Stars: Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie, Matt Clark, Michael Sundin, Tim Rose, Mak Wilson, Stephen Norrington, Justin Case, John Alexander, Deep Roy, Emma Ridley | Written by Walter Murch, Gill Dennis, L. Frank Baum | Directed by Walter Murch
According to Roger Ebert, Walter Murch is “the most respected film editor and sound designer in the modern cinema.” Across a career spanning over 50-years, including multiple Academy Award wins from nine nominations, he has only two directorial credits to his name. The second is a fourth-season episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which was preceded over 25 years before by the only feature he directed; Return to Oz.
After her adventures in the Land of Oz, Dorothy Gale (Fairuza Balk) remains obsessed with the locale that she previously visited. Out of a fear that their niece is experiencing delusions, Dorothy’s aunt and uncle take her away to a sanitorium.
According to Roger Ebert, Walter Murch is “the most respected film editor and sound designer in the modern cinema.” Across a career spanning over 50-years, including multiple Academy Award wins from nine nominations, he has only two directorial credits to his name. The second is a fourth-season episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which was preceded over 25 years before by the only feature he directed; Return to Oz.
After her adventures in the Land of Oz, Dorothy Gale (Fairuza Balk) remains obsessed with the locale that she previously visited. Out of a fear that their niece is experiencing delusions, Dorothy’s aunt and uncle take her away to a sanitorium.
- 4/15/2024
- by James Rodrigues
- Nerdly
Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers! Whether you’re traveling to see relatives, hosting relatives who have traveled to see you, getting ready for the football games, or just preparing for the big holiday feast, I hope you are stay safe and enjoy yourselves. In the meantime, this Thanksgiving-week edition of Trailer Trashin’ takes a look at one of my most anticipated family films of next year – Muppets Most Wanted.
Premise: While on a grand world tour, Kermit the Frog and the other Muppets find themselves unwillingly involved in a European jewel-heist caper headed by Constantine, a criminal mastermind and Kermit lookalike, and his dastardly sidekick Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais).
My take: As I imagine is the case for many people of my generation, I grew up loving the Muppets. I’ve seen their movies many times, Muppet Babies was one of my favorite cartoons when I was little, and The Muppet Christmas Carol...
Premise: While on a grand world tour, Kermit the Frog and the other Muppets find themselves unwillingly involved in a European jewel-heist caper headed by Constantine, a criminal mastermind and Kermit lookalike, and his dastardly sidekick Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais).
My take: As I imagine is the case for many people of my generation, I grew up loving the Muppets. I’ve seen their movies many times, Muppet Babies was one of my favorite cartoons when I was little, and The Muppet Christmas Carol...
- 11/26/2013
- by Timothy Monforton
- CinemaNerdz
Film review: 'Buddy'
Rene Russo makes like a distaff Doctor Dolittle in "Buddy", Sony's family-oriented fare about a 1920s eccentric New York socialite who rescues an ailing baby gorilla from the zoo and raises it in the comfort of her own home along with her other animals: chimps, geese, rabbits, horses and talkative parrots.
Based on the real-life exploits of Gertrude Lintz, the film might seem like a natural for the kiddies. Instead, "Buddy" is considerably less fun than its barrel of monkeys, despite the impressive menagerie.
Written and directed by Caroline Thompson ("Black Beauty"), it's often too dark and brooding for most youngsters and, given the subject matter, it could have benefited from a much nimbler pace.
Still, given a fairly empty family berth in the market, this Jim Henson Pictures vehicle might nevertheless sneak in a little pre-"Hercules" business before hitting the video racks.
Like all mothers, Gertrude "Trudy" Lintz learns that the hardest thing about love is letting go, even if her children happen to be much hairier than most. When mama's boy Buddy grows up, no amount of coddling or dressing him in tailor-made Bergdorf Goodman threads can allay his jungle roots. As the animatronic ape begins to have less control over his own strength and primal urges, Trudy is forced to make the decision that will be best for all concerned.
Russo, whose classically exotic looks serve the period piece well, puts in a dedicated performance as the colorful matron who's regarded with constant bemusement by her physician husband (Robbie Coltrane) and loyal assistant (Alan Cumming) and with frequent eyebrow elevation by her long-suffering housekeeper (Irma P. Hall).
Problems surface behind the scenes. As the situation grows more serious, Thompson suddenly seems to be directing "Wuthering Heights", complete with ominous shadows and storms, with the moody Buddy standing in for Heathcliff. Even the supposedly lighter, meant-to be-funny sequences have sinister tones, including a scene in which a pair of out-of-control chimps hurl a meat clever at each other across a kitchen.
