I Watch A Pair Of REALLY Old Shorts

They are from Europe in 1907, as a matter of fact. The first is The Policemen's Little Run and the second is The Red Spectre: 

Once again it was a time and motivation thing where I did not feel like watching something feature length. Instead I saw two 1907 shorts from French director Ferdinand Zecca...this one is a 5 ½ minute bit where a dog steals a leg of lamb from a butcher's shop and what seems like the entire city's police force is after the pooch. Basically Little Run is seeing a bunch of dudes run funny; apparently something like this is common for shorts of this age, made in the infancy of this medium.

At least this got some chuckles, the biggest being the crude yet satisfactory effect used to simulate the dog and coppers going up/down the side of a building. The way the United States has descended into utter chaos the past several days, a few amusing moments was enough to brighten my spirits a little... even if this had a plot involving law enforcement. Those not in the United States... I won't even touch the topics that have inflamed so many into a white-hot intensity... just note that it is THE topic everyone is discussing now due to all the havoc that has occurred and the outrage over several controversial deaths that have happened throughout 2020.

This is the second of two 1907 shorts from France. Unlike the other one, this was co-directed by French director Ferdinand Zecca and Spanish director Segundo de Chomon. A mutual found a version of this on YouTube that had rather vivid color and a surf soundtrack from modern band The Ubangis.

This has a plot of sorts... a demon in some sort of grotto who wears a skeleton outfit (I'll just refer to him as La Parka) does various magic tricks, brought to life via various camera tricks that still look fine over a century later. The illusions also have the effect of capturing various women; however, one always eludes his grasp no matter what La Parka does.

Tonight, I discovered that there have been natural comparisons made between de Chomon & Georges Melies... there is a road not to go down with me as I have barely scratched either of their filmographies and I know from some reading that both are incredibly influential. The Red Spectre made for an entertaining 9 minutes.

Scarlet Street

Scarlet Street (1945)

Runtime: 102 minutes

Directed by: Fritz Lang

Starring: Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea, Margaret Lindsay, Jess Barker

From: Universal

This was the back half of the two film noirs starring Edward G. Robinson/Joan Bennett/Dan Duryea and directed by Fritz Lang that I saw in a row because TCM played them back to back last night. I don't know if I can pick which one of the two is better... both this and The Woman in the Window (not to be confused with the movie Joe Wright has coming out... sometime later in 2020 unless things get REAL bad) have some demerits along with plenty of strengths.

For certain, this is the more downbeat and pitch black noir. Robinson plays a painter who is henpecked by his shrew of a wife. Not a shocking decision then that he'd get all excited for Bennett when they meet one night. He lies to her and does some illegal things to try and impress her. Unfortunately for him he is being scammed by both her and Duryea. He is unable to sail away from his problems. This includes his career as a painter. He does the best that he can do and he eventually finds success but even that leaves a bittersweet taste in his mouth.

As with Window, the cast and crew all delivered in an interesting story that covers some of the genre tropes and has a lead character who manages to be likable even as he engages in some “less than ethical” acts and he has a brutal downfall. The ending of this is a 180 to what occurred in Window; personally, I was able to get through what is a harsh noir in part due to the name of the lead character. Once I realized he was CHRISTOPHER CROSS, I laughed heartily as a reference to a Yacht Rock superstar could have never been predicted by me beforehand. To show you that 2020 is really the worst year, even Cross was affected with COVID-19. I hope he's doing fine now as it triggered a disease which caused him to have his legs be paralyzed... yikes.

In the future I should check out the original version of the story, which is from both a play and a novel. It was made by Renoir in 1931 as La Chienne; Scarlett changed quite a bit from this rendition... not only is the title translated as THE BITCH but it revolves around pimps and prostitution.

The Woman In The Window

The Woman in the Window (1944)

Runtime: 100 minutes

Directed by: Fritz Lang

Starring: Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea, Raymond Massey, Edmund Breon

From: International Pictures

Yesterday I saw two film noir pictures starring Edward G. Robinson/Joan Bennett/Dan Dureya and directed by Fritz Lang; it was a double feature on Turner Classic Movies last night. The other review will be up sometime tonight; both are worth seeing if you are a genre fan.

Robinson plays a typical staid college professor; his wife & kids go on vacation and he spends his time hanging out with his pals, who are also rather stodgy cigar-smoking dudes that are part of a club. Not that they are boring people, but not exactly “cool.” Right away he sees a painting of a lovely lady hanging in the window of a store, and soon meets said lady. As it's Bennett and is not unattractive, he becomes smitten... along with turning into a poor old sap. He even realizes early on he shouldn't be having drinks then visiting the apartment of a random woman he doesn't know, but he does it anyway and is roped into a bad event he just can't escape, no matter his attempts to use his smarts to get out of this jam. The fact that one of his buddies is the district attorney and he can hear the inside scoop on his own situation without the lawyer knowing he is the suspect... what a pickle of a situation.

