Going ape

"Tarzan"
Overall Rating: ***


"Tarzan" is a franchise: Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote dozens of novels about him, which in turn sparked numerous movies (more than 70--according to the Internet Movie DataBase) and several television series (including an animated cartoon). It's not hard to guess why the Tarzan franchise is so popular: many philosophers have tried to imagine what people would be like if it weren't for society--Tarzan is simply a recent supposition, with dramatic rather than philosophic trappings. The question that seems tougher to answer is why Disney didn't adapt the legend sooner.

The story of Tarzan--or at least this version of it--opens with the infant Tarzan (voice of Tony Goldwyn) and his parents being shipwrecked off the coast of Africa. While Tarzan is still an infant, his parents are killed by a cheetah--but the gorilla Kala (Glenn Close) rescues him from the wildcat and adopts him. Yet, on the verge of being accepted as part of the ape group by its leader, Kerchak (Lance Henriksen), Tarzan has a chance encounter with Jane Porter (Minnie Driver)--part of an expedition studying gorillas--and is forced to choose between staying with the apes, or joining his fellow human beings.

As with practically anything out of the Disney studio, the animation is quite good. It's not the best Disney film ever, but it's still very well done. The exaggerated height of the trees and the overstated speed of Tarzan's swings, jumps, and falls actually turned me off in the previews; yet seeing the film in its entirety, it works well--the story is a fanciful adventure and the exaggeration fits nicely.

The real success is the presentation of the story. The film maintains suspense throughout: not having seen or read any Tarzan stories recently, I honestly didn't know where Tarzan would go in the end. The movie is also charming in places. For instance, Jane's coyness regarding her obvious romantic attraction to Tarzan is perfect: it fits with her character (the proper Victorian professor's daughter), it avoids any real sexual innuendos, and it forces you to smile. The best comedy is the slapstick stuff: the gorillas playing in the camp, for instance, are a riot. The best scene--without a doubt--is when Tarzan accidentally starts a stampede of elephants (they think he's a piranha).

"Tarzan" isn't perfect, however. The biggest problem is one scene towards the end that is somewhat confusing (something happens to one ape--though at first, I thought it happened to another ape). The music is also a minus in my book; I am not a big Phil Collins fan. The movie's heavy reliance on his talents is to blame. There really aren't any memorable songs in the film, but I'm not completely sure they intended the film as a musical--either way the music was much more relegated to the background and not as good as that in, for example, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" or "The Little Mermaid." Another problem is the all too numerous non-sequiturs. All right--you don't expect this one to make perfect sense, it's about a man who lives with apes. When Tarzan learns English in what seems like two weeks, however, it stretches things a bit too far--especially for the adults.

Will kids be fazed by the problems? Probably not; I wasn't terribly bothered by most of the flaws, and I get the sense that children will be even more forgiving on this one. Is there anything they can't handle? No, this film is as family-safe as any film I've seen in recent months. Some scenes may be a bit scary for some young children, but that's about it.

Some people have criticized the Disney company for an emphasis in its films on "non-traditional families." On that subject "Tarzan" takes the cake; but, if you can take the idea of a baby being raised by apes, then you'll probably enjoy "Tarzan."

Title: "Tarzan"
Release date :June 18, 1999

MPAA rating: G
Overall rating: ***

Aprox. run time: 88 min.
Directors: Chris Buck, Kevin Lima
Writer: Edgar Rice Burroughs (story Tarzan of the Apes), Tab Murphy, Bob Tzudiker, Noni White
Stars: Tony Goldwyn, Glenn Close, Minnie Driver

Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/7045/Tarzan.htm
Added to blog site: 8/5/09

Three star general, three star movie

"The General's Daughter"
Overall Rating: ***


I've commented before that it's rare for movie audiences to applaud at the end of a film. So far this year, it's happened three times at movies I've been reviewing. The first was "October Sky;" it was that great. The second was "Star Wars: Episode 1:" whether or not it was that good was a moot point--the "Star Wars" fans who filled the house would have applauded anything new with Obi-Wan in it--though in the end, the "Episode 1" was very good, too. The three or four people who clapped after "The General's Daughter" are a bit harder to explain: it was a good film, but not great.

The Campbells seem to be the model of a military family. General "Fighting Joe" Campbell (James Cromwell) is about to retire: after commanding Fort MacCallum, he is a likely candidate for vice president. His daughter, Captain Elisabeth Campbell (Leslie Stefanson), seems to be a model officer--an instructor in psychological operations, to be specific--and a charming lady. So, when Capt. Campbell is found raped and murdered, it's up to warrant officer Paul Brenner (John Travolta) to find the truth.

"The General's Daughter" is an interesting thriller--but not truly a great movie in any respect. The story easily holds your interest, but doesn't do anything beyond that. Some elements are handled well, some poorly. What happened to Capt. Campbell at West Point is not mere trivia for the film, it's key to the plot--and it fits in perfectly. However, as well as the plot is set up, there are two major flaws. One involves a subplot--apparently intended to introduce a character--that doesn't go anywhere. The other involves the real killer: why he did it makes sense after it's explained, but if there was any clue to his guilt before, I didn't catch it--so it blind-sided me. Sometimes, the movie is subtle: Capt. Campbell flirts with Brenner the day before she dies--this seems to be merely make the case personal, but when you think about the character as you know her at the film's end, there's something else to it. In stark contrast, you have Sara Sunhill (Madeleine Stowe); she is investigating the murder with Brenner and apparently had an affair with Brenner some years ago--but she doesn't seem to be there for any reason. The film is also very fast-paced, but this is a two edged sword: while it helps build the suspense and accentuates the time limit on Brenner's investigation (explained in the film), it also makes it easier to miss things you need to see.

