Bugs Bunny Superstar

Bugs Bunny Superstar
1975 - United Artists
Directed By Larry Jackson



SYNOPSIS

Orson Welles narrates this documentary that traces the history of Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes.




MY THOUGHTS

Though the documentary aspect is somewhat inadequate, this film provides an entertaining look back at the Looney Tunes and it's biggest star.

Unlike many of the later Looney Tunes clip show-style feature films of the 1980s, Bugs Bunny Superstar features 9 classics in their entirety in between segments of the documentary. Any fan of Looney Tunes would easily recognize most of the shorts and they are truly a "greatest hits collection."
But, the cartoons take up about half of the running time of the film, which results in far fewer stories and facts about the creative process that developed Bugs, Daffy and the rest.

Some of the great legendary directors of the classic Warner Brothers 'toons are interviewed. Bob Clampett is mainly featured here. Friz Freleng and Tex Avery also appear. I don't believe I've ever seen the three interviewed before, so it was a treat. Probably the greatest of the directors, Chuck Jones (though mentioned,) is suspiciously absent... as is the voice of the characters, Mel Blanc. Their absence makes the film a less than definitive look back.
Several home movies (or is it "work movies"?) illustrate what life was like making these shorts... and it seems to be just as 'looney' off-screen.

I would liked to have learned more about the making of these classics, but the info presented, along with several cartoons that are still hilarious after seeing them 100 times, make for a very entertaining package.


The film is a bonus feature in the following boxset:

Black Gunn

Black Gunn
1972 - Columbia Pictures
Directed By Robert Hartford-Davis

SYNOPSIS

A nightclub owner named Gunn (Jim Brown) goes on the offensive after the mob kills his brother, who staged a daring robbery on them and stole some of their accounting books. Now he's targeting Capelli (Martin Landau) who pulled the trigger on his brother.

MY THOUGHTS

An adequate blaxploitation film.

Story-wise, Black Gunn offers up nothing new. It's your standard revenge plot. The action is purely standard. Though 'whitey' seems more overtly racist than in usual blaxploitation films, making the hero even easier to root for.

For many blaxploitation films, the soundtrack is about the only thing going for it. Here, the music is weak, but the performances make up for it. Jim Brown is as tough as ever.
Other sports stars join the Hall Of Fame Cleveland Brown including ex-NFLer Deacon Jones and baseball pitcher Vida Blue (among others.)
In addition to Martin Landau, many notable character actors make up the evil honkies including Bruce Glover and William Campbell. Usually, those roles are filled with nobodies, so it's great to see some familiar faces.

Apart from the acting, the film has little going for it that seems original yet, the standard revenge plot does keep interest.

Hot Tub Time Machine

Hot Tub Time Machine
2010 - MGM/UA
Directed By Steve Pink



SYNOPSIS

Adam (John Cusack) his two friends (Craig Robinson and Rob Corddry) and his young nephew (Clark Duke) are unexpectedly transported back in time when a ski resort's hot tub malfunctions. The three older men relive their epic trip from 1986 and debate whether or not to change the past... and make their so-so 21st century lives better.



MY THOUGHTS - Spoiler free!

Rude, crude and hilarious!

Hot Tub Time Machine is a fun romp back to an era many would like to forget.

The humor takes the already crude Judd Apatow-level of comedy and dials it further down, creating a new gutter, located far below the current one. Anyone easily offended would walk out of the film fairly soon into it... but this film is designed for people like me - fans of edgy envelope-pushing comedy.

The keys to the success of the humor lies in the characters. The four main guys are complete losers, but we grow to like them (even Rob Corddry's obnoxious bastard Lou) as the story moves on and cheer them on when they do good. They are presented as real, complex people and not as some basic stereotype (a la The Breakfast Club) this help them to appear more real and relatable.

'Hot Tub' is like those films of Apatow's but without any of the deeper stuff. Hot Tub only exists to make you laugh.
Much of the humor is of the shock-you-into-laughing type that South Park excels at, but without any of that 'deeper stuff' the humor may only work once. The second time you see it, it just won't be as funny because the shock isn't there. You've been desensitized.

The film is also loaded with many references to many 80's films and even has Crispin Glover, one of the stars of the biggest time travel movie of that decade, in a hilarious supporting role.

The biggest headache of the film to me was the glaring error surrounding Clark Duke's character. The character is only 20 in 2010, yet was conceived in 1986. He should be 23-24 years old.

Hot Tub Time Machine probably won't stand up to repeated viewings and won't become a cherished comedy classic, but it's a fun way to spend some time and get several big laughs.

The T.A.M.I. Show

The T.A.M.I. Show
1964
Directed By Steve Binder



SYNOPSIS

A dozen rock acts are captured live in concert at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in one special show in 1964.



MY THOUGHTS

Way before Monterey Pop, Woodstock, Gimme Shelter, and The Last Waltz, The T.A.M.I. (Teenage Awards Music International) Show launched the rock concert film... and with a lineup that equals or exceeds those greats.

All on the bill: Established star Chuck Berry, current chart toppers The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Leslie Gore, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, The Rolling Stones, and rising stars The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and James Brown along with future garage rock legends The Barbarians. Each perform multiple songs (save The Barbarians only doing one) and everything fits under 2 hours.

It was shot in 1964, so the bands and our 21-st century ears are challenged to hear through the endless screaming. Even Gerry & The Pacemakers slow sweet ballad "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" is nearly drowned out by the obnoxious teenage girls.
Thankfully the music is strong enough to trump their attempts to ruin it, much like the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show just months before this concert.

The screaming is the only fault with the audio. The video is not perfect either, but doesn't detract from the fun... and captures the amazing dancing of James Brown and the other performers in the prime of their careers.

The T.A.M.I. Show finally made it's home video debut in 2010, and is the perfect addition to the DVD collection of any fan of 60's rock.

