Of Human Bondage

1934 - RKO
Directed By John Cromwell


SYNOPSIS
Phillip Carey (Leslie Howard) gives up an unsuccessful art career in Paris, moves back to London and goes to medical school. He soon falls madly in love with a cockney waitress named Mildred (Bette Davis.) She rejects him and goes off with another man (Alan Hale.) She later returns to Phillip pregnant and alone. Soon they're engaged but she soon runs off with Phillip's friend. (Reginald Denny.) Mildred returns, ruining Phillip's new relationship, destroying his apartment and his stock certificates, forcing him to leave medical school. He finds work as a salesman and falls for another girl (Frances Dee) but Mildred comes back into his life again.

MY THOUGHTS


W. Somerset Maugham's book comes across as a bit soap operatic on the big screen... but the lead performances make it memorable.


Bette Davis gives a complex and strong characterization. Her character is essentially the villain of the piece, but you feel more pity than hate for the detestable character. She's a bit over-the-top at times, but it works very well for the role. This is the role that made her a star.

Leslie Howard gave a thoughtful, sensitive performance (much like all of his other roles) and matches Davis' strong portrayal.

The two have an unusual chemistry and would star together two more times.

Definitely a pre-code film, Of Human Bondage tacked soon to be taboo topics like unwed pregnancy and general sluttiness.

Bondage moves at a crisp pace, but it does drag often, as many early talkies did. Still, it's great to see two great actors at the top of their game play off one another.

The Best Of Benny Hill

1974
Directed By John Robbins


SYNOPSIS
A best-of compilation of the long-running BBC TV series The Benny Hill Show released into theaters.

MY THOUGHTS

The Best of Benny Hill is a silly look at the classic TV show. It showcases all of the comic's most memorable strengths: silly songs, bawdy innuendo, mangling the English Language, poking fun at the upper class, and of course, chasing half naked women around.


The film could easily draw a comparison to Monty Python's first feature And Now For Something Completely Different, which also was a best-of of their series. The Pythons re-shot all of the sketches for the film and as a result, much of the film lacked the timing and punch of delivering the material fresh before a live studio audience. Benny Hill, on the other hand, just used the existing footage from the series, so that was not an issue.

I am so glad I never got to see this on the big screen. The primitive analog video would look absolutely horrible transferred to 35mm film and blown up to fill a cinema screen. It doesn't even look that great on DVD.

It looks bad and some of the humor is dated, but the film delivers a great variety of fun and is a great way to discover (or remember) the magic of Benny Hill.

And This Is Free

1964
Directed By Mike Shea


SYNOPSIS

A look at Chicago's Maxwell Street, the legendary open-air market, where you could find anything for sale.

MY THOUGHTS

A group of college students headed to the Maxwell Street Market over several Sundays in 1964 and were able to perfectly capture the feel of the place thanks to the Cinéma vérité style. The realistic style means there is no narrator telling you what is going on and no plot to follow. The camera is there as if it was just one of the crowd walking through the crowded melting pot, a sort-of fly-on-the-wall. It stops to hear several blues and gospel singers perform right on the street, hucksters, soap box preachers, kids begging parents for toys, and the famed Chicken Man, who performs with a chicken on his head.



Though the music is not professionally recorded with multiple mics, it still sounds great... and the performances are uniformly awe-inspiring.

The aimless way the vérité style is used in And This Is Free could easily get boring if it were feature film length, but it runs only 50 minutes.

I never went to the Maxwell Street, but I feel I have thanks to this excellent film.


BONUS:

Before it's demise in 1994, Maxwell Street's most famous appearance on film was in 1980's The Blues Brothers:



And This Is Free is included on this disc, which also includes other short films on the history and demise of the neighborhood.

Great Guns

1941 - 20th Century Fox
Directed By Monty Banks


SYNOPSIS

When their sickly boss Dan (Dick Nelson,) gets drafted, Stan and Ollie (Stan Laurel + Oliver Hardy) follow him into the Army to protect him. While Dan fits right in, gets healthy, and finds love.... Stan and Ollie get in heaps of trouble. The two are assigned to an important spy mission during war games exercises in order to redeem themselves.

