Films Worth Viewing

[zymurg]

"All the President's Men"-Alan Pakula-1976

This is a personal favorite; over the years it has risen in the estimation of the critics. This is very much Redford's film. Robert Redford was box office gold. The film would only be made if he would star in it; he chose the director, screenwriter, and co-star. He was a producer and not in name only. The film is based on the Woodward and Bernstein book of the same name. It is useful to remember that the book came out in 1974. this is very much contemporary history. The Watergate scandal, Nixon's resignation, and Ford's pardon were contemporary events.

There were decisions to be made; first how much of the story would be told. It is interesting that Katherine Graham, the publisher of the Post, doesn't appear in the film. That was her choice. The focus is narrow, none of the burglars, none of the president's men, nor any of the key figures of the Watergate Committee apear on camera. Grainy news footage of the Republican convention, and other significant events serve as breaks to the intense coverage of the actual reporting. The viewer is thrust into the newsroom, the paper, its reporters and editors are the heart of the film. It opens with the security guard, Frank Wills, finding the tape covering the lock at the Watergate. The police are called; they capture the burglars. Then the focus moves to the reporters, and it stays there until the end of the film

Woodward appears at the arraignment of the burglars. He discovers that they all have the same private lawyer, and no calls were made for representation from jail. Woodward sees another lawyer observing the arraignment; hr tries to get some information from this information from this individual who insists he isn't there. The burglars are named, Bernard Barker give his employment as "anti-communist." James McCord identifies himself as a former employee of the CIA. The next big clue is the notebook which offers up the name of Howard Hunt employed in the White House in the office of Charles Colson. We see the story through the reporters' eyes. Woodward is young and inexperienced, and Bernstein, who worms his way onto the story is little older. We follow the minutia of investigatory journalism. There were hundreds of phone calls, attempts to find and interview sources, a few pieces of physical evidence. The most important pieces of physical evidence were the notebook and a 25,000$ check from Ken Dahlberg to CREEP which ended up in Bernard Barker's account.

The exteriors were shot in Washington, but the newsroom was a set built in Hollywood. This set gives us the newsroom. It also gives the room where the editors discuss which stories will make the paper on any given day, and their relative prominence in the paper. The initial breakin at the Watergate of the Democratic National Headquarters was not a front page story. The story grows and expands; there is a very large sum of cash in the safe at the Committee to Re-elect which was used to fund many illegal or quasi-legal activities.
Woodward has a special source only used on deep background. He is called "Deep Throat" after the series of films. His identity was concealed for thirty years. Woodward picked Hal Holbrook for the role; he bore a remarkable physical resemblance to Mark Felt, Deputy Director of the FBI, the real "Deep Throat."

The film ends with story of the five individuals who controlled the slush fund at the committee to re-elect. The naming of H.R. Halderman as the fifth individual with control of the money and the direct White House link to the slush fund marked the point where the White House pushed back strongly on the Post coverage.
Then we seen a group of headlines flash across the screen following the scandal to its conclusion with the resignation of the President. In the last filmed scene, Woodward and Bernstein are outside the home of Ben Bradlee. the editor-in-chief, relating that they are under surveillance and in danger. Bradlee states that this story is now about the First Amendment and saving the nation. Jason Robards won an Oscar for this portrayal.

The tension is well built, the focus on the story which keeps growing in importance, the mundane activities of the day to day work, and the growing sense that this is not only a huge story, but one that will change history is never really articulated until the final scene on Bradlee's lawn. This is masterful film-making. Redford and Hoffman are excellent as the principals, but it is the quality of the subordinate roles which really make the viewing experience one to savor. Many years ago Walter Cronkite hosted a radio program, "You Are There" which put the listener inside notable historical events; this film does exactly that. Surprisingly, this observation of historical events has become an historical event.

 

[zymurg]

Bonus Material-Memorial Day is approaching; my selection for this event is "Moscow On the Hudson." Next up is "Dr. Strangelove." I have been looking at a number of films recently. "The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell" is a worthy film. Mitchell was able to impact/reverse US military planning during the Court Martial. He described the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor almost exactly as it occurred. The call for a separate Air Force, including a separate military academy went unheeded. This worth viewing if you are interested in military history and policy, "Paris Is Burning", directed by Claude Berry, is an attempt to make a "The Longest Day" film about saving Paris. Hitler issued orders to destroy the city of Paris if it couldn't be defended. There is tension between various Resistance groups. The Allies had originally planned to bypass Paris and push straight to the Rhine. There is an uprising in Paris, a cease fire, and the breaking of the cease fire by another resistance group. Meanwhile bombs are set on bridges and public buildings while the Allies change their strategy and plan to liberate Paris with a Free French Armored division. This isn't a bad film; if you are a WWII buff; it is a good way to have a detailed look at an important campaign which normally receives on cursory coverage. It is almost 3 hours long, and in my opinion is pretty confusing.

My final precis is on "Big Night", two Italian immigrant brothers, Primo and Secundo, are led to believe that Louis Prima and his band will come for a special meal at their restaurant. I am a total food nerd, so this is right in my sweet spot. Set in the 1950's before there was such a thing as Italian fine dining, the brothers' restaurant lacks the common touch. Primo, the chef, has what some would consider a total disdain for those who would compromise his cuisine. Secundo is facing the loss of the restaurant because it isn't profitable enough. The meal for Louis Prima is the last chance to save the restaurant. This a comedy, and there are plenty of laughs, but there is an underlying tragedy; the brothers' partnership will break-up. Primo will return to Rome to be the chef at his uncle's new restaurant. The meal is incredible, but of course Prima doesn't come; the future is in doubt as the brothers eat breakfast the next morning. This film is a neglected gem, I urge you to take a chance on this comedy gastronomique.

