The Iron Claw

The Iron Claw (2023) 

88% on Rotten Tomatoes (out of 160 reviews)

Runtime: 132 minutes

Directed by: Sean Durkin

Starring: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Holt McCallany, Lily James

From: A24

Well, I suppose “Inspired by a true story” and “Based on a true story” are two different things…

After two days where I revisited various pictures, it is now time to return to normal. As a pretty devout follower of (mainly) older professional wrestling, of course I had to take a journey to the cinema for the viewing of a major motion picture based on the tragic story of the Von Erich wrestling family-real name Adkisson. It’s a story I’ve known rather well for a number of years, so yes I noted when the timeline was sometimes fudged and also realized that the trailers greatly downplayed just what a sad story this would be for those that had no idea what happened to all those brothers.

One key decision made in the story’s presentation I disagree with: omitting an entire brother from the tale. Chris was the youngest of the siblings whose ultimate fate was also tear-inducing. I know, that was done as the viewer would have dealt with even more tragedy yet it stinks as due to health reasons he was the smallest of the brothers and he needed to be remembered also. After all, the first-born (Jack Jr.) was mentioned; he died as a 6 year old in 1959 after an accident. Like I said, the details presented aren’t always chronologically correct—but many of those events actually occurred. This includes what happened w/ Kerry, how he came back and was able to hide a certain detail from the public. Scouts honor that did occur despite how outrageous it may sound.

For those unfamiliar: as the movie alluded to but not always made explicitly clear, back in those days pro wrestling was a series of territories. That changed w/ the WWF breaking the rules and becoming a worldwide phenomenon, shortly after the Von Erich family became a popular fad w/ World Class Championship Wrestling of Dallas, Texas. David, Kerry, and Kevin were good-looking men who became as popular as rock stars… and like with many wrestlers in the 80’s, they partied like rock stars, drugs and all. Bad things happened to the family and I’ll leave it at that.

The patriarch of the family (wrestling name Fritz Von Erich) was quite a bit worse than portrayed in the film, if you can believe it. He forced his sons into the wrestling business, their desires be damned; among many sins, he exploited his own family’s struggles multiple times to sell tickets and the way he treated his children was rather appalling. Heck, AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (who only appears in one scene) played Lance Von Erich, a fake cousin of the family that was used by Fritz for unpleasant reasons.

The film is centered around Kevin Adkisson, to use his birth name; he was played by Zac Efron. The film made clear the love the brothers have for each other despite their tyrannical father and a mother who was rather cold & at times uttered snide remarks. His relationship w/ his wife-to-be Pam (Lily James) was also critical for how the story was presented. The cast as a whole did a rather dandy job… that includes “Buff Willy Wonka” Jeremy Allen White as Kerry and others I won’t note as otherwise this review would be even lengthier. Aaron Dean Eisenberg as Ric Flair has been roasted by Ric Flair as his impression of a rather distinctive person just wasn’t right but that is a detail I can laugh about.

To reiterate, this is a tale full of catastrophe for the family; it’s not a feel-good movie of the year despite an uplifting ending. Judging from reviews written by those that aren’t fans, most rate this quite highly. As a fan, it was a relief this was not filled with inaccuracies or treated the tragedy in a disrespectful manner.

 

The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter

The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (Wu Lang Ba Gua Gun) (1984)

Runtime: 100 minutes

Directed by: Lau Kar-Leung

Starring: Gordon Liu Chia-Hui, Alexander Fu Sheng, Kara Hui Ying-Hung, Lily Li, Phillip Ko

From: Shaw Brothers

The dharma wheel does indeed perpetually turn.

My schedule for the rest of 2023 is up in the air; what I am referring to is that if I don’t post any reviews for a few days, it will be because I decide to revisit certain movies without mentioning them in public. But there’s a chance that won’t happen at all, or there will just be a day without a review… in any case, it’s been awhile since I’d seen any period film from Shaw Brothers, so I went with one deemed one of their best.

