Bullets for Ballots.
1936 Warner Bros.-First National Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Edward G. Robinson, Joan Blondell, Barton MacLane, Humphrey Bogart, Frank McHugh, Joseph King
Director: William Keighley
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Warner Gangsters Collection, Volume 2 (Formerly Tough Guys).
It's another "Warner Night at the Movies" presentation, which is an option available for viewing on this DVD. If you were alive in 1936, and wanted to go see Bullets for Ballots, here's what you would've been treated to at your local cinema:
* A trailer for The Charge of the Light Brigade, starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and David Niven. Warner Bros. dubbed this one an "epic re-release". I'm sure it was back in '36. (Available for sale at Amazon here, or as a single DVD)
* Crazy Newsreel: Two "news of the weird" features in under three minutes, covering a Canadian family who won nearly a million dollars from an eccentric millionaire for having fifteen children, tiger cubs in an incubator, and a flying bicycle contraption that never gets airborne.
* George Hall and His Orchestra, a short film featuring aforementioned orchestra, as they're unable to secure lodging at a hotel, so they move into a condemned building for the night. They rehearse some numbers, and scare the wits out of a drunken intruder who stumbles in. There's also some humor that can definitely be construed as racist today.
* I'm a Big Shot Now, directed by Friz Freleng, 1936. Cartoon time! In Birdville, the citizens all go about their business until a gangster stereotype bluebird sings the title song before wreaking havoc. Birdville's crack police force get to work, complete with a car chase, a shootout, and the bird criminal locked up, and woefully singing "I'm just a jailbird now". Tough break, kid.
* Main feature:
Edward G. Robinson is detective Johnny Blake, who goes undercover in a New York City mob, befriending a gangster named Al Kruger (MacLane), who is the subject of a recent movie about racketeering produced by a newspaperman named Ward Bryant (Henry O'Neill). Bryant has turned up murdered, and Kruger's partner, Nick Fenner (Bogart) is suspected of the crime. Blake is fired from the police force, and he later gets into an altercation with a police captain, Dan MacLaren (King) at a boxing match.
Blake quickly gains the trust of Kruger, although Fenner begins to rightfully suspect that Blake is secretly tipping off the police, and it's inevitable that both men are headed for a violent showdown. Who will survive?
The DVD also includes as an extra the Lux Theater radio broadcast featuring Robinson, Bogart, and Mary Astor in Joan Blondell's role, which first was aired on April 16th, 1939. As for the film, it's a recommended movie with an excellent transfer to DVD.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Marathon Man
Marathon Man. 1976 Paramount Pictures.
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, William Devane, Roy Scheider, Marthe Keller
Director: John Schlesinger
Buy Marathon Man from Amazon.
"Is it safe?" Number 70 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes list.
Dustin Hoffman is Thomas "Babe" Levy, a running enthusiast who is also working towards his Ph.D. in history researching the same field as his dad, who killed himself after he was investigated during the Joseph McCarthy era. His brother Henry (Scheider), or "Doc" if you prefer, poses as an oil company executive, but unknown to Babe, he is a government agent working for one Peter Janeway (Devane). Doc is in New York under the guise of visiting his brother, but in fact, he is tracking a Nazi war criminal named Dr. Christian Szell (Olivier), whose brother possesses a key to a safety deposit box containing an extremely valuable collection of diamonds (we learn later on that the diamonds were taken from Jewish victims that Szell personally executed at Auschwitz during World War II). Szell's brother dies following a road rage incident with a short-tempered Jewish American motorist. Meanwhile, Babe starts dating a fellow student named Elsa Opel (Keller), who says she's from Switzerland. One day, they're mugged in the park by two men in suits. Later, Doc takes them both to lunch, where he tricks Elsa into admitting she was lying about her past, because Doc suspects she has some kind of tie to Szell.
Doc is later stabbed by Szell, and he manages to make it back to Babe's apartment where he dies before telling him anything. The police interrogate Babe for hours, until Janeway and his men arrive. Janeway informs Babe of Doc's past as a government agent, and is convinced that Doc made his way back to Babe's apartment to share vital information. Later, Babe is abducted by the same two men who attacked him and Elsa in the park, who bring him to Szell, and Babe is tortured by the Nazi who repeatedly asks "Is it safe?" Babe denies any knowledge of what's happening, and is rescued by Janeway. After informing him of Szell's intentions for the cache of diamonds, and after Babe again stresses that Doc did not share any information with him before dying, Janeway reveals he is in cahoots with Szell. Szell had agreed to inform on his fellow Nazi war criminals in return for immunity. Babe is sent back to Szell, who is surprisingly gentle in his explanation why he's being held captive: he suspected Doc would attempt to seize the diamonds, or inform the authorities, and Szell wants to know if it's "safe" to withdraw the diamonds. Babe again says he knows nothing, and following more torture (dental torture!!), Babe escapes, outrunning Janeway and Szell's henchmen.
After this, Babe formulates a plan for revenge, and it could prove fatal for more than one person involved.
Laurence Olivier was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as Dr. Szell, and he won a Golden Globe in the same category. Olivier was also suffering from cancer at the time of filming, and Paramount initially didn't want to use him during production, but producer Robert Evans called on his friends Merle Oberon and David Niven to meet with the House of Lords in England to convince them to urge Lloyds of London to insure Olivier. In the end, Olivier's cancer went into remission, and he lived for another thirteen years.
Highly recommended thriller, thanks to the performances of Hoffman and Olivier, although some might find the dental torture scenes a little too hard to watch. Be forewarned!
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, William Devane, Roy Scheider, Marthe Keller
Director: John Schlesinger
Buy Marathon Man from Amazon.
"Is it safe?" Number 70 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes list.
Dustin Hoffman is Thomas "Babe" Levy, a running enthusiast who is also working towards his Ph.D. in history researching the same field as his dad, who killed himself after he was investigated during the Joseph McCarthy era. His brother Henry (Scheider), or "Doc" if you prefer, poses as an oil company executive, but unknown to Babe, he is a government agent working for one Peter Janeway (Devane). Doc is in New York under the guise of visiting his brother, but in fact, he is tracking a Nazi war criminal named Dr. Christian Szell (Olivier), whose brother possesses a key to a safety deposit box containing an extremely valuable collection of diamonds (we learn later on that the diamonds were taken from Jewish victims that Szell personally executed at Auschwitz during World War II). Szell's brother dies following a road rage incident with a short-tempered Jewish American motorist. Meanwhile, Babe starts dating a fellow student named Elsa Opel (Keller), who says she's from Switzerland. One day, they're mugged in the park by two men in suits. Later, Doc takes them both to lunch, where he tricks Elsa into admitting she was lying about her past, because Doc suspects she has some kind of tie to Szell.
Doc is later stabbed by Szell, and he manages to make it back to Babe's apartment where he dies before telling him anything. The police interrogate Babe for hours, until Janeway and his men arrive. Janeway informs Babe of Doc's past as a government agent, and is convinced that Doc made his way back to Babe's apartment to share vital information. Later, Babe is abducted by the same two men who attacked him and Elsa in the park, who bring him to Szell, and Babe is tortured by the Nazi who repeatedly asks "Is it safe?" Babe denies any knowledge of what's happening, and is rescued by Janeway. After informing him of Szell's intentions for the cache of diamonds, and after Babe again stresses that Doc did not share any information with him before dying, Janeway reveals he is in cahoots with Szell. Szell had agreed to inform on his fellow Nazi war criminals in return for immunity. Babe is sent back to Szell, who is surprisingly gentle in his explanation why he's being held captive: he suspected Doc would attempt to seize the diamonds, or inform the authorities, and Szell wants to know if it's "safe" to withdraw the diamonds. Babe again says he knows nothing, and following more torture (dental torture!!), Babe escapes, outrunning Janeway and Szell's henchmen.
After this, Babe formulates a plan for revenge, and it could prove fatal for more than one person involved.
Laurence Olivier was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as Dr. Szell, and he won a Golden Globe in the same category. Olivier was also suffering from cancer at the time of filming, and Paramount initially didn't want to use him during production, but producer Robert Evans called on his friends Merle Oberon and David Niven to meet with the House of Lords in England to convince them to urge Lloyds of London to insure Olivier. In the end, Olivier's cancer went into remission, and he lived for another thirteen years.
Highly recommended thriller, thanks to the performances of Hoffman and Olivier, although some might find the dental torture scenes a little too hard to watch. Be forewarned!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Alfie
Alfie. 1966 Paramount Pictures.
Starring: Michael Caine, Shelley Winters, Millicent Martin, Julia Foster, Jane Asher, Alfie Bass
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Buy Alfie (1966) from Amazon.
Yes, this one was remade in 2004 starring Jude Law and Marisa Tomei.
The original, however, stars Michael Caine as Alfie Elkins, a promiscuous young man who seems to be shagging most of the female population of London when he isn't breaking the fourth wall trying to justify his actions. Usually, what Alfie tells the audience is the opposite of what we see him doing onscreen. Alfie is seeing Siddie (Martin) for little more than romps in parked cars, while his live-in bird Gilda (Foster) waits at home
Alfie's life begins to change when he ends his relationship with Siddie, and subsequently gets Gilda pregnant. Fatherhood seems to mellow Alfie out a little bit, but his reluctance to commit to Gilda drives her to marry a bus driver (Graham Stark). Alfie is then diagnosed with "shadows on the lungs", which means that he won't be able to go near his son. Checking into a convalescent home, Alfie meets another patient named Harry (Bass), whose wife he gets pregnant in a one-night stand. Harry's wife chooses to terminate the pregnancy, which devastates Alfie.
Having met an older, American woman named Ruby (Winters) while taking holiday pictures, Alfie decides to abandon his carefree ways, and settle down. Alfie chooses Ruby, but the day he finally tries to tell her, he finds Ruby in bed with a younger man.
Alfie was based on Bill Naughton's novel and play of the same name, and it earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Michael Caine. Recommended movie!
Starring: Michael Caine, Shelley Winters, Millicent Martin, Julia Foster, Jane Asher, Alfie Bass
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Buy Alfie (1966) from Amazon.
Yes, this one was remade in 2004 starring Jude Law and Marisa Tomei.
The original, however, stars Michael Caine as Alfie Elkins, a promiscuous young man who seems to be shagging most of the female population of London when he isn't breaking the fourth wall trying to justify his actions. Usually, what Alfie tells the audience is the opposite of what we see him doing onscreen. Alfie is seeing Siddie (Martin) for little more than romps in parked cars, while his live-in bird Gilda (Foster) waits at home
Alfie's life begins to change when he ends his relationship with Siddie, and subsequently gets Gilda pregnant. Fatherhood seems to mellow Alfie out a little bit, but his reluctance to commit to Gilda drives her to marry a bus driver (Graham Stark). Alfie is then diagnosed with "shadows on the lungs", which means that he won't be able to go near his son. Checking into a convalescent home, Alfie meets another patient named Harry (Bass), whose wife he gets pregnant in a one-night stand. Harry's wife chooses to terminate the pregnancy, which devastates Alfie.
Having met an older, American woman named Ruby (Winters) while taking holiday pictures, Alfie decides to abandon his carefree ways, and settle down. Alfie chooses Ruby, but the day he finally tries to tell her, he finds Ruby in bed with a younger man.
Alfie was based on Bill Naughton's novel and play of the same name, and it earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor for Michael Caine. Recommended movie!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Planes, Trains and Automobiles. 1987 Paramount Pictures.
Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean, Kevin Bacon, Edie McClurg, Ben Stein
Written, produced and directed by John Hughes
Available from Amazon (Those Aren't Pillows edition).
Ad exec Neal Page (Martin) is stuck in a meeting that seems to drag on forever, which may mean that he won't be able to catch a taxi to JFK to connect to his flight to Chicago, two days before Thanksgiving. Neal plans to be at home "by nine". That ain't happening. He first encounters Del Griffith (Candy) when the latter inadvertently gets into the cab that Neal hailed for himself. Neal does get to JFK just in time, only to find out two things:
1. The flight to Chicago is delayed, thanks to the mother of all snowstorms, and
2. While waiting, Del recognizes Neal. To Neal's annoyance, he's stuck in coach right next to Del!
The flight to the Windy City is diverted to Wichita due to the storm, which not so coincidentally clears up shortly after Del and Neal land, and settle into a crummy hotel in a rough part of town. Being robbed of nearly a thousand dollars by an unidentified thief does not help matters. Neal and Del are stuck together, and they gradually overcome their differences after much arguing, and they pull together to make their way back to Chicago over the course of the next three days, using just about every method of transportation they can. Once they make it back home, Neal realizes that Del, the seemingly happy-go-lucky kind of fella, actually is a widower (he has been carrying around a framed picture of his deceased wife Marie), and he has nowhere to go home to.
Highly recommended film, perfect for the Thanksgiving holiday.
...those aren't pillows!
Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean, Kevin Bacon, Edie McClurg, Ben Stein
Written, produced and directed by John Hughes
Available from Amazon (Those Aren't Pillows edition).
Ad exec Neal Page (Martin) is stuck in a meeting that seems to drag on forever, which may mean that he won't be able to catch a taxi to JFK to connect to his flight to Chicago, two days before Thanksgiving. Neal plans to be at home "by nine". That ain't happening. He first encounters Del Griffith (Candy) when the latter inadvertently gets into the cab that Neal hailed for himself. Neal does get to JFK just in time, only to find out two things:
1. The flight to Chicago is delayed, thanks to the mother of all snowstorms, and
2. While waiting, Del recognizes Neal. To Neal's annoyance, he's stuck in coach right next to Del!
The flight to the Windy City is diverted to Wichita due to the storm, which not so coincidentally clears up shortly after Del and Neal land, and settle into a crummy hotel in a rough part of town. Being robbed of nearly a thousand dollars by an unidentified thief does not help matters. Neal and Del are stuck together, and they gradually overcome their differences after much arguing, and they pull together to make their way back to Chicago over the course of the next three days, using just about every method of transportation they can. Once they make it back home, Neal realizes that Del, the seemingly happy-go-lucky kind of fella, actually is a widower (he has been carrying around a framed picture of his deceased wife Marie), and he has nowhere to go home to.
Highly recommended film, perfect for the Thanksgiving holiday.
...those aren't pillows!
Friday, November 27, 2009
At the Circus
At the Circus. 1939 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: The Marx Brothers (Groucho, Chico, Harpo), Kenny Baker, Florence Rice, James Burke, Margaret Dumont, Nat Pendleton, Eve Arden
Director: Edward Buzzell
Available as part of the Marx Brothers Collection from Amazon.
Circus owner Jeff Wilson (Baker) is in danger of losing his business to a crooked creditor named Carter (Burke) and his two accomplices Goliath the Strongman (Pendleton) and Little Professor Atom (Jerry Maren). Wilson's assistant Antonio (Chico) takes it upon himself to enlist the help of an attorney called J. Cheever Loophole (Groucho), as well as another circus performer, Punchy (Harpo). Carter and his men aren't the only ones looking to take over the circus; aerialist Peerless Pauline (Arden) has also aligned herself with them. Wilson is mugged in the animal car and robbed of $10,000 with only one witness: a gorilla. It's up to Loophole, Antonio and Punchy to save the circus as only the Marx Brothers can...and that does involve Groucho running rings around a slightly bewildered Margaret Dumont (who plays Wilson's wealthy aunt, Mrs. Dukesbury). Will the gorilla come into play?
One of the film's musical numbers is "Lydia the Tattooed Lady", which became one of Groucho's signature songs, and it also references Captain Spaulding from Animal Crackers. Buster Keaton also worked on the film, contributing various sight gags, which did not mesh well with the Marx Brothers' style of comedy. During an argument, Keaton told Groucho that he's only doing what he's being paid to do, and that "you guys don't need help".
Recommended, of course, but it isn't the greatest Marx Brothers movie out there.
Starring: The Marx Brothers (Groucho, Chico, Harpo), Kenny Baker, Florence Rice, James Burke, Margaret Dumont, Nat Pendleton, Eve Arden
Director: Edward Buzzell
Available as part of the Marx Brothers Collection from Amazon.
Circus owner Jeff Wilson (Baker) is in danger of losing his business to a crooked creditor named Carter (Burke) and his two accomplices Goliath the Strongman (Pendleton) and Little Professor Atom (Jerry Maren). Wilson's assistant Antonio (Chico) takes it upon himself to enlist the help of an attorney called J. Cheever Loophole (Groucho), as well as another circus performer, Punchy (Harpo). Carter and his men aren't the only ones looking to take over the circus; aerialist Peerless Pauline (Arden) has also aligned herself with them. Wilson is mugged in the animal car and robbed of $10,000 with only one witness: a gorilla. It's up to Loophole, Antonio and Punchy to save the circus as only the Marx Brothers can...and that does involve Groucho running rings around a slightly bewildered Margaret Dumont (who plays Wilson's wealthy aunt, Mrs. Dukesbury). Will the gorilla come into play?
One of the film's musical numbers is "Lydia the Tattooed Lady", which became one of Groucho's signature songs, and it also references Captain Spaulding from Animal Crackers. Buster Keaton also worked on the film, contributing various sight gags, which did not mesh well with the Marx Brothers' style of comedy. During an argument, Keaton told Groucho that he's only doing what he's being paid to do, and that "you guys don't need help".
Recommended, of course, but it isn't the greatest Marx Brothers movie out there.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
MST3K: Mr. B's Lost Shorts
Mystery Science Theater 3000 presents: Mr. B's Lost Shorts.
