Great Movies I

The more I see of Chaplin the more I am astounded by the depth of his talent. For those who only associate Charlie Chaplin with silent films, The Great Dictator is a must-see. His genius for physical comedy is nearly equaled by his adeptness of dialogue. Hilariously funny and timeless.

Certainly ranks amongst the best of the Hitchcockian thrillers. Ingrid Bergman shines as the alcoholic of loose morals (so much nicer than saying "hoebag", don't you think?) turned American spy.

*NOTE: Anyone else noticed that Hitchcock seems to have an affinity for overbearing mothers? (Notorious, Psycho, The Birds, etc.)

In order to wage war, in order for human beings to kill other human beings on a massive scale, there must be some rationalization. Historically, we, as warriors, create in our minds a caricature of those we call our enemies. It's a phenomenon that's universal and cross-cultural. We see those who oppose us as less than human, men who don't laugh, don't shed tears and are, essentially, evil. In this manner they become non-people. In this manner we need not have sympathy or guilt when we destroy them. The Burmese Harp, a product of post-war Japan released in 1956, breaks down this wall of propaganda and reminds us of the toll that war takes on the souls of men.

Its been called an "anti-war" film but I'm not so sure that was foremost in the minds of those who brought this story to the screen. It seems, in retrospect, to be more of a soldier's portrait that has been stripped of its patriotic facade. Whatever their intent, the film makers have given us an under-rated gem that should not be missed.

William Powell and Myrna Loy have to be one of the great film pairings of all time. They have the chemistry of Bogart/Bacall but their interaction and banter seems unscripted and less contrived. I cared about these characters from the first few frames of this film. This movie is so timeless and fresh that I found myself almost doubting that it was really released in 1934 (!). My only regret is that I have but two hands because I'd like to give this classic THREE thumbs up!

I'm beginning to wonder if Kirk Douglas ever gave a bad performance. The more I see of him the more I'm convinced that he is one of the finest actors that ever lived. Those of you who only know him from Spartacus are in for a treat. His lesser known films, like Ace in the Hole, Champion, The Bad and the Beautiful, Paths of Glory, and Lonely are the Brave are a testament to his talent and his enormous contributions to the art of movie making.

It's late and I'm going to come back and write a more in-depth review later. But for now, I'd just like to say one word;

Out-freakin'-standing!

Or is that three words?

It's been said before but it's worth repeating, Kirk Douglas can bring an element of likeability to the most unlikeable of characters. You can see it in The Bad and the Beautiful, you can feel it in Ace in the Hole, and you can almost taste it in Champion. Next to Raging Bull and (maybe) Rocky, this is the best boxing movie I've ever seen.

A spectacular film that begs the question: Is testimony from a dead man, delivered via a psychic-medium, admissible in a court of law?

We had a saying in the Navy, "Officers will be promoted until they reach their own level of incompetence". Paths of Glory is a fitting parable about what happens when men ruled by ambition rise to command. Any veteran who hasn't encountered such a superior (one who is inadequate, ineffective and unfit) certainly didn't spend much time in the service. This story is as relevant today as it was in 1957, perhaps even more so. The quintessential anti-war film.

Robert Redford plays the part of an ex-soldier who has become disenchanted with society and retreats to the unexplored wilderness of the high mountains to make a new life for himself. But, even in such remote isolation, trouble soon finds him and he's forced to deal with tribulations and tragedy. Jeremiah Johnson is my favorite Redford film and I'm a little bewildered as to why this picture hasn't gotten all the credit that it richly deserves. It's simply a good story with great direction and a perfect cast.

Perhaps more so than any other movie I've ever seen, I can relate to and identify with this film. With just a few minor script changes, like changing the setting from rural Maine to backwoods Oklahoma, you'd have a pretty accurate encapsulation of my childhood.

In case you haven't seen it yet, it's the story of four boys who set out on a weekend expedition to see a dead body. Along the way they encounter obstacles (a swamp, a railroad trestle, etc.), battle foes (bullies, leaches, a certain junkyard dog), and ultimately have one of those storied, episodic adventures that only 12 year old boys seem to have. It's a scaled down, Americanized version of Homer's The Odyssey, a metaphoric journey laced with ideological symbolism. Four young knights on a quest, if you will, to locate a grail (the lifeless body of Ray Brower).

