Eleven more minutes of one of the hundred best.
Added 6/30/2009
Lord of Illusions: The Director's Cut (Clive Barker, 1995)
I am, it seems, one of Lord of Illusions' relatively few fans; I'm certainly the only media critic I know, self-described or otherwise, who lists it among the hundred best movies ever made. Somehow, though, I never got around to seeing the new director's cut of the movie until recently. I actually didn't think it was all that different despite being eleven minutes longer than the theatrical cut, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some director's cuts destroy the original movie...
Lord of Illusions, adapted by Barker from his own story "The Last Illusion" (though it's an "adaptation", really, in the way Tobe Hooper's adaptation of 'Salem's Lot is similar to King's), is the story (one of the stories, anyway), of private investigator Harry D'Amour (Quantum Leap's Scott Bakula), who Barker fans will know from the Books of the Art. While working on a seemingly unrelated case, he finds himself tangled up in the suspicious death of Philip Swann (There Will Be Blood's Kevin J. O'Connor), an illusionist of the David Copperfield variety, performing elaborate tricks in the midst of a Vegas-style stage show. When a new trick goes wrong, Swann's wife, Dorothea (100 Feet's Famke Janssen) hires D'Amour to find out what happened. D'Amour quickly discovers that Swann is only the tip of an iceberg, and that before he's through, he will know all too well the difference between illusion and magic.
What struck me from the first time I saw the movie was not necessarily the performances of the main characters, though O'Connor is in his best role here, and this is the role that made Famke Janssen as big a movie star as she was a model; it's the minor characters, be they played by the instantly recognizable (Vincent Schiavelli) or the unrecognizable (Daniel von Bargen's fantastic make-up job). There are a lot of small but amazing performances in this movie. None more so than that of Barry Del Sherman, whose performance here should have made him a household name. Butterfield, the last prophet of a dead magician, is one of the most chilling characters ever committed to film.
Barker also has a wonderful way of bringing his own visions to film; save Candyman (and arguably The Midnight Meat Train), every really good Barker adaptation has been directed by the man himself. Most folks think Hellraiser is the best of these, and there are many arguments to be made in its favor. Don't get me wrong, I love Hellraiser dearly, but by the time Lord of Illusions came around, Barker had a bit more directorial experience under his belt, and it shows. Barker coaxes amazing performances out of just about everyone here, as discussed before, but one of the real pleasures of Hellraiser (and of Nightbreed, Barker's second film) is how amazing the sets are when everyone goes to hell. The stuff that takes place on Earth, well, less so. The sets here? Phenomenal. Somewhere along the line, Barker got the idea that one can integrate the fantastic into everyday situations, and does it ever work. From the mud-brick cult headquarters to the surreal opulence of the Pantages made over for Swann's performance, the movie looks stunning. The music, supplied by Simon Boswell, matches perfectly (most of the time, anyway; Erasure's lounge-act rendition of "Magic Moments" is hysterically cheesy). I can't tell you how many times I've seen this film, and I've never found a single thing to complain about. The scenes that were excised will make you wonder what had the MPAA's panties in such an uproar, but then, that's no surprise. If you've never seen it, do so ASAP. One of the all-time greats. *****
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Cool movie!
Added 5/6/2009
This is a great flick. Its generally effective in a quasi horror way, but its more effective on presenting very creative sets (and lot of reliance on art deco/film noir elements). The story is an interesting weave, and somewhat a unique story line. The only potential downfall is scott bakula, laughably bad actor. Overall though, the movie maintains a neat feel and mood throughout that I enjoy.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Just Weird Enough For Me
Added 5/1/2009
I've always liked this movie and when it came out on DVD, I had to have it. This movie has just enough strangest to it to keep my attention. Just when I think I've gotten used to it, something else pops up.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Leper Messiah...
Added 9/24/2008
Back in 1982, a desert-dwelling cult leader was murdered by a group of ex-cult members. Now (1995), said cult leader, known as "Nix" and "The Puritan", is set for his return in a foretold resurrection. Enter a private detective named Harry D'Amour (Scott Bakula), who finds himself right in the middle of a battle between the remaining Nix faithful, and a magician named Swann (Kevin J. O'Conner from The Mummy). D'Amour gets involved w/ Swann's breath-takingly beautiful wife (Famke Janssen) and winds up solving a mystery that he never bargained for. Packed w/ colorful, interesting characters and wild situations, LORD OF ILLUSIONS is a supremely satisfying supernatural spooker. Clive Barker always seems to have something new and dreadful up his dank sleeve. If you enjoyed HELLRAISER, NIGHTBREED, or CANDYMAN, then this little slice of putrifaction should bubble up your flesh just fine...
