in a world that is very complicated. It’s a characterization that has promise but it’s execution however isn’t very good as Lucas wants to play into his descent in a major way but it comes off as annoying and childish. Even characters like Obi-Wan and Padme are stifled by the dialogue while the script’s attempt at ambiguity is mishandled in not just the way Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is portrayed but also in the main antagonist in a former Jedi-turned-Sith lord in Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) as the latter would recite dialogue about something that the audience seem to already know but that the Jedi doesn’t know. It’s just a bad attempt at baiting while a lot of the film’s discussions on politics comes across as very heavy-handed and overly liberal.
Lucas’ direction is quite vast as it is expected to be in the world that he create where it set in multiple planets to play into a galaxy coming undone by a conflict that is happening. Most notably in sequences that play into a world where things are complicated and the only resolution for this is war as the film’s climax is quite spectacular to play into not just an old world order in the Jedi fighting against the machines but also the new world order they have to be part of with the clones that they unknowingly had ordered against this separatist threat. Lucas does manage to keep some of the elements of suspense under control with some unique compositions and camera angles though much of it is presented with everyone acting behind a green screen surrounded by visual effects which does become overkill at times.
With some of the film shot on location in Spain and Lake Como, Italy for scenes set in Naboo and parts of Tunisia as Tatooine, Lucas does manage to show a world that is interesting but the visuals don’t help some of the drawbacks in the scenes involving the growing yet forbidden romance between Anakin and Padme. Lucas clearly has no idea in how to flesh out some of the dramatic elements where it sometimes comes off as very sappy and forced while having some of the dialogue in the film just makes things worse. Even much of the film’s politics is poorly handled where Lucas’ attempt at ambiguity isn’t very good as it is obvious into who the real villain is. Though things do pick up in its third act that includes a long-awaited moment where the Jedi master Yoda (the voice of Frank Oz) finally showcases his full skills in the Force. Overall, Lucas creates a visually-exciting but very messy film about a group of peacekeepers dealing with a conflict that had been building for years.
Cinematographer David Tattersall does excellent work with the cinematography to play into some of the interior lights in some of the settings including the interior in the caves at the desert planet of Geneosis as well as the look of the planet of Coruscant at night. Editor/sound designer Ben Burtt and sound editor Matthew Wood, with additional editing by George Lucas, do superb work with the editing with its approach to fast-paced rhythmic cuts for the action though some of the transition wipes do get overused while the sound work is amazing to play into the sense of chaos and the sound effects that are used in the film. Production designer Gavin Bocquet, with set decorator Peter Walpole and supervising art director Peter Russell, does brilliant work with the set design from the interior look of the Jedi council room to the secret home where Padme and Anakin would live in at Naboo.
Costume designer Trisha Biggar does fantastic work with the costumes from some of the lavish clothes that Padme wears to the robes of the Jedi. Makeup supervisor Lesley Vanderwalt does terrific work with the makeup of some of the alien characters including a few of the Jedis along with the look of Naboo‘s new queen. Visual effects supervisors Pablo Helman, John Knoll, and Dennis Muren do some spectacular with the visual effects from the film‘s climatic battle scene as well as the design of some of the planets though much of it is overkill in terms of the fact that it feels like it‘s more artificial rather than something that is supposed to look real. The film’s music by John Williams is great as it features some very bombastic themes to play into its sense of adventure along with scenes that play into its suspense though the romantic themes aren’t very memorable.
The casting by Robin Gurland is wonderful as it features some notable small appearances from Jay Laga’aia as Padme’s security chief, Veronica Segura as Padme’s decoy, Leeanna Walsman as the assassin Zam Wesell, Oliver Ford Davies as Naboo governor Sio Bibble, Ayesha Dharker as the new queen of Naboo, Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker, Jack Thompson as Shmi’s husband Cliegg Lars, Joel Edgerton as Cliegg’s son Owen, Bonnie Piesse as Owen’s girlfriend Beru, and Rose Byrne as Padme’s handmaiden Dorme. Other notable performances in the voice department feature Silas Carson in a dual role as trade federation leader Nute Gunray and as the Jedi master Ki-Adi-Mundi in full makeup, Ron Falk as an old friend of Obi-Wan in Dexter, Anthony Phelan as Kamino’s prime minister, and Frank Oz in a phenomenal performance as Yoda who would be the film’s real scene-stealer.
