tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post8328637878280263872..comments2024-03-14T02:13:38.885-04:00Comments on Radiator Heaven: The RelicJ.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11823190634186509982noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-36872937886011233212015-11-12T12:29:39.685-05:002015-11-12T12:29:39.685-05:00Hello, I'm starting a podcast and read this re...Hello, I'm starting a podcast and read this review. Loved it and am now a subscriber! I would like to use a quote from this review regarding this movie, citing your blog. Is there a way to contact you?2nd Look Cinemahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14518802944877827773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-70161414402706763042010-09-29T15:08:05.594-04:002010-09-29T15:08:05.594-04:00Dan:
I couldn't agree more. It does the job a...Dan:<br /><br />I couldn't agree more. It does the job and is an entertaining monster movie.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-72968273854282632222010-09-27T18:38:49.955-04:002010-09-27T18:38:49.955-04:00I've always enjoyed The Relic. It doesn't ...I've always enjoyed The Relic. It doesn't try to be anything more than it needs to be - creopy corridors, a few screams, nice special-effects, lights that don't work, jump-out-of-your-seat moments and the lovely Penelope Ann Miller.Danhttp://www.top10films.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-26877283587191383872010-08-31T15:59:25.198-04:002010-08-31T15:59:25.198-04:00Hokahey
I can't tell you how disappointed I wa...Hokahey<br />I can't tell you how disappointed I was when I saw the film. As you mentioned, it's Ray Bradbury! It deserved alot, alot better. <br /><br />The ideas and concepts were excellent. The execution was just horrendous. A btter special effects plugged version would have helped. Cheers.SFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-36547151802120320082010-08-30T16:48:37.313-04:002010-08-30T16:48:37.313-04:00Sci-Fi Fanatic - Re: your comment about A Sound of...Sci-Fi Fanatic - Re: your comment about <i>A Sound of Thunder</i>. I believe they pulled the plug on that movie before the special effects were completely rendered. (And it may have gone straight to DVD.) Note the Tyrannosaurus rex that looks like a little cutout. Some of the other special effects are more completely rendered - like the baboon-type creatures that hang upside down like bats. I thought they were creepy - and there are other creepy atmospheric moments. I have to say that despite the dreck you note, I enjoyed elements of this film. I liked how time transformed the city. Still, too bad they did a poor job of a classic Ray Bradbury short story.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-22056153207445178282010-08-30T13:40:21.359-04:002010-08-30T13:40:21.359-04:00Hokahey:
Yeah, I'm always down for a good mon...Hokahey:<br /><br />Yeah, I'm always down for a good monster movie as well and this one certainly delivers.<br /><br />Thanks for the insight into the book. That cliches it - I really need to check it out, now.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-34577586447324542282010-08-30T11:44:10.976-04:002010-08-30T11:44:10.976-04:00J.D. A great post on a very fun monster movie. I ...J.D. A great post on a very fun monster movie. I also find a lot of enjoyment in movies that do a great job of entertaining, and this one does a great job with suspense and atmosphere. Add to that, I just LOVE monster movies.<br /><br />The novel is even better than the movie but that didn't take away from my viewing enjoyment. Love it when creepy things are growing in the lab. Love the plucky scientist. I always like Sizemore and it's too bad he's faded into the background.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-77821582027204173652010-08-30T10:34:03.614-04:002010-08-30T10:34:03.614-04:00The Sci-Fi Fanatic:
