The Killing.
1956 United Artists, distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Sterling Hayden, Colleen Gray, Vince Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Elisha Cook Jr., Marie Windsor
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Buy The Killing from Amazon.
Stanley Kubrick's first major film effort features Sterling Hayden as a veteran criminal named Johnny Clay, who is planning one last big heist before he leaves the world of crome to settle down into a "normal" life and marriage with Fay (Gray). The plan is to rob a racetrack of two million dollars during a big race, and Clay recruits several accomplices including a track employee, George Peatty (Cook Jr.), who is pressured into participating by his cheating wife Sherry (Windsor).
The actual robbery goes off without a problem, but during the aftermath, it's Sherry who spoils everything when she tells her lover Val (Edwards) about what happened, and he confronts Johnny's accomplices at the meeting place. The ensuing shootout sees everyone killed except George, who is badly wounded. His last act is to go home and shoot Sherry. Running late, Johnny sees an injured George and knows something went wrong. He puts the cash in an old suitcase, and takes Fay to the airport to leave on a plane, but an unexpected mishap enroute to the plane sends the cash blowing into the wind, ruining Johnny's last heist.
Recommended movie. It is also unsettling to see Stanley Kubrick directing this relatively simple and grounded project, in comparison to some of his later, more ambitious films.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait
General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait [Général Idi Amin Dada: Autoportrait] (Criterion #153).
1974 Figaro Films & Janus Films.
Featuring: Idi Amin
Music: Idi Amin
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Available from Amazon.
Before he directed mainstream fare such as Single White Female and Reversal of Fortune, director Barbet Schroeder this documentary film about Idi Amin, the buffoonish military dictator who reigned over Uganda for eight years (1971-1979), and essentially drove that nation completely into the ground. Surprisingly, Amin willingly cooperated with Schroeder during production, despite the fact that he comes across as completely unintelligent, as if the finished film would have improved his image worldwide.
The truly frightening thing is, Idi Amin actually comes across as somewhat likeable. This is the man who had between 300,000 and 500,000 of his fellow countrymen put to death for just about any reason Amin could think of. This is also the man who ordered 80,000 Asians out of Uganda during a so-called "economic war" in 1972, then appropriated their businesses for his own followers, many of who had no business running them at all. All the while, Amin is heartily laughing about his justifications for his anti-Semitism, and anything else he's done wrong.
Over the course of the film, Amin brags about how much good he's done for Uganda after he seized power in 1971, demonstrates military training of a planned invasion of Israel where Amin's men train on a playground of all things, and talks about how any hijacked Israeli aircraft would be welcomed in Uganda, two years before Operation Entebbe happened. Amin is also featured in a cabinet meeting where he dresses down his Minister of Foreign Affairs (who would be found dead in the Nile River exactly two weeks later), and spouts off ground rules where if anyone misses three meetings, they are OUT of there!
One telling scene finds Amin meeting with a group of Ugandan doctors, who are wanting to discuss medical issues, and Amin is visably nervous and uncomfortable talking to them, especially when he starts babbling about the dangers of alcohol, almost as if, for one moment, Amin is actually recognizing his lack of intelligence while in a roomful of educated medical professionals who could very well run Uganda much better than he ever could.
Highly recommended documentary, presenting a real life dictator who was so ridiculously stupid that if he were any worse, other people would have had to invent him.
1974 Figaro Films & Janus Films.
Featuring: Idi Amin
Music: Idi Amin
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Available from Amazon.
Before he directed mainstream fare such as Single White Female and Reversal of Fortune, director Barbet Schroeder this documentary film about Idi Amin, the buffoonish military dictator who reigned over Uganda for eight years (1971-1979), and essentially drove that nation completely into the ground. Surprisingly, Amin willingly cooperated with Schroeder during production, despite the fact that he comes across as completely unintelligent, as if the finished film would have improved his image worldwide.
The truly frightening thing is, Idi Amin actually comes across as somewhat likeable. This is the man who had between 300,000 and 500,000 of his fellow countrymen put to death for just about any reason Amin could think of. This is also the man who ordered 80,000 Asians out of Uganda during a so-called "economic war" in 1972, then appropriated their businesses for his own followers, many of who had no business running them at all. All the while, Amin is heartily laughing about his justifications for his anti-Semitism, and anything else he's done wrong.
Over the course of the film, Amin brags about how much good he's done for Uganda after he seized power in 1971, demonstrates military training of a planned invasion of Israel where Amin's men train on a playground of all things, and talks about how any hijacked Israeli aircraft would be welcomed in Uganda, two years before Operation Entebbe happened. Amin is also featured in a cabinet meeting where he dresses down his Minister of Foreign Affairs (who would be found dead in the Nile River exactly two weeks later), and spouts off ground rules where if anyone misses three meetings, they are OUT of there!
One telling scene finds Amin meeting with a group of Ugandan doctors, who are wanting to discuss medical issues, and Amin is visably nervous and uncomfortable talking to them, especially when he starts babbling about the dangers of alcohol, almost as if, for one moment, Amin is actually recognizing his lack of intelligence while in a roomful of educated medical professionals who could very well run Uganda much better than he ever could.
Highly recommended documentary, presenting a real life dictator who was so ridiculously stupid that if he were any worse, other people would have had to invent him.
Fantastic Planet
Fantastic Planet [La Planète sauvage].
1973 Argos Films.
Vocal Talent for American version: Cynthia Adler, Barry Bostwick, Mark Gruner, Nora Heflin, Marvin Miller, Monika Ramirez, Hal Smith, Olan Soule, Janet Waldo (all uncredited)
Music: Alain Goraguer
Director: René Laloux
Amazon.com listing (currently out of stock).
In a surreal futuristic world, two races occupy the planet: "Oms", which are human beings taken from Earth during a post-apocalyptic period of time, and "Draags", who are 39-foot-tall blue skinned giants with huge red eyes. Some of the Oms are domesticated as pets, but others are considered wild animals and are periodically exterminated. One of the Oms is kept by a Draag named Tiva, who names him Terr. She found him after three other Draag children have accidentally killed his mother. Terr is outfitted with a collar that can physically drag him back from mischief, and his relationship with Tiva develops. He begins eavesdropping on her educational lessons provided by a headset, acquiring Draag knowledge.
After Terr grows to adulthood, he decides to leave Tiva and her family, taking the headset with him. Before his collar brings him back home, he is rescued by a wild female Om, who brings him and the headset to her tribe that lives in a tree in a walled park. The leader ("Mighty One") is impressed by Terr's ability to interpret Draag script, but the tribe's Wizard is not, and challenges Terr to combat. Terr wins the fight with the Wizard's champion. We then learn how the Oms have adapted to life on the Draags' homeworld, including a confrontation with a rival tribe of Oms.
The park is due to be "de-Omised", and Terr decides to take this information to the bandit tribe, only to be captured. He is let go when he is proven correct about the extermination process. The park is gassed, and many Oms perish, but a good number survive and manage to escape the park. Two passing Draags witness this, and one starts stepping on the Oms. The Oms retaliate and kill one of the Draags, at the cost of Mighty One's life. The Draags redouble their efforts to exterminate the Oms, while the survivors make their way to an old rocket depot. The Oms use the abandoned technologies to temporarily protect themselves, and then, use rockets to travel to the orbiting Fantastic Planet, where they have decided to relocate to, thinking it would be free of Draag influence. The Fantastic Planet is occupied by headless statues that the Draags use to facilitate "nuptial rites" between them and other races. The Oms begin destroying the statues when they are threatened by them. A compromise is reached between both species to keep them from destroying one another, and the Oms construct their own satellite, named after Terr.
Recommended film, chock full of creepy European animation.
