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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on May 28, 2017 17:57:12 GMT
Please tell us what classics you saw last week. Modern films are welcome, as well
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(Yes, I'm posting this early again. I am very impatient!)
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on May 28, 2017 18:03:26 GMT
All films and TV episodes mentioned below originate from Australia. I watched 3 feature films, 12 short films, and 10 TV episodes. Note to admins: Films linked to on YouTube are uploaded by the copyright holder. I'm amazed by how often I had to make the IMDb page for the things I watched. Film:Rail Town (1953, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. A documentary about the remote town of Port Augusta in South Australia. Shows a thriving town relying heavily on the railroad for its economy. This short did see a theatrical release (for example, in Sydney it accompanied the 1954 American film "Night People" at several cinemas, while in Brisbane it had the dubious distiction of accompaning the 1948 exploitation film "Bob and Sally"), and it was later shown on TV in 1958, so I'm surprised it wasn't listed on IMDb until I made a page for it. Unusually for 1953, it was directed by a woman, Joan Long (per the National Film and Sound Archive's website, as there are no credits on the film itself). www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQC1Sw0wy6oRoads at Work (1966, 13 minutes) - 7.5/10. This short was intended to be viewed in classrooms, and qualifies as a film in the sense that it was shown via a projector. As a film, it isn't much, but it is fun seeing the old trucks and such as they were back in the mid-1960s. Plus, it's filmed on beautiful colour film. This is another thing I had to make the IMDb page for. www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEFNsZ4qynETraining Champions (1957, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. A documentary about how swimmers do their training. A production of the Commonealth Film Unit, which did a lot of short documentaries during the mid-century period. Once again, I had to make the IMDb page for it. Believe it or not, this did in fact have a theatrical release. For example, in Sydney, several cinemas showed this to accompany the 1957 American cold war drama film "Stopover Tokyo" along with the UK crime drama short "The Case of the River Morgue" (1956), and it accompanied other films in other cities. www.youtube.com/watch?v=usdiVqbnK3sStorm Boy (1976, 85 minutes) - 7.5/10. Children's film about a boy and his pelican. Drama ensues. I thought some of the photography was nicely done (particularly for a kids film), and the film is more emotional than modern kids films. Switch On Bigga (1953, 10 minutes) - 7.5/10. This documentary had a theatrical release that seems to have been limited to the state of New South Wales. It was almost a lost film until a copy with faded colour turned up. It depicts the introduction of electricity into the rural village of Bigga in New South Wales. This is very much a film of its era, but serves a purpose a document of a time and place. This is another title I had to make the IMDb page for. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_BjE0yI__AThe Melbourne Wedding Belle (1953, 10 minutes) - 8/10. Another title I had to make the IMDb page for. Filmed in glorious Ferraniacolor, this film depicts a wedding, But it's really just an excuse to show off the various locations of Melbourne. Some, like Government House and the Royal Exhibition Building, are still standing. This was directed by Colin Dean, who directed a number of shorts during this period. He later directed the acclaimed 1960 TV mini-series "Stormy Petrel". www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJVMoemz_zYBlue Fin (1978, 87 minutes) - 8/10. Children's film. Drama about a young teenager who wants to be a fisherman. His father, a fisherman, feels his son has no place on the sea. Most of the action takes place on a fishingboat, with the moving camera giving the feeling of being at sea. Although the characters and setting are completely different, this is a sort of follow-up to "Storm Boy": Both feature the same child actor (Greg Rowe), both are based on a Colin Thiele novel, both have a screenplay by Sonia Borg, both are filmed in South Australia, and for some reason the Seven Network is credited at the end of both of them even though they aren't TV movies (I assume they provided funding or something like that). Barrier Story (1953, 9 minutes) - 7.5/10. Documentary short about the city of Broken Hill in New South Wales. A nice look into a pleasant-looking town in the 1950s. This did in fact receive a theatrical release at major cinemas (where it typically accompanied American feature films), so I'm surprised it wasn't listed on IMDb until I made a page for it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJKysKdcjgIBy Design (1950, 9 minutes) - 7.5/10. A documentary short about industrial design, of things ranging from an iron to an airplane. Produced by the National Film Board, which later became the Commonwealth Film Unit, which later became Film Australia, and is currently Screen Australia. I expect their next name change will come in about 15 years from now. I can find no record of a theatrical release, it may have been only available for showing at civic centres and such. www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8arBggQrwgFestival in Adelaide (1962, 53 minutes) - 8/10. This documentary shows an art festival being prepared, and also shows excerpts from the festival, including