Private Hell 36 (1954)
“Wanting it and taking it are two different things.”
“Wanting it and taking it are two different things.”
“You look after your son. It’s all his doing.”
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Response to Peary’s Review: Redeeming Qualities and Moments: Must See? Links: |
“I wasn’t brought up on green grass and apple pie and Christmas trees like you was.”
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Review: … and Earles’ impersonation as a babbling baby: … but they do nothing new or innovative in the remake. Meanwhile, the drama involving a clueless sap (Nugent) hopelessly in love with pretty but gruff Lee doesn’t ring true: (How can he never hear any of the shenanigans going on right behind closed doors in the shop?) You can skip this one unless you’re curious to compare the versions, and/or to hear Chaney, Sr.’s voice on film. Redeeming Qualities and Moments: Must See? Links: |
“The dead — and the living. I don’t know anymore! I accuse!”
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Review: … who is nastily treated by her abusive husband: — but all is resolved (sort of) when the poet suddenly takes on a dangerous mission meant for Severin-Mars, and out of sheer gratitude, the pair realize they should simply bond over their mutual love for Dauvray. The added complication of Dauvray fathering a child while kidnapped: … gets us confused once again, as we’re not sure which is worse: Severin-Mars believing the child is a product of rape by a German, or Joube’s love-child. Regardless, all of this initial drama should probably be glossed over in favor of appreciating Gance’s cinematic genius, especially as he moves into supernatural territory with his depiction of Joube going mad from the terrors of war and believing slaughtered soldiers are coming back to life to judge those left behind. His imagery is truly provocative, and worth a look by fans of silent cinema. Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“You can’t change a man by punishing him; you just build his hatred.”
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Review: Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
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“If you kill for killing’s sake, you become a monster.”
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Review: who are done away with one by one (or, in an infamous shot, two at once): Twitch of the Last Death Nerve — also known as A Bay of Blood and The Last House on the Left, Part II (!!) — is filled not only with LOTS of gore but plenty of kooky, mysterious, and/or sinister characters: … who may or may not be responsible for the spate of bloody killings that won’t stop taking place. Favorite random line: “You are full of hot dogs and cadillacs, and you have no music in your soul.” Redeeming Qualities and Moments: Must See? Links: |
“I never killed a man except in self-defense.”
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Review: Unfortunately, there’s not much else to recommend about this movie, given that the storyline is pure hokum clearly drummed up by a man intending to whitewash his own murderous past. We get a brief sense of this through his fiancee (Castle), who rightfully calls him out on his desire for violence:
Meanwhile, the storyline’s rather improbable ending — involving Hudson’s grown son (Race Gentry) — attempts to close the loop on this tentative theme; but none of it is robust enough to turn this into a truly compelling story. Redeeming Qualities and Moments: Must See? Links: |
“I would gladly die tonight — if it would help Russia.”
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Review: now possessing the power to manipulate the man he once hated most, and sultry Brent forced to make a difficult ethical choice: The question remains — what will Powell do with/to Jannings, and what type of humiliation does he have in store for him? The outcome is somewhat surprising, but the film as a whole doesn’t quite bring enough narrative interest to bear, and thus isn’t must-see viewing. Redeeming Qualities and Moments: Must See? Links: |
“He wished that he, too had a wound — a red badge of courage.”
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Review: … and he’s surrounded by fine supporting actors as well — including Royal Dano as “The Tattered Man” in a performance that was severely truncated upon editing, but remains powerful even in the few glimpses we do see: Film fanatics will likely appreciate seeing how Huston’s directorial genius emerges in nearly every scene of this finely shot, emotionally laden movie. Redeeming Qualities and Moments: Must See? Categories
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“Out here, stealin’s about the lowest, the meanest thing a man can do.”
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Review: Redeeming Qualities and Moments: Must See? Links: |