It's often been noted that, in 1979, Hollywood had Dracula fever. Werner Herzog would produced his beloved remake of “Nosferatu,” which actually used Stoker's names. There were disco-infused Dracula farces like “Love at First Bite” and “Nocturna.” There was even a softcore sex comedy and a hardcore porn version! By far, the most high-profile adaptation was John Badham's “Dracula.” A big budget production from Universal, the studio hoped the “Saturday Night Fever” director would reinvent the then 83 year old novel for modern sensitivities. Much like Bela Lugosi before him, the leading man/vampire was taken from a popular stage rendition of Stoker's work. Frank Langella had a celebrated run as the Count on stage, during a production with stylized sets designed by Edward Gorey. Badham's “Dracula” would, indeed, stand apart from the other Drac features of 1979 as well as previous takes on the material.
Probably because everyone knows the story of “Dracula” already, the 1979 film wildly remixes the source material as we know it. It shifts the setting forward to 1913, while also switching Mina and Lucy's roles. (And also making Lucy the daughter of Dr. Seward and Mina the daughter of Van Helsing.) The story begins with Dracula already aboard the Demeter, which crash-lands in England. Dracula spying a bleeding finger around the dinner table occurs during his first meeting with the women. Jonathan Harker's real estate pitch to the Count occurs after the vampire has already moved into Carfax Abbey. The image of Dracula crawling down a wall is moved to the night he drains Mina/Lucy's blood. Renfield's role is greatly reduced. The longer the film goes on, the less it has to do with Stoker's novel, adding a car chase and an action-packed finale aboard a ship.
Among Dracula aficionados, this particular adaptation is probably best known for emphasizing the romantic aspects of the story. It's true that Langella's Dracula is a hot-blooded, seductive lover. From the minute he interacts with Lucy, she's falling in love with him. She willingly gives herself up to the vampire, embracing and kissing him not long after they get some time alone. It's clear that Dracula activates Lucy's passion in a way her boyfriend, Jonathan Harker, simply can't. In order to get the audience further on the side of hot vampire lovin', the movie portrays Harker as the wettest of wet noodles. He's a mustachioed goof with zero charisma, who seems to be totally clueless as to what his girlfriend actually desires. I'm tempted to call this “Dracula” a love triangle but the truth is Harker is no match at all for the vampire's romantic sway.
The film's approach to the material is evident in its cast. Frank Langella, with his perfectly coiffed hairdo and his carpet of virility, is the very idea of Dracula as a sensitive, passionate seventies lover. Langella has a certain intimidating power that works in the part, even if he's not call upon to be scary that often. Kate Nelligan has a fiery sensuality, that makes Lucy's complete submission to Dracula's raw sexuality totally believable. Donald Pleasence brings a nicely neurotic quality to Dr. Seward. Laurence Olivier as Van Helsing, who doesn't enter the picture until about half-way through, has a sorrowful intensity that works in a few scene. Even if he seems rather ineffectual, as far as vampire hunters go.
Some long-running horror franchises are never critically respected. “Friday the 13th” got bad reviews right out of the gate and you'd have to dig a little to find positive notices for even the first “Saw.” Other series at least start out as semi-respectable. Freddy and Pinhead got decent responses on their first outings before diminished returns made the critical press hate them. “Paranormal Activity” was tolerated, or even well liked in some cases, for the first three movies. The fourth installment, 2012's “Paranormal Activity 4,” is when the professional scholars turned their backs on this franchise. Even among fans, the fourth is generally agreed to be the low point for the “Paranormal Activity” brand.
The first real sequel to “Paranormal Activity,” this one picks up four years after “Paranormal Activity 2's” murder-filled epilogue. Alex is a teenage girl living in an affluent Nevada suburb with her mom, dad, and little brother Wyatt. Her friend/quasi-love interest Ben is a chronic videographer that records everything. Across the street, a mysterious woman and her young son move in. The boy, Robbie, often walks over to Alex's house and befriends Wyatt. His visits begin to coincide with strange events in the house. She asks for Ben's help in documenting the ghostly activity. Soon, she comes to believe that a demonic conspiracy is circling around her little brother.
