Showing posts with label Lucy Lawless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lucy Lawless. Show all posts

Saturday, 10 February 2024

Spider-Man (5 Stars)


This is the second film I presented tonight for the theme "Do you remember the days when Marvel films were good?" In my opinion, it's the best Marvel film ever. Many people claim that the second film, "Spider-Man 2", is better. I can see what they mean. The action scenes in the second film are better. I prefer the first film for its greater emotional depth. But I'll think it over again next time I watch "Spider-Man 2". Maybe I've placed it too low in my top 100 films list


After watching the film today I praised Sam Raimi for making the main villain corny. An example is the way Willem Dafoe holds a speech while looking at the vial in his hand which will transform him into the Green Goblin. Then he drinks it fast, dramatically, before smashing the empty vial on the floor. My German friends didn't understand the word corny, and I couldn't translate it. Google translates it as kitschig, but that's obviously wrong. Is it an English word that has no equivalent in German, the same as English has no word for gemütlich? Back home, it took me a long time to think it over, but eventually I came to klischeehaft as a translation for corny. It's not as common in German as corny in English, but it expresses the same meaning.


When writing about "Howard the Duck" I pointed out the beautiful actress Jorli McLain in a minor role. I'll do the same for "Spider-Man". There's an unnamed lab assistant in one of the first scenes. Her role is so minor that she isn't even listed in the credits. But I recognised her immediately. She's the beautiful South Korean actress Una Damon. She's never had a breakthrough. Throughout her career she's only had small roles in films and television series. That's a tragedy.


Here's one more photo of her. She's beautiful.

Success Rate:  + 3.9

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Friday, 22 July 2022

Minions: The Rise of Gru (4 Stars)


My grandson Oliver is turning into a film fan like me. For the last two weeks he's been begging me to take him to see the new Minions film. Today we finally went. We could have seen it in the original English version, but he said he wanted to watch it in German. I suppose it doesn't make any difference with animated films, because the original version is already dubbed. I'm just curious about one thing: in the German version the Minions all talk with Italian accents. I'm sure the original isn't like that.

After the three Depicable Me films, this is the second standalone Minions film. I haven't seen the first Minions film, but I know that Oliver has watched it in Netflix. I looked over his shoulder a few times, but not long enough to figure out what was happening. I'll have to watch it some time soon. In English, of course.

"The Rise of Gru" takes place in 1976. Gru is still at school, and he tells his class he wants to be a villain when he grows up. They laugh at him and cruelly bully him. Only his loyal Minions can protect him. Gru has already applied to become a member of the world's leading criminal gang, the Vicious Six. They invite him for an interview, but they immediately reject him when they see he's only a child. Before leaving he steals an artefact called the Zodiac Stone from them. He doesn't know what it does, it's just a trophy of his visit, but back home he finds out it's a powerful weapon. It can turn people into any of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac. The Vicious Six pursue him to retrieve the stone. He's also chased by Wild Knuckles, the former leader of the Vicious Six who was betrayed by his colleagues and left for dead.

This is a very amusing film. I enjoyed it, and so did Oliver, who couldn't stop laughing. Maybe he couldn't understand all the humour. There were a lot of jokes about the 1970's. Maybe when he's older he'll understand more. Today he just laughed at the slapstick humour. When he got home he told his mother (my daughter) that he'd had a very good day. That makes the film a success.

Friday, 29 October 2021

Spider-Man (5 Stars)


In preparation for the new Spider-Man film, "No Way Home", I've decided to re-watch the Sam Raimi trilogy. They're the best Spider-Man films so far, and difficult to live up to. I consider "Spider-Man" (2002) to be the best super-hero film ever made. It's the perfect mix of action, romance and tragedy.

Success Rate:  + 3.9

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Monday, 30 August 2021

Spider-Man (5 Stars)



I'm moving ever closer to the top place in the list of my favourite films. Many of my friends already know what my favourite film is, but I'll keep the rest of you in suspense.

In my opinion, this is the best film ever made based on Marvel heroes. Some people prefer the second Spider-Man film, but I don't understand why. It's a great film, I admit, but the first film is better. What I like about it is that it keeps so close to the original comics and the stories told by Stan Lee. There are a few minor changes, such as Peter Parker being older and his web being organic, but the film keeps very close to the spirit of the comics. The second film deviates more from the source material.


