It's Almost Here...

No, not Halloween, but the next Barnes & Noble Criterion 50% off sale, which is just around the corner, starting November 11, 2014. I know of at least three films that are on my “must have” radar:

La Dolce Vita (1960) 

My Darling Clementine (1946) 

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) 

Several others I plan to check out streaming on Hulu Plus before considering a purchase:

Beauty and the Beast (1946) 

City Lights (1931)

The Earrings of Madame de ... (1953)

The Freshman (1925) 

The Hidden Fortress (1958) 

Pickpocket (1959) 

Marketa Lazarová (1967) 

Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954) (This one’s not on Hulu Plus, but it’s Don Siegel, so that’s practically a “must have” even though I haven’t seen it.)

Let me know what's on your radar... 

Get Your Scary Movies Cheap

There's some great deals to be had this week if you're still looking for some horror films for your Halloween viewing. Amazon has several scary Criterions on sale, but DVD Planet has some of the same titles even cheaper than Amazon. Enjoy and please let me know what you pick up! 

Movies and Books About Them

I've discovered many blogs about movies, especially classic movies, but few that cover the topic of books about movies. I'm pleased to report that Out of the Past does just that. Here are just a few... and more on the way!

A Must for Your Halloween Viewing

 

It took awhile, but I finally completed the Universal Classic Monsters Blu-ray box set, just in time for your Halloween consideration. Some of the films I discussed in greater detail than others, so I’m including links to those films and brief comments on the others, followed by some final thoughts on the set as a whole. Know that you can purchase American and British versions of the set, the pros and cons of which are discussed here. 

Doctor X (1932) and Warner Archive Instant

Several months ago I was somewhat interested in Warner Archive Instant, the streaming service for several classic and hard-to-find Warner Brothers films, but felt the selection was too limited. I recently decided to check back - mainly due to some folks I follow on Twitter who sing its praises - and found a pretty impressive list of films. However, once I read a review of Doctor X from The Nitrate Diva, I went ahead and signed up for a one-month trial. 

I'm glad I did. I decided to make Doctor X (1932) my first film to watch, viewing half the film on my TV through my Roku and the other half on the iPad. (Both devices were easy to navigate, which is always appreciated.) I certainly can't improve on The Nitrate Diva's excellent review, but will note a few things of interest:  

First, Doctor X is a pre-code mystery/horror film that really has a great creep-out factor over 80 years after its release. Even though it contains several comedic elements, I found the atmosphere and the tension quite impressive. 

The early Technicolor process adds an additional element of the German Expressionism that's clearly already there in the film. (I would love to see a Blu-ray edition of this film!) 

Doctor X is the first of three movies that featured both Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray (the others being The Mystery of the Wax Museum and The Vampire Bat, both from 1933). 

One of the waterfront policemen is played by Harry Holman, who would years later play the high school principal in It's a Wonderful Life. 

Now... what to watch next? 

Black Sabbath (1963)

Black Sabbath (1963) Mario Bava

Black Sabbath is one of those horror anthology movies that were all the rage at one time and tend to make a comeback now and again. Unlike many of those movies, all three of these short films were directed by the same director, Italian stylist Mario Bava, a master of atmosphere and mood. 

Your enjoyment of Black Sabbath may depend largely on which version you watch. On Amazon Instant Video, you’ll see the American (English dubbed) version. If you watch the Kino Classics Blu-ray, you’ll see it in the original Italian (with English subtitles) with the original order, which is “The Telephone” followed by “The Wurdulak” and ending with “The Drop of Water.” 

Beat the Devil (1953)

John Huston’s Beat the Devil (1953) is either a 90-minute joke or a work of pure genius, and just maybe both. When I finished watching it on DVD, I wasn’t sure whether I should place it in a safe deposit box or fling it out over some vast abyss. I’m still not sure. 

Although Roger Ebert boldly places Beat the Devil in his Great Movies collection, I’m not convinced it’s worthy to do more than hang out in the lobby of Ebert’s film pantheon for a few minutes before a more worthy film approaches it and asks “What do you think you’re doing here?” 

The film is loosely based on a novel by British journalist Claud Cockburn (writing under the name James Helvick), but the script was written by Huston and Truman Capote, by all accounts literally making it up as they went along. The plot (if you want to call it that) is largely immaterial, but involves a group of oddballs attempting to weasel their way into acquiring a plot of land in Kenya which promises to yield rich deposits of uranium. 

