Tucker - The Man and His Dream (1988) Review

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(More customer reviews)This 1988 movie, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas, has good acting from Jeff Bridges, Martin Landau, Frederic Forrest, and Joan Allen in the larger roles. Smaller supporting roles were also handled well by Christian Slater, Jay O. Sanders, Nina Siemaszko and Mako.
As reflected by the DVD cover, the movie is filmed in a splashy 1940's advertising style, and uses warm gold and sepia tones and some impressive camera work to tell the tale of the development of the "Tucker 48" automobile, also known as the "Torpedo" after its sleek lines (for the times), of which only about 50 were made. For its time, it had many innovative features, including a rear-mounted engine, seat belts and padded dash, push button controls, and a third central headlight that would turn when steering. The large, 4,800 pound behemoth got about 20 MPH.
In a somewhat dichotomous framework, the movie shows the result of American "Yankee ingenuity" coupled with the eventual demise of the Tucker due to pressure by the Big Three automaking competitors. Taken to court for fraud with the accusation that he would not deliver on the promise of producing a car, Tucker in fact is found not guilty, and had actually produced about 50 cars, though his business was effective ruined.
Tucker had other successes however. Just before World War II, he developed an armored car that was so fast at 80-plus MPH, the Army did not want it because they thought such vehicles should only go about 35 MPH. However, the rotating gun-turret used on top of the vehicle, the "Tucker turret", was used on American bombers, such as the B-17 and B-24, thoughout the war.
Although his business partner Abe Karatz (Landau) is quite upset that the car business folded, Tucker tells him..."It's the idea that counts, Abe, and the dream." Tucker died in 1956 from lung cancer at age 53.
The reasonably-priced DVD has the wide-screen movie, an excellent original 15-minute long 1948 promotional film made by the Tucker company (with or without commentary by FFC), a mediocre short "making of" collection of cast/crew interview clips mostly from 1988, a decent commentary by FFC, and the usual setup features.

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THE STORY OF PRESTON TUCKER, THE MAVERICK CAR DESIGNER AND HISILL FATED CHALLENGE TO THE AUTO INDUSTRY WITH HIS REVOLUTIONARY CAR CONCEPT.

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Death Race (Unrated Edition) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):
1.By 2012 the US Economy is completely ruined (guess it doesn't matter who you vote for)
2.Prisons are packed thanks to spiraling unemployment and crime
3.Private corporations run the prisons for profit (Serious business, as there's no money left for a bail-out)
4.Terminal Island Prison runs pay-per-view death races as a fund raiser, using inmates to drive cars tricked out with weapons and armor plating
5.There are no rules except if Warden Hennessey (Joan Allen) says there are
6.Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is framed for the death of his wife
7.Hennessey makes him an offer he can't refuse
8.He becomes a man in an iron mask, with a killer car (literally), a female navigator (to boost PPV ratings) and a pit crew led by scene stealing Ian McShane.
9.Lots of stunt driving, shooting of big guns and explosions follow, although you really can't tell who's shooting at whom for most of it
10.People die
Typical shoot `em up action movie involving high speed racing in armored cars and lots of bad guys, but with plot holes bigger than those left by the armor-piercing RPG Model 7's.
Statham plays his usual tough guy "Transporter" role, and Tyrese Gibson does everything but sing the Coca Cola jingle as arch rival Machine Gun Joe. They throw in a little inspirational family story to soften it up a little, and a teensy tiny little budding romance with dialogue like:
Jensen Ames: [while driving] Get on my lap.
Case: What?
Jensen Ames: Get on my lap!
Recommended for Statham fans and action movie buffs, but I can't see this one going down as a classic for all time.
Jensen Ames: [to Hennessey] You wanted a monster? Well, you've got one.
Rated: 3.5 starsAmanda Richards, September 22, 2008

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DEATH RACE - DVD Movie

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The Crucible (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)Since Miller helped write the screenplay and one of his sons produced or coproduced the movie, it shouldn't be a shock that the movie is so faithful to the original text where it needs to be and broadens the story where it needs to, as well. Miller knows how to write for the stage, and he apparently knows how to write for the screen, also. After seeing so many "classic" books and/or plays butchered by Hollywood, this movie is a real delight, despite its morbid and all-too-realistic story. This movie has become an essential to my Grade 11 American Literature classes, spectacularly complementing their reading of Miller's play and several pieces from the Salem Witch Trial era.
Ignoring the play's historic flaws and inaccuracies (that's another debate for another time), Miller brilliantly captured the essence of the Salem Witch Trials in his play and has conveyed them to the screen. Hatred, fear, jealousy, hypocrisy, religious mania, attention-seeking, conviction, strength, determination, repentance, and a host of other emotions and character traits are vividly brought to life by a superb cast: Daniel Day-Lewis is a great John Proctor (nobody else could have done better), Winona Ryder is very good as the conniving and bitter Abigail Williams, Joan Allen was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Elizabeth Proctor, and Paul Scofield should have won an Oscar for his cold-hearted portrayal of Justice Danforth. The conflict between Proctor and Danforth is what sustains the play's momentum for the second and third acts (about the last hour and fifteen minutes of the movie), and Lewis and Scofield bring that epic conflict to life: the classic good v. evil, with the sides getting somewhat mixed up as to who is who. . . . Lewis plays the flawed hero to Scofield's self-righteous and vindictive villain with palpable energy. How Scofield's performance was overlooked by the Academy is just another example of their oblivion. He gives me the willies with his methodical, calculating delivery of Miller's chilling dialogue: "Who weeps for these weeps for corruption" (among a bunch of great lines from the play/movie).
This isn't simply a play enacted in front of movie cameras (like Death of a Salesman). The director uses his camera very effectively, capturing some great close-up moments, unique perspectives and camera angles, and bringing a sense of "bigness" to the whole story. The play can seem very isolated, with its sparse sets and black-and-white costumes. Miller also expands the movie to begin well before the play does (giving the movie-goer information that he must have assumed the play-reader would already have) and extending it beyond the conviction of Proctor to include his execution, along with that of Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey. Just as a side note, each of those three was hanged in a separate group in the original trials--great symbolism from Miller, including each larger original group of victims in the final trio. Also great symbolism in Proctor's Christ-like physical placement in the middle of the two "sinners," as he takes their sins upon him--the crucifixion is represented very effectively.
Bottom line: You won't see a better adaptation of a play to movie anytime soon. Nothing essential is left out, and some nice details are brought in to give the movie a distinction from its original source, the play. If you can make it through this play and not be outraged by the injustice and hypocrisy, then you have a heart as cold as Danforth's. What Miller would likely want you to do is apply that outrage to similar situations that go on every day, just as he intended with his original play (the McCarthy hearings, the "Red" Scare). At least watch the movie, though.

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The Salem witch trials of 1692 are brought vividly to life in this compelling adaptation of Arthur Miller's play, directed by Nicholas Hytner ("The Madness of King George").A group of teenage girls meet in the woods at midnight for a secret love-conjuring ceremony.While the other girls attempt to cast love spells, Abigail Williams (Winona Ryder) wishes for the death of her former lover's (Daniel Day-Lewis) wife.When their ceremony is witnessed by the town minister, the girls suddenly find themselves accused of witchcraft.Soon the entire village is consumed by cries of witchcraft, and as the hysteria grows, blameless victims are torn from their homes, leading to a devastating climax.

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