classical music performances, an excerpt from an opera, an excerpt from a play, and an interesting segment where U.S. jazz musician Dave Brubeck talks about time signatures. Believe it or not, this did in fact have a wide theatrical release across Australia, and depending on the city it was being shown in it accompanied films like "Lover Come Back" (1961) and "That Touch of Mink" (1962) at the cinema. www.youtube.com/watch?v=J59KPECrmPwGuide to Canberra (1958, 17 minutes) - 7.5/10. Beautifully filmed on Kodachrome film stock. For the most part this film feels like a travelogue about the city of Canberra. In fact, it isn't, with the original intention being to provide information for public servants about the city, and the intended use of the film changed several times before release. I can find no record of this film being shown theatrically. I submitted a page for it to IMDb. www.youtube.com/watch?v=42cw_9FyvqwAustralian Reporter (1957, 8 minutes) - Perhaps 7.5/10? This is an odd little documentary film. It has no narration, just some stock music. I don't know what purpose it was meant to serve. It may have been intended to be shown overseas, perhaps in Asian countries. It includes various segments, seemingly unrelated to each other. I submitted a page for it to IMDb. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w0PoNMU6tEOne for the Road (1957, 8 minutes) - 7.5/10. Yes, this is a road safety film, but it's oddly enjoyable. I enjoyed the scenes of the traffic on the roads. Sadly, a nice car gets destroyed. The film stars Gordon Glenwright and Owen Weingott, who were both stage and radio actors (presumably looking for a little extra cash), and both of which lenjoyed acting careers in television. Another thing I had to make the IMDb page for... www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXckA4eso1AThe Yugal Cattle Company (1973, 7 and a half minutes) - 7/10. Short documentary about an Indigenous-owned cattle station in Northern Territory. Features interviews with two of the men who run it, and discusses the difficulties that they will face. Fairly interesting, but would have been better if it was longer. I'm worried I screwed up the IMDb page I made for this. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s0prBNbL3ULife In Australia: Launceston (1966, 18 minutes) - 7.5/10. This documentary has no narration, and was part of a series of short films created to encourage people to move to Australia. It depicts the city of Launceston in Tasmania, all filmed in glorious Eastmancolor. I'm worried I screwed up the IMDb page I made for this. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlklnP25_2ATelevision: "Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Incomplete episode telecast 12 October 1963 (38 minutes) - 7.5/10. Gee, the copy on the DVD is incomplete and in poor condition. But it is enjoyable. This was a pop music show which lasted from 1958 to 1972. There's lots of songs, some dancing segments, and a comedy segment. The performers on this episode include Jerry J. Wilder, Jimmy Little, Robyn Alvarez, Peter Brandon, Diane Hart (a singer from Hollywood I can't find any record of), and The Delltones. "BP Super Show" - Ella Fitzgerald in Australia (telecast 14 January 1961, 51 minutes) - 8/10. The DVD says this is from 1967, IMDb says this is from 1960, but I did my own research which shows it was telecast in 1961. However, it was indeed video-taped in 1960 (though the surviving copy is a kinescope). Also, the episode originally included the song "Jingle Bells", which does not appear in the surviving copy (there's a very obvious splice that probably represents where the song was originally). All that aside, this program is EXCELLENT!! Almost the entire program consists of Ella Fitzgerald singing songs live in a nightclub, and what more could you want? A critic for the Age newspaper called it "one of the best shows of its type presented on Melbourne TV", and I'd agree. Along with Ella, there's a single number by the Lou Levy Quartet, and an amusing commercial for BP. Herman's Hermits Hilton Show (telecast 18 April 1966, 25 minutes) - 8/10. English rock group Herman's Hermits did this TV special for the Nine Network, and it is on DVD. I very much enjoyed watching it. My only complaint is that it is too short! This is another thing I had to make the IMDb page for....before you ask, the Hilton in the title is not a hotel, but a brand of nylon stockings!! Of all the shows I watched during the week, this is the only one to survive on video-tape format. "Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Incomplete episode broadcast 14 December 1963 (40 minutes) - 6.5/10. This episode of the popular music series, for the most part, is telecast direct from a beach. Unfortunately, the weather was poor, the video-tape recording was bad, the kinescope made of the video-tape is bad, technical problems abound, and the finale with dancing teenagers bombs because the teenagers don't bother to dance. But there are some very good segments in this episode, and somehow the B&W footage of the beach has a lot of atmosphere. Unfortunately, although the good segments are enjoyable, the bad segments spoil the program. As I mentioned the program is also incomplete.... "Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 21 December 1963 (45 minutes) - 7.5/10. Good episode of this series. This was a Christmas episode, with a mix of both commercial and religious songs. It features performers including Laurel Lea, Col Joye, The Delltones, Robyn Alvarez, Sandy Scott, and Judy Stone. A excerpt appears from a Christmas 1961 episode which includes The Allen Brothers (with Peter Allen) and