ALL SCI-FI

[Bogmeister]

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____________________ Matinee (1993) Trailer


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This isn't really sci-fi, but in some ways it is — a tribute by director Joe Dante and a charming nostalgic piece set in Key West, Florida during the scary Cuban Missile Crisis in '62.

This probably presents an idealized version of the old time movie showman, played by John Goodman (a version of real life producer William Castle). And wouldn't certain fans, especially of a younger age, want to be on the road with him, selling movies town to town, theater to theater, tricking audiences with goofy special FX?

It's every monster movie fan's dream, all right.

Most of the main cast are kids who, one way or another, get involved in the showing of Mant! — the latest sci-fi/horror flic in 'Atomo-Vision' — at the local theater. Mant! reminds one of movies such as Them! (54) and The Fly (58), being about a man transforming into a giant ant.

On the old Laserdisc from the nineties, all the Mant footage is shown in order without interruption on one platter.

The showman, Woolsey, also uses physical effects outside the movie screen, such as shock gizmos under the seats and 'Rumble-rama,' which could pose a danger to a theater's stability. Goodman is a natural as Woolsey, strutting about with a huge cigar and enjoying himself like an overgrown kid.

Cathy Moriarty is also amusing as his gal pal and leading lady who can't really get into her roles when outside the silver screen. Robert Picardo (appearing in all of Joe Dante's films) is funny, as usual, as the nervous theater operator.

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Besides the kids, Dick Miller & John Sayles appear as 2 'plants' — rabblerousers who stir up the locals with warnings about the movie within the movie but are really in Woolsey's employ, creating buzz on the picture (this was how buzz was built before the internet and if you couldn't afford TV ads).

Matinée creates an interesting juxtaposition between make-believe scares in movies and the pervading fear of real-life nuclear terror. Images of the nuclear bomb going off abound, complete with all the accessories built up by the U.S. culture during that time, such as tacky bomb shelters and the famous 'duck-and-cover' drills practiced in schools.

This is a like a good-natured, relaxed version of the classic Dr. Strangelove (64) and pokes a little fun at the nervous public of that long ago era. The kids are on the cusp of leaving their fun, make-believe worlds behind —a situation brought into very sharp focus by the tension between John F. Kennedy and the Soviets at that time.

Matinée captures a moment in time when the simplicity offered by Woolsey's monster pics represented an escape. There is a purity and innocence to those old time pictures which is forever lost.

BoG's Score: 7 out of 10

[Bud Brewster]

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I finally watched Mantinee, and it was remarkably good!

The first 45 minutes had me worried. The humor wasn't exactly hysterical (except for the gas station attention who mistook William Woolsey for Alfred Hitchcock), and I started wondering if director Joe Dante hadn't made the entertaining spoof of 1950s movies I was hoping for. The close relationship between the two brothers, however, was well done and very touching.

The use of late 1950s and earlier 1960s Top 40's Hits was beautifully done. It blended well with Jerry Goldsmith's fine score.

And when the movie-within-the-movie started, I realized that it featured several beloved stars from the fifties sci-fi classics (along with some side-splitting dialog). I was delighted by the wit and imagination!

William Schallert was terrific as the dentist whose X-ray machine caused the mutated Mant. I loved Robert Cornthwaite as the scientist who always provided definitions for the "big words" he used. Kevin McCarthy was absolutely perfect as "General Ankrum" — a reference to the great Morris Ankrum, of course!

The skillful use of the soundtracks from This Island Earth and The Creature from the Black Lagoon was a genuine plus. All the dialog in Mant was brilliant.

The Wife: "Bill, if you could just listen to the man in you and put the insect aside!"

Bill (suddenly shocked): "Insecticide? Where?"

General Ankrum (gazing up at the giant ant on the side of a building): "Good Heavens! What do you call that thing?"

The Wife (deadpan): "Bill."

The ant head and the mantis hands were perfect. The special effects of the giant ant in the city were remarkably good! It made me wish (yet again) that the FX in Them! had been better.

