Track the Films You Watch (2009)

Black Devil Doll from Hell (1984)
 

Chester Novell Turner

Visiting the one and only Wild and Woolly store in Louisville, KY, you always come across some sort of weird, forgotten flick.  On my latest visit I came across this one here and the weirdness certainly lived up the hype brought on from the title.  The storyline is fairly simple and unoriginal as a deeply religious black woman (Shirley L. Jones) buys a doll in an antique shop and of course it turns out the doll is possessed and soon starts to make the good woman bad.  This forgotten film was one of many movies that were shot on video and released straight into rental stores across the country.  There's no doubt the horror genre got most of these type of releases but we've gotten some decent stuff like VIDEO VIOLENCE but we also got many, many horrid titles and this one falls into that group.  However, there's a catch to this one here because while it's true that the thing is unoriginal, poorly shot, poorly acted and poorly directed, somewhere in your heart you must admit that it's hard to make a movie and on that level this low-budget horror film has some charm.  There were a few things I was shocked about.  I thought Jones was actually fairly decent in the film considering she didn't have too much to work with.  I also thought she was rather brave to do her nude scenes, which included some sequence where the doll was sexually attacking her.  It appears this was her first film and she only made one more, again with the director of this one.  If you're a movie snob or someone who can't get a laugh out of something bad then there's not a single reason in the world to view this thing.  If you enjoy all of what cinema has to offer then this one here is a must see just because of its low-budget roots as well as some of the decent things it does do.  The music score is downright awful and obviously done on some keyboard bought at a small store so keep ear plugs near by. 
 

And She Learned About Dames (1934)
 

Warner short has a woman (Martha Merrill) winning a trip to Hollywood where she gets a tour of the studio by Lyle Talbot himself.  Talbot takes the star struck beauty onto the set of DAMES where she meets Busby Berkeley and star Dick Powell.  If you're a fan of DAMES then you might want to check this out as it turns out to be nothing more than a promotional piece.  As such, I think the film does a good job at building up some hype for Warner's (then) upcoming movie.  Merrill has a lot of charm even though her Hollywood career never took off.  Talbot, Berkeley and Powell also do fine, if brief, work. 
 

Neighborhood House (1935)
 

Charley Chase, Harold Law

Charley Chase takes his wife and young daughter to the movies where it's Bank Night.  The daughter is asked to draw the winning ticket for $500 and of course ends up picking her father's number, which makes everything think it's a scam.  This Chase short comes from his period working for Hal Roach and it's a fairly good one even though the repeated jokes start to get old.  The film opens up with a mildly funny sequence where Chase and his wife are trying to rush through dinner but of course things go wrong.  Things don't get any better once they reach the theater and everyone feels they put the daughter up to cheating.  The joke dealing with all the cheating gets repeated as more and more people are brought in on it and this is where things start to fall apart but there's still plenty of charm from start to finish.  Chase is quite good in his role as he easily fits into that character who seems real and down to earth. 

Let's Sing a Song of the West (1947)
 

Jack Scholl

Entry in Warner's "Memories from Memory Lane" with The Melody Makers singing four songs associated with the West.  Deep in the Heart of Texas, My Little Buckaroo, Home on the Range and Stephen Foster's Oh! Susanna are the songs performed.  This is the second film in this series that I've seen and this one too has the songs done and then re-done but the second time the words are on the screen so that those watching can sing a long.  This type of entertainment at the theater is long gone but this short stands as a good, nostalgia trip down memory lane, as the title says but for different reasons.  The Melody Makers have a nice sound to them and really deliver some nice performances of the songs.  Dick Foran sings My Little Buckaroo from the 1937 film
 

Let's Dance (1936)
 

David Miller

MGM short has Pete Smith narrating the action as we get to learn how to do a few dances.  Dave Gould, a famous choreographer of the era, explains how to do various dances including ballroom, tap, two-time, acrobatic and a few others.  Gould is probably best remembered for films such as THE GAY DIVORCEE and BROADWAY MELODY OF 1936 and it's doubtful he'll gain any new fans based solely on this short.  The biggest problem is that the "documentary" never teaches us anything and in fact, it comes off as being rather dumb.  Smith's narration is pretty good even though he hasn't yet become that Pete Smith we all know and love.  The dance sequences really aren't anything special as we only see them briefly and don't learn anything about them.  The final joke with the overweight women trying to dance themselves skinny might offend some. 
 

Overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor (1953)
 

Oscar-winning short from MGM was one of their earliest examples of showing off their Symphony Orchestra led by the talented Johnny Green.  Otto Nicolai's "The Merry Wives of Windsor" has the one-hundred plus piece orchestra doing some of their best work as the unknown director sits back and delivers one of the best looking visual shorts out there.  This short was shot in Cinemascope and goes to about 2.55:1 and is a real treat on the eye.  Green calmly leads the group and the camera goes in, out and side to side as it tries to capture the beauty of all the instruments.  The music itself is great and Green perfectly handles everything and delivers a fine performance of the song.  This is the fourth or fifth short I've seen featuring him and he's been impressive each time out.  The beautiful visuals and wonderful music make it easy to understand why this thing walked away with an Oscar. 
 

Marine Circus (1939)
 

James A. FitzPatrick
 

Pete Smith short from MGM goes to the Marieland of Florida where camera are given full control to film anything they want.  That includes various things on top of the water but the real key to this short is the underwater footage and the fact that MGM gave FitzPatrick a larger budget to film in color.  One has to wonder if FitzPatrick was filming this for his TravelTalks series but instead just decided to give it its own full film.  The movie is a mixed bag because it's great fun seeing the dolphins, turtles and various other creatures but at the same time its disappointing because some of the underwater photography is rather bad.  It's also pretty dark and there are times where you can't see what's going on.  It looks like this is how the stuff was shot and doesn't have anything to do with the print that was shown on Turner Classic Movies. 

 

Scholastic England (1948)
 

Another entry in MGM's long running TravelTalks series with James A. FitzPatrick.  This time out we travel to England where we get to see Cambridge, Oxford and Eton.  Along the way we learn a little bit about their history and end the film on a brief cricket match.  I'm really not sure what the cricket match has to do with anything unless it's just filler to round out the movie but this is another pleasant entry in the series.  We get several great visuals as always and the Technicolor really bring them to life.  The one downside is that we don't get too much history on the actual schools.  We also get to visit Grant Bridge and Christ Church. 
 

Ancient India (1952)
 

TravelTalks entry takes us to India where we learn that not much has changed over the last few centuries.  We start our trip in Bundi, a city founded in 1342 and hasn't changed much since then.  We learn that there aren't any beggars there, they worship monkeys and women keep their faces covered even though they no longer are forced to.  We then travel to Jaisalmer as we get to see their sacred cows and various forms of farming.  If you know what you're getting in this series then there's no doubt this entry will keep you entertained.  We get to see some pretty good visuals throughout the film as well as get to learn a decent amount of history.  The print shown on Turner Classic Movies wasn't in the best of shape but the Technicolor came through well enough. 
 

Along the Cactus Trail (1944) 
 

TravelTalks entry from MGM starts off at Riverside, CA where we see the Mission Inn and hear of several famous people who went there to get inspiration for their work.  We then slowly work our way through the Cactus Trail and see various items including Yucca plants, the Saguaro Cactus and various other plants.  As with other films in the series, this one here contains quite a bit of information and gives us some great visuals but overall I found this one to be a weaker entry in the series.  To be perfectly honest, outside the opening stuff dealing with the Mission Inn, I found the rest to be rather boring and even FitzPatrick's narration can't save it.  The one saving grace is the Technicolor, which really brings the plants to life but the best use of the color happens early on at the Mission. 
 

Over the Seas to Belfast (1946)
 

This entry in MGM's TravelTalks series starts off on a boat by Halofax, Scotland where we learn that this trip is the fist James A. FitzPatrick has made overseas since the end of WW2 when the travel band was lifted.  We then get to see over a hundred children who fled Great Britain and are just returning home to be with their parents.  After that we travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland where we get to see their three-million dollar city hall, Princess Elizabeth and how fast the people in the city move.  This is one of the better entries in the series because of the first few minutes on the boat.  It's certainly interesting, history wise, to know that these children were toddlers when they left the country and are now returning to a home they don't really know.  It's too bad the short didn't center on them for the entire running time as I'm sure there are many great stories to be told.  The second half is fairly decent but we don't learn too much about the city because most of the time is spent discussing the royal members there. 
 

Old Natchez on the Mississippi (1939)
 

Seeing as how this TravelTalks series was produced by MGM and considering it was released in 1939, you can't help but think this was a tie-in with their GONE WITH THE WIND.  We see the people of Natchez and how they are today compared to "the good old days before the Civil War".  We then see the various white folks dancing and having fun with their lavished houses and dresses.  When then see, as FitzPatrick tries to claim, black folks hanging out in their shacks and doing their own style of dancing.  Some people might find such images negative so some will want to stay away but in the end this is another decent entry in the series.  MGM did much better with their short THE OLD SOUTH but this one here works well enough.  The best stuff deals with the lavish colors of the dresses used during The Wedding March. 

 

Edited by Michael Elliott - 8/3/2009 at 11:47 pm GMT

July Recap

Movies seen: 14 (First timers: All of them!)
Average rating = 2.32/5
Median rating = 2.5/5

On too many vacations to watch movies this month.  I'm beginning to think Rohmer isn't my bag.

ALL RATINGS OUT OF (FIVE) STARS

First time viewings in bold.

7/03- Knowing (2009)

7/04- Push (2009)

7/06- Fletch (1985)

7/08- Saboteur (1942)
7/15- Watchmen: Director's Cut (2009)
7/17- Fireproof (2008) ZERO STARS
7/20- The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
7/21- Killshot (2009)
7/23- Howard the Duck (1986)
7/24- Bloody Sunday (2002)
7/25- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

7/27- My Night At Maud's (Ma Nuit Chez Maud) (1969)

7/29- Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009)

7/29- Duplicity (2009)

Favorites (first timers): Bloody Sunday, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

the new restoration of Wizard of Oz is unbelievable.  In a 4k presentation it is actually better than film, and this 4k-from-8k transfer retains the integrity of a filmic look and completely lacks the flat plasticity of 2k-from-2k digital presentations.  WB should be circulating this 4k to theatres the way they did Blade Runner, because Wizard of Oz in 4k is one of the most impressive things I've ever seen in a theatre!

July Update

Was on a good pace until derailed by our summer vacation at the end of the month. Also making a big impact on my viewing was finally giving in and getting a Facebook account and becoming instantly addicted (Curse you Mafia Wars!). This month was mostly about catching up on Werner Herzog films I should have seen a long time ago (still one disc of shorts I'm waiting on that is out of stock at Netflix) and filling in a few more blanks on favorite directors like Lars Von Trier, Sirk, Francois Ozon and Patrice Leconte; though it was unexpectedly Catherine Breillat's hilarious and insightful film about filming sex scenes, Sex is Comedy that turned out to be my choice for best of the month. A few disappointments were sprinkled in here - I found Ridicule underwhelming if sharply written, Last Holiday seemed like it should have been better, Dr. Mabuse the Gambler isn't in the same league as the masterful sequel, Testament of Dr. Mabuse, and the latest Potter flick may just be the worst of the lot demonstrating no understanding of the source material.

Total Viewings: 20 (plus commentary for Fata Morgana and parts of Green Ants. I've mostly given up on extras for time reasons, but Herzog commentaries tend to be even more entertaining than his films)

Best 1st Time Viewing: Sex is Comedy

Honorable Mentions: Lessons of Darkness, The Dark Glow of the Mountains, See the Sea, La Habenera, Where the Green Ants Dream, A Summer Dress

2009 Films (Based on NY/LA Release)

12 (2007, Nikita Mikhalkov) (DVD Rent) - C+
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009, David Yates) (Theater) - C+


Pre-2008 Films Seen for the 1st Time

Ballad of the Little Soldiers (1984, Werner Herzog & Denis Reichle) (DVD Rent) - B+
The Dark Glow of the Mountains (1985, Werner Herzog) (DVD Rent) - B+
Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler (1922, Fritz Lang) (DVD Rent) - B
Fata Morgana (1971, Werner Herzog) (DVD Rent) - B
La Habanera (1937, Douglas Sirk) (DVD Rent) - B+
Land of Silence and Darkness (1971, Werner Herzog) (DVD Rent) - B-
Last Holiday (1950, Henry Cass) (DVD Rent) - B
Lessons of Darkness (1992, Werner Herzog) (DVD Rent) - A-
Medea (1988, Lars Von Trier) (DVD Rent) - B-
Over the Edge (1979, Jonathan Kaplan) (DVD Rent) - C
Precautions Against Fanatics (1969, Werner Herzog) (DVD Rent) - B-
Red Lion (1969, Kihachi Okamoto) (DVD Rent) - C
Ridicule (1996, Patrice Leconte) (DVD Rent) - B-
See the Sea (1997, Francois Ozon) (DVD Rent) - B+
Sex is Comedy (2002, Catherine Breillat) (DVD Rent) - A-
A Summer Dress (1996, Francois Ozon) (DVD Rent) - B+
Wheel of Time (2004, Werner Herzog) (DVD Rent) - C+
Where the Green Ants Dream (1984, Werner Herzog) (DVD Rent) - B+

Rear Window
None of Hitchcock's films has ever given a clearer view of his genius for suspense than Rear Window. When professional photographer J.B "Jeff" Jeffries (James Stewart) is confined to a wheelchair with a broken leg, he becomes obsessed with watching the private dramas of his neighbors play out across the courtyard. When he suspects a salesman may have murdered his nagging wife, Jeffries enlists the help of his glamorous socialite girlfriend (Grace Kelly) to investigate the highly suspicious chain of events...Events that ultimately lead to one of the most memorable and gripping endings in all of film history.

