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Post by teleadm on Jan 23, 2021 18:00:17 GMT
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Post by wmcclain on Jan 23, 2021 18:13:10 GMT
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Post by teleadm on Jan 23, 2021 20:03:01 GMT
This is what Tele has watched lately:  Den of Thieves 2018 directed by Christian Gudegast For a long while I didn't know who was who but once I got it I still didn't like it, though the last 30 minutes was well crafted action.  Devil in a Blue Dress 1995 directed by Carl Franklin and based on the novels of Walter Mosley. Race barriers in 1949 Los Angeles yet an unemployed man is asked to search for a white woman of a politician who frequents jazz clubs (great music on the soundtrack), the more he digs and finds out the deeper he get's into trouble. Denzel is great in this role. While it's not Chinatown 1974 calibre, it's still a damn good movie that was overlooked at the time of release, if one likes old-fashioned American private eye stories.  Yajû no seishun aka Youth of the Beast 1963 directed by Seijun Suzuki, and my second venture into that directors world. Yakuza gangster action, this time shaken up by an outsider who has his own agenda, made clearer as one watches. Jô Shishido was a big box-office star in Japan. Didn't get the whole plot but at the same time interesting to see movies from other cultures! .jpg) Twilight of Honor 1963, directed by Boris Sagal. While not great it sure is interesting and have a late great underplaying Claude Rains in one of his final movie roles. Since one could see Perry Mason solving a case every week on television, why walk out and watch the same on cinema? They do mention a few at the time daring words though.  Zero Hour! 1957, directed by Hall Bartlett. Canada, commercial flights, food poisoning halibut, any doctor aboard, both pilot faints, and old WWII pilot have to help fly in Canadian mountains fogs with aid of nearly divorced wife and the man who hates him on the ground. Offcourse I know that the whole story was used as a parody for comedy hit Airplane! 1980. In itself, it's not a bad old-fashioned nail-biter, with three stars past their prime, but still giving it their all, and it's Sterling Hayden who chosed the wrong time to quit smoking. It's only around 80 minutes!  The Walking Hills 1949 directed by John Sturges. Now this was something different, maybe because I was expecting something else. While not in Sierra Madre calibre, while most of it looks like an ordinary Western, it's contemporary times, men on the wrong side of the border playing cards, to make days pass, hears about the legend that a caravan of gold disappeared in the sands of Death Valley and never to be seen again in a 100 years ago or so, and now some one has heard of someone who might have spotted where it can be found... Give it a chance. I liked it. _04.jpg) Den Blodiga Borgen 1939 better know as Tower of London 1939 directed by Rowland V. Lee. It's not a horror movie even if the story is drenched in blood as I see it. As Richard III slowly kills and disposes of everyone on his way to the throne, and let's a henchman do all the dirty work. It could have used a strong female character somewhere to balance the story or fiction of history. Rathbone as the slimy king and Karloff as his henchman (errand boy) are both great, and so is Vincent Price, once his character understands he might be disposed in unpleasant ways and has to duel Rathbone, chooses weapons "getting drunk and pass out" is a high light. The Tudor's soon took over and in this movie could have used a more charismatic actor than John Sutton. The Copy I watched wasn't the best in the world but seems to have been in original length. Well that was my week and now over to you: |
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Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Jan 23, 2021 21:56:43 GMT
Glad to see you continued with starting these threads for us, teleadm  . If you're wondering why there's only one picture under the spoiler tags for some of the movies I watched, that's because I could barely find any decent pictures/there was only a limited selection of pictures from some of the more 'obscure' films I watched. The rest have my usual pic/GIF collages, though. Lost in Space (1998). Green Lantern (2011). Fragile (2005). A Simple Favor (2018). The Wrong House (2016). Motherhood (2009). |
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Post by politicidal on Jan 23, 2021 22:07:22 GMT
The Unholy Wife (1957) 4/10
Splendor (1935) 6/10
Witness to Murder (1954) 7/10
Murder at the Gallop (1963) 5/10
The Big Clock (1948) 8/10
Adam's Rib (1949) 6/10
State of the Union (1948) 5/10
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Post by OldAussie on Jan 24, 2021 0:21:00 GMT
     Columbo - Requiem for a Falling Star - Anne Baxter, Mel Ferrer, Kevin McCarthy A Stitch in Crime - Leonard Nimoy, Anne Francis, Will Geer The Most Dangerous Match - Laurence Harvey, Lloyd Bochner, Jack Kruschen Double Shock - Martin Landau Lovely But Lethal - Vera Miles, Martin Sheen Any Old Port in a Storm - Donald Pleasence, Julie Harris Candidate for Crime - Jackie Cooper Double Exposure - Robert Culp Publish or Perish - Jack Cassidy, Mickey Spillane, Mariette Hartley Mind Over Mayhem - José Ferrer, Lew Ayres, Robert Walker Jr., Jessica Walter |
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Post by OldAussie on Jan 24, 2021 4:25:41 GMT
teleadmJohn Doucette is the only one I could name! - but a couple of the others look familiar.
