80's American Horror Part Ninety-Six

CLASS OF 1984

(1982)

Dir - Mark Lester

Overall: MEH

 

Director Mark Lester's first film of the 1980s was the nasty, exploitation revenge extravaganza Class of 1984; a purposely challenging watch that tackles teenage gang violence in a sensationalized and ugly manner.  Written by Lester, Tom Holland, and John Saxton of all people, the script frustratingly asks the audience to buy into a scenario where high school hoodlums have blatant, free reign of their environment at the cost of no students, faculty, parents, law enforcement officials, or adults of any kind doing anything about it until Perry King's headstrong music teacher shows up on the scene.  It is easy to miss the dark humor on account of the sincere tone, which makes various plot points seem more ridiculous than gripping.  Still, said script also makes one loath Timothy Van Patten's inner city gang of scumbags that much more, so that the comeuppance finale is satisfying enough in its brutality.  A theme song provided by Alice Cooper in his new wave prime, over-the-top punk rock attire, and a wonderful performance from Roddy McDowall, (as well as a minor one by a pre-fame Michael J. Fox), also help the violent proceedings along.

 

ENEMY MINE

(1985)

Dir - Wolfgang Petersen

Overall: GOOD

 

Though it had a troubled undertaking with original director Richard Loncraine being let go early on and then Wolfgang Petersen, (fresh off of The Neverending Story), stepping in, switching shooting to Munich, Germany, and letting the whole thing balloon over budget, Enemy Mine boasts a superb production design and a sincerely-presented science fiction story that explores prejudices and the emotional bonding of isolation.  An adaptation of Barry B. Longyear's novella of the same name, it pits Dennis Quaid's hot-shot, bigoted star pilot against Louis Gossett Jr.s devoutly religious, alien soldier; both party's species at intergalactic war with each other.  Stranded on a volcanic planet for several years, the actor's chemistry is gradually played out as their hostile relationship blossoms into brotherhood.  Maurice Jarre's overbearing musical score sets a cutesy tone at times and some may argue that there are tonal inconsistencies as the third act becomes too disturbingly violent to jive well with some of the more lighthearted moments, but it creates a more dynamic whole that is aided by solid performances from its two leads, excellent make-up and practical effects, plus a fully-realized alien setting.

 

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT PART 2

(1987)

Dir - Lee Harry
Overall: WOOF

 

For his first directorial effort, Lee Harry got a thankless, "trial by fire" assignment with Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2; one of the laziest and cheapest cash-grab sequels in slasher history.  Told by producers to merely re-edit footage from the infamous, video nasty first movie for re-release purposes, Harry instead chose to use the loose change budget in order to cobble together a barely-separate story.  Focusing on the baby brother of the Silent Night, Deadly Night murderer, the first forty minutes here is nothing more than a highlight reel of the last movie, before Eric Freeman's own nonsensical killing spree commences in full.  While it deserves nothing but scorn from any audience member that is rightfully irritated by being presented with merely half of an individual sequel, the proceedings are saved by Freeman's legendarily over-the-top performance.  Chewing the scenery in a way that Robert Englund would even find embarrassing, Freeman is delightfully ridiculous with his fake laughing, incessant, wide-eyed mugging, and of course the "Garbage day!" gag that is merely the tip of the iceberg concerning his cartoonish line delivery.  So depending on how you ask, it is either one of the worst movies ever made or one of the most hilarious worst movies ever made.