My Thoughts:
This is a movie that I been meaning to see for years. And I finally got to it today. Being fairly new to the classics I am not too familiar with any of the people involved in making this movie. But from what I have seen so far I do enjoy the work of Alfred Hitchcock as well as Jimmy Stewert. But I am almost embarrassed to say that this is the first thing I ever seen Grace Kelly in. After watching it the first thing I want to say is Wow! that Grace Kelly was more then adorable. She was one gorgeous (and at least going by this movie talented) lady. Rear Window is a fantastic movie. It had me glued to my seat for the entire movie. Sure there was some scenes in it that was a little on the slow side... but you know... it worked for this movie. It may have had some slow scenes... but they were still interesting. I have seen this story told over and over again in different movies and TV show episodes. But this is the first time I ever seen the original movie. And I must say... I can see why it gets so much homage. The story is great... everyone involved did a wonderful job... this movie deserves the right to be called a true classic. If there is anyone else like me here that has never seen this movie before I highly recommend it.

Wonder Woman
On the mystical island of Themyscira, a proud, strong warrior race of Amazon women lives in a utopian civilization shielded from the corrupt world of man. But a betrayal within the Amazon sisterhood leads to the escape of Ares, the God of War, and Amazon Princess Diana must capture him before he unleashes global chaos and destruction. With the aid of cocky fighter pilot Steve Trevor, Diana tracks Ares to the United States for a battle unlike any humankind has ever faced. Alfred Molina, Virginia Madsen, Oliver Platt, Rosario Dawson and David McCallum – infuses thunder and passion into this epic tale of the princess who becomes the World's Greatest Super Heroine.

My Thoughts:
I been wanting to see this animated movie since I first saw the trailer. And it didn't disappoint. I enjoyed it very much. This movie is definitely heavier on the violence as well as some suggestive dialog. So it is not one for the kiddies... but I don't think it is to bad... I would say the teens on up would enjoy this movie. One thing I did find a little on the strange side is that you don't hear the name Wonder Woman till the end of the movie. But that is such a minor thing it doesn't matter in the least. I am hoping we see a sequel to this one before too long. As well as the long awaited live-action movie. The one problem I did have with this movie... and is true about all the animated super hero movies I have seen... is the short run time. This movie is only 73min. long.

Mortal Kombat
Strap yourself in for pulse-pounding action, star-powered adventure and cutting-edge special-effects with awesome "morphing" sequences beyond your wildest dreams! Summoned to a mysterious island, three martial arts warriors engage in the ultimate battle of good against evil—the supernatural tournament of Mortal Kombat®.

Starring Christopher Lambert (Highlander), Talisa Soto (Don Juan DeMarco), Bridgette Wilson (Last Action Hero) and featuring world class martial arts champion Robin Shou (Beverly Hills Ninja), it's the most awesome, action-jammed, reality-shattering adventure the Universe has ever witnessed!

PREPARE FOR... MORTAL KOMBAT®!

My Thoughts:
This is one of the very few times I bought the sequel before the original movie. As I normally like to get things in order. Several years ago I went through a phase where all I would watch (other then horror of course) was martial arts movies. While I still enjoy them I don't get the urge to watch them nearly as much as I used to. But it helps when there is a supernatural element to the story as there is with the Mortal Kombat movies. I have seen better movies... but it is entertaining... so I am glad I added it to my collection. Next I time I watch it I will have to watch this followed by the sequel.

Black Sabbath/Three Faces of Fear - A trio of horror/suspense tales from Bava. The first, "The Telephone" is kind of hard to sum up in a sentence... it's one of those "twist" stories, not too thrilling but it looks nice (partly because Michele Mercier is a freakin' knockout). The second and longest is a vampire (or "Wurdalak") tale with Boris Karloff. Kind of fun but also kind of predictable. The best is saved for a last: "A Drop of Water", about what happens when you steal from the dead. The lighting and cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, the atmosphere tense and creepy, and a whole the piece is quite satisfying (a little silly, but in a good way). Overall it's worth watching for the third story alone, but the other parts aren't too bad either, and the photography is admirable throughout. Rating: 7


The Barefoot Contessa - Cardiff, Bogart and Mankiewicz are fine names to have attached to a picture, but it ends up being a lackluster effort on all fronts. Cardiff's Technicolor photography is lovely but not as painterly as his work with Powell & Pressburger. Bogart is likeable as always, but seems to be pretty much phoning it and not terribly interested in the role. And Mankiewicz fails to bring much life to the picture. It's the story of an intriguing Spanish dancer (a lusciously curvy Ava Gardner) who rises to stardom while remaining unattainable and inscrutable to those who pursue her. The first part, charting her success and building her relationship with father figure Bogart, is actually pretty good. But Bogie slips out around the halfway point and isn't around much until the end, and it's this long period that just seems to plod along, not establishing much or doing anything interesting with the characters. And for a movie that keeps reiterating how life is not like a movie script, the dialogue is awfully overwritten and the performances quite theatrical. Also, some of the clumsiest dancing around the Hayes Code I've ever seen. Rating: 5


God Does Not Believe in Us Anymore - The first part of Axel Corti's "Where To and Back" trilogy made for Austrian television. It opens the morning after kristallnacht, and young Ferry Tobler's father has been killed. The film follows Tobler as he tries to stay one step ahead of the Nazis, first fleeing to Prague, then Paris, then Marsielles... constantly struggling to gather the money, connections or luck need to find a safe haven. It's a tense and harrowing story (especially during the scene when Tobler's fellow refugee "Gandhi" encounters a small French girl who turns out to be far more dangerous than she appears) but is occasionally undercut by a little too much wordy discourse. But it's strong otherwise, with a good cast and a good deal of tasteful restraint. Looking forward to parts 2 & 3. Rating: 8


Santa Fe - Part 2 of "Where To and Back". This picks up pretty much where the first part left off, with Tobler arriving in New York. But Tobler is quickly replaced with a new protagonist, another young refugee named Freddy Wolff. Freddy dreams of making it out to New Mexico, but ends up stuck in New York, especially after Pearl Harbor. The film also focuses on several fellow refugees, including a doctor and his wife, a deli owner and his daughter, an actor, a photographer, and a woman from the concentration camp, made mute by her experiences. I found this installment to be even more engaging than the first, with the larger cast and American setting keeping things more interesting. Some of the camerawork is quite impressive too, particularly the frenzied chaos on the boat during the opening. Rating: 9


Welcome in Vienna - The conclusion of Corti's trilogy. Wolff is now an American soldier, stationed near his old home in Austria, along with another Austrian Jew, Adler. Wolff struggles with whether he wants to be an Austrian or American, while Adler struggles with being a Communist or a capitalist. I thought this was the weakest of the trilogy, with a lot more dull meandering between the interesting moments... although those moments did contain some of Corti's strongest themes. Also, the English-speaking actors are really bad, which often seems to be the case with Americans in foreign productions (or maybe Austrians playing Americans, I dunno). Rating: 7

Gran Torino
Korean War vet and retired autoworker Walt Kowalski doesn't much like how his life or his neighborhood has turned out. He especially doesn't like the people next door, Hmong immigrants from Southeast Asia. But events force Walt to defend those neighbors against a local gang that feeds on violence and fear. For the first time since Million Dollar Baby, Clint Eastwood works on both sides of the camera, winning the National Board of Review Award as Best Actor for his bone-deep playing of Kowalski, burnished with experience, grace and gravitas into a "prime vintage Eastwood performance" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone).

My Thoughts:
I been looking forward to watching this movie since the first time I saw the trailer. And I will admit... going by the trailer I was expecting something slightly different then what I actually got. That isn't a bad thing mind you... as I thought the movie itself was very good. Clint Eastwood played a grumpy old man... but one that you couldn't help but to like. He could say some hateful things... but it didn't take long for his neighbors to see through that. Trying not to give too much away... the ending while was expected... didn't come to be in the way you would expect it to. I definitely recommend this movie highly if you haven't seen it yet. It is worth the time you need to put into it.

Green Lantern: First Flight
When pilot Hal Jordan accepts a mysterious, powerful ring from a dying alien creature, it transforms him into a Green Lantern, one of an elite force of heroes who patrol the universe to ensure peace and justice under the leadership of the Guardians of the Universe. Unsure of their newest recruit, the Guardians assign Hal to their most-honored Green Lantern Sinestro for training, unaware that Sinestro wants to overthrow the Guardians and create a new order he'll control. It's a battle of might and willpower as Hal must prove his worth by defeating Sinestro to save the Green Lantern Corps. Voiced by a stellar cast including Christopher Meloni, Victor Garber, Tricia Helfer and Michael Madsen, this DC Universe original animated adventure bursts with action-packed shakedowns, showdowns and spectacular visuals as Green Lantern uses his powers and imagination to make the impossible real!

My Thoughts:
I was thrilled when I saw they were coming out with a Green Lantern animated movie. As I always liked him in the Super Friends / Justice League cartoons... and other then that I never knew too much of him. But I always liked the character from what little I did know of him. I enjoyed the movie quite a bit. Like Wonder Woman they cranked up the violence (not to mention the language) a little. Not terribly so... but this is not really an animated movie for the younger kids... but it is plenty of fun for the teens and adults. I would say if you liked the other animated Superhero movies of late then you will enjoy this one as well.

Twenty-Four Eyes (rewatch) - I watch a lot of movies, and I have a bad memory. So they all tend to blur together and I usually forget them quickly. But as the opening credits rolled on this one, I was surprised how many of the scenes came flooding back to me. It's a sign of Kinoshita's storytelling prowess. Although sometimes mawkishly sentimental, he easily gets the viewer to develop intense bonds with the characters. The final chapter of the movie is such an effective tear-jerker that I find myself crying every time Miss Oishi does (which is about every 20 seconds). Rating: 9


To Joy (rewatch) - This week's Bergman is one that I've already seen twice, and one of the few that I enjoyed less the second time around, so how does it fare on the third viewing? My opinion of it has actually declined even more. For the most part, it lacks the intensity and authenticity of Bergman's other films dealing with stormy relationships, and something about it feels too neat and tidy, too self-contained. The flashback montage at the end, on top of "Ode to Joy", is alarmingly clichéd and cheap for Ingmar (who himself described his use of Beethoven as "shameless"). I feel silly now for rating it so highly on my first time around, although it does have some fine moments, and its comments on coping with mediocrity are potent. Rating: 7


Roy Andersson shorts

* Visiting One's Son - Pointless illustration of a generation gap as a judgemental father visits his son and daughter. Feels like it could be part of a larger movie, but there's not enough here to tell if it would be any good. Probably just a learning exercise. Rating: 5

* To Fetch a Bike - A young couple going through some sort of vague ennui in their relationship. At least one feels that there might be a point to this, but it's not clear what. Is this proto-mumblecore? Rating: 6

* Saturday October 10th - Portrait of a young man spending the weekend with his girlfriend... eating out, going to an auction, visiting friends, some light quarreling. The longer length gives us more time to get to know the characters, and their relationship feels genuine. There's a kind of Cassavetes vibe to some of it. Andersson's filmmaking skills have clearly improved by this point. Rating: 7

* Roy Andersson commercials - I wouldn't normally watch 37 minutes of commercials, especially ones in Swedish. But for the 30 years between A Swedish Love Story and Songs from the Second Floor, commercials are about all that Andersson did. For the ones I could understand (because they were either subtitled, silent, or self-explanatory), they were quite funny, some of them even micro-masterpieces of absurdity. More importantly, you can see the style of his later films emerging. I wonder what it was like for Swedes to see these same actors on the big screen in similar settings. One of the ads, for an billboard company called JCDecaux, featured 4 or 5-second clips by Andersson, Spike Lee, Wong Kar-Wai, Wim Wenders, David Lynch, Francis Ford Coppola, Mike Figgis, and others. Neato. Rating: 7

* Something Happened - Funded by the Swedish Board of Health to use in schools for AIDS education, this is one of the darkest, most bizarre things I've ever seen. The juxtaposition between narrative and image is hauntingly bleak and disturbing, and the use of black comedy (an elderly woman demonstrating how to put on a condom to a class of young girls, a man trying to get intimate with a disinterested woman on a ping-pong table) is downright unsettling. There are too many fucked-up moments in this 24-minute piece to list. Rating: 9

* World of Glory - This short opens with a scene of screaming naked people being herded into the back of a truck, and being shut in. A hose is connected from the exhaust pipe to the interior, and the truck drives around in circles... a technique considered by the Nazis until they hit upon gas chambers. The rest of the film follows a man who was witness to this scene as he explains various facets of his life as a real estate agent. He has VOLVO tattooed on his son's forehead (promising it will be removed in 10 years) and chugs the blood of Christ in church. At the end, he stands in his darkened bedroom, imagining that he hears screaming. The style of Andersson's later films is on full display here: the immobile camera, deep perspective, blue-gray tones, deadpan humor, and people in whiteface who look like they've never experienced a moment of joy in their lives. A stunning critique. Rating: 9

The last two weeks of the Summer Classic Movie festival was great fun.  THE RAVEN kicked things off and I was surprised that there was a little over 600 people there, which was just shy of some of the bigger movies.  This has always been a favorite of mine so I was looking forward to see what a large crowd would take from it and it appears most had a blast.  You could tell a few people had never seen it because of the "gasps" at certain spots and all the kids in the crowd seemed to love it.  A father had his three daughters behind us and they made some comments throughout the movie.  At one point the youngest called Lugosi creepy and another time was talking about how she felt bad for Karloff.  A little over 1000 showed up for BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and it was great seeing it on a big screen.  The entire crowd seemed to really be into the film as they laughed at the right spots and were effected by the right parts.  I had heard from a friend that the blind hermit scene got a lot of laughs when seen with a crowd but thankfully that didn't happen as the entire theater was quiet and really "got" what this marvelous scene was all about.  Once again my friend and I had kids all around us and it was great seeing such young people being sucked up by these older movies.