Yes, I love that Del Toro is ...The Sci-Fi Fanatic:<br /><br />Yes, I love that Del Toro is a fan of practical effects over CGI and only uses it to complement the physical, tangible stuff.<br /><br /><br />Keith:<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by and good to see that you're also a fan of this film.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-11022907646709474172010-08-30T08:15:03.204-04:002010-08-30T08:15:03.204-04:00It does remind me of something the SyFy Channel wo...It does remind me of something the SyFy Channel would show, but that's okay by me. I still enjoyed it.Keithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14832710800680256206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-91427067791283994962010-08-27T13:04:59.366-04:002010-08-27T13:04:59.366-04:00Agreed J.D.. Boy, they really needed to show off ...Agreed J.D.. Boy, they really needed to show off that Kothoga. Insulting is a good way to put it. I love Guillermo- one of the few working with nifty creature effects....not CGI! <br /><br />Not a fan of Ed Burns.....awful. But you're right about Kingsley. He'll go where the money is and do the superior stuff. He's a bit for sale that way. Remember, he did that Jonathan Frakes Thunderbirds' disaster.<br /><br />You're doing amazing stuff.SFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-27191776815044456752010-08-27T11:53:36.190-04:002010-08-27T11:53:36.190-04:00The Sci-Fi Fanatic:
Wow! What an amazing bunch of...The Sci-Fi Fanatic:<br /><br />Wow! What an amazing bunch of comments/observations! Let see...<br /><br />1. Stan is THE Man, no doubt about that. His work speaks for itself. I really loved his work on the first PUMPKINHEAD film as well. Kind of an underrated film I always thought.<br /><br /><br /><br />2. "When you think about it, how many films are there like this one? It's a rare thing nowadays."<br /><br />It sure is. I think that's why I still come back to this one. I could really see Guillermo Del Toro filling this void. He seems to love bringing monsters to the big screen and I have high hopes for his Lovecraft film.<br /><br />3. I agree with you completely about Sizemore, alto, if push comes to shove I do like Clooney more. I think he has a more diverse output. As for Miller, I dunno.. she just doesn't do anything for me but I did think she was excellent in THE FRESHMAN.<br /><br />4. You are right on the nose about Hyams and his uneven career. He definitely is of B movie caliber, no disputing that. I quite like OUTLAND too and would maybe rank it just after THE RELIC.<br /><br />And I agree about the lack of lighting, esp. as it pertains to the creature. Now, I'm all for maintaining some mystery but at some point you want to have a big reveal of the creature and with all the money I'm sure they spent on it, you would think Hyams' would have shed more light on it. It's kind of insulting to all the hard work Winston and his team put into it!<br /><br />Maybe my SyFy comment was a tad harsh. THE RELIC is certainly light years better than most of the original stuff that appears on there.<br /><br />I'm not a big fan of A SOUND OF THUNDER either. I can't stand Ed Burns for starters but I'm not surprised by Kingsley's appearance. This was the guy who also popped up as the baddie in BLOODRAYNE by Uwe Boll! So, I think he goes where the paycheck takes him.<br /><br />Thanks again for your wonderful comments and the kind words.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-81395187080536945282010-08-27T11:13:59.275-04:002010-08-27T11:13:59.275-04:00Oh and Hyams did that disappointingly dreadful A S...Oh and Hyams did that disappointingly dreadful A Sound Of Thunder. What dreck! I gave that a chance hoping for something on par with The Relic, but that was more like a Sy Fy movie with dreadful special effects. How they managed to land Ben Kingsley is a strange turn of events I'm sure.SFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-61644311388287589782010-08-27T09:55:41.546-04:002010-08-27T09:55:41.546-04:00J.D.
