What's on your Daily Viewing List? (6 Viewers)

[Dave Moritz]

August 22nd, 2020 Saturday

Hunger Games
4K Blu-ray / HDR
Dolby Atmos 7.1.4

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Ouija: Origin of Evil
Originally Released: 10/21/2016
Watched: 08/22/2020
HDX (1080P) digital streaming on Apple TV app, upscaled to 4K via Roku Ultra

I continued my exploration of Mike Flanagan's filmography with this critically-acclaimed prequel to Blumhouse's poorly reviewed but extremely profitable 2014 horror movie Ouija. It's set in 1967, and embraces that period setting in every way, starting with the pre-nineties MCA version of the Universal title card and continuing with the cigarette burns at the reel changes.

The biggest problem the film has is that it's building toward an ending that was set in stone by the previous movie. That leaves things in a much less interesting place than where the movie spent the bulk of its running time, and doesn't service the journey the movie's heroine has been on particularly well.

Annalise Basso, who costarred in Oculus, plays Paulina "Lina" Zander, the older daughter of a woman who pays the bills by pretending to be a medium. Lina is much smarter than most teenage girls in horror movies; the audience isn't very far ahead of her when it comes to figuring out what's going on.

Lulu Wilson, one of the more unique child actresses working today, is phenomenal as Lina's younger sister Doris, around whom the entire film pivots. Wilson has an innocent quality but also an otherworldly quality, and both are well-utilized here. She is essentially playing two characters, Doris per-possession and Doris post-possession, and she is completely believable as both. Wilson had yet turned ten when filming started, and she gives the best performance in the movie.

Elizabeth Reaser is solid as the girls' mother, as is Henry Thomas as the priest who serves as the principal of the Catholic school the girls attend.

 

[Museum Pieces]

The Last Kingdom Season Three disc 1

 

[bujaki]

A quadruple program featuring Diana Dors, all on the TCM app:
Man Bait aka The Last Page 1952. Early Hammer noir starring George Brent. Directed by Terence Fisher. Dors is a good girl who gets entangled with an homme fatal and engages in blackmail of her boss. Deaths and murder follows. Poor Diana. Middling but interesting as a footnote on earlier Hammer product and the early career of director Fisher before both found their niche in the house of horror.
King of the Roaring 20's: The Story of Arnold Rothstein 1961. Dors has a miniscule part in this so-so yarn about the gangster who is king of what: Gambling, bootlegging, fixing baseball games,...it's so diffuse...However, it's filled with old timers who are always welcome on a screen.
The Weak and the Wicked aka Young and Willing 1954. Directed by J. Lee-Thompson. The lead is Glynis Johns and Dors is the co-star. The story is about convicts telling their background tales. It's quite good and the transfer is in its OAR of 1.66.
Here Come the Huggetts 1948. Second in a series of films about a typical middle-class family (including pert Petula Clark) who take in a distant relative (Dors) for a while. Dors is already a sexpot who creates innumerable funny moments for the family. Pleasant fare.
Dors is always easy, very easy on the eyes. and she really had talent. Looking forward to more of her films on the TCM app.

 

[DFurr]

More 35mm 3D tonight. Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D. SDDS/DTS

 

[Dave Moritz]

August 23rd, 2020 Sunday

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
4K Blu-ray / HDR
Dolby Atmos 7.1.4

Harry Potter: And The Half Blood Prince
4K Blu-ray / HDR10
DTS-X 7.1.4

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Anna
Originally Released: 06/21/2019
Watched: 08/23/2020
4K UHD digital streaming on Apple TV app via Roku Ultra

On one hand, this movie is probably the most literal iteration yet of Luc Besson's formula: a fashion model who is an assassin on the side.

On the other hand, this movie is quite an unusual espionage movie. Set in 1990, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, it's not concerned at all with the Cold War intrigue between Washington and Moscow. Nor is it concerned much with the title character's targets.

Instead, the tension and drama centers around whether Anna can liberate herself from all of the people -- abusive boyfriends, the KGB, the CIA -- who want to control her. it is simultaneously centered around the objectification of Anna and focused on her personhood in the face of that objectification. These themes are somewhat ironic given the sexual misconduct allegations against Besson that came out in the months leading up to the film's release.

