What classics did you see last week, Jan 15 to Jan 21?

Kate & Leopold (2001).

First time viewings:

Bombshell (1933):
A glamorous film star (Jean Harlow) rebels against the studio, her pushy press agent and a family of hangers-on. Harlow is great and gets wonderful support from Frank Morgan, Lee Tracy, Franchot Tone, Pat O’Brien, Una Merkel and Louise Beavers. Excellent direction by Victor Fleming (uncredited). One of the funniest classic screwball comedies about Hollywood. Highly recommended.


Dark Horse (2015):
A wonderful, award winning documentary about a group of friends from a working men's club in a village in Wales who decide to take on the elite 'sport of kings' and breed themselves a racehorse, which they name Dream Alliance. Beautifully directed by Louise Osmond, it’s told without a narrator; rather by the participants who tell their own stories. Surprisingly inspirational and moving, it’s very special film that’s hard not to love. Highly recommended. (Available on Starz.)




American Experience - Zora Neale Hurston: Claiming a Space (2023):
A superb film about Zora Neale Hurston, a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance — writer, anthropologist, documentary filmmaker. It concentrates on her anthropological work collecting folklore throughout the South and the Caribbean in the 1920s and 1930s, reclaiming, honoring and celebrating Black life on its own terms. But her own story is profoundly interesting and moving, too. One of her novels, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” is a masterpiece. For those who have PBS passport or streaming, I highly recommend watching this film. It’s a truly great documentary about a great woman artist. (And for those who haven’t read “Their Eyes Were Watching God” — run, don’t walk to do so.)



Bright Road (1953):
A dedicated schoolteacher (Dorothy Dandridge) and an understanding principal (Harry Belafonte) help a rebellious student overcome his circumstances and his pride in order to fulfill his potential. Dandridge is clearly an exceptional talent (she was the first African American to be nominated for the best actress Oscar for her later role Carmen), and Belafonte is good, though not as good as he will later become. A surprisingly meaningful and enjoyable film. Very much worth a look for those interested in the story, the cast (especially Dandridge), and the film’s historical significance.



Caught in the Draft (1941):
A movie star who can't stand loud noises accidentally joins the Army. A wacky farce that was timed to ready the nation for the recently imposed draft to prepare America for entering the war. Great, no. Funny, yes. Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour are well-supported by the always entertaining Eddie Bracken. Worth a look for those seeking some silly fun.



Re-watches:

Sounder (1972):
The lives of a loving family of black sharecroppers in the Depression-era South are turned upside down when the father is imprisoned for stealing food. Great, Oscar nominated performances by Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield, with a wonderful, Oscar nominated script by Lonnie Elder III, and brilliant direction by Martin Ritt (who should have been nominated, too!!). The film was also nominated for Best Picture. A triumph for all concerned. Highly recommended for everyone.



A Summer Place (1959):
A pleasant, thoughtful romantic melodrama based upon a Sloan Wilson novel that I love. It was shot in Pacific Grove, California on the Monterey Peninsula where I once lived, so I enjoy watching it for that, going home again, so to speak. Also really enjoy the cast (Dorothy McGuire, Richard Egan, Arthur Kennedy, Sandra Dee, Troy Donahue, and Beulah Bondhi) and the script and direction by Delmer Daves. It also has one of Max Steiner’s most beautiful scores. Not a great film, but worth a look for those who enjoy the cast and its beautiful locations.



American Masters — Willa Cather: the Road is All (2005):

Adoration (2013) - 7/10



Drop Dead Sexy (2005) - 7/10



Bait 3D (2012) - 5/10 repeat



Primeval (2007) - 4/10 repeat



Ffolkes (1980) aka North Sea Hijack - 6/10



Avalanche Express (1979) - 5/10



Bridgewater Triangle: paranormal vortex (2022) documentary

timshelboy

well done but heavy going. Probably join that list of movies I'm glad to have seen but may never watch again.

Netflix is my family's idea so I didn't realise until about 30 minutes in that the English dub which played could be changed to original German with subtitles - a much better option.