1973 Argos Films.
Vocal Talent for American version: Cynthia Adler, Barry Bostwick, Mark Gruner, Nora Heflin, Marvin Miller, Monika Ramirez, Hal Smith, Olan Soule, Janet Waldo (all uncredited)
Music: Alain Goraguer
Director: René Laloux
Amazon.com listing (currently out of stock).
In a surreal futuristic world, two races occupy the planet: "Oms", which are human beings taken from Earth during a post-apocalyptic period of time, and "Draags", who are 39-foot-tall blue skinned giants with huge red eyes. Some of the Oms are domesticated as pets, but others are considered wild animals and are periodically exterminated. One of the Oms is kept by a Draag named Tiva, who names him Terr. She found him after three other Draag children have accidentally killed his mother. Terr is outfitted with a collar that can physically drag him back from mischief, and his relationship with Tiva develops. He begins eavesdropping on her educational lessons provided by a headset, acquiring Draag knowledge.
After Terr grows to adulthood, he decides to leave Tiva and her family, taking the headset with him. Before his collar brings him back home, he is rescued by a wild female Om, who brings him and the headset to her tribe that lives in a tree in a walled park. The leader ("Mighty One") is impressed by Terr's ability to interpret Draag script, but the tribe's Wizard is not, and challenges Terr to combat. Terr wins the fight with the Wizard's champion. We then learn how the Oms have adapted to life on the Draags' homeworld, including a confrontation with a rival tribe of Oms.
The park is due to be "de-Omised", and Terr decides to take this information to the bandit tribe, only to be captured. He is let go when he is proven correct about the extermination process. The park is gassed, and many Oms perish, but a good number survive and manage to escape the park. Two passing Draags witness this, and one starts stepping on the Oms. The Oms retaliate and kill one of the Draags, at the cost of Mighty One's life. The Draags redouble their efforts to exterminate the Oms, while the survivors make their way to an old rocket depot. The Oms use the abandoned technologies to temporarily protect themselves, and then, use rockets to travel to the orbiting Fantastic Planet, where they have decided to relocate to, thinking it would be free of Draag influence. The Fantastic Planet is occupied by headless statues that the Draags use to facilitate "nuptial rites" between them and other races. The Oms begin destroying the statues when they are threatened by them. A compromise is reached between both species to keep them from destroying one another, and the Oms construct their own satellite, named after Terr.
Recommended film, chock full of creepy European animation.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Across the Pacific
Across the Pacific.
1942 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Charles Halton, Victor Sen Yung
Directors: John Huston & Vincent Sherman
Currently available only as part of the Humphrey Bogart Signature Collection, Volume II box set from Amazon.
A reunion of the principal stars of The Maltese Falcon, including director John Huston, who had to turn the production of the film over to Vincent Sherman after he was summoned to report to the Department of Special Services after three weeks' of filming. The screenplay's locality was changed at the last minute from Pearl Harbor to the Panama Canal, but still retained the title of Across the Pacific.
Bogie plays Rick Leland, a disgraced ex-military man kicked out after he was caught stealing. The Canadian military doesn't want him either, so Leland boards a Japanese ship called the Genoa Maru in Halifax, intending to make his way to China to fight under Chiang Kai-shek. He meets a small town girl named Alberta Marlow (Astor), a small town chick claiming to be on her way to Los Angeles, the sociology professor Dr. Lorenz (Greenstreet) who openly admires the Japanese, and Joe Totsuiko (Sen Yung), the cheerful second generation Japanese American wanting to see Japan. While stopping in New York City, Leland talks to undercover intelligence officer Colonel Hart (Paul Stanton) to prove he is still a loyal American. It's revealed that Lorenz is an enemy spy, but Marlow? Still pretty uncertain about her.
The ship is prohibited from entering the Panama Canal, which means a long trip around Cape Horn. The main characters simply disembark to wait for another ship while several crates are unloaded, and they're addressed to a Dan Morton at a plantation. Lorenz asks Leland for up-to-date schedules for the American fighters patrolling the area in the skies, which he receives after talking A.V. Smith (Halton) into providing them. Leland is knocked out for his troubles after haggling with Lorenz over payment, and after he comes to, he notifies Smith to warn him about changing the patrol schedule before heading for the plantation. He's taken hostage by Lorenz and Totsuiko, and Marlow is present, but she is only there to watch over her father Dan Morton (Monte Blue), who owns the plantation. Lorenz reveals that he and Joe had Smith killed before the schedule could be changed, and they're planning to bomb the Panama Canal Locks. It's up to Leland to foil these plans and save America.
Recommended movie.
1942 Warner Bros. Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Charles Halton, Victor Sen Yung
Directors: John Huston & Vincent Sherman
Currently available only as part of the Humphrey Bogart Signature Collection, Volume II box set from Amazon.
A reunion of the principal stars of The Maltese Falcon, including director John Huston, who had to turn the production of the film over to Vincent Sherman after he was summoned to report to the Department of Special Services after three weeks' of filming. The screenplay's locality was changed at the last minute from Pearl Harbor to the Panama Canal, but still retained the title of Across the Pacific.
Bogie plays Rick Leland, a disgraced ex-military man kicked out after he was caught stealing. The Canadian military doesn't want him either, so Leland boards a Japanese ship called the Genoa Maru in Halifax, intending to make his way to China to fight under Chiang Kai-shek. He meets a small town girl named Alberta Marlow (Astor), a small town chick claiming to be on her way to Los Angeles, the sociology professor Dr. Lorenz (Greenstreet) who openly admires the Japanese, and Joe Totsuiko (Sen Yung), the cheerful second generation Japanese American wanting to see Japan. While stopping in New York City, Leland talks to undercover intelligence officer Colonel Hart (Paul Stanton) to prove he is still a loyal American. It's revealed that Lorenz is an enemy spy, but Marlow? Still pretty uncertain about her.
The ship is prohibited from entering the Panama Canal, which means a long trip around Cape Horn. The main characters simply disembark to wait for another ship while several crates are unloaded, and they're addressed to a Dan Morton at a plantation. Lorenz asks Leland for up-to-date schedules for the American fighters patrolling the area in the skies, which he receives after talking A.V. Smith (Halton) into providing them. Leland is knocked out for his troubles after haggling with Lorenz over payment, and after he comes to, he notifies Smith to warn him about changing the patrol schedule before heading for the plantation. He's taken hostage by Lorenz and Totsuiko, and Marlow is present, but she is only there to watch over her father Dan Morton (Monte Blue), who owns the plantation. Lorenz reveals that he and Joe had Smith killed before the schedule could be changed, and they're planning to bomb the Panama Canal Locks. It's up to Leland to foil these plans and save America.
Recommended movie.
Macao
Macao.
1952 RKO Radio Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, William Bendix, Thomas Gomez, Gloria Grahame, Brad Dexter
Director: Josef von Sternberg
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Robert Mitchum Signature Collection box set.
Three strangers from America arrive at the port of Macao (or, if you prefer, Macau) on the same boat: former serviceman Nick Cochran (Mitchum), singer Julie Benson (Russell), and traveling salesman Lawrence Cicero Trumble (Bendix). Cochran meets Benson after she's being propositioned by a man who won't take no for an answer, and she throws a shoe out of a window to get Nick's attention (she also secretly steals his wallet and passport after the would-be lothario is taken care of).
A corrupt police lieutenant, Sebastian (Gomez) tips off the casino owner and mob boss Vincent Halloran (Dexter) about Macao's newest arrivals, and Halloran already knows about an undercover New York City police officer planning to lure him out into international waters where he can be arrested. Halloran concludes that Cochran is the undercover cop, and tries to bribe him into leaving Macao, but Nick would prefer to stay and get to know Julie better. Halloran simply hires Julie as a singer for his casino, partially to find out what she knows about Nick.
