Second viewing; first seen on January 6, 1995.
Based on the play by Harold Brighouse, first produced in 1915.
A widower with three daughters is thinking of marrying the two younger ones while keeping the eldest, who is 30, as his perpetual companion and as manager of the shoe shop he owns. But she has other plans.
"A Hobson's choice is a free choice where only one option is offered", explains Wikipedia. I guess here it refers to the eldest daughter's choice of husband. I could be wrong, of course. This is a serious candidate for becoming a cult classic and required viewing among the Gender Studies folks in all the good Universities. You see, it has a character who is a perfectly masculine woman, and another who is a perfectly feminine man. The film consists in these characters' personality shaping: first the woman educates the man to fit his sex, and, after this is accomplished, he can educate her to fit hers. I guess if this story were set in modern days, instead of 1880, they would be both undergoing a quite different process of adequating their bodies to fit their immature minds; probably, too, they would never become a couple. Alas, this was from a time when fathers were very egotistic and tyrannical (as they say in Sardinia, a padre padrone, which is another movie), unlike those of our times who are caring and liberal (sometimes they come in pairs). Wikipedia, speaking about the play, points out similarities to King Lear and Cinderella. The TV Guide review is well written and offers a just appreciation of the film's qualities.
Rating: 84 (up from 50)
Friday, October 31, 2014
Monday, October 27, 2014
Warlock (1959)
Second viewing; first seen on January 11, 1987.
The town of Warlock is suffering constant outlaw raids, with deaths, vandalism, and the latest deputy (somehow, the town is not qualified to have a marshal, so he is the top local law enforcement authority) being run out of town. Responding to that, a majority of townspeople hire a gunslinger to get rid of those troublemakers. The situation changes a bit when one of the outlaws defect from his bunch and becomes the town's new deputy. An important subplot involves the gunslinger's sidekick and a woman whose fiancé was shot by the gunslinger.
The theme of barbarism vs. civilization is one of the most important ones and has been frequently dealt with in fictional narratives. The Western genre has been quite amenable to it, and this film is one of the more successful works to deal with it. It is a perfectly structured one, which pivots on a character's physical handicap to develop its analysis. I wonder whether this would be considered acceptable by our present-day political-correctness police; at any rate, back in 1959 nobody raised any objections to the fictional assumption that physically handicapped persons might become morally handicapped as well.
Seen in pan-and-scan.
Rating: 76 (unchanged)
The town of Warlock is suffering constant outlaw raids, with deaths, vandalism, and the latest deputy (somehow, the town is not qualified to have a marshal, so he is the top local law enforcement authority) being run out of town. Responding to that, a majority of townspeople hire a gunslinger to get rid of those troublemakers. The situation changes a bit when one of the outlaws defect from his bunch and becomes the town's new deputy. An important subplot involves the gunslinger's sidekick and a woman whose fiancé was shot by the gunslinger.
The theme of barbarism vs. civilization is one of the most important ones and has been frequently dealt with in fictional narratives. The Western genre has been quite amenable to it, and this film is one of the more successful works to deal with it. It is a perfectly structured one, which pivots on a character's physical handicap to develop its analysis. I wonder whether this would be considered acceptable by our present-day political-correctness police; at any rate, back in 1959 nobody raised any objections to the fictional assumption that physically handicapped persons might become morally handicapped as well.
Seen in pan-and-scan.
Rating: 76 (unchanged)
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Love Field (1992)
Second viewing; first seen on June 30, 2002
A woman living in Dallas is moved by the assassination of President Kennedy, and decides to attend his funeral. Her husband vehemently objects to it, and she decides to go without him. On the bus, she befriends a man traveling with his daughter. A certain complexity is added to it by the fact that she is white and he is black.
Although not everyone would agree that this is a funny movie, technically it fits into the comedy genre, because it obeys its essential requirements -- characters with a low social standing, and a happy ending. A characteristic of comedies is their sympathy for liberal causes, as opposed to tragedies, which are conservative par excellence. A work of fiction, however, has always a degree of political ambivalence, and this is no exception. Thus, one of the tenets of conservative thinking is amply demonstrated here, namely, that a misguided act of charity often causes more harm than good. It is an interesting and engaging film, tautly written and competently directed.
Rating: 63 (up from 59)
A woman living in Dallas is moved by the assassination of President Kennedy, and decides to attend his funeral. Her husband vehemently objects to it, and she decides to go without him. On the bus, she befriends a man traveling with his daughter. A certain complexity is added to it by the fact that she is white and he is black.
Although not everyone would agree that this is a funny movie, technically it fits into the comedy genre, because it obeys its essential requirements -- characters with a low social standing, and a happy ending. A characteristic of comedies is their sympathy for liberal causes, as opposed to tragedies, which are conservative par excellence. A work of fiction, however, has always a degree of political ambivalence, and this is no exception. Thus, one of the tenets of conservative thinking is amply demonstrated here, namely, that a misguided act of charity often causes more harm than good. It is an interesting and engaging film, tautly written and competently directed.
