Thing, The (1982)

Thing, The (1982)

Comments 1 comment

“So how do we know who’s human?”

Synopsis:
At an isolated research center in Antarctica, a helicopter pilot (Kurt Russell) and his colleagues become alarmed when they realize a husky dog is actually a shape-shifting alien ready to take over their bodies at any time.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Aliens
  • Horror Films
  • John Carpenter Films
  • Mistaken and Hidden Identities
  • Possession
  • Science Fiction

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary is among a host of critics who are/were unhappy with “John Carpenter’s remake of Howard Hawks’s classic” sci-fi horror flick, based on “John W. Campbell, Jr.’s source story, ‘Who Goes There?’.” He refers to it as “a tremendous disappointment,” arguing that it traded “in the good taste that made Hawks’s film so special for some of the most repellent imagery in horror-movie history.”

Meanwhile, he posits that the film’s “terrifying premise” — the men on the base “lose trust in one another, fearing that the monster lurks beneath the familiar human facade of one of their co-workers” — is “exploited by Carpenter and special-effects genius Rob Bottin, who really comes up with some amazing concoctions.” He asserts that Carpenter’s “major mistake” is “when he has the film’s suspense and horror focus on the visuals, particularly the extremely gory, often repulsive ways in which the men are killed off.”

Peary argues that “the real horror should be that these men are losing their identities when they are inhabited by the creature” — but “unfortunately, Carpenter neglected to give his characters distinct or engaging personalities to begin with,” and “since they are already dehumanized from their long stay in the wilderness, we can’t be too upset seeing nonentities being taken over.”

I disagree with Peary’s take on this film. While Hawks’s unique flick is a must-see classic of the 1950s, Carpenter’s film succeeds on its own terms, presenting a wintery hellscape of justifiable paranoia in which these men (I disagree they’re dehumanized) can no longer rely on one another for support and survival. Carpenter’s direction is spot-on, and the special effects really are a wonder to behold. While this isn’t a personal favorite, it’s a well-crafted thriller, and has enough of a dedicated following that all film fanatics should watch it at least once.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Kurt Russell as MacReady
  • Dean Cundey’s cinematography
  • Impressive make-up and special effects
  • Ennio Morricone’s score

Must See?
Yes, for its cult status and as an appropriately horrifying thriller.

Categories

  • Cult Movie
  • Important Director

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

Links:

Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension, The (1984)

Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension, The (1984)

Comments 1 comment

“Anything’s possible.”

Synopsis:
Shortly after meeting the identical twin sister (Ellen Barkin) of his former wife, a polymath superhero named Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller) joins forces with his bandmates Perfect Tommy (Lewis Smith), Reno Nevada (Pepe Serna), and Rawhide (Clancy Brown) — as well as his scientific mentor (Robert Ito) and a doctor-colleague (Jeff Goldblum) — in fighting back against the criminally insane Lord John Whorfin (Jon Lithgow), who is working alongside a pair of alien scientists (Christopher Lloyd and Vincent Schiavelli) to steal an “oscillation overthruster”.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Aliens
  • Jeff Goldblum Films
  • Mad Doctors and Scientists
  • Science Fiction
  • Superheroes
  • World Domination

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary refers to this midnight-movie cult favorite as a “scatterbrained, sloppily made science-fiction comedy for the stoned out generation.” He asserts that the story — about Buckaroo Banzai doing “battle with a lot of weirdly dressed aliens and a mad Italian scientist” — “gets lost because of the chaotic pacing and lack of continuity, the overabundance of characters who run around in fancy outfits with no place to go, and the fact that first-time director W.D. Richter (who wrote the script for 1978’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers) never bothers to establish where anyone is in relation to anyone else.”

Peary adds that “as played by Peter Weller, Banzai unfortunately turns out to be a pretty conventional hero” whose “special skills are never really put to work — it’s as if he has them only so the film’s publicity releases will sound interesting.” He argues that while “Weller is handsome,” he “hasn’t the necessary charisma to play a superhero,” and “his cockiness reflects the attitude of the whole production.”

