I don't want to hear about how deep or profound this boring overblown mess is. The fights are tiresome and the philosophy even more tiresome. What was fresh exciting and dazzling the first time around is dark drab and exhausting to sit through. There is one very impressive action piece near the end but its not enough for me.
Reviews
37 Reviews
A grave full of dollars
2 June 2003
The absolute best western ever made. My admiration and pure love for this film grows as the years pass. I've seen this at least 50 perhaps more times and never tire of it. I love Red River, The Searchers and the Wild Bunch but as great as they all are they're a distant second. To start with the score is mesmerizing haunting and beautiful. This film is funny, sentimental and very unique in its style and mood. Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef are the coolest antagonists ever matched in cinema however it is Eli Walach who steels the film in a very much underrated unforgettable performance.
Like all of Sergio Leone films there is a very thin line that occasionally is crossed on both sides of good and evil.
Tuco ` Walach ` is the center of three of the most greedy ruthless characters you will ever see yet you care about him and feel his pain when he is scorned by his brother for the path he has taken in his life. Only in the extended Italian version does Angel Eyes ` Cleef ` show any humanity as he enters a confederate hideout and displays compassion for badly wounded soldiers otherwise he is a bloodthirsty killer. If Blondie ` Eastwod ` is truly good were all going to heaven.
It's not only a great western but it is my favorite Civil War film as well. Aside from the Spanish terrain the costumes, uniforms, buildings and weapons are the most historically accurate I've ever seen on film. Leone does a great job of creating the look and mood of the time even better than any American production. Its beyond my comprehension how this film was produced for only a million dollars of which 250k went to Clint.
If there is anyone left out there in the world that has not had the pleasure of seeing it I envy you the thrill of seeing it for the first time. Below are SPOILDERS of my favorite scenes in the film. The order does not represent preference.
Angel Eyes riding at the opening of the film & Morricone's background score.
The announcing of crimes as Tuco is about to be hung ( hysterical ) done twice
Tuco robs a gun shop (hysterical)
If you're going to shoot, shoot don't talk! (hysterical)
Tuco and three men come to kill Blondie in his hotel room. There are those with spurs who come by the door, Tuco does the sign of the cross, and those who come by the window!
Tuco meets his brother after years of separation
Blondie helps comfort a dying soldier
Tuco searching for Arch Stanton's grave, Moricone's score
The final showdown between the GB&U.
Like all of Sergio Leone films there is a very thin line that occasionally is crossed on both sides of good and evil.
Tuco ` Walach ` is the center of three of the most greedy ruthless characters you will ever see yet you care about him and feel his pain when he is scorned by his brother for the path he has taken in his life. Only in the extended Italian version does Angel Eyes ` Cleef ` show any humanity as he enters a confederate hideout and displays compassion for badly wounded soldiers otherwise he is a bloodthirsty killer. If Blondie ` Eastwod ` is truly good were all going to heaven.
It's not only a great western but it is my favorite Civil War film as well. Aside from the Spanish terrain the costumes, uniforms, buildings and weapons are the most historically accurate I've ever seen on film. Leone does a great job of creating the look and mood of the time even better than any American production. Its beyond my comprehension how this film was produced for only a million dollars of which 250k went to Clint.
If there is anyone left out there in the world that has not had the pleasure of seeing it I envy you the thrill of seeing it for the first time. Below are SPOILDERS of my favorite scenes in the film. The order does not represent preference.
Angel Eyes riding at the opening of the film & Morricone's background score.
The announcing of crimes as Tuco is about to be hung ( hysterical ) done twice
Tuco robs a gun shop (hysterical)
If you're going to shoot, shoot don't talk! (hysterical)
Tuco and three men come to kill Blondie in his hotel room. There are those with spurs who come by the door, Tuco does the sign of the cross, and those who come by the window!
Tuco meets his brother after years of separation
Blondie helps comfort a dying soldier
Tuco searching for Arch Stanton's grave, Moricone's score
The final showdown between the GB&U.
Ice Station Zebra
(1968)
Less Than Advertised
21 July 2001
Disappointing but adequate spy adventure epic when compared to other Sturges action adventure films of the 60's. Poor casting and stiff performances along with too many obvious exterior shots done with paintings behind the actors in a studio keep ISZ from being the big epic it suggests to be. Patrick Mcgoohan overacts, Rock Hudson is stiff, Jim Brown is plain awful and Ernest Borgnine one of my favorite character actors is pathetically miscast as a Russian. Please someone explain to me why in EVERY and I mean EVERY cold war thriller the characters never smile or have any personality other than portraying stoic zombies. It also appears as though very little if any location work was done. I didn't expect a film crew to go to the arctic but even at 10 when I originally saw it the sets and above water/ice outdoor shots were very unconvincing. The underwater sequences were far more enjoyable and visually satisfying. My favorite scene is that of a man falling between an ice cavern.