As I've said in my past reviews of this film, the casting choices are miraculous. The director Sam Raimi was meticulous in his choice of actors who looked as similar as possible to the comic book characters. Just look at J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. Who else could have played the part?


Elizabeth Banks looks remarkably like Betty Brant. Compare her with the awful casting of Angourie Rice in the MCU Spider-Man films. Where's Sam Raimi when we need him?


Cliff Robertson and Rosemary Harris as Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Perfect! Who had the silly idea of casting Marisa Tomei as Aunt May in the new films? Sam Raimi would never have made a mistake like that.


And Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson? I would never have considered her because of her blond hair, but with red dye she looks perfect. She also has the light-headed party girl attitude that we know from the comics.

I could continue by going through every character in the film, but it's late and I don't have the energy. I should put it on my to-do list for the next time I watch the film. It really is a film that I should watch more often.

Success Rate:  + 3.9

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Wednesday, 14 November 2018

Spider-Man (5 Stars)


After hearing of Stan Lee's death two days ago I've decided to rewatch some of the Marvel films. Actually, it will be most of the Marvel films. I'll be watching all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, and in addition I'll watch the non-MCU films of the characters that Stan Lee created. The X-Men films are a borderline case, so I'm not yet sure whether I'll include them.

I'll point out Stan Lee's cameos when I watch the films. His appearance in "Spider-Man" is his briefest cameo, less than two seconds in length. If you blink you'll miss him. He's a man in the crowd who protects a small girl from falling debris when the Green Goblin attacks.

I've always considered "Spider-Man" to be the best Marvel film. Some people prefer the first X-Men film, while others say that "Spider-Man 2" is better. They're both very good films, but I'm sticking with my choice. The strength of the first Spider-Man film is how closely it adheres to the original comics written by Stan Lee in 1962. There are a few minor differences:

1. The story has been moved from the 1960's to the 2000's.
2. Peter Parker is older when he becomes Spider-Man, 17/18 instead of 14/15.
3. Spider-Man's web is organic, not mechanical.

Despite these differences the film keeps closely to the original stories, and it definitely remains in the spirit of the early comics.

Another difference is something that is essential when making films that are based on comics. It's something that I call telescoping. What I mean is, events that take place years apart in the comics all take place within two hours, or however long the film lasts. To list several events in this film:

1. Peter Parker became Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962).
2. The Green Goblin first appeared in Spider-Man #14 (July 1964).
3. The Green Goblin died in Spider-Man #122 (July 1973).

All of these events are telescoped into a short narrative. If the film had included everything that happens in the comics from 1962 to 1973, even omitting the non-relevant events, it would have lasted 12 or more hours.


Apart from being the best Marvel film, "Spider-Man" is one of my all-time favourite films. I just checked the list of my top 50 films that I compiled in January this year, and it's in eighth place. After watching it today my first thought was that I should put it in first place, but it's possible that I'm just being sentimental after Stan Lee's death. Now is the wrong time to rewrite my list. I have to wait until I'm feeling less emotional.


Some of the casting decisions in the film are nothing less than miraculous. Tobey Maguire is the best Peter Parker so far. His appearance is a perfect match. But just look at J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. It's like he was born to play the role.


Kirsten Dunst is the last actress I would have thought of to play Mary Jane Watson – she's not even a redhead – but after applying a packet of hair dye she doesn't just act the role, she becomes Mary Jane Watson. I'd call this the best role of her life.


Sam Raimi was correct in calling up his old friend from high school, Bruce Campbell, to play the ring announcer in the wrestling scene. He's always been an actor who's difficult to place in any category. He's not an A-List actor because most film fans have never heard of him, and yet those who do know him are passionate in their support of him. Any film that stars Bruce Campbell in even a small role is worth watching. Who says so? I do!


Even Octavia Spencer appears briefly as a check-in girl at the wrestling event. Any film that stars Octavia is also worth watching. "Spider-Man" has so many positive points on its side. Maybe I ought to name it my favourite film. Ask me again this time next month.

Whatever the differences were, Sam Raimi shouldn't have been abandoned after "Spider-Man 3". He's not just a brilliant director, he also has a deep respect for the source material in the comics. He could have been the director for some or all of the MCU films. It's still not too late to ring him up and offer him a job.

