Track the Films You Watch (2006) - Page 66

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Quote (originally posted by Sandro):

“Mario, I think you nailed it on Nazarin. The point is that Bunuel is also satirizing the priest and the strict tenets of a religion that will not bend on any points. Of course those who are bending the rules don't get a lot of sympathy either.

Last year TCM played about 5 movies by Bunuel and I was completely astounded by all of them. They are intelligent, sophisticated and uncompromising films yet also humorous.”

Thanks, Sandro…it’s always nice to know that new “converts” are joining the Bunuel cause! As for the “nailing” part, you yourself nailed the main reason why Bunuel is my all-time favorite film-maker: the humor. He may treat Catholic hypocrisy, bourgeois mores, sexual depravity, poverty and any other subject you would care to mention but Bunuel is sure to imbue it with his unique brand of humor while still making a personal, lucid, sophisticated statement on the matter…which is the beauty of it! It’s very easy to satirize and make fun of something but not many directors were able to join the two things together so skillfully and yet seemingly effortlessly.


Quotes (originally posted by Michael Elliott):

“Re: NAZARIN

Bunuel's point and message just didn't work with me. I forgot to mention the priest being a Jesus like thing but this is the part that I found too overbearing. I think the film would have worked better for me had it been a little more laid back and not so much in my face. As you can see, I didn't write too much about it because it really didn't hit me the way I think the director wanted it to. There were a few times throughout the film where I wanted to hit the priest like the others.”

Again, the priest is shown as getting (mildly) angry at his tormentors while in prison – just as Jesus blew his top with the merchants that one time in the Temple!


”Re: THE YOUNG ONE

If you remember, I watched the first twenty minutes of this back in March but the disc froze up and I just got a replacement a few weeks back. I enjoyed what I watched back then and I loved the rest of the film when I finally watched it last night. The point about Meyer is a good one (and got me thinking about his BLACKSNAKE) but I was also curious if Bunuel had seen the 1938 film CHILD BRIDE, which features a few similar scenes.

As for the film's rep and Maltin's poor review, IMO this has something to do with its graphic subject matter and the fact that this doesn't seem like any Bunuel film I've seen. Again, the racial slurs and talks are very graphic and certainly a lot more "on target" than the previous Poitier films or even future films that deal with race. I'd say this film would be protested if it were made today so it was rather shocking to see this stuff in a 1960 film. We could talk about the sexuality and rape as well in regards to a film from 1960.”

I’ve never heard of CHILD BRIDE (1938) myself until now but since Bunuel lived for a time in the U.S. (between the late 1930s and mid-1940s) it would not have been impossible for him to have seen that film during its original release. Having said that, Bunuel’s most celebrated “inspirations” from Hollywood are the burning of the wax dummy seen in THE CRIMINAL LIFE OF ARCHIBALDO DE LA CRUZ (1955) – taken from MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSUEM (1933) and the walking hand seen in THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL (1962) – taken from THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS (1946)!


”I had meant to follow these two up with ILLUSIONS TRAVELED BY A STREETCAR (I think that's the title) but something else came up.”

The correct title is ILLUSION TRAVELS BY STREETCAR (1954) – although the print which the National Film Theatre will be screening in January is being called RUNAWAY STREETCAR in their booklet. By the way, I’ve just been to my travel agent and I’ve made all the necessary travel and accomodation arrangements to enable me to attend part of the Bunuel retrospective between the 13th and the 28th of January 2007! The plan is for me to watch 17 Bunuel films, 12 animated shorts by Norman McLaren, 6 Humphrey Bogart movies, 3 with Lauren Bacall, 4 featuring the Bogart/Bacall team and 2 of the so-called British “Quota” quickies which were imposed by the Government in the 1930s.


”Re: THE WICKER MAN

I think, as a fan, you're being rather tough on the film. You asked where certain things were in the remake compared to the original but I'm thankful we didn't get a direct remake. I didn't like all the changes but at least something was altered. At the very least I feel the film deserves at least a half star rating for:”

The reason why the fervently Catholic virgin character in the original, as played by Edward Woodward, was chosen by the Pagan community for their human sacrifice made sense because the beliefs of both parties were portrayed so convincingly. Here, Nicolas Cage is just another police officer whose only reason to be invited to the island is because he once was engaged to one of its inhabitants; as for the Summersislanders, I didn’t believe in their “religious” zeal for an instant. As for the ending, had they changed that they might as well have scrapped the title, no? Not much integrity there I reckon…

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

49th Parallel (1941) 7/10
Wartime propaganda film from Powell and Pressburger, mainly about a German submarine crew that's stranded in Canada during an operation when their ship is bombed. Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, and Raymond Massey are top-billed, but none of them are in it very much. Howard and Massey don't show up until the last 30 minutes or so. Not a bad movie overall, and some of the scenes of the Germans in an Amish-like community are pretty good. But it goes on for too long, and some of the propagandizing is fairly transparent and silly. I'd say that The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp was a much more successful exercise in wartime propaganda from Powell and Pressburger, where they got the message across within a great story about some very compelling characters.

Stolen Face (1952) 6/10
Paul Henreid and Lizabeth Scott star in this British-made film that ends up being a weird cross between Pygmalion and Vertigo, with Henreid playing a plastic surgeon who tries to compensate for not being able to be with the woman he loves. The two stars are both pretty good, and the last third of the story has at least some dramatic interest, but most of the romantic setup before that is too dull to work.

Hollow Triumph (1948) 8/10
Paul Henreid stars in this B-movie noir, also known as The Scar, about an ex-convict on the run from a less than successful heist, when he happens upon a doctor whose identity he might be able to steal. The all-too-convenient central plot point revolves around Henried playing both roles, which is pretty silly, but it's very well-made. The cinematography by John Alton, one of the great masters of the noir era, enhances all of the crime-related sequences, which are terrific and really suspenseful. I was able to see this one in a good print at a screening, which helped to bring out the strength of the photography.

