70s-movies

Death Wise

2009-01-29T10:57:00.000-08:00

Death Wish (1974)
Director: Michael Winner
Cast: Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia
Memorable Line: " In the city, that's the way it is."

Death Wish is one of the movies that I had avoided watching for years. Upon finally seeing it, I can say that it did exceed my expectations, but not necessarily in game changing way.

The Plot of Death Wish

Paul Kersey (Bronson) is a guy who has it all -- a good job, a great wife and family, and he lives in New York city. That all comes to an end when his wife (Lange) and daughter are assaulted by thugs with the wife dying from the attack and the daughter being traumatized.

Up until these horrible events, Kersey was a peaceful man who had a "live and let live" existence. After his wife's death, he finds his life irreparably changed and his approach to life altered. When the police admit that there is little chance of finding the attackers, Kersey takes the law into his own hands and starts prowling the streets in search of the criminals. The only problem is that he's quite indiscriminate in who he exacts revenge on -- any criminal will do.

The more he patrols and the more criminals he takes out, the more he likes it, but there's also a deeper force driving him -- a death wish because without his wife and family intact, he doesn't have a lot to live for.

The real problems comes as his exploits start to get press and public support explodes. The police can't have a vigilante running around killing criminals. Or can it?

The police detective (Gardenia) in charge of finding the vigilante is struck with taking down a very popular vigilante and bringing down public wrath or doing nothing. Doing nothing isn't an option. And Kersey will just keep on killing until he dies or the police stop him.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of Death Wish

Bronson is quite stoic in his performance, but it does seem fitting to his character. Gardenia has a juicy role as the crusty NYPD detective who must find and confront the vigilante. The rest of the roles seem to fall into the background against the plot, although you can see Jeff Goldblum as "Freak #1" and Christopher Guest in another small role.

The script was much smarter than I had expected. The cat and mouse game between Kersey, the criminals and the police is very engaging and more layers than I thought it would be. I particularly was intrigued by the political relations dilemma the cops find themselves facing which makes the movie much more engaging than just a vigilante picture.

The direction is workman like without a lot of frills. There's a rough edge to the look and fill that seem to fit the picture.

Summary Judgment on Death Wish

Death Wish is a smarter film than I had expected, but it's still not with out a base and basic appeal of the revenge flick. Death Wish isn't art and it's not really a intellectual treatise, but there's more here than meets the eye.

The Goodbye Girl

2009-01-23T04:57:00.000-08:00

The Goodbye Girl (1977)
Director: Herbert Ross
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings
Memorable Line: "And I think the only practical solution is that we share the apartment."

Neil Simon owned the romantic comedy on Broadway during the 70's and, for me, this is the best translation of his work from stage to screen.

The Plot of The Goodbye Girl

Paula McFadden (Mason) and her precocious daughter Lucy (Cummings) are left high and dry when the man in their life walks out on them and then to make matter's worse, he sub-leases their apartment to aspiring young actor, Elliot (Dreyfuss). When Elliot arrives to take possession of the apartment, all parties involved get a surprise because none of them know about the sub-lease apartment arrangement and that's when the sparks start to fly.

After the smoke settles, they begrudgingly agree to co-habit the apartment until something else opens up. Paula has to try to find work as a dancer after being out of the work force for years and Elliot finds himself in a actor's nightmare of having to be in a production with a director who has a dramatically unconventional take on a conventional character.

As each struggles professionally and share their respective woes, they start falling for each other romantically. But Paula finds it hard to trust anyone after being burned in the past and that's where the fledgling romance starts to falter.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of The Goodbye Girl

After years of toiling in television, Dreyfuss saw his stock rise through the ceiling in the mid-seventies with Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and finally with this movie. He oozes with a quirky charisma and is undeniably likable in the role of Elliot. Mason balances out cuteness with vulnerability and is a great foil for Dreyfuss. Rounding out the cast is Cummings who captures spunky with style and without being overly cutesy.

The script in combination with the winning performances makes this movie a real winner. The jokes work and the progression from antagonism to romance seems natural -- for a Broadway play. The direction is unobtrusive and serves the story to a tee.

Summary Judgment on The Goodbye Girl

There's a lot of chemistry going on the Goodbye Girl and while the genre has some artificiality to it, it works because this is the sort of romance we enjoy seeing. Add to the winning story, the performances of Dreyfuss and Mason, and you have a hit.

Magic

2008-11-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

Magic (1978)

Director: Richard Attenbourough

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Ann Margret, Burgess Meredith, Ed Lauter

Memorable Line: "They'll put you somewhere dark and moody."

Magic has a premise that, in lesser hands, could have come off quite ridiculous, but doesn't, and it's largely in part to the persuasive script and performance by the lead, Hopkins.

The Plot of Magic
"Corky" Withers (Hopkins) is a low-rent magician who has limited stage presence when suddenly, while in desperation, comes upon both a gimmick and the confidence to make a big splash. When Corky brings a ventriloquest dummy into his act everything comes together and he's an overnight sensation. Impresario and entertainment king maker, Ben Greene (Meredith) takes Corky under his wing and guides him up the ladder. When Greene comes along with the biggest break with the only caveat that Corky undergo a medical examine, something makes Corky break and run.

Corky's flight takes him from the city and into his past. He returns to a woman who he loved from a distance while in high school (Margaret). Peggy is in an unhappy and soon to become unsuccessful marriage. Corky works some of his own magic and wins over her heart.

As his personal life is starting to come together, his professional life encroaches on him as Greene tracks to him back to his home town. Greene discovers the secret that Corky has been hiding and why Corky ran, but it is a secret that will ruin Corky professionally and personally. That secret part of him that knows that it must do what ever it can to protect itself and goes through with the unspeakable.