As for the effects, the folks at Jim Henson's Creature Shop have done their usual impressive work in bringing the various stages of Buddy to life through stand-alone animatronics or, when Buddy gets bigger, combining suited-up actors with remote-controlled facial movements.
The only trouble is, when placed alongside those real-life, truly animated, mischievous chimps (who are constantly stealing the show), even the most advanced state-of-the-art technology feels mechanically awkward by comparison, like plopping Steven Seagal in the middle of Cirque du Soleil.
Elsewhere, production values are crisp and colorful, from cinematographer Steve Mason's bright, airy compositions to costume designer Colleen Atwood's whimsical fabrics.
BUDDY
Sony Pictures
A Columbia Pictures release
Jim Henson Pictures presents
an American Zoetrope production
Director-screenwriter Caroline Thompson
Screen story William Joyce and
Caroline Thompson
Based on the book "Animals Are My Hobby" by
Gertrude Davies Lintz
Producers Steve Nicolaides and Fred Fuchs
Executive producers Francis Ford Coppola, Stephanie Allain and Brian Henson
Director of photography Steve Mason
Production designers David Nichols and
Daniel Lomino
Editor Jonathan Shaw
Music Elmer Bernstein
Costume designer Colleen Atwood
Casting Carrie Frazier
Color/stereo
Cast:
Trudy Lintz Rene Russo
Dr. Lintz Robbie Coltrane
Dick Alan Cumming
Emma Irma P. Hall
Professor Spatz Paul Reubens
Buddy (adult) Peter Elliott, Mak Wilson
Running time -- 84 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
Based on the real-life exploits of Gertrude Lintz, the film might seem like a natural for the kiddies. Instead, "Buddy" is considerably less fun than its barrel of monkeys, despite the impressive menagerie.
Written and directed by Caroline Thompson ("Black Beauty"), it's often too dark and brooding for most youngsters and, given the subject matter, it could have benefited from a much nimbler pace.
Still, given a fairly empty family berth in the market, this Jim Henson Pictures vehicle might nevertheless sneak in a little pre-"Hercules" business before hitting the video racks.
Like all mothers, Gertrude "Trudy" Lintz learns that the hardest thing about love is letting go, even if her children happen to be much hairier than most. When mama's boy Buddy grows up, no amount of coddling or dressing him in tailor-made Bergdorf Goodman threads can allay his jungle roots. As the animatronic ape begins to have less control over his own strength and primal urges, Trudy is forced to make the decision that will be best for all concerned.
Russo, whose classically exotic looks serve the period piece well, puts in a dedicated performance as the colorful matron who's regarded with constant bemusement by her physician husband (Robbie Coltrane) and loyal assistant (Alan Cumming) and with frequent eyebrow elevation by her long-suffering housekeeper (Irma P. Hall).
Problems surface behind the scenes. As the situation grows more serious, Thompson suddenly seems to be directing "Wuthering Heights", complete with ominous shadows and storms, with the moody Buddy standing in for Heathcliff. Even the supposedly lighter, meant-to be-funny sequences have sinister tones, including a scene in which a pair of out-of-control chimps hurl a meat clever at each other across a kitchen.
As for the effects, the folks at Jim Henson's Creature Shop have done their usual impressive work in bringing the various stages of Buddy to life through stand-alone animatronics or, when Buddy gets bigger, combining suited-up actors with remote-controlled facial movements.
The only trouble is, when placed alongside those real-life, truly animated, mischievous chimps (who are constantly stealing the show), even the most advanced state-of-the-art technology feels mechanically awkward by comparison, like plopping Steven Seagal in the middle of Cirque du Soleil.
Elsewhere, production values are crisp and colorful, from cinematographer Steve Mason's bright, airy compositions to costume designer Colleen Atwood's whimsical fabrics.
BUDDY
Sony Pictures
A Columbia Pictures release
Jim Henson Pictures presents
an American Zoetrope production
Director-screenwriter Caroline Thompson
Screen story William Joyce and
Caroline Thompson
Based on the book "Animals Are My Hobby" by
Gertrude Davies Lintz
Producers Steve Nicolaides and Fred Fuchs
Executive producers Francis Ford Coppola, Stephanie Allain and Brian Henson
Director of photography Steve Mason
Production designers David Nichols and
Daniel Lomino
Editor Jonathan Shaw
Music Elmer Bernstein
Costume designer Colleen Atwood
Casting Carrie Frazier
Color/stereo
Cast:
Trudy Lintz Rene Russo
Dr. Lintz Robbie Coltrane
Dick Alan Cumming
Emma Irma P. Hall
Professor Spatz Paul Reubens
Buddy (adult) Peter Elliott, Mak Wilson
Running time -- 84 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
- 6/2/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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