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Posted: |
Jun 21, 2021 - 12:11 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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ADVISE & CONSENT (1962) – 8/10
After the ailing U.S. President (Franchot Tone) nominates a controversial candidate, “Robert Leffingwell” (Henry Fonda), to be Secretary of State, Senate Majority Leader “Bob Munson” (Walter Pidgeon) tries to get him confirmed, against an opponent from his own party, “Sen. Seabright Cooley” (Charles Laughton). Cooley springs a surprise witness at the hearing (Burgess Meredith) that throws the proceedings into turmoil. What follows involves political infighting, perjury, moral compromise, and eventually, blackmail.
The idea of all these unsavory goings on in Washington must have scandalized the public that read Allen Drury’s Pulitzer-Prize-winning bestseller in 1959, and the viewers of Otto Preminger’s 1962 film adaptation. Audiences of that time were not used to such things playing out in real-time in public view on 24-hour news channels and on social media. We know this based on published reactions to the film. The review in The New York Times considered the characterization of elected officials as "rogues" and "rascals" to be highly inaccurate. In her 9 June 1962 Los Angeles Times column, Hedda Hopper endorsed the American Legion, a military veterans organization, in its unsuccessful effort to prevent the U.S. State Department from exporting the film. The California Federation of Women's Clubs joined the protest, citing the film's portrayal of a federal government rife with "corruption, dishonesty, and lack of integrity." Congressman Carroll Kearns of Pennsylvania suggested that future cinematic representation of the nation's capital should be reviewed by a "joint Congressional committee."
The public didn’t exactly make the film a blockbuster, although it did end up in the top 50 films of the year, with a $5.7 million gross. The draw of the film for today’s audiences is the top-flight cast, the straight-forward propulsive narrative (courtesy of Wendell Mayes’ script), and Preminger’s clean direction. Jerry Fielding provides an effective, if sparse, score. While many of the characters ring true even today, others, such as Laughton’s corn-pone Southern senator, and one elderly senator who sleeps through most of the floor proceedings, are relics of a past era. Still, the picture can be a crackling entertainment at times and holds interest throughout its 140-minute running time.
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Soul (Pete Docter, 2020) 10/10
Just about perfect, one of the finest films (I purposely did not say "animated films") I have seen these past few years, full of imagination, pure art.
It's about a music teacher whose lifelong dream of becoming a professional jazz musician seems all but faded when unexpectedly he gets his big break, a prestigious gig with the famous saxophone player Dorothea Williams. Unfortunately for him, he accidentally ends up in the "Great Before", where counselors (who are all called "Jerry") prepare unborn souls for life.
Once again, Pixar has no peer when it comes to animated story telling. Soul is an "adult" movie, but you can take your kids to it, it is a very funny movie, but it is not stuffed with throwaway jokes, it has a high-concept, but at its heart are story and characters. Great storytelling and visually stunning.
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Posted: |
Jun 23, 2021 - 12:14 AM
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By: |
Bob DiMucci
(Member)
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THE STRANGE DOOR (1951) – 7/10
“Sire Alain de Maletroit” (a deliciously malevolent Charles Laughton) arranges to have “Denis de Beaulieu” (an over-confident Richard Stapley) show up at his isolated castle, on the run from the law. His purpose is to have de Beaulieu marry his niece, “Blanche de Maletroit” (Sally Forrest), whether he (or she) wants to or not. Towards that end, Maletroit locks the castle doors and places a guard on de Beaulieu’s room. But there’s a method to Maletroit’s seeming madness. Deep in the castle’s dungeon is a secret of which Blanche is unaware…a secret guarded by Maletroit’s servant, “Voltan” (Boris Karloff).
Charles Laughton is the entire show here, as he almost drools in anticipation of using the living to take revenge on those long-thought to be dead. Karloff gives able support in a good-guy role. The castle is a star in itself –a maze of secret doors and passages, multi-level dungeons and torture rooms, and even a giant mill wheel that figures greatly in the film’s denouement. The only thing missing is an original score, as Joseph Gershenson layers in the stock music cues from Universal’s vast library.
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Paid in Blood (1971) 7/10
With Jeff Cameron, Donal O'Brien me and some familiar faces.
