Films Worth Viewing

[zymurg]

I'm breaking protocol and I'm reviewing "Dr. Zhivago"-David Lean-1965. It is of course based on Boris Pasternak's novel. Just some background on Pasternak, he was best known as a poet in Russia. Pasternak was a dissident/near dissident his poetry came under criticism from Soviet authorities throughout the Stalinist period and beyond. Pasternak came from a Jewish family with major cultural clout; he converted to Russian Orthodoxy as a young man. He had three wives and a mistress/collaborator for many years. Dr. Zhivago's personal life mirrors somewhat that of Pasternak. Pasternak's third wife knew of his mistress and received a promise not to divorce her. Many of Pasternak's friends were exiles, like Zhivago Pasternak refused to leave Russia. Pasternak's and Zhivago's funerals were both attended by masses of poetry lovers.

The CIA was involved in promoting the candidacy of Pasternak for a Noble Prize in Literature. The documents supporting this came out as a response from a FOIA. The Soviet government made Pasternak refuse the award. The novel was smuggled out of Russia and published abroad. It was a worldwide sensation. Pasternak died of cancer in 1960. He had not seen his mistress since 1954, again a parallel with Zhivago.

Carlo Ponti purchased the film rights and David Lean was tapped to be the director. Lean was a difficult and demanding man. He and Freddie Young didn't work together for 15 years; Young was the cinematographer for
"Lawrence of Arabia" and was an Oscar winner. Alec Guiness fought frequently with Lean, and Zhivago was his last film with Lean for almost 20 years. MGM needed this film to be a big moneymaker; the studio was badly mismanaged in the early sixties, and they depended too much upon the big epic to finance other productions.
Instead of being filmed in 70MM for financial reasons it was filmed in 35mm.

TBC

 

[zymurg]

Obviously "Zhivago" couldn't be filmed in the Soviet Union. Most of the film was shot in Spain; the winter railway sequences were shot in Finland and Canada. The basic sets were constructed in Spain. The film was budgeted at$5 million originally. The final cost was between $11 and $15 million; film cost figures are notoriously unreliable. The US box office was in excess of $111 million. The film was not reviewed well by the major critics, and early audiences were small, but the success of the score by Maurice Jarre, particularly the "Lara" theme drew audiences. This was a cinema event; 3+ hours not counting the overture and the intermission. I believe many critics disdained epics; they looked to the French New Wave and other modern treatments. The epics were conceived as an answer to TV; today we have action/ adventure/ superhero films running longer than two hours as the primary draws to the cinemas.

This is a stunning film visually; the historical set pieces are magnificent; even the most critical of the critics (see Bosley Crother's "Times" review) acknowledged this. They didn't like the adaptation of the novel; they wanted more history, they wanted to see/hear the poems; they thought watching a poet writing a poem was boring; they couldn't accept Sonia's (Geraldine Chaplin) acceptance of the affair; Zhivago (Omar Sharif) was too passive; this is a sampling of some of the most common criticisms. I think this is a great film. I think Robert Bolt did a superb job adapting the novel. It was almost 600 pages long; Bolt's screen play was under 250 pages. Lean was familiar with adapting long source works for the screen; I've discussed "Great Expectations", but this was nothing compared with T.S. Lawrence's auto biography which runs 800+ pages. We see the events
of historical consequence primarily through Zhivago's eyes, and Zhivago's is assessed by his General brother who also provides some historical commentary: "By the 2nd winter of the war, the boots were wearing out..."
Alec Guiness begins and ends the film as a narrator; The General is searching for the child of Lara (Julie Christie) and Doctor Zhivago. He tried to find her years before. Bolt won his second Oscar for a Lean screenplay.

I will introduce two important characters without detailing the whole plot. Komerovski (Rod Steiger) seduces and rapes Lara as a 17 year old. There is the memorable red dress scene, and the scene of dining and dancing of the privileged while outside is the demonstration/protest of the poor and the workers. The carriage containing Komerovski and Lara passing a group of Cossacks who then attack the demonstrators.
We don't actually see the attack; we are focused on Dr. Zhivago's reaction. When Zhivago attempts to come to the aid of the wounded. He first sees bloodstained snow; this blood represents both the carnage in the square, and the loss of virginity of a 17 year old girl. Komerovski (a great Performance) represents the ultimate man of no or shifting principles. He knows how to make himself useful to whatever the ruling group needs.

Pasha/Strelnikov is the young revolutionary in love with Lara. He is not a Bolshevik, but he is still a revolutionary. He is wounded in the attack on the marchers. He no longer believes in peaceful protest; the coming revolution will be violent. He disappears during the war. The movie provides no explanation, the book provides an explanation. He was captured by the Germans and released to cause chaos and to get Russia out of the war. The Germans got Lenin back in to Russia as a part of the same policy. Pasha, who married Lara, is dead and Strelnikov is born. The film doesn't discuss his ideology, but it is likely that he is a Trotskite. Pasha is Tom Courtenay in another outstanding performance.

It is not that Dr. Zhivago has no ideals/beliefs; He is both a poet and a doctor; like Pasternak; he is an intellectual and a humanist. Pasternak's family was close to Leo Tolstoy. General Zhivago respects and honors his brother, and he is a survivor. He wants to help his niece survive. She walks away with a young engineer, balaika over her shoulder. She has taught herself to play, as the General puts it she has the gift, just as Dr. Zhivago's mother did. I like to think that the General will continue to keep a watchful eye on his niece.

My highest recommendation. Films like this are no longer even considered as potential projects.

 

[Steelerone]

For great acting, great script, great filming, Mississippi Burning.

 

[Jaker]

"Blade Runner- The Final Cut"-Ridley Scott-2007

This came out originally in 1982. Unlike most of the films I preview here, I haven't seen this in a theater. There is a virtual industry trying to decide if Deckard(Harrison Ford) is/is not a replicant. What is a replicant? R's are androids with the ability to learn and form relationships. The newer models have internal programming which will cause massive system breakdowns and death in four years. Androids is probably an incorrect term, as they are flesh and blood. They are virtually indistinguishable from humans; they do have a weird eye turning red thing. Generally they can be detected using a mental test. The newest models are unaware that they are not human. They can be given false memories.