The Performances, Writing, and Director of Magic
The real strength of Magic is its convincing script. The plot is reminiscent of a Stephen King story, but like King, scriptwriter Goldman makes the outlandish seem plausible. Coupling the compelling script with Hopkins controlled, yet manic performance is a convincing combination. Hopkins plays Corky as a character with an edge and on edge throughout the movie.
Attenborough does a great job of keeping the pace up and balances out the dark side of Corky until it's inevitable. The supporting cast delivers the goods. Meredith shows he can play a well rounded and realistic character. The only criticism I might have is the performances is that Ann Margaret plays up the playful side of her character too much, but she is convincing in all other aspects.

Summary Judgment on Magic
Magic is a balancing act. One that depends on skill from the scriptwriter, director and actors. William Goldman brings his "A" game with the script, Attenborough keeps the movie from tipping into the absurd, and Hopkin's measures out his performance in a way that makes him both sympathetic and menacing. Some elements seem a little dated, but the movie has what it takes to work with modern audiences, too.

The Yakuza

2008-10-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

The Yakuza (1974) Director: Sidney Pollack Cast: Robert Mitchem, Ken Takakura, Richard Jordan, Brian Kieth, Keiko Kishi, Eiji Okada, Herb Elderman
Memorable Line(s): "When an American cracks up, he opens up the window and shoots up a bunch of strangers. When a Japanese cracks up, he closes the window and kills himself. Everything is in reverse."

The Yakuza is as much about the clash of cultures as it is about the bloody conflict that ensues in the plot. It is also the clash of tradition versus progress as the old world must face the harsh reality of change. It's also about the choice of the past having an inescapable effect on the present.

The Plot of the Yakuza
Harry Kilmer (Mitchem), a private investigator, is asked my his old war buddy, George Tanner (Kieth), to rescue the Tanner's daughter who has been kidnapped by the Japanese Mafia -- the Yakuza. Out of a sense of obligation, Kilmer returns to his past, to the Japan he left behind with the war. It also means re-connecting with, Eiko (Kishi), the woman he loved and left behind in Japan. Accompanied by Tanner's young and tough body guard (Jordan) and Ken Tanaka who we believe to be Eiko's brother and who is also a former member of the Yakuza, they pull off the rescue, but it turns bloody and the Yakuza crime lord who took the daughter must save face by getting revenge.

Tanaka insists that Kilmer and the body guard return to the States and that he will face down the Yakuza, but Kilmer starts to suspect that there something wrong with his friend George Tanner's motivations. In a stunning reprisal, the Yakuza crime lord takes a costly toll out on Kilmer, Eiko and Tanaka and one that has to repaid in kind.

As things aren't clear about Tanner, facts of Eiko and Tanaka are just as muddy. Along with surviving the danger of facing down the Yakuza, Kilmer must also discover the real truth of his past and these truths will rock his world.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of The Yakuza
By today's standards, some might find The Yakuza slow, but it's really a slow build to moments of bloody violence and much of what happens in the movie happens below the surface. The strength of the movie is the script which is co-written by Paul and Leonard Schrader along with Robert Towne. What could have been a standard martial arts/crime movie is given a lot of depth by bringing in the cultural differences and the shadowy truths of Kilmer's past. The writers along with Pollack's direction let the silences build tension and allow the film to breath.

The actors all seem to bring their "A" game to meet and match the material. Mitchem, while having a limited range (and maybe too old for the part), does his best and seems to grow in the role as the movie progresses. The silences and the things left unsaid compliment his laconic acting style. Ken Takakura is stunning as the former Yakuza warrior. He seems to take control of every scene he is in. Keiko Kishi is both lovely and resilient as the woman from Harry's past.

If the film were made today, much of the action would surely be elevated to surreal heights and that would be to the detriment to story. Yes, there are moments in which Pollack lets a scene or a shoot languidly carry on, but for the most part, it all works to create a multi-layered movie and one that the viewer can become immersed in.

Summary Judgment on The Yakuza
Things left unsaid are what make The Yakuza so interesting. The silences and the pauses bring about a inner tension that makes the viewer pay attention with a little more intensity. This is what makes The Yakuza so intriguing. While I'm sure it's not for every taste due to its violence, I'm sure those that are looking for an intelligent action film will find they discovered a real gem.

MAS*H

2008-09-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

M*A*S*H (1970)
Director: Robert Altman
Cast: Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould, Tom Skerritt, Robert Duvall, Sally Kellerman
Memorable Line(s): "Tonight's movie has been "M*A*S*H." Follow the zany antics of our combat surgeons as they cut and stitch their way along the front lines..."

This is the movie that launched the TV show, but it has a very different tone. It has all the signatures of a Robert Altman film at the height of his game and that's a good thing.

The Plot of M*A*S*H
The plot of M*A*S*H is rather free form, meandering from one incident to the next in a seamless fashion. Set during the Korean War, we follow the antics of two wisecracking war surgeons, Hawkeye (Sutherland) and Trapper John (Gould) as they buck almost all authority and make mockery of most military formality. Their arch nemesis at their hospital station is the uptight and ultra-conservative Frank Burns (Duvall) who they poke fun at at every turn. Their other opponent is the authortarian nurse Hollihan (Kerllerman). There are many memorable scenes with Hawkeye and Trapper John such as when they broadcasts one of Burns and Holihan's illict trysts and when they expose a naked Hollihan by pulling away the tent around the women's showers.

Because of the formless nature of the plot, it difficult to sum of the plot, but there are moments that are truly amusing, irreverant, and pointed.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H is the first in Altman's experiments with the style and form of the traditional narrative. One of the hallmarks of a Altman film shows up in M*A*S*H which is that of overlapping dialog which makes the movie seem realistic, but also makes it difficult to follow at times. Still, the performances by the entire cast is spot on. Gould (who I'm not a fan of his later work) is great along side Sutherland as the capture the essence of two renegade surgeons thumbing their noses at authority. Duvall is provided with the unsympathetic role of Burns but takes it on with gusto.

Altman's direction is quite fitting for the subject matter and the organic writing. The scenes have their own timing and pulse. There's a balancing act that Altman is playing with the tone of this movie and in a couple places, he fails to maintain that balance, but for most part, he's pitch perfect.

