Birdy (71%)

A soaring experience unlike anything you've seen before.

Of the five Alan Parker films I hadn't seen, Birdy was one I was pretty excited for. After five great movies he was on a roll and Birdy had always intrigued me ever since I was a young boy. I remember seeing the VHS cover on the shelves of my local video store all those years ago. The cover was intriguing and at the time I was a big fan of Matthew Modine. But up until last night I had never had the chance to see it.

So far Parker's track record had been rather exemplary. Of his first four films (Not including Bugsy Malone and his TV work) three of them were exceptional and the fourth while not as good was still a very good movie, and all four films were drastically different from one another. Sir Alan was on a roll and the question left wanting was what would he do next? The answer came in 1984 with Birdy.

Birdy is about two friends who are having troubles since their return from Vietnam. One of them suffers from the delusion that he has become a bird. It stars the aforementioned Matthew Modine and a young Nicholas Cage. There are moments at the beginning that are humorous but the film is a fairly heavy drama and is more akin to Midnight Express than any of Parker's previous films but is still unique in its own way.

It is also not as good as his previous films. There are some great moments in the film; moments that are either beautiful. emotional, powerful or all three at once. There are some great set pieces and the cinematography is extraordinary. But there are many things that don't work as well as they should and moments that don't ring as true as they should. Like the whole opening sequence which felt a little forced at times and comes of as false.

The dialogue, while quite good at some parts, is pretty bad at others. Scenes between Cage and Modine's doctor come off stilted at times and on the rare occasion don't end up making much sense. After almost 30 years of acting, Cage can be classed in two lights. One light casts the image of a well respected and highly talented actor. The other, and the more popular of the two, casts the light that he is a generic go to guy who'll take anything for a paycheck. In this film he comes off as both; in some scenes he is fantastic, in others less than convincing.

I'm a pretty big Peter Gabriel fan and when I saw his name in the credits I got rather excited. Sadly, the score he ended up composing was slightly disappointing. Don't get me wrong, there are moments that are pure Gabriel and are great but there are also moments that almost make me cringe. These moments are so overwhelmingly 80's cheese. You know, that quintessential 80's sound that hasn't aged well and has no place in modern society. You know, the really bad 80's that has mostly disappeared from today's airwaves. There are very few of those cringeworthy cues but enough of them  to be distracted and all the more disappointing that Peter Gabriel wrote them.

The cinematography is, like I said, gorgeous and the editing has a great momentum to it, keeping the audience interested for the entire two hour run time. The film could of been trimmed for time here and there but in general it didn't feel very long. The war scenes in Birdy looked convincing but they could of been bigger and more grandios. Maybe it was the budget constraints that didn't allow for it but they should of shown more of the hell that was Nam. It would of made for a stronger effect than the end product.

There are some heavily emotional scenes that are rather affecting but they are few and far between and represent individual moments rather than the characters. The story itself is rather un-effecting,; interesting but un-effecting and yet should of been powerful and draining and potentially emotionally crippling. The ending too comes out of nowhere and all of a sudden the credits are rolling. Parker tends to just end his films like that, suddenly but it usually works. Here it's just abrupt and leaves you wanting more.

Overall though, Birdy stills comes off as a recommendation. Parker does a decent job keeping the film interesting, even through the hammy acting, the outdated music and the weak dialogue. One jarring aspect is a narrative track that appears out of nowhere and then fades into obscurity throughout the film. Parker let his game slip here and while he made a decent film it just doesn't compare to his pervious works. It's a worthwhile film to watch and it will keep you enthralled but it won't stay with you very long after it finishes. In a word: Worthwhile.


