Chariots of Fire.

Review #1464: Chariots of Fire.

Cast:
Ben Cross (Harold Abrahams), Ian Charleson (Eric Liddell), Nicholas Farrell (Aubrey Montague), Nigel Havers (Lord Andrew Lindsay), Ian Holm (Sam Mussabini), John Gielgud (Master of Trinity College), Lindsay Anderson (Master of Caius College), Cheryl Campbell (Jennie Liddell), Alice Krige (Sybil Gordon), Struan Rodger (Sandy McGrath), Nigel Davenport (Lord Birkenhead), and Patrick Magee (Lord Cadogan) Directed by Hugh Hudson.

Review: 
"The artist is a credulous animal. He is often a dreamer. And if he finds someone who appears to share his dream, or, even better, someone with the means to realize that dream, then that artist tends to believe in Santa Claus."

Sometimes you just need a film about the will to win. I suppose if anyone had to try and make a sports film about the triumph of victory with perseverance and faith, it might as well be one from the British about something historical. Whether that makes for a true classic or not is up to the viewer, who no doubt will have heard that one tune from Vangelis that starts the film up, one that is inspirational and all the jazz. This was a co-production between Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox (international) that was spearheaded by British producer David Puttnam, having been behind films such as Bugsy Malone (1976) and Midnight Express (1978) that wanted to do a film in the mold of A Man for All Seasons (1966) - where one had to follow their conscience, which just happened to fit the mold of the story of the 1924 Olympics that was written by actor-turned-writer Colin Welland. The director tasked to do the film was Hugh Hudson, a first-time film director mostly known for advertising and documentaries. If they managed to accomplish an accurate film, let them enjoy the fruits of said attention, even if there had to be certain liberties taken to get to this point: One can't really be serious to believe a runner wouldn't know about a heat being on Sunday right before going on a trip to compete in the Olympics. Two characters are based on folks that refused permission to have their real names to being used, while a romance for one of the leads is actually ten years too early. There is a mix of established and young faces, with Cross, Charleson, Farrell, and Havers being backed up by Holm, Gielgud, and Anderson. The sentiment must have paid off, since the film won four Academy Awards (one each for Puttnam Vangelis, and Welland), including Best Picture (over films like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Reds - a punchline in it of itself).

If one really gets a tremendous inspiration from the story of two runners making their mark on the world through their faith and courage, go right on ahead. It has all the things one could for appeal for the traditionalists (with a modern electronic music touch) that goes for the inspirational without leaning on extreme sentiment or anything with too much contrivances - entertainment or otherwise. And yet, here I am, trying to figure out why it proves so average in my experience - a picture of illusion and platitudes that nearly choke out the air of actually finding something to really say anything meaningful about liking it. In other words, it feels like someone pulled over a bag over my head and somehow got me to the market while I only saw a bunch of decent images in the bag. We are talking about a "sports film" of running, after all. It seems like the kind of film people rush to elevate on a pedestal when trying to make a "prestige picture" that only just balances its story of Liddell and Abrahams to where I appreciate the effort and some of its aspects that go with it while not really reaching a high point. David Watkin does well with the cinematography, and Cross and Charleson are at least calm enough to make their struggle one to care for. Gielgud and Richardson are exactly what you could expect from the college angle, dignified and with reason even when doing a scene about expressing certain doubts about Charleson and his methods to glory. Holm proves to be most enterprising of the bunch, endearing in steadfast conviction that we care to see for what we see spliced in from time to time in teaching to victory without falling to all the clichés. In the end, it just depends on what one really sees the film in the prism of entertainment. Some people really get swept up in a film that is all about conviction and country - I just see it as not too far removed from other "sports films" that have their own little foundation of courage for the underdog, where you might as well call it Rocky (1976) for British people and running. If you are into a film of the stiff upper lip in the face of adversity for 124 minutes, this may very well be for you.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

A Clockwork Orange.

Review #1440: A Clockwork Orange.

Cast: 
Malcolm McDowell (Alex DeLarge), Patrick Magee (Mr Frank Alexander), Michael Bates (Chief Guard Barnes), Warren Clarke (Dim), John Clive (Stage Actor), Adrienne Corri (Mrs Mary Alexander), Carl Duering (Dr Brodsky), Paul Farrell (Tramp), Clive Francis (Joe the Lodger), Michael Gover (Prison Governor), Miriam Karlin (Catlady), James Marcus (Georgie), Aubrey Morris (P. R. Deltoid), Godfrey Quigley (Prison Chaplain), Sheila Raynor (Mum), Madge Ryan (Dr Branom), Anthony Sharp (Frederick, Minister of the Interior), and Philip Stone (Dad) Produced and Directed by Stanley Kubrick (#044 - Full Metal Jacket, #065 - The Shining, #093 - 2001: A Space Odyssey, #1046 - Barry Lyndon, and #1301 - Dr. Strangelove)

Review: 
"I have always enjoyed dealing with a slightly surrealistic situation and presenting it in a realistic manner. I've always liked fairy tales and myths, magical stories. I think they are somehow closer to the sense of reality one feels today than the equally stylized "realistic" story in which a great deal of selectivity and omission has to occur in order to preserve its "realist" style."

