What classics did you see last week ? (16 Jun- 22 Jun 2019)

Mister 880 (1950) 6/10

The Legend of Baggar Vance (2001) 5/10

Pickup On South Street (1953) 7/10

Flags of our Fathers (2006) 7/10

Night People (1954) 6/10

88 Minutes (2007) 5/10

Bringing Up the Dead (1999) 7/10

A Beautiful Mind (2001) 6/10

Side Effects (2013) 7/10

RocknRolla (2008) 6/10

Attack on the Iron Coast (1968) 3/10

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) 3/10

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) 8/10

Salvador Allende , (2004) Chile , Patricio Guzmán ,  documentary , history, geopolitics 

Guzmán's film introduces us to Salvador Allende who was a Chilean democratic socialist, a politician and physician and who became President of Chile from 1970 until 1973. Allende was the first ever Marxist to be elected president in a country with a liberal democracy. 
 He began to carry out his reform platform and commenced implementing a progressive socialist programme called La vía chilena al socialismo ("the Chilean Path to Socialism").
This included nationalization of the country's large-scale industries, notably copper mining and banking, of government administration, of the health care system and the educational systems.
Guzmán's documentary is full of graphic historical footage and is mixed with contemporary insights from those who were closely involved with his presidency. It is a fascinating behind the scenes look at Allende's life, his political rise, the social atmosphere and the external forces that would eventually topple his reformist agenda.

In 1972 Salvador Allende delivered a comprehensive 90 minute speech to a packed United Nations Assembly, excerpts are shown in the film. 
Allende began his impassioned address... "From the very day of our election triumph on Sept. 4, 1970 we have felt the effects of large-scale external pressure against us; which tried to prevent the inauguration of a Government freely elected by the people and which has tried to bring it down ever since... and charging, claiming "...serious aggression initiated by United States corporations, United States banking interests and United States governmental agencies".

The documentary shows the packed United Nations Assembly erupting into an enthusiastic applause, the majority of members rose to their feet with a unified, prolonged standing ovation.

The film moves to just one year later, on September 11 1973, Allende lay dead in his bombed out government offices. The military moved in a violent coup d'état supported by a long held plan of the United States and their Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to overthrow Allende's reformist government.. This excellent historical film closes the story with an uncertain future, having ended four decades of uninterrupted democratic rule Chile is now are now under the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.

For those with an interest … Highly Recommend viewing !! 
                                  
                                   "Viva Allende"
                                                                
                                                                      

A couple of Three Stooges shorts. 

H.M.S. Defiant (1962) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0055884/reference 

Spithead Mutiny Avast.
 
It is the Napoleonic Wars and Captain Crawford takes command of the H.M.S. Defiant and sets off with his orders to Corsica. His second in command is Lt. Scott-Paget, a vindictive and bullying man who has moved through the ranks on account of his higher echelon connections. The two men don't see eye to eye from the off, which only compounds the many problems that are reaching boiling point aboard the ship. Mutiny is afoot, just as the French forces are closing in.

Lewis Gilbert may just be one of Britain's most undervalued versatile directors. Here's a man that has directed Educating Rita/The Admirable Crichton (comedy), The Good Die Young (crime), Cast a Dark Shadow (Noir), Reach for the Sky (biography), Alfie/Shirley Valentine (romance), James Bond x 3 (multi genre) and sea faring adventures such as Sink the Bismarck! and this fine Napoleonic historical piece, H.M.S. Defiant.

Adapted from Frank Tilsley's novel "Mutiny", this is a film built around a true story about what became known as the "Spithead" and "Nore" mutinies in 1797. Where sailors and press ganged inlanders were fed up with the working conditions, rates of pay and the all round treatment from the officers in charge. Also into the mix is a fascinating battle of wills between the two leaders of the Defiant, both men, in the midst of their power struggle, are oblivious to the rumblings and plotting of the crew. I mean you would think that with the French warships possibly around the corner that they would be unified in creating a rock solid front? That they don't gives the film an extra dimension. Thus when the battle sequences do come, and the turn of events perk the piece up, it has a two fold impact that makes all the waters lead to a terrific foggy bound climax.

