FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
A sixteen-year-old girl (Sandrine Bonnaire) becomes increasingly promiscuous in response to her dysfunctional family life.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Coming-of-Age
• Family Problems
• French Films
• Sexuality

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary and others have noted, this French coming-of-age story — a “disturbing portrait of 16-year-old girl (Sandrine Bonnaire) who drifts into a series of meaningless, unfufilling sexual affairs” — is raw, disturbing, and oddly compelling. Bonnaire (who, in her debut, “looks a bit like the young Diane Lane”) is entirely convincing in the lead role, playing a nubile teen who uses her burgeoning sexuality as a means of rebellion and escape from her dysfunctional family, rather than for intimacy and love. Just as the two young children in Rene Clement’s Forbidden Games (1951) cope with the war and death surrounding them through intricate burial rituals for animals, Bonnaire deals with her chaotic family life by escaping into meaningless affairs; as Peary argues, she does this not just “to hurt her parents for being uncaring, but also because that’s her only choice”. He concludes his review by noting that “long after seeing the film you [will] still think about [Bonnaire] and those like her who are forced to bring themselves up, long before they have the maturity to know what’s good for them.”

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Sandrine Bonnaire as Suzanne
  
• A realistic, if depressing, portrayal of a dysfunctional family
  

Must See?
Yes, for Bonnaire’s affecting performance.

Categories

• Noteworthy Performance

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
Rock ‘n roll deejay Alan Freed tells Chuck Berry the story of a fictional orphan (Jimmy Clanton) who becomes beloved rock star “Johnny Melody”.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Flashback Films
• Musicals
• Rock “n Roll

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary points out, this rock musical has a “paper-thin story”, “static direction by Lew Landers”, and an “overly rude, chip-on-his-shoulder portrayal by Clanton, which makes one think Johnny doesn’t deserve a break”. My advice is to ignore the lame storyline altogether, and focus instead on the run of “solid-gold” musical performances by 1950s legends such as the Cadillacs, the Flamingos, Eddie Cochran, and Ritchie Valens (singing “Ooh My Head” in what Peary believes “is the only extant footage of him”). As Peary notes, “you’ll love how teenagers and adults on-screen react to this music”; meanwhile, he provides an interesting bit of trivia by pointing out that, because “rock ‘n’ roll was going through an image problem”, the stars are all “well groomed and unthreatening”.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Ritchie Valens in his only (?) on-screen performance
  
• The Cadillacs performing “Jay Walker” and “Please Mr. Johnson”
  

Must See?
No, but it’s worth a look for the musical acts, which are indeed a treat. However, this one really should have been a performance film rather than a pseudo-biopic.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• That Cow Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
Bill Cosby waxes comedic on anything and everything related to family life.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Bill Cosby Films
• Family Problems
• Stand-Up Comedy

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary drops the ball in his review of this classic stand-up comedy film, written and directed by Cosby himself, and “us[ing] footage from four 1981 performances in Hamilton, Ontario”. He calls the film “painfully unfunny”, inexplicably labeling the material as “impersonal” and “conventional”, and arguing that “at no time does [Cosby] display the mischievous boyishness that [made] his television character so likable”. Given the opening comment of his review (“No doubt Cosby hoped to obtain the wild success Richard Pryor had with his concert films”), I believe Peary’s mistake may have been in comparing Cosby to Richard Pryor — two comedians with radically different styles and goals. Among the many amusing moments in this film include Cosby discussing his trip to the dentist (“Dentists tell you not to pick your teeth with any sharp, metal object. And then you sit in their chair, and the first thing they grab is an iron hook.”); Cosby describing his wife giving birth (“You did this to me!”); Cosby talking about serving chocolate cake to his kids for breakfast, and hearing a chorus of appreciation (“Dad is great — he gives us chocolate cake!”); and Cosby debating whether drunks really are “having a good time.”

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Many amusing moments
  

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a look as a classic of stand-up comedy.

Note (1/6/21): This is a rare instance in which I’ve changed my vote for a film based on recent events. It’s impossible these days to watch Bill Cosby on screen knowing the crimes he committed — and while I still have fond memories of watching and enjoying this film, I no longer consider it must-see viewing. The quote selected seems eerily prescient.

