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Post by Hoosier X on Nov 2, 2015 16:33:04 GMT -5
I'm becoming a bit of a Bette Davis completist. I find myself putting every Bette Davis movie on the DVR if I notice one on TCM. And it always pays off! Especially her 1930s and early 1940s movies. I seldom see one from that period that I don't like. Even when she has a small role (Waterloo Bridge, Three on a Match, Fog Over Frisco) I usually love the movie.
Which is why I ended up DVRing Return from Witch Mountain last week. And then I noticed that Ray Milland is in Escape to Witch Mountain. So I ended up watching both Witch Mountain movies over the last few days.
I'm glad I did. I enjoyed them immensely. Mostly for Kim Richards. She is hilarious! I love her earnest looks of concentration when she uses her telekinesis or when she's communicating with her brother. And I laugh out loud when she talks to animals! The bear, the horse, the dogs. The goat.
But the best thing was in the sequel when she was running around in the alleys and abandoned buildings of downtown L.A. That bright outfit! Her loafers! Flailing her arms and hanging on to her purse so doggedly! And then helping the nice gang get away by throwing garbage at the bad kids!
I laughed so hard! I haven't laughed that hard since ... Saturday. I watched The Thing with Two Heads after I spent the earlier part of the night handing out Halloween candy to the local children.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 3, 2015 17:51:00 GMT -5
True Confessions (1981) Robert De Niro, Robert Duvalle, Charles Durning, Burgess Meredith
De Niro is a Catholic Price, on the rise within the Church's hierarchy. His brother, DuValle, is a homicide detective . Its California in the 1940s and a nasty murder of a young girl chopped in half leads to pornography rings and influential Church donors
De Niro doesn't have much of a chance to exhibit his acting chops. Its a good showcase for Robert DuValle and the great Charles Durning (I have been really relishing his roles lately). Good murder mystery but peters out at the finish. Burgess Meredith has a very small part.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 3, 2015 17:59:50 GMT -5
The Bank Dick (1940) W.C.Fields, Franklin Pangborn, Shemp Howard, Una Merkel, Cora Witherspoon
Egbert Souse' gets a chance to direct a movie, is mistaken for foiling a bank robbery and given a job as a bank guard as reward
No real plot just lots of comedy. Its like the script has him directing the movie and then they change their minds and drop it for something else while keeping the footage shot. But its still funny. Shemp is a bartender with plenty of opportunities to make faces. A young bank clerk named Og Oggilby invests in beefsteak stock. ("Og Oggilby... sounds like a bubble in a bathtub!")
So many funny lines. Not as great as Never Give A Sucker, but only a dick won't like this
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 4, 2015 13:39:46 GMT -5
The Violent Years (1956) Written by Ed Woods
Female teenage juvenile delinquents from good families go on an armed robbery spree for the thrills
One of the most important films of the 20th century. All parents must see this to prevent the further disintegration of our next generation's morals.These young teens wear tight Levis, listen to rock n' roll and wild jazz, smoke cigarettes and attend make-out sessions with boy punks. Listen to the judge with his 5 minute speech at the end of the movie. Only by attending church and taking these youngsters out to the woodshed will prevent them from behaving like a pack of wild animals as well as being commie tools. And take those damn comic books away from them too!!
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 4, 2015 13:53:49 GMT -5
International House (1933) W.C.Fields, George Burns & Gracie Allen, Bella Lugosi, Franklin Pangborn, Rudy Vallee, Cab Calloway, Rose Marie
Assorted wackos from around the world travel to a hotel in Wu Hu, China to see a scientist demonstrate his radioscope invention
More Fields' craziness in an all-star variety format and it's a pre-code to boot so you get scanty lingerie scenes. Fields, Burns and Allen, Lugosi and Pangborn account for about 90% of the screen time so all is good. Plus you get Cab Calloway and his marvelous "Reefer Man" song, Rudy Vallee singing a love song to his megaphone, Baby Rose Marie singing (later to play Sally on the Dick Van Dyke Show), Sterling Holloway dancing, a car on the loose in a hotel going up and down the fire escape...all just another day in Wu Hu
Franklin Pangborn again is his frazzled self as the hotel manager. That is 3 Fields film I've watched the last 3 days and they all have Franklin Pangborn and a car chase at the end. Just a coincidence? I can live with it. Thumbs up
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 5, 2015 13:20:15 GMT -5
My Little Chickadee (1940) W.C.Fields, Mae West, Margaret Hamilton, Donald Meek
When movie icons clash. Wild west setting. No chance for a car chase finale. No Franklin Pangborn either. West and Fields did not get along while this was being filmed. West wrote the screenplay, Fields rewrote the screenplay to increase his role. The script was forever changing and Fields was known to adlib as well. At one point he stormed off the set for over a week and the producer had to substitute a double to continue shooting. Still an enjoyable film due to the star's presence
"Is this a game of chance" Fields-"Not the way I play it, no"
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 5, 2015 13:24:05 GMT -5
When Harry Met Sally (1989) Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby
An all time favorite romantic comedy of mine. Haven't watched it in 15 years and still holds up well. Directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron. The orgasm scene was filmed at Katz's Delicatessen on Houston Street in Manhattan and my girlfriend and I used to go there and re-enact it. Good times.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 6, 2015 11:59:48 GMT -5
It's A Gift (1934) W.C. Fields
Grocer Harold Bissonette (pronounced Bisson..aye) inherits an orange orchard in California
This one leaps into #1 of my favorite Fields film . He is totally henpecked, pathetically so. Every scene works hilariously. Baby Le Roy makes his debut as one of W.C.'s foils. Unfortunately, the Field's films are now passed through the censor boards but thats not going to put a damp on his irascible character.