Anzio
(1968)
Ok but no epic here. Contains spoiler
21 July 2001
Warning: Spoilers
The 60's was the decade for many big WWII epics. The Longest Day, The Great Escape, The Battle Of The Bulge and so on. Anzio flashes the goods lots of men, ships, tanks and a good cast unfortunately this is no epic. It comes off as mild anti war statement with one medium size battle sequence and a few skirmishes but overall very ordinary. The ambush and slaughter of the two ranger battalions as they move out of a trench to an open field is however historically true right down to the camouflaged tanks and machine gun nests hidden by hay stacks.
Still The Best Bond: Spoilers
16 June 2001
Warning: Spoilers
James Bond has been a part of my life almost my entire life. I have seen every EON produced film in the cinema prior to television. I have read all of Fleming's novels and a few by Gardner. I anxiously wait for the next installment between films. My favorites have changed as I have grown up. The one constant is that On Her Majesties Secret Service has been and I believe will always be my favorite. The first thing that must be mentioned is the performance of George Lazenby. Lazenby's casting in the series has been perhaps the most controversial event in the entire series. The most obvious reason being he was the first to replace Connery. I can't think of any film series in cinematic history in which an actor so strongly anchored down a role that replacing him would be almost sacrilegious! After all look how long Connery floundered after he left the series. As the promo stated Connery Is Bond !! Lazenby is the best Bond after Connery. Why ? To start with Moore, Dalton & Brosnan all lacked the physical presence of Connery specially Dalton who I think I could kick his ass. Lazenby on the other hand looked solid in a tux and very convincing in fight scenes as well as walking and moving with a confident arrogance about him. After all Bond films are first and foremost action films. Lazenby's acting was a bit stiff but I believe had he continued the role he would have improved with age and been able to carry the series for many years as he was the youngest ever to portray Bond. Overall Lazenby's performance was far better than Moore who nearly destroyed the series with his contempt and buffoonery. Dalton was very good actually resembling the literary Bond more than even Connery but again he lacked any physical presence or humor. Brosnan could be the best next to Connery if he bulked up a little.
OHMSS represents the last serious Bond film ` if you can call a Bond film serious ` before a long period of silly almost self parody entries starting with Diamonds Are Forever and ending with A View To A Kill. OHMSS is perhaps closer to a Fleming novel than any other entry and yet is also the most visually cinematic. The majority of the action is in the Swiss alps and the cinematography is the best in the series. Bonds accent in the helicopter to Piz Gloria is breathtaking. Of all the locations I've seen in Bond cinema a view from Piz Gloria is the one I hope to someday experience. The plot or scheme SPECTRE Ala. Ernst Stavro Blofeld of spreading biological world destruction with his brainwashed angels of death is refreshing after the endless atomic and nuclear bomb threats rehashed over and over again in previous and future entries. The truly unique element of OHMSS of course is Bonds serious relationship and marriage to Tracy. Who else could capture Bond's heart and measure up to his bravado other than Diana Rigg or should I say Emma Peel?!. A lot of people have commented ` too bad Connery didn't star in this film just think what he would have done ` If Connery signed on for OHMSS I GARENTEE the formula would have been that of You Only Live Twice and the marriage and seriousness would have been dropped. This is not to say Connery wouldn't want to do it that way but Broccoli would have balked and stayed with a proven formula which was resurrected with DAF. OHMSS is also completely void of gadgetry. I don't favor having or not having gadgetry in a Bond film. I think that alternating its presence through the series has been a good idea. I believe that its absence in OHMSS is a big plus for several reasons. The previous four films starting with From Russia With Love through You Only Live Twice went from introducing gadgetry to oppressing us with an overabundance of it to the point of turning James Bond into robot that pushes a button to dispose of his enemies and escape every danger. By dropping it from OHMSS Bond is allowed to use his mental and physical skills to solve his problems most notably when escaping the giant cogs of a cable car mechanism. This also provided Lazenby the opportunity to display his physical assets. Had the gadgetry been employed here his performance would have suffered more.
What really makes OHMSS stand out is the action. The pre-credit fight and subsequent fight in Tracy's hotel room are fast and furious. A trademark of early Bond films but sadly lacking in latter Bond films. Although there is a long gap between these two fights and the next action sequence Bond's escape from Piz Gloria the last 30 minutes or so we are treated to some of the best action sequences ever staged. Two ski chases, a car chase, another fight, a real avalanche, a helicopter raid on Blofeld's institute and a bobsled chase. The editing is rapid fire and all of the action is fast and energetically intense blended with Barry's magnificent score and Reed's lavish cinematography. The ski chase has since become a reoccurring action piece in later Bond films however only the pre-credit sequence in The Spy Who Loved Me compares and that was the best and only exciting action scene in that film.
