MOVIE REVIEWS: THE MACHINE (2013), THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (1958), FRIDAY 13th (1980), FRIDAY 13th PART 2 (1981)

This has been hailed as the best British Science Fiction film since Moon. Well, I thought, on reading that comment, it wouldn't take much as I thought Moon was very overrated, admittedly one of the few who had that reaction. So it's hardly going to be surprising when I tell you that The Machine is certainly a lot better than that film, though it's not exactly perfect either.

It's set a couple of decades in the future when the West's economy is on the skids as a result of a cold war with China. A secret government unit is trying to create cybernetically enhanced soldiers by experimenting on those severely injured in battle. If they don't work they're callously disposed of.  Computer expert Caity Lotz is hired by cyberneticist Toby Stephens (who works for evil Denis Lawson) because she's created a computer which can pass the Turing Test -i.e. when talking to it from elsewhere  it's impossible to tell if it's human or not. He uses an experimental machine he's created to map her brain (which he also uses on his young dying daughter) and when she's murdered by Chinese agents uses it to create a humanoid robot. What's interesting is not that Lotz's personality reappears in the machine, it doesn't, but the machine appears to have a consciousness and begins to the explore the world around it -not the physical world, but the world of moral choices which naturally brings it into conflict with  Denis Lawson who wouldn't know a moral choice if it bit him on the arse.

What's not so good about the film. The science for one thing. It's not bad science, I was just a bit confused about exactly what science they were doing. It's almost all set indoors/underground/at night which makes for a murky viewing, though it's tonally appropriate for the film. I was never really sure about a group of subjects as to whether they were humanoid robots with/without bits of brains in them or cybernetically/surgically enhanced humans. Maybe I should watch it again and pay more attention. Though it could be because there are no fucking subtitles on a fucking Blu-Ray disc which is fucking inexcusable and fucking annoying as hell when you're somewhat deaf  like me!

Still, there's a lot good about it too. 

The cast for one. You'd expect Stephens and Lawson to be good and they are. But it's Caity Lotz who is the revelation. A friend of mine (also called Ian but isn't me) saw her first appearance in the TV series Arrow and declared her to be a useless actress. All I can say to that is: her and Jennifer Lawrence, crap, crap, crap. She is good as the human scientist but her part as the machine is subtle and nuanced and riveting. Plus, as a trained gymnast, she also does most of her own stunts. Plus, she's gorgeous. Up yours, other Ian.

Despite the low budget and the murk, it looks good. And sometimes hideous. A character who appears early in the film has had part of his skull blown away and just covered with skin -I've seen this in real life, though here it's cgi, and to my shame I find it repulsive to look at.

And there's Caity Lotz. And a bitter-sweet sting in the tail.

So, flawed but good and intelligent, which, when you see what abortions pass off as SF movies these days, is no mean achievement.

Every so often I like a dose of authentic samurai drama and/or a fix of legendary director Akira Kurosawa.

This is what passes for Kurosawa being playful. Two farmers have gone off to war thinking they'll get rich but their side loses. General Toshiro Mifune has to save the Princess and the gold in order to get the clan's ruling family up and running again and get back home all the while being hunted by the victors. The farmers join up with General and Princess. And that's the plot in full. 

The two farmers, however, are actually the main characters and they are as venal and as stupid people as you've ever seen in a film. They think of nothing but themselves and not even of each other. If one can gain something over the other (usually gold) they'll try and get it. Throughout the film whenever there is a chance of them to gain an advantage without hesitation they take the selfish option and every time it makes things worse for them. And they never learn. They even consider raping the princess while she sleeps and while the general is off somewhere. 

For all that it is quite a likeable film if, for me, a touch overlong at 138 minutes. There's an introduction by George Lucas because, as well all know, don't we, it was one of the inspirations for some little SF movie of his.

Surprisingly, given my love of horror movies, this is the first time I've seen this one. I have seen Jason X (or Jason in space) which is a highly enjoyable piece of gory fun, though it isn't canon as there were more FT13 movies made after, and Freddie Vs Jason which has its moments but not enough of them. I did see a clip of one of the killings not long after it originally came out and thought it was hideous and that put me off for quite a while. However, I've reading a few books/magazines that deal with exploitation cinema like the older (British) Shock Xpress and the newer (American) Weng's Chop which put me in the mood to check out stuff I hadn't seen before.

Over 30 years on Friday 13th is far less shocking than it was at the time and that includes the scene -Kevin Bacon is lying on a bunk when an arrow erupts from the front of his throat makes a mess- that made me want to run over the hills and far away. Now I just admire how effectively it's done and it still looks convincing even by today's standards thanks to gore effects maestro Tom Savini. 

