Top 8 Lost/Destroyed Horror Films | (Out of Order)
Oo-ooo-o, velcome to the Lighttrain! I’m your conductor here again vor yet another epizode ov Out ov Order! Alright, enough of the vampire impression. For now, or course. When Hollywood has just become big and silent films were being produced, the major studios didn’t feel that the films being released should be preserved, and their tapes would often return from theaters and end up in a dark studio vault. Because of this, some movies would be lost forever or end up carelessly getting caught on fire and destroyed, and so this week we’re counting down 8 horror films, whether they may be lost or burned. Let’s get this show on the road!
No. I ~ The Ghost Breaker (1914, 1922)
Our first pick is technically two films, but I figured they were too similar to split up; The Ghost Breaker from 1914 and The Ghost Breaker from 1922. The first film is on the far right above, while the 1922 adaption is the middle poster. The duo of films have been adapted from a 1909 play of the same name, and both share the same plot. Despite the similarities it sounds like the tones are different; the 1914 version is more of black and white drama while its counterpart, a silent comedy. Even after these movies were lost, they were adapted twice more into The Ghost Breakers (poster on the far right) from 1940 and Scared Stiff, starring the slapstick companions Martin and Lewis, released in 1953.
My theories for each of their disappearances is that the 1914 version got worn out and neglected, most likely trashed. For the other, something’s telling me that it exists, with my bets being a studio executive got their hands on it and have it in their home somewhere. I’m not sure though, since info on these were rather sparce. Oh well, moving on.
No. 2 ~ King Kong Appears in Edo (1938)
Our next one is a little bit odd, or you couldn’t already tell by the poster above. King Kong from RKO Pictures was a game changer in practical effects, along with the Japanese Godzilla classic. Many other studios couldn’t even dare attempt such a risky move, but others were willing to perhaps take another route. Soy`a Kumagai (can’t write these Japanese names in the least), the director of King Kong Appears in Edo, is suspected to have referred to the yeti-looking creature as “King Kong” to gather audiences . The likelihood of this is quite possible, keeping in mind that some critics & film historians claim that the “Kong” is never mammoth in size throughout the film as well as that Appears in Edo was distributed by a low budget studio that most likely couldn’t even afford much effects at all. On the flip side of the coin, the costume designer and actor of Kong from the 1933 American version also worked on this film. Down the rabbit hole I go, huh? My guess is that the studio hired him in hopes to convince him it was, like, a successor to King Kong.
But for now, the film’s lost. Well, what happened to it? This is, to me, one of the easier hypotheses: Since the studio was a poverty row (B-movie) one, I believe that when the studio shut down they most likely trashed all their film reels, lost forever probably. The only thing we have is the Japanese magazine Kinema Junpo, which advertised the film in the April 14, 1938 issue. I’d say that’s enough of King Kong Appears in Edo for now; let’s continue.
No. 3 ~ The Mummy films (1911-1923)
Ah yes, the Boris Karlof Mummy. A classic example of early monster movies. And of course, that meant it got it’s fair share of fans. A common question among them was if there were any older Mummy movies that predated 1932, the year of the Karloff classic. It turns out that there are at least four other older films titled The Mummy; one from 1911, 1912, 1914, and finally 1923. That’s not even all of them, as there are additional films that also have the word Mummy in the movie’s name but that would be to many for me to possibly list here. The one most sources have info on is the 1911 incarnation, which is about a young scientist who wants to prove himself to this romantic interest and her father by being an Egyptologist, but a mummy he possesses becomes reanimated and falls in love with him. All that exists is a single still of the main cast.
While the 1911 Mummy is thought to be the earliest of its own title, The Monster Book says that Robbing Cleopatra’s Tomb from 1899 and Le Mombie del Roi from 1909 are older, though those two are also lost.
No. 4 ~ Dracula’s Death (1921)
Before the 1931 Dracula and even before Nosferatu was the Hungarian horror film Drakula Halala, but for the best let’s just call it by its English counterpart, Dracula’s Death. It’s about a woman in a mental institution who’s being haunted by what she assumes are visions of Dracula himself. Although it seems to be the first Dracula film ever made, The Vampire Book has an earlier adaptation, called simply Dracula, that is said to be released a year prior to Dracula’s Death, but the book also points out that no copies of the 1920 version exist. The film’s footage have been said to have appeared in Siberia, though since the revealed clips are probably fake and that not much more of the discovery has been expanded on in quite some time points that the “found” copy is more likely than not, a hoax.
As of July 2020, the book Tome of Terror written by film critic Troy Howarth claims yet another skeptical revelation that a prized issue of Dracula’s Death is in some Hungarian archive, though, like the 1920 Russian Dracula confirmed by The Vampire Book, we can’t be sure if this is fact of fiction. So, in order of the Dracula films, there’s the Bram Stroker classic, Nosferatu, which only horror nerds know about, Dracula’s Death, which few know about, and the Russian Dracula that might not even exist.
We’ll return with more lost horror movies after these messages…
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No. 5 ~ Phantom of the Opera (1916)
It may come as a surprise for many fans of the original Phantom of the Opera that the first adaption of Gaston Leroux’s novel is missing. Not only missing, but no footage, photo stills or even a poster have been found as of yet. The only existing information is that it was directed by Ernst Matray in autumn 1915, the film was German and a silent film with English intertitles, and only a few cast members. According to myth, Nils Chrissander played the iconic Phantom while Aud Egede Nissan played the role of Christine. In addition, director Matray played the character Raoul.
My best bet is that this Phantom of the Opera might’ve got destroyed during World War II or something similar, and before that it just remained locked up in a German archive.
No. 6 ~ Life Without Soul (1915)
This was the unofficial sequel to the Edison Frankenstein short film from 1910, in of itself also believed lost. On a brief but interesting tangent from the main feature, the Edison Frankenstein was purchased by film collector Alois Dattlaff from his mother-in-law in the 50s, though Dattloff didn’t uncover the copy’s rarity until the mid 70s. He then issued a 35mm print to keep in preservation as well as 1,000 DVD’s containing the whole 14 minutes of film. Today Frankenstein from 1910 remains in the public domain though Life Without Soul has been all but forgotten. All that really remains is the lobby card shown above, as well as the cast and a synopsis. The framing device is that a man dreamt the whole picture after falling asleep reading the Mary Shelly Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus novel.
To be completely honest, I have no clue where this film could be. I don’t know if it was burned up or lost, who knows. Almost finished here today, so let’s wrap this thing up.