Links:

• IMDb entry

Synopsis:
Upon the death of his industrialist father, John (Albert Dekker) learns that his “dead” twin brother Paul (also Dekker) is actually alive but insane. After years of being kept secretly locked up, Paul escapes from his keeper (Ernest Whitman) and tries to live a “normal” life, but finds himself killing again and again; meanwhile, the gold digging daughter (Susan Hayward) of Paul’s new landlady (Maude Eburne) is determined to earn the $5,000 award offered for locating the “mysterious” killer.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Amateur Sleuths
• Frances Farmer Films
• Gold Diggers
• Mental Illness
• Serial Killers
• Susan Hayward Films
• Twins

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this “impressive ‘B’ movie” (directed by Stuart Heisler) features “good acting and direction” as well as plenty of “suspense” and “mill-town atmosphere.” Indeed, at just 68-minutes, Among the Living is chock-full of all the necessary ingredients for an exciting B-level thriller: a funeral, a mysterious rash of murders, insanity, childhood secrets, amateur sleuths, shady doctors, gold diggers, noir-ish cinematography, and more. As in Robert Siodmak’s 1946 film The Dark Mirror (starring Olivia De Haviland), the theme of doppelganger twins — one “good”, one “evil” — is milked here for all its worth, to satisfying effect (Dekker is well-suited to his dual roles). Indeed, the performances throughout are all fine, with Susan Hayward particularly noteworthy as a gold-digging mill worker who doesn’t realize the killer she’s greedily looking for is standing right beside her.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Susan Hayward as the scheming gold digger who unknowingly puts herself in harm’s way
  
• Albert Dekker’s effective performance in dual roles
  
• Frances Farmer in a small, somewhat thankless role as John’s wife
  

Must See?
No, but it’s an excellent thriller, and well worth watching if you can find a copy.

Links:

• IMDb entry

Synopsis:
A well-meaning but luckless dreamer (Paul Le Mat) gives billionaire Howard Hughes (Jason Robards) a lift in the desert one night, and years later finds himself named a contested heir in Hughes’ will.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Comedy
• Inheritance
• Jason Robards Films
• Jonathan Demme Films
• Marital Problems
• Mary Steenburgen Films
• “No One Believes Me!”
• Paul Le Mat Films
• Underdogs

Response to Peary’s Review:
Based on a true story, this “genial, sad-eyed comedy” (directed by Jonathan Demme, and winner of a Best Screenwriting Oscar for Bo Goldman) seems to be a favorite with many reviewers, including Peary — and there’s much to recommend it, including “first-rate” performances, plenty of quirky humor, and numerous heartfelt moments. It’s ultimately a character study about Melvin Dummar, a “nice, well-meaning guy” who’s “not very smart or realistic”, “hasn’t any money”, and who “lives for his dreams” of “striking it rich” and “becoming a songwriter” — and as such, it hits its stride. However, I couldn’t help feeling cheated by how little time Robards (as Hughes) is on-screen: other than the opening scene and occasional flashbacks, he never shows up again. Perhaps I’m unduly fascinated with Hughes after seeing Scorsese’s recent biopic The Aviator (2004), but it doesn’t seem right that this notoriously eccentric billionaire shares top billing with Le Mat’s Melvin Dummar in the title, yet disappears 15 minutes into the film.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Mary Steenburgen as Lynda Dummar
  
• Robards in a criminally small role as Howard Hughes
  
• Robards and Le Mat singing “Bye, Bye Blackbird” together as they drive across the desert
  

Must See?
No. While beloved by many, it’s not must-see viewing.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Roger Ebert’s Review

Synopsis:
As a small coastal town celebrates its 100th birthday, a killer fog rolls in which contains the ghosts of vengeful sailors.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Ghosts
• Horror
• Janet Leigh Films
• John Carpenter Films
• Radio
• Revenge

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary notes that the “first half” of this horror flick — about a “mysterious fog [which] rolls in” to “a small seaside town… contain[ing] the ghosts of the sailors for whose murders the town was founded” — is “terrifically atmospheric, at times almost poetic”. He points out that writer-director John Carpenter “deftly juxtaposes several storylines… and presents several characters we care for”. However, he argues that while “Carpenter builds the suspense to a high level”, the film eventually “deteriorates into conventional and too brutal horror fare”. Nonetheless, the rolling fog of the film is effectively spooky, and thus makes it enjoyable to watch from a purely cinematic perspective.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Adrienne Barbeau as the “cool-talking deejay” who tries to warn the town through her radio messages
  
• Effectively eerie cinematography
  

Must See?
Yes, once, simply to see Carpenter’s follow-up to his wildly successful debut film Halloween (1978).

