Wonderful character development!

Let's be realistic.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

As with most of what he's done, George Romero's MONKEY SHINES focuses on Human interaction(s)- to the Nth degree, one might say (thanks to telepathy). Not unlike many of the low budget sci-fi and horror movies of the 1950s and '60s, MONKEY SHINES presents its concepts in a straightforward fashion, without the often off-putting tongue-in-cheek attitude of filmmakers whose attitudes suggest they're just slumming in the genre(s). It would be interesting to find out if Romero's decision to direct this one had anything to do with the monkey that he once owned (see the NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD filmbook by John Russo or THE ZOMBIES THAT ATE PITTSBURGH by Paul Gagne). (One of my many misadventures driving a cab involved a monkey: I was sent to pick up "the monkey lady." When I asked what that meant, I was told, "You'll see." It turned out that the woman had a pet monkey on a leash. The little guy was only about ten inches tall- if that. He was wearing a little black leather jacket. I made the mistake of smiling at him. He clutched my forearm with both hands, bared his fangs, and BIT me. His teeth didn't penetrate my jacket, but I felt as if I were being pinched very, very hard. The woman pulled him off of me and explained that looking a monkey in the eyes and "flashing my fangs" at him was an "act of aggression." Suffice it to say, I don't own a monkey...)

This film may sound ridiculous in the most preposterous way because it's a killer monkey movie, but don't monkey around. Go see this movie. It's not that bad as it seem. It's honestly pretty alright. I have to say, this isn't your run-of-the-mill cheesy Slasher monkey horror film like 1990's Shakma & 1995's Congo. This is a pretty smart psychological thriller that you can go bananas for! Written and directed by George A. Romero, the film is based on a novel with the same title authored by Michael Stewart. Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear tells the story of an ex-track athlete, Alan Mann (Jason Beghe), whom became paralyzed when struck by a truck. Mann fails to adjust to his condition, becoming suicidal and despondent. To help Alan out, his friend Geoffrey Fischer (John Pankow) trained a monkey named Ella (Boo the Monkey) to help him with his paralysis. What he doesn't know is that Geoffrey has been experimenting with Ella, genetically alter her brain that cause the little monkey to develop more human-like deep feelings, and rage, against its new master and her monkey trainer, Melanie Parker (Kate McNeil). I can understand why, people might overlook this movie. The little monkey is too cute. Whose idea was it to use a capuchin monkey as a villain? Why didn't they just use a bigger ape? While, a capuchin monkey seem silly as a villain. There is a way to portray it, right like what they did in 1995's Outbreak. They was able to do it, because that monkey in that movie was carrying a deadly disease that cause its villains to have violent and gory deaths. This movie didn't have any of that, fears, because it lacks gore. The movie is a bit laughable as the small monkey tries to poison and burn fully grown human beings. Clearly, Boo has no clue, what she was doing. Most of the action in the film is very unintentionally hilarious. The crash scene involving a running man, a barking dog and flying bricks is just cheesy. While, I couldn't see the monkey as a serious threat. I did love, how the movie portray their relationship. The relationship built up is a genuinely loving one. It was a deep bond, between the two that's right out of any kid's animal movie and then it got really bizarre, with Alan picks up on Ella's primal behavior, and Ella picks up on Allan's feelings of frustration, rage and revenge. The movie never explain this odd empathy of two, as both feel increasing in love with each other. It almost beasty. As if the movie was trying to channel the same themes of horror in Gothic tales like Beauty and the Beast, Planet of the Apes & the Island of Doctor Moreau, where no matter, how civilize you can act, you still have one foot, out of the jungle. I guess, the movie was trying to say something like a link from man to beast, but it never fully explained satisfactorily leaving a gaping plot hole that is a wart to what the film is trying to accomplish. I had actually read Monkey Shines. It was not a great read, but it's explain the concept, better than the movie, with the main character taking the same pills intended to increase the learning ability of his primate companion, but in the movie, it's never explained. Why and how exactly does Geoffrey's intelligence-boosting potion wind up linking Ella to Alan psychically? Who Knows! The movie doesn't bothered with it. The concept of the story has some interesting aspects. The life of a quadriplegic is an interesting subject, and you see it, with the great acting from Jason Beghe. You really see the struggle of it, through his facial expression and eyes. Kate McNeil is very convincing as the energetic, robust and beautiful trainer. Together, Beghe and McNeil make a cute couple on screen, and unlike other viewers, I didn't find the sex scene between them weird. It's very rare to see how severely handicapped are able to make love. Their love scene is very sensual, proving that the handicapped can do most anything. A young Stanley Tucci is a cool look, as the supporting character, despicable neurosurgeon Dr. John Wiseman. I really couldn't believe that was him. Most of the rest of the supporting cast was alright in their roles. Boo the monkey was the star of the film, big time. Without her, the movie couldn't had work. A lot of people might hate this movie, due to the fact, that they have a monkey as a villain. Watching a monkey maim and kill people could be pretty traumatic for younger and even some older viewers I would imagine. PETA might jump in, for the very controversial ending. The ending was so controversial that the film's distributor, Orion Pictures, forced Romero to add a happy ending to the picture, a plot device which the director had long avoided in favor of more ambiguous endings, because they were desperate for a hit, as it was in financial difficulty. Second, after poor previews, the studio recut the film without Romero's knowledge to add a "shock" ending. While, there are tons of alternate endings. It didn't help the film, much. Overall: Unfortunately, the plotting and scripting is quite weak. The pacing, a bit too long. The concept is interesting, but the execution leaves much to be desired. Still, it's worth watching, at least once. Monkey see monkey do.