It is one I and many think is at least very good even with the tragedy that one of the film’s main actors (Alexander Fu Sheng) died in a car accident before filming completed, necessitating changes to the script. In short, an entire family of brother save two are slaughtered in a beach attack done by “Barbarians”-i.e. Mongols-after someone turns on the entire country. One (Fu Sheng) goes bonkers where Gordon Liu is the other survivor and flees to a Buddhist temple.

Even late into the reign of Shaw Brothers period action films and even after all the ones I’ve seen through the years, those still manage to feel fresh with their action and stories without coming across as rehashes. The movie had the expected quality-and colorful-sets… even the one representing the beach at least possessed a unique look. It was quite the enjoyable journey--albeit a journey where Fu Sheng vanishes and Gordon’s sister Kara Hui is the one who goes on a quest to find him.

Those circumstances don’t ruin the film. After all, Liu uses a great style (also, gruesome) in his monk phase involving a pole w/o a spear and his carrying of a tied-up Hui in the finale was one of many memorable bits in an incredible finale. It was quite the melodrama with several unforgettable scenes; the tone was also a rather dark revenge tale, not to mention complex. For what is probably the last great Shaw Brothers period film, it seemed like a fitting denouement for all their revenge tales through the years.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Yes, I'm talking about the stop-motion classic from 1964 that is a perennial favorite on television around this time of year: 

Yes, this was something I watched as a kid, but hadn’t watched since I was a kid. As I hope to watch movies the next few days that simply are at least “good” regardless of any connection to the yuletide season, last night was the time for a YouTube viewing, where a user combined several Rankin-Bass specials alongside retro commercials that typically were related to Christmas or were winter-based.

It can be easy to be a Scrooge and nitpick this to death. “The Abominable Snow-Monster” notably changes size a few times throughout. The non-famous songs aren’t as great as the title song or Holly Jolly Christmas. At least one big event happens suddenly. Those points duly noted, nostalgia does help in this case. It was still a charming tale where yes, plenty of elves & reindeer come off as real A-holes against Rudolph just because he has a shiny nose & Hermey (what a name, especially for an elf) because he doesn’t want to make toys and instead be a dentist. That said, there are still nice messages for the family… “don’t be a bully and pick on those that are different” is one. So is “don’t run away from your problems.” This is all presented in simple yet pleasant stop-motion animation.

Several elements from this production became iconic: Burl Ives as the snowman narrator, The Island of Misfit Toys, The Abominable Snow Monster, prospector Yukon Cornelius, and of course Rudolph himself. Now I realize why those characters are still so fondly remembered almost 60 years later. While the songs created for the show aren’t quite as classic as the old standards we also hear, all are at least good. I can’t answer if any of my nephews/one niece have watched this like I did in my childhood; hopefully they have and they were as charmed as I still am by it.

I’ll wish everyone a Merry Christmas, or at least a Happy Holidays.

Mystery of the Wax Museum

Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)

Runtime: 78 minutes

Directed by: Michael Curtiz

Starring: Lionel Atwill, Glenda Farrell, Fay Wray, Frank McHugh, Allen Vincent

From: Warner Bros.

If you hear this described as “a Christmas movie”… that is in error. Unless you consider a brief scene on New Year’s Day in a police station where there’s a small fake tree still up to count, then the film should still be best known as the original for House of Wax’s remake. The film’s leaving the Criterion Channel at the end of the year plus my having seen the similar Doctor X from the same director-Michael Curtiz-meant that it was about time I discussed the film.

Those familiar with the Vincent Price House of Wax, not too much is different. Sure, there is a plucky newspaper reporter played by Glenda Farrell and there is more humor (not all of it successful) but otherwise expect the same: a talented sculptor is horrifically burned in a fire started by his partner as an attempt at an insurance scam, he returns in a wheelchair, has proteges, and corpses are used to create new wax statues.