"Where are my kumquats?" "Do you know where I can find a Mr. LaFong. Capital L small a capital F small o...?"
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 7, 2015 15:58:03 GMT -5
You're Telling Me (1934) W.C.Fields, Larry "Buster"Crabbe
What more can I say by watching W.C.Fields movies. Even if this was not one of his best its still and fun watch. Here he's a hapless inventor and amongst his creations are a double nipple baby bottle, a nose picker-upper and a puncture proof tire. The tire has possibilities off making him rich but it won't be that simple. Buster Crabbe wants to marry Field's daughter but he's from high society and Fields and his family do not make great impressions. Another winner! If you're feeling down in the dumps, look for ol' WC to cheer you up
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Post by henrybrown on Nov 7, 2015 17:33:37 GMT -5
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)
Bob Mitchum and Deborah Kerr, who got on very well on the set and remained friends for life. This was in my DNA as a kid, as "the film with the soldier and the nun." Funny and nice seeing it in widescreen HD. As Mr. Allison says, Deborah Kerr had freckles.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 9, 2015 12:42:06 GMT -5
The Old Fashioned Way (1934) W.C.Fields, Baby LeRoy
Fields, The Great McGonigle, is the leader of a travelling vaudevillian group. Decent W.C. entry, the highlight being his epic confontation with Baby LeRoy at the dinner table. Fields also gets a chance to show off his juggling skills. Marred by a rather boring stage play performed by his show biz troupe
Terror By Night (1946) Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Alan Mowbray
Elderly lady and her son are transporting the huge diamond, The Star Of Rhodesia by train when murder comes a knockin'. Thankfully Sherlock Holmes is on board to solve the case
If you love movies based on train travel, this one is perfect.2nd to last Rathbone/Holmes entry with a nice twist ending
To Please A Lady (1950) Clark Gable, Barbara Stanwyck, Adolphe Menjou, Will Geer
Gable is a race car driver. Stanwyck is a newswoman columnist. When a fatal accident occurs, Stanwyck writes it up ,blaming Gables' method of driving as being the reason for the death. Gable gets barred from professional races. He slaps Stanwyck in the face then kisses her. I guess that pleases this lady
Decent film. Lots of race sequences. Gable could have been the all-time greatest driver if his big flappy ears were not so wind resistant
Jeopardy (1953) Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, Ralph Meeker
Barbara with hubby and son are on vacation in a remote,desolate Mexican beach. Her husband's (Sullivan) leg gets stuck under fallen timber and is trapped. The tide is rising too. Barbara gets in the car and races for help. But there's a killer on the road (Meeker). His brain is squirming like a toad. He slaps her and kisses her too. But he's no Gable
Very suspenseful. Meeker is outstanding as an escaped convict. Lets all get in line to slap Stanwyck and see what happens
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2015 4:17:58 GMT -5
Saw Spectre this afternoon and I admit it's has it moments and I was more impressed by the acting of Léa Seydoux as Madeleine Swann. I give it a 3 stars out of 4. To me, it's not a nearly good as Casino Royale, and it's whole lot better than Quantum of Solace and on par with Skyfall.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 10, 2015 18:43:11 GMT -5
Sherlock Holmes And The Secret Weapon (1943) Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Lionel Atwill
Sherlock guards a Swiss inventor who has developed a bomb sight that can change the course of the war. Professor Moriarty (always thought of as dead but not) has his own plans
Thank god the comic book heroes, Tarzan and other pulp stars were around to fight the Nazis. And we were sure lucky Sherlock jumped into the future by about 75 years or so to pitch in. Entertaining.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Nov 11, 2015 14:52:09 GMT -5
A Star Is Born (1976) Barbara Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, Gary Busey
Updated for the arena rock generation wherein a coked up, alcoholic, fading rock star discovers a great cabaret singer and pushes her into the spotlight
I wound up enjoying this much more than I originally did when it came out. Not a Streisand fan at all but I liked it as a guilty pleasure kind of vibe. Kristofferson was great. Supposedly Streisand, as the producer of the film, wanted Elvis as her first choice and personally went to see him. Colonel Tom Parker put an end to that as he didn't get along with Babs. In fact, she was in ultra high diva mode at this time. The director couldn't stand her and wrote a scathing book about the experience. Babs had a big fluffy afro for the film. The final 10 minutes is her face in extreme closeup singing her songs
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Post by Pharozonk on Nov 11, 2015 15:26:43 GMT -5
Marathon Man (1976)I'm a big Dustin Hoffman fan, but this movie was a disappointment for me. The first hour or so is fantastic, setting up a great dual story of Hoffman trying to get his PhD and win the girl while Roy Scheider is engrossed in an international espionage conspiracy. However, once Scheider and Hoffman meet up, the story begins to fall apart and the third act becomes quite tedious. The infamous tooth scene is well shot and suspenseful, but the action is rather uninspired and the ending is rather anti-climatic.
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