Change Your Image
Dhawley
Reviews
The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
Atmospheric and creepy, but flawed.
I first read John Keel's book in 1975, and re-read prior to seeing this film. One the plus side, the updating of the story from 1966-67 and change of central characters did not diminish the story; the film's direction created a real sense of foreboding and an almost palpable creepiness; the actors did a fine job, with no sign of tongue-in-cheek. The dreariness of the West Virginia locale was right on target, adding to the overall feel of oppression.
On the down side, the omission of a significant aspect of Keel's documentation of these events, the prevalence of UFOs and strange men-in-black episodes, left the film with an incomplete and somewhat muddled treatment. The result was a movie that suggested a more vague, supernatural origin for the events than was derived from Keel's work (as well as from other expositions on Mothman, such as the late Gray Barker's 'The Silver Bridge').
While the movie could have been better had it stuck more closely to the source, it does provide a respectable effort at depicting a truly strange series of inexplicable events. For fans of the genre, it is worth the price of admission.
The Cyclops (1957)
Typical 50's B scifi; goofy and fun!
Another great 50's Bert I. Gordon offering. Woman sets out in remote South American jungle area to try and find missing fiance. Hires rough, gruff, alcoholic Lon Chaney Jr. as her reluctant pilot. Crashes in remote area. Something is watching...big time. Seems her fiance has grown to gigantic proportions due to high radiation content of area; also had the misfortune to lose an eye along the way (hence the title). Interesting factoid is that the same actor (Dean Parkins) who played the fiance/cyclops was in the previous Bert I. Gordon film War of the Colossal Beast, using essentially the same makeup. Great rainy Saturday afternoon fair. Fun watching a (probably really) tanked up Lon Chaney Jr.