ironhorse_iv This film may sound ridiculous in the most preposterous way because it's a killer monkey movie, but don't monkey around. Go see this movie. It's not that bad as it seem. It's honestly pretty alright. I have to say, this isn't your run-of-the-mill cheesy Slasher monkey horror film like 1990's Shakma & 1995's Congo. This is a pretty smart psychological thriller that you can go bananas for! Written and directed by George A. Romero, the film is based on a novel with the same title authored by Michael Stewart. Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear tells the story of an ex-track athlete, Alan Mann (Jason Beghe), whom became paralyzed when struck by a truck. Mann fails to adjust to his condition, becoming suicidal and despondent. To help Alan out, his friend Geoffrey Fischer (John Pankow) trained a monkey named Ella (Boo the Monkey) to help him with his paralysis. What he doesn't know is that Geoffrey has been experimenting with Ella, genetically alter her brain that cause the little monkey to develop more human-like deep feelings, and rage, against its new master and her monkey trainer, Melanie Parker (Kate McNeil). I can understand why, people might overlook this movie. The little monkey is too cute. Whose idea was it to use a capuchin monkey as a villain? Why didn't they just use a bigger ape? While, a capuchin monkey seem silly as a villain. There is a way to portray it, right like what they did in 1995's Outbreak. They was able to do it, because that monkey in that movie was carrying a deadly disease that cause its villains to have violent and gory deaths. This movie didn't have any of that, fears, because it lacks gore. The movie is a bit laughable as the small monkey tries to poison and burn fully grown human beings. Clearly, Boo has no clue, what she was doing. Most of the action in the film is very unintentionally hilarious. The crash scene involving a running man, a barking dog and flying bricks is just cheesy. While, I couldn't see the monkey as a serious threat. I did love, how the movie portray their relationship. The relationship built up is a genuinely loving one. It was a deep bond, between the two that's right out of any kid's animal movie and then it got really bizarre, with Alan picks up on Ella's primal behavior, and Ella picks up on Allan's feelings of frustration, rage and revenge. The movie never explain this odd empathy of two, as both feel increasing in love with each other. It almost beasty. As if the movie was trying to channel the same themes of horror in Gothic tales like Beauty and the Beast, Planet of the Apes & the Island of Doctor Moreau, where no matter, how civilize you can act, you still have one foot, out of the jungle. I guess, the movie was trying to say something like a link from man to beast, but it never fully explained satisfactorily leaving a gaping plot hole that is a wart to what the film is trying to accomplish. I had actually read Monkey Shines. It was not a great read, but it's explain the concept, better than the movie, with the main character taking the same pills intended to increase the learning ability of his primate companion, but in the movie, it's never explained. Why and how exactly does Geoffrey's intelligence-boosting potion wind up linking Ella to Alan psychically? Who Knows! The movie doesn't bothered with it. The concept of the story has some interesting aspects. The life of a quadriplegic is an interesting subject, and you see it, with the great acting from Jason Beghe. You really see the struggle of it, through his facial expression and eyes. Kate McNeil is very convincing as the energetic, robust and beautiful trainer. Together, Beghe and McNeil make a cute couple on screen, and unlike other viewers, I didn't find the sex scene between them weird. It's very rare to see how severely handicapped are able to make love. Their love scene is very sensual, proving that the handicapped can do most anything. A young Stanley Tucci is a cool look, as the ing character, despicable neurosurgeon Dr. John Wiseman. I really couldn't believe that was him. Most of the rest of the ing cast was alright in their roles. Boo the monkey was the star of the film, big time. Without her, the movie couldn't had work. A lot of people might hate this movie, due to the fact, that they have a monkey as a villain. Watching a monkey maim and kill people could be pretty traumatic for younger and even some older viewers I would imagine. PETA might jump in, for the very controversial ending. The ending was so controversial that the film's distributor, Orion Pictures, forced Romero to add a happy ending to the picture, a plot device which the director had long avoided in favor of more ambiguous endings, because they were desperate for a hit, as it was in financial difficulty. Second, after poor previews, the studio recut the film without Romero's knowledge to add a "shock" ending. While, there are tons of alternate endings. It didn't help the film, much. Overall: Unfortunately, the plotting and scripting is quite weak. The pacing, a bit too long. The concept is interesting, but the execution leaves much to be desired. Still, it's worth watching, at least once. Monkey see monkey do.
Scarecrow-88 A recent quadriplegic named Allan(Jason Beghe), and former track star, finds it hard coping with life having been confined to a wheelchair. His friend Geoffrey(John Pankow)is conducting experiments on a certain monkey named Ella which is through a hypodermic filled with a serum that derives from trimmings of frozen human brains in liquefied form. The experiments are about continuing the evolution of primate life into carrying more human characteristics. As Geoff tells his boss, Dr. Burbage(great character actor Stephen Root of OFFICE SPACE fame)Ella was already highly intelligent even before the experiments started, but something much more sinister develops when she becomes Allan's animal aide. Ella grows quite attached to Allan and vice versa, but something between them occurs that defies rational explanation..they are psychologically linked somehow meaning that when Ella goes out into the night, Allan sees through her eyes. It doesn't stop there..Allan feels what Ella feels and others around him see his behavioral changes which are unlike him such as outbursts of anger and profanity. Allan tries telling others about his link with Ella, but you can understand why they might be worried about his state of mind. But, soon Ella's aggressive nature turns violent and death to others that pose a threat either physically or emotionally(such as a girlfriend who leaves him after his accident for the doctor who performed an operation on his spine)occur.Melanie(Kate McNeil)is a specialist in the training of monkeys in how they assist those in need of an aide. She is the one that was coerced by Geoff into training Ella to help Allan. Allan and Melanie, as the film continues, fall in love. Melanie will pose a direct threat to Ella as the monkey can not stand others coming between her and Allan. Dorothy(Joyce Van Patten)is Allan's mother, a woman who wishes to help Allan but is more bothersome and intrusive than she realizes. Christine Forrest, the director George Romero's wife, portrays Maryanne, a belligerent nurse who complains all the time in regards to how bothersome Allan and his monkey are towards making her life miserable. Maryanne has a parrot which flies into Allan's unprotected face too often and will suffer for it.The longer the film continues, the more it induces eye-rolling..the premise is so outrageous and preposterous, it's hard not to chuckle. It is one of George's most Hollywood-ish films often allowing contrivances so that Allan will escape dangerous situations when Ella goes on violent. The whole "link" between man and primate thanks to an experimental concoction by Geoff is never fully explained satisfactorily leaving a gaping plot hole that is a wart to what the film is trying to accomplish. It's one thing to let a monkey get away with what Ella does, but another to ask us to believe that Allan feels and sees what she does. Thankfully Kate McNeil is a delightful, welcome presence in the film bringing some class to a rather mundane Romero effort. Disappointing film can not really build suspense because of the stupid story-line. If I wasn't such an irer of George's work, my rating would be lower.