 

[zymurg]

"Dr. Strangelove or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb"-Stanley Kubrick-1964

I am of the age that the background of this film is part of my life. The fall of my senior year in college was interrupted by the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy was assassinated while I was in Sri Lanka as a Fulbright Scholar. I hid under tables in the lunchroom during civil defense drills. Kubrick originally planned to make a nuclear threat melodrama, but later changed to satire. He brought on Terry Southern to help with the script.
They were worried about competition with "Fail Safe" which had a stellar cast including Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, and Henry Fonda. Kubrick was a genius director, but this film took some real chances.

Peter Sellers was originally supposed to play four parts. He was injured during shooting , so Slim Pickens was brought on to play Major King Kong. He had played multiple parts in Kubrick"s "Lolita." He also played multiple parts i n "The Mouse that Roared." Sellers became a big star in the UK with "I'm All Right Jack" one of my favorite English comedies of the period. This is also the same time period as the first two Pink Panther movies. "A Shot in the Dark" is one of my all time favorite comedies. Sellers plays a British Group Captain, Lionel Mandrake, the US president, Merkin Mufley, and the National Security Advisor(before there was one) Dr. Strangelove. Just a note there were lots of former Nazi's working for the US government in scientific and intelligence capacities after WWII.

The plot is relatively simple an out of control general figures out a way for the US to launch an unauthorized first strike. This is the era of MAD (mutual assured destruction); Herman Kahn was perhaps the leading nuclear strategic thinker of this era. Kubrick read over 50 books on nuclear issues, but when he brought on Terry Southern, he gave him one of Kahn"s books. The commanding general, Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) believed the Russians were contaminating our bodily fluids with flouridation of the water. This wasn't that out there, the John Birch Society strongly opposed flouride in the water. He sends of his entire wing of B 52's with about 50 tons of H bombs per plane. He has blocked the ability of anyone besides himself to communicate with the planes. The scene shifts to the war room inside the White House. The room didn't/doesn't exist; when Reagan became president, he asked to see the room.

The president is seated at a huge circular table with his advisers looking at a huge map of the Soviet Union which showed the bombing objectives and the planes movements to the targets. The Soviet Premier is called on the red phone and the Soviet Ambassador translates. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Buck Turgidson (George C. Scott) is the prototype anti-communist hawk. With the help of Captain Mandrake who has figured out the code which will allow the bombers to be recalled, most of the planes turn around, three are destroyed by Soviet air defense. One has been severely damaged, but is proceeding to the target. What the US didn't know is that the Soviets have a Doomsday Machine up and running. Dr. Strangelove points out that a Doomsday machine is not a deterrent if nobody is aware of its existence. The Doomsday machine will destroy all human and animal life on Earth. Strangelove proposes a way to save humanity; 200,000 humans can be put in deep mines and they can survive the 99 years of deadly fallout underground. Turgidson is worried that the Soviets will emerge with better deep tunnels. The discussion is so liberating that the wheelchair bound Strangelove is able to walk. Meanwhile aboard the final bomber, Major Kong finally has overcome the technical difficulties that prevented dropping his bombs. The film ends with him astride an H bomb hurtling to the ground. The explosion will set off the Doomsday Machine and life will end except maybe for those hidden in deep mines.

The sets are brilliant. The inside of the B52 was top secret; the set was so accurate that the air force suspected the film had somehow gotten secret information. The action is involving, the premise of the film was discussed seriously by scholars, and it had reached the public consciousness so that audiences were prepped. The film starts out a little off kilter, things quickly

 

[zymurg]

get out of control, but the level of satire leaps ahead of our poor expectations. The final scenes are shocking; we laugh at the absurd, outrageous comedy, but was it really so absurd? Watching this film 50 years after its release, the fears as well as the humor are still with the audience.

See this film; this is one I would really like to see on the big screen.

 

[Waquoit]

"All the President's Men"-Alan Pakula-1976

I thought this movie was actually exciting when I saw it in the theater.

 

[dbmill]

"Red River"-Howard Hawks-1948

I often have difficulty deciding how to start these previews. My problems with this film is that I have too much information, and I have to find my own personal handle. I will begin my intro with a mention of the film's homoeroticism. This is hardly the first film so categorized, some critics believe Hawks did this in a number of films. Frankly I think I can make as good a case for the film being a symbolic fight between the Titans and the Gods as having a strong gay undertone.

Hawks confronted the issue of color before filming; he decided that it would over complicate filming. This film was going to be extraordinarily difficult to film. The centerpiece of the film is the first cattle drive over the Chisholm Trail. The opening of the film with the voice over and the hand written text emphasizes this point. For the cattle drive one thousand cattle were hired as extras. The few longhorns were always kept front and center. Borden Chase wrote a serial for "Colliers" and his screenplay is based on that work. The story is fiction, but it is solidly based on fact.

Tom Dunson (John Wayne) joined a wagon train going west in 1851. He had a bull, two cows, and Nadine Groot (Walter Brennan) as his traveling companions. He fell in love and gave the young woman a bracelet.
He leaves her behind when he leaves the train to pursue his dream of a huge cattle ranch. The wagon train is attacked after he left. Some Indians break off the main group to pursue Groot and Dunson. They kill the Indians, and later a young boy (Montgomery Clift) who had escaped the slaughter joins them. He brings a cow and a gun. The bracelet turns up on one of the dead Indians. Dunson establishes his right to hold the good cattle land by killing a representative of a Mexican land holder.

Fifteen years pass, Matt Garth has grown up and fought in the Civil War, Dunson has achieved his dream of a huge ranch with thousands of cattle, but he has no market for his herd. Dunson plans a massive cattle drive to a railhead in Missouri. Once again the railroad appears as an instrument of change. Dunson brands all the cattle he can find including those belonging to other ranchers. One of those ranchers appears appears with his hands. A shootout is avoided when Dunson offers 2$ a head for any of the rebranded cattle which make it to the railhead. A gunfighter, Cherry Valence (John Ireland) joins the the Dunson drive. There are several scenes of testing between Garth and Valence. The drive begins after Dunson extracts promises from all the hands that they will stick with the drive to the end despite any difficulties they may encounter.

