Monthly Archives: March 2020

Gamera vs. Guiron (1969)

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Gamera vs. Guiron (AKA “Attack of the Monsters, “Gamera tai daiakuju Giron”)
Directed by Noriaki Yuasa
Written by Niisan Takahashi
1969/Japan
IMDb link
First viewing/YouTube

 

[box] [Akio tells the grownups what he’s learned from his alien adventure] Akio: Let’s make the Earth a great place to live, without war, and traffic accidents… [/box]

This stupid movie is perfect for the terminally distracted during Lockdown.

Two annoying little kids are kidnapped by aliens who want to gain knowledge by eating their brains.  Gamera, the giant fire-breathing turtle, comes to their rescue.  He must first defeat Guiron, a giant ninja shark.

This is just exactly as pitiful as it sounds.

Clip

 

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)

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The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Directed by Ronald Neame
Written by Jay Presson Allen from a novel by Muriel Sparks
1969/US
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/YouTube

 

[box] Jean Brodie: Little girls! I am in the business of putting old heads on young shoulders, and all my pupils are the creme de la creme. Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she is mine for life. You girls are my vocation. If I were to receive a proposal of marriage tomorrow from the Lord Lyon, King of Arms, I would decline it. I am dedicated to you in my prime. And my summer in Italy has convinced me that I am truly in my prime.[/box]

This study of delusion and comeuppance has held up very well over the years.

The action takes place over several years in the mid-1930s.  Miss Jean Brodie (Maggie Smith) teaches middle-schoolers at a girls boarding school in Edinburgh.  She is passionate about her vocation.  She handpicks a set of “special girls” and seems to have their lives planned out for them, concentrating on the qualities she deems them to possess.  Sandy (Pamela Franklin) is the “dependable one”; Jenny is the “pretty one”, etc.  But Miss Brodie, with her lofty ideas of art and beauty and romance,  is not living in the real world.

She is carrying on with two male colleagues, one of them married.  This gets the girls’ pubescent minds in an uproar of speculation.  As the girls get older, Jean relishes encouraging their dreams of love and sex.  Miss MacKay (Celia Johnson), the Headmistress, thoroughly disapproves of Jean’s many excursions outside the curriculum but Jean resists any attempts to reign her in.  I’m going to stop here because the ending is just too good to spoil in any way.  With Robert Stephenson and Gordon Jackson as Jean’s lovers.

This is an old favorite and when I first started watching it, I though Maggie Smith might be overdoing it a bit much.  As I got into it, it seemed to me that her flamboyance suited her histrionic character perfectly.  Then, as Jean’s castle in the sky begins to crumble, Smith gets very raw and real.   Both Franklin and Johnson are equally superb.  Recommended to those looking for a good drama/character study.

Maggie Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actress.  Rod McKuen was nominated for his Original Song “Jean”.

Trailer (contains spoilers)

Z (1969)

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Z
Directed by Costa-Gavras
Written by Jorge Semprún from of Vasilis Vasilikos
1969/France/Algeria
IMDb link
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel

[box] Françoise Bonnot, Voiceover Narration: [final lines] The military regime banned: long hair, miniskirts, Sophocles, Tolstoy, Euripides, Russian-style toasts, strikes, Aristophanes, Ionesco, Sartre, Albee, Pinter, freedom of the press, sociology, Beckett, Dostoyevsky, modern music, pop music, new math, and the letter Z, which means HE LIVES in Ancient Greek.[/box]

Not a comfort watch for Lockdown but a a masterpiece of political cinema.

In an unnamed country (clearly Greece), political feeling is high with a repressive military junta in almost full control.  There is also a leftist opposition party with a peace platform, branded as communist by the junta.  As the film begins, the opposition is attempting to hold a political rally but is denied permission to gather anywhere.  Eventually, “Z” (Yves Montand), an opposition Deputy and respected ex-Olympic athlete, gives a speech over loudspeaker to a crowd made up of military police, rabble rousers, and supporters.  He is struck brutally in the head by hired thugs and eventually dies of his injuries.