My heart jumped with excitement over your cho...J.D.<br />My heart jumped with excitement over your choice of The Relic. I've seen the film a few times, loved reading your review and look forward to commenting on your selection.<br /><br />1. LOVE STAN WINSTON. AMEN! You are right there. His self-Directed feature Pumpkinhead with Lance Henriksen spotlighted another one of his incredible creations. Winston, in my opinon, was the best. Like you, I rank the Kothoga creature in The Relic in his top 5. I'm glad the CGI was only minimally employed.<br /><br />2. Now about the film. I agree. It's a streamlined, focused, little horror film with some splendid performances to keep things interesting. Hyams delivered one of his better films in years with The Relic eventhough I agree with you that it isn't an earth-shattering classic by any stretch. It is a film you can always return to for a good, old-fashioned monster scare.<br /><br />When you think about it, how many films are there like this one? It's a rare thing nowadays.<br /><br />3. The cast is excellent. I really enjoy Tom Sizemore's work and I enjoy him a whole lot more than George Clooney myself. He always adds something to the mix because he's such a presence on the screen. Heat, as you mentioned, and Black Hawk Down and SPR were terrific roles. I've always enjoyed Miller, probably more than you. But I did think The Freshman was perfect with her in it, but you're right she's never quite taken off, which leads me to Hyams...<br /><br />4. About the Director: He's had a good career, but a strange one, kind of uneven really. You could almost argue his movie is completely B grade and The Relic ranks as one of his finest moments. It definitely ranks as one of my favorites from Hyams. Outland is in the mix perhaps. I think your adjective of Hyams as a journeyman is spot on.<br /><br />You mail my biggest complaint with the film. I do love the reveal of the creature, but would have preferred a little more lighting to highlight that Winston creation. Hyams fails a touch there. It is just too damn dark in points and that's partially where the film is harmed. I agree completely. You really want to throw some green lighting in the mix or something odd like that from time to time. Hyams definitely plays this monster show as straight up, gritty and real. Perhaps he wanted to avoid comic book style lighting.<br /><br />As far as those criticisms, how does Beavis and Butthead even enter into a guy's review. As they would say, "idiot!" It's not a perfect movie, but for a little monster movie, it's pretty damn entertaining and only "artfully lighted" in points.<br /><br />My only divergence from your summation would be that I do think it is a few notches better than a Sy Fy film. Perhaps it was Winston and the cast who allowed that to happen, but I don't mind spending my time with a film like this, while I simply avoid all film on Sy Fy. <br /><br />Loved your visit of The Relic. Thank you J.D. for the thoughtful look on it.SFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-1901650672224219152010-08-27T09:07:13.833-04:002010-08-27T09:07:13.833-04:00Hans A.:
Ah, that's so cool you saw this in t...Hans A.:<br /><br />Ah, that's so cool you saw this in theaters. I really wish I had had the chance to see it on the big screen but didn't discover it 'till video.<br /><br />Thanks for the compliments and encouragement!<br /><br /><br />The Film Connoisseur:<br /><br />Yeah, it is interesting how both Sizemore and Miller have failed to remain A-listers since this film but it is very hard to maintain that level for a long period like say Tom Cruise.<br /> <br />And yeah, some of the gore effects were pretty gnarly, esp. the one you mentioned. I always thought that was pretty impressive for a mainstream studio film.<br /> <br /><br />Sam Juliano:<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by, Sam! Yeah, THE RELIC isn't going to redefine cinema but for what it is, it's just fine.<br /><br /><br />Roderick Heath:<br /><br />"But the mannered cinematography was a real drag and this stuck in my mind as one of the most intense early examples of that current tendency in Hollywood to edit, light, and frame things so that the action's almost incoherent." <br /><br />Exactly! I wonder if this at times dimly-lit movie will look better on Blu-ray? I haven't read any reviews but one would hope the clarity of image will have improved.<br /><br /><br />Will:<br /><br />Hyams' magnum opus... yeah, that is a head scratcher for sure. I like a few of his films but I don't think I would ever call myself a fan of his work. As you point out, he's too inconsistent but I certainly dug this one.<br /><br />I would really like to read your thoughts on this film.<br /><br /><br />Jeff Allard:<br /><br />You make a good point about THE RELIC going against the tide of SCREAM-type films that were all the rage in the 1990s. It was refreshing to see a good ol' fashioned monster movie. Nice to see that you're a fan of this film as well.<br /><br /><br />le0pard13:<br /><br />Thanks for the scoop on the book. I have to say, after watching this film more than a few times I am really curious to read the book (and its sequel) as it sounds quite good, an engaging page turner.