The nonlinear structure of the movie is frustrating, mainly because the audience can see the twists coming before they're revealed. The action sequences are perfectly competent, but nothing exciting or groundbreaking.

Sasha Luss, in the title role, is interesting. She's a Russian model playing a Russian model, so that isn't such a big stretch. But Anna is also a master strategist, manipulating and maneuvering some of the smartest people in the world's two great superpowers. Luss is surprisingly credible in that aspect of the character as well.

Helen Mirren is fun as Anna's Soviet handler Olga, and Cillian Murphy is solid as Anna's American handler.

* * *​

The Sleepover
Originally Released: 08/21/2020
Watched: 08/23/2020
1080P HD digital streaming on Netflix, upscaled to 4K via Roku Ultra

This movie, made by LD Entertainment and distributed by Netflix, was a fun throwback to eighties all ages adventure movies like Adventures in Babysitting, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and The Goonies where a seemingly mundane suburban existence spirals off in increasingly extreme directions. Sarah Rothschild’s screenplay, which made the cut for the 2017 Black List of most liked unproduced screenplays, has a similar mix of excitement, earnest sweetness, and amiable humor.

The movie divides its running time pretty evenly between the adults and the kids. Malin Åkerman is well cast as the housewife with the secret past, as are Ken Marino (as her befuddled and increasingly irritated husband) and Joe Manganiello (as her dashing and handsome ex). On the kids side, Sadie Stanley and Maxwell Simkins are fine as the children of Åkerman's character, while Cree Cicchino steals most of the scenes she's in as the mouthy best friend of Stanley's character.

The story is set on Cape Cod and in Boston, and it seemed like large portions of the movie really were filmed in eastern Massachusetts. It was fun spotting the real locations, like the Wang Center and the Boston Athenæum.

The movie never takes itself too seriously, and a lot of the humor really does play. And while it embraces most of the tropes of this subgenre, it also subverts a few along the way.

 

[Pete York]

...
Second was Blood on the Moon...and I appreciated the noirish elements.

So did I when I also just watched it about a week ago. Nicholas Musuraca, no surprise.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yesterday, I had the rare opportunity for a double feature: two 1948 Robert Mitchum westerns on Warner blu-rays.

First up was Rachel and the Stranger with Mitchum, Loretta Young, and William Holden. Holden plays a widowed father who acquires an indentured servant (Young) to care for his house and son. For the sake of propriety, he marries her but it is a marriage in name only. Rachel is treated only as a servant by father and son. Mitchum plays a friend who sees how Rachel is being treated and falls for her. There are no real surprises, but the story is well told. This was my wife's favorite of the two with Mitchum's singing tipping the scales for her.

Second was Blood on the Moon with Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Robert Preston, and directed by Robert Wise. Mitchum plays a drifter who gets involved in a conflict between a rancher (Tom Tully) and some homesteaders (including Walter Brennan) led by an old friend (Preston). It doesn't take long for Mitchum to figure out things are not quite as they first seemed. I prefered this film to the first; the story is a bit more complex, the characters a little more developed, and I appreciated the noirish elements.

My thoughts about this Blu-ray/movie can be found here.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Some of the movies I watched recently:

 

[bujaki]

