FilmFanatic.org

Synopsis:
Accompanied by a local pilot (Eve Brent), Tarzan (Gordon Scott) pursues a group of four British criminals — Slade (Anthony Quayle), O’Bannion (Sean Connery), Kruger (Niall MacGinnis), and Dino (Al Mulock) — who, with support from Slade’s girlfriend (Scilla Gabel), have stolen explosives in order to raid a diamond mine.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Africa
• Anthony Quayle Films
• Cat-and-Mouse
• Jungles
• Niall MacGinnis Films
• Sean Connery Films
• Tarzan Films

Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary writes that while he’s “partial to the Johnny Weissmuller-Maureen O’Sullivan films”, this “colorful, action-packed adventure picture” — “produced on a fair-sized budget”, “filmed in CinemaScope, and made on location in Kenya by a talented British crew” — is “usually regarded as the best of the entire Tarzan series”. He notes that “Gordon Scott, who had played the jungle hero in several low-budgeted, studio-shot films in the early and mid-fifties, returned as the more introspective, human, mature… , and articulate Tarzan than he had played before”:

… and adds that “the villains he confronts aren’t cartoon characters, but complex men with singular motivations for committing crimes”.

While I haven’t see any Tarzan films outside of those listed in GFTFF, I’m in agreement that this is surely among the best. We get authentically caught up in the drama, which features realistic (and scary) settings, plenty of tension, well-filmed action scenes, and memorable supporting roles (including Connery as a naughty villain).

We’re never sure what will happen next, who will die next (or how), and — in particular — what will conspire between scar-faced Quayle and McGinnis (playing a greedy, cunning, bespectacled German completely obsessed with diamonds). While I’m not a fan of Shane’s sexually aggressive American pilot:

… she shows impressive growth throughout the film and “deserves” her ultimate dalliance with Tarzan. This one remains well worth a look — as does its follow-up, Tarzan the Magnificent (1960).

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Anthony Quayle as Slade
  
• Niall MacGinnis as Kruger
  
• Fine location shooting
  
• Many well-filmed, exciting scenes
  

Must See?
Yes, as a fine example of what the Tarzan films were able to transform into in later years.

Categories

• Good Show

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Moria Review
• Spinning Image Review
• DVD Savant Review

Synopsis:
After nearly killing his brother in a provoked fist fight, a talented but troubled young writer (Elvis Presley) is sent by a judge (Jason Robards, Sr.) to live with his uncle (William Mims) and Mims’ daughter (Tuesday Weld), who has a baby, while also attending therapy sessions with a beautiful widowed psychologist (Hope Lange). Mims hopes to “catch” Presley and Weld together so they’ll get married, but Presley — who already has a girlfriend (Millie Perkins) — slowly starts falling for Lange, who is meanwhile resisting engagement to a lawyer (John Ireland) with a hot-headed son (Gary Lockwood).

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Elvis Presley Films
• Hope Lange Films
• John Ireland Films
• Juvenile Delinquents
• Love Triangle
• Millie Perkins Films
• Psychotherapy
• Tuesday Weld Films

Review:
In addition to two concert films, Peary lists “just” nine Elvis Presley movies (out of a total of 31) in his GFTFF. This adaptation of a debut novel by J.R. Salamanca — probably best known as author of the source-novel for Lilith (1964) — is a reasonably well-scripted (by Clifford Odets) melodrama about a gifted young man born into a society that doesn’t really have space or patience for him. Weld seems to be enjoying her role as a “wild” single mom eager for some fun, and Presley’s performance isn’t bad — but it’s somewhat laughable to see 26-year-old Presley referring to 28-year-old Lange with deference as “ma’am”, given how much chemistry they clearly have together (casting 40-year-old Simone Signoret in the role, as originally intended, would probably have worked better). A whole lot of melodrama ensues in this story, which is certainly worth a look by Presley fans but not must-see viewing.

Note: According to TCM’s article, “Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s manager, insisted that the studio insert several songs into the film or it wouldn’t be an Elvis Presley picture”; the songs aren’t bad but don’t quite seem to fit.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Hope Lange as Mrs. Sperry
  
• Tuesday Weld as Noreen Braxton
  
• Some well-crafted dialogue:
  

  “You’re wild and unsettled, like a porcupine that can’t be held.”
  “Life’s got its shadows enough… Live and let live.”