I’m essentially in agreement with Peary’s review, though I think the failings he points out here — i.e., the “chaotic pacing,” “lack of continuity,” and “overabundance of characters who run around in fancy outfits” — are actually what endear the kooky film to its fans. Also of note is Lithgow going beyond over-the-top in an unhinged performance as a Mussolini-like scientist-dictator who’s actually an alien:

… and chill Goldblum getting to wear western duds after casually performing life-changing neurosurgery.

Meanwhile, Barkin has an entirely thankless role as the female love interest; she spends most of the film either crying and trying to kill herself or being tortured.

While I’m not personally a fan of this weird flick, enough are to make it worth a one-time viewing simply for its cult status.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • J. Michael Riva’s production design

Must See?
Yes, once, simply for its cult value.

Categories

  • Cult Movie

Links:

Westworld (1973)

Westworld (1973)

Comments 1 comment

“It’s not a joke; it’s an amusement park — the best amusement park in the world.”

Synopsis:
When a recently divorced man (Richard Benjamin) and his friend (James Brolin) arrive in a futuristic theme park for adults, they enjoy experiencing the Wild West and “killing” an android gunslinger (Yul Brynner); but soon the lives of all guests at the park are at stake when dozens of androids begin to malfunction.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Androids and Clones
  • Richard Benjamin Films
  • Science Fiction
  • Survival
  • Westerns
  • Yul Brynner Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary writes, this “surprise hit” about a theme park with robots who are “programmed to satisfy every whim of the park’s guests” — including “computer-controlled saloon girls to provide sex and dressed-in-black villains to provide excitement” — was “written and directed ([in] his debut) by Michael Crichton,” and thus we fully “expect this ‘foolproof’ system to go haywire” (which, indeed, it does).

Peary likens the eventual situation of “timid Richard Benjamin” to that of “the scared Jon Voight character in Deliverance [1972] once his tough friend Burt Reynolds is incapacitated.”

He adds that in the world of “Crichton, man starts out working with machines, is careless, and invariably ends up pitted against them” — and to that end, the “final battle between Benjamin and Brynner is a lot of fun, a fitting climax to [a] witty, provocative thriller for the popcorn crowd.”

I agree. This smart, low-budget flick mostly delivers on its promise — though as Richard Scheib points out in his review for Moria: “The one big hole in the script is that Michael Crichton fails to explain the nature of the malfunction – what causes the androids to go amok, exactly why the androids dislike humans and how the androids override the safety feature on their guns that prevent them from hurting humans.” Regardless, this film most definitely makes one question the wisdom of creating such a park to begin with, and is an appropriately scary cinematic journey to take.

Note: The recent remake mini-series (2016-present) has gotten strong reviews, but I haven’t seen it yet, so can’t compare.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Richard Benjamin as Peter Martin
  • Yul Brynner as the Gunslinger
  • Fine low-budget sets and effects
  • Fred Karlin’s score

Must See?
Yes, as a still enjoyable sci-fi classic.

Categories

  • Good Show

Links:

Sunshine Boys, The (1975)

Sunshine Boys, The (1975)

Comments 1 comment

“He forgot already; he’s got arthritis of the head.”

Synopsis:
An agent (Richard Benjamin) in New York tries to convince his uncle — aging vaudeville star Willy Clark (Walter Matthau) — to do one final show with his former partner, Al Lewis (George Burns); but given that Willy and Al despise each other, this is much more challenging than expected.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Comedy
  • Elderly People
  • Feuds
  • George Burns Films
  • Has-Beens
  • Herbert Ross Films
  • Neil Simon Films
  • Play Adaptations
  • Richard Benjamin Films
  • Vaudeville and Burlesque
  • Walter Matthau Films

Review:
Herbert Ross directed this adaptation by Neil Simon of his own 1972 stage play, about quibbling vaudeville performers whose resentment of one another makes it just about impossible for them to co-exist in the same room for more than a few minutes, let alone perform on stage in a revue. However, a reunion performance is exactly the goal of Benjamin’s determined agent and loving nephew, who puts up with outrageous levels of abuse and frustration from his uncle in order to get the performing couple back together — and unfortunately, we see this playing out on screen for far too long.

