INTERVIEW WITH COMPOSER MASON DARING

I have the immense pleasure today of welcoming a very special guest, composer Mason Daring, to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS for an interview. Mason has composed the score for numerous motion pictures over the years, working on many movies for director John Sayles such as LIANNA, RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN [my review of the film can be found here] MATEWAN, CITY OF HOPE, LONE STAR, and EIGHT MEN OUT. He has also worked on COLD AROUND THE HEART, MOYNIHAN, WHERE THE HEART IS, and FATHERS AND SONS, to name a few examples. Mason has also composed themes and music for many television shows and documentaries. In this interview Mason will be discussing when his passion for music began, RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN, musical scoring for film and television, and involvement in rock/pop bands.

Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS Mason!

Athan: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a musician?

Mason: I first realized I wanted to be a musician in fourth grade. I started off playing trumpet and I realized how much I enjoyed it in within a year or two. I then actually got paid money to play music. My first gig was playing taps for a VFW funeral 25 whole American dollars. I thought, this is easy money! Of course, I was wrong about that.

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Athan: Where did you study music?

Mason: I studied music formally at Amherst College in Amherst Massachusetts. I was lucky enough to become an independent scholar there and for some reason they let me take my senior year and just write and record music. There was a college next-door called Hampshire College that had a recording studio in it, so I was able to actually spend formative time learning how to record and produce – nowadays everyone has a home studio, but in those days recording studios were hard to come by. 

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Athan: Your score for RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN was beautiful, and complemented the visuals in a thoughtful, spare manner. Two of the most striking examples of this in the movie are the opening credits, and the moody sequence close to the film’s conclusion where Jeff chops wood. Being your first score for a motion picture, how did it feel to see your work in the completed movie?

Mason: The opening credits for RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN were played by a great guitar player named Guy Van Duser, who is a great friend of mine as well. I wrote it with him to make it sound like a spaghetti western…. John loved it - that's John SAYLES the Director. The wood chopping scene is actually me playing a six string guitar. I experimented with a lot of compression on the audio which gives it a bit of an unusual sound - but I always enjoyed that scene. When it was finally released, it was truly amazing seeing the movie on the big screen for the first time. It played for six months in Boston as it became a bit of a cult film. A curiosity in that film is that my credit is K Mason Daring - my full name is Kevin Mason Daring and I don't really use my first name, but that was my first movie credit and I didn't quite know what I should be called. I looked at it on the big screen and I thought, Boy, that looks silly! From then on I just dropped the K.

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Athan: Aside from cinema, you have composed scores for a multitude of television documentaries, themes for television shows, episodic television, and cable/television movies. Looking back at your vast body of work, which score or music piece was the most demanding, but, in the end, most satisfying in terms of the final result?

Mason: Hard to say, which was the most difficult: MUSIC OF THE HEART, which was directed by Wes Craven took a year to complete for number of reasons. After the movie was done, a few months went by and Harvey Weinstein, that notorious man, decided that he wanted to drop about 20 minutes from the film, so I had to redo about half of the music in that project - it just went on and on and on. But I loved working with Wes and I loved working with Meryl Streep, so I think there was a lot of satisfaction when that movie ultimately came out. The film shoot for MATEWAN, John Sayles’ fourth movie, was very difficult because we were outdoors at night in the middle of a park in West Virginia and we had to do a lot of music in front of the camera. It was very challenging, but Haskell Wexler, the cinematographer, and I agreed later that somehow it all worked - but I must tell you we knocked heads on the set. All is well that ends well.

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Athan: You formed your first rock band in the eighth grade, and were also a member of rock band Daring Jones Southworth and McNeer during college. What it is that you loved most about being involved in bands?

Mason: With my first band, the Squires, in eighth grade, the most rewarding thing was the guys I was playing with. We are still great friends to this day. Daring Jones, Southworth, and McNeer was the best band I was ever in.  We opened for the Byrds, Delaney and Bonnie, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and a number of other famous bands. It's a shame we broke up because we would've made a fantastic album. The other two songwriters were terrific, and we had a lot of great harmonies, but it's difficult to keep a band together sometimes - especially when you're broke.

