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redhairedlad
Reviews
Endeavour: Rocket (2013)
Wonderful side-game: Easter egg hunt
With "Inspector Lewis" ending, it is a joy to have "Endeavor" to fill the void. Evans is wonderful as DC Morse, but it is Roger Allam as DI Thursday that steals each of their mutual scenes and gives the show soul and heart.
I wondered how many viewers caught the delicious Easter egg hunt of references to Henry II and, especially, "The Lion In Winter". Early on, the estranged wife makes an entrance and her former husband, Henry, says, "Did the the lights all turn green for you?" Two of his sons are Johnny and Richard. The estranged wife lives at Chinon Court, and secretary — a major character is named Alice Vexen.
I wonder if any others in the "Endeavor" series have such games.
Hemo the Magnificent (1957)
My first Beethoven
I saw this production the night it aired on TV in 1957 as a 3rd grader. The first reason I was thrilled was because it was so different than anything I had ever seen on TV and was in such a smart style and content compared to the dreck that was on everyday. It was my first "special".
The second thrilling thing was that they used the fanfare to the first movement of Beethoven's 3rd Symphony which remains a favorite of mine 56 years later. It was the first I had heard it or any Beethoven.
Also, the content was so rich, complete and perfectly presented and some information still comes to me today. I had seen Dr. Baxter on the Today show, and Richard Carlson in corny horror movies. But here, they were participating in something made just for me! I'd love to see it again.
This Land Is Mine (1943)
Not to be missed
I am sure that there are many reasons why the brave and exceptional men and women of the "greatest generation" where able to leave their lives behind and put themselves in harms way to defeat the Axis Powers. One reason however must have been films like this one produced by Jean Renoir and directed by Nichols.
I usually cringe at blatant propaganda, but I was quite moved by this one, and I'm sure it is due to the expert direction and also due to the fine performances turned in by Laughton, O'Hara, Slezak, Sands and O'Connor. It is basically a retelling of "The Scarlett Pimpernel", but not so directly as to be called a remake by anyone.
If Maureen O'Hara (at that point in her career)would walk in and give me such a kiss, I would happily go to my death. French Resistance films may just have become my newly favorite genre (along with race-track movies, boxing movies, Irish movies and submarine movies.)
The Chase (1966)
Brando's best
I am writing this review so I can go on record as saying that I think this is Brando's performance. As one of only two people in a small Southern (USA) town with sanity, sobriety and integrity, he underplays the role perfectly and brilliantly. The other sane, sober person is his wife, played wonderfully by Angie Dickinson.
Horton Foote and Arthur Penn made sure to pack this movie with lots of elements which seem to compete for the viewers attention. These all come to an amazingly climactic ending.
It is packed also with many stars and tons of character actors. Jane Fonda looks absolutely in her prime: beautiful! Mr.Foote must've had very strong feelings about the destructiveness of alcohol abuse as it is the gasoline that fuels the violence and tragedy.
Kentucky (1938)
Who directed this nag?
I saw this advertised for the THIS network and seemed like it would be a horse-racing-genre movie. This is one of my favorite genres and I've come to expect gritty, fleshed out characters (even Runyonesque in the best ones), both on the owner/trainer side and (even more so) on the jockey/groom/gambler side. Here you will find none of that.
First, they movie seems to be confused about which side of the Civil War Kentucky was on (They remained in the Union and fielded some of the finest units).
Next, the cast in this movie is wonderful. It includes Walter Brennen, one of my all time favorites — I never saw a bad Brennen performance until now. And Loretta Young could be a fine actress — always ladylike but sexy and very subtle in her acting.
But Butler's blocking for the scenes is sophomoric and wooden. The performances he gets from this fine cast comes across like a so-so high school drama club.
If you love "Seabiscuit," "Black Stallion," "Let It Ride," "Broadway Bill," "Stablemates," don't get your hopes up for this one!
I'll Wait for You (1941)
Remake, quick on the heels . . . .
About 5 minutes into watching this movie on TCM, I noticed that the story seemed very familiar. Then it occurred to me that I was watching the same story as Hideout (1934) with Robert Montgomery and Maureen O'Sullivan. It is a wonderful story; both screenplays (while not identical they are storyboarded in an identical way) are terrific. For my money, the original edges this one out just slightly because it has a stronger cast. One has to ask, "Why so soon, only 7 years from the original?"
