House of Frankenstein (1944)

A scientist escapes from prison along with another inmate, a hunchback who becomes his faithful assistant. The scientist's imprisonment was due to his scientific work, which was very much in the line of Dr. Frankenstein's. Now his goal is to avenge himself of the men who were responsible for his incarceration. They encounter a traveling carnival show who has among its attractions the skeleton of Count Dracula.

Completely insane in a self-parodic manner that reveals the decadence of the horror genre as it was made at Universal at that time (RKO was quite strong though). The hunchback assistant was to go into Young Frankenstein a few decades later. Apart from the fine cinematography, typical of Hollywood films at that time, it seems, and the mild ludicrousness of its conceptions, there is little to justify viewing it.

Rating: 32

20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

Second viewing, probably; I do not remember when I saw it for the first time, but it was surely before 1987, and probably before 1983.

Based on the novel Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, by Jules Verne, first published in 1870.

A mysterious entity, generally thought to be a monster, is wrecking ships at sea in the late 19th century. A search expedition is assembled, led by a scientist. They eventually find what they think is the monster, and attack it, causing damage to their own ship. All those in it fall into the sea, and the scientist and his assistant, as well as a member of the ship's crew, are rescued by a submarine under a mysterious captain.

Being a Disney production, there are some touches aimed at the kid audience,  mostly involving a seal. I do not remember the novel well, but apparently the pacifist motif is an invention of the movie, and an interesting one at that. It is also a bit problematic, because it lends Nemo some contradictory aspects, his pacifism belying his purported lack of humanity. Also, he seems to abhor both the American Civil War and slavery; in other words he wants to have his cake and eat it too. Of course, the trivial answer to this would be that he is mad, but I think he reflects the general mental confusion of many people in the time of the movie and in ours. Anyway, this is an entertaining adventure, with fine actors and some nice visuals. As a curiosity, I point out the influence on the Dr. Phibes' movies: both Phibes and Nemo are avenging their respective wives' deaths, and both play Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor on the organ.

Rating: 54 (unchanged)

Amarcord (1973)

Second viewing; the first one was on October 14, 1991.

A year in the life of a small Italian village in the Emilia-Romagna region, in the 1930s. The movie has a sort of center in 'Tita', a teenage boy. Another important character is 'Gradisca', a forty-ish unmarried woman who is the object of desire of practically the entire male population in that town.

What first struck me in this second viewing was the prodigiously precise mise en scène, and the flawlessness of form in general. Secondly, I was pleased by how sentimentality is never given a free rein. Overall this is a beautiful chronicle, solidly anchored in history but always looking for the poetic side of events.

Rating: 72 (up from 67)

Såsom i en spegel (1961)

English title: Through a Glass Darkly.
Accurate translation of the original title: As in a Mirror.

A schizophrenic woman is released from a clinic after undergoing treatment and goes to live with her husband, her father, and her younger brother in a deserted island.

What a wonderful idea for a recovering psychiatric patient, to live in a deserted island with her horny teenage brother, her father who had abandoned her when she most needed her, and her caring but feckless husband. Well, that may not be very sound medicine but it makes for a reasonably entertaining drama, albeit one which fills in with dialogue wherever anything beyond the possibilities of its minuscule budget is to be depicted. Some similarly-minded horror films were made, mainly in England, mainly in the sixties, but they relied on images rather than words (needless to say, those films were scorned by critics whereas this one was and still is praised to the heavens). Anyway, what I gathered from this heavily Freudian concoction is that the word 'love' and its two distinct meanings (Eros on one side, which is based on desire and is therefore involuntary; Agape on the other, which is voluntary and based on social or religious constraints) are often confused as a single entity, with positive consequences (e.g. it binds husband and wife together even after desire fades away) and negative ones (e.g. general mental confusion). The title deserves some remarks. As is seen on the top of this entry, the English title is not exactly the same as the Swedish one, due, I think, to a difference in the translations of the biblical verse it is based on (the director mentions in an interview that ancient mirrors were made of bronze and the background of the image were blurry, the accuracy and explaining power of which I cannot vouch for). What is most curious, though, is that in Brazil the release title was a blend of the English and Swedish ones, "Through a Looking Glass", which is funny because it establishes a parallel between 'Karin' and that famous character by Lewis Carroll.

Rating: 51

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Second viewing; the first one was in October or November of 1984.

Based on the novel The Hoods, by Herschel Goldberg (as Harry Grey), first published in 1952.

The story of four friends growing up in New York City during the 1920s, then becoming gangsters during Prohibition. Another section set in the 1960s is interspersed with the earlier time frame.

An imperfect film, but a strong one. The tone is clearly pulpish, and very Italian in style. Maybe it has to do with a taste for the grotesque, which seems to be alien to Anglo-Saxon sensibilities. It is hard for me to make a strictly rational sense of the movie in all its details. I think the basic point is how when you are a child there is a purity of emotion that gets screwed in a thousand ways as you grow old. A psychoanalytical interpretation wouldn't be too off, 'Max' perhaps being a pure Id version of 'Noodles', a la Jekyll and Hyde. I misinterpreted the ending on both viewings, and even the IMDb FAQ gets it wrong, in my opinion (the 'contract on Noodles' hypothesis seems very far-fetched). After I read a statement from a Leone interview I think I got it right (it is supposed to be a murder, not a suicide). But this is not clear on the screen, so I suppose anyone may think what he pleases.

Rating: 71 (up from 69)

The World Moves On (1934)

Drama which deals with a multinational conglomerate whose heads are all members of the same family; some of them become enemies when World War One breaks out.

A weird film, which sort of proves a personal theorem of mine, stating that the quality of a film is often closely related to the amenability of its story to fit an acceptable duration, given the market constraints. Here, it is obvious that this amenability does not happen, and the film feels like it has huge chunks of character development and plot altogether missing. Apart from that, there are other problems with the film that are screenplay-related and happen mostly in the last section; particularly unsavory is the bombastic behavior which is ascribed to character 'Richard'; the final appeal to religion is a bit awkward too, and, at least as viewed today, does not seem integral to the drama. But the film is not a total loss: it is lucid in its assessment of the post-WWI zeitgeist, and now we know that its worst fears became tragic reality in subsequent years; also, it is technically well-made, especially the battlefield sequences.

Rating: 37

35 Up (1991)

The Up series, continued. No huge surprises in this one, except one that concerns an absentee. One reads on the IMDB page, at the Frequently Asked Questions section (this was published 4 years ago, before 56 Up (2012) was made):

*quote* Peter criticised Thatcher's government in 28 Up and lost his teaching job after a tabloid media campaign; he did not appear in any more "Up" films. *unquote* .

(Observation inserted on May 30, 2014: Peter appeared on 56 Up and stated that his leaving the teaching profession had nothing to do with the tabloids, it was his decision entirely.)

Jackie and Sue and their new respective developments were the most interesting things in this installment, in my opinion. I will not comment further, except that, well, they just made me think.

This movie made the Dale Thomajan top ten lists, the second and last time an Up movie did.

The Gilded Lily (1935)

A young working-class woman is best friends with a reporter who is in love with her. She falls in love with a man she meets by accident, unaware that he is a wealthy member of English nobility. A series of misunderstandings interrupt their love affair, while at the same time conferring her celebrity status.

This is what is usually described as "fluff", or, even more deprecatingly, "pap". It is not that the screenwriter, director, and actors are not all geniuses. They are, but did these people have any power over a movie in 1930s Hollywood? The writer is given a very silly story to develop (cashing in on the success of It Happened One Night, reportedly), the director films it to perfection, and the actors play it superbly. But it all started as pap, and the finished product cannot be anything but pap.

Rating: 32

Insomnia (1997)

In a Norwegian region where daylight is constant, the brutal murder of a teenage woman defies the local police. They sent for a Swedish expert to lead the investigation. He sets a trap for the criminal but makes a deadly mistake during an operation to catch him.

Intelligently plotted and competently directed criminal thriller. Crime as a result of mental confusion is the central theme; the sun has a central role (cp. Camus' The Stranger). There is still enough of a moral distinction between the hunter (policeman) and the hunted (novelist), but the film's point is that the policeman's mental mechanism is hardly distinguishable from the novelist's. The central performance is excellent. I found this version preferrable over the remake, which is also good.

Rating: 68

Abrir puertas y ventanas (2011)

Literal translation for the title: Open the Doors and the Windows
English distribution title: Back to Stay

Three student sisters in their early twenties (apparently) are living together in their recently deceased grandmother's house. Sofía is bossy and a bit devious; Marina seems to do all the house work and to be more emotionally honest than the others; Violeta is extremely lazy.

A psychological study where nothing much happens in the way of a plot. It is very well acted and seems to have some insight into how young women act and relate to one another. Another decent Argentinean movie written and directed by a woman (Mumenthaler), amongst several that have appeared in recent times (Galardi, Martel, Murga).

Rating: 61

Une chambre en ville (1982)

English title: A Room in Town

Mme. Langlois is a widow living in Nantes in 1955. Guilbaud is a factory worker who rents a room at Mme. Langlois' apartment. He has a girlfriend who loves him very much. Mme. Langlois has a daughter named Édith who got married recently to a man she does not love. He is jealous and violent. One day, Guilbaud and Édith meet by chance. Did I mention that there is a strike going on, and that's the reason Guilbaud has so much time in his hands?