Rating: 63 (up from 59)
Friday, October 24, 2014
Love Is on the Air (1937)
A radio show host is planning to do a story about an extorsion scheme led by a crooked club owner and involving members of the city administration; through pressure of the show's sponsor, who is a partner of the abovementioned gangster, our hero is demoted to the kiddie show. Meanwhile, the businessman who was going to expose the scheme is kidnapped and wrongly accused of disappearing after having embezzled company's money. Chance has it that one of the kids the radio host befriends while doing his show had a family member who was a victim of the same gang.
Low-budget thriller, not particularly noteworthy, although it has thematic elements which might be of interest to some.
Rating: 33
Low-budget thriller, not particularly noteworthy, although it has thematic elements which might be of interest to some.
Rating: 33
The Girl Can't Help It (1956)
Second viewing; first seen between 1983 and 1986.
A gangster wants to turn his girlfriend into a successful singer, and for that purpose hires a down-and-out agent. He and the girl fall in love with each other.
Uneven musical comedy, of historical importance due to the influence its rock-and-roll numbers had on the evolution of that genre. It's a multifaceted film which never reaches a unity among its parts. The plot itself is not that important, and seems to be aware of it. The movie is at its best when it does its satire on sex-symbols (its female star is "a parody of a parody", according to TV Guide's fine review); the musical performances, though impressive, have just a casual relation to the rest of the movie. The film's best line is featured in Dale Thomajan's book Great Movie Lines.
Rating: 51 (down from 58)
A gangster wants to turn his girlfriend into a successful singer, and for that purpose hires a down-and-out agent. He and the girl fall in love with each other.
Uneven musical comedy, of historical importance due to the influence its rock-and-roll numbers had on the evolution of that genre. It's a multifaceted film which never reaches a unity among its parts. The plot itself is not that important, and seems to be aware of it. The movie is at its best when it does its satire on sex-symbols (its female star is "a parody of a parody", according to TV Guide's fine review); the musical performances, though impressive, have just a casual relation to the rest of the movie. The film's best line is featured in Dale Thomajan's book Great Movie Lines.
Rating: 51 (down from 58)
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Pépé le Moko (1937)
Second viewing; first seen on October 10, 1994.
Title translation: Pépé the Toulon Man
Pépé is a French criminal hiding in the Algiers district known as the Casbah; he is continually hunted by the police who try to lure him into leaving the safe district. Pépé falls in love with a French tourist visiting Algiers, much to the chagrin of his Algerian lover.
The criminal as superhero, here with a twist, the European as a mythical being among third-worlders. He exerts endless fascination over women and the humble masses. Yet again, we learn that a criminal life has no future. As for the present, living with the colonials is hell on Earth, their men are treacherous and their women can be a real drag -- and vice versa! The Third World is not for the European, a recurrent theme. A hypnotic film, of dark beauties and even darker truths.
Rating: 77 (up from 70)
Title translation: Pépé the Toulon Man
Pépé is a French criminal hiding in the Algiers district known as the Casbah; he is continually hunted by the police who try to lure him into leaving the safe district. Pépé falls in love with a French tourist visiting Algiers, much to the chagrin of his Algerian lover.
The criminal as superhero, here with a twist, the European as a mythical being among third-worlders. He exerts endless fascination over women and the humble masses. Yet again, we learn that a criminal life has no future. As for the present, living with the colonials is hell on Earth, their men are treacherous and their women can be a real drag -- and vice versa! The Third World is not for the European, a recurrent theme. A hypnotic film, of dark beauties and even darker truths.
Rating: 77 (up from 70)
Monday, October 20, 2014
The Gunfighter (1950)
Second viewing; the date of my first viewing is under suspicion -- I have no record of having seen it since 1987, a fact which suggests I saw it between 1983 and 1986; on the other hand, I have a tape recording of it dating from the early 1990s, a fact which suggests the possibility of my having seen it then and having forgotten to write that event down.
A middle-aged gunfighter comes to a small Western town hoping to contact the woman with whom he had a relationship and a son with. He must deal with the town's curiosity about him, and some young men who keep bullying him to prove they are tough. Also some people are after him to avenge their relatives who were murdered.
The fascination with violence is an important theme, and one that resonates to this very day. An equally cogent theme is the need to escape an identity which no longer suits one. The general lines of the script seem to obey a predetermined template for a sort of Western elegy, and the result seems a bit strained at crucial moments. Also, the protagonist seems to be a very good guy, his shady past being somewhat toned down. This seems also to be the case with his friend the town marshal. In both cases, I cannot say I buy that concept. In spite of those problems, the film somehow flows well and there is even room for some great sequences.
Rating: 65 (unchanged)
A middle-aged gunfighter comes to a small Western town hoping to contact the woman with whom he had a relationship and a son with. He must deal with the town's curiosity about him, and some young men who keep bullying him to prove they are tough. Also some people are after him to avenge their relatives who were murdered.
The fascination with violence is an important theme, and one that resonates to this very day. An equally cogent theme is the need to escape an identity which no longer suits one. The general lines of the script seem to obey a predetermined template for a sort of Western elegy, and the result seems a bit strained at crucial moments. Also, the protagonist seems to be a very good guy, his shady past being somewhat toned down. This seems also to be the case with his friend the town marshal. In both cases, I cannot say I buy that concept. In spite of those problems, the film somehow flows well and there is even room for some great sequences.
