Films Worth Viewing

[zymurg]

"The Battleship Potemkin"-Sergei Eisenstein-1925

Well into the 21st century this was considered one of the ten most influential films ever made. This is another one of those films I saw first the college film society. I am going to try and make a cogent argument as to why this is a must see. If you have an interest in cinema history and/or film technique; you may well already have seen this film; if not it should go on a to be viewed list now. If you are interested in the social impact of films and/or propaganda; this is a must see. Those of you who watch films for enjoyment are probably rolling your eyes upward at the sky at this moment. It is silent and in black and white, and I don't care how good the backstory is. My last gasp argument is memorable visual images. The type of images you can remember 50 years later without difficulty; this film has them. If I haven't caught your interest by now; return to whatever you were doing before.

This film was commissioned as part of an 8 film celebration of the 20th anniversary of the 1905 revolution. This is the only film which was actually made. Russia lost a war against Japan; there was massive urban discontent about working conditions, and there was a culmination of a long drive for constitutional government which resulted in a working Duma. The revolt of the crew of a Russian battleship was remarkable; naval mutiny is rare, and in Russia it was unheard of. What made this even more significant was that urban protesters and the sailors worked together. The first point of conflict was over rotten meat full of maggots. The sailors refused to eat the borscht; this behavior would not be tolerated by the officers. When the officers couldn't get the sailors to eat the food; they had a group of protestors covered with canvas and ordered them to be shot by a firing squad. At this point Vakulnichuk (the protest leader) tells the firing squad not to shoot; they don't, and the sailors take over the ship.

On land there are massive protests in Odessa; thousands march in the streets. Vakulnichuk's body is brought ashore as a rallying point. The city dwellers send provisions to the Battleship. Protest leaders from the city speak to the sailors aboard the Potemkin. The government has become worried; troops are sent to restore order. These troops are Cossacks, brutal mounted troops from the interior. They have been used by the Tsar's to put down revolts and terrorize minorities. They kill hundreds of men women and children in the city.

The film is divided into five chapters; the most famous chapter is "The Odessa Steps." The sequence wasn't n the original script, and it is ahistorical. Remember this film was conceived as a propaganda effort. Eisenstein and Edward Tisse, the cinematographer, designed a complicated sequence. Dismounted Cossacks appear at the top of a seemingly endless series of stairs. They are armed with rifles; they fire into the crowd. The crowd breaks up and hundreds start running down the steps away from shooters. Early a mother loses contact with her son; he is shot. She runs back and picks him up; she continues with the child in her arms running not away but toward the shooters. There are other images presented in a montage: a woman is shot in the face, a man with glasses is shot and then we view his glasses with a hole through the lens ; the Cossacks pause and then march metronomically down the steps, boots in perfect unison; they stop and fire again; we see little clusters of people crouching to hide; the troops keep moving down the stairs, but now they are joined by mounted Cossacks who attack people fleeing the shooting; a mother is shot in the stomach; she falls back into her baby carriage, and it bounces down the steps with her baby inside, and finally a woman with glasses
screams, and screams, and screams; her open mouthed anguish is shown multiple times.

One final note the film didn't have a score to be played when it was originally shown; however since that time many classical composers have written scores; the have been joined by many pop composers like the Beastie Boys. This is readily available in a variety of free downloads. Finally, when the film was first shown Eisenstein literally painted on the frames so that the flag the mutineers raise on the Potemkin would be red when the film was shown.

This is a great and enduring film. It still retains the ability to shock and move the viewer over 90 years from its first viewing.

 

[dbmill]

"The Battleship Potemkin"-Sergei Eisenstein-1925

Well into the 21st century this was considered one of the ten most influential films ever made. This is another one of those films I saw first the college film society. I am going to try and make a cogent argument as to why this is a must see. If you have an interest in cinema history and/or film technique; you may well already have seen this film; if not it should go on a to be viewed list now. If you are interested in the social impact of films and/or propaganda; this is a must see. Those of you who watch films for enjoyment are probably rolling your eyes upward at the sky at this moment. It is silent and in black and white, and I don't care how good the backstory is. My last gasp argument is memorable visual images. The type of images you can remember 50 years later without difficulty; this film has them. If I haven't caught your interest by now; return to whatever you were doing before.

This film was commissioned as part of an 8 film celebration of the 20th anniversary of the 1905 revolution. This is the only film which was actually made. Russia lost a war against Japan; there was massive urban discontent about working conditions, and there was a culmination of a long drive for constitutional government which resulted in a working Duma. The revolt of the crew of a Russian battleship was remarkable; naval mutiny is rare, and in Russia it was unheard of. What made this even more significant was that urban protesters and the sailors worked together. The first point of conflict was over rotten meat full of maggots. The sailors refused to eat the borscht; this behavior would not be tolerated by the officers. When the officers couldn't get the sailors to eat the food; they had a group of protestors covered with canvas and ordered them to be shot by a firing squad. At this point Vakulnichuk (the protest leader) tells the firing squad not to shoot; they don't, and the sailors take over the ship.

On land there are massive protests in Odessa; thousands march in the streets. Vakulnichuk's body is brought ashore as a rallying point. The city dwellers send provisions to the Battleship. Protest leaders from the city speak to the sailors aboard the Potemkin. The government has become worried; troops are sent to restore order. These troops are Cossacks, brutal mounted troops from the interior. They have been used by the Tsar's to put down revolts and terrorize minorities. They kill hundreds of men women and children in the city.

The film is divided into five chapters; the most famous chapter is "The Odessa Steps." The sequence wasn't n the original script, and it is ahistorical. Remember this film was conceived as a propaganda effort. Eisenstein and Edward Tisse, the cinematographer, designed a complicated sequence. Dismounted Cossacks appear at the top of a seemingly endless series of stairs. They are armed with rifles; they fire into the crowd. The crowd breaks up and hundreds start running down the steps away from shooters. Early a mother loses contact with her son; he is shot. She runs back and picks him up; she continues with the child in her arms running not away but toward the shooters. There are other images presented in a montage: a woman is shot in the face, a man with glasses is shot and then we view his glasses with a hole through the lens ; the Cossacks pause and then march metronomically down the steps, boots in perfect unison; they stop and fire again; we see little clusters of people crouching to hide; the troops keep moving down the stairs, but now they are joined by mounted Cossacks who attack people fleeing the shooting; a mother is shot in the stomach; she falls back into her baby carriage, and it bounces down the steps with her baby inside, and finally a woman with glasses
screams, and screams, and screams; her open mouthed anguish is shown multiple times.

One final note the film didn't have a score to be played when it was originally shown; however since that time many classical composers have written scores; the have been joined by many pop composers like the Beastie Boys. This is readily available in a variety of free downloads. Finally, when the film was first shown Eisenstein literally painted on the frames so that the flag the mutineers raise on the Potemkin would be red when the film was shown.

This is a great and enduring film. It still retains the ability to shock and move the viewer over 90 years from its first viewing.

The Odessa Steps sequence is one of the most famous set pieces in film history. I've heard that it is also one of the most copied sequences around in subsequent films. I believe it.