Just 6 last night:
As Long as They're Happy (TCM app) 1955. Not shown in its OAR of 1.66, alas! Based on a play starring the inimitable Jack Buchanan (reprising his role), this comedy satirizes the American crooner Johnny Ray and pre-dates Bye, Bye, Birdie by a few years. I found it amusing with a game cast led by director J. Lee-Thompson. Many amusing cameos and intentionally appalling musical numbers. Diana Dors plays, briefly (pun intended) a burlesque queen who sings a "hokey pokey polka" ditty. She's very adorable.
Of Time and the City (Criterion Channel) 2008. Multiple award-winning documentary from Terence Davies. His view of Liverpool from the vantage point of his lifetime and family. Wryly funny, mordant, moving, sympathetic, loving, sad, lyrical, beautifully scored, written and narrated. Consisting mostly of archival footage and bookended by new footage shot for the documentary. I love Terence Davies's films.
The Heiresses (HBO Max) 2018. Lesbian themed Paraguayan film about 2 genteel older women who are losing their means and are briefly separated when one has to serve a prison term. How the other woman copes with the separation and blossoms emotionally and physically, is the gist of the story. Subtle and not sensationalist. The lead won an acting award at the Berlin film festival.
The Texas Rangers Ride Again (Peacock) 1940. A modern-day western that includes 2 future Oscar winners and two supporting acting nominees, one of them at the start of a long and glorious career (still with a young, not gaunt face, but that voice!). Modern cattle rustlers using the most up-to-date technology available leading to an exciting climax. From Paramount, Archie Stout is the cinematographer. The transfer is actually horrible.
The Yellow Mountain (Peacock) 1954. Shown in its OAR (2.0?). Begins and ends with a fist fight between Lex Barker and Howard Duff. In between they partner over a mine and rival over Mala Powers. There's a double cross along the way. John McIntire plays the oily villain. William Demarest steals the film (doesn't he always?). Many legal twists along the way regarding mine rights. Directed by Jesse Hibbs. Print quality is variable.
Wyoming Mail (Peacock) 1950. Quite topical today: the survival of the US Postal Service, this time by railway, which is being assailed by crooks from within...Starring Stephen McNally as an undercover agent who infiltrates the gang; and a stunning Alexis Smith who is a bad girl who turns good. Blink and you'll miss Richard Egan. There are many good actors in this Technicolor film shot by Russell Metty. Old transfer.

 

[Robin9]

Just 6 last night:

Only you could say that with a straight face!

 

[bujaki]

4 films using the TCM app:
Easy Living 1949. Revisiting this Jacques Tourneur film starring Victor Mature as a football star on his last legs, married to a frivolous woman (Lizabeth Scott), loved from afar by Lucille Ball (a better match). It's a good drama shot very well by Harry Wild, with a very unconvincing ending, at least to me.
Danger Route 1967. Terrible transfer of a spy vs. spy story starring Richard Johnson as a hit man for his government, trying his best to survive the double crosses and the hit against him by various agencies, including his own. Diana Dors plays a middle-aged housekeeper who is duped by him. She survives the carnage.
The Man from Dakota 1940. An unworthy vehicle for the talents and beauty of Dolores Del Rio. It was time for her to go back to her native country, Mexico, where she reigned supreme for the next 20 years. She was upstaged here by one of the greatest muggers and hams of all time: Wallace Beery. How I dislike him! Anyway, it was one of my unseen Del Rio vehicles, so I had to suffer through it.
Seven Sweethearts 1942. Sweet Frank Borzage film depicting, once again, how love will triumph over insurmountable odds. Cynical reporter falls for tulip girl who must wait for her oldest sister to marry before she can. Oldest sister is a pill; cynical reporter must shed cynicism. Kathryn Grayson looks nice, sings too much and I don't like her voice. Marsha Hunt steals the picture as the pill. Sakall is charming. Van Heflin is always good.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

A Little Princess
Originally Released: 05/10/1995
Watched: 08/25/2020
HDX (1080P) digital streaming on Apple TV app, upscaled to 4K via Roku Ultra

One of my very favorite Frances Hodgson Burnett adaptations, second only to Agnieszka Holland's take on The Secret Garden a couple years earlier. It departs from the source material in a number of key ways, beginning with the decision to set it in New York during World War I rather than Victorian London during Crown rule in India. In a number of other areas, it hews more closely to the Shirley Temple version than the original text.

What it gets right is Sara Crewe, her values, and the resilience of those values in the face of a dramatic change in circumstance. Liesel Matthews's performance is flat at times, with stretches where it feels more like she is reciting her lines than performing them. But as a member of the Pritzker family and an heiress to the Hyatt hotels fortune, she was a child of immense privilege playing a child of immense privilege. That pays dividends in intangible ways; even when she is covered in soot and wearing a threadbare dress, her background and self opinion shine through.

Class consciousness is inherent in the story, but One of the things that differentiates Alfonso Cuarón's take on the material really put its in the foreground. When Sara, in this version the daughter of a wealthy British officer and an American socialite, arrives at Miss Minchin's school she is first confronted by the misery and toil of the school's servant girl, whose existence is almost immediately contrasted with the extreme opulence of the girls enrolled as students at the school. Sara is our window into this world, and her viewpoint is an indictment of what she sees.

