- Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:54 am
#5349
Hey y'all,
I recently caught up with an awesome '81 science fiction B-movie, Looker - hadn't seen it in a good while. Great gadgets, cold 80s neo-noir style, fantastic Barry De Vorzon electro score, disrobed Susan Dey....hey, lots to enjoy!
But something was bugging me throughout, a nagging familiarity.... and towards the end, it was actually a particular music cue which finally tipped me off.
So...I thought about it some more, and in doing a comparison in my head I found some very interesting points of similarity - I've grabbed a few stills to support my theory. Here goes (Halloween III screengrabs AT TOP, Looker screengrabs BELOW):
1. KUBRICK-SHINING STYLE DATE INTERTITLES (in the same font, no less):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075607494/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075741423/
2. HERO = THE MIDDLE-AGED SURGEON:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075653485/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075652025/
3. VILLAIN = THE SILVER-HAIRED PATRIARCH:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075606174/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075650975/
4. FINAL BATTLE FOUGHT = IN A TECHNOLOGICAL ARENA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075604014/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075739633/
5. AND THEMATICALLY, THE REAL VILLAIN IS...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075602474/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075647495/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075736503/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075600664/
!!! What do you think? I actually found more similarities, but don't want to go all Room 237 on your asses
(I'll just honourably mention....the emotionless robotic henchmen in both carrying out the evil boss's plan, wearing suits/black gloves.)
I've also put this "evidence" together as a video with the music cues which tipped me off, if you want to compare those too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68h3EsswKUs
What I'm suggesting is....do you think John Carpenter and Tommy Lee Wallace were subconsciously influenced by Michael Crichton's techno thriller? Or was there just something in the water.....
I recently caught up with an awesome '81 science fiction B-movie, Looker - hadn't seen it in a good while. Great gadgets, cold 80s neo-noir style, fantastic Barry De Vorzon electro score, disrobed Susan Dey....hey, lots to enjoy!
But something was bugging me throughout, a nagging familiarity.... and towards the end, it was actually a particular music cue which finally tipped me off.
So...I thought about it some more, and in doing a comparison in my head I found some very interesting points of similarity - I've grabbed a few stills to support my theory. Here goes (Halloween III screengrabs AT TOP, Looker screengrabs BELOW):
1. KUBRICK-SHINING STYLE DATE INTERTITLES (in the same font, no less):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075607494/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075741423/
2. HERO = THE MIDDLE-AGED SURGEON:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075653485/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075652025/
3. VILLAIN = THE SILVER-HAIRED PATRIARCH:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075606174/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075650975/
4. FINAL BATTLE FOUGHT = IN A TECHNOLOGICAL ARENA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075604014/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075739633/
5. AND THEMATICALLY, THE REAL VILLAIN IS...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075602474/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075647495/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075736503/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/104142265@N05/10075600664/
!!! What do you think? I actually found more similarities, but don't want to go all Room 237 on your asses
(I'll just honourably mention....the emotionless robotic henchmen in both carrying out the evil boss's plan, wearing suits/black gloves.)
I've also put this "evidence" together as a video with the music cues which tipped me off, if you want to compare those too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68h3EsswKUs
What I'm suggesting is....do you think John Carpenter and Tommy Lee Wallace were subconsciously influenced by Michael Crichton's techno thriller? Or was there just something in the water.....