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Blood on the Moon (1948)
A favorite film noir western
One of my two favorite film noir westerns, the other being "Pursued," also staring Mitchum. It's almost an anti-western. Just look at the opening sequence - no blue skies and open spaces, but dreary rain at night, and just when Mitchum gets a fire going under a tarp, all he has is wiped out by running cattle. It's all dark, and has the best bar fight I've ever seen on screen, beautifully lit and shot.
BlacKkKlansman (2018)
Profound
I've been a Spike Lee fan since "She's Gotta Have It" opened in theaters. I've found all of his films worth watching. Some, such as "Malcolm X," "Do the Right Thing," "Four Little Girls," and "Get on the Bus," are profound.
I'm white, 69, and in a wheelchair. Going to the ticket line, I noticed a black man, of similar age, and in a wheelchair. I said to him, I know we'll be competing for the wheelchair seats. We wound up sitting next to each other, and enjoyed each other's comments.
Others have detailed the virtues of this film, so I'll comment on the questions, perhaps some are unanswerable, that the film raised to me. Why did the Colorado Springs Police end what, by their own admission, was a very successful operation? Why were all the records destroyed? How well did racial integration of their force continue from there? Wish the imdb still had the forums, so we could discuss this. I really should read Stallworth's autobiography, as it might have some answers.
One thing I have to mention, if this were fiction, most would find a black man and a Jew duping the Klan unbelievable! Great film!
Wanted! Jane Turner (1936)
Odd scenes make it a keeper
Yes, it's a typical Lee Tracy film. It's as fast paced, and as much fun as most of his films of the period are. But, there are a lot of subplots, and unusual scenes, that make it rise above the ordinary. The marriage by mail con has been mentioned, as has the crooked dog catcher. Another is the little old guy who comes to the PO every day, expecting a letter from his son. The whole seeing the public through the eyes of the PO worker in the window bit is a marvelous slice of life of the day. The film also has one of the strangest "interrogation" scenes I've ever seen. Three cops work on a suspect by being annoying, all psychological, no rough stuff at all. Great stuff. I also loved the art deco interior hallway in Tracy and Stuart's hotel. They don't make 'em like that any more. I think this film is a keeper.
Kung Fu (1972)
anti Viet Nam War parables
Obviously, people still enjoy this fine show today. But, I think most fail to appreciate how it related to the time when it was made. Every night, on the news, we would see Americans killing Vietnamese, and vice versa, constant bloody violence, and tragedy. Once a week, we would see an Asian hippie, who hated violence, and sought peace. He was able to over come everything thrown at him, and retain his peaceful center. "The Way Of Violence Has No Mind" was the title of one episode, but was the constant message of the series. To see that, week after week, on network television, in those times, was astounding. There has never been anything else like it.
This Island Earth (1955)
Under appreciated classic of its era
This Island Earth is an under appreciated classic of 50s sci-fi. Mysterious, compelling, with parallels to world events, and a great bug eyed monster! It deserves better than decimation by skewering at the hands of the MST3K crew, who I usually enjoy. See it in its original form to truly appreciate it. Better MST3K should skewer Battlefield Earth!
The Devils (1971)
Enlightenment vs Brutality
Brilliant and brutal, stunning and painful, not an easy film to watch, but easily Russell's best film, and one of the most powerful films ever made, depicting the repression of enlightenment by the powers of orthodoxy, that continues to this day. Don't miss it.
Chac: Dios de la lluvia (1975)
A nuanced, subtle view into an unfamiliar culture and mythos.
I saw Chac when it first came out, and have wanted to see it again ever since. I have now seen the restored film, And I was not disappointed. Chac is an amazing and unique film. Made entirely with non actors, they give a better performance than any professionals could have. Chac is a simple and direct folk tale, but rich with subtleties. The story reminds one of something by B. Traven, the reclusive author of The Treasure Of Sierra Madre and Macario. The setting, the forests of Chiapas, Mexico, reminds one of John Boorman's The Emerald Forest, but is completely lacking in artifice. The direct, but nuanced portrayals of the characters and story is much like Japanese film, such as Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. It could only be made by someone who knows and cares for its subjects deeply. It is a setting, culture and mythos unfamiliar to most of us, that is presented in such a way as to be at once mystical, and as ordinary as walking across the street. I highly recommend it.
The restored print looked good, but this is not Hollywood film making, and was made under difficult conditions, to say the least. The only damage I saw as a distraction is a small colored scratch in the center of the screen during a very dark scene with small, lit subjects in the middle of the screen. There are also variations in the color of film stock.