Mad Max takes to the road again in this follow-on to the original trilogy. Sadly, this time Max is more of a backseat driver as a kick-ass heroine with one arm and a bad crew-cut takes charge. Like Star Wars TFA, the movie looks great, has some amazing special effects/stunts. At the beginning, an interesting Dystopian world is introduced. However, the movie soon degenerates into non-stop explosions and car chases with style favored over logic and physical reality. At one point, a man with a chainsaw atop a wildly gyrating 30 foot ladder attacks our heroes in a Truck going 40 MPH! The actors are well-cast and effectively say their few lines of dialogue.
Note, I have to admire the director for getting Mad Max labeled a “feminist” film while constantly showing 5 scantily clad supermodels as damsels in distress.
Summary: An enjoyable, mindless action film. If you want non-stop action and explosions, this movie is for you. If you want a plot, characters and interesting dialogue, you should look elsewhere.
Monday, January 11, 2016
Thursday, January 7, 2016
High Sierra (1941)
This is the film, along with Maltese falcon that rocketed Bogart to stardom.
Plot: Bogart plays Roy "Mad Dog" Earle, a convicted bank robber is released after 8 years in prison. Earle immediately goes to California to pull another heist - and meets a country girl and Ida Lupino a refugee from a LA dance hall.
Bogart turns in a sympathetic performance as Earle, the bank robber who wants to pull off one more heist, then go straight. His character reflects the standard Bogie character that is seen in the Maltese Falcon and later in his other 40s films. He's cool professional who's good at his job and always the smartest man in the room. He's tough on the outside but has a soft spot for dames, dogs, and kids. The acting by Lupino and Bogart is excellent. The supporting cast especially Henry Travers is good. The script is above average and at 100 minutes the film doesn't wear out its welcome. Oddly, Lupino is given top billing, not Bogart.
Bogart turns in a sympathetic performance as Earle, the bank robber who wants to pull off one more heist, then go straight. His character reflects the standard Bogie character that is seen in the Maltese Falcon and later in his other 40s films. He's cool professional who's good at his job and always the smartest man in the room. He's tough on the outside but has a soft spot for dames, dogs, and kids. The acting by Lupino and Bogart is excellent. The supporting cast especially Henry Travers is good. The script is above average and at 100 minutes the film doesn't wear out its welcome. Oddly, Lupino is given top billing, not Bogart.
The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) and (1952)
Plot: An Englishman on a Ruritarian holiday must impersonate the king when the rightful monarch, a distant cousin, is drugged and kidnapped.
I've combined my review since both movies have the same plot and almost a similar script. The only difference seems to be the direction and the two casts, and boy do those two things make a difference. The 1937 version is perfectly cast, especially the lead Ronald Coleman, and the male supporting cast, Niven, Massey, C. Aubrey Smith, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The actresses are pretty good too, Madeleine Carroll is luminous as the Princess and Mary Astor is excellent as the French Mistress. Not only does everyone look the part, they sound the part. In fact, you could simply listen to the movie on CD and enjoy it.
By comparison, the 1952 version is pretty dreary stuff. The use of Technicolor is a plus, but despite having almost the same script and actually being shorter, it seems longer. The first half, especially seems to drag. And cast is vastly inferior. Granger is bland, Calhern is dull and too American, and Douglas as "Prince Michael" lacks Massey's charisma. Kerr is good as the Princess and Mason does well as "Rupert" when simply trading barbs, but he lacks Fairbanks Devil may care charm and athleticism.
Summary - The 1952 remake made MGM quite a bit of money, but there's really no reason to see it when the 1937 version is available.
I've combined my review since both movies have the same plot and almost a similar script. The only difference seems to be the direction and the two casts, and boy do those two things make a difference. The 1937 version is perfectly cast, especially the lead Ronald Coleman, and the male supporting cast, Niven, Massey, C. Aubrey Smith, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The actresses are pretty good too, Madeleine Carroll is luminous as the Princess and Mary Astor is excellent as the French Mistress. Not only does everyone look the part, they sound the part. In fact, you could simply listen to the movie on CD and enjoy it.