Deckard is called back into service in the police force. He has a very specialized job; he hunts down and kills wayward replicants. He left the force, no reason is given. He is called back to deal with a particular problem;
six waywards have escaped seized a spaceship, killing many, and they have returned to earth. It is not generally known that replicants can become wayward. Two of the group have already been killed by an electric field inside Tyrell industries. It is up to Deckard to hunt and kill the remaining. The remaining four are trying to find a way to avoid their death sentences.

Deckard is a Blade Runner; that is the designation for cops whose job is replicant termination. A Blade Runner was killed by a wayward during an evaluation/questioning. This incident was the immediate predicate necessitating Deckards recall. Deckard traces one of the four to a sleezy nightclub where the replicant performs as a snake dancer. Deckard chases her and kills her. Deckard is called to see the genius founder of Tyrell Industries, Dr. Edmund Tyrell. Tyrell wants to observe Deckard's technique in mentally testing for replicant status. Deckard is led to believe that his initial interviewee was human. Phyllis, Sean Young, is supposedly Tyrell's niece. Deckard discovers after prolonged questioning that she is a replicant. Phyllis is not aware of this; false memories have been implanted so that she believes herself to be a particular human.

This preview is growing like topsy. The film is based on a Philip K. Dick story. Ridley Scott assembled a great technical team, and the film was very well cast. It is set in 2019 Los Angeles; this is a very distopian setting. It is overcrowded and decaying. The population is very diverse; It seems to have a majority of what we call minorities. Scott believed that "Blade Runner" was a neo-film noir. It is worth noting that this film set standards for much of SciFi film and television over the past 35+years. What is human is one common thread; giant corporations dominating the economy and government is another. Over population and technology are other referents.

There were many problems with the 1982 version of this film. It was taken from Scot's control during editing. The film shown in previews was confusing, so a voice over narrative by Harrison Ford was added.
The film has had several debuts; the latest one coinciding with the version I am previewing. It was cleaned up, and certain scenes were restored, most notably the unicorn sequence. Sound was upgraded, and the entire picture was brighter. There was no CGI used. The work done on this film is more akin to a restoration, supervised by the director, than a new film. The critics generally found this version much more satisfying than the 1982 version.

I am not going to go into more detail about the plot except to say that many commentators believe that Rutger Hauer as Roy, the specialized replicant warrior steals the picture. Ford gives a very solid performance as Deckard, He is an excellent detective; he isn't overly emotional, and he is a loner. That isn't unusual for noir protagonists. Writing this preview has forced me to become aware of plot questions/problems. While watching the film I wasnt aware of them. I consider this a very good film, but not a great one. Still this is a film well worth viewing.

Blade Runner 2049 is one of the best Sci Fi's ever made IMO, the original was great too

 

[zymurg]

"The Accountant"-Ray McKinnon-2001

This film won the Oscar in 2001. It is short, less than 40 minutes, and it has only 3 characters. A family farm in Georgia is in deep trouble financially. The Accountant (McKinnon) comes to go over the book sand to find a way to save the farm for future generations. McKinnon drives up in a beyond vintage truck. He meets with two brothers O'Dell, David (Eddie King) who runs the farm, and Tommy (Walton Goggins) his more modern thinking brother. The accountant drinks a lot of beer, eats some pickled eggs and determines that the debt is well over $200,000. He does this without using even a calculator. It is his remedies which involve burning down structures, destroying equipment, and even losing various limbs which are unusual. Tommy is sent off for a beer refill while the really serious solutions are considered.

An accidental death is the only way to really settle the debt. The Accountant offers up the wife who is having an affair. The other alternative not directly spoken about is the husband. The husband does the right thing and commits suicide staged to look like an accidental death. It turns out that Tommy has been having an affair
with his brother's wife. The accountant leaves asking only nominal payment, an amount exactly equal to an expenditure related to the affair.

This is a very funny film, and it is filled with social commentary on the plight of the Southern Family Farm. You can find this on several streaming services. This is definitely worth viewing.

 

[zymurg]

"Gold"-Reema Kagti-2018


India produces more films than any other country. The center of much of the production is Mumbai (Bombay), and the films are in Hindi. Many popular films are dubbed in one or very occasionally more of the more than 200 languages spoken in India. These films feature singing and dancing whatever the basic plot. There is a worldwide distribution network for Bollywood films. There are tens of millions of overseas Indians throughout South and Southeast Asia, and of course in Great Britain, Canada, and the US. In addition to Bollywood there are films industries producing films in Bengali, Tamil, and Telegu among others.

This film tells the story of the first gold medal for independent India at the Olympics. In 1948 after a 12 year break due to WWII the Olympics were held in London. In addition to the long hiatus; India faced the problem of Partition. India was divided into two independent nations, India and Pakistan. In three Olympics a field hockey team representing British India won gold medals. The film opens at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Many Americans are aware of these Olympics because of Jesse Owens probably the greatest track and field athlete of all time. For India the Berlin Olympics involved protests with a national flag.

The film is basically accurate about the 1936 Olympics, but the team members were fictionalized. The lead up to the 1948 Olympics participation of the Indian field hockey grows further and further from the truth. I won't even try to enumerate the many examples of deviation from historical fact. The actors were schooled in field hockey for months much like American actors were schooled to play baseball in films like "8 Men Out." The film was shot primarily in England. A rugby stadium stood in for Wembley, the classic venue for soccer (football) in the UK. The partition riots and the forming of two teams India and Pakistan where there had been one pre-partition are covered. For film purposes the 1948 final between India and England was changed from a 4-0 beat down to a 5-4 come from behind Indian victory. What mystified me was that the Indian National Anthem played in the film during the medal ceremony bore no relation to the national anthem I know. I spent more than two years in India in the Peace Corps, and I literally sang the National Anthem on dozens of occasions.

Still this is well shot, well acted, and well directed in the Bollywood tradition. It has the requisite song and dance numbers and stylized performances. It was hugely popular. I went through a Bollywood period more than a decade ago, but this was the first Bollywood film I've watched in at least five years. It is definitely worth viewing if you have any interest Indian films. It is available to stream on Amazon Prime for free if you are a member.