Success Rate:  + 3.9

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Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Spider-Man (5 Stars)


30 films to watch before you die, #25

That's a lucky coincidence. I didn't plan it this way. Today I watched the 25th film in my essential films list, "Spider-Man", made in 2002, and it has a Thanksgiving scene. This picture of Peter Parker with his Aunt May will warm the hearts of my American readers when they read my blog tomorrow before they sit down at the table to stuff themselves with turkey.

This is the best Marvel super-hero ever made. The reason is obvious. It remains close to the original stories told by Stan Lee, closer than any of the films before and after. To quote the words of the fantasy author George R. R. Martin:

"You can't go wrong if you stick with Stan Lee. That's always been my opinion on these Marvel movies. The best ones are the ones that are closest to what Stan Lee did. It's when they start to be creative, when they think they can be better than Stan Lee, mostly they can't".

Exactly. "Spider-Man" was directed by Sam Raimi, who obviously has a great love and respect for Stan Lee's comics. None of the other films have remained as close to Stan Lee's comics. The origin itself is almost exactly as it was in Amazing Fantasy #15. The only real difference is that the web shooters are organic, not mechanical. This is an improvement, in my opinion. The idea that a schoolboy can build a technical marvel like that is hard to believe. It's more logical to believe that the webs were the result of his mutation into a human spider.


In my reviews of films and television series I frequently point out examples of sloppy newspaper reports, with badly constructed text that the director assumes nobody will notice. Sam Raimi shows that it can be done right. There are several newspapers shown during the film, and the articles are all written faultlessly. Click on the picture above to read the article.


These words are the motto of Peter Parker's life as Spider-Man. They're so important that they're spoken in the film three times, once by Uncle Ben and twice by Peter himself.

The casting of the film is nothing short of miraculous. Nobody but Tobey Maguire could have been picked to play Peter Parker. The resemblance to the comic book character is uncanny. Just compare him with Andrew Garfield, who hardly looks like Peter Parker at all. Kirsten Dunst was an excellent choice to play Mary-Jane Watson, even though she wasn't a natural redhead. J. K. Simmons looks so much like Jonah Jameson that you might think the comics were drawn with him in mind.

Many other Marvel super-hero films have been made, but these are the best films I can recommend for future viewing:

Thursday, 16 April 2015

TV Series: Hercules the Legendary Journeys


The television series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" ran for six seasons from January 1995 to November 1999. It was the brainchild of Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert.

Most television series and films that use animals have a disclaimer at the end, with a text such as "No animals were harmed during the production of this motion picture". This series developed the habit of replacing this disclaimer with a humorous text, starting from the sixth episode of the first season, with only a few omissions in the first two seasons. I'm including a full list of the disclaimer texts, together with each episode's name, season number and episode number. I've decided not to beautify the list by adding pictures to make it easier to copy and paste. As far as I know, a list like this isn't available online yet. I don't mind anyone copying this list for his own web site. That's what it's here for.

Notable disclaimers are:

1.07 - The only normal disclaimer.

1.06 and 2.05 - The only duplicate disclaimers. Almost duplicate.

2.14 and 2.21 -  Tributes to a person, rather than disclaimers.

6.08 - A disclaimer for the whole series.

The television series "Xena Warrior Princess" also used humorous disclaimers. I intend to post a list of the Xena disclaimers later this month.


Hercules complete disclaimer list.

1.01 The Wrong Path

<no disclaimer>

1.02 Eye of the Beholder

<no disclaimer>

1.03 The Road to Calydon

<no disclaimer>

1.04 The Festival of Dionysus

<no disclaimer>

1.05 Ares

<no disclaimer>

1.06 As Darkness Falls

No centaurs were harmed in the production of this motion picture.

1.07 Pride Comes Before a Brawl

No animals were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

1.08 The March to Freedom

<no disclaimer>

1.09 The Warrior Princess

No hydras were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

1.10 Gladiator

<no disclaimer>

1.11 The Vanishing Dead

No dogs of war were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

1.12 The Gauntlet

<no disclaimer>

1.13 Unchained Heart

No vicious beasts intent on taking over the world were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.01 The King of Thieves

No subterranean serpents were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.02 All that Glitters

No stuffed elephants were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.03 What's in a Name?

