All Stand Together Pt 7 (Battle Beyond the Stars, 1980)

A peaceful planet called Akira is visited by the conqueror Sador. He promises to return with an armada that will overrun the planet if they do not willingly submit to them. A young man named Shad goes on a mission to get weapons and warriors to fight off Sador and his forces.

He assembles six unique individuals, including a vengeance seeking lizard man, a young scientist, a clone race, a haunted assassin, a beautiful warrior seeking glory, and a fun loving earth man. They all return to help the citizens of the planet.

If this sounds vaguely familiar, this Roger Corman film is a perfect example of Corman’s formula. Star Wars was a hit and had a sequel on it’s way. Corman wanted a Star Wars style film. He commission a script from John Sayles (who also wrote Corman’s Piranha). They opted to take the story from Seven Samurai and set it in space, just as the Magnificent Seven moved it to the old American West.

And the movie is not shy about this. The planet is named Akira, after Seven Samurai director Akira Kurosawa. The advertising for the film included phrases like “Seven Magnificent Warriors”. Robert Vaughn even plays a character much like his dark Lee, from the Magnificent Seven.

This film, while being a knockoff meant to cash in onStar Wars hype, actually stands pretty well on it’s own. A lot of this goes back to the strong cast. George Peppard is a more laid back Han Solo type as the space faring earth man Cowboy. The alien race the Nestors are an alien race of clones who are psychically linked. This allows for a lot of intended humor, such as when they are offered a hotdog and while only one of them eats it, all the Nestor’s can taste is, and one observes, “There is no dog in this”. After they recite the ingredients of a hot dog (determined by taste), Peppered cheerfully responds, “That’s what we call meat on Earth.”

Sybil Danning’s Saint Exmin the Valkerie is from a race that live only to fight in wars. And wear swimming suits (what, you think a Roger Corman film is not going to feature at least one buxom woman in a tiny outfit?!). Initially, Shad is annoyed and tries to chase her off, but she hangs on, proving herself in battle and winning Shad’s respect.

The film features work by James Cameron (as art director) and the designs go from very serious, such as Sador’s rather impressive ship to somewhat tongue in cheek. Shad’s ship has a smart talking female voiced AI. And the ship has breasts. I am not joking.

Seriously, Cameron…

And James Horner’s musical score is downright great. Battle Beyond the Stars is entertaining and downright fun as low budget Sci-Fi goes.

March 15, 2018 0

All Stand Together Pt 6 (Seven Samurai, 1954)

Being set in sixteenth century Japan, some might question including this film in my series on westerns. But having run through the Magnificent Seven films, not looking at the film that inspired them, that created one of the most memorable western motifs seemed downright criminal.

A small mountain village is being raided by bandits and after they leave, the town sends out a party to find help.

They find Kambei, an older Ronin and watch him save a baby from a thief. While he is not initially interested in helping them, he relents and assembles six more Samurai to both teach the villagers and help them defend the village.

Kurosawa had apparently planned to make a film about a “day in the life of a Samurai” before research brought him to a story about Samurai helping farmers. And thank goodness for that. Because Seven Samurai is a pleasure to watch. It is humorous, exciting and touching.

Clocking in at three hours, we get to know the Samurai very well. We see their friendships (both with themselves and the villagers) grow. A beautifully shot film, Seven Samurai is a masterpiece that has and will continue to influence cinema.

March 14, 2018 0

All Stand Together Pt 5 (The Magnificent Seven, 2016)

While there had been a two season TV series in the late 90’s, the Seven Samurai inspired franchise had remained quiet. Certainly, plenty of films have used the “group of gunslingers or outlaws step up to help people in need. It is one of the most popular western motifs. But it took until 2016 for it to come back to life.

Set in 1879, Tycoon Bartholomew Bogue has overtaken the town of Rose Creek. He owns the Sheriff and has had his men deputized. Forcing the people into labor, they are living in misery. After he has some of the towns people killed to “lay down the law”, they seek the help of Sam Chisolm, a U.S. Marshall. Chisolm starts recruiting people, starting with gambler Joshua Faraday, who is trying to get his horse back, but lacks funds. As they work their way back, they reach out to various individuals…a Mexican Outlaw named Vasquez, an old trapper named Jack Home. He also brings in former Confederate officer named Goodnight Robicheaux and his partner Billy Rocks. Finally, they bring in exiled Comanche Warrior Red Harvest.

This film has a very conscious eye towards diversity. Billy Rocks is a Korean immigrant skilled both with knives and guns. Chisolm is a black man. And even the Confederate is explicitly portrayed as “not the racist kind”. He clearly has a longstanding friendship with Chisolm and his relationship with Rocks is an equal partnership.