Film Rating: 71%

Breakdown (How Birdy scored 71%):

Production Design: 7 out of 10
Cinematography: 9 out of 10
Re-playability: 5 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Costumes:  8 out of 10
Directing: 7 out of 10
Editing: 8 out of 10
Acting: 7 out of 10
Music: 6 out of 10

Script: 6 out of 10

Pink Floyd: The Wall (92%)

Pink Floyd The Wall. Now The Film

Pink Floyd: The Wall is neither a musical, a music video or a feature film. Rather it is a hybrid of all three. It is at times a musical with the cast and extras breaking out in song, while at other times it is like an extended version music video of the same named album; and at all times it is a dire, dark and depressing feature length film with a cohesive narrative that plays out of sequence and contains no dialogue.

Directed by Alan Parker and written by Pink Floyd Wall genius Roger waters, Pink Floyd: The Wall is a fantastic odyssey into madness and directed by one of the few men who could actually pull it off. Intermixed with sexually suggestive and brilliant cartoons by Gerald Scarfe the film is an utterly captivating  and original work that has stood the test of time.

The Wall started as an album by Pink Floyd in 1979. More a work by Roger Waters than the band itself, the album was a phenomenal success and lead to a crazy, short lived and sold out concert that featured a large number of effects and a huge wall being built on stage to divide the band from the audience. From there, Waters thought that it would make a great film and set about writing the screenplay.

Selecting Alan  Parker as director seems like second nature. Few, if any, directors could pull off such an ambitious feat as a full length feature film set to an album. One only needs to look at Fame to see why Parker is the perfect choice. His skill with that film, blending musical sequences with reality into something that is a musical but feels very unlike one, makes him the perfect choice to direct Pink Floyd: The Wall.

The film itself is about a rock star with a troubled past who begins to have a nervous breakdown fuelled by drugs and depression and begins to build a wall between himself and everyone else surrounding him. The film cuts from future to past to present and back and forth continually and is entirely set to the same named album. There is no dialogue and the story is told entirely by images set to the songs of the album.

It is truly amazing how well of a cohesive story is told without the use of dialogue. While a tad confusing at times, for the most part we see, feel and understand the downfall and meltdown of the title character and we get the story as well as the back story. It is rare for a movie to not spell out a story so plainly but this film does it in spades and makes it that much better than it already is.

Parker does an amazing job putting Waters' screenplay on celluloid. Shooting in a full anamorphic scope aspect ratio for the first time, Parker and his cinematographer have made some of the most memorable and striking images of Parker's career, if not of the entire early eighties. Once you see this film you will never forget it, I promise you that. The editing is perfect and couldn't be any better.

And the music is just amazing. I am a huge Pink Floyd fan and this is a film set to their entire classic album. Every song is awesome and plays even better here set to the images that Parker, Waters and Scarfe have created. If you haven't heard this album this is a great way to hear it for the first time. Every song is brilliant but standouts (for me at least) include Another Brick in the Wall (Parts 1-3), Comfortably Numb, Mother and Empty Spaces.

The weakest part of Pink Floyd: The Wall has to be Bob Geldof who is the lead actor and is on screen for most of the picture. Not that his performance is bad, it is actually quite good, but it's just not as out of the world as everyone and everything else involved with this movie. Every other performance works perfectly, as does everything else but every once in a while it becomes clear that Geldof is less an actor and more a musician.

Otherwise this is one of the most original films you will ever see. It is gorgeous to look at, a sight for sore eyes, and it is just as good to listen to. The music is amazing!! The story, told without dialogue, is remarkably coherent for the most part and the animation is trippy, wild and striking. The effects, the design and the look of the film is stunning in itself. War looks like war, the past looks like the past and blood looks like blood. When the animation mixes with real life it looks as good as any hybrid animation/live-action film today if not better.

Parker together with Waters and Scarfe have created the ultimate music video/musical/music based film. I have seen it numerous times and it never gets old or boring (which might stem from my love of Pink Floyd). After 30 years, the film still feels as fresh as when it was released and will probably feel the same way 30 years from now. Such is the power of Pink Floyd and the power of a brilliant director at the top of his game. In a word: Unforgettable!!!

