Past Tense - What Was Once Old Is Slashing Anew Once More Part II


The new Dr. Loomis; Dr. Sartain (Haluk Bilginer) was serviceable, but kinda felt his motivation was too... Captain Ahab if you catch my drift. Loomis was less about being obsessed than he was scared of what this monster might do. He saw himself as last line. The last obstacle keeping a fiend from harming the world.



I liked having P.J. Soles in a cameo part as Allyson's high school English teacher. Soles played Lynda van der Klok in the original, she was Laurie's best friend - the previous 'Vicky'. During the trick or treat scene, you can see the cursed halloween masks (from Silver Shamrock) from the second film on two kids. The masks for Jack O'Lantern, Witch and Skeleton.

Actresses Emma Roberts and Lucy Hale wanted the Allyson role. Glad the studio went with an unknown. This and '18 was the very first in the franchise to be filmed digitally, not on film.

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Tangents.

One final sexy Halloween costume before closing Limited Edition Horror.



"Nicest Neighbor Costume" - better regarded as 'Sexy Mr. Rogers'. Yup. It comes with red V-neckline, white detachable collar, long fitted sleeves, black neck tie and high waisted gray shorts (with belt loops). You provide the belt, socks, shoes and... this is where the costume fails, hard.

It does not come with the puppets, those hand puppets make it clear who this is suppose to be. Tag? $49.95 for the set. On the right woman, it would be hot.

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For years after the last installment, "The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor" (2008) I wanted another to clear the bad taste of that turkey, a proper third sequel. So bad even actress Rachel Weisz turned it down. What was left open from Dragon Emperor was 'an in' - that film makes mention that during WWII the O'Connells had a flavor for adventure and volunteered as spies for The Allies. They had untold tales.

Have a film set during the war with them dealing with something supernatural. Think of how it could've been - the O'Connells dropped in the World War II horror movie, "Overlord" (2018). But didn't happen. And today?

This will never happen, probably. Actor Brendan Fraser has fallen on hard times and it shows. The rest of the cast got older. The first reboot came out in 1999 so it's twenty-one years later and twelve years since the last feature.

The only one who hasn't aged much is Rachel Weisz, gracefully. Well, not 100% true - there could be a CGI movie with the actors reprising their roles. I would want to see that. Like what they have done with the "Starship Troopers" franchise.

By the way, that later reboot, "The Mummy" (2017); it was only a vehicle for Tom Cruise and lame as hell. It's Tom Cruise in a mummy movie. Look! It's Cruise running about here and there. And Sofia Boutella was so-so as the undead danger, Ahmanet.

Man, it was a mistake to have it set in the present. Early 20th century and earlier were the age of discovery. When the world was still new with so many unknowns. Set in the past, characters had to earn their reveals, not Google the data. That was - WAS suppose to start a new Universal monster franchise, their "Dark Universe" where these new movies are all related. Yeah, it failed with good reasons. It sucked.

Sucked - bringing in $80 million domestically on a $125 million budget (not including millions spent on the ad campaign).

Last year, Fraser said he would like to do another Mummy film; kinda - sort of curious. He could loose the weight and surprise us all. Anyhow.

Why bring this up?



Last Saturday (10/24) I pulled out my DVD of "The Mummy" ('99), haven't watched in years - to watch in October. The movie has not aged, still fun and exciting. You know, I have that '17 movie on DVD and have still yet to watch it. Bought on Black Friday 2018 for a few bucks. Meh. One of these days.

The point?

There's a few lines of dialog that didn't register until now. Good movies will do that, catch something you didn't see earlier. There are two moments that should be worked on.

The first happens at the Museum Of Antiquities in Cairo (Egypt). The dialog occurs after Evie causes the library cases to come crashing down like domino. The curator comes in shocked. Evie does her best to point out why she's valuable, not to get fired.

Curator: I put up with you because your father and mother were our finest patrons. That's why! Allah rest their souls.

The second happens at their first night in Hamunaptra after the night attack by the Madjai. And after the prison warden who accompanied them dies of an unknown cause.

Evelyn is drunk on a bottle of Glenlivet found in the warden's satchel. Rick asks her, why she's there? Her brother is easy enough, he's looking for quick fortune.

Evie: Egypt is in my blood. You see, my father was a very, very famous explorer and he loved Egypt so much he married my mother, who was an Egyptian and quite an adventurer herself.

Pardon?

So Carnahans were a major contributor to the museum where she works at. Thinking what I'm thinking?

This is how you do it, a reboot and still have it set in the the same universe as the 1999 films. The adventures of Evelyn's dad and mom. More than likely had their own undead mummy tale and other supernatural escapades; set in the early 20th century or the late 1800s... when the world was new.

And it could very well be that their adventures made the Carnahans rich, hidden treasures. Sway! This is how you do it. Something to think on.

Now - my greatest complaint from "The Mummy Returns" (2001) is the absence of composer Jerry Goldsmith. We got Alan Silvestri who decided to create his own score, not related to the last film. The result was a soundtrack that could be slapped on any action movie without anyone knowing better.

I get it; Goldsmith was not available at the time. It happens. But there should've been a composer who tired to mimic the last score for continuity, expanding and adding new bits. Nope. Silvestri gave us a generic motion picture soundtrack. The sequel was a solid flick, too bad the music was crap.

Let me tell you, so good was Goldsmith's score, bit of it were used in Universal trailers for YEARS. It was that damn good. *nods*

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Footnotes.



There was a second exclusive which was "Halloween" related. Same street and price as the glow-in-the-dark slipcover for the 2018 movie. The same deal, but for the double feature on "Halloween II" and "Halloween III" DVD. Nope. Just keep walking.

This is Wal-Mart being Wal-Mart, slapping a new slipcover on an older release to trick folks into buying old stock. This being the double feature, bare bone release from 2007. *nods*

You can buy each movie as deluxe special editions; "Halloween II" and "Halloween III" both from Shout! Factory released in 2012. And can be found reasonably priced at eBay and Amazon. Don't bother with this weak presentation.

I have Anchor Bay's "Halloween: 25th Anniversary Edition" DVD set from 2003 and "Halloween: Limited Edition" from 1999 with different extras. Bought a few months before the 2007 Rob Zombie remake. The "25th Anniversary" has both cuts of the '78 movie, theatrical and television which added twelve minutes of additional footage.

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Recommendations.

Okay. I'll give you, two more.

"Better Watch Out" (2016)
Christmas season; Ashley wasn't expecting much from her baby sitting job. A gig she's done before - caring for Luke Lerner while his parents are away. But this sitting is different; someone is playing a violent game; "U leave and U die". Efforts to get out become dire with a death. Things are not as they appear. The reason for the siege is a twisted one.
[B]Well Go US Entertainment[B] - 2017 - R

"The 13th Warrior" (1999)
The early 10th century; Ahmad ibn Fadlan is a court poet in Baghdad for the Caliph. He's caught having an affair with a noble man's wife. Rather than death, he is exiled - made an ambassador to a bunch of savages in a far away land where he is expected to die or get killed - Tossuk Ulad. The Norsemen take him into their group, more like a pet. But bit by bit Ahmad learns their language and customs. His ingenuity and horsemanship rises him to one of the men. Ahmad is resigned to his fate - an ambassador, never to return home. But self-loathing takes a back seat to a beast that can slay the bravest of warriors. A kingdom is under attack. The men change course and bring Ahmad with them, believing thirteen warriors are needed; one of which must not be of them - an outsider. What they find is something ancient... and not singular. This movie bombed when released, audiences had expectations from a Michael Crichton film - was different. Based on his novel, "Eaters Of The Dead" (1976). A re-imagining of the Beowulf tale.
Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. - 2000 - R



Had a good time with this. Myers is a menace once more. And there it is - done. Indeed. As said in the last entry, November 12th is when the next one drops. Have a safe and entertaining Halloween. Good times and memories. See you later.