 

[zymurg]

"Ninotchka"-Ernst Lubitsch-1939

Based on a script by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, Ernst Lubitsch directed a classic comedy in a year which many consider the best year ever for films in the classic Hollywood studio era 1939. The posters proclaimed "Garbo Laughs' a play upon the posters for her first talkie "Anna Christie" which proclaimed Garbo Speaks.
The story begins with a three person delegation from the Soviet Union sent to Paris to sell the jewels of Grand Duchess Swanna (Ina Claire) which were legally confiscated by the state. There is truth to the basic premise in the mid to late 30's the Soviets were desperate for western currency. So delegations were sent abroad to sell a variety of goodies. The Grand Duchess was informed that her jewels were in Paris, in order to get them back; she would have to sue in court. On of the many problems that presented was that France recognized the Soviet Union as the legal government of what was once Russian. Her lover, Count Leon D'Algout (Melvin Douglas) has a plan to negotiate with the Russian trade delegation to gain a split of the sale value. Leon charms the Soviet delegation Ivanoff (Sig Ruman), Lepinski, and Kopalski and they are only too delighted to continue living the high life in Paris while they await instructions from their government.

The Commissar sends Garbo (Ninotchka) with full powers to Paris to get all the money from the sale of the Jewels. Garbo is wonderful in her early scenes. She shows proper proletarian disdain for the high life of Paris, including women's fashions , particularly hats. She doesn't crack a smile, and her interest in the Eiffel Tower is in its engineering. Count Leon is immediately smitten, and he buys a guide book which gives him the abilty to answer her many detailed questions. Thus begins an unlikely courtship, Ninotchka becomes a woman; her surrender is marked by the purchase of the same frivolous hat she first disdained. This hat was designed to Garbo's specifications.

A disaster occurs, Ninotchka gets drunk and the jewels are stolen from her room. The Grand Duchess Swana offers to let the Soviet Government have to jewels to sell, but Ninotchka has to give up Count Leon. She agrees, and we see her next marching in a May Day parade. Meanwhile the three fools have become friends with Ninotchka, they batch together so that they can have an omelette for dinner in her room. They are sent to Istanbul to sell Soviet furs. They naturally foul up; the Commissar (Bela Lugosi) insists that Ninotchka go to Turkey and make things right. A funny happy ending follows.

Lubitsch was a great director of comedies; this is one. The dialogue is snappy and quick, the staging and movement from scene to scene is done with clockwork precision. Most of the humor isn't dated because it is character driven. If you relax and give in this is still a super engaging comedy. Highly recommended.

 

[dbmill]

"Ninotchka"-Ernst Lubitsch-1939

Based on a script by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, Ernst Lubitsch directed a classic comedy in a year which many consider the best year ever for films in the classic Hollywood studio era 1939. The posters proclaimed "Garbo Laughs' a play upon the posters for her first talkie "Anna Christie" which proclaimed Garbo Speaks.
The story begins with a three person delegation from the Soviet Union sent to Paris to sell the jewels of Grand Duchess Swanna (Ina Claire) which were legally confiscated by the state. There is truth to the basic premise in the mid to late 30's the Soviets were desperate for western currency. So delegations were sent abroad to sell a variety of goodies. The Grand Duchess was informed that her jewels were in Paris, in order to get them back; she would have to sue in court. On of the many problems that presented was that France recognized the Soviet Union as the legal government of what was once Russian. Her lover, Count Leon D'Algout (Melvin Douglas) has a plan to negotiate with the Russian trade delegation to gain a split of the sale value. Leon charms the Soviet delegation Ivanoff (Sig Ruman), Lepinski, and Kopalski and they are only too delighted to continue living the high life in Paris while they await instructions from their government.

The Commissar sends Garbo (Ninotchka) with full powers to Paris to get all the money from the sale of the Jewels. Garbo is wonderful in her early scenes. She shows proper proletarian disdain for the high life of Paris, including women's fashions , particularly hats. She doesn't crack a smile, and her interest in the Eiffel Tower is in its engineering. Count Leon is immediately smitten, and he buys a guide book which gives him the abilty to answer her many detailed questions. Thus begins an unlikely courtship, Ninotchka becomes a woman; her surrender is marked by the purchase of the same frivolous hat she first disdained. This hat was designed to Garbo's specifications.

A disaster occurs, Ninotchka gets drunk and the jewels are stolen from her room. The Grand Duchess Swana offers to let the Soviet Government have to jewels to sell, but Ninotchka has to give up Count Leon. She agrees, and we see her next marching in a May Day parade. Meanwhile the three fools have become friends with Ninotchka, they batch together so that they can have an omelette for dinner in her room. They are sent to Istanbul to sell Soviet furs. They naturally foul up; the Commissar (Bela Lugosi) insists that Ninotchka go to Turkey and make things right. A funny happy ending follows.

Lubitsch was a great director of comedies; this is one. The dialogue is snappy and quick, the staging and movement from scene to scene is done with clockwork precision. Most of the humor isn't dated because it is character driven. If you relax and give in this is still a super engaging comedy. Highly recommended.

I saw Ninotchka for the first time a couple of years ago. Amazing it took me so long to get around to this one. Great stuff, and well worth seeing, but that is the way it is with a bunch of Lubitsch movies. Yes, Ninotchka is one that I can probably see over and over again, as is being discussed in another thread. By the way, at this point my favorite Lubitsch comedy is "To Be Or Not To Be".

 

[zymurg]

"Denial"-Mick Jackson-2016

This is a film which was largely ignored when it came out. I think it is quite well done, but many critics felt it lacked heart or soul. It is based on the published account by Deborah Lipstadt, a Jewish Holocaust historian teaching at Emory, of her libel trial with David Irving a British Holocaust denier. In British law if you are accused of libel you must show not only that your statements are true, but that the plaintiff is acting in bad faith. It is basically the opposite of how libel cases proceed in the US. Irving brought the case in England against Lipstadt and her Publisher, Penguin Books. These cases in England are most often settled in favor of the plaintiff without a trial.