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Athan: You also have a legal background, graduating from the Suffolk Law School in 1976, and were admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1977, after which you were employed as a legal analyst. How did you find that your law studies assisted you with your later work in the film industry?

Mason: And being a lawyer is never much fun if you're actually practicing law. No one gets up in the morning and says: I love my family. I have all the money I need and I have a lot of friends so I think I'll call my lawyer. That's a way of saying that lawyers spend all their time with worried people. I practiced law for a few years, but really didn't care for it. But it did come in awfully handy when I started handling bigger budgets and orchestra scores. It’s a tricky world out there so it's easy to get sued, and it's very bothersome when it happens. But people tend to do that to you when you get successful. Fortunately, I never really had a problem in that regard - my assumption is this because I'm a lawyer, myself.

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Athan: Do you have any upcoming projects of which you would like to tell readers?

Mason: My current project is a reworking of the theme for FRONTLINE. I wrote the theme for FRONTLINE in 1982 with a good friend of mine named Martin Brody - we had a ball doing it and we're very proud that it's still on the air 40 years later, but they need us to redo it for timing purposes and we're tempted to see if we can't make it a little more modern at the same time. Stay tuned on that one.

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Thank you so much today for your time Mason, and for the insight you have provided into the art of music, RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN, scoring for film and television, law studies, and being a member of rock bands. It has been wonderful having you on CINEMATIC REVELATIONS. You are welcome to return whenever you wish.

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Mason Daring links

+Mason Daring IMDb page

+RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN IMDb page

RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN (1980)

Title: RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN (AKA: THE RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS 7)

Year of Release: 1980

Director: John Sayles

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: Seven college friends, and some newcomers to the fray, reunite for the weekend at a New Hampshire summer house.

Within a film history context: There have not been many films made about the reunion of college friends before the release of RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN. The first was Busby Berkeley's FORTY LITTLE MOTHERS (1940). An unemployed professor finds work in an all-girls school thanks to an old college friend, and finds an abandoned child which he takes under his wing despite the school's rule for teaching staff to be without a family. One of the stories in TALES OF MANHATTAN (1942), directed by Julien Duvivier, focused upon a man who attends his college reunion. He tries his best to disguise his past to the other attendees, the truth emerging about him which may, or may not, hamper his future job prospects. In Joshua Logan's PICNIC (1955), drifter Hal looks up Alan, his old college friend in Kansas, and they reignite their friendship. When Hal falls for Alan's fiancée, this sets the stage for much drama in this memorable movie set during a Labour Day picnic. With THE SPORTING CLUB (1971), directed by Larry Peerce, two college friends meet after many years at the titular club, the one causing mayhem in the life of the other. RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN was one of the best of the movies about a reunion of college friends.

It was the most in-depth of all the movies about a college reunion, with the entire movie consumed with the subject. Unlike FORTY LITTLE MOTHERS, where a meeting of college friends takes up only a fraction of screen time, RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN contained a number of reunions within the story. These occur gradually, in an organic manner, and provide valuable information on the characters, especially with the contracting natures of the people in the movie. The drama, and comic episodes are borne out of the differences in opinion which the characters bring to the plate. The film was akin to an extended version of the segment from TALES OF MANHATTAN, allowing for a fuller representation of the people in the reunion in feature length, instead of just a half hour duration. People laugh, cry, fight, and compete with each other in RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN, to name just a few emotions and actions depicted in the movie. Other aspects of RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN also merit discussion.

The relationship between Hal and Alan in PICNIC is deepened considerably in the presentation of the interactions of the male protagonists in RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN. In PICNIC, the men discuss their past adventures and memories of these, but the present intrudes upon the sanctity of the past, with regard to the two men battling over the one woman. Romance, male-female, and male-male relationships are something which RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN treats intensively. Having several male characters instead of only two makes for interesting drama, especially with their connections to the female characters. This is another area where RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN differs from others. The presence of female characters brings out other sides to the men which is also apparent in PICNIC, but with more complexity in RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN. It is not just a matter of men fighting for women, but more about the little things which constitute male-male, and male-female dealings. A compelling movie about a college reunion, RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN is a thorough picture on an emotional level.

