Ffolkes
by Andrew V. McLaglen
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DVD details
Actor: Anthony Perkins, David Hedison, James Mason, Michael Parks, Roger MooreDirector: Andrew V. McLaglen
Brand: Uni
Cinematographer: Tony Imi
Editor: Alan Strachan
Producer: Denis Holt
Producer: Elliott Kastner
Producer: Moses Rothman
Writer: Jack Davies
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 95 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-12
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Reviews of Ffolkes
DVD Review: Not a typical Hollywood thriller
Summary: 4 Stars
Mention the name Roger Moore to the average moviegoer and they'll most likely immediately associate him with the James Bond franchise. Makes sense to me. After all, Moore took up the mantle thrown down by Sean Connery and eventually made some seven Bond films, beginning with "Live and Let Die" in 1973 and ending with "A View to a Kill" in 1985. I'm partial to Roger Moore because of this very fact. He's definitely my favorite Bond; I enjoy his glib wit, expressions of fear when confronted with daunting situations, and just the way he handles himself onscreen. I never turn down an opportunity to watch one of his films when AMC or another channel runs yet another lengthy 007 marathon. It's natural, considering how much I enjoy his Bond films, that I would seek out other Roger Moore projects. Thanks to DVD, we're starting to see his work on "The Saint" and several other efforts reemerge. I'm still waiting for "The Wild Geese" and, up until a short time ago, I eagerly awaited the arrival of "ffolkes." Finally, I procured a copy and immediately sat down for a watch. I wanted to see if I liked the movie as much as I did ten or fifteen years ago.
"Ffolkes" is the story of Rufus Excaliber ffolkes (Moore, of course, with lower case last name for some reason), a crusty old tar who runs a mercenary security service in his retirement. You could say that this chap is the sort of gentleman businesses turn to when they need top-notch security. You could also say that governments might turn to him as well when faced with threats not easily deterred with conventional forces. And that, my friends, is exactly what happens when a terrorist named Lou Kramer (Anthony Hopkins) hijacks two British oil rigs in the North Sea. With the technical assistance of nerdy looking Harold Schulman (Michael Parks) and a gang of muscle, Kramer rigs the platforms with high explosives and then sends his demands to London. Predictably, the Prime Minister (Faith Brooks) and her cabinet are outraged. The tendency to not negotiate with terrorists, however, places the government in a real bind. Fortunately, certain insurance concerns--quite agitated that the destruction of the rigs could bankrupt the firm--call in Rufus Excaliber ffolkes to save the day. It's the sort of task he and his people relish, as Kramer's carefully prepared plans demand an intellectual as well as a physical response. It's a tough assignment made all the more difficult by the stormy, cold region.
Ffolkes rapidly coordinates his plan of attack with the help of Admiral Sir Francis Brindsen (James Mason). The outfit manages to remove one of the rigs from danger quite quickly and easily, but the second one is a bit harder since Kramer and his thugs float right beside it on a small boat. And Kramer's emotional state is deteriorating as fast as the weather outside. The Nordic crew of the ship, led by Captain Olafsen (Jack Watson), resents their kidnapping by Kramer and constantly irritates the terrorist. This cautious defiance, coupled with the grinding process of negotiating with the British government, soon wears heavily on Kramer. He oscillates between calm and explosive rages, always inches away from the detonator that will blow the rigs sky high. The vast majority of the film takes place on the boat and on the nearby rig, as ffolkes disguises himself as a British naval officer in the hope that he can board the ship as part of the negotiating team and bring the evil Kramer down. Needless to say, the plan doesn't go quite as smoothly as hoped. Can ffolkes and the British government save their oil production facilities in the nick of time? Watch and see.
Moore is great in this movie. He plays a no nonsense sort of guy set like stone in his ways. A misanthrope with a penchant for cats, needlepoint, a love of Scotch, and a loathing for women that runs to the core of his soul, ffolkes makes for an interesting character. As played by Roger Moore, he's hilarious because we immediately realize that this guy is about as far from James Bond as one could get. Less compelling, at least for hardcore action film fans, is the pace and content of the movie. The picture is one of the talkiest action movies you're likely to see, and even when the action breaks out it's not enough to tide over fans of big body counts and massive explosions. There are also several moments of incredulity where the viewer is likely to say, "No way. That would never happen!" But that's o.k. I like Moore so much, and I always enjoy watching Anthony Hopkins go off the deep end, that I forgave the director and writer for not giving us a non-stop action flick. But if you're the sort of filmgoer who eschews character development and tension in favor of cartwheeling bodies and stuff blowing up, you'll likely chafe at the bit with this movie.
I'd like to the give the DVD presentation of the film five stars. I'd like to, but I can't for a couple of reasons. One, nary an extra graces the disc. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Not even a trailer for the film. Ouch! I don't know why "ffolkes" received such shabby treatment, but it's undeserved in my opinion. Second, and probably more germane to the actual film, I didn't enjoy the movie quite as much as I did when I saw it back when I was a younger lad. Like I mentioned in a vague way above, I encountered several unbelievable situations and scenes during my latest trip through the movie. Yet "ffolkes" is still great, still a lot of fun, and definitely worth seeking out not only for Bond fans but Moore fans as well.
Description of Ffolkes
AN ENGLISH ADMIRAL NEEDS AN ECCENTRIC LORD AND HIS FROGMEN TO SAVE OIL RIGS AND A SHIP FROM A MAD BOMBER.Bestsellers in DVD
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