I can see aspects of my own adolescent self mirrored in each of the four main characters. Until I was about 14 years old, I was always "the fat kid" (Vern). My father had a violent temper (Teddy). I was forever writing stories for the amusement of my friends (Gordie). And, I aspired to rise above the expectations of those presumptuous arrogants who based their assessment of me solely on the unfavorable aspects of my pedigree (Chris). It's as though Stephen King crawled inside my head and did a character study on all those voices I keep hearing. :)

Stand By Me is really just a simple little film that's deceptively deep and, at least for me, very personal.

I was absolutely engrossed in this story from beginning to end. The only knock on this film is that it most likely put a dent in Brazil's tourist trade. Simply outstanding cinema.

Here it is, 60 years after the release of this cinematic pearl, and I'm just now discovering it. The only thing that beats watching a film noir classic again and again is watching one for the very first time. Thank you John Garfield.

Shiver me timbers matey, this one contains every pirate cliche' you can imagine. One legged rogues with parrots on their shoulders and rum in their waistbands. Absolutely wonderful!

When you think of filmdom's strangest romances, what are the first movies that come to mind? Harold & Maude maybe? Sunset Boulevard perhaps? How about a film where an attractive and vivacious young woman moves into a house on the seashore and falls in love with the cantankerous ghost of a sea captain that haunts her new home? As strange as it may sound, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is one of the all-time great love stories. This is a script that could have easily turned out corny and ridiculous but instead has a class and charm that will forever anchor it as a true Hollywood classic.

Funny and smart and funny and heartwarming and funny.

First of all, in spite of the way the film looks, outwardly speaking, it's NOT really a comedy. Let's call it a "humorous drama".

2nd, Lars lives in the most understanding and sympathetic town in the entire world. Speaking just for my home state of Oklahoma, there is NO place here where you can take a sex doll to church. In Lars' world, not only did they allow it, they helped him wheel it in and wheel it out.

And lastly, I really didn't expect this film to be sweet and touching, but it is.

Good stuff. It's been quite a few years since the last time I saw a Harry Belafonte film, I had forgotten just what a tremendous actor he really is. This is a noir classic that will hold your attention wire to wire.

Note: Did the ending remind anyone else of White Heat? ("Top of the world, Ma!")

In September of 1973 DC comics came out with a short-lived spoof called Plop! My friends, who were into other offerings like Superman and Batman, and myself, a Tales from the Crypt junkie, were taken with this new, offbeat publication. It was unlike anything else we'd ever seen. Once a month I would race to the Arcade Newsstand to grab the latest issue and marvel over the out-of-this-world artwork and outrageous humor.

Plop! - DC Comics

Now, to my knowledge, Robert Crumb had absolutely nothing (directly) to do with Plop! It's too mainstream and too commercial. But I don't think I'm going too far out on a limb here when I say that without Crumb and his underground comic contributions, there would never have been a Plop!

Crumb, the documentary, is fantastically fascinating and, at the end, slightly disturbing. It's a real-life Revenge of the Nerds, but a thousand times more interesting.

For me, this is the quintessential sci-fi film, second only to 2001. It's got everything you'd ever want from a good science fiction classic. There is a menacing alien, ray guns, a space ship, the best robot ever to grace the silver screen (sorry C-3PO), and it's all set on a distant planet in a galaxy far, far away. Oh, and did I mention the beautiful damsel in distress (Anne Francis)? This is how William Shakespeare would do 'The Tempest', if he had grown up in the 50's reading Flash Gordon Comics and listening to 'Space Ranger' radio serials.

The first thing you notice about Leave Her to Heaven is the color. With the bright hues, the perfect lighting and the unblemished actors one gets the sense that they're watching one of the grand MGM musicals of the 1940's. All of this is by design, a ploy to lull you into the illusion that you're witnessing a fairy tale brought to life. And just about the time you've bought into the rich, glamorous visuals, that's when director John Stahl starts to show you glimpses of the dark underbelly of the story. Without giving too much away, there is one climatic scene, when Gene Tierney is in a rowboat in the middle of the lake, when the true darkness of the film is laid bare for the entire world to see. To say it's shocking would be an understatement.

