Creator

peter o'toole is never an ordinary man in film. i just don't think he can be...and that's not a criticism. there's always something too luminous, too twinkling, too smart and witty. he's at his best in roles like this that let him play someone a little smarter, brighter, more attractive than anyone else. as a nonconformist "mad scientist" so obsessed with recreating his long-dead wife in his backyard lab, o'toole practically dances through the film, his generosity of spirit and warmth making the other characters come alive and his similar generosity of talent allowing room for younger actors to catch that spirit and run with it, if only for a little while. okay, so vincent spano has never been good in anything but a john sayles film, and the wife plot seems to peter out, and mariel hemingway, while delightfully trampy from time to time, seems to be trying too hard...but just watch the scenes where o'toole, chewing on his oversized cigar, playfully undermines his stuffy colleague (a funny, menacing david ogden stiers) or the scenes when tragedy strikes his young apprentice (spano) and he reaches out with the most effective looking comfort i've seen. when the boy emerges from a hospital door and looks to him and o'toole just opens his arms as wide as a church door. creator's not a great movie by any means...but you've probably not seen it and an unseen o'toole performance, especially one this warm and winning, is like a gift.

Actually three love stories in one. There's Harry Wolper and his long departed wife, putting the lie to "till death do us part." Then there's the developing relationship between Meli and Wolper. And finally the impulsive young love of Boris and Barbara. All interwoven like so much spaghetti. There's so much love in the air that this would be a great date movie so long as both parties are comfortable with the occasional detours into science and philosophy. The dialogue is usually sharply written and often witty, almost intellectual. The editing, though, was a bit choppy.

In today's world, where human cloning is coming ever closer to reality and paranoia about it is common, Jeremy Leven's screenplay should be a good reminder that genes don't make us who we are. As Boris said, even a cloning breakthrough wouldn't be able to bring back the woman he loved, for he could never recreate the experiences that originally shaped her mind and soul.

Peter O'Toole again plays his patented charming eccentric. It's a role virtually tailor-made for him, and he carries it well. Whether he's spouting technical or medical jargon, wistfully remembering his lost wife, or rhapsodizing on the nature of God and the Big Picture, O'Toole truly loses himself in this character and comes through as totally convincing. Vincent Spano and Virginia Madsen showed great chemistry as the young college couple. Mariel Hemingway was the weak link. Her character was supposed to be street-smart and self-assured but unfortunately often came across as simply shrill.

The melancholy score meshes well with the movie, successfully evoking the loneliness surrounding the characters. Surprising, as it was composed by Sylvester Levay, best known for his pounding, synthesizer-rich theme for TV's "Airwolf."

It's worth renting this movie on tape or DVD, because the version edited for television cuts several scenes that are very important to the plot. Without those scenes, some lines just don't make sense. Regrettably, there is no widescreen version even on DVD, although the standard 1.33:1 Academy Frame does help keep the story intimate. Occasionally, though, some characters will have their faces cut off the side of the screen. But even the DVD is a very imperfect version. The sound level wavers wildly, the only DVD I've ever had that does this. Sometimes it's barely audible while seconds later it's back at full volume. And the beginning of the movie is truncated, with the opening titles cutting in a few notes into the score. The print is also grainy, painfully so in a few of the darker scenes. All in all, a very careless transfer.

Note for Star Trek fans: this film contains a veritable cavalcade of Trek guest stars. At least four of the cast have appeared on various incarnations of Trek, including Madsen and Stiers on The Next Generation and Ian Wolfe and Jeff Corey on the original show.

The music in "Creator" is both beautiful and haunting. We cannot find the name of the songs. Can anyone identify the songs from the movie ? This is a great movie full of good things and fun. What a nice relief to watch something cheerful with no bad language and blood. Bravo !

Have you ever seen a movie that made a quiet yet profound impact on your view of life? Have you ever seen a powerful performance from one of the world's best actors go so completely unnoticed in the process? Have you ever looked back on a film nearly 20 years later and think, "I hope I can find this on DVD?" Creator is one such movie.

Peter O'Toole's performance is one of his better efforts (Come to think of it, even a BAD effort by O'Toole would be head and shoulders above some of today's stars). As Harry, you quickly learn (and, more importantly, FEEL) his pain and loss of his beloved wife Lucy, years after her loss. But he has what he feels is a perfect plan to clone her and recreate the love of his life. Mariel Hemingway's character (Meli) is the LAST person you would expect a scholar such as Harry would choose to be the host to carry the new Lucy to term. Hemingway's performance was a hoot.

The story takes some twists and turns that include a side story that nearly supersedes the principal one. But the beauty, ultimately, is how the two complement each other.

Getting through this movie is an emotional roller-coaster, the kind where when the ride is over you go, "WHEW!" But then again, you don't want it to end. The gift of this film is that when the lights came up at the end, it sent me back to reality with a different perspective that truly IS a gift.

Did the movie "change my life?" Perhaps not, but it gave me a message that enabled me to change it myself.

I think one of the reasons the movie came off so well (in addition, of course, to a brilliant performance by the cast) was that the script was written by the "creator" of the novel... so it stayed as true to the story as any adaptation can.

Kudos to O'Toole, and the entire cast. But Kudos too, to writer Jeremy Leven, "Creator's" creator and director Ivan Passer who brought the story to the screen so lovingly... and entertainingly. Yes, this is one I want on my DVD shelf! If you've not seen it, do yourself a favor: Rent it and watch it with someone special.

To paraphrase Leven, "Movies Can Be Wonderful..." and "Creator" shows you how.

This movie is truly one of my favorites of all times. It is sweet and it is hopeful and it makes you think. Actually, the issues addressed in it are quite timely. Would you clone a dead loved one if you could? These are issues that we ourselves will have to be facing and making decisions on in the not so distant future.

Virginia Madsen is nice as the love interest. Vincent Spano wonderfully plays Igor to Peter O'Toole's Frankenstein, while maintaining a mind of his own. Mariel Hemingway is delightfully nutty and light as Meli, the coed nymphomaniac. Interesting surprise from her during a touch football game too. And those of you who are M*A*S*H fans will love David Ogden Stiers as the foil for Peter O'Toole's "mad scientist" hijinx.

This movie is refreshing and dramatic and subtle. I love it, I will always love it! And it still moves me after almost 2 decades!

BTW-Those of you who appreciate soundtracks will love this one! The "String Trio Rock" by Mark Cargill is interspersed throughout. It will stay with you even after the movie is over!