Daniel Von Bargen

A few days back I found myself re-watching "Basic Instinct"; the commercial zenith of what I like to consider, my all time favorite director, Paul Verhoeven's classic "American films period". While watching this iconic cornerstone of 90s pop culture, I suddenly noticed for the first time an unexpected connection with another 90's cultural touchstone: "Seinfeld".

I discovered no less than 5 actors in the film who have later on appeared on the series. This interesting collection of connected character actors ranged from the extremely obvious to the trivially obscure. I guess it shouldn't be all that shocking with a long running series with the large and diverse cast of supporting characters and one off guest actors (the list of women playing Jerry's weekly girlfriends alone is a varied who's who of notable 90s ladies from metal babe Tawny Kitaen to pre-fame Courtney Cox to the ever mousy Jeanine Garofalo) like"Seinfeld"; similarly there may be a flick out there with 6 eventual guest actors on "Friends". However, for now, I have yet to notice any such coincidences.

I guess I should mention that the list below probably contains some moderate spoilage for anyone who hasn't seen "Basic Instinct" (and I guess to a far lesser extent certain episodes of "Seinfeld"). Also for those people who haven't seen "Basic Instinct" yet: shame on you; it is one of the great cinematic documents of the fascinating,wild, confusing times of the early 90s, as the decade tried to forge itself a new identity separate from the 80s. In addition, for all those eternally teased by "Big Love", you actually get to see Jeanne Tripplehorn naked (and about 15 years younger). How can you lose?

Wayne Knight

"Newman"

This is the obvious one everybody remembers, and what I thought until recently was the only Seinfeld cast member in the film. Aside from his reoccurring role of Jerry's antagonist Newman, this is the most memorable Wayne Knight role (just edging out his evil Dennis Nedry role in Jurassic Park). That uncomfortable, fat, sweaty scene of him along with the other detectives interrogating Sharon Stone will (for better or for worse) be forever linked to the movie's infamous beaver shot.

Daniel von Bargen

"Mr. Kruger"

Prolific character actor Daniel von Bargen played Det. Nielson, the asshole Internal Affairs detective that had it out for Michael Douglas's character. He later gets murdered and everyone suspects Douglas did it. Of course I will always remember him as George's idiot boss Mr. Kruger. Every one of his four guest appearances was a home run. This is further supported by the fact that every one of his episodes made it onto Andrew U's definitive top 50 George moments: "The Slicer"(#43), "The Maid"(#39), "The Burning" (#28), "The Strike"(#23). Personally, my dream job scenario would be working for a boss as clueless and utterly negligent about the quality of my work as Kruger.

James Rebhorn
"D.A. Hoyt"

It was really no shocker when I noticed Hall of Fame "That Guy" James Rebhorn was in both "Basic Instinct" and "Seinfeld", he's basically been in every movie and television series for the last 25 years. Look up "douchey, white collar, antagonist in suit" in the dictionary and you get James Rebhorn. In "Basic Instinct" he played the only mildly douchey Dr. McElwaine, a police psychologist who questions Michael Douglas's guilt after the above Det. Nielson is found dead. On the TV side, Rebhorn played the pivotal role of the prosecuting D.A. who puts Jerry and the gang in prison for violating a good Samaritan law on the two part series finale of the show. Douchey indeed.

Stephen Tobolowsky
"Tor Eckman"

Another giant among "That Guy" character actors, Stephen Tobolowsky has cornered the market on playing bespectacled, dorky, clueless, losers. The man's got so many memorable one shot characters from Bridget Fonda's sleazy boss in "Single White Female", Ned Ryerson in "Groundhogs Day", to the flashback of Sammy Jankis in "Memento". For me the quintessential "Tobolowsky character" and everything he embodies can be summed up in that scene at the end of the trailer for "Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde" ("Mr. Monkey wants to play"). In "Basic Instinct" be plays exactly to his egghead type as a special criminal profiler who is brought into hypothesize on the identity of the ice pick killer, much to everyone's annoyance. His "Seinfeld" character was as the holistic healer who George goes to after suffering what he thought was a heart attack. Interestingly, it's a little against the usual type for him as he's more of a goofy (non-bespectacled) hippie than the usual nerdish figure.

Jack McGee
"Ralph"

I claim no credit (nor do I really want to) for being as astute and extensive a "Seinfeld" fan to have noticed Jack McGee. I ended up learning about his credits when I was on IMDB trying to verify if Tobolowsky was actually in the "Heart Attack" episode. His role in "Basic Instinct" is just listed as "Sheriff" so I'm not actually sure where he came in. I think he was the random police officer (or I guess sheriff) at the end of the film that gives the main detectives more evidence that all the murders may have been masterminded by Jeanne Tripplehorn. His role in Seinfeld is equally juicy, as he plays "Ralph" (at least he had a name in this one), the surly construction worker that George borrows the jackhammer from to rescue his buried Phil Rizzuto keychain from a filled in pothole (in the aptly titled episode "The Pothole"). FIRST OFF! Before you read my review & comments you need to surf over to my pal DTR's blog ( The Dungeon of Dr. Caligari at http://caligarisdungeon.blogspot.com/ ) and read his review first. He wrote his first and I give all the credit to him for prompting me to watch the movie. DTR had posted a comment after I reviewed the Barker pic' NIGHTBREED several days ago, suggesting that I check this one out. I did. I myself have yet to read DTR's review. I will do so later today so I can post a comment on his blog. My own thoughts therefore (such as they are) are as tabula rasa as the dog urine-stained snow.

LORD OF ILLUSIONS (1995) USA, english, 109 minutes, MGM/UA, directed by Clive Barker, starring: Scott Bakula, Famke Janssen, Kevin J. O'Connor, Daniel von Bargen, Barry Del Sherman

Horror Maestro Clive Barker both wrote and directed this well made and riveting movie of macabre cultists and mad (insane) human harbingers of apocalyptic doom.

The plot in a nutshell: There's stage magic and/or professional illusions... and then there's supernatural magic. The former is done by entertainers such as Houdini, Thurston, Dai Vernon, and in more modern times, David Copperfield, Doug Henning, and Criss Angel. The latter is done by, oh... Satan, and, in the fictional realm, wizards, warlocks, witches, demons, necromancers, and other sorcerous adepts.

The villain in the movie is THE PURITAN, aka Nix (played by Daniel von Bargen) who is bent on murderous power grabbing, carnal pleasures, and other sadistic "control-tripping" as the movie opens with a 13 years-in-the-past "flashback." Before Nix can sacrifice a teen-aged girl named Dorthea, she is rescued by a team of renegade ex-cultists who had previously left the thralldom of Nix's desert compound. The group of rescuers is led by Philip Swann (played by Kevin J. O'Connor) who manages to defeat the more powerful Nix, largely due to Dorthea and the others shooting the crazed magus several times with handguns. Thus weakened by "lead" (I guess Nix wasn't much of an alchemist :) ) Swann is able to supernaturally "bind" Nix with a metal helmet (sort of a hockey mask cum s&m mask of metal) and bury him alive (or was he dead and only in suspended animation ?) deep in an unmarked desert grave.

Thirteen years later Swann (O'Connor) has now married the rescued cult kidnappee Dorthea, and has become the world's most famous illusionist. Only Swann is not using David Copperfield techniques to thrill unknowing audiences, but rather is employing the supernatural dark forces which he learned from Nix. Swann has become a fragile, haunted, and tortured soul who is suffering from the ravages of the dark powers he uses, as well as from the terror of always looking over his shoulder - - never knowing for sure whether Nix is going to rise from the dead for vengeange.

Well there's the set-up. Except we've got to stir in Scott Bakula as our lead man/heroic stud for some... I guess, cop-like action. Bakula plays New York City P.I. Harry D'Amour. Bakula is sort of an unconventional and outre' detective of the bizarre and ocult, as well as the standard cheating husband and skip trace. Bakula is sent out West to California on a fraud case where he inadvertantly runs into a couple of Nix's old cult members who all these years later are close to: a) killing off all those responsible for the assault on Nix's compound and b) learning how to resurrect Nix from the tomb... providing they can find out where he's buried.

I actually like Scott Bakula. I liked him in Quantum Leap and I even liked him in Enterprise. He's a ruggedly handsome "tough guy" leading man. He reminds me of a "poor man's" Rod Taylor for the 90's. He does a decent job here in playing an "everyman" mundane trying to cope with the otherworldy powers of darkness and twisted malevolence. His overall performance neither helps the film nor harms it. He's a "push." I did enjoy his upper back tatoo :)

A much stronger performance is turned in by quirky-jerky, squeaky voiced Kevin J. O'Connor (above) as the master showman of illusion: Philip Swann. Swann is very effectively played as a hollow and broken man despite the money, fame, mansion, servants, crowd adulations, and trophy wife. He was at best, hesitantly & relunctantly brave (no braggadocio) 13 years earlier when he was able to summon the courage to rescue Dorthea and confront Nix. In the film's present story-line he simply wants to hide despite his own formidable telekenetic powers.

Speaking of "trophy wives," we are treated to the beautiful Famke Janssen (above) as Dorthea Swann. Janssen is most famous for her portrayal of Jean Grey in the X-Men franchise. I think she does a fine job in this movie. She is both vulnerable and resiliant. Her physical attraction for Bakula does not diminish her loyalty and love for Swann her husband.

But our three heroic types (Bakula, Janssen & O'Connor) aside.... the movie is propelled by a crazy over-the-top performance by Nix (Daniel von Bargen) and an even BETTER and mesmerizing performance by his sadistic and toady-like assistant/acolyte Butterfield (played with gusto and flamboyant bitchiness by Barry Del Sherman). For my money, Del Sherman is the best thing (actor wise) in the flick. When his rodent-like, twisted, torturer self is on screen, he steals the scene!

It is Butterfield (Del Sherman) whose loyalty and tenacity manages to put into effect the formula/procedure that brings Nix back to life. Nix has Dorthea re-captured (see photo above) to that what he began 13 years earlier (her ritual sacrifice) can be completed. Nix is a very thorough doom-bringer.