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Post by claudius on Jan 24, 2021 12:54:33 GMT
Sunday 17
THE SPOILS OF POYNTON (1970) “Episode One” This BBC Serial, based on Henry James’ Novel, would be the second to air on MASTERPIECE THEATRE in March 1971. Starring Gemma Jones (who would appear in THE DUCHESS OF DUKE STREET) and Ian Ogilivy (UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS and I, CLAUDIUS).
FONZ AND THE HAPPY DAYS GANG (1981) “Gone With the Wand” 40TH ANNIVERSARY The Gang head to Arthurian England, protecting the Young King and Merlin from the Black Knight, sorcery, and Dragons. Interesting voice connections on future Animated cartoons set in the Medieval period. Michael Bell, Arthur’s VA, would later play Squire Johan in THE SMURFS (as well as several Smurfs). Frank Welker, the voice of Mr. Cool and other animals, would later play Johan’s sidekick Peewit in that show (not to mention several Smurfs) as well as Uni the Unicorn in DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS. That show will also have Danny Most (Ralph in both Live Action and Animated HAPPY DAYS) as Eric the Cavalier. Merlin and the Black Knight was voiced by Michael Rye, who would play King Gregor and Duke Igthorn in Disney’s ADVENTURES OF THE GUMMI BEARS. CBS/FoxVideo DVD.
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION (1995) “Secrets and Lies” 25TH ANNIVERSARY Now, here is where the angst and drama get turned up with no quarter. Japanese with English Subtitles. AD Vison DVD.
THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (1971) “Episode One” 50TH ANNIVERSARY. Yes, an English adaptation of James Femimore Cooper’s American Novel, with the Scottish Highlands passing off for the American Wilderness. This was the first season finale for MASTERPIECE THEATRE in 1972. Koch Video DVD. I also saw a YouTube clip that featured the 1972 Opening and Closing of MASTERPIECE (with images of RESURRECTION, THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII, and ELIZABETH R), with Intro and Outro by Alistair Cooke.
