Lee-Evans Movie Reviews

Director David Cukor ("Little Women", "My Fair Lady") provides a fast paced comedy with rapid-fire repartee and fosters a bubbly chemistry between the cast members, which brims with laughs. Cukor received one of his five Oscar nominations for this film and it was well deserved.

Katharine Hepburn is marvelous as the blueblood bride to be. She is a well-grounded girl who is not beyond putting on airs for show. She is simultaneously sassy and dreamy and her comic timing is superb earning her one of twelve nominations for best actress. Despite a star's billing, Cary Grant plays a supporting role as the sarcastic Dexter Haven. With his deadpan delivery, he provides the perfect foil to Hepburn and Stewart.

Even with the luminous cast, Jimmy Stewart steals the show with a comedic tour de force. His inebriated scene with Cary Grant is uproariously funny and his puppy dog wooing of Katherine Hepburn is enchanting. It is hard to believe that James Stewart only won one Oscar in his outstanding career. Though nominated five times, the only role for which he won the statue is this one, a performance that is unquestionably among his best.

This tremendous comedy brings together three screen legends at the peak of their careers. It was nominated for six Academy Awards winning two, and it was rated #51 on AFI's top 100 of the century. It is a timeless classic that is sure to please. I rated it a 10/10. See it and enjoy.

Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) and C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) have been married for two years. They break up in the second year. Tracy threw Dexter out because of an alcohol addiction. They spend a couple of years apart and then Tracy decides to re-marry yo George Kittredge (John Howard). When Dexter finds out about it, he is obveously not pleased. So he uses a black-mail article to scare Tracy. He hires writer Macauley (Mike) Connor (Jimmy Stewart) and photographer Elizabeth (Liz) Imbre (Ruth Hussey) from Spy, a gossip magazine. Tracy doesn't want them there--really no one does except Dexter; but Dexter does it so that Sidney Kidd (Henrey Halliday) will not "spill the beans" about Tracy's philandering father.

It is a wonder how C.K. Dexter Haven could have forseen Mike falling in love with Tracy and messing up the plans for the Kittredge-Lord marriage; but it worked. But the whole movie, it seems as if Tracy cannot make up her mind who she wants to marry as she bounces back and forth between the three men. It is a race that anyone, Mike, Dexter, or George, may win. (The movie doesn't tell you who wins the "race" until the very end so it leaves you with your eyes glued to the screen the whole time.)

"The Philadelphia Story" was written espicially for Katharine Hepburn. So it is no wonder why th part fits her so well. Adn she requested that Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable play Cary Grant ad Jimmy Stewart's part. But she got Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart (not bad). And then starred with Spencer Tracy in "The Womann of the Year"(1942), the first Hepburn-Tracy film which was also one of Katharine Hepburns biggest hits.

This movie is a comedy. But very different from Hepburn's previous movie with Cary Grant: "Bringing Up Bab" (1938). That one was definately a srewball comedy while "The Philadelphia Story" is more of a romantic/comedy. And it has tons of great lines like: "I'm just a photographer; I can't afford to hate anybody." It is one funny scene after another. One particular is when Jimmy Stewart plays a drunk scene. No one could do it better.

This movie is a wonderful movie that anyone can enjoy. It is more for older children and adults. But any movie with Katharine Hepburn is a classic. And with these three great stars, it going to make your evening so much more enjoyable. So make sure that you get a copy of "The Philadelphia Story" today. You will love it!!

The dialog is so amazing, you want to quote it at every opportunity, although your life probably doesn't provide the opportunity to drop these kinds of quotes. The "High Society" at play, and the lowbrow crashers making their nickels and dimes all the while allowing their pretensions to art...this is great drama.

The DVD is not particularly exciting, and is a surprising let down for such an amazing film, however a film this great doesn't need extras. The main course is filling enough.

Definitely something you will watch over and over again. One of the best.

Director David Cukor ("Little Women", "My Fair Lady") provides a fast paced comedy with rapid-fire repartee and fosters a bubbly chemistry between the cast members, which brims with laughs. Cukor received one of his five Oscar nominations for this film and it was well deserved.

Katharine Hepburn is marvelous as the blueblood bride to be. She is a well-grounded girl who is not beyond putting on airs for show. She is simultaneously sassy and dreamy and her comic timing is superb earning her one of twelve nominations for best actress. Despite a star's billing, Cary Grant plays a supporting role as the sarcastic Dexter Haven. With his deadpan delivery, he provides the perfect foil to Hepburn and Stewart.

