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Festivale Summer 1996-7 The Frighteners movie review, Jan., 1996)

I laughed, I cried, I screamed, I embarrassed myself. A good time was had by all?

This is the film I nearly didn't attend. A horror film with Michael J. Fox. Hmmm. But with John Astin, which was promising. Frankly, during the film, I was constantly judging it, I wasn't really caught up in it the way I should have been. The computer-generated makeups were amazing. John Astin's character, the Judge, enters the room jawbone first.

John Astin in his amazing computer-generated makeup.

Enter jawbone, pursued by dog. Enter Judge in hot pursuit. Kind of Shakespearean, really.

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It seemed as if the story was just not as strong as some of the performances, or the special effects. And even as I was thinking that I wasn't involved, that I couldn't forget that I was in a theatre, a character suddenly appeared and I screamed. It was a darkened theatre, but with only a dozen or so reviewers, there was no way to escape. I should have seen the ending, but I didn't. Maybe I should say it's a B film, but I won't. I want to see it again. Check it out. Enjoy the performances and the effects. It's worth sitting through the film just to watch the incredible Jeffrey Combs as the FBI agent from hell (his own, particular, hell). Agent Dammers is weird enough to be a science fiction fan. He makes X Files look ordinary. Go see it.

Ali Kayn

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Just the facts: The Frighteners Written by: Fran Walsh & Peter Jackson (see also Lord of the Rings) Directed by: Peter Jackson Produced by: Jamie Selkirk & Peter Jackson Edited: Stu Linder Executive Producer: Robert Zemeckis Director of Photography: Alun Bollinger & John Blick The Players: Michael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace Stone, Jake Busey, Chi McBride, Jim Fyfe Rating: MPAA, rated R

Note: there is killing, and axe murderers, but it's far from gratuitous.

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