On the surface, the cast seems nothing short of spectacular: Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Gina Lollobrigida, Robert Morley, Peter Lorre and Edward Underdown. Yet most of them play against type: Bogart, normally carrying himself with a confident swagger, plays Billy Dannreuther, who seems to mainly react to all the madness around him with a plan that’s half-baked at best. Dannreuther’s wife Maria (Lollobrigida) saunters around (yet looking spectacular in doing so) speaking English as if she’d learned it on the set. Brit Harry Chelm (Underdown) and his wife Gwendolen (Jennifer Jones, with blonde hair) meet the Dannreuthers and all sorts of shenanigans ensue. Enter a crook named Peterson (Morley) and his tag-along associates, including a German named O’Hara (Lorre), and it’s like combining a train wreck with a circus act - simply delightful. 

Most of the film takes place in an Italian seaport hotel as the characters are waiting for a boat to take them to Africa. (Actually, they’re waiting for the boat’s captain to sober up long enough to pull up anchor, which may take awhile.) Once aboard the ship, the film’s hijinks reach Marx Brothers proportions. 

Is the film simply a parody of Huston’s own classic The Maltese Falcon? You could certainly look at it that way. Everyone (Well, most everyone...) in The Maltese Falcon is smart, calculating and, of course, self-serving. You can’t say that for the characters in Beat the Devil; self-serving, yes, but miscalculating is probably more accurate. And smart? Well... not so much.

Yet Beat the Devil is full of charm, wit and often side-splitting laughs. If you enjoy somewhat absurdist satirical films such as the Coen Brothers’ Burn After Reading or even the Ocean’s Eleven movies, you’ll probably enjoy Beat the Devil. 

4/5

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

James Whale's The Bride of Frankenstein is the fifth film in the Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection box set and is probably the best of the bunch. That's saying quite a bit, especially considering you've got some really heavy-hitters here such as the original Dracula, Frankenstein, and more. 

Yet it was quite unusual - even in 1935 Hollywood - for a sequel to best the original. Whale had to be lured into making the sequel and he insisted on several things: a bigger budget, Karloff, and Elsa Lanchester, to name just a few. The sets on The Bride of Frankenstein are absolutely spectacular in every way from the nighttime scenes of the monster romping through the graveyard to the creepy castle interiors. In many ways, Bride set the standard for black-and-white horror cinematography. The way Whale uses light and shadow, contasts - it's simply amazing. Also amazing is the score by Franz Waxman, who really knew how to shape each scene with just the right touch, especially as the tension mounts in the film's last 10 minutes. 

Bride marks the first time a woman was used effectively in horror films as a monster. Make-up artist Jack Pierce decided to retain Elsa Lanchester's natural beauty (and she was a beautiful woman - 32 years old when this was filmed, but looking much younger) placing the scars just below her face and accentuating those wide, dark eyes. The first three establishing shots of the Frankenstein monster in the original 1931 film remain iconic (and rightfully so), but Lanchester's quirky movements, combined with expert lighting and Waxman's score take iconic to a whole other level. (And that scream could shatter crystal.)

In the extras, Karloff's daughter commented that her father was against having the monster speak in the sequel, although Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's monster in the novel was practically verbose in comparison. Against his better judgment, Karloff delivered the lines and added a depth and sadness to the performance that could not have been achieved through silence. 

The entire cast is nothing short of stellar. Ernest Thesiger (above) as Doctor Pretorius is one of the strangest scientists in all of horror films; Colin Clive (who would die two short years after the release of the film) as Doctor Frankenstein; Una O'Connor as the meddlesome publican's wife; and 17-year-old Valerie Hobson (replacing Mae Clarke from the original film) as Baroness Frankenstein. 

The extras on this disc specific to the film include "She's Alive! Creating The Bride of Frankenstein" (39 min.), an audio commentary with film historian Scott MacQueen, and "The Bride of Frankenstein Archive," 13 minutes of stills, promotional materials, etc. 

5/5

Film Noir 101: The 101 Best Film Noir Posters from the 1940s-1950s

Film Noir 101: The 101 Best Film Noir Posters from the 1940s-1950s (2014) Mark Fertig

Fantagraphics has expanded its comics/graphic novel offerings to deliver an exceptional volume of film noir original theatrical posters. The question is are these the best films noir or the best film noir posters, or both? The question is largely moot; many will quibble over the inclusion of one film over another, one ranking higher or lower than another, but the thing that matters is Film Noir 101 is a celebration of both the art and the style of film noir. 

The poster reproductions are absolutely gorgeous, printed on high quality paper (which is what we've come to expect from Fantagraphics) but the size of the volume - 10.75" x 14.25" - makes the book itself a work of art. It's hard for us to imagine what it was like to promote movies in the 1940s and 1950s without the Internet, Pinterest, Facebook, etc., but Film Noir 101 shows us that the poster had to carry the weight in those days and many of those represented here are impossible to ignore.  

The artwork alone makes this book a must-have, but Fertig's brief essays on each film are superb. Read them not only to find out more about the films, but the stories behind the films, the actors and the culture of the times. Now that I've finished reading the book, I'm tracking down all the films I haven't yet seen. (You'll probably want to do the same.)