Patsy Ann Noble (given that most episodes of this series are lost, though many survive, I wonder if that episode still exists). "Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Incomplete episode telecast 10 April 1963 (40 minutes) - 7.5/10. Incomplete (the host mentions a segment that doesn't appear in the surviving footage. Also, there's no proper opening or ending, with the closing titles on the DVD version clearly coming from an earlier season). The remaining footage is entertaining though. Performers who appear include the Dave Bridge Trio, Pat Carroll (not the American actress), Jay Justin, Vicki Forrest, Buddy Bohn, Jimmy Hannan (complete with his massive teeth), and dancer Leilani. "Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - 8 June 1963 (48 minutes) - 8/10. Highly entertaining episode with singers Ethel Azama (Japanese-American jazz singer), Jimmy Stewart (no, not the actor, but a singer from New Zealand), Pat Carroll (no, not the American actress, but a singer from Melbourne), The Bee Gees (yes, the same guys who later did "Stayin' Alive", but here they are young rock singers who do two songs, including a straight-forward cover of "Please Please Me"), and Jerry J. Wilder (teen pop singer). Also appearing are two members of the Shirley Regan dancers, who do a dance number. Meanwhile, host Brian Henderson and a film crew visit New Zealand to show some Māori dancers (a lot of these 1963 episodes seem to include segments done on 16mm film outside the studio. I wonder if anyone involved with these film segments later worked in the vibrant 1970s Australian film industry). Plus, the studio audience is invited to dance to some American records. "BP Super Show" - Episode telecast 13 April 1963 (56 minutes) - 9/10. Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars are the sole performers in this episode, which was taped in Melbourne. Needless to say, this episode is awesome. Lots of jazz music, and several members of the all-star band are given time to have their own solo numbers. This was released on DVD, and surprisingly, the DVD version includes the original commercials, which actually add to the fun, believe it or not. Recorded on video-tape, it survives as a rather good-quality kinescope (though there is some hiss during two songs). "Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 19 August 1963 (46 minutes) - 7/10. This episode is a mixed bag, it has good segments and bad segments. Performers in this episode include Colin Cooper, Robyn Alvarez, The Hi-Fi's, Steve Stevenson (a truly odd comedian), George Rich/Ritch (not sure of spelling), The Bee Gees, and Poncie Ponce. "Brian Henderson's Bandstand" - Episode telecast 31 August 1963 (53 minutes) - 8/10. Highly enjoyable episode with singers Al Lane, Kerry Nielsen (sp?), Pam Bradley, Laurel Lea, Sue Raney, Adrian Ussher, and The Delltones. There's a lot of teen pop (with covers of songs like "My Block" and "It's My Party") but there's also a few old standards (including "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Some of These Days"). |
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Post by howardschumann on May 28, 2017 18:49:02 GMT
YOUR NAME (Kimi No Na Wa)
Directed by Makato Shinkai, Japan, (2016), 107 minutes
“Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along” – Rumi
To the surprise of many, Your Name, a Japanese anime directed by Makato Shinkai (Children Who Chase Lost Voices) has become not only the top box-office hit of 2016 in Japan, but the highest-grossing animated feature of all time, surpassing Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Its popularity should not be a surprise to anyone who has seen it, however. It is a physically gorgeous and spiritually alive comedy/drama with stunning music by Radwimps and a deeply moving story of teenage love. Oh yes, it also has time travel and sci-fi elements that give the film an enchanting otherworldly feeling even if the plot does get a bit convoluted. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to follow it, but it might help.
In any event, the story is the least important part of this highly entertaining and, dare I say, inspiring film. Based on Shinkai's own novel of the same name, the film takes place in a fictional Japanese small town called Itomori where teenager Mitsuha (Mone Kamishiraishi) lives with her grandmother (Estuko Ichihara) and younger sister (Kanon Tani). Her father (Masaki Terasoma), who left religion after the death of his wife, is now the mayor of the city. When Mitsuha complains about small town life and exclaims to whoever is listening, "Please make me a handsome Tokyo boy in my next life!" her wish is granted the next day, when she wakes up in the body of Taki (voice of Ryûnosuke Kamiki), a real-life handsome boy who is in high school in Tokyo. Mitsuha must now must adjust to a new life which involves completing Taki’s studies and working at an Italian restaurant.
Yes, the body switching happens on both ends. Taki is now a teenage girl in Itomori and must struggle to fit into small town life and to accept that he has breasts which he takes pleasure in fondling. The swap lasts for a day, and afterwards, neither party can remember what happened. Body swapping begins to take place on a regular basis, however, and the two (who do not know each other) must learn to adjust to radically different lives than they are accustomed to, with Mitsuha making a somewhat better adjustment. The two learn the meaning of empathy and are now able to help each other by leaving memos on each other’s smartphone. Each makes the other's life better in some way, and there's a lingering feeling that they should meet.
