Mister Frost (1990)

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

I have to start off with saying that I am a huge fan of Jeff Goldblum. Mr Frost or The Deadly Mr Frost is one of the best films he has starred in. It is also one of the most underrated films as well and very difficult to find. I was lucky that I managed to get a copy on VHS a few years back.Jeff Goldblum plays Mr Frost, a cold blooded murderer who had dozens of bodies buried on the grounds of his palatial home.After being arrested he is sent to a high end metal institution. Mr Frost, having not spoken for two years, speaks to the only female doctor there, Sarah Day played by Kathy Bates. He tell her that he is in actual fact Satan and so a macabre game of cat and mouse begins.Jeff Goldblum is in his element here as Mr Frost and Kathy Bates gives a good sold performance as ever. Seeing her go from skeptic to believer is really fascinating.Alan Bates as Felix Detweiler puts in a fine performance as well but the bonus for me was seeing Vincent Schiavelli as the desk clerk. Is there a movie he hasn't been in?Francois Negret also puts in a compelling performance as Christopher, a sweet young patient doomed be another one of Frost's victims.The Deadly Mt Frost is not your run of the mill movies, but rather a film that works on all different levels. It is in turns, creepy, atmospheric and at times tragic. *Poor Christopher*If you are a fan of either, Jeff Goldblum, Kathy Bates or Alan Bates, this really is going to be worth watching

I first saw this when it came out some years ago, and I still remember that it left me feeling very uncomfortable... Although as I said it is highly stylized, in some ways it reminds me of a novel set to film like a music video. However, while the dialog may be a bit slow, the acting by Jeff Goldblum as the charming and highly intelligent psychotic is excellent and worth watching for his performance alone. The concept is not a new one, by any means, yet the story itself is unlike any other I have experienced to date. I found the reaction of the inspector who turns him over to the psychiatric hospital particularly interesting when he has just turned Mr Frost over to them and the staff asks for some insight into him... and his reaction is that Mr Frost should be put to death immediately, this even though he admits he is against capital punishment in general. Still, I must say that overall even with its flaws, I found this to be a captivating, disturbing, and often underestimated film.

"Mr. Frost" isn't that bad, but really could've used a few problems fixed with it.**SPOILERS**Trying to solve a crime, Inspector Felix Detweiler, (Alan Bates) stops by the home of funeral caretaker Mr. Frost, (Jeff Goldblum) and manages to stumble onto the fact that he's one of the most notorious mass-murderers of the day. Arrested and taken into custody, he is soon transferred to the St. Claire Mental Hospital where he is put into the care of Dr. Sarah Day, (Kathy Baker) owner Raymond Reynhardt, (Roland Giraud) and her staff. Attempting to get through to get through to him, she is constantly told that he is Satan and his great evil puts her in danger. The more time spent in his graces, the more he makes her believe that his story is true and that he may in fact be the Antichrist. Trying to decide how to deal with his threats, they try a few radical ideas and finally discover his real motive.The Good News: This wasn't all that bad. The fact that this takes a really unconventional approach to the fact of the protagonists identity. There's a really new angle here, as it's not entirely clear if it's just playing into the suggestion or if it's actually true. There's enough given for both angles quite efficiently, and they can't be spoiled but they do manage to make it seem like it could go either way. That is a wonderful skill for the film to have as it really manages to build up some suspense during the middle section of the film. When all the events start to unravel, there's plenty of reasons to believe either version, and that is what holds the film over. It's quite new to have a film use this approach, as they'll usually give one subtle reason and just make it all the creative. This even has a few really chilling moments to go along with it, including the root-top jumping encounter and the showdowns with the influenced patient with potential victims that are pretty chilling. There's only one other positive aspect, which is the rather quickly-paced last half of the film. The attempts to diagnose and find the problem are really toned down when compared to the beginning half, the displays of power start to sweep into the frame and it becomes a little more frantic in it's quest to get it through. This finally gets the film into the watchable realm and is it's best feature. These here are what work for the film.The Bad News: This here does have some problems with it. One of the main flaws is it's slow, down-tuned way of going about things. It's not really an easy film to get into if a requirement is a lot of excitement to get into it. The film's approach is so low-key and unaffecting that it's possible to forget the film's events shortly afterward, especially when nothing really leaps out with it's effects. The majority of everything in the film is done through dialog and explanations for what has happened before the previous scene. There's a really large amount of analysis going on in here that it can just take a lot out since the action is simply non-existent for most of the running time, and when it actually decides to spring it out, there's nothing that really sticks out. The other really big flaw is it's ending is simply confusing. There's nothing that happens here which makes any sense at all, as it just simply happens to contain so much nonsensical ideas and actions that it's a real blow to the film. This is the biggest flaw, aside from the lifeless narrative, and will be responsible for most of the negative feelings toward the film.The Final Verdict: With only a few problems keeping this one down, this one's kind of in the middle of the road. It does have enough good points to be watchable, leaving this one only for the curious or completists of the style or genre.Rated R: Language and Violence

I caught this during its very brief theatrical run in Nov 1990 and thought that--after a decade of slasher flicks and dumb, dead teenager movies--it was an odd throwback to a kinder, more stylish kind of thriller.The international flavor of the cast and the strange omni-Euro locations didn't bother me at all-- I thought those touches only added to the whole atmosphere of displacement and doom. Jeff Goldblum is a very unique Satan;his peculiar acting and vocal mannerisms make a perfect fit for the role. The philosophical parlor games he engages in with Kathy Baker are both amusing and somehow creepy. This film almost epitomizes the sort of plot lines that would later be featured in The X Files: an enigmatic serial killer who may or may not be imbued with supernatural powers. While not without its faults, Mr Frost is worth a look if for no other reason than to watch Jeff Goldblum's performance.