The Cult Corner: Short Time (1990)

It's Time to Give This 90's Gem Another Look

by robotGEEK

Dabney Coleman just doesn't get enough credit for being such a great actor. He steals the show in everything he comes out in, from Tootsie, to 9 to 5, to Cloak & Dagger (a personal favorite), and even Boardwalk Empire. Here, at the age of 58, and attempting to play someone in their late 40's, Dabney tried his first hand at action (if you don't count Cloak & Dagger) in this forgotten action comedy that delivers more than you expect in a big way.

Released in 1990, Short Time tells the somewhat macabre story of a police officer, who at just 8 days away from retirement, mistakenly thinks he's dying of cancer and has days to live. So in order for his family to collect on his life insurance (to ensure his young son can go to college), he decides to try and get killed in the line of duty, the only way his family can actually collect on it.

With a story like that, this film probably wouldn't get made today, but I'm also glad it was made in the late 80's/early 90's because it carries a very special flavor of action that you just don't see anymore. While marketed as more of a comedy (it is amusingly charming), it's the action that takes center stage as Det. Burt Simpson (Coleman) puts himself in harms way any chance he gets in a series of car chases and shootouts, only to find that trying to get killed in the line of duty isn't as easy as he thought. Director Gregg Champion (The Cowboy Way) handles the action sequences like a pro, shooting the film and the action in an evenhanded manner, much in the way someone like John Badham would. No frills, but highly effective when composing his shots and getting the maximum out of each sequence. And I have to admit, considering it's mostly trying to be a comedy, the action is pretty badass and damn impressive, most notably a crazy huge car chase sequence that would easily rival The French Connection and To Live and Die in L.A. respectively.

The cast is pretty ace, with Dabney's ex-wife being played by Terri Garr, who also appeared in Tootsie, and Matt Frewer playing his partner. I like Frewer for the most part, but there are times when he comes across as trying too hard to be funny and goofy, and it's a bit painful. This is one of those times. Frewer would appear in another forgotten action classic the following year with The Taking of Beverly Hills. Joe Pantoliano, Barry Corbin and Xander Berkeley round out the cast.

For his part Coleman is just awesome. I've always liked him, and here, seeing him thrusting himself head-on into dangerous situations that result in some pretty impressive action sequences was such a sight to see. While he typically plays unlikable characters, he comes across as both charming, tough and surprisingly effective as the action hero lead, who despite his best efforts to get himself killed, always turns out the hero.

I honestly can't praise this film enough. It was such a stark reminder of the type of action comedies that were actually really good once upon a time. The shot-on-film aesthetic and impressive camera setups (no handheld nonsense here) lend themselves to a visually pleasing experience full of action, heart and a tiny dose of laughs. It's a shame that to date, this has never gotten a release here in the U.S. other than on VHS. Not even on DVD, which just blows my mind. I hope a company out there like Kino or Shout! Factory snags the rights to this some day and gives it a legit release, and in widescreen, which would be a first for this film.

A Second Look: End of Days

Arnold and director Peter Hyams breathe new life into a tired concept

by Jason Elizondo

As much as I've been a die-hard fan of both Arnold and writer/director Peter Hyams nearly all my life, End of Days has always been a film that I didn't care too much for. In fact, I maybe have only seen it less than a handful of times. It just never really connected with me in any way that I could enjoy. I always felt that it was a weird choice for Arnold, and that Hyams was capable of better, which he had proven to me over and over again throughout the 80's and 90's. And though I actually took the time to watch End of Days a few times, I just could never get into it.

Flash forward many, many years and here I am in yet another one of my Peter Hyams binges. I tend to go through these about once every year or so (he really is one of the best directors ever). So I decided to give this one another shot, because I've noticed this past year I tend to change my mind drastically when I revisit a film, which is what kickstarted my new "A Second Look" series of reviews. Raw Deal, Licence to Kill and Waterworld are some solid previous examples. So let's dig in.

When Satan takes over the body of a local New York businessman, he sets his sights on a new bride at the turn of the century. Local ex-cop Jericho (Schwarzenegger) works as a security expert who stumbles upon this plot and vows to protect the woman Satan plans to marry at all costs.

Despite my previous experiences and feelings about this film beforehand, End of Days managed to turn all of that completely on around this time out. This time it managed to keep my attention, and I noticed things I hadn't either taken the time to before, or just flew right over my head. For starters, this is surprisingly one of Arnold's best performances. I know, I know. It's crazy to even think that, but it's true! As crazy as it sounds, Arnold gave one of his most heartfelt and strongest performances as a man struggling with the loss of his family, and finding a way to continue, always close to falling over the edge.