 

[zymurg]

"The Body Snatcher"-Robert Wise-1945

I assume that most of you are familiar with the classic Universal horror films. In the early '30's with the advent of sound horror films became even more popular than they had been during the silent era. "Frankenstein" and "Dracula" were the gold standard, but there were other classics i.e. "The Invisible Man" and "The Wolfman." Other studios produced horror films. RKO a citizen of "poverty row" wanted the ability to make quick low cost B films which could be second features. They hired Val Lewton to produce these and other films which could be made quickly; the average time was 18 days of shooting. Lewton added his insights to the horror genre; he was interested in psychological horror, rather than relying on monsters. His first film for RKO was "Cat People." It was a huge success financially and critically. This success gave Lewton some influence with the studio heads; he used it in several ways. He found young directors, and he signed Boris Karloff to a two picture deal at RKO.

Lewton was clever in choosing literary sources; he adapted works of prominent authors which were in the public domain. "The Body Snatcher" movie is based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson; yes, the author of "Kim", "The Jungle Book", and "Treasure Island." The initial treatment was rejected by the censors; Lewton revised the script and it was approved. According to Wise Lewton did produce the final shooting script for all/nearly all of his films. He never took screen credit, but for this movie he took credit under an alias.

The story is based on the crimes of Burke and Hare who supplied bodies to doctors for use in teaching anatomy.
In "Oliver Twist" there were called "resurrection men." In Scotland they were called body snatchers. Burke and Hare didn't just dig up corpses; they created them. They were "Burked" suffocated by a hand. The film has two key characters Cabman John Gray (Boris Karloff) and Dr. McFarlane (Henry Danell). Gray supplies corpses for Dr. McFarlane. They have a history going back to McFarlane's student days when they both were body snatchers. They were acquainted with Burke and Hare. The film opens with Gray's cab arriving at the medical school McFarlane heads. Gray charms a paralyzed girl passenger. She and her mother have come to McFarlane to beg him to operate on Meg.

There is a balance in the film between the good that medicine can do and the evil of the "Body Snatchers". Gray gets paid 10 pounds for each body; this was a huge sum in 1831 Scotland. We are of course going to get Gray murdering to get bodies. The porter/handyman for the school,Joseph (Bela Lugosi) attempts to blackmail Gray "Burks" him. He has already committed murder of a blind street singer to provide a needed body. Gray has leverage over McFarlane because of their shared past. He is forced to dismember the the bodies of Gray's victims for anatomy class.

Robert Wise, the director, was an editor for Orson Welles when he was at RKO. He actually ended up directing some scenes in "The Magnificent Ambersons" to preserve continuity after the major cuts RKO forced. Wise was brought into finish "Curse of the Cat People" when the director was working too slowly.
Wise became a very solid director, but here he acknowledges learning from Lewton, and from Boris Karloff.
Let me mention two particularly well shot atmospheric scenes. The opening scene with Gray and Meg almost makes Karloff seem cuddly. This pays off when Meg who has refused even to try and stand after her operation, stands because she thinks she hears Gray's horse. The second scene is the off stage death of the street singer; the song just stops. It had gotten softer as she moved away from the camera into a covered alley way. When Gray and his cab follows her into the alley; we know what is going to happen; we don't need to see the actual crime. This was set up early on in the film; on several occasions we see the street singer, and we see how she travels home. That is craft.

Well worth a view. Lewton has a zombie picture set in Haiti based on a Bronte novel. The "Cat People" involves a hereditary curse. Horror with a difference, but still class on view despite limited budgets and quick shooting schedules.

 

[dbmill]

"The Body Snatcher"-Robert Wise-1945

I assume that most of you are familiar with the classic Universal horror films. In the early '30's with the advent of sound horror films became even more popular than they had been during the silent era. "Frankenstein" and "Dracula" were the gold standard, but there were other classics i.e. "The Invisible Man" and "The Wolfman." Other studios produced horror films. RKO a citizen of "poverty row" wanted the ability to make quick low cost B films which could be second features. They hired Val Lewton to produce these and other films which could be made quickly; the average time was 18 days of shooting. Lewton added his insights to the horror genre; he was interested in psychological horror, rather than relying on monsters. His first film for RKO was "Cat People." It was a huge success financially and critically. This success gave Lewton some influence with the studio heads; he used it in several ways. He found young directors, and he signed Boris Karloff to a two picture deal at RKO.

Lewton was clever in choosing literary sources; he adapted works of prominent authors which were in the public domain. "The Body Snatcher" movie is based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson; yes, the author of "Kim", "The Jungle Book", and "Treasure Island." The initial treatment was rejected by the censors; Lewton revised the script and it was approved. According to Wise Lewton did produce the final shooting script for all/nearly all of his films. He never took screen credit, but for this movie he took credit under an alias.

The story is based on the crimes of Burke and Hare who supplied bodies to doctors for use in teaching anatomy.
In "Oliver Twist" there were called "resurrection men." In Scotland they were called body snatchers. Burke and Hare didn't just dig up corpses; they created them. They were "Burked" suffocated by a hand. The film has two key characters Cabman John Gray (Boris Karloff) and Dr. McFarlane (Henry Danell). Gray supplies corpses for Dr. McFarlane. They have a history going back to McFarlane's student days when they both were body snatchers. They were acquainted with Burke and Hare. The film opens with Gray's cab arriving at the medical school McFarlane heads. Gray charms a paralyzed girl passenger. She and her mother have come to McFarlane to beg him to operate on Meg.

There is a balance in the film between the good that medicine can do and the evil of the "Body Snatchers". Gray gets paid 10 pounds for each body; this was a huge sum in 1831 Scotland. We are of course going to get Gray murdering to get bodies. The porter/handyman for the school,Joseph (Bela Lugosi) attempts to blackmail Gray "Burks" him. He has already committed murder of a blind street singer to provide a needed body. Gray has leverage over McFarlane because of their shared past. He is forced to dismember the the bodies of Gray's victims for anatomy class.

Robert Wise, the director, was an editor for Orson Welles when he was at RKO. He actually ended up directing some scenes in "The Magnificent Ambersons" to preserve continuity after the major cuts RKO forced. Wise was brought into finish "Curse of the Cat People" when the director was working too slowly.
Wise became a very solid director, but here he acknowledges learning from Lewton, and from Boris Karloff.
Let me mention two particularly well shot atmospheric scenes. The opening scene with Gray and Meg almost makes Karloff seem cuddly. This pays off when Meg who has refused even to try and stand after her operation, stands because she thinks she hears Gray's horse. The second scene is the off stage death of the street singer; the song just stops. It had gotten softer as she moved away from the camera into a covered alley way. When Gray and his cab follows her into the alley; we know what is going to happen; we don't need to see the actual crime. This was set up early on in the film; on several occasions we see the street singer, and we see how she travels home. That is craft.

Well worth a view. Lewton has a zombie picture set in Haiti based on a Bronte novel. The "Cat People" involves a hereditary curse. Horror with a difference, but still class on view despite limited budgets and quick shooting schedules.