Lady in the Death House (1944) 4/10
The second part of a double feature with Hollow Triumph, both by the same director, Steve Sekely. It's a Poverty Row quickie (only 56 minutes long) centering around the premise of an innocent woman on death row for murder whose amorous admirer just happens to be the executioner himself, who thus finds himself in the somewhat awkward position of having to pull the switch on her. But most of the story centers on a criminologist, played by Lionel Atwill, who fills in the backstory for a group of reporters while trying to piece together enough evidence to exonerate the young woman.

The central premise could, in theory, make for a decent noir plotline, but the dreadful script of this stinker is only good for a few unintentional laughs, which is all that prevents me from giving it an even lower rating. One line that had the screening audience in stitches was when the executioner turns conscientious at the last minute and refuses to pull the switch, only to have another prison official appeal to him by saying, "Think of the poor girl! You can't just leave her waiting there!" Well, actually, under the circumstances...

Lionel Atwill was obviously hard-up for work to be doing silly junk like this, and indeed it appears (I didn't know this before looking it up after seeing this movie) that he was still suffering from the after-effects of a scandal of the previous couple of years that had centered around some debauchery that had taken place at his home.

Strange Cargo (1940) 6/10
Clark Gable and Joan Crawford headline this story about escapees from a French penal colony, with a mysterious inmate along for the ride who seems to have a preternatural sense of what things are going to happen next. Gable and Crawford have a few good scenes together, and several top supporting players add some personality as well (Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre, and Eduard Cianelli among them), but the script is too weak to sustain the storyline. The premise of the all-seeing prisoner, which is apparently supposed to be some sort of Christ allegory, doesn't really come together in any coherent or interesting way.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

title: over the hedge
rating: c
comments: about standard for the genre. decent story, animation and voice acting made for an enjoyable time. unfortunately, nothing really set this over the top. good flick, but not much of a re-watchability factor.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Baby Face - (7 out of 10)

A very good pre code film (I watched the unreleased version) that is shocking and bald-faced in how it addresses sexuality and the exploitation of sexual favors for advancement. I was actually a little surprised a film as hard nosed as this did in fact go for the hollywood ending. Barbara Stanwyk is outstanding it's worth seeing the movie just for her performance. an excellent film from the era.

Adam

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

I'm glad you liked it and this is getting great reviews. I'm so pleased, because everyone kept snickering about the very idea of bringing Stallone back as Rocky and there have long been jokes from various films where they laught at the notion of "ROCKY - PART 86" and so on. Well, it looks like everyone is eating his words. I can't wait to see this myself (I might even be going today, not sure yet).

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

It's a Wonderful Life

It's a wonderful film, but I'm sure most have seen it, and have their own opinion one way or another.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Exactly what I wanted!

My mother and stepfather are in town for Christmas. They want to see it along with my wife and I, and also my sister and her husband and two of their kids. They're looking at an 8pm showing tonight but so far it's hard getting all plans squared away and everyone synchronized.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Nah... this would be a one-time thing I'd always remember for years to come. I hope we can all make it.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Casque d'or

I found the female lead in this film to be a so-so looking, obnoxiously irritating character. Since the whole premise of this film is that men would break their (admittedly warped) moral codes and even kill for her, this film really didn't work for me at all. No one else was likeable in the film either, and for all the killing and conniving going on, this is a remarkably boring film.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Wow, I don't think I've seen any review from George that I've disagreed with as much as this one, for Casque d'Or. Impressive work, George, you've outdone yourself! Fortunately, my next little batch of reviews will have one for which I was very happy to find myself in complete agreement with you.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

title: lady in the water
rating: c
comments: a tough movie to figure out and rate. in one sense it was silly and just ... stupid. but in another sense it was enchanting. giamatti does a wonderful job (especially with what he's given) and a likeable set of supporting actors really helped save this movie.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Haggai,

Disagreeing with my reviews is sort of the HTF national pastime.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Yes, of course; it's just that I'm impressed to see one review that outdoes all the rest of yours in prompting disagreement from me!

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Home Alone

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Saving some of the best Xmas movies for last. More to come.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

12/15/06: THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, 1938) ****

Possibly the greatest (and most celebrated) of swashbucklers, it’s also the best Robin Hood film (once again improving on Douglas Fairbanks’ already impressive Silent version) and Errol Flynn’s finest hour: delightful script (not only providing several great lines for the actors to sink their teeth into – Claude Rains’ Prince John in particular – but it’s put in the service of a plot which remains absorbing despite its over-familiarity), beautiful three-color cinematography (by no less than three top-notch cameramen!) and costumes, an outstanding and Oscar-winning Erich Wolfgang Korngold score (he virtually composed all of Flynn’s swashbucklers and some of the best Warner Bros. films from this period), expansive sets (Hollywood credibly standing in for 12th century England – Carl Jules Weyl’s art direction receiving another Oscar, with a third going to Ralph Dawson’s exciting editing).

It might well be the epitome of Hollywood entertainment during its golden era with the colorful legendary characters – all flawlessly enacted by one of the best casts ever brought together for one film – supplying comedy (and not just that involving Una O’Connor and Herbert Mundin, which I didn’t find as icky as I remembered it!), drama and romance (Flynn and Olivia De Havilland’s Maid Marian not only are cinema’s last word on this famous fictional couple, but their pairing here also proved to be the highpoint of their lengthy on-screen collaboration which stretched to 8 films); not forgetting, of course, countless unforgettable and stirring action scenes: the ambush in Sherwood Forest, the contest for the Golden Arrow, Robin’s escape from the gallows, the final storming of the castle (highlighted by one of the best-remembered duels ever to grace the silver screen between Flynn and Basil Rathbone’s Guy of Gisbourne), etc. Interestingly, three actors – Rathbone, Eugene Pallette and Montagu Love – would go on to co-star together again in another equally renowned swashbuckler, THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940; which I also just rewatched): Love, then, can be seen as well in yet one more similar film – the definitive 1937 version of THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (which is forthcoming on DVD from Warners as part of a “Literary Classics Collection” and coupled with its inferior 1952 scene-for-scene remake); incidentally, all of these classics virtually constitute the three top titles in the entire swashbuckling genre!