The always reliable and "busy" Gabriel Byrne turns in another fantastic devilish performance here as Satan himself. Sure you could argue that his accent comes and goes (I honestly have no idea what type he was going for; Irish, English, Chicago?), but he sure has a helluva lot of fun doing it. Plus, he just looks fucking cool drenched in all black. Oftentimes, it's the moments when he doesn't say a word, but just gives you that devilishly fiendish look that makes him the most chilling.

As strong as the performances are, Peter Hyams, once again working as his own cinematographer, is the main reason the film works as well as it does. While it's a familiar story told many times, Hyams' magic with the camera is what makes this one a standout. Much like his previous effort The Relic, and totally unlike most of his other films, this film is dark. Not only in tone, but in it's aesthetic and use of shadows and blacks instead of natural light. This particular moment in his career saw him using a lot of muted colors of browns and gold, bathed in darkness. In fact, with The Relic and End of Days, there was hardly a moment that took place during the day or in sunlight. Purposeful of course, but not entirely unnoticeable either. Still, his particular sensibilities behind the camera work wonders with the visuals here. With this film in particular, there's no surprise that there's little action, because it's not an action film. Yet, despite it's horror/thriller genre, screenwriter Andrew W. Marlowe (Air Force One, Hollow Man) can't help but infuse "some" action because it is an Arnold Schwarzenegger film after all. And this is where Hyams blows nearly every other director out of the water in the action genre with his deft use of precision editing and camera setups. Once again, the legendary writer/director/cinematographer proves, rather flawlessly, why he was one of the best filmmakers working.

If you were wondering why Arnold was noticeably thinner and less bulky this time around, it's because he had just had heart surgery after a scare, and this was his first film in 2 years. Of course, thinner Arnold is still a much bigger version of any normal human being, even the ones in excellent shape. It's interesting that his first collaboration with such a legendary filmmaker was a horror/thriller rather than a straight-out action flick. It's amusing to think of what they could have made together in that genre, a genre that Arnold personally dominated for a number of years, and one that Hyams delivered the goods in with classics such as Sudden Death and Timecop.

One of the films most interesting positive attributes is it's stunning use of practical effects work. Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are. The 90's isn't generally regarded as a good moment in effects history, but the effects team here was on point and through the use of limited CGI, old fashioned model-work, and Hyams ability to mix it all together effectively, End of Days surprised me at every turn with it's stellar effects work.

Is it perfect? Certainly not. There are a few moments that trigger a response that you don't expect. Like the sequence when Jericho (Arnold) fights with an old heavyset lady and she actually gives him a run for his money. Or the moment when Christine (a sexy Robin Tunney), the object of Satan's desires and pursuit, claims she's been dreaming of him all her life, yet he just barely took the form of his new host a few days before. Minor issues of course and nothing that takes away from the enjoyment of the film in general.

Released in 1999, End of Days would mark the last good/great Peter Hyams film. His 2001 followup The Musketeer was met with dismal returns and universally panned by critics and moviegoers. 2005's A Sound of Thunder and 2009's Beyond a Reasonable Doubt followed suit. When it was declared that Hyams would return to the directors chair and the action genre and re-team with Jean-Claude Van Damme for 2013's Enemies Closer, I was over the moon excited. Until I saw the film, which I just did not like.....at all, for a number of reasons. Gone was the visual stylist I adored for so many years through many, many films, and Van Damme just seemed both exhausted and far too over the top for my taste as the villain. It was a sad closing chapter for Hyams career as a strong director, but if End of Days can prove anything, it's that even as late as 1999, Peter Hyams proved that he was the best and delivers the goods in the most unexpected ways. It might not be considered a highlight in his career, but it should be. If it's been a while since you've seen it, or if maybe you've never seen it period, give it a shot and keep an open mind. It might surprise you with how great it is.

How to see it:
Released on DVD in 2000 and Blu-Ray in 2008, they run fairly cheap. While I didn't watch it on Blu Ray myself, I can say that the DVD is a pretty solid source. But having finally revisited and loving it, a Blu-Ray upgrade is definitely in order for the near future.

Blu-Ray Review: J.D.'s Revenge (Arrow Video)

"Blaxploitation meets Jekyll & Hyde in this highly entertaining and solid undiscovered gem from 1976"

By robotGEEK

Going into this, I had actually never heard of this film until now. Given that I've never really hit the Blaxploitation genre hard, that's not all that surprising. Sure we're all aware of the classics, even if we've never seen them, but this one seems to be one of those that fell through the cracks of the mainstream audience. But that's what makes companies like Arrow so great. With their new restorations, they're able to introduce many of us to these lost classics for the very first time, while giving fans a new transfer to seek their teeth into. So let's dig in.