Back in his own body, Taki travels to Itomori but finds that she died three years ago when a comet hit Itomori and decimated the city, killing one-third of its inhabitants, a reminder of the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Now with the help of a magic drink, he travels back three years to help Mitsuha confront her intransigent father and warn the town of the impending disaster. Your Name is grounded in the Sufi concept of Musubi. As told to Mitsuha by her grandmother, “Musubi is the old way of calling the local guardian God. This world has profound meaning. Tying thread is Musubi. Connecting people is Musubi. The flow of time is Musubi. These are all the God’s power.
So the braided cords that we make are the God’s art and represent the flow of time itself. They converge and take shape. They twist, tangle, sometimes unravel, break, then connect again. Musubi – knotting. That is time.” It is also about impermanence. Like a dream, memories of Taki’s and Mitsuha’s life in the other’s body fade and are quickly forgotten. As Buddhism declares, in this world nothing is fixed and permanent. Existence is a flux and always becoming. What persists, however, are the braided cords that tie one to another and the love that transcends the artificial boundaries of space and time. Shinkai has been compared to the great Miyazaki, but this wondrous film is his and his alone.
GRADE: A
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Post by howardschumann on May 28, 2017 18:50:39 GMT
CERTAIN WOMEN
Directed by Kelly Reichardt, U.S., (2016), 107 minutes
“We are not lost, we are just finding our way” – Stephen Meek, Meek’s Cutoff
As depicted in “Wendy and Lucy” (2008) and “Meek’s Cutoff” (2010), Kelly Reichardt’s characters are lost without a significant guidepost to hold on to, adrift in a society in which they struggle to fit in. Based on short stories from the 2009 collection "Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It" by American writer Maile Meloy, Reichardt’s latest feature, Certain Women, displays the struggle for connection of three women whose loneliness mirrors the economic and spiritual malaise gripping a part of 21st century America. Set in the rural West, the film features an impressive cast that includes Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, and newcomer Lily Gladstone All are complex and resilient characters, yet individuals who resist any outward expression of their inner feelings.
In the first section, Laura (Laura Dern, “The Founder”) is a personal injury lawyer distracted by a mid-day affair with the married Ryan (James Le Gros, “Point Break”). When Fuller (Jared Harris, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”), an emotionally distraught client refuses to accept the fact that he has no cause of action against an employer for an injury suffered on the job, Laura must balance her innate feelings of empathy with her fears that he may become violent. When he takes a night watchman hostage, the police turn to Laura to confront him, an acknowledgment of her personal strength.
In this segment, the open spaces of the West so beautifully depicted in “Meek’s Cutoff” are transformed into the spiritually empty local mall with its Starbucks and chain stores, seemingly mocked by a contingent of Native Americans dancing for the customers. In the second story, Gina Lewis (Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea”) is in an unhappy relationship with husband Ryan (Le Gros), who appeared in the opening segment as Laura’s secret lover. As they plan on building a home in the area, the family’s emotional state is reflected in the attitude of her teenage daughter Guthrie (Sara Rodier), who makes little effort to hide her resentment towards her parents, causing her dad to implore her to be nice to her mother.
In their visit to Albert, an elderly neighbor (Rene Auberjonois, “This is Happening”) husband and wife attempt to convince the old man to sell them a pile of sandstone that has been in the front of his house for years, property to which he has an emotional attachment. Marital strain is evident in the conversation in which Gina takes the lead, however, but the focus is on her needs rather than Albert’s feelings and when Gina waves to him from her car when she is leaving, he simply stares blankly at her through his window.
In the longest and most powerful of the three stories, lawyer Beth Travis (Kristen Stewart, “Personal Shopper”) has to drive four hours each way to teach an evening class on Education Law. One of the attendees, Jamie (Lily Gladstone, “Subterranea”) is a lonely rancher who shows up each week to the class even though she is not registered. Apparently physically attracted to the instructor, they meet after each class at the local diner, but the conversation about Beth’s awful drive to and from work is less important than the poignant expressions on Jamie’s face, looks that longingly search for clues that her attachment to Beth might be mutual.
Though not overtly sexual, their ride on Jamie’s horse back to her car is as subtle and as lovely an erotic expression as I’ve seen on film and Gladstone’s rich and heartfelt performance deserves to be remembered at Oscar time. Like other Reichardt’s films, Certain Women moves very slowly without the aid of any background music to cue our emotions and can be challenging for those uncomfortable without thrill-a-minute action. Viewers who appreciate grounded stories about resilient and intelligent characters, however, will be moved by the film’s honest portrayal of real people. It is one of Reichardt’s best.
GRADE: A-
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Post by mikef6 on May 28, 2017 19:32:30 GMT
CERTAIN WOMENDirected by Kelly Reichardt, U.S., (2016), 107 minutes
“We are not lost, we are just finding our way” – Stephen Meek, Meek’s Cutoff
As depicted in “Wendy and Lucy” (2008) and “Meek’s Cutoff” (2010), Kelly Reichardt’s characters are lost without a significant guidepost to hold on to, adrift in a society in which they struggle to fit in. Based on short stories from the 2009 collection "Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It" by American writer Maile Meloy, Reichardt’s latest feature, Certain Women, displays the struggle for connection of three women whose loneliness mirrors the economic and spiritual malaise gripping a part of 21st century America. Set in the rural West, the film features an impressive cast that includes Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, and newcomer Lily Gladstone All are complex and resilient characters, yet individuals who resist any outward expression of their inner feelings. In the first section, Laura (Laura Dern, “The Founder”) is a personal injury lawyer distracted by a mid-day affair with the married Ryan (James Le Gros, “Point Break”). When Fuller (Jared Harris, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”), an emotionally distraught client refuses to accept the fact that he has no cause of action against an employer for an injury suffered on the job, Laura must balance her innate feelings of empathy with her fears that he may become violent. When he takes a night watchman hostage, the police turn to Laura to confront him, an acknowledgment of her personal strength. In this segment, the open spaces of the West so beautifully depicted in “Meek’s Cutoff” are transformed into the spiritually empty local mall with its Starbucks and chain stores, seemingly mocked by a contingent of Native Americans dancing for the customers. In the second story, Gina Lewis (Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea”) is in an unhappy relationship with husband Ryan (Le Gros), who appeared in the opening segment as Laura’s secret lover. As they plan on building a home in the area, the family’s emotional state is reflected in the attitude of her teenage daughter Guthrie (Sara Rodier), who makes little effort to hide her resentment towards her parents, causing her dad to implore her to be nice to her mother. In their visit to Albert, an elderly neighbor (Rene Auberjonois, “This is Happening”) husband and wife attempt to convince the old man to sell them a pile of sandstone that has been in the front of his house for years, property to which he has an emotional attachment. Marital strain is evident in the conversation in which Gina takes the lead, however, but the focus is on her needs rather than Albert’s feelings and when Gina waves to him from her car when she is leaving, he simply stares blankly at her through his window. In the longest and most powerful of the three stories, lawyer Beth Travis (Kristen Stewart, “Personal Shopper”) has to drive four hours each way to teach an evening class on Education Law. One of the attendees, Jamie (Lily Gladstone, “Subterranea”) is a lonely rancher who shows up each week to the class even though she is not registered. Apparently physically attracted to the instructor, they meet after each class at the local diner, but the conversation about Beth’s awful drive to and from work is less important than the poignant expressions on Jamie’s face, looks that longingly search for clues that her attachment to Beth might be mutual. Though not overtly sexual, their ride on Jamie’s horse back to her car is as subtle and as lovely an erotic expression as I’ve seen on film and Gladstone’s rich and heartfelt performance deserves to be remembered at Oscar time. Like other Reichardt’s films, Certain Women moves very slowly without the aid of any background music to cue our emotions and can be challenging for those uncomfortable without thrill-a-minute action. Viewers who appreciate grounded stories about resilient and intelligent characters, however, will be moved by the film’s honest portrayal of real people. It is one of Reichardt’s best. GRADE: A- Howard – thanks for that great review of “Certain Women,” I concur with everything you wrote. I saw this last November but since then not much time goes by but that I think of it, especially that third and last story with Stewart and Gladstone. Kristen Stewart got a lot of bad things said about her early in her career when she was appearing in those Twilight things, but since, in film after film, she has show range and an ability to limn many different characters. Lily Gladstone is a wonderful find and is my personal pick as Best Supporting Actress of 2016 for “Certain Women.” A check on this film at Rotten Tomatoes shows a 92% near perfect score from critics but a 52% failure (popcorn box knocked over and spilled) from audiences. You rarely see that kind of discrepancy. Perhaps, as you describe, a deliberate pace without overt sentimental cues (plus, I would say, not much of a strong through story line) may be the reason. |
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Post by howardschumann on May 28, 2017 19:44:44 GMT