If you're a fan of film noir or classic films in general, you won't want to miss this volume. Let's hope we'll see future volumes from Fantagraphics.  

Movies Watched in August 2014

I managed to see ten movies in August, many of them movies I own on DVD or Blu-ray, looking at them with an eye to get rid of several in my ongoing goal to clear clutter. So here’s what I saw:

The Warped Ones (1960) Koreyoshi Kurahara [Criterion’s Eclipse Series 28: The Warped World of Koreyoshi Kurahara]

Sort of a Japanese take on Breathless, Rebel Without a Cause, and the whole French New Wave, The Warped Ones chronicles a young man Akira (Tamio Kawachi) and his violent, criminal and sexual appetites. Pretty tame by today’s standards, still interesting, but probably not interesting enough to keep this Eclipse set (unless the rest of the films really knock me out).

3.5/5 Let It Go

Ghostbusters (1984) Ivan Reitman [DVD/Blu-ray] (5x, easily)

Hey, it’s the 30th anniversary! We showed this at the library earlier this month and it was great to see adults revisiting this film and bringing their kids to see it for the first time. 

4.5/5 Keep It

Gorky Park (1983) Michael Apted [DVD]  

Based on the famous Martin Cruz Smith novel of a Soviet murder investigation, Apted’s adaptation might have been more convincing if everyone in it didn’t sound so British. A fairly compelling murder mystery that unfortunately can’t escape its 80s look. (Yes, that's William Hurt on the left.)

3.5/5 Let It Go

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) James Gunn [in theaters]

For what it is - a fun, action-filled Marvel movie - Guardians is hard to beat. Previously discussed here. 

4.5/5 

Quicksand (1950) Irving Pichel [DVD Film Noir Collection]

Mickey Rooney has both money trouble (bad) and woman trouble (worse) in Quicksand, a slightly better-than-average noir film that could’ve benefited from more scenes with Peter Lorre. 

3/5 Let It Go

Enemy (2013) Denis Villeneuve [Library DVD; streaming]

I plan to blog more - much more - on this strange film. Stay tuned.

3.5/5

Planet of the Apes (1968) Franklin J. Schaffner [Blu-ray] (3x, at least)

Even with the popularity of the newer films, I think a lot of people have forgotten just how good - and groundbreaking, for the time - this first film really is. The religious, scientific, social and philosophical implications will keep you thinking for a long time. I’m sure they did upon the film’s initial release. Plus it’s just a great story. 

4.5/5 Keep It

Mayerling (1936) Anatole Litvak [DVD]

I remember pledging Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (music fraternity) in college and having to interview all of the members of our local chapter. We had specific questions we had to ask, after which we could ask any questions we liked. I, of course, asked everyone to name their favorite movie. This was the early 80s, so most guys named Caddyshack or Airplane, something along those lines. One guy told me his favorite movie was Mayerling. I’d never heard of it and thought little of it until I saw it included in a Criterion Essential Art House box set. It only took me 33 years to see it, but I’m glad I did. 

Mayerling is the story of the Crown Prince of Austria (Charles Boyer) and his scandalous decision to fall for the 17-year-old daughter of a baroness (Danielle Darrieux). The film has a great period look and even though it’s not my thing, it’s done quite well.

4/5 Let It Go

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (NF 2011) David Gelb [streaming]

This documentary of Jiro Ono, the world’s greatest sushi chef at 85-years-old, is must-see viewing for anyone who wants to excel at anything. You may not want to imitate Jiro’s life step by step, but then again, you might just consider it. Inspiring on many levels.  

4/5

Léon Morin, Priest (1961) Jean-Pierre Melville [Criterion Blu-ray]

I’ve only seen three Jean-Pierre Melville films, and all three were stellar. Léon Morin, Priest was supposedly to be Melville’s most approachable, audience-friendly film. If so, it certainly doesn’t dumb anything down or pander to the viewer. 

An atheist woman (Emmanuelle Riva) in Nazi-occupied France goes to see a priest to make fun of him. Yet she finds a good-looking young priest (Jean-Paul Belmondo) who makes her rethink a few things about faith, God and people. An absolutely fascinating film, one that doesn’t go where you think it might and gives you plenty to reflect upon. The Blu-ray edition is out of print, but the DVD is available right now at an outrageously good price. 

4.5/5 Keep It

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) James Gunn

In the midst of all the action/adventure/mayhem/stuff-blowing-up/comedy and cosmic sf craziness of Guardians of the Galaxy, what sticks with me most are at least three scenes of glorious humanity. One of these scenes opens the film, so you’ll know it immediately. The others occur in the second half of the film. When those scenes happened, the audience sat in complete - and maybe awed - silence. 