Overview: John Sayles is a prolific American director who has made eighteen motion pictures over a thirty-three year time frame. His works are generally character-driven pieces which explore relationships in both contemporary, and past societal eras. Mr Sayles' second movie, LIANNA (1983), was about a sexually-confused married woman who has an affair with another woman, this causing her to reassess her life, and gender identity. BABY IT'S YOU (1983) charted the high school romance between two young people, a Jewish girl and an Italian-American boy, following their fraught union in the New Jersey of the late 1960s. More humorous in tone was THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET (1984). A mute alien who in appearance resembles a human being, lands by his ship on Ellis Island, taking on a job as a technician, but two men in black are hot on his trail to force him to return to his planet. MATEWAN (1987) shone a light on the coal miner's strike of 1920 in the West Virginian town of Matewan, and the efforts of a union organizer to bring balance in the face of vocal opposition from the mining company, and other participants. Another movie set in a past time, EIGHT MEN OUT (1987) spotlighted the 1919 Black Sox baseball scandal in which members of the team attempted to lose the game for money in light of their low pay. Into the 1990s, John Sayles continued with further thoughtful movies.

CITY OF HOPE (1991) focused on a dilapidated apartment block slated for demolition, presenting the viewpoints of all those involved with this predicament. Female relationships, in contrast, were at the core of PASSION FISH (1992). A soap opera actress falls victim to an accident which leaves her paralyzed, and relies on nurses, finding compatibility with them difficult. She finally finds a nurse where a meeting of the minds takes place, both their lives enriched in the process. THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH (1994), was a fantasy movie with a family orientation. A young woman in 1940s Ireland fascinated by life in a small fishing village seeks to find her brother, who was believed to have become a selkie. Mystery of a more adult nature pervaded LONE STAR (1996). When the human skeleton of a former sheriff is discovered, this opens the door to unlocking many secrets in a Texas town. MEN WITH GUNS (1997), was a change of pace for John Sayles. A widowed doctor who trained a group of students who work in poverty-stricken Mexican villages seeks to find out what happened to these people, as he discovers one of them was killed by military forces. Mr Sayles rounded out the 1990s with LIMBO (1999). A former fisherman in an Alaskan town begins to date a woman whose daughter dislikes her mother's lifestyle, and they become embroiled in his brother's murder. John Sayles made six more movies in the 2000s and beyond.

SUNSHINE STATE (2002), contrasted the personal lives of two very different women who both reside in Delrona Beach, Florida. One story thread is concerned with a black woman, and her relationship with her daughter, and her offspring's mixed-up life. The second is about a woman running a family-owned motel and cafe, her romance with her boyfriend, and tenuous union with her former husband. CASA DE LOS BABYS (2003), revolved around six American women who seek to adopt babies in South America, highlighting the immense difficulties they endure during this experience. SILVER CITY (2004), was a political satire of a man seeking to become Governor of Colorado, and how his discovery of a corpse one day while fishing both triggers, and subsequently unearths a great number of problems. HONEYDRIPPER (2007), was another John Sayles film set in the past. In the Alabama of 1950, a young guitarist is recruited by a blues club owner to save it in the face of competition from a rival club. Yet another period film, AMIGO (2010), was set in 1900s Philippines during the Philippine-American war raging at the time, concentrating upon the lead character, the chairman of an administrative area. Mr Sayles' final film to date is GO FOR SISTERS (2013). An incident throws together two former high school friends, one a parole officer, the other her parolee, with the officer seeking the other's help to save her son from drug kingpins. RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN marked John Sayles' directorial debut, and is one of his most fluent motion pictures.