Curiously enough, the film was started by William Keighley (apart from having helmed the Flynn swashbuckler THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER [1937], he had been responsible for Warners’ previous venture into three-strip Technicolor GOD’S COUNTRY AND THE WOMAN [1937]). However, studio executives were dissatisfied with how the action sequences had turned out and summarily handed the film over to Michael Curtiz – who had directed Flynn in his two most popular vehicles up to this point, CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935) and THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936); neither he nor Flynn, apparently, were happy with this decision as they despised one another: nonetheless they made all of 12 films together, several of them bona-fide classics.

In the end, this has certainly made me want to pick up the “Errol Flynn Signature Collection” (also featuring a documentary on the notorious star) a.s.a.p. – especially since I haven’t watched these films for what seems like ages – but I won’t be doing so immediately, given that a second set is actually coming in March; that said, of the 10 films included, only 1 will be a first-time viewing for me – THE DAWN PATROL (1938) – but it would still be great to have these childhood favorites readily available on the new medium (rather than in the worn, and often colorized, prints I’ve had to make do with up till now)!

Needless to say, there have been scores of films about this popular character and, going by the IMDB, apart from the afore-mentioned 1922 Douglas Fairbanks ROBIN HOOD, I’ve also watched the following: THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD AND HIS MERRIE MEN (1952; a live-action Walt Disney version), SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1960; a Hammer Films effort directed by Terence Fisher and co-starring Peter Cushing as the Sheriff of Nottingham!), ROBIN HOOD (1973; the Disney animated feature), ROBIN AND MARIAN (1976), ROBIN HOOD (1991; TV) and ROBIN HOOD – PRINCE OF THIEVES (1991). Still, the IMDB listings appear to be incomplete, as at least the first two among those I would like to watch are omitted: THE BANDIT OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1946), ROGUES OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1950; Alan Hale’s third and last stab at the character of Little John, following those of the 1922 and 1938 classics!), THE MEN OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1954; if only because it’s directed by Val Guest), ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS (1964; a musicalized version featuring The Rat Pack and reset to 1920s Chicago), A CHALLENGE FOR ROBIN HOOD (1967; another Hammer Films variation), L’ARCIERE DI SHERWOOD (1970; a “Euro-Cult” obscurity directed by Giorgio Ferroni and starring Giuliano Gemma) and ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS (1993; the inevitable Mel Brooks spoof which, amazingly, I’ve yet to catch up with in its entirety!).


12/21/06: THE PASSENGER [Extended Version] (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1975) ***

While hardly ideal Christmas fare, my losing a chance to watch this one – as well as Bernardo Bertolucci’s THE CONFORMIST (1970) – on the big screen while I was in Los Angeles last year, made me leap at the chance to re-acquaint myself with it via this DVD rental. Still, I chose not to listen to the two Audio Commentaries included on Sony’s SE disc so as to leave me an incentive to pick it up eventually and add the film to my DVD collection.

Anyway, Michelangelo Antonioni’s third English-language effort was to have been one set in the Amazon jungle entitled TECHNICALLY SWEET, while the film he eventually wound up doing in its stead (the one under review here) was supposed to be co-screenwriter Mark Peploe’s directorial debut. In any case, once high-profile names like Jack Nicholson became attached to the project, the latter scenario soon became an impossibility and Antonioni stepped in. As was to be expected, he made the film entirely his own i.e. another deliberately-paced (and, in this particular case, rather hypnotic) treatise on the failure or inability of communication between human beings.

Nicholson stars as a famous journalist doing a reportage in the African desert who suddenly decides to give it all up and exchange identities with his next door neighbor who has conveniently died. The downside is that, unbeknownst to Nicholson, his new persona is a notorious gun-runner on the run [sic] from both the police and his own dangerous clients. As the film progresses, he is also being pursued by his wife (Jenny Runacre) and his boss (Ian Hendry) but he finds an unexpected – and willing – ally in a mysterious French girl (Maria Schneider). The film does not really explore why Nicholson chose to take on this new identity or why he keeps up the ruse even in the face of mounting danger and opposition but, atypically for Antonioni, the film’s latter half is undeniably exciting in its depiction of the various run-ins with the law, his concerned friends and deadly revolutionaries. Not that Alfred Hitchcock would have had any serious competition in this regard, mind you, but still…

The film’s major asset, apart from Nicholson’s presence obviously, is Luciano Tovoli’s gleaming cinematography of the various landscapes this intellectual “road movie” takes us through; interestingly, unlike BLOW UP (1966) and ZABRISKIE POINT (1970) where music played an important role, Ivan Vandor’s score here is very sparingly used and, in fact, I think it is only heard towards the end as well as during the final credit roll! However, THE PASSENGER also boasts, in my opinion, one of the greatest end sequences to any film: the celebrated 7-minute take which starts with Nicholson lying on the bed in his hotel room, going slowly out the window taking in the distant figure of Schneider and the arriving cars containing all of Nicholson’s various pursuers and, then, again coming slowly full circle to show us the inside of the hotel room and the inexplicably lifeless body of Nicholson.

THE PASSENGER, which had been held ‘hostage’ by Nicholson himself (since he owns the film outright) for 30 years, was re-released theatrically – and subsequently on DVD featuring Nicholson’s first-ever Audio Commentary – in the U.S. in an “Extended Version” containing an additional 7 minutes but, having watched the original 119-minute version on Italian TV some years back (and which I still own on VHS), I cannot recall what ‘new’ footage has actually been reinstated into the film.


