It has become increasingly apparent to me lately that I am watching far more movies than I can possibly review, particularly now that for well over a year I've been experiencing close-up vision problems (happily, my distance vision is unaffected) that are slowing down my reading and typing abilities significantly, especially when attempting these via computer screens. I am currently on th official waiting list for a corrective operation, so hopefully this issue will ultimately prove to be a temporary inconvenience only, but nevertheless I may never catch up on the time I've lost in relation to my writings and researches.
With movies, I tend to gravitate towards the lesser-known, more unusual examples, just as I do with cryptids when researching and writing on cryptozoology; and since my Shuker In MovieLand blog began five years ago now, I've been contacted by many of its readers thanking me for reviewing movies that they'd never previously known about but which, after reading my reviews, they have since watched and very much enjoyed. Consequently, as my blog is clearly serving a useful purpose, I've devised a means by which I can alert readers to more movies than I've been able to do lately.
Namely, rather than only presenting full-length reviews or mini-reviews written by me, I shall also be providing collections of what I am referring to as alerts – i.e. short but concise accounts of movies viewed by me that I feel may be of viewing interest to others too. Each movie alert (which I shall type in blue) will simply take the form of basic details (an identifying image, the director, production company/ies, distribution/release company, and release date) for that movie, plus excerpts quoted from its own official blurb as present on the back cover of its DVD/video or press release, naming its principal stars and including a brief plot resume; or from IMBd's summary if there are insufficient details on the above-named sources. This will thereby enable readers to determine for themselves straight away whether or not the movie in question is likely be of interest to them. I may also add a comment or two of my own (distinguished by not being typed in blue) if there are any specific aspects that I wish to emphasise or expand upon.
Finally: just because they are represented here on my blog by alerts, this does not necessarily mean that I shall never produce a full review or even a mini-review of any alert-documented movies at some stage in the future. Moreover, if I do prepare full or mini-reviews of any alert movie, I shall then delete its respective alert and replace it with an alert for some other movie. So be sure to check back regularly to alert pages, as their content is likely to change from time to time.
I hope that you'll like my blog content's new, additional format, which, as explained above, will permit me to document far more films in far less time than was previously true, especially given my present close-up vision issues. But, rest assured, I shall also continue to write full reviews and mini-reviews as and when time and eyesight permit, but because of the alerts appearing on what I hope will be a much more frequent basis this will no longer be such an imperative task for me in order to keep abreast of my movie viewing. Thanks for your understanding and alert appreciation.
Anyway, to give this first set of alerts a theme of sorts, all three of the ones presented here today refer to movies that I've watched lately from my ex-rental big box video collection, which include some that do not appear to have been released in DVD or Blu-Ray (or not readily-accessible ones anyway), so may well be unfamiliar to many film fans. NB – All images are reproduced here on a strictly non-commercial Fair Use basis for educational/review purposes only.
THE MAGIC TOYSHOP
From IMBd's entry for this movie: After her parents are killed in a plane crash over the Grand Canyon, Melanie [Caroline Milmoe], a teenager girl and her younger brother and sister are sent to London to live with their uncle, Philip [Tom Bell]. There, she meets his mute wife Margaret [Patricia Kerrigan], who is mistreated by and terrified of her husband and only converses through notes. She also meets Margaret's younger brothers Francie [Lorcan Cranitch], a fiddler, and the rakish Finn [Kilian McKenna]. Her uncle is a toy maker, [and] secretly has the power to make his toys come to life, but he also maintains dictatorial control over his family and intends to exercise the same control over the new arrival.
The teleplay and story for this almost two-hour-long movie are by Angela Carter, adapted from her original novel from 1967. The latter is popularly categorized as belonging to the magic realism genre of literature, but having read it shortly after watching this movie I can readily state that, to my great disappointment, it is singularly bereft of magic – unlike the movie, which is plentifully supplied with it, culminating in a truly shocking, totally surreal climax. An incredibly difficult movie to track down in physical format but thoroughly mesmerizing and well worth seeking out, The Magic Toyshop can currently be viewed for free via a somewhat inferior-quality but nonetheless watchable full upload on YouTube – so click here to do so while you can!
SING
From my video's back cover blurb: Set on the tough, volatile streets of Brooklyn, Sing is a story of ordinary lives and extraordinary dreams. A song and dance competition set in the Brooklyn schools, 'Sing' offers the young people the chance to express their personal exhilaration, desperation and passion. Sing follows the lives of three such people – Dominic (Peter Dobson), a defiant, discontented street fighter; Hannah (Jessica Steen) who yearns for a better life; and their teacher Miss Lombardo (Lorraine Bracco), whose determination and energy is an inspiration to them both. Together, these three people become a symbol of hope and ultimate survival in a community struggling with social change.
Until I watched this movie, as a Brit I was unaware of the annual SING! competition staged in some of New York's high schools, and upon which this movie is based. Run by the schools' own students, it takes the form of a a musical theatre competition between various grades within each school. As for this movie, which I thoroughly enjoyed, Sing can currently be watched in its entirety for free on YouTube by clicking here.
FHEADIN' FOR BROADWAY
From my video's back cover blurb: Headin' For Broadway springs into spectacular life where Fame left off. They are now looking for that starring role which is going to bring them fame and fortune – but it's a slightly more rocky path than they originally thought! This bubbly lightning-fast production will give you not only the glamour and pezzaz but also the traumas and disappointments of trying to break into the most difficult profession. An extravaganza of light and joy from beginning to end!
One of the four hopefuls whom we follow throughout the movie as they strive for that crucial shot at fame on Broadway is uber-confident extrovert Fast Eddie, played by Rex Smith, who in real life closely paralleled in the States a popular performer here in the UK, Paul Nicholas. Back in the 1970s and early 1980s, both of them were shaggy-haired, insanely handsome, highly-talented and much sought-after young actors who also happened to be successful pop singers, both with several entries to their names in the singles and album charts within their respective countries and beyond, before moving on to more serious stage and screen roles. Smith acquired worldwide fame during the mid-1980s courtesy of the TV show Street Hawk, in which he played Jesse Mach, a special police crime-fighter riding Street Hawk, which was a futuristic motorbike equipped with incredible capabilities (so, needless to say, I was a big fan of the show, never missing an episode!). Headin' For Broadway, which again I thoroughly enjoyed, can also currently be watched in its entirety for free on YouTube, by clicking here.
Finally: to view a complete chronological listing of all of my Shuker In MovieLand blog's film reviews, articles, and alert batches (each one instantly accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE, and please click HERE to view a complete fully-clickable alphabetical listing of them.
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