The cast are notable names from a roll call of British performers. Alec Guinness as Captain Crawford plays it spot on. An honourable man adhering to his code of ethics, it's through a plot strand involving his own son being on board that Crawford gets torturous and conflicted by his emotions. Who better than Guinness to layer such a role? Dirk Bogarde steps up to play weasel duties as Lieut. Scott-Padget, suitably handsome in uniform but playing the devils tricks, it begs the question on why Bogarde didn't in fact play more villains? because here he is excellent at it. Leading the mutiny is the looming muscular presence of Anthony Quayle, who along with Nigel Stock leaves a favourable mark in the support cast.

Comparisons with other notable genre entries are inevitable, the likes of Mutiny On the Bounty, Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. and the more modern offering that is Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. If you like any of those films then the chances are you are bound to get much from this British production. The ocean scenes are filmed out in Alicante, and they sparkle as a backdrop to the splendid costumes, while the ships design is top draw. Ultimately this a fine genre entry, for as it stirs the blood and tells a great multi stranded story, it's also acted quite superbly by the cast. 8/10




The Longest Day (1962) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0056197/reference

For the Allies as well as the Germans, it will be the longest day.

The events of D-Day, told on a grand scale from both the Allied and German points of view.

The retelling of June 6, 1944, from the perspectives of the Germans, US, British, Canadians, and the Free French gets an all star production. One of the great war movie epics, it has all the requisite blunderbuss spectacle and heroism as the Allies invade Normandy. It's not hard to see why it was such a box office winner, sure it's a touch too long given that a lot of characters don't really have much to do, but performances are strong and the slices of humour off set some of the national stereotypes on show.

One has to marvel at the ambition of the production, Fox Studios boss Darryl F. Zanuck spent $10 million to get it onto the big screen, and it shows. Narrative is split into three parts, the preparation, the operations on land and sea in readiness for the Normandy assault, and then the landings in all their powerful glory. For sure we have seen more authentic war movies post The Longest Day, but it undeniably deserves its place as a template movie whose power to entertain in any era forever holds firm. 8/10


Chikyû kogeki meirei: Gojira tai Gaigan (1972) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0068371/reference

His appearance is a necessary part of the plan. We have to attract him here, and then we can kill him.

For this, the 12th Godzilla film, a monster theme park worker learns that his new employers are actually aliens who plan to use Ghidorah and Gigan to destroy earth. Time for Godzilla and Anguirus to step forward to defend mankind!

By the time the 1970s had arrived, Toho had decreed that Godzilla should be more family friendly. Gone was the once mighty atomic beast that stomped down on the human race, in his place was the mighty saviour of mankind. Godzilla would be pitched against - or turn up along side - various other beasties, the smack downs being the highlight of pretty lightweight plotting.

Here we have a fun tag-team like scenario where Zilla teams up with Anguirus to stop the three headed might of Ghidorah and the new monster on the block, Gigan. Gigan is sure funny looking but with hooks for appendages and a buzzsaw blade in its belly, it's a quality foe and is sure to dish out some bloody damage.

Plot is hopelessly weak, a rehash job yet again, and the use of stock footage becomes annoying. And yes! this is the series entry where Zilla and Anguirus have a brief conversation, which is quite surreal and something no series fan should have to endure.

Thankfully the action is great fun, including a wonderful moment when Zilla bobs and weaves as a pugilist whilst fighting Ghidora. Anguirus, not for the first time, is more of a diversionary tactic ally than a bona fide fighting menace, but who cares as the big lizard sets about once again proving he's the king of the monsters. 6/10


Heaven's Gate (1980) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0080855/reference

Barbed wire and women are the two greatest civilising agents in the world.