To watch this film is like finding a perfect, brilliantly red, shiny apple. Admiring that apple. Polishing that apple. Imagining how sweet and juicy that apple is going to taste. And then cutting it open only to discover that inside is a worm... not just any worm but a knarly, slimy one. One with an overbite and a pastel wardrobe. Ewwwww!!

Charming and VERY funny. The story of a boy who struggles to be his own man, even if it means sneaking off to join a girls ballet class.

Outrageous and fun film that starts like Leave It To Beaver and winds up like Bonnie And Clyde. Peggy Cummins is wonderful as the sharp-shooting femme fatale and John Dall is perfectly cast as the good-hearted schmuck who is drawn into a life of implied-sex and crime.

Of note are the robbery and chase scenes that are shot in continuous takes from the point of view of the back seat. I'm not sure if this technique was a result of artistic forethought or a product of a limited budget but it works well. Director Joseph H. Lewis defies convention in both his medium and his method and delivers a classic in the genre of film noir.

"The best time I ever had with Joan Crawford was when I pushed her down the stairs in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" -Bette Davis

It's a simple fact of life that you will meet people who are likable and those who are not. In most circumstances when an actor or actress is asked about someone they dislike they will just refuse to comment. Its called "taking the high road". I've seen this time and time again. Debra Winger hated Richard Gere so much that after the filming of An Officer and a Gentleman had wrapped she refused to appear with him on press junkets and talk shows. To this day Diane Keaton will not talk about her Godfather co-star Al Pacino, stating only that she disliked working with him. Herein lies one of the reasons why I love Bette Davis so much. If Miss Davis disliked you, and by all accounts she disliked a great number of people, the whole world knew it. Her feud with Joan Crawford is the stuff of Hollywood legend and the quotes that are attributed to Bette are priceless:

"Why am I so good at playing bitches? I think it's because I'm not a bitch. Maybe that's why Miss Crawford always plays ladies."

Personally, I have never once watched a Bette Davis picture and been drawn out of the story by an awareness that she was acting. Her portrayals are nothing if they're not honest and sincere. I can't say the same for Joan Crawford. This holds true for Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?. There is a subtle but noticeable difference here between Crawford (the movie star) and Davis (the actress). In some cases this would be a detriment to the feel of the picture but, for this script, it works perfectly. Don't misunderstand me, I have enormous respect for Joan but, as an actress, I think she's a tier (or two) below Bette.

All told, this is a good film that becomes a GREAT film once you know the back-story.

Externalizing what is internal with art as dialogue, and characters so square that they go way past hip and back to square again.

In other words, don't miss this movie (or we'll make you eat at Coon's).

The more I see of Kirk Douglas the more I admire his talent. He has a way of making you care about a villian or doubt a hero. In this film his character is ambitious and self-serving while, at the same time, vulnerable and sympathetic. Surround him with a great cast (Lana Turner, Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan, etc.), give him great direction (Minnelli) and you've got a film for the ages, a true Hollywood classic.

Fresh, funny and brilliantly imaginative.

This film does what most other so-called "chick-flicks" couldn't do. It celebrates women without bashing men. Yes, the male roles are secondary, but they're intelligent, supportive and unpretentious. The father, the grandfather, the high school teacher, the boyfriend, they are all likeable characters. And guess what? It didn't make the women seem any less courageous. I mean really, how many other movies can make that claim? Thelma & Louise? No. Fried Green Tomatoes? No. Steel Magnolias? No. Beaches? No. Need I go on? I thoroughly and completely enjoyed this film and I didn't walk out of the theater feeling browbeaten or guilty for having been born with testicles.

Next to HIGH NOON and (maybe) SGT. YORK, this is my favorite Gary Cooper performance. Desert sands, sadistic sergeants and viking funerals - what more could a guy ask for?! :)

Ace in the Hole is a stark, unflinching portrayal of rouge journalism and how one man's ambition can overtake and smother ethics and decency. A box office flop when it was released in 1951, this may well be Kirk Douglas at his absolute best. Director/Writer/Producer Billy Wilder sends his main character, newspaper reporter Chuck Tatum (Douglas), down a hole, literally as well as figuratively, and presents a tale that is wonderful, brutal, dark and unapologetic. A must-see film.