My preferences are that House of Wax told this story better. It doesn’t mean that I’m slagging off on this movie. After all, Farrell was charming as the reporter and it’s always nice seeing Fay Wray. Plus, Lionel Atwill was fun as the villain. The aesthetic is for certain unique: the cinematography is in two-color Technicolor. It’d take way too long to explain the process but the result was a print dominated by reds and greens. At least those were Christmas colors… no matter the season, I was still glad to have finally crossed this off the list after knowing of it for eons.

 

Tough Guys Don't Dance

Tough Guys Don’t Dance (1987)

Runtime: 110 mesmerizing minutes

Directed by: Norman Mailer

Starring: Ryan O’Neal (RIP), Isabella Rosselini, Debra Stipe, Wings Hauser, Lawrence Tierney

From: Cannon!

This isn’t the most dignified movie for me to say “RIP Ryan O’Neal”, but… I’ve only seen a few of his films, including The Driver on YouTube. Thankfully I splurged and purchased that on 4K (it was a European release). One day I’ll spin that disc; don’t expect a review of that as I already discussed that film last year & am happy w/ that review. Tough Guys Don’t Dance is one that until last night I really only knew for its polarizing reputation and Ryan’s “Oh God! Oh Man! Oh God! Oh Man!” line reading which became a meme.

Thing is, most of O’Neal’s role is underplayed; whether it was his or the director’s choice, it was the right one as everyone else is VERY outre, incredibly over the top. Think of the story as a neo-noir… on crack! The first hour is Ryan telling one hell of a story to dad Lawrence Tierney. It involves his two loves, drugs, people w/ exaggerated Southern accents, plenty of sleazy moments, bizarre dialogue that typically was of a scabrous nature, and once we’re in present times it becomes even more tawdry. It’s the sort of film where apropos of nothing, out of nowhere we suddenly discover that O’Neal has a dog… which of course dies a minute later. Yeah, I get why this has been compared to Blue Velvet, and not just because there’s Isabella Rosselini and a score from Angelo Badalamenti. However, Lynch did it all more elegantly without seeming so vulgar.

Be that as it may, I did laugh often at the spectacle that unfurled before me… sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. I haven’t read any of Norman Mailer’s books or seen his other movies; however, it was blatant he was going for a wild off the wall movie full of bold performances, and at least in that regard he succeeded. As a movie the end product has no shortage of flaws & confounding moments. No surprise then this was a Golan-Globus production, although Coppola as an executive producer was; then again, his career was in a bad way at the time.

It was difficult to formulate a rating for this entire enterprise. I guess it’ll get three stars for the trashy factor, the amount of times I laughed & whatever it was that Wings Hauser was doing which nonetheless tickled me pink. This was not the most flattering portrayal of Provincetown, Massachusetts or its real-life lore of Helltown, a lawless burgh not too far from the area a few hundred years ago which had pirates, bandits, and other rapscallions. Anyhow, this movie is more than just a random 30 second clip you saw years ago. Note that I can also acknowledge O’Neal was a tremendously-flawed person.

 

Grand Illusion

Grand Illusion (La Grande Illusion) (1937)

Runtime: 114 minutes

Directed by: Jean Renoir

Starring: Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim, Julien Carette, Dita Parlo

From: RAC

While it’s unfortunate this classic is leaving the Criterion Channel at the end of the month, their print being 540p in quality and having sickly yellow subtitles-what a relic of the DVD era, which was the last time they ever had the rights to the film-meant that after a few minutes, deciding to spend a few bucks to see my second Renoir (after La Bete Humane) on Apple TV was the right choice. Lionsgate and StudioCanal lovingly restored the movie a little more than a decade ago. Beforehand, there were no foreknowledge that there was an important scene at the conclusion set during the yuletide season, yet there it was.