Gentleman Jim

Gentleman Jim
1942 - Warner Brothers
Directed By Raoul Walsh



SYNOPSIS

The outspoken Jim Corbett (Errol Flynn)is a bank teller, but wants to become a prize fighter. Soon he's invited to join an athletic club where he soon proves his talent. After many hard-fought battles Corbet faces John L. Sullivan (Ward Bond,) the heavyweight champion of the world!



MY THOUGHTS

Released at the height of World War II, Gentleman Jim is perfect war-time entertainment. The film takes you to a different place filled with many colorful characters and is a whole lot of fun. Plenty of excitement to forget your worries.

Raoul Walsh had been directing films for nearly 30 years by this film's release... and had a master's touch. He used all of his tools to tell the tale (with many liberties) of the legendary 19th century boxer 'Gentleman Jim' Corbett.

The biggest visual treat is the fight scenes. Each fight sequence builds upon the last and becomes more ambitious and thrilling. The camera angles and quick editing help to generate more excitement than fights in most boxing films. In my opinion, boxing is the sport that best translates to film, and these fights show why.

Even when not in the ring, the film benefits from perfect pacing. It never drags as we travel from city to city watching Corbett's rise.

Jim Corbett is a character which would easily come off as a very unlikeable ass, if not for Errol Flynn's portrayal. He balances the ever-growing ego with a sense of good cheer that makes him hard to hate, even though many characters dislike him.

Alexis Smith's character is one. Her love/hate relationship with Corbett is much more fun and far more interesting than the usual bland 'devoted girlfriend/wife' type that's usually the norm sports films.

John L. Sullivan, played by Ward Bond, is Corbett's equal in the ring and in the insanely large ego department. Bond is hilarious in his tough guy role... and also touching in his final scene. It's a shame he doesn't have more screen time.

The rest of the cast is rounded out by many familiar faces of the Warner Brothers stock company.

Gentleman Jim is light entertainment. Several social issues do get brought up, like class struggles, but these are left in the background of the story. The film exists solely to entertain. And it does a very good job.

Under My Skin

Under My Skin
1950 - 20th Century Fox
Directed By Jean Negulesco



SYNOPSIS

American expatriate jockey Dan Butler (John Garfield) fails to throw a race in Italy, angering some mobsters. He and his young son (Orley Lindgren) flee to Paris to meet his old friend. That friend died many years ago and his girlfriend (Micheline Prelle) blames Butler for his death. The mobsters show up just as the two begin to fall in love. With some lucky bets at the track, Butler is able to pay off the mob and buy a horse, who he makes a champion. But the mob wants him to throw one last race...



MY THOUGHTS

Tough guy John Garfield scores again with Under My Skin.

The film is based on an Ernest Hemingway short story and Garfield fit in perfectly with the typical Hemingway hero-type.

John Garfield provides another strong performance and it fits in with his persona as well. He often played a man with strong ideals who is willing to face death itself in order to maintain them.

This was his third to last role of his career. He suffered a serious heart attack while making the film. That and the incessant bullying by HUAAC helped to bring his outstanding career and life to an early demise.

Orley Lindgren is almost equally good as Garfield's son... impressive for a child actor.

The relationship of the troubled athlete father trying to raise a smart boy alone and in a very unconventional way reminded me of Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper in The Champ. It's done more realistically here and their relationship is one of the film's strong points.

Butler's relationship with Micheline Prelle's nightclub singer isn't as strong.
In fact, it doesn't ring true. She hates him yet somehow warms to him, we assume because of his son, but it's not very clear. Also not clear is how her several years of resentment would just wash away and turn to love. It's all very hokey.

Still, the film is very entertaining and any fan of John Garfield would not want to miss this one.

Fletch

Fletch
1985 - Universal Pictures
Directed By Michael Ritchie



SYNOPSIS

Investigative reporter Fletch (Chevy Chase) is working undercover as a junky on a story that will uncover major drug ring involving cops. Meanwhile, a businessman (Tim Matheson) hires this 'junky' to kill him. Fletch begins investigating the man as well and realizes this might all be related!



MY THOUGHTS

Chevy Chase's finest hour!

For years I'd thought I had seen this film, but it turns out it was its far inferior sequel Fletch Lives. I've never been a huge fan of Chase's and enjoyed his other SNL cast member's film so much more. I'm so glad I finally saw this film.

However, Chevy Chase did make several great films prior to this (Foul Play, Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation) but Fletch seems like the perfect showcase for his ambivalent, bizarre one-liner filled comic persona.

Fletch (an 'expert' in disguises) assumes many other characters while investigating. He's Harry S. Truman, Igor Stravinsky, G. Gordon Liddy, Don Corleone, and Ted Nugent. Each is funnier than the last... yet is barely different from the man himself.

The plot is based on the book by Gregory McDonald, yet it seems like it's straight out of the noir stylings of Raymond Chandler, combined with a major head injury! The always-entertaining story transforms intrigue into hilariousity. The one liners and humorous situations rarely miss and have oodles of laugh-out-loud moments and memorable quotes.

The only fault with the film is the obnoxious score by Beverly Hills Cop's Harold Faltermeyer. Any spare minute of dialogue is crammed with his dated and annoying music.

The music never drags down the film and Fletch remains a hilarious film 25 years later. There's been many problems in adapting a third Fletch adventure in the years since, but lets hope those problems can be ironed out and a new adventure can live on the big screen.

Alice In Wonderland

Alice In Wonderland
2010 - Walt Disney Pictures
Directed By Tim Burton



SYNOPSIS

Alice (Mia Wasilkowska) has dreamed about a magical place since she was a little girl. Now 20, and while being asked for her hand in (what would be a loveless) marriage, she spots a rabbit in a coat and follows him and tumbles down a hole, winding up in the land she only dreamed about... but it seems it was no dream.



MY THOUGHTS

Literary purists may cry foul, but Tim Burton's take on the Lewis Carroll classic is a feast for the eyes.