Summary Judgment on M*A*S*H
A true counter culture film, poking it's finger in the eye of authority, M*A*S*H is more comedy than commentary, but there's enough of both for mature audiences to enjoy.

Semi-Tough

2008-07-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Semi-Tough (1977)
Director: Michael Ritchie
Cast: Burt Reynolds, Kris Kristofferson, Jill Clayburgh, Robert Preston, Burt Convy

Semi-Tough is one of the movies that works so well in its time and place, but doesn't wear so well over the years. When it was released, it really captured the era, though.

The Plot of Semi-Tough
Billie Clyde (Reynolds) and Marvin (Kristofferson) are teammates on the highly successful pro football team and also best friends. The only problem is that the third wheel in their friendship is Billie Clyde's long time friend who also happens to the owners daughter, Barbara (Clayburgh).

The era the team is the transition from the turbulent '60s to the 70's where everyone is trying to find themselves. Team owner (Preston) brings in a self-help guru (Convy) to help the team find itself.

During this process, Marvin finds himself getting closer and closer to Barbara. This puts an unspoken strain on his friendship with Billie Clyde, but he won't stand in their way, even if it leads the two his friends to the alter.

The Performances, Writing and Direction of Semi-Tough
The two big problems with Semi-Tough is that it has trouble riding it's tone and also it's cultural references date it, making it difficult for current audiences to relate to. For the most part the film is a well made comedy, but at times, the poignancy of the how it pokes fun the the era of enlightenment tries to take itself too seriously. I think this puts a strain on the performers and Reynolds manages this balance the tone as well in of the actors. Kristofferson gets to play it straight and Clayburgh has a balancing act that, as talented as she is, doesn't always pull off.

The direction doesn't fare as well as the actors. At times, the film just looks rough and meanders round trying to find it's center.

Summary Judgment on Semi-Tough
When it was released, Semi-Tough was quite effective and garnered some huge laughs, but now it's cultural references are lost and the film seems rudderless in many places. To further hurt the film, the ending turns into a real train wreck and the resolution isn't very satisfying.

Manhattan

2008-06-19T13:28:00.001-07:00

Manhattan (1979)
Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemmingway, Meryl Streep
Memorable Line: "My analyst warned me, but you were so beautiful I got another analyst. "

Manhattan is Woody Allen at the height of his game and is also his romantic homage to New York City.

The Plot of Manhattan
Isaac (Allen) is the variation-on-theme Woody Allen character -- a TV writer, with a spiteful ex-wife and a relationship with a 17 year old high school girl, Tracy. (Hemmingway). His friend, Yale (Murphy), is having an affair with an intellectual and mature Mary (Keaton), but knows he will never go anywhere because he won't leave his wife. Isaac knows his relationship with the 17 year old is going nowhere, too. All along, Isaac's ex-wife (Streep) is writing a tell-all book of their failed relationship. The fates align and things begin to falter in Yale and Mary's relationship making a potential opening for Isaac just as Mary and Isaac and Mary lives suddenly start converge.

In typical Woody Allen fashion, though the conflicts begins when Mary admits that she might not be over Yale. Isaac starts his descent into depression and wallowing, trying valiantly to find some center to hold to when he realizes that he should reconsider the 17 year old, Tracy. But is it too late?

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of Manhattan
Lushly photographed in black and white, the images are atmospheric and romantic. Allen gives us some of his best lines in an effortless fashion. Keaton balances out confidence with self-doubt, giving a great depiction of a woman caught in confusion. The other supporting cast members shine, too. Streep is wonderful as the somewhat vindictive ex-wife. Hemmingway, initially seems bland in the role, but really hits the mark as the film matures. As a part of Allen's stable, Murphy is great as the conflicted friend.

Allen allows the movie to be restive when it needs a pause and then knows when to pull the trigger on the next major plot movement. The script balances out the emotional and the funny almost to perfect precision.

Summary Judgment on Manhattan
Some might find a film featuring a grown man's relationship with a 17 year old as a bit creepy and Allen's real life seemed to parallel this movie somewhat. Despite this, Manhattan is up there as one of Allen's great movies. Maybe some of schtick got a little old and worn over the years, but it certainly works well in this movie.

The Fury

2008-06-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Fury (1978)
Director: Brian DePalma
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Amy Irving, Andrew Stevens, John Cassavetes, Charles Durning
Memorable line: "What a culture can't assimilate, it destroys. "

The big question behind The Fury is what would the government do if they discovered someone with dramatic psychic powers such as telekinesis or clairvoyance. While someone what striking at the time, it doesn't fare well when compared with the C.G.I. special effects of today's movies.

The Plot of The Fury
Peter (Douglas) is a government agent who discovers his son, Robin (Stevens) has paranormal psychic abilities. In spectacular attack at a beach front resort, Peter is presumably killed and Robin is snatched away for his "own protection" but a family friend and fellow agent (Cassavetes) to a secluded location. Peter survives the attack and is hellbent to find and rescue his son.

Meanwhile, Gillian (Irving) is a seemingly normal teen in Chicago when she starts exhibiting strange powers much like Robin's which brings her to the attention of the group who snatched Robin. Gillian is taken to a special institute to help nurture her new found powers and control them under the auspicious of Dr. McKeever (Durning) who is really working for the government.

Peter, through his underground contact,s gets wind of Gillian and is convinced that she is the key to finding his son. Working with a confederate inside the institute, Peter rescues Gillian from the institute and he uses her as a psychic detector to find Robin which leads to an ultimate show down.

The Performances, Writing, and Direction of The Fury
The Fury is based on the John Farris novel with Farris going on to write the screen play. The screenplay has a dynamic pace and works hard to include some lighter characters moments into the heavy topic, but at times it seems forced and the dialog at times is bit leaden. Douglas is convincing in the one-note part, as is Andrew Stevens who seems to only get two moods through his performance, sullen or angry. Amy Irving gets a little more character depth and does a good job of broadening out the character against some of the limitations of how her character was written. These three former roles all come across as over-wrought at times. Counter-balancing the characters and acting of the other characters, Cassavetes wonderfully underplay his role as the villain.