The Body Snatcher is one of my favorite horror movies. My wife considers it essential viewing during this time of year as Halloween approaches. The combination of Boris Karloff and Henry Daniell is wonderful in this film. For my money it is one of Karloff's best performances, as he provides both an odd charm plus his usual threatening air that surrounds him in his films. Others in this Val Lewton series that my wife and I think quite highly of are "Cat People" and "I Walked With a Zombie". If you like "Cat People", then the follow up "Curse of the Cat People" is worth checking out as well.

 

[zymurg]

"Funny Bones"-Peter Chelsom-1995

I first learned about Chelsom form the film :"Hear My Song" which features a rare lead and super performance by Ned Beatty as Joseph Locke, a famous Irish tenor, who can't perform in Ireland because of tax problems. If you can find it; it is well worth viewing. Chelsom both wrote the script and directed both "Funny Bones" and "Hear My Song." The man has an unusual viewpoint on reality. It is messy and complicated, and unexpected happenings to quote Robert Burns: "The best laid plans of mice and men gang oft aglee."

The opening sequence involves the transfer of contraband on the high seas. It seems totally out of place with the second opening where after years of trying Tommy Fawkes (Oliver Pratt) son of a comedy legend George Fawkes (Jerry Lewis) is opening a two week engagement as a headliner on the Vegas strip. Tommy remarks several times: "I'm going to die." This is of course what happens when flop sweat stops your breathing. When the high sea exchange goes wrong, another character, Jack Parker (Lee Evans) adrift in the ocean states:"I'm going to die." Tommy of course fails on stage and departs for Blackpool, England. He was born in Blackpool and lived there for his first six years. His goal is to find comic material routines rather than jokes. There is a scene where various vaudeville acts perform for Tommy. He pays 50 pounds for a view, and more is promised if the material is used. This reminds me of a scene in the "Commitments" where we see auditions for the band. That movie was released in 1991.

George Fawkes, who filled in for his son in Vegas, follows Tommy to Blackpool. There are family secrets to bring out into the open, and ends to tie up in the smuggling operation which opened the movie. I think this is a hidden gem; the major performances: Oliver Pratt, Lee Evans, Jerry Lewis, and Leslie Caron are textured and complex. The photography is top notch; the viewer gets a real sense of place. The dialogue is sharp; one of my favorite lines is Tommy Fawkes asking of a promoter: "Why do all the best things in life belong to the past?" Or as Francois Villon put it: "Mais, ou sont les neiges d'autan?"

I really like this part comedy, part family drama, part nostalgia trip, part magic, and part crime drama. It refuses to be put in a box. I'll definitely be watching this again. My highest recommendation.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

reporting back from my first viewing of the Potemkin film. worthwhile. thanks..

 

[zymurg]

Tis the season

"Wolfman"-George Waggner-1941

"Every man who is pure of heart, and says his prayers at night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright." This quote is used multiple times in this film, and it turns up in films over the next 60 years. Actually this isn't the first wolfman film; Universal tried several times to promote the wolfman.
This effort scripted by Cliff Siodomak established some of the basic rules of the genre. These creatures were vulnerable to silver, bullets, chains, and in this particular case a cane with a silver wolfshead. There were five additional appearances of the wolfman in Universal horror films all played by Lon Chaney Jr.

Larry Talbot returns home after 18 years of absence and the death of his brother. Larry (Lon Chaney Jr.) has a distant relationship with his father Sir John (Claude Rains), but he going to be managing the family estate. Larry helps his father by setting up a telescope. Using the telescope he sees Gwen Conliffe (Elizabeth Ankers). He finds her attractive; he goes to her father's antique shop. He ends up buying a walking stick topped with a silver wolf's head. He wants to date Elizabeth, but he ends up walking out with both Elizabeth and her friend Jenny. She wants to have her fortune told. Jenny seeks out Bela (Bela Lugosi) a gypsy fortune teller. While telling her fortune, he sees a five pointed star in her hand. That marks her as his next victim; Bela is a werewolf. Jenny leaves and Bella follows her and kills her. Her screams alert Elizabeth and Larry; he rushes to help her; he is too late, but he kills the werewolf with his walking stick. Out of the mist a cart emerges driven by Maleva (Maria Ospenskya). She is Bela's mother. She takes the wounded Larry back to Talbot Castle.

We now have the basic setup. Of course Larry becomes a werewolf, and he does terrible things, and he is hunted. In the wolf state he has no control over his actions, but he does remember them. The wolfman has become a favored character in supernatural stories; many times as an adjunct to vampires as in "True Blood" or featured as a principal "Bitten" for example. Some aspects have emerged not covered by the Siodomak script. These include the pack, and the ability to change without the aid of the full moon.

This is a fun movie, but not anywhere near a must see. However, it is important as a starting point for understanding werewolves. "An American Werewolf in London"-John Landis-1981 was a major disappointment. Landis has a major reputation; he directed "Animal House" and "Blues Brothers" among a host of other solid films. Interestingly, this werewolf film has many positive reviews. I will acknowledge that the werewolf change sequences are brilliant. Rick Baker won the Oscar for his makeup/changes. This job is so famous that they made a documentary short 20 years later. There are some okay parts the initial visit to the Slaughtered Lamb being one of the best. The story has two American backpackers traveling in the North of England. They meet up with a werewolf; one is killed the other wounded. The wounded backpacker is sent to a London hospital. His wounds heal, but he begins having nightmares including seeing his dead friend. He falls in love with his nurse, and upon his release from hospital she puts him up. He turns during the full moon, and he goes on a killing rampage. He doesn't really remember the rampage when he comes back to his human form. BTW this is a full change unlike the "Wolfman" change where we see only the feet and the face change. The rest of the body is clothed. So my advice is watch the wolfman and try to find the transformation scene from "American Werewolf" on the net.

More horror to watch in the near future because tis' the season.

 

[zymurg]

reporting back from my first viewing of the Potemkin film. worthwhile. thanks..

Thank you. I am planning to create at least a table of contents and maybe an index for this series.

 

[nwhoopfan]

There were five additional appearances of the wolfman in Universal horror films all played by Lon Chaney Jr.

Haven't seen any of the movies, but I have been to the cabin he built that is now in a National Park in California. Sweet location. It was locked up tight so I couldn't go inside but it looked cool from the outside.

 

[dbmill]

Tis the season

"Wolfman"-George Waggner-1941

"Every man who is pure of heart, and says his prayers at night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright." This quote is used multiple times in this film, and it turns up in films over the next 60 years. Actually this isn't the first wolfman film; Universal tried several times to promote the wolfman.
This effort scripted by Cliff Siodomak established some of the basic rules of the genre. These creatures were vulnerable to silver, bullets, chains, and in this particular case a cane with a silver wolfshead. There were five additional appearances of the wolfman in Universal horror films all played by Lon Chaney Jr.