RUROUNI KENSHIN (1996) “Kid Samurai: Big Ordeal and Small Student” 25TH ANNIVERSARY Yahiko the Samurai son makes his intro, becoming a pupil for Kaoru and Kenshin. Japanese with English Subtitles. Media Blasters/Anime Works DVD.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1933) Paramount’s All-Star adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic, scripted by Cameron Menzies and Joe Mankiewicz (adapting ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND with THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS). Every mention of the film will state the Triad of Cary Grant, WC Fields, and Gary Cooper among the Tenniel-made-up characters. This was a major Holy Grail for me. Ever since I read an entry from a Trivia book (1990) that listed the large cast (my first learning of May Robson, Charles Ruggles, Edward Everret Horton, Alison Skipworth, Jack Oakie) I wanted to see the film. Unfortunately, it was never released on video and rarely appeared on TV. I would look up books with pictures A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE TALKIES, CARY GRANT TALL DARK AND HANDSOME, THE FILMS OF WC FIELDS, GARY COOPER: THE LAST ACTOR for references. The only clips I did see were the Queen/David Bowie video “Under Pressure”, GARY COOPER: AMERICAN LIFE, AMERICAN LEGEND, and WC FIELDS: STRAIGHT UP (I also watched CARY GRANT: A CELEBRATION TO THE LEADING MAN in hopes to catch a clip, for naught). There was one time Turner Classic Movies aired the film in 2001, but I didn’t find out until AFTER the broadcast! Finally, in the winter of 2010 (in view of the recent Burton misfire), they released the film on DVD, and I bought it and watched it. This viewing is a commentary by Jean Gambin from a Kino Lorber Blu-Ray.
Monday 18
INSPECTOR GADGET (1986) “Gadget meets the Clan” 35TH ANNIVERSARY The final Trilogy of the season and series has come. Furious at Gadget’s success, Dr. Claw seeks out his old mentor Less Renowned, living at a Retirement Home for criminals. The mentor sends him to the Great Great Godfather and his Clan, a parody of the Corleones wIth a Marlon Brandoesque Don and his five sons. When I first saw this episode in the late 1980s, I mistook the title “Godfather” to a family title, that the Don was actually Dr. Claw’s Godfather! This episode also portrays the final appearances of six character designs of the MAD Agent Goons that have been seen throughout the series. YouTube.
DARK SHADOWS (1991) “Episode Four” 30TH ANNIVERSARY The ‘Woodward’ story is resolved in a darker way (instead of Barnabas and Julia killing him with a lethal injection, they frame him for the murders by turning him into a vampire and staking him), although it does appear to be an adaptation from HOUSE as well (Professor Stokes, Woodard’s successor, gets vamped in the film). It is a sad end for a person created to be the Van Helsing for Barnabas, but then got killed off because Barnabas became too popular to kill. Another subplot deals with Roger’s unseen wife (and David’s mother) who turns out to be a witch. Maggie Evans, formerly the ingénue with a connection to Josette Collins, is developed here as a mature woman (and Roger’s mistress!) who now has psychic powers! Also, Angelique (played by Lysette Anthony) makes her debut as a flame ghost haunting Barnabas. MGM/UA DVD.
Tuesday 19
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM WING (1996) “Trowa Returns to the Battlefield” 25TH ANNIVERSARY The Gundam Restoration continues as Duo Maxwell rejoins the gang. Japanese with English Subtitles. Bandai DVD.
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 (1990) “Godzilla VS Megalon” 30TH ANNIVERSARY The first season reaches its concluding episodes with Toho’s GODZILLA films. A major highlight is a sketch where Crow and Tom Servo play Orville Orenbaker and grandson having a dark argument. Originally released on DVD, it was discontinued due to copyrights.
THE SPOILS OF PONYTON (1970) “Episode Two” BBC Video DVD.
Wednesday 20
THE FLINTSTONES (1961) “The Million Dollar Robbery” 60TH ANNIVERSARY Warner DVD.
THE TRAPP FAMILY STORY (1991) “My Future As a Nun” 30TH ANNIVERSARY. The Mother Abbess gives Maria a second chance to stay at the Abbey, adding that she temporarily be a Governess to one of the daughters of Captain Von Trapp. Maria’s travelling garb is similar to Julie Andrews in the film. The Anime also spots Maria’s rather abusive childhood, something that Rodgers and Hammerstein didn’t touch. Japanese with English Subtitles. YouTube.
ANASTASIA (1956) Play based on the infamous Anna Anderson, with Ingrid Bergman making her first American film since her exile. I first saw the reunion scene on an episode of IN SEARCH OF. Although I have seen the 1997 Don Bluth film and the TV Film THE MYSTERY OF ANNA, this is the first time I’ve seen the full film. FoxVideo Laserdisc.