Rating: 65 (unchanged)
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Sea of Love (1989)
Second viewing; first seen on March 30, 1991
Two crimes featuring a man found dead in bed are probably linked to the same perpetrator; police detective Keller was on the first case and suspects the murderer is a woman the victim met through a newspaper ad. He and the cop from the second crime team up and decide on a risky strategy to catch the killer. A mighty complication ensues when the protagonist falls for a suspect.
The plot details do not resist a critical analysis, so we better skip that part. The film is just a series of excessively predictable situations which culminate in an excessively unpredictable one. Despite everything, it still manages to entertain, I guess sex and death make for an arousing combination. The film bears curious structural similarities with Tootsie, especially a nearly identical ending, but I would never have realized it, if it weren't for the discussion board at IMDB (see here and here).
Rating: 53 (down from 63)
Two crimes featuring a man found dead in bed are probably linked to the same perpetrator; police detective Keller was on the first case and suspects the murderer is a woman the victim met through a newspaper ad. He and the cop from the second crime team up and decide on a risky strategy to catch the killer. A mighty complication ensues when the protagonist falls for a suspect.
The plot details do not resist a critical analysis, so we better skip that part. The film is just a series of excessively predictable situations which culminate in an excessively unpredictable one. Despite everything, it still manages to entertain, I guess sex and death make for an arousing combination. The film bears curious structural similarities with Tootsie, especially a nearly identical ending, but I would never have realized it, if it weren't for the discussion board at IMDB (see here and here).
Rating: 53 (down from 63)
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Landru (1963)
Inspired by the final years of the life of Henri Désiré Landru (1869-1922), a famous French murderer-for-profit of women.
This film is well regarded for its historical rigor, but it seems to go against known facts by making its protagonist a conscientious paterfamilias. The real Landru was estranged from his wife when he committed his murders, and, on my Internet searches, I found no information implying that he supported her or his children with the money he obtained from his crimes. Whatever the truth is, I found the double life the protagonist leads rather implausible. Furthermore, he is played in a caricatural manner by the leading actor, and is made to recite Baudelaire at every imaginable occasion, coming across as quite a buffoon. The film's most sensible point seems to be that the war altered the populational equilibrium of Europe, leaving a surplus of unaccompanied women who were easy prey to unscrupled men. Despite being vaguely instructive about some facts of life (e.g. the psychology of women, cp. Les bonnes femmes), this is mostly a rather dull film.
Preceding the film, in the copy broadcast by TV5, one reads (as translated into English) that "The film you are about to see has received the Special Jury Prize at the International Film Festival at Cannes in 1962", a statement which is patently untrue and made me wonder whether I am living in a Twilight Zone episode.
Rating: 44
This film is well regarded for its historical rigor, but it seems to go against known facts by making its protagonist a conscientious paterfamilias. The real Landru was estranged from his wife when he committed his murders, and, on my Internet searches, I found no information implying that he supported her or his children with the money he obtained from his crimes. Whatever the truth is, I found the double life the protagonist leads rather implausible. Furthermore, he is played in a caricatural manner by the leading actor, and is made to recite Baudelaire at every imaginable occasion, coming across as quite a buffoon. The film's most sensible point seems to be that the war altered the populational equilibrium of Europe, leaving a surplus of unaccompanied women who were easy prey to unscrupled men. Despite being vaguely instructive about some facts of life (e.g. the psychology of women, cp. Les bonnes femmes), this is mostly a rather dull film.
Preceding the film, in the copy broadcast by TV5, one reads (as translated into English) that "The film you are about to see has received the Special Jury Prize at the International Film Festival at Cannes in 1962", a statement which is patently untrue and made me wonder whether I am living in a Twilight Zone episode.
Rating: 44
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
Second viewing; first seen on February 28, 1993
A small steamboat captain is being nearly put out of business by the local magnate and his big steamboat. The poor captain's son, with whom his father had parted ways when he was a baby, returns to meet him. Soon after his arrival, the young lad is pleasantly surprised to encounter his sweetheart, whose father is none other than the abovementioned magnate.
This capitalist updating of Romeo and Juliet is a glorious defense of education as a means of prevailing and even coming to the rescue of precisely those who despise it. The film is also a powerful indictment of the deleterious effect of the monopoly of economic power on democratic life.
Rating: 90 (unchanged)
A small steamboat captain is being nearly put out of business by the local magnate and his big steamboat. The poor captain's son, with whom his father had parted ways when he was a baby, returns to meet him. Soon after his arrival, the young lad is pleasantly surprised to encounter his sweetheart, whose father is none other than the abovementioned magnate.
This capitalist updating of Romeo and Juliet is a glorious defense of education as a means of prevailing and even coming to the rescue of precisely those who despise it. The film is also a powerful indictment of the deleterious effect of the monopoly of economic power on democratic life.
Rating: 90 (unchanged)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
Second viewing; first seen on September 12, 1992
A couple vacationing in Switzerland with their daughter witness the murder of an acquaintance who happens to be a spy; before he dies he delivers a message to the protagonist.
