Imitation of the Frankie and Annette beach movies. A bunch of beach bunnies are about to lose their sorority house unless they can come up with ten thousand bucks. This leads to various schemes to raise cash. The one acclaimed to be the prettiest enters a beauty contest, winning by performing a belly dance that includes tilting over the judges' table with her hips. (She has to enter under a false name because her fiancé wouldn't approve. He turns out to be as lustful as any other boy when he doesn't recognize her because she's wearing a transparent veil.) The sexiest one is sent to seduce a brainy guy into solving a puzzle contest. (This leads to a slapstick scene with a 1960's-style computer.) The one who is supposed to be a good cook and the one who wears glasses, and who is thus obviously a scientific genius, enter a cake baking contest. (This leads to two scenes of cakes created with SCIENCE! blowing up.) Meanwhile, three boys pretend to know the Beatles to impress the girls. (This involves one guy pretending to be Ringo. His attempt at an accent is truly awful; he sounds about as much like Ringo as he does, say, John Wayne.) The problem is that the girls arrange to have them get the Beatles for their talent show, thus raising the money. Somehow this confusion leads to the three guys winding up in drag. Even though they are very, very obviously boys in dresses, everybody thinks they're girls. (A real girl even says about one "She's cute." Believe me, "she" isn't cute.) Of course, the Beatles don't show up, so four of the girls dress up as the Fab Four. Continuing this movie's theme of the world's worst disguises working perfectly, everybody thinks they're the real thing, until they get revealed as ersatz Mop Tops, are a big hit, and get the money, singing the hit song "We Want to Marry a Beatle." (Shouldn't that be "I Want to Marry a Beatle" or "We Want to Marry Beatles"?) Anyway, alternating with all this extreme silliness are songs from the Beach Boys, Lesley Gore, and the Crickets (without the long deceased Buddy Holly, alas.)
It was interesting to compare Young Frankenstein with Blazing Saddles. The latter is looser, more episodic and probably the inspiration for movies like Airplane! where the jokes come rapid fire. The former is more controlled, following a more discernible plot -- in part remaking the 1931 Frankenstein with more Mel Brooks, but not as much Mel Brooks as in Blazing Saddles.
["Pardon me, boy, is this the Transylvania choo-choo?" "Yes, sir, track 29. Would you care for a shine?" Saw it first in a theater and this was such an obvious joke I should have seen it coming, but no; I think I missed the next three jokes because I was still laughing.]
The Green Knight. Not sure how I feel about it. Putting aside how far it strayed from the source material, it seemed to be trying too hard to be ambiguous and artistic. On the other hand, there was a real sense of being on a mystical, otherworldly quest that I felt was missing from previous movies based on the same story,
I had a Few critter-oriented horror films on my DVR, just watched
RAZORBACK (1984) On the Outback, a much over sized wild boar crashes into a grandfather's home, and makes off with his grandson. The police charge him with murder, but lack evidence. Several years later, more people fall victim to the beast. Bereaved husband comes looking for revenge on the creature that killed his wife.
Two NOIR ALLEY films.
The Lineup (1958) When Muller described this film's chase scene as being the best until BULLITT, I was surprised that I never heard of it before. The chase scene is very intense, and even has the getaway car fishtail very close to the end of an incomplete elevated highway.
So, anyway, drug smugglers are stashing heroin inside souvenirs bought by unsuspecting American tourists, who have no trouble with getting through customs, partly because they are unaware of the smuggling. Once in the USA, the bad guys go to relieve the tourists of their souvenirs.
Dancer (Eli Wallach) is the very violent newbie whom Julian (Robert Keith) is teaching the business. Sandy (Richard Jaeckel) is the getaway driver. Oops, things go wrong from the start.
Two items are collected with no trouble, but the third, is unavailable, as the daughter had found the powder, and used it on her doll's face. How can the crooks make the drop without any explanation, and expect their client to be satisfied? Clearly, they need to meet the guy who makes the pickup, but he is unknown to them, and wants to remain so. They are screwed if they do not attempt contact, and if they do, they are even worse - off.
JOHNNY O'CLOCK (1947) Dick Powell has the title role, and is involved with gambling, etc., but is suspected when a cigarette girl (or, whatever) is murdered. Muller had previously said that Powell was out of his league as a noir heavy type, but, I recall no such critique this time.
Skipping most of the supporting cast, the senior partner of the gambling place is Guido Marchettis (Thomas Gomez, who had the last line other than from Rod Serling, in ESCAPE CLAUSE ) I knew I had seen him somewhere! Anyway, he is a very jealous man, whose wife has her sights set on O'Clock, who rejects her advances, and is unaware of the animosity of his partner.
Two, count 'em, two blaxploitation films from several weeks ago, TCM UNDERGROUND:
DOLEMITE (1975) VIOLENCE AND VERY NAUGHTY WORDS! Sorry, but it was two weeks ago, when I watched this, & that is about all I remember.
TRUCK TURNER (1974) Mack Truck Turner (Isaac Hayes) is an ex-football player who is now a bounty hunter. He takes an assignment to capture a pimp called Gator, which goes very wrong when Gator is killed. Now Gator's associate Dorinda (Nichelle Nichols) wants TT dead.
Just as much violence and profanity as DOLEMITE, but this one was watched just a week ago, and the plot is a bit more fresh in my memory. But the filth uttered by NN! Just seemed out of place!
Enemy at the Gates.
For the umpteenth time. Still, a terrific movie, although very loosely based on the truth. A terrific cast with Ed Harris brilliant as Major Konig.
