English title (or, anyway, the translation): The Master of Apipucos.
Documentary. Gilberto Freyre the sociologist at home. He walks in his garden, sits in his den (writes down: "someone must write a history of student life in Brasil"), has breakfast with his wife, served by a very dark-skinned servant, he has been with the family all his life -- does anyone see any relation to the subject matter of Freyre's magnum opus? In case one does, the English title -- if there is an English title, if there have been viewers of this film outside Brasil -- has troubling connotations (not in Portuguese: a "mestre" masters only knowledge, not men). He lies on the beach with a book, later he lies in the hammock with another (poetry, to ease the mind).
Friday, June 29, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Pauvre Pierrot (1892)
English title: Poor Pierrot.
The plot summary on the Internet Movie Database is accurate: "One night, Arlequin come[s] to see his lover Colombine. But then Pierrot knocks at the door and Colombine and Arlequin hide[s]. Pierrot starts singing but Arlequin scares him and the poor man goes away." (Grammatical corrections between square brackets are mine.)
An excellent historical presentation of this movie is given by F. Gwynplaine McIntyre, on the Internet Movie Database user comment section:
"Charles-Émile Reynaud deserves credit as the inventor of the animated cartoon. Unfortunately, he was a poor businessman, and his artistic innovations outstripped the technical hardware which he invented to exhibit them. Reynaud died penniless in a Val-de-Marne hospice. A few years before he died, embittered, he took most of his animated films -- too deteriorated to be restored yet again -- and flung them off Pont Saint-Michel into the Seine. I am reluctant to describe any movie as 'lost' unless it was deliberately destroyed, since many early films which some expert described as 'lost forever' have returned from the dead. Sadly, it does appear that the most of the cartoons drawn and produced by Reynaud -- each running 15 minutes or less -- are, indeed, lost.
Reynaud's first innovation was to adapt the zoetrope -- basically a toy -- into the more sophisticated praxinoscope. This placed a series of drawings on the inside of a cylinder, with a mirror at the centre. As the cylinder revolved, an onlooker -- viewing the mirror through a slit -- would see the drawings as a continuous moving image, courtesy of the same optical illusion (persistence of vision) now exploited by modern films. But the length of the 'story' told by a praxinoscope was limited to the number of images which could be displayed within the cylinder's finite diameter. Usually, a praxinoscope's drawings depicted a single event happening over and over (with each circuit of the cylinder).
Reynaud's next innovation was to devise a much longer filmstrip, which -- with sprocket holes -- could be fed into and out of the praxinoscope so as to display a much longer sequence of images. A dedicated artist, Reynaud painted his drawings in bright elaborate colours, and affixed them to the transparent filmstrip via a flexible clear gelatin. Unfortunately, Reynaud's technical innovations did not allow for the permanence of his art. As the gelatin aged, it hardened and cracked while turning opaque. The heat of his projection lamp corrupted the delicate colours of his images. The sprocket holes tore easily. The very act of projecting his filmstrips contributed to their destruction. This seems to have been the single greatest reason for Reynaud's commercial failure: the tremendous amount of labour, time and money expended on creating one of his filmstrips could not be recouped in the very small number of projections (for paying audiences) which it would sustain before deteriorating.
(...)"
This small gem is an enchanting piece of cinematic prehistory, artistically done. Its amusing narrative is interesting too, as it evokes the fear of the supernatural, and the profitable use that a pragmatic lover makes of it.
The plot summary on the Internet Movie Database is accurate: "One night, Arlequin come[s] to see his lover Colombine. But then Pierrot knocks at the door and Colombine and Arlequin hide[s]. Pierrot starts singing but Arlequin scares him and the poor man goes away." (Grammatical corrections between square brackets are mine.)
An excellent historical presentation of this movie is given by F. Gwynplaine McIntyre, on the Internet Movie Database user comment section:
"Charles-Émile Reynaud deserves credit as the inventor of the animated cartoon. Unfortunately, he was a poor businessman, and his artistic innovations outstripped the technical hardware which he invented to exhibit them. Reynaud died penniless in a Val-de-Marne hospice. A few years before he died, embittered, he took most of his animated films -- too deteriorated to be restored yet again -- and flung them off Pont Saint-Michel into the Seine. I am reluctant to describe any movie as 'lost' unless it was deliberately destroyed, since many early films which some expert described as 'lost forever' have returned from the dead. Sadly, it does appear that the most of the cartoons drawn and produced by Reynaud -- each running 15 minutes or less -- are, indeed, lost.