Film Rating: 92%

Breakdown (How Pink Floyd: The Wall scored 92%):

Production Design: 10 out of 10
Cinematography: 10 out of 10
Re-playability: 8 out of 10
Originality: 10 out of 10
Costumes:  8 out of 10
Directing: 10 out of 10
Editing: 10 out of 10
Acting: 8 out of 10
Music: 10 out of 10

Script: 8 out of 10

Shoot the Moon (80%)

There's one thing about marriage that hasn't changed.... The way you hurt when it begins to fall apart.

Of all the Alan Parker films in the Alan Parker canon, Shoot the Moon is the one I have heard least about if anything at all. And that includes the little seen (on these shores at least) film called Bugsy Malone. So when I sat down to watch it I had mixed feelings. On one hand I thought how could it be bad with Albert Finney and Diane Keaton in the leads and Alan Parker directing, while on the other hand why had it disappeared from known memory? Maybe it is a complete and utter failure?

Well I just watched it and all I can say is: what a great movie; what a great character study; what great acting.  Shoot the Moon is about a long married couple who after a few kids and many years together separate. The movie details their feelings for one another, their kids, the kids feelings, and the introduction of new lovers and how it makes old lovers feel.

Parker directs the film with a sure hand. Although much more low key than his previous works he still puts together a riveting and compelling drama that is interlaced with small doses of comedy and a few very tense numbers. Together with his editor and cinematographer they have made a beautifully paced film that is far from boring and compels the audience to stay glued in their seat. The pacing is excellent and while some of the cinematography is rather flat (it is a character study after all) there are some shots that are just stunning, such as the black silhouetted boat lazing on the lake as the sun rises.

The best thing about Shoot the Moon though is the acting. Once again Parker has pulled out excellent performances and proven to be an actors director. Keaton and Finney are excellent and bring raw and real emotion to the screen. A young Peter Weller and Karen Allen make appearances too, and are just as good as the leads. The kids too, are remarkable. It's tough to pull out a great performance from a child but all four children here give uniformly wonderful and give compelling performances.

There are two problems with this film. The first, and uncharacteristically of Parker, is the music. While not bad, it isn't remarkable either. It does the job in carrying the picture but is rather repetitive and rather simple. It almost feels as if one pice of music was written (very quickly) and then repeated throughout the entire picture. It does work for the picture but after Midnight Express and Fame I did expect something more.

The second and biggest problem with the film is the screenplay. Running just over two hours, the film is compelling and well written with sharp dialogue and realistic characters. In fact for the whole of the running time the screenplay is actually rather excellent. So what is the problem then? Well the movie just ends. It is a hard hitting ending and quite unique but the audience and I could of used a bit more. It never really wraps up the story and it's a shame as the story is so propelling.

Drastically different and extremely low key, Parker's fourth film is a forgotten gem that I recommend highly. There are no real effects, no song and dance numbers and no real action to speak of but still the movie is engaging and captivating as any good movie should be and feels way short of its run time. The movie feels very much like Woody Allen's Interiors but interlaced with humor and much quicker paced. This is a quality film that needs to be rediscovered by audiences everywhere. In a word: Riveting!

Film Rating: 80%

Breakdown (How Shoot the Moon scored 80%):

Production Design: 7 out of 10
Cinematography: 9 out of 10
Re-playability: 7 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Costumes:  8 out of 10
Directing: 9 out of 10
Editing: 8 out of 10
Acting: 9 out of 10
Music: 7 out of 10

Script: 8 out of 10

Fame (92%)

If they've really got what it takes, it's going to take everything they've got.

With Fame, Alan Parker has created a masterpiece that has and will stand the test of time. I can't tell you enough about how much I love this film. It Is near perfect and I can find very little wrong with the movie. How good is the movie? Well it was nominated for numerous awards, it had a long running TV show follow it and it's legacy is so strong that in 2009 it was remade.

This review is of course about the original film, not the modern day tepid and generic teen dance flick that passed off as a remake three years ago. To be honest, I haven't seen the remake, but from the trailer and the reviews that followed I realized that I never wanted to. It would just tarnish the memories of the original I had lingering in my brain.

