Bonnie and Clyde (1967).

Review #981: Bonnie and Clyde.

Cast:
Warren Beatty (Clyde Barrow), Faye Dunaway (Bonnie Parker), Michael J. Pollard (C.W. Moss), Gene Hackman (Buck Barrow), Estelle Parsons (Blanche Barrow), Denver Pyle (Frank Hamer), Dub Taylor (Ivan Moss), Gene Wilder (Eugene Grizzard), and Evans Evans (Velma Davis) Directed by Arthur Penn.

Review:
August holds significance for this film, as it was released 50 years ago on this month, with three different premieres: August 4 (for the Montréal Film Festival), August 13 (New York), and August 23 (Los Angeles) before going into general release the following month. In any case, I decided it made sense to finally cover this movie today to see how it has aged after (roughly) 50 years. There is something about how the movie works on nearly every level, from its cinematography by Burnett Guffey to its dynamic cast to how it becomes more than just a movie with violence (and lots of it) that opened the floodgates to a new level of bloodshed in cinema that is still readily apparent today. There have been countless other films revolving around criminals and/or a good deal of violence (such as say, The Wild Bunch (#591), though that was a Western), but this does not manage to fall into the background because of how it operates itself, with the ending scene being shocking in its execution. Of note is the use of squibs (a miniature explosive device) in order to imitate bullet hits, which surely stands out from prior movies that didn't have as much (or any) blood for the violence. The editing by Dede Allen is also quite good, having a rapid pace that rolls with the action neatly, with influence coming from the styles used for films directed during the French New Wave. Beatty and Dunaway both do great jobs, along with having a great chemistry together that seems instantaneous. The rest of the cast is also quite excellent in roles that led to further fame (along with an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Parsons), with Hackman and Parsons being enjoyable to watch in their interactions within the Barrow Gang. In a film as rough as this is, there is still a level of humor and excitement one can get from all that happens in the movie, from the first scene with Beatty and Dunaway to the Gang escaping from the cops with Parsons holding onto a spatula. It's a forthright kind of film that never seems inauthentic with its goals and pace. The film does take liberties with what happened in real life with the Barrow gang, but it does not alter the fact that this is still a fine piece of entertainment that never ceases to be anything other than captivating.

This was a controversial film upon release, with criticism being about the level of violence apparent in the movie, but it was still a major success (no doubt due its appeal for the generation the movie was released to). No matter what you might think about how the film portrays violence, the legacy that Bonnie and Clyde has in changing the way violence is depicted on screen is undeniably still felt today, for better or for worse. It may not be everybody's cup of tea, but it definitely pulls no punches in how it operates itself and achieves all of its goals.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Mara of the Wilderness.

Review #948: Mara of the Wilderness.

Cast:
Adam West (Ken Williams), Lori Saunders (Mara Wade), Lelia Walsh (Mara Wade - Age Seven), Denver Pyle (Kelly), Theo Marcuse (Jarnagan), Roberto Contreras (Friday), Eve Brent (Mrs. Wade), Ed Kemmer (First Pilot), and Stuart Walsh (Second Pilot) Directed by Frank McDonald (#835 - Scared Stiff).

Review:
The wilderness leaves itself open to a variety of possibilities to set movies around, and this one certainly tries to use its location to make some fair quality entertainment. With this film (also known under the title Valley of the White Wolves), I can say that this is a decent movie that isn't really too special, but the main cast do pretty alright. West does a capable job, handling himself pretty well with the others; it's interesting to note that this was released just one year before he starred as Batman in the 1966 film and television series of the same name, which arguably stood out in people's minds more than his film roles. Saunders doesn't say too much, with her movements and facial expressions being feral-like that somewhat work, though at its heart the movie is more focused on adventure than the title character. Marcuse is the villain for the movie, and he certainly shows a brute nature of greed that is pretty effective. Contreras doesn't really have much to do, aside from reading lines one by one. For a film that lasts 91 minutes, it doesn't really seem to feel too long/short, though there isn't much in terms of chemistry between West and Saunders. The action scenes aren't too special; the scene with Saunders and Marcuse is okay, though there are quite a few cuts to Contreras' face before he turns on Marcuse (which you can guess pretty quickly); West's fights with Marcuse aren't long either, just having a quick resolution after some punches.  As stated by the end credits, this was photographed in the Deschutes National Forest, and the film does seem to work best when showing off the land, which looks quite beautiful, and it helps give the movie fine atmosphere.. While the movie isn't really anything too special, I can see this being acceptable family entertainment with some noteworthy talent involved; it may be a bit hard to find on DVD, but one can likely find it if one looks hard for it on the Internet. The level of enjoyment one finds in this can vary from either average to just a bit above average, depending on what you are looking for.

In any case, I wanted to do my own little tribute to Adam West, who had died one week ago. His work in the Batman series (and film - #177) is one that many people grew up with or heard about from their parents, and I can say that his portrayal stood out quite significantly. Rest in peace, Mr. West.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.