Heaven's Gate is written and directed by Michael Cimino and stars Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff Bridges, John Hurt and Sam Waterston. Music is by David Mansfield and cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond.

Picture is based around the real-life Johnson County War in 1890 Wyoming, where here we have a Sheriff born into wealth attempting to protect immigrant farmers from the rich Stockholders Association.

Lets begin by stating that for the clear facts about the financial disaster of Heaven's Gate, and its impact on studios and film making in general, then research it so I don't have to write two paragraphs about it. Also it should be known that this is hardly an historically accurate account of the so called Johnson County War (when are big epics ever truly accurate anyway?), so again research pays off there as well.

Heaven's Gate, the film, was savaged by the critics upon release, especially given that the originally theatrical release they viewed was over an hour shorter than what Cimino intended for release. Thankfully now, if you are a fan or not of the pic, we can at least see the fully formed longer version (three and half hours worth). The charges of self indulgency by Cimino are fair enough, but his vision is clinically focused to the point of producing a potent and meditative (anti) Western epic.

Cimino is in no hurry to tell his story, and rightly so as he gets to grips with character building and methodically slow burning the tensions that led to the Johnson County blood bath. Before we even consider the technical smarts on show, there's a strong emotional current swirling away in the narrative, an intimacy that's beguiling and holds those fully invested in the first half of film - in readiness for the pay off in the superb second half. I do wonder just how many of the 1/10 reviewers actually made it to second half? The point when the gang of hired assassins ride over the hill and begin their terror of murder and sexual assault?

Visually (Zsigmond on top form) the pic blends elegiac tones for the hopes and dreams of the immigrants looking for a new life in the new world, with the grainy realism of the financial greed and oppression dished out by wealthy corporate stockholders. Cimino isn't found wanting for quality of sequence construction either. Pic features community dances, the kind that John Ford himself would be tipping his hat to. Most notably is the immigrants roller derby dance gathering, a delightfully zestful experience showing a community in love with being a community. The main battle section was laughably trashed by a couple of those original critics, it's a breath taking sequence of events, a thunderous whirl of dust and circular carnage (circles a thematic for Ciminio), "those god damned Romans" indeed.

Flaws? Absolutely, this is far from a flawless picture. The first half hour featuring Averill (Kristofferson) and Irvine's (Hurt) Harvard Graduation is draggy and could easily have been cut by twenty minutes. Also scratchy is that both actors look way too old for such a scenario. Cast are mostly unfussy (perfectly so), but there's an itch that although Huppert has simmering qualities for a bordello babe, she's a touch miscast for the love triangle verve and the genre surrounds. The script sometimes lacks for 1890 chatter, while the screenplay needs the utmost attention or else you could easily lose the thread of things. True also to sadly reflect upon some obvious animal rights issues, thankfully Hollywood has moved on from such things since.

A flawed masterpiece? Yes I think that fits right when revisiting it nearly 40 years after the disaster of its initial release. It's a lyrical and majestic piece of work, one that has seen its plus column reputation grow as it is re-evaluated by new critics and new age cinema lovers alike. The themes at work, with the debunking of American mythologizing et al, were too close to the knuckle for many back in 1980, but now it stands proud as a bold, beautiful and brutal film. Yes, even with the flaws. 8/10


From the Hip (1987) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0093051/reference

Legal satire and conundrums just work for me I guess.

Robin "Stormy" Weathers is desperate to rise up the ladder at the law firm he is employed by - sooner rather than later! Manufacturing a series of events, Weathers crow bars his way into a position of prestige. But just as he thinks he has finally made it, the partners saddle him with a no-win trial...

Directed by Bob Clark and starring Judd Nelson (Weathers), Elizabeth Perkins, John Hurt and Darren McGavin, From The Hip is a quintessentially 1980s picture. Oozing a yuppie law firm vibe and with Brat Packer Nelson leading the way, it's no great shock to proclaim it as such really. That's not to say it deserves to stay back in that decade though, for although it hasn't aged well in context to our evolving societies, and as implausible as "Stormy's" legal shenanigans are, the piece serves up a nice blend of satire and legal ethic conundrums. 