Trumble offers Nick a cut of the dough when he asks for help in selling a stolen diamond necklace. Nick shows Halloran a diamond, and he recognizes it, having sent it to Hong Kong a week before to be sold. Cochran is taken prisoner, but is soon set free by Halloran's jealous girlfriend Margie (Grahame), who is fearing that he is planning to leave her for Julie. Trumble is killed after getting mixed up in the ensuing chase, but he tells Nick about the police boat waiting offshore before dying. Using information from Julie about a planned trek to Hong Kong, Cochran commandeers Halloran's private boat and steers it out to the waiting policemen.
Recommended movie, with decent performances from Mitchum, Dexter, and especially Russell.
1952 RKO Radio Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, William Bendix, Thomas Gomez, Gloria Grahame, Brad Dexter
Director: Josef von Sternberg
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Robert Mitchum Signature Collection box set.
Three strangers from America arrive at the port of Macao (or, if you prefer, Macau) on the same boat: former serviceman Nick Cochran (Mitchum), singer Julie Benson (Russell), and traveling salesman Lawrence Cicero Trumble (Bendix). Cochran meets Benson after she's being propositioned by a man who won't take no for an answer, and she throws a shoe out of a window to get Nick's attention (she also secretly steals his wallet and passport after the would-be lothario is taken care of).
A corrupt police lieutenant, Sebastian (Gomez) tips off the casino owner and mob boss Vincent Halloran (Dexter) about Macao's newest arrivals, and Halloran already knows about an undercover New York City police officer planning to lure him out into international waters where he can be arrested. Halloran concludes that Cochran is the undercover cop, and tries to bribe him into leaving Macao, but Nick would prefer to stay and get to know Julie better. Halloran simply hires Julie as a singer for his casino, partially to find out what she knows about Nick.
Trumble offers Nick a cut of the dough when he asks for help in selling a stolen diamond necklace. Nick shows Halloran a diamond, and he recognizes it, having sent it to Hong Kong a week before to be sold. Cochran is taken prisoner, but is soon set free by Halloran's jealous girlfriend Margie (Grahame), who is fearing that he is planning to leave her for Julie. Trumble is killed after getting mixed up in the ensuing chase, but he tells Nick about the police boat waiting offshore before dying. Using information from Julie about a planned trek to Hong Kong, Cochran commandeers Halloran's private boat and steers it out to the waiting policemen.
Recommended movie, with decent performances from Mitchum, Dexter, and especially Russell.
MST3K #204: Catalina Caper
Mystery Science Theater 3000 experiment #204: Catalina Caper (a.k.a. Never Steal Anything Wet).
Original airdate: October 13, 1990.
Available from Amazon as part of the first MST3K Collection.
This was the only intentional comedy film ever featured on MST3K. It was reportedly a difficult movie to write for, thanks to the "comedy" and the musical numbers, not to mention the somewhat confusing plot contained therein.
As an ancient scroll is stolen from a museum, teenager Don Pringle (Tommy Kirk) and his friends take a pleasure trip to Catalina Island, which includes a lot of dancing aboard a yacht while Little Richard serenades them with some of his lesser known hits. Don and his friends get caught up in the mystery about who stole the scroll, finding out that one of the parents of the boys along for the ride is responsible. Also, Don tries to woo away a girl he fancies from a vaguely tough Lyle Waggoner while some older gentleman (Robert Donner) with a talent for bad slapstick situation occasionally gets in the way, before revealing himself as a detective on the trail of the scroll.
The show opens with Tom Servo and Crow in their pajamas saying their prayers before bed, all to well known robots and cyborgs from the world of movies and TV. The invention exchange sees Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank demonstrating their armor plated cannon firing beachwear called, what else, Tank Tops. Joel counters with the Tickle Bazooka (both inventions were shown in the opening titles for a few episodes). Later, when prompted to talk about the '60s by the 'bots, Joel goes off on a long tangent which gradually turns into complaints about his parents sheltering him from events like Woodstock, or spanking him with a leather belt. Tom Servo takes center stage to sing the "Creepy Girl" song, complete with Joel and Crow slow dancing in the background. After the movie, Joel and the 'bots try to figure out exactly what happened in the movie with a very confusing chart.
Recommended episode, but not the best one they ever did.
Original airdate: October 13, 1990.
Available from Amazon as part of the first MST3K Collection.
This was the only intentional comedy film ever featured on MST3K. It was reportedly a difficult movie to write for, thanks to the "comedy" and the musical numbers, not to mention the somewhat confusing plot contained therein.
As an ancient scroll is stolen from a museum, teenager Don Pringle (Tommy Kirk) and his friends take a pleasure trip to Catalina Island, which includes a lot of dancing aboard a yacht while Little Richard serenades them with some of his lesser known hits. Don and his friends get caught up in the mystery about who stole the scroll, finding out that one of the parents of the boys along for the ride is responsible. Also, Don tries to woo away a girl he fancies from a vaguely tough Lyle Waggoner while some older gentleman (Robert Donner) with a talent for bad slapstick situation occasionally gets in the way, before revealing himself as a detective on the trail of the scroll.
The show opens with Tom Servo and Crow in their pajamas saying their prayers before bed, all to well known robots and cyborgs from the world of movies and TV. The invention exchange sees Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank demonstrating their armor plated cannon firing beachwear called, what else, Tank Tops. Joel counters with the Tickle Bazooka (both inventions were shown in the opening titles for a few episodes). Later, when prompted to talk about the '60s by the 'bots, Joel goes off on a long tangent which gradually turns into complaints about his parents sheltering him from events like Woodstock, or spanking him with a leather belt. Tom Servo takes center stage to sing the "Creepy Girl" song, complete with Joel and Crow slow dancing in the background. After the movie, Joel and the 'bots try to figure out exactly what happened in the movie with a very confusing chart.
Recommended episode, but not the best one they ever did.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath. 1941 20th Century Fox.
Starring: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Shirley Mills, John Qualen, Eddie Quillan
Director: John Ford
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, a 'Ford at Fox Collection' single DVD, or as part of the Ford at Fox Collection: The Essential John Ford box set.
The film version of John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. John Ford and executive producer Darryl F. Zanuck were both considered politically conservative, and the book contained left-wing political views, particularly the ending, and the choices of Ford and Zanuck to make the film was a surprise to some critics.
Tom Joad (Fonda) has been paroled from prison after four years for manslaughter, and he's on his way back to the Joad family farm in Oklahoma. Before getting there, Tom meets an old family friend, Casey (Carradine), a former preacher warning him about dust storms, crop failures, and advances in agricultural methods have ruined Oklahoma's once prosperous farm lands. When Tom gets home, he finds that his family is making plans to head west to California in search of employment since their farm has been foreclosed by the bank.
Following a long trek down Route 66, where Grampa dies, and later, another migrant warns them that California isn't as great as it sounds, the Joads make it to the Golden State, and do not last long in the first two migrant camps. Casey ends up murdered by a guard from the second camp at a secret meeting held by striking migrants unhappy with high food prices at the local store. Tom accidentally kills the guard who killed Casey, but suffers a wound on his face, which would make identifying him too easy. The Joads hide Tom long enough to leave the second camp, and they end up at a legitimate one run by the Department of Agriculture. Tom becomes personally idealized by his experiences, and plans to carry on Casey's mission in the world and fight for social reform. He must leave his family behind to accomplish this mission. The rest of the Joads move on from this camp, but realize that they're not going to be defeated by anything else in the future.
Recommended movie.