Available on the sixth MST3K collection.
Featuring for your perusal...
Mr. B Natural, from experiment 319, War of the Colossal Beast.
X Marks the Spot, from experiment 210, King Dinosaur.
Hired! (Part One), from experiment 423, Bride of the Monster.
Design for Dreaming, from experiment 12 to the Moon (also available on Shorts, Volume 3).
Johnny at the Fair, from experiment 419, The Rebel Set.
Are You Ready for Marriage?, from experiment 616, Racket Girls.
Next to Manos, Mr. B Natural is arguably MST3K's most memorable film, and just about every MSTie is very familiar with Betty Luster's over the top performance as the androgynous "hep pixie" embodying the spirit of fun in music. Evidentally, his/her day job is shilling for the now-defunct C.G. Conn company, and persuading awkward teenagers named Buzz into taking up the trumpet. As you all know, playing an instrument increases confidence around teenage girls. Or something.
Sadly, Mr. B doesn't appear in the rest of the shorts, so we do not get to see his/her influence over short films concerning reckless driving in New Jersey (and death), learning how to become a more efficient Chevrolet salesman, surreal showcases for new General Motors products, Johnny getting lost at a fair, or helping a young couple in love recognize that waiting to get engaged would definitely be a good idea. But, you know, Mr. B Natural is there, subtlely influencing everyone involved. Why did Johnny get lost? Blame Mr. B! How did Joe Doakes from New Jersey die in a car accident? That was Mr. B's doing.
This disc is definitely the best of the MST3K shorts collections, so get it while you can. Highly, highly recommended!
The mini Turkey Day marathon is over. My next post will be a review of an actual movie.
Available on the sixth MST3K collection.
Featuring for your perusal...
Mr. B Natural, from experiment 319, War of the Colossal Beast.
X Marks the Spot, from experiment 210, King Dinosaur.
Hired! (Part One), from experiment 423, Bride of the Monster.
Design for Dreaming, from experiment 12 to the Moon (also available on Shorts, Volume 3).
Johnny at the Fair, from experiment 419, The Rebel Set.
Are You Ready for Marriage?, from experiment 616, Racket Girls.
Next to Manos, Mr. B Natural is arguably MST3K's most memorable film, and just about every MSTie is very familiar with Betty Luster's over the top performance as the androgynous "hep pixie" embodying the spirit of fun in music. Evidentally, his/her day job is shilling for the now-defunct C.G. Conn company, and persuading awkward teenagers named Buzz into taking up the trumpet. As you all know, playing an instrument increases confidence around teenage girls. Or something.
Sadly, Mr. B doesn't appear in the rest of the shorts, so we do not get to see his/her influence over short films concerning reckless driving in New Jersey (and death), learning how to become a more efficient Chevrolet salesman, surreal showcases for new General Motors products, Johnny getting lost at a fair, or helping a young couple in love recognize that waiting to get engaged would definitely be a good idea. But, you know, Mr. B Natural is there, subtlely influencing everyone involved. Why did Johnny get lost? Blame Mr. B! How did Joe Doakes from New Jersey die in a car accident? That was Mr. B's doing.
This disc is definitely the best of the MST3K shorts collections, so get it while you can. Highly, highly recommended!
The mini Turkey Day marathon is over. My next post will be a review of an actual movie.
MST3K #604: Zombie Nightmare
Mystery Science Theater 3000 experiment #604: Zombie Nightmare.
Original Comedy Central airdate: November 24, 1994.
Available on the fifteenth MST3K collection.
Back in the olden days before South Park and Jon Stewart, Comedy Central used to have MST3K marathons on the Thanksgiving holiday, and this episode debuted during 1994's marathon.
Canadian bodybuilder and heavy metal musician Jon Mikl Thor starred in (and contributed music to) this 1986 film about a muscular, long-haired teenage baseball player named Tony, who one night, falls victim to a hit-and-run by a car full of teenagers. Those teenagers also include Tia Carrere (as Amy) in her first film role, and are led by a practicing sociopath named Jim (Shawn Levy).
After the death of Tony, his mother seeks out the neighborhood voodoo priestess (Hey! Every neighborhood has one!), who revives Tony as a zombie. Tony theBlack Lanternzombie goes on a killing spree, hunting down and murdering the teenagers who ran him down late one night. As the body count goes up, the local police captain, Tom Churchman (Adam West) begins taking a particular interest in the case, especially after learning that aforementioned voodoo priestess is somehow linked to the deaths. We also learn that Churchman and Jim's father killed Tony's dad long ago after he foiled their attack on the girl who grew up into a life of voodoo.
We open on the SOL with Crow and Tom as Secret Service agents relentlessly protecting Mike (and predictably causing him more harm than good), until they learn that they too could fall victim to an assassin's bullet. The Mads have embraced voodoo, and send up a voodoo kit to the satellite, which Mike and the bots use to do nice things for people like Jimmy Carter and Cokie Roberts. We won't even mention the naughty things they do to Dr. Forrester, though. Later, Crow falls victim to a hit-and-run courtesy of Tom Servo, but they do make up enough for the next scene, where they go hot tubbing. No one told them that Mike was also in the tub, fishing! Crow's Batman play is next for rehearsal, with Mike as a gigantic Robin and Servo as a dimunitive Batman, but Crow neglected to tell them he had scrapped the project. After the movie, the 'bots read letters to Adam West, and TV's Frank accidentally turns Dr. F. undead. Oh no!
Recommended episode, especially if you're a big fan of Hank Peters, Italian grocer, not to mention endless jokes about Canada.
Original Comedy Central airdate: November 24, 1994.
Available on the fifteenth MST3K collection.
Back in the olden days before South Park and Jon Stewart, Comedy Central used to have MST3K marathons on the Thanksgiving holiday, and this episode debuted during 1994's marathon.
Canadian bodybuilder and heavy metal musician Jon Mikl Thor starred in (and contributed music to) this 1986 film about a muscular, long-haired teenage baseball player named Tony, who one night, falls victim to a hit-and-run by a car full of teenagers. Those teenagers also include Tia Carrere (as Amy) in her first film role, and are led by a practicing sociopath named Jim (Shawn Levy).
After the death of Tony, his mother seeks out the neighborhood voodoo priestess (Hey! Every neighborhood has one!), who revives Tony as a zombie. Tony the
We open on the SOL with Crow and Tom as Secret Service agents relentlessly protecting Mike (and predictably causing him more harm than good), until they learn that they too could fall victim to an assassin's bullet. The Mads have embraced voodoo, and send up a voodoo kit to the satellite, which Mike and the bots use to do nice things for people like Jimmy Carter and Cokie Roberts. We won't even mention the naughty things they do to Dr. Forrester, though. Later, Crow falls victim to a hit-and-run courtesy of Tom Servo, but they do make up enough for the next scene, where they go hot tubbing. No one told them that Mike was also in the tub, fishing! Crow's Batman play is next for rehearsal, with Mike as a gigantic Robin and Servo as a dimunitive Batman, but Crow neglected to tell them he had scrapped the project. After the movie, the 'bots read letters to Adam West, and TV's Frank accidentally turns Dr. F. undead. Oh no!
Recommended episode, especially if you're a big fan of Hank Peters, Italian grocer, not to mention endless jokes about Canada.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
Original CBS airdate: November 20, 1973.
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Peanuts 1970s Collection, Volume 1.
We open our first review in quite some time with one of the three best known Peanuts holiday specials, which opens with the time honored tradition of Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown, a tactic that you just never see in any football game these days, professional, collegiate, high school, or just playing for fun in the backyard.
Charlie Brown and his sister Sally have plans to go to their grandmother's place for Thanksgiving. Then, Peppermint Patty calls the Brown residence, inviting herself over to the Browns' for dinner, followed up by two successive calls where she tells Charlie Brown that her two neighborhood friends Marcie and Franklin are also coming by. As usual, Charlie Brown can't bring himself to say no, and agonizes over what to do...until Linus simply suggests that they hold an earlier dinner at home before it's time to visit Grandma. Unfortunately, all Charlie Brown knows how to make is cold cereal and "maybe toast". Recruiting Snoopy and Woodstock, the boys do the best they can.
The feast at the Brown residence consists of cereal, toast, popcorn, pretzel sticks, and jelly beans. This does infuriate Peppermint Patty, who is oblivious to the fact that she invited herself over until Marcie reminds her. Apologies are given out, and Charlie Brown realizes that they're running behind, and they're supposed to be at Grandma's house very, very soon. Fortunately, after calling her to explain what happened, Charlie Brown's grandmother cheerfully suggests that everyone can tag along and come over for a real Thanksgiving feast. After everyone leaves, Snoopy and Woodstock have their own dinner, complete with all of the staples that were missing from Charlie Brown's first attempt at hosting Thanksgiving dinner.
The Warner Bros. reissue of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving also includes "The Mayflower Voyagers", the first episode from the 1988-89 miniseries This is America, Charlie Brown as an extra. Recommended disc, although the entire This is America, Charlie Brown series is available separately on a two DVD set.
Original CBS airdate: November 20, 1973.
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Peanuts 1970s Collection, Volume 1.
We open our first review in quite some time with one of the three best known Peanuts holiday specials, which opens with the time honored tradition of Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown, a tactic that you just never see in any football game these days, professional, collegiate, high school, or just playing for fun in the backyard.
Charlie Brown and his sister Sally have plans to go to their grandmother's place for Thanksgiving. Then, Peppermint Patty calls the Brown residence, inviting herself over to the Browns' for dinner, followed up by two successive calls where she tells Charlie Brown that her two neighborhood friends Marcie and Franklin are also coming by. As usual, Charlie Brown can't bring himself to say no, and agonizes over what to do...until Linus simply suggests that they hold an earlier dinner at home before it's time to visit Grandma. Unfortunately, all Charlie Brown knows how to make is cold cereal and "maybe toast". Recruiting Snoopy and Woodstock, the boys do the best they can.
The feast at the Brown residence consists of cereal, toast, popcorn, pretzel sticks, and jelly beans. This does infuriate Peppermint Patty, who is oblivious to the fact that she invited herself over until Marcie reminds her. Apologies are given out, and Charlie Brown realizes that they're running behind, and they're supposed to be at Grandma's house very, very soon. Fortunately, after calling her to explain what happened, Charlie Brown's grandmother cheerfully suggests that everyone can tag along and come over for a real Thanksgiving feast. After everyone leaves, Snoopy and Woodstock have their own dinner, complete with all of the staples that were missing from Charlie Brown's first attempt at hosting Thanksgiving dinner.
The Warner Bros. reissue of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving also includes "The Mayflower Voyagers", the first episode from the 1988-89 miniseries This is America, Charlie Brown as an extra. Recommended disc, although the entire This is America, Charlie Brown series is available separately on a two DVD set.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Burden of Dreams
Burden of Dreams (Criterion #287).
1982 Flower Films & Janus Films.
Starring: Werner Herzog, Claudia Cardinale, Klaus Kinski, Mick Jagger, Jason Robards
Narration: Michael Goodwin (writer), Candace Laughlin (spoken)
Directors: Les Blank with Maureen Gosling
Buy Burden of Dreams at Amazon.
Les Blank, with some help from Maureen Gosling, directed this documentary examining German filmmaker Werner Herzog and his nearly-five year struggle to film Fitzcarraldo in the South American jungle. Fitzcarraldo is the story of Brian "Fitzcarraldo" Sweeny Fitzgerald, a European living in Peru who loves opera music enough that he decides to build a music hall in the middle of the Peruvian rain forest, simply so Enrico Caruso can christen it with a performance. Fitzgerald breaks into the rubber industry, Peru's most profitable industry at the turn of the 20th century, to realize this vision.
From the very start, the production seems cursed, as original star Jason Robards becomes ill, and returns to America, where his doctor orders him to stay. His co-star, Mick Jagger, has to drop out of the film to honor commitments with the Rolling Stones (recording Tattoo You, and touring to support that record). Herzog replaces Robards with his frequent collaborator Klaus Kinski, and deletes Jagger's role from the script. The film's production also is hindered by unpredictable weather, and dealing with hostile local tribes, not to mention hostilities between Peru and Ecuador military units. Kinski was also difficult to deal with during the shoot, and he clashed with Herzog and other crew members many times, upsetting the local extras enough that a native tribe leader offered to murder the actor. Herzog turned down the offer...because he needed Kinski to finish filming.
Herzog wanted his movie to be as realistic as possible, which meant that instead of using models or other special effects, he hired hundreds of local residents to help move a 320 ton steamship over a hill (the real life Fitzgerald simply dismantled his boat before transporting it). The director believed that no one had ever performed a similar feat in history, and likely would never try it again, so he called himself "Conquistador of the Useless". Regardless, despite all of the hardships and setbacks, Herzog never gave up, and Fitzcarraldo was released to theaters in 1982, garnering great critical success.
As for Burden of Dreams, it is a very interesting documentary depicting the efforts of a nearly impossible and at times ridiculous film production that would've broken the wills of many directors, actors, or other film crew members. Highly recommended.
1982 Flower Films & Janus Films.
Starring: Werner Herzog, Claudia Cardinale, Klaus Kinski, Mick Jagger, Jason Robards
Narration: Michael Goodwin (writer), Candace Laughlin (spoken)
Directors: Les Blank with Maureen Gosling
Buy Burden of Dreams at Amazon.
Les Blank, with some help from Maureen Gosling, directed this documentary examining German filmmaker Werner Herzog and his nearly-five year struggle to film Fitzcarraldo in the South American jungle. Fitzcarraldo is the story of Brian "Fitzcarraldo" Sweeny Fitzgerald, a European living in Peru who loves opera music enough that he decides to build a music hall in the middle of the Peruvian rain forest, simply so Enrico Caruso can christen it with a performance. Fitzgerald breaks into the rubber industry, Peru's most profitable industry at the turn of the 20th century, to realize this vision.
From the very start, the production seems cursed, as original star Jason Robards becomes ill, and returns to America, where his doctor orders him to stay. His co-star, Mick Jagger, has to drop out of the film to honor commitments with the Rolling Stones (recording Tattoo You, and touring to support that record). Herzog replaces Robards with his frequent collaborator Klaus Kinski, and deletes Jagger's role from the script. The film's production also is hindered by unpredictable weather, and dealing with hostile local tribes, not to mention hostilities between Peru and Ecuador military units. Kinski was also difficult to deal with during the shoot, and he clashed with Herzog and other crew members many times, upsetting the local extras enough that a native tribe leader offered to murder the actor. Herzog turned down the offer...because he needed Kinski to finish filming.
Herzog wanted his movie to be as realistic as possible, which meant that instead of using models or other special effects, he hired hundreds of local residents to help move a 320 ton steamship over a hill (the real life Fitzgerald simply dismantled his boat before transporting it). The director believed that no one had ever performed a similar feat in history, and likely would never try it again, so he called himself "Conquistador of the Useless". Regardless, despite all of the hardships and setbacks, Herzog never gave up, and Fitzcarraldo was released to theaters in 1982, garnering great critical success.
As for Burden of Dreams, it is a very interesting documentary depicting the efforts of a nearly impossible and at times ridiculous film production that would've broken the wills of many directors, actors, or other film crew members. Highly recommended.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang.
1932 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Paul Muni, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Noel Francis
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Controversal Classics box set.
Based on the autobiography written by World War I veteran and Georgia chain gang member Robert Elliott Burns (while he was still on the run in New Jersey), I Am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang, this film not only contributed to significant changes in the United States penal system when it came to prison chain gangs, it also was a big enough hit at the box office to save Warner Bros. from financial ruin. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang was banned in the state of Georgia, where Burns served his stint, even if the movie took place in an unnamed state.
Also, before this picture was made, it was almost unheard of for any studio or filmmaker to tackle serious social issues.
Sergeant James Allen (Muni) returns from World War I planning to find work in construction, but soon finds himself having a hard time finding work, or at least a job that he's completely happy with. Allen is so broke at one point that he pawns his war medals. One night, he is accidentally caught up in a robbery, and finds himself sentenced to ten years in a chain gang.
After several months, Allen makes his escape, and winds up in Chicago. In the Windy City, he finds great success in the construction business, and Allen marries the proprietor of his boarding house, Marie Woods (Farrell). Marie discovers Jim's secret, and blackmails him into entering an unhappy marriage. Later on, Allen meets and falls in love with Helen (Vinson). When Jim asks his wife for a divorce, Marie betrays him to the authorities. Allen is offered a pardon if he turns himself in; he does so, only to find that it was a ruse, prompting him to escape back to Chicago.
Allen finds Helen at her home, and tells her that he is going back on the run. When asked questions about where he's going, and if he needs any money, Jim tells her "I steal" before disappearing back into the darkness. The lighting during the final scene was a happy accident (the lights either failed, or were turned off too soon), and it was kept in the final print.
Highly, highly recommended pre-Code film.
1932 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Paul Muni, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Noel Francis
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Controversal Classics box set.
Based on the autobiography written by World War I veteran and Georgia chain gang member Robert Elliott Burns (while he was still on the run in New Jersey), I Am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang, this film not only contributed to significant changes in the United States penal system when it came to prison chain gangs, it also was a big enough hit at the box office to save Warner Bros. from financial ruin. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang was banned in the state of Georgia, where Burns served his stint, even if the movie took place in an unnamed state.
Also, before this picture was made, it was almost unheard of for any studio or filmmaker to tackle serious social issues.