Then there’s Jar-Jar Binks, as the character who annoyed everyone in the previous film, is thankfully used to a minimum where he would provide a key moment that would set the stage for the Clone Wars as Ahmed Best was able to make him tolerable despite being an idiot. Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker are fantastic in the respective roles as the droids C-3P0 and R2-D2 where the former is presented in finished form while he finds himself in a droid battle while Baker provides some humor for the latter. Daniel Logan is terrible as Jango Fett’s young son Boba as he spends much of the film pouting and making stink faces while Temura Morrison is pretty good as the bounty hunter Jango Fett who provided the people of Kamino his blood to make the clone army. Christopher Lee is brilliant as Count Dooku as a former Jedi who has become a Sith lord as he helped organize the separatist movement against the Republic.
Ian McDiarmid is excellent as Chancellor Palpatine as the Republic’s leader who is trying to deal with separatist movement where he is later given emergency powers that would give him more control of what he wants to do as well as behind the scenes into his true identity. Samuel L. Jackson is fantastic as Jedi master Mace Windu who aids Yoda in what is happening with the Jedi as he would finally showcase his skills against Windu and the droid army. Natalie Portman is quite good as Padme Amidala despite some of the awful dialogue she had to recite while giving Padme a bit of an edge in dealing with the droids while looking very sexy in that tight, white thing she is wearing. Hayden Christensen is fucking atrocious as Anakin Skywalker where much of Christensen’s acting has him trying to emote as if he’s about to fart while being very whiny and wooden as it is clear that it’s not just the dialogue that hurts him but it’s also the fact that he just plainly fucking sucks. Finally, there’s Ewan McGregor in a superb performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi as the Jedi master who is tasked to track down Jango Fett where he would make a discovery that would set the course for the Clone Wars.
Attack of the Clones is a decent but very messy film from George Lucas. While it does feature some amazing visual effects and some good performances from its cast. It is a film that showcases what happens when visual effects would overwhelm the story to a point while the film is also hindered by its poor writing and some horrific acting. In the end, Attack of the Clones is a terrible film from George Lucas.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker
Related: Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas
Star Wars Anthology Films: Rogue One - Solo - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Alan Metter and written by Randolph Davis and Michele S. Chodos, Police Academy: Mission to Moscow is the story of a police academy commandant and his team of misfit graduates and a young cadet who travel to Moscow to aid a fellow commandant in taking down a Russian mafia boss. The film is an exploration into the post-Cold War relationship between America and Russia as a lot of hi-jinks ensue where a group of American misfit cops use unconventional tactics to take down the bad guys. With returning franchise cast members Michael Winslow, David Graf, Leslie Easterbrook, G.W. Bailey, and George Gaynes reprising their roles from past films. The film also stars Charlie Schlatter, Claire Forlani, Ron Perlman, Gregg Berger, and Christopher Lee as Commandant Aleksandr Nikolaevich Rakov. Police Academy: Mission to Moscow is a very unfunny and trite film from Alan Metter.
Asked to aid the Russian police force in taking down a Russian mafia boss who has created trouble by creating a popular yet addictive video game. Commandant Eric Lassard (George Gaynes) travels to Moscow with his team to aid them where a lot of craziness ensues as well as Lassard’s sudden disappearance all because he went into the wrong car. This would force Lassard’s team to work directly with the Russians led by Commandant Rakov and his aide Lt. Talinsky (Gregg Berger) who would spend much of the film trying to find Lassard. The film’s screenplay tries to inject a lot of humor into the film as it involves Captain Harris (G.W. Bailey) trying to prove American’s superiority against the Russians to bumbling results.
