Dir - David Hemmings
Overall: MEH
This adaptation of James Herbert's 1976 novel The Survivor is an Australian production from David Hemmings, one of the last theatrically-released directorial efforts from the actor, (though he would continue to work behind the lens in television for a number of years). Clumsy and sluggish, it opens with a devastating 747 crash sequence that looks as it if took up ninety percent of the modest budget, but things steadily meander from there. Jenny Agguter spends the first forty-five minutes standing around outside looking concerned before she utters a word, and during her second dialog scene, she awkwardly goes berserk and attacks Robert Powell's disgraced pilot who was the only miraculous survivor from the inciting tragedy. There is a narrative purpose for Agguter's outburst of course, but this and many other scenes are handled in a similar butterfingered manner. The supernatural components are more half-baked than chilling, even though the tone remains humorless and the film goes to great lengths to bombard the soundtrack with the ethereal wails of its victims. At least Joseph Cotten collected one more paycheck here before officially retiring.
(1982)
Dir - Michael Anderson
Overall: MEH
Overall: MEH
A science fiction slasher movie where people are killed by getting electrocuted through the telephone, the appropriately titled Murder by Phone, (Bells, The Calling), at least deserves props for ingenuity. It is part of the early 80s slasher boom and is one of several to stem from Canada aye, but it does not adhere to many of the sub-genre's tropes. Instead of being a boring picking-off-victims scenario where everyone is an obnoxious stereotype, it follows a gloriously bearded Richard Chamberlain around as he tries to convince people of the absurd premise. Thankfully, the lead actor has charisma to spare and director Michael Anderson keeps the pace moving, at least up until a point. The death scenes are unintentionally comedic, (especially when people fly through the air due to their devises exploding), and the plot becomes a convoluted conspiracy thriller where a disgruntled employee utilizes his recently discovered technology for unstable revenge purposes. A boatload of people were involved with the story and screenplay, and things start to drag as it gets more bloated, resulting in a drawn-out conclusion that fails to live up to the mounting dread that we are supposed to feel as people pick up their phones to their doom.
(1989)
Dir - John Bowey
Overall: WOOF
The British/American/South African co-production Mutator was shot in the latter country and is a rare top-billed staring vehicle for character actor Brion James, who plays not a bad guy for once. As the title would suggest, there are house cats of the mutated variety and they are granted less than a minute of screen time. This is a good thing because they look terrible, but it is also a bad thing because guess what that leaves the rest of the movie to do? If you said, "Have boring characters walk around and talk" then you win a gold star. Casting James as the action hero lead is a hoot even if his character has the ridiculous distinction of being a scientist turned security guard, (the former title of which he is likely the least suited actor for), but without his presence, this would be a movie that was even more ignored and forgotten. The plot is mundane and repetitive, taking place almost entirely in a spacious factory and utilizing corporate cover up/genetic experiment cliches left and right, with a stock keyboard/sexy lead guitar score playing uninterrupted. It ends with James chasing a monkey and then a part of the building being on fire, but good luck remembering or giving a shit about anything else that happens before that.
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