Post by petrolino on Nov 11, 2017 3:21:16 GMT
The action adventure 'The Island' is based on a bestselling novel by Peter Benchley, the writer of 'Jaws' (1974). Michael Caine stars as stubborn seafaring journalist Blair Maynard who's based out of a New York office, a former Navy man and veteran of the Korean conflict who requests transfer fees to work from Miami, Florida. Maynard takes his son on holiday and they're captured by French pirates who've been active since the 18th century, upholding the nation's reputation for war, romance and revolution. The Bermuda Triangle may hold the key ...
In the history of interesting studio choices, I have to proffer the (welcome) idea that handing a new Peter Benchley project to the great comic filmmaker Michael Ritchie was an interesting move. 'The Island' shows all the signature moves of a master filmmaker operating at the peak of his powers, yet it doesn't really hang together. Among the things that Ritchie brings to the table are a precise technical eye, a distinct irreverence and a bleak comic sensibility, facets that are immediately enticing. I think the cast is let down massively by cheeseball child actor Jeffrey Frank who plays Blair's rebellious son Justin but that's the way everything headed after the megasuccess of 'Jaws' (1975) was followed by the blockbusting phenomenon 'Star Wars' (1977) which led to the family-friendly 'Jaws 2' (1978) and the cuddly (original) franchise conclusion 'Return Of The Jedi' (1983). Films had to be designed to maximise profit and amplify merchandise potential, this was a given.
Despite any misgivings I might harbour, Ritchie ensures there's a substantial serving of grit on offer in 'The Island' and he shoots one hell of a killcrazy massacre. He also has Caine held in bondage as a disgraced "man who would be lord" whose strong hips, powerful thighs and solid stance suggest breeding. Caine would go on to make (arguably) his most famous interview remark (about paying for a house) after signing on to headline the franchise sequel 'Jaws 4 : The Revenge' (1987).
"Michael Ritchie was a director that put the character relationships front and center, navigating the stakes of the challenges they faced with a keen eye for infusing comedy into his films, so he could yank the rug out from under his audience when he hit us with the dramatic moments. Ritchie was a master of filling a frame with multiple actors and capturing a scene in an almost documentary style: the ending in Downhill Racer, the debate in The Candidate, the stage full of beauty pageant contestants in Smile, the trophy presentation in The Bad News Bears, the wedding in Semi-tough, the locker room in Wildcats and the boxing scenes in Diggstown. His “style” was integrating ensemble casts with a knack for creating naturalism and onscreen chemistry that stands as his directing legacy."
- Garret Mathany writing for The Beverly Cinema
- Garret Mathany writing for The Beverly Cinema
"We don’t need to say much about Apocalypse Now and Jaws — though I would like to express surprise that so many people still overlook the philosophical mumbo jumbo that seasons so much of the Coppola film. It’s enormously impressive, but very hard to take seriously (despite its own ardent efforts to do just that). Now, The Bad News Bears. One could just glance at Mr Quentin Tarantino’s year of birth and, noting that he was about 13 when the family film emerged, mark this down to pure unfiltered nostalgia. But this is a very nippy picture, featuring lovely, complementary performances from Tatum O’Neal and Walter Matthau. Remember, also, that Michael Ritchie was once a very highly regarded film-maker. In later years, he found himself directing diverting slush such as Fletch and The Golden Child. But his first two features — The Candidate and Downhill Racer — bear comparison with the best films from the then blossoming new Hollywood."
- Donald Clarke assesses some of Quentin Tarantino's all-time favourite movies for 'The Irish Times'
- Donald Clarke assesses some of Quentin Tarantino's all-time favourite movies for 'The Irish Times'
"Director Michael Ritchie has made a specialty of movies about competition. "Downhill Racer," about Olympic ski champions, was his first film, and he also made "The Candidate," about a political race, and last year's "Smile," about a beauty contest. They're all three very good films - but "The Bad News Bears" is, in a way, his most harrowing portrait of how we'd sometimes rather win than keep our self-respect. He directs scenes for comedy even in the face of his disturbing material and that makes the movie all the more effective; sometimes we laugh, and sometimes we can't, and the movie's working best when we're silent."
- Roger Ebert, The Chicago Sun-Times
Bruce Dern & Michael Ritchie
In the history of interesting studio choices, I have to proffer the (welcome) idea that handing a new Peter Benchley project to the great comic filmmaker Michael Ritchie was an interesting move. 'The Island' shows all the signature moves of a master filmmaker operating at the peak of his powers, yet it doesn't really hang together. Among the things that Ritchie brings to the table are a precise technical eye, a distinct irreverence and a bleak comic sensibility, facets that are immediately enticing. I think the cast is let down massively by cheeseball child actor Jeffrey Frank who plays Blair's rebellious son Justin but that's the way everything headed after the megasuccess of 'Jaws' (1975) was followed by the blockbusting phenomenon 'Star Wars' (1977) which led to the family-friendly 'Jaws 2' (1978) and the cuddly (original) franchise conclusion 'Return Of The Jedi' (1983). Films had to be designed to maximise profit and amplify merchandise potential, this was a given.
Francois L'Olonnais
Martha Argerich plays Claude Debussy
Despite any misgivings I might harbour, Ritchie ensures there's a substantial serving of grit on offer in 'The Island' and he shoots one hell of a killcrazy massacre. He also has Caine held in bondage as a disgraced "man who would be lord" whose strong hips, powerful thighs and solid stance suggest breeding. Caine would go on to make (arguably) his most famous interview remark (about paying for a house) after signing on to headline the franchise sequel 'Jaws 4 : The Revenge' (1987).
