Reviews filed under High Concept – Poor Execution.

STREETS OF FIRE (1984)

25 years later Streets of Fire remains a misguided exercise in egomania and excess. It's like writer/director Walter Hill envisioned Hairspray, Grease, Blade Runner, and The Warriors having an orgy with Jim Steinman. Guest spots by Willem Defoe, Bill Pullman, and Lee Ving can't stop Michael Pare and Diane Lane from a theatrical crash and burn. Made at the time when studios were throwing money at filmmakers with ....

THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD (1975)

Mildly entertaining mystery movie involving lots of flashbacks and some convoluted reincarnation plot. Perhaps most noted for a margot Kidder nude scene, if you're into such a thing. mainly though it was made for people who were just getting into reincarnation and other such new age shitty belief systems. Guy has dreams of past life, goes back to visit those places, falls in love with past life daughter, ....

THIRST (1979)

Odd Hybrid sci-fi/vampire movie falling somewhere between One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest, Night of The Living Dead, and Coma. Big organization operates a "blood farm" where they drain blood from bodies and ship it globally to all the vampires around the world. Unfortunately switches from interesting to typical vampire fare 2/3 of the way in, then gets even more confusing and lost with dream sequences, flash forwards, and ....

MAN FRIDAY (1975)

The story of Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday. Extremely misguided attempt. Bounces between serious racial allegory with heavy societal commentary, to wacky slapstick comedy, and then to shitty grade school musical. Add to this the fact Crusoe is played by Peter O'Toole, who overacts the fuck out of the role. His performance just doesn't fit. As Friday, Richard Roundtree adds to the confusion by playing the meek ....