There were subtle references to Them! in the Mant-in-the-city scenes, such as the ant sounds from the 1954 classic, and the use of bazooka's to fire what General Ankrum called the "DTD missiles".

Unfortunately the story wandered into less worthy areas (story-wise) when the juvenile delinquent started screwing up the novelty gizmos installed in the theater and then tried to kidnap the girl with whom he was obsessed.

Another thing I disliked was the way the young audience went crazy and started trashing the theater. I would have preferred a more respectful portrayal of 1950s kids at a movie theater, especially when they should have been thoroughly entertained by Mant! and all the theater's enhanced features.

On the other hand, Joe Dante chose to treat Lawrence Woolsey (John Goodman's character) with great respect. He really did have some remarkable equipment located back stage to enhance the movie-going experience. Dante could have chosen to make Woolsey a ridiculous moron whose device didn't work well. But that wasn't what happened, I'm glad to say.

I admired the way he remained calm when things escalated into dangerous situations, like the threat of the balcony collapsing and injuring the kids. John Goodman was permitted to play a pretty nice guy with great ideas for making movies more fun — not just a sleazy con man.

That was a smart choice on Joe Dante's part.

The fact that John Goodman's character actually ended up pioneering a successful process that a Hollywood producer was willing to back and promote was a very satisfying aspect of the story. And the "happy ending" with John Goodman and Cathy Moriarty planning to get married somehow just tickled me pink!

Coming soon to your computer!

________________________ MANT! "Trailer"

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And now, here's our Feature Presentation — Mant!

__________________Mant (1993) - Short Film

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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

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IMDB has several interesting trivia items for this production.
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~ For "Mant," the movie-within-the-movie, Joe Dante cast actors who had actually appeared in 1950s-era science fiction movies. These included Kevin McCarthy, Robert Cornthwaite, and William Schallert.

Note from me: Ted Newsome did the same thing — but in an even bigger way — with his clever fan-film spoof, The Naked Monster.

~ Cathy Moriarty's character is named Ruth Corday. This is a tribute to actress Mara Corday who starred in the real giant bug movies Tarantula (1955), The Black Scorpion (1957), and The Giant Claw (1957).

Note from me: This is one of the nicer touches of nostalgia this film offers.

~ The character of Lawrence Woolsey is based directly upon the real Hollywood showman William Castle. The character is introduced in a recreation of Castle's famous trademark of a silhouette of him in a director's chair with his head turned in profile with his cigar. His name is a reference to Lawrence Woolner, one of the Woolner Brothers whose company, Woolner Brothers Pictures, distributed sci-fi classics like Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958).

Note from me: And this is the other nice tribute of nostalgia.

~ For "Mant," the movie-within-the-movie, Kevin McCarthy plays a character named General Ankrum, a tribute to character actor Morris Ankrum, one of the most familiar faces in similar supporting roles in real science-fiction films of that era.

Note from me: By my own count, Morris Ankrum appeared in more 1950s sci-fi movies than any other actor — fifteen, if I remember correctly.

~ The movie theater used for the exterior shots of the [color=darkblue]Strand Theater is actually located in Historic Cocoa Village, Cocoa, Florida. It was built as the Aladdin Theatre, 1924. In the 1940's, it was a movie theatre known as the State Theatre. It is operating as the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [/color]

Note from me: This was a nice touch by the producers.

~ The seat gimmicks used in the film were a real trick actually used by William Castle for screenings of The Tingler (1959).

Note from me: Ted Newsome's sci-fi spoof, The Naked Monster, presents a hysterical tribute to Mr. Castle's gimmicks.

~ In her memoir, Lisa Jakub stated that she had her first kiss ever, while filming this movie.

Her scene partner Simon Fenton apparently did not like Lisa, which made shooting the five takes of the kissing scene very awkward and uncomfortable to get through.

Note from me: Well now . . . Lisa's first kiss occurred during this movie . . . and she had to do it five times with Simon Fenton who didn't like Lisa. My guess is that Miss Jakub will either need extensive therapy — of she'll end up a lesbian.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)