Titicut Follies (1967)

Titicut Follies (1967)

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“I have a perfect right to be excited! I’ve been here for a year and a half, and this place is doing me harm!”

Synopsis:
In his debut film, Frederick Wiseman documents the lives of criminally insane inmates at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Documentaries
  • Mental Illness
  • Prisoners

Review:
Frederick Wiseman’s first documentary showcases his signature “cinema verite” style: hand-held cameras, extreme close-ups, fly-on-the-wall observations, lengthy shots, and judicious back-and-forth editing. As in his next film, High School (1968) , Wiseman takes a no-holds-barred approach to his sticky subject matter, never flinching from even the most uncomfortable interactions. In one particularly memorable scene, a starving man is force-fed through his nose; in another, a paranoid schizophrenic pleads to be sent back to a “regular” prison, but — stuck in a Kafka-esque nightmare — nothing he says to his jailers makes any difference. On a broader level, inmates in the film routinely walk around without any clothes on (there’s plenty of full frontal nudity), and are frequently patronized by both guards and doctors. It’s easy to see why the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was upset enough with the film to sue Wiseman and his cohorts; Massachusetts won, and the film was immediately removed from circulation.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • A no-holds-barred look at daily life for criminally insane inmates
  • Effective use of close-ups and hand-held camerawork

Must See?
Yes. This controversial documentary holds a unique place in history, and should be seen by all film fanatics.

Categories

  • Controversial Film
  • Historically Relevant

Links:

Night and Day (1946)

Night and Day (1946)

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“Night and day, you are the one…”

Synopsis:
With the help of his devoted wife (Alexis Smith) and friend (Monty Woolley), Cole Porter (Cary Grant) rises from obscurity to worldwide fame.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Alan Hale Film
  • Alexis Smith Films
  • Biopics
  • Cary Grant Films
  • Composers
  • Jane Wyman Films
  • Marital Problems
  • Michael Curtiz Films
  • Monty Woolley Films
  • Musicals

Review:
The plot of this notoriously fictionalized biopic (made while Porter was still alive) is, as noted in the DVD Verdict review (see link below), “little more than a clothesline on which the musical numbers hang.” Indeed, the narrative takes so many liberties with Porter’s life — incorrectly positing him as a war hero, and neglecting to mention his homosexuality — that one must choose simply to ignore the facts and enjoy the music. On the other hand, Grant — while still indubitably “Cary Grant” — does a fine job depicting Porter as someone who’s more interested in kissing his wife passionately on the cheek than on the lips, and who remains resolutely untempted by the bevy of adoring singers constantly surrounding him; if you read between the lines, hints are definitely there. Comparisons between this and the more recent “authentic” Porter biopic De-Lovely (starring Kevin Kline) are inevitable, but I must say I prefer the original — for my money, it’s much more effective at portraying the exuberance and joy Porter brought to the world through his inimitable, sophisticated musical style.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Many creatively staged renditions of Porter’s songs

Must See?
No, though it’s an enjoyable diversion.

Links:

Trip to Bountiful, The (1985)

Trip to Bountiful, The (1985)

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“I guess when you’ve lived longer than your house and your family, then you’ve lived long enough.”

Synopsis:
An elderly woman (Geraldine Page) living with her grown son (John Heard) and controlling daughter-in-law (Carlin Glynn) escapes on a road trip to her home town of Bountiful.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Elderly People
  • Geraldine Page Films
  • Grown Children
  • John Heard Films
  • Play Adaptation
  • Road Trip

Review:
Geraldine Page deservedly won an Oscar for her lead performance in this adaptation of Horton Foote’s stage play. Page’s Carrie Watts is sympathetic yet never cloying, often ornery but usually for good reason. Equally impressive is the cast of supporting actors, most notably Rebecca De Mornay in an atypical role as a kind young bride, and Richard Bradford’s unexpectedly nuanced performance as a local sheriff. As in Foote’s Tender Mercies (1983), The Trip to Bountiful is ultimately more concerned with character than action; however, there’s a definite arc to the narrative here, as Page moves (literally) from the stuffy confines of her Houston apartment to the open road, and then, finally, to Bountiful. The result is a gently paced story which nonetheless holds genuine suspense, as we wonder what will befall Page once she reaches her beloved destination.