The ending is another source of controversy? Why? I don't know how else could it end? Unless they intended to make this the final Bond film could I see Tracy not dying otherwise how could the series continue? Remember this was made in 1969 everybody died at the end of a movie in 1969. Unfortunately OHMSS was not a big success and the finger was pointed directly at Lazenby. There were consequences that proved to be good and bad from this. To the good the producers managed to get Connery back one more time. To the bad Lazenby was through as Bond ` by his own choice `. How was this bad? I had to put up with Roger Moore for 12 years and seven films, all of which are on the bottom of my Bond rankings. The series also never again departed from the usual formula again until License To kill another excellent but different Bond film. Like OHMSS it was also a box office failure. I think real Bond fans like both of these films but the general Bond public will only accept the formula established by Goldfinger. I believe it serves the series well to depart occasionally from traditional formula and OHMSS did it exceedingly well. When compared to today's action films, OHMSS stands up very well while I think the other Bond films of its time have lost some of there impact and if you look at films by Bay & Woo which I hate you can see an attempt to edit action fervidly. They fail miserably by over editing to the point of making the action incoherent. OHMSS stands out for being fresh unique and ultimately the most exciting Bond film ever.
OHMSS represents the last serious Bond film ` if you can call a Bond film serious ` before a long period of silly almost self parody entries starting with Diamonds Are Forever and ending with A View To A Kill. OHMSS is perhaps closer to a Fleming novel than any other entry and yet is also the most visually cinematic. The majority of the action is in the Swiss alps and the cinematography is the best in the series. Bonds accent in the helicopter to Piz Gloria is breathtaking. Of all the locations I've seen in Bond cinema a view from Piz Gloria is the one I hope to someday experience. The plot or scheme SPECTRE Ala. Ernst Stavro Blofeld of spreading biological world destruction with his brainwashed angels of death is refreshing after the endless atomic and nuclear bomb threats rehashed over and over again in previous and future entries. The truly unique element of OHMSS of course is Bonds serious relationship and marriage to Tracy. Who else could capture Bond's heart and measure up to his bravado other than Diana Rigg or should I say Emma Peel?!. A lot of people have commented ` too bad Connery didn't star in this film just think what he would have done ` If Connery signed on for OHMSS I GARENTEE the formula would have been that of You Only Live Twice and the marriage and seriousness would have been dropped. This is not to say Connery wouldn't want to do it that way but Broccoli would have balked and stayed with a proven formula which was resurrected with DAF. OHMSS is also completely void of gadgetry. I don't favor having or not having gadgetry in a Bond film. I think that alternating its presence through the series has been a good idea. I believe that its absence in OHMSS is a big plus for several reasons. The previous four films starting with From Russia With Love through You Only Live Twice went from introducing gadgetry to oppressing us with an overabundance of it to the point of turning James Bond into robot that pushes a button to dispose of his enemies and escape every danger. By dropping it from OHMSS Bond is allowed to use his mental and physical skills to solve his problems most notably when escaping the giant cogs of a cable car mechanism. This also provided Lazenby the opportunity to display his physical assets. Had the gadgetry been employed here his performance would have suffered more.
What really makes OHMSS stand out is the action. The pre-credit fight and subsequent fight in Tracy's hotel room are fast and furious. A trademark of early Bond films but sadly lacking in latter Bond films. Although there is a long gap between these two fights and the next action sequence Bond's escape from Piz Gloria the last 30 minutes or so we are treated to some of the best action sequences ever staged. Two ski chases, a car chase, another fight, a real avalanche, a helicopter raid on Blofeld's institute and a bobsled chase. The editing is rapid fire and all of the action is fast and energetically intense blended with Barry's magnificent score and Reed's lavish cinematography. The ski chase has since become a reoccurring action piece in later Bond films however only the pre-credit sequence in The Spy Who Loved Me compares and that was the best and only exciting action scene in that film.
The ending is another source of controversy? Why? I don't know how else could it end? Unless they intended to make this the final Bond film could I see Tracy not dying otherwise how could the series continue? Remember this was made in 1969 everybody died at the end of a movie in 1969. Unfortunately OHMSS was not a big success and the finger was pointed directly at Lazenby. There were consequences that proved to be good and bad from this. To the good the producers managed to get Connery back one more time. To the bad Lazenby was through as Bond ` by his own choice `. How was this bad? I had to put up with Roger Moore for 12 years and seven films, all of which are on the bottom of my Bond rankings. The series also never again departed from the usual formula again until License To kill another excellent but different Bond film. Like OHMSS it was also a box office failure. I think real Bond fans like both of these films but the general Bond public will only accept the formula established by Goldfinger. I believe it serves the series well to depart occasionally from traditional formula and OHMSS did it exceedingly well. When compared to today's action films, OHMSS stands up very well while I think the other Bond films of its time have lost some of there impact and if you look at films by Bay & Woo which I hate you can see an attempt to edit action fervidly. They fail miserably by over editing to the point of making the action incoherent. OHMSS stands out for being fresh unique and ultimately the most exciting Bond film ever.