Yet, it feels forced as the antics of Captain Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook), Sgt. Jones (Michael Winslow), and Sgt. Tackleberry (David Graf) also feels tacked on. A subplot involving the American cadet Connors (Charlie Schlatter) trying to woo Russian officer Katrina (Claire Forlani) feels like it belongs in another film. One moment that proves to be very silly is a moment where Callahan tries to seduce the mafia boss Konstantin Konali (Ron Perlman) by being a lounge singer where it takes the story into more idiotic territory. It plays into the fact that the cops are dealing with a criminal who is quite smart and cunning as well as elements of cultural tension.
Alan Metter’s direction does take great stock into shooting on location in Moscow where he takes great advantage into shooting into some of its landmarks and locations. Yet, that is the only thing in the film that is worth noting as everything else is just uninspired as Metter doesn’t really do much to get things going. The compositions are simple yet some of the gags not only feel dated but also the game itself where it is obviously played on a GameBoy without a cartridge which is odd in a bad way. It’s among these elements in the film that makes it very hard to watch as the attempts to create something funny just feels forced and downright silly such as the idea of Captain Harris as a ballerina. Overall, Metter creates a film that tries too hard to be funny but ends up being the opposite.
Cinematographer Ian Jones does nice work with the cinematography to play into the look of Moscow as it‘s just very simple though nothing really stands out visually. Editors Dennis Hill and Suzanne Hines does fine work with the editing as it plays into some of the film‘s humor and action no matter how uninspired it is. Production designer Frederic C. Weiler, with set decorator Sergey Shiriaev and art director Ilia Amoorsky, does excellent work with the look of some of the restaurants and places that many of the characters go to. Sound editor Clancy T. Troutman does terrific work with the sound to capture some of the antics that goes on including the sound effects that Jones make. The film’s music by Robert Folk is pretty good as it brings in some themes from past films along with some Russian-inspired pieces to play into its location.
The casting by Melissa Skoff is quite good for the ensemble though many of them are wasted due to the poor script and silliness of the film. Among the small performances include Richard Israel as a game designer, Vladimir Dolinsky as a bellboy who pretends to be Lassard, Stuart Nisbet and Pamela Guest as news reporters, and Alexander Skorokhod in a terrible performance as Boris Yeltsin. Gregg Berger is OK as Lt. Talinsky though he spends half of the film trying to find Lassard while Christopher Lee ends up being very foolish as Commandant Rakov as he gets little to do in the film. Claire Forlani is alright as Katrina as a Russian officer/interpreter who befriends Connors as all she wants is a vacation while Charlie Schlatter isn’t very good as Connors as a cadet with a case of vertigo who tries to be cool when he isn’t a top cadet.
G.W. Bailey has his moments as Captain Harris as he is more helpful this time around though his attempt to surveillance things often has him in bad moments. Michael Winslow and David Graf are terrific in their respective roles as Sgt. Jones and Sgt. Tackleberry as they each bring in some moments though their schticks don’t really work in a different setting. Leslie Easterbrook is superb as Captain Callahan as the lone American woman whose job is to seduce Konali only to get into some trouble. Ron Perlman is the film’s best performance as Konstantin Konali as a Russian crime leader who tries to create the ultimate scheme where Perlman definitely camps it up in order to make things exciting. Finally, there’s George Gaynes as Commandant Eric Lassard as the eccentric police leader who spends much of the film hanging out with a Russian family as it ends up being a detriment to the film where it seems like Gaynes is in another movie than what is really going on.
Police Academy: Mission to Moscow is an awful film and definitely the worst film of the franchise. It’s a film that wanted to do so many things but ends up being very unfunny as well as dated in its humor. Especially when it features only a handful of characters that audience love where it’s clear that several favorites from past films are sorely missed. In the end, Police Academy: Mission to Moscow is a film that just plainly sucks.