It's also decidedly funny, that is until John Hurt arrives as a pompous suspected murderer and not only steals the film, but also swerves it to a far darker place. Perhaps it's a blend too far since the film is poorly rated by many? Maybe Hurt's preening, borderline psychotic peacock performance only serves to bring to light the deficiencies of the other cast members? What I do know is that my recent revisit to the film still brought many a chuckle as "Stormy" pulls his bag of tricks in the court room, and yes I was still on the edge of my seat during the gripping finale as Hurt's Douglas Benoit is called to the witness box. 7/10


Cliffhanger (1993) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0106582/reference

Superb actioner from Sly and the gang.

Gabe Walker (Sylvester Stallone) is an expert climber, but after a tragic incident leaves a girl dead, he leaves the mountains to get his head together. After his self imposed break he returns in the hope of rekindling a relationship with Jessie (Janine Turner). Whilst at the rescue centre he is called to help a group who are stranded in the mountains, he agrees to help out this one last time, unaware that the group in the mountains are heavily armed murderous thieves and they need help of another kind...

Directed by Renny Harlin, this is one of those films that shows that Stallone once had box office clout as big as his bodily frame. It's a delightful no brain action film that delivers royally to those with a bent for the action genre. What really lifts Clifhanger above average is the wonderful use of suspenseful situations. The film opens with a quite breath taking sequence and then kicks on to literally have us hanging on by our fingernails. The bad guys are deliciously over the top, none more so than the bullishly nasty John Lithgow as Eric Qualen, whilst Sly gets beefcake support from the ever reliable Michael Rooker. Cinematography by Alex Thomson is gorgeous as he brings to life the Cortina d'Ampezzo area of the Dolomites in Italy. Score is by Trevor Jones, who keeps it orchestral as he lifts from his own work for Last of the Mohicans, which in turn is mixed with what sounds like the lead theme of Alan Silvestri's work on Predator.

Slam bang action, tense fraught moments, and a script written with knowing tongue in cheek persuasion, Cliffhanger literally does ROCK. 7.5/10


Alexander (2004) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0346491/reference  

Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut.

Alexander is directed by Oliver Stone and Stone co-writes the screenplay with Christopher Kyle and Laeta Kalogridis. It stars Colin Farrell, Val Kilmer, Angelina Jolie, Jared Leto, Anthony Hopkins, Rosario Dawson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Christopher Plummer. Music is by Vangelis and cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto.

Alexander is an historical epic based on the life of Alexander the Great.

Off the bat I have to say that this "Final Cut" version of the film is the only one I have seen. Upon its initial home format release - the first theatrical version - I lasted an hour and 15 minutes before growing restless and sought enjoyment elsewhere. Consequently as a massive fan of historical epics through the years, it has been a constant nagging itch for me to see Alexander in its entirety. So with Oliver Stone tinkering away with versions - convinced he has made a worthwhile epic - I finally delved in.

The Final Cut, as far as I'm aware, is a vast improvement on that savagely received theatrical release, well that is said by those who tried again instead of calling quits at the first production. Straight away I could see the difference, where once was a plodding first hour, now sits a vibrancy, with Stone seemingly saying that he can do great action and drama, just please hang around during all the historical chatter, sexual connotation, family strife and conquering machinations, and I will enthral you as a whole.

By his own admission, Stone reveals he took on a most complex historical character and in his eyes has made a film to befit such complexity. We get a splintered narrative, as we kick off with the crux of Alexander the Great, the leader, while Alexander's childhood and family forming is interspersed at various junctures. The battles are high in intensity and blood letting - exhilarating at times - but more crucially they let us engage with the tactical "ahead of their time" manoeuvres of Alexander the Great. This version mostly flows alright, and I got to feel how Alexander's mind was working in the process, even if come pics closure I didn't fully know the man.