Clift was a stage actor in NYC when he took this part. He was hardly an obvious choice, but Hawks was a great judge of talent in this case. Clift worked hard to learn how to ride western style, and to fast draw and shoot. John Ireland wasn't such a happy choice. According to Hawks he was drunk and sloppy. Borden Chase attributed the conflicts to his romance of Joanne Dru and Hawk's desire for Dru.

Naturally the 1,000 mile plus drive encounters many problems starting with a stampede. This is brilliantly filmed. It was set off by one hand's sugar need. Dunson deals with this cowboy. He plans to whip him, but he ends up shooting him. This begins a series of difficulties which bring Dunson in ever increasing conflict with the hands. The journey takes longer, rations are running out, and taking the cattle to a railhead in Kansas becomes a more desirable option. When several hands desert the drive, Dunson sends men to follow them and bring them back. While the search is going on, Dunson turns to drink. When two hands are brought back, Dunson proposes hanging them. This breaks the bond between Matt and Tom. In a confrontation Matt beats him to the draw and wounds him in the leg. Matt takes over the leadership of the drive, and he leaves Dunson behind. Even Groot opts for Matt's leadership; Dunson vows to kill Matt.

There is a famous comment from John Ford that Wayne"s performance showed him that the big lug could act. I think this is a case of "print the legend." Still it is to Hawks' credit that he was able to handle both Wayne and Clift and not only get good performances out of both, but he made their conflict compelling, and even their re-affirmation in the end is more than satisfying. There is a complexity in the relationships and the themes which raises this film not only far above other forties westerns, but makes it as satisfying as the best noir.

This is deservedly considered a classic. It is top flight film making: great story, production values of the first rank, acting which has no real tinny notes. Hawks spent two years after the completion of shooting in editing and legal conflicts. This film set new standards for the Western; this film proves that the Western could be a genre where the best could stand with any other films in quality.

Hawks is one of my favorite directors. Red River is one of his best, and one of my favorite westerns. Of course, he has several films that fall into that category. The Big Sleep is possibly my favorite detective movie, and Bringing Up Baby is my favorite comedy of all time. When it came to movie genres, Hawks did a little bit of everything, and he did it very well.

 

[zymurg]

I agree strongly with your Hawks selections. Big Sleep is one of my all time favorite noirs, and My favorite Bacall and Bogart film. Bringing Up Baby is comedy platinum.

Some bonus material; I heartily recommend "The Gathering Storm." Albert Finney's portrayal of Churchill in the 30's is remarkable. If you have any interest in the beginnings of WWII; this is a must see. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for "Chaplin." This Richard Attenborough film is a worthy attempt to explain Charlie Chaplin's off screen life. Robert Downey is more than credible as Chaplin, but despite its 21/2 hours, there is too much material to cover.

I have an expanded Memorial Day line-up planned. In addition to "Moscow on the Hudson." I will also preview
"Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Taking Chance." My goal is to complete all three previews by Saturday.

 

[zymurg]

"Taking Chance"-Ross Katz-2009

This is one of the many excellent TV films from HBO. This made me aware and care about the entire process of honoring those soldiers, sailors, and marines who gave their lives. Kevin Bacon, Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, volunteers to be an escort for the remains of PFC Chance Phelps to Dubois, Wy. His role is really only the end of the process. The process begins with the removal of the body from the battlefront. I'm not sure what the next step is called; it used to be graves registration. Here the body is packed in a coffin surrounded by ice. The corpse then proceeds to Ramstein, Germany. Each step has protocols of honor, the marines stand and salute when the bodies are loaded on to the plane . When the bodies arrive in Dover, Delaware they are removed ceremoniously and taken to an area where the bodies are cleaned and dressed in appropriate dress uniforms. This is where a decision is made to recommend either a closed or open casket at the funeral.

Some of the reviewers found the ceremony surrounding each step tedious. I wonder if they viewed the same film I did. The Marines in this fil care, the film makers care. In the closing credits they thank "the Angels of Dover," the military mortuary marines. "Thank you for your service" is not a platitude in the attitude taken to the remains. There is an entire culture of respect and honor. The script is based on Col. Strobl's report. It ran
20 pages. It was circulated among Marines, then outsiders heard about it. HBO has consistently covered the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. There have been problems with access to Dover. The families certainly deserve to mourn free from sensational publicity; however, these deaths are a national story. How we honor them is another story.

Of course it is not just the Marines and the families who honor this sacrifice. As we follow Col. Strobl and Chance Phelps across the country we meet average citizens who go out of their way to honor the fallen. If Memorial Day really is about the service of our veterans; this film itself gives us a Memorial Day memory.

 

[zymurg]

"Yankee Doodle Dandy"-Michael Curtiz-1942

This is a fun movie;However, in terms of historical accuracy in ranks near the bottom of historical accuracy even for film bios. Cohan had two wives, not one. His second wife's name was Agnes not Mary. He broke up with his partner, Sam Harris, because of theatrical unions; Cohan despised them. Cohan intensely disliked FDR; he waited four years to pick up the medal. It wasn't the Congressional Medal of Honor; that is only for the military. I could go on, but I'm assuming that nobody watches this film as a document of Broadway history.

"My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you and I thank you;" this the famous quote which is repeated several times in the movie. Cohan's story is truly a family story; there is the nuclear family story, the theatre family story, the American family story, and the Warner Brothers' family story. The great studio director, Micheal Curtiz, did his usual excellent job. He also directed "Casablanca" in the same year. The cinematographer, James Wong Howe, is one of the all time greats. The Epstein Brothers were brought in to polish the dialogue as they were in "Casablanca." This is a long film; the running time is over two hours. As with almost every Cagney film; the pace almost never slows.