Entertaining thriller, with humorous touches. This is from a time political assassinations were rampant. They continued to be quite frequent until the end of the 1960s. From then on they seem to have become outmoded, or the exclusive realm of madmen, probably because security on politicians was tightened to a degree that such acts became impractical. Extremists have developed different tactics. In Brazil, where I happen to live, there does not seem to be a history of magnicide. The government, on the other hand, attempts against the lives of citizens on a daily basis by supporting very lenient punishment for violent crimes. This film tackles the old Athenian theme of the opposition between the private and the public good, as expressed by the protagonists' apparent dilemma of saving their child vs. saving a foreign statesman. Athenians put the public good above all else; by the 20th century the situation of the world had changed in such a way that the public good came to have a direct bearing on the private one, as the First World War demonstrated.
Rating: 52 (up from 43)
A couple vacationing in Switzerland with their daughter witness the murder of an acquaintance who happens to be a spy; before he dies he delivers a message to the protagonist.
Entertaining thriller, with humorous touches. This is from a time political assassinations were rampant. They continued to be quite frequent until the end of the 1960s. From then on they seem to have become outmoded, or the exclusive realm of madmen, probably because security on politicians was tightened to a degree that such acts became impractical. Extremists have developed different tactics. In Brazil, where I happen to live, there does not seem to be a history of magnicide. The government, on the other hand, attempts against the lives of citizens on a daily basis by supporting very lenient punishment for violent crimes. This film tackles the old Athenian theme of the opposition between the private and the public good, as expressed by the protagonists' apparent dilemma of saving their child vs. saving a foreign statesman. Athenians put the public good above all else; by the 20th century the situation of the world had changed in such a way that the public good came to have a direct bearing on the private one, as the First World War demonstrated.
Rating: 52 (up from 43)
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Sixteen Candles (1984)
Second viewing; first seen on July 8, 2006.
The film's action spans two days on the life of Samantha, a sixteen-year-old woman: her birthday and the day after that, which is her older sister's wedding day. The events in these days are those of normal teenagers: family life, school, parties, dates, and of course her sister's wedding.
Adolescence is a rather universally appealing subject in movies; childhood is too distant, and the mind then is too unformed, for adult viewers to remember it vividly; adulthood, on the oter hand, is when people go their different ways, so you can only viscerally relate to stories which coincide with your particular path in life. This cool comedy has enough inventiveness to keep anyone entertained, and an emotional side which is rather sensitively done. It aspires neither to satire nor to realistic drama, so you may rest assured things will have a way to work themselves out to everyone's contentment.
Here's my previous blog entry for this film, published upon my first viewing. It is rather anodyne (the present one is not much better, I am afraid):
[begin quote]
Synopsis: On her 16th birthday, girl seems to be experiencing a living hell.
Appraisal: This film is an account of adolescence's troubles centering on the feminine perspective. The film adopts a light, comic approach, and has generally intelligent dialogue and many interesting characters and situations. Adolescence is one of the most fertile subjects for films, and this is probably one of the better films about that interesting period in human existence. The performances by the leading actress and the boy who plays her rejected suitor are very convincing; also, an excellent actress in the beginning of her career makes a funny small part as a girl using a neck orthopedic device.
[end quote]
Rating: 68 (up from 66)
The film's action spans two days on the life of Samantha, a sixteen-year-old woman: her birthday and the day after that, which is her older sister's wedding day. The events in these days are those of normal teenagers: family life, school, parties, dates, and of course her sister's wedding.
Adolescence is a rather universally appealing subject in movies; childhood is too distant, and the mind then is too unformed, for adult viewers to remember it vividly; adulthood, on the oter hand, is when people go their different ways, so you can only viscerally relate to stories which coincide with your particular path in life. This cool comedy has enough inventiveness to keep anyone entertained, and an emotional side which is rather sensitively done. It aspires neither to satire nor to realistic drama, so you may rest assured things will have a way to work themselves out to everyone's contentment.
Here's my previous blog entry for this film, published upon my first viewing. It is rather anodyne (the present one is not much better, I am afraid):
[begin quote]
Synopsis: On her 16th birthday, girl seems to be experiencing a living hell.
Appraisal: This film is an account of adolescence's troubles centering on the feminine perspective. The film adopts a light, comic approach, and has generally intelligent dialogue and many interesting characters and situations. Adolescence is one of the most fertile subjects for films, and this is probably one of the better films about that interesting period in human existence. The performances by the leading actress and the boy who plays her rejected suitor are very convincing; also, an excellent actress in the beginning of her career makes a funny small part as a girl using a neck orthopedic device.
[end quote]
Rating: 68 (up from 66)
Monday, October 13, 2014
The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
Reportedly this film loosely borrows from several sources directly or indirectly, namely, A Thief of Bagdad (1924), one or more tales from A Thousand and One Nights (though I do not know which one or ones), and a 1928 story by Robert E. Howard named The Tower of the Elephant.
A head-of-state is deceived by his Secretary of State, I mean, a KING is deceived by his VIZIER, and ends up in prison, where he befriends an adolescent thief, who helps both escape. Both the king and the vizier vie for the affection of a princess.