I am a fan of Marsha Hunt -- beautiful and empathic, she'd make a great leading lady for any film. But I am a HUGE fan of O'Sullivan -- she is so supremely cute that her leading men must've always been falling in love with her. I don't think I've seen Sterling in anything else and he does a terrific job here. But Montgomery was really successful at being a lovable smart mouth and a menacing racketeer.
I recommend both (for comparison) and both are wonderful, but be sure to see the 1934 movie!
Little Cigars (1973)
Walked out
When this movie was released, I was in the USAF, and Angel Tomkins came to our base for it's release there. She had been on some T.V. episodes, including a Bonanza that my wife and I liked in which she portrayed a pyromaniac. We were anxious to see the 'fire lady' and to see her act in something else.
I got to speak to her in person, and got a nice close-up photograph of other men fawning over her.
This move was so ridiculous in its ludicrous story, its shoddy production and sexual exploitation that we walked out! It may be the only film I ever walked out on.
You should watch this only if you want to feel creepy and as if you've wasted precious time.
Girl Crazy (1943)
Boy meets girl set to Gershwin
Boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy gets girl. Classic right? Well that trite story line looks fantastic in this 40s musical for three reasons.
First is Rooney. I've never seen a bad performance from this man, from Andy Hardy, through Requiem for a Heavyweight to The Black Stallion and beyond! Even in repeating serials he NEVER 'phones it in'. One of my all time favorites! 322 appearances! Legend.
Next: Garland. I'm not usually a fan, but here she is at the height of her powers and sexiest in my opinion.
Finally: Gershwin. Come on . . . you could film a documentary about canning beets, put it to Gershwin and have a wonderful movie.
So: A triple becomes an inside the park homer!
300 (2006)
Signals a pendulum swing to all style and little substance
The pendulum has a long slow swing in Hollywood from bombastic style, histrionics and showy theatrics to hard-nosed realism, grit and verisimilitude. My generation of film makers would have been embarrassed to make this kind of movie, following on the heels of the early 60s overacted, over-saturated, over-orchestrated movies.
Young people of my generation were sick of that stuff. We celebrated directors like Scorsese, Nichols, Eastwood, Bogdanovich, and even Stanley Kubrick, John Houston who gave us very realistic looking dramas and period pieces, with actors speaking in cadences of everyday people. The more highly awarded and celebrated movies for several decades could be characterized this way.
But then I guess it always has to follow that another generation comes along and finds all of that boring. They want their movies to look like the animation that they've watched on Saturday or their video games.
So it is with this movie which really signaled that swing back. It employs a lot of CGG -- I mean what movie now doesn't. But it also employs a technique to an extreme: high-pass sharpening. Everyone looks shiny and over-modeled. It causes me to ask "What is this film maker trying to hide?" On top of that, every thing is dark and contrasty. Then, of course you have your actors speaking like the wooden-headed Mr. Heston again.
This is a great story. It was over-acted, over-orchestrated and over-color-saturated in the 'original', "The 300 Spartans". I guess my generation missed a chance to just tell the story and show it.
A Serious Man (2009)
The most challenging Coen movie yet.
My wife and I loved this movie; we have been huge fans of the Coens for a long time. However, this time I think the viewer is expected to bring a couple of things to the table in order to have a satisfying experience with it.
First of all is a familiarity with the Coens' way of doing things. Sure their films are "quirky" which is so often used to describe their work. But it goes beyond that. For one thing every one of their films are different from the other, there are no formulas. That being said, one finds oneself saying "That scene is classic Coen." There are passages of passages of almost surrealism. I found it interesting that the bulk of songs come from Jefferson Airplane's 1967 "Surrealistic Pillow" Surrendering to a Coen movie is kind of like being willing to enter a world view. Next, one is going to have to bring along a willingness to get immersed in Jewish mysticism. This is beyond Jewish slang, into deep Kabbalistic notions,and deeply held Jewish beliefs about how the basic questions of life are answered and about nature of morality and evil. There is a big dose of Coen humor thrown in for good measure, and the period detail is amazing. It is a must for all Coen fans. However, I would click on the "Jewish phrases" link found on this page.
I might also say that I enjoyed being able to strongly identify with the character Larry, the hero.