Larry Talbot returns home after 18 years of absence and the death of his brother. Larry (Lon Chaney Jr.) has a distant relationship with his father Sir John (Claude Rains), but he going to be managing the family estate. Larry helps his father by setting up a telescope. Using the telescope he sees Gwen Conliffe (Elizabeth Ankers). He finds her attractive; he goes to her father's antique shop. He ends up buying a walking stick topped with a silver wolf's head. He wants to date Elizabeth, but he ends up walking out with both Elizabeth and her friend Jenny. She wants to have her fortune told. Jenny seeks out Bela (Bela Lugosi) a gypsy fortune teller. While telling her fortune, he sees a five pointed star in her hand. That marks her as his next victim; Bela is a werewolf. Jenny leaves and Bella follows her and kills her. Her screams alert Elizabeth and Larry; he rushes to help her; he is too late, but he kills the werewolf with his walking stick. Out of the mist a cart emerges driven by Maleva (Maria Ospenskya). She is Bela's mother. She takes the wounded Larry back to Talbot Castle.

We now have the basic setup. Of course Larry becomes a werewolf, and he does terrible things, and he is hunted. In the wolf state he has no control over his actions, but he does remember them. The wolfman has become a favored character in supernatural stories; many times as an adjunct to vampires as in "True Blood" or featured as a principal "Bitten" for example. Some aspects have emerged not covered by the Siodomak script. These include the pack, and the ability to change without the aid of the full moon.

This is a fun movie, but not anywhere near a must see. However, it is important as a starting point for understanding werewolves. "An American Werewolf in London"-John Landis-1981 was a major disappointment. Landis has a major reputation; he directed "Animal House" and "Blues Brothers" among a host of other solid films. Interestingly, this werewolf film has many positive reviews. I will acknowledge that the werewolf change sequences are brilliant. Rick Baker won the Oscar for his makeup/changes. This job is so famous that they made a documentary short 20 years later. There are some okay parts the initial visit to the Slaughtered Lamb being one of the best. The story has two American backpackers traveling in the North of England. They meet up with a werewolf; one is killed the other wounded. The wounded backpacker is sent to a London hospital. His wounds heal, but he begins having nightmares including seeing his dead friend. He falls in love with his nurse, and upon his release from hospital she puts him up. He turns during the full moon, and he goes on a killing rampage. He doesn't really remember the rampage when he comes back to his human form. BTW this is a full change unlike the "Wolfman" change where we see only the feet and the face change. The rest of the body is clothed. So my advice is watch the wolfman and try to find the transformation scene from "American Werewolf" on the net.

More horror to watch in the near future because tis' the season.

I've seen "Wolf Man" a couple of times, but it is not burned into my brain like some other movies are from this time period. I'm inclined to agree with this review, a solid watchable movie but not necessarily a must see. On the other hand, my wife has seen "Wolf Man" more than I have, and she just loves it. She's a big Lugosi fan, so that no doubt helps quite a bit.

 

[zymurg]

"The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari"-Robert Wiene-1920

This is one of the most influential silent films ever. If and when you watch this film, you will immediately notice that the background is weird. Everything is slanted. The sets were made of paper and painted. Then there is the iris thing. The viewer is often moved visually by the opening and/or closing of the iris. It somewhat takes the place of a fadeout. The basic story is told narrative style, but the backdrop is very unusual. We are not used to the iris technique. The sets could only be shot head on; they had only one dimension in most cases. Is this German Expressionism; or could it be budget limitations? Many things were rationed in post WWI Germany. Electricity was one of them. This helps to explain why in several scenes paint replaces lighting for on screen effects. German Expressionism often used madness for effect; the single most famous painting is Edward Munch's "The Scream."

Two of the central charactersr. Caligari (Werner Kraus) and Cesare (Conrad Veidt) have makeup which accentuates their otherness. Their looks influenced horror films for generations. The German Film Industry depended upon export markets. There was a post war depression/currency inflation in Germany; Hollywood had taken over the international film market. Comedy was king. German film makers were looking for something different. There were horror efforts as early as 1913 ("Student of Prague"). Wiene made one other famous horror film, "The Hands of Orlac",and quite a few others like "Genuine" which are essentially unavailable.
Then there other on the edge films like"M" and "Metropolis". Of course the Nazi's takeover changed the film industry, most leading lights fled Germany. Many ended up in the US like Conrad Veidt, Major Steiner, or Billy Wilder. Some left even earlier; Michael Curtiz (Hungary) and Ernst Lubistsch in the mid to late twenties.

Before I forget, I need to mention the site "Open Culture" which directs you to over 1,150 free films on various sites. Yes, "The Cabinet..." is one of them. I'm disinclined to go into a synopis, but I will be very brief.
A carnival comes to a town in Germany. One of the acts is Dr. Caligari and a sonambulist , Cesare. Murders occur in the town. Francis takes the lead in solving the murders. Then there is a 180 degree shift in viewpoint. Okay, this is one of those films taught in film courses. That doesn't have to be a bad thing. This is one of the very few films I haven't seen before. I watched, and then I watched it with a commentary. How does this compare with other silents? I just watched the 1920 "Dr Jeckyl and Mister Hyde" starring John Barrymore; that's a decent film, but this is not only more important, but a whole lot better. It is very striking visually, and the story is pretty decent. Highly recommended, but not a Potemkin.

I was supposed to do four reviews today; obviously I fell short. Maximum push tomorrow and Saturday.

 

[zymurg]

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"

This story was adapted from a Robert Louis Stevenson novella. It was quickly adapted for the stage. The stage adaptation added the female characters. A successful London production was closed when in some minds the lead actor was suspected of being Jack the Ripper. In 1920 a famous silent movie was made directed by John Robertson and starring John Barrymore in the title role. Barrymore was appearing on the Broadway stage while the film was being made. It was filmed in a rooftop studio on 44th street.

Jekyll has a fiance, Millicent Carewe, whose father is quite a rake. Jekyll runs a clinic for the poor and is a noted researcher; he is an exemplary man. Sir George Carewe attacks his probity as a sign of weakness. He says that he has experienced and, Jekyll is cutting himself off from half of human experience. " Your really strong man fears nothing. It is the weak one who is afraid of experience." Jekyll takes up the challenge. He develops a serum which allows him to separate the good and evil in a man. Not only is the change mental and moral; it has a physical manifestation as well. Sir George takes his daughter abroad; Jekyll uses this opportunity to live for several weeks fully as Hyde. He takes up with a dance hall girl , Gina (Nita Naldi). Barrymore literally found her dancing in a revue on Broadway. She became a big star often paired with Ruldolph Valentino. Jekyll tires her and forces her out of the apartment. He takes a ring from her which contains poison. The change which initially required a serum now occurs spontaneously but only from Jekyll to Hyde. Jekyll tries to maintain his identity and re-establish his romance with Millicent. However, when he is threatened by Sir George; Hyde manifests and he murders Sir George. One key element of the serum is unavailable, so Jekyll knows that he cannot become himself again if he transforms into Hyde. His only way out is to take his own life with the poison.

This film was a huge hit with audiences. The critical reception was mixed. Barrymore was universally praised,
but otherwise the critical reception was mixed. For some the subject matter was the problem; there were issues of morality. Readily available for free streaming, worth a look. The transformation is very good, and Barrymore is a quality actor.