No mandrakes were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.04 Siege at Naxos

No barbarians were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.05 Outcast

No centaurs were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.06 Under the Broken Sky

<no disclaimer>

2.07 The Mother of All Monsters

The mother of all monsters was not harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.08 The Other Side

Nether Phil nor Sal nor any of the other Piglet Brethren were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.09 The Fire Down Below

No Completely-Engulfed-In-Flames-Evil-Dudes were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.10 Cast a Giant Shadow

Neither Typhon nor Echidna were harmed during the production of this motion picture. They went on to lead long and happy lives with their adopted family. However, attempts to reinflate Pylon were unsuccessful.

2.11 Highway to Hades

No rabbits or spirits wandering the Earth were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.12 The Sword of Veracity

No attacking minotaurs were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.13 The Enforcer

<no disclaimer>

2.14 Once a Hero

We gratefully acknowledge the lifelong inspiration Ray Harryhausen has provided on our journey through Filmland.

2.15 Heedless Hearts

<no disclaimer>

2.16 Let the Games Begin

The nuclear blast that destroyed those fiendish Mesomorphs was purely trick photography. The Mesomorphs are alive and well and living in Poughkeepsie.

2.17 The Apple

No extremely oversize clam shell wind-surfing apparatuses housing goddesses of love were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.18 Promises

No hairy Sasquatch-like mammals were battered, bruised, burned or beaten during the production of this motion picture.

2.19 King for a Day

No slightly soused kings-to-be who finally pull themselves up by their bootstraps and realize the true meaning of leadership were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.20 Protean Challenge

No slightly discolored and impish Gods who vaguely resemble any candidate in the 1996 presidential elections were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.21 The Wedding of Alcmene

In memory of Jerry Siegel.

2.22 The Power

No manure was harmed during the production of this motion picture.

2.23 Centaur Mentor Journey

No centaurs were harmed or discriminated against during the production of this motion picture.

2.24 The Cave of Echoes

No vicious tabby cats were harmed during the production of this motion picture. However, the pre-Hellenic litter box is in dire need of a change.

3.01 Mercenary

No flesh-eating sandrays were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

3.02 Doomsday

No silly nutty was harmed during the production of this motion picture. However, quite a few filberts and cashews sacrificed their lives in the name of progress.

3.03 Love Takes a Holiday

No metal panthers were tarnished during the production of this motion picture. When polishing your metal animals, remember to use salt and lemon.

3.04 Mummy Dearest

Any similarity between our Mummy and the foot dragging classic we all know and love is purely intentional.

3.05 Not Fade Away

No bootie-kicking, chop-sakiing she-monsters from Tartarus were harmed during the production of this motion picture. If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the temple!

3.06 Monster Child in a Promised Land

Out of respect for Baby Obie, no calamari was served to the cast and crew during the production of this motion picture.

3.07 The Green-Eyed Monster

No goats were harmed during the production of this cheese.

3.08 Prince Hercules

Iolaus was not harmed or permanently stained in the production of this motion picture. In fact, thanks to the miracle of sandblasting, his skin was restored to its original color and lustrous sheen.

3.09 A Star to Guide Them

No unnamed baby of key biblical and mythological importance was harmed during the production of this motion picture.

3.10 The Lady and the Dragon

No fire-breathing, pre-pubescent, slightly sinister dragons were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

3.11 Long Live the King

No stags were bagged during the production of this motion picture.

3.12 Surprise

Hercules' party pants were not harmed during the production of this motion picture.

3.13 Encounter

The golden hind was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. To order a hind of your own call 1-800-55-HIND.

3.14 When a Man Loves a Woman

Hercules' strength was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. In fact, Ares is storing it in a cryogenic freezer bag deep in the Olympian Meat Locker.

3.15 Judgment Day

No family values were harmed during the production of this Blood Lite motion picture.

3.16 The Lost City

No hippy-dippy, substance-abusing, 60's reject love children were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

3.17 Les Contemptibles

The French accents depicted in this motion picture are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to actual accents, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Vive La Revolution!

3.18 Reign of Terror

The sheeps' political and cultural independence was restored after the production of this motion picture. Run Free Ewe Wilde Beasts!