Operation Crossbow
(1965)
Could have been Bond in WWII
26 May 2001
Warning: Spoilers
Exciting WWII adventure spy thriller resembles Bond films of the sixties. Elaborate underground German rocket base reminds me of a Ken Adem set.
Sophia's early demise is a startling shock which adds credibility to the film as a thriller. The best of Peppards three war film trilogy. Also look for Anthony Quayle playing against type as a nazi out to stop Peppard. Great fun.
Sophia's early demise is a startling shock which adds credibility to the film as a thriller. The best of Peppards three war film trilogy. Also look for Anthony Quayle playing against type as a nazi out to stop Peppard. Great fun.
The World Is Not Enough
(1999)
Its not Enough
22 November 1999
While I was sitting in the theater awaiting the start of TWINE I started talking to a little boy perhaps 8 or 9 and told him that I saw my first James Bond film when I was 7 " actually I was 6 " and I began to recall my first Bond film experience which was Goldfinger in late 1964. The boy was astonished at my remark and asked which I proffered the older or newer ones ? I quickly replied the older ones and my viewing of TWINE greatly reinforced my opinion. In fairness to the producers the objective reality is how many times can you create the same product and consistently make it good !? When Goldfinger was released there was nothing remotely close to compare with it. It was fresh dazzling fantastic entertainment. Like the mustang in the automotive world there was no competition. So after 37 years 19 EON productions and a few others, spin-offs & spoofs perhaps we should be a little forgiving and accept what we still get from a Bond film good fun entertainment most often still better than anything else out these days but as a life long Bond fanatic I say no ! I want more I waited two long years and I still hope and yearn for at least one great Bond film. To start with the pre-credit sequence is getting to be far more exciting than the lackluster climaxes and TWINE has one of the weakest of the series. I was also wondering what happened to the 1 or 2 great fights we used to see that seemed to have slowly vanished and are completely non existent in this film !? I also long for the great Ken Adam sets that gave the films a visual look that separated them from anything else. The most glaring omission is where is the sadistic henchman that Bond must dispose of before killing the lead villain !? Most film critics site that this like most others follow the same formula of all Bond films I strongly disagree. The formula has changed or perhaps they're just mixing different ingredients. The formula I want has elaborate sets, great fights and a rousing climax. TWINE also has more dramatic scenes than I have ever seen in a Bond film and they seemed awkward and out of place. I was most annoyed by Q's exit. The introduction of his replacement was obvious and a good choice but his decent from Q Branch made me feel like they were lowering him into a tomb for burial. I cannot complain about Pierce Brosnan who is a terrific James Bond and Judi Dench equally excellent as M but Pierce who is beginning to show some age is only committed to one more film and I hate to see his talent wasted as we all know how difficult it will be to find a good replacement. Most of the action sequences are satisfying my favorite being the helicopter raid on Zukovsky's hideout and the exterior shots for the ski chase look fabulous but they don't have the fury or pace of some of the better action pieces in the past . The Bond girls include a good acting so so looking Sophie Marcuea as Electra a laughable Denise Richards as scientist Christmas Jones who is a knockout unfortunately Maria Grazia Cucinotta the most awesome looking woman in a Bond film in years is killed off in the pre-credit sequence. Robert Carlyle is an adequate villain but again the absence of a menacing henchman is inexcusable. As far as gadgets they don't make or break a Bond film for me but I did love his glasses. One big positive was the return of David Arnold whose score is nothing memorable but his consistent Bond themes throughout help ease the absence of the irreplaceable John Barry. TWINE is not bad but its not one of the better Bonds either and now I must wait another 2 years hoping that the next one will bring back the excitement of the past.........