Alice In Wonderland is my first foray into the 'new' rage of 3-D films. Not having seen anything in 3-D, apart from some theme park attractions, this was a very new and very eye-opening experience. I was blown away. Fantasy CG-heavy films like this are the perfect material for 3-D.

The visuals are amazing and I highly doubt Grace Slick was seeing anything as stunning when she wrote Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit (no doubt while chemically-enhanced!)

The story is somewhat lacking. It's set up as a sort of sequel with Alice several years older, yet when she arrives back in Wonderland or (as it's called here Underland) the film is a rehash of some of the best moments in the original. Also the roles of the Red Queen and The Mad Hatter are beefed up to showcase two of Tim Burton's most oft-used stars
Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter deliver two of the most entertaining characters of the film.
Carter's Red Queen looks the closest to Sir John Tenniel's drawings in the original book than in any previous screen version. She steals practically every scene she's in with her delightfully hammy performance.
Depp is also strong and adds more depth to the Mad Hatter than was there in the original text. The way Depp changes the Hatter's voice and accent really show a character that may be genuinely mad with multiple personalities... but the Hatter's personality never changes. That just leaves me confused.
The emphasis of these two characters ultimately derails the pace of the film.

Frequent Burton collaborators Christopher Lee and Michael Gough also provide voices. They are barely heard, along with dozens of other great actors who all seem to be providing support to Depp and Carter.

It's a wonder why it's taken Tim Burton 25 years of film-making to finally put Crispin Glover in a film. The actor's unusual quirkiness is right at home with Burton's band of actors. Though the

I highly recommend seeing this in 3-D. I imagine the film's faults would be far more evident if viewed in standard 2-D.

Red Planet Mars

Red Planet Mars
1952
Directed By Harry Horner



SYNOPSIS

A scientist (Peter Graves) is intent on sending messages to the planet Mars. When he receives an answer, it sends the whole world in a panic. But when the ongoing messages turn toward a biblical slant, the world unifies in ways never seen before... but did the messages really come from Mars?



MY THOUGHTS

A unique cold war sci-fi film, Red Planet Mars features brains over action.

The film is very intelligent and its approach to the scientific method and a more cerebral attitude lifts it far above the usual "aliens are the enemy" message of other films of the era. The film is nearly as intelligently made as Forbidden Planet.

I was very surprised the film took a religious angle, which most American movies (even in the 1950's) would avoid at all costs. It thankfully doesn't beat us over the head with the message... though it is a very mainstream Christian one.

The film differs from many 50's alien films.
It never features any Martians. This is both a good and a bad thing. One, we're never forced to see what a very low-budget version of a Martian is supposed to look like, which would no doubt look silly. That's good. The bad is, we never see one, which is a bit of a let down at the same time. Not even a spaceship.

The evilness of the Commie Russians is over-emphasized, but it was the nature of the time in which this was made... at the height of the red scare.

Red Planet Mars does portray the Earth as a truly global place. The contact has an effect on all facets of life. Economic, spiritual, etc... from all corners of the globe.

Peter Graves gives a dynamic performance, as does his wife, played by Andrea King.

Red Planet Mars is perfect for fans of 50's sci-fi who want a change of pace over the usual goofy man-in-a-suit monsters from outer space attacking innocent civilians.

Silent Rage

Silent Rage
1982 - Columbia Pictures
Directed By Michael Miller



SYNOPSIS

Cops take out a deranged man (Brian Libby) after he kills two people. He's rushed into surgery barely alive and a radical procedure not only cures him but renders him invincible. Only the sheriff (Chuck Norris) can stop him now!



MY THOUGHTS

A great Saturday afternoon b-movie is a perfect mix of Walker, Texas Ranger and The X-Files.

Silent Rage is far from a perfect film but it's plenty entertaining.

The acting is atrocious. Apart from Chuck Norris doing his usual thing and the all-too-brief performance of Ron Silver, the acting is below b-movie range.
Stephen Furst is a young cop. He's essentially Flounder from Animal House with a gun and badge. 'Fat drunk and stupid' works well as a fraternity pledge, but it's terrible as a cop. Its a wonder how the character was ever able to graduate from a police academy.
Brian Libby (the villain) seems to be a knock-off of Michael Myers of the Halloween series, just without a mask. He shows little to no emotion and is often more laughable than scary.
Everyone else is completely one-dimensional.

The film features less Norris-style action than it should. Apart from an amazing scene where Chuck takes out an entire bar full of angry bikers, much of the rest of the film is just Chuck using his gun and the occasional fist. Those are nowhere near as entertaining as some of his other films' action scenes. They are plentiful though, so the film is rarely boring.

Silent Rage does add a supernatural aspect that is not present in any other Chuck Norris film. The unstoppable foe forces Norris to be more of an actual super hero than normal. It adds an extra cheesiness that helps to make this a great film for Saturday afternoon TV viewing.

Silent Rage is one of those films that you could easily chime in your own "Mystery Science Theater 3000" style jokes and hurl them at the screen. That would help make this film great... otherwise, its just a sub-par action film with some sci-fi aspects.

The Brothers Warner

The Brothers Warner
2008 - Warner Brothers
Directed By Cass Warner Sperling



SYNOPSIS

The granddaughter of Harry Warner chronicles his and his brothers Jack, Albert, and Sam rise from poor, uneducated young men to become pioneers in the motion picture business... and on to major success. But that success came with a price.



MY THOUGHTS

The Brothers Warner begins with their early years and we're given an idea what these four guys were like as people before delving into their struggles and ultimate successes in the film business. A family member is telling their story and it gives it a much more intimate feeling than a standard documentary.

Several family members, Warner Brothers employees, decedents of heads of other studios, and actors help to tell their story.

The documentary also focuses on the risks the brothers took including their commitment in tackling social issues (I Am A Fugitive In A Chain Gang, Confessions Of A Nazi Spy) as well as the technical side with the development of sound (The Jazz Singer.)