The acting is the same as the writing. Again, good, but nothing to write home about. Travolta's character is central to the script, but unfortunately, his character isn't deep and undergoes no transformation. A passing performance by Travolta means nothing since there is nothing more complex than a strong-arm interrogation--blame the writers more than the actor. Both Campbells are more interesting and complicated characters; James Cromwell and Leslie Stefanson deliver star-caliber supporting performances. James Woods--who plays Colonel Moore, Capt. Campbell's commanding officer--is also excellent. The excellent supporting cast, however, can't save the show.

On a technical level, there are some nice touches. I liked the handling of the final scene, for instance (they opened a hanger door, literally shedding light on several characters and a room). There are also problems. When Brenner and Sunhill watch an amateur porn movie, the picture is supposed to be grainy (beyond the "amateur" nature, I'm sure it was made grainy to tone down its content as well)--but it was so grainy that I had to take Brenner's word on someone he said he saw in the video.

If you ever leave the kids home because of a movie's content, leave them home for this one. There is significant, graphic violence including a very graphic rape scene. There is also pervasive sexual content including numerous shots with nudity. Mentioning the frequent strong language and occasional questionable actions by the hero fall under the category of "that too," but don't help for family content. If I were rating this film for the MPAA, however, I'd have given it an "NC-17."

On balance, "The General's Daughter" is a good film--but don't go AWOL to see it.

Title: "The General's Daughter"
Release date: June 18, 1999

MPAA rating: R
Overall rating: ***

Aprox. run time: 116 min.
Director: Simon West
Writer: Nelson DeMille (novel), Christopher Bertolini, William Goldman
Stars: John Travolta, Madeleine Stowe

Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/reviewsbyjohn/Gen_dtr.htm
Added to blog site: 7/28/09

Over the Hill

"Notting Hill"
Overall Rating: **½


It's an old plot: ordinary people mingle with the rich and the royal--leading to romance. From "Cinderella" to "Pretty Woman," the plot is often tried if not always true. "Notting Hill" is only the latest installment. Its slight twist: the royalty is a Hollywood actress, and the ordinary guy runs a small business. Still, "Notting Hill" pretty much just sticks to the formula.

William Thacker (Hugh Grant) is a fairly typical small-business owner. His Notting Hill specialty bookshop makes a go of it--but barely. His wife left him some time ago, and he hasn't resumed dating. Then, world renowned actress Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) first stops by his store and later runs into him on the street. He finds love--but an unattainable love.

Julia Roberts is fine as Anna Scott. This is not another "Pretty Woman," but her performance as an actress trying to hide from fame is not bad. Hugh Grant is better as the charming Thacker. He manages to convey his character's awkwardness with his famous girlfriend. Don't let the stellar names fool you: Rhys Ifans steals the scene every time he's on screen. Playing Thacker's wacky roommate Spike, his character seems better suited for a slapstick than a romantic comedy, but Ifans makes Spike fit--much to the benefit of the film.

The movie has its share of laughs--especially in the first half. It's also charming. You get pulled in very smoothly. When William and Anna's relationship becomes awkward, the film also echoes that--though perhaps it becomes a little too awkward. It's also one-hundred percent predictable. (It's a romantic comedy--is there a microsecond of doubt how the romance will eventually go?) The real problem is that the film also winds up being too sweet, especially towards the end. The plot already defied belief, but it really stretches things with its end. As the second half began, I was enjoying "Notting Hill," but when the film was over, I felt like I had just consumed an entire jar of honey.

On a technical level, the film also has problems. The background music blares its way into the foreground several times. The cinematography also gets annoying more than once; the opening shots of Anna Scott, and a scene in a park where the camera rises up to shoot Scott and Thacker from above are the two examples that come to mind immediately. Neither of these problems would greatly hurt a better film, but here, it contributes to the impression that the filmmakers were doing sloppy work.

Despite its PG-13 rating, the film is fairly safe for children. There's significant strong language, but no violence. There are some sexual situations as well, and some extremely brief nudity (a side-view of a woman quickly walking past the camera is the only real "nude shot"). Despite this, I don't think "Notting Hill" is a good choice for children: I promise any typical boy under about thirteen or so will find the film "mushy;" I suspect a number of adults will hold the same opinion.

"Notting Hill" is a stock romantic comedy. If you like romantic comedies, like any of the stars, or just liked the previews, it's probably worth checking out. If not, then don't go to see it unless your date drags you to it. As the old post-romance line goes, "there are other fish in the sea."

Title: "Notting Hill"
Release date: May 28, 1999

MPAA rating: PG-13
Overall rating: **½

Aprox. run time: 125 min.
Director: Roger Michell
Writer: Richard Curtis
Stars: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant

Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/7045/Notting.htm

Added to blog site: 8/3/09 (minor editing)