jasonisageek
Holy cow everyone. I can't believe how great this film was and how nobody EVER talks about it. How is that possible? This is the very definition of a lost gem. And it's such a "different" type of film altogether. I wouldn't even know how to categorize it really because it's like a melting pot of different genres, but it works! It's like Scorcese's After Hours, only set in California in 1985. And make no mistake, this is a very California film and it's amazing. Every single frame is drenched in 80's Hollywood, CA nostalgia. But it carries very much the same tone as After Hours, so that should give you some indication as to what to expect.While I do watch a lot of movies on a weekly basis, with a lot of them being great, I can't remember the last time I was this surprised, enthralled and in love with a film experience. It's one of the most amazing films I've ever seen, and some of the most fun I can remember having with a film. It's like a dark adventure, thriller, comedy (while not actually being funny), drama and romance, all mixed together in a way that very few films can actually do. I don't even know how you could possibly and effectively even advertise this, so I'm not entirely surprised that it didn't do well in the theater. What blows my mind is the fact that I'd never even heard of it until now. I mean, for someone who grew up on Landis films, and just cinema in general in the 80's, it's quite a feat, yet it happened. And really, it's a travesty. More people should know about this film, more should be aware. It's such a unique film altogether, and if you love cinema, obscure films, or even if you just love John Landis films, you owe it to yourself to check this out as soon as possible. And I'll say it again, it's unlike any film I've ever seen. It's kind of like a dark, surreal odyssey through 80's Hollywood in the span of about 2 nights, with so much happening and so much being thrown at you, all in a very unconventional way that you don't really know how to take it all in until it's over, and then it just kind of hits you all at once and you realized you just had one of the most interesting movie experiences you've ever had.I absolutely loved and adored every single aspect of Into the Night, right down to it's title font. So much of this film just gets nearly everything right. John Landis, who has never been the most "visual" director, absolutely knocks it out of the park here, framing every scene in a very John Landis way, while also pushing his own envelope a bit, giving it more substance to every shot. I don't know how else to explain it, but if you're familiar with his very particular way of shooting, just imagine that but more, bigger, better and more impressive. Think of his work on The Blues Brothers, only more slick. Another surprising element is it's impressive soundtrack, led by........B.B. King of all people. And while that sounds a bit strange, to me at least, you'll be surprised how well his title song, complete with 80's synth (seriously!) fits the film so well. I had to keep asking myself "That's a B.B. King song??". I don't know if it was a trend he was riding in the mid 80's, but the synth background music that played along with his guitar and lyrics was magnificent, and encourages me to want to check out some of his stuff from around this time. This was the first film John Landis directed after the Twilight Zone: The Movie tragedy, and if I'm not mistaken, he may have even been in the middle of court proceedings during this time. Maybe that accounts for it's dark tone? I don't know, but I should also mention that Landis also appears in this. While he's been known to pop up in his films for a brief moment here and there, I'd never seen him in such a large role, and I must say, it was awesome. His character never speaks, yet it's his physical actions and reactions that speak volumes and generate legitimate laughs. It's both admirable and impressive on a number of different levels and for a number of reasons. It makes you wish he acted more, because he was a revelation, even though he never spoke a word.Into the Night is the very definition of a lost, underrated or obscure gem. Very few films pack the same kind of visceral punch that this one does, and the fact that it's gone largely unnoticed is such a sad reality, when in fact, it's quite an amazing film. It refuses to be boxed into a single specific genre, or defined because there are so many different elements that make it so unique. Even for a film that could in some ways partly be called a dark comedy, there is violence that will surprise you that always comes out of nowhere and blindsides you. And that's one of many wonderful elements this film provides you, the viewer. www.robotGEEKSCultCinema.blogspot.com
videorama-759-859391
Here's another movie, let down by it's story, as if a desperate excuse for an action adventure comedy, which I still enjoyed. The movie hardly raised a laugh at all, although I did enjoy this slow moving flick, first seeing it a fifteen. Goldblum has many problems, like he does in other films, whether around flies, or being tall guys, whatever. He can't sleep, and his wife is cheating on him. He confides in his work colleague Ackroyd, who does ask him while in gridlock, "When was the last time you f...ed your wife?", and Goldblum's wife is pretty hot. Taking a midnight drive out to the airport, trouble comes crashing down on his hood in the form of sexy and fiesty Diana (Michelle Pfeifer), a struggling actress, who's taken of with these diamonds. The film, which was something different at the time, still manages to be very entertaining, but is just let down, of the weak strength of the story. Bruce Mcgill was kind of interesting as an Elvis impersonator, shouting some Elvis related while out at character, at Diana, that was unforgettable, as was Goldblum knocking down a fake wall on a film set. The film is an oddity, which does stand alone, where we really see a few directors act, but it such a shame the quality of the film suffers from it's unoriginal lightweight and story.
utgard14
Jeff Goldblum plays a man with a boring job, a cheating wife, and insomnia. One night beautiful Michelle Pfeiffer enters his life on the run from trouble of her own. The two have a wild night ahead of them as they run from irate Iranians. That makes more sense than it sounds, trust me. Lots of cameos from directors such as David Cronenberg, Jonathan Demme, and Don Siegel. Also a fun cameo by David Bowie. Goldblum and Pfeiffer are great. A solid comedy from John Landis; good escapist fun. Great soundtrack including the title song from B.B. King. Also worth checking out for a very rare (but brief) Pfeiffer nude scene.