Of course the cast as a whole does a nice job and the Lang direction is on-point. G. usually has an “Oh, s***” expression on his face as he constantly fears being exposed for his misdeeds; despite his actions, he is always sympathetic in a story that has its twists & turns, including an ending some won't like. But I was most impressed by Dureya's small yet critical role where he oozed a mix of sleaze, menace, cool charm and intelligence. As for the ending, Lang wanted things a certain way and this was the only way to do it and have the movie be approved by the censors. That did not ruin the experience for me-at the very least, the final 10 seconds was a great gag. Furthermore, a great technical achievement was pulled off practically for the sake of a shot that was done with no cut. Without spoiling anything, tricks were done to pull it off successfully in seconds.

This and Scarlet Street made me realize I should not only see more Robinson, but also more Lang. Metropolis and M are legendary but I know he had his share of bangers once he emigrated to America.

Network

Network (1976)

Runtime: 122 minutes

Directed by: Sidney Lumet

Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty

From: Both MGM and UA, before they merged a few years later

This must have seemed absurd in 1976... in 2020, the satire is more terrifying than anything else.

I was not mad as hell last night but I felt this was the right time for me to view then review a motion picture that is far more than just a quote that entered the pop culture lexicon. In other reviews I've carped about the state of television in general and how I feel it's garbage... way too many commercials, lowest common denominator programming, reality TV as a whole, etc. News on television is particularly bad... to me all of the cable news networks are entertainment more than actual serious reporting and coverage. It's not just the much-reviled Fox News that is worthy of condemnation, I say. The fact that so many view these channels as their main source of discovering what's going on in the world-it is one of the many prescient points brought up in this movie due to Paddy Chayefsky's outstanding script.

No surprise to me that the script was one of Network's four Oscar wins. Not only did it make the scenario believable of how a respected news anchor would become a giant hit after he suffers a mental breakdown and goes on epic soliloquies-him not getting help because of the high ratings is easy to understand, but circumstances and unscrupulous individuals resulted in the scenario-it allows the characters to be three dimensional, sometimes via extended scenes where it is two of them just talking to each other... it reveals their beliefs, values, prejudices, etc. There is razor-sharp dialogue throughout that kept me captivated; the narrator that randomly appears a few times is a device that worked here. All that plus the direction and editing that was on point made me believe that a television network which was a distant 4th at the time (back when there were only a few channels on TV) would flush all principles down the toilet for the sole purpose of rating points.

But naturally it was the current state of TV which helped me accept such a scenario by today's standards. Besides the news as entertainment, this also predicted: 

* Over the top personalities getting attention in the media even if they are not mentally well. If it wasn't an act or because of drugs, look at what happened w/ Charlie Sheen in the brief yet unforgettable “Tiger Blood” era.

* How homogenized television is, along with the chasing of trends... if one trope becomes popular on a show, there are many subsequent efforts or proposed programs that simply copy it irregardless of everything else.

* Saudi Arabia's impact on the Western world.

* People wanting to see atrocities on the boob tube.

* How obsessed the public is with the medium.

* There is more but I don't want to give everything away.

It is an excellent movie which has great talent on screen (Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway, and Beatrice Straight all won Oscars; for the latter it was a hell of a feat as it was basically for one scene... which was incredible; that is not to discount the other main players, such as William Holden, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty, etc.) and is especially relevant in the Trump era; before controversy occurs, I am referring to how like in the 70's era when Chayefsky concocted the story, it is an angry and hostile time in America. Too many of Network's plot points are not beyond the realm of possibility in real life. This is one of many “serious 70's” cinema examples and may be one of the best.

The Italian Job (The Original)

The Italian Job (1969)

Runtime: 99 minutes

Directed by: Peter Collison

Starring: Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Raf Vallone, Margaret Blye

From: Paramount

As sometimes occurs, I will choose to visit or revisit a film due to the ability to tell a story concerning it. In this case, I saw this theatrically in 2009 under odd circumstances. The early summer of that year, a 12 screen cineplex opened in the downtown region of Orlando; the people who ran it independently were incompetent fools... this resulted in second-run features and older movies being played there before it was taken over by others and eventually it became a part of Cobb Theatres, where it is now run professionally and it is a nice place which has a food menu and the theatrical experience is nice.

To demonstrate the fiasco that place was-which caused somewhat of an uproar at the time-I went and saw this without knowing if it was the Michael Caine original or the Marky Mark remake... I asked at the building which one it was and did not get a straight answer. What I saw online gave the public conflicting information. It took the opening minute to realize this is what I would be seeing. What came out in 2003 has never been viewed by my eyes... yet.