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"-Victor Fleming-1941

MGM bought up the rights to the 1931 Paramount production starring Frederic March in an Oscar winning performance. The MGM production was attacked roundly by the critics, for good reason. Fleming was a disaster. He physically assaulted his principal actresses to elevate their performances. The Legion of Decency was already on the case of Ingrid Bergman for being an immoral person (Roberto Rossellini). Reports vary as to whether she wanted the role of Iris the barmaid. It was the bigger female role, but casting Lana Turner as the innocent, demure Beatrice is a stretch. This is far from Spencer Tracey's finest hour; he wanted Katherine Hepburn to play both roles. Well it isn't actually awful, but the 31 Jekyll is available for free streaming.

 

[zymurg]

A little vampire music

"John Carpenter's Vampires' -1998

This is a lesser work from a terror master. I'm offering it up because it has a few very interesting attributes. Carpenter plays fast and loose with some key parts of well documented vampire mythos. First the first vampire was a heretical priest who is turned into a vampire as the result of a failed exorcism. The Catholic Church has teams of vampire hunters hunting down vampires on several continents. When you are bitten by a master vampire you have a psychic link; you can see what the master sees.

The story is simple Jack Crow (James Woods) leads a team of vampire hunters. They are working in the Southwest US. They are hunting out nests, and hoping to destroy masters. The team destroys a nest, but they don't find the master. They return to a motel to party down. The master jan Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith) follows the team. He kills all the team members except Crow and Montoya. One of the party girls, Katrina, survives, but she has been bitten, so she will turn. Before that she can help Crow find Valek. The Master knew Crow's name; Crow assumes that there is a traitor. The traitor turns out to be Cardinal Alba (Max Schell); it is filmic malpractice to have such a talent in such a minimal role. Of course the budget was cut by 2/3 rds just before filming started, so...Worth a look if you like the vampire genre.

"Fright Night"-Tom Holland-1985

Senior citizens probably need no introduction to this film. This is a classic of the sub-genre vampire humor. There a few decent scares, but it is the humor, and particularly Roddy McDowell's classic portrayal of Peter Vincent a forgotten filmic vampire hunter who now hosts a local horror film show, "Fright Knight" that makes this a hoot. A vampire and his undead daytime watchman move in next door to a horror film fanatic, Charlie Brewster. He believes that his neighbors are responsible for recent headless bodies in the town. Naturally nobody believes him. Once Peter Vincent becomes a reluctant partner; this picks up. He does it for money, but he becomes convinced that there are really vampires. One solid scene will remain with you. The un-dead watcher isn't a zombie; he looks like a normal human. He can't be killed; finally in desperation he is stabbed through the heart with a wooden stake and melts into a pile of goo.

Recommended

 

[zymurg]

"King Kong"-Merian C. Cooper-1933

This is the film which saved RKO from bankruptcy; this is the film which is the template for every monster film; this is the film with special effects remained the industry platinum standard for over 30 years; this is perhaps the first film with a coherent musical score (Max Steiner), and it is widely considered one of the top 50 American films. I hadn't seen this film in over a decade, I had forgotten just amazing it is. Many observers tend to dismiss everything before the arrival at the island and the first sight of Kong. I think it really works. We anticipate the mystery. Denham is secretive even with the ship's captain. We have a mysterious island inhabited by a mysterious monster. We are going to make a movie with no script, no technicians other than the cameraman/director. There is only one actor Ann( Fay Wray); she is going because there has to be a girl in the picture, Sullivan's Travels before Sullivan's Travels. Do you really need a synopsis?

The film crew with the recently recruited actress sails thousands of miles away to an uncharted island near Sumatra. They arrive and find that the island is exactly as rumored; including a wall dating back thousands of years. The crew come ashore in a boat just as the natives are picking a bride for Kong. A fight with the well armed crew is avoided, but Ann is abducted from the ship by the natives who want her to become Kong's bride.
Of course the crew must try to get her back. We are treated to some conflicts with various pre-historic reptiles.
Finally Kong is captured and he is brought to NYC as"the eighth wonder of the world." Before a packed theater audience, Kong escapes from his chrome steel chains. He captures Fay Wray and makes his way up the newly constructed Empire State building. Finally he is shot and killed by airplanes, but not before he destroys one.

The film ends with the famous line: It was beauty killed the beast." The 2005 Peter Jackson remake is a fine film. However, you should definitely plan to see the original. It is far more than an origin point film; this is classic film making. This is a masterpiece.

 

[zymurg]

"Interview with the Vampire"-Neil Jordan-1994

Ann Rice, Ann Rice, Ann Rice; Her novel went through 49 printings. She wrote the screen play. She waited for over a decade before her novel reached the screen. She hated the casting of Tom Cruise as Lestat. She changed her mind when she saw the film; she became one of its biggest supporters. Supposedly. Jordan made an extensive rewriting of the script, but he isn't credited. Jordan assembled a very solid cast: Cruise, Pitt, Banderas,, and Slater. This was Kirsten Dunst"s first role; she was 12.

Our way into the film is an interview. The interviewer comes prepared, lots and lots of tapes. Louis Pont du Lac (Pitt) convinces him at the start that he is the real deal. The interviewer ends his interview wanting more than anything else to become a vampire. This disgusts Louis; his depiction of life as a vampire was a tale of solitude and self loathing. Louis apparently has spent the last 100 years alone; his contact has been through his kills. Even when he finds Lestat his maker back in New Orleans; he isn't interested in a relationship. Of course in the final scenes, Lestat picks up the interviewer, and he promises him the opportunity of eternal life. It will be his choice, but lestat wants the company.

This is well acted and lushly shot. I want to single out Kirsten Dunst; she was so young her parents wouldn't let her see the film. The actors playing vampires were hung upside down to drain the blood; this gave them a pale look before they were made up. The process had to be repeated several times a day. Rice's books and this film have had a major impact in providing a very broad opening into the culture. The idea of vampires out in plain sight draws heavily from these sources.

Recommended; this is a solid film. Few vampire films get the big bucks star treatment. They have fared better on TV.

 

[dbmill]

"King Kong"-Merian C. Cooper-1933

This is the film which saved RKO from bankruptcy; this is the film which is the template for every monster film; this is the film with special effects remained the industry platinum standard for over 30 years; this is perhaps the first film with a coherent musical score (Max Steiner), and it is widely considered one of the top 50 American films. I hadn't seen this film in over a decade, I had forgotten just amazing it is. Many observers tend to dismiss everything before the arrival at the island and the first sight of Kong. I think it really works. We anticipate the mystery. Denham is secretive even with the ship's captain. We have a mysterious island inhabited by a mysterious monster. We are going to make a movie with no script, no technicians other than the cameraman/director. There is only one actor Ann( Fay Wray); she is going because there has to be a girl in the picture, Sullivan's Travels before Sullivan's Travels. Do you really need a synopsis?

The film crew with the recently recruited actress sails thousands of miles away to an uncharted island near Sumatra. They arrive and find that the island is exactly as rumored; including a wall dating back thousands of years. The crew come ashore in a boat just as the natives are picking a bride for Kong. A fight with the well armed crew is avoided, but Ann is abducted from the ship by the natives who want her to become Kong's bride.
Of course the crew must try to get her back. We are treated to some conflicts with various pre-historic reptiles.
Finally Kong is captured and he is brought to NYC as"the eighth wonder of the world." Before a packed theater audience, Kong escapes from his chrome steel chains. He captures Fay Wray and makes his way up the newly constructed Empire State building. Finally he is shot and killed by airplanes, but not before he destroys one.