No. 7 ~ The Cat Creeps (1930)
Our next film is similar to Phantom of the Opera in that it would make history if it weren’t lost. Universal wanted to remake their 1927 silent horror movie The Cat and the Canary into a sound film, which would have made it the first horror talkie ever produced. While the film has been viewed by some, no copies have been found of the remake, titled The Cat Creeps. Luckily, there are bits and pieces of The Cat Creeps that can be seen by general eyes, thanks to the horror comedy short Boo!, released by Universal in 1932 and incorporating 2 full minutes of footage, and the soundtrack being available on CD discs, though such are rather difficult to get hands on. There might also be some value in the Spanish film La Voluntad del Muerto, which is a foreign language version of the film. According to my sources, this edition of the film is not lost, so I suppose The Cat Creeps is still out there! In Spanish translation, that is.
In 1946, The Cat Creeps was remade again into a film of the same name, though the plot resembled more with the 1940 mystery film Horror Island rather than the movie it was remaking. From the archived reviews of the 1930 version, opinions have been highly positive, so let’s hope one day we can dig up The Cat Creeps and see for ourselves.
No. 8 ~ London After Midnight (1927)
The final film of the evening might just be our most popular, London After Midnight directed by Tod Browning (who made the 1931 Dracula and the controversial 1932 film Freaks) and starring Lon Chaney, a frequent collaborator of Browning. You would think that a film with such excellent talent would be treated with care, hence not the case. Apparently the presumed last copy of the film was destroyed in the 1965 MGM studio fire, along with many other rare older films. Despite this, many film historians remain fascinated by London After Midnight, and it manages to be a staple in the mystery thriller genre even with no copies of footage existing.
Would you look at that! Lon Chaney’s role as the Man in the Beaver Hat could be just as iconic as Frankenstein or Dracula, and he sort of is. In modern times I’m definite that many filmmakers wouldn’t be able to create a character this exaggerated, but back then they did. In 2002, the television network Turner Classic Movies used stills and photos from the partially found feature and produced a 45 minute recreation of London After Midnight, using the original script as a reference. So, thank you TCM for being awesome, but that’s a subject best saved for its own separate post.
That’s all for this episode. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Out of Order and keep up with washing your hands, maintaining social distance, and eat some more cabbage. Trust me on that last one.
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Dragon’s Lair: Evolving the Arcade | Lighttrain
Good evening, folks! I’m your conductor at it again with a fresh new retrospective study. And to keep in ties with my previous review, which covered 80s films, let’s walk right next door from the multiplex to the Arcade. Let’s see, Space Invaders, Popeye, Galaga… ah, Dragon’s Lair! Now this game was the creation of the guy who had the guts to give the Disney executives the finger, Don Bluth. He would leave the studio and go on to direct such animated cornerstones as Land Before Time and An American Tale. And I’m here to discuss the game, it’s sequel, how it isn’t flawless, and what the future holds for the franchise. Let’s get this show on the road!
Dragon’s Lair (1983)
The one that started it all (and a surplus of wannabes), Dragon’s Lair, was the first installment in the franchise, released to arcades across the United States to booming success. Thanks to this game, it revived the slowly dying arcade industry at the time, earning the businesses deepest respects. But what’s the game all about? Well, it’s rather straightforward; you control the actions of a bumbling knight named Dirk the Daring, and must travel throughout the belly of a mammoth tower on a quest to rescue the ditzy princess Daphne from the dragon’s keep. The gameplay has the protagonist, Dirk, come across various rooms in the castle and is faced with a dilemma, like a monster or obstacle, and you must decide what you believe is the correct choice. You can move Dirk up, down, left or right with a single joystick or fight with your sword by pushing the namesake button.
What do I think of the game? Okay so, the mechanics are decent and the graphics are gorgeous for sure, but the gameplay is kinda a mixed bag. It’s just constant trial and error where you die over and over and just have to attempt again when you come across the same room later. Your abilities are never tested, you just try again. Additionally, and I know this was unintentional, but your probably too distracted admiring the graphics that you die. Trust me, you die a lot thanks to this game being rather fast paced as well as other inconveniences.
The game is sort of frustrating because its defining quality, the animated graphics, are playing a hand in the gameplay’s stumble. Due to such, I’d instead give a go with the original Castlevania game on the Nintendo rather than Dragon’s Lair. Better luck next time, Don.
RATING: 7/10 “Stunning and Suitable, but Lacking in Gameplay”
Dragon’s Lair II: Time Warp (1991)
The first true sequel to the original game was Time Warp, released to arcades and laserdisc in the early 90s. The controls and gameplay are almost exactly the same as Dragon’s Lair, with two major differences. The first is that this time the structure is in a linear pattern where you travel through various time frames and alternate dimensions to reach Daphne. When you would be killed here, you respawn at a certain checkpoint at the beginning of the stage, unlike previously where you just respawn in a randomized room of the castle.
The second change is the addition of “treasures”, which are trinkets that you have to retrieve throughout the stages. An issue that they bring is that when you reach the final stage, if you don’t have every single treasure then you have to start all over again at the very start of the game. How cruel of them, wouldn’t you say? To make matters worse, some of these treasures are incredibly difficult to find, again with the fast pacing screwing with the player. Example: A giant cat creature breathes fire just as a glowing orange treasure is ready to be plucked. You can’t even see it because it’s camouflaged! The team wanted to pose a new challenge to players and I do appreciate the introduction of something new to maybe switch things up, but it’s yet again a trial and error ingredient to something already entirely composed of that.
To be honest, Time Warp is very creative with its stages. It ranges from the Garden of Eden to Wonderland, yes like Alice in Wonderland, to even Betthoven’s home where you’re fighting his cat while he, cross-dressed as Elton John, plays a flying piano. It’s absolutely bonkers but I appreciate it for that. While the two share the same successes and flaws, I prefer Time Warp for its creativity and more consistent gameplay compared to Dragon’s Lair.
RATING: 7.5/10
We’ll talk about Dragon’s Lair’s spiritual successor and it’s movie adaption when we return…
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Space Ace (1984)
Four months after the release of the groundbreaking Dragon’s Lair, Don Bluth’s new arcade game project was unveiled. It was titled Space Ace, and had a Flash Gordon-esque sci-fi theme. It was later released in the Spring of 1984. The premise is similar to Dragon’s Lair; you play Dexter, or “Ace”, a smug space pilot who has made it his mission to defeat the despicable Commander Borf. The latter has just unleashed the “Infanto Ray”, an invention of his that he is using on humans to render them as children, thus helpless. Borf has also abducted Ace’s female companion Kimberly and effected Ace with the ray, altering him to his adolescent self. The younger Dexter must now dodge Borf’s attacks, save Kimberly and rescue the Earth from the Commander’s threat.