The film opens at a lecture book signing by Lipstadt where Irving appears offering $1000 to anyone who can show that Hitler ordered the final solution. Lipstadt had previously refused to debate deniers; the Holocaust is a fact. Irving sues Lipstadt for libel in 1996. The trial doesn't happen until 2000. It takes place in front of a judge and not a jury. Lipstadt's defense team decide to keep her silent and not to call any Holocaust survivors.
She strongly objects, and early during the trial she meets with an Auschwitz survivor and promises that the voices of those who died and those still living will be heard.

Well known British playwright adapted Lipstadt's book for the screen. He used the discussions of the Lipstadt legal team and the court transcript to structure the screenplay. In other words the movie is about a libel trial and not about the Holocaust per se. Critics have commented unfavorably on this choice. In the film Tom Wilkinson who plays Richard Rampton, the lead barrister in the case, discusses the role of conscience in the case. He posits that conscience sometimes is not a valid guide. A public display of her views might make her feel better, but it wouldn't help the case. The case is going to be decided on the facts and the law, not on beliefs. Lipstadt agrees to allow the defense to be her conscience. So instead of the Holocaust as truth being front and center; Irving's falsifying of history, and his racism and anti-Semitism is front and center.

Somehow the critics thought this was an easy court case to win; it wasn't, and today on the internet it is relatively easy to circulate lies and deception, and difficult to combat them. I should mention the principal
actors: Rachael Weisz as Lipstadt, Timothy Spall as David Irving, Wilkinson as Richard Rampton, and Andrew Scott as Anthony Julius the lead solicitor; they are uniformly excellent. This is a fine and underrated film. I'm not surprised that it didn't make money, the subject and the treatment aren't showy. I haven't dislosed much of the plot, but I have given away the ending;this is a case where the journey is more important than the ending. Although, I must leave you with a cautionary note David Irving is better known and more successful than ever.

 

[zymurg]

"Spotlight"-Tom McCarthy-2015

This film won two major academy awards: Best Picture and Best Screenplay (Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy). It is a true story, and importantly it began a push to hold the Catholic Church accountable for pedophile priests. The Boston Globe won a Pulitizer for the coverage of the problems in the Boston Archdiocese. Spotlight was a special investigative department of the Globe that began in the 1970's. The head of the Spotlight group was Walter "Robby" Robinson (Michael Keaton) a Boston College grad and very well connected in the city. The angry, pushy reporter was Mark Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo). The only woman and only non native Bostonian was
Sasha Pffeifer (Rachael McAdams). The quiet digger was Matt Carroll (Brian D'Arcy Jones). A new editor was brought in from Miami Marty Baron (Lev Schreiber); he was central in getting the team to focus on the story. The fact that he wasn't a Boston native and that he was Jewish, making him a double outsider was important.

The story had been sitting there for decades; in fact the Globe had published many individual stories about aspects of this major problem, but they had never given these individual stories the backup work it needed to uncover this massive conspiracy/coverup. In one of the key insights it turns out that "Robby Robinson was the City Editor when one of the key early stories broke. The local legal community and the police helped to cover-up the problems. The film carefully shows Boston in many ways is a small town. The pervasiveness of local contacts in church, through work with charities, college and high school ties, golf, and disbelief that priestly pedophiles couldn't be as widespread as they turned out to be, and that the Catholic Church had longstanding
policies and practices which condoned and hid the scandal was hard to believe.

The treatment is low key, we get to see how investigative reporting works. I should mention one more performance; Stanley Tucci plays victims' attorney Mitch Garabedian. Tucci is a consummate character actor; this performance ranks with his portrayal of Julia Child's husband and the older brother in "Big Night." I really like this film; it isn't showy, but the script and the performances make this well worth viewing. Highly recommended.

 

[zymurg]

"Jaws"Stephen Spielberg-1975

This film invented the summer blockbuster. 67 million tickets were sold that summer. This is Spielberg's first big blockbuster. 40+ years later he still is making major motion pictures. That in itself is remarkable, but even more surprising may be that the film still works. The reviews from 2015 and 2019 are better than the original reviews. There was very limited CGI in 1975; the shark is primitive by the animatronics even in "Jurassic Park."

The fictional island of Amity provides the setting for Peter Benchley's book and the movie. It is of course Martha's Vineyard. The film was scheduled for 55 days shooting; it took 159 days to shoot. The shark(s) was a problem; it hadn't been properly tested, and it had major performance limitations. Three sharks were built, and they were named Bruce. Casting wasn't easy; big names were avoided, but serious professionals were needed.
Roy Scheider was an early choice to play Chief Brody. Richard Dreyfus came on board after witnessing the rushes of a film shot in Canada. Robert Shaw was an even later choice. Shaw had both a major drinking problem and major tax problems. He was whisked away to Canada when not shooting to avoid arrest. Shaw and Dreyfus loathed each other. That made the scenes between Hooper (Dreyfus) and Shaw(Quint) work even better.

Peter Benchley wrote 3 scripts, non of which worked. Carl Gotleib was brought for revisions and reconstructions. All the sub-plots were eliminated, and the action was focused on the three men in the Orca, Quint, the veteran shark hunter, Brody, the island's sheriff, and Hooper, the scientist. The plot is simple, a great white shark surfaces off shore of Amity. The deaths begin, but the local government doesn't want to close the beaches. The deaths continue and Quint is hired to kill the shark. Brody and Hooper are the crew. When the shark first appears, Brody remarks: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

John William's score won a well deserved Oscar. The ominous sound associated with the Great White was produced by a tuba. The film won Oscars for editing (Verna Fields) and sound. It didn't win for Best Picture.
I hadn't watched this film in years; I was really surprised by its overall excellence. This is terrific film making,
the tension builds, and the scary parts still work, and the ending evokes Moby Dick and all subsequent monsters. My highest recommendation.

 

[dbmill]

"Jaws"Stephen Spielberg-1975

This film invented the summer blockbuster. 67 million tickets were sold that summer. This is Spielberg's first big blockbuster. 40+ years later he still is making major motion pictures. That in itself is remarkable, but even more surprising may be that the film still works. The reviews from 2015 and 2019 are better than the original reviews. There was very limited CGI in 1975; the shark is primitive by the animatronics even in "Jurassic Park."