12/21/06: THE FOX AND THE HOUND (Ted Berman, Richard Rich and Art Stevens, 1981) **1/2

For some reason, this animated feature from the Disney stable had eluded me until now – even if I remember it being shown in local theaters on original release: I understand that it’s among the less well-regarded efforts, but I found it a cute little film overall; even so, the plotline (adapted from a book by Daniel P. Mannix) is somewhat thin and the songs (never my favorite element in these films) very pedestrian. As a matter of fact, it’s the various endearing characters which make it watchable – and not just the titular duo (the surprising, but most capable, cast of voice actors includes such veterans as Jack Albertson, Pearl Bailey, John Fiedler, John McIntire, Jeanette Nolan, and Mickey Rooney as Tod the Fox); that said, the romantic interest which crops up during its last third proves a distraction from the central relationship – which is quite movingly developed. Ultimately, though, the animation itself seems rather flat and uninspired: it’s clearly a case of “we’ve been here before” and this leads to few, if any, memorable highlights. By the way, as per the regrettable Disney Studios custom of late, a direct-to-video sequel recently appeared.


12/22/06: THE WATER BABIES (Lionel Jeffries, 1978) **

Very resistible but ultimately harmless film version of the children’s literary classic which incorporates an animated portion in the style of MARY POPPINS (1964) and BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1971). The human cast is very distinguished – James Mason, Billie Whitelaw, David Tomlinson, Joan Greenwood, Bernard Cribbins – but their roles range from the miscast (a 69 year-old Mason as a thieving chimney-sweep!) to the inconsequential (Greenwood as a befuddled aristocrat) to the bizarre (Whitelaw plays several ‘exotic’ characters – including a circus performer, an old hag, a maid and a fairy – for no apparent reason).

The animated segment of the film, handled by a group of East-European animators, is hardly inspired but mildly enjoyable in itself and, as usual, with this type of thing, there is an assortment of songs one has to put up with, one of which in particular is reprised far too often for its own good. The film was directed by noted character actor Jeffries who had previously directed (far more successfully) other children’s films namely THE RAILWAY CHILDREN (1970) and THE AMAZING MR. BLUNDEN (1972; which I’ve yet to watch myself but which was released some time ago on R2 DVD by Anchor Bay UK).


12/22/06: SCOOP (Woody Allen, 2006) ***

Once again I found myself watching a Woody Allen movie mainly because it features Scarlett Johannson! While I gave both this and MATCHPONT (2005) the same rating, SCOOP is a much slighter film but is nevertheless a welcome return of sorts for Allen to his all-out comedy territory which he made his own in his heyday. Even so, the film does have a Bergmanesque scythe-carrying figure of Death which is occasionally seen guiding the recently-deceased on their journey into the after-life OUTWARD BOUND-style or collecting the absconding corpse of determined newspaperman Ian McShane who keeps reappearing to both Johansson and Allen so as to goad them on into investigating his last scoop.

Johansson is a student of journalism and Allen is an aging stage magician, both currently staying in London, who find themselves very unconventionally thrust into British high society as they follow the tracks of wealthy playboy (Hugh Jackman) who, McShane is convinced, is the serial killer currently terrorizing the city. The Americans adopt an eccentric father/daughter act as a cover but Johansson eventually falls for Jackman. While Allen (whose off-screen death is the film’s belated comic highlight) has visibly aged quite a bit here so that his performance lacks some of his usual vitality, his writing skills are still as sharp and witty as they ever were and Johansson does not let him down with her delightfully screwball persona. Hugh Jackman, on the other hand, looks good and is certainly ideally cast but his role does not have much of an impact overall. Conversely, veteran British actor Ian McShane relishes this rare stab at comedy and steals the film from under the nose of his more famous colleagues.


12/23/06: GET OUT AND GET UNDER (Hal Roach, 1920) **1/2

Fair Harold Lloyd short which presents several gags he would re-use and improve upon in his later feature films. It opens with a scene at a photographer’s studio where Harold discovers that his girl Mildred Davis is about to marry another man – but it all turns out to have been just a dream. He’s involved in amateur theatricals and, being late for a performance, rushes out to the venue in his beloved car: amid the vehicle’s breaking down on him, he falls foul of an elderly neighbor and a colored child; the race-against-time, then, culminates in the usual pursuit by a horde of policemen. The automobile trouble eventually gets a bit repetitive, but the film nevertheless includes the occasional inspired and hilarious gag – such as when Harold ‘disappears’ inside the car’s engine compartment, an actor accidentally falling off the stage (after being ‘killed’) promptly going back up to resume his performance i.e. affecting a typically melodramatic ‘exit’ and, especially, when Lloyd sees a junkie getting high in the street and reasons that, if he injects his vehicle with the same substance, it will be likewise revitalized – which is what happens, as the car goes off on its own soon after ‘taking’ its fix!


12/23/06: FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE (Sam Taylor, 1926) ***1/2

This is one of Harold Lloyd’s least-known films and, consequently, perhaps his most underrated feature; I was first made aware of this factor by Leonard Maltin’s awarding it the full **** rating in his Film Guide and, ever since that time, I’ve been pining to catch up with it!

Now that I’ve watched it for myself, I can say that the film is an undoubted classic (certainly among Lloyd’s best work) and the only reason that I didn’t quite go all the way with my own rating is the fact that, even for its brief 58-minute running-time, the plotline is somewhat thin:

Harold is a millionaire who becomes the unwitting benefactor of a modest mission; believing himself to have been conned into such a position, he determines to put a stop to it – that is, until he meets and falls for pretty missionary’s daughter Jobyna Ralston. Then, he resolves to attract customers to the joint – which, considering that the neighborhood is filled with tough guys and gangsters, this will take considerable resource on his part. Nevertheless, he succeeds and the men eventually become fond of him so that, when Lloyd’s impending marriage to Ralston is announced in the papers and his rich society-pals decide to ‘save’ him from such a fate, the gang take action to bring the couple back together again.