Of course, Space Ace wasn’t nearly as popular as its own inspiration, likely because of their close release frame. But was the gameplay better by any chance? Just like Time Warp, similarities are noticeable, but it manages to stir in its own signature features and elements to keep things somewhat fresh. Space Ace decides to include skill levels; before you begin the game, you choose one of three skills, “Cadet”, “Captain” or “Space Ace” . These are for easy, medium and hard difficulty respectively. When you select the hardest setting, you play through every scenario, while the easy variable only does about half of those. Another addition is a “multiple choice” style of play, where multiple locations have more than one path to choose from, giving the game a good replayability aspect. Most of the game you play as the young Dexter, but you can occasionally choose to momentarily revert back to Ace for a more offensive round.
In conclusion of the spin-off, Space Ace changed just enough to engage the eye of animation buffs and Dragon’s Lair fans, but suffers from not being too memorable or creating an identity for itself.
RATING: 6/10 “Forgettable”
What’s Next for the Franchise?
Since the mid-80s, Don Bluth has been trying to create a bona fide Dragon’s Lair movie, although the project was prevented because of the high production values and lack of studio interest. The film adaptation seemed to be shelved for good after Bluth retired from animation in 2000 following Titan A.E.’s financial failure, and word was silent until fifteen years later when Bluth started an Indiegogo. What do you know, it was a crowd funding campaign for the feature! The campaign did relatively well by raising over 700 thousand dollars total, though it was said that this would only fund a five-minute pitch reel to show to investors and not the real deal.
The pitch was alright, but I’m sure it would’ve looked much better with the final product. Apparently, studios were uninterested as 3d animated films were the modern aesthetic until the film eventually settled with Netflix. But not how it was intended; yeah, it was now planned to be a live-action adaptation with Bluth and Ryan “Eggplant King” Reynolds as producers. This is confusing.. a game iconic for its theatrical quality cartoon visuals is being trashed in favor of the norm. Netflix has done a spiritual continuation to Heavy Metal, action shows for adults and kids (Castlevania, Glitch Techs), a 2d-3d hybrid Christmas movie and made Green Eggs and Ham surprisingly heartfelt and spectacular. They’ve done so much great passion works for the cartoon medium and this feels like a step backwards.
More intrigue comes from speculation if Reynolds is in the role of Dirk or not, but the pitch does interpret the character in a more snarky light, so perhaps? Don stated that, in a package with the film, a short film based off Space Ace would proceed it. So are they still doing that or not? My thoughts correspond with another essay suggesting that the movie could have an audience interaction layer with multiple choice, similar to the Black Mirror special Bandersnatch. However with a lack of info there’s no knowing for sure what’s going to happen with this film. Until we hear more, thank you for reading today and I wish you the safest of times. Later!
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The NEVER-ENDING STORY Vs. LABYRINTH: Who will be the Fantasy Feud Victor? | LightTrain
Greetings and salutations, I’m the conductor of the Lighttrain and thank you very much for tuning in this week! The 80s were a strange decade, that’s one thing that’s for sure. It was a creative goldmine, blessing us all with innovative films, games and whatnot that stretched the limits. Fantasy particularly flourished during this period, and today we’re talking about two of such movies, The NeverEnding Story and Labyrinth. Before we continue further, special thanks to all of you for your patience and encouragement during this busy time of my life; it really helps a ton! Okay, on with the show.
This is a new format of a review so let me take a paragraph, although a brief one at that, to explain how I’m going to work it out. I’ve watched both of these films and wrote notes on 4 main subjects both movies shared to see which did that subject better. I’ll discuss both in the topic and at the end of each one give the winning movie a tally. Since their are four subjects, the film with three tallies wins overall; On a 2/2 score, it’s a tie. This time around, I don’t believe summarizing the plots of both are necessarily important so let’s just jump right into the meat of the matter.
Point Numero Uno: Special/Practical Effects
To answer, no, I’m not entirety sure why I wrote that segment in Spanish. Maybe I thought it would be funny, and boy do we need humour right now don’t we. Anyways, let’s talk about the effects, shall we? First, Labyrinth. This film was the love child of Jim Henson of Muppets fame, so I shouldn’t have been surprised by the masterful puppetry work done here. Although some of these models can pass as a little offputting, the team really put blood and sweat into this project, and it shows. I found myself wondering how they did various scenes, particularly a part involving many sentient hands. That’s a good sign when I question how you pulled such feats off. Granted, there were a couple of puppet strings I managed to catch but even those didn’t suck me out of the world.
Now we move across the fence over to The NeverEnding Story to see if the grass is truly greener. While the effects were serviceable enough, some were cheap-looking and haven’t aged the best. Specifically the major selling point that is Falkor the “luckdragon”, who I found the fact that he was indeed an animatronic was obvious. Yikes. I do like the backgrounds though, but not enough for me to warrant it any high praise. I think the worst element with the effects were the green and/or blue screen, that of which didn’t fool me for a second. Not a good start for The NeverEnding Story, is it. Don’t worry, it could still catch up, but for now Labyrinth wins the tally.
Labyrinth (1/0) The NeverEnding Story
Point Numero Dos: Characters
I guess I’m rolling with the Spanish numbering now, aren’t I… Oh right, characters. Labyrinth does have the popular glam rock artist David Bowie playing Jareth the goblin king, and yes, he may be the most interesting character here. He isn’t explored very much though, leaving his villain rather flat. It’s like putting cookie dough balls on a baking sheet but not putting them in the oven; still good, just lacking the essence of a cookie, or in this case, villain. Everyone else is kind of obnoxious, with the whiney lead female protagonist Sarah being arguably worse than most of the labyrinth’s inhabitants. Well, second only to a tribe of furry, blood-orange colored abominations that mug the screen for about four dreadful minutes. Urgh.
NeverEnding Story doesn’t have spectacular characters either, but this is a kind of tale that doesn’t need a complex or compelling main cast, with one exception. The whole plot depends on this young boy, who has something of a spiritual presence in the world of the book. Now, I don’t plan on having any kids, but I found this boy was an accurate depiction of someone his age. He acts like one in that he counteracts and is antsy but never becomes annoying. I hope that described it well enough. None of the side-characters were obnoxious either, not too memorable but they fit into their role’s mold fair enough. So for now, NeverEnding Story takes the tally this time, temporarily.