As for the film itself, it is fine although it is not beloved by me as it is with apparently many others. It wasn't always as funny as it thought it was (Benny Hill as an eccentric computer expert who loves women of the BBW variety... no thank you), at times it was more annoying than anything else and perhaps I would prefer the 2003 movie as I understand that is more serious than '69. At least this is still fine overall. Michael Caine as the star was for certain an asset.; so was Quincy Jones' score. But of course it was a great heist and getaway, even if implausible at times. I don't know if an original Mini Cooper can really go down multiple sets of stairs... thankfully it makes for a tremendous visual so it's something to be ignored as those small vehicles go all over the city, enter buildings, drive on sidewalks, go in sewers, etc. The cliffhanger ending was also an appropriate denouement.

Perhaps this will never blow wind up my skirt; at least the heist was a joyous experience on the big screen back 11 summers ago.

Freddy vs. Jason

Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

Runtime: 97 minutes

Directed by: Ronnie Yu

Starring: Robert Englund, Ken Kerzinger, random characters that are usually fodder and are played by the likes of Monica Keena, Jason Ritter, and Kelly Rowland

From: New Line Cinema

I understand why many horror fans have a mixed at best reception to this film. It was first proposed way back in the late 80's and an entire documentary could probably be done on the protracted development process, all the different scripts/ideas, the starts and stops, etc. The nuttiest ideas include Jason on trial, the two characters in hell, time travel... nuttiness. It can be said that Freddy doesn't kill enough people, that it's more a Nightmare on Elm Street joint w/ special guest star Jason Voorhees, it would have been better if this was done years before as it meant there'd be no CG that has aged poorly in 2020... all that said, this was fine.

Personally, I was fine with the basic story of Freddy using Jason as a conduit to make people remember him and regain his powers; currently it is eerie to hear the characters discuss Fred as if he was an infectious disease, and even “the Q word” was used. Some plot points and moments were “borrowed” from previous entries and griping about that is valid. Even then, at least this was slick entertainment with some laughs, gory moments, a stylish flair due to director Ronnie Yu, and a final showdown which thankfully delivered. It does show how times have changed these past 17 years... thank goodness it's as rare as hen's teeth now for one of the heroes in a movie to use homophobic slurs against the bad guys. If only Kane Hodder would have been Jason... him not in the role after he was one of the main proponents for the movie to be made-that is poppycock.

Anyhow, some characters I did remember: the guy who looks like YouTube film reviewer Film Brain, Bootleg Jason Mewes... but the 2003 version of McLovin I had no memory of. Personally, this is better than a decent number of Voorhees or Krueger sequels; of course your mileage may vary.

Another Update

This past week hasn't been great for me, for reasons I'll eventually explain on another day. For now, let me discuss the classic 1951 Looney Tunes cartoon Rabbit Fire:

The past few days I have been preoccupied with other matters (much more important ones) so I went with a cartoon review even though I rarely do those and there are ones I've seen the past few years which haven't been logged on here. It was a delight to see this via streaming; as a kid I saw plenty of Looney Tunes thanks to television and my mother renting VHS tapes back in the 80's. In a future review my mom contributing to my movie tastes will be discussed. Her being my mom is now better appreciated than it has been for awhile.

For now, I will mention that this was 7 ½ minutes of greatness as much of it was Bugs and Daffy arguing over “Wabbit Season” vs. “Duck Season” and Bugs constantly outsmarting his vain foe. The final minute or two, there's a turn and that made this different from the norm with the shorts involving Bugs and Daffy... and there is plenty of clever dialogue to go along with the expected quality animation/music. Heck, this even became an element in multiple memes with the ending bit where there are “Rabbit Season” & “Duck Season” posters being repeatedly torn down rapid-fire. I am happy this was as fun as it was when I was real young.

An Update

I've been busy with various things as of late (which I'll explain, probably soon) but at least I've revisited a pair of films I've already discussed here: Clue and Showdown in Little Tokyo. Both are enjoyable for entirely different reasons.

Antrum

Antrum (2018)

Runtime: 95 minutes

Directed by: David Amito/Michael Laicni

Starring: Nicole Thompkins, Rowan Smyth

From: Else Films

Featuring the Ron Jeremy of Baphomet effigies.

Last night on a whim I finally checked out a unique movie that has been known by me for awhile and has been on Prime for a bit. The premise definitely is intriguing: a few minutes of mockumentary footage serves as bookends to a purported cursed late 1970's movie which caused death or injury to those that saw it the few times it was screened before it was lost for years. I was amused by this old carny trick, especially when a warning (and a countdown) was shown before the actual movie was screened.