I never knew much of the brothers besides Jack, who was the most outspoken (and loathed by many) so the film helped to fill in the gaps of my knowledge. While informative, it doesn't deliver overly extensive detail like a book would. It does give just enough to keep your interest up, without boring you with minutia.

The film doesn't spare any harsh feelings when Jack Warner sold out his brothers and took sole control of the studio in the 50's. He's made to look like a monster, which really probably isn't far from the truth. It was a pretty low move.

The Brothers Warner is a great look back to old Hollywood, when the name Warner Brothers meant a family business and not some anonymous corporate identity.

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Death Hunt

Death Hunt
1981
Directed By Peter Hunt



SYNOPSIS

A trapper (Charles Bronson) interrupts a dog fight and forcibly buys one of the injured dogs in depression-era Canada. The dog's (ex) owner (Ed Lauter) and his buddies go out to seek revenge. The group attacks him and the trapper kills a man. The local head Mountie (Lee Marvin) must take him into custody even though he realizes the shooting was in self-defense. But the trapper is not going down without a fight!



MY THOUGHTS

Death Hunt is essentially a western that's relocated to the Canadian wilderness, swapping desert sand for snow.

The denizens of this cold environment aren't too different from those in the old west. They're poorly educated, drink and carouse with the few women around that are available, and are quick to anger and to draw their gun.

Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin are the same tough hombres that they always were. The script offers little if any chance for them to modify or build on their screen images, but really why would it be necessary? A wise man once said "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

The film does, however, drop them into a new environment. The cinematography of the open lands of Alberta looks beautiful. The camera shows off much of the land while still focused on the story much like John Ford's views of Monument Valley in his countless western greats.

Death Hunt is not without it's flaws.

The characters spend most of the film outdoors in the snow, but rarely, if ever, actually look (or act) cold. If they're supposed to be 'braving the elements,' maybe someones teeth should chatter or they would mutter "I reckon it's cold" but this never happens. Despite living in the harsh environment, I doubt the men rarely spend their nights sleeping outside.

Angie Dickinson appears in essentially a cameo role as Marvin's girl. Not only is the role completely beneath her as an actress (anyone could have played it just as well,) her scenes are completely unnecessary and slow down the film. They should have been left on the cutting room floor. Death Hunt isn't a sweeping action epic that can mix fight scenes and romance like an old Errol Flynn film.

It's far from a great film, but Death Hunt still has it's moments and they help make it an entertaining action-thriller.

Breaker Breaker

Breaker Breaker
1977- American International
Directed By Don Hulette



SYNOPSIS

An innocent novice truck driver (Michael Augenstein) is caught by police in a corrupt isolationist California town. His brother (Chuck Norris,) a popular trucker, comes looking for him.



MY THOUGHTS

One of those movies you'll enjoy more when you shut your brain off.

There's not much to Breaker Breaker. It's clearly a cash-in by American International Pictures (who knew how to cash in on anything) on the briefly popular CB Radio craze (the Twitter of the mid-70's.)
CB's figure into the mix of this standard revenge-style plot full of ass-kicking.

The fight scenes, choreographed by Chuck Norris, are simple but deliver. They are the highlight here, and Chuck Norris delivers the kicks and punches well.
The rest seems to be a second-rate impostor of Smokey & The Bandit mixed with C.W. McCall's classic CB song Convoy.
We're never given an explanation for the corrupt judge and the rest of the town's need for isolation (except to hide their moonshine operation) but that would probably just get in the way of the 'story.'

Fans of Chuck Norris should delight in this tale from early in his career... or any fans of low-budget bare-bones action films.

Antichrist

Antichrist
2009
Directed By Lars Von Trier



SYNOPSIS

After their young child dies accidentally, a couple us thrown into turmoil. The mother (Charlotte Gainsbourg) suffers the hardest. Her husband (Willem Dafoe) is a therapist and tries to help her with her grief. The head to their cabin in the woods... and then things get weird.



MY THOUGHTS

More than a half hour has passed since watching this film and I'm left almost in a state of shock and unsure what I've seen.... and how to react to it.

Antichrist is highly unpleasant and disturbing... and certainly not for the feint of heart.
The gruesome violence and unsettling images (many involving injured animals) are stomach churning, as is the disconcerting and very un-sexy sex scenes. Even the seemingly normal scenes create an ominous, dreadful feeling in the viewer.

The only film I've ever seen that has left me with such a bad case of the willies was Pasolini's Salo or The 120 Days of Sodom. Both it and Antichrist are not bad films at all. They just embrace the darker and more depraved side of humanity and present it in a stark and unsettling way.

The cinematography in Antichrist is beautiful. Especially the black and white footage in the 'prologue' and 'epilogue' segments. The acting is also outstanding. Gainsbourg and Dafoe give stellar performances. Without the strong performances, the film wouldn't have any of it's impact.

There was so much symbolism throughout nearly each and every scene that I got a headache trying to decipher each one while following the story. It's definitely one of those films that you would get more out of each time you saw it... if you could stand it.

The film is certainly not for most people... but if you understand that some art must be grotesque, in order to make the pretty stuff seem beautiful... you might want to check out Antichrist.

The film is not yet available on DVD in the U.S.A.

Targets

Targets
1967 - Paramount
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich



SYNOPSIS

After a screening of his latest film, aging horror star Byron Orlok (Boris Karloff) decides to retire. After much debate he decides to agree to make one final personal appearance at a drive-in to help promote the film. Meanwhile, a deeply disturbed young man (Tim O'Kelly) kills his wife and mother before heading out to open fire on cars on the highway. After shooting several drivers and passengers, he escapes before the police close in. He ducks into the drive-in with plenty of ammo left.



MY THOUGHTS

Dual plots collide in a suspenseful way.

The sniper part of Targets is inspired by the story of Charles Whitman, who shot up the campus of the University of Texas from a tower in 1966.