The fictional island of Amity provides the setting for Peter Benchley's book and the movie. It is of course Martha's Vineyard. The film was scheduled for 55 days shooting; it took 159 days to shoot. The shark(s) was a problem; it hadn't been properly tested, and it had major performance limitations. Three sharks were built, and they were named Bruce. Casting wasn't easy; big names were avoided, but serious professionals were needed.
Roy Scheider was an early choice to play Chief Brody. Richard Dreyfus came on board after witnessing the rushes of a film shot in Canada. Robert Shaw was an even later choice. Shaw had both a major drinking problem and major tax problems. He was whisked away to Canada when not shooting to avoid arrest. Shaw and Dreyfus loathed each other. That made the scenes between Hooper (Dreyfus) and Shaw(Quint) work even better.

Peter Benchley wrote 3 scripts, non of which worked. Carl Gotleib was brought for revisions and reconstructions. All the sub-plots were eliminated, and the action was focused on the three men in the Orca, Quint, the veteran shark hunter, Brody, the island's sheriff, and Hooper, the scientist. The plot is simple, a great white shark surfaces off shore of Amity. The deaths begin, but the local government doesn't want to close the beaches. The deaths continue and Quint is hired to kill the shark. Brody and Hooper are the crew. When the shark first appears, Brody remarks: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

John William's score won a well deserved Oscar. The ominous sound associated with the Great White was produced by a tuba. The film won Oscars for editing (Verna Fields) and sound. It didn't win for Best Picture.
I hadn't watched this film in years; I was really surprised by its overall excellence. This is terrific film making,
the tension builds, and the scary parts still work, and the ending evokes Moby Dick and all subsequent monsters. My highest recommendation.

I was a teenager when Jaws was originally released. Still, I did not see it for the first time until a friend gave us the DVD as a gift about 10 years ago. I can get a bit contrarian with the movies I see, and sometimes this shows up in me refusing to see hugely popular entertainments. Jaws was one such movie with me. It quickly became a cultural touchstone after it was released, and I had it figured as a sensationalistic story about gory shark attacks. After my wife (who had also never seen it) and I watched the DVD for the first time, I found out how wrong I was. Absolutely terrific movie, especially in the second half once Brody, Quint, and Hooper get together on the boat to go shark hunting. Great interplay with that trio. And there is a lot more going on here besides some gore caused by Bruce. It quickly became one of those movies that I am quite content to watch over and over again when I come across it on television.

 

[zymurg]

I was a teenager when Jaws was originally released. Still, I did not see it for the first time until a friend gave us the DVD as a gift about 10 years ago. I can get a bit contrarian with the movies I see, and sometimes this shows up in me refusing to see hugely popular entertainments. Jaws was one such movie with me. It quickly became a cultural touchstone after it was released, and I had it figured as a sensationalistic story about gory shark attacks. After my wife (who had also never seen it) and I watched the DVD for the first time, I found out how wrong I was. Absolutely terrific movie, especially in the second half once Brody, Quint, and Hooper get together on the boat to go shark hunting. Great interplay with that trio. And there is a lot more going on here besides some gore caused by Bruce. It quickly became one of those movies that I am quite content to watch over and over again when I come across it on television.

This was much the same reaction that I had. I had seen it in a theater when it came out, and then once or twice since then.. I recently purchased: Steven Spielberg: The Director's Collection at a pretty amazing price, under $20. It contains the following: The Duel, The Sugarland Express, Jaws, 1941, E.T. The Extra-terrestrial, Always, Jurassic Park. and Lost World:Jurassic Park. The Duel a made for TV movie is really hard to find. So I watched a bunch of movies over 4th of July holiday. Jaws was the single most impressive viewing. Even back then, Spielberg really knew how to make movies. I love Spielberg's diversity and the fact that he is very prolific; he is involved in so many projects besides those he directs. Thank you, dmill and thank you Steven Spielberg.

 

[zymurg]

"Nosferatu"-Werner Herzog-1979

This is going to be a difficult piece to write. I watched a bunch of films recently, and I almost previewed "Gorillas in the Mist;" it's a pretty good film. I'm not sorry I watched it, but the standard for recommendations should be higher. Unfortunately, to do justice to this film entailed quite a bit of research. Bram Stoker, a transplanted Irishman working in the London theater, wrote the novel in the 1890's; publishing dates vary, but 1897 seems to be the agreed date. The novel was a success critically and commercially. Stoker wrote a play based on the novel which ran for a single performance. In 1922 W.W. Murnau made a silent film titled "Nosferatu". He instructed the film writer to make significant changes to avoid copyright problems. Character names were changed and the period and the country were changed. 1840's Germany was substituted for 1890's England This didn't stop Stoker's widow from suing for copyright violation. She won and many copies of the film were destroyed, but the studio was broke. She recovered only costs. The film resurfaced; today it is considered a silent masterpiece; the performance of Max Schrenk is memorable.

Werner Herzog decided to make "Nosferatu-The Vampyre" using the W.W. Murnau template; the copyright protection for Stoker's "Dracula" had run out. Herzog is considered a genius; "Fitzcaraldo" is one of my all time favorite films. Where there is Herzog; there is almost always Klaus Kinski. The relationship between director and star was beyond tempestuous. In this film Herzog drove Kinski into a rage; this tired him sufficiently so that he wouldn't overplay Count Dracula. The Dracula look in this film makes him a monster; he has claws for fingers, two fangs in the center of his mouth, and bat like ears. The facial make-up took over four hours a day; fortunately Kinski liked Reiko Kruck, the Japanese make-up artist. Herzog is notorious for being controlling and working with a very small crew, 16 in this case. German and English versions were filmed simultaneously using the same actors. Herzog considers the German version the artistic version; good luck trying to find it.

Visually this film is stunning, from the opening views of a mausoleum in Mexico featuring a mosaic of skulls and corpses to the closing shots of Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) now a vampire riding away on horseback along a deserted beach racing to inflict new horrors. I suggest you read Roger Ebert's review (Ebert.com) to help you understand the film visually. The plot is simple. Harker is given the task by his boss, Reinfield, of selling a piece of property in Wismar, a fictional coastal city in Germany, to Count Dracula. Dracula doesn't appear until 30+ minutes into the film. The Count is bewitched by a miniature of Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) Harker's wife. He quickly signs the contract, feeds off Harker, and takes off with multiple coffins for a journey by river then sea to Wismar. Harker becomes ill, but he wants to save Lucy. He travels by land trying to beat
Dracula to Wismar. By the time he arrives in Wismar; he has lost his memories of everyone including Lucy,and Dracula has brought the plague to Wismar. Lucy has been suffering from dreams/hallucinations, and Dr. Von Helsing (Walter Ladngast) is brought in to treat her. In this version of the Dracula story, Von Helsing is an educated idiot refusing to believe Lucy's belief that Count Dracula is a vampire. Lucy is left on her own to kill Dracula. Her method involves her own death. Von Helsing puts a steak through the heart of the Count to "make assurance double sure." He is arrested for murder.