I do comprehend why even on Letterboxd the reception has been rather mixed, to put it mildly. Most of the movie is teen girl Oralee and her younger brother Nathan out in the woods... you see, their dog dies and their mom says “it is going to hell.” Thus, they are in the middle of nowhere to dig a hole to Hell and save the pooch's soul. I realize how it sounds but there is an explanation for all this, including why the hound was suddenly accused of being evil. Anyhow, weird things are heard and seen. Many people accuse this of being “boring”... my attention never wavered. Perhaps it helped that it was viewed on Prime while the headphones are plugged in and all the weird sound effects (along with the great chilling ethereal score) were heard. It wasn't dull to me. There really is an effigy with a huge... ahem, “member” and as such things were done way back in the Middle Ages and before... it is not just shock value.

Some things could be nitpicked, and they will. The filmmakers did try too hard. The subliminal stuff is understandable as back in the day this was a common complaint concerning certain celluloid works... it just rarely was an actual thing. While it is also true that a few exploitation movies had added shock footage added by someone who later acquired the print, it was not needed here. And why does this have opening credits both in English and Cyrillic? I don't think that was ever a thing for a foreign print-as this is supposed to be-but maybe I am mistaken, I dunno.

Even with those demerits and me not always believing this is from the late 70's, overall I can still say this was fine and is more than just a great gimmick. It's more of an unsettling horror movie than one filled with shocking visceral moments (as a talking head in the beginning acknowledged to be the case) and it is rather creepy, especially by the end when the full implications of the plot are revealed. Many creepy images are in the background and I do appreciate a modern horror effort that is not full of jumpscares or loud noises... here those elements are not present at all. Instead you are enveloped in a freaky story that includes many nods to mythology and thank goodness there are nice performances from both Nicole Thompkins & Rowan Smyth as most of Antrum is just those two on screen. Incidentally, Thompkins is the model and voice for Jill in the Resident Evil 3 reboot.

Antrum won't work for everyone and I understand the general public will be let down due to this usually having the subtitle of “The Deadliest Film Ever Made” as they will expect something else and not realize it's another parlor trick from days gone by. Even if I wish some thing would have been done differently or not at all, for some it will be as intriguing a picture to watch as it was for me, and others will love it to death. For me, a grand moment was footage of a stop-motion animation squirrel (!), as I miss the days of stop-motion animation.

Menace II Society

Menace II Society (1993)

Runtime: 97 minutes

Directed by: The Hughes Brothers

Starring: Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett, Clifton Powell, various rappers like MC Eiht and Too Short

From: New Line Cinema

Saturday night I was finally struck with the feeling to see something I have had on disc for a long, long time (and the movies that fit this category is a long, long list) so this was how Menace II Society was finally viewed by me. As many have said, this is a perfect double bill with Boyz n the Hood.

The movie starts on a striking note with lead Caine and his main buddy O-Dog in a Korean grocery store in Los Angeles. As at the time there was a lot of tension between black people and Korean business owners in Southern California due to various incidents... an incident happens here and it punctuates that Caine leads a troubled life. His parents dealt and used drugs-his childhood was highly dysfunctional and despite having loving (and religious grandparents), neither them or others that try to assist him can do much when he slings drugs to make money and hangs out with those that engage in criminal activities that include but are not limited to auto theft, carjackings and insurance scams.

I am a dumb white guy whose life is drastically different from those you see living in the Watts neighborhood... the pasty white goof who you see wanting to buy a Nissan Maxima is the closest guy I can identify with! That is irrelevant as this penetrating debut from The Hughes Brothers (only in their early 20's at the time) is an unflinching look at a hard lifestyle. It is enthralling even with the constant vulgarity and all the crimes being committed. Several familiar faces are here in cameos (Samuel L. Jackson in exactly the performance you'd expect, Bill Duke, Charles S. Dutton) but it is the young leads that shine throughout; this includes rappers MC Eiht and Too Short, whose songs also appear on the appropriately West Coast Rap soundtrack which also has a few 70's soul tunes.

The Hughes Brothers have only made several films since then and none have been as lauded as their debut. That of course does not diminish what they accomplished here... which was a very good genre effort.

Cape Fear (The Original)

Cape Fear (1962)

Runtime: 106 minutes

Directed by: J. Lee Thompson

Starring: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen, Lori Martin, Martin Balsam

From: Universal

As has become increasingly common in 2020, last night a movie was seen on Turner Classic Movies. One day there will be a compare and contrast w/ what Scorsese did with the same material 29 years later but while this of course was not as explicit... it pushed the boundaries for the time and not only does the heel make a gross comment about a 14 year old girl, he makes it clear both she and her mother will be targets for vile deeds he wishes to perform.