The other half of the film happened due to producer Roger Corman having Boris Karloff under contract for a few more days. Corman didn't care exactly what director Peter Bogdanovich made... but he required the director to use Karloff and plenty of stock footage of his film The Terror (also starring Karloff.) Instead of making a retread of that Gothic horror... Bogdanovich whipped up something very modern and made appropriate use of the footage.

Despite being thrown together, the Hollywood plot works on many levels.
Bogdanovich plays the young director in the film. He tries to get Orlok to make just one more picture... where he gets to play a real person and not some "Victorian era monster." This is exactly what happens in Targets.
Also, Orlok bemoans that many of his classics are now referred to as "high camp" instead of horror. I wonder if Karloff also shared this sentiment since many of his are viewed the same way. This was one of Karloff's final films and he delivers a great performance despite his failing health.

Tim O'Kelly plays the shooter. The role is more Richie Cunningham than Travis Bickle and that makes the character far more sinister. He seems to come from a stable home, though he and his wife live with his parents. We don't know what his motivation is for murder... although headaches are alluded to (Charles Whitman had headaches and an autopsy revealed a brain tumor that may have contributed to his shooting spree.)

As anyone would suspect, the two plot lines do come together and clash at the end. It happened in a way I didn't expect and the film is much better for it.

Bogdanovich is the quintessential film geek. At the time he made this, while launching his film career, he was also a writer and interviewed many legendary directors like Orson Welles, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Fritz Lang, and John Ford. He pays tribute to Hawks by showing a clip of his film The Criminal Code, an early and somewhat obscure film starring Karloff. The rest of Targets is littered with other references to films and the lingo of the business. The film also uses audio from Anatomy of a Murder.
We get a rare non-cynical take on the film industry, probably due to Bogdanovich's youth and enthusiasm for the subject.

The film is very well shot, often using long takes to set a scene. It gives it a realistic, almost documentary-feel. Targets has the same grittiness that would define the action films of the 1970's.

Bogdanovich seems to be trying to make a point about the horror of real-life violence vs. film violence. His message is somewhat muddled and you don't really know exactly what he's trying to say.

Despite the muddy message, Targets is suspenseful and entertaining... and (I'm very sorry for this:) you should set in in your sights today!

Ponyo

Ponyo
2008/2009 - Studio Ghibli
Directed By Hayao Miyazaki



SYNOPSIS

Sosuke (Frankie Jonas) rescues a small goldfish trapped in a glass bottle and names her Ponyo (Noah Cyrus.) She falls in love with the little boy. Her protective father (Liam Neeson) takes her back under the sea... but she uses his powerful magic and turns herself into a real girl. The magic upsets the balance of nature and causes a major catastrophe that washes out Sosuke's town. The two reunite and head on a big adventure to save Sosuke's mother (Tina Fey) and a group of senior citizens, and bring balance back to nature.



MY THOUGHTS

Hayao Miyazaki's unique take on "The Little Mermaid" blends outstanding visuals with an environmental message.

Ponyo isn't a direct take-off of Disney's The Little Mermaid or the Hans Christian Andersen tale that inspired it... but it's definitely influenced by them. Ponyo has the same basic premise... but it's carried in a whole different direction.

The story is somewhat weak. It's not very deep and is clearly only aimed for children. Miyazaki's other classics like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro have a much broader appeal and work on more levels than this one. There's not much character development. Ponyo and Sosuke declare their love for one another when she is a fish and this never changes. Apart from Ponyo's merely physical transformation, she and none of the other characters grow, change, or learn anything from the adventure.

Miyazaki's films often have the environment and ecology play a role.... here even more than normal. From the beginning we see a boat dredging up tons of human garbage... and Ponyo getting stuck in a discarded bottle. Liam Neeson's character shows disdain for humans whenever he can because of their wastefulness. Thankfully, we're not beaten over the head with the message.



The hand-drawn animation is amazingly detailed, very beautiful, and highly imaginative. The movement of the underwater creatures is ultra-realistic. The fish are animated to move like real fish... and there's thousands of them. They're joined but various jellyfish-like creatures and prehistoric fish and other creatures. The undersea animation alone makes up for any shortcomings of the plot.
The major storm is reminiscent of the huge storm in Pinocchio that sent him into the belly of the whale... and is just as frightening.
The above-land animation isn't as stunning, but it's OK.

The American voice cast is outstanding (as usual with Miyazaki) though you must avoid the song playing over the end credits sung by Noah Cyrus and Frankie Jonas. I'm not a fan of their older siblings (Miley Cyrus + The Jonas Brothers) but this is far, far worse than anything they've recorded. Far worse than fingers on a chalkboard.

Ponyo isn't on the same level as Hayao Miyazaki's previous works... but it's light years ahead of anything American animators would make.

dvd:


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Green For Danger

Green For Danger
1946 - England
Directed By Sidney Gilliat



SYNOPSIS

An elderly postman (Moore Mariott) is injured in a German bombing in a rural English town. He's taken into surgery, where he unexpectedly dies. After one of the nurses from the surgery turns up dead, a inspector from Scotland Yard (Alastair Sim) declares they were both murdered... and one of the doctors or nurses was the killer. Now he must find out whodunit.



MY THOUGHTS

A little unassuming mystery that deserves more recognition.

Green For Danger has a subtle black humor that helps move the story along. It's a little darker than your average British mystery.
Much of the humor comes from Alastair Sim's inspector. He seems to relish pushing the buttons of the stiff, uptight doctors with a sense of whimsy. The rest of the performers come off a little dry.

Despite the humor, the film does drag in many spots. The script has little action and is very dialogue heavy.
The inspector doesn't show up until about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way in, leaving the bland characters to hold the story until his arrival. Apart from the bad surgery and the murder of the nurse, little happens in that time.
A 'love triangle' is introduced between 2 doctors and a nurse... but it isn't very well developed. It seems to merely exist as a possible reason for murder.
Once Sim first appears, the slow ball of a plot picks up some speed.