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

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• TCM Article
• NY Times Original Review

Synopsis:
A TV reporter (Dudley Moore) married to an overly busy lawyer (Ann Reinking) has an affair with a cellist (Amy Irving) and soon finds himself about to become a father with both women.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Amy Irving Films
• Blake Edwards Films
• Dudley Moore Films
• Feminism and Women’s Issues
• Infidelity
• Love Triangle
• Pregnancy
• Romantic Comedy

Review:
Blake Edwards directed this enjoyable if too-far-fetched romantic comedy about a “nice guy” who manages to juggle two marriages (and pregnancies) at once. Having just written a post on accepting the wild narrative logistics of Back to the Future (1985), it may sound odd to hear that the most challenging aspect of Micki + Maude for me — and ultimately its undoing — is its improbability. There is no way a man can shift from one household to another, with a job in between, and simply suffer from “too much sleep” (?!?!). The fact that the only give-away clue to bed-ridden Reinking that her husband is a bigamist is a green sweater (gifted by Irving) which has “I Heart You” hand-written on the label is meant to be amusing, but belies her intelligence.

With that enormous (and critical) caveat aside, the screenplay is delightfully wacky and clever. It’s to Edwards’ and screenwriter Jonathan Reynolds’ credit that we maintain an interest and investment in these characters, all of whom are well-written and sympathetic. Meanwhile, fans of farcical comedy sketches will surely enjoy the extended sequences in which Moore must deftly shift between caring for one woman, then the other (in the OB-GYN’s office, and then at the hospital).

The ending is reasonable, if a bit of a let-down — but then again, what other way could this type of situation be resolved?

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Ann Reinking as Micki
  

Must See?
No, but I do think it’s worth a look if you enjoy this type of movie.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Reel Film Reviews
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
Elvis Presley rehearses in Culver City for upcoming performances in Las Vegas.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Concert Films
• Elvis Presley Films

Review:
Elvis Presley’s first non-dramatic movie since starting his Hollywood career in 1956 with Love Me Tender was this highly enjoyable concert film, directed by Denis Sanders and shot by DP Lucien Ballard. It offers an invaluable glimpse into Elvis-behind-the-scenes — messing around with his songs (he knew what he wanted, musically speaking); making people (and himself) laugh; yodeling just for yuks; chatting; and revealing both charm and humanity in spades. Once the film finally shifts to his vigorous performances (cut from six nights) in Las Vegas, it’s a little sad to leave the backstage Presley behind — though he more than delights with each song and audience interaction. It seems he was at his peak here, relaxed and fit and not-at-all callow, making it especially tragic to know what was to come. Indeed, it’s made pretty clear here how and why Presley died at the (relatively) young age of 42: he’s giving everything he has and more; one imagines a performer only has so much of that kind of authenticity to spend before it runs out.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• So many memorable moments and songs
  
  
  
• Lucien Ballard’s cinematography
  
  

Must See?
Yes, as a most enjoyable concert film/documentary.

Categories

• Historically Relevant

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review (scroll down to fourth review)

Synopsis:
In futuristic Japan, an astronaut (Akira Kubo) on the moon contacts a scientist (Yukiko Kobayashi) in “Monsterland” — an island where all the world’s giant monsters co-exist safely — just as a toxic gas covers the island. The astronauts soon learn that the monsters have been set loose to attack various big cities, and the scientists have been brainwashed by a race of female aliens determined to take over the world. Can their civilization be saved?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Aliens
• Japanese Films
• Mutant Monsters
• Science Fiction
• Space Opera
• World Domination

Review:
This Toho Studios productions brings together all the monsters it can possibly find from previous films — including Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956), Rodan (1957), and Mothra (1962), and more — into an epic futuristic battle against world-dominating aliens. It’s earnest as all get out, with hilarious dubbing (at least in the version I saw), colorful sets and costumes, diabolical mind control, and plenty of monster-fight action. As noted in Spinning Image’s review, it makes for “entertainingly ridiculous enjoyment, all performed with a straight face and commendable vigour”. With that said, it’s not must-see for all film fanatics — simply those who appreciate the unique joys of this particular genre.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Colorful cinematography, costumes, and sets
  
  
• The exciting monster fight-out at the end
  
  
• Laughable (dubbed) dialogue: “Is it a failure then? Are we all… doomed?”