The film opens with Cagney going to visit FDR in the White House. The visit supposedly lasts for two hours; Cagney tells the president the story of his life. It begins with his birth in Providence, RI on the Fourth of July. His father, Jerry Cohan (Walter Huston) leaves the theatre between shows to see his new born son. He has to enlist some soldiers to help him cross the parade. Jerry signals the soldiers and George M. Cohan's birth is announced to the world by a cannon shot. We next see Georgie on stage playing the violin on top of his head while he sings and dances. The next big scene is Georgie's first starring role as "Peck's Bad Boy." This is the first time we see how obnoxious and self centered Cohan can be. A daughter is born and soon The Four Cohans are playing in vaudeville shows all over the US. Cohan meets the future Mary Cohan, and he tries to up her status in a show by writing her an original The quarrel over her performing the song causes George to . be blacklisted. The family goes back on tour while George tries to get funding for his musical.

The first show is "Little Johnny Jones" is about an American jockey who travels to England to race in the Darby. This features George in the leading role, and it contains two of his most famous songs "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Give My Regards to Broadway." The latter song had its screen premier in "42nd Street."
Most of the rest of the film gives some snippets of shows. One for instance is "Forty-five Minutes from Broadway" which includes the song "Mary." The run of hit shows carry through WWI which shows the audience "Over There" and "It,s a Grand Old Flag." After a period of time and the death of all his immediate family members, Cohan retires from the theatre. He is brought back to star as the president in a Kaufman and Hart play. This is the immediate prelude to his visit with FDR.

Cagney has a unique dance style; this was pointed out by Pauline Kael, his legs move, but the rest of his body is rigid. When he dances across the floor he leans forward severely. This reminds me of Chuck Berry playing his guitar on stage. I have no idea how George Cohan danced, but Cagney as Cohan is memorable and exciting. The Cagney energy propels this film, and not in a negative way. The scene where Cagney exits FDR's office and dances down the staircase is improvised, he was in his mid-forties when this film was made.
Cagney won the academy award for best actor. This is truly a highlight performance; I wish he had made a few more films which utilized his musical talents. Perfect for national holiday watching.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

What’s wrong with “Movies Worth Watching?”

 

[dbmill]

"Yankee Doodle Dandy"-Michael Curtiz-1942

This is a fun movie;However, in terms of historical accuracy in ranks near the bottom of historical accuracy even for film bios. Cohan had two wives, not one. His second wife's name was Agnes not Mary. He broke up with his partner, Sam Harris, because of theatrical unions; Cohan despised them. Cohan intensely disliked FDR; he waited four years to pick up the medal. It wasn't the Congressional Medal of Honor; that is only for the military. I could go on, but I'm assuming that nobody watches this film as a document of Broadway history.

"My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you and I thank you;" this the famous quote which is repeated several times in the movie. Cohan's story is truly a family story; there is the nuclear family story, the theatre family story, the American family story, and the Warner Brothers' family story. The great studio director, Micheal Curtiz, did his usual excellent job. He also directed "Casablanca" in the same year. The cinematographer, James Wong Howe, is one of the all time greats. The Epstein Brothers were brought in to polish the dialogue as they were in "Casablanca." This is a long film; the running time is over two hours. As with almost every Cagney film; the pace almost never slows.

The film opens with Cagney going to visit FDR in the White House. The visit supposedly lasts for two hours; Cagney tells the president the story of his life. It begins with his birth in Providence, RI on the Fourth of July. His father, Jerry Cohan (Walter Huston) leaves the theatre between shows to see his new born son. He has to enlist some soldiers to help him cross the parade. Jerry signals the soldiers and George M. Cohan's birth is announced to the world by a cannon shot. We next see Georgie on stage playing the violin on top of his head while he sings and dances. The next big scene is Georgie's first starring role as "Peck's Bad Boy." This is the first time we see how obnoxious and self centered Cohan can be. A daughter is born and soon The Four Cohans are playing in vaudeville shows all over the US. Cohan meets the future Mary Cohan, and he tries to up her status in a show by writing her an original The quarrel over her performing the song causes George to . be blacklisted. The family goes back on tour while George tries to get funding for his musical.

The first show is "Little Johnny Jones" is about an American jockey who travels to England to race in the Darby. This features George in the leading role, and it contains two of his most famous songs "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Give My Regards to Broadway." The latter song had its screen premier in "42nd Street."
Most of the rest of the film gives some snippets of shows. One for instance is "Forty-five Minutes from Broadway" which includes the song "Mary." The run of hit shows carry through WWI which shows the audience "Over There" and "It,s a Grand Old Flag." After a period of time and the death of all his immediate family members, Cohan retires from the theatre. He is brought back to star as the president in a Kaufman and Hart play. This is the immediate prelude to his visit with FDR.

Cagney has a unique dance style; this was pointed out by Pauline Kael, his legs move, but the rest of his body is rigid. When he dances across the floor he leans forward severely. This reminds me of Chuck Berry playing his guitar on stage. I have no idea how George Cohan danced, but Cagney as Cohan is memorable and exciting. The Cagney energy propels this film, and not in a negative way. The scene where Cagney exits FDR's office and dances down the staircase is improvised, he was in his mid-forties when this film was made.
Cagney won the academy award for best actor. This is truly a highlight performance; I wish he had made a few more films which utilized his musical talents. Perfect for national holiday watching.

Terrific movie, and it's my wife's favorite Cagney film. We both just love Cagney's dancing style. Another excellent musical with Cagney in it is Footlight Parade, with Busby Berkeley directed dance sequences.

 

[zymurg]

"Moscow on the Hudson"-Paul Mazursky-1984

This is one of Robin Williams' early films. For those interested in reading about Williams' career and his depression related problems, I suggest the Roger Ebert site. This film isn't generally highly regarded, but Roger Ebert is an exception. This a personal favorite; I've watched it at least ten times.