Sergeant James Allen (Muni) returns from World War I planning to find work in construction, but soon finds himself having a hard time finding work, or at least a job that he's completely happy with. Allen is so broke at one point that he pawns his war medals. One night, he is accidentally caught up in a robbery, and finds himself sentenced to ten years in a chain gang.
After several months, Allen makes his escape, and winds up in Chicago. In the Windy City, he finds great success in the construction business, and Allen marries the proprietor of his boarding house, Marie Woods (Farrell). Marie discovers Jim's secret, and blackmails him into entering an unhappy marriage. Later on, Allen meets and falls in love with Helen (Vinson). When Jim asks his wife for a divorce, Marie betrays him to the authorities. Allen is offered a pardon if he turns himself in; he does so, only to find that it was a ruse, prompting him to escape back to Chicago.
Allen finds Helen at her home, and tells her that he is going back on the run. When asked questions about where he's going, and if he needs any money, Jim tells her "I steal" before disappearing back into the darkness. The lighting during the final scene was a happy accident (the lights either failed, or were turned off too soon), and it was kept in the final print.
Highly, highly recommended pre-Code film.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Casablanca
Casablanca.
1942 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Conrad Veidt, Dooley Wilson
Director: Michael Curtiz
Available from Amazon as a single DVD (snapcase!), or as a two-disc special edition, which I own. Casablanca is also part of two box sets: the first Humphrey Bogart Signature Collection, and the Best Picture Winners installment of TCM's Greatest Classic Films Collection. Or, you could always invest in the ultimate collectors' edition.
"Here's looking at you, kid."
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
"Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By." *
"Round up the usual suspects."
"We'll always have Paris."
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."
One of the all time classic American films. Casablanca won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Best Director for Michael Curtiz.
Humphrey Bogart is Rick Blaine, a nightclub owner in Casablanca during the early days of World War II. Rick's Café Américain is an upscale nightclub slash gambling den that attracts a wide base of customers, notably Vichy French and Nazi officials, as well as refugees and thieves. One day, a petty criminal called Ugarte (Lorre) shows up in the club with "letters of transit" that he got after two German couriers were murdered. These documents will allow the bearer to travel as they pleased through Nazi-controlled Germany, into neutral Portugal, and from there into the United States. Obviously, these are very valuable and highly coveted, and Ugarte plans to make a killing by selling them to the highest bidder who is eager enough to get out of Casablanca, but the criminal is arrested by the local police under the command of the corrupt Captain Louis Renault (Rains) before he could sell. He still entrusts Rick with the letters (Ugarte dies offscreen while in police custody).
And then, Ilsa Lund (Bergman) arrives in the club with her new husband Victor Laszlo (Henreid), a fugitive Czech Resistance leader. Rick and Ilsa were lovers, but she left him without explanation. Ilsa and Victor need Rick's letters to eventually escape to America so Victor can continue his work, and the German Major Strasser (Veidt) shows up to make sure Laszlo doesn't succeed. Laszlo has also met with Rick's business rival, Signor Ferrari (Greenstreet), voicing his suspicion that Rick has the letters. When Laszlo and Rick meet privately, he refuses to hand over the letters, suggesting that he ask his wife for the reason. Just then, Stresser and his fellow officers begin to loudly sing "Die Wacht am Rhein". Laszlo, with Rick's approval, gets the house band to play the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise", triggering long-suppressed patriotic fervor in the crowd, and quickly drowning out the Nazis. Strasser retaliates by having Captain Renault shut the nightclub down.
Later, Ilsa confronts Sam and demands the letters, but he refuses to hand them over. She tries to shoot him, but can't bring herself to pull the trigger, confessing that she still loves him. The truth comes out: Laszlo was believed killed in a concentration camp, but as the Germans were on the brink of capturing Paris, Ilsa learned that Laszlo was still alive; hence her wordless break-up with Rick, she left to tend to an ill Laszlo. Rick's bitterness towards Ilsa fades, and he agrees to help, making her believe that she will stay in Casablanca with Rick when Laszlo leaves for America.
Rick, as everyone knows, has other ideas, and his future does not involve a permanent reconciliation with Ilsa.
There's really not much else I can add. Of course, this one is highly, highly, highly recommended.
* Often mistaken for the simpler "Play it again, Sam".
1942 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Conrad Veidt, Dooley Wilson
Director: Michael Curtiz
Available from Amazon as a single DVD (snapcase!), or as a two-disc special edition, which I own. Casablanca is also part of two box sets: the first Humphrey Bogart Signature Collection, and the Best Picture Winners installment of TCM's Greatest Classic Films Collection. Or, you could always invest in the ultimate collectors' edition.
"Here's looking at you, kid."
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
"Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By." *
"Round up the usual suspects."
"We'll always have Paris."
"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."
One of the all time classic American films. Casablanca won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and Best Director for Michael Curtiz.
Humphrey Bogart is Rick Blaine, a nightclub owner in Casablanca during the early days of World War II. Rick's Café Américain is an upscale nightclub slash gambling den that attracts a wide base of customers, notably Vichy French and Nazi officials, as well as refugees and thieves. One day, a petty criminal called Ugarte (Lorre) shows up in the club with "letters of transit" that he got after two German couriers were murdered. These documents will allow the bearer to travel as they pleased through Nazi-controlled Germany, into neutral Portugal, and from there into the United States. Obviously, these are very valuable and highly coveted, and Ugarte plans to make a killing by selling them to the highest bidder who is eager enough to get out of Casablanca, but the criminal is arrested by the local police under the command of the corrupt Captain Louis Renault (Rains) before he could sell. He still entrusts Rick with the letters (Ugarte dies offscreen while in police custody).
And then, Ilsa Lund (Bergman) arrives in the club with her new husband Victor Laszlo (Henreid), a fugitive Czech Resistance leader. Rick and Ilsa were lovers, but she left him without explanation. Ilsa and Victor need Rick's letters to eventually escape to America so Victor can continue his work, and the German Major Strasser (Veidt) shows up to make sure Laszlo doesn't succeed. Laszlo has also met with Rick's business rival, Signor Ferrari (Greenstreet), voicing his suspicion that Rick has the letters. When Laszlo and Rick meet privately, he refuses to hand over the letters, suggesting that he ask his wife for the reason. Just then, Stresser and his fellow officers begin to loudly sing "Die Wacht am Rhein". Laszlo, with Rick's approval, gets the house band to play the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise", triggering long-suppressed patriotic fervor in the crowd, and quickly drowning out the Nazis. Strasser retaliates by having Captain Renault shut the nightclub down.
Later, Ilsa confronts Sam and demands the letters, but he refuses to hand them over. She tries to shoot him, but can't bring herself to pull the trigger, confessing that she still loves him. The truth comes out: Laszlo was believed killed in a concentration camp, but as the Germans were on the brink of capturing Paris, Ilsa learned that Laszlo was still alive; hence her wordless break-up with Rick, she left to tend to an ill Laszlo. Rick's bitterness towards Ilsa fades, and he agrees to help, making her believe that she will stay in Casablanca with Rick when Laszlo leaves for America.
Rick, as everyone knows, has other ideas, and his future does not involve a permanent reconciliation with Ilsa.
There's really not much else I can add. Of course, this one is highly, highly, highly recommended.
* Often mistaken for the simpler "Play it again, Sam".
The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon.
1941 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane
Director: John Huston
Available from Amazon as a three-disc special edition, which is also part of the second Humphrey Bogart Signature Collection.
This will be a special "Warner Night at the Movies" edition, which is an option available on the DVD. Had you gone to see The Maltese Falcon back in '41, this all would've awaited you at the theater:
* A trailer for Sergeant York.
* A very brief Newsreel.
* The Gay Parisian (short), directed by Jean Negulesco. Basically, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo dance to the music of Jacques Offenbach. It's in Technicolor, so it looks great, but it really doesn't go anywhere. Pass on it, even if it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Subject.
* Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt, directed by Friz Freleng, 1941. Bugs Bunny is hunted by a pint-sized Hiawatha in between trying to read Longfellow's The Song of Hiawatha. One of the earliest cartoons starring Bugs, and the first directed by Freleng.
* Meet John Doughboy, directed by Robert Clampett, 1941. Porky Pig hosts a parody of a newsreel with an armed forces theme, complete with caricatures of Jack Benny and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. This one is also available on the sixth and final Looney Tunes Golden Collection.
* And of course, the main feature...
John Huston's directorial debut is a screen adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel, and it received three Academy Award nominations. It also helped turned Humphrey Bogart into a major star.
Bogart, as everyone knows, is detective Sam Spade, a man with his own personal code of honor. One day, a Miss Ruth Wonderly (Astor) breezes into the office Spade shares with his partner Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan), and offers them a healthy incentive to protect her from someone named Floyd Thursby. Archer takes the offer, simply because he saw the woman first. Later that evening, he and Thursby are shot to death. After some confusion about Spade's possible involvement in the murders (a motive that he might be attracted to Archer's wife Iva, played by Gladys George), the detective meets Wonderly again, but she's now calling herself Brigid O'Shaughnessy. Brigid explains that Thursby was her partner, and he may have shot Archer, but she doesn't know who offed Thursby.
Spade also meets the effeminate Joel Cairo (Lorre), and a criminal named Kasper Gutman (Greenstreet), and everyone involved is looking for a 12 inch high, jewel-encrusted statuette in the shape of a falcon. Spade is offered small fortunes by Cairo and Gutman to find the treasure, but they are not above committing violent crimes to attain the bird themselves. As usual, many things are not what they seem, or appear to be.
Highly, highly recommended movie.
1941 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane
Director: John Huston
Available from Amazon as a three-disc special edition, which is also part of the second Humphrey Bogart Signature Collection.
This will be a special "Warner Night at the Movies" edition, which is an option available on the DVD. Had you gone to see The Maltese Falcon back in '41, this all would've awaited you at the theater:
* A trailer for Sergeant York.
* A very brief Newsreel.
* The Gay Parisian (short), directed by Jean Negulesco. Basically, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo dance to the music of Jacques Offenbach. It's in Technicolor, so it looks great, but it really doesn't go anywhere. Pass on it, even if it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Short Subject.
* Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt, directed by Friz Freleng, 1941. Bugs Bunny is hunted by a pint-sized Hiawatha in between trying to read Longfellow's The Song of Hiawatha. One of the earliest cartoons starring Bugs, and the first directed by Freleng.
* Meet John Doughboy, directed by Robert Clampett, 1941. Porky Pig hosts a parody of a newsreel with an armed forces theme, complete with caricatures of Jack Benny and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. This one is also available on the sixth and final Looney Tunes Golden Collection.
* And of course, the main feature...
John Huston's directorial debut is a screen adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel, and it received three Academy Award nominations. It also helped turned Humphrey Bogart into a major star.
Bogart, as everyone knows, is detective Sam Spade, a man with his own personal code of honor. One day, a Miss Ruth Wonderly (Astor) breezes into the office Spade shares with his partner Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan), and offers them a healthy incentive to protect her from someone named Floyd Thursby. Archer takes the offer, simply because he saw the woman first. Later that evening, he and Thursby are shot to death. After some confusion about Spade's possible involvement in the murders (a motive that he might be attracted to Archer's wife Iva, played by Gladys George), the detective meets Wonderly again, but she's now calling herself Brigid O'Shaughnessy. Brigid explains that Thursby was her partner, and he may have shot Archer, but she doesn't know who offed Thursby.
Spade also meets the effeminate Joel Cairo (Lorre), and a criminal named Kasper Gutman (Greenstreet), and everyone involved is looking for a 12 inch high, jewel-encrusted statuette in the shape of a falcon. Spade is offered small fortunes by Cairo and Gutman to find the treasure, but they are not above committing violent crimes to attain the bird themselves. As usual, many things are not what they seem, or appear to be.
Highly, highly recommended movie.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Night and Day
Night and Day.
1946 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Cary Grant, Alexis Smith, Monty Woolley, Mary Martin, Jane Wyman, Eve Arden
Director: Michael Curtiz
Available at Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Cary Grant Signature Collection.
Michael Curtiz directed this biographical film about the life and career of Cole Porter which understandably (for 1946 audiences) left out any hint of Porter's homosexuality. Those looking for a more realistic film about Porter should perhaps look into De-Lovely, starring Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, and Jonathan Pryce.
Night and Day covers the years 1912 to 1946, when Porter (Grant) attended Yale, and found himself uninterested in studying law, so he became involved with amateur theatricals under the tutelage of Monty Woolley, who plays himself. Cole signs up for the army and becomes an ambulance driver in World War I, and he meets his future wife Linda Lee (Smith) while stationed in France. After the war, Porter becomes a prolific songwriter, writing hit after hit, and drawing inspiration from mundane things like rain falling and the ticking of a grandfather clock. His marriage begins to suffer, as Linda starts feeling neglected when Cole's career takes off.
Later, Porter is seriously injured in a polo accident, but refuses to have his useless legs amputated and makes a big comeback, which draws praise from none other than a World War I veteran who just happens to be an amputee.
Recommended for fans of Cary Grant, although no one who comes across this one should expect a serious and 100 percent accurate biopic of Cole Porter.
1946 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Cary Grant, Alexis Smith, Monty Woolley, Mary Martin, Jane Wyman, Eve Arden
Director: Michael Curtiz
Available at Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Cary Grant Signature Collection.
Michael Curtiz directed this biographical film about the life and career of Cole Porter which understandably (for 1946 audiences) left out any hint of Porter's homosexuality. Those looking for a more realistic film about Porter should perhaps look into De-Lovely, starring Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, and Jonathan Pryce.
Night and Day covers the years 1912 to 1946, when Porter (Grant) attended Yale, and found himself uninterested in studying law, so he became involved with amateur theatricals under the tutelage of Monty Woolley, who plays himself. Cole signs up for the army and becomes an ambulance driver in World War I, and he meets his future wife Linda Lee (Smith) while stationed in France. After the war, Porter becomes a prolific songwriter, writing hit after hit, and drawing inspiration from mundane things like rain falling and the ticking of a grandfather clock. His marriage begins to suffer, as Linda starts feeling neglected when Cole's career takes off.
Later, Porter is seriously injured in a polo accident, but refuses to have his useless legs amputated and makes a big comeback, which draws praise from none other than a World War I veteran who just happens to be an amputee.
Recommended for fans of Cary Grant, although no one who comes across this one should expect a serious and 100 percent accurate biopic of Cole Porter.
Dinner at Eight
Dinner at Eight. 1933 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Marie Dressler, John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, Lionel Barrymore, Lee Tracy
Director: George Cukor
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Classic Comedies Collection.
This one is a film adaptation of the play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber.
Billie Burke is Millicent Jordan, a social butterfly who arranges a dinner party that would benefit the business of her husband, Oliver (Lionel Barrymore). A week before the big shindig, Millicent is overjoyed that Lord and Lady Ferncliffe have accepted her invitations, even though she seems unaware of her husband and daughter Paula's (Madge Evans) not being as enthusiastic as she is. Paula's fiance Ernest DeGraff (Phillips Holmes) is due back from Europe, and Oliver's shipping firm has been struck hard by the Great Depression; bad enough that a former flame from his past is offering to sell her holdings, and Oliver doesn't have the cash to buy the stock back. Millicent's next task is to fund an escort for her only single female guest, former stage star Carlotta Vance (Marie Dressler), who is now broke, and is essentially a "professional guest" now.
Oliver confides in mining mogul Dan Packard (Beery) about his financial problems, asking him to take over some of his stocks until business improves. Dan eagerly agrees, then goes home to brag to his gold digging wife Kitty (Harlow) that the Jordan Line is a valuable property that he plans to devour through crooked stock purchases. The Packards are also extended invitations, mostly to make Dan hesitant about buying the stock. Kitty jumps at the chance, but Dan only agrees when he hears about the Ferncliffes attending the party.
Meanwhile, Kitty is secretly having an affair with Dr. Wayne Talbot (Edmund Lowe), and Millicent finds herself inviting alcoholic silent film star Larry Renault (John Barrymore) as Carlotta's date, unaware that Paula is having an affair with him! Larry accepts, then urges Paula to forget about him and return to Ernest, which she doesn't take seriously. Carlotta sees Paula leaving Larry's hotel room.
Basically, nothing goes right at the party. The Ferncliffes cancel and go to Florida instead, and Oliver falls ill from the stress of his business problems. Kitty and Dan argue, where she reveals her affair with Dr. Talbot (who is also caught by his wife Lucy, played by Karen Morley), then blackmails him into not divorcing her, since she will tell the Cabinet about his crooked business dealings. Larry's comeback attempt fails when he's removed from the lead role of his newest stage play, and goes on a bender that leads to his suicide right before he's supposed to be at the party. Millicent, upon learning of Larry's death and her own husband's illness, finally realizes she's been focusing too much on social gatherings and not her own family. Paula ultimately stays engaged to Ernest, and Dan backs down from his takeover of the Jordan Line.
Recommended movie.
Starring: Marie Dressler, John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, Lionel Barrymore, Lee Tracy
Director: George Cukor
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Classic Comedies Collection.
This one is a film adaptation of the play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber.