Categories

• Important Director

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• DVD Savant Review
• Moria Review

Synopsis:
After witnessing the death of her parents and pet dog during an air raid in the French countryside, five-year-old Paulette (Brigitte Fossey) befriends a young boy named Michel (Georges Poujouly) and is taken to live on his family farm. Paulette and Michel soon become obsessed with burying dead animals, and engage in the “forbidden game” of stealing crosses from the local church for their pet cemetery.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Childhood
• French Films
• Orphans
• Rene Clement Films
• World War Two

Response to Peary’s Review:
This “anti-war classic” (based on a novel by Francois Boyer) earns my vote as one of the most devastating movies about childhood ever made. Its “horrifying, unforgettable opening scene” — in which five-year-old Paulette loses both her parents and her beloved pet dog within the space of a few heart-stopping minutes:

— is nearly beyond belief, as are the incredibly distressing, albeit realistic, final moments of the storyline (which, by the way, are “spoiled” in Peary’s review). Writer-director Rene Clement films Forbidden Games from a child’s perspective, and is primarily concerned with exploring how children cope with the chaos of wartime. While Peary expresses ambivalence about the meaning of the children’s obsession with burials (“I’ve never been able to figure out the significance of the children’s death-burial-prayer fascination”), to me the symbolism is crystal clear: in a world where unspeakable death surrounds them, children must find some way to regain a sense of personal agency. Peary also points out the disparity between the hypocritical “Christian” adults in this film — who are “habitually at odds with one another” — and the innocent simplicity of Paulette and Michel’s friendship. Rarely has a film so effectively portrayed the disparities between the fantasy-laden survival of children, and the brutish animosity of adults.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Brigitte Fossey as Paulette
  
• George Poujouly as Michel, Brigitte’s protective young “partner in crime”
  
• Much memorable imagery
  
• Fine cinematography
  

Must See?
Definitely, but be prepared for total emotional devastation.

Categories

• Foreign Gem
• Genuine Classic

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Roger Ebert’s Review

Synopsis:
A 17-year-old hippie named Breezy (Kay Lenz) falls in love with a divorced, middle-aged real estate broker (William Holden).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Clint Eastwood Films
• Counterculture
• Cross-Cultural Romance
• May-December Romance
• William Holden Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
It’s too bad this early Clint Eastwood film remains so obscure, because it “remains one of the few films that have effectively explored a romance between people so different”. In his second directorial effort, Eastwood deftly examines what it’s like for two “souls” to meet and fall in love across the chasms of age and lifestyle. If two people this different can fall in love and make it work, then maybe there’s hope for our motley world after all! It’s a toss-up whether you’ll find Kay Lenz’s performance to be cloying or appealing, but I vote for the latter: her fresh-faced presence adds a perfect sensibility to the title role. William Holden — giving “an earnest portrayal” as a “lonely, middle-aged real-estate dealer” — is equally effective in a role seemingly tailor-made for him.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Kay Lenz’s appealing performance as the good-hearted Breezy
  
• William Holden as Frank
  
• An excellent examination of the difficulties inherent in a cross-age, cross-cultural romance
  

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended as an unusual entry in Clint Eastwood’s impressive directorial oeuvre, and definitely worth a look.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Qwipster Movie Review

Synopsis:
Bizarre cultural traits from around the world are showcased in this early “shockumentary” film.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Documentary
• Native Peoples

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary labels this “once notorious film” as “exploitative” and “repellent”, but I disagree. As noted in a DVD Verdict review (no longer available online), the “Mondo” films (this is the first of several) actually “paved the way for opening up society to the difference in cultures, customs, and traditions amongst the citizens of the world.” Through nifty mise en scene, the directors force western viewers to recognize the strangeness of their own society, and to acknowledge the cultural relativity of beauty, food, death, and other universal experiences. Indeed, when cultures from all parts of the world and all social strata are equally “exposed” — as they are in this film — it’s difficult to argue that the material is truly exploitative.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Expert mise en scene — as when obese Tabarese women show off their portly beauty, in juxtaposition with westerners attempting to jiggle their flab away in fitness machines
  
  

Must See?
Yes. While dated, it retains an important place in cinematic history.

Categories

• Controversial Film
• Historically Relevant

(Listed in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Q Network Review

Synopsis:
An older samurai (Toshiro Mifune) assists a group of naive young clansmen in rescuing a kidnapped political official.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Japanese Films
• Kidnapping
• Kurosawa Films
• Political Corruption
• Samurai

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, Kurosawa’s follow-up to Yojimbo (1961) isn’t quite as masterful or well-known as its predecessor (he argues it’s “not as ambitious… or as impressively photographed”), but still has much to recommend it. It’s “much funnier” and less cynical in its approach, and contains at least two valuable lessons: that violence should be avoided when possible, and that strength and cunning can come in unexpected packages. Mifune — portraying a “hero who does care about those who need help and is affected emotionally by what transpires around him” — is as compelling as always; he conveys more worldly wisdom in his right pinky than most other movie actors combined.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Beautiful imagery
  
• Plenty of unexpected humor (including Keiju Kobayashi as the captured spy who hides in the closet but pops out every now and then to express his opinion)
  
• Toshiro Mifune’s powerful yet subtly comedic performance
  

Must See?
Yes. While not traditionally ranked among the top of Kurosawa’s oeuvre, it’s nonetheless critical viewing for any true film fanatic.

Categories

• Important Director

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Time Out Capsule Review