While clearly reminiscent of what is perhaps Charlie Chaplin’s greatest short, EASY STREET (1917), the film’s level of gags and the star’s typical ingenuity is extremely high – with only the gangsters’ drunken havoc during its last third overstaying its welcome; this section, however, leads to one of Lloyd’s most hair-raising stunts – actually inspired by similar scenes in both GET OUT AND GET UNDER (1920) and GIRL SHY (1924) – as a double-decker bus (with atop it the star and his ‘flock’) races driverless along busy city streets on its way to Harold’s wedding. Other hilarious highlights include: the early destruction of two cars owned by our reckless hero – the first happens because of a crate of cat food in the middle of the street, which the black chauffeur mistakes for the real thing and tries to avoid but ends up slamming straight into another car, while the second contrives to run out of gas on a railway track and is summarily scuttled by an oncoming train; as well as another re-used (this time from GRANDMA’S BOY [1922]) but undeniably irresistible routine involving the indigestible ‘cakes’ which Lloyd is made to eat by his beloved at the mission.


12/23/06: MOVIE CRAZY [The 2003 Restored Edition] (Clyde Bruckman, 1932) ***1/2

This is surely Harold Lloyd’s most satisfactory Sound film and, while it’s hardly ever discussed in this context, one of the best comedies to emerge in the early Talkie era. As a matter of fact, ill-fated director Clyde Bruckman was a master handler of comedy (before booze got the better of him!) who guided the likes of Buster Keaton, W.C. Fields and Lloyd himself through some of their finest vehicles.

Anyway, the film finds the star at perhaps his most accident-prone – while the enchanting Constance Cummings is easily the strongest (and most talented) leading lady Lloyd ever had! As the title suggests, it provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at a Hollywood studio during its Golden Age and features a running-gag with Harold falling foul of a pompous studio executive. However, the film also involves typical situations for him such as mistaken identities (Lloyd unwittingly sends out to Hollywood the photo of a handsome guy, Cummings ‘doubles’ as a Spanish diva who ensnares our hero), romantic complications (the couple’s frequent break-ups occurring as much through the intrusion of a rival as by the stars’ individual character flaws) and disillusionment (Harold believes his disastrous screen-test was a triumph).

Amazingly, according to the IMDB, the film was shot with a Silent-movie camera to re-create the trademark Lloyd technique – with the the dialogue and sound effects added in post-production: sure enough, the energetic fistfight which caps the picture is highly reminiscent of the extended climactic bout in THE KID BROTHER (1927); similarly, the havoc caused by a magician’s coat mistakenly worn by Harold during the uproarious party sequence recalls the suit-ripping gag from THE FRESHMAN (1925) – this scene, then, features very brief bits by amiable character actors Grady Sutton (as an overtly effeminate guest scared by a roaming mouse) and Arthur Housman (as, you’ve guessed it, a drunkard).

By the way, I wasn’t aware that the PAL VHS released by the British Film Institute I previously owned (and which is how I had watched it) was actually the 80-minute re-issue version – though I couldn’t quite tell what constituted the ‘new’ material!

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Baby Face (1933)

Viewed 12/18/2006 (first viewing)

Barbara Stanwyck sleeps her way to the top in this titilating pre-code
drama. Starts off like gangbusters but slows down towards the end.

out of


Blind Beast (1969)

Viewed 12/18/2006 (first viewing)

Yasuzo Masumura's outrageous and disturbing drama about a blind
sculptor who kidnaps a model for his own private use. Some kind of
perverse masterpiece.

out of


All About Anna (2005)

Viewed 12/18/2006 (first viewing)

Danish romantic drama chronicling the quest of a young costume
designer for love and success. A trifling affair though the producer-
added hardcore sex scenes spice it up a bit.

out of


Dorm of the Dead (2006)

Viewed 12/19/2006 (first viewing)

Or, How to Make a Zombie Movie for a $1.25. It's the campus
bitch vs. the campus goth chick in this zombies go to college opus.
Hilariously bad acting and cheesy makeup effects are leavened with t & a
and some good chuckles. Mrs. Howard Stern shows up for about a
minute.

out of


Zombie Nation (2006)

Viewed 12/19/2006 (first viewing)

Ulli Lommel disasterpiece about a serial killing cop whose female
victims come back for revenge. Some good ideas here, but the
execution is lame.

out of


City of the Living Dead (1980)

Viewed 12/19/2006

Revisited Lucio Fulci's weird zombie epic. A priest hangs himself and the gates of Hell open, flooding the world with flesh-eating zombies. Sometimes the ghouls are just phantoms, sometimes not. Either way they can make you bleed from the eyes and upchuck your innards. Like I said, weird. Slow, but tense and atmospheric - the Goblin-esque music helps.

out of


My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)

Viewed 12/20/2006 (first viewing)

Interesting and funny premise - of a guy finding out that the woman he's
just dumped is a powerful superhero - is turned into a pedestrian
romantic comedy. The likeable cast saves it from being a complete
disaster.

out of


A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Viewed 12/20/2006 (first viewing)

Richard Linklater's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's treatise on drugs,
paranoia and the abuse of power.

out of


Deranged (1974)

Viewed 12/20/2006 (first viewing)

Grisly take on the Ed Gein story - double-bill it with Texas
Chainsaw Massacre and have a good time.

out of


Look Both Ways (2005)

Viewed 12/21/2006 (first viewing)

Aussie romantic drama about an artist who sees death around every
corner (thanks to hilarious animated sequences) and then falls for a
photojournalist who's just been diagnosed with cancer.

out of


He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2002)

Viewed 12/21/2006 (first viewing)

Amelie meets Fatal Attraction in this French romantic
thriller. Audrey Tautou is an artist who believes that her doctor
boyfriend is really going to leave his wife for her. Goes into
reverse halfway through to show the boyfriend's point of view and
surprisingly it's quite a different take. Neat ending.

out of


Stacy (2001)

Viewed 12/21/2006 (first viewing)