When the inspector reveals the murderer, it is someone I didn't really expect and there's a unique twist at the end. These keep the film above your average whodunit.
Green For Danger may start slow, but it's a rewarding trip when it reaches the end.

The Dark Corner

The Dark Corner
1946 - 20th Century Fox
Directed By Henry Hathaway



SYNOPSIS

Bradford Galt (Mark Stevens) is a detective who was recently released from prison for manslaughter... framed by his former partner Jardine (Kurt Kreuger.) He relocated to New York City from San Fransisco and hired a secretary (Lucille Ball) who fancies him. They spot a man (William Bendix) following them and Galt suspects his old partner of hiring the tail. Soon Jardine turns up dead in Galt's apartment and when Galt and his secretary lean the identity of the tail... he turns up dead too. Galt has only one small clue as to who is trying to frame him.



MY THOUGHTS

A great little film noir, The Dark Corner should be put in the center of the room so it can be enjoyed by more people.

Great performances by the leads make the film stand out.
Mark Stevens is tough and ballsy like any true film noir hero. His character is more sympathetic than your usual noir detective like Sam Spade or Phillip Marlowe. The fact he was framed, sent to prison, and is now back trying to lead life as a law-abiding citizen... coupled with his romance, make him easy to root for.

Though she has a few funny lines, Lucille Ball proves herself as an excellent dramatic actress. She pulls off the tough but romantic secretary very well (very un-Lucy like.) It's a shame she didn't play more roles like this. She seems to be equally adept with drama as she was with comedy.
The strong relationship between the characters is one of the rarer elements that separate it from the usual noir... and it's one of the best-handled parts of the story.

Director Henry Hathaway delivered greats in the noir style like Niagara, The House On 92nd Street, and Call Northside 777. But The Dark Corner fits the noir label the best.
The cinematography is pure noir... striking and full of deep shadows and dark places. Noir rarely looked better. There are many great views of New York as well.

The dialogue is snappy and has many great lines:
Bradford Galt: "I can be framed easier than "Whistler's Mother"."

Plot-wise the film is fairly predictable (and somehow also a bit confusing at the same time!) but the direction, cinematography and performances make up for it. The Dark Corner doesn't stand as one of the very best of the bunch... but it's pretty damn close.

Dead Snow

Dead Snow
2009 - Norway
Directed By Tommy Wirkola



SYNOPSIS

A group of seven friends on Easter break from med school head to a remote cabin deep in the Norwegian wilderness. Unbeknownst to them, the area used to be a major Nazi stronghold. The Nazis remain all these years later... as zombies!



MY THOUGHTS

It's always fascinating to see how people from a different culture handle a very familiar story archetype... in this case the standard slasher horror film where a group of teens encounters an evil that picks them off one by one. The film's plot echos The Evil Dead (it's even name-dropped in the film) Nightmare On Elm Street and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre among other classic American horror films.

Dead Snow adheres to many modern Hollywood horror cliches.... heavy metal music (though sung in Norwegian...) several cheap scares (not involving the villains...) a stranger with the back story to set up the film... the slutty chick is the first of the group to go... etc. The film uses these cliches to poke fun (and pay homage) at the genre in far more subtle ways than Scream and its sequels did.

The film isn't all jokes though.. the humor is always there but takes a backseat to the suspenseful and scary scenes to create an excellent sense of realism. Director Tommy Wirkola creates the perfect sense of dread that fill the film, even when we're seeing the most absolutely beautiful scenery.

Like all the great zombie films, Dead Snow delivers with a ton of gore. Heads are torn apart, bodies are eviscerated, zombies meet chainsaws... and the blades of a snow-blower engine.
The makeup is outstanding and realistic and would fit in perfectly in a George Romero zombie film.
Much of the goriest gore is done during nighttime scenes, which keep everything dark and keeps the effects from possibly being less hokey-looking. It's far more horrific keeping those scenes partially in the shadows.

The characters were far more fleshed-out and seem more like real people than in your average horror film. There's no 'jock,' 'nerd,' 'slut,' 'girl-next-door-type,''weirdo,' 'stoner' and the other flat characterizations that flood other films in the genre.

Any fan of zombie movies should definitely seek this one out... it's one of the best and is a blast.

The Street With No Name

The Street With No Name
1948 - 20th Century Fox
Directed By William Keighley



SYNOPSIS

After a mysterious gang in Center City kills 2 innocent people on a crime spree, The FBI Inspector (Lloyd Nolan) sends in Agent Gene Cordell (Mark Stevens) to find and infiltrate the gang. Cordell becomes 'George Manly' and gets in with the gang led by Stiles (Richard Widmark.) Stiles' contact in the police tells him the FBI and police know of the gang's upcoming robbery. The gangster soon suspects someone in his group and soon he finds evidence pointing to George Manly.



MY THOUGHTS

It feels like I've seen this somewhere before...

The Street With No Name's first act is practically identical to the wartime film noir The House on 92nd Street (read my review by clicking here.)
We're told from the onset that what we will see is based on real events in FBI case-files. A montage of actual FBI agents and workers follows with a narrator giving the film a documentary feel. We're then introduced to the central problem of the story... a gang that's threatening public safety. Lloyd Nolan appears as Inspector Briggs and selects an new promising agent to infiltrate said gang.

This is exactly what happens in both films.... but from there the stories diverge. 92nd Street dealt with saboteurs trying to get atomic bomb secrets, while The Street With No Name deals with the same common hoods that were a problem before the war. But, the hero in both films faces very similar problems in fitting in with his new 'friends' and finding out how to save the day.

This story archetype is very limited. Having seen this plot used countless times on TV and in film (especially in many James Bond subplots,) we know the agent will be found out at some point. He also will be uncertain when he's forced to break the law while playing his alter-ego.