If you are interested in classic horror or vampires; this is a must see. The performances except those of Ganz and Kinski are a little stilted, perhaps becuase of their unfamiliarity with English. Still the film has grown in critical and audience reception over the last 40 years. My highest recommendation.

 

[zymurg]

"Fitzcarraldo"-Werner Herzog-1982

This is a strange film, but I believe a great one. Herzog has a propensity for filming in remote dangerous places. The story has something of a foundation in history. An Irish American married a Peruvian woman. Their son Carlos Formin Fitzcarrald did actually move a steamer over land from one river to another, but he disassembled the steamer prior to moving it. In Herzog's mind that wasn't enough; he had to move the whole steamer intact from one river to another. For those of you who want to fully engage Herzog's creative madness, I recommend "The Burden of Dreams" directed by Les Blank which documents the making of Fitzcarraldo. Herzog began shooting with Jason Robards and Mick Jagger in lead roles. Robards had amoebic dysentery and had to return to the US; Jagger had tour and recording contracts which the delay and re-shoot couldn't accommodate. So enter Klaus Kinski.

The film opens with Fitzcarraldo(Kinski) desperately paddling a launch with a failed motor to Manaus to see a gala performance featuring Enrico Caruso. He is accompanied by Molly (Claudia Cardinale) madame of the leading brothel in Iquitos, the city which has grown up during the rubber boom. They are late, but they manage to see the final act. Fitzcarraldo's dream is to build an opera house in Iquitos and have Enrico Caruso sing at the opening. Unfortunately, he is broke; he backed building a railroad into the interior of Brazil which failed. As the film begins his latest project is making ice. He changes to rubber plantation development, rubber processing, and transporting the finished product to market. He leases land in the interior of Peru for rubber extraction. He buys and re-builds a steamer which is christened Molly. He assembles a motley crew and sets off into the interior.

 

[dbmill]

"Nosferatu"-Werner Herzog-1979

This is going to be a difficult piece to write. I watched a bunch of films recently, and I almost previewed "Gorillas in the Mist;" it's a pretty good film. I'm not sorry I watched it, but the standard for recommendations should be higher. Unfortunately, to do justice to this film entailed quite a bit of research. Bram Stoker, a transplanted Irishman working in the London theater, wrote the novel in the 1890's; publishing dates vary, but 1897 seems to be the agreed date. The novel was a success critically and commercially. Stoker wrote a play based on the novel which ran for a single performance. In 1922 W.W. Murnau made a silent film titled "Nosferatu". He instructed the film writer to make significant changes to avoid copyright problems. Character names were changed and the period and the country were changed. 1840's Germany was substituted for 1890's England This didn't stop Stoker's widow from suing for copyright violation. She won and many copies of the film were destroyed, but the studio was broke. She recovered only costs. The film resurfaced; today it is considered a silent masterpiece; the performance of Max Schrenk is memorable.

Werner Herzog decided to make "Nosferatu-The Vampyre" using the W.W. Murnau template; the copyright protection for Stoker's "Dracula" had run out. Herzog is considered a genius; "Fitzcaraldo" is one of my all time favorite films. Where there is Herzog; there is almost always Klaus Kinski. The relationship between director and star was beyond tempestuous. In this film Herzog drove Kinski into a rage; this tired him sufficiently so that he wouldn't overplay Count Dracula. The Dracula look in this film makes him a monster; he has claws for fingers, two fangs in the center of his mouth, and bat like ears. The facial make-up took over four hours a day; fortunately Kinski liked Reiko Kruck, the Japanese make-up artist. Herzog is notorious for being controlling and working with a very small crew, 16 in this case. German and English versions were filmed simultaneously using the same actors. Herzog considers the German version the artistic version; good luck trying to find it.

Visually this film is stunning, from the opening views of a mausoleum in Mexico featuring a mosaic of skulls and corpses to the closing shots of Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) now a vampire riding away on horseback along a deserted beach racing to inflict new horrors. I suggest you read Roger Ebert's review (Ebert.com) to help you understand the film visually. The plot is simple. Harker is given the task by his boss, Reinfield, of selling a piece of property in Wismar, a fictional coastal city in Germany, to Count Dracula. Dracula doesn't appear until 30+ minutes into the film. The Count is bewitched by a miniature of Lucy (Isabelle Adjani) Harker's wife. He quickly signs the contract, feeds off Harker, and takes off with multiple coffins for a journey by river then sea to Wismar. Harker becomes ill, but he wants to save Lucy. He travels by land trying to beat
Dracula to Wismar. By the time he arrives in Wismar; he has lost his memories of everyone including Lucy,and Dracula has brought the plague to Wismar. Lucy has been suffering from dreams/hallucinations, and Dr. Von Helsing (Walter Ladngast) is brought in to treat her. In this version of the Dracula story, Von Helsing is an educated idiot refusing to believe Lucy's belief that Count Dracula is a vampire. Lucy is left on her own to kill Dracula. Her method involves her own death. Von Helsing puts a steak through the heart of the Count to "make assurance double sure." He is arrested for murder.

If you are interested in classic horror or vampires; this is a must see. The performances except those of Ganz and Kinski are a little stilted, perhaps becuase of their unfamiliarity with English. Still the film has grown in critical and audience reception over the last 40 years. My highest recommendation.

I haven't watched Herzog's Nosferatu or Fitzcarraldo in quite some time, but from what I can remember, both are somewhere in the range from good to amazing. Sooner or later I'll have to get back to both.

Another Herzog-Kinski collaboration that we saw about ten years ago is "Aguirre, Wrath of God". That one is another wonderful piece of movie making.