Thursday 21
THE KID (1921) 100TH ANNIVERSARY Chaplin’s first feature, and probably the first original Child Protagonist film with an actual child (not counting the Mary Pickford films). Based on the stillborn death of Chaplin’s first son, the story is about the Tramp adopting an abandoned baby, eventually leading to one of the most moving sequences of the silent film (The Tramp goes Papa Wolf on Welfare officers off to steal his kid). This was the fifth or sixth Silent feature film I ever saw, in 1990 from a VHS rental (with a double bill with THE IDLE RICH, which will be celebrating its Centennial this fall). My late Uncle would later get me a VHS for Christmas of that year. This is the 1971 edit, composed by Chaplin (whose score for the rescue scene would become Charlie’s theme for the Kevin Brownlow docu UNKNOWN CHAPLIN). Criterion BluRay
JACKIE COOGAN: THE FIRST CHILD STAR (2016) Video essay on the star.
NICE AND FRIENDLY (1922) Home Movie created by Chaplin as a wedding present to Louis Mountbatten and his wife Edwina.
Saturday 23
NAPOLEON (1927) This marks the 40th Anniversary of Kevin Brownlow’s first Reconstruction of Abel Gance’s Silent Epic, with score by Carmine Coppola. I got this for Christmas 1991 and watched it during the holiday. Having been acquainted with the short-haired and stout Napoleon, Albert Dieudonne’s slender and long-haired version was a new thing. I would watch Part One many a time. Zeotrope/Universal MCA VHS.
ANGEL (2000) “Blood Money” 20TH ANNIVERSARY Angel aids a shelter runned by Anne Steele (who was Chantarelle the vampire groupie in BUFFY’s “Lie to Me” and Lily the homeless from “Anne” who adopted this name from Buffy). Amazon Prime
The following were Betamax recordings.
HOME IMPROVEMENT (1997) “Taps” & “Jill’s Passion” The first episode was a syndicated repeat, the other was a premiere broadcast on ABC
SOUL MAN (1997) “Convicts and Communal Wine” Short-lived Dan Akroyd comedy. ABC Repeat Broadcast.
DHARMA AND GREG (1997) “And The In-Laws Meet” Repeat Broadcast on ABC.
THE RIFLEMAN (1959-1960) “Jackson”, “The Obituary” & “The Raid” 1988 CBN Broadcasts.
STARRING NATALIE WOOD (1987) Documentary on the actress with interviews from Elizabeth Taylor, Elia Kazan, Dyan Cannon, Roddy MacDowall, Sidney Pollack, and Jerome Robbins. 1988 PBS Broadcast.
SAW PARTS OF:
ROUTE 66 (1961) “Burning for Burning” Betamax Recording of a 1987 Nick at Nite Broadcast.
THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1927) This is the Photoplay version with Neil Brand score. Amazon Prime.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Jan 24, 2021 20:32:50 GMT
The New Mutants (2020)  The Bodyguard (1992)  Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)  Bull Durham (1988)  Night Shift (1982)  Waterworld (1995)  Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)  The New Daughter (2009)  McFarland (2015)  The Touch (1983) a.k.a. Stacy's Knights Shadows Run Black (1984)  The Postman (1997)  Let Him Go (2020)  A Teacher (2013)  Desolate (2018) 
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Post by marianne48 on Jan 25, 2021 15:12:23 GMT
A Raisin in the Sun (1961)--Riveting drama starring Sidney Poitier about a Black family who has dreams of a better life after coming into a small inheritance; just when you think things are looking up, something goes wrong and they have to start all over again, facing money troubles, poor choices, and racism from ¨The Man.¨ A 60-year-old movie with issues that still exist; a must-see. The Hatchet Man (1932)--Dated ¨yellowface" pre-code film starring those noted Asian actors Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young, and J. Carrol Naish. If you can get past the racism of having White actors in stereotyped Chinese roles, itś an okay little film. Robinson plays the title role as a man bound by honor to kill for his tong, even if that means he has to kill his best friend. His friend, knowing his number is up, has left Robinson his little daughter in his will to be his future wife. Years later, as an adult, the daughter has her eyes on a younger suitor, and then things really go wrong. William Wellman directed, and thereś usually at least one unforgettable scene in his films. Here it comes at the very end, and itś hair-raising.  Notorious (1946)--Re-watch; one of Hitchcockś best films of the 1940s. Ingrid Bergman is recruited by the government to spy on a group of Nazi conspirators in post-war South America; she goes along with it in part to make up for her late fatherś involvement in the group, and partly because sheś in love with agent Cary Grant. She marries creepy little mama*s boy Claude Rains to get deeper into the group, and to irritate Grant even further. Although not much can be shown in a 1940s film, Bergman and Grantś kissing scenes are almost as steamy as an actual sex scene. Good intrigue, too. The Rainmaker (1956)--In my long quest to find a Katharine Hepburn performance that I can like, I tried this movie. This was probably her worst yet. I know sheś considered one of the best actresses of all time, sheś won several Oscars, etc., but I could never understand why. Here sheś playing a woman who lives with her father on a small-town ranch; her big fear is that someday she may be an old maid. Sheś 49 years old and looks it; yet weŕe supposed to believe that the *old maid* status is still in her future. Her outfits in this film look like something child actress Margaret O*Brien would wear in her heyday, complete with frills and bows in her hair--the effect is almost as jarring as Bette Davis as Baby Jane. Her acting is even more over-the-top than usual, as she skulks about the yard, howling her misery, and at one point even climbs onto her fatherś lap. Geraldine Page played this role on the stage when she was about 30; maybe she could have pulled this role off in a movie version, but Hepburn is just embarrassing here. Burt Lancaster tries to lift her self-esteem by referring to her beauty and charms--well, he is a con man, after all, but even he can't quite pull it off. The whole movie looks like it was filmed on a stage set; except for one or two brief outdoor scenes, it looks like a painted background with a fake sky and trees, which only emphasizes the histrionics of Hepburnś performance. Thank goodness for the presence of Earl Holliman, who provides some much-needed comic relief.
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Post by mikef6 on Jan 25, 2021 16:16:16 GMT
Thunderbolt And Lightfoot / Michael Cimino (1974). The Malpaso Company. Cinematography by Frank Stanley. A small rural church is surrounded by wheat fields. Singing can be heard from inside. A car pulls up and a man in a rumpled suit gets out. He enters the church. When the minister sees the man, he turns and runs out the back as the stranger opens fire. The (fake) preacher is bank robber John Doherty, nicknamed Thunderbolt (Clint Eastwood). He is rescued by a happy-go-lucky youth who has just stolen a Trans Am off a used car lot. This is Lightfoot (Jeff Bridges). There are two other men on Doherty’s tail: Red Leary (George Kennedy) and Eddie Goody (Geoffrey Lewis). Two years earlier, the three had robbed an unrobbable vault by using a 20mm military cannon on it. Only Doherty and the robbery mastermind (now deceased) know where the money was hidden and now all believe it to have been discovered or lost in a demolition. Then Lightfoot has an idea. Why not rob the same place the same way? Bridges steals the show with his naïve and reckless Lightfoot. George Kennedy, in mean, snarling mode, comes next. This is the first movie directed by Cimino whose name is now more infamous than famous in Moviedom. Yet, in his early going he revealed a large talent. He also scripted the movie.    