It is a tale which seems deceptively simple from basic description yet is much more complex in reality. Two French airmen (one a common man, the other aristocratic) in World War I are shot down and end up in a variety of different camps. What a colorful variety of characters we meet throughout; a key theme is an anti-war message. After all, the upper class of different countries can sometimes share friends and those of more modest means can fall in love despite the language barrier. Escape attempts occur, including at a impregnable mountain fortress aptly named Wintersborn.

Arguably the keystone of the movie’s themes is humanism, and how even an injured German Major we briefly see in the beginning (unforgettably played by Erich von Stroheim) who is in charge of Wintersborn, that relationship is always respectful despite their countries being on opposing sides of a silly & needless war. There were no difficulty in rooting for our two leads & their fellow countryman… not to mention be fascinated by von Stroheim’s character.

The performances are all aces, from the actors I knew (Jean Gabin, von Stroheim, Pierre Fresnay) to those less familiar, such as Marcel Dalio and Dita Parlo. This stunning film-which sadly was almost lost for good during World War II as Nazi scum were naturally against it-should have been experienced by me years ago if I had any inkling it would have worked so well for me.

 

Encounter in Space

Encounter in Space (Mechte Navstrechu) (1963)

Runtime: A brisk 62 minutes

Directed by: Mikhail Karyukov, Otar Koberidze

Starring: Larisa Gordeichik, Boris Borisyonok, Koberidze, Peeter Kard, the Russian voice of Vitold Janpavlis

From: Odessa Film Studios

Now here is something completely different from me. In the past I used to discuss very obscure films… now, those moments are few and far between. On YouTube a subtitled copy has been saved in a list for literally years; the sudden urge to see this Soviet sci-fi with less than 200 ratings struck me. I’ve seen some others (not just the ones directed by Tarkovsky) that happened to have footage used for a series of Corman genre efforts, along with the wacky 70’s “kids travel in space” films Moscow-Cassiopeia/Teens in the Universe.

I’ll give examples at the end but for Encounter, some shots and the main plot point were borrowed for 1966’s Queen of Blood, which extrapolated that into John Saxon and Dennis Hopper transport an alien back to Earth who’s actually a… space vampire! Encounter’s plot is far less exciting than Blood. The two share the idea of a space ship from an alien world traveling to Earth but crashing on Mars so cosmonauts need to get their asses to Mars to try & save them. Encounter’s aliens are not only of the kindly persuasion, they are actually minor plot points in this movie filled w/o much incident.

You see, to echo a phrase from another Letterboxd review, the movie isn’t so much about the plot and characterization (although the leads are a romantic pair) but rather the visuals and the mood. They thankfully had enough of that in a threadbare story that is a bit dry even for my tastes and the music is so appropriately ethereal (well, not the two loopy songs w/ doofy lyrics that are played throughout)-like for an outer space setting that it even makes up for a real groaner of an ending. It looked great visually considering what the budget must have been-no wonder Corman tapped this resource… it embarrassed the American B-movies of the time in terms of effects-so there’s no regrets in watching this oddity that’s barely more than an hour long.

As I reviewed these films many moons ago, I’ll post the links to reviews I did of lesser-known Soviet sci-fi: 

1974’s Moscow-Cassiopeia

1974’s Teens in the Universe

1962’s Planet of Storms, i.e. Planeta Bur or several other titles. Corman managed to use footage for THREE of his sci-fi movies.

1959’s Nebo Zovyot. Corman dubbed it and released the film as Battle Beyond the Sun… after making some changes, including having COPPOLA create some incredibly vulgar monsters.

One last picture to mention: 

1989’s Hard to be a God. No, the 2013 movie wasn’t the first effort to tell that story. I need to check out that newer effort; it has to be drastically different from the ’89 movie (a product of a few different European countries besides the Soviet Union) as the end credits song is an amazing late 80’s power ballad sung in English and a supporting character is played by WERNER HERZOG, even though he did not direct the film.