 

[zymurg]

Power outage for 48+ hours; I will finish Fitzcarraldo tonight or tomorrow.

 

[storrsroars]

Z - Was wondering if you ever saw a 1975 German film called "The Judge and His Hangman" ("End of the Game" in the US). I saw the US version when it came out, but have never seen it on TV and it never made it to video (although apparently there's an edited version on Blu-Ray, which I don't have). I still think about it 44 years later as it was a murder mystery of sorts unlike any I've seen since - sort of Pinter-esque plot. In a twist, it was directed by Maximillian Schell and starred director Martin Ritt in a very memorable role.

Anyway, given your tastes, if you can find an original copy of the 105 minute version, I think you'd enjoy it.

 

[zymurg]

Z - Was wondering if you ever saw a 1975 German film called "The Judge and His Hangman" ("End of the Game" in the US). I saw the US version when it came out, but have never seen it on TV and it never made it to video (although apparently there's an edited version on Blu-Ray, which I don't have). I still think about it 44 years later as it was a murder mystery of sorts unlike any I've seen since - sort of Pinter-esque plot. In a twist, it was directed by Maximillian Schell and starred director Martin Ritt in a very memorable role.

Anyway, given your tastes, if you can find an original copy of the 105 minute version, I think you'd enjoy it.

It sounds interesting. It was a big success in Germany, but now the only way it is available is in the German Blue ray which needs an all region player. My luck with all region players hasn't been good.

 

[zymurg]

Fitzcorraldo continued: The key element in the film is the literal transportation of 340 ton steamship without special effects up a hill and down the hill and into another river. This was accomplished using a winch, a bulldozer, and a hundred or so Amazonian Indians. When the filming was discontinued due to Robard's illness, it was necessary to move the site of major filming over 1,000 miles because a civil war broke out among Indian tribes. The doctor who accompanied the crew failed to bring enough opiates, reptiles bit workers regularly, one worker cut off his own leg with a chain saw. A tribal chief offered to kill Kinski, Herzog can be seen raving like a madman in the documentary; one native Amazonian was treated for an arrow wound in the throat; at least 4 people died on the shoot , and the cinematographer had to endure a 2+ hour operation to his hand without anesthetics. There are more stories about the shoot. I forgot to mention that the steamship goes through major rapids without any special effects.

There are some plot holes. I had viewed this film 3 times previously, once in a theater and twice on DVD. This time for this commentary; I watched it twice back to back and read 5 reviews and searched several sites. I found a big plot hole that I hadn't noticed previously. You may not notice it. The thing that still grabs me is that most of the madness is real, and beautifully photographed. Unforgettable.

 

[Bezzz]

While I never saw the Talking Heads together in concert, they are one of my favorite bands. I did see David Byrne at the Garde Theater in New London on my birthday in 2004. Byrne was touring in support of his Grown Backwards album. I was a little hesitant about going, as Byrne had a group with him called the Tosca Strings, and at the time I didn't care too much for adding strings to rock music. I was wrong with that one, as the Tosca Strings offered terrific support to what Byrne did on stage, which was a combination of Talking Heads material and his solo stuff. It was one of the best concerts that I have ever been to.

I was there with my 13 year old daughter, her first concert. Great show. While walking to the car afterwards I asked her how she liked it. Her first words were "I want to learn how to play the guitar". Which she did.

Love the Heads. Saw them at CBGB, and later at Forest Hills. DByrne and I are the same age FWIW.

 

[zymurg]

"The Maltese Falcon"-John Huston-1941

This is a must see. While the film is over 75 years old and in black and white; it still retains its impact. It is often considered the first film noir. This is a classic American genre, and it is still the basis/template for contemporary film makers for instance the Coen brothers. It is Bogart's first real starring role, and it set him up for his later roles like "Casablanca", "Treasure of the Sierra Madre", and "The Big Sleep" to name just a few. This is also John Huston's first film as a director, and arguably the best first film ever made in Hollywood. It is the film debut of Sidney Greenstreet and the first pairing of Greenstreet and Lorre. It has drawn favorable technical comparisons for the work of Huston and Arthur Edison to that of Orson Welles and Greg Tolland on "Citizen Kane" which was filmed around the same time.

Let's look briefly at the story. The film begins with a brief rolling title which tells us that the Knights of Malta were given Malta as a home for their order by Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. They only had to pay one falcon a year as rent. The Knights decided to give Charles V a solid gold jewel encrusted statue of a falcon as their first year's rent. It was stolen and it bounced around the known world, re-appearing and then disappearing. When a mysterious woman appears at the office of Spade and Archer Private Detectives. the story begins. Archer volunteers to follow Floyd Thursby; Archer is shot and killed. Spade is notified, and he comes to the crime scene. Later Thursby is shot and killed; the police question Spade(Bogart). He evades the questions, and makes contact with the mysterious woman, Miss Wonderly (Mary Astor) who refuses to tell the truth except that her real name is Brigid O'Shaughnessy. She still wants his help, Spade takes some more money, and promises to keep the police at bay. Spade is visited at his office by the effete Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre) who tells him of the missing falcon and offers him $5,000 for it.

Let's focus on the falcon. This is a McGuffin, a term coined by Alfred Hitchcock, to indicate a device that the characters want or fear but which is merely an additive. Another example are the famous letters of transit in Casablanca. As Peter Lorre put it these letters signed by General DeGaulle "Cannot even be questioned." Of course that is ridiculous even in the movie context;letters from a Free French Commander would mean nothing in Vichy controlled North Africa. The Falcon is a much better McGuffin; it makes sense in the plot.
This is perhaps the single most famous prop in movie history,rivaled only by the ruby slippers in "The Wizard of Oz." One might argue that the slippers are more properly costume rather than prop. The statue was made by Adolph Deutsch, an LA based painter and sculptor. Multiple copies were made, and they were later sold for six figures at auction. A replica in gold fetched $3 million.

Huston meticulously pre-planned every shot. He brought the film in on time and under budget. Several of the shot sequences are memorable. Mary Astor has several scenes hinting at bars including the following: striped pjs, blinds, and the elevator she takes down with the police. Even more evocative is the varying camera angles and heights in the scene where Spade is given a mickey. This is setup by dialogue between Kaspar Gutman (Greenstreet) and Spade about drinking. I should note that this craft is seamlessly integrated into the picture; one is not thinking about how clever the shot is while viewing the film.