3.19 The End of the Beginning

Neither the time space continuum, nor any previous storylines were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

3.20 War Bride

No leather-clad, pointy-breasted, buffont-wearing, pillow-smothering, two-faced sisters were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

3.21 A Rock and a Hard Place

No convicts were squished like a bug during the production of this motion picture.

3.22 Atlantis

Warning: Crystal-waves were used during the production of this motion picture. Pregnant women should leave the room immediately.

4.01 Beanstalks and Bad Eggs

No permanent cases of Harpies were reported during the production of this motion picture.

4.02 Hero's Heart

As Fortune would have it, Iolaus' memory was not harmed during the production of this motion picture.

4.03 Regrets... I've Had a Few

Jaris' cause of death remained a mystery during the production of this motion picture.

4.04 Web of Desire

The original website was severely harmed during the production of this motion picture. However, through the miracle of modern technology, it was reinvented several centuries later.

4.05 Stranger in a Strange World

No heart-throwing, love-spewing, smooth-talking Ares impersonators were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

4.06 Two Men and a Baby

No fire-belching, levitating, neo-natal sons of a god were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

4.07 Prodigal Sister

The Amazon hokey-pokey was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. In fact, this catchy number is now being performed in dance clubs around the country.

4.08 ...And Fancy Free

The Widow Twanky, once again, on top of the dance world with the success of the Hercules Hustle, was not harmed or tripped during the production of this motion picture.

4.09 If I Had A Hammer

Hercules proved once again the true measure of a man is not the size of his grapes but the size of his heart.

4.10 Hercules on Trial

Due to extensive DNA testing, Hercules was proved innocent during the production of this motion picture.

4.11 Medea Culpa

No two-headed, fire-breathing, regenerating Ghidras were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

4.12 Men in Pink

Cupcake's sweet tooth was not harmed during the production of this motion picture. However, her love life experienced a slight setback.

4.13 Armageddon Now (Part 1)

Once again, Alcmene's fence was not finished during the production of this motion picture.

4.14 Armageddon Now (Part 2)

Although Alcmene's barn was blown to smithereens, remarkably she and Iolaus were not harmed during the production of this motion picture.

4.15 Yes, Virginia, there is a Hercules

Any resemblance between the Hercules cast and the Renaissance staff is purely intentional.

4.16 Porkules

Hermes' wings were clipped during the production of this motion picture.

4.17 One Fowl Day

No giant poultry was tripped, plucked, barbecued, deep-fried or otherwise assaulted during the production of this motion picture. Katherine's owners are orthodox vegetarians.

4.18 My Fair Cupcake

No bakeries were harmed during the production of this motion picture, although many pastries were burned to a crisp.

4.19 War Wounds

Any resemblance between King Iphicles, Hercules' half-brother, and Ares, God of War, Hercules' other half-brother, is totally unavoidable.

4.20 Twilight

Caution: Nafoline cannons are highly flammable and may be hazardous to your health. Keep away from children.

4.21 Top God

No boogie-boarding, bleached-blonde, narcissistic Gods were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

4.22 Reunions

Zeus' godhood was not harmed during the production of this motion picture, although his short stint as a mortal was somewhat intoxicating.

5.01 Faith

In order to protect the environment and for the benefit of all mankind, Imuru's beard was recycled and restored immediately upon completion of production of this motion picture.

5.02 Descent

No zombies were chomping at the bit during the production of this motion picture.

5.03 Resurrection

No magic munchkins preaching the virtues of ancient Celtic philosophy were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

5.04 Genies and Grecians and Geeks, Oh My

No cool blue bongs that resemble Aladdin's lamp were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

5.05 Render Unto Caesar

No scribes intending on writing the truth and nothing but the truth were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

5.06 Norse by Norsevest

No ram, stag, or any other horned species was sacrificed for Thor's helmet during the production of this motion picture. Ve Svear it.

5.07 Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bridge

No Frost Giants were thawed during the production of this motion picture.

5.08 Darkness Rising

Iolaus nearly lost his head during the production of this motion picture.

5.09 For Those of You Just Joining Us

Due to circumstances beyond our control, some staff members were ridiculed, laughed at and generally made fun of during the production of this motion picture.

5.10 Let There Be Light

No cast-iron Snakes were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

5.11 Redemption

Finally, the demon Dahak was destroyed during the production of this motion picture.