Reynaud's first innovation was to adapt the zoetrope -- basically a toy -- into the more sophisticated praxinoscope. This placed a series of drawings on the inside of a cylinder, with a mirror at the centre. As the cylinder revolved, an onlooker -- viewing the mirror through a slit -- would see the drawings as a continuous moving image, courtesy of the same optical illusion (persistence of vision) now exploited by modern films. But the length of the 'story' told by a praxinoscope was limited to the number of images which could be displayed within the cylinder's finite diameter. Usually, a praxinoscope's drawings depicted a single event happening over and over (with each circuit of the cylinder).
Reynaud's next innovation was to devise a much longer filmstrip, which -- with sprocket holes -- could be fed into and out of the praxinoscope so as to display a much longer sequence of images. A dedicated artist, Reynaud painted his drawings in bright elaborate colours, and affixed them to the transparent filmstrip via a flexible clear gelatin. Unfortunately, Reynaud's technical innovations did not allow for the permanence of his art. As the gelatin aged, it hardened and cracked while turning opaque. The heat of his projection lamp corrupted the delicate colours of his images. The sprocket holes tore easily. The very act of projecting his filmstrips contributed to their destruction. This seems to have been the single greatest reason for Reynaud's commercial failure: the tremendous amount of labour, time and money expended on creating one of his filmstrips could not be recouped in the very small number of projections (for paying audiences) which it would sustain before deteriorating.
(...)"
This small gem is an enchanting piece of cinematic prehistory, artistically done. Its amusing narrative is interesting too, as it evokes the fear of the supernatural, and the profitable use that a pragmatic lover makes of it.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Desperate Hours (1990)
Based on the novel (and play) by Joseph Hayes.
A criminal escapes from the courtroom premises during his trial and takes refuge, along with his gang, in an upper class residence, taking its dwellers hostage.
An interesting film, with an energetic script and several touches of caricature thrown in to compose a slightly surrealistic spectacle. The cast is uniformly perfect.
Rating: 53
A criminal escapes from the courtroom premises during his trial and takes refuge, along with his gang, in an upper class residence, taking its dwellers hostage.
An interesting film, with an energetic script and several touches of caricature thrown in to compose a slightly surrealistic spectacle. The cast is uniformly perfect.
Rating: 53
Friday, June 22, 2012
Evil Angels (1988)
Alternate title: A Cry in the Dark
Based on the real incident of a mother accused of murdering her baby when in fact it was snatched and killed by a dingo (a kind of Australian wild dog).
This is my second viewing of this film, and it remains one of my favorite films of 1988, albeit with a considerably diminished rating. It is extremely well-done and delivers a stupendous amount of information in a remarkably concise and elegant manner. The acting is simply perfect. The lesson implicit in the film was cleverly perceived and stated by Christopher Mulrooney (see link to his page): "don't feed the dingos". Mulrooney is metaphorically meaning that one should not expose oneself imprudently in the mass media.
Rating: 72 (down from 85)
Based on the real incident of a mother accused of murdering her baby when in fact it was snatched and killed by a dingo (a kind of Australian wild dog).
This is my second viewing of this film, and it remains one of my favorite films of 1988, albeit with a considerably diminished rating. It is extremely well-done and delivers a stupendous amount of information in a remarkably concise and elegant manner. The acting is simply perfect. The lesson implicit in the film was cleverly perceived and stated by Christopher Mulrooney (see link to his page): "don't feed the dingos". Mulrooney is metaphorically meaning that one should not expose oneself imprudently in the mass media.
Rating: 72 (down from 85)
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
The Blue Max (1966)
Based on the novel by Jack Hunter.
In World War I Germany, a young officer joins the German air force and becomes a distinguished fighter pilot. He comes from humble origins and is single-minded in his pursuit of the Blue Max medal, the greatest decoration a pilot may receive.
A pulpish plot with a preposterously implausible ending does not completely ruin this charmingly directed war drama. The aerial sequences are a special highlight.
Rating: 51
In World War I Germany, a young officer joins the German air force and becomes a distinguished fighter pilot. He comes from humble origins and is single-minded in his pursuit of the Blue Max medal, the greatest decoration a pilot may receive.
A pulpish plot with a preposterously implausible ending does not completely ruin this charmingly directed war drama. The aerial sequences are a special highlight.
