The Horse Soldiers (1959)

Second viewing; the first one was on October 8, 1990.

The American Civil War. The North decides to send a battalion (or whatever name applies to the group in question) behind enemy lines to destroy a railroad which is vital for sending supplies to the Southern troops. One of the dramatic points is the conflict between the expedition leader and the medic which attends the outfit.

Pretty good, albeit very standard in practically every way, and of course that means it is quite unbelievable in some of them. As usual, Wayne steals the show, with his seemingly effortless performance which impresses even when he is obliged to behave in the most melodramatic fashion. The cinematography is very pleasing to the eye, and I could notice this even from my low-speed VHS recording which was made from television more than 10 years ago.

Rating: 61 (unchanged)

The Blob (1958)

Second viewing; the first happened between the beginning of 1983 and the end of 1986.

A meteor crashes into Earth, releasing a strange jellylike being from within it which has the power to devour human beings and thus grow boundlessly. A boy in his late teens and his girlfriend encounter the blob's first victim and take him to a doctor. The number of victims increase, endangering the population of the small town where this takes place.

Except for one sequence, where a car takeover is supposed to occur but we only see what happens before and after that, and thus have to imagine the actual takeover -- except for that, this is a well directed and well written film, albeit a very low-budgeted one. The idea behind it is really terrifying, and a number of allegoric interpretations are possible: small town population being consumed by a monstrous lack of prospects which devours everyone, beginning with the young; or the opposite: small town sees everything that is authentic in it be devoured by the all-encompassing massification brought about by movies, corporations, etc.; and so on...

Rating: 51 (up from 33)

Ghosts of Mississippi (1996)

A black civil rights activist is killed in front of his house, and his murderer, after being tried twice (if I am not mistaken), is not convicted. Many years later his widow still hopes that justice will be done. A young lawyer decides to meet the challenge of calling for a new trial, against the advice of those near him.

Unappealing court drama. However just the outcome may be, I always feel a little put off by cheering at someone's punishment, even a just one. And this is ultimately a victory which is brought about not only by someone's persistence, but also by chance (which is always a factor when justice is concerned). At any rate, the real problem, perhaps more serious than the sentimentalism, is the dullness of the whole proceedings. It seems to me that I would enjoy more a film about the Civil Rights movement while it was on.

Rating: 30

Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)

Second viewing; the first was on February 28, 1991.

A satellite-launching project faces a mystery: all the satellites vanish after their launching. The head of the project has recently gotten married, and, while on the road with his wife, sees some strange flying objects which frighten them out of their wits.

Low-budget yet well-made and with a reasonably well-written script, this sci-fi is justly regarded as a classic.

Rating: 51 (up from 34)

Chasing Liberty (2004)

The President's daughter is tired of having her every movement watched by White House security. On a European tour, she escapes her guardians in the company of a charming young Englishman. The only problem is, he is not who she thinks he is.

A loose remake of Roman Holiday (1953), aimed at teen audiences. The changes in the story are intelligent, and the film, albeit far from brilliant, is a nice, unpretentious pastime.

Rating: 53

Zombies of Mora Tau (1957)

A team is planning to go diving for the diamonds which remain inside a sunken ship. The problem is that the coveted stones are being guarded by the zombified remnants of the ship's crew. The ship captain's wife has moved to the vicinities of the shipwreck, to be near her "unlate" husband and hopefully to deliver him from that undignified condition.

If you are into bad movies, this is for you. There are plenty of script absurdities to relish with, and plenty of atmosphere too: the pervading atmosphere of amateurish or rushed filmmaking, that is. The Dictionary of Film Directors by Jean Tulard (which I bought for the Brazilian titles of films and no other reason), says this is a good film, though.

Rating: 12

The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)

Second viewing; the first was on August 6, 1996.

Based on the novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886.

A scientist with an unfaithful wife discovers a serum which releases a person from social inhibitions, creating in fact a whole new persona for the one who drinks it.

Interesting and thrilling adaptation of the story, with added elements which possibly improve upon its literary source.

Rating: 61 (unchanged)

The Gorgon (1964)

Third viewing, sort of; in my first one, on March 6, 1994, I missed a fair amount of the beginning; I saw the full movie on February 16, 1995.

In an Eastern European village, several deaths occur in which the victims are turned to stone. The local medical examiner conceals the real nature of the deaths. There is a rumor about an ancient mythological creature being responsible for them. When a foreign painter is held responsible for one murder, his father vows to discover the truth.

It is one of the silliest premises I have ever seen in a horror movie. Along its development, a series of red herrings are thrown in, not always in the most coherent manner (the viewer will hardly remember them after the truth is revealed). The conclusion is at once grandiose and highly frustrating. Its tragic proportions may connect with the Greek roots of the plot, but have no counterpart in its actual events and characters (where is the hubris?). The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror is admiring of the film, but can't remember the plot correctly. It also reports it to be a favorite of Fisher's, which comes to prove that a director who cannot criticize the screenplays he films is best suited for the job.

Rating: 31 (down from 49)

Coney Island (1943)

Previously seen somewhere between the beginning of 1983 and the end of 1986.

Two friends who were once business partners compete in show business and also for the love of a singer.

Watchable musical comedy. Both the strictly narrative bits and the musical numbers are interesting and reasonably well done, although both sections interrelate rarely and, when they do, broadly. Most musical numbers are performed by the female character as part of her professional activities, and thus do not break the film's diegesis. In fact, that is what a viewer is liable to expect to happen throughout the film, and yet something else happens. By midfilm, the central couple is strolling on a pier and suddenly they hear some picnickers on the beach play music and then sing in a very professional way. This is a bit atypical narratively, yet ambiguous as to being a diegesis break, since they could be professional musicians. And then a more definite break surprises the viewer as the central couple sing in a duet -- she is of course a professional singer, but he is not, and therefore could not while in character sing as well as he does. This will not happen again for the remainder of the movie.

Rating: 51 (up from 46)

13 Ghosts (1960)

Family inherits a house that is supposed to be haunted.

The plot line (which I did not reveal in its details in my synopsis) has some ingenuity to it, but the film is quite dull (especially during the apparitions).

Rating: 32

Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010)

English title: The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec

Based on the comic book series by Jacques Tardi, which began in 1976.

A writer and explorer travels to Egypt in search of the mummy of a pharaoh's doctor. She intends to use him to cure her sister, with the aid of a scientist who has discovered a means to resurrect the dead.

Terribly tame seriocomical adventure with abundant display of makeup and CGI technologies. Kids may enjoy it.

Rating: 30

The Beverly Hillbillies (1993)

Based on the television series which ran from 1962 to 1971.

A rural family gets rich and moves to Beverly Hills. A couple of crooks devise a plan to steal their money.

A few sequences and/or lines of dialog are fine, but otherwise this is a weak script sleazily directed. The cast is mostly good, but I didn't like the guy in a dual role. To be fair, though, I must say that this film at least conveys a hint of the original show's quality to those of us who have never seen it. And, judging from the film, it borrows heavily from a thirties comic strip named Li'l Abner.

Caveat: I saw a cut version on open TV (afternoon sessions are considered fillers, and fair game for the exhibitor's editing).

Rating: 32

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

Second viewing; the first was on September 23, 1996.

Based on the ancient Greek myth. Pelias overthrows the king of Thessaly, whose son Jason vows revenge, but somehow also thinks it important to have a certain miraculous fleece that is stationed on the other side of the world.

Entertaining juvenile story of adventures, with good stop-motion effects.

Rating: 54 (down from 63)