Double Jeopardy
(1999)
Living on Premise only
1 October 1999
Every now & then we all get suckered into seeing a film by falling for the trailer campaign or the one line positive reviews of small time critics plastered all over the paper & TV or even by the premise of the film. Double Jeopardy got me with all three. The premise of the film being if your convicted of murdering a person you cannot be convicted for murdering that same person again therefore you can legally murder someone under these unusual and unlikely circumstances. This offers a good starting point for a good thriller unfortunately the producers failed to find a competent writer to put together a plausible screenplay around the premise. It took about five minutes into the film for me to determine that DJ was going to be a turkey. To start with Ashley Judd just happens to wake up just a few minutes before the coast guard shows up so they can see her pick up the supposed murder weapon of her husband aboard a newly bought yacht . I guess we can assume film characters playing framed murders never watch TV or movies since this cliché has only been used about 500,000 times and yet they keep picking up the murder weapon !! I'm not a lawyer so perhaps I don't know what I'm talking about but isn't a body required for a murder conviction !? So now we move on to Ashley in prison and her son & girlfriend caretaker have disappeared. Ashley is a smart woman and tracks her down and wants to talk to her son and then she hears her son call for his father and now Ashley knows her husband is alive ! Does Ashley call her lawyer and have him investigate the disappearance of her son & caretaker who have now run off with her husband ? NO, She decides to serve her term and go after her husband with the knowledge giving to her by a prison mate ex lawyer about double jeopardy ! Yea I guess I would stay in jail for 6 years too since I know I could track down my husband instead of trying to get someone else to do it for you so I could get now ! If you bought that one your brain dead !! My favorite one was when she gets out of prison and breaks parole and goes home to mama. Of course the police would never think of looking for her there !? Mama has a nice wad of money stashed for her so she can finance her way around hunting down her lost husband. Oh I forget to mention her loser parole officer Tommy Lee Jones his ex wife screwed him and took off with his child that he hadn't seen in years ! Just a coincidence of course. Tommy's not too bright leaving his car keys in the ignition with an escaped parole in the car. Tommy is only stupid enough to keep letting Ashley escape his grasp but he gets smart when trying to help track down her husband and help her in the end. You would think at some point in the film there would be an explanation for how Ashley gets setup but it never happens and all were left with is a silly chase film. Ashley doesn't even want to kill her husband she just wants her son. Well why did she sit in jail if not to use the DJ rule to seek revenge on her betraying husband ?! She ends up shooting him in self defense " not for revenge " like all good guys & girls are supposed to . I enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones as he seems to always be good no matter the film and Ashley Judd is a doll but she is never convincing playing a character that should be far more dark and bitter considering what she was put through. This is not a boring or totally unentertaining film but it is completely unbelievable from the very beginning and with a smart script could have been much better.
Never Say Never Again
(1983)
Never Play Bond Again
28 July 1999
After years of anticipation and rumor Sean Connery finally returned to play James Bond again. Hopefully final can be said about Connery playing Bond and Kevin McClory producing another remake of Thunderball. Its incredible how much power in the Bond world McClory has just for being a script co writer on what was to originally have been the first Bond film Thunderball. This is not to say Connery's performance was bad in NSNA but his lined face showed more age than the 52 years he had been around and although he looked to be in pretty good physical shape his screen presence was not as imposing as in the past. Connery however was still the best person to play Bond in 1983 since his 2 replacements Lazenby wooden and Moore also wooden and a clown couldn't match his cool confidence. I can only assume twelve years of mostly unheralded film flops , lots of money and perhaps a little envy at Moore's success motivated him to strap on his Walter PPK. Unfortunately NSNA like most of Connery's non EON produced Bond films was lackluster and disappointing. I can't think of any other film star in history the magnitude of Connery being in so many flops, Zardoz, The Terrorists, The Next Man, I could go on forever. NSNA not being a EON produced Bond meant no gun barrel logo opening, No Maurice Binder titles, no Desmond LLewelyn as Q , No John Barry score or Monty Norman James Bond theme and the lack of all of this hurt the film but there were many other problems. To start with the opening sequence where Bond appears to infiltrate a jungle stronghold is quite well done but is ruined when we find out its mearly a training exercise and this takes away from any excitement generated by the action. Edward Fox who plays a very annoying and obnoxious M dissatisfied with Bonds performance during the training exercise sends him off to heath clinic to get in better shape. While at the clinic Bond gets in a fight with an indestructible assassin an attempt to be reminiscent of the fights in the 60's Bond films in fact the scene of Bond throwing a dumbbell that bounces off the chest of the assassin looks just like Bond throwing a gold bar which bounces off Oddjob's chest in Goldfinger. This fight and everything that's wrong with it sums up with what's wrong with the film. To start with it goes on too long and becomes absurd. It also looks very staged and lacks any excitement and it doesn't have the fury of earlier Bond fights. The entire film lacks any exciting action with the exception of the short bike chase and the conclusion of the chase along with the demise of Fatima is silly. I did like Max Von Sydow as Blofield but there wasn't enough of him and too much of Klaus Maria Branauer who was a good villain for another type of film but not a Bond film. The two leading ladies were two of the best ever and Bernie Casey was one of the best Felix Leiter usually poorly cast in even the best Bond films. The film at times reminded me of the first two Bond films in pace and look but again unfortunately it didn't have the excitement or cool of those films. The highlight of the film for me was the World Domination game between Bond and Largo. I was fooled for a while and thought Bond was actually going to lose at something !!?? " Bond never ever loses at anything on film or on paper excuse me he did lose a game of Gin Rummy to Solitaire in Live & Let Die " when he was knocked by electric charge to the floor but of course he recovered to win the game .