Man killed by Ringo Brown. His brother seeks revenge. Brown works for O'Brien, who works for Shannon (the big cheese villain). Not bad, a bit rough round the edges. Plenty of shootin' n punchin' to keep you happy. Some nice little touches:Heroes horse has an eye infection and needs some ointment , off the vet/Dr; two women fighting over a gun. When finished the good girl knocks the bad out by hitting her on the head with the gun. Brilliant! An extra point for Donal O'Brien who adds a bit of b movie quality. And the music, by Elsio Mancuso wasn't bad.Mexican count one, fleeting.
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Bad boys for life
Corny cliched actioner, some half decent lines but script equally corny. Even stole John Wayne's Knock Knock kick the door in and Silence of the lambs take the injured guard out in the ambulance but its the villain covered in blood. All rather silly and seemed to think that because it had reunited the Smith/Lawrence duo from the first films that would assure success. There's even a mushy "iam you father" ending and a pathetic conclusion.
6 out of 10, although the Mexican witch was very sexy, spoke some lines of spanish and english.
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We Still Steal the Old Way (2016) 9/10
With Ian Ogilvy, Chris Ellison, Billy Murray.
A little cracker. Came across it by chance, new nowt about it. Expectation> low- reward< high. Cast were all top. The bad, you hated, the good you rooted for.
Ogilvy and co. go to jail to spring a friend. Things go wrong. Then get sorted. Good fun spotting all the old faces. Quite violent but not too graphic, all the time. One of the most enjoyable films I've seen in a while, that didn't have any Mexicans, horses or Spanish trumpet in it.
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The first film was awful, Damian, so you saying the sequel is better? Better than awful? Lol
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The first film was awful, Damian, so you saying the sequel is better? Better than awful? Lol
Haven't seen the first, yet but may have just wasted three quid !
I did like the 2nd one s fair bit. Didn't even know it was a sequel til after the fact. I t was nice seeing Ogilvy doing something other than lardy dah. And Patrick Bergin and Nicky Henson, didn't even recognise them til late on! Music was on the crap side, could have done with Zimmer
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The title of the first film - otherwise unrelated - is based on Petri's 1967 rather quirky We Still Kill the Old Way, exceptionally-scored by Bacalov n starring Gian Maria Volonte.
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The title of the first film - otherwise unrelated - is based on Petri's 1967 rather quirky We Still Kill the Old Way, exceptionally-scored by Bacalov n starring Gian Maria Volonte.
I knew that. I was search the net for Volonte films. The Petri one came,naturally. Then the Ogilvy one came up, thought it was a a mistake, at first. I have tj bacalovov on LP but apparently not cd.
Correction just found it as ' a ciascuno IL Suo. Phew, thought I was slipping
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Correct. Unbelievable best bossa track ever.
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Posted: |
Jun 27, 2021 - 9:55 AM
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By: |
MusicMad
(Member)
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Basic Instinct (1992) ... 7-/10
To think this is nearly 30 years old ... I don't recall when i first saw it (not at the cinema) but this was a repeat viewing of the 10th anniversary DVD release. I was surprised to find I enjoyed it more this time, having forgotten a lot of the back story elements.
The sleazy, complicated story seeks to bring film noir into the, then, modern arena, and does so with a lot of adult material: nudity, sex, language and violence and the question is ... does the story work if these modern elements are removed? By the end I couldn't decide just what Beth's involvement was and I was pleased to hear the filmmakers, on the bonus disc, also admitting that this wasn't clear. In other words, even the final scene reveal may be misleading
On the plus side, it is beautifully filmed with glorious colours and sharp images (not so film noir, perhaps) and its homages to Vertigo (1958) are striking ... with the romantic theme in Jerry Goldsmith's score giving more than a nod towards that classic.
A good cast help paper over the cracks in the script and the film, as a whole, reveals high production values. JG's score is a major benefit, even if the lovely romantic hook is over-used. It's one of my favourite JG scores of his later years. It was both interesting and sad to see him in the bonus feature Making of ... as he discussed writing the score, working with Paul Verhoeven (who was very complimentary) and the issue regarding the final 20 seconds of the score ... but he looked ill.
Mitch
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Beauty and the Beast(2014) 8/10
Not the Disney tripe but a French one.
With Vincent Cassel.and Lea Seydoux
Decent version, for a change. No singing tea cups or such crap. Visually gorgeous. Music good by Pierre Addenot
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