So where do these memories come from? I first saw Fame when I was very young, maybe around 10 years of age, and had no real memories of the movie except for the title song. Then, at around 20 years of age I saw it again. I loved it! I thought it was brilliant. Then I saw it again a few years later and I liked it even more. So now, watching the films of Alan Parker, I just watched Fame once again and it's just as good if not better than I recalled.

What makes the film so good? Many things: The genius of Alan Parker, the script, the cinematography, the acting, the cast of relative unknowns, the music, the choreography, the adult nature of the film, the overall enjoyment and feeling one gets when watching it. So let's discuss each one of those aspects in detail.

The script and story is near perfect. This original version of Fame is about the New York City High School for Performing Arts. It is about a group of students who first audition and then spend the four years in the school. It is about trying to make it as an artist and the trials and tribulations of either making it or not. While there is a large cast of well defined characters the story is more about the schooling these characters get and their growth within the school.

It begins with auditions, where we are introduced to a plethora of hopefuls and a handful of teachers. We then follow the freshman year, the sophomore year, the junior year and the senior year of those that successfully passed through. The film culminates and ends at graduation. We only follow our characters through their schooling, there is no back story before the auditions and there is no post coda after they graduate. It is only about the time in school, the process of school and the ambitions while in school. A similar film in tone and scope is Robert Altman's The Company and while a good film in it's own right it is no where near as fine a film as Fame.

The characters in the film are portrayed by a list of unknown (most of them still today) actors who for the most part are excellent. Everyone does a fine job but some performances stand out more than others. All the teachers are phenomenal, especially Anna Meara as the English teacher. The students are perfectly cast and portray characters from all walks of life; poor, rich, controlling Jewish families, hispanics, gays, blacks. And everyone pulls off a fine performance. Irene Cara, as a budding actress/singer/dancer is fantastic and Gene Anthony Ray as a troubled dancer is amazing. For the most part everyone delivers fantastic performances.

The problem, the only problem, with Fame is that the ending (senior year) seems a tad rushed. We spend so much time learning and feeling for these characters that when senior year comes and goes so quickly we are left wanting more. Barry Miller, playing an actor/comedian rises to 'stardom' and crashes and burns way to fast. Problems occur for all the main characters in senior year but before you can blink an eye we are at graduation and then the end credits roll. It's a tad rushed but overall, it doesn't effect the film too much.

Then there is the music, the choreography and the cinematography which all go hand in hand together.  Together the cinematographer and the choreographer have created a stunning looking film with rich and detailed photography, unique and lively shots and an utter sense of realism. Fame is a musical, but not in the traditional sense. People don't, out of the blue, break out into song and dance. Instead the music and dancing comes out of the story. The best example of this is the song and dance of Hot Lunch. Inside the jam packed cafetaria are students eating, practicing dance moves and practicing their instruments. The sounds they all make together create a sort of rhythm that is picked up by a few of the students. So they start jamming together and before you know it, we have singing and dancing and music that feels organic and real. The choreography and the cinematography work magic together to make it feel real and organic.

The music throughout the movie is just perfect. The songs are amazing and legendary and work so well within the context of the film. Give or take a rare disco beat, the music is just as modern today as it was back in 1980. And those rare disco beats that pop up throughout the film, well they just place the film in the late 70's early 80's, and not in a bad way. (See my review for Nomads for more on that). All I can say is I love every song and every piece of music in this film.

Alan Parker made a perfect follow up to the Academy Award nominated Midnight Express. Both films are completely different to one another but are both masterfully directed and put together. Parker has a unique sense of framing, storytelling and music. One that doesn't seem to date that much and makes for films that last forever.

He also isn't afraid to hold back. His films aren't for children and Fame is no exception. Unlike the PG rated remake, this film has nudity, sex, swearing, violence and disturbing scenes that run through out. It shows life and reality in an adult and realistic way. Much like he did with Midnight Express, Parker did not hold back when telling the story he wanted to tell.