Labyrinth (1/1) The NeverEnding Story
Point Numero Tres: Atmosphere/Tone
The tone of your film is a key component in my humble film-brain opinion, and when making a movie it’s always a good idea to determine your project’s tone… and stick with it! I’m going to be observing the two duelists in this light here. Beginning yet again with Labyrinth, the atmosphere is set to be sort of surreal and whimsical, like Alice in Wonderland in various ways. And if you think of it as a spiritual successor to Wonderland, like Everyone Wants Some!!! is to Dazed and Confused, then you may have a fun time. It’s not meant to be thought-provoking, and it knows this as well.
While one of our fighters is more whimsical and a goofball, the other views things much more grim. I like this combination of tones, as you will see in Volt Vulture; I found that my storytelling style has lots of whimsy, especially in the characters, added with a darker approach with the humour and dialogue. But here we see them separated, which leads to this enticing conversation. The setting of NeverEnding Story is being folded in a growing darkness, known as the “nothing” , which sucks a lot of possible color and majestics from the world. I’m not against hard, grim fantasies if done maybe a little better; like my opening statement, I’m not sure that NeverEnding Story knew what atmosphere it was aiming for, so I feel like Labyrinth earns another tally.
Labyrinth (2/1) The NeverEnding Story
Point Numero Final: World
Ah yes, the final matchup. 2/1; If Labyrinth wins this tally it wins the entire match. Speaking of which, the setting of said movie is, well, a labyrinth. They explore many areas of the maze, giving us what I believe is only a glimpse of the odd creatures that abide within. While watching, I actually considered writing a story that takes place entirety within a maze, however I have not as of yet. I did want to wander around a little longer if I could even though, or course, I cannot.
Like I have dipped into in the previous quarter, the world of NeverEnding Story is a rather bleak and lifeless place, and that’s the films whole intention. In the rightful manner, I will look at it as such, ignoring any comparison to the former. If I were to choose a world, I would go for this one, thanks to the artistic design. If I were to nitpick at it, emphasizing the setting would have to be a big one. Another fault is after the movie was completed, I didn’t remember any distinct elements about the world that set it apart from any other fill-in-the-blank fantasy land. For those issues I’m giving the third and winning tally to Labyrinth to end this duel. Despite lacking significantly in the character department, Jim Henson and his team brought us a gorgeous land to explore and a lighthearted tone set in solid stone to delight in.
Enjoy your 4th of July with the firework shows and bbq dinners you can manage. Thank you for tuning into this film duel on the Lighttrain, wear a mask, wash your hands and don’t write Spanish numbers like I did. Catch you later.
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NEXT | The History and Retrospective of Dragon’s Lair, and how it Falls Flat
From TOY STORY to FINDING NEMO: Every Pixar Film Reviewed Vol. 1 – LightTrain
In 1994, a collective troupe of imagineers under the Lucasfilm banner unveiled the first Pixar Image Computer. This has since paved the way for more than 24 feature films and about 40 shorts from the studio. Today, these groundbreaking animators have touched many hearts and connected us with hundreds of sympathetic characters by taking old formulas and adding a drop of their unique spin on them. But even though every dog has their day, they have also fallen short of their standards audiences would come to expect. Diving into the duds, the masterpieces and everything in-between, this is the first batch of Pixar films reviewed: Let’s get this show on the road!
TOY STORY (1995)
Right off the bat here, I didn’t grow up loving Toy Story and I don’t have much nostalgic feelings for it, so know that I’m not the biggest fan. With that, this film is a pretty enjoyable watch and stars Tom Hanks as a cowboy doll named Woody, who becomes envious of the affection directed towards new ‘space ranger’ toy Buzz Lightyear, an action figure that believes he is a genuine galactic guardian. One element I originally ignored but praise nowadays is the simple story, given its competitors are releasing ambitious cartoons with musical sequences and high-stake adventures. Honestly, some of my favorite types of movies are those that can have relatable and interesting characters just chill and chat with each other, and Toy Story has a healthy level of that.
But what placed this feature on the map as a rising filmmaking force was the technological advancements used for the very first time ever: a full-length theatrical CGI production. Sure, there were cutting-edge computer affects in Jurassic Park and Terminator 2: Judgement Day that continue to gather acclaim, but a whole movie! Back then this was like nothing before it, which is why I believe it is so revolutionary and never fails to climb remarkably high on rankings of the company’s catalog. In my own opinion, minus the majority of the humans, it all still remains easy on the eyes, offering a nice platter of facial expressions and movements which accompany solid designs.
The ensemble of Andy’s playthings are probably what most folks recognize out of the other ingredients. Ranging from Buzz with his iconic smug grin, the wisecracking Hamm, the sarcastic and dry Mr. Potato Head, or the nervous Rex; all are remembered for their different outlines and equally separate personalities. However, Woody in this installment reminds me all like an antagonist, rather the protagonist he eventually became. This can get grading, since he possibly is the character with the most time on screen, but his blooming friendship with Buzz saves this definite concern from packing a terrible punch.
There’s no denying it, Toy Story has left quite the mark on film history. This classic implements wit, charming characters, a fresh perspective, impeccable animation and a lot of heart, while also showing Disney that the smaller-scale style still has the chops.
RATING: 8/10
A BUG’S LIFE (1998)
After the sleeper success of Toy Story, the Pixar imagineers, and mainstream viewers as well, knew that they would have to pull a miraculous trick in order to top the revolutionary new player in the industry. Their offering was A Bug’s Life in 1998, which was inspired by the Aesop cable The Ant and the Grasshopper as well as mirroring the synopsis of Seven Samurai. It is about a colony of ants that are antagonized by a gang of grasshoppers led by the intimidating Hopper for a monthly food supply from them. After inadvertently losing Hopper’s supply, the inventive though clumsy outcast Flik suggests his colony recruit a team of warriors to fend off Hopper’s gang, and eventually employs the “warriors” he is looking for, whom are unbeknownst to him actually a circus troupe.
Now, Bug’s Life is definitely remembered for… um, being one of Pixar’s weakest films, I suppose. After actually rewatching the movie, I was a bit stumped on how this ended up ranking in the lower half constantly. It might’ve been that it was sandwiched between two of the studio’s best, Toy Story and Toy Story 2, perhaps the controversy involving the rivalry against John Lasseter of Bug’s Life and Jeffery Katzenberg of Antz, maybe they’re library was so remarkably well-recieved that the lesser sides had to just trail around in the shadows.
Why I really appreciate Bug’s Life is due to its characters, more specifically the villain Hopper and the circus bugs. Hopper may be one of the most under-recognized antagonist in not only animation but also film history for not only being dripping ooze as well as great the any colony like dirt but additionally having a menacing presence that steals every scene he’s in.