Starring: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Shirley Mills, John Qualen, Eddie Quillan
Director: John Ford
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, a 'Ford at Fox Collection' single DVD, or as part of the Ford at Fox Collection: The Essential John Ford box set.
The film version of John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. John Ford and executive producer Darryl F. Zanuck were both considered politically conservative, and the book contained left-wing political views, particularly the ending, and the choices of Ford and Zanuck to make the film was a surprise to some critics.
Tom Joad (Fonda) has been paroled from prison after four years for manslaughter, and he's on his way back to the Joad family farm in Oklahoma. Before getting there, Tom meets an old family friend, Casey (Carradine), a former preacher warning him about dust storms, crop failures, and advances in agricultural methods have ruined Oklahoma's once prosperous farm lands. When Tom gets home, he finds that his family is making plans to head west to California in search of employment since their farm has been foreclosed by the bank.
Following a long trek down Route 66, where Grampa dies, and later, another migrant warns them that California isn't as great as it sounds, the Joads make it to the Golden State, and do not last long in the first two migrant camps. Casey ends up murdered by a guard from the second camp at a secret meeting held by striking migrants unhappy with high food prices at the local store. Tom accidentally kills the guard who killed Casey, but suffers a wound on his face, which would make identifying him too easy. The Joads hide Tom long enough to leave the second camp, and they end up at a legitimate one run by the Department of Agriculture. Tom becomes personally idealized by his experiences, and plans to carry on Casey's mission in the world and fight for social reform. He must leave his family behind to accomplish this mission. The rest of the Joads move on from this camp, but realize that they're not going to be defeated by anything else in the future.
Recommended movie.
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Wages of Fear
The Wages of Fear [La Salaire de la Peur] (Criterion #36).
1953 Les Films Cinédis S.A. & Janus Films.
Starring: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter Van Eyck, William Tubbs, Véra Clouzot, Folco Lulli
Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Available from Amazon.
Las Piedras is an isolated and hopelessly backwards small town somewhere in South America, and it's dominated by the presence of the Southern Oil Company, an American company that's been accused of exploiting its local workers and taking the law into its own hands. The Americans are only in control because they're "organized", and god help the local citizens with few opportunities to work or escape, and even less hope.
When The Wages of Fear was first released in the U.S., a lot of scenes from the first half of the movie were edited out. Some insisted it was because the first half was "too long"; others suspected that the scenes were cut because they were "anti-American".
We meet the four main characters, who are all stuck in Las Piedras, and have no way of getting out, since airfare is expensive. Mario (Montand) from Corsica, the optimistic playboy. M. Jo (Vanel) is a ex-gangster from Paris who specialized in running moonshine, and had recently found himself stranded in town. Bimba (Van Eyck) hails from Germany, and he is a quite, intense individual who worked for three years in a salt mine, and his father was killed by the Nazis. Finally, Luigi (Lulli) is a cheerful Italian who recently learned that he is dying from lung disease. M. Jo quickly alienates himself from most of the locals who hang out at the cantina because he always tries to present himself as a big shot.
(Before we go any further: Mario and Luigi are roommates. I'm not making this up.)
The SOC sees a massive fire break out at one of their oil fields, several hundred miles away, and the only way to extinguish that fire is by using nitroglycerine. With such little notice, and no adequate equipment available in Las Piedras, the only way to get the nitro to its destination is putting it in jerrycans on two large trucks. The SOC decides it's too dangerous for the unionized employees, thanks to the poor roads and the hazardous cargo, so they recruit local citizens to do the job. Many people, attracted by the $2,000 per driver wages, volunteer. Mario, Bimba, Luigi, and another man called Smerloff (Darío Moreno) are picked to do the job. On the appointed day, Smerloff fails to show up, so M. Jo is substituted in his place. The other three drivers suspect that M. Jo killed Smerloff to take his place.
Mario and M. Jo depart in one truck, followed by Luigi and Bimba who depart thirty minutes later, in order to limit potential casualties. The road ahead is a very dangerous one, filled with physical and mental obstacles, particularly M. Jo's increasing cowardice as the trip goes on. Sadly, at least two of our drivers will not be coming back alive.
It is the second half of The Wages of Fear and its increasingly suspenseful route to the oil fields that make it a great film. Four men with nothing going for them, and desperate enough for any kind of good money to escape their dreary existances take their lives into their hands transporting a cargo that could instantly kill them makes for some thrilling scenes. Highly, highly, highly recommended. Get this one immediately!
1953 Les Films Cinédis S.A. & Janus Films.
Starring: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Peter Van Eyck, William Tubbs, Véra Clouzot, Folco Lulli
Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Available from Amazon.
Las Piedras is an isolated and hopelessly backwards small town somewhere in South America, and it's dominated by the presence of the Southern Oil Company, an American company that's been accused of exploiting its local workers and taking the law into its own hands. The Americans are only in control because they're "organized", and god help the local citizens with few opportunities to work or escape, and even less hope.
When The Wages of Fear was first released in the U.S., a lot of scenes from the first half of the movie were edited out. Some insisted it was because the first half was "too long"; others suspected that the scenes were cut because they were "anti-American".
We meet the four main characters, who are all stuck in Las Piedras, and have no way of getting out, since airfare is expensive. Mario (Montand) from Corsica, the optimistic playboy. M. Jo (Vanel) is a ex-gangster from Paris who specialized in running moonshine, and had recently found himself stranded in town. Bimba (Van Eyck) hails from Germany, and he is a quite, intense individual who worked for three years in a salt mine, and his father was killed by the Nazis. Finally, Luigi (Lulli) is a cheerful Italian who recently learned that he is dying from lung disease. M. Jo quickly alienates himself from most of the locals who hang out at the cantina because he always tries to present himself as a big shot.
(Before we go any further: Mario and Luigi are roommates. I'm not making this up.)
The SOC sees a massive fire break out at one of their oil fields, several hundred miles away, and the only way to extinguish that fire is by using nitroglycerine. With such little notice, and no adequate equipment available in Las Piedras, the only way to get the nitro to its destination is putting it in jerrycans on two large trucks. The SOC decides it's too dangerous for the unionized employees, thanks to the poor roads and the hazardous cargo, so they recruit local citizens to do the job. Many people, attracted by the $2,000 per driver wages, volunteer. Mario, Bimba, Luigi, and another man called Smerloff (Darío Moreno) are picked to do the job. On the appointed day, Smerloff fails to show up, so M. Jo is substituted in his place. The other three drivers suspect that M. Jo killed Smerloff to take his place.
Mario and M. Jo depart in one truck, followed by Luigi and Bimba who depart thirty minutes later, in order to limit potential casualties. The road ahead is a very dangerous one, filled with physical and mental obstacles, particularly M. Jo's increasing cowardice as the trip goes on. Sadly, at least two of our drivers will not be coming back alive.
It is the second half of The Wages of Fear and its increasingly suspenseful route to the oil fields that make it a great film. Four men with nothing going for them, and desperate enough for any kind of good money to escape their dreary existances take their lives into their hands transporting a cargo that could instantly kill them makes for some thrilling scenes. Highly, highly, highly recommended. Get this one immediately!
Brazil
Brazil (Criterion #51).
1985 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Kim Greist, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, Ian Richardson, Peter Vaughan, Jim Broadbent, Nigel Planer, Brian Miller
Director: Terry Gilliam
Available from Amazon as a single disc Criterion edition, a three disc Criterion box set, or as the simple, barebones Universal release.
