Saturday, November 17, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
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First Lines: Raymond Roussel - Locus Solus
That Thursday in early April my learned friend Martial Canterel had invited me, along with several other close friends of his, to visit the huge park surrounding his beautiful villa at Montmorency.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Unter dir die Stadt (2010)
An elderly man uses unscrupulous advantage to win over the wife of one of his employees.
Cold and detached the movie tries and fails to say something about the German banking world.
Mademoiselle Chambon (2009)
A man lives a simple, happy life with his loving wife and son until he meets his son's homeroom teacher.
Subtle and subdued 'little French movie' on the Frenchman's favourite topic.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
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First Lines: Daniel Kehlmann - Measuring The World
In September 1828, the greatest mathematician in the country left his hometown for the first time in years, to attend the German Scientific Congress in Berlin.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
A young Canadian nurse comes to the West Indies to care for Jessica, the wife of a plantation manager.
Stylish and atmospheric horror film classic despite the silly title and a not so thrilling plot.
Halliwell *: "Mild horror from the famous Lewton package; some style, but generally thin stuff, the plot having been mirthfully borrowed from Jane Eyre."
Maltin ***1/2: "Exceptional Val Lewton chiller with rich atmosphere, mesmerizing story."
Monday, November 12, 2012
Lyssa humana: Alexander Pushkin - Eugene Onegin
My uncle, man of firm convictions...
By falling gravely ill, he's won
A due respect for his afflictions -
The only clever thing he's done.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Paradise Alley (1978)
Three Italian-American brothers, living in the slums of 1940's New York,
try to help each other with one's wrestling career using one brother's
promotional skills and another brother's con-artist tactics to tho wart a
sleazy manager.
Quite well produced period drama, but with a meandering and silly plot.
Halliwell (no stars): "Fashionable update of the City for Conquest school, not in itself very interesting despite amusing bits."
Maltin *1/2: "Some nice moments lost in comic-book-level dramatics. Director Stallone clearly admires his star (he also croons the title song!)."