5.12 Sky High

Ephiny's leg was not hurt during the production of this motion picture. However, the writers sincerely apologize to Amazons everywhere for excluding her from the big finale.

5.13 Stranger and Stranger

If you would like to be a contestant on "Wheel of Misfortune", simply drop us a postcard and prepare to kiss your bottom goodbye.

5.14 Just Passing Through

Autolycus' intestinal tract was well lubricated and, consequently, was not harmed or blocked during the production of this motion picture.

5.15 Greece Is Burning

Due to incredibly bad taste and a despicable dress code, the Fashion Police were locked up indefinitely immediately upon completion of filming this motion picture.

5.16 We'll Always Have Cyprus

The Oracle affectionately known as "Mrs. Potato Head" was not harmed during the production of this motion picture.

5.17 The Academy

Support the United Grecian College Fund. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, much like the vacation plans of certain Young Hercules cast members.

5.18 Love on the Rocks

No fish out of water was harmed during the production of this motion picture.

5.19 Once Upon a Future King

Many giant steps were taken during the production of this motion picture. However, none for mankind.

5.20 Fade Out

No Gods or other deities were killed during the production of this motion picture. They just faded away.

5.21 My Best Girl's Wedding

No floundering fish were filleted during the production of this motion picture.

5.22 Revelations

Iolaus got a new lease on life during the production of this motion picture.

6.01 Be Deviled

Xerxos' goose was cooked during the production of this motion picture.

6.02 Love, Amazon Style

No conniving mischievous over-the-top deities formerly and presently known as Deimos were harmed during the making of this motion picture.

6.03 Rebel With a Cause

Creon's perm was not harmed during the production of this motion picture.

6.04 Darkness Visible

No blood-sucking homicidal vampires were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

6.05 Hercules, Tramps & Thieves

No cat burglars intent on training their ex-husbands were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

6.06 City of the Dead

No pyramid schemes were harmed during the production of this motion picture.

6.07 A Wicked Good Time

Discord was a basket case during the production of this motion picture.

6.08 Full Circle

No ancient Greek myths were seriously harmed during the production of this series, although some stories were slightly altered for the entertainment and enjoyment of our audience.

Tuesday, 22 April 2014

TV Series: Xena Warrior Princess


"Xena: Warrior Princess" is undoubtedly one of the greatest television series of all time. Quentin Tarantino says that it's the best series ever made. I don't agree with him, but it's certainly up there with the best. It was first broadcast as a spin-off of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys", but "Xena" soon surpassed "Hercules" in popularity. (I'll shorten the names of the two series from now on, using quote marks to show that I'm talking about the series and not the characters). The two series take part in the same world, they often feature the same supporting characters, and the main characters even guest star in one another's episodes, but they are very different series. It would be fair to say that "Hercules" is a program for younger viewers, while "Xena" is a program for adults. To prove my point, just look at the fight scenes in the two series. Hercules used his fists and makeshift implements to fight, but even when he used a sword he never killed anybody. Xena, on the other hand, never hesitated to kick a soldier in the balls, then plunge a sword through his heart while he was off balance. There have been arguments in forums about how many people Xena has killed, the estimates ranging from 400 to 100,000 depending on whether the off-screen killings are included or not.

The series alternated between serious and comedy episodes, in a ratio of about 3:1. I personally prefer the serious stories, but the comedy episodes are good as well. Joxer was a character that I greatly admired. Despite all the criticism he really was a brave warrior, but he lacked the skills to put his bravery into action. Autolycus is a powerful character, but be honest, who doesn't like Bruce Campbell? Salmoneus annoyed me when I first watched "Xena", but now he's grown on me.

In my opinion – and I welcome discussions from other fans – "Xena" reached its peak at the end of the fourth season, in the episodes "Endgame" and "Ides of March". In general, the episodes with Caesar and Callisto were the best, but to see them as allies was astounding. The first time I saw "Ides of March" I was shocked by Gabrielle's killing spree, when she killed eight Roman soldiers to protect Xena. Okay, so the cheesy after-death experience at the end of "Ides of March" did slightly spoil it. I found "Deja Vu all over again" out of place as the last episode of season four. Its placement was probably deliberate, to give viewers hope after Xena's death in "Ides of March" by seeing her reborn in the distant future in Joxer's body, but I still think it would have been more suitable to air this standalone episode earlier in the season, maybe directly before "Endgame".