Jean-Louis Trintignant plays the prosecutor who tries to find the truth for the remainder of the film.  The violence does not stop.  Several witnesses are murdered.  The prosecutor is subjected to enormous pressure to find the killing an accident.  With Irene Papas, in a nearly wordless but moving performance, as Montand’s wife and Renato Salvatori and Marcel Bozuffi as hired thugs Vago and Yago.

This film beautifully combines ideology with a story that also works superbly as a tense thriller.  Costa-Gavras did a beautiful job here. I think the only movie that equals this one for the realism of its crowd scenes is Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers (1966).  The acting, down to the smallest supporting part, is phenomenal.  The score intensifies the high drama of the thing.  Highly recommended.

Z won Academy Awards for Best Foreign-Language Film and Best Film Editing.  It was nominated for Best Picture (the first time a film was nominated in both the Foreign-Language and Best Picture categories); Best Director; and Best Writing, Best Screenplay Based on Material from another medium.

Hello, Dolly! (1969)

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Hello, Dolly!
Directed by Gene Kelly
Written by Ernest Lehman from a play by Thornton Wilder
1969/US
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/YouTube rental

[box] Dolly Levi: And on those cold winter nights, Horace, you can snuggle up to your cash register. It’s a little lumpy, but it rings![/box]

Not my favorite musical but cheerful enough for the Lockdown.

The setting is 1890’s New York.  Widow Dolly Levi (Barbra Streisand) is an expert at arranging things, particularly marriages.  She has been working on the case of the wealthy confirmed old bachelor Horace Vandergelder (Walter Matthau).  As the story begins, she has been given charge of his niece Ermengarde, who wants marry a painter (Tommy Tune), while Horace travels to New York City to propose to milliner Irene Malloy.

Following Horace’s departure, his clerks Cornelius (Michael Crawford) and Barnaby decide to play hooky and follow their boss to New York.  Dolly aids and abets all this mischief by encouraging Ermengarde to elope and suggesting that Cornelius and Barnaby play a call on Irene Malloy.  By the end of the story, Dolly has made several matches including for herself.

This is a musical that takes choreography to levels unseen since “Oliver!”, i.e. with a cast of thousands joining almost every single number.  In addition, Streisand seems entirely too young to play this part.  The songs are good though and it is certainly better than watching existential terror during a Lockdown.

 

Divine Madness (1980)

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Divine Madness
Directed by Michael Ritchie
Written by Jerry Blatt, Bette Midler, and Bruce Vilanch
1980/USA
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant

[box] I wouldn’t say I invented tack, but I definitely brought it to its present high popularity. — Bette Midler[/box]

Nothing like a Bette Midler concert to get the old blood circulating in the midst of Lockdown.

This is classic Midler from the period not so far away from the days she drew crowds at New York’s gay bathhouses.  She takes raunch and camp to extreme levels, then follows these funny bits with some awesome powerhouse singing.

I enjoyed this so much.  Recommended to fans.

Ruthless People (1986)

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Ruthless People
Directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker
Written by Dale Launer, based loosely on a story by O. Henry
1986/US
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant

 

[box] Barbara: [seeing the Donald and Daisy Duck masks Ken and Sandy are wearing] Oh my God! I’ve been kidnapped by Huey and Dewey![/box]

I have seen this hilarious comedy several times over the years so I knew it was a perfect candidate for the Lockdown.

Sam Stone (Danny Devito) is a philandering, ruthless, vile fashion tycoon.  He hates his loud, obnoxious wife Barbara (Bette Midler).  He is planning her murder with great relish, revealing all the gruesome details to mistress Carol.  She in turn confides in her moronic lover Earl and they plan to blackmail Sam.  But before Sam can take action, Ken (Judge Reinhold) and Sandy Kessler (Helen Slater), perhaps the nicest and most wholesome couple in America, kidnap Barbara.  Sam had defrauded Sandy of the money she should have made from designing the spandex mini-skirt.

