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Reviews
Poirot: Triangle at Rhodes (1989)
A fun, if predictable, ride
Even though I figured out the murderer pretty quickly in this one, I still really enjoyed it. Then again, I love Evil Under the Sun, and this was clearly the template for it. I do wish the killers had a tad more chemistry so that their conspiracy would be more believable. But overall, it was nicely-paced, well-acted, and beautifully shot.
I thought the "pink gin" detail was a bit over-stated. Also, the husband became the obvious choice the second he gave away the drink to his wife. I did like, however, the time that the three women spent together touring the sites and taking pictures of one another. Of course, we find out later that the friendship is all a performance, but it made for a nice change of tone, and obscured the truth about several characters in a clever way.
Poirot: Hallowe'en Party (2010)
One of the Best Christie Adaptations
I admit, it took me a while to warm up to David Suchet as Poirot. For all time, my favorite Poirot films will be Finney's Murder on the Orient Express, Ustinov's Death on the Nile, and Ustinov's Evil Under the Sun. But Suchet has certainly shaped his own interpretation of Poirot with integrity and consistency. Usually, he's a pleasure to watch.
Hallowe'en Party really surprised me; it has become one of my very favorite Poirot films. It certainly is the best at making use of the wonderful Zoe Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver. She is at her funniest in this film, and I enjoyed watching her tussle with a new Sven Hjerson novel--one where he solves a murder while on a hot air balloon over Abyssinia. I'm not sure why I love this story so much. I usually prefer those in exotic locations, with glamorous figures, and this has neither. But it DOES have all the things that make for a great murder mystery--wonderful back stories that all become relevant in time; eerie, slightly grotesque murders; good, solid red herrings; strong motives; well-rounded characters; a wonderful, satisfying scene of unmasking the killer; and clever use of sound and mise-en- scene.
The film manages to make a rather parochial setting exciting and chock full of sin and lust. I was able to solve it, but didn't find the solution particularly easy or obvious. I would highly recommend it, especially for Ariadne Oliver lovers.
The Girl Who Dared (1944)
Irrational love for this movie.
The other reviews raise pretty obviously legitimate criticisms of this film, but I love it to death. Plot-wise, it's not particularly ambitious, and the racist representation of the servant is cringe- worthy. But I strangely find the movie enchanting and can watch it over and over. It's gorgeously atmospheric--the kind of cinematography I just eat up. The love story is modestly feasible, with two likable actors inhabiting those roles. I try to watch as many "old dark house" films as I can, because I love the look of them, I love murder mysteries, and it's a nice way to understand some of the conventions, fashions, trends, and language of the 30s and 40s. Unfortunately this film is not available on DVD, as far as I can tell. It streams on amazon, but you never know when those things are going to disappear. Again, this film is not technically a *10*, but I find it beautiful and absorbing, with the quintessential "old dark house" elements pure and strong.
Altitude Falling (2010)
The Man Who Made Man-Boy Love Actually Boring!
I wish this "writer"/"director" would just hire teenage boys for sex in the confines of his own home rather than writing incredibly creepy, dramatically vacant vehicles for his own chicken fetish. The teddy bear should be a warning: beyond this point, there be creeps. The young lead is such a bad actor, he relies on the "exasperated" tone of voice to make any emotional inflection, and Bright has that terrible monotonous (attempting world-weary) delivery that just makes each scene between the two more excruciating. Bright is staggering in his lack of charisma. If you can't tell that lines like, "Mother, I just don't know about your attempts to run my life!" are embarrassing clunkers, you probably shouldn't be writing or starring in movies at all. And technically? At least learn how to make an eyeline match. It's not hard. The wrong frigging people have money to waste on masturbatory projects like this.
Sideline Secrets (2006)
Casting Makes All the Difference
I like the attempt to blend mystery and porn; the mixed genre has a lot of potential. But you HAVE to cast a desirable lead. That dude who played Devon is a chinless, slumped, monotonous waste of space with really awful hair. There were extras in the film who had more magnetism and appeal than the lead. Another thing: People don't call out one another's name every time they greet them--especially lovers and family. All the adults were pretty dismal as well. Hollywood is crawling with good-looking, semi-decent actors, so there's really no excuse for bad casting. A lesson for all actors: Just because "exasperated" is the easiest emotion to play, don't fall back on it in every line reading.
Marple: At Bertram's Hotel (2007)
Wacky, but refreshing adaptation.
At Bertram's is one of my least favorite Christie novels, and the 80s adaptation managed to be both a snooze and a mess. In short, anything would have been an improvement. And while this adaptation cannot be accused of subtlety or reserve, it packs a lot of stimulating characters and subplots into its world. McCutcheon is wonderful. I'd love for her to have her own series as an aspiring Marple figure. My jury has been out on McEwan as Marple, but this one cemented my admiration for her. The stories herein are ridiculous, improbable, and densely shuffled, but a welcome change from the austerity of the original. And for all of these idiots who keep claiming the adaptations are ruining the originals because of added homosexual characters: Give me a freaking break. Christie could only insinuate about the sexuality of her characters, or gesture very broadly. Now we have the luxury of getting fleshed out characters who in fact HAVE sexualities of their own, even if they were unconventional for the time. If 10% of the population is LGBT, then why not accept the characterization of 10% of her characters as such? Apparently some straight people squirm when close to 3-4% of Christie's characters are rendered as queer. Sad state of affairs.