Many critics have derided DePalma for being a low-rent Hitchcock imitator, but it's hard to deny some of these allegations when you want this (and some of his other movies from this period). DePalma seems to like to balance out the dynamics of the movie, alternating between languid and histrionic.

Another disappointing note regarding the movie is the John Williams score. It does seem to harken back to some of the Elmer Bernstein Hitchcock scores, but not in a good way. At times, the intensity of the music almost seems to borderline on parody.

Summary Judgment on The Fury
The Fury is the case of one of those movies that doesn't weather the passage of time too well. In it's day, the special effects were probably heralded as innovative, but they now seem tame when compared with present efforts. The bigger issue with the movie is that the tone seems overly melodramatic in many places, lacking subtly and nuance. While not a total waste of time, I would recommend catching The Fury on cable rather than renting it.

The Legend of Hell House

2008-06-13T08:09:00.001-07:00

The Legend of Hell House (1973)
Director: John Hough
Cast: Roddy McDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill, Gayle Hunnicutt
Memorable Line(s): "What's to tell? The house tried to kill me. It almost succeeded."

An intensely evil house and four individuals set out to find what's happening inside the house. A classic ghost story and also a very scary movie.

The Plot of The Legend of Hell House The Belasco House has a rich and dark history. Several years ago a group of renowned psychics entered the house to discover it's secrets. Only one made it out alive. Physicist, Lionel Barrett, (Revill) along with his wife (Hunnicut) lead a team to re-enter the the house for the first time in many years. Accompanying them is the only survivor of the earlier team (McDowall) and a very young psychic (Franklin) who develops a disastrous connection to the house. The initial contact seems benign enough, but the longer they stay, the stronger the force within house oppose and attack the group. The physicist's wife starts sleepwalking as if possessed. The young psychic is attacked physically and mentally again and again. The survivor from the earlier expedition, Benjamin, keeps the forces of the house at bay as long as he can. The team becomes divided on how to rid the house of it's malevolent forces -- the physicist has a scientific approach and the psychics have a different take all together. And being wrong can have deadly consequences.

The Performances, Writing and Direction of The Legend of Hell House The script was written by famous macabre writer Richard Matheson and is based on his book which is solid foundation for the movie. The story is both suspenseful and chilling, playing like a psychic mystery. The performances for the most part are quite convincing, but can be a bit histrionic at times. McDowall brings the most solid performance, but Pamela Franklin also shows a broad range in her role. Director Hough shows restraint, avoiding using too many special effects and this make the movie even more effective. The camera work and sound effects carry the load when it comes to creating the most effective chills. The audio track is so influential to the movie that at times it seems as if the movie could have been just as effective as an audio play.

Summary Judgment on The Legend of Hell House The Legend of Hell House is more than a haunted house movie because of the strength of Matheson's story. It provides a depth that gets the viewer beyond the surface level scare of most horror movies and provides a more substantial experience. Some compare it to Robert Wise's The Haunting (1963) and while Hell House is good, The Haunting is superior. Still, if you want a movie that gets past just the "boo" of most horror films, then The Legend of Hell House could be for you.

Animal House

2008-05-28T15:34:00.001-07:00

Animal House (1978)
Director: John Landis
Cast: Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert, Tom Hulce, John Belushi, Stephen Furst, Karen Allen, John Vernon, Donald Sutherland
Memorable line: "Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor?!?"

Raucous, raunchy, irreverent in almost every way, but also hilarious. That's the legacy of Animal House.

The Plot of Animal House
Set in the early 1960's, Animal House starts by following to freshman (Hulce and Furst) as the are shuttled out of the most desirable Frat house on campus to the one with the worst reputation, The Delta House -- also called Animal House. The Delta House Frat has little entry level criteria other than you can pay your dues and drink like a fish. The lead members of the Frat are the suave Otter (Matheson) and laid back Boon (Reigert).

Of course, in the orderly world of higher education, the Animal House frat cannot be allowed to function in this manner and enter the menacing dean (Vernon) who puts them on double secret probation. But the slippery and defiant Animal House keeps up it's antic covertly and the dean enlists the aid of the preppie frat to bring down the Delta House.

The antics lead from a food fight, to an expedition to an all-girls school, to a horse ended up dead in the dean's office. Needless to say, the Delta boys have gone to far this time...or have they? Watch for the climatic homecoming parade debacle to find out.

The Performances and Direction of Animal House
You would think that with as a topic and treatment as low brow as frat-boy antics the performances would be lacking, but the acting is first rate. Matheson is just too smooth as Otter and Peter Riegert is very natural as the rudderless Boon. Hulce who went to on to be nominated for an Academy award for his work in Amadeus , so he is no slouch. John Belushi fresh from the skyrocketing fame of Saturday Night Live upstages everyone with his slovenly Blutto.

The script has many quotable lines and Landis brings a competent, workman-like style to the movie.

Summary Judgment on Animal House
Certainly not for all audiences, there are moments when Animal House crosses the lines of decorum, but this movie never ascribes to be noble. If raucous fun is what you're yearning for, look no further

The Front

2008-03-29T17:34:00.001-07:00

The Front (1976)
Director: Martin Ritt
Cast: Woody Allen, Zero Mostel, Michael Murphy, Andrea Marcovicci
Memorable Line: "I don't recognize the authority of this committee to question me."

For all the inherent dramatic tension of the plot and the comedic talents in involved, The Front isn't all that dramatic or all that funny.