Note: Bountiful is reminiscent of Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story (1953) in its depiction of the difficulties facing elderly parents who live with their grown children.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Geraldine Page as Carrie Watts
  • Rebecca De Mornay as a young army bride Page meets at the bus station
  • Richard Bradford as a kindly sheriff
  • Horton Foote’s screenplay
  • Stirring use of the hymn “Softly and Tenderly”

Must See?
Yes, simply for Page’s Oscar-winning performance.

Categories

  • Noteworthy Performance(s)
  • Oscar Winner or Nominee

Links:

Used Cars (1980)

Used Cars (1980)

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“There goes a perfectly good bumper sticker.”

Synopsis:
A used car salesman (Kurt Russell) tries to prevent his dead boss’s car lot from falling into the hands of his boss’s nefarious twin brother (Jack Warden).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Comedy
  • Dick Miller Films
  • Rivalry
  • Salesmen

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary is not alone in his assessment of this “fast-moving, eccentric” comedy — a “properly amoral tribute to that American institution, the shyster used-car dealer who has made a genuine craft… out of fast-talking us into believing the junk he’s literally put together with spit and polish (and bubble gum) is the car of our dreams” — as
“imaginative”, “hilarious”, “consistently funny” and “very entertaining”. Many other critics seem to agree (see links below) — but I’m afraid I’m not one of them. More akin to Porky’s (1981) than Airplane! (1980), Used Cars relies far too heavily on broad slapstick in its skewering of what is already a sure-fire target. There’s potential here for something much greater.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • A few mildly amusing moments — as when a trained dog plays dead in

Must See?
No. This one is only for die-hard fans of Zemeckis’ comedies.

Links:

Devil’s Bride, The / Devil Rides Out, The (1968)

Devil’s Bride, The / Devil Rides Out, The (1968)

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“Simon here is playing the most dangerous game known to mankind.”

Synopsis:
When the Duc de Richleau (Christopher Lee) and his friend Rex (Leon Greene) arrive at the house of their mutual friend Simon (Patrick Mower), they find he has been abducted into a satanic coven led by the warlock Mocata (Charles Gray). After rescuing Simon and a young initiate named Tanith (Nike Arrighi), they seek refuge in the home of the Duc’s niece (Sarah Lawson) and her husband (Paul Eddington).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Christopher Lee Films
  • Demonic Possession
  • Horror
  • Satanists
  • Witches, Wizards, and Magicians

Response to Peary’s Review:
This “classy” horror film earns my vote as one of the best Hammer Studios flicks. The script, musical score, acting, and set designs all contribute towards the creation of a suspenseful, sometimes humorous tale of demonic possession in our midst. What makes the film so successful as a thriller is the fact that none of these characters — well-meaning or not — are immune to the powers of Mocata, who is capable of forcing them to act against their own wishes; as a result, we never know who to trust, and even the most eminently likeable characters eventually take their turn as a creepy vessel for the dark side. The special effects — particularly, as Peary notes, in the “visually spectacular finale” — are remarkably effective, and convey a frighteningly believable alternate universe.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • A powerful tale of demonic possession and satanism
  • Chrisopher Lee in an atypically heroic role
  • Charles Gray as the sinister warlock Mocata
  • Nike Arrighi as the tragic, beautiful Tanith
  • Sarah Lawson (who looks uncannily like Vicki Lawrence) as the Duc’s niece
  • Patrick Mower as Simon
  • The simple yet effective special effects
  • Atmospheric sets
  • Some surprising moments of humor — as when Rex is nearly run over by the cross-eyed Countess (Gwen Ffrangcon Davies)
  • The exciting car chase
  • A smart, tightly woven script
  • James Bernard’s score

Must See?
Yes. This cult horror classic should be seen by all film fanatics.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

Links:

Night and Fog in Japan (1960)

Night and Fog in Japan (1960)

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“It’s the world-wide, peace-loving Americanism that is gaining in strength and oppressing the lives of us Japanese, and making the lives of our youth hopeless.”