Finally, the film ends with Ward Bond, a detective, asking Spade what the black falcon is. Spade responds:"The stuff that dreams are made of." A Shakespeare allusion/quote is a most fitting ending to a great film.

 

[zymurg]

"Farewell, My Lovely"-Dick Richards-1975

Raymond Chandler is one of the most famous pulp fiction writers of the type of detective stories which were adapted into classic film noirs. This iteration of the novel is the third time it was adapted for a film. The first time was for the Saint series starring George Sanders. The second was titled "Murder, My Sweet" and starred Dick Powell. This is one of those films which a few critics really liked, a few critics really hated, and most thought it was decent, but probably not worth the effort. If this film were in black and white, it would be almost impossible to distinguish from a noir from the classic era. It is generally agreed that the best neo-noir is "Chinatown," but there have certainly been others like "Mullholland Drive." None of these films is any better at anchoring the action in the era; it really is 1941. Phillip Marlowe drives a 1940 Buick Special; he is caught up in Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak. Most importantly he is Robert Mitchum. He sounds and looks the part, though he is twenty years older than Marlowe is in the novels.

The film opens with Marlowe finding a 15 year old girl at a dime a dance hall and returning her to her parents.. On the street he meets Moose Malone (Jerry O'Halloran) a gigantic ex-con searching for the love of his life, Velma. Almost immediately Marlowe saves Moose from a drive by shooting. Moose had been in prison for seven years for an $80,000 robbery; the money was never recovered. Moose and Marlowe start the search together visiting a club, Florian's where Velma used to work. The club is under new management and is a negro joint. Moose ends up killing the new manager after being threatened with a gun. Marlowe calls the police. Lt. Nulty (John Ireland) an old friend arrives, and the affair is settled. It was self defense and the victim was a "" (not Marlowe's term). Of course things are far from settled, but unlike a noir made in the 40's
and 50's the truth of the underbelly of LA can be portrayed accurately as it was in the novel. Homosexuals are identified as such, a working brothel is visited, alcoholics and drug users are on full display. Police corruption is laid bare, but there is a trip to the upper reaches of LA society. Marlowe meets Judge Grayle (Jim Thompson, noted crime writer) and his wife Helen (Charlotte Rampling). They live in a mansion, in real life the old Harold LLoyd mansion(yes, that Harold LLoyd). Of course affluence and power are no bar to unethical and criminal behavior.

The director, Dick Richards, uses a Phillip Marlowe voice over to describe the action. This device divided the critics. I like it and it is used in the novel. The score is time and setting appropriate. Mitchum's suit was worn by Victor Mature in a movie. The film was a success at the box office success; there was a unfortunate sequel, a remake of "The Big Sleep." It was set in the 70's in London, not recommended viewing. This film is recommended, It has a lot of pleasures which hold up to repeated viewings. Mitchum is magnificent.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

"Farewell, My Lovely"-Dick Richards-1975

Raymond Chandler is one of the most famous pulp fiction writers of the type of detective stories which were adapted into classic film noirs. This iteration of the novel is the third time it was adapted for a film. The first time was for the Saint series starring George Sanders. The second was titled "Murder, My Sweet" and starred Dick Powell. This is one of those films which a few critics really liked, a few critics really hated, and most thought it was decent, but probably not worth the effort. If this film were in black and white, it would be almost impossible to distinguish from a noir from the classic era. It is generally agreed that the best neo-noir is "Chinatown," but there have certainly been others like "Mullholland Drive." None of these films is any better at anchoring the action in the era; it really is 1941. Phillip Marlowe drives a 1940 Buick Special; he is caught up in Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak. Most importantly he is Robert Mitchum. He sounds and looks the part, though he is twenty years older than Marlowe is in the novels.

The film opens with Marlowe finding a 15 year old girl at a dime a dance hall and returning her to her parents.. On the street he meets Moose Malone (Jerry O'Halloran) a gigantic ex-con searching for the love of his life, Velma. Almost immediately Marlowe saves Moose from a drive by shooting. Moose had been in prison for seven years for an $80,000 robbery; the money was never recovered. Moose and Marlowe start the search together visiting a club, Florian's where Velma used to work. The club is under new management and is a negro joint. Moose ends up killing the new manager after being threatened with a gun. Marlowe calls the police. Lt. Nulty (John Ireland) an old friend arrives, and the affair is settled. It was self defense and the victim was a "" (not Marlowe's term). Of course things are far from settled, but unlike a noir made in the 40's
and 50's the truth of the underbelly of LA can be portrayed accurately as it was in the novel. Homosexuals are identified as such, a working brothel is visited, alcoholics and drug users are on full display. Police corruption is laid bare, but there is a trip to the upper reaches of LA society. Marlowe meets Judge Grayle (Jim Thompson, noted crime writer) and his wife Helen (Charlotte Rampling). They live in a mansion, in real life the old Harold LLoyd mansion(yes, that Harold LLoyd). Of course affluence and power are no bar to unethical and criminal behavior.

The director, Dick Richards, uses a Phillip Marlowe voice over to describe the action. This device divided the critics. I like it and it is used in the novel. The score is time and setting appropriate. Mitchum's suit was worn by Victor Mature in a movie. The film was a success at the box office success; there was a unfortunate sequel, a remake of "The Big Sleep." It was set in the 70's in London, not recommended viewing. This film is recommended, It has a lot of pleasures which hold up to repeated viewings. Mitchum is magnificent.

im not much of a movie, or tv show person for that matter, but your reviews are so interesting to read that, over the past few months, I've actually dug up some of your flix to watch.
I win, thank you.

 

[dbmill]

im not much of a movie, or tv show person for that matter, but your reviews are so interesting to read that, over the past few months, I've actually dug up some of your flix to watch.
I win, thank you.

Glad to hear that. Personally, I like having stuff written on films that often get only a passing mention at best on the other threads here on the Boneyard, I find it to be a real treat. That these films that @zymurg writes about are often about some of my favorite films, so much the better for me. And it gives me a chance to learn something about some of the classic films that I haven't seen.