By comparison, the 1952 version is pretty dreary stuff. The use of Technicolor is a plus, but despite having almost the same script and actually being shorter, it seems longer. The first half, especially seems to drag. And cast is vastly inferior. Granger is bland, Calhern is dull and too American, and Douglas as "Prince Michael" lacks Massey's charisma. Kerr is good as the Princess and Mason does well as "Rupert" when simply trading barbs, but he lacks Fairbanks Devil may care charm and athleticism.
Summary - The 1952 remake made MGM quite a bit of money, but there's really no reason to see it when the 1937 version is available.
Soldier's Three (1951)
Soldiers Three - Staring David Niven, Stewart Granger, Walter Pigeon, and Robert Newton, this disappointing tale of British Tommies in Kipling's India should have been great - a fun action adventure. Instead, its a leaden bore with the cast trying to get laughs with unfunny lines and there's almost a complete lack of adventure or action. Granger adopts a weird accent and Newton seems half-drunk. Walter Pigeon stands out like a sore thumb among a mostly British cast. Very bad.
Naked Prey (1965)
Cornel Wilde gives his best performance as a Safari Guide being hunted down by a group of angry African tribesman. The film is almost all action and has little dialog and yet held my interest. The actors playing the African Tribesmen are very convincing. Filmed in Africa, the scenery adds to the films excellence. The only flaw is that Wilde sometimes escapes a little too easily - but then he is a Hollywood leading man.
Terror on a Train (1953)
Plot: When a terrorist plants a bomb on board an English train, the police call in a Canadian army bomb disposal expert (Ford) to find, and dismantle it, but after it has been made safe, he has another shock in store.
Clocking in at a mere 72 minutes, TOAT is nice little thriller starring Glenn Ford and great supporting cast of British character actors. Anne Vernon is excellent as Ford's wife as is Ford himself. Ford was always good playing "every man" roles with the right amount of charisma. However, the real stars are the attractive British character actors especially Herbert C. Walton as the lovable senile old coot who loves trains. While the film is absurdly underrated at IMDB 6.0, the DVD is absurdly overpriced. $18.95 for an obscure 60 year old 72 minute movie? You've got to be kidding.
Clocking in at a mere 72 minutes, TOAT is nice little thriller starring Glenn Ford and great supporting cast of British character actors. Anne Vernon is excellent as Ford's wife as is Ford himself. Ford was always good playing "every man" roles with the right amount of charisma. However, the real stars are the attractive British character actors especially Herbert C. Walton as the lovable senile old coot who loves trains. While the film is absurdly underrated at IMDB 6.0, the DVD is absurdly overpriced. $18.95 for an obscure 60 year old 72 minute movie? You've got to be kidding.
City for Conquest (1941)
Ann Sheridan and James Cagney give it their all in this. Two brothers, and several friends from the "old neighborhood" try to make it big in the Big Apple. Cagney plays the unambitious one, an average Joe who unlike his dance-crazy sweetheart and composer brother just wants to live a quiet life, but goes back into the Ring to help them both. Notable for some great supporting acting from Anthony Quinn - as Sheridan's Controlling Dance Partner - and Eliza Kazan as a Gangster.
The movie suffers from the sluggish pacing at the end, and some Corny, over-done Melodrama, but the great acting makes up for it. Recommended for Cagney fans.
A Guy Named Joe (1943)
Stars: Irene Dunne, Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson
Plot: A brash pilot is killed in action. His spirit is given the mission of guiding a new pilot and dealing with his grieving girlfriend.
Plus: Spenser Tracy, a nice closing scene, Irene Dunne, Good Model work
Minus: Slang filled 40s dialog, too long, Cast is too old, Lack of realism.
Since I'd just read a Trumbo biography, I decided to view one of his movies. Trumbo wrote the original script although it was drastically revised - thank God. Supposedly, Trumbo's script ended with the pilots of 24 nationalities being called out by name, (including the Spanish Republicans!) and the closing words "All out, all out, All out for the battle of Tokyo! All out for the battle of Berlin!" Good lord.