While the circus bugs aren’t show-stopping, they are remarkably likeable and rich in charm. By the film’s end, you may have wished the whole feature focused on them rather than the ants, because I certainly can’t deny I didn’t. If you remember this movie well enough, who was your favorite of the circus group? Mine would probably be the stick bug, Slim I think. Flik and the rest of the colony were nothing memorable but they were suitable enough, never becoming grading or such. That phrase I used to describe the ants, ‘not memorable’, pretty neatly sums up Bug’s Life, save some supporting elements. It was one of the few of Pixar’s films I indeed had to rewatch for this review and I honestly couldn’t tell if I’ve watched it before or not. Surreal.
It has quite the forgettable aftertaste, though Bug’s Life is still a very amusing experience throughout. Did Bug’s Life suffer from the close release of Antz? I wouldn’t say so, if anything Bug’s Life turned the tables on its competitor and was a more clever and quaint film overall with kudos to it’s uplifting, charismatic cast.
RATING: 6/10 “Definite Reccomend”
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Toy Story 2 (1999)
Toy Story 2 should’ve been a disaster. After Disney purchased the small-time company they pushed forward their desire for a sequel to the critical and commercial darling Toy Story. They pushed hard. The script had to be re-written myriads of times and kept teetering on whether it was to be released to cinemas or get dumped to DVD and video. But in 1999, the second installment finally hit theaters as well as a cinematic target that I doubt anybody was genuinely expecting.
But what’s this one about? Woody the cowboy doll inadvertently ends up in a yard sale and is stolen by the greedy toy collector Al and taken to Al’s toy store. In light of this, Buzz leads a rescue operation with the others to recover Woody. However, things take a turn when Woody discovers he was the star of a classic children’s television program called “Woody’s Roundup” and meets his co-stars as well; his horse Bullseye, Jessie the cowgirl and Stinky Pete the prospecter. Will the gang be able to convince Woody to return home?
In my reboot speculation, I noted a variety of incidents where continuations can be great. Well, what do you know, Toy Story 2 checks off all of them. John Lasseter and the Pixar team did what all the best sequels do by introducing new themes and building the world up while pulling off the same tone as its predecessor. You may not know that Toy Story 3 was my least favorite of the acclaimed quartet but it’s because of a dark shift in tone and borrowing many plot elements from the second. For example, the villains are both twists, they’re a more overweight fellow with a cane, they initially comfort are protagonists with love and repairs but show their true colors when they turn against his will. We’ll talk more about Toy Story 3 more on Vol. 3 so stay tuned.
There are also various little details that I adore within this flick, like 1) We have both a demented Buzz while also still enjoying our sane, loveable Buzz whilst Toy Story 3 attempted yet again with the concept and stumbled up 2) the emotional crux of the film and Woody’s internal struggle with wanting to stay with the Woody’s Roundup toys or Andy is really well-done, as is Jessie’s backstory sequence 3) The humor and heart of the story stays strong throughout, bringing some hilarious and earnest highs 4) the animation and stakes have been dialed up, the former particularly on the human characters. So on and so forth.
Shockingly enough, I stand by that Toy Story 2 was a better movie than the first. I definitely understand that many of people worldwide love the first and if so, good! We’re all people with varied opinions and I feel we should respect other people’s take on something. For me, the stakes were so high, the emotional elements too stable and the hilarity this top-notch and I feel it improved on the ideas of the first by stretching the world wider. It’s a masterpiece in my eyes and one of Pixar’s best offerings as of yet.
RATING: 10/10
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Woody and Buzz. Marlin and Dory. Carl and Russel. Miguel and Hector. What do they have in common? They’re some of Pixar’s best iconic protagonist duos would be my answer if something didn’t feel so… off. Like a missing piece of the puzzle, Mike and Sully are essential when talking about these duos and their feature debut came in the form of the workplace mystery comedy Monsters, Inc..
Inside the world of Monstropolis, all their electricity is powered by the screams of human children and the brave scarers over at Monsters, Incorporated do that job with pride. But also safety. In fact, according to professionals, humans are fatally toxic to them. Hastily, top scarer James P. “Sully” Sullivan and his one-eyed partner and roommate Mike Wazowski must return a young human girl back home after she enters the factory, leading to an adventure while also stumbling upon a darker secret hidden by the company.
Just the worldbuilding in this movie alone is stellar, setting up all the ideas and motives in the first third before kicking into high gear and having everything neatly pay off by the climax. Many critics have praised another Pixar film, Inside Out‘s, originality with the whole concept, which I don’t find true. The concept has been done before such as in the 90s Fox sitcom Herman’s Head, that one episode of Spongebob Squarepants, and the Epcot attraction Cranium Command. However, Monsters, Inc.‘s concept is something that had never been done before, or even after. But like Inside Out, both of their small abstract ideas are creative flow at its finest.
The animation and textures are pleasing to the eye as always (what did I expect though, really?). The score is nice and very lively and snazzy, which is such a delight. I do have my fair share of issues with Monsters, Inc. like some of the humor is a little odd at times, though thankfully it never was bad humor; just didn’t quite hit the mark. And honestly, some of your disdain for the film hinges on how much you can stand Billy Crystal as Mike.
I don’t have much to say about Monsters, Inc. except the following; it’s an entertaining, high-energy romp with loads of hilarity and heart to spare as well. Unlike most animated family films, Monsters, Inc. is one of the rare occasions where the “family” tag is correct; I can see many adults finding themselves really having a good time on this one. What can I say, a classic.
RATING: 8/10
Finding Nemo (2003)
Ah yes, the final feature for today: Finding Nemo. When it was released back in 2003 the buzz surrounding it was strong and constant, which, yes, was rather annoying. But we’re not talking about buzz, we’re digging into the grub. So let’s get started!
Marlin the clownfish is neurotic. In that, he’s incredibly overprotective and nervous about his son, Nemo. Sick of his father’s frame of mind, Nemo incidentally ends up taken by a human diver to a dentistry in Australia as an addition to their fish tank. To save his son, Marlin befriends a forgetting companion blue tank named Dory and travels through the vast ocean towards Australia, coming face to face with many underwater threats. Can Marlin overcome his nervousness and find Nemo?
The real question is ‘Can I tell you a fact you’ve heard many times before?’. Can I? Please? Thank you very much; anyway, Finding Nemo‘s “sea-scape” is absolutely stunning. I know, I know… But you can’t deny it’s true, can you? It honestly appears to be real water! So much so that when Marlin is repeatedly calling Nemo’s name and goes above water for a bit, I was offputed slightly by that talking, cartoon fish right in the middle of a realistic backdrop. The colors shine seamlessly across the gigantic subsided space.