It is a simple plot where criminal Max Cady is released from prison after 8 years (not explicitly said in the movie, but in the novel that was the source material, it was for rape) and he wants revenge against the lawyer-Sam Bowden-who put him away. Cady has enough cunning and guile (along with enough free time to study law) to terrorize the Bowden family without breaking what the early 1960's laws were concerning harassment. It was a nice cast as a whole and it was fortunate that Lori Martin-who played the 14 year old daughter-was thankfully not a bad child actor but of course it was Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum whom shone the brightest here. Peck was a typical hard-working family man who becomes increasingly desperate and his fright increases before it boils over. Mitchum, it was a tremendous performance; typically, the character was calm and even-keeled when dealing with others. That made him all the more menacing, although deep in the final act he revealed his true colors.


The Hitchcock influence was acknowledged; even if it wasn't, it would be obvious. How scenes are staged, the black and white photography's appearance, the suspense, the violin-heavy Bernard Herrmann score... if you love Hitch then Cape Fear is a must-see.

Savage Dog

Savage Dog (2017)

Runtime: 94 minutes

Directed by: Jesse V. Johnson

Starring: Scott Adkins, Marko Zaror, JuJu Chan, Cung Le, Keith David

From: Several small movie companies in the United States

This is the first of two movies I'll be reviewing today. In some pockets of the Internet there is a fandom for both director Jesse V. Johnson and martial artist actor Scott Adkins; they frequently collaborate together so for their sake I should see more of both. I've often carped about big budget action movies in the 21st century... not all are terrible like Aeon Flux or Ultraviolet yet most seem to be mediocre and pale in comparison to all the memorable 80's action I've seen in my life... manly fare where awesome moments happen and they are either entertaining in a campy way or legitimately tell a compelling story with no logical fallacies and wafer-thin characters that you couldn't care less about.

The setting of “1959 Indochina” is not typical, yet the plot is: Adkins is a boxer who ended up in a prison camp and he fights in tournaments bet on by scumbags. Things happen, and he is looking for revenge. Turns out, it is sweet, sweet revenge. The story isn't any more complicated than that... and this is hunky-dory with me. Sometimes I am fine with a simple meat and potatoes movie which is not pretentious or intricately plotted. Sometimes some people want to see random SOB's being shot down or killed in brutal ways; in the back half Savage Dog has some moments of ultraviolence.

As mentioned before, I wish this era was like the days of old, where medium-sized R-rated action movies were the norm and martial artists could have a decent career starring in simple B genre films; in that world Scott Adkins would receive more of the attention that he deserves. For me it was nice to see him and others I am familiar with... such as Chilean action star Marko Zaror and Vietnamese MMA fighter turned actor Cung Le. Of course Keith David is always a treat; he has a supporting role and also delivers narration that wasn't really needed, although I never mind hearing his voice. Of course there are illogical moments and the low budget sometimes is a hindrance. For the type of people that will like this sort of thing, they will not care about that and instead they will enjoy the Vietnam setting (and it was filmed there) along with the graphic violence & over the top villains getting their comeuppance.

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet (2006)

Runtime: I saw the unrated 91 minute version

Directed by: Kurt Wimmer

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Nick Chinlund, Cameron Bright, Sebastien Andrieu, William Fichtner

From: Screen Gems

I finally saw this movie last night because... years ago it played in a club atmosphere on a Walt Disney World property? Yes, and let me explain: many moons ago there was a special deal in the auditorium section of the House of Blues where each Sunday real late was Service Industry Night, where anyone could attend but those in the service industry got in for free. Modern electro music was played and BREAKDANCING was a common sight; yes, in the 21st century. Many great times were to be had there. 

A few times, for reasons unknown to me they would show what I quickly realized to be this movie on small CRT televisions that were scattered around the club. Ultraviolet at least has many bright colors; hell if I could make out the story without hearing the audio. After last night, I can say... I still can't make out the plot! What a rib for the lead character to say in the beginning, “I was born into a world you may not understand”... truer words were never spoken.

The thing is, I saw the unrated version via DVD and from Wikipedia, this cut is more coherent than what was put out into cineplexes and this really baffling version is by far the easiest one to find via streaming and other places. The PG-13 cut barely explains the super soldier vampire virus that Jovovich and others are infected with. As there is an even worse Ultraviolet than the one I saw, this is why my rating isn't even lower. As typical, the “unrated” designation does not mean that there is any actual blood or gore present... that was still at PG-13 level. The plot is nonsense and I couldn't be made to care about anything going on. Another issue is character motivations and attitudes; the key example is that early on, Violet mentions that she wishes to kill “every member” of humanity for turning her into that creature. Five minutes later, she... doesn't want to blow up a bomb in the middle of downtown because it'll kill humans?! I swear this is true.


