Four Play

Often considered one of the greatest films ever made, Roman Polanski's 1974 Film Noir masterpiece Chinatown explores themes of corruption and the futility of fighting against institutional power. Richard, Monte, and Thorin discuss the devastating ending, the banality of the water rights subject matter, the impeccable pacing, and more. They ask if Jack Nicholson's performance is even necessary to this film, especially contrasted to John Huston's dazzling acting in a supporting role, and explore Faye Dunaway's diva turn. Why even call the film Chinatown and what does it say about the perception of the Chinese as The Other?

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Touch of Evil, directed by Orson Welles in 1958, is the second step on our journey through Film Noir. Thorin, Richard, and Monte discuss Welles' spectacular performance as a despicable detective, the racial themes behind the film, the casting of Charlton Heston as a Mexican police officer, and more. They dive into the films theme of the ends justifying the means and the racial commentary on the Mexican-American border as part of this surprisingly deep film.

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We put on our trench coats and fedoras to investigate four different movies in the Film Noir genre, beginning with John Huston's The Maltese Falcon from 1941. This film remains the perfect starting point for exploring Film Noir and served as a blueprint for dozens of future movie in the following decades. It brims with exceptional acting performances by Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, and Peter Lorre, underscored by fantastic and memorable dialogue. While not exploring the deeper and more artistic themes of subsequent films, it delves into the extreme extent that individuals will go to satiate their greed. Ultimately, The Maltese Falcon remains a cornerstone movie that must be understood to appreciate a huge swath of film history.

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Near Dark, directed by Kathryn Bigelow and released in 1987, takes an unusual approach in examining the practical realities of being a vampire in modern times and the difficulties in living with such extreme strengths and weaknesses. While other films in our 1980s vampire genre may have glorified undeath, Near Dark presents vampirism as a true curse and a horrific plague upon normal humans. Richard, Thorin, and Monte praise the films standout scenes, especially with the iconic performances by Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen, while lamenting the strangely "feel-good" ending.

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The Lost Boys, directed in 1987 by Joel Schumacher, became an unlikely hit film with teenagers of the era as it married California beach life, trendy aesthetics, and the seductiveness of vampires. Richard, Thorin, and MonteCristo discuss this excellent film as the pinnacle of coolness of the era alongside its deeper themes of peer pressure and homosexuality. Kiefer Sutherland delivers an excellent performance, as does the rest of the cast including the first time Corey Feldman and Corey Haim appeared on film together. The Lost Boys has left a significant legacy on a generation's perception of the sexiness and glamor of vampires, as the movie presents few of the downsides to eternal life explored in other films.

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Tom Holland's Fright Night (1985) serves as the second 1980s vampire film explored on Four Play as our hosts dive into this teenage comedy/horror. The movie is simultaneously a love letter to classic horror b movies, an exploration of teenage sexual awakening, and a spectacular display of action and practical effects. While the actors portraying the teenagers might not be the strongest in comparison to other films of the era, Roddy McDowall and Chris Sarandon provide excellent performances that propel a cleverly written, entertaining film. Fright Night also features some surprising homoerotic and homosexual themes that, although less explicit than other ideas explored in the film, reveal aspects of the 1980s American zeitgeist.

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Vampire films from the 1980s take the stage as the next genre for Four Play, kicking off with Tony Scott's The Hunger from 1983. The movie relishes in emerging Goth music, culture, and aesthetics during the period while simultaneously exploring the torturous downsides of eternal life. The Hunger is beautifully shot and paced, allowing it to provide an excellent viewing experience in spite of an understated plot and hokey ending. David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve, and Susan Sarandon feature in the film as it uses its star-power to explore the fleeting nature of fame.

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Our Cosmic Horror arc wraps up with Stuart Gordon's 1986 film From Beyond, based off a short story by H.P. Lovecraft. While more niche, and certainly lower-budget, than other films Four Play reviewed in this genre, From Beyond squeezes the most out of its story and actors to provide a satisfying, if campy, experience. Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Ken Foree, and the rest of the cast deliver excellent performances in a film that explores the limits of human perception and sexuality.

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Many of us have fond memories of Event Horizon (1997), considered Paul W.S. Anderson's best film, but how does it hold up over 25 years later? Richard, Monte, and Thorin discuss the excellent concept and set-up of the movie, which gets unfortunately bogged down by a clunky ending and hilariously bad dialogue. The film liberally steals visuals and scenes from other, better movies and ultimately fails to deliver on an intriguing premise. Sam Neill turns in a wonderfully cheesy performance as one of the high points alongside some enduring production design and visual imagery that has aged relatively well. The boys wrap up with re-evaluating Event Horizon's legacy and place in the cosmic horror genre.

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Alex Garland's 2018 film Annihilation continues the Cosmic Horror theme on Four Play, as Richard, Monte, and Thorin discuss the themes that evolve beyond the shimmer. Is the film about trauma, the experience of cancer, the fundamental human drive toward self-destruction? The Four Play crew also digs deep into the symbolism embedded in the film and how the beauty of the production design, soundtrack, and cinematography helps to create a compelling alien world. The ending has been critiqued as enigmatic, but if feels a bit too straightforward for our hosts, who left this film wanting a bit more mystery. And also more of Oscar Isaac's acting.

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