The change in setting has a ripple effect on other choices made by the filmmakers. This version of Sara Crewe is essentially tricultural, born to a British father and an American mother -- and then raised in colonial India. The film downplays the class divides inherent in British colonialism that Sara has benefited from her entire life, because Sara didn't know any different. But she sees 1914 America with the fresh eyes of a newcomer.

Servant girl Becky is Cockney in the book, but is African American is this adaptation, at a time when Woodrow Wilson's presidency marked a nadir of American race relations and inequality in general was soaring. When all of her privilege is suddenly and traumatically taken away, the nature of Sara's predicament -- and the particulars of her background -- is such that it allows an interracial friendship that would have otherwise been implausible in that place at that time. Their relationship involves quite a bit of give and take; Becky teaches Sara how to survive at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, while Sara teaches Becky about worlds real and imagined far beyond the drudgery of their modest existence.

The movie's main achievement has nothing to do with the performances or narrative, though; it's a stupendous achievement of pure cinema. Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography is warm and sumptuous. There are many, many frames that could be printed on canvas and framed. Bo Welch's production design creates a courtyard and a couple blocks that feel less like 1914 or 1915 New York City than a fairy tale's idea of 1914 or 1915 New York City. Cuarón creates moments of magic, like Sara experiencing snow for the first time, that could not be executed nearly as effectively in any other medium.

Like the Mary Pickford version from 1917, the movie cuts away to a film-within-the-film that brings Sara's stories to life. These sequences, very loosely grounded in Hindu religion and mythology, provide a parallel narrative to the one that's happening in the real world. The rudimentary CG environments, gracing the silver screen several months before Toy Story would change everything, aren't the slightest bit realistic and aren't really trying to be realistic.

Because this movie very much frames the story as a fairy tale, some of the book's harshness is softened for the movie. The film's Miss Minchin, while horrible, is significantly less abusive than the Miss Minchin in the book. Sara's period of trial stretches over months in the movie, while it stretches over years in the book. Even the scenes of Sara's misery are beautifully shot in a way that works against the anguish of her situation.

The ending, a significant departure from the book, is a big ask of the audience. That it works at all is a credit to Liam Cunningham. Anybody who's seen "Game of Thrones" knows how great Cunningham is with children; the scenes between Davos and Shireen were among the sweetest in a generally brutal show. His character in this comes from a completely different background, but his performance has the same gentle warmth and kindness.

* * *​

The King of Staten Island
Originally Released: 06/12/2020
Watched: 08/25/2020
1080P Blu-ray disc, upscaled to 4K via Panasonic DP-UB820

This loosely autobiographical movie based on SNL alum Pete Davidson's life was only a couple months away from hitting theaters when everything shut down due to COVID-19. It made it to some drive-ins at the same time it landed on VOD with premium pricing. I waited until it made it to Redbox.

The film, directed and co-written by Judd Apatow, tells the story of Scott, a 24-year-old loser living with his mom with a really bad case of Peter Pan Syndrome, caused at least in part by the trauma of losing his firefighter father to a building collapse when he was seven. The movie represents a very specific microcosm of American life: the family of a firefighter on Staten Island. To the extent that there's any plot, it's about Scott confronting his father's death and taking a few baby steps in the general direction of maturity.

Pete Davidson has one of those faces that is just very punchable. He could be playing George Bailey, and you'd still want to sock him right in the jaw. He gives a good performance in the movie, and the screenplay by no means glorifies or justifies the behavior his character embodies. But I can't quite get past that smirk of his. which made it hard to root for the movie's protagonist.

Marisa Tomei, on the other hand, gives an incredible performance as Scott's mom, a cross between Mona Lisa Vito and her take on Edith Bunker who is somehow both more bleak and more resilient. Very warm and nurturing up to a point, but will a very definite line for how much bullshit she's willing to tolerate.

Steve Buscemi returns to his firefighting roots as the elder statesman of the firehouse where the boyfriend of Scott's mother works. It's the kind of role he can do in his sleep, but he does it well.

The only thing I'd seen Bel Powley in previously was A Royal Night Out, playing a 14-year-old Princess Margaret. She is almost unrecognizable here, playing every Staten Island girl I've ever met. As with Tomei's character, Kelsey is easy to underestimate.