Only a year ago rumor again was that Connery was going to play Bond again with McCrory producing yet another remake of Thunderball !! Thank God this did not happen ! No one could ever compare to a young 30's early 40's Connery playing Bond but a near 70 James Bond !? Please Kevin McClory find something else to do and leave Bond films to EON & the Broccoli's..
Only a year ago rumor again was that Connery was going to play Bond again with McCrory producing yet another remake of Thunderball !! Thank God this did not happen ! No one could ever compare to a young 30's early 40's Connery playing Bond but a near 70 James Bond !? Please Kevin McClory find something else to do and leave Bond films to EON & the Broccoli's..
The Thomas Crown Affair
(1999)
Better than the original
26 July 1999
A near perfect 10 from start to finish. A purely entertaining smartly written slick film. One of the rare occasions where a remake is better than the original and the original was pretty good but not nearly as intricate nor did it have the delicious suprises of the new one. My only criticism and its a small one Rene Russo is not as sexy or seductive as a young Faye Dunaway but she is equally convincing as the determined insurance investigator. What a breath of fresh air to see a terrific summer entertainment film without mindless over the top action sequences and special effects. If thats what your looking for skip it but if you want to have a good time and put a smile on your face your in for a real treat.
A Civil Action
(1998)
Should have been a made for TV movie
26 July 1999
This is one of the most limp uninteresting court room dramas I have ever seen. At the end of the film I'm asking " thats It !!?? No twists ? No turns ? No big payoff ? No climax ? Who cares ? A very straight forward court room drama that offers absolutely nothing new nor is there any court room tension or strategies between the two sides in the case. Its too bad the lawyers portrayed in this film went broke it should be the producers of this dud instead.
Independence Day
(1996)
mindless junk
22 February 1999
When I saw the early trailers for ID the first thing that came to mind was " War Of The Words " which is one of my favorite SCI-FI films. I was unfortunately suckered into seeing this over-commercialized over- hyped pile of mindless junk. Forgetting that this is the 90's and during the summer special effects and action are all that's required to draw people to the theaters. A plausible well written story with good drama, tension and excitement are not necessary for the brain dead of our society who continue to throw away money on this junk every year which means we will continue to see more garbage like it every year. This film is not that bad and I wouldn't detest it so much if it didn't earn so much money. I keep hoping people will tire of these films and spend their money on something better or will never see the end of junk like this. The first half is not too bad and the image of the huge spaceships that cover entire cities is quite scary and does have dramatic impact. Once we get to the underground secret lab and the hidden space ship the film goes down hill faster than you can say ID !? The clichés pile up starting with the millionth time since Watergate on film that our Gov. is keeping secrets from the people even the Pres., then of course we have to have at least 1 gooey slimy gory alien surgery scene and as far as the special effects I saw nothing in this film new or impressive that we haven't seen since Star Wars which is now over 20 years old. Then we're expected to believe that as advanced as this allien invader is their technology has not improved in the last 40+ years that they wouldn't detect one of their old spaceships is manned by man and infiltrating their brain center and that we could learn to fly it in a very short time or that it would still even fly !? It's too bad the producers couldn't find some creative writers to find a more scientific or imaginative way to destroy the invaders. I'll take War Of The Worlds, When Worlds Collide and Colossus The Forbin Project 3 far more entertaining end of the world dramas and watch them over and over again rather than every sitting through ID which should stand for Idiots Donate !
The Longest Yard
(1974)
Burt's Best Almost
15 February 1999
Burt's second best film behind Deliverance but far more entertaining. A perfect blend of action comedy and drama with Burt in his prime in a football version of the Dirty Dozen-1. Great supporting cast of ruthless guards, warped inmates and a hateful warden played brilliantly by Eddie Albert who again teams with action director Aldrich after previously playing hateful officer in Attack. Almost all other sports films are very inept in their depicting sports activity but not here the climactic football game between the guards and inmates is exciting fun and looks like a real game!
The Big Country
(1958)
No more westerns like this one.
15 February 1999
Great entertainment and one of my favorite westerns. Magnificent score and cinematography highlights better than average range war epic. You get two great leading men in Peck & Heston, Two great character actors with Ives and Bickford with Ives brilliant as rough and dirty Rufus and two beautiful leading ladies with Simmons & Baker along with Conners as Ives simple minded rowdy son. Every scene with Ives is unforgettable. Pure entertainment at its best and unlikely to be equaled in a western again.
