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By Trent Drake his Week’s Feature: Trancers

Ett

*mshocked. Shaken. Dazed. Stunned.

You see, I just looked up this eek’s feature flop in Leonard Maltin’s ovie and Video Guide 1995 (see eview, elsewhere) and not only was it there, but it also got (gasp) a good eview!

Damn. Double Damn. And of ourse, nuts. I'll get over this, I swear

(Somebody cue up the Micheal olton Chorus singing “‘WhenI’m Back n my Feet Again.’’)

Anyway, this week’s flick, rancers, is alow-budget sci-fi cult film at has the rare privilege of being well- egarded by critics-- but don’t let that tm you off. It’s still loaded with heesey special effects, corny dialogue, me travel and scads of violence.

As Sophia would say, ‘‘Picture it! alifornia, 2247.” Los Angeles is a uba diver’s paradise thanks to global arming, and what’s left is a soyabean- d cyberpunk\gothic cesspool called gel City. As the film opens, we meet ultra-tough guy cop named Jack eth (Tim Thomerson), who helpfully forms us (via narration) that the tizenry has finally been freed of the fluence of Martin Whistler (Micheal efani), a vicious psychic necromancer ho takes over the weak-minded and ™s them into zombie slaves. These aves are known as Trancers.

Having killed Whistler six months 0, Jack is busily tracking down the t of Whistler’s zombies. Tired of the Onotony of being attacked and nearly urdered every few minutes, Jack quits € force and takes up scuba diving Tough Lost Angeles. Deth then Deth

receives the unwelcome news that Whis- tler is alive and well and wiping out the leaders of the city.

But Whistler isn’t inthe city... not technically, anyway. He’s used a con- sciousness-shifting drug to send his mind ‘down the line’ to 1985 Los Angeles. Deth is hired to follow him and save the

Good. Real good. Fun to watch, good plot, good characters, inter- esting science fiction, makes you think, sort of.

ancestors of the Council before Whis- tler retroactively cancels them. Nasty complications abound: one Councillor has no idea where her ancestor lives, and Whistler’s ancestor is a cop. Un- daunted (well, maybe a little), Jack destroys Whistler’s body and takes the time serum to follow his mind.

He wakes up in L.A. during the Christmas season and does some detec- tive work. With the aid of a cute punk rocker named Lena (Helen Hunt) and a couple of nifty gadgets, Deth eludes Whistler, various deathtraps (Dethtraps?), some really funny Trancers and eventually manages to save the world. Deth gets the girl and lives to do the sequels... much to Leonard Maltin’s eternal regret.

Acting (Or Lack Thereof): No flies on this one. Damnnit, that’s two flicks in a row with good actors. I’m going to have to find some bad actors soon or I’Il bea real critic; however, I’d like to single out Thomerson for special honours. He’s tough, tender, touching, and unTranceable. He’s also damn cool in his trenchcoat and slicked-back hair. Deth lives! Oh, and Stephani’s per-

formance as Whistler is slimy and evil... just the way I like my bad guys! I also like the various winos Deth deals with. Hap Ashby (Biff Manard) is particularly fun. Technical Stuff: There aren’t many special effects in this movie, because the bulk of it takes place in modern L.A. But there are a few real goodies. Near the beginning there’s a nice shot of a police cruiser floating over a diner. The Angle City sets and matte paintings are pretty good (I love the shot of drowned L.A.). Trancers turn red and evaporate with a nifty sizzling noise when killed. But the most fun is ‘The Long Second’, a wristwatch with an interesting stop- watch feature. It speeds up Jack’s personal time, giving him ten seconds for every one second of real time. The effect is well staged: Jack actually watches a bullet fly by in slow motion; later he uses it to slow... no, that would wreck the ending. Stuffto Watch For: Let’s see... there’s the tanning booth of doom... the hilari- ous attack of the Tranced Santa Claus...Jack watches ‘Peter Gunn’ and criticizes him for having a dumb name... various people make fun of Jack Deth’s name... the incomprehensible ‘Jingle Bell Punk’ number... Deth beats ups a gang of punk rockers... the three wise winos... need I continue?... Deth’s neat car... the ‘long second’ scenes... a cleverly inter- rupted love scene... stop me, please... Best Line: ‘‘Security? We've got a situation at the North Pole!”’A remark- ably calm Mrs. Claus. Bottom Line: Good. Real good. Fun to watch, good plot, good characters, interesting science fiction, makes you think, sort of. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I’ll probably rent the sequels just to see more of this Deth guy. Next Time: Who knows? I don’t.

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(October 4, 1994