Epically cast of course, some of them work, others not so much. Farrell's looked odd, in the way that Pitt's was in Troy (released this same year as Alexander), but apart from the accent issue he grows into the role and is fiercely committed. Jolie is just wrong for the role of domineering Olympias, worse still the scenes she does with Farrell are damp and threaten to derail the drama already built up. This latter point is more annoying given a great thread involving Dawson as Alexander's wife Roxanne is built up superbly, only to not be pulled until some drama very late in the play. The rest of the cast come through as ok for period flavours (expected for Hopkins, Plummer and Meyers, interesting as regards Leto).

This is not the life ambition masterpiece Stone wanted to make, even if he proclaims on the extras that he's happy and content with The Final Cut version. This cut still shows some cracks, but these are not seismic enough to hurt the film. For there's a lot of grandeur, blood stirring and thought gone into the production, and there's a lot to be said for that in this day and age of soulless cash making filmic exercises. Honourable failure then? Yes for sure, but a better film in this form than some may have thought possible back in 2004. 7/10


Watchmen (2009) - www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/reference

The comic book geek blockbuster for adults only.

Watchmen is directed by Zack Snyder and adapted to screenplay by David Hayter and Alex Tse from the Alan Moore/David Gibbons graphic novel. It stars Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Carla Gugino and Matt Frewer. Music is by Tyler Bates and cinematography by Larry Fong.

1985 and someone is killing all our superheroes. Time for the remaining super heroes to band together - but what they find as they fight the good fight is potential annihilation for everyone.

It was quite a battle getting Watchmen onto the screen, over twenty years of legal wrangling and controversies, it got to the point where fans of the source material doubted it would ever happen - and even if it did it was sure to be a monstrous failure. How pleasing to find that not only did it make it to the screen, but it is also a genre bending winner - well to some of us of course...

One has to take into context just how potent and original the graphic novel was back in 1986/7, we are dealing with very mature themes, superheroes with serious psychological baggage. Alan Moore lit the touch paper in the comic book kingdom that the rest have since followed to keep the torch burning well into the new millennium. Snyder has achieved top line results in getting both the feel and look of the source, even if some or Moore's cunning cynicism has been lost in translation.

Story is set right in the middle of nuclear paranoia and the fear of the Soviets in 85, the America we view is dank and depressing, noirish in vibe (aided by Rorschach's clobber and detective inclinations), it's a world on the road to nowhere. We are also at a time in the alternate world where superheroes are banned from operating, forcing The Watchmen to become vigilantes - that is if they can get along and shunt their psycho discord to one side. The back stories of the main protagonists are fully formed, and these are not jolly characters, so much so you worry the fate of mankind is doomed if these are who we rely on to save us.

There was in no way that Snyder would be able to produce a comic book filmic adaptation that would be as worshipped in that sphere, to rival that of the worship the novel has in its own. However, coming at it as someone who only sought out the source material after seeing the film, it shines bright for newcomers who are ironically seeking darker tints in superhero tales. Oh it has the requisite nifty twists (a clinical mystery to be unearthed), booming visuals, excellent effects work and smartly constructed action set-pieces, but narratively it's moody and calls for the utmost attention on dialogue passages (I have found it gets better on repeat viewings).

Snyder clearly cared about the project and that love is evident in the movie. It was never going to appease all and sundry, but at worst to hardcore Moore fans it's at least an honourable failure, to many others it's a smart and stylishly refreshing genre booster. 8/10


Done!

Double Negative (1980) a.k.a. Deadly Companion



Snoozy Canadian thriller. On paper it sounds great, with Anthony Perkins as a baddie involved in an unsolved murder, but drifts aimlessly most of the time.



Perkins is great though, easily the best thing about this movie. There are a few attempts to recreate Hitchcockian camera angles involving Perkins that I liked.