Howard – thanks for that great review of “Certain Women,” I concur with everything you wrote. I saw this last November but since then not much time goes by but that I think of it, especially that third and last story with Stewart and Gladstone. Kristen Stewart got a lot of bad things said about her early in her career when she was appearing in those Twilight things, but since, in film after film, she has show range and an ability to limn many different characters. Lily Gladstone is a wonderful find and is my personal pick as Best Supporting Actress of 2016 for “Certain Women.” A check on this film at Rotten Tomatoes shows a 92% near perfect score from critics but a 52% failure (popcorn box knocked over and spilled) from audiences. You rarely see that kind of discrepancy. Perhaps, as you describe, a deliberate pace without overt sentimental cues (plus, I would say, not much of a strong through story line) may be the reason. Thanks Mike for your kind comment. That last story is really haunting but I doubt that a small, Indie film released in April will be remembered at Oscar time, though it certainly deserves to be, especially Stewart and Gladstone's great performance. I don't think the characters in the other segments are quite as well drawn but overall, it is an excellent film. I'm not surprised about the audience reaction since the rating is probably typical for small, character-driven works. Maybe they should have had some comic book characters. |
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Post by wmcclain on May 28, 2017 20:00:35 GMT
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Post by wmcclain on May 28, 2017 20:31:05 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2017 23:19:56 GMT
The Glass Key (1942) Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, Brian Donlevy, Bonita Granville, William Bendix
Still one of my all-time favorite Lake/Ladd pictures, it has that character driven-pulp 'Maltese Falcon' novel atmosphere that feels timeless. The story has a great arc that brings everything tidily together, the supporting cast is spot-on, great character types like 'Jeff' the dopey thug played to perfection by William Bendix, sleazy nightclub gangsters, political fixers, cops in the pocket, high-class brassy dame, good-sister gone bad along with several nice twists that keep you guessing along till the very end. 9/10
Based on Dashiell Hammett's best-selling novel, The Glass Key is an intricate murder mystery starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, whose frosty, enigmatic resonance was never more engaging. Ed Beaumont (Ladd) is the loyal right-hand man of Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy), a slightly corrupt politician who is accused of murder. Hunting down the real killer, Beaumont must endure a brutal beating from gangsters, the annoying hindrance of the police and the beguiling advances of is boss' fiancée, socialite Janet Henry (Lake)
This Gun For Hire (1942) Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, Laird Cregar, Robert Preston
Another great pairing of Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd, this time Veronica Lake is given a role that required a bit more than playing cute and sassy and blond and does a fair job giving sympathy to the devil while hiding out after being kidnapped by the ruthless killer 'Raven'. The ending does feel a bit forced and just seems to be there to show- that even killers 'love their country' and hate fascists, which tends to really date the film and is kinda comic bookish- otherwise the film would of been a great, dark and cynical classic- this is of course 1942 and still deserves an 8 wouldn't want to risk getting on Raven's bad-side.
Phillip Raven (Alan Ladd) is an assassin whose latest murder assignment is paid for with counterfeit money by turncoat Willard Gates. Ellen Graham (Veronica Lake), an entertainer and the girlfriend of the police lieutenant who's trying to bring Raven down, is recruited by the government to probe Gates's illegal activities. When Raven happens to meet Ellen on a train, they use their relationship to get what they want -- and exact revenge
The Blue Dahlia (1946) Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, William Bendix
This film is surprisingly fast paced but it is handled skillfully and moves about deftly with it's well-plotted misdirections, Veronica Lake does not have much of a part other than to be available and flirtatious, nothing wrong with that, Once again William Bendix surprises me by bringing something special to his role, the sub-gangster plot works well to keep pulling Alan Ladd back into the fray. 8
A WWII veteran (Ladd) is accused of killing his unfaithful wife and races against time to find the real murderer with the help of a sympathetic stranger (Lake). Adapted for the screen by acclaimed detective writer Raymond Chandler, the stylized film features moody black and white cinematography and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Odd Man Out (1947) James Mason, Robert Newton, Dan O'Herlihy
There is a message in this film somewhere, something about fate and doom and going beyond your own ethics to obtain your ideals, I know it is in there but given that the plot is really simple with the wounded fugitive hunted through the back-alleys, it is the stark 'despairing' look of this film that tends to stick with you days after you watch it. Hard to rate this film- I didn't really enjoy it and the ending is perfect- was simply moved by it. 9
Taking place largely over the course of one tense night, Carol Reed's psychological noir, set in an unnamed Belfast, stars James Mason as a revolutionary ex-con leading a robbery that goes horribly wrong. Injured and hunted by the police, he seeks refuge throughout the city, while the woman he loves (Kathleen Ryan) searches for him among the shadows
Rope of Sand (1949) Burt Lancaster, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Corinne Calvet
Good action drama that hinges on one too many instances of the lead character acting irrationally to short-cut or extend the conflict out which has you spending a little too much effort shaking your head- 'That was really stupid but he was mr. smarty just a scene ago?' The film is well produced with it's stark 'South African' desert backdrop and has a first-rate cast involved that work that last drop of 'get-up' out of a mediocre script. 7
Big game hunter Mike Davis heads to the African desert in pursuit of a lode of diamonds whose location only Davis knows but a vicious commandant will use every means to discover -- even sending in a nightclub temptress to loosen Davis's lips.
