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Friday 4 December 2009

Welcome To The Videodrome: Over The Top



Here we go as promised, the first film review in a segment I like to call (for now at least) Welcome To The Videodrome! Yes I know Videodrome is the fantastic James Woods movie but hey... the title kinda goes because it's an 80's film and this is.... an 80's film review post! What?.... Oh!... We're on!?..... Let's get started!



To save you my horrible and probably inaccurate summary of the film here is the plot brought to you by Wikipedia!:

Lincoln Hawk is a struggling trucker who arm wrestles on the side to make extra cash while trying to rebuild his life. Hawk's wife Christina is very ill at the beginning of the film, and asks that Hawk pick up their son Michael from military school so that he may get to know his son; Hawk left them 10 years earlier. His father-in-law Jason Cutler, who hates Hawk, says that Hawk has no right to be in his grandson's life.


Over the course of a cross country trip, Mike comes to trust his father until learning about his mother's death. Feeling he would have been there with her if not for Hawk, he leaves for his grandfather's estate. The film continues with Mike realizing that Cutler has been hiding the truth about his father - Cutler did everything possible to drive his parents apart and has been intercepting and hiding the regular letters Hawk had written to his son over the last few years. Eventually, Lincoln competes in the world arm wrestling competition, held at the Las Vegas Hilton. His hope is to win the grand prize of an expensive, new semi-truck and thus be able to start his own independent trucking business. Mike, stunned by his grandfather's deceptions, goes to the Hilton and finds Hawk. Apologizing for misjudging him, Mike gives Hawk the emotional support he needs to compete and he emerges from the contest victorious. As father and son celebrate, Cutler (who had followed Mike to the competition) looks on in silence, realizing he has lost any chance at regaining Mike's love.



Over The Top is a great film that you can probably watch over and over. It may not be Stallone's greatest film but he still puts in a great performance and is fun to watch. The story is great, it's a lot of fun and it's also an extremely moving film (I never thought I'd cry at a Stallone flick). If you are a fan of Giorgio Moroder, you will love the soundtrack. Moroder is on soundtrack duty and the songs are awesome and it really adds to the film. What else can I say about this film? If you are a fan of Stallone, watch it. If you like the father bonds with son flick, watch it. If you like ace 80's underground synth-rock, watch it!... In a nutshell... this film is fun and definitely worth a watch! It's what you expect from an 80's Stallone flick.



Wow! That was a pretty shit review so as a consolation here are a few of my favourite tracks from the soundtrack:

Giorgio Moroder- The Fight
Sammy Hagar- Winner Takes It All
Larry Greene- Take It Higher

.acdx


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