Yesterday about around 800 or so with THE WOLF MAN, which went over well as expected.  A few years back when I watched ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN at this theater a kid had to leave the room because he started crying when he saw the wolf man.  A kid the row in front of us had the same reaction and was pretty much crying the final 30-minutes of the movie but his grandparents refused to take him out of the theater.  The grandfather told him to get tough and watch the movie, which was rather funny.  The real shock of the evening was the crowd CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON got.  The woman hosting the event said over 1300 people were there and you could tell.  We got back to the theater late and didn't get that great of a seat.  I'm not a die-hard fan of the movie but the crowd seemed to eat it up.  There was a lot of laughing but oh well.  As I write this I'm still in shock at the number of people who showed up because I watched this in 3D several years ago in Louisville and there were only around 7 people there!!!


And now, onto my attempt at a Bette Davis month:

Bette Davis: A Basically Benevolent Volcano (1983)
 

Nice documentary/interview has Ian Holm narrating the story of Bette Davis who is also on hand to throw in some comments of her own.  The documentary covers about sixty-minutes worth of material but many, many classic films are overlooked.  We do get some discussion on how MGM pretty much threw her out of the studio when she came looking for a job and how Universal just used her as a kissing model.  We hear about her eighteen years at Warner and how she eventually got out of her contract.  Geraldine Fitzgerald, Anne Baxter, Olivia de Havilland and Joseph L. Mankiewicz are all interviewed and share a few good stories.  As a documentary this thing is pretty weak because it really doesn't dig deep into Davis and her career and one could say it sugar coats a lot of stuff including her infamous temper and attitude.  The one main reason to watch this is because of Davis herself who comes off very charming here and it's obvious she still had a great memory on her.  It's too bad there wasn't more interview footage that had her talking at more length about her career.  I doubt anyone will learn anything new here but it's still worth watching if you're a fan of Davis and want to see one of her last interviews. 

Wicked Stepmother (1989)
 

Larry Cohen

Bette Davis, like so many other great actors and actresses, ended her career with a really embarrassing film.  Depend on who you believe, Davis walked off the film after a week due to her not liking the screenplay, or, according to director Cohen, she was in such bad health that she had to walk off.  Either way the film centers on a witch (Davis) who moves in with a family (Colleen Camp, David Rasche) and soon starts to take over the house.  Her daughter (Barbara Carrera) then comes to stay and more trouble follows.  The truth behind why Davis left this production will never be known but I seriously doubt the film would have turned out very good either way.  Cohen, best known for various horror movies, doesn't have too much to work with his as his screenplay undoubtedly had to be rewritten with the daughter aspect added in.  Some would say Davis walking off the film would ruin it all around but even the stuff she's in doesn't appear to be written overly well.  We get a few campy moments because it's rather strange seeing someone like Davis doing a movie like this.  She is over acting quite a lot but if she was really unhappy with the screenplay, I kept wondering if she was giving a bad performance on purpose.  The comedy falls flat on its face but I must admit that there's some weird charm with the way Davis is delivering her lines.  The supporting cast are all pretty bland and doesn't bring any energy to the film.  Tom Bosley is pretty bad as a detective.  Even with Davis walking off the film there's no excuse for all the other issues with the movie.  This includes it not really knowing what it's trying to do because on one hand it tries to come off as a kids movie but then we'll have another scene, like the sex scene between the witch and the married father, which seems out of place.  I find it shocking that the movie got a theatrical release because it looks like a TV movie at best and that might be an insult to TV movies.  Fans of Davis might want to check this out just to see her final film but others should stay far, far away unless you're a fan of bad movies.

Bunny O'Hara (1971)
 

Gerd Oswald
 

Embarrassing AIP film has Bette Davis thrown out of her house by a bank so she and a former robber (Ernest Borgnine) start hitting banks so that she can support her deadbeat children.  The only catch is that the elderly pair rob them while dressed as hippies, which throws off the main cop on the case.  This is an extremely embarrassing film which certainly has its two Oscar-winning stars just picking up a paycheck.  The film contains zero laughs and gets tiresome by the thirty-minute mark and the extremely lazy writing just makes one shake their head.  The biggest problem is the writing because there's not a single well-written joke to be found here.  It really seems like the top AIP guys found out they could hire Davis and Borgnine and then just built a screenplay around them.  Someone must have thought it would have been funny seeing the two legends dressed up as hippies.  The first time you see them it will leave a smile on your face but the screenplay doesn't offer anything else.  We get countless robberies, which gets very boring after a while considering nothing new really happens with any of them.  To make matters worse is Jack Cassidy as a stupid Lieutenant who keeps thinking the robbers must be young people because he thinks all young people are up to no good.  All the supporting characters are quite bland but that's to be expected considering the screenplay.  As far as Davis and Borgnine are concerned, hopefully they were paid well.  It's so obvious that neither are really into the film as both come across rather too laid back and boring.  Even in some of their less successful films they at least give off some of their wonderful energy and charm but that's not the case here.  This is certainly a major misstep for both but fans might still want to check this out just to see them dressed as the hippies.  Sitting through the entire film is debatable. 

In This Our Life (1942)
 

John Huston

Nice drama has Bette Davis playing a rather mean spirited and evil Southern Belle who tries to ruin her sister's (Olivia de Havilland) life by running off with her husband (Dennis Morgan).  After a few bad turns Davis returns home and tries to pick up an old relationship with a man (George Brent) now involved with her sister.  This was an interesting film for director Huston to do after the success of THE MALTESE FALCON but his great direction and some great performances make it quite memorable even if the screenplay isn't as great as it could have been.  I really enjoyed the pacing Huston brought to the film by really capturing a Southern style, which is easy to spot early on during a sequence where the girl's father walks through the town.  This brief sequence only runs a couple minutes but it perfectly sets up everything that's going to follow.  The Davis character stealing the husband also only lasts a couple minutes but Huston directs it in such a way where we get to know everything we need to know about all three characters.  The screenplay is pretty straight-forward in terms of drama and this includes some predictable stuff but there's enough going on to keep the film moving.  What really pushes the film over the edge are the wonderful performances by the entire cast.  Davis and de Havilland are playing different type of characters and the actresses bring both to life so well that you can't help but think they really are sisters.  Davis is more over the top and eccentric but she makes the character very memorable doing that wickedness that only she could.  de Havilland is also very good playing the good girl she would become famous for.  George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coburn and Billie Burke also turn in fine work.  Ernest Anderson, who was working in Warner's cafeteria at the time, does a great job in the role of a black boy who gets framed for a crime he didn't commit. 
 

Letter, The (1940)
 

William Wyler

Remake of the 1929 film has Bette Davis at her very best as a woman who murders her lover but claims self defense to try and save her own skin.  Her husband (Herbert Marshall) believes her to be innocent as does her attorney (James Stephenson) but soon the dead man's widow (Gale Sondergaard) informs the lawyer and defendant that she has a letter that proves her self defense claim is false.  The story itself is quite simple and the screenplay never really allows anything too unfamiliar to happen but that doesn't take away from the charm of the film.  Director Wyler does a very good job at keeping everything moving and the performances are terrific as well.  What works so well in the film is the Malaya settings, which the director uses to build the atmosphere in the opening minutes.  The opening sequence with Davis shooting her lover was so brilliantly done that you can't help but feel that nothing that follows will be able to match it.  The way Wyler shows the rubber trees and the moon perfectly builds the atmosphere and puts the viewer in the mood for what's going to follow.  Davis is wickedly good here delivering a very sharp performance and one can't help but really hate her character.  The way her character is written is somewhat one sided but Davis really digs in and delivers so much more.  As much as we hate her, at times Davis makes us understand what she did and why.  Marshall is also very good in the film and one can't help but feel bad for him.  Stephenson nearly steals the film as the moral guarded lawyer and Sondergaard (THE SPIDER WOMAN) is pitch perfect without having to say a word.  I think the one thing that does bring the film down is an explanation as to why Davis has to stand trial.  The film pretty much shows the police believe her reasons for shooting the man yet we still have a trial.  I think more drama could have been added had we known the prosecutors stance on the matter but we're never given an idea on why they are charging her outside of some custom.  With that said, the film is pure Davis magic and that alone is reason enough to watch.  
 

You know, I cannot really disagree with your assessment (except I would not characterize Barbara Carrera as "bland") .  I have seen this movie twice.  I actually liked the film the first time but after the second watching I vowed to throw away my VHS.  Somehow I could not do it.  It's a terrible movie (and I'm pretty sure that I will never watch it again) but I just admire Larry Cohen too much for his independent and offbeat way of making pictures.  His pictures are full of offbeat ideas, characters, observations and watching them is just fun.  If you have listened to any of his commentaries they reveal such enthusiasm for his way of making movies.  I think that combination of enthusiasm and intelligence is missing from low-budget film-making these days.

Edited by Sandro - 8/10/2009 at 10:53 pm GMT

Out of     

Monster A Go-Go BOMB
Giant Spider Invasion
The first is jaw-droppingly bad and almost impossible to get through.  The second (by the same director) should be crap but is more enjoyable as the writer and cast seem not to be taking things seriously.

Lights in the Dusk 
The plot is out of film noir but the style is Finnish deadpan.  This is similar to Man Without a Past but that was funnier and deeper.  

Phantasm   1/2
Classic low-budget horror item has really grown on me.  The plot is disjointed and almost random but it's crammed full of strange and surreal happenings.  I must get around to seeing the rest of the series.

Le Doulos 
Complicated crime story is a joy to watch.  That opening scene is fantastic.  Melville's films are possibly the coolest crime stories ever.

The Ruins 
It's very well done but i have the same problem I had with the book.  I just cannot suspend my disbelief over

Warning Spoiler! Click to show Babylon AD  1/2
This is a mess of a movie.  It steals from many others and makes little sense.  Maybe the longer cut is better.

Hard Times 
Enjoyable film with Bronson and Coburn in a Depression-era tale of bare-fisted boxing.

Sender 
This film takes a familar premise (psychokinesis) and twists it into a different kind of story.  Worth a look for horror fans.

Haunting of Julia 
This ghost story has some good atmosphere, haunting music, moves a little too slowly but wraps up with a great ending.  Deserves a DVD release. 

Of all the cult directors I've seen, Cohen has never become one of my favorites.  I enjoy IT'S ALIVE and part 3 but outside of that I'm not too crazy about his work.  There are a few other titles I need to check out and plan on doing so soon but I probably would have skipped this movie had it not been Davis and her final film. 


Week End in Hollywood (1947)
 

Hollywood Film Enterprises produced this documentary of Hollywood, which is more like a tour guide.  We see various famous hot spots including Grauman's Chinese Theater, the Hollywood Bowl, The Brown Derby, an aerial shot at Warner and the front gates at Republic Studios.  This low budget film uses what appears to be stock footage, which includes a few famous faces including Bob Hope.  The overall feel of the short is rather cheap and in the end we really don't see anything we haven't seen in other films with better quality.  There's a few shots of Joe E. Brown, Clark Gable and Shirley Temple at Grauman's.  If you have some time to kill and must view everything ever made about Hollywood then you might want to check this out but others should stay clear and watch something better on the subject.
 

Heavenly Music (1943)
 

This two-reel short from MGM actually won an Oscar but the end result, to me, didn't deserve the honor.  Bandleader Ted Barry dies and gets the honor of going to Heaven where some famous musicians are waiting.  Once there the musician has to go in front of some of the greatest musicians in history, including Beethoven, to decide if he belongs among them.  This is a decent short but I'm still scratching my head as to why this was voted Best Short Subject (Two-Reel).  The music is decent at best.  The performances decent at best.  Even the characters are only decent at best.  The best moments are some rather campy ones with Beethoven but these aren't enough to make it a complete winner.  Barry's voice wasn't overly impressive to me nor was his acting skills.  
 

Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies (2001)
 

Highly entertaining documentary that tries to tell the real story of Marion Davies.  The film starts off showing clips from CITIZEN KANE, which many feel the "Susan Alexander" from that film is the real Davies.  In later interviews Orson Welles would say the only thing he regretted with CITIZEN KANE was that Davies' reputation took a hit.  Since Davies left Hollywood rather early, it was this reputation that followed her decade after decade.  Everyone knew her for the relationship with William Randolph Hearst rather than her acting in such gems as SHOW PEOPLE, THE PATSY and GOING HOLLYWOOD.  Davies would grow up on the stage, become a comedy star in the silent era and make the transition to sound only to give it all up to take care of the elder Hearst.  The documentary paints her as a very talented woman and tries to stay away from too much gossip, although the William Ince murder is discussed briefly and Davies also comments on it from a 1951 audio interview.  Actress Virginia Madsen, who played Davies in a movie, gives a lot of nice comments and various historians, including Kevin Brownlow, comments on the now somewhat forgotten actress.  The documentary does a very good job at giving an overview of her career and makes one want to check out her work, which is what a great documentary on someone should do.  Charlize Theron narrates.
 