Until the fourth season the Weltanschauung of the Xenaverse (I love that word!) was fairly simple. If you live a good life you go to the Elysian Fields after death, if you live a bad life you go to Tartarus. There were hints that where you went after death depended on where you lived, because each country had its own Gods who determined what to do with mortals after death. Okay, I can accept that as a logical possibility. But then in season four everything became more complicated. In the India tetralogy (episodes 13 to 16) we find out that Xena will follow a path of rebirth based on the Hindu laws of Karma, because she has done too much evil in her life to be accepted into the Elysian Fields. Ah ha, so Xena will be judged by the laws (and Gods?) of India's religion, even though she lives in Greece? Also in these episodes we see the man Eli who is obviously a picture of Jesus Christ, despite being an Indian. And then comes episode 21, "Ides of March", in which we find Callisto in a place called Hell where people go who are "too bad for Tartarus". The unnamed Master of this place is obviously the Devil. This mixes the Greek, Indian and Jewish religions together, claiming that they are equally valid. That makes my head hurt.

There's much more that can be said about this great series, and I'll probably come back to it in a later post, but that's all I'll write for now. If you live in England you can buy the complete Xena collection on DVD for only £42.50 from Amazon UK. There's no excuse for not buying it. In America it costs $109.99. Oh well, everything costs more in America.

Monday, 23 January 2012

Bitch Slap (4 Stars)


Three beautiful girls are in the desert looking for something. For most of the film it's not made clear what it is. Money? Treasure? Weapons? Various clues are given, but the question isn't answered till the end. The women are working together, but are far from being friends, and argue with one another throughout the film.

The film is the love child of Rick Jacobson, with assistance from Eric Gruendemann. It was his dream to make a film exactly how he wanted it, without interference from company executives who, in his opinion, have no idea about film quality and are only interested in making money. Jacobson financed the film himself, forcing him to make a low-budget movie, but he didn't want it to have a low-budget look. He did this by locating the film in the desert to keep the overhead costs low, and he filmed in the daylight to save costs on lighting. Smart. He wanted to make the film popular by giving the audience what they want, namely girls and guns, while keeping the story quality high. And he did a good job.

Watch out for appearances by Jacobson and Gruendemann's old friends from their work on the tv series "Hercules" and "Xena". Michael Hurst has a major role, while Kevin Sorbo, Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor appear in smaller roles.

While the film has a sensible plot, that isn't the point. It's all about the action. It's as exaggerated and over-the-top as the (admittedly limited) budget allows. Watch the trailer and decide if it's the right film for you. You'll either love it or hate it. Me? I loved it.

Click here to watch the trailer.

Sunday, 19 September 2010

Spider-Man (5 Stars)

Let's get nostalgic. When Stan Lee saw the finished version of this film for the first time he must have felt proud. This was the fulfilment of the dream he had when he wrote the first Spider-Man story in 1962. Amazing Fantasy #15 was the beginning of the silver age of comics. Lee's simple little story about a teenage hero changed the course of comic book history.

Fast forward to 2002. 40 years were needed before technology had advanced enough to transfer Lee's ideas from paper to film. And what a film! It's a true labour of love. It's obvious that director Sam Raimi is a fan of the character and treated Spider-Man with respect. The three films he made were intended to be as iconic as the sixties comic stories. And he succeeded. Maybe he rewrote certain events, and in particular he "telescoped events", pushing things together that happened years apart in the comics. For instance, the original Green Goblin first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #14 and didn't die until issue #122, published nine years later. However, the film takes care that the Goblin's death happens in exactly the same way as in the comic.
While I'm in the mood I'll name a few changes between the comics and the film. It's not meant to be complete. Maybe someone can comment on my post by listing other differences.

1. Although the ages are never explicitly stated, Peter Parker became Spider-Man at about 15 in the comics and at about 18 in the film. This is significant, because in the comics his early adventures take place while he's at school. He graduates from high school in issue #28.

2. In the comics he was a teenager in the sixties, in the film he's a teenager in the early 21st Century. All of the new Marvel films place the heroes today, and in general it works. I feel that the Hulk should have been left in the sixties.

