#20 - Sid and Nancy

I saw this two days ago from a different company's DVD release - I had some busy going on and didn't get the review written

It's a biopic about Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy - a pair of codependent drug addicts, one of whom just HAPPENED to be in the Sex Pistols - :)

It's a cool movie - some nice shots - I always had a thing for the Chelsea Hotel and they shot live there but I'm not a fan of the music and some drug movies can take you into the trip, and some can't - this one tries but it can't - there are some wonderful shots though that make you go whoa, like the fire in their hotel room or several of their closest scenes, such as the accidental (as portrayed) stabbing or the cab ride at the end

I mean, it's a good film and I had seen it before, but I dunno - you've seen one self-destructive rock star you've almost seen them all, know what I mean - still a decent film, though - but out of print on Criterion now

#19 - The Shock Corridor

#19 is the Samuel Fuller film he made before The Naked Kiss  - (which was the last movie we reviewed) - It's a slightly different take - about a journalist who goes undercover into a mental hospital to find the identity of a killer and win the Pulitzer.

There's some stellar scenes in here - One is of an African-American who thinks he is a white segregationist  (driven mad by pressure brought upon him trying to INTEGRATE into a school where he was harassed) - in one scene he's giving a vicious speech about the dangers of the "Negro" and Tim Robbins said later that Fuller told him he didn't write that speech.  It was lifted from the congressional record.    That's just a LITTLE renegade there :)

Another scene which I had been cued in on from the Naked Kiss DVD was the scene where he has a clear mental break and thinks it's raining in the hall - but for me the scenes that stuck out were the long conversational scenes between him and the inmates who may have seen the crime - There's just some wild creative dialogue flowing there - and all three of the men he interviewed, whoever they were then, cracked under pressures and strains we would all by sympathetic to I think, to some degree.  

Of course, this is pulp fiction to a degree - real people don't go mad or go thru what some of them did - but I do remember the story of one of my favorite songwriters, Townes Van Zandt, who went thru such intensive shock therapy in his early 20's that he could no longer remember his childhood, so there was SOME hell going on back then

Sadly, this is a very old print of the DVD, so there were no extras,  unless u want the colorbars in a black and white film :)  but Criterion has re-released it with another interview with Constance Towers (who had a leading role in this film) and you can always find most of the film essays on the site

Speaking of old, 7 of the next 10 films in the list are out of print - so suffice it to say, there won't be a lot of extras there either - and Robocop?   What the frack - but we'll work our way thru the list with a deeper appreciation of this American Director, Writer, and Producer in our repertoire now

#18 - The Naked Kiss

Now THIS is why I started watching these movies and writing about them - I wasn't familiar with Fuller's work - (except for probably The Big Red One) - and I'm not really familiar with any of Hollywood's classic cinema.   I've seen a lot more Toshiro Mifune than John Wayne.

This movie comes at you swinging out of the gate (literally) - watch that opening scene 2 or 3 times and you get a whole new appreciation for it.   A prostitute (played by Constance Towers  - leaves her pimp and settles in a small town where she walks away from the trade.   She finds a new career, a new love, and comes to realize there is no paradise in the world she walked away from, but not necessarily any in the one she came to

Samuel Fuller - man...what a traditional American Director - in the special features, he reminds me exactly like a Hollywood B-film director - (the films come across a little bit as such, but much better quality - he wrote, produced, and directed this film and a lot of his films) - several of the special features in my DVD are interviews with him and are def. worth the time to watch to get a feel for the director and to imagine how much fun it must have been to work it.  I see traces of Hunter S. Thompson in him - a bit of newspaper crazy and he wrote an excellent story

The Actors and Actresses are for the most part, unknown to anyone but serious cinema junkies  - I certainly didn't recognize any of them, but they did a great job within the confines of 1960's censorship to tell a story of the "Lower World" as he told it and one woman's attempt to rise out of it and maybe keep a couple others out as well -