Billie Burke is Millicent Jordan, a social butterfly who arranges a dinner party that would benefit the business of her husband, Oliver (Lionel Barrymore). A week before the big shindig, Millicent is overjoyed that Lord and Lady Ferncliffe have accepted her invitations, even though she seems unaware of her husband and daughter Paula's (Madge Evans) not being as enthusiastic as she is. Paula's fiance Ernest DeGraff (Phillips Holmes) is due back from Europe, and Oliver's shipping firm has been struck hard by the Great Depression; bad enough that a former flame from his past is offering to sell her holdings, and Oliver doesn't have the cash to buy the stock back. Millicent's next task is to fund an escort for her only single female guest, former stage star Carlotta Vance (Marie Dressler), who is now broke, and is essentially a "professional guest" now.
Oliver confides in mining mogul Dan Packard (Beery) about his financial problems, asking him to take over some of his stocks until business improves. Dan eagerly agrees, then goes home to brag to his gold digging wife Kitty (Harlow) that the Jordan Line is a valuable property that he plans to devour through crooked stock purchases. The Packards are also extended invitations, mostly to make Dan hesitant about buying the stock. Kitty jumps at the chance, but Dan only agrees when he hears about the Ferncliffes attending the party.
Meanwhile, Kitty is secretly having an affair with Dr. Wayne Talbot (Edmund Lowe), and Millicent finds herself inviting alcoholic silent film star Larry Renault (John Barrymore) as Carlotta's date, unaware that Paula is having an affair with him! Larry accepts, then urges Paula to forget about him and return to Ernest, which she doesn't take seriously. Carlotta sees Paula leaving Larry's hotel room.
Basically, nothing goes right at the party. The Ferncliffes cancel and go to Florida instead, and Oliver falls ill from the stress of his business problems. Kitty and Dan argue, where she reveals her affair with Dr. Talbot (who is also caught by his wife Lucy, played by Karen Morley), then blackmails him into not divorcing her, since she will tell the Cabinet about his crooked business dealings. Larry's comeback attempt fails when he's removed from the lead role of his newest stage play, and goes on a bender that leads to his suicide right before he's supposed to be at the party. Millicent, upon learning of Larry's death and her own husband's illness, finally realizes she's been focusing too much on social gatherings and not her own family. Paula ultimately stays engaged to Ernest, and Dan backs down from his takeover of the Jordan Line.
Recommended movie.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Apartment
The Apartment.
1960 The Mirisch Corporation & United Artists; distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Edie Adams
Director: Billy Wilder
Buy The Apartment Collectors' Edition from Amazon.
The Apartment was nominated for ten Academy Awards, and won five, including Best Picture, and Best Director for Billy Wilder.
C.C. Baxter (Lemmon) works for a Manhattan-based insurance company with the less than ideal home life, as four different company managers take turns commandeering his apartment (on West 67th Street) for various extramarital trysts. Baxter is obviously unhappy with this arrangement, but he's unwilling to challenge it directly, as his supervisors are returning the favor with glowing reviews of his work, which leads to a big promotion later on. His neighbors assume that Baxter is a lothario who brings home a new woman every evening to get them drunk, which he does nothing to disprove.
Baxter is also trying to catch the eye of the elevator operator, Fran Kubelik (MacLaine). After his promotion, he finally asks Fran to a Broadway show, which she accepts...and stands him up. When Baxter returns home, he finds Fran dressed in his bed, having overdosed on sleeping pills. Before the promotion, Baxter had also allowed his company's personnel director Mr. Sheldrake (MacMurray) to use his place, and he was present the night Baxter was away at the show. Fran reveals that he had been involved with Sheldrake the previous summer, but it ended when his wife returned from a vacation. She still caved into his promises later that fall, but attempted suicide after Sheldrake offered her money instead of a Christmas gift.
After Fran recovers, and Sheldrake's marriage finally collapses thanks to a tattletale secretary who also happens to be a former lover, Baxter finally takes a stand against his superiors taking advantage of him and using his quarters for their affairs. Baxter quits the firm, and Fran ditches Sheldrake on New Year's Eve, having realized who truly cares for her. They spend the big holiday playing gin rummy.
Highly, highly recommended. Now, shut up and deal!
1960 The Mirisch Corporation & United Artists; distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Edie Adams
Director: Billy Wilder
Buy The Apartment Collectors' Edition from Amazon.
The Apartment was nominated for ten Academy Awards, and won five, including Best Picture, and Best Director for Billy Wilder.
C.C. Baxter (Lemmon) works for a Manhattan-based insurance company with the less than ideal home life, as four different company managers take turns commandeering his apartment (on West 67th Street) for various extramarital trysts. Baxter is obviously unhappy with this arrangement, but he's unwilling to challenge it directly, as his supervisors are returning the favor with glowing reviews of his work, which leads to a big promotion later on. His neighbors assume that Baxter is a lothario who brings home a new woman every evening to get them drunk, which he does nothing to disprove.
Baxter is also trying to catch the eye of the elevator operator, Fran Kubelik (MacLaine). After his promotion, he finally asks Fran to a Broadway show, which she accepts...and stands him up. When Baxter returns home, he finds Fran dressed in his bed, having overdosed on sleeping pills. Before the promotion, Baxter had also allowed his company's personnel director Mr. Sheldrake (MacMurray) to use his place, and he was present the night Baxter was away at the show. Fran reveals that he had been involved with Sheldrake the previous summer, but it ended when his wife returned from a vacation. She still caved into his promises later that fall, but attempted suicide after Sheldrake offered her money instead of a Christmas gift.
After Fran recovers, and Sheldrake's marriage finally collapses thanks to a tattletale secretary who also happens to be a former lover, Baxter finally takes a stand against his superiors taking advantage of him and using his quarters for their affairs. Baxter quits the firm, and Fran ditches Sheldrake on New Year's Eve, having realized who truly cares for her. They spend the big holiday playing gin rummy.
Highly, highly recommended. Now, shut up and deal!
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
2001 View Askew Productions & Dimension Films.
Starring: Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, and the usual gang of idiots.
Director: Kevin Smith
Available from Amazon.
You could call this the ultimate self-referential movie, as Kevin Smith brings the entire View Askewniverse together in one movie.
After being banned from the Quick Stop by Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) after he catches them roughing up two kids while boasting about the greatness of Morris Day and The Time (who also make an appearance as themselves), Jay and Silent Bob (Mewes and Smith) hang out at the Secret Stash comic shop, where they find out that there's going to be a Bluntman and Chronic movie based on the comic book with the characters based on them. They're even more mortified to discover that there's an almost universally negative reaction to the movie thus far, so they set off for Hollywood to prevent the film from being made, or at the least, get the money that they rightfully are owed. At first, they can't make any progress, even when a hitchhiker (George Carlin) advises them about a technique called "road head" (look it up elsewhere, this is a family movie review blog).
Somewhere between New Jersey and Hollywood, Jay and Bob end up joining up with an animal liberation group led by Justice (Shannon Elizabeth), consisting of three other ladies and one man (Seann William Scott) who Jay personally ejects from the group's van just to get closer to Justice. Actually, the group's real intention is to rob a diamond depository next to an animal testing lab in Colorado, and with the other guy gone, they pick Jay and Bob as their new patsies. As usual, the planned heist goes awry, the girls are mistakenly believed killed during a freak explosion, and our heroes rescue an orangutan named Suzanne, who they take with them to Hollywood.
In due time, Jay and Silent Bob (and Suzanne) arrive in Hollywood, with Justice and her girls following them. Can everything get straightened out without too much hilarity?
Highly recommended.
The final movie in View Askew continuity is Clerks II. Go read that review now.
2001 View Askew Productions & Dimension Films.
Starring: Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, and the usual gang of idiots.
Director: Kevin Smith
Available from Amazon.
You could call this the ultimate self-referential movie, as Kevin Smith brings the entire View Askewniverse together in one movie.
After being banned from the Quick Stop by Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) after he catches them roughing up two kids while boasting about the greatness of Morris Day and The Time (who also make an appearance as themselves), Jay and Silent Bob (Mewes and Smith) hang out at the Secret Stash comic shop, where they find out that there's going to be a Bluntman and Chronic movie based on the comic book with the characters based on them. They're even more mortified to discover that there's an almost universally negative reaction to the movie thus far, so they set off for Hollywood to prevent the film from being made, or at the least, get the money that they rightfully are owed. At first, they can't make any progress, even when a hitchhiker (George Carlin) advises them about a technique called "road head" (look it up elsewhere, this is a family movie review blog).
Somewhere between New Jersey and Hollywood, Jay and Bob end up joining up with an animal liberation group led by Justice (Shannon Elizabeth), consisting of three other ladies and one man (Seann William Scott) who Jay personally ejects from the group's van just to get closer to Justice. Actually, the group's real intention is to rob a diamond depository next to an animal testing lab in Colorado, and with the other guy gone, they pick Jay and Bob as their new patsies. As usual, the planned heist goes awry, the girls are mistakenly believed killed during a freak explosion, and our heroes rescue an orangutan named Suzanne, who they take with them to Hollywood.
In due time, Jay and Silent Bob (and Suzanne) arrive in Hollywood, with Justice and her girls following them. Can everything get straightened out without too much hilarity?
Highly recommended.
The final movie in View Askew continuity is Clerks II. Go read that review now.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
MST3K #212: Godzilla vs. Megalon
Mystery Science Theater 3000 experiment #212: Godzilla vs. Megalon.
Original Comedy Channel airdate: January 19, 1991.
Amazon.com listing (discontinued). Keep an eye on eBay for available copies.
This episode was originally released on DVD as part of the tenth MST3K set, but rights issues caused it to be withdrawn, and reissued with episode #402, The Giant Gila Monster in its place. It was originally conceived as a solo vehicle for the then-brand new Jet Jaguar character, who was created by a contest winner.
An undersea civilization called Seatopia has been ravaged by nuclear testing conducting by surface nations, so they unleash their god, Megalon, to attack and destroy the surface world. They also try to steal a newly-constructed robot called Jet Jaguar, along with its creator, Goro Ibuki, his kid brother "Roxanne", and their friend Hiroshi Jinkawa. The stolen Jet Jaguar lures Megalon to Tokyo, where human armies can't deal with the monster. Goro regains control of his robot, and sents it to Monster Island to bring back reinforcements: namely, Godzilla. Megalon somehow has backup, Gigan, and after Jet Jaguar grows to massive size, a big ol' royal rumble goes down, complete with Godzilla doing the Muhammad Ali shuffle (!), and executing the now infamous flying kick on Megalon. Godzilla and Jet Jaguar shake hands after their victory (!!), and Japan is safe for another day from men in rubber suits stomping on HO scale sets.
(And you thought that 1998 film abortion that was Godzilla was embarrassingly bad.)
On the SOL, Joel and the robots introduce the program in the style of a magazine show, complete with numerous Robert Goulet and Moms Mabley references. The invention exchange sees numerous simple Halloween costumes created from ordinary household items. Later, Joel catches Tom and Crow looking at naughty pictures, so they quickly improvise a discussion over which monster is more powerful. The SOL crew also introduces the new hit TV program Rex Dart: Eskimo Spy!, with action clips from the film, and the robots do a very bizarre sketch mercilessly lampooning popcorn icon Orville Redenbacher and his grandson. After the film, letters are read, and Joel modifies Crow and Servo with new arms that look cool, but are largely useless. Down in Deep 13, TV's Frank is incensed by his Mario Bros. video game.
Obviously, this isn't one of the best Godzilla movies (it's still better than the 1998 movie!!), but it made for a hilarious early episode of MST3K. This is easily the highlight of Season 2. Highly, highly recommended, but good luck finding a copy!
Original Comedy Channel airdate: January 19, 1991.
Amazon.com listing (discontinued). Keep an eye on eBay for available copies.
This episode was originally released on DVD as part of the tenth MST3K set, but rights issues caused it to be withdrawn, and reissued with episode #402, The Giant Gila Monster in its place. It was originally conceived as a solo vehicle for the then-brand new Jet Jaguar character, who was created by a contest winner.
An undersea civilization called Seatopia has been ravaged by nuclear testing conducting by surface nations, so they unleash their god, Megalon, to attack and destroy the surface world. They also try to steal a newly-constructed robot called Jet Jaguar, along with its creator, Goro Ibuki, his kid brother "Roxanne", and their friend Hiroshi Jinkawa. The stolen Jet Jaguar lures Megalon to Tokyo, where human armies can't deal with the monster. Goro regains control of his robot, and sents it to Monster Island to bring back reinforcements: namely, Godzilla. Megalon somehow has backup, Gigan, and after Jet Jaguar grows to massive size, a big ol' royal rumble goes down, complete with Godzilla doing the Muhammad Ali shuffle (!), and executing the now infamous flying kick on Megalon. Godzilla and Jet Jaguar shake hands after their victory (!!), and Japan is safe for another day from men in rubber suits stomping on HO scale sets.
(And you thought that 1998 film abortion that was Godzilla was embarrassingly bad.)
On the SOL, Joel and the robots introduce the program in the style of a magazine show, complete with numerous Robert Goulet and Moms Mabley references. The invention exchange sees numerous simple Halloween costumes created from ordinary household items. Later, Joel catches Tom and Crow looking at naughty pictures, so they quickly improvise a discussion over which monster is more powerful. The SOL crew also introduces the new hit TV program Rex Dart: Eskimo Spy!, with action clips from the film, and the robots do a very bizarre sketch mercilessly lampooning popcorn icon Orville Redenbacher and his grandson. After the film, letters are read, and Joel modifies Crow and Servo with new arms that look cool, but are largely useless. Down in Deep 13, TV's Frank is incensed by his Mario Bros. video game.
Obviously, this isn't one of the best Godzilla movies (it's still better than the 1998 movie!!), but it made for a hilarious early episode of MST3K. This is easily the highlight of Season 2. Highly, highly recommended, but good luck finding a copy!
Friday, June 26, 2009
MST3K #902: The Phantom Planet
Mystery Science Theater 3000 experiment #902: The Phantom Planet.
Original Sci-Fi Channel airdate: March 21, 1998.
Part of the eighth MST3K collection, still available at Amazon.
A U.S. astronaut named Frank Chapman (Dean Fredericks) is traveling through space when his ship finds a planet with a race of tiny, tiny people. The planet's bizarre atmosphere causes Chapman to shrink down to six inches in size. While he's stuck on the planet, Frank meets two beautiful women, and decides to help the locals combat an invading race of monsters called the Solarites, which look somewhat like dogs.
On the Satellite of Love, Crow and Servo have challenged Mike to an Andy Rooney-off, complete with giant bushy eyebrows. The competition is judged by Gypsy, who quits in frustration when the contestants refuses to stop Andy Rooney-offing (that's clearly not a word). Down in Castle Forrester, Pearl, Brain Guy, and Professor Bobo are finishing the move in, and Pearl's world domination kit arrives from Speigel. Too bad that the all-important "thing" has been sent up to the SOL, right? Later on, Mike and Tom discuss the Good and the Beautiful, which coincidentally are all mid '90s pin-up babes. The 'bots also invite Mike into taking part of their new hobby of water glass rim music, which they soon come to regret. Meanwhile, Pearl is still upset at getting an incomplete world domination kit, and the welcome wagon arrives at the castle, wielding flaming torches.
Recommended episode.
Original Sci-Fi Channel airdate: March 21, 1998.
Part of the eighth MST3K collection, still available at Amazon.
A U.S. astronaut named Frank Chapman (Dean Fredericks) is traveling through space when his ship finds a planet with a race of tiny, tiny people. The planet's bizarre atmosphere causes Chapman to shrink down to six inches in size. While he's stuck on the planet, Frank meets two beautiful women, and decides to help the locals combat an invading race of monsters called the Solarites, which look somewhat like dogs.
On the Satellite of Love, Crow and Servo have challenged Mike to an Andy Rooney-off, complete with giant bushy eyebrows. The competition is judged by Gypsy, who quits in frustration when the contestants refuses to stop Andy Rooney-offing (that's clearly not a word). Down in Castle Forrester, Pearl, Brain Guy, and Professor Bobo are finishing the move in, and Pearl's world domination kit arrives from Speigel. Too bad that the all-important "thing" has been sent up to the SOL, right? Later on, Mike and Tom discuss the Good and the Beautiful, which coincidentally are all mid '90s pin-up babes. The 'bots also invite Mike into taking part of their new hobby of water glass rim music, which they soon come to regret. Meanwhile, Pearl is still upset at getting an incomplete world domination kit, and the welcome wagon arrives at the castle, wielding flaming torches.
Recommended episode.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
I Know Where I'm Going!
I Know Where I'm Going! (Criterion #94).
1945 The Rank Organisation & Janus Films.
Starring: Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, Pamela Brown, Finlay Currie, George Carney, Nancy Price
Directors: Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger
Available from Amazon.
From her infant days, Joan Webster (Hiller) always possessed an independent spirit, and always knew where she was going, or at least she thought so. As an adult, she leaves home in Manchester, planning to travel to the Hebrides to marry the very wealthy and much older industrialist Sir Robery Bellinger (voiced by Norman Shelley), settling down on the island of Kiloran. Bad weather keeps her stuck for a week on the Isle of Mull, and Joan waits in a small community of people whose values are foreign to her.
During the wait, Joan meets a naval officer named Torquil MacNeil (Livesey), who is also trying to make his way to Kiloran for shore leave. Over the next few days, she falls for MacNeil, but she still doesn't want her original plan to go to waste. Joan unsuccessfully tries to sail to Kiloran, but Torquil, who invited himself aboard after hearing that she was making the trip, manages to bring the boat back into a safe harbor. Only then does Joan learn that her future does not lie in a marriage of convenience on a small island, but it resides on the mainland with Torquil.