There's only two ways you can make a well-worn plot stand out - it's got to look great and have great performances.

The direction from William Keighley is outstanding. He brings the story a fast pace and real suspense. When Cordell/Manly secretly investigates the gang's weapon's stash and Stiles shows up... it's a very tense escape through the shadows. The final robbery, after Stiles learns Cordell/Manly is in the FBI, is filled with even more tension and dread.
Keighley fills the screen with some of the screen's best noir photography. Many rooms are cluttered and dark, creating many shadows that are very visually appealing and create a great atmosphere for the film.

The actors also brought their 'A-game.'
Richard Widmark was coming off his film debut in Kiss Of Death which netted him an Oscar nomination. He played an insane homicidal gangster thug. Widmark plays a remarkably similar character here, though Stiles is more refined, a leader and not as certifiably crazy. He carried both roles with such a charismatic sense of cool and evil that he's great to watch and practically steals every scene he's in.

He's a sharp contrast to Mark Stevens. Stevens, as a young responsible upstanding FBI agent, plays the man wooden, like the by-the-book type of character should be. He 'loosens his tie' a bit when becoming George Manly (whatta name!) and develops more of a sharper wit and swagger.

The rest of the gang seems to be more realistic than you're average background gangster characters. They're usually either square-jawed thugs who look gruff and grumble when they talk... or goofy Damon Runyan-types (a la Guys And Dolls.) These gangsters seem to split the difference and seem like real people.

The script gives Lloyd Nolan less to do here than in The House On 92nd Street. He appears only briefly, in a role similar to M in a James Bond film.

The film does lack the female touch. Stiles' punching bag of a girlfriend is the only woman in the cast. The absence of women is unusual for noir.

Still, The Street With No Name is able to overcome that and the stale plot to become a suspenseful and entertaining film noir.

Blu-Ray: The Wizard Of Oz

The Wizard Of Oz
1939 - MGM
Directed By Victor Fleming



Blu-Ray Review

There are very few films out there that you're safe to say that everyone's seen... but The Wizard Of Oz is one of them. On Blu-Ray it's a completely new experience!

(Like with my recent reviews of North By Northwest and Gone With The Wind, I will toss aside any critical analysis of the film itself and focus on it's recent hi-def upgrade... this being the 3-Disc Emerald Edition of the film.)

When the film switched from its sepia-toned black and white to it's full Technicolor Oz, my jaw dropped. The colors are more vibrant than ever (and the film never looked bad in the first place.)

The 1080p transfer reveals many new details.

Watching when I was younger, I always though the Scarecrow's face makeup was particularly weak. The makeup people did a poor job matching his face to the burlap sack around his neck.
I was amazed to find on blu-ray that the makeup people actually did an outstanding and very detailed job. They completely replicated the burlap texture... just the audience wasn't able to see it in the previous lower-quality television and DVD transfers.
Heck, you can also see some of the Cowardly Lion's makeup lines and parts where some of the latex had started to peel away from his face!

The new clarity reveals the stunning detail in costumes and sets, especially in the crowd scenes in Muchkinland and in the Emerald City.

The special effects remain solid and benefit from the the transfer, especially the tornado and the wizard's floating head.

The audio was remastered for the previous DVD edition and is in Dolby 5.1 and it sounds as good as any modern release.

Disc 1 features the film and several extras.

You can also enjoy the film in new ways with commentary by John Fricke, a film historian, along with some old interview bits with the filmmakers, stars and/or their children. Also included is a sing-along version. The lyrics for the songs pop up as their sung so you can join in.

The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz: The Making Of A Movie Classic - a 1990 TV special detailing the film hosted by Angela Lansbury.

The Art Of Imagination: A Tribute To Oz - Modern filmmakers and actors pay their respects to the film.

Because Of The Wonderful Things It Is: The Legacy Of Oz - The effect of TV on the popularity of the film.

Memories Of Oz -The Munchkins, fans and other cast member's family reminisce in this Turner Classic Movies special.

The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz Storybook - Angela Lansbury reads a truncated and lightly animated version of the story.

Prettier Than Ever: The Restoration Of Oz - I believe this is a carry-over from the previous DVD edition covering the restoration of the film.

2-minute bios detail all of the major supporting cast members (even Toto!) These are narrated by Lansbury and feature clips from other memorable films.

Several audio-only extras include radio show versions of the film, promos, and the actual recording sessions for the songs.

A few outtakes and deleted scenes are included, some appear just in a series of still photos. Angela Lansbury is back, narrating intros to these.

Composer Harold Arlen also took some home movies of the set.

Trailers and still photos round out the disc.

Disc 2 features the brand-new documentary Victor Fleming:Master Craftsman that details the life of the director who not only brought Wizard of Oz, but all-time greats like Gone With The Wind and Captains Courageous.

A 30-minute documentary covers the life of author L. Frank Baum.

Another new documentary shows the Munchkins finally getting their star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2007. Several of the survivors appeared and are interviewed.

7 earlier visits to Oz are included:

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910) - The 14 minute short is the first trip to Oz on the big screen.

His Majesty, The Scarecrow Of Oz (1914) - written and directed by L. Frank Baum. It runs about 1 hour.

The Magical Cloak Of Oz (1914) - 43 mins. - Produced by Baum

The Patchwork Girl Of Oz (1914) - 50 mins. - Produced by Baum. Future film producer Hal Roach played the Cowardly Lion. He met and befriended Harold Lloyd, who appeared in a bit part. Roach formed his studio the following year and made the films that made Lloyd a star.

The Wizard Of Oz (1925) - 80 min.

The Wizard Of Oz (1933) - a short animated version of the story. It featured a black and white Kansas and a Technicolor Oz... but no Cowardly Lion. The animation is not on the same level as Disney or Looney Tunes.

All of these earlier versions, of course, pale in comparison to MGM's masterpiece but they are interesting, especially how they are trying to be ambitious with very little budgets.