Entertaining oriental fantasy which deals with politically relevant themes of this day and age such as beheadings, Middle Eastern despotism, and the emancipation of women in the Third World. The hero here doesn't want to conquer the world, but to make people happy. Why wouldn't he conquer it so he could make all people happy beats me, but anyway a little after that he is ousted from power, and thus will have to at least conquer his own country back. Another important issue that the film tackles head-on is that of adolescent criminals, one that plagues some parts of the world (e.g., Brazil). It is heartwarming to hear King Ahmad's candid assessment of his sidekick's behavior: "You stole it because you enjoy stealing." Every scientifically-minded person should give this a thought or two. Ultimately, this kind of film thrives on the contradiction of being simultaneously repelled and attracted by the barbaric world it depicts.
Rating: 55
A head-of-state is deceived by his Secretary of State, I mean, a KING is deceived by his VIZIER, and ends up in prison, where he befriends an adolescent thief, who helps both escape. Both the king and the vizier vie for the affection of a princess.
Entertaining oriental fantasy which deals with politically relevant themes of this day and age such as beheadings, Middle Eastern despotism, and the emancipation of women in the Third World. The hero here doesn't want to conquer the world, but to make people happy. Why wouldn't he conquer it so he could make all people happy beats me, but anyway a little after that he is ousted from power, and thus will have to at least conquer his own country back. Another important issue that the film tackles head-on is that of adolescent criminals, one that plagues some parts of the world (e.g., Brazil). It is heartwarming to hear King Ahmad's candid assessment of his sidekick's behavior: "You stole it because you enjoy stealing." Every scientifically-minded person should give this a thought or two. Ultimately, this kind of film thrives on the contradiction of being simultaneously repelled and attracted by the barbaric world it depicts.
Rating: 55
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Airplane! (1980)
Second viewing; first seen on an unremembered date, certainly prior to 1987.
Based on the television movie Flight Into Danger (1956), written by Arthur Hailey, by way of its theatrical remake Zero Hour! (1957).
The pilot and most of the passengers and crew of an airplane suffer food poisoning, and the only person who might be able to fly it is a war pilot whose sole flying experience was with one-engine planes.
An analytical study the scope of which is ample, ranging from verbal play in the Marx Brothers' tradition to the semiotically-oriented taking apart of fully cinematic structures. It took guts to make a film like this; its success has made its innovations rather commonplace, yet beyond its groundbreaking role it stands as a solid work, with very smart casting decisions, and overall agreeable comicity. The general reaction of the critics reflects a certain zeitgeist acknowledging the exhaustion of cinematic formulas.
Rating: 73 (up from 66)
Based on the television movie Flight Into Danger (1956), written by Arthur Hailey, by way of its theatrical remake Zero Hour! (1957).
The pilot and most of the passengers and crew of an airplane suffer food poisoning, and the only person who might be able to fly it is a war pilot whose sole flying experience was with one-engine planes.
An analytical study the scope of which is ample, ranging from verbal play in the Marx Brothers' tradition to the semiotically-oriented taking apart of fully cinematic structures. It took guts to make a film like this; its success has made its innovations rather commonplace, yet beyond its groundbreaking role it stands as a solid work, with very smart casting decisions, and overall agreeable comicity. The general reaction of the critics reflects a certain zeitgeist acknowledging the exhaustion of cinematic formulas.
Rating: 73 (up from 66)
Friday, October 10, 2014
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Second viewing; first seen between 1983 and 1986.
A man devises a plan to murder his wife, in order to get her money. His plan makes use of her past adultery with a writer of crime novels.
This is not like John Lennon's narrow definition of life ("what happens to you while you are making plans"). Here, instead, life includes not only the planning itself but adapting to plans gone wrong. Well, trying to adapt anyway. Regarding the plot, some people on IMDB have protested that it would be preferrable to make a third copy of the key (and thus have the whole film aborted), but I think that would leave a track.
Rating: 59 (down from 60)
A man devises a plan to murder his wife, in order to get her money. His plan makes use of her past adultery with a writer of crime novels.
This is not like John Lennon's narrow definition of life ("what happens to you while you are making plans"). Here, instead, life includes not only the planning itself but adapting to plans gone wrong. Well, trying to adapt anyway. Regarding the plot, some people on IMDB have protested that it would be preferrable to make a third copy of the key (and thus have the whole film aborted), but I think that would leave a track.
Rating: 59 (down from 60)
Thursday, October 09, 2014
Stromboli (1950)
Second viewing; first seen on March 1, 1989.
A woman from Czechoslovakia who is interned at a Displaced Persons' Camp in Italy after World War II marries an Italian Prisoner of War in order to be released. Afterwards, however, she cannot adapt to the harsh living in the titular volcanic island.
This is a failed attempt at mixing documentary and fiction; rumor has it that there was no screenplay, a circumstance which does not always spell doom on a film, but in this case appears to have done so. The film manages to retain some residual artistic value because the location is splendid, and one is entranced by the sheer power of the imagery. Regarding the drama, on the other hand, one is forced to agree with Bosley Crowther's assessment about the shorter version, which suits perfectly the longer. His description of the movie seems to differ from the longer version only in the ending.
Rating: 44 (down from 61)
A woman from Czechoslovakia who is interned at a Displaced Persons' Camp in Italy after World War II marries an Italian Prisoner of War in order to be released. Afterwards, however, she cannot adapt to the harsh living in the titular volcanic island.
