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| Fan Poster by fan Juan Hugo Martinez source: FlyTheDeadlySkies |
I like this movie. A lot. Since it's not a flick you're likely to just jump right into, let me sell this one a little bit!
Night Flyer is based on a Stephen King short story. The movie is straight horror. That doesn't mean there isn't character development, or some good drama -- but this baby is really about a very nasty vamp. Not the kind you'll meet in Twilight, I mean the real kind of vampire. The breed you should be scared of -- not the type you'd ever want to smooch with.
What I really like is the tone. That's really hard to explain isn't it? But I just like the feeling this movie gives me. A reporter chasing a murderer who owns a plane. Lots of rainy scenes. Smoke filled bars. Low life reporters.
There is one particularly wonderful scene that stands out above -- well, most anything I've seen! When Stephen King wrote Dreamcatcher, he noted that we make some pretty terrible discoveries in the bathroom. Well, it's in the potty that we get to see an invisible vampire taking a potty break. So how do we SEE that? He's peeing blood. And that's all you see! I thought that was worth the entire movie!
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| A rare shot of KNB EFX adding the special effects make-up to Dwight Renfield! SOURCE: facebook.com/FlyTheDeadlySkies |
NIGHT FLIER FRIGHT FACT: In the scene where Katherine is looking at Richard's bylines, the framed copies of "Inside View" contain many references to other stories by Stephen King: "Springhill Jack Strikes Again!" - Strawberry Spring. "Headless Lamaze Leads To Successful Birth!" - The Breathing Method. "Kiddie Cultists in Kansas Worship Creepy Voodoo God!" - Children of the Corn "Satanic Shopkeeper Sells Gory Goodies!" - Needful Things. "Naked Demons Levelled My Lawn!" - The Lawnmower Man "The Ultimate Killer Diet! Gypsy Curse Flays Fat Lawyer's Flesh" - Thinner.Behind the scenes footage:
Yeah, you know ... I really like "The Night Flier," too. It's just a b-movie, and it's in part a shabbily-made one; but, on the other hand, it's got a great performance from Miguel Ferrer, and there's just something about the movie which has stuck with me. Part of that has to do with the end, which is memorably downbeat and gruesome.
ReplyDeleteA lot of it, though, is for exactly the reason you mention: the tone. And that IS a difficult thing to pin down. With movies, I think it's a combination of various things: the lighting, the music, the editing. Really, though, it's the alchemy of how all those things (and others) work in tandem. I think that there's something kinda magical about that; and I think tone has a LOT to do with the reason why people love film so much.
In addition to the toilet scene, another favorite bit of mine from "The Night Flier" is that creepy shot where Dees looks up and notices that there is a dog standing on top of the roof of the house ... and it is looking at him. Very effective.
You're right abotu lighting and music and editing. I was watching Frankenstein last night and noticed just how awesome that "tone" or texture was. At one point, as the good doctor came down a flight of stairs, I paused it and pointed out to my wife how perfect the lighting is.
ReplyDeleteDone wrong, the tone can come off like a soap opera. ICK! But done right, we get magic.
jag skulle bara säga att jag var mer intresserad på Dwight Reinfeld
ReplyDeleteDwight Reinfeld natt flygaren ..spelades av Michael H.moss
ReplyDeletedon't forget the fact that dwight knows that hes being followed by richard so that adds to the horror of the movie.
ReplyDelete