The actual movie isn't that bad, but its probably the oddest "WW 2 Propaganda film" ever made by Hollywood. Only three action scenes, and one with a woman pilot. No derogatory mention of the enemy except for an occasional "J*p*" and "Heine". No flag waving patriotism.
The main problem with the film is the cast is far too old and that Dunne and Tracy lack chemistry (supposedly Tracy disliked Dunne and kidded her mercilessly). Tracy is far too old and fat to play the "Brash young pilot" and when Van Johnson romances Dunne it feels like a kid going after his High School Teacher. The movie is also filled with awful 1940s "Hey Joe, whatta y'know" slang. There are too many lines like: "Hey, lets give those Hennies something to chew on" and "Don't get too big for yer britches, Princeton". Ugh. OTOH, Tracy and Dunne give it their all, and despite the script manage (setting aside their "Love story") to almost create believable characters. The ending scene is quite touching.
Plot: A brash pilot is killed in action. His spirit is given the mission of guiding a new pilot and dealing with his grieving girlfriend.
Plus: Spenser Tracy, a nice closing scene, Irene Dunne, Good Model work
Minus: Slang filled 40s dialog, too long, Cast is too old, Lack of realism.
Since I'd just read a Trumbo biography, I decided to view one of his movies. Trumbo wrote the original script although it was drastically revised - thank God. Supposedly, Trumbo's script ended with the pilots of 24 nationalities being called out by name, (including the Spanish Republicans!) and the closing words "All out, all out, All out for the battle of Tokyo! All out for the battle of Berlin!" Good lord.
The actual movie isn't that bad, but its probably the oddest "WW 2 Propaganda film" ever made by Hollywood. Only three action scenes, and one with a woman pilot. No derogatory mention of the enemy except for an occasional "J*p*" and "Heine". No flag waving patriotism.
The main problem with the film is the cast is far too old and that Dunne and Tracy lack chemistry (supposedly Tracy disliked Dunne and kidded her mercilessly). Tracy is far too old and fat to play the "Brash young pilot" and when Van Johnson romances Dunne it feels like a kid going after his High School Teacher. The movie is also filled with awful 1940s "Hey Joe, whatta y'know" slang. There are too many lines like: "Hey, lets give those Hennies something to chew on" and "Don't get too big for yer britches, Princeton". Ugh. OTOH, Tracy and Dunne give it their all, and despite the script manage (setting aside their "Love story") to almost create believable characters. The ending scene is quite touching.
Hell's Heroes (1930)
Hell's Heroes (1930) - Wyler. First of the 3 "Godfather" Westerns. The other two were the 1936 version - unseen and the Wayne/Ford Version (1948). The story is simple - 3 Desperadoes find a baby in the desert. The Wyler version is a mere 68 minutes and includes few risque moments including a "cat fight" and a sheriff trying to look up a girl's dress. Its a nice little western and the actors seem more realistic and less movie starish then the 1948 version. Rating ***
The Devil At Four O'Clock (1961)
Plot: On a small pacific isle, three convicts and a priest attempt to rescue a children's hospital and deal with a smoldering volcano.
Pros: Beautiful location photography (Maui), Good special effects, Spenser Tracy.
Cons: Sinatra miscast, weak script, goes on too long.
One of the original disaster movies, "Devil at 4 o clock" seems to be precursor to movies like "The Poseidon Adventure" with a self-sacrificing clergyman leading a band of innocents to safety. However, the movie takes too long to get going and Sinatra's transition from cynical,smart-mouth convict to good guy isn't very convincing. Its a role Gable or Mitchum could have done much better.
Tracy looks incredibly old (he's only 60) but makes his alcoholic Priest believable. The supporting cast is multi-cultural (we even get a Jewish Doctor) but only mildly interesting. Every supporting player gets a little scene to show their acting chops. Summary: An entertaining movie, but could have been much better with a tighter plot and a better script.