MY THOUGHTS


This was the first time Laurel + Hardy worked directly for a major studio (20th Century Fox.) Purists say their Fox films are far inferior to their previous films, but I found Great Guns to have some truly brilliantly funny moments. Perhaps this one was an aberration, like Buster Keaton's The Cameraman. That was made after Keaton signed up with MGM, lost complete control of his work, and his films (as a whole) went downhill in quality. I will have to check out more L+H films from this era.

I noticed far less slapstick in this film than in Laurel + Hardy's earlier works. I'm not sure if this was an effort to tone it down by Fox... or because the duo were both about 50 years old (and looked it too. I'm not sure why the military would accept people that old!)

There's plenty of little bits of hilarity, like Laurel cutting the grass with small scissors, or trying to shave despite a troublesome light bulb. These combined with bigger and broader moments, like when the pair try to get Dan's girlfriend to stop seeing him, create a very lively first half of the film. Great Guns has the standard love story attached (that bogged down many of the Marx Brothers' lesser efforts) but it doesn't interfere with the rest of the film.

THE highlight of the film is during the General's inspection, Stan's pet crow (who refuses to leave him) lands on his helmet. Panicking to get rid of the black bird, he shoves him down the backside of Ollie's pants. I found myself literally choking because I was laughing so hard. The pacing of the scene and the performances make the scene work.


Apart from the driving scene above, the second half of the film drags... especially during the war games. The overuse of guns firing, tanks rolling through, planes flying, etc. are clearly a recruitment tool for the Army as the U.S. was gearing up to eventually enter World War II. (Pearl Harbor happened 2 months after this film was released.) The fast paced editing, made war look exciting and maybe even fun. Apart from some amusing bits the last half hour lacks the zaniness and humor of the film's beginning.

Great Guns is far from the best Laurel + Hardy film, but it is far better than its reputation.

Mad Love

1935 - MGM
Directed By Karl Freund


SYNOPSIS

An actress (Francis Drake) is leaving her stage show to spend time with her pianist husband (Colin Clive.) An obsessed fan (Peter Lorre,) who is also a surgeon, gets a break when her husband's hands are mangled in a train accident. The doctor transplants new hands on her husband... but those hands are from a killer... and they want to kill again! (or do they?)

MY THOUGHTS

The suspenseful American debut of Peter Lorre.

The fast paced thriller is from director Karl Freund, who completed his masterwork, The Mummy a few years before for Universal. Mad Love both looks and feels like one of the Universal classics and has all the echos of German Expressionism (in which Freund worked before coming to Hollywood.) This would be the last film Freund directed before resuming his regular duties as one of film's greatest cinematographers.


Mad Love is Peter Lorre's first American film. He is just as effective as his breakthrough role in 1931's M and his two roles for Alfred Hitchcock before heading west to avoid the Nazis. Lorre is at his creepiest here (especially with shaved head) yet also comes across as sympathetic. The role is equal to his pedophile killer in M.

Colin Clive, best known as Dr. Frankenstein (in Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein) gives another haunting performance in one of his last roles before his 1937 death.
The film was also one of the last of Ted Healy's who also died in 1937 after the results of head injuries sustained in a bar fight. Healy was a vaudevillian who split from his Stooges (Moe, Larry + Curly) the year before this was released. He is the unneeded comic relief.

Mad Love was one of the early films to directly tackle psychological themes. That would become more commonplace after World War II.

Plot wise, the film can be silly at times... but Lorre's performance, and the way it was shot, lift the film above the pack.

Mad Love is one of the many good films that has slipped through the cracks and into obscurity.

The Devil-Doll

1936 - MGM
Directed By Tod Browning


SYNOPSIS

Convict Paul Lavond (Lionel Barrymore) was once a prominent Parisian banker, locked up for 17 years after he was framed by his coworkers. He escapes with Marcel (Henry B. Walthall) and they hide out at Marcel's home. Marcel is a scientist who has perfected a way to shrink animals and men to a small size and control their actions with his mind. When Marcel dies, Lavond and Marcel's wife Malita (Rafaela Ottiano) head to Paris and set up a doll shop selling the shrunken animals. In Paris, Lavond assumes the character of Madame Mandilip, an elderly woman, to avoid the police. He begins exacting revenge on his former coworkers.

MY THOUGHTS


Master of 30's horror, Tod Browning, directs this under-seen film. He's most noted for Dracula and Freaks. His career was sadly in full free fall after the colossal commercial failure of 1932's Freaks, and would only make one final film after The Devil-Doll. Here, he crafts a suspenseful and very entertaining tale showing just how talented he was.