The story is relatively simple. Vladimir Ivanof is a saxophone player in the Moscow Circus band. The circus travels to NYC as part of a cultural exchange program. Historically this was a time of growing tensions between the US and the Soviet Union. Vladimir's (Williams) best friend Anatoly (Ilya Baskin) is the top clown in the circus. He is a political non-conformist and he is considered a defection possibility by the KGB. Vladimir is charged with watching him in NYC. The circus members and their KGB watchers have an half an hour to shop in Bloomingdales. Anatoly doesn't defect, but Vladimir does.

During the chaos surrounding the defection, Vladimir makes two "Friends": Lionel Witherspoon, a security guard, and Lucia Lombardo a perfume salesperson. Lionel offers Vladimir a place to stay. An immigration lawyer, Orlando Ramirez (Alexandro Rey) give him his card. The first third of the film was set in Moscow, the remaining two thirds is set in NYC.

Mazursky and his co-writer, Leon Capetanos) early on decided to have the first third of the film in Russian. I didn't find the sub-titles disconcerting, and having Russian as the base language for the scenes in Moscow gives the film authenticity. Robin Williams didn't speak Russian nor could he play a saxophone; he learned both in preparation for his part. Vladimir lives with his family in a crowded apartment. The family is mother, father, sister, and grandfather. The actor playing the grandfather spoke no English.

The life in Moscow is pretty bleak; Moscovites stand in line for practically everything: toilet paper, shoes, meat, and they buy gasoline on the black market. Vladimir borrows Anatoly's apartment to have sex with his girlfriend. The grandfather, a former stage comic, blurts out many anti Soviet remarks. The KGB arrive at Vladimir's doorstep and mention his grandfather's remarks and threaten him with imprisonment in a mental institution. They also reveal they know where he has his sexual romps.

The script was written after numerous discussions with emigres. The writing team traveled to Russia to check the veracity of what they had learned and to get a real sense of the living conditions. After a broad search the team selected Munich to stand in for Moscow. Munich not only had appropriate buildings for exteriors, but it had a substantial emigre population, and a one ring circus. One of the emigres recruited an entire group of circus performers to stand in for the Moscow circus, animals were not forgotten. The production designer, Paolo Guzman, did a terrific job with building several sets in Moscow and later in New York. Included in the New York sets was a replica of Bloomingdales cosmetics department.

Vladimir finds work with the help of his lawyer, a Cuban emigre, the jobs are varied, dishwasher, street vendor, hot dog stand owner, and finally limo driver. He finds his own apartment and his relationship with Luci (Maria Conchita Alonso) develops. He attends her naturalization ceremony, but they fight at the after party. His grandfather dies in Moscow, and he is mugged. There is a scene in a cafe where Vladimir and his lawyer stop for coffee. This the low point for Robin's character; he loudly attacks American "Freedom". A huge Russian emigre shouts him down, and the scene ends with a variety of immigrants reciting passages from the Declaration of Independence. Vladimir's future is uncertain, but he finds a job with a band, and he and Luci have a reunion and a rebuilding of their relationship.

The acting is excellent and most of the small scenes work well, but it is Robin Williams' performance which makes this film worth viewing. The film depicts an America with faults, but one which welcomes immigrants, offers them hope, and they become valuable parts of a diverse population.

 

[zymurg]

What’s wrong with “Movies Worth Watching?”

I have nothing against it. If you prefer it, use it.

 

[storrsroars]

"Moscow on the Hudson"-Paul Mazursky-1984

...

The acting is excellent and most of the small scenes work well, but it is Robin Williams' performance which makes this film worth viewing. The film depicts an America with faults, but one which welcomes immigrants, offers them hope, and they become valuable parts of a diverse population.

Ilya Baskin was also terrific in this film. He portrayed what I'd call "Soviet pathos" extremely well. And Maria Conchita Alonso was vibrant... and this isn't going to be the quality comment you're looking for, but man, I had the hots for her.

 

[whaler11]

"Moscow on the Hudson"-Paul Mazursky-1984

This is one of Robin Williams' early films. For those interested in reading about Williams' career and his depression related problems, I suggest the Roger Ebert site. This film isn't generally highly regarded, but Roger Ebert is an exception. This a personal favorite; I've watched it at least ten times.

The story is relatively simple. Vladimir Ivanof is a saxophone player in the Moscow Circus band. The circus travels to NYC as part of a cultural exchange program. Historically this was a time of growing tensions between the US and the Soviet Union. Vladimir's (Williams) best friend Anatoly (Ilya Baskin) is the top clown in the circus. He is a political non-conformist and he is considered a defection possibility by the KGB. Vladimir is charged with watching him in NYC. The circus members and their KGB watchers have an half an hour to shop in Bloomingdales. Anatoly doesn't defect, but Vladimir does.

During the chaos surrounding the defection, Vladimir makes two "Friends": Lionel Witherspoon, a security guard, and Lucia Lombardo a perfume salesperson. Lionel offers Vladimir a place to stay. An immigration lawyer, Orlando Ramirez (Alexandro Rey) give him his card. The first third of the film was set in Moscow, the remaining two thirds is set in NYC.

Mazursky and his co-writer, Leon Capetanos) early on decided to have the first third of the film in Russian. I didn't find the sub-titles disconcerting, and having Russian as the base language for the scenes in Moscow gives the film authenticity. Robin Williams didn't speak Russian nor could he play a saxophone; he learned both in preparation for his part. Vladimir lives with his family in a crowded apartment. The family is mother, father, sister, and grandfather. The actor playing the grandfather spoke no English.

The life in Moscow is pretty bleak; Moscovites stand in line for practically everything: toilet paper, shoes, meat, and they buy gasoline on the black market. Vladimir borrows Anatoly's apartment to have sex with his girlfriend. The grandfather, a former stage comic, blurts out many anti Soviet remarks. The KGB arrive at Vladimir's doorstep and mention his grandfather's remarks and threaten him with imprisonment in a mental institution. They also reveal they know where he has his sexual romps.

The script was written after numerous discussions with emigres. The writing team traveled to Russia to check the veracity of what they had learned and to get a real sense of the living conditions. After a broad search the team selected Munich to stand in for Moscow. Munich not only had appropriate buildings for exteriors, but it had a substantial emigre population, and a one ring circus. One of the emigres recruited an entire group of circus performers to stand in for the Moscow circus, animals were not forgotten. The production designer, Paolo Guzman, did a terrific job with building several sets in Moscow and later in New York. Included in the New York sets was a replica of Bloomingdales cosmetics department.

Vladimir finds work with the help of his lawyer, a Cuban emigre, the jobs are varied, dishwasher, street vendor, hot dog stand owner, and finally limo driver. He finds his own apartment and his relationship with Luci (Maria Conchita Alonso) develops. He attends her naturalization ceremony, but they fight at the after party. His grandfather dies in Moscow, and he is mugged. There is a scene in a cafe where Vladimir and his lawyer stop for coffee. This the low point for Robin's character; he loudly attacks American "Freedom". A huge Russian emigre shouts him down, and the scene ends with a variety of immigrants reciting passages from the Declaration of Independence. Vladimir's future is uncertain, but he finds a job with a band, and he and Luci have a reunion and a rebuilding of their relationship.

The acting is excellent and most of the small scenes work well, but it is Robin Williams' performance which makes this film worth viewing. The film depicts an America with faults, but one which welcomes immigrants, offers them hope, and they become valuable parts of a diverse population.

Perhaps I was too young when I saw this and really always found Robin Williams annoying - but did not like.

 

[zymurg]

"Goodbye Mr. Chips"-Sam Wood-1939

Today I am planning a two-for. "Goodbye Mr. Chips" has been re-made frequently since its first filming in 1939.
The most famous reincarnation was in 1969 as a musical starring Peter O'Toole and Petulia Clark. It was adapted from a novel by James Hilton. Hilton later came to Hollywood where he wrote the screenplay for "Mrs Miniver." His novel "Lost Horizon" was made into a successful film.

Robert Donat portrays Charles Chipping, an English public school teacher from 1870 to 1933. Public school in England is actually what we call a private school in the US. Chipping begins his tenure at Brookfield as a disciplinarian after a disastrous first day. He disciplines one class giving them extra lessons; they all miss an important cricket match which Brookfield looses. After 18 years of undistinguished teaching one of his fellow masters Max Staefel, Paul Henreid, invites Chipping for a hiking holiday on the continent. Chipping finds himself trapped on a mountaintop with an attractive young lady. Katherine Ellis, Greer Garson, and Chipping fall in love. They marry and return to Brookfield. She affectionately calls him Chips; the nickname is soon picked up by students and faculty alike. Chips becomes a popular master with a great sense of humor. Kate dies in childbirth, but Mr Chips goes on. He becomes a beloved institution, and during WWI he becomes headmaster when much of the faculty is serving in the war.

For many years this film set the standard for teacher movies. I remembered it fondly; I am a sucker for feelgood movies, and I was a teacher for many years. I still see the appeal of the film; Donat's performance still moves me, but I find it to be the type of film where I occasionally use the fast forward while viewing. My viewpoint is not shared by many/most critics. I much prefer "October Sky" and "Mr. Holland's Opus" which I will be considering next.

 

[zymurg]

"Mr. Holland's Opus"-Stephen Herek-1995

I believe that if you want to really enjoy this film; you must really suspend disbelief. I will point out one huge plot hole, but now let's begin the story. Glen Holland and his wife Iris settle in suburban Portland, Oregon where he is going to teach music in high school. Holland has played in bands for ten years, but he hopes to
compose classical music. This teaching gig is supposed to be short term to finance a career composing. Here is the first major stumbling point; virtually nobody can support themselves as a classical composer. Holland, Richard Dreyfus, is forced to realize early on that teaching is very difficult. He develops an unlikely friendship with Bill Meister, Jay Thomas, a PE teacher and football coach. The student orchestra is abysmal, perhaps the worst player is Gertrud Lang, Alicia Witt, she is unable to play anything decently. Holland offers to help/tutor her before school. There is only marginal improvement until he gets to know her; he realizes that she must learn to love playing the clarinet before she can really improve. She admits that the thing she likes most about herself is her red hair which her father compares to a sunset. Holland tells her to"play the sunset." There are quibbles about what this means; i believe it is about self-confidence and having confidence being able to enjoy playing music.

This marks the start of Holland's learning to love being a teacher. He soon learns how to involve his students in music by speaking to them in a musical language they understand, rock 'n' roll. The principal, Olympia Dukakis,
also increases his involvement in the school first by putting him on a curriculum committee and later becoming director of the marching band. Glenn and his wife, Iris (Glenne Hardley) have a son. He is named Coltrane for John Coltrane. Cole was born with a 90% hearing loss. Holland has difficulty relating to his son. His signing is imperfect, and his wife has to serve as the intermediary between father and son.

Without giving away the entire plot, by the end of the movie father and son have an excellent relationship. Holland's involvement with John Kennedy High School and his family has left him with almost no time for his composing. In his 31st year Holland finds that the entire music, art, and drama programs are going to be cut. The message is delivered by principal Wolters, William H. Macy in a thankless role. Holland fights the decision before the school board; he loses. On the last day of school he is packing up his stuff to leave forever helped by his wife and son. On the way out they hear music from the auditorium. They discover that there is a going away party for Holland. His wife was the motivating force behind this event. The finale is the debut of Mr. Holland's opus, An American Symphony. This is the major plot hole. Through the entire film we watch how every major musical performance is carefully planned and rehearsed. The orchestra for this debut is composed of orchestra members from all the graduating classes. I'm sorry but this performance is a non starter; this orchestra has never rehearsed. One of the members is Gertrud Lang from the class of '65 and now governor of the state. It strains credulity that the entire event could have been kept from Holland, but this orchestra composed of people many of whom don't reside locally have would never
have been able to rehearse They re playing music they have never even heard much less played. Okay, you get the point, surprisingly I haven't ever seen this point made in reviews.

Dreyfus's performance is top drawer, and the supporting cast is more than solid. Music and news footage mark the passage of time. The original music composed for the film is excellent. This is one of the first of a number of films which supported expansion of the basic curriculum to include as well as music and the arts such diverse areas as chess and ballroom dancing. I really like this film; if this is schmaltz; I say so what.

I'm hoping for some questions about this film; I really have done some research. Did you know that Forrest Whittaker has a look alike brother?

 

[zymurg]

"House of Games"-David Mamet-1987

This is Mamet's first directing effort. He wrote the script with Ross Katz who later directed "Taking Chance." This film had a limited opening in 4 theaters; they decided not to have a wider opening; so the film went almost immediately to video. Originally the film was supposed to have a bigger budget and a name director, Peter Yates was the first choice. I naturally assumed that the film was set in NYC, but it was really shot in Seattle. Mamet assembled some of his favorite character actors from the theater. He brought on Ricky Jay as a resource on con games. Jay was a well known magician; he was even profiled on the PBS show "American Experience." He plays a card sharp; this was his first of many film roles. He is a dynamite character. This film
is probably the most realistic depiction of con games in American cinema.

Margaret Ford is a psychologist and successful author. Her book, "Driven:Obsession and Compulsion in Everyday Life" is a best seller. She teaches classes, and sees private patients. One of her patients says he owes
$25,000 to a heavy; if he doesn't pay he will be killed. He pulls a gun and threatens to kill himself., Dr Ford convinces him to give her the gun. She, Lindsey Crouse, promises to help him. She gets a name and address,
Mike and the House of Games. She meets Mike, Joe Mantegna, and the debt is only $800 which Mike will forgive if she helps him in a card game. She is to tell Mike if Vegas Man (Ricky Jay) uses it during a big hand.
She sees the tell while Mike is out of the room. She backs Mike's play and she looses $6,000. She writes a check to cash when she notices that the gun they are being threatened with is a water pistol. She is intrigued and tells Mike that she wants to do a book on con games.

The remainder of the movie details ever more complicated cons. Without revealing any more of the plot; the cons and the dialogue are entertaining. The big weak point for me is Lindsay Crouse; her performance is a little flat. The film has three endings. The supporting actors and Joe Mantegna are first rate. The second ending seems a little contrived, but the third ending is chilling. If this type of film is something you are at all interested in; this is a must see. Mamet made a number of other interesting films "Things Change" and Red Belt" are two I liked.

 

[zymurg]

Extra value: "Friends and Romans" is an HBO film. I have had a designation of cookie books for those works of fiction which taste good, but have no real value as nutrition for the mind. This film falls into that category. A group of part time actors in mob films decide to rent a theater and put on Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" for one night. It has a sub plot about his daughter's attempt to star in a high school musical. There are quite a few laughs with no socially redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Next up "Almost Famous" followed by "The Bicycle Thief."

 

[zymurg]

"Almost Famous"-Cameron Crowe-2000

It's 1973 and Rock 'n Roll is almost dying according to Lester Bangs. I read "Creem"; Iiked it better than "Rolling Stone." There was a great record store in Hartford which sold among other things import singles and EP's. Twice I saved them money when I pulled albums from the used racks which were worth in the $30 to $50 range. Those days are long past, when this film was made, they were already a distant memory. Pop music is by its nature is ephemeral. In 2000 Cameron Crowe was green lit to make a film about his career as a teenage music journalist.

Billy Miller, Patrick Fugit, was raised by a single parent, Elaine Miller, Frances McDormand ; she teaches college. Billy has an older sister, Anita, Zoey Deschanel, who constantly fights with their mother. She leaves to become a stewardess, but she leaves her coveted rock albums under the bed for her brother. Four years pass, Billy is writing rock criticism for his school paper and a local underground paper. He has been sending his columns to Lester Bangs, Philip Seymour Hofffman, and he appears in San Diego. They meet and Bangs hires him to write a review of a Black Sabbath concert. Billy tries to get in backstage, but he is refused three times. He meets up with the Band Aids, sort of super groupies, but he is only able to get in when he shocks a band, Stillwater, with his knowledge of their art. This begins his amazing road trip with the band. The premier rock journal, "Rolling Stone" agrees to pay him $1000 to write a story of the tour.

Billy goes on the tour and makes friends with "Stillwater." Russell Hammond, Billy Crudup, is the lead guitarist and band leader. Billy feels that he has become particularly close to him. He becomes close to Penny Lane, Kate Hudson, the "leader" of the Band Aids. Billy falls in love with her, and actually saves her life when he gets medical aid when she overdoses. Billy writes his story, calls Lester Bangs late at night, but the band members deny the truth of what he has written. The film does show a "Rolling Stone" cover which proclaims: "Stillwater Runs Deep."

Roger Ebert says that this is primarily a coming of age story; he's right, but the music is great. Crowe used all of his skills to get releases, co-write original songs for Stillwater, find a great musical director, Peter Frampton, and create a working band. He talks about Stillwater playing for the after party and then going their separate ways. From everything available this was a great set. The acting was terrific, all the major roles were brilliantly cast, and the interplay among the characters is spot on.

Is this a truly great film, probably not, but it is near great. It is is the type of film which helps one bring up memories of one's own past with clarity. It stands up to repeated viewings, and it can provide several hours of real pleasure to share. I hope many of you will put this on your to see list. Of course if you have the DVD, you can play it tonight.

 

[Waquoit]

"Almost Famous"-Cameron Crowe-2000

It's 1973 and Rock 'n Roll is almost dying according to Lester Bangs. I read "Creem"; Iiked it better than "Rolling Stone." ... Crowe used all of his skills to get releases, co-write original songs for Stillwater, find a great musical director, Peter Frampton,

FYI, they are showing Boy Howdy! The Story of Creem Magazine at Cafe 9 this Sunday.

Mitch Hedberg was in Almost Famous. I always liked the story he told at the beginning of this clip about being onset with Peter Frampton (contains f-bomb):

 

[zymurg]

"The Bicycle Thief" or more correctly "The Bicycle Thieves"-Vittorio De Sica-1948

One thing about writing these previews is that I find myself garnering mountains of obscure material. I always assumed that the proper translation of the film's title is "The Bicycle Thief"; the plural is the correct translation.
DeSica began as an actor in the early days of sound after a period on the stage. His forte was light comedies; he was a matinee idol. His first films were also light comedies, but during WWII he started making more realistic films. In fact he was one of sages of the Italian Neo Realism movement. "The Bicycle Thieves" is generally considered his finest film. It is still shown in virtually every film school as part of the curriculum. I saw it first at a college film show. De Sica uses non professional actors. The star, Lamberto Maggiorani, was an out of work brick layer. His wife in the film was a journalist trying to interview DeSica. The son, Enzo Staiola, was a bystander watching the filming. De Sica financed the film with his own money and loans from friends.

The story is simple a man has been trying for a job for a year, finally his name comes up in the crowd of men waiting for jobs. He has a job putting up posters, but to qualify for a job he needs his bicycle. Unfortunately, he has pawned it. His wife raises the money to get the bike out of hock by pawning the family sheets which were part of her dowry. The morning he goes to his first day of work, he takes his nine year old son to his job at a petrol station. An experienced co-worker shows him how to put up the posters. While he is on a ladder putting up a Rita Hayworth poster, his bicycle is stolen He runs after the thief to no avail. He is late picking up his son; he reported the theft to the police. The police say that they won't look for the bike; it's his responsibility. Despite the help of friends, their search of a local market for bikes and many other things doesn't turn up the bike. This and other failures dominate the film causing the protagonist to remark: "You live; you suffer."

The film ends with Lamberto attempting to steal a bike;he fails, but at least the bike's owner declines to press charges. Father and son walk off together towards an uncertain future without a job. The film won a special Oscar in 1950; there were no Oscars for foreign films then. The film moves through Rome using real settings and not film sets. We see a police station, a government office, the apartment of a psychic, streets all over Rome, a bridge, a river, a restaurant, a giant pawnshop, throngs of people pushing on street cars, and the market. Everything looks real, because it s real. The actors are excellent; the final scene where the father and son walk off camera is moving. Their facial expressions show them trying to hide fear, loss, and they walk away from the camera; there is no real hope. This story is finished in uncertainty.

This is not a feel good movie; DeSica gives us an uncompromising look into the post war life of the poor Romans. Compared with movies being made in Hollywood; this film and others like it stirred audiences in Europe and the US. De Sica's last great neo-realistic film, "Umberto D" was a major commercial failure less than five years later. Neo realism had an influence on film noir, and on the early works of Satyajit Ray, the great Indian director. Highly recommended; this a great and influential film.

 

[zymurg]

"Ratatouille"-Brad Bird-2007

This film comes from Pixar, the great animation studio. It is the first feature to come from Pixar after it was purchased by Disney for 15 Billion $. The budget was $150,000,000. It was well spent. For those with a special interest in animation; there is more than abundant material available. Google Pixar. The chief character is Remy, a rat voiced by Patton Oswalt. The animation is so good that Remy has multiple facial and body expressions. Remy is gifted his senses of smell and taste are superb. Initially, he is given the job of poison detector for his extended rat family. Remy discovers food as opposed to garbage. He wants more than anything else to cook food. His entry to the world of haute cuisine is through Chef Gasteau. He reads Gasteau's best selling book, "Anyone Can Cook." He also watches him on TV. He begins cooking, but he is discovered by the old woman whose house he inhabits. She attempts to kill him; she succeeds in driving him and his family from her house.

After a harrowing escape, Remy finds himself in the sewer beneath Gasteau's restaurant. He establishes a symbiotic relationship with Linguini (Lou Romano) a dishwasher. Remy will handle the cooking using Linguini's body. He controls it through pulling his hair. Gasteau died after a negative review from Anto Ego, the great food critic,Peter O'Toole. The restaurant is in decline; it is run by Skinner, Ian Holm, the former sous chef. Will Linguini/Remy bring Gasteau's back to the pinnacle of haute cuisine? The odds are against it; Skinner is plotting and Anto Ego plans a new devastating review. Remy brings forth a ratatouille that takes the critic back to his childhood. The restaurant is closed because of a rat infestation, but there is still time for a happy ending.
With Ego's financial backing a bistro, Ratatouille with a rat chef symbollic weather vane opens successfully'

For those interested, ratatouille is a vegetable stew, the dish in the film is a variant. The vegetables are sliced very fine and baked under pastry, rather than being in large pieces and boiled. I like this film; I laugh out loud in places. Brad Bird did a great job writing the dialogue. There is a lot of well conceived action, and you certainly root for Remy and linguini. This is also one of the all time great movies about food. Perhaps this is not for every taste, however, animation fans find it beguiling and foodies find it delightful, and it is very funny. Highly recommended.

 

[Waquoit]

"The Bicycle Thief" or more correctly "The Bicycle Thieves"-Vittorio De Sica-1948
This is not a feel good movie;... Highly recommended; this a great and influential film.

This is not an escape movie but I can't agree more with "highly recommended". It stays with you. One scene that'll never forget is almost background; the nuns pulling food away from a desperate, starving man because he hadn't gone to Mass.

 

[zymurg]

"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.