Sung-through melodrama with no songs, only recitatives. Those who consider the working class and its organized movements through a romantic prism may find this entertaining or even enthralling. Those with a pathological aversion to the spoken word may be in for a treat, too. I am afraid there is little of interest for the rest of mankind, although, to be fair, it is not badly done within its own rather peculiar (and mysterious) constraints.

Rating: 30

Le beau Serge (1958)

English titles: Handsome Serge; Bitter Reunion.

A young man in his early twenties returns to his home town after an absence of many years. He plans to spend the winter there and convalesce from an illness. He reencounters his childhood friend, now a married man and also a bitter alcoholic.

Interesting study of provincial life. The script, or what of it made it to the final cut, is a little reticent about many aspects concerning the characters and incidents, leaving it for the viewer to fill in with his imagination. The drama develops into a more or less traditional tale of redemption or sublimation or whatever else one may think is the case here.

Rating: 52

Jacquot de Nantes (1991)

U.S. title: Jacquot.

Based on the memoirs by Jacques Demy (b. 1931- d. 1990).

Jacquot is a boy growing up in Nantes, the son of a garage owner and a hairdresser. He is a happy child who loves songs and films. The Occupation disturbs his family life, but, despite all the incidents (including two allied bombings), Jacquot and his family come out unscathed (his statement that they have instilled in him a horror of violence seems insincere or self-deceptive). As a teenager, Jacquot develops a love for cinema. He buys an old camera and starts making stop-motion animations. His father does not regard filmmaking as a suitable career and forces him to attend technical school instead. He goes through a troubled and frustrated period until, finally, the support from a filmmaker visiting Nantes grants him a shot at following his aspirations.

This is a fairly banal biographical drama (interspersed with a few  apparitions of the real Demy at the time of filming), but it is very well made and I saw myself watching it painlessly all the way through. To be honest, I do not think the kind of "popular culture"-oriented life led by the protagonist is very healthy. Anyway, certain people seem to adapt better to it than I ever could.

Rating: 50

28 Up (1984)

Upwards goes the On series, sorry, onwards goes the Up series, this time with the subjects at 28. This seems to be a sort of summit in the progression, though of course I may realize I am wrong when I watch the next installments. Anyway it is certainly an important point, a key point perhaps. Already there are two defections, which I regret. The filmmaker/interviewer comes out (I am not sure whether this is in stock footage from the previous installment, or in new one) as to the purpose of the series (among others, I suppose) being the study of social mobility, or, rather, the lack thereof. As I have been saying, he has the same (irritating) effect on me as most leftist types do, so, based on that, I have to assume he is a leftist. And it is leftists who are generally trying to prove there is little mobility and the government should boost it. But what if there is no way of boosting it? I have recently come across an article which reviews a book which seems to be saying precisely that. And I think this film (and the whole series) are precious evidence to that, if you analyze it carefully. You may argue that this isn't a statistically relevant sample, but then neither is it for the opposing, leftist view. I do think, at any rate, that this is an exceptionally interesting film in a, so far, exceptionally interesting series, and I can't wait to see the next one. Before I do, let me just point out that, when Neil speaks of an "impersonal society" referring to, if I recall correctly, the London suburbs, his definition fits our present-day society pretty much in its entirety with a vengeance, and the question should be, who is responsible for that? Who profits from that?

This film is number ten in critic Dale Thomajan's picks for 1985. This is probably what drew me in the first place towards this series, as, based on the films I have watched amongst his choices, he seems to be very reliable (he also has written a few books, amongst them an interesting compilation of film quotations called Great Movie Lines). His top ten lists can be read here.

Hell Up in Harlem (1973)

Sequel to Black Caesar. Tommy recovers from his wounds, recruits his father as an underling, puts the D.A. under control, gets a new girlfriend, and is betrayed by his ambitious second-in-command.

Crude filmmaking is the rule here. The script (assuming there was one) has a certain level of intelligence, and the film is eventful, but the poorness of the execution makes it unequivocally dull.

Rating: 31

The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)

Based on the novella Michael Kohlhaas, by Heinrich von Kleist, first published in complete form in 1810 (which in turn was based on a 16th century real event). There is no credit for this in the film, though.

A young woman (the titular character) and her teenage brother are harassed by a young man and his gang, who steal her motor scooter and damage it. She demands financial compensation from the boy's shop owner father, but is sexually harassed instead. Her brother picks a gun from the shop's cash register and, after an altercation, shoots at the owner. Billie and her brother, plus two other teenage girls, flee in a borrowed car, and are pursued by the police.

This is an absolutely ridiculous film, and yet I can't say it hasn't its share of entertainment value in the form of self-parody. It is also an early example of a now prevalent trend that seeks the emasculation of America, in fact, of the civilized world as a whole (I counted three hits on a male character's testicles throughout the film!).

Rating: 30

Dead Birds (1963)

Ethnographic documentary about a people in New Guinea. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Read the Wikipedia page about it.

