Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 8, 1993 TAG: 9305080261
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: C12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE MAYO
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Home video answers:
In "Fatal Charm," the guy in question, Adam Brenner (Christopher Atkins), is on trial for several murders when Valerie (Amanda Peterson), an impressionable teen-ager, falls for him. She simply can't believe that anyone "that gorgeous" could rape and kill young women. The fact that her divorced mom (Mary Frann) is fooling around with a real creep (James Remar, who played a sicko killer in "48 HRS.") might have something to do with her reaction, and then there's the town's sheriff (Andrew Robinson, who played the sickest sicko killer of them all in "Dirty Harry").
Of course, Valerie might be right, and for a time, the script by Nicholas Niciphor keeps you guessing. He does a good job of sketching in the confusion of adolescent sexuality, but before long, the story becomes standard stalker stuff.
The courtroom scenes are absolutely ludicrous. The dream sequences and the scenes in the girls' shower are pure exploitation, and all of the actors overreact shamelessly. Credit for the histrionics must go to the infamous Alan Smithee. That's the pseudonym that directors are allowed to hide behind when a project goes seriously awry.
"Body of Influence" is a lot more cheesy and a lot more fun. It's about a Beverly Hills psychiatrist (Nick Cassavetes) who's advising a cop (Richard Roundtree) in his search for a serial killer. Could it be that a young woman (Shannon Whirry) who's suffering from intense sexual fantasies has something to do with the murders? Seems likely, but that doesn't stop the good doctor from joining her for some extracurricular activity.
This one is slickly produced, unashamedly trashy entertainment. The last time director Gregory Hippolyte teamed up with this leading lady they made "Animal Instincts," winner of the coveted Guiltiest Guilty Pleasure Award of 1992. Right now, they're odds on favorites to repeat in 1993.
"The Baby Doll Murders" is more of a standard whodunnit, with a topical angle.
Two LAPD detectives, Louis Benz (Jeff Kober, from TV's "China Beach") and Larry Brown (Bobby DiCicco), think that they know the identity of a serial killer who leaves a broken doll beside each of his victims. But their guy got off on a technicality and is now walking the street.
When the killings begin again, they're ordered away from their suspect, and try to find new leads, possibly involving abortion. But Benz refuses to give up on his original gut belief, even when he finds new connections between the victims. His boss (John Saxon) and his live-in girlfriend (Melanie Smith), also a cop, show him the light.
Director Paul Leder, still trying to live down the infamous title "I Dismember Mama," doesn't do much better here. The pace is lazy, and several scenes are padded with less-than-suspenseful shots of cars being parked and people walking down hallways. All in all, this one's an acceptable time-waster but nothing more.
In "Ladykiller," Mimi Rogers stars as a burnt-out detective who meets a wealthy, charming gentleman (John Shea) through a dating service. He's also handsome and attentive, but, darn it, all the clues point to his being another of those pesky psychotics. Or is he just married? What's a single woman to do these days?
Shelley Evans' script has more wit and suspense than most genre films. Director Michael Scott does about as much as he could with an obviously limited budget and, as always, Mimi Rogers is excellent.
Of course, no column on the subject would be complete without some mention of the original and still the best Mr. Right-or-Serial-Killer film, Alfred Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt."
Though it isn't as popular as some of the Master's biggest hits - "North by Northwest," "Psycho," "Rear Window" - suspense fans rank it right up there with his best.
For my money, even though the role is uncharacteristic (or perhaps because of it), Jospeh Cotten is completely convincing as "Uncle Charlie," the Merry Widow murderer. He comes to the little town of Santa Rosa to visit his family, including his adoring namesake niece (Teresa Wright), and to escape the police. The script, written in part by Thornton Wilder, concerns her growing realization of who this man really is. More importantly, it's about how that knowledge changes and does not change her love for him.
If it's been a while since you've seen "Shadow of a Doubt," find a copy right away. It's the kind of movie that home video was made for.
Next week: Comedy, from Bob Hope to the return of the Bikini Carwash!
\ New releases
Glengarry Glen Ross:**
Stars Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Alec Baldwin. Directed by James Foley. Written by David Mamet. LIVE. 100 min. Rated R for blistering language.
This heavy-handed drama/comedy about sweaty, unscrupulous real estate salesmen never breaks free of its roots on the stage. In adapting his Pulitzer Prize winning play to the screen, Mamet and Foley don't try to open up the static plot. The high-powered ensemble cast is first rate, but nothing happens. It's all talk.
\ Fifty/Fifty:*
Stars Peter Weller, Robert Hays. Directed by Charles Martin Smith. Written by Dennis Shryack and Michael Butler. Warner. 100 min. Rated R for foul language, graphic violence.
This low-budget "Dogs of War," winds up being an unintentional "Bananas" with lame humor and anemic action sequences. Peter Weller and Robert Hays don't embarrass themselves in the leads, but this one's pretty lame, even for a cheap action flick.
\ A River Runs Through It:
Stars Tom Skerritt, Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, Emily Lloyd. Directed by Robert Redford. Columbia Tristar. Rated PG for language; 98 minutes.
One from Robert Redford's heart, this film courses across the screen with the serene sparkle of an unspoiled mountain stream. Based on Norman Maclean's acclaimed novella, the film is a memoir set in rural Montana's Big Sky country between 1910 and 1935.
by CNB