Stanley Kubrick made thirteen feature films in his career, and it is interesting to note the numerous distinct genres that they all fall into, whether that meant anti-war (such as Paths of Glory), or film noir (The Killing), or period drama (Spartacus) or comedy-drama (Lolita), all the while having a touch and patience of a chess player in creating such tremendous interesting films to view. Kubrick had an interest in photography and film from a young age, and he was hired by Look magazine after he graduated high school. He would later develop interest in making his own films, which he started with Day of the Fight (1951), a short documentary that survives among two others Kubrick did before making his feature debut with Fear and Desire (1953). Over the next 46 years, Kubrick would develop numerous films that received attention and tremendous praise, and it should prove no surprise that this film is a masterpiece - one with discipline with madness and a great lead performance from Malcolm McDowell. Kubrick was inspired to cast McDowell in the film after seeing him in Lindsay Anderson's influential if... (1968), and he stated that if he could not have hired McDowell that he wouldn't have done the film at all.

If one needs to think of the context for comparing a film that is nearly a half century old to the films that purvey our screens, just remember that this was actually released by a major studio - Warner Brothers of all ones. Of all the provocative films that rocked a decade of grime and paranoia, A Clockwork Orange certainly stands out as one for its age. It was adapted from the novel of the same name by composer/writer/linguist/critic Anthony Burgess, who had written it in 1962 with a good deal of it written with a unique jargon named "Nadsat", which was Russian-influenced English to depict a subculture of young people in a dystopian society focused on extreme violence and the exploits of Alex from ultraviolence to reformation. There exists two versions of the novel: The original British novel with 21 chapters that ended with Alex deciding on his own free will to give up a life of senseless crime and violence. When brought to American publishers, they felt that the last chapter needed to be taken out as audiences would not go for this decision, so it was omitted (which proved the case for the next two decades of publication for American audiences). Burgess described that version and the film as like a fable while describing his original book as a novel with a "quality of genuine fiction". Kubrick described it as an extra chapter that he hadn't read until after he had written the screenplay, stating that it was "unconvincing and inconsistent with the style and intent of the book." Burgess had mixed feelings for the resulting adaptation (which was actually the second one done, after Andy Warhol's Vinyl six years earlier), particularly with the way it dealt with glorifying violence, stating it as making it easy for book readers to misunderstand what it was all about.

One wonders how a film like this ever got made, one with such creeping power that other films can only dare to try and defy in the following years. Others may have more blood or more frightening imagery, but there is just something about this one particular film that grips your attention as if it was some sort of disturbing hypnosis that can make you wince or laugh at its black comedy roots. It isn't all ultraviolence nor all funny but a film with a madman point of view that is handled with discipline and tremendous style. One is pulled in immediately with McDowell to observe and hear in each and every scene that shows his bold depravity that we cannot but keep thinking about now more than ever. Whether through singing "Singin' in the Rain" through a rape scene or trying to repress his violent urges, McDowell excels in conviction as someone we can't help but observe in showing what it means to have their free will challenged. Magee and Bates both do well on the sides of dogmatic reactionaries to our main focus, with the former proving a cynical foil while the latter provides blustery bluster that keeps our attention. Others have brief moments that they utilize quite well for us to observe when interacting with McDowell, whether that involves ultraviolence or not.

There is a reasonable pace of 136 minutes, carefully weaving its way through dark moments (if one can get through the opening 25 minutes, you can get through anything) with irony. We are talking about a movie that has someone killed by a phallus statue that cuts to a painting at the key moment, after all. Granted, one could have discomfort over its violent nature, because what seems like just a movie for John Q. Public isn't exactly going to provoke intelligent thought from someone who only sees the violence and nothing else (which can also prove the case with a number of satires). It's up to the viewer to assess how much it works on the satiric level about free will or violence. The argument over whether violence in film and television can have an effect on the viewer to do said violence is still something we talk about five decades later (as if violence begets more violence), particularly for a film that was pulled from release in Britain (which linked the film as an impetus for a spring of copycat crimes) just two years after release upon request of Kubrick. The US release was originally rated X, but a few subsequent small cuts by Kubrick led to an R rating, although it should be noted that current releases contain the original version (ironically enough with an R-rating). Regardless of how one thinks of the violence, it cannot be denied that this is an intensely great film, one free to do madness at its own choice that excels because of Kubrick and McDowell, a magnificently uncomfortable experience with strokes of genius in satire and dystopia that will linger with its audience long after they find themselves observing it.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Tales from the Crypt.