My next film is also a Fuller film, and if I get a chance, there is an Eclipse series with the early films of Sam Fuller which I may try to get in there.   There is an excellent essay about a person who wrote the book on Fuller trying to identify WHY people like his films - and there is an honesty to them - a simple honesty, as Constance put it in her DVD interview extra.   I understand he was also a large influence on French Cinema and their French New Wave - I could see that - perhaps that is why I like this film so much -

Special props to this film for that crazy jazz soundtrack, which really contributes to the vibe of the film in certain scenes.  - Special features include 3 documentary clips with Samuel Fuller, one with the lead actress, and based on some of the tootage in them, this film has gotten an excellent restoration - suffice it to say that I'm looking forward to a lot more of Sam's films in the future

RB

#17 - Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom

yah...it's not happening, folks

I got the disk - I've looked at the trailer, I've read essays on it - and I skimmed parts of it, and I understand the historical and cultural significance of this movie and part of me really wants to try and watch it

I'm not alone - Roger Ebert owned it but never watched it - I recognize several film critics think you can't be a serious film watcher if you don't see it - it's on the list of 1001 movies you must see before you die...

but I do this blog and watch these movies for my enjoyment - and I don't think I can watch a two hour sexual torture filled film where many of the nude actors/actresses are under 18 -

if I were to get Spiritual as a Christian, it's that what you put into your life is what you get out - and personally, despite my love of cinema, I can see nothing in this film that would come back to me in a positive way

as a last ditch attempt to wrap my head around it, I read this essay by a film critic going to five other film critics to ask their opinion - they were 3-2 for watching it but he still didn't do it

you can find that one here

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2011/10/04/salo_five_film_critics_on_why_you_have_to_see_it.html

so I'm going to let this one go and dive instead into Samuel Fuller in a day or two - I recognize the right of this art to exist, but I recognize more my right to not watch it.

read the plot on wikipedia if you want and then make a decision - but I just can't do this one - sorry, guys

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EDIT 3/31/19 - watched it - actually I played a video game while I had it going on the side and could easily tune it out - absolutely nothing in there redeeming or worth talking about IMHO - good riddance

#16 - Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island

And so we come to the conclusion of the epic Samurai Trilogy with Duel at Ganryu Island.

Actually, out of the three movies, this probably has some of the least swordplay - the duel at the end is a mere 3-4 minutes - in history, this was two of the best known (and undefeated swordsmen) of their time.   Musashi would go on to do other things, including fight in other battles with armies and help wipe out a Christian Community in the south - (dick move there, Mushshi)

In this film, Mushasi Miyamoto is challenged to a duel by the swordsman in the previous film, who was a famous swordsman in real life by the name of Sasaki Kojiro - In the movie, he challenges Mushasi who initially accepts, but then goes off for a year to live in a village to protect it from Bandits - at the end of the year, he returns north and sails off to Ganryu Island to have their duel.  The actual history however, is a bit varied, contradictory, and complex

But this is cinema - and it wraps up a couple loose ends with the characters, and leaves you feeling like you've watched the formative years of Japan's greatest Samurai hero, even if again, as mentioned previously, it's a dramatized account based on a novel

To summarize, the Criterion extras are pretty sparse on this set - there are some 10 minute commentaries on each film about the real life events of each one by William Scott Thomas.  There are some film essays, and the original trailers but that's about it - it seems like a lot of these early Criterion films only get the good extras upon rerelease in a new version as a lot of the old editions I'm finding only have things like color bars :) - but anyways, I own these blurays and will be hanging onto them

RB

#15 - Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple

The second movie of the Samurai Trilogy takes our characters Musashi's battle with a famous sword school three years after the events of the first movie.   Musashi has learned that he is strong, but not zen enough to truly be a Samurai - This movie focuses on his growth during that time, and his engagement with the Yoshiaka Sword School

In the meantime he crosses path with another master, who seems bound and determined to let Musashi reach his peak potential before challenging him to a duel - These two will face off in the third movie.