The movie may have not looked so bad back in the day on a small CRT television... turns out, that viewing experience w/ no audio is far more palpable than seeing it in 2020 via a Blu-ray playing a DVD copy. It is full of CG and all of it looks atrocious. It's like an old videogame... a crappy one you are forced to see someone play. There isn't really anything else to say concerning a pile of dung I'll be happy to forget about for the rest of time, so one last anecdote: early in 2015, I viewed a movie on a cable channel that for some reason I confused with this, and not realizing the error until it was awhile into the movie: Aeon Flux. At least to me, both share a similar style and vibe; it wasn't great but at least that was better than this. By the way, Aeon Flux... isn't that the name of Elon Musk's new child?

$

$ (1971)

Runtime: 121 minutes

Directed by: Richard Brooks

Starring: Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, Gert Frobe, Robert Webber, Scott Brady

From: Columbia

It eventually became the idea to see three 1971 motion pictures in a row-there won't be a fourth-and this one was chosen because the soundtrack-an awesome affair from Quincy Jones that I've been familiar with for years-has several Little Richard tunes. It's ironic that last night was the first time I actually have seen the movie.

Dollars was shot on location in Germany and Denmark, most of it in the former. It is a heist picture where Beatty and Hawn rip off the safety deposit boxes from some nefarious characters at a bank ran by Frobe. As an aside, what a conversation early on Hawn and Frobe have concerning her “private box”... yes, it goes there. Anyhow, the scheme that Old Warren concocts is interesting yet with that, it seeming overlong at times and overall quality, this isn't among the best heist movies ever-Rififi has nothing to worry about.

That said, I can still say this was fine overall. The European locations add nice flavor, the main cast's ability is an asset, and there is an extended chase sequence involving multiple parties & locations. At least now I can confirm that the funky as hell soundtrack-it also includes contributions from Roberta Flack-is still the true highlight of the whole endeavor. I do have to mention: this had more female nudity (including full frontal) than what I was expecting... and “seeing three movies in a row which feature bad things happening to animals, whether real or staged” was not on the itinerary but this was what occurred. In case there were any doubts, giving concentrated LSD to a feline does not result in a good trip.

The Horsemen

The Horsemen (1971)

Runtime: 106 minutes

Directed by: John Frankenheimer

Starring: Omar Sharif, Srinada Le, Leigh Taylor-Young, Jack Palance, Peter Jeffrey

From: Columbia

Why did no one tell me there was a John Frankenheimer movie written by Dalton Trumbo & starring Omar Sharif which is about buzkashi-as it's known in Afghanistan-and was filmed there?

Even outside of Rambo 3, I have been familiar for a long while with the Central Asian sport of buzkashi, practiced for thousands of years is also known as ulak tartysh or kupkari in such countries as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. What makes it bizarre is that the object carried around on horseback is either the carcass of a goat or a calf. As this movie also features camel wrestling (until last night, a popular sport in the region I had zero knowledge of) along with birds and rams fighting with each other and horses falling down during a game & not always getting back up... some people reading this will cross the movie off the list after hearing that. Anyhow, a few weeks ago I was down a rabbit hole and was quite surprised at the existence of a Hollywood movie concerning buzkashi and with the talent involved.

As it is that time period, plenty of people in the movie are Middle Eastern of some sort (including Sharif) yet many of the main players are rather white. I mean, Sharif's dad is “noted Arab-American actor” Jack Palance and Leigh Taylor-Young plays a prostitute who becomes integral to the plot. While the movie does have exciting action and the little buzkashi you see was brought to life nicely, a big problem is that the lead character is a jerk who gets hurt during a big game and in what was presumably a redemption story, acts like a heel and a fool whose bullheaded actions are proven to be dumb and he treats other like dirt... I am supposed to root for this guy, right? To be honest, this did not happen with me.


Seeing more of the sport would have been nice; the viewer has to figure out how the game is played, although that wasn't too difficult. It is a weird exotic thing where apparently riders whipping each other more than their horses is commonplace... discovering the intricacies of the game would have been more pleasant than following around a stubborn ass who constantly insults his servant and drags him along into needlessly dangerous situations. Admittedly, the scenery-either Afghanistan or Spain-is lovely and there is some nice acting, especially in a long scene involving Sharif and Palance; be that as it may, it isn't too much a surprise to me why this is obscure to most and the way I saw this was via “less than ethical” means.

Straw Dogs

Straw Dogs (1971)

Runtime: 118 minutes

Directed by: Sam Peckinpah

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Susan George, Peter Vaughan, T.P. McKenna, David Warner

From: ABC Pictures

Last night I viewed what has commonly been called the unrated version of Straw Dogs-five minutes longer than the R-rated cut-a film that is still challenging and provocative almost half a century later. It is not for all tastes as a bad thing happens to a cat-I know that is important to some-there are a few moments of strong violence, some horrible things happen to the leading lady (Amy, played by Susan George), there is a smattering of real uncomfortable bits, and Dustin Hoffman's David character is far from sympathetic... an academic type, he alternates between being obtuse and a real jerk. David's marriage to Amy is usually not a happy one, full of disagreement and boorish behavior.