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Fascinating
Added 3/24/2008
This was a video about Dark magic that started in the past in a cult. Then it comes to a time when a PI of the occult steps in and shakes death up. The leader of the cult resurect from the dead. His Cult is still there like sheep. Many are killed.
Paul D. Eccles
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Eleven more minutes of one of the hundred best.
Added 6/30/2009
Lord of Illusions: The Director's Cut (Clive Barker, 1995)
I am, it seems, one of Lord of Illusions' relatively few fans; I'm certainly the only media critic I know, self-described or otherwise, who lists it among the hundred best movies ever made. Somehow, though, I never got around to seeing the new director's cut of the movie until recently. I actually didn't think it was all that different despite being eleven minutes longer than the theatrical cut, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some director's cuts destroy the original movie...
Lord of Illusions, adapted by Barker from his own story "The Last Illusion" (though it's an "adaptation", really, in the way Tobe Hooper's adaptation of 'Salem's Lot is similar to King's), is the story (one of the stories, anyway), of private investigator Harry D'Amour (Quantum Leap's Scott Bakula), who Barker fans will know from the Books of the Art. While working on a seemingly unrelated case, he finds himself tangled up in the suspicious death of Philip Swann (There Will Be Blood's Kevin J. O'Connor), an illusionist of the David Copperfield variety, performing elaborate tricks in the midst of a Vegas-style stage show. When a new trick goes wrong, Swann's wife, Dorothea (100 Feet's Famke Janssen) hires D'Amour to find out what happened. D'Amour quickly discovers that Swann is only the tip of an iceberg, and that before he's through, he will know all too well the difference between illusion and magic.
What struck me from the first time I saw the movie was not necessarily the performances of the main characters, though O'Connor is in his best role here, and this is the role that made Famke Janssen as big a movie star as she was a model; it's the minor characters, be they played by the instantly recognizable (Vincent Schiavelli) or the unrecognizable (Daniel von Bargen's fantastic make-up job). There are a lot of small but amazing performances in this movie. None more so than that of Barry Del Sherman, whose performance here should have made him a household name. Butterfield, the last prophet of a dead magician, is one of the most chilling characters ever committed to film.
Barker also has a wonderful way of bringing his own visions to film; save Candyman (and arguably The Midnight Meat Train), every really good Barker adaptation has been directed by the man himself. Most folks think Hellraiser is the best of these, and there are many arguments to be made in its favor. Don't get me wrong, I love Hellraiser dearly, but by the time Lord of Illusions came around, Barker had a bit more directorial experience under his belt, and it shows. Barker coaxes amazing performances out of just about everyone here, as discussed before, but one of the real pleasures of Hellraiser (and of Nightbreed, Barker's second film) is how amazing the sets are when everyone goes to hell. The stuff that takes place on Earth, well, less so. The sets here? Phenomenal. Somewhere along the line, Barker got the idea that one can integrate the fantastic into everyday situations, and does it ever work. From the mud-brick cult headquarters to the surreal opulence of the Pantages made over for Swann's performance, the movie looks stunning. The music, supplied by Simon Boswell, matches perfectly (most of the time, anyway; Erasure's lounge-act rendition of "Magic Moments" is hysterically cheesy). I can't tell you how many times I've seen this film, and I've never found a single thing to complain about. The scenes that were excised will make you wonder what had the MPAA's panties in such an uproar, but then, that's no surprise. If you've never seen it, do so ASAP. One of the all-time greats. *****
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Cool movie!
Added 5/6/2009
This is a great flick. Its generally effective in a quasi horror way, but its more effective on presenting very creative sets (and lot of reliance on art deco/film noir elements). The story is an interesting weave, and somewhat a unique story line. The only potential downfall is scott bakula, laughably bad actor. Overall though, the movie maintains a neat feel and mood throughout that I enjoy.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Just Weird Enough For Me
Added 5/1/2009
I've always liked this movie and when it came out on DVD, I had to have it. This movie has just enough strangest to it to keep my attention. Just when I think I've gotten used to it, something else pops up.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
