The Hand

Orion. Dir Oliver Stone; Producer Edward R. Pressman; Screenplay Oliver Stone; Camera King Baggott; Editor Richard Marks; Music James Horner Art Dir J. Michael Riva

Michael Caine
Andrea Marcovicci
Viveca Lindfors
Bruce McGill
Mara Hobel
Annie McEnroe

Director-scripter Oliver Stone takes on a premise - that of an autonomous appendage wreaking havoc on anyone crossing the human it was previously attached to - that has in some form been effectively executed in many past pix.

Special visual effects consultant Carlo Rambaldi, who performed wonders on 'Alien,' should probably share some of the blame for the ineffectiveness of the aforementioned villain.

There is little relief to be found from the relationships in the script [from the book The Lizard's Tail]. Cartoonist Michael Caine evokes some sympathy after he loses his hand and particularly in scenes with daughter Mara Hobel, he spends most of his time sweating and grimacing into the camera lens. It's not a pretty sight.

James Horner has concocted an appropriately haunting score throughout.

(Color) Available on VHS. Extract of a review from 1981. Running time: 104 MIN.

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