Odd Movies: Creator

This 1985 Peter O'Toole vehicle is just a strange, strange movie.

O'Toole plays a scientist who wants to--actually, I'm not quite sure if he wants to re-create her (as in full-grown) or bring her back to life or just clone her. One of the movie's big problems is that it's unclear what his goals are.

Also, given the technology of the time, and that none of the aforementioned things were possible, it was hard to know as an audience member what the rules were. You almost expected, at some point, the Tesla coil to come out and graveyards to be robbed. But there's really nothing of the sort; the whole project never gets off the ground. It's really more about learning to let go.

And, also, how one of the perks of being a college professor is that at a hard 53, chicks like the 24-year-old Muriel Hemmingway will pursue you if you're devoted enough to your dead wife. Or something.

It's not really a very good movie but it's got some fine acting in it. And if you're a Virginia Madsen completist, you can see her in one of her roles from her first round of being a hot property. (I expect, after the Sideways glow wears off, she'll hit it big again.)