Rating: 51
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)
Ernest and some kids awaken a troll who was sleeping for centuries. The creature starts kidnapping kids and turning them into wooden dolls. He plans to turn them into his private army of trolls.
This film's verbal invention and marginal satirical charges make it a moderately enjoyable experience.
Rating: 50
This film's verbal invention and marginal satirical charges make it a moderately enjoyable experience.
Rating: 50
Sunday, May 20, 2012
China Seas (1935)
Based on the novel by Crosbie Garstin.
A ship going from Hong Kong to Singapore has pirates on it. The captain is harassed by a vulgar singer and is in love with a refined socialite.
The plot is uninspired. The storm sequences are impressive. Robert Benchley is the comic relief playing a drunkard.
Rating: 45
A ship going from Hong Kong to Singapore has pirates on it. The captain is harassed by a vulgar singer and is in love with a refined socialite.
The plot is uninspired. The storm sequences are impressive. Robert Benchley is the comic relief playing a drunkard.
Rating: 45
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Scarecrow (1973)
Two drifters meet on the road, one is fresh out of jail and has plans for starting a business, the other is on his way to meet his infant son or daughter (he doesn't know which) whom he abandoned. They go through several adventures and misadventures.
The seventies were the manneristic decade, and this is a prime example. It was also the male actor's decade, and that is not unrelated to the former characteristic. I had watched this film before, but remembered next to nothing of it. Scarecrow achieves what it sets out to do, I guess: the characters are amusing, the set-pieces are amusing, the two leading players are in their prime, everything runs smoothly. It is a time capsule, both in form and in content.
Rating: 69 (unchanged)
The seventies were the manneristic decade, and this is a prime example. It was also the male actor's decade, and that is not unrelated to the former characteristic. I had watched this film before, but remembered next to nothing of it. Scarecrow achieves what it sets out to do, I guess: the characters are amusing, the set-pieces are amusing, the two leading players are in their prime, everything runs smoothly. It is a time capsule, both in form and in content.
Rating: 69 (unchanged)
Friday, May 11, 2012
Divided by Hate (1997) (TV)
In rural U.S.A., a family which aspire to become farmers struggle to make ends meet while they watch local farmers face ruin. A preacher draws the attention of the wife, who becomes a fanatic. Said preacher builds a closed community into which the wife moves with her children. The community members rob farm equipment, practice target shooting, and stock food. The husband tries to locate his wife and kids.
Telefilm of little consequence. It addresses a real problem of rural U.S., but the final captions ("still hopes to own a farm") give one the notion that bigger problems haven't been addressed.
Rating: 36
Telefilm of little consequence. It addresses a real problem of rural U.S., but the final captions ("still hopes to own a farm") give one the notion that bigger problems haven't been addressed.
Rating: 36
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Based on the novel "Les trois mousquetaires" (1st ed. 1844) by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet.
In 1625, a poor man from Gascogne travels to Paris intending to become a musketeer of king Louis XIII. He gets involves in the rivalry between the king and his prime-minister (actually the term is wrong, but that is what he is, functionally speaking, at least in the film), cardinal Richelieu. The bone of contention is war with England, which the prime-minister wants and the king does not (apparently).
My second viewing. This exceedingly lavish Hollywood production starts out gay and choreographic and grows more melodramatic as it proceeds. The plot is not to be taken seriously and has an emphasis on subaltern people taking the lead of the action (I guess this resonates with the petit-bourgeois public). The good and evil political axes are entirely arbitrary from a modern point-of-view, and are of course reinforced with characters' individual traits that settle the matter, so to speak. Taking as a reference the novel's summary on Wikipedia, the murder of Constance is different in the film and novel versions. In the novel, Constance is not in the same premises where De Winter is kept prisoner; she is killed later in the story, when both are interned in a convent.
Rating: 51 (up from 47)
In 1625, a poor man from Gascogne travels to Paris intending to become a musketeer of king Louis XIII. He gets involves in the rivalry between the king and his prime-minister (actually the term is wrong, but that is what he is, functionally speaking, at least in the film), cardinal Richelieu. The bone of contention is war with England, which the prime-minister wants and the king does not (apparently).
My second viewing. This exceedingly lavish Hollywood production starts out gay and choreographic and grows more melodramatic as it proceeds. The plot is not to be taken seriously and has an emphasis on subaltern people taking the lead of the action (I guess this resonates with the petit-bourgeois public). The good and evil political axes are entirely arbitrary from a modern point-of-view, and are of course reinforced with characters' individual traits that settle the matter, so to speak. Taking as a reference the novel's summary on Wikipedia, the murder of Constance is different in the film and novel versions. In the novel, Constance is not in the same premises where De Winter is kept prisoner; she is killed later in the story, when both are interned in a convent.
Rating: 51 (up from 47)
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Brewster's Millions (1985)
Based on the novel by George Barr McCutcheon (1st ed. 1902).
A baseball player inherits 300 million dollars subject to the condition that he spends 30 million in 30 days without accumulating or destroying assets.
A cerebral film on an economics theme. And an allegory of life itself, under an economical worldview. In such an allegorical reading, a month stands for an entire life and the protagonist's great-uncle stands for God (as such, it is a reworking of one of Christ's parables). The monetary values have been reportedly updated from the novel and former filmic avatars, but the style is decidedly antiquated. The cast is fine except for McKee, who is simply bad. Pryor is a comic actor who actually acts, and before you accuse me of pleonasm, compare him with Eddie Murphy, for example, who displays an almost invariable persona and a minuscule range. A watchable film, but too anachronistic for my taste.
Saw it dubbed in Portuguese, and then rewatched its first half with the original audio.
Rating: 50
A baseball player inherits 300 million dollars subject to the condition that he spends 30 million in 30 days without accumulating or destroying assets.
A cerebral film on an economics theme. And an allegory of life itself, under an economical worldview. In such an allegorical reading, a month stands for an entire life and the protagonist's great-uncle stands for God (as such, it is a reworking of one of Christ's parables). The monetary values have been reportedly updated from the novel and former filmic avatars, but the style is decidedly antiquated. The cast is fine except for McKee, who is simply bad. Pryor is a comic actor who actually acts, and before you accuse me of pleonasm, compare him with Eddie Murphy, for example, who displays an almost invariable persona and a minuscule range. A watchable film, but too anachronistic for my taste.
Saw it dubbed in Portuguese, and then rewatched its first half with the original audio.
Rating: 50
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Lola rennt (1998)
English title: Run, Lola, Run
Guy loses drug money in the amount of 100 thousand marks inside a train. The money has to be delivered to his boss, a drug kingpin, in 20 minutes. He calls his girlfriend and she tries to help him raise an equal amount. Three different outcomes from that premise are laid out.
Ingenious and stylish meditation on the power of chance, within a modern urban context which is prone to produce such chaotic outcomes as the ones imagined here.
Second viewing.
Rating: 68 (unchanged)
Guy loses drug money in the amount of 100 thousand marks inside a train. The money has to be delivered to his boss, a drug kingpin, in 20 minutes. He calls his girlfriend and she tries to help him raise an equal amount. Three different outcomes from that premise are laid out.
Ingenious and stylish meditation on the power of chance, within a modern urban context which is prone to produce such chaotic outcomes as the ones imagined here.
Second viewing.
Rating: 68 (unchanged)
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Guilty as Sin (1993)
A woman lawyer takes the defense of a man accused of murdering his wife. She finds out he is guilty and also a sociopath who may place her life in danger.
An implausible plot which is woven into entertaining drama. The films of Larry Cohen (meaning those which were written by him) explore, almost invariably, some kind of inversion in the function of a part in the social mechanism. A baby who is actually a murderous monster, an ambulance which kills instead of saving, a messiah who preaches hatred, a cop who is a homicidal maniac, and so on. In Guilty as Sin the most visible malfunctions are a man who emulates the parasitic behavior of women, and a defense lawyer who plots her client's conviction.
Rating: 50
An implausible plot which is woven into entertaining drama. The films of Larry Cohen (meaning those which were written by him) explore, almost invariably, some kind of inversion in the function of a part in the social mechanism. A baby who is actually a murderous monster, an ambulance which kills instead of saving, a messiah who preaches hatred, a cop who is a homicidal maniac, and so on. In Guilty as Sin the most visible malfunctions are a man who emulates the parasitic behavior of women, and a defense lawyer who plots her client's conviction.
Rating: 50
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Die Hard (1988)
A group of German robbers posing as terrorists takes a corporate building in Los Angeles on Christmas night and holds some party guests hostage. A NYPD officer whose wife works for the company is at the premises and saves the day despite the LAPD and FBI's incompetence and the greed of the press.
Extremely well-made thriller with obviously exaggerated criticism of press and police, and the usual background drama of an estranged couple's reconciliation. This is my second viewing, and I cannot exactly account for my previous low rating.