John Sayles has crafted an illuminating movie in RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN. It takes as its starting point a reunion of college friends at the home of couple Mike and Katie. At the reunion, both old and new faces become reacquainted, and acquainted, with friendships rekindled, and some enmities reactivated along the way. The beauty of the movie is how it intimately tracks the minutiae of human interactions which is fascinating indeed to watch. Events progress at a steady pace, are never rushed, and the spectator is able to identify with a number of different viewpoints. The film takes its time with everything, and one feels as if they are watching real events transpire on the screen. In terms of emotional delicacy and accuracy, RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN is a winner. It is not a picture for those who need violence and car accidents in every second scene, which is admirable. In saying this, though, it does have a flaw which sidetracks the movie somewhat.

RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN comes from a place of truth, and is thoughtful as a motion picture. Other films can only dream of its honesty in their execution. There is one segment of the movie, though, which does not work as well as the others. The group of college friends is apprehended for the death of a roadside deer, for which they are eventually released when the true culprit is uncovered. It seems to have been included as a comic aside to the mostly dramatic nature of the movie, but is forced. After much compelling drama for the majority of the film, it stands out for its incongruousness. It is a movie in which gimmicks would not, and do not, work. The movie, though, does make up for this in the final stretches with a return to Mike and Katie's home, and the memorable scene of Jeff chopping wood. These are the types of moments which sum up the picture, being the little things which express meaning in volumes. A satisfying look into a reunion of college friends, RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN is a great movie, and an above-average cinematic achievement from John Sayles.

Acting: RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN boasts a distinctive cast who make the movie a convincing experience. As Mike, one half of the couple staging the college reunion at his home, Bruce MacDonald is excellent. An actor who unfortunately only appeared in this movie, his friendly, inclusive manner works as the open-minded, gregarious Mike. Mike's girlfriend Katie is played with irony and humor by Maggie Renzi. As the suspicious Katie, Miss Renzi brings notes of real-world sensibilities, and some craftiness, to her role. Wandering musician J.T. is given gusto and style by Adam LeFevre. A performer of energy and enthusiasm, Mr LeFevre does a great interpretation of the aspiring guitarist. The well-grounded doctor in the house, Frances, is made sympathetic by Maggie Cousineau. As with several actors in the cast this was her sole film credit, which is unfortunate, given Miss Cousineau's spirited, philosophical obstetrician. Chip, the only participant who was not a member of the college, is made memorable by Gordon Clapp. While not treated as the odd man out in the movie, he makes his presence felt with his insistent voice, and challenge to the other characters in terms of their mindsets. Five other performers deliver individual performances in RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN.

As Chip's girlfriend Irene, speechwriter for a politician, Jean Passanante has a soothing manner, and nice comic timing, which meshes well with Chip's slightly nervy demeanour. The deep-voiced, vulnerable Maura is given careful shading by Karen Trott. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, it is pleasing that she ends the movie in a better state that when she first appears, her scenes with Jeff some of the best moments in the film. Maura's erstwhile boyfriend is in the highly compelling presence of Mark Arnott. With his spurts of anger, volatility, and non-verbal modes of expression, Mr Arnott makes Jeff a fully intoxicating, fascinating personality. The lively man at the gas station, Ron, is one of the movie's most colorful people. David Strathairn injects his Ron with a fast-talking, contagious way of doing things, with a physical presence that makes an impact. The final performance of note in RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN was by John Sayles as Howie. Aside from helming the picture, he delivers a laid-back, realistic interpretation of a family man given to being just one of the boys, but more than holding his own in the basketball sequence.

Soundtrack: The soundtrack for RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN is one of its most intriguing aspects. The score by Mason Daring works in a graceful, understated way which accentuates what appears onscreen. Two main examples stand out in this respect. The opening credits feature photographs of all the movie's characters which are accompanied by a guitar theme which musically relays the film's lively, thoughtful aura. The wood chopping sequence with Jeff is also highly effective, making light of his anger musically, and providing a non-verbal perspective to the scene. Aside from this, the closing credits are in contrast to the opening credits, utilizing the song 'Mean to Me' which partners a visual mash up of sequences from the movie. Diegetic music is also interesting, especially the barroom scene with J.T. singing his tunes functioning in a lifelike manner. 

