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4.0 out of 5 stars
3 VERY CAMPY B CREATURE-FEATURES FOR THE PRICE OF 1 : WHAT A GREAT WAY TO SPEND A RAINY AFTERNOON, October 24, 2006
This review is from: Classic Creature Movies II (Creature / Track Of The Moon Beast / Snowbeast) (DVD)
-----> ABOUT THE 3 FEATURE FILMS IN THIS DVD SET:
Inside a single disk DVD case you will get 3 films on 1 side. That does not sound promising, yet it plays well, certainly as good or better than their VHS counterparts. I know this, because I have these films on VHS and they are pretty fuzzy, dark transfers on VHS. On DVD all three films play and sound pretty good, although the pictures are a bit dark and fuzzy, probably from the manner in which they were filmed more than anything else. For instance, 'Creature' is literally always playing with very dimly lit sets. No DVD regardless of the transfer quality is going to improve on poor lighting or camera work in the first place. Having said that, each one of these films is watchable and without any major complaint.
-----> BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE 3 CREATURE-FEATURE PRESENTATIONS <-----
#1-- ***** 'TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST' -- Weakest entry in the set *****
CAMPY 1976 CREATURE FEATURE AVOIDS GRATUITOUS SEX & VIOLENCE
IN A NUTSHELL: RICK BAKER HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR 10 OSCARS FOR 'MAKE-UP' & SPECIAL EFFECTS'
There is one good thing about the 1976 B-CREATURE FEATURE 'TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST' -- RICK BAKER'S, BIG LIZARD MONSTER SUIT!
WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT: TYPICAL LOW-BUDGET CREATURE FEATURE FROM THE 70s
Essentially, a man gets hit in the head by a meteor and becomes a kind of cosmic werewolf that resembles a cross between a primate and a monitor lizard. Though it is a slow moving flick it does eventually reveal itself as campy creature feature. 'Track of the Moon Beast' has the feel of a Kolchak the Night Stalker episode minus Kolchak.
- THE CAST -
Francine Kessler - Janet Price
Gregorio Sala - Johnny Longbow
Joe Blasco - the Monster
Chase Cordell - Paul Carson
Patrick Wright
Donna Leigh Drake - Kathy Nolan
- PRINCIPAL PRODUCTION CREW MEMBERS -
Richard Ashe - Director
Rick Baker - Makeup Special Effects
Joe Blasco - Makeup Special Effects
BOTTOM LINE: 'TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST': 2-STARS - WEAK THEME BUT WATCHABLE
This is NOT a GOOD film, but it admirably avoids the usual cheesy excessive violence and gratuitous sex making it watchable -- at least. Rick Baker's monster suit is probably the high point of this film. If you enjoy cheesy, campy, creature-features this is a film you may want to see -- once!
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#2-- ***** 'CREATURE' -- BORROWED TOO MUCH FROM ALIEN - TOO MUCH GORE TOO LITTLE STORY *****
THIS IS A TRUE 'B' CREATURE FEATURE -- SHAMELESS EXPLOITATION - GORE - NUDITY & SCARY AT TIMES TOO
IN A NUTSHELL: A 'B' CREATURE FEATURE THAT TRIES VERY HARD TO OVERCOME ITS OWN LACK OF ORIGINALITY
Yes, everyone who has seen this film or is considering viewing it now is familiar with the 'Alien' trilogy. Too bad, because this film would be a decent cheesy 'B' Creature-Feature if the 'Alien' franchise did NOT exist. Since 'Creature' is so reminiscent of 'Alien' a comparison is inevitable. In such a comparison the praise and box-office success that 'Alien' has enjoyed as well as its staying power over the years seems to be justified. Again, that in a way is too bad, because if 'Creature' was not so suggestive of 'Alien' it might be a success as a 'B' Creature-Feature. Recall, 'The Blob', with Steve McQueen, or 'Tremors' with Kevin Bacon. Neither of those films was original, in fact 'Tremors' was so similar to 'Jaws' that its original name was, 'Land Shark', but those films did manage to create an identity of their own and with it some film pathos. An identity and film pathos seems to be what is lacking in 'Creature'. After all, it does have scary moments and the long dramatic climax is rather suspenseful, but somehow a thrilling cinematic experience is never sustained long enough for this film to be memorable. Too bad, since I am a real sucker for this type of film, or rather the type of film that 'Creature' almost was.
William Malone, the Director, also Directed the 1999 remake of, 'The House On Haunted Hill', which gave him the chance to remake something without having to apologize for doing so. Malone also Directed 'The Incredible Hulk Returns', 1988, and 'Scared To Death', 1980.
A CAUTION TO PARENTS: 'CREATURE' contains NUDITY - GORE - VIOLENCE
There is some gratuitous gore and violence, plus some really gratuitous nudity, all of which precludes viewing by younger audiences. The nudity comes chiefly in just one scene, but it is rather extreme, and frivolous. I was grateful for the poor lighting during that scene.