Ken calls Sam and demands $500,000 ransom, threatening to kill Barbara if his instructions are not followed to the letter.  Sam refuses to pay and orchestrates a huge media circus.  He is overcome with glee at this turn of events.  But Barbara is more than a match for Ken and Sandy and they continue to reduce the price.  Then the tables turn in a couple of very interesting and outrageously funny ways.

I love this movie so much.  It’s mean, it’s raunchy, it’s outrageous and it has one hell of a satisfying ending.  Danny De Vito and Bette Midler are just splendid.  If you are looking for a good belly laugh or five, check this one out.

My Night at Maud’s (1969)

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My Night at Maud’s (Ma nuit chez Maud)
Directed by Eric Rohmer
Written by Eric Rohmer
1969/France
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

 

[box] Maud: You’re the most outrageous person I’ve met. Religion has always left me cold. I’m neither for nor against it. But people like you prevent me from taking it seriously. All that really concerns you is your respectability. Staying in a woman’s room after midnight is dreadful. It would never occur to you to stay because I’m lonely. To establish a slightly less conventional relationship even if we should never meet again. This I find stupid – very stupid and not very Christian.[/box]

Perfect fare if you feel like thinking deep thoughts or exploring the human condition during Lockdown.

Jean-Louis (Jean-Louis Trintignant) is a thirty-something engineer with a penchant for philosophy and mathematics.  He has just moved to a new town. He’s a practicing Catholic and becomes smitten with a beautiful blonde, Christine, who he sees every Sunday at mass.  It takes him awhile to build up to introducing himself.

One night, he meets an old friend, Vidal, who invites him to come with him to see his ex-girlfriend Maud (Francoise Fabian).  Jean-Louis agrees.  Maud is a free-thinking, sensual, agnostic divorcee.  Vidal, a Marxist, and Jean-Louis, a Christian, get involved in a long talk about Pascal’s Wager.  Pascal’s wager is a decision whether to “bet” on the existence of God and believe and live as if God exists or to “bet” that God does not exist and live accordingly.  Pascal argues that all rational people should bet that God exists, even if the odds are slim, because the rewards and risks are infinite (eternity in Heaven vs. eternity in Hell).  The belief that God does not exist carries only finite benefits and inconveniences.  Maud seems to be highly amused by the conversation. Eventually, Vidal leaves and Maud invites Jean-Louis to spend the night.  It is a very awkward and chaste evening.

Immediately after this encounter, Jean-Louis tracks down Christine and introduces himself. He finds she is not the innocent virgin he thought but that does not stand in the way of their courtship.  Maud moves away.

Years pass.  Jean-Louis and Christine are now married with a small child.  They go to the beach and run into Vidal and Maud.  It is an awkward encounter but all the participants respond to it with grace.

Someday I will figure out how Pascal’s wager informs the plot of this film.  There’s a lot of decision making going on here and I just know Pascal gets involved somehow.  This is not the day for that.  I love this movie for its thought-provoking story, beautiful actors, beautiful France, and beautiful ideas.  Highly recommended.

A New Leaf (1971)

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A New Leaf
Directed by Elaine May
Written by Elaine May from a story by Jack Ritchie
1971/US
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant

 

Henry Graham: You dare call me a son of a bitch? Madam, I have seen many examples of perversion in my time, but your erotic obsession with your carpet is probably the most grotesque and certainly the most boring I have ever encountered. You’re more to be scorned than pitied. Good day, Mrs. Cunliffe.

Combine Elaine May’s wit and Walter Matthau playing totally against type and you get a hilarious and heartwarming comedy for the Lockdown.