With that said, Matthau is remarkably effective at playing a cantankerous elder (despite only being 55 in real life), and Burns makes an impactful screen comeback after 36 years away (he won an Oscar for his efforts). Seeing the fictional duo finally performing their “doctor’s office” act on stage during a rehearsal is a welcome throwback to the simplicity of the joy they once enacted for audiences as vaudevillians:

… though of course we watch them with trepidation, knowing things will inevitably go sour at some point. This comedy is likely one of those films that will either tickle your funny bone or not: if it’s your cup of tea, you’ll be delighted; personally, I was simply eager to not have to watch this duo making each others’ lives miserable for any longer than necessary.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Walter Matthau as Willy Clark
  • George Burns as Al Lewis
  • Good use of location shooting in New York
  • The amusingly vulgar vaudeville sketch

Must See?
No, unless you’re a fan of Simon, Matthau, or Burns.

Links:

Hester Street (1975)

Hester Street (1975)

Comments 1 comment

“Some country, America, huh? The peddler becomes the boss, and the yeshiva bocher sits by the sewing machine.”

Synopsis:
In late 19th century New York, a Russian-Jewish immigrant (Steven Keats) whose girlfriend (Dorrie Kavanaugh) is unaware he’s married struggles to adjust to life with his newly-arrived wife (Carol Kane) and son (Paul Freedman). Meanwhile, Kane receives support from both her caring landlady (Doris Roberts) and the studious boarder (Mel Howard) living in their house.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Carol Kane Films
  • Historical Drama
  • Immigrants and Immigration
  • Jews
  • Marital Problems
  • New York City

Review:
Writer-director Joan Micklin Silver found breakthrough success with this poignant look at life for Jewish immigrants at the turn of the century, as they navigated shifts between their old existence back in Europe and the hustle and bustle of New York City. Based on the 1896 novella Yekl: A Tale of the New York Ghetto by Abraham Cahan, the movie tells a simple yet powerful tale of marital challenges when cultural norms and expectations collide.

Despite her very low budget, Silver convincingly recreates a specific era and location in American history:

… and elicits a heartbreaking performance from Kane, who is perfectly convincing as a shell-shocked young woman unprepared for what she finds in America, yet who eventually adapts and finds her own voice.

To that end, sharing more about the directions the storyline goes in would give away spoilers; suffice it to say we remain invested and curious about how things will resolve, and the final outcome isn’t as gloomy as one might expect.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Carol Kane as Gitl
  • Strong supporting performances across the cast

  • Fine historical detail

Must See?
Yes, as a unique independent film. Listed as a Sleeper, a Cult Movie, and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

  • Good Show
  • Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

Chariots of Fire (1981)

Chariots of Fire (1981)

Comments 1 comment

“I’m forever in pursuit, and I don’t even know what it is I’m chasing.”

Synopsis:
A devout Scottish missionary (Ian Charleson) and a determined Jewish Cambridge student (Ben Cross) face diverse challenges as they compete to earn spots in the 1924 Paris Olympics.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Dennis Christopher Films
  • Historical Drama
  • Ian Holm Films
  • John Gielgud Films
  • Olympics
  • Rivalry
  • Sports

Review:
Peary doesn’t review this Oscar-winning British historical drama in his GFTFF, but he does reference it in his Alternate Oscars, where he describes it as a “slow-moving film about running” that “received mostly excellent reviews and had numerous admirers” but was “detested by… many.” He shares his own frustration at the time that “this ‘true story’ about two British runners… at the 1924 Paris Olympics — Jewish Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Scottish missionary Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) — distorted the facts,” but adds that he was “impressed by the leads (and supporting actors Ian Holm and John Gielgud), admired its noble themes (having to do with courage and integrity in the face of bigotry), and… felt a surge of emotion as a parade of proud athletes glided across the screen to Vangelis’s myth-making, Oscar-winning score.”

Reviewers since then seem divided between resentment that such a “minor” film won the Oscar, and appreciation for it as a well-crafted period piece. I’m in the latter camp. While it took me a while to understand the film’s purpose and get into the rhythm of its pacing, I eventually became invested in its protagonists and their outcomes — primarily because both men are likable, immensely talented underdogs who deserve a chance at success. The supporting stories about the pressure Charleson feels from his disapproving sister (Cheryl Campbell):

… and the burgeoning romance between Cross and a beautiful actress (Alice Krige):

… help to more fully humanize them, as does the mentorship Cross receives from his coach, Sam Mussabini (Ian Holm):

… and the disapproval of said support expressed by two stuffy college masters (John Gielgud and Lindsay Anderson).