But this works in the favor of the film. These characters all come from desperately different backgrounds, but come together to form a solid unit that trusts each other. I found myself genuinely liking these characters. Granted, a certain amount of this is due specifically to the cast. Denzel Washington tends to bring a sense of authority to every role. Chris Pratt of course has a likeable sweet boyishness that tends to run through his roles. Byung-Hun Lee is just kind of a dashing hero type. You can always depend on D’Onofrio and Hawke to deliver terrific character performances.

And Peter Sarsgaard’s Bogue? He is a clear cut, unambiguous bad guy. He does not even see himself as the hero of his story. He just believes in “might makes right”. When we are introduced to him, he steps into a church and shows no sense of respect for the faith of the parishioners.

Overall, this film is quite exiting and smartly chose to create an entirely new set of “Seven”. It is also a bit darker and grittier. That is not to say it is not fun, it definitely has it’s moments of levity. I feel like the addition of a revenge element for one of the Seven was unnecessary, and even kind of undermines the idea of the willingness of these guys to sacrifice themselves for the town.

But director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter and the Equalizer) delivers a pretty solid energetic modern western with the Magnificent Seven.

March 13, 2018 0

All Stand Together Pt 4 (The Magnificent Seven Ride!, 1972)

Years after the original film, Chris Adams is a marshal. A friend seeks his help with a gang of bandits. He refuses, but after both his wife and friend are killed in a robbery and attempted apprehension, he brings in a group of men to take out the bandits.

And Van Cleef is certainly a better choice of stand in for Brynner, even making a lot of sense as an older and wearier Adams.

But really, this feels like the last gasp at trying to make the franchise matter. And it really does not work. It is kind of a boring retread.

Simply put, this final sequel is not the enjoyable ride the original film was.

March 12, 2018 0

All Stand Together Pt 3 (Guns of the Magnificent Seven, 1969)

Revolutionary Quintero has been captured by the Federale. He gets $600 to Max to continue the cause. Bandit and revolutionary Lobero wants him to use the money for guns and ammo, but instead he hires Chris Adams. They put together a new Seven to free Quintero.

The film attempts to ground itself in a sense of social awareness (in part with characters like Bernie Casey’s ex-slave Cassie and the treatment of the peasants they encounter). But the story is less than engaging.

Without Yul Brynner, this film feels like it could be any western. I like George Kennedy, but Chris does not feel like Chris here. The Guns of the Magnificent Seven is just not the return fans needed.

March 11, 2018 0

All Stand Together Part 2 (Return of the Seven,1966)

Chico settled down in the village that the Seven defended years before and now they face a new threat by Rancher Lorca. He has kidnapped the town’s men to force them into labor.

The town seeks the help of Chris and Vin (Vin now played by Robert Fuller) who assemble a new crew to help the town.

I do not have a tremendous amount to say about this one. I like Yul Brynner’s (the only holdover from the original) Chris, but Robert Fuller is not Steve McQueen. And making the setting the same village instead of making them a heroic force for a new group (an orphanage or something? I don’t know).

The most notable thing to me about this movie is that the screenplay is by the 70’s/80’s horror director Larry Cohen. But this is a pretty lifeless script.

March 10, 2018 0

All Stand Together pt 1 (The Magnificent Seven, 1960)

Bandit Calvera and his gang are terrorizing the people of a small Mexican town. After one raid, he promises to return to steal more from the people. The leaders of the village put together what they have to invest in weapons.

Chris Adams steps in suggesting hiring gunfighters. While reluctant, after helping select the other gunfighters, Chris agrees to help defend the town.

The Magnificent Seven cleverly sets up it’s two main leads Chris and Vin (Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen) as decent tough guys. They discover the local coroner has an issue. There is a body that needs transporting. But the deceased is Native American and the white locals are refusing access to the cemetery. The two volunteer to take the hearse to the cemetery. This seen is really full of charm and gets you pumped to follow these two. And they manage to succeed in their mission with only a couple of flesh wounds. These men are not cold blooded killers. They are willing to do as little harm as possible.

This is a stellar cast of tough guys, but not in some cheap sense. They are mostly good and decent (Harry Luck is a bit mercenary, joining up because he believes there must be treasure if Chris is involved, but even he ends up willing t risk his life for the town). Eli Wallach, of course, makes for a great villain.

The music is energetic and fun, especially the heroic theme song.

The Magnificent Seven is a truly great and fun western.

March 9, 2018 0