Dark City 'The Lost World of Film Noir' by Eddie Muller.
Covers the post-WWII 'Film Noir' period in Hollywood, really enjoying this book, filled with great stills and production background stories. Definitely worth checking out if your a novice like myself- of the three books that I picked up on Film Noir this one is the most fun.
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Post by OldAussie on May 29, 2017 1:51:34 GMT
1st views
Night of the Living Dead (1990) 6/10
Neil Diamond: Hot August Night/NYC (2009 Documentary) 8/10
Green Room (2015) 6/10
11.22.63 (2016 Mini-Series) 7/10
Revisits
The Ipcress File (1965) 8.5/10
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Post by mikef6 on May 29, 2017 2:00:18 GMT
Hot Saturday / William A. Seiter (1932). A nifty pre-code about a young woman, Ruth (Nancy Carroll), who supports her retired layabout father and demanding mother (Jane Darwell) by working as a bank teller. Every weekend all the young people in town drive out to the new night club on the lake – the only entertainment the town has to offer; that is, except for the entertaining gossip that the bitter wives spread among themselves. They have plenty to pick-a-little talk-a-little about when playboy Romer Sheffield (Cary Grant) moves into a summer house with his mistress. After sending the mistress packing, Sheffield makes some moves on Ruth, which she finds flattering but rebuffs. When she embarrasses her boyfriend Connie (Edward Woods) by going for a long walk with Sheffield, he strands her without a ride home then spreads a rumor about her spending the night with the playboy. Even though Grant gets top billing, Nancy Carroll is the lead role and is in virtually every shot. She expertly portrays Ruth’s growing panic knowing that the gossip will be impossible to stop. At first she is the victim but, unexpectedly for the time, her final act is one of defiance and it ends the film perfectly. I am not sure if Cary Grant had become “Cary Grant” by this time. I think maybe not. He is heavily made up (way too much eye liner) and seems to be attempting an American accent; he’s not sounding like himself. Randolph Scott also shows us as a former school boyfriend of Ruth’s. Pretty good little meller.
Bringing Up Baby / Howard Hawks (1938). One of the funniest and most intense, relentless comedies in history. Cary Grant is absent minded professor David who has just received a bone that will complete his reconstruction of a T-Rex. Katharine Hepburn is Susan, a scatterbrained but lovable flake who falls in love with David and preceeds to practically ruin his life in pursuit of him. (NOTE: Kate is perfect as a lovable, even adorable, ditz instead of being just annoying, which could have happened with any other actress.) Throw into the mix Susan’s house-cat like leopard (the eponymouse Baby), a bone stealing dog (played by the Asta of the first five Thin Man movies), a second but vicious leopard escapee, and a full cast of crazy character actors (Fritz Feld, Mae Robson, Charles Ruggles, Walter Catlett, and Barry Fitzgerald) and you have the perfect farce. I don’t think there was ever a movie quite like it either before or after it. Surely, neither Grant nor Hepburn ever played those same characters again. In fact, Cary Grant was on a comic roll having just come off “The Awful Truth” and, following “Baby,” he joined Kate Hepburn again for “Holiday.” In both of those films he created people different from David. The comedies were followed by a couple of revelatory dramatic roles in “Gunga Din” and “Only Angels Have Wings” (again with Howard Hawks). One other thing (among many) that I loved about “Bringing Up Baby” is that throughout the course of the film, David and Susan fall down a lot. In a vast majority of the cases, you can clearly see that it is actually these two big movie stars taking all their own pratfalls. There is much to love here.
The Return Of Doctor X / Vincent Sherman (1939). Surprisingly entertaining mad scientist flick which Humphrey Bogart, who plays a dead man walking, reportedly hated doing – but he is very good and, really, the only truly scary thing about this would-be horror film. Wayne Morris tops the cast as a fast talking reporter; you know, the kind who wears his fedora with the front brim turned up flat. He gets himself fired after he goes to interview a famous actress (Lya Lys). He finds her murdered body so phones in the story to the paper before calling the police. When the cops arrive, the body is gone. The next day, the actress shows up at the newspaper, alive and threatening a law suit. Morris ropes in a buddy who is a doctor (Dennis Morgan) and they both begin to investigate. This leads them to a blood expert, Dr. Flegg (John Litel) and his assistant, Quesne (pronounced “Caine) – Bogart. Quesne’s skin is completely white and he has a line of perfectly white hair running through his otherwise brunette mane. Hmm. No blood, maybe? Everything about “Doctor X” is, of course, nonsense but the movie hardly slows down enough for an audience to think about it until it is all over. Still, I thought it was quite enjoyable, especially seeing how Humphrey Bogart can elevate this kind of material. Seen on TCM. Excellent print.