Devil-Doll successfully balances two vastly different storylines running throughout... one dealing with the fantastic and the other, with human emotion.

The fantastical elements are absurd. It's not explained how the shrunken animals and people can be controlled telepathically... or even how the shrinking is done exactly... but that doesn't really matter and would slow the film down. It's best to turn your mind off and watch the show!

A lesser studio would surely neglect to add a human aspect to the story, in favor of more science and horror. In between his evil deeds, Barrymore is also trying to reconnect with his family. He only reveals his true identity to his mother... and longs to speak to his daughter, who hates him and blames him for her mother's suicide. Maureen O'Sullivan plays the daughter, who's still very torn up about her feelings for her dad even after 17 years.

It's quite clear, Lionel Barrymore had a blast playing the unusual dual role. It's a bit of a humorous shock when you see him dressed as Madame Mandilip for the first time. After that shock wears off, you completely buy him as the sweet old lady, just like the cops and other Parisians do. The old lady is the opposite of his vindictive Lavond, making Devil-Doll a great showcase for his versatility.

The special effects are outstanding for the time period and (apart from a few shots) still hold up very well today.
Also despite its age, The Devil-Doll's story still seems fresh and unique. This, and Lionel Barrymore's great performance, makes the film a can't-miss.

Blu-Ray Review: Woodstock

1970 - Warner Brothers
Directed By Michael Wadleigh



The cultural landmark of the 60's generation meets the high tech 21st century.


The film looks as good as it possibly can. It was entirely shot in 16mm and never looked amazing blown up to 35mm. Like a Bob Dylan song... the voice is not pretty, but what the voice says is what's important. The blu-ray makes it look as good as it ever did.


The disc includes the 1994 Director's Cut along with some cool bonus features.

Instead of one long documentary covering the festival, the making-of documentary is chopped up into about 15 different segments (totaling about 1 hour and 20 minutes) on one topic (like the concert lineup, cameras used, production problems, the legacy.) This makes it easier to go through. Included is a Hugh Hefner interview of director Wadleigh on the TV show Playboy After Dark

One of the highlights of  Criterion's amazing Monterey Pop box set was the inclusion of roughly 30 performances not included in the original film. Woodstock's blu-ray follows this model and doesn't disappoint. 18 never-before-seen performances are included... with performers that never appeared in the original film (or director's cut) like Creedence Clearwater Revival (3 songs!) Paul Butterfield, Johnny Winter, and the Grateful Dead (a 37-minute take on Bobby 'Blue' Bland's "Turn On Your Lovelight.") Additional performances by bands in the film include The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joan Baez, Country Joe McDonald, Canned Heat, Sha Na Na, Joe Cocker, Santana and Mountain. These can be viewed separate from the film and YOU can arrange and watch them in any order that you want!

A fluff piece on the Museum of Bethel Woods is also included... a museum that chronicles the 60's and the Woodstock experience.

For anyone who was there... or wishes they were... this blu-ray is the best way to live the Woodstock experience today.

The Return Of Doctor X

1939 - Warner Brothers
Directed By Vincent Sherman


SYNOPSIS

A wise-cracking reporter (Wayne Morris) goes to visit a socialite (Lya Lys,) but finds her dead. He breaks the story and is forced to apologize (and loses his job) when she shows up to the paper to complain, even though she's as pale as a dead person. His doctor friend Mike (Dennis Morgan) is called on to help investigate another murder with a bloodless body. Mike consults with his superior Dr. Flegg (John Litel,) where he meets a bizarre, clammy, pale faced blood expert Dr. Quesne (Humphrey Bogart.) The grotesque man piques both their interest... as more dead, bloodless bodies turn up.

MY THOUGHTS


Despite the name, Return of Doctor X is in no way related to the 1932 film Doctor X.

There are a few similarities. The unfunny, annoying-as-hell reporter and a trail of unexplained deaths are all that the two horror films have in common... except, of course, both films aren't very good.

'Return' is best known for being Humphrey Bogart's least favorite and most unusual role. The skunk-like white streak in his hair, the pale shiny complexion and that rabbit he always carries define the unusual character. Despite the unusual role, he meets his end in a remarkably similar way to all the supporting, snarly gangster roles he played at this time in his career. Bogie openly spoke of his hatred of the role, but he is effectively unsettling in it.