Those that live in the UK, I will not assume that all your pastoral towns are filled with angry drunks, groups of guys that commit sexual assault & sing bawdy songs concerning sheep, and 15 year girls that overtly flirt w/ adult males. No matter your opinion of David, those villagers are far worse. The film takes its time setting up the story; the first half leads to the back half that is (of course) expertly edited, is intense, & does portray Amy's trauma very well. While not the easiest movie to watch for a variety of reasons, it was quite the journey and full of unforgettable characters, directed with style. As this is decidedly not in Hoffman's wheelhouse-this was a paycheck for him-it is an experience seeing him wreck dudes either via gun or various creative methods.

I imagine shooting the movie was quite the experience; T. P. McKenna's Major character has a broken life as it was a real life injury... due to something that happened at a soiree involving “ladies of the night”... furnished by Peckinpah! David Warner is unbilled as he couldn't be insured due to a broken leg... thankfully having nothing to do with any parties hosted by Old Sam. I imagine some have forgotten that this was actually remade in 2011; it has a nice cast and in fact, Google tells me this is of course not provocative like the original-which some even on Letterboxd will think is more palpable for their tastes-but I'll be judgmental and assume it's weak compared to what was released 49 years ago.

Tiger Shark

Tiger Shark (1932)

Runtime: 77 minutes

Directed by: Howard Hawks

Starring: Edward G. Robinson, Richard Arlen, Zita Johann, Leila Bennett, Vince Barnett

From: Warner Bros.

You had me at “Mustached Edward G. Robinson plays a Portuguese tuna fisherman w/ a hook for a left hand and a single earring.”

Another theme for this month on Turner Classic Movies is that each Thursday night they will play a few Robinson pictures. As his role just sounded incredible on the surface and it's from Howard Hawks, it was not a difficult choice for me. G sports an accent I'll describe as “generically foreign” but that's alright as he was a delight in the role. Then again, the other two in the love triangle he's in (Richard Arlen and Zita Johann) also delivered solid performances.

Robinson was not a Tiger Shark King as they were a constant source of trouble while off the coast of California; this was how he lost his appendage and it killed various crewmen. On the shore, there's the drama of him in a marriage of Johann where she only married him due to his kindness rather than love. There was never a dull moment with all the colorful characters and Robinson always a charmer despite his occasional gruffness. It was also appreciated by me the segment where a few minutes is spent seeing the crew catch a big load of fish. Tiger Shark was a nice look at a blue collar community and that moment helped establish the difficulty and strife in the commercial fisherman field.

From hearsay I understand that Robinson's 1941 movie Manpower has pretty much the exact same plot except for a difference in profession. At least my opinion of Tiger Shark can be offered: it is pretty good.

Piccadilly

Piccadilly (1929)

Runtime: 92 minutes

Directed by: Ewald Andre Dupront

Starring: Gilda Gray, Anna May Wong, Jameson Thomas, Cyril Ritchard, King Hou Chang

From: British International Pictures

In the admittance of a rare feat, I do not have too much to say about a movie. This was on TCM last night; each Wednesday in May Turner Classic Movies will show a few films featuring Asian-American actors in the classic Hollywood time period. This has plenty of fans on Letterboxd so why not give this British silent a try?

I don't exactly share the love. Sure, there is nice dancing in this tale revolving around the picadillos of those that work and attend the Piccadilly club in London... but Anna May Wong is clearly the highlight as the dishwasher who suddenly catapults to fame, much to the chagrin of the former star lady. Of course there is jealousy as her man is now Anna's dance partner; Wong's charisma is a big help to the movie... shame that for long stretches she isn't around.

Admittedly, it was filmed rather nicely and there are some cool sets; at least I can rate this as being fine, although the main thing I took away from this is that I need to see more Anna May Wong.

F/X

F/X (1986)

Runtime: 108 minutes

Directed by: Robert Mandel

Starring: Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Cliff DeYoung, Mason Adams, Diane Venora

From: Orion

This May has not brought me much in the way of flowers so far; perhaps in the future I'll go into details but note that it's nothing for anyone here to be concerned about. As I've said earlier in the year, who knows if I'll have a consistent schedule going forward, although I hope to. One fortunate move on my part was realizing a few nights ago that I was supposed to see this soon after Brian Dennehy passed away... blame how nutrageous 2020 has been for that. At least the mistake was fixed last night and despite some implausible moments, this was a pretty good time.