The disc also features the 1990 TV movie The Dreamer Of Oz - a biography of L. Frank Baum starring John Ritter. This is the only flaw of the entire set. The film literally looks like they just dubbed over a worn VHS copy. Watching it on an HD television makes it look even worse. It's terrible when a 1910 film has better clarity than one made in 1990!

And to top the whole package off... on Disc 3 you get the outstanding 1992 6-hour documentary miniseries detailing the entire history of MGM called MGM:When The Lion Roars, hosted by Patrick Stewart. It covers the films and the behind-the-scenes politics of the studio. The disc is a standard 'flipper' DVD.

The only word to describe all of these features is exhaustive!

In the DVD era, Warner Brothers (who now owns Oz) set the standard with it's extras-heavy 2-disc special editions of classics. In the Blu-Ray era, they've moved well beyond that and film fans everywhere are reaping the benefits. Hopefully many more films get this deluxe treatment.

This should be a welcomed addition to any movie collection.



Warner's also released an Ultimate Collector's Edition, which includes all of the above plus:
a Limited-edition 70th-anniversary watch
Original 1939 campaign book reproduction
Behind the Curtain of Production 1060: 52-page commemorative book
Replica of original movie budget

The Sea Hawk

The Sea Hawk
1940 - Warner Brothers
Directed By Michael Curtiz



SYNOPSIS

Swashbuckling English pirate Geoffrey Thorpe (Errol Flynn) sinks a ship carrying the new Spanish ambassador (Claude Rains) to England. He delivers the man and his niece (Brenda Marshall) to Queen Elizabeth (Flora Robson.) She sends Thorpe on a secret mission to learn of the armada the Spanish are building. There are traitors in her ranks... and Thorpe and his men are ambushed in Panama and enslaved in the galleys of the Spanish ships.



MY THOUGHTS

Director Michael Curtiz and star Errol Flynn team up for the last time and deliver a truly epic finale to their collaboration.
The Sea Hawk is a little bit of Captain Blood, The Adventures Of Robin Hood, and The Private Lives Of Elisabeth and Essex and their other films all rolled into one.

Much of the plot is an allegory of World War II, which had already erupted in Europe. Here, the Spanish stand in for Hitler and the Axis powers. The Sea Hawk is not very subtle about it.
Especially Elizabeth's final speech:

"And now, my loyal subjects, a grave duty confronts us all: To prepare our nation for a war that none of us wants, least of all your queen. We have tried by all means in our power to avert this war. We have no quarrel with the people of Spain or of any other country; but when the ruthless ambition of a man threatens to engulf the world, it becomes the solemn obligation of all free men to affirm that the earth belongs not to any one man, but to all men, and that freedom is the deed and title to the soil on which we exist. Firm in this faith, we shall now make ready to meet the great armada that Philip sends against us. To this end, I pledge you ships - ships worthy of our seamen - a mighty fleet, hewn out of the forests of England; a navy foremost in the world - not only in our time, but for generations to come."

When FDR called the heads of the studios to Washington a few years before this film, he asked them to make films that would help prepare the American populace for the eventual war. Most of the studios balked at the idea, but Warner Brothers obliged. Confessions of a Nazi Spy was one the first (and one of the most overt) in this cycle of films. Films set in World War I and in earlier times like The Sea Hawk helped to fulfill the studio's duty to FDR.

Errol Flynn gives his most dashing, swashbuckling performance here with sharp wit and excellent swordsmanship. This film would be the perfect introduction to the actor and his unique screen presence.

The film drags in many spots, especially when the love story comes front and center.
This time around, Brenda Marshall is Flynn's girl. She's no Olivia de Havilland. She's not very likable, but not bad.

Every fight scene in the film (and there are many) is exciting and even thrilling. There are so many actors present in them that it must have been a pain to stage it all, but they all turned out amazing in the end.
Those battles wouldn't have been nearly exciting with out the music by Erich Korngold. He did the memorable music for all of Flynn's swashbuckler adventures, and this is his best. I imagine hearing this music apart from the film would still make me want to grab a sword and do battle.

The Sea Hawk's rousing action scenes and the performance by Errol Flynn definitely lift this far above the average Hollywood action film of any decade.

Going My Way

Going My Way
1944 - Paramount Pictures
Directed By Leo McCarey



SYNOPSIS

Young Father O'Malley (Bing Crosby) joins the parish of Father Fitzgibbon (Barry Fitzgerald,) which is in dire financial straits, with the hope of turning it around. He begins by reigning in the wild boys of the neighborhood and forming a choir. O'Malley begins bringing in money and wins over the older Fitzgibbon... before a fire threatens everything!



MY THOUGHTS

A seemingly unlikely choice to win a Best Picture Oscar... Going My Way is a light-hearted comedy with a lot of heart. It lacks an overdose of sentimentality that could easily turn it into schmaltz.

Bing Crosby won an Oscar for Best Actor and is clearly the best part about the film. He plays a religious figure without being too churchy or bland. He's practically hip (at least for 1944.) O'Malley easily captures the hearts and minds of the street kids (led by Stanley Clements and Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer) and ropes them into singing.

Fitzgerald is the more square 'churchy' figure. He's provides great and believable contrast to O'Malley and also captured the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the role.

The film, made at the height of World War II, offered a great escape from the war. Though the war could not be forgotten, even in this film... the son of the church's mortgage owner heads to war after marrying a friend of O'Malley.

A running gag early in the film has Fitzgibbon repeatedly asking O'Malley why he joined the church. This is never answered. With O'Malley's terrific singing voice, it's a wonder why he opted for the church and didn't become a great singer. But it is his songs that ultimately save the church... so maybe, divine intervention?

The film is perhaps a little long and moves at a slower pace, but this doesn't interfere with its breezy and light feel.

Going My Way remains a fun film to watch, despite its 'old fashioned-ness.'