The plot is ridiculous. It relies on humor too much to balance the horror to appeal to a mass audience.
This is the most clear in Wayne Morris' role. He is far too annoying to be a good hero for the story. Thankfully, Dennis Morgan is able to fill that role as the no-nonsense doctor... but he is given little more than science and medicine to focus on.


'Return' is one of those so-bad-it's-good type of films and must bee seen to be believed.

Doctor X

1932 - First National
Directed By Michael Curtiz


SYNOPSIS

A wise-cracking reporter (Lee Tracy) yearns to solve the mystery of  "The Moon Killer." Someone has strangled several people and cannibalized them and used surgical equipment. The search for the killer turns toward the nearby surgical academy, where there are many potential suspects, including Doctor X (Lionel Atwill.) While investigating, the reporter falls for X's daughter (Fay Wray.)

MY THOUGHTS

A unique but flawed film.

Doctor X was one of the few films shot in the Technicolor two-strip process. Two-strip didn't give anywhere near a  complete range of colors, like later three-strip films such as The Adventures of Robin Hood. Greens, browns, yellows, and flesh colors are dominant, adding ample eeriness to the film.

But that's where most of the eeriness ends. Lee Tracy's role as the reporter is played for comedy. He's so over the top that he is annoying and obnoxious and you want the killer to get him. (sadly, this doesn't happen)
The whole middle of the film is devoted to people talking about the killer and little actually happens. The film draws to a crawl. You're more likely to nod off than experience any 'uneasy feelings.' There are also plot holes galore that are a mile-wide, never to be addressed.

The last few minutes are fun to watch. The plot thickens and the killer is revealed by transforming himself into a monster, smearing artificial skin over his face. A bizarre moment with outstanding makeup courtesy of Max Factor. And Fay Wray gets a few good screams in. Bu that's about it.

Doctor X is another obvious 'pre-code' film. Soon-to-be-taboo subjects like erotic magazines and cannibalism add spicy flavor to the film but ultimately don't help pull the film up to 'classic' status. Tracy's overly comic role and the lack of a strong middle keep the film from greatness, but it is still fascinating to watch at least for the primitive Technicolor.

Footlight Parade

1933 - Warner Brothers
Directed By Lloyd Bacon
Musical Numbers Directed By Busby Berkeley



SYNOPSIS

Musical theater in Chicago has fallen out of favor. The new flavor of the month is talking pictures. Show producer Arthur Kent (James Cagney) has to adapt to the changing times. The bigger theaters need short shows called 'prologues' to play before the films. In order to win a contract with a major theater chain, Kent must create and his cast and crew must learn and perfect three whole new numbers in just three days.

MY THOUGHTS

The performance of James Cagney lifts Footlight Parade above it being simply a 42nd Street knockoff.

Like 42nd Street, this musical is known as a 'backstager,' a story centering around the people putting on a stage show. The first film succeeded on its music, choreography and the freshness of the plot. 42nd Street was missing a charismatic lead character to help push the story along.

James Cagney was still riding high off the success of 1931's The Public Enemy, which made him a star. He plays his role here much the same as gangster Tom Powers. He's fast-talking, pushy, knows what to do and how to get people to do it. He brings a kinetic energy that propels the film along at a lightning pace.
He also gets strong comic support from Joan Blondell as his secretary who loves him, despite his ignorance of her obvious feelings.

Despite Cagney's magnetic performance, he still must take a backseat to the stunning choreography of Busby Berkeley. His work made 42nd Street memorable. We only gets hints, and bits and pieces of Berkeley's choreography throughout the film, but Parade ends with a bang. It culminates in three long, vastly different, but equally amazing musical numbers. All three are production numbers that are supposed to take place on a small theater stage, but are so massive and grand, the biggest stage in the world couldn't contain them!

My favorite was the middle piece 'By A Waterfall.' This is probably Berkeley's most famous and best realized work. It features many Berkeley trademarks: barely clothed women, overhead shots of kaleidoscopic dancers, and swimming pools. The surreal, beautiful choreography of that piece alone is worth the price of admission.

Here's a look at the scene on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csG6MBYsmOU

The dynamic combination of Cagney and Berkeley are a definite do-not-miss!