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Reviews
The Space Children (1958)
Great Nostalgia Value
Last year I watched TCMs documentary WATCH THE SKIES. Seeing the clips from this movie, I vaguely remembered seeing it but wasn't quite sure. Since Steven Spielberg gushed about it I thought I would search for a copy. I finally found a copy and watched it with my twin brother and a childhood friend of mine. Having seen it, I realize that I did see this movie. My brother and friend also remembered it and we agree that it was probably in the very early sixties. I was at most six years old at the time. When your six you don't concern yourself with the BIG MESSAGE. What I really liked was monsters and aliens. This movie does not feature any exciting encounters with either. I guess the reason I liked it at the time was because kids were the main stars of the picture. They really don't do much, in fact nobody really does much in this picture, but that really doesn't matter. Seeing it again as an adult, I am tempted to roast this movie for it's lack of production values, obvious low budget, lack of action and highly unrealistic storyline. I agree with another reviewer, what is an unemployed drunk doing at a top secret missile facility. Why are children allowed to run all over the place? But why bother? It doesn't really matter. There is a message here no matter how clumsily conveyed. The movie has good nostalgia value and that is probably the real reason I like it.
Grand Hotel (1932)
Fantastic All Star Cast
MGM's motto was that they had more stars than there are in heaven or something to that effect. No movie proved it better than Grand Hotel. Before Grand Hotel, it would have been unthinkable to put more than two of a studios top stars in one film. MGM rolled the dice and put Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Lionel Barrymore and Joan Crawford together for a memorable film. To support them they included the best of their second string character actors such as Lewis Stone and Gene Hersholt to name but two. The gamble payed off and Grand Hotel was awarded the Best Picture Oscar. All of the stars put in a great performance but in my opinion Joan Crawford really stands out in this one. Garbo's performance is good but seems rather strained. The Barrymore brothers do a fine job. Wallace Beery is fabulous as the tough as nails industrialist who gets in over his head. MGM wouldn't wait long to try the formula again releasing another all star cast film Dinner At Eight two years later.
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
One of the 50's finest sci-fi films
In the early sixties I was glued to the TV set every Saturday at noon when Shock Theatre was aired. It was then that I came to love the horror/sci-fi genre of films. This particular film is one that I always remembered fondly. When I first subscribed to cable television in the mid eighties, one of the first films I saw was this one. I hadn't seen it in over twenty years.Unlike some films, this one had lost none of its appeal. As a child, the philosophical aspect of the film was not apparent to me. As an adult I was fully able to appreciate the story. The effects are better than average and the actors do a splendid job. Grant Williams has the distinction of starring in two sci-fi films that were vastly different from the norm, this one and The Monolith Monsters. Unfortunately, this film is not currently available on DVD and is out of print on VHS. Nevertheless, this film is shown on a variety of cables stations. Turner Classic Movies airs it every once in awhile.