Aliens (1986)

‘Aliens’ is an absolute belter of a film that should satisfy any sci-fi/horror/action film fan. I have watched it loads of times and still thoroughly enjoy the experience. What more can you ask for – gigantic guns, spectacular spaceships, a totally hard lead female character, a cool android and of course…… lots and lots of aliens. And then there’s the tagline for the film – ‘The bitch is back’. Superb!

Ripley gets ready for the fight of her life!

The plot is relatively straightforward. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is rescued from her escape vessel and is taken back to Earth, but then is informed that all communications have been lost with LV-426 (the planet she had visited in the original ‘Alien’ movie). She joins a band of elite soldiers and goes back to the planet to find out what has happened. As you can imagine, the problem isn’t a technical issue!

The action squences in the movie are absolutely spectacular, the special effects are amazing and there are loads of memorable lines: Hudson: Hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?  Vasquez: No. Have you?

As for the acting, OK it isn’t always perfect, but Sigourney Weaver is excellent and Lance Henriksen is great as Bishop, the android, but it’s the aliens that steal the show. Oh, and if you want to see one of the best fight sequences in film history, wait until the end of the film and you won’t be disappointed. Awesome!

Finally, I ought to point out that there are two versions of the film and I would definitely advise you to watch the director’s cut as this includes some very important scenes that help to tie up a couple of loose ends.

Das Boot (1981)

Wolfgang Peterson’s wartime drama is brilliant. I originally watched the mini-series (six,  50 minute episodes), but then discovered that there was also a feature film which I watched not that long afterwards. Both versions are amazing.

Jürgen Prochnow aboard the U-96.

There are very few war movies that I have watched that are seen from the viewpoint of the ‘enemy’, which is why ‘Das Boot’ is so original and memorable – Clint Eastwood’s ‘Letters from Iwo Jima’ (2006) is another example. The film follows the crew of a German U-Boat during World War 2 and immerses you in the life of a submariner. Throughout the film you feel an amazing sense of claustrophobia as the crew deal with their daily duties, but you also experience extreme fear and elation during the battle scenes, which are particularly well filmed.

The acting in the film is also brilliant, with Jürgen Prochnow  putting in a stunning performance as the Captain of U-96.

So, if you want to watch a war movie, I suggest you watch ‘Das Boot’ as it is a remarkable film and will probably have a major impact on the way that you view war in general.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

This is another film that I saw as a young teenager and continued to fuel my horror movie obsession. But rather than the all out scarefest that was ‘The Thing’ (1982) this was completely different. I found that one moment I was laughing hystericallyand then the next I was nearly jumping out of my seat. This perfect mix of comedy and horror has cemented this film into my all-time top ten films.

In 'The Slaughtered Lamb'. Is that a pentangle on the wall?

There have been hundreds of werewolf films, and I’ve seen many of them, but this is by far the best. The acting is great, with David Naughton and Griffin Dunne doing a fantastic job of being the American backpackers who decide it would be a good idea to go hiking alone on the Yorkshire Moors. Jenny Agutter also impresses as the love interest. Then there’s the special effects. I don’t think I have seen a more jaw dropping, eye goggling or terrifying piece of film than the transformation sequence. It is absolutely amazing and shows that you don’t have to use CGI to create memorable cinema. The soundtrack also adds another dimension to the film and to this day every time I hear ‘Blue Moon’, ‘Bad Moon Rising’  or ‘Moondance’ I can’t help but think back to the movie. Inspired choices.

But the thing that really stands out for me are the numerous memorable moments in the film. I’ve already mentioned the transformation scene, but there are also the scenes in ‘The Slaughtered Lamb’  (“Remember the Alamo”) and the dodgy Soho porno theatre. Then there are the nightmare scenes which take place during Kessler’s stay in hospital after he’s been savaged by the wolf. Some of them are incredibly scary, especially the Nazi-zombie scene which is enough to give anyone watching the movie nightmares. But there are also stand-out funny scenes, my favourite of which is when Kessler wakes up naked in London Zoo and has to steal a bunch of balloons from a little boy to spare his blushes.

Overall, if you love watching horror movies then you are missing out if you haven’t seen this one. If you don’t like watching horror movies then avoid this film because believe me it will give you nightmares. And remember, ‘Beware the moon’.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

You’d be very surprised to find a ‘Top Ten’ film list that didn’t contain Shawshank, but I haven’t just placed it in mine to just follow the crowd. I’ve put it in mine because I think it is an amazing movie that should be in everyone’s DVD collection.

Andy (Tim Robbins) and Red (Morgan Freeman).

This is one of very few Stephen King adaptations that actually works – along with ‘Stand By Me’ (1986), ‘Misery’ (1990) and ‘Dolores Claiborne’ (1995) – but for all you horror fans out there don’t get too excited as the closest you’ll get to seeing any real horror is watching the reality of prison life. ‘The first night’s the toughest, no doubt about it. They march you in naked as the day you were born, skin burning and half blind from that delousing shit they throw on you, and when they put you in that cell… and those bars slam home… that’s when you know it’s for real. A whole life blown away in the blink of an eye. Nothing left but all the time in the world to think about it.’

The film follows two characters, Andy and Red – superbly portrayed by Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman – and their developing friendship, as Andy tries to come to terms with being sentenced to life imprisonment for a crime that he didn’t commit. What starts to unfold is a magnificent piece of storytelling that is both moving and uplifting, and might very well cause you to shout, cheer and even cry out loud during different parts of the movie.

Yes it’s a prison movie, yes it’s a Stephen King adaptation – but don’t let this put you off. Watch it and feel utterly uplifted!

 

The Thing (1982)

Blood testing is the only way to find out who is an 'imitation'.

I must have been about 13 years old when I secretly taped my first film off the television. I remember that it was during the holidays, so the next day I waited for my parents to go to work and then I shut the curtains, put the video in the VCR and laid down on the settee. The next image I saw was Michael Speake, an Anglia TV announcer, telling the audience about the upcoming movie – he basically said that it was very scary – ‘Hoorah’, I thought. What I witnessed for the next 2 hours had a major impact on me. From the opening credits to the buttock-clenching climax, I sat there in awe and realised that watching movies would never be the same again. How could anything ever live up to this? It got me completely hooked on horror movies, and to this day I don’t think I have seen another horror film that has had such an impact on me.

So, why is it so good, I hear you cry (or scream)? Well, where do I start? The acting is great, Kurt Russell in particular is fantastic. The soundtrack is amazing. When I hear ‘Superstition’ by Stevie Wonder it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and Ennio Morricone’s music throughout the film is so scarily eerie I definitely think that it beats John William’s ‘Jaws’ score. Even the location is amazing – you just feel the sense of loneliness and isolation oozing out of the screen. Obviously there is also the storyline, which is basically a horror whodunnit? Who has been ‘imitated’ by the alien life-form and who is still human? Finally there are the brilliant special effects – watch out for the ‘heart attack’ scene in particular. Absolutely brilliant!

Some reviewers have said that this is a poor remake of ‘The Thing From Another World (1951), but I totally disagree. I have seen both movies and as much as I love old black-and-white B-movies, the remake is far superior in every respect.

So, rent a copy of ‘The Thing’, sit back and be thoroughly entertained (and scared) for the next two hours.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

I still remember watching this for the first time and was completely blown away by it. If you want a rollercoaster ride of emotions then watch this film – one moment you’ll find yourself laughing hysterically and the next you’ll be blubbing your eyes out.

Jack Nicholson is probably my favourite actor and this is arguably his best role (and haircut), although apparently he wasn’t first choice. It nearly went to Kirk Douglas who held the rights for the film and might even have gone to Burt Reynolds – thank God it didn’t. Nicholson is absolutely immense. Also watch out for Danny DeVito, Brad Dourif and Christopher Lloyd.

McMurphy (Nicholson) gets a helping hand during a game of basketball

The basic premise of the film is simple. Nicholson is a criminal who fakes being crazy to get sent to a mental institution instead of jail. His plan works and he is sent to a hospital that is run by Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), who is very strict and wants to run a tight ship. Enter McMurphy (Nicholson) who immediately starts to rock the boat. The film shows the ongoing battle between the two main characters, as well as the journey that the mental patients embark on. There are many memorable moments in the film, most notably the climax to the film. I won’t give too much away, but it is outstanding. I’ve watched so many films that end with an anti-climax, but this doesn’t disappoint.

Oh yeah, and Jack Nitzsche’s soundtrack is brilliant!

My Top Ten Movies

So, for my first post I thought that I would give you an insight into my movie brain by listing my top 10 favourite movies of all time (in no particular order). There were many that didn’t quite make the list including Die Hard (1988), Jaws (1975), Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Gojira (1954), The Godfather (1972), Trading Places (1983), Police Story (1985) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).

1) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

2) The Thing (1982)

3) The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

4) An American Werewolf in London (1981)

5) Das Boot (1981)

6) Aliens (1986)

7) Leon (1994)

8) Duel (1971)

9) The Train (1964)

10) Super 8 (2011)