Highly recommended.
1945 The Rank Organisation & Janus Films.
Starring: Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, Pamela Brown, Finlay Currie, George Carney, Nancy Price
Directors: Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger
Available from Amazon.
From her infant days, Joan Webster (Hiller) always possessed an independent spirit, and always knew where she was going, or at least she thought so. As an adult, she leaves home in Manchester, planning to travel to the Hebrides to marry the very wealthy and much older industrialist Sir Robery Bellinger (voiced by Norman Shelley), settling down on the island of Kiloran. Bad weather keeps her stuck for a week on the Isle of Mull, and Joan waits in a small community of people whose values are foreign to her.
During the wait, Joan meets a naval officer named Torquil MacNeil (Livesey), who is also trying to make his way to Kiloran for shore leave. Over the next few days, she falls for MacNeil, but she still doesn't want her original plan to go to waste. Joan unsuccessfully tries to sail to Kiloran, but Torquil, who invited himself aboard after hearing that she was making the trip, manages to bring the boat back into a safe harbor. Only then does Joan learn that her future does not lie in a marriage of convenience on a small island, but it resides on the mainland with Torquil.
Highly recommended.
Wise Blood
Wise Blood (Criterion #470).
1979 New Line Cinema (distributors) & Janus Films.
Starring: Brad Dourif, John Huston, Dan Shor, Harry Dean Stanton, Amy Wright, Mary Nell Santacrose, Ned Beatty, William Hickey
Director: John Huston
Buy Wise Blood from Amazon.
John Huston directed this adaptation of Flannery O'Connor's 1952 novel of the same name. Brad Dourif is Hazel Moses, a returning veteran discharged due to an embarrassing injury that he'd rather not discuss. Moses plans to settle down in a new town to experience things that he's missed out on before. Once he arrives in an unspecified mid-sized community called Taulkinham, various strange characters begin to congregate around him, including a young man named Enoch Emory (Shor), who is evidentally desperate for Hazel's approval, claiming to have "wise blood" flowing in his veins.
Hazel's grandfather (Huston) was a pretty hardcore fundamentalist preacher, we learn in flashbacks, and Moses grew up as an angry young man who refused to believe in a higher power. Even though Hazel grew up to despise preachers, he finds himself transforming into a zealous street preacher promoting his so-called "Church of Truth Without Jesus Christ", where a member has to save himself because "sure as hell the Lord won't save you". Moses also runs across a fellow preacher named Asa Hawks (Stanton) who feigns having blinded himself in the name of Jesus, as well as his daughter Sabbath Lily (Wright), who isn't as innocent as she seems.
The Church Without Christ never truly takes off, despite the efforts of Sabbath Lily, Hawks, Enoch, and a huckster known as Onnie Jay Holy (Beatty), who steals Hazel's message and attracts the following that Moses was unable to attain. Things start to spiral out of control for Moses, and a routine traffic stop is the catalyst that sends him over the edge.
Highly recommended, but this is still a weird movie.
1979 New Line Cinema (distributors) & Janus Films.
Starring: Brad Dourif, John Huston, Dan Shor, Harry Dean Stanton, Amy Wright, Mary Nell Santacrose, Ned Beatty, William Hickey
Director: John Huston
Buy Wise Blood from Amazon.
John Huston directed this adaptation of Flannery O'Connor's 1952 novel of the same name. Brad Dourif is Hazel Moses, a returning veteran discharged due to an embarrassing injury that he'd rather not discuss. Moses plans to settle down in a new town to experience things that he's missed out on before. Once he arrives in an unspecified mid-sized community called Taulkinham, various strange characters begin to congregate around him, including a young man named Enoch Emory (Shor), who is evidentally desperate for Hazel's approval, claiming to have "wise blood" flowing in his veins.
Hazel's grandfather (Huston) was a pretty hardcore fundamentalist preacher, we learn in flashbacks, and Moses grew up as an angry young man who refused to believe in a higher power. Even though Hazel grew up to despise preachers, he finds himself transforming into a zealous street preacher promoting his so-called "Church of Truth Without Jesus Christ", where a member has to save himself because "sure as hell the Lord won't save you". Moses also runs across a fellow preacher named Asa Hawks (Stanton) who feigns having blinded himself in the name of Jesus, as well as his daughter Sabbath Lily (Wright), who isn't as innocent as she seems.
The Church Without Christ never truly takes off, despite the efforts of Sabbath Lily, Hawks, Enoch, and a huckster known as Onnie Jay Holy (Beatty), who steals Hazel's message and attracts the following that Moses was unable to attain. Things start to spiral out of control for Moses, and a routine traffic stop is the catalyst that sends him over the edge.
Highly recommended, but this is still a weird movie.
Blast of Silence
Blast of Silence (Criterion #428).
1961 Universal International.
Starring: Allen Baron, Molly McCarthy, Larry Tucker, Peter H. Clune, Danny Meehan, Howard Mann, Charles Creasap
Narrator: Lionel Stander (uncredited)
Director: Allen Baron
Buy Blast of Silence from Amazon.
This is an excellent late period film noir written, directed by, and starring Allen Baron. Peter Falk was originally cast for the role as Frankie Bono, but scheduling conflicts prevented this.
It's New York City at Christmas, 1961. An antisocial loner of a hitman named Frankie Bono arrives in the Apple from Cleveland, where he'll make a hit on a millionaire named Troiano (Clune). Frankie knows where to find his man, but his surroundings may prove it difficult to stay focued on killing Troiano, such as the reappearance of an old flame named Lorrie (McCarthy), and the Christmas season bringing Bono's suppressed loneliness to the surface. He has very painful memories of aforementioned holiday.
The DVD boasts an excellent (okay, nearly flawless) transfer of the film, providing the viewer with crisp, black and white shots of Manhattan. Again, this is an all around amazing movie. Highly, highly, highly recommended.
1961 Universal International.
Starring: Allen Baron, Molly McCarthy, Larry Tucker, Peter H. Clune, Danny Meehan, Howard Mann, Charles Creasap
Narrator: Lionel Stander (uncredited)
Director: Allen Baron
Buy Blast of Silence from Amazon.
This is an excellent late period film noir written, directed by, and starring Allen Baron. Peter Falk was originally cast for the role as Frankie Bono, but scheduling conflicts prevented this.
It's New York City at Christmas, 1961. An antisocial loner of a hitman named Frankie Bono arrives in the Apple from Cleveland, where he'll make a hit on a millionaire named Troiano (Clune). Frankie knows where to find his man, but his surroundings may prove it difficult to stay focued on killing Troiano, such as the reappearance of an old flame named Lorrie (McCarthy), and the Christmas season bringing Bono's suppressed loneliness to the surface. He has very painful memories of aforementioned holiday.
The DVD boasts an excellent (okay, nearly flawless) transfer of the film, providing the viewer with crisp, black and white shots of Manhattan. Again, this is an all around amazing movie. Highly, highly, highly recommended.
Hopscotch
Hopscotch (Criterion #163).
1980 AVCO Embassy Films, StudioCanal & Janus Films.
Starring: Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterson, Ned Beatty, Herbert Lom
Director: Ronald Neame
Hopscotch is available from Amazon.
The Criterion Collection does have a few head-scratchers for movies that they've released, notably both of the Michael Bay films they issued on DVD, and most recently, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I also have to agree that Hopscotch, which to my knowledge was never a commercial or critical success, is one of those movies. Criterion has released other films made by director Ronald Neame, so it isn't completely unusual that Hopscotch is present in the collection.
Based on Brian Garfield's novel of the same name, the feature stars Walter Matthau as renegade CIA agent Miles Kendig who plans to publish a book exposing the inner workings of both his employers and the KGB. After Miles participates in a sting operation in Munich, he learns that his supervisor Myerson (Beatty) is planning to force him into semi-retirement and a desk job. Kendig insists that he's a field man, and takes it upon himself to leave, destroying his file on the way out. With the help of Isobel von Schonenberg (Jackson), Kendig starts globehopping, staying one step ahead of his pursuers from America and Russia, even hiding out in Myerson's Georgia home. He also finishes his book while hiding in London.
Kendig fakes his death in England, departing with Isobel for France, and everyone else involve believes that he really is dead, save CIA agent Joe Cutter (Waterson). The book does become a bestseller, though, amid rumors that Miles is alive and hiding in Australia.
Recommended film, although I admit that I didn't pay that close attention to it, as I was spending more time bouncing between various websites trying to read more about the death of Michael Jackson, so my apologies. Fortunately, Hopscotch did pick up the pace after Kendig went on his escape, keeping a step ahead of two powerful government agencies.
1980 AVCO Embassy Films, StudioCanal & Janus Films.
Starring: Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterson, Ned Beatty, Herbert Lom
Director: Ronald Neame
Hopscotch is available from Amazon.
The Criterion Collection does have a few head-scratchers for movies that they've released, notably both of the Michael Bay films they issued on DVD, and most recently, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I also have to agree that Hopscotch, which to my knowledge was never a commercial or critical success, is one of those movies. Criterion has released other films made by director Ronald Neame, so it isn't completely unusual that Hopscotch is present in the collection.
Based on Brian Garfield's novel of the same name, the feature stars Walter Matthau as renegade CIA agent Miles Kendig who plans to publish a book exposing the inner workings of both his employers and the KGB. After Miles participates in a sting operation in Munich, he learns that his supervisor Myerson (Beatty) is planning to force him into semi-retirement and a desk job. Kendig insists that he's a field man, and takes it upon himself to leave, destroying his file on the way out. With the help of Isobel von Schonenberg (Jackson), Kendig starts globehopping, staying one step ahead of his pursuers from America and Russia, even hiding out in Myerson's Georgia home. He also finishes his book while hiding in London.
Kendig fakes his death in England, departing with Isobel for France, and everyone else involve believes that he really is dead, save CIA agent Joe Cutter (Waterson). The book does become a bestseller, though, amid rumors that Miles is alive and hiding in Australia.
Recommended film, although I admit that I didn't pay that close attention to it, as I was spending more time bouncing between various websites trying to read more about the death of Michael Jackson, so my apologies. Fortunately, Hopscotch did pick up the pace after Kendig went on his escape, keeping a step ahead of two powerful government agencies.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Manhattan
Manhattan.
1979 United Artists; distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, Anne Byrne, Michael O'Donoghue, Wallace Shawn
Director: Woody Allen
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of The Woody Allen Collection, Set 1.
This is Woody Allen's love letter to his hometown, as well as George Gershwin's music. He hated the finished product, and offered to make a movie for free if United Artists never released it. The studio obviously did not keep the film shelved like the director wanted.
Allen is Isaac Davis, a former TV writer who has been divorced twice, and his current project is writing a book about how much he loves New York City. He's also dating a 17-year-old high school girl named Tracy (Hemingway) who he still feels is too young for him, which is why he won't commit. His best friend Yale (Murphy) is married to Emily (Byrne), but he's still shagging Mary Wilkie (Keaton) on the side, and her ex-husband Jeremiah (Shawn) is also in the picture. Also, Isaac's lesbian ex-wife Jill (Streep) is writing a tell-all book about their relationship.
Isaac and Mary, after initially having a bad first meeting, fall in love, complete with the iconic scene with the bridge in the background. Isaac still continues to see Tracy, but he does encourage her to take an educational opportunity in Europe. Things change when Yale dumps Mary, unwilling to end his marriage to Emily, and suggests that Isaac ask Mary out, which he does, and he breaks it off with Tracy, which devastates her.
Things don't stay this way for long, as Yale finally splits with Emily to resume his relationship with Mary. Emily might have triggered this by reading out loud portions of Jill's book about her marriage to Isaac during a double date. Isaac tries confronting Yale about what happened, but after Yale says he met Mary first, Issac tells Emily that Yale was having extra-marital affairs. Emily simply believes that Isaac introduced Mary to Yale.
Isaac tries to catch Tracy before she leaves for England to rekindle that romance, but the plans are already made, and she simply tells him that Isaac needs to have a little more faith in people.
Highly, highly recommended film.
1979 United Artists; distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep, Anne Byrne, Michael O'Donoghue, Wallace Shawn
Director: Woody Allen
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of The Woody Allen Collection, Set 1.
This is Woody Allen's love letter to his hometown, as well as George Gershwin's music. He hated the finished product, and offered to make a movie for free if United Artists never released it. The studio obviously did not keep the film shelved like the director wanted.
Allen is Isaac Davis, a former TV writer who has been divorced twice, and his current project is writing a book about how much he loves New York City. He's also dating a 17-year-old high school girl named Tracy (Hemingway) who he still feels is too young for him, which is why he won't commit. His best friend Yale (Murphy) is married to Emily (Byrne), but he's still shagging Mary Wilkie (Keaton) on the side, and her ex-husband Jeremiah (Shawn) is also in the picture. Also, Isaac's lesbian ex-wife Jill (Streep) is writing a tell-all book about their relationship.
Isaac and Mary, after initially having a bad first meeting, fall in love, complete with the iconic scene with the bridge in the background. Isaac still continues to see Tracy, but he does encourage her to take an educational opportunity in Europe. Things change when Yale dumps Mary, unwilling to end his marriage to Emily, and suggests that Isaac ask Mary out, which he does, and he breaks it off with Tracy, which devastates her.
Things don't stay this way for long, as Yale finally splits with Emily to resume his relationship with Mary. Emily might have triggered this by reading out loud portions of Jill's book about her marriage to Isaac during a double date. Isaac tries confronting Yale about what happened, but after Yale says he met Mary first, Issac tells Emily that Yale was having extra-marital affairs. Emily simply believes that Isaac introduced Mary to Yale.
Isaac tries to catch Tracy before she leaves for England to rekindle that romance, but the plans are already made, and she simply tells him that Isaac needs to have a little more faith in people.
Highly, highly recommended film.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
After the Thin Man
After the Thin Man.
1936 MGM/Turner Entertainment
Starring: William Powell, Myrna Loy, James Stewart, Alan Marshall, Elissa Landi, Joseph Calleia, Penny Singleton, Sam Levene
Director: W.S. Van Dyke
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Complete Thin Man Collection.
Nick and Nora Charles (Powell & Loy) end up coerced back into action after they are invited to a formal dinner hosted by Nora's family, which includes Aunt Katherine (Jessie Ralph), who hates Nick, and views him as "below" them. Nora's cousin Selma (Landi) is married to Robert (Marshall), who hasn't been seem for some time. Nick and Nora quickly find Robert in a Chinese nightclub, where he's conducting an affair with the club's star performer Polly (Singleton). He's also extorting money from David (Stewart), who harbors unrequited love for Selma.
Robert is unaware that Polly and her boss, Phil Dancer (Calleia), are planning to take the extorted money for themselves, and Robert is shot to death at midnight. The police quickly determine that Selma is the prime suspect, and her current mental state strengthens their case. Nick, with help from Lt. Abrams (Levene), now has to work to prove Selma's innocence as two more people connected to the case are bumped off.
Recommended sequel.
1936 MGM/Turner Entertainment
Starring: William Powell, Myrna Loy, James Stewart, Alan Marshall, Elissa Landi, Joseph Calleia, Penny Singleton, Sam Levene
Director: W.S. Van Dyke
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Complete Thin Man Collection.
Nick and Nora Charles (Powell & Loy) end up coerced back into action after they are invited to a formal dinner hosted by Nora's family, which includes Aunt Katherine (Jessie Ralph), who hates Nick, and views him as "below" them. Nora's cousin Selma (Landi) is married to Robert (Marshall), who hasn't been seem for some time. Nick and Nora quickly find Robert in a Chinese nightclub, where he's conducting an affair with the club's star performer Polly (Singleton). He's also extorting money from David (Stewart), who harbors unrequited love for Selma.
Robert is unaware that Polly and her boss, Phil Dancer (Calleia), are planning to take the extorted money for themselves, and Robert is shot to death at midnight. The police quickly determine that Selma is the prime suspect, and her current mental state strengthens their case. Nick, with help from Lt. Abrams (Levene), now has to work to prove Selma's innocence as two more people connected to the case are bumped off.
Recommended sequel.
The Mackintosh Man
The Mackintosh Man. 1973 Warner Bros. Pictures.
Starring: Paul Newman, Dominique Sanda, Ian Bannen, James Mason, Michael Horden, Harry Andrews, Nigel Patrick
Director: John Huston
Available from Amazon only as part of the Paul Newman Collection.
In his review for this movie, Roger Ebert suggested that this was the first "anti-spy" movie, made by a group of people with no real understanding for spy films.
Paul Newman is Joseph Rearden, an agent of British Intelligence who is assigned by Mackintosh (Andrews) and Mrs. Smith (Sanda) to impersonate a jewel thief who transports his stolen goods through the mail to avoid attention. Rearden does this successfully after punching out a postman and taking the diamonds, but is still arrested and sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. After being sent to prison, Rearden starts asking about a former British spy, Slade (Bannen). Slade is kept in high security because he was exposed as a mole for the KGB, but not much information is known about him.
A few weeks later, Rearden participates in a planned escape with another inmate (who turns out to be Slade) engineered by a secret organization in exchange for a large cut of the stolen diamonds. The two escapees are drugged and taken into Ireland, where they're told that's where they'll stay for a week until the manhunt is called off.