Rollie Tyler is an Aussie who is a great special effects man in the movie industry. The “Witness Relocation Committee” asks him to fake the assassination of mobster Jerry Orbach; as it's the federal government, as it's the federal government, he is double-crossed. He has to use his wits and skills while on the run... and also looking for revenge. Especially in this day and age it was nice to see practical special effects be celebrated and naturally, F/X has plenty of nice f/x. However, Dennehy was naturally the highlight of the movie.

He received a great introduction; his apartment is shown and it is quite disheveled, old Chinese takeout containers all over the place. As typical, he played a member of law enforcement. Much to my relief his cop character wasn't a cliché obstacle in our hero's path. Rather, he was something else and his role was-to me, at least-an amusing one as he was gruff to the officers that needed to be taken down a few pegs and had a great relationship with a mousy lady that works the computer. That was a delight, although there were plenty of enjoyable moments in this: several characters sleazing it up as first-class heels, including Mason Adams and Cliff DeYoung... Tom Noonan being memorable without saying a word, excitement such as a car chase and Rollie using his skills against the villains, the New York City setting & Tyler having movie posters for Fade to Black and Zombie in his loft. While identified as something else, there was also a photo of the It's Alive mutant.


Possibly one day the sequel will be seen; it seems like the law of diminishing returns, from hearsay. At least this was a fine slice of entertainment despite the wacky premise.

Human Lanterns

Human Lanterns (Ren Pi Deng Long) (1982)

Runtime: 94 minutes

Directed by: Chung Sun

Starring: Tony Liu, Kuan Tai Chen, Lo Lieh, Ni Tien, Linda Chu

From: Shaw Brothers

The only time I can utter the phrases Ed Gein, Yojimbo, Sergeant Poon, wuxia, Kung-Fu Bigfoot, and Mario Bava in the same sentence.

A messageboard conversation (naturally) inspired me to see a Shaw Brothers film-it's been awhile. While the discussion revolved around early Shaw movies, I will see several of the studio's pictures, including at least one that was inferred. Infamy was the reason why this was chosen. It is a period drama which as expected from the studio has great uses of color, a nice score, quality action beats and strong themes.

In addition, this has horror elements, as the title is literal. Two rich jerks feud with each other, as the feelings of enmity are rather powerful. One of them goes to someone to make a lantern for the Lantern Festival. Among the feud between two, there is someone who is dressed up in an outfit best described as Kung-Fu Bigfoot-which also has a skull mask-and kidnaps women so they can be skinned alive. Skin for a lantern or lamp... now there's some Ed Gein material right there. Many motion pictures have been inspired by him, so why not another one?

It was a real gas watching this motion picture which successfully blended the typical wuxia elements with scenes of horror and bloody visceral moments; as I saw another reviewer here on Letterboxd mention, this has bits which will remind you of Mario Bava and Tobe Hooper. Thankfully it was also an interesting story which wasn't a bore or cliché. I won't explain how Yojimbo (or its plot) factors into this movie, but there is a character named Sergeant Poon and the name makes me snicker, sorry to say.

I Saw The Extended Cut Of Rambo: Last Blood

That is, the version of the movie that most of the world saw but not the United States or a few other countries. That was streamed via Amazon Prime. It's like 10 minutes longer and has a completely new opening with Rambo assisting on a search for missing hikers in the woods during a bad storm. That along with other scenes that add character development (to the heroes and the villains) was appreciated by me, although I do dig both versions... a lot of people don't care for any cut of Last Blood, which I do sympathize with. That exploitation silliness happens to work for me.

The VI Olympic Winter Games, Oslo 1952

As mentioned in the past, I will randomly watch these Olympic films in no particular order. There was no specific reason this was selected; turns out, this was a rather clinical, newsreel-like examination of the Oslo games, directed by the grandson of playwright Henrik Ibsen.

Turns out, I do not have that much to say about this. It won't appeal to everyone as there isn't much in the way of artistic flair, but for my tastes... that was fine as it was interesting seeing how all those sports (not all that happened were shown, yet many were) along with the scenery and several moments where they tried to humanize the competitors, or show what life was like in the Olympic Village, then a new-fangled concept. As at this time the host country typically produced these films, there is some Norwegian bias in this case; that was fine. I can't exactly excuse the casual sexism that appears a few times from the Norwegian narrator, but I understand that is a sign of how things were back then.

At least this was competently shot and had plenty of exciting clips of winter sports action for those that dig such things; furthermore, at times there is slow motion used to explain a technique or spotlight someone's performance, good and bad. I understand there are more worthwhile Winter Olympic documentaries... with the caveat that this is only the second one of those I have viewed, this was functional and was a fine way to spend 103 minutes.