Truly bizarre Japanese zombie flick has young girls the world over
dying and returning as flesh-eating zombies called Stacies. To deal
with the problem the government forms Romero Repeat Kill Squads as each
Stacy must be cut into 165 pieces in order for it to stay dead!
Meanwhile the Drew (as in Barrymore) Illegal Repeat Kill Squad
(comprised of three doomed teenaged girls) gives the government squads
competition while the media hawks Bruce Campbell chainsaws to bereaved
families! But what do the Stacies really want and what does the
mysterious Butterfly Twinkle Powder have to do with it all?

out of


The Flower of My Secret (1995)

Viewed 12/22/2006 (first viewing)

Pedro Almodovar-directed story of a romance novelist who can't even
straighten out her own love life. Skillfully made, but not quite as
engaging as it should be.

out of


Letter from An Unknown Woman (1948)

Viewed 12/22/2006 (first viewing)

Max Ophuls classic about a womanizing pianist who receives a letter
from a woman with whom he'd trysted years earlier. He doesn't even
remember her but she claims to have always loved him - and that she'll
be dead by the time he reads her letter!

out of


Oliver Twist (1922)

Viewed 12/23/2006 (first viewing)

Solid version of the oft-filmed Dickens tale, with Jackie Coogan and
Lon Chaney headlining the cast.

out of


The Light of Faith (1922)

Viewed 12/23/2006 (first viewing)

Odd melodrama concerning a young woman who has run away from her
suitor after an argument, the kind-hearted tough guy (Lon Chaney) who
takes a shine to her, and the suitor who has in his possession....the
Holy Grail? Condensed version of the film The Light in the Dark
.

out of


Across the Pacific (1942)

Viewed 12/24/2006

Revisited John Huston's WWII thriller reuniting Humphrey Bogart, Mary
Astor and Sydney Greenstreet from The Maltese Falcon. Here
Bogie goes undercover to expose Japanese saboteurs in the Panama Canal
Zone. Entertaining if not especially memorable.

out of


The Village (1975)

Viewed 12/24/2006 (first viewing)

A representative from a theatrical troupe arrives in a small Japanese
village with the hope of convincing the local youth association to co-
produce the troupe's next play. This gently flowing film from Yoji Yamada
chronicles the small triumphs, forged friendships, lost loves and new
possibilities in life.

out of

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

title: manhunter
rating: a
comments: man, i love this movie. i've seen it many times and it never fails to evoke a unique "spooky" feel. the scene where the guy leans on the wall and closes his eyes always gives me chills. even though this is clearly an 80's era movie, it doesn't feel dated. mann is really great when it comes to atmosphere ... no doubt about it.

title: west side story
rating: d
comments: i've always heard of, but never seen this. even though this was a musical, there were just too many songs for me. the horrible accents (wood as a puerto rican?), the cheesy sets and the idea of street thugs dancing and singing their way to death just didn't work for me. i know it came out in the 60's, but even trying to put myself back into that era ... i just couldn't buy this flick.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Whoa, Ted, I guess you're not much into musicals...LOL. One does have to admit that Natalie Wood's accent is pretty bad, but I still think she's great in the role, especially in the last scene. In terms of the "golden age" of Broadway musicals (roughly speaking, the '40s and '50s), West Side Story definitely has one of the very best collections of songs, so that style of songwriting probably doesn't hold much appeal for you.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

A Christmas Story

Scrooged

Two more rewatchings of Xmas greats.

The Santa Clause 2

Not great, but the best of this series, and not half bad.

Home Alone 2

Not as good as the original, gets watched late in the season cause I have to watch the original first.

Ballad of a Soldier

Goofy battle action at the beginning (the tank chasing the soldier looks like something out of a Keystone Kops film, and the shooting of the tanks is equally ridiculous), but it turns more somber after that. Basically a love story set in WW2 with generous dollops of communist propaganda thrown in. Tries hard, but ultimately forgettable.

The Man Who Came to Dinner

Bette Davis in a comedy makes this far superior to most of her films. A comedy with Bette Davis makes this far worse than most comedies. Overall, so-so, not very funny, and way too stagey.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

12/23/06: CARRY ON UP THE JUNGLE (Gerald Thomas, 1970) ***

This (surprisingly) consistently funny spoof of the Tarzan jungle epics from the “Carry On” gang is one of their better efforts I’ve watched so far: the rude, crude jokes come flying by with a welcome regularity and the old reliables – Sidney James (as boozing big game hunter Bill Boosey), Joan Sims (as an aristocratic lady who lost her husband and son in Africa many years earlier) and Charles Hawtrey (as the latter’s husband who has spent his time in Africa lording it over a bevy of jungle girls) – enter gleefully into the spirit of the thing; the same goes for occasional participants in the series who join them here like Frankie Howerd (as the improbable leader of the expedition), Kenneth Connor (as a lecherous botanist) and Bernard Bresslaw (as the native guide).

Among the comic highlights are a snake sliding into Ms. Sims’ undergarments at dinner-time (which she mistakes for the attentions of each of her male pretenders), the various bedtime romps which also involve Sims’ son (the Tarzan figure) and a huge gorilla, James’ shotgun ‘standing up’ at attention on seeing Sims taking a bath, Tarzan’s various catastrophic attempts at leaping from one tree to another, his learning the English language and numeric system (which invariably stops at number 6, since he mistakes it for ‘sex’), etc. The second half with Hawtrey sags slightly and the luscious Valerie Leon is not put to best advantage; amusingly, during this section, whenever our heroes are in peril, a classic musical cue from the 1960s “Spider-Man” animated series is heard on the soundtrack! All in all, as I said earlier, the result is generally engaging and quite enjoyable.


12/23/06: CARRY ON LAUGHING: THE NINE OLD COBBLERS (TV) (Alan Tarrant, 1975) **1/2

Yet another TV show from the “Carry On” stable – a whodunnit in the vein of THE CASE OF THE SCREAMING WINKLES (1975), with much the same cast of characters. Despite a similar village background, it works less well this time around as the mystery is negligible and the rivalry between the detective (accompanied by his butler) and the police inspector isn’t so much to the fore. There is, however, an amusing running-gag involving the detective’s car being constantly tampered with by the villain, with the result that its various components come apart when driven.