Pros: Beautiful location photography (Maui), Good special effects, Spenser Tracy.
Cons: Sinatra miscast, weak script, goes on too long.
One of the original disaster movies, "Devil at 4 o clock" seems to be precursor to movies like "The Poseidon Adventure" with a self-sacrificing clergyman leading a band of innocents to safety. However, the movie takes too long to get going and Sinatra's transition from cynical,smart-mouth convict to good guy isn't very convincing. Its a role Gable or Mitchum could have done much better.
Tracy looks incredibly old (he's only 60) but makes his alcoholic Priest believable. The supporting cast is multi-cultural (we even get a Jewish Doctor) but only mildly interesting. Every supporting player gets a little scene to show their acting chops. Summary: An entertaining movie, but could have been much better with a tighter plot and a better script.
The Force Awakens (2015)
The most popular - and hyped -SF film series of all time, returns with a new reboot of Star Wars (1977). While shamelessly stealing from original - there's another death star that needs to be destroyed and a plucky newcomer who's willing to try -it still manages to entertain in its own right.
The new hero, Luke Skywalker 2.0, is now a girl and is well played played by Daisy Ridley. The other new actors/characters fare less well and are either miscast or dull. Darth Vadar 2.0, in particular is underwhelming. But the movie looks and feels like a Star Wars movie, Williams' music is fantastic, and the aliens, Droids, Special effects, and photography are first rate. The ending was touching.
On a side note: Harrison Ford and Carie Fischer show up with mixed results. Ford does well for a 70 year old, but Fischer has such flat line readings you wonder if there's something physically wrong with her voice. Summary: TFA is an excellent, if forgettable action movie, since the elements that made the first 3 Star Wars movies so special have been jettisoned or muted. While old people -like me -will be bored after the 100th storm trooper dies - with another 100 to go - kids will love the non-stop action.
The new hero, Luke Skywalker 2.0, is now a girl and is well played played by Daisy Ridley. The other new actors/characters fare less well and are either miscast or dull. Darth Vadar 2.0, in particular is underwhelming. But the movie looks and feels like a Star Wars movie, Williams' music is fantastic, and the aliens, Droids, Special effects, and photography are first rate. The ending was touching.
On a side note: Harrison Ford and Carie Fischer show up with mixed results. Ford does well for a 70 year old, but Fischer has such flat line readings you wonder if there's something physically wrong with her voice. Summary: TFA is an excellent, if forgettable action movie, since the elements that made the first 3 Star Wars movies so special have been jettisoned or muted. While old people -like me -will be bored after the 100th storm trooper dies - with another 100 to go - kids will love the non-stop action.
The Joker is Wild (1957)
Starring Frank Sinatra as Joe E. Lewis the movie tells the story of the famous comedians rise from Speakeasy's of Chicago in the 1920s to fame and fortune.
A disappointing rewatch on my part. I still think Sinatra is dynamite in the lead role (his acting after he's been brutally attacked by Gangsters is a high point). But after an exciting first half, the movie devolves into your typical Celebrity biopic with women and alcohol problems. I had a hard time staying awake. A further problem is that Sinatra isn't exactly the funniest guy in the world (although judging by some Youtube videos, the same could be said of Lewis). On the plus side, Jeanne Crain and Mitzi Gaynor look incredibly sleek and sexy. Also, notable for the introduction of the Sinatra classic "All the Way". Way, way, too long at 2 hours and 6 minutes.
A disappointing rewatch on my part. I still think Sinatra is dynamite in the lead role (his acting after he's been brutally attacked by Gangsters is a high point). But after an exciting first half, the movie devolves into your typical Celebrity biopic with women and alcohol problems. I had a hard time staying awake. A further problem is that Sinatra isn't exactly the funniest guy in the world (although judging by some Youtube videos, the same could be said of Lewis). On the plus side, Jeanne Crain and Mitzi Gaynor look incredibly sleek and sexy. Also, notable for the introduction of the Sinatra classic "All the Way". Way, way, too long at 2 hours and 6 minutes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)