Rearden's incarceration turns out to be a planned sting operation intended to expose the secret organization, which is headed by suspected communist spy Sir George Wheeler (Mason), who is posing as a staunchly patriotic right-winger. Wheeler discovers he's being pursued, and he arranges Mackintosh's death. Rearden has to keep undercover while pursuing Wheeler, who has also abducted Slade, but his earlier arrest for the faked diamond robbery may make this task more difficult than it really should be.
Despite the presense of Newman and director John Huston, as well as some decent British character actors, this movie never really gets going. Slightly recommended, mainly for Paul Newman fans, or if there isn't anything better on to watch.
Starring: Paul Newman, Dominique Sanda, Ian Bannen, James Mason, Michael Horden, Harry Andrews, Nigel Patrick
Director: John Huston
Available from Amazon only as part of the Paul Newman Collection.
In his review for this movie, Roger Ebert suggested that this was the first "anti-spy" movie, made by a group of people with no real understanding for spy films.
Paul Newman is Joseph Rearden, an agent of British Intelligence who is assigned by Mackintosh (Andrews) and Mrs. Smith (Sanda) to impersonate a jewel thief who transports his stolen goods through the mail to avoid attention. Rearden does this successfully after punching out a postman and taking the diamonds, but is still arrested and sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. After being sent to prison, Rearden starts asking about a former British spy, Slade (Bannen). Slade is kept in high security because he was exposed as a mole for the KGB, but not much information is known about him.
A few weeks later, Rearden participates in a planned escape with another inmate (who turns out to be Slade) engineered by a secret organization in exchange for a large cut of the stolen diamonds. The two escapees are drugged and taken into Ireland, where they're told that's where they'll stay for a week until the manhunt is called off.
Rearden's incarceration turns out to be a planned sting operation intended to expose the secret organization, which is headed by suspected communist spy Sir George Wheeler (Mason), who is posing as a staunchly patriotic right-winger. Wheeler discovers he's being pursued, and he arranges Mackintosh's death. Rearden has to keep undercover while pursuing Wheeler, who has also abducted Slade, but his earlier arrest for the faked diamond robbery may make this task more difficult than it really should be.
Despite the presense of Newman and director John Huston, as well as some decent British character actors, this movie never really gets going. Slightly recommended, mainly for Paul Newman fans, or if there isn't anything better on to watch.
Monday, June 22, 2009
George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya!
George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya!
Original HBO airdate: March 1, 2008
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
Available at Amazon.
George Carlin's fourteenth and final HBO special focuses a lot on death (this show debuted less than four months before Carlin's death), and how the living still deal with it, particularly the belief in the afterlife and whether the deceased either go "up there", or "down there". It is more than a little disconcerting, not just because Carlin passed on shortly after this performance, but quite honestly, he looks bad. While his mind still seems to be as sharp as ever, and his performance suffers very slightly at times, George looks much older than his age at the time, seventy, and he definitely looks like he's in poor health.
Most of the material is fairly grim, but it doesn't come across as willfully dark as previous specials did. Carlin seems a little more subdued, and the stage set, which is a warm, inviting den, takes the edge off of any of the more "questionable" (for a lack of better terms).
The DVD also included two extras: a 2007 interview that Carlin did for the Archive of American Television called "Too Hip for the Room", as well as his appearance from 1968 or 1969 on The Jackie Gleason Show, where a clean shaven, red-haired, and suit wearing George telling mainly clean jokes for close to ten minutes. That last one alone is very interesting, if only to compare how much Carlin evolved over the next forty years.
Recommended DVD.
Original HBO airdate: March 1, 2008
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
Available at Amazon.
George Carlin's fourteenth and final HBO special focuses a lot on death (this show debuted less than four months before Carlin's death), and how the living still deal with it, particularly the belief in the afterlife and whether the deceased either go "up there", or "down there". It is more than a little disconcerting, not just because Carlin passed on shortly after this performance, but quite honestly, he looks bad. While his mind still seems to be as sharp as ever, and his performance suffers very slightly at times, George looks much older than his age at the time, seventy, and he definitely looks like he's in poor health.
Most of the material is fairly grim, but it doesn't come across as willfully dark as previous specials did. Carlin seems a little more subdued, and the stage set, which is a warm, inviting den, takes the edge off of any of the more "questionable" (for a lack of better terms).
The DVD also included two extras: a 2007 interview that Carlin did for the Archive of American Television called "Too Hip for the Room", as well as his appearance from 1968 or 1969 on The Jackie Gleason Show, where a clean shaven, red-haired, and suit wearing George telling mainly clean jokes for close to ten minutes. That last one alone is very interesting, if only to compare how much Carlin evolved over the next forty years.
Recommended DVD.
George Carlin: Jammin' in New York
George Carlin: Jammin' in New York.
Original HBO airdate: March 11, 1992.
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
Available at Amazon.
George Carlin returns to his hometown just a year or so after the end of the first Persian Gulf War, which he kicks off this program with a lengthy monologue about said war, along with the realization that war is just a game played between sexually inadequate politicians using weapons to compensate for their shortcomings. Also on the agenda: bizarre human behavior that we all seem to exhibit, the inanity of airline announcements, environmental issues, and a Carlin favorite, a long rant about human inequality using golf courses as the primary sign of the haves being much better than the have nots. What's Carlin's suggestion? Give the golf courses to the homeless.
This is probably Carlin's best HBO special, and he himself said it was his personal favorite performance. Highly recommended.
Original HBO airdate: March 11, 1992.
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
Available at Amazon.
George Carlin returns to his hometown just a year or so after the end of the first Persian Gulf War, which he kicks off this program with a lengthy monologue about said war, along with the realization that war is just a game played between sexually inadequate politicians using weapons to compensate for their shortcomings. Also on the agenda: bizarre human behavior that we all seem to exhibit, the inanity of airline announcements, environmental issues, and a Carlin favorite, a long rant about human inequality using golf courses as the primary sign of the haves being much better than the have nots. What's Carlin's suggestion? Give the golf courses to the homeless.
This is probably Carlin's best HBO special, and he himself said it was his personal favorite performance. Highly recommended.
George Carlin: Doin' it Again
George Carlin: Doin' it Again.
Original HBO airdate: March 23, 1990.
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
Available from Amazon.
For those unaware, this HBO special was released to CD under the title Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics with a different running order. This was the last George Carlin special on HBO that wasn't edited or rearranged when it was released on compact disc.
George Carlin returned to the stage in New Brunswick, New Jersey in early 1990 to attack political correctness as well as the "soft language" that had been, in his view, overtaking the English language. For instance, in the old days, a World War I veteran was considered "shellshocked", but now, he is simply suffering from PTSD. Carlin speculates that had the phrase shellshock not fallen out of, some of the more traumatized veterans could very well have received the help they desperately needed at the time. Carlin also discusses feminism, which somehow transforms into a fairly uncomfortable routine where he claims that rape can be funny, and it depends on how one phrases the joke.
Other highlights are Carlin's stories about his old dog Tippy (he brings out his then-current pet at the end of the show), as well as discussing things you never see, things you never hear, or things you don't want to hear.
This is a recommended performance, as well as the first signs of the "angry old man" stage persona that Carlin started developing during the 1990s, although he's nowhere near as pissed off or nihilistic as he got over the course of the decade, reaching its inevitable conclusion during his 2005 special, Life is Worth Losing.
Original HBO airdate: March 23, 1990.
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
Available from Amazon.
For those unaware, this HBO special was released to CD under the title Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics with a different running order. This was the last George Carlin special on HBO that wasn't edited or rearranged when it was released on compact disc.
George Carlin returned to the stage in New Brunswick, New Jersey in early 1990 to attack political correctness as well as the "soft language" that had been, in his view, overtaking the English language. For instance, in the old days, a World War I veteran was considered "shellshocked", but now, he is simply suffering from PTSD. Carlin speculates that had the phrase shellshock not fallen out of, some of the more traumatized veterans could very well have received the help they desperately needed at the time. Carlin also discusses feminism, which somehow transforms into a fairly uncomfortable routine where he claims that rape can be funny, and it depends on how one phrases the joke.
Other highlights are Carlin's stories about his old dog Tippy (he brings out his then-current pet at the end of the show), as well as discussing things you never see, things you never hear, or things you don't want to hear.
This is a recommended performance, as well as the first signs of the "angry old man" stage persona that Carlin started developing during the 1990s, although he's nowhere near as pissed off or nihilistic as he got over the course of the decade, reaching its inevitable conclusion during his 2005 special, Life is Worth Losing.
George Carlin: Personal Favorites
George Carlin: Personal Favorites.
Original HBO airdate: circa 1996.
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
Available from Amazon.
Sixty minutes of more of George Carlin's more notable onstage routines from his past HBO specials, with a lot of material recycled from George's Best Stuff, leaving only half a DVD of stuff you perhaps haven't seen before if you chose to watch the other disc first.
Here's what you can't find on the first DVD I reviewed earlier today:
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Hitler
Los Angeles, 1986: Hello Goodbye
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Dirty Words
Los Angeles, 1986: Earrings
Los Angeles, 1977: Kids
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Odds & Ends
Union City, NJ, 1988: We Like War
Los Angeles, 1986: It's Not a Sport
Pick one or the other if you're faced with a choice of this DVD, or George's Best Stuff, but not both. Slightly recommended otherwise.
Original HBO airdate: circa 1996.
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
Available from Amazon.
Sixty minutes of more of George Carlin's more notable onstage routines from his past HBO specials, with a lot of material recycled from George's Best Stuff, leaving only half a DVD of stuff you perhaps haven't seen before if you chose to watch the other disc first.
Here's what you can't find on the first DVD I reviewed earlier today:
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Hitler
Los Angeles, 1986: Hello Goodbye
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Dirty Words
Los Angeles, 1986: Earrings
Los Angeles, 1977: Kids
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Odds & Ends
Union City, NJ, 1988: We Like War
Los Angeles, 1986: It's Not a Sport
Pick one or the other if you're faced with a choice of this DVD, or George's Best Stuff, but not both. Slightly recommended otherwise.
George's Best Stuff
George Carlin: George's Best Stuff.
Available from Amazon.
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
87 minutes of George Carlin's best known routines from his HBO specials dating from 1977 through 1990.
Phoenix, 1978: Seven Words
Comic Relief, 1986: Stuff
Los Angeles, 1977: Hot Water Heater
New Jersey, 1990: Baseball & Football
Phoenix, 1978: Al Sleet
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Dogs and Cats
Los Angeles, 1977: Vitamins
Phoenix, 1978, Seven Words (continued)
Los Angeles, 1977: Dog Incident
Carnegie Hall, 1921: Have a Nice Day
Los Angeles, 1986: Losing Things
Los Angeles, 1977: Bread
Phoenix, 1978: Seven Words (continued)
Los Angeles, 1977: Walking
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Fussy Eater
Los Angeles, 1977: Monopoly
Union City, NJ, 1988: Driving
This was the period where Carlin was evolving from the counterculture icon (or as I like to call it, the world's oldest hippie) to the "angry old man" phase of his career that started in the early '90s, and we see elements of both over the course of the DVD.
This is an ideal introduction to George Carlin, although it probably could've been a whole lot better, as a lot of great comedy was left off. Recommended.
Available from Amazon.
Written by and starring George Carlin
Director: Rocco Urbisci
87 minutes of George Carlin's best known routines from his HBO specials dating from 1977 through 1990.
Phoenix, 1978: Seven Words
Comic Relief, 1986: Stuff
Los Angeles, 1977: Hot Water Heater
New Jersey, 1990: Baseball & Football
Phoenix, 1978: Al Sleet
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Dogs and Cats
Los Angeles, 1977: Vitamins
Phoenix, 1978, Seven Words (continued)
Los Angeles, 1977: Dog Incident
Carnegie Hall, 1921: Have a Nice Day
Los Angeles, 1986: Losing Things
Los Angeles, 1977: Bread
Phoenix, 1978: Seven Words (continued)
Los Angeles, 1977: Walking
Carnegie Hall, 1982: Fussy Eater
Los Angeles, 1977: Monopoly
Union City, NJ, 1988: Driving
This was the period where Carlin was evolving from the counterculture icon (or as I like to call it, the world's oldest hippie) to the "angry old man" phase of his career that started in the early '90s, and we see elements of both over the course of the DVD.
This is an ideal introduction to George Carlin, although it probably could've been a whole lot better, as a lot of great comedy was left off. Recommended.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Keep 'Em Flying
Keep 'Em Flying. 1941 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Martha Raye, Dick Foran, Carol Bruce, Charles Lang, William Gargan
Director: Arthur Lubin
Available as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
Stunt pilot Jinx Roberts (Foran) and his two assistants Blackie (Abbott) and Heathcliffe (Costello) are fired from a carnival after a disagreement with their boss. Jinx opts to join the Army Air Force, and the three pals go to a nightclub to celebrate one last time, where Jinx falls in love with the club's singer Linda Joyce (Bruce). Linda also becomes a USO hostess around the same time at the academy that Jinx and his brother Jimmy (Lang) have enrolled at. Their instructor is Craig Morrison, who co-piloted commercial airliners with Jinx before the war, and they still can't stand one another. Blackie and Heathcliffe also sign up as ground crewmen, falling in love with a pair of twin USO hostesses (Raye, in a double role), although Heathcliffe is unaware that his girl has a twin sister!
After a serious mishap involving Jinx and Jimmy, everyone is kicked out of the corps. But, a timely mishap involving Craig and a parachute may be the ticket for everyone to be allowed back in, no questions asked.
Recommended movie, although it wasn't the best Abbott and Costello movie I've watched this year...
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Martha Raye, Dick Foran, Carol Bruce, Charles Lang, William Gargan
Director: Arthur Lubin
Available as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
Stunt pilot Jinx Roberts (Foran) and his two assistants Blackie (Abbott) and Heathcliffe (Costello) are fired from a carnival after a disagreement with their boss. Jinx opts to join the Army Air Force, and the three pals go to a nightclub to celebrate one last time, where Jinx falls in love with the club's singer Linda Joyce (Bruce). Linda also becomes a USO hostess around the same time at the academy that Jinx and his brother Jimmy (Lang) have enrolled at. Their instructor is Craig Morrison, who co-piloted commercial airliners with Jinx before the war, and they still can't stand one another. Blackie and Heathcliffe also sign up as ground crewmen, falling in love with a pair of twin USO hostesses (Raye, in a double role), although Heathcliffe is unaware that his girl has a twin sister!
After a serious mishap involving Jinx and Jimmy, everyone is kicked out of the corps. But, a timely mishap involving Craig and a parachute may be the ticket for everyone to be allowed back in, no questions asked.
Recommended movie, although it wasn't the best Abbott and Costello movie I've watched this year...
In Society
In Society. 1944 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marion Hutton, Kirby Grant, Arthur Treacher
Director: Jean Yarbrough
Currently available only as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
At the time of filming, Abbott and Costello were in the middle of a contract dispute with Universal, and they were known to abruptly knock off for the day at exactly 4:00 in the afternoon, even if they were in the middle of a scene, or even speaking a line. Regardless, this movie about two plumbers accidentally invited to a high society event where a valuable painting is stolen is a pretty good one.
Eddie Harrington (Abbott) and his assistant Albert Mansfield (Costello) work on a leak in the private bathroom of the rich Mr. Van Cleave (Thurston Hall), which is keeping him awake, unlike the costume ball thrown by his wife (Nella Walker) downstairs. Eddie and Albert try to fix the leak, and predictably flood the bathroom. Meanwhile, their friend Elsie Hammerdingle (Hutton), an attractive taxi driver, is romanced by Peter Evans (Grant), a guest dressed as a taxi driver, and he invites her to another event at Briarwood Estate where the valuable painting called The Plunger is to be debuted to the world. Eddie and Albert are accidentally mailed an invitation to this party, instead of the letter of complaint that Mrs. Van Cleave had prepared for them for destroying the bathroom.
A loan shark (Thomas Gomez) that the boys owe money to demands that Eddie and Albert steal The Plunger, which they refuse to do. The painting is still snatched, and it's up to the plumbers and Elsie to apprehend the thieves and get it back.
Recommended movie, no bout adout it. Just don't mention Bagel Street.
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Marion Hutton, Kirby Grant, Arthur Treacher
Director: Jean Yarbrough
Currently available only as part of Abbott and Costello: The Complete Universal Pictures Collection.
At the time of filming, Abbott and Costello were in the middle of a contract dispute with Universal, and they were known to abruptly knock off for the day at exactly 4:00 in the afternoon, even if they were in the middle of a scene, or even speaking a line. Regardless, this movie about two plumbers accidentally invited to a high society event where a valuable painting is stolen is a pretty good one.
Eddie Harrington (Abbott) and his assistant Albert Mansfield (Costello) work on a leak in the private bathroom of the rich Mr. Van Cleave (Thurston Hall), which is keeping him awake, unlike the costume ball thrown by his wife (Nella Walker) downstairs. Eddie and Albert try to fix the leak, and predictably flood the bathroom. Meanwhile, their friend Elsie Hammerdingle (Hutton), an attractive taxi driver, is romanced by Peter Evans (Grant), a guest dressed as a taxi driver, and he invites her to another event at Briarwood Estate where the valuable painting called The Plunger is to be debuted to the world. Eddie and Albert are accidentally mailed an invitation to this party, instead of the letter of complaint that Mrs. Van Cleave had prepared for them for destroying the bathroom.
A loan shark (Thomas Gomez) that the boys owe money to demands that Eddie and Albert steal The Plunger, which they refuse to do. The painting is still snatched, and it's up to the plumbers and Elsie to apprehend the thieves and get it back.
