(1980)
Dir - Vernon Zimmerman
Overall: MEH
With the concept in tow of a lonely, disturbed cinephile run amok, writer/director Vernon Zimmerman's Fade to Black does not quite reach its on paper potential. The script kind of breezily moves along, playing itself rather seriously while failing to set up enough believably to make the elaborate kill scenes overcome their clumsiness. Speaking of said scenes, how Dennis Christopher's Eric Binford manages to be too lazy to hold a job or not borrow money from his Aunt even when he does, yet at the same time has access to a wealth of costumes, makeup, and weapons to turn into his own version of Hollywood screen villains is left for the audience to frustratingly theorize. It is also a problem that the entire film revolves around such an unlikable character in the first place and one that is never properly developed enough to garnish any sympathy for. He is not the only one on screen with this issue though; everyone else is just as underwritten with Marilyn Monroe stand-in Linda Kerridge and Tim Thomerson as a police psychologist either being unnecessary to the plot or behaving in a nonchalantly irrational manner. A small role by a fresh-faced, twenty-eight year old Mickey Rourke is worth taking note of though.
(1984)
Dir - Mark L. Lester
Overall: MEH
Hot off of E.T. and a year before appearing in the far more enjoyable Cat's Eye, nine-year old Drew Barrymore got to be the lead in the Stephen King adaptation Firestarter. While John Carpenter was initially on board to direct, after the financial disappointment that was The Thing, Universal replaced him with Mark L. Lester whose experience with horror was nil before coming on board here. Whether or not Carpenter being behind the lens would have produced more memorable results is open to speculation, but the resulting film falls adequately in the mediocre range of ones based off of King's written works. The ever reliable George C. Scott as a weird, diabolical ex-Vietnam vet with disturbing intentions towards Barrymore's character is a villainous highlight and Martin Sheen likewise does a competent job as a sleazy, experimental government agent. The movie's rather mundane structure is what undoes it though. Each act is kind of monotonous, (dad and daughter on the run, dad and daughter locked up by a secret society, dad and daughter trying to escape), and at regular intervals they are all just interrupted with Barrymore making serious faces and igniting things while her hair blows around wildly. It is fun at spots, but nothing to excitedly recommend.
(1988)
Dir - Frank LaLoggia
Overall: MEH
There is a blundering of tone issues at play with Frank LaLoggia's Lady in White, his second of three directorial efforts, all of which where horror movies. It is an ambitious enough script with racial injustice, supernatural shenanigans based off of the ghost legend of the title, 60's suburban, Normal Rockwell-esque nostalgia, slasher elements, and whimsical comedy all competing with each other for screen time. Perhaps biting off more than he can chew then, LaLoggia does not quite balance all of these components successfully. The horror moments are not that scary, the funny moments certainly not that funny, (many of which revolve around an elderly couple serving as eye-ball rolling Italian stereotypes), the twist not that twisty, and the often jubilant musical score keeps most of the proceedings in almost Disney-esque mode. Sadly there are dated special effects which are heavily utilized, only becoming a problem really during the final, unconvincing looking set piece. The performances are all around strong though, with eight year-old Lukas Haas and The Godfather's Alex Rocco being particularly good as father and son. Trimming some of its length and omitting some sub-plots might have help, but it is a bit of a jumble as is.
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