Reviews
The Lady Vanishes (1979)
Stick with the Hitchcock original
This film is just a horrible remake of the classic 1938 original by Alfred Hitchcock which contains a first class cast from top to bottom and superior editing and cinematography. Cybil Shepherd is amazingly terrible and completely unconvincing in the lead role. Do not waste your time renting and watching this flick. Find the original in the Criterion version and enjoy a great and suspenseful yarn that will live forever.
Down by Law (1986)
Very boring and incredibly slow-moving
Most viewers seem to be enthralled by this film, but I just don't get it. The picture is incredibly slow-moving and the whole story is pretty boring. I thought those scenes in the jail would never end. This film needs a lot more action and a lot more character development. Nothing much ever seems to happen in the movie, and much of the dialog is muddy and very hard to make out. The actors just seem plain bored and going through the motions. The viewer never seems to figure out exactly how these men manage to escape, it just mysteriously happens. They just happen to stumble upon a lady with a house and plenty of food for all, who speaks fluent Italian. Give me a break! This film is a pathetic fantasy and has nothing at all to do with reality or any meaningful commentary on the human condition. It is vastly over-rated. I hope this film is not in any way representative of the typical independent films that are being shown and honored every year at Sundance. If so, I am happy to stay away.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Overly long
Lots of action but overly long. Could have been cut by a half hour very easily. Some interesting special effects but the characters are difficult to relate to or really care about. Sheer fantasy that might appeal to those who want some mindless escapism. There are better films to spend your 140 minutes on. The special effects seem to be derivative of other modern action or horror films like Matrix and The Mummy. Most of the acting in this film is rather wooden and the actors seem to be just going through the motions, hoping it will soon end. But it doesn't. It just keeps going on and on and on. The musical score is the best part of the film. It is hard to believe they are making a sequel to this movie, but money talks. It was obviously a big hit and must have brought in a ton of money at the box office. I will take a rain check on the next installment.
Sudden Death (1985)
Makes life in NYC look pretty scary
The film is full of sex and violence and reinforces what George Gerbner and his associates at the University of Pennsylvania claim about fictionalized TV and film violence leading us into a "Mean World Syndrome" perception of reality. New York City comes off looking pretty terrible and the males who inhabit it even worse. They are all thugs and sex-starved beasts who live only to drink and attack women. It's not a pretty place to be. The plot is a mirror image of the Bronson "Death Wish" films, but with a female vigilante who goes out to exact revenge on her rapist attackers. It also parallels "Sudden Impact" very strongly. Hence the title "Sudden Death." Poor acting and uninspired editing, but the film accomplishes its mission: to make us angry and retaliatory and vindictive. It is full of action and punks whom we are happy to see extinguished. Recommended to those who love vigilante movies and can suspend disbelief in many instances during this 90 minute get-even flick.
Herrliche Zeiten (1950)
Insightful socio-political documentary which sheds interesting historical perspective upon some of Germany's most glorious as well as most tumultuous times
Herrliche Zeiten is a very important historical documentary that takes an insightful look into both the most trivial and most profound dimensions of German history and German culture. Its focus on military history must be viewed today through the lens of hindsight and with an appreciation for the scriptwriter's bitter nostalgia about some of the most poignant and tragic of Europe's many costly and futile struggles. We are reminded that the world was warned more than once of dangers lurking on the horizon by the narrator's recurring, haunting, and cautionary warning: "Denken Sie an meine Worte!" (Think about my words). This film has a wonderful theme song which recurs throughout the story and reinforces the key leitmotifs. Highly recommended viewing if you are fortunate enough to locate a copy or find a local screening in your neighborhood. But I doubt that you will. Prints of this film seem to have virtually disappeared from the planet. What a shame.