But even though the film is disturbing at times, and sad at other times, the overall feel of the movie is rather joyous. It is laced with humour and riveting scenes and feels a lot shorter than it's 133 minute run time. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and by the end you will feel an overwhelming feeling of happiness. You'll feel like you were there with these students over the four years of high school. You will feel like you know them, and you will feel like you are there at their graduation. And when those final credits roll you will be left with nothing but a huge beaming smile on your face. Such is the power of Fame. In a word: Brilliant!!

Film Rating: 92%

Breakdown (How Fame scored 92%):

Production Design: 10 out of 10
Cinematography: 10 out of 10
Re-playability: 10 out of 10
Originality: 10 out of 10
Costumes:  8 out of 10
Directing: 10 out of 10
Editing: 9 out of 10
Acting: 8 out of 10
Music: 9 out of 10

Script: 8 out of 10

Midnight Express (91%)

A story of triumph.

It is with utter disappointment that I begin the Alan Parker film review archive with Midnight Express. Not that Midnight Express is a bad movie, in fact it ranks up there as on of the best prison movies ever made, it's just that it isn't Alan Parker's first film.

He bagan his film career in television with a film called The Evacuees. Sadly I haven't seen it and even sadder, it's not available on DVD or Blu-Ray or at all. He then directed Bugsy Malone. Bugsy Malone told the story of the rise of, of course,  Bugsy Malone. It was a musical, it starred kids as the gangsters, it seems pretty weird. Unfortunately Bugsy Malone I have neither scene nor own as it has never been released this side of the Atlantic ocean. Next, Parker directed another TV movie called No Hard Feelings, again not available in any home format and thus I am unable, dear readers, to present you with a review of any of those films.

Which Brings us to Midnight Express. And what a way to start the career of Alan Parker. As I mentioned, this movie has to be one of the greatest prison movies I have ever seen. Even after 34 years, it's still right up there on the top. It sits with The Shawshank Redemption, The Bridge Over the River Kwai and Escape from Alcatraz as prison movies that will forever be cemented in my memory.

From what I have read, Bugsy Malone is hit and miss. Some people like it, some don't and overall it seems to be just okay. It appears to be a decent debut for Parker but it appears that he really came into his own, that he become a force to reckon with, when he directed Midnight Express, his second big screen feature film.

Based on a true story, Midnight Express is a harrowing, tense and original drama about prison. Less a movie about escape than what a prison is like and what it does to the soul, it starts witha wallop and doesn't let up till the end credits finish rolling. Amazing cinematography, captivating music, almost universal excellent acting and masterfully put together by the editor and Parker, this movie is a masterpiece, a thrill ride and has every right to be called a classic.

The lead role, played by Brad Davis, is probably the weakest performance in the whole picture. Not to say that Davis gives a bad performance, it's just at times he seems stronger than others and whenever John Hurt, Randy Quaid or Paul L. Smith appear he seems overshadowed. There are times though where his acting is utterly captivating. Case in point: when he goes crazy after John Hurt is taken away. Speaking of Hurt, he a marvel here, given an earth shattering performance that launched his career. He has rarely been better (or at least no worse) ever and deserved all the accolades and awards he received for the part. Paul L. Smith is menacing and terrifying as the Prison Warden and he makes you fear him every time he is on the screen.

The music, and soundtrack overall, is stellar. A fully synthesized score (first time ever!!) and a heart beat that plays throughout is pulse pounding and thrilling and oscar worthy. It did win the oscar for the music. The editing is solid and keeps the pace of the movie steady and moving forward and the cinematography is just gorgeous. You can feel the dirt on your skin, feel the darkness surround you and feel the pain inflicted by the prison as you watch the film unfold.