When Isaac (Glynn Turman), a law student and cab driver in 1970's New Orleans, begins having visions and flashbacks of someone else's life after being hypnotized during a stage show, he ultimately discovers that he's being possessed by the spirit of a dead gangster from the 40's, who wants to exact revenge for his murder. 

I have to say, this one was quite the pleasant surprise for me. What I assumed was a standard Blaxploitation film at first, became something totally and tonally different by the second half. Best of all, it's a strikingly competent film, made with some impressive care and precision. Of all the things that impressed me the most, it was how well it was made for a film I was half-expecting to fail in that department, because when you look at how so many of these were made, the majority of them were done fast, loose, and with very little care in how the film looked. In short, they looked cheap. Yet here, director Arthur Marks gives the film a much more solid aesthetic than you're expecting. It's not overly stylish, but it's a far more polished production than you'd expect, and that's a good thing.

The cast is exceptionally fantastic here, starting with Glynn Turman as the lead. A tirelessly working character actor who continues to work today, you'll more than likely remember him as the science teacher in Gremlins, whom Billy takes Gizmo to in the hopes of trying to figure out just what he is. Turman is a revelation here, essentially playing two completely different roles, oftentimes mixing the two together impressively. His ability to play mild-mannered and meager Isaac one minute, and shift over to loud-mouthed trash-talking J.D. Walker the next is incredibly impressive and seems effortless. Then there are the moments when he's fighting the spirit that ultimately takes over, where he's coming in and out of Isaac and J.D. simultaneously. It's incredible to see. If you weren't a fan of Turman before, you most certainly will be now.

Then there's the one and only Louis Gossett Jr., here billed as Lou Gossett, who steals the show in every single scene he's in as the the Reverend Elija Bliss. I won't spoil it for you here, but just know, he rules and proves once again that he's hands-down one of the best in the business.

The two female leads, Joan Pringle and Alice Jubert, are also notably excellent. Pringle, here playing Isaac's faithful and loving girlfriend does an outstanding job with the dramatic elements, especially once Isaac begins to slowly change, and she succumbs to the spirit of J.D.'s abuse and control. Jubert, here playing the sexy daughter of the Reverend Bliss, also does wonders with her role, whom I might add actually ends up playing dual roles. I found it oddly surprising that Alice Jubert only acted in 5 roles, with this film being her last....41 years ago. And there's virtually no information on her online, so I have no clue if she's still alive or why she hasn't acted in 4 decades when she was actually very good and stunningly captivating. I think most people will be surprised that the acting is spectacular across the board in here.

What makes this film so unique in the Blaxploitation genre is that it doesn't have any action.....at all. Instead, it chooses to dive into the thriller and horror genre's, which totally surprised the hell out of me because it's so effective and works marvelously. I can see now why it's such a cult classic, and why the good folks over at Arrow decided to help spread the word on this long-forgotten slice of 70's cinema. It's a film worth seeking out, no matter what genre you happen to love. It's a surprisingly great and highly entertaining film all around, even if you're not generally a fan of these types of films, and Arrow, once again, did another bang-up job on this release.

As to be expected, Arrow did a phenomenal job on this release, beginning with the transfer. Being that I've never seen any other release of this film before this, I don't have anything to compare it to, but just based purely on my experience watching this one, the transfer is incredible. Somewhat grainy, saturated in browns, yellows and orange (exactly what you'd expect from a low-budget film from 1976), yet sharp in their contrast, which sounds like a contradiction but in reality, it isn't because it somehow works. On a visual level, it's a gorgeous image.

The Specs:

• Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements, produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this release
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
• Original 1.0 mono sound
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Brand new interview with producer-director Arthur Marks
• Brand new interview with screenwriter Jaison Starkes 
• Brand new interview with star Glynn Turman
• Original theatrical trailer
• Arthur Marks trailer reel
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips

The audio is solid with it's 1.0 mono sound presentation, and the new interviews with star Glynn Turman, director Arthur Marks and writer Jaison Starkes are well worth the price. Turman's interview is fantastic, as he discusses in detail his experience getting the job and his way of working with the material as well as his fond memories of all of his costars. He's such an underrated actor with a strong presence and I really hope more people will discover this lost gem. Too bad they couldn't get Gossett Jr. to do an interview. However, if you look at his IMDB, it's no surprise. The man is insanely busy these days.

What kind of blows my mind is how different screenwriter Jaison Starkes is compared to the kind of person you wold think would write something like this. The same goes for director Arthur Marks, who is not at all who you would expect to be as the director behind the camera for this 70's Blaxploitation/Horror hybrid. I love that about this film though, because it's yet another example of the many surprises in store with the experience of J.D.'s Revenge. An experience well worth taking.