True Lies
(1994)
True Junk
1 February 1999
I'm not sure what this film tried to be action, thriller, comedy, spoof perhaps all of the above as far as I'm concerned it succeeded at none of the above. Overlong and tiresome specially the subplot with Jamie Lee as the undercover spy. I also wasn't compelled by much of the action and frankly there wasn't enough of it. Yes there were some dazzling special effects and computer graphics but aren't we all getting tired of a films primary asset being its special effects !
Midway
(1976)
No epic here
1 February 1999
If you take away the W.W.II stock footage, The Tora Tora Tora footage and Away All Boats footage this film has very little production value. Frankly when I go to the theater and pay full ticket price for a movie I expect to be getting my money's worth and Midway is like paying new tire cost for a tire retread. Charlton Heston one of the greatest actors of all time leads an all star cast of old has been's and soon to be nobody's in this TV like disaster film production. When the film focus's on the actual battle its not too bad. When it reverts to subplots with Chucks son and his Japanese girlfriend and the expanded TV prints which include more subplots with his wife its cornball silly drama again resembling the nonsense they throw into all the disaster films produced in the 70's just to fill in the time between the action. All in all its OK for the late show if you're a war movie fan but this is no epic or great drama.
When Trumpets Fade
(1998 TV Movie)
Bigger isn't always better !
26 January 1999
A sleeper, better than the 2 overblown overlong epics Saving Private Ryan & Thin Red Line. Proves bigger isn't always better. I saw this before SPR and was more taken back by its graphic realism perhaps because I was already prepared. by the time I saw SPR. Taut tight intense film that moves along very quickly and has savage battle scenes. I had previously read about the Hurtgon forest and this film captures the insanity and waste of lives that was kept quiet and buried under the more popular and successful campaigns of WW2. My only complaint ties to most war films since the Vietnam epics started in the late 70's and that is too much insubordination portrayed by lower level officers & non coms.
#1 Columbo
26 January 1999
My #1 all time favorite Columbo episode . Conrad is perfect as creep crook murderer who sells health gyms and then soaks owners for supplies with over inflated prices. One of the few episodes where Columbo actually despises his suspect and lets him know it in a rare scene where Columbo angrily chews him out. Also rare for a conclusion that doesn't require Columbo to set up a trap to trip up his suspect.
Columbo top 5 candidate
26 January 1999
Ranks in my top 5 Columbo episodes. Van Dyke plays against type as slimy murderer and the scene with Falk picking up Drivers Test examiner Storch is the funniest of the series. Columbo trips up Van Dyke as he often does his suspects however with a more believable trap than usual.
#2 all time Columbo
26 January 1999
My #2 all time Columbo favorite. Great premise with Columbo investigating murder of two cops wives in a twist along the line of Strangers On A Train. The scene with Columbo discussing lack of finger prints on first deceased wife's phone with collaborating chief Kiley is a masterpiece. Set up conclusion is also one of the best.
Saving Private Ryan
(1998)
It's only a war movie
25 January 1999
I'm waiting for the second run of SPR so I can see it for a third time. This is not to say I loved this film or consider it to be the great masterpiece so many have over-hyped it to be. I happen to love historical epics and WWII is my favorite history subject along with the rarity of this type film these days makes it the more desirable for me to view. I do concur with all the rave about the opening beach landing being an intense awe-inspiring film experience however the remaining two plus hours of the film are quite ordinary and only the exciting battle at the conclusion of the film rescues SPR from being a dull disappointment. I also find the battle at the end of the film to be a contradiction to the opening battle and confuses the whole message. In the first battle we are in the middle of massive carnage and gore and get the feel of being pinned down and what it's like to fear moving an inch and being killed but if you don't move you will be killed anyway! There is no false heroics only desperate men trying to stay alive and do their job. This better than any battle I've seen on film convinces me that I don't want any part of combat and there is nothing glorious about it and those that endured through it deserve our greatest admiration and respect which I believe is the primary message in the film. The conclusion however resembles the rousing old adventure war films of the past. Capt. Miller has found Ryan and has orders to bring him back to be sent home and this is his mission but instead he is talked into defending an important bridge by Ryan who doesn't want to abandon his comrades. We are then treated to an exhilarating battle that does not nearly match the terror and gore of the first and all the old W.W.II movie clichés start to show up. The rock hard sergeant who feels no pain no matter how many times he is shot, Ryan and his honorable loyalty to his men refusing to go home without having to risk his life any longer and of course the cavalry saving the day at the end when all appears lost !? I have a problem with films today dealing with war in that they go out of there way to try and convey too many messages as I believe there is a fear that its no longer politically correct or acceptable to make a war film for the sake of entertainment. I do believe there have been some great war films with a message such as Paths Of Glory and Go Tell The Spartans and others but there have been far too many that try too hard to preach war is hell and so on and SPR is one of them. I'm not ashamed to say that I prefer films like The Longest Day and Where Eagles dare as they are more entertaining and far more successful at what they are trying to be. No film today tomorrow or a hundred years from now will ever convey the horror of war or will impact society's view of war alone. Twenty years from now some other war film will come along and SPR will seem tame in comparison but it will still just be a movie like SPR is. I went to see SPR for the action and my W.W.II interest and was compelled only by those two things not the weak story line or pretentious messages and syrupy drama. SPR is a good film because of two great action pieces that hold up the long message laden middle and if it wasn't for the cliched conclusion and Ryan simply returned to the rear this film would not be seen by as many people who would have been disappointed by a anti-climactic non action conclusion which is the primary reason people view war films to see combat action not be preached at about how horrible war is !
