Saturday, October 10, 2015
No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005)
A chronicle of Bob Dylan's strange evolution between 1961 and 1966 from folk singer to protest singer to "voice of a generation" to rock star.
Extensive first-rate documentary that intelligently mixes original photos and films, eyewitness interviews and Dylan's own retrospective thoughts and manages to deliver some insight, but without revealing the bard's enigma.
Friday, October 9, 2015
First Lines: Cyril Hare - Tragedy at Law
"No trumpeters!" said his Lordship in a tone of melancholy and slightly peevish disapproval.
Phantom Lady (1944)
A beautiful secretary risks her life to try to find the elusive woman who may prove her boss didn't murder his selfish wife.
Exemplary
Film Noir crime mystery with a somewhat complex plot, but has great
(nightly) settings, fabulous photography and a good cast.
Halliwell**: "Odd little thriller which doesn't really hold together but is made for the most part with great style."
Maltin***1/2: "First-rate suspense yarn...Sexual innuendo with Cook is simply astonishing..."
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
First Lines: Christianna Brand - Green for Danger
Joseph Higgens, postman, pushed his battered red bicycle up the long ascent that leads to Heron's Park, three miles out of Heronsford, in Kent.
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Dr. Frankenstein (goaded by an even madder scientist) builds his monster a mate.
The rare event of a sequel just as great or even better than the classic original: atmosphere, settings and performances are top notch and set standards for the horror genre; and this movie presents the most alluring female monster of cinema history.
Halliwell****: "Frankenstein was startingly good in a primitive way; this sequel is the screen's sophisticated masterpiece of black comedy, with all the talents working deftly to one end. Every scene has its own delights, and they are woven together into a superb if wilful cinematic narrative, which, of its gentle mocking kind, has never been surpassed."
Maltin****: "Eye-filling sequel to FRANKENSTEIN is even better, with rich vein of dry wit running through the chills... Pastoral interlude with blind hermit and final, riotous creation scene are highlights of this truly classic movie."
Splendor in the Grass (1961)
A fragile Kansas girl's unrequited and forbidden love for a handsome young man from the town's most powerful family drives her to heartbreak and madness.
A melodrama about sexualanxieties among adolescents is well staged, but some of the performances are over the top and the topic is quite dated by modern standards.
Halliwell*: "Impressive though curiously unmemorable addition to a nostalgic young sex cycle which was already played out; production and performances well up to scratch."
Maltin***: "Sentimental sudster..."