The film ends with the famous line: It was beauty killed the beast." The 2005 Peter Jackson remake is a fine film. However, you should definitely plan to see the original. It is far more than an origin point film; this is classic film making. This is a masterpiece.

I also find the original version of King Kong to be amazing, especially considering it was made in 1933. It is a technological marvel for that time period, and I definitely think it holds up in its own way. If I happen to come across it on television and start watching it, I will stay with it to the end. It is just fabulous filmmaking.

 

[zymurg]

"The Commitments"-Alan Parker-1991

Taking a short break from seasonal films, I really wanted something different. This is one of my all time favorites; so I know a little about the film and more about the music. There are numerous references to Detroit in the picture, and the only one I can remember about Memphis deals with Graceland. The film generated two soundtrack albums. Of the 19 songs featured in the movie as Commitments fare; 15 are Southern Soul; 4 are from elsewhere. The music is classic, and the performances still hold up. The Commitments were formed from musically talented youths found during open auditions in Dublin. There was a five week rehearsal period prior to the 53 days of filming. The film is based on a Roddy Doyle novel. The setting was changed to Dublin from the countryside. Local sites were used; the film wasn't shot on sets. The actors with very few exceptions were musicians first. The two major exceptions were Colm Meaney (Mr. Rabbitte) and Johnny Murphy (Joey the lips Fagan). One of the major positives in the film is the sense of place. The film opens in a street market with Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) trying to sell cassettes, videos, and rock shirts. He gets on a bus and has more success with his sales pitch. He gets off the bus and goes to a wedding reception for Imelda Quirke"s (Angeline Ball) pregnant sister. Jimmy is at the event to discuss forming a new band with two members of the reception band. He hears Decko Cuffe drunkenly singing to recorded music during a band break. Jimmy immediately recognizes his talent.

The next section of the movie is about forming the band. Jimmy places an add in the newspaper for people to audition for this soul band. There are some really funny bits featuring the characters who show up at the Rabbitte's door. Eventually the band is selected. Decko is the lead singer; there are 3 backup singers: Imelda. Bernie and Natalie (Maria Doyle). Joey Fagan plays trumpet, Derrek Scully plays sax, Outspan Foster (Glen Hansard) plays guitar; Dean Fay plays base; Steven Clifford plays piano, and Mickah Wallace originally the crowd control guy ends up as the drummer.

The band is woeful at first, but after many hours rehearsing over a poolhall; they improve. Their first gig is at a church social center. They are a big success until the bass player is electrocuted. Let's move away from a synopsis. The lead singer, Andrew Strong, was sixteen at the time of filming. Glen Hansard had his own band, but his big breakthrough came in "Once" where he plays a busker or street performer in Dublin. Colm Meaney has appeared in several dozen films; he's an excellent character actor. The film runs for 116 minutes and, the most famous four letter word is used 169 times. The soundtrack album was more successful than the film reaching #8 on the Billboard Album Chart. The film has had real staying power. When a stamp was issued celebrating 100 years of Irish movies; it featured Deco and the 3 backup singers. This is a very funny film; it has both laugh out loud moments, and some a little more subtle. There is a running gag where Jimmy interviews himself about the success of the Commitments. One of my favorite moments occurs when Steve is in the confessional and misidentifies the singer of "When a Man Loves a Woman" and is corrected by the priest.

The band breaks up; I won't go into all the conflicts. We get to know quite a bit about the individual members. I found the ending unsatisfactory; Joey "The Lips" thought it was poetry. Despite a tag on ending the conclusion isn't satisfying. We want to know more; despite several efforts to make a sequel; this is it. There was a West End musical in London which ran for over 1,000 performances. The Commitments were brought back for the 20 anniversary they did a brief tour to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society. What most of us have left is the movie and the soundtrack albums.

If you haven't seen it; put it on your watch list. I watched it twice recently after reviewing another film tripped my memory. I dug out my soundtrack albums too. For me It's two hours of pure enjoyment.

 

[zymurg]

"Hugo"-Martin Scorsese-2011

I am suffering from H avoidance. Many films viewed; few of merit, and none I wanted to write about. A thought popped into my fevered brain; watch "Hugo." So I watched "Hugo." It cost 150 million$ to make; the money is visible on the screen. It barely made money; I'm not sure how it fared it the rental and purchase market. This is a beautiful film, and it has a first rate group of actors. Ben Kingsley is one the greatest living actors; George Melies is in many ways not a very sympathetic character. Melies is one of the great early movie pioneers. Unlike most of his contemporaries he eschewed the documentary style and made fantasies. He also didn't make feature films. He stopped before 4+ reelers were common. He never made a comeback making films. The first world war marked a major change in the film industry. The US became the center of both production and distribution; Melies had made an early deal acting through his brother to license films in the US. As it turned out this was historically fortunate because the Library of Congress preserved many of his films. It was by far the best source for negatives, stills, and film odds and ends.

The film is based on Brian Selznik's book. It covers part of Melies' later life. He ran a toy shop in the main train station in Paris. He repaired and created mechanical toys. Melies had been a successful magician who created many of his illusions. This carried over into his film making; he was the first to use stop motion. He also used creative editing to make special effects. In the film there is an orphan, Hugo Cabret(Asa Butterfield), who winds and otherwise keeps the many clocks in the station running. His father a clock maker dies in a museum fire. His uncle has the station contract and he makes Hugo do the work without pay. Towards the end of the film his dead body is found in the Seine. Hugo has been forced to steal to stay alive for many months. Hugo has one great desire in life; that is to repair an automaton , a mechanical man, who when working could write. This was a project he shared with his father; he hoped the repaired automaton would write a message from his father. Hugo had been stealing parts from Melies' shop; Melies catches him. He takes Hugo's notebook which contains his father's drawings of the automaton. He threatens to burn the book, but makes a deal that Hugo will work for him, and when he is satisfied he will return the book.

Hugo makes an unlikely friendship with Isabelle (Chole Grace Moretz) the ward of George and his wife. Hugo repairs the mechanical man, and since it was made originally by Melies; the heart shaped key was given by his wife to their ward, Isabelle. The repaired automaton produces a drawing/poster for one of Melies' films. Is this a children's film? It brings the sense of wonder and hope of childhood to this difficult world. Melies is a bitter man: "Happy endings happen only in the movies." Hugo restores his spirit. Early in his movie career he welcomed a child to his movie studio with this invocation: "If you ever wonder where your dreams come from, you look around...this is where they are made." The ending shows Gerge Melies being feted.

This is a fascinating film for those who are interested in early cinema. There is a sense of wonder about the hidden world of the train station where Hugo lives and works. All the technical aspects of the film are great; 5 technical Oscars demonstrate that. However, despite multiple nominations in the major categories; none were garnered. I recommend this very highly. This is just short of a must see for me.