“Paranormal Activity 4” is, unfortunately, one of those tedious screenplays where the audience figures out what is happening long before any of the characters do. It's implied, right from the get-go, that the mysterious Robbie is Hunter, a few years older now. That makes his quote-unquote mom Katie, a reveal that doesn't come until half-way through the movie. That Alex's little brother is clearly being targeted by “Toby” and the coven, for nefarious cult-y reasons, is obvious immediately. “Paranormal Activity 4's” way too long 96 minute run time drags on as we watch the clueless cast attempt to put the pieces together... Which they never actually do, by the way, further making this film seem like a series of largely meaningless set-ups for the inevitable possession tinged finale.
Then again, it's not like the “Paranormal Activity” films have ever been all that well paced or had protagonists that weren't clueless. We are here to watch found footage scare sequences, that ostensibly use the format in clever ways. Part four has the same directors as part three and features some of the same unfortunate fake jump-scares. A character leaping onto a bed or just a random loud noise on the soundtrack get easy shocks. The finale falls into the same-old mayhem of bodies tossed through the air by an unseen forces, with the truly dumb demon face effect reappearing yet again. Yet there's one or two clever gags peppered throughout. An Xbox Kinect, and the sensor dots it bathes a nighttime living room in, is a neat gimmick. A figure appearing in the dots is the best, subtlest scare in the movie. The fate of a disappearing butcher knife or a briefly glimpsed shadow in a hallway are also decent moments.
“Paranormal Activity 4” has an ending so abrupt that it almost becomes funny. It feels like this series increasingly uses its found footage gimmick as a narrative short cut. There are certainly times when these events being recorded strains believability, such as an extended scene in a garage. I really wish those two lead characters were in a better movie with a less obvious script, a better pace, and a collection of scares that lived up to its stronger moments. Despite the weakest reviews of the series up to this point, “Paranormal Activity 4” still turned a healthy profit on account of its low budget. This franchise certainly has a can't-loose formula, at least when it comes to the box office. As far as the formula goes for making a decent movie, that was starting to strain a while ago. [5/10]
I was thoroughly impressed with the previous two episodes of “Beasts,” Nigel Kneale's short-lived but beloved anthology, that I've discussed. “Special Offer” was the program's debut hour. Noreen is a socially awkward teen working in a grocery store. She's relentlessly bullied by her boss, Mr. Grimley. Objects seem to strangely fall off the shelves when Noreen's around. She blames the incident on an animal no one else notices. Grimley jokingly claims Briteway Billy, the store's bunny-like cartoon mascot, is responsible. Yet soon other people see evidence of the mysterious creature. As the unseen “Billy” causes more chaos in the store, Grimley begins to suspect Noreen may be the source of the disruptions after all.
The minute a can of beans rolls down an aisle, it's apparent what's happening in “Special Offer.” Much like “Carrie,” Noreen's repressed rage and frustration with her lot in life manifests as telekinetic activity. Yet, in some ways, Noreen is a much more pathetic character than even Carrie White. Pauline Quirke is gawky, with a round face, bad posture, British teeth, and extensive acme. She looks much more like a bullied teen than the ethereal Sissy Spacek ever did. The way Noreen smiles uncomfortably, is obsessed with stacking cans, and mumbles to herself while talking to others heavily suggest she's neurodivergant. She's also, as the episode goes on, in the unenviable position of having a crush on the man who torments her the most. The final line of dialogue, right before the stark cut-to-black this show usually features, is heart-breaking.
“All Star Munster” begins with Marilyn unable to pay her college tuition. When Herman goes into the dean's office to talk the issue out, he's mistaken for incoming basketball recruit Moose Mallory. Herman's size and strength makes him a natural at b-ball and the college recruits him immediately. When the actual Moose shows up, confusion ensues. Herman gets his ham radio license in “If a Martian Calls, Hang Up.” He immediately mistakes a pair of Eddie's friends playing with walkie-talkies, and pretending to be Martians, for the real deal. He convinces Grandpa of his discovery too, much shenanigans ensuing.
“The Munsters” already did an episode where Herman became a pro-wrestler, so I guess it didn't seem unreasonable to do an episode where he plays basketball. The scene where Herman effortlessly dripples and dunks balls through the hoop – Fred Gwynne clearly being replaced by a more athletic double – are the height of ridiculousness. This episode also has Pat Buttram as Moose Mallory's dad, playing the typical hillbilly character you'd expect from him. Both of those characters are ridiculous Kentucky stereotypes, though Buttram's way with a corny aphorisms got a chuckle out of me. Overall, I wish this episode had more of the pun-filled dialogue and sight gags I watch this show for.
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