Shallow Grave (1994)
Kerry Fox,Christopher Eccleston,Ewan Mcgregor
D-Danny Boyle

Three roommates agree on a fourth to move in who the next day turns up dead in bed but in possession of a large sum of money. When the roommates decide to keep it for themselves they need to figure out the best way to dispose of the body.Meanwhile two gangsters are looking for that cash and things are spiraling out of control 

First feature films for both Ewan McGregor and director Danny (Slumlord Millionaire) Boyle. A nifty noir that reminds me of both Hitchcock and the Coen Brothers.The roommates are rather cold-hearted to sympathize with but the cast are top notch. The situation gets increasingly paranoid and suspenseful. You won't be sure where the film is heading which makes it a great ride

9 of 10 stars

Petulia (1968)
George C.Scott, Julie Christie, Richard Chamberlain, Joeseph Cotten, Arthur Hill, Shirley Knight
D-Richard Lester

Doctor Archie Bollen (Scott) works at the San Francisco Municiple Hospital. Recently divorced with two sons. Currently dating a lady named May. At a hospital fund-raiser he meets Petulia Danner (Christie) the wife of a rich socialite (Chamberlain). Petulia relentlessly pursues Archie, even telling him they are destined to marry. Slowly Archie learns the truth behind Petulia and her relationship with her husband

George C Scott is one dynamic actor and Julie Christie captivates by her beauty and vulnerability. This is an under-values film, a film that at first you'll believe Petulia is nothing more than a kook,a flake,a bored woman looking for excitement. Not at all,as you'll see the film tackles a subject that was hardly discused back then. An excellent character driven movie and fine support from Richard Chamberlain

Most interesting was what was not planned or foreseen.The movie was shot in San Francisco in 1967, at the height of the Summer Of Love. The film crew and cast had no idea of what to make of the scene but found it extremely interesting and tried to incorporate as much as they can into the film. So you have some wonderful street shots of the city at that time. Its the cameos where they strike gold

The opening scene is at a fund-raiser.On stage performing is Janis Joplin and her original band Big Brother & The Holding Company. Later in the film, Members of The Grateful Dead are seen as next door neighbors and there are some quick,psychodelic insertions of the Dead in concert.Members of the comedy troupe The Committee and The Ace Trucking Company as well as Howard Hesseman and Rene Auberjonois have walk ons . Joplin and the Dead's appearences are very brief unfortunately but appreciated

8 of 10 stars

I really liked this movie when I saw it on tv as a teenager in the 70s. I had never heard of Judy Holliday at the time, so she was a complete surprise to me. I saw Born Yesterday around the same time, and another Holliday/Lemmon team-up called Pffft!, or something like that. They were all great.

I was a big fan of Hollywood romantic comedies up to the 50s and maybe a few years beyond (from seeing them on tv in the 70s), but I think they've lost the touch the last few decades.

Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell (1974)
Tomisaburo Wakayama,Akihiro Tomikawa
D-Yoshiyuki Kuroda



The 6th and final film, and the ultimate confrontation between Ogami and Retsudo. With most of his family already dead at Ogami's hands, Retsudo launches one last plot to destroy Lone Wolf, and when that fails, unleashes the fury of every remaining member of the Yagyu Clan.

We saw in the first film Retsudo, leader of one of the most powerful clans, order the death of Ogami's wife and frame him to lose his position as chief executioner. Throughout the series Retsudo has sent assassins to deal with Lone Wolf including his three sons.All have been dispatched. An earlier film had the two meet in direct battle,Ogami woounded and Retsudo's eye plucked out.Now Retsudo has been told,kill Lone Wolf or forever face ridicule

First Retsudo sends his last remaining child, his daughter.She is a fearsome knife hurler but is skewered by Ogami.Then Retsudo seeks out his illegitimate son who agrees to kill Ogami for his own reasons.This son is practiced in black magic and raises from the dead three warriors.They follow Lone Wolf and Cub from town to town by burrowing under the ground.Anyone Lone Wolf buys food from, they kill. Any home Lone Wolf sleeps for the night, they kill its owner. Lone Wolf hears their voice out of nowhere.They promise they will kill every innocent that helps Lone Wolf in any way

The movie opens with a funky 1974 theme song that would go well with Shaft or Superfly.As described this film delves into the mystical but be assured there is plenty of slice and dice swordplay.I've seen mentioned someone keeping count of how many kills Lone Wolf has.Through the first 3 films its supposed to be over 300 hundred and it certainly hasn't slowed down since. This films big finale takes place on snowy mountains with the killers on skis and Lone Wolf's baby cart outfitted like a sled

And so ends the original Lone Wolf movie series.The comic itself by Kazuo Koike continued to 1979 and lasted 8600 pages.First comics also reprinted them (not sure if the reprints were complete). A few years later there was a TV series in Japan by a different cast that lasted 3 years and 78 episodes that told the balance of the story. Lone Wolf's portrayer Tomisaburo Wakayama went on to many other movie and TV roles but never returned to this character.The actor who portrayed his son Daiguro never followed up acting as a career and was imprisoned for 3 years for gun smuggling

White Heaven in Hell gets 8 of 9 stars. The whole series gets 9 of 10. Highly recommended

I'm trying to remember which Lone Wolf and Cub movie a certain scene appears in. I thought it was the final one, but maybe not. The way I recall it, the Lone Wolf finally faces off against a very high-ranking samurai who may be as good or better than him, and who doesn't really want to fight him but has to do so because of his position and honour and all that sort of thing. Before their combat, waiting for Ogami to arrive, he sits down and plays a melancholy tune on a wooden flute. To western eyes and expectations it seems weird - though perhaps not so much now after all these years of being exposed to Asian cinema - but at the same time it's extremely moving and such an effective contrast to the upcoming violence. I think it's very near the end of the film. Does anyone remeber this scene? I checked wiki to see if maybe there was a later Lone Wolf movie beyond the 6 Ish reviewed, but the 7th movie they list was just cobble together from bits of the earlier films. There was a tv series, though, which I either never knew or forgot about - maybe the scene I'm thinking of came from that, although I remember it as a movie.

The Cocteau version has some good bits of humor. I thought it was economically done as well. I think it is just 90 minutes and I think we're spared a lot of added melodrama that might have been heaped on in a Hollywood version. I've yet to see Cocteau's Orpheus.

Slam, Ish and Hoosier:

Too many quotes to copy and agree with.

As a card-carrying anarchist Commie pinko liberal from way back, I'm not supposed to care at all for John Wayne. But I love so many of his movies and see so much more there than we might think at first. 

Despite his politics and his lack of service in "The Big One," I find him a much more appealing person than Ronald Reagan ever was.

Have seen Big Jim and it is indeed so bad it's good. McClintock didn't hold up for me: enjoyed it as a kid, but it seemed stupid, and a tragic waste of Maureen O'Hara. Some say it's The Taming of the Shrew in the West, but it is not one-tenth as subtle or shaded. 

The Shootist (like Ride the High Country) is elegy at its finest. James Stewart and Richard Boone are perfect in their parts. Books's credo (" I won't be lied to...") is splendidly put.

Agreed on Stagecoach and Fort Apache. Hope you also have seen and enjoyed She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

Add The Quiet Man and Trouble Along the Way to your list of comedic Wayne appearances. 

Can't go without mentioning They Were Expendable: excellent all around. Wayne and the Ford stock company prove they are inexpendable...