 

[huskyrob1]

If anyone wants to watch a surprisingly great film watch the original Blue Lagoon made in 1949 by Rank Pictures. It's 100 times better than the Brook Shields remake, the acting, lighting, and superior script is exceptional. Stars Jean Simmons, Donald Huston, Cyril Cusack and Noel Purcell. Shot on location in color in Fiji. It is very hard to find a DVD or tape of it, but there was a not so great copy uploaded to YouTube a few years back.

 

[dbmill]

"Hugo"-Martin Scorsese-2011

I am suffering from H avoidance. Many films viewed; few of merit, and none I wanted to write about. A thought popped into my fevered brain; watch "Hugo." So I watched "Hugo." It cost 150 million$ to make; the money is visible on the screen. It barely made money; I'm not sure how it fared it the rental and purchase market. This is a beautiful film, and it has a first rate group of actors. Ben Kingsley is one the greatest living actors; George Melies is in many ways not a very sympathetic character. Melies is one of the great early movie pioneers. Unlike most of his contemporaries he eschewed the documentary style and made fantasies. He also didn't make feature films. He stopped before 4+ reelers were common. He never made a comeback making films. The first world war marked a major change in the film industry. The US became the center of both production and distribution; Melies had made an early deal acting through his brother to license films in the US. As it turned out this was historically fortunate because the Library of Congress preserved many of his films. It was by far the best source for negatives, stills, and film odds and ends.

The film is based on Brian Selznik's book. It covers part of Melies' later life. He ran a toy shop in the main train station in Paris. He repaired and created mechanical toys. Melies had been a successful magician who created many of his illusions. This carried over into his film making; he was the first to use stop motion. He also used creative editing to make special effects. In the film there is an orphan, Hugo Cabret(Asa Butterfield), who winds and otherwise keeps the many clocks in the station running. His father a clock maker dies in a museum fire. His uncle has the station contract and he makes Hugo do the work without pay. Towards the end of the film his dead body is found in the Seine. Hugo has been forced to steal to stay alive for many months. Hugo has one great desire in life; that is to repair an automaton , a mechanical man, who when working could write. This was a project he shared with his father; he hoped the repaired automaton would write a message from his father. Hugo had been stealing parts from Melies' shop; Melies catches him. He takes Hugo's notebook which contains his father's drawings of the automaton. He threatens to burn the book, but makes a deal that Hugo will work for him, and when he is satisfied he will return the book.

Hugo makes an unlikely friendship with Isabelle (Chole Grace Moretz) the ward of George and his wife. Hugo repairs the mechanical man, and since it was made originally by Melies; the heart shaped key was given by his wife to their ward, Isabelle. The repaired automaton produces a drawing/poster for one of Melies' films. Is this a children's film? It brings the sense of wonder and hope of childhood to this difficult world. Melies is a bitter man: "Happy endings happen only in the movies." Hugo restores his spirit. Early in his movie career he welcomed a child to his movie studio with this invocation: "If you ever wonder where your dreams come from, you look around...this is where they are made." The ending shows Gerge Melies being feted.

This is a fascinating film for those who are interested in early cinema. There is a sense of wonder about the hidden world of the train station where Hugo lives and works. All the technical aspects of the film are great; 5 technical Oscars demonstrate that. However, despite multiple nominations in the major categories; none were garnered. I recommend this very highly. This is just short of a must see for me.

A wonderful film, Hugo is a must see for me. And yes, I am interested in early cinema. Toward the end of the first time I saw "Hugo", I turned to my wife and told her if there was ever a film valentine for the cause of the preservation and restoration of old films, this was it. Of course, Martin Scorsese has for many years been very much involved in the rescue of old films through preservation and restoration, so it is something of an advertisement for a cause that he has been involved in. By the way, Turner Classic Movies on occasion shows Melies "A Trip to the Moon" (his most famous film), as well as a collection of his silent shorts. As is Hugo, it is all inventive stuff that my wife and I find quite interesting as these films are all building blocks for how cinema evolved.

 

[zymurg]

"Let Me In"-Matt Reeves-2010

This is a Hammer Films production; I didn't know that they were still around. Of course this is the re-make of the Swedish film "Let the Right One In." This is still a pretty good film. If you haven't seen either of these films and you want a different take on Vampires; watch the Swedish film. It can be hard to find, so "Let Me In" is the same story with a few differences. Late in this film Oscar(Kodi Smitt-McPhee) discovers a picture of Abby (Chloe Grace Moretz) with her protector when he was quite young. I thought in the first film that Oscar might be turned into a vampire; this film implies that he will remain the protector/procurer for as long as he lives. This casts Abby in a darker light.

What I liked about both films is that the Abby character is emotionally a pre-teen. I know that is implausible; the general speculation is that she is 200 plus years old. Logically since her physical body doesn't age; why should she grow up mentally? When asked how old she is, Abby responds: "Twelve, but I've been twelve for a very long time." The film opens with the protector and blood procurer being rushed to the hospital with acid burns over 90% of his body. Abby climbs up to his room and drains his blood. He jumps/falls to the snow covered courtyard. The film then goes back two weeks to the arrival of Abby and her protector. Things go sideways from the start. Abby isn't getting her needed blood, and she meets and befriends Oscar which has its own dangers. Oscar is bullied by a threesome led by Kenny (Dylan Munette). The actor may be familiar because of his TV success ; "Saving Grace" is only one example.

Oscar discovers Abby's identity; the word vampire is used only once in the film. It troubles him,but his life is so unsatisfactory that a life on the run with Abby seems a viable alternative. Abby looks almost angelic until she attacks/feeds. The facial transformation is remarkable. When Abby kills the police detective, she knows she must move on, but she returns to deal with Oscar's bullies. The film ends with Abby concealed in a box on a train riding with Oscar. Destination anywhere, everywhere will be a temporary stop over.

This is a stylish novel take on vampires and it is well worth viewing.

 

[nwhoopfan]

This is a stylish novel take on vampires and it is well worth viewing.

Ever seen "Byzantium?" Another different take on vampires. I don't think they ever use the word in the film. Doesn't follow some of the typical traditions or tropes of the genre. Stars Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton.

 

[zymurg]

"Ip Man: The Final Fight"-Herman Yau-2013

This film covers Ip Man's life in Hong Kong from 1949 to the early 70's. It naturally features Wing Chun the martial arts style associated with Bruce Lee. Ip Man was a real martial arts master, but this movie focuses less on spectacular fights than the Ip Man trilogy. This film depicts the master as an honorable and modest man. His relationships with his students are key to the film. His first studio is on the roof of a restaurant. His wife comes but their son stays behind going to college. The relationship with his wife is humanizing. The sets seek to create Hong Kong of the 50's and 60's; they looked real. Ip Man turns inward after his wife leaves; she was unable to return because the border between Hong Kong and the mainland was locked down, Anthony Wong plays this idealized role; scholar, master with a caring heart, martial arts warrior with a conscience and self discipline, and great humility. The purpose was to humanize this great Grand Master. Wong does really well; he practiced Wing Chun for a year, and his presence draws the eye of the viewer, not by spectacular action, but by
a projection of strength and confidence. Early in the film he demonstrates Wing Chun to one of his future students telling him to knock him off a folded newspaper. Economy of movement, nothing flashy, just practiced expertise, the master easily wins.

I liked this film better than any of the other Ip Man movies. My view is not shared by critics or commentators, but I recommend this film. This is well worth a look.

 

[zymurg]

Ever seen "Byzantium?" Another different take on vampires. I don't think they ever use the word in the film. Doesn't follow some of the typical traditions or tropes of the genre. Stars Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton.

I haven't seen it. I like the director. I hadn't heard of it; I watch a lot of vampire films and TV series

 

[zymurg]

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army"-Guillermo del Torro- 2008

This is of course a sequel. There was supposed to be a third flick where Hellboy is supposed to bring the end of days. A third film came out this year to massive critical and box office failure. The original team had nothing to do with the 2019 version. This sequel is worthy of a couple hours of your time. Hellboy (Ron Perlman) is married and about to become a father; he doesn't know it. There is a two part prologue; the first part shows the young Hellboy being read a bedtime story about human conflicts with elves and the creation of the Colden Army of mechanical soldiers. The second part introduces us to Prince Nuoda (Luke Goss) the elven heir to the crown which controls the golden army. del Torro does his usual excellent job with the effects, but it is the characters which make this interesting viewing. There is a scene where Hellboy defeats one of his many gigantic supernatural foes and rescues a baby. The mother berates him and the police are going to arrest him. The crowd shouts and curses him. He is rescued by his wife Liz (Selma Blair), but she has to use her ability to create fire to do it. Hellboy is more than unsettled; he will never be accepted by most humans. This concept is expanded when he feels at home in a troll market under the pillars for the Brooklyn Bridge. This sets up the ending where he, his wife, and Abe Sapien walk away from their jobs with a secret government agency. Of course by this time he and his team have saved the world from the Golden Army.

This is a fun movie; there is silly humor like the scene where Hellboy and Abe are getting drunk on cerveza listening to "Can't Smile Without You." Hellboy has some good lines as do Abe and Liz. Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambour) is both straight man and butt of some jokes. This is entertainment, but with not so subtle hints to larger problems. Some viewers prefer their escapism to be total, but I like the change of pace. Even Shakespeare inserted comedy in tragedy. I played the first grave digger in Hamlet. Enjoy yourself; it's better than Hellboy; don't expect more than a good time.

 

[zymurg]

"the Queen of the Damned"-Michael Rymer-2002

This film combines two of Anne Rice's novels; Warner Brothers was running out of time on the option. No actors from "Interview With the Vampire" appeared in this film. Stuart Townshend plays Lestat; the pop star Aaliyah plays Queen Akasha, and Vincent Perez plays Marius. This slightly short of a disaster. The concept of an ancient statue of the first vampire brought to life by Lestat's music is the driving force of the movie. Lestat sleeps for one hundred years and wakes up and forms a band with himself as the lead singer. He is open about his being a vampire; somehow this band becomes the number 1 draw. At a huge concert in Death Valley assorted vampires arrive; many are ready to kill Lestat. His maker Marius comes to his aid, but he isn't safe until Queen Akasha appears. She has killed her husband (also a statue) and wants Lestat to become her new king.

Watching this film won't probably be the worst experience in your life, but this isn't something you should plan on doing, This is a miss.

 

[zymurg]

"Crossroads"Walter Hill-1986

This film is often considered a hidden treasure or a guilty pleasure. Hill is a moderately well known director (48 Hours and Hard Times). The script is by John Fusco, a Waterbury native, he spent much of his teen years traveling the South as a blues guitar player. He received a GED and went to college first Mattatuck CC then NYU where he studied screenwriting. This script won a national contest, and he sold it for $250,000. Ry Cooder, noted blues guitarist, was brought on to handle the music. This is an outstanding score.

Ralph Macchio plays Eugene Martone. This is just after the first two Karate Kid movies. In the film Eugene is 17 years old and a student at Julliard playing classical guitar. At heart he is a blues fanatic. He has studied blues guitar and guitarists. He is particularly obsessed with Robert Johnson. Johnson recorded 29 songs on Vocalion in two sessions in 1936 and 1937. There was supposed to be a 30th song; Eugene wants to find it. He believes that Willy Brown, a classic blues harmonica player and friend and playing partner of Johnson, might be the only person who knows the song. Eugene discovers him at an old folks home. Willie Brown aka Blind Dog Thornton (Joe Seneca ) at first disdains this blues guitarist from Long Island, but after Eugene takes a job as a janitor they strike a deal. If Eugene breaks him out of the old folks home and takes him to Mississippi; Willie will teach him the song. There is no 30th song; Willie wants to get back to the crossroads so he can reclaim his soul from the devil. On the advice of Robert Johnson he sells his soul for a magical power to play the harmonica.

One of the most enduring legends in music history is that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil for the ability to play great blues guitar. The tale has Robert playing his guitar at a crossroads. The devil (Mr. Scratch) comes by. He tunes the guitar, and Johnson is suddenly a guitar legend. The basic story came through Son House, legendary country bluesman. Johnson couldn't play well; he was a disaster. He vanished and returned six months later, or maybe it was nine months; or perhaps a year later with guitar legend ability and a bunch of his own songs. Among these songs are 3 songs which fuel the legend: "Crossroads", "Me and My Devil", and "Hell Hounds on My Trail." The film opens with Robert Johnson meeting Mr. Scratch at the crossroads. It continues with the first of Johnson's recording sessions. One quick note on the recording sessions, Johnson plays with his back turned; supposedly to conceal his fingering. In the original recordings Johnson's voice sounds high pitched. This was because the recording was sped up so that a song could fit on the acetate master.

Willie and Eugene make it back to the crossroads where Mr. Scratch appears. A new deal is struck; if Eugene
can beat the devil's guitar player, Jack Butler (Richard Vai), then Willie will get his soul back. This sets up the great guitar duel; Eugene wins. I have left out Jamie Gertz(Francine) and a lot of other nice bits. Google this film or Robert Johnson and you will find more videos than you can reasonably handle. The film can be downloaded at 123. Try a few of the videos about the Robert Johnson legend, or perhaps the guitar duel. If you are a fan of the music; this is great. If you aren't; it's still ;very watchable. The legend appears in a Coen Brothers film, and the crossing's location is debated, but Johnson's grave is marked.

I spent much of the last week in colonoscopy land; I'm back and everything is working.

 

[storrsroars]

"Crossroads"Walter Hill-1986

I spent much of the last week in colonoscopy land; I'm back and everything is working.

Must've been one helluva a colonscopy to take up much of a week!

Anyway, never saw the film as I wasn't buying Macchio with guitar skills and found even the thought of that outrageous. But might have to watch it now after that review.

 

[uconndoit]

Has anyone else seem Yesterday? Fun movie!

 

[storrsroars]

Has anyone else seem Yesterday? Fun movie!

Yeah, saw it when it first came out and reviewed it on some thread here. Was enjoyable enough to overlook obvious flaws.