Terry Gilliam's signature film was first conceived in the mid-1970s after he directed his first solo project, Jabberwocky. It took the success of 1981's Time Bandits for his vision to start becoming a reality. Brazil proved to be an endless headache during production and post-production for Gilliam, to the point where the director lost all feeling in his legs for a week due to stress, and found that his vocabulary had been reduced to just three choice obscenities. Once the film was completed, Gilliam started having problems with Universal, who was to release the movie in the United States (20th Century Fox handled distribution everywhere else; evidentally, they had no problems with the film's content). At first, Universal said the movie was too long, so Gilliam trimmed it by nine minutes. However, the studio's main objection with Brazil was the dark ending (which is in the eye of the beholder, honestly), and they wanted a typical Hollywood happy ending. Gilliam wouldn't listen, so Universal created the so-called "Love Conquers All" version of Brazil, which is included as a bonus on Criterion's three disc box set, and basically sat on the original film. Gilliam bickered publicly with then-Universal studio head Sid Sheinberg, even taking out an ad in Variety asking him when he would release the movie as he intended it to be released. It took Gilliam conducting private screenings without Universal's approval, and the subsequent critical success that prompted the studio to release Brazil...but they barely promoted it, and it turned out to be a flop at the box office. Sorry, Terry.
Anyway, Brazil is the story of low-level and content to be that way government employee Sam Lowry (Pryce), who often dreams of saving a beautiful maiden while flying through the air. He gets mixed up in a government critical error caused by a literal bug in the machinery, when a Mr. Archebald Buttle (Miller) is arrested and subsequently executed instead of the ministry's real target, the renegade air conditioning specialist Harry Tuttle (De Niro). When the meeting with Mrs. Buttle goes badly, Sam notices the Buttles' upstairs neighbor, Jill Layton (Greist), when she comes to check on the situation. Jill is the same woman as in his dreams. Jill is now considered a terrorist friend of Tuttle after she tried to report Buttle's wrongful arrest to the bureaucrats who would never admit they made a mistake. Initially, Jill does not open up to Sam, as she's worried the government will find her.
In the mean time, Sam meets Harry Tuttle, who fixes the air conditioning in his apartment much faster than the two government workers sent to handle the problem, and deals with his mother Ida (Helmond), who is addicted to rejuvenating plastic surgery, and who is frustrated with her son's lack of any real drive or ambition. Sam's best friend is one Jack Lint (Palin), who specializes in torturing "guests" of the government. Sam finds Jill's records, and alters them to show that she is deceased, allowing her to escape the ministry's persecution. They share a romantic evening together before Sam is arrested for misusing his position. With Tuttle's aid (Jill's fate is unclear; it depends on which version of the film you're watching!), Sam escapes into an increasingly surreal nightmare. Sam does manage to escape the city and the government along with Jill...
...ummm, no, he doesn't.
The real star of Brazil is the simultaneously futuristic and retrogressive world that Gilliam created, filled with many outrageous gadgets and everyday household items, with just as many classic references to a simpler past visable, often in the same scene (Sam has a fascination with older movies, like Casablanca). It's a truly unique vision of film well worth your time. Highly, highly, highly recommended!
1985 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Kim Greist, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, Ian Richardson, Peter Vaughan, Jim Broadbent, Nigel Planer, Brian Miller
Director: Terry Gilliam
Available from Amazon as a single disc Criterion edition, a three disc Criterion box set, or as the simple, barebones Universal release.
Terry Gilliam's signature film was first conceived in the mid-1970s after he directed his first solo project, Jabberwocky. It took the success of 1981's Time Bandits for his vision to start becoming a reality. Brazil proved to be an endless headache during production and post-production for Gilliam, to the point where the director lost all feeling in his legs for a week due to stress, and found that his vocabulary had been reduced to just three choice obscenities. Once the film was completed, Gilliam started having problems with Universal, who was to release the movie in the United States (20th Century Fox handled distribution everywhere else; evidentally, they had no problems with the film's content). At first, Universal said the movie was too long, so Gilliam trimmed it by nine minutes. However, the studio's main objection with Brazil was the dark ending (which is in the eye of the beholder, honestly), and they wanted a typical Hollywood happy ending. Gilliam wouldn't listen, so Universal created the so-called "Love Conquers All" version of Brazil, which is included as a bonus on Criterion's three disc box set, and basically sat on the original film. Gilliam bickered publicly with then-Universal studio head Sid Sheinberg, even taking out an ad in Variety asking him when he would release the movie as he intended it to be released. It took Gilliam conducting private screenings without Universal's approval, and the subsequent critical success that prompted the studio to release Brazil...but they barely promoted it, and it turned out to be a flop at the box office. Sorry, Terry.
Anyway, Brazil is the story of low-level and content to be that way government employee Sam Lowry (Pryce), who often dreams of saving a beautiful maiden while flying through the air. He gets mixed up in a government critical error caused by a literal bug in the machinery, when a Mr. Archebald Buttle (Miller) is arrested and subsequently executed instead of the ministry's real target, the renegade air conditioning specialist Harry Tuttle (De Niro). When the meeting with Mrs. Buttle goes badly, Sam notices the Buttles' upstairs neighbor, Jill Layton (Greist), when she comes to check on the situation. Jill is the same woman as in his dreams. Jill is now considered a terrorist friend of Tuttle after she tried to report Buttle's wrongful arrest to the bureaucrats who would never admit they made a mistake. Initially, Jill does not open up to Sam, as she's worried the government will find her.
In the mean time, Sam meets Harry Tuttle, who fixes the air conditioning in his apartment much faster than the two government workers sent to handle the problem, and deals with his mother Ida (Helmond), who is addicted to rejuvenating plastic surgery, and who is frustrated with her son's lack of any real drive or ambition. Sam's best friend is one Jack Lint (Palin), who specializes in torturing "guests" of the government. Sam finds Jill's records, and alters them to show that she is deceased, allowing her to escape the ministry's persecution. They share a romantic evening together before Sam is arrested for misusing his position. With Tuttle's aid (Jill's fate is unclear; it depends on which version of the film you're watching!), Sam escapes into an increasingly surreal nightmare. Sam does manage to escape the city and the government along with Jill...
...ummm, no, he doesn't.
The real star of Brazil is the simultaneously futuristic and retrogressive world that Gilliam created, filled with many outrageous gadgets and everyday household items, with just as many classic references to a simpler past visable, often in the same scene (Sam has a fascination with older movies, like Casablanca). It's a truly unique vision of film well worth your time. Highly, highly, highly recommended!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Mouse on the Moon
The Mouse on the Moon.
1962 United Artists; distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Margaret Rutherford, Ron Moody, June Ritchie, Bernard Cribbins, David Kossoff, Terry-Thomas
Director: Richard Lester
Available at Amazon.
The sequel to The Mouse That Roared, and it's another movie based on a Leonard Wibberley satiric novel. Peter Sellers refused to appear in this one, so he was replaced by Terry-Thomas, and Richard Lester stepped in as director, ironically, at the recommendation of Sellers.
We return once more to the tiny European duchy of Grand Fenwick, the only English speaking territory on the continent. They're having serious money issues again, and their chief export, wine, is now showing signs of being severely combustable. Worst of all, the Prime Minister's (Moody) castle desperately needs new indoor plumbing, and the Duchess (Rutherford) would really like an Imperial Russian sable fur coat. He strikes upon an idea to ask the United States for five million dollars of aid to go to the fictional space program that Grand Fenwick is working on. The U.S. accomodates their request (they sense it as a great PR opportunity, and give fifty million bucks instead), but things get interesting when the Soviet Union donates a rocket to Grand Fenwick. Neither of the two superpowers believe that anything will come of this new "space program".
Grand Fenwick burns through the money necessary for the fur coat, the indoor plumbing, and paving every road in the dichy before realizing, hey, with their combustable wine and this rocket that the Ruskies gave them, they really could try beating the rest of the world to the moon.