Alan Parker has made a taught, tight drama that thrills and terrifies at the same time. It shows, possibly for the first time, a realistic and brutal Turkish prison. It brings fear and teaches a lesson to tourists. It makes one not ever want to break the law in a foreign country, especially Turkey.  Parker also makes the audience feel just like Davis's character throughout the movie. He does so in many ways but the most captivating way is the lack of subtitles. By not knowing what is being said we are as lost and confused as the characters. I've said it before and I'll say it again: truly masterful direction.

I first saw Midnight Express when I was around 15. I really liked it then and have probably seen it (not including last night) three or four times. Last night was the first time in perhaps 10 years that I had seen it. I actually found it more tense and more disturbing than I used to. Maybe it's because I'm older, wiser and know more about this crazy and sometimes scary world. Or maybe it's because this movie seems to get better with age. Other than a few choice hairstyles and pieces of clothing, this movie hasn't really aged a day. It looks real enough, feels real enough and seems like it could of been shot yesterday. And it is just as relevant today as the day it was made.

This movie is dark, disturbing and curiously uplifting. It's got humour, tension, thrills, chills and action. It's got great editing, amazing sets, amazing acting, glorious cinematography and a stunning soundtrack. It made Alan parker a serious contender on the directing side of the world and did the some for John Hurt on the actor's side. It also gave Oliver Stone a career, as he won an Oscar for his utterly riveting and excellent screenplay.

I recommend Midnight Express to everyone except those who are planning on smuggling drugs out of a foreign country. Other than that, this movie should be seen by everyone as it is a perfect example of the magic of cinema and what it can make us feel and what it can teach us. In a word: Awesome!!!!!


Film Rating: 91%

Breakdown (How Midnight Express scored 91%):

Production Design: 10 out of 10
Cinematography: 10 out of 10
Re-playability: 9 out of 10
Originality: 9 out of 10
Costumes:  8 out of 10
Directing: 10 out of 10
Editing: 9 out of 10
Acting: 8 out of 10
Music: 9 out of 10

Script: 9 out of 10

The Films of Alan Parker

Well fellow Full Metal Reviewer reader's, I'm back and this time I've got an arsenal of 12 classic films to review. Well some of them are classics at least. Some may be excellent, some may be good and some may be bad and together we will discover where each film lies on this epic and exciting journey. Of course, the common link between these films is that they are all directed by the great Alan Parker.

Alan Parker was born in England in 1944. In the early 1960's he began working as a copywriter in the advertising industry. In the late 1960's he began writing and making his own television advertisements and in 1971 he wrote his first feature Melody. Since then he has worked continually in both the British and American film industries. He has been nominated (and won) for a slew of prestigious awards and in 2002 he was knighted to become Sir Alan Parker.

Now, if one was to peruse The Internet Movie Database, one would see that Sir Alan Parker has directed more than 15 films, yet I am only reviewing 12 films. Why? How is this possible? Why am I doing this? Well, if you had read a previous post I did (a few months ago) you would know that I am only reviewing films that are
                 a) available in widescreen and
                 b) available in an official region 1 format.
Thus films like Bugsy Malone and The Road to Wellville, to name two, are not included. It's a shame really as I am dying to see both those films, and really anything Sir Parker has directed.

With that said, of the 12 movies that am about to watch, five of them I have never seen. Of the seven I have seen, five of them I remember being 'brilliant', one of them I remember sucking beyond belief and one of them I really don't remember at all. Here's the list, divided between seen and unseen and listed alphabetically.

                                               Seen                                            Unseen

                                          Angel Heart                                            
                                                Evita                                     Angela's Ashes
                                                Fame                                            Birdy
                                  The Life of David Gale                Come See the Paradise
                                      Midnight Express                         The Commitments
                                   Mississippi Burning                         Shoot The Moon
                                 Pink Floyd: The Wall

So now it's time to find out if my memories hold well with the films that I have seen. It's time to hopefully discover a new hidden gem, or at least to find another great movie to recommend. It's time to watch the films (what's available to North American's) of Sir Alan Parker. Are you ready? Good. Let's begin...