Speaking of colors, the whole cast of deep-sea creatures are full of personality, convictions and as named, color. Even the most minor of characters you kinda understand what they’re all about. Nigel the pelican is friendly and helpful, Chum the Mako shark is hyperactive and the purple gamma fish Gurgle is pessimistic and a germaphobe; All of which were just some examples. After rewatching it just recently you also notice how many iconic and memorable scenes there are in this movie: “Fish are Friends, not Food”, “Just keep swimming”, the jellyfish, “Mine, mine, mine”, Crush, “He touched the butt”, “Shark bait, oo-ha-ha”. There’s so much!
In closing, Finding Nemo is a difficult movie to find flaws with. Full of engaging moments, unforgettable characters, classic scenes and Pixar’s usual charm and visuals, Finding Nemo proves itself a timeless treasure in the studio’s already crowd-pleasing pantheon.
RATING: 9/10
We’ll be ranking each film as we go along…
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- Toy Story 2
- Finding Nemo
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- Monsters, Inc.
- Toy Story
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- Bug’s Life
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Stay tuned for Volume 2 of the Pixar reviews on July 16. Thank you guys for 52! Later.
~ Transmission Disconnected ~
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NEXT | You Guys Choose! Comment below what film you want me to review
‘Three Amigos’ Review: Is it the Rock Bottom of John Landis’ Career? | LightTrain
Ola’! I’m the conductor of the train and today we’re looking at Three Amigos, directed by John Landis and released in 1986 by HBO productions. Before this film, Landis had been a great comedic talent in the filmmaking buisness, working on such classics of the genre as National Lampoon’s Animal House, The Blues Brothers and An American Werewolf in London. Does Three Amigos hope up to those standards with the comedic aid of Steve Martin and Lorne Michaels? Let’s watch it and find out: This is the Lighttrain’s in-depth review of Three Amigos, Let’s get this show on the road!
The story follows a trio of bumbling silent film stars; Lucky Day, Dusty Bottoms and Ned Nederlander, who are the leads of the popular film serial The Three Amigos. Recently let go by the series’ studio, they venture off to Santo Poco, Mexico after receiving the telegram of the hopeful Carmen, the daughter of the village monarch. Carmen has mistakenly believed the roles factual and anticipates the actors will fend off the ransacking crook El Guapo whom had been terrorizing her town; In turn, the actors think that Carmen has hired them for a lucrative film deal. Will the actors manage to overcome the truth and manage the courage to defeat El Guapo’s cartel?
Before we dive into the review, I want to thank my friend and passenger Lord Vocem of Beyond for suggesting this film; If you want to suggest a movie for me to review, go ahead and email me or comment below your pick. Now, let’s go over an element that distracted my experience in a less than stellar way, which would be the backgrounds/locations. This is somewhat of a Western so complaining about the bland set design may sound a bit ridiculous; So, to prove my point, I have a few examples to share. First, Once Upon a Time in the West, which has many different shades of orange and yellows as well as colorful clothing and elements. Back to the Future Part III also had variety when it came to certain places. Three Amigos was an overload of brown and it translates that the country the movie takes place in isn’t very exciting, just bland.
But color variation is not much more than a nitpick, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. The acting is well-done for its part and they encapsulated the film’s mood as well. No one was doing a sub par job but no one was raising the bar either. Some jokes are crafted with amusing precision but not much of them were real hard-hitters, since the hardest laugh it squeezed out of me was a delighted chuckle from a gag involving Mexican food. Now, this could be an issue for comedies when too much jokes failed to stir up a laugh but usually ones that’s jokes never botch up consistently I’ll give it a pass.
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Another kinda-issue I had involved the villain, El Guapo. Before I get off on the wrong foot, I’m totally cool with films making entertaining antagonists, but they should still be threatening and pose a legitimate threat to our heros. Three Amigos doesn’t do that, making him a joke. That sounds alright on paper making the opposing sides equally buffoonish but that ultimately leads the three amigos overcoming themselves to defeat him not feel as earned. Additionally, the climactic defeat scene takes place at El Guapo’s birthday celebration and they show it more than probably necessary. So much so that you actually feel sympathetic for him; like “Oh, he got a sweater! Good for him.” . I’m most likely overanalyzing this slapstick comedy, aren’t I?
In the end, John Landis has done worse than this. It’s harmless and watchable enough, even if the laugh count doesn’t reach much heights. The performances and almost a Holy Grail sensibility elevate the picture to it’s current reappraisal. Some decisions are messier than desired, but almost in a Sloppy Joe sorta way: A very enjoyable experience despite the dripping nitpicks. Not bad at all.
RATING: 6/10 “Enjoyable, though sloppy”
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NEXT | Every Pixar Film Reviewed Volume 1
TV TERROR: 4 Series that “Ripped off” The Twilight Zone | (Out of Order)
Clickety clack down the track, I’m your conductor and thanks for tuning into episode 3 of ‘Out of Order’. Back in the 50s a man named Rod Sterling created and hosted his own horror television program, The Twilight Zone. Nowadays, its original five seasons have been praised as some of the most timeless and creepy series ever conceived for the small screen. Or course, with great success comes a great deal of wannabes who want a piece of that pie. And that’s what we’re looking at today; here are 4 supposed Twilight Zone Rip Offs in no particular order. Let’s get this show on the road!
1. Thriller (1960 – 1962)
Our first entry is Thriller, which aired on NBC and was hosted by Boris Karloff. It blended a scramble of both suspense stories and tales of terror, similarly to Twilight Zone. Unlike Rod Sterling’s horror touchstone, Thriller had a remarkable score composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Morton Stevens that set the creepy tone masterfully.
What are my thoughts on the series and does it stand on its own? Well, half of Thriller is actually on par with Twilight Zone when they do horror-esque episodes like “The Hungry Glass” , “Pigeons from Hell” and ” The Grim Reaper”. What’s the other half you ask? That would be the suspense side, which were a majority of the first episodes. They ranged from mildly intriguing to purely forgettable though they’re never was a single one I found particularly terrible, so that’s a plus. Additionally, yeah, Thriller does indeed seem to have a different, dimmer tone from its source of inspiration and as mentioned a stellar music composition. If you scratch over the crime “suspense” episodes, Thriller is definitely worth a look for any dark horror fan.
2. The Outer Limits (1963 – 1965)
Moving right along to The Outer Limits, which aired on ABC and hosted by the “control voice” , voiced in part by Vic Perrin. This series is usually most compared to Twilight Zone out of my selected bundle, with both opening and closing with narrations as well as being rather philosophical for a television show of its type.