Read also this review by Kevin Kelly.

This film's sound recordist was a Rockefeller. Read this article on rumors about his death.

21 (1977)

Alternate title (Internet Movie Database): 21 Up.

Third installment of the series of documentaries which every 7 years interviews the same set of British boys and girls. Not much to comment upon that would be significantly different from my comments to the previous installments. You can see my presumption of a certain "liberal" (in American terminology) bias on the filmmaker were to a certain extent addressed by one of the boys, who pointed out that the previous installments led one to believe (wrongly) that the rich kids' life were all privilege and no personal effort.

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

Second viewing; the first one was on April 9, 1991.

A man is exposed to radiation while vacationing with his wife in a boat out on the sea. Some months later, another exposure triggers a process of decrease in his bodily size. He experiences serious psychological problems as well as physical dangers associated with his new condition.

I will, for once, decline from commenting on this movie, which I liked a lot, the same as I did the first time I saw it. It so happens, in this particular case, that I wholly agree with most people who liked it, and in the user review section of IMDb there are wonderful reviews to which I do not think I could add anything of interest. That is, apart from the fact that it bears a passing resemblance to Kafka's The Metamorphosis (lots of people noticed that, too).

Rating: 71

L'horloger de Saint-Paul (1974)

U.S. title: The Clockmaker.

Based on the 1954 novel L'horloger d'Everton, by Georges Simenon.

A man learns from the police that his son committed a murder. The victim was a security guard (or floor manager, I am not sure) at the factory where the young man's girlfriend (and apparent accomplice) worked. The two criminals' whereabouts are unknown.

The plot of this psychological drama is comprised basically of a lot of bullshit and mysteries which remain partly unsolved. To be fair, much of the film can still be endured (and, occasionally, even enjoyed) regardless of that, as it concerns the problems of a middle-aged man who questions his role as a father (and as a citizen, perhaps, though this is part of the bullshit). The excellent central performance is key to that enjoyment, and, to yield to a cliché, carries the film. One of the thematic aspects concerns the problem of excessive liberalism in education producing disoriented kids, which the filmmaker would tackle again in L'appât, again, in my opinion, without great success. In The Clockmaker, politics fogs the issue a little, perhaps, and I honestly cannot make head or tail of the protagonist's stance in court, which seems to me more of the same attitude he had in the past, only radicalized.

Rating: 41

It Came from Outer Space (1953)

An object collides with the Earth in the Arizona desert and is at first thought to be a meteorite, but actually is an alien spaceship. An amateur astronomer investigates the incident with the help of his girlfriend and, later on, other townspeople.

Insipid sci-fi, with little to recommend it aside from the musical score. A few scenes are kind of cool, such as the monster's eye glowing in the dark, and the rock avalanche, but overall the film's suspense level is low due to the fact that we suspect early on that the aliens are on the level and mean no harm. These are, by the way, the best kind of aliens: they do not stay here longer than necessary, destroy very little, and did not come here to preach anything. The downside is that they're simply not fun. The film seemed badly filmed to me, in the sense that, at times, the takes follow one another in a poorly designed fashion. For instance, when the protagonist first inspects the landing site, I was at first under the impression that there was another person there, an alien possibly; after I watched it a second time, I realized it was always the same guy, who was filmed first facing the camera and then from behind at a much larger distance. Anyway, most people praised the direction, so these perceptions of mine must be faulty, somehow.

Rating: 32

Junior (1994)

Two male medical researchers are trying to get a fertility drug approved. When they get a "no" from the FDA, they come up with the bold idea of testing the drug on one of them and then submitting the results to a prospective buyer.

Again, what seemed to be a rare event is becoming alarmingly frequent: I like a film more than the IMDb average voter. And I find it odd that this film has so few user reviews. One would think it is a real stinker, and it is not. The artistry of the writers and of the director shows in several occasions, especially in the first half of the movie, which plays out as a sophisticated comedy. The second half is worse, and admittedly overindulges in trite "drag" humor. The overall theme of the movie, however, is the very relevant issue of medicine for profit. The movie has found a funny way to show that some (I am being conservative here) people in the medical world will do anything for money.

Rating: 50

Knight and Day (2010)

A woman boards the same plane as a rogue agent who is in possession of a new invention and is on the run from his employers who are trying to recover the device. She gets mixed-up in this war, under the rogue agent's protection. They all go after the scientist who created the coveted device and a frantic cat-and-dog chase ensues.

Action thriller with a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the genre. As the old expression goes, there is never a dull moment in it. I enjoyed it more than the average IMDb voter, an unusual occurrence. The only criticisms I have to offer concern the weird title and the awful song which plays during the end credits. I would probably have passed this film up had I not come across French critic Jean-Sébastien Chauvin's top ten list for 2010 in Cahiers du cinéma.

Rating: 68