Harold Prince (Allen) is making it by as cashier at a restaurant and by making petty sports bets when one of his old friend, Alfred, (Murphy) approaches him with an irresistible proposition. Alfred is a blacklisted writer because of his affiliation with the communist party and is desperate to make a living again He's looking for a way to get his TV shows scripts accepted by TV producers who are being pressured to cooperate in every way with the house on Unamerican Activities. His idea is to find a "front" -- a person to represent himself as a writer with the networks to sell his scripts. And that's where Harold comes in. Harold decides that making 10% on each script for simply delivering it the producers is a sweet deal and jumps at the chance to make easy money. After the ball gets rolling, Harold becomes the hit of the town. The young woman who works on one of the shows Harold "writes" for falls for him. Harold gets a bit cocky and starts representing a stock of blacklisted writers and his popularity grows, but so does suspicion. People around Harold begin to fall to the over zealous anti-communist investigators and Harold becomes ensnared in the search to root out communists.

My two biggest problems with The Front are that it is painfully predictable and un-funny. Many people have said that it's not really a comedy, but there are comedic possibilities not exploited and playing that potential against the foil of the dramatic tension could have created a more effective movie. Also, the plot points of the movie tick by a regular and predictable pace, making it easy to predict the next complication.

Director Ritt must have felt that the material contained all the tension the movie would need because with the exception a couple scenes, he does little creatively to elevate the tension. Some say that Allen is miscast in the lead, but he acquits himself in the role. Zero Mostel is great as the actor who's life is ruined by those who want to purge any trace of communism or communists from the entertainment industry.

The Front is a good film to watch to learn about the effects of the anti-communist scourge, but, in my opinion, you do much better trying to find a good documentary on the subject.

Coming Home

2008-03-28T13:07:00.001-07:00

Coming Home (1978)
Director: Hal Ashby
Cast: Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern, Robbert Carradine
Memorable Line: "Nobody has the right to tell anybody what do against their will if they don't believe it."

Coming Home is a creative and engaging movie with a polemic hidden beneath it. It's not heavy handed, but the anti-war message is loud and clear.

Sally (Fonda) is the "stand by man" wife of a Marine captain (Dern) left behind when the captain finally gets to go off to a his war -- which just happened to be Viet Nam. A passive women, Sally for the first time is on her own and left to find her way. To find meaning while her man is away, she decided to volunteer at a V.A. hospital. While there she strikes up a relationship with a former high school classmate only to have the relationship move from platonic to romantic as she grows and changes. Things get sticky when her husband returns from the war and try as she likes, she finds it hard to return to her life and what she once was.

While the protagonist is Sally and Fonda's performance is one of her better ones, the performance of the film is Voight's. Voight performance resonates with a subliminal sadness and an overt anger. Dern also steals the stage when he's on screen.

Ashby directing career has been uneven, but Coming Home is one where all his talent seems to come together. Using a combination almost documentary approach and traditional dramatic technique, Ashby creates a very real portrait of a turbulent time. The film has some very real and poignant moments.

If you're looking for a real gem that may have seemed like it has receded into the past, give Coming Home a chance.

Logan's Run

2008-03-19T14:19:00.001-07:00

Logan's Run (1976)
Director: Michael Anderson
Cast: Michael York, Richard Jordan, Jenny Agutter, Farrah Fawcett, Peter Ustinov
Memorable Line: "Run, runner!"

There are some memories and movies best left to the past and Logan's Run us one of those.

It's the 23rd Century and the people of the future are living a Utopian existence. All their needs are met -- they don't work and pleasure is at the center of the culture. The only drawback is the no lives past 30. Set into place for as long as these people can remember is the idea that at 30, they can go to a ceremony and "renew" into a new life, but underneath it all is a sinister truth. Some who reach 30 don't want to risk the ceremony and they try to run. It's the job of a sandman -- futuristic policeman -- to track down and eliminate these runners.

Logan-5 (York) and his partner, Francis-7 (Jordan), are Sandmen who are perfectly happy until Logan-6 is assigned by the master computer that oversees the operation of the city to find "sanctuary." Logan hooks up with a young woman,Jessice-6 (Agutter) and together they have to run and find their way to the secret of sanctuary.

The bottom line with Logan's Run is that it is really dated -- and not in a kitchy, funny way. The sets, the special effects and the miniatures are all terribly dated and unconvincing. To add to the problems, most of the acting is stilted and the script is full of contrivances and bad dialog.

I had hoped that I would travel down memory lane and enjoy a past treasure, but Logan's Run turned out to be best left to memory.

North Dallas Forty

2008-03-08T11:15:00.001-08:00

North Dallas Forty (1979)
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Cast: Nick Nolte, Mac Davis, Charles Durning, Bo Svenson, G.D. Spradlin
Memorable Line: "People who confuse brains and luck can get in a whole lot of trouble."

Marketed as a sport comedy, North Dallas Forty is really a realistic and gritty look behind the scenes of professional football.

Phil Elliott (Nolte) is an aging wide receiver who is on his last legs and trying to tap into last bit of competitive spirit despite being both beat-up and disillusioned with the sports. He is surrounded by a heartless management team that only see wins and dollars. Players are simply disposable commodities to bring about bring about a successful on the field product.

More drama than sports film, North Dallas Forty still has some inspiring grid iron moments. Nolte is memorable as the athlete who thinks too much. Country music singer gives a natural performance as the go-along with the flow quarterback. G.D Spradlin plays his typical overbearing authority figure. Real life football players have supporting roles. Director Kotcheff isn't showy in his treatment of the film, but tells the story with a straightforward honesty.

What's most notable about North Dallas Forty is that is spends more time on the people in the sport than the sport itself. It's also been rumored that the National Football League didn't cooperate with the making of the movie because of the less than flattering light it placed on the business of the sport.

Still, if you want a realistic sports picture, you can't do much better than North Dallas Forty.

The Life of Brian

2008-03-04T04:39:00.001-08:00

The Life of Brian (1979)
Director: Terry Jones
Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam
Memorable Line: "Blessed are the cheesemakers?"

Some say it's sacrilegious while other say it's one of the funniest films they've ever seen. Straddling a thin line, Life of Brian is full some of the most of well written and performed comic bits ever on the big screen.