Apparently the SCTV studios doubled as the casting offices for this movie, the following all have tiny roles: John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas and Joe Flaherty.



Jaws of Satan (1981) a.k.a. King Cobra



Satan comes to Earth in the form of a cobra. Fritz Weaver is a priest whose family is linked to this whole affair somehow.



Great premise but the movie failed to lure me in, instead it got boring. It was the film debut of a very young Christina Applegate though.



Jaws (1975)

"This shark, swallow you whole..."



A shark decides to camp out near an island beach community and snack repeatedly on the unsuspecting populace. Only the police chief, an oceanographer and an unstable fisherman can stop it together.



The most terrifying movie of all time. Growing up in a similar beachside community, I was convinced it was only a matter of time before I was gobbled up by a shark. That primeval fear has never really gone away. Repeated viewings over the years don't really help much. Sure, I still went swimming, but that fear was always swimming in the back of my mind...



Contains the single greatest jump scare of all time, you know which one I mean!



Perfectly cast, right down to the locals playing the locals. Robert Shaw in particular has created one of cinema's most fascinating characters. His USS Indianapolis speech is so hypnotic, it lures you inside this story to the point that you forget you're watching a movie almost. That's the power of The Spielberg, baby!



John Williams' score is otherworldly and so perfect. It's become a part of the fabric of our mutual pop culture. Pure genius.



I could rave on and on, but this movie is so huge that the whole world knows it by now and have already written about it in far better ways than I could. My absolute favorite movie of all time. If you haven't seen it yet, stop reading this and see it!





Tarzan of the Apes (1918)

And so begins my journey through the Tarzan movies, what better place to start than with the very first one, a silent movie, so no famous Tarzan yell here.





Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)



This is the most familiar Tarzan to most people, the one that started the famous franchise that followed. It's really not a bad movie, it's quite good. Not sure how bad this series becomes with later episodes, but so far, so great!



Johnny Weissmuller originates the famous Tarzan yell himself here in this movie, which is used in multiple other Tarzan movies, some that he wasn't even in.



When I recorded Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) from TCM, they also showed Popeye the Sailor (1933), the very first Popeye cartoon, featuring Betty Boop, which used to run before showings of the movie back in the day.



Tarzan the Ape Man (1959)

It was only a few days ago but struggling to even remember this one. It wasn't bad, it was adequate, but nothing stood out for me.



Tarzan the Ape Man (1981)



Tarzan is mostly an afterthought in this version. It's all about Jane (Bo Derek) and her beautiful body. Poor Tarzan is even left out of his own movie poster!



Seems more like a Playboy video than a movie at certain points, but Richard Harris is on hand to supply some thespian scenes.







It was the early 80's, that's how it was back then. Not as boring or as bad as I assumed it would be.



Tarzan and His Mate (1934)



This is the direct sequel to Tarzan the Ape Man (1932). Might be even better than the original, I liked it a lot, plenty of animals to keep you interested and the plot more or less is continued from the first movie.





Some unexpected nudity in this pre-code film, nothing too scandalous by today's standards.



Looking forward to watching all of the Weissmuller Tarzans, hopefully I can locate them. After that, whatever comes my way, I have Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (1959) recorded from TCM, so I will probably be writing about that and other Tarzans here next week too.



Have a great movie week!

Hi all,I hope everyone had a good weekend,and this week I saw 3 films that were far better than I was expecting:

Czechflixs:

This is one I think you would enjoy manfromplanetx

Killing the Devil (1970) 8:

Full movie with Eng Subs:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqrX9s0zVyA




“A slightly deaf lady is no use to the world,but a deaf genius,that is the salt and spice in a good society.”