Gettysburg
(1993)
Good film slightly flawed by Turner TV style production
14 January 1999
When I saw Gettysburg the weekend it opened I think around summer of 1983 I was somewhat disappointed but considering the rarity of historical epics " my favorite film genre " and the quality or lack of 80's & 90's films it was a refreshing change of pace and a decent film. Gettysburg was also a subject I had been waiting a lifetime to be put on film having been a Civil War buff. I was disappointed even prior to seeing the film with the knowledge Ted Turner was involved with the production. I expected and was correct in my assumptions that it would be similar to many of the TNT made for TV productions in style and pace, have some political correctness and be mild in the area of blood and graphic violence all of which were detrimental to the film. On the first point I thought the direction was lackluster and the battles did not have the intensity of the much more moving and exciting Glory. Concerning PC I thought the speech by Jeff Daniels as Chamberlain was moving and one of the best scenes in the film however his sergeants comments about blacks was out of place and a little too much for 1863 ! I don't think its always necessary to have blood & guts all over the screen as in most current films depicting violence but I do believe that if ever graphic violence was necessary to convey a historical event it was needed most notably during Pickett's charge in which bodies were ripped to shreds by the massive fire that was inflicted upon them and was part of the great tragedy and horror of the Civil War. I would have also liked the film to be in a wide screen format but again I think this has to do with Turner and TV. I liked all of the performances of the small star cast in the film even Martin Sheen as Lee " I'm not sure why his performance was criticized so much " my favorites were Jeff Daniels and Tom Berenger with the only exception being Sam Elliott a perennial TNT movie star who was annoying with his over-acting. On the plus side was the very fine score and for a 4+ hour film it flew by and had many moving scenes one of them was the rousing cheer of Lee's men as he came to greet them prior to the climactic battle and two great scenes involving Chamberlain " his speech early on and leading his ammunition depleted men on a desperate bayonet charge" . I also have to admit I watch this film every time its on Turner and my appreciation grows for it with every viewing and the shortcomings I mentioned bothered me initially but not in my repeated viewing and considering the extreme rarity of Civil War epics I now would highly recommend seeing Gettysburg.
Raid on Rommel
(1971)
bootleg
14 January 1999
OK WW2 actioner if it didn't steal all of its action footage from much better film " Tobruk " which makes this a bootleg rip-off for anyone who may have paid either to see this in a theater or rent the video. Don't bother just watch Tobruk instead.
Cape Fear
(1991)
See the original Scorsese & De niro's worst film
13 January 1999
Worst De Niro Scorsese collaboration in this horrible agonizing violent overlong mess. Scorsese is totally out of his element in this film with the horror cliched suddenly loud phone ringing and door slamming gimmicks that seem laughable and embarrassing coming from such a master craftsman. The cast is totally wasted here and the southern accents are very annoying and forced. Nick Noltie plays the wimpiest lawyer in history who would ever believe he can defend anyone ! De Niro's psychotic Bowden is nothing more than the typical 90's movie psycho killer. The scene with De Niro and Lewis early on is very awkward and the climax goes on and on and we should all be more than tired of the on psycho stalker that never dies. One of my most horrible movie experiences. Rent the original it's 100 times better.
Dillinger
(1973)
Machine guns ablaze
12 January 1999
Underrated gangster film. No Bonnie & Clyde here but solid cast in good looking fast paced action packed machine gun blazing shoot-em up. Oates is perfect as John Dillinger and Johnson plays a ruthless tough as nails Pervus on his trail. Richard Dreyfuss highlights the supporting cast as the punk Baby Face Nelson. Milius direction style is a combination of Penn and Peckinpah with his fast moving exciting bloody gun battles.
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