There's really not a lot to say about this film. It's a highly competent slasher which holds the attention throughout. It also introduces tropes which have become cliches. I do think the blurb on the box shouldn't have given away the killer's identity as, possibly, even now there might be someone who doesn't realise that Jason isn't the killer in this first installment.

Friday the 13th Part 2, unlike the previous film, holds back a while on the killing after the initial opening which is mostly a recap, otherwise it's the same stalk and slash now with added Jason who hasn't yet found the iconic hockey mask. Apart from a mean-spirited killing of the nice guy in the wheelchair, it's pretty much same as it ever was. 

I've got Part 3 on my pile to watch but I may quit while I'm ahead after that as I've plenty more films to watch. Like the recently acquired super-special edition of Dario Argento's Inferno to watch among others.

DVD: SEVEN SAMURAI (1954, BFI)

And, yes, it is as good as it's supposed to be. Despite being over three hours long and watching it over two days, I never felt it dragged. It isn't a barrel of laughs though there are a few along the way -Toshiro Mifune's (see image) manic performance being one of them. Unlike its western remake The Magnificent Seven, it's neither an elegy nor a romantic tribute, rather it's the opposite. The samurai are ronin, not shiny knights in their lord's bright armour, but on their own trying to make a living wherever they can. All are well characterised and different from each other, though not quite the archetypes  of TMS. Each has their own reason for helping the farmers against the bandits. While there is action and plenty of it, this is also a very thoughtful film about roles and responsibilities which questions the values of the time, not just of the period but of when it was made.

I'm really glad I bought it. I'm going to make Red Beard my next Kurosawa to watch, prior to Ran, and will probably pick up Yojimbo, another movie later turned into a Western. All being well over 2 hours each I won't be watching them consecutively, however.

DVD: KAGEMUSHA

Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior, 152 mins, 1980, is still as impressive as when I first saw it nearly 30 years ago, though perhaps less surprising given that I'm much more familiar with Japanese cinema than when I first saw it.

Now it seems almost like a stately fatalistic dance. Beginning around 1570, The Shingen, a powerful warlord who perhaps senses his impending death, takes on another impersonator to replace his tiring brother. This one is an actor and a thief, low-born from the north. The Shingen does indeed die and his chief aides put into action his plan to hide his death for three years. The actor has to pretend and fool both allies and enemies that he is The Shingen. At first it works but then it all goes wrong and The Shingen's son leads the clan into disaster.

This isn't a subtle film. While there is more depth than I've hinted at in the above brief synopsis, it still isn't a wordy film. It's power comes primarily from its succession of striking images. Some of this are filmed on location, others in the studio, often both are part of one scene. A dream sequence is rich in colour and particularly effective. But then so is the climactic battle when almost all the killing takes place off-screen as wave after wave of soldiers and cavalry charge into a killing field of artillery fire. The aftermath, however, is shown most graphically. The real tragedy is brought home as the now-disgraced impersonator wanders distraught through the killing field.

This is a visually gorgeous and emotionally heart-breaking film.

DVD: AKIRA KUROSAWA

I'm having an Akira Kurosawa season.

Kurosawa is regarded as one of the finest directors in movie history. He had an intensely profilic period from 1943 to the mid-60s which produced movies such as Rashomon, Seven Samurai*, Ikuru, Yojimbo, and Red Beard* (his last collaboration with Toshiro Mifune after 15 films together). After that he barely managed one movie every five years or so though they were generally worth waiting for and included Dodeskaden (1970), Derzu Uzala (1975), and his two late flowering masterpieces Kagemusha* (1980) and Ran* (1985). Of these, I've only seen Dodeskaden and Kagemusha before.

* These are DVDs I've bought and will review as I get through them. Unless, of course, I decide I've had a brainfart and wonder why the hell I bought them in the first place, though I hope not. Assuming I enjoy them as much as I anticipate, I may well be adding other titles.

Toshiro Mifune in Seven Samurai

CD, DVD, JUST ARRIVED

20 of her best songs with a running time of nearly 79 minutes. This is as good as Rock music gets. She is a goddess.

By all accounts, this is one of the masterpieces of cinema. At nearly 3  hours long and filmed entirely in the studio, it consists of four tales based on stories by Lafcadio Hearn. I've only just started watching it, finishing the first tale and it is impressive and beautifully photographed. The edition I have includes a 70page book which comprises the original stories and an interview with the director Masako Kobayashi which I'll read once I've finished watching the DVD.

Me being me, I've since ordered two films by Akira Kurosawa -Kagemusha (which I saw nearly 30 years ago at the cinema) and Ran. No doubt there will be more Japanese classics to come (Seven Samurai and Redbeard have been added to my Amazon wish list) and for once I'm not talking about Godzilla. 'bout time I treated myself to some proper culture.