A few brief words today about Toshiro Mifune, the main character - One could argue he was the Clint Eastwood of the Samurai Genre, and this was his "Fistful of Dollars" - A versatile actor we last saw in Seven Samurai - (made the same year as this movie) - Toshiro probably did more for the "wandering warrior" genre than anyone and these movies were what started that off -  In fact, one could say that he DID inspire Clint Eastwood, as Mifune's portrayal of a hired gun coming into town between two rival gangs was done first in Yojimbo (1961) than before Clint Eastwood in "A Fistful of Dollars" three years later.

Toshiro can play a wild man, a composed doctor, a gruff samurai, or any number or chracters and is probably the best known Japanese actor of his time to western audiences.

His most famous collaborations are with Akira Kurosawa, and they made 16 films together before having a falling out - Their movie "The Hidden Fortress" was an inspiration for George Lucas and Star Wars, and it's said on the Wikipedia page that Lucas offered him either the part of Obi-Wan Kenobi or Vader but Mifune turned him down.

As someone who's seen a lot of his films, it strikes me how much his acting change from film to film - you see a film with Tom Cruise, you know you're getting Tom Cruise - he's the same guy whether in Risky Business or Mission Impossible - the same delivery, mannerisms, voice, etc-  Same with Clint Eastwood - you're getting "That archtype Clint Eastwood" no matter what film he's in

With Mifune he doesn't really have an archtype - he would look for something,  maybe insignificant, like scratching himself, and use that to define the character, and he would change the character from film to film - aside from his voice, (which is strong and gruff) - he often changes how he presents himself so much that you do feel like you're looking at a different actor and a different archtype - he is most famous in his Samurai persona, but even those change from film to film - He has also done an excellent job in what were contemporary films of the day as well with no trace of the wild man Samurai in films like "Japan's Longest Day" where he plays the the War Minister, Amani at the last days of World War II

Mifune improves any film he's in, and it's no surprise this trilogy was the film that gave him (along with his Seven Samurai performance the same year) - a boost to his career

RB

#14 - Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto

Now we begin the Samurai Trilogy, directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and staring Toshiro Mifune as the larger than life legend of Japan, Musashi Miyamoto.

First off, I bought this blu-ray edition at the 50% off Criterion sale that happens at Barnes and Noble from time to time - I expressed in Seven Samurai my love for Samurai Cinema, and in fact have probably seen every Samurai film released by Criterion, and more than a few of them first on the big screen before the DVD's were released - but I watched this trilogy the first time several years ago, right as I was starting out and I'm pretty sure I didn't have as good an appreciation for it as I have now

Instead of blowing my entire night typing everything and not having anything for parts II and III, tonight, I'll just talk about Musashi - Musashi Miyamoto is probably the most famous samurai in Japan - (in fact, he's often just known as Musashi - if you say that name, people will know who he is)

He was renown as a master swordsman, a very cultured and gifted painter and poet, and writer of "The Book of Five Rings" - a master text on Samurai and Martial arts.  He fought 60 duels and never lost one.   There is a chance he is romanticized a bit - there are stories of his famous duel on Ganryu island being fought after some folks worked over his opponent and that he came and went in such a way he could immediately flee with the tide after the battle, but I digress

What you may be interested in knowing is that there have been over 100 films done on Musashi, and this trilogy is based on a novel - (rather a serialized story with about 1000 chapters in the newspaper) - the movie follows that novel closely, but the novel does NOT follow the real life events of Musashi very well - a lot of this movie is invented but hey, that's what makes a good story.

In the first movie, we see Musashi molded from a wild villager to a disciplined Samurai who leaves Kyoto knowing he has much to learn - He gets help along the way, especially from a Zen Monk named Takuan who makes the Mother Superior in Blues Brothers look like Mother Teresa - There are some love interests and some friends who either aid or distract him along the way - but this movie is like the first movie in a Superhero Trilogy like Iron Man - it establishes the character and shows us where he came from.   It is a transformation in awesome Eastman Color (rare for most Japanese movies of this time) - but the novel was like a Japanese version of Gone With the Wind, and some of the color and music do remind me of that setup - it's a fairly traditional story, without a lot of Samurai gore and blood, but plenty of action.