Which, of course, they do, despite their efforts to convince officials from the U.S. and Russia otherwise.
Recommended satire, although the absence of Sellers is noticable, and he probably would've added something to the movie that Lester and Terry-Thomas could not.
1962 United Artists; distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Margaret Rutherford, Ron Moody, June Ritchie, Bernard Cribbins, David Kossoff, Terry-Thomas
Director: Richard Lester
Available at Amazon.
The sequel to The Mouse That Roared, and it's another movie based on a Leonard Wibberley satiric novel. Peter Sellers refused to appear in this one, so he was replaced by Terry-Thomas, and Richard Lester stepped in as director, ironically, at the recommendation of Sellers.
We return once more to the tiny European duchy of Grand Fenwick, the only English speaking territory on the continent. They're having serious money issues again, and their chief export, wine, is now showing signs of being severely combustable. Worst of all, the Prime Minister's (Moody) castle desperately needs new indoor plumbing, and the Duchess (Rutherford) would really like an Imperial Russian sable fur coat. He strikes upon an idea to ask the United States for five million dollars of aid to go to the fictional space program that Grand Fenwick is working on. The U.S. accomodates their request (they sense it as a great PR opportunity, and give fifty million bucks instead), but things get interesting when the Soviet Union donates a rocket to Grand Fenwick. Neither of the two superpowers believe that anything will come of this new "space program".
Grand Fenwick burns through the money necessary for the fur coat, the indoor plumbing, and paving every road in the dichy before realizing, hey, with their combustable wine and this rocket that the Ruskies gave them, they really could try beating the rest of the world to the moon.
Which, of course, they do, despite their efforts to convince officials from the U.S. and Russia otherwise.
Recommended satire, although the absence of Sellers is noticable, and he probably would've added something to the movie that Lester and Terry-Thomas could not.
The Mouse That Roared
The Mouse That Roared. 1959 Columbia Pictures.
Starring: Peter Sellers, Jean Seberg, William Hartnell, David Kossoff, Leo McKern
Director: Jack Arnold
Amazon.com listing (currently unavailable).
Evidentally, this mouse is so frightening that it frightened Columbia's torch lady off of her pedestal.
A small European duchy called Grand Fenwick relies solely on wine manufacturing to sustain its economy. When an American company starts marketing its own homemade brand of the fabled Grand Fenwick wine, this threatens to bankrupt the tiny republic. Prime Minister Count Mountjoy (Sellers) has a brilliant idea: declare war on the United States, a plan which Grand Duchess Gloriana (Sellers again) is hesitant to sign off on. Mountjoy explains that his plan is to lose to the U.S., then rely on American foreign aid to escape bankruptcy. Military officer Tully Bascombe (Sellers once more) leads his small Grand Fenwick army, dressed in Holy Grail-esque armor and armed with crossbows as they board a boat and set sail for America.
Bascombe and his men land in New York City at a rare time: when literally everyone is off the streets due to a scheduled air raid drill. Manhattan is deserted, and Grand Fenwick's men are mistaken for Martians by those who do see them. Bascombe meets Professor Alfred Kokintz (Kossoff) and his inevitable love interest, Helen Kokintz (Seberg). Professor Kokintz is making a doomsday device called the "Q-Bomb", which could quite literally destroy the entire world, and after Bascombe finds this out, he quickly captures the Kokintzs as well as the bomb, and brings them back to Grand Fenwick.
Yes, Grand Fenwick has won. Precisely what they weren't supposed to do. Their victory may be short-lived, as all of the world's powers are making their way to the tiny republic wanting to claim that Q-Bomb for themselves.
This movie was based on Leonard Wibberley's comic novel of the same name, with as always, a few creative liberties taken during the book's adaptation to the screen. Highly recommended political satire, and the sequel, The Mouse on the Moon, will be reviewed later tonight. Fair warning, though: no Peter Sellers in the next movie.
Starring: Peter Sellers, Jean Seberg, William Hartnell, David Kossoff, Leo McKern
Director: Jack Arnold
Amazon.com listing (currently unavailable).
Evidentally, this mouse is so frightening that it frightened Columbia's torch lady off of her pedestal.
A small European duchy called Grand Fenwick relies solely on wine manufacturing to sustain its economy. When an American company starts marketing its own homemade brand of the fabled Grand Fenwick wine, this threatens to bankrupt the tiny republic. Prime Minister Count Mountjoy (Sellers) has a brilliant idea: declare war on the United States, a plan which Grand Duchess Gloriana (Sellers again) is hesitant to sign off on. Mountjoy explains that his plan is to lose to the U.S., then rely on American foreign aid to escape bankruptcy. Military officer Tully Bascombe (Sellers once more) leads his small Grand Fenwick army, dressed in Holy Grail-esque armor and armed with crossbows as they board a boat and set sail for America.
Bascombe and his men land in New York City at a rare time: when literally everyone is off the streets due to a scheduled air raid drill. Manhattan is deserted, and Grand Fenwick's men are mistaken for Martians by those who do see them. Bascombe meets Professor Alfred Kokintz (Kossoff) and his inevitable love interest, Helen Kokintz (Seberg). Professor Kokintz is making a doomsday device called the "Q-Bomb", which could quite literally destroy the entire world, and after Bascombe finds this out, he quickly captures the Kokintzs as well as the bomb, and brings them back to Grand Fenwick.
Yes, Grand Fenwick has won. Precisely what they weren't supposed to do. Their victory may be short-lived, as all of the world's powers are making their way to the tiny republic wanting to claim that Q-Bomb for themselves.
This movie was based on Leonard Wibberley's comic novel of the same name, with as always, a few creative liberties taken during the book's adaptation to the screen. Highly recommended political satire, and the sequel, The Mouse on the Moon, will be reviewed later tonight. Fair warning, though: no Peter Sellers in the next movie.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Batman
Batman. 1989 Warner Bros. Pictures.
Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Jack Palance, Billy Dee Williams
Director: Tim Burton
A two-disc special edition of Batman is available from Amazon.
The biggest film of 1989, and it turned out to be quite a pop culture phenomenon. If you remember that summer, you probably remember seeing Batman-related merchandise almost everywhere. Batman holds the distinction of being the first movie (on VHS) that I ever owned, when I got it for Christmas that year.
There were some controversies about the movie before and after it came out, mostly pertaining to Tim Burton casting Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne-slash-Batman over some choices like Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, Pierce Brosnan and yes, Bill Murray. Even Adam West publicly stated that he felt he would make a better choice. The other brouhaha was about whether or not Jack Nicholson's performance was a little too over the top (let's not mention the millions of dollars he made thanks to receiving a percentage of the movie's box office gross). It's a great performance for sure, but after the late Heath Ledger trumped Nicholson times infinity with his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight last year, I really don't think Nicholson should be criticized for being "over the top". Besides, the character of the Joker is supposed to be like that.
Anyway, twenty years later, Batman still has legs, and it's still one of the best superhero movies ever made. Best of all, it didn't need to rely on heavy CGI like newer projects have done. Highly, highly recommended!
Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Jack Palance, Billy Dee Williams
Director: Tim Burton
A two-disc special edition of Batman is available from Amazon.
The biggest film of 1989, and it turned out to be quite a pop culture phenomenon. If you remember that summer, you probably remember seeing Batman-related merchandise almost everywhere. Batman holds the distinction of being the first movie (on VHS) that I ever owned, when I got it for Christmas that year.
