Looker
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Movie Reviews of Looker
Movie Review: Excellent
Summary: 4 Stars
I saw this movie back in the 80's when we first got our cable television. I've always wanted to see it again and am also a big Albert Finney fan. It was exactly as I wanted it, bringing up nostalga. It is not a four star (1 1/2) movie for many more than myself. I was excited to have found it and now own it. Thanks.Movie Review: Nostalgia at its best.
Summary: 4 Stars
I remember this movie when it first came out. It was eye candy then, it's eye candy now. The plot is really thin, but who's watching it for the plot?
I'm glad I bought it.
Movie Review: Great futuristic oldie
Summary: 4 Stars
The movie came timely and accordinly. I've seen it years ago in the early eighties, and I enjoyed watching it again now. Thanks!Movie Review: Warner has created quite a "Looker"
Summary: 3 Stars
Michael Crichton's workman-like thriller "Looker" made over twenty years ago looked into the digital age of today.
SPOILERS BELOW:
It seems someone is killing the clients of plastic surgeon Dr. Larry Roberts after they have been signed by a specific agency for advertising. Roberts becomes curious and unravels a conspirarcy that will guarantee perfect models forever that never have tandrums, never have to be paid and never grow old. Unfortunately Cindy (Susan Dey) a model that Larry has become involved with seems to be next on the hit list. Featuring a strong supporting cast including James Coburn, "Looker" retains its sleek model curves and nearly flawless surface 20+ years on. The story does have some holes in it but if you're willing to over look some of the flaws of the film you'll enjoy it.
A flawed suspense thriller "Looker" was clearly ahead of the curve when it came to the use of digital images to replicate human beings. This was one of Finney's first role after being away from films for four years (the other two were equally odd choices--
"Wolfen" and "Loophole"). Crichton does a good job with his own material here even setting up the sequences with the "black out" gun so that it's clear to viewers something weird is going on. "Looker" succeeds as long as you are willing to suspend your disbelief and although it's not his best film ("Westworld", "Coma" and "The Great Train Robbery" would be his best), the strong performances and fascinating ideas for the film (which was, like a lot of Crichton's work way ahead of its time)will make this an enjoyable and entertaining flick.
"END OF SPOILERS:
Warner has created quite a "Looker". The film receives a very nice, clean transfer to DVD. Crichton provides an interesting introduction to the film and a feature length commentary where he focuses on changes, issues and solutions that occurred during the shooting of the film. His commentary primarily focuses on the technical challenges of shooting the film including how he had to re-think the section related to the "black out" gun.
Evidently there was footage shown when the film premiered on television that doesn't appear on the DVD. Warner wasn't aware of the footage and as a result didn't include it as part of this package.
Fans of "Looker" will enjoy this special edition. Although it doesn't have all the bells and whistles fans of the film might hope for, Warner has done a nice job of making sure the film looks and sounds good. We also get a great commentary from director/writer Crichton that provides a lot of background information on the production of the film. Highly recommended for fans of the film. Crichton doesn't really discuss some of the flaws of his screenplay focusing more on what works well in the film.
Movie Review: Worth a look - but only if you can forgive the many problems
Summary: 3 Stars
Looker was a pretty cheesy disappointment when it came out, so a quarter of a century on it's a surprise to see that its aged better than many of its contemporaries, largely because some of its low-tech predictions aren't that wide of the mark (a key plot point is the CGI duplication of performers in commercials). There's no shortage of problems, though. The plotting is both lazy and often predictable, relying on a similar structure to writer-director Michael Crichton's previous film, Coma (yet another research institute, yet another conspiracy), and to say there are plotholes is putting it mildly - exactly why are James Coburn and Leigh Taylor Young's evil corporate villains murdering the models in the first place? Crichton certainly never feels the need to come up with a reason in the theatrical version (though the US TV version did include additional footage that at least speculated on a motive, though it didn't make it to the DVD). At times the film feels as if the Looker device - a disorienting light gun that makes you lose track of time - has been used on you, particularly when we jump from the police investigating the aftermath of a shootout to a car chase we never even saw begin (although not filming sequences or losing them in the cutting room may be a more likely explanation). Even star Albert Finney admitted he couldn't understand the film "and I was in it!" The finale falls prey to both clever-cleverness, riffing on Sherlock Jr as Finney and the villains find themselves in a shootout played through various computer-generated commercials in a move that dilutes any tension in favor of comedy, and a gaping lack of logic (why do they need to use remote control live sets instead of just showing tapes of the commercials?).
This is really one of those films you just have to check your desire for logic at the door and go with the flow. But for some reason in spite of all that I've always had an indulgent spot for this Michael Crichton bomb because at least it has a few good ideas going for it even if it doesn't know what to do with them, and for the few scenes that do work (such as Finney losing an afternoon in what feels like seconds as his house is searched while he's in it). Others may not be so forgiving.
Warners' DVD finally offers the film in its original 2.35:1 widescreen ratio and comes with a commentary and intro by Crichton, who seems in denial about the film's critical and commercial reception, and a trailer, but doesn't have the deleted footage that was in the US TV version and which apparently explained why the murders that drive the plot are taking place - something you never find out in the theatrical cut here!