However, the two series also include their fair share of distinction. While The Twilight Zone is more supernatural and tell their themes like a whimsical parable, The Outer Limits leans more over to science fiction and the human condition. Outer Limits additionally has a much more distinct visual appearance that really makes the show stand out from the rest. Add that with some great practical effects and this series is a fun experience. The fact that the crew made this chilling cult classic using hardly any budget is miraculous, as miraculous as the entire run of the series is.
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3. ‘Way Out (1961)
Our next rip off was a single-season series that aired on CBS and was hosted by Roald Dahl. Now, this one interested me solely due to the narrator, Dahl, whom you may know for writing such offbeat children’s classics as ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, ‘The Twits’ and ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’. A bit of a brief tangent, but go check out the Wes Anderson film adaptation of the third novel on Disney+ because it’s simply brilliant. But is Way Out?
Although Way Out is a difficult find, it’s worth it when you do manage to watch an episode. The series is spine-tingling down to the bone but still has Roald Dahl’s signature dark sense of humor stamped all over it. The dialogue in turn tends to be unsettling yet somewhat amusing at the same time. Way Out is almost similar to Thriller’s tone, just darker. Too bad it only lasted 14 episodes before cancellation. They should make a Blu-Ray remaster of the series as to introduce a new generation to this wonderfully weird, wacky, wild show. Apparently, I’m afraid that wish may never come to fruition; five of the episodes are floating around with collectors and such, probably flowing through EBay. The others are either in the possession of the producer Jacqueline Babbin or have been sold off to a film and radio museum.
4. One Step Beyond (1959 – 1961)
The final show is One Step Beyond, hosted by John Newland and airing on ABC. Being affiliated with The Twilight Zone was a knack for this series even when it managed to tell its stories in a unique matter. Instead of Sterling’s “straight up” horror fiction, Newland’s approach was more grounded and often had audiences pondering if the episodes subject could indeed happen.
Each of the two hosts had clashing styles and ways of communicating a story of a moral. With Sterling, he was always very intense, verbose and urban. On One Step Beyond, Newland had more of a mild, concise and refined zest to his work, if you want to even call it a zest. Now this observation doesn’t alter any one narrator specifically better than the other, it’s just here to present contrast. This information also provides the unsurprising fact that many of One Step Beyond ‘s episodes are rather humdrum to look at; they’re honestly pretty bright. But some fantastic performances from all around and another one of those perfectly eerie scores elevates this show to an amiable status. One Step Beyond will continue to stay remembered as long as Newland reminds us that these otherworldly occurrences “do exist, and do happen” .
Well, that just about wraps up this episode of Out of Order. Now excuse me, I’ve got a Way Out box set to watch. Over and out.
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NEXT | ‘¡Three Amigos!’ by John Landis
Top Gun Review: Does the Film Crash and Burn? | LightTrain
Greetings and welcome back aboard the LightTrain: “Exploring the Realms of Film”. I’m your conductor and today we’re going to go over Top Gun, released in 1986 and directed by Tony Scott. Now, Top Gun‘s sequel, Maverick, was originally slated for release this summer but has since been moved. We’ll cover that one in the future but for now let’s look back into the Danger Zone and analyze Top Gun, Let’s get this show on the road!
Set at the Naval Air Station Miramar, we follow the emotional resolutions of the young aviator Pete Mitchell, call name “Maverick”. Additionally are Nick Bradshaw, call name “Goose”, Mitchell’s friend and Radar Intercept Officer; Charlie Blackwood, Pete’s romantic interest, and LT Tom Kazansky, call name “Iceman”, his aerial rival. Will Maverick’s ghosts continue to haunt him? Will he manage to win the TOPGUN program?
Let’s get the bad elements out of the way first. The dialogue and emotional story beats mostly trip over themselves, with not much buildup and folding up with disappointing conclusions. It’s not that the ideas are bad, just the execution could’ve been more of a slow burn. Some scenes I felt could be removed and it wouldn’t effect the plot like the out-of-place volleyball sequence. It’s honestly a predictable, bland serving of oatmeal. Now, I like oatmeal myself, but definitely not the unseasoned sludgy sort that represents Top Gun. Long story brief: avoid scenes of interaction.
All of the above are rather minor stains on the big picture, however some stains like this one have the apparent faculty to leave one sour. This is referring to the romance between Kelly McGillis as Charlie and Tom Cruise as the titular Maverick. Their interactions with another have as much emotion and feeling as two androids out for a sub or something (if androids could eat subs, that is). Utterly hollow and kind of pointless. A good subject I took in regard from a video essay suggested that romantic arcs are similar to original musical numbers in movies in that, when handled well they can remarkably elevate the picture or sink it’s own ship. I’m sure you know what Top Gun‘s arc fits into.
Ok, let’s actually get to the positive points which the film does indeed have. The performances were all spectacular when you thin a majority of the lines out, with kudos to the extremely young Tom Cruise as Maverick, Kate McGillis as Charlie, Val Kilmer as Iceman. My particular favorite actor though was Anthony Williams whom played Pete’s friend Goose. Reflecting back to a paragraph ago, when Goose and Maverick both suffer from a terrible loss (which is how I’m going to word it for those who haven’t seen Top Gun) I was never really saddened by it, providing proof on my point that it’s emotional half is a mess.
Finally, the aerial scenes. Brilliant. The way they are meticulously choreographed to properly show the jets movements in a clean matter is masterful, and I applaud it. The camera manages such great shots that the audience can define each ships placement, which is no easy feat when lazy filmmakers would just swish and flip the camera everywhere, which only blurs the entire setting.
So in the end, yeah, Top Gun is one side a sloppy and beat-for-beat recreation of varied cliches; the other a stunning visual dogfighting experience. I appreciate the crew for trying to have substance, even when it weighs the film down immensely. It kicks off with a smooth takeoff before it jettisons and jerks and ending with a fair enough landing for viewers to accept.
RATING: 5/10 “Messy”
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NEXT | 5 Twilight Zone Rip Offs Reviewed
Dr. X: Exploitation Film Trailer Special Vol. 1 – LightTrain
Oh, hello and welcome back aboard the Train. Being locked up inside truly is a bore, isn’t it? Throw into the mix social distancing and a supreme lack of motivation and I’ve become a wreck. I dare say you have too. So I did what I always do when I’m down in the dumps, I watch classic commercials and trailers. Specifically exploitation trailers because they’re so silly and oddball that they’re fun to just watch and laugh at. Hey, why not talk about that? This is Volume One of reacting to B-movie trailers, let’s get this show on the road.
Black Belt Jones (1974)
Throughout the 70s a particularly popular type of these features were called ‘blaxpoitation’ and had African-American leads. One of the forefathers of the genre was Black Belt Jones, a martial arts comedy. If you thought all that was too weird then consider tuning out my friend because these trailers will get progressively stranger.