Mise-en-scene: What appears in front of the camera is one of RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN's many virtues. Cinematography by Austin de Besche is lovely, with the outdoor sequences particularly noteworthy. The lush leafy outdoor scenery is expertly shot, making the viewer wish that they could also be present to bask in its beauty. In terms of indoor settings, the home of Mike and Katie is also well utilized, with the use of the living room, kitchen, and their bedroom making sense to the story, and the people who inhabit these areas. Costuming is unobtrusive, and functions as a neutral palate to allow the personalities of the characters to be highlighted by their individuality.

Notable Acting Performances: Bruce MacDonald, Maggie Renzi, Adam LeFevre, Maggie Cousineau, Gordon Clapp, Jean Passanante, Karen Trott, Mark Arnott, David Strathairn, John Sayles.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Infrequent coarse language, male nudity, adult themes.

Overall Grade: B

Link: IMDB Page

INTERVIEW WITH FILM DIRECTOR GLENN GEBHARD

Today I have the immense pleasure of welcoming a very special guest, director Glenn Gebhard, to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS for an interview. Glenn has directed three motion pictures in his career, being BLOOD SCREAMS, ONE LAST RUN [my review of the film can be found here] and DESERT STEEL. He has also directed film, television and video documentaries, additionally in producing, writing, and editing capacities. In this interview Glenn will be discussing his role as director of ONE LAST RUN, his documentary works, and position as Chair and Professor, Film and Television Production at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. 

Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS Glenn! 

Athan: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a film director? 

Glenn: As I started doing very low budget films in college, I had to do everything. This led me to the understanding that the director was the one who had the vision of the whole film, and I felt that I wanted to have that control. This led me to being the "director".

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Athan: Have you studied acting, or had aspirations to be an actor before becoming a director? 

Glenn: I took a philosophy class when I was an undergraduate student and we made a film in that class.  I guess I was hooked then as I loved the ability to communicate with film imagery. 

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Athan: Your direction of ONE LAST RUN was seamless, making it an entertaining, watchable motion picture. While the movie was about skiing, it was at heart about the people in the story, friends who meet up once a year to not only ski, but also, talk about their lives, and making sense of these. What is it that drew you to directing the movie? 

Glenn: We were looking for another project after my first feature. I had done work with Warren Miller Productions as an editor, writer and director. Warren Miller Productions essentially did ski movies as well as other sport films. We were working with very little money, and had an idea to use Warren Miller footage and construct a story around this pre-existing footage. The only thing that we actually shot was in the “ski lodge” with the three friends stuck in a snow storm. Of course the ski lodge was in Los Angeles where they don’t have snow storms, We shot for a week or so and matched the pre-existing footage to the story in the ski lodge… 

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Athan: What did you find most exciting about the experience of making ONE LAST RUN? 

Glenn: Just the fact that we could figure out how to make a very low budget film that had production value coming from the pre-existing footage. It was like a giant puzzle putting the film together, but also lots of work and lots of fun. 

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Athan: For you, what was the most demanding, but emotionally satisfying segment of filming ONE LAST RUN? 

Glenn: Just working with our actors. 

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Athan: Have you kept in contact with any cast members and crew from ONE LAST RUN? 

Glenn: No, I have not seen any of them for many years. 

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Athan: You directed ONE LAST RUN in collaboration with fellow director Peter Winograd. What was the experience of helming the movie with Mr Winograd as your co-director? 

Glenn: Peter was a very talented filmmaker, so it was a pleasure working with him. We sometimes had different ideas about things, but we both worked it out together.  

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Athan: You have directed not only film documentaries but also in other mediums such as television, and video. Many of these feature Cuban history as a central topic, which is one of your areas of academic expertise. What is it that you find so interesting about filming documentaries? 

Glenn: I find documentaries very interesting as one lives in other’s shoes for a period of time. You are dealing with real people and real situations, trying to reflect the truth of their lives. I have been really lucky to have gotten into non-fiction, and I think it suits me much.  

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Athan: You are Chair and Professor, Film and Television Production at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. What do you find most satisfying in this position? 

Glenn:  Our main aim is the help students succeed. I am very, very satisfied when I find students get jobs in the film industry, and progress into lifetime careers. 

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Athan: Do you have any upcoming projects of which you would like to tell readers? 

Glenn: I am almost finished a documentary about the American Communist Party during the 1920s until late 1940s. I’m also in the middle of a Public Television film about the turning point in stroke therapy in the last 40 years, and how that turned this malady around for many people. Look for both of these films in American Public Television in the next year. 

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Thank you so much today for your time Glenn, and for the insight you have provided into ONE LAST RUN, film directing, documentaries, and academia. It has been wonderful having you on CINEMATIC REVELATIONS. You are welcome to return whenever you wish. 

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Glenn Gebhard links 

+Glenn Gebhard IMDb Director Page 

+ONE LAST RUN movie IMDb page

ONE LAST RUN (1990)

Title: ONE LAST RUN (Formerly: FACE THE EDGE)

Year of Release: 1990

Director: Glenn Gebhard, Peter Winograd

Genre: Adventure, Action, Drama

Synopsis: Three friends who meet once a year at a ski lodge catch up with what is going on in their lives.

Within a film history context: Movies which have a ski resort or lodge as a setting have been featured many times in cinema history. In Elliott Nugent's AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED (1936), the majority of the action took place in a ski resort. A widower and a divorcee clash, and later fall in love during their time there, but their offspring may be the biggest obstacle in their way. Romance was also the main issue in THIN ICE (1937), directed by Sidney Lanfield. A ski instructor falls for a man who she sees skiing in the morning, and is surprised when she discovers his true identity. Alfred Hitchcock's MR & MRS. SMITH (1941), featured a married couple whose union was found not to be legal, but are reunited in the end at a ski resort. Affairs of the heart were also in SUN VALLEY SERENADE (1941), directed by H. Bruce Humberstone. This time with a musical background, it involved a pianist's attraction to a young Norwegian woman, and the staging of an ice show with her appearance as the main attraction. As with AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED, in Wesley Ruggles' YOU BELONG TO ME (1941), a millionaire and a woman doctor meet at a ski resort, later marry, but his jealousy of her male patients drives her to distraction. 

HIT THE ICE (1943), directed by Charles Lamont, was an Abbott and Costello entry. Two photographers working for a newspaper become involved in a robbery, with a case of mistaken identities on their part, culminating in mayhem at a ski resort. On the other hand, suspense was rife in Irving Allen's AVALANCHE (1946). The story of intrigue about an agent following a tax fraudster to a ski resort. was a short movie from the Producers Releasing Corporation studio. With SECURITY RISK (1954), directed by Harold D. Schuster, sinister events occur at a ski resort where murder is just one of the crimes committed. In the case of Blake Edwards' THE PINK PANTHER (1963), a ski resort is a main setting in the movie, initiating a hot pursuit of the eponymous 'Pink Panther' diamond by a number of assorted individuals. GET YOURSELF A COLLEGE GIRL (1964), directed by Sidney Miller, had a major component of the movie set in a ski resort, where romance and musical acts take place. Alan Rafkin's comedy musical SKI PARTY (1965), was of a similar persuasion. Two young men head out to a ski resort to find love, and indulge in comic hijinks to make themselves attractive to the opposite sex.

Romance in the snow was once again on view in WINTER A-GO-GO (1965), directed by Richard Benedict. When an adventurous young man inherits a ski lodge, he tries to make it operational by recruiting staff, all the while also having his eyes on young ladies who come into the fray. In contrast, George Englund's SNOW JOB (1972), mined different territory. A skiing instructor at a ski resort plans to extort the finances of the establishment, with the assistance of his girlfriend and a ski racing friend, but find their match in an inquisitive insurance inspector. SNOWBALL EXPRESS (1972), directed by Norman Tokar, was a Disney family comedy of an attorney who inherits a hotel in a sorry state, and decides to convert it into a ski resort, with many difficulties encountered along the way. In Larry Peerce's ASH WEDNESDAY (1973), a woman who has just had plastic surgery checks into a ski resort where young men begin to squire her, her marriage in peril. 

CRIME AND PASSION (1976), directed by Ivan Passer, had a number of major narrative events occur in a ski resort setting, with an international cast including Omar Sharif, Karen Black, and Joseph Bottoms. Corey Allen's disaster movie AVALANCHE (1978), also had a large part of the movie's action take place in a ski resort, and, in particular, an avalanche which destroys the complex. In contrast, a lighter mood was apparent in JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (1984), directed by Edouard Molinaro. This film followed a flutist with a leg disability, wearing a brace, and how she goes to a ski resort and finds romance, seeking to not be seen as being physically challenged by others. Jeff Kwitny's ICED (1989), was a slasher movie about the opening of a new ski resort, and how the invitees to the ceremony are under mortal threat by a psychopath, who wants to dispatch as many as possible. ONE LAST RUN, arriving on screen in 1990, was another entry in movies with a ski resort/ski lodge setting, and one of the most interesting.

The movie had a number of features which set it apart from the other films set in a ski resort/ski lodge. Many of the examples concentrated on a couple, or people finding romance at a ski resort, such as AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED, THIN ICE, SUN VALLEY SERENADE, and YOU BELONG TO ME. ONE LAST RUN, in comparison, explored the lives of several characters within its structure. This gave ONE LAST RUN a point of difference to the other movies. While one of the three main stories centered upon a ski instructor's relationship with a barmaid, the movie largely differentiated its other two threads in terms of the characters' lives away from romantic considerations. The policeman's life was not based in romance, neither that of the doctor. The doctor had some reservations about not being able to attend next year's meetup with his friends due to personal and family commitments. These stories gave the movie a realistic feel, as if the characters were grounded in situations which would not be far removed from actuality. This down to earth approach also infused other areas of ONE LAST RUN.

ONE LAST RUN kept away from melodramatic story arcs, preferring a cleaner presentation. A major example of this is the following. The snowstorm does not cause any mayhem or carnage in the movie, instead, it assists the characters to sit it out together, through which the spectator learns more about them, and their thinking. It is not a matter of a snowstorm bringing death and destruction as in AVALANCHE (1978), with things more relatable in ONE LAST RUN. The movie has a sense of comfort for viewers, in that it is character-driven, and does not highlight crazy plot twists and turns. In some ways, the film's limited ski lodge setting does work in its favour. The single setting intensifies the action, maintaining interest in the story, and its characters by gliding gracefully from character to character without any gaps. This is successfully backed up by the ski footage, and the accompanying voiceovers which themselves are linked to characters. The other outdoor scenes of characters additionally provide depth to the picture, and views of an outside world. A well-rounded movie which wins with its attention to detail, ONE LAST RUN is a solid film which deserves greater recognition.

Overview: ONE LAST RUN was co-directed by Glenn Gebhard and Peter Winograd. Mr Gebhard has three motion pictures to his name, being more active in television direction, production and editing, to name a few of his credits. His first movie, BLOOD SCREAMS (1989), was a horror story of a Mexican town, and how two visitors are blamed when citizens begin to disappear. DESERT STEEL (1994) was a light drama of a racing car driver in Las Vegas, and his romantic pursuits. Peter Winograd has a shorter overall list of credits, his first film being FLICKS (1983). A comedy anthology consisting of six segments, it starred Pamela Sue Martin and Joan Hackett. The directors collaborated on both production and screenplay aspects in ONE LAST RUN. ONE LAST RUN was the second picture from each director, and an above-average movie.