You don’t go to a film like Guardians of the Galaxy for those serious moments, but they’re there nonetheless. No one laughed during them, no one snickered, no one giggled. Those scenes didn’t have to be there, but they are and they help elevate the film from just a fun time at the movies to something way beyond what I’d anticipated. 

Know that the Guardians of the Galaxy - as a comic book series - has been around for a long time and that you really don’t need to know much (or anything) about it to enjoy the film. Here’s the plot in brief: Peter Quill - an adventurer/space scavenger - finds a strange orb and decides to sell it. A bounty hunter comes after Quill, knowing that Ronan the Accuser seeks the orb to use it to control the universe. Quill gets connected with a group of strange space creatures: a submachine gun-carrying raccoon, a tree-like creature, a green-skinned assassin, and a muscle-bound dude called Drax the Destroyer. 

Sounds goofy, right? Well, it is. And it’s the most fun you’re likely to have at the movies this summer. Maybe even this year. Guardians of the Galaxy is a wonder of wonders - a movie that knows how to strike just the right balance between high-octane action, science fiction wonder, incredible special effects, fight scenes you can actually follow, incredibly colorful and well-written characters, two hours worth of laughs, and maybe the best, most fitting soundtrack I’ve heard in a long, long time.

Back to those three (and maybe more, depending on what moves you) scenes for a moment. Although one of them could be mistaken for an “Aw, isn’t that sweet?” scene, they’re really not. Again, when these scenes happened, no one in the theater laughed. These moments of humanity tell us that somebody thought enough about these characters to let us see some of their pain and suffering, which makes them more real. (Yes, even a gun-toting raccoon can experience pain and suffering.) It’s the same type of experience we get at least a couple of times between Dr. Henry Jones and Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It’s another fun, entertaining movie, but it has those scenes you just never forget. 

But there’s fun here, too - lots of it, so much that you’ll want to see it again. Several days ago I thought it was premature for Marvel to announce that the next Guardians of the Galaxy movie would be released in 2016 before this current one even opened, but rest assured: this movie is worthy of a sequel. 

Movies Watched in July 2014

You'll see a lot of old stuff on this list, mostly because I'm working my way through my DVD and Blu-ray collections, trying to downsize a bit. Just for fun I think I'll add a "Keep It" or "Let It Go" designation after each movie I own. 

They Made Me a Criminal (1939) Busby Berkeley 

Previously discussed here as a part of a boxed set called simply Film Noir Collection. 
This film alone is certainly not cause enough to keep the collection. 

2/5 Let It Go

All the President's Men (1976) Alan J. Pakula (3x)

Pakula was the perfect choice to direct this film, since he frequently dabbled in paranoia and conspiracy theory-laced themes. All the President's Men is a smart, engrossing film for those of you who don't have to see somebody getting shot or something exploding every five minutes. I think the pacing is ultimately what makes the film work and what makes it still hold up today. 

5/5 Keep It

Ripley's Game (2002) Liliana Cavani

A film I certainly enjoyed and discussed here. As much as I liked it, however, I won't be keeping it. 

4/5 Let It Go

Jaws (1975) Steven Spielberg (Multiple x)

We showed this one at the library last month right after the Fourth of July, an appropriate time, don't you think? The audience thought so, too.

5/5 Keep It

A Hard Day's Night (1964) Richard Lester (3x)

Criterion's new Blu-ray edition of A Hard Day's Night is absolutely glorious and features a wealth of extras. 

5/5 Keep It

The Lost Reunions (NF 2012) Danny Diaz (2x)

I initially watched this documentary of the men who served on PT boats during WWII during the Annapolis Film Festival a couple of years ago and reported on it then. Upon a second viewing, I noticed that it doesn't flow that well in several places, mostly due to editing. You can't really blame director Danny Diaz that much: I'm not sure how much footage he had access to, but I know he had a very limited number of interview subjects. Still, even with its flaws, this is a film I'm proud to own. As far as I know, the only way to see the film is to order it from Diaz's website for a donation, which I did.

3.5/5 Keep It

Edge of Tomorrow (2014) Doug Liman 

I actually saw this one at the Star Theater in Berkeley Springs, WV, the only theatrical movie I saw in July. Although this time travel/war movie is about 20 minutes too long, it was far better than what I was expecting and a bit of a departure (at least for the first hour or so) for Tom Cruise. 

3.5/5

The Hustler (1961) Robert Rossen (2x)

Although he was rewarded for them embarrassingly late, Paul Newman gave a whole parade of great performances throughout his career, and this one as Fast Eddie is certainly a standout. The pool scenes with Jackie Gleason are absolutely gripping and George C. Scott is fabulous. The only part of the film that doesn't work for me is the love story between Eddie and Sarah (Piper Laurie). It's too forced and analytical, almost like spending time in a psychiatrist's office. Overall, good stuff, but I won't keep it. 

4/5 Let It Go

So, tell me what you saw in July...