Must See?
No, but it’s recommended for its sheer cult enthusiasm. Listed as a Camp Classic in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• Spinning Image Review
• Stomp Tokyo Review
• Moria Review

Synopsis:
Shortly after his client (Martin Lavut) commits suicide, Dr. Barnes (Paul Stevens) receives an ancient mask in the mail — one Lavut complained had been tormenting him. Soon Stevens — despite warnings from his kind girlfriend (Claudette Nivens) — is unable to resist the lure of wearing the mask himself, and begins to hallucinate incredibly frightening scenes.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Horror Films
• Mind Control and Hypnosis

Review:
The storyline of this low-budget Canadian horror film is fairly straightforward, and clearly designed to center around the 3D hallucination sequences, in which characters are enjoined to “Put on the mask!” and audience members to put on their “Miracle Movie Fright Mask” — a.k.a. 3D glasses. These sequences are remarkably well-done given the low budget, and effectively freaky; I can imagine accidentally catching a glimpse of this on TV as a kid and being scared for days or weeks afterwards. With that said, there really isn’t much more to the narrative than waiting for the next moment we hear “Put on the mask!” According to Joe Dante in his Trailers From Hell review, it did reasonably well at the box office, especially when it was re-released (newly entitled “The Eyes of Hell”) as a midnight drive-thru flick — which makes complete sense.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Creepy, well-filmed 3D sequences (created by Slavko Vorkapich)
  
  
  

Must See?
No, though the 3D sequences are worth a look. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary’s book.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Moria Review

Synopsis:
During the Civil War, a group of Union prisoners (Michael Craig, Herbert Brown, and Dan Jackson) — accompanied by an unwitting journalist (Gary Merrill) and a Confederate hostage (Percy Herbert) — escape by hot air balloon and land on a remote island with enormous creatures and mysterious signs of human life. Soon they are joined by two shipwrecked British women (Joan Greenwood and Beth Rogan) and romance blooms between Brown and Rogan while the team struggles to survive.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Deserted Islands
• Fantasy
• Gary Merrill Films
• Joan Greenwood Films
• Jules Verne Adaptations
• Prisoners of War
• Ray Harryhausen Films
• Survival

Review:
Loosely based on Jules Verne’s 1875 novel of the same name, this sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) references Captain Nemo (indeed, he shows up late in the film as a pivotal character), but tells its own distinct tale of escape and survival on a remote island. Making the adventure much more exciting are several enormous creatures, including a crab that nearly eats one of the soldiers (Dan Jackson) before being dumped into a boiling hot geyser and eaten for supper:

… a huge, chicken-like bird that tries to peck away at Rogan (and is similarly roasted and eaten):

… a gigantic bee that seals Rogan and Brown inside a honeycomb cell:

… and more. Indeed, it’s these animated creatures — crafted by Ray Harryhausen — that make the film memorable and beloved by many viewers, but unfortunately, they don’t make much sense within the narrative, and weren’t part of the original novel. With that said, it’s refreshing to see the inclusion of a black actor and character (Jackson) who’s given a reasonably equitable role (at least up until the women arrive):

… and the opening escape sequence — as the prisoners leave their jail in a storm and sail high into the air — is genuinely exciting (see still below). Harryhausen fans will want to check this one out.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• The exciting opening escape sequence
  
• Bernard Herrmann’s score

Must See?
No; this one is only must-see for Harryhausen completists.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• DVD Savant Review
• Moria Review
• TCM Article

Synopsis:
Against the wishes of her widowed dad (Tom Skerritt), a talented small-town ice skater (Lynn-Holly Johnson) is encouraged by her coach (Colleen Dewhurst) and her boyfriend (Robby Benson) to accept an offer of being mentored by a big-time trainer (Jennifer Warren) — but is fame and success all it’s cut out to be?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Aspiring Stars
• Blindness
• Rise-and-Fall
• Robby Benson Films
• Sports

Review:
This soaper-on-ice — about an aspiring skater who attempts to enter the big league at the ripe old age of 16 (!!!) — is well-adored by viewers of a certain age (who perhaps caught it on repeat TV broadcasts), as well as those enamored by ice skating. Indeed, there’s some beautiful skating on display here by real-life skater Johnson, who’s well-cast in the lead role. Other supporting performances are nicely played as well (I’m particularly fond of Skerritt as Johnson’s grieving father) — but the screenplay ultimately lets us down. It’s full of trite dialogue:

“If she doesn’t try, it’s going to be second-best — for us.”
“Not trying is wondering your whole life if you gave up too soon.”

and goes in narrative directions that must be seen to be believed. However, it’s all convincing enough if you’re willing to get drawn into the lure of its fairy tale charm. Indeed, this remains a sufficiently enduring story that it was remade by the same director (Donald Wrye) in 2010 — a version I haven’t seen.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

• Solid performances by the cast
  
• Some affecting, well-filmed moments
  

Must See?
No, unless you remember this fondly from your youth and would like to revisit it.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Time Out Capsule Review (spoilers)