Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (982)

Content

Awix (3310 KP) rated Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968) in Movies

Feb 19, 2018

Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968)

1968 | Classics, Drama, Horror

7.0

(4 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Grave Errors

Hammer's third Dracula movie is arguably inaccurately titled, but then 'Dracula Has Thawed Out of a Moat' wouldn't look good on the poster. Busybody monsignor finds lingering legends of Dracula affecting church attendance, decides to exorcise Castle Dracula, ends up resurrecting Dracula himself, wins Counter-productive Stupid Idea Award for 1906.

What follows is a fairly routine gothic melodrama without much to distinguish it; Christopher Lee goes through the motions manfully. Chief wrinkle in the story is the fact that the juvenile male lead (who has an unfortunate resemblance to a young Hugh Grant) is an atheist, which is a problem when it comes to vampire hunting (he can't wave a crucifix with sufficient conviction, apparently). Not-bad climax doesn't really compensate for lack of good ideas in the rest of the film.

Kudos

David McK (3485 KP) rated Batman (1989) in Movies

Aug 3, 2019

Batman (1989)

1989 | Action

8.2

(146 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb..."

Oh, wait, wrong Batman!

Completely and utterly tonally different than the Adam West incarnation, this version has Michael Keaton - at the time, a controversial casting choice of an actor known for more comedic roles - taking on the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in a very Gothic setting: all high rises, smoke and corruption.

With Commissioner Gordon only given a token role, and changing elements of the Batman mythos in giving Jack Nicholson's Joker a pre-Joker identity (and in having him responsible for the murder of Bruce's parents), this Batman also does not seem at all concerned with his famous no-killing rule (or is it a guideline?). It's also definitely a product of its time, complete with songs by Prince woven into the narrative!