Synopsis:
During a wedding, former revolutionaries in Japan reflect on love and betrayal during their years as students.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Flashback Films
  • Japanese Films
  • Nagisa Oshima Films
  • Revolutionaries

Review:
This deeply personal, highly politicized film by Japanese director Nagisa Oshima is a difficult film for Western viewers to grasp. It plunges us immediately into a period of Japanese history most will be unfamiliar with, and the back-and-forth storyline makes it hard to keep track of (or care much about) any of the individual characters. Although we quickly understand the basic gist of the film — former revolutionaries accuse one another in an attempt to solve the mystery of a tragic in-group death — ultimately Oshima keeps things too stylized (and talky) to generate much dramatic interest. Those curious about mid-century Japanese political movements will certainly want to check this one out; all others should be forewarned.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • A sincere, sometimes powerful attempt to portray post-revolutionary guilt

Must See?
No; avoid watching it as your first Oshima experience.

Links:

Tenant, The (1976)

Tenant, The (1976)

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“These days, relationships with neighbors can get very complicated.”

Synopsis:
In Paris, a nebbishy Polish man (Roman Polanski) rents the apartment of a woman who has recently committed suicide. Soon he becomes convinced that his neighbors are trying to turn him into the dead woman.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Black Comedy
  • Downward Spiral
  • Living Nightmare
  • Melvyn Douglas Films
  • Mental Illness
  • Psychological Horror
  • Roman Polanski Films
  • Shelley Winters Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this “disturbing psychological horror film” (directed by and starring Roman Polanski) is much more interesting during its first half, as we watch “Polanski’s paranoia regarding [his] neighbors” intensifying, and witness his profound sense of persecution as an ethnic “outsider” in France. Unfortunately, the second half of the film turns into an “unsettling and ridiculous” exploration of Polanski’s descent into madness; as Peary notes, the “transition is too quick” once Polanski suddenly starts dressing like a woman, and we lose interest because — now that Polanski’s character is clearly mentally unstable — we start to question the veracity of the entire story. Indeed, fans on IMDb have engaged in countless debates over what’s “real” or not in the story — and though this kind of narrative ambiguity sometimes works in a film’s favor, here I found it more frustrating than enjoyable. As always, Polanski’s production values are excellent, and he elicits wonderfully quirky performances from his cast of supporting actors; it’s too bad their voices are horribly dubbed.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Isabelle Adjani as Stella, a friend of the deceased tenant
  • Shelley Winters in a bit role as The Concierge
  • Sven Nykvist’s cinematography

Must See?
Yes, simply for its cult status.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

Links:

Chan is Missing (1982)

Chan is Missing (1982)

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“This mystery is appropriately Chinese: what’s not there seems to have just as much as meaning as what is there.”

Synopsis:
Two taxi drivers — middle-aged Jo (Wood Moy) and young Steve (Marc Hayashi) — search San Francisco’s Chinatown for a fellow cabbie who has disappeared with their money.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Amateur Sleuths
  • Asian-Americans
  • Generation Gap
  • Mysterious Disappearance
  • Search

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, Chan is Missing — the “first film made by and starring Asian Americans” — is an “impressive, offbeat social satire” which “give[s] its people the voice they have been denied in American films.” The lead actors — Moy and Hayashi — are an amusing cross-generational duo, effectively representing two “types” of Chinese Americans while remaining unique individuals. (Why didn’t their careers go further?) While Jo and Steve’s search for Chan is a bit hard to follow at times, the broader point being made by writer/director Wayne Wang — that Chan is perceived as a different person by everyone who knew him — is a poignant one; it’s not often that the identity politics of minorities in America are so explicitly valorized in a feature film.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Wood Moy as Jo
  • Marc Hayashi as Steve
  • Jo and Steve reacting with bewilderment while listening to a linguist explain the cross-cultural intricacies of Chan’s court case
  • A fascinating, documentary-like look at San Francisco’s Chinatown

Must See?
Yes. This enjoyable, historically important movie — which was selected to be part of the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress — should be seen by all film fanatics.