¡Three Amigos! / John Landis (1986). Three accomplished funny men join forces in this western cut-up that takes place in the second decade of the 20th century. The Three Amigos is a popular silent film western series. The three are played are Sunny Day (Steve Martin), Dusty Bottoms (Chevy Chase), and Ned Nederlander (Martin Short). After being fired from their studio for demanding too much, they need to find work. Meanwhile, in Mexico, a small village is being beset by raiding bandits led by El Guapo (Alphonso Arau). The villagers do not understand that what they see in the movies is fiction. One of the farmer’s daughters, Carmen (Patricia Martinez) writes to the Three Amigos for help. The movie stars also misunderstand. They believe that they are wanted for a show. They head south of the border only to become embroiled in the war between the farmers and El Guapo (Alphonso Arau). Comedy ensues. For me, the two best scenes and lines were written for Short as the shy, childlike Ned. There is a surprising outcome when Ned is forced into a gunfight by German infiltrators. There are comic suggestions of previous westerns such as “The Wild Bunch” (which featured Alphonso Arau in support) and “The Magnificent Seven.” All three stars are alums of the “Saturday Night Live” whose creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels was a co-writer for this film along with Steve Martin. A good time will be had by all.





Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country / Nicholas Meyer (1991). The final film featuring the cast of the Original Series and one of the best. A secret meeting of the High Command of the Federation is called because an opportunity for peace talks with the Klingon Empire has opened. Captain Kirk (William Shatner), flawed hero that he is, has too much hatred against the Klingons built up over all the conflicts and the death of his son. He strongly opposes any concessions. Nevertheless, Kirk and the Enterprise are in the best position to travel to the Neutral Zone and make contact with the Klingon ambassador Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner). The two and their aides have a tense dinner together on the Enterprise, not helped by the snarky Klingon, Chang (Christopher Plummer). After the Klingons return to their ship, they are attacked by photon torpedoes, seemingly from the Enterprise, and Federation troops who assassinate Gorkon. When Kirk and Doctor “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelly) transport over to help, they are arrested for the murder. They must somehow escape to prevent a second assassination and uncover traitors on both sides. Brock Peters and Iman also guest star. Nicholas Meyer, who directed what some consider to be the best Star Trek movie - "The Wrath Of Khan" - gives up another stand-out.
    The recently late David Warner (July 24, 2022) also appeared in a memorable two-parter Season 6 of “The Next Generation” as a Cardassian interrogator/torturer of Captain Picard.




Star Trek: Nemesis / Stuart Baird (2002). The fourth and final film featuring The Next Generation cast. Taking place about 200 years after the original Star Trek, the Klingon peace has been established, so now it is time to open talks with the Romulans. But when Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the Enterprise arrive, they find that a coup of the Romulan Empire has happened. The new Praetor on the throne is Shinzon (Tom Hardy) who welcomes the Federation party but who Picard senses is a threat. Also, Shinzon bears an uncanny resemblance to a young Picard during the time the Captain was at the Academy. There are secrets at work here. Picard will have to face an enemy in battle who can anticipate every move the Enterprise makes. Who always knows what Picard is thinking. Can Picard think of what he would not think of? One of the best.





Star Trek: Short Treks (2018-2020). Two seasons. Nine total episodes. A series of short films of about 15-minutes in length produced to play on the CBS All Access channel between seasons 1 and 2 of the prequel series “Star Trek: Discovery.” Several “Discovery” cast members take part. Many of these short-short stories are true little gems. I saw them all in one evening and enjoyed them very much. In one, we see newly commissioned Ensign Spock (Ethan Peck) reporting to the Starship Discovery for his first assignment. The ship’s Number One (Rebecca Romijn) gives Spock some of the best advice I have ever heard for anyone who aspires to management: “Keep your freak to yourself.”
The final two episodes are animated and only 8-9 minutes long. Highly recommended.





Emily The Criminal / John Patton Ford (2022). Emily (Aubrey Plaza) has a conviction for assault so only can land a low-paying job. She also has $70,000 is student debt whose minimum payment doesn’t even include all of each month’s added interest. So, when a co-worker suggests way to earn a quick $200, she calls the number. All she has to do is go to a big box store, buy a large-screen TV monitor with a fraudulent credit card and deliver it to the parking lot. This works so well that she asks for more dangerous work for more money. Teaming up with Youcef (Theo Rossi), who led her through the first job, they set up their own credit card fraud business. Soon, she is in too deep to get out and other forces threaten her life.
    One of the best of the year, the movie is all Aubrey Plaza and she carries it through as a believable person in dire financial straits whose wits, desperation, and hair-trigger temper keep her alive. Impressive acting and writing/directing from rookie feature director John Patton Ford.