Polly of the Circus (1932)
 

Alfred Santell
 

Disappointing and way too corny romance between a bad girl trapeze artist (Marion Davies) and a preacher (Clark Gable).  After an accident while working, Davies is forced to stay at the home of Gable and soon the two fall in love but the church objects to their relationship.  This is an extremely disappointing film from MGM who certainly had better luck in their other 1932 film to be set in the circus and that of course would be Tod Browning's FREAKS.  It's interesting to note that none of the circus performers from that film can be seen here.  With that out of the way, this film here offers very little in terms of originality as it follows the same guidelines of countless other pre-code stories from the era.  We know that opposites are going to attract.  We know the church will object.  We know this issue will cause problems in the relationship.  We know what this is going to do and so on and so forth.  The movie starts off rather good as the two stars work well together but it quickly falls apart and ends up being rather boring.  Davies has a few strange line deliveries but for the most part she fits the role quite well.  She's very believable as this character and brings a lot of life to it but the screenplay doesn't allow her too much as her character is written rather one sided.  Gable gives another very impressive, pre-fame performance and I must admit that my respect for him grows each time I see one of these forgotten films on TCM.  He manages to bring a lot of passion and fire to the role and delivers some nice work.  C. Aubrey Smith is wasted as the Reverend who objects to the romance.  Ray Milland can be seen quickly as an usher walking a drunk out of church.  Fans of Davies and Gable might want to check this out but I'm sure most will be disappointed with this film that doesn't give the stars much to work with.
 

Beach of Nazare, The (1954)
 

Van Campen Heilner
 

Part of RKO-Pathe's Screenliner series, this short takes us to Bazare on the Atlantic coast of Portugal.  Once there we get to see the fishing village and how people there make money.  We also hear other stories about the small place including one hunter's story about being saved by a Heavenly vision.  This is the third of fourth film I've seen from this series which tries to copy the style of MGM's TravelTalks series.  I'm really not sure what RKO-Pathe were trying here because the MGM series was in color so why this one, in B&W, tried to match wits with them is beyond me.  With that said, the film has another negative thing going for it and that's the narration, which is just too dry to make the film all that entertaining.  The movie has some nice images but it still comes off as a second rate filler.
 

Have Rocket, Will Travel (1959)
 

David Lowell Rich

Mildly amusing comedy has The Three Stooges (Moe, Larry, Curley-Joe) accidentally setting off in a rocket and going to outer space.  Once there they land on an unknown planet where they encounter a talking unicorn and an electronic creature.  This was the Stooges big comeback after having been written off and pretty much overlooked.  The trio had their shorts showing up on television where they gained new fans in the form of kids so this film was quickly released with the kiddies in mind.  There's really no reason to compare this set of Stooges to the early Columbia shorts because it's obvious this film was made for a different group of people.  Most of the comedy in terms of violence is watered down and a lot of the jokes are more slapstick than anything else.  This film was certainly better than I thought it would be but it's still not quite what I'd consider a good film.  There are a fair number of laughs scattered throughout with one of the best coming during a long sequence where the boys are trying to create fuel to make the rocket go.  Larry ends up drinking the toxic fumes, mistaking it for coffee and the pay off here is quite nice.  Moe and Larry were certainly getting up their in years and couldn't really do any of the more physical stuff but they're still pretty good here.  Joe DeRita certainly isn't Curly but he manages to get a few smiles.  A lot of comedians, including Abbott and Costello, were testing their jokes in space and I don't think too many of them ever really worked.  The jokes here are certainly aimed at children and while a few of them work there's just not enough to carry the 76-minute running time.

 

Kiddie Revue (1930)
 

MGM short is certainly a product of its time and in the end only works as an interesting note in history.  A partial remake of HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1929, the film has a young boy introducing various musical acts, all with children of course.  I must say watching this thing was rather painful because of how dull it was.  The musical numbers are quite lame and the lackluster direction doesn't help matters because the camera just stays in one place without any cutting or excitement.  This was probably due to the early sound era but a little more could have been done.  The musical acts really aren't anything special and come across as something you'd see at any elementary school.  It's interesting to note that some of the music was written by George Waggner who would later go onto direct several Universal horror movies including THE WOLF MAN, HORROR ISLAND and MAN MADE MONSTER.
 

Lady Fights Back, A (1944)
 

The fiftieth entry in MGM's Passing Parade short isn't like many in the series, which usually told people stories from the past that they might have forgotten or didn't know at all.  This entry tells us the story of the French ship Normandie and how it started out as a luxury liner before the war when it was nearly destroyed due to a major fire.  This film really doesn't work too well as part of John Nesbitt's series but it does work as a part of history.  There's a lot of stock footage of various voyages of the ship as well as a lot of footage from the eventual fire, which took place on the shores of Manhattan.  Seeing this footage is certainly a big treat especially for fans of history and I'm sure it's history buffs who will get the majority of entertainment out of this.  I really enjoyed hearing the brief story of this ship and it was interesting to see some of the items on board the ship including the rather amazing wine cellar.  It's also worth noting, as the film does, that the rich folks dogs got better food than most humans were eating at the time of the war. 

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
 

Jack Arnold
 

Classic sci-fi from Universal has a group of scientists traveling through the Amazon trying to locate the missing parts to a fossil arm they discovered.  The group head into a deeper part known as the black lagoon where they find a creature live and well.  This isn't my favorite genre film from Universal as I don't think it can compare to the likes of FRANKENSTEIN, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN or even THE WOLF MAN and I also think it pales when compared to IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE but with that said, there's no question this film still deserves its classic status.  What works so well with the film is the costume of the creature who would of course become known as the Gil Man.  The outfit is perfect and one can't help but look at it and be amazed at how human it looks and how much "life" the outfit is able to bring out.  Director Arnold does a masterful job at using every opportunity to build up the suspense as to what the creature will look like and when we finally see the full thing you can't help but get a smile on your face.  Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning and Nestor Paiva make for a good cast as all turn in good performances even though none of their characters are written too well.  The underwater photography looks great for the most part and that includes the wonderful swim between Adams and the creature.  The cave sets look terrific as does the entire set of the Amazon.  There are still several flaws that pop up throughout the film and that includes some pacing issues but there's still plenty of fun to be had here.

So You Want to Give Up Smoking (1942)
 

First entry in the long-running Joe McDoakes "So You Want...." series from MGM.  This time out our poor McDoakes (George O'Hanlon) wants to give up smoking but he isn't quite sure how to kick the habit.  Narrator Art Gilmore then gives him plenty of suggestions but we're not sure if they'll work or not.  This first attempt at what would become a popular series is fairly entertaining even though there are a few wrinkles that would certainly get corrected in future episodes.  The most interesting thing about this short is probably from a historical stand point of seeing how the subject was handled decades before everyone knew the effects of smoking.  Several numbers are thrown out here including one saying only 145 out of 1000 people are actually able to quit.  The jokes are mildly entertaining as we see McDoakes trying several methods to quit smoking.  The humor of smoking probably won't go over as well today as it did in 1942 but it's still harmless enough for nine minutes worth of entertainment. 

Borrah Minnevitch and His Harmonica School (1942)
 

Jean Negulesco
 

An extremely bizarre and at times untasteful short showcases the title act who really need to be seen to be believed.  The film showcases several musical set pieces but in the end it's the weird visuals that really steal the show.  We have a wide range of acts, all dealing with harmonicas but the really eye opener are the acts themselves, which include midgets, fat jokes and racial jokes.  The performance all do a good job and the music is rather catchy but it's somewhat hard paying too much attention to this when you're eyes are bulging out of you head by what you're seeing.  Fans of the weird are certainly going to love this thing.  I doubt any other film in history has as many harmonicas but I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.
 

Visiting Italy (1951)
 

James FitzPatrick and MGM take their cameras to Italy to capture some beautiful images in this entry in their TravelTalks series.  Rome, Assisi, Pisa and Florence are the cities visited as we get to learn about their art, farming and various other subjects including shopping.  Considering these sites are among the most visited in the world, the film does a pretty good job at packing everything into its 9-minutes but at the same time you have to expect that they can't go into great details about any of them.  The print shown on Turner Classic Movies is a tad bit worn but that doesn't take away from any of the entertainment. 
 

The Thin Red Line - I fell in love with Malick after watching Days of Heaven, and fell in love again for The New World. So I don't know why it took me so long to get around to this one. Too many movies, too little time, I suppose. It's too bad I waited so long because it's an excellent film. I don't think Malick knows how to make a film that isn't beautiful, and this is no exception. Normally I would have a moral objection to making war beautiful, but like Apocalypse Now, here it's done in such an impressionistic and surreal manner that the beauty actually makes it more horrifying. Malick is not necessarily going for a "realistic" depiction of war. Most likely your average G.I. isn't this poetic and introspective, for instance. But through the characters, he manages to express a great deal about war, fear, death, nature. Despite the intensity of the battle scenes, it somehow ends up being a "quiet" film about war, which is a remarkable thing. While it rambles and meanders a bit, it never feels inappropriate to do so. My only issue is that there's so much "star power" on display that spotting the celebrities (although some weren't celebrities at the time) occasionally gets distracting. But I'm sure this will be less of an issue on subsequent viewings and otherwise the movie completely commands your attention. Rating: 9


Les misérables - When you're getting sick of movies, it's really hard to commit to a 5-hour one. I've never read the book, or seen any other adaptation of it. All I knew going in was that it's about a guy who stole a loaf of bread. It is, of course, much more than that... a Dickensian epic that is one of the best redemption stories I've ever seen. Harry Baur (in a double role, or quadruple role depending how you look at it) is magnificent, anchoring the film with a rich characterization of Jean Valjean. The rest of the cast frankly pales in comparison, but Baur is plenty enough to carry the film. The camera aesthetic is appealing as well, somewhere between German expressionism and Max Ophuls. I wouldn't say the running time passed by quickly, but it was compelling enough to stick with it without a problem. The roughest patch was the beginning of part 3, which gets away from Valjean for far too long to concentrate on the French Revolution. I realize this bit is probably central to Hugo's point, but the narrative diversion threw me off. However, things pick up again and the movie concludes very tenderly on a satisfying note. Rating: 8


Repulsion (rewatch, Blu-Ray) - I've said before that The Tenant was the best of Polanski's "apartment horror" trilogy. I realize now how wrong I was. I don't know what state of mind I was in back in January 2005 when I gave this a 7 rating and said "I didn't really get into it that much." This time I found it to be absolutely riveting, a perfectly realized portrait of a fragile psyche imploding. One difference is that the first time, I saw it on a crappy DVD (whose "bathing beauty" cover is so very, very inappropriate). Criterion's Blu-Ray is a revelation, making the decay of Carole's environment crystal clear in all its decrepit glory. So glad I decided to buy this. Rating: 9

James A. FitzPatrick’s Traveltalks: Land of the Mayas (1946) (short)

Production: MGM

 

Present day Guatemala is the setting, and the village of Chichicastenango, where 2000 years earlier the Mayan civilization held sway.  So naturally the first thing we look at is an archway to the village, an architecture principle that the Mayans, for all their advances, hadn’t discovered.  The importance of the market, both socially and economically, is shown, although transporting goods there is no cinch--the Indians don’t use horses or even the wheel, they act as their own pack animals!  The religion of the Indians is a unique hybrid of Catholicism and Mayan mysticism, led by a ‘padre’ who first arrived in 1907 and is worshipped like a saint.  And yet to cover all the bases, the Indians also practice the centuries old paganism of their Mayan ancestors.  Like a mini Conrad novel. 

out of 4




  

Rain or Shine (1930) Dir: Frank Capra

Production: Columbia Pictures

 

Joe “One Man Vaudeville” Cook and his cronies Dave Chasen and Tom Howard reprise their roles from the smash Broadway musical of the same name (although it was decided to drop the songs since musicals were box office poison at the time, one of the notable exceptions, ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’ is retained as background music in the film).  To give you an idea of how well the film went over, no one ever heard from Joe “One Man Vaudeville” Cook and his crew again.  Well, not quite but you get the picture.  Nothing against Cook, he has a promising quick-talking, wise guy persona.  With better material (or smaller doses, like bits in the multi-act musicals of the 30’s) he could have had a nice run as a film comedian.  But the film relies on the gag-a-second formula with the hope that something hits.  And the ratio of hits to misses here is disastrously low.     

 

The story, such as it is, revolves around the travails of the John T. Rainey Circus and its personnel; owner Mary Rainey (Joan Peers), who inherited the show from her deceased father; manager ‘Smiley’ Johnson (Cook), who keeps the circus going despite the mounting debt (perhaps because of his unrequited love of Mary); and new employee Bud Conway (William Collier, Jr.), whose romance with Mary has ‘Smiley’ looking to fire him (also along for the ride is the second-billed Louise Fazenda who has literally 20 seconds of screen time).  This triangle plays out among the struggling circus’ drama as it moves into the next town.  Just as things are starting to look up, two disgruntled employees scheme to get ownership of the circus away from Mary.  All these points are incidental, however.  The film is mostly an excuse to thinly string together routines for Cook to do his shtick with Howard as the straight man (he’s playing a wealthy mark who the circus owes money to), and Chasen adding the antics of his Curly-ish ‘boob’ character.  The film is technically impressive, with direction, photography, editing and even the sound recording all relatively advanced.  The picture opens and closes, more or less, on two very well done set pieces--the first shows the circus moving out in a rainy, nighttime scene (with a particular challenge posed by the Fat Woman), and near the end is an effective full scale riot that culminates with the circus burning to the ground.  Ultimately though, the lack of laughs works your patience over and takes the fun out of the film.

out of 4

John Nesbitt’s Passing Parade No. 2: New Roadways (1939) (short) Dir: Basil Wrangell

Production: MGM               

 

Early ‘Passing Parade’ entry, and if you’re familiar with the series you can appreciate the somewhat gestational phase it’s in with this particular short (I find they tend to be better focusing on a single subject).  The new roadways in question are those scientific breakthroughs that often go unnoticed, never likely to grab front page headlines, but are often far more important.  A quick look at some advancements, like pliable glass, beach farming, and experiments in harnessing the power of the sun.  Then a look at the unheralded star of the scientific community, the white mouse, and some of the learning experiments done on them.  The short takes an extremely bizarre turn with the subject of plastic surgery.  It touts its application, besides the mere cosmetic purposes for rich old women, as a way to heal horrible disfigurements (not only in war, but we see a gruesome example of a young girl who has an oven explode in her face!).  Fine, so far.  Then we are introduced to two brothers; one handsome and happily employed at the counter of a store, talking to customers, the other ‘ugly’ one stuck in the stockroom, angry, frustrated, who naturally embarks on a life of crime.  In prison, Mr. Ugly, in a remarkable bit of social engineering, is presented with the option of state-funded plastic surgery to make him handsome and thus a productive, engaged member of society.  Upon his release, he immediately draws the admiring glances of a pretty woman.  Shocked at first, he then continues on to his new life with a jauntiness in his step that only the handsome among us recognize and have.  Jokes on him though, imagine the look on his face when he finds out the state threw in a complimentary sterilization while they were at it! I was on board until the hilarious Dr. Mengele-approved part.

out of 4

Captured on Film: The True Story of Marion Davies (2001) Dir: Hugh Munro Neely

Production: Timeline Films & UCLA Film and Television Archive/TCM

 

Decent survey of the career of actress Marion Davies, if not especially hard-hitting.  Seems to exist mostly as a corrective to the ‘Davies as Susan Alexander Kane’ belief (although I think many people now know of the other publisher, the name escapes me, who actually built an opera house for his mistress as in KANE).  And in that regard, Davies relationship with William Randolph Hearst is given a rather superficial treatment--‘W.R.’ is portrayed as her kind-hearted protector, whose flaw is that he loves too much, rather than an out-of-touch (he was insisting Marion play serious roles in costumers as if the comedies she excelled in were unbecoming), ultra-controlling bully that she never stood up to.  Yeah, Hearst loved Davies so much he kept her on the side (although they lived together) for 30 years, while he was married.  Say what you want about Davies, and this film mostly cheers (she’s smart, funny, warm, generous, talented, probably all true), but she was ultimately content to accept Hearst’s ‘patronage’.  It also suggests that theirs was a great love affair and of that I’m less convinced.  Something turned Davies into a drunk (this is where the link to KANE is seen as a particularly low blow), although that is never really explored.  Was it because she loved Hearst so much and he wouldn’t divorce his wife? It’s more than suggested that she had enough affairs of her own, which casts doubt on that theory.  Was it because she was conflicted about being a ‘kept’ woman? Well, that’s not explored either.  From Davies’ standpoint it was more likely genuine affection of a sort (she called him ‘Pops’) that morphed into a sense of obligation when Hearst got older and sick (she once wrote him a check for $1 million when his legendary profligacy had the creditors at his door).  And for all that, any mention of her in relation to Hearst was written out of existence by his estate after his death.              

 

Davies’ films are given cursory reviews.  More interestingly a case is made for Davies as the first screwball comedienne.  We hear from historians like Kevin Brownlow, Jeanine Basinger, Charles Champlin, and those that knew Davies, like George Sidney and Ruth Warrick.  There is also a recording of Davies later in life speaking about Hearst and, among other things, the notorious death of Thomas Ince (his death is often said to have been brought about by Hearst, who, in a jealous rage one night on his boat, supposedly tried to shoot Charlie Chaplin for an alleged affair with Davies, and accidentally shot Ince--covered by Peter Bogdanovich in THE CAT'S MEOW which was recently reviewed here, positively, by Mr. Elliott, I believe).  Curiously, her comment meant to dispel the Ince rumor is somewhat unconvincing, to the effect that “if something like that had happened, we would all be in jail, wouldn’t we?”  Well, no, not if a man as powerful as William Randolph Hearst was behind it (although honestly, for nothing to have ever come out in nearly a century since seems unlikely).  The film is narrated in an uninspired, flatline delivery by Charlize Theron.  Virginia Madsen, who appears as one of the talking heads eagerly sharing thoughts on her own personal discovery of Davies, should’ve just narrated the whole thing herself.

out of 4

A Crime Does Not Pay Subject No. 10: It May Happen to You (1937) (short) Dir: Harold S. Bucquet

Production: MGM

 

One of the grittier entries in the series, with a story and script by John C. Higgins (T-MEN, RAW DEAL).  Unusually high body count includes a classic gangland style execution (how many times do I have to say it, when you go for a ride, never sit in the front seat!).  Story concerns a racket, and its leader, Moxie (a menacing J. Carrol Naish), that specializes in hijacking shipping trucks.  Moxie plans a beef heist of all things, and he sweet talks a low-level meat packing plant worker named Eddie into helping with the promise of a big return for little work.  When the gang starts peddling its foul purloined sirloin all over town and people start dying, bringing down the cops and putting the hoods in self-preservation mode, Eddie’s decision no longer seems so easy.  Well done. 

out of 4

James A FitzPatrick’s Traveltalks: Red Men on Parade (1941) (short)

Production: MGM

 

A look at the inter-tribal Indian gathering in Gallup, New Mexico, where over thirty tribes are represented.  The un-P.C. title aside, there is an actual parade down the street of Gallup, complete with that old American Indian staple, the marching band.  Fitz tells us that there are more Indians today in North America than when Columbus arrived.  We see a Navajo rug weaver in action (the rugs are made with no pattern to follow and no two are alike) and pottery by the Hopi.  The highlight of the gathering is a ceremony with the many different tribal dances on display, although thankfully, no one got served.  Somewhat telling is that most Indians who enter white society and are educated in universities go back and live among their own people and customs.

out of 4

Edge of Doom (1950) Dir: Mark Robson

Production: Samuel Goldwyn Productions/RKO Radio Pictures

 

Relentlessly, oppressively grim--and curiously flat--crime melodrama about Los Angeles slum kid who snaps following the death of his mother, stars Farley Granger and Dana Andrews.  Martin Lynn (Farley Granger) lives with his tubercular mother in a dirty, run-down apartment on skid row.  He makes $30 a week at a florist and has a girl, Julie (Mala Powers), who wants to marry him, but Marty can’t until he gets his mother to a healthier climate.  Martin is frustrated and humiliated, he doesn’t have the money to help his mother and his boss won’t give him the raise he thinks he deserves.  His hatred with the local parish dates back to several years earlier when they were unable, due to church doctrine, to bury his father in consecrated ground following the man's suicide.  When his mother dies, Martin makes it his mission to give her a “fine funeral”, but his discovery that people either don’t care or won’t help him, from a short-tempered priest to his cold boss, sends him over the edge.

 

The real star of this film is the location work in the actual Skid Row neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles, adding authenticity and visual interest (Harry Stradling shot the picture).  Thematically, the film is ambitious; religion and capitalism are well in its cross hairs, although the execution leaves something to be desired (as a bonus, another institution, the police, is totally incompetent).  “Why do you feel angry towards the church”, a priest asks Martin.  “Because all you do is take, you give nothing!” he spits out.  Not much of a defense in the church’s favor is offered.  When Martin seeks a little leeway from his boss for flowers and from the mortuary on the service, he is fired and given the brush off. “This is a business, Mr. Lynn”, the mortuary receptionist tells him.  This is partly where the film goes wrong.  We’re clearly supposed to sympathize with Martin and his plight, but he’s delusional, he sees persecution in every contact.  But he’s the one in the wrong and grieving isn’t an excuse.  The reality is that Martin’s boss fires him because he gets physical and loud in front of customers.  The mortician does point out that Martin can’t pay for what he wants, but he also tries to reassure him that he will be given every consideration and tells him that they've worked well with the church in the past, which only further angers Martin.              

 

While Granger is decent if somewhat self-consciously 'disturbed', the two priests are poorly characterized; Harold Vermilyea plays Father Kirkman, the parish’s veteran priest--he’s weirdly combative and agitated by Martin.  Why? There is an utterly pointless subplot involving Kirkman’s niece (Joan Evans).  The actress might as well be invisible for the impact she makes.  Dana Andrews plays the good guy priest, but he exists merely to reflect goodness upon Martin and insure that his conscience will eventually come around.  A prologue, epilogue and omniscient narration by Andrews were added by Goldwyn (director Robson and writer Philip Yordan were fired and replaced by Charles Vidor and Ben Hecht for these sequences) to “lighten the depressing atmosphere”.  More than anything, they subvert the power of the story and serve to make Andrews’ character even more of an empty vessel.  Mala Powers as Martin’s girl, Julie, is dewy-eyed and sympathetic--and totally unremarkable.  Paul Stewart and Adele Jergens are residents in Martin’s apartment building, and involved in another half-assed plotline.  There’s an inordinate amount of annoying buzzing in the picture, so help me.  Three or four scenes depict somebody leaning on a doorbell, ignoring a doorbell, or ignoring elevator buzzers, etc.  Not ideally what should pop into one’s head when considering a rating.  And ultimately, not as good as it could have been.

out of 4

John Nesbitt’s Passing Parade No. 46: This is Tomorrow (1943) (short)

Production: MGM

 

Off-beat entry in the series recycles footage from THE CITY, a 1939 short made for the World’s Fair, with Nesbitt’s narration making it relevant for the WWII-era audience (and a cheap way to put something together in the wartime economy).  The original film was created to hype a sort of new approach to city planning, the city of the future, that sort of thing.  It compared colonial life with the nightmare that city life had become (slums, pollution, etc.) and promised how all that would change under this new approach.  Nesbitt’s spin is that this is what we are fighting for, this future pregnant with possibilities and an improved standard of living.  While the message is ‘pie in the sky’ silliness (likely designed to sell something for some large multi-national), the footage is interesting and used well.

out of 4

 

High Tension (rewatch) - I considered skipping over this one for my weekly Bergman, because 1) he didn't want it to be shown and 2) it's fucking terrible. But what the hell. Since I ripped on it last time, I'll try to find some nice things to say about it this time. The cinematography isn't bad. Unintentionally funny is still funny. The opening titles look good. Probably the only movie to stage a dramatic political underground meeting while a Donald Duck cartoon plays in the background. Umm... did I mention the unintentional hilarity? Rating: 3

Fashions of 1934 (1934)
 

William Dieterle

This Warner Musical has William Powell, Bette Davis and Busby Berkely teaming up this one time and the film's reputation has been pretty low ever since.  The movie has Powell playing a con man who decides to rip off Paris fashions and sell them to New York big shots so that he can get some fast cash.  With the help of Davis the two start ripping off fashions and selling them across the pond but soon a fashion show might really put them on the map.  This isn't a bad film as some reviews would have you believe but at the same time it is rather uneven.  There are many strange things in this film with Davis getting the top honor.  Warner was trying to sell her as a sex symbol so they have a ton of make up on her face, a different hair style as well as an alternate hair color.  While looking at her you'll forget she's Bette Davis so I guess you can applaud the studio for their make up work but thankfully the actress refused this type of "work" in future films.  Powell is extremely good in the film as he manages to be quite funny and keeps the entertainment going.  The opening joke involving a phone is perfectly played as are various other sequences where Powell has to use his charm.  Davis doesn't come off as well because it appears she's trying to be someone other than herself.  Frank McHugh, Hugh Herbert, Regionald Owen and Henry O'Neill round out the supporting players.  The big musical number featuring tons and tons of feathers is pretty good but it really doesn't mix too well with the rest of the film.  The pre-code bra and panties, as well as various other sexual innuendos, give the film an extra bump.

Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
 

Frank Capra

Legendary director Frank Capra's final film had him working with Bette Davis and Glenn Ford in a remake of his 1933 film LADY FOR A DAY.  The two films are pretty straight forward in terms of their story.  The homeless Apple Annie (Davis) is considered a hero by gangster Dave the Dude (Ford) who believes that her apples bring him luck.  Annie eventually is shocked to learn that the daughter she hasn't seen since a baby is coming to visit her with a rich Duke and doesn't want her to know she's homeless.  With the help of Dave, Annie transforms into a royal mother.  I enjoyed LADY FOR A DAY for its heart and charm but the same can't be said for this overlong remake that just goes on and on and on.  The movie runs a whopping 137-minutes, which is about, at least, half an hour too long.  This film and the original tell the exact same story but like a lot of remakes from this era, this film has to throw in countless subplots and must expand the film as much as they can and in doing so they kill everything good that it does have going.  The main reason to watch this film is for the performance by Davis who really shines in both parts of her character.  I found her incredibly touching as the homeless woman and this is especially true during her scene in the hotel where she's trying to get a letter that her daughter wrote her.  Davis also does a very good job in the "rich" style and this includes when she first pops out of the bedroom to display her new self.  That walk and facial gesture she gives is priceless.  Hope Lange, Peter Falk and Ann-Margret, in her first film, all turn in nice supporting performances.  The weakest link is Ford, believe it or not.  He's a great actor but this role just wasn't right for him.  A lot of this is due to the screenplay, which makes him too much of a jerk but even Ford appears to be sleepwalking through a lot of the wondering scenes.  Capra's direction is decent throughout and he still knows how to hit the heart but the comedy is lacking and there's certainly no reason for the extended running time.  Even though there's some nice stuff here, in the end you can't help but look at this as a disappointment considering Capra, Davis and Ford are doing the work.