Henry Graham was a trust-fund baby and employs “gentleman’s gentleman”, Harold.  He has blown through both the income and principal of the fund and is now pennyless. Harold suggests he solve his financial problems by marrying wealth.  Henry seizes on this, secretly harboring the idea of staging an accidental death after the ceremony.  He is reduced to begging a loan from his former trustee on a bet that he can find and marry a suitable woman within six weeks.  His search does not start well.

Finally, with less than a week to go, he spots wallflower Henrietta Lowell at a tea party. She is plain, gauche, friendless, and is a walking disaster area.  In a word – perfect.  Henry throws on the charm and sweeps her off her feet.  She clearly adores him.  He tries to disguise his contempt for her.  Wedding bells are ringing before the week is over,

A proposal over Mogen-David Extra-Heavy Malaga Wine with lime and soda. LOL

Never ceasing his research on how to get away with murder, Henry takes over Henrietta’s household, rapidly firing the servants that have been robbing her blind. He can’t quite find the opportunity he seeks.

Henrietta is a noted professor of botany.  Her dream is to discover a new species of fern. The two take a field trip to an isolated spot to look at plants.  What better place to have an accident?  With a hilarious Jack Weston as Henrietta’s frantic lawyer.

This movie is one truly funny moment after another.   May was responsible for the witty dialogue, the solid camera work, and an absolutely hilarious performance.  It might be hard to imagine Walter Mattau as the effete, arrogant snob type but he carries it off with aplomb.  My favorite scene is during the wedding night when Henrietta puts her head through the armhole of a toga nightgown and Henry tries to unravel her.  Highly recommended, including to those putting together a 1971 films list.

Clip – Henry’s search for a spouse

Groundhog Day (1993)

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Groundhog Day
Directed by Harold Ramis
Written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis
1993/US
IMDb link
Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant

 

[box] Phil: There is no way that this winter is *ever* going to end as long as this groundhog keeps seeing his shadow. I don’t see any other way out. He’s got to be stopped. And I have to stop him.[/box]

This movie’s clever premise and strong screenplay have aged beautifully.

Phil (Bill Murray) is a cynical, conceited TV weatherman who detests his job.  The worst part is going to Punxsutawney, PA every February 2 to report on the emergence of groundhog Punxsutawney Phil.  According to legend if Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. This year he is accompanied by cameraman Larry (Chris Elliot) and beautiful, wholesome producer Rita (Andie MacDowell).  Both of them are fed up with Phil. A blizzard forces the trio to stay the night.

Then the movie proper begins.  Every day becomes Groundhog Day.  Phil awakens to exactly the same song and announcer each morning and meets the same people over and over.  He tries everything he can think of, including attempted self-destruction, but nothing works.  No, Phil must live the same day until he gets it right.

I love this movie.  The acting, particularly Murray’s, is excellent and the dialogue is perfection.  It combines romance and silliness in a totally original way and leaves the viewer with hope for the human race.  Highly recommended in these times of trial.

Inexplicably, this film was nominated for zero Academy Awards.

All Monsters Attack (1969)

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All Monsters Attack (Gojira-Minira-Gabara: Oru kaijû daishingeki)
Directed by Ishiro Honda and Jun Fukuda
Written by Shinichi Sekizawa
1969/Japan
IMDb link
First viewing/Criterion Channel

 

[box] Minira: Godzilla says that I should learn to fight my own battles, y’know.

Ichiro Miki: Against big guys?

Minira: Uh-huh. [/box]

Utterly lame Godzilla movie perfect for mindless Lockdown viewing.

A little boy is beset by bullies at school.  In his dreams, he goes to Monster Island where he befriends Minira, Godzilla’s son, who is also beset by bullies.  Minira resembles an athropomorphic otter and speaks Japanese.  The two, and eventually Daddy ‘Zilla, must fight various monsters off.

As the Godzilla franchise got older, the films were made for younger and younger audience..  Is this the nadir of the franchise?  Time will tell.  There is a fair amount of unintentional hilarity in the miniature work.

Clip