Recommended movie, no bout adout it. Just don't mention Bagel Street.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz. 1939 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Frank Morgan, Charles Grapewin, Clara Blandick, Terry the Dog (as Toto)
Directors: Victor Fleming, Mervyn LeRoy, Richard Thorpe, King Vidor (last three uncredited)
A 70th Anniversary Collector's Edition will be released on September 29, 2009. All other releases on DVD are currently out of print.
What else can I say about the beloved film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that hasn't already been said before?
Since I really don't need to summarize the plot of the movie, I can just go ahead and say that it's highly, highly, highly recommended, and everyone needs to see this one at least five times during their life. If you haven't seen it by now, well, we can't do nothin' for ya, man.
Maybe next time, I can try this one out to see if it really works...
Starring: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Frank Morgan, Charles Grapewin, Clara Blandick, Terry the Dog (as Toto)
Directors: Victor Fleming, Mervyn LeRoy, Richard Thorpe, King Vidor (last three uncredited)
A 70th Anniversary Collector's Edition will be released on September 29, 2009. All other releases on DVD are currently out of print.
What else can I say about the beloved film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that hasn't already been said before?
Since I really don't need to summarize the plot of the movie, I can just go ahead and say that it's highly, highly, highly recommended, and everyone needs to see this one at least five times during their life. If you haven't seen it by now, well, we can't do nothin' for ya, man.
Maybe next time, I can try this one out to see if it really works...
The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride.
1987 20th Century Fox & Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Mandy Patinkin, Christopher Guest, André the Giant, Wallace Shawn, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, Peter Cook
Director: Rob Reiner
Available from Amazon.
A sports-obsessed youth (Savage) is sick in bed one afternoon, so his grandfather (Falk) comes over to read him the book that his father used to read to him, and what he read to the kid's dad during illnesses. The boy is initially concerned that the story he's going to hear is a "kissing book".
Everyone knows the story: Buttercup (Wright) lives on a farm in the country of Florin with the farm hand Westley (Elwes) to perform chores for her, which he always answers with "As you wish", which comes to mean "I love you". They fall in love, and Westley leaves to seek his fortune so they can marry. Instead, Westley is attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts and believed dead. Five years later, a reluctant Buttercup is engaged to Prince Humperdinck (Sarandon), but she is abducted by a trio of outlaws: Vizzini (Shawn), Inigo Montoya (Patinkin), and the massive Fezzik (André).
Vizzini and company are pursued by the Prince and his soldiers, as well as a mysterious man in black, who outpaces the royal rescue party. We learn that Montoya is seeking to avenge his father's death at the hands of a man with six fingers on his right hand, complete with his prepared speech that probably doesn't even need to be listed here. The masked man defeats Montoya, Fezzik, and tricks Vizzini into drinking poisoned wine, and reveals himself to be Westley, who was made the Dread Pirate Roberts' apprentice. They make their way to the Fire Swamp, but end up captured by Humperdinck as well as the six-fingered Count Tyrone Rugen (Guest). Buttercup agrees to return with the Prince in exchange for Westley's freedom, but he's instead sent to Rugen's torture chambers. We soon learn that Humperdinck arranged Buttercup's kidnapping in order to blame a rival country and starting a war with them. Oh, and it would be even better propaganda if she was strangled on her wedding night.
On the day of the wedding, Montoya and Fezzik learn about what's going on, and seek out Westley to kill Rugen, but there's a problem: he's mostly dead, thanks to Humperdinck. With the aid of a magician Miracle Max (Crystal) and his wife, Westley is revived, only very, very slowly. He is still present for the invasion of the castle, where Montoya finally gets his revenge, and the wedding is disrupted long enough for everyone to get away on horseback.
Highly, highly, highly recommended film, but you probably already decided that for yourselves.
1987 20th Century Fox & Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Mandy Patinkin, Christopher Guest, André the Giant, Wallace Shawn, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, Peter Cook
Director: Rob Reiner
Available from Amazon.
A sports-obsessed youth (Savage) is sick in bed one afternoon, so his grandfather (Falk) comes over to read him the book that his father used to read to him, and what he read to the kid's dad during illnesses. The boy is initially concerned that the story he's going to hear is a "kissing book".
Everyone knows the story: Buttercup (Wright) lives on a farm in the country of Florin with the farm hand Westley (Elwes) to perform chores for her, which he always answers with "As you wish", which comes to mean "I love you". They fall in love, and Westley leaves to seek his fortune so they can marry. Instead, Westley is attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts and believed dead. Five years later, a reluctant Buttercup is engaged to Prince Humperdinck (Sarandon), but she is abducted by a trio of outlaws: Vizzini (Shawn), Inigo Montoya (Patinkin), and the massive Fezzik (André).
Vizzini and company are pursued by the Prince and his soldiers, as well as a mysterious man in black, who outpaces the royal rescue party. We learn that Montoya is seeking to avenge his father's death at the hands of a man with six fingers on his right hand, complete with his prepared speech that probably doesn't even need to be listed here. The masked man defeats Montoya, Fezzik, and tricks Vizzini into drinking poisoned wine, and reveals himself to be Westley, who was made the Dread Pirate Roberts' apprentice. They make their way to the Fire Swamp, but end up captured by Humperdinck as well as the six-fingered Count Tyrone Rugen (Guest). Buttercup agrees to return with the Prince in exchange for Westley's freedom, but he's instead sent to Rugen's torture chambers. We soon learn that Humperdinck arranged Buttercup's kidnapping in order to blame a rival country and starting a war with them. Oh, and it would be even better propaganda if she was strangled on her wedding night.
On the day of the wedding, Montoya and Fezzik learn about what's going on, and seek out Westley to kill Rugen, but there's a problem: he's mostly dead, thanks to Humperdinck. With the aid of a magician Miracle Max (Crystal) and his wife, Westley is revived, only very, very slowly. He is still present for the invasion of the castle, where Montoya finally gets his revenge, and the wedding is disrupted long enough for everyone to get away on horseback.
Highly, highly, highly recommended film, but you probably already decided that for yourselves.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Frost/Nixon
Frost/Nixon.
2008 Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Imagine Entertainment & Working Title Films.
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell, Matthew Macfadyen, Rebecca Hall, Patty McCormack, Toby Jones, Andy Milder, Jim Meskimen, Clint Howard
Director: Ron Howard
Buy Frost/Nixon from Amazon, and then visit the official site.
The real David Frost interviews with Richard Nixon can be purchased here.
Frost/Nixon is Ron Howard's cinematic adaptation of Peter Morgan's stage play, which also starred Michael Sheen as David Frost, and Frank Langella as Richard M. Nixon.
In 1974, after Richard Nixon's resignation from the Presidency, David Frost is interested in the possibility of interviewing him. He pitches the idea with his friend and producer John Birt (Macfadyen), who isn't sure that Nixon would be interested in talking to Frost. The former President is recovering from phlebitis in California, and discussing his memoirs with literary agent Irving "Swifty" Lazar (Jones) when Frost makes his request to conduct an interview with him for an offered $600,000. Lazar contacts Frost to tell him that Nixon is interested. Frost makes the first partial payment amid doubts that he'll be able to provide the entire amount, and has difficulties selling the series of interviews to the American broadcast networks, but he is able to put things together so that the interviews can begin by 1977. Frost also hired Bob Zelnick (Platt) and James Reston Jr. (Rockwell) to help dig for information, mainly about Watergate.
The first eleven recording sessions sees Frost trying to ask planned questions of Nixon, who takes up most of the time giving lengthy monologues (yes, just like Secret Honor), which prevents Frost from challenging him. Nixon's behavior causes Frost's team to start coming apart, since the former President appears to be exonerating himself, and Frost is not coming across as an effective interviewer. However, four days before the final taping session about Watergate, Frost receives a drunken phone call from Nixon (this did not happen in real life) saying that they both know the final interview will essentially make or break the other's career. Frost is spurred into action, resolving the final interview will be successful. Reston is told to talk to his source at the Federal Courthouse in Washington, who he mentioned before the tapings started.
Frost is a sterner adversary during the final interview, which results in Nixon admitting that he did things that would otherwise have been illegal had he not been the President, and he finally confesses to have participated in a cover-up, "letting the American people down".
Highly, highly, highly recommended! The next step for you now is to track down the DVD set of the genuine Frost-Nixon interviews.
2008 Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Imagine Entertainment & Working Title Films.
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, Sam Rockwell, Matthew Macfadyen, Rebecca Hall, Patty McCormack, Toby Jones, Andy Milder, Jim Meskimen, Clint Howard
Director: Ron Howard
Buy Frost/Nixon from Amazon, and then visit the official site.
The real David Frost interviews with Richard Nixon can be purchased here.
Frost/Nixon is Ron Howard's cinematic adaptation of Peter Morgan's stage play, which also starred Michael Sheen as David Frost, and Frank Langella as Richard M. Nixon.
In 1974, after Richard Nixon's resignation from the Presidency, David Frost is interested in the possibility of interviewing him. He pitches the idea with his friend and producer John Birt (Macfadyen), who isn't sure that Nixon would be interested in talking to Frost. The former President is recovering from phlebitis in California, and discussing his memoirs with literary agent Irving "Swifty" Lazar (Jones) when Frost makes his request to conduct an interview with him for an offered $600,000. Lazar contacts Frost to tell him that Nixon is interested. Frost makes the first partial payment amid doubts that he'll be able to provide the entire amount, and has difficulties selling the series of interviews to the American broadcast networks, but he is able to put things together so that the interviews can begin by 1977. Frost also hired Bob Zelnick (Platt) and James Reston Jr. (Rockwell) to help dig for information, mainly about Watergate.
The first eleven recording sessions sees Frost trying to ask planned questions of Nixon, who takes up most of the time giving lengthy monologues (yes, just like Secret Honor), which prevents Frost from challenging him. Nixon's behavior causes Frost's team to start coming apart, since the former President appears to be exonerating himself, and Frost is not coming across as an effective interviewer. However, four days before the final taping session about Watergate, Frost receives a drunken phone call from Nixon (this did not happen in real life) saying that they both know the final interview will essentially make or break the other's career. Frost is spurred into action, resolving the final interview will be successful. Reston is told to talk to his source at the Federal Courthouse in Washington, who he mentioned before the tapings started.
Frost is a sterner adversary during the final interview, which results in Nixon admitting that he did things that would otherwise have been illegal had he not been the President, and he finally confesses to have participated in a cover-up, "letting the American people down".
Highly, highly, highly recommended! The next step for you now is to track down the DVD set of the genuine Frost-Nixon interviews.
Cool Hand Luke
Cool Hand Luke. 1967 Warner Bros. Pictures.
Starring: Paul Newman, George Kennedy, J.D. Cannon, Lou Antonio, Robert Drivas, Strother Martin, Jo Van Fleet
Also Starring: Dennis Hopper, Wayne Rogers, Harry Dean Stanton, Joe Don Baker
Director: Stuart Rosenberg
Buy the deluxe edition of Cool Hand Luke at Amazon.
"What we've got here is failure to communicate", number 11 on the American Film Institute's list of the one hundred most memorable movie lines.
Paul Newman is Luke Jackson, sent to a prison chain gang after he is arrested for drunkenly decapitating parking meters. Despite the best efforts of the Captain (Martin) to "get their minds right", Luke shows that he isn't about to kowtow to just anyone, which slowly wins over the other prisoners, even Dragline (Kennedy, who won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role), who initially despises the newcomer. Among his other talents, Luke is decent at poker, and he devises methods for the other men to get their road work done in half the time, earning them an afternoon off.
After learning about his mother's death, Luke escapes, and when he is caught, he simply escapes again. During his longest time away from the camp, Luke mails the prisoners a magazine that has a picture of him with two beautiful women, which is faked, but still impresses the other inmates.
Soon enough, the people in charge of the prison start to break Luke's will, but he still makes a last bid for freedom with Dragline when the chance arrives to steal a guard's truck. Late at night, they are both tracked down at a church. Dragline made a deal with the feds saying they won't be hurt if they surrender peacefully, but Luke dismisses this, which gets him shot in the neck. After Dragline helps him outside, Luke is sent to the prison hospital, which is more than an hour away, despite his clear need for immediate medical attention. The film ends with Dragline and company reminiscing about Luke during another hot day in the fields.
Highly, highly, highly recommended film.
Starring: Paul Newman, George Kennedy, J.D. Cannon, Lou Antonio, Robert Drivas, Strother Martin, Jo Van Fleet
Also Starring: Dennis Hopper, Wayne Rogers, Harry Dean Stanton, Joe Don Baker
Director: Stuart Rosenberg
Buy the deluxe edition of Cool Hand Luke at Amazon.
"What we've got here is failure to communicate", number 11 on the American Film Institute's list of the one hundred most memorable movie lines.
Paul Newman is Luke Jackson, sent to a prison chain gang after he is arrested for drunkenly decapitating parking meters. Despite the best efforts of the Captain (Martin) to "get their minds right", Luke shows that he isn't about to kowtow to just anyone, which slowly wins over the other prisoners, even Dragline (Kennedy, who won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role), who initially despises the newcomer. Among his other talents, Luke is decent at poker, and he devises methods for the other men to get their road work done in half the time, earning them an afternoon off.
After learning about his mother's death, Luke escapes, and when he is caught, he simply escapes again. During his longest time away from the camp, Luke mails the prisoners a magazine that has a picture of him with two beautiful women, which is faked, but still impresses the other inmates.
Soon enough, the people in charge of the prison start to break Luke's will, but he still makes a last bid for freedom with Dragline when the chance arrives to steal a guard's truck. Late at night, they are both tracked down at a church. Dragline made a deal with the feds saying they won't be hurt if they surrender peacefully, but Luke dismisses this, which gets him shot in the neck. After Dragline helps him outside, Luke is sent to the prison hospital, which is more than an hour away, despite his clear need for immediate medical attention. The film ends with Dragline and company reminiscing about Luke during another hot day in the fields.
Highly, highly, highly recommended film.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Battleground
Battleground. 1949 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, James Whitmore, Ian MacDonald
Director: William Wellman
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the War Double Feature, or as part of the World War II Collection, Volume 1, and as one-fourth of TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: World War II.
Wait a second here...do you mean to tell me that someone in the old days actually made a Hollywood film about American soldiers where they're portrayed as vulnerable and not afraid to doubt themselves, or complain out loud, and they're not the kind of soldier that can't wait to get into combat, and they almost always come back as heroes?
Van Johnson and John Hodiak star as two infantrymen belonging to the 101st Airborne Division stationed in France, and they're hoping to depart on a long-awaited leave to Paris. Instead, their regiment is given orders to march to Bastogne in Belgium to hold back the advancing 47th German Panzer Corps. After some character development where we meet and learn about some of the corps, they depart for Bastogne.
Shortly after arrival, the Americans learn that the Nazis outnumber them considerably, and they have the region completely surrounded. Even as the casualties mount, and the survivors manage to capture a number of enemy soldiers, they still believe their situation to be hopeless. They still refuse to surrender, and as things seem their bleakest, reinforcements fly in. The Nazis are driven back, and the surviving Americans return to France.
Battleground won two Academy Awards (Best Cinematography and Best Writing), and is largely considered the first significant movie made about World War II after that war ended. Highly, highly recommended picture.
Starring: Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, James Whitmore, Ian MacDonald
Director: William Wellman
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the War Double Feature, or as part of the World War II Collection, Volume 1, and as one-fourth of TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: World War II.
Wait a second here...do you mean to tell me that someone in the old days actually made a Hollywood film about American soldiers where they're portrayed as vulnerable and not afraid to doubt themselves, or complain out loud, and they're not the kind of soldier that can't wait to get into combat, and they almost always come back as heroes?
Van Johnson and John Hodiak star as two infantrymen belonging to the 101st Airborne Division stationed in France, and they're hoping to depart on a long-awaited leave to Paris. Instead, their regiment is given orders to march to Bastogne in Belgium to hold back the advancing 47th German Panzer Corps. After some character development where we meet and learn about some of the corps, they depart for Bastogne.
Shortly after arrival, the Americans learn that the Nazis outnumber them considerably, and they have the region completely surrounded. Even as the casualties mount, and the survivors manage to capture a number of enemy soldiers, they still believe their situation to be hopeless. They still refuse to surrender, and as things seem their bleakest, reinforcements fly in. The Nazis are driven back, and the surviving Americans return to France.
Battleground won two Academy Awards (Best Cinematography and Best Writing), and is largely considered the first significant movie made about World War II after that war ended. Highly, highly recommended picture.
The Fountainhead
The Fountainhead.
1949 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, Raymond Massey, Kent Smith
Director: King Vidor
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Gary Cooper Signature Collection set.
A 1949 movie based on Ayn Rand's first bestseller; she also wrote the screenplay for the film. Rand also made sure that a six minute speech at a trial was filmed in its entirety, and included in the final film after learning that director King Vidor was going to trim it down because it was "long, rambling and confusing". Gary Cooper also didn't understand the entire speech as it was written.
Gary Cooper is Howard Roark, an architect patterned after Frank Lloyd Wright. Roark often works as a quarryman to finance his ambitious projects rather than compromise his ideals. He also falls in love with a heiress named Dominique (Neal), but chooses to end the relationship after the opportunity to construct buildings to his wishes comes up. Dominique ends up married to a newspaperman named Gail Wynand (Massey), who uses his position to blast the "radical" Roark, but comes around in due time and becomes the architect's biggest supporter.