Hollywood My Home Town (1965)
 

William Martin

Ken Murray hosts this documentary that covers three decades in Hollywood as he shows off his home movies, which feature a large number of major stars.  The list goes on for dozens and dozens of names but some of the bigger names include Astor, (John) Barrymore, Bellamy, Capra, Chaplin, Cody, Cooper, Costello, Crosby, Davis, Durante, Fairbanks, Fields, Flynn, Ford, Gable, Gaynor, Grant, Harlow, Hayward, Hope, Karloff, Lancaster, Lemmon, Lombard, Loy, Pickford, Power, Rogers, Rooney, Scott, Sinatra, Stewart, Taylor, Tracy and Turner.  Many, many others are showcased here but as you can tell from the list, this documentary has just about everyone you'd want.  For the most part the camera footage is in rough shape but this is expected as a lot of the footage is just Murray catching stars as they are walking by.  Sometimes third parties hold the camera and one funny sequence has a woman not knowing how to work it.  If you're a fan of classic cinema then this here is a must see because of getting to see so many great stars off the set.  Chaplin has an extremely nice bit where he's somewhat in his Tramp character and doing a small act for the camera.  We see the likes of Cody just walking around the streets of New York and being kind enough to stop for the camera.  Other fun stuff includes seeing Barrymore and Harlow golfing, Costello and Ford fishing and a nice sequence with Tracy playing around.  It's also fun seeing how these rich people lived, what type of houses, their pools and even how the streets looked back then.     

12 to the Moon (1960)
 

David Bradley
 

The title pretty much gives the plot details but to expand on it you'd have to say ten men, two women, two cats, two monkeys and a dog enter a spaceship and head off to the moon.  After finally getting there they are confronted by a faceless alien and on their way back to Earth they learn the U.S. has been frozen by the alien so they must thaw it out before they can land.  This Columbia sci-fi film has pretty much been forgotten, which is somewhat of a shame but the bigger shame is that such an ambitious film is wasted in the hands of screenwriters who obviously don't care too much for the genre.  Just about every possible cliche is thrown into this film and it even comes up with a few new cliches.  The movie is certainly bad due to the special effects, acting and directing but at the same time I have a lot of respect for the movie trying to be something special.  Every five minutes a new plot device jumps up to make things difficult and had the film enjoyed a bigger budget some of these ideas probably would have worked a lot better.  There's a sequence on the moon where the astronaut's enter a cave where a couple are sucked down into some quicksand like material.  The lingering shots of the arm sticking out are quite effective but a great item like this is followed by a silly scene on the spaceship, which looks incredibly fake and takes away the atmosphere.  All of the special effects are beyond bad and I'd probably rank them down there with PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE in terms of awfulness.  Just take a look at the scenes with the rocket flying through space.  For starters, they keep showing the same scene over and over but to make matters worse is that you can see through the spaceship!!  Other really bad looking scenes include the stuff on board when we see meteors coming towards the ship.  Once again, incredibly fake looking to the point of being laughable.  The performances really aren't anything good either and that includes Ken Clark and Tom Conway.  The one interesting thing is that a multi-raced cast was used, which certainly wasn't the norm for this period in Hollywood's history.  It was quite refreshing seeing a movie with so many different characters but this too leads to some rather dumb stuff including obvious references to the Holocaust.  In the end, this is a pretty bad movie but there's so many interesting things that one can't help but wish a better budget and real writers were used to make it work. 

Chained Heat (1983)
 

Paul Nicholas
 

Ten years after becoming a star with THE EXORCIST, Linda Blair got top billing for this women-in-prison flick.  In the film she plays a sweet young woman who commits a crime and has to spend a year and a half in prison.  This prison is full of wicked women, crazy guards and a perverted warden (John Vernon).  In terms of American WIP films this one here goes pretty far out but it still can't hold a candle to the various Euro films like Jess Franco's BARBED WIRE DOLLS, SADOMANIA or even any of the ILSA movies.  With that said, there's a certain amount of charm that comes with seeing Blair and Vernon doing a movie like this but that's not enough to keep this thing moving throughout the running time.  The biggest problem is that the film itself doesn't know what it wants to be.  The film starts off extremely corny with all sorts of silly fights, girls cussing at one another and even a shower scene, which is a must for this type of movie.  The word exploitation is all over the picture but around the half way mark the film takes a more serious note as it tries to tackle the corruption going on inside the prison.  Blair gives a fairly good performance but she has several crying scenes where you can't help but feel bad for her and this isn't the type of feelings that need to be in a WIP film.  We really don't need these type of dramatics when the film sets out to be exploitation.  Vernon was a real hoot in his pervert role and you can obviously tell that he is enjoying his character and the hot tub he has in the office to sleep with the female prisoners.  For fans of filth there's still enough here to enjoy, although it certainly falls into the "so bad it's good" league.  Blair's shower sequence has become rather legendary in terms of exploitation over the years but it was somewhat of a letdown. 

 

Clawed: The Legend of Sasquatch (2005)
 

Karl Kozak
 

Four poachers are hunting bear when they're attacked by some creature.  One survives and eventually goes back out into the woods searching for the beast.  Four high school students are also in the woods doing research on bears but they're all soon going to face the legendary Sasquatch.  Those, like me, who must see every movie that deals with the famous creature will probably check this one out no matter how much they're warned.  If you must see all these types of movies then I'm sure you'll make it to the end but all others should stay clear as there's not too much going on here.  The film was obviously shot with a very small budget but they have a fairly good looking Sasquatch outfit so why they don't show it and use it more is beyond me.  For the most part the film is all dialogue, which really drags things down because quite often we get the same stuff over and over.  Even though it's all dialogue there are still sequences that don't make any sense and that includes the surviving poacher wanting to kill an Indian ranger.  This here drags out the running time, is boring and takes away from the subject line that fans are going to really want to see.  There's some brief nudity and a little gore but not enough to carry the film.  I thought director Kozak did a pretty good job with the visual look of the film.  I also thought the performances were rather good for this type of film.  The young cast do a pretty good job and deliver the type of performances you'd expect.  While they're not Oscar worthy they at least keep you entertained.  The biggest negative is that there's never any real threat here.  We've told stories about the creature yet he's never frightening or threatening.  That's not a good thing when you're watching a horror movie so the majority of people out there will want to skip this one.  Originally released as THE UNKNOWN.
 

They Came from Beyond Space (1967)
 

Freddie Francis
 

Amicus production has some meteors crashing in a field but when scientist goes to crack into them, an alien race starts taking over their minds.  Soon everyone is under the spell of the aliens but thankfully one man (Robert Hutton) has some steel in his head, which keeps him from being infected.  I love a lot of Amicus movies and I've often enjoyed their films more than their rival Hammer but there's not too much love that can be shown to this movie, which is pretty to look at but deadly dull in terms of entertainment.  The biggest problem is that it appears Francis, usually a top-notch director, falls asleep at the wheel because the movie has a deadly slow pace that doesn't help anything.  To make matters worse is the screenplay, which is full of one dialogue scene after another and nothing being said is all that intelligent.  The movie moves way too slow to begin with so adding all this dialogue isn't going to help matters.  Hutton sleepwalks through his role but to his credit he doesn't have much to work with.  Jennifer Jayne isn't that memorable and Michael Gough appears bored out of his mind.  The "Swingin' 60's" certainly lends its hand to the visuals of the film, which are quite colorful and nice to look at.  The sets aren't that bad either but this doesn't save an otherwise boring film.
 

Ever Since Eve (1937)
 

Lloyd Bacon
 

This politically incorrect but mildly entertaining film turned out to be Marion Davies final movie as she would retire at the age of forty.  Warner threw her an excellent supporting cast and a nice director but none of it would really matter in the end as the film really fails to live up to what it should have been.  Davies plays a beautiful secretary who is getting tired of her bosses hitting on her so she makes herself "homely" in order to get a real job without being harassed.  Her latest boss (Robert Montgomery) has a deadline on a novel he must finish so the ugly Davies has to keep him working, although the beautiful one is falling for him.  While watching the film I couldn't help but think of TOOTSIE but this one here is certainly far from a classic.  The movie remains entertaining from start to finish but for a comedy there are very few laughs to be had here, which is a shame because there's a great cast here.  Not only do we have Davies and Montgomery but we have Warner contract players like Frank McHugh, Patsy Kelly and Allen Jenkins.  The three supporting players end up getting more laughs than the two leads with Jenkins stealing the film playing the usual dumb character we've all come to love.  Davies is a tad bit too old for her role even though she's still very easy on the eyes.  You do have to give her credit because there have been all kinds of famous people to do the ugly duckling roles but not really turn themselves very unattractive.  Davies at least goes all out and transforms herself to the point where you can't recognize her.  Some might be unhappy that Davies spends most of the film as the ugly character but I think she deserves credit for it.  Bacon's direction never really comes alive as the movie never contains enough energy or laughs to keep moving.  Fans of the cast will certainly want to check this out but others should stay clear. 

Zeeland: The Hidden Paradise (1935)
 

Ruth FitzPatrick
 

Early entry in MGM's TravelTalks series is also one of their best.  We visit the small Dutch province of Zeeland, which as James A. FitzPatrick says best, is a hidden jewel of a community.  Here we learn why different religions might where different clothing, why wooden shoes aren't allowed to be worn inside and we get to see some special cows being milked.  We also learn that the Dutch are constantly cleaning their houses and that includes painting them each year and sweeping in front of them daily.  This is certainly one of the best shorts in the series because after these 9-minutes you can't help but really feel like you know the people living there.  Unlike many of the future entries in the series, this one here goes into great detail about everything they talk about and throw out constantly interesting facts about the people and place.  Even if you're not a fan of the series, you should enjoy this one.

Colorful Bombay (1937)
 

James A. FitzPatrick's TravelTalks series travel to India where we get to see both the rich side of Bombay as well as the poor side.  We learn that many ten-year-old girls are married off for religious reasons and that in the past many of them would jump into a fire after their husband's death as it was thought they couldn't live without the other.  We also see some rather strange fish for sale, how a house is built and how the men and women must share all duties.  This is yet another interesting entry in the long-running MGM series.  If you've seen one then you should know what to expect.  Once again the Technicolor really brings the locations to life and FitzPatrick offers up some nice narration for us. 
 

One for the Book (1940)
 

Roy Mack
 

Decent musical from Warner features Betty Hutton playing a singing Cinderella.  The film takes place on a book shelf where several famous characters come out of the books for some nice music.  Captain Kidd, Huck Finn, Ben-Hur, Rip Van Winkle and Robinson Crusoe are a few of the other characters who show up.  Fans of Hutton will certainly want to check this short out as she clearly steals the film with her Jitterbug singing that really packs a nice punch and makes for a fun time.  The story itself doesn't make a bit of sense and at times gets downright confusing but we can overlook this.  Some will probably be offended by the politically incorrect humor, which includes actors in blackface talking black slang.  Having seen enough of this humor, I know this is just a part of film history so I don't get offended by it even though it's incredibly out of touch with today's common sense.  With that said, it really brings the film down because the humor is just lame and not funny at all. 

 

Orphan (2009)
 

Jaume Collet-Serra

A couple (Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard) who recently lost a child, adopt a young girl (Isabelle Fuhrman) from Russia.  At first everything seems to be going fine but soon the mother seems to think the new addition to their home has a few secrets.  I remember seeing the trailer for this thing many months ago and rolling my eyes asking myself why anyone would think we needed yet another bad child movie.  Well, this is just more proof that one should never think something has been done to death because if someone is willing to go out there than they can deliver something unlike anything we've seen before.  Outside a couple flaws here and there, this is without question the best adult horror film for many, many years.  I saw adult because any horror movie can have a R-rating but that doesn't mean adult as usually it's just gore and violence for teenagers.  This film here is first and foremost a drama because that's where all the character development comes from.  We learn to care for this family because of everything going on and the actors perfectly bring these characters to life to the point where we see their lives go through various ups and downs.  It's this caring that makes the horror elements work so well.  I've seen so many trashy horror movies over the years that I've become quite jaded but that was erased here because this is certainly one of the most chilling and haunting horror films in decades.  There are certain lines that don't get crossed in any movie but they're crossed here several times.  Just when you think you know what's going on, something will happen and that will have you hanging off the edge of your seat because you know that the film is willing to take you places that most won't.  The big twist, which I won't reveal, worked masterfully well.  That's all I'll say about it.  The performances are what really makes the drama work so well with Farmiga delivering another great one.  She was impressive in THE DEPARTED and just keeps getting better and better.  The raw emotions that she displays are brilliant.  Sarsgaard also comes off wonderfully well as does character actress CCH Pounder.  Jimmy Bennett and especially Aryana Engineer are great as the children.  Then there's Isabelle Fuhrman as the bad one.  She's masterfully perfect here and some will compare her to the breakthrough of Linda Blair in THE EXORCIST but I thought she was even better.  Her character is a mature one and an intelligent one and one false step would have ruined this but the young actress nails it perfectly and comes off quite terrifying.  The film does have a few flaws including the needlessly bloody opening sequence as well as some fake scares that really weren't needed.  The entire film has a wonderfully dark and creepy atmosphere with the final thirty-minutes packing one terrific punch in terms of suspense. 
 