Meanwhile, the cinematography is beautiful; the running scenes are compellingly shot; Vangelis’s score is appropriately haunting (and not over-used); and special note should be made about Terry Rawlings’ expert editing, which cleverly uses cross-cutting to build tension and connection between the various stories. This one remains worth a one-time look.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Ben Cross as Harold Abrahams
  • Ian Charleson as Eric Liddell
  • Fine historical detail
  • David Watkin’s cinematography
  • Terry Rawlings’ editing
  • Vangelis’s score

Must See?
Yes, as a good show, and for its historical significance as an Oscar winner. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary’s book.

Categories

  • Historically Relevant
  • Oscar Winner or Nominee

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

Links:

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)

Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)

Comments 1 comment

“Good god — they’re armed!”

Synopsis:
In 1991, after a virus has wiped out all cats and dogs on Earth, apes have become non-speaking slaves to humans, with the lone speaking ape (Roddy McDowell) secretly cared for by a kind circus owner (Ricardo Montalban) who hides his skills. However, when “Caesar” (McDowall) is adopted by a local governor (Don Murray), his English fluency is discovered and Montalban is lethally tortured, leading Caesar to start a secret rebellion against the humans with his fellow apes.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Don Murray Films
  • Primates
  • Rebellion
  • Ricardo Montalban Films
  • Roddy McDowall Films
  • Science Fiction
  • Slavery

Review:
Peary only lists the first and fourth entry in the Planet of the Apes (1968) series in his GFTFF, skipping the two middle movies — Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) and Escape From the Planet of the Apes (1971) — and moving straight towards the scenario on display here. (He also omits the fifth and final title — Battle for the Planet of the Apes [1973] — from GFTFF.) It’s possible Peary chose to include this particular follow-up in his book given its strong parallels with the Civil Rights movement in America at the time; to cite the late Graeme Clark in his review for The Spinning Image:

There is a definite sense of class war, and more pertinently, race war in Conquest. The apes are seen to be taking menial jobs like cleaning up, shining shoes and being waiters, all in the service of mankind, much in the way that African American characters would in the earlier movies out of Hollywood. They are second class citizens, and the film deliberately draws parallels with slavery, which… makes for a considerably edgier drama.

Indeed, the persistently abysmal treatment of apes in this film is deeply disturbing:

… and we’re grateful for kind Montalban’s support.

Murray is given most of the film’s laughably if memorably melodramatic lines:

“My god – there’s more!”
“Shoot them – shoot them all!”
“This will be the end of human civilization – and the world will belong to a planet of apes!”
“Man was born of the ape. And there’s still an ape curled up inside of every man – the beast that must be whipped into submission, the savage that has to be shackled in chains. You are that beast, Caesar. You taint us. You poison our guts!”

He effectively depicts a bigoted man terrified of the takeover of his planet.

As it turns out, of course, he’s right to be afraid.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Roddy McDowall as Caesar
  • Effective use of location shooting at UC Irvine

Must See?
No, though of course fans of the series will want to check it out. Listed as a Sleeper and a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

Farewell to Graeme Clark

Farewell to Graeme Clark

Comments 0 Comment

I just received notice from a family member that a fellow film reviewer – Graeme Clark of The Spinning Image — has passed away.

I never met Graeme, but we did exchange several emails over the past year as he graciously pointed out a few minor errors in my reviews, and gave his kind appreciation for the work I’ve been doing.

I tried to calculate how many times I’ve cited Graeme’s reviews on my GFTFF site, but don’t have an easy algorithm to do that, so can’t say for sure; suffice it to say that it’s well into the hundreds. I could always count on enjoying Graeme’s honest take on a range of titles, and knowing his review would be worthy of inclusion as a link in my own overview (an “honor” I don’t give lightly).