Even with the luminous cast, Jimmy Stewart steals the show with a comedic tour de force. His inebriated scene with Cary Grant is uproariously funny and his puppy dog wooing of Katherine Hepburn is enchanting. It is hard to believe that James Stewart only won one Oscar in his outstanding career. Though nominated five times, the only role for which he won the statue is this one, a performance that is unquestionably among his best.

This tremendous comedy brings together three screen legends at the peak of their careers. It was nominated for six Academy Awards winning two, and it was rated #51 on AFI's top 100 of the century. It is a timeless classic that is sure to please. I rated it a 10/10. See it and enjoy.

Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) and C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) have been married for two years. They break up in the second year. Tracy threw Dexter out because of an alcohol addiction. They spend a couple of years apart and then Tracy decides to re-marry yo George Kittredge (John Howard). When Dexter finds out about it, he is obveously not pleased. So he uses a black-mail article to scare Tracy. He hires writer Macauley (Mike) Connor (Jimmy Stewart) and photographer Elizabeth (Liz) Imbre (Ruth Hussey) from Spy, a gossip magazine. Tracy doesn't want them there--really no one does except Dexter; but Dexter does it so that Sidney Kidd (Henrey Halliday) will not "spill the beans" about Tracy's philandering father.

It is a wonder how C.K. Dexter Haven could have forseen Mike falling in love with Tracy and messing up the plans for the Kittredge-Lord marriage; but it worked. But the whole movie, it seems as if Tracy cannot make up her mind who she wants to marry as she bounces back and forth between the three men. It is a race that anyone, Mike, Dexter, or George, may win. (The movie doesn't tell you who wins the "race" until the very end so it leaves you with your eyes glued to the screen the whole time.)

"The Philadelphia Story" was written espicially for Katharine Hepburn. So it is no wonder why th part fits her so well. Adn she requested that Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable play Cary Grant ad Jimmy Stewart's part. But she got Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart (not bad). And then starred with Spencer Tracy in "The Womann of the Year"(1942), the first Hepburn-Tracy film which was also one of Katharine Hepburns biggest hits.

This movie is a comedy. But very different from Hepburn's previous movie with Cary Grant: "Bringing Up Bab" (1938). That one was definately a srewball comedy while "The Philadelphia Story" is more of a romantic/comedy. And it has tons of great lines like: "I'm just a photographer; I can't afford to hate anybody." It is one funny scene after another. One particular is when Jimmy Stewart plays a drunk scene. No one could do it better.

This movie is a wonderful movie that anyone can enjoy. It is more for older children and adults. But any movie with Katharine Hepburn is a classic. And with these three great stars, it going to make your evening so much more enjoyable. So make sure that you get a copy of "The Philadelphia Story" today. You will love it!!

The dialog is so amazing, you want to quote it at every opportunity, although your life probably doesn't provide the opportunity to drop these kinds of quotes. The "High Society" at play, and the lowbrow crashers making their nickels and dimes all the while allowing their pretensions to art...this is great drama.

The DVD is not particularly exciting, and is a surprising let down for such an amazing film, however a film this great doesn't need extras. The main course is filling enough.

Definitely something you will watch over and over again. One of the best.

Director David Cukor ("Little Women", "My Fair Lady") provides a fast paced comedy with rapid-fire repartee and fosters a bubbly chemistry between the cast members, which brims with laughs. Cukor received one of his five Oscar nominations for this film and it was well deserved.

Katharine Hepburn is marvelous as the blueblood bride to be. She is a well-grounded girl who is not beyond putting on airs for show. She is simultaneously sassy and dreamy and her comic timing is superb earning her one of twelve nominations for best actress. Despite a star's billing, Cary Grant plays a supporting role as the sarcastic Dexter Haven. With his deadpan delivery, he provides the perfect foil to Hepburn and Stewart.

Even with the luminous cast, Jimmy Stewart steals the show with a comedic tour de force. His inebriated scene with Cary Grant is uproariously funny and his puppy dog wooing of Katherine Hepburn is enchanting. It is hard to believe that James Stewart only won one Oscar in his outstanding career. Though nominated five times, the only role for which he won the statue is this one, a performance that is unquestionably among his best.

This tremendous comedy brings together three screen legends at the peak of their careers. It was nominated for six Academy Awards winning two, and it was rated #51 on AFI's top 100 of the century. It is a timeless classic that is sure to please. I rated it a 10/10. See it and enjoy.

Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) and C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) have been married for two years. They break up in the second year. Tracy threw Dexter out because of an alcohol addiction. They spend a couple of years apart and then Tracy decides to re-marry yo George Kittredge (John Howard). When Dexter finds out about it, he is obveously not pleased. So he uses a black-mail article to scare Tracy. He hires writer Macauley (Mike) Connor (Jimmy Stewart) and photographer Elizabeth (Liz) Imbre (Ruth Hussey) from Spy, a gossip magazine. Tracy doesn't want them there--really no one does except Dexter; but Dexter does it so that Sidney Kidd (Henrey Halliday) will not "spill the beans" about Tracy's philandering father.

It is a wonder how C.K. Dexter Haven could have forseen Mike falling in love with Tracy and messing up the plans for the Kittredge-Lord marriage; but it worked. But the whole movie, it seems as if Tracy cannot make up her mind who she wants to marry as she bounces back and forth between the three men. It is a race that anyone, Mike, Dexter, or George, may win. (The movie doesn't tell you who wins the "race" until the very end so it leaves you with your eyes glued to the screen the whole time.)

"The Philadelphia Story" was written espicially for Katharine Hepburn. So it is no wonder why th part fits her so well. Adn she requested that Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable play Cary Grant ad Jimmy Stewart's part. But she got Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart (not bad). And then starred with Spencer Tracy in "The Womann of the Year"(1942), the first Hepburn-Tracy film which was also one of Katharine Hepburns biggest hits.

This movie is a comedy. But very different from Hepburn's previous movie with Cary Grant: "Bringing Up Bab" (1938). That one was definately a srewball comedy while "The Philadelphia Story" is more of a romantic/comedy. And it has tons of great lines like: "I'm just a photographer; I can't afford to hate anybody." It is one funny scene after another. One particular is when Jimmy Stewart plays a drunk scene. No one could do it better.

This movie is a wonderful movie that anyone can enjoy. It is more for older children and adults. But any movie with Katharine Hepburn is a classic. And with these three great stars, it going to make your evening so much more enjoyable. So make sure that you get a copy of "The Philadelphia Story" today. You will love it!!

The dialog is so amazing, you want to quote it at every opportunity, although your life probably doesn't provide the opportunity to drop these kinds of quotes. The "High Society" at play, and the lowbrow crashers making their nickels and dimes all the while allowing their pretensions to art...this is great drama.

The DVD is not particularly exciting, and is a surprising let down for such an amazing film, however a film this great doesn't need extras. The main course is filling enough.

Definitely something you will watch over and over again. One of the best.

Director David Cukor ("Little Women", "My Fair Lady") provides a fast paced comedy with rapid-fire repartee and fosters a bubbly chemistry between the cast members, which brims with laughs. Cukor received one of his five Oscar nominations for this film and it was well deserved.

Katharine Hepburn is marvelous as the blueblood bride to be. She is a well-grounded girl who is not beyond putting on airs for show. She is simultaneously sassy and dreamy and her comic timing is superb earning her one of twelve nominations for best actress. Despite a star's billing, Cary Grant plays a supporting role as the sarcastic Dexter Haven. With his deadpan delivery, he provides the perfect foil to Hepburn and Stewart.

Even with the luminous cast, Jimmy Stewart steals the show with a comedic tour de force. His inebriated scene with Cary Grant is uproariously funny and his puppy dog wooing of Katherine Hepburn is enchanting. It is hard to believe that James Stewart only won one Oscar in his outstanding career. Though nominated five times, the only role for which he won the statue is this one, a performance that is unquestionably among his best.

This tremendous comedy brings together three screen legends at the peak of their careers. It was nominated for six Academy Awards winning two, and it was rated #51 on AFI's top 100 of the century. It is a timeless classic that is sure to please. I rated it a 10/10. See it and enjoy.

Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) and C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) have been married for two years. They break up in the second year. Tracy threw Dexter out because of an alcohol addiction. They spend a couple of years apart and then Tracy decides to re-marry yo George Kittredge (John Howard). When Dexter finds out about it, he is obveously not pleased. So he uses a black-mail article to scare Tracy. He hires writer Macauley (Mike) Connor (Jimmy Stewart) and photographer Elizabeth (Liz) Imbre (Ruth Hussey) from Spy, a gossip magazine. Tracy doesn't want them there--really no one does except Dexter; but Dexter does it so that Sidney Kidd (Henrey Halliday) will not "spill the beans" about Tracy's philandering father.

It is a wonder how C.K. Dexter Haven could have forseen Mike falling in love with Tracy and messing up the plans for the Kittredge-Lord marriage; but it worked. But the whole movie, it seems as if Tracy cannot make up her mind who she wants to marry as she bounces back and forth between the three men. It is a race that anyone, Mike, Dexter, or George, may win. (The movie doesn't tell you who wins the "race" until the very end so it leaves you with your eyes glued to the screen the whole time.)

"The Philadelphia Story" was written espicially for Katharine Hepburn. So it is no wonder why th part fits her so well. Adn she requested that Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable play Cary Grant ad Jimmy Stewart's part. But she got Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart (not bad). And then starred with Spencer Tracy in "The Womann of the Year"(1942), the first Hepburn-Tracy film which was also one of Katharine Hepburns biggest hits.

This movie is a comedy. But very different from Hepburn's previous movie with Cary Grant: "Bringing Up Bab" (1938). That one was definately a srewball comedy while "The Philadelphia Story" is more of a romantic/comedy. And it has tons of great lines like: "I'm just a photographer; I can't afford to hate anybody." It is one funny scene after another. One particular is when Jimmy Stewart plays a drunk scene. No one could do it better.

This movie is a wonderful movie that anyone can enjoy. It is more for older children and adults. But any movie with Katharine Hepburn is a classic. And with these three great stars, it going to make your evening so much more enjoyable. So make sure that you get a copy of "The Philadelphia Story" today. You will love it!!

The dialog is so amazing, you want to quote it at every opportunity, although your life probably doesn't provide the opportunity to drop these kinds of quotes. The "High Society" at play, and the lowbrow crashers making their nickels and dimes all the while allowing their pretensions to art...this is great drama.

The DVD is not particularly exciting, and is a surprising let down for such an amazing film, however a film this great doesn't need extras. The main course is filling enough.

Definitely something you will watch over and over again. One of the best.

Ironically, the troops landed on Suvla Bay & were given the order to stay put. Many were slaughtered, caught between the Turks & the deep blue sea, while their officers dithered & High Command refused to issue orders.

One Australian reviewer has rightly reviled the British High Command's cavalier attitude to the deployment & slaughter of ANZACs (universally lauded for their courage); what is not mentioned - either by the reviewer from Brisbane, or in the film itself - is the casual disposal of British troops. As every British schoolchild knows, whole British villages & towns were left without able-bodied men between the ages of 15 & 50 after WWI, such was the carnage. This war changed the face of western civilisation, fuelling a revolution in attitudes to class & war, & the sheer brutality & pointlessness of it all should no more be forgotten than the astonishing bravery & self-sacrifice displayed by ordinary men (& women - nurses, drivers, & others) in the most desperate of situations.

I defy you to watch this film without crying. If you can, you need serious psychiatric help.

As part of the British Empire, the Aussies and the Kiwis were expected to fight for honor and country, but the "Empire" was merely using them as fodder and for diversion. It was a battle that the Empire knew could not be won, but one they wanted fought all the same.

Gallipoli the film, demonstrates the ridiculousness of the British system of awarding officership to those from well-bred stock simply by virtue of their birth and not based on ability or skill. It becomes painfully obvious to even the most pedestrian of viewers that those in charge hadn't a clue how to win this battle, but were more interested in maintaining proper British custom and etiquette.

Mel Gibson (in an early role) and Mark Lee play friends/mates who learn friendship as a result of their love of running (track). Lee's character has the skill and ability to excel, but he is too young to enlist. His love of country is so strong, he forges his documents and is accepted into the army equestrian corp. Gibson joins as well, more out of loyalty to his "mate" than to country and obligation.

This drama shows the lengths to which two young men will go to defend honor, country, and friendship. While it shows one of the most realistic battle scenes shown with regard to this war, it is not a war picture.

The final scene of this film is so riveting and heartbreaking that it is impossible to view it without shedding more than a few tears. It is further impossible to view it without finding a palpable anger deep inside for those who would put in charge those who lack the fundamental skills to strategize in favor of those with station in society.

I highly recommend this film. You'll not find many films nearly as well produced, directed, portrayed, and crafted.

Ironically, the troops landed on Suvla Bay & were given the order to stay put. Many were slaughtered, caught between the Turks & the deep blue sea, while their officers dithered & High Command refused to issue orders.

One Australian reviewer has rightly reviled the British High Command's cavalier attitude to the deployment & slaughter of ANZACs (universally lauded for their courage); what is not mentioned - either by the reviewer from Brisbane, or in the film itself - is the casual disposal of British troops. As every British schoolchild knows, whole British villages & towns were left without able-bodied men between the ages of 15 & 50 after WWI, such was the carnage. This war changed the face of western civilisation, fuelling a revolution in attitudes to class & war, & the sheer brutality & pointlessness of it all should no more be forgotten than the astonishing bravery & self-sacrifice displayed by ordinary men (& women - nurses, drivers, & others) in the most desperate of situations.

I defy you to watch this film without crying. If you can, you need serious psychiatric help.

As part of the British Empire, the Aussies and the Kiwis were expected to fight for honor and country, but the "Empire" was merely using them as fodder and for diversion. It was a battle that the Empire knew could not be won, but one they wanted fought all the same.

Gallipoli the film, demonstrates the ridiculousness of the British system of awarding officership to those from well-bred stock simply by virtue of their birth and not based on ability or skill. It becomes painfully obvious to even the most pedestrian of viewers that those in charge hadn't a clue how to win this battle, but were more interested in maintaining proper British custom and etiquette.

Mel Gibson (in an early role) and Mark Lee play friends/mates who learn friendship as a result of their love of running (track). Lee's character has the skill and ability to excel, but he is too young to enlist. His love of country is so strong, he forges his documents and is accepted into the army equestrian corp. Gibson joins as well, more out of loyalty to his "mate" than to country and obligation.

This drama shows the lengths to which two young men will go to defend honor, country, and friendship. While it shows one of the most realistic battle scenes shown with regard to this war, it is not a war picture.

The final scene of this film is so riveting and heartbreaking that it is impossible to view it without shedding more than a few tears. It is further impossible to view it without finding a palpable anger deep inside for those who would put in charge those who lack the fundamental skills to strategize in favor of those with station in society.

I highly recommend this film. You'll not find many films nearly as well produced, directed, portrayed, and crafted.

Ironically, the troops landed on Suvla Bay & were given the order to stay put. Many were slaughtered, caught between the Turks & the deep blue sea, while their officers dithered & High Command refused to issue orders.

One Australian reviewer has rightly reviled the British High Command's cavalier attitude to the deployment & slaughter of ANZACs (universally lauded for their courage); what is not mentioned - either by the reviewer from Brisbane, or in the film itself - is the casual disposal of British troops. As every British schoolchild knows, whole British villages & towns were left without able-bodied men between the ages of 15 & 50 after WWI, such was the carnage. This war changed the face of western civilisation, fuelling a revolution in attitudes to class & war, & the sheer brutality & pointlessness of it all should no more be forgotten than the astonishing bravery & self-sacrifice displayed by ordinary men (& women - nurses, drivers, & others) in the most desperate of situations.

I defy you to watch this film without crying. If you can, you need serious psychiatric help.

As part of the British Empire, the Aussies and the Kiwis were expected to fight for honor and country, but the "Empire" was merely using them as fodder and for diversion. It was a battle that the Empire knew could not be won, but one they wanted fought all the same.

Gallipoli the film, demonstrates the ridiculousness of the British system of awarding officership to those from well-bred stock simply by virtue of their birth and not based on ability or skill. It becomes painfully obvious to even the most pedestrian of viewers that those in charge hadn't a clue how to win this battle, but were more interested in maintaining proper British custom and etiquette.

Mel Gibson (in an early role) and Mark Lee play friends/mates who learn friendship as a result of their love of running (track). Lee's character has the skill and ability to excel, but he is too young to enlist. His love of country is so strong, he forges his documents and is accepted into the army equestrian corp. Gibson joins as well, more out of loyalty to his "mate" than to country and obligation.

This drama shows the lengths to which two young men will go to defend honor, country, and friendship. While it shows one of the most realistic battle scenes shown with regard to this war, it is not a war picture.