Mike, I have yet to hear someone say they didn't enjoy ORPHAN. It's really a powerful surprise hit, so to speak (not box office wise though, is it?). I think positive word of mouth has helped it out. I went to Florida this month for a week and my mom said she'd been thinking of seeing it, so my wife and I went to the theater down there to see it with her, along with my stepfather (who really didn't want to go). Both of them thought this was a terrific film, not what they were expecting. Later on my mom was recommending the movie to some friends of hers at dinner.

I have heard at least one guy on another forum guess the ending, but sometimes that's the risk when someone says there's a "twist"; then people do begin to think about what it might be. For me, I went into the movie not knowing anything about it having a twist; I just figured it was going to be yet another typical evil seed flick (yawn).  I'm sure you're at least partly referring to me as someone who's given up because so many movie ideas are "done to death" by now, and I am glad I took this chance. I really wasn't all that keen on seeing it but I'm glad my wife and her friend convinced me. I've also thought about boosting my rating to another half star after seeing it the second time.  

No, I wasn't just meaning you.  I would have seen this film after all the glowing reviews but, as I said, when I saw the trailer I rolled my eyes.  But it is why I try to never say I won't watch something because you never know where that gem is going to come from.  Even if something has been done to death, or is a remake or is coming from a hack director, there's always a chance of everything coming together for a great film. 

The key to making money with a horror film is that it must be a piece of shit.  ORPHAN, DRAG ME TO HELL and THE PERFECT GETAWAY have been getting very solid reviews but they all ended up "busting" at the box office.  I'm sure the first two made some money back but even PROM NIGHT made more in its first weekend at the box office.  I'm sure HALLOWEEN 2, SAW whatever and various other "bad" films are going to end up making more.  People want trash no matter what genre.  My friend I drove to Louisville with said THE PERFECT GETAWAY was even better in terms of a horror film so I'm going to try and check it out this week.

Michael,


Have you been rummaging through my movie collection again? I've acquired the 3 movies listed underneath very recently myself but, perhaps unsurprsingly, have yet to watch any of them. At least, you seemed to like the last 2 a mite better than 'The Maltin Gang' who rated them both as a BOMB! 

District 9 - My wife fell asleep during this movie, and she might have had the better time. While the special effects are impressive and some of the social commentary is intriguing, it's marred by some poor filmmaking decisions. Never mind the veritable mountain of unanswered questions regarding the aliens. There are bigger problems here. The documentary style hurts a lot more than it helps. Blomkamp uses it to add a dimension of realism, but abandons it (or severely stretches it) when it suits his purposes, such as reaching for a formulaic emotional beat. Ultimately it ends up being shaky-cam and closed circuit footage just for the hell of it. And the allegorical nature of the film is extremely blunt, almost insultingly so at times. Okay, doing it with a sci-fi/alien twist is kind of interesting, but only for so long. Which is perhaps why it ends up following the Generic Action Flick template by the end. I did like there was a certain amount of complexity to the main character... at least until his final arc which veers into clichédom. I didn't outright hate the movie, but it was pretty disappointing. Rating: 5


Fish, Underground - Rather blah short from Tsai. I liked the individual elements... the fish, the tunnels, the stripper, the vaguely religious performers(?). But the combination of them is deliberately oblique in a way that Tsai rarely engages in. I'd expect this kind of thing from him earlier in his career, not sandwiched between two of his best films. Rating: 6


Guernica - Very early short film by Kusturica, about a Jewish couple trying to shelter their young son from the Nazis. Not much at all like his other work, but good. The cinematography is very nice and the incorporation of the Picasso into the narrative was pretty clever, I thought. A minor but satisfying morsel. Rating: 7

Inside Rooms: 26 Bathrooms, London & Oxfordshire, 1985 - Another showcase for Greenaway's wit, eccentricity and obsessive numbering. The title is self-explanatory: 26 bathrooms, 26 letters ("D is for Dental Hygiene", "W is for Washing the Dog") in roughly 26 minutes. Greenaway demystifies the most private of rooms with a number of subjects discussing the history, aesthetics and philosophy of bathrooms. Most of the bathrooms are unusual in some way, although a few are quite ordinary. Greenaway's compulsive ordering creates a sense of anticipation (what will #15 be like?) and also serves to highlight the differences more than the similarities. Another fun and unusual piece, with another terrific Nyman score. Rating: 8


Creation - I really ought to dig into my Criterion set again and re-evaluate my position on Brakhage. Lately it seems like I'm watching his stuff more in the name of hoarding than genuine interest. It's a normal function of art to make the audience ask, "Am I being sold a line of horseshit here?" The problem arises when you begin to believe the answer is yes. Is there an artistry to this frenetically edited pile of nature footage (mostly glaciers and forests)? Or is it just another in an endless stream of hastily slapped-together home movies masquerading as art? At any rate, certainly not all Brakhage is equal. This one didn't annoy me like some of his work does, but I didn't get a whole lot out of it either. Rating: 6


Postava k podpírání (Joseph Killian) - I can't remember what prompted me to check out this short film by Pavel Juracek, but I'm so glad I did and now anxious to check out his other work. A surrealist tribute to Kafka, wrapped in an anti-Communist context. A man rents a cat, but when he tries to return it the next day, the cat rental shop has vanished. What follows is an epic struggle to correct the situation. Though not based on any Kafka story, all the familiar themes are there: paranoia, alienation, excessive bureaucracy, confusing architecture, uncomfortable self-awareness... even the odd rhythms mimic Kafka's prose. A couple of the more random elements were a little unnecessary, but other than that I was really bowled over. I'm now fantasizing about a deluxe edition of The Trial with this as a bonus feature (on Blu-Ray, naturally). Rating: 10

Perfect Getaway, A (2009)
 

David Twohy
 

The "old dark house" genre was made famous back in the silent days as we'd get a group of people in one house with the idea that one of them is a killer.  That basic idea continues with this film, although instead of a house we're treated the beautiful locations of Hawaii.  A newlywed couple (Steve Zahn, Milla Jovovich) are on their honeymoon in Hawaii and decide to go on an eleven mile hike.  Half way through the hike they learn that another newlywed couple were butchered.  The film then has our couple meeting two other couples (Timothy Olyphant/Kiele Sanchez, Marley Shelton, Chris Hemsworth) with the possibility that one of them are the murderers.  This 97-minute movie is pure buildup for the final ten minutes when the twist is revealed.  I certainly won't reveal the twist but I must say I was somewhat letdown by it but not enough to really enjoy the film.  This is the type of movie that gives you a rather simple idea and then works every little inch out of it and in the end we're left with a pretty tense little thriller that is sadly being marketed as a horror movie, which might keep some people away.  The film benefits from the great locations, terrific acting and some nice direction.  All six leads do a terrific job and it was great seeing someone like Zahn get the leading role.  He's basically played supporting roles most of his career but he has no problem carrying the film here.  He and Jovovich have great chemistry together and work well with the other cast members.  Olyphant clearly steals the film as the ex-soldier who is hiding a few secrets of his own.  Another very positive thing about this film is that the majority of it takes place during the daylight so there's nothing jumping out of the shadows at night.  I think it's brave to try and build suspense during the day but the director pulls it off perfectly.  The 2.35:1 aspect ratio picks up the entire beauty of the island, which really becomes a character all by itself.  The film is up for a lot of debate over the twists and turns it takes, which is good.  Discussion never hurts a movie and I'm sure people will be discussing what happens here.  I personally found it to be a cheat but a lot of thrillers do this.  No matter how one feels about the twists there's really no denying that there's still a lot of fun and tension building up to the final moments.
 

La femme mariée de Nam Xuong - Anh Hung Tran's student film. A young mother cares for her infant son while her husband is away on some sort of vague mission of violence. Like all his work, the compositions are stunningly beautiful and the film has a languid, peaceful pace, even though the subject matter has a disturbing undercurrent. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite figure out what the subject matter was. Tran's message here is perhaps a little too subtle for me (the short was not subtitled, but there was very little dialogue, so I don't think that was the problem). Very nice to look at with some stuff to think about, but a bit too oblique. Rating: 6


La pierre de l'attente - Tran's second film is a lot like the first, in certain superficialities. Tran Nu Yen-Khe (Tran's own achingly gorgeous spouse, who's in all his films) as the wife, Lam Le as the husband, and a baby, and mostly taking place in a small dwelling. But beyond that, they're quite different. It opens with onscreen text relating a classic folktale, and the film is a modern retelling of that tale. It's both a poignant story and a comment on the fates of boat people, and while it doesn't do a spectacular job at either one, it's satisfying enough. Lovely images once again. Rating: 7

Watchmen - I read the graphic novel, but that was 20 years ago. I can't remember much of anything about it, not even if I liked it. And I've managed to avoid most discussion about the movie. So I went in with a clean slate, no preconceptions, no expectations, just a desire to give it a fair shot. Besides nitpicky things (Rorschach's voice, a truly horrible sex scene, the worst Nixon impersonation/makeup ever), my only big problem is the compulsive need to underscore everything with a meaningful pop song, news report, photograph, graffiti scrawl. It's okay once in a while, but here it's done so often (and not particularly well) that it starts to elicit groans. But other than that, it's fun. Not as fun as, say, Sin City, which was more gleeful and inventive with its over-the-top sex and violence. Superhero movies usually aren't my bag, even ones with a heavy dose of irony, but I was able to put aside my prejudices and just go with the flow. I didn't love it, and the messages aren't as thoughtful as they're clearly meant to be, but I had a decent time with it. I dunno, maybe I'm trying too hard to be nice now. Rating: 7

Saint's Double Trouble, The (1940)
 

Jack Hively

Fourth film in the popular RKO series is perhaps the weakest.  This time out The Saint, aka Simon Templar (George Sanders), is wanted by the police for a string of robberies.  He didn't actually commit the crimes and must prove his innocence by tracking down the thief who is his double.  I made a major mistake by watching this film first from the series and I say mistake because after watching this many might not want to try the others out, which would be a shame as the series actually delivered some pretty good movies.  This one here is without question one of the weakest as even Sanders appears to be bored out of his mind.  The biggest problem is that the actual story is just too far fetched to be believed.  Yes, I know all of these detective films require some wild things to happen but what goes on here, in terms of the double, is just silly and will have your rolling your eyes.  Helene Whitney is also quite boring in her part but Jonathan Hale delivers some nice work.  He also gets the best scene in the movie when The Saint is daring him to shoot him.  The payoff here is quite nice.  Bela Lugosi is wasted in his fourth-billed role.  It's a shame they couldn't have spiced his part up just a bit.  If you're new to the series you certainly won't want to start here.  If you're a Lugosi nut just wanting to see him, forget about it because he isn't here long enough to do much.  An all around disappointing entry.

 

Money to Loan (1939)
 

Joseph M. Newman
 

Another winning entry in the Crime Does Not Pay series from MGM.  This, the 21st entry, talks about loan sharks and the evil they do.  Many desperate people are needing money so they go to a new loan shark in town but soon he is beating them, stalking them and doing worse in order to get them to pay back their loans.  Many people are hard on this series saying that they seem like moral plays with someone on a soap box preaching.  I've never agreed with a statement like that because this is one of my favorite series but I must admit that this one here is way too preachy.  The movie goes way too far out in order to show how mean loan sharks are and I think the message could have gotten across without so many "look how mean they are" sequences.  Alan Dinehart is very good as the main shark and Paul Guilfoyle steals the film has his gun carrying sidekick.  There's some nice drama in the film but I still wish they had cut back on some of the preaching.  With that said, fans of the series should still find plenty of entertainment here.
 

My Name is Julia Ross (1945)
 

Joseph H. Lewis
 

Intense thriller has a broke woman (Nina Foch) accepting a live-in job where she is to work as a secretary for a kind woman (Dame May Whitty) and her son (George Macready).  The woman shows up at the house but wakes up the next morning with the mom and son trying to tell her that she's his long lost wife.  What's really going on is that they're going to hold this woman captive in hopes of driving her crazy.  This here is a film I had never heard about until it came up on Turner Classic Movies and host Robert Osbourne wasn't lying when he said it needed a new crowd to discover it.  This "B" movie from Columbia runs a very fast paced 66-minutes and for the most part it's one of the best of its type.  The film has an ultra low-budget but that just adds tot he entertainment because it has to rely on its story, which is a pretty strong one and we also get some very strong performances.  What works best is without question the story because driving someone crazy has always been a part of movies but the way it plays out here is pretty tense and makes for some very thrilling moments.  The attempts at escape, the trying to convince people she's sane and so on just makes for some great entertainment.  Foch clearly steals the film as the woman facing death and who must out smart her kidnappers.  Foch has a certain quality that makes us care for her but at the same time she comes off very strong and this benefits her character a lot.  Both Whitty and Macready are perfect as well and they make for some very memorable villains.  The evilness and coldness that both display while also appearing so calm and sweet was great fun to watch.  Some people have called this a noir and perhaps there are elements of it but it would also serve well in the horror genre as there's an underlying creepiness built by the atmosphere.  The Gothic settings are certainly a decade or so before they'd become popular and the mother/son relationship is being done long before PSYCHO.  It's certainly a shame this movie isn't better known but perhaps that'll change in the next few years.
 