In Part II I'll talk a bit about Mifune

#13 - Silence of the Lambs

This is another one of those films that was released briefly and then went out of print in Criterion's Catalog.   Of course, it's probably one of the most famous ones that had been released up till that time.

What can we say here?   Anthony Hopkins was voted #1 greatest villain by AFI's 100 years of Heroes and Villains - (Jodie Foster was hero #6) - Anthony created a character here that is a cultural reference today.   Dark, intelligent, infused with as much culture as barbarism, Hannibal Lecter haunts this movie and created an incredible portrayal.   Over the years other actors have picked up the mantle in prequels, but no one could do what Anthony Hopkins did with this character.

Jodie Foster shouldn't be overlooked either - She does an excellent job as Clarice Sterling, the rookie FBI trainee from West Virginia.  I would have liked to have seen her in the sequel, although by this time she was directing on her own and doing great things.  The two make a twisted odd couple, trying to hunt down a serial killer dubbed "Buffalo Bill".   The pace and tension keep you engaged even on a second or third viewing, although I guess Gene Siskel didn't like it very much.  

What I didn't notice or remember from previous viewings was Demme's use of closeups tight on the face during conversations.   Anthony, Jodie, Scott Glenn, and others all get a turn on that tight closeup where the head virtually fills the top/bottom of the screen. - it's an interesting way to film that is probably going for something I'm not smart enough to determine, but suffice it to say, Anthony Hopkins gets the best closeups, including one where he just made a snack out of someone's face and is beating someone else to a freaking pulp

And it was the third (and last, up to now) movie to win the big 5 Academy Awards - (as per Wikipedia, The Big Five Academy Awards are those for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay (either Best Adapted Screenplay or Best Original Screenplay).)  

This is a movie that absolutely deserves a place in the collection, but now is out of print and is distributed by someone else, so I won't get into the special features except I'm sure the commentary by Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Jonathan Demme is something to listen to.  

On a side note, I've enjoyed these last two movies, but I'm looking forward to going back to the more historical and obscure stuff.  It's nice sometimes though to revisit these classics - (which, shoot, is 25 years old now but it doesn't feel 25 years old to me :D) 

RB

#12 - This is Spinal Tap

Been fighting a delay on getting this one - Since the Criterion Release is out of print and was unavailable I went with a streamed copy - my Library is dragging their buttocks on getting it to me - I'm going to start rotating as many of these as I can on Netflix even though I may not get the 2nd DVD that comes with a lot of these releases - I also get more blu-ray's that way.

but hey....one of the top 100 movies of all time - a Hilarious rockumentary - (mockumentary?)

I don't even need to talk about this film's plot or characters - it's such a cult classic and hilarious - but a few points -

The movie was almost totally improvised - there are a few dozen hours of footage, some of which end up from time to time on this or the other DVD/Bluray releases

Most musicians of that time who have seen it - (and even some less famous ones like myself) can point to one or two points and say "Oh yah, that's happened to me" - Some of the stuff I recall is playing a high school gymnasium with 20 seconds of echo and kids playing basketball while we played, breaking a string, handing it to a roadie, and getting it back with all six strings WAY outta freaking tune, and filling in for a band and having their fans literally clear the room in like one song -

Roger Ebert gave it 4 stars -

There's 70 minutes of extra footage on most editions of the DVD, and apparently the Criterion version has a commentary with the actors not acting, with the newer dvd's have them doing the commentary in character which I would think is meh compared to hearing the real life stories behind this one

on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this an 11 - cause sometimes you get to 10 and you need a little more, and there you go - this one goes to 11

RB