(1981)
Dir - Michael Wadleigh
Overall: MEH
Uneven and overly long, Michael Wadleigh's Wolfen, (based off Whitley Strieber's novel The Wolfen), is a half success. The cinematography by Gerry Fisher and use of Predator style thermography are very excellent and the landscape of a barren, rundown Bronx, Central Park, and upper Manhattan is excitingly brought to life in a manner as if it was taking place in the conventional wilderness. While Gregory Hines is quite funny as a coroner and Tom Noonan as a sympathetic zoologist, lead Albert Finney appears to be either intoxicated, bored, hungry or all three, (within the first thirty minutes of the movie, he is eating in every scene). The plot is seriously overstuffed to the point where none of the elements are given any proper development. There is an environmental angle, stuff about terrorism, the plight of Native Americans, and political activism on top of lead characters who randomly fall in love with no explanation to be found. On the horror angle, Wolfen is mostly disappointing outside of some severed limbs being thrown around as there is very little suspense that is able to build up due to the plodding running time. As a tweak on the werewolf film, it is individual enough, but blows its potential to be anything more.
(1983)
Dir - Jack Clayton
Overall: GOOD
It is rather impressive that Disney's Something Wicked This Way Comes survived its troubled production and still noticeable flaws to end up working well enough as a final product. Ray Bradbury originally wrote it as a screenplay that was never made, then turned it into a novel, and then after many years, studios, and directors came on and off board, it finally got under way with Jack Clayton, (The Innocents), behind the lens. Yet then massive re-shoots, re-writes, and re-scores took place and the studio meddling certainly shows. The film begins and builds up nicely to a point, but the ending in particular is aggressively messy. There is clearly far more to some of these characters than we are given and the frenzied editing shows a lack of coherence near the finale that leaves far too much unfulfilled. Still, the performances and dark fairytale mood are pleasantly strong and even during the confused bits, they lift the movie up and carry it through. There is plenty of quality horror set pieces too involving creepy magic and multitudes of tarantulas running amok. Also did anyone else notice how James Horner's music rather blatantly rips off Darth Vader's main theme? Probably better that he did it here than for his Titanic score.
(1988)
Dir - William Lustig
Overall: GOOD
Written and directed by William Lustig, (Maniac), produced by Larry Cohen, (It's Alive, God Told Me To), and staring Bruce Campbell with a cameo from none other than Sam Raimi, Maniac Cop is a bit of an all-star, B-movie horror affair. Two sequels followed this one, (each handled yet again by Lustig), and it seems to have been the plan since the ending leaves us on a cliffhanger with yet another supernaturally proficient serial murderer unleashed on the movie-going masses. Which is how the 1980's rolled. For his part as the title character, Robert "The Chin" Z'Dar unfortunately does not get that much screen time outside of being silhouetted and the choice to film him in the typical slasher villain fashion seems more generic than necessary. Elsewhere, it is a pretty solid entry though. The script is smart in keeping its wrongfully excused character arc plausible enough and thankfully no one in the movie behaves in too stupid of a horror movie manner. This and the cast being rather solid, (besides Laurene Landon who gives the only embarrassing performance), is rather surprising as with a premise and title like this, the film easily could have been far too schlocky for its own good.
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