There were some controversies about the movie before and after it came out, mostly pertaining to Tim Burton casting Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne-slash-Batman over some choices like Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, Pierce Brosnan and yes, Bill Murray. Even Adam West publicly stated that he felt he would make a better choice. The other brouhaha was about whether or not Jack Nicholson's performance was a little too over the top (let's not mention the millions of dollars he made thanks to receiving a percentage of the movie's box office gross). It's a great performance for sure, but after the late Heath Ledger trumped Nicholson times infinity with his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight last year, I really don't think Nicholson should be criticized for being "over the top". Besides, the character of the Joker is supposed to be like that.
Anyway, twenty years later, Batman still has legs, and it's still one of the best superhero movies ever made. Best of all, it didn't need to rely on heavy CGI like newer projects have done. Highly, highly recommended!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Return of the Jedi
Star Wars (Episode VI): Return of the Jedi.
1983 20th Century Fox & Lucasfilm Ltd.
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Sebastian Shaw, Ian McDiarmid, David Prowse, James Earl Jones (voice only), Alec Guinness, Frank Oz, Denis Lawson, Kenneth Colley, Warwick Davis, Jeremy Bulloch
Director: Richard Marquand
Executive Producer: George Lucas
Available from Amazon.
Chronologically, this is the last of the Star Wars movies. George Lucas originally wanted Steven Spielberg to direct, but after Lucas left the Directors Guild of America, this was no longer possible. David Lynch was also approached, but he turned down the chance in favor of directing the film version of Dune, which I'm sure he came to regret. Richard Marquand was tapped as the director here, with a lot of help from Lucas himself. Before Return of the Jedi, Marquand had only directed three movies, including a made-for-TV Beatles biopic.
Return of the Jedi revolves around several plots, like the rescue of Han Solo (Ford) from his carbonite prison in the possession of Jabba the Hutt, as well as the Rebels' battle at the Great Pit of Carkoon, where Leia (Fisher) executes Jabba, and a blinded Han accidentally sends Boba Fett (Bulloch) into the pit instead. Afterwards, Luke Skywalker (Hamill) returns to Dagobah to find Yoda (Oz), presumably to finish his training, but he instead discovers that the Jedi Master is dying. Before he passes on, Yoda confirms that Darth Vader (Prowse & Jones) is indeed his father, and Luke must confront him again to become a true Jedi Knight. It's also revealed that Leia is his twin sister.
Also, the Galactic Empire is constructing a new and improved Death Star, and Han is elected to lead a strike force that will destroy the Death Star's shield generator on the forest moon of Endor, home of a primitive but intelligent race called Ewoks. Luke returns from Dagobah to join the mission, but fears after sensing Darth Vader's presence that he's endangering the mission. Luke tells Leia about what he knows about his relationships to her and Vader, and departs to confront him one more time, believing there is still some good left in him.
Emperor Palpatine (McDiarmid) is aboard the Death Star, and he tells Luke that his allies have walked into a trap. He's right, as the Rebels are captured by Imperial forces, but turn the tide after the Ewoks launch a surprise assault on the Imperials, and Lando (Williams) leads the Rebel forces in the Millenium Falcon. Luke and Darth Vader have their final battle, where Palpatine tries to egg him on into embracing the dark side. Luke stays in control and declares himself a Jedi while sparing Vader from death. Palpatine tries to kill Luke with force lightning, but Vader saves his son from death by killing the emperor. Despite becoming Anakin Skywalker again, he is mortally wounded, and he asks Luke to remove his mask so he can see his son through his own eyes before dying. The Rebels then embark on their final assault on the Death Star, destroying it. The galaxy celebrates the fall of the Empire, complete with a celebration on Endor, where Luke burns his father's armor on a funeral pyre. Spiritual figures of Obi-Wan (Guinness), Yoda, and Anakin (Shaw) are seen, looking over them with pride.
This is a hell of a note to go out on. Highly, highly, highly recommended! Best of all, there was no sighting of Jar Jar Binks anywhere.
Yes, I watched the original theatrical release instead, before George Lucas went back and "improved" things.
1983 20th Century Fox & Lucasfilm Ltd.
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Sebastian Shaw, Ian McDiarmid, David Prowse, James Earl Jones (voice only), Alec Guinness, Frank Oz, Denis Lawson, Kenneth Colley, Warwick Davis, Jeremy Bulloch
Director: Richard Marquand
Executive Producer: George Lucas
Available from Amazon.
Chronologically, this is the last of the Star Wars movies. George Lucas originally wanted Steven Spielberg to direct, but after Lucas left the Directors Guild of America, this was no longer possible. David Lynch was also approached, but he turned down the chance in favor of directing the film version of Dune, which I'm sure he came to regret. Richard Marquand was tapped as the director here, with a lot of help from Lucas himself. Before Return of the Jedi, Marquand had only directed three movies, including a made-for-TV Beatles biopic.
Return of the Jedi revolves around several plots, like the rescue of Han Solo (Ford) from his carbonite prison in the possession of Jabba the Hutt, as well as the Rebels' battle at the Great Pit of Carkoon, where Leia (Fisher) executes Jabba, and a blinded Han accidentally sends Boba Fett (Bulloch) into the pit instead. Afterwards, Luke Skywalker (Hamill) returns to Dagobah to find Yoda (Oz), presumably to finish his training, but he instead discovers that the Jedi Master is dying. Before he passes on, Yoda confirms that Darth Vader (Prowse & Jones) is indeed his father, and Luke must confront him again to become a true Jedi Knight. It's also revealed that Leia is his twin sister.
Also, the Galactic Empire is constructing a new and improved Death Star, and Han is elected to lead a strike force that will destroy the Death Star's shield generator on the forest moon of Endor, home of a primitive but intelligent race called Ewoks. Luke returns from Dagobah to join the mission, but fears after sensing Darth Vader's presence that he's endangering the mission. Luke tells Leia about what he knows about his relationships to her and Vader, and departs to confront him one more time, believing there is still some good left in him.
Emperor Palpatine (McDiarmid) is aboard the Death Star, and he tells Luke that his allies have walked into a trap. He's right, as the Rebels are captured by Imperial forces, but turn the tide after the Ewoks launch a surprise assault on the Imperials, and Lando (Williams) leads the Rebel forces in the Millenium Falcon. Luke and Darth Vader have their final battle, where Palpatine tries to egg him on into embracing the dark side. Luke stays in control and declares himself a Jedi while sparing Vader from death. Palpatine tries to kill Luke with force lightning, but Vader saves his son from death by killing the emperor. Despite becoming Anakin Skywalker again, he is mortally wounded, and he asks Luke to remove his mask so he can see his son through his own eyes before dying. The Rebels then embark on their final assault on the Death Star, destroying it. The galaxy celebrates the fall of the Empire, complete with a celebration on Endor, where Luke burns his father's armor on a funeral pyre. Spiritual figures of Obi-Wan (Guinness), Yoda, and Anakin (Shaw) are seen, looking over them with pride.
This is a hell of a note to go out on. Highly, highly, highly recommended! Best of all, there was no sighting of Jar Jar Binks anywhere.
Yes, I watched the original theatrical release instead, before George Lucas went back and "improved" things.
The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars (Episode V): The Empire Strikes Back.
1980 20th Century Fox & Lucasfilm Ltd.
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, David Prowse, James Earl Jones (voice only), Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bulloch, Alec Guinness, John Ratzenberger, Treat Williams
Director: Irvin Kershner
Executive Producer: George Lucas
Available at Amazon.
After the massive success of the first Star Wars, George Lucas opted not to direct this one, handing the reins to director Irvin Kershner, who taught Lucas at the USC School of Cinema-Television. Kershner had to be talked into the job, while Lucas served as executive producer, in addition to serving as the head of Industrial Light & Magic, which also benefited greatly from the extraordinary success of the first movie.