Police Academy Films: Police Academy - Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment - Police Academy 3: Back in Training - Citizens on Patrol - Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach - Police Academy 6: City Under Siege
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Stevan Riley, Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 is the story of the James Bond franchise and how it was made by three men who would come up with a franchise that’s now lasted for 50 years. The documentary explores the roots of the James Bond story and how it would evolve in the many years through different actors playing Bond as well as all sorts of things that nearly derailed the franchise. The result is a truly engrossing and incredible documentary from Stevan Riley about the James Bond franchise.
The documentary explores the history of James Bond dating back to the 1940s when Ian Fleming was a naval officer working for the British government in World War II. During his time working for a newspaper and vacationing in Jamaica just as the Cold War was to start, he would write the first James Bond novel in Casino Royale that would launch the James Bond books series. Throughout the course of the film, it reveals how Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman teamed up to get the rights and create one of the great film franchises in the history of films.
With interviews by the families of Fleming, Broccoli, Saltzman, and associates that includes Christopher Lee who was a step cousin of Fleming. Also interviewed are five of the six actors who played James Bond while Sean Connery’s is only presented in archival audio and video interviews. In the course of the story, things are revealed into why Sean Connery left the franchise the first time around after You Only Live Twice and why George Lazenby only did one film. Also touched upon is the split between Broccoli and Saltzman after the release of The Man with the Golden Gun in which Saltzman sold his shares to United Artists though the two made peace when Broccoli invited Saltzman to the screening of For Your Eyes Only.
Another person that is talked about is Kevin McClory who claimed to have co-written Thunderball with Fleming and Jack Whittingham as it led to all sorts of legal troubles for many years that gave McClory the chance to make Never Say Never Again in 1983 against EON’s production of Octopussy released that same year. Broccoli’s daughter Barbara and his stepson Michael G. Wilson revealed a lot more into many of the legal issues that kept Bond out of the spotlight for six years in the early 1990s which contributed to Cubby Broccoli’s ailing health. It’s among one of the most compelling tales of the Bond franchise story as well as how they got the rights to Casino Royale in the hopes to reinvent Bond in a post 9/11 world.
Stevan Riley’s direction is brilliant for the way he tells the stories through many interviews from people who were in the franchise or were involved like production designer Ken Adam along with fans like former U.S. president Bill Clinton. Through the editing of Claire Ferguson, the film reveals a lot of rare photos and video footage of the films being made in production as well as old family movies from the Saltzman and Broccoli family of their time together during the 1960s. The actors who played Bond reveal small stories about the franchise where Pierce Brosnan revealed how he almost got the part in the mid-80s after Roger Moore’s departure but was derailed when NBC bought the rights to have Remington Steele on their network. It is among the many fun stories about the film’s franchise and it has more than enough material for Bond fans to enjoy.
Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 is a phenomenal documentary from Stevan Riley that explores the history of James Bond. It is a film that Bond fans must see whether they know a lot about the franchise’s history or for those who are new to the series. It’s definitely something that serves as a great companion piece to the film’s franchise as well as reveal the story about the three men who created a franchise that is now 50 years old and is more beloved than ever. In the end, Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 is a marvelous film from Stevan Riley.
James Bond Files: The EON Films: Dr. No - From Russia with Love - Goldfinger - Thunderball - You Only Live Twice - On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Diamonds are Forever - Live and Let Die - The Man with the Golden Gun - The Spy Who Loved Me - Moonraker - For Your Eyes Only - Octopussy - A View to a Kill - The Living Daylights - Licence to Kill - GoldenEye - Tomorrow Never Dies - The World is Not Enough - Die Another Day - Casino Royale (2006 film) - Quantum of Solace - Skyfall - SPECTRE - No Time to Die
Non-EON Films: Casino Royale (Climax! TV Episode) - Casino Royale (1967 film) - Never Say Never Again
Bond Documentaries: Bond Girls are Forever - True Bond
© thevoid99 2012