AD INTERVAL | Heath Candy Bar
Westworld (1973)
This film was directed by Michael Crichton, whom perhaps you may have heard of. That’s right, Michael wrote the novel Jurassic Park which became a blockbuster feature in 1993. So, what is Westworld? It’s Jurassic Park but with robots instead of dinosaurs. I’m half spitting facts and another half totally joking.
Stunt Rock (1978)
See what I mean by silly now? Most of the trailer is stunts taking place on those split screens while hard rock music is playing in the background. Oh, also some random guy dressed up as a wizard. Goodness gracious…
The Dirty Heroes (1967)
Among the obscure genres surrounding the exploitation craze some of the strangest ones were understood by their titles alone: Macaroni Combats and Spaghetti Westerns. They were plays on American Hollywood themes, a war movie and a western, made Italian. Dirty Heroes was among the wave of “macaroni”‘s. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind seeing it, though the dubbing is quite humorous for the serious tone it’s attempting.
Ad Interval | Evel Knievel Bicycle Commercial
Hercules and the Captive Women (1961)
This one’s an oldie but a goodie. For me personally, my favorite part was when that fellow (Hercules?) dived straight into the ocean from the ledge; That’s more hardcore than a dodgy tattoo parlor and Stunt Rock put together! For your information, the entire film is available on YouTube if your interested. Me? I’ll stick to the far more hardcore Rampage at the Waffle House, thank you very much.
Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)
Ah yes, the movie about William Shatner and Co. murdering thousands of innocent, defenseless spiders. According to research, the crew used the real creeping-crawling deal, also killing many of them for entertainments sake. That’s both dedication to your project and completely sick. They should put that on the poster: ‘Kingdom of the Spiders: With real 100% Tarantula!‘.
~ Transmission Disconnected ~
PASSENGERS WHO PUNCHED A TICKET
| Todd | Adhdlifeforever |
| Cnowak | Matt |
| Simple Ula | Lordvocemofbeyond |
| Cathy | AllSuperInfo |
| The Ebook Way | Krissy |
| Eric Kaster | Bob |
| Musicpoliticssports | The Godly Chic Diaries |
| My Life in Our Fathers World | Saania Sparkle |
| Gary (BabaSP) | Mark |
| Shelia | Jon |
| Ilene | SumitOfficial |
| Sweta | Mrs. Bubblebath |
| Apostle Takim | America on Coffee |
| Stuart | Sweet and Nice Things |
| Lapiel | Randomness of my Crazy Life |
| PatrickWhy | Mr. Blue |
| Mounzer | Phil |
| Cristian | Shauna |
| Anees | Victoria |
| Mateo | “Doggy Daddy” Eric |
| LDW | Dr Fawzy |
| Nurgul | Animation Flix |
| Avuyanshu | captainforadayfoolforalifetime |
Thanks for tuning in!
NEXT | Disaster Double Review
The Art of Genndy Tartakovsky’s STAR WARS: CLONE WARS – LightTrain
May the force be with you my friend, for it is Star Wars day! Here handling the locomotive’s controls is G.H Nowak, your conductor. Ah, The Clone Wars, a CGI action cartoon with fluid battles and captivating tales; it may have began stiff and uninspired but with the seasons came something so much more heartfelt and mesmerizing – huh? “Not that one”? Well which one do you mean? Oh, ok. We’re actually examining the microseries Star Wars: Clone Wars from 2003 which was created by Genndy Tartakovsky of Samurai Jack and Dexter’s Laboratory. As with Jack and Dexter, Clone Wars aired on Cartoon Network though unlike those two it played during commercial breaks in bite-sized 2-3 minute episodes.
The story is the first of many interpretations of the fictional Clone Wars that take place in between Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Since the episodes are rather short in length, a full structured story is meager. The most that Clone Wars has to offer in terms of effect on the saga is Anakin’s steady descent into rage and defiance of the Jedi Council until he eventually snaps in Revenge of the Sith. Otherwise, side events include tons of terrific action and the introduction of Asajj Ventress and General Grievous.
But what brilliant action it is! It’s pretty much like Samurai Jack but with Jedi… and it’s a joy to watch. Most of the episodes are just a Jedi Knight and a platoon of clones infiltrating various planets; Obi-Wan has a continuous battle on Muunilinst, Kit Fisto has a one-episode assault on Mon Calamari, and Mace Windo literally takes a giant shuttle on by hand. Each blow and hit and explosion feels solid and has genuine impact. In short, Clone Wars has some of the most tightly choreographed and well-executed battles in the franchises history, which is quite a feat when they all have ‘Wars’ in the title.
Of course, not everything comes without its flaws, even if they are paltry. The animation is stylized and it mostly works, except for the occasional character design (Palpatine and Shaak Ti for example) that just feel off. Grey DeLisle, whom voices Padme and Asajj, is uninspired and doesn’t fit either character’s voices enough to have been selected.
Again, those are just minor changes I would have tweaked to still a very good series. It is probably leagues better than anything the prequels or sequels did on a artistic level as well as not meandering to its audience with fanservice for cheap enjoyment (I’m looking at you, Rise of Skywalker). Another thing Clone Wars proves is that it can also stand on its own as a piece of science fiction masterwork, not just having its identity be “Star Wars” . If you’re love animation or stylish action in general, I highly recommend watch the show’s first volume on YouTube when your done; you will not regret it.
RATING: 9.5/10 “Go See It!”
PASSENGERS WHO PUNCHED A TICKET
- Adhdlifeforever
- Todd
- Simple Ula
- Cnowak
- Bob
- Lordvocemofbeyond
- Matt
- The Ebook Way
- AllSuperInfo
- Krissy
- Cathy
- Eric Kaster
- Musicpoliticssports
- The Godly Chic Diaries
- My Life in Our Fathers World
- Saania Sparkle
- Markgtr
- Shelia
- Jon
- Ilene
- Bereavedandbeingasingleparent
- Sumit Official
- Sweta
- Mrs. Bubblebath
- Apostle Takim
- America on Coffee
- Stuart
- Sweet and Nice Things
- Lapiel
- Randomness of my crazy life
- PatrickWhy
- Mr Blue
- Mounzer
- Phil Perkins
- Anees
- Cristian
- Shauna
- Victoria
- Mateo
- “Doggy Daddy” Eric
- LDW
- Dr Fawzy
- Animation Flix
- “Captain”
- Nurgal
Thank you for tuning in!
NEXT | UNKNOWN, BUT YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY PREVIOUS POST IF YOU WANT MORE
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