Glib Reviews of Random Movies #5
Some more old reviews from my forum. again My opinons may have changed slightly since watching these movies, and maybe they haven't.
Walk On The Wild Side
by Ed Dmytryk. based on the Algren book of the same name. starring the ever noirtastic Laurence Harvey, Babs Stanwyck, and a young (and most amazingly assed) Jane Fonda as Kitty Twist. Fun, fast paced tale of doomed love. Just like in real life nobody gets any. though they have lots of drama queen fun trying. titles have kitties, and great "hep" music. well crafted fun.
Wolverine.
Didn't suck nearly as bad as I thought it would. the ending was an anti ending(and one of the most ludicrous set pieces in cinema history), but prequels often can't figure out how to end properly, so I wasn't expecting much. I'm glad there was less Gambit in it than the ads led me to believe. Most contrived annoying X-man ever imho. The Blob was cool. Deadpool will be back obviously. Hopefully in a comedy. A good example of a really terrible movie that can be enjoyed if you let your inner nerd run free.
The Exorcist by Friedkin,
Great Halloween viewing! I hadn't seen it in 10 or more years and did not watch the “new improved” spider girl version. I hate those updates in general. I bought the edition where Friedkin (sweater vest wearing Friedkin at that) intros the film. I love the odd pace and gorgeous eerie imagery. I forgot all about the crucifucking scene. sheesh. Ya don't see that everyday. Keenan Wynne is great as the film buff Police Captain.
The Day Of The Locust, by John Schlesinger.
Wow. How had I not seen this? THE Most unsentimental, (yet full of joyous nostalgia and the headiness of the age.) cynical Hollywood on Hollywood movie ever made. A molasses avalanche of spectacle ( a few makings of Epics glimpsed here and there) and the inherent seediness of the nobodies, and somebodies trying to make it in Hollywood at the tail end of the Depression. Based on the Nathaniel West novel of the same name, the movie shares it's literariness, unblinkingly... You want the great American Mise en Scene? It's all here, drama, melodrama, comedy, and loads of tragedy, and it ends in Horror. The monster is Hollywood. Great turns from Billy Barty, Burgess Meredith, and Karen Black is a Total Diva in this. Everyone is cast bang on, like a Coen Brothers movie.
Take Aim At The Police Van
(Seijun Sukuki) Hard boiled noir from the master of 60's Japa-Noir Suzuki... early fairly straight forward film from the guy who fucked up your brain with "Branded To Kill". Some flashes of future Suzuki weirdness. Great dogged lead character, a Prison guard who's on duty when some gangsters escape with a well executed break out from a po-po van. He gets suspended with pay, and investigates on his own, occasionally getting lightly slapped on the wrist by the cops, he kinda sorta falls for a Madam/mafia daughter... you know how that turns out.
Walk On The Wild Side
by Ed Dmytryk. based on the Algren book of the same name. starring the ever noirtastic Laurence Harvey, Babs Stanwyck, and a young (and most amazingly assed) Jane Fonda as Kitty Twist. Fun, fast paced tale of doomed love. Just like in real life nobody gets any. though they have lots of drama queen fun trying. titles have kitties, and great "hep" music. well crafted fun.
Wolverine.
Didn't suck nearly as bad as I thought it would. the ending was an anti ending(and one of the most ludicrous set pieces in cinema history), but prequels often can't figure out how to end properly, so I wasn't expecting much. I'm glad there was less Gambit in it than the ads led me to believe. Most contrived annoying X-man ever imho. The Blob was cool. Deadpool will be back obviously. Hopefully in a comedy. A good example of a really terrible movie that can be enjoyed if you let your inner nerd run free.
The Exorcist by Friedkin,
Great Halloween viewing! I hadn't seen it in 10 or more years and did not watch the “new improved” spider girl version. I hate those updates in general. I bought the edition where Friedkin (sweater vest wearing Friedkin at that) intros the film. I love the odd pace and gorgeous eerie imagery. I forgot all about the crucifucking scene. sheesh. Ya don't see that everyday. Keenan Wynne is great as the film buff Police Captain.
The Day Of The Locust, by John Schlesinger.
Wow. How had I not seen this? THE Most unsentimental, (yet full of joyous nostalgia and the headiness of the age.) cynical Hollywood on Hollywood movie ever made. A molasses avalanche of spectacle ( a few makings of Epics glimpsed here and there) and the inherent seediness of the nobodies, and somebodies trying to make it in Hollywood at the tail end of the Depression. Based on the Nathaniel West novel of the same name, the movie shares it's literariness, unblinkingly... You want the great American Mise en Scene? It's all here, drama, melodrama, comedy, and loads of tragedy, and it ends in Horror. The monster is Hollywood. Great turns from Billy Barty, Burgess Meredith, and Karen Black is a Total Diva in this. Everyone is cast bang on, like a Coen Brothers movie.
Take Aim At The Police Van
(Seijun Sukuki) Hard boiled noir from the master of 60's Japa-Noir Suzuki... early fairly straight forward film from the guy who fucked up your brain with "Branded To Kill". Some flashes of future Suzuki weirdness. Great dogged lead character, a Prison guard who's on duty when some gangsters escape with a well executed break out from a po-po van. He gets suspended with pay, and investigates on his own, occasionally getting lightly slapped on the wrist by the cops, he kinda sorta falls for a Madam/mafia daughter... you know how that turns out.
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