From looking at the “About Our Team” page on Spinning Image, Graeme wrote:

Like Graeme, I also love Casablanca (1942), but I still need to revisit Brazil (1985) and Blue Velvet (1986) to gauge my current reaction to those. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, I checked back on my own review of A Matter of Life and Death (1946) and found myself grateful that he listed this among its faves, given what a beautiful vision it offers of life after death.

RIP Graeme. I will continue to cite your reviews!

55 Days at Peking (1963)

55 Days at Peking (1963)

Comments 1 comment

“You must not conclude that all Boxers are bandits; most of them are harmless vagabonds.”

Synopsis:
During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 — under the rule of Chinese Dowager Empress Cixi (Flora Robson) — an American major (Charlton Heston) falls for a widowed Russian aristocrat (Ava Gardner) while supporting a British ambassador (David Niven) in keeping foreign legion members safe throughout a deadly siege.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Ava Gardner Films
  • Charlton Heston Films
  • China
  • David Niven Films
  • Flora Robson Films
  • Harry Andrews Films
  • Historical Drama
  • John Ireland Films
  • Leo Genn Films
  • Nicholas Ray Films
  • Paul Lukas Films
  • Revolutionaries

Review:
Nicholas Ray’s final major film — after directing the Biblical epic King of Kings (1961) — was this large-scale historical drama (produced by Samuel Bronston) taking place in turn-of-the-century China and depicting a highly consequential if under-discussed moment in East Asian global politics. Unfortunately, while the film does an excellent job in its earliest scenes at showing us the impact of western imperialism on China:

… the Chinese themselves quickly become merely supporting characters in a drama focused on the well-being of the colonizers.

To that end, Niven is well cast as an unflappable British ambassador whose decision to stay, fight back, and wait for reinforcements from the Eight Nation Alliance not only puts his own young family at risk, but goes against the sentiment of most others on the compound, who simply want to flee.

Among these are Gardner’s Baroness Natasha Ivanova, whose earlier role in the suicide of her husband has left her ostracized by her social circle:

… and who undergoes an unrealistic change of heart over the course of the film, particularly when joining forces with an over-worked doctor (Paul Lukas). Meanwhile, Flora Robson is nearly unrecognizable playing yet another regal character on-screen:

… and odd character-actor Robert Helpmann plays yet another odd character (check out those fingernails!).

While this movie centers on an intriguing moment in world history, it’s ultimately too Euro-focused (and too battle-heavy) to remain of interest for its lengthy running time — and speaking of battles, there’s enough diverse weaponry on display and in use here to merit this film a spot on the IMFDb (the “F” stands for “firearms”).

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Fine historical sets
  • Beautiful cinematography

Must See?
No, though it’s definitely worth a one-time look.

Links:

Cat Ballou (1965)

Cat Ballou (1965)

Comments 1 comment

“Stay here with us; there’s somebody trying to kill my father.”

Synopsis:
When a schoolteacher (Jane Fonda) returns to Wyoming to visit her father (John Marley), she is shocked to find his life and property under threat by a ruthless developer (Reginald Denny). After joining forces with a local Indian (Tom Nardini) and a pair of outlaws (Michael Callan and Dwayne Hickman), “Cat” (Fonda) hires a drunken gunslinger known as Kid Shelleen (Lee Marvin) to fight back against hired killer Tim Strawn (also Lee Marvin).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Flashback Films
  • Jane Fonda Films
  • Lee Marvin Films
  • Outlaws
  • Revenge
  • Satires and Spoofs
  • Westerns

Review:
Lee Marvin won an Oscar for his dual performances in this comedic western, directed by Elliot Silverstein and starring Jane Fonda in the title role as a young woman who shifts from prim to feisty during the course of the screenplay.


The supporting cast members provide a solid “second family” of sorts for Cat:

… and Nat King Cole and Stubby Kate show up every now and then to provide a Greek-chorus-style commentary.

Marvin doesn’t appear until about half-an-hour into the film, and is more of a supporting character than a primary one, thus leading Peary not to give him the Best Actor award in Alternate Oscars. While Marvin’s work here is definitely amusing and memorable:

… I think I prefer him in his more typical stone-cold-villainous roles.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

  • Lee Marvin as Kid Shelleen and Tim Strawn
  • Fine cinematography

Must See?
No, though it’s worth a look.

Links: