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Synopsis:
Teenager “Jimmy J.” (Richard Thomas) is devastated when he hears the news of James Dean’s untimely death. He and his ex-girlfriend (Lisa Blount) host a late-night vigil in Dean’s honor, which quickly turns to tragedy.

Genres:

• Coming-of-Age
• Dennis Quaid Films
• James Bridges Films
• Obsessive Fans
• Untimely Death

Response to Peary’s Review:
While Peary claims that this “odd film” makes for “uncomfortable viewing”, I disagree. Unlike Peary, I didn’t find it “hard not to get exasperated with Jimmy J.” — and while the “concept of star-worship and star-identification” is indeed “scary”, I didn’t necessarily think that Jimmy could have controlled his grief any better. Indeed, Jimmy’s idolatry of Dean reflects the need we all have to project our fantasies and fears onto larger-than-life heroes; his grief rings true. As Peary notes, “What’s most striking is how the film conveys the sadness, loneliness, and frustration that a teenager feels when no one shares his emotions about something meaningful.” Particularly poignant scenes include the opening scene, as Jimmy J. is watching East of Eden (1955) for the third time:

… and the final scene, when Jimmy J. describes Rebel Without a Cause to Billie Jean.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Richard Thomas as Jimmy J.
  
• Fine cinematography and period detail
  
  

Must See?
No, but it’s worth seeking out for one-time viewing.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
Detective Angel Powers (Lydia Lunch) attempts to uncover the truth behind a murder case involving corporate espionage.

Genres:

• Detectives and Private Eyes
• Dick Miller Films
• Experimental Films
• Murder Mystery

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this “curious cult film” — an experimental mix of film noir and sci-fi, written and directed by underground favorites Seth B. and Beth B. — “tends to be slow and confusing at times”. Indeed, because the narrative is so difficult to follow, its primary interest lies in the stunning visuals and pulsating soundtrack. Vortex won’t be appealing to most, and was likely included in Peary’s book simply because of Lunch’s one-time notoriety.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Haunting, creative visuals
  
  
• An eerie soundtrack

Must See?
No, unless you’re curious about experimental indie films before the age of video.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Official Lydia Lunch Website

Synopsis:
While visiting his millionaire father (Denver Pyle) in Los Angeles, a songwriter (Keith Carradine) sleeps or flirts with numerous women, including a lonely real estate agent (Sally Kellerman), an unhappy housewife (Geraldine Chaplin), a photographer (Lauren Hutton), and a housekeeper (Sissy Spacek).

Genres:

• Alan Rudolph Films
• Ensemble Cast
• Geraldine Chaplin Films
• Harvey Keitel Films
• Keith Carradine Films
• Los Angeles
• Romance
• Sally Kellerman Films
• Sissy Spacek Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
I disagree with Peary that “this poor man’s Nashville falls flat on all accounts”. These L.A. folks may not be especially appealing (indeed, as Peary notes, many are either “depressed, frustrated, [and/or] obnoxious”), but their travails are interesting to watch for two hours, especially given that the tightly woven storyline switches so frequently we never have a chance to tire of any given subplot. The acting is uniformly excellent, and it’s fun to see so many great names (Spacek, Keitel, Carradine, Hutton, Chaplin, Kellerman, etc.) together in one film. According to IMDb, opinions seem to be widely split on this movie — people either love it or hate it; and while I’m not usually a fan of Altman-esque ensemble films (he produced this one), I happen to fall into the former category this time around.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Sissy Spacek as a quirky maid who likes to vacuum topless
  
• Geraldine Chaplin’s melancholic, Camille-loving housewife
  
• Harvey Keitel as Chaplin’s husband
  
• The haunting title song, which stayed in my mind for days afterwards

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended as an interesting ensemble piece.

Links:

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

Synopsis:
Cuban exiles discuss “moral purges” in post-revolutionary Cuba, when those who exhibited “improper conduct” (primarily homosexuals and intellectuals) were persecuted and/or jailed.

• Cuba
• Documentary
• Homosexuality

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this acclaimed documentary by Cuban exiles Nestor Almendros (a highly respected cinematographer who died of AIDS in 1992) and Orlando Jimenez Leal effectively depicts “the widespread and systematic oppression and persecution of those who [didn’t] fit [Castro’s] image of ‘macho’.” While the film does run a bit too long, it remains a powerful antidote to the overly “rose-colored vision many political radicals have” of revolutionary Cuba.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Shows a side of Castro’s regime that isn’t often discussed
  

Must See?
Yes. This powerful documentary remains essential viewing.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
Jack Kerouac (John Heard) and Neal Cassady (Nick Nolte) are both in love with Carolyn (Sissy Spacek), but she marries Neal. While Kerouac writes and publishes On the Road, Neal carouses, and Carolyn attempts to maintain a stable home.

Genres:

• Biopics
• Counterculture
• John Heard Films
• Love Triangle
• Nick Nolte Films
• Sissy Spacek Films
• Writers

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, legendary beat icons Kerouac and Cassady “come across as conservative dullards” in this “well-intentioned” but ultimately uninspiring biopic, based on Carolyn Cassady’s “sedate memoir”. The trouble, as Peary points out, is that we don’t want to see Kerouac and Cassady at their tamest; we’d rather “see them at their most undisciplined and outrageous.” Indeed, “people of later generations [watching this film] will probably wonder what the fuss was all about.” Plus, as much as I love Sissy Spacek, Diane Keaton (also considered for the role) would have been a much better, kookier choice to play Carolyn.

Redeeming Qualities:

• One of the few movies about the Beat Generation
  

Must See?
No. As Peary notes, only those who are intrigued by the Beat Generation will be interested in this movie, and it’s certainly not essential viewing.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Roger Ebert’s Review
• Time Out Capsule Review

Synopsis:
After being raped twice, a mute seamstress (Zoe Tamerlis) goes on a murderous rampage against men.

• Feminism and Women’s Issues
• Hiding Dead Bodies
• New York City
• Rape
• Revenge
• Serial Killers
• Vigilantes

Response to Peary’s Review:
This “impressive low-budget cult movie” by controversial director Abel Ferrara is surprisingly compelling. Unlike the infamous rape-revenge flick I Spit on Your Grave (1978), relatively little time in Ms. 45 is spent showing Tamerlis being raped; these scenes occur right away, are blessedly short, and aren’t exploited for voyeuristic kicks. Instead, the bulk of the movie focuses on Tamerlis’s retributive rampage through New York City, as she becomes a vigilante heroine for “all the women of the world who don’t speak out against the daily outrages they are subjected to from men.”

As Peary notes, the film is filled with “striking, highly stylized” imagery, “much humor”, and “weird yet believable characters” (including Tamerlis’s nosy landlady, and her landlady’s annoying dog, Phil).

Unknown Tamerlis gives a “strong, sympathetic, sexy performance” as mute Thana; indeed, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else in this unique role.

Unfortunately, she made few films after Ms. 45, and died of a drug overdose at the age of 37.

Note: In his review, Peary makes an astute comparison between Ms. 45 and Roman Polanski’s Repulsion (1965), noting that “both [women] suffer sexual harassment going to and from work, both kill men who force themselves on them; [and] while corpses rot in their apartments… both lapse into temporary shock states.” But while Deneuve’s Carole “goes crazy”, Tamerlis “remains rational” in her quest to wreak revenge.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Zoe Tamerlis’s haunting performance
  
• Fine location shooting in NYC
  
  

Must See?
Yes. This film is both stylish and satisfying, and deserves its cult status. Discussed at length in Peary’s Cult Movies 2 (1983).

Categories

• Cult Movie

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Moria Review

Synopsis:
A lonely spinster (Julie Harris), a parapsychologist (Richard Johnson), a psychic (Claire Bloom), and others spend the night at Hill House while it is being investigated for the presence of ghosts. Eventually, Harris begins to believe that the house is calling out for her in some way.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Claire Bloom Films
• Ghosts
• Julie Harris Films
• Old Dark House
• Psychic Powers
• Psychological Horror
• Robert Wise Films
• Russ Tamblyn Films
• Spinsters

Response to Peary’s Review:
In his review of this “first-rate, thinking person’s horror film” — based on a novel by Shirley Jackson, and recently remade by director Jan de Bont — Peary provides an in-depth analysis of the film’s primary character: Julie Harris’s Eleanor. He points out that because Eleanor is a “virtual nonentity in her life”, she probably feels special for being singled out by the “ghosts” at Hill House; thus, the noises Eleanor hears may very well be subconscious manifestations of her deeper desire to finally be noticed. It is this kind of ambiguous motivation — are the noises real or a figment of Eleanor’s imagination? — that underlies The Haunting‘s success as a psychological horror film. The emphasis here is on atmosphere and characters rather than cheap thrills; and while the film is slow-going at times, it ultimately provides a unique, provocative perspective on the presence of other-worldly visitors in our midst.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Julie Harris as Eleanor Lance
  
• Claire Bloom as Theodora
  
• Atmospheric cinematography
  

Must See?
Yes. This is an unusual classic of the psychological horror genre.

Categories

• Genuine Classic

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

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Classic Horror Review
• Tired Old Queen at the Movies Video Review

Synopsis:
Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman (Shintaro Katsu) returns to a once-peaceful village, only to find it overrun with gangsters who are battling each other for a stash of hidden gold. He temporarily teams up with bodyguard Yojimbo (Toshiro Mifune) to help rid the town of violence.

Genres:

• Blindness
• Japanese Films
• Samurai
• Toshiro Mifune Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this cult film (clearly influenced by Sergio Leone) features “broad humor”, “extreme violence”, and “two of Japan’s most popular action heroes.” The story is slow-going at first but exciting by the end, and it’s tremendous fun watching Zatoichi and Yojimbo interact.

Unlike Peary, I didn’t find Zatoichi’s whimpering or “fake modesty” annoying, but I do agree that Yojimbo spends far too much time moping around and getting drunk — you’re better off being introduced to his character in either Yojimbo (1961) or Sanjuro (1962).

Redeeming Qualities:

• Zatoichi’s elegant physical comedy
  
• Fine period sets
  

Must See?
Yes, but simply to have seen “Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman” in a film. Another might suffice.

Categories

• Representative Film

Links:

• IMDb entry

Synopsis:
A horny Jewish-Italian cartoonist (Joseph Kaufmann) has a series of adventures with lowlifes in New York, and tries to get laid by a busty black woman.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Animated Features
• New York City
• Sexuality

Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this “semi-autobiographical”, “X-rated animation feature by Ralph Bakshi” possesses some “well-drawn” characters, impressive backgrounds, bizarre humor, and a creative mix of live action and “superb” animation. With that said, your enjoyment of the movie will ultimately hinge upon your tolerance for its litany of hyper-sexual “grotesque characters”. While Peary argues that this flick “is much more palatable than Fritz the Cat,” I actually believe the latter should be considered must-see for its historical relevance, while this one can be skipped.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Some truly far-out animation
  

Must See?
No. While Bakshi’s films are worth a one-time watch for their unique place in animation history, Fritz the Cat (1972) is a better candidate as “must see” given its status as the first ever X-rated animated film.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
A shipwrecked sailor (Richard Arlen) tries to escape from the clutches of mad Dr. Moreau (Charles Laughton), who has created a race of pseudo-humans from animals.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Bela Lugosi Films
• Charles Laughton Films
• H.G. Wells Films
• Mad Doctors and Scientists
• Rebellion
• Science Fiction
• Slavery

Response to Peary’s Review:
Based on H.G. Wells’s 1896 sci-fi novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, this atmospheric adventure film is surprisingly “shocking, gruesome, [and] fascinating.” As indicated by the movie’s slightly altered title, director Eric Kenton seems primarily interested in exploring the potential humanity of these half-beasts: if they’re human enough to have “souls”, then surely they merit a better existence than the slavish one they’re subjected to on Dr. Moreau’s island. Indeed, it’s difficult not to cheer for these pathetically odd-looking creatures once they finally gather the courage to rebel. An intriguing subplot in the film focuses on the doomed attraction that the sexy “Panther Woman”, Lota (Kathleen Burke), feels for Arlen — who, after kissing her on the lips, “does quite a double-take and looks ill.” Burke does a remarkably effective job portraying a feline sensibility in a female body, but Laughton (nominated by Peary as one of the Best Actors of the Year in his Alternate Oscars) steals the show in the lead role; according to Peary, he based his sadistic characterization of Dr. Moreau on his dentist (!).

Note: Although the title has been changed, this early film ironically remains the most faithful version made so far of Wells’s novel.

Redeeming Qualities:

• Charles Laughton’s stand-out performance as Dr. Moreau
  
• Kathleen Burke as the Panther Woman
  
• The wonderfully convincing, “hideous-looking” half-beasts
  
• Atmospheric cinematography
  
  

Must See?
Yes. As Peary points out, this movie’s daringly “offensive” storyline makes it an unusual, must-see part of early film history.

Categories

• Controversial Film
• Noteworthy Performance(s)

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Moria Review