-----> PRINCIPAL ACTORS <-----
Stan Ivar - Mike Davison
Wendy Schaal - Beth Sladen
Lyman Ward - David Perkins
Robert Jaffe - Jon Fennel
Annette McCarthy - Dr. Wendy H. Oliver
Diane Salinger - Melanie Bryce
Klaus Kinski - Hans Rudy Hofner
John Stinson - Astronaut #1
Michael Griswold - Concord Technician #2
Marie Laurin - Susan Delambre
-----> PRODUCTION CREW <-----
William Malone - Director / Producer / Screenwriter
William J. Dunn - Producer
Alan Reed - Screenwriter
Harry Mathias - Cinematographer
Tom Chase - Composer (Music Score)
Steve Rucker - Composer (Music Score)
Bette Cohen - Editor
Michael Novotny - Production Designer
Bob Skotak - Production Designer
Trevor Bloch - Art Director
Steven Nelson - Art Director
Mike Novatny - Art Director
Doug Beswick - Costume Designer
L.A. Effects Group - Special Effects
Robert Short - Special Effects
BOTTOM LINE: 'CREATURE' ISN'T A TERRIBLE FILM THOUGH IT SEEMS TO BE A DISAPPOINTMENT FOR MOST VIEWERS - 2.5 STARS
This film relies too heavily on cheap tricks such as, gratuitous gore, nudity, and dark sets. Add to this, is a similarity with Ridley Scott's 'Alien' that is close to being a rip-off, with much lower production and artistic values. Nevertheless, there are parts of this film, particularly after they have used up most of the characters by means of the aforementioned tricks, where there is suspense, tension and some chills.
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#3-- 'SNOWBEAST' OWES MOST OF THE PLOT TO JAWS & WORKS ON OUR IMAGINATIONS
A GREAT DEAL IS LEFT TO THE IMAGINATION -- PERHAPS TOO MUCH FOR MANY VIEWERS
FIRST THOUGHTS: WITH GORE DOMINATING THE HORROR GENRE IT'S NICE TO SEE THE IMAGINATION CALLED UPON AGAIN
For me it is sad to see that most people found 'Snowbeast' to be boring and trivial. I say this because I have enjoyed watching this admittedly tame TV creature-feature with my daughter for the past 15 years. I introduced it to her on Video, having recalled seeing it as a TV movie when it was first released in 1977.
Yes, 'Snowbeast' promises more than it delivers, but I was able to feel OK when allowing my youngsters to watch this rather tame creature-feature which kept their interest without giving them nightmares.
IN A NUTSHELL: SNOWBEAST MAY BE A JAW'S RIP-OFF BUT JOE STEFANO IS AN EXCELLENT SCREENWRITER
One of the reasons that I wanted to see 'Snowbeast' when it was first on TV, nearly 30 years ago, was that the screenwriter, Joe Stefano, was the screenwriter for the original 'Psycho', directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and many of my favorite 'Outer Limit's' episodes. He always gives a good account of himself by forcing the viewer to use his/her imagination to enrich the experience. This works for me, but clearly the expectation of many creature-feature fans is for more explicit action and a more original plot. I do agree about the originality of the plot, but as for a more explicit tone, I think that sometimes less is better. This can of course be seen by some as promising more than is delivered. It is interesting to note that the film 'Tremors' which has been very well recieved, is even more of a rip-off of 'Jaws' than 'Snowbeast', yet it is a well-crafted film which includes quite a bit of gory horror.
-----> THE PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS <-----
Bo Svenson - Gar Seberg
Yvette Mimieux - Ellen Seberg
Robert Logan - Tony Rill
Clint Walker - Sheriff Paraday
Sylvia Sidney - Mrs. Carrie Rill
-----> THE PRODUCTION TEAM <-----
Herb Wallerstein - Director
Wilfred Lloyd Baumes - Producer
Joseph Stefano - Teleplay By
Frank Stanley - Cinematographer
Robert Prince - Composer (Music Score)
Dennis Mosher - Editor
Carroll Sax - Editor
Steve Sardanis - Art Director
BOTTOM LINE: 'SNOWBEAST' IS LIKE AN ORIGINAL OUTER LIMITS EPISODE BY THE SAME WRITER - 3.5 STARS
It is probably safe to say that if you liked original 'The Outer Limits', which had about 1/3 of its episodes written by 'Snowbeast's' screenwriter, Joe Stefano, you will like 'Snowbeast' which has always seemed to me like an 'Outer Limit's' double episode.
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***** SPECIAL FEATURES *****
Special Features are limited to a couple of selected filmographies, biographies and a limited version of scene selection.
'CLASSIC CREATURE MOVIES' SUMMED UP: 4 STARS FOR OUTSTANDING THEMATIC VALUE
Ok, so there are NO classics in 'Classic Creature Movies', but there are creatures; campy, over-the-top maybe, but creatures all the same. I purchased...
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