The Life of Brian has us following around none other than Brian (Chapman), a bit of sad sack living who just happened to be born at the same time of a significant religious figure in the manger right next door. We meander around with Brian from a group of underground Jews complaining about how the Romans have bettered their lives, to trying to sit in at the Sermon on the mount, to a mishaps in which he is confused for the Messiah and ends up in line for cruxifiction.

None of the above plot line may sound funny at all, but in the hands of the cast from Monty Python, this film is at once silly then exceptionally witty. The comedy bits are sharp and this film has a much more polished look and feel than their earlier film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

The Python crew take on several roles from the Jewish man who wants to protest Roman occupation by having a baby to a Roman leader who goes by the name Biggus Dickus. Yes, it's low brow at times, but it is quite funny.

If you're not a fan of British humor and, in specifically, Monty Python, this film probably isn't for you. But if you like a good laugh, then The Life of Brian is a movie that is sure to be just funny as it was when it released.

Star Wars

2008-03-01T18:06:00.001-08:00

Star Wars - 1977
Director: George Lucas
Actors: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Alec Guinness
Memorable Line: "May the force be with you."

The quintessential GenX movie, Star Wars should be etched into the psyches of every kid to pass through the 1970's and 1980's...and beyond.

But in case you missed it, Luke Skywalker (Hamill) is simple farm kid on out of the way planet who is dreaming of adventure when it all too suddenly finds him. After encountering a old recluse (Guinness) on the planet, Luke finds that he may be apart of mystical group called the Jedi - warriors tapped into universal energy called "The Force." The plot accelerates from there as the duo hook up with petty space smuggler, Han Solo (Ford) and then with an on the run princess (Fisher) and leader of rebel forces pitted against the evil Empire troops led by the ruthless and fearsome Darth Vader. The group end facing off against the Empire's ultimate weapon - the Deathstar, with the fate the free universe at stake.

Groundbreaking in special effects, Star Wars dazzled audiences, but it was so much more than a special effects extravaganza. There is an engaging story and charismatic characters. The story is reminiscent of an old western with characters with white hats and black hats. Lucas called it a Space Opera. I just call it fantastic.

The cast is mostly unknowns except for Guinness who add a gravitas to the movie with his performance, but all the cast members provide convincing performances.

So, pop some popcorn and power up the DVD player, put in Star Wars and get ready for a real adventure.

Serpico

2008-02-29T11:25:00.000-08:00

Serpico (1973)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Al Pacino, Tony Roberts, Tom Kehoe, John Randolph
Memorable: "Let's face it, who can trust a cop that won't take money?"

What would you do if you wanted to just be an honest cop but discovered that just about every cop around you is on the take?

Serpico follows the life of cop, Frank Serpico (Pacino), as he starts as an idealistic rookie and carries that idealism throughout his career. This idealism gets him into a great deal of trouble as he comes to odds with a corrupt contingent of cops and ultimately, almost gets him killed. From precinct to precinct, Serpico finds cops on the take and when he says he will not "play," he is treated both as an outsider and an enemy. His only allies are a politically adept cop friend (Roberts) and one honest cop he encounters later in his career. After many attempts to report the corruption, he decides to go public. That's when he faces the an ultimate reprisal from the men in blue.

More character study than action film, there still enough here for those who want some action. For the most part, this is Pacino's movie because he is in nearly every scene and he acquits himself quite well. Pacino gives us Serpico's passion, his anxieties, and his short comings. The most prevalent emotion you feel from Pacino's portrayal is frustration. Utter frustration that he can't be what he wants to be -- an honest cop. The supporting cast comes across as authentic and competent. You actually believe some of these guys are real cops.

Directed by Sidney Lumet, Serpico has a even and deliberate pace. The film starts with a literal bang and then Lumet slows it down to backtrack to Serpico's entry into the force and tracks his career as he encounters bad cops and butts heads with authority along the way. Lumet is never showy, letting technique get in front of the story. Most of the time, it's the character's that tell the story in Serpico.

As with almost all of Lumet's movies, this is a thoughtful and provocative film. At points, you'll catch yourself sharing Serpico's frustration and wonder how the corruption became so rampant and how it could ever be stopped. It seems as if the cops in the movie have a greater incentive to get money through corruption, than through their jobs. If you're ready for a contemplative and engaging cop/character study, Serpico is the film for you.

Carrie (1976)

2008-02-27T17:55:00.001-08:00

Carrie (1976)
Director: Brian De Palma
Cast: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, William Katt, John Travolta, P.J. Soles
Memorable Line(s): "It has nothing to do with Satan, Mama. It's me. Me. If I concentrate hard enough, I can move things."

Adapted from Stephen King's first novel, Carrie gives us the story of a high school misfit who suddenly discovers she has the power to get even with all those who have tormented her. In a big way.

Carrie White (Spacek) is a backward and introverted high school girl being raised by a Puritanical mother (Laurie). Tormented regularly at school by the "popular" girls, her suffering hits an apex when she has her first period while in the girl's locker room. Along with this normal body change comes a very abnormal by-product -- the power to move things with her mind. An empathetic classmate (Irving) takes pity on Carrie and pleads with her handsome and popular boyfriend (Katt) to take Carrie to the prom. For a very short while, things become like a Cinderella dream for Carrie, but things take a decidedly bad turn when a girl (Soles) who had been banned from the prom for torturing Carrie decides to play an ugly prank on Carrie for revenge.

Spacek is completely convincing as Carrie. She has Carrie's mousiness down to an art. Irving, Soles and Travolta have the high school thing down too. Piper Laurie does a good turn as the over zealous mother.

Upon my initial review of this movie, I was turned off by De Palma's split screen treatment during several pivotal scenes. It added an artificiality to the movie that distanced me from it because it seemed more like gimmickry and didn't support the story well. On subsequent viewings, my view on this treatment softened some, but I still think that the movie would have better served with a more conventional treatment.

The strength of the movie lies in King's source material which masterfully gives us snapshots of the view of high school from a misfits point of view. Spacek owns the character of Carrie, too and that's the other positive element for the movie.