George A. Romero, best known for slowly – as in decades, but surely – as in don't call me Shirley, bringing social commentary and zombies into the light brings us the very, very 80s Monkey Shines.Growing up, and as a grown up, I'm drawn to horror films. I remember this film dearly and loved it…back then, i.e. the late 1980s and early 1990s. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to the ole monkey named Ella (played wonderfully by…Boo.)The movie wasn't bad, per se, it's just too long. Yeah, a complaint I have about a lot of movies, and for the most part, I can back it up. No different here.We open with an unintentionally hilarious crash scene involving a running man, a barking dog and flying bricks. The athletic and college-student man, Allan (Jason Beghe who apparently is trying to channel Robert DeNiro) is a'joggin' when he's struck and is forced into a life of a quadriplegia. His mother, Dorothy (Joyce Van Patten, who, I'm sorry, comically looks like a man (SEE: Ms. Swan or Austin Powers) throughout) hires a straight-edged/comic-relief nurse (Christine Forrest) and best friend, Geoffrey (John Pankow) gets a human-brain-injected experimental monkey trained to take care of him.Meanwhile his girlfriend, Linda (Janine Turner) leaves and Ella (the monkey) starts to win the heart of Allan while Allan woos the heart of the trainer, Melanie (Kate McNeil.) Meanwhile, the original girlfriend dates another and mother sells her business to help her son. Meanwhile, Geoffrey's experiments may/may not be producing results and he might lose funding from his boss, Dean (Stephen Root.) Meanwhile, Geoffrey's trying to contain the situation while taking too many drugs, himself. Meanwhile, Allan's growing angrier by the moment by show of cuss words. Meanwhile, Ella's kinda feeling left out.Meanwhile, meanwhile, meanwhile. There's really just too much here. I wish it had just been a simple story of a 'Man and his Monkey,' albeit eeevil monkey. And why couldn't we have left it at that. Throw out the (sorry, spoiler) telekinesis segment.I'm aware we have to use some suspension of disbelief, but we're dealing with a lab-rat monkey. That should've been enough to make us believe something's bad about to happen. When you throw in the 1980's answer to horror, or telekinesis – heck, even Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood jumped on that bandwagon two months prior in 1988, it lessened the tension/horror. For me, at least.This is one of those movies you loved as a kid – if you were into these types of horror movies, and were a kid in the mid-to-late-1980s, that is – but doesn't really hold up today. It's fine and all, and slightly recommended to a new audience, but be forewarned: this is clearly an 80s project and certainly not timeless in any way.I will end with some very positive observations: I loved every scene with Boo. But then again, I'm biased: I love monkeys in entertainment. They always make me laugh or curious to see what they'll do next. Also, it was fun to watch such a YOUNG Stanley Tucci, though he was kinda lost in the 150 subplots. In addition, I couldn't help but laugh at seeing Stephen Root in a serious role (yeah, I'm used to him in Office Space as the stapler-hugging Milton)…this is how most people probably would react when they see a grave Leslie Nielsen before Airplane! And finally, though it's a suspenseful movie – mostly in the closing that kinda of reminds you of Pet Semetary – it does contain one of the most eerie horror movie poster's I've seen.

George A. Romero's Monkey Shines is a pretty interesting horror movie about a monkey's sharing a mind with a paraplegic law student named Allan (Jason Beghe). Nice score by David Shire with wonderful use of Peggy Lee songs throughout. It almost loses steam at the end but there's a wonderful shock involving the monkey Ella (Boo) before the happy ending. Look for future TV stars John Pankow, Janine Turner, Stephen Root, and Stanley Tucci in pivotal roles. Also appearing are Kate McNeil as the love interest, Joyce Van Patten as Allan's mother, and Mrs. George Romero, Christine Forrest, as the maid Maryanne whose bird, Bogie, meets an untimely end. Makes you wonder how dangerous such harmless little monkeys can be...