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Stephen
King's The Night Flier (1998)
Another filmmaker plops down big bucks for Stephen
King's name and one of his stories. This time, the results
are okay at best, but compared to many of the other
film's bearing the prolific authors moniker, that's
saying something.
What really makes this film interesting is Miguel
Ferrer. Ever since he amused us with his Albert Rosenfeld
character in "Twin Peaks," we delight in seeing him.
Here he plays a tabloid reporter who works for "Inside
View," a sort of combination "Weekly World News" and
"True Gore Detective." Ferrer is a hard-boiled type,
so it's fun to watch him trash cutesy Julie Entwisle,
a Phoebe Cates look-alike in her debut role. Meanwhile,
Ferrer's boss is played by someone who looks familiar
but we just can't put our finger on it. When we check
in the end credits, Dan Monahan's name is shown and
it hits us: It's Peewee from "Porky's!" It's also Dan's
first role in 10 years. He tries to have as much fun
as he can.
Director and co-scripter Mark Pavia, helming his first
film, weaves an interesting story but is forced to do
so with no budget. This looks like a Made-for-TV flick.
At least he's smart enough to put Ferrer in the lead.
Pavia shoots everything with bad low-lighting and this
only works during the "shocker" scene in the film. This
part is really kinda spooky. The rest of the film is
Ferrer shining or else your standard slasher stuff.
"The Night Flier" has some interesting ideas and it
tries to mean something. Pavia almost succeeds in pulling
most of what he's trying to say off here. But it's Ferrer
who makes anything that works do so here. He's awesome.
I can't wait to see him land another plumb role. One
day, he is gonna blow us all away.
Note:
Music by Brian Keane. Pop songs by Sister Machine
Gun, Chainsuck, and Catherine.
Filmed on location in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Co scripter Jack O'Donnell also acts as Co-Producer.
Review written in 1998
Report
Card
Script:
C-
Acting: B+
Cinematography\Lighting: C-
Special Effects\Make Up: B+
Music: D-
Final
Grade: C
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