If you're looking for a true Stephen King scare fest, you might be better off with another one of the movies adapted from one of his novels. Carrie, while not the best Stephen King movie, still holds its own.

Jaws

2008-02-24T08:24:00.001-08:00

Jaws (1975)
Director: Steven Speilberg
Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
Memorable Line: "You're going to need a bigger boat."

Jaws that started the summer blockbuster was initially, for me, a film I avoided because I thought it was a “sheep” film. Sheep films are ones that everyone has to see. So, I didn’t see it until four years after its release when it was re-released.

It has become one of favorite movies. This is Speilberg before he learned his bag of tricks and was a more raw and authentic storyteller than the rut he evolved into for nearly a decade. Now, it was a comfortable rut and not an entirely unenjoyable rut, but still a rut in which his considerable skills languished.

Jaws takes landlubber, Chief Brody, (Roy Scheider) and has him face-off with a man-eating sharking preying on the islanders the chief is sworn to protect. At his side is a shark obsessed oceanographer (Richard Dreyfuss) and a professional shark hunter (Robert Shaw). The trio make an unlikely team, fighting among themselves and eventually bonding, as they stalk the shark only to have the almost supernatural creature turn the tables on them.

The performances by the three lead men stand out and the film almost seems like the most collaborative effort of Speilberg’s early films. Unlike many of Speilberg's subsequent movies, the actors seem to break through the Speilberg's style and bring their character's to life, making them real and that's what set's Jaws apart.

Halloween (1978)

2008-02-24T08:23:00.001-08:00

Halloween (1978)
Director: John Carpenter
Cast: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, P.J. Soles

It's a supernatural maniac with a knife. What an original idea for a movie, right? It should stink, but it doesn't. Somehow Carpenter takes this simple concept and makes it work and that's a credit to his considerable skill as a director (when he is on his game, which isn't always). It's creepy. It's suspenseful. Halloween works.

Halloween follows a small group of teens as they prepare for Halloween in a small mid-western town. Unbeknownst to them a terrifying killing machine by the name of Michael Myers has escaped an asylum and heading to town to strike some unspoken revenge. Jamie Lee Curtis is the siren that calls the maniac to town. Donald Pleasence brings a gravitas to the movie as the psychiatrist who somberly states that this "evil" should never be let out. Michael Myers works his way through teen after teen and then sites his targets in Jamie Lee.

Carpenter employs a Hitchcockian approach that builds suspense and keeps us watching for what comes around the corner. The treatment is simple, yet effective. Carpenter, while no Elmer Berstein, gives us a memorable score that elevates the tension throughout the movie.

If it's a good scare that you want, Halloween will fill the bill. If you dare.

Apocalypse Now

2008-02-24T08:22:00.004-08:00

Apocalypse Now (1979)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper
Memorable Line: "The horror, the horror."

At 18 years old, nothing in my inchoate life prepared me to watch "Apocalypse Now." I simply wasn't prepared to deal with its visceral imagery and it's profound story. The film apologetically jumps off the screen at you and takes you into a nightmarish journey into the Viet Nam war.

Few films have had the impact on me that film had on me in my life. It awed me. It moved me. It scared me somewhat with it's stark and brutal view of war. Yet, it fascinated me and I was completely engrossed in it's setting and situation.

Loosely based on Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," the film follows Captain Willard (Sheen) who is sent on a clandestine mission to seek out and assassinate a rogue office, Colonel Kurtz, (Brando) who has literally went "off the reservation" of army protocol and humane standards. In fact, when we finally encounter Kurtz, we see almost no standards, but nearly madness.

Willard is accompanied by a rag-tag team of soldiers who are along for the ride, but have no idea what they're in for. The journey is truly one that reveals the madness and chaos of war as the team encounters all the insanity of war -- seemingly purposeless engagements, savage hubris (Duvall as Colonel Kilgore), and the lost (Dennis Hopper as the drugged out photojournalist who is enraptured with Kurtz).

Much has been written about the madness that went into the making of this movie. Months and months past deadline and grossly over budget. Sheen having a heart attack. Brando not being prepared. Plus it the whole process seemed to be about story in search of an ending. (See the wonderful documentary about the making of this movie -- "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse." Watch the movie one night and the documentary the next.)

Still in spite of all of this, Coppola brings us a compelling and entirely engaging movie that holds itself together all the way up until the end. The films seems to start to teeter under the ponderous weight of all it's elements when reaching its climax.

I would qualify "Apocalypse Now" as a near masterpiece and that it overcomes any of its flaws by its far-reaching ambition in scope and vision. It truly is one of the last studio movies I would qualify as an artist in search of a commercially viable picture.

See it if for nothing else for the luscious and brilliant images that cinematographer Vittorio Storaro brings to the film. Images from the movie still come to mind years later.

[NOTE: "Apocalypse Now" is one of the movies that doesn't translate to the small screen well. If you have an exceptional home theater system, you may be able to do the film justice. If you can catch it on the big screen, I implore you to go.]

Three Days of the Condor

2008-02-24T08:22:00.003-08:00

Three Days of the Condor (1975)
Director: Syndey Pollack
Cast: Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max Von Sydow
Memorable Line: "I don't think you'll live much longer."

* Underrated and Overlooked *
This is a genre movie in the "everyman gets caught in plot that's bigger than himself" vein (Think of "North by Northwest."). If you're a part of Generation Y and maybe the tail-end of Generation X you may never have heard of it, but this is one of most gripping and realistic espionage films you'll ever see. If you like movies with heroes that are really superheroes with fantastic martial arts fighting skills and the ability make miraculous shots with dueling handguns ablaze, then this isn't the film for you. But if you like a thinking man's hero, I recommend you check out this movie.

Redford stars a bookish researcher who arrives at work one day to find his whole division brutally wiped out in a nearly silent attack. Quickly realizing that he is the last man standing and knowing that his moments may be numbered, he goes undercover to find who killed his colleagues and how he can stay alive in the process. Faye Dunaway plays an isolated photographer who Redford's character ensnares and inspires to assist him in finding the truth. Max Von Sydow is chilling as a career assassin who coldly provides his skills to the highest bidder and Roberson is a higher up in the C.I.A. whose job it is to protect the agency at nearly all costs.

