‘F/X’: Thriller Made With Horror Fans in Mind [The Overlooked Motel]
Welcome to The Overlooked Motel, a place where under-seen and unappreciated films are given their moment in the spotlight. I hope you enjoy your stay here and find the accommodations to be suitable. Now, please take a seat and make yourself comfortable. I have some misbehaving guests to ‘correct.’
Today’s selection is one of my favorite ‘80s thrillers. Robert Mandel’s F/X works as an exhilarating affair filled to the brim with exciting chase sequences, MacGyver-esque escapes, and a protagonist to whom horror fans are almost certain to relate.
The setup sees famed effects artist Rollie Tyler (Bryan Brown) partnering with the Justice Department to fake the assassination of mafioso Nicholas DeFranco (Jerry Orbach), who is turning state’s evidence. When the mobster is seemingly killed for real, Tyler finds himself under suspicion of murder and on the run. Unsure who he can trust, the talented makeup artist must rely on his wits and his effects prowess to stay alive long enough to prove his innocence.
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What makes F/X of special interest to genre fans is the idea that it follows an effects artist who specializes in horror pictures. Rollie’s backstory is fantastic and includes the distinction of having been deported from his native Australia for his gnarly work on a picture called Vermin from Venus. His other credits include films like Planet of the Female Mummies, I Dismember Mama, and Rock-a-Die Baby. His apartment is decorated with posters and props from the fictitious films he has worked on, as well as one-sheets from actual horror movies like Fulci’s Zombie.
The setup capitalizes on the rising popularity of makeup artists in the ‘80s and renders a scenario that imagines what it might be like if Rick Baker were recruited by the federal government to fake the death of a high-profile mobster gearing up to enter witness protection. It’s a wild concept but it’s executed brilliantly.
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I can’t say for sure but I get the distinct impression that screenwriters Robert T. Megginson and Gregory Fleeman may have been horror enthusiasts. The way the film sends up low-budget monster movies comes across as more of a good-natured tribute than a scathing indictment. Additionally, several of the characters are revealed to be massive fans of Rollie’s work. Flourishes like that give the impression that the scribes may have been monster kids. Either way, I really appreciate the way the picture celebrates the magic of practical effects and the gifted artists responsible for bringing them to life.
Horror influences aside, F/X wouldn’t work half as well as it does without a great cast. Rollie is an utterly engaging lead. He has a subtle charm and an undeniable charisma that makes him almost irresistible. Additionally, he has a unique skill set that puts him in league with the likes of MacGyver. The setups he pulls off using his surroundings and tools of the trade are nothing short of exceptional. Seeing as MacGyver premiered a year before the film, there’s a good chance that the similarities are intentional. But the thematic elements are different enough that the flick never comes across as counterfeit or lacking in originality.
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Equally important to the film’s success is Brian Dennehy as Leo McCarthy. The film defies convention by waiting to introduce the audience to McCarthy (who is the co-primary character) until the second act. But Dennehy more than makes up for lost time when he arrives on the scene. On paper, Leo might look like a bit of a caricature; a hardboiled NYC detective who doesn’t play by the rules. But Dennehy gives him so much charisma and personality that Leo doesn’t feel anything like an archetype.
The late actor plays the role with a twinkle in his eye and a perpetual smirk that makes the character almost impossible not to warm to. Leo is first introduced as the detective looking for Tyler as a murder suspect, following the makeup artist’s involvement with DeFranco’s murder. But the two eventually become unlikely allies. I won’t say anything more than that, so as to avoid spoilers. But I will say the leads have an undeniable onscreen chemistry.
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F/X was a moderate box office success upon release. The film made a little more than $20 million against an estimated budget of $10 million. On that basis, the picture was followed by a sequel in 1991 and a short-lived television series in the mid-‘90s. Despite all that, the picture seems to have been largely forgotten in the years since its 1986 release. And that’s a shame. While the sequel doesn’t quite live up to the bar set by its predecessor, the original is intense, suspenseful, and features two affable leads at the top of their game.
If you’re keen to check out F/X, you can find it streaming on Max, as of the publication of this post. The follow-up is also streaming there. And it’s enjoyable for bringing back legacy characters, even if it’s not terribly original.
That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you’d like to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter, Threads, or Instagram.
Categorized:Editorials The Overlook Motel