Saboteur / Alfred Hitchcock (1942). Universal Pictures. Cinematography by Joseph A. Valentine. I saw this years ago and consigned it to near the bottom of Hitchcock’s output. But seeing it again, even though it is still too long by 15 to 20 minutes, I liked it much better than before and it has raised considerably in my estimation. It is wartime in the U.S. Regular blue-collar guy Barry Kane (Robert Cummings) works at an aircraft plant. There is an explosion, a fire, and Barry’s best friend is killed. Barry suspects that a man named Fry (Norman Lloyd) caused the sabotage but when no such person turns up working there, the authorities suspect Barry himself. Barry goes on a cross-country journey, from the California coast to the top of the Statue Of Liberty’s torch, to clear his name, meeting people and demonstrating American resilience. This is a plot line Hitchcock favored, sending protagonists across England in earlier films “The 39 Steps” and “Young And Innocent” and across America again in a later film “North By Northwest.” Pricilla Lane is the reluctant young woman he drags with him but who comes to believe in his innocence. There is a line-up of accomplished supporting players including Otto Kruger (outstanding), Alma Kruger (apparently no relation to Otto), Ian Wolfe, and Alan Baxter.   ---Robert-Cummings,-Priscilla-Lane-738485.jpg) McCabe & Mrs. Miller / Robert Altman (1971). Universal Pictures. Cinematography by Bruce Surtees. Robert Altman has a strong legacy as one of the architects of New Hollywood, the American New Wave, in the 1970s but his film making style was different from other of the new kinds like Scorsese and Spielberg. His distinctive touches are in full flower in this western set in the mountain mining town in the state of Washington in one of the early years of the 20th century: the overlapping dialog, the satirical sub-text, and an underlying humorous tone to the proceedings. Into this crude little town called Presbyterian Church comes hustler John McCabe (Warren Beatty) with three prostitutes and plans to expand his business and include a large, newly built saloon. He partners with Mrs. Miller, a British born woman with a stable of prostitutes of her own. Then, corporate America steps in to try to buy out the two. They refuse, leading to a climactic gunfight. I know I saw this sometime before 1985 (when I started keeping records) and remember that I didn’t like it much. It must have been a butchered version on broadcast TV. Now, I consider it something of a master work.   The Old Guard / Gina Prince-Bythewood (2020). Two things were against me watching this movie: 1) it is a modern “action” movie with a lot of gunplay and high body count, e.g. business as usual; 2) it is a “superhero” movie of sorts. But, on the other side of the ledger was Charlize Theron as star and producer, a known quality who can bring emotional content and resonance to even the loudest shoot-‘em-up. I chose Charlize and am glad I did. The opening finds Andy (Theron) leading a team of four men to rescue some kidnapped girls in Sudan. But it is a trap and all five are thoroughly shot up by automatic weapons. But as the ambushers relax and light up cigarettes, each of the five bodies take one gasp of breath and begin to stand up. A little later, in a train freight car, they all have the same dream. Who are these people? I was correct about what I would see in Theron’s performance as she brings more than a little humanity to action as a burned-out rogue do-gooder who only sees the world getting worse. Almost matching her in feeling is the new recruit to their group, a young female Marine named Nile (Kiki Layne, an extremely talented newcomer) who rebels against the person she is revealed to be. I really surprised myself by becoming fully engaged with the story and characters. Co-starring is Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Harry Melling.    “The Magic Of Callas” Great Performances, S.48, Ep. 1 January 5, 2021. Even today, people who have never had an interest in opera know the name Maria Callas. Callas had a lot of ups and downs in her career. Nicknamed “La Divina” she still has a cult of worshipers, and deserves them. Her opera career was fairly brief. After a triumphal beginning in the late 1940s, her voice began to fail, especially after a big weight lose between 1953 and 1954. Bad reviews poured in. Her affair with Aristotle Onassis made scandalous headlines. At one point she was designated the Most Hated Woman In The World. After taking a two year break from performing, she decided, in 1964, on a comeback with “Tosca” in Puccini’s opera of that name, a very demanding role. She signed up for six performances at the Royal Opera at Covent Garden in London. The British network ITV was given permission to broadcast Act 2 on opening night. It was a triumph. We get to see most of that act in this documentary with her life story and commentary coming from other musicians from all over the world. This is the only visual record we have of Callas on stage. I was goose pimply all over and near tears a lot of the time.  