This is a failed attempt at mixing documentary and fiction; rumor has it that there was no screenplay, a circumstance which does not always spell doom on a film, but in this case appears to have done so. The film manages to retain some residual artistic value because the location is splendid, and one is entranced by the sheer power of the imagery. Regarding the drama, on the other hand, one is forced to agree with Bosley Crowther's assessment about the shorter version, which suits perfectly the longer. His description of the movie seems to differ from the longer version only in the ending.
Rating: 44 (down from 61)
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
Child's Play (1988)
Second viewing; first seen on May 9, 1997.
A homicidal maniac is fatally wounded by a policeman but, before dying, manages to move his conscious self, along with all the psychological contents of his brain, to a toy doll. He then proceeds with his plan to exact revenge on both the partner who abandoned him and the cop who killed his former body.
Mostly a derivative, mediocre horror movie with some reasonably well-done set-pieces. I am sorry I cannot come up with something deeper and more intelligent than this; so that you do not consider this visit to my blog a complete waste of time, I direct you to a short review by Christopher Mulrooney which I found more accessible than his usual.
Rating: 42 (up from 29)
A homicidal maniac is fatally wounded by a policeman but, before dying, manages to move his conscious self, along with all the psychological contents of his brain, to a toy doll. He then proceeds with his plan to exact revenge on both the partner who abandoned him and the cop who killed his former body.
Mostly a derivative, mediocre horror movie with some reasonably well-done set-pieces. I am sorry I cannot come up with something deeper and more intelligent than this; so that you do not consider this visit to my blog a complete waste of time, I direct you to a short review by Christopher Mulrooney which I found more accessible than his usual.
Rating: 42 (up from 29)
Tuesday, October 07, 2014
Skammen (1968)
English title: Shame
A childless couple living in a small farm is disturbed by a civil war.
"You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you". This became a misquote of Trotsky, who really said an analogous sentence with 'dialectics' instead of 'war'. Replacing that with 'politics', it becomes a misquote of Pericles, who said "We do not say that a man who takes no interest in politics is a man who minds his own business; we say that he has no business here at all". The man in this film is a pitiful specimen, just like the yuppie in the prologue to Idiocracy (wimps have no kids). Time rages war on us, all the time (cf. Scenes from a Marriage), this is only an allegory. Not that there are no real wars, look at Ukraine. Love is a very beautiful thing, but needs a material support to exist. Otherwise, it cannot survive its shameful nakedness.
Rating: 59
A childless couple living in a small farm is disturbed by a civil war.
"You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you". This became a misquote of Trotsky, who really said an analogous sentence with 'dialectics' instead of 'war'. Replacing that with 'politics', it becomes a misquote of Pericles, who said "We do not say that a man who takes no interest in politics is a man who minds his own business; we say that he has no business here at all". The man in this film is a pitiful specimen, just like the yuppie in the prologue to Idiocracy (wimps have no kids). Time rages war on us, all the time (cf. Scenes from a Marriage), this is only an allegory. Not that there are no real wars, look at Ukraine. Love is a very beautiful thing, but needs a material support to exist. Otherwise, it cannot survive its shameful nakedness.
Rating: 59
Sunday, October 05, 2014
L'amore (1948)
Second viewing; first seen on June 23, 1994.
U.S. release title: Ways of Love
Title translation: Love
First episode is based on the play The Human Voice, by Jean Cocteau, first performed in 1930.
Second episode is loosely based on the novel Flower of Sanctity, by Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, first published in 1904.
(1) A woman speaks on the phone, presumably for the last time, with the lover she is parting with.
(2) A shepherdess meets a stranger whom she thinks is Saint Joseph, and he takes advantage of her.
(1) If you are not a recluse, you must have noticed how young people of today walk in the streets with their eyes on their smart phones. This segment, called A Human Voice (yes, with the indefinite article), provides a prehistory of sorts of the phenomena associated with the effects of technology on human relations. However, whereas today's youth seems benumbed by technology, here we see the reverse, namely, a woman turned hysterical by her telephone. It is a fine idea, well executed.
(2) Perhaps conscious that it would be impossible to continue on the same level of tension of the first episode, this second segment, named The Miracle, abandons hysteria in favor of madness, a much more amusing subject. I think one of the sure signs of civilization is how well mad persons are treated. Here she is not treated well enough, and the film shows this with art, although the narrative seems a little too terse at times, to the point of being a little vague.
Rating: 51 (up from 20)
U.S. release title: Ways of Love
Title translation: Love
First episode is based on the play The Human Voice, by Jean Cocteau, first performed in 1930.
Second episode is loosely based on the novel Flower of Sanctity, by Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, first published in 1904.
(1) A woman speaks on the phone, presumably for the last time, with the lover she is parting with.
(2) A shepherdess meets a stranger whom she thinks is Saint Joseph, and he takes advantage of her.
(1) If you are not a recluse, you must have noticed how young people of today walk in the streets with their eyes on their smart phones. This segment, called A Human Voice (yes, with the indefinite article), provides a prehistory of sorts of the phenomena associated with the effects of technology on human relations. However, whereas today's youth seems benumbed by technology, here we see the reverse, namely, a woman turned hysterical by her telephone. It is a fine idea, well executed.