The Rebel Alliance, despite handing the Galactic Empire a sound defeat by destroying the Death Star, have been driven out of their original base into a new camp on the ice planet Hoth. Darth Vader (Prowse & Jones) is now obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker (Hamill), who has risen to the ranks of commanding officer, and the man in black has sent out many probe droids, one of which coincidentally lands on Hoth. During a routine patrol one cold day, Luke is attacked by a Wampa, and is later found by Han Solo (Ford), who had initially stated that he was leaving the rebel cause to pay off his debt to Jabba the Hutt, but he sticks around long enough to find Luke. Skywalker, before nearly succumbing to the elements, has a vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Guinness) instructing him to travel to the planet Dagobah to train under the Jedi Master Yoda (Oz).
The Imperials locate the rebel base on Hoth and quickly attack. The base is captured, but Han, Leia (Fisher), C-3PO (Edwards) and Chewbacca (Mayhew) escape via the Millenium Falcon, which is unable to switch to hyperspace. Darth Vader hires several bounty hunters, including Boba Fett (Bulloch), whose first appearance in Star Wars continuity took place in a certain holiday special that still irritates George Lucas. Luke leaves Hoth with R2-D2 (Baker) in tow, and meets Yoda on Dagobah, but leaves following intense training after a vision comes to him that Han and Leia are in danger.
Han and company arrive in Cloud City, which is run by Han's ol' pal Lando Calrissian (Williams). Lando has been pressured by Vader and Fett to capture them, using them as bait to lure Luke into the clutches of the dark side. Before Han is frozen in carbonite, he and Leia profess their love for each other, and Han's frozen body is given to Fett, who is intending to deliver him to Jabba. Lando quickly repents and helps Leia and the others escape, insisting that there's still a chance to save Han, who is taken by Fett before their departure. Luke arrives in Cloud City, and engages in a light saber duel with Darth Vader, who, as everyone knows, takes the opportunity to reveal that he is Luke's father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate, but they can still rule the galaxy together. Luke refuses, and is rescued by the Millennium Falcon. The movie ends with Lando and Chewbacca setting out to locate and find Han.
Again, I chose to watch the original theatrical cut of The Empire Strikes Back. The DVD transfer isn't pristine, but that's all right. Highly recommended. Return of the Jedi and its review come later tonight.
1980 20th Century Fox & Lucasfilm Ltd.
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, David Prowse, James Earl Jones (voice only), Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bulloch, Alec Guinness, John Ratzenberger, Treat Williams
Director: Irvin Kershner
Executive Producer: George Lucas
Available at Amazon.
After the massive success of the first Star Wars, George Lucas opted not to direct this one, handing the reins to director Irvin Kershner, who taught Lucas at the USC School of Cinema-Television. Kershner had to be talked into the job, while Lucas served as executive producer, in addition to serving as the head of Industrial Light & Magic, which also benefited greatly from the extraordinary success of the first movie.
The Rebel Alliance, despite handing the Galactic Empire a sound defeat by destroying the Death Star, have been driven out of their original base into a new camp on the ice planet Hoth. Darth Vader (Prowse & Jones) is now obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker (Hamill), who has risen to the ranks of commanding officer, and the man in black has sent out many probe droids, one of which coincidentally lands on Hoth. During a routine patrol one cold day, Luke is attacked by a Wampa, and is later found by Han Solo (Ford), who had initially stated that he was leaving the rebel cause to pay off his debt to Jabba the Hutt, but he sticks around long enough to find Luke. Skywalker, before nearly succumbing to the elements, has a vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Guinness) instructing him to travel to the planet Dagobah to train under the Jedi Master Yoda (Oz).
The Imperials locate the rebel base on Hoth and quickly attack. The base is captured, but Han, Leia (Fisher), C-3PO (Edwards) and Chewbacca (Mayhew) escape via the Millenium Falcon, which is unable to switch to hyperspace. Darth Vader hires several bounty hunters, including Boba Fett (Bulloch), whose first appearance in Star Wars continuity took place in a certain holiday special that still irritates George Lucas. Luke leaves Hoth with R2-D2 (Baker) in tow, and meets Yoda on Dagobah, but leaves following intense training after a vision comes to him that Han and Leia are in danger.
Han and company arrive in Cloud City, which is run by Han's ol' pal Lando Calrissian (Williams). Lando has been pressured by Vader and Fett to capture them, using them as bait to lure Luke into the clutches of the dark side. Before Han is frozen in carbonite, he and Leia profess their love for each other, and Han's frozen body is given to Fett, who is intending to deliver him to Jabba. Lando quickly repents and helps Leia and the others escape, insisting that there's still a chance to save Han, who is taken by Fett before their departure. Luke arrives in Cloud City, and engages in a light saber duel with Darth Vader, who, as everyone knows, takes the opportunity to reveal that he is Luke's father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate, but they can still rule the galaxy together. Luke refuses, and is rescued by the Millennium Falcon. The movie ends with Lando and Chewbacca setting out to locate and find Han.
Again, I chose to watch the original theatrical cut of The Empire Strikes Back. The DVD transfer isn't pristine, but that's all right. Highly recommended. Return of the Jedi and its review come later tonight.
Blue Harvest
Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest.
Original airdate: September 23, 2007.
Vocal Talent: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Mike Henry, Lori Alan, Johnny Brennan, Phil LaMarr, Patrick Warburton, Adam West
Guest Vocal Talent: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Rush Limbaugh, Leslie Nielsen (archive footage), Judd Nelson, Helen Reddy, Mick Hucknall
Director: Dominic Polcino
Buy Blue Harvest from Amazon.
Most Family Guy fanatics are well aware of the numerous references to Star Wars made in many episodes over the years, so it was probably inevitable they would pay tribute to the franchise at some point.
One night at the Griffins' home, the power goes out, and the family is left with no options for entertainment. Peter takes it upon himself to tell the story of Star Wars, starting with episode four, with many of the Family Guy characters reimagined as Star Wars characters.
As you may have guessed, most of the story follows the plot to Star Wars pretty faithfully, with the usual trademark pop culture references and adult humor thrown in. The DVD release also includes Seth MacFarlane sitting down and chatting with George Lucas, as well as a montage of Star Wars references and cutaway gags from older episodes of Family Guy. Also, as an easter egg, the crew from the show are seen reading through bits from this DVD's inevitable sequel, Something, Something, Something, Dark Side, which is tentatively scheduled to come out during Family Guy's eighth season, starting later this year.
Highly recommended.
Original airdate: September 23, 2007.
Vocal Talent: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Mike Henry, Lori Alan, Johnny Brennan, Phil LaMarr, Patrick Warburton, Adam West
Guest Vocal Talent: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Rush Limbaugh, Leslie Nielsen (archive footage), Judd Nelson, Helen Reddy, Mick Hucknall
Director: Dominic Polcino
Buy Blue Harvest from Amazon.
Most Family Guy fanatics are well aware of the numerous references to Star Wars made in many episodes over the years, so it was probably inevitable they would pay tribute to the franchise at some point.
One night at the Griffins' home, the power goes out, and the family is left with no options for entertainment. Peter takes it upon himself to tell the story of Star Wars, starting with episode four, with many of the Family Guy characters reimagined as Star Wars characters.
As you may have guessed, most of the story follows the plot to Star Wars pretty faithfully, with the usual trademark pop culture references and adult humor thrown in. The DVD release also includes Seth MacFarlane sitting down and chatting with George Lucas, as well as a montage of Star Wars references and cutaway gags from older episodes of Family Guy. Also, as an easter egg, the crew from the show are seen reading through bits from this DVD's inevitable sequel, Something, Something, Something, Dark Side, which is tentatively scheduled to come out during Family Guy's eighth season, starting later this year.
Highly recommended.
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