The final scene of this film is so riveting and heartbreaking that it is impossible to view it without shedding more than a few tears. It is further impossible to view it without finding a palpable anger deep inside for those who would put in charge those who lack the fundamental skills to strategize in favor of those with station in society.

I highly recommend this film. You'll not find many films nearly as well produced, directed, portrayed, and crafted.

The special effects are very good, and the suspense is buffered with some black comic moments. Jeffrey Combs goes delightfully over the top as the FBI agent hell-bent on getting rid of Fox; Trini Alvaredo takes everything so seriously, she's very effective; R. Lee Ermey reprises his "Full Metal Jacket" sergeant as a deadly ghost; John Astin of "Addams Family" is barely recognized as the jaw-dropping judge; Jeff Dobson is perfectly awful as the hedonistic husband of Alvaredo; Jake Busey is a perfect demented killer; and the delightful Dee Wallace Stone is perfect as the rather twisted suspected conspirator of the aforementioned Busey; and one can't forget Julianna McCarthy (Snapper's mom on "Young and the Restless") as Stone's seemingly crazed mother.

The movie is a lot of fun, but the opening sequence still baffles me. Dee Wallace Stone runs in terror from a ghost, which is all well and good to start the movie off ferociously, but by the end of the movie, you have to wonder what in the world was going on there?

Oh, well, sit back and have a little bit of fun with a very different kind of thriller.

As the architect-turned-con-man, Bannister is Byronically self-destructive; his wife died in a car crash when he was driving, and his own near-death experience left him with double-world vision. He also "dies" again to do battle with the real bad guy, played by the sincerely scary Jake Busey. When Bannister and the rest play out the final action in a long-abandoned hospital, the movie piles on shock after shock, with a speed and intensity that is positively breathtaking, using a variety of special effects with a complete and alarming lack of restraint.

Danny Elfman's score recalls his work with director Tim Burton, and "The Frighteners" is likely to inspire other comparisons with Burton's films. But Jackson, who has to be one of the most imaginative and versatile directors working today, lacks some aspect of Burton's underlying vision and maturity. Should such a time come when he is willing to use that imagination and facility to take his films a notch or two further into theme rather than effect (Lord Of The Rings?) he may find himself joining ranks with the very best filmmakers of our time.

Either way, The Frighteners is totally worth checking out.

The special effects are very good, and the suspense is buffered with some black comic moments. Jeffrey Combs goes delightfully over the top as the FBI agent hell-bent on getting rid of Fox; Trini Alvaredo takes everything so seriously, she's very effective; R. Lee Ermey reprises his "Full Metal Jacket" sergeant as a deadly ghost; John Astin of "Addams Family" is barely recognized as the jaw-dropping judge; Jeff Dobson is perfectly awful as the hedonistic husband of Alvaredo; Jake Busey is a perfect demented killer; and the delightful Dee Wallace Stone is perfect as the rather twisted suspected conspirator of the aforementioned Busey; and one can't forget Julianna McCarthy (Snapper's mom on "Young and the Restless") as Stone's seemingly crazed mother.

The movie is a lot of fun, but the opening sequence still baffles me. Dee Wallace Stone runs in terror from a ghost, which is all well and good to start the movie off ferociously, but by the end of the movie, you have to wonder what in the world was going on there?

Oh, well, sit back and have a little bit of fun with a very different kind of thriller.

As the architect-turned-con-man, Bannister is Byronically self-destructive; his wife died in a car crash when he was driving, and his own near-death experience left him with double-world vision. He also "dies" again to do battle with the real bad guy, played by the sincerely scary Jake Busey. When Bannister and the rest play out the final action in a long-abandoned hospital, the movie piles on shock after shock, with a speed and intensity that is positively breathtaking, using a variety of special effects with a complete and alarming lack of restraint.

Danny Elfman's score recalls his work with director Tim Burton, and "The Frighteners" is likely to inspire other comparisons with Burton's films. But Jackson, who has to be one of the most imaginative and versatile directors working today, lacks some aspect of Burton's underlying vision and maturity. Should such a time come when he is willing to use that imagination and facility to take his films a notch or two further into theme rather than effect (Lord Of The Rings?) he may find himself joining ranks with the very best filmmakers of our time.

Either way, The Frighteners is totally worth checking out.