Categories

  • Historically Relevant

Links:

Boy With Green Hair, The (1948)

Boy With Green Hair, The (1948)

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“Green is the color of spring… It means hope, a promise of new life to come.”

Synopsis:
A young war orphan (Dean Stockwell) living with a kind older man (Pat O’Brien) wakes up one morning to discover that his hair has turned green. Though ostracized by his friends and neighbors, he remains convinced that his hair serves a larger purpose.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Barbara Hale Films
  • Dean Stockwell Films
  • Fantasy
  • Flashback Films
  • Joseph Losey Films
  • Misfits
  • “No One Believes Me!”
  • Orphans
  • Pat O’Brien Films
  • Robert Ryan Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary and many other critics (see links below) find this fable-like fantasy by Joseph Losey “too simplistic and moralistic”, but I’ll admit to a special fondness for it. Dean Stockwell is sympathetic in the lead role as a young boy struggling to adjust to the loss of his parents; he’s a remarkably natural child actor, and his performance is never cloying. His initial interactions with “Gramp” (sweetly played by O’Brien) are heartwarming; I love the moment when Peter (Stockwell) intentionally breaks a vase, and, after a brief pause, O’Brien responds, “I know what you mean”. Because Peter’s hair doesn’t turn green until about halfway through the film, by this point we’ve grown to care about him, and understand the depth of his frustration and loneliness. Though ostensibly serving a larger purpose, Peter’s green hair ultimately signals his own coming-of-age: he must learn to trust his instincts and do what he feels is right rather than give in to the pressures of society. Thankfully, nothing is easily resolved by the end of the film; what’s important is that Peter has gotten to tell his story the way he sees it.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Dean Stockwell as Peter
  • Pat O’Brien as “Gramp”
  • A creative story about post-war trauma

Must See?
Yes. All film fanatics should be curious to see this most unusual little film.

Categories

  • Good Show

Links:

Last Days of Pompeii, The (1935)

Last Days of Pompeii, The (1935)

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“Money is easy to get… All you have to do is kill!”

Synopsis:
After the accidental death of his wife (Gloria Shea) and infant son, a poor but happy blacksmith (Preston Foster) in Pompeii reluctantly becomes a gladiator. Out of guilt, he adopts the son (David Holt) of an opponent he has killed, and soon becomes a prosperous horse trader. Years later, his grown son (John Wood) is more interested in freeing slaves than in inheriting his father’s wealth and status.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Alan Hale Films
  • Ancient Greece and Rome
  • Basil Rathbone Films
  • Character Arc
  • Disaster Flicks
  • Father and Child
  • Historical Drama
  • Louis Calhern Films
  • Preston Foster Films
  • Slavery

Review:
Loosely inspired by Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s 1834 novel of the same name, this historical epic by the producers of King Kong (1933) is primarily notable for its depiction of Mount Vesuvius erupting onto Pompeii. However, these final scenes — while impressive — play second fiddle to the bulk of the film, which tells a surprisingly heartfelt story of fatherly devotion. Preston Foster does a fine job depicting Marcus’s transformation from a gentle blacksmith to an ambitious horse trader, and is believable as an older man. Basil Rathbone is equally impressive — and appropriately regal — in his brief scenes as Pontius Pilate. Unfortunately, the film is marred by Roy Webb’s generic score, which makes no attempt to transport viewers into ancient times; we eventually believe in this world despite the soundtrack, not because of it.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Preston Foster as Marcus
  • David Holt as young Flavius
  • Basil Rathbone as Pontius Pilate
  • Impressive set designs
  • A reasonably accurate depiction of ancient Roman life

Must See?
No. While it holds some historical interest and is enjoyable to watch, this is ultimately not must-see viewing.

Links: