The Wizard
Howdy again Vaderinos. Not bad is it? 2 posts within an hour!!! It's just like when I first opened the site!
As I mentioned in the last post, we'd be talking about another film from my childhood, The Wizard.
This was in the pile of DVD's my missus got me that birthday and my god did I worship this film.
It follows the story of Jimmy, a young boy who is always running away from home with his little lunchbox trying to get to California. It's not really mentioned, but it's implied that Jimmy is suffering from autism. He doesn't say much since his twin sister died in a drowning accident, the only word from his mouth is "California". After what happened with his sister, the family broke down, with Jimmy staying with his Mother and Stepfather and his other 2 brothers (Christian Slater and Fred Savage) living with their father.
After Jimmy is put into an institution, Corey (Savage) decides to break him out and finally take him to California. On the way, Corey realises that Jimmy has a skill at video games and after meeting Hayley, who is trying to get home, they decide to enter Jimmy into "Video Armageddon", a competition being held in L.A.
Along the way they use Jimmy's skill to hustle people out of money to help fund their trip. Whilst travelling they run into a teenager who uses the famous "Power Glove" as his controller who declares he is entering the competition and will win the $50,000 prize.
Whilst this is going on we have the sub plot of Jimmy and Corey's mother hiring a specialist in tracking down runaway kids who is in a battle to find them before the boys father and brother. I have to admit it's a fun little sub plot which shows the lengths people will go to find missing kids.
Sounds like something else really when you think about it, no? Can anybody say Rainman??
What makes this film extra special thought is the actual competition. It was the first time we had ever laid eyes on what is easily the greatest video game of all time, SUPER MARIO BROS. 3!!!! Man, did seeing that on screen get me all excited for finally getting my hands on the game. Personally I'm thinking that Nintendo just used the whole film as one extra long commercial, what with this, the Power Glove and Double Dragon playing big parts in the story, you'd be stupid to think differently.
Here's the trailer for you to get all excited over;
It's now that time that you're all waiting for.....Vader Winks time!!!
Now as you can tell, this film holds a very special place in my heart as I remember loving it so much, and I still do now. It's fun, exciting, serious and has Mario 3, what more could I honestly ask for? As for the score though I have to be totally honest with you guys and that means.....
3.5 VADER WINKS!!!!!!
Yes, maybe not the score you might have been expecting from me but it's what I think it deserves. It has aged considerably and not too well if I'm honest with you, and yet again it's a Fred Savage film where it shows what a talent he had, and what a talent he wasted.
When you actually look at films he's been in with people, it's like his bad luck has rubbed off on them, I mean let's just take a quick look before I sign this one off....
The Princess Bride - Cary Elwes
Vice Versa - Judge Reinhold
The Wizard - Christian Slater
The Boy Who Could Fly - Jason Priestly
Little Monsters - Daniel Stern
All those guys were huge at one point and now, well you either don't hear from them, are in TV shows that suck or DTV releases that are seriously crap. And in all 5 cases there is one common denominator....
FRED FUCKING SAVAGE
Ladies and Gentleman, I rest my case.
Vader signing off till next time......
No comments:
Post a Comment