12/24/06: CASINO ROYALE (Martin Campbell, 2006) ***1/2

Against every conceivable odds, the 21st James Bond adventure is one of his best: the highly unpopular choice of leading man (with die-hard fans of the series) paid off in spades as blonde Daniel Craig – who had previously impressed more for his restrained acting than his animal magnetism in both ROAD TO PERDITION (2002) and MUNICH (2005) – lends the character a determination, temerity and, most importantly perhaps, vulnerability missing since the earlier Sean Connery incarnations. The fact that he was faced with the burden of playing one of the screen’s most iconic characters and encountering such overwhelming opposition at first, seems to have merely aided in making Craig’s characterization of James Bond as, ironically, more believable than perhaps ever before.

This is not to say that the spectacular stunts and action sequences – not to mention Bond’s enviable way with a witty line or prowess in the bedchamber – have been jettisoned or diluted in favor of realistic minimalism but, the fact remains that more time than usual is dedicated here to delving into the various characters appearing in the story instead of previous upping-the-ante tactics which necessitated numerous climaxes seeking to upstage not only the ones seen in previous films but even those within the film itself. The relationship between Bond and his partner Vesper Lynd (the luscious Eva Green) is one of the most emotional and satisfying in the entire series and, despite my initial misgivings prior to watching the film, Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre is a terrific opponent with a subtly effective make-up to go with his intense performance. The supporting cast is also worth mentioning: apart from Judi Dench (who is by now filling in impeccably for the formidable Bernard Lee) as M, we have Jeffrey Wright’s bemused Felix Leiter and Giancarlo Giannini’s reptilian Mathis, a welcome ally to Bond as he steps into the spider’s lair that is the Casino of the title but, as usual with these spy sagas, loyalties – to say nothing of love – cannot be taken at face value.

At 144 minutes, this is also the longest James Bond vehicle so far but as I mentioned earlier, CASINO ROYALE is easily the best of the series in 25 years (at the very least). Frankly, I’ve only been able to take Roger Moore’s overtly tongue-in-cheek James Bond persona in small doses, have had little use for Timothy Dalton’s glumness and only been wholly satisfied with Pierce Brosnan’s take in TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997). It is, therefore, very refreshing to see, for once, a James Bond film whose plot is not only exciting but, free as it is of the ingenious but distracting gadgets which proliferated in previous outings, also quite absorbing. The black-and-white introduction is a nice touch, the rather harrowing torture sequence is possibly a first for the series and, among the handful of action highlights, the crumbling of a Venetian edifice towards the end is as spectacular as they come.


12/25/06: CLIMAX!: CASINO ROYALE (TV) (William H. Browm Jr., 1954) **1/2

The first ever screen representation of James Bond is, undersandably, miles removed from the way we have come to know and love Britain’s top secret agent; for starters, this 50-minute adaptation of Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel is not only shot in black-and-white but was recorded live for an American TV program entitled “Climax!”.

In fact, even Bond himself – occasionally referred to as Jimmy! – is an American here (played by the rather uncharismatic Barry Nelson) and the wildly international cast also consists of Austrian Peter Lorre as the villain of the piece Le Chiffre, Mexican Linda Christian as the female interest, Australian Michael Pate` as C.I.A. operative Clarence(!) Leiter and Polish Kurt Katch as one of Le Chiffre’s henchmen. The program concerns itself only with the all-important game of baccarat taking place in the Casino of the title and as such is much less exciting than any subsequent Bond outing but, for all that, Lorre’s professionalism and the sheer naivete and, indeed, rarity of the whole thing gives it a certain charm which keeps one watching.


12/25/06: ROCKY BALBOA (Sylvester Stallone, 2006) ***

The sixth ROCKY entry comes tiptoeing out of retirement after a 16-year hiatus and, against all expectations, practically revitalizes the initially highly-successful but subsequently maligned franchise. Sylvester Stallone takes complete control once again by starring in, writing, directing and serving as executive producer of this flawed but well-crafted and solidly entertaining audience-pleaser.

I say flawed because of several (mostly plot-related) factors: firstly, Stallone is 60 years old and while not especially looking it, his physique has taken an undeniably flabby appearance (particularly the face) which does not exactly lend credence to the fact that the Boxing Commission eventually permits him to ply his past trade once more; the brain damage implications which arose in ROCKY V (1990) are completely omitted here; Rocky is now a widower and, although we see him sitting by his wife’s grave several times throughout the film, Stallone could not resist giving in to convention and minority groups by introducing an unlikely – and saccharine – love interest in the figure of an old acquaintance (Geraldine Hughes) and her half-Jamaican son; his ringside opponent here (Antonio Tarver), while still colored as had been Rocky’s most formidable nemesis Apollo Creed, sports none of Carl Weathers’ charisma or panache (which made one care for the character if not exactly cheer for him), even if this could constitute a sarcastic jab by Stallone at today’s utterly colorless [sic] celebrities in most entertainment spectrums.

Even so, the film has other assets in Stallone’s own determined, even moving performance, the presence of the grouchy (but always welcome) Burt Young and, most surprisingly, a well-written, perceptive script which highlights not only the plight of an ex-World Champion prize-fighter in today’s disrespectful age dominated by computers and the search for increase of wealth over the old-fashioned values of dignity and pride but also, in the film’s emotional highlight, the strained father-son relationship which arises when the younger generation has to regretfully live under the old one’s (however pale) shadow. One cannot review a ROCKY film without mentioning the climactic boxing match and the one we have here, while understandably (and judiciously) more muted than the ones we had in the first four entries in the series, is still quite satisfying and invigorating.