Ha! I thought Nichelle Nichols swearing was the best part of Truck Turner (that and the cat ending). I have never seen her in a non Star Trek film.
I suppose a madam of a prostitution ring is different enough from Lr Uhura.
DIAL M FOR MURDER 1954 - I don't know if I had seen this before-I kept thinking of Sorry, Wrong Number.
The radio play. I was surprised to see Bob Cummings in a serious role. I associate him with Five Golden Dragons. I spotted Patrick Allen as a subordinate to the inspector (who does some Columbo-like tricks in this). I think Grace Kelly's acting leaves something to be desired though-at one point she does a weird expression of gaping mouth despair as she is being questioned which seemed awfully artificial.
This is a case where Hitchcock did not have a strong woman character. Unless the fact she was having an affair outside of marriage was the progressive element for the time.
I watched Jungle Cruise with some family tonight. Decent for a Hollywood movie. Although I couldn’t hear it.
It was full of indigenous south american folklore. Although I was suspicious of the language they were using when I heard “Watashi” i thought maybe it was about the kauri tree from Maori mythology. Just to put an edge on the conversation…
Enemy at the Gates.
For the umpteenth time. Still, a terrific movie, although very loosely based on the truth. A terrific cast with Ed Harris brilliant as Major Konig.
No worm, it was about the battle for Stalingrad. An edge-of-the-seat thriller about a Russian sniper being hunted by the best sniper Germany has. It's definitely worth a look.
I didn't like the time reversal scene in the Donner version.
I think it worked in the original as a way of showing Superman doing something really super that was done for himself instead of for others and in defiance of Jor-El.
Also, I think his mother was more logical to have in the scene where he asks to have his powers removed...Marlon Brando's floating head is just not as good.
Some of the Richard Lester stuff was ok but he did overdo the Metropolis comedy--though I did like the phone booth guy.
A SPECIAL COP IN ACTION 1976 - The Italian Dirty Harry, Maurizio Merli, wants to take down a crime boss (John Saxon) but ends up framed for murder and sent to the pokey. It's not as fun as some of the other Poliziotteschi flicks--Saxon was in a few better ones--but it does keep your attention. I was unaware until recently how violent it was in Italy in the 70s. These movies were reflecting the dangerous climate where kidnappings and shootings were happening frequently.
I agree, the whole 'back in time' bit was lazy and poor writing, and it made the whole film pointless as he could have gone back and done that right at the start of the movie. It was just about acceptable that he did it in I , as it was an exceptional circumstance with the death of his love - but a repeat suggests that he does it on a regular basis.
But as for the comedy elements, those were what made it such a fun movie, and without them it felt a bit odd and 'empty'.
No worm, it was about the battle for Stalingrad. An edge-of-the-seat thriller about a Russian sniper being hunted by the best sniper Germany has. It's definitely worth a look.
I watched Jungle Cruise with some family tonight. Decent for a Hollywood movie. Although I couldn’t hear it.
It was full of indigenous south american folklore. Although I was suspicious of the language they were using when I heard “Watashi” i thought maybe it was about the kauri tree from Maori mythology. Just to put an edge on the conversation…
We tried to watch this as a Friday family movie last night and quit by mutual consensus after about 45 mins. I was not expecting anything particularly original, but even so, we found this to be dull and plodding. Really nothing that has not been seen in Indiana Jones, the Mummy, Tomb Raider, etc. I enjoy this sort of film in general, but this one lacks the panache and wit to be interesting.
We watched an episode of Montalbano instead, and then I watched the first 90 mins of the new Peter Jackson Beatles doco, which is pleasantly slow, and very interesting, if you like this sort of thing. Yoko Ono is a silent and rather odd presence at John’s side throughout, and I can see why this might have irritated the others.
The Green Knight. Not sure how I feel about it. Putting aside how far it strayed from the source material, it seemed to be trying too hard to be ambiguous and artistic. On the other hand, there was a real sense of being on a mystical, otherworldly quest that I felt was missing from previous movies based on the same story,
I watched this the other night, well, most of it. It was too abstract for me. I agree they managed to nail that mythical epic tone well. But I was not enjoying it.
I watched a couple more 2021 films recently. Last night in Soho started off brilliantly. After the first 40 minutes I was already planning on recommending it to everyone. About an aspiring fashion designer in London who finds that she can travel back to the sixties, like in 'Midnight in Paris'. Then it turned into a horror movie out of nowhere and the main character spent the next 70 minutes screaming and running away from ghosts. After which they then tried to return to the plot threads opened at the beginning and it just did not work at all for me.
Also saw Pig. Actually enjoyed this one. Nicholas Cage as a truffle farmer. Found it quite sweet, understated, and moving. Themes of grief, loss, and Nic Cage.
new junk... Stealth 2012- super-jet hit by lightning becomes conscious etcetc. Offensive story, characters, jokes and soundtrack, but great explosions and jet action. Black Friday... you want this to be a Bruce Campbell epic ala Evil Dead series but he is restrained and seems uninterested. A gooey alien parasite hits 'We Are Toys' store on Black Friday. After that it's mostly jokes about retail sales, with possessed zomboids that run around absorbing shoppers into a big glob. Doesn't work as a horror or comedy movie, and just ends with no explanation of anything. Just Another Science Fiction Movie - just another waste of time.
A few of us posted lengthy plot rehearsals along with related thoughts and a few general observations on similar movies, and the massiveness of our efforts overwhelmed Jeffbert.
Not that that has stopped any of us, but it gives us something to kid him about.
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Anyway, he is a very jealous man, whose wife has her sights set on O'Clock, who rejects her advances, and is unaware of the animosity of his partner.
