droaam

The movie definitely is underrated: to look at the 4.1-average score, you would think it is a little better than awful. But that is IMDB for you, only mediocrities fly here. In truth, while "Supergirl" is fairly awful thoughout, consistently overlying that awfulness are a style of its own and creativity. The acting is lush and there is an unusual amount of attention given to the trio of "villains" in the story. It's just that all these actors, except Peter O'Toole, have nothing much to do. The movie lacks a good, strong script to clasp closed its components: premise, world and possible denouements and rein in excesses. As for as being a Superman film, that is something I don't give a toss about. When I watched this on state TV in Russia as a child, I didn't even know who Superman was, and I can't say the knowledge has enriched me. So never mind the stupid franchise, just enjoy the movie as (it was rightly said by another reviewer) a fantasy. To mention him for the last time, Peter O'Toole stands out here in a cleanly, modestly played role of a true white magician, displaying his kindness, genius and nobility to the best advantage. The role is completely his own. One could only dream of having such a man as his character for a teacher, friend or just a luminary to admire from afar.

If you are going to watch this movie, it is important to give it a little time. It does not start off in the most alluring way. The first scene is a musical competition where the fairly long BIM ensemble song is not particularly interesting or well-staged, and neither does the following duet impress, although whoever sings for the female character, Bibi, showcases a fantastic voice, much superior to her partner's. Still, the lighting is dim, the environment comes off as dingy and you are tempted to give up at this point, thinking that you would be subjected to cheesy 1970s burlesque for the next hour.

But don't quit watching yet. Let the plot develop and new characters, ideas and costumes come in along with better songs. It is still all very 1970s, quite burlesque and cheesy too - yet beautiful, sincere and original. The movie is a musical, not just something that features songs every now and then, in this way similar to "Tommy" of the Who, and the songs are uneven. About half are only nice and you can find things to nitpick about them, the rest are unforgettable. My favorites are a little personal number by Mr. Bugalow "How to Be a Master," which could serve as an anthem of Lawful Evil everywhere, and the previous, strange and alluring sparkling dance of the circus in the antechamber (songs don't come with names in the credits, so I can't always tell just what is called what). Then there is the intentionally meaningless, mind-blasting, broadcast, society-wide, mandatory fitness-dance, the BIM Hour. "Hey! Hey! Hey! BIM's on the way!" I wish I could drive this line out of my memory, but I don't think I will be able to. But even the weaker songs and dances are written and performed with talent and in earnest.

I am not going to spend any time speculating that viewers of this decade probably won't be able to connect to the film exactly because it is earnest. Or that they will fidget, cringe and pull out "NSFW" labels while listening to the incredible "Coming For You." The world has been run by Mr. Bugalow for a long time, in fact, the world has long since ended, but I'm optimistic for people, at least some of them. The movie takes a good-natured snipe at the hippies, bearded "refugees from the 60s," and sincerity is never a flaw.

Rather, what "The Apple" suffers from is imperfect mise-en-scenes (it could use more effective and pleasant arrangement of characters and props in some scenes), eager and lush but not always perfect choreography and, strangely enough, insufficient budget. The IMDB title page says that 5 million was spent on the production, a very considerable amount at the time, and the result doesn't look cheap. But in this particular case even more money would be better. The choreography should have been made sleeker, the cameraman, only adequate, might have been someone brilliant, and the director should have had an advisor giving him tips. Instead of simply very good technical stuff, wardrobe and prop-makers, masters of their crafts should have been hired. Had production been upped to that level, "The Apple" would have become a timeless classic (though it might still have bombed in theaters; cue the booing from the first scene). As things are, it is just timeless because of its genius, verve and dedication. And who indeed if not Mr. Bugalow again could have poured enough capital over the production? It is amazing that the film had even the actual budget behind it.

Yes, and Catherine Mary Steward at her very young shone off new facets of her talent and her body for me. Her beauty really gathered in focus a few years later (see her in something like "Weekend at Berney's"), but here she is vivacious, bold and dances her thighs away.

Others here have written more informative and better-informed reviews than I could leave, and with the popularity-based display system in place my small contribution is probably going to bob on the bottom of the list, not likely to be glanced at by any eyes. And you can read the others for plot details. Still, in case one of those people to whom I care to address myself comes along, I want to express my admiration for the wonderful, cinematic, completely believable and just plain exciting journey that is this film is. Now it is not everything that it could be, script-wise, nor what I had expected, rather unthinkingly. For example, I had assumed that Scott's character would experience the famous "transformation," that this would be some kind of hero's quest, a fall to nigredo with a regeneration and a change of values in the end. Apparently some of the other reviewers have also expected just that. But come to think of it, why? Why must every journey into "a heart of darkness" follow the same boring route? And, when all is said and done, if we necessarily emerge in the light after darkness, haven't we simply returned to where we started?

There are certain moments and one meaning-laden conversation between Scott and Hubley's characters that, owning largely to Scott's artistic inflection, do show that this hero's dearly held beliefs have received an effacing by objectivity. The character, so to speak, has faced a cold ocean around his world and recognized it. In the end of the story he is no longer in denial. But by and large he remains committed to his values, wants to go back to the part of America where they are not illusions but a reality with power, factual and enforced, and there is nothing wrong with that.

What I really want to talk about here is how beautiful, fun and exciting I find this "seedy," "sleezy" world that Scott's character plunges into and learns to dog-paddle in. It's all great: pornography is great, sex is the joy of the body, youth that pervades the screen here for an hour is a parade of beauty. It is all sheer ecstasy, even though there is a lining of danger. But there was always a lining of danger as long as humanity and America lived in freedom. Compare it to the concentration camp of today... if indeed you can... This attitude makes me unique among the reviewers. A heart of darkness? Only for a deluded fanatic. This is a universe of color, day, night, money, attitude, relations, secrets, dependencies, pleasure, shyness, contact, space, quid pro quo and uncertainty, where everyone, from a porno producer to a nameless street hooker, is unique and spinning, spinning, spinning, trying not to fall. And they will all eventually fall and shatter, everyone does. Time and chance happen to everyone, as Ecclesiastes wrote. But their involvement in this struggle for survival is a bloom of being alive, while Grand Rapids is dreaming a dream.

Watch this film! Remember the time that it shows - before AIDS, before fear, controls and technomongery. And envy with me in quiet shock those who had the chance to blow their time on earth away so!