Review #1145: Tales from the Crypt.

Cast:
"...And All Through the House" segment: Joan Collins (Joanne Clayton), Martin Boddey (Richard Clayton), Chloe Franks (Carol Clayton), and Oliver MacGreevy (Homicidal Maniac)

"Reflection of Death" segment: Ian Hendry (Carl Maitland), Susan Denny (Mrs. Maitland), Angela Grant (Susan Blake), Peter Fraser (Motorist), and Frank Forsyth (Tramp)

"Poetic Justice" segment: Robin Phillips (James Elliot), David Markham (Edward Elliot), Peter Cushing (Arthur Edward Grimsdyke), and Robert Hutton (Mr. Baker) 

"Wish You Were Here" segment: Richard Greene (Ralph Jason), Barbara Murray (Enid Jason), and Roy Dotrice (Charles Gregory)

"Blind Alleys" segment: Nigel Patrick (Major William Rogers) and Patrick Magee (George Carter)

With Ralph Richardson (Crypt Keeper) and Geoffrey Bayldon (The Guide). Directed by Freddie Francis (#854 - They Came from Beyond Space, #856 - The Evil of Frankenstein, and #860 Dracula Has Risen from the Grave)

Review: 
Tales from the Crypt is an anthology film with five segments that are based on stories from EC Comics, which had done numerous horror comics in their three horror comic series - Tales from the Crypt, The Haunt of Fear, and The Vault of Horror (each created by Al Feldstein and William M. Gaines) from 1950 to 1955 before censorship pressure led to its end. It wasn't the first anthology film that Amicus Productions (founded by Max Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky) had been behind, as they had been behind films such as Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965), The House That Dripped Blood (1970), and a few others. A year later, they would be behind The Vault of Horror, which also was based on stories from the EC Comics line. In any case, the stories here are meant to feature someone facing ironic punishment through their wicked actions, with the Crypt Keeper (played by a hooded and yet somewhat eerie Richardson) showing up for the wraparound segments.

The segments are a bit uneven, but there is just enough that works to make a winner. To talk about the film, I'll just simply say what I thought about each segment in terms of entertainment quality, since they have their own respective actors and run-times. The first segment is named "...And All Through the House", featuring Collins alongside Martin Boddey, Chloe Franks, and Oliver MacGreevy. It's a decent little segment, with a little bit of terror generated from its setup (involving a maniac dressed up as Santa Claus), although it does manage to get a bit lost with the other parts. Collins doesn't have much to say, but at least she is someone we can follow along with in their terror and own fears, and the ending helps make it worth the effort. The second segment, named "Reflection of Death" features Hendry, Susan Denny, Angela Grant, and Peter Fraser. It is an okay segment with a bit of a simple premise, but it isn't really too memorable, having only one shot that makes it stick out - although it probably won't have as much effect upon a re-watch. The third segment is called "Poetic Justice", featuring Phillips, David Markham, and Cushing. It certainly takes time to get interesting, but it does manage to hold itself enough to warrant entertainment, and it is nice to see Cushing in a warm role that goes well against Phillips. The penultimate segment, titled "Wish You Were Here", is my least favorite segment, featuring Greene and Barbara Murray. It comes off as a tedious version of "The Monkey's Paw" while not really having a satisfying payoff. Honestly, I wonder why they included a story where the lead doesn't even do anything adversarial (is a ruthless businessman that bad when compared to murderers, abandoning your family, an exploiter of the blind, or driving a man to suicide?) to merit his ironic punishment - which is made especially weird since the other stories feature main characters who all do misdeeds. The last segment of "Blind Alleys" makes up for it with a strong foundation featuring Patrick, Magee, and George Herbert. It moves along at a fine pace while being chilling just enough to help carry the film to the finish line smoothly enough. On the whole, the movie does manage to work as entertainment in giving chills to its audience. This is done with enough competence and care generated from its screenplay by Subotsky and direction from Francis to go along with a mostly game cast that manages to overcome some uneven edges to make this a fair piece for the season.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Barry Lyndon.

Review #1046: Barry Lyndon.