Despite being assured at first that his plans will be followed 100 percent, Roark is horrified to find out that his designs will be radically altered. So, he sneaks in late at night and blows the building to smithereens. Roark is put on trial, and all seems lost until he delivers a passionate testimony that wins him an acquital. Despite this, Wynand is distraught enough that he could do nothing to help Roark during his trial that he commits suicide. Roark and Dominique end up rekindling their romance, fittingly near the architect's latest building site.
Recommended.
1949 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, Raymond Massey, Kent Smith
Director: King Vidor
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Gary Cooper Signature Collection set.
A 1949 movie based on Ayn Rand's first bestseller; she also wrote the screenplay for the film. Rand also made sure that a six minute speech at a trial was filmed in its entirety, and included in the final film after learning that director King Vidor was going to trim it down because it was "long, rambling and confusing". Gary Cooper also didn't understand the entire speech as it was written.
Gary Cooper is Howard Roark, an architect patterned after Frank Lloyd Wright. Roark often works as a quarryman to finance his ambitious projects rather than compromise his ideals. He also falls in love with a heiress named Dominique (Neal), but chooses to end the relationship after the opportunity to construct buildings to his wishes comes up. Dominique ends up married to a newspaperman named Gail Wynand (Massey), who uses his position to blast the "radical" Roark, but comes around in due time and becomes the architect's biggest supporter.
Despite being assured at first that his plans will be followed 100 percent, Roark is horrified to find out that his designs will be radically altered. So, he sneaks in late at night and blows the building to smithereens. Roark is put on trial, and all seems lost until he delivers a passionate testimony that wins him an acquital. Despite this, Wynand is distraught enough that he could do nothing to help Roark during his trial that he commits suicide. Roark and Dominique end up rekindling their romance, fittingly near the architect's latest building site.
Recommended.
MST3K #409: Indestructible Man
Mystery Science Theater 3000 experiment #409: Indestructible Man (with short, The Undersea Kingdom, Part 2, "The Undersea City").
Original airdate: August 15, 1992.
Available from Amazon as part of the eleventh MST3K collection.
In the second part of the Undersea Kingdom serial, Crash Corrigan, Billy Norton, and reporter Diana Compton find the lost continent of Atlantis, and spend most of the short following the locals around. There's a lot of villains riding horseback and racing about, but that's about it, really. Perhaps I should've seen the first part of the series before this one?
The main feature stars Lon Chaney Jr. as executed murderer Butcher Benton who is betrayed right before the execution by two henchmen, Squeamy and Joe, and Butcher vows revenge on them, plus their lawyer Lowe, who is interested in finding the $600,000 that Benton and friends stole and hid somewhere in the Los Angeles sewer system. Butcher's body is taken to a cancer researcher, who subjects it to massive jolts of electricity. Benton is revived as an angry and mute killer looking to kill Squeamy and Joe, as well as reconnect with his stripper girlfriend who is now dating the detective who brought Benton to justice.
To open the show, the 'Bots have all traded voices to confuse Joel. The invention exchange sees Joel invent cereal boxes with complete novels attached to the back; the Mads are hosting a celebrity shindig in Deep 13 with plenty of Z-level personalities, but they fail to display their invention, which they claim is for men only. Joel and the robots throw a parade in honor of The Undersea Kingdom, and later describe what they would do if they were indestructible. Joel prefers mundane activities, while Crow and Servo plan to wreak havoc with their new indestructible selves. To end the show, a contact is signed prohibiting any more cop-donut jokes in future experiments, and two policemen (played by Kevin Murphy and Mike Nelson) visit Deep 13.
Recommended episode.
Original airdate: August 15, 1992.
Available from Amazon as part of the eleventh MST3K collection.
In the second part of the Undersea Kingdom serial, Crash Corrigan, Billy Norton, and reporter Diana Compton find the lost continent of Atlantis, and spend most of the short following the locals around. There's a lot of villains riding horseback and racing about, but that's about it, really. Perhaps I should've seen the first part of the series before this one?
The main feature stars Lon Chaney Jr. as executed murderer Butcher Benton who is betrayed right before the execution by two henchmen, Squeamy and Joe, and Butcher vows revenge on them, plus their lawyer Lowe, who is interested in finding the $600,000 that Benton and friends stole and hid somewhere in the Los Angeles sewer system. Butcher's body is taken to a cancer researcher, who subjects it to massive jolts of electricity. Benton is revived as an angry and mute killer looking to kill Squeamy and Joe, as well as reconnect with his stripper girlfriend who is now dating the detective who brought Benton to justice.
To open the show, the 'Bots have all traded voices to confuse Joel. The invention exchange sees Joel invent cereal boxes with complete novels attached to the back; the Mads are hosting a celebrity shindig in Deep 13 with plenty of Z-level personalities, but they fail to display their invention, which they claim is for men only. Joel and the robots throw a parade in honor of The Undersea Kingdom, and later describe what they would do if they were indestructible. Joel prefers mundane activities, while Crow and Servo plan to wreak havoc with their new indestructible selves. To end the show, a contact is signed prohibiting any more cop-donut jokes in future experiments, and two policemen (played by Kevin Murphy and Mike Nelson) visit Deep 13.
Recommended episode.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Treasure Island
Treasure Island. 1934 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Lionel Barrymore, Otto Kruger, Lewis Stone, Nigel Bruce
Director: Victor Fleming
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the five disc Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection.
Not as famous as Walt Disney's 1950 film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous book, this version of Treasure Island is still a well-made feature, with excellent performances from Jackie Cooper as young Jim Hawkins, Lionel Barrymore as the rum fueled Billy Bones, and of course, Wallace Beery as Long John Silver.
The story is pretty well known: Jim Hawkins' life is changed forever when he meets the drunken Billy Bones at the Admiral Benbow Inn. Bones takes over a party, and then, dies suddenly of a stroke. Jim finds a map in Billy's sea chest leading to riches beyond imagination. A voyage is quickly organized to depart for the island, and shortly before the departure time, several crew members have gone missing. Long John Silver poses as an ex-navy man and cons his way onto the boat, followed by several of his men, who are planning to mutiny and claim the treasures for themselves. When everyone arrives at the island, they're in for a surprise after they discover that Ben Gunn (Charles 'Chic' Sale) has amassed all of the treasure himself in a cave. Jim and the crew sail for Jamaica ready to recruit a brand new crew, with Silver sure to pay for his crimes. Jim has a change of heart and allows the pirate to escape.
Recommended movie.
Starring: Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Lionel Barrymore, Otto Kruger, Lewis Stone, Nigel Bruce
Director: Victor Fleming
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the five disc Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection.
Not as famous as Walt Disney's 1950 film adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous book, this version of Treasure Island is still a well-made feature, with excellent performances from Jackie Cooper as young Jim Hawkins, Lionel Barrymore as the rum fueled Billy Bones, and of course, Wallace Beery as Long John Silver.
The story is pretty well known: Jim Hawkins' life is changed forever when he meets the drunken Billy Bones at the Admiral Benbow Inn. Bones takes over a party, and then, dies suddenly of a stroke. Jim finds a map in Billy's sea chest leading to riches beyond imagination. A voyage is quickly organized to depart for the island, and shortly before the departure time, several crew members have gone missing. Long John Silver poses as an ex-navy man and cons his way onto the boat, followed by several of his men, who are planning to mutiny and claim the treasures for themselves. When everyone arrives at the island, they're in for a surprise after they discover that Ben Gunn (Charles 'Chic' Sale) has amassed all of the treasure himself in a cave. Jim and the crew sail for Jamaica ready to recruit a brand new crew, with Silver sure to pay for his crimes. Jim has a change of heart and allows the pirate to escape.
Recommended movie.
Gimme Shelter
Gimme Shelter (Criterion #99).
1970 Maysles Films & Janus Films.
Featuring: The Rolling Stones (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman)
Also Appearing: Ike and Tina Turner, Flying Burrito Brothers, Jerry Garcia, Jefferson Airplane, hundreds of thousands of concert attendees, and scores of Hells Angels
Directors: Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin
Buy Gimme Shelter at Amazon, and then, visit the official site.
The Maysles brothers (Albert & David) and Charlotte Zwerin directed this chronicle of the Rolling Stones' 1969 U.S. tour, which ended at the disastrous Altamont Free Concert on December 6th, 1969. We also see plenty of concert footage from the Stones' appearance at Madison Square Garden, which can also be heard on the Get Yer Ya-Yas Out record, and follow the band as they embark on a recording session down in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where they are working on "Wild Horses", "Brown Sugar" and "You Gotta Move", which would later appear on 1971's Sticky Fingers.
Most of Gimme Shelter focuses on the negotiations that took place to make the show at Altamont happen, and how the property owner was very adamant that his track not be damaged in anyway. Wishful thinking, dude. Altamont wasn't even the original site planned, as a San Francisco 49ers game made the original choice, Golden Gate Park, unavailable. Sears Point Raceway was the next choice, but a dispute with the owners saw everything moved over to Altamont Raceway just two nights before the show was to happen. The grounds were woefully inadequate for a show, with a serious lack of portable toliets and medical tents, and a four-foot high stage that required manned security. Enter the Hells Angels, led by Oakland chapter head Ralph "Sonny" Barger (who can be heard early on calling into a radio station and denying any wrongdoing that happened at the show). The Hells Angels were simply expected (and paid with $500 worth of beer!) to escort the Stones in, and keep fans away from the stage, although there has been quite a bit of debate over whether there were any expectations that they were to act as security for a concert with 300,000 plus people in the audience.
Over the course of the day, the mood got ugly as the crowd and the Hells Angels got more and more stoned. Fights broke out in the crowd, and Jefferson Airplane singer Marty Balin was knocked out cold by a Hells Angel after he jumped from the stage to try to end a skirmish. The Grateful Dead ultimately pulled out of the show at the last minute after hearing what happened to Balin. By nightful, when the Rolling Stones hit the stage, it was really tense. Mick Jagger had already been slugged by a concertgoer just after emerging from his helicopter, was visably intimidated, and two of their songs were stopped to plead with the crowd to calm down.
In the concert's most infamous moment, 18-year-old Meredith Hunter (in his bright green suit) came close to the stage, and drew a gun from his coat. As his girlfriend tried to restrain him, people began to scatter, and Alan Passaro from the Hells Angels went after Hunter with a knife, stabbing him five times. Hunter, who was very high, was reportedly jealous of his girlfriend's attraction to Jagger. There is also footage of Hunter's body being loaded into an ambulance as his girlfriend is in hysterics. The Stones themselves had no idea that Hunter had been killed, and continued their show. Barger claimed he pointed a gun at Keith Richards and ordered him and his mates to "keep playing".
Highly, highly, highly recommended, although it can be very uncomfortable to watch at times, especially when violence is breaking out in the enormous audience. Actually, I personally believe that just being in that sea of humanity would've been a nightmare for me.
1970 Maysles Films & Janus Films.
Featuring: The Rolling Stones (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman)
Also Appearing: Ike and Tina Turner, Flying Burrito Brothers, Jerry Garcia, Jefferson Airplane, hundreds of thousands of concert attendees, and scores of Hells Angels
Directors: Albert Maysles, David Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin
Buy Gimme Shelter at Amazon, and then, visit the official site.
The Maysles brothers (Albert & David) and Charlotte Zwerin directed this chronicle of the Rolling Stones' 1969 U.S. tour, which ended at the disastrous Altamont Free Concert on December 6th, 1969. We also see plenty of concert footage from the Stones' appearance at Madison Square Garden, which can also be heard on the Get Yer Ya-Yas Out record, and follow the band as they embark on a recording session down in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where they are working on "Wild Horses", "Brown Sugar" and "You Gotta Move", which would later appear on 1971's Sticky Fingers.
Most of Gimme Shelter focuses on the negotiations that took place to make the show at Altamont happen, and how the property owner was very adamant that his track not be damaged in anyway. Wishful thinking, dude. Altamont wasn't even the original site planned, as a San Francisco 49ers game made the original choice, Golden Gate Park, unavailable. Sears Point Raceway was the next choice, but a dispute with the owners saw everything moved over to Altamont Raceway just two nights before the show was to happen. The grounds were woefully inadequate for a show, with a serious lack of portable toliets and medical tents, and a four-foot high stage that required manned security. Enter the Hells Angels, led by Oakland chapter head Ralph "Sonny" Barger (who can be heard early on calling into a radio station and denying any wrongdoing that happened at the show). The Hells Angels were simply expected (and paid with $500 worth of beer!) to escort the Stones in, and keep fans away from the stage, although there has been quite a bit of debate over whether there were any expectations that they were to act as security for a concert with 300,000 plus people in the audience.
Over the course of the day, the mood got ugly as the crowd and the Hells Angels got more and more stoned. Fights broke out in the crowd, and Jefferson Airplane singer Marty Balin was knocked out cold by a Hells Angel after he jumped from the stage to try to end a skirmish. The Grateful Dead ultimately pulled out of the show at the last minute after hearing what happened to Balin. By nightful, when the Rolling Stones hit the stage, it was really tense. Mick Jagger had already been slugged by a concertgoer just after emerging from his helicopter, was visably intimidated, and two of their songs were stopped to plead with the crowd to calm down.
In the concert's most infamous moment, 18-year-old Meredith Hunter (in his bright green suit) came close to the stage, and drew a gun from his coat. As his girlfriend tried to restrain him, people began to scatter, and Alan Passaro from the Hells Angels went after Hunter with a knife, stabbing him five times. Hunter, who was very high, was reportedly jealous of his girlfriend's attraction to Jagger. There is also footage of Hunter's body being loaded into an ambulance as his girlfriend is in hysterics. The Stones themselves had no idea that Hunter had been killed, and continued their show. Barger claimed he pointed a gun at Keith Richards and ordered him and his mates to "keep playing".
Highly, highly, highly recommended, although it can be very uncomfortable to watch at times, especially when violence is breaking out in the enormous audience. Actually, I personally believe that just being in that sea of humanity would've been a nightmare for me.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Wrestler
The Wrestler. 2008 Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Todd Barry, Ernest Miller, and scores of actual professional wrestlers
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Buy The Wrestler at Amazon and then, visit the official site.
A critically acclaimed film about the critically scorned world of professional wrestling, which I was a follower (casual and fanatical) for many years, right up until THIS happened.
Yes, really.
Anyway...Mickey Rourke was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor as a wrestler with the stage name Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who was a major star in wrestling during the 1980s. Twenty years later, he is well past his prime, and working shows in or around Elizabeth, New Jersey on weekends. During the week, he works in a supermarket, loading boxes for his boss Wayne (Barry), who doesn't exactly think the world of Randy.
Randy has something to look forward to, though, as a wrestling promoter is proposing a 20th anniversary match with his most infamous '80s opponent, The Ayatollah (Miller), who is retired and owns a used car lot in Arizona. The first match between both men sold out Madison Square Garden, and Randy jumps at the chance, hoping this is his ticket back to the big time. He starts training for the match, which includes doses of steroids and tanning. Unfortunately, Randy's comeback is sidelined after he takes part in a hardcore match with the Necro Butcher (Dylan Summers) which includes thumbtacks, staple guns, barbed wire and broken glass. Randy suffers a heart attack afterwards, which necessitates a bypass operation, and his doctor tells him that his heart can't take any more 'roids or wrestling.
Cancelling his future matches, Randy moves to the supermarket's deli counter as his new occupation, and tries wooing stripper Cassidy (Tomei), who initially rejects him. Randy also starts repairing his relationship with his estranged daughter Stephanie (Wood). However, the call of the ring, and the adrenaline rush he gets from the rabid wrestling crowds can't be ignored for very long, despite Randy's poor health.
Recommended movie.
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Todd Barry, Ernest Miller, and scores of actual professional wrestlers
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Buy The Wrestler at Amazon and then, visit the official site.
A critically acclaimed film about the critically scorned world of professional wrestling, which I was a follower (casual and fanatical) for many years, right up until THIS happened.
Yes, really.
Anyway...Mickey Rourke was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor as a wrestler with the stage name Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who was a major star in wrestling during the 1980s. Twenty years later, he is well past his prime, and working shows in or around Elizabeth, New Jersey on weekends. During the week, he works in a supermarket, loading boxes for his boss Wayne (Barry), who doesn't exactly think the world of Randy.
Randy has something to look forward to, though, as a wrestling promoter is proposing a 20th anniversary match with his most infamous '80s opponent, The Ayatollah (Miller), who is retired and owns a used car lot in Arizona. The first match between both men sold out Madison Square Garden, and Randy jumps at the chance, hoping this is his ticket back to the big time. He starts training for the match, which includes doses of steroids and tanning. Unfortunately, Randy's comeback is sidelined after he takes part in a hardcore match with the Necro Butcher (Dylan Summers) which includes thumbtacks, staple guns, barbed wire and broken glass. Randy suffers a heart attack afterwards, which necessitates a bypass operation, and his doctor tells him that his heart can't take any more 'roids or wrestling.
Cancelling his future matches, Randy moves to the supermarket's deli counter as his new occupation, and tries wooing stripper Cassidy (Tomei), who initially rejects him. Randy also starts repairing his relationship with his estranged daughter Stephanie (Wood). However, the call of the ring, and the adrenaline rush he gets from the rabid wrestling crowds can't be ignored for very long, despite Randy's poor health.
Recommended movie.
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