Glenn Gebhard and Peter Winograd have created an entertaining movie in ONE LAST RUN. The story of three men who meet once a year at a ski lodge, being a professional skier, a doctor, and a policeman, it is a character-driven film which has a realistic edge, but nevertheless maintains a lightness, and sweetness in its execution which is pleasing to witness. The character interactions and events all have a sense of genuineness to them, never being cloying. There is the feeling that these are real people, and that the events depicted could have truly occurred. Despite being set in a ski lodge, the movie does have its feet firmly planted on the ground, and this is one of its refreshing facets. The emotions of the characters are sincere, and never strained. Restricting the movie to a single set throughout the majority of its running time, though, does have a two-pronged effect. On the one hand, it frames events well, keeping the focus tight on its small set of characters. When looked at in another vein, the single set does have its drawbacks, limiting the picture in some ways.

To be fair, throughout there are scenes which elaborate on the lives of the characters which are removed from the ski lodge setting. These do provide depth to the characters, and knowledge to the viewer. Having this single set does limit movement in terms of certain scenes. Nick and Jane's argument takes place fully inside the ski lodge, but one does wish that it could have moved to a kitchen area, or some other place, as Jane was a waitress at the lodge. Possibly the single set was for budgetary reasons, but having more sets would have given even more dimension to the movie. The confinement of the sets has also consequently stifled the story. ONE LAST RUN has characters one wants to know more about which is one of its best qualities. Nick and Jane's love affair could have been further extended, with even more heated emotions displayed. Tom is a jazzy policeman, but his personal life would have benefitted from more spotlighting, likewise with Joe. Finding out more about Joe's feelings about being a doctor, and life would have been fascinating. Charlie emits spirited comic relief, but, again, his life needed more filling out in the movie. Regardless of these gaps in the story, it can be said that ONE LAST RUN is a diverting picture which definitely has the courage of its convictions.

Acting: ONE LAST RUN has a small but talented cast who make the film shine. As Nick, a professional skier with love on his mind, Russell Todd is in another of his great romantic roles. Mr Todd is an actor with a relaxed aura, and authority that works exceedingly well in romantic parts. One of the pleasures of this movie is seeing his Nick stewing, and fighting for the love of a woman, but losing his composure all in the name of amour. Joe the harried doctor is brought to life by Jimmy Aleck. Seeming every bit the doctor he plays in both appearance and behaviour, Mr Aleck is convincing as the humorous, torn medical practitioner. The movie's policeman, Tom, is played with ingratiating charm by Craig Branham. An actor with a suave but approachable demeanor, Mr Branham brings humor to his fearless character. 

The apple of Nick's eye is played with appropriate savvy by Ashley Lawrence as Jane. Witnessing the mood change of the character from her first appearance to her last in the film is a testament to the validity of Jane's emotions. As Cindy, the charming woman who may or may not have her eye on Joe, Tracy Scoggins brings allure and pizazz to her role. An actress who was well featured on television soap operas Dynasty and The Colbys, here her street smarts are on display, with a sense of humor which ties it all up with a bow. The final contribution of note was by Nels Van Patten as Charlie. While providing some of the picture's comic relief, he also makes his skier real despite his outrageous wardrobe which he does not allow to upstage his performance.

Soundtrack: The jazzy instrumental score by Mike Garson works very well in ONE LAST RUN. It blends beautifully with the many skiing sequences, giving these a zest and freshness all their own. There is also incidental music in the movie, such as the scenes where Nick reminisces of his times with Jane, that sensitively delineate their relationship in a subtle manner. 

Mise-en-scene: ONE LAST RUN has an excellent grasp of its mise-en-scene which is pleasing to witness. Cinematography by Thomas Callaway is beautiful, the ski segments all exciting to watch, and easy on the eyes. The various outdoor scenes, such as Tom's criminal pursuit, Nick and Jane's time together, and the snowstorm traffic scenes, to name several, are all realistic, and make sense to the narrative. Aside from this, the ski lodge set where the majority of the action occurs is well-appointed, warm, and cozy. Lighting is another asset in the movie, with the sets, and actors well-lit without having too much light cast on them, giving both a pleasant, and naturalistic glow.

Notable Acting Performances: Russell Todd, Jimmy Aleck, Craig Branham, Ashley Lawrence, Tracy Scoggins, Nels Van Patten. 

Suitability for young viewers: Parental discretion advised. Mild adult themes.

Overall Grade: B

Link: IMDB Page