(2) Perhaps conscious that it would be impossible to continue on the same level of tension of the first episode, this second segment, named The Miracle, abandons hysteria in favor of madness, a much more amusing subject. I think one of the sure signs of civilization is how well mad persons are treated. Here she is not treated well enough, and the film shows this with art, although the narrative seems a little too terse at times, to the point of being a little vague.
Rating: 51 (up from 20)
Saturday, October 04, 2014
Ladri di biciclette (1948)
Second viewing; first seen on June 13, 1994.
U.S. original release title: The Bicycle Thief.
U.K. release title, and correct translation: Bicycle Thieves.
A poor man is hired as a poster hanger. On his first day of work, his bicycle -- a necessary item for his job -- is stolen, sending him on a wild goose chase through the streets of Rome.
This is a very good film, although I am not sure I liked it for the exact same reasons as I did on my first viewing. First of all, let me say that most reviews I came across are just useless, with two exceptions, which I will mention later. If you get turned on by words like "heartbreaking", "devastating", "poetic" (this one is a real movie-criticism pest), and so on, you will probably disagree with me. Otherwise, there is a small chance you will find what I have to say interesting. The question of realism must be dealt with as swiftly as possible, so we can get down to the really important issues. This film is called 'neo-realist', and is considered as part of a movement with that name. In my humble opinion, this pertains exclusively to (1) film-making technique, especially location shooting in city streets; (2) subject matter, namely, poor people, who, for some reason, are considered more 'real' than rich ones -- good luck trying to make that label stick on a film dealing with aristocrats, for example. This summary takes care of all the people claiming that the plot and characters are not realistic and therefore the film is unworthy of its label. One particular review, posted on the Discussion Board on this film's IMDB page, falls into this category, but has some valid points, and is rather amusing, so I will partially transcribe it here:
[begin quote]
Pomposo Massimo
by
clayasbury» Mon Oct 14 2013 03:56:27 Flag ▼
IMDb member since May 2011
Post Edited:Mon Oct 14 2013 06:53:30
(...)
Yes, beautifully shot, impressive casting, charming gesticulations....But, if you intend to make gritty, unflinching social commentary through art (neo-realism), it must rest upon a narrative more credible and substantial than this.
The protagonist is surrounded by poverty, yet 1 million bicycles jam the streets of Rome as he searches for his with his son. Simple supply and demand principles undo this attempt at realism - fatally. Something so commonplace can't also be that which we are also intended to believe is so rare and valuable.
He is also surrounded by friends - friends with means, money, vehicles, etc... Yet, they spend all day and most of the night running/driving/fighting through Rome rather than loan him a bicycle for a week or the money (with interest!) to rent/buy one? Again, this is a bicycle, not the Hope Diamond.
Nitpicking? Suspension of disbelief?
No, let me remind you this is neo-realism.
[end quote]
With realism out of the way, let me get to what I think is this film's main point: a study on certain essential qualities for human survivability. The main character is obviously a fool, a man who, under any social conditions, would never amount to much, and under the harsh conditions depicted by the movie, will have a hard time simply surviving. He consistently does the wrong thing throughout the entire movie and does not show the least respect for a valuable possession -- his bicycle: right at the start he tells some footballing children to look after it, later goes out on his job without a simple protecting device such as a padlocked chain; in a later scene, he shows the same neglect for something much more valuable: his son, whom he leaves unguarded and then panics when he thinks something awful has happened to him. But you can see his helplessness in far more trivial things, such as his utter inability to do a decent job of hanging a poster. The film's genius consists in opposing him to his son, a much smarter and more resourceful person. A key scene is when the son scolds his father about some damage that was done to the bicycle at the pawnshop and is scornfully dismissed; obviously the father was both too careless to pay attention to such things and too weak-willed to assert himself to the pawnbroker. The son is neither, and thus must have taken after his mother, who also shows resourcefulness by deciding to pawn the bedsheet. All of which leads us to the polemic about this film's political message. I am convinced it is neither Marxist nor Nihilist, and in fact is not propaganda of any type. It sheds some light on social darwinism, not as a political system to be espoused, but as a fact of life which must be reckoned with. It is interesting to connect the film's content with its production history, something which I picked up (regardless of what was really meant) from Christopher Mulrooney's notes on this movie ("Out of nothingness, a career in the movies, a certain apparatus is needed for this.") and the movie's Wikipedia page's account of the difficulties its director went through ("had just made the controversial film Shoeshine and was unable to get financial backing from any major studio for the film, so he raised the money himself from friends.").
Rating: 83 (down from 90)
U.S. original release title: The Bicycle Thief.
U.K. release title, and correct translation: Bicycle Thieves.
A poor man is hired as a poster hanger. On his first day of work, his bicycle -- a necessary item for his job -- is stolen, sending him on a wild goose chase through the streets of Rome.