Escape in the Fog (1945)
 

Budd Boetticher
 

Early film for director Boetticher has a former Army nurse (Nina Foch) dreaming about her walking through the fog when they witness two men trying to kill another.  She screams in fear and wakes up from the dream only to have the man (William Wright) who was about to be killed enter her room.  The two hit it off but what she doesn't know is that he's spy who might actually have people out to kill him.  This is a pretty bland "B" movie that doesn't have too much going for it.  It's certainly not a horrid movie and it might be a good way to kill 65-minutes if you enjoy watching this type of stuff in the early mornings on TCM but the director would certainly go onto much better movies.  This is the type of movie that might keep you entertained while watching it but a couple minutes after the end credits you've pretty much forgotten everything you've seen.  While there's nothing overly bad here, there's really nothing good either.  Boetticher's direction is pretty hit and miss.  He keeps the film moving at a good pace, which is a good thing but the movie goes for psychological thrills but never really grasps this.  The use of premonitions play a big part in the film yet they never really come off eerie, creepy or overly realistic.  Foch is easy to look at but her performance is also rather hit and miss.  Wright brings some charm to his character but Otto Kruger is wasted in his role.  The second half of the film deals with an important package that must be tracked down but it's just not very interesting.  On a side note, the action takes place on the Golden Gate bridge with one character asking Noch's if she is thinking of killing herself.  It's interesting to note that the 2006 documentary delt with suicides off this bridge so apparently they were well known back when this was filmed as well.  
 

Inside Passage, The (1941)
 

James A. FitzPatrick
 

A rather bland and disappointing entry in James A. FitzPatrick's TravelTalks series.  This time out we visit Alaska where we learn that it's not always cold, that not everyone is an Eskimo and that they contain some of the most up-to-date Indian tribes.  If that doesn't sound like your typical TravelTalks episode then you'd be correct.  I was pretty disappointed that this short didn't take better advantage and show off Alaska better than it did.  A lot of the information we're told is rather useless and I'm not sure how many in 1941 would have even been interested.  The film kicks off with FitzPatrick telling us that Alaska was being used for WW2 refugees and that's that.  As usual, the Technicolor is the main highlight but it's a shame they didn't show us more than they did.
 

On With the Show! (1929)
 

Alan Crosland
 

This early sound film from Warner was actually the first full sound musical to be show in color but sadly the color version (2-strip Technicolor) is now lost.  What remains is the B&W version, although recently one-minute worth of color footage was found.  This film is clearly Warner's reply to MGM's THE BROADWAY MELODY as we get all the backstage drama of a show currently going on.  We'll see a musical act or comic team and then we see what's going on backstage.  This routine carries from start to finish as we get involved with various stories ranging from a boy needing to send money to his sick mother to an actor trying to steal scenes from another.  Fans of history in terms of movies will probably want to check this out but all others should stay clear as it hasn't aged too well (and I'm not sure it would have been considered good in 1929).  The movie is very dated in terms of production and being an early talkie we also have to put up with some pretty bad audio.  I'm not sure if the color version would have helped things but I'm going to guess it would have at least given us some pretty things to look at.  I've never been a fan of Crosland's and that includes his most popular film THE JAZZ SINGER.  His direction here is a lot more upbeat as he at least keeps the camera moving and doesn't just settle on one set up and shot.  Betty Compson is good in her role and a somewhat laid back Joe E. Brown is as well.  The majority of the acting is pretty bad here but the dance and music numbers usually make up for it.  It's also worth noting that the black actors in the film are played by blacks and not just whites in blackface.  Another thing that does keep the film moving are some nice pre-code images from backstage with the women undressing and walking around in skimpy outfits.  With that said, there's not enough here to warrant a 102-minute running time and by the half way part you'll be squirming in your chair making this a rather hard film to sit through. 

 

Age 13 (1955)
 

Arthur Swerdloff

Interesting drama about a 13-year-old boy named Andrew (Michael Keslin) whose life turns upside down after his mother dies.  He is forced to live with the stepfather who really doesn't understand him and soon the boy starts to turn violent and steal.  Producer Sid Davis is probably the main source to a lot of the material here even though director/screenwriter Swerdloff gets most of the credit.  As with other Davis shorts, this one here was shot silent and then narration and voice overs were added at a later time.  I think this takes some away from the film because some of the dubbed voices just don't match with the actors on screen.  With that said, this is still an impressive educational short that runs smoothly and quickly.  The 27-minute running time flashes by thanks to a good performance by the young Keslin.  The kid certainly isn't remembered today but he's still quite good here.  The supporting players are a tad bit rough as is the entire film.  The ultra low-budget makes for a more realistic picture, which is a good thing in a movie like this. 
 

Every Girl's Dream (1966)
 

MGM co-produced this short with the National Cotton Council (?!?!) and shows us 1966's Maid of Cotton, Nancy Bernard.  The young lady wins the contest, which gets her a tour of the MGM studio where she gets to see various sets including work being done by Doris Day and Rod Taylor on THE GLASS BOTTOM BOAT.  The main goal of this film is to show off the film but there's also plenty of talk about the cotton in various costumes.  This 9-minute short also gets two narrators, one male and one female, which I think is a first for me, which is saying something considering how many shorts I do watch.  Another strange thing is that this was filmed in B&W and we have the narrators having to tell us what colors the clothes are.  I really don't understand why they didn't use color but it's interesting to see the movie clips are also in B&W even though the actual movie is color.
 

Of Mice and Men (1939)
 

Lewis Milestone
 

A true masterpiece of the genre has Burgess Meredith playing George, the simple man who takes care of the soft hearted but dumb Lennie (Lon Chaney, Jr.).  The two men get work on a ranch where they dream of owning their own land but fate always has a way of finding Lennie.  Even though this film has the reputation of being a classic, I can't help but wonder why it isn't talked about more when it comes to some of the all time great movies.  I'm going to guess the movie is often overlooked because it comes from 1939, the same year that gave us films like GONE WITH THE WIND, THE WIZARD OF OZ and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON to name just a few.  The masterful performance by Chaney is probably overlooked because most people remember him mainly for his horror roles.  Both reasons are understandable but there's no question this movie packs on emotional and peaceful punch that can't be topped by too many movies.  Producer Hal Roach rushed this film into production to beat John Ford's THE GRAPES OF WRATH into theaters but you really can't tell.  The direction, cinematography, screenplay and acting are so wonderful that you can't help but fall in love with the film.  Chaney clearly steals the show as the dimwitted Lennie.  That childlike quality that Chaney brings to the role is unforgettable and the sympathy he gains is unmatched.  The film shows what a great actor Chaney could be if given the right parts.  It's a shame he didn't get to do more dramatic roles in his career.  Meredith, a fine character actor, is another one who never got enough credit in his career.  He delivers a remarkable performance here that perfectly balances out the friendship between his character and Lennie.  The real surprise comes in how terrific the supporting players are led by Charles Bickford's wonderful work as the tough guy in the group.  Bob Steele, Roman Bohnen, Noah Beery, Jr. and Betty Field are all terrific as well.  The film deals with a lot of subjects as one could argue the entire film is a moral drama.  We deal with racism, abuse, personal torture and various other subjects but the film never comes off preachy.  The ending, which I'm sure most people know even if they haven't seen any of the movies, packs a tremendous punch. 

 

Snake Island (2002)
 

Wayne Crawford
 

Another "nature strikes back" flick this time set on, you guessed it, Snake Island.  A group of strangers get stuck on the island when they learn that it has a reputation of being infested by various deadly snakes.  One by one the guests are picked off.  This certainly isn't a masterpiece of the genre but if you're a fan of these nature movies then you'll probably want to check this one out.  I'm personally terrified of snakes so that causes me to be creeped out by movies like this whereas others might just roll their eyes and move on.  Overall this isn't the best movie out there but there are several pluses to be had here.  For starters, the performances are all rather good and makes for some nice characters.  Director Crawford is good as the tour guide and William Katt turns in fine work as an author.  Both men are clearly the best of the cast but the supporting players aren't too bad either.  Real, rubber and CGI snakes are used throughout the film with the real ones working the best.  The CGI ones are incredibly fake looking but they're certainly more realistic than those seen in something like PYTHON or its sequel.  The attacks are all rather tame in terms of lack of violence and gore but I didn't have a problem with this as the director at least tries to build them up around suspense instead of the red stuff.  What doesn't work with the film is its 95-minute running time, which was a tad bit long as the film starts to wear off its welcome after the hour mark.  Another negative is an incredibly stupid snake dance half way through the picture.  The director does throw male viewers some nudity, which I'm sure plenty will enjoy.  If you're not a fan of this genre then I doubt this movie will turn you into a fan.
 

Somewhat Secret (1939)
 

Sammy Lee
 

Fun spirited MGM short has an uptight Assistant Dean (Mary Howard) at an all girls school refusing to let the students listen to swing music.  A gossiping student informs her that the girls have snuck off to a joint in Atlantic City and when the dean goes there she sees her fiance performing the music.  There were quite a few shorts made around this time dealing with swing or jitterbug and this here is without question one of the more entertaining ones.  It's always fun to see this uptight teachers get knocked down a few blocks by realizing music isn't going to make people go crazy.  In the end this is really a message picture to those against this type of music but it's a lot of fun from start to finish.  The real highlight are a couple musical numbers, which will certainly have your leg shaking. 

Good Bad Girl, The (1931)
 

Roy William Neill

When people think of Mae Clarke and 1931 they'll probably think of three things.  First would be James Cagney smashing a grapefruit in your face in THE PUBLIC ENEMY.  Second would be the underrated masterpiece called WATERLOO BRIDGE.  Third would be her getting chased by Boris Karloff in FRANKENSTEIN.  Three masterpieces in one year is quite impressive so one can overlook this "other" film.  Here she plays Marcia Cameron, a woman who finally catches a break and marries a good guy (James Hall) but her past is going to cost her everything.  Her ex, a gangster (Robert Ellis), asks her to visit him in prison, which eventually leaks to the media and doesn't sit too well with the family of her new man.  As the title says, this here is yet another tale of a bad girl with the heart of gold.  Clarke is pretty good in the role but there are still quite a few problems with this film.  The biggest one is Ellis who perhaps turns in the worst performance I've seen anyone give as a gangster.  I've seen countless crime films in my life and I honestly can't think of anyone worst.  Just check out the early scenes when he's threatening Clarke that she had better not be cheating on him.  He's suppose to be menacing here but one can't help but laugh.  Seeing him try to act rough and tough just had me wanting to break down laughing because of how forced it was.  The supporting cast really isn't much better with Marie Prevost coming off quite annoying as Clarke's friend.  The story is predictable from start to finish, although the sequence where Clarke's confronted by her new husband's parents was pretty good.  It's also funny that one line goes: "My name is Bond...Trixie Bond." 
 

Some notable movies seen lately (out of )

La Moustache 
Oh, those wacky French. A man shaves off his trademark moustache and his wife and friends claim he never had one in the first place precipitating a personal crisis.  I am just not smart enough to figure out this movie.

Red Circle   
I enjoyed this a little less than some of the other Melville movies I have been watching.  It seems that somewhere along the way, Melville became a little too obsessed with the style of his movies and this one is a bit pretentious.  The plot gets murky towards the end and it's too long but there are many great touches and sequences.  The really cool scene is Delon spinning his car through the muddy field and then ordering Volonte out of the trunk.  Also Volonte's escape through the window is a great shot.

Zebraman    1/2
I have been slowing down on Miike's films (it is exhausting trying to keep up!) but this one is one of his best if you are tuned into his sensibility.  The plot is pure craziness - it concerns the transformation of a meek schoolteacher into the titular superhero who has to fight an alien invasion and recover his self-respect.  Miike stays in PG-13 territory for this entertaining and somewhat moving effort. 

Fermat's Room
As a mathematician it is a pleasure to watch something that takes Math puzzles and Goldbach's Conjecture as its subject matter and ties them into a neat little thriller.

Pin
Weird story of a young man who has become a little too obsessed with a plastic medical doll whom he projects one side of his own personality onto.  This movie covers a lot of strange ground in the first half (let's just say that his family upbringing was a little abnormal) but I found the second half less impressive and  alittle predictable.  In fact I was more interested in the boys' father as a character.  I would like to have seen a whole movie about him.

Frozen River   1/2
Superior underplayed drama of non-Hollywood characters with two superb lead performances.  I have been a Melissa Leo fan since Homicide and was glad to see her get some wider recognition.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist 
Cute movie (a little too cute) about music, love and the joy of being young in the city. 

Election (2005) 
Excellent gangster saga about an election for the new head of a Triad group and what happens when the loser won't accept the result.  A lot of the first half is taken up with the political maneuverings involved in the election and the action steps up wth the fight to control a symbolic baton.  As usual, Hong Kong director, Johnnie To (who is going to remake Red Circle), combines thoughtful character interplay with well-staged great action scenes.  He also delivers a fantastic ending. 

Final Terror  1/2
A bunch of campers get menaced by a mysterious attacker.  This one is notable for the presence of Daryl Hannah, Rachel Ward and Joe Pantialano in the cast and Andrew Davis as director all of whom would go on to better things.  The set-up is just OK but the last 30 minutes is quite tense.  The budget DVD looks terrible.

Rio Bravo  1/2
Pure entertainment.  I was surprised how much I liked this one.
Edited by Sandro - 8/21/09 at 1:24pm