Stepping in after the original chosen director Jan Nemec was barred from working over protesting against the Soviet Occupation of the country, writer/director Ester Krumbachova & cinematographer Jiri Macak take the glossy slickness of Hollywood “Women’s Picture” via startling sequences of Ona talking straight to camera in a gold framed mirror,and a outstanding use of vibrant colours,with the bright pinks of Ona’s clothes,the pristine white walls and the jaunty score from Angelo Michajlov,and dice it all with a Czech New Wave (CNW) experimentation. Retaining the CNW spirit of Nemec, Krumbachova subtly serves up food in the meals between Ona and “Devil” as a expression of status between them,by at first having Devil pile his plate high with luxury foods cooked by Ona, a plate which becomes cracked as Ona plucks raisins of independence.

Matching what is visually served on the plates, the screenplay by Krumbachova takes the CNW exploration of femininity and dips it into off-beat fantastical surrealism, by pairing the thoughtful character study of Ona breaking her own demons and finding her voice during the dinners with Devil,with heavenly whirls of demonic phone calls,and Ona throwing her Devil past into a sack of raisins. Putting a two-hander on the dinner table,Jirina Bohdalova and Vladimir Mensik each give excellent performances which compliment each other,thanks to Mensik having Devil be a greedy slob with a sharp underline of aggression, whilst Bohdalova threads a broken Ona away from the luxuries in her apartment,to brimming with confidence in a battle of the sexes that kills the devil.




The End of Agent W4C (1967) 10.

Taking the ingredients which were already becoming staples of the genre,the screenplay by co-writer/(with Oldrich Danek and Milos Macourek) director Vaclav Vorlicek shakes (but not stirred) the Euro Spy genre into a delightful creation, where everything is heightened to a hilariously absurdest level, fired up from Agent W4C and fellow agent Alice are sharing drinks whilst every rival spy (all dressed in the same coats!) openly keep their heads turned towards the duo, and a demo by the Q-type of W4C's handy new clock gadget,backfiring in his hands. Sending fish out of water accountant Foustka in as the main rival to take down the duo, the writers layer on the laughs in Foustka's (a terrific, bumbling Jiri Sovak) mishaps to remain incognito around W4C, (a great, slick Jan Kacer) which leads to a wonderfully left-field twist ending,as Foustka turns out to be not as dumb as he appeared.

Greeting W4C and Alice (a alluring,sexy Kveta Fialova) like superstars with other spies listening in from every corner, director Vorlicek & cinematographer Frantisek Uldrich bring the Euro Spy glamour to Eastern Europe, in W4C and Alice being kept in pin-sharp clothes and Pop-Art close-ups on the effortless coolness, neatly counted by the grubby, hapless appearance of Foustka (who even gets outsmarted by his own cute dog.) Confronting W4C and Alice with a endless row of counter-intelligence / rival spies, Vorlicek pours out sparkling action set-pieces, bubbling in a explosive hotel fight where rockets and punches smack the walls,and Foustka dives into winning a swimming contest,and afterwards dives into ending Agent W4C.

Old Czech Legends (1953) 4.



Sowing together various Czech folk tales,co-writer/(with Alois Jirasek/Jiri Brdecka & Milos Vaclav Kratochvíl ) director Jiri Trnka gives little in establishing the stories for viewers not familiar with their origins, where the extended narrations go more into detail over what is being shown on screen, rather than using narrations to bring clarity to the blended in tales. Backed by a biblical operatic score, the stop-motion animation style of Jiri Trnka walks close to style later used in Bible Tales cartoons shown in RE, in the large puppets moving with a rough, jerky stop/start motion in re-telling of these old Czech tales.

The Apple Game (1977) 8



Bobbing for apples a year after a ban was lifted on her not directing again after international pressure from the film community and her writing a letter to President Gustav Husak over her support of socialism, co-writer/(with Kristina Vlachova) directing auteur Vera Chytilova makes a blazing return to cinema, busting open with Czech New Wave (CNW) ultra-stylisation in frenzied criss-crossing between human births and apples falling from the tree. Dipping the CNW into the French New Wave via shooting "on the spot" in real,dingy locations,Chytilova & cinematographer Frantisek Vlcek continue building on the unpredictable fluidity of Chytilova's camera moves, spun from lightening fast pans around the maternity ward, to floating dolly shots bringing out an intimate atmosphere for Josef's liaisons.