Rating: 65 (up from 49)
Extremely well-made thriller with obviously exaggerated criticism of press and police, and the usual background drama of an estranged couple's reconciliation. This is my second viewing, and I cannot exactly account for my previous low rating.
Rating: 65 (up from 49)
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Unstoppable (2010)
A runaway train loaded with toxic chemicals puts a town in danger.
Extremely well-made thriller. The screenplay puts us through the age-old ordeal of following the reconciliation of a disaffected couple ("Call her again, that is how it works", the older guy tells the younger one.).
Rating: 64
Extremely well-made thriller. The screenplay puts us through the age-old ordeal of following the reconciliation of a disaffected couple ("Call her again, that is how it works", the older guy tells the younger one.).
Rating: 64
Sunday, April 08, 2012
Mr. Magoo (1997)
A ruby is stolen from a museum and a purblind museum sponsor, with his assistant plus two government agents, go after the jewel.
The credits do not apparently place a mention to the character's creators (and nor does the IMDB), screenwriter Millard Kaufman and director John Hubley, in a 1949 cartoon. Magoo was without the shadow of a doubt the best and funniest cartoon ever produced (and ever to be in the future, no doubt at all about this). It is funny too to read that it was originally conceived (by the two pinkoes cited) as a reactionary. As usual, good art is unintentional, or, parodying a famous saying, heaven is full of bad intentions. As this is supposed to be a comment of the 1997 film, I am obliged to say that it is very well made but not very funny.
Rating: 41
The credits do not apparently place a mention to the character's creators (and nor does the IMDB), screenwriter Millard Kaufman and director John Hubley, in a 1949 cartoon. Magoo was without the shadow of a doubt the best and funniest cartoon ever produced (and ever to be in the future, no doubt at all about this). It is funny too to read that it was originally conceived (by the two pinkoes cited) as a reactionary. As usual, good art is unintentional, or, parodying a famous saying, heaven is full of bad intentions. As this is supposed to be a comment of the 1997 film, I am obliged to say that it is very well made but not very funny.
Rating: 41
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Happy Here and Now (2002)
A girl goes missing after she chats on the internet with a guy. Her sister comes to New Orleans (where she lived) to look for her.
This has to do with internet avatars which can take on the visual aspect of someone other than the person who is speaking. It also has some New Orleans sightseeing. And excerpts from Pascal. And two very good-looking chicks. Lightheaded bizarreness.
Rating: 34
This has to do with internet avatars which can take on the visual aspect of someone other than the person who is speaking. It also has some New Orleans sightseeing. And excerpts from Pascal. And two very good-looking chicks. Lightheaded bizarreness.
Rating: 34
Saturday, March 24, 2012
In Like Flint (1967)
An all-women gang infiltrates the space program and is about to place atom bombs in a space platform. Flint flies to the Virgin Islands where their headquarters are. (This summary may contain errors. I am not sure I followed this film's plot a hundred per cent.)
The style is much the same as in Our Man Flint. This film at times seems better directed, but I am really not sure about it.
Rating: 50
The style is much the same as in Our Man Flint. This film at times seems better directed, but I am really not sure about it.
Rating: 50
Friday, March 23, 2012
Robin Hood (1991) (TV)
England, the Middle Ages. Sir Robert Hode, a Saxon, is bullied by a Norman nobleman with whom the local lord has made an alliance for purely selfish interests. Sir Robert breaks with the governor and is thus stripped of his title and possessions, joining a gang of thieves subsequently.
A classical rendering, directed with much competence and taste. The screenplay has little imagination though.
Rating: 50
A classical rendering, directed with much competence and taste. The screenplay has little imagination though.
Rating: 50
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Our Man Flint (1966)
Am organization manipulates the Earth's weather as a means to force countries to get rid of atomic weapons. A superspy is called in to thwart that organization's plans.
This is my second viewing. A satire on James Bond, displaying dry humor and even a certain dullness which is intrinsic to that character's early films. As with most culturally referenced films with a satirical import, not everything is spot-on and a certain amount of incoherence and loose ends is present.
Rating: 55 (unchanged)
This is my second viewing. A satire on James Bond, displaying dry humor and even a certain dullness which is intrinsic to that character's early films. As with most culturally referenced films with a satirical import, not everything is spot-on and a certain amount of incoherence and loose ends is present.
Rating: 55 (unchanged)
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