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Post by teleadm on Jan 25, 2021 17:35:24 GMT
teleadm John Doucette is the only one I could name! - but a couple of the others look familiar. From the top: Connie Haines Herbert Ellis Paul Stevens Patricia Highsmith, I included her since many movies have been based on her novels. and John Doucette.
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Post by vegalyra on Jan 25, 2021 19:49:06 GMT
The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964)  A decent follow up to Hammer's "The Mummy" it's curious as to why it took several years to follow up the original successful film. The second film in Hammer's Mummy productions, the cast is mostly not of the typical entourage that were normally utilized in Hammer's films. Christopher Lee who played the first Hammer Mummy is absent as well as Peter Cushing, et al. A definite bright spot is the use of Fred Clark who lends the film a lot of energy especially in the first act when promoting the Mummy (Clark's character financed the dig that discovered the mummy and his treasure and intends to exploit the findings on a traveling roadshow). The film itself is pretty good, although not as strong as the first film. Sets are well done and evoke a turn of the century London. The Mummy itself is menacing and there are a few masterful shots of him such as one with the camera looking up a long staircase in a dark alley to a brightly lit doorway with the Mummy looking down at a victim. 7/10 Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons) 1959/1960  Notorious (at the time) French film loosely based on the 1782 novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. Having seen Cruel Intentions several times I was interested in earlier adaptions of the book, and this one is quite good. The setting of the novel was adapted to then present day France. The film is interesting in that the director (Roger Vadim) introduces the film in a manner such as DeMille in the Ten Commandments with a brief commentary. The cast does an exceptional job and everyone is beautiful and convincing in their roles. Controversially the film includes some nudity which was darkened for its US release. The Kino Lorber bluray I viewed was immaculate and the film looks brand new image wise. 8/10 The Delta Force (1986)  What can you say about this one? This film follows the Cannon films trademark, with Lee Marvin and Chuck Norris wiping out a terrorist cell in Beirut and destroying quite a bit of real estate and automobiles. Lots of great supporting cast in this one, including Martin Balsam as a Jewish hostage and Robert Forster as the main terrorist. Others include Shelley Winters, George Kennedy and Robert Vaughn. Some high tension aspects of the film include the sorting of the hostages by a German flight attendant who has to single out people by their possible Jewish origins based on their names and the Greek Orthodox priest as a Mossad asset that communicates where some of the hostages are held. Lots of explosions and sufficient feel good ending that is balanced by the loss of one of Norris' friends in the Delta Force. This is a great popcorn film and will easily take your mind off of your troubles. Robert Forster is the main draw for me, I've always felt he was an underrated actor, especially with his early role in Medium Cool. I've always enjoyed his appearances and he does great as a terrorist in this film. (7/10) Ulysses (1954)  Great Kirk Douglas film and adaption of Homer's Odyssey. One of the earlier Hollywood productions made in cooperation with an Italian studio after World War 2. This film was a huge hit and helped start the Italian sword and sandal film craze of the late 1950s and early 1960s (along with Hercules a few years later). Kirk Douglas is sufficiently cocky and wily enough to be the famous Ulysses of the Greek myth. The sequence with Polyphemus (the cyclops) takes up a large portion of the running time and is well done for early to mid 1950s technology. Silvana Mangano is absolutely gorgeous playing Penelope and the "witch" Circe. The final battle with Penelope's suitors is especially well done. Set design is great. The KL Classics bluray is beautiful, the film really pops and is probably the best the film has ever looked since its initial theatrical run. Anthony Quinn is fairly limited as one of the suitors but his stardom was such at the time I suppose that is why he has high billing. |
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