Less outwardly political than her past (and what would later be,future) work, the screenplay by Chytilova and Vlachova continues to build on Chytilova's major theme across her work of expressing femininity,with a winning zest. Happily playing away between Anna and his wife like a little boy, the writers intelligently find the political underneath the skin,where Anna (played by an enticingly expressive Dagmar Blahova) tears off the fantasied nurse outfit which John (played by a perfectly meek,fellow CNW film maker Jiri Menzel) has become tied to,in order to peel away to her inner independence, maturely minded self,with Anna picking up the fruit of paradise.

The Boxer and Death (1963) 10 (Thanks to Planet X for rec.)




Shadowing Kraft's boxing training over the opening credits,co-writer/(with Jozef Hen and Tibor Vichta) director Peter Solan & cinematographer Tibor Biath hit a knock out with an exceptional cut to Kraft in his Nazi uniform. Held prisoner by the ropes round the ring and the wire round the camp, Solan displays a Czech New Wave (CNW) stylisation in the precision of framing the sickening smoke from the gas chambers in the background as a constant reminder for Kominek, to the black, engulfing death that rules every move he makes in the ring. Facing off against the boxing Nazi,Solan makes each round Kominek takes nail-biting, a subtle sound design giving the punches a thump, which is handled with elegant,spaced two-shots freely letting tension build, all topped by CNW experimentation in going first-person for the knock-out.

Based upon the life of Polish boxer Tadeusz "Teddy" Pietrzykowski (who survived being in the Auschwitz and Neuengamme concentration camps) the screenplay by Solan/ Hen and Vichta make what should be genres which stand at odds with each other, (Sports, War and Drama) become an allied force with incredible ease. Chained to entering the ring by Kraft, the writers dig into the burning fearful pressure on Kominek to pull his punches, in full Knowledge that Kraft can have him sent to the gas chamber with a mere click of his fingers. At first a punching bag for Kraft, the writers delicately re-build the confidence of Kominek that the Nazis have tried to strip into a bitter sweet crescendo where the sound of the bell from the boxing ring fades,but Kominek can never feel freedom from the siren of the camp.

Possibly playing the only Nazi in cinema shown using a skipping rope, Manfred Krug gives a ferocious performance as Kraft, via keeping his viciousness always under the surface, where even when Kraft is being playful towards Kominek, Krug keeps Kraft power-dominating claws visible. Pushing himself up from the mat, Stefan Kvietik gives an excellent, hard-hitting turn as Kominek, pulling no punches in expressing across Kominek's face towards the loyally he has towards his fellow prisoners,and the psychological calculations he must make as the boxer who faces death.

Other flicks:

Manfish (1956) 6




Whilst focusing a little too much on the scuba diving footage, director W. Lee Wilder & cinematographer Scotty Welbourne display a good level of ambition in getting the Manfish to sail above the low-budgets waters,in using wide-shots of the cast searching for lost treasure near waterfalls,and hoisting the adventure all together with a eerie final set in the deadly silent ocean.

Looking for treasure round Jamaica,the writers keep a respectful tone for the locals, who enjoying hanging out/playing catching Calypso tunes,and are kept away from any link to the evil greed which drives the main trio. Taking Edgar Allan Poe's The Gold Bug" and "The Tell-Tale Heart stories into Adventure mode,the screenplay by Myles Wilder and Joel Murcott make it work by scattering Poe's unsettling Horror mood into the greed and mistrusts which grips Brannigan/Professor and The Swede. Joined by a lively John Bromfield and Lon Chaney Jr. as Brannigan and Swede, Victor Jory steals the gold as ,by keeping 'Professor',by keeping him dripping with sweat and wide-eyed to paranoia on the Manfish.