All in all, while I can’t really join in the “Oscar buzz” chorus which was bandied about by a few here, Stallone would surely be in the running had there been an Academy Award for Best Comeback of the Year.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Blackout (1954) 4/10
This Hammer Studio crime thriller starts off with a decent enough noir premise, centering around a down-on-his-luck guy who gets drunk, wakes up in a stranger's apartment, and finds himself inextricably caught up in an elaborate blackmail plot. But it's too bad the execution falls badly short in this case, with the script, cast, and direction barely rising above an amateur level. Director Terence Fisher must have learned a thing or two from some of these crappy attempts at noir, since he was just a few years removed from Dracula and other great Hammer horror successes.

The Lusty Men (1952) 8/10
Robert Mitchum, Susan Hayward, and Arthur Kennedy star in Nicholas Ray's modern-day western about a washed up rodeo rider and his newfound protege. The story takes a while to get going, but the second half in particular is very good, with a strongly involving love triangle at the center of everything. Mitchum and Hayward have some really good scenes together.

Night Train to Munich (1940) 9/10
I'd heard of this one for years but had never been able to see it until a screening last week, as part of a Carol Reed retrospective. A British propaganda comedy-thriller written by the same team who wrote The Lady Vanishes, Gilliat and Launder, it's very much in that same mold, and it even has those same two cricket-obsessed twits reprising their roles, Caldecott and Charters. Margaret Lockwood is in it as well, though playing a different role from Lady Vanishes, along with Rex Harrison and Paul Henreid (credited as "Paul von Hernreid").

Though it shares some outrageously implausible plotting with The Lady Vanishes, I thought this one was also great. The comedy is top-notch, a lot of it coming from Harrison and Lockwood having to pretend to be lovers. Not much of it actually takes place on a train, despite the title; the last third or so of the movie starts out on a train (and that's when Caldecott and Charters show up), but the final sequence involves a cable car/ski lift thing above a chasm on the German/Swiss border. That action finale was sort of underwhelming, but the whole thing is very well done and terrifically fun. I remember George being a fan of this movie from comments he's made in various threads, and this is an instance where I'm happy to agree with him!

Petulia (1968) 7/10
Richard Lester directed this off-beat San Francisco-based romance starring George C. Scott and Julie Christie. The main narrative of a lonely divorced doctor being pursued by a quirky socialite isn't all that involving, but some circular narrative and flashback techniques keep things interesting, a la Point Blank and other Hollywood movies of the time that were borrowing from European New Wave sources. Scott also has some very good scenes with Shirley Knight as his ex-wife. A couple of amusing nightclub sequences show Janis Joplin and The Grateful Dead in full '60s hippie rocker gear.

Undercurrent (1946) 5/10
Vincente Minnelli directed this Rebecca/Suspicion rip-off starring Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, and Robert Mitchum. Hepburn is a small-town professor's daughter who marries a wealthy big city inventor/industrialist (Taylor), but soon enough, she starts hearing about his mysterious missing brother, along with some unpleasant accusations about some people he used to be involved with. Hepburn does her thing well enough, but the script is flat and never really goes anywhere. The Rebecca factor is in how everyone keeps talking about the missing brother in secretive tones, and how she becomes more and more curious about him. Then it becomes a Suspicion/Gaslight re-tread as the husband seems to be dangerous.

The whole introduction of the brother is stupidly handled; it's obviously going to be Mitchum, as he's third-billed but doesn't show up even while they're constantly talking about the missing brother. But when he does show up, it's a lame scene in which Hepburn goes out to the countryside where the family lived some years before, and he introduces himself as the "caretaker," which of course she believes! Hardly a Harry Lime-esque intro. Then he vanishes again and doesn't show up until the last few scenes. Despite the good combo of cast and director, this one is pretty much a dud.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

Broadcast News -

this was on christmas eve and I started watching it, it immediately sucked in my sisters, then my mom, cousins, aunts etc. many who usually fall asleep in movies stayed up to watch the entire film. This was my second viewing and it definitely confirms that it is one of the all time great films.

caught pieces of a Christmas Story on TBS. still one of the greatest comedies of all time, I'd say number two behind Some Like it Hot, imo.

Got Scene it TCM, while not much fun for my mom and sisters I LOVE watching the clips and answering the questions. I've already put angels with dirty faces on my list because of a clip that was incredibly compelling (I wasn't crazy about it on first viewing). Some Came Running also looks good and in fact I'm watching Casablanca on TCM right now half because we saw a great clip on the game.

Adam

Adam

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

12/26 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) (Unrated Version) (of 5)
Typically scattershot modern comedy which never quite matches Anchorman's heights of sublime absurdity. It was probably a mistake to start with the 2 hour unrated version as several bits seemed like would-be deleted scenes. There are some fun supporting performances from Gary Cole and Molly Shannon, the race scenes are well-staged and there's a handful of big laughs, though a few more script polishes and less improv probably would have helped the movie live up to its can't-miss premise.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

It sucks, I know, but I truly feel that very few movies made today hold high rewatchability value for me. For once, therefore, I'm in complete agreement with George Kaplan in that I cannot consider recent movies - or at least the ones I happen to watch - as being excellent (***1/2) or outstanding (****). As a matter of fact, I'd be hard pressed to name a mere handful of titles made in th last 15 years or so which I have in my DVD collection...

As for Stallone being 60, I don't think that he was playing 60 in the film but more like 50-ish. Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

With regards to Jack Nicholson's Audio Commentaries, the fact that he recorded more of them is news to me but, again, that only goes to show the level of interest I have towards modern film fare...!

HEARTS OF THE WORLD (1918) is one Griffith film I've been meaning to watch...particularly since I lost out on a rare Italian TV screening of it one sunday morning ages ago!

I hold BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) in slightly higher regard than you do, Mike, but what do you think of CHRISTMAS EVIL (1980) which I just watched yesterday for the very first time? Although I'd personally give both films - not to mention HALLOWEEN (1978) - a *** rating, I'd say that the Bob Clark film is the finest of the three.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2006)

ya know ... i was even surprised myself at how much this movie didn't appeal to me. i know it's considered best-of-class for the genre and i'm glad i finally gave myself a chance to watch it. i dunno ... it just didn't work for me for some reason.

but i have seen phantom twice (in LA) ... does that count?