Cast: 
Ryan O'Neal (Redmond Barry), Marisa Berenson (Lady Lyndon), Patrick Magee (Chevalier du Balibari), Hardy Krüger (Captain Potzdorf), Gay Hamilton (Nora Brady), Godfrey Quigley (Captain Grogan), Steven Berkoff (Lord Ludd), Wolf Kahler (Prince of Tubingen), Marie Kean (Belle), Murray Melvin (Reverend Samuel Runt), Frank Middlemass (Sir Charles Reginald Lyndon), Leon Vitali (Lord Bullingdon), and Michael Hordern (Narrator) Directed by Stanley Kubrick (#044 - Full Metal Jacket, #065 - The Shining, #093 - 2001: A Space Odyssey)

Review: 
The film was based off the 1844 novel The Luck of Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray, with a few significant changes from the novel, such as utilizing a narrator over having Lyndon narrating. Barry Lyndon was Stanley Kubrick's tenth feature film, being released between A Clockwork Orange (1971) and The Shining (1980). It could be argued that this film isn't as well known as other films directed by Kubrick, with the film not being too much of a success on general release, although it has had a rise in reputation in recent years. When asked about his favorite Kubrick film, director Martin Scorsese said this about the film: "I'm not sure if I can have a favorite Kubrick picture, but somehow I keep coming back to Barry Lyndon." I can't say that this is my favorite film of his, but I will admit that this is a fairly neat gem that merits some respect. The best aspects of this film is its technical qualities and its finely constructed narrative, although it likely isn't the film for everyone. I can't say that O'Neal doesn't do a great job in the main role, but I also can't say that his performance isn't one of the weaker ones in the film, and it stems from his arc in the film. I think he does a fine job when it comes to trying (and failing) to fit in to the social ladder, but there are certain moments when he comes off a bit wooden, although he is never awful to watch on screen nor frustrating to see, capturing a nonredeemable man fairly well. Berenson does a fine job in her role, having a stillness and convincing nature to her that works to her advantage. Magee is a fair standout. The rest of the cast do their parts fairly satisfactory, fitting in with the look of the film without being distracting, like portraits in a museum. The narration by Michael Hordern is a key highlight, being quite fitting when he speaks that fits the moment quite well. This was a departure from the novel, which tells the events in first person through Barry. When asked about why he made the change, Kubrick stated that "[it] worked extremely well in the novel but, of course, in a film you have objective reality in front of you all of the time, so the effect of Thackeray's first-person story-teller could not be repeated on the screen." In any case, the narration works well for the mood and pace of the film.

The film won four Academy Awards, winning for Best Art Direction (given to Ken Adam, Roy Walker, Vernon Dixon), Best Cinematography (done by John Alcott), Best Costume Design (Milena Canonero, Ulla-Britt Söderlund) and for Best Original Song Score or Adaptation Score to Leonard Rosenman, for his arrangements of music of Franz Schubert and George Frideric Handel. Of note is that there are sequences in the film that were shot without resorting to simply using electric light, with special lenses being utilized for the film that had been developed for use in the Apollo moon landings, allowing scenes to be lit with actual candles, with other shots using certain lighting to try and mimic natural light. There are also numerous lengthy wide angle long shots that assist in the film having a static but fitting quality. The 187 minute run-time could be a bit of a deal breaker for someone looking for something a bit less slow, but others will find it to be a fine price to pay to appreciate the beauty in the film. On the whole, this is a magnificent film in its scope and its scale, having a certain quality to it that merits a watch.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Dementia 13.

Review #592: Dementia 13.

Cast
William Campbell (Richard Haloran), Luana Anders (Louise Haloran), Patrick Magee (Dr. Justin Caleb), Bart Patton (Billy Haloran), Mary Mitchell (Kane), Eithne Dunne (Lady Haloran), and Peter Read (John Haloran) Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Review
This was the first mainstream film made by Francis Ford Coppola, and this was made only because Roger Corman had leftover money after making one of his numerous films (The Young Racers, which had some of the cast in this film), and Coppola made the story outline in about a day, with the production in Ireland. Corman did not like how the movie was after Coppola showed him the finished product, and so Corman demanded an additional death scene along with a prologue to be added, though the version I watched lacks the prologue. The movie has an eerie Gothic feel, with the castle being the backdrop. The plot is paper thin at times and sometimes odd, but in the end it all comes together to make a pretty well made movie. Coppola knows what he's doing and the cast does a fine job with the material. There aren't many murders, but at least the movie still enjoyable, even if the identity of the killer could be figured out by the halfway point. Take this for what it's worth, especially on this day, Friday the...13th. Yeah...Countdown to 600: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.