Probably the only dated element of the movie is the Dave Gruisin's score which is a bit too jazzy compared to traditional scores. While not edited with the frenetic pace of today's thrillers, the tempo of the plot is sufficient to keep the viewer engaged and interested.

And there's a fight scene between Redford's character and would-be assassin that I feel is one of most realistic fight scenes in cinema history. There's no fantastic martial arts stunts here. There's just two guys facing off with whatever brawn and brain they can muster with Redford outmatched in the strength, but with the cunning. It's worth the price of admission.

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

2008-02-24T08:22:00.001-08:00

Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Director: George Romero
Cast: Ken Foree, David Emge, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross
Memorable Line(s): "The dead get up and kill. The ones they kill get up and kill."

* A Guilty Pleasure *
It's 1979, I'm going into the theater not really knowing what to expect and this is what I got:
- a zombie biting into a women's neck,
- a person's head being blown off with a shot gun at point blank range
- the top of a zombie's head being cut off by the blades of a helicopter
- zombies ripping out and eating someone's entrails
The list could go on and on.

And the bottom line is that I loved it. I was back the next week to see it again and then even went to the drive-in with a group of my rowdy high school friends to see it yet again. With the exception of "Blade Runner," this is the movie I've seen most on the big screen and I've seen it on in the small screen too many times to count.

If that's not an endorsement, then what is? Of course, it's not for the faint of heart.

With all that being said, "Dawn of the Dead" is a movie that is much greater than the sum of its parts, too. Made by George Romero on a shoestring budget in his hometown of Pittsburgh, the film picks up where Romero's original shocker, "Night of the Living Dead" left off. A mysterious plague had descended on the earth, possibly from outer space (but what does it matter?), that re-animates the recent dead into flesh eating creatures with little or no intellect. And that's when the fun begins.

The audience's perspective on the disaster comes through the eyes of four characters on the run -- two cops, a TV news producer and a helicopter pilot. They escape the big city to the countryside just as law and order is breaking down completely. Not having a real plan, they finally end up landing and taking harbor at a large indoor shopping mall. The place is filled with undead types and our rag-tag teams spends quite a while securing the mall and dispatching the zombies. Then comes existence after an near apocalyptic societal breakdown and all that its not cracked up to be.

Their unhappy, but comfortable life is interrupted by a literal invasion of a horde of bikers who want what are heroes have. Our heroes have the choice to cut and run or defend what they have come to call home. They choose fight instead of flight, much carnage ensues and that leads to a war in which everyone looses.

The film is more complex than just a zombie attacks humans horror movie. It's a tale of survival and the choices we make when push comes to shove. There's also a subtle undertone of commentary on our consumer culture that deepens the message of the film.

But if your zombies along with graphic blood and gore are your thing, this is the movie for you.

[NOTE: This movie was remade with a bigger and better budget in 2004 and to go against the outcome of many remakes, it is quite good and very horrifying, even more so than the original.]

The Night Stalker

2008-02-24T08:21:00.003-08:00

The Night Stalker (1972)
Director: John Llewellyn Moxey
Cast: Darrin McGavin, Simon Oakland, Claude Akins
Memorable line: "Now are you willing to listen to my insane ideas?"

* Small Screen Gem *
Television isn't without its gems and one example of a TV movie that inspired a few future directors and programs was "The Night Stalker." (This includes a short lived series by the same name inspired by the original series which aired on ABC in 2006.)

This original and witty pilot spawned a series by the same name. "The Night Stalker" movie starred Darrin McGavin as the intrepid Karl Kolchak. Kolchak is an old fashion, wise cracking newspaper reporter who is like a dog with a bone when he gets a lead on a story. Set in Las Vegas, Kolchak starts covering a mysterious series of murders in which the victims were drained of all their blood. All facts lead to the unthinkable and unspeakable when it comes to city officials -- "It's Las Vegas, we can't scare off the tourists."

The plot thickens with each murder, yet Kolchak gets no cooperation from the authorities. Feeling a moral responsibility and seeing a sensational scoop, Kolchak follows this story to the bitter end.

The production values of the TV movie are indicative of television production standards of the day (sort of bland and without style), but the script is witty and McGavin is compelling as Kolchak. There's a charm behind the production that makes it endearing and engaging.

The series lasted two years and got increasingly more campy as it progressed, but there were some quality episodes in the series.

All That Jazz

2008-02-24T08:21:00.001-08:00

All That Jazz (1979)
Director: Bob Fosse
Cast: Roy Scheider, Jessica Lange, Ann Reinking, Cliff Gorman, Ben Vereen
Memorable Line: "It's showtime folks!"

This is Bob Fosse's quasi-autobiographical movie detailing his single-minded dedication to his work and his considerable character flaws. Joe Giddeon (Scheider) is Fosse incarnate in the movie, a Broadway choreographer turned director of stage and screen who runs on nicotine, caffeine and uppers. He's incredibly talented, but incredibly damaged, womanizing any chance he gets and neglecting the few women he does care about. His real dance is one with death. Jessica Lange portrays a death figure named Angelique that Gideon bargains without throughout the film, playfully negotiating for more time as he burns the candle at both ends.

Fosse is an overlooked director of considerable talent, a craftsman who's attention to detail is amazing, from the choreography, to the cinematography, everything is spot on. The editing in this movie is considerably note worth.

As far as the cast goes, this is Sheider's show and he carries the role off amazingly well. The supporting cast is solid, but unspectacular. Lange is captivating as Angelique, Ben Vereen pulls of the host of Gideon's death fantasy with lots of charisma and charm, and Gorman slyly portrays an actor who was working with Gideon on a biopic of of a famous comedian (Lenny Bruce).

Many will say that "Cabaret" is Fosse's best work and it may very well be, but this my favorite Fosse film.