<br /><br />Good comparison with Sizemore and Forsythe. You're right, they both get a lot of mileage out of playing tough guys in films alto, personally I'd give Forsythe the edge. He is so entertaining to watch and a bit more consistent than Sizemore.<br /><br />As always, thanks for stopping by and for the kind words, my friend!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-52267262208975911282010-08-26T22:05:22.569-04:002010-08-26T22:05:22.569-04:00The book this is based upon, by Preston and Child,...The book this is based upon, by Preston and Child, was an solid example of the latter techno-thrillers from the 90's. While the film adaptation strips away some characters (especially Special Agent Pendergast) and plenty of the details, THE RELIC was a very decent, entertaining monster flick. Like you, I still enjoy watching the damn thing.<br /><br />I'm in complete agreement with you in regard to Tom Sizemore (and it is a pity that his personal problems derailed the great potential he had on display during the 90's). He reminds me a lot of William Forsythe with the same kind power and versatility of his portrayals (well, when he was still working, at least). I contrast his DeWitt Albright (DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS) to his Lt. D'Agosta (here) and am amazed it's the same guy.<br /><br />As always, another great film examination, J.D. Thanks for this.le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-44825083330464072712010-08-26T22:01:50.028-04:002010-08-26T22:01:50.028-04:00I love this movie! One of my favorite horror films...I love this movie! One of my favorite horror films of the '90s. At the time of its release, horror was caught up in the post-Scream slasher wave and although I didn't have any special animosity towards those films, it was a breath of fresh air to have a full-on monster movie in theaters. Deep Rising was another film from around the same time that scratched that same itch but as creature features go, I give The Relic a bigger thumbs-up.Jeff Allardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04265550466781988388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-406784385155492412010-08-26T21:21:27.644-04:002010-08-26T21:21:27.644-04:00Not exactly Hyam's magnum opus (hard to find o...Not exactly Hyam's magnum opus (hard to find one in a troubled filmography littered with clunkers and/or cult hits. . .though I do like End of Days and 2010) but an excellent film all the same. I almost forgot about it though until this popped up! Thanks. . .going to give it a Blu-Ray rewatch and maybe even post my own review.Willhttp://secureimmaturity.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-81599771834277185902010-08-26T20:23:45.438-04:002010-08-26T20:23:45.438-04:00I too enjoyed The Relic when I saw it: Hyams' ...I too enjoyed <i>The Relic</i> when I saw it: Hyams' stand-out capacity as a director is creating a tingly, tense atmosphere, and he certainly did that with this film. But the mannered cinematography was a real drag and this stuck in my mind as one of the most intense early examples of that current tendency in Hollywood to edit, light, and frame things so that the action's almost incoherent. Still, that bit where the monster licks Miller is hilariously cheesy perversity.Roderick Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08107539379079558068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-89082871087668645772010-08-26T18:56:49.929-04:002010-08-26T18:56:49.929-04:00Typically comprehensive treatment here. I'm n...Typically comprehensive treatment here. I'm not a huge fan, but agree it's a well-oiled roller coaster ride, that delivered what he set out to do. Grizzly moments for sure.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-26746847129781713512010-08-26T16:55:32.922-04:002010-08-26T16:55:32.922-04:00I remember seeing this one in theaters and being r...I remember seeing this one in theaters and being really entertained by it. <br /><br />Its interesting to note how both of this films major stars have disappeared! Tom Sizemore messed things up for himself, but Spheeris simply vanished. I liked her in The Shadow. <br /><br />This is a fun monster movie, I remember one scene where the monster chomps one security guard in half....grizzly stuff at times!Franco Macabrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10994905312221715861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-42447290567679549232010-08-26T14:50:32.388-04:002010-08-26T14:50:32.388-04:00Ultimately, The Relic is barely a notch above the ...Ultimately, The Relic is barely a notch above the cheesy creature feature films that popular the SyFy Channel but so what?<br /><br />I feel the same way. I initially saw this film during its theatrical run, and it's a lot of fun to watch on the big screen--the visuals and, as you noted, the FX are particularly good. <br /><br />I also agree that Sizemore's good as weil. I peeked at his actor credits for the 90s, and I agree it's an impressive set of credentials. <br /><br />Anyway, I enjoyed reading this review, J.D., as I enjoy reading all of your work. Looking forward to more of your work and J.C. week, especially. Take care.Hans A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11328243469224993459noreply@blogger.com