3. In the comics Mary Jane was Spider-Man's third love interest, after Betty Brant and Gwen Stacy. In the film it's stated that he'd known her since he was six and had had a crush on her since fourth grade, but in the comics he doesn't meet her until issue #42 (his second year of college?)

I guess changes like these are necessary when you're compressing 2500 pages of comics into 100 minutes of film.


Let's move onto another topic. This is so far the only one of my favourite films that I rebought on Blu-ray after already owning it on DVD. I didn't intend to rebuy any films, but the Blu-ray Spider-Man Trilogy was on offer for £10.47 at Tesco, much less than I'd paid for the three films on DVD, so I made a spontaneous purchase. Was it worth it? Yes!

I need to go into this subject in more detail. When DVDs first came onto the market in 1996 the quality jump from videotapes was so immense that there was no doubt about upgrading. I rebought all my favourite films on DVD without hesitation, as many others did. Within five years DVDs were outselling videos. However, there doesn't seem to be the same rush to adopt Blu-ray since Blu-ray Discs were introduced in 2006. The experts say that it's a big quality jump in terms of sound and picture, but the public isn't convinced. Why not?

The main reason is that the improvement of DVD over videotape was obvious to everyone on the equipment they already had. The improvement of Blu-ray over DVD is only obvious with added investment. To appreciate the improved picture and sound quality of Blu-ray you need to invest at least £1000.

First the sound: Most people who watch films listen to the sound through the inbuilt television speakers. If you're not willing to pay £400 upwards to connect your television to a good hi-fi system you won't hear a difference between DVD and Blu-ray. Added to this is the problem that most people are unable to appreciate the difference in quality between cheap and expensive hi-fi systems. Sad but true. In the days when orchestral music was fashionable people trained their ears to pick out the individual instruments. In today's rock and pop era "loud is good".

As for the picture: If you're using a CRT television or a small flatscreen television you won't notice any difference between DVD and Blu-ray. But analogously to "loud is good" people today believe that "bigger is better", so the sales of large screen televisions are booming. People want a 40" television as a status symbol. The problem is that after changing from a 22" CRT television to a 40" flatscreen television you'll sit down to watch a DVD and you'll notice that something is wrong. The picture is less clear than it used to be. The problem is that the same number of pixels are being shown farther apart on the screen, so the picture looks fuzzier. This problem can be solved by playing your DVD with a Blu-ray player, because Blu-ray players have an "upscaling" feature, which processes the image to increase its vertical resolution from 576 pixels (PAL formatted DVDs) to 1080 pixels. Now it's a question of whether you're willing to pay about £100 for a Blu-ray player or £40 for a new DVD player with upscaling capabilities.

Upscaling a DVD picture is a big quality jump. Almost anyone will see the difference on a 40" television. The question is whether there's a difference between an upscaled DVD picture and a Blu-ray picture. It's not possible to answer that question directly. New films are filmed digitally or digitally mastered at 1080 pixels, so watching them at this resolution you will see fine details and perfectly sharp images. An upscaled 576 picture will look almost as sharp, but not quite. However, older films were transferred from tape to DVD at 576 pixels, and when they're released on Blu-ray they've been upscaled 1080 pixels in the studio from the digital DVD version, because it's faster and cheaper than a new transfer from the videotapes. In this case the DVD and the Blu-ray will look identical. Added to this is the problem that the original master tapes of older films are often in poor condition and even a new transfer wouldn't improve the picture.

I'll give a guideline whether Blu-rays are better than DVDs:

2006 to present: Blu-ray is better
1996 to 2005: Blu-ray may be better, especially in big budget productions
1995 and earlier: Blu-ray is not better

It's not impossible that a pre-1996 Blu-ray is stunning quality, but it's an exception. For any pre-2006 film that you're thinking of buying on Blu-ray, read reviews to see what other people think about the quality, then compare the prices. When an old film is rereleased on Blu-ray it means that the DVD is old but the Blu-ray is new, leading to considerable price differences. For instance, at Asda you can buy "Hollow Man" on DVD for £3 while the Blu-ray version costs £17.50. At price differences like that I'd only buy the Blu-ray if it were my favourite film, and even then I'd want to be 100% certain that the picture would really look better.

"Spider-Man" was made in 2001, and it's worth it. Excellent picture quality and hardly any price difference (at least not at Tesco). When all Blu-ray Discs are so cheap there will be no need to worry about what to buy.