Star Trek: TOS
“A Piece Of The Action” Season 2, Episode 17 (January 12, 1968)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
“The Passenger” Season 1, Episode 8 (February 22, 1993)
“Move Along Home” Season 1, Episode 9 (March 14, 1993)
“The Nagus” Season 1, Episode 10 (March 21, 1993)
“Vortex” (Season 1, Episode 11 (April 18, 1993)

Secrets Of The Dead
“The Caravaggio Heist” Season 19, Episode 6 (November 24, 2021)

Agatha Christie’s Poirot
“Murder In The Mews” Season 1, Episode 2 (January 15, 1989)

Endeavour
“Arcadia” Season 3, Episode 2 (January 10, 2016)

Miss Marple (the original series starring Joan Hikson)
“Murder At The Vicarage” Season 9, Episode 12 (December 26, 1986)

Mission: Impossible
“Hit” Season 7, Episode 9 (November 11, 1972)
“Ultimatum” Season 7, Episode 10 (November 18, 1972)

Here are the movies Tele lately have seen:



The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir 2018 directed Ken Scott and based on a book by Romain Puértolas.
Young Indian boy in Mumbai dreams of bigger things, like who his father was. As he grow up he becomes a fake fakir for tourists, just to make ends meet, and then the magic happens when his mother visits a doctor, while in waiting room he looks in an IKEA (it's not mentioned but the colors is obvious) catalogue and begins to dream of a world out side Mumbai. As a grown up he still wan't to see the world and meet his father, who might life in Paris, a journey that have many problems, with a fake passport and fake Euros.
The story is rather good, I just didn't like how it was done, it felt to rushed and over-edited. The sudden splurs into musical numbers I didn't mind, since this was an Indian movie.


Murder on the Orient Express 2017 directed by Kenneth Branagh and based on a novel by Agatha Christie.
This was a re-watch since I didn't like it the first time so I wanted to make sure if I understood it wrong.
There were issues with the 1974 version too, like ham acting by Albert Finney and a too long interrogation scene.
Maybe I should read the book someday.
This movie is more about effects than sense.


Peacock 2010 directed by Michael Lander.
A mild mannered bank teller in small town USA, cross-dresses while not at work.
One day a train derails at his own back yard, while dressed as a woman.
Could be good but done in a dreadfully slow boring way..
Even a clock moves faster.


Kidnapped 1971 directed by Delbert Mann. Based on a famous novel and part of it's sequel by Robert Louis Stevenson and made on beautiful locations in Scotland.
It starts when Bonnie Prince Charlie's uprising just has been put down (slaughtered), trying to restore the Stuart's at the throne.

Young David Balfour seeks up his uncle after his father has passed away, but the uncle sells him to a not so honest ship captain to sell him in the Carolinas. On the way there the ship sinks a smaller boat, and that boat's sole survivor turn out to be a legendary rebel Alan Breck.
After the big ship hits a rock and sinks Balfour and Breck must make their way to Edinburgh. That trip is filled with adventures and obstacles.
It looks expensive and has a good cast led by Michael Caine (Breck) and in minor roles Jack Hawkins, Trevor Howard, Donald Pleasence and Gordon Jackson. What puts it down a few notches is that the two young lead actors are rather weak and that thing that is so important for a movie such as this, it lacks that certain sweep and awe a story like this badly needs.


Relentless 1948 directed by George Sherman.
When one thinks of old action and western movies, I guess Roland Young seldom pops up.
Here he plays a man on the run from a crime he didn't commit and in pursuit of the man who framed him, that could also free him.
A slice above the usual B-westerns, and in Technicolor (not the cheaper colors, like Trucolor).
Good support cast, with Barton MacLane sticking out.


No Orchids for Miss Blandish 1948 directed by St. John Legh Clowes.
What a strange hybrid of a movie. A British movie all dressed up and sound like an American gangster-crime movie. With all actors speaking in American accents, actors who I've hardly ever heard of. The whole production looks rather expensive.
The story ain't too bad about kidnapping a heiress by low-life gangsters only to be out-smarted by bigger gangsters. The execution though ain't too good.
Based on a novel by James Hadley Chase that was also the basis of Robert Aldrich's The Grissom Gang 1971.


Lost Horizon 1937 directed by Frank Capra and based on a novel by James Hilton.
One of those big-scale adventure movie of the 1930's with a pacifistic and a bit of a philosophical message.
Been wanting to re-watch it for a very long time.
While I liked watching it again, this version was a so-called restored version with lots of stills and voices, while those scenes offcourse are interesting it sadly also disrupts the rhythm of the movie while watching it.


Well that was all from me!