The supporting cast all does good work as well, especially Bill Burr as the blowhard boyfriend of Tomei's character and Pamela Adlon as the bitter ex-wife of Burr's character. Judd Apatow's daughter Maude also has a notable turn as Scott's younger but far more mature and accomplished sister.

All in all, I'm glad I saw it but I'm also glad I just rented it.

 

[Jake Lipson]

It made it to some drive-ins at the same time it landed on VOD with premium pricing.

I get why you would think that, but actually, no. Because Universal did provide the infamous Trolls World Tour to drive-ins, you would think they would have done the same for this film. But for some strange reason, that was not the case, and it caused headaches for drive-in owners. See the weird story: https://variety.com/2020/film/news/...-pulled-from-theaters-judd-apatow-1234633013/

The only thing I'd seen Bel Powley in previously was A Royal Night Out, playing a 14-year-old Princess Margaret. She is almost unrecognizable here, playing every Staten Island girl I've ever met. As with Tomei's character, Kelsey is easy to underestimate.

Rent The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Powley is amazing leading that film with a very complex and demanding role for someone so young. The movie wouldn't work without her and she absolutely pulls it off.

For myself tonight:

I remember back on Leap Day 2020 B.C. -- Before Coronavirus -- when I went to an early sneak preview showing of Pixar's Onward. The choice of date was smartly tied in with the film's "extra day" theme. It was practically sold out, and the audience went nuts for the film. I thought there was no way Pixar could lose with this. It was sure to become a massive hit. Then COVID hit here in the United States, and, well...yeah. We all know what happened to movie theaters.

Before lockdown, I managed to sneak in under the wire and it again on its official opening Friday with a friend who flew out here for vacation just in the nick of time. We didn't know it at the time, but it ended up being the last movie we saw in the theater. That was about five months ago, but it feels as though it was more like five years. I've only been out of my house three times since that weekend. I am very fortunate relative to the huge number of people who have gotten sick or are struggling due to the virus and I can't really complain. But of course it still sucks.

As of right now, Onward has some extra personal weight added to it as the last movie I saw in a movie theater. I look forward to removing its status as the last movie I've seen in theaters when it is safe to do so, but I don't think that's going to happen before there is a vaccine. So it will be maintaining that stature for a while. If there had to be a last one for the time being, I am glad it was this one. It is really something special, and the presence of my friend -- which is not something that happens very often due to distance -- was a wonderful bonus.

I watched it again tonight because I felt like it. I watched it on Disney+ before the Blu-ray came out and then again a couple times when I got it, so I'm quite familiar with the movie now. But every time I watch it, it still works. The worldbuilding here is so creative, singularly unexpected and exciting. Even more importantly, the characters who inhabit this world are delightful, warm, and hilarious. It is an absolute pleasure to spend time in their company and go on this adventure with them. I can't think of a moment that rang false for me because there isn't one. It's so beautifully animated and tells such an emotional story. The voice cast is great and the writing they were asked to deliver is top-notch. Dan Scanlon knows the story he wants to tell because it is extremely personal to him, and that comes through on the screen. I cry at the end every time. I will probably cry at the end the next time, too. Oh, and the music is stunning too. Mychael Danna and Jeff Danna composed one of the most exciting and memorable scores I've heard in a while. I wish Disney would put it out on CD in addition to the digital download they solely currently offer, but that's another matter for another post. I still downloaded it, though, as soon as I got back from the Leap Day screening. It's great. If the Academy manages to remember the movie over a year after its truncated release, I would be delighted to see it win Best Score.

I know I've posted about it a lot before both in its own thread and (maybe?) in this one a few months ago. But I wanted to post again just to give the film another shout-out. There are worse things going on in the world as a result of the virus, but I still feel disappointed for the filmmakers who spent so long working on this film and then had to see its theatrical run cut so short. That must be hard. It was the right thing to do that had to happen, but it sucks. So I would like to encourage any of you who maybe still haven't seen it to check it out either on disc or on Disney+ or wherever you do rentals. It is very much worth your time. This is one of my favorite movies of the last few years for sure and ranks up there with the highest quality Pixar titles.

The picture I added to the top of this post is of Best Buy's sold out steelbook version, which I'm so glad I was able to obtain. It looks even better in person than in the photo and gives special distinction to this special film within the wide range of my collection.

 

[Robin9]

Danger Route 1967. Terrible transfer of a spy vs. spy story starring Richard Johnson as a hit man for his government, trying his best to survive the double crosses and the hit against him by various agencies, including his own. Diana Dors plays a middle-aged housekeeper who is duped by him. She survives the carnage.

I saw this film when it first came out. I've never seen it since and I'd love a good presentation of it on disc.

Last night I re-watched The Naked City. I was checking both this and Brute Force in view of Robert Harris' comments about the new Criterion discs. Once The Naked City began I decided to watch all of it. I love this film although for me Mark Hellinger's narration/commentary becomes tiresome very, very quickly.

 

[DFurr]

Tonight is a cobweb classic........1985........Return of the Living Dead!! Funny and scary at the same time. Screened tonight in stunning DVD quality!! Can't wait.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Originally Released: 02/17/1989
Watched: 08/27/2020
4K UHD digital streaming on Apple TV app via Roku Ultra

I decided to revisit the first two Bill & Ted movies ahead of the third one's release this weekend, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that they'd been upgraded to 4K on iTunes.

Despite seeing this movie countless times over the years, I think this was my first time watching it in high definition and its original aspect ratio, rather than pan & scan on VHS or on cable. I was surprised to see some early CGI during the time travel sequences.

The success of the movie, and of the franchise, is down to the chemistry between Alex Winter as Bill S. Preston, Esquire and Keanu Reeves as Ted ‘’Theodore’’ Logan. They're pretty much impossible not to like, and neither Bill nor Ted have a malicious bone in their bodies. And there is something strangely captivating about two empty headed morons having such incongruously expansive vocabularies.

It's to George Carlin's credit that Rufus is only in a few scenes, but his character looms so large in my memory of the film. I also don't think I ever noticed that Clarence Clemons was the leader of the triumvirate that ruled the Wyld Stallyns-inspired utopian future.

 

[TravisR]

The success of the movie, and of the franchise, is down to the chemistry between Alex Winter as Bill S. Preston, Esquire and Keanu Reeves as Ted ‘’Theodore’’ Logan. They're pretty much impossible not to like...

Honestly, I think the first movie has such a low budget that without Winter and Reeves, the movie would have been a disaster.

 

[bujaki]

Tuesday night, 5 films via the TCM app. 4 new to me and one welcome revisit after almost 50 years.
Loan Shark 1952. With George Raft's star on the wane, he appeared on this low-budget product which turned out remarkably well. Film noirish in many aspects as Raft goes undercover to expose a gang of loan sharks victimizing factory workers. Interpersonal relationships are strained due to Raft's secret mission; people are killed; there's violence and escalating schemes; tension and suspense and shootouts to end, literally, on a final curtain. Well lit by Joseph F. Biroc.
Outpost in Morocco 1949. Directed by Robert Florey (whose French fervor and patriotism was awakened) and shot by Lucien Andriot; starring Raft, Marie (The Body) Windsor, and scene-stealing Akim Tamiroff; the film, with many scenes actually shot on location (with terrible rear projection to prove it), fails to coalesce. Why would Marie, as the daughter of a rebel chieftain fall madly in love with ladies' man Raft, well past his prime? Unbelievable tripe. And worse yet, the chieftains wind up pledging allegiance to the flag of the...you know...colonialism forever. Yeah.
I'll Get You 1952. Shot on the cheap in England as Cold War thriller. Raft is at the end of his rope here. Sally Gray as the British agent is far more competent than he.
Too Many Wives 1937. Yep, that's Jack Carson in his first credited film role. Anne Shirley stars in this silly fluff opposite a leading man (John Morley) whose sole starring film this was. An hour long, and that's enough, although there's an occasional chuckle.
Madame Du Barry 1934. This is the old favorite, starring Dolores Del Rio and directed by William Dieterle before he became ossified by the solemn biographical dramas starring Muni. This one is sprightly fun and one can tell that it was in production prior to the Production Code (it must have suffered some cuts), for it is somewhat daring and salacious. It was Condemned by the Catholic Church! Del Rio shows up at a ball in a transparent, back lit nightgown that shows her all! Du Barry, the mistress, and Louis XV have this exchange as he complains about her lavish spending (from memory): "Madame, what are you doing to France"? She responds ever so innocently and coquettishly: "I'm doing what France is doing to me". Priceless.