This is a very good film, although I am not sure I liked it for the exact same reasons as I did on my first viewing. First of all, let me say that most reviews I came across are just useless, with two exceptions, which I will mention later. If you get turned on by words like "heartbreaking", "devastating", "poetic" (this one is a real movie-criticism pest), and so on, you will probably disagree with me. Otherwise, there is a small chance you will find what I have to say interesting. The question of realism must be dealt with as swiftly as possible, so we can get down to the really important issues. This film is called 'neo-realist', and is considered as part of a movement with that name. In my humble opinion, this pertains exclusively to (1) film-making technique, especially location shooting in city streets; (2) subject matter, namely, poor people, who, for some reason, are considered more 'real' than rich ones -- good luck trying to make that label stick on a film dealing with aristocrats, for example. This summary takes care of all the people claiming that the plot and characters are not realistic and therefore the film is unworthy of its label. One particular review, posted on the Discussion Board on this film's IMDB page, falls into this category, but has some valid points, and is rather amusing, so I will partially transcribe it here:
[begin quote]
Pomposo Massimo
by
clayasbury» Mon Oct 14 2013 03:56:27 Flag ▼
IMDb member since May 2011
Post Edited:Mon Oct 14 2013 06:53:30
(...)
Yes, beautifully shot, impressive casting, charming gesticulations....But, if you intend to make gritty, unflinching social commentary through art (neo-realism), it must rest upon a narrative more credible and substantial than this.
The protagonist is surrounded by poverty, yet 1 million bicycles jam the streets of Rome as he searches for his with his son. Simple supply and demand principles undo this attempt at realism - fatally. Something so commonplace can't also be that which we are also intended to believe is so rare and valuable.
He is also surrounded by friends - friends with means, money, vehicles, etc... Yet, they spend all day and most of the night running/driving/fighting through Rome rather than loan him a bicycle for a week or the money (with interest!) to rent/buy one? Again, this is a bicycle, not the Hope Diamond.
Nitpicking? Suspension of disbelief?
No, let me remind you this is neo-realism.
[end quote]
With realism out of the way, let me get to what I think is this film's main point: a study on certain essential qualities for human survivability. The main character is obviously a fool, a man who, under any social conditions, would never amount to much, and under the harsh conditions depicted by the movie, will have a hard time simply surviving. He consistently does the wrong thing throughout the entire movie and does not show the least respect for a valuable possession -- his bicycle: right at the start he tells some footballing children to look after it, later goes out on his job without a simple protecting device such as a padlocked chain; in a later scene, he shows the same neglect for something much more valuable: his son, whom he leaves unguarded and then panics when he thinks something awful has happened to him. But you can see his helplessness in far more trivial things, such as his utter inability to do a decent job of hanging a poster. The film's genius consists in opposing him to his son, a much smarter and more resourceful person. A key scene is when the son scolds his father about some damage that was done to the bicycle at the pawnshop and is scornfully dismissed; obviously the father was both too careless to pay attention to such things and too weak-willed to assert himself to the pawnbroker. The son is neither, and thus must have taken after his mother, who also shows resourcefulness by deciding to pawn the bedsheet. All of which leads us to the polemic about this film's political message. I am convinced it is neither Marxist nor Nihilist, and in fact is not propaganda of any type. It sheds some light on social darwinism, not as a political system to be espoused, but as a fact of life which must be reckoned with. It is interesting to connect the film's content with its production history, something which I picked up (regardless of what was really meant) from Christopher Mulrooney's notes on this movie ("Out of nothingness, a career in the movies, a certain apparatus is needed for this.") and the movie's Wikipedia page's account of the difficulties its director went through ("had just made the controversial film Shoeshine and was unable to get financial backing from any major studio for the film, so he raised the money himself from friends.").
Rating: 83 (down from 90)
Wednesday, October 01, 2014
Les bonnes femmes (1960)
Second viewing; first seen on May 16, 1994.
USA title: The Good Time Girls
(God only knows the actual meaning of the French title, literally it means 'The Good Women', but there seems to be more to it than that)
A few days in the lives of four young women who work at the same shop. Jane is slutty and extroverted, Jacqueline is shy and dreamy, Ginette is secretive, Rita is conventional. A motorcyclist has been stalking them, apparently with romantic intentions towards Jacqueline. Two very debauched fellows also cross paths with the girls. The shop owner appears to be the weirdest of the lot, but is a quite harmless old man.
A delightful little film, quite unusual in its freedom to wander through established genres such as the comedy, the musical, the horror film, and the neorealist drama. Among the fine cast, the shining star is undoubtedly Lafont, who in this part is more than just a performer: she is a real force of nature.
Rating: 72 (up from 70)
USA title: The Good Time Girls
(God only knows the actual meaning of the French title, literally it means 'The Good Women', but there seems to be more to it than that)
A few days in the lives of four young women who work at the same shop. Jane is slutty and extroverted, Jacqueline is shy and dreamy, Ginette is secretive, Rita is conventional. A motorcyclist has been stalking them, apparently with romantic intentions towards Jacqueline. Two very debauched fellows also cross paths with the girls. The shop owner appears to be the weirdest of the lot, but is a quite harmless old man.
A delightful little film, quite unusual in its freedom to wander through established genres such as the comedy, the musical, the horror film, and the neorealist drama. Among the fine cast, the shining star is undoubtedly Lafont, who in this part is more than just a performer: she is a real force of nature.
Rating: 72 (up from 70)
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