La La Land / Damien Chazelle (2016). Writer/director Chazelle (“Whiplash”) follows up his drama set in a music conservatory with an actual new musical with original songs, just like in the old days. The songs are mostly catchy, not really a bad one in the lot. Two young people are looking to Make It Big in Los Angles; he a jazz pianist, she an actress. They meet. Hate each other at first sight. Slowly fall in love. Get together. He finds success. They split. She finds success. They can’t get back together. Highest kudos to the cinematography, production design, and set decoration. Emma Stone deserved her Best Actress Oscar. Bu-u-u-u-ut…for me, “La La Land” just didn’t have “It” – that special something that truly great movies have. In spite of the film’s pluses, it still left me feeling like there should be more. Oh, well. I’m probably the last person in the world who hadn’t seen it, so whatdah I know?
Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer / Joseph Cedar (2016). Richard Gere gives a bravura performance in this character study of a – well, the sub-title calls him a fixer – but he is really a kind of hustler. He likes to corner rich investors to pitch them a deal, promising to “put them together” with someone else who can make them both money. He claims that the “someone else” is a person he knows well. He tells at least two people that his daughter used to babysit for him and his wife. Trouble is, Norman doesn’t know that third person at all; he is spinning stories out of his head, hoping, I guess, create a spark that might get him some money, but mostly he just wants to be in the inner circle of something important. Then one day lightening strikes. He recognizes on the street a Deputy Minister of Trade for Israel. Norman approaches the man, they fall into conversation, and Norman does him a favor. Three years later this man, Micha Eshel (Lior Ashkenazi – the star of Joseph Cedar’s Oscar nominated “Footnote”), becomes Prime Minister of Israel…and he remembers Norman. Eshel appoints Norman a liaison with the Jews of New York City. Even though Eshel’s chief of staff cuts Norman out of the loop, denying him access, Norman starts making promises based on his connection with the Prime Minister, promises he can’t keep but which are going to come due. Gere is fabulous, as is Ashkenazi. Charlotte Gainsbourg enters late but makes a big impression as an Israeli embassy investigator who happens to run into Norman and who is immediately suspicious. “Norman” is a film that should please many of the contributors to the “What do you feel is missing in films today?” thread as it is character and dialog driven. The director makes himself almost invisible in the sense that the film flows naturally. “Norman” is in limited release.
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Post by howardschumann on May 29, 2017 3:48:14 GMT
“La La Land” just didn’t have “It” – that special something that truly great movies have. In spite of the film’s pluses, it still left me feeling like there should be more. Oh, well. I’m probably the last person in the world who hadn’t seen it, so whatdah I know? Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer / Joseph Cedar (2016). Richard Gere gives a bravura performance in this character study of a – well, the sub-title calls him a fixer – but he is really a kind of hustler. Excellent reviews. I thought of Cary Grant this week when I was watching Love Actually since Hugh Grant has that same kind of romantic comedy persona. I did give a fairly glowing review to La La Land and did enjoy it but on second viewing a few weeks ago, it didn't have the same appeal. I'm forced to agree with you that it misses that "special something" that separates the good from the great. I though Norman was one of the best films I've seen this year but it doesn't appear to have gained much traction with the audience in spite of Richard Gere's fine performance. Maybe people don't want to see a film about someone that reminds them of themselves. |
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Post by manfromplanetx on May 30, 2017 2:03:03 GMT
Among the standout highlights for me this week... Duminica la ora 6 , Sunday at 6 (1966) Romania, Directed by Lucian Pintilie  Hokusai manga (1981) Japan, Directed by Kaneto Shindô  Mujin rettô . The Desert Archipelago (1969) Japan, Directed by Katsu Kanai  |
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Post by Matthew the Swordsman on May 30, 2017 22:25:54 GMT
As I mention above, I watched a TV special starring Ella Fitzgerald. Would anyone be interested in two YouTube clips from the special? Surely there are some Ella Fitzgerald fans on this board?:
It was fairly common in the 1960s for famous American stars to tape TV specials in Australia.
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shawshanked
Sophomore
@shawshanked
Posts: 246
Likes: 66
 
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Post by shawshanked on May 31, 2017 15:51:04 GMT
Saboteur 7/10
Airplane 8/10
Airplane 2 6/10.
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